Combining Hard Shell with Soft Core to Enhance Enzyme Activity and Resist External Disturbances.

Immobilizing enzymes onto solid supports having enhanced catalytic activity and resistance to harsh external conditions is considered as a promising and critical method of broadening enzymatic applications in biosensing, biocatalysis, and biomedical devices; however, it is considerably hampered by limited strategies. Here, a core-shell strategy involving a soft-core hexahistidine metal assembly (HmA) is innovatively developed and characterized with encapsulated enzymes (catalase (CAT), horseradish peroxidase, glucose oxidase (GOx), and cascade enzymes (CAT+GOx)) and hard porous shells (zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), ZIF-8, ZIF-67, ZIF-90, calcium carbonate, and hydroxyapatite). The enzyme-friendly environment provided by the embedded HmA proves beneficial for enhanced catalytic activity, which is particularly effective in preserving fragile enzymes that will have been deactivated without the HmA core during the mineralization of porous shells.

Photobiomodulation Combined With Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Modulates the Polarization of Microglia.

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, with microglia regulating this process through pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes. Studies have shown that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) modulate neuroinflammation by secreting anti-inflammatory cytokines. Photobiomodulation (PBM), a non-invasive therapy, has demonstrated significant potential in alleviating neuroinflammation.

3D-Printed Myocardium-Specific Structure Enhances Maturation and Therapeutic Efficacy of Engineered Heart Tissue in Myocardial Infarction.

Despite advancements in engineered heart tissue (EHT), challenges persist in achieving accurate dimensional accuracy of scaffolds and maturing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), a primary source of functional cardiac cells. Drawing inspiration from cardiac muscle fiber arrangement, a three-dimensional (3D)-printed multi-layered microporous polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold is created with interlayer angles set at 45° to replicate the precise structure of native cardiac tissue. Compared with the control group and 90° PCL scaffolds, the 45° PCL scaffolds exhibited superior biocompatibility for cell culture and improved hiPSC-CM maturation in calcium handling.

Improved Efficacy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Immunotherapy via Hydrogel-Based Co-Delivery of CAR-T Cells and Mitophagy Agonist.

Leaky and structurally abnormal blood vessels and increased pressure in the tumor interstitium reduce the infiltration of CAR-T cells in solid tumors, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Furthermore, high burden of tumor cells may cause reduction of infiltrating CAR-T cells and their functional exhaustion. In this study, various effector-to-target (E:T) ratio experiments are established to model the treatment using CAR-T cells in leukemia (high E:T ratio) and solid tumor (low E:T ratio).

Universal Hydrogel Carrier Enhances Bone Graft Success: Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation.

Orthopedic, maxillofacial, and complex dentoalveolar bone grafting procedures that require donor-site bone harvesting can be associated with post-surgical complications. There has been widespread adoption of exogenously sourced particulate bone graft materials (BGM) for bone regenerative procedures; however, the particulate nature of these materials may lead to compromised healing outcomes, mainly attributed to structural collapse of the BGM, prolonged tissue healing. In this study, a fully synthetic thermoresponsive hydrogel-based universal carrier matrix (TX) that forms flowable and shapable putties with different BGMs while spatially preserving the particles in a 3D scaffold at the implantation site is introduced.

Intermittent Fasting Ameliorates β-Amyloid Deposition and Cognitive Impairment Accompanied by Decreased Lipid Droplet Aggregation Within Microglia in an Alzheimer's Disease Model.

Scope: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia, lack of effective therapeutic interventions. In this study, we investigate the impact of intermittent fasting (IF), an alternative strategy of calorie restriction, on cognitive functions and AD-like pathology in a transgenic mouse model of AD.

Methods And Results: APP/PS1 mice at 6 months were randomly allocated to two dietary groups: one receiving ad libitum (AL) feeding and the other undergoing IF for 1 month.

Women's health care committee, Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology: Annual report-2024.

The Women's Health Care Committee was established in 2010 to improve the health of women. In the current academic year, this committee established seven subcommittees aimed at understanding diseases related to various age groups of women, including adolescence, sexual maturity, and menopause, and promoting research to improve the quality of life. Additionally, socially significant research has focused on infections, particularly resistant bacteria.

Mineral Stress Drives Loss of Heterochromatin: An Early Harbinger of Vascular Inflammaging and Calcification.

Background: Vascular calcification is a detrimental aging pathology markedly accelerated in patients with chronic kidney disease. Prelamin A is a biomarker of vascular smooth muscle cell aging that accelerates calcification however the mechanisms remain undefined.

Methods: Vascular smooth muscle cells were transduced with prelamin A using an adenoviral vector and epigenetic modifications were monitored using immunofluorescence and targeted polymerase chain reaction array.

Detection of clinically relevant variants in the gene below 10% allelic frequency: A multicenter study by ERIC, the European Research Initiative on CLL.

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the reliability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect variants ≤10% allelic frequency (low-VAF) is debated. We tested the ability to detect 23 such variants in 41 different laboratories using their NGS method of choice. The sensitivity was 85.

Assessment of the magnitude, economic impact, and factors associated with expired veterinary pharmaceuticals in animal health facilities in South Wollo, Ethiopia.

Background: The issue of veterinary pharmaceutical expiration is a significant concern in animal health facilities globally. The existence of veterinary pharmaceutical expiration can be mainly associated with inadequate inventory control, store management, and a lack of effective pharmaceutical regulatory policies and guidelines. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate expired veterinary pharmaceuticals' scope, economic impact, and contributing factors.

Co-methylation networks associated with cognition and structural brain development during adolescence.

Introduction: Typical adolescent neurodevelopment is marked by decreases in grey matter (GM) volume, increases in myelination, measured by fractional anisotropy (FA), and improvement in cognitive performance.

Methods: To understand how epigenetic changes, methylation (DNAm) in particular, may be involved during this phase of development, we studied cognitive assessments, DNAm from saliva, and neuroimaging data from a longitudinal cohort of normally developing adolescents, aged nine to fourteen. We extracted networks of methylation with patterns of correlated change using a weighted gene correlation network analysis (WCGNA).

Confronting allergies: strategies for combating pollution and safeguarding our health.

Increasing evidence demonstrates a robust link between environmental pollutants and allergic reactions, with air and indoor pollution exacerbating respiratory allergies and climate change intensifying seasonal allergies. Comprehensive action, including government regulations, public awareness, and individual efforts, is essential to mitigate pollution's impact on allergies and safeguard public health and ecological balance. Recent findings indicate a strong correlation between environmental pollutants and allergic reactions, with air pollution from vehicular emissions and industrial activities exacerbating respiratory allergies like asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Sex hormones and allergies: exploring the gender differences in immune responses.

Allergies are closely associated with sex-related hormonal variations that influence immune function, leading to distinct symptom profiles. Similar sex-based differences are observed in other immune disorders, such as autoimmune diseases. In allergies, women exhibit a higher prevalence of atopic conditions, such as allergic asthma and eczema, in comparison to men.

Pandemic one health clones of and producing CTX-M-14, CTX-M-27, CTX-M-55 and CTX-M-65 ESβLs among companion animals in northern Ecuador.

From a One Health perspective, dogs and cats have begun to be recognized as important reservoirs for clinically significant multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and genomic features of ESβL producing Enterobacterales isolated from dogs, in the province of Imbabura, Ecuador. We identified four isolates expressing ESβLs from healthy and diseased animals.

Usefulness of preprocedural 3-dimensional computed tomography planning in assisting one-stage pulmonary veins isolation with concomitant left atrial appendage occlusion procedure: A pilot study.

Background: The optimal imaging modality for selecting the device size in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing one-stop left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with concomitant pulmonary vein isolation (PVi) remains undefined. We compared preprocedural 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) with intra-procedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and left atrial appendage (LAA) angiography in guiding one-stage PVi and LAAO.

Methods: We measured the LAA ostium diameter using an interactive 3D CT system with a central line-based approach and compared these measurements with those from intra-procedural TEE and angiography, and the actual device size.

Clinical phenotype and trio whole exome sequencing data from a patient with glycogen storage disease IV in Indonesia.

Glycogen storage disease type IV (GSD IV) is a rare disease caused by a defect in glycogen branching enzyme 1 (GBE1), which played a crucial role in glycogen branching. GSD IV occurs once in approximately 1 in every 760,000 to 960,000 live births and is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Early diagnosis of GSD IV is challenging due to non-specific symptoms, such as liver and spleen enlargement, which can overlap with other hematologic and hepatobiliary disorders.

Novel one-step lignin microsphere preparation for oral tissue regeneration applications.

Lignin is a naturally derived biomacromolecule with excellent biocompatibility and the potential for biomedical application. For the first time, this study isolated nanosized lignin microspheres (LMSs) directly from wheat straw with a polyol-based deep eutectic solvent. The size of these LMSs can be regulated by changing the isolation parameters, ranging from 90 nm to 330 nm.

Uvaol attenuates TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human alveolar epithelial cells by modulating expression and membrane localization of β-catenin.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process in which epithelial cells change into mesenchymal cells with fibroblast-like characteristics. EMT plays a crucial role in the progression of fibrosis. Classical inducers associated with the maintenance of EMT, such as TGF-β1, have become targets of several anti-EMT therapeutic strategies.

Application of MRI image segmentation algorithm for brain tumors based on improved YOLO.

Objective: To assist in the rapid clinical identification of brain tumor types while achieving segmentation detection, this study investigates the feasibility of applying the deep learning YOLOv5s algorithm model to the segmentation of brain tumor magnetic resonance images and optimizes and upgrades it on this basis.

Methods: The research institute utilized two public datasets of meningioma and glioma magnetic resonance imaging from Kaggle. Dataset 1 contains a total of 3,223 images, and Dataset 2 contains 216 images.

Chemokine associations with blood cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier permeability and delirium.

Delirium is a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric syndrome characterised by acute and fluctuating impairments in attention and cognition. Mechanisms driving delirium are poorly understood but it has been suggested that blood cytokines and chemokines cross the blood brain barrier during delirium, directly impairing brain function. It is not known whether these molecules reach higher brain levels when the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) is impaired.

Innovative bioinks for 3D bioprinting: Exploring technological potential and regulatory challenges.

The field of three dimensional (3D) bioprinting has witnessed significant advancements, with bioinks playing a crucial role in enabling the fabrication of complex tissue constructs. This review explores the innovative bioinks that are currently shaping the future of 3D bioprinting, focusing on their composition, functionality, and potential for tissue engineering, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. The development of bioinks, incorporating natural and synthetic materials, offers unprecedented opportunities for personalized medicine.

Advanced 3D bioprinted liver models with human-induced hepatocytes for personalized toxicity screening.

The development of advanced models for assessing liver toxicity and drug responses is crucial for personalized medicine and preclinical drug development. 3D bioprinting technology provides opportunities to create human liver models that are suitable for conducting high-throughput screening for liver toxicity. In this study, we fabricated a humanized liver model using human-induced hepatocytes (hiHeps) derived from human fibroblasts via a rapid and efficient reprogramming process.

Ethics of Procuring and Using Organs or Tissue from Infants and Newborns for Transplantation, Research, or Commercial Purposes: Protocol for a Bioethics Scoping Review.

Unlabelled: Since the inception of transplantation, it has been crucial to ensure that organ or tissue donations are made with valid informed consent to avoid concerns about coercion or exploitation. This issue is particularly challenging when it comes to infants and younger children, insofar as they are unable to provide consent. Despite their vulnerability, infants' organs and tissues are considered valuable for biomedical purposes due to their size and unique properties.

Functional connectivity analyses of individual hippocampal subregions in major depressive disorder with electroconvulsive therapy.

Background: The hippocampus has been widely reported to be involved in the neuropathology of major depressive disorder (MDD). All the previous researches adopted group-level hippocampus subregions atlas to investigate abnormal functional connectivities in MDD in absence of capturing individual variability. In addition, the molecular basis of functional impairments of hippocampal subregions in MDD remains elusive.