In Situ Proefferocytosis Microspheres as Macrophage Polarity Converters Accelerate Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Efferocytosis in macrophages typically engages an anti-inflammatory positive feedback regulatory mechanism. In osteoarthritis (OA), characterized by imbalanced inflammatory homeostasis, the proinflammatory state of macrophages in the immune microenvironment can be reversed through enhanced efferocytosis. This study develops an in situ proefferocytosis hydrogel microsphere (macrophage polarity converter, H-C@IL) for OA treatment.

Toward expert-level medical question answering with large language models.

Large language models (LLMs) have shown promise in medical question answering, with Med-PaLM being the first to exceed a 'passing' score in United States Medical Licensing Examination style questions. However, challenges remain in long-form medical question answering and handling real-world workflows. Here, we present Med-PaLM 2, which bridges these gaps with a combination of base LLM improvements, medical domain fine-tuning and new strategies for improving reasoning and grounding through ensemble refinement and chain of retrieval.

Switchable Solvent for Separation and Extraction of Lignin from Lignocellulose Biomass: An Investigation of Chemical Structure and Molecular Weight.

Lignin, the most abundant natural aromatic polymer, holds considerable promise for applications in various industries. The primary obstacle to the valorization of lignin into useful materials is its low molecular weight and diminished chemical reactivity, attributable to its intricate structure. This study aimed to treat lignocellulosic biomass using a switchable solvent (DBU-HexOH/HO) derived from the non-nucleophilic superbase 1,8-diazabicyclo [5.

Trends in Obesity Prevalence Among Adults With Hypertension in the United States, 2001 to 2023.

Background: Obesity is a factor contributing to the occurrence of hypertension and a risk factor for adverse outcomes in populations with hypertension. The changes in the prevalence of obesity in populations with hypertension remain unclear. Investigating the changes in the prevalence of obesity in populations with hypertension can provide information for the treatment and management of hypertension.

Exploring the Fluorination and Hydroxylation of Pore-Space-Partitioned Metal-Organic Frameworks for CH/CH Separation.

We report three novel pore-space-partitioned metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) functionalized with fluorine and hydroxyl groups using 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (F-BDC) and a new ligand 3,6-difluoro-2,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (F(OH)-BDC) as organic building blocks, with 1,3,5-tris(4-pyridyl)-2,4,6-triazine (TPT) as pore partition agent. With the polar fluorine and hydroxyl groups and the open metal sites being blocked by TPT, moderate molecule-framework interactions can be engineered. These three isoreticular microporous frameworks Mn-TPT-BDC-F (NCKU-21), Mn-TPT-BDC-F(OH) (NCKU-22), and Mg-TPT-BDC-F(OH) (NCKU-23) (NCKU=National Cheng Kung University) exhibit distinct single-component gas adsorption behaviors.

Assessment of the safety and gut microbiota modulation ability of an infant formula containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis CP-9 or Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32 and the effects of the formula on infant growth outcomes: insights from a four-month clinical study in infants under two months old.

Background: Breast milk is a natural treasure for infants, and its microbiota contains a rich array of bacterial species. When breastfeeding is not possible, infant formula with probiotics can be used as a sole source or as a breast milk supplement. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the growth outcomes and tolerance of infants consuming an infant formula containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp.

Radiomics of Periprostatic Fat and Tumor Lesion Based on MRI Predicts the Pathological Upgrading of Prostate Cancer from Biopsy to Radical Prostatectomy.

Rationale And Objectives: To assess the predictive value of MRI-based radiomics of periprostatic fat (PPF) and tumor lesions for predicting Gleason score (GS) upgrading from biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: A total of 314 patients with pathologically confirmed prostate cancer (PCa) after radical prostatectomy (RP) were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to the training cohort (n = 157) and the validating cohort (n = 157) in a 1:1 ratio.

Identification of plasma protein biomarkers for endometriosis and the development of statistical models for disease diagnosis.

Study Question: Can a panel of plasma protein biomarkers be identified to accurately and specifically diagnose endometriosis?

Summary Answer: A novel panel of 10 plasma protein biomarkers was identified and validated, demonstrating strong predictive accuracy for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

What Is Known Already: Endometriosis poses intricate medical challenges for affected individuals and their physicians, yet diagnosis currently takes an average of 7 years and normally requires invasive laparoscopy. Consequently, the need for a simple, accurate non-invasive diagnostic tool is paramount.

Titrating chimeric antigen receptors on CAR T cells enabled by a microfluidic-based dosage-controlled intracellular mRNA delivery platform.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy shows unprecedented efficacy for cancer treatment, particularly in treating patients with various blood cancers, most notably B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In recent years, CAR T-cell therapies have been investigated for treating other hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Despite the remarkable success of CAR T-cell therapy, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is an unexpected side effect that is potentially life-threatening.

Hydroxyl groups introducing NMR strategy for structural elucidation of a heptasaccharide isolated from Trillium tschonoskii.

A heptasaccharide was isolated from an active fraction of Trillium tschonoskii using HILIC and high-temperature PGC chromatography methods. UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS analysis gave this oligosaccharide a degree of polymerization (DP) of 7 and MS/MS showed that it has a six-carbon aldehyde glucan structure with the possible chain 1 → 4 connected. The structure was determined by series 1D and 2D NMR in two solvents DO and DMSO‑d.

Intrinsic structure-function connections of carbon-encapsulated nanoscale zero-valent-iron using various pyrolysis atmospheres.

Carbon-encapsulated nanoscale zero-valent-iron (C@Fe) derived from plant-based extracts has been the subject of growing interest due to its environmental friendliness. However, the effects of various pyrolysis atmospheres on the structure-function connections of C@Fe are still unclear. In this study, three pyrolytic atmospheres, namely Air, N, and 5% H/Ar were selected to fabricate X-C@Fe (X represented as A, N, H) for removing 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (TCP), and the relationships between their structures and functions were demonstrated.

The LILRB family in hematologic malignancies: prognostic associations, mechanistic considerations, and therapeutic implications.

The leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B (LILRB) proteins, characterized by their transmembrane nature and canonical immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIM) signaling, play a pivotal role in maintaining immune homeostasis and are implicated in the pathogenesis of various disease states. This comprehensive review will focus on the intricate involvement of the LILRB family in hematologic malignancies. These receptors have emerged as valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

Comparative Efficacy of Non-contrast vs. Contrast-enhanced CT Radiomics in Predicting Coronary Artery Plaques Among Patients with Low Agatston Scores.

Rationale And Objectives: Patients with a low Agatston score often present with clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease, despite having minimal calcium deposits. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of low-dose non-contrast cardiac CT with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) radiomics for predicting coronary artery plaques, using CCTA as the reference standard.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 459 patients with suspected coronary artery disease and a coronary artery calcium score < 100 Agatston units, who were treated between June 2021 and December 2023 at a tertiary hospital.

METTL4-Mediated Mitochondrial DNA N6-Methyldeoxyadenosine Promoting Macrophage Inflammation and Atherosclerosis.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key factor in the development of atherogenesis. METTL4 (methyltransferase-like protein 4) mediates N6- methyldeoxyadenosine (6mA) of mammalian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). However, the role of METTL4-mediated mitoepigenetic regulation in atherosclerosis is still unknown.

Characterization and Safety Evaluation of Autoclaved Gut Commensal RV-01.

Gut commensals play important roles in maintaining the homeostasis of human health. Previous studies indicated that the abundance of in animal hosts was increased by the administration of prebiotics such as polysaccharides purified from iconic oriental medicinal fungi. Subsequently, was found to exert beneficial effects on the amelioration of multiple chronic inflammation-associated diseases.

Rh(II)-Catalyzed Selective C(sp)-H/C(sp)-H Bonds Cascade Insertion to Construct [6-8-6] Benzo-Fused Scaffold.

The fused eight-membered carbocycles (EMCs) play vital roles in the medicinal and biological investigations of many natural products and marketed drugs. The traditional synthesis of [6-8-6] benzo-fused derivatives involves multistep reactions and low yields, making the development of a one-step synthesis method a more challenging work. Here, we present a novel strategy for one-step construction of [6-8-6] benzo-fused scaffold from propargyl diazoacetates substituted with benzyl-nitrogen heterocyclic ring via Rh(ll)-catalyzed carbene/alkyne metathesis (CAM) and selective C-H bond insertion.

Serum GFAP and UCH-L1 Levels for the Assessment of the Absence of Hemorrhagic Transformation: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Currently, validated biomarkers for assessing hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) are lacking. We aimed to validate a test combining GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) and UCH-L1 (ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1) to indicate the absence of HT after IVT.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with stroke treated with IVT from 16 hospitals.

Clinical Classification and Management Outcomes of Anterior Segment-Dominated Persistent Fetal Vasculature: The CCPMOH Report.

Purpose: To describe clinical features, management, and outcomes of anterior segment-dominated persistent fetal vasculature (aPFV).

Design: A secondary analysis of aPFV data from a longitudinal cohort study.

Methods: The age and gender of each participant upon initial presentation, along with biological parameters, best-corrected visual acuity, and biomicroscopic assessments were collected.