Fibroblast activation protein-α drives rheumatoid arthritis inflammation through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and its therapeutic effect by Wangbi granules.

Background: Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAPα), a transmembrane protein highly expressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium, is postulated to drive inflammatory cascades, yet its mechanistic role remains elusive. Wangbi granules (WBG), a clinically used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), show anti-RA potential but lack defined pharmacological evidence.

Purpose: To identify FAPα as an inflammatory driver in RA pathogenesis and decipher how WBG suppresses FAPα-mediated AKT/mTOR signaling to resolve inflammation.

Spatial transcriptomics reveals Inhba/Smad2/E2f4 axis in Lrp2 thecal cell proliferation in androgen-induced PCOS mice.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by elevated androgen levels and impaired follicular development. A hallmark of PCOS is the excessive proliferation of thecal cells (TCs), which are critical for androgen production. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this aberrant cellular expansion remain incompletely understood.

Islet Tissue Macrophages in Immunity Homeostasis and Type 1 Diabetes.

Islet macrophages are considered to be irreplaceable in maintaining the immune microenvironment homeostasis. The M1/M2 imbalance can trigger the initiation of islet autoimmunity and persists throughout the entire process of type 1 diabetes. The identification of macrophage transcriptional clusters and phenotypes by single-cell sequencing has facilitated in-depth studies on the role of macrophages in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes.

An Aberrant Resurgence of Endogenous Retroviruses Prompts Myocarditis and Heart Failure.

Background: Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) occupy >8% of the human genome. Aberrant resurgence of ERVs has been implicated recently in several critical pathologies. However, the possible incidence and role of ERV resurgence in heart failure (HF), a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, remain unexplored.

Long-read sequencing uncovers key regulatory genes involved in the differentiation of preadipocytes of Chinese red steppe cattle.

Chinese red steppe cattle, a highly developed breed for their meat and milk, are not well known about the formation mechanisms for high-quality beef. Furthermore, many fundamental investigations of cattle are hampered by deficient full-length cDNAs. Here, we utilized ONT full-length transcript sequencing from 9 bovine preadipocytes during 3 periods to find 2502 novel genes and 3253 novel transcriptomes, further improving the quality of reference genome annotation.

De novo genome assembly of Yanbian cattle using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C combined with RNA-seq data.

Yanbian cattle are a native cattle breed originating from the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, northeastern China. Developed over centuries through natural and artificial selection under cold climatic conditions, this breed is highly adapted to harsh environments, including low temperatures, rugged terrain, and sparse forage. Here, we constructed a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly for Yanbian cattle using HiFi, Hi-C and RNA-seq data.

Binuclear Metal-Based Covalent Organic Framework Mimicking Metallohydrolases for Direct Photoreforming of PET Plastic.

Direct photoreforming of waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic into high-value-added chemicals is a promising method that improves resource utilization. However, the traditional method for PET depolymerization was mostly harsh alkali pretreatment (C = 5-10 M), which largely impeded direct reforming due to the diversity of the conditions and thus caused inefficiency and discontinuity for plastic upgrading. Binuclear metallohydrolases have been proven to cause maximal acceleration of hydrolytic processes via the proximity effect under mild conditions but are unable to realize further reforming reaction due to monofunctionality.

The Potential Mechanism of Kushen Decoction in Treating Haemorrhoids: An Integration of Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Kushen decoction (KSD), a traditional Chinese medicine, is extensively utilised for haemorrhoid treatment, yet its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study employs a systematic approach to elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms of KSD in haemorrhoid treatment by integrating network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. A total of 788 active ingredients were identified from KSD, among which 623 intersected with 99 targets associated with haemorrhoids.

Trends of neural tube defects in urban China and effects of socio-demographic factors, 2013-2022: a descriptive analysis.

Background: Periconceptional folic acid supplementation has progressively reduced the prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in rural Northern China, which had a high baseline. Long-term epidemiological trends have not been comprehensively assessed in urban China with a lower baseline.

Methods: Data from a hospital-based birth-defect surveillance system in Haidian District between 2013 and 2022 were used.

Silicone-Enhanced PAA Supramolecular Hydrogels for High-Toughness Strain Sensors.

Hydrogels have shown significant potential in the field of flexible electronics; however, their practical application remains limited due to mechanical performance constraints. Inspired by the supramolecular interactions observed in nature, this study designs a water-soluble PhAPSi polymer and introduces it into an aqueous acrylic acid solution. During in situ polymerization, a hydrogel network is formed through the self-assembly of supramolecular interactions, resulting in the fabrication of a PAA/PhAPSi hydrogel with both high strength (2.

A Machine Learning-Reconstructed Dataset of River Discharge, Temperature, and Heat Flux into the Arctic Ocean.

Arctic rivers deliver 11% of the global river discharge volume into the Arctic Ocean, influencing ocean circulation, sea ice, and coastal ecosystems. Our understanding of these patterns is limited by substantial data gaps. To address this, we present the Reconstructed Arctic-draining river DIscharge and Temperature (RADIT) dataset, a comprehensive record of reconstructed daily discharge, temperature, and heat flux for 25 major Arctic rivers from 1950 to 2023.

Experimental study on the dynamic properties of low-cement sludge solidified soil under long-term cyclic loading.

The stabilization of waste sludge generated from various engineering projects to produce sludge solidified soil for use as subgrade fill is one of the effective approaches for the resource utilization of construction spoil. However, such solidified soils are typically characterized by relatively low stabilizer content and are subjected to long-term cyclic dynamic loading during their service life. In this study, typical sludge from the Ningbo region was used to prepare cement-stabilized soils with low cement content (4-7%).

Protocatechualdehyde attenuates oxidative stress in diabetic cataract via GLO1-mediated inhibition of AGE/RAGE glycosylation.

Background: Protocatechualdehyde (PCA), a phenolic compound derived from , exhibits anti-proliferative and antioxidant properties. However, its molecular mechanisms in reducing oxidative stress in diabetic cataract (DC) remain unclear. This study systematically investigated the role of PCA in modulating glyoxalase-1 (GLO1)-dependent suppression of advanced glycation end product (AGE)-receptor for AGE (RAGE) axis activation and oxidative stress in DC models.

The prognostic differences between breast-conserving surgery and mastectomy in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma who achieved complete response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a propensity score matched analysis based on the SEER database.

Background: The study investigates the prognostic differences between breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and mastectomy in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast who achieve a complete response (CR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: This study analyzed data from 9,411 patients diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast who achieved complete response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, using data from the SEER database between 2010 and 2019, comprising 4,219 patients in the BCS group and 5,192 in the mastectomy group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to control for confounding variables, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables associated with overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Hupserrine A, a Caged Alkaloid with a 6/6/5/6/7 Pentacyclic Skeleton from .

Hupserrine A (), a alkaloid featuring a novel caged 6/6/5/6/7 pentacyclic skeleton, was isolated from . Compound possesses an unprecedented 2-azatetracyclo[6.5.

Unravelling the roles of Vav3 in cytoskeletal control and angiogenesis.

The oncogene Vav guanine nucleotide exchange factor 3 (Vav3) can accelerate neovascularization in the context of cancer by increasing cell proliferation and metastasis, making it a useful reference for understanding the process of pannus development in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The overactivation of synovial tissue leads to increased cell invasion and inflammatory infiltration, resulting in a tumour-like immune microenvironment. Pannus formation, an early complication of RA, can progress to bone injury.

Protein-Confined Rotor Strategy for Quantum Yield Enhancement in Supramolecular Photosensitizers toward Sentinel Lymph Node-Targeted Photodynamic Immunoactivation.

Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are pivotal sites for metastatic progression and key indicators of systemic tumor dissemination, with lymphatic metastasis accounting for ∼90% of cancer-related deaths. However, immunotherapy remains largely ineffective, with response rates below 20%, due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Here, we present a protein-confined rotor strategy that leverages the supramolecular nanophotosensitizer (BCP3I@M), integrating a Toll-like receptor (TLR7/8) agonist IMDQ and macrophage membrane cloaking for precise SLN targeting.

Recurrent PDGFRB Mutations in Pulmonary Microcystic Fibromyxoma: A Clinicopathologic and Molecular Analysis of 3 Cases.

Pulmonary microcystic fibromyxoma (PMF), a rare benign mesenchymal neoplasm first described in 2006, remains diagnostically challenging due to histologic overlap with a variety of primary/metastatic myxoid tumors of the lung and absence of lineage-specific markers. Its molecular pathogenesis has been undefined. In this study, we analyzed 3 PMF cases (2 males, 1 female; age 48 to 63 y) presenting as solitary peripheral lung nodules (1.

Beyond Folate: The Emerging Role of Maternal Vitamin B12 in Neural Tube Development.

Folic acid (FA) supplementation can effectively reduce the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs). Vitamin B12 is involved in folate metabolism; however, studies have not reached a definitive conclusion on the association between vitamin B12 and NTDs independent of folate levels. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to summarize existing research and investigate the effect of vitamin B12 on NTDs.

Targeting Senescent Alveolar Type 2 Cells with a Gene-Editable FePt Dual-Atom Catalyst for Mitigating Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains an age-related, fatal, incurable, epithelial-driven fibrotic lung disease despite the availability of approved antifibrotic drugs. The medical need for effective antipulmonary fibrotic therapies is thus very high. A promising therapeutic intervention for IPF is to target key cellular senescence processes in alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells.

Lumbar Spondylolysis in Chinese Adults: Prevalence and Musculoskeletal Conditions.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis (LS) and the proportion of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis (SS) in China, and to evaluate the musculoskeletal status of patients with LS and SS.

Methods: Spine Computed Tomography (CT) images were collected from community populations aged 40 and above in a nationwide multi-center project. LS was diagnosed, and SS was graded by an experienced radiologist.

Smart Materials and Devices for Enhanced Delivery of Extracellular Vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are vesicle-like structures secreted by various cell types, playing a crucial role in cell communication. As an efficient and safe therapeutic carrier, EVs offer new insights and methods for disease treatment and drug development due to high stability, low immunogenicity, and broad resources. However, current applications on EV-based delivery systems are still challenging, and additional strategies are needed to achieve precise and targeted delivery, enhance stability and safety, and avoid unnecessary immune reactions or side effects.

Tetramethylpyrazine attenuates the blood-brain barrier damage against ischemic stroke by targeting endothelin-1/Akt pathway in astrocytes.

Our study focused on the role of traditional Chinese medicine in stroke therapy, specifically targeting endothelin-1 (ET-1) in astrocytes to alleviate ischemic brain injury. Utilizing oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) models, we mimicked cerebral ischemia in both cell cultures and mice. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a component of the Chinese medicine, was identified as a potential therapeutic agent.

A comparative study on the consistency of different decision support software systems from the perspective of potential drug-drug interactions in intensive care unit patients.

Background: In intensive care units (ICU), the issue of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) is becoming increasingly prominent, and these interactions can lead to adverse drug reactions, therapeutic failure, or altered drug efficacy. This study aimed to assess the frequency and attributes of potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) and the consistency of different decision support software in ICU patients.

Research Design And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital.

Early prediction of bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis through machine learning analysis of plasma metabolites.

Background: To develop a predictive model for bone destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), based on the characteristics of plasma metabolites and common clinical indicators.

Methods: The cohort comprised 60 patients with RA, with baseline metabolite features identified using the liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer system. Radiographic outcomes were assessed using the van der Heijde-modified total Sharp score (mTSS) following a one-year follow-up period to quantify bone destruction.