Red Blood Cell Morphology Is Associated with Altered Hemorheological Properties and Fatigue in Patients with Long COVID.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection adversely affects rheological parameters, particularly red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and deformability, but whether these changes persist in patients suffering from Long-COVID (LC) and whether these changes are related to RBC morphology remain unknown.

Methods: Venous blood was collected from = 30 diagnosed LC patients and = 30 non-LC controls and RBC deformability, RBC aggregation, and hematological parameters were measured. In addition, RBCs were examined microscopically for morphological abnormalities.

Individualized and Controlled Exercise Training Improves Fatigue and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Long-COVID.

(1) Background: Long-term health effects after SARS-CoV-2 infections can manifest in a plethora of symptoms, significantly impacting the quality of life of affected individuals. (2) Aim: The present paper aimed to assess the effects of an individualized and controlled exercise intervention on fatigue and exercise capacity among Long-COVID (LC) patients in an ambulatory setting. (3) Methods: Forty-one (n = 41) LC patients performed an exercise protocol with an individualized control of the patients' training intensity during the study period based on the individual's ability to achieve the target criteria.

Identifying Factors That Might Affect Outcomes of Exercise-Based Therapies in Long-COVID.

Background: Long-COVID, which might develop after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, is a rather new disease without standardized treatment strategies. A large number of approaches that integrate physical activity have been described in the literature, and this systematic review aims to examine changes in symptom severity, physical fitness, respiratory symptoms and quality of life during training and identify factors that might influence the respective outcomes.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using the databases Pubmed, PEDro, BioMed Central, EBSCOhost, ProQuest and the ZBSport from 13 February 2024 to 27 February 2024, and 39 studies fulfilled the search criteria.

Electroacupuncture on GB acupoints improves osteoporosis via the estradiol-PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

Recent studies have reported that electroacupuncture (EA) can treat osteoporosis, but most of which were based on the "kidney governing bones" theory. However, the ancient Chinese medical textbook pointed out that "Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang" correlates with bone diseases, including osteoporosis, although the therapeutic regimens were lost after the Tang Dynasty. Here, we explored whether EA at GB points improves osteoporosis and its underlying mechanism.

Exploring heat shock proteins as therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein (α-syn). Promoting the degradation of misfolded proteins has been shown to be an effective approach to alleviate PD. This review highlights the roles of specific heat shock proteins (HSPs) in modulating α-syn aggregation and neuronal survival.

ASSIGN score and cancer risk in the Scottish Heart Health Extended Cohort (SHHEC) study.

Background: The aim of this work was to determine whether the ASSIGN cardiovascular disease (CVD) score, a 10-year CVD risk score used in primary care in Scotland, could additionally detect cancer risk.

Methods: 18,107 participants were recruited to the Scottish Heart Health Extended Cohort (SHHEC) study between 1982 and 1995. Information on health and lifestyle were collected, along with blood and urine, and participants were followed up via record linkage to 2017.

Acute exercise boosts NAD metabolism of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) coenzymes are the central electron carriers in biological energy metabolism. Low NAD levels are proposed as a hallmark of ageing and several diseases, which has given rise to therapeutic strategies that aim to tackle these conditions by boosting NAD levels. As a lifestyle factor with preventive and therapeutic effects, exercise increases NAD levels across various tissues, but so far human trials are mostly focused on skeletal muscle.

Optimizing the lifestyle of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus - Systematic review on the effects of combined diet-and-exercise interventions.

Aim: To investigate the effects of combined diet-and-exercise interventions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Data Synthesis: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and BISp Surf databases (latest update in June 2024). A total of 14706 records was identified.

Predicting new-onset persistent conduction disturbance following transcatheter aortic valve replacement: the usefulness of FEOPS finite element analysis.

Background: Despite the frequency of persistent new-onset conduction disturbances after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), few preoperative methods of prediction exist.

Methods: Patients who underwent TAVR in the Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of the Army Medical University from December 2020 to September 2021 and postoperative aortic root modeling via the FEOPS finite element analysis were included in this single-center case-control study, divided into persistent conduction disturbances (PCD) and non-PCD groups according to their pre- and postoperative electrocardiograms in the first month. Risk factors affecting PCD were identified by comparing the baseline data of these two groups, including echocardiograms, computed tomography angiography of the aortic root, surgical decision-making, and FEOPS data.

The transfer of double cleavage embryos developed from two four-cell embryos may not represent an optimal treatment strategy in cycles with a greater number of four-cell embryos on Day 2.

Objective: This study examined the impact of the number of Day 2 four-cell (D2-4C) embryos on double embryo transfer and blastocyst culture therapy in the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 1039 blastocyst culture cycles to compare outcomes between available and unavailable blastocyst cycles, emphasizing the relationship between the number of D2-4C embryos and blastocyst availability. Furthermore, the correlation between four-cell embryo counts and live births was analyzed in 986 transfer cycles.

Identification of the optimal reference genes for atrial fibrillation model established by iPSC-derived atrial myocytes.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) stands as a prevalent and detrimental arrhythmic disorder, characterized by intricate pathophysiological mechanisms. The availability of reliable and reproducible AF models is pivotal in unraveling the underlying mechanisms of this complex condition. Unfortunately, the researchers are still confronted with the absence of consistent in vitro AF models, hindering progress in this crucial area of research.

Mapping the landscape of PSC-CM research through bibliometric analysis.

Objectives: The discovery of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (PSC-CMs) has not only deepened our understanding of the pathogenesis and progression of heart disease, but also advanced the development of engineered cardiac tissues, cardiac regenerative therapy, drug discovery and the cardiotoxicity assessment of drugs. This study aims to visualize the developmental trajectory of PSC-CM research over the past 18 years to identify the emerging research frontiers and challenges.

Methods: The literature on PSC-CMs from 2007 to 2024 was retrieved from the Web of Science and PubMed databases.

Exosomes Induce Crosstalk Between Multiple Types of Cells and Cardiac Fibroblasts: Therapeutic Potential for Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction.

Recanalization therapy can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, infarction or reperfusion-induced cardiomyocyte death, immune cell infiltration, fibroblast proliferation, and scarring formation lead to cardiac remodeling and gradually progress to heart failure or arrhythmia, resulting in a high mortality rate. Due to the inability of cardiomyocytes to regenerate, the healing of infarcted myocardium mainly relies on the formation of scars.

The role and mechanism of vascular wall cell ion channels in vascular fibrosis remodeling.

Fibrosis is usually the final pathological state of many chronic inflammatory diseases and may lead to organ malfunction. Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules is a characteristic of most fibrotic tissues. The blood vessel wall contains three layers of membrane structure, including the intima, which is composed of endothelial cells; the media, which is composed of smooth muscle cells; and the adventitia, which is formed by the interaction of connective tissue and fibroblasts.

A hybrid deep learning network for automatic diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia based on 12-lead ECG.

Cardiac arrhythmias are the leading cause of death and pose a huge health and economic burden globally. Electrocardiography (ECG) is an effective technique for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases because of its noninvasive and cost-effective advantages. However, traditional ECG analysis relies heavily on the clinical experience of physicians, which can be challenging and time-consuming to produce valid diagnostic results.

A recombinant fragment antigen-binding (Fab) of trastuzumab displays low cytotoxic profile in adult human cardiomyocytes: first evidence and the key implication of FcγRIIA receptor.

Fragment crystallizable gamma receptors (FcγRs) mediate various cellular responses with significant cardiovascular implications. They contribute to the anticancer activity of trastuzumab (TRZ), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that interferes with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), thereby blocking its physiological function in cardiac cells. This is responsible for cardiac complications that hamper TRZ clinical application.

History of tobacco smoking and alcohol use can predict the effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy in individuals with schizophrenia: A multicenter clinical trial.

Background: Current research has found that factors such as gender, age, and family history can predict the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in individuals with schizophrenia. In our clinical practice, we anecdotally observed that tobacco smokers and alcohol drinkers with schizophrenia seemed to respond more effectively to ECT than non-smokers and non-drinkers. The current study aimed to examine whether history of tobacco smoking or alcohol consumption serve as indicators for predicting therapeutic efficacy of ECT in individuals with schizophrenia.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: Exploring the mechanisms from glycemic control to treatment of multisystemic diseases.

This editorial takes a deeper look at the insights provided by Soresi and Giannitrapani, which examined the therapeutic potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. We provide supplementary insights to their research, highlighting the broader systemic implications of GLP-1RAs, synthesizing the current understanding of their mechanisms and the trajectory of research in this field. GLP-1RAs are revolutionizing the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and beyond.