Calcium channel-coupled transcription factors facilitate direct nuclear signaling.

VGCCs play crucial roles within the CNS, in maintaining cell excitability, enabling activity- dependent neuronal development, and forming long-term memory by regulating Ca influx. The intracellular carboxyl-terminal domains of VGCC α1 subunits help regulate VGCC function. Emerging evidence suggests that some VGCC C-termini have functions independent of channel gating and exist as stable proteins.

MicroRNA-34a suppresses KLF2 to promote pathological angiogenesis through the CXCR4/CXCL12 pathway in age-related macular degeneration.

Unlabelled: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), characterized by pathologic choroidal neovascularization (CNV), is a leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFa) antagonists can prevent acute vision loss, but high treatment burden and loss of efficacy with chronic therapy highlight the need to explore alternative mechanisms. Recently, microRNA-34a (miR-34a) has emerged as a key regulator in aging and age-related diseases, but its role in neovascular AMD is unclear.

Neural dynamics of proactive and reactive cognitive control in medial and lateral prefrontal cortex.

Gol-directed behavior requires adjusting cognitive control to both react to and prepare for conflict. Previous work indicates theta oscillations and population activity in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) are critical for reactive control. However, the neural mechanisms supporting proactive control are less clear.

Application Value of Novel Inflammatory Indicators in Response to Ursodeoxycholic Acid Therapy in Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Objective: To analyze the application value of novel inflammation indicators such as the lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) undergoing ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment. We plan to further seek simple and convenient methods to assess the response of patients to UDCA treatment.

Methods: We recorded routine blood tests, liver function, and vitamin D (VD) levels of PBC patients and healthy controls visiting the hospital between October 2022 and October 2023.

Synthetic Nanopillars for Stimulating Osteoblast Activity and Osteointegration in Bone-Related Disorders.

Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and fractures are bone-related disorders that have a huge impact on the quality of life and healthcare systems worldwide. Traditional treatments, including bone grafts, have their limitations, with bone grafts often being rejected by the immune system and infected, making new treatments necessary. Nanopillars based on synthetic polymers have been demonstrated to be promising tools for bone regeneration and repair, showing to emulate the extracellular matrix composition, stimulate osteoblast activity and induce osteointegration.

Adaptation of Natural Killer Cells to Hypoxia: A Review of the Transcriptional, Translational, and Metabolic Processes.

As important innate immune cells, natural killer (NK) cells play an essential role in resisting pathogen invasion and eliminating transformed cells. However, the hypoxic microenvironment caused by disease conditions is an important physicochemical factor that impairs NK cell function. With the increasing prominence of NK cells in immunotherapy, there has been a surge of interest in developing biological means through which NK cells may overcome the inhibition caused by hypoxia in disease conditions.

Impact of Cation Distribution on Photoluminescence of Ag-In-Se/ZnSe Core/Shell Nanocrystals.

Ag-In-Se/ZnSe core/shell nanocrystals exhibit good photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), yet intriguingly, the maximum PLQY is first reached after several days of storage. We hypothesize that this may be due to cationic rearrangement in the nanocrystal post-synthesis. To test this hypothesis, we computationally generated ternary Ag-In-Se and quaternary Ag-In-Zn-Se nanocrystals with varying degrees of cationic disorder, as quantified by the distribution of the metal cation valence electrons in the tetrahedra around Se anions.

Effect of etomidate added to propofol target-controlled infusion in bidirectional endoscopy: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Propofol has been widely used in bidirectional gastrointestinal endoscopy sedation; however, it frequently leads to cardiovascular adverse events and respiratory depression. Propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) can provide safe sedation but may require higher dosages of propofol. On the contrary, etomidate offers hemodynamic stability.

 (Primulaceae), a new species in  sect.  from Sichuan, China.

T.Shuai, Lei Cai & Z.K.

Exonuclease-III Assisted Signal Cycle Integrating with Self-Priming Mediated Chain Extension for Sensitive and Reliable MicroRNA Detection.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is pivotal in regulating pathological progression and may serve as a significant biomarker for early diagnosis, treatment, and management strategies for atherosclerosis. This study produced a self-priming amplification-accelerated CRISPR/Cas system-based method for the sensitive and selective detection of miRNA by merging Exo-III-assisted target recycling, self-priming-mediated chain extension, and the CRISPR/Cas12a system. The sensor comprises three stages: (i) the creation of a substrate template via Exo-III mediated target recycling and DNA ligase assisted ligation; (ii) the exponential isothermal reaction facilitated by DNA polymerase for signal amplification; (iii) the -cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a after recognizing the amplification product generates signals.

Synergistic Combination of Polydopamine and Polypyrrole in Natural Pectin/PVA-Based Freestanding Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

In this study, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/pectin/polypyrrole (PPy) and PVA/pectin/polydopamine (PDA)/PPy hydrogel films were prepared for use as supercapacitor electrodes. The synergistic effect of PDA and PPy on the electrochemical performance of the PVA/pectin/PDA/PPy hydrogel electrode was studied. PVA/pectin composite films (VE10, VE91, VE73, and VE55) with varying pectin proportions were prepared by cross-linking PVA with glutaraldehyde to serve as flexible and stretchable gel substrates for supercapacitor electrodes.

Physicochemical Characteristics and Their Variation of Coal Dust Originating from Underground Mining Sites.

The physicochemical properties of coal dust significantly affect its toxicity and dust suppression efficiency. Currently, lab-crushed coal dust is commonly used for characterization instead of the original coal dust (OCD) sampled from underground mining sites. This practice leads to an inaccurate understanding of the underground coal dust properties.

Automatic Segmentation of the Cisternal Segment of Trigeminal Nerve on MRI Using Deep Learning.

Accurate segmentation of the cisternal segment of the trigeminal nerve plays a critical role in identifying and treating different trigeminal nerve-related disorders, including trigeminal neuralgia (TN). However, the current manual segmentation process is prone to interobserver variability and consumes a significant amount of time. To overcome this challenge, we propose a deep learning-based approach, U-Net, that automatically segments the cisternal segment of the trigeminal nerve.

Prevalence of Japanese encephalitis in pigs in Mainland China during 2000-2024: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an acute viral disease transmitted mainly by mosquitoes, primarily affecting Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific. This study aimed to analyze the factors contributing to JE occurrence in pigs across China.

Methods: A systematic search was done using six databases for the published epidemiological studies on porcine JE, including the Chinese Web of Knowledge (CNKI), Wan Fang Database, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, VIP Chinese Journal Database, and PubMed.

Progression of Otologic and Nasal Symptoms in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Throughout Childhood.

Objective: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is characterized by upper and lower airway disease. Multiple studies have demonstrated the progression of pulmonary disease; however, longitudinal changes in the otologic and nasal symptoms have not been well described in patients. This study defines age-related prevalence, age of onset, and age-related trends in self-reported otologic and sinonasal comorbidities in individuals with PCD.

Examination of the causal role of immune cells in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a globally widespread disease. Recent investigations have highlighted a close association between immunity and NAFLD, but the causality between them has not been thoroughly examined.

Methods: A total of 731 immunological traits and NAFLD cohorts were derived from genome-wide association study summary data, and single nucleotide polymorphisms significantly associated with immune traits were identified as instrumental variables.

Recognizing familial Huntington's disease in an Asian cohort: Insights from the Philippines.

Huntington's Disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant, neurodegenerative condition characterized by extrapyramidal, psychiatric, and cognitive disturbances. In the Philippines, only one genetically confirmed sporadic case had been previously reported. This study aims to present ten additional cases of genetically proven familial HD.

Virologic effects of broadly neutralizing antibodies VRC01LS and VRC07-523LS on chronic HIV-1 infection.

BACKGROUNDHIV-1-specific broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bNAbs) have emerged as promising interventions with the potential to effectively treat and prevent HIV-1 infections. We conducted a phase I clinical trial evaluating the potent CD4-binding site-specific (CD4bs-specific) bNAbs VRC01LS and VRC07-523LS in people with HIV-1 (PWH) not receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).METHODSParticipants received a single intravenous 40 mg/kg dose of either VRC01LS (n = 7) or VRC07-523LS (n = 9) and did not initiate ART for a minimum of 14 days.

C-terminal FGF-23 production coupling with aldosterone via FAM20C and predicting cardiovascular events in primary aldosteronism.

This study examined the involvement of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in primary aldosteronism (PA), a condition characterized by elevated aldosterone levels and hypertension. We recruited patients with unilateral PA (uPA) and observed increased levels of C-terminal FGF-23 (cFGF-23) and C-terminal to intact FGF-23 (iFGF-23) in patients with uPA compared with essential hypertension control participants. Elevated preoperative cFGF-23 levels were associated with adverse outcomes, including mortality and cardiovascular or kidney events.

Acid-Responsive Biocompatible Hydrogel Modulating Tumor DNA Self-Repair Collaborated with Chemotherapy for Boosting STING Pathway-Associated Immunotherapy.

In this study, an acid-responsive hydrogel (ODCM@AZD) encapsulating doxorubicin (DOX), Mn, and AZD2281 is rationally engineered for synergistic chemo-immunotherapy. Notably, ODCM@AZD can be specifically degraded within the tumor microenvironment to release the loaded therapeutic agents. Specifically, the released DOX kills tumor cells to produce abundant cytoplasmic DNA, while the freed AZD2281 inhibits the DNA repair pathway of tumor cells to enhance the chemotherapeutic effect and promote the accumulation of damaged DNA, which is further aggravated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from the Mn-mediated Fenton-like reaction.

Immunoassay Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Using Monoclonal Antibody Binding to Viral Nucleocapsid Protein.

Immunoassays represent sensitive, easy-to-use, and cost-effective tests useful for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this manuscript, we report on the binding specificity of a pair of novel monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) generated against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NP) and their development into sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (sELISA) and a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). Binding of these MAbs to hCoVs is limited to variants of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV NP.

Left Ventricular Entry to Reduce Brain Lesions During Catheter Ablation: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias, one of the most rapidly growing procedures in cardiac electrophysiology, is associated with magnetic resonance imaging-detected brain lesions in more than half of cases. Although a retrograde aortic approach is conventional, modern tools enable entry through a transseptal approach that may avoid embolization of debris from the arterial system. We sought to test the hypothesis that a transseptal puncture would mitigate brain injury compared with a retrograde aortic approach.

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of flavonoids from leaves and its chemical composition, antioxidant and UVB-protective properties.

This study explored the protective effects of leaves (FCLs) against UVB radiation. Using response surface methodology (RSM), optimal extraction conditions for flavonoids were established, yielding 35.28 mg/g.

Associations and Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound Features in Knee Osteoarthritis: Cross-sectional Results from a Large Community-based Cohort.

Objectives: To determine 1) associations among ultrasound (US) features of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), radiographic KOA (rKOA), and patient-reported symptoms, and 2) diagnostic accuracy of US definitions for rKOA, in a community-based cohort.

Methods: Participants enrolled in the Johnston County Health Study (JoCoHS, 2019-24, n=902) provided demographics, comorbidities, clinical features and symptoms, along with imaging with standardized acquisition and scoring protocols. Logistic regression models provided odds ratios adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), education level, comorbidities, and knee injury for associations among US features and KOA outcomes.