Increasing collagen synthesis in fibroblasts: The roles of PCL microspheres and the SAMD11-PLOD1 axis in skin rejuvenation.

The degradation of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen and elastin with aging leads to skin sagging. Polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres are used as facial fillers because of their ability to provide volume, biodegradability, and collagen-stimulating properties. The direct biological effects of PCL microspheres on fibroblasts, particularly in stimulating sustained collagen production, require further investigation.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation ameliorates testicular damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion through reshaping macrophage and neutrophil inflammatory properties.

Background: Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is the main pathophysiology of testicular torsion-detorsion (T/D). However, there is no safe and effective treatment for testicular I/R injury.

Methods: The levels of NAD related genes were measured in the sham group, I/R + saline-treated group, and I/R + NMN-treated group by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR).

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with lenvatinib and immune checkpoint inhibitor versus lenvatinib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter study with propensity score and coarsened exact matching.

Purpose: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with lenvatinib (Len) and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still needs further confirmation. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of HAIC combined with Len and ICI (HAIC + Len + ICI) versus Len alone in advanced HCC.

Methods: A total of 290 patients in Len group and 349 patients in HAIC + Len + ICI group were analysed.

Dietary risk factors in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: a cohort study with paired healthy relatives as controls.

Purpose: Conflicting results have been reported on dietary factors in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Here, we compared the dietary intakes of IBD patients with those of paired healthy relatives (HRs), aiming to minimize the impact of genetic and environmental confounders.

Methods: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD, N = 45) and ulcerative colitis (UC, N = 20), their paired HRs (N = 45, N = 20) and healthy non-relative (HNR, N = 25, N = 55) controls were recruited.

A Biomimetic Sweeping Microrobot for Active Therapy of Ulcerative Colitis.

Overproduction of pathogenic cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays crucial roles in the onset and perpetuation of ulcerative colitis (UC). Inspired by sweeping robots, a magnesium@polylactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer@polyethylenimine (Mg@PLGA@PEI) microswimmer capable of cleaning off deleterious disease triggers along its path of progress is designed. Mg@PLGA@PEI is successfully synthesized by adopting a core-shell structure with a small opening which allows for Mg-water reaction.

Electroactive Dressing with Selective Sorption of Exudate Enables Treatment of Complicated Wound.

Exudate management and cell activity enhancement are vital to complicated wound healing. However, current exudate management dressings indiscriminately remove exudate, which is detrimental to cell activity enhancement. Herein, a novel class of electroactive bilayer (cMO/PVA) dressing is developed by constructing manganese oxide nanoneedle-clusters decorated commercial carbon cloth (MO), in situ casting polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel, and finally charging.

Methylseleninic Acid Elevating the Nrf2-GPX4 Axis Relieves Endothelial Dysfunction and Ferroptosis Induced by Arsenic Exposure.

Chronic exposure to arsenic (As), a ubiquitous contaminant, poses deleterious health risks to humans, including cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have implicated ferroptosis, in which the essential micronutrient selenium (Se) plays a crucial role, in several As-induced pathological processes. However, whether Se can counteract As-induced endothelial dysfunction through ferroptosis remains unclear.

Rare multiple schwannomas of the left upper extremity: A case report.

Schwannomas are rare benign neoplasms originating from Schwann cells of peripheral nerve sheaths. The current study presents a distinctive case involving multiple schwannomas along the peripheral nerves of the left upper extremity. The patient exhibited multiple gradually enlarging subcutaneous masses distributed along the nerves of the left upper limb, without pain, neurological deficits or a positive Tinel's sign upon physical examination.

Bacterial metabolites: Effects on the development of breast cancer and therapeutic efficacy (Review).

Evidence suggests that various gut metabolites significantly impact breast cancer (BC) and its treatment. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood and require further investigation. In the present study, the current literature was reviewed to evaluate the roles of microbial metabolites in the development of BC and its response to treatment.

The impact of frequency-specific music stimulation on consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of frequency-specific music stimulation on the awareness and brain connectivity in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC).

Methods: A total of 25 DOC patients were exposed to auditory stimulation through music at varying frequencies (low: <0.5 Hz, middle: 0.

Elevated body roundness index increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese patients with circadian syndrome.

Objective: The body roundness index (BRI) and circadian syndrome (CircS) are considered new risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet it remains uncertain whether elevated BRI is associated with CVD incidence in CircS patients. In this study, we investigated the association between BRI and CVD occurrence among CircS participants.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 8,888 participants aged ≥45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011-2020 wave).

Develop and validate machine learning models to predict the risk of depressive symptoms in older adults with cognitive impairment.

Background: Cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms are prevalent and closely interrelated mental health issues in the elderly. Traditional methods for identifying depressive symptoms in this population often lack effectiveness. Machine learning provides a promising alternative for developing predictive models that can facilitate early identification and intervention.

Sex differences in the relationship between body mass index in Chinese adolescents and future risk of hypertension: a decade-long cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) during adolescence and the future risk of developing hypertension, with a particular focus on potential sex differences.

Methods: This study was a secondary analysis based on a cohort study involving 2,020 adolescents aged 10-15 years who underwent health check-ups at the MJ Health Screening Center between 1999 and 2008. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association between BMI and hypertension risk, with stratification by gender.

CD44v6-mediated regulation of gastric cancer stem cells: a potential therapeutic target.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an essential role in tumor initiation, development, and chemoresistance. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate CSC traits in gastric cancer, particularly the role of CD44v6 as a key CSC marker, remain poorly understood.

MGAT4EP promotes tumor progression and serves as a prognostic marker for breast cancer.

Breast cancer remains a global health challenge with varied prognoses despite treatment advancements. Therefore, this study explores the pseudogene MGAT4EP as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in breast cancer. Using TCGA data and bioinformatics, MGAT4EP was identified as significantly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues and associated with poor prognosis.

Oral hygiene is independently associated with early stroke-associated pneumonia in hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke: An observational study.

Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is a major stroke complication. Oral microorganisms are important contributors to SAP. Here, we aimed to investigate whether oral hygiene is associated with early SAP (<72 h of stroke onset) in patients with ischemic stroke.

Robust Acid-Responsive AILE Luminescence Effect Nanoparticle for Drug Release Monitoring and Induction of Apoptosis in Cancer Cells.

Through the PFOEP-SO3(-) + multidrug molecules constructed nanoparticle (NP) experiments and validated by molecular simulation docking experiments, we propose a molecular interaction principle for inducing aggregation-induced locally excited emission (AILE) luminescence from fluorenone (FO)-based conjugated polymers (CPs). Based on this molecular interaction mechanism, we constructed a NP built by π-π stacking. The NPs demonstrate facile synthesis, robust stability, and high drug-loading efficiency, enabling tumor-specific drug release in acidic lysosomal environments (pH 3.

Imbalance of bladder neurohomeostasis by Myosin 5a aggravates diabetic cystopathy.

Background: Diabetic cystopathy (DCP) is linked to bladder nerve conduction disorders, with diabetes-induced neuropathy impairing nerve signal transmission and causing bladder dysfunction. Myosin 5a, vital for neuronal transport, has been linked to neurological disorders, though its role in DCP remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate whether Myosin 5a plays a potential regulatory role in Diabetic Cystopathy.

The Role of Coagulation/Fibrinolysis Biomarkers in Pathophysiology, Disease Severity, and Treatment Response in Patients with Urticaria: A Scoping Review.

The pathology of urticaria is complex. Recently, researchers have widely focused on the role that the coagulation/fibrinolysis system plays in the pathology of urticaria. The potential of coagulation/fibrinolysis biomarkers as disease severity or treatment response biomarkers remains uncertain, lacking comprehensive analysis in previous studies.

Chinese Association of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Superficial Organs and Peripheral Vessels Committee Expert Consensus on Selected Common Clinical Issues in Parathyroid Ultrasound (2024 Edition).

Parathyroid ultrasound is widely used in clinical practice and plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of parathyroid diseases. Nevertheless, ultrasound physicians frequently encounter a number of challenges and doubts in their professional practice. For this reason, Superficial Organs and Peripheral Vessels Committee of Chinese Association of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering has formulated the expert consensus on certain common clinical problems of parathyroid ultrasound based on the current research progress and clinical experience, in order to guide the clinical practice.

Addressing underestimation and explanation of retinal fundus photo-based cardiovascular disease risk score: Algorithm development and validation.

Objective: To resolve the underestimation problem and investigate the mechanism of the AI model which employed to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores from retinal fundus photos.

Methods: An ordinal regression Deep Learning (DL) model was proposed to predict 10-year CVD risk scores. The mechanism of the DL model in understanding CVD risk was explored using methods such as transfer learning and saliency maps.

Ethylene Oxide Exposure and Its Association with Serum Neurofilaments Light Chain Levels in the General Population.

Objective: This study explored the association between ethylene oxide exposure, a human carcinogen, and serum neurofilament light (sNfL) levels, a potential biomarker for neurological disorders, using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, focusing on sNfL levels, ethylene oxide exposure, socio-demographics, and comorbidities. Multiple regressions and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses assessed the relationship between ethylene oxide and ln-transformed sNfL levels, with stratified analyses for subgroups.

LncRNA Growth Arrest Specific 5 Promotes Glucose Metabolism Reprogramming Via the IGF2BP1/SIX1 Axis and Inhibits Ferroptosis of Endothelial Progenitor Cells Via the miR-23a-3p/SLC7A11 Axis in Coronary Heart Disease.

Background: Growth arrest specific 5 (GAS5) is a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that regulates the function of cardiovascular cells in various cardiovascular diseases. The current study delved into the regulation of GAS5 on the function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and its potential regulatory mechanism in coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods: Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect GAS5 expression in the blood samples and EPCs from CHD patients and healthy controls.

Clip-stone and T clip-sinus post laparoscopic biliary surgery: Two case reports and review of the literature.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) are widely used in gallbladder and biliary tract diseases. During these procedures, vessels or tissues are commonly ligated using clips. However, postoperative migration of clips to the common bile duct (CBD) or T-tube sinus tract is an overlooked complication of laparoscopic biliary surgery.

Long-term survival outcomes of duodenal adenocarcinoma: A cohort study with 15-year single-center experience.

Background: Duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA), a rare gastrointestinal malignancy, lacks clear natural history and management strategies. This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients with DA, focusing on long-term survival and the impact of tumor characteristics, surgery, and adjuvant therapy.

Aim: To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a hospital-based cohort study in our 15-year experience with DA aimed at investigating the long-term outcomes of the patients with DA, along with analyzing the impact of the tumor characteristics, operations and adjuvant therapy on survival outcomes.