Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation on the bilateral cerebellum to improve symptoms of ataxia with multiple system atrophy: a prospective, randomized, sham-controlled pilot study.

Objectives: Ataxia is a common symptom in patients with Cerebellar subtype of Multiple system atrophy (MSA-C), but effective treatments remain elusive. The present study aims to investigate whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the bilateral cerebellum could relieve ataxia in patients with MSA-C.

Patients And Methods: This is a single-center, randomized and double-blind trial.

Extracellular vesicular microRNAs and cardiac hypertrophy.

Cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptive response to pressure or volume overload such as hypertension and ischemic heart diseases. Sustained cardiac hypertrophy eventually leads to heart failure. The pathophysiological alterations of hypertrophy are complex, involving both cellular and molecular systems.

Evaluation of contralateral arterial flow compensation using transcranial Doppler in acute internal carotid artery occlusion and implications for neurological outcome.

Acute internal carotid artery occlusion (AICAO) can result in malignant cerebral edema and unfavorable patient outcomes. This study evaluated the utility of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in assessing contralateral flow compensation and predicting outcomes in patients with AICAO. We enrolled 51 patients within 6 h of symptom onset and conducted TCD examinations to evaluate collateral circulation.

Systematic identification of the chemical components of leaves and roots of Didymocarpus heucherifolius Hand.-Mazz. based on UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS technology coupled with molecular networking strategy.

Didymocarpus heucherifolius Hand.-Mazz. is plant of the genus Didymocarpus wall.

S-DCNN: prediction of ATP binding residues by deep convolutional neural network based on SMOTE.

Background: The realization of many protein functions requires binding with ligands. As a significant protein-binding ligand, ATP plays a crucial role in various biological processes. Currently, the precise prediction of ATP binding residues remains challenging.

Intranodular and perinodular ultrasound radiomics distinguishes benign and malignant thyroid nodules: a multicenter study.

Background: Ultrasound based radiomics prediction model can improve the differentiation ability of benign and malignant thyroid nodules to avoid overtreatment. This study evaluates the role of predictive models based on intranodular and perinodular ultrasound radiomics in distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Methods: A total of 1,076 thyroid nodules were enrolled from three hospitals between 2016 and 2022, forming the training, validation and test cohorts.

Efficacy and Safety of Allisartan Isoproxil/Amlodipine in Patients With Essential Hypertension Uncontrolled by Amlodipine: A Phase III, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of Allisartan Isoproxil 240 mg and Amlodipine 5 mg (ALI/AML) compared to AML 5 mg monotherapy in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. In this phase III, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, patients aged 18-70 years with mean sitting systolic blood pressure (msSBP) between 140 and <180 mmHg and mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (msDBP) between 90 and <110 mmHg, following a 4-week treatment with AML 5 mg, were randomized 1:1 to receive either ALI/AML or AML once daily for 12 weeks. This 12-week double-blind period was followed by an open-label extension of ALI/AML treatment through week 52.

Pharmacological validation of a novel exopolysaccharide from sp. 139 to effectively inhibit cytokine storms.

With the rapid development of immunotherapy in recent years, cytokine storm has been recognized as a common adverse effect of immunotherapy. The emergence of COVID-19 has renewed global attention to it. The cytokine storm's inflammatory response results in infiltration of large amounts of monocytes/macrophages in the lungs, heart, spleen, lymph nodes, and kidneys.

Prevalence and influencing factors of occupational burnout among healthcare workers in the Chinese mainland during the late 2022 Omicron COVID-19 outbreak: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

China witnessed an Omicron COVID-19 outbreak at the end of 2022. During this period, medical crowding and enormous pressure on the healthcare systems occurred, which might result in the occurrence of occupational burnout among healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aims to investigate the prevalence of occupational burnout and associated mental conditions, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, perceived social support, resilience, and mindfulness among HCWs of the Chinese mainland during the Omicron COVID-19 outbreak, and to explore the potential risk and protective factors influencing occupational burnout of HCWs.

SHMT2 regulates CD8+ T cell senescence via the reactive oxygen species axis in HIV-1 infected patients on antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively inhibits viral replication, it does not fully mitigate the immunosenescence instigated by HIV infection. Cellular metabolism regulates cellular differentiation, survival, and senescence. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (SHMT2) is the first key enzyme for the entry of serine into the mitochondria from the de novo synthesis pathway that orchestrates its conversion glutathione (GSH), a key molecule in neutralising ROS and ensuring the stability of the immune system.

CCN1 promotes APRIL/BAFF signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma but attenuates it in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

CCN1 is a matricellular protein highly expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) but hardly detectable in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Expression of CCN1 in EAC cells leads to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Unlike TRAIL, which primarily triggers cell death, APRIL and BAFF promote cell growth via NFκB signaling.

Structural and load-dependent arterial stiffness across the adult life span.

Background: The arterial stiffening is attributed to the intrinsic structural stiffening and/or load-dependent stiffening by increased blood pressure (BP). The respective lifetime alterations and major determinants of the two components with normal aging are not clear.

Methods: A total of 3053 healthy adults (1922 women) aged 18-79 years were enrolled.

Probiotics in reducing obesity by reconfiguring the gut microbiota.

Obesity, as a global health crisis, is increasingly linked to intestinal microecology. Probiotics colonise the body, effectively regulating the balance of intestinal flora, while strengthening the intestinal barrier, activating the immune response, releasing beneficial substances, and maintaining micro-ecological balance. This process not only enhances the defence against pathogens, but also reduces the production of inflammatory factors and lowers the level of chronic inflammation.

The Role and Mechanisms of Ubiquitin-Proteasome System-Mediated Ferroptosis in Neurological Disorders.

Ferroptosis is a form of cell death elicited by an imbalance in intracellular iron concentrations, leading to enhanced lipid peroxidation. In neurological disorders, both oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage can contribute to ferroptosis, resulting in nerve cell dysfunction and death. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) refers to a cellular pathway in which specific proteins are tagged with ubiquitin for recognition and degradation by the proteasome.

Function and Potential ceRNA Identification of Circ_009773 in Neodymium Oxide Nanoparticle-Induced Lung Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition.

Nanoparticles of neodymium oxide (NPs-NdO) can induce respiratory-related diseases, including lung tissue injury when entering the organism through the respiratory tract. However, it is currently unclear whether they can induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung tissue and the related mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the function of circ_009773 in the process of EMT induced by NPs-NdO in lung tissue from in vivo as well as in vitro experiments.

Circ_0000284 Is Involved in Arsenite-Induced Hepatic Insulin Resistance Through Blocking the Plasma Membrane Translocation of GLUT4 in Hepatocytes via IGF2BP2/PPAR-γ.

Arsenic exposure can induce liver insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes (DM), but the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in the regulation of the onset of diabetes, especially in the progression of IR. This study aimed to investigate the role of circRNAs in arsenic-induced hepatic IR and its underlying mechanism.

Transcriptional profiling of exosomes derived from serum of patients with rare earth pneumoconiosis by RNA-sequencing and PI3K/Akt pathway is activated in lung of mice exposed to rare earth NdO.

Rare earth is used extensively around the world, and rare earth particles cause a respiratory disease in workers termed rare earth pneumoconiosis(REP) that have attracted considerable attention. However, the mechanisms of REP, characterized by diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, are elusive. REP progression involves various signaling pathway networks comprising numerous cell types and cytokines.

Large-scale multicenter study reveals anticitrullinated SR-A peptide antibody as a biomarker and exacerbator for rheumatoid arthritis.

Current diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still challenging. More than one-third of patients with RA could not be accurately diagnosed because of lacking biomarkers. Our recent study reported that scavenger receptor-A (SR-A) is a biomarker for RA, especially for anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP)-negative RA.

TACI Ig Fusion Protein Inhibits TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway Alleviates Renal Injury in IgA Nephropathy Rats.

Introduction: To evaluate the impact of TACI fusion protein (TACI-Ig) on IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in rats, and to explore its mechanism and relationship with TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway.

Method: Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were divided into six groups: control, model, TACI-Ig low dose (TACI-Ig-L), medium dose (TACI-Ig-M), high dose (TACI-Ig-H), and prednisone acetate (PAT) group. The control group and model group received physiological saline injections, while the TACI-Ig groups were administered doses of 7.

Case report and literature review: removal of a mercury thermometer from the abdomen of a 16-year-old boy under laparoscopy.

Introduction: The incidence of foreign bodies within the human body is uncommon, with thermometers representing an exceptionally rare subset of such cases. The management of these cases is particularly challenging due to the fragility of mercury thermometers and the toxic nature of their contents.

Case Description: A 16-year-old male adolescent presented with a three-month history of persistent, dull pain localized to the right inguinal region.

Qinghaienin, a novel anticoagulation protein from the hard tick Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis, inhibits the activation of factor XII by competing for anionic surfaces.

Salivary proteins of ticks can inhibit host hemostatic and inflammatory responses during the blood-sucking process of the parasites. A cDNA sequence, Hq021, was identified from a cDNA library of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis. Hq021 encodes a mature protein containing 182 amino acids with a molecular mass of 20.

Diversity analysis of microorganisms on the surface of four summer fruit varieties in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.

Improper storage of post-harvest fruits leads to significant losses, especially due to microbial-induced decay. Understanding the naturally occurring microbial communities on fruit surfaces and their functions is the first step in the development of new strategies for controlling post-harvest fruit decay. These new strategies could generate significant economic value by improving fruit preservation and extending the shelf-life of fruit.

Metagenomics and metabolomics to investigate the effect of Amygdalus mongolica oil on intestinal microbiota and serum metabolites in rats.

Background: Renal fibrosis (RF) is an inevitable consequence of multiple manifestations of progressive chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). Mechanism of Amygdalus mongolica (Maxim.) in the treatment of RF needs further investigation.

Exploring the effects of lactulose on lung-intestinal tissue-associated factors and the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in COPD rats based on lung-gut axis theory.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic inflammatory disease impacting both the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, with its pathogenesis closely linked to the lung-gut axis theory. In this study, we established a rat model of COPD using a fumigation method combined with intra-airway administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to investigate the effects of lactulose on lung and intestinal tissues, focusing on related inflammatory markers and the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. We further explored the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of lactulose on the lung-intestinal tissues in COPD rats, aiming to expand its potential application in chronic respiratory diseases.

Linking adolescents' phubbing to depression: the serial mediating effects of peer relationship quality and psychological need frustration.

Introduction: Phubbing is defined as a phenomenon in which individuals use their smartphones during conversations with others, focusing on the smartphones and escaping from interpersonal interactions. This phenomenon has been extensively studied in the literature. However, most studies concerning phubbing have focused on understanding its impact on the receivers; few have investigated the consequences of phubbing on the actors themselves.