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A novel, constitutively expressed and secreted IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) neutralizes IL-18 and thereby suppresses the production of IFN-gamma, resulting in reduced T-helper type 1 immune responses. In the present study, four human and two mouse isoforms, resulting from mRNA splicing and found in various cDNA libraries, were expressed, purified, and assessed for binding and neutralization of IL-18 biological activities. Human IL-18BP isoform a (IL-18BPa) exhibited the greatest affinity for

Impairment in macroautophagy/autophagy flux and inflammasome activation are common characteristics of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Considering the lack of approved agents for treating NASH, drugs that can enhance autophagy and modulate inflammasome pathways may be beneficial. Here, we investigated the novel mechanism of ezetimibe, a widely prescribed drug for hypercholesterolemia, as a therapeutic option for ameliorating NASH. Human liver samples with steatosis and NASH were analyzed. Fo

Abstract L ‐Lactide was polymerized with stannous 2‐ethylhexanoate (stannous octoate) in the presence of pentaerythritol to investigate multifunctional initiation. The prepared oligomers contain starshaped 4‐arm molecules when the mole ratio of [lactide]/[pentaerythritol] is above 32. The molecular weight of oligomers coincides with the [lactide]/[pentaerythritol] ratio, indicating that pentaerythritol in conjugation with stannous octoate is an initiator for the “living” polymerization of L‐lact

Cyclic mechanical strain has been demonstrated to enhance the development and function of engineered smooth muscle (SM) tissues, and it would be necessary for the development of the elastic scaffolds if one wishes to engineer SM tissues under cyclic mechanical loading. This study reports on the development of an elastic scaffold fabricated from a biodegradable polymer. Biodegradable poly(glycolide-co-caprolactone) (PGCL) copolymer was synthesized from glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone in the pr

Very elastic PLCL [poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone), 50:50] copolymers were synthesized and extruded into porous tubular scaffolds (pore size 150 +/- 50 microm, porosity 90%) for the application to tissue engineering. The copolymers were basically random and amorphous. However, two T(g)'s (glass transition temperatures) were observed in dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and also in differential scanning calorimetry thermograms. Furthermore, microdomains (about 17 nm in size) were indica

New poly( l -lactide) (PLLA)−poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) multiblock copolymers were prepared by using the coupling reaction between the bischloroformates of carboxylated PLLA with PCL-diol in the presence of pyridine. All the copolymers were characterized by 1 H NMR and GPC and investigated further by using DSC, TGA, SAXD, WAXD, polarizing microscope, and Instron testing. The molecular weights of PLLA−PCL multiblock copolymers produced lay in the range 40 000−50 000. The multiblock copolymers pro

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) is a dedicated spaceborne mission to map the Earth’s gravity field with unprecedented accuracy. The GRACE mission is planned to launch in 2001, for a lifetime of approximately 5 years. It consists of two satellites, co-orbiting in nearly polar orbit, at approximately 300-500 km altitude, separated by 100-500 km along track. Primary measurements are the range change between the two satellites, which represents the gravity perturbation difference

Stereocomplex polylactide has been known as one of the choices to enhance the properties of polylactides. Numerous studies have been carried out on stereocomplex formation and characterizations, but these have a limitation in the case of high-molecular-weight polylactides. The stereocomplex formation of high-molecular-weight polylactides was observed by supercritical CO 2 in the presence of solvent. Furthermore, the addition of solvent increased the degree of stereocomplex formation. We evaluate