Apatinib has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of gallbladder cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore pathways related to the antitumor effects of apatinib at the cellular level in gallbladder cancer.

NOZ and GBC-SD gallbladder cancer cells were treated with apatinib at concentrations of 0 μM, 10 μM, or 20 μM. The effect of apatinib on the proliferation of these cells was assessed using MTT and colony formation assays, and the effects of apatinib on cell cycle progression and DNA synthesis were evaluated using flow cytometry. Clinical cancer tissue samples, along with paired adjacent normal tissue samples, were obtained from 10 patients with gallbladder cancer. Immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were conducted to elucidate molecular changes induced by apatinib treatment.

Treatment with 20 μM apatinib significantly inhibited the expression of phosphorylated (p)-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), p-AKT, and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). Additionally, apatinib treatment led to upregulated expression of p-cyclin-dependent kinase 1, p21, and Bax, and downregulated expression of cell division cycle 25B, B-cell lymphoma 2, Snail, and Slug. Apatinib decelerated DNA replication and induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, consequently suppressing the proliferation of gallbladder cancer cells.

Apatinib inhibits the proliferation of gallbladder cancer cells, and the mechanism involves VEGFR2/AKT, HDAC1, and downstream genes. These findings provide a basis for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect of apatinib in gallbladder cancer.

Observational studies have shown that educational attainment is associated with the risk of myopia, but the causality of this relationship is unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the causal association between educational attainment and myopia.

Using publicly available data from genome-wide association studies, single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with educational attainment (college/university completion and years of education) were selected as instrumental variables. Causal associations with myopia risk were examined using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results in terms of violations of MR assumptions.

The inverse variance–weighted analysis revealed potential causal associations of college/university completion (odds ratio (OR) = 1.102; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.085–1.119; P < 0.001) and years of education (OR = 1.009; 95% CI: 1.007–1.010; P < 0.001) with myopia risk. MR-Egger and weighted median methods yielded similar results for both educational attainment measures.

MR evidence supports a potential causal association between educational attainment and myopia. This evidence highlights the need for careful management of myopia risk in individuals with higher educational attainment.

Chronic pelvic pain remains a significant clinical challenge, often refractory to conservative and interventional treatments. Superior hypogastric plexus block is an established technique; however, conventional anterior and posterior approaches may be limited by anatomical variability and potential risks to adjacent structures. Based on these anatomical findings, we propose that a posterior transosseous S1 pedicular approach represents a novel and anatomically robust corridor for accessing the superior hypogastric plexus. We hypothesize that the highly reproducible osseous anatomy of the S1 pedicle, combined with its consistent spatial relationship to the anterior sacral cortex and retroperitoneal compartment, may enable precise and fluoroscopically reproducible instrument guidance toward the plexus. Furthermore, this trajectory may mitigate the anatomical variability and procedural limitations associated with conventional anterior or paravertebral techniques while potentially reducing the risk of inadvertent injury to adjacent visceral, vascular, and neural structures. This concept is based on anatomical reasoning and fluoroscopic observations obtained during cadaveric anatomical orientation, suggesting that a transosseous trajectory through the S1 pedicle toward the anterior sacral cortex may offer improved spatial control and reproducibility compared with soft-tissue-based approaches. The proposed pathway remains conceptual and is not intended for clinical application at this stage. Further cadaveric, imaging-based, and clinical studies are required to evaluate its anatomical validity, safety, and potential clinical relevance.

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy has become the primary cause of chronic nephropathy cases. Diabetes mellitus and chronic nephropathy exert certain effects on the digestive system. diabetic neuropathy patients also have digestive system symptoms and gastrointestinal diseases, with most presenting such problems as decreased gastrointestinal tract tension, insufficient gastric motility, decreased contractility, and delayed gastric emptying; these problems are often accompanied by symptoms of digestive system dysfunction, such as constipation, dry stool, tenesmus. This article will summarize and discuss the effects and mechanism of diabetic neuropathy involving the digestive system.

The aim of this article was to review the roles of Helicobacter pylori-induced antralization in gastric carcinogenesis and its implications in clinical practice. A search of PubMed/PubMed Central, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure was performed in December 2018 to retrieve all literature related to antralization (or antralisation), pyloric (or pseudopyloric) glands, pyloric (or pseudopyloric) metaplasia, or pyloric (or pseudopyloric) gland metaplasia, and spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (or SPEM). Among the synonyms, antralization and SPEM, which are derived in the same mechanisms at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels, are more commonly used in recent studies. Antralization (or SPEM) is associated with H. pylori infection, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, while H. pylori eradication may reverse antralization. It is proposed that H. pylori infection leads to inflammation in the gastric mucosa and apoptosis of the epithelial cells of the proximal stomach, including gastric incisura, body and fundus. The stem cells proliferate and transform into mucous cells and form antral-type mucosa (i.e. antralization). Subsequently, H. pylori-induced antralization, if not controlled, may develop into atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia, and early intestinal-type gastric cancer. Although many biomarkers, including the spasmolytic polypeptide and mucin 6, are specifically expressed in the gastric mucosa with antralization, none of them are evaluated for the clinical diagnosis of antralization. H. pylori-induced antralization (or SPEM) is believed to be an initiating and reversible stage of gastric carcinogenesis. Identification of antralization would help make an early intervention to cease or even reverse the process toward the development of gastric cancer. Currently, the “gold standard” for diagnosing antralization is pathology, which is invasive and time consuming. A non-invasive and convenient method that accurately and specifically diagnoses antralization is urgently required.

This study aimed to examine the difference in expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in ameloblastoma and other benign tumors or normal tissue of the jaw, and ameloblastic carcinoma, and to investigate the correlation of expression of MMPs with patient prognosis.

Studies were identified in the major electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Library) using the keywords “matrix metalloproteinases” and “ameloblastoma” OR “ameloblastic carcinoma”, and a quantitative meta-analysis was conducted.

Fourteen studies were included in this systematic review. Twelve studies representing a total number of 471 cases qualified for the meta-analysis. The analysis revealed a higher MMP-2 expression in ameloblastoma than in the other benign odontogenic tumors, showing a significant inter-group difference (odds ratio [OR]: 5.33; 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.36, 25.62]; p = 0.02). A lower MMP-2 expression was found for the ameloblastoma than in the ameloblastic carcinoma, with a non-significant inter-group difference (OR: 0.12; 95% CI: [0.01, 1.02]; p = 0.05). Finally, a lower MMP-9 expression was found for the follicular subgroup compared to that in other subgroups of ameloblastoma, showing a significant inter-group difference (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: [0.05, 0.48]; p = 0.001).

We found that MMP-2 expression in ameloblastoma is higher than that in other benign tumors or normal tissue of jaw, and that MMP-9 expression in the follicular subgroup of ameloblastoma is lower than that in other pathology subgroups of ameloblastoma. What is more important, the MMPs expression in ameloblastoma was found to be significantly correlated with many clinicopathologic features of ameloblastoma. However, some limitations weakened the power of this meta-analysis.

Curcumin is a polyphenol present in turmeric and is credited with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemoprotective properties. Questions remain surrounding curcumin’s bioavailability and the mechanism by which it may exert neuroprotective effects. Following PRISMA 2009 guidelines, a systematic review was conducted to identify randomized, placebo-controlled trials investigating the effects of curcumin supplementation on cognitive function in older adults (>50 years). Five databases were searched (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science) with five studies identified, each using different forms of curcumin and validated cognitive screening measures, meeting inclusion criteria. Curcumin doses ranged from between 90 and 4,000 mg/day, with significant improvements found in three of the five studies. Firstly, the most recent study found improvements with 90 mg of curcumin twice daily in tests of selective reminding (p = 0.002), visual memory (p = 0.01), and attention (p < 0.0001) over 18 months in non-demented individuals. The second study found improvement in Montreal Cognitive Assessment tool with 1,500 mg/day curcumin over 52 weeks (p = 0.02). Another study found improvement in serial three subtraction task responses after 4 weeks compared with the placebo group (p = 0.044). Of the adverse events reported (n = 58), gastrointestinal symptoms were most common (n = 34). Before curcumin can be recommended to treat or reduce rates of cognitive decline, well-designed trials with standardization in dose, method of assessing cognition, and duration, are required to determine the most bioavailable form of curcumin with minimal adverse effects.

Artificial intelligence (AI) with machine learning tools are used to search, store, and analyze medical data to benefit both physicians and the health of patients in various ways. With the advancement in machine learning algorithms and bioinformatics techniques, AI has become an essential part of modern healthcare society. AI algorithms and deep learning applications support clinicians with managing health records, making diagnoses and clinical decisions, prescribing medication, determining mental health, and imaging analysis. Clinicians gain rapid access to information and research relevant to the needs of the patients. As some algorithms compete with and sometimes outperform clinicians, it is necessary to fully integrate this technology into daily medical practices. However, we must recognize the strengths and weaknesses of AI, and obtain the perspectives of experts outside the medical field to enable the inclusion of the ethical, philosophical, sociological, psychological, behavioral, and economical aspects of machine behavior when understanding the evolving interaction of machines with humans, so that it can be used for advantageous purposes. AI technology cannot be considered a replacement for physicians, rather it can act as multiple task-oriented device support to ease the burden on clinicians so that they can provide better care of life to patients at every level.

The skin is a physical barrier that protects our body against various environmental, chemical and physical agents, and is the main organ that is easily visible as time progresses. Aging is a dynamic, progressive and undesirable biological process that unfortunately cannot be stopped, according to present knowledge. Intrinsic aging (chronological, spontaneous and biological aging) is a programmed natural process, while extrinsic aging (environmental aging and photoaging) is associated with sun exposure, smoking and malnutrition, which weakens the skin structure and functions. Over time, aging skin starts to lose elastin fibers, collagen and other proteins, which are the basic constituents that make skin healthy, bright, fit and elastic. There has been increasing interest in studies on various molecular and hormonal mechanisms, such as hormone dysfunction, changes in signaling pathways, the downregulation of mitochondrial function with cytokine increase, and mitochondrial DNA mutation. Antiaging treatment strategies can be divided into two parts: primary (basic) preventive antiaging approaches and secondary antiaging approaches after the phenotypic features of aging are revealed. The present study aims to review the literature information on the underlying causes of skin aging, healthy skin aging, and basic protective antiaging approaches. Understanding the extrinsic and intrinsic pathophysiological processes of aging would increase the effectiveness of future treatment-finding efforts.