CD68 as a multi-omic prognostic biomarker in digestive system cancers: correlations with tumor-infiltrating immune cells and immune checkpoints.

Background And Objective: CD68 plays a crucial role in promoting phagocytosis. However, its expression level, prognostic value and the correlations with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) or common tumor immune checkpoints (TICs) in human digestive system cancers (DSC) remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the expression levels, prognostic significance, and clinical implications of CD68, as well as its correlations with six TIICs and four common TICs in DSC.

A heart failure classification model from radial artery pulse wave using LSTM neural networks.

Background: Heart failure (HF) represents a pressing global health issue demanding innovative and accessible approaches for early detection. Non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective techniques utilizing deep learning (DL) hold significant promise for addressing this challenge.

Methods: This study included 462 participants categorized into healthy, coronary artery disease (CAD), and HF groups.

Enhancing Early Keratoconus Detection with Multimodal Machine Learning: Integrating Tomography, Biomechanics, and Clinical Risk Factors.

Objective: To develop and validate a machine learning (ML) diagnostic system that integrates Scheimpflug tomography, corneal biomechanics, and clinical risk factors (CRF) to enhance the early detection of keratoconus (KC).

Design: Prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study.

Participants: Patients diagnosed with KC and individuals evaluated in preoperative refractive surgery clinics.

Non-invasive acoustic classification of adult asthma using an XGBoost model with vocal biomarkers.

Traditional diagnostic methods for asthma, a widespread chronic respiratory illness, are often limited by factors such as patient cooperation with spirometry. Non-invasive acoustic analysis using machine learning offers a promising alternative for objective diagnosis by analyzing vocal characteristics. This study aimed to develop and validate a robust classification model for adult asthma using acoustic features from the vocalized /ɑː/ sound.

Efficient quality control of platelet-rich plasma preparation using computer vision and deep learning.

Significance: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a critical component in regenerative medicine, with applications in tissue repair and inflammation regulation. Consistent preparation quality is essential for therapeutic efficacy, but traditional quality control (QC) methods are labor-intensive, slow, and prone to variability.

Aim: We introduce a computer vision-based automated PRP QC model using deep learning to improve the efficiency and accuracy of PRP preparation.

Association between intraneural blood flow of the sciatic nerve, peripheral neuropathies, and foot ulcers in patients with diabetes.

Background: Intraneural blood flow (INBF) serves as a useful marker for diagnosing peripheral neuropathies. However, the specific relationship between sciatic nerve INBF (SN) and the occurrence of diabetic peripheral neuropathies (DPNs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) remains ambiguous. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between SN, as detected by power Doppler ultrasound, and the presence of DPNs and DFUs in patients with diabetes.

Association of CVAI with BMD, FRAX scores, and osteoporosis risk in Chinese elderly patients with hypertension.

The effects of visceral fat on osteoporosis have attracted considerable attention. The Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) has been demonstrated to respond more effectively than conventional measures in reflecting visceral fat characteristics in the Chinese population. This study aimed to explore the relationship between CVAI and bone mineral density (BMD), FRAX scores, and osteoporosis in Chinese elderly individuals with hypertension.

Viral Keratitis in Chronic Ocular Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Virus Species and Clinical Characteristics.

Purpose: To investigate the virus species, risk factors and clinical characteristics of viral keratitis in patients with chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (coGVHD).

Methods: A chart review of patients with coGVHD who visited Peking University Third Hospital between May 2020 and September 2024 was conducted. Demographic and clinical characteristics and laboratory test results were collected.

Corneal oxidative stress, inflammation, and senescence as key drivers of ocular pathology in a chronic graft-versus-host disease model.

Background: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, frequently associated with severe dry eye syndrome. Using a murine cGVHD model, this study investigates the roles of oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular senescence in corneal damage.

Methods: A cGVHD mouse model was established by transplanting bone marrow cells and splenocytes from male C57BL/6J (H-2b) donors into lethally irradiated female BALB/c (H-2d) recipients.

Synergistic suppression of cholangiocarcinoma cells via DNA damage response and cell cycle arrest by dual targeting PARP and ATM in DNA damage repair pathway.

This study investigated alterations in DNA damage repair (DDR) genes in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) influencing cellular vulnerability to DDR inhibitors, notably poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) and ataxia-telangiectasia mutated inhibitors (ATMi). Genomic DDR alterations in CCA tumors were identified via cBioPortal. The cytotoxic effect of the inhibitors was determined in 8 CCA cell lines.

Etiology of Iridocorneal Endothelial Syndrome: Viral Infection and Immune Suppression.

Purpose: Iridocorneal endothelial (ICE) syndrome is a rare ocular disease affecting the anterior segment, leading to cornea edema and glaucoma. Its unclear etiology limits clinical management to symptomatic interventions. This study uses diverse methodologies to explore potential viral sequences in patients' samples and to elucidate the transcriptomic profiles of ICE cells.

PARP inhibitor augments anti-tumor efficacy of DNMT inhibitor by inducing senescence in cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive, heterogeneous malignancy with limited effective treatment options. One of the key epigenetic dysregulations in CCA is aberrant DNA hypermethylation, suggesting that targeted DNA methylation is a promising therapeutic strategy for this disease. However, there is still limited information on how effective DNA demethylating agents are in the treatment of CCA in the clinical setting, and further studies are urgently needed to evaluate their potential benefits.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A promotes the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells with neural regenerative effects in ischemic stroke.

Background: Ischemic stroke induced irreversible damage or loss of neurons, severely causing high death rates. Natural medicine has rapidly risen for stroke therapy. Given the activation of neural cells, it is crucial to reveal the neuroregulation and molecular mechanisms of natural medicine for developing effective therapeutical approaches for stroke.

Plasma Aldosterone Elevation in Hypertensive Patients and Association with Urinary Stone Formation: A Large-Scale Population Study from Northwest China.

Background: Previous studies have suggested a potential association between plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and calcium regulation. However, it remains unclear whether elevated PAC levels increase the risk of urinary stones. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between PAC levels and urinary stones, including their subtypes, in patients with hypertension.

Relation between quality characteristics of wheat flour and in vitro starch digestibility of dried noodles: Insights from noodle structure.

This study aimed to elucidate the relationships between quality characteristics of wheat flour and in vitro starch digestibility of dried noodles. Seven commercially available wheat flours were selected to prepare dried noodles. The quality of the wheat flours, along with the structure of gluten proteins and starch in noodles during and after complete rehydration, and in vitro starch digestibility were investigated.

Retrogradation behavior of wheat starch gel affected by natural fermentation.

The retrogradation behavior of wheat starch gel influenced by natural fermentation was explored using a rheometer, texture analyzer, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FITR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A notable decline in storage modulus (G') and hardness of gels was observed after starch natural fermentation. The T value decreased, and the hydrogen proton density increased correspondingly, suggesting that fermented starch gels could retain more water and reduce water migration and loss during retrogradation.

The potential of spironolactone to mitigate the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in hypertensive populations: evidence from a cohort study.

Objective: While the link between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hypertension is well recognized, the potential protective effects of the widely used antihypertensive medication, spironolactone, on NAFLD risk remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of spironolactone on the development of NAFLD in hypertensive patients, shedding light on its potential broader clinical benefits beyond blood pressure control.

Methods: A total of 7241 participants were included.

Neonatal graves' disease complicated with cholestatic jaundice: a case report.

Background: Neonatal cholestatic jaundice and elevated liver enzymes can result from various etiologies, including anatomical, infectious, endocrine, and metabolic abnormalities. Unlike hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism is rarely associated with neonatal cholestasis. This study presents a unique case of neonatal Graves' disease complicated by cholestatic jaundice and discusses the challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and management.

Network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis, and experimental validation to reveal the target and pharmacological mechanism of DHDK in treating breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Currently, most treatments involve combinations of multiple therapies. However, existing drug therapies remain limited by side effects and drug resistance.

The use of statins are associated with an increased risk of new-onset diabetes in patients with hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea, a longitudinal study.

Background: Statins, a kind of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, are first-line cholesterol-lowering drugs that are widely used in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD). However, the safety of statins has been in the spotlight as recent studies have shown that statins may increase the incidence of diabetes. Therefore, we conducted a study of statins use and new-onset diabetes(NODM) in people with hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to better understand the relationship and to provide guidance for future clinical management.

Association of plasma aldosterone concentration with peripheral artery disease in hypertensive patients: insights from a large cross-sectional analysis.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and the prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in hypertensive patients and to determine any potential threshold effects.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 13,157 hypertensive individuals from the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. PAD was diagnosed based on an ankle-brachial index (ABI) of ≤0.

Relationship between Cumulative Exposure and Time Course of Plasma Aldosterone Concentrations and Chronic Kidney Disease in Hypertensive Patients: A Real-World Cohort Study.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effects of cumulative exposure to plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and its time course on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in hypertensive patients, with the goal of providing insights into preventing future CKD events, especially in younger hypertensive patients.

Methods: This study enrolled a total of 7,142 hypertensive participants, each of whom had undergone at least two PAC measurements before the age of 60. We calculated the annual PAC area under the curve (AUC) and used Cox regression analyses to examine the association between annual PAC_AUC and CKD risk.

Poor sleep quality was associated with increased plasma aldosterone concentration in community dwellers, a cross-sectional study.

Sleep is implicated in circulating aldosterone, whereas effects of overall sleep quality are not characterized. Therefore, we explored relationship of sleep quality with plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in general population. We evaluated sleep quality using Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and measured PAC in adults cross-sectionally.

Therapeutic Efficacy and Mechanisms of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Exosomes in the Treatment of Ocular Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Purpose: To provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and current treatments of ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD), and to explore the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their exosomes (MSC-Exos) as novel treatments.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus) to identify studies published between 2000 and 2024. The focus was on clinical trials, case series, and experimental studies related to oGVHD.

Correlation between Plasma Aldosterone Concentrations and Simple Renal Cyst in Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Previous studies have linked primary aldosteronism to simple renal cysts (SRCs), but the relationship between plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and SRC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between PAC and SRC in hypertensive patients.

Methods: A total of 30,135 hypertensive patients who visited our hospital from January 2014 to December 2023 were included.