Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Transplantation Promotes Bone Healing via Gap Junction-Mediated Cell-Cell Interaction.

Aims: Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) are a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells that have been widely used in experimental therapies for patients with various diseases, including fractures.Activation of angiogenesis is believed to be one of the major modes of action of BM-MNCs; however, the essential mechanism by which BM-MNCs activate angiogenesis remains elusive. This study aimed to demonstrate that BM-MNCs promote bone healing by enhancing angiogenesis through direct cell-to-cell interactions via gap junctions, in addition to a previously reported method.

Predicting transcriptional changes induced by molecules with MiTCP.

Studying the changes in cellular transcriptional profiles induced by small molecules can significantly advance our understanding of cellular state alterations and response mechanisms under chemical perturbations, which plays a crucial role in drug discovery and screening processes. Considering that experimental measurements need substantial time and cost, we developed a deep learning-based method called Molecule-induced Transcriptional Change Predictor (MiTCP) to predict changes in transcriptional profiles (CTPs) of 978 landmark genes induced by molecules. MiTCP utilizes graph neural network-based approaches to simultaneously model molecular structure representation and gene co-expression relationships, and integrates them for CTP prediction.

TIGIT-expression on natural killer cell subsets is an early indicator of alleviating liver inflammation following bulevirtide treatment in chronic hepatitis D.

Background Aims: Bulevirtide (BLV) is a novel and the only approved treatment option for patients with chronic hepatitis D (CHD). BLV alleviates liver inflammation already early during treatment when only minor HDV RNA changes are observed. We hypothesized that BLV-treatment may influence immune cells in CHD patients and performed a high-resolution analysis of natural killer (NK) cells before and during BLV-therapy.

Pathophysiology, symptoms, outcomes, and evaluation of hyponatremia: comprehension and best clinical practice.

This review article series on water and electrolyte disorders is based on the 'Electrolyte Winter Seminar' held annually for young nephrologists in Japan. The seminar includes lively discussions based on cases, which are also partly included in this series as self-assessment questions. The first article in this series focuses on pathophysiology, symptoms, outcomes, and evaluation of hyponatremia, a common water and electrolyte disorder in clinical practice.

Treatment of hyponatremia: comprehension and best clinical practice.

This review article series on water and electrolyte disorders is based on the 'Electrolyte Winter Seminar' held annually for young nephrologists in Japan. The seminar features dynamic case-based discussions, some of which are included as self-assessment questions in this series. The second article in this series focuses on treatment of hyponatremia, a common water and electrolyte disorder frequently encountered in clinical practice.

Unelongated Stems are an Active Nitrogen-Fixing Site in Rice Stems Supported by Both Sugar and Methane Under Low Nitrogen Conditions.

Enhancing nitrogen (N) fixation in rice plants can reduce N fertilizer application and contribute to sustainable rice production, particularly under low-N conditions. However, detailed microbial and metabolic characterization of N fixation in rice stems, unlike in the well-studied roots, has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the active N-fixing sites, their diazotroph communities, and the usability of possible carbon sources in stems compared with roots.

Exploring novel immunotherapy in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Is targeting TIGIT an answer?

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent and highly lethal malignancy in Asia. Recent advancements in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have markedly transformed the systemic therapy landscape for ESCC. Anti-PD-1-based combination with chemotherapy or with ipilimumab, an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, have been established as the new standard first-line treatments for patients with advanced ESCC.

Correlation between internal limiting membrane preservation and sub-epiretinal membrane space during epiretinal membrane surgery.

Purpose: Internal limiting membrane (ILM) is usually peeled simultaneously with epiretinal membrane (ERM), however, in eyes with glaucoma and ERM, ILM is preserved in order to prevent nerve fiber damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a new approach for ERM is effective to keep ILM during surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective consecutive case series.

Improving postsurgical paresis in brain tumor patients by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Background And Objectives: Recently, reduction of transcallosal inhibition by contralateral navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) improved neurorehabilitation of glioma patients with new postoperative paresis. This multicentric study examines the effect of postoperative nrTMS in brain tumor patients to treat surgery-related upper extremity paresis.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of two randomized and three one-arm studies in brain tumor patients with new/progressive postoperative paresis.

A literature-based cost-effectiveness analysis of device-assisted suturing versus needle-driven suturing during laparotomy closure.

Purpose: Small-bites suturing technique for laparotomy closure is now recommended as the standard of care. However, uptake of the practice remains slow. A medical technology called the SutureTOOL has been developed which can facilitate implementation of small-bites.

Management and outcome of mesh infection after abdominal wall reconstruction in a tertiary care center.

Purpose: Abdominal wall reconstruction is a common surgical procedure, with a post-operative risk of mesh-associated infection of which management is poorly known. This study aims to comprehensively analyze clinical and microbiological aspects of mesh infection, treatment modalities, and associated outcomes.

Methods: Patients with abdominal mesh infection were included in a retrospective observational cohort (2010-2023).

Microvascular reconstruction in oral and maxillofacial surgery: a Europe-wide data collection.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze microvascular reconstruction in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) in Europe.

Methods: Based on previous studies, a dynamic online questionnaire was developed and subjected to internal and external evaluation. The questionnaire comprised multiple-choice, rating, and open-ended questions, addressing general and specific aspects and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on microvascular reconstruction in OMFS in Europe.

ACTB::ZMIZ2-rearranged adnexal carcinoma: a second case.

A case of cutaneous adnexal neoplasm with unusual squamoid morphology and harboring an in frame ACTB::ZMIZ2 fusion transcript was recently described. Herein, we report a second case of adnexal carcinoma harboring similar morphology and an identical in frame ACTB::ZMIZ2 fusion transcript. This 2.

Crystal Growth and Structural Analysis of Layered Lithium Titanium Sulfide.

Layered sulfide crystals are suitable hosts for lithium and sodium ions in batteries. In this study, new layered lithium titanium sulfide (LTS) crystals were grown in a sealed silica tube using a LiS self-flux at 800-950 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results indicated the formation of a new sulfide phase with higher symmetry in the Li-Ti-S system.

Selenium Nucleophilicity and Electrophilicity in the Intra- and Intermolecular SN2 Reactions of Selenenyl Sulfide Probes.

Chalcogenide exchange reactions are an important class of bimolecular nucleophilic substitution reactions (SN2) involving sulfur and selenium species as nucleophile, central atom, and/or leaving group, which are fundamental throughout redox biology and metabolism. While thiol-disulfide exchange reactions have been deeply investigated, those involving selenium are less understood, especially with regards to the polarised selenenyl sulfides RSe-SR' even though the directed reactivity of selenenyl sulfides is biologically crucial for selenoenzymes such as thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Synthetic methods to create asymmetric selenenyl sulfides with high regiochemical purity only emerged over the last five years; this functional group has already demonstrated powerful applications to cell biology, through probes for molecular imaging (e.

Degrading the key component of the inflammasome: development of an NLRP3 PROTAC.

This study explores PROTACs for NLRP3, the key player in innate immunity. We utilised a thiophene analogue of the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 and employed CuAAC chemistry for the assembly of PROTACs bearing various linkers and recruiting three different E3 ligases. Compounds were evaluated in bidirectional thermal stability studies with NLRP3 and E3 ligases.

Pathogenesis of prosthetic joint infections: bacterial adhesion and internalization in osteoblasts, synoviocytes and endothelial cells.

is frequently isolated during prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). Unlike , its internalization and persistence within cells are controversial. We aimed to determine whether internalization is involved in the pathophysiology of PJIs.

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma: open questions on the management and treatment algorithm.

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) accounts for ~10% of all epithelial ovarian cancers and is considered a different entity from the more common high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC), with distinct clinical presentations, different risk, and prognostic factors, and specific molecular features. Most OCCCs are diagnosed at an early stage and show favorable outcomes, in contrast to those diagnosed at advanced stages, which exhibit intrinsic resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy regimens and a very poor prognosis. The standard treatment of advanced OCCC is currently based on primary debulking surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy according to recent international guidelines.

Hypoxia-activated dissociation of heteroleptic cobalt(III) complexes with functionalized 2,2'-bipyridines and a model anticancer drug esculetin.

A low oxygen level in solid tumors is behind the modern concept of selective chemotherapy by hypoxia-activated prodrugs, such as heteroleptic complexes of transition metals (cobalt(III), iron(III) or platinum(IV)) with bi- or tetradentate ligands and an anticancer drug molecule as a co-ligand. A series of new cobalt(III) complexes [Co(LR)(esc)]ClO with esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin) and 2,2'-bipyridines (2,2'-bipy) functionalized by different substituents R were probed in the hypoxia-activated delivery of this model anticancer drug. Their combined study by cyclic voltammetry and NMR spectroscopy allowed identifying linear correlations of the electrochemical reduction potentials and the rate of the hypoxia-activated dissociation of [Co(LR)(esc)]ClO with the Hammett constants of the substituents in 2,2'-bipy ligands.

NIPT Integration as a Patient-Paid Prenatal Screening Option-Observations and Challenges from a Bulgarian Genetic Counseling Center.

: NIPT is a widely implemented method for prenatal screening of chromosomal disorders. Its introduction initiated the practice of counseling women pre- and post-analytically. Since the test's usage is established in different conditions, comparing data from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds would be of scientific value.

Subgroup Characteristics of Middle-Aged and Older Women with Chronic Low Back Pain by Multiple Factors: A Hierarchical Cluster Analysis.

Background/objectives: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) after middle age is a complex multifactorial condition, and subgrouping is recommended to determine effective treatment strategies. Multidimensional data help create new groupings to increase the effectiveness of interventions in middle-aged and older adults with CLBP. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the factors associated with CLBP after middle age and to create and characterize a new subgroup based on these factors.

Colour Vision Deficits in Children with Amblyopia: Impact of Angular Size of Stimuli on Detection.

This study investigates colour vision deficits in children with amblyopia by employing a computerized colour vision test with varying stimulus sizes (1°, 2°, and 3°). The aim is to delineate the impact of amblyopia on colour discrimination in children and to determine the effectiveness of the computerized colour vision test in detecting these deficits. The study involved 40 participants, divided into 20 children with amblyopia and 20 without amblyopia (control group).

Consolidated Newborn Bloodspot Screening Efforts in Developing Countries in the Asia Pacific-2024.

Approximately half of all births globally occur in the Asia Pacific Region. Concerted efforts to support local activities aimed at developing national newborn screening (NBS) have been ongoing for almost 30 years, first by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and then through volunteer efforts. Sustainable newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) continues to be initiated and develop in many of the countries with developing economies in the region.