KAT8 is upregulated and recruited to the promoter of Atg8 by FOXO to induce H4 acetylation for autophagy under 20-hydroxyecdysone regulation.

Selective gene expression in cells in physiological or pathological conditions is important for the growth and development of organisms. Acetylation of histone H4 at K16 (H4K16ac) catalyzed by histone acetyltransferase 8 (KAT8) is known to promote gene transcription; however, the regulation of KAT8 transcription and the mechanism by which KAT8 acetylates H4K16ac to promote specific gene expression are unclear. Using the lepidopteran insect Helicoverpa armigera as a model, we reveal that the transcription factor FOXO promotes KAT8 expression and recruits KAT8 to the promoter region of autophagy-related gene 8 (Atg8) to increase H4 acetylation at that location, enabling Atg8 transcription under the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulation. H4K16ac levels are increased in the midgut during metamorphosis, which is consistent with the expression profiles of KAT8 and ATG8. Knockdown of Kat8 using RNA interference results in delayed pupation and repression of midgut autophagy and decreases H4K16ac levels. Overexpression of KAT8-GFP promotes autophagy and increases H4K16ac levels. FOXO, KAT8, and H4K16ac colocalized at the FOXO-binding region to promote Atg8 transcription under 20E regulation. Acetylated FOXO at K180 and K183 catalyzed by KAT8 promotes gene transcription for autophagy. 20E via FOXO promotes Kat8 transcription. Knockdown or overexpression of FOXO appeared to give similar results as knockdown or overexpression of KAT8. Therefore, FOXO upregulates KAT8 expression and recruits KAT8 to the promoter region of Atg8, where the KAT8 induces H4 acetylation to promote Atg8 transcription for autophagy under 20E regulation. This study reveals the mechanism that KAT8 promotes transcription of a specific gene.

Lipases are differentially regulated by hormones to maintain free fatty acid homeostasis for insect brain development.

BACKGROUND: Free fatty acids (FFAs) play vital roles as energy sources and substrates in organisms; however, the molecular mechanism regulating the homeostasis of FFA levels in various circumstances, such as feeding and nonfeeding stages, is not fully clarified. Holometabolous insects digest dietary triglycerides (TAGs) during larval feeding stages and degrade stored TAGs in the fat body during metamorphosis after feeding cessation, which presents a suitable model for this study. RESULTS: This study reported that two lipases are differentially regulated by hormones to maintain the homeostasis of FFA levels during the feeding and nonfeeding stages using the lepidopteran insect cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera as a model. Lipase member H-A-like (Lha-like), related to human pancreatic lipase (PTL), was abundantly expressed in the midgut during the feeding stage, while the monoacylglycerol lipase ABHD12-like (Abhd12-like), related to human monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), was abundantly expressed in the fat body during the nonfeeding stage. Lha-like was upregulated by juvenile hormone (JH) via the JH intracellular receptor methoprene-tolerant 1 (MET1), and Abhd12-like was upregulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) via forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factor. Knockdown of Lha-like decreased FFA levels in the hemolymph and reduced TAG levels in the fat body. Moreover, lipid droplets (LDs) were small, the brain morphology was abnormal, the size of the brain was small, and the larvae showed the phenotype of delayed pupation, small pupae, and delayed tissue remodeling. Knockdown of Abhd12-like decreased FFA levels in the hemolymph; however, TAG levels increased in the fat body, and LDs remained large. The development of the brain was arrested at the larval stage, and the larvae showed a delayed pupation phenotype and delayed tissue remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: The differential regulation of lipases expression by different hormones determines FFAs homeostasis and different TAG levels in the fat body during the feeding larval growth and nonfeeding stages of metamorphosis in the insect. The homeostasis of FFAs supports insect growth, brain development, and metamorphosis.

Risk factors and prediction model for delayed bleeding after cold snare polypectomy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Delayed bleeding (DB) is a serious complication after cold snare polypectomy (CSP) for polyps in the colon. The present study aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of DB after CSP and to develop a risk-scoring model for predicting DB. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in four Chinese medical institutions. 10650 patients underwent CSP from June 2019 to May 2023. The study analyzed the rate of DB and extracted the general clinical information and polyp-related information of patients with postoperative DB. As a control, non-DB patients who received CSP at the same 4 hospitals were analyzed. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to develop the prediction model. The model was further validated using a Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) plot and risk plot. RESULTS: In our study, we found a 0.24% rate of DB and the risk factors were history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, antithrombotics use, antiplatelet use, anticoagulant use, abdominal operation, sigmoid colon lesion, hematoma, cold snare defect protrusion, polyp size, wound size, the grade of wound bleeding, and morphology of Ip. These factors were incorporated into the prediction model for DB after CSP. For 1, 3, and 5 days of bleeding, the AUC of the ROC curve was 0.912, 0.939, and 0.923, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the high-risk group had a significantly higher risk of DB than the low-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: This study screened the risk factors and established a prediction model of DB after CSP. The results may help preventing and reducing the DB rate after CSP of colorectal polyps.

Polystyrene nanoparticles strengthen high glucose toxicity associated with alteration in insulin signaling pathway in C. elegans.

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as animal model, we investigated the effect of exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) in the range of µg/L on high glucose toxicity induction. With lifespan and locomotion behavior as endpoints, we observed that PS-NP (10 and 100 µg/L) enhanced toxicity in 50 mM glucose treated animals. In insulin signaling pathway, expressions of genes encoding insulin receptor (daf-2), kinases (age-1 and akt-1/2), and insulin peptides (ins-9, ins-6, and daf-28) were increased, and expressions of daf-16 and its target of sod-3 were decreased in high glucose treated nematodes followed by PS-NP exposure. Toxicity enhancement in high glucose treated nematodes by PS-NP exposure was inhibited by RNAi of daf-2, age-1, akt-2, akt-1, and 3 insulin peptides genes, but increased by RNAi of daf-16 and sod-3. The resistance of animals with RNAi of daf-2 to toxicity in high glucose treated nematodes followed by PS-NP exposure could be suppressed by RNAi of daf-16. Moreover, in high glucose treated animals followed by PS-NP exposure, daf-2 expression was inhibited by RNAi of ins-6, ins-9, and daf-28. Our data demonstrated the risk of PS-NP exposure in enhancing the high glucose toxicity. More importantly, alteration in expression of genes in insulin signaling pathway was associated with the toxicity enhancement in high glucose treated nematodes followed by PS-NP exposure.

The effect of endoscopic ultrasound on the precise selection of endoscopic treatment for submucosal tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and discuss the guiding role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in selecting endoscopic treatments for submucosal tumors (SMTs) in the upper gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: A retrospective investigation was conducted on 156 SMT patients who received endoscopic resection guided by EUS in the endoscopy center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from May 2019 to September 2021. Next, the size, pathological type, and distribution of lesions were analyzed; the correlation of the tumor origin with distribution of lesions and selection of treatments was explored; and the consistency of preoperative EUS diagnosis and postoperative pathological diagnosis was summarized and analyzed. RESULTS: The tumor diameters of the included SMT patients ranged from 0.3 to 4 cm, with a mean diameter of 0.95 cm; the lesions were mostly located in the esophagus, gastric fundus or fundic cardia and gastric body. As for the pathological types, liomyoma was the most common tumor in the esophagus, liomyoma and mesenchymoma were mainly located in the fundic cardia and gastric body, and heterotopic pancreas was mostly discovered in the gastric sinus. Among 38 esophageal SMT patients, some with lesions originating from muscularis mucosa and submucosa under EUS mainly underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscope band ligation (EBL); while others with lesions originated from muscularis propria mainly received submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER). Of 115 gastric SMT patients under EUS, some with lesion origins from the muscularis mucosa and submucosa mainly underwent endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE), while others from muscularis propria mainly underwent ESE, ESD, and endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR). Besides, 3 duodenal SMT patients with lesion origins from submucosa and muscularis propria under EUS were given ESD and ESE, respectively. Additionally, 121 cases showed a consistency between the EUS diagnosis and the postoperative pathological nature, and the consistency rate was 84.6%. CONCLUSION: Clarifying the origin layer, size, growth pattern, and pathological nature of the lesion through preoperative EUS can guide the precise selection of endoscopic treatments, thereby ensuring a safe, effective, and complete surgical outcomes and reducing complications.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided pelvic abscess drainage: a report of 2 cases and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Drainage is essential for source control of the infection in a pelvic abscess. The purpose of this study was to report 2 cases of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage of the pelvic abscess and review the literature of different modalities of EUS-guided drainage of pelvic abscess. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old male developed a pelvic abscess 1 month after laparoscopic complete tumor resection. An abdominal CT showed a mass shadow (about 7.1 cm × 5.1 cm) in the right pelvic region. Another case was an 85-year-old male who developed a pelvic abscess 3 days after recurrent tumor resection of multiple organs. The CT showed pelvic effusion and gas accumulation (approximately 6.5 cm × 4.2 cm), and the intestinal tube above the small intestinal anastomosis was dilated with effusion. A 19G-A puncture needle was used to puncture the abscess. An 8-mm cylindrical balloon was inserted, followed by a 10 Fr-3 cm double pigtail stent and an 8.5 Fr drainage tube. After EUS-guided drainage of pelvic abscess, the symptoms disappeared without recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-guided drainage is an effective and safe method for treating pelvic abscesses as long as the drainage modality is appropriately selected based on the etiology, size, and mucus viscosity of the abscess.

Preliminary and Comparative Experiment Study Between 18F-Flurpiridaz and 13N-NH3·H2O Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With PET/CT in Miniature Pigs.

OBJECTVES: To comparatively explore the differences between 18F-Flurpiridaz and 13N-NH3·H2O PET/CT myocardial perfusion imaging in miniature pigs. METHODS: Ten Bama minipigs were divided into normal group and myocardial infarction group. The changes of the ratio of left ventricular myocardium to main organs with time were calculated and the best imaging time was confirmed for 18F-Flurpiridaz imaging in normal group. The image quality score, summed rest score(SRS), Extend, total perfusion deficit(TPD) and left ventricle ejection fraction(LVEF) were respectively compared for 18F-Flurpiridaz and 13N-NH3·H2O in infarction group. RESULTS: 18F-Flurpiridaz was rapid distributed in myocardium, and the background counts of cardiac cavity were very low, and no obvious interference extracardiac radioactivity was observed. The radioactive ratio of the left ventricular myocardium to cardiac blood pool and adjacent liver were high. Compared with 13N-NH3·H2O, there were no significant differences in functional parameters, including SRS, Extend, TPD and LVEF. CONCLUSION: The results preliminaryly show that 18F-FIurpiridaz is a promising positron MPI agent with good image quality, ability of accurately evaluating cardiac function, and also convenience for application.

Prognostic value of transforming growth factor-beta in patients with colorectal cancer who undergo surgery: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) is associated with a higher incidence of distant metastasis and decreased survival. Whether TGF-ß can be used as a prognostic indicator of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. METHODS: The Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched from their inception to March 2016. The studies that focused on TGF-ß as a prognostic factor in patients with CRC were included in this analysis. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analysed separately. A meta-analysis was performed, and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: Twelve studies were included in the analysis, of which 8 were used for OS and 7 for DFS. In all, 1622 patients with CRC undergoing surgery were included. Combined HRs suggested that high expression of TGF-ß had a favourable impact on OS (HR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10-2.59) and DFS (HR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.19) in CRC patients. For OS, the combined HRs of Asian studies and Western studies were 1.50 (95% CI: 0.61-3.68) and 1.80 (95% CI: 1.33-2.45), respectively. For DFS, the combined HRs of Asian studies and Western studies were 1.42 (95% CI: 0.61-3.31) and 1.11 (95% CI: 1.03-1.20), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis demonstrates that TGF-ß can be used as a prognostic biomarker for CRC patients undergoing surgery, especially for CRC patients from Western countries.

Inflammatory bowel disease-specific health-related quality of life instruments: a systematic review of measurement properties.

BACKGROUND: This review aims to critically appraise and compare the measurement properties of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-specific health-related quality of life instruments. METHODS: Medline, EMBASE and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched from their inception to May 2016. IBD-specific instruments for patients with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or IBD were enrolled. The basic characteristics and domains of the instruments were collected. The methodological quality of measurement properties and measurement properties of the instruments were assessed. RESULTS: Fifteen IBD-specific instruments were included, which included twelve instruments for adult IBD patients and three for paediatric IBD patients. All of the instruments were developed in North American and European countries. The following common domains were identified: IBD-related symptoms, physical, emotional and social domain. The methodological quality was satisfactory for content validity; fair in internal consistency, reliability, structural validity, hypotheses testing and criterion validity; and poor in measurement error, cross-cultural validity and responsiveness. For adult IBD patients, the IBDQ-32 and its short version (SIBDQ) had good measurement properties and were the most widely used worldwide. For paediatric IBD patients, the IMPACT-III had good measurement properties and had more translated versions. CONCLUSIONS: Most methodological quality should be promoted, especially measurement error, cross-cultural validity and responsiveness. The IBDQ-32 was the most widely used instrument with good reliability and validity, followed by the SIBDQ and IMPACT-III. Further validation studies are necessary to support the use of other instruments.

[In vivo evaluation of magnetic and hydrodynamic suspension centrifugal ventricular assist device].

OBJECTIVE: To verify the function of magnetic and hydrodynamic suspension centrifugal ventricular assist device in a sheep model. METHODS: The device was implanted into left ventricular apex on beating hearts. The outflow graft of each device was anastomosed to descending aorta in 11 animals. Hematologic, biochemical and blood clotting tests before and after surgery were performed. The data of pump functions were collected continuously. RESULTS: Among them, there were death from ventricular fibrillation (n = 3), acute pulmonary edema (n = 1) and left ventricular thrombus and molar cardiac muscle (n = 5). One animal survived for 75 days and died from bacterial infection after pumping for 59 hours. During assistance for 120 days, the flow rate was 3.0-3.4 L/min. All hematologic and biochemical parameters were within normal ranges in one sheep. The walking sheep wore the controller and lithium battery with a blood pump. Neither mechanical wearing nor thrombus formation was observed for inflow and outflow conduits or pump interior. CONCLUSIONS: The magnetic and hydrodynamic suspension centrifugal ventricular assist device demonstrates excellent hemocompatibility and reliability. And there is a great prospect of clinical success.

Serosal overturning assisted endoscopic full-thickness mucosal resection of extraneous giant mass at the esophagogastric junction.

Key Clinical Message: Serosal overturning assisted endoscopic full-thickness mucosal resection was performed on the extraneous giant masses at the esophagogastric junction without complications. Abstract: It is difficult to perform endoscopic resection of masses at the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). In particular, the extraneous giant masses surrounding the extraneous giant masses is infrequent. As one of the technologies of endoscopic resection, endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is generally applicable to the submucosal tumor of stomach, duodenum and colorectal that originate from the musculus propria and protrude to subserous or partial growth outside the luminal layer. Successful endoscopic repair of perforation is crucial in avoiding the need for surgical repair and preventing postoperative peritonitis, making it a key aspect of EFTR treatment. We report a 56-year-old woman who was admitted to our department complaining of 5-year history of masses of esophagogastric junction and 2-month history of feeling of gastric distension. Gastroscopy showed a 4 cm submucosal mass near the fundus of the stomach from the cardia. Computed tomography scan revealed submucosal lesions in esophagogastric junction, which was exogenous. We successfully performed Serosal overturning assisted endoscopic full-thickness mucosal resection on the extraneous giant masses at the esophagogastric junction without complications. The clinical symptoms were significantly improved within postoperative 1 month. There was no recurrence 8 months after the operation. Serosal overturning assisted EFTR is possibly an effective and minimally invasive method of extraneous giant masses at the esophagogastric junction.

Development of the insect adult fat body relies on glycolysis, lipid synthesis, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion.

The fat body of the holometabolous insect is remodeled by the degradation of the larval fat body and the development of the adult fat body during metamorphosis. However, the mechanism of adult fat body development is quite unclear. Using the agricultural pest Helicoverpa armigera, the cotton bollworm, as a model, we revealed that the development of adult fat body was regulated by glycolysis, triglyceride (triacylglycerol [TAG]) synthesis, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion. RNA sequencing detected a set of genes that were upregulated in the 8-d late pupal fat body at a late metamorphic stage compared with the 2-d pupal fat body at an earlier metamorphic stage. The pathways for glycolysis, TAG synthesis, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion were enriched by the differentially expressed genes, and the key genes linked with these pathways showed increased expression in the 8-d pupal fat body. Knockdown of phosphofructokinase (Pfk), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc1), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit (P110) and collagen alpha-1(IV) chain (Col4a1) by RNA interference resulted in abnormal eclosion and death at pupal stages, and repressed lipid droplets accumulation and adult fat body development. The expression of Acc1, P110, and Col4a1 was repressed by the insect steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). The critical genes in the 20E pathway appeared to decrease at the late pupal stage. These data suggested that the development of the insect adult fat body is regulated by glycolysis, lipids synthesis, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion at the late pupal stage when the 20E signal decreases.

Effect of endoscopic full-thickness resection assisted by distal serosal turnover with floss traction for gastric submucosal masses.

BACKGROUND: Complex and high-risk surgical complications pose pressing challenges in the clinical implementation and advancement of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR). Successful perforation repair under endoscopy, thereby avoiding surgical intervention and postoperative complications such as peritonitis, are pivotal for effective EFTR. AIM: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of EFTR assisted by distal serosal inversion under floss traction in gastric submucosal tumors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with gastric and duodenal submucosal tumors treated with EFTR assisted by the distal serosa inversion under dental floss traction from January 2023 to January 2024 was conducted. The total operation time, tumor dissection time, wound closure time, intraoperative bleeding volume, length of hospital stay and incidence of complications were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 93 patients, aged 55.1 ± 12.1 years. Complete tumor resection was achieved in all cases, resulting in a 100% success rate. The average total operation time was 67.4 ± 27.0 min, with tumor dissection taking 43.6 ± 20.4 min. Wound closure times varied, with gastric body closure time of 24.5 ± 14.1 min and gastric fundus closure time of 16.6 ± 8.7 min, showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss was 2.3 ± 4.0 mL, and average length of hospital stay was 5.7 ± 1.9 d. There was no secondary perforation after suturing in all cases. The incidence of delayed bleeding was 2.2%, and the incidence of abdominal infection was 3.2%. No patient required other surgical intervention during and after the operation. CONCLUSION: Distal serosal inversion under dental-floss-assisted EFTR significantly reduced wound closure time and intraoperative blood loss, making it a viable approach for gastric submucosal tumors.

Discovery of delayed gas production after implantation of a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device and a preliminary exploration of the mechanisms of its occurrence.

Objective: To characterize the gas production phenomenon in the animal model of left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and study its mechanism. Methods: An in vitro bubble precipitation experiment was conducted, and the blood samples of Parma spp. animals were divided into ordinary group and oxygen-enriched group according to whether they were oxygenated or not at the time of blood collection, and a static control group was set up respectively. Blood gases were drawn and analyzed before and after the experiment. Activate the pump, and the number of air bubbles in the loop was measured by ultrasound at different rotational speeds; CFD was applied to simulate the flow field in the blood pump, and pressure, fluid velocity vector and shear force diagrams were plotted, and a thrombus model was constructed and the flow field was simulated and plotted as a cloud diagram. Results: There was a statistical difference in the number of bubbles in the inflow and outflow tubes of the blood pump (P values of 0.04 and 0.023, respectively), and the number of bubbles in the outflow tubes of both groups was significantly higher than the number of bubbles in the inflow tubes. The number of bubbles in the tubes of both the oxygen-enriched and normal groups was significantly higher than that in the inflow group. In both the normal and oxygen-enriched groups, more gas was produced at higher speeds than at lower speeds. Blood gas analysis showed that the reduced gas composition in the blood was mainly oxygen. Flow field simulation results: the high rotation speed group had lower central pressure and greater scalar shear. The thrombus simulation group was more prone to turbulence, sudden pressure changes, and greater shear than the normal group. Conclusion: Blood gas production is associated with higher partial pressures of blood oxygen, higher rotation speed, and intrapump thrombosis, and the mechanism of pump gas production is degassing of dissolved gases rather than cavitation of water, and the gas released is most likely to have oxygen. The degassing phenomenon is an warning factor for pump thrombosis.

Tunable Microwave Absorbing Devices Enabled by Reversible Metal Electrodeposition.

Tunable microwave absorbers have gained significant interest due to their capability to actively control microwaves. However, the existing architecture-change-based approach lacks flexibility, and the active-element-based approach is constrained by a narrowband operation or small dynamic modulation range. Here, a novel electrically tunable microwave absorbing device (TMAD) is demonstrated that can achieve dynamic tuning of the average reflection amplitude between -13.0 and -1.2 dB over a broadband range of 8-18 GHz enabled by reversible metal electrodeposition. This reversible tunability is achieved by electrodepositing silver (Ag) layers with controlled morphology on nanoscopic platinum (Pt) films in a device structure similar to a tunable Salisbury screen, employing Ag electrodeposited on Pt films as the modifiable resistive layer. Furthermore, this TMAD possesses a simple device architecture, excellent bistability, and multispectral compatibility. Our approach offers a new strategy for dynamically manipulating microwaves, which has potential utility in intelligent camouflage and communication systems.

Realizing Sunlight-Induced Efficiently Dynamic Infrared Emissivity Modulation Based on Aluminum-Doped zinc Oxide Nanocrystals.

Dynamic manipulation of an object's infrared radiation characteristics is a burgeoning technology with significant implications for energy and information fields. However, exploring efficient stimulus-spectral response mechanism and realizing simple device structures remains a formidable challenge. Here, a novel dynamic infrared emissivity regulation mechanism is proposed by controlling the localized surface plasmon resonance absorption of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanocrystals through ultraviolet photocharging/oxidative discharging. A straightforward device architecture that integrates an AZO nanocrystal film with an infrared reflective layer and a substrate, functioning as a photo-induced dynamic infrared emissivity modulator, which can be triggered by weak ultraviolet light in sunlight, is engineered. The modulator exhibits emissivity regulation amount of 0.72 and 0.61 in the 3-5 and 8-13 µm ranges, respectively. Furthermore, the modulator demonstrates efficient light triggering characteristic, broad spectral range, angular-independent emissivity, and long cyclic lifespan. The modulator allows for self-adaptive daytime radiative cooling and nighttime heating depending on the ultraviolet light in sunlight and O2 in air, thereby achieving smart thermal management for buildings with zero-energy expenditure. Moreover, the potential applications of this modulator can extend to rewritable infrared displays and deceptive infrared camouflage.

Paeoniflorin mitigates high glucose-induced lifespan reduction by inhibiting insulin signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.

In organisms, high glucose can cause several aspects of toxicity, including the lifespan reduction. Paeoniflorin is the major component of Paeoniaceae plants. Nevertheless, the possible effect of paeoniflorin to suppress high glucose toxicity in reducing lifespan and underlying mechanism are largely unclear. Thus, in this study, we examined the possible effect of paeoniflorin in suppressing high glucose (50 mM)-induced lifespan reduction and the underlying mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans. Administration with 16-64 mg/L paeoniflorin could prolong the lifespan in glucose treated nematodes. Accompanied with this beneficial effect, in glucose treated nematodes, expressions of daf-2 encoding insulin receptor and its downstream kinase genes (age-1, akt-1, and akt-2) were decreased and expression of daf-16 encoding FOXO transcriptional factor was increased by 16-64 mg/L paeoniflorin administration. Meanwhile, the effect of paeoniflorin in extending lifespan in glucose treated nematodes was enhanced by RNAi of daf-2, age-1, akt-1, and akt-2 and inhibited by RNAi of daf-16. In glucose treated nematodes followed by paeoniflorin administration, the increased lifespan caused by daf-2 RNAi could be suppressed by RNAi of daf-16, suggesting that DAF-2 acted upstream of DAF-16 to regulate pharmacological effect of paeoniflorin. Moreover, in glucose treated nematodes followed by paeoniflorin administration, expression of sod-3 encoding mitochondrial Mn-SOD was inhibited by daf-16 RNAi, and the effect of paeoniflorin in extending lifespan in glucose treated nematodes could be suppressed by sod-3 RNAi. Molecular docking analysis indicated the binding potential of paeoniflorin with DAF-2, AGE-1, AKT-1, and AKT-2. Therefore, our results demonstrated the beneficial effect of paeoniflorin administration in inhibiting glucose-induced lifespan reduction by suppressing signaling cascade of DAF-2-AGE-1-AKT-1/2-DAF-16-SOD-3 in insulin signaling pathway.

Transparent dynamic infrared emissivity regulators.

Dynamic infrared emissivity regulators, which can efficiently modulate infrared radiation beyond vision, have emerged as an attractive technology in the energy and information fields. The realization of the independent modulation of visible and infrared spectra is a challenging and important task for the application of dynamic infrared emissivity regulators in the fields of smart thermal management and multispectral camouflage. Here, we demonstrate an electrically controlled infrared emissivity regulator that can achieve independent modulation of the infrared emissivity while maintaining a high visible transparency (84.7% at 400-760 nm). The regulators show high degree of emissivity regulation (0.51 at 3-5 µm, 0.41 at 7.5-13 µm), fast response ( < 600 ms), and long cycle life ( > 104 cycles). The infrared emissivity regulation is attributed to the modification of the carrier concentration in the surface depletion layer of aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals. This transparent infrared emissivity regulator provides opportunities for applications such as on-demand smart thermal management, multispectral displays, and adaptive camouflage.

The role of atria in ventricular fibrillation after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation in ovine model.

Objectives: This study attempted to explore the hemodynamics and potential mechanisms driving pulmonary circulation in status of ventricular fibrillation (VF) following continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation. Methods: An ovine CF-LVAD model was built in small-tailed Han sheep, with the pump speed set as 2,400 rpm. VF was induced following ventricular tachycardia using a temporary pacemaker probe to stimulate the right and left ventricular free walls. The central venous pressure (CVP), pump flow (PF), pulmonary artery flow (PAF) and other major indicators were observed and recorded after VF. Results: Low-flow systemic and pulmonary circulation could be sustained for 60 min under VF with sinus atrial rhythm after CF-LVAD implantation. The CVP gradually increased. The mean PF declined from 1.80 to 1.20 L/min, and the mean PAF decreased from 1.62 L/min to 0.87 L/min. Under VF with atrial fibrillation, the systemic and pulmonary circulation couldn't be sustained. The CVP jumped from the 5 mmHg baseline to 12 mmHg, the mean PF rapidly decreased from 3.45 L/min to 0.79 L/min, and the PAF declined from 3.94 L/min to 0.77 L/min. Conclusion: The atrial rhythm and function might be essential for the circulation maintenance in patients with VF after CF-LVAD implantation.