SOX4 is a novel phenotypic regulator of endothelial cells in atherosclerosis revealed by single-cell analysis.

Introduction: Atherosclerotic complications represent the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality globally. Dysfunction of endothelial cells (ECs) often initiates the pathological events in atherosclerosis.

Objectives: In this study, we sought to investigate the transcriptional profile of atherosclerotic aortae, identify novel regulator in dysfunctional ECs and hence provide mechanistic insights into atherosclerotic progression.

Efficacy and safety of cilostazol in decreasing progression of cerebral white matter hyperintensities-A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is an important cause of dementia that lacks effective treatment. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of cilostazol, an antiplatelet agent with potential neurovascular protective effects, in slowing the progression of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in stroke- and dementia-free subjects harboring confluent WMH on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: In this single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we randomized stroke- and dementia-free subjects with confluent WMHs to receive cilostazol or placebo for 2 years in a 1:1 ratio.

The role of gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis and prognosis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated intestinal disease consisting of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is believed to be developed as a result of interactions between environmental, immune-mediated and microbial factors in a genetically susceptible host. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have aided the identification of consistent alterations of the gut microbiome in patients with IBD.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts potentiate colorectal cancer progression by crosstalk of the IGF2-IGF1R and Hippo-YAP1 signaling pathways.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. The tumor microenvironment exerts crucial effects in driving CRC progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) serve as one of the most important tumor microenvironment components promoting CRC progression.

Targeting the Hippo Pathway in Gastric Cancer and Other Malignancies in the Digestive System: From Bench to Bedside.

The Hippo pathway is an evolutionally conserved signaling cascade that controls organ size and tissue regeneration under physiological conditions, and its aberrations have been well studied to promote tumor initiation and progression. Dysregulation of the Hippo tumor suppressor signaling frequently occurs in gastric cancer (GC) and other solid tumors and contributes to cancer development through modulating multiple aspects, including cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, and oncotherapy resistance. In the clinic, Hippo components also possess diagnostic and prognostic values for cancer patients.

Untargeted metabolomic analysis of aqueous humor in diabetic macular edema.

Background: The mechanism of diabetic macular edema (DME) was explored by comparing the intraocular metabolite profiles of the aqueous humor of patients with DME to those of diabetic patients without DME using untargeted metabolomic analysis.

Methods: Aqueous samples from 18 type 2 diabetic patients with DME and 18 type 2 diabetic patients without DME used as controls were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS). The two groups of patients were age and gender matched and had no systemic diseases other than diabetes mellitus (DM).

Executive summary of the KDIGO 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease: an update based on rapidly emerging new evidence.

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) represents a focused update of the KDIGO 2020 guideline on the topic. The guideline targets a broad audience of clinicians treating people with diabetes and CKD. Topic areas for which recommendations are updated based on new evidence include Chapter 1: Comprehensive care in patients with diabetes and CKD and Chapter 4: Glucose-lowering therapies in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and CKD.

MCM6 is a critical transcriptional target of YAP to promote gastric tumorigenesis and serves as a therapeutic target.

Hyperactivation of Hippo-Yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling pathway governs tumorigenesis of gastric cancer (GC). Here we reveal that minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 (MCM6) is a critical transcriptional target of YAP in GC. We aim to investigate the function, mechanism of action, and clinical implication of MCM6 in GC.

Out of the cycle: Impact of cell cycle aberrations on cancer metabolism and metastasis.

The use of cell cycle inhibitors has necessitated a better understanding of the cell cycle in tumor biology to optimize the therapeutic approach. Cell cycle aberrations are common in cancers, and it is increasingly acknowledged that these aberrations exert oncogenic effects beyond the cell cycle. Multiple facets such as cancer metabolism, immunity and metastasis are also affected, all of which are beyond the effect of cell proliferation alone.

Recent insight into the role and therapeutic potential of YAP/TAZ in gastrointestinal cancers.

With the rapid development of cancer treatment, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are still the most prevalent malignancies with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Dysregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway has been recognized to play a critical role during cancer development and adopted for monitoring disease progression and therapy response. Despite the well-documented tumor proliferation and metastasis, recent efforts in two core Hippo components, Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), have identified as the driving forces behind cancer metabolism, stemness, tumor immunity, and therapy resistance.

Targeting YAP1/TAZ in nonsmall-cell lung carcinoma: From molecular mechanisms to precision medicine.

Accumulating evidence has underscored the importance of the Hippo-YAP1 signaling in lung tissue homeostasis, whereas its deregulation induces tumorigenesis. YAP1 and its paralog TAZ are the key downstream effectors tightly controlled by the Hippo pathway. YAP1/TAZ exerts oncogenic activities by transcriptional regulation via physical interaction with TEAD transcription factors.

The Global Incidence of Peptic Ulcer Disease Is Decreasing Since the Turn of the 21st Century: A Study of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).

Introduction: Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a common cause of hospitalization worldwide. We assessed temporal trends in hospitalization for PUD in 36 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries since the turn of the 21st century.

Methods: The OECD database contains data on PUD-related hospital discharges and mortality for 36 countries between 2000 and 2019.

Complete region of interest reconstruction by fusing multiview deformable three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography images.

Background: While three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D TEE) has been increasingly used for assessing cardiac anatomy and function, it still suffers from a limited field of view (FoV) of the ultrasound transducer. Therefore, it is difficult to examine a complete region of interest without moving the transducer. Existing methods extend the FoV of 3D TEE images by mosaicing multiview static images, which requires synchronization between 3D TEE images and electrocardiogram (ECG) signal to avoid deformations in the images and can only get the widened image at a specific phase.

Systemic and Ocular Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms of Green Tea Extract on Endotoxin-Induced Ocular Inflammation.

Introduction: Green tea extract (GTE) alleviated ocular inflammations in endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) rat model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but the underlying mechanism is unclear.

Objectives: To investigate the systematic and local mechanisms of the alleviation by untargeted metabolomics using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control group, LPS treatment group, and LPS treatment group treated with GTE two hours after LPS injection.

Aberrant expression of GSTM5 in lung adenocarcinoma is associated with DNA hypermethylation and poor prognosis.

Background: Glutathione-S transferases (GSTs) comprise a series of critical enzymes involved in detoxification of endogenous or xenobiotic compounds. Among several GSTs, Glutathione S-transferases mu (GSTM) has been implicated in a number of cancer types. However, the prognostic value and potential functions of the GSTM family genes have not been investigated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

Cancer-associated fibroblasts in nonsmall cell lung cancer: From molecular mechanisms to clinical implications.

Lung cancer is the common and leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The tumor microenvironment has been recognized to be instrumental in tumorigenesis. To have a deep understanding of the molecular mechanism of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have gained increasing research interests.

Promises of microbiome-based therapies.

Humans harbour large quantities of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and archaea, in the gut. Patients with liver disease exhibit changes in the intestinal microbiota and gut barrier dysfunction. Preclinical models demonstrate the importance of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases.

Endogenous ion channels expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells.

Mammalian expression systems, particularly the human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells, combined with electrophysiological studies, have greatly benefited our understanding of the function, characteristic, and regulation of various ion channels. It was previously assumed that the existence of endogenous ion channels in native HEK-293 cells could be negligible. Still, more and more ion channels are gradually reported in native HEK-293 cells, which should draw our attention.

TRPM2 Promotes Atherosclerotic Progression in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease characterized by build-up of atheromatous plaque, which narrows the lumen of arteries. Hypercholesterolemia and excessive oxidative stress in arterial walls are among the main causative factors of atherosclerosis. Transient receptor potential channel M2 (TRPM2) is a Ca-permeable cation channel activated by oxidative stress.

Advances in Procedural Echocardiographic Imaging in Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Mitral Regurgitation.

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) therapy is recommended by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines for selected patients with symptomatic severe or moderate-severe mitral regurgitation (MR). Echocardiography, in particular transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), plays a critical role in procedural planning and guidance for TEER. Recent innovations and advances in TEE techniques including three-dimensional (3D) imaging, unlimited x-plane imaging, live 3D multiplanar reconstruction, as well as transillumination imaging with color Doppler and transparency rendering have further enhanced procedural imaging for TEER, especially for complex diseases including commissural defects, clefts, and multi-segment pathologies.

TM9SF4 Is a Crucial Regulator of Inflammation and ER Stress in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background & Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a major intestinal disease. Excessive inflammation and increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are the key events in the development of IBD. Search of a genome-wide association study database identified a remarkable correlation between a TM9SF4 single-nucleotide polymorphism and IBD.