Increased risk of malignancy and osteoporosis in primary Sjögren's syndrome with thyroid diseases: potential implication from T cells.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of thyroid diseases (TD) on the comorbidities incidence and immune system of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: A total of 329 patients diagnosed with pSS who were admitted between January 2018 and September 2023 were evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups: those with and without TD.

Generation of heterozygous KCNA2 knockout induced pluripotent stem cell line.

The KCNA2 gene is the voltage-gated ion channel from both functional and structural perspectives. KCNA2 is involved in diverse functions including the regulation of neurotransmitter release, heart rate, insulin secretion, neuronal excitability, epithelial electrolyte transport, smooth muscle contraction, and cell volume. To investigate the relevant pathophysiological mechanisms, we generated heterozygous KCNA2 knockout human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line via CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.

Generation of KCNH2 heterozygous knockout induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line (Long and Short QT Syndrome).

KCNH2 (Potassium Voltage-Gated Channel Subfamily H Member) encodes a voltage-activated potassium channel role as rapidly activating-delayed rectifier potassium channel that plays an essential role in the final repolarization of the ventricular action potential. Mutations in this gene can cause long QT syndrome and short QT syndrome. Transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms were also identified.

Two-dimensional heavy fermions in the van der Waals metal CeSiI.

Heavy-fermion metals are prototype systems for observing emergent quantum phases driven by electronic interactions. A long-standing aspiration is the dimensional reduction of these materials to exert control over their quantum phases, which remains a significant challenge because traditional intermetallic heavy-fermion compounds have three-dimensional atomic and electronic structures. Here we report comprehensive thermodynamic and spectroscopic evidence of an antiferromagnetically ordered heavy-fermion ground state in CeSiI, an intermetallic comprising two-dimensional (2D) metallic sheets held together by weak interlayer van der Waals (vdW) interactions.

Comprehensive physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analysis of the key metabolic pathways in millet seedling adaptation to drought stress.

Drought is one of the leading environmental constraints that affect the growth and development of plants and, ultimately, their yield and quality. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is a natural stress-resistant plant and an ideal model for studying plant drought resistance. In this study, two varieties of foxtail millet with different levels of drought resistance were used as the experimental material.

Transition Metal Functionalized CNS as High-Performance Trifunctional Catalysts with Integrated Descriptors toward Hydrogen Evolution, Oxygen Evolution, and Oxygen Reduction Reactions: A Case of High-Throughput First-Principles Screening within the Framework of TM-N@CNS.

In energy conversion and storage technologies, the design of highly efficient trifunctional electrocatalysts integrating with the high hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution/reduction reaction (OER/ORR) activities is highly desirable. Herein, utilizing first-principles computations, a novel periodically ordered macropore CNS monolayer was proposed, and the stability analysis attests to its good stability. Single transition metal (TM) atom anchored onto this newly proposed CNS monolayer to form single-atom catalysts, as achieved by TM-N@CNS, among which the Co-N@CNS is the most promising multifunctional catalyst toward HER/OER/ORR with low overpotential of 0.

Time-reversal symmetry breaking superconductivity between twisted cuprate superconductors.

Twisted interfaces between stacked van der Waals (vdW) cuprate crystals present a platform for engineering superconducting order parameters by adjusting stacking angles. Using a cryogenic assembly technique, we construct twisted vdW Josephson junctions (JJs) at atomically sharp interfaces between BiSrCaCuO crystals, with quality approaching the limit set by intrinsic JJs. Near 45° twist angle, we observe fractional Shapiro steps and Fraunhofer patterns, consistent with the existence of two degenerate Josephson ground states related by time-reversal symmetry (TRS).

The role of plateletcrit in Takayasu arteritis: A potential biomarker for disease activity and 6-month treatment response.

Objectives: To determine the role of plateletcrit as a potential biomarker for disease activity and treatment response in Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Methods: Totally, 215 newly diagnosed TAK patients were consecutively enrolled. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging examinations, and treatment strategy were recorded at baseline and at each visit during the 6-month treatment period.

Kagome-like BiP Monolayer: An Emerging Quasi-Direct Auxetic Semiconductor Coupled with High Anisotropic Mobility toward Visible-Light-Driven Photoelectrocatalytic pH-Robust Overall Water-Splitting.

Two-dimensional (2D) Janus materials exhibit an outstanding potential that can meet the rigorous requirements of photocatalytic water splitting resulting from their unique atomic arrangement. However, these materials are quite scarce. Through ab initio density functional theory calculations, we introduce a kagome topology into the honeycomb lattice of blue phosphorene using phosphorus and bismuth atoms to build a hybrid honeycomb-like kagome lattice, realized by a hitherto unknown kagome-like Janus-like BiP monolayer with robust stability.

Exogenous hydrogen sulfide alleviates hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress via SIRT1/FoxO1/PCSK9 pathway in NAFLD.

High-fat-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been the main reason for the occurrence and development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hydrogen sulfide (H S) produces a marked effect on regulating lipid metabolism and antioxidation, whose effects on ER stress of NAFLD are still unclear. Here, we studied the influence of exogenous H S on NAFLD and its potential mechanism.

Identification of ferroptosis and drug resistance related hub genes to predict the prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Currently, overcoming the drug resistance in HCC is a critical challenge and ferroptosis has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for cancer. We aim to construct a new gene signature related to ferroptosis and drug resistance to predict the prognosis in HCC.

A Mesoscale Study on the Dilation of Actively Confined Concrete under Axial Compression.

The confinement of concrete enhances its strength and ductility by restraining lateral dilation. The accuracy of a confinement model depends on how well it captures the dilation of concrete. In the current paper, a mesoscale model is established to study the dilation properties of concrete in active confinement, where the heterogeneity of concrete is considered.

The HN1/HMGB1 axis promotes the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma and attenuates the chemosensitivity to oxaliplatin.

Hematological and neurological expressed 1 (HN1) is closely associated with the proliferation and metastasis of various tumors. However, the physiological functions and clinical significance of HN1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain indistinct. In this study, we investigated the role of HN1 in the pathogenesis of HCC and the underlying mechanism using clinical data from HCC patients, in vitro experiments utilizing HCC cell lines and in vivo animal models.

A novel model to assess disease activity in Takayasu arteritis based on 18F-FDG-PET/CT: a Chinese cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the utility of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) in assessing disease activity in Takayasu arteritis (TA).

Methods: Ninety-one patients with TA were recruited from a Chinese cohort. Clinical data, acute-phase reactants and 18F-FDG-PET/CT findings were simultaneously recorded.

Potential Role of Macrophage Phenotypes and CCL2 in the Pathogenesis of Takayasu Arteritis.

Objectives: To investigate vascular macrophage phenotype as well as vascular and peripheral chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) expression during different stages of disease progression in patients with Takayasu Arteritis (TA).

Methods: In this study, 74 patients with TA and 50 controls were recruited. TA disease activity was evaluated with Kerr scores.

Effect of hydroxychloroquine on angiographic progression in routine treatment of Takayasu arteritis.

Objectives: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an anti-malarial drug, is widely used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. However, the benefits of HCQ in the treatment of Takayasu arteritis (TA) remain unclear, especially in terms of alleviation of vascular progression.

Methods: This longitudinal observational retrospective study was based on the East China TA cohort.

Effectiveness and safety of methotrexate leflunomide in 12-month treatment for Takayasu arteritis.

Aims: The study investigates the effectiveness and safety of methotrexate (MTX) leflunomide (LEF) in 12-month treatment of Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Methods: This was a cohort study. Patients diagnosed with TAK between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2019 were enrolled from First Hospital of China Medical University and Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University.

IL-6/IL-6R Trans-Signaling in Fibroblasts Releases Cytokines That May Be Linked to the Pathogenesis of IgG4-Related Disease.

The remarkable mechanisms of storiform fibrosis and the formation of high levels of IgG4 with a pathogenic germinal center (GC) in the inflammatory tissue of IgG4-RD remains unknown and may be responsible for the unsatisfactory therapeutic effect on IgG4-related diseases when using conventional therapy. To investigate the mechanisms of interleukin 6 (IL-6) inducing fibroblasts to produce cytokines for pathogenic GC formation in the development of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). The clinical data and laboratory examinations of 56 patients with IgG4-RD were collected.

Effectiveness and safety of leflunomide compared with cyclophosphamide as induction therapy in Takayasu's arteritis: an observational study.

Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the outcomes of leflunomide (LEF) compared with those of cyclophosphamide (CYC) as induction against active Takayasu's arteritis (TA) in Chinese patients.

Methods: This was an observational study based on a prospective cohort that included TA patients diagnosed in large third-level first-class general hospitals in East China from January 2009 to September 2018. LEF- or CYC-induced active patients were enrolled for comparative effectiveness analysis.

Efficacy and safety of leflunomide cyclophosphamide for initial-onset Takayasu arteritis: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Leflunomide (LEF) has been considered as an alternative treatment for Takayasu arteritis (TA); however, data on its efficacy are still scanty.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of LEF cyclophosphamide (CYC) for initial-onset TA.

Methods: Initial-onset TA patients with active disease were enrolled in this research.

Involvement of the pulmonary arteries in patients with Takayasu arteritis: a prospective study from a single centre in China.

Background: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a large vessel vasculitis that can involve pulmonary arteries (PAs). We studied multiple clinical characteristics related to pulmonary artery involvement (PAI) in TA patients.

Methods: We enrolled 216 patients with TA from a large prospective cohort.

The value of interleukin-6 in predicting disease relapse for Takayasu arteritis during 2-year follow-up.

Objective: To evaluate the value of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in predicting long-term disease prognosis for Takayasu arteritis (TA).

Methods: Sixty-seven TA patients, who had IL-6 levels detected at the first visit and had a regular follow-up of at least 2 years, were enrolled. Data recorded up to March 31, 2019, including clinical presentations, laboratory indices, treatments, and radiological images were collected and used for analysis.