Correlation and diagnostic significance of CD4 T cell subsets and NLRP3 inflammasome in ulcerative colitis: the role of the NLRP3/T-bet/GATA3 axis.

Background And Aim: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by complex immunological interactions involving CD4 T cell subsets and the NLRP3 inflammasome, which influence inflammatory responses. This investigation focused on delineating the activation profiles of these components and their correlation with disease severity and activity, assessing their diagnostic implications in UC.

Methods: We conducted immunohistochemistry and ELISA assays to measure markers expression of CD4 T cell subsets and the NLRP3 inflammasome in UC patients versus controls.

Integrated immune-related gene signature predicts clinical outcome for patients with Luminal B breast cancer.

Background: Luminal B breast cancer is routinely treated with chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. However, its sensitivity to treatment remains heterogeneous; therefore, identifying patients who may most benefit remains crucial. Immune-related genes are reportedly related to the prognosis of breast cancer.

Age-specific reference ranges and variation of anti-mülerian hormone in healthy Chinese women of reproductive and perimenopausal age: a nationwide population-based prospective multicenter cross-sectional study.

Objective: To determine the variation of serum AMH levels in healthy Chinese women and establish AMH reference ranges accordingly.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional multicenter study was designed to enroll healthy Chinese women of reproductive age (20-39 years) and perimenopausal age (40-49 years) from five reproductive centers in different regions of China. The study began in May 2022 and finished in February 2023.

Serum sodium to chloride ratio and mortality on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: a multicenter retrospective study.

An imbalance in the serum sodium to chloride ratio (Na/Cl) was linked to higher mortality among heart failure patients. Nonetheless, the prognostic significance of Na/Cl in individuals undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains unexplored. This study seeks to explore the association between initial Na/Cl levels and mortality in PD patients.

Construction of exosome non-coding RNA feature for non-invasive, early detection of gastric cancer patients by machine learning: a multi-cohort study.

Background And Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a prevalent and preventable disease, yet accurate early diagnostic methods are lacking. Exosome non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a type of liquid biopsy, have emerged as promising diagnostic biomarkers for various tumours. This study aimed to identify a serum exosome ncRNA feature for enhancing GC diagnosis.

Combined Blockade of Lipid Uptake and Synthesis by CD36 Inhibitor and SCD1 siRNA Is Beneficial for the Treatment of Refractory Prostate Cancer.

Drug resistance is an important factor for prostate cancer (PCa) to progress into refractory PCa, and abnormal lipid metabolism usually occurs in refractory PCa, which presents great challenges for PCa therapy. Here, a cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) inhibitor sulfosuccinimidyl oleate sodium (CD36i) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) siRNA (siSCD1) are selected to inhibit lipid uptake and synthesis in PCa, respectively. To this end, a multiresponsive drug delivery nanosystem, HA@CD36i-TR@siSCD1 is designed.

Targeting P4HA1 promotes CD8 T cell progenitor expansion toward immune memory and systemic anti-tumor immunity.

Successful immunotherapy relies on both intratumoral and systemic immunity, which is yet to be achieved for most patients with cancer. Here, we identify P4HA1, encoding prolyl 4-hydroxylase 1, as a crucial regulator of CD8 T cell differentiation strongly upregulated in tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) and hypoxic tumor microenvironment. P4HA1 accumulates in mitochondria, disrupting the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle through aberrant α-ketoglutarate and succinate metabolism, promoting mitochondria unfitness and exhaustion while suppressing progenitor expansion.

Elastography-based AI model can predict axillary status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer with nodal involvement: A prospective, multicenter, diagnostic study.

Objective: To develop a model for accurate prediction of axillary lymph node (LN) status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients with nodal involvement.

Methods: Between October 2018 and February 2024, 671 breast cancer patients with biopsy-proven LN metastasis who received NAC followed by axillary LN dissection were enrolled in this prospective, multicenter study. Preoperative ultrasound (US) images, including B-mode ultrasound (BUS) and shear wave elastography (SWE), were obtained.

Development and Validation of a Multimodal Machine Learning Model for Diagnosing and Assessing Risk of Crohn's Disease in Patients With Perianal Fistula.

Background: Diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) can pose challenges, particularly when perianal fistula is the initial presentation.

Aim: To develop and validate a predictive model, establishing a visual web tool for early diagnosis of CD in patients presenting with perianal fistula.

Methods: This retrospective, multicentre validation study involved patients diagnosed with either perianal fistulising CD or cryptoglandular fistula who underwent initial perianal fistula surgery subsequent to rectal MRI at three Chinese centres from September 2016 to December 2020.

Inflammatory Burden Index: A Superior Prognostic Biomarker of Systemic Inflammation in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis.

Purpose: Systemic inflammation biomarkers, derived from routine blood tests, have been demonstrated to be associated with prognosis of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, studies focusing on the comparisons of their role on predictive efficacy for prognosis of PD patient are limited and results are inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of various systemic inflammation biomarkers and to identify the optimal one in PD patients.

Immunogenic peptides putatively from intratumor microbes: Opportunities for colorectal cancer treatment.

Recent evidence has confirmed the presence of intratumor microbes, yet their impact on the immunopeptidome remains largely unexplored. Here we introduced an integrated strategy to identify the immunopeptidome originated from intratumor microbes. Analyzing 10 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, we identified 154 putative microbe-derived human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I ligands.

γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase-activable nanoprobe crosses the blood-brain barrier for immuno-sonodynamic therapy of glioma.

Effective treatment against glioma remains challenging nowadays because the protective blood-brain barrier (BBB) impedes drug penetration into brain and the limited efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. While strong positively charged nanoparticles have good permeability through the BBB, they often come with the caveat of cationic toxicity to healthy tissues and organs during blood circulation. Here we show a neutrally charged nanoprobe with a surface decorated with γ-glutamyl moieties that can be cleaved by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, an enzyme overexpressed on brain capillaries.

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation in anti-inflammatory therapy: mechanistic insights and future perspectives.

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) represents a transformative approach for managing a broad spectrum of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. This comprehensive review delineates the mechanisms underlying VNS, emphasizing the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and explores interactions within the neuro-immune and vagus-gut axes based on both clinical outcomes and pre-clinical models. Clinical applications have confirmed the efficacy of VNS in managing specific autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic inflammatory conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, showcasing the variability in stimulation parameters and patient responses.

miMatch: a microbial metabolic background matching tool for mitigating host confounding in metagenomics research.

Metagenomic research faces a persistent challenge due to the low concordance across studies. While matching host confounders can mitigate the impact of individual differences, the influence of factors such as genetics, environment, and lifestyle habits on microbial profiles makes it exceptionally challenging to create fully matched cohorts. The microbial metabolic background, which modulates microbial composition, reflects a cumulative impact of host confounders, serving as an ideal baseline for microbial sample matching.

Comparative analysis of tertiary lymphoid structures for predicting survival of colorectal cancer: a whole-slide images-based study.

Background: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are major components in the immune microenvironment, correlating with a favorable prognosis in colorectal cancer. However, the methods used to define and characterize TLS were not united, hindering its clinical application. This study aims to seek a more stable method to characterize TLS and clarify their prognostic value in larger multicenter cohorts.

Enhancing detection of high-level axillary lymph node metastasis after neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer patients with nodal involvement: a combined approach of axilla ultrasound and breast elastography.

Purpose: To develop a combined approach using shear wave elastography (SWE) and conventional ultrasound (US) to determine the extent of positive axillary lymph nodes (LNs) following neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in breast cancer patients with nodal involvement.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter study was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2400085035). From October 2018 to February 2024, a total of 303 breast cancer patients with biopsy-proven positive LN were enrolled.

DSIFNet: Implicit feature network for nasal cavity and vestibule segmentation from 3D head CT.

This study is dedicated to accurately segment the nasal cavity and its intricate internal anatomy from head CT images, which is critical for understanding nasal physiology, diagnosing diseases, and planning surgeries. Nasal cavity and it's anatomical structures such as the sinuses, and vestibule exhibit significant scale differences, with complex shapes and variable microstructures. These features require the segmentation method to have strong cross-scale feature extraction capabilities.

[Analysis of non-targeted variants by invasive prenatal diagnosis for pregnant women undergoing preimplantation genetic testing].

Objective: To compare the results of invasive prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and explore the underlying mechanism.

Methods: Clinical data of pregnant women undergoing PGT and invasive prenatal diagnosis at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2019 to December 2022 were collected. The results of PGT and invasive prenatal diagnosis were compared, and the outcomes of pregnancies were followed up.

Multimodal Neuroimaging Computing: Basics and Applications in Neurosurgery.

In neurosurgery, multimodal neuroimaging computing plays a critical role by providing a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the brain and its function. This integrated approach can unlock deeper insights into complex neurological diseases, as well as providing a big picture for image-guided neurosurgery and precision medicine. In this chapter, we will introduce the recent updates of neuroimaging techniques, their applications in neurosurgery scenarios, the difficulties of data processing and computing, and potential future perspectives.

Theophylline derivatives promote primordial follicle activation via cAMP-PI3K/Akt pathway and ameliorate fertility deficits in naturally aged mice.

In elderly women and patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), activating their remaining dormant primordial follicles is challenging. In this study, we found that phosphodiesterase (PDE) subtypes were expressed mainly in primordial follicle oocytes. The specific PDE inhibitors and theophylline derivatives (aminophylline, dyphylline, and enprofylline) activated primordial follicles in neonatal mice by ovary culture and intraperitoneal injection.