BRD4 Mediates Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation from Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells.

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation plays a crucial role in angiogenesis and vasculogenesis during embryonic development. The underlying mechanisms controlling SMC differentiation, especially progenitor-specific regulation, however, remain largely unclear. In this study, we identified bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) as a novel regulator for SMC differentiation.

Clinical, Microbiological, and Antibiotic Treatment Characteristics of Bacterial Infections in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis in China: A Multicenter Study.

Background And Aims: Epidemiological data on bacterial infections in cirrhosis in China remain limited. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a multicenter study to investigate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections in China.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 1,438 hospitalized adult patients with cirrhosis and bacterial or fungal infections from 24 hospitals across China between January 2018 and September 2024.

Dynamically monitoring pneumonia severity scores to predict the prognosis in patients with community-acquired pneumonia: an international, multicenter cohort study.

Background: Traditional pneumonia severity scores are widely used at treatment initiation to stratify disease severity and predict prognosis. Although they can be reassessed during treatment to evaluate disease progression, their predictive accuracy remains suboptimal. To address this limitation, we introduce a novel machine learning algorithm that quantifies continuous disease progression, enhancing real-time evaluation of treatment efficacy and outcome prediction in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Ultrasensitive Aptamer-Based Metal-Organic Framework-on-Metal-Organic Framework Platform for Clinical Detection of KPC-2 and Multidrug-Resistant .

The escalating crisis of hospital-acquired multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections, particularly carbapenemase 2-expressing (KPC-2 KP) and MDR- (AB), demands rapid diagnostic solutions. We developed a dual nanozyme-powered colorimetric aptasensor leveraging a cascade amplification mechanism, a metal-organic framework (MOF)-on-MOF nanostructure with peroxidase-like activity. Cu-MOF@PMOF(Fe) integrates catechol oxidase-like activity, with the Cu-MOF core oxidizing catechol to generate HO, and the PMOF(Fe) shell utilizes HO to oxidize the TMB substrate, producing dual-wavelength signals at 370 and 652 nm for ultrasensitive detection.

Convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 in patients with nasal catheter oxygen therapy.

Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated that convalescent plasma therapy reduces mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Current guidelines recommend nasal catheter oxygen therapy for most hypoxic patients during the early stages of the illness. However, limited data are available regarding the efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients already receiving oxygen therapy.

U-shaped association of the stress hyperglycemia ratio for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with NAFLD: results from the NHANES database prospective cohort study.

Objective: Stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR), an index reflecting relative hyperglycemia under stress conditions, has been linked to adverse outcomes in various clinical settings. However, its prognostic significance in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the association between SHR and mortality risk in adults with NAFLD.

Case Report: Pulmonary mucormycosis caused by in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: We report a rare case of pulmonary mucormycosis caused by , which is rare in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. had been reported as the most common etiological agent associated with human infections, except in some studies.

Case Presentation: We described a case of 81-year-old man with pulmonary mucormycosis caused by but no other apparent risk factors including diabetes.

The non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio as a predictor of all cause and cardiovascular mortality in United States adults with NAFLD: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The non-HDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio (NHHR) is a novel composite lipid index. However, its relationship with mortality, particularly in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), remains unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the association between NHHR and both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in adults with NAFLD in the United States.

Follow-up of long COVID based on the definition of WHO: a multi-centre cross-sectional questionnaire-based study.

Background: Since long COVID has hindered people from normal life, it is essential to understand its full spectrum of manifestation. However, it was heterogeneous in the existing studies and few large-scale studies have been conducted on Asian populations. Here, we conducted a multi-centre questionnaire-based study among Chinese people to explore the long COVID based on the definition of WHO.

Recent insights and advances in gut microbiota's influence on host antiviral immunity.

A diverse array of microbial organisms colonizes the human body, collectively known as symbiotic microbial communities. Among the various pathogen infections that hosts encounter, viral infections represent one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide. The gut microbiota is considered an important biological barrier against viral infections and may serve as a promising target for adjuvant antiviral therapy.

Lateral flow assay as radiological prognosis factor of pulmonary cryptococcosis: a single center retrospective study in China.

Background: Lateral flow assay (LFA) has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing cryptococcosis. However, its role in predicting therapeutic efficacy for pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) remains underexplored.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of HIV-negative patients with PC to describe the clinical profile and identify potential predictors of radiological prognosis.

U-shaped association of serum vitamin A concentrations with all-cause mortality in patients with NAFLD: results from the NHANES database prospective cohort study.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a significant association between serum vitamin A concentration and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development. However, the long-term prognostic implications of serum vitamin A in patients with NAFLD remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate whether there exists a correlation between serum vitamin A concentrations and overall mortality among subjects diagnosed with NAFLD.

Multi-dimensional comparison of abdominal obesity indices and insulin resistance indicators for assessing NAFLD.

Background: The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) keeps increasing annually worldwide. Non-invasive assessment tools for evaluating the risk and severity of the disease are still limited. Insulin resistance (IR) and abdominal obesity (ABO) are closely related to NAFLD.

Clinical, radiological, and laboratory features of HIV-negative pulmonary cryptococcosis with regard to serum lateral flow assay.

Introduction: Cryptococcosis is the second most common invasive yeast infection in China. Pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) is difficult to diagnose due to the lack of specific clinical features and the limitation of diagnostic techniques. Although lateral flow assay was very useful in diagnosing cryptococcal infection, quite a few patients with PC presented negative serum lateral flow assay (sLFA).

DOCK2 Promotes Atherosclerosis by Mediating the Endothelial Cell Inflammatory Response.

The pathology of atherosclerosis, a leading cause of mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease, involves inflammatory phenotypic changes in vascular endothelial cells. This study explored the role of the dedicator of cytokinesis (DOCK)-2 protein in atherosclerosis. Mice with deficiencies in low-density lipoprotein receptor and Dock2 (LdlrDock2) and controls (Ldlr) were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce atherosclerosis.

BRD4 as a Therapeutic Target in Pulmonary Diseases.

Bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins are epigenetic modulators that regulate gene transcription through interacting with acetylated lysine residues of histone proteins. BET proteins have multiple roles in regulating key cellular functions such as cell proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, oxidative and redox balance, and immune responses. As a result, BET proteins have been found to be actively involved in a broad range of human lung diseases including acute lung inflammation, asthma, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

MARCH8 downregulation modulates profibrotic responses including myofibroblast differentiation.

Interstitial lung diseases can result in poor patient outcomes, especially in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a severe interstitial lung disease with unknown causes. The lack of treatment options requires further understanding of the pathological process/mediators. Membrane-associated RING-CH 8 (MARCH8) has been implicated in immune function regulation and inflammation, however, its role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis and particularly the fibroblast to myofibroblast transition (FMT) remains a gap in existing knowledge.

A microfluidic device for enhanced capture and high activity release of heterogeneous CTCs from whole blood.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that spontaneously detach from the primary focus, and early detection and characterization of CTCs is vital for cancer diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Current methods commonly use EpCAM to capture CTCs, but this results in a loss of information on other CTC subsets (EpCAM-negative cells) due to the heterogeneity of CTCs. Here, we report a novel microfluidic device that integrates the capture and release of heterogeneous CTCs directly from whole blood.

Retrospective analysis of pulmonary cryptococcosis and extrapulmonary cryptococcosis in a chinese tertiary hospital.

Cryptococcosis is an invasive fungal disease with increased morbidity in China over the past two decades. Cryptococci can infect immunocompromised hosts as well as immunocompetent ones. In this study, we reviewed data of 71 inpatients with cryptococcosis at Ningbo First Hospital from May 2010 to May 2020 and compared the clinical profiles of pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) and extrapulmonary cryptococcosis (EPC).

Simple and Rapid Discrimination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Based on Gram Staining and Machine Vision.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a clinical threat with high morbidity and mortality. Here, we describe a new simple, rapid identification method for MRSA using oxacillin sodium salt, a cell wall synthesis inhibitor, combined with Gram staining and machine vision (MV) analysis. Gram staining classifies bacteria as positive (purple) or negative (pink) according to the cell wall structure and chemical composition.

Association of serum uric acid-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in American adults: a population-based analysis.

Objective: Non-invasive disease indicators are currently limited and need further research due to the increased non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevalence worldwide. The serum uric acid-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (UHR) has been recognized as a novel inflammatory and metabolic marker. Herein, we explored the correlation between UHR and the risk of NAFLD in-depth.

Role of the extracellular matrix in COVID-19.

An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally, with over 500 million cases and 6 million deaths to date. COVID-19 is associated with a systemic inflammatory response and abnormalities of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is also involved in inflammatory storms. Upon viral infection, ECM proteins are involved in the recruitment of inflammatory cells and interference with target organ metabolism, including in the lungs.

The clinical application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in infectious diseases at a tertiary hospital in China.

Background: Compared with traditional diagnostic methods (TDMs), rapid diagnostic methods for infectious diseases (IDs) are urgently needed. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a promising diagnostic technology for clinical infections.

Methods: This retrospective observational study was performed at a tertiary hospital in China between May 2019 and August 2022.