Optimization of microRNA extraction from the plasma of the common carp.

Efficient and safe extraction of microRNAs (miRNAs) from biological samples is pivotal for genetic regulation studies and biotechnological applications. This study focuses on optimizing the microRNA extraction process from the plasma of common carp, a significant species in aquaculture. Recognizing the limitations and hazards of commercial extraction kits, which often employ toxic chemicals like phenol and chloroform, we sought to develop a safer and more effective alternative.

The impact of tea consumption on the risk of depression: A Mendelian randomization and Bayesian weighting algorithm study.

Background And Objectives: The precise impact of tea consumption on the risk of depression remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the consumption patterns of tea and the likelihood of depression onset, utilizing a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology.

Methods And Study Design: We utilized available genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets on tea intake and depressive disorders.

Unveiling the role of microRNAs in metabolic dysregulation of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) presents a significant health concern globally, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its metabolic intricacies for effective management. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as pivotal regulators in GDM pathogenesis, influencing glucose metabolism, insulin signaling, and lipid homeostasis during pregnancy. Dysregulated miRNA expression, both upregulated and downregulated, contributes to GDM-associated metabolic abnormalities.

Burnout Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Palliative and Hospice Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Endemic: An Exploratory Survey.

Background: Burnout is a significant issue for palliative and hospice professionals, exacerbated by the impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on healthcare professionals. It is crucial to update our understanding of prevalence data, identify associated factors, and evaluate support resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We aimed to explore the prevalence of burnout among palliative and hospice care workers, 2 years into the COVID-19 pandemic by using the Maslach's Burnout Inventory; anxiety, using General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), workload, risk perception of COVID-19, confidence in protective measures (personal, workplace, and government), and usage and perceived helpfulness of support resources.

Radioactive iodine therapy for thyroid cancer coexisting with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical character of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) coexisting with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and provide state-of-art evidence for personalized radioactive iodine-131 therapy (RAIT) for patients coexisting with HT.

Methods: From January 2000 to January 2023, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant original articles that published in English on the RAIT efficacy for DTC with HT. RevMan 5.

The walnut-derived peptide TW-7 improves mouse parthenogenetic embryo development of vitrified MII oocytes potentially by promoting histone lactylation.

Background: Previous studies have shown that the vitrification of metaphase II (MII) oocytes significantly represses their developmental potential. Abnormally increased oxidative stress is the probable factor; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The walnut-derived peptide TW-7 was initially isolated and purified from walnut protein hydrolysate.

Tetrahedral framework nucleic acid-based small-molecule inhibitor delivery for ecological prevention of biofilm.

Biofilm formation constitutes the primary cause of various chronic infections, such as wound infections, gastrointestinal inflammation and dental caries. While preliminary achievement of biofilm inhibition is possible, the challenge lies in the difficulty of eliminating the bactericidal effects of current drugs that lead to microbiota imbalance. This study, utilizing in vitro and in vivo models of dental caries, aims to efficiently inhibit biofilm formation without inducing bactericidal effects, even against pathogenic bacteria.

Artificial intelligence in liver imaging: methods and applications.

Liver disease is regarded as one of the major health threats to humans. Radiographic assessments hold promise in terms of addressing the current demands for precisely diagnosing and treating liver diseases, and artificial intelligence (AI), which excels at automatically making quantitative assessments of complex medical image characteristics, has made great strides regarding the qualitative interpretation of medical imaging by clinicians. Here, we review the current state of medical-imaging-based AI methodologies and their applications concerning the management of liver diseases.

ISR inhibition reverses pancreatic β-cell failure in Wolfram syndrome models.

Pancreatic β-cell failure by WFS1 deficiency is manifested in individuals with wolfram syndrome (WS). The lack of a suitable human model in WS has impeded progress in the development of new treatments. Here, human pluripotent stem cell derived pancreatic islets (SC-islets) harboring WFS1 deficiency and mouse model of β cell specific Wfs1 knockout were applied to model β-cell failure in WS.

Metformin-Loaded Chitosan Hydrogels Suppress Bladder Tumor Growth in an Orthotopic Mouse Model via Intravesical Administration.

Our previous study found that the intravesical perfusion of metformin has excellent inhibitory effects against bladder cancer (BC). However, this administration route allows the drug to be diluted and excreted in urine. Therefore, increasing the adhesion of metformin to the bladder mucosal layer may prolong the retention time and increase the pharmacological activity.

Charting a high-resolution roadmap for regeneration of pancreatic β cells by in vivo transdifferentiation from adult acinar cells.

Adult mammals have limited capacity to regenerate functional cells. Promisingly, in vivo transdifferentiation heralds the possibility of regeneration by lineage reprogramming from other fully differentiated cells. However, the process of regeneration by in vivo transdifferentiation in mammals is poorly understood.

Preparation and Properties of a Novel Biodegradable Composite Hydrogel Derived from Gelatin/Chitosan and Polylactic Acid as Slow-Release N Fertilizer.

To improve the efficient use of nitrogen and decrease the environmental pollution of N losses, a novel and biodegradable composite hydrogel was prepared by chemical cross-linking synthesis using gelatin (Gel), chitosan (CS) and polylactic acid (PLA) as raw materials. Urea as the nitrogen source was loaded into this new biodegradable hydrogel using the solution immersion method. The chemical structures of the composite hydrogels were characterized and their properties were analyzed by XRD and XPS.

Evaluating breast ultrasound S-detect image analysis for small focal breast lesions.

Background: S-Detect is a computer-assisted, artificial intelligence-based system of image analysis that has been integrated into the software of ultrasound (US) equipment and has the capacity to independently differentiate between benign and malignant focal breast lesions. Since the revision and upgrade in both the breast imaging-reporting and data system (BI-RADS) US lexicon and the S-Detect software in 2013, evidence that supports improved accuracy and specificity of radiologists' assessment of breast lesions has accumulated. However, such assessment using S-Detect technology to distinguish malignant from breast lesions with a diameter no greater than 2 cm requires further investigation.

Shareholder personal risk and firm risk: An empirical analysis of share pledges and firm debt policies.

The impact of personal risk caused by controlling shareholders' equity pledges on the company's debt policy is an issue worth exploring. Using Chinese A-share listed companies from 2006 to 2020, this paper studies the impact of ultimate owner equity pledges on firm debt size and debt maturity structure and explores the mechanism of ultimate owner personal leverage on firms. The results show that the increase in ultimate owner stock pledges leads to higher financial leverage and a longer debt maturity structure for the company.

New Hope for Treating Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Microsphere-Based Delivery System.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) has been considered the dominant factor in low back pain (LBP), and its etiological mechanisms are complex and not yet fully elucidated. To date, the treatment of IVDD has mainly focused on relieving clinical symptoms and cannot fundamentally solve the problem. Recently, a novel microsphere-based therapeutic strategy has held promise for IVD regeneration and has yielded encouraging results with experiments and animal models.

Aggressive strategies for regenerating intervertebral discs: stimulus-responsive composite hydrogels from single to multiscale delivery systems.

As our research on the physiopathology of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD degeneration, IVDD) has advanced and tissue engineering has rapidly evolved, cell-, biomolecule- and nucleic acid-based hydrogel grafting strategies have been widely investigated for their ability to overcome the harsh microenvironment of IVDD. However, such single delivery systems suffer from excessive external dimensions, difficult performance control, the need for surgical implantation, and difficulty in eliminating degradation products. Stimulus-responsive composite hydrogels have good biocompatibility and controllable mechanical properties and can undergo solution-gel phase transition under certain conditions.

Nanoscale Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosome Transplantation.

A common surgical disease, intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), is increasing at an alarming rate in younger individuals. Repairing damaged intervertebral discs (IVDs) and promoting IVD tissue regeneration at the molecular level are important research goals.Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by cells and can be derived from most body fluids.

A Fullerene-Platinum Complex for Direct Functional Patterning of Single Metal Atom-Embedded Carbon Nanostructures.

The development of patterning materials ("resists") at the nanoscale involves two distinct trends: one is toward high sensitivity and resolution for miniaturization, the other aims at functionalization of the resists to realize bottom-up construction of distinct nanoarchitectures. Patterning of carbon nanostructures, a seemingly ideal application for organic functional resists, has been highly reliant on complicated pattern transfer processes because of a lack of patternable precursors. Herein, we present a fullerene-metal coordination complex as a fabrication material for direct functional patterning of sub-10 nm metal-containing carbon structures.

The role of EphA7 in different tumors.

Ephrin receptor A7 (EphA7) is a member of the Eph receptor family. It is widely involved in signal transduction between cells, regulates cell proliferation and differentiation, and participates in developing neural tubes and brain. In addition, EphA7 also has a dual role of tumor promoter and tumor suppressor.

TRIP13 knockdown inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and promotes apoptosis by suppressing PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in U2OS cells.

Background: Although osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant bone tumor, the biological mechanism underlying its incidence and improvement remains unclear. This study investigated early diagnosis and treatment objectives using bioinformatics strategies and performed experimental verification.

Methods And Results: The top 10 OS hub genes-CCNA2, CCNB1, AURKA, TRIP13, RFC4, DLGAP5, NDC80, CDC20, CDK1, and KIF20A-were screened using bioinformatics methods.