Chronic Cutaneous and Mucosal Mucormycosis: as a Major Pathogenic Fungus.

Chronic cutaneous mucormycosis is a rare condition distinct from the acute form, characterized by a prolonged, indolent course and varied clinical presentations. This study presents a 5-year experience from a tertiary dermato-mycology clinic, identifying six cases, the majority of whom were immunocompetent, with trauma history reported in four patients. The median duration from symptom onset to diagnosis was 60 months.

Tunable Integrin-Ligand Coupling Strength Modulates Cellular Adaptive Mechanosensing.

Cells sense and respond to the matrix by exerting traction force through binding of integrins to an integrin-specific ligand. Here, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide is covalently conjugated to the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and stem-loop DNA (slDNA) tethers with a tension tolerance of 43pN and immobilized on a PEG substrate. Unlike dsDNA, which is ruptured under high tension, leading to the removal of RGD, slDNA remains bound even when ruptured.

Regulation of the Endocytosis System Using Ultrathin g-CN Nanosheets for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy of Glioma.

Glioma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising treatment method for glioma; however, its efficacy is often hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the need for precise tumor cell targeting. In the present study, a facile strategy is found to enhance the penetration of the BBB and the internalization efficiency by exfoliating the (100) crystal plane of g-CN (CN) using liquid nitrogen, resulting in ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride (CN12) nanosheets with hydroxyl-rich surfaces.

Id2 exacerbates the development of rheumatoid arthritis by increasing IFN-γ production in CD4 T cells.

Purpose: This research investigates the role of inhibitor of differentiation 2 (Id2) in the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines, specifically interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-17 (IL-17), by various subsets of T cells, and its pathogenic role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Flow cytometry was employed to assess T-cell activation and Id2 expression in 72 RA patients and 23 healthy controls. In vitro, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were treated with either an Id2 inhibitor or a T-cell co-stimulation inhibitor.

Host FSTL1 defines the impact of stem cell therapy on liver fibrosis by potentiating the early recruitment of inflammatory macrophages.

Adult stem cell therapy holds great promise for treating decompensated liver cirrhosis on the basis of animal studies, despite uncertainty about its clinical therapeutic efficacy and unclear underlying mechanisms. Here, we investigated the role of follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1), a profibrotic and proinflammatory matricellular protein, in inflammation-related heterogeneity in stem cell therapy. Our results showed that a high level of circulating FSTL1 is significantly correlated with therapeutic response in patients with cirrhosis.

[Preliminary study on the value of serum pepsinogen in differentiating autoimmune gastritis].

This study identifies independent predictive indicators to distinguish autoimmune gastritis from ()-induced atrophic gastritis and validates their diagnostic performance to compare laboratory indicators of autoimmune gastritis and -induced atrophic gastritis. A retrospective comparison of laboratory examination indicators was conducted for chronic atrophic gastritis patients with involvement of the gastric fundus and corpus, who were followed up at the Department of Gastroenterology, Xijing Hospital, from January 2014 to September 2024. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to determine the optimal cutoff points and corresponding diagnostic thresholds.

Low-level exposure to environmental lithium element affects male reproductive outcomes: Results from the MARHCS cohort study in Chongqing, China and in vivo animal experiments.

This study examined the effects of lithium exposure at environmental levels on semen quality and sex hormone levels. Questionnaires and biological samples were collected from 582 college students recruited in Chongqing, China. Sex hormones and semen parameters were measured by ELISA and CASA, respectively.

New mouse models for exploring renal tumor extension into the inferior vena cava.

Renal tumors with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (IVCTT) remain a challenge in urology. However, in vivo models remain unavailable, which hampers the elucidation of its pathogenesis, identification of therapeutic targets, and screening for effective drugs. In this study, we initially develop two IVCTT models in BALB/c and BALB/c-nu/nu mice using the mouse Renca cell line.

CENPF (+) cancer cells promote malignant progression of early-stage TP53 mutant lung adenocarcinoma.

The prevention and precise treatment of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) characterized by small nodules (stage IA) remains a significant challenge for clinicians, which is due largely to the limited understanding of the oncogenic mechanisms spanning from preneoplasia to invasive adenocarcinoma. Our study highlights the pivotal role of cancer cells exhibiting high expression of centromere protein F (CENPF), driven by TP53 mutations, which become increasingly prevalent during the transition from preneoplasia to invasive LUAD. Biologically, cancer cells (CENPF+) exhibited robust proliferative and stem-like capabilities, thereby propelling the malignant progression of early-stage LUAD.

Risk stratification model for predicting distant metastasis after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A multi-institutional analysis.

Distant metastasis after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) significantly impairs long-term outcome. This study aimed to identify patterns, risk factors, and develop a prediction model for distant metastasis at first recurrence following HCC resection. This multi-center retrospective study included patients undergoing curative hepatectomy for HCC.

Glutamatergic projections from the basolateral amygdala to medial prefrontal cortex contribute to acute itch sensation processing.

Itch refers to an aversive sensation that generates a desire to scratch. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) activity is crucial in driving motivation, sensation, and emotional responses. Excitatory projections from the BLA play a vital role in turning neuronal activity throughout the brain, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).

Matrix Viscoelasticity Orchestrates Osteogenesis via Mechanotransduction Mediated Metabolic Switch in Macrophages.

Understanding the interplay between extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics and macrophage cellular processes is crucial for bone regeneration. While ECM stiffness has been extensively studied, the role of ECM viscoelasticity (e.g.

Targeting the Galectin-7/TRPM2/Zn/DRP-1 Signaling Pathway: A Potential Therapeutic Intervention in the Pathogenesis of SJS/TEN.

Background: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) represent a spectrum of severe drug-induced cutaneous reactions. These conditions are characterized by widespread and confluent keratinocyte apoptosis, which differentiates them from erythema multiforme (EM). Mounting evidence has implicated the mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathway in the pathogenesis of SJS/TEN, but the potential roles and specific mechanisms of these pathways in SJS/TEN remain largely unexplored.

Submental Microneedles of Botulinum Toxin A for Double Chin After Neck Injection.

Neck injections of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) are an effective, minimally invasive approach to improve lower face sagging, especially in Asian populations. However, cases of worsened "double chin" have been observed postinjection, likely due to the platysma muscle type and limited anterior neck injection range, which may result in compensatory platysma contraction. Five female patients who developed aggravated double chin after BTX-A injections in the lower jaw and neck were treated with microneedle BTX-A injections (10-20 U in 3-4 rows with 0.

Global research dynamics in urea cycle disorders: a bibliometric study highlighting key players and future directions.

Background: This study aims to explore the research hotspots and trends of urea cycle disorders through bibliometric analysis.

Methods: Using the Web of Science Core Collection as the database, we retrieved literature published from 2007 to 2024. We utilized CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix R package to conduct a bibliometric visualization analysis, including the number of publications, citation frequency, publishing countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords.

CD36 Promotes Iron Accumulation and Dysfunction in CD8+ T Cells via the p38-CEBPB-TfR1 Axis in Early-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: The identification of factors that lead to CD8⁺ T cell dysfunction within the tumor microenvironment (TME) holds great promise for the development of innovative immunotherapies. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the exhausted phenotype of CD8⁺ T cells infiltrating early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumors remains unclear.

Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed using a murine HCC model.

Comparative accuracy of osteoporosis risk assessment tools in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX, threshold ≥9.3 %), Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Instrument (ORAI, ≥9), Osteoporosis Index of Risk (OSIRIS, <1), Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool (OST, <2), and Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation (SCORE, ≥6) have been endorsed by the US Preventive Services Task Force for evaluating the need for bone mineral density measurement by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in postmenopausal women.

Objective: To systematically compare the sensitivity and specificity of the five osteoporosis risk assessment tools for detecting bone mineral density-defined osteoporosis.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress: Triggers Microenvironmental Regulation and Drives Tumor Evolution.

Background: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) serves as a crucial hub for protein synthesis and processing, playing an essential role in maintaining protein homeostasis. Perturbations, such as hypoxia, oxidative stress, inadequate amino acid supply, Ca imbalance, and acidosis, can disrupt cellular equilibrium and result in the accumulation of misfolded/unfolded proteins within the ER lumen. This triggers ER stress.

The molecular and metabolic landscape of ferroptosis in respiratory diseases: Pharmacological aspects.

Ferroptosis is a form of cell death that occurs when there is an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and iron accumulation. The precise regulation of metabolic pathways, including iron, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, is crucial for cell survival. This type of cell death, which is associated with oxidative stress, is controlled by a complex network of signaling molecules and pathways.

LA-peptide Hydrogel-Regulation of macrophage and fibroblast fates and their crosstalk via attenuating TGF-β to promote scarless wound healing.

The homeostasis of the wound microenvironment is fundamental for scarless wound healing, while the excessive accumulation of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the wound microenvironment always leads to hypertrophic scars (HS) formation by regulating cell fates and crosstalk among various types of cells, such as macrophages and fibroblasts. This study reports that an injectable, self-assembling LA-peptide hydrogel has the potential to facilitate scarless cutaneous wound healing through dynamically adsorbing TGF-β within the wound environment. We found that the released LA peptides led to the suppression of both the PI3K/Akt and TGF-β/Smad2/3 pathways in macrophages and fibroblasts.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of craniofacial soft tissue injuries in a plastic emergency department in Xi'an, China: a retrospective study of 22887 patients from 2019 to 2023.

Objective: This study aims to describe the epidemiological features of craniofacial soft tissue injuries in a major plastic emergency department in northwest China.

Methods: A retrospective review of emergency medical records (2019-2023) was conducted for craniofacial soft tissue injury patients. Demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed, stratified by age and with consideration of the COVID-19 period.

Oral health conditions and unmet need among Chinese male adults: a national oral health survey.

Background: Based on the present global burden of oral diseases, unmet dental needs affect a more significant population worldwide. It is characterized by the need for dental care but receiving delayed or no care. Contributing factors include a lack of knowledge about oral health, its consequences, and the availability of dental services.

Association of Life's Essential 8 and Life's Simple 7 with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in the United States.

Background: Cardiovascular health (CVH) plays a crucial role in overall health, but its association with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) remains unclear.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between CVH, measured using Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and Life's Simple 7 (LS7), and the prevalence of MAFLD.

Methods: This cross-sectional study had a sample of 2234 individuals, representing approximately 120 million individuals in the United States.

Carbon dioxide alleviates platelet storage lesions via stimulating fatty acid metabolism and reducing platelet glucose consumption.

Background: The timely administration of platelet transfusions is critical for patient survival, and the clinical demand for platelet transfusions has been steadily increasing. However, platelet storage lesions (PSLs) that develop during preservation exacerbate these shortages. The PSL is significantly influenced by various factors, including temperature, gas composition, and buffering systems.