Multi-functional, conformal systems with ultrathin crystalline-silicon-based bioelectronics for characterization of intraocular pressure and ocular surface temperature.

Technologies that established in vivo evaluations of soft-tissue biomechanics and temperature are essential to biological research and clinical diagnostics, particularly for a wide range of eye-related diseases such as glaucoma. Of importance are advanced bioelectronic devices for high-precise monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP) and various ocular temperatures, as clinically proven uses for glaucoma diagnosis. Existing characterization methods are temporary, single point, and lack microscale resolution, failing to measure continuous IOP fluctuation across the long-term period.

VSTM2A reverses immunosuppression in colorectal cancer by antagonizing the PD-L1/PD-1 interaction.

Immunoglobulin (Ig) VSTM2A (V-set and transmembrane domain containing 2A) is a top-ranked secretory protein frequently silenced during colorectal carcinogenesis; however, its role in immune modulation remains largely unknown. Bioinformatic and immunohistochemistry analysis of human colorectal specimens and Vstm2a knockout mice indicated that VSTM2A positively correlated with CD8a and immune infiltration in both physiological and pathological conditions. We then utilized liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to pinpoint programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) as a membrane receptor of VSTM2A.

Astrocyte-derived clusterin disrupts glial physiology to obstruct remyelination in mouse models of demyelinating diseases.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating demyelinating disease characterized by remyelination failure attributed to inadequate oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) differentiation and aberrant astrogliosis. A comprehensive cell atlas reanalysis of clinical specimens brings to light heightened clusterin (CLU) expression in a specific astrocyte subtype links to active lesions in MS patients. Our investigation reveals elevated astrocytic CLU levels in both active lesions of patient tissues and female murine MS models.

Value proposition of retinal imaging in Alzheimer's disease screening: A review of eight evolving trends.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Current diagnostic modalities of AD generally focus on detecting the presence of amyloid β and tau protein in the brain (for example, positron emission tomography [PET] and cerebrospinal fluid testing), but these are limited by their high cost, invasiveness, and lack of expertise. Retinal imaging exhibits potential in AD screening and risk stratification, as the retina provides a platform for the optical visualization of the central nervous system in vivo, with vascular and neuronal changes that mirror brain pathology.

FOXP4 Is a Direct YAP1 Target That Promotes Gastric Cancer Stemness and Drives Metastasis.

The Hippo-YAP1 pathway is an evolutionally conserved signaling cascade that controls organ size and tissue regeneration. Dysregulation of Hippo-YAP1 signaling promotes initiation and progression of several types of cancer, including gastric cancer. As the Hippo-YAP1 pathway regulates expression of thousands of genes, it is important to establish which target genes contribute to the oncogenic program driven by YAP1 to identify strategies to circumvent it.

The Asian Fabry Cardiomyopathy High-Risk Screening Study 2 (ASIAN-FAME-2): Prevalence of Fabry Disease in Patients with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder that commonly manifests cardiovascular complications. We aimed to assess the prevalence of FD in a Chinese population with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) whilst implementing a gender-specific screening approach. Patients with LVH, defined as a maximum thickness of the left ventricular septal/posterior wall ≥ 13 mm, were considered eligible.

Gentiopicroside improves NASH and liver fibrosis by suppressing TLR4 and NLRP3 signaling pathways.

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis are progressive conditions associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by hepatocyte pyroptosis and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. Gentiopicroside (GPS) has emerged as a potential treatment for NASH, yet its underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Aim: To confirm that GPS can improve NASH and liver fibrosis by blocking the NLRP3 signaling pathway STUDY DESIGN: Initially, different animal models were used to study the effects and mechanisms of GPS on NASH and fibrosis.

Activation of Nrf2 inhibits atherosclerosis in ApoE mice through suppressing endothelial cell inflammation and lipid peroxidation.

Background: Nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor, is critically involved in the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the role of endothelial Nrf2 in atherogenesis has yet to be defined. In addition, how endothelial Nrf2 is activated and whether Nrf2 can be targeted for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis is not explored.

Endothelial cell Orai1 is essential for endothelium-dependent contraction of mouse carotid arteries in normotensive and hypertensive mice.

Endothelium-dependent contraction (EDC) exists in blood vessels of normotensive animals, but is exaggerated in hypertension. An early signal in EDC is cytosolic Ca rise in endothelial cells. In this study we investigated the functional role of Orai1, a major endothelial cell Ca entry channel, in EDC.

Interferon response and profiling of interferon response genes in peripheral blood of vaccine-naive COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: There is insufficient understanding on systemic interferon (IFN) responses during COVID-19 infection. Early reports indicated that interferon responses were suppressed by the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and clinical trials of administration of various kinds of interferons had been disappointing. Expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in peripheral blood (better known as interferon score) has been a well-established bioassay marker of systemic IFN responses in autoimmune diseases.

Machine Learning-Derived MRI-Based Neurodegeneration Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease: A Multi-Database Validation Study.

Background: Pilot study showed that Alzheimer's disease resemblance atrophy index (AD-RAI), a machine learning-derived MRI-based neurodegeneration biomarker of AD, achieved excellent diagnostic performance in diagnosing AD with moderate to severe dementia.

Objective: The primary objective was to validate and compare the performance of AD-RAI with conventional volumetric hippocampal measures in diagnosing AD with mild dementia. The secondary objectives were 1) to investigate the association between imaging biomarkers with age and gender among cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants; 2) to analyze whether the performance of differentiating AD with mild dementia from CU will improve after adjustment for age/gender.

SARS-CoV-2 induced vascular endothelial dysfunction: direct or indirect effects?

Clinical evidence reveals that manifestations of endothelial dysfunction are widely observed in COVID-19 and long-COVID patients. However, whether these detrimental effects are caused by direct infection of the endothelium or are indirectly mediated by systemic inflammation has been a matter of debate. It has been well acknowledged that endothelial cells (ECs) of the cardiovascular system ubiquitously express the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), yet accumulating evidence suggests that it is more predominantly expressed by pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells of the mammalian blood vessel.

The molecular classification of cancer-associated fibroblasts on a pan-cancer single-cell transcriptional atlas.

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), integral to the tumour microenvironment, are pivotal in cancer progression, exhibiting either pro-tumourigenic or anti-tumourigenic functions. Their inherent phenotypic and functional diversity allows for the subdivision of CAFs into various subpopulations. While several classification systems have been suggested for different cancer types, a unified molecular classification of CAFs on a single-cell pan-cancer scale has yet to be established.

The nerve cells in gastrointestinal cancers: from molecular mechanisms to clinical intervention.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a formidable malignancy with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Recent studies have shed light on the complex interplay between the nervous system and the GI system, influencing various aspects of GI tumorigenesis, such as the malignance of cancer cells, the conformation of tumor microenvironment (TME), and the resistance to chemotherapies. The discussion in this review first focused on exploring the intricate details of the biological function of the nervous system in the development of the GI tract and the progression of tumors within it.

H. pylori-induced NF-κB-PIEZO1-YAP1-CTGF axis drives gastric cancer progression and cancer-associated fibroblast-mediated tumour microenvironment remodelling.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common tumours in East Asia countries and is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori utilizes virulence factors, CagA and VacA, to up-regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines and activate NF-κB signaling.

Single-cell transcriptomics of Treg reveals hallmarks and trajectories of immunological aging.

Age-related immunosenescence is characterized by progressive dysfunction of adaptive immune response and increased autoimmunity. Nevertheless, the impact of aging on CD4+ regulatory T cells that are master regulators of the immune system remains largely unclear. Here, we report cellular and molecular hallmarks of regulatory T cells derived from murine lymphoid and adipose tissues at 3, 18, and 24 mo of age, respectively, by analyzing their heterogeneity that displays dynamic changes in transcriptomic effector signatures at a single-cell resolution.