Liraglutide ameliorates TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure by upregulating expression level of ANP expression.

Recent studies have underscored the cardioprotective properties of liraglutide. This research explores its impact on cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure following transverse aortic constriction (TAC). We found that liraglutide administration markedly ameliorated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and function.

Short- and Long-term survival prediction in patients with acute type A aortic dissection undergoing open surgery.

Background: Acute Type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease associated with high mortality rates, where surgical intervention remains the primary life-saving treatment. However, the mortality rate for ATAAD operations continues to be alarmingly high. To address this critical issue, our study aimed to assess the correlation between preoperative laboratory examination, clinical imaging data, and postoperative mortality in ATAAD patients.

Updating mRNA variants of the human RSK4 gene and their expression in different stressed situations.

We determined RNA spectrum of the human RSK4 (hRSK4) gene (also called RPS6KA6) and identified 29 novel mRNA variants derived from alternative splicing, which, plus the NCBI-documented ones and the five we reported previously, totaled 50 hRSK4 RNAs that, by our bioinformatics analyses, encode 35 hRSK4 protein isoforms of 35-762 amino acids. Many of the mRNAs are bicistronic or tricistronic for hRSK4. The NCBI-normalized NM_014496.

Liraglutide attenuates angiotensin II-induced aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm via inhibiting M1 macrophage polarization in APOE mice.

Background: Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection (AAD) are severe cardiovascular conditions with potentially lethal consequences such as aortic rupture. Existing studies suggest that liraglutide, a long-acting glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, offers protective benefits across various cardiovascular diseases. However, the efficacy of liraglutide in mitigating AAD development is yet to be definitively elucidated.

Larixyl acetate, a TRPC6 inhibitor, attenuates pressure overload‑induced heart failure in mice.

Heart failure is a primary cause of global mortality. In the present study, whether larixyl acetate, an inhibitor of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily C member 6, attenuates pressure overload‑induced heart failure in mice was investigated. To test this hypothesis, a transverse aortic constriction (TAC) animal model and an angiotensin II (Ang II)‑treated H9c2 cell model were used.

Increased A1 astrocyte activation-driven hippocampal neural network abnormality mediates delirium-like behavior in aged mice undergoing cardiac surgery.

Delirium is the most common neurological complication after cardiac surgery with adverse impacts on surgical outcomes. Advanced age is an independent risk factor for delirium occurrence but its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Although increased A1 astrocytes and abnormal hippocampal networks are involved in neurodegenerative diseases, whether A1 astrocytes and hippocampal network changes are involved in the delirium-like behavior of aged mice remains unknown.

A machine learning approach for predicting descending thoracic aortic diameter.

Background: To establish models for predicting descending thoracic aortic diameters and provide evidence for selecting the size of the stent graft for TBAD patients.

Methods: A total of 200 candidates without severe deformation of aorta were included. CTA information was collected and 3D reconstructed.

Establishment of New Genetic Markers and Methods for Sex Determination of Mouse and Human Cells using Polymerase Chain Reactions and Crude DNA Samples.

The currently available methods for sexing human or mouse cells have weaknesses. Therefore, it is necessary to establish new methods. We used bioinformatics approach to identify genes that have alleles on both the X and Y chromosomes of mouse and human genomes and have a region showing a significant difference between the X and Y alleles.

ACTB and GAPDH appear at multiple SDS-PAGE positions, thus not suitable as reference genes for determining protein loading in techniques like Western blotting.

We performed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of human proteins with sodium dodecyl sulfate, isolated proteins at multiple positions, and then used liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine the protein identities. Although beta-actin (ACTB) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) are 41.7 and 36 kDa proteins, respectively, LC-MS/MS identified their peptides at all the positions studied.

At elevated temperatures, heat shock protein genes show altered ratios of different RNAs and expression of new RNAs, including several novel HSPB1 mRNAs encoding HSP27 protein isoforms.

Heat shock proteins (HSP) serve as chaperones to maintain the physiological conformation and function of numerous cellular proteins when the ambient temperature is increased. To determine how accurate the general assumption that HSP gene expression is increased in febrile situations is, the RNA levels of the HSF1 (heat shock transcription factor 1) gene and certain HSP genes were determined in three cell lines cultured at 37˚C or 39˚C for three days. At 39˚C, the expression of HSF1, HSPB1, HSP90AA1 and HSP70A1L genes demonstrated complex changes in the ratios of expression levels between different RNA variants of the same gene.

A reassessment of several erstwhile methods for isolating DNA fragments from agarose gels.

Molecular biology research often requires extraction of DNA fragments from agarose gels. In the past decades, there have been many methods developed for this purpose. Currently most researchers, especially novices, use commercial kits for this extraction, although these kits cost money and the procedures involved are not necessarily easier than some erstwhile methods.

Breeding Habitat Selection of Reeves's Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province, China.

Reeves's Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) is a threatened pheasant species endemic to China. The habitat use of territorial male birds was surveyed by the help of live decoys in a core area of Dongzhai National Nature Reserve. The breeding habitat selection of this pheasant was examined at two scales (115 m and 250 m scale, i.