TFEB-inducing drug(s) can control CS-induced TFEB/autophagy-impairment and COPD-emphysema pathogenesis. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 150-167.

Wnt signaling regulates many important processes during metazoan development. It has been shown that Wnt ligands represent an ancient and diverse family of proteins that likely function in complex signaling landscapes to induce target cells via receptors including those of the Frizzled (Fz) family. The four subfamilies of Fz receptors also evolved early in metazoan evolution. To date, Fz receptors have been characterized mainly in mammals, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and insects such as Drosophila melanogaster. To compare these findings with other metazoans, we explored the repertoire of fz genes in three panarthropod species: Parasteatoda tepidariorum, Glomeris marginata, and Euperipatoides kanangrensis, representing the Chelicerata, Myriapoda, and Onychophora, respectively. We found that these three diverse panarthropods each have four fz genes, with representatives of all four metazoan fz subfamilies found in Glomeris and Euperipatoides, while Parasteatoda does not have a fz3 gene, but has two fz4 paralogs. Furthermore, we characterize the expression patterns of all the fz genes among these animals. Our results exemplify the evolutionary diversity of Fz receptors and reveals conserved and divergent aspects of their protein sequences and expression patterns among panarthropods, thus providing new insights into the evolution of Wnt signaling more generally.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess conventional two-dimensional (2D)

Traditional understanding of smoking as a renal cell carcinoma risk factor applies to clear cell and papillary renal cell carcinoma but not the chromophobe subtype. These findings underscore distinct carcinogenic mechanisms underlying the various renal cell carcinoma subtypes.

Correction of orbito-frontal defects involves a multitude of surgical challenges, and requires careful and detailed planning. In the trauma setting, one must be prepared to deal with injuries to adjacent structures and be able to incorporate their repair into the surgical plan to maximize the functional and esthetic reconstruction for the benefit of the patient. Victims who have sustained trauma of the cranial complex in combination with mid-facial trauma, particularly involving the orbit, present a difficult scenario, especially when future ocular prosthetic rehabilitation is a concern. The authors present a patient of virtual surgical planning-guided planning of mid-facial osteotomies and custom implant creation for the secondary reconstruction of a patient who sustained extensive orbito-frontal trauma, requiring not only cranial vault recontouring, but also reconstruction of the mid-facial and orbital complex to accommodate an ocular prosthesis that would demonstrate proper anatomical relationships to maximize esthetics and function.

Although the Champy technique and reconstruction plates were associated with better postoperative outcomes, such as patient comfort and fracture healing, these should not be used interchangeably. IMF and extraction versus retention of teeth in the line of fracture did not influence any of the outcomes.

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Background The immunomodulating role of vitamin D might play a role in COVID-19 disease. Objective To study the association between vitamin D and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Methods Retrospective cohort study on COVID-19 patients with documented vitamin D levels within the last year. Vitamin D levels were grouped as ≥ 20 ng/mL or <20 ng/mL. Main outcomes were mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, new DVT or pulmonary embolism, and ICU admission. Results A total of 270 patients (mean (SD) age, 63.81 (14.69) years); 117 (43.3%) males; 216 (80%) African Americans; 139 (51.5%) in 65 and older age group were included. Vitamin D levels were less than 20 ng/ml in 95 (35.2%) patients. During admission, 72 patients (26.7%) died, 59 (21.9%) needed mechanical ventilation, and 87 (32.2%) required ICU. Vitamin D levels showed no significant association with mortality (OR=0.69; 95% CI, 0.39 - 1.24; p=0.21), need for mechanical ventilation (OR=1.23; 95% CI, 0.68 - 2.24; p=0.49), new DVT or PE(OR= 0.92; 95% CI, 0.16- 5.11; p=1.00) or ICU admission (OR=1.38; 95% CI, 0.81 - 2.34; p=0.23). Conclusion We did not find any significant association of vitamin D levels with mortality, the need for mechanical ventilation, ICU admission and the development of thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients.