Application of an Injectable Thermosensitive Hydrogel Drug Delivery System for Degenerated Intervertebral Disc Regeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration is characterized by a localized, chronic inflammatory response leading to a synthesis/catabolism imbalance within the nucleus pulposus (NP) and progressive functional impairment within the NP. Polyphenol molecules have been widely used in anti-inflammatory therapies in recent years; therefore, we designed an injectable, temperature-sensitive hydrogel PLGA-PEG-PLGA-based drug delivery system for local and sustained delivery of two drugs tannic acid (TA) and resveratrol (Res), with the hydrogel carrying TA directly and Res indirectly (carried directly by inflammation-responsive nanoparticles). The delivery system presents good injectability at room temperature and forms a gel in situ upon entering the intervertebral disc.

Seroepidemiology of trachoma in a low prevalence region receiving annual mass azithromycin distribution in Maradi, Niger.

Background: Trachoma programs use the indicator trachomatous inflammation--follicular (TF) to monitor indication for and response to treatment for trachoma at the district level. Alternative indicators, including serologic markers, are increasingly being evaluated for trachoma surveillance. We evaluated seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to the Pgp3 antigen in two districts in Maradi, Niger thought to have low TF prevalence.

Efficacy and safety of anti-reflux surgery in gastroesophageal-related cough: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent condition that manifests a spectrum of symptoms, including gastroesophageal-related cough (GERC). Anti-reflux procedures have been employed to alleviate these symptoms, yet their efficacy varies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the improvement in gastroesophageal-related cough and other reflux symptoms following anti-reflux procedures.

Enhancement of Gaseous -Xylene Elimination by Chlorosulfonic Acid-Modified H-Zeolite Socony Mobil-5.

It is important to develop effective strategies for enhancing the removal capacity of aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by modifying conventional porous adsorbents. In this study, a novel HZSM-5 zeolite-supported sulfonic acid (ZSM-OSOH) was prepared through ClSOH modification in dichloromethane and employed for the elimination of gaseous -xylene. The ClSOH modification enables the bonding of -OSOH groups onto the HZSM-5 support, achieving a loading of 8.

Etiologies of Infectious Keratitis in Malawi.

Infectious keratitis is a leading cause of corneal blindness worldwide with little information known about causative etiologies in Malawi, Africa. This area is resource-limited with ophthalmologist and microbiology services. The Department of Ophthalmology at the Kamuzu College of Health Sciences in Blantyre, Malawi, is a participating site of an international corneal ulcer consortium, capriCORN (Comprehensive Analysis of Pathogens, Resistomes, and Inflammatory-markers in the CORNea).

Determining the abundance, composition and spatial distribution of organohalogens in marine sediments using combustion-ion chromatography.

Understanding the distribution of halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) in marine sediments is essential for understanding the marine carbon and halogen cycling, and also important for assessing the ecosystem health. In this study, a method based on combustion-ion chromatography was developed for determination of the composition and abundance of HOCs in marine sediments. The method showed high accuracy, precision and reproducibility in determining the content of adsorbable organic halogens (AOX), including fluorine, chlorine and bromine (AOF, AOCl, AOBr) and the corresponding insoluble organic halogens (IOF, IOCl, IOBr, IOX), as well as total organic halogen contents (TOX).

Coxsackievirus A24 causing acute conjunctivitis in a 2023 outbreak in Vietnam.

Objectives: To determine the associated pathogen during the 2023 conjunctivitis outbreak in Vietnam METHODS: RNA-sequencing was used to identify pathogens before and during the outbreak.

Results: 24 patients with infectious conjunctivitis between March and October 2023 from Hai Yen Vision Institute in Vietnam were swabbed. Coxsackievirus A24v was the most common pathogen identified.

Pathogen Profiles of Infectious Conjunctivitis in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Purpose: Conjunctivitis epidemics and pandemics remain a global burden. This study aims to comprehensively identify pathogens associated with conjunctivitis in Vietnam.

Methods: Patients with acute conjunctivitis presented to an outpatient clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were enrolled from September 2022 to March 2023.

Human Conjunctival Transcriptome in Acanthamoeba Keratitis: An Exploratory Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify conjunctival transcriptome differences in patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis compared with keratitis with no known associated pathogen.

Methods: The host conjunctival transcriptome of 9 patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is compared with the host conjunctival transcriptome of 13 patients with pathogen-free keratitis. Culture and/or confocal confirmed Acanthamoeba in 8 of 9 participants with AK who underwent metagenomic RNA sequencing as the likely pathogen.

Carbene-Catalyzed Atroposelective Construction of Chiral Diaryl Ethers.

Atropoisomeric chemotypes of diaryl ethers-related scaffolds are prevalent in naturally active compounds. Nevertheless, there remains considerable research to be carried out on the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of these axially chiral molecules. In this instance, we disclose an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed synthesis of axially chiral diaryl ethers via atroposelective esterification of dialdehyde-containing diaryl ethers.

The dynamic landscape of enhancer-derived RNA during mouse early embryo development.

Enhancer-derived RNAs (eRNAs) play critical roles in diverse biological processes by facilitating their target gene expression. However, the abundance and function of eRNAs in early embryos are not clear. Here, we present a comprehensive eRNA atlas by systematically integrating publicly available datasets of mouse early embryos.

The current perspective and opportunities of small nucleic acid-based therapeutics.

Compared to traditional small molecule and antibody drugs, RNA-based drugs offer a simple design, short research and development cycles, high specificity, broad treatment fields, and long-term efficacy. As a result, RNA-based drugs are extensively used to treat genetic diseases, tumors, viral infections, and other illnesses, suggesting that they have the potential to become the third-largest drug class after small molecule and antibody drugs. Currently, more than 10 small nucleic acid drugs have gained regulatory approval.

Therapeutic factors and biomaterial-based delivery tools for degenerative intervertebral disc repair.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain (LBP), which significantly impacts global wellbeing and contributes to global productivity declines. Conventional treatment approaches, encompassing conservative and surgical interventions, merely serve to postpone the advancement of IDD without offering a fundamental reversal. Consequently, there is an urgent demand for an effective approach to prevent the progression of IDD.

First-in-human study of PSMA-targeting agent, [F]AlF-P16-093: dosimetry and initial evaluation in prostate cancer patients.

Purpose: This is a first-in-human study to evaluate the radiation dosimetry of a new prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radiopharmaceutical, [F]AlF-P16-093, and also initial investigation of its ability to detect PSMA-positive tumors using PET scans in a cohort of prostate cancer (PCa) patients.

Methods: The [F]AlF-P16-093 was automatically synthesized with a GE TRACERlab. A total of 23 patients with histopathologically proven PCa were prospectively enrolled.

Intravenous Senescent Erythrocyte Vaccination Modulates Adaptive Immunity and Splenic Complement Production.

Targeted delivery of vaccines to the spleen remains a challenge. Inspired by the erythrophagocytotic process in the spleen, we herein report that intravenous administration of senescent erythrocyte-based vaccines profoundly alters their tropism toward splenic antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for imprinting adaptive immune responses. Compared with subcutaneous inoculation, intravenous vaccination significantly upregulated splenic complement expression and demonstrated synergistic antibody killing .

Application and development of hydrogel biomaterials for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration: a literature review.

Low back pain caused by disc herniation and spinal stenosis imposes an enormous medical burden on society due to its high prevalence and refractory nature. This is mainly due to the long-term inflammation and degradation of the extracellular matrix in the process of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), which manifests as loss of water in the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the formation of fibrous disc fissures. Biomaterial repair strategies involving hydrogels play an important role in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Schistosome egg-derived extracellular vesicles deliver Sja-miR-71a inhibits host macrophage and neutrophil extracellular traps via targeting Sema4D.

Background: Macrophages and neutrophils are rapidly recruited around Schistosome eggs to form granulomas. Extracellular traps (ETs) of macrophages and neutrophils are part of the pathogen clearance armamentarium of leukocytes. Schistosome eggs possess the ability to resist attack by the host's immune cells and survive by employing various immune evasion mechanisms, including the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Regulating inflammation and apoptosis: A smart microgel gene delivery system for repairing degenerative nucleus pulposus.

The progression of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is attributed to the gradual exacerbation of cellular apoptosis and impaired extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, both of which are induced by progressive inflammation. Therefore, it is crucial to address the inflammatory microenvironment and rectify the excessive apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) to achieve intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration. In this study, we devised a smart microgel gene delivery system that incorporates functionalized gene nanoparticles (NPs) for the purpose of IVD regeneration.

Comprehensive Profile of Pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance in Conjunctivitis Cases from Niger.

Infectious conjunctivitis outbreaks remain a public health burden. This study focuses on the pathogen and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles identified in Niger. Sixty-two patients with acute infectious conjunctivitis who presented to health posts were enrolled from December 2021 to May 2022.