The Transcription Factor CREB Regulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Lens Epithelial Cells by Phosphorylation-Dependent and -Independent Mechanisms.

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) is one of the most important pathogenic mechanisms in lens fibrotic disorders, and the regulatory mechanisms of EMT have not been fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) can regulate lens EMT in a phosphorylation-dependent and -independent manners with dual mechanisms. First, CREB-S133 phosphorylation is implicated in TGFβ-induced EMT of mouse LECs and also in injury-induced mouse anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC) model.

Downregulation of microRNA-9 reduces inflammatory response and fibroblast proliferation in mice with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis through the ANO1-mediated TGF-β-Smad3 pathway.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease with increasing occurrence, high death rates and unfavorable treatment regimens. In the current study, we identified the expression of microRNA-9 (miR-9) and anoctamin-1 (ANO1) in IPF mouse models induced by bleomycin, and their effects on inflammation and fibroblast proliferation through the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-Smad3 pathway. To verify the targeting relationship between miR-9 and ANO1, we used bioinformatics prediction and conducted a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay.

The growth of ZnO on stainless steel foils by MOCVD and its application in light emitting devices.

Unlabelled: Direct fabrication of semiconductor light emitting devices on metal foils is beneficial, because it brings flexibility and good heat sink in the devices. In this work, we have grown ZnO on the commercially available stainless steel foils by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition for the first time. With the increase of growth temperature, the morphology changes from a thin film structure to closely stacked columns, and eventually to nanorods.

[Synthesis and Properties of 1,11,15,25-Tetrahydroxy-4,8,18,22-Di (Bridged Dipropionate Carboxyl) Phthalocyanine Copper].

In this dissertation, we study the synthesis and character of new substituted Phthalocyanine. Due to the widely application of Pcs in the fields, such as the communication, medical treatment, chemical industry and so on, therefore, they have been a hot topic over several decades by scientists. Nowadays, scientists have prepared thousands of Pcs and their derivatives.

[Study on spectra properties of novel octa-substituted phthalocyanines].

The spectrum properties of four novel 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25-octaoxybutyl copper phthalocyanine; 1,4,8,11,15,18, 22, 25-octamethoxybutanoate manganese phthalocyanine; 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25-octamethoxybutanoate copper phthalocyanine; 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25-octamethoxybutanoate zinc phthalocyanine were investigated by infrared, fluorescence and UV-visible spectrum in the the paper. There is no rule in the infrared spectrum of these octa-substituted phthalocyanines. The orders of the Q band, B band and Pc dimer band are different among the above Octa-substituted Phthalocyanines in the UV and fluorescence spectra.

[Electroluminescence character of novel unsymmetry substituted phthalocyanines].

The authors for the first time fabricated OLEDs employing novel phthalocynines: 2(3)-(p-tert-butylphenoxy) copper phthalocyanine(1), 2(3),16(17)-di(p-tert-butyl-phenoxy) copper phthalocyanine(2) and 2(3), 9(10), 16(17)-tri (p-tert-butylphenoxy) copper phthalocyanine(3) as light emitting layer, and their electroluminescence character was studied. The final structures of three-layer OLEDs based on copper 2(3)-(p-tert-butylphenoxy) copper phthalocyanine (1) and 2(3), 9(10), 16(17)-tri (p-tert-butylphenoxy) copper phthalocyanine(3) were ITO/NPB(40 nm)/Pc(30 nm)/AlQ(43.5 nm)/LiF (0.

[Effect of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor gamma and its ligand on airway mucus hypersecretion in rats].

Objective: To explore the effect and the molecular mechanisms of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) and its ligand on airway mucus hypersecretion.

Methods: Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into the following groups: (1) Rats in the saline control group (n = 6) received normal saline inhalation; (2) Rats in the rosiglitazone control group (n = 6) received inhaled saline and oral rosiglitazone 8 mg/kg simultaneously; (3) Rats in the acrolein group (n = 6) received inhaled acronine 3.0 mg/L, 6 h/day, for 12 days; (4) Rats in the rosiglitazone intervention group (n = 18) received inhaled acrolein and oral rosiglitazone 2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, 8 mg/kg, respectively, as the low dose, the moderate dose and the high dose intervention groups (n = 6 each).

Bis(2-phenyl-1H-imidazole-κN)silver(I) nitrate.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ag(C(9)H(8)N(2))(2)]NO(3), contains one complete [Ag(C(9)H(8)N(2))(2)](+) cation and two half-cations (with the other halves generated through inversion) and two NO(3) (-) anions. Each Ag(I) ion shows a linear AgN(2) coordination. The ions are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

2-Phenyl-imidazolium nitrate monohydrate.

In the title hydrated mol-ecular salt, C(9)H(9)N(2) (+)·NO(3) (-)·H(2)O, the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings in the cation is 11.09 (8)°. In the crystal, the components are linked into chains propagating in [101] by N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

VEGFR-2 antagonist SU5416 attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Objective: Abnormal angiogenesis is a central hallmark for the development and progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It has been shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the critical angiogenic factors in angiogenesis. The aim of the present study was to assess whether disruption of VEGF pathway would attenuate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Protein phosphatase-2A is a target of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and modulates p53-Bak apoptotic pathway.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a well-known chemoprevention factor. Recent studies have revealed that EGCG triggers cancer cells undergoing apoptosis through p53-dependent pathway. How EGCG activates p53-dependent apoptosis is not fully understood.

Hormonally-regulated differential expression of the two duplicated insecticyanin genes, ins-a and ins-b, during development of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta.

The effects of juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) on the developmental expression of the two insecticyanin genes, ins-a and ins-b, were investigated with two gene-specific probes. Removal of the corpora allata (-CA, source of JH) clearly delayed and down-regulated the epidermal expression of these genes but enhanced their expression in the fat body during the early development of the fifth instar. Application of JH I to the -CA larvae at the time of head capsule slippage completely restored the normal epidermal expression pattern of the two genes in the early fifth instar, then INS-a mRNA declined prematurely whereas INS-b mRNA remained similar to that in the intact larvae.