The Age-Sensitive Efficacy of Calorie Restriction on Mitochondrial Biogenesis and mtDNA Damage in Rat Liver

Calorie restriction (CR) is the most efficacious treatment to delay the onset of age-related changes such as mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the sensitivity of mitochondrial markers to CR and the age-related boundaries of CR efficacy are not fully elucidated. We used liver samples from ad libitum-fed (AL) rats divided in: 18-month-old (AL-18), 28-month-old (AL-28), and 32-month-old (AL-32) groups, and from CR-treated (CR) 28-month-old (CR-28) and 32-month-old (CR-32) counterparts to assay the effect of CR on several mitochondrial markers. The age-related decreases in citrate synthase activity, in TFAM, MFN2, and DRP1 protein amounts and in the mtDNA content in the AL-28 group were prevented in CR-28 counterparts. Accordingly, CR reduced oxidative mtDNA damage assessed through the incidence of oxidized purines at specific mtDNA regions in CR-28 animals. These findings support the anti-aging effect of CR up to 28 months. Conversely, the protein amounts of LonP1, Cyt c, OGG1, and APE1 and the 4.8 Kb mtDNA deletion content were not affected in CR-28 rats. The absence of significant differences between the AL-32 values and the CR-32 counterparts suggests an age-related boundary of CR efficacy at this age. However, this only partially curtails the CR benefits in counteracting the generalized aging decline and the related mitochondrial involvement.     

Optimizing the stability and electrical transport properties of CeNbO4+δ-based oxide ceramics by regulating oxygen ion content

CeNbO_4+δ ceramics have attracted extensive research interest because of their unique mixed ion-electron transport characteristics and interesting structure-functional characteristics caused by the difference in oxygen ion content. Although the change of oxygen ion content brings rich redox properties, it also causes serious crystal transformation and abnormal electrical transport properties. In order to obtain stable structure and excellent electrical transport properties, the directional regulation of the oxygen ion content has been realized through introducing Al₂O₃ and high temperature aging. After 600 h of aging at 1073 K, the prepared composite ceramics not only obtain a stable structure without crystal transformation, but also show good negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor characteristics in the temperature range of 473 K–1273 K, in which the linear fitting maximum Pearson's r of the relationship between lnρ and 1000/T can reach 99.97%. The proposed method provides a new thought for the design and application of high-temperature electronic ceramics.     

Corrosion behaviour of an industrial shot-peened and coated automotive spring steel AISI 9254

A high-strength low-alloy steel, AISI 9254 (54SiCr6), is widely used for suspension spring production in the automotive industry. In this work, industrially manufactured zinc phosphate coated helical springs are subjected to detailed microstructural and surface analysis for better understanding of corrosion evolution. The material’s free corrosion potential and anodic/cathodic behaviour were investigated in NaCl solutions and corrosion propagation mechanisms were studied using potentiostatic polarisation on cross-sectional and external surfaces. The bulk material is fully martensite with uniformly distributed MnS inclusions, while the spring surface has a 2–3?μm mechanically deformed region introduced by shot-peening and a thin zinc phosphate coating. The corrosion open circuit potential of bulk material and shot-peened spring surface was about –0.7V_SCE without significant difference, while phosphated surface is more noble (more positive potential). MnS inclusions, stimulating the anodic attack in the steel, influence corrosion propagation and pit morphology to a large extent that can have an impact on the spring performance.     

Sarcopenia: Molecular Pathways and Potential Targets for Intervention

Aging is associated with sarcopenia. The loss of strength results in decreased muscle mass and motor function. This process accelerates the progressive muscle deterioration observed in older adults, favoring the presence of debilitating pathologies. In addition, sarcopenia leads to a decrease in quality of life, significantly affecting self-sufficiency. Altogether, these results in an increase in economic resources from the National Health Systems devoted to mitigating this problem in the elderly, particularly in developed countries. Different etiological determinants are involved in the progression of the disease, including: neurological factors, endocrine alterations, as well as nutritional and lifestyle changes related to the adoption of more sedentary habits. Molecular and cellular mechanisms have not been clearly characterized, resulting in the absence of an effective treatment for sarcopenia. Nevertheless, physical activity seems to be the sole strategy to delay sarcopenia and its symptoms. The present review intends to bring together the data explaining how physical activity modulates at a molecular and cellular level all factors that predispose or favor the progression of this deteriorating pathology.     

时效工艺对纳米结构2297铝锂合金力学性能与微观组织的影响

采用535 ℃×2 h固溶制度,将热锻态2297铝锂合金固溶水淬后冷轧,冷轧压下量为95%,然后将轧制样品在不同温度(120~190 ℃)和时间(0~80 h)范围内进行时效处理。采用拉伸、扫描电镜(SEM)和透射电镜(TEM)等测试方法,分析时效温度和时间对铝锂合金组织与性能的影响。结果表明:时效前的大塑性变形能获得纳米结构组织,能促进T₁相均匀细小地析出,缩短合金达到峰时效的时间,最终成功制备了高强高塑性铝锂合金。在120~140 ℃温区内时效时,时效温度越高,达到峰时效的时间越短、强度越高。140 ℃达到峰时效时间缩短为40 h,此时合金的抗拉强度、屈服强度和伸长率分别为525 MPa、478 MPa和7.7%,主要强化相为细小的T₁相。在170~190 ℃温区内时效时,时效温度越高,达到峰时效的时间越短,但抗拉强度与屈服强度迅速下降。170 ℃时效8 h达到峰时效状态,此时合金的抗拉强度、屈服强度和伸长率分别是503 MPa、462 MPa和5.0%,主要强化相仍为T₁相,但已经明显粗化。     

巴马长寿饮食模式在衰老小鼠模型中的抗氧化应激效果

为了验证巴马长寿饮食模式的抗衰老作用,通过给小鼠皮下注射D-半乳糖(500 mg/(kg·d))制备衰老模型,根据本团队前期研究结果,选取巴马长寿老人饮食中具有代表性的营养特征(能量限制及VA、大豆异黄酮、膳食纤维、微量元素铁、锰、钴、硒的摄入),分别设计了能限组、胡豆组、纤维组、元素组和复合组饮食,并以自由采食的方式饲喂小鼠,连续8周。对小鼠血清、肝脏和脑组织中丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)水平、血清和脑组织中总超氧化物歧化酶(total superoxide dismutase,T-SOD)活力、肝脏和脑组织中总抗氧化能力(total antioxidant capacity,T-AOC)进行测定。结果表明:与衰老组小鼠相比,5种特征饮食都能抑制小鼠体内MDA的蓄积,提高抗氧化酶活力和T-AOC;通过正向化和无量纲化处理,发现复合组饮食抗氧化应激效果最强,能显著抑制衰老小鼠血清、肝脏和脑组织中MDA蓄积(P0.05),使血清中T-SOD活力增强12.33%(P0.05),并使肝脏中T-AOC显著提高35.35%(P0.05)。5种模式综合量化评价的顺序为:复合组胡豆组能限组纤维组元素组。说明巴马长寿饮食模式对D-半乳糖致衰老小鼠有明显的抗氧化应激作用,这也预示着其具有较显著的抗衰老作用效果和良好的开发潜力。     

Nb和时效时间对热轧中锰TRIP钢中P偏聚的影响

热轧态中锰TRIP钢首先经650 ℃退火2 h,随后在550 ℃进行等温时效热处理,采用场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)研究该钢中P的偏聚和时效析出行为的变化情况。结果表明,中锰TRIP钢中P在晶界的偏聚是一种非平衡偏聚现象,临界时间约为50 h,与理论计算结果48 h较为吻合。在局部偏聚区域内,C与P存在共偏聚的关系,即P偏聚量高的地方,C含量也高。而合金元素Nb具有抑制P偏聚的效果,在20~70 h时效时间内,可以相对降低6.57%~19.5%的最大P偏聚量。根据电子背散射衍射(EBSD)菊池线分析,P偏聚量低于2.28at%时,P为固溶状态,高于2.28at.%时,P为析出状态。     

热处理对挤压态Mg-6Gd-5Y-1Zn合金组织与性能的影响

通过对Mg-6Gd-5Y-1Zn(质量分数,%)合金在固溶和时效处理状态下显微组织和力学性能的研究发现,α-Mg基体、沿挤压方向分布的条状18R-LPSO相、少量的Mg₂₄(GdYZn)₅ 相以及细层片状的14H-LPSO相构成了挤压态合金的组成相。挤压态合金经固溶(T4)处理后,一部分18R-LPSO相溶入基体,并且基体中的14H-LPSO相伸长同时粗化。挤压态合金经过固溶加时效(T6)处理后,大量β′相从α-Mg基体中析出。T6态合金的室温力学性能最好,其屈服强度、抗拉强度及伸长率分别为272 MPa、406 MPa和6.1%。β′相沉淀也发生在挤压态合金的直接人工时效(T5)处理过程,但相比于T6处理,14H-LPSO相和β′相在基体中的体积分数均偏低。