A study on the correlation between MRI-assessed breast volume asymmetry and patient satisfaction after immediate breast reconstruction in breast cancer patients.

Immediate breast reconstruction provides breast cancer patients with a valuable opportunity to restore breast shape. However, post-reconstruction breast asymmetry remains a common issue that affects patient satisfaction. This study aims to quantify breast asymmetry after surgery using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assess its impact on both breast satisfaction and overall outcome satisfaction, offering scientific evidence to guide improvements in preoperative evaluation.

Global Cost-Effectiveness of Transcatheter vs Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Severe Aortic Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Backgroud: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive treatment option for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS); however, its economic benefits in patients with low to intermediate surgical risk remain controversial and vary by country. We conducted a systematic review to compare the economic benefits of TAVR vs surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Methods: We searched 6 databases, including PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Clinical Trials for randomised controlled trials on the economic benefits of TAVR with different valve types and SAVR in symptomatic AS patients with low to intermediate surgical risk, from inception to October 2023.

Tumor perfusion enhancement by focus ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening to potentiate anti-PD-1 immunotherapy of glioma.

Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of using focused ultrasound to enhance delivery of PD-1 inhibitors in glioma rats and determine if such an approach increases treatment efficacy.

Methods: C6 glioma in situ rat model was used in this study. Transcranial irradiation with FUS combined with microbubbles was administered to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Causality between migraine and cardiovascular disease: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: While growing evidence suggests a relationship between migraine and cardiovascular disease, the genetic evidence for a causal relationship between migraine and cardiovascular disease is still scarce. Investigating the causal association between migraine and cardiovascular disease is vital.

Methods: We carried out a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study including discovery samples and replication samples using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary datasets and stringent screening instrumental variables.

An Hsp70 promoter-based mouse for heat shock-induced gene modulation.

Physical therapy is extensively employed in clinical settings. Nevertheless, the absence of suitable animal models has resulted in an incomplete understanding of the in vivo mechanisms and cellular distribution that respond to physical stimuli. The objective of this research was to create a mouse model capable of indicating the cells affected by physical stimuli.

Total body water percentage and 3rd space water are novel risk factors for training-related lower extremity muscle injuries in young males.

Purpose: To identify the risk factors for training-related lower extremity muscle injuries in young males by a non-invasive method of body composition analysis.

Methods: A total of 282 healthy young male volunteers aged 18 - 20 years participated in this cohort study. Injury location, degree, and injury rate were adjusted by a questionnaire based on the overuse injury assessment methods used in epidemiological studies of sports injuries.

Differences in aqueous humor protein profiles in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy before and after aflibercept treatment.

Purpose: To investigate the changes in aqueous humor (AH) protein profiles before and after intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) treatment in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods: 5 PDR patients provided 10 samples of AH before and after IVA treatment (pre-group vs. post-group).

A Novel Cargo Delivery System-AnCar-Exo Ameliorates Arthritis via Specifically Targeting Pro-Inflammatory Macrophages.

Macrophages are heterogenic phagocytic cells that play distinct roles in physiological and pathological processes. Targeting different types of macrophages has shown potent therapeutic effects in many diseases. Although many approaches are developed to target anti-inflammatory macrophages, there are few researches on targeting pro-inflammatory macrophages, which is partially attributed to their non-s pecificity phagocytosis of extracellular substances.

Transcriptome profile analysis revealed the potential mechanism of LIPUS treatment for Adriamycin-induced chronic kidney disease rat.

Background: Developing effective therapeutic strategies to delay the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a significant challenge. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has demonstrated potential for treating CKD, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of LIPUS and to elucidate the involved genes and signaling pathways.

Persistent fifth aortic arch: a comprehensive literature review.

Persistent fifth aortic arch (PFAA) is an extremely rare congenital cardiovascular anomaly resulting from the failure of the fifth aortic arch to degenerate during embryonic development; it is often associated with various other cardiovascular anomalies. Despite being first reported by Van Praagh in 1969, there have been only a few individual case reports. Owing to its rarity and lack of comprehensive understanding, PFAA is often misdiagnosed or missed diagnosed during clinical.

Differences in aqueous humor protein profiles in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy before and after conbercept treatment.

To investigate the changes in aqueous humor (AH) protein profiles before and after intravitreal conbercept (IVC) treatment in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients. Ten PDR patients provided 20 samples of AH before (pre group) and after (post group) IVC treatment. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed to identify proteins.

Meat quality and flavor evaluation of Nanjing water boiled salted duck (NWSD) produced by different Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) ingredients.

Reports on meat quality and flavor evaluation of Nanjing water boiled salted duck (NWSD) produced by different Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) ingredients are limited. To select a suitable Muscovy duck ingredient for the NWSD processing, six kinds of NWSD products were produced using female (65, 70, and 75 days) and male (75, 80, and 85 days) Muscovy duck ingredients. The meat quality, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), smell and taste were investigated by using colorimeter, texture analyzer, headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (HS-GC-IMS), electronic nose (E-nose), electronic tongue (E-tongue), etc.

Inhibition of aberrant Hif1α activation delays intervertebral disc degeneration in adult mice.

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is the largest avascular tissue. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) play essential roles in regulating cellular adaptation in the IVD under physiological conditions. Disc degeneration disease (DDD) is one of the leading causes of disability, and current therapies are ineffective.

Long term usage of dexamethasone accelerating accelerates the initiation of osteoarthritis via enhancing chondrocyte apoptosis and the extracellular matrix calcification and apoptosis of chondrocytes.

Systemic application of glucocorticoids is an essential anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating therapy for severe inflammatory or autoimmunity conditions. However, its long-term effects on articular cartilage of patients' health need to be further investigated. In this study, we studied the effects of dexamethasone (Dex) on the homeostasis of articular cartilage and the progress of destabilization of medial meniscus (DMM)-induced osteoarthritis (OA) in adult mice.

Targeting local lymphatics to ameliorate heterotopic ossification via FGFR3-BMPR1a pathway.

Acquired heterotopic ossification (HO) is the extraskeletal bone formation after trauma. Various mesenchymal progenitors are reported to participate in ectopic bone formation. Here we induce acquired HO in mice by Achilles tenotomy and observe that conditional knockout (cKO) of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) in Col2 cells promote acquired HO development.

TGF-β/Alk5 signaling prevents osteoarthritis initiation via regulating the senescence of articular cartilage stem cells.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease. The surface of joint cartilage is a defensive and first affected structure of articular cartilage (AC) during the pathogenesis of OA. Alk5 signaling is critical for maintaining AC homeostasis, however, the role and underlying mechanism for the involvement of Alk5 signaling in the phenotypes of articular cartilage stem cells (ACSCs) at the surface of AC is still unclear.

mutation disrupts chondrogenesis and bone ossification in zebrafish model mimicking CATSHL syndrome partially via enhanced Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

CATSHL syndrome, characterized by camptodactyly, tall stature and hearing loss, is caused by loss-of-function mutations of fibroblast growth factor receptors 3 (FGFR3) gene. Most manifestations of patients with CATSHL syndrome start to develop in the embryonic stage, such as skeletal overgrowth, craniofacial abnormalities, however, the pathogenesis of these phenotypes especially the early maldevelopment remains incompletely understood. Furthermore, there are no effective therapeutic targets for this skeleton dysplasia.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Inhibits Synovitis via Enhancing the Efferocytosis of Macrophages.

Synovitis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of arthritis, which is closely related to the joint swell and pain of patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) on synovitis and its underlying mechanisms. Destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) model and air pouch inflammation model were established to induce synovitis in C57BL/6 mice.

Exosomes: roles and therapeutic potential in osteoarthritis.

Exosomes participate in many physiological and pathological processes by regulating cell-cell communication, which are involved in numerous diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). Exosomes are detectable in the human articular cavity and were observed to change with OA progression. Several joint cells, including chondrocytes, synovial fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and tenocytes, can produce and secrete exosomes that influence the biological effects of targeted cells.

Dstyk mutation leads to congenital scoliosis-like vertebral malformations in zebrafish via dysregulated mTORC1/TFEB pathway.

Congenital scoliosis (CS) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by vertebral malformations. The precise etiology of CS is not fully defined. Here, we identify that mutation in dual serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase (dstyk) lead to CS-like vertebral malformations in zebrafish.

FGFR3 deficiency enhances CXCL12-dependent chemotaxis of macrophages via upregulating CXCR7 and aggravates joint destruction in mice.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the role and mechanism of FGFR3 in macrophages and their biological effects on the pathology of arthritis.

Methods: Mice with conditional knockout of FGFR3 in myeloid cells (R3cKO) were generated. Gait behaviours of the mice were monitored at different ages.

SQSTM1-dependent autophagic degradation of PKM2 inhibits the production of mature IL1B/IL-1β and contributes to LIPUS-mediated anti-inflammatory effect.

Unlabelled: Synovitis is implicated in the pathology of osteoarthritis (OA) and significantly contributes to the development of OA. As a noninvasive physical therapy, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory effect in recent years. However, the role of LIPUS on synovitis of OA and the underlying mechanisms are little known.

The exosome-like vesicles from osteoarthritic chondrocyte enhanced mature IL-1β production of macrophages and aggravated synovitis in osteoarthritis.

Synovitis, a common clinical symptom for osteoarthritis (OA) patients, is highly related to OA pathological progression and pain manifestation. The activated synovial macrophages have been demonstrated to play an important role in synovitis, but the mechanisms about macrophage activation are still not clear. In this study, we found that the exosome-like vesicles from osteoarthritic chondrocytes could be a new biological factor to stimulate inflammasome activation and increase mature IL-1β production in macrophages.