Target organ damage in untreated hypertensive patients with primary aldosteronism.

An increased risk of target organ damage (TOD) has been reported in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA). However, there is relatively little related research on the correlation between the degree of TOD and those with and without PA in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to assess the association between PA and TOD among patients with newly diagnosed hypertension.

N, N-Dimethyltryptamine, a natural hallucinogen, ameliorates Alzheimer's disease by restoring neuronal Sigma-1 receptor-mediated endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria crosstalk.

Background: Aberrant neuronal Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1r)-mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER)- mitochondria signaling plays a key role in the neuronal cytopathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The natural psychedelic N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a Sig-1r agonist that may have the anti-AD potential through protecting neuronal ER-mitochondrial interplay.

Methods: 3×TG-AD transgenic mice were administered with chronic DMT (2 mg/kg) for 3 weeks and then performed water maze test.

Nontyphoidal salmonella septic arthritis in A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report.

We report a case of septic arthritis in a 43-year-old female patient. Despite initial treatment with ceftriaxone for Nontyphoidal Salmonella based on blood and joint fluid culture results, the shoulder joint pain worsened. Suspected systemic lupus erythematosus associated synovitis did not respond to immunosuppressive therapy including methylprednisolone, hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate.

Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived Exosomes Improved The Aged Mouse IVM Oocytes Quality.

During assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, the aged women, especially those over 35 years old, have fewer mature oocytes and poorer quality of the oocytes comparing with the young women. In vitro maturation (IVM) technology facilitates the usage of immature oocytes, which is clinically important for the aged women. However, the maturation rate is low for the oocytes from the aged women.

Prediabetes is associated with increased cardiac events in patients with cancer who are prescribed anthracyclines.

Background: Prediabetes, which is a precedent of overt diabetes, is a known risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Its impact on adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with cancer who are prescribed anthracycline-containing chemotherapy (ACT) is uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of prediabetes with cardiovascular events in patients with cancer who are prescribed ACT.

Should we perform sigmoidoscopy for colorectal cancer screening in people under 45 years?

Background: The strategy for preventing colorectal cancer is screening by colonoscopy, which offers a direct way for detection and removal of adenomatous polyps (APs). American College of Gastroenterology guidelines recommend that people aged ≥ 45 years should undergo colonoscopy; however, how to deal with people aged ≤ 45 years is still unknown.

Aim: To compare the prevalence of APs and high-grade neoplasia between the left and right colon in patients ≤ 45 years.

Comparison between oral dydrogesterone versus micronized vaginal progesterone gel in clinical outcome within the first HRT-FET cycle: a retrospective analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy of oral dydrogesterone and micronized vaginal progesterone (MVP) gel during the first HRT-FET cycle.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study based on a total of 344 women undergoing their first HRT-FET cycles without Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone agonist (GnRH-a) pretreatment was conducted. All the cycles were allocated to two groups in the reproductive medical center at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital.

Suppression of apoptosis impairs phalangeal joint formation in the pathogenesis of brachydactyly type A1.

Apoptosis occurs during development when a separation of tissues is needed. Synovial joint formation is initiated at the presumptive site (interzone) within a cartilage anlagen, with changes in cellular differentiation leading to cavitation and tissue separation. Apoptosis has been detected in phalangeal joints during development, but its role and regulation have not been defined.

The combination use of inclisiran and statins versus statins alone in the treatment of dyslipidemia in mainland China: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Statin is well-established as a classical lipid-lowering drug, and its cost has reduced considerably in the past years. Inclisiran is a new and effective lipid-lowering drug given as a subcutaneous injection at 6-month intervals. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the combination use of inclisiran and statin versus statin alone for dyslipidemia in the mainland China population.

Elevated ITGA1 levels in type 2 diabetes: implications for cardiac function impairment.

Aims/hypothesis: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is known to contribute to the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, identifying HFpEF in individuals with type 2 diabetes early on is often challenging due to a limited array of biomarkers. This study aims to investigate specific biomarkers associated with the progression of HFpEF in individuals with type 2 diabetes, for the purpose of enabling early detection and more effective management strategies.

Modulating the default mode network: Antidepressant efficacy of transcutaneous electrical cranial-auricular acupoints stimulation targeting the insula.

Background: Transcutaneous electrical cranial-auricular acupoint stimulation (TECAS) is a novel non-invasive therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) that stimulates acupoints innervated by the trigeminal and auricular vagus nerves. However, there are few neuroimaging studies involving the TECAS for the treatment of MDD. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the treatment response and neurological effects of TECAS using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

Vascular injury activates the ELK1/SND1/SRF pathway to promote vascular smooth muscle cell proliferative phenotype and neointimal hyperplasia.

Background: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is the leading cause of vascular stenosis or restenosis. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms and pivotal regulators of the proliferative VSMC phenotype is imperative for precisely preventing neointimal hyperplasia in vascular disease.

Methods: Wire-induced vascular injury and aortic culture models were used to detect the expression of staphylococcal nuclease domain-containing protein 1 (SND1).

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in lumbar disc herniation with posterior ring apophysis fracture: A case report in a 15-year-old child.

Rationale: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with posterior ring apophysis fracture (PRAF) is rather rare in children, and in all age-stratified LDH patients, the incidence of RAF was 5.3% to 7.5%.

Increased S. aureus colonization and reduced antimicrobial peptide expression in erythrodermic psoriasis.

Background: Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a severe and rare condition characterized by prominent erythema and scaling over 75 % of the body surface area. Unlike psoriasis vulgaris (PV), EP carries high risk of systemic involvement, including superficial skin infections and sepsis, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective: To explore the microecological characteristics of EP and detect the levels of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in both skin and serum of EP patients.

Granular cell tumor of the breast: A case report and review of literature.

Background: Granular cell tumor (GCT) of the breast (GCTB) is a rare neoplasm that can exhibit malignant characteristics both clinically and radiologically. This tumor can also coexist and colocalize with breast carcinoma.

Case Summary: We present a patient with this uncommon tumor and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in order to further the knowledge of GCTB and prevent misdiagnosis and overtreatment.

miR-455-5p promotes pathological cardiac remodeling via suppression of PRMT1-mediated Notch signaling pathway.

Pathological cardiac remodeling plays an essential role in the progression of cardiovascular diseases, and numerous microRNAs have been reported to participate in pathological cardiac remodeling. However, the potential role of microRNA-455-5p (miR-455-5p) in this process remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we focused on clarifying the function and searching the direct target of miR-455-5p, as well as exploring its underlying mechanisms in pathological cardiac remodeling.

Risk of hyperkalaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus prescribed with SGLT2 versus DPP-4 inhibitors.

Aims: To investigate the risk of hyperkalaemia in new users of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors vs. dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods And Results: Patients with T2DM who commenced treatment with an SGLT2 or a DPP-4 inhibitor between 2015 and 2019 were collected.

Genipin-activating PPARγ impedes CCR2-mediated macrophage infiltration into postoperative liver to suppress recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

A high postoperative tumour recurrence rate has significantly rendered a poorer prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The aim of this study is to identify a natural compound genipin as a potential and effective candidate to suppress the postoperative recurrence of HCC. Clinical analysis revealed that infiltration of macrophage into the adjacent tissue but not HCC predicted patients' poor prognosis on recurrence-free survival.

Indications of pro-inflammatory cytokines in laparoscopic and open liver resection for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Our clinical practice of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) had achieved better short-term and long-term benefits for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over open liver resection (OLR), but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. This study was to find out whether systemic inflammation plays an important role.

Methods: A total of 103 patients with early-stage HCC under liver resection were enrolled (LLR group, n = 53; OLR group, n = 50).

Clinical Implication of N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Burden in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: From the GUIDE-IT.

This study aimed to explore the prognostic implication of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) burden on heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We performed a post hoc analysis of the GUIDing Evidence Based Therapy Using Biomarker Intensified Treatment in Heart Failure (GUIDE-IT) trial. NT-proBNP burden was defined as the proportion of days with increased NT-proBNP (≥1,800 pg/ml) to the whole observation time.

Single-cell characterization of self-renewing primary trophoblast organoids as modeling of EVT differentiation and interactions with decidual natural killer cells.

Background: Extravillous trophoblast cell (EVT) differentiation and its communication with maternal decidua especially the leading immune cell type natural killer (NK) cell are critical events for placentation. However, appropriate in vitro modelling system and regulatory programs of these two events are still lacking. Recent trophoblast organoid (TO) has advanced the molecular and mechanistic research in placentation.

Scoliosis in osteogenesis imperfecta: identifying the genetic and non-genetic factors affecting severity and progression from longitudinal data of 290 patients.

Background: Scoliosis is widely prevalent among osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) patients, and is progressive with age. However, factors affecting scoliosis in OI are not well known.

Methods: We retrospectively retrieved longitudinal radiographic and clinical records of consecutive OI patients seeking treatments at our hospital from 2014 to 2022, graded their pre-operative spinal conditions into four outcome groups, estimated their progression rates, and descriptively and inferentially analyzed the genetic and non-genetic factors that may affect the outcomes and progression rates.