Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death,which is distinct from apoptosis,ne-crosis,and pyroptosis.Recent studies have found that activators of ferroptosis,such as Erastin,can activate autophagy-re-lated proteins,induce the formation of autophagosomes,and ultimately release ferric ions to mediate ferroptosis.This pro-cess,called ferritinophagy,is initiated by the binding of an autophagic cargo receptor protein,nuclear receptor coactivator 4(NCOA4),to iron-laden ferritin.The transfer of NCOA4-ferritin to the lysosome by ferritinophagy results in the proteoly-sis of ferritin,and,in turn,the release of its iron content and lipid-reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation.Ferritin-ophagy has been closely associated with central nervous system disorders,circulatory system diseases,and cancer.Fur-thermore,the regulation mechanism of ferritinophagy is also a hot topic in the study of iron-dependent cell death process.With the in-depth study of ferritinophagy,great progress has been made in the study of key components of ferritinophagy as well as its molecular mechanisms and processes.However,a comprehensive summary of the methods for detecting ferritin-ophagy is still unclear.To further deepen the understanding of ferritinophagy and its detection methods,this review focus-es on the concept,characteristics,methods,and precautions during detection of ferritinophagy.This review provided ex-perimental reference for subsequent researchers and promoting the progress of research related to ferritinophagy.

Objective:To investigate whether Lycopi Herba can serve as a viable alternative to Alismatis Rhizoma in the treatment of heart failure (HF) through network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques.Methods:TCMSP database was used to filter active components of Lycopi Herba and Alismatis Rhizoma. SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict potential targets. HF-related targets were collected from databases such as GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET. Venny 2.1.0 was used to draw a Venn diagram illustrating the intersection of targets between Lycopi Herba and Alismatis Rhizoma and HF. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using the String database, and key targets for the treatment of HF with Lycopi Herba and Alismatis Rhizoma were selected using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software to construct a component-intersection target network. The intersection targets were then analyzed for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways using Metascape. Molecular docking techniques were used to evaluate the affinity between active components and key targets.Results:Lycopi Herba primarily targeted pivotal proteins such as HMGCR and CYP27B1, while Alismatis Rhizoma had a broader target spectrum, including PPARA, JAK2, among others. Shared key targets between the two included HMGCR and ESR1, which were primarily involved in cholesterol synthesis and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Enrichment pathway analysis showed similarities in steroid metabolism between the two; Alismatis Rhizoma, however, was more likely to act through protein phosphorylation regulation and modulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway for HF treatment. A unique target for Lycopi Herba in treating HF was CHRM4, indicating its potential for blood pressure regulation and myocardial protection.Conclusions:Both Lycopi Herba and Alismatis Rhizoma exhibit certain commonalities in the treatment of HF, but Alismatis Rhizoma has a wider range of targets and signaling pathways, implying more extensive therapeutic potential. However, considering the nephrotoxicity of Alismatis Rhizoma, Lycopi Herba could be considered as an alternative treatment for HF, especially in patients with renal insufficiency or in the early stages of HF.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on the motor function and expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in skeletal muscle of SAMP8 mice;To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture in the treatment of the motor dysfunction of Alzheimer disease(AD).Methods Totally 247-month-old male SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into model group and electroacupuncture group,with 12 mice in each group,and the 12 male SAMR1 mice with the same age were set as the control group."Baihui","Dazhui"and"Shenshu"were selected in the electroacupuncture group,once a day,8 days as one course of treatment,with an interval of 2 days,for a total of 3 courses.The control group and the model group were not intervened.The motor function of mice was tested by grip strength test,pole climbing test and open field test,the mRNA expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in quadriceps muscle were detected by RT-qPCR,and the protein expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in quadriceps muscle were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.Results Compared with the control group,the grip peak and duration of the mice in the model group decreased,head turning time and pole climbing time were prolonged(P<0.01),the mRNA and protein expressions of Irisin and Decorin decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the expressions of Myostatin mRNA and protein increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the grip peak and duration of the mice in the electroacupuncture group increased,head turning time and pole climbing time were decreased(P<0.05),the mRNA and protein expressions of Irisin and Decorin increased(P<0.05),and the expressions of Myostatin mRNA and protein decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can improve the motor dysfunction of SAMP8 mice,and its mechanism may be related to regulating the expressions of Irisin,Decorin and Myostatin in skeletal muscle.

Objective:This study aimed to assess left atrial function in adults across various age groups using 4-dimensional automated left atrial quantification(4D Auto LAQ)technology.The study also aimed to compare the differences in two-dimensional(2D)and four-dimensional(4D)strains of the left atrium among different age groups, with the goal of enhancing the clinical utility of 4D Auto LAQ.Methods:A total of 409 healthy volunteers were recruited for the research.Two-dimensional and four-dimensional images were obtained using a GE Vivid E95 ultrasound system with a 4Vc four-dimensional probe.The study examined variations in 2D and 4D ultrasound parameters across various age groups.Furthermore, the relationship between left atrial reservoir strain(LASr), Left atrial conduit strain(LAScd), left atrial contraction strain(LASct), and age was explored.Results:The study involved 409 volunteers, with 217 males and 192 females, who were categorized into three age groups: young(18-45 years, n=56), middle-aged(46-65 years, n=202), and elderly(>65 years, n=151).Conventional ultrasound measurements indicated changes in left atrial anterior-posterior diameter with age progression: (31.70±3.65)mm for the young group, (34.02±3.91)mm for the middle-aged group, and(35.2±4.37)mm for the elderly group( P<0.01).The 2D and 4D left atrial parameters across the age groups were as follows: LASr(2D)(%): 37.48±7.51, 30.95±8.23, 26.9±7.56( P<0.01); LA VImax(ml/m 2): 23.54±5.79, 26.33±7.6, 28.99±8.15( P<0.01); LASr(%): 31.2±17.07, 22.5±8.59, 19.49±7.47( P<0.01).Both 2D and 4D left atrial parameters exhibited significant associations with age.Specifically, the correlations between LASr(2D)(%), LAScd(2D)(%), LASr(%), LAScd(%), and age were -0.429, 0.580, -0.354, 0.298, respectively( P<0.01). Conclusions:The 4D Auto LAQ technology is efficient in assessing left atrial function across various age groups, with age playing a significant role in influencing left atrial parameters.When compared to other ultrasound parameters, both 2D and 4D left atrial strain parameters have the ability to detect differences at an early stage, making them suitable for the early screening, evaluation, and monitoring of age-related left atrial dysfunction, especially in the elderly population.

Objective To evaluate the characteristics of a rat model of heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)induced by combined factors,and to investigate the correlation of myocardial strain parameters to myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis.Methods Eight WKY rats and eight spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)served as control groups and were fed normal feed until the end of the experiment.Thirty-two SHR rats were equally divided into SHR+S,SHR+F,SHR+SF,and SHR+Combined groups,and fed high-salt,high-fat,high-salt-fat,or high-salt-fat-sugar feed,respectively,in combination with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin for 30 weeks.After modeling,the heart weight/body weight(HW/BW)ratio,systolic blood pressure(SBP),and diastolic blood pressure(DBP)were measured.Echocardiography was performed to measure the left ventricular(LV)end-diastolic internal diameter(LVIDd),LV anterior wall thickness(LVAWd),LV posterior wall thickness(LVPWd),LV ejection fraction(LVEF),isovolumetric diastolic time(IVRT),and peak early diastolic passive filling velocity(E)/early diastolic mitral annular velocity(e').Speckle tracking echocardiography was conducted to determine the global longitudinal strain(GLS)and strain rate(GLSr),global radial strain(GRS)and strain rate(GRSr),as well as the global circumferential strain(GCS)and strain rate(GCSr).Serum was collected and analyzed for triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),glucose(GLU),and glycated serum protein(GSP).ELISA were used to measure serum B-type brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ),and galectin-3(Gal-3).Myocardial tissue was subjected to HE and Masson staining for cardiomyocytes and myocardial fibrosis,and the cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area(CSA)and collagen volume fraction(CVF)were calculated.Additionally,the correlation of myocardial strain parameters to CSA and CVF was analyzed.Results Compared with the control group,in model groups,especially the SHR+combined group,HW/BW,SBP,DBP,serum indexes(TC,TG,LDL-C,GLU,GSP,BNP,AngⅡ,and Gal-3)and echocardiographic parameters(LVIDd,LVAWd,LVPWd,IVRT,and E/e')were significantly up-regulated.Absolute values of speckle-tracking echocardiographic parameters(GLS,GLSr,GRS,GRSr,GCS,and GCSr)were decreased considerably.HE and Masson staining of myocardial tissues suggested marked cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis,and significant increases were observed in CSA and CVF(P＜0.05).Correlation analysis showed that GLSr,GCS,and GCSr were strongly linked to CSA,and GLS,GLSr,and GCSr were strongly linked to CVF(P＜0.01).Conclusions A rat model of HFpEF induced by hypertension and dysregulation of glucolipid metabolism replicated the basic characteristics of HFpEF in terms of etiology,clinical features,and myocardial pathological changes,and might be a reliable animal model of metabolic syndrome-related HFpEF.Moreover,myocardial strain indices were closely related to myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis and might indirectly reflect subtle myocardial lesions and dysfunction.

Vesicular glutamate transporter 2(VGlut2)is expressed in the PVN of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus(PVNVG1ut2)as an excitatory neurotransmitter,which regulates food intake and energy metabolism and plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis.However,it is not clear that the upstream and downstream projection network of PVNVGut2 neurons hinders the anal-ysis of glutamatergic neuron circuit function.Anterograde and retrograde tracer viruses were injec-ted into the PVN of VGlut2 mice by stereotactic brain injection technique to find the input and output nuclei of PVNVGlut2 neurons.Anterograde tracing results showed that PVNVGlut2 neurons pro-jected to the downstream medial amygdala(MeAD)and arcuate nucleus(ARC).Retrograde trac-ing results showed that PVNVGlut2 received input from the prefrontal nucleus(Pr),the reticular tegmental nucleus(RtTg),and the hypoglossal nucleus(12N).In addition,VGlut2 was found to be co-expressed with neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS)neurons in the PVN.The anatomical net-work of PVNVG1ut2 neurons was analyzed by virus tracking tool,which laid the anatomical founda-tion for further study on the functional regulation of PVNVGlut2.

In this study, we presented the isolation and characterization of eight novel seco-guaianolide sesquiterpenoids (1-8) and two known guaianolide derivatives (9 and 10), from the aerial part of Achillea alpina L.. Compounds 1-3 were identified as guaianolides bearing an oxygen insertion at the 2, 3 position, while compounds 4-8 belonged to a group of special 3-nor guaianolide sesquiterpenoids. The structural elucidation of 1-8, including their absolute configurations, were accomplished by a combination of spectroscopic data analysis and quantum electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. To evaluate the potential antidiabetic activity of compounds 1-10, we investigated their effects on glucose consumption in palmitic acid (PA)-mediated HepG2-insulin resistance (IR) cells. Among the tested compounds, compound 7 demonstrated the most pronounced ability to reverse IR. Moreover, a mechanistic investigation revealed that compound 7 exerted its antidiabetic effect by reducing the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which was achieved through the suppression of the NLRP3 pathway.
Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology* ; Circular Dichroism ; Cytokines ; Glucose ; Hep G2 Cells ; Insulin Resistance

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb) WhiB2 in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Methods:A recombinant vector of pET28a-WhiB2 for heterogeneous expression of WhiB2 was constructed. The target protein WhiB2 and the inclusion bodies were purified. The differences between denatured and non-denatured WhiB2 were analyzed by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance. Ferrous ion (Fe 2+ ) was used to restore the iron-sulfur cluster of WhiB2. The interaction between WhiB2 and the upstream promoter sequence of the WhiBMtb gene was analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance. The tertiary structure of WhiB2 and interacting proteins were analyzed and protein structure alignment was performed based on bioinformatics. Results:The structure of the renatured WhiB2 was basically the same as that of the non-denatuous WhiB2. In addition, Fe 2+ could restore the iron-sulfur cluster of WhiB2. It was found that WhiB2 could bind to the upstream promoter sequence of the WhiBMtb/WhiB2Ms gene. Conclusions:Mtb WhiB2 played a key role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis, which would contribute to future exploration of novel targets against Mtb.

Steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) has been widely used in the research of brain-computer interface (BCI) system in recent years. The advantages of SSVEP-BCI system include high classification accuracy, fast information transform rate and strong anti-interference ability. Most of the traditional researches induce SSVEP responses in low and middle frequency bands as control signals. However, SSVEP in this frequency band may cause visual fatigue and even induce epilepsy in subjects. In contrast, high-frequency SSVEP-BCI provides a more comfortable and natural interaction despite its lower amplitude and weaker response. Therefore, it has been widely concerned by researchers in recent years. This paper summarized and analyzed the related research of high-frequency SSVEP-BCI in the past ten years from the aspects of paradigm and algorithm. Finally, the application prospect and development direction of high-frequency SSVEP were discussed and prospected.
Humans ; Brain-Computer Interfaces ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Algorithms

The neural stimulator is a core component of animal robots. While the control effect of animal robots is influenced by various factors, the performance of the neural stimulator plays a decisive role in regulating animal robots. In order to optimize animal robots, embedded neural stimulators had been developed using flexible printed circuit board technology. This innovation not only enabled the stimulator to generate parameter-adjustable biphasic current pulses through control signals, but also optimized its carrying mode, material, and size, overcoming the disadvantages of traditional backpack or head-inserted stimulators, which have poor concealment and are prone to infection. Static, in vitro, and in vivo performance tests of the stimulator demonstrated that it not only had precise pulse waveform output capability, but also was lightweight and small in size. It had excellent in vivo performance in both laboratory and outdoor environments. Our study has high practical significance for the application of animal robots.
Animals ; Robotics