Glucocorticoid Discontinuation in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis under Background of Chinese Medicine: Challenges and Potentials Coexist.

Objective: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM).

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes mitigate acute radiation-induced intestinal oxidative damage via the Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1 signaling pathway.

Acute radiation-induced intestinal injury (ARII), a prevalent complication of abdominal radiotherapy, remains clinically challenging due to limited therapeutic options. This study demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hucMSC-Exos) in mitigating ARII through Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1 pathway activation. In a rat model receiving 12 Gy abdominal irradiation, systemic hucMSC-Exos administration significantly restored intestinal mucosal integrity and reduced oxidative damage markers.

Synergistic Drug Combination Prediction via Dual-level Feature Aggregation and Knowledge Graph-based Deep Neural Network.

Identifying synergistic drug combinations is a critical but difficult challenge in cancer treatment, owing to the sheer complexity and enormous number of possible drug combinations. However, most existing computational methods rely on a single data perspective and often overlooking the complexity of interactions between different biological entities. Furthermore, they fail to fully integrate the intrinsic properties of drugs and cell lines with the broader biological relationships that play a crucial role in drug synergy.

Systemic immune-inflammation index is associated with clinical outcome of acute ischemic stroke patients after intravenous thrombolysis treatment.

Introduction: The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been proven to predict the outcome in cancerous and non-cancerous diseases. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SII and other inflammatory markers and the prognosis in patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT).

Methods: Acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IVT were collected retrospectively.

Identifying Heat Adaptability QTLs and Candidate Genes for Grain Appearance Quality at the Flowering Stage in Rice.

High temperature significantly impacts grain appearance quality, yet few studies have focused on identifying new quantitative trait loci (QTLs)/genes related to these traits under heat stress during the flowering stage in rice. In this study, a natural population of 525 rice accessions was used to identify QTLs and candidate genes associated with grain appearance quality using a Genome-Wide Association Study under heat stress. We identified 25 QTLs associated with grain length (GL), grain width (GW), and grain chalkiness (GC) under heat stress across 10 chromosomes in the three rice populations (full, indica, and japonica).

Channels and Transporters in Ischemic Brain Edema.

Brain edema is one of the most devastating consequences of acute ischemic stroke, but an effective and preventive therapy targeting the formation of ischemic brain edema has not yet to be validated. Ischemic brain edema is primarily caused by damage to the blood-brain-barrier, leading to the leakage of ions and water into the brain tissue. Ion channels and transporters play a crucial role in ischemic brain edema.

Development of a TSR-based method for understanding structural relationships of cofactors and local environments in photosystem I.

Background: All chemical forms of energy and oxygen on Earth are generated via photosynthesis where light energy is converted into redox energy by two photosystems (PS I and PS II). There is an increasing number of PS I 3D structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The Triangular Spatial Relationship (TSR)-based algorithm converts 3D structures into integers (TSR keys).

Hybrid integrated thin-film lithium niobate and a silicon carbide microcomb amplifier.

We demonstrate a hybrid integrated optical frequency comb amplifier composed of a silicon carbide microcomb and a lithium niobate waveguide amplifier, which generates a 10-dB on-chip gain for the C+L band microcombs under 1480-nm laser pumping and an 8-dB gain under 980-nm laser pumping. It will solve the problem of low output power of microcombs and can be applied in various scenarios such as optical communication, lidar, optical computing, astronomical detection, atomic clocks, and more.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Specific Alternations in the Default Mode Network in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Voxel-Based Meta-Analysis.

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating mental disorder. Neuroimaging studies have highlighted that a dysfunctional default mode network (DMN) plays a key role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of OCD. However, findings of impaired DMN regions in OCD have been inconsistent.

LncRNA CASC9 facilitates papillary thyroid cancer development and doxorubicin resistance via miR-28-3p/BCL-2 axis and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to human health. LncRNA CASC9 serves as an oncogene in numerous tumors. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of lncRNA CASC9 regulating doxorubicin (Dox) resistance in PTC.

Compact low-half-wave-voltage thin film lithium niobate electro-optic phase modulator fabricated by photolithography-assisted chemo-mechanical etching (PLACE).

We present a compact dual-arm thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) electro-optic phase modulator fabricated using the photolithography-assisted chemo-mechanical etching (PLACE) technique. The design of the device doubles the modulation amount compared to single-arm modulators while maintaining the same chip length. Achieving a half-wave voltage of approximately 3 V, the device outperforms conventional single-arm phase modulators.

High pressure sensor based on intensity-variation using polymer optical fiber.

Silica fiber under high pressure increases the risk of fiber breakage or permanent deformation, which may cause sensor failure due to mechanical strength limitations. High pressure can also induce birefringence in optical fiber. In this study, we present a simple design and low-cost high pressure sensor using polymer optical fiber (POF) based on the intensity-variation technique.

Convergent functional change of frontoparietal network in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a voxel-based meta-analysis.

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric illness with complex clinical manifestations. Cognitive dysfunction may underlie OC symptoms. The frontoparietal network (FPN) is a key region involved in cognitive control.

The impact of illness duration on brain activity in goal-directed and habit-learning systems in obsessive-compulsive disorder progression: A resting-state functional imaging study.

It is increasingly evident that structural and functional changes in brain regions associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are often related to the development of the disease. However, limited research has been conducted on how the progression of OCD may lead to an imbalance between goal-directed and habit-learning systems. This study employs resting-state functional imaging to examine the relationship between illness duration and abnormal brain function in goal-directed/habitual-learning systems.

The wall-associated kinase GWN1 controls grain weight and grain number in rice.

Grain size is a crucial agronomic trait that determines grain weight and final yield. Although several genes have been reported to regulate grain size in rice (Oryza sativa), the function of Wall-Associated Kinase family genes affecting grain size is still largely unknown. In this study, we identified GRAIN WEIGHT AND NUMBER 1 (GWN1) using map-based cloning.

Intensive Ambulance-Delivered Blood-Pressure Reduction in Hyperacute Stroke.

Background: Treatment of acute stroke, before a distinction can be made between ischemic and hemorrhagic types, is challenging. Whether very early blood-pressure control in the ambulance improves outcomes among patients with undifferentiated acute stroke is uncertain.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients with suspected acute stroke that caused a motor deficit and with elevated systolic blood pressure (≥150 mm Hg), who were assessed in the ambulance within 2 hours after the onset of symptoms, to receive immediate treatment to lower the systolic blood pressure (target range, 130 to 140 mm Hg) (intervention group) or usual blood-pressure management (usual-care group).

Chromosome-level reference genome and resequencing of 322 accessions reveal evolution, genomic imprint and key agronomic traits in adzuki bean.

Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) is an important legume crop cultivated in over 30 countries worldwide. We developed a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of adzuki bean cultivar Jingnong6 by combining PacBio Sequel long-read sequencing with short-read and Hi-C technologies. The assembled genome covers 97.