Prevalence and risk factors for long COVID among cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The prevalence of long COVID among cancer patients remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of long COVID and explore potential risk factors among cancer patients.

Methods: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase from database inception until 21 March 2024, to identify studies that reported long COVID in cancer patients.

SLC25A1 and ACLY maintain cytosolic acetyl-CoA and regulate ferroptosis susceptibility via FSP1 acetylation.

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death characterized by excessive lipid hydroperoxides accumulation, emerges as a promising target in cancer therapy. Among the solute carrier (SLC) superfamily, the cystine/glutamate transporter system antiporter components SLC3A2 and SLC7A11 are known to regulate ferroptosis by facilitating cystine import for ferroptosis inhibition. However, the contribution of additional SLC superfamily members to ferroptosis remains poorly understood.

Gut Microbiota and Osteoarthritis: From Pathogenesis to Novel Therapeutic Opportunities.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic degenerative joint disease, characterized by cartilage damage, synovial inflammation, subchondral bone sclerosis, marginal bone loss, and osteophyte development. Clinical manifestations include inflammatory joint pain, swelling, osteophytes, and limitation of motion. The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis has not yet been fully uncovered.

Cognitive control in individuals with heroin use disorder after prolonged methadone maintenance treatment.

Background: Although impaired cognitive control is common during the acute detoxification phase of substance use disorders (SUD) and is considered a major cause of relapse, it remains unclear after prolonged methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). The aim of the present study was to elucidate cognitive control in individuals with heroin use disorder (HUD) after prolonged MMT and its association with previous relapse.

Methods: A total of 63 HUD subjects (41 subjects with previous relapse and 22 non-relapse subjects, mean MMT duration: 12.

Highly efficient construction of monkey blastoid capsules from aged somatic cells.

Blastoids-blastocyst-like structures created in vitro-emerge as a valuable model for early embryonic development research. Non-human primates stem cell-derived blastoids are an ethically viable alternative to human counterparts, yet the low formation efficiency of monkey blastoid cavities, typically below 30%, has limited their utility. Prior research has predominantly utilized embryonic stem cells.

A comprehensive review of the impact of anthocyanins from purple/black Rice on starch and protein digestibility, gut microbiota modulation, and their applications in food products.

This review explores the impact of anthocyanins derived from purple and black rice on starch and protein digestibility, gut microbiota modulation, and their applications in food production. Anthocyanins are shown to reduce starch digestibility by forming complexes with starch, thereby inhibiting key digestive enzymes. Additionally, they can influence protein digestion by inducing structural changes that enhance resistance to digestive processes.

Draft Genome of Naganishia uzbekistanensis from a Clinical Pulmonary Infection.

This study presents the first high-quality assembled genome of Naganishia uzbekistanensis, derived from a clinical isolate CY11558 obtained from a patient with a postoperative pulmonary infection. This work provides an improved reference assembly for downstream research and diagnosis of infections caused by this species.

iRGD-Targeted Biosynthetic Nanobubbles for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Osteosarcoma.

Purpose: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of the bone. However, there is a lack of effective means for early diagnosis due to the heterogeneity of tumors and the complexity of tumor microenvironment. αvβ3 integrin, a crucial role in the growth and spread of tumors, is not only an effective biomarker for cancer angiogenesis, but also highly expressed in many tumor cells.

Image-Based Analysis of Correlation Between Valve Stent Deformation and Valve Function in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background And Objectives: Currently, there remains a paucity of research on the deformation and valve function of transcatheter heart valves (THV) in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study aimed to thoroughly explore the correlation between THV deformation and postoperative hemodynamics in these patients.

Methods: In this study, we assessed 39 AR patients treated with the J-Valve THV system during TAVR.

ISCT MSC committee statement on the US FDA approval of allogenic bone-marrow mesenchymal stromal cells.

The December 2024 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Mesoblast's Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd)-allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC(M)) therapy-in pediatric acute steroid-refractory graft-versus-host-disease finally ended a long-lasting drought on approved MSC clinical products in the United States. While other jurisdictions-including Europe, Japan, India, and South Korea-have marketed autologous or allogeneic MSC products, the United States has lagged in its approval. The sponsor's significant efforts and investments, working closely with the FDA addressing concerns regarding clinical efficacy and consistent MSC potency through an iterative process that spanned several years, was rewarded with this landmark approval.

Energy metabolism, antioxidant defense system, metal transport, and ion homeostasis are key contributors to Cd tolerance in SSSL derived from wild rice.

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity poses major challenges to rice cultivation, affecting plant growth and development. Wild rice and nanoparticles offer promising strategies to enhance Cd tolerance, yet little is known about their combined effects. This study evaluates the single segment substitution line (SG004) from Oryza glumaepatula (wild rice) and its response to Cd stress compared to cultivated rice (HJX74).

Sand and dust storms: a growing global health threat calls for international health studies to support policy action.

Sand and dust storms increasingly threaten global environmental and public health. To date, 150 countries are directly affected, with more than 100 classified as non-dust source regions. With climate change, these storms are expected to become more frequent and severe.

Development and Evaluation of the Immunogenic Potential of an Unmodified Nucleoside mRNA Vaccine for Herpes Zoster.

Background/objectives: Approved mRNA vaccines commonly use sequences modified with pseudouridine to enhance translation efficiency and mRNA stability. However, this modification can result in ribosomal frameshifts, reduced immunogenicity, and higher production costs. This study aimed to explore the potential of unmodified mRNA sequences for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and evaluate whether codon optimization could overcome the limitations of pseudouridine modification.

Calcineurin governs baseline and homeostatic regulations of non-rapid eye movement sleep in mice.

Sleep need accumulates during waking and dissipates during sleep to maintain sleep homeostasis (process S). Besides the regulation of daily (baseline) sleep amount, homeostatic sleep regulation commonly refers to the universal phenomenon that sleep deprivation (SD) causes an increase of sleep need, hence, the amount and intensity of subsequent recovery sleep. The central regulators and signaling pathways that govern the baseline and homeostatic sleep regulations in mammals remain unclear.

Reproductive and Hormonal Factors and Thyroid Cancer Risk: Pooled Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

Given the female predominance of thyroid cancer (TC), particularly in the reproductive age range, female sex hormones have been proposed as an aetiology; however, previous epidemiological studies have shown conflicting results. We conducted a pooled analysis using individual data from 9 prospective cohorts in the Asia Cohort Consortium, to explore the association between 10 female reproductive and hormonal factors and TC risk. Using Cox proportional hazards models, cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated and then pooled using a random-effects model.

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae have better clinical outcomes than classical Klebsiella pneumoniae for lower respiratory tract infection patients.

Background: The clinical outcomes and microbiological features of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) caused by hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) and classical Klebsiella pneumoniae (cKp) have not been well understood.

Methods: This study collected 287 non-repetitive Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from 287 LRTI patients. All these strains underwent annotation for resistance and virulence factors, with 141 strains undergoing mouse infection experiments to assess their virulence.

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.

PTPN23-dependent activation of PI3KC2α is a therapeutic vulnerability of BRAF-mutant cancers.

BRAF mutations drive initiation and progression of various tumors. While BRAF inhibitors are effective in BRAF-mutant melanoma patients, intrinsic or acquired resistance to these therapies is common. Here, we identify non-receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase 23 (PTPN23) as an alternative effective target in BRAF-mutant cancer cells.

Prognostic impact of coronary microvascular dysfunction assessed by AMR in acute coronary syndrome patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Angiography-derived microcirculatory resistance (AMR) is proposed as a novel, pressure- temperature-wire-free and less-invasive method to evaluate coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). This study aims to examine the prognostic role of CMD assessed by AMR in predicting adverse events in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included ACS with CKD patients in the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from January 2016 to November 2022.

Barcoded screening identifies nanocarriers for protein delivery to kidney.

Targeted protein delivery with nanocarriers holds significant potential to enhance therapeutic outcomes by precisely directing proteins to specific organs or tissues. However, the complex interactions between nanocarriers and the biological environment pose considerable challenges in designing effective targeted delivery vehicles. In this study, we address this challenge by leveraging DNA-barcoded high-throughput screening.

A bibliometric analysis of optic atrophy from 2003 to 2023: research trends and hot spots.

Background: Optic atrophy (OA) is primarily caused by damage to the retinal pathway system, including widespread degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and axons, leading to visual impairment and blindness. Despite its clinical significance and diverse etiological factors, there is currently a lack of comprehensive bibliometric analyses exploring research trends and hotspots within this field.

Method: This study retrieved relevant literature on OA published between 2003 and 2023 from the Web of Science Core Collection database.

Palmitoylation-dependent regulation of GPX4 suppresses ferroptosis.

S-palmitoylation is a reversible and widespread post-translational modification, but its role in the regulation of ferroptosis has been poorly understood. Here, we elucidate that GPX4, an essential regulator of ferroptosis, is reversibly palmitoylated on cysteine 66. The acyltransferase ZDHHC20 palmitoylates GPX4 and increases its protein stability.

AlphaFold-based AI docking reveals AMPK/SIRT1-TFEB pathway modulation by traditional Chinese medicine in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a chronic, progressive disorder characterized by hepatic steatosis and excessive lipid accumulation. Its high global adult prevalence (approximately 50.7 %) is a significant concern worldwide.

Extracellular vesicle-mediated VEGF-A mRNA delivery rescues ischaemic injury with low immunogenicity.

Background And Aims: Lackluster results from recently completed gene therapy clinical trials of VEGF-A delivered by viral vectors have heightened the need to develop alternative delivery strategies. This study aims to demonstrate the pre-clinical efficacy and safety of extracellular vesicles (EVs) loaded with VEGF-A mRNA for the treatment of ischaemic vascular disease.

Methods: After encapsulation of full-length VEGF-A mRNA into fibroblast-derived EVs via cellular nanoporation (CNP), collected VEGF-A EVs were delivered into mouse models of ischaemic injury.

Association between chronic kidney disease and oxidative balance score: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018.

Background: The oxidative balance score (OBS) is a comprehensive concept that includes 16 dietary components and four lifestyle factors to assess an individual's exposure to pro-oxidants and antioxidants. This study aims to explore the relationship between OBS and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This cross-sectional study included nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants aged 18 and above from 2005 to 2018.