Wu-Mei-Wan enhances brown adipose tissue function and white adipose browning in obese mice via upregulation of HSF1.

Background: This research aims to explore the anti-obesity potential of Wu-Mei-Wan (WMW), particularly its effects on adipose tissue regulation in obese mice induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). The study focuses on understanding the role of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) in mediating these effects.

Methods: HFD-induced obese mice were treated with WMW.

Research on the application effect of arthroscopic access modification in meniscal injury repair.

Objective: To investigate the application value of arthroscopic channel modification in meniscal injury repair.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 100 patients with meniscus injuries treated with knee arthroscopy from December 2022 to December 2023 and divided them into a control group and a modified group according to the application of "arthroscopic access modification technology". We compared the operation time, postoperative hospitalization time, VAS score, Lysholm knee function score, postoperative complications, and postoperative images of the patients in these two groups.

Efficacy of small-diameter core decompression with platelet-rich plasma in early osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a retrospective study.

Background: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a challenging condition, primarily affecting young and middle-aged individuals, which results in hip dysfunction and, ultimately, femoral head collapse. However, the comparative effectiveness of joint-preserving procedures, particularly in the early stages of ONFH (ARCO stage I or II), remains inconclusive. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a novel technique called small-diameter core decompression (CD) combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), for the treatment of early-stage ONFH.

Opportunities and challenges of bacterial extracellular vesicles in regenerative medicine.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound vesicles that are shed or secreted from the cell membrane and enveloped by a lipid bilayer. They possess stability, low immunogenicity, and non-cytotoxicity, exhibiting extensive prospects in regenerative medicine (RM). However, natural EVs pose challenges, such as insufficient targeting capabilities, potential biosafety concerns, and limited acquisition pathways.

A staged integrated model informing the promotion of healthy dietary behaviors in adolescents: a prospective study.

Background: The promotion of healthy dietary behaviors in adolescence is critical, which have long-term implications for lifelong health. Integration is an important method for improving limited theories of dietary behavior change. The present study proposes an integrated model aimed at identifying the diverse determinants of healthy dietary behaviors in adolescents and assesses its stage-specific nature as the potential for effective interventions.

Machine learning based identification of an amino acid metabolism related signature for predicting prognosis and immune microenvironment in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive neoplasm characterized by poor diagnosis. Amino acids play a prominent role in the occurrence and progression of pancreatic cancer as essential building blocks for protein synthesis and key regulators of cellular metabolism. Understanding the interplay between pancreatic cancer and amino acid metabolism offers potential avenues for improving patient clinical outcomes.

Association Between Blood Urea Nitrogen and Delirium in Critically Ill Elderly Patients Without Kidney Diseases: A Retrospective Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

Objective: This study investigates the association between blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and the risk of delirium in critically ill elderly patients without kidney disease.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the MIMIC-IV database. The relationship between BUN and delirium risk was illustrated through the restricted cubic spline (RCS) method.

Integrated Mendelian Randomization and Single-Cell Transcriptomics Analysis Identifies Critical Blood Biomarkers and Potential Mechanisms in Epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy has a genetic predisposition, yet causal factors and the dynamics of the immune environment in epilepsy are not fully understood.

Methods: We analyzed peripheral blood samples from epilepsy patients, identifying key genes associated with epilepsy risk through Mendelian randomization, using eQTLGen and genome-wide association studies. The peripheral immune environment's composition in epilepsy was explored using CIBERSORT.

The highly allo-autopolyploid modern sugarcane genome and very recent allopolyploidization in Saccharum.

Modern sugarcane, a highly allo-autopolyploid organism, has a very complex genome. In the present study, the karyotype and genome architecture of modern sugarcane were investigated, resulting in a genome assembly of 97 chromosomes (8.84 Gb).

The optimal neoadjuvant treatment strategy for HR+/HER2 + breast cancer: a network meta-analysis.

The efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy varies significantly with hormone receptor (HR) status for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer (BC). Despite extensive research on HER2 + BC, the optimal neoadjuvant strategy for HR+/HER2 + BC remains inconclusive. This study aimed to identify the optimal neoadjuvant regimen for HR+/HER2 + BC treatment.

Lignin alkali regulated interfacial polymerization towards ultra-selective and highly permeable nanofiltration membrane.

Thin-film composite polyamide (TFC PA) membranes hold promise for energy-efficient liquid separation, but achieving high permeance and precise separation membrane via a facile approach that is compatible with present manufacturing line remains a great challenge. Herein, we demonstrate the use of lignin alkali (LA) derived from waste of paper pulp as an aqueous phase additive to regulate interfacial polymerization (IP) process for achieving high performance nanofiltration (NF) membrane. Various characterizations and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that LA can promote the diffusion and partition of aqueous phase monomer piperazine (PIP) molecules into organic phase and their uniform dispersion on substrate, accelerating the IP reaction and promoting greater interfacial instabilities, thus endowing formation of TFC NF membrane with an ultrathin, highly cross-linked, and crumpled PA layer.

Mechanistic evaluation of enhanced graphene toxicity to Bacillus induced by humic acid adsorption.

The extensive application of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) has raised concerns over risks to sensitive species in the aquatic environment. The humic acid (HA) corona is traditionally considered to reduce GNSs toxicity. Here, we evaluate the effect of sorbed HA (GNSs-HA) on the toxicity of GNSs to Gram positive Bacillus tropicus.

Burden of Fungal Skin Diseases in Five East Asian Countries: An Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Introduction: The unique natural and social environments of East Asia may shape the characteristics of fungal skin diseases. However, there is a notable absence of thorough comparative analyses on this subject.

Methods: This research undertook a comprehensive analysis of the epidemiology and disease burden of fungal dermatoses across five East Asian countries (China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Mongolia) via the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database from 1990 to 2021.

Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factors and Outcomes of Invasive Fungal Disease in Critically III Patients with Hematological Malignancy: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Invasive fungal disease (IFD) poses significant challenges for critically ill patients with hematological malignancies (HMs). However, there is limited research on the clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of IFD within this population.

Method: A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary center in China.

Cognitive impairments in chronic pain: a brain aging framework.

Chronic pain (CP) not only causes physical discomfort but also significantly affects cognition. This review first summarizes emerging findings that reveal complex associations between CP and cognitive impairments, and then presents neuroimaging evidence showing aging-related brain alterations in CP and proposes a framework where accelerated brain aging links CP to cognitive impairments. This framework explains how CP-related multi-level factors, which either contribute to the onset of CP or arise as a result of CP, influence brain aging in linear and nonlinear ways, leading to cognitive impairments and increased dementia risk.

Association of Forced Expiratory Volume in 0.5s With All-Cause Mortality Risk in Adults.

Introduction: Previous studies have proposed forced expiratory volume in 0.5s (FEV) to determine health outcomes in infants and young children, but few studies exist in adults. This study aims to investigate the associations between FEV and all-cause mortality in adults.

Systematic review and meta-analysis comparative analysis of the safety and efficacy of fenestrated pedicle screw with cement and conventional pedicle screw with cement in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: A meta-analysis.

Purpose: Bone cement-reinforced fenestrated pedicle screws (FPSs) have been widely used in the internal fixation and repair of the spine with osteoporosis in recent years and show significant improvement in fixation strength and stability. However, compared with conventional reinforcement methods, the advantages of bone cement-reinforced FPSs remain undetermined. This article compares the effects of fenestrated and conventional pedicle screws (CPSs) combined with bone cement in the treatment of osteoporosis.

An Analysis of the Prevalence and Trends in Drug-Related Lyrics on Twitter (X): Quantitative Approach.

Background: The pervasiveness of drug culture has become evident in popular music and social media. Previous research has examined drug abuse content in both social media and popular music; however, to our knowledge, the intersection of drug abuse content in these 2 domains has not been explored. To address the ongoing drug epidemic, we analyzed drug-related content on Twitter (subsequently rebranded X), with a specific focus on lyrics.

Assessing Health Technology Literacy and Attitudes of Patients in an Urban Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Background: Digital health technologies are increasingly being integrated into mental health care. However, the adoption of these technologies can be influenced by patients' digital literacy and attitudes, which may vary based on sociodemographic factors. This variability necessitates a better understanding of patient digital literacy and attitudes to prevent a digital divide, which can worsen existing health care disparities.

Epigenetics in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the fourth leading cause of end-stage renal disease, contributing substantially to patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare system strain. Emerging research highlights a pivotal role of epigenetics in ADPKD's pathophysiology, where mechanisms like DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation significantly impact disease onset and progression. These epigenetic factors influence gene expression and regulate key processes involved in cyst formation and expansion, fibrosis, and inflammatory infiltration, thus accelerating ADPKD progression.

Modulation of V-type starch structures using aqueous ethanol solutions of different polarities for controlled curcumin encapsulation and release.

This study investigated the effect of different-polarity aqueous ethanol solutions on the formation of V-type starch originating from corn starch. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the morphology of starch transformed from a random lamellar structure to a granular structure with decreasing solution polarity. When the ethanol concentration increased from 40 % to 60 %, the crystallinity and single-helix ratio of V-type starch increased from 9.

Systematic functional characterization of non-coding regulatory SNPs associated with central obesity.

Central obesity is associated with higher risk of developing a wide range of diseases independent of overall obesity. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified more than 300 susceptibility loci associated with central obesity. However, the functional understanding of these loci is limited by the fact that most loci are in non-coding regions.