Sagittal Classification of Calcified Lumbar Disc Herniation and Therapeutic Analysis of Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Discectomy.

Background: Calcified lumbar disc herniation (CLDH) is one specific type of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Currently, there are no uniform classification standards for different calcification degrees of herniated lumbar disc tissue. Percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID) has been proved to exhibit great efficacy in treating LDH, but whether it can achieve satisfactory results in treating CLDH with different calcification remains unclear.

PZT optical memristors.

Optical memristors represent a monumental leap in the fusion of photonics and electronics for neuromorphic computing and artificial intelligence. Here, we reveal the first lead zirconate titanate (PZT) optical memristor, working with a paradigm of functional duality: non-volatile setting and ultrafast volatile modulation via the Pockels effect. Fine-tuning and large modulation depth are achieved with an index change of 4.

Aptamer-Engineered Trichromatic Colloidal Crystal Biosensor for High-Precision Visual Sensing of Oxytetracycline.

Precision chromatic sensing remains a critical challenge for environmental diagnostics due to limited color resolution in field-deployable platforms. Herein, we present an aptamer-engineered trichromatic colloidal crystal hydrogel (ATCCH) biosensor that integrates triple colloidal crystal arrays with oxytetracycline (OTC)-specific molecular recognition. This system combines programmable stepwise vertical deposition of SiO colloids with the formation of OTC-specific aptamers anchored through gold nanoparticle (AuNP) bridges, creating nanoconfined sensing cavities for target-triggered photonic band gap modulation.

Regenerating aged bone marrow via a nitric oxide nanopump.

Resident leptin-receptor-expressing (LepR) cells senescence in the aged bone marrow impairs the regenerative capacity of osteo- and other lineages of cells. In this study, a LepR cell-targeting nitric oxide (NO) nanopump with in vivo self-controlled turn-on ability was constructed to rejuvenate the LepR cells in the aged bone marrow. The nanopump co-entrapped hydrophobic chemiluminescence substrate and NO donor into the matrix of amphiphilic polymer through a nanoprecipitation process.

A20 attenuates oxidized self-DNA-mediated inflammation in acute kidney injury.

The ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20 is known to regulate inflammation and maintain homeostasis, but its role in self-DNA-mediated inflammation in acute kidney injury (AKI) is not well understood. Here, our study demonstrated that oxidized self-DNA accumulates in the serum of AKI mice and patients. This oxidized self-DNA exacerbates the progression of AKI by activating the cGAS-STING pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome.

The value of super microvascular imaging and shear wave elastography in evaluating synovial lesions in knee osteoarthritis.

ObjectiveThis study investigates the value of super microvascular imaging (SMI) and shear wave elastography (SWE) in evaluating the relationship between synovial tissues and disease severity in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients.Materials and MethodsPatients with KOA who visited our hospital between August 2022 and May 2023 were enrolled. WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) scores, X-ray images (Kellgren-Lawrence grading), power Doppler imaging (PDI), SMI, and SWE were evaluated for each patient.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cell-targeted virus-like particles synergistically activate innate immune response for cancer immunotherapy.

The importance of the tumor microenvironment in dynamically modulating neoplastic process, fostering proliferation, survival and migration is now widely appreciated. Therapeutics directed to various components of tumor microenvironment, especially tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), have become an attractive avenue for cancer immunotherapy. Virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from cowpea chlorotic mottle viruses (CCMV) have been used extensively in biotechnology and are ideal platforms for the targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs for cancer immunotherapy.

N6-Methyladenosine-Modified circSMAD4 Prevents Lumbar Instability Induced Cartilage Endplate Ossification.

Lumbar instability causes cartilage endplate ossification and intervertebral disc degeneration. In this study, it is determined that circSMAD4, a Yap1-related circRNA, is stably downregulated under abnormal stress. In vitro, circSMAD4 knockdown resulted in Yap1 mRNA degradation, whereas circSMAD4 overexpression increased Yap1 mRNA expression and nuclear translocation.

Erratum: Targeting BRD4 prevents acute gouty arthritis by regulating pyroptosis: Erratum.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.46153.

Asymmetric bi-level dual-core mode converter for high-efficiency and polarization-insensitive O-band fiber-chip edge coupling: breaking the critical size limitation.

Efficient coupling between optical fibers and on-chip photonic waveguides has long been a crucial issue for photonic chips used in various applications. Edge couplers (ECs) based on an inverse taper have seen widespread utilization due to their intrinsic broadband operation. However, it still remains a big challenge to realize polarization-insensitive low-loss ECs working at the O-band (1,260-1,360 nm), mainly due to the strong polarization dependence of the mode coupling/conversion and the difficulty to fabricate the taper tip with an ultra-small feature size.

Multi-omics insights implicate the remodeling of the intestinal structure and microbiome in aging.

Background: Aging can impair the ability of elderly individuals to fight infections and trigger persistent systemic inflammation, a condition known as inflammaging. However, the mechanisms underlying the development of inflammaging remain unknown.

Methods: We conducted 16S rRNA sequencing of intestinal contents from young and old C57BL/6J mice to elucidate changes in gut microbiota diversity and microbial community composition after aging.

[Mechanism of tetramethylpyrazine attenuates inflammatory injury in endothelial cells by activating the SIRT1 signaling pathway].

Objectives: To study the effects and mechanisms of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory injury in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC).

Methods: HCAEC were randomly divided into four groups: the control group (no treatment), the model group (treated with TNF-α, 50 ng/mL for 24 hours), the TMP group (pre-treated with TMP, 80 μg/mL for 12 hours followed by TNF-α treatment for 24 hours), and the SIRT1 inhibitor group (pre-treated with TMP and the specific SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 for 12 hours followed by TNF-α treatment for 24 hours). Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 method, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was measured using an LDH assay kit, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were observed using DCFH-DA staining, expression of pyroptosis-related proteins was detected by Western blot, and SIRT1 expression was analyzed using immunofluorescence staining.

Responsive DNA hydrogels: design strategies and prospects for biosensing.

Hydrogels, water-filled networks that can adapt to external stimuli by altering their volume, are known for their high flexibility and biocompatibility. DNA, a critical biomolecule renowned for its exceptional characteristics including information transmission, molecular recognition, and editability, has found widespread applications in the biosensing field as well. The integration of these two biomaterials offers promising opportunities for the development of novel biosensors with enhanced sensitivity, specificity, and adaptability.

Evidence for ~12-h ultradian gene programs in humans.

Mice and many marine organisms exhibit ~12-h ultradian rhythms, however, direct evidence of ~12-h ultradian rhythms in humans is lacking. Here, we performed prospective, temporal transcriptome profiling of peripheral white blood cells from three healthy humans. All three participants independently exhibited robust ~12-h transcriptional rhythms in molecular programs involved in RNA and protein metabolism, with strong homology to circatidal gene programs previously identified in Cnidarian marine species.

Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation by A20 through modulation of NEK7.

The NLRP3 inflammasome, a pivotal component of innate immunity, has been implicated in various inflammatory disorders. The ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20 is well known to regulate inflammation and maintain homeostasis. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which A20 modulates the NLRP3 inflammasome remain poorly understood.

Lumbar instability remodels cartilage endplate to induce intervertebral disc degeneration by recruiting osteoclasts via Hippo-CCL3 signaling.

Degenerated endplate appears with cheese-like morphology and sensory innervation, contributing to low back pain and subsequently inducing intervertebral disc degeneration in the aged population. However, the origin and development mechanism of the cheese-like morphology remain unclear. Here in this study, we report lumbar instability induced cartilage endplate remodeling is responsible for this pathological change.

Inhibition of METTL3 Alleviates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation via Increasing Ubiquitination of NEK7.

N6-methyladenosine (mA) modification, installed by METTL3-METTL14 complex, is abundant and critical in eukaryotic mRNA. However, its role in oral mucosal immunity remains ambiguous. Periodontitis is a special but prevalent infectious disease characterized as hyperinflammation of oral mucosa and bone resorption.

N6-methyladenosine-modified circTEAD1 stabilizes Yap1 mRNA to promote chordoma tumorigenesis.

Background: Chordoma, a rare bone tumour with aggressive local invasion and high recurrence rate with limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been extensively implicated in tumorigenesis, yet their involvement in chordoma remains largely unexplored. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification holds a crucial function in regulating protein translation, RNA degradation and transcription.

Proteome characterization of liver-kidney comorbidity after microbial sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body responds to an infection but subsequently triggers widespread inflammation and impaired blood flow. These pathologic responses can rapidly cause multiple organ dysfunction or failure either one by one or simultaneously. The fundamental common mechanisms involved in sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction remain unclear.

Magnesium promotes vascularization and osseointegration in diabetic states.

Diabetes has long been considered a risk factor in implant therapy and impaired wound healing in soft and hard oral tissues. Magnesium has been proved to promote bone healing under normal conditions. Here, we elucidate the mechanism by which Mg promotes angiogenesis and osseointegration in diabetic status.

Transplantation of active nucleus pulposus cells with a keep-charging hydrogel microsphere system to rescue intervertebral disc degeneration.

Background: Cell transplantation has been demonstrated as a promising approach in tissue regeneration. However, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and inflammation condition establish a harsh microenvironment in degenerated tissue, which makes the transplanted cells difficult to survive.

Methods: In this study, we constructed a keep-charging hydrogel microsphere system to enable cells actively proliferate and function in the degenerated intervertebral disc.