Biological age prediction using a DNN model based on pathways of steroidogenesis.

Aging involves the progressive accumulation of cellular damage, leading to systemic decline and age-related diseases. Despite advances in medicine, accurately predicting biological age (BA) remains challenging due to the complexity of aging processes and the limitations of current models. This study introduces a method for predicting BA using a deep neural network (DNN) based on pathways of steroidogenesis.

CT-based multi-regional radiomics model for predicting contrast medium extravasation in patients with tumors: A case-control study.

Objective: To develop a non-contrast CT based multi-regional radiomics model for predicting contrast medium (CM) extravasation in patients with tumors.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of non-contrast CT scans from 282 tumor patients across two medical centers led to the development of a radiomics model, using 157 patients for training, 68 for validation, and 57 from an external center as an independent test cohort. The different volumes of interest from right common carotid artery/right internal jugular vein, right subclavian artery/vein and thoracic aorta were delineated.

Conformational reorganization and phase separation drive hyper-editing of ADR-2-ADBP-1 complex.

Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) proteins, which mediate adenosine-to-inosine editing of double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) substrates, play essential roles in balancing innate immunity. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, we solved the structure of the Caenorhabditis elegans ADR-2-ADBP-1 complex (stoichiometric ratio, 2:2), which is an asymmetric ADR-2 dimer with one editing site blocked by the other ADR-2. Unexpectedly, dsRNA recruitment triggered dissociation of the ADR-2 dimer, exposing more competent dsRNA editing sites.

Single-cell RNA transcriptome uncovers distinct developmental trajectories in the embryonic skeletal muscle of Daheng broiler and Tibetan chicken.

Different chicken breeds exhibit distinct muscle phenotypes resulting from selective breeding, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms responsible for this phenotypic difference. Skeletal muscle is composed of a large number of heterogeneous cell populations. Differences in differentiation and interaction of cell populations play a key role in the difference of skeletal muscle phenotype.

Improving thickening and emulsification performances of cellulose nanocrystals by alkylation modification for enhanced oil recovery.

Improving the thickening and emulsification performances of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) is crucial for their effective application in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In this study, three kinds of amphiphilic C-CNCs (n = 8, 12 and 16, n represents the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain) were successfully prepared by alkylation-modified CNCs. Compared to CNCs, C-CNCs exhibited a stronger performance of thickening the viscosity of aqueous phase, especially C-CNCs.

Regulation of ofloxacin resistance in strains causing calf diarrhea by quorum-sensing acyl-homoserine lactone signaling molecules.

is a major pathogen responsible for calf diarrhea. However, it has developed resistance to many antimicrobial drugs for their inappropriate usage. The bacterial quorum sensing system transmits information between bacteria, it's important in regulating bacterial virulence, drug and acid resistance and so on.

Semi-rational evolution of a recombinant DNA polymerase for modified nucleotide incorporation efficiency.

Engineering improved B-family DNA polymerases to catalyze 3'-O-modified nucleotide reversible terminators is limited by an insufficient understanding of the structural determinants that define polymerization efficiency. To explore the key mechanism for unnatural nucleotide incorporation, we engineered a B-family DNA polymerase from Thermococcus Kodakaraenis (KOD pol) by using semi-rational design strategies. We first scanned the active pocket of KOD pol through site-directed saturation mutagenesis and combinatorial mutations and identified a variant Mut_C2 containing five mutation sites (D141A, E143A, L408I, Y409A, A485E) using a high-throughput microwell-based screening method.

Rethinking the Cucurbitane-Type Triterpenoid Profile of Bitter Gourd ( L.): The Chemical Transformation of Momordicine I in Solution.

L., commonly known as bitter gourd, is a popular vegetable and medical herb in many countries. The most characteristic phytochemical profile of bitter gourd is its high content of cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, which are responsible for its bitter taste and therapeutic potential.

The state-of-the-art in cardiac MRI reconstruction: Results of the CMRxRecon challenge in MICCAI 2023.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides detailed and quantitative evaluation of the heart's structure, function, and tissue characteristics with high-resolution spatial-temporal imaging. However, its slow imaging speed and motion artifacts are notable limitations. Undersampling reconstruction, especially data-driven algorithms, has emerged as a promising solution to accelerate scans and enhance imaging performance using highly under-sampled data.

STAT3 Inhibition Prevents Adaptive Resistance and Augments NK Cell Cytotoxicity to KRAS Inhibitors in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer.

KRAS inhibitors exhibit conspicuous clinical response in KRAS-mutant lung cancer, yet adaptive resistance, the rapid onset of intrinsic resistance, dampens their therapeutic success. Rational combination strategies could tackle this challenging problem. A high-throughput screening of a pharmacological library with 423 compounds revealed that napabucasin, a signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor, synergistically potentiated the growth inhibition effect of the KRAS inhibitor sotorasib in sensitive and resistant KRAS NSCLC cell lines.

Nogo-A Protein Mediates Oxidative Stress and Synaptic Damage Induced by High-Altitude Hypoxia in the Rat Hippocampus.

Objective: High-altitude hypoxia exposure often damages hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Nogo-A is an important axonal growth inhibitory factor. However, its function in high-altitude hypoxia and its mechanism of action remain unclear.

MiR-222-3p loaded stem cell nanovesicles repair myocardial ischemia damage via inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Aims: Mitochondrial oxidative stress (MOS) is a key contributor to poor cardiac function and a major driver of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). Our previous research demonstrated that stem cell-derived nanovesicles (NVs) enhanced cardiac function following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We constructed and characterized miR-222-3p-loaded NVs.

Evaluation and practical application of prompt-driven ChatGPTs for EMR generation.

This study investigates the application of prompt engineering to optimize prompt-driven ChatGPT for generating electronic medical records (EMRs) during lung nodule screening. We assessed the performance of ChatGPT in generating EMRs from patient-provider verbal consultations and integrated this approach into practical tools, such as WeChat mini-programs, accessible to patients before hospital visits. The findings highlight ChatGPT's potential to enhance workflow efficiency and improve diagnostic processes in clinical settings.

Ustekinumab is safe and effective in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease.

Objectives: Real-world data on ustekinumab for the treatment of pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) are limited. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness, long-term durability, and safety of ustekinumab in the treatment of children with CD.

Methods: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study of children with CD treated with ustekinumab from two large centers between 2015 and 2020 was performed.

Spermidine enhances the heat tolerance of by promoting mitochondrial respiration driven by fatty acid β-oxidation.

Unlabelled: High temperature is an unavoidable environmental stress that generally exerts detrimental effects on organisms and has widespread effects on metabolism. Spermidine is an important member of the polyamines family and is involved in a range of abiotic stress responses in plants. Mitochondria play an essential role in cellular homeostasis and are key components of the stress response.

Circular RNA circBNC2 inhibits tumorigenesis by modulating ferroptosis and acts as a nanotherapeutic target in prostate cancer.

Background: Metastasis is a leading cause of cancer-related death in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of the metastasis of various cancers. However, the functional effects and regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in metastatic CRPC (mCRPC) remain largely unknown.

Exploring the impact of nano platinum-hydrogen saline on oxygen-induced retinopathy in neonatal rats.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the impact of nano platinum-hydrogen saline (Pt NPs + H) on oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) in neonatal rats, with the goal to contribute new insights into the therapeutic strategies for retinopathy of prematurity.

Methods: Pt NPs + H formulation was synthesized to address OIR in a rat model. Subsequent examination included the assessment of retinal blood vessel distribution and morphology through hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and isolectin B4 (IB4) staining techniques.

[Clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level in children with IgA vasculitis nephritis].

Objectives: To study the significance of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D] level in the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children with IgAVN who underwent renal biopsy at Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University and Jinling Hospital of the Medical School of Nanjing University from June 2015 to June 2020. Based on serum 25-(OH)D level, the patients were divided into a normal group and a lower group.

The impact of aging on neutrophil functions and the contribution to periodontitis.

The increasing aging population and aging-associated diseases have become a global issue for decades. People over 65 show an increased prevalence and greater severity of periodontitis, which poses threats to overall health. Studies have demonstrated a significant association between aging and the dysfunction of neutrophils, critical cells in the early stages of periodontitis, and their crosstalk with macrophages and T and B lymphocytes to establish the periodontal lesion.

Complementary Circuits with WSe/Organic Semiconductor Heterostructure Field-Effect Transistors.

A device architecture based on heterostructure WSe/organic semiconductor field-effect transistors (FETs) is demonstrated in which ambipolar conduction is virtually eliminated, resulting in essentially unipolar FETs realized from an ambipolar semiconductor. For p-channel FETs, an electron-accepting organic semiconductor such as hexadecafluorocopperphthalocyanine (FCuPc) is used to form a heterolayer on top of WSe to effectively trap any undesirable electron currents. For n-channel FETs, a hole-accepting organic semiconductor such as pentacene is used to reduce the hole currents without affecting the electron currents.

The Effect of PCSK9 Monoclonal Antibodies on Platelet Reactivity and Cardiovascular Events in Patients Receiving Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have demonstrated promising effects in lowering cardiovascular incidents among patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, their influence on early platelet reactivity after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) remains unclear.

Objectives: This research sought to investigate the effects of entirely human anti-PCSK9 antibodies on platelet function as measured by thrombelastography and 12-month postoperative results in patients receiving PPCI and treated with ticagrelor-based dual antiplatelet therapy.

DACH-Based Chiral Sensing Platforms as Tunable Benzamide-Chiral Solvating Agents for NMR Enantioselective Discrimination.

Chiral discrimination is an indispensable tool that has pivotal importance in the assignment of absolute configuration and determination of enantiomeric excess in chiral compounds. A series of enantiomerically pure -1,2-diaminocyclohexane (-DACH)-derived benzamides were first synthesized by simple chemical steps, and 14 variated derivatives have been assessed as NMR chiral solvating agents (CSAs) for discrimination of the signals of mandelic acid (MA) in H NMR analysis. The highly efficient chiral recognition of CSA on different substrates, including MAs, carboxylic acids, amino acid derivatives, and phosphoric acids (32 examples), was expanded via H, F, and P NMR spectroscopy.

A subtype specific probe for targeted magnetic resonance imaging of M2 tumor-associated macrophages in brain tumors.

Pro-tumoral M2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a critical role in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), making them an important therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Approaches for imaging and monitoring M2 TAMs, as well as tracking their changes in response to tumor progression or treatment are highly sought-after but remain underdeveloped. Here, we report an M2-targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probe based on sub-5 nm ultrafine iron oxide nanoparticles (uIONP), featuring an anti-biofouling coating to prevent non-specific macrophage uptake and an M2-specific peptide ligand (M2pep) for active targeting of M2 TAMs.

Colon-Targeted Ginseng Polysaccharides-Based Microspheres for Improving Ulcerative Colitis via Anti-Inflammation and Gut Microbiota Modulation.

Natural plant-derived polysaccharides exhibit substantial potential for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) owing to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and favorable safety profiles. However, their practical application faces several challenges, including structural instability in gastric acid, imprecise targeting of inflamed regions, and limited intestinal retention times. To address these limitations, pH-responsive, colon-targeting microspheres (pWGPAC MSs) are developed for delivering phosphorylated wild ginseng polysaccharides (pWGP) to alleviate UC.