Effects of roxadustat on thyroid profiles in patients and animals with chronic kidney disease.

Background Roxadustat, a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor used in renal anemia treatment, has been associated with thyroid hormone suppression. This study investigated the patterns of thyroid profile changes following roxadustat administration and their clinical implications. Methods In this retrospective study (2019-2023) at Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, patients were categorized based on TSH reduction during follow-up (≥50% decrease vs<50% decrease).

Risk factors and prediction model of peri-implantitis in post operative periodontitis patients.

Objectives: To analyze the risk factors for peri-implantitis (PI) in patients with periodontitis after dental implantation and to establish a prediction model.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using clinical data from 208 patients with periodontitis who required implant restoration due to tooth loss from various causes. These patients, meeting the indications for dental implantation, were treated at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen from January 2019 to December 2023.

Causality between diabetes and membranous nephropathy: Mendelian randomization.

Background: Membranous nephropathy (MN) has not yet been fully elucidated regarding its relationship with Type I and II Diabetes. This study aims to evaluate the causal effect of multiple types of diabetes and MN by summarizing the evidence from the Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Methods: The statistical data for MN was obtained from a GWAS study encompassing 7979 individuals.

Central Angiotensin II type 1 receptor deficiency alleviates renal fibrosis by reducing sympathetic nerve discharge in nephrotoxic folic acid-induced chronic kidney disease.

Background: Fibrosis after nephrotoxic injury is common. Activation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) are common mechanism of renal fibrosis. However, there have limited knowledge about which brain regions are most affected by Angiotensin II (Ang II) after nephrotoxic injury, what role does Angiotensin II type 1a receptors (AT1R) signaling play and how this affects the outcomes of the kidneys.

Interplay among IL1R1, gut microbiota, and bile acids in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a comprehensive review.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a prevalent metabolic disorder characterized by hepatic steatosis associated with metabolic abnormalities. Recent research has shed light on the intricate interplay among interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1), gut microbiota, and bile acids in the pathogenesis of MASLD. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the role of IL1R1, gut microbiota, and bile acids in MASLD, exploring their interrelationships and potential mechanisms.

Identification and culture of functional salivary gland ductal epithelial cells.

Sialadenitis is a prevalent salivary gland disease resulting in decreased salivary flow rate. To date, little is known about the exact changes and mechanism of ductal cells in sialadenitis. This study aims to establish an efficient method to identify and isolate ductal cells, thereby facilitating further research on this specific cell type.

The Mechanism of 540 nm Green Light in Promoting Salivary Secretion.

Although low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a widely used noninvasive treatment because of photobiomodulation effects, its application for xerostomia remained uncertain. Tight junctions (TJs), mainly composed of claudins, occludin, and ZO family members, are crucial structures that determine material transport through paracellular pathway in salivary gland epithelial cells. This work aimed to investigate whether LLLT affected salivary secretion through epithelial TJs.

Synergistic reduction of air pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions in Shanxi Province, China from 2013 to 2020.

Synergistic reduction of air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO) emissions is currently a key environmental policy in China, yet provincial-level studies remain scarce. To fill the gap, this study developed a coupled emission inventory from 2013 to 2020 in Shanxi, a coal-dependent province critical to China's energy security. This facilitated the investigation of emission trends, primary sources, synergistic effects, and spatial distribution.

Nuclear factor interleukin 3 and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease development.

This study investigates sex-specific effects in a gain-of-function model to evaluate Nfil3 function in relation to high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and gut microbiota (GM)-induced alterations in the bile acid (BA) profile. MASLD is induced in both wild type and Nfil3-deficient (NKO) C57BL/6 J mice through an HFD. The hepatic immune response is evaluated using flow cytometry, revealing that NKO mice exhibit lower body weight, serum triglyceride (TG) levels, tissue injury, inflammation, and fat accumulation.

Interleukin-1 receptor 1 deficiency worsens hepatocellular carcinoma, while gemcitabine treatment alleviates the hepatocellular carcinoma-induced increase in intra-hepatic immune cells.

Background And Aim: Primary liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), represents a substantial global health challenge. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors are effective in HCC treatment, several patients still experience disease progression. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) regulates immunity and inflammation.

Polystyrene microplastics trigger testosterone decline via GPX1.

As an emerging environmental endocrine disruptor, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) are considered to have the anti-androgenic feature and impair male reproductive function. To explore the adverse effects of PS-MPs on testosterone synthesis and male reproduction and further elucidate underlying mechanisms, BALB/c mice and Leydig cells were employed in the present work. The results indicated that 50 μm PS-MPs accumulated in mouse testes and were internalized into the cytoplasm.

Apigenin improves testosterone synthesis by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Obesity is a growing epidemic among reproductive-age men, which can cause and exacerbate male infertility by means of associated comorbidities, endocrine abnormalities, and direct effects on the fidelity and throughput of spermatogenesis. A prominent consequence of male obesity is a reduction in testosterone levels. Natural products have shown tremendous potential anti-obesity effects in metabolic diseases.

Identification of circRNAs expression profiles and functional networks in parotid gland of type 2 diabetes mouse.

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel kind of non-coding RNAs proved to play crucial roles in the development of multiple diabetic complications. However, their expression and function in diabetes mellitus (DM)-impaired salivary glands are unknown.

Results: By using microarray technology, 663 upregulated and 999 downregulated circRNAs companied with 813 upregulated and 525 downregulated mRNAs were identified in the parotid glands (PGs) of type2 DM mice under a 2-fold change and P < 0.

Exploring in vivo combinatorial chemo-immunotherapy: Addressing p97 suppression and immune reinvigoration in pancreatic cancer with tumor microenvironment-responsive nanoformulation.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has an extremely devastating nature with poor prognosis and increasing incidence, making it a formidable challenge in the global fight against cancer-related mortality. In this innovative preclinical investigation, the VCP/p97 inhibitor CB-5083 (CB), miR-142, a PD-L1 inhibitor, and immunoadjuvant resiquimod (R848; R) were synergistically encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). These SLNs demonstrated features of peptides targeting PD-L1, EGFR, and the endoplasmic reticulum, enclosed in a pH-responsive polyglutamic (PGA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell.

Direct effects of alcohol on gut-epithelial barrier: Unraveling the disruption of physical and chemical barrier of the gut-epithelial barrier that compromises the host-microbiota interface upon alcohol exposure.

The development of alcohol-associated diseases is multifactorial, mechanism of which involves metabolic alteration, dysregulated immune response, and a perturbed intestinal host-environment interface. Emerging evidence has pinpointed the critical role of the intestinal host-microbiota interaction in alcohol-induced injuries, suggesting its contribution to disease initiation and development. To maintain homeostasis in the gut, the intestinal mucosa serves as the first-line defense against exogenous factors in the gastrointestinal tract, including dietary contents and the commensal microbiota.

Defining the threshold: triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio's non-linear impact on tubular atrophy in primary membranous nephropathy.

Background: Hyperlipidemia is common in primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) patients, and tubular atrophy (TA) is an unfavorable prognostic factor. However, the correlation between the triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio and TA is controversial. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the association between the TG/HDL-C ratio and TA in PMN patients.

Inhibitory Effects of Polysaccharides on Alcoholic Fatty Liver Formation in Zebrafish Larvae and Their Regulatory Impact on Intestinal Microbiota.

The liver is critical in alcohol metabolism, and excessive consumption heightens the risk of hepatic damage, potentially escalating to hepatitis and cirrhosis. , a by-product of production, contains a rich concentration of naturally active polysaccharides known for their antioxidative properties. This study investigated the influence of polysaccharide (LJP) on the development of ethanol-induced alcoholic fatty liver.

Fasting Blood Glucose: A Mediator of the Association between Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Arterial Stiffness in Japanese Population with Decreased Kidney Function.

Introduction: Low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with an increased risk of arterial stiffness in participants with kidney damage. It is uncertain whether this association is due to eGFR itself or is mediated by the eGFR-associated increases in fasting blood glucose (FBG).

Method: The cross-sectional study included 865 Japanese participants with decreased kidney function, whose eGFR was less than 90 mL/min/1.

Age-dependent effects of acute stress on the behavior, blood parameters, immunity, and enteric nerves of mice.

The impact of stress on mental and digestive health has been extensively studied, with chronic stress being associated with various disorders. However, age-related differences in the response to acute stress, both behaviorally and physiologically, remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model to detect transient stress in mice of different ages.

Antagonism Between Gut Ruminococcus gnavus and Akkermansia muciniphila Modulates the Progression of Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background & Aims: A long immune-tolerant (IT) phase lasting for decades and delayed HBeAg seroconversion (HBe-SC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) increase the risk of liver diseases. Early entry into the immune-active (IA) phase and HBe-SC confers a favorable clinical outcome with an unknown mechanism. We aimed to identify factor(s) triggering IA entry and HBe-SC in the natural history of CHB.

Isolation of murine hepatic myeloid cells with high yield and purity using immunomagnetic beads for subset analysis.

There are numerous established techniques for isolating hepatic myeloid cells; however, preserving their phenotypic and functional characteristics can be challenging. We present a straightforward and efficient method to isolate hepatic myeloid cells, including Kupffer cells and lymphocyte antigen 6 complex, locus C (Ly6C) monocytes/macrophages. The procedure involves perfusion of the liver with collagenase and purification with immunomagnetic particles.

Correlation Analysis between Intrarenal Small Artery Intimal Thickening and Clinicopathological Features and Prognosis in Primary Membranous Nephropathy Patients.

Background: Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is the most common pathological type of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Intrarenal small artery intimal thickening can be observed in most renal biopsies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between intrarenal small artery intimal thickening and clinicopathological features and prognosis in PMN patients.

Long-Read Genome Sequencing of (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), the Endemic Firefly of Taiwan.

is the most abundant and widely distributed endemic firefly species in Taiwan and is considered a key environmental and ecological indicator organism. In this study, we report the first long-read genome sequencing of sequenced by Nanopore technology. The draft genome size, 967 Mb, was measured through a hybrid approach that consisted of assembling using 11.

SHED-derived exosomes ameliorate hyposalivation caused by Sjögren's syndrome via Akt/GSK-3β/Slug-mediated ZO-1 expression.

Background: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by sicca syndrome and/or systemic manifestations. The treatment is still challenging. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic role and mechanism of exosomes obtained from the supernatant of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED-exos) in sialadenitis caused by SS.