Advances in applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for respiratory diseases.

Genetic and environmental factors can have an impact on lung and respiratory disorders which are associated with severe symptoms and have high mortality rates. Many respiratory diseases are significantly influenced by genetic or epigenetic factors. Gene therapy offers a powerful approach providing therapeutic treatment for lung diseases.

Dispersion behavior of Fukushima-derived Cs over the North Pacific with emphasis on its sensitivity to vertical velocity and diffusion.

This study simulated the dispersion of Cs in the North Pacific using a Lagrangian particle model, incorporating basin-wide atmospheric deposition and direct release from the Fukushima accident. Three experiments examined the impact of vertical diffusion and velocity on dispersion behavior. EXP01 and EXP02 assumed zero vertical velocity with different vertical diffusion coefficients (1 × 10 and 2 × 10 m/s, respectively), while EXP03 used a 3-day average vertical velocity and the same diffusion coefficient as EXP01.

An evolutionarily conserved cation channel tunes the sensitivity of gustatory neurons to ephaptic inhibition in .

In ephaptic coupling, physically adjacent neurons influence one another's activity via the electric fields they generate. To date, the molecular mechanisms that mediate and modulate ephaptic coupling's effects remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel lateralizes the potentially mutual ephaptic inhibition between gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs).

Left Main Coronary Artery Ostial Stenosis Caused by Syphilitic Aortitis Presenting With Syncope.

A 51-year-old man with a history of antibiotic therapy for syphilis 1 month ago presented with syncope. Computed tomography revealed circumferential aortic wall thickening complicating severe stenosis of left main coronary ostium. Abnormalities in serologic and cerebrospinal fluid tests led to the diagnosis of syphilitic aortitis and neurosyphilis.

PD-L1 as a Biomarker in Gastric Cancer Immunotherapy.

Combining chemotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that target the programmed death-1 (PD-1) protein has been shown to be a clinically effective first-line treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative and -positive advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC). Currently, PD-1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy are the standard treatment for patients with HER2-negative/positive locally advanced or metastatic GC. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, as assessed using immunohistochemistry (IHC), is a crucial biomarker for predicting response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 agents in various solid tumors, including GC.