Causal association of inflammation with ischemic stroke and its subtypes: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Emerging evidence underscores a bidirectional relationship between ischemic stroke (IS) and inflammation, yet the causality of this association remains uncertain. We conducted a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed at investigating the causal links between inflammation and IS.

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphism from genome-wide association studies of 112 inflammatory cytokines and IS were chosen as instrumental variables.

Optimizing Antibiotic Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections Secondary to Escherichia coli in Elderly Diabetic Patients: Considering Age and Blood Glucose Control.

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the susceptibility profile of Escherichia coli in urinary tract infections (UTIs) among elderly diabetic patients to support judicious and evidence-based antibiotic use.

Methods: From January 2021 to December 2022, urine culture results were analyzed to determine the distribution of pathogens, especially E. coli, and their drug susceptibility.

Microglia and Astrocytes Responses Contribute to Alleviating Inflammatory Damage by Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Rats with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a therapeutic strategy that shows promise in ameliorating the clinical sequelae following traumatic brain injury (TBI). These improvements are associated with neuroplastic changes in neurons and their synaptic connections. However, it has been hypothesized that rTMS may also modulate microglia and astrocytes, potentially potentiating their neuroprotective capabilities.

Association between oxidative balance score and kidney stone in United States adults: analysis from NHANES 2007-2018.

To investigate the relationship between the Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) and kidney stone risk using NHANES 2007-2018 data, and to explore potential mechanisms and population-specific effects. Data from the NHANES 2007-2018 were analyzed. OBS was calculated based on 16 dietary components and 4 lifestyle components.

A potential biological signature of 7-methylguanosine-related lncRNA to predict the immunotherapy effects in bladder cancer.

Background: Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is the second prevalent genitourinary carcinoma globally. N7-methylguanosine (m7G) is important for tumorigenesis and progression. This study aimed to build a predictive model for m7G-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), elucidate their role in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and predict immunotherapy response in BLCA.

A score of DNA damage repair pathway with the predictive ability for chemotherapy and immunotherapy is strongly associated with immune signaling pathway in pan-cancer.

DNA damage repair (DDR) is critical in maintaining normal cellular function and genome integrity and is associated with cancer risk, progression, and therapeutic response. However, there is still a lack of a thorough understanding of the effects of DDR genes' expression level in cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. Therefore, we defined a tumor-related DDR score (TR-DDR score), utilizing the expression levels of 20 genes, to quantify the tumor signature of DNA damage repair pathways in tumors and explore the possible function and mechanism for the score among different cancers.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation promotes neurological functional recovery in rats with traumatic brain injury by upregulating synaptic plasticity-related proteins.

Studies have shown that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can enhance synaptic plasticity and improve neurological dysfunction. However, the mechanism through which rTMS can improve moderate traumatic brain injury remains poorly understood. In this study, we established rat models of moderate traumatic brain injury using Feeney's weight-dropping method and treated them using rTMS.

Ononin induces cell apoptosis and reduces inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes by alleviating MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

As a kind of chronic inflammatory diseases, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has a low cure rate and easy recurrence. It has widely reported that abnormal activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathways are associated with the development of RA inflammation. Blocking the inflammatory signaling pathways of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) can delay the development of RA.

SPOP promotes ubiquitination and degradation of LATS1 to enhance kidney cancer progression.

Background: Emerging evidence has demonstrated that SPOP functions as an oncoprotein in kidney cancer to promote tumorigenesis by ubiquitination-mediated degradation of multiple regulators of cellular proliferation and apoptosis. However, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying the oncogenic role of SPOP in kidney tumorigenesis remains elusive.

Methods: Multiple approaches such as Co-IP, Transfection, RT-PCR, Western blotting, and animal studies were utilized to explore the role of SPOP in kidney cancer.

Identification of potential crucial genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men throughout the world. This study aimed to investigate genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of PCa. Data of PCa cases were obtained from public datasets and were analyzed using an integrated bioinformatics strategy.

hPTH(3-34)(29-34) selectively activated PKC and mimicked osteoanabolic effects of hPTH(1-34).

Teriparatide (hPTH(1-34)) exhibits both osteoanabolic and osteocatabolic effects. We generated a novel PTH analog by duplicating the PTH(29-34) domain to hPTH(3-34) (named MY-1), which was identified to activate PKC but not PLC and cAMP/PKA signaling. It increased osteo-differentiation but did not affect osteoclastogenesis and RANKL expression in primary osteoblasts or bone marrow cells.

USP7 stabilizes EZH2 and enhances cancer malignant progression.

EZH2, a histone methylase, plays a critical role in the tumor progression via regulation of progenitor genes. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of EZH2 in cancer malignant progression remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how EZH2 is regulated in human cancer.

[Prolonged continuous infusion of teriparatide promotes bone metabolism in normal but not in castrated mice].

Objective: To investigate the effects of continuous pumping of teriparatide (TPTD) on bone metabolism in ovariectomized and normal mice and provide experimental evidence for the selection of animal models for studying the effects of TPTD and its related peptides on osteoclasts.

Methods: Twenty-four female C57BL mice (6-weeks old) were subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation followed 7 days later by continuous pumping of TPTD or the solvent vehicle (VEH) a micropump (SHAM-VEH, SHAM-TPTD, OVX-VEH, and OVX-TPTD groups; =6). Two weeks later, the tibial and femoral bones were harvested for micro-CT scanning to measure the parameters of the tibia and the femoral cortical bone.

An Adrenal Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma with Left Renal Vein Thrombosis Extending into the Inferior Vena Cava.

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) is an uncommon tumor with morphological resemblance to hepatocellular car-cinoma. HAC of the adrenal glands is extremely rare. Here, we report the case of an 83-year-old man with adrenal HAC who presented with a greatly increased preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein level (> 24,200 ng/mL).

Loss of FOXP3 and TSC1 Accelerates Prostate Cancer Progression through Synergistic Transcriptional and Posttranslational Regulation of c-MYC.

Although c-MYC and mTOR are frequently activated proteins in prostate cancer, any interaction between the two is largely untested. Here, we characterize the functional cross-talk between FOXP3-c-MYC and TSC1-mTOR signaling during tumor progression. Deletion of in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) decreased phosphorylation of c-MYC at threonine 58 (pT58) and increased phosphorylation at serine 62 (pS62), an observation validated in prostate cancer cells.

Rottlerin inhibits cell growth and invasion via down-regulation of EZH2 in prostate cancer.

Rottlerin as a natural agent, which is isolated from Mallotus philippinensis, has been identified to play a critical role in tumor inhibition. However, the molecular mechanism of rottlerin-mediated anti-tumor activity is still ambiguous. It has been reported that EZH2 exhibits oncogenic functions in a variety of human cancers.

Expression of Androgen Receptor Variant 7 (AR-V7) in Circulated Tumor Cells and Correlation with Drug Resistance of Prostate Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is a common type of malignant tumor invading the male reproductive-urinary system, which has increasing incidence worldwide. Androgen receptor variant 7 (AR-V7) participates in regulating prostate cancer cell proliferation and gene expression. This study aimed to investigate the expression of AR-V7 in circulated tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with prostate cancer and to assess its correlation with drug sensitivity against enzalutamide or abiraterone.

Phospholipase C signaling activated by parathyroid hormone mediates the rapid osteoclastogenesis in the fracture healing of orchiectomized mice.

Background: The age-related osteoporosis is an increasing risk severely threatening the live quality of aged people. Human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) is applied to the therapy of osteoporosis successfully, however, the mechanism, especially the signaling pathway activated in the healing fracture by PTH is still unknown.

Methods: The once daily injections of hPTH(1-34) and GR (1-34) (the PLC deficient analog) into the orchiectomized male mice with bone fracture, were started at the second day after fracture and lasted for 4 weeks.

Percutaneous nephrostomy via the central venous catheter in combination with selective ureteroscopic lithotripsy for the treatment of ureteral stones in the middle-upper segment.

Objective: To explore the therapeutic outcome and significance of preoperative percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) via the central venous catheter in combination with two-step hard ureteroscopic lithotripsy for the treatment of ureteral stones in the middle-upper segment.

Methods: The success rate and the occurrence of severe infection and perirenal hematoma were analyzed retrospectively in 37 patients who received preoperative PCNL via the central venous catheter in combination with two-step hard ureteroscopic lithotripsy for the treatment of ureteral stones in the middle-upper segment in our hospital between July 2012 and November 2014.

Results: The operation duration was 12-38 min with a mean of 18.

Parathyroid Hormone Activates Phospholipase C (PLC)-Independent Protein Kinase C Signaling Pathway via Protein Kinase A (PKA)-Dependent Mechanism: A New Defined Signaling Route Would Induce Alternative Consideration to Previous Conceptions.

BACKGROUND Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an effective anti-osteoporosis agent, after binding to its receptor PTHR1, several signaling pathways, including cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) and phospholipase C (PLC)/protein kinase C (PKC), are initiated through G proteins; with the cAMP/PKA pathway as the major pathway. Earlier studies have reported that PTHR1 might also activate PKC via a PLC-independent mechanism, but this pathway remains unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS In HEK293 cells, cAMP accumulation was measured with ELISA and PKC was measured with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis using CKAR plasmid.

[Parathyroid hormone inhibits the apoptosis of osteoblast MC-3T3E1 cells through a non-PLC-dependent protein kinase C pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effect of the non-PLC-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) pathway of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on the apoptosis and proliferation of osteoblast MC-3T3E1 cells.

Methods: MC-3T3E1 cells were seeded in 96-well plates at the density of 1.5×10(4) cells/mL and incubated for 3 day.

[Transabdominal ultrasound measurement of intravesical prostatic protrusion helps diagnosis of benign prostatic obstruction].

Objective: To evaluate the measurement of intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) by transabdominal ultrasonography (TAUS) in the diagnosis of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO).

Methods: We studied the clinical data of 109 BPH patients referred for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) from April 2005 to December 2006. IPP was measured by TAUS, urodynamic parameters such as Qmax and PdetQmax obtained by urodynamic studies and AG values calculated.

[Effect of sildenafil on nocturnal penile tumescence].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of sildenafil on nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).

Methods: Thirty-five patients with erectile dysfunction (ED), 28 cases of organic ED and 7 cases of psychogenic ED, were treated with sildenafil 100 mg before bedtime. The NPT of the patients was observed by using NEVA.