Proteomic profiling of plasma extracellular vesicles identifies signatures of innate immunity, coagulation, and endothelial activation in septic patients.

Plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived lipid particles and reportedly play a role in sepsis pathogenesis. This study aimed to identify EV cargo proteins in septic patients and explore their association with key sepsis pathophysiology. Plasma EVs were subjected to Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic analysis.

Beta-defensin 1 knockdown ameliorates the characteristics of intervertebral disc degeneration in a rat model by altering nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cell phenotypes via suppression of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway.

Objective: Beta-defensin 1 (DEFB1), is a member of the defensin family involved in inflammation, cell apoptosis and senescence. We hypothesized that DEFB1 is essential for intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis. Our objective was to elucidate the roles of DEFB1 in IVD degeneration (IDD).

Isotope Dilution DNA Logic Circuits for Multiple Output and Absolute Quantification.

DNA logic circuits have gained great success in the past, thanks to their distinct performance regarding the scalability and correctness of computation. However, there are still two challenges often considered for DNA logic circuit-based computation. First, the mainstream optical probes are often subject to spectral overlapping interference for complex multitask analysis and outputs.

Dynamic visualization of endoplasmic reticulum viscosity in living cells with a multirotor-based fluorescent probe.

Changes in viscosity can significantly influence the functionality of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and viscosity-responsive fluorescent probes can provide valuable feedback on its physiological state. In this study, three multirotor-based fluorescent probes (1-3) were designed and synthesized. Probes 1 and 2 exhibited remarkable viscosity sensitivity and specific targeting ability towards the ER.

3D mesenchymal stem cell exosome-functionalized hydrogels for corneal wound healing.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes have the potential to sustain immune homeostasis and facilitate tissue regeneration, and those effects can be potentiated under three-dimensional (3D) cell culture conditions. Nevertheless, whether exosomes derived from 3D-cultured MSCs (3D-Exos) exert therapeutic effects on the injured corneas and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, MSCs are cultured in a gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel to produce 3D-Exos.

Senolytic Treatment Alleviates Corneal Allograft Rejection Through Upregulation of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2).

Purpose: Allograft rejection remains a major cause of failure in high-risk corneal transplants, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of transplantation stress-induced cellular senescence to corneal allograft rejection and to elucidate the associated molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Age-matched murine corneal transplantation models were established.

Enhancing prostate cancer segmentation in bpMRI: Integrating zonal awareness into attention-guided U-Net.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer in males worldwide, requiring improvements in diagnostic imaging to identify and treat it at an early stage. Bi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (bpMRI) is recognized as an essential diagnostic technique for PCa, providing shorter acquisition times and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, accurate diagnosis using bpMRI images is difficult due to the inconspicuous and diverse characteristics of malignant tumors and the intricate structure of the prostate gland.

Perfusion Image-Aided Treatment Decision for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Validation of a Clinical Decision Support System.

Introduction: Our collaborative team has previously developed a prognostic model for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This model, known as the clinical decision support system (CDSS), aims to provide personalized assistance to clinicians in making treatment decisions and improving patient prognosis. The objective of this study was to externally validate the model using Chinese AIS patients.

Synthesis of -Heteroaryl -Glycosides and Polyhydroxylated Alkanes with Diaryl Groups from Unprotected Sugars.

HCl-catalyzed -glycosylation was described herein for the convenient preparation of -heteroaryl -glycosides and polyhydroxylated alkanes with diaryl groups using hetereoaryl amines and unprotected sugars as starting materials. The reaction temperature and the amounts of aryl amines and HCl had significant effects on reactions. The method provided a highly efficient and environmentally friendly route for constructing -glycosides at low cost.

Unveiling the role of lipopolysaccharide-related genes in diabetic retinopathy: identification of key biomarkers and immune infiltration analysis.

Background: Growing evidence suggests a link between systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure and worsening diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study aims to investigate DR's pathogenesis by analyzing LPS-related genes (LRGs) through bioinformatics.

Methods: The CTD database was utilized to identify LRGs.

Role of mA methyltransferase METTL3 in keratoconus pathogenesis.

Keratoconus (KC) is the most common ectatic corneal disease with unknown pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the role of methyltransferase-like enzyme 3 (METTL3) in KC pathogenesis. In the present study, we examined the levels of METTL3 and other N6-methyladenosine (mA) modification-related proteins in KC samples and human stromal keratocyte (HTK) cells stimulated by mechanical stretch (MS) using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.

Lig3-dependent rescue of mouse viability and DNA double-strand break repair by catalytically inactive Lig4.

Recent studies have revealed a structural role for DNA ligase 4 (Lig4) in the maintenance of a repair complex during non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) of DNA double-strand breaks. In cultured cell lines, catalytically inactive Lig4 can partially alleviate the severe DNA repair phenotypes observed in cells lacking Lig4. To study the structural role of Lig4 in vivo, a mouse strain harboring a point mutation to Lig4's catalytic site was generated.

Circulating exosomal PCAT1 as a complement of carcinoembryonic antigen for early colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Backgrounds: Given the global prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC), advancements in prompt and accurate diagnosis are crucial. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in serum exosomes are emerging as potential diagnostic biomarkers. This study evaluated the feasibility of using serum exosomal lncRNAs for early-stage CRC diagnosis in clinical practice.

A single nucleotide polymorphism affects protein translation and leads to post-anthesis color change variation in closely related Lotus species.

Flower color change, a common phenomenon that is important in pollination ecology, has intrigued scientists for decades. While previous flower color studies have mainly focused on color diversity among different plant species, our focus is on unraveling the mechanism of post-anthesis color change (PACC) and the molecular basis for its presence and absence, respectively, in two closely related species of Lotus, Lotus filicaulis and Lotus japonicus MG20. Metabolomic analysis reveals anthocyanins as the key metabolites responsible for the observed PACC.

Advanced aspects of acetogens.

Acetogens are a diverse group of anaerobic bacteria that are capable of carbon dioxide fixation and have for long fascinated scientists due to their unique metabolic prowess. Historically, acetogens have been recognized for their remarkable ability to grow and to produce acetate from different one-carbon sources, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formate, methanol, and methylated organic compounds. The key metabolic pathway in acetogens responsible for converting these one-carbon sources is ́the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway.

A multi-levels analysis to evaluate the toxicity of microplastics on aquatic insects: A case study with damselfly larvae (Ischnura elegans).

Microplastic (MP) pollution prevalent in freshwater environments and jeopardizes the organisms living there. Dozens of studies have been conducted to investigate the harmful effects of microplastics on organisms. However, the most diverse and sensitive aquatic insects are often overlooked, also there is a lack of a comprehensive research exploring the toxicity of microplastics.

Polycomb protein RYBP facilitates super-enhancer activity.

Background: Polycomb proteins are conventionally known as global repressors in cell fate determination. However, recent observations have shown their involvement in transcriptional activation, the mechanisms of which need further investigation.

Methods: Herein, multiple data from ChIP-seq, RNA-seq and HiChIP before or after RYBP depletion in embryonic stem cell (ESC), epidermal progenitor (EPC) and mesodermal cell (MEC) were analyzed.

Enhanced Gallium Extraction Using Silane-Modified Mesoporous Silica Synthesized from Coal Gasification Slag.

This study presents an innovative approach to utilize coal gasification coarse slag (CGCS) for efficient and low-cost gallium extraction. Using a one-step acid leaching process, mesoporous silica with a surface area of 258 m/g and a pore volume of 0.15 cm/g was synthesized.

Artificially Modified NK Cell-Based Synergistic Immuno-Gene-Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer.

Background: The immunotherapeutic approach utilizing Natural Killer (NK) cells for cancer treatment has garnered significant interest owing to its inherent cytotoxicity, immunomodulatory properties, demonstrated safety in in vivo studies. However, multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment (TME) suppress the anticancer effect of NK cells in the treatment of solid tumors. Herein, a smart NK cell drug delivery system (DDS) with photo-responsive and TME-responsive properties was designed.