RNF144B negatively regulates antiviral immunity by targeting MDA5 for autophagic degradation.

As a RIG-I-like receptor, MDA5 plays a critical role in antiviral innate immunity by acting as a cytoplasmic double-stranded RNA sensor capable of initiating type I interferon pathways. Here, we show that RNF144B specifically interacts with MDA5 and promotes K27/K33-linked polyubiquitination of MDA5 at lysine 23 and lysine 43, which promotes autophagic degradation of MDA5 by p62. Rnf144b deficiency greatly promotes IFN production and inhibits EMCV replication in vivo. Importantly, Rnf144b-/- mice has a significantly higher overall survival rate than wild-type mice upon EMCV infection. Collectively, our results identify RNF144B as a negative regulator of innate antiviral response by targeting CARDs of MDA5 and mediating autophagic degradation of MDA5.

Anatomical Relationships of Internal Carotid Artery with Posterior Pharyngeal Wall and Upper Cervical Spine: Analysis of 238 Computed Tomography Angiograms.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate internal carotid artery's (ICA) anatomical relationships with atlantoaxial joints and posterior pharyngeal wall and to illustrate ICA injury risk during transoral procedures to the upper cervical spine. METHODS: Cervical spine computed tomography angiography of 238 patients was retrospectively evaluated. Each ICA was classified into 1 of 3 zones: areas medial (Zone 1), anterior (Zone 2), or lateral (Zone 3) to the atlantoaxial joint. For an ICA in Zone 1, the shortest distances to the posterior pharyngeal wall and midsagittal plane were measured. For an ICA in Zone 2, the closest distances to the midsagittal plane and anterior cortex of the C1-2 complex were measured. RESULTS: Fifteen ICAs in Zone 1 were found in 12 (5%) patients, with 3 female patients having bilateral ICAs medial to the atlantoaxial joint. The incidence of ICA in Zone 1 was higher in females than in males. In cases of ICAs in Zone 2, the ICAs were close to the anterior cortex of the C1-2 complex, with the shortest distance being 2.6 ± 1.5 mm. A total of 39.9% of patients had bilateral ICAs in Zone 3. CONCLUSIONS: Transoral surgeries in the upper cervical spine carry potential ICA injury risk. They should be carefully deliberated in patients whose ICAs are in Zone 1. In cases of ICAs in Zone 2, meticulous subperiosteal stripping and gentle traction should be performed on the posterior pharyngeal wall. Preoperative identification of the course of ICAs is mandatory in patients undergoing transoral surgeries in the upper cervical spine.

Pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy in spinal cord injury: regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Regulated cell death is a form of cell death that is actively controlled by biomolecules. Several studies have shown that regulated cell death plays a key role after spinal cord injury. Pyroptosis and ferroptosis are newly discovered types of regulated cell deaths that have been shown to exacerbate inflammation and lead to cell death in damaged spinal cords. Autophagy, a complex form of cell death that is interconnected with various regulated cell death mechanisms, has garnered significant attention in the study of spinal cord injury. This injury triggers not only cell death but also cellular survival responses. Multiple signaling pathways play pivotal roles in influencing the processes of both deterioration and repair in spinal cord injury by regulating pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively examine the mechanisms underlying regulated cell deaths, the signaling pathways that modulate these mechanisms, and the potential therapeutic targets for spinal cord injury. Our analysis suggests that targeting the common regulatory signaling pathways of different regulated cell deaths could be a promising strategy to promote cell survival and enhance the repair of spinal cord injury. Moreover, a holistic approach that incorporates multiple regulated cell deaths and their regulatory pathways presents a promising multi-target therapeutic strategy for the management of spinal cord injury.

Global prevalence and disability-adjusted life years of hypertensive heart disease: A trend analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Background: As hypertensive heart disease (HHD) presents a significant public health challenge globally, we analysed its global, regional, and national burdens and trends from 1990 to 2019. Methods: We used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study, focussing on the age-standardised prevalence rates (ASPRs) of HHD prevalence, age-standardised disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates, average annual percentage change (AAPC), and risk factor attributions. We compared the HHD burden across sociodemographic index (SDI) strata, gender, age groups, and 204 countries and territories. Results: In 2019, the global prevalence of HHD was estimated at 18 598 thousand cases, with DALYs reaching 21 508 thousand. From 1990 to 2019, the ASPRs increased (AAPC = 0.21; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.17, 0.24), while the age-standardised DALY rates decreased (AAPC = -0.45; 95% CI = -1.23, -0.93). We observed the highest increase in ASPRs in high-middle SDI quantile countries, and an overall negative correlation between age-standardised DALY rates and SDI. Individuals above 70 years of age were the most affected, particularly elderly women. There has been a significant increase in HHD burden attributed to high body mass index (BMI) since 1990. The burden of HHD is concentrated in the middle SDI quintile, with population ageing and growth being major drivers for the increase in DALYs. We identified opportunities for reducing age-standardised DALY rates in the middle SDI quintile or lower. Conclusion: Despite a declining trend in the age-standardised DALY rates, the ASPRs of HHD continue to rise, especially in high-middle SDI regions. Meanwhile, countries in middle and lower SDI quintiles face a higher burden of age-standardised DALY rates. Targeted attention towards elderly women and controlling high BMI, alongside enhancing hypertension and HHD management awareness, is crucial for reducing the global burden of HHD.

HyperGen: Compact and Efficient Genome Sketching using Hyperdimensional Vectors.

MOTIVATION: Genomic distance estimation is a critical workload since exact computation for whole-genome similarity metrics such as Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) incurs prohibitive runtime overhead. Genome sketching is a fast and memory-efficient solution to estimate ANI similarity by distilling representative k-mers from the original sequences. In this work, we present HyperGen that improves accuracy, runtime performance, and memory efficiency for large-scale ANI estimation. Unlike existing genome sketching algorithms that convert large genome files into discrete k-mer hashes, HyperGen leverages the emerging hyperdimensional computing (HDC) to encode genomes into quasi-orthogonal vectors (Hypervector, HV) in high-dimensional space. HV is compact and can preserve more information, allowing for accurate ANI estimation while reducing required sketch sizes. In particular, the HV sketch representation in HyperGen allows efficient ANI estimation using vector multiplication, which naturally benefits from highly optimized general matrix multiply (GEMM) routines. As a result, HyperGen enables the efficient sketching and ANI estimation for massive genome collections. RESULTS: We evaluate HyperGen 's sketching and database search performance using several genome datasets at various scales. HyperGen is able to achieve comparable or superior ANI estimation error and linearity compared to other sketch-based counterparts. The measurement results show that HyperGen is one of the fastest tools for both genome sketching and database search. Meanwhile, HyperGen produces memory-efficient sketch files while ensuring high ANI estimation accuracy. AVAILABILITY: A Rust implementation of HyperGen is freely available under the MIT license as an open-source software project at https://github.com/wh-xu/Hyper-Gen. The scripts to reproduce the experimental results can be accessed at https://github.com/wh-xu/experiment-hyper-gen.

The relationship of intimate partner violence on depression: the mediating role of perceived social support and the moderating role of the Big Five personality.

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the influence of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on depression, the mediating role of social support, and the moderating role of the Big Five personality traits in the relationship between social support and depression. Methods: Participants were recruited from Mainland China, using a stratified random sampling and quota sampling method. From June to August 2022, a diverse group of 21,916 participants (ranging from 12 to 100 years old) completed the Intimate Partner Violence Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Big Five Inventory-Short Version. Results: IPV was significantly positively correlated with depression and significantly negatively correlated with perceived social support. Perceived social support plays a mediating role in the link between IPV and depression. Discussion: Healthcare workers should assess social support and provide adequate care or recommendations for increasing social support when patients with IPV report depressive symptoms. Patients can be coached by professionals to improve their resiliency by developing or nurturing more optimistic personality traits.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing reveals co-infection with Legionella pneumophila and Fusobacterium necrophorum in a patient with severe pneumonia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Legionella pneumonia is one of the most severe types of atypical pneumonia, impairing multiple organ systems, posing a threat to life. Diagnosing Legionella pneumonia is challenging due to difficulties in culturing the bacteria and limitations in immunoassay sensitivity and specificity. CASE PRESENTATION: This paper reports a rare case of sepsis caused by combined infection with Legionella pneumophila and Fusobacterium necrophorum, leading to respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, acute liver injury, myocardial damage, and electrolyte disorders. In addition, we systematically reviewed literature on patients with combined Legionella infections, analyzing their clinical features, laboratory results and diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: For pathogens that require prolonged incubation periods and are less sensitive to conventional culturing methods, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) can be a powerful supplement to pathogen screening and plays a significant role in the auxiliary diagnosis of complex infectious diseases.

Combination Targeted Therapy in Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The identification of oncogenic mutations in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has led to the development of drugs that target essential survival pathways, but whether targeting multiple survival pathways may be curative in DLBCL is unknown. METHODS: We performed a single-center, phase 1b-2 study of a regimen of venetoclax, ibrutinib, prednisone, obinutuzumab, and lenalidomide (ViPOR) in relapsed or refractory DLBCL. In phase 1b, which included patients with DLBCL and indolent lymphomas, four dose levels of venetoclax were evaluated to identify the recommended phase 2 dose, with fixed doses of the other four drugs. A phase 2 expansion in patients with germinal-center B-cell (GCB) and non-GCB DLBCL was performed. ViPOR was administered every 21 days for six cycles. RESULTS: In phase 1b of the study, involving 20 patients (10 with DLBCL), a single dose-limiting toxic effect of grade 3 intracranial hemorrhage occurred, a result that established venetoclax at a dose of 800 mg as the recommended phase 2 dose. Phase 2 included 40 patients with DLBCL. Toxic effects that were observed among all the patients included grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (in 24% of the cycles), thrombocytopenia (in 23%), anemia (in 7%), and febrile neutropenia (in 1%). Objective responses occurred in 54% of 48 evaluable patients with DLBCL, and complete responses occurred in 38%; complete responses were exclusively in patients with non-GCB DLBCL and high-grade B-cell lymphoma with rearrangements of MYC and BCL2 or BCL6 (or both). Circulating tumor DNA was undetectable in 33% of the patients at the end of ViPOR therapy. With a median follow-up of 40 months, 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 34% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21 to 47) and 36% (95% CI, 23 to 49), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with ViPOR was associated with durable remissions in patients with specific molecular DLBCL subtypes and was associated with mainly reversible adverse events. (Funded by the Intramural Research Program of the National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03223610.).

Effects of circulating inflammatory proteins on spinal degenerative diseases: Evidence from genetic correlations and Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Numerous investigations have suggested links between circulating inflammatory proteins (CIPs) and spinal degenerative diseases (SDDs), but causality has not been proven. This study used Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal associations between 91 CIPs and cervical spondylosis (CS), prolapsed disc/slipped disc (PD/SD), spinal canal stenosis (SCS), and spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis. Methods: Genetic variants data for CIPs and SDDs were obtained from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database. We used inverse variance weighted (IVW) as the primary method, analyzing the validity and robustness of the results through pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests and performing reverse MR analysis to test for reverse causality. Results: The IVW results with Bonferroni correction indicated that beta-nerve growth factor (ß-NGF), C-X-C motif chemokine 6 (CXCL6), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) can increase the risk of CS. Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1), and tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-ß) can increase PD/SD risk, whereas urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) can decrease the risk of PD/SD. FGF19 and TNF can increase SCS risk. STAM binding protein (STAMBP) and T-cell surface glycoprotein CD6 isoform (CD6 isoform) can increase the risk of spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis, whereas monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 (MCP2) and latency-associated peptide transforming growth factor beta 1 (LAP-TGF-ß1) can decrease spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis risk. Conclusions: MR analysis indicated the causal associations between multiple genetically predicted CIPs and the risk of four SDDs (CS, PD/SD, SCS, and spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis). This study provides reliable genetic evidence for in-depth exploration of the involvement of CIPs in the pathogenic mechanism of SDDs and provides novel potential targets for SDDs.

Molecular targets of glucocorticoids that elucidate their therapeutic efficacy in aggressive lymphomas.

Glucocorticoids have been used for decades to treat lymphomas without an established mechanism of action. Using functional genomic, proteomic, and chemical screens, we discover that glucocorticoids inhibit oncogenic signaling by the B cell receptor (BCR), a recurrent feature of aggressive B cell malignancies, including diffuse large B cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma. Glucocorticoids induce the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to directly transactivate genes encoding negative regulators of BCR stability (LAPTM5; KLHL14) and the PI3 kinase pathway (INPP5D; DDIT4). GR directly represses transcription of CSK, a kinase that limits the activity of BCR-proximal Src-family kinases. CSK inhibition attenuates the constitutive BCR signaling of lymphomas by hyperactivating Src-family kinases, triggering their ubiquitination and degradation. With the knowledge that glucocorticoids disable oncogenic BCR signaling, they can now be deployed rationally to treat BCR-dependent aggressive lymphomas and used to construct mechanistically sound combination regimens with inhibitors of BTK, PI3 kinase, BCL2, and CSK.

Effects of circulating inflammatory proteins on osteoporosis and fractures: evidence from genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: There is a controversy in studies of circulating inflammatory proteins (CIPs) in association with osteoporosis (OP) and fractures, and it is unclear if these two conditions are causally related. This study used MR analyses to investigate the causal associations between 91 CIPs and OP and 9 types of fractures. Methods: Genetic variants data for CIPs, OP, and fractures were obtained from the publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database. We used inverse variance weighted (IVW) as the primary analysis, pleiotropy, and heterogeneity tests to analyze the validity and robustness of causality and reverse MR analysis to test for reverse causality. Results: The IVW results with Bonferroni correction indicated that CXCL11 (OR = 1.2049; 95% CI: 1.0308-1.4083; P = 0.0192) can increase the risk of OP; IL-4 (OR = 1.2877; 95% CI: 1.1003-1.5070; P = 0.0016), IL-7 (OR = 1.2572; 95% CI: 1.0401-1.5196; P = 0.0180), IL-15RA (OR = 1.1346; 95% CI: 1.0163-1.2668; P = 0.0246), IL-17C (OR = 1.1353; 95% CI: 1.0272-1.2547; P = 0.0129), CXCL10 (OR = 1.2479; 95% CI: 1.0832-1.4377; P = 0.0022), eotaxin/CCL11 (OR = 1.1552; 95% CI: 1.0525-1.2678; P = 0.0024), and FGF23 (OR = 1.9437; 95% CI: 1.1875-3.1816; P = 0.0082) can increase the risk of fractures; whereas IL-10RB (OR = 0.9006; 95% CI: 0.8335-0.9730; P = 0.0080), CCL4 (OR = 0.9101; 95% CI: 0.8385-0.9878; P = 0.0242), MCP-3/CCL7 (OR = 0.8579; 95% CI: 0.7506-0.9806; P = 0.0246), IFN-γ [shoulder and upper arm (OR = 0.7832; 95% CI: 0.6605-0.9287; P = 0.0049); rib(s), sternum and thoracic spine (OR = 0.7228; 95% CI: 0.5681-0.9197; P = 0.0083)], ß-NGF (OR = 0.8384; 95% CI: 0.7473-0.9407; P = 0.0027), and SIRT2 (OR = 0.5167; 95% CI: 0.3296-0.8100; P = 0.0040) can decrease fractures risk. Conclusion: Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses indicated the causal associations between multiple genetically predicted CIPs and the risk of OP and fractures.

Highly selective detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol by fluorescent NH2-MIL-125(Ti) via dual-parameter sensing technology.

The organic contaminant 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) is widely prevalent and poses significant risks to human health. Although numerous in-depth studies having been reported on the highly sensitive detection of 2,4-DNP, there are still challenges to its selective detection. Here, the fluorescence intensity ratio (I0/I) and emission peak shift (Δλ) were utilized for selective detection of 2,4-DNP by NH2-MIL-125(Ti). Notably, the emission peak of the NH2-MIL-125(Ti) suspension exhibited a remarkable red shift in the presence of 2,4-DNP (Δλ = 26 nm), accompanied by the blue shift or weak red shift of analogs, which provided a solid basis for selective detection of 2,4-DNP. Meanwhile, the I0/I ratio of the NH2-MIL-125(Ti) suspension exhibited a robust linear correlation with 2,4-DNP at the low concentration range (0-70 µM). The interaction of the analyte with NH2-MIL-125(Ti) was revealed to involve intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) through XPS, FTIR, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Additionally, we achieved the detection of 2,4-DNP using a smartphone by recognizing both the blue (B) values and the luminance (L) values. The obtained results demonstrated that the NH2-MIL-125(Ti) probe based on dual-parameter sensing technology exhibited excellent potential for selectively detecting 2,4-DNP in water environments, thereby offering significant prospects for its application in water quality assessment.

Ectopic expression of the transcription factor ONECUT3 drives a complex karyotype in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Chromosomal instability is a prominent biological feature of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), with over 50% of patients with MDS harboring chromosomal abnormalities or a complex karyotype (CK). Despite this observation, the mechanisms underlying mitotic and chromosomal defects in MDS remain elusive. In this study, we identified ectopic expression of the transcription factor ONECUT3, which is associated with CKs and poorer survival outcomes in MDS. ONECUT3-overexpressing cell models exhibited enrichment of several notable pathways, including signatures of sister chromosome exchange separation and mitotic nuclear division with the upregulation of INCENP and CDCA8 genes. Notably, dysregulation of chromosome passenger complex (CPC) accumulation, besides the cell equator and midbody, during mitotic phases consequently caused cytokinesis failure and defective chromosome segregation. Mechanistically, the homeobox (HOX) domain of ONECUT3, serving as the DNA binding domain, occupied the unique genomic regions of INCENP and CDCA8 and transcriptionally activated these 2 genes. We identified a lead compound, C5484617, that functionally targeted the HOX domain of ONECUT3, inhibiting its transcriptional activity on downstream genes, and synergistically resensitized MDS cells to hypomethylating agents. This study revealed that ONECUT3 promoted chromosomal instability by transcriptional activation of INCENP and CDCA8, suggesting potential prognostic and therapeutic roles for targeting high-risk MDS patients with a CK.

Response to Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors in aggressive lymphomas linked to chronic selective autophagy.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive, profoundly heterogeneous cancer, presenting a challenge for precision medicine. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors block B cell receptor (BCR) signaling and are particularly effective in certain molecular subtypes of DLBCL that rely on chronic active BCR signaling to promote oncogenic NF-κB. The MCD genetic subtype, which often acquires mutations in the BCR subunit, CD79B, and in the innate immune adapter, MYD88L265P, typically resists chemotherapy but responds exceptionally to BTK inhibitors. However, the underlying mechanisms of response to BTK inhibitors are poorly understood. Herein, we find a non-canonical form of chronic selective autophagy in MCD DLBCL that targets ubiquitinated MYD88L265P for degradation in a TBK1-dependent manner. MCD tumors acquire genetic and epigenetic alterations that attenuate this autophagic tumor suppressive pathway. In contrast, BTK inhibitors promote autophagic degradation of MYD88L265P, thus explaining their exceptional clinical benefit in MCD DLBCL.

Biomechanical evaluation of different oblique lumbar interbody fusion constructs: a finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND: Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to investigate the biomechanical differences between different adjunct fixation methods for oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) and to further analyze its effect on adjacent segmental degeneration. METHODS: We built a single-segment (Si-segment) finite element model (FEM) for L4-5 and a double-segment (Do-segment) FEM for L3-5. Each complete FEM was supplemented and modified, and both developed two surgical models of OLIF with assisted internal fixation. They were OLIF with posterior bilateral percutaneous pedicle screw (TINA system) fixation (OLIF + BPS) and OLIF with lateral plate system (OLIF + LPS). The range of motion (ROM) and displacement of the vertebral body, cage stress, adjacent segment disc stress, and spinal ligament tension were recorded for the four models during flexion/extension, right/left bending, and right/left rotation by applying follower load. RESULTS: For the BPS and LPS systems in the six postures of flexion, extension, right/left bending, and right/left rotation, the ROM of L4 in the Si-segment FEM were 0.32°/1.83°, 0.33°/1.34°, 0.23°/0.47°, 0.24°/0.45°, 0.33°/0.79°, and 0.34°/0.62°; the ROM of L4 in the Do-segment FEM were 0.39°/2.00°, 0.37°/1.38°, 0.23°/0.47°, 0.21°/0.44°, 0.33°/0.57°, and 0.31°/0.62°, and the ROM of L3 in the Do-segment FEM were 6.03°/7.31°, 2.52°/3.50°, 4.21°/4.38°, 4.21°/4.42°, 2.09°/2.32°, and 2.07°/2.43°. BPS system had less vertebral displacement, less cage maximum stress, and less spinal ligament tension in Si/Do-segment FEM relative to the LPS system. BPS system had a smaller upper adjacent vertebral ROM, greater intervertebral disc stress in terms of left and right bending as well as left and right rotation compared to the LPS system in the L3-4 of the Do-segment FEM. There was little biomechanical difference between the same fixation system in the Si/Do-segment FEM. CONCLUSIONS: Our finite element analysis showed that compared to OLIF + LPS, OLIF + BPS (TINA) is more effective in reducing interbody stress and spinal ligament tension, and it better maintains the stability of the target segment and provides a better fusion environment to resist cage subsidence. However, OLIF + BPS (TINA) may be more likely to cause adjacent segment degeneration than OLIF + LPS.

Enhanced axon outgrowth of spinal motor neurons in co-culturing with dorsal root ganglions antagonizes the growth inhibitory environment.

Introduction: Forming a bridge made of functional axons to span the lesion is essential to reconstruct the motor circuitry following spinal cord injury (SCI). Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons are robust in axon growth and have been proved to facilitate the growth of cortical neurons in a process of axon-facilitated axon regeneration. However, whether DRG transplantation affects the axon outgrowth of spinal motor neurons (SMNs) that play crucial roles in motor circuitry remains unclear. Methods: We investigated the axonal growth patterns of co-cultured DRGs and SMN aggregates (SMNAs) taking advantage of a well-designed 3D-printed in vitro system. Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPG) induced inhibitory matrix was introduced to imitate the inhibitory environment following SCI. Axonal lengths of DRG, SMNA or DRG & SMNA cultured on the permissive or CSPG induced inhibitory matrix were measured and compared. Results: Our results indicated that under the guidance of full axonal connection generated from two opposing populations of DRGs, SMNA axons were growth-enhanced and elongated along the DRG axon bridge to distances that they could not otherwise reach. Quantitatively, the co-culture increased the SMNA axonal length by 32.1 %. Moreover, the CSPG matrix reduced the axonal length of DRGs and SMNAs by 46.2 % and 17.7 %, respectively. This inhibitory effect was antagonized by the co-culture of DRGs and SMNAs. Especially for SMNAs, they extended the axons across the CSPG-coating matrix, reached the lengths close to those of SMNAs cultured on the permissive matrix alone. Conclusions: This study deepens our understanding of axon-facilitated reconstruction of the motor circuitry. Moreover, the results support SCI treatment utilizing the enhanced outgrowth of axons to restore functional connectivity in SCI patients.

Quercetin is a Potential Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis via Targeting Caspase-8 Through Ferroptosis and Pyroptosis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of its pathogenesis are unknown. This study aimed to identify the common biomarkers of ferroptosis and pyroptosis in RA and screen potential drugs. Methods: The RA-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE55235 were screened by R software and intersected with ferroptosis and pyroptosis gene libraries to obtain differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DEFRGs) and differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes (DEPRGs). We performed Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of the Genome (KEGG), ClueGO, and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) analysis for DEFRGs and DEPRGs and validated them by machine learning. The microRNA/transcription factor (TF)-hub genes regulatory network was further constructed. The key gene was validated using the GSE77298 validation set, cellular validation was performed in in vitro experiments, and immune infiltration analysis was performed using CIBERSORT. Network pharmacology was used to find key gene-targeting drugs, followed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the binding stability between small-molecule drugs and large-molecule proteins. Results: Three hub genes (CASP8, PTGS2, and JUN) were screened via bioinformatics, and the key gene (CASP8) was validated and obtained through the validation set, and the diagnostic efficacy was verified to be excellent through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The ferroptosis and pyroptosis phenotypes were constructed by fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), and caspase-8 was detected and validated as a common biomarker for ferroptosis and pyroptosis in RA, and quercetin can reduce caspase-8 levels. Quercetin was found to be a potential target drug for caspase-8 by network pharmacology, and the stability of their binding was further verified using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Conclusion: Caspase-8 is an important biomarker for ferroptosis and pyroptosis in RA, and quercetin is a potential therapy for RA via targeting caspase-8 through ferroptosis and pyroptosis.

Mendelian randomization analysis suggests no associations of human herpes viruses with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background: The causal associations between infections with human herpes viruses (HHVs) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been disputed. This study investigated the causal associations between herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), HHV-6, and HHV-7 infections and ALS through a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Methods: The genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database were analyzed by inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode methods. MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO test, Cochran's Q test, funnel plots, and leaveone-out analysis were used to verify the validity and robustness of the MR results. Results: In the forward MR analysis of the IVW, genetically predicted HSV infections [odds ratio (OR) = 0.9917; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9685-1.0154; p = 0.4886], HSV keratitis and keratoconjunctivitis (OR = 0.9897; 95% CI: 0.9739-1.0059; p = 0.2107), anogenital HSV infection (OR = 1.0062; 95% CI: 0.9826-1.0304; p = 0.6081), VZV IgG (OR = 1.0003; 95% CI: 0.9849-1.0160; p = 0.9659), EBV IgG (OR = 0.9509; 95% CI: 0.8879-1.0183; p = 0.1497), CMV (OR = 0.9481; 95% CI: 0.8680-1.0357; p = 0.2374), HHV-6 IgG (OR = 0.9884; 95% CI: 0.9486-1.0298; p = 0.5765) and HHV-7 IgG (OR = 0.9991; 95% CI: 0.9693-1.0299; p = 0.9557) were not causally associated with ALS. The reverse MR analysis of the IVW revealed comparable findings, indicating no link between HHVs infections and ALS. The reliability and validity of the findings were verified by the sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: According to the MR study, there is no evidence of causal associations between genetically predicted HHVs (HSV, VZV, EBV, CMV, HHV-6, and HHV-7) and ALS.

Exploring the underlying mechanisms of Ashitaba in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by integrating the analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics.

Ashitaba seems to improve glucose intolerance and decrease triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), which contribute to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, it remains to be explored the mechanism of Ashitaba in managing NAFLD. We determined the impact of Ashitaba on NAFLD, particularly its underlying mechanisms at the bioinformatic level. The established NAFLD mouse model was treated with or without Ashitaba, and the underlying mechanism was explored using transcriptomics paired with metabolomics. Ashitaba reduced obesity and liver steatosis in NAFLD mice. It identified 429 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and verified 45 differential metabolites, especially those that alleviate NAFLD via the FXR signaling pathway. Our data may provide insight into the therapeutic impact of Ashitaba in the management of NAFLD and may be useful in clinical interventions for NAFLD.

The mediating role of negative emotions in the relationship between smoking and health-related quality of life among Chinese individuals: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Although the negative impact of smoking on health has been confirmed in various studies, few have explored psychological factors mediating the relationship between smoking and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between smoking and HRQOL in the Chinese population and the mediating role of negative emotions (NEs). METHODS: Survey data were derived from a cross-sectional study conducted in China from 20 June to 31 August 2022. We recruited participants from 148 cities across the country using a stratified multistage sampling method. The HRQOL of the dependent variable was measured using the Chinese version of European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D-5L). The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4) were used to measure NE parameters including depression, anxiety, and perceived stress, as the intermediate variables. A multiple parallel mediation model was used to analyze the mediating role of NEs in smoking and HRQOL. RESULTS: A total of 21916 valid questionnaires were collected, of which 3010 (13.7%) and 18906 (86.3%) were categorized into smokers and non-smokers, respectively. The HRQOL (EQ-VAS score) of smokers (71.70 ± 23.08) was lower than that of non-smokers (73.69 ± 21.32), whereas the depression and anxiety levels of smokers were higher than those of non-smokers (all p<0.001). Moreover, smoking, NEs (depression and anxiety), and HRQOL showed pairwise correlations. According to the mediation analysis, depression (ß= -0.461; 95% BCa CI: -0.664 - -0.268) and anxiety (ß= -0.279; 95% BCa CI: -0.435 - -0.138) mediated the relationship between smoking and HRQOL after adjusting for demographic and life factors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasize the necessity of studying the interaction between smoking, HRQOL, and Nes, and complementing the research on the impact of psychological factors on the HRQOL of smokers. Public health activities should focus on mental health and take targeted measures for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of smokers.