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Bi-stable fluidic amplifier containing no moving parts was used for switching fluid flow passing through it into an actuator in a liquid-jet hammer. So far, there has been no design basis for developing a liquid-jet hammer with high performance. To provide a guidance, this paper elaborates on the computational fluid dynamics simulation method for investigating the effect of actuator parameters on the performance of a liquid-jet hammer associated with its jet behavior. Given that couple mechanism exists between the flow field in the bi-stable fluidic amplifier and the actuator, dynamic mesh technique and a user-defined function written in C programming language were used to update the mesh in the simulations. Two evaluation criteria--pressure recovery and flux utilization ratio--for a liquid-jet hammer were used in this study. Experimental tests were conducted to verify the simulation results, by which the accuracy and reliability of this computational fluid dynamics simulation method was proved. Besides, comprehensive analysis of the flow behavior in the fluidic amplifier of a liquid-jet hammer was performed by the use of computational fluid dynamics visualization method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides belong to a structurally diverse class of macromolecules, with the necessary flexibility for the precise regulatory mechanisms and high capacity for carrying biological information. On the basis of a previous study regarding the administration of selenium-enriched exopolysaccharides (Se-ECZ-EPS) produced by Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacae) Z0206 which resulted in a reduction of blood glucose levels and showed significant anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects and mechanism of EPS on the alleviation of fat inflammation in high-fat-diet (HFD) induced-diabetic KKAy mice. The HFD induced-diabetic KKAy mice were gavaged once daily with EPS (0.2 mg/g body weight) or distilled water, while the C57BL/6J mice were gavaged with distilled water. Six weeks later visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was collected for quantified polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot (WB) analysis. The results showed that following supplementation with EPS, interleukin (IL) 6, IL1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α mRNA expression in VAT were significantly reduced, while Glut4, pAMPK and SirT1 protein expression were markedly increased when compared with KKAy mice gavaged with water. Furthermore, ATGL and HSL mRNA were also significantly decreased. Subsequently, 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with insulin to induce insulin resistance to determine the mechanism by which EPS affects inflammation. Following the treatment of adipocytes with 100 nM insulin for 8 h, IL6 and TNFα mRNA expression were significantly increased, while the content of glucose uptake and Glut4 protein expression were significantly decreased. When treated with 100 nM insulin and 0.1 mg/ml EPS, no significant change in IL6 and TNFα mRNA expression or glucose uptake were observed. However, when SirT1-siRNA or AMPKα1-siRNA was tranfected into the 3T3-L1 adipocytes prior to treatment with insulin and EPS, there was a significant increase in IL6 and TNFα mRNA abundance. In conclusion, VAT inflammation and lipolysis in HFD-induced KKAy mice were significantly decreased following EPS usage. Moreover, EPS may alleviate VAT inflammation primarily through the AMPK/SirT1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-modal summarization with multi-modal output (MSMO) aims to generate multi-modal summaries for a multi-modal document to improve readability of summaries by making use of information of different modalities. Most existing Seq2Seq-based MSMO models cannot well capture multi-modal relations which are significant for generating high-quality multi-modal summaries. To address this issue, this paper proposes a relation-enhanced graph attention network for extractive text-image summarization (ReGAT-Summ) to capture inter-modal and intra-modal relations in the multi-modal document. Firstly, a multi-modal graph is constructed from the document. Then, node representations are calculated by proposed graph neural network. Finally, a sentence-image selector is trained to select salient sentences and images, which are further aligned by training. To our knowledge, we are the first to explore the graph-based model for MSMO. Experiments on two news datasets E-DailyMail and NYTime800k demonstrate that ReGAT-Summ achieves the state-of-the-art performance in terms of automatic metrics and human evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C250 steel, renowned for its remarkable strength and toughness, is extensively utilized in the aerospace industry for manufacturing critical components. This research investigates the microstructure and properties of forgings produced through different heat treatment temperatures, aging durations, and thermal cycling intervals. The results demonstrate that the samples were compressed at 1050 °C followed by air-cooling using the conventional maraging treatment. For the cycle heat treatment, temperature was maintained at 1050 °C and cycled 1–2 times, with a heat preservation period of 1 h and subsequent water-cooling. Solution heat treatment at a temperature of 1050 °C, aging for 5 h, and then air hardening were performed to achieve the best forging hardness. Interestingly, the solution time under age hardening conditions had no significant effect on the grain size but had a significant effect on the hardness of martensitic aged steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The E2 promoter binding factor 1 (E2F1) and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling are crucial in regulating metabolic homeostasis including obesity. The β-catenin interacting protein 1 (CTNNBIP1), also known as the inhibitor of β-catenin and TCF4 (ICAT), is required for E2F1 to inhibit the activity of β-catenin. However, the role of ICAT in E2F1 regulating obesity-related metabolic disorders remains unknown. In the present study, male adipose tissue-specific ICAT knockout (ICATadi−/−) C57BL/6 J mice and control littermates aged 6–8 weeks were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to explore the effect of ICAT on lipid metabolism and obesity-related disorders. Results showed that the adipose tissue-specific ICAT knockout had negligible effect on lipid metabolism, reflected by no difference in body weight, fat mass, and the expression of proteins involved in lipid metabolism in white adipose tissue (WAT) and the liver between the ICATadi−/− mice and the control littermate (ICATfl/fl) mice. However, the knockout of ICAT reduced inflammatory response in WAT and the liver. Additionally, Sirius red staining results showed that deletion of ICAT attenuated fibrosis and reduced mRNA levels of transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1), matrix metallopeptidase 2 (Mmp2), Mmp3, and collagen, type V, alpha 1 (Col5a1) in WAT and the liver. These results suggested that knockout of ICAT improved the metabolic abnormalities of obese mice through attenuating adipose tissue and the liver inflammation as well as fibrosis. Our findings may provide a new insight to understand the role of ICAT in inflammation and fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new kind of low-carbon bainite steel with excellent strength and toughness was developed, serving as the bogie of the next-generation high-speed train. However, the softening of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in laser-arc hybrid welding (LAHW) needs to be overcome. In this study, the effect of the cooling rate of the LAHW process on the microstructure and mechanical properties in the HAZ was explored via thermal simulation. The results showed that with increased cooling rate, the grain size increased, the content of lath martensite decreased, and the lath bainite gradually changed to a granular shape in the thermal simulation specimen. With the decrease in the cooling rate, i.e., with the increase of t8/5, the strength–toughness matching of the material showed a downward trend. The thermal simulation specimen with a t8/5 of 6~8 s had higher strength and good toughness, which can be considered a potential welding parameter reference. The content of martensitic austenite (M-A) constituents was the main factor that determined the strength and toughness of the joint. During the tensile test, the axial force caused the material to tighten, and the transverse stress as obvious in the part of the M-A constituents that are prone to microcracks and many defects, resulting in cracks, paths, and multi-component layers in the center. As a result, the thermal cycle specimens had mixed fracture characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese (Mn) deficiency exacerbates colitis symptoms, whereas diet supplemented with inorganic Mn merely maintains colon length in experimental colitis. In the present study, a new form of Mn, Ulva prolifera polysaccharide cheated-Mn (PMn) was used and its treatment effects on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis were investigated. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally administrated with 3.5% DSS to induce colitis. Then, the colitis mice were treated with PBS or PMn for 7 days. The results showed that PMn administration help retrieve the body weight loss and intestinal morphology damage, and alleviate apoptosis and inflammatory responses in colitis mice. Moreover, PMn administration decreased intestinal infiltration as indicated by decreased concentration of myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase. Importantly, PMn retrieved the increased abundance of Firmicutes and the decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes caused by DSS, suggested its beneficial roles in regulating microbiota composition in mice with colon inflammation. Gut microbiota composition at the genus level in the mice administrated with PMn was similar to those in control mice, whereas they were clearly distinct from DSS-treated mice. These results support the potential therapeutic role of PMn in the treatment of intestinal colitis and microbes may play critical roles in mediating its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle weakness affects physical activity and quality of life of patients. Serine, a nutritionally non-essential amino acid has been reported to enhance protein synthesis and implicate in biosynthesis of multiple bioactive molecules. It remains unknown whether it can protect mice against oxidative stress-induced muscles weakness. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that serine administration alleviates doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage in skeletal muscle of mice. Mice pre-treated with or without serine were intraperitoneally injected with either doxorubicin or equal volume of saline. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, activity of antioxidant enzymes, oxidation product of protein, DNA, and lipid, activity of mitochondrial complex, and protein level of nuclear-factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2)/constitutive-androstane-receptor (CAR) signaling in skeletal muscle of mice were determined. Compared with the control, doxorubicin exposure led to oxidative damage as shown by increased ROS accumulation, decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes, and enhanced oxidative product of protein, DNA, and lipid in the skeletal muscle of mice. These effects of doxorubicin were associated with increased activity of complex I and reduced glutathione. Interestingly, doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage was alleviated by serine administration. Further study showed that the beneficial effect of serine was associated with enhanced NRF2/CAR signaling. Our result showed that serine attenuated doxorubicin-induced muscle weakness in mice. Serine supplementation might be a nutritional strategy to improve the function of skeletal muscle in patients exposed to doxorubicin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary l-proline (proline) supplementation during gestation enhances fetal survival and placental development in mice. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that this beneficial effect of proline was associated with alterations in inflammatory response at the placenta and fetus interface. Populations of immune cells present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined by flow cytometry analysis. The concentrations of immunoglobulins in plasma, and the concentrations of cytokines in plasma, uterus, placenta, and amniotic fluid were measured using a bead-based immunoassay. The data showed that proline supplementation led to higher (P < 0.05) populations of B lymphocytes (CD3−CD19+), natural killer (NK) cells (CD3−NK1.1+), and dendritic cells (DCs, CD11c+MHCII+) in peripheral blood, as compared with the controls. Conversely, mice fed a proline-supplemented diet had a lower population of neutrophils (CD11b+F4/80−). Further study showed that proline supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of (1) interleukin (IL)-23, IL-1α, and IL-6 in plasma; (2) IL-6 in the uterus; and (3) tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and IL-17 in the placenta; and (4) interferon (IFN)-γ in amniotic fluid, compared with controls. Conversely, proline supplementation resulted in higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of (1) IL-10, IL-17 and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in plasma; (2) IL-10 and IL-1α in the uterus; and (3) IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-27, and IFN-β in amniotic fluid, compared with controls. Moreover, concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig) G2b and IgM were enhanced (P < 0.05) by proline administration. Taken together, our results reveal a regulatory effect of proline in the immunological response at the maternal–fetal interface, which is critical for embryonic development and fetal survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation and oxidative stress play key roles in the process of aging and age-related diseases. Since serine availability plays important roles in the support of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defense system, we explored whether serine deficiency affects inflammatory and oxidative status in D-galactose-induced aging mice. Male mice were randomly assigned into four groups: mice fed a basal diet, mice fed a serine- and glycine-deficient (SGD) diet, mice injected with D-galactose and fed a basal diet, and mice injected with D-galactose and fed an SGD diet. The results showed that D-galactose resulted in oxidative and inflammatory responses, while serine deficiency alone showed no such effects. However, serine deficiency significantly exacerbated oxidative stress and inflammation in D-galactose-treated mice. The composition of fecal microbiota was affected by D-galactose injection, which was characterized by decreased microbiota diversity and downregulated ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, as well as decreased proportion of Clostridium XIVa. Furthermore, serine deficiency exacerbated these changes. Additionally, serine deficiency in combination with D-galactose injection significantly decreased fecal butyric acid content and gene expression of short-chain fatty acid transporters (Slc16a3 and Slc16a7) and receptor (Gpr109a) in the brain. Finally, serine deficiency exacerbated the decrease of expression of phosphorylated AMPK and the increase of expression of phosphorylated NFκB p65, which were caused by D-galactose injection. In conclusion, our results suggested that serine deficiency exacerbated inflammation and oxidative stress in D-galactose-induced aging mice. The involved mechanisms might be partially attributed to the changes in the microbiota-gut-brain axis affected by serine deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser cladding technology has been widely applied in industrial production because of its prominent advantage in surface modification. To achieve improved microstructure characteristics and performance, it is essential to investigate the solidification mechanism of the microstructures formed during laser cladding. In this study, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition for laser-clad 316L was predicted using a three-dimensional finite element model coupled with electron backscatter diffraction analysis. First, the distribution of thermodynamic variables at different laser powers was examined. Then, the fitting curve for predicting the columnar-to-equiaxed transition was established, and the results indicate that the solidification of laser-clad 316L can be accurately predicted. Moreover, the grain size distribution for different laser powers was counted, and the average grain size of the molten pool was shown to increase with increasing laser power. This work will serve as a guide for the crystal transition in the solidification process for laser cladding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in regulating metabolism, physiology, and immune response of the host. L-Tryptophan (Trp) are metabolized by several genera of bacteria. It remains largely unknown whether Trp can regulate the composition and diversity of the intestinal microbiota and contribute to intestinal homeostasis. Methods: A total of 126 weaning piglets were fed a corn- and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 0, 0.2, or 0.4% Trp for 4 weeks. The intestinal microbiota was measured by using bacterial 16S rRNA gene-based high-throughput sequencing methods. Metabolites of Trp and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the hindgut were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography, respectively. The mRNA levels for aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and protein abundances of tight junction proteins were determined. Results: Compared with the control group, Trp supplementation enhanced piglet growth performance and markedly altered the intestinal microbial composition as evidenced by enhanced alpha and beta diversity in the microbiome (P < 0.05). The abundances of Prevotella , Roseburia , and Succinivibrio genera were enriched, but those of Clostridium sensu stricto and Clostridium XI , opportunistic pathogens, were decreased with dietary Trp supplementation. Analysis of metabolic pathways indicated enhanced indole alkaloid biosynthesis and Trp metabolism, which was validated by elevated concentrations of 3-indoleacetic acid and indole in the intestinal contents of Trp-supplemented piglets (P < 0.05). These changes in Trp metabolites were correlated with activation of AhR and cytochrome p4501 A1 (CYP1A1) in cecum and colonic tissues, and with a decrease in the intestinal mucosal IL-8 mRNA level. Moreover, the protein abundances for zonula occluden (ZO)-1 and occludin were upregulated by Trp supplementation in colonic tissues. Conclusion: Dietary Trp supplementation altered intestinal microbial composition and diversity, improved intestinal mucosal barrier function, activated AhR signaling, and downregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines in the large intestine of weaned piglets. These results indicate a crosstalk between dietary Trp and intestine in nutrition, microbial metabolism, and mucosal immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycine supplementation has been reported to enhance white-fat loss and improve sensitivity to insulin in animals with obesity or type 2 diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of glycine remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that glycine regulates adipocyte differentiation, adipogenesis, and lipolysis, therefore, contributing to white-fat reduction. 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were induced to differentiate into adipocytes in the presence of glycine (0, 0.25, 1.0, and 2.0 mmol/L) or resveratrol (50 or 100 μmol/L, served as a positive control) during the differentiation process. Hela and HepG2 cells cultured with oleic acid to induce lipid accumulation in the presence of glycine (0, 1.0, and 2.0 mmol/L) or 10 μmol/L isoproterenol (served as a positive control) for 24 h. Intracellular lipid accumulation, intracellular triglycerides, lipid droplets’ diameters of mature adipocytes, mRNA, and protein levels of genes involved in the adipogenesis and lipolysis were analyzed. Isobutylxanthine-dexamethasone-insulin (MDI)-induced adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells were blocked by resveratrol, but not by glycine, as shown by decreased lipid contents, reduced diameters of lipid droplets, decreased protein abundances for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), as well as increased protein abundance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), critical transcriptional factors that regulates adipogenesis. However, the mRNA levels of adiponectin and interleukin-10 (IL-10), two adipose-derived adipocytokines with anti-inflammatory effects, were greatly enhanced (P < 0.05) by 2 mmol/L glycine. Compared with non-treated controls, 10 μmol/L isoproterenol significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the intracellular lipid and triglyceride contents induced by oleic acid in Hela and HepG2 cells. mRNA level of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a gene involved in fatty acid synthesis, was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), while that for ATGL (adipose triglyceride lipase) and HSL (hormone-sensitive lipase), genes involved in lipolysis were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) by isoproterenol. However, oleic acid induced the accumulation of intracellular triglyceride and lipid contents were not affected by glycine. In conclusion, glycine exposure enhanced the mRNA levels of adipose-derived adiponectin and IL-10 without affecting adipogenesis and lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These findings provide a possible explanation for the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of glycine that were previously reported in animal models. More studies are needed to uncover the underlying mechanisms responsible for this regulatory effect of glycine on anti-inflammatory adipocytokines expression in both in vitro and in vivo models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common cause of chronic liver disease among children and adolescents in the developed world. Betaine, as a methyl donor, recently has been demonstrated to exert its hepatoprotective effects through rectifying the genomic DNA hypomethylation state. However, whether betaine supplementation affects N6-methyladenosine (mA) mRNA methylation in NAFLD is still unknown. We conducted the current study to investigate the effects of betaine supplementation during adolescence on high-fat diet-induced pathological changes in liver of mice, and we further identified the effects of betaine supplementation on expression of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) and hepatic mA mRNA methylation. Our results showed that betaine supplementation across adolescence significantly alleviated high-fat-induced impairment of liver function and morphology as well as ectopic fat accumulation. Surprisingly, no significant effects on serum TG and NEFA level, as well as fat mass, were observed in mice supplemented with betaine. We also found that high-fat diet upregulated ACC1 and FAS gene expression and downregulated HSL and ATGL gene expression. However, these alterations were rectified by betaine supplementation. Moreover, an mA hypomethylation state and increased FTO expression were detected in mice fed with high-fat diet, while betaine supplementation prevented these changes. Our results suggested that betaine supplementation during adolescence could protect mice from high-fat-induced NAFLD by decreasing de novo lipogenesis and increasing lipolysis. Furthermore, a novel FTO-dependent function of mA may involve in the hepatoprotective effects of betaine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The goal of pharmacological osteoarthritis (OA) treatments is to reduce pain and thus increase patient joint function and quality of life. Retigabine, a potent Kv7/M channel activator, shows analgesic efficacy in animal models of chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. We hypothesized that retigabine may also mitigate OA pain. To determine the effects of retigabine on pain behavior associated with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA. Methods: The OA model was established with an intra-articular injection of MIA through the right patellar ligament, animals were treated with retigabine, and pain-related behaviors were assessed. Results: Retigabine significantly increased the mechanical threshold and prolonged the withdrawal latency of OA rats at 3-14 days. Retigabine also increased the mechanical threshold and prolonged the withdrawal latency of OA pain in a dose-dependent manner, with the strongest antinociceptive effect occurring at 60 min. The antinociceptive effects of retigabine were fully antagonized by the Kv7/M channel blocker XE991. Conclusion: Retigabine showed antinociceptive effects for OA pain in the MIA model at different times during pain development. Retigabine may be an alternative therapeutic treatment for OA. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium-enriched exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by Enterobacter cloacae Z0206 have been proven to possess effect on reducing blood glucose level in diabetic mice. To investigate the specific mechanism, we studied the effects of oral supply with EPS on skeletal muscle glucose transportation and consumption in high-fat-diet-induced diabetic KKAy mice. We found that EPS supplementation increased expressions of glucose transporter 4 (Glut4), hexokinase 2 (hk2), phosphorylation of AMP-activated kinase subunit α2 (pAMPKα2), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), and increased expression of characteristic protein of oxidative fibers such as troponin I and cytochrome c (Cytc). Furthermore, we found that EPS increased glucose uptake and expressions of pAMPKα2 and PGC-1α in palmitic acid (PA)-induced C2C12 cells. However, while EPS inhibited AMPKα2 with interference RNA (iRNA), effects of EPS on the improvement of glucose uptake diminished. These results indicated that EPS may improve skeletal muscle glucose uptake of diabetic KKAy mice through AMPKα2-PGC-1α pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wnt/β-catenin is a crucial repressor of adipogenesis. We have shown that E2 promoter binding factor 1 (E2F1) suppresses Wnt/β-catenin activity through transactivation of β-catenin interacting protein 1 (CTNNBIP1), also known as inhibitor of β-catenin and TCF4 (ICAT) in human colorectal cancers. However, it remains unknown whether ICAT is required for E2F1 to promote differentiation by inhibiting β-catenin activity in pre-adipocytes. In the present study, we found that 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin (MDI)-induced differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes was reversed by activation of β-catenin triggered by CHIR99021, a GSK3β inhibitor. Intriguingly, we observed a reduced protein level of E2F1 and ICAT at a later stage of pre-adipocytes differentiation. Importantly, overexpression of ICAT in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes markedly promote the adipogenesis and partially reversed the inhibitory effect of CHIR99021 on MDI-induced adipogenesis and lipid accumulation by regulating adipogenic regulators and Wnt/β-catenin targets. Moreover, pre-adipocytes differentiation induced by MDI were markedly inhibited in siE2F1 or siICAT transfected 3T3-L1 cells. Gene silencing of ICAT in the E2F1 overexpressed adipocytes also inhibited the adipogenesis. These data indicated that E2F1 is a metabolic regulator with an ability to promote pre-adipocyte differentiation by activating ICAT, therefore represses Wnt/β-catenin activity in 3T3-L1 cells. We also demonstrated that ICAT overexpression did not affect oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation at the surface of Hela and HepG2 cells. In conclusion, we show that E2F1 is a critical regulator with an ability to promote differentiation and adipogenesis by activating ICAT in pre-adipocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells following oxidative stress is a major cause of mucosal barrier dysfunction and is associated with the pathogenesis of various gastrointestinal diseases. Although L-tryptophan (Trp) is known to improve intestinal integrity and function, a beneficial effect of N-acetyl serotonin (NAS), a metabolite of Trp, on the apoptosis of enterocytes and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the present study, we showed that porcine enterocytes treated with 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), a metabolite of lipid peroxidation, led to upregulation of apoptotic proteins, including Bax and cleaved caspase-3, and reduction of tight junction proteins. These effects of 4-HNE were significantly abrogated by NAS. In addition, NAS reduced ROS accumulation while increasing the intracellular concentration of glutathione (GSH), and the abundance of the Nrf2 protein in the nucleus and its downstream target proteins. Importantly, these protective effects of NAS were abrogated by Atra, an inhibitor of Nrf2, indicating a dependence on Nrf2 signaling. Taken together, we demonstrated that NAS attenuated oxidative stress-induced cellular injury in porcine enterocytes by regulating Nrf2 signaling. These findings provide new insights into a functional role of NAS in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preheating and compression tests of Inconel 718 superalloy double cone specimens were carried out to investigate the microstructure heredity during hot working. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the microstructure evolution. The results show that intense microstructure heredity can be found at the temperature 960~990 °C. During the preheating process, δ phase precipitation or grain growth could increase the fraction of high angle grain boundary (HAGBs) and Σ3n boundaries. Otherwise, the generation or spread of annealing twin could increase the fraction of LAGBs, Volume fraction of recrystallized grains was evaluated at the whole hot working process. At the temperature of 960~990 °C, the volume fraction of recrystallized grains increases with effective strain increasing. At the super solution temperature of δ phase, the volume fraction of recrystallized grains decreases and then increases with the increase of the effective strain. The unimodal grain size distribution and fully recrystallized grains can be obtained at low strains at 960~990 °C. The twin boundary length fraction of deformed specimens is always lower than that of preheated ones. Discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) was considered as the dominant nucleation mechanism, and continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) was strengthened with the increasing grain size. Twin introduced deformation will be the main deformation mode for alloy 718 with larger grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycine supplementation has been reported to alleviate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury in mice. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this beneficial effect remain unknown. In the present study, male C57BL/6 mice were treated with aerosolized glycine (1000 mg in 5 mL of 0.9% saline) or vehicle (0.9% saline) once daily for 7 continuous days, and then were exposed to aerosolized LPS (5 mg in 5 mL of 0.9% saline) for 30 min to induce lung injury. Sera and lung tissues were collected 24 h post LPS challenge. Results showed that glycine pretreatment attenuated LPS-induced decreases of mucin at both protein and mRNA levels, reduced LPS-triggered upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferons, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and interleukins. Further study showed that glycine-reduced LPS challenge resulted in the upregulation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), nucleotide binding domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. In addition, LPS exposure led to the downregulation of NRF2 and downstream targets, which were significantly improved by glycine administration in the lung tissues. Our findings indicated that glycine pretreatment prevented LPS-induced lung injury by regulating both NLRP3 inflammasome and NRF2 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

l-Tryptophan (Trp) is known to play an important role in the health of the large intestine. However, a role of dietary Trp in the small-intestinal mucosal barrier and microbiota remains poorly understood. The present study was conducted with weaned piglets to address this issue. Postweaning piglets were fed for 4 weeks a corn- and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 0 (Control), 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4% Trp. The small-intestinal microbiota and serum amino acids were analyzed by bacterial 16S rRNA gene-based high-throughput sequencing methods and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The mRNA levels for genes involved in host defense and the abundances of tight-junction proteins in jejunum and duodenum were measured by real time-PCR and Western blot techniques, respectively. The concentrations of Trp in the serum of Trp-supplemented piglets increased in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control group, dietary supplementation with 0.2–0.4% Trp reduced the abundances of Clostridium sensu stricto and Streptococcus in the jejunum, increased the abundances of Lactobacillus and Clostridium XI (two species of bacteria that can metabolize Trp) in the jejunum, and augmented the concentrations of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) as well as mRNA levels for porcine β-defensins 2 and 3 in jejunal tissues. Moreover, dietary Trp supplementation activated the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and increased the abundances of tight-junction proteins (zonula occludens (ZO)-1, ZO-3, and claudin-1) in jejunum and duodenum. We suggested that Trp-metabolizing bacteria in the small intestine of weaned pigs primarily mediated the beneficial effects of dietary Trp on its mucosal integrity, health, and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]