Novel Leech Antimicrobial Peptides, Hirunipins: Real-Time 3D Monitoring of Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Mechanisms Using Optical Diffraction Tomography.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising agents for treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Although discovering novel AMPs is crucial for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria and biofilm-related infections, their clinical potential relies on precise, real-time evaluation of efficacy, toxicity, and mechanisms. Optical diffraction tomography (ODT), a label-free imaging technology, enables real-time visualization of bacterial morphological changes, membrane damage, and biofilm formation over time.

Increased Risk of End-Stage Kidney Disease After Traumatic Amputation: Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: Amputation confers disabilities upon patients and is associated with substantial cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity and mortality. We aimed to compare the incidence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) between individuals with amputation and the general population.

Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study was performed using the Nationwide Health Insurance Service database for the period between 2010 and 2018.

Ancient DNA elucidates the migration and evolutionary history of northern and southern populations in East Asia.

Over the past decade, the continuous development of ancient genomic technology and research has significantly advanced our understanding of human history. Since 2017, large-scale studies of ancient human genomes in East Asia, particularly in China, have emerged, resulting in a wealth of ancient genomic data from various time periods and locations, which has provided new insights into the genetic history of East Asian populations over tens of thousands of years. Especially since 2022, there emerged a series of new research progresses in the genetic histories of the northern and southern Chinese populations within the past 10,000 years.

Evolving Therapeutic Strategies in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Advances and Perspectives.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is among the most prevalent forms of esophageal cancer globally, with a particularly high incidence in developing countries. Notably, Asia accounts for approximately 80% of global esophageal cancer cases, with China alone contributing to 54% of this burden. The primary treatment modality for ESCC remains esophagectomy, primarily employed for locally advanced disease, often in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for advanced-stage cases.

Therapeutic Potential of Hongjam in A Diethylnitrosamine and Thioacetamide-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mouse Model.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common and lethal type of primary liver cancer, frequently arising from chronic liver injury and inflammation. Despite treatment advancements, HCC prognosis remains poor, emphasizing the need for effective preventive and therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the hepatoprotective and anti-tumor effects of Hongjam, a steamed freeze-dried silkworm powder, in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and thioacetamide (TAA)-induced HCC mouse model.

Advances in Preventive and Therapeutic Strategies for Oral Cancer: A Short Review.

Oral cancer is a major global health concern, with high incidence and mortality rates, especially in high-risk populations. Early diagnosis remains a challenge, and current treatments, such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, have limited effectiveness, particularly in advanced stages. Recent advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy offer promising alternatives, providing more precise and personalized treatment options.

Triple-action cancer therapy using laser-activated NO-releasing metallomicellar nanophotosensitizer for pyroptosis-driven immune reprogramming.

Cancer photoimmunotherapy represents an intelligent and highly efficient therapeutic approach that harnesses the photothermal effect to precisely target and ablate tumor tissues, while simultaneously modulating the immune system to achieve tumor elimination. The integration of multifunctional therapeutic modalities for combined photoimmunotherapy requires advanced drug delivery systems. However, the design of a single nanoagent capable of serving as a multifunctional nanophotosensitizer remains a significant challenge.

Essential resources and best practices for laboratory mouse research.

The laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) is the most widely used mammalian model organism in biomedical and life science research. This concise guide aims to provide essential information to assist researchers new to working with mice, covering topics such as mouse husbandry, maintenance, and available resources for obtaining mouse strains and associated data. Additionally, we discuss ethical considerations, emphasizing the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement) to ensure responsible and humane research practices.

Targeting JNK3 for Alzheimer's disease: Design and synthesis of novel inhibitors with aryl group diversity utilizing wide pocket.

JNK3, a brain-specific stress-activated protein kinase, plays a critical role in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis through phosphorylation of Tau and APP. This study aimed to develop selective JNK3 inhibitors based on a pyrazole scaffold, focusing on (E)-1-(2-aminopyrimidin-4-yl)-4-styryl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide derivatives. Through systematic structural modifications and extensive SAR analysis, we identified compounds 24a and 26a as highly potent JNK3 inhibitors, with IC values of 12 and 19 nM, respectively.

Filter-assisted sample preparation for on-site detection using a bi-functional linker-based biosensor demonstrated with Escherichia coli O157:H7.

This study presents an advanced food detection platform that integrates filter-assisted sample preparation (FASP) with a bifunctional linker-based biosensor for on-site detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a model case. FASP isolates bacteria from food samples through multi-filter preprocessing, significantly enhancing the specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility of the subsequent biosensor analysis. This platform can detect E.

Prediction of cccDNA dynamics in hepatitis B patients by a combination of serum surrogate markers.

Quantification of intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is a key for evaluating an elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in infected patients. However, quantifying cccDNA requires invasive methods such as a liver biopsy, which makes it impractical to access the dynamics of cccDNA in patients. Although HBV RNA and HBV core-related antigens (HBcrAg) have been proposed as surrogate markers for evaluating cccDNA activity, they do not necessarily estimate the amount of cccDNA.

Deep learning model for identifying acute heart failure patients using electrocardiography in the emergency room.

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) poses significant diagnostic challenges in the emergency room (ER) because of its varied clinical presentation and limitations of traditional diagnostic methods. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a deep-learning model using electrocardiogram (ECG) data to enhance AHF identification in the ER.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the ECG data of 19,285 patients who visited ERs of three hospitals between 2016 and 2020; 9,119 with available left ventricular ejection fraction and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level data and who were diagnosed with AHF were included in the study.

Integrating Aerogel into van der Waals Crystals for a High-Strength Thermal Insulator.

Achieving low thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength presents a material design challenge due to intrinsic trade-offs, such as the aerogel's porosity, impeding applications in construction, industry, and aerospace. This study presents a composite that incorporates a silica aerogel within a thermally expanded 2D layered vermiculite matrix. This design overcomes limitations imposed by van der Waals bonding lengths, typically less than 10 Å, which hinder aerogel integration with van der Waals crystals.

A Versatile Ionic Liquid Additive for Perovskite Solar Cells: Surface Modification, Hole Transport Layer Doping, and Green Solvent Processing.

Hole-transport layers (HTL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with an n-i-p structure are commonly doped by bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide (TFSI) salts to enhance hole conduction. While lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) dopant is a widely used and effective dopant, it has significant limitations, including the need for additional solvents and additives, environmental sensitivity, unintended oxidation, and dopant migration, which can lead to lower stability of PSCs. A novel ionic liquid, 1-(2-methoxyethyl)-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (MMPyTFSI), is explored as an alternative dopant for 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamino)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD).

Effects of foam roller-based combined exercise on functional fitness, balance, and gait in older women.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a foam roller-based combined exercise program on functional fitness, balance ability, and gait in women aged 65 years and older. Using a 2×2 mixed design, the study compared variables measured before and after a 6-week foam roller-based combined exercise program. A total of 32 old women were randomly assigned to either the foam roller-based exercise group or the control group.

Self-Assembled Monolayer-Functionalized NiO Hole Injection layer for Improved Charge Injection in Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes.

The development of quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) represents a promising advancement in next-generation display technology. However, there are challenges, especially in achieving efficient hole injection, maintaining charge balance, and replacing low-stability organic materials such as PEDOT:PSS. To address these issues, in this study, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were employed to modify the surface properties of NiO, a hole injection material, within the structure of ITO/HIL/TFB/QDs/ZnMgO/Al QLEDs.

Multiomic quantification of the KRAS mutation dosage improves the preoperative prediction of survival and recurrence in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Most cancer mutation profiling studies are laboratory-based and lack direct clinical application. For clinical use, it is necessary to focus on key genes and integrate them with relevant clinical variables. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the dosage of the KRAS G12 mutation, a key pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) variant and to investigate the biological mechanism of the prognosis associated with the dosage of the KRAS G12 mutation.

EBP1 potentiates amyloid β pathology by regulating γ-secretase.

The abnormal deposition of amyloid β (Aβ), produced by proteolytic cleavage events of amyloid precursor protein involving the protease γ-secretase and subsequent polymerization into amyloid plaques, plays a key role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we show that ErbB3 binding protein 1 (EBP1)/proliferation-associated 2G4 (PA2G4) interacts with presenilin, a catalytic subunit of γ-secretase, inhibiting Aβ production. Mice lacking forebrain Ebp1/Pa2g4 recapitulate the representative phenotypes of late-onset sporadic AD, displaying an age-dependent increase in Aβ deposition, amyloid plaques and cognitive dysfunction.

Advancements in Passive Wireless Sensing Systems in Monitoring Harsh Environment and Healthcare Applications.

Recent advancements in passive wireless sensor technology have significantly extended the application scope of sensing, particularly in challenging environments for monitoring industry and healthcare applications. These systems are equipped with battery-free operation, wireless connectivity, and are designed to be both miniaturized and lightweight. Such features enable the safe, real-time monitoring of industrial environments and support high-precision physiological measurements in confined internal body spaces and on wearable epidermal devices.

Elasticity of Swollen and Folded Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Using the MARTINI Coarse-Grained Model.

One of the key advantages of using a hydrogel is its superb control over elasticity obtained through variations of constituent polymer and water. The underlying molecular nature of a hydrogel is a fundamental origin of hydrogel mechanics. In this article, we report a Polyacrylamide (PAAm)-based hydrogel model using the MARTINI coarse-grained (CG) force field.

A Novel Point-of-Care Prediction Model for Steatotic Liver Disease: Expected Role of Mass Screening in the Global Obesity Crisis.

Background/aims: The incidence of steatotic liver disease (SLD) is increasing across all age groups as the incidence of obesity increases worldwide. The existing noninvasive prediction models for SLD require laboratory tests or imaging and perform poorly in the early diagnosis of infrequently screened populations such as young adults and individuals with healthcare disparities. We developed a machine learning-based point-of-care prediction model for SLD that is readily available to the broader population with the aim of facilitating early detection and timely intervention and ultimately reducing the burden of SLD.

Highly accurate Korean draft genomes reveal structural variation highlighting human telomere evolution.

Given the presence of highly repetitive genomic regions such as subtelomeric regions, understanding human genomic evolution remains challenging. Recently, long-read sequencing technology has facilitated the identification of complex genetic variants, including structural variants (SVs), at the single-nucleotide level. Here, we resolved SVs and their underlying DNA damage-repair mechanisms in subtelomeric regions, which are among the most uncharted genomic regions.

Human γδ T cells in the tumor microenvironment: Key insights for advancing cancer immunotherapy.

The role of γδ T cells in antitumor responses has gained significant attention due to their unique major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent killing mechanisms, which distinguish them from conventional αβ T cells. Notably, γδ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been identified as favorable prognostic markers in various cancers. However, γδ TIL subsets, including Vδ1, Vδ2, and Vδ3, exhibit distinct prognostic implications and phenotypes from one another within the tumor microenvironment (TME).