TSPO ligands promote cholesterol efflux and suppress oxidative stress and inflammation in choroidal endothelial cells

Choroidal endothelial cells supply oxygen and nutrients to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and photoreceptors, recycle metabolites, and dispose of metabolic waste through the choroidal blood circulation. Death of the endothelial cells of the choroid may cause abnormal deposits including unesterified and esterified cholesterol beneath RPE cells and within Bruch’s membrane that contribute to the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most prevalent cause of blindness in older people. Translocator protein (TSPO) is a cholesterol-binding protein that is involved in mitochondrial cholesterol transport and other cellular functions. We have investigated the role of TSPO in choroidal endothelial cells. Immunocytochemistry showed that TSPO was localized to the mitochondria of choroidal endothelial cells. Choroidal endothelial cells exposed to TSPO ligands (Etifoxine or XBD-173) had significantly increased cholesterol efflux, higher expression of cholesterol homeostasis genes (LXRα, CYP27A1, CYP46A1, ABCA1 and ABCG1), and reduced biosynthesis of cholesterol and phospholipids from [14C]acetate, when compared to untreated controls. Treatment with TSPO ligands also resulted in reduced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased antioxidant capacity, and reduced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and VEGF) induced by oxidized LDL. These data suggest TSPO ligands may offer promise for the treatment of AMD

Higher Education in China: Tertiary Education in State Development

The People's Republic of China experienced rapid growth over the past quarter century; with this new economic power come the challenges to sustain it. Over the course of time, state development must tackle specific issues to progress into the future. Thus, under the pretext of continued development, what is the state of China's Higher Education system

Trump, Energy Policy, and Hard Look Review

For those concerned about climate change, the Trump administration’s energy policy is alarming. It aims to unravel every corner of the Obama administration’s climate legacy, consistent with an overall sweep of deregulation. Substantively, the Trump policy also departs starkly from the approach of the last decade, embracing traditional energy sources—fossil fuels and nuclear power—above all else. The Trump administration’s moves on energy beg the question: What limits, if any, does this policy approach face? This chapter begins to answer that question. Employing the lens of arbitrary and capricious, or “hard look,” review from administrative law, the chapter outlines principles that may constrain the Trump administration going forward—as well as areas where the administration has room to move.Our contributions are threefold. First, we detail the pentagonal principles that define the Trump energy policy (yes, there is a policy). Second, we establish that this policy is highly political in nature, in that it both predates Trump’s time in office and is connected to very specific projects and rules (even if that focus is short- rather than long-term). Third, we summarize the administration’s efforts to date and then explain the ways in which hard look review is likely (or unlikely) to throw up barriers to those actions

The Impact of External Debt on Zambia’s Economic Growth: An ARDL Approach

This paper examines empirically the impact of External debt on the Economic growth in Zambia using annual time series data spanning 1980 to 2014 and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) or bounds testing approach to cointegration. External debt is found to have a positive relationship with economic growth in the short run and a negative relationship in the long run. The long run results indicated that external debt accumulation has a negative impact on economic growth. This confirms the existence of a debt overhang problem in Zambia. Debt servicing is also found to have a significant and negative impact on GDP growth in the short-run. As the debt servicing tends to increase, there will be less opportunities for economic growth. Debt servicing is found to have crowding out effects on economic growth in the short-run. In addition, the Granger causality test was used to check for the direction of causality among the variables. The findings established a unidirectional causality from external debt to economic growth. Consequently, the study recommends, that government should embark on prudent borrowing and encourage export-oriented growth. Keywords: HIPC, external debt, debt overhang, ARDL, Economic growth, Granger causalit

Confirmed presence of the squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa (Say, 1837) in the state of Oregon and specimen-based observational records of Peponapis (Say, 1837) (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in the Oregon State Arthropod Collection

A new Oregon record for Peponapis pruinosa (Say, 1837) is presented with notes on its occurrence and photographs. This record provides the first empirical evidence of the genus and species in the state of Oregon. A dataset of Peponapis (Say, 1837) specimens in the holdings of the Oregon State Arthropod Collection is included with a brief summary of its contents

Aplicación de SGSST Ley N° 29783 para reducir la accidentabilidad en la empresa Pesquera Pelayo SAC, Puerto Supe – 2021

La presente investigación titulada “Aplicación de SGSST Ley N° 29783 para reducir la accidentabilidad en la empresa Pesquera Pelayo SAC, Puerto Supe – 2021” El estudio es pre experimental de tipo aplicado y enfoque cuantitativo, para ello se trabajó con una muestra de 4 meses de registros de accidentes laborales. Se evidenció la evolución del desempeño de las dimensiones de la gestión en SST, donde en los requisitos legales se visualiza un aumento de cumplimiento del 97.83%, en cuanto a las inspecciones en SST se tuvo un aumento de inspecciones cumplidas del 96.67% y en cuanto a las capacitaciones en SST se tuvo un aumento de 93.33%, en las tres dimensiones se visualiza un aumento de manera significativa ya que el programa de SGSST basado en la Ley 29783 se logró cumplir a cabalidad. Se elaboró el plan de SST, donde el costo estimado de la implementación es de S/. 21,209.00 soles, al que se deberá añadir el costo de sostenimiento del Plan de SSO. Como conclusión se valida la hipótesis alterna de la investigación el cual hace mención que la aplicación del SGSST basado en la ley 29783, reduce la accidentabilidad en el área operativa de la empresa Pesquera Pelayo

Asymmetric synthesis of cyclopropanes via a "zipper reaction"

The rearrangement of a homoallyl cation to a cyclopropylcarbinyl cation is thought to play a role in the biogenesis of a variety of cyclopropane-containing natural products,¹ a hypothesis which has previously led to the design of successful biomimetic syntheses of several natural products.² The strategy underlying this approach to cyclopropane synthesis³ can be applied more broadly and would be particularly valuable if it could be extended to a set of contiguous cyclopropanes. This concept has led us to examine the rearrangement of certain homoallylic systems bearing a leaving group (triflate) at one terminus and a cation-stabilizing metal (tin) at the other. The effects of protecting groups of varying steric demand and of olefin geometry on the stereochemical outcome of the cyclization were examined. "Zipper" cyclization of (8R,5E,2Z)-1-tri-n-butylstannyl-9-trityloxy-nona-2,5-dien-8-ol (117) led to the stereoselective formation of three distinct bicyclopropane stereoisomers (110,111,112). The major diastereomer was isolated through derivatization and the absolute stereochemistry was verified by X-ray crystallography. The trans,syn,trans-bicyclopropane 118 was carried forward to complete a formal synthesis of the antifungal agent FR-900848 (49). The synthesis of a key precursor to halicholactone (188), neohalicholactone (189), and the solandelactones A-H (190-197) constructed around a transcyclopropane core is also described. The key steps in this synthesis are the stereoselective synthesis of trans-vinylcyclopropane 79, followed by a highly diastereoselective acetate aldol reaction leading to compound 269

Immunohistochemical examination of immune cells in adipose tissue of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following intraperitoneal vaccination

KAV was supported by ELANCO and SEPPIC to undertake a PhD program at the University of Aberdeen. KAV would like to thank Dr. Abdo Alnabulsi and Dr. Jason Holland for their assistance with immunohistochemistry.Peer reviewedPostprin

1968: Art and Politics in Chicago

https://via.library.depaul.edu/museum-publications/1006/thumbnail.jp