Impact of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis on quality of life and locomotive syndrome in community-dwelling older adults: the Yakumo study.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a common disease in older adults that causes extensive spinal ankylosis. However, its impact on quality of life (QOL) and locomotive syndrome (LS) remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the DISH effect on QOL and LS in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.

The degree of cross-linking of polyacrylic acid affects the fibrogenicity in rat lungs.

Polyacrylic acid (PAA) with different concentrations of cross-linker was instilled into the trachea of rats to examine the effect of PAA crosslink density on lung disorders. Methods: F344 rats were intratracheally exposed to low and high doses of PAA with cross-linker concentrations of 0.1, 1.

Clinical characteristics and predictive biomarkers of intensive care unit-acquired weakness in patients with cardiogenic shock requiring mechanical circulatory support.

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is recognized as newly-acquired bilateral muscle weakness, which is a complication of critical illness in the ICU; however, there are no reports on the pathogenesis and early predictors of ICU-AW specifically associated with cardiogenic shock (CS). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of ICU-AW in patients with CS requiring mechanical circulatory support (MCS). This study was a single-center, prospective, and observational study.

Spinal CRH facilitates the micturition reflex via the CRH2 receptor in rats with normal bladder and bladder outlet obstruction.

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) significantly affect patient quality of life. Treatment options for bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (a common cause of LUTS) are insufficient to relieve discomfort. As the incidence of BPH is increasing, new pharmacological targets for LUTS treatment are required.

Displacement MMG-based estimation of dynamic muscle viscoelasticity in the quadriceps during passive pedaling.

We explore the correlation between muscle viscoelasticity and displacement mechanomyography (DMMG) during passive joint movement. Current methods for assessing muscle viscoelasticity (which is essential for rehabilitation and sports conditioning) are limited in terms of simplicity, objectivity, and portability. We introduce a novel methodology employing DMMG during passive pedaling to evaluate these properties.

Decreased nitric oxide production is a novel therapeutic target for salt-induced nocturnal polyuria in aging.

Nocturnal polyuria is a major cause of nocturia, which affects quality of life. Aging-related decreases in nitric oxide production have been reported to contribute to salt-induced nocturnal polyuria. We posited that enhanced nitric oxide production from exercise could mitigate salt-induced nocturnal polyuria.

Differences in clinical characteristics between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has brought major challenges to the global health system, and influenza is also a problem that cannot be ignored. We aimed to explore and compare the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 and influenza to deepen the understanding of these two diseases and provide some guidance for clinicians to make differential diagnoses. We searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for articles and performed a meta-analysis using Stata 14.

Activation of lysophagy by a TBK1-SCF-TMEM192-TAX1BP1 axis in response to lysosomal damage.

Lysophagy eliminates damaged lysosomes and is crucial to cellular homeostasis; however, its underlying mechanisms are not entirely understood. We screen a ubiquitination-related compound library and determine that the substrate recognition component of the SCF-type E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, SCF(FBXO3), which is a critical lysophagy regulator. Inhibition of FBXO3 reduces lysophagy and lysophagic flux in response to L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester (LLOMe).

Dynamic omniphobic surfaces enable the stable dropwise condensation of completely wetting refrigerants.

Condensation is a vital process integral to numerous industrial applications. Enhancing condensation efficiency through dropwise condensation on hydrophobic surfaces is well-documented. However, no surfaces have been able to repel liquids with extremely low surface tension, such as fluorinated solvents, during condensation, as they nucleate and completely wet even the most hydrophobic interfaces.

PARP inhibition-associated heterochromatin confers increased DNA replication stress and vulnerability to ATR inhibition in SMARCA4-deficient cells.

DNA replication stress (RS), a prevalent feature of various malignancies, arises from both genetic mutations and genotoxic exposure. Elevated RS levels increase the vulnerability of cancer cells to ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase inhibitors (ATRis). Here, we screened for DNA damage response inhibitors that enhance ATRi-induced cytotoxicity using SWI/SNF complex-deficient cells and identified a potent synergy between ATRi and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi), particularly in SMARCA4-deficient cells.

Nanoconfinement-Driven Energy-Efficient CO2 Capture and Release at High Pressures on a Unique Large-Pore Mesoporous Carbon.

Although microporous carbons can perform well for CO2 separations under high pressure conditions, their energy-demanding regeneration may render them a less attractive material option. Here, we developed a large-pore mesoporous carbon with pore sizes centered around 20-30 nm using a templated technical lignin. During the soft-templating process, unique cylindrical supramolecular assemblies form from the copolymer template.

Interleaflet Translocation of Second-Harmonic-Generation-Active Dye Molecules in Phospholipid Bilayers with Transmembrane Pores.

Second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements using SHG-active dye molecules have recently attracted attention as a method to detect the formation of pores in phospholipid bilayers. The bilayers, in which the dye molecules are embedded in the outer leaflet, exhibit a noncentrosymmetric structure, generating SHG signals. However, when pores form, these dye molecules translocate through the pores into the inner leaflet, leading to a more centrosymmetric structure and the subsequent loss of the SHG signals.

Near-neutral pH sensing by azoheteroarene dyes.

We serendipitously discovered a novel series of azoheteroarene dyes capable of detecting pH variations in near-neutral solutions. These dyes feature thiazole, thiadiazole, triazole, pyrazole, or benzothiazole heteroaryls linked to hydroxyphenyl azo groups. They exhibit distinctive light absorption properties in aqueous solutions and show notable color changes in a narrow pH range, visible to the naked eye.

Transcription and epigenetic factor dynamics in neuronal activity-dependent gene regulation.

Neuronal activity, including sensory-evoked and spontaneous firing, regulates the expression of a subset of genes known as activity-dependent genes. A key issue in this process is the activation and accumulation of transcription factors (TFs), which bind to cis-elements at specific enhancers and promoters, ultimately driving RNA synthesis through transcription machinery. Epigenetic factors such as histone modifiers also play a crucial role in facilitating the specific binding of TFs.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolic profiling and sensory evaluation of greenhouse mangoes (Mangifera indica L. 'Irwin') over multiple harvest seasons.

Compared to outdoor mango cultivation in the tropics, greenhouse cultivation in temperate regions is less reported due to its short history and small scale. Here, we evaluated for the first time the taste-focused quality of greenhouse-grown mangoes (Irwin) by GC-MS metabolic profiling and sensory evaluation for over three years (2021-2023). The relative standard deviation in sensory evaluation scores was approximately 15 % each year.

Z-DNA at the crossroads: untangling its role in genome dynamics.

DNA can fold into noncanonical left-handed Z-DNA conformation beyond the right-handed B-DNA. While its crystal structure was discovered nearly four decades ago, it was predominantly considered a structural curiosity. Recent evidence suggests that Z-DNA formation occurs in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), with significant biological implications.

Overcoming the technical challenge of venous resection with pancreatectomy: Which factors determine survival?

Background: Pancreatectomy with venous resection (PVR) is nowadays considered standard. However, there is still concern about increased postoperative morbidity and impaired long-term outcome depending on the type of venous resection and reconstruction. The aim was to investigate the predictors of morbidity and long-term survival in patients undergoing PVR in a high-volume center.

Impact of variations in airborne microbiota on pneumonia infection: An exploratory study.

Background: Previous studies showed airborne bacteria affect pneumonia incidence, but specific impacts of bacterial communities on Klebsiella pneumoniae infection were unknown.

Methods: Five different ratios of bacterial community structures were randomly generated. Mice were divided into control, artificial bacterial community exposure, and corresponding Klebsiella pneumoniae challenge groups.

Enfortumab Vedotin for Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: Comprehensive Treatment Outcomes and Prognostic Insights From a Multicenter Real-World Study (YUSHIMA Study).

Introduction: Enfortumab vedotin (EV) currently plays a predominant role in the evolving treatment paradigm of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). However, large-scale real-world data on EV remain limited. This multicenter retrospective study comprehensively evaluated treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of EV monotherapy for mUC.

Eight-Week Flywheel Training Enhances Jump Performance and Stretch-Shortening Cycle Function in Collegiate Basketball Players.

The effects of flywheel (FW) training on jump performance, muscle function, and muscle mass in athletes have not been fully clarified. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week FW training program on jump performance, stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) function, muscle strength, peak power and muscle thickness in collegiate basketball players. Twenty male college basketball players (mean age: 19.