Salivary steroids in acute central serous chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To analyze levels of salivary steroids, including 17-OH-progesterone (17-OHP), androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, cortisone, progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol, in patients with acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) patients.

Methods: Acute CSCR patients and healthy individuals were included in this observational case-control study. Levels of salivary steroids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection.

Association of digital eye strain with central corneal thickness: a cross-sectional observational pilot study.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether the digital eye strain (DES) was associated with the low central corneal thickness (CCT).

Methods: This observational cross-sectional pilot study was conducted from April 2023 to October 2023 at a tertiary eye care centre in North India, where CCT values were compared between subjects with DES and those without DES. Two hundred and eighty subjects (n = 280) aged 15-40 years with clear corneas and lenses were initially included in this study.

Evaluation of the role of circular RNA (circ-FAF1) as a diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer in a cohort of Egyptian breast cancer patients.

Background: The identification of circulating potential biomarkers may help earlier diagnosis of breast cancer, which is critical for effective treatment and better disease outcomes. We aimed to study the role of circ-FAF1 as a diagnostic biomarker in female breast cancer using peripheral blood samples of these patients, and to investigate the relation between circ-FAF1 and different clinicopathological features of the included patients.

Methods And Results: This case-control study enrolled 60 female breast cancer patients and 60 age-matched healthy control subjects.

Role of PGC-1α in the proliferation and metastasis of malignant tumors.

Malignant tumors are among the major diseases threatening human survival in the world, and advancements in medical technology have led to a steady increase in their detection rates worldwide. Despite unique clinical presentations across the spectrum of malignancies, treatment modalities generally adhere to common strategies, encompassing primarily surgical intervention, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted treatments. Uncovering the genetic elements contributing to cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance remains a pivotal pursuit in the development of novel targeted therapeutics.

The hype around ctDNA guiding an informed perioperative therapeutic strategy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a dire disease being the first cause of cancer death among both genders. Early-stage NSCLC often has better treatment outcomes despite it being a highly heterogeneous disease. So far, the neo-adjuvant chemotherapy strategies have led to a small benefit with an improvement of 5% in overall survival as an absolute benefit.

ESR Essentials: imaging of common paediatric pulmonary diseases-practice recommendations by the European Society of Paediatric Radiology.

Chest imaging in children presents unique challenges due to varying requirements across age groups. For chest radiographs, achieving optimal images often involves careful positioning and immobilisation techniques. Antero-posterior projections are easier to obtain in younger children, while lateral decubitus radiographs are sometimes used when expiratory images are difficult to obtain and for free air exclusion.

Thermal ocular burns and evaluation of associated limbal stem cell deficiency in the light of global consensus.

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to examine the demographic data and clinical features of ocular surface injuries due to thermal burns and to evaluate LSCD in the light of global consensus.

Methods: Thirty-three eyes of 20 cases with ocular surface injury due to thermal burn who attended to the clinic between 2012 and 2023 were included in the study. LSCD severity was staged according to the global consensus which was published in 2019.

Liraglutide and denatonium benzoate attenuate T2DM-induced metabolic, neurological, and testicular changes in rats: Targeting oxidative stress, inflammation, and BCRP transporter.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) adversely affects various organs, including the brain and its blood barrier. In addition to the brain, hyperglycemia damages the testes. The testes possess blood-tissue barriers that share common characteristics and proteins with the blood-brain barrier (BBB), including breast cancer-resistant protein (BCRP).

Differences in Body Composition, Bone Density, and Tibial Microarchitecture in Division I Female Athletes Participating in Different Impact Loading Sports.

Sport participation affects body composition and bone health, but the association between sport, body composition, and bone health in female athletes is complex. We compared areal bone mineral density (aBMD, DXA) and tibial volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), geometry, microarchitecture, and estimated strength (HR-pQCT) in cross-country runners (n = 22), gymnasts (n = 23) and lacrosse players (n = 35), and investigated associations of total body lean mass (TBLM), team, and their interaction with tibial bone outcomes. Total body (TB), total hip (TH), femoral neck (FN), and lumbar spine (LS) aBMD were higher in gymnasts than runners (p < 0.

AAV capsid prioritization in normal and steatotic human livers maintained by machine perfusion.

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of adeno-associated virus (AAV) liver gene therapy depend on capsid choice. To predict AAV capsid performance under near-clinical conditions, we established side-by-side comparison at single-cell resolution in human livers maintained by normothermic machine perfusion. AAV-LK03 transduced hepatocytes much more efficiently and specifically than AAV5, AAV8 and AAV6, which are most commonly used clinically, and AAV-NP59, which is better at transducing human hepatocytes engrafted in immune-deficient mice.

Androgen deprivation therapy does not increase rates for reintervention, complication, or infection in primary penile implant or artificial urinary sphincter surgery: a retrospective cohort study from the TriNetX network.

Prostate cancer treatment-related erectile dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence are commonly treated with inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) or artificial urinary sphincter (AUS). Given the association with androgens and penile/urethral health, we aim to evaluate whether patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) undergoing IPP or AUS surgery are at increased risk for reintervention, complication, or infection. We queried the TriNetX database for adult males receiving IPP or AUS.

Cross-priming in cancer immunology and immunotherapy.

Cytotoxic T cell immune responses against cancer crucially depend on the ability of a subtype of professional antigen-presenting cells termed conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) to cross-present antigens. Cross-presentation comprises redirection of exogenous antigens taken from other cells to the major histocompatibility complex class I antigen-presenting machinery. In addition, once activated and having sensed viral moieties or T helper cell cooperation via CD40-CD40L interactions, cDC1s provide key co-stimulatory ligands and cytokines to mount and sustain CD8 T cell immune responses.

Effect of anterior chamber depth on corneal endothelium following phacoemulsification among patients with different axial lengths.

Purpose: To assess the effect of anterior chamber depth on corneal endothelium using specular microscopy following uneventful phacoemulsification among cataract patients with different axial lengths.

Methods: The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design including 300 eyes of 300 patients with grade three age-related nuclear cataract distributed equally based on their axial length into three equal groups. All eyes had grade three nuclear cataract.

Hallmark discoveries in the biology of non-Wilms tumour childhood kidney cancers.

Approximately 20% of paediatric and adolescent/young adult patients with renal tumours are diagnosed with non-Wilms tumour, a broad heterogeneous group of tumours that includes clear-cell sarcoma of the kidney, congenital mesoblastic nephroma, malignant rhabdoid tumour of the kidney, renal-cell carcinoma, renal medullary carcinoma and other rare histologies. The differential diagnosis of these tumours dates back many decades, when these pathologies were identified initially through clinicopathological observation of entities with outcomes that diverged from Wilms tumour, corroborated with immunohistochemistry and molecular cytogenetics and, subsequently, through next-generation sequencing. These advances enabled near-definitive recognition of different tumours and risk stratification of patients.

Enhanced energy storage in antiferroelectrics via antipolar frustration.

Dielectric-based energy storage capacitors characterized with fast charging and discharging speed and reliability play a vital role in cutting-edge electrical and electronic equipment. In pursuit of capacitor miniaturization and integration, dielectrics must offer high energy density and efficiency. Antiferroelectrics with antiparallel dipole configurations have been of significant interest for high-performance energy storage due to their negligible remanent polarization and high maximum polarization in the field-induced ferroelectric state.

Recent advancements in the understanding of the alterations in mitochondrial biogenesis in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. The processes underlying the pathophysiology of AD are still not fully understood despite a great deal of research. Since mitochondrial dysfunction affects cellular energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and neuronal survival, it is becoming increasingly clear that it plays a major role in the development of AD.

Halofuginone prevents inflammation and proliferation of high-altitude pulmonary hypertension by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

The inflammatory response of lung tissue and abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells are involved in the pathogenesis of high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Halofuginone (HF), an active ingredient derivative of Chang Shan (Dichroa febrifuga Lour. [Hydrangeaceae]), has antiproliferative, antihypertrophic, antifibrotic, and other effects, but its protective effects on HAPH remains unclear.

Engineered heart muscle allografts for heart repair in primates and humans.

Cardiomyocytes can be implanted to remuscularize the failing heart. Challenges include sufficient cardiomyocyte retention for a sustainable therapeutic impact without intolerable side effects, such as arrhythmia and tumour growth. We investigated the hypothesis that epicardial engineered heart muscle (EHM) allografts from induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and stromal cells structurally and functionally remuscularize the chronically failing heart without limiting side effects in rhesus macaques.

Copper-dependent halogenase catalyses unactivated C-H bond functionalization.

Carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds are the foundation of essentially every organic molecule, making them an ideal place to do chemical synthesis. The key challenge is achieving selectivity for one particular C(sp)-H bond. In recent years, metalloenzymes have been found to perform C(sp)-H bond functionalization.

Legalization of surrogacy? Opinions from more than 7700 residents in Taiwan.

This study explores Taiwanese' perspectives on the potential legalization of surrogacy, an issue with diverse legal stances globally. Conducted between 17 December 2023 and 1 January 2024, this mixed-methods cross-sectional study employed Knowledge and Attitudes of Legalizing Surrogacy (KALS) questionnaire. This instrument assessed opinions and ethical considerations on various aspects including ethics and children's rights, surrogate health, offspring welfare, and social justice.

Inhibition of CD36 ameliorates mouse spinal cord injury by accelerating microglial lipophagy.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious trauma of the central nervous system (CNS). SCI induces a unique lipid-dense environment that results in the deposition of large amounts of lipid droplets (LDs). The presence of LDs has been shown to contribute to the progression of other diseases.

Synchronized long-read genome, methylome, epigenome and transcriptome profiling resolve a Mendelian condition.

Resolving the molecular basis of a Mendelian condition remains challenging owing to the diverse mechanisms by which genetic variants cause disease. To address this, we developed a synchronized long-read genome, methylome, epigenome and transcriptome sequencing approach, which enables accurate single-nucleotide, insertion-deletion and structural variant calling and diploid de novo genome assembly. This permits the simultaneous elucidation of haplotype-resolved CpG methylation, chromatin accessibility and full-length transcript information in a single long-read sequencing run.

Genetic ancestry concordant RNA splicing in prostate cancer involves oncogenic genes and associates with recurrence.

Black men suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer (PCa) compared to men of other races and ethnicities. Comparing the molecular landscape of PCa among Black and White patients has the potential to identify targets for development of new precision medicine interventions. Herein, we conducted transcriptomic analysis of prostate tumors and paired tumor-adjacent normals from self-reported Black and White PCa patients and estimated patient genetic ancestry.