Euglena gracilis-derived β-glucan ameliorates particulate matter (PM)-induced airway inflammation by modulating nuclear factor kappa B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling pathways in A549 cells and BALB/c mice.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of β-glucan derived from Euglena gracilis (EGB), an edible microalga, on particulate matter (PM)-induced airway inflammation in A549 cells and BALB/c mice. EGB effectively suppressed the mRNA and protein levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8) and mediators (iNOS, COX-2), while inhibiting the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways triggered by PM exposure and reducing nuclear NF-κB levels. Additionally, EGB decreased PM-induced ROS production and increased the protein levels of NRF2 and HO-1, along with genes encoding antioxidant enzymes (catalase, GPx, SOD1), associated with elevated nuclear NRF2 levels.

Quality-adjusted time without symptoms or toxicity analysis of trastuzumab deruxtecan versus trastuzumab emtansine in HER2- positive metastatic breast cancer patients based on secondary use of the DESTINY-Breast03 trial.

Objective: DESTINY-Breast03, a randomised, phase 3 trial, evaluated trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) versus trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)-positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer who progressed on or after treatment with trastuzumab and a taxane. At the current data cut off overall survival analysis, T-DXd demonstrated a substantial improvement in overall survival over T-DM1. This secondary analysis use of DESTINY-Breast03 aimed to further evaluate the treatment differences using quality-adjusted survival time without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST) methods.

Evaluation of Cartilage-Like Matrix Formation in a Nucleus Pulposus-Derived Cartilage Analog Scaffold.

The formation of fibrocartilage in microfracture (MFX) severely limits its long-term outlook. There is consensus in the scientific community that the placement of an appropriate scaffold in the MFX defect site can promote hyaline cartilage formation and improve therapeutic benefit. Accordingly, in this work, a novel natural biomaterial-the cartilage analog (CA)-which met criteria favorable for chondrogenesis, was evaluated in vitro to determine its candidacy as a potential MFX scaffold.

A Narrative and Case-Illustrated Review on Dental Autotransplantation Identifying Current Gaps in Knowledge.

: Permanently replacing missing teeth in the younger population is a clinical challenge. However, dental autotransplantation offers a viable treatment option in this demographic. To be performed predictably, it requires proper diagnoses, planning, and adherence to established guidelines in a multidisciplinary approach.

The Association of Sodium or Potassium Intake Timing with Athens Insomnia Scale Scores: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/objectives: Insomnia is a significant public health problem affecting a large population. Although previous research has explored the relationship between specific nutrients and insomnia, comprehensive analyses of daily eating patterns of macro- and micronutrients remain limited. Since nocturnal hypertension is related to sodium/potassium intake and sleep disturbances, the present cross-sectional study hypothesized that daily eating patterns of potassium and sodium would be associated with Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) scores.

Automatic Reproduction of Natural Head Position in Orthognathic Surgery Using a Geometric Deep Learning Network.

: Accurate determination of the natural head position (NHP) is essential in orthognathic surgery for optimal surgical planning and improved patient outcomes. However, traditional methods encounter reproducibility issues and rely on external devices or patient cooperation, potentially leading to inaccuracies in the surgical plan. : To address these limitations, we developed a geometric deep learning network (NHP-Net) to automatically reproduce NHP from CT scans.

Development of In-Labeled Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting SFTSV Structural Proteins for Molecular Imaging of SFTS Infectious Diseases by SPECT.

No effective vaccines or treatments are currently available for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), a fatal tick-borne infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). This study evaluated the potential of In-labeled anti-SFTSV antibodies targeting SFTSV structural proteins as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging agents for the selective visualization of SFTSV-infected sites. This study used nuclear medicine imaging to elucidate the pathology of SFTS and assess its therapeutic efficacy.

Medication use is associated with distinct microbial features in anxiety and depression.

This study investigated the relationship between gut microbiota and neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs), specifically anxiety disorder (ANXD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD), as defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV or V criteria. The study also examined the influence of medication use, particularly antidepressants and/or anxiolytics, classified through the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System, on the gut microbiota. Both 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (16S) and shallow shotgun sequencing (WGS) were performed on DNA extracted from 666 fecal samples from the Tulsa-1000 and Neurocomputational Mechanisms of Affiliation and Personality Study Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (NeuroMAP CoBRE) cohorts.

Sitravatinib in combination with nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a phase 1 trial.

We conducted a phase I trial to determine the optimal dose of triplet therapy with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sitravatinib plus nivolumab plus ipilimumab in 22 previously untreated patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), 1-year survival probability, and sitravatinib pharmacokinetics.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation Using Right Posterior Section Graft in a Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Hepatitis C Virus-Coinfected Patient With Hemophilia: A Case Report.

Background: Liver transplantation is an important treatment option for liver cirrhosis in patients with HIV/HCV coinfection. In Japan, the limited number of deceased donors may force the selection of living donor liver transplantation. Appropriate graft selection is the key to success.

Fractionation and identification of ocular protective compounds from kochiae fructus against oxidative damage in retinal pigment epithelium cells.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Kochiae Fructus, the ripe fruit of Kochia scoparia, is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used to treat eye discomforts and vision problems. Although Kochiae Fructus is mentioned in many classical Chinese medical texts, its protective effects and the roles of its active phytochemicals in eye treatment still lack scientific exploration.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to clarify the protective effects and identify the active fractions and compounds of Kochiae Fructus against oxidative stress-induced retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell death.

Enhancement of health beneficial bioactivities of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) by puffing.

Effects of puffing and extraction method on physical and biological efficacy of bitter melon was investigated. Puffing increased the Maillard reaction products, extraction yield, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. Antioxidant activity was the highest at 980 kPa, but there was no significant difference between two extraction methods.

Risk factors of short-term poor functional outcomes and long-term durability of ruptured large or giant intracranial aneurysms.

Objective: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. In particular, functional outcomes of SAH caused by large or giant (≥ 10 mm) ruptured intracranial aneurysms are worsened by high procedure-related complication rates. However, studies describing the risk factors for poor functional outcomes specific to ruptured large/giant aneurysms are sparse.

Chromatin conformation, gene transcription, and nucleosome remodeling as an emergent system.

In single cells, variably sized nanoscale chromatin structures are observed, but it is unknown whether these form a cohesive framework that regulates RNA transcription. Here, we demonstrate that the human genome is an emergent, self-assembling, reinforcement learning system. Conformationally defined heterogeneous, nanoscopic packing domains form by the interplay of transcription, nucleosome remodeling, and loop extrusion.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells in Humans Exhibit Resistance to Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) Owing to the Diminished Level of Hsa-miR-125a-5p.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents an escalating public health challenge globally. However, drug resistance has emerged as a major impediment to successful HCC treatment, limiting the efficacy of curative interventions. Despite numerous investigations into the diverse impacts of hsa-miR-125a-5p on tumor growth across different cancer types, its specific involvement in chemotherapy resistance in HCC remains elusive.

Impact of Nurse Staffing Levels on Patient Fall Rates: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study in General Wards in Japan.

: Falls are common adverse events among hospitalized patients, affecting outcomes and placing a financial burden on patients and hospitals. This study investigated the relationship between nurse staffing/workload and patient falls during hospitalization. : The patients studied were hospitalized in the general wards (excluding pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology) of 11 National Hospital Organization institutions between April 2019 and March 2020.

Association Between Dynapenia/Sarcopenia, Extrapyramidal Symptoms, Negative Symptoms, Body Composition, and Nutritional Status in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia.

This study aimed to determine the association between chronic schizophrenia, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPSs), body composition, nutritional status, and dynapenia/sarcopenia. Data from 68 chronic patients with schizophrenia were analyzed using Spearman's rho correlation coefficients, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Cramér's V statistics. Among the participants, 32.

An Ontology-Based Approach for Understanding Appendicectomy Processes and Associated Resources.

Background: Traditional methods for analysing surgical processes often fall short in capturing the intricate interconnectedness between clinical procedures, their execution sequences, and associated resources such as hospital infrastructure, staff, and protocols.

Aim: This study addresses this gap by developing an ontology for appendicectomy, a computational model that comprehensively represents appendicectomy processes and their resource dependencies to support informed decision making and optimise appendicectomy healthcare delivery.

Methods: The ontology was developed using the NeON methodology, drawing knowledge from existing ontologies, scholarly literature, and de-identified patient data from local hospitals.

"In the spectrum of people who are healthy": Views of individuals at risk of dementia on using neurotechnology for cognitive enhancement.

Neurotechnological cognitive enhancement has become an area of intense scientific, policy, and ethical interest. However, while work has increasingly focused on ethical views of the general public, less studied are those with personal connections to cognitive impairment. Using a mixed-methods design, we surveyed attitudes regarding implantable neurotechnological cognitive enhancement in individuals who self-identified as having increased likelihood of developing dementia (n=25; 'Our Study'), compared to a nationally representative sample of Americans (n=4726; 'Pew Study').

The importance of clinical experience in AI-assisted corneal diagnosis: verification using intentional AI misleading.

We developed an AI system capable of automatically classifying anterior eye images as either normal or indicative of corneal diseases. This study aims to investigate the influence of AI's misleading guidance on ophthalmologists' responses. This cross-sectional study included 30 cases each of infectious and immunological keratitis.

Alleviation of liver fibrosis by inhibiting a non-canonical ATF4-regulated enhancer program in hepatic stellate cells.

Liver fibrosis is a critical liver disease that can progress to more severe manifestations, such as cirrhosis, yet no effective targeted therapies are available. Here, we identify that ATF4, a master transcription factor in ER stress response, promotes liver fibrosis by facilitating a stress response-independent epigenetic program in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Unlike its canonical role in regulating UPR genes during ER stress, ATF4 activates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene transcription under fibrogenic conditions.

Evaluating student understanding of pharmacodynamics core concepts.

Pharmacodynamics is an essential subdiscipline of pharmacology that underpins safe and effective prescribing and therapeutic decision-making, as well as drug discovery and development. The exponential increase in the number of therapeutic drugs has prompted members of the pharmacology educator community to question existing pharmacology curricula focused on individual drugs and move toward a curriculum focused on conceptual understanding. A first step towards conceptual understanding is to establish what students currently know about pharmacodynamic core concepts.

Identification of key gene signatures for predicting chemo-immunotherapy efficacy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer using machine learning.

Objectives: The lack of definitive biomarkers presents a significant challenge for chemo-immunotherapy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). We aimed to identify key genes associated with chemo-immunotherapy efficacy in ES-SCLC through comprehensive gene expression analysis using machine learning (ML).

Methods: A prospective multicenter cohort of patients with ES-SCLC who received first-line chemo-immunotherapy was analyzed.

Hepatitis B virus genotypes A1 and A2 have distinct replication phenotypes due to polymorphisms in the HBx gene.

HBV genotype A has two major subtypes, A1 (commonly in Africa) and A2 (commonly in Europe) with only 4% nucleotide differences. Individuals infected with these two subtypes appear to have different clinical manifestations and virologic features. Whether such a difference results from the virus or host has not been established.