Astragaloside IV Prevents Obesity-Associated Hypertension by Improving Pro-Inflammatory Reaction and Leptin Resistance

Jiang, Ping,Ma, Dufang,Wang, Xue,Wang, Yongcheng,Bi, Yuxin,Yang, Jinlong,Wang, Xuebing,Li, Xiao Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2018 Molecules and cells Vol.41 No.3

Low-grade pro-inflammatory state and leptin resistance are important underlying mechanisms that contribute to obesity-associated hypertension. We tested the hypothesis that Astragaloside IV (As IV), known to counteract obesity and hypertension, could prevent obesity-associated hypertension by inhibiting pro-inflammatory reaction and leptin resistance. High-fat diet (HFD) induced obese rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the HFD control group (HF con group), As IV group, and the As IV + ${\alpha}$-bungaratoxin (${\alpha}-BGT$) group (As IV+${\alpha}-BGT$ group). As IV ($20mg{\cdot}Kg^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) was administrated to rats for 6 weeks via daily oral gavage. Body weight and blood pressure were continuously measured, and NE levels in the plasma and renal cortex was evaluated to reflect the sympathetic activity. The expressions of leptin receptor (LepRb) mRNA, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3), phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) mRNA, and protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) mRNA, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA and neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA were measured by Western blot or qRT-PCR to evaluate the hypothalamic leptin sensitivity. Additionally, we measured the protein or mRNA levels of ${\alpha}7nAChR$, inhibitor of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ kinase subunit ${\beta}/nuclear$ factor ${\kappa}B$ ($IKK{\beta}/NF-KB$) and pro-inflammatory cytokines ($IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$) in hypothalamus and adipose tissue to reflect the anti-inflammatory effects of As IV through upregulating expression of ${\alpha}7nAChR$. We found that As IV prevented body weight gain and adipose accumulation, and also improved metabolic disorders in HFD rats. Furthermore, As IV decreased BP and HR, as well as NE levels in blood and renal tissue. In the hypothalamus, As IV alleviated leptin resistance as evidenced by the increased p-STAT3, LepRb mRNA and POMC mRNA, and decreased p-PI3K, SOCS3 mRNA, and PTP1B mRNA. The effects of As IV on leptin sensitivity were related in part to the up-regulated ${\alpha}7nAchR$ and suppressed $IKK{\beta}/NF-KB$ signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hypothalamus and adipose tissue, since co-administration of ${\alpha}7nAChR$ selective antagonist ${\alpha}-BGT$ could weaken the improved effect of As IV on central leptin resistance. Our study suggested that As IV could efficiently prevent obesityassociated hypertension through inhibiting inflammatory reaction and improving leptin resistance; furthermore, these effects of As IV was partly related to the increased ${\alpha}7nAchR$ expression.

Astragaloside IV Prevents Obesity-Associated Hypertension by Improving Pro-Inflammatory Reaction and Leptin Resistance

Ping Jiang,Dufang Ma,Xue Wang,Yongcheng Wang,Yuxin Bi,Jinlong Yang,Xuebing Wang,Xiao Li 한국분자세포생물학회 2018 Molecules and cells Vol.41 No.3

Low-grade pro-inflammatory state and leptin resistance are important underlying mechanisms that contribute to obesityassociated hypertension. We tested the hypothesis that Astragaloside IV (As IV), known to counteract obesity and hypertension, could prevent obesity-associated hypertension by inhibiting pro-inflammatory reaction and leptin resistance. High-fat diet (HFD) induced obese rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the HFD control group (HF con group), As IV group, and the As IV + α-bungaratoxin (α-BGT) group (As IV+α-BGT group). As IV (20 mg·Kg-1·d-1) was administrated to rats for 6 weeks via daily oral gavage. Body weight and blood pressure were continuously measured, and NE levels in the plasma and renal cortex was evaluated to reflect the sympathetic activity. The expressions of leptin receptor (LepRb) mRNA, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3), phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) mRNA, and protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) mRNA, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA and neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA were measured by Western blot or qRT-PCR to evaluate the hypothalamic leptin sensitivity. Additionally, we measured the protein or mRNA levels of α7nAChR, inhibitor of nuclear factor κB kinase subunit β/nuclear factor κB (IKKβ/NF-KB) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) in hypothalamus and adipose tissue to reflect the anti-inflammatory effects of As IV through upregulating expression of α7nAChR. We found that As IV prevented body weight gain and adipose accumulation, and also improved metabolic disorders in HFD rats. Furthermore, As IV decreased BP and HR, as well as NE levels in blood and renal tissue. In the hypothalamus, As IV alleviated leptin resistance as evidenced by the increased p-STAT3, LepRb mRNA and POMC mRNA, and decreased p-PI3K, SOCS3 mRNA, and PTP1B mRNA. The effects of As IV on leptin sensitivity were related in part to the up-regulated α7nAchR and suppressed IKKβ/NF-KB signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hypothalamus and adipose tissue, since co-administration of α7nAChR selective antagonist α-BGT could weaken the improved effect of As IV on central leptin resistance. Our study suggested that As IV could efficiently prevent obesityassociated hypertension through inhibiting inflammatory reaction and improving leptin resistance; furthermore, these effects of As IV was partly related to the increased α7nAchR expression.

INTELLIGENT DESIGN FOR AUTOMOTIVE INTERIOR TRIM STRUCTURES BASED ON KNOWLEDGE RULE-BASED REASONING

Xuebing Wei,Hang Yuan,Hui Wang,Yizhe Chen 한국자동차공학회 2020 International journal of automotive technology Vol.21 No.5

An intelligent design method is presented for automotive interior trim structures based on rule-based reasoning. Design experience knowledge and design process are expressed as production rules, in which geometry model operations are integrated. Rule-based reasoning and model-associated operating are unified in one process. By rule-based reasoning, the intelligent design of interior trim structures is achieved. The method is designed as a three-layer architecture, including the interactive layer, the reasoning and executing layer and the knowledge library layer. The design of interactive dialog is implemented by NX/Open Block UI tool. The knowledge library, including the rule knowledge library and parameter knowledge library, is designed to store design knowledge rules and experience parameters. Each rule is designed in a class form. The data member is the condition of the production rule, and the member function performs operations described by the result of the production rule. The reasoning and executing module is designed through rule-based reasoning, which matches the design rules from the knowledge library according to known facts, calls model operations and updates facts. Based on NX platform, the intelligent design system is implemented by using NX/Open and C++ codes. Finally, the intelligence and efficiency of this method is verified.

Bond deterioration of corroded steel in two different concrete mixes

Haijun Zhou,Xuebing Liang,Zeqiang Wang,Xiaolin Zhang,Feng Xing 국제구조공학회 2017 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.63 No.6

This paper investigated the effects of rebar corrosion on bond performance between rebar and two different concrete mixes (compressive strengths of 20.7 MPa and 44.4 MPa). The specimen was designed as a rebar centrally embedded in a 200 mm concrete cube, with two stirrups around the rebar to supply confinement. An electrochemical accelerated corrosion technique was applied to corrode the rebar. 120 specimens of two different concrete mixes with various reinforcing steel corrosion levels were manufactured. The corrosion crack opening width and length were recorded in detail during and after the corrosion process. Three different loading schemes: monotonic pull-out load, 10 cycles of constant slip loading followed by pullout and varied slip loading followed by pull-out, were carried out on the specimens. The effects of rebar corrosion with two different concrete mixes on corrosion crack opening, bond strength and corresponding slip value, initial slope of bond-slip curve, residual bond stress, mechanical interaction stress, and energy dissipation, were discussed in detail. The mean value and coefficient of variation of these parameters were also derived. It was found that the coefficient of variation of the parameters of the corroded specimens was larger than those with intact rebar. There is also obvious difference in the two different concrete mixes for the effects of rebar corrosion on bond-slip parameters.

Compressive Mechanical Properties and Shock-Induced Reaction Behavior of a Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr Alloy

Zhiping Guo,Ran Liu,Chuan Ting Wang,Yong He,Yuan He,Yue Ma,Xuebing Hu 대한금속·재료학회 2020 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.26 No.10

The compressive mechanical properties of a Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr alloy were investigated at room temperature under variousstrain rates. The parameters of a modified Johnson–Cook constitutive equation were determined to describe the strainsoftening behavior under dynamic conditions. The testing results under compression show yield strength evidently increaseswith the increase of the strain rate. Moreover, it was found that the strain-rate effect of the yield strength upon dynamicdeformation is more significant than that upon quasi-static deformation. In order to characterize the impact-initiated reactionbehavior of Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr alloy, the quasi-sealed test chamber was used to measure the pressure caused by energyreleased of fragments. It was obviously shown that the exothermic chemical reaction was more intense with the increase ofimpact velocity.