The role of social support and self-management on glycemic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus with complications in Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM) can result in detrimental complications which are connected with long-term impairments and disabilities. Chronic complications are well-known consequences of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) progression, which reduce patient quality of life, place a burden on the healthcare system, and increase mortality. Measures to promote health outcomes for people with DM are scanty; the study therefore aimed at determining the effects of self-management and social support on glycemic control of T2DM with complications in Ghana.

Epigenetic modifications in obesity-associated diseases.

The global prevalence of obesity has reached epidemic levels, significantly elevating the susceptibility to various cardiometabolic conditions and certain types of cancer. In addition to causing metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance (IR), elevated blood glucose and lipids, and ectopic fat deposition, obesity can also damage pancreatic islet cells, endothelial cells, and cardiomyocytes through chronic inflammation, and even promote the development of a microenvironment conducive to cancer initiation. Improper dietary habits and lack of physical exercise are important behavioral factors that increase the risk of obesity, which can affect gene expression through epigenetic modifications.

Reticulon 3 regulates sphingosine-1-phosphate synthesis in endothelial cells to control blood pressure.

The discovery of the endothelium as a major regulator of vascular tone triggered intense research among basic and clinical investigators to unravel the physiologic and pathophysiologic significance of this phenomenon. Sphingosine-l-phosphate (S1P), derived from the vascular endothelium, is a significant regulator of blood pressure. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of S1P biosynthetic pathways in arteries remain to be further clarified.

Correction to: Increased RTN3 phenocopies nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by inhibiting the AMPK-IDH2 pathway.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1002/mco2.226.

Surface engineering with pH-responsive polyserotonin and self-activated DNAzyme for better microbial therapy of tumor.

Bacteria-based microbial immunotherapy shows various unique properties for tumor therapy owing to their active tropism to tumor and multiple anti-tumor mechanisms. However, its clinical benefit is far from satisfactory, which is limited by rapid systemic clearance and neutrophils-mediated immune restriction to compromise the efficacy, as well as non-specific distribution to cause toxicity. To address all these limitations, herein we reported a polyserotonin (PST) coated () with surface adsorption of DNAzyme (Dz)-functionalized MnO nanoparticles (DzMN) for tumor therapy.

Icariin attenuates the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells through ERα - p38MAPK pathway.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between icariin and the osteoblastic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the signal pathway involved.

Methods: We applied a universally accepted calcification model of VSMCs induced by β glycerophosphate. Then the VSMCs calcification was observed by treatment with icariin and/or inhibitors of estrogen receptors (ERs) and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling.

Vortioxetine usage in an elderly patient with major depressive disorder and accompanied by multiple physical conditions: A case report.

Elderly patients with depressive disorder always have complex and diverse symptoms, and are mostly combined with chronic physical conditions. This case report presents a case of vortioxetine usage in a 67-year-old male patient with major depressive disorder and accompanied by multiple physical conditions.

Burst of hopping trafficking correlated reversible dynamic interactions between lipid droplets and mitochondria under starvation.

Dynamic membrane contacts between lipid droplets (LDs) and mitochondria play key roles in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Understanding the dynamics of LDs under energy stimulation is thereby crucial to disclosing the metabolic mechanism. Here, the reversible interactions between LDs and mitochondria are tracked in real-time using a robust LDs-specific fluorescent probe (LDs-Tags).

Phosphorylated heat shock protein 27 improves the bone formation ability of osteoblasts and bone marrow stem cells from patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a scoliotic deformity of unknown etiology that occurs during adolescent development. Abnormal bone metabolism is closely related to AIS, but the cause is uncertain. Recent studies have shown that heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and its phosphorylation (pHSP27) play important roles in bone metabolism.

The research landscape of immunology research in spinal cord injury from 2012 to 2022.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is defined as traumatic damage to the spinal cord, affecting over three million patients worldwide, and there is still no treatment for the injured spinal cord itself. In recent years, immunology research on SCI has been published in various journals.

Methods: To systematically analyze the research hotspots and dynamic scientific developments of immunology research in SCI, we conducted a bibliometric and knowledge map analysis to help researchers gain a global perspective in this research field.

Analysis of the incidence of falls and related factors in elderly patients based on comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of falls in elderly aged 65 years and above among outpatients and inpatients, and to analyze its related factors and identify prevention strategies.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 451 patients aged 65 years and above who received comprehensive geriatric assessment in outpatients and inpatients from the Department of Geriatrics in the Second Xiangya Hospital from March 2021 to March 2022. According to whether there had been at least one fall in the past year, the patients were divided into a fall group and a non-fall group.

LINC02774 inhibits glycolysis in glioma to destabilize HIF-1α dependent on transcription factor RP58.

Glioma, the most common of malignant tumors in the brain, is responsible for the majority of deaths from primary brain tumors. The regulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in HIF-1α-driven tumor development remains unclear. LINC02774 is a nuclear lncRNA and that it is being reported for the first time in this study.

Glucocorticoid regulation of the mTORC1 pathway modulates CD4 T cell responses during infection.

Objectives: Conventional glucocorticoid (GC) treatment poses significant risks for opportunistic infections due to its suppressive impact on CD4 T cells. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms by which GCs modulate the functionality of CD4 T cells during infection.

Methods: We consistently measured FOXP3, inflammatory cytokines and phospho-S6 ribosomal protein levels in CD4 T cells from patients undergoing conventional GC treatment.

TRAF6 regulates autophagy and apoptosis of melanoma cells through c-Jun/ATG16L2 signaling pathway.

Autophagy and apoptosis are essential processes that participate in cell death and maintain cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of these biological processes results in the development of diseases, including cancers. Therefore, targeting the interaction between apoptosis and autophagy offers a potential strategy for cancer therapy.

Nutritional, biochemical, and clinical applications of carob: A review.

Carob is botanically called as and belongs to the Legumes family. The fruit is derived from hermaphrodite trees and hard in shape. The carob contains high sugar contents in pulp, fat in seed and minerals like potassium, calcium, and phosphorus are present in pods.

Biomaterial-based gene therapy.

Gene therapy, a medical approach that involves the correction or replacement of defective and abnormal genes, plays an essential role in the treatment of complex and refractory diseases, such as hereditary diseases, cancer, and rheumatic immune diseases. Nucleic acids alone do not easily enter the target cells due to their easy degradation in vivo and the structure of the target cell membranes. The introduction of genes into biological cells is often dependent on gene delivery vectors, such as adenoviral vectors, which are commonly used in gene therapy.

Skin pigmentation gradually decreases with age under non-ultraviolet exposure conditions.

In non-sun exposure conditions, skin pigmentation gradually decreases with age. Sun exposure on the other hand increases skin pigmentation. In addition, the skin of the elderly is more prone to tanning than youthful skin.

Impaired Distensibility of the Proximal Aorta in Fetuses With Tetralogy of Fallot.

Background Increased aortic wall stiffness, which even persists after repair, has been reported in patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). We aimed to observe the distensibility of the ascending aorta and descending aorta in fetuses with TOF and explore its relation with aortic blood flow volume and aortic and pulmonary annular size. Methods and Results Twenty-three fetuses with TOF and 23 gestational age-matched normal fetuses were included in this prospective cross-sectional study.

Corroded iron stent increases fibrin deposition and promotes endothelialization after stenting.

Poststent restenosis is caused by insufficient endothelialization and is one of the most serious clinical complications of stenting. We observed a rapid endothelialization rate and increased fibrin deposition on the surfaces of the corroded iron stents. Thus, we hypothesized that corroded iron stents would promote endothelialization by increasing fibrin deposition on rough surfaces.

Establishment of a donor pig for xenotransplantation clinical trials based on the principle of Changsha Communiqué.

Background: Xenotransplantation is a potential way to reduce the shortage of the needed organ grafts for the end-stage disease. Immune rejection, physiological incompatibility and bio-safety are the most critical issues.

Methods: To ensure the safety and efficacy of gene editing, second- and third-generation sequencing technologies have allowed us to obtain a clearer genetic background of donor pigs for xenotransplantation.

Human Resistin Induces Cardiac Dysfunction in Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background Cardiac failure is the primary cause of death in most patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH). As pleiotropic cytokines, human resistin (Hresistin) and its rodent homolog, resistin-like molecule α, are mechanistically critical to pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH. However, it is still unclear whether activation of these resistin-like molecules can directly cause PH-associated cardiac dysfunction and remodeling.

Increased RTN3 phenocopies nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by inhibiting the AMPK-IDH2 pathway.

Reticulon 3 (RTN3), an endoplasmic reticulum protein, is crucial in neurodegenerative and kidney diseases. However, the role of RTN3 in liver tissues has not been described. Here, we employed public datasets, patients, and several animal models to explore the role of RTN3 in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).