Integrated computational analysis identifies therapeutic targets with dual action in cancer cells and T cells.

Many cancer drugs that target cancer cell pathways also impair the immune system. We developed a computational target discovery platform to enable examination of both cancer and immune cells so as to identify pathways that restrain tumor progression and potentiate anti-tumor immunity. Immune-related CRISPR screen analyzer of functional targets (ICRAFT) integrates immune-related CRISPR screen datasets, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, and pre-treatment RNA-seq data from clinical trials, enabling a systems-level approach to therapeutic target discovery.

Prediction and validation of anoikis-related genes in neuropathic pain using machine learning.

Background: Neuropathic pain (NP) can be induced by a variety of clinical conditions, such as spinal cord injury, lumbar disc herniation (LDH), lumbar spinal stenosis, diabetes, herpes zoster, and spinal cord tumors, and inflammatory stimuli. The pathogenesis of NP is extremely complex. Specifically, in LDH, the herniated nucleus pulposus exerts mechanical pressure on nerve roots, triggering local inflammation and consequent NP.

Potentiating anti-tumor immunity by re-engaging immune synapse molecules.

The formation of immune synapses (ISs) between cytotoxic T cells and tumor cells is crucial for effective tumor elimination. However, the role of ISs in immune evasion and resistance to immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) remains unclear. We demonstrate that ICAM-1, a key IS molecule activating LFA-1 signaling in T and natural killer (NK) cells, is often expressed at low levels in cancers.

Barley fermentation on nutritional constituents: structural changes and structure-function correlations.

Over the past few years, the demand for healthy grains has become increasingly important. Barley is a basic material for food and animal feed, which is considered an excellent source of multiple nutrients. However, due to limitations in processing techniques, the nutritional attributes of barley have not been completely realized.

Enzymatic Mechanism of a β-Glucosidase from Dy-1 with Potential Applications in the Release of Bound Phenolics in Fermentation Barley.

In whole grains, phenolics are covalently bound to cell-wall dietary fibers, forming nonextractable bound phenolics. Enhancing the release of bound phenolics has garnered significant attention to improve the nutritional value of whole grains. Our findings revealed that fermentation of raw barley dietary fiber with dy-1 led to a decrease of 2408.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Quercetin Inhibit Quiescin Sulfhydryl Oxidase 1 Secretion from Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Liver cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. The first-line therapeutic drug sorafenib offers only a moderate improvement in patients' conditions. Therefore, an approach to enhancing its therapeutic efficacy is urgently needed.

LIN28A-dependent lncRNA NEAT1 aggravates sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome through destabilizing ACE2 mRNA by RNA methylation.

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening and heterogeneous disorder leading to lung injury. To date, effective therapies for ARDS remain limited. Sepsis is a frequent inducer of ARDS.

Xanthan gum/ZrMOF biodegradable gel fertilizer: Sustainable water retention and crop growth.

To address the problems of ecological pollution and food safety caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in modern agriculture, it has become a hot topic of current research to develop novel low-cost, biodegradable, and efficient gel slow-release fertilizers. Herein, using xanthan gum and ZrMOF as raw materials, urea as a nutrient, acrylic acid and itaconic acid as co-monomers, a novel ZrMOF gel slow-release fertilizer (ZrMOF@CpM) was prepared by free radical copolymerization. After being characterized, its swelling and water retention properties and slow-release behavior were investigated.

Association Between Systemic Immune-Inflammatory Index (SIRI) and Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Individuals with Diabetes: Evidence from the NHANES.

Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) is a common and challenging complication of diabetes mellitus, associated with high recurrence, hospitalization, disability, and mortality rates. The Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index (SIRI) based on complete blood counts has been shown to correlate with several diseases but has not been widely studied in DFU.This study aimed to explore the relationship between SIRI and the presence of DFU in individuals with diabetes using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Comparative analysis of barley dietary fiber fermented with and without dy-1 in promoting gut health and regulating hepatic energy metabolism in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

A previous study has revealed that () dy-1 fermentation changed the structural properties and fecal fermentation characteristics of barley dietary fiber. However, the health-promoting effects of fermented dietary fiber remained unclear. This study was aimed at comparing the ameliorative effects of barley dietary fiber fermented with or without dy-1 on lipid metabolism, gut microbiota composition and hepatic energy metabolism.

Association Between Weight-Adjusted Waist Index and Periodontitis: A Cross-Sectional Study and Mediation Analysis.

Aim: The research examined the correlation between the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) and periodontal disease, as well as the intermediary influence of triglyceride glucose (TyG) index-related indicators, utilizing a health examination dataset.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 39,522 subjects from health check-up database of Shanghai Health and Medical Center. The WWI was determined by applying a formula that includes dividing the waist circumference (WC) by the body weight's square root.

The mediating role of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D on the association between reduced sensitivity to thyroid hormones and periodontitis in Chinese euthyroid adults.

Aim: Thyroid dysfunction is closely associated with periodontitis. We aim to explore the association between sensitivity to thyroid hormones (THs) and periodontitis and to investigate the mediating role of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D] in this relationship in Chinese euthyroid populations.

Methods: This population-based retrospective study included 2,530 euthyroid participants.

Polyphenolic Nanomedicine Regulating Mitochondria REDOX for Innovative Cancer Treatment.

Cancer remains a highly lethal disease globally. The approach centered on REDOX-targeted mitochondrial therapy for cancer has displayed notable benefits. Plant polyphenols exhibit strong REDOX and anticancer properties, particularly by affecting mitochondrial function, yet their structural instability and low bioavailability hinder their utility.

Cereal-Derived Water-Unextractable Arabinoxylans: Structure Feature, Effects on Baking Products and Human Health.

Arabinoxylans (AXs) are non-starch polysaccharides with complex structures naturally occurring in grains (i.e., barley, corn, and others), providing many health benefits, especially as prebiotics.

Influence of EGCG oxidation on inhibitory activity against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease.

SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a well-recognized target for COVID-19 therapy. Green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) possesses Mpro-inhibitory activity; however, the influence of EGCG oxidation on its inhibition activity remains obscure, given its high oxidation propensity. This study reveals that prolonged EGCG oxidation in the presence of Mpro dramatically increases its inhibitory activity with an IC of 0.

Dopamine and its precursor levodopa inactivate SARS-CoV-2 main protease by forming a quinoprotein.

Many studies show either the absence, or very low levels of, SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA and/or antigen in the brain of COVID-19 patients. Reports consistently indicate an abortive infection phenomenon in nervous cells despite the fact that they contain the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2. Dopamine levels in different brain regions are in the range of micromolar to millimolar concentrations.

Predicting ambient PM concentrations via time series models in Anhui Province, China.

Due to rapid expansion in the global economy and industrialization, PM (particles smaller than 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter) pollution has become a key environmental issue. The public health and social development directly affected by high PM levels.

Heterologous expression and enzymatic characteristics of sulfatase from dy-1.

Barley, rich in bioactive components including dietary fiber, polyphenolic compounds and functional proteins, exhibits health benefits such as regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. Previous studies have found that the content and composition of free phenolic acids in barley may be significantly changed by fermentation with the laboratory patented strain dy-1 ( dy-1), but the mechanism of enzymatic release of phenolic acid remains to be elucidated. Based on this, this study aimed to identify the key enzyme in dy-1 responsible for releasing the bound phenolic acid and to further analyze its enzymatic properties.

An explainable multiscale LSTM model with wavelet transform and layer-wise relevance propagation for daily streamflow forecasting.

Developing an accurate and reliable daily streamflow forecasting model is important for facilitating the efficient resource planning and management of hydrological systems. In this study, an explainable multiscale long short-term memory (XM-LSTM) model is proposed for effective daily streamflow forecasting by integrating the à trous wavelet transform (ATWT) for decomposing data, the Boruta algorithm for identifying model inputs, and the layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) for explaining the prediction results. The proposed XM-LSTM is tested by performing multi-step-ahead forecasting of daily streamflow at four stations in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin and compared with the X-LSTM.

Effects evaluation of different exercises on subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in obese rats by speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Objective: To identify subclinical left ventricle dysfunction (LVD) in obese rats by speckle-tracking echocardiography, and to evaluate the effects of 12-week Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on LV geometry, histology and function in obese rats.

Methods: Eighteen male standard or obese Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the Control group, the MICT group, and the HIIT group. Exercise interventions were conducted for 12 weeks, with equal total load and increased intensity gradient.

Single-port plus one in pediatric robotic-assisted Lich-Gregoir ureteral reimplantation for vesicoureteral reflux, a comparative analysis with short-term outcomes.

Objective: To observe the safety and short-term outcomes of a new way of laparoscopic trocar placement in pediatric robotic-assisted Lich-Gregoir ureteral reimplantation for vesicoureteral reflux.

Methods: The retrospective study included 32 patients under 14 years diagnosed with primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). All these patients underwent robotic-assisted Lich-Gregoir ureteral reimplantation in our department from December 2020 to August 2022.