Exploring lipid-modifying therapies for sepsis through the modulation of circulating inflammatory cytokines: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Whether lipid-modifying drugs directly impact the outcome of sepsis remains uncertain. Therefore, systematic investigations are needed to explore the potential impact of lipid-related therapies on sepsis outcomes and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involving circulating inflammatory cytokines, which may play critical roles in the pathogenesis of sepsis. This study aimed to utilize drug-target Mendelian randomization to assess the direct causal effects of genetically proxied lipid-modifying therapies on sepsis outcomes.

In-situ anchoring of ZIF-8 nanoparticles on sodium alginate aerogel for efficient and rapid phenol adsorption from wastewater.

The deep purification of highly toxic phenol in wastewater is a water purification issue of concern. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used in the field of adsorption and separation owing to their advantages of high porosity and abundant active sites. However, powdered MOFs are easy to agglomerate and difficult to separate, which poses a great challenge to their adsorption performance and recycling, severely limiting their practical applications.

The Influence of Different Morphologies of Black TiO Supported Pt Catalysts on the Catalytic Oxidation of Glycerol.

The increased production of biodiesel has resulted in a corresponding rise in glycerol (GLY) production. The glycerol oxidation reaction is characterized by mild reaction conditions and relatively simple products, making it a widely utilized method for glycerol conversion and one of the most promising industrial approaches. In this study, we prepared black titanium dioxide-supported platinum catalysts with different morphology.

Construction of a Single-cell Atlas of Thyroid Cancer.

Introduction: Differentiated thyroid cancer generally has a favorable prognosis; however, the cure rate remains low for patients with metastatic or undifferentiated thyroid cancer. Moreover, this group of patients exhibits diverse responses to different treatments. To address this, single- cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) offers an unbiased approach to reveal the heterogeneity within and between tumor cells.

Education on the Importance of Doctor-patient Communication in Orthodontic Clinical Teaching.

In the process of orthodontic clinical teaching, it is very important to teach medical students how they are expected to communicate effectively with patients and their families, as this has a direct impact on patient compliance throughout the process of diagnosis and treatment and on patient satisfaction after treatment. Doctor-patient communication is therefore an essential skill for medical students to gain before taking up clinical work. In view of the problems that are often encountered in each stage of orthodontic treatment, the present paper discusses the specific content of doctor-patient communication education in clinical teaching.

AND-Gate Logic Förster Resonance Energy Transfer/Magnetic Resonance Tuning Nanoprobe for Programmable Antitumor Immunity Imaging.

Simultaneous detection of different biomarkers related to the spatiotemporally dynamic immune events is of particular importance for the accurate evaluation of antitumor immune effects. Here, we have developed an AND-gate logic dual resonance energy transfer nanoprobe (named DRET) for dynamic monitoring of programmed CD8 T cell activation and tumor cell apoptosis. Immunotherapy-induced granzyme B secretion from CD8 T cells and the subsequent caspase-3 release from apoptotic tumor cells individually activate one of the tiers of the "AND-gate" logic DRET.

Optical tweezer-assisted cell pairing and fusion for somatic cell nuclear transfer within an open microchannel.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), referred to as somatic cell cloning, is a pivotal biotechnological technique utilized across various applications. Although robotic SCNT is currently available, the subsequent oocyte electrical activation/reconstructed embryo electrofusion is still manually completed by skilled operators, presenting challenges in efficient manipulation due to the uncontrollable positioning of the reconstructed embryo. This study introduces a robotic SCNT-electrofusion system to enable high-precision batch SCNT cloning.

Dual-tDCS Ameliorates Cerebral Injury and Promotes Motor Function Recovery via cGAS-STING Signaling Pathway in a Rat Model of Ischemic Stroke.

Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability. Dual transcranial direct current stimulation (dual-tDCS) is a promising intervention to treat ischemic stroke, but its efficacy and underlying mechanism remain to be verified. Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway has recently emerged as a key mediator in cerebral injury.

A Magnetically Driven Biodegradable Microsphere with Mass Production Capability for Subunit Vaccine Delivery and Enhanced Immunotherapy.

Subunit vaccines have emerged as a promising strategy in immunotherapy for combating viral infections and cancer. Nevertheless, the clinical application of subunit vaccines is hindered by limitations in antigen delivery efficiency, characterized by rapid clearance and inadequate cellular uptake. Here, a novel subunit vaccine delivery system utilizing ovalbumin@magnetic nanoparticles (OVA@MNPs) encapsulated within biodegradable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) microspheres was proposed to enhance the efficacy of antigen delivery.

Chemistry-Enabled Intercellular Enzymatic Labeling for Monitoring the Immune Effects of Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes .

Monitoring the effector function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) remains a great challenge. Here, we develop a chemistry-enabled enzymatic labeling approach to evaluate the tumor-specific immune response of CTLs by precisely monitoring the interaction between CTLs and tumor cells. sortase A (SrtA) is linked to the CTL surface through bioconjugate chemistry and then catalyzes the transfer of fluorescent-labeled substrate, 5-Tamra-LPETG, to CTLs.

DKK2 promotes the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of Dickkopf 2 (DKK2) on the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and explore its role in the PI3K/AKT signaling transduction pathway.

Materials And Methods: The study initially examined the expression of the DKK2 gene in OSCC tissues and normal tissues. Simultaneously, the expression of DKK2 in HOK cells and OSCC cells was verified, and changes in DKK2 expression under hypoxic conditions were detected.

Computer-aided cognitive training combined with tDCS can improve post-stroke cognitive impairment and cerebral vasomotor function: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is the focus and difficulty of poststroke rehabilitation intervention with an incidence of up to 61%, which may be related to the deterioration of cerebrovascular function. Computer-aided cognitive training (CACT) can improve cognitive function through scientific training targeting activated brain regions, becoming a popular training method in recent years. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, can regulate the cerebral vascular nerve function, and has an effect on the rehabilitation of cognitive dysfunction after stroke.

Effects of scapular treatment on chronic neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a common public health problem that affects daily living activities and quality of life. There is biomechanical interdependence between the neck and scapula. Studies have shown that shoulder blade function might be related to chronic neck pain.

Artificial Vascular with Pressure-Responsive Property based on Deformable Microfluidic Channels.

In vitro blood vessel models are significant for disease modeling, drug assays, and therapeutic development. Microfluidic technologies allow to create physiologically relevant culture models reproducing the features of the in vivo vascular microenvironment. However, current microfluidic technologies are limited by impractical rectangular cross-sections and single or nonsynchronous compound mechanical stimuli.

Fraxin Ameliorates Ulcerative Colitis by Modulating Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and TLR4/NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Objective: UC is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder of uncertain etiology. However, effective therapeutic drug options for UC are relatively limited. Fraxin represents a principal active constituent within the traditional Chinese medicinal herb known as Cortex Fraxini or Qinpi.

Efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of fibromyalgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To update a systematic review of the efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for analgesia, for antidepressant effects, and to reduce the impact of fibromyalgia (FM), looking for optimal areas of stimulation.

Methods: We searched five databases to identify randomized controlled trials comparing active and sham tDCS for FM. The primary outcome was pain intensity, and secondary outcome measures included FM Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and depression score.

Copper-crosslinked carbon dot hydrogel nanozyme for colorimetric - tert-butylhydroquinone biosensing and smartphone-assisted visual ratiometric assay.

Due to the potential environment and health risks of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), rapid, portable, selective and sensitive quantification of TBHQ in food and the environment are strictly essential. With this in mind, a selective, sensitive and rapid colorimetric TBHQ biosensor was developed using rationally designed copper-crosslinked carbon dot hydrogel nanozyme (BC-CDs@Cu). The BC-CDs@Cu had a high peroxidase-like activity toward the chromogenic reaction of hydrogen peroxide with dopamine via the generation of hydroxyl radicals and electron transfer process.

Signaling via a CD28/CD40 chimeric costimulatory antigen receptor (CoStAR™), targeting folate receptor alpha, enhances T cell activity and augments tumor reactivity of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.

Transfer of autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) to patients with refractory melanoma has shown clinical efficacy in a number of trials. However, extending the clinical benefit to patients with other cancers poses a challenge. Inefficient costimulation in the tumor microenvironment can lead to T cell anergy and exhaustion resulting in poor anti-tumor activity.

Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Feasibility Study.

Objectives: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation has shown promising results in improving cognitive and motor function after stroke. However, to our knowledge, there have been no studies in the modulation of the cervical vagus nerve using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with cognitive dysfunction. Thus, we conducted a single-arm feasibility trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of rTMS of the vagus nerve in patients with TBI.

The effectiveness and safety of botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of sialorrhea with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Botulinum toxin (BoNT) injection is an important adjunctive method to treat sialorrhea. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the effect and safety of BoNT injections in the intervention of sialorrhea with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: We searched PubMed, Web Of Science (WOS), Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Embase from inception until April 2022.

Investigating protein-membrane interactions using native reverse micelles constructed from naturally sourced lipids.

Advancing the study of membrane associated proteins and their interactions is dependent on accurate membrane models. While a variety of membrane models for high-resolution membrane protein study exist, most do not reflect the diversity of lipids found within biological membranes. In this work, we have developed native reverse micelles (nRMs) formulated with lipids from multiple eukaryotic sources, which encapsulate proteins and enable them to interact as they would with a biological membrane.

A Multidrug Delivery Microrobot for the Synergistic Treatment of Cancer.

Multidrug combination therapy provides an effective strategy for malignant tumor treatment. This paper presents the development of a biodegradable microrobot for on-demand multidrug delivery. By combining magnetic targeting transportation with tumor therapy, it is hypothesized that loading multiple drugs on different regions of a single magnetic microrobot can enhance a synergistic effect for cancer treatment.

Biodegradable Microrobots for DNA Vaccine Delivery.

The delivery of nucleic acid vaccine to stimulate host immune responses against Coronavirus disease 2019 shows promise. However, nucleic acid vaccines have drawbacks, including rapid clearance and poor cellular uptake, that limit their therapeutic potential. Microrobots can be engineered to sustain vaccine release and further control the interactions with immune cells that are vital for robust vaccination.