Associations of cathepsins with pulmonary arterial hypertension mediated by circulating metabolites: A Mendelian randomization study.

The correlation between cathepsins and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is well-established, but the causative link between them remains uncertain. This study aimed to explore the causal role of circulating metabolites mediating cathepsins in PAH using Mendelian randomization (MR). A 2-sample 2-step MR method was used to identify causal relationship between cathepsins and PAH; causal relationship between circulating metabolites and PAH; and mediated effects of these circulating metabolites.

Efficacy of wound care ointment in healing infectious wounds after anorectal surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: This study evaluates the efficacy of a novel bismuth subgallate-borneol compound ointment as an adjuvant therapy in promoting postoperative healing of infectious incisions after anorectal surgery.

Methods: From June 2023 to October 2023, 46 patients with perianal abscess and anal fistula treated at our institution's Anorectal Surgery Department were enrolled in this prospective randomized controlled study. Patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups: the experimental group (n = 23) received conventional wound care plus a proprietary ointment containing 4.

The effect of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization technique combined with Kinesio Taping on neuromuscular function and pain self-efficacy in individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain: A randomized trial.

Background: This study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) technology paired with Kinesio Taping in patients with persistent nonspecific low back pain, as well as the effect on neuromuscular function and pain self-efficacy.

Methods: A randomized controlled clinical study was conducted to collect clinical data on DNS combined with KT for the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain from November 2023 to April 2024. The inclusion criteria were patients with chronic nonspecific lower back pain, aged between 18 and 30 years old, and without serious underlying medical conditions, such as cardiac disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

Adjuvant radiation improves survival outcomes in adrenocortical carcinoma: A population-based study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical benefits and outcomes of adjuvant radiation therapy on adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) patients. All patients with ACC that were reported between 2010 and 2015 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. A forward-stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify independent risk factors.

Factors associated with higher caregiver burden among informal caregivers of Parkinson's disease: A systematic review.

Background: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and the care burden in informal caregivers is huge. Summarizing factors associated with the informal caregivers burden can improve our understanding of providing proactive support to informal caregivers caring for patients with Parkinson's disease (PwP) at risk, and provides evidence for clinical practice.

Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed in this systematic review.

Exploring markers in nursing care of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is epithelial malignant prostate hyperplasia caused by a tumor. We found prostate cancer GSE141551 and GSE200879 profiles from gene expression omnibus database, followed by differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, protein-protein interaction analysis, gene function enrichment analysis, and comparative toxicology database analysis. Finally, the gene expression heat map was drawn, and miRNA information regulating core DEGs was retrieved.

The roles of STAT1, CASP8, and MYD88 in the care of ischemic stroke.

Ischemic stroke is caused by blockage of blood vessels in brain, affecting normal function. The roles of Signal Transformer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1), CASP8, and MYD88 in ischemic stroke and its care are unclear. The ischemic stroke datasets GSE16561 and GSE180470 were found from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

Differential diagnosis of thrombosis and myxoma in unusual heart positions by dual-energy CT multiple parameter imaging: A case series.

Rationale: Thrombus is the most common occupying lesion in the cardiac chambers, it is often distinguished from cardiac neoplastic occupations. Among them, the most common is cardiac myxoma, whose imaging manifestations are often confused with thrombus. However, the 2 types of lesions have different therapeutic strategies and are both potentially high-risk sources of embolism, so early differentiation between intracardiac thrombus and cardiac tumor is essential.

Construction of a prognostic signature based on T-helper 17 cells differentiation-related genes for predicting survival and tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

T-helper 17 (Th17) cells significantly influence the onset and advancement of malignancies. This study endeavor focused on delineating molecular classifications and developing a prognostic signature grounded in Th17 cell differentiation-related genes (TCDRGs) using machine learning algorithms in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A consensus clustering approach was applied to The Cancer Genome Atlas-HNSCC cohort based on TCDRGs, followed by an examination of differential gene expression using the limma package.

A case report of anaphylactic shock caused by lidocaine.

Rationale: Local anesthesia is a widely used technique for emergency wound closure, with lidocaine among the most commonly employed local anesthetics. Allergic reactions to lidocaine are rare, with anaphylaxis being even more uncommon.

Patient Concerns And Diagnosis: This report describes a 72-year-old male patient who presented with a right foot injury and underwent wound suturing under lidocaine local anesthesia.

Performance of the quantitative pupillary light reflex and neurological pupil index for predicting neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The performance of quantitative pupillary light reflex (qPLR) and the neurological pupil index (NPi) was used to predict neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest (CA) patients.

Methods: Eligible studies on the ability of the qPLR and NPi to predict neurological outcomes in CA patients were searched from the PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases until July 2023. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI), area under the curve, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were analyzed via Stata 14.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Circulating Plasma Cells Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning for Multiple Myeloma Monitoring.

Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy characterized by the proliferation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow. Despite therapeutic advancements, there remains a critical need for reliable, noninvasive methods to monitor multiple myeloma. Circulating plasma cells (CPCs) in peripheral blood are robust and independent prognostic markers, but their detection is challenging due to their low abundance.

Correlative Raman-Voltage Microscopy Revealing the Localized Structure-Stress Relationship in Silicon Solar Cells.

Knowledge of localized strain at the micrometer scale is essential for tailoring the electrical and mechanical properties of ongoing thinning of crystal silicon (c-Si) solar cells. Thinning c-Si wafers below 110 m are susceptible to cracking in manufacturing due to the nonuniform stress distribution at a micrometer region, necessitating a rigorous technique to reveal the localized stress distribution correlating with its device electrical output. In this context, a Raman microscopy integrated with a photovoltage mapping setup with high resolution to the submicrometer scale is developed to acquire correlative Raman-voltage of the localized physical properties at the microcracks on the rear side of c-Si solar cells.

Dissecting the Genetic Basis of Preharvest Sprouting in Rice Using a Genome-Wide Association Study.

Preharvest sprouting (PHS) is an unfavorable trait in cereal crops that significantly reduces grain yield and quality. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying this complex trait are still largely unknown. Here, 276 rice accessions from the 3000 Rice Genomes Project were used to perform a genome-wide association study.

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Co-Rumination and Emotional Problems in Early Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Self-Compassion.

The longitudinal relationship between co-rumination and emotional problems has been understudied, particularly regarding the role of protective factors in moderating the relationship. This study employed a cross-lagged analysis to examine the bi-directional relationship between co-rumination and emotional problems, and the moderating role of self-compassion in this dynamic. The participants comprised 814 Chinese junior school students (M = 13.

Establishment of critical values for AMH screening with PCOS based on restricted cubic spline plots.

Background: The aim is to develop age-specific anti-Müllerian hormone screening criteria for polycystic ovary syndrome to facilitate the early detection and diagnosis of the condition, and to subsequently evaluate the screening criteria.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patient data from Hangzhou Women's Hospital between July 2021 and August 2024. The use of restricted cubic spline analysis helped identify age-related inflection points, which were crucial for segmenting the patient population.

Efficacy comparison and outcome predictors of GPi- and STN-targeted deep brain stimulation for Meige syndrome: a systematic review of individual patient data.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Meige syndrome, compare the efficacy of globus pallidus internus (GPi) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) as targets, and identify potential outcome predictors.

Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched to collect individual data from patients with Meige syndrome receiving DBS. Outcomes were assessed using the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale motor (BFMDRS-M) and disability (BFMDRS-D) scores.

A 4-Week Mobile App-Based Telerehabilitation Program vs Conventional In-Person Rehabilitation in Older Adults With Sarcopenia: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Sarcopenia is closely associated with a poor quality of life and mortality, and its prevention and treatment represent a critical area of research. Resistance training is an effective treatment for older adults with sarcopenia. However, they often face challenges when receiving traditional rehabilitation treatments at hospitals.

Development and validation of a radiomics-visual evoked potential nomogram for preoperative prediction of visual outcome after endoscopic craniopharyngioma resection.

Objective: Craniopharyngiomas are rare, benign brain tumors that are primarily treated with surgery. Although the extended endoscopic endonasal approach (EEEA) has evolved as a more reliable surgical alternative and yields better visual outcomes than traditional craniotomy, postoperative visual deterioration remains one of the most common complications, and relevant risk factors are still poorly defined. Hence, identifying risk factors and developing a predictive model for postoperative visual deterioration is indeed necessary.

One hundred thirty-four germ line PU.1 variants and the agammaglobulinemic patients carrying them.

Leukopoiesis is lethally arrested in mice lacking the master transcriptional regulator PU.1. Depending on the animal model, subtotal PU.

Observation of Robust Compressed CuO Octahedra and Exotic Spin Structure in CaCuFeO.

CuO octahedra usually show elongated distortion, leading to active orbitals and planar exchange interactions, while compressed CuO octahedra with active orbitals and unidirectional exchange interactions are exceptionally rare. Here, we design and synthesize a new frustrated antiferromagnet CaCuFeO through a high-pressure and high-temperature approach, in which robust compressed CuO octahedra are realized, separating the FeO sheets that comprise zigzag spin ladders. Magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements exhibit a long-range antiferromagnetic order below the Néel temperature of 165 K, which is further confirmed by neutron diffraction.

A Second Near-Infrared Window-Responsive Metal-Organic-Framework-Based Photosensitizer for Tumor Immunotherapy via Synergistic Ferroptosis and STING Activation.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) holds promise as a cancer treatment modality due to its potential for enhanced therapy precision and safety. To enhance deep tissue penetration and minimize tissue adsorption and phototoxicity, developing photosensitizers activated by second near-infrared window (NIR-II) light shows significant potential. However, the efficacy of PDT is often impeded by tumor microenvironment hypoxia, primarily caused by irregular tumor vasculature.

Solitary Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis From Ovarian Cancer on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Solitary axillary lymph node metastasis from ovarian cancer is rare. A 74-year-old woman who had undergone hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for ovarian cancer 2 years ago presented to our hospital with enlarged axillary lymph node. 18F-FDG PET/CT revealed left axillary lymphadenopathy with an SUVmax of 8.

Superconductor-Insulator Transition Induced by Precise Subtripled Vapor Chemical Gating.

Recent progress in superconductor-insulator transition has shed light on the intermediate metallic state with unique electronic inhomogeneity. The microscopic model, suggesting that carrier spatial distribution plays a decisive role in the intermediate state, has been instrumental in understanding the quantum transition. However, the narrow carrier density window in which the intermediate state exists necessitates precise control of the gate dielectric layer, presenting a challenge to in situ map the carrier spatial distribution.

Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma With the "Leopard Man" Appearance on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Subcutaneous nodules and masses as the primary manifestation of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are exceedingly rare. We present 18F-FDG PET/CT findings of multiple hypermetabolic nodules and masses distributed throughout the body, creating a characteristic "leopard man" appearance on the MIP image, in a 65-year-old man. An excisional biopsy of the right thigh mass confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.