The causal association between cardiovascular proteins and diabetic nephropathy: a Mendelian randomization study.

Purpose: To clarify the causal association between cardiovascular proteins and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Europeans.

Methods: The large genome-wide association study data of cardiovascular proteins and DN were used for this two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. We took the Inverse variance weighted (IVW) as the primary method.

A panel of cancer testis antigens in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, head and neck, and esophagus: implication for biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

This study aims to investigate the expression of seven cancer testis antigens (MAGE-A1, MAGE-A4, MAGE-A10, MAGE-A11, PRAME, NY-ESO-1 and KK-LC-1) in pan squamous cell carcinoma and their prognostic value, thus assessing the potential of these CTAs as immunotherapeutic targets. The protein expression of these CTAs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 60 lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), 62 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCA) and 62 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). The relationship between CTAs expression and progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed.

Factors Influencing Knowledge-Action Gap in Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Qualitative Study.

Objective: To explore the knowledge-action gap regarding health behaviors and their influencing factors among patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical framework.

Design: A qualitative approach was adopted, involving semistructured interviews with individuals with MAFLD.

Setting: Participants were recruited from a community hospital and a tertiary hospital in Nanjing, China, between July and October 2022.

Evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants under strict non-pharmaceutical interventions - a population-based study.

Introduction: China implemented a dynamic zero-COVID strategy to curb viral transmission in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This strategy was designed to inhibit mutation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19. This study explores the dynamics of viral evolution under stringent non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) through real-world observations.

TRAF1 promotes osteoclastogenesis by enhancing metabolic adaptation to oxidative phosphorylation in an AKT-dependent manner.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1) is a crucial signaling adaptor involved in multiple cellular events. However, its role in regulating osteoclastogenesis and energy metabolism remains unclear. Here, we report that TRAF1 promotes osteoclastogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS).

A Comprehensive Atlas of AAV Tropism in the Mouse.

Gene therapy with Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) vectors requires knowledge of their tropism within the body. Here we analyze the tropism of ten naturally occurring AAV serotypes (AAV3B, AAV4, AAV5, AAV6, AAV7, AAV8, AAV9, AAVrh8, AAVrh10 and AAVrh74) following systemic delivery into male and female mice. A transgene expressing ZsGreen and Cre recombinase was used to identify transduction in a cell-dependent manner based on fluorescence.

Neonatal Familiar Cleidocranial Dysplasia: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a rare (1: 1 000 000) autosomal dominant congenital skeletal dysplasia characterized by widely patent calvarial sutures, clavicular hypoplasia, supernumerary teeth, and short stature. Only a minority of the cases are diagnosed early after birth. We present another case of proven CCD presenting with typical neonatal phenotype to promote awareness of this rare disorder.

Suppression of METTL3 expression attenuated matrix stiffness-induced vaginal fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and abnormal modulation of the extracellular matrix in pelvic organ prolapse.

Background: Fibrosis of the connective tissue in the vaginal wall predominates in pelvic organ prolapse (POP), which is characterized by excessive fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and abnormal deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Our study aimed to investigate the effect of ECM stiffness on vaginal fibroblasts and to explore the role of methyltransferase 3 (METTL3) in the development of POP.

Methods: Polyacrylamide hydrogels were applied to create an ECM microenvironment with variable stiffness to evaluate the effects of ECM stiffness on the proliferation, differentiation, and expression of ECM components in vaginal fibroblasts.

The developmental lipidome of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.

Background: Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-a nematode of rodents-is commonly used as a model to study the immunobiology of parasitic nematodes. It is a member of the Strongylida-a large order of socioeconomically important parasitic nematodes of animals. Lipids are known to play essential roles in nematode biology, influencing cellular membranes, energy storage and/or signalling.

The effects of unified pooling arrangement on health inequity in China: a DID-RIF approach.

Background: To address the health inequity caused by decentralized management, China has introduced a provincial pooling system for urban employees' basic medical insurance. This paper proposes a research framework to evaluate similar policies in different contexts. This paper adopts a mixed-methods approach to more comprehensively and precisely capture the causal effects of the policy.

Repression of PFKFB3 sensitizes ovarian cancer to PARP inhibitors by impairing homologous recombination repair.

Background: Ovarian cancer (OC), particularly high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), is the leading cause of mortality from gynecological malignancies worldwide. Despite the initial effectiveness of treatment, acquired resistance to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) represents a major challenge for the clinical management of HGSOC, highlighting the necessity for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the role of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), a pivotal regulator of glycolysis, in PARPi resistance and explored its potential as a therapeutic target to overcome PARPi resistance.

Delineation of reduced CTV2 on the basis of the characteristics and distribution of cervical lymph node metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Introduction: The core objective of this study was to precisely locate metastatic lymph nodes, identify potential areas in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients that may not require radiotherapy, and propose a hypothesis for reduced target volume radiotherapy on the basis of these findings. Ultimately, we reassessed the differences in dosimetry of organs at risk (OARs) between reduced target volume (reduced CTV2) radiotherapy and standard radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: A total of 209 patients participated in the study.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and short-term mortality in patients having anti-MDA5-positive dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease: a retrospective study.

Background: In this study, we aimed to explore the association between baseline and early changes in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the 30-day mortality rate in patients having anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5)-positive dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease (DM-ILD).

Methods: Overall, 263 patients with anti-MDA5 DM-ILD from four centers in China were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of baseline NLR on the 30-day mortality rate in patients with anti-MDA5-positive DM-ILD.

Estimates and trends in death and disability from atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter due to high sodium intake, China, 1990 to 2019.

Objective: The effect of sodium intake on atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial flutter (AFL), with respect to sex and age, has yet to be elucidated. This study aims to compare long-term trends in AF/AFL death and disability due to high sodium intake in China from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: We utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease study to assess the mortality and disability burden of AF/AFL attributable to high sodium intake (> 5 g/d) in China from 1990 to 2019.

Genome-wide identification of the Sec14 gene family and the response to salt and drought stress in soybean (Glycine max).

Background: The Sec14 domain is an ancient lipid-binding domain that evolved from yeast Sec14p and performs complex lipid-mediated regulatory functions in subcellular organelles and intracellular traffic. The Sec14 family is characterized by a highly conserved Sec14 domain, and is ubiquitously expressed in all eukaryotic cells and has diverse functions. However, the number and characteristics of Sec14 homologous genes in soybean, as well as their potential roles, remain understudied.

Menopause and obstructive sleep apnea: revealing an independent mediating role of visceral fat beyond body mass index.

Background: Menopause is a significant phase in women's health, in which the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is significantly increased. Body fat distribution changes with age and hormone levels in postmenopausal women, but the extent to which changes in body fat distribution affect the occurrence of OSA is unclear.

Methods: This research performed a cross-sectional analysis utilizing data from the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Impact of triglyceride-glucose index on risk of cardiovascular disease among non-diabetic hypertension patients: a 10-year prospective cohort study.

Background: Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was regarded as a cost-efficient and reliable clinical surrogate marker for insulin resistance (IR), which was significantly correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the TyG index and incident CVD in non-diabetic hypertension patients remains uncertain. The aim of study was to explore the impact of TyG index level and variability on risk of CVD among non-diabetic hypertension patients.

Association between sarcopenia and weight-adjusted waist index in male patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: The Weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) has emerged as a predictive factor for a range of metabolic disorders. To date, the predictive value of the WWI in relation to sarcopenia in individuals with diabetics has not been extensively explored. This study aims to investigate the impact of the WWI on the prevalence of sarcopenia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Optimizing skull base defect repair: leveraging the reused nasoseptal flap as a reliable material.

Purpose: The escalating number of endoscopic skull base procedures necessitates exploring additional materials to reduce postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks in revision or staged surgeries. This study evaluates the effectiveness of reused nasoseptal flaps (NSFs) in such clinical scenarios.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on patients who previously underwent surgery involving NSFs and later had revision or secondary skull base surgeries via endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) at a tertiary medical center.

Unveiling the omics tapestry of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia: bridging genomics, metabolomics, and immunomics.

Acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a highly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy, characterized by significant molecular differences among patients as the disease progresses. While the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and metabolic reprogramming are known to play crucial roles in B-ALL, the interactions between lipid metabolism, immune pathways, and drug resistance remain unclear. In this study, we performed multi-omics analysis on different patient cohorts (newly diagnosed, relapsed, standard-risk, and poor-risk) to investigate the molecular characteristics associated with metabolism, signaling pathways, and immune regulation in B-ALL.

Removal of Antibiotics in Breeding Wastewater Tailwater Using Microalgae-Based Process.

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) and oxytetracycline (OTC) are commonly detected antibiotic species in breeding wastewater, and microalgae-based antibiotic treatment technology is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for its removal. This study evaluated the effects of CIP and OTC on Scenedesmus sp. in the breeding wastewater tailwater and the removal mechanisms of antibiotics.

A multicenter study of neurofibromatosis type 1 utilizing deep learning for whole body tumor identification.

Deep-learning models have shown promise in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions. Previous studies have primarily focused on specific anatomical regions, overlooking tumors occurring throughout the body with highly heterogeneous whole-body backgrounds. Using neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) as an example, this study developed highly accurate MRI-based deep-learning models for the early automated screening of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) against complex whole-body background.