BioMed Research International最新文献

Introduction: The temporalis muscle is a key masticatory muscle involved in jaw movement, specifically in the elevation and retraction of the mandible. This muscle has a complex anatomical structure, which includes both superficial and deep layers that are vital for its function. Variability in the muscle's morphology can influence its efficiency in chewing and may play a role in several clinical conditions, such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) and bruxism. Understanding the anatomical variations in the temporalis muscle is essential for improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment approaches.

Material and methods: This study included 34 female participants (age: median 48.5 [36-64] years) and 24 male participants (age: median 47.5 [37-68] years). MRI scans were used to assess the anatomy of the temporalis muscle, focusing on the presence of both superficial and deep muscle layers. The presence of a longitudinal muscle core was also examined to identify anatomical variations. Cases were classified based on the presence of both layers and the extent of hypoplasia in the posterior portion of the superficial layer. Descriptive statistics are reported as median and the first and third quartiles (Q1-Q3), and group differences were assessed with nonparametric tests.

Results: The study revealed that the temporalis muscle exhibited significant anatomical variability across participants. In six cases, only the deep layer was present, with symmetry in one female and one male. In 26 cases, the posterior portion of the superficial layer was hypoplastic, appearing as a thin muscular layer. Hypoplasia was significantly more common in males (p = 0.02168). Based on these observations, the muscle was classified into three groups: (1) muscles with both layers intact (72.4%), (2) muscles with both layers but with a hypoplastic posterior portion of the superficial layer (22.4%), and (3) muscles with only the deep layer (5.2%).

Conclusion: This study provides new insights into the anatomical variability of the temporalis muscle, highlighting differences in the superficial and deep layers and the prevalence of hypoplasia in the posterior portion of the superficial layer. These findings have important clinical implications, as they can improve radiological diagnostics and aid in the accurate identification of muscle variations. Understanding these variations enhances the ability to diagnose and treat temporomandibular disorders and related conditions more effectively, offering more personalized care for patients.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have garnered significant interest in regenerative medicine (RM) due to their abundant availability, ease of isolation, and ability to differentiate into various cell types. The growth of ADSCs is crucial for their therapeutic effectiveness, as it directly influences their ability to repair damaged tissues. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as powerful regulators of gene expression and cellular functions, including proliferation, and are believed to play a role in modulating the proliferative potential (PP) of ADSCs. This review is aimed at exploring existing research on how miRNAs influence the PP of ADSCs, focusing on aspects such as the cell cycle, ADSC factors, and various signaling pathways, including STAT3, PI3K-AKT, Hippo, Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, and MAPK pathways that affect ADSC proliferation. We also examined the impact of miRNAs on the migration of ADSCs. Through a review of relevant studies, we identified several miRNAs that influence the PP of ADSCs through various mechanisms. These miRNAs interact with key signaling pathways, cell cycle regulators, and other elements related to cell proliferation, leading to both positive and negative effects on ADSC growth. Additionally, numerous studies have suggested that modifying miRNA expression levels could enhance the PP of ADSCs for therapeutic applications. This review provides valuable insights into the intricate regulatory networks involving miRNAs that govern the PP of ADSCs. A deeper understanding of the roles of miRNAs in ADSC proliferation holds promise for improving the efficacy of ADSC therapies and advancing the field of RM. Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific mechanisms by which miRNAs regulate ADSC proliferation and to identify new therapeutic targets for enhancing the regenerative potential of ADSCs. Exploring new miRNA targets, developing miRNA-based therapies, and creating advanced delivery systems are promising avenues for future research. The role of miRNAs in regulating the PP of ADSCs presents exciting opportunities for the advancement of RM and tissue engineering.

Glaucoma is a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the visual system, and treatment is targeted toward lowering intraocular pressure. However, some patients fail to respond to treatment and their intraocular pressure levels remain high, risking continuous vision loss. Explainable machine learning provides a mechanism for both individual prognostication and the identification of factors associated with treatment outcome. Here, we used explainable machine learning to predict intraocular pressure for glaucoma patients receiving medication treatment. We accessed the UK Biobank to obtain information on 290 eyes from 161 participants who reported a diagnosis of glaucoma and were receiving treatment. Features were divided into three distinct datasets containing demographic data only, physiometabolic parameters and medication prescription data, and all data combined. We evaluated five machine learning techniques for each feature set in terms of their ability to predict intraocular pressure at a follow-up visit in a classification task. We then calculated SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) values for the best performing model to determine feature importance, stability, and interactions. We found that eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) outperformed all other models when trained and tested on the combined feature set with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.708. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and lymphocyte count ranked as the three most important features for this model. LDL and IGF-1 exhibited a low degree of global variability in contribution to the model output across all cross-validation repeats. SHAP values demonstrated the strongest interactions being between LDL and IGF-1. In summary, our studies indicated the importance of blood LDL and IGF-1 in contributing to the outcomes of intraocular pressure lowering treatment and demonstrated the ability of XGBoost to predict these outcomes.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR A. baumannii) and biofilm-producing ability have become a worldwide serious concern. This study is aimed at investigating the clonal relationships, coexistence of carbapenemase-resistant and biofilm-related genes, and biofilm biomass capacity in 57 A. baumannii isolates obtained from patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Antibiotic resistance patterns to 11 antibiotics were determined using the disc diffusion test. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of imipenem and colistin were evaluated by the microdilution method. All isolates were subjected to PCR for the detection of carbapenemase- and biofilm-related genes and examined for the biofilm-forming ability using crystal violet staining methods. The clonality relationship was identified by rep-PCR. Overall, 49 (86%) isolates were characterized as extensively drug-resistant (XDR) with a high MIC for imipenem. Eight isolates were resistant to colistin (MIC>64 μg/mL). Additionally, 86.21% of isolates were strong biofilm formers, which correlated with the PDR phenotype. All isolates carried at least three genes related to biofilm formation. Genotypically, 100% of isolates had bla _OXA-51-like, bla _OXA-24-like, and bla _TEM genes, followed by bla _VIM (61.4%), bla _OXA-23-like (24.6%), bla _SHV (1.8%), and bla _KPC (1.8%), whereas bla _CTX-M and bla _OXA-58-like genes were not found in the isolates. The rep-PCR analysis identified 10 distinct genotypes, among which GTG Type 3 showed a significant correlation with strong biofilm formation. Moreover, the greatest number of colistin-resistant isolates (MIC>64 μg/mL) were located in this cluster. This study highlights the emergence of PDR A. baumannii strains carrying a variety of β-lactamase and biofilm-related genes in ICUs, underscoring the urgent need for improved infection control measures and antimicrobial stewardship programs to address the spread of these formidable pathogens.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that significantly increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women. While insulin resistance and dyslipidemia are established contributors, growing evidence highlights mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic low-grade inflammation as central drivers of cardiovascular pathology in PCOS.

Objective: This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on how mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation interact to promote cardiovascular complications in women with PCOS while identifying potential therapeutic targets and areas requiring further investigation.

Methods: A comprehensive review of clinical and experimental studies was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Relevant literature exploring mitochondrial alterations, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and endothelial function in PCOS, with emphasis on cardiovascular outcomes, was critically evaluated and summarized.

Results: Women with PCOS exhibit altered mitochondrial dynamics, reduced ATP production, and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), which collectively impair vascular function. These mitochondrial abnormalities compromise oocyte quality and endometrial receptivity and activate proinflammatory signaling pathways, including the NLRP3 inflammasome, contributing to endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis, and increased long-term cardiovascular risk, particularly in women with prior pregnancy complications. Elevated levels of cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP further exacerbate cardiovascular risk. This bidirectional relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation establishes a vicious cycle underlying cardiovascular deterioration in PCOS.

Conclusion: Mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation are interdependent mechanisms that contribute substantially to cardiovascular risk in women with PCOS. Targeting mitochondrial dysfunction and systemic inflammation presents a promising therapeutic strategy for reducing cardiovascular morbidity in PCOS. Future research should emphasize phenotype-specific interventions, biomarker discovery, and translational trials to improve long-term reproductive and cardiovascular outcomes.

The continued reemergence of Ebola virus epidemics remains a global health concern, largely due to limited therapeutic interventions. This study is aimed at identifying and characterizing antiviral peptides as potential lead candidates against the Sudan Ebola virus. We retrieved antiviral peptides from the AVPdb and designed novel peptides from them using support vector machine, RF, and discriminant analysis algorithms. The toxicity and allergenicity predictions were performed using ToxinPred, ADMETLab 3.0, Allertop, and AllergenFP web servers, respectively. The 3D structures of selected peptides were modeled using PEP-FOLD and I-TASSER and validated using ProSA and PROCHECK web servers. The best peptide models were docked against the Sudan Ebola virus VP-40 protein using HDOCK and ClusPro. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were then carried out in GROMACS 2024.2. Out of 170 designed motifs, 30 exhibited antiviral potential with antiviral scores ranging from 0.506 to 1.000. Among the predicted antiviral peptides, five demonstrated favorable stability, nontoxicity, and nonallergenic properties. PEP-FOLD produced more stable peptide structures than I-TASSER, with over 84.6% of their amino acids in the most favorable region. Binding energies ranged from -252.39 to -145.83 kcal/mol (HDOCK) and from -887.7 to -538.7 units (ClusPro). The MD simulations confirmed high stability, with motif A10_M showing the strongest binding and structural compactness. Five peptides show strong potential as therapeutic leads against Sudan Ebola virus; however, further experimental validation is recommended.

Background: Yemen ranks 120th in diabetes-related mortality in 2020, with a mortality rate of 15.42 per 100,000 people. Awareness and early detection of diabetic complications are vital.

Objective: This study is aimed at assessing the awareness of diabetes complications, specifically retinopathy, nephropathy, and hypoglycemia symptoms and associated factors, among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Al-Hudaydah, Yemen, in order to reduce diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2022; 900 randomly selected participants were involved. A prevalidated questionnaire was utilized to assess awareness of diabetic complications. Statistical analyses were performed to identify correlations between demographic factors and awareness levels.

Results: Of 900 patients (mean age 47.6, mostly male), 60.8% understood common health issues and the need for annual care (p < 0.001). However, significant awareness gaps were identified: 34.0% were unaware of hypoglycemia symptoms, 40.3% did not recognize the importance of renal testing, and 40.2% lacked awareness of eye examinations. Longer disease duration (> 6 years) was associated with lower awareness of hypoglycemia symptoms (OR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.98, p = 0.025). Females had lower awareness of renal testing (OR = 0.675, 95% CI 0.56-0.82, p < 0.01). Higher education doubled awareness (OR = 2.03-2.13, 95% CI 1.50-2.50, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: The study highlights significant gaps in awareness of diabetic complications, particularly hypoglycemia symptoms, renal testing importance, and eye examinations. Younger age and higher education levels were positively associated with awareness, while longer disease duration and female gender were negatively correlated. Targeted educational interventions are essential, especially for older populations and those with lower educational attainment, to enhance diabetes self-care and improve health outcomes.

Objective: To compare the surgical feasibility and safety of three approaches (anterior, transgluteal, posterior) for constructing a porcine model of irreparable acetabular labral tear.

Methods: After a cadaveric anatomical exploration in two pigs to define feasible corridors, 36 male Chinese miniature pigs were randomized (1:1:1) to anterior, transgluteal, or posterior approaches for model construction and labral reconstruction. Primary intraoperative outcomes were blood loss, operative time, and a 0-10 surgical exposure score; postoperative complications and survival were assessed over 3 months.

Results: The anterior approach showed greater blood loss and longer operative time than posterior and transgluteal (both p < 0.001), while exposure was worst with anterior (p < 0.001) and only trended better with transgluteal versus posterior (p = 0.056). Postoperative events included sciatic nerve-related claudication (4/12 posterior), acetabular chondral lesions (3/12 anterior), and poor wound healing (4/12 anterior; 2/12 posterior). One-month survival was lower in anterior versus transgluteal (p = 0.025), with most deaths within 2 weeks; 2- and 3-month survival were also lower for anterior versus transgluteal (p = 0.026; p = 0.011). At 2 months, survival was lower in anterior versus posterior (p = 0.011).

Conclusion: The transgluteal approach appears to be a relatively safe and effective option for constructing porcine hip models; nevertheless, conclusions should be interpreted with caution given the undetermined mortality etiology in the anterior group.

This study examined the influence of cultural, religious, and gender-related factors on modern contraceptive use among married women in Garbatula sub-county, Isiolo County, Kenya. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 300 married women aged 15-49 years through multistage random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Findings showed that reduced religious influence (AOR = 13.918; 95%CI : 2.54-76.30), male involvement in reproductive decision-making (AOR = 7.765; 95%CI : 2.30-26.23), and higher women's empowerment (AOR = 4.322) were strong positive predictors of modern contraceptive use, whereas rigid cultural norms and patriarchal attitudes were significant barriers. The study concludes that contraceptive behavior in pastoralist settings is shaped by religious and gender norms rather than access alone. It recommends engaging religious leaders, strengthening male-centered family planning education, and integrating gender-sensitive strategies within the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) to enhance uptake.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2020/3098327.].