The Role of KLF4 in Alzheimer’s Disease

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a member of the family of zinc-finger transcription factors, is widely expressed in range of tissues that play multiple functions. Emerging evidence suggest KLF4’s critical regulatory effect on the neurophysiological and neuropathological processes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), indicating that KLF4 might be a potential therapeutic target of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will summarize relevant studies and illuminate the regulatory role of KLF4 in the neuroinflammation, neuronal apoptosis, axon regeneration and iron accumulation to clarify KLF4’s status in the pathogenesis of AD

Recent Advances in Herbal Medicines for Digestive System Malignancies

Herbal medicines, as an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been used to treat digestive system malignancies (DSM) for many years, and have gradually gained recognition worldwide. The role of herbal medicines in the comprehensive treatment of DSM is being improved from adjuvant treatment of the autologous immune function in cancer patients, to the treatment of both the symptoms and disease, direct inhibition of tumor cell growth and proliferation, and induction of tumor cell autophagy and apoptosis. Their specific mechanisms in these treatments are also being explored. The paper reviews the current anti-tumor mechanisms of TCM, including single herbal medicines, Chinese herbal formulations, Chinese medicine preparations and TCM extract, and their application in the comprehensive treatment of digestive system tumors, providing a reference for clinical application of TCM

Role of Leptin in Mood Disorder and Neurodegenerative Disease

The critical regulatory role of leptin in the neuroendocrine system has been widely reported. Significantly, leptin can improve learning and memory, affect hippocampal synaptic plasticity, exert neuroprotective efficacy and reduce the risk of several neuropsychiatric diseases. In terms of depression, leptin could modulate the levels of neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors and reverse the dysfunction in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). At the same time, leptin affects neurological diseases during the regulation of metabolic homeostasis. With regards to neurodegenerative diseases, leptin can affect them via neuroprotection, mainly including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. This review will summarize the mechanisms of leptin signaling within the neuroendocrine system with respect to these diseases and discuss the therapeutic potential of leptin

The First Data Release of the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey

The Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS) is a new wide-field legacy imaging survey in the northern Galactic cap using the 2.3m Bok telescope. The survey will cover about 5400 deg$^2$ in the $g$ and $r$ bands, and the expected 5$\sigma$ depths (corrected for the Galactic extinction) in the two bands are 24.0 and 23.4 mag, respectively. BASS started observations in January 2015, and has completed about 41% of the whole area as of July 2016. The first data release contains both calibrated images and photometric catalogs obtained in 2015 and 2016. The depths of single-epoch images in the two bands are 23.4 and 22.9 mag, and the full depths of three epochs are about 24.1 and 23.5 mag, respectively.Comment: 16 pages, published by A

Heat shock proteins in stabilization of spontaneously restored sinus rhythm in permanent atrial fibrillation patients after mitral valve surgery

A spontaneously restored sinus rhythm in permanent atrial fibrillation patients has been often observed after mitral valve (MV) surgery, but persisting duration in sinus rhythm varies from patient to patient. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) may be involved in pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation. We hypothesized that stabilization of restored sinus rhythm is associated with expression of Hsps in the atria. To test this hypothesis, clinical data, biopsies of right atrial appendage, and blood samples were collected from 135 atrial fibrillation patients who spontaneously restored sinus rhythm after conventional isolated MV replacement. Comparison was made between patients who had recurrence of atrial fibrillation within 7 days (AF) vs. patients with persisted sinus rhythm for more than 7 days (SR). Results showed that SR patients had higher activity of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) as well as upregulated expressions of heat shock cognate 70, Hsp70, and Hsp27 in the tissues. The activation of HSF1–Hsps pathway was associated with less-aggressive pathogenesis as reflected by lower rates of myolysis, apoptosis, interstitial fibrosis, and inflammation in SR patients. However, Hsp60 was lower in both tissue and plasma in SR patients, and was positively correlated with apoptosis, interstitial fibrosis, and inflammation. These findings suggest that the Hsps play important roles in stabilization of restored sinus rhythm after MV surgery by inhibiting AF-related atrial remodeling and arrhythmogenic substrates in atrial fibrillation patients. Low circulating Hsp60 levels preoperatively might predict a stable spontaneously restored sinus rhythm postoperatively

Photosynthetic Characteristics of Three Cohabitated Macroalgae in the Daya Bay, and Their Responses to Temperature Rises

Biochemical compositions and photosynthetic characteristics of three naturally cohabitated macroalgae, Ulva fasciata, Sargassum hemiphyllum and Grateloupia livida, were comparably explored in the field conditions in Daya Bay, northern South China Sea, as well as their responses to temperature rise. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) and carotenoids contents of U. fasciata were 1.00 ± 0.15 and 0.57 ± 0.08 mg g−1 in fresh weight (FW), being about one- and two-fold higher than that of S. hemiphyllum and G. livida; and the carbohydrate content was 20.3 ± 0.07 mg g−1 FW, being about three- and one-fold higher, respectively. Throughout the day, the maximal photochemical quantum yield (FV/FM) of Photosystem II (PS II) of these three macroalgae species decreased from morning to noon, then increased to dusk and kept steady at nighttime. Consistently, the rapid light curve-derived light utilization efficiency (α) and maximum relative electron transfer rate (rETRmax) were lower at noon than that at morning- or night-time. The FV/FM of U. fasciata (varying from 0.78 to 0.32) was 38% higher than that of G. livida throughout the day, and that of S. hemiphyllum was intermediate. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in U. fasciata were lower than that in S. hemiphyllum and G. livida. Moreover, the rises in temperature species-specifically mediated the damage (k) caused by stressful high light and the corresponding repair (r) to photosynthetic apparatus, making the r/k ratio increase with the rising temperature in U. fasciata, unchanged in S. hemiphyllum but decreased in G. livida. Our results indicate that U. fasciata may compete with S. hemiphyllum or G. livida and dominate the macroalgae community under aggravatedly warming future in the Daya Bay

Effect of Frying Conditions on Self-Heating Fried Spanish Mackerel Quality Attributes and Flavor Characteristics

In this study, we investigated the effects of different frying conditions on the quality characteristics of fried Spanish mackerel (Scaberulous niphonius) to address the food quality degradation of self-heating fish products after frying, sterilization, and reheating. Furthermore, the effect of different moisture contents (65%, 60%, 55%, and 50%) of fried Spanish mackerel on texture, color, and microstructure after sterilization and self-heating were examined. The flavor fingerprints of different frying temperatures (140 °C, 160 °C, 180 °C, and 200 °C) coupled with the optimal moisture content were identified; furthermore, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were studied using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) with principal component analysis (PCA). The results indicated that the shear force value significantly increased, while the hardness and chewiness significantly decreased simultaneously with decreasing moisture content. Samples containing 65% moisture content showed the highest L*, a*, and W values, while their b* value was the lowest, and the most clearly visible fibrous veins with tiny cracks could be observed in them. Samples fried at 160 °C and 65% moisture content exhibited the richest VOCs, with a greasy or fried aroma. Based on the PCA, there were significant differences in the sample VOCs under different frying conditions. In summary, among all treatments, frying at 160 °C with 65% moisture content resulted in the highest food quality of fish filets. The results of this study could provide a theoretical basis for improving the food quality of self-heated fish products

Photosynthetic Characteristics of Three Cohabitated Macroalgae in the Daya Bay, and Their Responses to Temperature Rises

Biochemical compositions and photosynthetic characteristics of three naturally cohabitated macroalgae, Ulva fasciata, Sargassum hemiphyllum and Grateloupia livida, were comparably explored in the field conditions in Daya Bay, northern South China Sea, as well as their responses to temperature rise. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) and carotenoids contents of U. fasciata were 1.00 ± 0.15 and 0.57 ± 0.08 mg g−1 in fresh weight (FW), being about one- and two-fold higher than that of S. hemiphyllum and G. livida; and the carbohydrate content was 20.3 ± 0.07 mg g−1 FW, being about three- and one-fold higher, respectively. Throughout the day, the maximal photochemical quantum yield (FV/FM) of Photosystem II (PS II) of these three macroalgae species decreased from morning to noon, then increased to dusk and kept steady at nighttime. Consistently, the rapid light curve-derived light utilization efficiency (α) and maximum relative electron transfer rate (rETRmax) were lower at noon than that at morning- or night-time. The FV/FM of U. fasciata (varying from 0.78 to 0.32) was 38% higher than that of G. livida throughout the day, and that of S. hemiphyllum was intermediate. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in U. fasciata were lower than that in S. hemiphyllum and G. livida. Moreover, the rises in temperature species-specifically mediated the damage (k) caused by stressful high light and the corresponding repair (r) to photosynthetic apparatus, making the r/k ratio increase with the rising temperature in U. fasciata, unchanged in S. hemiphyllum but decreased in G. livida. Our results indicate that U. fasciata may compete with S. hemiphyllum or G. livida and dominate the macroalgae community under aggravatedly warming future in the Daya Bay