Cross-species RNAi therapy via AAV delivery alleviates neuropathic pain by targeting GCH1.

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) expression is normally strictly controlled; however, its intracellular levels increase considerably following nerve damage. GTP cyclohydrolase I (GCH1) plays a crucial role in regulating BH4 concentration, with an upregulation observed in the dorsal root ganglion in cases of neuropathic pain. In this study, we aimed to develop and evaluate the clinical potential of an RNA interference-based adeno-associated virus (AAV) targeting GCH1 across various species to decrease BH4 levels and, consequently, alleviate neuropathic pain symptoms.

Altered gut microbiome in convalescent patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) alters the gut microbiome. This study aimed to assess the association between the disease severity of COVID-19 and changes in stool microbes through a seven-month follow-up of stool collection.

Methods: We conducted a multicentre, prospective longitudinal study of 58 COVID-19 patients and 116 uninfected controls.

Thermo-responsive 3D nanostructures for enhanced performance in food-poisoning bacterial analysis.

The growing risk of bacterial food poisoning due to global warming has necessitated the development of methods for accurate detection of food-poisoning bacteria. Despite extensive efforts to develop enhanced bacterial-capture methods, challenges associated with the release of the captured bacteria have limited the sensitivity of bacterial detection. In this study, thermo-responsive intelligent 3D nanostructures to improve food-poisoning bacterial analysis performance were fabricated by introducing a thermo-responsive polymer onto an urchin-like 3D nanopillar substrate (URCHANO).

Robust Anticorrosive Polymer Thin Film for Reliable Protection of Ingestible Devices.

Ingestible devices (ID) provide a safe and noninvasive method for monitoring, diagnosing, and delivering drugs to specific sites in the human body, particularly within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, the GI environment is highly acidic and humid, which can cause IDs to fail, and their corrosion in the acidic environment can cause leaching of toxic metal ions, thereby substantially limiting their long-term use. Thus, an efficient method is required to protect IDs, especially in the chemically and mechanically harsh GI environment.

Development of a novel strategy to reduce diagnostic errors in real-time polymerase chain reaction using probe-based techniques.

Real-time PCR assays are valuable tools for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases by identifying the nucleic acid sequences of pathogens. Here, we aimed to develop a recombinant plasmid-based standard for validating the sensitivity of different molecular diagnostic methods adopting the Jonstrup assay (J assay). Chimeric plasmid DNA (cpDNA) harboring various pathogen genes and the target site of the J assay was constructed.

One-shot manufacturable soft-robotic pump inspired by embryonic tubular heart.

Soft peristaltic pumps, which use soft ring actuators instead of mechanical pistons or rollers, offer advantages in transporting liquids with non-uniform solids, such as slurry, food, and sewage. Recent advances in 3D printing with flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) present the potential for single-step fabrication of these pumps, distinguished from handcrafted, multistep traditional silicone casting methods. However, because of the relatively high hardness of TPU, TPU-based soft peristaltic pumps contract insufficiently and thus cannot perform as well as silicone-based ones.

Paired transcriptional analysis of periodontitis and peri-implantitis within same host: A pilot study.

Background: Peri-implantitis, a plaque-associated pathological condition, has been on the rise with the increasing prevalence of dental implants. Despite its similarities to periodontitis, peri‑implantitis is difficult to control completely and has high relapse rates. This has sparked interest in exploring the pathogenic differences between the two conditions.

Long-Lasting, Transparent Antibacterial Shield: A Durable, Broad-Spectrum Anti-Bacterial, Non-Cytotoxic, Transparent Nanocoating for Extended Wear Contact Lenses.

The increasing incidence of serious bacterial keratitis, a sight-threatening condition often exacerbated by inadequate contact lens (CLs) care, highlights the need for innovative protective technology. This study introduces a long-lasting antibacterial, non-cytotoxic, transparent nanocoating for CLs via a solvent-free polymer deposition method, aiming to prevent bacterial keratitis. The nanocoating comprises stacked polymer films, with poly(dimethylaminomethyl styrene-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (pDE) as a biocompatible, antibacterial layer atop poly(2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane) (pV4D4) as an adhesion-promoting layer.

Treatment burden in multimorbidity: an integrative review.

Background: People living with multimorbidity experience increased treatment burden, which can result in poor health outcomes. Despite previous efforts to grasp the concept of treatment burden, the treatment burden of people living with multimorbidity has not been thoroughly explored, which may limit our understanding of treatment burden in this population. This study aimed to identify the components, contributing factors, and health outcomes of treatment burden in people with multiple diseases to develop an integrated map of treatment burden experienced by people living with multimorbidity.

Pushing the Limits of Photoconductivity via Hot Electrons in Deep Trap States in Plasmonic Architectures.

Although extensive research on the mechanisms of photoconductivity enhancement in plasmonic Schottky structures has been conducted, the photoconductive interplay between hot electrons and trapping states remains elusive. In this study, we explored the photoconductive relationship between plasmonic hot-carriers and defect sites present in plasmonic architectures consisting of N-face n-GaN and Au nanoprisms. Our experimental results clearly verified that the plasmonic hot-electrons generated by interband transitions preferentially occupied deep trap levels in n-GaN, thereby considerably enhancing the photoconductivity through the combination of photogating and photovoltaic effects.

Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhoea: A metagenomic analysis.

Background: The increasing incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD) is a serious health care problem. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of AAD, but its impact on the clinical outcomes of patients remains unclear.

Methods: Between May and October 2022, 210 patients with AAD admitted to a university hospital and 100 healthy controls were recruited.

Inhibitory Activity of on the Lipid Accumulation through Suppressing Adipogenesis and Activating Lipolysis in 3T3-L1 Cells.

(SL) has been reported to exhibit anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet animal models, yet research into its mechanisms of action remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms behind the anti-obesity activity of SL's 30% ethanol extract (SL30E) using 3T3-L1 cells in an in vitro setting. SL30E effectively mitigated the accumulation of lipid droplets and triacylglycerol.

Overcoming the age-dependent SARS-CoV-2 vaccine response through hybrid immunity: analysis of humoral and cellular immunity with mass cytometry profiling.

Background: Age-dependent immune responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations and breakthrough infections (BIs) in young and middle-aged individuals are unclear.

Methods: This nationwide multicenter prospective cohort study analyzed immune responses in participants of the ChAdOx1 (ChAd)-ChAd-mRNA vaccine group using cytometry by time-of-flight, anti-spike protein antibody (Sab) and anti-nucleocapsid antibody (Nab) titers, plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNTs), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assays at various time points.

Results: We evaluated 347 participants with an average age of 38.

Optimal timing of surgery after neoadjuvant treatment in borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) is standard for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). However, consensus is lacking on the optimal surgical timing for patients with BRPC undergoing NAT. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing NAT for BRPC and suggest optimal resection timing.

Unveiling the Culprit: IL17 Signaling in the Pancreatic Epithelium Drives Tumorigenesis.

IL17 signaling promotes pancreatic cancer development, yet the cell compartment responsible for the protumorigenic function of IL17 has not been defined. In this article, Castro-Pando and colleagues demonstrate that IL17/IL17 receptor A signaling in the pancreatic epithelium is critical for pancreatic cancer initiation and for establishing immunosuppression, whereas its signaling in the immune compartment is dispensable. This work provides an important mechanistic insight on the role of IL17 signaling and identifies a potential new immune checkpoint as a target in pancreatic cancer.

Prognostic Evaluation and Survival Prediction for Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma Following Hepatectomy.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess prognostic factors associated with combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) and to predict 5-year survival based on these factors.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent definitive hepatectomy from 2006 to 2022 at a single institution was retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria involved a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of cHCC-CCA.

Factors associated with Achilles tendon re-rupture following operative fixation.

Aims: Achilles tendon re-rupture (ATRR) poses a significant risk of postoperative complication, even after a successful initial surgical repair. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with Achilles tendon re-rupture following operative fixation.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed a total of 43,287 patients from national health claims data spanning 2008 to 2018, focusing on patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary Achilles tendon rupture.