Association between quantitative CT body composition analysis and prognosis in cetuximab-based first-line treatment for advanced colorectal cancer patients.

Background: The objective of this study is to investigate the potential association between change in body composition before and after cetuximab-based therapy and the prognostic outcomes among individuals diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken on a cohort of 81 patients diagnosed with RAS wild-type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who were treated with cetuximab-based first-line therapy. To assess relevant body composition parameters, quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans were conducted both before and after cetuximab treatment.

Precision autofocus in optical microscopy with liquid lenses controlled by deep reinforcement learning.

Microscopic imaging is a critical tool in scientific research, biomedical studies, and engineering applications, with an urgent need for system miniaturization and rapid, precision autofocus techniques. However, traditional microscopes and autofocus methods face hardware limitations and slow software speeds in achieving this goal. In response, this paper proposes the implementation of an adaptive Liquid Lens Microscope System utilizing Deep Reinforcement Learning-based Autofocus (DRLAF).

Triptolide exposure triggers ovarian inflammation by activating cGAS-STING pathway and decrease oocyte quality in mouse.

Triptolide (TPL), a prominent bioactive constituent derived from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii, exhibits diverse pharmacological effects such as anti-tumor and anti-immune properties. Despite its extensive clinical application for the treatment of arthritis and immune disorders, TPL has been associated with multiorgan toxicity, including adverse effects on the female reproductive system. However, the precise mechanisms underlying TPL-induced ovarian damage remain poorly understood.

Imaging-guided bioresorbable acoustic hydrogel microrobots.

Micro- and nanorobots excel in navigating the intricate and often inaccessible areas of the human body, offering immense potential for applications such as disease diagnosis, precision drug delivery, detoxification, and minimally invasive surgery. Despite their promise, practical deployment faces hurdles, including achieving stable propulsion in complex in vivo biological environments, real-time imaging and localization through deep tissue, and precise remote control for targeted therapy and ensuring high therapeutic efficacy. To overcome these obstacles, we introduce a hydrogel-based, imaging-guided, bioresorbable acoustic microrobot (BAM) designed to navigate the human body with high stability.

Source and mask optimization for stability of reticle and wafer stages.

The relative motion of the reticle stage and wafer stage caused by vibration during the scanning exposure process of the lithography machine is an important factor that affects the imaging quality under limited lithography ability. In this paper, the influence of the vibration of the lithography stage system on the lithography imaging quality is studied. The lithography model including the vibration error of the stage is taken into account in the framework of source and mask optimization (SMO).

The application of QCT in the prognostic assessment of mCRC undergoing first-line treatment based on bevacizumab.

Background: Bevacizumab induces muscle atrophy by changing the gene expression level of muscle tissue. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) enables precise measurement of various body compositions, including muscle area.

Materials & Methods: A total of 102 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) undergoing first-line chemotherapy based on bevacizumab were enrolled at thirst Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China.

Subphenotypic features of patients with sepsis and ARDS: a multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: Patients with sepsis are often comorbid with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and the phenotypic characteristics of pulmonary and non-pulmonary infections leading to ARDS are still unclear. This study aimed to compare the phenotypic characteristics of ARDS resulting from pulmonary infections and other non-site infections and provide better guidance for clinical treatment.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter cohort analysis using data from the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV), and the electronic intensive care unit (eICU) databases.

Isolated Ni Atoms for Enhanced Photocatalytic HO Performance with 1.05% Solar-to-Chemical Conversion Efficiency in Pure Water.

Photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (HO) production encounters a major impediment in its low solar-to-chemical conversion (SCC) efficiency due to undesired HO product decomposition. Herein, an isolated nickel (Ni) atom modification strategy is developed to adjust the thermodynamic process of HO production to address the challenge. Sacrificial experiments and in situ characterization reveal that HO generation occurs via a highly selective indirect two-electron oxygen reduction reaction.

Acupuncture treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy: an overview of systematic reviews based on evidence mapping.

Objective: The study attempted to evaluate the meta-analyses (MAs) of the acupuncture treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) to provide a basis for clinical decision-making.

Methods: Eight databases, such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, CQVIP, and CBM, were searched from database creation to December 22, 2023. The MAs of DPN treatment using acupuncture or acupuncture combined with conventional Western medicine were included.

Changes in the Phylogenetic Structure of Alpine Grassland Plant Communities on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau with Long-Term Nitrogen Deposition.

Nitrogen (N) deposition rates have notably increased around the world, especially in high-altitude regions like the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). We conducted a six-year comprehensive experiment to simulate nitrogen deposition in an alpine grassland area near Qinghai Lake. Four levels of nitrogen depositions, i.

Prospective Cohort Investigation on Physical Activity of Osteoporosis Outcomes (PAOPO) in Jidong: Objectives, Study Design, and Baseline Characteristics.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prospective association between physical activity (PA), independently or in conjunction with other contributing factors, and osteoporosis (OP) outcomes.

Methods: The Physical Activity in Osteoporosis Outcomes (PAOPO) study was a community-based cohort investigation. A structured questionnaire was used to gather the participants' sociodemographic characteristics.

3-D bioprinted human-derived skin organoids accelerate full-thickness skin defects repair.

The healing of large skin defects remains a significant challenge in clinical settings. The lack of epidermal sources, such as autologous skin grafting, limits full-thickness skin defect repair and leads to excessive scar formation. Skin organoids have the potential to generate a complete skin layer, supporting in-situ skin regeneration in the defect area.

Monosome Stalls the Translation Process Mediated by IGF2BP in Arcuate Nucleus for Puberty Onset Delay.

Puberty onset through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis as an important reproductive event in postnatal development is initiated from hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). The growing evidence indicates that translational control also plays an essential role in the final expression of gonadotropin genes. To investigate the role of protein translation and behavior of ribosomes in pubertal onset, the global profiles of transcriptome, single ribosome (monosome), polysome, and tandem mass tag proteome were comprehensively investigated in rat hypothalamic ARCs of different pubertal stages using RNA sequencing, polyribo sequencing, and mass spectrum.

Acrolein exposure affects ovarian function by interfering with glycolysis and mitochondrial energy metabolism in mouse.

Acrolein is a widespread contaminant found in both diet and environment, entering the human body through food, alcohol, smoking, and exposure to fuel combustion fumes. While prior studies have highlighted acrolein's harmful impact on oocyte quality and early embryonic development in vitro, the specific mechanisms by which acrolein affects the female reproductive system in vivo remain poorly understood. This study first confirmed that in vitro acrolein exposure disrupts spindle morphology and chromosome alignment during the mid-MI stage of oocyte development, thus hindering oocyte maturation.

Multifunctional hydrogel-based engineered extracellular vesicles delivery for complicated wound healing.

The utilization of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in wound healing has been well-documented. However, the direct administration of free EVs via subcutaneous injection at wound sites may result in the rapid dissipation of bioactive components and diminished therapeutic efficacy. Functionalized hydrogels provide effective protection, as well as ensure the sustained release and bioactivity of EVs during the wound healing process, making them an ideal candidate material for delivering EVs.

Generation of B7-H3 isoform regulated by ANXA2/NSUN2/YBX1 axis in human glioma.

In recent years, in the development of emerging immunotherapy, B7-H3 is also termed as CD276 and has become a novel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T target against glioma and other tumours, and aroused extensive attention. However, B7-H3 has three isoforms (2, 3 and 4Ig) with the controversial expression and elusive function in tumour especially glioma. The current study mainly focuses on the regulatory factors and related mechanisms of generation of different B7-H3 isoforms.

Geographical distribution of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphisms among the reproductive-age women in Chinese Han populations: based on migration.

Background: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is essential for the metabolism of folic acid and homocysteine. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with several disorders. Our study aims to explore the geographical distributions of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism of women in China and how migration affected the polymorphism in Suzhou.

WWP1 inhibition increases SHP2 inhibitor efficacy in colorectal cancer.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 activates RAS signaling, which is a novel target for colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy. However, SHP2 inhibitor monotherapy is ineffective for metastatic CRC and a combination therapy is required. In this study, we aimed to improve the antitumor efficacy of SHP2 inhibition and try to explore the resistance mechanism of SHP2 inhibitor.

Cell-recruited microspheres for OA treatment by dual-modulating inflammatory and chondrocyte metabolism.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease potentially exacerbated due to inflammation, cartilage degeneration, and increased friction. Both mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and pro-inflammatory macrophages play important roles in OA. A promising approach to treating OA is to modify multi-functional hydrogel microspheres to target the OA microenvironment and structure.

Melanin Nanoparticle-Modified Probiotics for Targeted Synergistic Therapy of Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a recurrent chronic mucosal inflammation disease whose most significant pathological characteristics are intestinal inflammation and damaged mucosal barrier induced by reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, abnormal immune microenvironment, and intestinal microecological imbalance. Oral probiotics are a living therapy for intestinal diseases, but their clinical application is hindered by poor bacterial biological activity and insufficient intestinal retention. Here, we developed a targeted oral formulation, functionalized probiotic Lf@MPB, with (Lf) as the core and modified melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) on its surface through a click reaction of tricarboxyphenylboronic acid for synergistic therapy of UC.

Brain implantation of tissue-level-soft bioelectronics via embryonic development.

The design of bioelectronics capable of stably tracking brain-wide, single-cell, and millisecond-resolved neural activities in the developing brain is critical to the study of neuroscience and neurodevelopmental disorders. During development, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the vertebrate brain arises from a 2D neural plate . These large morphological changes previously posed a challenge for implantable bioelectronics to track neural activity throughout brain development .

Transoceanic ships as a source of alien dinoflagellate invasions of inland freshwater ecosystems.

Ships' ballast water and sediments have long been linked to the global transport and expansion of invasive species and thus have become a hot research topic and administrative challenge in the past decades. The relevant concerns, however, have been mainly about the ocean-to-ocean invasion and sampling practices have been almost exclusively conducted onboard. We examined and compared the dinoflagellate cysts assemblages in 49 sediment samples collected from ballast tanks of international and domestic routes ships, washing basins associated with a ship-repair yard, Jiangyin Port (PS), and the nearby area of Yangtze River (YR) during 2017-2018.

Intensive Ambulance-Delivered Blood-Pressure Reduction in Hyperacute Stroke.

Background: Treatment of acute stroke, before a distinction can be made between ischemic and hemorrhagic types, is challenging. Whether very early blood-pressure control in the ambulance improves outcomes among patients with undifferentiated acute stroke is uncertain.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients with suspected acute stroke that caused a motor deficit and with elevated systolic blood pressure (≥150 mm Hg), who were assessed in the ambulance within 2 hours after the onset of symptoms, to receive immediate treatment to lower the systolic blood pressure (target range, 130 to 140 mm Hg) (intervention group) or usual blood-pressure management (usual-care group).

Phosphorus deficiency-induced cell wall pectin demethylesterification enhances cadmium accumulation in roots of Salix caprea.

Regions affected by heavy metal contamination frequently encounter phosphorus (P) deficiency. Numerous studies highlight crucial role of P in facilitating cadmium (Cd) accumulation in woody plants. However, the regulatory mechanism by which P affects Cd accumulation in roots remains ambiguous.