Using synthetic RNA to benchmark poly(A) length inference from direct RNA sequencing.

Polyadenylation is a dynamic process that is important in cellular physiology, which has implications in messenger RNA decay rates, translation efficiency, and isoform-specific regulation. Oxford Nanopore Technologies direct RNA sequencing provides a strategy for sequencing the full-length RNA molecule and analysis of the transcriptome. Several tools are currently available for poly(A) tail length estimation, including well-established methods like tailfindr and nanopolish, as well as more recent deep learning models like Dorado.

Why has immune "checkpoint" therapy failed in most clinical trials?

Cancer immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has demonstrated efficacy across a range of common solid tumors and some hematopoietic malignancies. Despite these groundbreaking successes, the clinical development of other 'checkpoint inhibitors' targeting molecules like TIM-3, TIGIT, ICOS and others, has largely fallen short, often showing minimal clinical benefit even in combination with anti-PD therapy. This article explores three key hypotheses that help explain the disparity in therapeutic success: (1) the absence of tumor- specific immunosuppressive logic in many checkpoint targets, (2) the dominance-but not redundancy-of immune evasion mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and (3) the emergence of therapy-induced resistance.

Interaction between amylose/amylopectin and polyphenols of different structures.

This study aims to systematically elucidate the interaction mechanism between four polyphenols and amylose/amylopectin through integrated experimental and computational approaches. Catechin (CC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) exhibit excellent binding capacities for amylose/amylopectin, followed by cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), while ferulic acid (FA) exhibits the lowest binding capacity. Polyphenols induce starch chain aggregation, increasing particle sizes (amylose: 152.

Research on Preventing High-Density Materials from Settling in Liquid Resin.

The applications of magnetic particles in anti-counterfeiting and anti-absorbing coatings and other functional materials are becoming increasingly widespread. However, due to their high density, the magnetic particles rapidly settle in organic resin media, significantly affecting the quality of the related products. Thereby, reducing the density of the particles is essential.

Distribution and fate of antibiotics in water-sediment-biofilm phases and their potential risks in urban lakes within a large-scale city in eastern China.

Urban lakes often serve as the key nodes of material and energy flows in the river network ecosystems in large-scale cities. A comprehensive understanding of the multimedium distribution and fate of antibiotics in the lacustrine water-sediment-biofilm system is the critical prerequisite for their accurate ecological risk assessment and regional control and remediation. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of 21 antibiotics across six families in the water, sedimentary and biofilm phases of six typical urban lakes in Nanjing, a large-scale city in eastern China.

Absence of Deep and Basal Veins Is Common and Clinically Relevant in Sturge-Weber Syndrome.

Background: Common intracranial vascular abnormalities in Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) include leptomeningeal venous malformations (LVMs) and enlarged deep veins. A few small studies have reported absent deep veins in some patients. We used susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence sensitive to detecting small veins, to evaluate deep cerebral veins and the basal vein of Rosenthal (BVR) and assess the radiological correlates and clinical impact of their absence.

Research on temporal-spatial distribution differences and formation mechanisms of NPP in the Lanzhou section of the yellow river mainstream.

The Lanzhou section of the Yellow River mainstem is a typical area for vegetation restoration in the ecologically fragile region of Northwest China. The spatiotemporal differences in Net Primary Productivity (NPP) of vegetation in this area serve as an important criterion for measuring the effectiveness of assessing vegetation growth. We analyze the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics and driving mechanisms of NPP in the northern and southern mountain along the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River mainstream from 2000 to 2020 with the methods of the CASA model, Sen-MK trend analysis, and geographical detector.

Astragaloside IV Attenuates Chronic Prostatitis by Activating Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway: Suppressing Ferroptosis and Enhancing Antioxidant Defense.

Background: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), a chronic inflammatory disorder with complex etiology and limited treatment options, is closely associated with oxidative stress and regulates cell death. Ferroptosis-an iron-dependent cell death driven by lipid peroxidation-amplifies CP/CPPS inflammation by concurrently triggering mitochondrial apoptosis and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, while Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 axis serves as a central regulator bridging ferroptotic, apoptotic, and inflammatory cell death pathways. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a primary bioactive component of Astragalus membranaceus with established clinical use in urological therapies and favorable pharmacokinetics, was prioritized over structural analogs due to its unique dual-phase modulation: enhancing Nrf2 nuclear translocation without suppressing NF-κB-mediated immune surveillance.

Bioinspired phosphorylated cellulose nanocrystals-based multi-crosslinked binder for enhanced stability and sustainability in silicon anodes.

Silicon (Si) is a promising anode for high-energy-density batteries, but its ~300 % volume expansion causes particle fracture and electrode instability. Effective binders are essential for maintaining electrode integrity. Inspired by the adhesion mechanism of natural ivy, we developed a small-molecule-enhanced polymer binder derived from phosphorylated cellulose nanocrystals (PCNCs) and acrylic acid rosin to enhance the electrochemical and mechanical performance of Si anodes.

Surface electromyography as a novel screening tool for early cognitive impairment: Exploring motor-cognitive interactions.

BackgroundMotor changes precede the emergence of cognitive impairment (CI), and Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of CI.ObjectiveThe study aimed to investigate the characteristics of surface electromyography (sEMG) in patients with CI and explore the ability of sEMG for CI detection.Methods639 participants were enrolled, including 284 patients with CI, and 355 controls.

Prognostic and Immunologic Characteristics of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on Disulfidptosis-Related lncRNAs.

Disulfidptosis is a new and unique mode of cell death in malignant tumors that plays an important role in tumorigenesis and development. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of disulfideptosis-related lncRNAs (DRLs) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Differential expression and Pearson correlation analyses were used to identify DRLs associated with HNSCC, and a regression model containing six core DRLs was constructed using univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis.

Transmitted drug resistance profiles among people living with HIV-1 in Henan province, China, 2024.

Background: Following with the widespread adoption of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) among newly diagnosed people living HIV-1 (PLWH) has shown an upward trend. Thus, a close monitoring of TDR can provide valuable data for local management of PLWH.

Materials And Methods: Plasma samples were collected from newly diagnosed PLWH seeking treatments in the Sixth People's Hospital of Zhengzhou from Jan 2024 to December 2024.

Comprehensive genotypic and phenotypic analysis of Bietti crystalline dystrophy: insights from a large cohort study.

In this cross-sectional observational study, we conducted comprehensive ophthalmic evaluations, including fundus imaging, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), microperimetry, and electroretinography, in 164 patients with Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) from 159 families. The mean age of onset was (29.9±8.

Surface-Engineering Cellulose Nanofibers via In Situ PEDOT Polymerization for Superior Thermoelectric Properties.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are abundant and possess exceptional mechanical strength, but their intrinsic electrical insulation limits their application in wearable electronics. In this study, a versatile methodology is presented to produce highly conductive and durable CNFs through electrostatic potential-enhanced in situ polymerization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). Guided by molecular dynamics simulations, electrostatic interactions are controlled by tailoring the chain length of PEDOT, achieving homogeneous polymerization.

Impact of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exposure on persistent cough after pulmonary resection in a Chinese tertiary hospital: a prospective cohort study protocol.

Introduction: Previous studies have pointed out that persistent cough is a common complication after pulmonary resection and its occurrence is closely related to inflammatory response. However, there are no clinical studies to date that directly verify that the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce the incidence of persistent cough after pulmonary resection (CAP). In view of this, this study aimed to explore and confirm whether exposure to NSAIDs can effectively reduce the incidence of CAP through a prospective cohort study.

Uncertainty-based cardiac image registration using variational autoencoder with nonuniformly spaced control points.

Background And Objective: The Variational Bayesian (VB) image registration model has garnered recent attention for its ability to offer uncertainty, particularly in the context of cardiac motion estimation. Nonetheless, several challenges have plagued VB image registration. Firstly, the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in VB excel with grid-based image features make it challenging to extract features from non-uniformly located points located at tissue boundaries.

Premature mortality projection for diabetes to 2030: a subnational evaluation towards the Healthy China 2030 Goals.

The Healthy China 2030 Plan set the goal of reducing premature deaths from diabetes by 30% by 2030. However, there has been a lack of assessment of premature mortality for diabetes since the action plan was issued. This study used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, calculated the premature deaths for diabetes by sex, provinces, and subtypes from 1990 to 2021.

Curdione inhibits the proliferation of human uterine leiomyomas by targeting YTHDF1.

Background: Curdione, an active sesquiterpene found in Curcumae Rhizoma, exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties, but its mechanism of action against uterine leiomyomas (ULMs) is not yet clear.

Purpose: This study aims to clarify the anti-proliferative effects of curdione on ULMs and explore the molecular mechanisms, with specific focus on the role of the m6A reader protein YTHDF1.

Methods: To evaluate the effects of curdione on human ULM cells, assays such as CCK-8, crystal violet staining, EdU, TUNEL, and Annexin V-FITC/PI were used to assess cell proliferation and apoptosis.

A Zn(II) Coordination Polymer as an Ultrastable Heterogeneous Photocatalyst for CO Photoreduction with HO.

Photoreduction of CO into high value-added products offers a promising approach to mitigating the global energy crisis. Coordination polymers (CPs) show promising potential in CO photoreduction due to their tunable structures. However, CP-based catalysts for CO photoreduction are limited by their poor recyclability and weak light absorption.

HIV-1 subtype distribution and drug resistance profiles among PLWHA with detectable viremia in Henan Province, China, 2023.

In China, Henan Province is a region with a high HIV burden. Furthermore, drug resistance (DR) among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is becoming a critical barrier to achieving viral suppression. Monitoring DR in PLWHA with detectable viremia after ART is crucial, especially given the widespread use of NNRTI and NRTI, which have historically been the backbone of China's national ART program due to affordability and availability.

Effect of HO Concentration on the Electrochemical HO Oxidation and Reduction Reactions on the Pt/C Catalyst in Acid Solutions.

Hydrogen peroxide (HO) oxidation reaction (HPOR) and reduction reaction (HPRR) play vital roles in various innovative HO-related electrochemical energy conversion systems. Understanding the interactions of HO with catalyst surfaces and its impact on HPOR/HPRR activity at the working potential is essential for the further development of these HO-related systems. Herein, we investigate the effects of the HO concentration on the HPOR/HPRR activities for Pt/C catalysts and reveal the complex influence of HO on the oxygen coverage of the Pt surface at various potentials.

Papers with high filler contents enabled by nanocelluloses as retention and strengthening agents.

The development of economic and functional papers relies on the introduction of functional filler particles but faces several challenges, especially the low filler retention and inferior mechanical properties. This study introduces plant-based cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) as dual-function retention and strengthening agents, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymer additives. Precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), a widely used filler, is selected as the model system.

Composite dietary antioxidant index of antioxidant vitamins and sarcopenia risk: insights from the UK biobank and NHANES cohorts.

Background: The composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI), reflecting total dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins, may indicate overall antioxidant capacity. This study examined its association with the risk of probable sarcopenia, defined by handgrip strength, in older adults.

Methods: Participants aged over 60 from the UK Biobank (N = 22,921) and National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Surveys (NHANES) 2011-2014 (N = 2,641) cohorts were categorized into probable sarcopenia and non-probable sarcopenia groups.

A Point Cloud Generation Network for Automatic Prediction of Postoperative Maxillofacial Soft Tissue.

Purpose: In the planning of maxillofacial surgery, accurately evaluating the postoperative soft tissue area is crucial. This allows doctors to provide patients with better morphological recovery while ensuring the restoration of normal functional areas. This study aims to develop an advanced automatic algorithm for the completion of soft tissue defects, enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of surgical planning.