Frequency-Aware Degradation Modeling for Real-World Thermal Image Super-Resolution.

The supervised super-resolution (SR) methods based on simple degradation assumptions (e.g., bicubic downsampling) have unsatisfactory generalization ability on real-world thermal images. To enhance the SR effect of real-world sceneries, we introduce an unsupervised SR framework for thermal images, incorporating degradation modeling and corresponding SR. Inspired by the physical prior that high frequency affects details and low frequency affects thermal contrast, we propose a frequency-aware degradation model, named TFADGAN. The model achieves image quality migration between thermal detectors of different resolutions by degrading different frequency components of the image from high-resolution (HR) to low-resolution (LR). Specifically, by adversarial learning with unpaired LR thermal images, the complex degradation processes of HR thermal images at low and high frequencies are modeled separately. Benefiting from the thermal characteristics mined from real-world images, the degraded images generated by TFADGAN are similar to LR thermal ones in terms of detail and contrast. Then, the SR model is trained based on the pseudo-paired data consisting of degraded images and HR images. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the degraded images generated by TFADGAN provide reliable alternatives to real-world LR thermal images. In real-world thermal image experiments, the proposed SR framework can improve the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity degree (SSIM) by 1.28 dB and 0.02, respectively.

Autophagic degradation of MVBs in LSECs promotes Aldosterone induced-HSCs activation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The important role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in liver fibrosis has been confirmed. However, EVs derived from liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and liver fibrosis is still unclear. Our previous work demonstrated that Aldosterone (Aldo) may have the potential to regulate EVs from LSECs via autophagy pathway. Thus, we aim to investigate the role of Aldo in the regulation of EVs derived from LSECs. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Using an Aldo-continuous pumping rat model, we observed that Aldo-induced liver fibrosis and capillarization of LSECs. In vitro, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that stimulation of Aldo led to the upregulation of autophagy and degradation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) in LSECs. Mechanistically, Aldo upregulated ATP6V0A2, which promoted lysosomal acidification and subsequent autophagy in LSECs. Inhibiting autophagy with si-ATG5 adeno-associated virus (AAV) in LSECs effectively mitigated Aldo-induced liver fibrosis in rats. RNA sequencing and nanoparticle tracking (NTA) analyses of EVs derived from LSECs indicated that Aldo result in a decrease in both the quantity and quality of EVs. We also observed a reduction in the protective miRNA-342-5P in EVs derived from Aldo-treated LSECs, which may play a critical role in HSCs activation. Target knockdown of EV secretion with si-RAB27a AAV in LSECs led to the development of liver fibrosis and HSC activation in rats. CONCLUSION: Aldo-induced Autophagic degradation of MVBs in LSECs promotes a decrease in the quantity and quality of EVs derived from LSECs, resulting in the activation of HSCs and liver fibrosis under hyperaldosteronism. Modulating the autophagy level of LSECs and their EV secretion may represent a promising therapeutic approach for treating liver fibrosis.

Caveolin-1 depletion attenuates hepatic fibrosis via promoting SQSTM1-mediated PFKL degradation in HSCs.

The key glycolytic enzyme phosphofructokinase (PFK) is responsible for maintaining glycolytic stability and an important energy source for activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). However, its regulation in activated HSCs remains unclear. Caveolin-1 (Cav1), a major constituent of caveolae, has emerged as a key target for triggering glycolysis. However, the relationship between Cav1 and glycolysis during HSC activation is not well established. In this study, Cav1 was upregulated in mouse and human fibrotic liver tissues. We concluded that HSC-specific Cav1 knockdown markedly alleviates liver injury and fibrosis. Mechanistically, Cav1 was elevated during primary mouse HSC activation, competing with SQSTM1 for the regulatory subunit of PFK liver type and inhibiting the SQSTM1-mediated autophagy-independent lysosomal degradation pathway to sustain HSC activation. We also identified the heptapeptide alamandine as a promising therapeutic agent that downregulates Cav1 protein levels via proteasomal degradation and may impair glycolysis. Our study provides evidence of the crucial role and mechanism of Cav1 in the glucose metabolic network in HSCs and highlights Cav1 as a critical therapeutic target for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Sacubitril/valsartan alleviates sepsis-induced acute lung injury via inhibiting GSDMD-dependent macrophage pyroptosis in mice.

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening disorder with intricate pathogenesis. Macrophage pyroptosis reportedly plays a vital role in ALI. Although it has been established that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) can reduce sepsis-induced organ injury, the efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan (SV) for sepsis has been largely understudied. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of SV in sepsis-induced ALI. Caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) were used to induce polymicrobial sepsis and related ALI. The therapeutic effects of SV in CLP mice were subsequently assessed. Gasdermin D (GSDMD)-/- mice were used to validate the signalling pathways affected by SV. In vitro, mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and Raw264.7 cells were treated with SV following exposure to lipopolysaccharide and adenosine triphosphate. Finally, the serum obtained from 42 septic patients was used for biochemical analysis. Compared to the other ARBs, SV yielded more pronounced anti-inflammatory effects on macrophages. In vivo, SV decreased mortality rates, significantly reduced lung damage and prevented the inflammatory response in CLP mice. In addition, SV suppressed GSDMD-mediated macrophage pyroptosis in mice. In BMDMs and Raw264.7 cells, the anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptosis properties of SV were verified. SV treatment effectively inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and prevented macrophage pyroptosis in a GSDMD-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found that septic individuals had considerably higher serum angiotensin II levels. Overall, we found that SV might prevent ALI in CLP mice by inhibiting GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis of macrophages. Thus, SV might be a viable drug for sepsis-induced ALI.

Redescription of the final stadium larva of Megalestes heros Needham from Fujian, China, with discussion of the characters of genus Megalestes Selys (Odonata: Zygoptera: Synlestidae).

The final stadium larva of Megalestes heros Needham, 1930 is redescribed and illustrated in detail. It is characterized by having a long and cylindrical body, a very long prementum with two end hooks of unequal size on lateral lobe, parallel wing sheaths, long and slender legs, female ovipositor short reaching the basal third of S10, and based on a distinct abdominal color pattern. The major diagnostic characters of the larvae of the genus Megalestes are as follows: (1) body smooth and slender, with long abdomen and leaf-shaped caudal gills; (2) antenna filiform, seven-segmented,third segment longest; (3) median cleft present in median lobe of prementum; lateral lobe with two end hooks of unequal size, the inner one being longer and larger than the outer, movable hook without setae; (4) wing sheaths parallel to each other.

The final stadium larva of Euphaea decorata Hagen in Selys, 1853, from Fujian, China (Odonata: Zygoptera: Euphaeidae).

The final stadium larva of Euphaea decorata Hagen in Selys is described and illustrated for the first time. The larva of E. decorata is typical of the genus and characterized by having a flat and long body with large saccoid caudal gills, seven pairs of lateral abdominal gills, two or three large and sharp spines in front of the ventral margin of the eyes, and tridentate palpal lobes of the prementum. The supposed larva of Rhipidolestes nectans is corrected to that of an unknown Euphaeidae. Known Euphaea larvae are shown to be generally very similar, but an old report suggests that the Indian species E. dispar and E. fraseri may show sufficient differences to restore them to the genus Indophaea.

Description of the final stadium larva of Macromia calliope Ris, 1916(Odonata: Anisoptera: Macromiidae).

The final stadium larva of Macromia calliope Ris is described and illustrated for the first time and diagnosed against other larvae of Chinese Macromia species on the basis of published descriptions. Among the fourteen known Chinese Macromia larvae, that of M. calliope can be separated from those of non-calliope-group species by having distinctive diamond-shaped black spots located at the outside of the base of the wing sheaths. And in five Chinese calliope-group species, the larva of M. calliope can be separated from that of M. flavocolorata by apical border of prementum not obviously projecting forwards; from that of M. septima by dorsal hook on S3 thinnest and tallest of all; from that of M. chui by a relatively smaller body; from that of M. urania by nine premental setae on each side of interior prementum, five longer ones accompanied medially by four shorter ones; and finally, from those of all other Chinese Macromia species by several distinctive large V-shaped black markings on mid-dorsum of distal abdominal segments.

Description of the final stadium larva of Heliocypha perforata perforata (Percheron), with discussion of the taxonomic characters of the larvae of the genus Heliocypha Fraser (Odonata: Zygoptera: Chlorocyphidae).

The final stadium larva of Heliocypha perforata perforata is described and illustrated for the first time. It is characterized by having a row of filiform setae present laterally on distal half of prementum, 6-7 setae on the outer side of palpal lobe, very long lateral gills and distinct abdominal color pattern. The taxonomic characters of the larvae of the genus Heliocypha Fraser are discussed and summarized. Heliocypha larvae share a high similarity with Rhinocypha in general appearance and cannot be clearly distinguished from the latter in structure.

Descriptions of the final stadium larva and female adult of Coeliccia mingxiensis Xu (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platycnemididae).

The final stadium larva of Coeliccia mingxiensis Xu is described and illustrated. The female adult is also described for the first time. The larva can be easily separated from all known Coeliccia larvae by the following distinct morphological characters: (1) prementum longest in all known Coeliccia larvae; median lobe with 4 pairs of premental setae and palpal lobe with 6 palpal setae; (2) caudal gills shortest of all known Coeliccia larvae when compared with body length; median gill rounded at apex and lateral gill with a small median projection at apex. The female is similar to the male in many respects, differing chiefly in several respects as follows: the transverse yellow band on vertex of head broader and straighter than in male; antehumeral stripe on mesepisternum somewhat incurved basally, not forming a strong hook, which is present in male; distal abdomen with obviously different colour pattern; anal appendages brownish-black, shorter than S10; vulvar scales robust, brownish-yellow, projecting well beyond end of abdomen.

Idionyxpseudovictor sp. nov. from Fujian, China (Odonata: Anisoptera: Corduliidae).

A new species of the genus Idionyx Hagen, I. pseudovictor sp. nov. from Fujian, China is described from the female, illustrated and diagnosed from its congeners. Description of the final stadium larva of the new species is also provided. The new species is closely similar to female I. victor. There are a series of relatively minor colour and pattern differences between these two female adults, as well as a series of obvious structural differences in larvae of these two species. The female adult of the new species can be separated from that of I. victor by the following characters: (1) labrum entirely yellow; (2) distal end of ventral synthorax entirely yellow; (3) abdominal S1-2 with complete middorsal yellow stripe; (4) valvula vulvae pointed triangularly, not projecting beyond apical border of 8th tergite. The larva of the new species can be separated from that of I. victor by the following characters: (1) body dark brown, covered with dense long hairs; (2) apical border of prementum with 10 spiniform setae on each side; (3) premental setae 5+3/5+3; (4) numerous fine bristles present on median lobe; (5) inner margin of palpal lobe with 6 large projections; and (6) movable hook long and acuminate.