Resveratrol Supplementation in Wet AMD: Association With Fewer Intravitreal Injections and Reduced Macular Fibrosis.

Purpose: To evaluate the 2-year outcomes of resveratrol oral supplement given as an adjunctive treatment in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that were treated with intravitreal injections of aflibercept.

Patients And Methods: In our retrospective study, 50 treatment-naïve patients suffering from wet-AMD were included. They were assigned to two subgroups of 25 patients each.

Giant thymolipoma in a 16-year-old girl with multimodal diagnostic approach and surgical management: a case report.

Background: Thymolipomas are rare benign mediastinal tumors primarily occurring in young adults, although they can also present in pediatric populations. These tumors are often asymptomatic, but their substantial size can create significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, necessitating careful evaluation and management.

Case Description: A teenage girl was diagnosed with a giant thymolipoma, which was discovered incidentally during a routine chest radiograph.

EMP2 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation and invasion by activating cellular autophagy.

Background: EMP2 is a tumor-associated membrane protein belonging to the GAS-3/PMP22 gene family. EMP2 expression demonstrates significant tissue specificity and heterogeneity in various human tissues and tumor tissues, where it may play a role in either promoting or inhibiting tumor growth. This study aimed to investigate the expression level, biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of EMP2 in liver cancer.

A new simple chronic heart failure prognostic index based on five general parameters.

Background: Prognostic prediction in heart failure (HF) is challenging and no single marker has proven effective. We propose an index based on B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and four widely available parameters.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed adult outpatients with chronic HF with systolic dysfunction followed from January 2012 to December 2020.

Semaglutide and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in an adolescent with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase: a case report.

Background: Classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, primarily due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, leads to impaired cortisol and aldosterone production and excess adrenal androgens. Lifelong glucocorticoid therapy is required, often necessitating supraphysiological doses in youth to manage androgen excess and growth acceleration. These patients experience higher obesity rates, hypertension, and glucose metabolism issues, complicating long-term health management.

Human response times are governed by dual anticipatory processes with distinct neural signatures.

Human behavior is strongly influenced by anticipation, but the underlying neural mechanisms are poorly understood. We obtained intracranial electrocephalography (iEEG) measurements in neurosurgical patients as they performed a simple sensory-motor task with variable (short or long) foreperiod delays that affected anticipation of the cue to respond. Participants showed two forms of anticipatory response biases, distinguished by more premature false alarms (FAs) or faster response times (RTs) on long-delay trials.

Association of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Mortality following Thoracic and Complex Endovascular Aortic Repair.

Objectives: This study assessed the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity and postoperative mortality among patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and complex endovascular aortic repair (CEVAR).

Methods: A retrospective review of the Vascular Quality Initiative database identified elective TEVAR and CEVAR cases from 2013-2022 with endograft proximal landing zone ≥2 for thoracic or complex abdominal aortic disease. Symptomatic disease, ruptures, and urgent/emergent surgeries were excluded.

Effect of microwave treatment on the structural and physicochemical properties of amylose partially removed sorghum starch.

This study aimed to probe the influence of amylose in starch granules on starch modification. Part of the amylose from sorghum starch was removed through warm water leaching, and the samples were then microwaved. The effects of treatments on starch structure, physicochemical properties, and digestibility were researched.

Efficacy analysis of intratympanic injection of dexamethasone at different concentrations for the treatment of unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Objective: Our study tried to evaluate and compare the therapeutic efficacy of intratympanic injection of dexamethasone (DEX) at different concentrations for the treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).

Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted on 203 patients with unilateral ISSNHL. Patients were divided into four groups: the control group (n = 47, systemic treatment only), the high-concentration group (n = 51, intratympanic injection of DEX 20 mg/ml), the medium-concentration group (n = 55, 10 mg/ml), and the low-concentration group (n = 50, 5 mg/ml).

Urinary Fluoride Levels Among Youth in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016: Potential Differences According to Race.

Background/objectives: Urinary fluoride (UF) is the most well-established biomarker for fluoride exposure, and understanding its distribution can inform risk assessment for potential adverse systemic health effects. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report distributions of UF among youth according to sociodemographic factors in a nationally representative United States (US) sample.

Methods: The study included 1191 children aged 6-11 years and 1217 adolescents aged 12-19 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016.

Association Between Sociodemographic Variables, Healthy Habits, and Stress with Risk Scales for Liver Disease Associated with Metabolic Dysfunction.

Unlabelled: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, with a multifactorial etiology. This study aims to evaluate the associations between various sociodemographic variables, healthy habits, and stress with risk scale values for MAFLD.

Materials And Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 16,708 Spanish workers to assess how sociodemographic variables (age, gender, and socioeconomic status), healthy habits (smoking, Mediterranean diet adherence, and physical activity), and stress correlate with values from three MAFLD risk scales: fatty liver index (FLI), hepatic steatosis index (HSI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP).

Stripe Noise Removal in Blazed Grating Generation for Electrically Tunable Beam Deflector.

In this paper, we demonstrate a blazed phase grating to achieve tunable beam steering and propose a novel algorithm to reduce the stripe noise in wrapped phase. To control the diffraction angle to steer light to the desired direction, an electrically tunable transmission-type beam deflector based on liquid crystals is introduced, and electric fields are applied to the patterned indium tin oxide electrodes to change its phase retardation. Two different 2π phase-wrapping methods are applied to obtain various diffraction angles within the minimum cell-gap, and the method of equal interval of phase achieves a worthwhile diffraction efficiency compared to the methods based on equal interval of diffraction angle.

Differentiating Apical and Basal Left Ventricular Aneurysms Using Sphericity Index: A Clinical Study.

: Left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) causes geometric changes, including reduced systolic function and a more spherical shape, which is quantified by the sphericity index (SI), the ratio of the short to long axis in the apical four-chamber view. This study aimed to assess SI's value in A-LVA and B-LVA, identify influencing factors, and evaluate its clinical relevance. : This clinical study included 54 patients with post-infarction LVA and used echocardiography to determine LVA locations (A-LVA near the apex and B-LVA in the basal segments), with SI and other echocardiographic measures assessed in both systole and diastole for the entire cohort and stratified by A-LVA and B-LVA groups.

Left Coronary Artery-Right Ventricle Fistula Case Report: Optimal Treatment Decision.

Coronary artery fistulas (CAFs) are rare congenital anomalies, presenting in 0.05-0.9% of cases, characterized by an aberrant connection between a coronary artery and a cardiac chamber or great vessel.

Structural Disruption of Cilia and Increased Cytoplasmic Tubulin in Biliary Atresia-An Exploratory Study Focusing on Early Postoperative Prognosis Following Portoenterostomy.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive hepatobiliary disease in infants, leading to liver failure and the need for transplantation. While its etiopathogenesis remains unclear, recent studies suggest primary cilia (PC) disruption plays a role. This study investigates correlations between PC and cytoplasmic tubulin (TUBA4A) alterations with hypoxia in patients with the isolated form of BA, focusing on native liver survival.

What are the problems and suggestions related to cancer health education in Sichuan, China? A qualitative study of community health workers (CHWs).

Background: Health education conducted by community health workers (CHWs) is an evidence-based strategy for promoting cancer prevention, cancer screening, and adherence to medical guidance from doctors. However, CHWs are confronted with some problems related to cancer health education in China. This study aimed to clarify CHWs' awareness of problems in cancer health education in China and the solutions that they were considering to improve the quality and efficiency of cancer health education.

A scalable solar-driven photocatalytic system for separated H and O production from water.

Solar-driven photocatalytic water splitting offers a sustainable pathway to produce green hydrogen, yet its practical application encounters several challenges including inefficient photocatalysts, sluggish water oxidation, severe reverse reactions and the necessity of separating produced hydrogen and oxygen gases. Herein, we design and develop a photocatalytic system composed of two separate reaction parts: a hydrogen evolution cell containing halide perovskite photocatalysts (MoSe-loaded CH(NH)PbBrI) and an oxygen evolution cell containing NiFe-layered double hydroxide modified BiVO photocatalysts. These components are bridged by a I/I redox couple to facilitate electron transfer, realizing efficient overall water splitting with a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 2.

The AHR-NRF2-JDP2 gene battery: Ligand-induced AHR transcriptional activation.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) can regulate a series of genes encoding the detoxifying phase I and II enzymes, via a signaling crosstalk known as the "AHR-NRF2 gene battery". The chromatin transcriptional regulator Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2) plays a central role in thetranscription of AHR gene in response to the phase I enzyme ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. It forms a transcriptional complex with AHR-AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and NRF2-small musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma proteins (sMAF), which are then recruited to the respective cis-elements, such as dioxin response elements and antioxidant response elements, respectively, in the AHR promoter.

Association between pituitary adenoma consistency, resection techniques, and patient outcomes: a single-institution experience.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the association between pituitary adenoma (PA) consistency and other measurable tumor characteristics, extent of resection (EOR), postoperative complications, and outcomes.

Methods: In total, 507 PA resections were intraoperatively assigned a consistency grade from 1 (cystic/hemorrhagic tumors) to 5 (calcified tumors) based on intraoperative tumor characteristics. Tumor consistency was analyzed in tertiles (grades 1 and 2, grade 3, and grades 4 and 5) to determine associations with tumor characteristics, EOR, recurrence, postoperative outcomes, and complications.

Mcl-1 is a Gatekeeper Molecule to Regulate the Crosstalk Between Ferroptotic Agent-Induced ER Stress and TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis.

We previously reported that ferroptosis interplays with apoptosis through the integration of two independent pathways: the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling pathway and the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated a potential gatekeeper molecule, Mcl-1, between the two signal transduction pathways. Morphology studies and cell death analyses confirmed that a combination treatment of ferroptotic agent erastin (ERA) and apoptotic agent TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) synergistically enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma BxPC3 and human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells.

How Significant Are Marine Invertebrate Collagens? Exploring Trends in Research and Innovation.

This review is focused on the research, innovation and technological breakthroughs on marine invertebrate collagens and their applications. The findings reveal that research dates back to the 1970s, and after a period of reduced activity, interest in collagens from several marine invertebrate groups was renewed around 2008, likely driven by the increased commercial interest in these biomolecules of marine origin. Research and development are predominantly reported from China and Japan, highlighting significant research interest in cnidarians (jellyfish), echinoderms (sea cucumbers, sea urchins and starfish), molluscs (squid and cuttlefish) and sponges.

Clinical and CT Features, Clinical Management, and Decision on Sport Eligibility of Professional Athletes with Congenital Coronary Anomalies: A Case Series Study.

Background: Congenital coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are a significant cause of sudden cardiac death and a key factor in determining athletes' eligibility for competitive sports. Their prevalence varies with diagnostic modalities and may present as asymptomatic or with life-threatening ischemic or arrhythmic events. This case series highlights the diverse manifestations of CAAs and the clinical approaches used to determine sports eligibility.

Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Repair with Suture Tape Augmentation Can Yield Good Midterm Clinical Outcomes Regardless of Skeletal Maturity and Joint Laxity.

While several studies have reported short-term clinical outcomes after medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) repair with suture tape augmentation, there is still a dearth of knowledge regarding midterm clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the midterm clinical outcomes of MPFL repair with suture tape augmentation in patients with patellar dislocation. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients who underwent MPFL repair with suture tape augmentation for at least one episode of patellar dislocation between 2015 and 2020.

Eco-Friendly Hydrogels Loading Polyphenols-Composed Biomimetic Micelles for Topical Administration of Resveratrol and Rutin.

In this study, we describe the development of hydrogel formulations composed of micelles loading two natural antioxidants-resveratrol and rutin-and the evaluation of the effect of a by-product on the rheological and textural properties of the developed semi-solids. This approach aims to associate the advantages of hydrogels for topical administration of drugs and of lipid micelles that mimic skin composition for the delivery of poorly water-soluble compounds in combination therapy. Biomimetic micelles composed of L-α-phosphatidylcholine loaded with two distinct polyphenols (one non-flavonoid and one flavonoid) were produced using hot shear homogenisation followed by the ultrasonication method.