New insights into Smad3 in cardiac fibrosis.

Damage to myocardial tissues, leading to myocardial fibrosis, is a significant pathological hallmark across various heart diseases. SMAD3, a central transcriptional regulator within the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway, plays a pivotal role in the pathological progression of myocardial fibrosis and cardiac remodeling. It intricately regulates physiological and pathological processes encompassing cell proliferation, differentiation, tissue repair, and fibrosis.

Enhanced adsorption capacity and specificity for recognition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) with resorcinol-formaldehyde nanospheres and aptamer decorated graphene oxide nanocomposites.

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the major factors in the formation of atherosclerosis, and abnormally elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels are an essential indicator of the development of hypercholesterolemia. Selective reduction of LDL levels has attracted widespread attention as an important strategy for treating of hypercholesterolemia in the clinic. Here, based on the advantageous swelling properties of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) nanospheres, nanosorbents (GO/RF/Apt) with high adsorption capacity and high selectivity are prepared by a two-step amidation reaction for LDL adsorption studies.

Preparation of pH-Responsive Tanshinone IIA-Loaded Calcium Alginate Nanoparticles and Their Anticancer Mechanisms.

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a lipophilic active constituent derived from the rhizomes and roots of (Danshen), a common Chinese medicinal herb. However, clinical applications of Tan IIA are limited due to its poor solubility in water. : To overcome this limitation, we developed a calcium alginate hydrogel (CA) as a hydrophilic carrier for Tan IIA, which significantly improved its solubility.

Effects of physical activity and sedentary behavior on serum vitamin D in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex, heterogeneous disease with multiple extrapulmonary manifestations, among which vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are very common in COPD and are associated with the health status and clinical outcomes of COPD patients.

Objectives: This paper aims to analyze the impact of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and daily sitting time (DST) and their interactions on serum vitamin D in patients with COPD.

Material And Methods: Participants aged ≥40 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the USA from 2007 to 2012 who had undergone pulmonary function tests and vitamin D tests were selected as the study participants.

Melitoxin Inhibits Proliferation, Metastasis, and Invasion of Glioma U251 Cells by Down-regulating F2RL1.

As the principal active component of bee venom, melittin has an anti-cancer effect in different cancers. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of melittin in glioma and explore whether F2RL1 is closely involved in glioblastoma cells proliferation. TCGA and GES databases were used to evaluate the role of F2RL1 in gliomas.

Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Toxicities Induced by Cancer Therapies and Promising Biomarkers for Their Prediction: A Scoping Review.

Aim: With the advancement of anti-cancer medicine, cardiovascular toxicities due to cancer therapies are common in oncology patients, resulting in increased mortality and economic burden. Cardiovascular toxicities caused by cancer therapies include different severities of cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, myocardial ischaemia, hypertension, and thrombosis, which may lead to left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. This scoping review aimed to summarise the mechanisms of cardiovascular toxicities following various anti-cancer treatments and potential predictive biomarkers for early detection.

Train-your-brain program to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in stroke survivors: a pilot community-based cognitive intervention study.

Introduction: Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, and it often results in depression, anxiety, stress, and cognitive impairment in survivors. There is a lack of community-based cognitive interventions for stroke survivors. This pilot single trial aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and perceived effectiveness of a community-based cognitive intervention program called Train-Your-Brain (TYB) for stroke survivors and caregivers.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 2,4-diaminopyrimidine cinnamyl derivatives as inhibitors of FAK with potent anti-gastric cancer activities.

In this study, twenty-one novel 2,4-diaminopyrimidine cinnamyl derivatives as inhibitors targeting FAK were designed and synthesized based on the structure of TAE-226, and the inhibitory effects of these compounds on both the FAK enzyme and three cancer cell lines (MGC-803, HCT-116, and KYSE30) were investigated. Among them, compound 12s displayed potent inhibitory potency on FAK (IC = 47 nM), and demonstrated more significant antiproliferative activities in MGC-803, HCT-116 and KYSE30 cells (IC values were 0.24, 0.

Synergistic effect of enzymatic pre-treatment and amylose-lipid complex construction on the physicochemical properties of maize starch.

In this study, the effects of maltogenic amylase (MAA) pre-treatment and starch-fatty acid complex construction on the physicochemical properties of maize starch (MAS) were investigated. The average chain length of MAA-modified MAS was found to decrease from 18.15 to 14.

Effect of modification by maltogenic amylase and branching enzyme on the structural and physicochemical properties of sweet potato starch.

Sweet potato starch (SPSt) was treated sequentially with the combination of maltogenic amylase (MA) and branching enzyme (BE) (MA → BE) or BE and MA (BE→MA) to modify its structural and physicochemical properties. Following the MA → BE and BE→MA modifications, the degree of branching was increased from 12.02 % to 44.

Body mass index combined with (waist + hip)/height accurately screened for normal-weight obesity in Chinese young adults.

Objectives: Only a few studies have explored the prevalence of normal-weight obesity in young adults or the development of a simple evaluation index for body fat percentage. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of normal-weight obesity in young Chinese adults and use anthropometric measurements to develop an evaluation index.

Methods: In total, 1322 college students participated in the study and were divided into the normal-weight lean, normal-weight obese, and overweight and obese groups based on their body mass index and body fat percentage.

The biological function of m6A methyltransferase KIAA1429 and its role in human disease.

KIAA1429 is a major m6A methyltransferase, which plays important biological and pharmacological roles in both human cancer or non-cancer diseases. KIAA1429 produce a tumorigenic role in various cancers through regulating DAPK3, ID2, GATA3, SMC1A, CDK1, SIRT1 and other targets, promoting cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis and tumor growth . At the same time, KIAA1429 is also effective in non-tumor diseases, such as reproductive system and cardiovascular system diseases.

The predictive value of eosinophil levels on no-reflow in patients with STEMI following PCI: a retrospective cohort study.

In patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), it is essential to restore myocardial perfusion as soon as possible. However, a considerable proportion of patients have no-reflow. No-reflow increases the risk of major adverse cardiac events and even death.

Effects of T6-1 on the Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structure of Continuous Cropping Poplar.

The continuous cropping obstacles in poplar cultivation cause declines in wood yield and serious soil-borne diseases, mainly because of structural alterations in the microbial community and the aggregation of pathogenic fungi. T6-1, isolated from poplar rhizospheric soil, has strong antagonistic effects on poplar pathogens. We aimed to investigate the effects of T6-1 on the structure of the microbial community in the poplar rhizosphere.

The Value of H2BC12 for Predicting Poor Survival Outcomes in Patients With WHO Grade II and III Gliomas.

Glioma is a common primary malignant brain tumor. Grade II (GII) gliomas are prone to develop into anaplastic grade III (GIII) gliomas, which indicate a higher malignancy and poorer survival outcome. This study aimed to satisfy the increasing demand for novel sensitive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of GII and GIII gliomas.

Ultrasonication effects on physicochemical properties of starch-lipid complex.

The starch-lipid complex between the pea starch (PSt) and glycerol monolaurate (GM) was prepared using ultrasound with different amplitudes, durations and application sequences. Fourier-transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra showed the formation of amylose-lipid complex between PSt and GM in the ultrasonic field. Stronger diffraction intensities were observed in samples treated by ultrasonication, whereas the thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the thermal stability of starch was improved by the formation of the V-type inclusion complexes.

Ultrasonication effects on physicochemical properties of biopolymer-based films: A comprehensive review.

Biopolymeric films manufactured from materials such as starch, cellulose, protein, chitosan, gelatin, and polyvinyl alcohol are widely applied due to their complete biodegradability. While biopolymer-based films exhibit good gas barriers and optical properties when used in packaging, poor moisture resistance and mechanical properties limit their further application. Ultrasonication is a promising, effective technology for resolving these shortcomings, with its high efficiency, environmentally friendly nature, and safety.

High Levels of HIST1H2BK in Low-Grade Glioma Predicts Poor Prognosis: A Study Using CGGA and TCGA Data.

A number of biomarkers have been identified for various cancers. However, biomarkers associated with glioma remain largely to be explored. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between the expression and prognostic value of the HIST1H2BK gene in glioma.

Plasma miR-208b and miR-499: Potential Biomarkers for Severity of Coronary Artery Disease.

Aims: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this study is to explore plasma levels of miR-208b and miR-499 in CAD and analyze its association with the severity of CAD.

Materials And Methods: 195 consecutive CAD patients who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in this study.

Integrated texture parameter of 18F-FDG PET may be a stratification factor for the survival of nonoperative patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Objective: This study explored whether integrated texture parameter (ITP) of the fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET (F-FDG PET) is a stratification factor for the survival of nonoperative patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Thirty-five patients with LA-NSCLC treated with chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy were included in the retrospective study. Eight principal components (PCs) were extracted from 72 F-FDG PET texture features (TFs) using PC analysis.

Characterization of CD4 T cell-mediated cytotoxicity in patients with multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable cancer characterized by the development of malignant plasma cells. The CD8 T cell-mediated cytotoxicity is considered a major player in antitumor immunity, but in MM patients, the CD8 T cells displayed senescence markers and were functionally impaired. To investigate whether cytotoxic CD4 T cells could act as a treatment alternative in MM, we examined the frequency and function of naturally occurring cytotoxic CD4 T cells in MM patients.