The assistive role of an internal fluid circulatory device in ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a randomized, controlled and prospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of a newly designed in-house assistive internal fluid circulatory device in ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral stones.

Methods: In this study, 97 patients were assigned to the trial group and underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy with an in-house newly designed assistive internal fluid circulatory device; 96 patients were assigned to the control group and underwent traditional ureteroscopic lithotripsy without the assistive device. The primary outcome was the final stone-free rate (SFR) at 1-month post-surgery.

PRMT1-mediated BRD4 arginine methylation and phosphorylation promote partial epithelial-mesenchymal transformation and renal fibrosis.

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) plays a vital role in fibrosis of various organs. However, the underlying mechanism of BRD4 in renal fibrosis remains unclear. To construct in vitro and in vivo models of renal fibrosis, TCMK-1 cells were subjected to TGF-β1 treatment and mice were subjected to UUO surgery and adenine induction.

A prognostic index for advanced-stage extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma: A multicenter study.

Advanced-stage extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a highly heterogeneous disease with very poor prognosis. All commonly utilized prognostic models incorporated both early-stage and advanced-stage patients in the modeling process. This study aim to design a prognostic model specifically for advanced-stage ENKTL, providing risk stratification in affected patients.

Causal associations between circulating protein ratios and drug resistance in papillary thyroid cancer: a Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: Circulating protein level ratios (CPLRs) may play a crucial role in tumor progression and drug resistance by mediating interactions within the tumor microenvironment. This study aims to investigate the causal associations between CPLRs and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), focusing on their potential implications in drug resistance mechanisms.

Methods: Genetic data for 2821 CPLRs were obtained from the GWAS and FinnGen databases.

FTO rs1121980 polymorphism contributes to coronary artery disease susceptibility in a Chinese Han population.

Background: The fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) has been showed to be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the effects of FTO variants on CAD risk remain poorly understood. We herein genotyped three SNPs (rs1121980, rs72803657, and rs4783818) in FTO to investigate the influence of FTO polymorphisms on individual susceptibility to CAD.

Silencing circ_0043256 inhibited CoCl2-induced proliferation, migration, and aerobic glycolysis in gastric cancer cells.

We aimed to explore the role of circular RNA 0043256 (circ_0043256) in gastric cancer (GC) and its underlying mechanisms. The impact of circ_0043256 silencing on the proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and aerobic glycolysis of MKN-45 and AGS cells induced by CoCl2 was assessed through the utilization of CCK-8, wound healing assay, flow cytometry, and metabolic analysis. The interaction between circ_0043256 and miR-593-5p, as well as the involvement of the miR-593-5p/RRM2 axis in gastric cancer, were confirmed via luciferase assay, Western blot, and bioinformatics analysis.

[Preliminary clinical observation of ocular biological parameters in transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia children].

To observe the characteristics of ocular biological parameters in children with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) and the effect of iron chelator treatment on them. This was a cross-sectional study. Thirty-two children with TDT (TDT group) and 64 healthy children (control group) who were treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from October 2022 to June 2023 were included.

[Curcumol Mediates the Programmed Cell Death in Acute Myeloid Leukemia through PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effects of Curcumol on the malignant biological characteristics of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and its molecular mechanism, and to provide theoretical and experimental evidence for the anti-leukemia treatment of traditional Chinese medicine.

Methods: After the AML cell lines HL-60 and KG-1 cells were treated different concentrations of with Curcumol. The proliferation activity of cells was detected by CCK-8 method, and the expression changes of apoptotic proteins and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway proteins were detected by Western blot.

An animal model recapitulates human hepatic diseases associated with mutations.

Heterozygotic mutations are responsible for various congenital diseases in the heart, pancreas, liver, and other organs in humans. However, there is lack of an animal that can comprehensively model these diseases since GATA6 is essential for early embryogenesis. Here, we report the establishment of a knockout zebrafish which recapitulates most of the symptoms in patients with mutations, including cardiac outflow tract defects, pancreatic hypoplasia/agenesis, gallbladder agenesis, and various liver diseases.

N6-methyladenosine regulates metabolic remodeling in kidney aging through transcriptional regulator GLIS1.

Background: Age-related kidney impairment, characterized by tubular epithelial cell senescence and renal fibrosis, poses a significant global public health threat. Although N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is implicated in various pathological processes, its regulatory mechanism in kidney aging remains unclear.

Methods: An m6A-mRNA epitranscriptomic microarray was performed to identify genes with abnormal m6A modifications in aged human kidney tissues.

Curcumin prevents neurodegeneration by blocking HDAC6-NLRP3 pathway-dependent neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease.

Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenolic compound with potent anti-inflammatory properties. However, whether it can achieve therapeutic effects by alleviating neuroinflammation in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and its potential mechanism are still unknown. This study explored the effects of curcumin on neuroinflammation in dopaminergic neurons and deciphered its direct target in the histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6)-Nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway, revealing the potential role of curcumin in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Exosomal PVRL4 Promotes Lung Adenocarcinoma Progression by Enhancing the Generation of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Secreted TGF-β1.

Background: The cancer cell marker poliovirus receptor-like protein 4 (PVRL4) has been shown to be highly expressed in many cancers, including lung cancer. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a population of immature myeloid cells with immunosuppressive roles that can attenuate the anticancer response. Here, the precise functions and the relationship between PVRL4 and MDSCs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression were investigated.

CXCL16/CXCR6/TGF-β Feedback Loop Between M-MDSCs and Treg Inhibits Anti-Bacterial Immunity During Biofilm Infection.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a leading cause of Periprosthetic  joint  infection (PJI), a severe complication after joint arthroplasty. Immunosuppression is a major factor contributing to the infection chronicity of S.

[Mechanism of Huangqin Decoction in repairing intestinal barrier of ulcerative colitis by regulating tryptophan metabolism and activating AhR].

This study aims to elucidate the mechanism of Huangqin Decoction(HQD) in treating ulcerative colitis(UC) by investigating the relationship between tryptophan metabolism and intestinal barriers. In the in vivo experiments, 3% dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) was used to induce a mouse model of acute colitis, with mesalazine as a positive control. The therapeutic effect of HQD on mice with UC was evaluated according to body weight, disease activity index(DAI), colon length, and pathological changes.

Assessing the effectiveness of measurement scales in evaluating the health-related quality of life in rare disease patients after treatment: a systematic review.

Background: Rare diseases often entail significant challenges in clinical management and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment. HRQoL assessment tools for rare diseases show substantial variability in outcomes, influenced by disease heterogeneity, intervention types, and scale characteristics. The variability in reported quality of life (QoL) improvements following interventions reflects a need to evaluate the effectiveness of HRQoL assessment tools and understand their suitability across diverse contexts.

Prognostic feature based on androgen-responsive genes in bladder cancer and screening for potential targeted drugs.

Objectives: Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a tumor that affects men more than women. The biological function and prognostic value of androgen-responsive genes (ARGs) in BLCA are currently unknown. To address this, we established an androgen signature to determine the prognosis of BLCA.

Exploring the association between life's essential 8 and gallstone disease in the US adult population: a population-based study utilizing NHANES data from 2017-2018.

Background And Objective: Gallstones are a prevalent health issue, with established risk factors such as diet body mass index (BMI) and physical activity. However, the role of Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a composite measure of health behaviors and biological markers, in predicting gallstone risk remains unclear. This study aims to examine the association between LE8 scores and gallstone prevalence in a U.

Iron-glucose oxidase nanogel assembly for amplified starvation-ferroptosis anti-tumor therapy.

Developing advanced and effective enzyme-drug systems for cancer treatment is of significant interest. Herein, a novel approach is reported to create a highly active and robust enzyme-drug system. Glucose oxidase nanogels (nGOx) are first synthesized by polymerization on the surface of GOx using vinylimidazole as comonomers.

Interventional surgery shows efficacy for diabetic patients withperipheral vascular disease.

Objective: To analyze the effect of interventional surgery on treatment efficacy and inflammatory cytokine (ICK) levels in diabetic patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

Methods: A total of 116 diabetic patients with PVD admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from August 2020 to March 2022 were selected for this retrospective analysis. Patients were divided into two groups: 58 patients receiving conventional medication were assigned to the control group, while 58 patients receiving interventional surgery in addition to conventional medication were assigned to the research group.

Crescents as Independent Risk Factor in the Progression of Primary Membranous Nephropathy.

Objective: The role of crescent formation in primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) and its potential impact on prognosis remain an area of ongoing investigation. This study stratifies patients with PMN into two cohorts: one with crescents and one without. It then compares these groups to investigate the influence of crescents on the prognosis of PMN.

Desuccinylation of TBK1 by SIRT5 regulates inflammatory response of macrophages in sepsis.

Tank-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a critical signal transducer in the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and interferon regulatory factor (IRF) pathways, essential for innate immunity. However, its negative regulation mechanisms remain unclear. This study demonstrates that TBK1 succinylation, regulated by desuccinylase SIRT5, inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated NF-κB and IRF signaling activation.

3D printed PGCL@PLA/10CSPL composite scaffolds loaded with fibronectin 1 for intervertebral disc degeneration treatment.

Restoration of disc height and biomechanical function is essential for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) treatment. Removing abnormal nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue is an important step to facilitate bony fusion during the healing process. We analyzed publicly available single-cell transcriptome data for human normal and degenerative NP to identify genes associated with NP degeneration.

Functional Characterization of SLC2A3 in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Unraveling Its Role in Ferroptosis and Inflammatory Pathways.

Background: Hence, we investigated that the function and effects of SLC2A3 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the underlying mechanism.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were immunized with bovine type II collagen to induce mice model of RA.

Results: The expression of serum SLC2A3 was down-regulated, and was negative correlation with CRP, RF or anti-CCP in patients with RA.

PFKP silencing suppresses tumor growth via the AXL-MET axis.

PFKP Phosphofructokinase, Platelet Type isoform), as an essential metabolic enzyme, contributes to the high glycolysis rates seen in cancers while its role in oncogenic pathways, especially from a non-metabolic aspect, is not fully understood. We found that PFKP was highly expressed in NSCLC and was related to poor patient survival. Knockdown of PFKP significantly inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells.