The angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor LCZ696 attenuates renal fibrosis via ASK1/JNK/p38 MAPK-mediated apoptosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction.

The angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor LCZ696 affords superior cardioprotection and renoprotection compared with renin-angiotensin blockade monotherapy, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, we evaluated whether LCZ696 attenuates renal fibrosis by inhibiting ASK1/JNK/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated apoptosis in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and in vitro. Rats with UUO were treated daily for 7 days with LCZ696, valsartan, or the selective ATP competitive inhibitor of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), GS-444217.

Generalized atmospheric turbulence MTF for wave propagating through non-Kolmogorov turbulence.

A generalized exponential spectrum model is derived, which considers finite turbulence inner and outer scales and has a general spectral power law value between the range 3 to 5 instead of standard power law value 11/3. Based on this generalized spectrum model, a new generalized long exposure turbulence modulation transfer function (MTF) is obtained for optical plane and spherical wave propagating through horizontal path in weak fluctuation turbulence. When the inner scale and outer scale are set to zero and infinite, respectively, the new generalized MTF is reduced to the classical generalized MTF derived from the non-Kolmogorov spectrum.