Hepatocyte growth factor ameliorates dermal sclerosis in the tight-skin mouse model of scleroderma

The tight-skin (TSK/+) mouse, a genetic model of systemic sclerosis (SSc), develops cutaneous fibrosis and defects in pulmonary architecture. Because hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an important mitogen and morphogen that contributes to the repair process after tissue injury, we investigated the role of HGF in cutaneous fibrosis and pulmonary architecture defects in SSc using TSK/+ mice. TSK/+ mice were injected in the gluteal muscle with either hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ) liposomes containing 8 μg of a human HGF expression vector (HGF-HVJ liposomes) or a mock vector (untreated control). Gene transfer was repeated once weekly for 8 weeks. The effects of HGF gene transfection on the histopathology and expression of tumor growth factor (TGF)-β and IL-4 mRNA in TSK/+ mice were examined. The effect of recombinant HGF on IL-4 production by TSK/+ CD4(+ )T cells stimulated by allogeneic dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro was also examined. Histologic analysis revealed that HGF gene transfection in TSK/+ mice resulted in a marked reduction of hypodermal thickness, including the subcutaneous connective tissue layer. The hypodermal thickness of HGF-treated TSK/+ mice was decreased two-fold to three-fold compared with untreated TSK/+ mice. However, TSK/+ associated defects in pulmonary architecture were unaffected by HGF gene transfection. HGF gene transfection significantly inhibited the expression of IL-4 and TGF-β1 mRNA in the spleen and skin but not in the lung. We also performed a mixed lymphocyte culture and examined the effect of recombinant HGF on the generation of IL-4. Recombinant HGF significantly inhibited IL-4 production in TSK/+ CD4(+ )T cells stimulated by allogeneic DCs. HGF gene transfection inhibited IL-4 and TGF-β mRNA expression, which has been postulated to have a major role in fibrinogenesis and reduced hypodermal thickness, including the subcutaneous connective tissue layer of TSK/+ mice. HGF might represent a novel strategy for the treatment of SSc

Hepatocyte growth factor prevents lupus nephritis in a murine lupus model of chronic graft-versus-host disease

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) induced in (C57BL/6 × DBA/2) F1 (BDF1) mice by the injection of DBA/2 mouse spleen cells represents histopathological changes associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and Sjogren's syndrome (SS), as indicated by glomerulonephritis, lymphocyte infiltration into the periportal area of the liver and salivary glands. We determined the therapeutic effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene transfection on lupus using this chronic GVHD model. Chronic GVHD mice were injected in the gluteal muscle with either HVJ liposomes containing 8 μg of the human HGF expression vector (HGF-HVJ liposomes) or mock vector (untreated control). Gene transfer was repeated at 2-week intervals during 12 weeks. HGF gene transfection effectively prevented the proteinuria and histopathological changes associated with glomerulonephritis. While liver and salivary gland sections from untreated GVHD mice showed prominent PBC- and SS-like changes, HGF gene transfection reduced these histopathological changes. HGF gene transfection greatly reduced the number of splenic B cells, host B cell major histocompatibility complex class II expression, and serum levels of IgG and anti-DNA antibodies. IL-4 mRNA expression in the spleen, liver, and kidneys was significantly decreased by HGF gene transfection. CD28 expression on DBA/2 CD4+ T cells was decreased by the addition of recombinant HGF in vitro. Furthermore, IL-4 production by DBA/2 CD4+ T cells stimulated by irradiated BDF1 dendritic cells was significantly inhibited by the addition of recombinant HGF in vitro. These results suggest that HGF gene transfection inhibited T helper 2 immune responses and reduced lupus nephritis, autoimmune sialoadenitis, and cholangitis in chronic GVHD mice. HGF may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of SLE, SS and PBC

発光ダイオード(LED)の照明技術に関する実験研究

Red and yellow-green light emitting diodes(LEDs)had already been developed, but there was intense international competition in the U.S., Europe and other countries to develop one other type-the blue LED. A blue diode was finally developed and commercialized in 1993, by Shuji Nakamura of the Nichia Corporation. LED light is governed by the additive color model which applies, for example, when three colors of light(red, green, and blue)are projected onto a screen using three projectors. The development of the blue type enabled LEDs to produce the three primary colors of red, green, and blue, and new lighting fixtures employing LEDs began to appear in the lighting industry. Some said the blue LED would not be developed in the 20th century, and its invention was an event which amazed people throughout the world. The blue LED made it possible to produce all colors by combining three colors, and some believe that in two or three years production of incandescent and fluorescent lights will cease, and the market will shift entirely to LEDs. In this research, illuminance is measured for three types of conventional lighting fixtures and two types of LED lighting fixtures. Parameters such as total luminous flux and power consumption of each lighting fixture are found from those values, and then brightness, glare, other optical characteristics, and energy conservation performance are measured and analyzed

膜構造建築に用いる四フッ化エチレン樹脂膜の汚れと経年変化に関する実験研究

This is a study on dirt and changes over time of Polytetra fluorine ethylene (PTFE) membranes used for membrane structures. Using an electron microscope, the physical states of membrane material surfaces which were exposed for about 6 years to sunshine are shown

垣間見た中国のプール事情

During the 1980s, China moved towards policies of reform and openness, and the convulsions brought about in. society and institutional and educational changes by the adoption of the market economy continue to the present day. The advances made in the 80s allowed China to catapult itself into the ranks of the ultra-advanced nations and the author feels that China is now on the threshold of becoming Asia\u27s hub. China\u27s ability to bring in the latest world technology and techniques to instantly transform the country into an ultra-advanced nation is indicative of the huge investments which socialist nations are capable of. Moreover, I get a very real feeling that only that which is new is accepted. In China the economic gap between urban and rural areas is often reported on, as it is in Japan. If there is sufficient time, just as I did this time on swimming pools, I would like to conduct research on people\u27s \u27happiness barometer\u27 while thinking about the vigorous city lifestyle and the rich in nature country lifestyle

Sphingosine 1-phosphate has anti-apoptotic effect on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and proliferative effect on hepatocytes in a paracrine manner in human

AimSphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite released from erythrocytes and platelets, and is a potent stimulus for endothelial cell proliferation. However, the role of S1P on human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) remains unclear. The proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in LSEC are involved in the promotion of liver regeneration and the suppression of liver injury after liver resection and transplantation. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of S1P on human LSEC and the interaction between S1P and LSEC in hepatocyte proliferation in vitro.MethodsImmortalized human LSEC were used. LSEC were cultured with S1P, and the cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, signal transductions and production of cytokines and growth factors were subsequently examined. To investigate the interaction between S1P and LSEC in hepatocyte proliferation, primary human hepatocytes were cultured with the supernatants of LSEC with and without S1P. DNA synthesis and signal transductions in hepatocytes were examined.ResultsS1P induced LSEC proliferation through activation of Akt and extracellular signal-related kinase pathways and suppressed LSEC apoptosis by affecting the expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and cleaved caspase-3. S1P promoted interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in LSEC. The supernatants of LSEC cultured with S1P enhanced hepatocyte DNA synthesis more strongly than the supernatants of LSEC cultured without S1P through activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 pathway.ConclusionS1P has proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects and promotes the production of IL-6 and VEGF in human LSEC, thereby promoting hepatocyte proliferation

いい音・悪い音 : 音を目で見ると

When young, one of the authors heard someone say \u27In fact there\u27s little difference between the refreshing waterfall sound and the traffic noise on roads.\u27 So-called good sounds include insects\u27 chirping, tinkles of the wind-bell and piano tunes. Bad ones include noises of trams or machinery. What makes the difference between a \u27good sound\u27 and a \u27bad sound\u27? This paper intended to visually compare the frequencies of various sounds using Windows Media Player. The results obtained were as follows. 1. So-called good sounds generally had sharp fluctuations in their frequency ranges as shown on attached graphs. 2. So-called bad sounds had less sharp fluctuations in their frequency ranges, hence did not show a clear sound. 3. However, the fluctuations of the waterfall sound and the fluctuations of the traffic noise of the road were not very different, which suggests for some sounds the existence of other factors such as listeners\u27 psychology; memories of the past, the milieu and connotations

単板ガラスを用いたガラス建築の熱環境光環境特性と快適性評価(その2) : 中間期(春期)温熱環境実測概要と結果

This is a report on the outline of the thermal environment measurement of the glass architecture in spring. The gymnasium and the multipurpose hall are laid underground, and the height of the ceiling of the gymnasium is 7340-8200mm and the multipurpose hall is 5780-6333mm. The building skin is thin, and the influence of the outside environment is feared: When a comfortable temperature is assumed to be 26-28℃, the gymnasium and multipurpose hall are comfortable up to a height of 4000-5500mm, because the ceiling is high. In the viewing space of the gymnasium 1F, the permissible temperature is exceeded at a height of 1000mm. On a day where the outside temperature exceeded 40℃, the permissible temperature was maintained by the use of air-conditioning in the multipurpose hall and the entrance. The measurement results in summer and winter are scheduled to be reported on

単板ガラスを用いたガラス建築の熱環境光環境特性と快適性評価(その1) : 実測建物概要,設備計画概要,年間環境実測計画書

The theme in this case was how to construct a low-cost,. energy-saving building with a beautiful design, within the constraints of an extremely low budget. This is a public facility, so initial construction costs could be secured, but the biggest issue was reducing annual running expenses (including operating costs such as water, lighting, heat and other utilities) after the structure was completed. In glass architecture which has previously been showcased in magazines and other media, most of the structures have been large-scale, and energy conservation was based on using large amounts of double-glazing and Low-E glass. But in buildings like this facility, where the construction budget is low, increasing the glass area increases the construction cost, and it is virtually impossible to use Low-E glass or energy-saving glass. Thus, it was decided to use singlepane glass in this plan, and the biggest issue for the environmental plan and architectural facilities was improving energy conservation through approaches such as utilizing natural energy and developing new air-conditioning systems. In this research, we conducted actual measurements of the environment after completion, in the intermediate periods, summer and winter. The results are used to clarify issues such as the living comfort of small-scale glass architecture, and the development of energy conservation systems