Robotic versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for mid-low rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of oncological, perioperative, and survival-related outcomes.

A major cause of cancer death, colorectal cancer is becoming more common in younger people. The comparative effectiveness of robotic versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) as surgical interventions for mid-low rectal cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) remains uncertain. To systematically evaluate oncological, perioperative, and survival outcomes of robotic versus laparoscopic surgery for mid-low rectal cancer following nCRT.

CircSHPRH inhibits malignancy progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) stands as a significant global health concern, marked by its substantial impact on both morbidity and mortality rates. Although previous studies have suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) may influence HNSCC progression, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear.

Methods: In this study, we first used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to measure the expression levels of circSHPRH in HNSCC tissues and cell lines.

Ablation of sympathetic nerve-β3 adrenergic receptor-mediated adipose tissue lipolysis attenuates alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

Background & Aims: Binge drinking causes fat accumulation in the liver and is a known risk factor for more severe forms of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Although adipocyte-released free fatty acids (FFA) have been shown to contribute to alcohol-induced liver damage, the signaling pathways that trigger lipolytic activity in adipose tissues following acute alcohol overconsumption is largely unknown. Notably, activation of sympathetic nerve-β3 adrenergic receptor (Adrb3) plays a central role in sustained adipocyte lipolysis.

A Targeting Senescence and Recycling Intracellular Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Strategy for Attenuation of Senescence-Associated Phenotypes.

Cellular senescence is a critical factor in organismal aging and age-related diseases. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) has been shown to be closely related to the cellular senescence process and holds potential as a senotherapeutic agent. However, its clinical application has been hindered by challenges such as its inability to be directly absorbed by cells, instability, and lack of targeting specificity.

Mitochondrial sORF-Encoded Peptide MODICA Protects the Heart From Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiac Injury by Suppressing VDAC Oligomerization.

Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) cardiotoxicity increases cardiovascular risk in cancer patients, mainly through mitochondrial damage. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and whether mitochondrial short open reading frame-encoded peptides can mitigate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity is unknown.

Methods: Five adeno-associated viruses expressing mitochondrial short open reading frame-encoded peptides under the cardiac troponin T promoter, including MODICA (mito-SEP protector against DOX-induced cardiac injury), were screened in a DOX-induced cardiotoxicity mouse model (n=3-5 per group).

CD55hi MAIT cells with elevated cytokine secretion and activation markers serve as potential diagnostic indicators in Sjögren's disease.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play a vital role in immune responses, yet their involvement in autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's disease (SjD) remains unclear. CD55, a key regulator of complement activation, influences immune cell function. This study investigates CD55 expression on MAIT cells in SjD patients and healthy controls, evaluating its potential as a diagnostic marker.

Exploration of prognostic genes associated with lymphangiogenesis in breast cancer based on transcriptomics and experimental verification.

Background: Breast cancer (BC), a malignant neoplasm resulting from the uncontrolled proliferation of mammary epithelial cells, is predominantly driven by pathogenic breast cancer gene (BRCA) 1/2 mutations in hereditary cases. Previous studies have implicated lymphangiogenesis in the progression of BC. This research aimed to identify prognostic genes associated with lymphangiogenesis in BC and explore their underlying biological mechanisms.

Research on Fatty Acid Demulsification Technology and Mechanism of Peanut OBs.

In this study, different fatty acids were used for demulsification of peanut oil bodies (OBs) extracted by aqueous enzymatic method. Demulsification process was optimized, and mechanism of fatty acid demulsification was studied. By screening of fatty acids and optimizing demulsification process, octanoic acid had the best demulsification effect (98.

Influences of micro ramp vortex generators on the performance of flush waterjet propulsor.

An array of micro-ramp vortex generators (MRVGs) is deployed on the bottom of the ship's hull just before the inlet, aiming to mitigate flow separation on the ramp wall at low inlet velocity ratios (IVR). Four parameters, including height, wedge angle, side length, and spanwise spacing, were analyzed using the numerical methods. Through parametric screening, the optimal height ranges from 20 to 40% of the hull boundary layer thickness upstream of the inlet, while wedge angle and length have negligible effects.

Phase-Based Thermal Wave Analysis for Lateral Characterization of Subsurface Defects in Solid Materials via Modeling and Simulation.

Lock-in thermography is a widely adopted infrared nondestructive testing technique that detects subsurface defects by applying modulated thermal waves and analyzing the resulting surface temperature variations. However, quantitatively characterizing subsurface defects at varying depths remains a significant challenge. This study explores the lateral resolution of subsurface defect detection using phase-based lock-in thermography, integrating analytical modeling, finite element simulation, and phase difference analysis.

AI-powered platform revolutionizing blood cell morphology education for medical students.

Background: This study aims to preliminarily explore the advantages and potential issues of artificial intelligence in the teaching of blood cell morphology to undergraduate medical students, so as to provide theoretical support and practical experience for promoting the intelligent transformation of medical education.

Methods: Undergraduate students from the 2021 cohort of the Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine at Peking University were assigned as the experimental group, while students from the 2020 cohort served as the control group. The experimental group utilized the AI platform to study blood cell morphology, whereas the control group relied on conventional teaching methods.

Transformative metal-ligand nanocoating for dual antibacterial and antithrombotic functionality in hemodialysis catheters.

Hemodialysis catheters are life-saving for end-stage renal disease patients but suffer from catheter-related bloodstream infections and thrombosis, which impair device function and threaten patient survival. Although functional coatings have been employed to mitigate some of these complications, the development of coatings that simultaneously exhibit both antibacterial and antithrombotic properties remains a significant challenge. To address these issues, we developed a PDA/Hep/Cu nanocomposite coating through sequential metal-ligand coordination, polymerization, and covalent immobilization.

Application of Multi-Omics Techniques in Aquatic Ecotoxicology: A Review.

Traditional ecotoxicology primarily investigates pollutant toxicity through physiological, biochemical, and single-molecular indicators. However, the limited data obtained through this approach constrain its application in the mechanistic analysis of pollutant toxicity. Omics technologies have emerged as a major research focus in recent years, enabling the comprehensive and accurate analysis of biomolecular-level changes.

Effect of clonal hematopoiesis on plaque morphology and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is related to cardiovascular disorders and poor prognosis. However, the relationship between CHIP and clinical outcome as well as pathological phenotype of patients with acute myocardial infarction was unknown. Herein, we aimed to investigate the associations between CHIP mutation stratified by variant allele frequency (VAF) from 0.

Asprosin Aggravates Tubular Epithelial Cell Injury and Phenotypic Transformation via Mitochondrial Dynamics Disorder Mediated by Excessive Drp1 SUMOylation in Diabetic Nephropathy Mice.

Epidemiological studies show that some diabetic patients develop end-stage renal dysfunction without significant proteinuria or glomerulopathy, underscoring the role of renal tubular epithelial cell (TEC) impairment in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the primary pathogenic determinants underlying TEC impairment and disease advancement in DKD progression remain unclear. This study reveals that asprosin (ASP) is up-regulated and positively correlated with kidney dysfunction in DKD mice.

Whole-genome sequencing and probiotic properties of Lactobacillus helveticus KM7 isolated from the gut of the Chinese honey bee (Apis cerana): A promising exopolysaccharide-producing strain.

Lactobacillus helveticus is a probiotic bacterium widely used in the food industry. In this study, we evaluate the safety and probiotic properties of L. helveticus strain KM7, isolated from the gut of Apis cerana, through whole-genome sequencing and in vitro experiments.

Robust Sustainable Interfacial Evaporators from Lignin for Wastewater Treatment.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology has emerged as a promising solution for heavy metal-containing wastewater treatment, owing to its environmentally friendly and sustainable energy input advantages. However, the development of low-cost, high-efficiency photothermal agents with enhanced heavy-metal ion tolerance remains a significant challenge for advancing practical solar-powered wastewater treatment. Herein, we developed a series of metal-lignin composites, through a one-pot reaction involving lignin and heavy metal-contained wastewater, which demonstrated outstanding light-harvesting efficiency and photothermal conversion properties.

Delineating the Triphasic Side Reaction Products in High-Energy Density Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Unwanted cathode-electrolyte side reactions remain a major challenge to the stability of lithium-ion batteries, especially at high temperatures. This study presents a quantitative analysis on gaseous, soluble, and solid byproducts generated by reactions between LiNiO and carbonate electrolytes. Online electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS) outgassing profiles reveal the emergence of a pre-plateau region as temperature increases, characterized by two small plateaus at 3.

Spatiospectral Representation and Neural Decoding of Somatic Perception of Acupuncture Stimulations.

Characterizing the neural representations underlying somatic perception is crucial for neural decoding of external stimulations. Acupuncture is an important therapeutic method of traditional Chinese medicine and can effectively modulate brain activity for the treatment of neural diseases. In this work, we investigate the neural representations based on the power spectral density (PSD) estimated from electroencephalogram (EEG) across the whole brain with deep learning.

Joint effects of elevated homocysteine levels and low eGFR on post-stroke cognitive impairment.

Introduction: The correlation between serum homocysteine levels and post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) remains inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate whether serum homocysteine levels are independently associated with PSCI and to assess the effects of renal function on this relationship.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in 608 patients with ischemic stroke.

Glycyrrhizic acid inhibited inflammatory response in LPS-stimulated microglial BV2 cells via MAPK, Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Activation of microglia plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation-mediated neurodegenerative diseases. Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), a principal triterpenoid saponin in , has been reported to exhibit a range of biological activities. Nevertheless, the function of GA in microglia activation remains unclear.

The predictive value of atherogenic index of plasma and clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential among patients with STEMI-from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a leading global cause of mortality despite advances in revascularization therapies.

Methods: This prospective cohort study investigated the synergistic prognostic impact of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) in 1396 ACS patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention at Fuwai Hospital (2017-2020). Using deep targeted sequencing (42 genes, median depth 14,219 ×), we identified CHIP mutations (VAF ≥ 2%) in 14.

Deep learning-based phase demodulation for distributed acoustic sensor.

With the rapid advancement of deep learning, its applications in fiber optic sensing are expanding significantly, particularly in recognizing diverse scenarios where substantial progress has been made. However, the crucial task of obtaining demodulation results from raw data remains relatively underexplored. Accurate demodulation is essential for a deeper understanding of the physical processes in fiber optic sensing systems, enhancing measurement accuracy, and optimizing system performance.

Multi-peak detection algorithm for FBG array sensing based on self-adaptive thresholding.

When dealing with the reflected signals from an array of optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in fiber optic sensing, the conventional multi-peak detection algorithm often faces challenges due to the presence of noise interference, potentially resulting in demodulation failures. In this study, we propose a robust self-adaptive multi-peak detection algorithm. First, the reflected signals from the optical fiber Bragg grating array are normalized to enhance the stability of the algorithm.