Curcumin is a principal curcuminoid of turmeric (Curcuma longa), which is commonly used as a spice in cooking and a yellow pigment in the food processing industry. Recent studies have demonstrated that curcumin has a variety of biological activities and pharmacological performances, providing protection and promotion of human health. In addition to presenting an overview of the gut metabolism of curcumin, this paper reviews the current research progress on its versatile bioactivity, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-regulatory activities, and also intensively discusses its health benefits, including the protective or preventive effects on cancers and diabetes, as well as the liver, nervous system, and cardiovascular systems, highlighting the potential molecular mechanisms. Besides, the beneficial effects of curcumin on human are further stated based on clinical trials. Considering that there is still a debate on the beneficial effects of curcumin, we also discuss related challenges and prospects. Overall, curcumin is a promising ingredient of novel functional foods, with protective efficacy in preventing certain diseases. We hope this comprehensive and updated review will be helpful for promoting human-based studies to facilitate its use in human health and diseases in the future.

Epidemiological studies have shown that vegetable consumption is inversely related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, research has indicated that many vegetables like potatoes, soybeans, sesame, tomatoes, dioscorea, onions, celery, broccoli, lettuce and asparagus showed great potential in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, and vitamins, essential elements, dietary fibers, botanic proteins and phytochemicals were bioactive components. The cardioprotective effects of vegetables might involve antioxidation; anti-inflammation; anti-platelet; regulating blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid profile; attenuating myocardial damage; and modulating relevant enzyme activities, gene expression, and signaling pathways as well as some other biomarkers associated to cardiovascular diseases. In addition, several vegetables and their bioactive components have been proven to protect against cardiovascular diseases in clinical trials. In this review, we analyze and summarize the effects of vegetables on cardiovascular diseases based on epidemiological studies, experimental research, and clinical trials, which are significant to the application of vegetables in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

BackgroundHepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD) caused by Gynura segetum has been increasingly reported in China in recent years. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify independent prognostic markers for survival in patients with Gynura segetum-induced HVOD and to evaluate the effect of anticoagulants and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on survival rate.MethodsClinical data including symptoms, signs, imaging characteristics, laboratory test results, results of liver tissue biopsies, type of treatment during follow-up and clinical outcomes were collected. Univariate, multivariate and time-dependent Cox regression analyses were performed.ResultsSurvival rates were 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82–95%), 64% (95% CI, 53–69%) and 57% (95% CI, 51–65%) at 1, 3 and 60 months, respectively. Total bilirubin, albumin and hepatic encephalopathy were independent prognostic markers of survival. Anticoagulants were administered to 76% of the patients. Among 75 patients treated with anticoagulants, 49 patients (65.3%) were cured, whereas 26 patients (34.7%) died; the cure rate in anticoagulant-treated patients was higher than that of those not treated with anticoagulants (χ2 = 9.129, P = 0.004). Cure rate of the anticoagulation + TIPS treatment group was 64.3%, which was also higher than that of the non-anticoagulation group; however, this was not significantly different (χ2 = 3.938, P = 0.096).ConclusionsThe presence of hepatic encephalopathy, serum bilirubin and albumin levels were major prognostic factors for Gynura segetum-induced HVOD. Anticoagulation therapy significantly increased the cure rate; however, TIPS treatment did not have a beneficial effect on the cure rate.

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Copolyimide (co-PI) fibers containing 4,4 0 -oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) moiety into the 3,3 0 ,4,4 0 -biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA)/p-phenylenediamine backbone were prepared via a two-step wet-spinning method. The processability and mechanical properties were improved significantly after the incorporation of ODPA, and the fibers exhibited an optimum tensile strength of 10.94 cN dtex -1 and modulus of 470.52 cN dtex -1 with elongation of 2.75 % at a BPDA/ODPA molar ratio of 7/3. Two-dimensional wide angle X-ray diffraction indicated that highly oriented structures and ordered molecular packing regions were formed in the fibers. Two-dimensional small angle X-ray scattering revealed that the incorporation of ODPA resulted in the reduction in radius, length, misorientation, and internal surface roughness of the microvoids in the fibers simultaneously, which was supposed to be mainly dominated for the drastically improved mechanical properties of PI fibers. Moreover, the co-PI fibers exhibited excellent thermal and thermal-oxidative stability, and the 5 % weight loss temperature was above 572 and 535°C under nitrogen and air, respectively.