Circadian clock and clock-controlled output pathways exert temporal control in diverse aspects of skeletal muscle physiology, including the maintenance of muscle mass, structure, function, and metabolism. They have emerged as significant players in understanding muscle disease etiology and potential therapeutic avenues, particularly in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). This review examines the intricate interplay between circadian rhythms and muscle physiology, highlighting how disruptions of circadian regulation may contribute to muscle pathophysiology and the specific mechanisms linking circadian clock dysregulation with DMD. Moreover, we discuss recent advancements in chronobiological research that have shed light on the circadian control of muscle function and its relevance to DMD. Understanding clock output pathways involved in muscle mass and function offers novel insights into the pathogenesis of DMD and unveils promising avenues for therapeutic interventions. We further explore potential chronotherapeutic strategies targeting the circadian clock to ameliorate muscle degeneration which may inform drug development efforts for muscular dystrophy. Full article

A review of 113 scientific and other publications on the smallest and most abundant deer in Lithuania, the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), is presented, along with an analysis based on compound annual population growth rates of population numbers, hunting bags, and roadkill. This review covers the species’ history in the country from the last glaciation onwards, the changes in numbers from 1934 to 2023, hunting bag changes from 1965 to 2022, roadkill numbers from 2002 to 2022, data on roe deer reproduction, habitat selection, genetic diversity, pathogens, and damage to forest stands. It also provides an overview of species management and selection for trophies. Despite the exponential increase in roe deer numbers since 1990 and the dominance of this species in roadkill, even on urban roads, the number and density of animals and the damage they cause to forest stands are relatively low compared to other European countries. Within the observed period, drops in numbers were related to harsh winters in 1969/1970 and 1995/1996. Poaching, especially coinciding with weakened enforcement during the period of political–economic transition in the early 1990s, has also had a negative impact on population numbers, as have recent increases in the number of large predators. Population growth over the recent period does not correlate with hunting mortality, which has remained stable at an average of 16.9% since 2002. Full article

Encapsulation and drying technologies allow the engineering of innovative raw materials from plant biodiversity, with potential applications in pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. Lipid-based nanoencapsulation stands out for its efficiency, ease of production, and versatility in encapsulating substances, whether hydrophilic or lipophilic. This work aimed at encapsulating pequi oil in liposomes and freeze-dried liposomes to enhance its stability and functional benefits, such as skin hydration and anti-aging effects, for use in innovative cosmetic formulations. Pequi oil—extracted from the Caryocar brasiliense fruit pulp, a plant species from Brazilian plant biodiversity—is rich in secondary metabolites and fatty acids. Liposomes and dried liposomes offer controlled production processes and seamless integration into cosmetic formulations. The physicochemical analysis of the developed liposomes confirmed that the formulations are homogeneous and electrokinetically stable, as evidenced by consistent particle size distribution and zeta potential values, respectively. The gel-type formulations loaded with the dried liposomes exhibit enhanced skin hydration, improved barrier function, and refined microrelief, indicating improvements in skin conditions. These results highlight the potential of dried liposomes containing pequi oil for the development of innovative cosmeceutical products. This research contributes to the valorization of Brazilian biodiversity by presenting an innovative approach to leveraging the dermatological benefits of pequi oil in cosmetic applications. Full article

At present, coal mining is gradually shifting towards deep areas, and coal mines under deep mining conditions are more prone to coal and gas outburst accidents. In this research, we aim to explain the causes and mechanisms of dynamic disasters, which are caused by the combined action of static load, gas, and dynamic load on tectonic regions in complex stress field environments. Through numerical simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics software, based on the geological conditions of a mine in Jilin Province, it was found that faults lead to abnormal stress in tectonic regions. The combined action of dynamic and static loads results in excessive stress, causing the fragmentation and displacement of the coal body, leading to coal mine disasters, thus disrupting sustainability. Additionally, the coal matrix gas entering fractures raises the gas pressure and leads to the accumulation of methane near earthquake sources. Dynamic loads accelerate gas desorption in coal and increase porosity and permeability, facilitating rapid gas migration. This influx of gas into the roadways exceeds safety limits. Then, based on these findings and on-site conditions, a set of sustainable measures for coal mines has been proposed. This research offers theoretical guidance for enhancing safety, stability, and sustainability in coal mining processes. Full article

We tested the hypothesis that the loss of load-bearing capacity, as estimated by means of static load tests and from sonic tomography, is comparable. This is of practical importance for arborists when they have to assess results reported by different consultants or when they have to choose between applying one of these two methods in a specific case. A total of 59 trees, primarily Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur, were subjected to static load tests and sonic tomography. The pulling test method yielded the residual stiffness of the stem at every position tested with a strain sensor as an intermediate quality parameter used to merely validate the actual estimations of safety against fracture. Based on the shape of the parts of the stem cross-section that are considered load bearing, sonic tomograms can be further processed in order to assess the loss of load-bearing capacity from defects like decay. We analyzed the correlation of these biomechanically equivalent parameters. This was only the case to a very limited extent. Sonic tomography and static load tests cannot replace each other, but they can complement each other. Full article

Background and Objectives: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is one of the most significant complications after on-pump heart surgery procedures. High cytokine levels have been shown after open-heart surgeries and a genetic predisposition seems to be an important underlying modulatory characteristic for SIRS. To investigate the association between interleukin 18 -607 C/A, interleukin 18 -137 G/C and osteopontin 9250 C/T genetic polymorphisms and SIRS in on-pump CABG patients. Materials and Methods: Two hundred consecutive elective on-pump CABG patients were recruited prospectively to the study. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood and genotyping was determined by sequence specific PCR or PCR-RFLP methods for related polymorphisms. Results: SIRS incidence was 60.2%, 38.1%, 18.9% on postoperative day 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in the whole study population. The SIRS rate on the second postoperative day was 13% and 43.4%, respectively, in osteopontin 9250 C/T T allele non-carriers and carriers (p = 0.004). WBC (White Blood Cell) counts were higher on day 2 and 3 in osteopontin 9250 C/T T allele carriers compared to non-carriers (day 2; 12.7 ± 4 vs. 10.5 ± 2.4 (p = 0.015), day 3; 11.8 ± 4 vs. 9.1 ± 4.7 (p = 0.035)). The average ICU stay was 3.1 ± 7.4, 1.28 ± 0.97 for IL 18-137 G/C C allele carriers and non-carriers, respectively (p = 0.003), and in the IL 18-137 G/C C allele carriers, SIRS developed in 42.2% by the second postoperative day whereas the rate was 57.8% in non-carriers (p = 0.025). Conclusions: The current research revealed a possible link between osteopontin 9250 C/T and IL18-137 G/C genetic polymorphism and SIRS and morbidity in on-pump CABG patients. Full article

Insect diversity monitoring is crucial for biological pest control in agriculture and forestry. Modern monitoring of insect species relies heavily on fine-grained image classification models. Fine-grained image classification faces challenges such as small inter-class differences and large intra-class variances, which are even more pronounced in insect scenes where insect species often exhibit significant morphological differences across multiple life stages. To address these challenges, we introduce segmentation and clustering operations into the image classification task and design a novel network model training framework for fine-grained classification of insect images using multi-modality clustering and approximate mask methods, named PCAM-Frame. In the first stage of the framework, we adopt the Polymorphic Clustering Module, and segmentation and clustering operations are employed to distinguish various morphologies of insects at different life stages, allowing the model to differentiate between samples at different life stages during training. The second stage consists of a feature extraction network, called Basenet, which can be any mainstream network that performs well in fine-grained image classification tasks, aiming to provide pre-classification confidence for the next stage. In the third stage, we apply the Approximate Masking Module to mask the common attention regions of the most likely classes and continuously adjust the convergence direction of the model during training using a Deviation Loss function. We apply PCAM-Frame with multiple classification networks as the Basenet in the second stage and conduct extensive experiments on the Insecta dataset of iNaturalist 2017 and IP102 dataset, achieving improvements of 2.2% and 1.4%, respectively. Generalization experiments on other fine-grained image classification datasets such as CUB200-2011 and Stanford Dogs also demonstrate positive effects. These experiments validate the pertinence and effectiveness of our framework PCAM-Frame in fine-grained image classification tasks under complex conditions, particularly in insect scenes. Full article

Polyphenols are ubiquitous plant metabolites that demonstrate biological activities essential to plant–environment interactions. They are of interest to plant food consumers, as well as to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. The class of the plant metabolites comprises both widespread (chlorogenic acids, luteolin, quercetin) and unique compounds of diverse chemical structures but of the common biosynthetic origin. Polyphenols next to sesquiterpenoids are regarded as the major class of the Inuleae-Inulinae metabolites responsible for the pharmacological activity of medicinal plants from the subtribe (Blumea spp., Dittrichia spp., Inula spp., Pulicaria spp. and others). Recent decades have brought a rapid development of molecular and analytical techniques which resulted in better understanding of the taxonomic relationships within the Inuleae tribe and in a plethora of data concerning the chemical constituents of the Inuleae-Inulinae. The current taxonomical classification has introduced changes in the well-established botanical names and rearranged the genera based on molecular plant genetic studies. The newly created chemical data together with the earlier phytochemical studies may provide some complementary information on biochemical relationships within the subtribe. Moreover, they may at least partly explain pharmacological activities of the plant preparations traditionally used in therapy. The current review aimed to systematize the knowledge on the polyphenols of the Inulae-Inulinae. Full article

This retrospective study aims to further investigate the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) treatment on respiratory function in growing patients with contracted upper airways, by assessing nasal resistance using active anterior rhinomanometry (AAR). Methods: At T0 (pre-RME), 122 orthodontic patients aged 5 to 12 years, exhibiting oral breathing and/or snoring along with maxillary contraction, underwent AAR with a mask using the ATMOS Rhino 31 rhinomanometer. Additionally, the SRDB or PSQ-SRDB Questionnaire was utilized to validate the orthodontic history of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). If AAR results at T0 were clinically significant, they were repeated at T1, corresponding to a period of three months after screw fixation, to evaluate changes in nasal resistance values between pre- and post-treatment. Results: The study group comprised 42 oral respiratory patients with a mean age of 7.71 years, suspected of pediatric OSAS. Although the questionnaires did not yield statistically significant results, the therapy induced an overall reduction in airflow resistance values from both nostrils (−24.63% in the right nostril; −26.65% in the left nostril). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the beneficial effects of orthodontic treatment with RME on nasal function in terms of airflow resistance in cases of maxillary contraction. Full article

In this paper, attention is focused on the perspective of metallic access networks utilizing homogeneous symmetric lines as a transmission medium. This miscellaneous environment has a strong influence on transmitted Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) signals and hence it is necessary to know its specific parameters in the given case. Fast and precise measurements on homogeneous symmetric lines are still essential, meaningful and imperative for many reasons: solving interference problems, designing advanced signal processing techniques and realizing appropriate simulation models. There are various ways of testing measurements with meaningful differences. In this contribution, we are focusing on the importance of measurements on homogeneous symmetric lines by means of metallic ended line testing. Subsequently, possibilities for new evaluation techniques for Metallic Ended Line Testing (MELT) parameters and for analyzing of DSL service provision are presented. Additionally, the realization of a mobile application functionality for facilitating the jobs of technicians is introduced, together with the possible availability of homogeneous symmetric lines for DSL service provision. Full article

Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer management can effectively improve soil ecology, promote agricultural production, and increase the income of farmers and workers. Nitrogen fertilizer is an important factor in the growth and development of rice, and it is important to find out the optimal amount and frequency of fertilizer application for the super-hybrid early rice ‘Zhu LiangYou 819’ in Hunan Province, to give full play to its high quality and high yield characteristics. Various N fertilizer application frequencies (P1, basal–tiller fertilizer = 5:5; P2, basal–tiller–spike fertilizer = 4:3:3; P3, basal–tiller–spike–grain fertilizer = 4:3:2:1) and N application amounts (N1, 90 kg ha⁻¹; N2, 150 kg ha⁻¹; N3, 210 kg ha⁻¹) were applied to the hybrid rice ZLY819. The results show that, under the same frequency of N application, ZLY819 had the highest yield, agronomic efficiency, and physiological utilization rate of N fertilizer with the N2 treatment, averaging 7.53 t ha⁻¹, 18.10 kg kg⁻¹, and 34.34%, respectively, with the yield under N2 being 19.38% higher than that under N1. For the same amount of N application, the yield, agronomic efficiency, partial factor productivity of N (PFPN), N contribution to seed, and N use efficiency (NUE) increased with an increase in the frequency of N application, mainly in the order of P3 > P2 > P1, whereby the yield of P3 was 10.11% higher than that of P1. According to the regression equation, the yield is higher when the amount of nitrogen application is 202.15 kg ha⁻¹ and the fertilization frequency is four times. Appropriate N fertilizer management (P3N2) improved the rice growth characteristics, dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate, dry matter transport rate, dry matter contribution rate, and NUE, thus promoting an increase in the rice yield and efficient use of nitrogen. Full article

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. While preliminary data point to the positive effects of rehabilitation for patients with glioblastoma, there are unique challenges for clinicians working with this population, including limited life expectancy and/or rapid neurological deterioration. The aim of this article is to review the literature on rehabilitation of adults with glioblastoma, including the feasibility of interventions, their effectiveness, as well as the current clinical practice. The reviewed literature suggests that rehabilitation has been found beneficial for improving the functional prognosis and quality of life of adults with glioblastoma and is desired by patients. We summarize the qualitative evidence regarding healthcare professionals’ and patients’ perspectives on the use of supportive care services. We conclude there is a need for the design of effective rehabilitation programs for patients with glioblastoma, as well as for the development of glioblastoma-specific clinical guidelines for rehabilitation practitioners. Full article

The effect of UV-B radiation exposure on transgenerational plasticity, the phenomenon whereby the parental environment influences both the parent’s and the offspring’s phenotype, is poorly understood. To investigate the impact of exposing successive generations of rice plants to UV-B radiation on seed morphology and proanthocyanidin content, the local traditional rice variety ‘Baijiaolaojing’ was planted on terraces in Yuanyang county and subjected to enhanced UV-B radiation treatments. The radiation intensity that caused the maximum phenotypic plasticity (7.5 kJ·m⁻²) was selected for further study, and the rice crops were cultivated for four successive generations. The results show that in the same generation, enhanced UV-B radiation resulted in significant decreases in grain length, grain width, spike weight, and thousand-grain weight, as well as significant increases in empty grain percentage and proanthocyanidin content, compared with crops grown under natural light conditions. Proanthocyanidin content increased as the number of generations of rice exposed to radiation increased, but in generation G3, it decreased, along with the empty grain ratio. At the same time, biomass, tiller number, and thousand-grain weight increased, and rice growth returned to control levels. When the offspring’s radiation memory and growth environment did not match, rice growth was negatively affected, and seed proanthocyanidin content was increased to maintain seed activity. The correlation analysis results show that phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), and 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) enzyme activity positively influenced proanthocyanidin content. Overall, UV-B radiation affected transgenerational plasticity in seed morphology and proanthocyanidin content, showing that rice was able to adapt to this stressor if previous generations had been continuously exposed to treatment. Full article

Black soils, which play an important role in agricultural production and food security, are well known for their relatively high content of soil organic matter (SOM). SOM has a significant impact on the sustainability of farmland and provides nutrients for plants. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the visible and near-infrared region has shown the potential to detect soil nutrient levels in the laboratory. However, using portable spectrometers directly in the field remains challenging due to variations in soil moisture (SM). The current study used spectral data captured by a handheld spectrometer outdoors to predict SOM, available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP) and available potassium (AK) with different SM levels. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were established to compare the predictive performance of air-dried soil samples with SMs around 20%, 30% and 40%. The results showed that the model established using dry sample data had the best performance (RMSE = 4.47 g/kg) for the prediction of SOM, followed by AN (RMSE = 20.92 mg/kg) and AK (RMSE = 22.67 mg/kg). The AP was better predicted by the model based on 30% SM (RMSE = 8.04 mg/kg). In general, model performance deteriorated with an increase in SM, except for the case of AP. Feature wavelengths for predicting four kinds of soil properties were recommended based on variable importance in the projection (VIP), which offered useful guidance for the development of portable hyperspectral sensors based on discrete wavebands to reduce cost and save time for on-site data collection. Full article

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a water-soluble, prebiotic fiber that is used in foods and supplements. The effects of PHGG and its role in gut health are still being studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the gut microbiome composition of healthy individuals in response to low-dose PHGG supplementation compared with a low fiber diet. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was performed on 33 healthy subjects (17 males, 16 females). Each subject completed three 14-day treatment periods with a 2-week washout between each period. Treatments included supplementation with 3 g PHGG, 6 g PHGG, or a placebo. During all periods, the participants followed a low fiber diet (≤14 g/day). Stools were collected on days 0 and 14 of each period. Gut microbiome profiling was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Stools were assessed by investigators with the Bristol Stool Form Scale as a secondary outcome. Saliva cortisol was also measured as a secondary outcome. Supplementation of 3 g and 6 g PHGG significantly increased Verrucomicrobia on day 14 when compared to the placebo (p = 0.0066 and p = 0.0068, respectively). On the genus level, Akkermansia was significantly increased on day 14 with both the 3 g and 6 g PHGG doses (p = 0.0081 and p = 0.0083). Faecalibacterium was significantly decreased on day 14 with 3 g PHGG (p = 0.0054). Supplementing with low doses of PHGG has the potential to cause shifts in the gut microbiome composition. By increasing beneficial microbes, PHGG can improve the microbiome composition of healthy individuals and may play a role in the treatment of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major global health challenge, especially among individuals aged 65 or older. According to population health studies, Turkey has the highest AD prevalence in the Middle East and Europe. To accurately determine the frequencies of common and rare APOE single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Turkish population residing in the Marmara Region, we conducted a retrospective study analyzing APOE variants in 588 individuals referred to the Bursa Uludag University Genetic Diseases Evaluation Center. Molecular genotyping, clinical exome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, and statistical evaluation were employed to identify APOE polymorphisms and assess their distribution. The study revealed the frequencies of APOE alleles as follows: ε4 at 9.94%, ε2 at 9.18%, and ε3 at 80.68%. The gender-based analysis in our study uncovered a tendency for females to exhibit a higher prevalence of mutant genotypes across various SNPs. The most prevalent haplotype observed was ε3/ε3, while rare APOE SNPs were also identified. These findings align with global observations, underscoring the significance of genetic diversity and gender-specific characteristics in comprehending health disparities and formulating preventive strategies. Full article

Climate is a key driver shaping the distribution pattern of organisms. Cenozoic climate change has led to extensive biota turnover. Untangling the distribution dynamics of a representative lineage of flora can provide deep insights into biodiversity conservation. Diplopanax is a notable relict lineage of the Tertiary mastixioid flora with abundant fossils in the Northern Hemisphere. Diplopanax stachyanthus Hand.-Mazz. is a representative relic lineage of the mastixioid flora, which was once widespread in the Northern Hemisphere of the early Tertiary period, but with only endemic distribution in the (sub)tropical humid forests of East Asia. It offers a unique chance to understand how climatic drivers shape the Boreotropical flora. In this research, we investigated the distribution dynamics of D. stachyanthus at the last glacial maximum (LGM), mid-Holocene (MH), current, and three periods of the future (2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) at four shared socio-economic emissions scenarios pathways. Our results indicated that the Precipitation of the Wettest Quarter (32.6%), the Precipitation of the Driest Quarter (21.2%), and the Precipitation of the Coldest Quarter (17.3%) are the key factors affecting its distribution. The current high suitable distribution areas are primarily in southern China and northern Indo-China. The enforced winter monsoon seasons in East Asia since the late Pliocene period are the key climatic drivers reducing its once widespread distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. Under future scenarios, centroid transfer analysis suggests that its distribution center will shift southwestward, but the potentially suitable habitats in the coastal regions of southern China and northern Indo-China will be lost. These coastal populations should be prioritized for ex situ conservation. Expanding the nature reserve within its long-term stable distribution range in southwest China is an effective strategy for the in situ conservation of the ancient mastixioid flora. Full article

Background: Recent research has identified alternative transcript variants of LMNA/C (LMNA, LMNC, LMNAΔ10, and LMNAΔ50) and insulin receptors (INSRs) as potential biomarkers for various types of cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the expression of LMNA/C and INSR transcript variants in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of leukemia patients to investigate their potential as diagnostic biomarkers. Methods: Quantitative TaqMan reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was utilized to quantify the mRNA levels of LMNA/C (LMNA, LMNC, LMNAΔ10, and LMNAΔ50) as well as INSR (IR-A and IR-B) variants in PBMCs obtained from healthy individuals (n = 32) and patients diagnosed with primary leukemias (acute myeloid leukemia (AML): n = 17; acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): n = 8; chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): n = 5; and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): n = 15). Results: Only LMNA and LMNC transcripts were notably present in PBMCs. Both exhibited significantly decreased expression levels in leukemia patients compared to the healthy control group. Particularly, the LMNC:LMNA ratio was notably higher in AML patients. Interestingly, IR-B expression was not detectable in any of the PBMC samples, precluding the calculation of the IR-A:IR-B ratio as a diagnostic marker. Despite reduced expression across all types of leukemia, IR-A levels remained detectable, indicating its potential involvement in disease progression. Conclusions: This study highlights the distinct expression patterns of LMNA/C and INSR transcript variants in PBMCs of leukemia patients. The LMNC:LMNA ratio shows promise as a potential diagnostic indicator for AML, while further research is necessary to understand the role of IR-A in leukemia pathogenesis and its potential as a therapeutic target. Full article

This current article was dedicated to the determination of the composition of phenolic compounds in extracts of four species of the genus Filipendula in order to establish a connection between the composition of polyphenols and biological effects. A chemical analysis revealed that the composition of the extracts studied depended both on the plant species and its part (leaf or flower) and on the extractant used. All four species of Filipendula were rich sources of phenolic compounds and contained hydrolyzable tannins, condensed tannins, phenolic acids and their derivatives, and flavonoids. The activities included data on those that are most important for creating functional foods with Filipendula plant components: the influence on blood coagulation measured by prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin time, and on the activity of the digestive enzymes (pancreatic amylase and lipase). It was established that plant species, their parts, and extraction methods contribute meaningfully to biological activity. The most prominent result is as follows: the plant organ determines the selective inhibition of either amylase or lipase; thus, the anticoagulant activities of F. camtschatica and F. stepposa hold promise for health-promoting food formulations associated with general metabolic disorders. Full article

Alternative splicing has been shown to participate in tumor progression, including hepatocellular carcinoma. The poor prognosis of patients with HCC calls for molecular classification and biomarker identification to facilitate precision medicine. We performed ssGSEA analysis to quantify the pathway activity of RNA splicing in three HCC cohorts. Kaplan–Meier and Cox methods were used for survival analysis. GO and GSEA were performed to analyze pathway enrichment. We confirmed that RNA splicing is significantly correlated with prognosis, and identified an alternative splicing-associated protein LUC7L3 as a potential HCC prognostic biomarker. Further bioinformatics analysis revealed that high LUC7L3 expression indicated a more progressive HCC subtype and worse clinical features. Cell proliferation-related pathways were enriched in HCC patients with high LUC7L3 expression. Consistently, we proved that LUC7L3 knockdown could significantly inhibit cell proliferation and suppress the activation of associated signaling pathways in vitro. In this research, the relevance between RNA splicing and HCC patient prognosis was outlined. Our newly identified biomarker LUC7L3 could provide stratification for patient survival and recurrence risk, facilitating early medical intervention before recurrence or disease progression. Full article

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a serious liver disease associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Galectin-3, an inflammatory and fibrotic molecule, has elevated circulating levels in patients with chronic liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aims to clarify whether galectin-3 can differentiate between patients with IBD, PSC, and PSC-IBD. Our study measured serum galectin-3 levels in 38 healthy controls, 55 patients with IBD, and 22 patients with PSC (11 patients had underlying IBD and 11 patients did not), alongside the urinary galectin-3 of these patients and 18 controls. Serum and urinary galectin-3 levels in IBD patients were comparable to those in controls. Among IBD patients, those with high fecal calprotectin, indicating severe disease, exhibited lower serum and elevated urinary galectin-3 levels compared to those with low calprotectin levels. Serum galectin-3 levels were inversely correlated with C-reactive protein levels. PSC patients displayed higher serum and urinary galectin-3 levels than IBD patients, with the highest serum levels observed in PSC patients with coexisting IBD. There was no correlation between serum and urinary galectin-3 levels and laboratory indicators of liver injury in both IBD and PSC patients. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that serum and urinary galectin-3 levels can distinguish IBD from PSC patients, and also reveals higher serum galectin-3 levels in PSC-IBD patients compared to those with isolated PSC. Full article

With the discovery of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), overall survival in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) now approaches that of the general population. While these TKIs have proven to be lifesaving, remaining on them lifelong creates both physical and financial burdens for patients. Recently, multiple trials have begun looking into the efficacy of trialing patients off these TKIs to see if they can sustain treatment-free remission (TFR). TFR eligibility is currently limited to a small population of patients with both robust and sustained responses to TKIs. Currently, for those who attempt a trial of TFR, the average success rates are promising, with anywhere from 38 to 54% of patients experiencing sustained TFR. For those who fail to maintain sustained TFR, safety results to date are reassuring, with almost all patients successfully responding to the re-initiation of TKIs, with death and disease progression being very rare complications. Moving forward, research is being conducted to more accurately risk stratify patients at diagnosis and pair them with optimized upfront treatment regimens aimed at increasing candidacy for the trial of TFR. Full article