The first reported case of candidemia caused by the novel Candida tropicalis diploid sequence type 1515.

Introduction: Since the dawn of the new millennium, Candida species have been increasingly implicated as a cause of both healthcare-associated as well as opportunistic yeast infections, due to the widespread use of indwelling medical devices, total parenteral nutrition, systemic corticosteroids, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Candida tropicalis is a pathogenic Candida species associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and drug resistance issues on a global scale.

Methodology: We report a case of a 43-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital for further management of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

GITRL enhances cytotoxicity and persistence of CAR-T cells in cancer therapy.

CAR T-cell therapy has achieved remarkable clinical success in treating hematological malignancies. However, its clinical efficacy in solid tumors is less satisfactory, partially due to poor in vivo expansion and limited persistence of CAR-T cells. Here, we demonstrated that the overexpression of glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein ligand (GITRL) enhances the anti-tumor activity of CAR-T cells.

Super-strong hydrogel reinforced by an interconnected hollow microfiber network via regulating the water-cellulose-copolymer interplay.

The discontinuous fiber reinforced hydrogels are easy to fail due to the fracture of the fiber matrix during load-bearing. Here, we propose a novel strategy based on the synergistic reinforcement of interconnected natural fiber networks at multiple scales to fabricate hydrogels with extraordinary mechanical properties. Specifically, the P(AA-AM)/Cel (P(AA-AM), poly(acrylic acid-acrylamide); Cel, cellulose) hydrogel is synthesized by copolymerizing AA and AM on a substrate of paper with an interconnected hollow cellulose microfiber network.

Microstructural white matter injury contributes to cognitive decline: Besides amyloid and tau.

Background: Cognitive decline and the progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD) are traditionally associated with amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau pathologies. This study aims to evaluate the relationships between microstructural white matter injury, cognitive decline and AD core biomarkers.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study of 566 participants using peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD) to quantify microstructural white matter injury.

Efficacy of butylphthalide in preventing cognitive decline in ischaemic stroke survivors: a 12-month prospective following-up study.

Background: Cognitive decline is a significant concern for stroke survivors, affecting their quality of life and increasing their burden on the healthcare system. DL-3-n-butylphthalide (butylphthalide) has shown efficacy in the short-term treatment of various cognitive impairments. This study evaluated the efficacy of butylphthalide in preventing cognitive decline over a 12-month period in patients with ischaemic stroke.

Structure and properties of chitosan plasticized with hydrophobic short-chain fatty acid cosolvent.

The application of chitosan in packaging has always been limited due to its brittle and hygroscopic nature. In this study, hydrophobic short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were utilized to modify chitosan to overcome this issue. For the first time, hydrophobic SCFAs, typically hexanoic acid and its homologs, were found to be able to dissolve chitosan in water as well as its hydrophilic analog.

Self-assembled aptamer nanoparticles for enhanced recognition and anticancer therapy through a lysosome-independent pathway.

Aptamers and aptamer-drug conjugates (ApDCs) have shown some success as targeted therapies in cancer theranostics. However, their stability in complex media and their capacity to evade lysosomal breakdown still need improvement. To address these challenges, we herein developed a one-step self-assembly strategy to improve the stability of aptamers or ApDCs, while simultaneously enhancing their delivery performance and therapeutic efficiency through a lysosome-independent pathway.

Association of mitochondrial DNA copy number in peripheral blood with risk and prognosis in acute aortic syndrome.

Previous studies have reported that mtDNA-CN of blood was associated with a series of aging-related diseases. However, it remains unknown whether mtDNA-CN can be a potential biomarker of acute aortic syndromes (AAS). The mtDNA-CN in blood of 190 male patients with AAS and 207 healthy controls were detected by standardized qPCR-based assay.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene) coated on vanadium oxide hydration nanobelts enhancing ammonium-ion storage for hybrid supercapacitors.

The development of electrode materials for aqueous ammonium-ion supercapacitors (NH-SCs) has garnered significant attention in recent years. Poor intrinsic conductivity, sluggish electron transfer and ion diffusion kinetics, as well as structural degradation of vanadium oxides during the electrochemical process, pose significant challenges for their efficient ammonium-ion storage. In this work, to address the above issues, the core-shell VO·nHO@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene) composite (denoted as VOH@PEDOT) is designed and prepared by a simple agitation method to boost the ammonium-ion storage of VO·nHO (VOH).

Migration of vanadium oxide nanoparticles in saturated porous media.

Vanadium oxides nanoparticles (VO-NPs) as emerging functional materials are widely applied in high-technology industries. However, their environmental behaviors remain largely known. In this study, the migration of three common VO-NPs (VO VO, and VO) in saturated porous media has been investigated.

Nontarget screen and identify sulfate and sulfonate surfactants in personal care products using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS based on fragmentation characteristics and sulfur isotopologue pattern.

Sulfate and sulfonate compounds are extensively used as anionic surfactants in personal care products (PCPs), which might pose adverse potential to human health. However, available research mostly identified certain subsets of sulfated and sulfonated surfactants based on target analysis. In this study, we developed a comprehensive nontarget strategy for identification of sulfated and sulfonated surfactants in PCPs using UHPLCHRMS supplemented by an in-lab R script based on characteristic fragment ions and sulfur isotope patterns.

Portable pH meter-based competitive immunoassay of E-selectin using urease-encapsulated metal-organic frameworks.

E-selectin (CD62E) is an adhesion molecule expressed on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) and its level increases significantly upon the stimulation of ECs by inflammatory factors. Quantitative analysis of CD62E is of great importance to early diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases and hypertension. A new method for the determination of CD62E was developed using a portable pH meter in this work.

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor PpeUNE12 regulates peach ripening by promoting polyamine catabolism and anthocyanin synthesis.

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in various plant developmental and biological processes. However, the precise mechanisms by which bHLH TFs regulate fruit ripening warrant further investigation. Polyamine oxidase (PAO) is crucial for polyamine (PA) catabolism and plays crucial roles in fruit ripening.

HemaScope: A Tool for Analyzing Single-cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Data of Hematopoietic Cells.

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) techniques hold great value in evaluating the heterogeneity and spatial characteristics of hematopoietic cells within tissues. These two techniques are highly complementary, with scRNA-seq offering single-cell resolution and ST retaining spatial information. However, there is an urgent demand for well-organized and user-friendly toolkits capable of handling single-cell and spatial information.

Optimized inner ear organoids for efficient hair cell generation and ototoxicity response modeling.

Hair cells in the mammalian cochlea are highly vulnerable to damage from drug toxicity, noise exposure, aging, and genetic mutations, with no capacity for regeneration. Progress in hair cell protection research has been limited by the scarcity of cochlear tissue and suitable in vitro models. Here, we present a novel one-step, self-organizing inner ear organoid system optimized with small molecules, which bypasses the need for multi-step expansion and forced differentiation protocols.

The role of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in astrocytes during hyperoxia-induced brain injury.

Background: Hyperoxia-induced brain injury is a severe neurological complication that is often accompanied by adverse long-term prognosis. The pathogenesis of hyperoxia-induced brain injury is highly complex, with neuroinflammation playing a crucial role. The activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which plays a pivotal role in regulating and amplifying the inflammatory response, is the pathological core of hyperoxia-induced brain injury.

Atomically Dispersed Co-P Moieties via Direct Thermal Exfoliation for Alkaline Hydrogen Electrosynthesis.

The development of highly active and stable cathodes in alkaline solutions is crucial for promoting the commercialization of anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers, yet it remains a significant challenge. Herein, we synthesized atomically dispersed CoP moieties (CoP-SSC) immobilized on ultrathin carbon nanosheets via a phosphidation exfoliation strategy at medium temperature. The thermodynamic formation process of the Co-P moieties was elucidated using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and theoretical calculations.

SUMO-Specific Peptidase 5 Promotes Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Growth through the NF-κB- Axis.

Background: This study investigates the role of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-specific peptidase 5 (SENP5), a key regulator of SUMOylation, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), a lethal disease, and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Differentially expressed genes between ESCC mouse oesophageal cancer tissues and normal tissues were analysed via RNA-seq; among them, SENP5 expression was upregulated, and this gene was selected for further analysis. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were then used to validate the increased protein level of SENP5 in both mouse and human ESCC samples.

Circulating neuropeptide Y dynamics and performance during exercise in heart failure patients with contemporary medical and device therapy.

High cardiac sympathetic drive and release of the sympathetic cotransmitter neuropeptide Y (NPY) are significant features of congestive heart failure (CHF), in which resting venous NPY levels are known to be associated with mortality. However, whether circulating NPY levels increase during exercise in CHF when they are already elevated is controversial. We sought to establish the dynamics of circulating NPY levels in CHF patients treated with contemporary medical therapy and devices in relationship to indices of performance linked to long-term prognosis.

Caution when using network partners for target identification in drug discovery.

Identifying novel, high-yield drug targets is challenging and often results in a high failure rate. However, recent data indicates that leveraging human genetic evidence to identify and validate these targets significantly increases the likelihood of success in drug development. Two recent papers from Open Targets claimed that around half of FDA-approved drugs had targets with direct human genetic evidence.

Analysis of the CHS Gene Family Reveals Its Functional Responses to Hormones, Salinity, and Drought Stress in Moso Bamboo ().

Chalcone synthase (CHS), the first key structural enzyme in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, plays a crucial role in regulating plant responses to abiotic stresses and hormone signaling. However, its molecular functions remain largely unknown in , which is one of the most economically and ecologically important bamboo species and the most widely distributed one in China. This study identified 17 genes in and classified them into seven subgroups, showing a closer evolutionary relationship to genes from rice.

Depression Recognition Using Daily Wearable-Derived Physiological Data.

The objective identification of depression using physiological data has emerged as a significant research focus within the field of psychiatry. The advancement of wearable physiological measurement devices has opened new avenues for the identification of individuals with depression in everyday-life contexts. Compared to other objective measurement methods, wearables offer the potential for continuous, unobtrusive monitoring, which can capture subtle physiological changes indicative of depressive states.

Using Inertial Measurement Units and Machine Learning to Classify Body Positions of Adults in a Hospital Bed.

In hospitals, timely interventions can prevent avoidable clinical deterioration. Early recognition of deterioration is vital to stopping further decline. Measuring the way patients position themselves in bed and change their positions may signal when further assessment is necessary.