Engineered MSC-sEVs as a Versatile Nanoplatform for Enhanced Osteoarthritis Treatment via Targeted Elimination of Senescent Chondrocytes and Maintenance of Cartilage Matrix Metabolic Homeostasis.

Chondrocyte senescence is an important pathogenic factor causing osteoarthritis (OA) progression through persistently producing pro-inflammatory factors. Mesenchymal stem cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) have shown anti-inflammatory effects in OA models, while persistent existence of senescent chondrocytes still promotes cartilage destruction. Therefore, improving the targeted elimination ability on senescent chondrocytes is required to facilitate the translation of MSC-sEVs in OA treatment.

Identification of Cannabis Product Characteristics and Pricing on Dark Web Markets.

Growing cannabis use has made it the most widely cultivated and trafficked illicit drug globally according to the World Health Organization, with 147 million people consuming cannabis-derived products (CDPs) in various product forms and constituency. Despite restrictions in certain countries, unregulated access can still be found on the dark web which specializes in trafficking of illicit goods. The objective was to systematically collect data from multiple marketplaces to identify types of cannabis products offered for sale.

ZAR1/2-Regulated Epigenetic Modifications are Essential for Age-Associated Oocyte Quality Maintenance and Zygotic Activation.

The developmental competence and epigenetic progression of oocytes gradually become dysregulated with increasing maternal age. However, the mechanisms underlying age-related epigenetic regulation in oocytes remain poorly understood. Zygote arrest proteins 1 and 2 (ZAR1/2) are two maternal factors with partially redundant roles in maintaining oocyte quality, mainly known by regulating mRNA stability.

Hydrogen Sulfide Promotes TAM-M1 Polarization through Activating IRE-1α Pathway via GRP78 S-Sulfhydrylation to against Breast Cancer.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS)-mediated protein S-sulfhydration has been shown to play critical roles in several diseases. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the predominant population of immune cells present within solid tumor tissues, and they function to restrict antitumor immunity. However, no previous study has investigated the role of protein S-sulfhydration in TAM reprogramming in breast cancer (BC).

Progress in Nanotechnology for Treating Ocular Surface Chemical Injuries: Reflecting on Advances in Ophthalmology.

Ocular surface chemical injuries often result in permanent visual impairment and necessitate complex, long-term treatments. Immediate and extensive irrigation serves as the first-line intervention, followed by various therapeutic protocols applied throughout different stages of the condition. To optimize outcomes, conventional regimens increasingly incorporate biological agents and surgical techniques.

A Novel RAGE Modulator Induces Soluble RAGE to Reduce BACE1 Expression in Alzheimer's Disease.

β-secretase (BACE1) is instrumental in amyloid-β (Aβ) production, with overexpression noted in Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. The interaction of Aβ with the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) facilitates cerebral uptake of Aβ and exacerbates its neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation, further augmenting BACE1 expression. Given the limitations of previous BACE1 inhibition efforts, the study explores reducing BACE1 expression to mitigate AD pathology.

High-Throughput Formation of Pre-Vascularized hiPSC-Derived Hepatobiliary Organoids on a Chip via Nonparenchymal Cell Grafting.

Liver organoids have been increasingly adopted as a critical in vitro model to study liver development and diseases. However, the pre-vascularization of liver organoids without affecting liver parenchymal specification remains a long-lasting challenge, which is essential for their application in regenerative medicine. Here, the large-scale formation of pre-vascularized human hepatobiliary organoids (vhHBOs) is presented without affecting liver epithelial specification via a novel strategy, namely nonparenchymal cell grafting (NCG).

Retrospective Cohort Study on the Predictive Value of Primary Non-response to Initial Biologic for Future Biologic Use in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: The armamentarium of medical therapies to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continues to grow, which has expanded treatment options, particularly after first biologic failure. Currently, there are limited studies investigating the predictive value of first biologic primary non-response (PNR) on subsequent biologic success. Our objective was to determine if PNR to the first biologic for IBD is predictive of response to subsequent biologic therapy.

Cystoid macular oedema after flanged intraocular lens scleral fixation using the Yamane technique: a multicentre cohort study.

This retrospective observational multicentre cohort study compared the rate of postoperative cystoid macular oedema (CME) between two intraocular lens (IOL) scleral fixation (SFIOL) techniques: a flanged IOL fixation technique (Yamane technique) and a suture IOL transscleral fixation technique (conventional technique). The study included 207 eyes with postoperative CME that had undergone SFIOL and were observed for > 12 weeks between January 2019 and January 2021. The primary endpoint was a comparison of the rate of postoperative CME at 3 months between groups.

Identification of fatty acid anabolism patterns to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC), one of the most common and heterogeneous malignancies, is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide and is closely related to dietary habits. Fatty acid is one of the main nutrients of human beings, which is closely related to diabetes, hypertension and other diseases. However, the correlation between fatty acid metabolism and the development and progression of GC remains largely unknown.

Left-lateral decubitus jackknife position for laparoscopic resection of right posterior liver tumors: A safe and effective approach.

Purpose: To compare outcomes of LLR in VI/VII of the liver in Left-lateral Decubitus Jackknife Position (LDJP) and traditional Supine Position (SP). We used propensity score matching (PSM) to analyze clinical outcomes.

Patients & Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing LLR for liver tumors in segments VI and/or VII at Shandong Provincial Hospital from 2018 to 2023.

Metabolomic and microbiota profiles in cervicovaginal lavage fluid of women with high-risk human papillomavirus infection.

The presence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) contributes to the development of cervical lesions and cervical cancer. Recent studies suggest that an imbalance in the cervicovaginal microbiota might be a factor in the persistence of HR-HPV infections. In this study, we collected 156 cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) of women with HR-HPV infection, which were divided into three groups (negative for intraepithelial lesions = 78, low/high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions = 52/26).

Development of lateral flow immunochromatographic assay with Anti-Pythium insidiosum antibodies for point-of-care testing of vascular pythiosis.

The pathogenic oomycete Pythium insidiosum causes a fatal infectious illness known as pythiosis, impacting humans and certain animals in numerous countries in the tropics and subtropics. Delayed diagnosis is a primary factor contributing to the heightened morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Several new serodiagnostic methods have been developed to improve the identification of pythiosis.

Sleep deprivation and corneal chronobiology: reevaluating overnight corneal changes.

This prospective cohort study is aimed to investigate circadian variations in corneal parameters, focusing on sleep-deprived subjects. Sixty-four healthy individuals (age range: 21-76 years) actively participated in this study, undergoing examinations at least five times within a 24-hour timeframe. The analysis encompassed keratometric parameters of the cornea's front (F) and back (B) surfaces, refractive power in flattest and steepest axes (K1, K2), astigmatism (Astig) and its axis (Axis), aspheric coefficient (Asph), corneal pachymetry values of thinnest corneal thickness (Pachy Min) and corneal thickness in the center of the pupil (Pachy Pupil), volume relative to the 3 and 10 mm corneal diagonal (Vol D3, Vol D10) and surface variance index (ISV).

Systemic Diseases in Patients with Congenital Aniridia: A Report from the Homburg Registry for Congenital Aniridia.

Introduction: Congenital aniridia is increasingly recognized as part of a complex syndrome with numerous ocular developmental anomalies and non-ocular systemic manifestations. This requires comprehensive care and treatment of affected patients. Our purpose was to analyze systemic diseases in patients with congenital aniridia within the Homburg Aniridia Registry.

Lipids, lipid-lowering drugs and the risk of herpes zoster: a Mendelian randomization study.

Observational studies have shown that the risk of developing herpes zoster (HZ) increases with the use of statins. However, there are many confounding factors in observational studies. Therefore, our Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed to explore the causal role of lipids in HZ and to assess the causal impact of lipid-lowering drug targets on HZ risk.

Administration and Monitoring Burden of High-Efficacy Disease-Modifying Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis: A Delphi Consensus of Clinical Experts from Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: The emergence of high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (HE DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS) may pose challenges to the administration and monitoring burden of the therapies. This article presents the results of the Delphi consensus method to generate insights from experts on the administration and monitoring burden of HE DMT in Saudi Arabia with a special focus on cladribine.

Methods: Between January and March 2023, a two-round modified Delphi method was used to establish consensus regarding the administration and monitoring burden of HE DMTs used for MS.

The impact of weight loss after bariatric surgeries on the patient's body image, quality of life, and self-esteem.

Objectives: The objective of this web-based study is to analyze the attributes of bariatric surgery cases ensuing health implications. Additionally, the study seeks to delve into the factors influencing post-bariatric psychological evaluations and the impact of various bariatric surgeries on weight loss and psycho-social assessment scores for patients who had undergone bariatric surgeries within a specific bariatric surgery center in Egypt between January 2017 and January 2024.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study recruited 411 adults who had undergone different bariatric procedures by the same surgical team.

Short-term Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Bilateral Risk-Reducing Mastectomy for Patients at a High Risk for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Background: Bilateral risk-reducing mastectomies (RRMs) have been proven to decrease the risk of breast cancer in patients at high risk owing to family history or having pathogenic genetic mutations. However, few resources with consolidated data have detailed the patient experience following surgery. This systematic review features patient-reported outcomes for patients with no breast cancer history in the year after their bilateral RRM.

Exploring Chronic Pain in Hemodialysis Patients: An Observational Study Based on the New IASP Classification for ICD-11.

Introduction: Pain is one of the most frequently reported symptoms in hemodialyzed (HD) patients, with prevalence rates between 33% and 82%. Risk factors for chronic pain in HD patients are older age, long-lasting dialysis history, several concomitant diseases, malnutrition, and others. However, chronic pain assessment in HD patients is rarely performed by specialists in pain medicine, with relevant consequences in terms of diagnostic and treatment accuracy.

The sarcoma ring trial: a case-based analysis of inter-center agreement across 21 German-speaking sarcoma centers.

Purpose: The management of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) at reference centers with specialized multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTB) improves patient survival. The German Cancer Society (DKG) certifies sarcoma centers in German-speaking countries, promoting high standards of care. This study investigated the variability in treatment recommendations for localized STS across different German-speaking tertiary sarcoma centers.