Chitosan oligosaccharides ameliorates maternal diabetes-induced embryonic neural tube defects via inhibitting excessive pyroptosis of neuroepithelial cells.

Maternal diabetes significantly induces embryonic neural tube defects (NTDs). Thus, it is urgent need to further investigate the regulatory mechanism and therapeutic strategy for maternal diabetes-induced embryonic NTDs. Pyroptosis is a novel mode of programmed cell death.

Macrophage-mimicking nanotherapy for attenuation of acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a highly fatal pancreatic inflammation. In recent years, synthetic nanoparticles have been extensively developed as drug carriers to address the challenges of systemic adverse reactions and lack of specificity in drug delivery. However, systemically administered nanoparticle therapy is rapidly cleared from circulation by the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), leading to suboptimal drug concentrations in inflamed tissues and suboptimal pharmacokinetics.

Selection of the Anti-Osteoporosis Active Ingredients of Fructus Psoraleae-Eucommia-Drynariae Rhizoma Based on Solid-Phase Bio-Cell Chromatography and HPLC-MS Analysis.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a prevalent metabolic bone disease globally. Currently, the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) resources to unblock joints, strengthen bones, and enhance muscle function to regulate anti-osteogenic and anabolic metabolism and thus reshape intraosseous homeostasis was an effective way to alleviate OP. The F-E-D formula, comprising Fructus Psoraleae, Eucommia, and Drynariae Rhizoma, has shown efficacy in treating OP.

Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy.

Background: The etiology of depression involves many biological and environmental factors, among which the inflammatory process is an important contributor. However, the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in postmenopausal depression is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between the serum concentrations of four pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) and depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women who had been receiving menopause hormone therapy (MHT) for at least 6 months and postmenopausal women who had not received MHT.

A predictive clinical-radiomics nomogram for early diagnosis of mesenteric arterial embolism based on non-contrast CT and biomarkers.

Purpose: Mesenteric artery embolism (MAE) is a relatively uncommon abdominal surgical emergency, but it can lead to catastrophic clinical outcomes if the diagnosis is delayed. This study aims to build a prediction model of clinical-radiomics nomogram for early diagnosis of MAE based on non-contrast computed tomography (CT) and biomarkers.

Method: In this retrospective study, a total of 364 patients confirmed as MAE (n = 131) or non-MAE (n = 233) who were randomly divided into a training cohort (70%) and a validation cohort (30%).

Integrated bioinformatics analysis identified cuproptosis-related hub gene Mpeg1 as potential biomarker in spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a profound ailment lacking a well-defined molecular mechanism and effective treatments. Cuproptosis, identified as a recently discovered cell death pathway, exhibits diverse roles in various cancers. Nevertheless, its involvement in SCI is yet to be elucidated.

In Utero Perfluorodecanoic Acid Exposure Causes Fetal Leydig Cell Dysfunction via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Lipid Composition Alteration.

Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), a C10 fluorine-containing compound, is used widely and found to be present anywhere. However, whether it has reproductive toxicity for fetal Leydig cells and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. PFDA was investigated for its effects on fetal Leydig cells (FLCs) following exposure to 0, 1, 2.

Peripheral neuropathy in neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease: a clinical and electrophysiological cross-sectional study.

Background And Objective: Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a multifaceted disorder impacting both the central and peripheral nervous systems. This study aims to investigate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of peripheral neuropathy in patients with NIID.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients diagnosed with NIID were prospectively recruited from multiple centers across China between October 2017 and May 2024.

Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals Microrchidia Family Genes as the Prognostic and Therapeutic Markers for Colorectal Cancer.

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the role of the microrchidia (MORC) family, a group of chromatin remodeling proteins, as the therapeutic and prognostic markers for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Background: MORC protein family genes are a highly conserved nucleoprotein superfamily whose members share a common domain but have distinct biological functions. Previous studies have analyzed the roles of MORCs as epigenetic regulators and chromatin remodulators; however, the involvement of MORCs in the development and pathogenesis of CRC was less examined.

Nonacademic predictors of China medical licensing examination.

Background: National Medical Licensing Examination (NMLE) is the entrance exam for medical practice in China, and its general medical knowledge test (GMKT) evaluates abilities of medical students to comprehensively apply medical knowledge to clinical practice. This study aimed to identify nonacademic predictors of GMKT performance, which would benefit medical schools in designing appropriate strategies and techniques to facilitate the transition from medical students to qualified medical practitioners.

Methods: In 1202 medical students, we conducted the deletion-substitution-addition (DSA) and structural equation model (SEM) analyses to identify nonacademic predictors of GMKT performance from 98 candidate variables including early life events, physical conditions, psychological and personality assessments, cognitive abilities, and socioeconomic conditions.

Association of pan-immune inflammation value and lung health in adults.

Background: Lung health is intricately linked with inflammation. The pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) emerges as a promising biomarker, offering reflection into systemic inflammatory states and assisting in the prognosis of diverse diseases. This research aims to explore the associations between PIV and respiratory symptoms, respiratory diseases and lung function.

Citrullinated IGF2BP1 promotes rheumatoid synovial aggression via increasing the mRNA stability of SEMA3D.

Protein citrullination modification plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) are extensively employed for clinical diagnosis of RA. However, there remains limited understanding regarding specific citrullinated proteins and their implications in the progression of RA. In this study, we screen and verify insulin-like growth factor-2 mRNA binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) as a novel citrullinated protein with significantly elevated citrullinated level in RA.

Integration of Deep Learning and Sub-regional Radiomics Improves the Prediction of Pathological Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients.

Rationale And Objectives: The precise prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is crucial for tailoring perioperative treatment in patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This retrospective study aims to develop and validate a model that integrates deep learning and sub-regional radiomics from MRI imaging to predict pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with LARC.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 768 eligible participants from three independent hospitals who had received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery.

Enhancing the Implant Osteointegration via Supramolecular Co-Assembly Coating with Early Immunomodulation and Cell Colonization.

Osteointegration, the effective coupling between an implant and bone tissue, is a highly intricate biological process. The initial stages of bone-related immunomodulation and cellular colonization play crucial roles, but have received limited attention. Herein, a novel supramolecular co-assembled coating of strontium (Sr)-doped metal polyphenol networks (MPN) modified with c(RGDfc) is developed and well-characterized, for eliciting an early immunomodulation and cellular colonization.

Exploring similarities and differences in anti-atherosclerotic potential bioactives among Dendrobium species by UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS.

Atherosclerosis is a primary cause of cardiovascular disease, straining healthcare systems. Dendrobium officinale, a widely used food-medicine homology, has demonstrated anti-atherosclerotic (anti-AS) properties, with other species listed in pharmacopoeias exhibiting similar effects. However, their efficacy varies, and the impact of interspecies variations on compounds and mechanisms in Dendrobium's anti-AS effects remains unclear.

Understanding the relationship between silicone implants, tumor antigens, and breast cancer risk: An immunological study in rats.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of silicone implants on the incidence of breast cancer in rats, as well as their impact on immune surveillance mechanisms. Female SD rats were divided into three groups: a Placebo Surgery Group (PSG), a Thoracic Implant Group (TIG), and a Back Implant Group (BIG). Following the corresponding surgical procedures, we measured Secretoglobin Family 2A, Member 2(SCGB2A2) and Mucin-1 (MUC1) antigen levels using ELISA, and statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate immune responses.

TIA1-Mediated Stress Granules Promote the Neuroinflammation and Demyelination in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis through Upregulating IL-31RA Signaling.

The dysfunction of stress granules (SGs) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders, with T cell intracellular antigen 1 (TIA1) being a key component of SGs. However, the role and mechanism of TIA1-mediated SGs in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) remain unclear. In this study, upregulation of TIA1, its translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and co-localization with G3BP1 (a marker of SGs) are observed in the spinal cord neurons of EAE mice.

Development and validation of a machine learning-based model to predict survival in patients with cirrhosis after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

Background: Although numerous prognostic scores have been developed for patients with cirrhosis after Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement over years, an accurate machine learning (ML)-based model remains unavailable. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a ML-based prognostic model to predict survival in patients with cirrhosis after TIPS placement.

Methods: In this retrospective study in China, patients diagnosed with cirrhosis after TIPS placement from 2014 to 2020 in our cohort were included to develop a ML-based model.

Age-related trends in trabecular bone scores and bone mineral density in Chinese men with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.

Patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) typically have an average or higher bone mineral density (BMD) but are at a significantly higher risk of fracture than patients without diabetes. Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a textural index derived from pixel gray-level variations in lumbar spine DXA image, which has been introduced as an indirect measure of bone quality. This study aimed to discuss the trends and annual rates of change in BMD and TBS with age in Chinese men with T2DM and men without diabetes mellitus.

RET-AREAL: a multi-center, real-world data analysis on the efficacy of pralsetinib in acquired RET fusion after resistance to EGFR/ALK-TKIs.

Pralsetinib demonstrated impressive improvement of survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harbored de novo RET fusion. However, the efficacy in patients with acquired RET fusion after resistance to EGFR/ALK-TKIs has only been reported on a case-by-case basis, and the strategy for overcoming the acquired RET fusion has not been fully investigated. This multicenter, real-world analysis enrolled 32 patients with unresectable NSCLC harbored acquired RET fusion after resistance to EGFR/ALK-TKIs in 23 centers across China from July 1, 2018 to Nov 23, 2022.

The molecular structure of SHISA5 protein and its novel role in primary biliary cholangitis: From single-cell RNA sequencing to biomarkers.

The study collected liver tissue samples from PBC patients and healthy controls and performed transcriptomic analysis of the cells in the samples using single-cell RNA sequencing. The expression characteristics of SHISA5 in PBC were revealed by comparing the difference of SHISA5 protein in the two groups of samples. The structure of SHISA5 protein was predicted and its possible biological function was analysed by bioinformatics method.

LAMP3-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition promotes the invasion and excessive proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the functional role of LAMP3-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target.

Methodology: Changes in EMT and LAMP3 were investigated in the synovial tissue and FLSs of RA patients. In vitro experiments were performed using the EMT inhibitor C19, siRNA, and lentivirus to examine the impact of EMT and LAMP3 on RA-FLSs and the underlying mechanisms involved.

METTL3 inhibition promotes radiosensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma through regulation of SLC7A11 expression.

Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ferroptosis has been shown to promote the radiosensitivity of HCC cells, but it remains unclear whether epigenetic regulations function in this process. In this study, we found that the overexpression of METTL3 was associated with poor prognosis.

Fraxin inhibits ovariectomized-induced bone loss and osteoclastogenesis by suppressing ROS activity.

Osteoporosis is characterized by increased osteoclast activity, which is strongly associated with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Fraxin, a natural coumarin glycoside, has shown anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but its effects on bone homeostasis are obscure. The effects of fraxin on osteoclast formation and activation were measured via an in vitro osteoclastogenesis assay.