(+)-Catechin attenuates CCI-induced neuropathic pain in male rats by promoting the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway to inhibit ROS/TLR4/NF-κB-mediated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential mechanisms by which (+)-catechin alleviates neuropathic pain. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: the sham group, the chronic constriction injury (CCI)group, the CCI+ ibuprofen group, and the CCI+ (+)-catechin group. CCI surgery induces thermal hyperalgesia in rats and (+)-catechin ameliorated CCI-induced thermal hyperalgesia and repaired damaged sciatic nerve in rats.

Danggui Sini Decoction normalizes the intestinal microbiota and serum metabolite levels to treat sciatica.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Danggui Sini Decoction (DGSD), which is commonly used to treat sciatica, has been shown to have an analgesic effect, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, Danggui Sini Decoction was shown to normalize the intestinal microbiota and serum metabolite levels to exert an analgesic effect.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to elucidate the therapeutic effects of DGSD on sciatica and the underlying mechanisms involved.

Lipolysis-Stimulated Lipoprotein Receptor in Proximal Tubule, BMP-SMAD Signaling, and Kidney Disease.

Key Points: We identify that lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor is highly enriched in the nucleus of mouse and human kidney. This study provides new insights into the role of lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor in kidney disease.

Background: Lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR) is a single-pass membrane protein that plays essential roles in tricellular tight junction organization in the epithelium and endothelium, but its function in kidney physiology and disease development remains unknown.

Stigmasterol alleviates neuropathic pain by reducing Schwann cell-macrophage cascade in DRG by modulating IL-34/CSF1R.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic applications of stigmasterol for treating neuropathic pain.

Methods: Related mechanisms were investigated by DRG single-cell sequencing analysis and the use of specific inhibitors in cellular experiments. In animal experiments, 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group, CCI group, ibuprofen group, and stigmasterol group.

Harnessing developmental dynamics of spinal cord extracellular matrix improves regenerative potential of spinal cord organoids.

Neonatal spinal cord tissues exhibit remarkable regenerative capabilities as compared to adult spinal cord tissues after injury, but the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) in this process has remained elusive. Here, we found that early developmental spinal cord had higher levels of ECM proteins associated with neural development and axon growth, but fewer inhibitory proteoglycans, compared to those of adult spinal cord. Decellularized spinal cord ECM from neonatal (DNSCM) and adult (DASCM) rabbits preserved these differences.

Pathogenesis or a response to lithium? A novel perspective for mitochondrial mass fluctuation of naïve T cells in patients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Immune imbalances are associated with the pathogenesis and pharmacological efficacy of bipolar disorder (BD). The underlying mechanisms remain largely obscure but may involve immunometabolic dysfunctions of T-lymphocytes.

Methods: We investigated if inflammatory cytokines and the immunometabolic function of T-lymphocytes, including frequencies of subsets, mitochondrial mass (MM), and low mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) differed between BD patients (n = 47) and healthy controls (HC, n = 43).

(+)-Catechin Alleviates CCI-Induced Neuropathic Pain in Rats by Modulating the IL34/CSFIR Axis and Attenuating the Schwann Cell-Macrophage Cascade Response in the DRG.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic applications of (+)-catechin in the treatment of neuropathic pain. In vivo study, 32 SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham group, chronic constriction injury (CCI) group, CCI + ibuprofen group and CCI+ (+)-catechin group. They were subjected to behavioural tests, ELISA, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.

Stigmasterol regulates microglial M1/M2 polarization via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway to alleviate neuropathic pain.

(Switching from the microglial M1 phenotype to the M2 phenotype is a promising therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain (NP). This study aimed to investigate the potential use of stigmasterol for treating NP. In animal experiments, 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group, chronic constriction injury (CCI) group, CCI + ibuprofen group, and CCI + stigmasterol group.

The role of the symbiotic microecosystem in cancer: gut microbiota, metabolome, and host immunome.

The gut microbiota is not just a simple nutritional symbiosis that parasitizes the host; it is a complex and dynamic ecosystem that coevolves actively with the host and is involved in a variety of biological activities such as circadian rhythm regulation, energy metabolism, and immune response. The development of the immune system and immunological functions are significantly influenced by the interaction between the host and the microbiota. The interactions between gut microbiota and cancer are of a complex nature.

Mitochondrial mass of circulating NK cells as a novel biomarker in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection results in lymphopenia and impaired function of T, B, and NK (TBNK-dominant) lymphocytes. Mitochondria are essential targets of SARS-CoV-2 and the efficacy of lymphocyte mitochondrial function for immunosurveillance in COVID-19 patients has not been evaluated.

Methods: Multi-parametric flow cytometry was used to characterize mitochondrial function, including mitochondrial mass (MM) and low mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), in TBNK-dominant lymphocytes from severe (n = 93) and moderate (n = 77) hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Single-cell analysis reveals region-heterogeneous responses in rhesus monkey spinal cord with complete injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to severe sensory and motor dysfunction below the lesion. However, the cellular dynamic responses and heterogeneity across different regions below the lesion remain to be elusive. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomics to investigate the region-related cellular responses in female rhesus monkeys with complete thoracic SCI from acute to chronic phases.

Clinical efficacy of prostate PI-RADS V2.1 score combined with serum PSA-related indicators in the detection of gray zone prostate cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to improve the diagnostic accuracy of gray zone prostate cancer evaluation by combining the prostate imaging report and data system version 2.1 (PI-RADS V2.1) score with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Assessing Transboundary Impacts of Energy-Driven Water Footprint on Scarce Water Resources in China: Catchments under Stress and Mitigation Options.

The energy supply chains operating beyond a region's jurisdiction can exert pressure on the availability of water resources in the local area. In China, however, there is a lack of transboundary assessments that investigate the effects of energy consumption on water stress within and across river basins. In this study, we therefore investigate transboundary impacts on scarce water resources that are induced by energy demands (i.

T cells: an emerging cast of roles in bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a distinctly heterogeneous and multifactorial disorder with a high individual and social burden. Immune pathway dysregulation is an important pathophysiological feature of BD. Recent studies have suggested a potential role for T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of BD.

Engineered human spinal cord-like tissues with dorsal and ventral neuronal progenitors for spinal cord injury repair in rats and monkeys.

Transplanting human neural progenitor cells is a promising method of replenishing the lost neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI), but differentiating neural progenitor cells into the diverse types of mature functional spinal cord neurons is challenging. In this study, engineered human embryonic spinal cord-like tissues with dorsal and ventral neuronal characters (DV-SC) were generated by inducing human neural progenitor cells (hscNPCs) to differentiate into various types of dorsal and ventral neuronal cells on collagen scaffold . Transplantation of DV-SC into complete SCI models in rats and monkeys showed better therapeutic effects than undifferentiated hscNPCs, including pronounced cell survival and maturation.

Paeonol alleviates neuropathic pain by modulating microglial M1 and M2 polarization via the RhoA/p38MAPK signaling pathway.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of paeonol in the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Methods: Relevant mechanisms were explored through microglial pseudotime analysis and the use of specific inhibitors in cell experiments. In animal experiments, 32 SD rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group, the chronic constrictive injury (CCI) group, the ibuprofen group, and the paeonol group.

Spinal cord tissue engineering using human primary neural progenitor cells and astrocytes.

Neural progenitor cell (NPC) transplantation is a promising approach for repairing spinal cord injury (SCI). However, cell survival, maturation and integration after transplantation are still major challenges. Here, we produced a novel centimeter-scale human spinal cord neural tissue (hscNT) construct with human spinal cord neural progenitor cells (hscNPCs) and human spinal cord astrocytes (hscAS) on a linearly ordered collagen scaffold (LOCS).

Air pollution control or economic development? Empirical evidence from enterprises with production restrictions.

Production restriction is an environmental regulation adopted in China to curb the air pollution of industrial enterprises. Frequent production restrictions may cause economic losses for enterprises and further hinder their green transformation. Polluting enterprises are faced with the dilemma of choosing environmental protection or economic development.

Ferulic acid alleviates sciatica by inhibiting neuroinflammation and promoting nerve repair via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Introduction: Sciatica causes intense pain. No satisfactory therapeutic drugs exist to treat sciatica. This study aimed to probe the potential mechanism of ferulic acid in sciatica treatment.

Identification of pyroptosis‑related genes in neuropathic pain based on bioinformatics analysis.

Pyroptosis is defined as inflammation-induced programmed cell death. However, gene expression levels related to pyroptosis and their role in neuropathic pain (NP) remain unclear. The present study aimed to develop and validate an NP-predictive signature based on the genes associated with pyroptosis.

Impact of sleep disordered breathing on postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients who underwent cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.

An increasing number of studies suggest that sleep disordered breathing (SDB) may be associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF), but these studies present discrepant results. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the data associating SDB with POAF in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. A literature search was performed in the Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Weipu, Wanfang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases before August 2022.

Visualization and Analysis of Air Pollution and Human Health Based on Cluster Analysis: A Bibliometric Review from 2001 to 2021.

Bibliometric techniques and social network analysis are employed in this study to evaluate 14,955 papers on air pollution and health that were published from 2001 to 2021. To track the research hotspots, the principle of machine learning is applied in this study to divide 10,212 records of keywords into 96 clusters through OmniViz software. Our findings highlight strong research interests and the practical need to control air pollution to improve human health, as evidenced by an annual growth rate of over 15.