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In this article, we present an ultrawideband and high-gain antenna based on a 3-D impedance-matching metamaterial (IMM) lens. First, we design a 3-D IMM lens which can convert spherical-like waves to plane ones and is nearly perfect impedance-matching with the free space. To realize the 3-D lens, we propose and design two kinds of ultrawideband sandwich-structured metamaterial unit cells that can cover the refraction index ranges from 1.25 to 1.4 and from 1.4 to 3.8, respectively. We also design a double-ridged pyramid horn antenna as an ultrawideband feed source. Measured results verify that the presented lens antenna can work in an ultrawide bandwidth from 5.2 to 15.13 GHz, and the relative bandwidth is 97.7%. Moreover, it achieves a high aperture efficiency of more than 66% from 5.2 to 14.3 GHz, with a relative bandwidth of 93.3%. A maximum aperture efficiency of 85.6% is obtained at 11.5 GHz. The proposed lens antenna has an average of 2 dB gain enhancement versus optimal horn with the same aperture area. And the length of the lens antenna reduces to 22% compared to a bare horn antenna with the same gain and aperture efficiency.

Age-related macular degeneration is a common cause of blindless among the aged, which can mainly be attributed to oxidative stress and dysregulated autophagy in retinal pigment epithelium cells. Lactate was reported to act as a signaling molecule and exerted beneficial effect against oxidative stress. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of lactate against oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration. Here, H

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the damage of retinal neuronal cells. Curcumin, the phytocompound, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. It was shown that curcumin exerted a beneficial effect on retinal neuronal cell survival. However, the role of mitochondrial dynamics in curcumin-mediated protective effect on retinal neuronal cells remains to be elucidated. Here, H

In combination with studies of post-mortem Parkinson's disease (PD) brains, pharmacological and genetic models of PD have suggested that two fundamental interacting cellular processes are impaired – proteostasis and mitochondrial respiration. We have re-examined the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in lymphoblasts isolated from individuals with idiopathic PD and an age-matched control group. As previously reported for various PD cell types, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PD lymphoblasts was significantly elevated. However, this was not due to an impairment of mitochondrial respiration, as is often assumed. Instead, basal mitochondrial respiration and ATP synthesis are dramatically elevated in PD lymphoblasts. The mitochondrial mass, genome copy number and membrane potential were unaltered, but the expression of indicative respiratory complex proteins was also elevated. This explains the increased oxygen consumption rates by each of the respiratory complexes in experimentally uncoupled mitochondria of iPD cells. However, it was not attributable to increased activity of the stress- and energy-sensing protein kinase AMPK, a regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and activity. The respiratory differences between iPD and control cells were sufficiently dramatic as to provide a potentially sensitive and reliable biomarker of the disease state, unaffected by disease duration (time since diagnosis) or clinical severity. Lymphoblasts from control and PD individuals thus occupy two distinct, quasi-stable steady states; a ‘normal’ and a ‘hyperactive’ state characterized by two different metabolic rates. The apparent stability of the ‘hyperactive’ state in patient-derived lymphoblasts in the face of patient ageing, ongoing disease and mounting disease severity suggests an early, permanent switch to an alternative metabolic steady state. With its associated, elevated ROS production, the ‘hyperactive’ state might not cause pathology to cells that are rapidly turned over, but brain cells might accumulate long-term damage leading ultimately to neurodegeneration and the loss of mitochondrial function observed post-mortem. Whether the ‘hyperactive’ state in lymphoblasts is a biomarker specifically of PD or more generally of neurodegenerative disease remains to be determined., Editors' choice: Cultured Parkinson's disease lymphocytes are metabolically hyperactive, suggesting a new understanding of the underlying cytopathology and biomarkers for this and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases.

Compressive sensing (CS) technique in conjunction with adaptive cross approximation (ACA) algorithm is applied to calculate the monostatic radar cross section with many required sampling angles based on block LU factorization method. CS technique is used to construct a new excitation matrix and reduce the number of right-hand side. ACA algorithm is applied to all steps of the solution including impedance matrix filling, block LU solve, and excitation matrix compression to accelerate the computation process and reduce the memory consumption. Finally, the real-induced currents can be recovered by the orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm or compressive sampling matching pursuit algorithm, which have relatively low computational complexity than computation by the traditional method of moments (MoM). Numerical results are presented to validate the efficiency and accuracy of this method through comparison with the traditional MoM and other rigorous solutions.

Adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates multiple signaling pathways involved in glucose and lipid metabolism in response to changes in hormonal and nutrient status. Cell culture studies have shown that AMPK phosphorylation and inhibition of the rate‐limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl (HMG) coenzyme A (CoA) reductase (HMGCR) at serine‐871 (Ser871; human HMGCR Ser872) suppresses cholesterol synthesis. In order to evaluate the role of AMPK‐HMGCR signaling in vivo, we generated mice with a Ser871‐alanine (Ala) knock‐in mutation (HMGCR KI). Cholesterol synthesis was significantly suppressed in wild‐type (WT) but not in HMGCR KI hepatocytes in response to AMPK activators. Liver cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol levels were significantly up‐regulated in HMGCR KI mice. When fed a high‐carbohydrate diet, HMGCR KI mice had enhanced triglyceride synthesis and liver steatosis, resulting in impaired glucose homeostasis. Conclusion: AMPK‐HMGCR signaling alone is sufficient to regulate both cholesterol and triglyceride synthesis under conditions of a high‐carbohydrate diet. Our findings highlight the tight coupling between the mevalonate and fatty acid synthesis pathways as well as revealing a role of AMPK in suppressing the deleterious effects of a high‐carbohydrate diet.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with an increasing incidence worldwide. Apolipoprotein M (apoM) is a novel apolipoprotein that is mainly expressed in liver and kidney tissues. However, the anti-tumor properties of apoM remain largely unknown. We evaluated the anti-tumor activities and mechanisms of apoM in HCC both in vivo and in vitro. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase reporter assay results showed that apoM was a potential target of hsa-miR-573 and was downregulated after transfection with hsa-miR-573 mimics. Overexpression of apoM suppressed migration, invasion, and proliferation of hepatoma cells in vitro. Overexpression of hsa-miR-573 in hepatoma cells reduced apoM expression, leading to promotion of the invasion, migration, and proliferation of hepatoma cells in vitro. In addition, hsa-miR-573 markedly promoted growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice with an accompanying reduction in cell apoptosis. ApoM markedly inhibited growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice and promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, Bcl2A1 mRNA and protein levels were inhibited by apoM overexpression and an increase in apoptosis rate by apoM was markedly compensated by Bcl2A1 overexpression in HepG2 cells. These results provide evidence that hsa-miR-573 promoted tumor growth by inhibition of hepatocyte apoptosis and this pro-tumor effect might be mediated through Bcl2A1 in an apoM-dependent manner. Therefore, our findings may be useful to improve understanding of the critical effects of hsa-miR-573 and apoM in HCC pathogenesis.

Objective— Cardiovascular disease caused by atherosclerosis is the number one cause of death in Western countries and threatens to become the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs are emerging as new players in gene regulation, but how long noncoding RNAs operate in the development of atherosclerosis remains unclear. Approach and Results— Using microarray analysis, we found that long noncoding RNA RP5-833A20.1 expression was upregulated, whereas nuclear factor IA (NFIA) expression was downregulated in human acute monocytic leukemia macrophage–derived foam cells. Moreover, we showed that long noncoding RNA RP5-833A20.1 may decreases NFIA expression by inducing hsa-miR-382-5p expression in vitro. We found that the RP5-833A20.1/hsa-miR-382-5p/NFIA pathway is essential to the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis and inflammatory responses in human acute monocytic leukemia macrophages. Lentivirus-mediated NFIA overexpression increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol circulation, reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol circulation, decreased circulation of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein, enhanced reverse cholesterol transport, and promoted regression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice. Conclusions— Our findings indicated that the RP5-833A20.1/miR-382-5p/NFIA pathway was essential to the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis and inflammatory reactions and suggested that NFIA may represent a therapeutic target to ameliorate cardiovascular disease.

2000 the "Red tourism" had appeared from Jiangxi province, rapid development. This paper take red tourism industrialization as the research object, analysis of Red tourism industry's demand for tourism information services. On this basis, use spatial information technology to design tourism information service platform, meet the requirements about Red tourism industrialization, provide important support for accelerating the transformation of Red tourism.

SummaryThe AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a metabolic stress-sensing αβγ heterotrimer responsible for energy homeostasis, making it a therapeutic target for metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. AMPK signaling is triggered by phosphorylation on the AMPK α subunit activation loop Thr172 by upstream kinases. Dephosphorylated, naive AMPK is thought to be catalytically inactive and insensitive to allosteric regulation by AMP and direct AMPK-activating drugs such as A-769662. Here we show that A-769662 activates AMPK independently of α-Thr172 phosphorylation, provided β-Ser108 is phosphorylated. Although neither A-769662 nor AMP individually stimulate the activity of dephosphorylated AMPK, together they stimulate >1,000-fold, bypassing the requirement for β-Ser108 phosphorylation. Consequently A-769662 and AMP together activate naive AMPK entirely allosterically and independently of upstream kinase signaling. These findings have important implications for development of AMPK-targeting therapeutics and point to possible combinatorial therapeutic strategies based on AMP and AMPK drugs.

Accumulated evidence shows that G protein-coupled receptor 119 (GPR119) plays a key role in glucose and lipid metabolism. Here, we explored the effect of GPR119 on cholesterol metabolism and inflammation in THP-1 macrophages and atherosclerotic plaque progression in apoE(-/-) mice. We found that oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) significantly induced long intervening noncoding RNA (lincRNA)-DYNLRB2-2 expression, resulting in the upregulation of GPR119 and ABCA1 expression through the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor signaling pathway. GPR119 significantly decreased cellular cholesterol content and increased apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. In vivo, apoE(-/-) mice were randomly divided into two groups and infected with lentivirus (LV)-Mock or LV-GPR119 for 8 weeks. GPR119-treated mice showed decreased liver lipid content and plasma TG, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels, whereas plasma levels of apoA-I were significantly increased. Consistent with this, atherosclerotic lesion development was significantly inhibited by infection of apoE(-/-) mice with LV-GPR119. Our findings clearly indicate that, Ox-LDL significantly induced lincRNA-DYNLRB2-2 expression, which promoted ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux and inhibited inflammation through GPR119 in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. Moreover, GPR119 decreased lipid and serum inflammatory cytokine levels, decreasing atherosclerosis in apoE(-/-) mice. These suggest that GPR119 may be a promising candidate as a therapeutic agent.

Aim of Study: The aim was to explore the structure and functions of new target spot c-Myc target from laryngeal cancer cell. (MTLC) of c-Myc gene. Methods: This study adopted bioinformatic methods to analyze the physicochemical property, secondary structure, hydrophobic region, a transmembrane region, and prediction of functions. Results: The results showed that the whole length of the open reading frames was 708 bp, coding was 235 amino acids. This protein was a basic protein possessed two transmembrane structures and weight was about 26592.5 Da. The main elements of secondary structure were alpha-helix and random coil. MTLC was a membrane constitutive protein that possessed signal transduction and regulation may locate on karyotheca as results of subcellular localization and function prediction. Conclusion: This study has provided the theoretical basis for the further discussion of the effect and mechanism of action of MTLC in the occurrence of laryngeal cancer.

This paper used the timing analysis to statistically analyze the output sequences of many FOGs which were using in the north-finding system. We confirm an optimal model basing the statistic characteristics, and finally advance a fixed algorithm to estimate the parameters of the model. The results show that the modeling method has the universality to the output data of FOGs in the north-finding system, and also can be used to get the precise parameters in order to serve the following filter.

In order to improve the stability of feed movement in high speed CNC system, the feedrate planning algorithm based on piece-wise polynomial function was proposed. The flexible transition of feedrate was realized through maintaining linear continuous jerk. The principle of the proposed algorithm was introduced and the method to generate smooth motion profile based on the proposed algorithm was presented. The rapidity, stability and tracking accuracy of the feedrate planning algorithm to linearity, S curve and the proposed one were analyzed. The proposed algorithm is simple and it can be applied in acceleration/deceleration before interpolation in high speed feed movement to improve the stability of it. The proposed algorithm was applied in multi-contour high speed processing and the result indicated that it could improve the stability of large-scale parts motion.

This theme focuses on representing and reasoning high-level semantic based on concepts and their space relations. As to multimedia data, such as image and video, acquiring, representing and retrieving high-level semantic information has been a confused problem for a long time. Without the support of knowledge database, it is an impossible mission to carry out the simple synonymous retrieval, let alone retrieving the abstract semantic. This paper proposes some algorithms to translate restored concepts and their relations into a Concept Semantic Network, which is visualized by SVG finally. The paper also introduces the method of recording concepts distribution by description logic, which services users with concepts and distribution retrieval.

A coal slurry mixing tank is a key piece of equipment in the preparation of coal slurry for direct coal liquefaction. It is a gas-liquid-solid three-phase mixing device. Based on the performance of the existing coal slurry mixing equipment, a type of test equipment for horizontal continuous coal slurry preparation was developed, but to this point has limited research results. The test equipment consists of a mixing cylinder, mixer, stirring impeller and other components. Slurry mixing experiments were undertaken using the prototype, testing the performance of the device. A mathematical model was proposed specifically for the operation of a coal slurry mixing tank that is horizontally operated with high slurry concentration and rotary flow. The flow field in the horizontal coal mixing tank was simulated with the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method. The experimental results match well with the CFD simulation results. Results show that the test device of a coal slurry mixing tank can be used to model the mixing of pulverized coal and the solvent oil. A strong correlation was obtained.

We have previously reported that 5 days of a high-fat diet followed by 1 day of high-carbohydrate intake (Fat-adapt) increased rates of fat oxidation and decreased rates of muscle glycogenolysis during submaximal cycling compared with consumption of an isoenergetic high-carbohydrate diet (HCHO) for 6 days (Burke et al. J Appl Physiol 89: 2413–2421, 2000; Stellingwerff et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 290: E380–E388, 2006). To determine potential mechanisms underlying shifts in substrate selection, eight trained subjects performed Fat-adapt and HCHO. On day 7, subjects performed 1-h cycling at 70% peak O2uptake. Muscle biopsies were taken immediately before and after exercise. Resting muscle glycogen content was similar between treatments, but muscle triglyceride levels were higher after Fat-adapt ( P < 0.05). Resting AMPK-α1and -α2activity was higher after Fat-adapt ( P = 0.02 and P = 0.05, respectively), while the phosphorylation of AMPK's downstream target, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (pACC at Ser221), tended to be elevated after Fat-adapt ( P = 0.09). Both the respiratory exchange ratio ( P < 0.01) and muscle glycogen utilization ( P < 0.05) were lower during exercise after Fat-adapt. Exercise increased AMPK-α1activity after HCHO ( P = 0.03) but not Fat-adapt. Exercise was associated with an increase in pACC at Ser221for both dietary treatments ( P < 0.05), with postexercise pACC Ser221higher after Fat-adapt ( P = 0.02). In conclusion, compared with HCHO, Fat-adapt increased resting muscle triglyceride stores and resting AMPK-α1and -α2activity. Fat-adapt also resulted in higher rates of whole body fat oxidation, reduced muscle glycogenolysis, and attenuated the exercise-induced rise in AMPK-α1and AMPK-α2activity compared with HCHO. Our results demonstrate that AMPK-α1and AMPK-α2activity and fuel selection in skeletal muscle in response to exercise can be manipulated by diet and/or the interactive effects of diet and exercise training.

Loss of function of the tumor suppressor LKB1 occurs in 30% to 50% of lung adenocarcinomas. Because LKB1 activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which can negatively regulate mTOR, AMPK activation might be desirable for cancer therapy. However, no known compounds activate AMPK independently of LKB1 in vivo, and the usefulness of activating AMPK in LKB1-mutant cancers is unknown. Here, we show that lipid-based Akt inhibitors, phosphatidylinositol ether lipid analogues (PIA), activate AMPK independently of LKB1. PIAs activated AMPK in LKB1-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines with similar concentration dependence as that required to inhibit Akt. However, AMPK activation was independent of Akt inhibition. AMPK activation was a major mechanism of mTOR inhibition. To assess whether another kinase capable of activating AMPK, CaMKKβ, contributed to PIA-induced AMPK activation, we used an inhibitor of CaMKK, STO-609. STO-609 inhibited PIA-induced AMPK activation in LKB1-mutant NSCLC cells, and delayed AMPK activation in wild-type LKB1 NSCLC cells. In addition, AMPK activation was not observed in NSCLC cells with mutant CaMKKβ, suggesting that CaMKKβ contributes to PIA-induced AMPK activation in cells. AMPK activation promoted PIA-induced cytotoxicity because PIAs were less cytotoxic in AMPKα−/− murine embryonic fibroblasts or LKB1-mutant NSCLC cells transfected with mutant AMPK. This mechanism was also relevant in vivo. Treatment of LKB1-mutant NSCLC xenografts with PIA decreased tumor volume by ∼50% and activated AMPK. These studies show that PIAs recapitulate the activity of two tumor suppressors (PTEN and LKB1) that converge on mTOR. Moreover, they suggest that PIAs might have utility in the treatment of LKB1-mutant lung adenocarcinomas. [Cancer Res 2008;68(2):580–8]

In CNC machining, it is desired to obtain high machining accuracy with high processing velocity as far as possible, however it is difficult to realize, and especially machining NURBS curve with large curvature. Based on scheduled feedrate on curvature of NURBS, a new NURBS curve interpolation algorithm was proposed. First, the curvature extreme of NURBS curve was calculated, and the critical value was defined according to machining dynamical requirements. Second, the NURBS curve was split several sub-segments, feedrate scanning algorithm based on S curve acceleration/deceleration was used to schedule the feedrate within each sub-segments and the connection points between adjacent sub-segments. Last, during real-time interpolation, with the second-order Taylor expansion, the interpolation parameter was computed. The results of interpolation case indicated the proposed method not obtain high interpolation accuracy with high interpolation feedrate, but the interpolation output acceleration and jerk within the machine tool's dynamical requirements.

According to the characteristics of Jinggangshan geological disasters and the prevention of geological disasters in the status quo, a design has been developed in sensor technology as the foundation, using network transmission as the means of communication, geological disaster prevention management system with database, and spatial information technology as the core. The system realizes the disaster information management, real-time monitoring, forecasting, and early warning and emergency response, etc., to improve Jinggangshan Land And Resources Bureau of geological disaster emergency response ability and monitoring technology level, and provide effective information platform for the departments of land and resources in the geological disaster prevention and emergency disposal. Practice has proven that the wireless sensor network disaster real-time monitoring and early-warning model based on real-time, effectiveness, and intelligent characteristics.

We investigated the role of fatty acid availability on AMPK signalling and fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. Incubating L6 skeletal muscle myotubes with palmitate (a saturated fatty acid) or linoleate (a polyunsaturated fatty acid) increased AMPK activity by 56 and 38%, respectively, compared with untreated cells. Consistent with these changes, AMPK Thr172 and acetyl-CoA carboxylase β Ser218 phosphorylation were increased in fatty acid treated cells. Pre-incubating cells with palmitate or linoleate increased subsequent fatty acid oxidation by 86 and 92%, respectively. The enhanced AMPK signalling occurred in the absence of detectable changes in free AMP and glycogen content. The activity of the upstream kinase LKB1 was decreased by fatty acid treatment indicating that AMPK activation was not a consequence of LKB1 activation. Instead, fatty acids enhanced LKB1 phosphorylation of AMPK. Fatty acids did not alter LKB1 activity when either synthetic peptide or AMPK α(1–312) catalytic fragment was used as substrate indicating that the βγ subunits were required for the fatty acid activation. Infection of cells with a dominant-negative AMPK adenovirus reduced basal fatty acid oxidation and inhibited the stimulatory effects of fatty acid pretreatment on fatty acid oxidation. These results indicate that increasing fatty acid availability increases AMPK activity independent of changes in the cellular energy charge and support the view that fatty acids may modulate AMPK allosterically, making it a better substrate for LKB1.

Rosiglitazone (RSG) is an insulin-sensitizing thiazolidinedione (TZD) that exerts peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ)-dependent and -independent effects. We tested the hypothesis that part of the insulin-sensitizing effect of RSG is mediated through the action of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). First, we determined the effect of acute (30–60 min) incubation of L6 myotubes with RSG on AMPK regulation and palmitate oxidation. Compared with control (DMSO), 200 μM RSG increased ( P < 0.05) AMPKα1 activity and phosphorylation of AMPK (Thr172). In addition, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Ser218) phosphorylation and palmitate oxidation were increased ( P < 0.05) in these cells. To investigate the effects of chronic RSG treatment on AMPK regulation in skeletal muscle in vivo, obese Zucker rats were randomly allocated into two experimental groups: control and RSG. Lean Zucker rats were treated with vehicle and acted as a control group for obese Zucker rats. Rats were dosed daily for 6 wk with either vehicle (0.5% carboxymethylcellulose, 100 μl/100 g body mass), or 3 mg/kg RSG. AMPKα1 activity was similar in muscle from lean and obese animals and was unaffected by RSG treatment. AMPKα2 activity was ∼25% lower in obese vs. lean animals ( P < 0.05) but was normalized to control values after RSG treatment. ACC phosphorylation was decreased with obesity ( P < 0.05) but restored to the level of lean controls with RSG treatment. Our data demonstrate that RSG restores AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle of insulin-resistant obese Zucker rats.

We examined the effect of short-term exercise training on skeletal muscle AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling and muscle metabolism during prolonged exercise in humans. Eight sedentary males completed 120 min of cycling at 66 +/- 1% , then exercise trained for 10 days, before repeating the exercise bout at the same absolute workload. Participants rested for 72 h before each trial while ingesting a high carbohydrate diet (HCHO). Exercise training significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated exercise-induced increases in skeletal muscle free AMP: ATP ratio and glucose disposal and increased fat oxidation. Exercise training abolished the 9-fold increase in AMPK alpha2 activity observed during pretraining exercise. Since training increased muscle glycogen content by 93 +/- 12% (P < 0.01), we conducted a second experiment in seven sedentary male participants where muscle glycogen content was essentially matched pre- and post-training by exercise and a low CHO diet (LCHO; post-training muscle glycogen 52 +/- 7% less than in HCHO, P < 0.001). Despite the difference in muscle glycogen levels in the two studies we obtained very similar results. In both studies the increase in ACCbeta Ser(221) phosphorylation was reduced during exercise after training. In conclusion, there is little activation of AMPK signalling during prolonged exercise following short-term exercise training suggesting that other factors are important in the regulation of glucose disposal and fat oxidation under these circumstances. It appears that muscle glycogen is not an important regulator of AMPK activation during exercise in humans when exercise is begun with normal or high muscle glycogen levels.

Obesity in humans is associated with lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle, insulin and leptin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important regulator of fatty acid (FA) metabolism in skeletal muscle. To address the hypothesis that lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle of obese subjects may be due to down-regulation of AMPK, we measured mRNA and protein levels of AMPK isoforms, AMPK1 and -2 activity, AMPK kinase activity, acetylcoenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) expression and phosphorylation, and FA metabolism in biopsies of rectus abdominus muscle from lean and obese women. We also examined the effect of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR) on AMPK activity and the effects of AICAR and leptin on FA metabolism. Skeletal muscle of obese subjects had increased total FA uptake and triglyceride esterification, and leptin failed to stimulate FA oxidation. However, AMPK mRNA and protein expression, AMPK1 and -2 activities, AMPK kinase activity, ACC phosphorylation, and FA oxidation were similar in lean and obese subjects. Moreover, AICAR increased AMPK2 activity, ACC phosphorylation, and palmitate oxidation to a similar degree in muscle from lean and obese subjects. We conclude that the abnormal lipid metabolism and leptin resistance of skeletal muscle of obese subjects is not due to down-regulation of AMPK. In addition, the similar stimulation by AICAR of AMPK in skeletal muscle of lean and obese subjects suggests that direct pharmacological activation of AMPK may be a therapeutic approach for stimulating FA oxidation in the treatment of human obesity. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89: 4575– 4580, 2004)

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) cascade has been linked to many of the acute effects of exercise on skeletal muscle substrate metabolism, as well as to some of the chronic training-induced adaptations. We determined the effect of 3 wk of intensified training (HIT; 7 sessions of 8 × 5 min at 85% V̇o2 peak) in skeletal muscle from well-trained athletes on AMPK responsiveness to exercise. Rates of whole body substrate oxidation were determined during a 90-min steady-state ride (SS) pre- and post-HIT. Muscle metabolites and AMPK signaling were determined from biopsies taken at rest and immediately after exercise during the first and seventh HIT sessions, performed at the same (absolute) pre-HIT work rate. HIT decreased rates of whole body carbohydrate oxidation ( P < 0.05) and increased rates of fat oxidation ( P < 0.05) during SS. Resting muscle glycogen and its utilization during intense exercise were unaffected by HIT. However, HIT induced a twofold decrease in muscle [lactate] ( P < 0.05) and resulted in tighter metabolic regulation, i.e., attenuation of the decrease in the PCr/(PCr + Cr) ratio and of the increase in [AMPfree]/ATP. Resting activities of AMPKα1 and -α2 were similar post-HIT, with the magnitude of the rise in response to exercise similar pre- and post-HIT. AMPK phosphorylation at Thr172on both the α1 and α2 subunits increased in response to exercise, with the magnitude of this rise being similar post-HIT. Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase-β phosphorylation was similar at rest and, despite HIT-induced increases in whole body rates of fat oxidation, did not increase post-HIT. Our results indicate that, in well-trained individuals, short-term HIT improves metabolic control but does not blunt AMPK signaling in response to intense exercise.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a alphabetagamma heterotrimer that is activated in response to both hormones and intracellular metabolic stress signals. AMPK is regulated by phosphorylation on the alpha subunit and by AMP allosteric control previously thought to be mediated by both alpha and gamma subunits. Here we present evidence that adjacent gamma subunit pairs of CBS repeat sequences (after Cystathionine Beta Synthase) form an AMP binding site related to, but distinct from the classical AMP binding site in phosphorylase, that can also bind ATP. The AMP binding site of the gamma(1) CBS1/CBS2 pair, modeled on the structures of the CBS sequences present in the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase crystal structure, contains three arginine residues 70, 152, and 171 and His151. The yeast gamma homolog, snf4 contains a His151Gly substitution, and when this is introduced into gamma(1), AMP allosteric control is substantially lost and explains why the yeast snf1p/snf4p complex is insensitive to AMP. Arg70 in gamma(1) corresponds to the site of mutation in human gamma(2) and pig gamma(3) genes previously identified to cause an unusual cardiac phenotype and glycogen storage disease, respectively. Mutation of any of AMP binding site Arg residues to Gln substantially abolishes AMP allosteric control in expressed AMPK holoenzyme. The Arg/Gln mutations also suppress the previously described inhibitory properties of ATP and render the enzyme constitutively active. We propose that ATP acts as an intrasteric inhibitor by bridging the alpha and gamma subunits and that AMP functions to derepress AMPK activity.

Three fragments of tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna, southern Yunnan and within the Lower-Lancang/Upper-Mekong River basin, were sampled to investigate species diversity patterns based on comparisons with a contiguous tropical rainforest. Compared with the contiguous forest, the fragments were lower in plant abundance, species diversity indicies, a lower percentage of mega-phaenerophytes, meso-phaerierophytes, chamaephytes and epiphytes, but had a higher percentage of liana, micro-phaenerophytes and miniphacncrophytcs. Thc floristic composition was also different in the fragments with a greater percentage of pan- tropical and tropical Asia to tropical Africa elements increased, whereas the percentage of regional or local elements decreased. Meanwhile, tree species in the upper canopy layer were more stable than that in the lower layers of the fragmented forest. The animal species diversity and evenness were higher in the contiguous forest than in the fragmented forests, which apparently were due to better habitat size and quality. The relationship between changes in the microclimate of the forest fragments and species changes were also considered. The interior forest of the fragmented forests transformed from a wet-cool to dry-warm microclimate, called the internal effect, and was found to be an important mechanisms accounted for observed species changes.

The effect of exercise intensity on skeletal muscle AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling and substrate metabolism was examined in eight men cycling for 20 min at each of three sequential intensities: low (40 +/- 2% VO(2) peak), medium (59 +/- 1% VO(2) peak), and high (79 +/- 1% VO(2) peak). Muscle free AMP/ATP ratio only increased at the two higher exercise intensities (P < 0.05). AMPK alpha 1 (1.5-fold) and AMPK alpha 2 (5-fold) activities increased from low to medium intensity, with AMPK alpha 2 activity increasing further from medium to high intensity. The upstream AMPK kinase activity was substantial at rest and only increased 50% with exercise, indicating that, initially, signaling through AMPK did not require AMPK kinase posttranslational modification. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)-beta phosphorylation was sensitive to exercise, increasing threefold from rest to low intensity, whereas neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) micro phosphorylation was only observed at the higher exercise intensities. Glucose disappearance (tracer) did not increase from rest to low intensity, but increased sequentially from low to medium to high intensity. Calculated fat oxidation increased from rest to low intensity in parallel with ACC beta phosphorylation, then declined during high intensity. These results indicate that ACC beta phosphorylation is especially sensitive to exercise and tightly coupled to AMPK signaling and that AMPK activation does not depend on AMPK kinase activation during exercise.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a metabolic stress-sensing protein kinase responsible for coordinating metabolism and energy demand. In rodents, exercise accelerates fatty acid metabolism, enhances glucose uptake, and stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production in skeletal muscle. AMPK phosphorylates and inhibits acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase (ACC) and enhances GLUT-4 translocation. It has been reported that human skeletal muscle malonyl-CoA levels do not change in response to exercise, suggesting that other mechanisms besides inhibition of ACC may be operating to accelerate fatty acid oxidation. Here, we show that a 30-s bicycle sprint exercise increases the activity of the human skeletal muscle AMPK-α1 and -α2 isoforms approximately two- to threefold and the phosphorylation of ACC at Ser79(AMPK phosphorylation site) ∼8.5-fold. Under these conditions, there is also an ∼5.5-fold increase in phosphorylation of neuronal NO synthase-μ (nNOSμ) at Ser1451. These observations support the concept that inhibition of ACC is an important component in stimulating fatty acid oxidation in response to exercise and that there is coordinated regulation of nNOSμ to protect the muscle from ischemia/metabolic stress.

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a member of a metabolite-sensing protein kinase family that is found in all eukaryotes. AMPK activity is regulated by vigorous exercise, nutrient starvation and ischemia/hypoxia, and modulates many aspects of mammalian cell metabolism. The AMPK yeast homolog, Snf1p, plays a major role in adaption to glucose deprivation. In mammals, AMPK also has diverse roles that extend from energy metabolism through to transcriptional control.