Search

BackgroundGinseng Radix et Rhizoma (GS) is frequently used as an adjuvant therapy for patients with heart failure (HF). Metoprolol is widely used in patients with HF. However, there is no report on the combined effects of GS and metoprolol in patients with HF.ObjectiveThis study investigated the combined effects of GS and metoprolol in male C57BL/6J mice with HF and the underlying mechanisms.Materials and methodsWe utilized a mouse myocardial HF model to measure the serum levels of creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase-MB form (CK-MB) using an automated biochemical analyzer. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cardiac troponin (cTnT) levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Autophagy of myocardial cells was evaluated using transmission electron microscopy, and changes in signal pathway proteins related to autophagy were analyzed by Western blotting.ResultsGS combined with metoprolol improved heart function, reduced heart damage, and decreased serum levels of CK, CK-MB, LDH, and cTnT. The combination of GS and metoprolol decreased autophagy in myocardial cells by reducing the levels of autophagy-related proteins (LC3, p62, Beclin1, and Atg5) and increasing the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-Akt/Akt, and p-mTOR/mTOR.ConclusionGS enhanced the anti-heart failure effect of metoprolol. Its mechanism of action might be related to the inhibition of autophagy mediated by the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

This study uses first-principles calculations to investigate the asymmetric Zr2CO/VSe2 heterostructure for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) applications, focusing on its interlayer interactions, electronic structures, and HER performance across six stacking angles. Our findings demonstrate remarkable structural stability, characterized by interlayer distances of 2.1 Å to 2.7 Å and binding energies from −150.521 to −257.939 meV Å−2. Band structure analyses highlight the heterostructures' exceptional conductivity, essential for catalytic efficiency. Additionally, charge density difference calculations reveal significant charge transfer and redistribution at the interface, providing insights into the interlayer interactions and their influence on catalytic activity. Notably, the Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH*) remains within ±0.1 eV across all configurations, indicating superior HER activity. Further analysis shows that the work function (Φ) serves as a critical electronic structure descriptor, influencing HER performance. The relationship between work function and ΔGH* across different interlayer distances underscores the predictive value of the work function for HER activity. These insights provide a theoretical foundation for developing advanced and effective non-noble metal HER catalysts, paving the way for innovations in sustainable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Stoichiometric rules may explain the allometric scaling among biological traits and body size, a fundamental law of nature. However, testing the scaling of elemental stoichiometry and growth to size over the course of plant ontogeny is challenging.Here, we used a fast‐growing bamboo species to examine how the concentrations and contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), relative growth rate (G), and nutrient productivity scale with whole‐plant mass (M) at the culm elongation and maturation stages.The whole‐plant C content vs M and N content vs P content scaled isometrically, and the N or P content vs M scaled as a general 3/4 power function across both growth stages. The scaling exponents of G vs M and N (and P) productivity in newly grown mass vs M relationships across the whole growth stages decreased as a −1 power function.These findings reveal the previously undocumented generality of stoichiometric allometries over the course of plant ontogeny and provide new insights for understanding the origin of ubiquitous quarter‐power scaling laws in the biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]