Enhanced hemocompatibility and rapid magnetic anastomosis of electrospun small-diameter artificial vascular grafts.

Background: Small-diameter (<6 mm) artificial vascular grafts (AVGs) are urgently required in vessel reconstructive surgery but constrained by suboptimal hemocompatibility and the complexity of anastomotic procedures. This study introduces coaxial electrospinning and magnetic anastomosis techniques to improve graft performance. Methods: Bilayer poly(lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) grafts were fabricated by coaxial electrospinning to encapsulate heparin in the inner layer for anticoagulation. Magnetic rings were embedded at both ends of the nanofiber conduit to construct a magnetic anastomosis small-diameter AVG. Material properties were characterized by micromorphology, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, mechanical tests, in vitro heparin release and hemocompatibility. In vivo performance was evaluated in a rabbit model of inferior vena cava replacement. Results: Coaxial electrospinning produced PLCL/heparin grafts with sustained heparin release, lower platelet adhesion, prolonged clotting times, higher Young's modulus and tensile strength versus PLCL grafts. Magnetic anastomosis was significantly faster than suturing (3.65 ± 0.83 vs. 20.32 ± 3.45 min, p < 0.001) and with higher success rate (100% vs. 80%). Furthermore, magnetic AVG had higher short-term patency (2 days: 100% vs. 60%; 7 days: 40% vs. 0%) but similar long-term occlusion as sutured grafts. Conclusion: Coaxial electrospinning improved hemocompatibility and magnetic anastomosis enhanced implantability of small-diameter AVG. Short-term patency was excellent, but further optimization of anticoagulation is needed for long-term patency. This combinatorial approach holds promise for vascular graft engineering.

Social Support and Physical Activity in College and University Students: A Meta-Analysis.

Although physical activity (PA) has a profound impact on health, many college and university students are still physically inactive. There is some evidence to suggest that social support (SS) could impact the PA levels of students, but the internal relationship and specific effects are not very clear. The purpose of this review was to determine the strength of the relationship between SS and PA and examine whether any potential associations differed in terms of age, gender, and region among college and university students. Studies were identified using the following electronic databases: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Sociological Abstracts. Moderator analyses investigating the effects of students' age, gender, and region (nation) were performed. This review included 19 articles. The results showed total SS was significantly associated with PA (r = 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.22, 0.37], p < .001). With respect to different types of support, friend support was more strongly associated with PA than family support. Gender factors had a significant moderating effect on the correlation between SS and PA (QM = 17.433, p < .001). Separate analyses examining the moderating effects of gender (percentage of females) found that the association between SS and PA was stronger with the increase in female percentage. In conclusion, SS is an important factor associated with PA levels and should foster SS within intervention programs according to types of SS and gender differences to increase PA levels among college and university students.

Fabrication of Decellularized Spleen Matrix Derived from Rats.

Liver transplantation is the primary treatment for end-stage liver disease. However, the shortage and inadequate quality of donor organs necessitate the development of alternative therapies. Bioartificial livers (BALs) utilizing decellularized liver matrix (DLM) have emerged as promising solutions. However, sourcing suitable DLMs remains challenging. The use of a decellularized spleen matrix (DSM) has been explored as a foundation for BALs, offering a readily available alternative. In this study, rat spleens were harvested and decellularized using a combination of freeze-thaw cycles and perfusion with decellularization reagents. The protocol preserved the microstructures and components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) within the DSM. The complete decellularization process took approximately 11 h, resulting in an intact ECM within the DSM. Histological analysis confirmed the removal of cellular components while retaining the ECM's structure and composition. The presented protocol provides a comprehensive method for obtaining DSM, offering potential applications in liver tissue engineering and cell therapy. These findings contribute to the development of alternative approaches for the treatment of end-stage liver disease.

High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries Enabled by 3D Nanoflowers Comprised of Ternary Sn-Based Dichalcogenides Embedded in Nitrogen and Sulfur Dual-Doped Carbon.

To make sodium-ion batteries a realistic option for everyday energy storage, a practicable method is to enhance the kinetics of Na+ reactions through the development of structurally stable electrode materials. This study utilizes ternary Sn-based dichalcogenide (SnS1.5 Se0.5 ) in the design of electrode material to tackle several issues that adversely hinder the performance and longevity of sodium-ion batteries. First, the incorporation of Se into the SnS structure enhances its electrical conductivity and stability. Second, the ternary composition restricts the formation of intermediates during the desodiation/sodiation process, resulting in better electrode reaction reversibility. Finally, SnS1.5 Se0.5 lowers the diffusion barrier of Na, thereby facilitating rapid and efficient ion transport within the electrode material. Moreover, nitrogen and sulfur dual-doped carbon (NS-C) is used to enhance surface chemistry and ionic/electrical conductivity of SnS1.5 Se0.5 , leading to a pseudocapacitive storage effect that presents a promising potential for high-performance energy storage devices. The study has successfully developed a SnS1.5 Se0.5 /NS-C anode, exhibiting remarkable rate capability and cycle stability, retaining a capacity of 647 mAh g-1 even after 10 000 cycles at 5 A g-1 in half-cell tests. In full-cell tests, Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 //SnS1.5 Se0.5 /NS-C delivers a high energy density of 176.6 Wh kg-1 . In addition, the Na+ storage mechanism of SnS1.5 Se0.5 /NS-C is explored through ex situ tests and DFT calculations. The findings suggest that the ternary Sn-based dichalcogenides can considerably enhance the performance of the anode, enabling efficient large-scale storage of sodium. These findings hold great promise for the advancement of high-performance energy storage devices for practical applications.

Sounding and imagining sounds improve visual time perception: Application of the modality effect of time perception.

This study examines whether the modality effect can be used to improve visual time perception. In Experiment 1, we used a time-reproduction task to explore the accuracy (i.e., deviation of reproduced time from veridical time) and precision (i.e., variability of reproduced time) of time perception under auditory, visual, or audiovisual conditions. Results confirmed the existence of a modality effect. Experiments 2a and 2b and Experiment 3 examined whether adding auditory stimuli improves visual time perception. In Experiments 2a and 2b, participants were required to sound when the visual stimuli appeared. Results showed that the addition of sound to visual stimuli perception is associated with higher time perception accuracy than viewing visual stimuli alone. Given that sounding is not always applicable, we conducted Experiment 3, with participants asked to imagine sounds instead of sounding. Results showed that imaginary sounds improved accuracy. However, in Experiments 2a, 2b, and 3, neither sounding nor imagining sounds changed the precision of time perception. The findings of this study indicate that adding auditory stimuli reliably improves the accuracy of visual-time perception, irrespective of whether the sound is real or imagined.

Preparation of Cemented Carbide and Study of Copper-Accelerated Salt Spray Corrosion and Erosion Behavior.

(1) Mud pulser carbide rotors, as a core component of ground communication in crude oil exploration, are often subjected to mud erosion and acid corrosion, resulting in pitting pits on the surface, which affects the accuracy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acid corrosion and erosion behavior of cemented carbide materials and provide a reference for the wider application of cemented carbide materials in the petrochemical industry. (2) Experimental samples of tungsten-cobalt carbide were sintered at a low pressure by powder metallurgy. The petrochemical application environment was simulated by accelerated salt spray corrosion and solid slurry erosion with the aid of acidic copper, and the experimental phenomena were analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscope), EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy), and XRD (X-ray diffraction). (3) The experimental results show that the coercivity of the pitted cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide prepared in this study was 17.89 KA/m, and the magnetic saturation strength was 14.42 G·cm3/g. The corrosion rate was the fastest during the acidic copper acceleration experiments from 4 h to 16 h, and the corrosion products of WCo3 and Co3O4 were generated on the corrosion surface. The maximum erosion rate of 0.00104 in the erosion experiment corresponds to a corrosion sample with a corrosion time of 36 h. (4) Therefore, the coercive magnetic force and magnetic saturation strength could be derived from the prepared carbide hard phase grains and carbon content in the appropriate range. The corrosion product in the corrosion process slowed the corrosion rate, and a large amount of cobalt and a small amount of tungsten was lost by oxidation during the corrosion process. The corrosion time had the greatest effect on the erosion performance of the carbide, and the long corrosion time led to surface sparseness, which reduced the erosion resistance.

Optimization of AlCrSiWN Coating Process Parameters and Performance Study by the Matrix Analysis Method.

An AlCrSiWN coating was prepared on a cemented carbide substrate by the arc ion plating technology. The optimization of the coating process was carried out by matrix analysis of orthogonal experiments to calculate the influence of the process parameters on the hardness, bonding and roughness indexes of the coating, determine the optimal coating process parameters, and focus on the influence of the bias voltage on the microscopic morphology, mechanical properties and friction properties of the coating. The results showed that the influence of the process parameters on the indexes of the orthogonal experiments was in the following order: bias voltage > arc current > N2 flow rate. The optimal solution was achieved with an arc current of 160 A, a bias voltage of −80 V, and a N2 flow rate of 600 sccm. Properly increasing the bias voltage improved the microscopic morphology, mechanical properties and wear resistance of the coating. When the bias voltage was −80 V, the coating surface presented fewer large particles with a less uniform size and no obvious crater defects; in addition, the cross-sectional structure changed from grape-like to columnar, and the coating had higher hardness, lower roughness and better bond strength. In the friction performance test, coating at a −80 V bias voltage showed better wear resistance, which was reflected in lower friction coefficient and wear, and the wear mechanism mainly consisted of adhesion and oxidation wear.

[Application of ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in children with appendix-related chronic abdominal pain]. / è¶ å£°å¼•å¯¼å† é•œä¸‹é€†è¡Œé˜‘å°¾ç‚Žæ²»ç–—æœ¯åœ¨é˜‘å°¾ç›¸å ³æ ¢æ€§è ¹ç—›æ‚£å„¿ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨ä»·å€¼.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in children with appendix-related chronic abdominal pain. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 30 children with the chief complaint of chronic abdominal pain who were admitted from August 2019 to May 2021. All the children were found to have inflammation of the appendix or intracavitary stool and fecalith by ultrasound and underwent ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy. The medical data for analysis included clinical manifestations, endoscopic findings, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, length of hospital stay, and cure rate. RESULTS: Among the 30 children with chronic abdominal pain, there were 13 boys (43%) and 17 girls (57%), with a mean age of (9±3) years (range 3-15 years) at diagnosis. The median duration of the disease was 12 months, and the median length of hospital stay was 3 days. The children had a median white blood cell count of 6.7×109/L and a neutrophil percentage of 50%±13%. Fecalith and a large amount of feces were flushed out of the appendix cavity for 21 children (70%) during surgery. The follow-up rate was 97% (29/30), and the median follow-up time was 11 months (range 5-26 months). Of the 29 children, abdominal pain completely disappeared in 27 children (93%). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy is effective in children with chronic abdominal pain caused by feces or fecalith in the appendix cavity.

Effects of water cooling on laser-induced thermal damage in rat hepatectomy.

PURPOSE: High-powered lasers are commonly used for tissue resection in surgeries, including liver resection, medically known as hepatectomy; however, such lasers inevitably induce thermal damage that causes postoperative complications. This study aims to explore the effects of water cooling and different laser output modes on laser-induced thermal damage during hepatectomy. METHODS: To avoid the influence of superposition, a 980-nm diode laser was used for a single-point hepatectomy. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were used to explore the effects of water cooling and different laser output modes. A constant energy 10-J laser was used to cut the liver tissue with a power of 10 W and time of 1 second. The rats were randomly divided into six groups. The first three groups were assigned as test subjects for different laser output modes. Group 1 was operated with a continuous laser output for a duration of 1 second. Groups 2 and 3 were operated with a pulsed laser output for a duration of 1 second and a pulse width of 0.5 and 0.25 seconds, respectively. Groups 4, 5, and 6 were assigned for the water cooling test. Water cooling was performed based on the parameters of the first three groups. Medical saline (0.9% NaCl) was used for water cooling. The main observation indicators were resection efficiency and thermal damage, including the area of the thermal damage zone. Resection efficiency is calculated by dividing the resection area by the total thermal damage area. RESULTS: In the three water cooling groups, the area of the resection, carbonized, sub-boiling coagulated, and total thermal damage zones were 0.0677, 0.00, 1.7293, and 2.2982 mm2 in Group 4; 0.0465, 0.00, 1.3205, and 1.8414 mm2 in Group 5; and 0.0565, 0.00, 1.4301, and 1.9650 mm2 in Group 6, respectively. Compared with the first three groups, the water cooling groups exhibited significantly reduced thermal damage areas of in the carbonized, sub-boiling coagulated, and total thermal damage zones (p < 0.001 for all). In addition, there was no statistical difference in the resection area, vacuolated area, and resection efficiency. Furthermore, there was no statistical difference in the area of each thermal damage zone between the continuous and pulsed output groups. The resection efficiencies were 4.82%, 3.34%, 3.73%, 3.93%, 3.36%, and 3.01% in Groups 1 to 6, respectively. Moreover, there was no statistical difference (p > 0.05) in the resection efficiencies. CONCLUSION: Water cooling can reduce the total laser-induced thermal damage area and prevent tissue carbonization. Therefore, this cooling method can be used as a simple and safe strategy for controlling thermal damage during hepatectomy.

Flexible and Foldable Films of SWCNT Thermoelectric Composites and an S-Shape Thermoelectric Generator with a Vertical Temperature Gradient.

Organic thermoelectric (TE) composites and flexible devices have gained a rapid development in recent decade. Herein, a flexible and foldable film of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/single-walled carbon nanotube (PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT) composite is fabricated by post-treatment with an ionic liquid (IL), and an S-shape TE generator (TEG) is designed to harvest heat from human body via a vertical temperature gradient. After being post-treated with IL of bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide lithium salt (LiTFSI), the PEDOT:PSS/SWNCT composite displays an improved electrical conductivity from 1063 ± 80 to 1562 ± 170 S cm-1, with an almost constant Seebeck coefficient of ∼21.9 µV K-1 with a 30 wt % content of SWCNT. The TE properties exhibit excellent stability against repeated bending or folding cycles. Furthermore, an S-shape architecture is designed for TEG assembling, which enables effective utilization of a vertical temperature gradient between the human body and surroundings. The present study proposes a universal strategy for harvesting heat using a wearable TEG via a vertical temperature gradient, which represents great prospects for application in self-powered wearable electronics.

Involvement of GPX4 in irisin's protection against ischemia reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury.

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious condition. Irisin, an exercise-induced hormone, improves mitochondrial function and reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a key regulator of ferroptosis and its inactivation aggravates renal I/R injury by inducing ROS production. However, the effect of irisin on GPX4 and I/R-induced AKI is still unknown. To study this, male adult mice were subjected to renal I/R by occluding bilateral renal hilum for 30 min, which was followed by 24 hr reperfusion. Our results showed serum irisin levels were decreased in renal I/R mice. Irisin (250 µg/kg) treatment alleviated renal injury, downregulated inflammatory response, improved mitochondrial function, and reduced ER stress and oxidative stress after renal I/R, which were associated with upregulation of GPX4. Treated with RSL3 (a GPX4 inhibitor) abolished irisin's protective effect. Thus, irisin attenuates I/R-induced AKI through upregulating GPX4.

Association between serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cognitive dysfunction after acute ischemic stroke: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to explore the association between serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and cognitive dysfunction risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This cross-sectional study enrolled 583 AIS patients. Biochemical markers and lipid profile were collected after admission. AIS patients were classified into high group (non-HDL-C ≥3.4 mM) and normal group (non-HDL-C <3.4 mM). Mini-Mental State Examination scale (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Hamilton Depression scale 21 version (HAMD-21) were applied on the third day after admission. Compared with the control group, patients of the high group had higher body mass index and higher frequency of intracranial artery stenosis, and exhibited higher levels of non-HDL-C, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, homocysteine, fasting blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, patients of the high group had significantly lower MMSE and MoCA scores (MMSE: 26.01±4.17 vs 23.12±4.73, P<0.001; MoCA: 22.28±5.28 vs 20.25±5.87, P<0.001) and higher scores on the NPI and HAMD-21 (both P<0.001). MMSE (r=-0.306, P<0.001) and MoCA scores (r=-0.251, P<0.001) were negatively associated with non-HDL-C level. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that non-HDL-C level (OR=1.361, 95%CI: 1.059-1.729, P=0.016) was independently associated with the presence of cognitive dysfunction after adjusting for confounding factors. High serum non-HDL-C level might significantly increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction after AIS.

Serum irisin levels are decreased in patients with sepsis, and exogenous irisin suppresses ferroptosis in the liver of septic mice.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis remains a major health issue without an effective therapy. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed cell death, has been proposed to be related to the pathogenesis of sepsis. Irisin, a myokine released during exercise, improves mitochondrial function under various conditions. Ferroptosis is closely related to mitochondrial function. However, the role of irisin in sepsis-induced ferroptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in the liver remained unknown. Thus, we hypothesize that irisin treatment suppresses ferroptosis and improves mitochondrial function in sepsis. METHODS: To study this, we first explored the role of serum irisin levels in patients with sepsis, and then determined the effect of irisin administration on ferroptosis and mitochondrial function in the liver of septic mice. RESULTS: Serum irisin levels were decreased and negatively correlated with the APACHE II scores in patients with sepsis. In mice subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), exogenous irisin administration suppressed ferroptosis, inhibited inflammatory response, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, restored abnormal mitochondrial morphology, and increased mtDNA copy number and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. The effect of irisin on ferroptosis was confirmed in LPS-treated hepatocytes and CLP-induced septic mice. Inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), a central regulator of ferroptosis, reduced irisin's protective effects in LPS-treated hepatocytes and CLP-induced septic mice, while blocking the irisin receptor with RGD peptide or Echistain decreased irisin-induced GPX4 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Serum irisin levels are decreased and negatively correlated with disease severity in patients with sepsis, and irisin treatment suppresses ferroptosis and restores mitochondrial function in experimental sepsis. Irisin may offer therapeutic potential in the management of sepsis.

Involvement of kindlin-2 in irisin's protection against ischaemia reperfusion-induced liver injury in high-fat diet-fed mice.

Liver steatosis is associated with increased ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Our previous studies have shown that irisin, an exercise-induced hormone, mitigates I/R injury via binding to αVß5 integrin. However, the effect of irisin on I/R injury in steatotic liver remains unknown. Kindlin-2 directly interacts with ß integrin. We therefore suggest that irisin protects against I/R injury in steatotic liver via a kindlin-2 dependent mechanism. To study this, hepatic steatosis was induced in male adult mice by feeding them with a 60% high-fat diet (HFD). At 12 weeks after HFD feeding, the mice were subjected to liver ischaemia by occluding partial (70%) hepatic arterial/portal venous blood for 60 minutes, which was followed by 24 hours reperfusion. Our results showed HFD exaggerated I/R-induced liver injury. Irisin (250 µg/kg) administration at the beginning of reperfusion attenuated liver injury, improved mitochondrial function, and reduced oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress in HFD-fed mice. However, kindlin-2 inhibition by RNAi eliminated irisin's direct effects on cultured hepatocytes. In conclusion, irisin attenuates I/R injury in steatotic liver via a kindlin-2 dependent mechanism.

Association between serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cognitive dysfunction after acute ischemic stroke: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to explore the association between serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and cognitive dysfunction risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This cross-sectional study enrolled 583 AIS patients. Biochemical markers and lipid profile were collected after admission. AIS patients were classified into high group (non-HDL-C ≥3.4 mM) and normal group (non-HDL-C <3.4 mM). Mini-Mental State Examination scale (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Hamilton Depression scale 21 version (HAMD-21) were applied on the third day after admission. Compared with the control group, patients of the high group had higher body mass index and higher frequency of intracranial artery stenosis, and exhibited higher levels of non-HDL-C, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, homocysteine, fasting blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, patients of the high group had significantly lower MMSE and MoCA scores (MMSE: 26.01±4.17 vs 23.12±4.73, P<0.001; MoCA: 22.28±5.28 vs 20.25±5.87, P<0.001) and higher scores on the NPI and HAMD-21 (both P<0.001). MMSE (r=-0.306, P<0.001) and MoCA scores (r=-0.251, P<0.001) were negatively associated with non-HDL-C level. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that non-HDL-C level (OR=1.361, 95%CI: 1.059-1.729, P=0.016) was independently associated with the presence of cognitive dysfunction after adjusting for confounding factors. High serum non-HDL-C level might significantly increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction after AIS.

The Impact of Serum Glucose on the Predictive Value of Serum Lactate for Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Surgical Patients.

BACKGROUND: Lactate has been widely used as a risk indicator of outcomes in critically ill patients due to its ready measurement and good predictive ability. However, the interconnections between lactate metabolism and glucose metabolism have not been sufficiently explored, yet. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether glucose levels could influence the predictive ability of lactate and design a more comprehensive strategy to assess the in-hospital mortality of critically ill patients. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical data of 293 critically ill patients. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The logistic regression analysis and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were applied to evaluate the predictive ability of lactate in association with glucose. RESULTS: The lactate level showed significant association with in-hospital mortality, and its predictive ability was also comparable to other prognostic scores such as the SOFA score and APACHE II score. We further divided 293 patients into three groups based on glucose levels: low-glucose group (<7 mmol/L), medium-glucose group (7-9 mmol/L), and high-glucose group (>9 mmol/L). The lactate level was associated with in-hospital mortality in the low- and high- glucose groups, but not in the medium-glucose group, whereas the SOFA score and APACHE II score were associated with in-hospital mortality in all three glucose groups. The AUROC of lactate in the medium-glucose group was also the lowest among the three glucose groups, indicating a decrease in its predictive ability. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that the predictive ability of lactate to assess in-hospital mortality could be influenced by glucose levels. In the medium glucose level (i.e., 7-9 mmol/L), lactate was inadequate to predict in-hospital mortality and the SOFA score; the APACHE II score should be utilized as a complementation in order to obtain a more accurate prediction.

Irisin attenuates intestinal injury, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice with L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is often associated with intestinal injury, which in turn exaggerates the progression of AP. Our recent study has shown that a low level of serum irisin, a novel exercise-induced hormone, is associated with poor outcomes in patients with AP and irisin administration protects against experimental AP. However, the role of irisin in intestinal injury in AP has not been evaluated. AIM: To investigate the effect of irisin administration on intestinal injury in experimental AP. METHODS: AP was induced in male adult mice by two hourly intraperitoneal injections of L-arginine. At 2 h after the last injection of L-arginine, irisin (50 or 250 µg/kg body weight) or 1 mL normal saline (vehicle) was administered through intraperitoneal injection. The animals were sacrificed at 72 h after the induction of AP. Intestinal injury, apoptosis, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were evaluated. RESULTS: Administration of irisin significantly mitigated intestinal damage, reduced apoptosis, and attenuated oxidative and ER stress in AP mice. In addition, irisin treatment also effectively downregulated serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 levels and alleviated injury in the pancreas, liver and lung of AP mice. CONCLUSION: Irisin-mediated multiple physiological events attenuate intestinal injury following an episode of AP. Irisin has a great potential to be further developed as an effective treatment for patients with AP.

A facile synthesis of hydroxyapatite for effective removal strontium ion.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) with perforated porous structure was successfully synthesized using shell powder as the raw material by double interfacial diffusion method. The structure of obtained products was examined by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrograph, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, particle size, thermogravimetry and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis etc. Results indicate that the perforated porous structure is composed of nanosheets and has high specific surface area (up to 188.5 m2 g-1). Thus, investigation of adsorbing Sr2+ in solution was further examined by discussing factors such as initial pH, ion strength, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial Sr2+ concentration and temperature. The kinetics and equilibrium adsorption data followed the nonlinear pseudo-second-order kinetic and Liu isotherm models. The maximum removal (%) was up to 98.94% at 313.15 K, and the adsorption process of Sr2+ was endothermic, feasible, and spontaneous in nature as studied via thermodynamic analysis (ΔG° < 0, ΔH° > 0, and ΔS° > 0). A possible adsorption mechanism was proposed. Meanwhile, leaching and desorption experiments was used to evaluate recycling capacity. All the outcomes effectively reveal that the synthesized HA shows great potential in removing Sr2+ from nuclear effluents.

Irisin alleviates liver ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting excessive mitochondrial fission, promoting mitochondrial biogenesis and decreasing oxidative stress.

Current management of liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is mainly based on supportive care and no specific treatment is available. Irisin, a recently identified hormone, plays pivotal roles in energy expenditure and oxidative metabolism; however, it remains unknown whether irisin has any protective effects on hepatic I/R injury. In this study, we found that serum and liver irisin levels were markedly decreased at 24 h after hepatic I/R. Treatment with exogenous irisin improved liver function, reduced liver necrosis and cell apoptosis, and relieved inflammatory response after hepatic I/R. Meanwhile, exogenous irisin markedly inhibited mitochondrial fission related protein dynamin related protein 1 (drp-1) and fission 1 (Fis-1) expression in hepatic I/R. Additionally, treatment with exogenous irisin increased mitochondrial content and increased mitochondrial biogenesis related peroxisome proliferative activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial transcription factor (TFAM) expression. Furthermore, irisin decreased oxidative stress by upregulating uncoupling proteins (UCP) 2 expression in hepatic I/R. The results reveal that treatment with exogenous irisin alleviated hepatic I/R injury by restraining mitochondrial fission, promoting mitochondrial biogenesis and relieving oxidative stress. Irisin treatment appears to be a novel and promising therapeutic approach for hepatic I/R injury.