Association of Albumin-To-Creatinine Ratio With Diabetic Retinopathy Among US Adults (NHANES 2009-2016).

Objective: This study investigates the relationship between the albumin-to-creatinine ratio and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in US adults using NHANES data from 2009 to 2016. This study assesses the predictive efficacy of the urinary serum albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR/SACR Ratio) against traditional biomarkers such as the serum albumin-to-creatinine ratio (SACR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) for evaluating DR risk. Additionally, the study explores the potential of these biomarkers, both individually and in combination with HbA1c, for early detection and risk stratification of DR.

Digging deeper into necrotizing enterocolitis: bridging clinical, microbial, and molecular perspectives.

Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe, life-threatening inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract, especially affecting preterm infants. This review consolidates evidence from various biomedical disciplines to elucidate the complex pathogenesis of NEC, integrating insights from clinical, microbial, and molecular perspectives. It emphasizes the modulation of NEC-associated inflammatory pathways by probiotics and novel biologics, highlighting their therapeutic potential.

Low-Level Red Light for the Progression Myopia in Children: A Meta-Analysis.

Purposes: This meta-analysis aims to systematically analyze the efficacy of low-level red light (LRL) therapy for myopia control and prevention in children.

Methods: All the data were searched from the PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The Cochrane Handbook was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies.

Adverse Events of Factor Xa Inhibitors in Pediatric Patients: A Meta-analysis and Pharmacovigilance Study.

Background: This study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of adverse events (AEs) associated with factor Xa (FXa) inhibitors in pediatric patients.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the European Union Clinical Trials Register for English-language records from the establishment of the database up to October 17, 2023.

Zinc Combined with Metformin Corrects Zinc Homeostasis and Improves Steroid Synthesis and Semen Quality in Male Type 2 Diabetic Mice by Activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.

Male infertility is a common complication of diabetes. Diabetes leads to the decrease of zinc (Zn) content, which is a necessary trace element to maintain the normal structure and function of reproductive organs and spermatogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin combined with zinc on testis and sperm in diabetic mice.

TRPV4 as a Novel Regulator of Ferroptosis in Colon Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Prognosis and Therapeutic Targeting.

Background: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a calcium-permeable non-selective cation channel, has been implicated in various cancers, including COAD. This study investigates the role of TRPV4 in colon adenocarcinoma and elucidates its potential mechanism via the ferroptosis pathway.

Relationship Between Laryngopharyngeal Reflux, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and Dental Erosion in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: As one of the most common complications of laryngopharyngeal reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, dental erosion presents a significant association with laryngopharyngeal reflux. This study aimed to elucidate the role of laryngopharyngeal reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease on the severity and occurrence of dental erosion in adult populations.

Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in the databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus for English literature published from July 1999 to June 2024.

A prediction model for electrical strength of gaseous medium based on molecular reactivity descriptors and machine learning method.

Context: Ionization and adsorption in gas discharge are similar to electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions. The molecular descriptors characterizing reactions such as electrostatic potential descriptors are useful in predicting the electrical strength of environmentally friendly gases. In this study, descriptors of 73 molecules are employed for correlation analysis with electrical strength.

Backbone resonance assignments of PhoCl, a photocleavable protein.

PhoCl is a photocleavable protein engineered from a green-to-red photoconvertible fluorescent protein by circular permutation, and has been used in various optogenetic applications including precise control of protein localization and activity in cells. Upon violet light illumination, PhoCl undergoes a β-elimination reaction to be cleaved at the chromophore, resulting in spontaneous dissociation into a large empty barrel and a small C-terminal peptide. However, the structural determinants and the mechanism of the PhoCl photocleavage remain elusive, hindering the further development of more robust photocleavable optogenetic tools.

Fecal metabolomic analysis of the role of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in the therapeutic mechanism of Timosaponin AIII in Sjögren's syndrome.

Introduction/objectives: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory and difficult-to-treat autoimmune disease. Timosaponin AIII (TAIII), a plant-derived steroidal saponin, effectively inhibits cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. This study explored the mechanisms of action of TAIII in SS treatment by studying gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using fecal metabolomics.

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of Sjögren's syndrome-associated autoimmune liver disease: a real-world, 10-year retrospective study.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical and laboratory features of Sjögren's syndrome-associated autoimmune liver disease (SS-ALD) patients and identify potential risk and prognostic factors.

Methods: SS patients with or without ALD, who visited Tongji Hospital between the years 2011 and 2021 and met the 2012 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for Sjögren's syndrome, were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical and laboratory data of the enrolled patients, including autoimmune antibodies, were collected and analyzed with principal component analysis, correlation analysis, LASSO regression, and Cox regression.

Molecular mechanism of osteoclast differentiation of PBMC in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that causes severe joint deformities and impaired functionality, affecting the well-being and daily life of individuals. Consequently, there is a pressing demand for identifying viable therapeutic targets for treating RA. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of osteoclast differentiation in PBMC from patients with RA through transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.

Pancreas-guided C-shaped surgical procedure: a safer and more efficient procedure for laparoscopic left hemicolectomy in obese patients.

The surgical risk is higher for obese patients undergoing laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. To enhance the surgical safety and efficacy for obese patients, we have innovatively integrated the advantages of various surgical approaches to modify a pancreas-guided C-shaped surgical procedure. The safety and quality were assessed through a retrospective analysis.

Modulation of Intestinal Inflammation and Protection of Dopaminergic Neurons in Parkinson's Disease Mice through a Probiotic Formulation Targeting NLRP3 Inflammasome.

Emerging evidence highlights the significance of peripheral inflammation in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and suggests the gut as a viable therapeutic target. This study aimed to explore the neuroprotective effects of the probiotic formulation VSL#3 and its underlying mechanism in a PD mouse model induced by MPTP. Following MPTP administration, the striatal levels of dopamine and its metabolites, as along with the survival rate of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, were significantly reduced in PD mice.

The Circadian Rhythm Regulates the Hepato-ovarian Axis Linking Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

This study aimed to identify shared gene expression related to circadian rhythm disruption in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to discover common diagnostic biomarkers. Visceral fat RNA samples were collected from 12 PCOS and 14 non-PCOS patients, a sample size representing the clinical situation and sufficient to capture PCOS gene expression profiles. Along with liver transcriptome profiles from NAFLD patients, these data were analyzed to identify crosstalk circadian rhythm-related genes (CRRGs) between the diseases.

Role of immune cell homeostasis in research and treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction Recently, immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) have become crucial in regulating cancer progression and treatment responses. The dynamic interactions between tumors and immune cells are emerging as a promising strategy to activate the host's immune system against various cancers. The development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involve complex biological processes, with the role of the TME and tumor phenotypes still not fully understood.

Recent Advances in Radical Coupling Reactions Directly Involving Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP).

BCP (bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane) is an ideal saturated carbon bioisostere, instead of the traditional benzene group, which has been extensively developed.

ds-FCRN: three-dimensional dual-stream fully convolutional residual networks and transformer-based global-local feature learning for brain age prediction.

The brain undergoes atrophy and cognitive decline with advancing age. The utilization of brain age prediction represents a pioneering methodology in the examination of brain aging. This study aims to develop a deep learning model with high predictive accuracy and interpretability for brain age prediction tasks.

Investigating the decomposition mechanism of DNAN/DNB cocrystal explosive under high temperature using ReaxFF/lg molecular dynamics simulations.

Context: DNAN/DNB cocrystals, as a newly developed type of energetic material, possess superior safety and thermal stability, making them a suitable alternative to traditional melt-cast explosives. Nonetheless, an exploration of the thermal degradation dynamics of the said cocrystal composite has heretofore remained uncharted. Consequently, we engaged the ReaxFF/lg force field modality to delve into the thermal dissociation processes of the DNAN/DNB cocrystal assembly across a spectrum of temperatures, encompassing 2500, 2750, 3000, 3250, and 3500 K.

Associations of fat, bone, and muscle indices with disease severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) severity and fat, bone, and muscle indices.

Methods: This study included 102 patients with OSAHS and retrospectively reviewed their physical examination data. All patients underwent polysomnography, body composition analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography (CT) and blood test.