Progress in application of nanomedicines for enhancing cancer sono-immunotherapy.

Cancer immunotherapy has significant potential as a cancer treatment since it boosts the immune system and prevents immune escape to get rid of or fight cancers. However, its clinical applicability is still limited because of the low response rate and immune-related side effects. Recently ultrasound has been shown to alter the tumor immune microenvironment, enhance the effectiveness of other antitumor therapies, and cause tumors to become more sensitive to immunotherapy, thus providing new insights into cancer treatment.

Inhibition of M. tuberculosis and human ATP synthase by BDQ and TBAJ-587.

Bedaquiline (BDQ), a first-in-class diarylquinoline anti-tuberculosis drug, and its analogue, TBAJ-587, prevent the growth and proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by inhibiting ATP synthase. However, BDQ also inhibits human ATP synthase. At present, how these compounds interact with either M.

Ultrasound-augmented cancer immunotherapy.

Cancer is a growing worldwide health problem with the most broadly studied treatments, in which immunotherapy has made notable advancements in recent years. However, innumerable patients have presented a poor response to immunotherapy and simultaneously experienced immune-related adverse events, with failed therapeutic results and increased mortality rates. Consequently, it is crucial to develop alternate tactics to boost therapeutic effects without producing negative side effects.

The relationship between sarcopenia and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease among the young and middle-aged populations.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been proposed as a new term for diagnosing fatty liver disease, which is considered to be a multi-systemic disease with multiple extrahepatic manifestations, including sarcopenia. The link between sarcopenia and MAFLD remains uncertain, especially among young and middle-aged adults. Thus, we examined the relationship between MAFLD and sarcopenia in young and middle-aged individuals in this study.

Structure of the human ATP synthase.

Biological energy currency ATP is produced by FF-ATP synthase. However, the molecular mechanism for human ATP synthase action remains unknown. Here, we present snapshot images for three main rotational states and one substate of human ATP synthase using cryoelectron microscopy.

Structure of the human respiratory complex II.

Human complex II is a key protein complex that links two essential energy-producing processes: the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Deficiencies due to mutagenesis have been shown to cause mitochondrial disease and some types of cancers. However, the structure of this complex is yet to be resolved, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the functional aspects of this molecular machine.

Somatic variants of MAP3K3 are sufficient to cause cerebral and spinal cord cavernous malformations.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) and spinal cord cavernous malformations (SCCMs) are common vascular abnormalities of the CNS that can lead to seizure, haemorrhage and other neurological deficits. Approximately 85% of patients present with sporadic (versus congenital) CCMs. Somatic mutations in MAP3K3 and PIK3CA were recently reported in patients with sporadic CCM, yet it remains unknown whether MAP3K3 mutation is sufficient to induce CCMs.

The direct catalytic synthesis of ultrasmall CuO-coordinated carbon nitrides on ceria for multimodal antitumor therapy.

Engineering chem-/sono-/photo-multimodal antitumor therapies has become an efficient strategy to combat malignant tumors. However, the existence of hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment (TME) leads to limited sonodynamic or photodynamic efficiency because O is the key reactant during the process of generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, to design a desirable platform that can simultaneously convert HO in the TME into ROS and O for efficient chem-/sono-/photo-multimodal tumor therapies, we have created ultrasmall CuO-coordinated carbon nitride on a biocompatible ceria substrate (denoted as CuO-CN@CeO) a self-assisted catalytic growth strategy.

Ultrasound-derived muscle assessment system for older adults: a promising muscle mass estimation tool.

Background: Quantitative assessment of muscle mass is a critical step in sarcopenia disease management. Expanding upon the use of ultrasound in foetal growth assessment, we established and validated an ultrasound-derived muscle assessment system for older adults at a risk of sarcopenia.

Methods: A total of 669 older adults were recruited in three cohorts in this cross-sectional study.

A systematic observation of vasodynamics from different segments along the cerebral vasculature in the penumbra zone of awake mice following cerebral ischemia and recanalization.

Different segments of the cerebral vascular network may react distinctly to brain ischemia and recanalization. However, there are limited systematic observations of these vascular responses in mice under a physiological state following ischemic stroke. Herein, we aimed to investigate the vasodynamics among several segments along the cerebral vessels in awake mice following cerebral ischemia/recanalization via two-photon imaging.

e-TSN: an interactive visual exploration platform for target-disease knowledge mapping from literature.

Target discovery and identification processes are driven by the increasing amount of biomedical data. The vast numbers of unstructured texts of biomedical publications provide a rich source of knowledge for drug target discovery research and demand the development of specific algorithms or tools to facilitate finding disease genes and proteins. Text mining is a method that can automatically mine helpful information related to drug target discovery from massive biomedical literature.

VRPharmer: bringing virtual reality into pharmacophore-based virtual screening with interactive exploration and realistic visualization.

Summary: Current pharmacophore-based virtual screening (VS) software has limited interactive capabilities and less intuitive screening processes. In this study, a novel tool named VRPharmer is proposed to perform the entire VS workflow in VR environments. VRPharmer enables users to interactively perceive computation processes and immersively observe molecular structures.

A Broad Antiviral Strategy: Inhibitors of Human DHODH Pave the Way for Host-Targeting Antivirals against Emerging and Re-Emerging Viruses.

New strategies to rapidly develop broad-spectrum antiviral therapies are urgently required for emerging and re-emerging viruses. Host-targeting antivirals (HTAs) that target the universal host factors necessary for viral replication are the most promising approach, with broad-spectrum, foresighted function, and low resistance. We and others recently identified that host dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is one of the universal host factors essential for the replication of many acute-infectious viruses.

SNHG1/miR-145-5p/KLF5 Axis Participates in Regulating the Proliferation and Migration of Oral Squamous Cell Cancer.

We aimed to clarify the molecular mechanism of lncRNA SNHG1 in regulating the OSCC process. Clinical samples of OSCC were collected for detecting the differential level of SNHG1 by qRT-PCR. Pathological indexes of OSCC patients were analyzed for uncovering the prognostic value of SNHG1.

Homology and Immune Checkpoint Dual-Targeted Sonocatalytic Nanoagents for Enhancing Sonodynamic Tumor Therapy.

Sonocatalytic nanoagents (SCNs), a kind of sonosensitizers, could catalyze oxygen to generate abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) under stimulations of noninvasive and deep-penetrating ultrasound (US), which is commonly used for sonodynamic therapy (SDT) of tumors such as malignant melanoma. However, poor bioavailability of most SCNs and fast quenching of extracellular-generating ROS from SDT limit further applications of SCNs in the SDT of tumors. Herein, we synthesized a new kind of TiO-based SCN functionalized with the malignant melanoma cell membrane (B16F10M) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 antibody (aPD-L1) for homology and immune checkpoint dual-targeted and enhanced sonodynamic tumor therapy.

Mechanism of persulfate activation by biochar for the catalytic degradation of antibiotics: Synergistic effects of environmentally persistent free radicals and the defective structure of biochar.

The abuse of antibiotics threatens the water environment and human health. Green treatment method is needed to degrade antibiotics such as biochar. Few studies have examined the environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) and defective structure of biochar during the biochar-mediated catalytic degradation of antibiotics.

Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Meta-analysis.

Background: Achilles tendinopathy is a frequent sports injury, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been proposed as a treatment.

Purpose: To compare outcomes between ESWT and other nonsurgical intervention (including sham shock wave therapy) in Achilles tendinopathy patients.

Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 2.

Nitro-oleic acid inhibits the high glucose-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in peritoneal mesothelial cells and attenuates peritoneal fibrosis.

As an electrophilic nitroalkene fatty acid, nitro-oleic acid (OA-NO) exerts multiple biological effects that contribute to anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, and antiapoptosis. However, little is known about the role of OA-NO in peritoneal fibrosis. Thus, in the present study, we examined the effects of OA-NO on the high glucose (HG)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) and evaluated the morphological and immunohistochemical changes in a rat model of peritoneal dialysis-related peritoneal fibrosis.

[Research progress of scaffold materials for tissue engineered meniscus].

Objective: To summarize and analyze the research progress of scaffold materials used in tissue engineered meniscus.

Methods: The classification and bionics design of scaffold materials were summarized by consulting domestic and foreign literature related to the research of tissue engineered meniscus in recent years.

Results: Tissue engineered meniscus scaffolds can be roughly classified into synthetic polymers, hydrogels, extracellular matrix components, and tissue derived materials.

Relation of the -- Operon and the Gene to the Intracellular Survival of Serovar Typhimurium.

is the genus of Gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogens that have the ability to infect large numbers of animal or human hosts. The gene is associated with intracellular survival based on ortholog screening and identification. In this study, the λ-Red recombination system was used to construct gene deletion strains and to investigate whether the identified operon was related to intracellular survival.

Microorganisms and typical organic matter responsible for lacustrine "black bloom".

Identifying the causation of the black substance in lacustrine "black bloom" is of great significance for forecasting and preventing black bloom in many waters of the world. In this research, an array of black bloom was simulated in a laboratory to investigate how microorganisms and organic matter affect black bloom. Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are the main biological factor, and protein is the key organic factor contributing to lacustrine black bloom.

[Black water bloom induced by different types of organic matters and forming mechanisms of major odorous compounds].

Self-made glass reactors were employed to study the occurrence of black water bloom induced by different types of organic matters, to clarify the precursor of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs), and then to preliminarily study its degradation mechanisms under laboratory-controlled conditions. Our research indicated that provided organic matrix were as high as 1.0 g x L(-1), all organic matters could blacken the lake water regardless of sulfur appearance or not.