Efficacy and safety of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy and targeted therapy versus immunotherapy plus targeted therapy alone in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy and targeted therapy (RT+IO+T) versus immunotherapy plus targeted therapy alone (IO+T) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given the limited prospective evidence supporting the integration of radiotherapy into systemic regimens, particularly in real-world populations with advanced disease, this study aims to clarify the clinical value of this multimodal approach.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 71 patients with unresectable HCC treated between 2020 and 2025.

The TaCEP15 peptide signaling cascade modulates primary root length and drought tolerance in wheat.

Drought stress poses an environmental challenge affecting crop yield. Small signaling peptides play crucial roles in the regulation of stress responses in plants. Here, we unveil that the TaCEP15 peptide interacts with the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase TaCEPRL.

Safety and outcome of intravenous thrombolysis in ischemic stroke related to intracranial artery dissection.

Background: The clinical efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) associated with intracranial artery dissection (IAD) remains uncertain. This study presents a case of basilar artery dissection (BAD) in a 57-year-old Asian female patient devoid of previous risk factors for stroke who experienced a sudden onset of consciousness disturbance. The patient's clinical condition deteriorated during IVT administration, but subsequent medical intervention and rehabilitative exercises facilitated eventual recovery of daily functioning.

Recent Advances in Iodine-Mediated Radical Reactions.

Over the past two decades, iodine-mediated free radical reactions have been extensively explored and employed in chemical transformations that complement traditional ionic reactions. In this review, we have updated the progress of the iodine-mediated radical reactions in organic synthesis reported between 2015 and mid-2024, and organized the reactions according to their mechanistic pathways. In general, the proposed mechanisms can be divided into four categories based on the radical initiation or its preceding steps, namely, (1) formation of a covalent X-I (X=C, N, S, Se) bond, which subsequently participates in a radical reaction; (2) formation of a noncovalent N···I bond, which assists the homolysis of the I-I bond; (3) formation of the key iodine radicals by visible-light or heat induced homolysis of I or by electrochemical oxidation of iodide; (4) iodine induced peroxide decomposition single electron transfer (SET) mechanism to generate alkoxy or alkyl peroxy radicals.

Establishing a long-term predictive model for aggressive behavior in schizophrenia: a 21-year longitudinal study in rural China.

Background: Although identifying factors contributing to aggressive behavior in individuals with schizophrenia is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies and intervention, most studies were cross-sectional or short-term, and did not take into account the factor of urbanicity. This study aimed to develop a predictive model of aggressive behavior in individuals with schizophrenia in rural China.

Method: A total of 205 individuals with schizophrenia who were identified in 1994 and followed up in 2015 were included in the study.

Efficacy and safety of hydromorphone caudal block combined with intercostal nerve block during VATS: a single-center randomized controlled study.

Background: The management of post-operative pain while minimizing opioid use remains challenging in thoracic surgery. While intercostal nerve blocks are commonly used, the optimal multimodal approach remains unclear.

Objectives: To evaluate whether adding hydromorphone caudal blockade to intercostal nerve blocks improves post-operative recovery outcomes in thoracic surgery patients.

Investigation on the Interfacial Delamination of Glass Substrate Packaging Using Cohesive Zone Models.

This study aligns with the development trend of glass substrate packaging. The research aims to analyze the delamination of the substrate-adhesive layer-chip trilayer structure in packaging through experimental testing to obtain interface strength parameters. Subsequently, an iterative process combining experiments and simulations was applied to establish a cohesive zone model characterizing crack initiation and propagation.

An eyecare foundation model for clinical assistance: a randomized controlled trial.

In the context of an increasing need for clinical assessments of foundation models, we developed EyeFM, a multimodal vision-language eyecare copilot, and conducted a multifaceted evaluation, including retrospective validations, multicountry efficacy validation as a clinical copilot and a double-masked randomized controlled trial (RCT). EyeFM was pretrained on 14.5 million ocular images from five imaging modalities paired with clinical texts from global, multiethnic datasets.

Improving the Selectivity of a Catalytic Film/Gas-Sensitive Film Laminated Metal Oxide Semiconductor Sensor for Mustard Using Temperature Dynamic Modulation.

The poor selectivity of metal oxide semiconductor sensors is a major constraint to their application in the detection of chemical warfare agents. We prepared a (Pt+Pd+Rh)@AlO/(Pt+Rh)-WO sensor by using (Pt+Pd+Rh)@AlO as a catalytic film material and (Pt+Rh)-WO as a gas-sensitive film material. Using temperature dynamic modulation, the (Pt+Pd+Rh)@AlO/(Pt+Rh)-WO sensor was realised to improve the selectivity for mustard.

Changes in source contribution to particle number concentrations during the 2022 COVID-19 Lockdown on southern edge of North China Plain.

The COVID-19 lockdown was a typical example of extreme emission reduction, providing an opportunity to study the impact of lockdown measures on air pollution. Particle number concentrations (PNC) originate from direct emissions or through new particle formation events. However, their variations during the lockdown period are under investigation.

Biomedical applications of poly(lactic acid) electrospun nanofibers: A review.

Polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun fibers are attractive due to their great potential in tissue engineering, drug release control and disposable medical supplies. However, there is still a lack of summary of research progress over the past decade. In this paper, we summarized the basic research on the regulation of the structure and morphology of PLA electrospinning fibers, as well as the application of PLA fibers in tissue engineering, drug controlled-release, and disposable medical supplies, and point out the advantages and challenges of PLA electrospun fibers in the field of biomedicine.

Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance Are Associated With Normal-Range Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alanine Aminotransferase, and Their Ratio in Chinese Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Aim: To determine whether metabolic syndrome (MS), insulin resistance (IR), myocardial enzymes, and kidney function are related to the normal-range of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and their ratio in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: The research, a secondary analysis of the Acupuncture and Clomiphene for Chinese Women with PCOS trial (PCOSAct), enrolled 922 participants with less than 40 U/L of AST and ALT. Linear regression and trend analyses were used to analyze the relationship between AST, ALT, AST/ALT ratio and anthropometric and metabolic characteristics.

LGR5/mTORC2 axis regulates cellular metabolic plasticity to maintain tumorigenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs)/tumor-initiating cells (TICs) withstand metabolic stress and maintain cell survival by means of metabolic reprogramming. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. Additionally, it is unknown how to orchestrate metabolic vulnerability of CSCs.

Mannose-B from Codonopsis pilosula modulates LAMB1 expression to enhance trophoblast function and alleviate subchorionic hematoma.

This study investigates the active component Mannose-B from Codonopsis pilosula and its effect on human trophoblast cell function, particularly focusing on the regulation of Laminin Subunit Beta 1 (LAMB1) expression and its implications in subchorionic hematoma (SCH). Key genes involved in SCH pathology were identified through RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Network pharmacology was utilized to screen active components in Codonopsis pilosula and their critical targets.

dHG-5 Exhibits Dual Efficacy of Anti-Metastatic and Anti-hypercoagulability in Mice by Inhibiting Heparanase and Intrinsic Coagulation Pathway.

Introduction: Cancer metastasis and associated thrombosis are significant contributors to cancerrelated mortality, necessitating therapeutic strategies that simultaneously address both issues. This study aimed to evaluate the dual anti-metastatic and anti-hypercoagulability properties of dHG-5, a low-molecular-weight fucosylated glycosaminoglycan derived from the sea cucumber Holothuria fuscopunctata.

Methods: The heparanase-inhibitory and anticoagulant effects of dHG-5 were assessed in vitro using biochemical assays.

Investigating the shared genetic information between serum concentration levels of liver enzymes and cholelithiasis.

Background: Liver injury is associated with cholelithiasis, with changes in liver enzyme levels potentially influencing cholelithiasis risk. This study investigates the shared genetic basis between serum levels of four liver enzymes and cholelithiasis using summary data from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

Methods: We assessed genetic correlation between liver enzymes and cholelithiasis, and performed local genetic correlation analysis to identify shared genomic regions.

Glass transition-induced luminescence in ZIF-62.

We reported that ZIF-62 glass exhibits enhanced luminescence upon glass transition, contrasting with the crystalline phase fluorescence quenching caused by ordered ligand arrangement. Theoretical simulations combining molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical calculations reveal specific configurations in the glassy state with intensified emission, which are corroborated by experiments.

Improving Phase Stability of α-CsPbI through Combined Strain-Doping Engineering: Insights from First-Principles Calculations and Machine Learning.

The all-inorganic perovskite of cubic CsPbI (α-CsPbI) exhibited high thermal stability, owing to the absence of volatile organic cations. However, the poor phase stability at room temperature limits its practical applications. In this work, the phase transition mechanism of CsPbI from the cubic phase (α) to the tetragonal phase (β) was studied by first-principles calculations.

Predicting depression using serum perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels via interpretable machine learning.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals with widespread environmental persistence and human exposure. Currently, no studies have used machine learning (ML) to predict depression based on PFAS exposure. This study aimed to develop an interpretable ML model to predict depression risk based on serum PFAS levels.

PRODH2-Mediated Metabolism in the Bone Microenvironment Promotes Breast Cancer Metastasis.

Breast cancer (BC) frequently metastasizes to the bone, but treatment options for bone metastatic breast cancer are limited. Amino acid metabolism is reprogrammed in the bone metastatic microenvironment, suggesting that it could represent a therapeutic vulnerability. In this study, we focused on metabolism of hydroxyproline (Hyp), a key amino acid resulting from bone collagen degradation, which serves as a critical biomarker for bone metastases.

Bath-engineering technique for criticality-based quantum metrology with amplitude noise.

Quantum critical systems are extremely sensitive to parameter variation near the critical point. Moreover, the derivatives with respect to the order parameter may exhibit divergence. This quantum criticality is widely utilized to enhance the performance of quantum metrology.

Sub-3 Å resolution protein structure determination by single-particle cryo-EM at 100 keV.

Cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) has transformed structural biology by providing high-resolution insights into biological macromolecules. We report sub-3 Å resolution structures using the 100 keV Tundra cryo-TEM, equipped with the Falcon C direct electron detector (DED). This system combines advanced optics, extreme-brightness field emission gun (XFEG), and SP-TWIN lens to enhance coherence and resolution.

The Predictive Synthesis of Monodisperse and Biocompatible Gold Nanoparticles.

The predictive bottom-up synthesis of monodisperse and biocompatible gold nanoparticles using seed-mediated growth procedures is limited by a lack of mathematical models relating reaction components to the final nanoparticle diameter. In this study, we used unique quantitative analytical methods at the single-nanoparticle level to identify the mathematical relationship between the moles of precursor ionic gold and the moles of nanoparticle seeds to synthesize monodisperse gold nanoparticles within ~5% of the target diameter in the ~10 to 120 nm size range. We investigated two commonly used gold nanoparticle syntheses, i.

From Virtual Maxillomandibular Relationship Determination to Clinical Implementation for Digital Functional-Esthetic Rehabilitation in Severe Generalised Tooth Surface Loss.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to present a digital workflow to resolve functional-esthetic conflicts in severe generalised tooth surface loss (TSL).

Clinical Considerations: Key challenges in TSL involved compromised structural integrity of the dentition, necessitating precise occlusal rehabilitation to achieve a stable mandibular position and occlusion. The virtual patient-derived protocol introduced two technical advancements: (1) maxillomandibular relationship (MMR) determination through jaw kinematics capture, and (2) dynamic anterior guidance optimization via jaw motion tracking and dynamic articulation simulation.

CXCR4 monocytes promote neovascularization in wet age-related macular degeneration.

Wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) pathogenesis is primarily driven by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) mediated through intricate angiogenesis-inflammation crosstalk. While chemokine signaling has emerged as a promising therapeutic target, the specific cellular mediators orchestrating this process remain poorly defined. In this study, we employed an integrative approach combining bulk RNA sequencing, single-cell transcriptomics, multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC), and in vivo models to systematically elucidate the pivotal role of chemokine signaling in wAMD-associated angiogenesis and identify critical monocyte subsets involved in neovascularization.