The effects of on-line solution, off-line solution and aging heat treatment on the microstructure and hardness of the die-cast AZ91D alloys were investigated. Brinell hardness of die-cast AZ91D alloy increases through...The effects of on-line solution, off-line solution and aging heat treatment on the microstructure and hardness of the die-cast AZ91D alloys were investigated. Brinell hardness of die-cast AZ91D alloy increases through on-line solution and off-line aging treatment but decreases after off-line solution treatment. By X-ray diffractometry, optical microscopy, differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, it is found that the microstructures of the die-cast AZ91D magnesium alloy before and after on-line solution and off-line aging are similar, consisting of α-Mg and β-Al12Mg17. The precipitation of Al element is prevented by on-line solution so that the effect of solid solution strengthening is enhanced. The β-Al12Mg17 phases precipitate from supersaturated Mg solid solution after off-line aging treatment, and lead to microstructure refinement of AZ91D alloy, so the effect of precipitation hardening is enhanced. The β-Al12Mg17 phases dissolve in the substructure after off-line solution treatment, which leads to that the grain boundary strengthening phase is reduced significantly and the hardness of die cast AZ91D is reduced.展开更多
AIM: To investigate the effect of various concentrations of tetrandrine on activation of quiescent rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in vitro.METHODS: HSCs were iso...AIM: To investigate the effect of various concentrations of tetrandrine on activation of quiescent rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in vitro.METHODS: HSCs were isolated from rats by in situperfusion of liver and 18% Nycodenz gradient centrifugation, and primarily cultured on uncoated plastic plates for 24 hwith DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS/DMEM) before the culture medium was substituted with 2% FBS/DMEM for another 24 h. Then, the HSCs were cultured in 2% FBS/DMEM with tetrandrine (0.25, 0.5, 1,2 mg/L, respectively). Cell morphological features were observed under an inverted microscope, smooth muscleα-actin (α-SMA) was detected by immunocytochemistry and image analysis system, laminin (LN) and type Ⅲprocollagen (PCⅢ) in supernatants were determined byradioimmunoassay. TGF-β1 mRNA, Smad 7 mRNA and Smad 7 protein were analyzed with RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively.RESULTS: Tetrandrine at the concentrations of 0.25-2 mg/L prevented morphological transformation of HSC from the quiescent state to the activated one, while α-SMA, LN and PCⅢ expressions were inhibited. As estimated by gray values, the expression of α-SMA in tetrandrine groups (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 mg/L) was reduced from 21.3% to 42.2%(control: 0.67, tetrandrine groups: 0.82, 0.85, 0.96, or 0.96, respectively, which were statistically different from the control, P<0.01), and the difference was more significant in tetrandrine at 1 and 2 mg/L. The content of LN in supernatants was significantly decreased in tetrandrine groups to 58.5%, 69.1%, 65.8% or 60.0% that of the control respectively, and that of PCⅢ to 84.6%, 81.5%,75.7% or 80.7% respectively (P<0.05 vs control), with no significant difference among tetrandrine groups. RTPCR showed that TGF-β1 mRNA expression was reduced by tetrandrine treatments from 56.56% to 87.90% in comparison with the control, while Smad 7 mRNA was increased 1.4-4.8 times. The TGF-β1 mRNA and Smad 7 mRNA expression was in a significant negative correlation (r= -0.755, P<0.01), and both were significantly correlated with α-SMA protein expression (r = -0.938, P<0.01;r = 0.938, P<0.01, respectively). The up-regulation of Smad 7 protein by tetrandrine (1 mg/L)was confirmed by Western blotting as well.CONCLUSION: Tetrandrine has a direct inhibiting effect on the activation of rat HSCs in culture. It up-regulates the expression of Smad 7 which in turn blocks TGF-β1 expression and signaling.展开更多
基金Projects (2011BAE22B01, 2011BAE22B06) supported by the National Key Technologies R&D Program During the 12th Five-Year Plan Period of ChinaProject (2010NC018) supported by the Innovation Fund of Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, China
文摘The effects of on-line solution, off-line solution and aging heat treatment on the microstructure and hardness of the die-cast AZ91D alloys were investigated. Brinell hardness of die-cast AZ91D alloy increases through on-line solution and off-line aging treatment but decreases after off-line solution treatment. By X-ray diffractometry, optical microscopy, differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, it is found that the microstructures of the die-cast AZ91D magnesium alloy before and after on-line solution and off-line aging are similar, consisting of α-Mg and β-Al12Mg17. The precipitation of Al element is prevented by on-line solution so that the effect of solid solution strengthening is enhanced. The β-Al12Mg17 phases precipitate from supersaturated Mg solid solution after off-line aging treatment, and lead to microstructure refinement of AZ91D alloy, so the effect of precipitation hardening is enhanced. The β-Al12Mg17 phases dissolve in the substructure after off-line solution treatment, which leads to that the grain boundary strengthening phase is reduced significantly and the hardness of die cast AZ91D is reduced.
基金Supported by the College Science and Technology Developing Foundation of Shanghai, No. 02BK14
文摘AIM: To investigate the effect of various concentrations of tetrandrine on activation of quiescent rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in vitro.METHODS: HSCs were isolated from rats by in situperfusion of liver and 18% Nycodenz gradient centrifugation, and primarily cultured on uncoated plastic plates for 24 hwith DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS/DMEM) before the culture medium was substituted with 2% FBS/DMEM for another 24 h. Then, the HSCs were cultured in 2% FBS/DMEM with tetrandrine (0.25, 0.5, 1,2 mg/L, respectively). Cell morphological features were observed under an inverted microscope, smooth muscleα-actin (α-SMA) was detected by immunocytochemistry and image analysis system, laminin (LN) and type Ⅲprocollagen (PCⅢ) in supernatants were determined byradioimmunoassay. TGF-β1 mRNA, Smad 7 mRNA and Smad 7 protein were analyzed with RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively.RESULTS: Tetrandrine at the concentrations of 0.25-2 mg/L prevented morphological transformation of HSC from the quiescent state to the activated one, while α-SMA, LN and PCⅢ expressions were inhibited. As estimated by gray values, the expression of α-SMA in tetrandrine groups (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 mg/L) was reduced from 21.3% to 42.2%(control: 0.67, tetrandrine groups: 0.82, 0.85, 0.96, or 0.96, respectively, which were statistically different from the control, P<0.01), and the difference was more significant in tetrandrine at 1 and 2 mg/L. The content of LN in supernatants was significantly decreased in tetrandrine groups to 58.5%, 69.1%, 65.8% or 60.0% that of the control respectively, and that of PCⅢ to 84.6%, 81.5%,75.7% or 80.7% respectively (P<0.05 vs control), with no significant difference among tetrandrine groups. RTPCR showed that TGF-β1 mRNA expression was reduced by tetrandrine treatments from 56.56% to 87.90% in comparison with the control, while Smad 7 mRNA was increased 1.4-4.8 times. The TGF-β1 mRNA and Smad 7 mRNA expression was in a significant negative correlation (r= -0.755, P<0.01), and both were significantly correlated with α-SMA protein expression (r = -0.938, P<0.01;r = 0.938, P<0.01, respectively). The up-regulation of Smad 7 protein by tetrandrine (1 mg/L)was confirmed by Western blotting as well.CONCLUSION: Tetrandrine has a direct inhibiting effect on the activation of rat HSCs in culture. It up-regulates the expression of Smad 7 which in turn blocks TGF-β1 expression and signaling.