Bibliometric insights into the inflammation and mitochondrial stress in ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Research in the areas of inflammation and mitochondrial stress in ischemic stroke is rapidly expanding, but a comprehensive overview that integrates bibliometric trends with an in-depth review of molecular mechanisms is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To map the evolving landscape of research using bibliometric analysis and to detail the molecular mechanisms that underpin these trends, emphasizing their implications in ischemic stroke. METHODS: We conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify key trends, top contributors, and focal research themes. In addition, we review recent research advances in mitochondrial stress and inflammation in ischemic stroke to gain a detailed understanding of the pathophysiological processes involved. CONCLUSION: Our integrative approach not only highlights the growing research interest and collaborations but also provides a detailed exploration of the molecular mechanisms that are central to the pathology of ischemic stroke. This synthesis offers valuable insights for researchers and paves the way for targeted therapeutic interventions.

Soil organic matter priming: The pH effects.

Priming of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition by microorganisms is a key phenomenon of global carbon (C) cycling. Soil pH is a main factor defining priming effects (PEs) because it (i) controls microbial community composition and activities, including enzyme activities, (ii) defines SOM stabilization and destabilization mechanisms, and (iii) regulates intensities of many biogeochemical processes. In this critical review, we focus on prerequisites and mechanisms of PE depending on pH and assess the global change consequences for PE. The highest PEs were common in soils with pH between 5.5 and 7.5, whereas low molecular weight organic compounds triggered PE mainly in slightly acidic soils. Positive PEs up to 20 times of SOM decomposition before C input were common at pH around 6.5. Negative PEs were common at soil pH below 4.5 or above 7 reflecting a suboptimal environment for microorganisms and specific SOM stabilization mechanisms at low and high pH. Short-term soil acidification (in rhizosphere, after fertilizer application) affects PE by: mineral-SOM complexation, SOM oxidation by iron reduction, enzymatic depolymerization, and pH-dependent changes in nutrient availability. Biological processes of microbial metabolism shift over the short-term, whereas long-term microbial community adaptations to slow acidification are common. The nitrogen fertilization induced soil acidification and land use intensification strongly decrease pH and thus boost the PE. Concluding, soil pH is one of the strongest but up to now disregarded factors of PE, defining SOM decomposition through short-term metabolic adaptation of microbial groups and long-term shift of microbial communities.

Pharmacokinetic enhancement of oncolytic virus M1 by inhibiting JAK‒STAT pathway.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs), a group of replication-competent viruses that can selectively infect and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact, are emerging as promising living anticancer agents. Unlike traditional drugs composed of non-replicating compounds or biomolecules, the replicative nature of viruses confer unique pharmacokinetic properties that require further studies. Despite some pharmacokinetics studies of OVs, mechanistic insights into the connection between OV pharmacokinetics and antitumor efficacy remain vague. Here, we characterized the pharmacokinetic profile of oncolytic virus M1 (OVM) in immunocompetent mouse tumor models and identified the JAK‒STAT pathway as a key modulator of OVM pharmacokinetics. By suppressing the JAK‒STAT pathway, early OVM pharmacokinetics are ameliorated, leading to enhanced tumor-specific viral accumulation, increased AUC and Cmax, and improved antitumor efficacy. Rather than compromising antitumor immunity after JAK‒STAT inhibition, the improved pharmacokinetics of OVM promotes T cell recruitment and activation in the tumor microenvironment, providing an optimal opportunity for the therapeutic outcome of immune checkpoint blockade, such as anti-PD-L1. Taken together, this study advances our understanding of the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship in OV therapy.

Defect detection and imaging using electromagnetic acoustic transducer with butterfly coil.

Electromagnetic ultrasonic detection technology utilizes the electromagnetic coupling method to generate and receive ultrasonic waves without a couplant, which is suitable for rapid detection. However, the detection can be affected by the spatial distribution of the acoustic field and the polarization direction of the shear wave, which can result in suboptimal detection performance. The acoustic field directivity of the shear wave generated by the butterfly coil electromagnetic acoustic transducer was measured using the transmission method. The data indicate that the acoustic pressure amplitude of the shear wave is maximized along the axis of the acoustic field, thereby meeting the requirements of synthetic aperture focusing technique imaging. We used the reflection method to detect the through-hole defects and investigated the effect of shear wave polarization direction. By comparing the experimental data and imaging results, it can be concluded that higher echo amplitudes are obtained when the polarization direction of the shear wave is perpendicular to the axis of the through-hole defects. Based on the explosive reflection model, the frequency domain phase shift migration (PSM) method converts the time-domain signal to the frequency domain for processing and uses a phase-shift factor for layer-by-layer imaging. We used the PSM method to process the experimental data, which not only produced high-resolution images but also had a high computational speed.

RGS19 activates the MYH9/ß-catenin/c-Myc positive feedback loop in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common fatal cancers worldwide, and the identification of novel treatment targets and prognostic biomarkers is urgently needed because of its unsatisfactory prognosis. Regulator of G-protein signaling 19 (RGS19) is a multifunctional protein that regulates the progression of various cancers. However, the specific function of RGS19 in HCC remains unclear. The expression of RGS19 was determined in clinical HCC samples. Functional and molecular biology experiments involving RGS19 were performed to explore the potential mechanisms of RGS19 in HCC. The results showed that the expression of RGS19 is upregulated in HCC tissues and is significantly associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. RGS19 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RGS19, via its RGS domain, stabilizes the MYH9 protein by directly inhibiting the interaction of MYH9 with STUB1, which has been identified as an E3 ligase of MYH9. Moreover, RGS19 activates ß-catenin/c-Myc signaling via MYH9, and RGS19 is also a transcriptional target gene of c-Myc. A positive feedback loop formed by RGS19, MYH9, and the ß-catenin/c-Myc axis was found in HCC. In conclusion, our research revealed that competition between RGS19 and STUB1 is a critical mechanism of MYH9 regulation and that the RGS19/MYH9/ß-catenin/c-Myc feedback loop may represent a promising strategy for HCC therapy.

Genetically predicted type 2 diabetes mellitus mediates the causal association between plasma uric acid and ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: This study conducts a systematic investigation into the causal relationships between plasma uric acid levels and subtypes of ischemic stroke (IS), as well as the extent to which Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mediates this relationship. BACKGROUND: There is a known association between Uric acid and IS but whether they have a causal relationship remains unclear. This study aims to determine whether a genetic predisposition to uric acid is causally linked to IS, including three subtypes, and to determine the mediating role of T2DM. METHODS: Bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses was initially used to explore the causal relationship between uric acid and three subtypes of IS. Two-step MR methods were then used to investigate the role of T2DM in mediating the effect of uric acid and IS with its subtypes. RESULTS: A primary analysis showed uric acid had a markedly causal association with IS (IVW, OR 1.23; 95 % CI, 1.13 - 1.34; p = 6.39 × 10-9), and two subtypes of IS, Large-vessel atherosclerotic stroke LAS (IVW, OR 1.25; 95 % CI, 1.03 - 1.53; p = 0.026) and small vessel stroke (SVS) (IVW, OR 1.20; 95 % CI, 1.00 - 1.43; p = 0.049), but not with cardioembolic stroke (CES)(IVW, OR 1.00; 95 % CI, 0.87 - 1.15; p = 0.993). Two-step MR results showed that T2DM mediated the association between uric acid and LAS and SVS, accounting for 13.85 % (p = 0.025) and 13.57 % (p = 0.028), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that genetic predisposition to uric acid is linked to a greater risk of IS, especially LAS and SVS. T2DM might mediate a significant proportion of the associations between uric acid and LAS as well as SVS.

Bibliometric analysis of the gut microbiota and stroke from 2002 to 2022.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide, and the functional status of the gut plays a key role in patients' prognosis. Recent publications have explored the gut association with stroke, but few articles have been published that specifically address a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the gut microbiota and its association with stroke. To address this gap, we used bibliometric methods to examine the landscape of research concerning the gut and stroke over approximately two decades, utilizing the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). On November 1, 2022, a search was conducted for English-language articles published between 2002 and 2022, with only including original articles. Visual and statistical analyses were performed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix 4.1.0 Package. After screening relevant articles, the results revealed that the number of articles published in this field has progressively increased during the last two decades. In particular, the total number of publications rapidly increased year by year from 2014. Among them, China ranked first in the world with a total of 227 publications. Authorship analysis highlighted Wang Z as the most prolific author, with 18 publications and an H-index of 14, highlighting significant contributions to this field. Meanwhile, the Southern Medical University of China was identified as the most productive institution. Moreover, analysis of keywords revealed that 'cerebral ischemia', 'intestinal microbiota', 'gut microbiota', and 'trimethylamine N-oxide' were popular topics searched, and research on the relationship between stroke and the gut continues to be a research hotspot. In summary, this study presents an overview of the progress and emerging trends in research on the relationship between stroke and gut health over the past two decades, providing a valuable resource for researchers aiming to understand the current state of the field and identify potential directions for future studies.

Management and classification of the fracture of lateral process of talus: An overview and literature update.

Fracture of the lateral process of the talus (FLPT) is uncommon in clinical practice and can be easily missed or misdiagnosed. In recent years, as researchers from all over the world have further deepened their research on FLPT, there has been a breakthrough in the classification, and the methods and principles of clinical management have changed accordingly; however, there is still no standardized guideline for the diagnosis and management of FLPT, and there have been few relevant literature review articles related to this kind of fracture in the past at least 5 years. In this article, we review the clinical classification, classification-based therapeutic recommendations, and prognosis of FLPT, with the aim of providing a reference for the clinical diagnosis and management of this infrequent fracture.

Maisonneuve fracture treated with short leg cast: A case report with 41-month follow-up.

RATIONALE: Maisonneuve fracture is a specific type of severe ankle injury. To our current knowledge, once a Maisonneuve fracture is diagnosed, the surgery is always recommended for fear of sequelae from inaccurate joint reconstruction. However, in this case, we treated a Maisonneuve fracture with a short leg cast, and the 41-month follow-up showed a favorable outcome with no post-traumatic osteoarthritis, chronic pain, and instability. Therefore, this case provides evidence for the feasibility of conservative treatment of Maisonneuve fracture. PATIENT CONCERNS: A female patient in her early twenties sprained her left ankle while running, suffering regional pain, swelling, and limited mobility. DIAGNOSES: We diagnosed a Maisonneuve fracture with superior fibular fracture and Volkmann tuberosity fracture, a slight separation of inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis (ITS). INTERVENTIONS: The patient rejected our surgical recommendations in favor of nonsurgical treatment, in addition to refusing immobilization of the knee. Consequently, we had to treat her with a short leg cast for 8 weeks and asked her to return for regular follow-up visits. OUTCOMES: At the final follow-up, the radiography showed complete healing of proximal fibula fracture. The patient reported no discernible subjective differences between her bilateral ankles. The range of motion of the left ankle was measured at 22° of dorsiflexion and 40° of plantarflexion. Functional assessments using Olerud-Molander ankle scale and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot scale both scored 100 points. Additionally, the radiographic assessment classified arthritis as stage 0 according to Morrey-Wiedeman classification. LESSONS: To avoid missing and misdiagnosing, the physical examination should always extend to 2 neighboring joints. Secondly, if a Maisonneuve fracture is suspected, further computed tomography scans, radiography, and magnetic resonance imaging can help to determine the stability of the ITS and the integrity of the lateral collateral ligaments before making therapeutic decisions. Finally, considering the lateral collateral ligaments may remain intact, we recommend stabilizing ITS by repairing the medial ligaments, which can be conducted arthroscopically and be more minimally invasive, providing an elastic fixation that aligns better with the biomechanics of the ITS which is characterized as a micro-mobile rather than fully fixed joint.

Mechanisms and implications of bacterial-fungal competition for soil resources.

Elucidating complex interactions between bacteria and fungi that determine microbial community structure, composition, and functions in soil, as well as regulate carbon (C) and nutrient fluxes, is crucial to understand biogeochemical cycles. Among the various interactions, competition for resources is the main factor determining the adaptation and niche differentiation between these two big microbial groups in soil. This is because C and energy limitations for microbial growth are a rule rather than an exception. Here, we review the C and energy demands of bacteria and fungi-the two major kingdoms in soil-the mechanisms of their competition for these and other resources, leading to niche differentiation, and the global change impacts on this competition. The normalized microbial utilization preference showed that bacteria are 1.4-5 times more efficient in the uptake of simple organic compounds as substrates, whereas fungi are 1.1-4.1 times more effective in utilizing complex compounds. Accordingly, bacteria strongly outcompete fungi for simple substrates, while fungi take advantage of complex compounds. Bacteria also compete with fungi for the products released during the degradation of complex substrates. Based on these specifics, we differentiated spatial, temporal, and chemical niches for these two groups in soil. The competition will increase under the main five global changes including elevated CO2, N deposition, soil acidification, global warming, and drought. Elevated CO2, N deposition, and warming increase bacterial dominance, whereas soil acidification and drought increase fungal competitiveness.

Expression of Fascin-1 and its diagnostic value in liver cancer.

Although some studies have reported on the expression and clinical significance of Fascin-1 (FSCN1) in liver cancer, the clinical application and differential diagnosis value of FSCN1 in liver cancer are still unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression level of FSCN1 protein in liver cancer tissues and explore its diagnostic and application value in differentiating between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The immunehistochemical analysis was used to detect the expression of FSCN1 in 108 cases of HCC, 26 cases of ICC, 23 cases of liver cirrhosis, and 11 cases of normal liver tissues. The differences in the positive expression rate and strong positive expression rate of FSCN1 among different groups were analyzed. The positive rate of FSCN1 in normal liver tissues, liver cirrhosis, HCC, and ICC tissues was 0.0% (0/11), 0.0% (0/23), 13.9% (15/108), and 92.3% (24/26), respectively, while the strong positive rate was 0.0% (0/11), 0.0% (0/23), 0.9% (1/108), and 69.2% (18/26), respectively. Both the positive rate and strong positive rate of FSCN1 in ICC tissues were significantly higher than those in HCC, liver cirrhosis, and normal liver tissues. Additionally, the positive rate of FSCN1 in moderately to poorly differentiated HCC tissues was 18.8% (15/80), significantly higher than in well-differentiated HCC (0.0%, 0/28) (P = 0.031). In liver cancer, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of FSCN1 positive prediction for ICC were 92.3%, 86.1%, 61.5%, and 97.9%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of FSCN1 strong positive prediction for ICC were 69.2%, 99.1%, 94.7%, and 93.0%, respectively. These results suggest that FSCN1 may play an important role in the occurrence and progression of liver cancer, and it can be used as a novel diagnostic marker for ICC.

In situ autophagy regulation in synergy with phototherapy for breast cancer treatment.

Autophagy is an important factor in reducing the efficacy of tumor phototherapy (including PTT and PDT). Accurate regulation of autophagy in tumor cells is a new strategy to improve the anti-tumor efficiency of PTT/PDT. This project intended to construct a tumor-activated autophagy regulator to efficiently block PTT/PDT-induced autophagy and realize synergistic sensitization to tumor phototherapy. To achieve this goal, we first synthesized TRANSFERRIN (Tf) biomimetic mineralized nano-tellurium (Tf-Te) as photosensitizer and then used disulfide bond reconstruction technology to induce Tf-Te self-assembly. The autophagy inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and iron ions carried by Tf were simultaneously loaded to prepare a tumor-responsive drug reservoir Tf-Te/HCQ. After entering breast cancer cells through the "self-guidance system", Tf-Te/HCQ can generate hyperpyrexia and ROS under NIR laser irradiation, to efficiently induce PTT/PDT effect. Meanwhile, the disulfide bond broke down in response to GSH, and the nanoparticles disintegrated to release Fe2+ and HCQ at fixed points. They simultaneously induce lysosomal alkalinization and increased osmotic pressure, effectively inhibit autophagy, and synergistically enhance the therapeutic effect of phototherapy. In vivo anti-tumor results have proved that the tumor inhibition rate of Tf-Te/HCQ can be as high as 88.6% on 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. This multifunctional drug delivery system might provide a new alternative for more precise and effective tumor phototherapy.

Antiviral C-geranylated flavonoids from Artocarpus communis.

Ten C-geranylated flavonoids, along with three known analogues, were isolated from the leaves of Artocarpus communis. The chemical structures of these compounds were unambiguously determined via comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments, and quantum chemical electronic circular dichroism calculations. Structurally, artocarones A-I (1-9) represent a group of unusual, highly modified C-geranylated flavonoids, in which the geranyl chain is cyclised with the ortho-hydroxy group of flavonoids to form various heterocyclic scaffolds. Notably, artocarones E and G-I (5 and 7-9) feature a 6H-benzo[c]chromene core that is hitherto undescribed in C-geranylated flavonoids. Artocarone J (10) is the first example of C-9-C-16 connected C-geranylated aurone. Meanwhile, the plausible biosynthetic pathways for these rare C-geranylated flavonoids were also proposed. Notably, compounds 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, and 12 exhibited promising in vitro inhibitory activities against respiratory syncytial virus and herpes simplex virus type 1.

Role of Telemedicine Intervention in the Treatment of Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Although telemedicine interventional therapy is an innovative method to reduce public medical burden and improve heart failure, its effectiveness is still controversial. This meta-analysis evaluates the role of telemedicine interventional therapy in the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS: Relevant literature on telemedicine in chronic heart failure treatment was screened and extracted based on predefined criteria. Quality assessment used Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 tool, and meta-analysis was conducted using R 4.2.2 software. RESULTS: Fifteen English-language articles were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. The risk bias evaluation determined that 4 articles were low-risk bias and 11 articles were unclear risk bias. The meta-analysis revealed that, compared to the routine intervention group, the all-cause hospitalization rate of patients in the telemedicine intervention group decreased [OR = 0.63, 95% CI (0.41; 0.96), P =.03], and the hospitalization rate of heart failure also decreased [OR = 0.70, 95% CI (0.48; 0.85), P <.01]. However, there were no differences in mortality [OR = 0.64, 95% CI (0.41; 1.01), P =.05], length of hospitalization [MD = -0.42, 95% CI (-1.22; 0.38), P =.31], number of emergency hospitalizations [MD = -0.09, 95% CI (-0.33; 0.15), P =.45], medication compliance [OR = 1.67, 95% CI (0.92; 3.02), P =.09], or MLHFQ scores [MD = -2.30, 95% CI (-6.16; 1.56), P =.24] among the patients. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis showed that telemedicine reduced overall and heart failure-related hospitalizations in chronic heart failure patients, suggesting its value in clinical management. However, it did not significantly affect mortality, hospital stay length, emergency visits, medication adherence, or quality of life. This suggests the need to optimize specific aspects of telemedicine, identify key components, and develop strategies for better treatment outcomes.

Aqueous Coordination-Insertion Copolymerization for Producing High Molecular Weight Polar Polyolefins.

Hydrocarbons, when used as the medium for transition metal catalyzed organic reactions and olefin (co-)polymerization, are ubiquitous. Environmentally friendly water is highly attractive and long-sought, but is greatly challenging as coordination-insertion copolymerization reaction medium of olefin and polar monomers. Unfavorable interactions from both water and polar monomer usually lead to either catalyst deactivation or the formation of low-molecular-weight polymers. Herein, we develop well-behaved neutral phosphinophenolato nickel catalysts, which enable aqueous copolymerization of ethylene and diverse polar monomers to produce significantly high-molecular-weight linear polar polyolefins (219-549 kDa, 0.13-1.29 mol %) in a single-component fashion under mild conditions for the first time. These copolymerization reactions occur better in water than in hydrocarbons such as toluene. The dual characteristics of high molecular weight and the incorporation of a small amount of functional group result in improved surface properties while retain the desirable intrinsic properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Vaccination Shortens the Negative Nucleic Acid Conversion Time of the Older Population: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 73,456 Asymptomatic and Mild Patients with COVID-19 in Shanghai.

Purpose: To explore the influencing factors to predict the negative nucleic acid conversion time and ORF1ab gene CT value changes in patients with asymptomatic and mild COVID-19. Patients and Methods: A total of 73,456 patients with asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 admitted to the Mobile Cabin Hospital in Shanghai from April 3 to April 23, 2022 were selected as the research objects. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were collected. Correlation analysis was performed. Results: In patients <18 years old and ≥65 years old, COVID-19 vaccine can shorten the negative nucleic acid conversion time, which is reflected in the lower median or 75% quantile (P<0.001, P<0.05). In patients with underlying diseases, the negative nucleic acid conversion time of booster vaccination and complete vaccination was lower than that of non-vaccinated group (P<0.001, P<0.05). In patients ≤18 years of age or >65 years of age, patients with comorbidity and patients with symptoms, compared with patients 18-65 years of age, patients without comorbidity and patients without symptoms, there was a greater difference in the rate of rise of CT values between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients (P<0.05). Conclusion: The time of nucleic acid conversion to negative in patients with asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 is affected by age, comorbidity, and first nucleic acid CT value. Vaccination could shorten the negative nucleic acid conversion time of the older population, those with complications or symptoms. The vaccination of older patients does not increase the risk of symptoms.