The role and mechanism of thrombospondin-4 in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease.

Background: Due to a special hemodynamic feature, pulmonary vascular disease in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD) has two stages: reversible and irreversible. So far, the mechanism involved in the transition from reversible to irreversible stage is elusive. Moreover, no recognized and reliable assessments to distinguish these two stages are available.

Association between body roundness index and risk of ultrasound-defined non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objectives: While several indicators have been studied, the association of body roundness index (BRI) with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. We aimed to explore the association between BRI and ultrasound-defined NAFLD.

Methods: The sample dataset was extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) during the period of 2017-2018.

Patterns of weight change during adulthood and incidence of nephrolithiasis: a population-based study.

Background: There is some evidence to suggest that there may be a link between body mass index (BMI) and the development of kidney stones, it remains unclear whether weight change was associated with the presence of kidney stone.

Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the potential association between changes patterns in weight during adulthood and the incidence of kidney stone.

Methods: This study included 14472 participants aged 30-75 years, whose BMI was recorded at both baseline and 10 years prior to the survey.

The systemic immune-inflammation index was non-linear associated with all-cause mortality in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objective: Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), a novel inflammatory indicator based on platelets, neutrophils and lymphocytes, has been shown to be associated with prognostic value in several solid tumors. However, its prognostic value in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been reported yet. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of SII in individuals with NAFLD.

The effects of obesity and metabolic abnormalities on severe COVID-19-related outcomes after vaccination: A population-based study.

Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections of vaccinated individuals are being reported globally, resulting in an increased risk of hospitalization and death among such patients. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the modifiable risk factors that may affect the protective efficacy of vaccine use against the development of severe COVID-19 and thus to initiate early medical interventions. Here, in population-based studies using the UK Biobank database and the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we analyzed 20,362 participants aged 50 years or older and 2,588 aged 18 years or older from both databases who tested positive for SARS-COV-2, of whom 33.

Association of serum C-peptide with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in ultrasound-defined nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objective: To determine the prognostic value of C-peptide in long-term nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mortality.

Methods: A total of 4670 participants with NAFLD were enrolled in this study. Multivariable Cox regression models evaluated the links between C-peptide levels and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk using adjusted hazard ratios (aHR).

Development and validation of a robust epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential biological process of cancer progression associated with increased metastatic potential and initiation. Herein, we aimed to develop and validate a robust EMT-related prognostic signature that could predict the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Messenger RNA expression matrix and clinicopathological data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC tissues and adjacent non-tumor samples.

Development and External Validation of a Novel Immune Checkpoint-Related Gene Signature for Prediction of Overall Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a novel immune checkpoint-related gene signature for prediction of overall survival (OS) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). mRNA expression profiles and clinical follow-up information were obtained in the International Cancer Genome Consortium database. An external dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma database was used to validate the results.

Predicting Diagnostic Gene Biomarkers Associated With Immune Infiltration in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

The present study was designed to identify potential diagnostic markers for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and determine the significance of immune cell infiltration in this pathology. Two publicly available gene expression profiles (GSE66360 and GSE48060 datasets) from human AMI and control samples were downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between 80 AMI and 71 control samples.

A Nomogram for the Prediction of Cessation of Migraine Among Patients With Patent Foramen Ovale After Percutaneous Closure.

This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict cessation of patent foramen ovale (PFO) patients with migraine headache after percutaneous closure. A total of 247 eligible patients with PFO and migraine after percutaneous closure between May, 2016 and May, 2018 were divided into a development cohort ( = 149) and a validation cohort ( = 98). The primary end point was cessation of migraine at follow-up of 1 year after the procedure measured by the Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS).

Identification of Key Genes of Prognostic Value in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Microenvironment and a Risk Score Prognostic Model.

Objective: We aimed at identifying the key genes of prognostic value in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) microenvironment and construct a risk score prognostic model.

Materials And Methods: Immune and stromal scores were calculated using the ESTIMATE algorithm. A total of 539 ccRCC cases were divided into high- and low-score groups.

Identification of feature autophagy-related genes in patients with acute myocardial infarction based on bioinformatics analyses.

Objective: To identify feature autophagy-related genes (ARGs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and further investigate their value in the diagnosis of AMI.

Methods: Gene microarray expression data of AMI peripheral blood samples were downloaded from the GSE66360 dataset. The data were randomly classified into a discovery cohort (21 AMI patients and 22 healthy controls) and a validation cohort (28 AMI patients and 28 healthy controls).

Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer.

Objective: Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) overexpression has been reported to be closely associated with cancer prognosis. However, its diagnostic and prognostic significance in gastric cancer (GC) has not yet been explored.

Methods: FEN1 expression, its correlation with clinical parameters, and prognostic significance were investigated by data mining of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets.

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Integrated Bioinformatics Approaches.

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a fatal cardiovascular disease event with significant morbidity and mortality. However, its potential molecular mechanisms and potential key genes have not been totally evaluated. The gene expression profile of GSE33463, including 30 individuals diagnosed with IPAH and 41 normal controls, was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database.

Nomogram Based on microRNA Signature Contributes to Improve Survival Prediction of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified in ccRCC and recommended to be used for predicting clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) prognosis. However, it is not clear whether a miRNA-based nomogram results in improved survival prediction in patients with ccRCC.

Methods: miRNA profiles from tumors and normal tissues were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analyzed using the "limma" package.

A Nomogram Based on Apelin-12 for the Prediction of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention among Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Objective: This study aimed to establish a clinical prognostic nomogram for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: Information on 464 patients with STEMI who performed PCI procedures was included. After removing patients with incomplete clinical information, a total of 460 patients followed for 2.

Prognostic nomogram based on log odds of positive lymph nodes for gastric carcinoma patients after surgical resection.

To build a prognostic nomogram based on log odds of positive lymph nodes for patients with gastric carcinoma (GC) after resection, and to compare the predictive performance with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system and lymph node ratio (LNR). Multivariate analyses were performed to identify the independent variables for cancer-specific survival (CSS). A nomogram was constructed based on independent clinicopathological factors.

Modified Method of Contrast Transthoracic Echocardiography for the Diagnosis of Patent Foramen Ovale.

Purpose: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of modified and traditional methods of contrast echocardiography of the right portion of the heart in patients with a suspicion of patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Methods: The study population consisted of 506 patients with high clinical suspicion of PFO. The traditional Valsalva maneuver consists of expiration against a closed glottis after a full inspiration.

Association between the CD14-260C>T gene polymorphism and susceptibility to myocardial infarction: Evidence from case-control studies.

Numerous published studies have investigated the relationship between the CD14-260C>T (rs2569190) polymorphism and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the results are still conflicting and inconclusive. Potentially eligible published articles were searched in four databases including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM).

Thickness and Ratio of Noncompacted and Compacted Layers of the Left Ventricular Myocardium Evaluated in 56 Normal Fetuses by Two-Dimensional Echocardiography.

The thickness and ratio of noncompacted and compacted layers of the left ventricular (LV) myocardium in the normal fetus were investigated by fetal echocardiography. We aimed to investigate the compaction process of the LV myocardium during the normal gestation period and provide reference for echocardiographic diagnosis of a fetus with ventricular myocardium noncompaction. A total of 56 pregnant women in the gestational period of 23-30 weeks were included.

Association between perioperative hypothermia and surgical site infection: A meta-analysis.

Background: A majority of reports in the past decade have demonstrated that perioperative hypothermia increases susceptibility to surgical site infection (SSI). However, in recent years, an increasing number of studies did not find an association between hypothermia and the risk of SSI. These contradictory results have given rise to a conflicting issue on whether perioperative hypothermia is associated with SSI risk in surgical patients.

Exercise therapy of patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: As drug use has limitations in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), increasing attention is being paid to nondrug therapies and complementary treatments, especially exercise. It is known that bowel movements are more frequent and colon transit is more rapid in physically active individuals than in sedentary individuals. However, the effects of exercise on IBS are unclear.