MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, can upregulate nuclear factor (NF) erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidative function and downregulate NF-κB-mediated inflammation. The present study investigated whether through the above two mechanisms MG-132 could provide a therapeutic effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy in the OVE26 type 1 diabetic mouse model. OVE26 mice develop hyperglycemia at 2-3 wk after birth and exhibit albuminuria and cardiac dysfunction at 3 mo of age. Therefore, 3-mo-old OVE26 diabetic and age-matched control mice were intraperitoneally treated with MG-132 at 10 μg/kg daily for 3 mo. Before and after MG-132 treatment, cardiac function was measured by echocardiography, and cardiac tissues were then subjected to pathological and biochemical examination. Diabetic mice showed significant cardiac dysfunction, including increased left ventricular systolic diameter and wall thickness and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction with an increase of the heart weight-to-tibia length ratio. Diabetic hearts exhibited structural derangement and remodeling (fibrosis and hypertrophy). In diabetic mice, there was also increased systemic and cardiac oxidative damage and inflammation. All of these pathogenic changes were reversed by MG-132 treatment. MG-132 treatment significantly increased the cardiac expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant genes with a significant increase of total antioxidant capacity and also significantly decreased the expression of IκB and the nuclear accumulation and DNA-binding activity of NF-κB in the heart. These results suggest that MG-132 has a therapeutic effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy in OVE26 diabetic mice, possibly through the upregulation of Nrf2-dependent antioxidative function and downregulation of NF-κB-mediated inflammation.

Background and aim: The prevalence of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is higher in adults than in children. We determined the seroepidemiology of HBV infection in an adult population in JiLin, China, to guide effective preventive measures.Methods: A cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted throughout JiLin, China. A total of 3833 people was selected and demographic and behavioral information gathered. Serum samples were tested for HBV markers and liver enzymes.Results: The prevalence of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), the antibody to the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), the antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe), and the antibody to the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were 4.38%, 35.66%, 1.38%, 6.65%, and 40.88%, respectively. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly higher among HBsAg (+) than HBsAg (-) subjects. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors for chronic HBV infection were smoking, poor sleep quality; occupation as private small-businessmen, laborers, or peasants; male gender; family history of HBV; personal history of vaccination; and older age. Independent predictors for exposure to HBV were large family size, occupation as a private small-businessman, male gender, family history of HBV, personal history of vaccination, and older age. Independent predictors for immunity by vaccination were occupation as a private small-businessman, high income, personal history of vaccination, and young age. Independent predictors for immunity by exposure were drinking, male gender, personal history of vaccination, and older age.Conclusions: The prevalence rate of HBV infection (4.38%) was lower than the previous rate of general HBV vaccination. However, 44.59% of the population remained susceptible to HBV. The prevalence of HBV infection was high in young adults, private small-businessmen, peasants, those with a family history of HBV, and males. Therefore, immunization of the non-immune population is reasonable to reduce hepatitis B transmission between adults.

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Du B, Ouyang A, Eng JS, Fleenor BS. Aortic perivascular adipose-derived interleukin-6 contributes to arterial stiffness in lowdensity lipoprotein receptor deficient mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 308: H1382-H1390, 2015. First published April 3, 2015 doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00712.2014.-We tested the hypothesis that aortic perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) from young low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ ) mice promotes aortic stiffness and remodeling, which would be mediated by greater PVAT-derived IL-6 secretion. Arterial stiffness was assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity and with ex vivo intrinsic mechanical properties testing in young (4 -6 mo old) wild-type (WT) and LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ chow-fed mice. Compared with WT mice, LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ mice had increased aortic pulse wave velocity (407 Ϯ 18 vs. 353 Ϯ 13 cm/s) and intrinsic mechanical stiffness (5,308 Ϯ 623 vs. 3,355 Ϯ 330 kPa) that was associated with greater aortic protein expression of collagen type I and advanced glycation end products (all P Ͻ 0.05 vs. WT mice). Aortic segments from LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ compared with WT mice cultured in the presence of PVAT had greater intrinsic mechanical stiffness (6,092 Ϯ 480 vs. 3,710 Ϯ 316 kPa), and this was reversed in LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ mouse arteries cultured without PVAT (3,473 Ϯ 577 kPa, both P Ͻ 0.05). Collagen type I and advanced glycation end products were increased in LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ mouse arteries cultured with PVAT (P Ͻ 0.05 vs. WT mouse arteries), which was attenuated when arteries were cultured in the absence of PVAT (P Ͻ 0.05). PVAT from LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ mice secreted larger amounts of IL-6 (3.4 Ϯ 0.1 vs. 2.3 Ϯ 0.7 ng/ml, P Ͻ 0.05), and IL-6 neutralizing antibody decreased intrinsic mechanical stiffness in LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ aortic segments cultured with PVAT (P Ͻ 0.05). Collectively, these data provide evidence for a role of PVAT-derived IL-6 in the pathogenesis of aortic stiffness and remodeling in chow-fed LDLr Ϫ/Ϫ mice. periaortic fat; aorta; cholesterol; inflammation; triglycerides DEATHS DUE TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality in the United States and in other modern societies worldwide (21). Recent meta-analysis data have indicated that the increased risk for CVD and related events are, in part, attributable to stiffening of the aorta as assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) (3). Importantly, nearly 50% of Americans have total cholesterol values above the desirable level (21), which, in turn, promotes aortic stiffening (13,23,42). Thus, gaining insights for the mechanisms by which traditional risk factors, such as hypercholesterolemia, promote aortic stiffening is of clinical importance. Aortic stiffness is, in part, due to changes in the expression of extracellular matrix proteins within the arterial wall and increased cross-linking of these proteins (15, 44). Collagen type I is a key load-bearing collagen isoform with increased expression in arteries with greater aortic stiffness (18). In contrast, elastin, a protein that provides elasticity to arteries, has an attenuated expression that also ...

Electropolishing of Cu and Cu/Ta/Si wafer samples were studied using a rotating disk electrode in a variety of phosphoric acid-based electrolytes, including several with ethanol and other species added as diluents. Diluents allow a wide range of water concentrations to be accessed and also reduce the dissolution rate during Cu electropolishing, simplifying possible applications to damascene processing. The measured limiting current densities are subject to a Levich analysis, demonstrating that water is the acceptor species involved in the rate-determining step. The effective diffusion coefficient that is determined is in almost exact agreement with that previously obtained from the electrohydrodynamic impedance, which does not require knowledge of the limiting species.

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A coupled hybrid of molybdenum phosphide (MoP) and reduced graphene oxide has been prepared for the first time utilizing Mo-MOFs as precursors through a facile method. The nanocomposite exhibits superior electrocatalytic performance towards the HER, and is one of the best high-performance MoP-based electrocatalysts under acidic conditions reported so far.

The effects of treatment pressure on the structures and properties of PMIA fiber were investigated by Scanning electron microscopy, Dynamic wetting measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical properties test technology in supercritical carbon dioxide. The results indicated that the surface morphology, the water contact angle, the interaction of macromolecules, the crystal structure, the thermal property, and tensile strength of PMIA fibers were changed during supercritical carbon dioxide treatment, particularly the surface morphology and the wettability of fiber changed the most obviously with the increase of treatment pressure. Furthermore, the thermal property and tensile strength of treated PMIA fiber sample were improved in comparison with those of untreated sample. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41756.