Bmc Med
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown cause. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common mRNA modification and participates in various immune processes such as interferon production and immune cell regulation. However, the role of m6A in dysregulated immune response of SLE remains unknown. ⋯ Our study confirmed that upregulated METTL3 promoting IRF4 expression in an m6A-dependent manner, thus causing plasma cell infiltration-mediated kidney damage of SLE. This provides new evidence for the role of m6A in SLE kidney injury.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
General health and social outcomes 50 years after exposure to antenatal betamethasone: follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.
Antenatal corticosteroids are recommended for women at risk of preterm birth from 24 to 34 weeks' gestation as they reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality, but evidence regarding their long-term effects on offspring is limited. This study assessed general health and social outcomes 50 years after antenatal exposure to corticosteroids. ⋯ There is no evidence that antenatal corticosteroids have clinically important effects on general health and social outcomes up to 50 years of age.
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External causes of death, such as accidents, substance use, and suicide, contribute substantially to mortality during adolescence and early adulthood and show marked sex differences. Individuals born preterm are at increased risk of mental disorders, and impaired cognitive and executive functions, potentially increasing their vulnerability to death from external causes. We investigated sex-specific associations between gestational age at birth and mortality from external causes during late adolescence and early adulthood. ⋯ Mortality from external causes overall was higher in preterm than full term born among both males and females. A clear sex difference was seen for suicide, where preterm birth was a risk factor in females, but not in males.
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Abnormal sensory perception, particularly pain insensitivity (PAI), is a typical symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite the role of myelin metabolism in the regulation of pain perception, the mechanisms underlying ASD-related PAI remain unclear. ⋯ S1PR1 may contribute to PAI in the PNS in ASD. The mechanism involves KCNQ/M channels and the MAPK and cAMP/PKA signaling pathways. Targeting S1PR1 in the PNS could offer novel therapeutic strategies for the intervention of pain dysesthesias in individuals with ASD.
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This study aimed to characterise patterns of tobacco smoking and vaping among older adults (≥ 65 years) in England, to explore harm perceptions of e-cigarettes among those who smoke, and to estimate the real-world effectiveness of e-cigarettes for helping older adults to stop smoking. ⋯ Over the past decade, smoking prevalence has remained stable among older adults while decreasing among the rest of the adult population in England. Older adults are more unsure about the relative harms of e-cigarettes and less likely to use them to support attempts to quit smoking, despite evidence that they are effective for smoking cessation in this population.