High glucose-induced Matrilin-2 expression in mouse mesangial cells was mediated by transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of high glucose on the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein Matrilin-2 and the mechanism underlying this effect by using a mouse mesangial cell line. Mouse mesangial cells (MMCs) were cultured in media containing normal (5 mM d-glucose) or high concentrations of glucose (30 mM d-glucose). The expression of Matrilin-2 was assessed by either RT-PCR or western blot. Additionally, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) inhibitors and TGF-β1 were used to determine whether glucose-regulated Matrilin-2 expression was mediated by the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway. Our data demonstrated that Matrilin-2 expression was markedly induced by high glucose and TGF-β1. High glucose-induced Matrilin-2 expression was inhibited by TGF-β1/Smad3 inhibitors, indicating that Matrilin-2 was markedly induced by high glucose and this induction was mediated by the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway. Taken together, our results showed that high-glucose-induced Matrilin-2 expression that was mediated by the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway might play a role in Diabetic nephropathy (DN) pathogenesis and our finding provided a potential diagnostic and/or therapeutic target for DN

Tumor-Initiating Cells Are Enriched in CD44hi Population in Murine Salivary Gland Tumor

Tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs) discovered in various tumors have been widely reported. However, T-IC populations in salivary gland tumors have yet to be elucidated. Using the established Pleomorphic Adenoma Gene-1 (Plag1) transgenic mouse model of a salivary gland tumor, we identified CD44high (CD44hi) tumor cells, characterized by high levels of CD44 cell surface expression, as the T-ICs for pleomorphic adenomas. These CD44hi tumor cells incorporated 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU), at a lower rate than their CD44negative (CD44neg) counterparts, and also retained BrdU for a long period of time. Cell surface maker analysis revealed that 25% of the CD44hi tumor cells co-express other cancer stem cell markers such as CD133 and CD117. As few as 500 CD44hi tumor cells were sufficient to initiate pleomorphic adenomas in one third of the wildtype mice, whereas more than 1×104 CD44neg cells were needed for the same purpose. In NIH 3T3 cells, Plag1 was capable of activating the gene transcription of Egr1, a known upregulator for CD44. Furthermore, deletion of sequence 81–96 in the Egr1 promoter region abolished the effect of Plag1 on Egr1 upregulation. Our results establish the existence of T-ICs in murine salivary gland tumors, and suggest a potential molecular mechanism for CD44 upregulation

Conditional Uncertainty Distribution of Two Uncertain Variables and Conditional Inverse Uncertainty Distribution

It is noted that some uncertain variables are independent while others are not. In general, there is a symmetrical relationship between independence and dependence among uncertain variables. The utilization of conditional uncertain measures as well as conditional uncertainty distributions proves highly efficacious in resolving uncertainties pertaining to an event subsequent to the acquisition of knowledge about other events. In this paper, the theorem about the conditional uncertainty distribution of two uncertain variables is proposed. It is demonstrated that the theorem holds regardless of whether the two variables are independent or not. In addition, it is also found that uncertainty distribution possesses an inherent inverse function when it is a regular uncertainty distribution within the framework of Uncertainty Theory; therefore, this paper delves into investigating the conditional inverse uncertainty distribution, including specific cases of the conditional inverse uncertainty distributions. Meanwhile, illustrative examples are applied to clarify the findings

Oppositely Charged Pickering Emulsion Co-Stabilized by Chitin Nanoparticles and Fucoidan: Influence of Environmental Stresses on Stability and Antioxidant Activity

Single emulsifiers exhibit varying degrees of restriction in stabilizing emulsions. Oppositely charged chitin nanoparticles and fucoidan complex particles were used as emulsifiers to stabilize a o/w Pickering emulsion and explore its stability and antioxidant activity under different environmental stresses. The results showed that the emulsion with the smallest mean particle size (1.02 μm) and strongest zeta potential (−29.3 mV) was formed at pH 7. Moreover, at this pH, it presented the highest physical stability and antioxidant activity and the lowest emulsion creaming index. The investigation of the effect of temperature on the stability and antioxidant activity of the emulsion revealed that, after freezing/thawing at −20 °C, the emulsion was unstable, the particle size increased, and the stability and antioxidant activity were low. In contrast, the emulsions treated at 25, 37, and 60 °C displayed no significant differences and exhibited high stabilities and antioxidant activities. Additionally, increasing the salt ion concentration further decreased the emulsion stability and antioxidant activity. Particularly, the emulsion with a salt concentration of 500 mM displayed the lowest stability, and stratification occurred after 30 d of storage. The Pickering emulsion remained stable under different environmental stresses expect for at a temperature of −20 °C and 500 mM salt ion concentration

Coadsorption of Para-toluene Sulfamide and 1.4-Butynediol at Mercury Electrode

用电毛细曲线、微分电容曲线、Ｓｔｕａｒｔ模型和自洽场分子轨道法（ＣＮＤＯ／２）研究对甲苯磺酰胺和１．４－丁炔二醇在汞电极上的共吸附特性。此共吸附本质上是一种物理吸附。在其最大的吸附电位附近，二者分别以侧卧与平卧方式吸附于汞表面，并在共吸附层中表现出静电斥力作用。当两者的浓度相等时，１．４－丁炔二醇的吸附占优势。The coadsorption characteristics of para-toluene sulfamide and 1,4-butynediol atmercury electrode have been studied by means of electrocapillary curve,differential capacity curve,Stuart model and the SCFMO method(CNDO/2).The coadsorption is a physical adsorption occuringnaturally. Lateral and flat orientations in the two adsorbates close to their maximum adsorptionpotential were considered respectively.Unlike attractive interactions of their own,there was arepulsive interaction at their coadsorption layer.A preferred adsorption of 1,4-butynediol occurredWhen they were at the same volume concentration.作者联系地址：湖南大学化学化工系Author's Address: Depart. Chem.Chem.Eng.Hunan Univ.,Changsha 41008

An ESR Study of Free Radicals in Electroreduction Process of Allyl Alcohol

烯丙醇电还原自由基中间产物的ＥＳＲ研究张敬东，旷亚非，黄树坤，谢乃贤（湖南大学化学化工系，长沙４１００８２）汪风珍，陈德文（中南工业大学测试中心，长沙４１００８３）（中国科学院化学研究所，北京１０００８０）Ｈｏｒａｎｙｉ［１］、陈剑［２］等人对酸性水...Electrochemical-ESR technique with spin trap phenyl-t-butyl nitrone(PBN)was used to study the intermediates of electroreduction of allyl alcohol at platinized platinum electrode in acidic alcohol-aqua solution. Hydrogen and allyl group and(or)propyl group radicals were identified by a hyperfine spectrum of the radical adducts,and that provided a direct evidence for the presence of these radicals in the electroreduction of allyl alcohol.作者联系地址：湖南大学化学化工系，中南工业大学测试中心，中国科学院化学研究所，长沙水利电力学院化学系Author's Address: Dept.of Chem.and Chem. Eng.,Hunan University,Changsha 410082Wang FengzhenCentre Laboratory,Centre South University of Technology,Changsha 410083Chen DewenInst.of Chem.,Academia Sinica,Beijinq,10008