Brachial radiculopathy with intact central nervous system imaging following carbon monoxide poisoning: A case report.

Objective: To report and analyze a unique case of selective brachial plexopathy following carbon monoxide poisoning without central nervous system involvement.

Methods: Clinical examination, laboratory tests, neuroimaging, serial electrophysiological studies, and functional assessments were performed on a 25-year-old female presenting with severe left upper extremity weakness after CO exposure. Treatment included hyperbaric oxygen therapy, steroid therapy, and rehabilitation.

Leptin Aggravates Thoracic Aortic Dissection Through Impairment of Energy Metabolism in Nrip2 Smooth Muscle Cells.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for thoracic aortic dissection (TAD), as supported by UK Biobank data showing obese individuals have a higher risk of TAD. The study investigates leptin, a hormone elevated in obesity, and finds that hyperleptinemia is common in TAD patients, suggesting its role in disease pathogenesis. Using leptin-knockout mice, it is demonstrated that exogenous leptin exacerbates TAD by promoting phenotypic transitions in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Sexual Orientation and Social Isolation from Early Adulthood to Early Midlife.

Although social isolation is a critical public health issue, there is a gap in understanding how it varies by sexual orientation. Using minority stress, minority strength, and life course perspectives, this study investigates how social isolation trajectories differ by sexual orientation from ages 18 to 42 using longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (2001-2018, N = 30,250 observations). Results from growth curve models reveal that sexual minority respondents experience higher levels of isolation than heterosexual respondents from early adulthood to early midlife.

MRI-Based Radiomics to Predict Renal Function Response to Renal Artery Stenting for Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis.

Purpose: To investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics for predicting renal function response for patients treated for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) by endoluminal means.

Material And Methods: A cohort of 146 ARAS patients who underwent stenting was analyzed, with retrospective training and prospective validation groups delineated based on the treatment timing. Patients were categorized into benefit and no-benefit groups based on postoperative renal function during follow-up.

The role of the TGF-β1 signaling pathway in the process of amelogenesis.

Amelogenesis is a highly regulated process involving multiple signaling pathways, among which the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in enamel formation. This review firstly elucidates the critical functions of TGF-β1 in regulating ameloblast behavior and enamel development, encompassing ameloblast proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, enamel matrix protein synthesis, and mineralization. Secondly, based on emerging evidence, we further discuss potential interactions between TGF-β signaling and circadian regulation in enamel formation, although this relationship requires further experimental validation.

Social Isolation and Subjective Well-Being Among Older Adults: A Longitudinal Examination by Race/Ethnicity and Gender.

Objectives: Social isolation has emerged as a significant risk factor for psychological well-being in later life. However, our understanding of how this link varies across race/ethnicity and gender remains limited.

Methods: To address this gap, we utilized longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2008-2018) to investigate the longitudinal association between social isolation and the overall subjective well-being (SWB) using multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models.

Effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on the activation of pathogenic CD4+ T cells in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is a severe autoimmune disorder that is mainly mediated by pathogenic cluster of CD4+ T cell subsets. Despite advancements in the management of multiple sclerosis, there is a critical need for more effective and safer treatments. In the present study, we administered Lycium barbarum glycopeptide to a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis-an animal model of multiple sclerosis-and evaluated its effects on pathogenic CD4+ T cell activation both in vivo and in vitro.

Racial-Ethnic Differences in Care Networks of Older Adults: Empirical Exploration of Possible Explanations.

Objectives: Previous research on eldercare among minority populations often highlights the role of values, beliefs, and social expectations, placing greater emphasis on ideational factors than on sociostructural and health factors in explaining racial-ethnic differences in care arrangements. This study aims to describe the extent to which care received by older adults varies by race-ethnicity and to explore possible explanations for these variations using the behavioral model of health care use.

Methods: Data were sourced from the 2018 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a nationally representative survey of Medicare beneficiaries aged 68 and older.

PP2A Attenuates Thoracic Aneurysm and Dissection in Mouse Models of Marfan Syndrome.

Background: Recent studies show that hyperactivation of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling plays a causal role in the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. Modulation of PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) activity has been shown to be of significant therapeutic value. In light of the effects that PP2A can exert on the mTOR pathway, we hypothesized that PP2A activation by small-molecule activators of PP2A could mitigate AA progression in Marfan syndrome (MFS).

Evaluating the added value of multiparametric functional MRI in predicting renal function response to renal artery stenting in severe atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.

Objective: To explore the potential of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion (IVIM) and Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) in predicting the short-term effectiveness of post-revascularization for severe atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.

Material And Methods: A retrospective analysis of 88 cases from October 2018 to February 2023 was conducted. Patients were divided into Responder and Non-Responder groups based on renal function outcomes at their last follow-up.

Self-assembly of 1T/1H superlattices in transition metal dichalcogenides.

Heterostructures and superlattices composed of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), celebrated for their superior emergent properties over individual components, offer significant promise for the development of multifunctional electronic devices. However, conventional fabrication techniques for these structures depend on layer-by-layer artificial construction and are hindered by their complexity and inefficiency. Herein, we introduce a universal strategy for the automated synthesis of TMD superlattice single crystals through self-assembly, exemplified by the NbSeTe 1T/1H superlattice.

Effectively tuning the quantum Griffiths phase by controllable quantum fluctuations.

Quantum Griffiths phase (QGP), marked by a quantum Griffiths singularity with a divergent effective critical exponent, has garnered considerable attention in the realm of superconductivity. However, the ability to control QGP remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that QGP at the LaAlO/KTaO(110) interface can be efficiently modulated by the orientation of applied magnetic field: With a perpendicular field, an anomalous QGP emerges in the low-temperature regime, characterized by a decreasing critical field as temperature lowers; conversely, with a parallel field, a normal QGP arises, where the critical field increases with decreasing temperature.

Kanglaite alleviates lung squamous cell carcinoma through ferroptosis.

Kanglaite, a compound predominantly composed of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), has been employed in the clinical treatment of adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in China for decades. However, its therapeutic efficacy and specific mechanism in the treatment of squamous NSCLC remains unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate that the co-treatment with ferric ion significantly enhances the cytotoxic effects of kanglaite by inducing ferroptosis in NCL-H1703, a cell line of human lung squamous cell carcinoma.

A woman with carotid atherosclerotic plaques suffered a massive cerebral infarction after carbon monoxide poisoning-A case report.

Cases of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning complicated with massive cerebral infarction are rare. A chinese female patient with carotid atherosclerotic plaque was found unconscious during bathing. The patient was diagnosed as carbon monoxide poisoning complicated with massive acute cerebral infarction by carbon monoxide hemoglobin (COHb) detection and imaging examination.

Phosphorus uptake, transport, and signaling in woody and model plants.

Phosphorus (P), a critical macronutrient for plant growth and reproduction, is primarily acquired and translocated in the form of inorganic phosphate (Pi) by roots. Pi deficiency is widespread in many natural ecosystems, including forest plantations, due to its slow movement and easy fixation in soils. Plants have evolved complex and delicate regulation mechanisms on molecular and physiological levels to cope with Pi deficiency.

Cellular communication network factor 2 regulates smooth muscle cell transdifferentiation and lipid accumulation in atherosclerosis.

Aims: Accruing evidence illustrates an emerging paradigm of dynamic vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) transdifferentiation during atherosclerosis progression. However, the molecular regulators that govern SMC phenotype diversification remain poorly defined. This study aims to elucidate the functional role and underlying mechanisms of cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2), a matricellular protein, in regulating SMC plasticity in the context of atherosclerosis.

Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease in adults: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aim: The objective of our study was to examine the association between composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in adults.

Methods And Results: Data was gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2018. To examine the connection between CDAI and ASCVD, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed.

Care Need, Caregiver Availability, and Care Receipt: Variations Across Countries and Over Time in Three Middle-Income Countries.

Background: Dementia is expected to increase more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) than in high-income countries (HIC) in the coming decades. Nevertheless, research on dementia care remains limited for LMIC. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating care needs and care receipt in 3 LMIC: China, Mexico, and India.

The mitochondrial protease ClpP is a druggable target that controls VSMC phenotype by a SIRT1-dependent mechanism.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), known for their remarkable lifelong phenotypic plasticity, play a pivotal role in vascular pathologies through their ability to transition between different phenotypes. Our group discovered that the deficiency of the mitochondrial protein Poldip2 induces VSMC differentiation both in vivo and in vitro. Further comprehensive biochemical investigations revealed Poldip2's specific interaction with the mitochondrial ATPase caseinolytic protease chaperone subunit X (CLPX), which is the regulatory subunit for the caseinolytic protease proteolytic subunit (ClpP) that forms part of the ClpXP complex - a proteasome-like protease evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to humans.

The role of exosome derived miRNAs in inter-cell crosstalk among insulin-related organs in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles secreted by almost all cell types, and carry diverse cargo including RNA, and other substances. Recent studies have focused exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) on various human diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (METS) which accompany the occurrence of insulin resistance. The regulation of insulin signaling has connected with some miRNA expression which play a significant regulatory character in insulin targeted cells or organs, such as fat, muscle, and liver.

Molecular Mechanisms and Roles of MiR-136-5p in Human Cancer and Other Disorders.

Background: MiR-136-5p plays a vital function in regulating developmental processes as well as in the pathophysiology of diseases, with a notable record in tumor suppression.

Methods: This article summarizes the latest findings on the physiological and pathophysiological processes of miR-136-5p in diseases. We searched for relevant studies and selected research articles from the last five years on PubMed with miR-136-5p as the keyword.

miR-743b-3p promotes hepatic lipogenesis via branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolism by targeting PPM1K in aged mice.

Background: Lipid metabolism disorders appear to play an important role in the ageing process, thus understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the association of ageing with elevated vulnerability to lipid metabolism related diseases is crucial towards promoting quality of life in old age. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators of lipid metabolism, and some miRNAs have key roles in ageing.

Methods: In this study, we investigated changes in liver lipid metabolism of ageing mice and the mechanisms of the altered expression of miRNAs in the ageing liver which contributes to the age-dependent increase in lipid synthesis.

Ultrafast magnetization enhancement via the dynamic spin-filter effect of type-II Weyl nodes in a kagome ferromagnet.

The magnetic type-II Weyl semimetal (MWSM) CoSnS has recently been found to host a variety of remarkable phenomena including surface Fermi-arcs, giant anomalous Hall effect, and negative flat band magnetism. However, the dynamic magnetic properties remain relatively unexplored. Here, we investigate the ultrafast spin dynamics of CoSnS crystal using time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect and reflectivity spectroscopies.

Evaluation of renal tubular function by multiparametric functional MRI in early diabetes.

Purpose To evaluate the tubular function in an alloxan-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) rabbit model measured by renal oxygenation (R2*), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), and renal blood flow (RBF) using blood oxygenation level dependent, asymmetric spin echo, and arterial spin labeling MRI. Methods Twenty-six rabbits were randomized into the 3-day DM group (n = 13) and the 7-day DM group (n = 13). We performed pairs of multiparametric MRIs (before and after furosemide injection) at baseline and 3/7 days post-DM, and scored pathological kidney injury.

Changing attitudes toward homosexuality in South Korea, 1996-2018.

Women are often considered more liberal than men on controversial social issues, but gender gaps in sociopolitical attitudes across different age groups have not been fully explored. This study challenges the taken-for-granted gender differences in public attitudes toward homosexuality by examining both between-gender gaps and within-gender changes across the life course. Using data from five waves of the World Values Survey in South Korea, we explore gender and age differences in Korean adults' attitudes toward homosexuality from 1996 to 2018.