HIFU-CCL19/21 Axis Enhances Dendritic Cell Vaccine Efficacy in the Tumor Microenvironment.

Background/objectives: Effectively targeting treatment-resistant tumor cells, particularly cancer stem cells (CSCs) involved in tumor recurrence, remains a major challenge in immunotherapy. This study examines the potential of combining mechanical high-intensity focused ultrasound (M-HIFU) with dendritic cell (DC) vaccines to enhance immune responses against OLFM4-expressing tumors, a CSC marker linked to immune evasion and tumor growth.

Methods: M-HIFU was applied to induce immunogenic cell death by mechanically disrupting tumor cells, releasing tumor-associated antigens and creating an immunostimulatory environment.

Evaluation of Bayesian Maximum Entropy Data Fusion Approaches to Estimate Styrene, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes and to Inform Epidemiological Analyses in the US Gulf States.

The Gulf States are home to industries emitting styrene, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (SBTEX). Presently, adverse health effects of ambient SBTEX exposure in highly polluted regions, such as the Gulf States, must be evaluated. Epidemiologists, however, are limited by inadequate estimates of ambient SBTEX.

A Physically Constrained Deep-Learning Fusion Method for Estimating Surface NO Concentration from Satellite and Ground Monitors.

Accurate estimation of atmospheric chemical concentrations from multiple observations is crucial for assessing the health effects of air pollution. However, existing methods are limited by imbalanced samples from observations. Here, we introduce a novel deep-learning model-measurement fusion method (DeepMMF) constrained by physical laws inferred from a chemical transport model (CTM) to estimate NO concentrations over the Continental United States (CONUS).

Futile recanalization after endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke with large ischemic core.

Background: Endovascular therapy (EVT) is the treatment of choice for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with large vessel occlusion. However, in many patients, successful EVT recanalization does not correspond to a clinical improvement, called futile recanalization (FR). We aimed to identify stroke risk factors and patient characteristics associated with FR in AIS with large core infarct (LCI).

Differentiating between Lymphoma and Metastasis Presenting as Solid Cerebellar Mass Lacking Necrosis.

This study aimed to identify radiologic features that differentiate lymphoma from metastasis manifesting as a solid enhancing mass lacking necrosis in the cerebellum. Pathologically confirmed 24 primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and 32 metastasis patients with solid enhancing cerebellar masses without necrotic or hemorrhagic components were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated the imaging characteristics using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Relationship between chronic rhinosinusitis and risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the connection between OSA risk and CRS by investigating associations between the STOP-Bang questionnaire and presence of CRS in a nationwide, population-based study. This is a cross-sectional study based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Dendritic cells pulsed with penetratin-OLFM4 inhibit the growth and metastasis of melanoma in mice.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) can self-renew and differentiate, contributing to tumor heterogeneity, metastasis, and recurrence. Their resistance to therapies, including immunotherapy, underscores the importance of targeting them for complete remission and relapse prevention. Olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4), a marker associated with various cancers such as colorectal cancer, is expressed on CSCs promoting immune evasion and tumorigenesis.

Perfluorooctanoic acid inhibits cell proliferation through mitochondrial damage.

Grown evidence has shown that the liver and reproductive organs were the main target organs of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Herein, we studied a toxic mechanism of PFOA using HeLa Chang liver epithelial cells. When incubated with PFOA for 24 h or 48 h, cell proliferation was inhibited in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion, but interestingly, the feature of dead cells was not notable.

Accurate prediction of pure uric acid urinary stones in clinical context via a combination of radiomics and machine learning.

Purpose: Oral chemolysis is an effective and non-invasive treatment for uric acid urinary stones. This study aimed to classify urinary stones into either pure uric acid (pUA) or other composition (Others) using non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans (NCCTs).

Methods: Instances managed at our institution from 2019 to 2021 were screened.

Integrated drug response prediction models pinpoint repurposed drugs with effectiveness against rhabdomyosarcoma.

Targeted therapies for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells or inducing apoptosis are urgently needed for effective rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) treatment. However, identifying cancer-targeting compounds with few side effects, among the many potential compounds, is expensive and time-consuming. A computational approach to reduce the number of potential candidate drugs can facilitate the discovery of attractive lead compounds.

Altered Sexual Response-Related Functional Connectivity and Morphometric Changes Influenced by Sex Hormones across Menopausal Status.

Our study retrospectively investigated differential patterns of the functional connectivity (FC) of core brain regions synchronous with morphometric changes associated with sexual dysfunction in menopausal women, and their correlations with sexual hormones. Twenty-three premenopausal women (mean age: 41.52 ± 7.

Predicting Histologic Grade of Meningiomas Using a Combined Model of Radiomic and Clinical Imaging Features from Preoperative MRI.

Meningiomas are common primary brain tumors, and their accurate preoperative grading is crucial for treatment planning. This study aimed to evaluate the value of radiomics and clinical imaging features in predicting the histologic grade of meningiomas from preoperative MRI. We retrospectively reviewed patients with intracranial meningiomas from two hospitals.

Comparative Analysis of Humoral Immune Response and Cognate Antigen Detection in Experimentally Infected Sprague Dawley Rats with Biotype 1.

This study investigated the IgG-specific humoral immune responses against specific antigen-like whole-cell antigen (WCA), outer membrane protein (OMP), periplasmic protein (PP), and cytoplasmic protein (CP) during the acute and subacute stages of biotype 1 infection in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The intraperitoneal method was used to experimentally infect forty-four 6- to 8-week-old SD rats with 1 × 10 colony-forming units (CFUs) of biotype 1. Following inoculation, the rat was serially sampled for serum at 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 60, 90, and 120 days.

Preoperative prediction of Ki-67 and p53 status in meningioma using a multiparametric MRI-based clinical-radiomic model.

Purpose: To investigate the utility of preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)-based clinical-radiomic analysis combined with machine learning (ML) algorithms in predicting the expression of the Ki-67 proliferative index and p53 tumor suppressor protein in patients with meningioma.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 483 and 93 patients from two centers. The Ki-67 index was classified into high (Ki-67≥5%) and low (Ki-67<5%)-expressed groups, and the p53 index was classified into positive (p53≥5%) and negative (p53<5%)-expressed groups.

Comparison of toxicity and cellular responses following pulmonary exposure to different types of nanofibers.

Pulmonary effects of inhaled microfibers are an emerging public health concern. In this study, we investigated toxicity following pulmonary exposure to synthetic polyethylene oxide fibroin (PEONF) and silk fibroin (SFNF) nanofibers and the cellular responses. When instilled intratracheally weekly for four weeks, body weight gain was significantly reduced in female mice exposed to the higher dose of SFNF when compared with the control group.

Uptake and toxicity of cerium dioxide nanoparticles with different aspect ratio.

Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) have been extensively applied in research for future energy development due to two common oxidation states on their surface. Considering that shape (aspect ratio) is a key determinant of NPs-induced toxicity, we compared the toxicity of hexagonal (H)- and rod-shaped (R)-CeONPs in mice. At 24 h after pharyngeal aspiration, both types of CeONPs recruited surrounding immune cells (monocytes and neutrophils) into the lung, and R-CeONPs induced a more severe pulmonary inflammatory response compared with H-CeONPs.

Machine learning with in silico analysis markedly improves survival prediction modeling in colon cancer patients.

Background: Predicting the survival of cancer patients provides prognostic information and therapeutic guidance. However, improved prediction models are needed for use in diagnosis and treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to identify genomic prognostic biomarkers related to colon cancer (CC) based on computational data and to develop survival prediction models.