Effect of vertebral kyphoplasty versus vertebroplasty on pain and indicators of imaging parameters of the injured vertebrae in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the effects of vertebroplasty (VP) and kyphoplasty (KP) on pain and spinal imaging parameters in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).

Methods: A comprehensive search of eight databases was conducted from inception to November 2024 to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in Chinese and English. Eligible studies included clinical RCTs comparing KP and VP in patients with OVCF, assessing vertebral pain and imaging parameters.

Fabrication of Large-Area, Crack-Free Inverse Opals on Microfluidic Chips via Wet Infiltration.

Inverse opals (IOs) exhibit attractive optical properties and high interconnected porosity; however, the large-area fabrication of continuously ordered IOs remains challenging. This study presents a method for preparing crack-free IO hydrogel films using a microfluidic chip. Through a "wet infiltration" technique, the drying process of the template is eliminated, thereby avoiding dense cracks that result from particle shrinkage.

Tumor vascular endothelial cells promote immune escape by upregulating PD-L1 expression via crosstalk between NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Aberrant vascular systems are significant indicators of cancer and play pivotal roles in tumor immunomodulation. However, the role of PD-L1 expressed on vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in the tumor immune microenvironment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), as well as its correlation with patient prognosis, remains unclear. According to in vitro experiments conducted in our research, NPC tumor supernatants could upregulate PD-L1 expression on HUVECs, and the upregulated PD-L1 could bind to PD-1 on T cells leading to diminished T cell killing.

Digital Phenotyping of Rare Endocrine Diseases Across International Data Networks and the Effect of Granularity of Original Vocabulary.

Purpose: Rare diseases occur in <50 per 100000 people and require lifelong management. However, essential epidemiological data on such diseases are lacking, and a consecutive monitoring system across time and regions remains to be established. Standardized digital phenotypes are required to leverage an international data network for research on rare endocrine diseases.

Systematic analysis of relationships between serum lipids with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: Evidence from prospective cohort studies of UK Biobank and Women's Health Initiative.

Background & Aims: Serum lipids, including lipoproteins, cholesterol, and triglycerides, are important modifiable factors influencing human health. However, the associations among different serum lipid profiles and mortality remain insufficiently understood, particularly regarding potential causality and population heterogeneity. This prospective study aims to systematically investigate the relationships between serum lipid concentrations of different densities and sizes with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Structural Characterization and In Vitro Fermentation Properties of Polysaccharides from Dragon Fruit ().

Dragon fruit offers numerous health benefits and is widely consumed. However, research on its polysaccharides, crucial constituents of the fruit, remains limited. The study aimed to characterize the structural and biological properties of SDFP-2, a polysaccharide isolated from dragon fruit.

NOTCH, ERK, and SHH signaling respectively control the fate determination of cortical glia and olfactory bulb interneurons.

During cortical development, radial glial cells (neural stem cells) initially are neurogenic, generating intermediate progenitor cells that exclusively produce glutamatergic pyramidal neurons. Next, radial glial cells generate tripotential intermediate progenitor cells (Tri-IPCs) that give rise to cortical astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and olfactory bulb interneurons. The molecular mechanisms underlying the transition from cortical neurogenesis to gliogenesis, and the subsequent fate determination of cortical astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and olfactory bulb interneurons, remain unclear.

Tau pathology is associated with postsynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in early Alzheimer's disease in a sex-specific manner.

Introduction: To investigate the associations of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) with tau deposition and cognitive ability in patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Twenty-six cognitively impaired (CI) and 14 cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals underwent mGluR5 positron emission tomography (PET) ([F]PSS232), amyloid PET ([F]florbetapir), and tau PET ([F]MK6240), and neuropsychological assessment. The relationships among mGluR5 availability, tau deposition, and neuropsychological assessment were analyzed using Spearman's correlation and mediation analyses.

Harnessing Social Media Data to Understand Information Needs About Kidney Diseases and Emotional Experiences With Disease Management: Topic and Sentiment Analysis.

Background: Kidney diseases encompass a variety of conditions, including chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, glomerulonephritis, and polycystic kidney disease. These diseases significantly impact patients' quality of life and health care costs, often necessitating substantial lifestyle changes, especially regarding dietary management. However, patients frequently receive ambiguous or conflicting dietary advice from health care providers, leading them to seek information and support from online health communities.

High-salt diets provoke phosphorus absorption from the small intestine in mice.

Background: Recent studies indicate that tenapanor, an inhibitor of sodium/proton exchanger-3 (NHE3), diminishes intestinal phosphorus (Pi) absorption. Given NHE3's pivotal role in sodium (Na+) metabolism, there is a suspected functional link between Na+ and Pi metabolism. High-salt diets (HSD) have been demonstrated to disrupt calcium (Ca2+) metabolism.

Schistosomiasis in the Philippines: A Comprehensive Review of Epidemiology and Current Control.

is an infectious parasitic disease caused by infection with the blood fluke , which is endemic in China, small pockets of Indonesia, and the Philippines. Of the three countries, the prevalence of infection is the highest in the Philippines, despite decades of mass drug administration (MDA). As a zoonosis with 46 potential mammalian definitive hosts and a snail intermediate host, the control and eventual elimination of requires management of these animal hosts in addition to new interventions for the human hosts, including health education and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.

Surface Mesoscopic Characterization and Analysis of Nanosecond-Laser-Processed Molybdenum for the Optimization of Antibacterial Performance.

Molybdenum has gained attention as a promising biomedical material due to its excellent mechanical properties and inherent antimicrobial activity. However, challenges remain in developing facile fabrication methods and further enhancing its antimicrobial efficacy. This study pioneers the investigation of biofilm inhibition by laser-treated molybdenum sheets against (ATCC27853) and (ATCC25923).

Metabolomics Profiling and Advanced Methodologies for Wheat Stress Research.

Unlabelled: Metabolomics is an omics technology that studies the types, quantities, and changes of endogenous metabolic substances in organisms affected by abiotic and biotic factors.

Background/objectives: Based on metabolomics, small molecule metabolites in biological organisms can be qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. This method analysis directly correlates with biological phenotypes, facilitating the interpretation of life conditions.

A 3D Face Recognition Algorithm Directly Applied to Point Clouds.

Face recognition technology, despite its widespread use in various applications, still faces challenges related to occlusions, pose variations, and expression changes. Three-dimensional face recognition with depth information, particularly using point cloud-based networks, has shown effectiveness in overcoming these challenges. However, due to the limited extent of extensive 3D facial data and the non-rigid nature of facial structures, extracting distinct facial representations directly from point clouds remains challenging.

CPEB3 can regulate seizure susceptibility by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of STAT3 on NMDARs expression.

Background: The pathogenesis of epilepsy is complex, and current antiepileptic drugs do not effectively control the seizures. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 3 (CPEB3) regulates neuronal excitability, but its mechanism of action in epilepsy is not clear. In this paper, we investigated the effect of CPEB3 on seizures and elucidated its underlying molecular mechanism.

Renal organic anion transporter 1: clinical relevance and the underlying mechanisms in chronic kidney disease.

Organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), primarily found in the renal proximal tubule, is essential for the excretion of various uremic toxins that contribute to the onset and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). OAT1 also plays a vital role in the remote sensing and signaling network, facilitating the removal of metabolites through the kidneys. The function of OAT1 is impaired under conditions such as renal ischemia/reperfusion injury, oxidative stress, and fibrosis.

Neural mechanisms underlying strain preference behaviour and plasticity in mice.

All social animals, including humans, have different social identities that generate unique social interactions. Social preference behaviours, including social integration, prosocial behaviour, and cooperation, have a wide impact on an individual's social life. However, the neural mechanisms underlying social preferences are not yet clear.

Development and validation of an Immune-related Gene-based model for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Predicting disease prognosis and the efficacy of immunotherapy presents a significant challenge in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). By analyzing transcriptome sequencing data from 69 patients and identifying differentially expressed immune genes, a prognostic index named the immune-related gene prognostic index (IRGPI) was established by Lasso-Cox regression. The IRGPI, which consists of six key genes, was found to be a significant predictor of poor prognosis in patients with high IRGPI scores.

Caloric Restriction Attenuated Nerve Damages Mediated Through SIRT-1-a Study Using Nerve Crush Injury Model in Rats.

Activation of Sirtuin 1 (SIRT-1) is vital for axonogenesis and nerve regeneration. Caloric restriction (CR) has health benefits and protects against neurodegenerative disorders, largely through SIRT-1 regulation. This study investigates how diet control impacts peripheral nerve injury, focusing on SIRT-1 expression.

Puerarin Reversing Autophagy-Lysosomal Dysfunction via Acid Sphingomyelinase Inhibition in Cardiomyocytes.

Heart failure (HF) is a major cardiovascular disorder characterised by high prevalence and mortality rate. Recent studies have emphasised the role of autophagy in development and progression of HF. Dysfunctions in lysosomes and autophagic processes are closely associated with the aetiology of HF.

Mitsugumin 53 Inhibits Angiogenesis Through Regulating Focal Adhesion Turnover and Tip Cell Formation.

Our previous studies have identified mitsugumin 53 (MG53) as a novel regulator for angiogenesis by directly entering endothelial cells and modulating focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation, but little is known about how rhMG53 is taken up by cells and how rhMG53 mediates cell movement. In the present study, we demonstrated that the knockdown of caveolin-1 and the clathrin inhibitor, pitstop-2, both significantly reduced the entry of rhMG53 into endothelial cells, indicating caveolae-dependent and clathrin-dependent endocytosis during this process. The internalised rhMG53 remarkably inhibited the phosphorylation of FAK and the downstream signalling molecule paxillin, consequently resulting in a significant decrease in focal adhesion turnover during endothelial cell spreading and migration.

Carbon emissions associated with clinical trials: A scoping review.

Objectives: To review and synthesise available evidence on carbon emissions associated with clinical trials to inform future research on design and delivery of greener trials.

Study Design And Setting: We performed a scoping review by following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A systematic search was conducted on MEDLINE (Ovid) from 1 January 2007 to 15 April 2024 with no geographic and language restrictions complemented by forward and backward citation analysis (snowballing).

A novel spider toxin as a selective antagonist of the Kv1 subfamily of voltage-gated potassium channels through gating modulation.

Members of the voltage-gated potassium channel subfamily (Kv1) are essential for the nervous and immune systems, necessitating novel modulators and deeper insights into their structure-function relationships. While all known peptide inhibitors targeting Kv1 channels are pore blockers, we identified MrVIII (κ-HxTx-MrVIII), a novel peptide toxin from the venom of spider Macrothele raveni, as the first voltage-gating modifier antagonist with selective activity against Kv1 channels. MrVIII exhibits high-affinity inhibition of Kv1.

Dose-response Relationship between Leisure-time Physical Activity and Metabolic Syndrome in Short Sleep US Adults: Evidence from a Nationwide Investigation.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and short sleep are prevalent health concerns in the United States, yet the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and MetS among individuals with short sleep duration remains unclear. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 8999 US adults aged 20 years and older in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Short sleep duration was defined as less than 7 hours per night, and MetS was diagnosed based on criteria from the American Endocrine Society and the American Society of Clinical Endocrinology.

Detection of Epileptogenic Focal Cortical Dysplasia Using Graph Neural Networks: A MELD Study.

Importance: A leading cause of surgically remediable, drug-resistant focal epilepsy is focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). FCD is challenging to visualize and often considered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) negative. Existing automated methods for FCD detection are limited by high numbers of false-positive predictions, hampering their clinical utility.