Effects of fermented tofu processing wastewater on growth performance and meat quality of Xianghuang broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented tofu processing wastewater (FTPW) on the growth performance and meat quality of Xianghuang broilers. A total of 160 six-week-old Xianghuang broilers were randomly assigned to control or FTPW groups with eight replicate pens of 10 birds each pen. Broilers received the same corn-soybean diet but different water.

Full-length transcriptome sequencing provides new insights into the complexity of flavonoid biosynthesis in Glechoma longituba.

Glechoma longituba has been frequently used in treating urolithiasis and cholelithiasis due to the presence of flavonoids, which are its major bioactive constituents. However, research on the molecular background of flavonoid biosynthesis in G. longituba is limited.

Full-length transcriptome analysis provides insights into flavonoid biosynthesis in Ranunculus japonicus.

Ranunculus japonicus Thunb. is a traditional Chinese herb. Plants in the genus Ranunculus are generally rich in flavonoids, which have antibacterial, anti-infective, and other pharmacological effects.

Probing the transcriptome of Boehmeria nivea reveals candidate genes associated with the biosynthesis of chlorogenic acid.

Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Chlorogenic acids are major medically active components of Boehmeria nivea, which can be used clinically to treat hyperglycemia, pneumonia, and cancer.

Novel trigenic CACNA1C/DES/MYPN mutations in a family of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with early repolarization and short QT syndrome.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients with early repolarization (ER) pattern are at higher risk of ventricular arrhythmia, yet the genetic background of this situation has not been well investigated. Here we report novel trigenic mutations detected in a Chinese family of obstructive HCM with ER and short QT syndrome (SQTS).

Methods: Proband and family members underwent detailed medical assessments.

Effect of AMP-activated protein kinase activation on cardiac fibroblast proliferation induced by coxsackievirus B3.

Excessive fibroblast proliferation and collagen production are the major pathogenic mechanisms in the progression of viral myocarditis, which is most frequently associated with infection by coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been confirmed to be involved in the progression of myocardial remodeling. However, it remains unclear whether AMPK has an effect on CVB3-induced cardiac fibroblast proliferation.

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase reduces collagen production via p38 MAPK in cardiac fibroblasts induced by coxsackievirus B3.

Collagen deposition is the major cause of myocardial fibrosis, contributing to impaired cardiac contractile function in coxsackie virus B3 (CVB3)-infected hearts. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been considered as a cellular fuel gauge and super metabolic regulator, however, whether AMPK has an effect on collagen production in CVB3‑infected heart remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the association between AMPK activation and CVB3‑infected neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (NRCFs) was investigated.

[A multi-center survey on the therapeutic status of patients with acute myocardial infarction in Wuxi city of China].

Objective: To explore the characteristics and therapies of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Wuxi city, China.

Methods: A network was established to obtain information of patients with AMI who were admitted to 9 designated hospitals between 2011 and 2012. A total of 1 714 patients were enrolled (1 334 males, 754 smokers, 1 076 hypertension, 270 hyperlipidemia and 398 diabetes) including 1 410 patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 304 patients with acute non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Role of gamma-glutamyltransferase in cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases are threatening human health with rising morbidity and mortality rates. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease, and the prognosis of cardiovascular disease may be predicted by increasing GGT levels. GGT levels are related to cardiovascular emergencies of chronic heart failure, and an elevated GGT level has been shown to be an independent predictive maker for cardiac death and cardiac transplantation.