Role of periodontal ligament fibroblasts in periodontitis: pathological mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

Periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) play a crucial role in the etiology of periodontitis and periodontal tissue regeneration. In healthy periodontal tissues, PDLFs maintain the homeostasis of periodontal soft and hard tissues as well as the local immune microenvironment. PDLFs also have the potential for multidirectional transdifferentiation and are involved in periodontal tissue regeneration.

Detecting white adipose tissue browning in mice with in vivo R* mapping at 9.4T MRI.

White adipose tissue (WAT) browning is considered a promising strategy to combat obesity and related metabolic diseases. Currently, fat-water fraction (FWF) has been used as a marker for the loss of lipids associated with WAT browning. However, FWF may not be sensitive to metabolic changes and cannot specifically reflect iron-regulated metabolism during browning.

Molecular investigation of an epidemic dissemination of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium sequence type 80 in Guangdong Province, China.

Objectives: The detection rate of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) displayed a dramatically increase in Guangdong, China from 2021 to 2023, for which the molecular epidemiology and genomic characteristics remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the genetic features and epidemiology of VREfm isolates in Guangdong.

Methods: A total of 54 Guangdong VREfm isolates were collected from three tertiary hospitals in Guangdong.

Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice.

Background: Primordial follicle activation is vital for the reproduction of women with advanced age and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). But there is a lack of effective and safe therapeutic options to activate their primordial follicles in vivo. Berberine (BBR) possesses multiple pharmacological properties, but its impact on primordial follicle activation remains unclear.

Relationship Between A Body Shape Index and Self-Reported Stress Urinary Incontinence Among US Women: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common among women, but its link with A Body Shape Index (ABSI) is not well understood. This study investigates the association between ABSI and SUI risk in women, exploring variations across different subgroups.

Methods: Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2020) were analyzed.

Enhanced Oxidative Phosphorylation Driven by TACO1 Mitochondrial Translocation Promotes Stemness and Cisplatin Resistance in Bladder Cancer.

Chemoresistance poses a critical obstacle in bladder cancer (BCa) treatment, and effective interventions are currently limited. Elevated oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) has been linked to cancer stemness, a determinant of chemoresistance. However, the mechanisms underlying increased OXPHOS during cancer cell chemoresistance remain unclear.

Signatures of Six Autophagy-Related Genes as Diagnostic Markers of Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy and Their Correlation With Immune Infiltration.

Background: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is one of the most complex autoimmune diseases in endocrinology areas. Autophagy-related genes may be involved in the pathophysiology of TAO. This study aims to reveal key genes associated with autophagy in the pathogenesis and the potential diagnostic markers for TAO.

Causal Association Between Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Lung Cancer: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the potential causal relationship between monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and lung cancer.

Methods: Genetic data on MUFAs and pathological subtypes of lung cancer were extracted from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The primary analysis utilized inverse-variance weighted analysis (IVW), with additional methods including the weighted median method, MR-Egger regression method, and weighted model method.

Complexation of starch and konjac glucomannan during screw extrusion exhibits obesity-reducing effects by modulating the intestinal microbiome and its metabolites.

Dietary interventions have been shown to improve gut health by altering the gut flora, preventing obesity, and mitigating inflammatory disorders. This study investigated the benefits of a rice starch-konjac glucomannan (ERS-KGM) complex, produced screw extrusion, for gut health and obesity prevention. Analyzed through starch digestion, scanning electron microscopy, and structural analysis, the ERS-KGM complex exhibited a notable increase in resistant starch content due to its well-ordered structure.

10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid attenuates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by activating AMPK-α signaling pathway.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) originates from metabolic dysfunctions, is one of the most commonly encountered liver disorders worldwide, characterized by ectopic lipid deposition within hepatocytes, accompanied by hepatocellular injury and necroinflammation. Currently, NAFLD has very few treatment options. Purified from royal jelly, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) is the primary bioactive ingredient with a series of beneficial effects against various metabolic diseases.

Serum Irisin Levels are Inversely Correlated with Acute Ischaemic Stroke Incidence: Implications for Early Diagnosis in Southern China.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the correlation and prognostic value of serum irisin levels in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and the subsequent development of hemiplegia.

Methods: This study recruited participants from the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine at Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment was used to assess functional impairment.

Astragalus polysaccharide treatment relieves cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury by promoting M2 polarization of microglia by enhancing O-GlcNAcylation.

Cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion (I/R) injury seriously threatens the lives of patients. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) is the main active ingredient of Astragalus membranaceus and has a wide range of pharmacological activities. Here, we aimed to explore the impacts of APS on cerebral I/R injury and its specific mechanisms.

TIPIC syndrome in a patient following sorafenib treatment for acute myeloid leukemia: a rare case report.

Transient Perivascular Inflammation of the\ Carotid Artery (TIPIC) syndrome is uncommon, and cases of TIPIC induced by the targeted drug, sorafenib, are extremely rare. This case report describes a patient with acute myeloid leukemia carrying an FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 mutation, who developed TIPIC syndrome, which may have been induced by sorafenib treatment. A 65-year-old woman diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia experienced severe neck pain and sclerotic blisters on her palms and soles during sorafenib treatment.

Comprehensive characterization of cytokines in patients under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Evidence from integrated bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data using multiple machine learning approaches.

Background: ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) is an effective technique for providing short-term mechanical support to the heart, lungs, or both. During ECMO treatment, the inflammatory response, particularly involving cytokines, plays a crucial role in pathophysiology. However, the potential effects of cytokines on patients receiving ECMO are not comprehensively understood.

Regulatory T cells-related gene in primary sclerosing cholangitis: evidence from Mendelian randomization and transcriptome data.

The present study utilized large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data (731 immune cell subtypes and three primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) GWAS datasets), meta-analysis, and two PSC transcriptome data to elucidate the pivotal role of Tregs proportion imbalance in the occurrence of PSC. Then, we employed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), differential analysis, and 107 combinations of 12 machine-learning algorithms to construct and validate an artificial intelligence-derived diagnostic model (Tregs classifier) according to the average area under curve (AUC) (0.959) in two cohorts.

Multifaceted role of nanocomposite hydrogels in diabetic wound healing: enhanced biomedical applications and detailed molecular mechanisms.

The complex microenvironment of diabetic wounds, which is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, excessive inflammatory responses, and hypoxic conditions, significantly impedes the efficacy of traditional hydrogels. Nanocomposite hydrogels, which combine the high-water content and biocompatibility of hydrogels with the unique functionalities of nanomaterials, offer a promising solution. These hydrogels exhibit enhanced antibacterial, antioxidant, and drug-release properties.

Ubiquitination in osteosarcoma: unveiling the impact on cell biology and therapeutic strategies.

Ubiquitination, a multifaceted post-translational modification, regulates protein function, degradation, and gene expression. The pivotal role of ubiquitination in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer, including colorectal, breast, and liver cancer, is well-established. Osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone tumor predominantly affecting adolescents, also exhibits dysregulation of the ubiquitination system, encompassing both ubiquitination and deubiquitination processes.

The relationship between fear of negative evaluation, physical activity, eating behavior and psychological distress among nursing students.

Background: The aim of this research is to explore the interrelationships between different psychological issues and the potential role of eating behavior and physical activity among nursing students.

Methods: Undergraduate nursing students ( = 892) from some medical universities in China were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling methods using online platforms. Participants completed measures on demographics, fear of negative evaluation (FNE), social avoidance and distress (SAD), psychological distress (DASS), disordered eating behavior (TFEQ) and physical activity.

A Mendelian randomization study on causal relationship between metabolic factors and abnormal spermatozoa.

Background: Male infertility is a global health problem. There is an increasing attention on the association of metabolic status with spermatogenesis. However, the impacts of metabolic factors on semen parameters are still unclear.

A reliable strategy for establishment of an animal model of diabetic cardiomyopathy: Induction by a high-fat diet combined with single or multiple injections of low-dose streptozotocin.

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the leading causes of death in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to identify a reliable method for establishing an animal model of DCM for investigation of new targets and treatments.

Methods: Eighty-four 4-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to receive a normal diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) in an approximate ratio of 1:3.