HBV Precore G1896A Mutation Promotes Malignancy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Activating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Enhance Aerobic Glycolysis.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore G1896A mutation is closely associated with poor prognosis of liver disease. We previously revealed that the G1896A mutation could enhance HBV replication and promote hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. However, the in-depth mechanisms by which this mutation promotes the malignancy of HCC still need to be explored.

Epigenetic regulation of bladder cancer in the context of aging.

Bladder cancer (BC) is a disease that predominantly affects older adults, with aging playing a critical role in its onset and progression. Age-associated phenomena, including immunosenescence and chronic inflammation, form a pro-tumor milieu, while genomic instability and epigenetic drift further increase cancer risk. The review highlights the dual role of DNA methylation in BC: global hypomethylation can activate transposable elements and oncogenes, whereas focal hypermethylation silences tumor-suppressor genes like CDKN2A, especially detrimental in older tissues that rely on these genes for senescence control.

The effect of embodied learning on students' learning performance: A meta-analysis.

Background: Embodied learning has attracted considerable attention in recent years. However, there is no academic consensus on whether embodied learning effectively enhances students' learning performance.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the overall effect of embodied learning on students' learning performance through a meta-analysis.

Potent β-glucuronidase inhibition by brown algae Ecklonia cava secondary metabolites: Structural characterization, enzyme kinetics, and computational simulations.

The chemical profile of brown algae Ecklonia cava was comprehensively analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer and GNPS molecular networking, identifying 33 components, including 27 oligomeric phloroglucinols. Among these, 10 compounds with analogous structural segments were evaluated for β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity, revealing potent inhibition by eckol, phlorofucofuroeckol A (PFF-A), dieckol, 2-phloroeckol, dioxinodehydroeckol (DHE), 8,8'-bieckol, and 6,8'-bieckol, with IC values ranging from 0.3 to 30.

Substrate and inhibitor binding of human GABA transporter 3.

GABA (g-aminobutyric acid) transporter 3 (GAT3) is primarily found in glial cells and is essential for regulating GABA homeostasis in the central nervous system by mediating GABA uptake. Consequently, GAT3 has emerged as a significant therapeutic target for the treatment of epilepsy. In this study, we present the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of GAT3 bound to its substrate GABA, the selective inhibitor SNAP-5114, and in the substrate-free state.

DDX3X mutation and Epstein-Barr virus cooperate to induce R-loop-dependent oncogenesis.

RNA helicase DDX3X is generally implicated in inflammasome activation and anti-viral responses. We characterize the common features of scattered DDX3X mutations in lymphoid cancers using molecular dynamics simulation and crystallization, thereby demonstrating their crucial role in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic gene-driven oncogenic processes. The DDX3X mutation is significantly related to impaired stimulator of interferon genes (STING)/ interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7)/interferon (IFN)-α/β-mediated innate immunity, overexpression of EBV lytic gene BNLF2b, and increased formation of R-loops.

Yuzhi Zhixue Granules regulate the JAK/STAT pathway to affect T-cell differentiation in the colon of ulcerative colitis.

Purpose: Yuzhi Zhixue (YZZX) granules, a classic Chinese herbal remedy, have demonstrated efficacy in managing hemorrhagic and inflammatory conditions, and are clinically used to treat uterine bleeding. Building upon their documented clinical applications and phytochemical composition, we hypothesized that YZZX may also possess therapeutic potential against ulcerative colitis (UC). This research aimed to examine the immunomodulatory effects of YZZX granules on Th1/Th17-mediated immune reactions in a murine UC model induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).

Ultrastructure and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveal Alternative Pathways of Zona Radiata Formation in with Different Spawning Habits.

Spawning diversity plays an essential role in fish survival and reproduction, which contributes to the exceptional diversity of teleosts among vertebrates. Different zona radiata structures reflect the adaptability of fish to the environment of spawning and early embryonic development. The morphological and transcriptional characteristics of fish follicle development between different spawning habits, particularly the zona radiata variations, have been poorly documented.

Development, validation, and testing of a Simple Risk Score System Incorporating Routine Clinical and Laboratory Variables to Predict Moderate-to-Severe Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: Early prediction is crucial for cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI). We aimed to develop and validate a simple, clinical and laboratory-based risk score system for better CSA-AKI prediction.

Methods: We developed a new pre-operative risk score system for moderate-to-severe CSA-AKI in a 10-year cohort of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting at one tertiary center.

Bridging global paleoscientists: an interview with PAGES Executive Director Marie-France Loutre.

The Past Global Changes (PAGES) project was established in 1991, initially as one of the core research projects under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). PAGES is an international scientific organization that connects paleoscientists worldwide. Over 5000 scientists from >125 countries currently subscribe to PAGES and all interested scientists are encouraged to get involved.

Potential application of MALDI-TOF MS to identify Streptococcus parapneumoniae, an emerging pathogen previously misidentified as Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Background: Accurate identification of Streptococcus species is critical for clinical management and epidemiology. Misidentification of S. parapneumoniae as S.

Distribution patterns and influencing factors of pathogenic microbial communities in household municipal solid waste: A case in Beijing, China.

Household municipal solid waste (MSW) provides a suitable environment for the propagation and emission of pathogens, and revealing their distribution patterns and influencing factors is important for source control of the potential risks. This study analyzed the microbial communities of pathogenic bacteria and fungi in MSW, by collecting both food waste and residual waste samples from a high-density residential area in Beijing for 11 months. Alpha diversity analysis indicated that the microbial diversity differed significantly between food waste and residual waste; however, Weissella and Candida were consistently detected at high proportions.

Curative Effect of Cutaneous Ulcer Wound Repair Through a Novel Liquid Dressing After HpD-PDT Treatment of Extramammary Paget's Disease-A Prospective, Semi-Lesion Controlled, Pilot Study.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a novel skin wound dressing in promoting the repair of the ulcer wound after the treatment of Extramammary Paget's Disease (EMPD) with Hematoporphyrin Derivative Photodynamic Therapy (HpD-PDT).

Method: A total of 10 patients with EMPD previously treated with HpD-PDT were recruited to conduct a self semi-lesion controlled study on the treatment of conformal dressing to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the skin ulcer wound repair therapy after HpD-PDT. The skin lesions treated with novel HVHA Shutai dressing were the study intervention group, and the skin lesions treated with standard of care were the control group.

Defective neutrophil-derived exosomes facilitate macrophage activation through miR-122-5p in Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a life-threatening systemic vasculitis characterized by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and macrophage activation. However, the interaction of PMN and macrophages remains elusive. To elucidate the potential dysregulation of BD PMN exosomes on macrophage activation, PMN exosomes from both BD patients and healthy controls are isolated, quantified and incubated with macrophages.

Development and validation of a deep-learning algorithm for rule-in and rule-out coronary artery disease based on electrocardiogram without evidence of myocardial ischemia.

Background: Current coronary artery disease (CAD) guidelines recommend to rule-out or rule-in patients for further examination by assessing a pretest probability (PTP) ≤ 5 % or ≥ 15 %. We developed and validated a deep-learning algorithm for rule-in or rule-out based on electrocardiogram (ECG) without myocardial ischemia evidence.

Methods: Between October 2019 and June 2022, data from two centers (Fuwai Hospital [Beijing] and Yunnan Fuwai Hospital) of CAD-suspected patients undergoing either coronary angiography or coronary computed tomography were used.

Instance-Adaptive Spatial-Temporal Enhancement for Efficient Video Compression.

Efficiently compressing HD/UHD content has long been challenging due to high bitrate costs. Instance-adaptive enhancement methods try to tackle this issue by compressing a video at reduced resolution and enhancing it using a neural model specifically overfitted for this video. However, existing methods focus solely on spatial super-resolution (SR) and under-utilize the videos' temporal redundancy.

Discovery of A20 with 4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazole scaffold as a potent and selective ROCK2 inhibitor.

Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) has become a promising therapeutic target for diseases such as neurological disorders and fibrosis. In this study, structural optimization based on the binding mode of lead compound M214 and ROCK2 was conducted and compound A20 with a 4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazole scaffold exhibited superior inhibitory activity against ROCK2 with IC value of 0.18 μM and inhibited ROCK1 with IC value of 3.

OTUB2/NR4A1 restrains the development of preeclampsia by suppressing macrophage M1 polarization.

Preeclampsia is one of the most common pregnancy disorders, and characterized by insufficient trophoblast invasion and placental inflammation. Our RNA sequencing results showed that OTU deubiquitinase, ubiquitin aldehyde binding 2 (OTUB2) was downregulated in placenta from preeclampsia patients, compared with the healthy control. Clinical and experimental data demonstrated that OTUB2 was expressed in macrophages.

Clinical Characteristics and Identification of Pathogenic Variant in a Large Chinese Family With Waardenburg Syndrome.

Background: Waardenburg syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and abnormal pigmentation. This study aims to explore the pathogenic variant in a large Waardenburg syndrome family and provide a theoretical basis for prenatal diagnosis of related family members.

Methods: The clinical phenotype of the family members was analyzed.

Promotion of Bone Defect Repair Using Decellularized Antler Cancellous Bone Loaded with Deer Osteoglycin.

The combination of scaffold materials and bioactive factors is a promising strategy for promoting bone defect repair in tissue engineering. Previous studies have shown that osteoglycin (OGN) is highly expressed in the bone repair process using deer antler as an animal model of bone defects. It suggests that OGN may be a key active component involved in the bone repair process.

High-Resolution Quantitative Reconstruction of Microvascular Architectures in Mouse Hepatocellular Carcinoma Models.

: Alterations in liver vascularization play a remarkable role in liver disease development, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but remain understudied. This study evaluated the hepatic microvascular imaging method and provided high-resolution quantitative anatomical data on the characteristics and architecture of liver vasculature in wild-type (WT) mice and HCC mouse models. : C57BL/6 mice were injected with Akt/Ras or Sleeping Beauty transposon to induce HCC.

Comparison of clinical outcomes between high-flow nasal cannula and non-invasive ventilation in acute exacerbation of COPD: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has recently emerged as a promising alternative to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, direct comparative evidence on the clinical efficacy of HFNC versus NIV in acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) remains limited and inconclusive.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was conducted up to January 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing HFNC and NIV in AECOPD patients.

Durable Gradient Liquid-Like Coating via PECVD for Long-Term Pipeline Scale Resistance.

Scaling severely impairs the efficiency, safety, and service life of industrial pipelines. While anti-scaling coatings offer an efficient and environmental-friendly solution, their long-term durability remains challenging. Herein, a robust gradient liquid-like coating (gLLC) is fabricated via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for long-term anti-scaling applications.