Irisin in thyroid diseases.

Irisin, a hormone-like adipo-myokine, has garnered considerable attention in recent years for its potential impact in metabolic diseases. Its physiological effects are similar to those of thyroid hormones, prompting numerous investigations into potential correlations and interactions between irisin and thyroid function through various in vitro and animal experiments. However, existing studies suggest that the relationship between irisin and thyroid diseases is highly complex and multifaceted.

Self-limiting bidirectional positive feedback between P53 and P21 is involved in cardiac hypertrophy.

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. Although the function of p53 and p21 in pathological cardiac hypertrophy have been studied, the relationship between them in cardiomyocytes is still unclear. By using specific adenoviruses and siRNAs to modulate p53 or p21 expression in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs), we found that both upregulated p53 and p21 expression induced hypertrophic responses, and they promote each other's expression.

Effect of Triptolide on Temporal Expression of Cell Cycle Regulators During Cardiac Hypertrophy.

Adult mammalian cardiomyocytes may reenter the cell cycle and cause cardiac hypertrophy. Triptolide (TP) can regulate the expressions of various cell cycle regulators in cancer cells. However, its effects on cell cycle regulators during myocardial hypertrophy and mechanism are unclear.

Electroless deposition of RuO-based nanoparticles for energy conversion applications.

This study reports a delicate electroless approach for the deposition of RuO·HO nanoparticles on the VO ·HO nanowires and this method can be extended to deposit RuO·HO nanoparticles on various material surfaces. Electrochemical characterizations, including linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis and rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE) voltammetry, were carried out to investigate the growth mechanism. The deposition involves the catalytic reduction of dissolved oxygen by the V species of VO ·HO, which drives the oxidation of RuCl to proceed with the growth of RuO·HO.

Dual Role of Triptolide in Interrupting the NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway to Attenuate Cardiac Fibrosis.

In a previous paper, we reported that triptolide (TP), a commonly used immunomodulator, could attenuate cardiac hypertrophy. This present study aimed to further explore the inhibition of cardiac fibrosis by TP and the possible mechanism from the perspective of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's staining, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence were performed to observe cardiac fibrotic changes in mice and mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs).

Shear Bond Strength of Different CAD/CAM Ceramics: Acid vs Er:YAG Laser Etching.

Objective: To evaluate whether Er:YAG laser etching could be an alternative surface treatment to hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching.

Background: Surface treatment is important to bonding properties and utility times of computer aided design/computer aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) dental ceramics. The traditional method of HF acid etching is harmful to humans if not handled properly.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1 Facilitates the Development of Cardiac Hypertrophy.

Background/aims: Adult cardiomyocytes can re-enter cell cycle as stimulated by prohypertrophic factors although they withdraw from cell cycle soon after birth. p21WAF1/CIP1, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, has been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy, however, its precise contribution to this process remains largely unclear.

Methods: The gene expression profile in left ventricle (LV) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats was determined using quantitative PCR array and verified by real-time PCR and Western blotting.

Triptolide Upregulates Myocardial Forkhead Helix Transcription Factor p3 Expression and Attenuates Cardiac Hypertrophy.

The forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (Fox) p3 can regulate the expression of various genes, and it has been reported that the transfer of Foxp3-positive T cells could ameliorate cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Triptolide (TP) can elevate the expression of Foxp3, but its effects on cardiac hypertrophy remain unclear. In the present study, neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM) were isolated and stimulated with angiotensin II (1 μmol/L) to induce hypertrophic response.

ZnO-Au-SnO2 Z-scheme photoanodes for remarkable photoelectrochemical water splitting.

For the first time a ZnO nanorod-based Z-scheme heterostructure system was proposed and realized for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting. The samples were prepared by depositing a thin layer of SnO2 on the Au surface of Au particle-decorated ZnO nanorods. For ZnO-Au-SnO2 nanorods, the embedded Au can mediate interfacial charge transfer by promoting electron transfer from the conduction band of SnO2 to the valence band of ZnO.

[Degradation of m-Cresol with Fe-MCM-41 in Catalytic Ozonation].

Fe-MCM-41 was first used for the treatment of m-cresol in catalytic ozonation. The effect of the percentage of Fe dopping mass, catalyst dosage and the natural concentration of substrate on m-cresol conversion and TOC removal were studied. The structural property of Fe-MCM-41 was characterized by X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction, Mössbauer spectra and BET of catalysts.

Nanoarchitectured graphene-based supercapacitors for next-generation energy-storage applications.

Tremendous development in the field of portable electronics and hybrid electric vehicles has led to urgent and increasing demand in the field of high-energy storage devices. In recent years, many research efforts have been made for the development of more efficient energy-storage devices such as supercapacitors, batteries, and fuel cells. In particular, supercapacitors have great potential to meet the demands of both high energy density and power density in many advanced technologies.

[Identification of Nam Dinh virus in China].

During 2009-2012, the Nam Dinh virus (NDiv) was detected from the samples of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus in Shenzhen China. In this study, cell culture,SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR and RT-PCR were performed to analyze the cell susceptibility and other biological characteristics of the NDiV isolates. The results showed that C6/36 cell line was susceptible to four isolates of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus.

[Research of heavy metals determination in cereals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry].

The present paper established the determination method of heavy metals such as As, Pb, Hg and Cd in cereals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with microwave digestion. The pretreatment conditions were improved and the instrument operating parameters were optimized. 72Ge, 115In and 209Bi were selected as the internal standard elements to overcome the matrix effects and instrument fluctuations effectively.

Expression of laminin β1 and integrin α2 in the anterior temporal neocortex tissue of patients with intractable epilepsy.

We investigated the expression of laminin β1 and integrin α2 in the anterior temporal neocortex tissue of patients with intractable epilepsy and explored the role of these molecules in the pathogenesis of this disease. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to test the expression of laminin β1 and integrin α2 in samples (from the brain bank of our department, n=32) of surgically removed anterior temporal neocortex tissues from intractable epilepsy patients, and the results were compared with those of controls (n=10). We found that laminin β1 and integrin α2 protein expression was significantly increased in the anterior temporal neocortex as compared with controls (immunohistochemistry optical density: laminin β1 = 0.

[Mutational analysis of Meq, RLORF4, RLORF12 and 132bpr genes of epidemic Marek's disease virus strains highly passaged on chicken embryo fibroblast].

Recently, much work has been devoted to study MD-induced oncogenesis and the genes involved in this process. Among many genes in the MDV genome, several genes such as Meq, RLORF4, RLORF12, and 132bpr have been considered recently associated with virulence of MDV. In this paper, primers of Meq, RLORF4, RLORF12 and 132bpr genes were designed and synthesized, based on the published whole genome sequence of MDV strain GA.

Selection and affinity maturation of human antibodies against rabies virus from a scFv gene library using ribosome display.

We selected useful antibody fragments against rabies virus from a human single chain variable fragment (scFv) gene library using ribosome display technique. The recombinant rabies virus glycoprotein (RVGp) was used as an antigen to isolate specific scFvs. After five rounds of selection, the analysis demonstrated that scFv-ribosome-mRNA complexes were specifically selected against RVGp.

[Preparation of human antibodies to TNF-alpha using ribosome display technology].

Aim: To prepare distinct human McAbs to TNF-alpha with high neutralizing potency using ribosome display technology.

Methods: The immunoglobulin heavy and light chain variable (VH, VL) genes were prepared from the peripheral blood lymphocytes in three arthritis patients by PCR. The genes encoding VH/K fragments were prepared by randomly combining VH and VL genes by SOE PCR.

[Cloning and sequence analysis of the Meq gene of 4 Marek's disease virus isolates from China].

Earlier studies have determined that the repeat regions of oncogenic serotype 1 MDV (Marek's disease virus) encode a basic leucine zipper protein, Meq, which structurally resembles the Jun/Fos family of transcriptional activators. Meq has been suggested as the MDV-associated oncogene. In this paper, based on the published sequence of Meq gene of GA strain of MDV, a pair of primers were designed and synthesized.

[Effect of Ce (III) on photochemical reaction activity in soybean seedlings under supplementary UV-B radiation stress].

Effect of Ce(III) on photochemical reaction activity in soybean seedlings exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280 - 320 nm) was studied with hydroponics under laboratory conditions. The results showed that CeCl3 (20 mg x L(-1)) could improve photosynthesis action and net photosynthesis rate, the Mg(2+) -ATPase activeness, the photosynthetic phosphorylation active and stimulate the activity of Hill reaction (23.2% - 14.