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Background: Schisandra chinensis is widely applied in the prevention and treatment of asthma in China, but the material basis for the anti-asthmatic effect of S. chinensis is unclear. Our previous studies found that the lignans from S. chinensis can relax tracheal smooth muscle in rats. Schisandrol A (SCA) is a representative monomer of S. chinensis lignans with high content and activity. Purpose: This study was aimed at further exploring the relaxation effect of SCA and its mechanism on the isolated tracheal smooth muscle of rats through tracheal perfusion experiments. Materials and Methods: The isolated rat tracheal ring was precontracted with acetylcholine (ACh). Then, the impact of SCA on the tension of precontracted tracheal ring was studied. Verapamil (L-type calcium channel blocker) and four potassium channel blockers, including glibenclamide, tetraethylamine, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and barium chloride (BaCl2), as well as propranolol (β-adrenergic receptor antagonist), were respectively used to precontract the tracheal ring for investigation. Results: SCA could dose-dependently reduce the ACh-induced contraction of the tracheal ring, and the verapamil and 4-AP could weaken this effect, while BaCl2, glibenclamide, tetraethylamine, and propranolol did not show this effect. Conclusion: SCA can significantly relax the effect of tracheal smooth muscle of rats, and the underlying mechanism might be involved in the blocking of L-type Ca2+ channels and activating the voltage-dependent potassium channels (KV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) is a drug commonly used in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, the specific components and mechanisms of its action are still unclear. We screened six kinds of lignans from S. chinensis with high content and found that schisandrol A and schisantherin A had a strong vasorelaxant effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relaxation and underlying mechanism of schisandrol A in the isolated thoracic aorta of rats. Materials and Methods: Isolated rat endothelium-intact and endothelium-removed thoracic aorta strips were pre-constricted with phenylephrine (PE), and the relaxation of schisandrol A on the strips was observed. Then, the mechanism was explored by pre-incubating the strips with nitric oxide synthetase inhibitor Nɷ-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), cyclooxygenase inhibitor (indomethacin), potassium channel blockers 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), barium chloride (BaCl2), tetraethylamine (TEA), and glibenclamide, respectively, and changing the calcium concentration in the bath. In addition, expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (eNOS) mRNA and protein in rat thoracic aorta were detected. Results: Schisandrol A induced both endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxation of isolated thoracic aorta strips of rats, and the mechanism might be related to promoting the synthesis of NO, inhibiting Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and blocking the Ca2+ channels. Conclusion: These discoveries may provide a theoretical basis for the traditional application of S. chinensis to treat cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims and Objectives Background Methods Results Conclusions Design Relevance to Clinical Practice Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To provide a viable tool for the early clinical identification of high‐risk populations in patients with sepsis.Sepsis‐associated delirium (SAD) has the potential to significantly impact the short‐ and long‐term prognosis of patients. However, accurately predicting and effectively managing SAD remains a significant challenge.This study employed a retrospective analysis of adult sepsis patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for the first time. Patients were divided into two groups based on their initial Braden score upon admission to the ICU: a high‐risk group (≤ 15 points) and a low‐risk group (> 15 points). The relationship between Braden score and delirium was assessed using logistic regression and restricted cubic splines, while restricted mean survival time was employed to analyse the relationship between Braden scores and patients' 90‐ and 180‐day mortality.Of the 28,312 patients included in the study, those in the high‐risk group exhibited a significantly elevated risk of delirium (44.8% vs. 29.7%) and higher 90‐day (28.7% vs. 19.4%) and 180‐day (33.2% vs. 24.1%) mortality rates (all p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding variables, logistic regression demonstrated that the risk of delirium was 1.54 times higher in the high‐risk group (95% CI = 1.45–1.64, p < 0.001). Following propensity score matching, the difference in survival was statistically significant at both time points, with the high‐risk group having a reduced survival rate of 7.50 days (95% CI = −8.24, −6.75; p < 0.001) and 15.74 days (95% CI = −17.40, −14.08; p < 0.001) at 90 days and 180 days, respectively.The Braden score is a simple and effective tool for the early identification of patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes in sepsis.Retrospective study.The Braden score can be employed by clinical nurses for the purpose of early identification of poor prognostic risk in patients with sepsis.This study was conducted according to the Strengthening Research in Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.Patients were involved in the sample of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which is common and fatal, mitophagy is a conserved cellular mechanism that selectively removes damaged mitochondria and is crucial for cellular homeostasis. While tumor development and resistance to anticancer therapies are related to ESCC, their role in ESCC remains unclear. Here, we investigated the relationship between mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) and ESCC to provide novel insights into the role of mitophagy in ESCC prognosis and diagnosis prediction. First, we identified MRGs from the GeneCards database and examined them at both the single-cell and transcriptome levels. Key genes were selected and a prognostic model was constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis. External validation was performed using the GSE53624 dataset and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to identify PYCARD as a gene significantly associated with survival in ESCC. We then examined the effect of PYCARD on ESCC cell proliferation and migration and identified 169 MRGs at the single-cell and transcriptome levels, as well as the high-risk groups associated with cancer-related pathways. Thirteen key genes were selected for model construction via multiple machine learning algorithms. PYCARD, which is upregulated in patients with ESCC, was negatively correlated with prognosis and its knockdown inhibited ESCC cell proliferation and migration. Our ESCC prediction model based on mitophagy-related genes demonstrated promising results and provides more options for the management and clinical treatment of ESCC patients. Moreover, targeting or regulating PYCARD levels might offer new therapeutic strategies for ESCC patients in clinical settings.