The impact of mutations on the clinical outcome and immune response following immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. This is driven by a high case-fatality rate with most patients even with radiologically localized PDAC at diagnosis ultimately relapsing with metastatic disease. mutations present in 90% to 95% of PDAC drive these poor statistics through its role in driving cellular growth, inhibition of apoptosis, and immunosuppression.

CD137 agonism enhances anti-PD1 induced activation of expanded CD8 T cell clones in a neoadjuvant pancreatic cancer clinical trial.

Successful pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) immunotherapy requires therapeutic combinations that induce quality T cells. Tumor microenvironment (TME) analysis following therapeutic interventions can identify response mechanisms, informing design of effective combinations. We provide a reference single-cell dataset from tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TILs) from a human neoadjuvant clinical trial comparing the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-secreting allogeneic PDAC vaccine GVAX alone, in combination with anti-PD1 or with both anti-PD1 and CD137 agonist.

A phosphorylation-regulated NPF transporter determines salt tolerance by mediating chloride uptake in soybean plants.

Chloride (Cl) ions cause major damage to crops in saline soils. Understanding the key factors that influence Cl uptake and translocation will aid the breeding of more salt-tolerant crops. Here, using genome-wide association study and transcriptomic analysis, we identified a NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1 (NRT1)/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER family (NPF) protein, GmNPF7.

Evolution characteristics and causes of iodine and fluoride in groundwater of Hengshui city in North China.

Iodine and fluoride are essential trace elements for human health, with both deficiency and excess intake impacting well-being. This study investigates the groundwater funnel area in eastern Hengshui City, utilizing groundwater level and hydrochemical data from 2014 to 2022. Hydrogeochemical methods were employed to comprehensively analyze the evolution characteristics and causes of iodine and fluoride concentrations in the funnel area.

Comparison of Shared Class I HLA-bound Non-canonical Neoepitopes between Normal and Neoplastic Tissues of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Developing T cell or vaccine therapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has been challenging due to a lack of knowledge regarding immunodominant, cancer-specific antigens, as a scarcity of genomic mutation-associated neoepitopes characterizes PDAC and there are limited availability of effective approaches to discover them.

Experimental Design: We utilized an advanced mass spectrometry approach to compare the immunopeptidome of PDAC tissues and matched normal tissues from the same patients.

Results: We identified HLA class I-binding variant peptides derived from canonical proteins, which had single amino-acid substitutions not attributed to genetic mutations or RNA editing.

SEROCONVERSION CAN PRECEDE CULTURE CONFIRMED DIAGNOSIS OF INFECTION IN ASIAN ELEPHANTS () BY DECADES.

() infection was diagnosed in 16 human-managed Asian elephants () at four different US facilities. A retrospective review was performed to collate information on serological test results and describe the timelines from exposure to an elephant known to be positive for , detection of antimycobacterial antibodies in the exposed elephant, and isolation from the exposed elephant to confirm diagnosis. Seroconversion was defined by a positive test result using ElephantTB STAT-PAK, multiantigen print immunoassay, or DPP VetTB assay for elephants (Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc).

[Expression and significance of ferroptosis marker 4-HNE in model of systemic sclerosis].

Objective: To investigate the expression and physiological significance of the ferroptosis marker 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in myofibroblasts induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), providing theoretical evidence for its potential role in the diagnosis and treatment of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3t3) were cultured and divided into two groups after 12 h of starvation: the control group (cultured in 1% serum-containing medium) and the TGF-β1 group (cultured in 10 μg/L TGF-β1 with 1% serum-containing medium). Cell morphology changes in both groups were observed under a microscope.

Attention based multi-scale nested network for biomedical image segmentation.

Convolutional neural network-based methods have significantly enhanced the segmentation performance of biomedical images in recent years. Nevertheless, medical image segmentation presents a challenge marked by layout specificity, with limited variation between samples in medical datasets but significant variation within each individual sample. This aspect has been often overlooked by many models.

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Age-Based Disparities in Digital Health Technology Use: Secondary Analysis of the 2017-2022 Health Information National Trends Survey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital health technology, but it could also impact age-based disparities as existing studies have pointed out. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, whether the rapid digitalization of the health care system during the pandemic widened the age-based disparities over a long period remains unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the multifaceted landscape of digital health technology used across diverse age groups among US citizens.

Research on the timing for subsequent water flooding in Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer flooding in Daqing Oilfield based on automated machine learning.

Determining the optimal timing for subsequent water flooding in Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer (ASP) flooding is essential to maximizing both the technical and economic outcomes of oilfield blocks. This study identified eight critical parameters that influence the benefits of ASP flooding and established parameter ranges based on data from completed blocks and actual field measurements. The optimal timing for subsequent water flooding was determined by evaluating cumulative net profit variations throughout the ASP flooding lifecycle.

Ce-MOF@Au-Based Electrochemical Immunosensor for Apolipoprotein A1 Detection Using Nanobody Technology.

Apolipoprotein A1 (Apo-A1) is a well-recognized biomarker in tissues, closely associated with cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. However, existing methods for Apo-A1 determination are limited by costly equipment and intricate operational procedures. Given the distinct advantages of electrochemical immunosensors, including affordability and high sensitivity, along with the unique attributes of nanobodies (Nbs), such as enhanced specificity and better tissue permeability, we developed an electrochemical immunosensor for Apo-A1 detection utilizing Nb technology.

Integrating a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Into an Academic Hospital's Obstetric Clinic: A Pilot Study.

Black recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have low breastfeeding rates. The aim of this pilot study was to determine if prenatal education by a breastfeeding peer counselor in an academic obstetric clinic is feasible and could improve WIC-eligible participants' breastfeeding self-efficacy and in-hospital breastfeeding rates. Pregnant participants ( = 57) were randomized into either an intervention group, which spoke briefly with a breastfeeding peer counselor immediately after their clinic appointment, or a comparison group, which received usual prenatal obstetric care only.

Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of Clanis bilineata tsingtauica Mell (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae).

The soybean hawkmoth Clanis bilineata tsingtauica Mell (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae; CBT), as one of the main leaf-chewing pests of soybeans, has gained popularity as an edible insect in China recently due to its high nutritional value. However, high-quality genome of CBT remains unclear, which greatly limits further research. In the present study, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome of CBT using PacBio HiFi reads and Hi-C technologies for the first time.

Blood volume collected for cultures in infants with suspected neonatal sepsis.

Objectives: To evaluate blood culture sample volumes, identify factors linked to insufficient samples, and compare volumes among neonates treated for culture-negative-sepsis, sepsis-rule-outs, and bloodstream infections (BSI).

Methods: Observational cohort of blood cultures collected during NICU stay. Association of age, weight, gender, source, and collection time with lower-than-recommended volumes was determined by logistic regression.

GU-Net: Causal relationship-based generative medical image segmentation model.

Due to significant anatomical variations in medical images across different cases, medical image segmentation is a highly challenging task. Convolutional neural networks have shown faster and more accurate performance in medical image segmentation. However, existing networks for medical image segmentation mostly rely on independent training of the model using data samples and loss functions, lacking interactive training and feedback mechanisms.

Soybean seed pest damage detection method based on spatial frequency domain imaging combined with RL-SVM.

Soybean seeds are susceptible to damage from the Riptortus pedestris, which is a significant factor affecting the quality of soybean seeds. Currently, manual screening methods for soybean seeds are limited to visual inspection, making it difficult to identify seeds that are phenotypically defect-free but have been punctured by stink bugs on the sub-surface. To facilitate the convenient and efficient identification of healthy soybean seeds, this paper proposes a soybean seed pest detection method based on spatial frequency domain imaging combined with RL-SVM.

PKMYT1 knockdown inhibits cholesterol biosynthesis and promotes the drug sensitivity of triple-negative breast cancer cells to atorvastatin.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) as the most aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer is characterized by high cancer cell proliferation and poor patient prognosis. Abnormal lipid metabolism contributes to the malignant process of cancers. Study observed significantly enhanced cholesterol biosynthesis in TNBC.

Oxidized ATP Suppresses B Lymphocyte Activity to Attenuate Antibody-mediated Rejection of Kidney Allografts in Mice.

Background: Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a major cause of renal allograft dysfunction and loss. Targeting B cells and/or donor-specific antibody removal using plasma exchange and anti-CD20 antibodies are increasingly used in clinical practice, but the efficacy remains limited. Recent studies suggest that targeting purinergic P2X7 receptor/ATP axis can have profound immune regulatory effects in transplant models, but the mechanisms involved remain incompletely defined.

A novel inhalable nanobody targeting IL-4Rα for the treatment of asthma.

Background: Inhalable biologics represent a promising approach to improve the efficacy and safety of asthma treatment. Although several mAbs targeting IL-4 receptor α chain (IL-4Rα) have been approved or are undergoing clinical trials, the development of inhalable mAbs targeting IL-4Rα presents significant challenges.

Objective: Capitalizing on the distinctive advantages of nanobodies (Nbs) in maintaining efficacy during storage and administration, we sought to develop a novel inhalable IL-4Rα Nb for effectively treating asthma.

Synthesis of micro-crosslinked adamantane-containing matrix resins designed for deep-UV lithography resists and their application in nanoimprint lithography.

A certain type of photoresist used for deep-UV lithography (DUVL) can also be used for other types of photolithography. Thus, to meet the requirements of two or more lithography technologies simultaneously, it is necessary to design a variety of corresponding functional groups in the molecules of materials and obtain the required properties. Herein, we designed four matrix resins based on acrylate for DUVL, employing alkyl sulfide, adamantane, methyladamantane, and hydroxyl as dangling groups and a microcrosslinking network by adding a small amount of crosslinker.