Prognostic value of platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The platelet to lymphocyte ratio(PLR) is widely recognized as an important biomarker of systemic inflammation and has been associated with treatment responses in breast cancer (BC) patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. However, existing evidence remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis aims to systematically investigate the prognostic value of PLR in BC patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Serum bone turnover biomarkers in early postoperative period related to the spontaneous resolution of disc herniation.

A new way of induction surgery to obtain induced resorption of herniated nucleus pulposus (iRHNP) was recently proposed by our team, both cervical or lumbar disc herniation (CDH or LDH), when bony repair of the decompression groove simultaneously started, suggesting the possible relation to iRHNP mechanism. Since some biomarkers from peripheral blood are regarded as indicators of bone turnover, the role of circulating biomarkers for iRHNP that may reveal the mechanism remains to be determined. This study aimed to identify whether potential biomarkers changed in coincidence with the degree of iRHNP in CDH and LDH after induction surgery.

Alteration in conformation and emulsibility of lactoferrin-low methoxyl pectin complexes induced by non-covalent interactions with rosmarinic acid.

Protein-polysaccharide-phenolic acids ternary complexes exhibit unique structural and functional properties, yet the impact of phenolic acids on protein-polysaccharide complexes remains underexplored. This study investigates the non-covalently regulatory effect of rosmarinic acid (RA) on lactoferrin (LF)-low methoxyl pectin (LMP) complexes under various pH conditions. The alterations in particle size and zeta potential are pH-dependent and multi-spectral analysis indicates that the addition of RA leads to a more ordered protein structure.

LiPO-enriched solid electrolyte interphase on Si-based anode for enhanced Li transport and interfacial stability in lithium batteries.

The structure and composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) exerts a significant influence on the fast-charging capability and stability of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, elucidating the design principles governing anode interfacial structures and revealing the kinetics and mechanisms of Li transport remain challenging. SEI layer.

Progress of immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors globally. The screening rate of GC is low, and the early symptoms are not obvious, which affects early diagnosis, and most patients have a poor prognosis. Various treatments are available for GC, mainly surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Molecular cloning and characterization of duck CD83 and its effect on H9N2 avian influenza viruses replication.

Cluster of Differentiation 83 (CD83) is a multifunctional regulatory molecule that has been identified in several mammals, birds, and fishes; however, no reports have described CD83 in ducks to date. Given the important role ducks play in the transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), this study aimed to characterize the molecular features of duck CD83 (duCD83) and investigate its potential role during H9N2 AIV infection. We successfully cloned the coding sequence (CDS) and extracellular domain of duCD83 for the first time and expressed the recombinant protein in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells.

Proactive identification of rare diseases: lessons from hereditary angioedema diagnosis using electronic medical records.

Background: Diagnosing rare diseases traditionally requires patients to endure lengthy and challenging journeys to find specialists familiar with their conditions. This study advocates a paradigm shift in rare disease diagnosis, moving from patients seeking physicians to physicians actively identifying patients. Using hereditary angioedema (HAE) as an example, we demonstrate how this approach, supported by electronic medical records (EMRs), enables proactive care for patients with rare diseases.

Neutrophil membrane-coated circular RNA nanoparticles for targeted immunotherapy in HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastasis.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy worldwide, with approximately 50% of HER2-positive advanced breast cancer patients eventually developing brain metastases, significantly reducing survival. Current HER2-targeted therapies, such as trastuzumab, exhibit limited efficacy in patients with brain metastases due to poor blood-brain barrier penetration and drug resistance. This study aimed to develop a novel strategy for treating HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases to improve overall survival.

Expert Consensus on Subxiphoid and Subcostal Arch Thoracoscopic Resection for the Treatment of Thymoma.

Surgery is the primary treatment for thymoma. Although subxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic thymoma surgery is widely used, there is currently a lack of consensus regarding its use, nor have standards been established. Based on the surgical experience of many domestic thoracic surgery centers, the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University has formulated this expert consensus regarding key clinical issues related to thoracoscopic thymoma surgery, including preoperative evaluation, surgical indications, preoperative preparation, surgical details, perioperative management, postoperative treatment, and follow-up.

A fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein OsFLA8 is involved in Casparian strip formation and salt tolerance in rice.

FASCICLIN-LIKE ARABINOGALACTAN PROTEINs (FLAs), a subclass of plant arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), play diverse roles in plant development, including pollen development, secondary cell wall regulation, and root and stem growth. However, the biological functions of the majority of FLA-encoded proteins in rice remain largely unexplored, particularly their roles in root development and cell wall formation. In this study, we identified OsFLA8, a member of the FLA family, as a critical component of Casparian strip (CS) formation and salt stress tolerance in rice.

From Code to Life: The AI-Driven Revolution in Genome Editing.

Genome editing has revolutionized modern biotechnology, enabling precise modifications to DNA sequences with far-reaching applications in medicine, agriculture, and synthetic biology. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly enhanced genome editing by improving target selection, minimizing off-target effects, and optimizing CRISPR-associated systems. AI-driven models, such as deep learning-based predictors and protein language models, enable more accurate sgRNA design, novel Cas protein discovery, and enhanced gene regulatory network analysis.

Preoperative prediction of HER2 expression and sentinel lymph node status in breast cancer using a mammography radiomics model.

Background: This study aimed to develop and validate radiomic features derived from mammography (MG) to differentiate between various HER2 expression types (HER2-positive, HER2-low, and HER2-zero) and to preoperatively assess sentinel lymph node (SLN) status in breast cancer.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using clinicopathological and imaging data from 838 female breast cancer patients diagnosed at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between January 2016 and September 2024. The patients were randomly divided into a training set (n=586) and a test set (n=252) in a 7:3 ratio.

Tumor exosomal circPTBP3 drives gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis via mesothelial-mesenchymal transition.

The peritoneum is the most common site of metastasis in advanced gastric cancer (GC), and the mechanisms underlying this process of gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM) remain largely elusive. Mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MMT) plays a crucial role in the progression of GCPM. In our current study, the data confirmed that GC-derived exosomes could significantly promote peritoneal metastasis through an MMT-dependent manner in vivo and in vitro.

OsWRKY18, a WRKY transcription factor, is involved in rice salt tolerance.

Salinity stress significantly impairs plant growth and leads to substantial yield losses in rice and other crops. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) are well-documented regulators of plant stress responses, yet their specific roles in rice salt tolerance remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the function of OsWRKY18, a rice WRKY TF with transcriptional activation activity, in salt stress adaptation.

Catalase-encapsulated matrix metalloproteinase-9 responsive nanogels for modulation of inflammatory response and treatment of neutrophilic asthma.

Asthma is a chronic disease with typical pathological features such as airflow limitation, airway inflammation and remodeling. Of these, neutrophilic asthma is considered to be the more severe and corticosteroid-resistant subtype of asthma. Increasing evidence suggests that patients with neutrophilic asthma often accompany with dysbiosis of the internal microbiota, where the increased abundance of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is closely related to the neutrophilic asthma phenotype.

Pesticide exposure induces risks of gestational anemia by maternal gut microbiota: A prospective cohort study.

Gut microbiota regulates host hematopoiesis, with notable alterations observed in individuals with gestational anemia (GA). Pregnancy-induced susceptibility to environmental stressors, including widespread pesticide residuals, may disrupt gut microbiota, further contributing to the development of GA. This study sought to investigate population-level associations between pesticide exposure and GA, with a focus on the mediating role of gut microbiota.

Targeting PTBP3-Mediated Alternative Splicing of COX11 Induces Cuproptosis for Inhibiting Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis.

Numerous aberrant splicing events are implicated in tumor progression, yet comprehensive reports on splicing factors and events associated with peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer (GCPM) are lacking. In this study, PTBP3 is found to be significantly overexpressed in peritoneal metastatic tissues of gastric cancer compared to primary tumor tissues, and higher PTBP3 expression correlates with poorer prognosis. Using gastric cancer cells and patient-derived organoids (PDO), the role of PTBP3 in promoting tumor invasion and proliferation is investigated.

Unveiling Growth and Photovoltaic Principles in Density-Controllable TiO Nanorod Arrays for Efficient Solar Cells.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) nanorod arrays (TiO-NA) are widely used in optoelectronic devices. Controlling the number density (N) of nanorods without altering their dimensional features in TiO-NA is of great importance to the tailored performance of the optoelectronic devices, which unfortunately remains challenging up to now. Here, a facile strategy is developed to control the N without changing the TiO nanorod sizes in the rutile TiO-NAs hydrothermally grown on an anatase TiO film on a large scale.

Interpreting Low-Level Vision Models With Causal Effect Maps.

Deep neural networks have significantly improved the performance of low-level vision tasks but also increased the difficulty of interpretability. A deep understanding of deep models is beneficial for both network design and practical reliability. To take up this challenge, we introduce causality theory to interpret low-level vision models and propose a model-/task-agnostic method called Causal Effect Map (CEM).

A TFAIII-Type Transcription Factor Regulating a Signaling Pathway Confers Resistance to pv. in Rice.

Background: Rice bacterial leaf blight, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium pv. (), significantly impacts rice production. To address this disease, research efforts have focused on discovering and utilizing novel disease-resistant genes and examining their functional mechanisms.

Trace Element Exposure during Pregnancy Has a Persistent Influence on Perinatal Gut Microbiota in Mother-Infant Dyads.

Trace elements have been recognized as the modifiers of the gut microbiota. However, population-based evidence about their effects on maternal gut microbiota dynamics, as well as the intergenerational impacts on neonatal gut microbiota, has been lacking. We examined the longitudinal microbiota data from mother-infant dyads and demonstrated that maternal trace element exposure played a pivotal role in shaping the composition and similarity of the mother-infant gut microbiota.

Mixed Kagomé and Triangular Lattices in Transition Metal Sulfate Compounds M(SO)(OH) (M = Co, Ni, Cu).

A series of transition metal sulfate compounds, M(SO)(OH) (M = Co, Ni, Cu), have been hydrothermally synthesized and exhibit unique topological spin lattices composed of mixed kagomé and triangular motifs. Co(SO)(OH) and Ni(SO)(OH) feature alternating kagomé and triangular layers along the -axis, while Cu(SO)(OH) shows merged kagomé and triangular motifs extending along the -axis due to greater octahedral distortion. Magnetic measurements reveal that Co(SO)(OH) exhibits a ferrimagnetic transition at ∼6.

Dietary whey protein protects against Crohn's disease by orchestrating cross-kingdom interaction between the gut phageome and bacteriome.

Background: The gut microbiome and diet are important factors in the pathogenesis and management of Crohn's disease (CD). However, the role of the gut phageome under dietary influences is unknown.

Objective: We aim to explore the effect of diet on the gut phageome-bacteriome interaction linking to CD protection.

Construction and validation of a nomogram model for predicting peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer based on ferroptosis-relate genes and clinicopathological features.

Background: Gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM) is a lethal condition. Current diagnostic methods for GCPM, such as imaging and serum tumor markers, lack specificity and sensitivity. Research suggests that utilizing gene signatures to predict GCPM shows significant predictive ability.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Wenshenyang decoction for the improvement of renal function and kidney-yang deficiency syndrome in patients with CKD.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses an increasing challenge to the middle-aged and elderly population. Wenshenyang decoction (WSY), an herbal formula from China, has been shown to have a considerable effect on the recovery of the renal function in a real-world study. However, no randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety yet.