The α1‐adrenergic receptor is involved in hepcidin upregulation induced by adrenaline and norepinephrine via the STAT3 pathway

Elevated body iron stores are associated with hypertension progression, while hypertension is associated with elevated plasma catecholamine levels in patients. However, there is a gap in our understanding of the connection between catecholamines and iron regulation. Hepcidin is a key iron‐regulatory hormone, which maintains body iron balance. In the present study, we investigated the effects of adrenaline (AD) and norepinephrine (NE) on hepatic hepcidin regulation. Mice were treated with AD, NE, phenylephrine (PE, α1‐adrenergic receptor agonist), prazosin (PZ, α1‐adrenergic receptor antagonist), and/or propranolol (Pro, β‐adrenergic receptor antagonist). The levels of hepcidin, as well as signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), ferroportin 1 (FPN1), and ferritin‐light (Ft‐L) protein in the liver or spleen, were assessed. Six hours after AD, NE, or PE treatment, hepatic hepcidin mRNA levels increased. Pretreatment with PZ, but not Pro, abolished the effects of AD or NE on STAT3 phosphorylation and hepatic hepcidin expression. When mice were treated with AD or NE continuously for 7 days, an increase in hepatic hepcidin mRNA levels and serum hepcidin concentration was also observed. Meanwhile, the expected downstream effects of elevated hepcidin, namely decreased FPN1 expression and increased Ft‐L protein and non‐heme iron concentrations in the spleen, were observed after the continuous AD or NE treatments. Taken together, we found that AD or NE increase hepatic hepcidin expression via the α1‐adrenergic receptor and STAT3 pathways in mice. The elevated hepatic hepcidin decreased FPN1 levels in the spleen, likely causing the increased iron accumulation in the spleen

Identification and Nearly Full-Length Genome Characterization of Novel Porcine Bocaviruses

The genus bocavirus includes bovine parvovirus (BPV), minute virus of canines (MVC), and a group of human bocaviruses (HBoV1-4). Using sequence-independent single primer amplification (SISPA), a novel bocavirus group was discovered with high prevalence (12.59%) in piglet stool samples. Two nearly full-length genome sequences were obtained, which were approximately 5,100 nucleotides in length. Multiple alignments revealed that they share 28.7–56.8% DNA sequence identity with other members of Parvovirinae. Phylogenetic analyses indicated their closest neighbors were members of the genus bocavirus. The new viruses had a putative non-structural NP1 protein, which was unique to bocaviruses. They were provisionally named porcine bocavirus 1 and 2 (PBoV1, PBoV2). PBoV1 and PBoV2 shared 94.2% nucleotide identity in NS1 gene sequence, suggesting that they represented two different bocavirus species. Two additional samples (6V, 7V) were amplified for 2,407 bp and 2,434 bp products, respectively, including a partial NP1 gene and the complete VP1 gene; Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 6Vand 7V grouped with PBoV1 and PBoV2 in the genus of bocavirus, but were in the separate clusters. Like other parvoviruses, PBoV1, PBoV2, 6Vand 7V also contained a putative secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) motif in the VP1 unique region, with a conserved HDXXY motif in the catalytic center. The conserved motif YXGXF of the Ca2+-binding loop of sPLA2 identified in human bocavirus was also found in porcine bocavirus, which differs from the YXGXG motif carried by most other parvoviruses. The observation of PBoV and potentially other new bocavirus genus members may aid in molecular and functional characterization of the genus bocavirus

Evolution of Spin Period and Magnetic Field of the Crab Pulsar: Decay of the Braking Index by the Particle Wind Flow Torque

The evolutions of a neutron star's rotation and magnetic field (B-field) have remained unsolved puzzles for over half a century. We ascribe the rotational braking torques of pulsar to both components, the standard magnetic dipole radiation (MDR) and particle wind flow ( MDR + Wind, hereafter named MDRW), which we apply to the Crab pulsar (B0531 + 21), the only source with a known age and long-term continuous monitoring by radio telescope. Based on the above presumed simple spin-down torques, we obtain the exact analytic solution on the rotation evolution of the Crab pulsar, together with the related outcomes as described below: (1) unlike the constant characteristic B-field suggested by the MDR model, this value for the Crab pulsar increases by a hundred times in 50~kyr while its real B-field has no change; (2) the rotational braking index evolves from $\sim$3 to 1 in the long-term, however, it drops from 2.51 to 2.50 in $\sim$45 years at the present stage, while the particle flow contributes approximately 25% of the total rotational energy loss rate; (3) strikingly, the characteristic age has the maximum limit of $\sim$10 kyr, meaning that it is not always a good indicator of real age. Furthermore, we discussed the evolutionary path of the Crab pulsar from the MDR to the wind domination by comparing it with the possible wind braking candidate pulsar PSR J1734-3333.Comment: 21pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, and 5 appendices, published in Univers

Effect of Auricular Acupressure on Uremic Pruritus in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common symptom in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Objective. To determine the clinical efficacy of auricular acupressure therapy on pruritus in hemodialysis patients and to explore possible underlying mechanisms. Methods. Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis at a referral medical center were recruited and assigned to intervention (n=32) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group underwent auricular acupressure treatment three times a week for six weeks. Auricular acupressure was not applied to patients in the control group. However, tape without Vaccaria seeds was applied to the same six auricular acupoints as the intervention group. Pruritus scores were assessed using VAS scores, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure levels of other possible contributory biochemical factors. Results. There was a significant difference in mean VAS scores between the postintervention and control groups during follow-up (3.844 ± 1.687 versus 5.567 ± 2.285, F=22.32, P<0.0001). Compared to the control group, serum histamine levels in the postintervention group at the six-week follow-up had decreased significantly (F=5.01, P=0.0290). Conclusion. Our findings suggest that auricular acupressure may be a useful treatment in the multidisciplinary management of UP in ESRD patients

Knowledge and attitudes about newborn screening for Fabry disease

Newborn screening is a public health program that identifies newborns who are at risk of having a life-threatening condition that will affect their health in infancy or childhood. Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder with a variable age of onset from childhood through adulthood that was recently added to a few states’ newborn screening panels. Research on patient attitudes towards newborn screening for Fabry disease has been limited and this qualitative study aimed to gain a more complete understanding of the reasoning of adults with Fabry disease regarding the appropriateness of newborn screening for Fabry disease, their knowledge of newborn screening, and their experiences with Fabry disease. Participants were recruited from Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC’s Lysosomal Storage Disorders Clinic and six adults who have Fabry disease were interviewed. These interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis revealed six themes: influences of clinical spectrum and severity of Fabry disease, support systems, family dynamics, impact of timing of diagnosis and treatment availability on attitudes towards newborn screening, knowledge and attitudes towards newborn screening for Fabry disease, and impact of earlier diagnosis. Based on their personal experiences with Fabry disease, all participants were in favor of newborn screening for Fabry disease. Participants’ experiences with Fabry disease also reflected aspects of their family dynamics. The results of this qualitative study can inform genetic counseling practice for Fabry disease and future studies on NBS for Fabry disease. The opinions of stakeholders, including patients affected by the condition, are of public health significance and the results of this study can inform public health decisions as state legislators and state newborn screening programs consider whether to include Fabry disease on their state’s newborn screening panel

The Qitai Radio Telescope

This study presents a general outline of the Qitai radio telescope (QTT) project. Qitai, the site of the telescope, is a county of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, located in the east Tianshan Mountains at an elevation of about 1800 m. The QTT is a fully steerable, Gregorian type telescope with a standard parabolic main reflector of 110 m diameter. The QTT has adopted an um-brella support, homology-symmetric lightweight design. The main reflector is active so that the deformation caused by gravity can be corrected. The structural design aims to ultimately allow high-sensitivity observations from 150 MHz up to 115 GHz. To satisfy the requirements for early scientific goals, the QTT will be equipped with ultra-wideband receivers and large field-of-view mul-ti-beam receivers. A multi-function signal-processing system based on RFSoC and GPU processor chips will be developed. These will enable the QTT to operate in pulsar, spectral line, continuum and Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) observing modes. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and radio frequency interference (RFI) control techniques are adopted throughout the system design. The QTT will form a world-class observational platform for the detection of low-frequency (nanoHertz) gravitational waves through pulsar timing array (PTA) techniques, pulsar surveys, the discovery of binary black-hole systems, and exploring dark matter and the origin of life in the universe.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Science China Physics, Mechanics & Astronom

Exploring the Immunotoxicity of Carbon Nanotubes

Mass production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their applications in nanomedicine lead to the increased exposure risk of nanomaterials to human beings. Although reports on toxicity of nanomaterials are rapidly growing, there is still a lack of knowledge on the potential toxicity of such materials to immune systems. This article reviews some existing studies assessing carbon nanotubes’ toxicity to immune system and provides the potential mechanistic explanation