A Vibrotactile Belt for Measuring Vibrotactile Acuities on the Human Torso Using Coin Motors.

Accurate measurement of the vibrotactile acuities of the human torso is the key to designing effective torso-worn vibrotactile displays for healthcare applications such as navigation aids for visually impaired persons. Although efforts have been made to measure vibrotactile acuities, there remains a lack of systematic studies addressing the spatial, temporal, and intensity-related aspects of vibrotactile sensitivity on the human torso. In this work, a torso-worn vibrotactile belt consisting of two crossed coin motor arrays was designed and a psychophysical study was carried out to measure the spatial, temporal, and intensity-related vibrotactile acuities of a set of human subjects wearing the designed belt.

Clinicopathologic features and tumor immune microenvironment of lymphocyte-rich hepatocellular carcinoma.

Lymphocyte-rich hepatocellular carcinoma (LR-HCC) is a rare variant of HCC characterized by pronounced lymphoid infiltration, providing an opportunity to explore the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and its potential impact on disease progression and therapy. This study aimed to describe the clinicopathological features and TIME components of LR-HCC to inform more effective treatment strategies. In this study, we present five novel cases of LR-HCC alongside a comprehensive retrospective analysis of 136 previously documented cases.

The differential effect of optogenetic serotonergic manipulation on sustained motor actions and waiting for future rewards in mice.

Serotonin is an essential neuromodulator that affects behavioral and cognitive functions. Previous studies have shown that activation of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) promotes patience to wait for future rewards. However, it is still unclear whether serotonergic neurons also regulate persistence to act for future rewards.

History of tobacco smoking and alcohol use can predict the effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy in individuals with schizophrenia: A multicenter clinical trial.

Background: Current research has found that factors such as gender, age, and family history can predict the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in individuals with schizophrenia. In our clinical practice, we anecdotally observed that tobacco smokers and alcohol drinkers with schizophrenia seemed to respond more effectively to ECT than non-smokers and non-drinkers. The current study aimed to examine whether history of tobacco smoking or alcohol consumption serve as indicators for predicting therapeutic efficacy of ECT in individuals with schizophrenia.

Long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics reduces macrophages and affects the microbiota-gut-brain axis in mice.

The remarkably increase in plastic use has led to worldwide pollution involving microplastics (MPs), which have been shown to be potentially hazardous substances. Although several studies have focused on the effects of small MPs on the brain and behavior of aquatic species, their effects on the mouse brain and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our study's aim was to investigate the effects of long-term oral ingestion of different sizes of MPs (0.

Nasopharyngeal amyloidoma: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Background: Nasopharyngeal amyloidoma is a rare, locally aggressive tumor that has been reported in the English literature in only 38 cases to date, most of which were in the form of case reports. The present study was aimed to summarize the characteristics of this rare tumor, with the goal of providing new insights for diagnosis and treatment.

Materials And Methods: We report three cases of nasopharyngeal amyloidoma diagnosed in our hospital following comprehensive medical examination and review the current literature on all cases of nasopharyngeal amyloidoma from PubMed.

The steatosis-associated fibrosis estimator (SAFE) outperformed the FIB-4 score in screening the population for liver disease.

Introduction And Objectives: Assessing fibrosis risk noninvasively is essential. The steatosis-associated fibrosis estimator (SAFE) score shows promise but needs validation.

Patients And Methods: This was a three-part study.

Shared and distinct electroencephalogram microstate abnormalities across schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

Background: Microstates of an electroencephalogram (EEG) are canonical voltage topographies that remain quasi-stable for 90 ms, serving as the foundational elements of brain dynamics. Different changes in EEG microstates can be observed in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD). However, the similarities and disparatenesses in whole-brain dynamics on a subsecond timescale among individuals diagnosed with SCZ, BD, and MDD are unclear.

An interpretable deep learning model for identifying the morphological characteristics of dMMR/MSI-H gastric cancer.

Accurate tumor diagnosis by pathologists relies on identifying specific morphological characteristics. However, summarizing these unique morphological features in tumor classifications can be challenging. Although deep learning models have been extensively studied for tumor classification, their indirect and subjective interpretation obstructs pathologists from comprehending the model and discerning the morphological features accountable for classifications.

PPM1G promotes cell proliferation via modulating mutant GOF p53 protein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The serine/threonine protein phosphatase family involves series of cellular processes, such as pre-mRNA splicing. The function of one of its members, protein phosphatase, Mg/Mn2+ dependent 1G (PPM1G), remains unclear in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our results demonstrated that PPM1G was significantly overexpressed in HCC cells and tumor tissues compared with the normal liver tissues at both protein and RNA levels.

Anatomical thermal ablation as an alternative to surgical resection for subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To simulate the advantages of anatomical resection, a new strategy of anatomical thermal ablation was proposed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of anatomical thermal ablation (ATA) to treat subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma by comparing it with anatomical resection (AR) and non-anatomical resection (NAR).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled hepatocellular carcinoma patients with subcapsular tumor diameter ≤ 50 mm treated by ATA or surgical resection at our center from October 2015 to December 2018.

Comprehensive analysis of the gene expression profile of the male and female BTBR mice with diabetic nephropathy.

Comprehensive insight into the gender-based gene expression-related omics data in a rodent model of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is scarce. In the present study, the gender-based genes regulating different pathways involved in the progression of DN were explored through an unbiased RNA sequence of kidneys from BTBR mice with DN. We identified 17,739 and 17,981 genes in male and female DN mice; 1121 and 655 genes were expressed differentially (DEGs, differentially expressed genes) in male and female DN mice; both genders displayed only 195 DEGs.

The Molecular Mechanism of Renal Tubulointerstitial Inflammation Promoting Diabetic Nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common complication affecting many diabetic patients, leading to end-stage renal disease. However, its pathogenesis still needs to be fully understood to enhance the effectiveness of treatment methods. Traditional theories are predominantly centered on glomerular injuries and need more explicit explanations of recent clinical observations suggesting that renal tubules equally contribute to renal function and that tubular lesions are early features of DN, even occurring before glomerular lesions.

Lowering the threshold of alanine aminotransferase for enhanced identification of significant hepatic injury in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: The clinical and histological features of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who fall into the "grey zone (GZ)" and do not fit into conventional natural phases are unclear.

Aim: To explore the impact of varying the threshold of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in identifying significant liver injury among GZ patients.

Methods: This retrospective analysis involved a cohort of 1617 adult patients diagnosed with CHB who underwent liver biopsy.

CD45 erythroid progenitor cells promote lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer by inducing a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal state in lymphatic endothelial cells.

Background And Aims: Specific mechanisms of lymph node (LN) metastasis in early-stage gastric cancer (GC) have not been elucidated. The role of anemia, a vital clinical feature of GC, in LN metastasis is also unclear. Since the number of erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) is increased in chronic anemia, we investigated its association with LN metastasis in GC.

CRISPR screen identifies the role of RBBP8 in mediating unfolded protein response induced liver damage through regulating protein synthesis.

Unfolded protein response (UPR) maintains the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis, survival, and physiological function of mammalian cells. However, how cells adapt to ER stress under physiological or disease settings remains largely unclear. Here by a genome-wide CRISPR screen, we identified that RBBP8, an endonuclease involved in DNA damage repair, is required for ATF4 activation under ER stress in vitro.

Exergames improves cognitive functions in adolescents with depression: study protocol of a prospective, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Background: Depression is a condition that imposes a significant disease burden, with cognitive impairment being one of its costly symptoms. While cognitive rehabilitation is crucial, it is also challenging. Although some studies have investigated the impact of exergames on cognitive function improvement, these have primarily focused on the elderly population, with limited attention given to individuals with depression.

Nicotine exacerbates diabetic nephropathy through upregulation of Grem1 expression.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetes mellitus. Clinical reports indicate that smoking is a significant risk factor for chronic kidney disease, and the tobacco epidemic exacerbates kidney damage in patients with DN. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.

IGF2BP3 promotes adult myocardial regeneration by stabilizing MMP3 mRNA through interaction with m6A modification.

Myocardial infarction that causes damage to heart muscle can lead to heart failure. The identification of molecular mechanisms promoting myocardial regeneration represents a promising strategy to improve cardiac function. Here we show that IGF2BP3 plays an important role in regulating adult cardiomyocyte proliferation and regeneration in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.

Inhibition of CEMIP potentiates the effect of sorafenib on metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma by reducing the stiffness of lung metastases.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with lung metastasis is associated with poor prognosis and poor therapeutic outcomes. Studies have demonstrated that stiffened stroma can promote metastasis in various tumors. However, how the lung mechanical microenvironment favors circulating tumor cells remains unclear in metastatic HCC.

Impact of hepatic steatosis on treatment response of autoimmune hepatitis: A retrospective multicentre analysis.

Background: There is a paucity of data on whether steatosis impacts autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) treatment response. We aimed to evaluate the influence of baseline steatosis on the biochemical response, fibrosis progression, and adverse longterm outcomes of AIH.

Methods: Steatosis was diagnosed by a controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) ≥ 248 dB / m.