Burden, trends, and predictions of liver cancer in China, Japan, and South Korea: analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: Liver cancer (LC) is a major concern in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China, Korea, and Japan. In this study, we aimed to investigate the burden, trends, and predictions related to LC in these countries.

Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, the epidemiological characteristics [incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs)] for LC were analysed and stratified by specific etiologies in China, Japan, and South Korea.

RSK4 promotes the metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by activating RUNX1-mediated angiogenesis.

Ribosomal S6 protein kinase 4 (RSK4), a member of the serine‒threonine kinase family, plays a vital role in the Ras‒MAPK pathway. This kinase is responsible for managing several cellular activities, including cell growth, proliferation, survival, and mobility. In this study, we observed higher RSK4 protein expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) than in normal kidney tissue, and the overexpression of RSK4 might predict poor outcomes for ccRCC patients.

Brain with coexistent acoustic schwannoma and ependymoma.

Background: This particular case is a world-first with no previous literature reports on patients presenting with both benign acoustic schwannoma and malignant ependymoma.

Case Presentation: A 60-year-old woman with unexplained right-sided hearing loss that had worsened progressively over 4 years, along with intermittent dizziness that had begun 3 years prior. Our preliminary diagnosis included: (1) Right acoustic neuroma; (2) Ependymoma of the fourth ventricle; and (3) Hydrocephalus.

Quercetin can improve anesthesia induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction by regulating miR-138-5p/ LCN2.

Background: Anesthesia can lead to functional cognitive impairment, which can seriously affect postoperative recovery. To investigate the effect and mechanism of quercetin (Que) in anesthetized rats, the study provided a new therapeutic idea for the prevention of cognitive dysfunction caused by anesthesia.

Methods: Cognitively impaired rats were constructed using Isoflurane (ISO) anesthesia and treated with Que.

Metallothionein rescues doxorubicin cardiomyopathy via mitigation of cuproptosis.

Doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapeutic agent utilized in the management of cancer, provokes cardiotoxicity although effective remedy is lacking. Given that DOX provokes oxidative stress and cell death in cardiomyocytes, this study evaluated the possible involvement of cuproptosis, a newly identified form of cell death, in DOX-instigated cardiac remodeling and contractile dysfunction, alongside the impact of the heavy metal scavenger metallothionein (MT) on DOX cardiomyopathy. Cardiac-specific MT transgenic and wild-type (WT) mice were treated with DOX (5 mg/kg/wk.

Genetic variants in PD-1 and its ligands, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in allergic rhinitis.

Background: The etiology of allergic rhinitis (AR), in which genetic and environmental factors are closely intertwined, has not yet been completely clarified. Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2) regulate the immune and inflammatory responses during the development of immune-related and atopic diseases. To clarify the associations of genetic variants in PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 with susceptibility to AR, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions were investigated.

Rnd3 Ameliorates Diabetic Cardiac Microvascular Injury via Facilitating Trim40-mediated Rock1 Ubiquitination.

Diabetic microvascular dysfunction is evidenced by disrupted endothelial cell junctions and increased microvascular permeability. However, effective strategies against these injuries remain scarce. In this study, the type 2 diabetes mouse model was established by high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin injection in Rnd3 endothelial- specific transgenic and knockout mice.

Hypoxic BMSC-derived exosomal miR-210-3p promotes progression of triple-negative breast cancer cells via NFIX-Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis.

Background: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a crucial component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), with hypoxic conditions promoting their migration to tumors. Exosomes play a vital role in cell-to-cell communication within the TME. Hypoxic TME have a great impact on the release, uptake and biofunctions of exosomes.

Importance of clinical trials and contributions to contemporary medicine: commentary.

Clinical trials are crucial to contemporary medicine, offering valuable insights into the safety, efficacy, and appropriate use of new treatments. They contribute to public health improvements, reduce healthcare costs, uncover new understandings of disease biology, and facilitate the development of therapies for rare conditions. Investing in clinical trials is therefore essential for advancing medical science and enhancing patient outcomes globally.

A Novel Prognostic Risk Model Based on Oxidative Stress to Predict Survival and Improve Treatment Strategies in Stomach Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is the fifth most common tumor worldwide, imposing a significant disease burden on populations, particularly in Asia. Oxidative stress is well-known to play an essential role in the occurrence and progression of malignancies. Our study aimed to construct a prediction model by exploring the correlation between oxidative stress-related genes and the prognosis of patients with STAD.

Mangiferin Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Regulating the GAS6/Axl Signaling Pathway.

Ischemia reperfusion-induced myocardial injury is a prominent pathological feature in patients with coronary artery disease, contributing to significant mortality and morbidity rates. Mangiferin (MGF), the main active ingredient extracted from Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge, has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, and anti-tumor effects. The present study confirmed that the GAS6/Axl pathway was identified as a promising novel target for the treatment of myocardial ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury.

Genetically engineered biomimetic ATP-responsive nanozyme for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.

Background: Cardiac fibrosis plays a critical role in the progression of various forms of heart disease, significantly increasing the risk of sudden cardiac death. However, currently, there are no therapeutic strategies available to prevent the onset of cardiac fibrosis.

Methods And Results: Here, biomimetic ATP-responsive nanozymes based on genetically engineered cell membranes are adapted to specifically recognize activated cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.

Dynamic EIT technology for real-time non-invasive monitoring of acute pulmonary embolism: a porcine model experiment.

Background: Acute pulmonary embolism represents the third most prevalent cardiovascular pathology, following coronary heart disease and hypertension. Its untreated mortality rate is as high as 20-30%, which represents a significant threat to patient survival. In view of the current lack of real-time monitoring techniques for acute pulmonary embolism, this study primarily investigates the potential of the pulsatility electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technique for the detection and real-time monitoring of acute pulmonary embolism through the collection and imaging of the pulsatile signal of pulmonary blood flow.

Comparison of radiation esophagitis associated with daytime versus evening radiotherapy in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

Purpose: Based on the demonstration of a circadian rhythm in the human oral mucosa cell cycle, with most cells in the G2/M phase in the afternoon and at night, the present study evaluated the severity of acute radiation esophagitis and treatment outcomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving radiotherapy (RT) in the daytime versus in the evening.

Methods: From the 488 eligible patients of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), 369 patients received RT in the daytime (before 19:00) and 119 patients received RT in the evening (after 19:00). The grades of radiation esophagitis (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.

Ultrasound localization microscopy in the diagnosis of breast tumors and prediction of relevant histologic biomarkers associated with prognosis in humans: the protocol for a prospective, multicenter study.

Background: Benign and malignant breast tumors differ in their microvasculature morphology and distribution. Histologic biomarkers of malignant breast tumors are also correlated with the microvasculature. There is a lack of imaging technology for evaluating the microvasculature.

Novel metabolic prognostic score for predicting survival in patients with cancer.

Cancer is a fatal disease with a high global prevalence and is associated with an increased incidence of metabolic disorders. This study aimed to develop a novel metabolic prognostic system to evaluate the overall metabolic disorder burden in cancer patients and its relationship with their prognosis. The patients in this study were enrolled from the Investigation on Nutrition Status and Clinical Outcome of Common Cancers (INSCOC) project.

Exosome-equipped TNF antisense oligodeoxynucleotide or 2-deoxy-D-glucose ameliorated nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by modulating superoxide dismutase 1 in mice.

Inflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 beta (IL1β), primarily derived from hepatic macrophages in the liver, play a crucial role in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Meanwhile, intravenously injected exosomes are mainly distributed in the liver and predominantly taken up by hepatic macrophage. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of targeted inhibition of TNF and IL1β expression in hepatic macrophages via exosomes as a potential therapeutic strategy for NASH.

Nomogram and randomized survival forest model for predicting sepsis risk in patients with cerebral infarction in the intensive care unit.

Background: To construct a nomogram and a Randomized Survival Forest (RSF) model for predicting the occurrence of sepsis in patients with cerebral infarction in intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: A total of 1,963 patients were included from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database version 2.0 (MIMIC-IV v2.

Intestinal flora composition and fecal metabolic phenotype in elderly patients with sleep disorders combined with type 2 diabetes.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an independent risk factor for sleep disorders in the elderly and explore the possible intestinal flora factors of sleep disorders combined with T2D in this population.

Methods: All hospitalized patients with sleep disorders aged ≥65 years between June and November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into a sleep disorder group ( = 134) and a control group ( = 109). The logistic regression method was utilized to clarify the causal relationship between T2D and sleep disorders.

Advancing the clinical assessment of glomerular podocyte pathology in kidney biopsies via super-resolution microscopy and angiopoietin-like 4 staining.

The tertiary structure of normal podocytes prevents protein from leaking into the urine. However, observing the complexity of podocytes is challenging because of the scale differences in their three-dimensional structure and the close proximity between neighboring cells in space. In this study, we explored podocyte-secreted angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) as a potential morphological marker via super-resolution microscopy (SRM).

The burden of Gastric Cancer and possible risk factors from 1990 to 2021, and projections until 2035: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background And Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant global health challenge, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates, particularly in East Asia. A comprehensive understanding of the disease burden of gastric cancer is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. However, comprehensive global assessments of the disease burden of gastric cancer remain limited.

The association of serum total bile acids and deep venous thrombosis.

Background And Aim: Bile acid metabolism plays a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance between coagulation and anticoagulation processes. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the relationship between serum total bile acids (TBA) levels and the risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in Chinese individuals. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the association between TBA levels and DVT occurrence in this population.

Short-Term Effects of NO Exposure on Hospitalization for Chronic Kidney Disease.

This study investigates the correlation between short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO) and hospitalization for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Lanzhou, China. A distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was employed to examine the relationship between changes in NO concentration and CKD hospitalizations. Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess the sensitivity of different populations to NO exposure.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles as sensitizers: A novel approach to enhancing shear wave elastography in liver stiffness measurement.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to elucidate the sensitizing effect of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) on shear wave elastography (SWE) and to investigate the potential application of MSNs as a sensitizer to enhance the sensitivity of SWE in the diagnosis of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

Materials And Methods: The in vitro gelatin models with varying ratios were assessed using SWE to identify the gelatin ratio that most closely approximates with human liver stiffness. Following the characterization of the dispersion properties of MSNs, in vitro models incorporating MSNs of different particle sizes were developed.