The effect of substrate on the phase morphologies of PMMA/PS blend films was investigated by means of phase contrast microscope. PMMA/PS blend films were cast onto various substrates(such as glass substrate and PP sub...The effect of substrate on the phase morphologies of PMMA/PS blend films was investigated by means of phase contrast microscope. PMMA/PS blend films were cast onto various substrates(such as glass substrate and PP substrate) by spin-coating with thickness of about 10 μm. It was observed that there was a large difference of the phase inversion region between the blend films cast on glass and on PP substrates. On glass substrate, the phase inversion occurred at about \%Φ\%_m=0 4(PS mass fraction) while at \%Φ\%_m=0 5 on PP substrate. This implies that there is a shift of the phase inversion region with the change of substrate in cast polymer blend films. In other words, phase inversion region depends on the substrate. ATR-FTIR analysis was used to detect the composition of the surface and the bottom of the films(about 100 μm thick) obtained by evaporating solvent from the polymer blend solution. The ATR-FTIR spectra of the surface and the bottom of the PMMA/PS blend thin films cast on glass substrate and PP substrate showed that PMMA component preferentially segregated to glass substrate and PS component was enriched on the PP substrate. This selective segregation was due to the difference of the wetting abilities of PS and PMMA on the two kinds of substrates. The polymer-substrate interfacial tension γ were calculated and the results supported the ATR-FTIR results. It could be inferred that the shift of the phase inversion region with the change of the substrate in PMMA/PS blend film was due to the fact that the composition of the blend in the bulk changed, owing to the selective enrichment of one component of polymer blend to the substrate. In other words, the affinity between polymer and substrate can strongly influence the phase morphologies and the phase inversion region in polymer blend films.展开更多
AIM: To investigate whether circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as molecular markers to predict liver injury resulted from chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: The profiles of serum miRNA expression were fir...AIM: To investigate whether circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as molecular markers to predict liver injury resulted from chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: The profiles of serum miRNA expression were first generated with serum samples collected from 10 patients with CHB and 10 healthy donors (Ctrls) by microarray analysis. The levels of several miRNAs were further quantitated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with serum samples from another 24 CHB patients and 24 Ctrls. Serum samples of 20 patients with nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH) were also included for comparison. The comparison in the levels of miRNAs between groups (CHB, NASH and Ctrl) was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test. The cor- relation between miRNAs and clinical pathoparameters was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis or canonical correlation analysis. The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were also generated to de- termine the specificity and sensitivity of each individual miRNA in distinguishing patients with CriB from Ctrls. RESULTS: miRNA profile analysis showed that 34 miR- NAs were differentially expressed between CriB and Ctrl subjects, in which 12 were up-regulated and 22 down-regulated in CriB subject (fold change 〉 2.0 and P 〈 0.01). The median levels of miR-122, -572, -575 and -638 were significantly higher (P 〈 1.00 × 10-5) while miR-744 significantly lower (P 〈 1.0× 10-6) in Crib compared with the Ctrl. The levels of miR-122, -572 and -638 were also higher (P 〈 1.00×10-3) while the level of miR-744 lower in CriB (P 〈 0.05) than in NASH, although the difference between them was not as significant as that between CHB and Ctrl. ROC curve analysis revealed that the levels of miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 in serum were sensitive and specific enough to distinguish CriB, NASH and Ctrl. Multivariate analysis further showed that the levels of these miRNAs were correlated with the liver function parameters. Most significantly, it was the scatter plot of principal component with the levels of these miRNAs, but not the parameters of liver function, which clearly distinguished CriB, NASH and Ctrl subjects. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 are deregulated in patients with CHB or NASH. The levels of these miRNAs may serve as po- tential biomarkers for liver injury caused by CHB and NASH.展开更多
Objective: The elevated incidence of obesity has been paralleled with higher risks of breast cancer. High adiposity increases leptin secretion from adipose tissue, which in turn increases cancer cell proliferation. Th...Objective: The elevated incidence of obesity has been paralleled with higher risks of breast cancer. High adiposity increases leptin secretion from adipose tissue, which in turn increases cancer cell proliferation. The interplay between leptin and estrogen is one of the mechanisms through which leptin influences breast carcinogenesis. An unbalanced estrogen metabolism increases the formations of catechol estrogen quinones, DNA adducts, and cancer mutations. This study aims to investigate the effect of leptin on some estrogen metabolic enzymes and DNA adduction in breast cancer cells.Methods: High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was performed to analyze the DNA adducts 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N3 adenine and 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N7 guanine. Reporter gene assay, real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(real time RT-PCR), and Western blot were used to assess the expression of estrogen metabolizing genes and enzymes: Cytochrome P-4501B1(CYP1B1), Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-quinone oxidoreductase1(NQO1), and Catechol-O-methyl transferase(COMT).Results: Leptin significantly increased the DNA adducts 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N3 adenine and 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N7 guanine.Furthermore, leptin significantly upregulated CYP1B1 promoter activity and protein expression. The luciferase promoter activities of NQO1 and m RNA levels were significantly reduced. Moreover, leptin greatly reduced the reporter activities of the COMT-P1 and COMT-P2 promoters and diminished the protein expression of COMT.Conclusions: Leptin increases DNA adduct levels in breast cancer cells partly by affecting key genes and enzymes involved in estrogen metabolism. Thus, increased focus should be directed toward leptin and its effects on the estrogen metabolic pathway as an effective approach against breast cancer.展开更多
In this paper a new phase space of hodograph method is adopted to investigate and better understand the two-dimensional angular momentum reversal(H-reversal) trajectories for high performance solar sails within a fixe...In this paper a new phase space of hodograph method is adopted to investigate and better understand the two-dimensional angular momentum reversal(H-reversal) trajectories for high performance solar sails within a fixed cone angle.As the hodograph method and the H-reversal trajectory are not very common,both of them are briefly introduced.The relationship between them are constructed and addressed with a sample trajectory.How the phase space varies according to the sail quality and the fixed sail cone angle is also studied.Through variation of the phase space,the minimum sail lightness number can be obtained by solving a set of algebraic equations instead of a parameter optimization problem.For a given sail lightness number,there are three types of the two-dimensional possible heliocentric motion,including the spiral inward trajectories towards the Sun,the H-reversal trajectories and the directly outward escape trajectories.The boundaries that separate these different groups are easily determined by using the phase space.Finally,the method and procedures to achieve the feasible region of the H-reversal trajectory with required perihelion distance are presented in detail.展开更多
A new bromethyl-substituted molecular rotor, [Cu(dabcoCH2Br)(H2O)Br3] (dabcoCH2Br+=1-(2-bromethyl)-1,4-diazoniabi- cyclo[2.2.2]octane cation), which belongs to a family of balomethyl-substituted molecular rot...A new bromethyl-substituted molecular rotor, [Cu(dabcoCH2Br)(H2O)Br3] (dabcoCH2Br+=1-(2-bromethyl)-1,4-diazoniabi- cyclo[2.2.2]octane cation), which belongs to a family of balomethyl-substituted molecular rotors, was synthesized and struc- turally characterized. The reversible phase transition at ca. 250 K was well established for this molecular rotor by thermal analyses, variable-temperature X-ray diffraction, and variable temperature dielectric measurements. The order-disorder trans- formation of the rotator part (dabco moiety) causes ferroelastic phase transition with an Aizu notation of mmmF2/m from high- temperature orthorhombic phase (Pbnm) to low-temperature monoclinic phase (P21/n). More important, in reference to the density functional theory calculations and structural analyses, the key factors to tune the phase transition behaviors were dis- cussed in detail for this family of halomethyl-substituted molecular rotors.展开更多
OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of tetrahydroxy stilbene glucoside(TSG) on the behavior of APP695V717 I transgenic mouse models and the expression of autophagy-associated proteins Beclin-1and LC3-Ⅱ.METHODS:Forty 3-mo...OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of tetrahydroxy stilbene glucoside(TSG) on the behavior of APP695V717 I transgenic mouse models and the expression of autophagy-associated proteins Beclin-1and LC3-Ⅱ.METHODS:Forty 3-month-old APP695V717 I transgenic mice were randomized equally into either a TSG group(n = 20) or a model group(n = 20).A normal control group consisted of C57BL/6J mice of the same age and background(n = 20).The TSG group received TSG intragastric administration for1 month.Behavior was measured using the Morris water maze and the Y-maze tests.Changes in protein expression and mRNA of autophagy-associated Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ in mice hippocampus were detected by western blot and Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR) analyses.RESULTS:The number of electric-stimulus escapes significantly increased and the Morris water maze test showed prolonged escape latency,greater swimming distance,less time taken to cross the exact former platform location in the model group,and increased mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ compared with the control group(P < 0.05).The TSG group showed a decrease in the number of electric-stimulus escapes,shorter escape latency and swimming distance,greater time taken to cross the exact former platform location,and decreased mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ compared with the model group(P< 0.05).CONCLUSION:These results indicate that tetrahydroxy stilbene glucoside can decrease expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ in the autophagy pathway.It can attenuate injury to endoplasmic reticulum functions caused by Ab neurotoxicity,improving learning,memorizing,and spatial orientation behavior in mice.展开更多
文摘The effect of substrate on the phase morphologies of PMMA/PS blend films was investigated by means of phase contrast microscope. PMMA/PS blend films were cast onto various substrates(such as glass substrate and PP substrate) by spin-coating with thickness of about 10 μm. It was observed that there was a large difference of the phase inversion region between the blend films cast on glass and on PP substrates. On glass substrate, the phase inversion occurred at about \%Φ\%_m=0 4(PS mass fraction) while at \%Φ\%_m=0 5 on PP substrate. This implies that there is a shift of the phase inversion region with the change of substrate in cast polymer blend films. In other words, phase inversion region depends on the substrate. ATR-FTIR analysis was used to detect the composition of the surface and the bottom of the films(about 100 μm thick) obtained by evaporating solvent from the polymer blend solution. The ATR-FTIR spectra of the surface and the bottom of the PMMA/PS blend thin films cast on glass substrate and PP substrate showed that PMMA component preferentially segregated to glass substrate and PS component was enriched on the PP substrate. This selective segregation was due to the difference of the wetting abilities of PS and PMMA on the two kinds of substrates. The polymer-substrate interfacial tension γ were calculated and the results supported the ATR-FTIR results. It could be inferred that the shift of the phase inversion region with the change of the substrate in PMMA/PS blend film was due to the fact that the composition of the blend in the bulk changed, owing to the selective enrichment of one component of polymer blend to the substrate. In other words, the affinity between polymer and substrate can strongly influence the phase morphologies and the phase inversion region in polymer blend films.
基金Supported by National Science and Technology Major Project of China, No. 2012ZX10005001-004Leading Academic Discipline Project of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, No.J50301+1 种基金Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China, No.20093107120010E-institutes of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, No. E03008
文摘AIM: To investigate whether circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as molecular markers to predict liver injury resulted from chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: The profiles of serum miRNA expression were first generated with serum samples collected from 10 patients with CHB and 10 healthy donors (Ctrls) by microarray analysis. The levels of several miRNAs were further quantitated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with serum samples from another 24 CHB patients and 24 Ctrls. Serum samples of 20 patients with nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH) were also included for comparison. The comparison in the levels of miRNAs between groups (CHB, NASH and Ctrl) was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test. The cor- relation between miRNAs and clinical pathoparameters was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis or canonical correlation analysis. The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were also generated to de- termine the specificity and sensitivity of each individual miRNA in distinguishing patients with CriB from Ctrls. RESULTS: miRNA profile analysis showed that 34 miR- NAs were differentially expressed between CriB and Ctrl subjects, in which 12 were up-regulated and 22 down-regulated in CriB subject (fold change 〉 2.0 and P 〈 0.01). The median levels of miR-122, -572, -575 and -638 were significantly higher (P 〈 1.00 × 10-5) while miR-744 significantly lower (P 〈 1.0× 10-6) in Crib compared with the Ctrl. The levels of miR-122, -572 and -638 were also higher (P 〈 1.00×10-3) while the level of miR-744 lower in CriB (P 〈 0.05) than in NASH, although the difference between them was not as significant as that between CHB and Ctrl. ROC curve analysis revealed that the levels of miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 in serum were sensitive and specific enough to distinguish CriB, NASH and Ctrl. Multivariate analysis further showed that the levels of these miRNAs were correlated with the liver function parameters. Most significantly, it was the scatter plot of principal component with the levels of these miRNAs, but not the parameters of liver function, which clearly distinguished CriB, NASH and Ctrl subjects. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 are deregulated in patients with CHB or NASH. The levels of these miRNAs may serve as po- tential biomarkers for liver injury caused by CHB and NASH.
基金supported by a grant from University of Texas Medical Branch National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center Pilot Project E506676
文摘Objective: The elevated incidence of obesity has been paralleled with higher risks of breast cancer. High adiposity increases leptin secretion from adipose tissue, which in turn increases cancer cell proliferation. The interplay between leptin and estrogen is one of the mechanisms through which leptin influences breast carcinogenesis. An unbalanced estrogen metabolism increases the formations of catechol estrogen quinones, DNA adducts, and cancer mutations. This study aims to investigate the effect of leptin on some estrogen metabolic enzymes and DNA adduction in breast cancer cells.Methods: High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was performed to analyze the DNA adducts 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N3 adenine and 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N7 guanine. Reporter gene assay, real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(real time RT-PCR), and Western blot were used to assess the expression of estrogen metabolizing genes and enzymes: Cytochrome P-4501B1(CYP1B1), Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-quinone oxidoreductase1(NQO1), and Catechol-O-methyl transferase(COMT).Results: Leptin significantly increased the DNA adducts 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N3 adenine and 4-OHE1[E2]-1-N7 guanine.Furthermore, leptin significantly upregulated CYP1B1 promoter activity and protein expression. The luciferase promoter activities of NQO1 and m RNA levels were significantly reduced. Moreover, leptin greatly reduced the reporter activities of the COMT-P1 and COMT-P2 promoters and diminished the protein expression of COMT.Conclusions: Leptin increases DNA adduct levels in breast cancer cells partly by affecting key genes and enzymes involved in estrogen metabolism. Thus, increased focus should be directed toward leptin and its effects on the estrogen metabolic pathway as an effective approach against breast cancer.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.10902056 and 10832004)
文摘In this paper a new phase space of hodograph method is adopted to investigate and better understand the two-dimensional angular momentum reversal(H-reversal) trajectories for high performance solar sails within a fixed cone angle.As the hodograph method and the H-reversal trajectory are not very common,both of them are briefly introduced.The relationship between them are constructed and addressed with a sample trajectory.How the phase space varies according to the sail quality and the fixed sail cone angle is also studied.Through variation of the phase space,the minimum sail lightness number can be obtained by solving a set of algebraic equations instead of a parameter optimization problem.For a given sail lightness number,there are three types of the two-dimensional possible heliocentric motion,including the spiral inward trajectories towards the Sun,the H-reversal trajectories and the directly outward escape trajectories.The boundaries that separate these different groups are easily determined by using the phase space.Finally,the method and procedures to achieve the feasible region of the H-reversal trajectory with required perihelion distance are presented in detail.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21290173,21301198)the National Basic Research Program of China(2012CB821706)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong(S2012030006240)
文摘A new bromethyl-substituted molecular rotor, [Cu(dabcoCH2Br)(H2O)Br3] (dabcoCH2Br+=1-(2-bromethyl)-1,4-diazoniabi- cyclo[2.2.2]octane cation), which belongs to a family of balomethyl-substituted molecular rotors, was synthesized and struc- turally characterized. The reversible phase transition at ca. 250 K was well established for this molecular rotor by thermal analyses, variable-temperature X-ray diffraction, and variable temperature dielectric measurements. The order-disorder trans- formation of the rotator part (dabco moiety) causes ferroelastic phase transition with an Aizu notation of mmmF2/m from high- temperature orthorhombic phase (Pbnm) to low-temperature monoclinic phase (P21/n). More important, in reference to the density functional theory calculations and structural analyses, the key factors to tune the phase transition behaviors were dis- cussed in detail for this family of halomethyl-substituted molecular rotors.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Effect of Tetrahydroxy Stilbene Glycoside on Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Induced byβ-amyloid in Alzheimer's Disease,No.81303097 and the effect of Curcumin on Alzheimer's Disease based on PPARγ-HSP70 Pathway,No.81373794)
文摘OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of tetrahydroxy stilbene glucoside(TSG) on the behavior of APP695V717 I transgenic mouse models and the expression of autophagy-associated proteins Beclin-1and LC3-Ⅱ.METHODS:Forty 3-month-old APP695V717 I transgenic mice were randomized equally into either a TSG group(n = 20) or a model group(n = 20).A normal control group consisted of C57BL/6J mice of the same age and background(n = 20).The TSG group received TSG intragastric administration for1 month.Behavior was measured using the Morris water maze and the Y-maze tests.Changes in protein expression and mRNA of autophagy-associated Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ in mice hippocampus were detected by western blot and Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR) analyses.RESULTS:The number of electric-stimulus escapes significantly increased and the Morris water maze test showed prolonged escape latency,greater swimming distance,less time taken to cross the exact former platform location in the model group,and increased mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ compared with the control group(P < 0.05).The TSG group showed a decrease in the number of electric-stimulus escapes,shorter escape latency and swimming distance,greater time taken to cross the exact former platform location,and decreased mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ compared with the model group(P< 0.05).CONCLUSION:These results indicate that tetrahydroxy stilbene glucoside can decrease expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ in the autophagy pathway.It can attenuate injury to endoplasmic reticulum functions caused by Ab neurotoxicity,improving learning,memorizing,and spatial orientation behavior in mice.