Polysaccharides isolated from Cibotium barometz attenuate chronic inflammatory pain: Molecular chemical structure and role of phenylalanine.

This investigation represents a pioneering effort to examine the therapeutic effects of PCB specifically in the context of CFA-induced mice, as well as to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that facilitate such effects. Our study utilized advanced methodologies, namely high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS)-based metabolomics, alongside comprehensive multivariate data analysis, to identify a distinctive metabolic profile associated with acute inflammation. Through our analyses, we discovered that several potential metabolites were significantly implicated in a variety of critical metabolic pathways.

Composite barrier membrane for bone regeneration: advancing biomaterial strategies in defect repair.

Bone defects represent a significant challenge in clinical practice, driving the need for innovative solutions that effectively support bone regeneration. Barrier membranes, due to playing a critical role in creating an environment conducive to bone regeneration by preventing the infiltration of non-osteogenic tissues, are widely applied to bone repair. However, inadequate spatial stability and osteogenesis-promoting ability often limit current barrier membranes.

Chronic exposure to hexavalent chromium induces esophageal tumorigenesis via activating the Notch signaling pathway.

Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI), as a well-established carcinogen, contributes to tumorigenesis for many human cancers, especially respiratory and digestive tumors. However, the potential function and relevant mechanism of Cr(VI) on the initiation of esophageal carcinogenesis are largely unknown. Here, immortalized human esophageal epithelial cells (HEECs) were induced to be malignantly transformed cells, termed HEEC-Cr(VI) cells, via chronic exposure to Cr(VI), which simulates the progress of esophageal tumorigenesis.

Clinical and imaging features of co-existent pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer: a population-based matching study in China.

Background: Co-existent pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer (PTB-LC) represent a unique disease entity often characterized by missed or delayed diagnosis. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological features of patients diagnosed with PTB-LC.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with active PTB-LC (APTB-LC), inactive PTB-LC (IAPTB), and LC alone without PTB between 2010 and 2022 at our institute were retrospectively collected and 1:1:1 matched based on gender, age, and time of admission.

Mechanistic insights into ferroptosis and apoptosis pathways: Synergistic effects of multi-organ toxicity and transgenerational effects induced by co-exposure of epoxiconazole and aflatoxin B1 in zebrafish.

Introduction: In the environment, mycotoxins and fungicides frequently coexist, potentially causing synergistic risks to organisms. Epoxiconazole (EPO) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are a common fungicide and mycotoxins, respectively, which are widely present in the environment and have toxic effects on multiple organs once entering the organism, but it is still unclear whether the co-exposure has a synergistic toxic effect.

Objectives: This study delves into the molecular mechanisms underlying the co-exposure to EPO and AFB1, emphasizing multi-organ toxicity in female zebrafish (F0 generation) and potential transgenerational impacts on the offspring embryos (F1 generation) through multi-omics approaches.

Robust and Regular Micronano Binary Texture on the Complex Curved Surface for Enhanced Reendothelialization and Antithrombotic Performance.

Blood-contacting medical devices can easily trigger immune responses, leading to thrombosis and hyperblastosis. Constructing microtexture that provides efficient antithrombotic and rapid reendothelialization performance on complex curved surfaces remains a pressing challenge. In this work, we present a robust and regular micronano binary texture on the titanium surface, characterized by exceptional mechanical strength and precisely controlled wettability to achieve excellent hemocompatibility.

ISCAZIM: Integrated statistical correlation analysis for zero-inflated microbiome data.

Microbiome-metabolome association analysis is critical to reveal the key pairs of gut microbiota and metabolites for discovery of the microbial biomarkers in chronic diseases. However, the characteristics of microbiome data, such as zero inflation, over dispersion, may impair the confidence of association analysis between microbiome and metabolome data. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of existing statistical methods and to develop a computational framework tailored to the unique characteristics of microbiome data.

Discovery of Brain-Penetrative Negative Allosteric Modulators of NMDA Receptors Using FEP-Guided Structure Optimization and Membrane Permeability Prediction.

-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, a subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the central nervous system (CNS), have garnered attention for their role in brain disorders. Specifically, GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors have emerged as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of depressive disorders and epilepsy. However, the development of GluN2A-containing NMDA receptor-selective antagonists, represented by -(4-(2-benzoylhydrazine-1-carbonyl)benzyl)-3-chloro-4-fluorobenzenesulfonamide (TCN-201) and its derivatives, faces a significant challenge due to their limited ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), hampering their characterization and further advancement.

Establishment and validation of a nomogram for predicting intravenous immunoglobulin resistance and coronary artery lesion involvement in Kawasaki disease: a retrospective study.

Objective: We aimed to develop a useful nomogram for early identification of Kawasaki disease (KD) children at a high risk of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance and coronary artery lesion (CAL) complications to improve KD management.

Methods: Clinical data from 400 patients treated at our hospital between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2023, were collected. Lasso regression was utilized to screen risk factors for IVIG resistance and CAL involvement.

A Bifunctional Peptide with Penetration Ability for Treating Retinal Angiogenesis via Eye Drops.

Numerous diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, can lead to retinal neovascularization, which can seriously impair the visual function and potentially result in blindness. The presence of the blood-retina barrier makes it challenging for ocularly administered drugs to penetrate physiological barriers and reach the ocular posterior segments, including the retina and choroid. Herein, we developed an innovative bifunctional peptide, Tat-C-RP7, which exhibits excellent penetration capabilities and antiangiogenic properties aimed at treating retinal neovascularization diseases.

CT-based radiomics and cluster analysis for the prediction of local progression in stage I NSCLC patients treated with microwave ablation.

To predict local progression after microwave ablation (MWA) in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we developed a CT-based radiomics model. Postoperative CT images were used. The intraclass correlation coefficients, two-sample t-test, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and Pearson correlation analysis were applied to select radiomics features and establish radiomics score.

Endothelial Gsα deficiency promotes ferroptosis and exacerbates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice via the inhibition of NRF2 signaling.

The importance of ferroptosis in the occurrence and progression of atherosclerosis is gradually being recognized. The stimulatory G protein α subunit (Gsα) plays a crucial role in the physiology of endothelial cells (ECs). Our previous study showed that endothelial Gsα could regulate angiogenesis and preserve endothelial permeability.

Microenvironment-induced programmable nanotherapeutics restore mitochondrial dysfunction for the amelioration of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic liver disorder with severe complications. Mitochondrial dysfunction due to over-opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in liver cells plays a central role in the development and progression of NAFLD. Restoring mitochondrial function is a promising strategy for NAFLD therapy.

Single-cell transcriptomics reveals intratumor heterogeneity and the potential roles of cancer stem cells and myCAFs in colorectal cancer liver metastasis and recurrence.

Metastasis and recurrence are the primary obstacles to long-term survival in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. In this study, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to comprehensively delineate the transcriptomic landscape of primary and liver metastatic CRCs, and revealed novel cellular crosstalk between cancer cell subpopulation and myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) at single-cell resolution. We identified a cancer cell subpopulation termed stem/transient amplifying-like (stem/TA-like) cells, which expressed genes associated with stem cell-like characteristics and metastatic potential.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPH1 potentiates receptor tyrosine kinase HER2 oncogenesis via a PDZ-coupled and phosphorylation-driven scaffold.

Cancer cell overexpresses numerus proteins, however, how these up-regulated proteins, especially those enzymatically opposite kinases and phosphatases, act together to promote oncogenesis is unknown. Here, we reported that protein tyrosine phosphatase H1 (PTPH1) is a scaffold protein for receptor tyrosine kinase (HER2) to potentiate breast tumorigenesis. PTPH1 utilizes its PDZ domain to bind HER2, p38γ, PBK, and YAP1 and to increase HER2 nuclear translocation, stemness, and oncogenesis.

Preparation and preclinical evaluation of Ga-labeled alendronate analogs for diagnosis of bone metastases.

Bone is one of the most common target organs for distant metastases of solid tumors, which imposes a heavy burden on society. Early diagnosis of bone metastases is of great significance and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of bone metastases. PET tracers applied for diagnosing bone metastases are constantly being updated, but they all have certain limitations like a relatively low bone/kidney ratio or no capacity to label therapeutic radionuclides.

Oral and fecal microbiota as accurate non-invasive tools for detection of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese population.

Pancreatic cancer (PCA), a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, has limited non-invasive diagnostic methods. We aimed to identify oral and fecal microbiome biomarkers and construct diagnostic classifiers. Oral and fecal samples from 97 PCA patients and 90 healthy controls underwent 16S rRNA sequencing.

Effects of Long-Term Fasting on Gut Microbiota, Serum Metabolome, and Their Association in Male Adults.

Background: Long-term fasting demonstrates greater therapeutic potential and broader application prospects in extreme environments than intermittent fasting.

Method: This pilot study of 10-day complete fasting (CF), with a small sample size of 13 volunteers, aimed to investigate the time-series impacts on gut microbiome, serum metabolome, and their interrelationships with biochemical indices.

Results: The results show CF significantly affected gut microbiota diversity, composition, and interspecies interactions, characterized by an expansion of the Proteobacteria phylum (about six-fold) and a decrease in Bacteroidetes (about 50%) and Firmicutes (about 34%) populations.

Exploring the Binding Mechanism of ADGRG2 Through Metadynamics and Biochemical Analysis.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play essential roles in numerous physiological processes and are key targets for drug development. Among them, adhesion GPCRs (aGPCRs) stand out for their unique domain structures and diverse functions. ADGRG2 is a member of the aGPCR family and is involved in the regulation of various systems in the human body, including reproductive, nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems.

Validation and the role of PDK4 relevant to ferroptosis in degenerative lumbar disc disease.

Background: Ferroptosis was involved in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). However, the exact mechanism of IVDD associated with ferroptosis still required deeper studies.

Method: The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in rat lumbar disc tissue between the control and IVDD group treated with IL-1β were detected by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq).

Exploring the role of ELOVLs family in lung adenocarcinoma based on bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation.

Background: The role of lipid metabolic reprogramming in the development of various types of cancer has already been established. However, the exact biological function and significance of the elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids (ELOVLs) gene family, which can affect fatty acid metabolism, is still not well understood in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The aim of our study is to explore whether there are genes related to the pathogenesis of LUAD in the ELOVLs family, and even to guide clinical medication and potential prognostic indicators.

Guggulsterone ameliorates psoriasis by inhibiting keratinocyte proliferation and inflammation through induction of miR-17 directly targeting JAK1 and STAT3.

The pathogenesis of psoriasis involves hyperproliferation of epidermal keratinocytes and abnormal interactions between activated keratinocytes and infiltrating immune cells. Emerging evidence has shown that keratinocytes play essential roles in both the initiation and maintenance of psoriasis, suggesting that exposing keratinocytes to agents with antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects may be effective for psoriasis treatment. Guggulsterone (GS), a plant sterol derived from the gum resin of Commiphora wightii, possesses a variety of pharmacological activities.

Evaluation of muscle mass relative to weight/sitting height improves the association with physical performance.

Objectives: To compare relationships of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) with the function of the upper and lower extremities, after the former has been adjusted by five body size variables: height; weight; body mass index (BMI); sitting height; and weight/sitting height.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study of data derived from the baseline phase of the Physical Activity and Health in Older Women Study.

Main Outcome Measures: ASM was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis.