Plasma cell-free DNA assay: a diagnostic tool for tuberculosis lymphadenitis.

Background: Bacterial confirmation in suspected tuberculosis lymphadenitis patients is challenging. This study evaluates plasma cell-free DNA as a diagnostic tool for tuberculosis lymphadenitis.

Methods: A quantitative PCR assay targeting IS, IS, and genes was performed on plasma samples.

PADI4 facilitates stem-like properties and cisplatin resistance through upregulating PRMT2/IDs family in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly lethal cancer characterized by its aggressive nature and chemotherapy resistance. Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PADI4) regulates protein citrullination and is associated with various cancer developments. The role of PADI4 in OSCC progression and chemoresistance remains unexplored.

Notch1 Signalling Is Downregulated by Aerobic Exercise, Leading to Improvement of Hepatic Metabolism in Obese Mice.

Background And Aims: Notch1 protein plays a significant role in hepatic metabolism, as evidenced by its correlation with insulin resistance in the livers of obese individuals, making it an intriguing research target. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of aerobic exercise on Notch1 pathways in the hepatic tissue of obese mice and its role in controlling hepatic metabolism.

Methods: Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study utilising liver biopsies from lean and obese humans, as well as an intervention study involving mice subjected to a high-fat diet.

Demonstration of virtual imaging trial applications for optimization and education of dento-maxillofacial CBCT imaging.

Background: A number of studies have suggested that there is a need for improved understanding of dento-maxillofacial cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology, and to establish optimized imaging protocols. While several ex vivo/in vitro studies, along with a few in vivo studies, have addressed this topic, virtual imaging trials could form a powerful alternative but have not yet been introduced within the field of dento-maxillofacial imaging.

Purpose: To introduce and illustrate the potential of utilizing a virtual imaging trial (VIT) platform for dento-maxillofacial CBCT imaging through a number of case studies.

Biophysical modelling of intrinsic cardiac nervous system neuronal electrophysiology based on single-cell transcriptomics.

The intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS), termed as the heart's 'little brain', is the final point of neural regulation of cardiac function. Studying the dynamic behaviour of these ICNS neurons via multiscale neuronal computer models has been limited by the sparsity of electrophysiological data. We developed and analysed a computational library of neuronal electrophysiological models based on single neuron transcriptomic data obtained from ICNS neurons.

Cutting-Edge Therapy and Immune Escape Mechanisms in EBV-Associated Tumors.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the first identified human tumor virus, significantly influences the immune microenvironment of associated cancers. EBV-induced expression of viral antigens by tumor cells triggers immune recognition and elicits a pro-inflammatory response. While mild inflammation may help eliminate malignant cells, intense inflammation can accelerate tumor progression.

ADAM17/PTGS2 Facilitates Pulmonary Fibrosis by Regulating Ferroptosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease characterised by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), resulting in high mortality rates. In this study, we provide evidence that ADAM17/PTGS2 plays a crucial role in inducing ferroptosis in fibroblasts, promoting PF. Initially, an assessment was made of ADAM17 protein levels in patients diagnosed with connective tissue diseases-interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILD), using ELISA assays.

Genetic Insights Into Recurrent Granular Cell Tumours in an Adolescent: The Role of Cytology and Next-Generation Sequencing in the Diagnosis of RASopathies.

Rasopathies are a group of genetic disorders that involve abnormal Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (RAS/MAPK) pathway signalling, which has a mechanistic approach to defining genetic syndromes and makes them unique. Noonan syndrome, a form of RASopathy, occurs with advanced paternal age and has an autosomal dominant inheritance. It has been suggested that aberrant RAS/MAPK pathway cell signalling may cause multiple benign granular cell tumours.

Downregulated expression of dual-specificity phosphatase-1 in multiple myeloma as a predictor of poor survival outcomes.

Objectives: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematological malignancy, Dual-specificity phosphatase-1 (DUSP1) plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of various tumors. Here, we aim to elucidate the role of DUSP1 in MM.

Methods: DUSP1 mRNA expression was analyzed based on public datasets, and protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry.

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests after subacromial lidocaine injection and ultrasonography for evaluating supraspinatus tendon disorder.

Background: Accurate pathoanatomic diagnosis of the cause of shoulder pain cannot rely solely on clinical tests. Similarly, diagnosis based on imaging results alone is not reliable due to the high prevalence of asymptomatic pathology. This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of clinical testing with lidocaine injection and ultrasonography as a screening method for detecting supraspinatus disorders compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

A Comparative Analysis of Scoring Systems and MRI for Diagnosing Acute Appendicitis in Pregnant Patients.

Introduction: Acute appendicitis (AA) represents the most prevalent indication for general surgical intervention during pregnancy. Despite the development of scoring systems for AA diagnosis, their validation in pregnant patient remains incomplete. Given the growing utilization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), evaluating the accuracy of both scoring systems and MRI in diagnosing AA during pregnancy becomes essential.

The Natural History of Pediatric Cerebellopontine Angle Lipomas.

Objective: To present a series of pediatric patients with cerebellopontine angle (CPA) lipomas in order to understand their natural history and facilitate management recommendations.

Patients: Pediatric patients with a diagnosis of CPA lipoma.

Interventions: Clinical data collected from a single tertiary care center between January 2000 and August 2022.

Discovery of a Pyrazolopyridinone-Based MYC Inhibitor That Selectively Engages Intracellular c-MYC and Disrupts MYC-MAX Heterodimerization.

c-MYC is an oncogenic transcription factor that plays a crucial role in the regulation of downstream targets involved in proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, metabolism, signaling, and immune response processes whose deregulation leads to the progression of different pathologies. The development of selective and potent small-molecule inhibitors of c-MYC remains a grand challenge in chemical biology and medicine due to its undruggability, derived from extensive intrinsic disorder. In this study, we identified a novel dihydro pyrazolo pyridinone scaffold, , that selectively targets c-MYC in cells and disrupts MYC-MAX interaction.

Prenatal Stress Increases the Risk of the FPR2-related Dysfunction in the Brain's Resolution of Inflammation: A Study on the Humanized APPNL-F/NL-F Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Introduction: Brain aging is a complex process involving genetic, neurodevelopmental, and environmental factors. Inherent features of this process are cellular senescence, the development of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and prolonged inflammation.

Methods: Recently, progress has been made in understanding the biological roles of FPR2 receptors and their ligands in the mechanism of inflammation resolution (RoI) in the brain.

Malignant Giant Cell Tumor of Bone: A Clinicopathologic Series of 28 Cases Highlighting Genetic Differences Compared With Conventional, Atypical, and Metastasizing Conventional Tumors.

Giant cell tumors of bone are locally aggressive, frequently harbor H3F3A p.G34W mutations, and rarely undergo malignant transformation. The pathogenesis of malignant transformation remains incompletely characterized.

Effects of Lebanese Folk Herbs on Adult Male Rats: Hepatic and Renal Toxicity, Histological, and Biochemical Studies.

, , , and are frequently consumed as a traditional Middle Eastern medicine to promote health and treat various diseases. However, concerns have been raised about their possible harmful effect in humans. Limited research has examined their chronic toxicity in rats, and their combined exposure effects are still unknown.

Enhanced Antioxidant and Protective Effects of Fermented L. Peel Extracts Against Ultraviolet B-Induced Skin Damage.

: The skin, being the body's outermost organ, plays a vital role in protecting against various external stimuli. Ultraviolet generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), promoting the secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and inducing collagen degradation. Many studies have been conducted to identify natural substances that can prevent or delay the harmful effects of UV.

Impact of Prenatal Dietary Soy on Cerebellar Neurodevelopment and Function in Experimental Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) models can cause neurodevelopmental abnormalities like those observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Previous studies link experimental PAE effects in the brain to impaired signaling through insulin/IGF and Notch pathways that mediate neuronal survival, growth, migration, energy metabolism, and plasticity. Importantly, concurrent administration of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonists or dietary soy prevented many aspects of FASD due to their insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Acerola-Derived Photorepair System for Eliminating Ultraviolet-Induced Pyrimidine Dimers in Human Cells.

: Ultraviolet B (UV-B) is a significant risk factor for skin damage, as it induces cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD), which suppress DNA replication and transcription. Photolyase (PHR) is a blue light-dependent enzyme that repairs DNA damage caused by UV irradiation. While it is absent in human, it plays a crucial role in repairing CPD in other organisms.

Vitamin D Supplementation: Practical Advice in Different Clinical Settings.

A global deficiency in vitamin D is now widely prevalent. Extensive scientific research has provided compelling evidence of the detrimental effects of vitamin D deficiency on the skeletal system. Furthermore, vitamin D supplementation not only helps prevent bone fractures but may also slow the progression of various conditions, such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

Whey Protein Isolate-Encapsulated Astaxanthin Nanoemulsion More Effectively Mitigates Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Dexamethasone-Induced Mice.

Background: Skeletal muscle, as the largest organ in the body and the main protein pool, is crucial for various physiological processes, but atrophy of skeletal muscle can result from glucocorticoids, including dexamethasone, or from aging. Astaxanthin (AST) is a ketocarotenoid with a variety of physiological activities. However, the clinical application of AST is hampered by its strong hydrophobicity, intense off-flavors, and susceptibility to oxidation.

Advanced Materials for Oral Application (Volume 2).

This editorial aims to present the contributions published in the second volume of the Special Issue "Advanced Materials for Oral Application", journal [...

"When the Word Is Too Big, It's Just Too Hard": Stroke Survivors' Perspectives About Health Literacy and Delivery of Health Information.

Health literacy can impact comprehension, recall, and implementation of stroke-related information, especially in the context of cognitive and communication impairments, cultural-linguistic diversity, or ageing. Yet there are few published lived experience perspectives to inform tailoring of health information. We aimed to (i) explore perspectives about the impact of health literacy on information needs and preferences of stroke survivors with diverse characteristics; and (ii) identify ways to better tailor information delivery for stroke survivors with low health literacy.