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Introduction: Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux, Fuzi), is commonly used to treat various cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart failure. However, its strong cardiotoxicity limits its clinical applicability. Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma, (the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Gancao), is known to synergistically increase the cardiotonic effects of Fuzi and alleviate the myocardial injury caused by Fuzi to some extent. However, the detailed mechanism via which the combination of Fuzi and Gancao reduces toxicity and increases or preserves the efficacy of Fuzi requires further investigation. Methods: Oxidative stress injury models in H9C2 cells and mice with acute heart failure were established to evaluate the optimal synergistic protective concentration of Fuziline and Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA). A GA probe was then synthesized and used for target fishing using chemical and biological methods. Finally, the target and its function were verified using fluorescence co-localization, Western blotting, protein interaction analysis, molecular docking, and calcium ion imaging. Results: The best pharmacodynamic potential was achieved with a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of Fuziline and GA concentrations. At these ratios, they regulated the protein levels of the downstream players of the Ca2+ signaling pathway via MDH2 and CALR, thereby balancing Ca2+ homeostasis in the myocardial tissue and mitigating the effects of heart failure. Conclusion: This study aimed to investigate the compatibility of Fuziline and GA, the active metabolites of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pair, in exerting their cardiac effects, identify the direct biological targets and verify the mechanism of compatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use and land-cover changes (LUCCs) significantly impact carbon sequestration by modifying the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. This study utilized GIS and remote sensing techniques to forecast future LUCC patterns and their influence on regional carbon budgets, which is essential for sustainable development. We devised a coupled system dynamics (SD) model integrated with a patch-generating land-use simulation (PLUS) model to simulate LUCCs under diverse future scenarios using multisource environmental data. Additionally, the InVEST model was employed to quantify carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems. By establishing three scenarios—ecological priority (EP), highly urbanized (HU), and coordinated development (CD)—this study's aim was to predict the LUCC patterns and carbon storage distribution of the Tuojiang River Basin (TRB), China, up to 2035. The results showed that (1) from 2000 to 2020, significant LUCCs occurred in the TRB, primarily involving the conversion of cultivated land into construction areas and forestland; (2) LUCCs had a substantial impact on carbon storage in the TRB, with the EP scenario demonstrating the highest carbon storage by 2035 due to extensive forest expansion, while the HU scenario indicated a decline in carbon storage associated with rapid urbanization; and (3) the mountainous regions of the TRB, dominated by forestland, consistently exhibited higher carbon storage, whereas the Chengdu Plain region in the upper basin displayed the lowest. In conclusion, we recommend prioritizing the CD scenario in future development strategies to balance economic growth with ecological protection while simultaneously enhancing carbon storage. Our findings offer valuable insights to shape future LUCC policies in the Tuojiang River Basin, underscoring the adaptability of the coupled model approach to a wide range of geographic scales and contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundFew metrics exist to assess quality of care at pediatric cardiac surgical programs, limiting opportunities for benchmarking and quality improvement. Postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation (POMV) may be an important quality metric because of its association with complications and resource utilization. In this study we modelled case-mix-adjusted POMV duration and explored hospital performance across POMV metrics.MethodsThis study used the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium clinical registry to analyze 4,739 hospitalizations from 15 hospitals (October 2013 to August 2015). All patients admitted to pediatric cardiac intensive care units after an index cardiac operation were included. We fitted a model to predict duration of POMV accounting for patient characteristics. Robust estimates of SEs were obtained using bootstrap resampling. We created performance metrics based on observed-to-expected (O/E) POMV to compare hospitals.ResultsOverall, 3,108 patients (65.6%) received POMV; the remainder were extubated intraoperatively. Our model was well calibrated across groups; neonatal age had the largest effect on predicted POMV. These comparisons suggested clinically and statistically important variation in POMV duration across centers with a threefold difference observed in O/E ratios (0.6 to 1.7). We identified 1 hospital with better-than-expected and 3 hospitals with worse-than-expected performance (p

Drought is one of the most common abiotic stresses that affect barley productivity. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has been reported to be widely involved in abiotic stress, however, its function in the drought stress response in wild barley remains unclear. In this study, RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNA) among two wild barley and two cultivated barley genotypes. Then, the cis‐regulatory networks were according to the chromosome position and the expression level correction. The GO annotation indicates that these cis‐target genes are mainly involved in "ion transport transporter activity" and "metal ion transport transporter activity". Through weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA), 10 drought‐related modules were identified to contract trans‐regulatory networks. The KEGG annotation demonstrated that these trans‐target genes were enriched for photosynthetic physiology, brassinosteroid biosynthesis, and flavonoid metabolism. In addition, we constructed the lncRNA‐mediated ceRNA regulatory network by predicting the microRNA response elements (MREs). Furthermore, the expressions of lncRNAs were verified by RT‐qPCR. Functional verification of a candidate lncRNA, MSTRG.32128, demonstrated its positive role in drought response and root growth and development regulation. Hormone content analysis provided insights into the regulatory mechanisms of MSTRG.32128 in root development, revealing its involvement in auxin and ethylene signal transduction pathways. These findings advance our understanding of lncRNA‐mediated regulatory mechanisms in barley under drought stress. Our results will provide new insights into the functions of lncRNAs in barley responding to drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To bolster the dual-circulation development model and green economy, this study delves into the spatiotemporal dynamics of implied carbon transfer in China's inter-provincial and inter-industrial trade, emphasizing its significance for the "dual carbon" objectives. Utilizing multi-regional input-output data from 2012, 2015, and 2017, we employed the multi-region input-output model to gauge embodied carbon transfers across 31 provinces and 28 industries. The Structural Decomposition Analysis (SDA) model further decomposed the growth of trade-related carbon emissions. Key findings include: (1) The electricity and thermal power sectors dominate carbon transfers, with secondary industries seeing rapid growth; (2) Northern provinces significantly outweigh southern ones in carbon transfers and the main direction of it is towards affluent southern coastal regions; (3) Scale effect plays a pivotal role in these transfers. Conclusively, it is crucial for regulatory authorities to rationally formulate region-specific emission policies for inter-regional coordination, and future studies can focus on industrial and spatial clustering effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]