Caffeine's protective role in dry eye disease and meibomian gland Dysfunction: Insights from clinical and Experimental models.

Purpose: Inflammation and apoptosis contribute to the development of dry eye disease (DED) and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). This study aimed to investigate the effect of caffeine on the ocular surface and tear inflammatory cytokines through clinical, in vivo, and in vitro experiments.

Methods: In the clinical study, comprehensive ophthalmic examinations of participants in the control and the caffeine groups were compared, including ocular surface and tears inflammatory cytokines.

Diagnosis of fibrotic interstitial lung diseases based on the combination of label-free quantitative multiphoton fiber histology and machine learning.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD), characterized by inflammation and fibrosis, often suffers from low diagnostic accuracy and consistency. Traditional H&E staining primarily reveals cellular inflammation with limited detail on fibrosis. To address these issues, we introduce a pioneering label-free quantitative multiphoton fiber histology (MPFH) technique that delineates the intricate characteristics of collagen and elastin fibers for ILDs diagnosis.

Body roundness index as a predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with diabetes and prediabetes.

Background: There are limited population-based studies examining the correlation between body roundness index (BRI) and mortality in diabetes and prediabetes patients.

Method: Our final analysis encompassed 15,848 patients with diabetes and prediabetes sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES) spanning from 2003 to 2018. Cox proportional hazards model and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were utilized to assess the correlation between BRI and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

Cluster-based subgroups of prediabetes and its association with prediabetes progression and regression: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Cluster analysis provides an effective approach in stratifying prediabetes into different subgroups; however, the association of the cluster-based subgroups with prediabetes progression and regression has not been investigated. We aimed to address this issue in a Chinese population.

Methods: A total of 4,128 participants with prediabetes were included to generate cluster-based subgroups of prediabetes based on age, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride-and-glucose (TyG) index, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), using a k-means clustering model.

Synergistic Target-Attacking Tumor Cells and M2 Macrophages via a Triple-Responsive Nanoassembly for Complete Metastasis Blocking.

Collaboration of cancerous cells and microenvironment is the root for tumor spreading, leading to difficulty in complete metastasis blockage via mono-intervention. Herein, a triple-responsive nanoassembly is designed for orienting tumor cells and migration-driving M2 tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) in microenvironment for efficient anti-metastatic therapy. Structurally, a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive crosslinked short-chain polyquaternium is synthesized to bridge graphene oxide (GO) scaffold with apolipoprotein A-I crown via borate-crosslinking, electrostatic adherence, and coordinative coupling.

Research trends and hotspots of the applications of single-cell RNA sequencing in cardiovascular diseases: a bibliometric and visualized study.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death globally. The use of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in CVDs has gained significant attention in recent years, and there is a growing body of literature on the subject. However, a thorough and impartial analysis of the existing state and trends of scRNA-seq in CVDs is lacking.

A cross-sectional study of clinical characteristics and risk factors for hand eczema in the general Chinese population.

In the general population, there is limited evidence for the associations between hand eczema (HE) and lifestyle factors, and between the severity of HE and quality of life. This study aimed to estimate the risk factors for the incidence of HE in the general population and the risk factors for the severity of HE. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 121 HE patients in a hospital from December 2018 to December 2019 in Wuhan.

A comprehensive understanding of the influence and molecular mechanism of exeA on the pathogenicity in Aeromonas hydrophila.

Aeromonas hydrophila is a serious human and animal co-pathogenic bacterium. The type II secretion system (T2SS), a key virulence factor, is vital for the secretion of exotoxins from the bacterium. exeA gene is important for the assembly of the T2SS.

Immune Suppression and Rapid Invasion of Nile Tilapia Gills Following an Acute Challenge by .

is one of the causative agents of columnaris disease, significantly impacting Nile tilapia aquaculture. This study examines the invasion and immune evasion mechanisms of a highly virulent strain through transcriptomic profiling of tilapia gills following acute immersion. We identified 8192 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 2 h, 6 h, and 12 h post-infection.

Designing and evaluating a novel blood-brain barrier in vitro model of teleost for reproducing alterations in brain infecting.

A new blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vitro model of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was successfully established by co-culture with brain microvascular endothelial cell line TVEC-01 and brain astrocyte cell line TA-02 of tilapia. Experiments with the expression levels of BBB-related genes, TEER value detection and 4-h water-leaking test have shown that the BBB in vitro model has an excellent barrier effect. In bacterial penetration experiments, the pathogenic strain of Streptococcus agalactiae was able to pass through the BBB in vitro model and initiate a series of immune responses, among which TA-02 contributed to the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and TVEC-01 contributed to the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, providing an excellent research tool and theoretical basis for further study of meningitis.

Evolocumab treatment reduces carotid intima-media thickness in paediatric patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Aim: Children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) show greater carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Evolocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor monoclonal antibody, substantially reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and modestly reduced lipoprotein(a) in children with HeFH. We investigated evolocumab's effect on cIMT progression.

Inflammatory markers correlate with lymphocytes infiltrating and predict immunotherapy prognosis for esophageal cancer.

To investigate the prognostic value of inflammatory markers in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The infiltration of CD3 and CD8 T cells in tissue microarrays from 180 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy was detected using immunohistochemistry. A separate cohort of 351 patients with metastatic/recurrent or unresectable ESCC treated with ICIs was enrolled for further investigation.

Functional Food Potential of , , and in Managing Hyperuricemia through Dual Enzyme Inhibition.

Amid growing concerns regarding gout and hyperuricemia associated with high-protein and purine-rich diets, the need for effective prevention and management strategies with minimal side effects has become increasingly critical. This study evaluates the potential of three commonly consumed plant-based functional foods, , , and , inhibiting xanthine oxidase (XO) and adenosine deaminase (ADA), key enzymes in uric acid metabolism. Results from hyperuricemia model mice indicate that this blend significantly reduces serum uric acid levels, mirroring the efficacy of conventional prevention and management strategies such as allopurinol but with fewer adverse effects.

Ball Milling and Magnetic Modification Boosted Methylene Blue Removal by Biochar Obtained from Water Hyacinth: Efficiency, Mechanism, and Application.

Ball milling is a feasible and promising method of biochar modification that can significantly increase its adsorption ability to methylene blue (MB). This study synthesized nine biochars derived from water hyacinth under different pyrolysis temperatures and modified with ball milling and FeO. The structural properties of the pristine and ball-milled magnetic biochars were investigated and employed to adsorb MB.

Integrative analysis of single-cell and bulk multi-omics data to reveal subtype-specific characteristics and therapeutic strategies in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients.

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is the most prevalent subtype of malignant renal cell carcinoma and is well known as a common genitourinary cancer. Stratifying tumors based on heterogeneity is essential for better treatment options. In this study, consensus clusters were constructed based on gene expression, DNA methylation, and gene mutation data, which were combined with multiple clustering algorithms.

DNA-templated nanosheets for enhanced chemodynamic therapy and gene therapy to inhibit tumor recurrence and metastasis.

Recurrence and metastasis stand as the primary contributors to mortality among patients with triple-negative breast cancer post-surgery, presenting a formidable clinical obstacle. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT), leveraging metal-ion-mediated Fenton-like reactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME), emerges as a promising avenue for addressing cancer metastasis. Despite recent progress, challenges such as tumor cell antioxidant defenses and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) impede the efficacy of CDT.

Enhancing the differential diagnosis of small pulmonary nodules: a comprehensive model integrating plasma methylation, protein biomarkers, and LDCT imaging features.

Background: Accurate differentiation between malignant and benign pulmonary nodules, especially those measuring 5-10 mm in diameter, continues to pose a significant diagnostic challenge. This study introduces a novel, precise approach by integrating circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation patterns, protein profiling, and computed tomography (CT) imaging features to enhance the classification of pulmonary nodules.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 419 participants diagnosed with pulmonary nodules ranging from 5 to 30 mm in size, before any disease-altering procedures such as treatment or surgical intervention.

Progress in Transdifferentiation of Autologous Alternative Cell Sources into Corneal Epithelial Cells.

Corneal limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) play a crucial role in corneal epithelium regeneration. Severe damage to these cells can result in limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), characterized by repeated corneal conjunctivalization, leading to corneal turbidity and scar formation. Restoring functional LESCs and their ecological location are essential for treating LSCD.

Fisher discriminant analysis of multimodal ultrasound in diagnosis of cervical metastatic lymph nodes in papillary thyroid cancer.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study was to develop a diagnostic model utilizing multimodal ultrasound parameters to aid in the detection of cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients.

Methods: The study included 84 suspicious lymph nodes from 69 PTC patients, all of whom underwent fine needle aspiration with pathological results. Data from conventional grayscale ultrasound, shear wave elastography (SWE), and superb microvascular imaging were analyzed.

Phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography of foot at 5T ultra-high field strength 5T : Visualization of distal small vessels and enhancement by warm water immersion.

Background: Ultra-high field strength magnetic resonance has been proven to offer improved visualization of the distal intracranial vessels and branches, but its effectiveness for visualization of the peripheral vasculature has not been investigated. We aimed to assess the visualization of distal lower-extremity vessels using three-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (3D PC-MRA) at 5T field strength in combination with warm water immersion (WWI).

Methods: Participants were prospectively recruited and underwent 3T, and 5T 3D PC-MRA of the feet with and without WWI (water temperature between 40°C and 45°C for a duration of 10 minutes).

[Impact of Climate Change and Human Activities on the Ecological Sensitivity of the Yangtze River Economic Belt].

The increasing climate change and human activities exert their influence on the ecological sensitivity of the region individually and interactively. Therefore, a clear understanding of the impact of climate change and human activities on ecological sensitivity will enhance the resilience of the regional ecological environment and the level of sustainable development. This study took the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the first demonstration zone of China's ecological civilization construction, as the research object.