Optimizing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk Assessment in Hypertension: Development of a Predictive Nomogram in China.

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in patients with hypertension. Our study aims to construct and validate an objective nomogram that can accurately predict the risk of OSA in patients with hypertension.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective data were collected from patients with hypertension who underwent polysomnography (PSG) at the Sleep Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China.

Evaluation of five questionnaires for obstructive sleep apnea screening in the elderly.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often leads to complications in the elderly. This study compares the usefulness of five screening tools for OSA in elderly patients. Data from elderly patients diagnosed with OSA, collected from the Sleep Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 2012 to June 2017, is analyzed.

Analysis of factors influencing bronchiectasis patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and development of a nomogram prediction model.

Background: To identify the risk factors for bronchiectasis patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) and to develop a predictive nomogram model for estimating the risk of APTB in bronchiectasis patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 16,750 bronchiectasis patients hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University between January 2019 and December 2023. The 390 patients with APTB were classified as the case group, while 818 patients were randomly sampled by computer at a 1:20 ratio from the 16,360 patients with other infections to serve as the control group.

Effect of high-dose N-acetylcysteine on exacerbations and lung function in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD: a double-blind, parallel group, multicentre randomised clinical trial.

Evidence for the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is limited. The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (an antioxidant and mucolytic agent) for patients with mild-to-moderate COPD is uncertain. In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 968 patients with mild-to-moderate COPD to treatment with N-acetylcysteine (600 mg, twice daily) or matched placebo for two years.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and NLRP3 inflammasome: key players in kidney stone formation.

The mitochondrion serves as a critical intracellular organelle, engaging in essential roles in the regulation of energy production, oxidative stress management, calcium homeostasis, and apoptosis. One such disease that has been particularly associated with these functions is kidney stone disease (KSD), specifically calcium oxalate (CaOx). It is underpinned by oxidative stress and tissue inflammation.

Promising Intestinal Microbiota Associated with Clinical Characteristics of COPD Through Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an incurable chronic respiratory disease, has become a major public health problem. The relationship between the composition of intestinal microbiota and the important clinical factors affecting COPD remains unclear. This study aimed to identify specific intestinal microbiota with high clinical diagnostic value for COPD.

Alleviation of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis in Rats by Ethanolic (Thunb.) Moldenke Extract.

Secondary osteoporosis is frequently due to the use of high-dose glucocorticoids (GCs). The existing strategy for managing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is considered insufficient and remains in a state of ongoing evolution. Therefore, it is crucial to develop more precise and effective agents for the treatment of GIOP.

8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase protects cells from senescence via the p53-p21 pathway.

Cellular senescence is an important factor leading to pulmonary fibrosis. Deficiency of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in mice leads to alleviation of bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis, and inhibition of the OGG1 enzyme reduces the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung cells. In the present study, we find decreased expression of OGG1 in aged mice and BLM-induced cell senescence.

Proceeding the categorization of microplastics through deep learning-based image segmentation.

Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as prominent anthropogenic pollutants that inflict significant harm to marine ecosystems. Various approaches have been proposed to mitigate the risks posed by MPs. Gaining an understanding of the morphology of plastic particles can provide valuable insights into the source and their interaction with marine organisms, which can assist the development of response measures.

Compound K is a potential clinical anticancer agent in prostate cancer by arresting cell cycle.

Background: Ginsenosides, phenolic compounds, and polysaccharides are the bioactive constituents of Panax ginseng Meyer. Compound K (CK) is a secondary ginsenoside with better bioavailability. It is also a promising anticancer agent.

A Case Report of Infection Leading to Pneumonia.

Background: Glanders is a rare zoonotic disease caused by Burkholderia mallei. Humans can be infected by B. mallei, which causes cutaneous lymphadenitis and pneumonia, leading to sepsis and death in severe cases.

Fibroblast growth factor 9 attenuates sepsis-induced fulminant hepatitis in mice.

Sepsis-induced fulminant hepatitis (FH) is a fatal syndrome that has a worse prognosis in clinical practice. Hence, seeking effective agents for sepsis-induced FH treatment is urgently needed. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are vital for tissue homeostasis and damage repair in various organs including the liver.

Erratum: Inhibition of SMYD2 suppresses tumor progression by down-regulating microRNA-125b and attenuates multi-drug resistance in renal cell carcinoma: Erratum.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7150/thno.37628.

HB-EGF-induced IL-8 secretion from airway epithelium leads to lung fibroblast proliferation and migration.

Background: We have reported that heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) is increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and associated with collagen deposition, but the mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigated the inflammatory cytokines secreted by bronchial epithelial cells following exposure to HB-EGF that promoted proliferation and migration of human lung fibroblast.

Methods: HB-EGF-induced inflammatory cytokines were assayed in two airway epithelial cells (primary human bronchial epithelial cells [HBECs] and BEAS-2B cells).

Spatial variations and potential risks of heavy metals in sediments of Yueqing Bay, China.

In this study, we determined the spatial variations and potential risks of heavy metals in the sediments of Yueqing Bay by assessing the relationship between metal concentrations and sediment physiochemical factors. We found higher sediment metal concentrations in the inner bay than in the central and outer bay, particularly with respect to Hg, Cu, and Pb concentrations. According to the sediment quality guidelines, the heavy metals had a toxicity incidence probability of 21%.

Analysis of Preoperative Risk Factors for Postoperative Urosepsis After Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in Patients with Large Kidney Stones.

To assess the preoperative risk factors for postoperative urosepsis after mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL) in patients with large kidney stones. Records of 171 patients with large (≥30 mm) kidney stones who underwent mPCNL from December 2013 to October 2019 were reviewed. Demographic data of patients, preoperative urine analysis, urine culture, and routine blood tests and abdominal computerized cosmography data were collected and analyzed.

CD46 splice variant enhances translation of specific mRNAs linked to an aggressive tumor cell phenotype in bladder cancer.

CD46 is well known to be involved in diverse biological processes. Although several splice variants of CD46 have been identified, little is known about the contribution of alternative splicing to its tumorigenic functions. In this study, we found that exclusion of CD46 exon 13 is significantly increased in bladder cancer (BCa) samples.

Junction plakoglobin regulates and destabilizes HIF2α to inhibit tumorigenesis of renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Increased hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2α) activation is a common event in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression. However, the function and underlying mechanism of HIF2α in ccRCC remains uninvestigated. We conducted this study to access the potential link between junction plakoglobin (JUP) and HIF2α in ccRCC.

8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase modulates the cell transformation process in pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting Smad2/3 and interacting with Smad7.

The DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 (OGG1) is involved in early embryonic development, as well as in multiple conditions, including cardiac fibrosis, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. But, function of OGG1 in pulmonary fibrosis was not entirely clear. In this study, we identified a novel function of OGG1 in the cell transformation process in pulmonary fibrosis.

HnRNP A1 - mediated alternative splicing of CCDC50 contributes to cancer progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma via ZNF395.

Background: Aberrant alternative splicing events play critical roles in carcinogenesis and progression of many cancers, while sparse studies regarding to alternative splicing are available for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We identified that alternative splicing of coiled-coil domain containing 50 (CCDC50) was dysregulated in ccRCC, whereas the clinical significance of this splicing event and its splicing regulation mechanisms were still elusive.

Methods: Bioinformatic algorithm was utilized to identify significant exon skipping events in ccRCC via exon sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Cycloastragenol prevents age-related bone loss: Evidence in d-galactose-treated and aged rats.

Background And Aims: Aging-induced bone loss is a multifactorial, age-related, and progressive phenomenon among the general population and may further progress to osteoporosis and increase the risk of fractures. Cycloastragenol (CAG), currently the only compound reported that activates human telomerase, is thought to be able to alleviate or delay the symptoms of aging and chronic diseases. Previous research has suggested that CAG may have the potential to alleviate age-related bone loss.