Association between 25(OH) vitamin D and schizophrenia: shared genetic correlation, pleiotropy, and causality.

Background: This study delves into the complex interplay between genetics, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and schizophrenia (SCZ). It leverages extensive sample data derived from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) to uncover genetic correlations.

Methods: Employing Linkage Disequilibrium Score Regression (LDSC) and S-LDSC, this study investigates genetic connections between 25OHD and SCZ.

Association between 25(OH) vitamin D and multiple sclerosis: cohort, shared genetics, and Causality.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder causing demyelination and neurological damage, has been linked to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels, suggesting its role in immune response and MS onset. This study used GWAS datasets to investigate genetic associations between 25OHD and MS.

Methods: We utilized a large-scale prospective cohort to evaluate serum 25OHD levels and MS risk.

Methionine-choline deficient diet deteriorates DSS-induced murine colitis through disturbance of gut microbes and infiltration of macrophages.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with changed dietary habits and mainly linked with the gut microbiota dysbiosis, necroptosis of epithelial cells, and mucosal ulcerations. Liver dysfunction and abnormal level of liver metabolism indices were identified in UC patients, suggesting a close interaction between gut and liver disorders. Methionine-choline deficient diet (MCD) has been shown to induce persistent alterations of gut microbiota and metabolome during hepatitis.

RIPK1 inhibitor ameliorates pulmonary injury by modulating the function of neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an acute and progressive hypoxic respiratory failure that could progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with a high mortality rate, thus immediate medical attention and supportive care are necessary. The pathophysiology of ALI is characterized by the disruption of the alveolar-capillary barrier and activation of neutrophils, leading to lung tissue damage. The receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of multiple inflammatory diseases, but the role of RIPK1 in the ALI remains poorly understood.

Different timing for abdominal paracentesis catheter placement and drainage in severe acute pancreatitis complicated by intra-abdominal fluid accumulation.

Background: Non-surgical methods such as percutaneous drainage are crucial for the treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). However, there is still an ongoing debate regarding the optimal timing for abdominal paracentesis catheter placement and drainage.

Aim: To explore the influence of different timing for abdominal paracentesis catheter placement and drainage in SAP complicated by intra-abdominal fluid accumulation.

Assessing the causal relationship between immune traits and systemic lupus erythematosus by bi-directional Mendelian randomization analysis.

Previous studies have observed relationships between immune cells and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but their causal links remain undetermined. Based on the public available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics, we conducted two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate the associations between 731 immune phenotypes and SLE pairs. Pairwise pleiotropy analysis was performed to identify pleiotropic genes for significant immunophenotype-SLE pairs.

MyD88 deficiency aggravates the severity of acute pancreatitis by promoting MyD88-independent TRIF pathway-mediated necrosis.

Background: With uncontrolled inflammatory progression, acute pancreatitis (AP) can progress to severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Inflammation and parenchymal cell death are key pathologic responses of AP. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a pro-inflammatory role in AP.

CircSCAF8 promotes growth and metastasis of prostate cancer through the circSCAF8-miR-140-3p/miR-335-LIF pathway.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been increasingly linked to cancer progression. However, the detailed biological functions of circRNAs in prostate cancer (PCa) remain unclear. Using high-throughput circRNA sequencing, we previously identified 18 urine extracellular vesicle circRNAs that were increased in patients with PCa compared with those with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Development and validation of a prediction model for moderately severe and severe acute pancreatitis in pregnancy.

Background: The severity of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy (APIP) is correlated with higher risks of maternal and fetal death.

Aim: To develop a nomogram that could predict moderately severe and severe acute pancreatitis in pregnancy (MSIP).

Methods: Patients with APIP admitted to West China Hospital between January 2012 and December 2018 were included in this study.

Targeting AKT and CK2 represents a novel therapeutic strategy for SMO constitutive activation-driven medulloblastoma.

Aims: Sonic hedgehog subtype medulloblastoma is featured with overactivation of hedgehog pathway and can be targeted by SMO-specific inhibitors. However, the resistance is frequently developed leading to treatment failure of SMO inhibitors. W535L mutation of SMO (SMO ) is thought to be an oncogenic driver for Sonic hedgehog subtype MB and confer resistance to SMO inhibitors.

Inhibitory effects of temozolomide on glioma cells is sensitized by RSL3-induced ferroptosis but negatively correlated with expression of ferritin heavy chain 1 and ferritin light chain.

Invasive growth of glioblastoma makes residual tumor unremovable by surgery and leads to disease relapse. Temozolomide is widely used first-line chemotherapy drug to treat glioma patients, but development of temozolomide resistance is almost inevitable. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic cell death, is found to be related to temozolomide response of gliomas.

HOXA5 is amplified in glioblastoma stem cells and promotes tumor progression by transcriptionally activating PTPRZ1.

Although the tumorigenic potential of glioma stem cells (GSCs) is associated with multiple molecular alterations, the gene amplification status of GSCs has not been elucidated. Overexpression of HomeoboxA5 (HOXA5) is associated with increased glioma malignancy. In this study, we identify the gene amplification and protein overexpression of HOXA5 in GSCs and its function in regulating GSC maintenance and the downstream transcriptional effector, to explore the significance of HOXA5 amplification/overexpression for GSC identification and prognostic determination.

EPHA2 mediates PDGFA activity and functions together with PDGFRA as prognostic marker and therapeutic target in glioblastoma.

Platelet-derived growth subunit A (PDGFA) plays critical roles in development of glioblastoma (GBM) with substantial evidence from TCGA database analyses and in vivo mouse models. So far, only platelet-derived growth receptor α (PDGFRA) has been identified as receptor for PDGFA. However, PDGFA and PDGFRA are categorized into different molecular subtypes of GBM in TCGA_GBM database.

Comprehensive omics analyses profile genesets related with tumor heterogeneity of multifocal glioblastomas and reveal LIF/CCL2 as biomarkers for mesenchymal subtype.

Around 10%-20% patients with glioblastoma (GBM) are diagnosed with more than one tumor lesions or multifocal GBM (mGBM). However, the understanding on genetic, DNA methylomic, and transcriptomic characteristics of mGBM is still limited. In this study, we collected nine tumor foci from three mGBM patients followed by whole genome sequencing, whole genome bisulfite sequencing, RNA sequencing, and immunohistochemistry.

STING inhibitor ameliorates LPS-induced ALI by preventing vascular endothelial cells-mediated immune cells chemotaxis and adhesion.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and devastating clinical disorder featured by excessive inflammatory responses. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is an indispensable molecule for regulating inflammation and immune response in multiple diseases, but the role of STING in the ALI pathogenesis is not well elucidated. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanisms of STING in regulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury.

Development and validation of a prediction model for deep vein thrombosis in older non-mild acute pancreatitis patients.

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) may cause pulmonary embolus, leading to late deaths. The systemic inflammatory and hypercoagulable state of moderate and severe acute pancreatitis (non-mild acute pancreatitis, NMAP) patients may contribute to the development of venous thromboembolism. Accurate prediction of DVT is conducive to clinical decisions.

Inhibition of PDE4 by apremilast attenuates skin fibrosis through directly suppressing activation of M1 and T cells.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a life-threatening chronic connective tissue disease with the characteristics of skin fibrosis, vascular injury, and inflammatory infiltrations. Though inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) has been turned out to be an effective strategy in suppressing inflammation through promoting the accumulation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), little is known about the functional modes of inhibiting PDE4 by apremilast on the process of SSc. The present research aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanism of apremilast on SSc.

A novel mouse model of hyperuricemia and gouty nephropathy.

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CCL8 secreted by tumor-associated macrophages promotes invasion and stemness of glioblastoma cells via ERK1/2 signaling.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a large population of glioblastoma and facilitate tumor growth and invasion of tumor cells, but the underlying mechanism remains undefined. In this study, we demonstrate that chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 8 (CCL8) is highly expressed by TAMs and contributes to pseudopodia formation by GBM cells. The presence of CCL8 in the glioma microenvironment promotes progression of tumor cells.

The oncological safety in minimally invasive versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The safety of minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) and open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) regarding oncological outcomes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the oncological safety of MIDP and ODP for PDAC. Major databases including PubMed, Embase, Science Citation Index Expanded, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies comparing outcomes in patients undergoing MIDP and ODP for PDAC from January 1994 to August 2018.