Identification and evaluation of plasma exosome RNA biomarkers for non-invasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using RNA-seq.

Background: Non-invasive diagnostic methods, including medical imaging techniques and blood biomarkers such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), have been crucial in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, imaging techniques are only effective for tumor size larger than 2 cm. AFP measurement remains unsatisfactory due to high rate of misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.

A randomized phase 2 study of efmarodocokin alfa, an IL-22 agonist, versus vedolizumab in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background And Aims: Efmarodocokin alfa is an interleukin (IL)-22 agonist, with favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) properties and an acceptable safety profile. This study further explored the therapeutic potential of efmarodocokin alfa compared to vedolizumab in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: This randomized phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy, safety, PK, and pharmacodynamics of 3 doses of efmarodocokin alfa administered intravenously every 4 weeks (30 μg/kg [n=43], 60 μg/kg [n=44], and 90 μg/kg [n=43]) compared with placebo (n=22) and with vedolizumab (n=43) in the treatment of moderate to severe UC.

Network pharmacology, experimental validation and pharmacokinetics integrated strategy to reveal pharmacological mechanism of goutengsan on methamphetamine dependence.

Background: Goutengsan (GTS) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that can improve multiple nervous system diseases, such as methamphetamine (MA) dependence. However, the mechanism how GTS treats MA dependence remains unclear. This study was aimed to investigate the action mechanism of GTS on MA dependence using network pharmacology, / experimental validation, pharmacokinetics, and tissue distribution in the brain.

(TTTCA)exp Drives the Genotype-Phenotype Correlation and Genetic Anticipation in FCMTE1.

Background: The pentanucleotide (TTTCA) repeat expansion (exp) insertion, along with the accompanying (TTTTA)exp, causes familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy (FCMTE). The genotype-phenotype correlations and intergenerational instabilities related to (TTTCA)exp and (TTTTA)exp are still unclear.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the genotype-phenotype correlations and intergenerational instabilities related to (TTTCA)exp and (TTTTA)exp in FCMTE1.

Comparisons of Intradialytic Exercise Versus Home-Based Exercise in Hemodialysis Patients: A Narrative Review.

With the increasing prevalence of end-stage kidney disease, the number of patients requiring hemodialysis (HD) continues to rise. While life-sustaining, HD is often associated with adverse effects such as muscle loss, physical deconditioning, fatigue, and compromised health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Recent research suggests that intradialytic exercise (IDE) and home-based exercise (HBE) may mitigate these adverse effects and improve patient outcomes.

Combined dapagliflozin and roxadustat effectively protected heart and kidney against cardiorenal syndrome-induced damage in rodent through activation of cell stress-Nfr2/ARE signalings and stabilizing HIF-1α.

Background: This study tested whether combined dapagliflozin (DAPA) and roxadustat (ROX) therapy was superior to a singular therapy in protecting heart and kidney functions in rats with cardiorenal syndrome (CRS).

Methods And Results: An in vitro study demonstrated that the cell survival (PI3K/Akt/mTOR)/cell stress (ERK1/2, JNK/p-38) signaling was significantly activated by combination therapy with ROX-DAPA (all p<0.001).

Risk of chronic fatigue syndrome after COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study of 3227281 patients.

Background: Many patients who recovered from COVID-19 still suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It was observed that patients with comorbidities were more prone to developing CFS. This research investigates the risk of post-COVID-19 CFS to assist healthcare professionals in reducing the risk of CFS.

Exploring the mechanism of Cinnamomi Cortex against morphine addiction using network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses.

Cinnamomi Cortex is a commonly used herb with a variety of pharmacological effects. We investigated the molecular mechanisms by which Cinnamomi Cortex antagonises morphine addiction (MA) using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques in a morphine-dependent rat withdrawal model. The antagonistic effect of Cinnamomi Cortex was observed by inducing withdrawal symptoms in morphine-dependent rats through a dose-escalation method.

Okanin Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis and Pyroptosis in Oral Cancer.

Background: Okanin, a flavonoid compound derived from L., has garnered attention for its anti-inflammatory properties. Although is commonly used in healthcare products and functional foods, the anticancer potential of okanin, particularly in oral cancer, remains underexplored.

Icaritin inhibits the progression of urothelial cancer by suppressing PADI2-mediated neutrophil infiltration and neutrophil extracellular trap formation.

Tumor relapse and metastasis are the major causes of mortality associated with urothelial cancer. In the tumor microenvironment, negative regulatory molecules and various immune cell subtypes suppress antitumor immunity. The inflammatory microenvironment, associated with neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), promotes tumor metastasis.

Effect of trapezoidal excision combined with modified embedded vertical mattress suture technique on postoperative scar formation after cesarean section.

To study the impact of modified embedded vertical mattress suture technique in conjunction with trapezoidal resection on the formation of scars after cesarean section. This retrospective study involved 339 pregnant women who had cesarean sections at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from September 2020 to August 2023. Among them, 150 patients who received traditional subcutaneous fat layer discontinuous suture during September 2020 and June 2022 were assigned to the control group, and 152 patients who received improved buried vertical mattress suture technique and trapezoidal resection between July 2022 and August 2023 were assigned to the observation group.

A Homozygous Variant in NAA60 Is Associated with Primary Familial Brain Calcification.

Background: Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC) is a monogenic disorder characterized by bilateral calcifications in the brain. The genetic basis remains unknown in over half of the PFBC patients, indicating the existence of additional novel causative genes. NAA60 was a recently reported novel causative gene for PFBC.

Seasonal variations of empyema in Taiwan: A 10-year analysis.

Background: Empyema is a serious infection in pleural space. Finding out seasonal variations of empyema and its pathogens can help in providing preventive measures, and implicating future researches.

Methods: This study is a 10-year observational study in a single center.

Prolactin Drives Iron Release from Macrophages and Uptake in Mammary Cancer Cells through CD44.

Iron is an essential element for human health. In humans, dysregulated iron homeostasis can result in a variety of disorders and the development of cancers. Enhanced uptake, redistribution, and retention of iron in cancer cells have been suggested as an "iron addiction" pattern in cancer cells.

APIR: Aggregating Universal Proteomics Database Search Algorithms for Peptide Identification with FDR Control.

Advances in mass spectrometry (MS) have enabled high-throughput analysis of proteomes in biological systems. The state-of-the-art MS data analysis relies on database search algorithms to quantify proteins by identifying peptide-spectrum matches (PSMs), which convert mass spectra to peptide sequences. Different database search algorithms use distinct search strategies and thus may identify unique PSMs.

Six years follow-up of type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and bevacizumab: Long-Term Outcomes of intravitreal injection in Type 1 ROP.

To investigate biometric and refractive results in patients with type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated by intravitreal injection (IVI) of ranibizumab (R) and bevacizumab (B) at the corrected age of 6. This is a single-center retrospective study. Infants diagnosed with type 1 ROP and treated with IVI of either R or B as the primary therapy were included.

Bilateral Embedded Anchoring via Tailored Polymer Brush for Large-Area Air-Processed Blue Light-Emitting Diodes.

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) that can be air-processed promises the development of displaying optoelectronic device, while is challenged by technical difficulty on both the active layer and hole transport layer (HTL) caused by the unavoidable humidity interference. Here, we propose and validate that, planting the polymer brush with tailored functional groups in inorganic HTL, provides unique bilateral embedded anchoring that is capable of simultaneously addressing the n phases crystallization rates in the active layer as well as the deteriorated particulate surface defects in HTL. Exemplified by zwitterionic polyethyleneimine-sulfonate (PEIS) in present study, its implanting in NiO HTL offers abundant nuclei sites of amino and sulfonate groups that balance the growth rate of different n phases in quasi-2D perovskite films.