AIM: To evaluate the inflammasome activation and the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors(PPAR)-δ agonist treatment in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) models.METHODS: Male ...C57BL/6J mice were classified according to control or high fat diet(HFD) with or without PPAR-δ agonist(GW) over period of 12 wk control, HFD, HFD + lipopolysaccharide(LPS), HFD + LPS + GW group. Hep G2 cells were exposed to palmitic acid(PA) and/or LPS in the absence or presence of GW.RESULTS: HFD caused glucose intolerance and hepatic steatosis. In mice fed an HFD with LPS, caspase-1 and interleukin(IL)-1β in the liver were significantly increased. Treatment with GW ameliorated the steatosis and inhibited overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In Hep G2 cells, PA and LPS treatment markedly increased m RNA of several nucleotide-binding andoligomerization domain-like receptor family members(NLRP3, NLRP6, and NLRP10), caspase-1 and IL-1β. PA and LPS also exaggerated reactive oxygen species production. All of the above effects of PA and LPS were reduced by GW. GW also enhanced the phosphorylation of AMPK-α.CONCLUSION: PPAR-δ agonist reduces fatty acidinduced inflammation and steatosis by suppressing inflammasome activation. Targeting the inflammasome by the PPAR-δ agonist may have therapeutic implication for NAFLD.
A 22-year-old male presented with recurrent stroke, central cyanosis, and dyspnea. Transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac catheterization revealed bidirectional shunt flow through atrial septal ...defect (ASD) without pulmonary arterial hypertension. The orifice of inferior vena cava facing towards ASD opening led partially right to left shunt resulting in cyanosis with normal pulmonary arterial pressure.
Abstract The cerebellum is involved in complex physiological functions including motor control, sensory perception, cognition, language, and emotion. Humans and animals with prion diseases are ...characterized clinically by ataxia, postural abnormalities and cognitive decline. Pathology in the cerebellum affected by prions includes spongiform degeneration, neuronal loss, and gliosis. To develop an in vitro model system for studying prion biology in cerebellar cells, we established and characterized an immortal cell line (CRBL) isolated from the cerebellum of mice lacking expression of a protein involved in cell cycle arrest. The characteristics of the cells include morphological heterogeneity, rapid proliferation, serum responsiveness during growth, and a change in the number of chromosomes. CRBL cells expressed both neuronal and glial cell markers as well as a considerable level of cellular prion protein, PrPC . Upon in vitro infection, CRBL cells exhibited selective susceptibility to prions isolated from different sources. These cells chronically propagated prions from SMB cells. Strain-specific prion infection in CRBL cells was not due to instability of the cell line, allelic variance, or mutations in the PrP gene. Molecular properties of prions derived from SMB cells were maintained in the infected CRBL cells. Our results suggest that the specific interaction between a prion strain and hosts determined the selective susceptibility of CRBL cells, which reflects the conditions in vivo . In addition to the future studies revealing cellular and molecular mechanism involved in prion pathogenesis, CRBL cells will contribute to the studies dealing with prion strain properties and host susceptibilities.
AIM: To ascertain whether the Prague circumferential (C) length and maximal (M) length criteria for grading the extent of Barrett’s esophagus can be applied prior to its widespread application in ...South Korea.METHODS: Two hundred and thirteen consecutive cases with endoscopic columnar-lined esophagus (CLE) were included and classified according to the Prague C and M criteria. RESULTS: Of 213 cases with CLE, the distribution of maximum CLE lengths was: 0.5-0.9 cm in 99 cases (46.5%); 1.0-1.4 cm in 63 cases (29.6%); 1.5-1.9 cm in 15 cases (7.0%); 2.0-2.4 cm in 14 cases (6.6%);2.5-2.9 cm in 1 case (0.5%); and 7.0 cm in 1 case (0.5%). Twenty cases (9.4%) had columnar islands alone. Two hundred and eight cases (97.7%) lacked the circumferential CLE component (C0Mx). Columnar islands were found in 70 cases (32.9%), of which 20 cases (9.4%) had columnar islands alone.CONCLUSION: In regions where most CLE patients display short or ultrashort tongue-like appearance, more detailed descriptions of CLE’s in < 1.0 cm lengths and columnar islands, as well as avoidance of repeating the prefix “C0” need to be considered in parallel with the widespread application of the Prague system in South Korea.
Low-level thermal energy is upgraded by using the reversible reactions of 2-propanol dehydrogenation and acetone hydrogenation. A new design criterion for optimal operation is proposed using modeling ...and numerical simulation. Optimal values have been obtained for the reflux ratio and the number of trays of the distillation column for given operating conditions. Simulation results show that the enthalpy efficiency is affected by the reflux ratio, feed positions into the distillation column and reaction temperatures.
Liposomes have tremendous potential for efficient small molecule delivery. Previous studies, however, have been hampered by an inability to monitor their distribution and release of contents. Here, ...the authors demonstrate the real time monitoring of small molecule delivery using luciferin as a model. To monitor the release of luciferin in vivo, luciferin was packaged in thermosensitive liposomes and delivered into transgenic mice that constitutively express luciferase. Their experiments show the thermally induced release of the liposomal content in real time. In addition, the model provides evidence that the thermosensitive liposomes are stable over a long period of time (∼3 weeks), and still release their content upon heating. These data present a strategy to monitor liposomal drug delivery in vivo with luciferin.
Microwave dielectric properties of (1−x)(Na1/2Nd1/2)TiO3(NNT)−xLa(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3(LMT) system have been investigated with focus on structural ordering and far IR reflectivity spectra. A single ...perovskite phase was found to exist with various superlattice reflections over the entire compositional range. 1:1 ordering observed in the (111) reflection of X‐ray diffraction patterns was found to progress significantly in the specimens above x=0.8. The ordering characteristics that presumably related to B‐site Mg/Ti ordering were assumed to affect favorably the quality factor at microwave frequencies. The increase of the quality factor also could be explained in terms of the decrease of lattice anharmonicity with LMT by analysis of far IR reflectivity spectra. As expected from the values of pure NNT and LMT, the dielectric constant and the temperature coefficient of frequency tended to gradually decrease with increasing LMT content.
The compositional dependence of microwave dielectric properties has been investigated in the (1 −x)(Na1/2Nd1/2)TiO3−xNd(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3 (NNT‐NMT) system. The addition of NMT results in significant ...improvement in the quality factor and the temperature coefficient of frequency, but gradually decreases the dielectric constant from ∼100 for pure NNT to ∼25 for pure NMT. The single perovskite phase is observed with various {hkl} superlattice reflections over the entire compositional range. The increasing tendency of peak splitting with increasing x at some perovskite reflections strongly suggests that the crystal structure of the system changes to lower symmetry structures. This is confirmed using infrared reflectivity spectra. The superlattice reflections related to structural deviation become more predominant as the composition reaches pure NMT. Particularly, {111} superlattice reflections are believed to be associated with the 1:1 cation ordering and responsible for the observed abrupt increase in quality factor at x > 0.7.
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