Assessment of Liver Fibrosis Through Shear Wave Elastography in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) is the standard therapy for end-stage liver disease. Liver allografts are at risk for fibrosis, for which biopsy is the gold standard for evaluation but carries risks. There is a need for noninvasive modalities to track the trajectory of fibrosis.

Therapeutic role of hucMSC-sEV-enriched miR-13896 in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury through M2 macrophage polarization.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (hucMSC-sEV) have recently garnered attention as a potential therapeutic approach for kidney diseases with anti-inflammatory effects. Infiltrated macrophages play an important role in facilitating tissue regeneration. However, the intricate regulatory effects of hucMSC-sEV on macrophages during cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) remain unknown.

Comparison of Nasopharyngeal Airway with Endoscopic Respiratory Mask for Hypoxemia in Painless Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Obese Outpatients: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Sedatives and anesthetics can modify airway tone and induce respiratory depression, exacerbating the gas exchange impairments associated with obesity. In obese patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy, upper airway obstruction and hypoventilation are prevalent, leading to frequent occurrences of hypoxemia during the procedure. This study aims to investigate the effects of the nasopharyngeal airway in mitigating hypoxemia via alleviating upper airway obstruction in obese outpatients during painless gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure.

The association of RBP4 with chronic kidney diseases in southern Chinese population.

Background: Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), as a novel adipokine, has been proven to be highly related to insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperuricemia and other metabolic diseases, which are all risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there is a lack of sufficient studies to explore the relationship between RBP4 and CKD, and no reports have described the predictive value of RBP4 for CKD. This study was designed to clarify the relationship between RBP4 and CKD and its potential predictive value.

Upadacitinib is associated with clinical response and steroid-free remission for children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Upadacitinib, an oral Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi), is approved for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in adults. As on-label use will face significant delay in pediatrics, a real-world understanding of safety and efficacy in children is critical.

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective cohort of pediatric subjects (ages 9-20 years) with a diagnosis of IBD initiated on upadacitinib.

Non-Sugar Sweetener Rubusoside Alleviates Lipid Metabolism Disorder In Vivo and In Vitro by Targeting PPARγ/α, Lgals3, and Mknk2.

Rubusoside─a high-sweetened, nonsugar sweetener─is mainly extracted from var. (S. Lee) L.

Bibliometric analysis of research on retinoic acid in the field of kidney disorders.

Retinoic acid is an active metabolite with significant physiological functions in human development, immunity, vision, and skin health. In recent years, research on retinoic acid in the field of kidney disorders has been increasing gradually. Yet, there is a lack of systematic bibliometric analysis of retinoic acid research in the kidney domain.

Photocontrolled ultra-broadband metamaterial absorber around the terahertz regime.

In this paper, we innovatively stack multiple resonant units of photoconductive silicon to design an ultra-broadband metamaterial absorber. By manipulating the conductivity of the silicon with a pump beam, adjustments are made to the amplitude of the wide absorption spectrum spanning 6.6 THz, enabling functional switching from total reflection to near-perfect ultra-broadband absorption.

Comparison of TyG and Newly TyG Related Indicators for Chronic Kidney Diseases Estimation in a Chinese Population.

Background: Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are positively associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Previous studies have identified triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) as a valuable surrogate of insulin resistance. Recently, new indicators combining TyG and simple anthropometric indices have emerged, The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of TyG and newly TyG related indicators in detecting CKD and explore which indices were superior in associating with CKD in Chinese population.

Impacts of cardiometabolic risk factors and alcohol consumption on all-cause mortality among MASLD and its subgroups.

Background And Aims: Recently, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has been introduced. However, research on this new nomenclature and definition remains limited. This study aims to assess the impact of cardiometabolic risk factors and alcohol consumption on all-cause mortality in MASLD and its subgroups.

Extracellular vesicles: Illuminating renal pathophysiology and therapeutic frontiers.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are minute sacs released by cells into the extracellular milieu, harboring an array of biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Notably, a large number of studies have demonstrated the important involvement of EVs in both physiological and pathological aspects of renal function. EVs can facilitate communication between different renal cells, but it is important to recognize their dual role: they can either transmit beneficial information or lead to renal damage and worsening of existing conditions.

Comparing long-term outcomes of children treated with new-onset type 2 diabetes in an outpatient versus inpatient setting: A retrospective chart review.

Background: Early identification and management of pediatric type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is crucial for improving long-term outcomes. This study aimed to assess if the severity of T2DM at presentation, inferred by the location of treatment initiation (inpatient or outpatient), influences long-term clinical outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 116 pediatric T2DM patients.

Advances in the application of extracellular vesicles derived from three-dimensional culture of stem cells.

Stem cells (SCs) have been used therapeutically for decades, yet their applications are limited by factors such as the risk of immune rejection and potential tumorigenicity. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a key paracrine component of stem cell potency, overcome the drawbacks of stem cell applications as a cell-free therapeutic agent and play an important role in treating various diseases. However, EVs derived from two-dimensional (2D) planar culture of SCs have low yield and face challenges in large-scale production, which hinders the clinical translation of EVs.

Panax notoginseng saponins prevent dementia and oxidative stress in brains of SAMP8 mice by enhancing mitophagy.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the distinctive features of neurons in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Intraneuronal autophagosomes selectively phagocytose and degrade the damaged mitochondria, mitigating neuronal damage in AD. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) can effectively reduce oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in the brain of animals with AD, but their exact mechanism of action is unknown.

Dual-band terahertz metamaterial sensor and its sensing capacity enhanced with a central-relief design.

In this paper, a dual-band terahertz metamaterial sensor based on aluminum and silicon is proposed and simulated. The aluminum surface, which is deposited on a silicon substrate, is made of a C-shaped frame resonator, a rectangular beam, and a cross. The device is insensitive to the change of incident angle in the range of 0°-30°, which shows the great transmission stability of the sensor.

A tri-functional, independently tunable terahertz absorber based on a vanadium dioxide-graphene hybrid structure.

This paper proposes a simulated design for a versatile terahertz absorber that can be actively tuned. The absorber utilizes the unique tuning capabilities of graphene and vanadium dioxide, enabling it to alternate between ultra-broadband absorption, broadband absorption, and almost complete reflection. In the metallic phase of vanadium dioxide, coupled with a graphene Fermi level at 0 eV, the absorber achieves ultra-broadband absorption.

The Association of HDL2b with Metabolic Syndrome Among Normal HDL-C Populations in Southern China.

Background: The annual prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing. Therefore, early screening and recognition of MetS are critical. This study aimed to evaluate the association between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclasses and MetS and to examine whether they could serve as early indicators in a Chinese community-based population with normal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels.

The association between activation of the ERK1/2-NF-κB signaling pathway by TIMP2 expression and chronic renal allograft dysfunction in the CRAD rat model.

Purpose: The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2), a natural inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), regulates inflammation, fibrosis, and cell proliferation. Chronic renal allograft dysfunction (CRAD) is a primary factor affecting the long-term survival of renal allografts. We assessed whether up-regulation of TIMP2 expression may affect the ERK1/2-NF-κB signaling pathway and CRAD development.

The gut microbiota metabolite butyrate mitigates MPTP/MPP -induced Parkinson's disease by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Butyrate (BU), a gut microbiota-derived metabolite, has been reported to play a neuroprotective role in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the specific molecular mechanism of BU has not been fully interpreted. This work aimed to verify the protective effects of BU against MPTP/MPP -induced neurotoxicity and explore the mechanisms involved.

Arteriolosclerosis CSVD: a common cause of dementia and stroke and its association with cognitive function and total MRI burden.

Objective: Arteriolosclerosis cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a common type of CSVD. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with cognitive function and total MRI burden related to the disease.

Methods: The demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, cognitive function score, Barthel Index (BI), blood test index, and follow-up results of arteriolosclerosis CSVD patients treated for the first time in our hospital from January 2014 to August 2022 were collected.

The value of serum Lp-PLA2 combined with MPO in the diagnosis of cerebral infarction caused by large artery atherosclerosis.

Objective: To explore the value of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2（Lp-PLA2）combined with myeloperoxidase（MPO）for the diagnosis of large artery atherosclerosis(LAA) cerebral infarction.

Methods: Baseline data were collected from patients with first-ever acute cerebral infarction, serum Lp-PLA2 and MPO levels were measured. The etiology of cerebral infarction was classified according to the Chinese Ischemic Stroke Subtype Classification Standard.