An integrative profiling of metabolome and transcriptome in the plasma and skeletal muscle following an exercise intervention in diet-induced obese mice

Exercise intervention at the early stage of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)can aid in the maintenance of blood glucose homeostasis and prevent the development of macrovascular and microvascular complications.However,the exercise-regulated pathways that prevent the development of T2DM remain largely unclear.In this study,two forms of exercise intervention,treadmill training and voluntary wheel running,were conducted for high-fat diet(HFD)-induced obese mice.We observed that both forms of exercise intervention alleviated HFD-induced insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.Skeletal muscle is recognized as the primary site for postprandial glucose uptake and for responsive alteration beyond exercise training.Metabolomic profiling of the plasma and skeletal muscle in Chow,HFD,and HFD-exercise groups revealed robust alterations in metabolic pathways by exercise intervention in both cases.Overlapping analysis identified nine metabolites,including beta-alanine,leucine,valine,and tryptophan,which were reversed by exercise treatment in both the plasma and skeletal muscle.Transcriptomic analysis of gene expression profiles in the skeletal muscle revealed several key pathways involved in the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolic homeostasis.In addition,integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses uncovered strong correlations between the concentrations of bioactive metabolites and the expression levels of genes involved in energy metabolism,insulin sensitivity,and immune response in the skeletal muscle.This work established two models of exercise intervention in obese mice and provided mechanistic insights into the beneficial effects of exercise intervention on systemic energy homeostasis.

Ordered mesoporous materials for water pollution treatment:Adsorption and catalysis

To meet the growing emission of water contaminants,the development of new materials that enhance the efficiency of the water treatment system is urgent.Ordered mesoporous materials provide opportunities in environmental processing applications due to their exceptionally high surface areas,large pore sizes,and enough pore volumes.These properties might enhance the performance of materials concerning adsorption/catalysis capability,durability,and stability.In this review,we enumerate the ordered mesoporous materials as adsorbents/catalysts and their modifications in water pollution treatment from the past decade,including heavy metals(Hg^(2+),Pb^(2+),Cd^(2+),Cr^(6+),etc.),toxic anions(nitrate,phosphate,fluoride,etc.),and organic contaminants(organic dyes,antibiotics,etc.).These contributions demonstrate a deep understanding of the synergistic effect between the incorporated framework and homogeneous active centers.Besides,the challenges and perspectives of the future developments of ordered mesoporous materials in wastewater treatment are proposed.This work provides a theoretical basis and complete summary for the application of ordered mesoporous materials in the removal of contaminants from aqueous solutions.

电极上气泡分离行为及其强化技术研究进展

电解水作为大规模生产氢气的途径,增强电解水效率对于氢能源的生产具有十分重要的意义。而如何提高电解水工艺的电解效率是一个被广泛关注的问题。在电解过程中,电极两端产生的气体有三种去向:逸出电解槽、溶解于电解质中、附着在电极上。但在电解过程中,附着在电极上的气泡会严重影响电极与电解质之间的接触面积,直接降低了电解效率。降低气泡在电极上的停留时间能够有效增加电解质与电极的接触时间,提高产氢效率。本工作主要综述了近年来促进电解过程中极板上氢氧气泡从电极分离行为的研究,分别从极板属性、电流、溶液浓度和外加物理场这几个方面对气泡成核、生长、聚结和分离行为进行了具体的归纳总结,讨论了各种强化气泡分离方法的特点,并展望了未来的发展方向和路线,为未来的电解气泡脱离技术的研究提供参考。

Microstructure-dependent Band Gaps for Elastic Wave Propagation in a Periodic Microbeam Structure

A new model for producing band gaps for flexural elastic wave propagation in a periodic microbeam structure is developed using an extended transfer matrix method and a non-classical Bernoulli–Euler beam model that incorporates the strain gradient,couple stress and velocity gradient effects.The band gaps predicted by the new model depend on the three microstructure-dependent material parameters of each constituent material,the beam thickness,the unit cell length and the volume fraction.A parametric study is conducted to quantitatively illustrate these factors.The numerical results reveal that the first band gap frequency range increases with the increases of the three microstructure-dependent material parameters,respectively.In addition,the band gap size predicted by the current model is always larger than that predicted by the classical model,and the difference is large for very thin beams.Furthermore,both the unit cell length and volume fraction have significant effects on the band gap.

β-cell dynamics in type 2 diabetes and in dietary and exercise interventions

Pancreaticβ-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance are two of the major causes of type 2 diabetes(T2D).Recent clinical and experimental studies have suggested that the functional capacity ofβ-cells,particularly in the first phase of insulin secretion,is a primary contributor to the progression of T2D and its associated complications.Pancreaticβ-cells undergo dynamic compensation and decompensation processes during the development of T2D,in which metabolic stresses such as endoplasmic reticulum stress,oxidative stress,and inflammatory signals are key regulators ofβ-cell dynamics.Dietary and exercise interventions have been shown to be effective approaches for the treatment of obesity and T2D,especially in the early stages.Whilst the targeted tissues and underlying mechanisms of dietary and exercise interventions remain somewhat vague,accumulating evidence has implicated the improvement ofβ-cell functional capacity.In this review,we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the dynamic adaptations ofβ-cell function in T2D progression and clarify the effects and mechanisms of dietary and exercise interventions onβ-cell dysfunction in T2D.This review provides molecular insights into the therapeutic effects of dietary and exercise interventions on T2D,and more importantly,it paves the way for future research on the related underlying mechanisms for developing precision prevention and treatment of T2D.