Ultrasound-Assisted Targeted Therapy for Liver Fibrosis Using Rosiglitazone-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles Functionalized with RGD Peptides.

Hepatic fibrosis is a progressive liver disease characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, primarily collagen, in response to chronic liver injury. Despite the availability of treatment options, current therapies face significant challenges, including poor drug targeting and systemic toxicity. In this study, we developed a nanodrug delivery system, Rosiglitazone (RGZ)-loaded perfluoropropane (PFP)-based lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) functionalized with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides (RGZ/PFP@LNP-RGD), for ultrasound-assisted targeted therapy of liver fibrosis.

Birefringence axis rotation and nonlinear response of a side-hole fiber pressure sensor.

The pressure-induced birefringence of side-hole fibers has been widely explored for hydrostatic pressure measurement. This paper studies the effects of the initial birefringence of a side-hole fiber on the pressure response of polarimetric sensors based on side-hole fibers. A mathematical model, where the stress field induced by the pressure is assumed to be uniform in the core region of the fiber, was established to calculate the birefringence and optical axis rotation as a function of the differences between the two principal stress components of the stress field in the core region.

Quercetin Improves Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Septic Liver Injury by Inhibiting the Activation of ROCK/NF-κB/NLRP3 Pathway.

Quercetin (QUE) is a common flavonoid compound, found in fruits and vegetables, with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, the protective function and mechanisms of QUE in septic liver injury (SLI) caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of QUE on SLI rats and the underlying mechanisms.

FAM72A promotes UNG2 degradation and mutagenesis in human cancer cells.

Genetic lesions drive cancer development and progression, and understanding their origins will reveal the mechanisms of carcinogenesis. We showed that murine FAM72A promotes mutagenic DNA repair during antibody maturation by acting as a substrate adaptor of the CTLH E3 ligase to induce the proteasome degradation of Uracil DNA glycosylase 2 (UNG2), a pivotal enzyme of the base excision repair. In humans, the FAM72 gene has expanded to include four paralogues named FAM72A-D.

Fiber-optic bolometers with high-temperature tolerance and reduced time constants for fusion plasma diagnostics.

Fiber-optic bolometers (FOBs) designed for plasma radiation measurement in magnetically confined fusion environments have been previously developed and tested at the DIII-D tokamak. These FOBs utilize a silicon Fabry-Perot interferometer at the fiber tip for temperature measurement and a gold disk as a radiation absorber. This paper presents recent advancements in the development of FOBs with reduced cooling time constants and enhanced temperature tolerance.

Optical Biosensors Utilizing Polymer-Based Athermal Integrated Photonic Devices.

In applications subject to temperature variations, developing temperature-insensitive photonic waveguide devices is crucial for ensuring the stability of wavelength-filtering devices. Here, we develop a polymer-based athermal photonic chip for optical biosensing. We adopt polydimethylsiloxane and poly(methyl methacrylate) as the waveguide materials and NOA61 as the substrate and propose an athermal optical demodulator photonic chip for physiological measurement on the basis of mutual compensation of the thermal optical effect and thermal expansion effect.

From skin testing to molecular diagnostics: the precision leap in dust mite allergy diagnosis and clinical translation challenges.

Dust mites are ubiquitous in human living environments and represent the primary source of indoor air allergens worldwide. They are capable of triggering allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and other allergic conditions. Long-term avoidance of dust mite allergens should decrease sensitization, significantly improves skin lesions, and reduces both the development and severity of respiratory diseases.

Calciphylaxis following liver transplantation in a patient with end-stage renal disease: A case report.

Background: Calciphylaxis, also called calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is characterized by microvascular calcification and occlusion, which is commonly seen in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although several studies have demonstrated an association of calciphylaxis with ESRD, reports linking calciphylaxis to LT (LT) are scarce. This report presents a rare case of calciphylaxis in a patient who underwent LT, leading to microvascular occlusion and hyperbilirubinemia.

A Case Study of Liver After Kidney Transplantation: Addressing Polycystic Diseases With Tailored Surgical and Postoperative Approaches.

Polycystic liver disease is a hereditary disease, which is characterized by the presence of multiple cysts within the liver. In this case, we report a patient with multiple cysts in the kidneys and liver, who underwent kidney transplantation in 2019 and then liver transplantation 4 years later. The complexities of performing liver transplantation in a patient with a prior kidney transplant were significant, particularly due to the enlarged liver obscuring critical vascular structures and necessitating careful intraoperative strategies, such as the side-to-side anastomosis or piggyback techniques to ensure venous return and protect the renal graft.

Biocatalytic and Redox-Regulated Nanoarchitectures for Precision Inflammation and Immune Homeostasis Modulation to Combat Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The chronic inflammatory milieu of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), marked by elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), perpetually activated pro-inflammatory macrophages (M1) and osteoclasts, and significant infiltration of pro-inflammatory cytokines contributes to abnormal articular redox imbalance, severe synovitis, and progressive joint erosion. In this study, the rational design of a biocatalytic and redox-regulated nanoarchitecture comprising Ru cluster-anchored hydroxylated FeO (Ru-HFO) encapsulated within bone marrow stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (BEVs), for precision inflammation modulation to combat RA is proposed. When combined with ultrasound (US) stimulation, this biocatalytic and inflammation-targeting nanoarchitecture (BEVs@Ru-HFO) can reprogram macrophages and osteoclasts to restore redox and immune homeostasis, thereby alleviating RA.

Association Between Lower Serum Mitsugumin 53 Levels and the Risk of Vascular Calcification in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Mitsugumin 53 (MG53) plays a protective role against kidney diseases and cardiovascular diseases, but its mechanism of action is unclear. We speculate that the prevention of cardiovascular disease by MG53 may be associated with the inhibition of vascular calcification. This study was performed with the aim of investigating the potential association between the MG53 level and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

Fibulin-1 deficiency alleviates liver fibrosis by inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation via the p38 MAPK pathway.

Elastin stabilization has been correlated with the reversibility of fibrosis. Fibulin-1 can participate in elastin assembly, which promotes its stabilization. However, the role of Fibulin-1 in liver fibrosis remains unknown.

Intensive oyster farming alters the microbial-regulated blue carbon storage in sediment.

Intensive oyster farming enhances the organic matter coupling from water to sediment through biodeposition, potentially contributing to carbon storage. Microbes play a key role in regulating biogeochemical cycling in the coastal sediment. However, their specific contributions to carbon storage under oyster farming remain poorly understood.

Glomus tumor of the hyoid bone: a case report and literature review.

Hyoid glomus tumors represent an exceptionally rare clinical entity. This study details a case presentation of a hyoid glomus tumor accompanied by a comprehensive systematic review, aiming to expand the clinical and pathological understanding of these uncommon neoplasms while evaluating therapeutic approaches. CT imaging revealed hyoid bone destruction with features suggestive of a borderline neoplasm.

A novel ingredients recipe derived from Shugan-Hewei Formula targeting chemical carcinogenesis-ROS signaling pathway treated gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disease Shugan-Hewei (SGHW) formula is an extensively used traditional herbal decoction for treating GERD, which can significantly improve the clinical symptoms, quality of life, anxiety and depression status, etc. AIM OF THE STUDY: To elucidate the potential targets and pathways of SGHW in treating GERD by employing an integrative approach involving transcriptomics-based analysis combined with accurate network pharmacology.

Materials And Methods: First, we conducted animal experiments to investigate the effect of SGHW on GERD.

Biochemical components of corneal stroma: a study on myopia classification based on Raman spectroscopy and deep learning methods.

The study aimed to identify differences in the biochemical composition of corneal stroma lenses across varying degrees of myopia using Raman spectrum characteristics. Corneal stroma lens samples from 38 patients who underwent small incision lens extraction (SMILE) surgery, were categorized into low (n = 9, spherical power -3.00D), moderate (n = 23, spherical power < -3.

Loss of Kmt2c or Kmt2d primes urothelium for tumorigenesis and redistributes KMT2A-menin to bivalent promoters.

Members of the KMT2C/D-KDM6A complex are recurrently mutated in urothelial carcinoma and in histologically normal urothelium. Here, using genetically engineered mouse models, we demonstrate that Kmt2c/d knockout in the urothelium led to impaired differentiation, augmented responses to growth and inflammatory stimuli and sensitization to oncogenic transformation by carcinogen and oncogenes. Mechanistically, KMT2D localized to active enhancers and CpG-poor promoters that preferentially regulate the urothelial lineage program and Kmt2c/d knockout led to diminished H3K4me1, H3K27ac and nascent RNA transcription at these sites, which leads to impaired differentiation.

Bicyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol-related meroterpenoids as potent DRAK2 inhibitors from Hypericum patulum.

As a both edible and medicinal plant, Hypericum patulum (Hypericaceae) is used as a natural herbal tea, scented tea, and folk medicine. In this study, eight undescribed bicyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol-related meroterpenoids named hyperpatins A-H, along with eight known ones, were isolated from this plant. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques, chemical method, X-ray crystallographic experiments, and electronic circular dichroism analyses.

The Imbalance of Homeostasis in Neutrophil Extracellular Traps is Associated with Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis.

Background And Aims: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a challenging complication in liver cirrhosis, with no currently available sensitive diagnostic markers. This study aimed to investigate the potential of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and Deoxyribonuclease (DNase) as diagnostic indicators for PVT in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: We analyzed 145 CHB-related decompensated cirrhosis patients from the Ditan study and 33 from the Changgung validation study, categorizing them based on PVT occurrence.

Initiation of buprenorphine in the emergency department or emergency out-of-hospital setting: A mixed-methods systematic review.

Introduction: People who use substances increasingly access healthcare primarily through emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency departments (EDs). To meet the needs of these patients, EMS and EDs have become access points for medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), specifically buprenorphine. This systematic review aimed to quantify the efficacy of these programs, examining retention in treatment for OUD, rates of re-presentation to ED or EMS, and rates of precipitated withdrawal, as well as summarise clinician and patient perspectives on buprenorphine initiation in these settings.

Correlations between coagulation abnormalities and inflammatory markers in trauma-induced coagulopathy.

Introduction: In multiple trauma patients, the occurrence of trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) is closely associated with tissue damage and coagulation function abnormalities in the pathophysiological process.

Methods: This study established a multiple trauma and shock model in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and comprehensively utilized histological staining and radiographic imaging techniques to observe injuries in the intestine, liver, skeletal muscles, and bones. Monitoring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), platelet (PLT) count, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and other physiological indicators revealed time-dependent alterations in coagulation function and physiological indicators.