Increased Plasma Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PK-M2) in Heart Failure: A Novel Biomarker Related to Cardiac Function and its Clinical Implications.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether circulating pyruvate kinase M2 (PK-M2) levels are elevated in the peripheral blood and to assess their association with diagnosis and prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: We conducted a prospective investigation involving 222 patients with HF and 103 control subjects, measuring PK-M2 concentrations using ELISA. The primary outcome, assessed over a median follow-up of 2 years (interquartile range: 776 to 926 days), was the time to the first occurrence of either rehospitalization for worsening HF or cardiovascular death.

[Effect of Fuzheng Tongluo Granules on macrophage pyroptosis in rat model with pulmonary fibrosis based on NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway].

To investigate the therapeutic effect of Fuzheng Tongluo Granules on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF) and its mechanism. Seventy-two SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, model group, pirfenidone group(162 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-, medium-and high-dose of Fuzheng Tongluo Granules groups(2.63, 5.

[Shaoyao Gancao Decoction in digestive system diseases: applications and mechanisms].

Shaoyao Gancao Decoction(SGD) is one of the prescriptions included in the Catalogue of Ancient Classical Prescriptions(First Batch) published by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2018. It is composed of Paeoniae Radix Alba and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle. Experiments and clinical cases have proved that SGD has anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antispasmodic, and liver-protecting effects.

[Establishment of a quality grading standard of Isatidis Radix decoction pieces based on appearance traits and internal quality indexes].

This study aims to establish a quality grading standard that combines the conventional quality evaluation based on morphological characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine with the modern quality evaluation. Based on the existing standards and market circulation of Isatidis Radix, the diameter and color of Isatidis Radix decoction pieces were selected as the appearance traits for preliminary grading. The effects of internal quality indexes such as moisture, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, ethanol-soluble extractives, and 9 water-soluble components on different grades of decoction pieces were comprehensively compared, and the key grading indexes were determined by t-test.

Conference 2024: Building an innovative scientific research ecosystem for microbiome and One Health.

The Conference 2024 provides a platform to promote the development of an innovative scientific research ecosystem for microbiome and One Health. The four key components - Technology, Research (Biology), Academic journals, and Social media - form a synergistic ecosystem. Advanced technologies drive biological research, which generates novel insights that are disseminated through academic journals.

The Effectiveness of Curcumin, Resveratrol, and Silymarin on MASLD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Polyphenols, known for their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, have emerged as promising, natural, and safe complementary treatment options for metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Among these, curcumin, resveratrol, and silymarin are the most extensively studied; however, their differential effects on MASLD outcomes remain inconclusive. This systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs aimed to evaluate the efficacy of curcumin, resveratrol, and silymarin in patients with MASLD.

[Mechanism of osthole against colorectal cancer based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation].

Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques, this study investigated the mechanism of action of osthole in the treatment of colorectal cancer(CRC). The relevant targets of osthole and CRC were retrieved from the SwissTargetPrediction and SuperPred in drug databases, as well as GeneCards and OMIM in disease databases. Protein-protein interaction(PPI) networks were constructed using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.

[Integrated evidence chain: a new strategy and methodology for effectiveness e valuation of traditional Chinese medicines].

The evaluation of the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has long been a "bottleneck" issue that restricts the healthy development and internationalization of TCM. This article systematically analyzes the differences in diagnostic and treatment principles, material composition, new drug development pathways, efficacy cognition, and evaluation methodology between Chinese and Western medicine from the underlying logic of medical perspective. On this basis, it integrates the evidence elements of clinical experience, experimental research, and clinical trials, and for the first time proposes and establishes a new strategy and methodology for the evaluation of the effectiveness of TCM: the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine(iEC-Eff), forming an integrated evaluation and confirmation model of "clinical experience-experimental research-clinical trial" for the effectiveness of TCM.

[Traditional Chinese medicine prevents and treats depression by regulating hippocampal neuroplasticity: a review].

Depression, a heterogeneous disorder with symptoms involving emotion, cognition, and behavior, is characterized by high morbidity, low treatment acceptance, and recurrent episodes. It is expected to become a major disease in the global healthcare burden by 2030. The pathogenesis of depression is complex, involving genetic, environmental, neurological, immune, endocrine and other factors, among which neuroplasticity plays a key role in the development of depression and antidepressant treatment.

[Astragalus polysaccharides improve adipose tissue aging in naturally aged mice via indole-3-lactic acid].

Plant polysaccharides are effective components that widely present in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), exhibiting rich biological activities. However, as most plant polysaccharides cannot be directly absorbed and utilized by the human digestive system, it is now believed that their mode of action mainly involves interaction with intestinal microbiota, leading to the production of functional small molecules. The efficacy of Astragalus polysaccharide(APS) is extensive, including weight loss, improvement of fatty liver, reduction of blood lipids, and enhancement of insulin sensitivity, which may also be related to the regulation of intestinal microbiota.

Bavachin stimulates ferroptosis and reduces malignant phenotype progression of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing lipid peroxidation by modulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Background: The mechanism of ferroptosis is primarily driven by the iron-dependent lethal accumulation of membrane lipid peroxidation. Bavachin has been found to exacerbate lipid peroxidation in cancer cells; however, whether it hinders hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by way of ferroptosis remains unknown.

Methods: Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to measure the effect of Bavachin on the viability of HCC cells, so as to determine the appropriate drug concentration for subsequent experiments.

A case report of cardiac rehabilitation in coronary artery aneurysm combined with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA), marked by diffuse or localized dilation of artery, can cause life-threatening complications in acute coronary syndrome. This report presents a case of CAA combined with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, successfully treated with cardiac rehabilitation exercise therapy, offering insights for clinical practice.

, a new species of (Gentianaceae) from Sichuan, China.

, a new species of Gentianaceae from Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is similar to , but differs by the fact that the plant is glabrous and has 1-4 flowering stems, well-developed basal vegetative rosettes, a pale purple corolla with dark purple spots on the tube and erose or denticulate, non-fringed plicae margins. It also somewhat resembles , but can be easily distinguished by having shorter stems, entire leaf margins, smooth, shorter sepal lobes, spotted corolla tubes, non-fringed plicae and narrowly winged seeds.

Identification of novel genomic hotspots and tumor-relevant genes via comprehensive analysis of HPV integration in Chinese patients of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer accounts for 10-15% of cancer-related mortality among women globally. Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types constitutes a significant etiological factor in the development of cervical carcinoma. The integration of HPV DNA into the host genome is considered a pivotal event in cervical carcinogenesis.

Mapping individual cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuits integrating structural and functional connectome: implications for upper limb motor impairment poststroke.

This study investigated alterations in functional connectivity (FC) within cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical (CBTC) circuits and identified critical connections influencing poststroke motor recovery, offering insights into optimizing brain modulation strategies to address the limitations of traditional single-target stimulation. We delineated individual-specific parallel loops of CBTC through probabilistic tracking and voxel connectivity profiles-based segmentation and calculated FC values in poststroke patients and healthy controls, comparing with conventional atlas-based FC calculation. Support vector machine (SVM) analysis distinguished poststroke patients from controls.

Protein posttranslational modifications in metabolic diseases: basic concepts and targeted therapies.

Metabolism-related diseases, including diabetes mellitus, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, are becoming increasingly prevalent, thereby posing significant threats to human health and longevity. Proteins, as the primary mediators of biological activities, undergo various posttranslational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, methylation, and SUMOylation, among others, which substantially diversify their functions. These modifications are crucial in the physiological and pathological processes associated with metabolic disorders.

[Prediction of color simulation prescription for traditional Chinese medicine placebo solution based on whale algorithm-optimized back propagation neural network].

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) placebos are simulated preparations for specific objects and the color simulation in the development of TCM placebos is both crucial and challenging. Traditionally, the prescription screening and pattern exploration process involves extensive experimentation, which is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, accurate prediction of color simulation prescriptions holds the key to the development of TCM placebos.

The relationship between homework time and academic performance among K-12: A systematic review.

Background: Homework is a common educational task given to students around the world. It demands mental exertion, but staying focused can be challenging, especially for K-12 students. Too much homework can increase their cognitive load and mental fatigue, leading to decreased motivation and performance.

Copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease.

Copper is a vital trace element in human physiology, essential for the synthesis of numerous crucial metabolic enzymes and facilitation of various biological processes. Regulation of copper levels within a narrow range is imperative for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Numerous studies have demonstrated the significant roles of copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease pathogenesis.

Visible light-induced halogen-atom transfer by N-heterocyclic carbene-ligated boryl radicals for diastereoselective C(sp)-C(sp) bond formation.

Photoinduced halogen-atom transfer (XAT) has rapidly emerged as a programmable approach to generate carbon-centered radical intermediates, mainly relying on silyl and α-aminoalkyl radicals as halogen abstractors. More recently, ligated boryl radicals have also been proposed as effective halogen abstractors under visible-light irradiation. In this study, we describe the use of this approach to enable C(sp)-C(sp) bond formation radical addition of carbon-centered radicals generated XAT onto chloroalkynes.