Interim C-reactive protein levels predict the prognosis of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving immunotherapy: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level is frequently considered a prognostic predictor of immunotherapy. However, the prognostic role of the interim serum CRP levels before the third course of immunotherapy (CRP-C3) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) receiving immunotherapy remains unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the predictive value of CRP-C3 for immunotherapy response and progression-free survival (PFS) and to compare its performance with other biomarkers, such as tumor mutational burden (TMB).

Clinical Outcomes of Different Surgical Methods for Campanacci Grade III and Recurrent Giant Cell Tumors of the Distal Radius.

Background: Campanacci grade III and recurrent giant cell tumors (GCTs) of the distal radius are aggressive, but treatments are scare, and universally accepted surgical strategy has not been established. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of different surgical methods for these tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 26 patients with Campanacci grade III or recurrent GCT of the distal radius between 2017 and 2023 in this study.

Astragaloside IV increases PDHA1 in mesenchymal stem cell exosomes to treat myocardial infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a threat to health, with high morbidity and mortality, posing a challenge to the public health system. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and potential targets of Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) combined with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC)-derived exosomes (Exo) in the treatment of AMI. The effect of AS-IV in treating AMI via MSC exosomes was evaluated by cardiac ultrasound to assess cardiac function, TTC staining to observe myocardial infarction area, TUNEL staining was used to analyze cell apoptosis, and ELISA to measure the IL-6 and TNF-α in myocardial tissue.

Predicting survival outcomes in renal cell carcinoma spinal metastases: a multicenter evaluation of existing prognostic systems.

Background Context: Survival prediction models for patients with spinal metastases are crucial for guiding clinical decision-making and optimizing treatment strategies. Renal cell carcinoma spinal metastases (RCC-SM) present unique challenges due to their distinct biological behavior and variable response to systemic therapies.

Purpose: To externally validate existing prognostic scoring systems for predicting survival in patients with RCC-SM using multicenter data from China.

Causal relationships between hundreds of plasma metabolites and PTSD: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study.

Background: Recent studies have indicated a connection between plasma metabolites and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Nevertheless, the precise causal relationship remains unclear.

Methods: We performed bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) using two metabolite and two PTSD GWAS datasets to examine causal relationships between PTSD and 1009 plasma metabolites.

Lenvatinib Monotherapy Versus Lenvatinib in Combination with PD-1 Blockades as Re-Challenging Treatment for Patients with Metastatic Osteosarcoma: A Real-World Study.

Purpose: To explore the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib, either as a monotherapy or in combination with programmed death-1 (PD-1) blockades, as re-challenging treatment in patients with metastatic osteosarcoma following treatment failure with previous tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 26 patients with metastatic osteosarcoma who received rechallenge treatment with lenvatinib monotherapy or lenvatinib plus PD-1 blockades after failure of the initial TKI treatment from January 2020 to June 2024 in our center. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

Nonlinear Superconducting Magnetoelectric Effect.

Supercurrent flow can induce a nonvanishing spin magnetization in noncentrosymmetric superconductors with spin-orbit interaction. Often known as the nondissipative magnetoelectric effect, these are most commonly found at linear order in supercurrent flow. Here, we propose that a nonlinear superconducting magnetoelectric (NSM) effect can naturally manifest in magnet-superconductor heterostructures.

Development and validation of a novel immune-related prognostic model and the potential metastatic mechanism in synovial sarcoma.

Background: Several clinical trials have shown that immunotherapy plays a pivotal role in the treatment of patients with metastatic synovial sarcoma. Immune-related genes (IRGs) have been demonstrated to predict the immunotherapy response in certain malignant tumours. However, the clinical significance of IRGs in patients with synovial sarcoma (SS) is still unclear.

A multi-omics Mendelian randomization identifies putatively causal genes and DNA methylation sites for asthma.

Background: Asthma is a global chronic respiratory disease with complex pathogenesis. While current therapies offer some relief, they often fall short in effectively managing symptoms and preventing exacerbations for numerous patients. Thus, understanding its mechanisms and discovering new drug targets remains a pressing need for better treatment.

NTRK-rearranged spindle cell tumor with SPECC1L-NTRK3 fusion in the thoracic spine: a case report.

Neurotrophic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase (NTRK)-rearranged spindle cell tumors are a category of soft tissue tumors characterized by rearrangements of the NTRK gene family (NTRK1, NTRK2, and NTRK3), which leads to distinct molecular genetics, morphological, and immunophenotypic characteristics. The central feature of these tumors is the fusion of NTRK genes with other genes, resulting in abnormal expression and activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase proteins.In this report, we present the first documented case of an NTRK spindle cell tumor with SPECC1L-NTRK3 fusion located in the thoracic spine.

Causal relationships between gut microbiota, plasma metabolites, and HIV infection: insights from Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis.

Objective: Gut dysbiosis and metabolic abnormalities have been implicated in HIV infection. However, the exact causal relationships among the gut microbiota, metabolites, and HIV infection remain poorly understood. Our study involving Mendelian randomization (MR) and mediation analysis aims to unveil these causalities.

Anomalous h/2e Periodicity and Majorana Zero Modes in Chiral Josephson Junctions.

Recent experiments reported that quantum Hall chiral edge state-mediated Josephson junctions (chiral Josephson junctions) could exhibit Fraunhofer oscillations with a periodicity of either h/e [Vignaud et al., Nature (London) 624, 545 (2023)NATUAS0028-083610.1038/s41586-023-06764-4] or h/2e [Amet et al.

Design and validation of a novel 3D-printed glenohumeral fusion prosthesis for the reconstruction of proximal humerus bone defects: a biomechanical study.

Background: All available methods for reconstruction after proximal humerus tumor resection have disadvantages, and the optimal reconstruction method remains uncertain. This study aimed to design a novel 3D-printed glenohumeral fusion prosthesis and verify its feasibility and safety using biomechanical methods.

Methods: We verified the feasibility and safety of the 3D-printed glenohumeral fusion prosthesis by finite element analysis and biomechanical experimentation.

Robot Learning Method for Human-like Arm Skills Based on the Hybrid Primitive Framework.

This paper addresses the issue of how to endow robots with motion skills, flexibility, and adaptability similar to human arms. It innovatively proposes a hybrid-primitive-frame-based robot skill learning algorithm and utilizes the policy improvement with a path integral algorithm to optimize the parameters of the hybrid primitive framework, enabling robots to possess skills similar to human arms. Firstly, the end of the robot is dynamically modeled using an admittance control model to give the robot flexibility.

Sagittal en bloc resection of thoracolumbar tumours: a report of thirty one cases.

Purpose: To develop a novel classification of sagittal en bloc resection (SEBR) based on anatomical locations for thoracolumbar spine tumors and assess the clinical outcomes of this surgical procedure.

Methods: 31 patients with thoracolumbar tumours treated with SEBR were enrolled in this study. The individualized surgical strategy was adopted based on our surgical classification.

3D-printed modular prostheses for reconstruction of intercalary bone defects after joint-sparing limb salvage surgery for femoral diaphyseal tumours.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of 3D-printed modular prostheses in patients who underwent joint-sparing limb salvage surgery (JSLSS) for malignant femoral diaphyseal bone tumours.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 17 patients (13 males and four females) with femoral diaphyseal tumours who underwent JSLSS in our hospital.

Results: In all, 17 patients with locally aggressive bone tumours (Enneking stage IIB) located in the femoral shaft underwent JSLSS and reconstruction with 3D-printed modular prostheses between January 2020 and June 2022.

Osteosarcoma Cells Secrete CXCL14 That Activates Integrin α11β1 on Fibroblasts to Form a Lung Metastatic Niche.

Unlabelled: Cooperation between primary malignant cells and stromal cells can mediate the establishment of lung metastatic niches. Here, we characterized the landscape of cell populations in the tumor microenvironment in treatment-naïve osteosarcoma using single-cell RNA sequencing and identified a stem cell-like cluster with tumor cell-initiating properties and prometastatic traits. CXCL14 was specifically enriched in the stem cell-like cluster and was also significantly upregulated in lung metastases compared with primary tumors.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Identifies Serpin B9 as a Key Protein in Promoting Bone Metastases in Lung Cancer.

Unlabelled: Bone metastasis (BM) is one of the most common complications of advanced cancer. Immunotherapy for bone metastasis of lung cancer (LCBM) is not so promising and the immune mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we utilized a model of BM by injecting cancer cells through caudal artery (CA) to screen out a highly bone metastatic derivative (LLC1-BM3) from a murine lung cancer cell line LLC1.

Surgical outcomes and risk factors for surgical complications after en bloc resection following reconstruction with 3D-printed artificial vertebral body for thoracolumbar tumors.

Background: The outcomes of patients with tumors of the thoracolumbar spine treated with en bloc resection (EBR) using three-dimensional (3D)-printed endoprostheses are underreported.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients with thoracolumbar tumors who underwent surgery at our institution. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the potential risk factors for surgical complications.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes exert anti-inflammatory effects on osteoarthritis chondrocytes.

Inflammation of chondrocytes plays a critical role in the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis (OA). Recent evidence indicated exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs-Exos) exhibit excellent anti-inflammatory ability in many troublesome inflammatory diseases including OA. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs-Exos (hUC-MSCs-Exos) in treating the inflammation of chondrocytes and its related mechanisms.

Josephson Diode Effect Induced by Valley Polarization in Twisted Bilayer Graphene.

Recently, the Josephson diode effect (JDE), in which the superconducting critical current magnitudes differ when the currents flow in opposite directions, has attracted great interest. In particular, it was demonstrated that gate-defined Josephson junctions based on magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene showed a strong nonreciprocal effect when the weak-link region is gated to a correlated insulating state at half filling (two holes per moiré cell). However, the mechanism behind such a phenomenon is not yet understood.

Giant nonlinear Hall effect in twisted bilayer WSe.

The recently discovered nonlinear Hall effect (NHE) in a few non-interacting systems provides a novel mechanism for generating second-harmonic electrical Hall signals under time-reversal-symmetric conditions. Here, we introduce a new approach to engineering an NHE by using twisted moiré structures. We found that the twisted WSe bilayer exhibited an NHE when the Fermi level was tuned to the moiré flat bands.

A nanodrug combining CD47 and sonodynamic therapy efficiently inhibits osteosarcoma deterioration.

Treatments for osteosarcoma (OS) with pulmonary metastases reach a bottleneck with a survival rate of 10-20%. The suppressive tumor associated macrophages(TAMs) and CD47 over-expression greatly lead to the treatment failure. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) can generate ROS with deep tumor penetration to induce tumor cell apoptosis, which is reported to further induce M1 macrophage polarization.