Identification and Characterisation of Potential Targets for N6-methyladenosine (m6A) Modification during Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Background: The mechanism for RNA methylation during disc degeneration is unclear. The aim of this study was to identify N6-methyladenosine (m6A) markers and therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).

Methods: Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) were employed to analyze m6A modifications of IDD-related gene expression.

Hsa-miR-214-3p inhibits breast cancer cell growth and improves the tumor immune microenvironment by downregulating B7H3.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors play an important role in the treatment of solid tumors, but the currently used immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) show limited clinical efficacy in many breast cancers. B7H3 has been widely reported as an immunosuppressive molecule, but its immunological function in breast cancer patients remains unclear.

Methods: We analyzed the expression of B7H3 in breast cancer samples using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases.

The phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor Zl-n-91 suppresses glioblastoma growth via EGR1/PTEN/AKT pathway.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive brain tumor, which presents significant challenges for treatment in clinical settings. Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors can prevent the degradation of cAMP and have been used as a potential targeted therapeutic approach for different cancer types. However, its clinical use is restricted by the side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

Microglial Activation and Hypothalamic Structural Plasticity in HFD Obesity: Insights from Semaglutide and Minocycline.

High-fat diet (HFD) -induced microglial activation contributes to hypothalamic inflammation and obesity, but the mechanisms linking microglia to structural changes remain unclear. This study explored the role of microglia in impairing hypothalamic synaptic plasticity in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice and evaluated the therapeutic potential of semaglutide (Sema) and minocycline (MI). Six-week-old C57BL/6J mice were divided into low-fat diet (LFD) and HFD groups.

Single-cell transcriptomes of dissecting the intra-tumoral heterogeneity of breast cancer microenvironment.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism by which heterogeneity in breast cancer developed and acted in single-cell transcriptomes.

Methods: The composition of breast cancer based on the single-cell transcriptomes of 54,055 high-quality cells from clinical specimens of 4 malignant and 4 non-malignant patients were investigated.

Results: We identified six common expression programs and six subtype-specific expression programs form malignant epithelial cells.

Prevalence and Cardio-Renal Comorbidities of Masked Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis.

Aim: The prognosis of masked hypertension is controversial. The aims of this meta-analysis were to determine the global prevalence of masked hypertension and to better understand its association with the risk of cardiorenal comorbidities and all-cause mortality.

Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase (OVID), The Cochrane Library, WanFang Data, and CNKI databases for relevant studies published from inception until January 15, 2024.

Non-traditional risk factors for atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, mechanisms, and strategies.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has become the pre-dominant arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Its pathogenesis is intricately linked to the deleterious impact of cardiovascular risk factors, emphasizing the pivotal imperative for early detection and mitigation strategies targeting these factors for the prevention of primary AF. While traditional risk factors are well recognized, an increasing number of novel risk factors have been identified in recent decades.

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.

Development and Validation of Multiparametric MRI-based Interpretable Deep Learning Radiomics Fusion Model for Predicting Lymph Node Metastasis and Prognosis in Rectal Cancer: A Two-center Study.

Rationale And Objectives: To develop interpretable machine learning models that utilize deep learning (DL) and radiomics based on multiparametric Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict preoperative lymph node (LN) metastasis in rectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study involved 286 cancer patients confirmed by histopathology from center 1 (Training set) and 66 patients from center 2 (External test set). Radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences, whereas DL features were obtained using four models: MobileNet-V3-large, Inception-V3, ResNet50, and VGG16.

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.