Genome-wide characterization and analysis of rice DUF247 gene family.

Background: The domain of unknown function 247 (DUF247) proteins is involved in plant development and stress response. Rice is an important worldwide cereal crop, although an increasing number of DUF proteins have been identified, the understanding of DUF proteins is still very limited in rice.

Results: In this study, we identified 69 genes that encode DUF247 proteins in the rice (Oryza sativa) genome by homology searches and domain prediction.

Association of mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase with prognosis and immune regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK2), a mitochondrial isoenzyme, supports the growth of cancer cells under glucose deficiency conditions in vitro. This study investigated the role and potential mechanism of PCK2 in the occurrence and development of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and other databases distinguish the expression of PCK2 and verified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.

Protective effect of rubber seed oil on human endothelial cells.

Objective: This study was conducted to characterize the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Rubber Seed Oil (RSO) against atherosclerosis (AS) through the study of the protective effects and mechanisms on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL).

Methods: HUVECs were treated with RSO, ox-LDL, RSO + ox-LDL, respectively, followed by cell activity testing, levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, ROS, NO, the mRNA expression of eNOS and protein expression of MCP-1, VCAM-1, eNOS, TLR4, NF-κB p65、p-NF-κB p65.

Results: Compared with the ox-LDL group, cell viability, NO level and the expression of eNOS mRNA significantly increased.

Association of single nucleotide genetic polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor and calcium-sensitive receptor with calcium-containing kidney stones in Chinese Dai populations: a prospective multi-center study.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between vitamin D receptor (VDRs) and calcium-sensitive receptor (CaSR) gene polymorphisms and calcium-containing kidney stones (CCKS) in Dai populations.

Methods: A total of 160 CCKS patients and 87 healthy controls were included in this study. CCKS was confirmed using urological computed tomography (CT), plain abdominal radiograph, or surgical lithotomy.

ALKBH5-mediated mA demethylation of Runx2 mRNA promotes extracellular matrix degradation and intervertebral disc degeneration.

Background: N6-methyladenosine (mA) methylation is a prevalent RNA modification implicated in various diseases. However, its role in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), a common cause of low back pain, remains unclear.

Results: In this investigation, we explored the involvement of mA demethylation in the pathogenesis of IDD.

Efficacy of autologous blood patch injection for pneumothorax rate after CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Pneumothorax is the most frequent complication after CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy (CT-PTLB). Many studies reported that injection of autologous blood patch (ABP) during biopsy needle withdrawal could reduce the pneumothorax and chest tube insertion rate after CT-PTLB, but the result is debatable. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to synthesize evidence regarding the efficacy of ABP procedure in patients receiving CT-PTLB.

Risk factors for avascular necrosis of the femoral head after developmental hip dislocation reduction surgery and construction of Nomogram prediction model.

Background: To analyze the risk factors for the development of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head after reduction surgery in children with developmental hip dysplasia (DDH), and to establish a prediction nomogram.

Methods: The clinical data of 134 children with DDH (169 hips) treated with closure reduction or open reduction from December 2016 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Independent risk factors for AVN after DDH reduction being combined with cast external immobilization were determined by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression and used to generate nomograms predicting the occurrence of AVN.

Prediction of cerebral infarction after bypass surgery in adult moyamoya disease: using pulsatility index on TCD.

Background: At present, the most effective treatment for symptomatic moyamoya disease (MMD) is surgery. However, the high incidence of postoperative complications is a serious problem plaguing the surgical treatment of MMD, especially the acute cerebral infarction. Decreased cerebrovascular reserve is an independent risk factor for ischemic infarction, and the pulsatility index (PI) of transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a common intuitive index for evaluating intracranial vascular compliance.

Predictive Value of Serum Inflammatory Factors and FT3 for Stroke-Associated Pneumonia in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: The ability of serum inflammatory factors and free triiodothyronine (FT3) in predicting the occurrence of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) was assessed in this study.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 285 consecutive patients with AIS initially diagnosed and admitted to our hospital from January to December 2022. Patients were categorized into SAP and non-SAP groups based on the presence of SAP.

Exploring the Mechanism of Isoforskolin against Asthma Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification.

In this study, network pharmacology combined with biological experimental verification was utilized to screen the targets of isoforskolin (ISOF) and investigate the potential underlying mechanism of ISOF against asthma. Asthma-related targets were screened from the Genecards and DisGeNET databases. SEA and Super-PRED databases were used to obtain the targets of ISOF.

Efficacy and safety of intravitreal injection of conbercept for moderate to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of intravitreal injection of conbercept (IVC) in treating moderate to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), with or without accompanying diabetic macular edema.

Methods: In this longitudinal retrospective study, 35 patients (50 eyes) with moderate to severe NPDR and Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) scores between 43 and 53 were treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, from October 2018 to January 2023. Treatment protocol included three monthly IVC injections followed by a (PRN) regimen over a two-year follow-up period.

Gallic acid pretreatment mitigates parathyroid ischemia-reperfusion injury through signaling pathway modulation.

Thyroid surgery often results in ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) to the parathyroid glands, yet the mechanisms underlying this and how to ameliorate IRI remain incompletely explored. Our study identifies a polyphenolic herbal extract-gallic acid (GA)-with antioxidative properties against IRI. Through flow cytometry and CCK8 assays, we investigate the protective effects of GA pretreatment on a parathyroid IRI model and decode its potential mechanisms via RNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis.

A switch in the pathway of TRPC3-mediated calcium influx into brain pericytes contributes to capillary spasms after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Calcium influx and subsequent elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca]) induce contractions of brain pericytes and capillary spasms following subarachnoid hemorrhage. This calcium influx is exerted through cation channels. However, the specific calcium influx pathways in brain pericytes after subarachnoid hemorrhage remain unknown.

Sequential Treatment of Iliopsoas Tendon Cysts Combined With Medial Hip Snapping by Hip Arthroscopy.

Tendon cysts of the iliopsoas muscle cause pain and snapping of the hip. These cysts are close to the femoral nerve and blood vessels, and the risk of open surgery is high, with cyst recurrence occurring frequently. We describe a method of hip arthroscopy for the orderly excision of iliopsoas cysts.

Role of effective atomic number of paraspinal muscles in the prediction of acute vertebral fracture risk assessment: a cross-sectional case-control study.

Objectives: We aim to investigate the relations among effective atomic number (Zeff), density, and area of paraspinal muscles, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), and acute vertebral fractures (VF) by using spectral base images (SBIs) and routine CT images.

Methods: A total of 223 patients (52 men and 171 women) with acute lumber VF and 776 subjects (286 men and 390 women) without VF of at least 60 years were enrolled and underwent dual-layer detector CT scans. We quantified the cross-sectional area, density (paraSMD), and Zeff of paraspinal muscles by CT images and SBIs and measured vBMD of the lumbar spine by quantitative CT.

Effects of exercise interventions on negative emotions, cognitive performance and drug craving in methamphetamine addiction.

Introduction: Methamphetamine is currently one of the most commonly used addictive substances with strong addiction and a high relapse rate. This systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of physical activity in improving negative emotions, cognitive impairment, and drug craving in people with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD).

Methods: A total of 17 studies out of 133 found from Embase and PubMed were identified, reporting results from 1836 participants from MUD populations.

Heterotopic pancreas in Meckel's diverticulum causing perforation in an infant: a case report.

Perforation of Meckel's diverticulum caused by heterotopic pancreas is a rare condition. Despite recent improvements in imaging studies, Meckel"'s diverticulitis and heterotopic pancreas are difficult to diagnose preoperatively and are often diagnosed during autopsy or laparotomy. Symptomatic patients are typically >1 year, and cases of infants displaying symptoms are rarely reported.

[Epidemiological investigation and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in Yunnan Province].

To investigate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Yunnan Province, explore its risk factors, and provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). This is a large cross-sectional study, in all, 1 524 DM patients in 16 communities and villages of Yunnan Province who were registered in health service centers were included in this study from August to November 2019. All patients completed a uniform questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, biochemical measurements, and auxiliary examinations.

The mitochondrial protease ClpP is a druggable target that controls VSMC phenotype by a SIRT1-dependent mechanism.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), known for their remarkable lifelong phenotypic plasticity, play a pivotal role in vascular pathologies through their ability to transition between different phenotypes. Our group discovered that the deficiency of the mitochondrial protein Poldip2 induces VSMC differentiation both in vivo and in vitro. Further comprehensive biochemical investigations revealed Poldip2's specific interaction with the mitochondrial ATPase caseinolytic protease chaperone subunit X (CLPX), which is the regulatory subunit for the caseinolytic protease proteolytic subunit (ClpP) that forms part of the ClpXP complex - a proteasome-like protease evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to humans.

Development and validation of a simple and practical model for early detection of diabetic macular edema in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using easily accessible systemic variables.

Objective: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the leading cause of visual impairment in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). The goal of early detection has not yet achieved due to a lack of fast and convenient methods. Therefore, we aim to develop and validate a prediction model to identify DME in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using easily accessible systemic variables, which can be applied to an ophthalmologist-independent scenario.

Enhancing immunotherapy outcomes by targeted remodeling of the tumor microenvironment via combined cGAS-STING pathway strategies.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent a groundbreaking advance in the treatment of malignancies such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, showcasing substantial therapeutic benefits. Nonetheless, the efficacy of ICIs is limited to a small subset of patients, primarily benefiting those with "hot" tumors characterized by significant immune infiltration. The challenge of converting "cold" tumors, which exhibit minimal immune activity, into "hot" tumors to enhance their responsiveness to ICIs is a critical and complex area of current research.

Identification of Long Noncoding RNAs Expression Profiles Between Gallstone and Gallbladder Cancer Using Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis.

Background: Gallstone disease (GS) is an important risk factor for Gallbladder cancer (GBC). However, the mechanisms of the progression of GS to GBC remain unclear. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), modulates DNA/RNA/proteins at epigenetic, pre-transcriptional, transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels, and plays a potential therapeutic role in various diseases.

NANOG regulate the JAK/STAT3 pathway to promote trophoblast cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) through protein interaction with CDK1.

Problem: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a common pregnancy disease. NANOG and Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) are essential for regulating the function of cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, the mechanism of action in HDP is yet unclear.