How does gut microbiota affect the vaginitis axis? The mediating role of plasma metabolites.

Vaginitis is the most common problem afflicting women of childbearing age. However, the underlying etiological factors remain poorly understood, leading to recurrent vaginitis and constraining clinical management. Here, we explored whether the gut microbiota influences the risk of vaginitis by performing a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using the largest genome-wide association studies to date.

Effects of brown seaweed oligosaccharides on obesity and constipation managements.

Brown seaweed oligosaccharides (BSO) have demonstrated potential as nutraceuticals with cholesterol-lowering, anti-obesity, and anti-constipation properties. In this study, we initially examined how BSO impact body weight, blood lipid levels, and adipose tissue in a rat model of obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Our findings revealed that BSO administration significantly attenuated body weight gain, ameliorated dyslipidemia, and reduced visceral adiposity.

X-ray irradiation reduces ATP-dependent activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by inhibiting TWIK2 activity in macrophages.

Background: The spleen, as the body's largest peripheral immune organ and a crucial source of circulating monocytes, plays a significant role in the acute inflammatory response of spleen-derived macrophages to diseases. Therefore, studying the impact and mechanism of X-ray irradiation on spleen-derived macrophages' inflammatory responses is of great importance.

Method: Extracted and identified mice splenic macrophages were divided into four groups: control group, LPS and ATP co-stimulated non-irradiated group, LPS and ATP co-stimulated group irradiated after 6h, and LPS and ATP co-stimulated group irradiated after 12h.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Protects Acute Lung Injury Secondary to Venom Poisoning by Regulating Th17/Treg Balance.

Background: To explore the mechanism of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) intervention on acute lung injury secondary to snake venom poisoning and provide more toxicological and clinical evidence for venom poisoning.

Methods: Male Kunming mice (n = 96) were randomly divided into four groups: the control group which was not given any interventional treatments, venom group in which each mouse was injected with venom (1 mg/kg) through the tail vein, antivenom group in which each mouse was injected with anti- venom immediately after the model was successfully established, and HBO+antivenom group in which each mouse was given HBO treatment at 1 h, 5 h, 11 h and 23 h following the injection of antivenom. Lung tissues of mice were obtained and processed for the detection of the lung coefficient, the levels of inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and IL-17, and the protein expression of retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-related orphan receptor gamma (RORγt) and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3).

Circular-Gate Nanoscale Air Channel Transistors: Achieving ultralow Subthreshold Swing and Working Voltage.

As electronics advance toward higher performance and adaptability in extreme environments, traditional metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) face challenges due to physical constraints such as Boltzmann's law and short-channel effects. Nanoscale air channel transistors (NACTs) present a promising alternative, leveraging their vacuum-like channel and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling characteristics. In this study, a novel circular gate NACT (CG-NACT) is purposed, fabricated on a 4-inch silicon-based wafer using a CMOS-compatible process.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for human diseases.

Stem cell therapy is a novel approach for treating various severe and intractable diseases, including autoimmune disorders, organ transplants, tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases. Nevertheless, the extensive utilization of stem cells is constrained by potential tumorigenicity, challenges in precise differentiation, rejection concerns, and ethical considerations. Extracellular vesicles possess the ability to carry diverse bioactive factors from stem cells and deliver them to specific target cells or tissues.

Liraglutide improves cognition function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by downregulating β-secretase and γ-secretase and alleviating oxidative stress in HT-22 cells.

Diabetes has been regarded as an independent risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Liraglutide could improve cognition in AD mouse models, but its precise mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we used STZ-induced diabetic rats and HT-22 cells to investigate the effects of liraglutide.

The Analysis of Plasma Proteomics for Luminal A Breast Cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is the prevailing malignancy among women, exhibiting a discernible escalation in incidence within our nation; hormone receptor-positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer is the most common subtype. In this study, we aimed to search for a non-invasive, specific, blood-based biomarker for the early detection of luminal A breast cancer through proteomic studies.

Methods: To explore new potential plasma biomarkers, we applied data-independent acquisition (DIA), a technique combining liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry, to quantify breast cancer-associated plasma protein abundance from a small number of plasma samples in 10 patients with luminal A breast cancer, 10 patients with benign breast tumors, and 10 healthy controls.

Circulating Interleukin-6 Mediates PM-Induced Ovarian Injury by Suppressing the PPARγ Pathway.

Exposure to airborne fine particulate matter (PM) is strongly associated with poor fertility and ovarian damage. However, the mechanism underlying this remains largely unclear. Here, we found that PM markedly impaired murine ovarian reserve, decreased hormone levels, and aggravated ovarian inflammation.

Transplantation of human neural stem cells repairs neural circuits and restores neurological function in the stroke-injured brain.

Exogenous neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has become one of the most promising treatment methods for chronic stroke. Recent studies have shown that most ischemia-reperfusion model rats recover spontaneously after injury, which limits the ability to observe long-term behavioral recovery. Here, we used a severe stroke rat model with 150 minutes of ischemia, which produced severe behavioral deficiencies that persisted at 12 weeks, to study the therapeutic effect of neural stem cells on neural restoration in chronic stroke.

CircRSU1 contributes to the development of osteoarthritis via the miR-345-3p/TRAF6 signaling.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common type of prevalent joint diseases in the elderly. At present, circular RNAs receive more attention due to their roles during the progression of OA. In this paper, the expression profiles of circRSU1 and relevant molecules in OA patients and cell models were evaluated, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms of circRSU1-modulated OA development were also explored.

Photo-controlled multifunctional hydrogel for photothermal sterilization and microenvironment amelioration of infected diabetic wounds.

Diabetic foot ulcers are linked to a high disability rate, with no effective treatment currently available. Addressing infection, reducing oxidative stress, and safely managing chronic inflammation remain major challenges. In this study, a composite hydrogel dressing was developed using natural substances or clinically approved components (dopamine, D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate, and rhein).

Refining antipsychotic treatment strategies in schizophrenia: discovery of genetic biomarkers for enhanced drug response prediction.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental disorder affecting around 1% of individuals worldwide. The variability in response to antipsychotic drugs (APDs) among SCZ patients presents a significant challenge for clinicians in determining the most effective medication. In this study, we investigated the biological markers and established a predictive model for APD response based on a large-scale genome-wide association study using 3269 Chinese schizophrenia patients.

Critical role of soil-applied molybdenum dioxide composite biochar material in enhancing Cr(VI) remediation process: The driver of Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle.

Heavy metal contamination of agricultural land due to sewage irrigation, over-application of fertilizers and pesticides, and industrial activities. Biochar, due to its rich functional groups and excellent electrochemical performance, is used for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated farmland. However, the remediation mechanism remains uncertain due to the influence of minerals and multi-element composite pollution on soil.

A comparative analysis of blastoid models through single-cell transcriptomics.

Pluripotent-stem-cell-derived blastocyst-like structures (blastoids) offer insights into early human embryogenesis (5-10 days post-fertilization). The similarity between blastoids and human blastocysts remains uncertain. To investigate, we evaluated single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data from seven blastoid models, comparing them to peri-implantation blastocysts.

calculations of second-, third-, and fourth-order partial and inner elastic constants of diamond.

By means ofcalculations, a unified framework is presented to investigate the effect of internal displacement on the linear and nonlinear elasticity of single diamond crystals. The calculated linear and nonlinear elastic constants, internal strain tensor and internal displacement in single diamond crystals are compatible with the available experimental data and other theoretical calculations. The complete set of second-, third- and fourth-order elastic constants and internal strain tensor not only offer a better insight into the nonlinear and anisotropic elasticity behaviors, but also shows us the basic internal mechanical response of diamond.

Taxonomic Diversity, Predicted Metabolic Pathway, and Interaction Pattern of Bacterial Community in Sea Urchin .

Bacterial assemblages associated with sea urchin are critical to their physiology and ecology within marine ecosystems. In this study, we characterized the bacterial communities in wild sea urchin captured in Daya Bay, South China Sea. A total of 363 amplicon sequence variants belonging to nine phyla and 141 genera were classified from intestine, body surface, and surrounding seawater samples.

PRC2-EZH1 contributes to circadian gene expression by orchestrating chromatin states and RNA polymerase II complex stability.

Circadian rhythmicity of gene expression is a conserved feature of cell physiology. This involves fine-tuning between transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms and strongly depends on the metabolic state of the cell. Together these processes guarantee an adaptive plasticity of tissue-specific genetic programs.

Association between smoking status and the prognosis of brain metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between smoking status and the interval to brain metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its impact on survival time after brain metastasis.

Methods: Data were collected from patients with NSCLC with brain metastases who were treated at our centre between January 2005 and December 2017. Clinical indices such as clinicopathological features and smoking status were recorded, and patients were followed up until 1 September 2022.