A novel feeder cell based on 4-1BBL and membrane-bound IL-21/IL-15 induce highly expansion and anti-tumor effect of natural killer cells.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment. However, its extensive clinical application was limited to the large-scale clinical-grade expansion of NK cells. In this study, we expanded NK cells from healthy donor's peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using a newly designed K562 feeder cell line.

Time-series analysis of climatic drivers of pediatric rotavirus and adenovirus infections in post-pandemic China.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and climate-sensitive transmission patterns of rotavirus (RV), adenovirus (AdV), and RV-AdV coinfections among children with acute gastroenteritis in Wuhan, China, during the post-COVID-19 era.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective time-series study of 53,088 pediatric patients tested for RV and AdV from April 2020 to August 2024. Age-stratified positivity rates were analyzed alongside temporal trends.

Cathode Engineering Enables Robust Interface Contact for High-Performance All-Sulfide-Based Li-SeS Solid-State Batteries.

All-solid-state Li-sulfur batteries are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their high energy density and capability to address the safety concerns and electrochemical stability challenges (e.g., the shuttle effect) inherent to liquid-based batteries.

Optimizing the Electron Density of PVDF-HFP-Based Solid Polymer Electrolyte by Donor-Acceptor COF Toward High-Performance Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries equipped with solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are recognized as promising energy storage devices due to their excellent safety and good interfacial contact. However, unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and sluggish Li transport kinetics inhibit their practical application. Herein, a bromine-modified covalent organic framework (Br-COF) with donor (D)-acceptor (A) characteristics is designed and incorporated into PVDF-HFP-based SPEs to regulate electron density for promoting Li migration and high stability LiF-rich SEI formation to solve these problems.

Platelet Jak2-deficiency accelerates atherosclerosis with increased inflammatory response.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, of which atherosclerosis is the major pathology. Chronic inflammation underlies atherosclerosis, and Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) is a critical signaling node that mediates this process. Jak2 activating mutation has recently been implicated in clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential as an emerging major CVD risk factor.

Effect of Rubber Particle Size and Content on the Mechanical Properties of Rubber-Clay Mixtures Solidified by EICP.

Using the enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) technique to solidify rubber and clay mixtures as lightweight backfill is a feasible way to reduce waste tire impacts and boost rubber recycling in geotech engineering. In this study, a comprehensive laboratory investigation, including triaxial compression, oedometer, permeability, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tests, was conducted on EICP-reinforced rubber particle solidified clay (hereafter referred to as EICP-RC solidified clay) to evaluate the effects of rubber particle content and size on the mechanical behavior of the improved soil under various solidification conditions and to elucidate the solidification mechanism. The results show that although rubber particles inhibit EICP, they significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the samples.

Effects of Esketamine Combined With Remimazolam Tosylate on Hemodynamics During Cardiovascular Anesthesia.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of esketamine combined with remimazolam tosylate on hemodynamic stability, cerebral oxygen metabolism, and cognitive outcomes in patients undergoing heart valve replacement. Seventy-eight patients were randomized to Group C (dexmedetomidine hydrochloride) or Group R (esketamine + remimazolam tosylate). The following parameters were measured: multiple time points, including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), arterial-jugular vein oxygen content difference (Da-jvO), cerebral oxygen uptake rate (CERO), and biomarkers of myocardial injury (cTnI, CK-MB, FABP) at baseline (T0), incision (T1), sternotomy (T2), pre-cardiopulmonary bypass (T3), and post-surgery (T4).

Exploring the influence of sex and age on the quality and flavor of Huai goat longissimus thoracis et lumborum through transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age and sex on the composition of fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) of Huai goats.

Methods: The longissimus thoracis et lumborum tissues of eight Huai goats were collected postslaughter and analyzed for amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins by gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry (GC‒MS) and standard methods. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across different ages and sexes.

Multi-scenario photoacoustic endoscopy for functional imaging.

Optical endoscopy has been extensively used in clinical screening and diagnosis of internal diseased organs. Photoacoustic endoscopy, one of the rapidest evolving optical endoscopies, combines rich optical contrasts with high spatial acoustic resolving capability at a considerable penetration depth. However, implementing high-speed, large field-of-view photoacoustic endoscopy in arbitrarily shaped biological tracts and cavities remains a challenge.

Associations of night sleep duration and daytime napping with diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between night sleep duration, daytime napping, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients and to explore the potential mediating role of metabolic factors.

Methods: In this cross-sectional, retrospective study, night sleep and napping were assessed according to the standardized questionnaire. The metabolic factors in the examination were systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body mass index (BMI), and HbA1c.

Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 triggers activation of immune evasion machinery similar to the one operated by cancer cells.

In the last 2 years, there has been an increasing concern that SARS-CoV-2 infection may represent a marker of undiagnosed cancers. A potential connection between COVID-19/long COVID and malignant transformation/cancer progression was reported in a number of studies. It is, however, unclear if the virus itself can cause malignant transformation or if it has a potential to support malignant processes in human body.

The Eye of Horus: Enhancing Head and Neck Cancer Care with Computer Vision.

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) poses formidable treatment challenges globally due to complex anatomy, image interpretation difficulties, and other obstacles, despite extensive research. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly computer vision (CV), have demonstrated substantial potential in improving HNC management, yielding notable progress.

Methods: We conducted a narrative review through massive literature research to explore the applications of CV in HNC and try to discuss its advantages as well as disadvantages through comparison.

Fenbendazole Exhibits Antitumor Activity Against Cervical Cancer Through Dual Targeting of Cancer Cells and Cancer Stem Cells: Evidence from In Vitro and In Vivo Models.

Cervical cancer remains a major threat to women's health, with advanced cases often exhibiting recurrence and metastasis due to cancer stem cells driving therapy resistance. This study evaluated fenbendazole (FBZ), a repurposed veterinary anthelmintic, for its antitumor activity dual targeting cervical cancer cells (CCCs) and cervical cancer stem cells (CCSCs). CD133CD44 CCSCs were isolated from HeLa and C-33 A cell lines via immunomagnetic sorting and validated for stemness.

Macrophages Transdifferentiate Into Myofibroblasts During Ocular Surface Inflammation.

Ocular surface inflammation and injury often lead to fibrosis and impaired vision. Myofibroblasts directly promote fibrosis by producing excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and alpha-smooth muscle actin (ɑ-SMA). In addition, macrophages have been shown to promote fibrosis by secreting pro-fibrotic factors to stimulate myofibroblast formation.

Sleep Phenotypes, Genetic Susceptibility, and Risk of Obesity in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A National Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: To determine the associations between sleep phenotypes and the risks of specific obesity types and weight gain in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), especially in different genetic risk groups.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a prospective study involving 58 890 participants. Sleep and napping were assessed according to the standardized questionnaire.

D-Dimer as Biomarker for Prognosis of Coronary Artery Disease and Heart Failure: Reappraisal of Its Central Role.

Background: D-dimer is a fibrinogen degradation product formed by the breakdown of cross-linked fibrin in a series of enzyme-mediated steps. Since the D-dimer assay allows for detection of thrombin production and endogenous fibrinolysis, it has been increasingly used in clinics as a screening test to exclude venous thromboembolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Additionally, D-dimer has been evaluated for determining the initiation of anticoagulation therapy in patients with selected cardiovascular disease.

The safety analysis of lurasidone based on the real-world data of FAERS database.

Background: To assess lurasidone's real-world safety via retrospective analysis of post-marketing adverse reactions.

Research Design And Methods: Signal mining was carried out by retrieving the adverse events (AEs) associated with lurasidone from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database spanning from the first quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2023. Disproportionality analyses including Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR), Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR), Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN), and empirical Bayesian geometric mean (EBGM) were used to assess the presence of significant associations between lurasidone and AEs.

Predictive Modeling of Shear Strength of Enzyme-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (EICP)-Solidified Rubber-Clay Mixtures Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

The development of reliable predictive models for soil behavior represents a crucial advancement in geotechnical engineering, particularly for optimizing material compositions and reducing experimental uncertainties. Traditional experimental approaches for determining the optimal rubber particle size and content are often resource-intensive, time-consuming, and subject to significant variability. In this study, the shear strength of clay mixed with rubber particles solidified by the Enzyme-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) technique was investigated and predictively modeled using a machine learning algorithm.

Impact of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Encapsulation on the Photophysical Dynamics of MAPbI Perovskite Crystals.

Metal halide perovskites are known to suffer from instability due to their high sensitivity to external stimuli. Although encapsulation can considerably improve their stability, the impact of encapsulation on the intrinsic photophysical properties of perovskites remains unclear. Here, we investigate the effect of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) encapsulation on the photoluminescence (PL) dynamics of MAPbI perovskite crystals at the individual crystal level.

Effects of drinking slightly acidic electrolyzed water on the growth health, blood physiology, and intestinal development in mice.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) as a disinfectant might be ingested by humans and animals along with food and drinking water. The present study explored whether adding SAEW to drinking water affects the drinking water intake, food intake, body weight, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activity, and antioxidant enzyme activity of mice. This will provide a theoretical basis for the biosafety of SAEW as a food and drinking water disinfectant.

Dual-Scanning Photoacoustic Endomicroscopy for High-Speed Gastrointestinal Microvascular Imaging.

Photoacoustic endomicroscopy enables high-resolution imaging of deep microvasculature within the gastrointestinal wall using modulated laser pulses with point-by-point scanning. However, conventional scanning mechanisms frequently encounter difficulties in balancing imaging speed and field of view, particularly when imaging the peristaltic gastrointestinal tract. To address this challenge, we propose a dual-scanning photoacoustic endomicroscopy with an adjustable focal plane and an ultrafast imaging speed.

Influence of meteorological and environmental factors on pediatric urinary tract infections: insights from a 6-year retrospective study in Central China.

Objectives: To investigate the association between meteorological factors and common uropathogens in children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) and assesses the potential influence of weather conditions on pediatric UTIs.

Study Design: Analyze the demographic and uropathogen characteristics from children with culture-proven UTIs and its correlation with meteorological factors.

Methods: 2,411 data from infants and children with UTIs in a children's hospital from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.

Intracellular and extracellular activities of V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) modulated by immunosuppressive factors of tumour microenvironment.

V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a unique immune checkpoint protein, which was reported to display both receptor and ligand activities. However, the mechanisms of regulation of VISTA activity and functions by factors of tumour microenvironment (TME) remain unclear and understanding these processes is required in order to develop successful personalised cancer immunotherapeutic strategies and approaches. Here we report for the very first time that VISTA interacts with another immune checkpoint protein galectin-9 inside the cell most likely facilitating its interaction with TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1).