Nutraceuticals for the Treatment of IBD: Current Progress and Future Directions.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing-remitting inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Patients are usually diagnosed in adolescence and early adulthood and need lifelong treatment. In recent years, it has been found that diet plays an important role in the pathogenesis of IBD.

Gut Microbiome Composition Abnormalities Determined Using High-Throughput Sequencing in Children With Tic Disorder.

Object: To investigate the distribution characteristics of gut microbiota in children with tic disorder (TD) and the possible role of these characteristics in the pathogenesis of TD.

Methods: The medical records of 28 children with TD treated at Wuxi Children's Hospital from January 1 to October 31, 2020, and 21 age-matched healthy children (controls) were included. The relative quantification of bacterial taxa was performed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Integrative Analysis of Exosomal miR-452 and miR-4713 Downregulating for the Prevention of Childhood Obesity.

Neuropeptides are associated with childhood obesity and exploring their regulatory mechanisms may reveal new insights for novel treatments. Childhood obesity data were downloaded from the GEO database and were used to screen for differentially expressed neuropeptides in patients with obesity. NPY1R expression was significantly upregulated in children with obesity compared to children without obesity ( < 0.

The cerebrospinal fluid neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is a sensitive biomarker for bacterial meningitis in children.

Background: The cerebrospinal fluid neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (CSF NLR) as a diagnostic biomarker of bacterial meningitis has been reported in adult trials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CSF NLR as a diagnostic biomarker of bacterial meningitis in children and to define an optimal CSF NLR concentration.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of children with clinical findings compatible with meningitis.

Toll-Like Receptor 2 Modulates Pulmonary Inflammation and TNF-α Release Mediated by .

Objectives: To investigate the roles that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play in lung inflammation mediated by (MP).

Methods: The changes in TLRs and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in peripheral blood of children with pneumonia (MPP) were monitored, and the interactions of signaling molecules regulating TNF-α release in A549 cells and neutrophils after stimulation were investigated. In TLR2 knockout (TLR2-/-) mice, the levels of TNF-α in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood after mycoplasma infection and the pathological changes in the lung tissue of mice were detected.

[The expression and clinical significance of Bmi-1 gene in oral leukoplakia with different prognosis].

To detect the expression of Bmi-1 in oral leukoplakia (OL) cells and tissues, and analyze its role and clinical significance in the malignant transformation of OL. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate Bmi-1 expression in OL samples from 109 patients (51 males, 58 females, age range: 18-74 years) who were treated in the Department of Stomatology, the Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and the Center of Stomatology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, between 1996 and 2018. The correlation between Bmi-1 expression level and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in patients with OL was analyzed.

The CD146-HIF-1α axis regulates epithelial cell migration and alveolar maturation in a mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common challenge in preterm neonates. Retardation of alveolar development characterizes the pulmonary pathology in BPD. In the present study, we explored the roles of the CD146-HIF-1α axis in BPD.

Associations between exposure to a mixture of phenols, parabens, and phthalates and sex steroid hormones in children 6-19 years from NHANES, 2013-2016.

Background: Humans are typically exposed to mixtures of environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals simultaneously, but most studies have considered only a single chemical or a class of similar chemicals.

Objectives: We examined the association of exposure to mixtures of 7 chemicals, including 2 phenols [bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS)], 2 parabens [methylparaben (MeP) and propyl paraben (PrP)], and 3 phthalate metabolites [Mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono (carboxyoctyl) phthalate (MCOP)] with sex steroid hormones.

Methods: A total of 1179 children aged 6-19 years who had complete data on both 7 chemicals and sex steroid hormones of estradiol (E), total testosterone (TT), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were analyzed from the U.

Effect of allergic rhinitis on sleep in children and the risk factors of an indoor environment.

Purpose: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an independent risk factor for sleep disorders in children, including abnormal sleep behaviors. We investigated the occurrence of abnormal sleep behaviors in children with AR to determine indoor environmental risk factors affecting sleep.

Methods: This case-control study collected the sleep status and characteristics of the indoor environment of children aged 3-14 years with and without AR using a questionnaire.

Differential mRNA and long noncoding RNA expression profiles in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides (nt) that are involved in the pathogenesis and development of various cancers including B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). To determine the potential roles of lncRNAs involved in pathogenesis of B-ALL, we analyzed the expression profile of lncRNAs and mRNAs in B-ALL, respectively, and constructed lncRNAs/mRNAs interaction network.

Methods: We performed RNA sequencing of 10 non-leukemic blood disease donors and 10 B-ALL patients for Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis.

Relationship between Quantitative Parameters of Echocardiography and Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and Its Predictive Value for Short-Term MACE Risk.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between quantitative parameters of echocardiography and vascular endothelial function in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and the predictive value of short-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods: From February 2018 to February 2020, 86 CHF patients in our hospital were selected as the observation group, and 46 healthy subjects were selected as the control group during the same period. Quantitative parameters of echocardiography (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular short-axis shortening rate (FS), and ratio of peak flow velocity between early and late mitral valve diastole (E/A)) and endothelial function indexes (endothelin-1 (ET-1)/nitric oxide (NO)) were compared between the two groups.

Spontaneous formation of neutrophil extracellular traps is associated with autophagy.

Neutrophils release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), via NETosis, as a defense mechanism against pathogens. Neutrophils can release NETs spontaneously; however, the mechanisms underlying spontaneous NETosis remain unclear. Neutrophils isolated from healthy donors were tested for NET formation and autophagy at 1, 6, 12, and 24 h after incubation.

HIF-1α overexpression in mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome-encapsulated arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) hydrogels boost therapeutic efficacy of cardiac repair after myocardial infarction.

Aims: Naturally secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in stem-mediated cardioprotection. This study aimed to investigate the cardioprotective function and underlying mechanisms of EVs derived from HIF-1α engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a rat model of AMI.

Methods And Results: EVs isolated from HIF-1α engineered MSCs (HIF-1α-EVs) and control MSCs (NC-EVs) were prepared.

Altered Metabolic Characteristics in Plasma of Young Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder with no clinical biomarker. This study used untargeted metabolomic analysis to identify metabolic characteristics in plasma that can distinguish ASD children. 29 boys with ASD (3.

Efficacy and specificity of different methods for human neutrophil extracellular trap isolation and handling.

Introduction: Although incubation of various cell types with neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is commonly used to investigate the influence of NETs on cellular function, it is unclear which human NET isolation and handling protocol is superior. The present study sought to assess the efficacy (yield and purity) and efficiency (time taken) of different available human NET isolation and handling protocols.

Material And Methods: Neutrophils isolated from human blood were stimulated using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate.

Effects of whey protein on the in vitro digestibility and physicochemical properties of potato starch.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of whey protein isolate (WPI) on the digestibility and physicochemical properties of potato starch (PS) after heat treatment. WPI reduced the digestibility of PS and increased the order and aggregation structure of gelatinized PS. Examination of the rheological properties of the PS-WPI mixed system before and after adding different chemicals (sodium chloride, urea, and sodium dodecyl sulfate) indicated an involvement of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions in the PS-WPI gelatinization system.

Black Phosphorus Nanoparticles Promote Osteogenic Differentiation of EMSCs Through Upregulated TG2 Expression.

At bio-safe concentrations, black phosphorus nanoparticles activated TG2, and promote the expression of ECM, which further promoted osteogenic differentiation of EMSCs. From these results, we can conclude that black phosphorus nanoparticles are suitable as biological factors in bone tissue engineering. Black phosphorus nanoparticles (BPs) present excellent biocompatibility and good biodegradability, which have been rigorously studied and proven.

Regulatory roles of three miRNAs on allergen mRNA expression in Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

Background: Tyrophagus putresecentiae is an important mite species in rural and urban environments, causing sensitization and allergic disease. While evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) may regulate the expression of allergen-encoding genes, no study has directly investigated this possibility. Here, this gap was addressed by profiling miRNAs and elucidating their target allergen messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in this mite species.

Cx32 inhibits the autophagic effect of Nur77 in SH-SY5Y cells and rat brain with ischemic stroke.

The pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is complex. Cx32 expression has been reported to be up-regulated in ischemic lesions of aged human brain. Nevertheless, the function of Cx32 during cerebral I/R is poorly understood.

A PLA2R-IgG4 Antibody-Based Predictive Model for Assessing Risk Stratification of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy.

Background: Known as an autoimmune glomerular disease, idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is considered to be associated with phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in terms of the main pathogenesis. The quantitative detection of serum PLA2R-IgG and PLA2R-IgG4 antibodies by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) was determined, and the value of them, both in the clinical prediction of risk stratification in IMN, was observed in this study.

Methods: 95 patients with IMN proved by renal biopsy were enrolled, who had tested positive for serum PLA2R antibodies by ELISA, and the quantitative detection of serum PLA2R-IgG and PLA2R-IgG4 antibodies was achieved by TRFIA.

Establishment and application of an immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of IgG and its subtype IgG4 autoantibodies against M-type phospholipase A2 receptor.

Background: The renal biopsy is an accurate and reliable gold standard for membranous nephropathy (MN) diagnosis. However, it is an invasive procedure involving the risk of hemorrhage or infection. Thus, an alternative approach that can facilitate the effective diagnosis and treatment monitoring of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is urgently needed.

Identification of Novel Environmental Substances Relevant to Pediatric Graves' Disease.

Graves' disease (GD) is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, yet a relatively rare disease in the pediatric population. GD is a complex disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In this study, we aimed to find new environmental factors influencing the pathogenesis of GD.

Identification of a novel Sox5 transcript in mouse testis.

The transcription factor SOX5 is present in two distinct isoforms in both human and mouse, L-SOX5 and S-SOX5 (long and short isoforms of SOX5). Here, we identified and characterized a novel transcript of Sox5 (S-Sox5 variant) in mouse testis. eCLIP-based amplification of cDNA ends were performed to identify the potential Sox5 mRNA variant.

Differential circular RNA expression profiles in umbilical cord blood exosomes from preeclampsia patients.

Background: Exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of physiological development and disease pathogenesis. However, the roles of exosomal circRNAs from umbilical cord blood in preeclampsia (PE) occurrence remains poorly understood.

Methods: We used microarray technology to establish the differential circRNA expression profiles in umbilical cord blood exosomes from PE patients compared with normal controls.