Improvement of Liquid Fructose-Induced Adipose Tissue Insulin Resistance by Ginger Treatment in Rats Is Associated with Suppression of Adipose Macrophage-Related Proinflammatory Cytokines

Adipose tissue insulin resistance (Adipo-IR) results in excessive release of free fatty acids from adipose tissue, which plays a key role in the development of “lipotoxicity.” Therefore, amelioration of Adipo-IR may benefit the treatment of other metabolic abnormalities. Here we found that treatment with the alcoholic extract of ginger (50 mg/kg/day, by oral gavage) for five weeks attenuated liquid fructose-induced hyperinsulinemia and an increase in the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index in rats. More importantly, ginger reversed the increases in the Adipo-IR index and plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations during the oral glucose tolerance test assessment. Adipose gene/protein expression profiles revealed that ginger treatment suppressed CD68 and F4/80, two important macrophage accumulation markers. Consistently, the macrophage-associated cytokines tissue necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 were also downregulated. In contrast, insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1, but not IRS-2, was upregulated. Moreover, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and its receptor chemokine (C-C motif) receptor-2 were also suppressed. Thus these results suggest that amelioration of fructose-induced Adipo-IR by ginger treatment in rats is associated with suppression of adipose macrophage-related proinflammatory cytokines

Emodin Protects against Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Regulating the AKT/GSK-3β Signaling Pathway in the Rat Model

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been recognized as a major health problem. Emodin (Emo) has been reported to exhibit protective effects against diabetic nephropathy. However, little has been known about the effect of Emo on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). A type 2 DM model was induced in rats by low dose streptozotocin (STZ) combined with high energy intake. We found that Emo-treated groups displayed significantly higher body weight (BW) and lower heart weight (HW)/BW. Furthermore, Emo could significantly decrease blood glucose, total cholesterol (TG) levels, and triglyceride (TC) levels in diabetic rats. Moreover, the Emo-treated group showed a marked increase in heart rate (HR) and showed lower left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LWPWT), and interventricular septal diastolic wall thickness (IVSD). Emo induced a significant increase in phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β in myocardium. These results suggest that Emo may have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of DCM by Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway

Instrument for investigating the rail of a ballastless track under longitudinal temperature force

A longitudinal force loading instrument for rails was developed to simulate the longitudinal temperature force of the rail of a ballastless track under different rail temperatures. The instrument comprised the rail, an end-fixing device, a temperature force application device, and concrete foundation. This instrument could simulate the longitudinal stress distribution of the rail under different rail temperature changes and analyze the correlation between the natural frequencies of the rail and the longitudinal stress generated by temperature variation. The result of the longitudinal stress distribution exhibits good agreement with the simulation results. In addition, the result of the dynamic characteristics of the rail demonstrates good agreement with the former conclusions. This experimental instrument can be potentially developed into a powerful tool for researching the rail features of a ballastless track under different temperature forces

Effects of Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation Pump on Mortality of Acute Myocardial Infarction

<div><p>Background</p><p>Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have evaluated the effect of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation pump(IABP) on the mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).</p><p>Objectives</p><p>To analyze the relevant RCT data on the effect of IABP on mortality and the occurrence of bleeding in AMI.</p><p>Data Sources</p><p>Published RCTs on the treatment of AMI by IABP were retrieved in searches of Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane and other related databases. The last search was conducted on July 20, 2014.</p><p>Study Eligibility Criteria</p><p>Randomized clinical trials comparing IABP to controls as treatment for AMI.</p><p>Participants</p><p>Patients with AMI.</p><p>Synthesis Methods</p><p>The primary endpoint was mortality, and the secondary endpoint was bleeding events. To account for to heterogeneity, a random-effects model was used to analyze the study data.</p><p>Results</p><p>Ten trials with a total population of 973 patients that were included in the analysis showed no significant difference in 2-month mortality between the IABP and the control groups. The 6-month mortality in the IABP group was not significantly lower than in the control group in the four RCTs that enrolled 59 AMI patients with CS. But in the four that enrolled AMI 66 patients without CS, the data showed opposite conclusion.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>IABP cannot reduce within 2 months and 6–12 months mortality of AMI patients with CS as well as within 2 months mortality of AMI patients without CS, but can reduce 6–12 months mortality of AMI patients without CS. In addition, IABP can increase the risk of bleeding.</p></div

Funnel plot of mortality within 6–12 months.

<p>Funnel plot of mortality within 6–12 months.</p

Methodological quality assessment of the included articles.

<p>N:No; U:Unclear; Y:Yes.</p><p>Methodological quality assessment of the included articles.</p

Forest plot of studies evaluating curative effect of IABP in mortality within 2 months.

<p>Forest plot of studies evaluating curative effect of IABP in mortality within 2 months.</p

Characteristics of the included articles.

<p>AR:after randomization; CS:cardiogenic shock; IABP:intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation pump; NR, not reported; PTCA:percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; TT: thrombolytic therapy; U, Unclear.</p><p>Characteristics of the included articles.</p