KRT7 promotes pancreatic cancer metastasis by remodeling the extracellular matrix niche through FGF2-fibroblast crosstalk.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating cancer with a dismal prognosis due to distant metastasis. Through an analysis of large RNA sequencing and proteomics datasets, we found that high KRT7 expression in PDAC patients was correlated with liver metastasis and poor survival. A functional investigation revealed that the overexpression of KRT7 promoted liver metastasis but did not affect tumor cell proliferation in vivo or in vitro.

The Production and Characterization of an Aminolyzed Polyhydroxyalkanoate Membrane and Its Cytocompatibility with Osteoblasts.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), recognized as a medical biomaterial, have been proven to promote cell proliferation and tissue repair. PHA has a variety of forms: PHB, PHV, PHHx, and PHBHHx, etc. In this study, PHBHHx was selected as the precursor to fabricate biopolyester films.

Fluoride exposure and its interaction with polymorphism in the alteration of lipid metabolism in adults.

Previous studies found relationship between fluoride exposure and lipid metabolism. In present study, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Urinary fluoride concentrations and lipid metabolism indicators were tested.

Novel mechanism of fluoride induced cardiovascular system injury by regulating p53/miR200c-3p during endothelial dysfunction.

Background: The impairment of the cardiovascular system by fluoride has attracted public health concern, and its toxic effects on ECs have garnered extensive research attention. However, epidemiological clues of fluoride induced cardiovascular injury are limited. The function of ECs is crucial for the early diagnosis of CVD, yet mechanisms through which fluoride disrupts endothelial function are still unclear.

Sciatic nerve stimulation enhances NK cell cytotoxicity through dopamine signaling and synergizes immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer.

Aims: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has shown resistance to immunotherapy. Stimulating ProkR2-bearing sensory neurons of the sciatic nerve has been reported to regulate immune function by catecholamine release through the vagal-adrenal axis. We aimed to investigate the impact of sciatic nerve stimulation on anti-tumor immune responses and immunotherapy efficacy in TNBC.

Neural Network-Assisted End-to-End Design for Full Light Field Control of Meta-Optics.

Meta-optics, with unique light-matter interactions and extensive design space, underpins versatile and compact optical devices through flexible multi-parameter light field control. However, conventional designs struggle with the intricate interdependencies of nano-structural complex responses across wavelengths and polarizations at a system level, hindering high-performance full-light field control. Here, a neural network-assisted end-to-end design framework that facilitates global, gradient-based optimization of multifunctional meta-optics layouts for full light field control is proposed.

Association between fluoride exposure and the risk of serum CK and CK-MB elevation in adults: a cross-sectional study in China.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between urinary fluoride concentration and myocardial disease.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in three villages in Wenshui County, Shanxi Province. A total of 737 villagers were included in this analysis.

Effect of Candida albicans' supernatant on biofilm formation and virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa through las/rhl System.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) are opportunistic pathogens whose mixed infections can exacerbate microbial dissemination and drug resistance, contributing to high mortality and morbidity rates among infected individuals.

Creating a multifunctional degrader for co-mineralization of p-nitrophenol and 1,2-dichloroethane and its application in wastewater bioremediation.

Because the interactions among contaminants may lead to enhanced toxicity, combined pollution caused by the co-presence of multiple contaminants has increasingly gained public concern. p-Nitrophenol (PNP) and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) are frequently co-detected in groundwater. To completely eliminate PNP, 1,2-DCA and intermediates from polluted sites, in this study, a novel degrader KTU-PDG was created by functional assembly of PNP and 1,2-DCA biodegradation pathways in a robust chassis Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

Metasurface higher-order poincaré sphere polarization detection clock.

Accurately and swiftly characterizing the state of polarization (SoP) of complex structured light is crucial in the realms of classical and quantum optics. Conventional strategies for detecting SoP, which typically involves a sequence of cascaded optical elements, are bulky, complex, and run counter to miniaturization and integration. While metasurface-enabled polarimetry has emerged to overcome these limitations, its functionality predominantly remains confined to identifying SoP within the standard Poincaré sphere framework.

Association between ESR1 and COL1A1 gene polymorphisms and skeletal fluorosis in Tibetan, Kazakh, Mongolian and Russian populations, China.

Background: Skeletal fluorosis is a chronic metabolic bone disease caused by excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones. Previous studies have found that when the intake of tea fluoride is similar, the prevalence of skeletal fluorosis varies greatly among different ethnic groups, which may be related to different genetic backgrounds. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and collagen type 1 α1 (COL1A1) were strongly associated with bone metabolism as well as bone growth and development, but their association with the risk of skeletal fluorosis has not been reported.

Creating a Halotolerant Degrader for Efficient Mineralization of p-Nitrophenol-Substituted Organophosphorus Pesticides in High-Saline Wastewater.

The bioaugmentation performance is severely reduced in the treatment of high-saline pesticide wastewater because the growth and degradation activity of pesticide degraders are significantly inhibited by high salt concentrations. In this study, a heterologous biodegradation pathway comprising the seven genes mpd/pnpABCDEF responsible for the bioconversion of p-nitrophenol (PNP)-substituted organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) into β-oxoadipate and the genes encoding Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) were integrated into the genome of a salt-tolerant chassis Halomonas cupida J9, to generate a genetically engineered halotolerant degrader J9U-MP. RT-PCR assays demonstrated that the nine exogenous genes are successfully transcribed to mRNA in J9U-MP.

Short-term and long-term prognoses in AChR-Ab positive very-late-onset myasthenia gravis patients.

Background: Very-late-onset myasthenia gravis (VLOMG) refers to myasthenia gravis (MG) with onset at age 65 or older. Current research on VLOMG prognosis remains limited, especially regarding factors influencing outcomes.

Objectives: To identify the clinical factors that affect the short- and long-term prognosis of MG patients with an onset age ⩾65 years.

Interaction study of the effects of environmental exposure and gene polymorphisms of inflammatory and immune-active factors on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease, influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the human genome may influence the risk of developing COPD and the response to treatment. We assessed the effects of gene polymorphism of inflammatory and immune-active factors and gene-environment interaction on risk of COPD in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals.

Neohesperidin Improves Depressive-Like Behavior Induced by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Mice.

Depression is a common and complex neuropsychiatric disorder affecting people of all ages worldwide, associated with high rates of relapse and disability. Neohesperidin (NEO) is a dietary flavonoid with applications in therapeutics; however, its effects on depressive-like behavior remain unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of NEO on depressive-like behavior induced by chronic and unpredictable mild stress (CUMS).

Stimulation of dorsal root ganglion with low-intensity focused ultrasound ameliorates pain responses through the GABA inhibitory pathway.

Aims: Chronic pain is a critical public health issue that severely impacts quality of life and poses significant treatment challenges, particularly due to the risk of adverse effects associated with pharmacological therapies. The search for effective non-invasive treatment alternatives has become increasingly relevant. Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) has been identified as an effective non-invasive strategy for pain management, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Adipose stem cells prevent esophageal strictures after extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection - experimental research.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a pivotal technique for excision of early-stage esophageal tumors. However, its primary complication, postoperative esophageal stricture, is a significant challenge owing to the absence of effective preventive measures. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have emerged as a promising treatment modality to address this concern.

Aerobic exercise training attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice by decreasing the methylation level of METTL3-associated m6A RNA in cardiomyocytes.

Background And Aims: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) presents a significant global health challenge, with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) being a major pathophysiological contributor and lacking effective interventions. While aerobic exercise training (AET) enhances cardiovascular health, its protective mechanism in MIRI remains elusive. This study aims to elucidate the protective effect of AET in MIRI and its underlying mechanism.

Evaluating a new obesity indicator for stroke risk prediction: comparative cohort analysis in rural settings of two nations.

Background: While the TyG index has been studied in relation to stroke risk, there is a lack of research integrating fat distribution indicators like Body Roundness Index (BRI) and Fat Mass Index (FMI). Additionally, comparative studies across multiple regions are scarce. This study investigates the association between obesity-related parameters and stroke incidence, examining the mediation effects of multimorbidity, using data from rural areas in China and the United Kingdom.

Dual impacts of serine/glycine-free diet in enhancing antitumor immunity and promoting evasion via PD-L1 lactylation.

The effect of the serine/glycine-free diet (-SG diet) on colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear; meanwhile, programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors are less effective for most CRC patients. Here, we demonstrate that the -SG diet inhibits CRC growth and promotes the accumulation of cytotoxic T cells to enhance antitumor immunity. Additionally, we also identified the lactylation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in tumor cells as a mechanism of immune evasion during cytotoxic T cell-mediated antitumor responses, and blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway is able to rejuvenate the function of CD8+ T cells recruited by the -SG diet, indicating the potential of combining the -SG diet with immunotherapy.

DDX3 is critical for female fertility via translational control in oogenesis.

DEAD-box RNA helicase 3 (DDX3) and its homologs play a vital role in translation initiation by unwinding secondary structures of selected mRNAs. The human DDX3 gene is located on the sex chromosomes, so there are DDX3X and DDX3Y. DDX3X is ubiquitously expressed in almost all tissues and critical for embryonic development, whereas DDX3Y is only expressed in the testis and essential for male fertility.

Photocatalytic Upcycling of Plastic Waste into Syngas by ZnS/GaO Z-Scheme Heterojunction.

The photocatalytic conversion of plastic waste into value-added products using solar energy presents a promising approach for promoting environmental sustainability. Nonetheless, the emission of CO during the conventional photocatalytic degradation process remains a major hurdle that impedes its further development. In this study, we propose an efficient photocatalytic conversion of polyethylene plastic into syngas (CO+H mixtures) by using a ZnS/GaO Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst.

Evaluation of normal and abnormal fetal renal microvascular flow characteristics of three-dimensional MV-flow imaging.

Objective: To evaluate the applicability of three-dimensional MV-Flow imaging for prenatal renal diagnosis.

Method: This prospective study included normal and abnormal kidneys ranging from 20 to 40 weeks gestation between April and July 2023. All participants underwent conventional ultrasound and three-dimensional MV-Flow examinations.