Engineering Complexity: Advances in 3D Breast Cancer Models for Precision Oncology.

Engineered in vitro cancer models are essential tools in cancer research, offering controlled microenvironments to study tumor biology and develop personalized therapies. Breast cancer, known for its complexity and high cellular heterogeneity, poses significant challenges in treatment. To address this, patient-derived in vitro breast cancer models are being used to better predict individual drug responses and guide therapy selection.

Co-Delivery of Ca-MOF and Mg-MOF Using Nanoengineered Hydrogels to Promote In Situ Mineralization and Bone Defect Repair: In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis.

Severe bone defects resulting from traumatic injuries or infections are severe skeletal deficiencies that are unable to regenerate on their own. Despite their effectiveness, current treatments including allografts and artificial bone substitutes, have several drawbacks. This includes poor osseointegration, low biocompatibility and biodegradability, limited cell infiltration, and adverse side effects arising from drug-loaded substitutes.

Investigating cytotoxic and inflammatory human IL-7 receptor low effector memory CD8 T cells in lupus.

Background: This study aims to interrogate the implications of CD8 T cells in lupus by examining CD8 T cell heterogeneity and assessing the significance of this heterogeneity in promoting inflammation and tissue damage.

Methods: Our own and publicly available RNA-seq and microarray data from the peripheral blood and kidney tissues of patients with lupus were analysed. Imaging Mass Cytometry (IMC) analysis of immune cells was conducted in lupus and normal kidney tissues.

Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Reimagined: Cutting-Edge Biomaterials and Biotechnological Innovations.

Peripheral nerve injuries are frequent clinical issues that can lead to significant functional impairments, greatly impacting patients' quality of life. Developing effective nerve regeneration methods is crucial for restoring function and ensuring the best possible outcomes. This review explores recent advances in nerve regeneration, including nerve guidance conduits (NGCs), which are vital in bridging nerve gaps caused by injury and supporting repair.

Endothelial PRMT7 prevents dysfunction, promotes revascularization and enhances cardiac recovery post-myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI) induces ischemic damage, triggering endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction that impairs revascularization and cardiac recovery. A key contributor to this dysfunction is excessive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which is activated by MI and exacerbates EC apoptosis and impaired angiogenesis. Here we investigate the role of endothelial-specific protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) in mitigating ER stress and promoting vascular homeostasis after MI.

Engineering next-generation smart delivery materials for dentistry.

Over the last two decades, the healthcare field has witnessed exponential growth in the applications of stimuli-responsive biomaterials for diverse therapeutic purposes. This has led to the development of numerous smart dental biomaterials tailored for the precise and on-demand delivery of therapeutic agents. By leveraging the specific exogenous and endogenous stimuli, these smart materials fine-tune their physicochemical properties to improve the clinical efficacy of the therapeutic agents and mitigate their side effects.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that a high salt diet increases IL6R-JAK1-STAT3 gene signaling pathway activity in intestinal B cells and Tfh cells of salt-sensitive hypertension animal model.

Although the immune system plays a crucial role in hypertension, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. While extensive research has explored the gut-immune relationship in various diseases, the role of gut immunity in salt-sensitive (SS) hypertension is not well understood. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the role of gut immunity in the development of SS hypertension by analyzing immune cells in the gut and blood using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq).

Scalable 3D Bioprinting of Human Islets in a Pancreatic Decellularized Extracellular Matrix-Enriched Bioink for Beta-Cell Replacement Therapy.

Allogeneic cell transplantation such as beta-cell replacement for treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is constrained by poor graft survival and functionality, immune rejection, and the lack of scalable biomanufacturing processes. Here, we engineered functional human islet constructs that replicate the physiomimetic human pancreatic microenvironment by employing a clinically-scalable 3D bioprinting system. To support human islet viability and function, we developed alginate-based bioinks incorporating human pancreatic decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM).

Bavachin enhances paclitaxel sensitivity in ovarian cancer cells through modulation of mitochondrial function and ER stress.

Bavachin, a bioactive phytoestrogen from , has shown promising therapeutic potential in various cancers, but its effects on ovarian cancer remain unexplored. In this study, we investigate the anti-cancer mechanisms of bavachin in ES2 and OV90 ovarian cancer cells and its potential to enhance paclitaxel sensitivity. Bavachin significantly inhibited cell proliferation and spheroid formation while inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis through modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins.

3D Bioprinted Renal Constructs Using Kidney-Specific ECM Bioink System on Kidney Regeneration.

The final stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains an irreversible condition, with dialysis and transplantation as the only treatment options. Recently, 3D bioprinting has emerged as a promising strategy for bioengineering renal constructs capable of restoring damaged kidney. A critical challenge in this approach is the development of a kidney-specific bioink that provides an optimal biochemical and biomechanical microenvironment to support renal cell organization, maturation, and functional restoration.

[Kalimate-Associated Gastric Ulcer].

Kalimate (calcium polystyrene sulfonate) is a cation-exchange resin commonly used in clinical practice to treat hyperkalemia. However, Kalimate has been demonstrated to also cause serious gastrointestinal injuries, such as colonic necrosis, ulcerations, and perforations, in a subset of patients with chronic renal failure; these cases have been reported with and without the administration of hypertonic sorbitol. These lesions usually occur in the large or small intestine; lesions occurring in the stomach are rarely reported.

Comparative Colonisation Ability of Human Faecal Microbiome Transplantation Strategies in Murine Models.

The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and influencing immune-mediated diseases. Human faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is often employed in murine models to investigate the role of human microbes in disease regulation, but methods for effective colonisation require refinement. This study aimed to assess the colonisation efficiency of human microbiota in a murine model using FMT with human faeces, focusing particularly on the impact of gut microbiota depletion via polyethylene glycol (PEG) and comparing oral-gastric gavage with enema administration routes.

The effect of selection bias on the performance of a deep learning-based intraoperative hypotension prediction model using real-world samples from a publicly available database.

Background: There are models to predict intraoperative hypotension from arterial pressure waveforms. Selection bias in datasets used for model development and validation could impact model performance. We aimed to evaluate how selection bias affects the predictive performance of a deep learning (DL)-based model and a model using only mean arterial pressure (MAP) as input (MAP-only model).

Challenges and perspectives in using finite element modeling to advance 3D bioprinting.

As an emerging additive manufacturing technique, three-dimensional bioprinting enables precise control over the fabrication of tissue replacements, surpassing the limitations of conventional biofabrication methods. However, the successful production of functional bioprinted constructs remains challenging due to the complex interplay of numerous process parameters. The finite element method (FEM) has proven to be a powerful computational tool in biomedical research, offering a means to simulate and optimize various aspects of the bioprinting process.

Comprehensive biocompatibility profiling of human pancreas-derived biomaterial.

Introduction: The importance of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to pancreatic islets has been clearly demonstrated, as isolated islets grown in culture or transplanted, quickly lose viability and function after their matrix associations have been stripped away during the isolation process. Therefore, recapitulating the islet niche is a critical objective to move the field of islet transplantation forward.

Methods: As a first step to recreating the islet microenvironment, we have recently developed a detergent-free decellularization method to obtain a decellularized solubilized ECM (dsECM) powder from human pancreas.

3D bioprinted thick hepatic constructs with vascular network as a physiologically relevant organ model.

Establishing adequate vascularization to engineered organs remains a significant challenge that must be addressed. This study presents a novel approach to fabricating viable thick metabolic tissue (>1 cm) for applications in human physiology, fundamental biology, and medicine. We designed a tissue construct with a gyroid-shaped architecture to enable uniform flow and surface shear stress that adequately covers the inner surfaces of cell-laden constructs.

Engineered 3D-Printable Nanohydroxyapatite Biocomposites with Cold Plasma-Tailored Surface Features to Boost Osseointegration.

Medical implants, being biomaterials with increasing global use, continue to attract researchers focused on enhancing clinical performance. In situations requiring bone substitutes, there is a search for advancements in synthetic graft biomaterials, with polymer-based implants being one of the potential materials. Thus, this study aims to develop versatile nanohydroxyapatite (HAP) biocomposites that can not only be generalized by resin composite systems but also be applicable for 3D printing, overcoming the limitations associated with traditional implants.

Distinct patterns of ligament and meniscal injuries in multiligamentous knee injuries with and without dislocation: a 15-year retrospective study.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the incidence rates of concomitant injuries, including meniscal and cartilage injuries, between multiligamentous knee injuries (MLKI) with and without dislocation based on our 15-year experience of knee dislocation and MLKI at a level 1 trauma center.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 100 patients (115 knees) with MLKIs and/or dislocations at our trauma center between 2007 and 2021. Magnetic resonance imaging was routinely performed to evaluate the injured structures and extent of injury.

Combinatorial strategy for engineering cartilage and bone microtissues using microfluidic cell-laden microgels.

Osteochondral defects (OCD) refer to localized injuries affecting both the avascular cartilage and subchondral bone. Current treatments, such as transplantation or microfracture surgery, are hindered by limitations like donor availability and the formation of small, rigid fibrocartilage. Tissue engineering presents a promising alternative, yet challenges arise from limited oxygen and nutrient supply when fabricating human-scale tissue constructs.

Proteogenomic characterization of molecular and cellular targets for treatment-resistant subtypes in locally advanced cervical cancers.

We report proteogenomic analysis of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Exome-seq data revealed predominant alterations of keratinization-TP53 regulation and O-glycosylation-TP53 regulation axes in squamous and adeno-LACC, respectively, compared to in early-stage cervical cancer. Integrated clustering of mRNA, protein, and phosphorylation data identified six subtypes (Sub1-6) of LACC among which Sub3, 5, and 6 showed the treatment-resistant nature with poor local recurrence-free survival.

Precision repair of zone-specific meniscal injuries using a tunable extracellular matrix-based hydrogel system.

Meniscus injuries present significant therapeutic challenges due to their limited self-healing capacity and the diverse biological and mechanical properties across the tissue. Conventional repair strategies do not replicate the complex zonal characteristics within the meniscus, resulting in suboptimal outcomes. In this study, we introduce an innovative fetal/adult and stiffness-tunable meniscus decellularized extracellular matrix (DEM)-based hydrogel system designed for precision repair of heterogeneous, zonal-dependent meniscus injuries.

An Epidemiologic Investigation for an Outbreak of Norovirus Infection in a Daycare Center in Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea, 2023.

: Norovirus is one of the primary causes of foodborne illness in South Korea. This study aimed to identify the cause of a norovirus outbreak in a daycare center in a city in February 2023 and to prevent further spread through an epidemiologic investigation. : A total of 93 individuals, including daycare staff, children, and kitchen staff, were included.

Implantable Dental Barrier Membranes as Regenerative Medicine in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review.

Background: Periodontitis and bone loss in the maxillofacial and dental areas pose considerable challenges for both functional and aesthetic outcomes. To date, implantable dental barrier membranes, designed to prevent epithelial migration into defects and create a favorable environment for targeted cells, have garnered significant interest from researchers. Consequently, a variety of materials and fabrication methods have been explored in extensive research on regenerative dental barrier membranes.

Immune landscape and novel therapeutic targets of epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase wild type never-smoker lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Never-smoker lung adenocarcinoma (NSLA) exhibits distinct immunosuppressive profiles and a lower tumor mutation burden compared with lung adenocarcinoma in smokers. These correlate with poor responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the tumor-immune microenvironment of NSLA without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) alterations and identify novel therapeutic targets.