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INTRODUCTION: Cardiac remodeling is defined as cellular interstitial changes that lead dysfunction of the heart after injury. Placental growth factor (PlGF), a member of the VEGF family, has been reported to regulate cardiac hypertrophy in hemodynamic state. We therefore analyze the function of PlGF during cardiac remodeling using cardiac cells and fibroblasts, under Angiotensin II (AngII) stimulation. METHODS: PlGF overexpressed mouse embryonic fibroblasts derived from C57BL/6 mice, were made by deficient retrovirus vector, designated as C57/PlGF. Only retrovirus vector introduced C57 cells (C57/EV) were used as control. After AngII stimulation, wound scratching assay and MTT proliferation assay with or without p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB205580 were performed in retrovirally-introduced C57 cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, NF-kB activation, IL-6 and TNF-α production were also measured. Then we assessed AngII-induced cell proliferation of mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and rat primary cardiomyocytes incubating with C57/PlGF conditioned-medium. RESULTS: The PlGF production in C57/PlGF were confirmed by ELISA (1093.48 ± 3.5 pg/ml, ±SE). AngII-induced cell migration, proliferation and H2O2 production were increased in C57/PlGF compared with C57/EV. SB205580 inhibited the AngII-induced cell proliferation in C57/PlGF. In C57/PlGF cells, NF-kB activation was higher, followed by up-regulation of IL-6 and TNF-α production. CFs and cardiomyocytes proliferation increased when stimulated with C57/PlGF conditioned-medium. DISCUSSION: The activation of fibroblast is stimulated by PlGF signaling via p38 MAPK/NF-kB pathway accompanied by elevation of ROS and inflammatory response. Furthermore, these signals stimulate the activation of CFs and cardiomyocytes, indicating that high circulating level of PlGF have a potential to regulate cardiac remodeling.

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The development of a cost-effective Si based platform on which III-V's can be grown is of great interest. This work investigates the morphology of gallium phosphide (GaP) films grown on {111} silicon (Si) substrates by means of liquid phase epitaxy in a tin (Sn) - based solvent bath. Two types of single-crystal {111} Si substrates were used; the first type was oriented exactly along the ⟨111⟩ surface (no-miscut) and the second was miscut by 4°. The growth rate of the GaP films was found to be markedly different for the two types of substrates; the GaP films on the miscut Si substrate grew ∼4 times faster than those on the no-miscut substrate. The GaP films grew epitaxially on both types of substrates, but contained Si and Sn as inclusions. In the case of the no-miscut substrate, a number of large Sn particles were incorporated at the GaP/Si interface. As a result, these interfacial Sn particles affected the strain state of the GaP films dramatically, which, in turn, manifested itself in the form of a duplex microstructure that consists of strained and strain-free regions.

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We propose a three-step model of electrochemical nanopore formation in n-InP in KOH that explains how crystallographically oriented etching can occur even though the rate-determining process (hole generation) occurs only at pore tips. The model shows that competition in kinetics between hole diffusion and electrochemical reaction determines the average diffusion distance of holes along the semiconductor surface and this, in turn, determines whether etching is crystallographic. If the kinetics of reaction are slow relative to diffusion, etching can occur at preferred crystallographic sites within a zone in the vicinity of the pore tip, leading to pore propagation in preferential directions. Symmetrical etching of three {111}A faces forming the pore tip causes it to propagate in the (remaining) [111]A direction. As a pore etches, propagating atomic ledges can meet to form sites that can become new pore tips and this enables branching of pores along any of the [111]A directions. The model explains the observed uniform width of pores and its variation with temperature, carrier concentration and electrolyte concentration. It also explains pore wall thickness, and deviations of pore propagation from the [111]A directions. We believe that the model is generally applicable to electrochemical pore formation in III-V semiconductors.

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The origin of a marked difference in a dielectric constant, κ, observed between two types of strontium titanium oxide (STO) films sputter-deposited on platinum layers was investigated using a transmission electron microscopy method. The first type of STO films having a low κ value initially grew as an amorphous phase, followed by the formation of a randomly oriented polycrystalline phase. The second type with a high κ, on the other hand, not only grew as a crystalline phase throughout the entire film thickness, but also exhibited a strong [111] fiber texture. The observed difference in κ between these two types of STO films can thus be explained in terms of the degree of film crystallinity and texture.

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Glass of generic composition SiO(2) . Al(2)O(3) . P(2)O(5) . CaO . CaF(2) will crystallise predominantly to apatite and mullite upon heat-treatment. Such ceramics are bioactive, osseoconductive, and have a high resistance to fracture. As a result, they are under investigation for use as biomedical device coatings, and in particular for orthopaedic implants. Previous work has shown that the material can be successfully enamelled to titanium with an interfacial reaction zone produced during heat treatment. The present study uses high angle annular dark field transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-TEM) to conduct a detailed examination of this region. Results show evidence of complex interfacial reactions following the diffusion of titanium into an intermediate layer and the production of titanium silicides and titanium phosphides. These results confirm previously hypothesised mechanisms for the bonding of silicate bioceramics with titanium alloys.

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