Endothelial cell (EC)-specific CTGF/CCN2 Expression Increases EC Reprogramming and Atherosclerosis.

Arterial endothelial cells (ECs) reside in a complex biomechanical environment. ECs sense and respond to wall shear stress. Low and oscillatory wall shear stress is characteristic of disturbed flow and commonly found at arterial bifurcations and around atherosclerotic plaques.

Photothermal effect and hole transport properties of polyaniline for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting of BiVO photoanode.

As modification strategies are actively developed, the photothermal effect is expected to be a viable way to enhance the PEC water splitting performance. Herein, we demonstrate that the photothermal polyaniline (PANI) layer inserted between CoF cocatalyst and BiVO can enhance the photocurrent density of pure BiVO by 3.50 times.

Dome-Structure Array from Pre-Strained Extendable Mesh for Tactile Sensing Without Crosstalk and Lateral Strain Interference.

Flexible tactile sensors have received significant attention for use in wearable applications such as robotics, human-machine interfaces, and health monitoring. However, conventional tactile sensors face challenges in accurately measuring pressure because vertical deformation is induced by Poisson's ratio in situations where lateral strain is applied. This study shows a strain-insensitive flexible tactile sensor array without the crosstalk effect using a highly stretchable mesh.

Diagnosing Epilepsy with Normal Interictal EEG Using Dynamic Network Models.

Objective: Whereas a scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) is important for diagnosing epilepsy, a single routine EEG is limited in its diagnostic value. Only a small percentage of routine EEGs show interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and overall misdiagnosis rates of epilepsy are 20% to 30%. We aim to demonstrate how network properties in EEG recordings can be used to improve the speed and accuracy differentiating epilepsy from mimics, such as functional seizures - even in the absence of IEDs.

Unveiling urinary extracellular vesicle mRNA signature for early diagnosis and prognosis of bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) ranks as one of the most prevalent cancers. Its early diagnosis is clinically essential but remains challenging due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry abundant biological cargoes from parental cells, rendering them as promising cancer biomarkers.

An implantable system for opioid safety.

Naloxone can effectively rescue victims from opioid overdose, but less than 5% survive due to delayed or absent first responder intervention. Current overdose reversal systems face key limitations, including low user adherence, false positive detection, and slow antidote delivery. Here, we describe a subcutaneously implanted robotic first responder to overcome these challenges.

Innovative Solutions for Multidrug-Resistant Organisms' Infections in Intensive Care Unit: A Joint Efficacy Evaluation of Multidisciplinary Team and SHEL (Software, Hardware, Environment, Liveware) Model.

Background: The escalating threat of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in intensive care unit (ICU) demands innovative management strategies to curb the rising infection rates and associated clinical challenges.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of integrating the multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach with the SHEL (Software, Hardware, Environment, Liveware) model in reducing MDRO infections within ICU settings.

Methods: From January 2021 to April 2024, a prospective, randomized controlled study was conducted in the ICU of Nantong Fourth People's Hospital, enrolling 411 patients with MDRO infections.

Generation of soluble, immunoreactive recombinant JEV E protein through a simplified inclusion body extraction and refolding approach in vitro.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). There is currently no effective treatment for JE, and all approved Japanese encephalitis vaccine products originated from the JEV genotype III (GIII). In recent years, JEV genotype I (GI) has gradually replaced GIII as the dominant genotype, and a new symptom of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) caused by JEV NX1889 strain has attracted wide attention, in which JEV envelope (E) protein may be involved in early peripheral nerve injury.

Engineering the Novel Extremophile Alga for High Lipid and High Starch Production as a Path to Developing Commercially Relevant Strains.

Microalgae offer a compelling platform for the production of commodity products, due to their superior photosynthetic efficiency, adaptability to nonarable lands and nonpotable water, and their capacity to produce a versatile array of bioproducts, including biofuels and biomaterials. However, the scalability of microalgae as a bioresource has been hindered by challenges such as costly biomass production related to vulnerability to pond crashes during large-scale cultivation. This study presents a pipeline for the genetic engineering and pilot-scale production of biodiesel and thermoplastic polyurethane precursors in the extremophile species .

Prognostic nomogram for overall survival of elderly esophageal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy: a population-based analysis.

Background: As the population of elderly patients with esophageal cancer (EC) increases, it becomes more important to understand the prognostic factors. The aim of the present study is to identify prognostic factors among elderly (>60 years) patients with EC receiving neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: Patients with EC (>60 years) receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) or chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were included and divided into a training group and a validation group.

Comparison of tissue-based and plasma-based testing for EGFR mutation in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation testing is crucial for the administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat non-small cell lung cancer. In addition to traditional tissue-based tests, liquid biopsies using plasma are increasingly utilized, particularly for detecting T790M mutations. This study compared tissue- and plasma-based EGFR testing methods.

Single-cell microbiota phenotyping reveals distinct disease and therapy-associated signatures in Crohn's disease.

IgA-coated fractions of the intestinal microbiota of Crohn's disease (CD) patients have been shown to contain taxa that hallmark the compositional dysbiosis in CD microbiomes. However, the correlation between other cellular properties of intestinal bacteria and disease has not been explored further, especially for features that are not directly driven by the host immune-system, e.g.

Feasibility and safety of Taipei Veterans General Hospital Heavy Ion Therapy Center: The first carbon-ion irradiation facility in Taiwan.

Background: Unlike conventional photon radiotherapy, particle therapy has the advantage of dose distribution. Carbon-ion radiotherapy is also advantageous in terms of biological effectiveness and other radiobiological aspects. These benefits lead to a higher response probability for previously known radioresistant tumor types.

Rh-relaxin-2 attenuates oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis via ERK-nNOS-NO pathway after germinal matrix hemorrhage in rats.

Oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis could be an important factor leading to post-hemorrhagic consequences after germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH). Previously study have indicated that relaxin 2 receptor activation initiates anti-oxidative stress and anti-apoptosis in ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, whether relaxin 2 activation can attenuate oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis after GMH remains unknown.

Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy in pediatric patients after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a single-institution prospective study.

Transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is an increasingly recognized complication in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Given the rarity of prospective pediatric studies on TA-TMA, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence, survival outcomes, and risk factors for predicting early the development of TA-TMA in a pediatric population following allogeneic HCT. We conducted a prospective analysis of 173 pediatric patients to evaluate the incidence, survival outcome, and risk factors of TA-TMA.

De novo designed proteins neutralize lethal snake venom toxins.

Snakebite envenoming remains a devastating and neglected tropical disease, claiming over 100,000 lives annually and causing severe complications and long-lasting disabilities for many more. Three-finger toxins (3FTx) are highly toxic components of elapid snake venoms that can cause diverse pathologies, including severe tissue damage and inhibition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, resulting in life-threatening neurotoxicity. At present, the only available treatments for snakebites consist of polyclonal antibodies derived from the plasma of immunized animals, which have high cost and limited efficacy against 3FTxs.

Study on the effect of acid fracturing fluid on pore structure of middle to high rank coal.

Acid fracturing fluids can effectively improve the microporous structure of coal, thereby enhancing the permeability of coal seam and the efficiency of gas drainage. To explore the effects of acid fracturing fluids on the pore structure modification of coal samples from different coal ranks, hydrochloric acid-based acid fracturing fluids were prepared and used to soak four types of medium to high-rank coal in an experiment. High-pressure mercury intrusion and liquid nitrogen adsorption techniques results demonstrated that the acid fracturing fluid can effectively alter the pore structure of coal.

Adjusting TADF and Phosphorescence for Tailored Dynamic Time-Dependent Afterglow Colored Carbon Dots spanning Full Visible Region.

Time-dependent afterglow colored (TDAC) behavior differs from static afterglow by involving wavelength changes, enabling low-cost, high-level encryption and anti-counterfeiting. However, the existing carbon dot (CD)-based TDAC materials lack a clear mechanistic explanation and controllable wavelength changes, significantly hindering the progress of practical applications in this field. In this study, we synthesized CDs composites with customizable tunable TDAC wavelengths across the visible region.

Association between Mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome: analysis of NHANES 2007-2020.

Changing poor dietary habits is effective for treating metabolic syndrome (MetS). Despite the global reputation of the Mediterranean diet (MD) for health, research on its link to MetS is limited, especially in non-Mediterranean regions. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the MD and MetS.

Serum Biomarkers of Pulmonary Damage and Risk for Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: To investigate baseline and change of pulmonary damage biomarkers (serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 [KL-6], human surfactant protein D [hSP-D], and matrix metalloproteinase 7 [MMP-7]) with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) progression.

Methods: In the Korean Rheumatoid Arthritis Interstitial Lung Disease (KORAIL) cohort, a prospective cohort, we enrolled patients with RA and ILD confirmed by chest computed tomography imaging and followed annually. ILD progression was defined as worsening in physiological and radiological domains of the 2022 American Thoracic Society, European Respiratory Society, Japanese Respiratory Society, and Latin American Thoracic Society guideline for progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF).

Synergistic effects of reduced graphene oxide on the antibacterial activity of calcium hydroxide-based intracanal medicaments containing different vehicles.

Purpose: This study investigated the synergistic effects of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) on the antibacterial activity of three calcium hydroxide-based intracanal medicaments with different vehicles.

Methods: Multispecies biofilms were cultured in a bovine root canal model. Intracanal medicaments containing nonaqueous vehicles, including N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP; CleaniCal), propylene glycol (PG; UltraCal XS), and polyethylene glycol (PEG; Calcipex II), were placed in the model.

Impact of Concomitant Injuries on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Isolated versus Non-Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often occurs alongside injuries to other body regions, worsening patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of concomitant injuries on clinical outcomes in patients with isolated versus non-isolated TBI.

Method: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the Emergency Department-based Injury In-depth Surveillance System (EDIIS), encompassing 180,058 TBI patients admitted to 23 tertiary hospitals from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022.

Difference in Stiffness-Related Functional Disability Between Decompression Alone and Decompression with Short Segments Fusion (1 or 2 Levels) in the Lower Lumbar Region: A Propensity Score Matching Study.

Background Context: Stiffness-related functional disability (SRFD) is a well-known complication after long-segment fusion surgery. However, SRFD following decompression with short-segment fusion (1 or 2 levels) compared with decompression alone surgery in the lower lumbar region, which accounts for a significant portion of lumbar range of motion, is poorly documented.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare SRFD after decompression alone (D-A) surgery and decompression with short-segment fusion (D+F) surgery in the lower lumbar region.