Pegylated NIR Fluorophore-Conjugated OBHSA Prodrug for ERα-Targeted Theranostics with Enhanced Imaging and Long-Term Retention.

In recent years, the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence theranostic system has garnered increasing attention for its advantages in the simultaneous diagnosis- and imaging-guided delivery of therapeutic drugs. However, challenges such as strong background fluorescence signals and rapid metabolism have hindered the achievement of sufficient contrast between tumors and surrounding tissues, limiting the system's applicability. This study aims to integrate the pegylation strategy with a tumor microenvironment-responsive approach.

The risk of short-term microplastic exposure on female reproductive function: A rat model study.

Long-term effects of microplastics (MPs) exposure have been demonstrated to impair reproductive function. However, in real world, the exposure level of MP is not constant and it may vary in different individuals. This study aims to evaluate the impact of short-term exposure to MPs on ovarian and endometrial function in rat models.

Upregulation of FAM129B protects against glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy via regulating long non-coding RNA NEAT1.

Skeletal muscle atrophy, manifested by a reduction in muscle size and quantity, is primarily attributed to excessive protein catabolism. FAM129B, an antioxidant protein, has been previously implicated in muscle growth and development in cattle. Aim of this study is to elucidate the role of FAM129B in muscle atrophy.

68Ga-FAPI-04 Outperforms 18F-FDG in Detecting Lesions for Primary Leiomyosarcoma of Bone: A Rare Case.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of bone (PLB) is an ultrarare tumor, characterized by its aggressive clinical behavior, high heterogeneity, and dismal prognosis. Here, we present the 68Ga-FAPI-04 and 18F-FDG PET/CT findings in a case of PLB affecting the left femur. FAPI PET/CT showed more bone lesions and higher uptake in the multiple metastatic lesions compared with FDG PET/CT.

Inter-organ metabolic interaction networks in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multisystem metabolic disorder, marked by abnormal lipid accumulation and intricate inter-organ interactions, which contribute to systemic metabolic imbalances. NAFLD may progress through several stages, including simple steatosis (NAFL), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and potentially liver cancer. This disease is closely associated with metabolic disorders driven by overnutrition, with key pathological processes including lipid dysregulation, impaired lipid autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and local inflammation.

Unexpected Extensive Hair Whitening Following Baricitinib Treatment for Alopecia Universalis: A Case Report and Mechanistic Insights.

Alopecia universalis (AU) is a severe form of alopecia areata characterized by the complete loss of scalp and body hair. While Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors like baricitinib have shown promise in promoting hair regrowth in severe cases of AU, unexpected side effects, such as hair depigmentation, have not been widely reported. We present the case of a young male with AU who experienced progressive and extensive whitening of his scalp and body hair following treatment with baricitinib.

Identification of serum small non-coding RNA as biomarkers for endometrial receptivity.

Background: Current endometrial receptivity analysis is invasive, preventing embryo transfer during the biopsy cycle. This study aims to screen serum sncRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers for ERA tests.

Methods: The study included 12 infertile patients undergoing IVF-ET and ERA, whose serum samples were collected for high-energy sequencing technology to detect sncRNA expression profiles.

Astaxanthin-loaded polylactic acid-glycolic acid nanoparticles alleviates atherosclerosis by suppressing macrophage ferroptosis via the NRF2/SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway.

Background: Astaxanthin (ASX), a fat-soluble carotenoid mainly sourced from Haematococcus pluvialis, shows promise for clinical applications in chronic inflammatory diseases. This study investigates whether ASX can mitigate atherosclerosis (AS) by modulating macrophage ferroptosis and provides astaxanthin-loaded polylactic acid-glycolic acid nanoparticles (ASX-PLGA NPs) as comparison.

Method: ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet with ASX or statin intervention.

Protocol for correlating the gut microbiome and metabolomics in patients with intracranial aneurysms.

Gut-microbiome-combined metabolomics studies in cerebrovascular disease highlight the microbiota-gut-brain axis in neurological disorders. Here, we present a protocol for correlating the gut microbiome and metabolomics in patients with intracranial aneurysms. We describe steps for sample collection, fecal genomic DNA extraction, rRNA PCR amplification, sequencing library construction, and rRNA sequencing.

Research progress of femoral head necrosis in HIV-infected patients.

As life expectancy among patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increases, a growing number of complications have been observed. This population displays an elevated risk of ischemic necrosis of the femoral head in comparison to the general population, which may be attributed to HIV infection, antiretroviral medication use, and hormone application. Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who also have necrosis of the femoral head tend to present at an earlier age, with a rapid disease progression and a high incidence of bilateral onset.

Highly Sensitive Digital and Analog Immunoassay Based on Submicron Magnetic Beads and Fluorescent Microspheres.

The detection of disease-related protein biomarkers plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of diseases. The concentrations of protein biomarkers can vary significantly in different diseases or stages of the same disease. However, most of the existing analytical methods cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of high sensitivity and a wide dynamic range.

Biomolecular Microneedle Initiates FeO/MXene Heterojunction-Mediated Nanozyme-Like Reactions and Bacterial Ferroptosis to Repair Diabetic Wounds.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a dual role in wound healing. They act as crucial signaling molecules and antimicrobial agents when present at moderate levels. However, excessive levels of ROS can hinder the healing process for individuals with diabetes.

Effectiveness of a Web-Based Medication Education Course on Pregnant Women's Medication Information Literacy and Decision Self-Efficacy: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Medication-related adverse events are common in pregnant women, and most are due to misunderstanding medication information. The identification of appropriate medication information sources requires adequate medical information literacy (MIL). It is important for pregnant women to comprehensively evaluate the risk of medication treatment, self-monitor their medication response, and actively participate in decision-making to reduce medication-related adverse events.

Dual-layer detector spectral computed tomography quantitative parameters for predicting pathological complete remission after neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a common cancer among women worldwide, and although the use of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for BC has become more widespread, there is no standardized prediction of the efficacy of NAT for BC. This study aimed to evaluate the value of quantitative parameters of dual-layer detector spectral computed tomography (DLCT) in predicting whether BC patients can achieve pathological complete response (pCR) after NAT.

Methods: Patients who were first diagnosed with BC in Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute and received only NAT before surgery were selected for participation in this study.

Modulating Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Neuropathic Pain: Role of Anterior Cingulate Cortex Astrocytes Activation.

Aims: The comorbidity of anxiety-like symptoms in neuropathic pain (NP) is a significant yet often overlooked health concern. Anxiety sufferers may have a lower tolerance for pain, but which is difficult to treat. Accumulating evidence suggests a strong link between astrocytes and the manifestation of NP with concurrent anxiety-like behaviors.

Roles and therapeutic opportunities of ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in lung cancer.

Over the past decades, researchers have continuously investigated the potential functions of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in cancers, including lung cancer. The ω-3 LCPUFAs, primarily consisting of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, were found to modify inflammatory tumor microenvironment, induce cancer cell apoptosis and autophagy, and suppress tumor development when administered alone or with other therapeutical strategies. Although the precise anti-tumor mechanism has not been elucidated yet, ω-3 LCPUFAs are often used in the nutritional treatment of patients with cancer due to their ability to significantly improve patient's nutritional status, increase the sensitivity of tumor cells to treatments, and alleviate cancer-related complications.

UBE2Q2 promotes tumor progression and glycolysis of hepatocellular carcinoma through NF-κB/HIF1α signal pathway.

Purpose: Metabolic reprogramming, particularly the Warburg effect, plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of tumors. The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 Q2 (UBE2Q2) has been identified overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aim was to determine if UBE2Q2 plays a role in regulating glycolysis, contributing to the carcinogenesis of HCC.

N-Methylandenosine-related lncRNAs as potential biomarkers for predicting prognosis and the immunotherapy response in pancreatic cancer.

Emerging evidence has shown that the N-methyladenosine (mA) modification of RNA plays key roles in tumorigenesis and the progression of various cancers. However, the potential roles of the mA modification of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in pancreatic cancer (PaCa) are still unknown. To analyze the prognostic value of mA-related lncRNAs in PaCa, an m6A-related lncRNA signature was constructed as a risk model via Pearson's correlation and univariate Cox regression analyses in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Human epididymis protein 4-annexin II binding promotes aberrant epithelial-fibroblast crosstalk in pulmonary fibrosis.

Invasive lung myofibroblasts are the main cause of tissue remodeling in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A key mechanism contributing to this important feature is aberrant crosstalk between the abnormal/injured lung epithelium and pulmonary fibroblasts. Here, we demonstrate that lungs from patients with IPF and from mice with bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) are characterized by the induction of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) overexpression in epithelial cells.

Exosomal miR-21-5p from glioma associated mesenchymal stem cells promotes the progression and glycolysis of glioblastoma via PDHA1.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is highly malignant and grows rapidly, and there is currently a lack of effective treatments. Metabolism provides the basis for the occurrence and development of GBM. Pyruvate dehydrogenase A1 (PDHA1) is a key component in both the tricarboxylic acid cycle and glycolysis, playing an important role in the metabolic processes related to cancer, but its role in GBM remains unclear.

Symptom clusters and networks analysis in acute-phase stroke patients: a cross-sectional study.

The symptoms of stroke jeopardize patients' health and increase the burden on society and caregivers. Although the traditional symptom cluster research paradigm can enhance management efficiency, it fails to provide targets for intervention, thereby hindering the development of patient-centered precision medicine. However, the symptom network paradigm, as a novel research approach, addresses the limitations of traditional symptom management by identifying core symptoms and determining intervention targets, thereby enhancing the efficiency and precision of symptom management.

Enhanced antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of quaternized ultra-highly deacetylated chitosan against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections pose a severe threat to global public health and present significant challenges in the treatment of bacterial keratitis. The escalation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) underscores the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we report the homogeneous synthesis of quaternized ultra-highly deacetylated chitosan (QUDCS) using a sequential acid-base combination approach.

High Glucose-Induced Senescent Fibroblasts-Derived Exosomal miR-497 Inhibits Wound Healing by Regulating Endothelial Cellular Autophagy via ATG13.

Fibroblasts play a crucial role in diabetic wound healing, and their senescence is the cause of delayed wound repair. It was reported that fibroblasts can secrete exosomes that can mediate a vital role in diabetic complications. Our purpose is to examine the biological function of high glucose (HG)-induced senescent fibroblasts from the perspective of exosomes and reveal the mechanism at cellular and animal levels.

IBI310 plus sintilimab vs. placebo plus sintilimab in recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Background: It remains unclear whether adding CTLA-4 blockade to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade improves clinical outcomes in cervical cancer (CC).

Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04590599), patients with recurrent/metastatic CC (R/M CC) who experienced disease progression after or during platinum-based chemotherapy were enrolled from 37 centers across China and randomly assigned (1:1), stratified by PD-L1 expression and prior treatment lines, to receive either IBI310 plus sintilimab or placebo plus sintilimab intravenously every 3 weeks for 12 weeks, followed by sintilimab alone.