Enhancing fracture risk indication: The impact of bone load index and muscle fat infiltration on vertebral compression fracture.

Purpose: This study aims to identify risk factors for vertebral compression fracture and enhance the ability to indicate fracture risk.

Methods: A retrospective collection of clinical and imaging data was conducted for patients with vertebral compression fractures and control subjects who underwent quantitative computed tomography scans. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was employed to identify variables associated with fractures, constructing both unadjusted model and adjusted model.

Bushen Zhuyun Decoction Enhances Endometrial Receptivity via the IL-6/STAT3 Signaling Pathway in Rats.

Background: Reproductive endocrine disorder can impair endometrial receptivity, preventing embryo implantation and increasing miscarriage risk. Impaired endometrial receptivity contributes significantly to female infertility. Inflammatory signaling pathways including the IL-6/STAT3 pathway help embryos implant.

Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of thin endometrium: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Thin endometrium (TE) is a common cause of female infertility in clinical practice. Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) therapy becomes a novel treatment for thin endometrium; however, its clinical application remains controversial. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intrauterine autologous PRP infusion in women with thin endometrium through relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

De Novo PACSIN1 Gene Variant Found in Childhood Lupus and a Role for PACSIN1/TRAF4 Complex in Toll-like Receptor 7 Activation.

Objective: Increased Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR-7) signaling leading to the production of type I interferon (IFN) is an important contributor to human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Protein kinase C and casein kinase substrate in neurons 1 (PACSIN1), a molecule that regulates synaptic vesicle recycling, has been linked to TLR-7/TLR-9-mediated type I IFN production in humans and mice, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. We undertook this study to explore the pathogenicity and underlying mechanism of a de novo PACSIN1 missense variant identified in a child with SLE.

Inhibition of UBA6 by inosine augments tumour immunogenicity and responses.

Anti-cancer immunity and response to immune therapy is influenced by the metabolic states of the tumours. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy (ICB) is known to involve metabolic adaptation, however, the mechanism is not fully known. Here we show, by metabolic profiling of plasma samples from melanoma-bearing mice undergoing anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 combination therapy, that higher levels of purine metabolites, including inosine, mark ICB sensitivity.

Immune Profiling in Gastric Cancer Reveals the Dynamic Landscape of Immune Signature Underlying Tumor Progression.

The profiling of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is critical for guiding immunotherapy strategies. However, how the composition of the immune landscape affects the tumor progression of gastric cancer (GC) is ill-defined. Here, we used mass cytometry to perform simultaneous in-depth immune profiling of the tumor, adjacent tissues, and blood cells from GC patients and revealed a unique GC tumor-immune signature, where CD8 T cells were present at a lower frequency in tumor tissues compared to adjacent tissues, whereas regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were significantly increased, indicating strong suppressive TIME in GC.

The effects of combined bromocriptine and Bu-shen-zhu-yun decoction on serum hormones, anxiety, and pregnancy in hyperprolactinemic infertility patients.

Background: Prolactin (PRL) is a protein hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that regulates pituitary hormones. Hyperprolactinemia (HPRL), a pathological phenomenon of excessive PRL, can cause infertility in severe cases and is currently treated mainly with Western drugs, such as bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist (DA). Unfortunately, DAs produce psychological side effects which limit their long-term use.

Downregulation of Renal Hsa-miR-127-3p Contributes to the Overactivation of Type I Interferon Signaling Pathway in the Kidney of Lupus Nephritis.

MicroRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and dysregulated in the kidneys of lupus nephritis (LN) patients, but their pathogenic roles in LN are largely unknown. Janus Kinase 1 (JAK1) mediates the activation of the downstream signaling pathways of many inflammatory cytokines, including type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling pathway which is critical to the development of SLE and LN. Thus, JAK1 is a potent therapeutic target for these autoimmune diseases.

Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer for Arterial Wall Dynamics Monitoring.

In this article, a [Formula: see text] piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) array is designed and driven with one cycle of a 5-MHz sinusoid at 10 [Formula: see text] for radial artery motion tracking. The transmit and receive performance figure of merit (FOM) of an individual PMUT over operating frequency is modeled and validated using laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) measurements. Given a fixed cross section, the FOM inversely scales with frequency.

Clinical observation of the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors.

Introduction: Programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors are proved to be promising and are applied for the treatment of a variety of solid tumors. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with advanced solid tumors and explore the effect of clinical characteristics on it.

Materials And Methods: From October 2017 to April 2020, a total of 90 patients from Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Friendship Hospital were enrolled.

EZH2 Inhibition Interferes With the Activation of Type I Interferon Signaling Pathway and Ameliorates Lupus Nephritis in NZB/NZW F1 Mice.

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a histone-lysine N-methyltransferase mediating trimethylation of H3K27, which represses gene expression and is critical to immune regulation. Inhibition of EZH2 is proved to have the potential of treating many diseases. However, whether inhibition of EZH2 affects type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling pathway, the abnormality of which is an important pathogenic mechanism for SLE, is still elusive.

Quantitative Proteomics and Phosphoproteomics Support a Role for Mut9-Like Kinases in Multiple Metabolic and Signaling Pathways in Arabidopsis.

Protein phosphorylation is one of the most prevalent posttranslational modifications found in eukaryotic systems. It serves as a key molecular mechanism that regulates protein function in response to environmental stimuli. The Mut9-like kinases (MLKs) are a plant-specific family of Ser/Thr kinases linked to light, circadian, and abiotic stress signaling.

One size does not fit all: navigating the multi-dimensional space to optimize T-cell engaging protein therapeutics.

T-cell engaging biologics is a class of novel and promising immune-oncology compounds that leverage the immune system to eradicate cancer. Here, we compared and contrasted a bispecific diabody-Fc format, which displays a relatively short antigen-binding arm distance, with our bispecific IgG platform. By generating diverse panels of antigen-expressing cells where B cell maturation antigen is either tethered to the cell membrane or located to the juxtamembrane region and masked by elongated structural spacer units, we presented a systematic approach to investigate the role of antigen epitope location and molecular formats in immunological synapse formation and cytotoxicity.

Long non-coding RNA expression profiles in neutrophils revealed potential biomarker for prediction of renal involvement in SLE patients.

Objective: The long non-coding RNA plays an important role in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study is to screen and identify abnormally expressed lncRNAs in peripheral blood neutrophils of SLE patients as novel biomarkers and to explore the relationship between lncRNAs levels and clinical features, disease activity and organ damage.

Methods: RNA-seq technology was used to screen differentially expressed lncRNAs in neutrophils from SLE patients and healthy donors.

PD-L1 Acts as a Promising Immune Marker to Predict the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a negative immune stimulatory molecule that plays a key role in tumor immune escape. We analyzed the clinical value of PD-L1-positive expression in predicting the outcome of breast cancer patients and to establish its role as new biomarker to guide precise treatment.

Patients And Methods: PubMed and Embase were searched for all original English-language articles published before January 30, 2019; all articles reported the predictive and prognostic implications of PD-L1 in breast cancer.

Molecular Mechanisms and Countermeasures of Immunotherapy Resistance in Malignant Tumor.

Tumor immunotherapy inhibits the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells by inducing or enhancing anti-tumor immune responses in active or passive ways. It is the fourth therapeutic method with efficiency and safety in addition to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. At present, anti-tumor immune related clinical trials have made promising achievements in prolonging progression free survival and overall survival, therefore, FDA approved a variety of immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, ipilimumab.

Mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability-high as a predictor for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy efficacy.

Immunotherapies have led to substantial changes in cancer treatment and have been a persistently popular topic in cancer research because they tremendously improve the efficacy of treatment and survival of individuals with various cancer types. However, only a small proportion of patients are sensitive to immunotherapy, and specific biomarkers are urgently needed to separate responders from nonresponders. Mismatch repair pathways play a vital role in identifying and repairing mismatched bases during DNA replication and genetic recombination in normal and cancer cells.

Efficacy and safety of combination immunotherapy for malignant solid tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Combination immunotherapy has become an actively growing field of clinical investigation.

Methods: We searched for clinical trials of combination immunotherapy and calculated the pooled hazard ratio (HR), odds ratio (OR) of clinical outcomes and safety by subgroups of different combination regimens.

Results: Totally 28 clinical trials were analyzed.

The role of autophagy in the overexpression of MUC5AC in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that protects the body and is essential for cell survival and differentiation. Mucins (MUCs) are important components of secreted mucus, mucin (MUC)5 AC is the major MUC secreted in the normal airway.

Objective: Investigated the role of autophagy in pathogenic mucin (MUC)5 AC production during chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Promising clinical application of ctDNA in evaluating immunotherapy efficacy.

An increasing number of promising immunotherapies and related clinical trials have led to several major breakthroughs in multiple cancers, but a reliable and precise biomarker for evaluating efficacy and prognosis has not yet been established. As a typical representation of a liquid biopsy, circulating cell-free DNA (ctDNA) possesses the functions and advantages of tissue biopsy but its distinct advantages of convenience, real-time nature, non-invasiveness and homogeneity make it superior to tissue biopsy. Indeed, compared with routine imaging and tumor markers, ctDNA offers an earlier indication and provides more precise information.

Characteristics and prognostic values of traditional pathological parameters and advanced molecular subtypes in women in Beijing with operable breast cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Objectives: This study investigated the characteristics and prognostic values of traditional pathological parameters and advanced molecular subtypes in women with operable breast cancer in Beijing.

Design: A retrospective study through case information enquiry or telephonic follow-up.

Setting: Beijing Friendship Hospital.

Clinical outcomes comparison of 10 years versus 5 years of adjuvant endocrine therapy in patients with early breast cancer.

Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy undoubtedly prolongs the time to recurrence for patients with hormone-positive early breast cancer. Extended endocrine therapy to 10 years or longer has been expected to bring a greater clinical advantage. However, the related research conclusions are controversial.

Irinotecan-containing doublet treatment versus irinotecan monotherapy as second-line choice for advanced gastric cancer.

Background: For patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC), second-line chemotherapy regimen remains controversial. The efficacy and safety of irinotecan-containing doublet treatment and irinotecan monotherapy were compared in this systematic analysis.

Methods: A search was conducted on EMBASE and Medline databases.

Gold-carbon dots for the intracellular imaging of cancer-derived exosomes.

As a novel fluorescent nanomaterial, gold-carbon quantum dots (GCDs) possess high biocompatibility and can be easily synthesized by a microwave-assisted method. Owing to their small sizes and unique optical properties, GCDs can be applied to imaging of biological targets, such as cells, exosomes and other organelles. In this study, GCDs were used for fluorescence imaging of exosomes.

Relative Quantitation of Neuropeptides at Multiple Developmental Stages of the American Lobster Using N, N-Dimethyl Leucine Isobaric Tandem Mass Tags.

Neuromodulators and neurotransmitters play important roles in neural network development. The quantitative changes of these signaling molecules often reflect their regulatory roles in physiological processes. Currently, several commercial tags (e.