Assessment of insulin-degrading enzyme inhibitor for the treatment of corneal erosion in a rat model.

Background: Diabetes poses a risk to diabetic keratopathy in up to two-thirds of patients. Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is a protease that can break down insulin and several growth factors and may impair wound healing. Increased IDE levels have been found in fluid from diabetic skin ulcers.

Long non-coding RNA CASC15 enhances learning and memory in mice by promoting synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating systemic disorder that has a detrimental impact on the overall well-being of individuals. Emerging research suggests that long non-coding RNAs play a role in neural development and function. Nevertheless, the precise relationship between lncRNAs and Alzheimer's disease remains uncertain.

Vitiligo: Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics in 573 Saudi Patients.

Background: Vitiligo is a common disease. Limited studies in Saudi Arabia have explored the detailed clinical characteristics of vitiligo, as outlined in recent consensus reports by vitiligo experts.

Objective: To determine vitiligo prevalence and detailed clinical characteristics in a Saudi cohort.

Progress and Gaps in Respiratory Disease Research and Treatment: Highlights of the IRM 2024 in Shanghai.

Respiratory diseases pose a major public health challenge globally, necessitating collaborative efforts between basic researchers and clinicians for effective solutions. China, which is heavily impacted by a broad spectrum of respiratory disorders, has made notable strides in both research and clinical management of these diseases. The International Respiratory Medicine (IRM) meeting was organized with the primary goal of facilitating the exchange of recent research developments and promoting collaboration between Chinese and American scientists in both basic and clinical research fields.

Exercise as a Therapeutic Intervention for Chronic Disease Management: A Comprehensive Review.

This comprehensive review examines exercise as a therapeutic intervention for managing chronic diseases. It explores the physiological mechanisms behind physical activity's beneficial effects and its impact on various conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and mental health disorders. Drawing from current literature and research findings, this review highlights how regular exercise significantly reduces mortality rates, improves disease outcomes, and enhances the overall quality of life for those with chronic illnesses.

Fucoxanthin alleviates the cytotoxic effects of cadmium and lead on a human osteoblast cell line.

Objective: Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are non-biodegradable heavy metals (HMs) that persistently contaminate ecosystems and accumulate in bones, where they exert harmful effects. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of fucoxanthin (FX) against the chemical toxicity induced by Cd and Pb in human bone osteoblasts in vitro, using various biochemical and molecular assays.

Methods: The effect of metals and FX on osteoblasts viability was assayed by MTT, then the effect of Pb, Cd, and FX on the cells' mitochondrial parameters was studied via assays for ATP, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), mitochondrial complexes, and lactate production.

Juvenile lupus-like with negative serology: a clinical dilemma and diagnostic challenge.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that can affect various organs. Juvenile-onset SLE (jSLE) may be more severe than the adult-onset form, but the diagnosis and classification remain challenging due to the complex nature of the condition and its resemblance to other conditions. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are the immunological hallmark of SLE, but their limited specificity poses challenges.

Modular (universal) CAR-T platforms : a comprehensive systematic review.

Background: Modular (universal) CAR T-platforms were developed to combat the limitations of traditional CAR-T therapy, allowing for multiple targeting of tumor-associated antigens and the ability to control CAR-T cell activity. The modular CAR-T platform consists of a universal receptor (signaling module) that recognizes an adapter molecule on the soluble module, which is responsible for antigen recognition. Multiple platforms have been developed over the last 12 years, and some of them have entered the clinical trial phase.

Single-Bundle Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Suture Tape Augmentation and Transtibial Tubercle Fixation.

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is the strongest ligament of the knee and plays an important role in stabilizing the knee joint posteriorly. PCL tears are common injuries in sports injuries and traffic accidents; however, clinical outcomes after PCL reconstruction have not yet met clinicians' expectations, with a high postsurgery failure rate reported. Suture tape augmentation and supplementary fixation have shown ideal biomechanical properties in early studies.

Plasma acute phase proteins as potential predictors of intra-amniotic inflammation and infection in preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Background: We aimed to investigate the potential of altered levels of various acute phase proteins (APPs) in the plasma, either used alone or in combination with ultrasound-, clinical-, and conventional blood-based tests, for predicting the risk of intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI), microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC), histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA), and funisitis in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).

Methods: A total of 195 consecutive pregnancies involving singleton women with PPROM (at 23 + 0-34 + 0 weeks) who underwent amniocentesis and from whom plasma samples were obtained at amniocentesis were retrospectively included in this study. Amniotic fluid (AF) was cultured to assess the MIAC and analyzed for interleukin (IL)-6 levels to define IAI (AF IL-6 level of ≥2.

HLA-DRB1*14:270 and -DPA1*01:222 Identified by Next-Generation Sequencing in Russian Bone Marrow Donors.

Two novel alleles, HLA-DRB1*14:270 and HLA-DPA1*01:222, were discovered in Russian individuals.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting versus percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stents for coronary artery revascularization.

Objective: This study compared the clinical efficacy of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the treatment of left main coronary artery and/or triple-vessel disease (LM and/or TVD).

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 1484 consecutive patients with LM and/or TVD in Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital from January 2015 to December 2022 and divided them into the OPCAB group (n = 583) and the PCI group (with second-generation drug-eluting stents) (n = 901). Propensity score matching was used for 316 equally matched pairs of patients in the groups.

Risk of infection and conversion time from external to definitive fixation in open tibial fracture.

Background: An open fracture of the tibia is one of the most common and dangerous type of open fractures. In the management of these injuries, the primary focus is on reducing the infection rate, as this is crucial for achieving the best clinical outcomes. This study aims to explore how provisional external fixation duration influences the rates of infection and union in open tibial shaft fractures.

GLS1-mediated glutamine metabolism mitigates oxidative stress-induced matrix degradation, ferroptosis, and senescence in nucleus pulposus cells by modulating Fe homeostasis.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is intricately linked to the pathogenesis of low back pain (LBP). The balance of nucleus pulposus (NP) cell and intervertebral disc (IVD) integrity is significantly supported by amino acid metabolism within an avascular milieu. However, the specific metabolic demands during the progression of IDD are not fully understood.

Mitochondrial Transfer: Therapeutic Implications for Energy Metabolism in Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) remains one of the leading causes of high morbidity and mortality globally. Impaired cardiac energy metabolism plays a critical role in the pathological progression of HF. Various forms of HF exhibit marked differences in energy metabolism, particularly in mitochondrial function and substrate utilization.

Structure and expression of FAPP2 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma: Its effect and molecular mechanism on HepG2 and MHCC97H in clinical treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and lethal malignancy of the liver. The aim of this study was to reveal the structural characteristics of FAPP2, evaluate its expression in HepG2 and MHCC97H cells, and explore its potential role and molecular mechanism in the clinical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The role of FAPP2 in these two cell lines was evaluated using cell function tests, such as cell proliferation, migration, and invasion tests.

CMR-BENet: A confidence map refinement boundary enhancement network for left ventricular myocardium segmentation.

Background And Objective: Left ventricular myocardium segmentation is of great significance for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. However, myocardium segmentation is challenging as the medical image quality is disturbed by various factors such as motion, artifacts, and noise. Its accuracy largely depends on the accurate identification of edges and structures.

The N-degron pathway mediates the autophagic degradation of cytosolic mitochondrial DNA during sterile innate immune responses.

The human body reacts to tissue damage by generating damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that activate sterile immune responses. To date, little is known about how DAMPs are removed to avoid excessive immune responses. Here, we show that proteasomal dysfunction induces the release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) as a DAMP that activates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathway and is subsequently degraded through the N-degron pathway.

[Metabolic Profile of Gut Microbiota and Levels of Trefoil Factors in Adults with Different Metabolic Phenotypes of Obesity].

Obesity is associated with changes in the gut microbiota, as well as with increased permeability of the intestinal wall. In 130 non-obese volunteers, 57 patients with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), and 76 patients with metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUHO), bacterial DNA was isolated from stool samples, and the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. The metabolic profile of the microbiota predicted by PICRUSt2 (https://huttenhower.

[Sensitivity of Primary Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines to the Mumps Virus Vaccine Strain].

The sensitivity of human glioblastoma cells to virus-mediated oncolysis was investigated on five patient-derived cell lines. Primary glioblastoma cells (Gbl13n, Gbl16n, Gbl17n, Gbl25n, and Gbl27n) were infected with tenfold serial dilutions of the Leningrad-3 strain of the mumps virus, and virus reproduction and cytotoxicity were monitored for 96-120 h. Immortalized human non-tumor NKE cells were used as controls to determine the virus specificity.

[Amino Acid Substitution Patterns in the E6 and E7 Proteins of HPV Type 16: Phylogeography and Evolution].

The E6 and E7 proteins of the high risk human papillomaviruses (HR HPVs) play a key role in the oncogenesis associated with papillomavirus infection. Data on the variability of these proteins are limited, and the factors affecting their variability are still poorly understood. We analyzed the variability of the currently known sequences of the HPV type 16 (HPV16) E6 and E7 proteins, taking into account their geographic origin and year of sample collection, as well as the direction of their evolution in the major geographic regions of the world.

Investigating medical students' perceptions of point-of-care ultrasound integration into preclinical education.

Introduction: Recent international consensus statements advocate for the integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) into the global undergraduate medical curriculum. Some medical schools outside Saudi Arabia have already incorporated PoCUS into their undergraduate curricula to enhance anatomy, physiology and pathology instruction. However, there are no data on the potential role of PoCUS in the preclinical training of medical students in Saudi Arabia.

Efficacy of local-regional radiotherapy in de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving chemo-immunotherapy: A multicenter, propensity score matching study.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of local-regional radiotherapy (LRRT) in de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (dm NPC) patients receiving chemo-immunotherapy as first-line treatment and select the beneficiaries from LRRT.

Methods And Materials: M1-NPC patients receiving platinum-based chemo-immunotherapy with or without LRRT from four centers were included in this study. The propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was employed to balance the baseline characteristics between the LRRT and non-LRRT groups.

Heterozygous Inversion on Chromosome 17 involving PAFAH1B1 Detected by Whole Genome Sequencing in a Patient Suffering from Pachygyria.

Lissencephaly (LIS) is a subtype of malformations of cortical development (MCD), characterized by smooth brain surfaces and underdeveloped gyri and sulci. This study investigates the genetic cause of pachygyria in a Chinese male infant diagnosed with the condition, who previously showed no causative variant through trio whole exome sequencing (Trio-WES) and copy number variation sequencing (CNVseq). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted, revealing a novel heterozygous inversion spanning 1.