Blockade of the vaspin-AP-1 axis inhibits arthritis development.

The trapping of pathogenic ligands can potentially be used to prevent signal transduction mediated by catabolic factor expression in osteoarthritis (OA). Although vaspin is known to function as a pathogenic ligand and represents a novel adipokine, little is known about its function and the impact of its nebulization-based administration in OA. Here we provide a report on the function of vaspin in articular chondrocytes and OA model mice.

Application of Membrane Capacitive Deionization as Pretreatment Strategy for Enhancing Salinity Gradient Power Generation.

Salinity gradient power (SGP) technologies, including pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) and reverse electrodialysis (RED), have the potential to be utilized for the purpose of harvesting energy from the difference in salinity between two water streams. One challenge associated with SGP is a reduction in power density due to membrane fouling when impaired water is utilized as a low-salinity water stream. Accordingly, this study sought to explore the feasibility of membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI), a low-energy water treatment technique, as a novel pretreatment method for SGP.

Berberine Enhances Neuroregeneration in a Rat Model of Peroneal Nerve Transection Injury: An Animal Study.

Background: Berberine has therapeutic potential in central nervous system disorders, however, few studies have investigated the effect of berberine on axonal regeneration in PNS injury models. Thus, this study aims to assess the effects of berberine on axonal regeneration in a peroneal nerve transection rat model.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: group B, berberine (20 mg/kg) intraperitoneal injection after peroneal nerve transection; and group C, normal saline injection as a control.

Structural basis for malate-driven, pore lipid-regulated activation of the Arabidopsis vacuolar anion channel ALMT9.

In plant cells, ALMTs are key plasma and vacuolar membrane-localized anion channels regulating plant responses to the environment. Vacuolar ALMTs control anion accumulation in plant cells and, in guard cells, they regulate stomata aperture. The activation of vacuolar ALMTs depends on voltage and cytosolic malate, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive.

Novel Directly Reprogrammed Smooth Muscle Cells Promote Vascular Regeneration as Microvascular Mural Cells.

Background: Although cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach to promote neovascularization, its effects are mostly limited to capillaries. To generate larger or stable vessels, layering of mural cells such as smooth muscle cells (SMCs) or pericytes is required. Recently, direct reprogramming approaches have been developed for generating SMCs.

Tuning MXene Pathways via Silver Nanoparticle Size Variations for Anode-Free Battery Applications.

MXenes, a class of two-dimensional titanium carbide materials, have emerged as promising materials for film-based applications due to their exceptional properties. However, their densely layered structures hinder ion diffusion, metal-ion mobility, and nanoscale particle transfer, limiting their potential in energy-related applications. Expanding and controlling interlayer spacing is essential for overcoming these limitations and optimizing MXene performance.

Glycoengineered stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for targeted therapy of acute kidney injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, primarily due to the lack of effective therapeutic options for kidney repair. To restore the biological function of injured kidney, there is a need to protect renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) and regulate M1 macrophages, responsible for progress of AKI. Herein, based on metabolic glycoengineering-mediated click chemistry, we prepare the engineered extracellular vesicles (pSEVs), derived from PEGylated hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified mesenchymal stem cells.

Radical Mastectomy Efficiently Improves Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Dogs with Malignant Mammary Tumors.

The incidence of mammary gland tumors in dogs is a significant issue, characterized by notable rates of malignancy, recurrence, and disease burden. However, the lack of comprehensive information and correlated studies has presented challenges in establishing an effective surgical treatment strategy. In this study, a cohort of 95 dogs diagnosed with mammary tumors underwent evaluation using various surgical methods, medications, ovariohysterectomy, and assessments of margin completeness to analyze clinical outcomes.

Case Report: Gutter endoleak embolization in a patient with bilateral common iliac artery aneurysms treated with sandwich parallel grafts.

Background: Current guidelines recommend preserving at least one of the bilateral pelvic flows in patients with aortoiliac aneurysms. The sandwich parallel graft, using commercially available devices, provides a viable option for patients who fall outside the instructions for use of iliac branch devices. However, gutter endoleak remains a significant challenge.

System Dynamics Modeling of Scale Formation in Membrane Distillation Systems for Seawater and RO Brine Treatment.

To overcome the limitations of traditional Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination, Membrane Distillation (MD) has gained attention as an effective solution for improving the treatment of seawater and RO brine. Despite its potential, the formation of inorganic scales, particularly calcium sulfate (CaSO), continues to pose a major challenge. This research aims to explore the scaling mechanisms in MD systems through a combination of experimental analysis and dynamic modeling.

Growth-based monolithic 3D integration of single-crystal 2D semiconductors.

The demand for the three-dimensional (3D) integration of electronic components is steadily increasing. Despite substantial processing challenges, the through-silicon-via (TSV) technique emerges as the only viable method for integrating single-crystalline device components in a 3D format. Although monolithic 3D (M3D) integration schemes show promise, the seamless connection of single-crystalline semiconductors without intervening wafers has yet to be demonstrated.

Dopamine-conjugated extracellular vesicles induce autophagy in Parkinson's disease.

The application of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as vehicles for anti-Parkinson's agents represents a significant advance, yet their clinical translation is hampered by challenges in efficient brain delivery and complex blood-brain barrier (BBB) targeting strategies. In this study, we engineered dopamine onto the surface of adipose-derived stem cell EVs (Dopa-EVs) utilizing a facile, two-step cross-linking approach. This engineering enhanced neuronal uptake of the EVs in primary neurons and neuroblastoma cells, a process shown to be competitively inhibited by dopamine pretreatment and dopamine receptor antibodies.

A systematic review of the efficacy of TYK2 inhibitors in patients with dermatological disease.

This study systematically reviews existing data on the efficacy of Tyrosine Kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitors in comparison to placebo or standard treatments for therapeutic benefit and improving quality of life in dermatological diseases. Seventeen records representing 13 clinical trials, one matching-adjusted indirect comparison, and one case study were included. Results indicate that Deucravacitinib is superior to placebo, Apremilast and Adalimumab in treating adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and superior to placebo in the treatment of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Characteristics of glomerulonephritis with dominant C1q precipitation compared to corresponding glomerulonephritis without C1q staining on immunofluorescent examination.

Background: The clinical significance and renal outcomes of C1q nephropathy (C1qN) are unclear; therefore, the implications of C1qN as a new pathological entity are uncertain. We compared the clinical characteristics of glomerulonephritis reclassified into cases that meet the definition of C1qN and glomerulonephritis not included in the definition of C1qN.

Methods: In total, 21,697 patients who underwent native kidney biopsy at 18 hospitals throughout Korea between 1979 and 2018 were retrospectively enrolled.

Astrocytic inhibition of lateral septal neurons promotes diverse stress responses.

Inhibitory neuronal circuits within the lateral septum (LS) play a key role in regulating mood and stress responses. Even though glial cells can modulate these circuits, the impact of astrocytes on LS neural circuits and their functional interactions remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that astrocytes exhibit increased intracellular Ca²⁺ levels in response to aversive sensory and social stimuli in both male and female mice.

The Impact of Odor Category Similarity on Multimedia Experience.

Although we have multiple senses, multimedia mainly targets vision and olfaction. To expand the senses impacted by multimedia, olfactory stimulation has been used to enhance the sense of reality. Odors are primarily matched with objects in scenes.

Route to Enhancing Remote Epitaxy of Perovskite Complex Oxide Thin Films.

Remote epitaxy is taking center stage in creating freestanding complex oxide thin films with high crystallinity that could serve as an ideal building block for stacking artificial heterostructures with distinctive functionalities. However, there exist technical challenges, particularly in the remote epitaxy of perovskite oxides associated with their harsh growth environments, making the graphene interlayer difficult to survive. Transferred graphene, typically used for creating a remote epitaxy template, poses limitations in ensuring the yield of perovskite films, especially when pulsed laser deposition (PLD) growth is carried out, since graphene degradation can be easily observed.

Framingham risk score is a useful indicator of posttransplant cardiovascular events and survival among Korean kidney transplant recipients: a nationwide, prospective cohort study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is an important risk factor for mortality among kidney transplant recipients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between cardiovascular risk score at kidney transplantation and long-term outcomes of patients.

Methods: In this prospective, observational cohort study, we enrolled kidney transplant recipients who participated in the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry and underwent transplantation between April 2014 and December 2019.

Is Close Supervision by a Senior Surgeon Necessary During the Initial Days of Performing Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy? A Retrospective Comparative Study between Two Fellowship Trained Surgeons to Assess the Learning Curve.

Objectives: Endoscopic lumbar discectomy is a minimally invasive technique with a steep learning curve. The studies in the literature base the learning curve on the operative duration. We conducted this study to determine the learning curve based on the presence or absence of supervision by an experienced surgeon.