Syndecan-4 knockout leads to reduced extracellular transglutaminase-2 and protects against tubulointerstitial fibrosis

Transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) is an extracellular matrix crosslinking enzyme with a pivotal role in kidney fibrosis. The interaction of TG2 with the heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-4 (Sdc4) regulates the cell surface trafficking, localization, and activity of TG2 in vitro but remains unstudied in vivo. We tested the hypothesis that Sdc4 is required for cell surface targeting of TG2 and the development of kidney fibrosis in CKD. Wild-type and Sdc4-null mice were subjected to unilateral ureteric obstruction and aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) as experimental models of kidney fibrosis. Analysis of renal scarring by Masson trichrome staining, kidney hydroxyproline levels, and collagen immunofluorescence demonstrated progressive fibrosis associated with increases in extracellular TG2 and TG activity in the tubulointerstitium in both models. Knockout of Sdc-4 reduced these effects and prevented AAN-induced increases in total and active TGF-b1. In wild-type mice subjected to AAN, extracellular TG2 colocalized with Sdc4 in the tubular interstitium and basement membrane, where TG2 also colocalized with heparan sulfate chains. Heparitinase I, which selectively cleaves heparan sulfate, completely abolished extracellular TG2 in normal and diseased kidney sections. In conclusion, the lack of Sdc4 heparan sulfate chains in the kidneys of Sdc4-null mice abrogates injury-induced externalization of TG2, thereby preventing profibrotic crosslinking of extracellular matrix and recruitment of large latent TGF-b1. This finding suggests that targeting the TG2- Sdc4 interaction may provide a specific interventional strategy for the treatment of CKD

Analisis Variabel Keberhasilan Kud (Studi Kasus di Kud Kabupaten Musi Banyuasin, Sumatera Selatan)

The aims of this research are to determine (1) the effect of variables to the success of cooperation in achieving an autonomous village cooperative; (2) to determine which of the seven variables has the strongest effect on the success of the village cooperative. This research was mainly on the village cooperatives running in providing food and distributing production tools such as fertilizer, pesticide, prime seeds, and so on, in the Musi Banyuasin regency, South Sumatra province. The research location was determined based on the fact that the Musi Banyuasin Regency is one of the regencies located in South Sumatera which succeeded in developing the autonomous village cooperative. Sampling was applied to the village cooperatives which had been operating for more than two years and had corporate body at the time of investigation. As many as 47 autonomous village cooperatives were selected from the 147 available in the Musi Banyuasin regency. A village cooperative is considered autonomous if it has fulfilled the 13 criteria of the Department of Cooperative. To measure the success of the cooperative, several indicators are used, they are Profit Margin, Liquidity Ratio, and Solvability Ratio. The variables influencing the success of the village cooperative in becoming an autonomous cooperative are member's participation, operation volume, the board's education, board's experience, capital growth, business variation and service of the village cooperative involved. The regression and regression coefficient test simultaneously showed highly significant influence on the indicators of profit margin, liquidity and solvability. This means that the suggested variables statistically determined toward the success of the village cooperative. The t-significance at a=1% showed that two variables highly influenced the success of the village cooperative, they were the operation volume and capital growth. This fulfils the autonomous cooperative criteria: the total operation volume has to be in proportion with the number of members and the capital equity has to be at least 25 million rupiah. This indicates that the core of success for the village cooperative rests on the operation volume and the capital growth: the higher the operation volume and capital growth, the better the marketing and financial performance of the village cooperative. From the management handling perspective, it is indicated that the higher the board's education and the longer the experience, the higher the success of the village cooperative

Prinsip Estetika Pakaian Cosplay YOGYAKARTA: Fantasi dan Ekspresi Desain Masa Kini

Pakaian, dress code, animasi, dan manga, merupakan unsur yang tidak terpisahkan dalam pakaian cosplay. Unsur-unsur tersebut merupakan wacana dunia digital dan fantasi pada dunia pakaian. Ranah spiritualnya berp?ak pada kebudayaan Jepang yang dibudayakan melalui pakaian. Ideologi cosplay salah satunya menggambarkan pencitraan diri komuni- tas sosial, sebagai usaha untuk aktualisasi diri. Entitas cosplay mampu menjembatani du- nia fantasi dan realita, yang membelenggu keinginan manusia untuk bergaya. Tulisan ini akan dianalisis dengan teori pokok berdasarkan pandangan Dewitt H. Parker, dalam The Principles of Aesthetics, yang membagi prinsip estetika menjadi tiga, yaitu: prinsip kesatu- an organik, prinsip unsur dominan, dan prinsip keseimbangan. Prinsip kesatuan organik menunjukkan, bahwa pakaian cosplay merupakan akumulasi dari unsur-unsur desain, un- tuk merujuk dan menandai tokoh. Prinsip unsur dominan, merupakan aksentuasi, atau pusat perhatian dari sebuah desain pakaian cosplay. Prinsip keseimbangan, melihat penem- patan dan pengaturan ornamentasi yang diaplikasikan pada pakaian cosplay

Kehadiran Pelukis Salim dalam Sejarah Seni Lukis Modern Indonesia

Investigating the socio-cultural background, specifically the contradiction among the ideological influences in Indonesia in the late 1950s, cannot be done without discussing Salim. This painter promoted the aesthetic paradigm of ‘universalism' that emphasized on the freedom of personal expression. Many facts show that Salim was a painter with a firm personality. He built an intensive social relation with Indonesian national movement figures. His paintings contributed significantly to the development of the art of painting in Indonesia. However, he was stick to his decision to stay in Europe. His major rationale was that Europe was his only chance to develop both as human being and a professional painter. In Europe, he intuitively expressed Indonesian values through visual idioms. Europe acknowledged him as a painter with Eastern spirit, whereas in Indonesia he was considered too western. As the matter of fact, he was a universalist. In the bargaining of the aesthetic paradigm the history of modern visual art in Indonesia, Salim existence has been an inspiration and psychological support for painters who fight for universal humanism in his works. His presence was a true manifestation of the national identity issue in art. It was a reflection of political live tradition that is always a color in the journey of Indonesia modern art and culture

Analisis Ekonomi terhadap Struktur, Perilaku, dan Kinerja Pasar Pupuk di Jawa Timur (Kasus di Kabupaten Lumajang dan Kabupaten Ngawi)

The objectives of this research are: (1) to analyze the market structure of subsidizedfertilizer in East Java, (2) to analyze the need of subsidized fertilizer which should beallocated to their farms, (3) to observe the deviation, if any, of subsidized fertilizerdistribution along the distribution channel.This research found that the market struc-ture has the following characteristics: the access of market information is generallyquite even among distributors at the same level but not between different level. Fromthe market conduct point of view, it is found that there are rent seeking behaviorsresulting in some deviation in distribution channel as mentioned above. It is the resultof market structure being characterized by oligopolistic in nature. Such market struc-ture and conducts result in the level of fertilizer prices far above the highest retailprice set by the government, but farmers are forced to buy because they are in emer-gency need

Aktivitas Hepatoproteksi Ekstrak Etanol Kecambah Kedelai (Glycine Max) dengan Parameter Histopatologi Hepar pada Tikus yang Diinduksi Parasetamol

Kedelai (Glycine max (L.) Merr) mengandung senyawa flavonoid yang berfungsi sebagai hepatoprotektor. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui aktivitas hepatoproteksi ekstrak etanol kecambah kedelai pada tikus jantan yang diinduksi parasetamol dengan parameter histopatologi. Ekstraksi dengan metode maserasi dengan menggunakan pelarut etanol 70% dilakukan untuk mendapatkan ekstrak etanol kecambah kedelai. Hewan uji yang digunakan adalah tikus jantan (Rattus norvegicus) sebanyak 15 ekor dan dibagi menjadi 5 kelompok, secara berturut-turut adalah kelompok I sebagai kontrol tanpa induksi, kelompok II sebagai kontrol dengan pemberian induksi parasetamol, kelompok III, IV dan V yang diberi ekstrak etanol kecambah kedelai, berturut-turut 200 mg/kgBB, 300 mg/kgBB dan 400 mg/kgBB. Pada hari ke-8 seluruh tikus, kecuali kelompok I, diberikan induktor kerusakan hepar, yaitu parasetamol dosis 180mg/200gBB. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak etanol kecambah kedelai 400 mg/kgBB memiliki aktivitas hepatoproteksi paling efektif dibandingkan dosis 200 mg/kgBB dan 300 mg/kgBB dengan parameter histopatologi tikus jantan yang diinduksi parasetamol

Where energy flows, passion grows: testing a moderated mediation model of work passion through a cross-cultural lens

This study examines how and when passionate leaders can instigate work passion in their followers. We propose relational energy as a social interaction mediator that can facilitate the crossover of work passion from leader to followers. Additionally, we introduce a moderator of culture (Anglo culture, e.g., Canada vs. Confucian Asian culture, e.g., China) as it plays a vital role in the dynamics of interpersonal relations within a leader-follower dyad. We collected two-wave data from MBA students of two Confucian Asian countries (China and Singapore, n = 120) and two Anglo countries (Canada and Australia, n = 265) to test our moderated mediation model. The results show that interactions with passionate leaders can generate relational energy in followers and subsequently lead to followers’ passion for work. Furthermore, the findings shed light on the moderating effect of culture, such that the leader-follower work passion relationship via follower relational energy was stronger for followers from Anglo culture than the followers from Confucian Asian culture. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are discussed