Pannexin channels in inflammation and tumorigenesis.

Pannexin (Panx) channels are oligomeric heptamers of PANX proteins, comprising Panx1, Panx2 and Panx3. These channels facilitate the extracellular release of signaling molecules up to 1.5 kDa in size, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP), amino acids, ions, and other metabolites.

RACK1 attenuates pancreatic tumorigenesis by suppressing acinar-to-ductal metaplasia through inflammatory signaling modulation.

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) remains one of the most lethal malignancies with limited early diagnostic and therapeutic options. Although receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is an evolutionarily conserved scaffold protein, its functional role and mechanistic involvement in PDA pathogenesis remain elusive.

Methods: Using multimodal approaches including: (1) genetically engineered mouse models of pancreatitis and carcinogenesis, (2) patient-derived PDA tissues with matched normal specimens, (3) primary acinar cell 3D cultures, and (4) orthogonal gain/loss-of-function assays in PDA cell lines, we systematically investigated RACK1's spatiotemporal expression patterns and functional impacts.

Cingulin is an RNA-binding protein promoting pancreatic cancer through enhancing importin 7-mediated phospho-ERK nuclear translocation.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a lethal malignancy with difficult early diagnosis and poor prognosis, urgently requires elucidation of the molecular determinants dictating pancreatic cancer initiation and progression. Little is known about cingulin (CGN) in carcinogenesis. In this study, we demonstrated the critical oncogenic role of CGN in PDAC pathogenesis.

Innate immune cell barrier-related genes inform precision prognosis in pancreatic cancer.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. The role of innate immune cell barrier-related genes in PC prognosis is poorly defined. This study aimed to identify prognostic biomarkers, develop a predictive model, and uncover novel targets for personalized therapy.

The relationship between insulin resistance and recurrent pregnancy loss in assisted reproductive technology: A retrospective case-control study.

This study aimed to investigate the association between insulin resistance (IR) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART). A retrospective analysis compared glucose and insulin indices (including fasting insulin [FINS], Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR], Homeostatic Model Assessment for Beta-Cell Function [HOMA-β], and area under the curve for insulin [AUCI] between RPL (n = 279) and non-RPL (n = 246) groups. Adjusted logistic regression models evaluated the correlation between IR-related indices and RPL risk.

Prominent supramolecular systems for cancer Therapy: From structural design to tailored applications.

Supramolecular materials represent a powerful class of platforms in cancer diagnosis and therapy, owing to their dynamic architectures, stimuli responsiveness, and high biocompatibility. This review focused on three representative categories-Pillarene-based systems, virus-mimetic nanoparticles (VMNs), and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-each offering unique structural and functional properties. Pillarene-based assemblies enable precise host-guest interactions, by being classified into amphiphilic, ionic, and chiral varieties, the robust drug loading and controlled release capabilities of the Pillarene family were emphasized.

Opsin3 regulates cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma via GPX3 pathway.

Despite recent progress in understanding lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and the emergence of new therapeutic strategies, LUAD continues to be one of the deadliest lung cancer types, with a five-year survival rate of under 5%. Opsin3 (OPN3), a member of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily, has been linked to various cancer-related processes, including tumor progression and therapy resistance. However, its specific role in LUAD remains insufficiently investigated.

Assessing the contribution of wind and water erosion in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Northern China with Cs tracer technology.

This study addresses the critical ecological challenges of soil wind and water erosion in the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China, both of which significantly contribute to soil degradation. Understanding the relative contributions of these erosion types is essential for developing effective control measures. Using theCs tracer method, we quantified the ratio of soil wind erosion to water erosion under varying topographic and geomorphic conditions.

CCL7 promotes macrophage polarization and synovitis to exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis.

Chemokine C-C motif ligand 7 (CCL7) is implicated in various immune and inflammatory processes; however, its role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear. In this study, we observed that CCL7 expression was upregulated in synovial M1-polarized macrophages and in the serum of RA mice and patients. CCL7 was found to promote macrophage polarization toward the M1 phenotype while inhibiting M2 differentiation .

Decoding dengue's neurological assault: insights from single-cell CNS analysis in an immunocompromised mouse model.

Background: Dengue encephalitis, a severe neurological complication of dengue virus infection, is increasingly recognized for its rising incidence and significant public health burden. Despite its growing prevalence, the underlying mechanisms and effective therapeutic strategies remain poorly understood.

Methods: Cellular atlas of dengue encephalitis was determined by single-nucleus RNA sequencing.

Structural basis for the RNA binding properties of mouse IGF2BP3.

IGF2BP family proteins (IGF2BPs) contain six tandem RNA-binding domains (RBDs), resulting in highly complex RNA binding properties. Dissecting how IGF2BPs recognize their RNA targets is essential for understanding their regulatory roles in gene expression. Here, we have determined the crystal structures of mouse IGF2BP3 constructs complexed with different RNA substrates.

FOXM1-Driven CKS1B Upregulation Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression and Therapeutic Resistance.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a highly lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. Investigating novel therapeutic targets and understanding mechanisms of chemoresistance are crucial for improving patient outcomes. This study investigated the role of CKS1B in PDAC carcinogenesis, stemness and chemoresistance, and explores the underlying mechanisms driving its upregulation.

A new phase of China-ASEAN health cooperation: the China-ASEAN Beijing Declaration on Cooperation in Innovation of Health Products and Technologies.

Utilizing innovative methods to advance the research and development (R&D) of health products and enhance their accessibility has become crucial to achieving universal health coverage, addressing public health emergencies, and promoting population health and wellbeing. However, structural contradictions do exist in the supply and demand of health products in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With the joint support of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the Ministry of Education, and the China-ASEAN Center, Peking University established the China-ASEAN Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Public Health in April 2023.

OSBPL3 modulates the immunosuppressive microenvironment and predicts therapeutic outcomes in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a complex tumor microenvironment that hinders effective immunotherapy. Identifying key factors that regulate the immunosuppressive landscape is crucial for improving treatment strategies.

Methods: We constructed a prognostic and risk assessment model for pancreatic cancer using 101 machine learning algorithms, identifying OSBPL3 as a key gene associated with disease progression and prognosis.

FOXM1-Cx31 Axis Drives Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties and Chemoresistance.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal malignancy with few effective treatment options. Connexin 31 (Cx31) is a membrane protein capable of forming hexameric channels to facilitate the exchange of metabolites and signaling molecules. Yet, the contribution of Cx31 to the onset and progression of pancreatic cancer remains to be understood.

An optimized spectral reconstruction method for shift excitation Raman differential spectroscopy.

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful analytical method, but when the composition of the test sample is intricate, the original spectral data may contain noise and fluorescence background interference, making it more difficult to extract Raman spectral information from the original spectra. Especially the fluorescence background signal, which is typically several orders of magnitude stronger than the Raman signal, can even overwhelm or obscure the Raman signals, thereby impeding the qualitative or quantitative analysis of the Raman spectra. One effective method for removing the fluorescence background is shift excitation Raman differential spectroscopy (SERDS), which typically involves measuring two raw Raman spectra using slightly different excitation wavelengths, combined with reconstruction algorithms, to obtain Raman spectra free from fluorescence interference.

Dexmedetomidine Pretreatment of Neuronal Cells Has Protective Effect Against Cell Death During Oxygen-glucose Deprivation/Reoxygenation, Based on IGF-1 Production.

Objective: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) protects neuronal-cell damage by ischemia. Although neuronal cells have been reported to produce IGF-1, the molecular mechanisms remains obscure. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) protects neuronal cells from ischemic damage.

Development and Validation of an Automatic Computerized Neurocognitive Battery in Chinese.

Objectives: Neuropsychological test batteries, which accurately and comprehensively assess cognitive functions, are a crucial approach in the early detection of and interventions for cognitive impairments. However, these tests have yet to gain wide clinical application in China owing to their complexity and time-consuming nature. This study aimed to develop the Computerized Neurocognitive Battery for Chinese-Speaking participants (CNBC), an autorun and autoscoring cognitive assessment tool to provide efficient and accurate cognitive evaluations for Chinese-Speaking individuals.

Environmental regulation effect on health poverty in China.

How does government spending on environmental protection benefit people's health? The current paper analyzed 2010 and 2018 data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database to measure the impact of province-level environmental regulations on the health of local population. The study also applied the Alkire Foster method to develop the multidimensional health poverty (MHP) score, a new index intended to measure the health status of individuals in a holistic manner. Our results indicated that more fiscal spending on environmental regulation could improve health of the local population, especially among low-income population living in the rural areas.

Down-regulation of microRNA-23a promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma initiation and progression by up-regulation of FOXM1 expression.

Transcriptional factor Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) plays an important role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development and progression. The molecular mechanisms underlying its dysregulation remain unclear. We identified and functionally validated the microRNAs (miRNAs) that critically regulate FOXM1 expression in PDAC.

Plakophilin 1 in carcinogenesis.

Plakophilin 1 (PKP1) belongs to the desmosome family as an anchoring junction protein in cellular junctions. It localizes at the interface of the cell membrane and cytoplasm. Although PKP1 is a non-transmembrane protein, it may become associated with the cell membrane via transmembrane proteins such as desmocollins and desmogleins.

Lanthanum hydroxide protects kidney through gut microbiota in a rat model of chronic kidney disease.

The progression of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) is complex, influenced by a myriad of factors including gut microbiota. While emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota can have beneficial effects in managing CKD, it is also recognized that dysbiosis may contribute to the progression of CKD and associated uremic complications. Our previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of lanthanum hydroxide in delaying kidney failure and preserving renal function.