Molecular crosstalk and potential causal mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis and sarcopenia co-morbidity: A gene integration analysis.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) promotes the onset and progression of sarcopenia, yet mechanisms of co-morbidity between RA and sarcopenia are under-explored. Therefore, this study integrated Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data to comprehensively identify shared genes, associated mechanisms, and biological pathways in RA and sarcopenia.

Methods: Utilizing two GEO datasets-GSE226151, which includes 60 RNA-seq samples of skeletal muscle from healthy aged, pre-sarcopenia, and sarcopenia individuals, and GSE55235, with 20 RNA-seq samples of synovial tissue from healthy and RA joints-we performed differentially expressed genes analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify crosstalk genes in RA and sarcopenia, and enrichment analysis for these genes.

Spontaneous Spheroids of hUC-MSCs Regulate Osteogenic Differentiation for Enhancing Osteogenesis.

Stem cells play a critical role in the regeneration process by proliferating and differentiating to form new bone tissue. However, stem cells tend to lose their stemness and pluripotency during expansion, resulting in reduced bone regeneration capacity after osteogenic induction. Our aim is to enhance the osteogenic impact of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hUC-MSCs) through spontaneous spheroid .

Phylogenetic analysis of Asiatic species in the tropical genus Beilschmiedia (Lauraceae).

The tropial genus Beilschmiedia, comprising over 250 species worldwide, includes approximately 40 species distributed in the northern tropical forests of Asia. However, the phylogenetic relationships among these Asiatic Beilschmiedia species remain incompletely understood. In this study, we sequenced and assembled complete chloroplast genomes from six Asiatic Beilschmiedia species, including five from China and one from Indonesia.

Updating on the Dual Role of Salivary Gland Epithelial Cell (SGEC) in Sjögren's Disease.

Sjögren's disease, an autoimmune inflammatory disease, currently lacks effective treatment options. The salivary gland, a crucial exocrine organ responsible for saliva production and local immune responses on mucous membranes, is frequently impaired in individuals with Sjögren's disease. Restoring salivary gland function poses a significant challenge for researchers.

Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial genomes of Neocinnamomum.

Background: Neocinnamomum plants are considered a promising feedstock for biodiesel in China, due to the richness in long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) found in their seeds. However, the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of this genus has not yet been systematically described, and the exploration of species relationships within this genus using mitogenome sequences is also an uncharted territory. This has hindered our understanding of mitogenome diversity and the evolutionary relationships within Neocinnamomum.

Circulating cell-free DNA methylation profiles as noninvasive multiple sclerosis biomarkers: A proof-of-concept study.

In multiple sclerosis (MS), there is a critical need for non-invasive biomarkers to concurrently classify disease subtypes, evaluate disability severity, and predict long-term progression. In this proof-of-concept study, we performed low-coverage whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) on 75 plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples and assessed the clinical utility of cfDNA methylation as a single assay for distinguishing MS patients from non-MS controls, identifying MS subtypes, estimating disability severity, and predicting disease trajectories. We identified thousands of differentially methylated CpGs and hundreds of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that significantly distinguished MS from controls, separated MS subtypes, and stratified disability severity levels.

Targeting amino acid metabolism to inhibit gastric cancer progression and promote anti-tumor immunity: a review.

The incidence of gastric cancer remains high and poses a serious threat to human health. Recent comprehensive investigations into amino acid metabolism and immune system components within the tumor microenvironment have elucidated the functional interactions between tumor cells, immune cells, and amino acid metabolism. This study reviews the characteristics of amino acid metabolism in gastric cancer, with a particular focus on the metabolism of methionine, cysteine, glutamic acid, serine, taurine, and other amino acids.

Development of a social learning theory-based pressure injury training program for nursing assistants in Chinese nursing homes.

Introduction: Pressure injury (PI) is a significant concern in Chinese nursing homes, particularly in China, especially due to the rapidly aging population. Nursing assistants play a vital role in PI prevention and management but often lack adequate training. To address this gap, we developed a training program for nursing assistants based on Social Learning Theory (SLT), aimed at improving their competencies in PI prevention and management.

Comparison of B-cell depletion versus natalizumab for treatment of multiple sclerosis: A semi-supervised causal analysis.

Background: B-cell depletion (BCD) therapies ( ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, rituximab) and natalizumab (NTZ) are highly effective disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, no randomized clinical trial and only limited observational studies compared the two DMT classes.

Objective: We compared BCD and NTZ in managing MS patient-reported disability progression using registry-linked electronic healthcare record (EHR) data.

Phylogeny of and (Lauraceae) Based on Plastome and Nuclear Ribosomal DNA Data.

Fabr. is a genus in the family Lauraceae, comprising over 20 tropical and subtropical tree species. Since the genera and Schaeff.

A Multidisciplinary-Based and Bundle Intervention for Controlling Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms in Neurosurgery.

Purpose: Carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs) have been listed as the primary risk resistance bacteria due to their high detection rates and extensive drug resistance. Research on the effectiveness of CRO intervention programs in secondary hospitals is limited. This study aims to observe the effect of multidisciplinary-based and bundle interventions under PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle management on the control of CROs in neurosurgery.

Eukaryotic plankton community and assembly processes in a large-scale water diversion project in China.

The Middle Route of the South to North Water Diversion Project (MRP) and its water source, the Danjiangkou Reservoir (DJK), play a pivotal role in mitigating the chronic water scarcity challenges faced by northern China. Eukaryotic plankton are widespread in aquatic ecosystems, which are crucial for the water quality stability of DJK and MRP, yet comparative studies on their contemporaneous dynamics and assembly processes are scarce. In this study, amplicon sequencing was used to investigate the eukaryotic plankton communities.

Improvement in XIa Selectivity of Snake Venom Peptide Analogue BF9-N17K Using P2' Amino Acid Replacements.

Coagulation factor XIa is a new serine-protease family drug target for next-generation anticoagulants. With the snake venom Kunitz-type peptide BF9 as the scaffold, we obtained a highly active XIa inhibitor BF9-N17K in our previous work, but it also inhibited the hemostatic target plasmin. Here, in order to enhance the selectivity of BF9-N17K toward XIa, four mutants, BF9-N17K-L19A, BF9-N17K-L19S, BF9-N17K-L19D, and BF9-N17K-L19K, were further designed using the P2' amino acid classification scanning strategy.

Disparities in anxiety and related factors among Chinese older adults across different aged-care models: a comparison of two cross-sectional studies.

Background: Anxiety disorders in older adults have become a prominent public health problem due to their concomitant chronic conditions, reduced quality of life and even death. However, fewer studies have been conducted on differences in anxiety among older individuals in different aged-care models, and the interactive relationship between the influencing factors on anxiety remains unclear. The study aimed to examine the disparities in the prevalence of anxiety between community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults and related influencing factors.

Differential responses of plant and microbial respiration to extreme precipitation and drought during spring and summer in the Eurasian meadow steppe.

Increasing extreme precipitation and drought events along changes in their seasonal patterns due to climate change are expected to have profound consequences for carbon cycling. However, how these climate extremes impact ecosystem respiration (R) and whether these impacts differ between seasons remain unclear. Here, we reveal the responses of R and its components to extreme precipitation and drought in spring and summer by conducting a five-year manipulative experiment in a temperate meadow steppe.

Aberrant acetylation caused by a CDYL splicing mutation contributes to thin mid-piece related asthenoteratozoospermia and male infertility.

Objectives: Acetylated tubulin is a hallmark of flagellar stability in spermatozoa, and studies have demonstrated the ability of CDYL to function as a tubulin acetyltransferase in spermatozoa. Of note, germline conditional knockout of Cdyl can lead to asthenoteratozoospermia and infertility in male mice. However, the role of CDYL gene in human fertility remains uncharacterized.

Gap junction intercellular communications regulates activation of SARM1 and protects against axonal degeneration.

Sterile alpha and Toll/interleukin-1 receptor motif containing 1 (SARM1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-utilizing enzyme, mediates axon degeneration (AxD) in various neurodegenerative diseases. It is activated by nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) to produce a calcium messenger, cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR). This activity is blocked by elevated NAD level.

Aging-dependent Change in Th17 and Cytokine Response in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease damaging the central nervous system. Diminished inflammatory disease activity (DA) as people with MS (pwMS) age motivated randomized clinical trials assessing disease-modifying therapy (DMT) discontinuation in older pwMS given the concern for risks outweighing benefits. This study aims to examine whether peripheral production of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP)-driven cytokine responses mediate the aging-associated decline in MS inflammatory DA.

Comprehensive financial health assessment using Advanced machine learning techniques: Evidence based on private companies listed on ChiNext.

This study develops a specific and measurable framework for assessing the financial health (FH) of privately-owned companies listed on ChiNext, aimed at identifying financially sound enterprises and helping investors avoid losses caused by financial fraud or earnings management. The research proposes and tests four hypotheses related to key financial indicators and one overarching hypothesis regarding the model's performance. Using gradient boosting machines and random forests, the model achieves high accuracy and robustness against overfitting through iterative learning.

Selective-excitation-based method for measurement of NMR relaxation time.

Background: Relaxation time provides invaluable insights into the molecular structure, interactions, and dynamics in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. However, conventional relaxation-time measurement techniques produce inaccurate relaxation times when the spectral peaks overlap because of the narrow chemical-shift range and J-coupled splitting. While the combination of pure-shift methods can solve this issue, they are not widely used due to their inherent drawbacks such as low sensitivity and long acquisition time.

3D variability analysis reveals a hidden conformational change controlling ammonia transport in human asparagine synthetase.

Advances in X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) offer the promise of elucidating functionally relevant conformational changes that are not easily studied by other biophysical methods. Here we show that 3D variability analysis (3DVA) of the cryo-EM map for wild-type (WT) human asparagine synthetase (ASNS) identifies a functional role for the Arg-142 side chain and test this hypothesis experimentally by characterizing the R142I variant in which Arg-142 is replaced by isoleucine. Support for Arg-142 playing a role in the intramolecular translocation of ammonia between the active site of the enzyme is provided by the glutamine-dependent synthetase activity of the R142 variant relative to WT ASNS, and MD simulations provide a possible molecular mechanism for these findings.

Investigating the interplay between depression and pregnancy loss: a cross-sectional analysis using NHANES data.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between depressive symptoms and pregnancy losses, as well as the moderating effects of demographic variables, including age, income level and ethnicity.

Methods: Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) questionnaire, with key variables such as "loss of interest," "feeling down," and "sleep disturbances." Weighted linear regression models evaluated the relationship between depressive symptoms and pregnancy losses, while interaction analyses explored the moderating effects of demographic factors.

Prothrombotic Antibodies Targeting the Spike Protein's Receptor-Binding Domain in Severe COVID-19.

Thromboembolic complication is common in severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), leading to an investigation into the presence of prothrombotic antibodies akin to those found in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). In a study of samples from 130 hospitalized patients collected 3.6 days after COVID-19 diagnosis, 80% had IgG antibodies recognizing complexes of heparin and platelet factor 4 (PF4/H), and 41% had antibodies inducing PF4-dependent P-selectin expression in CpG-treated normal platelets.

Effect of foot strike patterns and angles on the biomechanics of side-step cutting.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine how foot strike patterns and cutting angles affect lower extremity (LE) kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity during side-step cutting.

Methods: Twenty male college sport athletes participated in this research. Three-dimensional motion analysis featuring ground reaction force (GRF) and electromyography (EMG) of the dominant leg was used.