Interactions between the gut microbiota and immune cell dynamics: novel insights into the gut-bone axis.

Over the past few decades, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that gut microbiota engages in a sustained dialog with the immune system, leading to microbiota-driven immune responses that mediate the regulation of bone-related diseases. Despite the complexity of the dynamic interactions within the gut-immune-bone axis, advancements in high-throughput multi-omics sequencing have significantly facilitated the detailed exploration of this intricate network, thereby providing the potential to develop novel therapeutic strategies for bone-related diseases. In this review, we first summarize the variations in gut microbiota composition observed in patients with bone-related diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and osteoporosis (OP), in comparison to healthy controls, along with the factors influencing these changes.

Surveying the Perspectives of Parents and Professionals on Providing Upright, Hands-Free, Self-Initiated Mobility to Children with Severe Physical and Communication Disabilities.

: Children with severe physical and communication disabilities face many challenges. They have very limited opportunities for upright, hands-free, self-initiated mobility. Current findings in neuroscience and theories on child development suggest that self-initiated mobility can have positive cascading effects on various developmental areas, including language and communication.

Direct Glass-to-Metal Welding by Femtosecond Laser Pulse Bursts: II, Enhancing the Weld Between Glass and Polished Metal Surfaces.

We present a comprehensive study on the femtosecond laser direct welding of glass and metal, focusing on optimizing processing parameters and understanding the influence of material properties and beam shaping on welding quality. Using microscopy, we identified optimal pulse energy, focal position, and line-spacing for achieving high-quality welds. We further investigated the effects of laser beam shaping and material property differences in various glass-to-metal pairs, including borosilicate, fused silica, and Zerodur glasses welded with mirror-polished metals such as Cu, Mo, Al, Ti, and AISI316 steel.

Children With Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment and Speech and Motor Impairments Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Retrospective, Longitudinal Examination of School Records.

Purpose: This longitudinal, retrospective study addresses the extent to which changes in functional vision, as measured by the CVI Range, are associated with changes in other developmental areas, specifically communicative competencies and the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modes and access methods.

Method: Twelve students with cortical/cerebral visual impairment (CVI) and severe speech and motor impairments who rely on AAC strategies, tools, and technologies to communicate participated in the study. All participants were enrolled at The Bridge School in Hillsborough, CA, between the school years 2012-2013 and 2018-2019.

Biomechanical evaluation of various fixation strategies in oblique lumbar interbody fusion: a finite element analysis.

Background Context: Typical oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) generally employed either the single lateral screw (SLS) or dual pedicle screws (DPS) for instrumentation, each with their own limitations.

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the biomechanical properties of two additional fixation strategies including single reverse pedicle screw (SRS) and dual overlapped screws (DOS) compared with SLS and DPS.

Study Design: A finite element (FE) analysis study.

Orexinergic regulation of GABAergic input onto pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex.

Orexin, a neuropeptide synthesized exclusively in the hypothalamus, projects its efferent fibers widely across nearly all brain regions and plays a role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders by binding to and activating orexin receptor 1 (OX1R) and/or orexin receptor 2 (OX2R). The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), particularly its pyramidal neurons, is known to play a critical role in fundamental cognitive and social processes. In this study, we investigated the effects of orexin-A on GABAergic transmission onto pyramidal neurons in the ACC of juvenile rats.

The use of statins can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Background: Observational studies suggest that statins may be protective against osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. However, the association between statins and the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis has not been fully clarified.

Objective: The association between statins and the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis was explored by Mendelian randomization analyses using pooled data from a large population-based genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Genomic investigation of a non-travel Plasmodium falciparum case linked to imported malaria in China's post-elimination era.

Background: Although China has achieved malaria elimination, the risk of reintroduction persists due to imported Plasmodium falciparum cases. Occasional infections without a clear travel history present challenge to routine epidemiological investigation and underscore the need for advanced tracing tools.

Methods: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS), principal component analysis (PCA), and identity-by-descent (IBD) analysis were applied to investigate a P.

Impact of perinatal risk factors on pediatric asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Childhood asthma is a common chronic disease in children, which has a double negative impact on children's physical and mental health, and also brings a heavy economic burden to children's families. Maternal indicators during the perinatal period are the key inducement for the occurrence and severity of asthma in children. However, people's lack of awareness of the risk factors that may affect the occurrence of childhood asthma during the perinatal period and effective intervention measures have become the reasons and loopholes for the rising prevalence of childhood asthma.

TFIIB-related factor 2 inhibits lung squamous carcinoma cell apoptosis through SLC8A3-mediated mitochondrial homeostasis.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Developing therapies for lung cancer is challenging, and new targets are urgently required. TFIIB-related factor 2 (BRF2) plays a crucial role in the development and progression of various tumors.

Calcium Supplementation, Genetic Susceptibility, and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Risk: A Prospective Study.

Background: The association between calcium supplementation and the risk of incident idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is largely unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association of calcium supplementation with IPF incidence and further explore the modifying effect of genetic susceptibility.

Methods: This study analyzed 472,468 participants from the UK Biobank.

Divergent multifunctional P450s-empowered biosynthesis of bioactive tripterifordin and cryptic atiserenoids in Aconitum implies convergent evolution.

Diterpenoids exhibit remarkable structural diversity and bioactivities, shaped primarily by the tandem actions of skeleton-forming terpene synthases (TPSs) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. The ent-kaurene and ent-atiserene are labdane-derived diterpene scaffolds for the biosynthesis of diverse bioactive diterpenoids and diterpene alkaloids, including the clinically used analgesic 3-acetylaconitine and anti-arrhythmic guan-fu base A in Aconitum spp., yet what and how P450s drive their structural and functional diversification remain largely unexplored.

Cholesterol's hidden impact: the nonlinear link between remnant cholesterol (RC) and phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel).

Cholesterol metabolism disorders have been shown to correlate with multiple physiopathologic aspects of cellular aging. However, whether indicators reflecting cholesterol metabolism [e.g.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Empirical Evidence for the Simple Bayesian Model of Autism.

The Bayesian framework conceptualizes human perception as a process of probabilistic inference, where the brain integrates prior expectations with incoming sensory evidence to construct a mental model of the world. Within this framework, several distinct theories-collectively termed the "simple Bayesian model"-suggest that perceptual atypicalities in autism stem from an imbalance between the precision of prior beliefs and sensory input. This study presents a systematic review and the first meta-analysis to evaluate empirical evidence for the simple Bayesian model.

Association between multiple serum biomarkers and cerebral vasospasm in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Cerebral vasospasm (CVS) is a potentially life-threatening complication for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients, raising their risk of disability and mortality substantially. Our study aimed to investigate whether serum biomarkers collected 24 h post-op can predict which aSAH patients would develop CVS within 14 days.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective investigation of aSAH patients at our hospital during January 2020 to December 2023.

Immune escape of mediated by osteocyte lacuna-canalicular network leads to persistent and uncured bone infection.

Bone infections, specifically chronic osteomyelitis, are characterized by recurrent episodes. They are considered intractable clinical diseases as they require protracted and difficult-to-cure courses. () is the most common pathogen responsible for bone infections and has high destruction rates.

Lithiophilic NiP@NCNT Interlayer for Uniform Li-Ion Flux and Stable Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal anodes are critical for advancing high-energy-density lithium secondary batteries due to their exceptionally high theoretical specific capacity. However, the uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrites may penetrate the separator, thereby limiting the practical application of lithium metal anodes. In this work, we report a modified commercial PP separator by incorporating a lithiophilic interlayer composed of NiP nanoparticles wrapped with nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes.

Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy Combined with Transurethral Photoselective Vaporization of Bladder Tumors and Postoperative Adjuvant Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for T3 Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Retrospective Case Series Study.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant radiotherapy combined with transurethral photoselective vaporization of bladder tumors (PVBT), followed by postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy, in the treatment of T3 muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Transurethral resection of bladder tumors combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, also known as trimodal therapy (TMT), is the recommended bladder-preserving approach for MIBC and has demonstrated favorable outcomes in T2 MIBC. However, T3 MIBC remains a challenging candidate for TMT due to its relatively poor prognosis.

Environmental exposome meets muscle wasting: unraveling the VOC-sarcopenia nexus through urinary metabolomics, inflammatory mediation, and network pharmacology in the NHANES cohort.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are pervasive environmental pollutants. However, their impact on sarcopenia, a condition characterized by progressive muscle loss and closely linked to numerous adverse health outcomes, remains poorly understood. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2011 to 2018), we analyzed 16 urinary metabolites of VOCs, adjusted for creatinine, to explore potential associations between VOC exposure and sarcopenia.

Aberrant Tryptophan Metabolism Manipulates Osteochondral Homeostasis.

Tryptophan (Trp), an essential amino acid, performs as a precursor for synthesizing various bioactive molecules primarily metabolized through the kynurenine (Kyn), serotonin, and indole pathways. The diverse metabolites were deeply implicated in multiple physiological processes. Emerging research has revealed the multifaceted contribution of Trp in skeletal health and pathophysiology of bone-related disease with the involvement of specific receptors including aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which modulated the downstream signaling pathways to manage the expression of pivotal genes and thereby altered cellular biological processes, such as proliferation and differentiation.

Prenatal exposure to PM constituents and newborn leukocyte telomere length in a prospective study: Windows of susceptibility and modification by maternal folic acid supplementation.

Prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is related to alterations in newborn telomere length (TL), an indicator of cellular aging. However, the specific effects of PM constituents and windows of susceptibility are unknown. We aimed to identify the susceptibility windows for prenatal PM constituents affecting newborn leukocyte TL (LTL) and examine the modifying role of folic acid (FA) supplementation.

An orally-administered nanotherapeutics with gold nanospheres supplying for rheumatoid arthritis therapy by re-shaping gut microbial tryptophan metabolism.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota significantly exacerbates the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Targeting gut microbiota may present a promising therapeutic strategy for RA. Gold nanospheres (GNS), known for excellent biocompatibility, stability and minimal toxicity, have emerged as precise modulators of gut microbiota, reshaping intestinal environments to treat various inflammatory diseases.

Vitamin D inhibits apoptosis in THP-1 cells infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis through TNF signaling pathway.

Vitamin D (VD) has been extensively associated with the resistance against tuberculosis (TB); however, the mechanism underlying the reduction in TB susceptibility by VD remains uncertain. In our prior investigation, we discovered the relationship between VD and -induced aberrant osteoclastogenesis. Here we report that VD diminishes apoptosis in -infected THP-1 cells through tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway.

The current status and prospects of gut microbiota combined with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of colorectal cancer: a review.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly those targeting programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1), have shown promising potential in the treatment of CRC. Specific gut microbiota can modulate the efficacy of ICIs through immune or metabolic pathways.

Predictive value of baseline CT imaging features combined with serum biomarkers for neoadjuvant chemotherapy response in adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction.

Background: Gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, located at the esophagus-stomach junction, poses significant clinical challenges due to its complex physiological structure. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is standard for tumor downstaging, but response variability necessitates reliable predictive markers. This study evaluates baseline computed tomography (CT) imaging parameters and serum markers as predictors for chemotherapy response in GEJ adenocarcinoma.