A new ultra fast conduction mechanism in insulating polymer nanocomposites

A brand new phenomenon, namely, electrical conduction via soliton-like ultra fast space charge pulses, recently identified in unfilled cross-linked polyethylene, is shown for the first time to occur in insulating polymer nanocomposites and its characteristics correlated with the electromechanical properties of nanostructured materials. These charge pulses are observed to cross the insulation under low electrical field in epoxy-based nanocomposites containing nanosilica particles with relative weights of 1%, 5%, 10%, and 20% at speeds orders of magnitude higher than those expected for carriers in insulating polymers. The characteristics of mobility, magnitude and repetition rate for both positive and negative charge pulses are studied in relation to nanofiller concentration. The results show that the ultra fast charge pulses (packets) are affected significantly by the concentration of nanoparticles. An explanation is presented in terms of a new conduction mechanism where the mechanical properties of the polymer and movement of polymer chains play an important role in the injection and transport of charge in the form of pulses. Here, the charge transport is not controlled by traps. Instead, it is driven by the contribution of polarization and the resultant electromechanical compression, which is substantially affected by the introduction of nanoparticles into the base polymer

Increased peripheral and local soluble FGL2 in the recovery of renal ischemia reperfusion injury in a porcine kidney auto-transplantation model

BACKGROUND: Regulatory T cells (Treg) protect kidney against ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury via suppressing innate immunity, but the mechanism has not been fully clarified. Soluble fibrinogen-like protein 2 (sFGL2), a novel effector of Treg, may affect apoptosis and inflammation. This study investigated the role of sFGL2 in renal IR injury in a porcine kidney auto-transplantation model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The left kidney was retrieved from mini pigs and infused by University of Wisconsin solution into the renal artery with the renal artery and vein clamped for 24-h cold storage. After the right nephrectomy, the left kidney was auto-transplanted into the right for 2 weeks. 3 pigs were sacrificed at day 2, 5, 7, 10 and 14 post-transplantation respectively. Collected renal tissues and daily blood samples were stored for further analyses. RESULTS: Both serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were maximized during day 2 to 5 and followed by a gradual recovery over 2 weeks. The similar pattern were showed in histological damage, myeloperoxidase + cells and apoptosis in the kidney, as well as circulating TNF-α and IFN-γ. Serum sFGL2 presented a fluctuating increase and reached a peak at day 10. The expression of sFGL2 and its receptor FcγRIIB as well as Foxp3 and IL-10 in the kidney was notably increased from day 5 to 10. CONCLUSION: The increased sFGL2 together with FcγRIIB during renal recovery after IR injury suggested that sFGL2 might be a potential renoprotective mediator involved in the renal self-repairing and remodeling in this 2-week porcine auto-transplantation model

Innate immunity activation involved in unprotected porcine auto-transplant kidneys preserved by naked caspase-3 siRNA

BACKGROUND: The naked caspase-3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) infused into the renal artery during cold preservation was effective, but did not protect auto-transplant porcine kidneys with increased inflammation and apoptosis in our previous study. The mechanisms involved, in particular, whether siRNA or complementary systemic feedback eliciting innate immune responses are worthy to be further investigated. METHODS: The protein and mRNA expression of innate immunity-related molecules were detected by western blotting and quantitative PCR in the tissues previously collected from 48 h auto-transplant kidneys. The donor kidneys were retrieved from mini pigs and cold preserved by University of Wisconsin solution with/without 0.3 mg caspase-3 siRNA for 24 h. RESULTS: The protein level of Toll like receptor (TLR) 3, TLR7, and their main adapters, TRIF and MyD88, was up-regulated in the siRNA preserved auto-transplant kidneys. The mRNA level of NF-κB and c-Jun was increased, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and interferon (IFN)-α, β and γ. In addition, the non-TLR RNA sensor PKR protein, but not RIG1, was also increased in the siRNA preserved auto-transplant kidneys. CONCLUSIONS: The activation of innate immunity with amplified inflammatory responses in the caspase-3 siRNA preserved auto-transplant kidneys are associated with increased TLR3, TLR7 and PKR, which might be due to complementary systemic feedback, although persistent actions initiated by short-acting caspase-3 siRNA cannot be completely ruled out. These results provided valuable evidence to guide future siRNA design and pre-clinic studies

DS_10.1177_0022034518774783 – Supplemental material for Comparison of Intraoral Bone Regeneration with Iliac and Alveolar BMSCs

<p>Supplemental material, DS_10.1177_0022034518774783 for Comparison of Intraoral Bone Regeneration with Iliac and Alveolar BMSCs by F. Wang, Y. Zhou, J. Zhou, M. Xu, W. Zheng, W. Huang, W. Zhou, Y. Shen, K. Zhao, Y. Wu and D. Zou in Journal of Dental Research</p

Exome-wide association study of plasma lipids in >300,000 individuals.

We screened variants on an exome-focused genotyping array in >300,000 participants (replication in >280,000 participants) and identified 444 independent variants in 250 loci significantly associated with total cholesterol (TC), high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and/or triglycerides (TG). At two loci (JAK2 and A1CF), experimental analysis in mice showed lipid changes consistent with the human data. We also found that: (i) beta-thalassemia trait carriers displayed lower TC and were protected from coronary artery disease (CAD); (ii) excluding the CETP locus, there was not a predictable relationship between plasma HDL-C and risk for age-related macular degeneration; (iii) only some mechanisms of lowering LDL-C appeared to increase risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D); and (iv) TG-lowering alleles involved in hepatic production of TG-rich lipoproteins (TM6SF2 and PNPLA3) tracked with higher liver fat, higher risk for T2D, and lower risk for CAD, whereas TG-lowering alleles involved in peripheral lipolysis (LPL and ANGPTL4) had no effect on liver fat but decreased risks for both T2D and CAD