Capillary connections between sensory circumventricular organs and adjacent parenchyma enable local volume transmission.

Among contributors to diffusible signaling are portal systems which join two capillary beds through connecting veins. Portal systems allow diffusible signals to be transported in high concentrations directly from one capillary bed to the other without dilution in the systemic circulation. Two portal systems have been identified in the brain.

Bis-Naphthylacrylonitrile-Based Supramolecular Artificial Light-Harvesting System for White Light Emission.

A novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based artificial light-harvesting system (LHS) is successfully assembled via the host-guest interaction of bis-naphthylacrylonitrile derivative (BND), water-soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5), and sulforhodamine 101 (SR101). After host-guest assembly, the formed WP5⊃BND complexes spontaneously self-aggregated into WP5⊃BND nanoparticles (donors) and SR101 (acceptors) is introduced into WP5⊃BND to fabricate WP5⊃BND-SR101 LHS. Through the investigation of energy transfer between donors and acceptors, the artificial light-harvesting processes are certified in WP5⊃BND-SR101 LHS and the absolute fluorescence quantum yields (Φ) are significantly improved from 8.

A comprehensive benchmark for multiple highly efficient base editors with broad targeting scope.

As the toolbox of base editors (BEs) expands, selecting appropriate BE and guide RNA (gRNA) to achieve optimal editing efficiency and outcome for a given target becomes challenging. Here, we construct a set of 10 adenine and cytosine BEs with high activity and broad targeting scope, and comprehensively evaluate their editing profiles and properties head-to-head with 34,040 BE-gRNA-target combinations using genomically integrated long targets and tiling gRNA strategies. Interestingly, we observe widespread non-canonical protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs) for these BEs.

Whole-genome sequencing identifies novel loci for keratoconus and facilitates risk stratification in a Han Chinese population.

Background: Keratoconus (KC) is a prevalent corneal condition with a modest genetic basis. Recent studies have reported significant genetic associations in multi-ethnic cohorts. However, the situation in the Chinese population remains unknown.

The epitranscriptional factor PCIF1 orchestrates CD8 T cell ferroptosis and activation to control antitumor immunity.

T cell-based immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, yet durable responses remain elusive. Here we show that PCIF1, an RNA N 2'-O-dimethyladenosine (mA) methyltransferase, negatively regulates CD8 T cell antitumor responses. Whole-body or T cell-specific Pcif1 knockout (KO) reduced tumor growth in mice.