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Ovarian cancer (OC) is a common malignant reproductive tumor among women that adversely affects their health. It has been proven that Sauchinone (Sau) derived from Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill may aid tumorigenesis in diversiform cancers. Despite this, the regulatory impact of Sau on OC progression remains unclear. In this study, firstly, Sau (10 or 20 µM) had been confirmed to possess no cytotoxicity, so Sau (10 or 20 µM) was utilized for the next experiments. Sau was shown to prevent cell growth in OC. Furthermore, Sau inhibited cell migration and invasion in OC. Our findings demonstrated that Sau attenuated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process by elevating E-cadherin and declining N-cadherin and alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) expressions. Lastly, Sau blocked the wingless/integrated (Wnt)/ß-catenin pathway. In summary, Sau inhibited cell growth, EMT, and blocked the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in OC progression. Sau may offer novel perspectives on OC treatment in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is currently unclear why agonist-stimulated platelets require shear force to efficiently externalize the procoagulant phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) and release PS-exposed microvesicles (MVs). We reveal that integrin outside-in signaling is an important mechanism for this requirement. PS exposure and MV release were inhibited in β3-/- platelets or by integrin antagonists. The impaired MV release and PS exposure in β3-/- platelets were rescued by expression of wild-type β3 but not a Gα13 binding-deficient β3 mutant (E733EE to AAA), which blocks outside-in signaling but not ligand binding. Inhibition of Gα13 or Src also diminished agonist/shear-dependent PS exposure and MV release, further indicating a role for integrin outside-in signaling. PS exposure in activated platelets was induced by application of pulling force via an integrin ligand, which was abolished by inhibiting Gα13-integrin interaction, suggesting that Gα13-dependent transmission of mechanical signals by integrins induces PS exposure. Inhibition of Gα13 delayed coagulation in vitro. Furthermore, inhibition or platelet-specific knockout of Gα13 diminished laser-induced intravascular fibrin formation in arterioles in vivo. Thus, β3 integrins serve as a shear sensor activating the Gα13-dependent outside-in signaling pathway to facilitate platelet procoagulant function. Pharmacological targeting of Gα13-integrin interaction prevents occlusive thrombosis in vivo by inhibiting both coagulation and platelet thrombus formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency anemia is a common complication in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and impairs the therapeutic efficacy of recombinant erythropoietin. Oral or parental iron supplements usually are effective in treating iron deficiency anemia. Some patients, however, respond poorly to iron supplements and are diagnosed as having iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia. The condition exacerbates ESRD but its underlying mechanism was unclear. Hepcidin is a central player in iron homeostasis. It downregulates the iron exporter ferroportin, thereby inhibiting iron absorption, release, and recycling. In ESRD, plasma hepcidin levels are elevated, which contributes to iron deficiency in patients. Matriptase-2, a liver transmembrane serine protease, has been found to have a major role in controlling hepcidin gene expression. In mice, defects in the Tmprss6 gene encoding matriptase-2 result in high hepcidin expression and cause severe microcytic anemia. Similarly, mutations in the human TMPRSS6 gene have been identified in patients with iron-refractory iron deficiency. Thus, matriptase-2 is critical for iron homeostasis and may have an important role in ESRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Laboratory Air Handling Unit (LAHU) system conditions both the office section and the laboratory section. It improves indoor air quality by maximizing outside air intake to the office section and minimizes thermal energy consumption by re-circulating the office section air to the laboratory section. This paper presents a theoretical linear optimization method and results of optimal outside air control in LAHUs. The optimal outside airflows are expressed as functions of the weather conditions (outside air temperature and enthalpy), office and laboratory airflow rates, office and laboratory supply air temperatures, and four dimensionless parameters that describe the building system and energy characteristics. The optimization method used in this paper can be used to identify the optimal control schedules in other HVAC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium-based compounds are explored as promising electrode materials in lithium/sodium-ion batteries exhibiting superior energy storage properties. However, similar attempts are rarely reported for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), in which the fundamental reaction mechanisms remain inexplicit. Herein, porous CaV4O9 nanobelts (NBs) are selected as a PIB anode to systematically investigate potassium storage mechanisms through in situ transmission electron microscopy. In situ measurements track overall electrochemical potassiation reactions of CaV4O9 and identify a polyphase state of V4O7, CaO, and K2O phases after potassiation. Unexpectedly, the potassiated products can be partially converted back to the original CaV4O9 phase with residual VO2 and CaO phases, which is different from the irreversible phase transformations in lithium/sodium storages of CaV4O9. Impressively, the cavities in NBs alternately disappear and appear with (de)potassiation, avoiding the drastic volume change and structural degradation of anodes. The reversible potassium storage and stable cycling are evaluated by electrochemical measurements and in situ X-ray diffraction analysis. This work provides a paradigm by revisiting the existing anode materials in lithium/sodium-ion batteries to seek out viable anodes for next-generation PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laboratory air handling unit (LAHU) system for laboratory buildings has been developed and optimized. Theoretical study has concluded that the LAHU with optimal outside air control and optimal heat recovery control significantly reduces thermal energy use, saves pump power consumption and improves office indoor air quality. This paper presents validation experiments of the LAHU energy performance for the winter operation in a large university research building including detailed experimental methodology, procedures and experimental energy savings results. The experiments establish that the LAHU can reduce annual heating energy consumption by over 30% and can reduce heat recovery pump power by over 50% per year for this typical laboratory building. The experimental validation of the LAHU for the summer operation will be reported in a followup paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal operation and control of heat recovery in an integrated Laboratory Air Handling Unit (LAHU) system differs substantially from that in conventional dedicated AHUs for laboratory buildings with a 100% outside air AHU for laboratory spaces, since the LAHU allows economizer operation for both offices and laboratories. Optimal operation and control schedules of the heat recovery systems in the LAHU have been developed to minimize the total thermal energy cost. This paper presents the procedure, methodology, and results of generic optimal heat recovery control schedules for the LAHU and investigates its impact on the LAHU potential thermal and pump energy savings. The optimal control schedule can potentially save 14% to 27% thermal energy and 17% to 100% pump energy during the winter under weather conditions that prevail in Omaha, Nebraska. The findings discussed in this paper also apply to any heat recovery system, where AHU has an economizer function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constant speed fan exhaust systems are the most popular exhaust system in laboratory buildings since they satisfy building architectural requirement, and have low initial costs with reliable performance. The constant speed fan exhaust system maintains constant stack exit velocity to prevent toxic exhaust air downwash back to occupied areas near the building or on the roof top. To achieve constant velocity when the exhaust airflow is less than the design value, makeup air is introduced to the system at the inlet of the exhaust fan. Since the laboratory exhaust airflow is often significantly less than the design airflow, exhaust fans consume significantly more energy than is necessary: Multi-stack and Variable frequency drive techniques can reduce both the make-up airflow rate and fan energy in the constant speed fan exhaust system retrofit. This paper introduces the application principles, describes the optimal methods of stack sizing, and presents an example. The application example showed that the average annual fan power is 50% of the design fan power for a two-stack system, and 47% for a three-stack system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), a fatal cardiovascular complication of diabetes mellitus, often leads to progressive heart failure, however its pathogenesis remains unclear. Corin, a cardiac serine protease, is responsible for converting pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (pro-ANP) to biologically active atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). It has been well established that corin deficiency is associated with the progression of hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. However, because the involvement of corin-mediated pro-ANP processing in DCM has not been clarified, this study aims to investigate the role of corin in the pathogenesis of DCM. Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ 65 mg/kg) to Sprague-Dawley rats (180-220 g). DCM was confirmed by monitoring continuously transthoracic echocardiography every 4 weeks and hemodynamic measurements at 20 weeks. Myocardial disorder and fibrosis were detected by HE staining and Masson's trichrome staining. The mRNA and protein levels of corin and ANP in rat hearts and cardiomyocytes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. H9c2 cardiomyoblasts proliferation was detected by MTT colorimetric assay and viable cell counting with trypan blue. The effect of Corin-siRNA H9c2 cardiomyoblasts on EA.hy926 cells migration was measured by the wound healing scratch assay. Results: The corin and ANP expression in mRNA and protein levels was decreased in DCM rat hearts. Corin and ANP levels of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and H9c2 cardiomyoblasts treated with high glucose were significantly lower than that of normal glucose treated. Precisely, corin and ANP levels decreased in DCM rats at 12, 16, 20 and 33 weeks; neonatal cardiomyocytes and H9c2 cardiomyoblasts treated with high glucose at 36, 48 and 60 h demonstrated significant reduction in corin and ANP levels. Corin-siRNA H9c2 cardiomyoblasts showed decreased proliferation. Culture supernatants of Corin-siRNA H9c2 cardiomyoblasts prevented endothelial cell line EA.hy926 migration in the wound healing scratch assay. Furthermore, iso-lectin expression in arteriole and capillary endothelium was down-regulated in DCM rats. Conclusions: Our results indicate that corin plays an important role in cardioprotection by activating pro-atrial natriuretic peptide pathway in DCM. Corin deficiency leads to endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]