Identification of potential drug targets for pelvic organ prolapse using a proteome-wide Mendelian randomization approach.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) significantly impacts patients' quality of life, and current treatment options remain limited due to high recurrence rates, making the exploration of new therapeutic targets essential. Using data from the FinnGen cohort, we performed a proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (PW-MR) analysis. Through PW-MR and Bayesian colocalization analyses, we identified EFEMP1 and MFAP4 as potential key drug targets, with EFEMP1 potentially exerting a protective effect, whereas MFAP4 may be associated with an increased risk of POP.

Insights into associations between Life's essential 8 and lung function from NHANES data.

The Life's Essential 8 (LE8) is a novel indicator of cardiovascular health proposed by the American Heart Association. While numerous studies have demonstrated its guiding value in chronic diseases, research on its role in lung function remains limited. This study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES 2007-2012), which included comprehensive measurements of lung function, diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep patterns, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose, blood pressure, blood lipids, and relevant covariates.

A Chromosome-level genome assembly of the American bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeiana).

The American bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeiana) is both an economically important aquaculture species and a globally distributed invasive organism with high environmental adaptability. In this study, we present a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly for the species, comprising 13 chromosomes with a total length of 6.32 Gb and a scaffold N50 of 691.

Incidence of arterial and venous thromboembolism in cancer patients- insights from more than 5,000,000 patients.

The reported incidence of arterial thromboembolism (ATE) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) after cancer varies. A meta-analysis was performed to define the incidence of thromboembolism (TE) in cancer patients. Articles were searched in PubMed and Embase from inception to November 1, 2023.

Melatonin attenuates inflammatory bone loss by alleviating mitophagy and lactate production.

Mitochondrial homeostasis plays a major role in the progression of chronic inflammatory bone loss which has a complex pathogenesis with unsatisfactory therapeutic efficiency. Recently, melatonin has been shown to recipient mitochondrial function and bone formation. However, the effects and underlying molecular mechanism of melatonin in chronic inflammatory bone loss remain unclear.

Chinese Association of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Superficial Organs and Peripheral Vessels Committee Expert Consensus on Selected Common Clinical Issues in Parathyroid Ultrasound (2024 Edition).

Parathyroid ultrasound is widely used in clinical practice and plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of parathyroid diseases. Nevertheless, ultrasound physicians frequently encounter a number of challenges and doubts in their professional practice. For this reason, Superficial Organs and Peripheral Vessels Committee of Chinese Association of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering has formulated the expert consensus on certain common clinical problems of parathyroid ultrasound based on the current research progress and clinical experience, in order to guide the clinical practice.

Bidirectional Associations Between Attitudes to Aging and Quality of Life for the Older Adults in the Nursing Home: The Contemporaneous and Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analyses.

This study examines the relationship between attitudes to aging and quality of life (QoL) among nursing home residents during "chaotic period" (within 6-8 weeks of older adults move into nursing homes) and "adjustment period" (after "chaotic period" until the third month) from a dimensional level using contemporaneous and cross-lagged panel network analyses. A total of 268 older adults completed two rounds of surveys, including the General Information Questionnaire, the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire, and the WHO Quality of Life-Brief. Psychosocial loss-psychological health and physical change-physical health were the strongest edges during the "chaotic period" and "adjustment period," respectively.

GFAP mutation and astrocyte dysfunction lead to a neurodegenerative profile with impaired synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits in a rat model of Alexander disease.

Alexander disease (AxD) is a rare neurological disorder caused by dominant gain-of-function mutations in the gene for glial acidic fibrillary protein (). Expression of mutant protein results in astrocyte dysfunction that ultimately leads to developmental delay, failure to thrive, and intellectual and motor impairment. The disease is typically fatal, and at present there are no preventative or effective treatments.

Novel organic-inorganic interface treatment improves the properties of a glass flake-reinforced composite resin.

Objectives: The effects of different interface treatments on the interfacial bonding of inorganic fillers in composite resins and the overall performance of the composite resins were investigated.

Methods: Synthetic mussel derivatives (N-3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl methacrylamide, DMA) were used as primers to treat the inorganic filler bonding interfaces, and the effects of different concentrations of DMA on the shear strength of the bonding interface were tested. Silica nanoparticles were coated on the surface of the filler via the sol-gel growing, and the mechanical properties and aging resistance of the composite resin were tested.

Ensuring internal quality control practices in medical Laboratories: IFCC recommendations for practical applications based on ISO 15189:2022.

This document describes the guidance on implementing and monitoring an IQC strategy that fulfills the requirements of the Standard ISO 15189:2022. It also explores the practical application of these principles in daily IQC processes within medical laboratories. The goal is to provide a practical, user-friendly resource that not only explains the Standard's requirements but also equips laboratory professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to enhance diagnostic reliability.

SRSF9 mediates oncogenic RNA splicing of SLC37A4 via liquid-liquid phase separation to promote oral cancer progression.

Introduction: Oral cancer represents a significant proportion of head and neck malignancies, accounting for approximately 3 % of all malignant tumors worldwide.

Objectives: Alternative splicing (AS), a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism, is increasingly linked to cancer development. The precise impact of AS on oral cancer progression is not well understood.

Financial Cost of Genitourinary Foreign Objects: A Single-Institution Experience.

Objective: To examine the financial cost and demographics of genitourinary foreign object (GUFO) management at an academic institution.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed our Genitourinary Foreign Objects database containing patients from 2012 to 2020. Healthcare costs related to GUFO management were captured from billing and collections data.

Desmodium caudatum (Thunb.) DC. Extract Attenuates Hyperuricemia-Induced Renal Fibrosis via Modulating TGF-β1 Pathway and Uric Acid Transporters: Evidence from In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Desmodium caudatum (Thunb.) DC., a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has been used to treat conditions such as rheumatic back pain, diarrhea, jaundice-related hepatitis, and abscesses; it also serves as an anthelmintic.

A novel iron fortifier prepared through quinoa protein peptides hydrolyzed with different proteases.

Iron deficiency is a widespread global issue that leads to nutritional disorders and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). In this study, quinoa protein peptide (QPP) was selected to design a novel iron supplement, quinoa protein peptide‑iron chelate (QPP-Fe). Notably, QPP with a molecular weight of <2000 Da, prepared using Alcalase, exhibited the highest iron chelation ratio of 79.

DGEDDGAN: A dual-domain generator and edge-enhanced dual discriminator generative adversarial network for MRI reconstruction.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a critical clinical tool in medical imaging, requires a long scan time for producing high-quality MRI images. To accelerate the speed of MRI while reconstructing high-quality images with sharper edges and fewer aliases, a novel dual-domain generator and edge-enhancement dual discriminator generative adversarial network structure named DGEDDGAN for MRI reconstruction is proposed, in which one discriminator is responsible for holistic image reconstruction, whereas the other is adopted to enhance the edge preservation. A dual-domain U-Net structure that cascades the frequency domain and image domain is designed for the generator.

Community structure and metabolic potentials of keystone taxa and their associated bacteriophages within rice root endophytic microbiome in response to metal(loid)s contamination.

Heavy metal (HM) contamination of agricultural products is of global environmental concern as it directly threatened the food safety. Plant-associated microbiome, particularly endophytic microbiome, hold the potential for mitigating HM stress as well as promoting plant growth. The metabolic potentials of the endophytes, especially those under the HM stresses, have not been well addressed.

Farnesoid X receptor regulates CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 and estradiol metabolism in mouse and human cell lines.

Human CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 are two important enzymes for the hydroxylation of estrogens. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role for FXR receptor in the regulation of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 expressions and activities. First, pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted in male wild-type and Fxr mice after intraperitoneal dosing of exogenous estradiol.

Pollen-like mesoporous silica nanoparticles facilitate macrophage-mediated anti-inflammatory response via physical contact cues in the osteoimmune microenvironment.

Nanomaterial-mediated macrophage immune response plays a crucial role in bone regeneration microenvironment. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles are widely used as nano-drug carriers, imaging agents, and bioactivity regulators for potential tissue regeneration. It is known that surface topography features of nanomaterials play an important regulatory role in immune response.

Characteristics and preliminary immune function of SRA5 in Lateolabrax maculatus.

Scavenger receptors (SRs) are crucial for pattern recognition in the innate immune system. However, the role of Scavenger Receptors class A member 5 (SRA5) in the immunological response of bony fish to pathogen invasion remains unclear. This study identified and characterized the SRA5 of Lateolabrax maculatus (LmSRA5) from its transcriptome database.

Eyes on the Text: Assessing Readability of AI & Ophthalmologist Responses to Patient Surgery Queries.

Introduction: Generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like GPT-4 can instantaneously provide health information to patients; however, the readability of these outputs compared to ophthalmologist-written responses is unknown. This study aims to evaluate the readability of GPT-4-generated and ophthalmologist-written responses to patient queries about ophthalmic surgery.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study used 200 randomly selected patient questions about ophthalmic surgery extracted from the American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart platform.

Addressing underestimation and explanation of retinal fundus photo-based cardiovascular disease risk score: Algorithm development and validation.

Objective: To resolve the underestimation problem and investigate the mechanism of the AI model which employed to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores from retinal fundus photos.

Methods: An ordinal regression Deep Learning (DL) model was proposed to predict 10-year CVD risk scores. The mechanism of the DL model in understanding CVD risk was explored using methods such as transfer learning and saliency maps.

Cysteine-assisted synthesis of copper nanoclusters for construction of FRET-based ratiometric sensor for visual detection of alkaline phosphatase.

Abnormal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in the human body are closely associated with various diseases, particularly hepatobiliary diseases and bone diseases. Herein, we constructed a ratiometric sensor based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) using strongly photoluminescent copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) for the detection of ALP with high sensitivity and specificity. The cysteine-stabilized Cu NCs (Cys-Cu NCs) were synthesized through a ligand-exchange reaction and core-size etching focusing, which displayed bright photoluminescence (PL) with a quantum yield (QY) of 10.

Feasibility of source-level motor imagery classification for people with multiple sclerosis.

There is limited work investigating Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Present work is limited to recordings at the scalp, which may be significantly altered by changes within the cortex due to volume conduction. The recordings obtained from the sensors, therefore, combine disease-related alterations and task-relevant neural signals, as well as signals from other regions of the brain that are not relevant.

Nanoparticle delivery of CD68 siRNA inhibits neuroimmune responses by inhibiting activation of M1 macrophages.

CD68 is a vital costimulatory molecule expressed on macrophages/microglia (M/Ms) and plays a critical role in their activation. By targeting this molecule, therapeutic interventions can potentially prevent the homing of M/Ms. to the lesion site.