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Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a common problem in heart-related diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of STRAP on cardiomyocytes in the MIRI process and its mechanisms.We used SD rats to construct a MIRI model and increased the expression of STRAP in myocardial tissue by Entranster to detect the effect of STRAP on rat myocardial tissue. In addition, we cultured rat cardiomyocyte cell line H9c2 cells and constructed a hypoxia-reoxygenation model to detect the protective effect of STRAP on H9c2 cells. LY294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K/PDK1/Akt signaling pathway, was used to validate the mechanism by which STRAP protects cardiomyocytes.Overexpression of STRAP significantly reduced the activity of MDA in myocardial tissue and increased the activity of SOD. STRAP also substantially lowered CK and LDH levels in rat serum and increased Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activity. In addition, overexpression of STRAP considerably reduced endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and apoptosis levels in H9c2 cells. However, LY294002 attenuated the protective effect of STRAP on cardiomyocytes.STRAP reduces ERS and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes by activating the PI3K/PDK1/Akt signaling pathway, thereby reducing myocardial MIRI.

To investigate the effects of interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene knockout on myocardial remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) in mice and the potential mechanism, to provide certain references for the prevention and treatment of MI in clinic.A total of 40 male C57 mice were divided into two groups, namely Sham group (n=20) and MI group (n=20), using a random number table. Another 20 mice with IL-6 gene knockout were enrolled into the MI + IL-6 KO group. The MI model was established by means of ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery of the mice. 28 d later, the survival status of the three groups of mice was recorded. In addition, the cardiac functions of each group of mice, including two-dimensional echocardiography, ejection fraction (EF%) and fractional shortening (FS%), were measured. The cross-sectional area and pathological change of the myocardial cells in cardiac tissues of each group of mice were detected via hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Immunohistochemistry was applied to determine the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in each group of mouse cardiac tissues. Moreover, immunofluorescent staining was utilized to measure the content of M2 macrophages in each group of mouse cardiac tissues.The 28-d survival rate of the mice with IL-6 gene knockout was remarkably higher than that of the wild-type mice (p0.05). Furthermore, the cardiac functions of the mice in the MI + IL-6 KO group were superior to those in the MI group, with markedly improved FS% and EF% (p0.05). According to the HE staining results, the cross-sectional areas of the heart and myocardial cells were decreased notably in MI + IL-6 KO group compared with those in the MI group (p0.05). The immunohistochemical staining results showed that IL-6 knockout could lower the MI-induced high expression of TNF-α (p0.05), and Masson's trichrome staining indicated that IL-6 knockout could also repress the degree of cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, it was discovered through immunofluorescent staining that the mice in the MI + IL-6 KO group had markedly elevated content of M2 macrophages in cardiac tissues than those in the MI group (p0.05).Inhibiting IL-6 gene expression can prominently ameliorate the MI-induced myocardial remodeling, whose mechanism is possibly associated with the activation of M2 macrophages and reduced collagen production in fibroblast cells.

Density functional theory calculations are employed to investigate the adsorption of sulfur-containing species on the (001) surface of LaCrO3 (LCrO). Molecular adsorption is found to be stable with H2S binding preferentially at O site on the LaO-terminated surface. The adsorption of H2S molecule leads to the electrons transferring from the substrate to the molecule and the charges rearrangement within the molecule. In addition, the adsorption of the corresponding S-containing dissociated species (SH and S) is investigated. SH and S are found to be preferentially bind at the Cr site. We further predict the adsorption energies of sulfur-containing species increase following the sequence H2S

In this paper, according to the molecular fragment principle, a series of eight ternary luminescent lanthanide complex systems were assembled, and whose compositions were determined with elemental analysis and infrared spectrum: Ln(MA) 3 (L).H 2 O, where Ln = Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy; HMA = α-methylacrylic acid; L = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy). The photophysical properties of these functional molecular systems were studied with ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum, and fluorescence excitation and emission spectrum. It was found that the heterocylic compounds (phen and bipy) act as the main energy donor and luminescence sensitizer for their suitable energy match and effective energy transfer to the emission energy level of Ln 3 + ions. MMA ligand was only used as the terminal structural ligand to influence the luminescence. Especially terbium complex systems show the strongest luminescence for the optimum energy match and transfer between phen (bipy) and Tb 3 + ion.

Gene expression profiles for intervertebral disc (IVD) cells treated with different osmolarities were compared to identify key genes associated with intervertebral disc diseases.Microarray data was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and pre-processed using package of R. Gene co-expression was determined with Pearson correlation coefficient. Interaction networks were established with the protein-protein interaction (PPI) information obtained from Human Protein Reference Database (HPRD database) for the two conditions: isosmoticity and hyperosmosis, and then a comparative analysis was done to identify disease-related genes. The functional annotation was performed for these genes using network ontology analysis (NOA), which also confirmed the effectiveness of this method.A total of 45 feature genes were obtained through comparing 7 samples treated under isosmotic conditions and 9 high osmotic conditions. Biological processes and molecular functions were then revealed by NOA.A range of disease-related genes were obtained, which might serve as the potential biomarkers or drug targets. More works are needed to further elucidate their roles in the development of intervertebral disc diseases like intervertebral disc herniation.

The interfacial structure, stability, electric polarization, and electronic properties for ${\text{PbTiO}}_{3}/{\text{SrTiO}}_{3}$ (PTO/STO) superlattice are studied by first-principles calculations. Based on the work of separation for different stacking interface configurations, including stoichiometric normal stacking interface, Ruddlesden-Popper-type interface, Magneli-type interface and interfaces with a ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ inserted layer, the normal stacking interface is found to be the most stable one. Due to the charge redistribution at the interface, there are alternative appearances of $n$- and $p$-type interfaces in polar PTO/STO system driven by the internal electric field. The magnitude of charge at the interface is evaluated with a simple capacitor plates model.

We report p-type conductivity in wurtzite indium nitride (InN) experimentally and theoretically. The as-deposited InN films are implanted with various doses of Zn ions. The Hall coefficient is positive for samples with doses of 2.5 ~ 10 × 1014 ions cm−2 at low temperature and turns negative as the temperature increases. This notable sign change of the Hall coefficient confirms the existence of mobile holes in Zn-implanted InN. Moreover, first principle calculations indicate that Zn may be a more stable p-type dopant in InN than that of Mg and Ba because of its low ionization energy.

The results of the assays of growth state, semisolid colony culture, cytomorphological and chromosome analysis for K-562 cell line showed that the cells had the similar biological characteristics with the cells which were originally established. It suggests that the growth state of K-562 cells under the experimental conditions in our laboratory are steady.

To evaluate the effect of curcumin on the proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells or leukemic stem cells.Mouse bone marrow cells (colony forming unit-granulocyte and macrophage, CFU-GM) and WEHI-3B cells were observed using the colony assays.The curcumin significantly inhibited the proliferation of both CFU-GM and WEHI-3B cells in a dose-dependent manner ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-4) mol.L-1; their IC50S were 1.036 x 10(-5) mol.L-1 and 1.220 x 10(-6) mol.L-1 of curcumin respectively.The proliferation of murine CFU-GM and WEHI-3B cells can be suppressed by curcumin. The inhibitory effect of curcumin on the proliferation of WEHI-3B cells is stronger than that of CFU-GM.

A pure compressively strained La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LCMO) dead layer grown on (001)-oriented LaAlO3 substrate can show all the rich phenomenon of large bias field shift, coercive field enhancement, and high blocking temperature. The obtained exchange bias field (∼350 Oe) and the enhanced coercivity of about 1160 Oe at 5 K under 500 Oe cooling field are superior to that have been reported in LCMO-based ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic superlattices or nanoscale systems. Our results clearly demonstrate that the inhomogeneous magnetic dead layer of LCMO can induce a strong exchange bias effect, which may be exploited as a very simple structure for spin-valve device application.

The buried p-type conduction is demonstrated in InN with Ba ion implantation dose increases up to 1 × 1015 ions/cm−2. The in-plane lattice parameter increases by about 1.2% deep in the film due to larger Ba replacing smaller indium (In). The n-type conductivity is also detected at the surface, which may results from the N-deficiency. First-principles calculations show that holes at the surface, induced by Ba ion implantation, are compensated by extra electrons from the In adlayer. The p-type carriers dominate in the bulk layers, which is in good agreement with the experimental results.

BACKGROUND: The stimulatory guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding protein alpha subunit (Gs alpha) of adenylate cyclase is the target protein for cholera toxin. AIMS/METHODS: The expression of this signal transducer was analysed in the small intestine of developing rats by RNA transfer (northern blot) analysis by immunoblotting, and by ADP-ribosylation of membrane proteins. RESULTS: Intestinal Gs alpha mRNA (about 1.9 kb) was increased in the neonate compared with the adult rat. Two isoforms of Gs alpha proteins, a 45,000 and a 52,000 form, were expressed in the small intestinal epithelial cell and both were ADP-ribosylated by cholera toxin. A significant increase in the larger isoform (52,000) and in its ribosylation was noted in the 2 week old suckling compared with post-weaned older animals. The protein content or ribosylation of the smaller form (45,000) did not significantly change with age. CONCLUSION: These data show that a developmental decline of intestinal Gs alpha expression seems to be, in part, regulated at the mRNA level. An increased Gs alpha expression in the immature intestine may help to explain a previously reported, dose dependent increased adenylate cyclase response and an increase in fluid secretion to cholera toxin in neonates compared with adults.

The work reports the effect of a tensile stress on the magnetic domain of FeCoSiB amorphous films. The domain structures of the unstressed and stressed FeCoSiB amorphous films with different tensile strains have been studied by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). With the increase of the tensile stress in the samples, it has been observed that the domain structures transform from irregular domains into parallel strip domains, and magnetic contrasts decrease. The MFM image disappears when the tensile stress is strong enough. A model has been presented to explain the evolution of the domain structures under the tensile stress. The effects of the stress on the domain of the films have been discussed.