Comparative analysis of deep dentinal caries microbiota in teeth with normal pulp, reversible pulpitis, symptomatic and asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Aim: To characterize the deep dentinal caries microbiota in teeth diagnosed with normal pulp with deep caries (NP), reversible pulpitis (RP), symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP), and asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis (AIP), and to identify potential key pathogens associated with pulpitis progression, exploring their roles in disease advancement.

Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, we collected 108 dentinal caries samples, categorized into NP (n = 27), RP (n = 27), SIP (n = 27), and AIP (n = 27), according to the American Association of Endodontists' diagnostic criteria. 2 NP samples and 2 RP samples were excluded due to contamination.

Distinct landscapes of fibroblast subtypes in arteries of patients with giant cell arteritis.

Objective: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis of large- and medium-sized arteries characterized by granulomatous inflammation and vascular remodelling. Although fibroblasts are the predominant cell type in the adventitia, their role in GCA pathogenesis is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of fibroblast subtypes in relation to vascular remodeling in GCA.

Treatment Delays in the Hispanic Population with Renal Cell Carcinoma: An Analysis of Over 150,000 Patients using the National Cancer Database.

Purpose: Disparities have been documented in the outcomes of various cancers (lung, colorectal, breast) among the Hispanic population compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). However, little is known about disparities in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) management despite worse outcomes for those with delays in treatment. This study aimed to investigate the disparities in 1) RCC presentation and 2) the time to treatment initiation (TTI) between Hispanic and NHW patients.

177Lu-LNC1004 Radioligand Therapy in Patients with End-stage Metastatic Cancers: A Single-Center, Single-Arm, Phase II Study.

Purpose: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts and certain tumor cells, making it a promising therapeutic target for various malignancies. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 177Lu-Evans blue-FAP inhibitor (177Lu-LNC1004) radioligand therapy (RLT) for treating end-stage metastatic tumors.

Patients And Methods: This single-arm, single-center, phase II trial included 28 patients with progressive metastatic malignancies (11 types) and high FAP expression (defined as a maximum standardized uptake value ≥10 in >50% of tumors) who had exhausted all approved therapies, screened between June 2022 and April 2024.

Constructing a 3D Interconnected Carbon Network for Mg-Doped Porous LiMnFePO/C Cathode Materials.

Economical and high-safety LiMnFePO/C cathode materials have gained significant attention recently due to their theoretical specific energy advantage of 18% compared to LiFePO. However, their low electronic conductivity and sluggish diffusion kinetics limit the practical applications of LiMnFePO/C. This paper presents a simple solid-state synthesis of porous LMFMP-2C4P, which is doped with Mg and coated with composite carbon.

Upconversion Nanoparticle-Delivery Flexible Optrodes for Long-Lasting Multichannel Electrophysiology and Transcranial NIR Optogenetics.

Near-infrared (NIR) activatable nanoparticles enable remote, cell-type-specific manipulation of neuronal activity, whereas flexible microelectrode arrays (FMAs) facilitate long-term, multichannel recording of neural signals. Despite the recent development of multifunctional neural probes, integrating these techniques into a single, minimally invasive device remains challenging. Here, we present a novel optrode that combines NIR-activatable upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with FMAs.

Noncanonical amino acids as prophage inducers for protein regulation in bacteria-based delivery systems.

Unlabelled: Genetically engineered bacteria represent a promising drug delivery tool for disease treatment. The development of new strategies for specific and independent protein regulation is necessary, especially for combination protein drug therapy. Using the well-studied phage λ as a model system, we applied onanonical mino cid (ncAAs) as novel inducers for protein regulation in a bacteria-based delivery system.

Short-Term Dietary Caffeine Intake for Alleviating Symptoms of Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Randomised Controlled Comparison With Alpha-Lipoic Acid.

Objective: This study investigates whether daily supplementation of 120-150 mg of caffeine can relieve symptoms of Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) compared to alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and a control group.

Methods: In this randomised controlled trial, 118 BMS patients were divided into three groups: caffeine, ALA, and control. The caffeine group received 120-150 mg of caffeine daily, the ALA group received 200 mg of ALA three times daily, and the control group received no interventions.

Nanofluidic Volatile Threshold Switching Ionic Memristor: A Perspective.

The fast development of artificial intelligence and big data drives the exploration of low-power computing hardware. Neuromorphic devices represented by memristors may provide a possible computing paradigm beyond von Neumann's architecture because they enable the integration of processing and storage units by mimicking how the brain processes complex information in parallel. In the brain, information is processed via multilevel spiking coding and event-driven mechanisms, whose simplified neural circuit is represented by the leaky-integration-and-fire model combining volatile threshold switching memristors and capacitors.

Antibacterial and cytotoxic angucyclines discovered by heterologous expression of a type II polyketide gene cluster.

Three new aromatic polyketides, spirocyclione C (1) and angumycinones E and F (2 and3), were isolated from the heterologous expression of a type II gene cluster in the strain of A3(2) assisted by the one strain many compounds (OSMAC) strategy. The structures and absolute configurations of these compounds were elucidated by extensive NMR, MS, theoretical NMR calculations, DP4+ probability analysis, and ECD analyses. Notably, compound 1 represents the first example of an angucycline structure with an unusual oxaspiro[5.

Incidence and costs of hospitalisation due to acute respiratory infection in adults aged over 50 years in Jiangsu, China in 2019-23: a real-world medical database analysis of 0.2 million episodes.

Background: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) poses a significant public health challenge worldwide, particularly among older adults. However, the disease and economic burden of ARI among older adults in China remained sparse. We aimed to estimate the incidence rate and medical cost of hospitalisation due to ARI among adults aged ≥50 years in Jiangsu Province, China.

Genome-wide association and selection studies reveal genomic insight into saline-alkali tolerance in rice.

Saline-alkali stress has detrimental effects on growth and development of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Domesticated rice cultivars with high saline-alkali tolerance (SAT) are essential for sustainable agriculture.

Bioorthogonal Reactions for Bioactive Sulfur Species Delivery.

Bioorthogonal chemistry has emerged as a powerful tool for the development of controllable drug delivery systems. Bioactive sulfur species, which participate in complex sulfur signaling pathways, play crucial roles in various physiological and pathological processes. However, achieving precise and controlled administration of these sulfur species remains challenging due to their unique physicochemical properties.

Constructing Biomimetic Channels in Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework via Post-Synthesis for Enhanced Proton Conductivity.

Proton transport channels in biological systems are constructed by the specific amino acid residues with hanging carboxylic acid groups acting as proton donors and acceptors, enabling rapid proton conduction via the Grotthuss mechanism. Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are promising candidates for artificially simulating proton channels due to their designable structure and abundant proton sources in the network. However, these protons were usually immobilized within hydrogen bonds between two building blocks, which require a high energy barrier for initiating proton transport.

Platelet activation stimulates macrophages to enhance ulcerative colitis through PF4/CXCR3 signaling.

Platelets are involved in hemostasis and immune regulation, but little is currently known regarding their role in inflammatory bowel disease. In the present study, the mechanism by which platelet activation affects macrophage C‑X‑C motif chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) by releasing platelet factor 4 (PF4), thus aggravating ulcerative colitis (UC) disease progression, was investigated. A dextran sulfate sodium‑induced mouse model showed co‑localization of the platelet marker PF4 with the macrophage M1 marker inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Isoegomaketone improves radiotherapy efficacy and intestinal injury by regulating apoptosis, autophagy and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in a colon cancer model.

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of isoegomaketone (IK) as a radiosensitizer for colon cancer and its effect on intestinal injury, and to verify its potential mechanism. A total of 40 BALB/c nude mice were selected to construct a HT‑29 tumor‑bearing mice model with T lymphocyte deficiency. Tumor size was measured every other day, and the survival of mice was counted.

Effectiveness of Tuina massage combined with conventional treatment in improving post-stroke spasticity: A meta-analysis.

BackgroundPost-stroke spasticity (PSS) is a common complication that affects recovery and quality of life. Traditional rehabilitation approaches may benefit from complementary therapies.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Tuina massage combined with conventional treatment for PSS through a meta-analysis, providing a scientific basis for clinical decision-making and future research directions.

Association of BMI with mortality and health-related quality of life among 4.4 million adults: Evidence from a nationwide, population-based, prospective cohort study.

Aims: The body mass index (BMI), as an easy-to-calculate measure of body fatness, is closely associated with all-cause mortality, but few studies with a large enough scale have examined the relationship between BMI and quality of life. A comprehensive and precise insight into a new range is needed.

Materials And Methods: Based on the ChinaHEART (Health Evaluation And risk Reduction through nationwide Teamwork), a nationwide, population-based cohort study, 4,485,773 participants living in 20,159 communities or villages were passively followed for death records, through a linkage of data with the National Mortality Surveillance System and Vital Registration.

Quasi-Solid Electrolytes with Flexible Branches and Rigid Skeletons for High-Temperature Li Metal Batteries.

Quasi-solid electrolytes are poised to revolutionize the next generation of high-energy-density lithium metal batteries. However, they face considerable challenges in operating at high temperatures due to severe side reactions, particularly with high-voltage cathodes. Here, we fabricated a nonflammable quasi-solid electrolyte (QSE) using an in situ copolymerization method.

KAT7 contributes to ponatinib-induced hypertension by promoting endothelial senescence and inflammatory responses through activating NF-κB signaling pathway.

Background And Purpose: Ponatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) leads to hypertension; however, the mechanisms remain elusive. We aimed to investigate whether lysine acetyltransferase 7 (KAT7), a key regulator of cellular senescence that is closely associated with cardiovascular diseases, involves in ponatinib-induced hypertension.

Methods And Results: After administering ponatinib to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats for 8 days, we measured blood pressure, vasodilation, and endothelial function using tail-cuff plethysmography, isometric myography, and the Total NO Assay kit, respectively.

The Radial Forearm Butterfly Flap: A Novel Technique for Oral Cavity Reconstruction With Primary Healing of the Forearm Donor Area.

Background: The traditional radial forearm free flap (TRFFF) combined with split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) for repairing oral defects presents unavoidable donor area complications, such as delayed healing and scar hyperplasia. This study introduces a modified radial forearm free flap, known as the butterfly flap, which enables primary closure of the forearm donor area.

Methods: The study included 35 patients who received the butterfly flap and 40 patients who received TRFFF combined with STSG between March 2022 and March 2024.

Advances and potentials in platelet-circulating tumor cell crosstalk.

Tumor metastasis leads to circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that separate from primary malignant tumors and enter blood circulation. CTCs survive and engage with other cells to cope with obstacles, including shear stress, disease, immune attacks, and drugs. Platelets are the best partners for CTCs.

Dissecting the high-risk property of 1q gain/amplification in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

1q gain/amplification (1q+) is the most common cytogenetic abnormality (CA), with a frequency of 30-50% in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). Although accumulating evidence supports 1q+ as a "high-risk" CA (HRCA), several issues remain to be addressed to understand its true prognostic property. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 934 patients with NDMM from three centers in China, who had baseline data available for 1q+ [including 1q21 gain (3 copies) and amplification (> 3 copies)] detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization in isolated CD138 cells, and who received first-line treatment with novel agents including proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, or both.

Predictive value of CT radiomics and inflammatory markers for pulmonary adenocarcinoma spread through air spaces.

Objectives: To evaluate the predictive value of combining CT radiomics features and inflammatory markers for the preoperative prediction of spread through air spaces (STAS) in pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed data from 256 patients diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma between 2021 and 2023. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence (n = 115) or absence (n = 141) of STAS, as confirmed by histopathological examination.