The potential therapeutic role of melatonin in organ fibrosis: a comprehensive review.

Organ fibrosis is a pathological process characterized by the inability of normal tissue cells to regenerate sufficiently to meet the dynamic repair demands of chronic injury, resulting in excessive extracellular matrix deposition and ultimately leading to organ dysfunction. Despite the increasing depth of research in the field of organ fibrosis and a more comprehensive understanding of its pathogenesis, effective treatments for fibrosis-related diseases are still lacking. Melatonin, a neuroendocrine hormone synthesized by the pineal gland, plays a crucial role in regulating biological rhythms, sleep, and antioxidant defenses.

The specific medications for pulmonary arterial hypertension at functional class III to IV: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of targeted drugs in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with cardiac function grades III-IV, and conduct a meta-analysis.

Methods: Two researchers independently searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant studies, with the search period extending from the establishment of the databases to March 2024. Meta-analysis was performed using statistical software Review Manager 5.

Association of circulating adiponectin and leptin levels with the risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Background: Adipokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and related complications due to their roles in metabolic regulation and inflammation. However, the relationship between these adipokines and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) remains unclear.

Methods: A case-control study was performed with 198 patients with DPN and 205 T2DM patients without DPN from the Endocrinology Department at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University.

The effect of aging on the ciliary muscle and its potential relationship with presbyopia: a literature review.

Background: The ciliary muscle is known to play a part in presbyopia, but the mechanism has not received a comprehensive review, which this study aims to achieve. We examined relevant articles published from 1975 through 2022 that explored various properties of the muscle and related tissues in humans and rhesus monkeys. These properties include geometry, elasticity, rigidity, and composition, and were studied using a range of imaging technologies, computer models, and surgical methods.

Age-related unstable transient states and imbalanced activation proportion of brain networks in people with autism spectrum disorder: A resting-state fMRI study using coactivation pattern analyses.

The atypical static brain functions related to the executive control network (ECN), default mode network (DMN), and salience network (SN) in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been widely reported. However, their transient functions in ASD are not clear. We aim to identify transient network states (TNSs) using coactivation pattern (CAP) analysis to characterize the age-related atypical transient functions in ASD.

Clinicopathological and therapeutic comparisons of esophageal cancer between China and the USA: a multicenter hospital-based study.

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) remains a global health challenge due to its poor prognosis. China and the United States of America (USA) represent two distinct epicenters of EC burden. Understanding the EC disparities in these two countries is vital for tailoring prevention strategies, optimizing treatment, and enhancing outcomes in both countries.

Reconfigurable Amphiphilic DNA Nanotweezer for Targeted Delivery of Therapeutic Oligonucleotides.

Amphiphilic lipid oligonucleotide conjugates are powerful molecular-engineering materials that have been used for delivery of therapeutic oligonucleotides. However, conventional lipid oligonucleotide conjugates suffer from poor selectivity to target cells due to the nonspecific interaction between lipid tails and cell membranes. Herein, a reconfigurable DNA nanotweezer consisting of a c-Met aptamer and bischolesterol-modified antisense oligonucleotide was designed for c-Met-targeted delivery of therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides.

Muscle Biopsy Sample Preparation and Proteomics Analysis Based on UHPLC-MS/MS.

Proteomics analysis is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying muscle adaptations to different types of exercise, such as concentric and eccentric training. Traditional methods like two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and standard mass spectrometry have been used to analyze muscle protein content and modifications. This protocol details the preparation of muscle samples for proteomics analysis using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC).

Explainable machine learning model for pre-frailty risk assessment in community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Frailty in older adults is linked to increased risks and lower quality of life. Pre-frailty, a condition preceding frailty, is intervenable, but its determinants and assessment are challenging. This study aims to develop and validate an explainable machine learning model for pre-frailty risk assessment among community-dwelling older adults.

Animal models of cochlear implant: Classification and update.

Cochlear implantation (CI) is currently recognized as the most effective treatment for severe to profound sensorineural deafness and is considered one of the most successful neural prostheses. Since its inception in 1961, cochlear implantation has expanded its range of applications to encompass younger newborns, older people, and individuals with unilateral hearing loss. In addition, it has improved its surgical methods to minimize the occurrence of complications.

Comparing saccades in Visually Enhanced Vestibular-Ocular Reflex and video head impulse test in vestibular assessment.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate a novel software tool for robust analysis of the Visually Enhanced Vestibular-Ocular Reflex (VVOR) and video head impulse test (vHIT) saccades.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 94 patients with Meniere's Disease (MD), unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH), and vestibular migraine (VM). The MATLAB-based VVOR Analysis System and Saccades All in One software were utilized for data processing.

Real-life study on the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir-based antiviral agents for hepatitis C eradication in Chinese patients.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) represents a significant advancement, offering hope for eliminating the virus in diverse patient populations. But real-world data on its effectiveness and safety remains scarce for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in China, especially those with HCV GT3b, cirrhosis, hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC), or HCV/hepatitis B (HBV), HCV/HIV, or HCV/HBV/HIV coinfection.

Methods: In this real-world prospective observational study, we recruited patients from the West China Hospital and Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu in China.

Growth-promoting effects of self-selected microbial community on wheat seedlings in saline-alkali soil environments.

Saline-alkali land is a type of soil environment that causes poor crop growth and low yields. Its management and utilization are, therefore of great significance for increasing arable land resources, ensuring food security, and enhancing agricultural production capacity. The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is an effective way to promote the establishment of symbiotic relationships between plants and the rhizosphere microenvironment, plant growth and development, and plant resistance to saline-alkali stress.

The in vitro Activity of Omadacycline Alone and in Combination Against Carbapenem-Resistant .

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro activity of omadacycline (OMC) and OMC-based combination therapy against carbapenem-resistant (CRKP).

Methods: The broth microdilution assay assessed the in vitro susceptibility of CRKP to OMC. The checkerboard assay was performed to evaluate the activity of OMC combined with polymyxin B (PB), amikacin (AN), or meropenem (MEM) against KPC-producing (class A) CRKP strains, and OMC combined with PB, aztreonam (ATM), MEM, or AN against class B and class A plus class B CRKP strains.

CT-3D MERGE fusion imaging improves image quality compared with CT and 3D MERGE in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Background: CT-routine MRI fusion imaging has recently become available to evaluate spinal anatomy before surgery. Due to the 3-5 mm slice thickness and non-isotropic of routine MRI sequence, the CT-routine MRI fusion imaging is not good. The MRI multiple recalled gradient echo (MERGE) sequence is potentially useful in diagnosis of lumbar degeneration disease due to the better nerve roots visualization, 1 mm slice thickness and its isotropy.

Bibliometrics of trends in global research on the roles of stem cells in myocardial fibrosis therapy.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis, a condition linked to several cardiovascular diseases, is associated with a poor prognosis. Stem cell therapy has emerged as a potential treatment option and the application of stem cell therapy has been studied extensively. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of these studies has yet to be conducted.

β-caryophyllene sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to chemotherapeutics and inhibits cell malignancy through targeting MAPK signaling pathway.

Background: β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a naturally occurring bicyclic sesquiterpene extracted from various plants, and widely used as a medicinal agent for various diseases. During hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, cancer cells generally exhibit increased cell proliferation due to mutations or aberrant expression of key regulatory genes. The current study determines the cytotoxic effects of BCP alone or in combination with doxorubicin (DOX) and cisplatin (DDP) on HCC cells, and elucidates the underlying mechanism of BCP to exert its anticancer activities.

[Endoscopic surgical treatment for primary hyperthyroidism with thyroid enlargement-10 years' experience at a single center].

To investigate the feasibility and safety of endoscopic surgery for the treatment of primary hyperthyroidism with goiter. A total of 140 patients with primary hyperthyroidism and different degrees of thyroid enlargements were included who underwent endoscopic surgeries via a trans breast approach in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from 2013 to 2023, including 137 females and 3 males, aged from 16 to 49 years old. Thirty-one cases had normal thyroid size, 25 cases had Grade Ⅰ enlargement, 56 cases had Grade Ⅱ enlargement, and 28 cases had Grade Ⅲ enlargement.

Effectiveness and safety of aripiprazole oral solution in the acute treatment of schizophrenia in Chinese patients.

Background: This study investigates the effectiveness and safety of aripiprazole oral solution in Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: This was a multicenter, single-arm phase IV study involving 134 patients in China in the acute stage of schizophrenia from May 2021 to July 2022. The patients received aripiprazole oral solution 10 - 30 mg/d for 12 weeks.

Identification and characterization of soybean phytochrome-interacting factors and their potential roles in abiotic stress.

Phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) belong to a subfamily of the bHLH transcription factor family and play a pivotal role in plant light signal transduction, hormone signal pathways, and the modulation of plant responses to various abiotic stresses. The soybean (Glycine max) is a significant food crop, providing essential oil and nutrients. Additionally, it is a vital industrial raw material and a lucrative cash crop.

Global burden of antimicrobial resistance in lower respiratory infections in 2021: A systematic analysis.

Objectives: The research aimed to provide a worldwide evaluation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), focusing specifically on AMR related to lower respiratory infections (LRI).

Methods: The data were derived from the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Burden 2021 (GARB 2021). Two counterfactuals were utilized to estimate the deaths attributable to AMR and the deaths associated with AMR.

Molecular pathological characteristics and mechanisms of the liver in metabolic disease-susceptible transgenic pigs.

Aims: This study aimed to explore the molecular pathological mechanisms of the liver in metabolic disease-susceptible transgenic pigs via multiomics analysis.

Materials And Methods: The triple-transgenic (PNPLA3-GIPR-hIAPP) pig model (TG pig) was successfully constructed in our laboratory via the CRISPR/Cas9 technique previously described. Wild-type (WT) pigs and TG pigs after 2 or 12 months of high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) induction (WT2, TG2, WT12, and TG12 groups, respectively) were used as materials.

Molecular insights into vasicine and butyrylcholinesterase interactions: A complimentary biophysical, multi-spectroscopic, and computational study.

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) plays a pivotal role in regulating acetylcholine (ACh) levels during the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), so emerged as an attractive target in AD treatment. Vasicine, a naturally occurring pyrroloquinazoline alkaloid, was identified as a natural BChE inhibitor (IC = 1.47 ± 0.

Targeting S100A9 attenuates social dysfunction by modulating neuroinflammation and myelination in a mouse model of autism.

Growing evidence supports a role for dysregulated neuroinflammation in autism. However, the underlying mechanisms of microglia-evoked neuroinflammation in the development of autistic phenotypes have not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of microglial S100 calcium-binding protein A9 (S100A9) in autistic phenotypes.

Integrating lipid metabolomics, serum medicinal chemistry, network pharmacology and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of Sanmiao wan in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease with a high clinical morbidity and leads to persistent chronic inflammation. Sanmiao wan is a classic formula for the treatment of RA, and the results of clinical and experimental studies have shown its therapeutic effect on RA. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear.