Self-Reported Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea are Associated with Increased Risk of Kidney Stones: A Cross-Sectional Study from NHANES 2015-2020.

Objective: To investigate whether self-reported symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including snoring, snorting/stopping breathing, and sleepiness, are associated with increased risk of kidney stones.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted based on the 2015-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Self-reported symptoms of OSA and history of kidney stones were diagnosed via questionnaires.

Fine-Needle Portosystemic Pressure Gradient as a Reference for Portal Hypertension in Patients with Intrahepatic Venovenous Shunt: A Prospective Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the consistency and agreement between portal venous pressure measured by fine-needle (F), portal vein catheterization (D), and hepatic vein balloon-occlusion (W) in decompensated cirrhotic patients with intrahepatic venovenous shunts (IHVS).

Materials And Methods: 156 consecutive patients planning to receive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in our center were screened for study participation. The F/D/W were assessed for consistency by Pearson coefficient (r), linear regression coefficient (R), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and for disagreement (error exceeding 20% of D) by Bland-Altman method.

Enzymes Repertoires and Genomic Insights into Lycium Barbarum Pectin Polysaccharides Biosynthesis.

Lycium barbarum, a member of the Solanaceae family, represents an important eudicot lineage with homology of food and medicine. Lycium barbarum pectin polysaccharides (LBPPs) are key bioactive ingredients of Lycium barbarum, and are among the few polysaccharides with both biocompatibility and biomedical activity. While previous studies have primarily focused on the functional properties of LBPPs, the mechanisms of biosynthesis and transport by key enzymes remain poorly understood.

Enhancing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure efficiency with digital subtraction angiography image overlay technology in esophagogastric variceal bleeding.

Background: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a pivotal intervention for managing esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with chronic hepatic schistosomiasis.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of digital subtraction angiography image overlay technology (DIT) in guiding the TIPS procedure.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent TIPS at our hospital, comparing outcomes between an ultrasound-guided group and a DIT-guided group.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with tyrosine kinase inhibitor in the 12-year treatment of hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a case report.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the digestive tract, with surgery and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy being its main treatment options. However, long-term use of TKIs may lead to drug resistance, which poses a challenge to the long-term survival of patients. We explore a new combination of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with TKI for liver metastasis (LM) of GIST to provide patients with more treatment options and better prognosis.

Unveiling the impact of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy on portal hemodynamics and survival after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: a prospective study.

Background And Aims: The placement of Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) results in a sudden increase in central circulating blood volume, which requires proper regulation of the cardiovascular system. We aimed to investigate the impact of TIPS on cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM).

Method: A consecutive case series of patients with cirrhosis who underwent TIPS were evaluated by echocardiography and pressure measurements before, immediately after TIPS and 2-4 days later (delayed).

Reduced risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy and death after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in patients with hepatic venovenous communications.

Purpose: Hepatic venovenous communications (HVVC) is detectable in more than one-third of cirrhotic patients, where portal hypertension (PHT) tends to present more severely. We aimed to explore the prognostic implications of HVVC in patients with sinusoidal PHT treated by transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).

Method: The multicenter data of patients (2020-2022) undergoing balloon-occluded hepatic venography during TIPS were retrospectively analyzed.

Readon: a novel algorithm to identify read-through transcripts with long-read sequencing data.

Motivation: There are many clustered transcriptionally active regions in the human genome, in which the transcription complex cannot immediately terminate transcription at the upstream gene termination site, but instead continues to transcribe intergenic regions and downstream genes, resulting in read-through transcripts. Several studies have demonstrated the regulatory roles of read-through transcripts in tumorigenesis and development. However, limited by the read length of next-generation sequencing, discovery of read-through transcripts has been slow.

Self-Powered Agricultural Product Preservation and Wireless Monitoring Based on Dual-Functional Triboelectric Nanogenerator.

The global annual vegetable and fruit waste accounts for more than one-fifth of food waste, mainly due to deterioration. In addition, agricultural product spoilage can produce foodborne illnesses and threaten public health. Eco-friendly preservation technologies for extending the shelf life of agricultural products are of great significance to socio-economic development.

CBCT-based three-dimensional dual-phase vascular image fusion: a novel technique for interventional real-time TIPS guidance.

Background: Due to the invisibility of the portal vein (PV), how to puncture the PV accurately and safely in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation remains a challenge of the procedure.

Objectives: We aimed to provide the first evaluation of the safety, feasibility, and efficiency of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based three-dimensional (3D) dual-phase vascular image fusion for interventional real-time guided PV puncture during TIPS procedures.

Materials And Methods: From January 2021 to May 2021, 13 patients undergoing TIPS were prospectively enrolled in this study.

Genetic factors associated with acquired phenotypic drug resistance and its compensatory evolution during tuberculosis treatment.

Objectives: We elucidated the factors, evolution, and compensation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates under dual pressure from the intra-host environment and anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs.

Methods: This retrospective case-control study included 337 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis from 15 clinics in Tianjin, China, with phenotypic drug susceptibility testing results available for at least two time points between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2016. Patients in the case group exhibited acquired AMR to isoniazid (INH) or rifampicin (RIF), while those in the control group lacked acquired AMR.

Hypoxia-activated cascade nanovaccine for synergistic chemoembolization-immune therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.

In this work, a promising treatment strategy for triggering robust antitumor immune responses in transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is presented. The zeolitic imidazolate framework nanoparticles loaded with hypoxia-activated prodrug tirapazamine and immune adjuvant resiquimod facilitated in situ generation of nanovaccine via a facile approach. The nanovaccine can strengthen the ability of killing the liver cancer cells under hypoxic environment, while was capable of improving immunogenic tumor microenvironment and triggering strong antitumor immune responses by increasing the primary and distant intratumoral infiltration of immune cells such as cytotoxic T cells.

Endovascular management of sinistral portal hypertension-related variceal hemorrhage: a multicenter retrospective study.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of endovascular managements, including splenic vein recanalization (SVR), partial splenic embolization (PSE), and percutaneous transsplenic gastric varices embolization combined with PSE (PSE+GVE), for management of SPH-related variceal hemorrhage (VH).

Methods: A total of 61 patients with SPH-related VH from three hospitals were enrolled and classified into three groups: the SVR group (Group 1, n=24), the PSE+GVE group (Group 2, n=17), and the PSE group (Group 3, n=20). Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared among the groups.

Effects of HepaSphere microsphere encapsule epirubicin with a new loading method transarterial chemoembolization: in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Methods: HS microspheres were loaded in a solution of hypertonic saline and contrast medium at different ratios. Morphology, size distribution, and drug loading capacity of the microsphere were evaluated. Rabbits with hepatic VX2 tumors underwent conventional TACE, drug-eluting beads TACE with HS microsphere loading epirubicin by recommended method (dTACE) or a new loading method (ndTACE).

LncRNA INHEG promotes glioma stem cell maintenance and tumorigenicity through regulating rRNA 2'-O-methylation.

Glioblastoma (GBM) ranks among the most lethal of human cancers, containing glioma stem cells (GSCs) that display therapeutic resistance. Here, we report that the lncRNA INHEG is highly expressed in GSCs compared to differentiated glioma cells (DGCs) and promotes GSC self-renewal and tumorigenicity through control of rRNA 2'-O-methylation. INHEG induces the interaction between SUMO2 E3 ligase TAF15 and NOP58, a core component of snoRNP that guides rRNA methylation, to regulate NOP58 sumoylation and accelerate the C/D box snoRNP assembly.

WTAP enhances the instability of SYTL1 mRNA caused by YTHDF2 in bladder cancer.

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most frequent type of cancer in humans. The association between m6A modification and the anti-tumor effects of natural killer (NK) cells has been described in BCa. This study intended to investigate the implications of m6A regulators in modulating SYTL1 expression in BCa and the association with the anti-tumor effects of NK cells.

Microwave ablation combined with transarterial chemoembolization containing doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome for treating primary and metastatic liver cancers.

Aims: To determine the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome (DHL) in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) and metastatic liver cancer (MLC).

Materials And Methods: The medical records of patients with primary or metastatic liver cancer who underwent MWA combined with TACE containing DHL from March 2019 to March 2022 were collected and analyzed. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

PSTPIP2 is associated with disease severity in patients with pressure ulcer sepsis and has anti-inflammatory effects.

Background: One of the common adverse reactions in patients with pressure ulcers (PU) is sepsis, which is mainly related to microbial infections caused by pathogenic organisms. The activation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) frequently occurs in conjunction with pathogenic microbial infections. Proline-serine-threonine-phosphatase-interacting protein 2 (PSTPIP2) is closely related to inflammatory disorders.

Triboelectric nanogenerators as self-powered sensors for biometric authentication.

As a prerequisite for ensuring the safety and stability of people's daily lives, security monitoring has become increasingly important in the current rapid development of the economy. Intelligent sensing technology with lower power consumption will promote the upgradation of electronic devices and expand new application requirements. In this review, the recent progress in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) as self-powered intelligent sensors for monitoring different kinds of biometric characteristics is summarized, including sliding behavior, handwriting behavior, keystroke dynamics, gait characteristics, and voice characteristics.

The influence of shunting left/right portal vein branch on post-TIPS hepatic encephalopathy: a study protocol for multicenter randomized blinded controlled trial.

Introduction: Gastroesophageal varices (GOV) bleeding is a common and serious complication of advanced liver cirrhosis with a median survival of less than 2 years. Multiple guidelines have pointed out that transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is the rescue treatment of acute variceal hemorrhage (AVB) after failure of standard therapy and an effective second-line treatment for preventing patients with high risks from rebleeding of GOV. The safety and stability of TIPS have been greatly improved due to the improvements of related technologies and the emergence of various novel devices, but the incidence of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) after shunting (10-50%) hindered the widespread use of TIPS.