Towards ultra-sensitive and rapid near-source wastewater-based epidemiology.

Wastewater-based epidemiology is emerging as a powerful early-warning public health surveillance tool. However, gold-standard PCR necessitates transporting samples to laboratories, with significant reporting delays (24-72 h), prompting growing interest in rapid, near-source tests for resource-limited settings. Research has focused on gold nanoparticle dipsticks, but these typically lack sensitivity in wastewater.

Surveillance of the Genetic Signature in Circulating Tumor DNA for Guiding Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Urothelial Carcinoma: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Urothelial carcinoma is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide, with a poor 5-year survival rate. As genomics is the backbone of the precision medicine paradigm, the genetic signature in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is emerging as a pivotal biomarker for detecting early-stage cancer and molecular residual disease (MRD).

Objective: We aim to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a ctDNA-based sequencing approach for detecting MRD and guiding adjuvant chemotherapy in postoperative urothelial carcinomas.

The effect of physical exercise on cardiopulmonary fitness in burn patients: A meta-analysis.

Objective: Cardiopulmonary dysfunction in burn patients is typically caused by both the burn injury and smoke inhalation. Normally presenting with symptoms such as dyspnea, decreased exercise tolerance, decreased maximal heart rate, and decreased arterial oxygen saturation. It has been demonstrated that physical activity helps to increase cardiorespiratory fitness.

Sophoridine inhibits proliferation and migration by targeting PIM1 in breast cancer.

Context: Sophoridine, an alkaloid quinolizidine derived from Aiton (Fabaceae), has strong anti-tumor activity in a variety of malignancies. Nevertheless, the effects and underlying mechanism of sophoridine on breast cancer are not fully understood.

Objective: To identify the key targets and potential pharmacological mechanisms of sophoridine against breast cancer.

Study of the effectiveness of different pelvic floor muscle training methods for improving urinary incontinence in patients with prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

Introduction To compare the effects of different pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) modes on improving iatrogenic stress urinary incontinence (SUI) recovery in prostate cancer (PCa) patients after radical prostatectomy (RP). Methods PCa patients who underwent RP were prospectively enrolled and randomized into standard PFMT (S-PFMT) group, somatosensory interactive PFMT (SI-PFMT, an enhanced PFMT) group, and standard PFMT combined with magnetic stimulation (S-PFMT+MS) group. SUI status was evaluated through the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) scores and 1-hour pad test.

A pilot short-term study of feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of 3-stage 8-session 4-week group therapy-based narrative intervention in 17 improved hospitalized female schizophrenia patients in southern China.

Self-stigma has been consistently cited as a major obstacle to recovery-related outcomes among patients with schizophrenia. To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the group-based narrative intervention for improving self-stigma, self-esteem and psychological capital in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia, a case-series study was conducted from March to May 2023 in a closed psychiatric ward of a specialized hospital in mainland China. Feasibility was assessed by examining rates of recruitment, retention, and protocol adherence.

Time-effect relationship between spare-time exercise and sleep quality in middle school student by parallel latent growth and cross-lagged panel model.

Introduction: Sleep quality (SQ) is an important factor affecting the life and academic performance of secondary school students, and it has been found that spare-time exercise (STE) can improve SQ, but the psychological mechanism and timeliness have not been elucidated. Therefore, this study analyzed it using cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) and parallel latent growth modeling (PLGM).

Methods: A total of 894 students from six secondary schools in Beijing, China, participated in the study.

SIRPα blockade therapy potentiates immunotherapy by inhibiting PD-L1 myeloid cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells (TIMs) are pivotal cell populations involved in the immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). However, there has been little success in large-scale clinical trials of myeloid cell modulators. We aim to investigate potential molecular targets for TIMs and disclose the underlying mechanism.

Dual roles of GM-CSF in breast cancer: Immunomodulation and therapeutic implications.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor secreted by immune and non-immune cells. By binding to specific receptors on target cell surfaces, GM-CSF promotes hematopoiesis, activates immune cells, modulates inflammatory responses, participates in tissue repair, and regulating anti-tumor immunity. Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in females.

Highly Adaptable Dendrimer Gel Nanoparticles with Dual Targeting of uPAR and Ribonucleotide Reductase R2 for Better Retention and Improved Therapeutic Outcomes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 15% of breast cancers and lacks estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), rendering it unresponsive to hormonal or anti-HER2 therapies. Due to its poor prognosis and limited treatment options, there is an urgent need for targeted therapies. In this study, we developed highly adaptable polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer-based gel nanoparticles with dual-targeting capabilities against urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and ribonucleotide reductase R2 (R2).

Multifunctional Janus Hydrogels: Surface Design Strategies for Next-Generation Clinical Solutions.

Janus hydrogels, distinguished by their dual-sided structure with distinct physical and chemical properties, have garnered significant attention in the medical field, particularly for applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound healing. Their ability to simultaneously perform multiple functions, such as targeted drug release and biomimetic tissue interaction, positions them as a promising platform for advanced therapeutic strategies. The growing interest in these hydrogels is primarily driven by their multifunctionality and capacity to address complex biological needs.

Enhanced Cholesterol Efflux and Atherosclerosis Regression via CEH Gene Delivery Using Galactose-Functionalized Dendrimeric Nanoparticles.

Cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) is a critical enzyme in cholesterol ester hydrolysis, influencing cholesterol metabolism and efflux. This study demonstrates that CEH overexpression promotes free cholesterol efflux from macrophages, thereby reducing the lipid burden in existing atherosclerotic plaques. To enable targeted delivery, galactose-functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimeric nanoparticles were utilized as nanocarriers for hepatic delivery of the CEH expression vector.

Multifocal cancer is associated with better survival than solitary cancer in non-Hispanic White patients with thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Multifocal carcinoma is commonly reported in thyroid cancer. However, its impact on cancer survival is unclear. This study aims to evaluate whether multifocal disease is associated with better thyroid cancer outcomes in different ethnicities.

Scalable Fabrication of High-Payload Dendrimer-Based Nanoparticles for Targeted Atherosclerosis Therapy.

Nanoparticle-based therapeutics hold promise for the treatment of atherosclerosis, but challenges such as low drug-loading capacity and a lack of scalable, controllable production hinder their clinical translation. Flash nanoprecipitation, a continuous synthesis method, offers a potential solution for scalable and reproducible nanoparticle production. In this study, we employed a custom-designed multi-inlet vortex mixer to perform cross-linking reaction-enabled flash nanoprecipitation, facilitating controlled and scalable synthesis of cross-linked polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer nanoparticles.

Downregulated granzyme M expression: implications for the immune system and prognosis of thyroid cancer.

Thyroid carcinoma (THCA), the most prevalent endocrine system cancer, is rising worldwide. Granzyme family member GZMM causes tumor cell inflammation and programmed cell death. However, the role of GZMM in THCA has not been investigated.

Synthesis and Characterization of Free Radical Scavenging Dendrimer Nanogels via Cross-Linking Reaction-Enabled Flash Nanoprecipitation.

This work reports the development and evaluation of dendrimer-based nanogels based on polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer generation 5, engineered to act as a carrier with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capabilities. We developed a cross-linking reaction-enabled flash nanoprecipitation method in which the cross-linking reaction occurs during the flash nanoprecipitation process to form a cross-linked nanostructure. Using this approach, an -hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-functionalized ROS-responsive thioketal cross-linker (TK-NHS) was synthesized and utilized to cross-link DAB-core PAMAM dendrimer G5, resulting in the formation of G5-TK nanogels.

DNA Origami Multicolor Quantum Dot Platforms for Sub-diffraction Spectral Separation Imaging.

Super-resolution optical imaging techniques rely on validation standards. In this regard, it is of paramount importance to develop consistent and reliable well-defined reference samples. In this study, we employ a DNA origami scaffold to engineer a multicolor quantum dot hybrid nanostructure, and evaluate it through a recently proposed quantum dot-based spectral separation technique.

ROS-Responsive Cationic Polymers with Intrinsic Anti-Inflammatory Activity for Intracellular Protein Delivery.

The intracellular delivery of protein drugs via nanocarriers offers significant potential for expanding their therapeutic applications. However, the unintended activation of innate immune responses and inflammation triggered by the carriers presents a major challenge, often compromising therapeutic efficacy. Here, we present oligoethylenimine-thioketal (OEI-TK), a reactive oxygen species-responsive cationic polymer with intrinsic anti-inflammatory properties, to overcome this challenge.

Far-red light-driven photoautotrophy of chlorophyll f-producing cyanobacterium without red-shifted phycobilisome core complex.

Chlorophyll (Chl) f production expands oxygenic photosynthesis of some cyanobacteria into the far-red light (FRL) region through reconstructed FRL-allophycocyanin (APC) cores and Chl f-containing photosystems. Presently, a unicellular cyanobacterium was isolated for studying FRL photoacclimation (FaRLiP) and classified as a new species Altericista leshanensis. It uses additional Chl f and FRL-APC cores, with retained white light (WL)-phycobiliproteins to thrive FRL conditions.

Ultrasensitive Homogeneous Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor for -Nitrosodimethylamine Detection Based on Vertically-Ordered Mesoporous Silica Film-Modified Electrode and CRISPR/Cas12a-Driven HRCA with Triple Signal Amplification.

Herein, we present an innovative electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for the ultrasensitive detection of -nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The biosensor utilizes a triple signal amplification strategy, combining rolling circle amplification (RCA), CRISPR/Cas12a-driven hyperbranched rolling circle amplification (HRCA), and electrostatic repulsion with size exclusion effects from vertically ordered mesoporous silica film (VMSF)/indium tin oxide (ITO) on double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-Ru(phen) complexes. In this system, aptamers and circular DNA undergo RCA reactions, followed by the CRISPR/Cas12a-mediated HRCA process, producing abundant dsDNA.

Intelligent larval zebrafish phenotype recognition via attention mechanism for high-throughput screening.

Background: Larval zebrafish phenotypes serve as critical research indicators in fields such as ecotoxicology and safety assessment since phenotypic defects are closely related to alterations of underlying pathway. However, identifying these defects is time-consuming and requires specialized knowledge.

Method: We proposed a deep network model called RECNet, which combines attention mechanisms and residual structures.

JMJD6 Rewires ATF4-Dependent Glutathione Metabolism to Confer Ferroptosis Resistance in SPOP-Mutated Prostate Cancer.

Ferroptosis inducers have shown therapeutic potential in prostate cancer, but tumor heterogeneity poses a barrier to their efficacy. Distinguishing the regulators orchestrating metabolic cross-talk between cancer cells could shed light on therapeutic strategies to more robustly activate ferroptosis. In this study, we found that aberrant accumulation of Jumonji domain-containing 6 (JMJD6) proteins correlated with poorer prognosis of patients with prostate cancer.

Facile Fabrication of Injectable Multifunctional Hydrogels Based on Gallium-Polyphenol Networks with Superior Antibacterial Activity for Promoting Infected Wound Healing.

Multifunctional hydrogels hold significant promise for promoting the healing of infected wounds but often fall short in inhibiting antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and their clinical translation is limited by complex preparation processes and high costs. In this study, a multifunctional hydrogel is developed by combining metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) formed by tannic acid (TA) and gallium ions (Ga⁺) with chitosan (CS) through a simple one-step method. The resulting CS-TA-Ga⁺ (CTG) hydrogel is cost-effective and exhibits desirable properties, including injectability, self-healing, pH responsiveness, hemostasis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities.

Unlocking the Hidden Potential of Cancer Therapy Targeting Lysine Succinylation.

Lysine succinylation is an emerging post-translational modification of proteins. It involves the addition of the succinyl group to lysine residues of target proteins through both enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways. This modification can alter the structure of the target protein, which, in turn, impacts protein activity and function and is involved in a wide range of diseases.