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.

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.

X-ray Responsive Antioxidant Drug-Free Hydrogel for Treatment of Radiation Skin Injury.

Radiotherapy (RT) is widely applied in tumor therapy, but inevitable side effects, especially for skin radiation injury, are still a fatal problem and life-threatening challenge for tumor patients. The main components of topical radiation protection preparations currently available on the market are antioxidants, such as SOD, which are limited by their unstable activity and short duration of action, making it difficult to achieve the effects of radiation protection and skin radiation damage treatment. Therefore, we designed a drug-free antioxidant hydrogel patch with encapsulated bioactive epidermal growth factor (EGF) for the treatment of radiation skin injury.

Atypical Patients With Severe Fever With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease with a high fatality rate. The clinical diagnosis criteria mainly rely on white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT), which, however, are of limited usage in identifying atypical SFTS. A multicenter study was performed in two hospitals from 2011 to 2023.

Circulating Tumor DNA Detection for Recurrence Monitoring of Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Microwave Ablation.

Purpose: As microwave ablation continues to be used in patients with inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it is particularly important to monitor efficacy. Whether plasma ctDNA detection can predict its efficacy should be illustrated.

Methods: We recruited 43 patients with inoperative stage I NSCLC, all of whom underwent biopsy-synchronous microwave ablation (MWA).

Associations between anthropogenic heat emissions and serum lipids among adults in northeastern China.

Few epidemiological studies have investigated associations between anthropogenic heat emissions (AE) and serum lipids. We recruited 15,477 adults from 33 communities in northeastern China in 2009. We estimated AE flux by using data on energy consumption and socio-economic statistics covering building, transportation, industry, and human metabolism.

miR-199a-3p mitigates simulated microgravity-induced cardiac remodeling by targeting MEF2C.

Microgravity-induced cardiac remodeling and dysfunction present significant challenges to long-term spaceflight, highlighting the urgent need to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and develop precise countermeasures. Previous studies have outlined the important role of miRNAs in cardiovascular disease progression, with miR-199a-3p playing a crucial role in myocardial injury repair and the maintenance of cardiac function. However, the specific role and expression pattern of miR-199a-3p in microgravity-induced cardiac remodeling remain unclear.

Use of Brain Death Recipients in Xenotransplantation: A Double-Edged Sword.

Organ transplants are used to treat many end-stage diseases, but a shortage of donors means many patients cannot be treated. Xenogeneic organs have become an important part of filling the donor gap. Many current studies of kidney, heart, and liver xenotransplantation have used gene-edited pig organs on brain-dead recipients.

Evaluation of Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity Assays for Gene-Edited Pig-to-Human Xenotransplantation.

Background: Gene-edited pigs for xenotransplantation usually contain one or more transgenes encoding human complement regulatory proteins (CRPs). Because of species differences, human CRP(s) expressed in gene-edited pigs may have difficulty inhibiting the activation of exogenous rabbit complement added to a complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) assay. The use of human complement instead of rabbit complement in CDC experiments may more accurately reflect the actual regulatory activity of human CRP(s).

Chinese Registry of Rheumatoid Arthritis (CREDIT) VI: Temporal Trends in Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis and Moderate-To-Severe Disease Activity - A Multicenter Cohort Study of Treatment Strategies and Outcomes.

Aim: The continuous update of international guidelines and enhanced availability of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) have made a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA). This study aims to systematically evaluate the current treatment strategies and outcomes within a large-scale cohort of patients with ERA.

Methods: Data from the Chinese Registry of Rheumatoid Arthritis (CREDIT), a large multicenter Chinese registry of RA, were collected to analyze temporal trends in clinical profiles, therapeutic strategies, and treatment outcomes among patients with ERA.

Measurement and Analysis of Optical Transmission Characteristics of the Human Skull.

The brain, as a vital part of central nervous system, receives approximately 25% of body's blood supply, making accurate monitoring of cerebral blood flow essential. While fNIRS is widely used for measuring brain physiology, complex tissue structure affects light intensity, spot size, and detection accuracy. Many studies rely on simulations with limited experimental validation.

Eating "rubbish"? Exploring the herbal secrets of "Laji-He," a traditional herbal rice snack from southern China.

Background: Laji-He is a traditional rice-based snack from the Beibu Gulf region in southern China. In the Beibu Gulf region, "Laji-He" (literally "garbage He") signifies the removal of toxins from the body, making it a truly "green" food. Laji-He holds essential cultural and medicinal value, incorporating various medicinal plants into its preparation.

Efficacy and safety of perioperative analgesia in PENG block for children undergoing hip surgery with developmental dysplasia: study protocol for a randomized, double-blinded, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Surgical intervention is critical in the treatment of hip developmental dysplasia in children. Perioperative analgesia, usually based on high opioid dosages, is frequently used in these patients. In some circumstances, regional anesthetic procedures such as caudal block and lumbar plexus block have also been used.

Validation of the role of apolipoproteins in coronary artery disease patients with impaired kidney function for prognosis: a prospective cohort study in China.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between apolipoproteins (ApoA1, ApoB, and the ApoB/A1 ratio) and the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and impaired kidney function, assessing their potential role in secondary prevention.

Method: A prospective cohort of 1,640 patients with impaired kidney function who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in China was analyzed. Patients were categorized based on the measurements of ApoA1, ApoB, and ApoB/A1 ratio.

Whole lung radiomic features are associated with overall survival in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy.

Background: Several studies have suggested that lung tissue heterogeneity is associated with overall survival (OS) in lung cancer. However, the quantitative relationship between the two remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of whole lung-based and tumor-based radiomics for OS in LA-NSCLC treated with definitive radiotherapy.

Inflammatory adhesion mediates myocardial segmental necroptosis induced by mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein in acute myocardial infarction.

Purpose: Cardiomyocyte death is a major cytopathologic response in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and involves complex inflammatory interactions. Although existing reports indicating that mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) is involved in macrophage necroptosis and inflammasome activation, the downstream mechanism of MLKL in necroptosis remain poorly characterized in AMI.

Methods: MLKL knockout mice (MLKL), RIPK3 knockout mice (RIPK3), and macrophage-specific MLKL conditional knockout mice (MLKL) were established.

Neuroscience of cancer: unraveling the complex interplay between the nervous system, the tumor and the tumor immune microenvironment.

The study of the multifaceted interactions between neuroscience and cancer is an emerging field with significant implications for understanding tumor biology and the innovation in therapeutic approaches. Increasing evidence suggests that neurological functions are connected with tumorigenesis. In particular, the peripheral and central nervous systems, synapse, neurotransmitters, and neurotrophins affect tumor progression and metastasis through various regulatory approaches and the tumor immune microenvironment.

PRDX2 induces tumor immune evasion by modulating the HDAC3-Galectin-9 axis in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Background: PRDX2 is significantly expressed in various cancers and is associated with the proliferation of tumor cells. Nonetheless, the precise mechanism of PRDX2 in tumor immunity remains incompletely understood. This study aims to investigate the impact of PRDX2, which is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma, on T cells in the tumor immune microenvironment, and its immune action target to promote the immune escape of lung cancer cells, to provide a theoretical basis for lung adenocarcinoma treatment with PRDX2 as the target.

KEAP1 mutations as key crucial prognostic biomarkers for resistance to KRAS-G12C inhibitors.

Background: KRAS-G12C inhibitors mark a notable advancement in targeted cancer therapies, yet identifying predictive biomarkers for treatment efficacy and resistance remains essential for optimizing clinical outcomes.

Methods: This systematic meta-analysis synthesized studies available through September 2024 across PubMed, Cochrane Library, SpringerLink, and Embase. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, this study generated cells with KEAP1 and STK11 knockouts, and utilized lentiviral vectors to overexpress PD-L1.

The association between the dietary index for gut microbiota and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has garnered increasing attention. However, the association between the dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM), a measure of microbiome diversity, and MAFLD has yet to be fully explored.

Methods: Data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed, including 7243 participants.

Are neurasthenia and depression the same disease entity? An electroencephalography study.

Background: The neurasthenia-depression controversy has lasted for several decades. It is challenging to solve the argument by symptoms alone for syndrome-based disease classification. Our aim was to identify objective electroencephalography (EEG) measures that can differentiate neurasthenia from major depressive disorder (MDD).

Development of a clinical prediction model for benign and malignant pulmonary nodules with a CTR ≥ 50% utilizing artificial intelligence-driven radiomics analysis.

Objective: In clinical practice, diagnosing the benignity and malignancy of solid-component-predominant pulmonary nodules is challenging, especially when 3D consolidation-to-tumor ratio (CTR) ≥ 50%, as malignant ones are more invasive. This study aims to develop and validate an AI-driven radiomics prediction model for such nodules to enhance diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: Data of 2,591 pulmonary nodules from five medical centers (Zhengzhou People's Hospital, etc.

Difficult airway management in a patient with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, rapid atrial fibrillation, and moderate pulmonary hypertension: a case report.

Background: Given the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, encountering difficult airways in this patient population is quite common. The challenge for anesthesiologists lies not only in establishing the airway but also in managing the hemodynamic instability caused by sympathetic activation during intubation. The purpose of this report is to describe the anesthetic experience of this patient with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response, and moderate pulmonary hypertension with an anticipated difficult airway.