Maxillary impacted canine replacing a central incisor with root resorption: Multidisciplinary treatment in a preadolescent patient.

Maxillary canines are often impacted, which can result in tooth disorders and adversely affect occlusal and facial development. The case report describes complete bilateral impaction of maxillary canines and significant root resorption of a central incisor. The multidisciplinary approach is the optimal strategy for addressing impacted maxillary canines.

Postoperative body weight change and its influencing factors in patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence and mortality of gastric cancer (GC) pose a significant threat to human life and health, and it has become an important public health challenge in China. Body weight loss is a common complication after surgical treatment in patients with GC and is associated with poor prognosis and GC recurrence. However, current attention to postoperative weight change in GC patients remains insufficient, and the descriptions of postoperative weight change and its influencing factors are also different. AIM: To investigate body weight changes in patients with GC within 6 mo after gastrectomy and identify factors that influence dynamic body weight changes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of 121 patients with GC and collected data before (T0) and 1 (T1), 3 (T2), and 6 (T3) mo after gastrectomy using a general data questionnaire, psychological distress thermometer, and body weight measurements. The general estimation equation (GEE) was used to analyze the dynamic trends of body weight changes and factors that influence body weight changes in patients with GC within 6 mo of gastrectomy. RESULTS: The median weight loss at T1, T2, and T3 was 7.29% (2.84%, 9.40%), 11.11% (7.64%, 14.91%), and 14.75% (8.80%, 19.84%), respectively. The GEE results showed that preoperative body mass index (BMI), significant psychological distress, religious beliefs, and sex were risk factors for weight loss in patients with GC within 6 mo after gastrectomy (P < 0.05). Compared with preoperative low-weight patients, preoperative obese patients were more likely to have weight loss (ß = 14.685, P < 0.001). Furthermore, patients with significant psychological distress were more likely to lose weight than those without (ß = 2.490, P < 0.001), and religious patients were less likely to lose weight 6 mo after gastrectomy than those without religious beliefs (ß = -6.844, P = 0.001). Compared to female patients, male patients were more likely to experience weight loss 6 mo after gastrectomy (ß = 4.262, P = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Male patients with GC with high preoperative BMI, significant psychological distress, and no religious beliefs are more likely to lose weight after gastrectomy.

GPR50 regulates neuronal development as a mitophagy receptor.

Neurons rely heavily on high mitochondrial metabolism to provide sufficient energy for proper development. However, it remains unclear how neurons maintain high oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) during development. Mitophagy plays a pivotal role in maintaining mitochondrial quality and quantity. We herein describe that G protein-coupled receptor 50 (GPR50) is a novel mitophagy receptor, which harbors the LC3-interacting region (LIR) and is required in mitophagy under stress conditions. Although it does not localize in mitochondria under normal culturing conditions, GPR50 is recruited to the depolarized mitochondrial membrane upon mitophagy stress, which marks the mitochondrial portion and recruits the assembling autophagosomes, eventually facilitating the mitochondrial fragments to be engulfed by the autophagosomes. Mutations Δ502-505 and T532A attenuate GPR50-mediated mitophagy by disrupting the binding of GPR50 to LC3 and the mitochondrial recruitment of GPR50. Deficiency of GPR50 causes the accumulation of damaged mitochondria and disrupts OXPHOS, resulting in insufficient ATP production and excessive ROS generation, eventually impairing neuronal development. GPR50-deficient mice exhibit impaired social recognition, which is rescued by prenatal treatment with mitoQ, a mitochondrially antioxidant. The present study identifies GPR50 as a novel mitophagy receptor that is required to maintain mitochondrial OXPHOS in developing neurons.

Global burden of osteoarthritis: Prevalence and temporal trends from 1990 to 2019.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) and temporal trends for hip, knee, hand, and other osteoarthritis (OA) at a global, continental, and national level. DESIGN: The estimates and 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for case number and ASPR of OA were derived from the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2019. The joinpoint regression analysis was utilized to examine the temporal trends from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: In 2019, the global ASPR of hip, knee, hand, and other OA was 400.95 (95% UI: 312.77-499.41), 4375.95 (95% UI: 3793.04-5004.9), 1726.38 (95% UI: 1319.91-2254.85), and 745.62 (95% UI: 570.16-939.8). As for the ASPR of hip OA, hand OA, and other OA, Europe and America had higher rates than Asia and Africa, and Asia was second only to America in knee OA ASPRs. The period 1990-2019, the ASPR at global level dropped significantly for hand OA (AAPC = -0.4%, 95% CI: -0.47 to -0.34) and increased significantly for hip OA (AAPC = 0.43%, 95% CI: 0.39-0.46), knee OA (AAPC = 0.17%, 95% CI: 0.09-0.24) and other OA (AAPC = 0.16%, 95% CI: 0.15-0.17). Different continents, countries, and periods demonstrated significant changes. CONCLUSIONS: Globally, America has the highest OA burden and Asia has a higher knee OA burden. Appropriate prevention and control measures to reduce modifiable risk factors are needed to reduce the burden of OA.

The association of haemoglobin A1c variability with adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation prescribed anticoagulants.

AIMS: The association of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) variability with the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) prescribed anticoagulants remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association of HbA1c variability with the risk of ischaemic stroke (IS)/systemic embolism (SE) and all-cause mortality among patients with non-valvular AF prescribed anticoagulants. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients newly diagnosed with AF from 2013 to 2018 were included. Variability in HbA1c, indexed by the coefficient of variation (CV), was determined for those with at least three HbA1c measurements available from the time of study enrolment to the end of follow-up. To evaluate whether prevalent diabetes would modify the relationship between HbA1c variability and outcomes, participants were divided into diabetes and non-diabetes groups. The study included 8790 patients (mean age 72.7% and 48.5% female). Over a median follow-up of 5.5 years (interquartile range 5.2, 5.8), the incident rate was 3.74 per 100 person-years for IS/SE and 4.89 for all-cause mortality in the diabetes group. The corresponding incident rates in the non-diabetes group were 2.41 and 2.42 per 100 person-years. In the diabetes group, after adjusting for covariates including mean HbA1c, greater HbA1c variability was significantly associated with increased risk of IS/SE [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27-2.13) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.05-1.47) compared with the lowest CV tertile. A similar pattern was evident in the non-diabetes group (IS/SE: HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.23-2.02; all-cause mortality: HR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.64). CONCLUSION: Greater HbA1c variability was independently associated with increased risk of IS/SE and all-cause mortality among patients with AF, regardless of diabetic status.

In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), greater haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) variability was independently associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke/systemic embolism and all-cause mortality, regardless of diabetic status. The usefulness of HbA1c variability as a risk predictor is significant and could be integrated into the stratification of patients with AF. Even if HbA1c measurements are within standard guideline limits, patients with larger fluctuations in HbA1c level may be at higher risk of thromboembolism and death than patients with more stable HbA1c level.

Blocking Gremlin1 inhibits M1 macrophage polarization through Notch1/Hes1 signaling pathway in apical periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Gremlin1 is a multifunctional protein whose expression is demonstrated to be involved in a series of physiology and pathological processes. The association between Gremlin1 and apcial periodontitis (AP) has been established. M1-polarized macrophages are crucial immune cells that exacerbate the progression of apical periodontal inflammatory response, but the function of Gremlin1 during macrophages activation in periapical lesions is still unclear. This study attempts to explore the regulatory effects of Gremlin1 on macrophage polarization on apical periodontitis microenviroment. METHODS: Clinical specimens were used to determine the expression of Gremlin1 in periapical tissues by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Then, the disease models of periapical inflammation in rats were established, and adenovirus- associated virus (AAVs) was used to blockade Gremlin1 expression. Lentivirus carrying sh-Gremlin1 particles were used to transfect THP-1 induced M1-subtype macrophages. To assess the expression of associated molecules, Western-blot, immunofluorescence staining were performed. RESULTS: Gremlin1 was significantly up-regulated in the periapical tissues of subjects with AP as identified by IHC staining, and positively correlated with levels of M1 macrophage-associated genes. Rats AP model with inhibition of Gremlin1 in periapical lesions exhibited limited infiltration of macrophages and decreased expression of M1 macrophage-related genes in periapical lesions. Furthermore, Gremlin1 blockade substantially decreased the Notch1/Hes1 signaling pathway activation level. The in vitro experiments confirmed the above results. CONCLUSION: Taken together, current study illustrated that the Gremlin1 suppression in periapical lesions inhibited M1 macrophage polarization through Notch1/Hes1 axis. Moreover, Gremlin1 may act as a potential candidate in the treatment of AP.

A sarcopenia screening test predicts mortality among hospitalized cancer patients.

This study investigated the ability of a sarcopenia screening test to predict mortality among cancer inpatients. We conducted a prospective study of patients admitted to the oncology ward of a teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. Over a 5-month period, 82 patients were enrolled for evaluation and were followed for 3 years. All participants received a comprehensive assessment at the time of admission, including Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, cognitive ability, nutrition index, body mass index, and short physical performance battery (SPPB). Age, ECOG performance status, dementia, SPPB score, and albumin level were associated with sarcopenia. Of the enrolled participants, 53 (64.6%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia were associated with worse overall survival (OS) than patients without sarcopenia (28.8% vs. 82%, p = 0.01). Metastasis (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.166; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.358-19.656) and albumin level (HR: 4.346; 95% CI: 1.493-12.654) were independent and significant predictors of OS for the whole study population. Age was a predictor of 2-year all-cause mortality among patients aged ≥65 years but not among those aged <65 years (OS: 25.6% vs. 100%, p = 0.04). To summarize, the sarcopenia screening results were found to predict OS and all-cause mortality and may be helpful for patient stratification during in-hospital care.

A simple and effective machine learning model for predicting the stability of intracranial aneurysms using CT angiography.

Background: It is vital to accurately and promptly distinguish unstable from stable intracranial aneurysms (IAs) to facilitate treatment optimization and avoid unnecessary treatment. The aim of this study is to develop a simple and effective predictive model for the clinical evaluation of the stability of IAs. Methods: In total, 1,053 patients with 1,239 IAs were randomly divided the dataset into training (70%) and internal validation (30%) datasets. One hundred and ninety seven patients with 229 IAs from another hospital were evaluated as an external validation dataset. The prediction models were developed using machine learning based on clinical information, manual parameters, and radiomic features. In addition, a simple model for predicting the stability of IAs was developed, and a nomogram was drawn for clinical use. Results: Fourteen machine learning models exhibited excellent classification performance. Logistic regression Model E (clinical information, manual parameters, and radiomic shape features) had the highest AUC of 0.963 (95% CI 0.943-0.980). Compared to manual parameters, radiomic features did not significantly improve the identification of unstable IAs. In the external validation dataset, the simplified model demonstrated excellent performance (AUC = 0.950) using only five manual parameters. Conclusion: Machine learning models have excellent potential in the classification of unstable IAs. The manual parameters from CTA images are sufficient for developing a simple and effective model for identifying unstable IAs.

Polygala tenuifolia willd. Extract alleviates LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats via TLR4/NF-κB pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome suppression.

BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI) has received considerable attention in the field of critical care as it can lead to high mortality rates. Polygala tenuifolia, a traditional Chinese medicine with strong expectorant properties, can be used to treat pneumonia. Owing to the complexity of its composition, the main active ingredient is not yet known. Thus, there is a need to identify its constituent compounds and mechanism of action in the treatment of ALI using advanced technological means. PURPOSE: We investigated the anti-inflammatory mechanism and constituent compounds with regard to the effect of P. tenuifolia Willd. extract (EPT) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: The UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS technology was used to investigate the chemical profile of EPT. Network pharmacology was used to predict the targets and pathways of action of EPT in ALI, and molecular docking was used to validate the binding of polygalacic acid to Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4. The main compounds were determined using LC-MS. A rat model of LPS-induced ALI was established, and THP-1 cells were stimulated with LPS and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to construct an in vitro model. Pathological changes were observed using hematoxylin and eosin staining, Wright-Giemsa staining, and immunohistochemistry. The expression of inflammatory factors (NE, MPO, Ly-6 G, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and iNOS) was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting. The LPS + ATP-induced inflammation model in THP-1 cells was used to verify the in vivo experimental results. RESULTS: Ninety-nine compounds were identified or tentatively deduced from EPT. Using network pharmacology, we found that TLR4/NF-κB may be a relevant pathway for the prevention and treatment of ALI by EPT. Polygalacic acid in EPT may be a potential active ingredient. EPT could alleviate LPS-induced histopathological lung damage and reduce the wet/dry lung weight ratio in the rat model of ALI. Moreover, EPT decreased the white blood cell and neutrophil counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and decreased the expression of genes and proteins of relevant inflammatory factors (NE, MPO, Ly-6 G, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and iNOS) in lung tissues. It also increased the expression of endothelial-type nitric oxide synthase expression. Western blotting confirmed that EPT may affect TLR4/NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways in vivo. Similar results were obtained in THP-1 cells. CONCLUSION: EPT reduced the release of inflammatory factors by affecting TLR4/NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways, thereby attenuating the inflammatory response of ALI. Polygalacic acid is the likely compounds responsible for these effects.

Establishment of a nomogram to predict the overall survival of patients with collecting duct renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) is a rare histological type of renal cell carcinoma that lacks a prognostic prediction model. In this study, we developed a nomogram to predict the prognosis of CDC patients. METHODS: Data for patients (n = 247) diagnosed with CDC from 2004 to 2015 were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, and the patients were randomized into training (n = 165) and validation (n = 82) cohorts. Survival outcomes were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Significant variables determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to construct the nomogram. C-indexes and calibration plots were applied to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. RESULTS: CDC patients had a median overall survival (OS) of 18.0 months (95% confidence interval: 13.7-22.3); 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates were 58.7%, 34.2%, and 29.4%, respectively. Independent prognostic factors, including age at diagnosis, tumor size, tumor grade, T stage, N stage, M stage, and surgery information, were identified by multivariate analysis. The nomogram was constructed based on significant factors in the training cohort. The C-indexes were 0.769 (training cohort) and 0.767 (validation cohort). The calibration curves for survival rates showed that the predicted and observed values were consistent. CONCLUSIONS: This study constructed a nomogram to predict prognosis in patients with CDC. The nomogram performed well in predicting the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS, which can help doctors actively monitor and follow up patients.

Liver-specific delivery of spherical DNA frameworks for alleviation of hepatic ischemic reperfusion injury.

DNA nanostructures have long been developed for biomedical purposes, but their controlled delivery in vivo proposes a major challenge for disease theranostics. We previously reported that DNA nanostructures on the scales of tens and hundreds nanometers showed preferential renal excretion or kidney retention, allowing for sensitive evaluation and effective protection of kidney function, in response to events such as unilateral ureter obstruction or acute kidney injury. Encouraged by the positive results, we redirected our focus to the liver, specifically targeting organs noticeably lacking DNA materials, to explore the interaction between DNA nanostructures and the liver. Through PET imaging, we identified SDF and M13 as DNA nanostructures exhibiting significant accumulation in the liver among numerous candidates. Initially, we investigated and assessed their biodistribution, toxicity, and immunogenicity in healthy mice, establishing the structure-function relationship of DNA nanostructures in the normal murine. Subsequently, we employed a mouse model of liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) to validate the nano-bio interactions of SDF and M13 under more challenging pathological conditions. M13 not only exacerbated hepatic oxidative injury but also elevated local apoptosis levels. In contrast, SDF demonstrated remarkable ability to scavenge oxidative responses in the liver, thereby mitigating hepatocyte injury. These compelling results underscore the potential of SDF as a promising therapeutic agent for liver-related conditions. This aimed to elucidate their roles and mechanisms in liver injury, providing a new perspective for the biomedical applications of DNA nanostructures.

Sarcopenia and survival in colorectal cancer without distant metastasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Despite prior attempts to evaluate the effects of sarcopenia on survival among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), the results of these studies have not been consistent. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between sarcopenia and survival among patients having CRC without distant metastasis by aggregating multiple studies. METHODS: We performed a literature search using computerized databases and identified additional studies from among the bibliographies of retrieved articles. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and meta-analyses were performed to evaluate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: Thirteen studies with up to 6600 participants were included in the meta-analyses, with a mean age of 63.6 years (range: 18-93 years). We found that preoperative sarcopenia was associated with worse OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38-1.88) and worse DFS (HR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.10-2.24). Compared with patients without sarcopenia after tumor resection, those with postoperative sarcopenia had worse OS (HR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.47-2.10) and DFS (HR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.46-2.20). CONCLUSION: These meta-analyses suggest that sarcopenia, no matter observed before or after tumor resection, is associated with worse OS and DFS in patients with CRC who have no distant metastasis.

Enhancing storage stability of pea peptides through encapsulation in maltodextrin and gum tragacanth via monitoring scavenge ability to free radicals.

Pea peptides can lead to degradation through oxidation, deamidation, hydrolysis, or cyclization during production, processing, and storage, which in turn limit their broader application. To stabilize pea peptides, this study employed spray drying technology to create a pea peptide micro-encapsule using maltodextrin, gum tragacanth, and pea peptides. Four key factors, including polysaccharide ratio, glycopeptide ratio, solid-liquid ratio, and inlet temperature, were optimized to enhance the antioxidant properties of the pea peptide micro-encapsule. The results indicated that the utilization of maltodextrin and gum tragacanth significantly improves the storage stability and antioxidant activity of pea peptides. Moreover, optimal storage stability for pea peptides was achieved with a polysaccharide ratio of 9:1, a glycopeptide ratio of 10:1, a solid-liquid ratio of 4:40, and an inlet temperature of 180 °C. After 60 days of storage, the encapsulated pea peptides maintained 70.22 %, 25.19 %, and 40.32 % for scavenging abilities to hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, and ABTS radical, respectively. In contrast, the unencapsulated pea peptides showed a decline to 47.02 %, 0 %, and 24.46 % in the same antioxidant activities after storage. These findings underscore the potential of spray drying technology to enhance the functional properties of pea peptides for various applications.

Comparison of Outcomes Between Partial and Radical Laparoscopic Nephrectomy for Localized Renal Tumors Larger Than Four Centimeters: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Earlier studies have juxtaposed different laparoscopic methods for treating renal tumors; however, extensive evidence with a particular focus on large kidney tumors remains lacking. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the perioperative outcomes, kidney performance, and cancer-related results of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) versus laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) for treating extensive, localized, non-metastatic kidney tumors (cT1b-cT2N0M0). Methods: We systematically searched multiple databases from database inception until December 2023 for relevant studies. Selected data were analyzed with the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager 5.4 software using a random-effects model. Outcomes were expressed as odds ratios and weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals, considering a P value of < 0.05 as significant. Results: Data from nine studies encompassing 1,303 patients (529 LPN, 774 LRN) revealed that LPN was associated with lengthier surgeries and increased blood loss compared to LRN. While LPN exhibited higher postoperative complication rates, the disparity did not reach statistical significance. LPN led to improved postoperative renal function, manifesting as a reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline and fewer incidents of new chronic kidney disease cases. Both groups demonstrated comparable tumor recurrence and overall mortality rates, but LPN exhibited significantly lower cancer-specific mortality rates. Conclusions: LPN, despite longer operative times and greater intraoperative blood loss, was found to be superior to LRN in preserving postoperative renal function. Oncologically, LPN and LRN have comparable overall mortality rates, but LPN showed a significant advantage in terms of lower cancer-specific mortality rates.

Prevalence of subthreshold depression and its related factors in Chinese college students: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students and to explore the related factors. Methods: The research subjects were Chinese college students participating in the "2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR-2022)". Data on respondents' general characteristics, quality of life, perceived pressure, family communication, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and depression status were gathered. To investigate the association between each variable and the risk of subthreshold depression, statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and rank sum tests were conducted. Furthermore, a binary stepwise logistic regression was employed to establish the regression model of the factors related to subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. Results: A prevalence of subthreshold depression of about 39.7 % was found among the 8934 respondents. Logistic regression analysis revealed that respondents who are female, have chronic diseases, are in debt, experience significant impacts from epidemic control policies, have lower self-assessed quality of life, experience challenges in family communication, perceive lower social support, have lower self-efficacy, and feel higher perceived pressure are more likely to develop subthreshold depression compared to the control group. (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students was found to be approximately 40 %. Female college students suffering from chronic diseases, with households in debt, greatly impacted by epidemic control policies, and experiencing high perceived stress, may be at risk for subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. On the other hand, strong family communication, perceived social support, and self-efficacy were identified as potential protective factors. In order to facilitate timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment of subthreshold depression in Chinese college students, it is crucial for the government, local communities, colleges, and families to prioritize the mental health of college students and implement targeted measures accordingly.

[Endothelial-mesenchymal transition, ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction, and research progress of Chinese medicine intervention].

Ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction(VRAMI) is a pathological phenomenon triggered by the abrupt occlusion of coronary arteries, leading to myocardial ischemia and hypoxia. This intricate process encompasses alterations in the dimensions, composition, and elasticity of the ventricular tissue and reflects pathophysiological reactions and self-repair after cardiomyocytes are damaged. The characteristic pathological manifestation of VRAMI is the presence of myocardial fibrosis(MF), wherein fibrotic cardiac tissue undergoes a loss of contractile and relaxation capacity, ultimately culminating in heart failure(HF) and significantly impacting the patient's prognosis. Endothelial-mesenchymal transition(EndMT) is a biological process in which endothelial cells, in response to diverse pathological stimuli such as ischemia and hypoxia in the embryonic development period, undergo morphological alterations and functional impairment, progressively acquiring mesenchymal cell properties and ultimately differentiating into mesenchymal cells. The ongoing advancement of the EndMT process will result in an excessive buildup of collagen, thereby inducing structural harm to the myocardium and exacerbating the processes of VRAMI and MF. Recent investigations have demonstrated the pivotal involvement of EndMT in the pathological advancement of VRAMI. Consequently, a targeted intervention aimed at effectively impeding VRAMI, safeguarding cardiac function, and potentially serving as a novel therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of VRAMI. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent Chinese and international literature, focusing on the role and pathophysiological mechanisms of EndMT in VRAMI. Additionally, it discusses the research progress of innovative targeted interventions using both traditional Chinese and Western medicine, so as to offer new insights and a theoretical foundation for the clinical treatment of the disease.

Study on the impact of comprehensive geriatric assessment on anxiety and depression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Psychological factors such as anxiety and depression will not only aggravate the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and reduce the quality of life of patients, but also affect the treatment effect and long-term prognosis. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the clinical application of senile comprehensive assessment in the treatment of COPD and its influence on psychological factors such as anxiety and depression. AIM: To explore the clinical application of comprehensive geriatric assessment in COPD care and its impact on anxiety and depression in elderly patents. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 60 patients with COPD who were hospitalized in our hospital from 2019 to 2020 were randomly divided into two groups with 30 patients in each group. The control group was given routine nursing, and the observation group was given comprehensive assessment. Clinical symptoms, quality of life [COPD assessment test (CAT) score], anxiety and depression Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: CAT scores in the observation group decreased from an average of 24.5 points at admission to an average of 18.3 points at discharge, and in the control group from an average of 24.7 points at admission to an average of 18.3 points at discharge. The average score was 22.1 (P < 0.05). In the observation group, HAMA scores decreased from 14.2 points at admission to 8.6 points at discharge, and HAMD scores decreased from 13.8 points at admission to 7.4 points at discharge. The mean HAMD scores in the control group decreased from an average of 14.5 at admission to an average of 12.3 at discharge, and from an average of 14.1 at admission to an average of 11.8 at discharge. CONCLUSION: The application of comprehensive geriatric assessment in COPD care has a significant effect on improving patients' clinical symptoms and quality of life, and can effectively reduce patients' anxiety and depression.

DNA cytosine methyltransferases differentially regulate genome-wide hypermutation and interhomolog recombination in Trichoderma reesei meiosis.

Trichoderma reesei is an economically important enzyme producer with several unique meiotic features. spo11, the initiator of meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) in most sexual eukaryotes, is dispensable for T. reesei meiosis. T. reesei lacks the meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1. Rad51 and Sae2, the activator of the Mre11 endonuclease complex, promote DSB repair and chromosome synapsis in wild-type and spo11Δ meiosis. DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) perform multiple tasks in meiosis. Three DNMT genes (rid1, dim2 and dimX) differentially regulate genome-wide cytosine methylation and C:G-to-T:A hypermutations in different chromosomal regions. We have identified two types of DSBs: type I DSBs require spo11 or rid1 for initiation, whereas type II DSBs do not rely on spo11 and rid1 for initiation. rid1 (but not dim2) is essential for Rad51-mediated DSB repair and normal meiosis. rid1 and rad51 exhibit a locus heterogeneity (LH) relationship, in which LH-associated proteins often regulate interconnectivity in protein interaction networks. This LH relationship can be suppressed by deleting dim2 in a haploid rid1Δ (but not rad51Δ) parental strain, indicating that dim2 and rid1 share a redundant function that acts earlier than rad51 during early meiosis. In conclusion, our studies provide the first evidence of the involvement of DNMTs during meiotic initiation and recombination.

Intelligent Rock-Climbing Robot Capable of Multimodal Locomotion and Hybrid Bioinspired Attachment.

Rock-climbing robots have significant potential in fieldwork and planetary exploration. However, they currently face limitations such as a lack of stability and adaptability on extreme terrains, slow locomotion, and single functionality. This study introduces a novel multimodal and adaptive rock-climbing robot (MARCBot), which addresses these limitations through spiny grippers that draw inspiration from morpho-functionalities observed in beetles, arboreal birds, and hoofed animals. This hybrid bioinspired design enables high attachment strength, passive adaptability to different terrains, and quick attachment on rock surfaces. The multimodal functionality of the gripper allows for attachment during climbing and support during walking. A novel control strategy using dynamics and quadratic programming (QP) optimizes attachment wrench distribution, reducing cost-of-transport by 20.03% and 6.05% compared to closed-loop inverse kinematic (CLIK) and virtual model control (VMC) methods, respectively. MARCBot achieved climbing speeds of 0.15 m min-1 on a vertical discrete rock surface under gravity and trotting speeds of up to 0.21 m s-1 on various complex terrains. It is the first robot capable of climbing on rock surfaces and trotting in complex terrains without the need for switching end-effectors. This study highlights significant advancements in climbing and multimodal locomotion for robots in extreme environments.

Imbalance of mitochondrial quality control regulated by STING and PINK1 affects cyfluthrin-induced neuroinflammation.

Nervous system diseases are a global health problem, and with the increase in the elderly population around the world, their incidence will also increase. Harmful substances in the environment are closely related to the occurrence of nervous system diseases. China is a large agricultural country, and thus the insecticide cyfluthrin has been widely used. Cyfluthrin is neurotoxic, but the mechanism of this injury is not clear. Inflammation is an important mechanism for the occurrence of nervous system diseases. Mitochondria are the main regulators of the inflammatory response, and various cellular responses, including autophagy, directly affect the regulation of inflammatory processes. Mitochondrial damage is related to mitochondrial quality control (MQC) and PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1). As an anti-inflammatory factor, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) participates in the regulation of inflammation. However, the relationship between STING and mitochondria in the process of cyfluthrin-induced nerve injury is unclear. This study established in vivo and in vitro models of cyfluthrin exposure to explore the role of MQC and to clarify the mechanism of action of STING and PINK1. Our results showed that cyfluthrin can increase the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, resulting in mitochondrial damage and inflammation. In this process, an imbalance in MQC leads to the aggravation of mitochondrial damage, and high STING expression drives the occurrence of inflammation. We established a differential expression model of STING and PINK1 to further determine the underlying mechanism and found that the interaction between STING and PINK1 regulates MQC to affect the levels of mitochondrial damage and inflammation. When STING and PINK1 expression are downregulated, mitochondrial damage and STING-induced inflammation are significantly alleviated. In summary, a synergistic effect between STING and PINK1 on cyfluthrin-induced neuroinflammation may exist, which leads to an imbalance in MQC by inhibiting mitochondrial biogenesis and division/fusion, and PINK1 can reduce STING-driven inflammation.