Thyroid function and multiple sclerosis: a two-sample mendelian randomization study and mediation analysis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a prevalent neurological disorder with a complex etiology, often associated with thyroid function. However, the causal relationship between these two conditions remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the causal relationship between thyroid function and MS using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) approach and to investigate the potential mediating role of immune cells.

Carboxylesterase 2A gene knockout or enzyme inhibition alleviates steatohepatitis in rats by regulating PPARγ and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a widespread liver disease that progresses from simple steatosis to severe steatohepatitis stage. Despite the recognized importance of carboxylesterase 2 (CES2) in hepatic lipid metabolism, the role of CES2 in hepatic inflammation remains unclear. The rat genome encodes six Ces2 genes and Ces2a shows high expression in liver and intestine.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment potentiates immune checkpoint blockade through a BAFF- and IL-12-dependent reprogramming of the TME.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment has shown clinical activity together with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), but the exact mechanism is not known. We show that VEGF blockade in combination with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4) + anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) potentiated a multimodal mechanism dependent on B cell activating factor (BAFF), leading to a proinflammatory B cell response. It led to a BAFF- and interleukin (IL)-12-dependent expansion and rewiring of T regulatory cells (Tregs) toward an anti-tumor T helper-1 (Th-1)-like fragile state.

MicroRNA-124a/Sirtuin 1 pathway inhibits autophagy to promote hepatocyte apoptosis in acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Background: The roles of microRNAs in the regulation of autophagy and apoptosis in hepatic cells suggest that they may serve as novel biomarkers or therapeutic targets for various liver injuries. In this study, we aim to analyze whether miR-124a regulates autophagy and apoptosis in hepatic cells, particularly in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Materials And Methods: The plasma and liver tissues from the healthy control (HC) and ACLF patients were included.

A Facile Way to Enhance the Therapeutic Efficacy of Hydrophobic Drugs via Amorphous Solid Dispersions.

Approximately 40% of marketed drugs and 75% of invested drugs in the pharmaceutical field are poorly soluble hydrophobic drugs with minimal solubility in water which make them difficult to be absorbed by the body and significantly limiting their applications. Among chemotherapeutic agents, numerous antitumor drugs such as platinum compounds, camptothecin, paclitaxel and others are also restricted in processing and preparation due to solubility issues. Therefore, improving the solubility and enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of drugs have always been significant research topics in current pharmaceutics.

Antibacterial mechanism of lysine against Escherichia coli O157:H7, its action on lettuce and in reducing the severity of murine colitis.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the mechanism of antimicrobial action of Lysine (Lys) against Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. Lys alters the permeability and morphology of bacterial cell membranes, leading to leakage of intracellular material.

Influence of pulsed electric field and glycerol pretreatments on freeze-thaw process and quality of white radish.

This study focused on the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) and glycerol (G) pretreatments on the quality of freeze-thawed white radishes. The optimal PEF strength, frequency, and treatment time were 800 V/cm, 5 Hz, and 0.1 s, respectively.

Sarcopenic obesity and the risk of atrial fibrillation in non-diabetic older adults: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Evidence of an association between sarcopenic obesity (SO) and the risk of long-term atrial fibrillation (AF) is lacking, and the underlying involvement of insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation is not clear.

Methods: This community-based prospective cohort study evaluated sarcopenia, obesity, and baseline clinical characteristics in 4321 non-diabetic older adults between 2007 and 2011. Sarcopenia was identified using skeletal muscle mass/body weight (SMM/BW), appendicular lean mass (ALM)/BW, and handgrip strength (HGS), and obesity was identified by fat mass (FM)/BW.

High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Fragmentation Rules of Etomidate and Its Structural Analogues.

Objectives: To explore the characteristic fragment ions, ion abundance ratios and mass spectrometry fragmentation rules of etomidate and its structural analogues by using gas chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometry (GC-Q/Orbitrap MS) and liquid chromatography-linear ion trap quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS) techniques, providing important data support for the identification and prediction of etomidate structural analogues.

Methods: GC-Q/Orbitrap MS and LC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS were used to analyze metomidate, etomidate, isopropoxate and propoxate, to obtain their GC high resolution mass spectra and LC high resolution mass spectra.

Results: Under the electron impact (EI) ion source mode, etomidate, metomidate and the other two analogues all produced their molecular ions and seven identical fragment ions ( 77.

Research Progress on the Application of MALDI-MSI in Hair Analysis.

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is an emerging high-tech "photography" method combining mass spectrometry and image visualization technologies, which can simultaneously monitor the spatial distribution of multiple molecules in biological samples. In recent years, the characteristics of this technology have been used to visually study the distribution of drugs in hair, among which matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry imaging(MALDI-MSI) technology has been most widely applied in hair analysis. Based on the principle of MALDI-MSI technology, this paper discusses the key technical elements of MALDI-MSI technology applied to hair analysis and reviews the research achievements of MSI in hair analysis.

Incidence and costs of hospitalisation due to acute respiratory infection in adults aged over 50 years in Jiangsu, China in 2019-23: a real-world medical database analysis of 0.2 million episodes.

Background: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) poses a significant public health challenge worldwide, particularly among older adults. However, the disease and economic burden of ARI among older adults in China remained sparse. We aimed to estimate the incidence rate and medical cost of hospitalisation due to ARI among adults aged ≥50 years in Jiangsu Province, China.

Efficacy and safety of parathyroid perfusion assessment by fine-needle prick during thyroid surgery: a prospective study.

Objective: This prospective study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of fine-needle prick (FNP) in the assessment of parathyroid gland (PG) perfusion during thyroid surgery.

Methods: A total of 147 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) who underwent lobectomy with therapeutic unilateral central lymph node dissection (CLND) performed by the same surgeon at the First Hospital of Jilin University between June and September 2024 were included in this prospective study. Following removal of the thyroid and unilateral central lymph nodes, indocyanine green (ICG) was prepared and administered intravenously.

Preventive hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves acute graft-versus-host disease by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Background: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been confirmed as an effective and economical therapeutic modality for treating hemorrhagic cystitis (HC), whether induced by infection or acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), in transplant recipients. However, its potential benefits in treating aGVHD remain largely unknown. This study explored the effects of HBOT on aGVHD and its underlying mechanisms.

Identification of candidate biomarkers correlated with the pathogenesis of breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer (BC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in females, followed by lung cancer. Disadvantages exist in conventional diagnostic techniques of BC, such as radiation risk. The present study integrated bioinformatics analysis with machine learning to elucidate potential key candidate genes associated with the tumorigenesis of BC.

Spermidine alleviates copper-induced oxidative stress, inflammation and cuproptosis in the liver.

Copper exposure poses potential detrimental effects on both public and ecosystem health. Spermidine, an antioxidant, has shown promise in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation within the liver. However, its specific role in mitigating copper-induced hepatic cuproptosis and disturbances in copper metabolism remains unexplored.

Integrated microbiome and metabolomics analysis reveals the alleviating effect of on colitis.

Colitis is a complicated disease caused by multiple factors, seriously threatening the host health and the development of animal husbandry. Probiotics have been demonstrate to participate in the active regulation of multiple gastrointestinal disease, gut microbiota and metabolism, but research on the efficacy of isolated from dogs in alleviating colitis remains scarce. Here, we aimed to investigate the ameliorative effects of isolated from dogs on colitis induced by LPS and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

A Parameter-Driven Approach to Modulating Chemical Composition in Prussian Blue Analogues Cathodes for Sodium-ion Batteries.

This study explores how various experimental factors, such as temperature, viscosity, and stirring speed, affect Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) material's structural properties and electroneutrality. These factors influence key attributes like sodium ions, vacancies, and water content, which is governed by electroneutrality. Higher temperatures, faster stirring, low viscosity, and high Na+ concentration enhance Na+ incorporation because of the sufficient Na+ supplement, leading to a dense monoclinic structure with fewer vacancies and lower water content.

The Novel H10N3 Avian Influenza Virus Triggers Lethal Cytokine Storm by Activating Multiple Forms of Programmed Cell Death in Mammalian Lungs.

The novel H10N3 avian influenza virus (AIV) has infected four individuals since 2021 and caused severe respiratory damage, posing a significant threat to public health. However, its pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our findings revealed that H10N3 infection induces severe lung damage and causes death in mice, even at low doses.

Fatty acid metabolism shapes immune responses in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Background: Fatty acids serve as a crucial energy source for tumor cells during the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The present study aims to elucidate the characteristics of fatty acid metabolism (FAM) in CLL, construct a related prognostic score, and investigate the regulatory role and mechanisms of FAM in CLL development.

Methods: Bulk RNA sequencing data from CLL patients and healthy controls were analyzed to identify differentially expressed fatty acid metabolic genes.

Comparatively profiling the transcriptome of human, Porcine and mouse oocytes undergoing meiotic maturation.

Background: Oocyte maturation is a critical process responsible for supporting preimplantation embryo development and full development to term. Understanding oocyte gene expression is relevant given the unique molecular mechanism present in this gamete. Comparative transcriptome analysis across species offers a powerful approach to uncover conserved and species-specific genes involved in the molecular regulation of oocyte maturation throughout evolution.

Identification of candidate genes associated with resistance to aflatoxin production in peanut through genetic mapping and transcriptome analysis.

Two major QTLs qAftA07and qAftB06.2 for peanut aflatoxin production resistance were identified and candidate genes for them were predicted. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.

Ability and utility of the Physician Well-Being Index to identify distress among Chinese physicians.

Background: Despite the high prevalence of mental stress among physicians, reliable screening tools are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the capability of the Physician Well-Being Index (PWBI) in identifying distress and adverse consequences among Chinese physicians.

Methods: This cross-sectional online survey recruited 2803 physicians from Southern Mainland China snowball sampling between October and December 2020.

RPT: An integrated root phenotyping toolbox for segmenting and quantifying root system architecture.

The dissection of genetic architecture for rice root system is largely dependent on phenotyping techniques, and high-throughput root phenotyping poses a great challenge. In this study, we established a cost-effective root phenotyping platform capable of analysing 1680 root samples within 2 h. To efficiently process a large number of root images, we developed the root phenotyping toolbox (RPT) with an enhanced SegFormer algorithm and used it for root segmentation and root phenotypic traits.

Enhanced efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined locoregional therapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A single - center retrospective study.

Background: Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents significant treatment challenges. While locoregional therapies (LT) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) offer some benefits, prognosis remains poor. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown promise in other oncological settings, suggesting potential benefits in HCC treatment regimens.

NanoAbLLaMA: construction of nanobody libraries with protein large language models.

Introduction: Traditional methods for constructing synthetic nanobody libraries are labor-intensive and time-consuming. This study introduces a novel approach leveraging protein large language models (LLMs) to generate germline-specific nanobody sequences, enabling efficient library construction through statistical analysis.

Methods: We developed NanoAbLLaMA, a protein LLM based on LLaMA2, fine-tuned using low-rank adaptation (LoRA) on 120,000 curated nanobody sequences.