Lipopolysaccharide inhibits transforming growth factor-beta1-stimulated Smad6 expression by inducing phosphorylation of the linker region of Smad3 through a TLR4–IRAK1–ERK1/2 pathway

AbstractSmad6, one of the inhibitory Smads, plays an important role in transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1)-mediated negative regulation of pro-inflammatory signaling. In this study, we found that bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibits TGF-β1-induced expression of Smad6 in RAW264.7 cells. This repression was accompanied by increased Smad3 linker phosphorylation at Thr-179 and Ser-208 and was dependent on ERK1/2 activity via the TLR4–IRAK1-linked signaling cascade. The expression of a mutant Smad3, that lacks the phosphorylation sites in the linker regions, significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of LPS on TGF-β1-induced Smad6 expression and its anti-inflammatory capacity. Collectively, our findings show how LPS pro-inflammatory signal antagonizes the anti-inflammatory activity of TGF-β1

The fulfilment of filial piety : the development of Korean Protestantism and the shape of a theology of filial piety

This thesis attempts to bring an amalgam of cultural, biblical, missiological and theological approaches to the theme of filial piety, to illuminate the development of Korean Protestantism and to shape a theology of filial piety. The work is divided into six chapters. Chapter One searches for the central theme in the Confucian Classics. The question of what is the central theme is an on-going debate among Confucian scholars. A lengthy discussion shows that filial piety is the central theme. Chapter Two argues that filial piety in early Korean literature was in continuity with the filial piety of the Confucian Classics and was used as a discontinuity with Buddhism. Chapter Three investigates how ancestor worship weakened in Korean culture and how Christian and biblical narratives deal with ancestor worship. This controversial issue is discussed in terms of the Confucian Classics and early Korean literature, and sociological, Christian and biblical perspectives. Chapter Four attempts to show that filial piety towards Yahweh in the Old Testament is in continuity with filial piety in the Confucian Classics and early Korean literature. It is argued why and how filial piety towards Yahweh the Father is emphasised within six books. Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea and Malachi. Chapter Five examines the filial piety of Jesus in the Four Gospels as an aspect of imitatio Christi. For this examination two questions are asked: (i) to what extent does the filial respect of Jesus towards his human parents relate to the filial piety of Jesus towards the Father? (ii) To what extent does the filial piety of Jesus towards the Father affect his disciples in their filial piety towards the Father? Chapter Six shapes a theology of filial piety as a consequence of chapters two to five and a contribution to a new Korean theology. In shaping this new theology as an authentic local theology a proper model is necessary. The models of two scholars (Robert J. Schreiter and Stephen B. Bevans) are examined to create a better model, which consists of two criteria (cultural relevance and biblical faithfulness). These criteria are used for the shape of a new local theology. Based upon these criteria, a basic outline of a theology of filial piety is established. This theological formation connects cultural relevance as discussed in chapters one and two, and biblical faithfulness as in chapters four, five and some portions of chapter six

Inverse Association between High Blood 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Diabetic Retinopathy in a Representative Korean Population

Purpose To investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study using a nation-wide, systemically stratified, multistage, clustered sampling method included a total of 18,363 subjects aged ≥40 years who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2008–2012. All participants participated in standardized interviews, blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level evaluations, and comprehensive ophthalmic examinations. Seven standard retinal fundus photographs were obtained from both eyes after pupil dilatation. DR was graded according to the modified Airlie House classification system. Results: The blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were 19.2 ng/mL in men and 17.9 ng/mL in women. After adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c levels, and hypertension, the odds ratios (OR) for any DR and proliferative DR among men decreased significantly in the highest blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level quintile relative to the lowest quintile (OR, 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18–0.76; P for trend = 0.004 and OR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.03–0.83; P for trend = 0.043). Conclusions: This study provides the first epidemiologic findings of the inverse relationships of blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with any DR and proliferative DR only in men. Considering anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic action of vitamin D, further studies including longitudinal and interventional analysis are warranted

Evidence of pores and thinned lipid bilayers induced in oriented lipid membranes interacting with the antimicrobial peptides, magainin-2 and aurein-3.3

AbstractDynamic structures of supramolecular lipid assemblies, such as toroidal pores and thinned bilayers induced in oriented lipid membranes, which are interacting with membrane-acting antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), magainin-2 and aurein-3.3, were explored by 31P and 2H solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy. Various types of phospholipid systems, such as POPC-d31, POPC-d31/POPG, and POPC-d31/cholesterol, were investigated to understand the membrane disruption mechanisms of magainin-2 and aurein-3.3 peptides at various peptide-to-lipid (P:L) ratios. The experimental lineshapes of anisotropic 31P and 2H ssNMR spectra measured on these peptide–lipid systems were simulated reasonably well by assuming the presence of supramolecular lipid assemblies, such as toroidal pores and thinned bilayers, in membranes. Furthermore, the observed decrease in the anisotropic frequency span of either 31P or 2H ssNMR spectra of oriented lipid bilayers, particularly when anionic POPG lipids are interacting with AMPs at high P:L ratios, can directly be explained by a thinned membrane surface model with fast lateral diffusive motions of lipids. The spectral analysis protocol we developed enables extraction of the lateral diffusion coefficients of lipids distributed on the curved surfaces of pores and thinned bilayers on a few nanometers scale

A Study on Virtual Reality Storytelling by Story Authoring Tool Algorithm

The objective of this study was to examine the storytelling principles of virtual reality contents, which are recently grabbing much attention, and the patterns of their generation rules and, based on the results, to analyze the elements and structure of a storytelling method suitable for virtual reality contents. In virtual reality environment, a story is usually being generated between choices made by a user who behaves autonomously under simulated environmental factors and the environmental constraints. This corresponds to a mutually complementary role of representation and simulation, which has been hotly discussed in the field of interactive storytelling. This study was conducted based on the assumption that such a mutually complementary realization is ideal for virtual reality storytelling. A simulation-based story authoring tool is a good example that shows this mutual complementation, in that it develops a story through various algorithms which involves the interaction of agents which occur within the strata of a virtual environment. Therefore, it can be a methodology for virtual reality storytelling. The structures and elements of narratives used in virtual reality storytelling which achieve balance of representation and simulation are much similar to an algorithm strategy of a simulation-based story authoring tool. The virtual reality contents released up to now can be classified into four categories based on the two axes of representation and simulation. The study focused on contents which are layered in higher strata of both representation and simulation. In the perspective of representation strata, these contents are actively using such elements as goal, event, action, perception, internal element, outcome, and setting element, which are constituents of ‘Fabula model’, to generate time relations and cause-effect relations. And in the perspective of simulation strata, the use of the ‘Late commitment’ strategy allowed users to understand the meanings of their actions taken during the process of experimenting with various dynamic principles within the environment