Application of Biomimetic Cell Membrane-Coated Nanocarriers in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Biomimetic cell membrane-coated nanocarriers have gained attention as an innovative therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) due to their capacity to mimic natural cellular architectures. This distinctive characteristic improves biocompatibility, enables evasion of immune surveillance, and promotes targeted drug delivery to specific disease sites. By harnessing cell membrane components from sources such as red blood cells, platelets, and immune cells, these nanocarriers can transport therapeutic agents directly to pathological areas, including atherosclerotic lesions, ischemic myocardial tissue, and injured vasculature.

DOCK9 as a predictive biomarker linked to angiogenesis and immune response in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a serious health concern due to its high prevalence and mortality rates. Identifying prognostic biomarkers is essential to improving patient outcomes and treatment strategies. DOCK9, a gene implicated in various cellular functions, may play a significant role in ESCC progression and prognosis.

Enhanced expression of miR-20a driven by nanog exacerbated the degradation of extracellular matrix in thoracic aortic dissection.

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is a life-threatening vascular disease manifested as intramural bleeding in the medial layers of the thoracic aorta. The key histopathologic feature of TAD is medial degeneration, characterized by depletion of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM). MicroRNA, as essential epigenetic regulators, can inhibit the protein expression of target genes without modifying the sequences.

Long-Term Outcomes of Bioprosthetic and Mechanical Tricuspid Valve Replacement after Left-Sided Valves Surgery.

Purpose: This study aimed to show the outcomes of isolated tricuspid valve replacement (ITVR) after left-sided valve surgery (LSVS).

Methods: Patients who underwent ITVR after LSVS were divided into bioprosthetic tricuspid valve (BTV) and mechanical tricuspid valve (MTV) groups. Clinical data were collected and analyzed between groups.

Prognostic Value of Systemic Inflammation Response Index in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

Background: The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAD) following open surgery.

Methods And Results: Totally, 410 ATAD patients underwent open surgery from 2019 to 2021 were enrolled in the study. Among the patients, the in-hospital mortality was 14.

Risk factors for in-hospital mortality after total arch procedure in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.

Object: Knowledge about the risk factors of in-hospital mortality for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) patients who received total arch procedure is limited. This study aims to investigate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors of in-hospital mortality of these patients.

Methods: From May 2014 to June 2018, 372 ATAAD patients received the total arch procedure in our institution.

Prognostic value of lncRNAs related to fatty acid metabolism in lung adenocarcinoma and their correlation with tumor microenvironment based on bioinformatics analysis.

Background: As a key regulator of metabolic pathways, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has received much attention for its relationship with reprogrammed fatty acid metabolism (FAM). This study aimed to investigate the role of the FAM-related lncRNAs in the prognostic management of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using bioinformatics analysis techniques.

Methods: We obtained LUAD-related transcriptomic data and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Therapeutic overexpression of miR-92a-2-5p ameliorated cardiomyocyte oxidative stress injury in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) results from pathological changes in cardiac structure and function caused by diabetes. Excessive oxidative stress is an important feature of DCM pathogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of oxidative stress in the cardiovascular system.

An Analysis of Total Arch Re-Replacement After Proximal Aortic Surgery.

Background: After proximal aortic surgery, total arch replacement (TAR) may again be needed because of recurrent dissection or aneurysm. This paper analyzed the relevant data of this technology with hopes of improving cognition and treatment.

Methods: There were a total of 60 eligible cases of secondary TAR after proximal aortic surgery in our center from 2010 to 2020.

Prognostic Value of Modified Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score in Patients Undergoing Isolated Tricuspid Valve Replacement.

Objective: Though the prognostic value of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in tricuspid surgery was confirmed, the unstable international normalized ratio (INR) may affect the evaluation effectiveness of the MELD score for isolated tricuspid valve replacement (ITVR). The aim of the study was to assess the prognostic value of modified MELD for ITVR.

Methods And Results: A total of 152 patients who underwent ITVR were evaluated.

Crosslinking and functionalization of acellular patches via the self-assembly of copper@tea polyphenol nanoparticles.

Decellularization is a promising technique to produce natural scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. However, non-crosslinked natural scaffolds disfavor application in cardiovascular surgery due to poor biomechanics and rapid degradation. Herein, we proposed a green strategy to crosslink and functionalize acellular scaffolds via the self-assembly of copper@tea polyphenol nanoparticles (Cu@TP NPs), and the resultant nanocomposite acellular scaffolds were named as Cu@TP-dBPs.

Outcomes of reoperation for total arch replacement combined with frozen elephant trunk after previous cardiovascular surgery.

Background: Aortic arch replacement(TAR) combined with frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique is a high-risk operation after previous cardiovascular surgery. The aim of the study was to review our strategy and outcomes in this cohort.

Method: Data were reviewed for patients who underwent TAR combined with FET after previous cardiovascular surgery from January 2010 to December 2020.

Extensive Arch Repair with a Novel Two-Branched Stent Graft in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

Purpose: In this study, we compared the early results between the extensive arch repair with a novel two-branched stent graft (TSG) and the traditional technique.

Methods: Between 2013 July and 2015 March, 63 acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) patients from four cardiac centers with indications for extensive arch repair were included in this study. Finally, 28 patients were involved in the traditional procedure (TP) group (23 males with the age of 49.

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicted short-term outcomes in ATAD patients undergoing surgery.

Objective: Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a biomarker that reflect systemic inflammation. We aimed to assess the value of SII in prediction of short-term outcomes in acute type A aortic dissection (ATAD) patients undergoing surgery.

Method: All patients underwent surgery for ATAD at our institution from 2018 to 2020 (n = 324) were retrospectively reviewed and divided into low SII (<1582.

A novel method to obtain rat aortic media for primary culture of rat aortic smooth muscle cells.

An efficient and simple method to obtain aortic media for primary culture of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (RVSMCs) is developed. The main steps to obtain aortic media include isolation of rat aortic artery, removal of the fat tissue and branches, separation of longitudinal cutting edge, and peeling off the adventitia. Then, aortic media was used to obtain RVSMCs by our tissue explants method and the enzyme digestion method.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate induces heart looping disorders during zebrafish development.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a type of plasticizer widely used in industry. It is well-known for its toxic effects to endocrine and reproductive systems and has been detected in amniotic fluid and placenta. In the present study, we explored the effects of DEHP on heart development by using zebrafish as a model organism.

Continuous "Snowing" Thermotherapeutic Graphene.

Finding the best applications of graphene, and the continuous and scalable preparation of graphene with high quality and high purity, are still two major challenges. Herein, a "pulse-etched" microwave-induced "snowing" (PEMIS) process is developed for continuous and scalable preparation of high-quality and high-purity graphene directly in the gas phase, which is found to have excellent thermotherapeutic effects. The obtained graphene exhibits small size (≈180 nm), high quality, low oxygen content, and high purity, together with a high gas-solid conversion efficiency of ≈10.

"Snowing" Graphene using Microwave Ovens.

Developing a simple and industrially scalable method to produce graphene with high quality and low cost will determine graphene's future. The two conventional approaches, chemical vapor deposition and liquid-phase exfoliation, require either costly substrates with limited production rate or complicated post treatment with limited quality, astricting their development. Herein, an extremely simple process is presented for synthesizing high quality graphene at low-cost in the gas phase, similar to "snowing," which is catalyst-free, substrate-free, and scalable.

Association of gene polymorphism and risk factors with susceptibility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese population: a case-control study involving 2,358 subjects.

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. The interaction of environmental risk factors and genetic factors might contribute to the carcinogenesis of EC synergistically.

Results: All seven single locus polymorphisms of ALDH3B2 were not associated with risk of ESCC as evaluated by allelic, dominant, co-dominant, recessive and Cochran-Armitage trend tests.

rs2240337 G>A polymorphism is associated with susceptibility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese population.

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) remains one of the major causes of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), may contribute to the carcinogenesis of EC.

Methods: We conducted a hospital based case-control study to evaluate the genetic susceptibility of SNPs on the development of EC.

Polymorphisms of VDR gene and risk of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma in Chinese population.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms have been reported to increase susceptibility to some malignant tumors, yet the effect on gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma susceptibility remains unknown. Here, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study to examine the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms of VDR rs2107301T>C, rs2228570C>T, rs1989969C>T and rs11568820 G>A and gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma susceptibility. A total 330 cases and 608 controls were enrolled in the study.

Coral-Inspired Nanoengineering Design for Long-Cycle and Flexible Lithium-Ion Battery Anode.

Conversion reaction electrode materials (CREMs) have gained significant interest in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their high theoretical gravimetric capacity. However, traditional CREMs-based electrodes, with large strain arising from Li(+) intercalation/deintercalation causes pulverization or electrical breakdown and cracking of the active materials which leads to structural collapse, limiting performance. Therefore, in order to construct electrodes with a strong tolerance to the strain incurred during the conversion reaction process, we design a coral-like three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical heterostructure by using cross-linked nanoflakes interspersed with nanoparticles (NPs) standing vertically on graphene foam (GF).

Direct Growth of MoS₂/h-BN Heterostructures via a Sulfide-Resistant Alloy.

Improved properties arise in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials when they are stacked onto insulating hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). Therefore, the scalable fabrication of TMDCs/h-BN heterostructures by direct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth is highly desirable. Unfortunately, to achieve this experimentally is challenging.