Expression levels and stoichiometry of Hnf1β, Emx2, Pax8 and Hnf4 influence direct reprogramming of induced renal tubular epithelial cells.

Generation of induced renal epithelial cells (iRECs) from fibroblasts offers great opportunities for renal disease modeling and kidney regeneration. However, the low reprogramming efficiency of the current approach to generate iRECs has hindered potential therapeutic application and regenerative approach. This could be in part attributed to heterogeneous and unbalanced expression of reprogramming factors (RFs) Hnf1β (H1), Emx2 (E), Pax8 (P), and Hnf4α (H4) in transduced fibroblasts.

Coupling ultrafine TiO within pyridinic-N enriched porous carbon towards high-rate and long-life sodium ion capacitors.

Coupling TiO within N-doped porous carbon (NPC) is essential for enhancing its Na storage performance. However, the role of different N configurations in NPC in improving the electrochemical performance of TiO is currently unknown. In this study, melamine is deliberately incorporated as a pore-forming agent in the self-assembly process of metal organic framework precursors (NH-MIL-125(Ti)).

Identification of osteoarthritis-characteristic genes and immunological micro-environment features through bioinformatics and machine learning-based approaches.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifaceted chronic joint disease characterized by complex mechanisms. It has a detrimental impact on the quality of life for individuals in the middle-aged and elderly population while also imposing a significant socioeconomic burden. At present, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the pathophysiology of OA.

Multivariate modular metabolic engineering for enhanced L-methionine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.

Background: L-Methionine is the only bulk amino acid that has not been industrially produced by the fermentation method. Due to highly complex and strictly regulated biosynthesis, the development of microbial strains for high-level L-methionine production has remained challenging in recent years.

Results: By strengthening the L-methionine terminal synthetic module via site-directed mutation of L-homoserine O-succinyltransferase (MetA) and overexpression of metA, metC, and yjeH, L-methionine production was increased to 1.

Circulating retinol and 25(OH)D contents and their association with symptoms in children with chronic tic disorders.

The present study measured serum levels of vitamin A (VA) and vitamin D (VD) in children with chronic tic disorders (CTD) and investigated their potential association with CTD and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the association of their co-insufficiencies or deficiencies with CTD symptoms. A total of 176 children (131 boys and 45 girls, median age of 9 years) with CTD were recruited as the CTD group. During the same period, 154 healthy children were selected as the healthy control (HC) cohort.

Wnt Signaling in Heart Development and Regeneration.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, largely due to the limited regenerative capacity of the adult human heart. In contrast, teleost zebrafish hearts possess natural regeneration capacity by proliferation of pre-existing cardiomyocytes after injury. Hearts of mice can regenerate if injured in a few days after birth, which coincides with the transient capacity for cardiomyocyte proliferation.

Immediate effects of neuromuscular joint-facilitation bridging exercises on walking ability and balance function in stroke patients.

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the immediate effects of a pelvic neuromuscular joint-facilitation intervention on the walking and balance ability of patients with hemiplegia caused by cerebrovascular accidents. [Participants and Methods] A total of 15 patients with hemiplegia caused by cerebrovascular accidents underwent a neuromuscular joint-facilitation lumbar-pattern intervention (intervention group), a bridge exercise (bridge intervention group), or a neuromuscular joint-facilitation bridge intervention (neuromuscular joint-facilitation bridge group). Each intervention was randomly administered at 7-day intervals.

Atlas of circulating immune cells in Kawasaki disease.

Increasing evidence shows that the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD) is caused by abnormal and unbalanced innate and adaptive immune responses. However, the changes in and functions of adaptive immune cells in the peripheral blood of subjects with KD remain controversial. In this study, three different methods, CIBERSORT, Immune Cell Abundance Identifier (ImmuCellAI), and immune cell markers, were used to evaluate the proportions and abundances of immune cells in eight KD datasets (GSE9863, GSE9864, GSE18606, GSE63881, GSE68004, GSE73461, GSE73463, and GSE64486; a total of 1,251 samples).

Development and validation of a ferroptosis-related prognostic model for the prediction of progression-free survival and immune microenvironment in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent and regulated cell death that has been widely reported in a variety of malignancies. The overall survival of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is excellent, but the identification of patients with poor prognosis still faces challenges. Nevertheless, whether ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) can be used to screen high-risk patients is not clear.

Age-related differences in acute aortic dissection.

Objective: The present study investigated the differences in clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD) in different age groups.

Methods: The present single-center retrospective study was conducted from August 2014 to August 2020. The patients were divided into three groups: age <45 years (young group), age 45 to 59 years (middle-age group), and age >59 years (elderly group).

Analysis of the Prognostic Value and Potential Molecular Mechanisms of TREM-1 Overexpression in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Bioinformatics Methods.

Background: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) has been reported as a biomarker in many cancers. However, the biological function of TREM-1 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unknown.

Methods: We obtained TREM-1 expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Induction of Wnt signaling antagonists and p21-activated kinase enhances cardiomyocyte proliferation during zebrafish heart regeneration.

Heart regeneration occurs by dedifferentiation and proliferation of pre-existing cardiomyocytes (CMs). However, the signaling mechanisms by which injury induces CM renewal remain incompletely understood. Here, we find that cardiac injury in zebrafish induces expression of the secreted Wnt inhibitors, including Dickkopf 1 (Dkk1), Dkk3, secreted Frizzled-related protein 1 (sFrp1), and sFrp2, in cardiac tissue adjacent to injury sites.

Disruption of Abcc6 Transporter in Zebrafish Causes Ocular Calcification and Cardiac Fibrosis.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), caused by ABCC6/MRP6 mutation, is a heritable multisystem disorder in humans. The progressive clinical manifestations of PXE are accompanied by ectopic mineralization in various connective tissues. However, the pathomechanisms underlying the PXE multisystem disorder remains obscure, and effective treatment is currently available.

Analysis of the expression and potential molecular mechanism of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) in papillary thyroid cancer via bioinformatics methods.

Background: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) has been reported as a biomarker of many cancers. However, the biological function of IL1RN in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains undetermined.

Methods: We obtained IL1RN expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Immune Cell Confrontation in the Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Microenvironment.

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer has been associated with chronic inflammation. A systematic understanding of immune cell infiltration in PTC is essential for subsequent immune research and new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Methods: Three different algorithms, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), immune cell marker and CIBERSORT, were used to evaluate immune cell infiltration levels (abundance and proportion) in 10 data sets (The Cancer Genome Atlas [TCGA], GSE3467, GSE3678, GSE5364, GSE27155, GSE33630, GSE50901, GSE53157, GSE58545, and GSE60542; a total of 799 PTC and 194 normal thyroid samples).

Papillary thyroid carcinoma with a high tumor mutation burden has a poor prognosis.

Background: Tumor mutation burden (TMB) as a prognostic marker for immunotherapy has shown prognostic value in many cancers. However, there is no systematic investigation on TMB in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: Based on the somatic mutation data of 487 PTC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), TMB was calculated, and we classified the samples into high-TMB (H-TMB) and low-TMB (L-TMB) groups.

The Gridlock transcriptional repressor impedes vertebrate heart regeneration by restricting expression of lysine methyltransferase.

Teleost zebrafish and neonatal mammalian hearts exhibit the remarkable capacity to regenerate through dedifferentiation and proliferation of pre-existing cardiomyocytes (CMs). Although many mitogenic signals that stimulate zebrafish heart regeneration have been identified, transcriptional programs that restrain injury-induced CM renewal are incompletely understood. Here, we report that mutations in (; also known as ), encoding a Hairy-related basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional repressor, enhance CM proliferation and reduce fibrosis following damage.

Bioinformatics analysis of the clinical value and potential mechanisms of AHNAK2 in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: has been recently reported as a biomarker in many cancers. However, a systematic investigation of in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has not been conducted.

Results: is overexpressed in PTC tissues and could be an independent prognostic factor.

Tbx20 Induction Promotes Zebrafish Heart Regeneration by Inducing Cardiomyocyte Dedifferentiation and Endocardial Expansion.

Heart regeneration requires replenishment of lost cardiomyocytes (CMs) and cells of the endocardial lining. However, the signaling regulation and transcriptional control of myocardial dedifferentiation and endocardial activation are incompletely understood during cardiac regeneration. Here, we report that T-Box Transcription Factor 20 (Tbx20) is induced rapidly in the myocardial wound edge in response to various sources of cardiac damages in zebrafish.

Tribological Properties of SiN-hBN Composite Ceramics Bearing on GCr15 under Seawater Lubrication.

This paper concerns a comparative study on the tribological properties of SiN-10 vol% hBN bearing on GCr15 steel under seawater lubrication and dry friction and fresh-water lubrication by using a pin-on-disc tribometer. The results showed that the lower friction coefficient (around 0.03) and wear rate (10 mm/Nm) of SN10/GCr15 tribopair were obtained under seawater condition.

Treatment Options for Venous Cystic Adventitial Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Venous cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is an uncommon vascular anomaly that most frequently affects the common femoral vein. Transluminal or transadventitial evacuation followed by cyst excision is considered an effective treatment for this condition, although the recurrence rate is relatively high. Herein, we report a case of a 59-year-old man with venous CAD that was successfully treated with saphenous vein patch angioplasty after mucoid evacuation and cyst excision, and we discuss the options for treating venous CAD.