Peptide-Programmable DNAzyme Converter for Artificial Autocatalytic Gene Regulation.

The in-depth integration of gene regulation with protein modulation can enhance cellular information processing, yet it is significantly constrained by ineffective and complex protein-to-gene transduction strategies. Herein, we developed a simple protease-guided autocatalytic gene silencing platform named iPAD (intelligent peptide-programmed deoxyribonuclease) that converts the protease recognition events into versatile DNA readout signals by rationally designing a native protease-responsive cationic peptide (PP) to efficiently modulate the DNAzyme (Dz) activity. Without requiring additional chemical modifications, the multifunctional PP regulator consists simply of one cell-specific targeting peptide segment and two cationic peptide segments isolated by one protease-specific peptide substrate.

Doping and Polar Interface-Induced High-Position Sensing in the PEDOT:PSS/Si Heterojunction and Its Multifunctional Optical Imaging.

A highly sensitive, self-powered position-sensitive detector (PSD) based on a PEDOT:PSS/Si heterojunction is prepared. Band structure optimization via FS-300 additive doping significantly enhances the built-in electric field, achieving a maximum open-circuit voltage of 0.45 V (0.

Dynamic regulation of the oxidative stress response by the E3 ligase TRIP12.

Centered on the transcription factor NRF2 and its E3 ligase CUL3, the oxidative stress response protects cells from damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Increasing ROS inhibits CUL3 to stabilize NRF2 and elicit antioxidant gene expression, while cells recovering from stress rapidly turn over NRF2 again to prevent reductive stress and oxeiptosis-dependent death. How cells reinitiate NRF2 degradation after ROS have been cleared remains poorly understood.

Contrastive Learning Model for Wearable-based Ataxia Assessment.

Objective: Frequent and objective assessment of ataxia severity is essential for tracking disease progression and evaluating the effectiveness of potential treatments. Wearable-based assessments have emerged as a promising solution. However, existing methods rely on inertial data features directly correlated with subjective and coarse clinician-evaluated rating scales, which serve as imperfect gold standards.

Quantifying tumour microvasculature with optical coherence angiography and intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion MRI.

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) MRI is a contrast-agent-free microvascular imaging method finding increasing use in biomedicine. However, there is uncertainty in the ability of IVIM-MRI to quantify tissue microvasculature given MRI's limited spatial resolution (mm scale). Nine NRG mice were subcutaneously inoculated with human pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cells transfected with DsRed, and MR-compatible plastic window chambers were surgically installed in the dorsal skinfold.

The effect of caffeine use in the relationship between gaming and sleep in adolescents: A mediation analysis.

Background And Aims: Caffeine is the most commonly used substance during gaming sessions. Despite health guidelines to avoid caffeine before adulthood, many adolescents use caffeine to compensate for lost sleep or prolong wakefulness to enhance gaming performance. The relationship between gaming and sleep is well-established, but the role of caffeine has been under-explored.

Thioesterification of Polyfluoroarenes via Copper-Catalyzed Radical Cross-Coupling with KS and Aldehydes in Water.

A novel copper-catalyzed radical cross-coupling reaction for the thioesterification of polyfluoroarenes is developed using KS and aldehydes in water. This protocol employs a readily available KS as a sulfur source, eliminating the need for hazardous thiols and organic solvents. The mild reaction conditions are compatible with a wide range of functional groups, providing access to diverse polyfluoroaryl thioesters.

Biodegradable Silicon-Based Electromagnetic Energy Harvester toward Wireless Power Supply.

Transient electronics that can degrade after fulfilling their designed functionalities offer transformative potentials in biomedical implants (eliminating secondary surgeries), ecofriendly consumer electronics (reducing e-waste), and secure systems. However, the development of reliable transient energy supplies remains a critical challenge, thus limiting their widespread implementation. Among various solutions, wireless power supplies via near-field inductive coupling stand out as particularly promising candidates.

Tuning the Electrical Property and Electronic Band Structures of Organic Semiconductors via Surface Tension.

Stress engineering is an effective way to tune the performance of semiconductors, which has been verified in the work of inorganic and organic single-crystal semiconductors. However, due to the limitations of the vapor-phase growth preparation conditions, the deposited polycrystalline organic semiconductors are more susceptible to residual stress. Therefore, it is of great research significance to develop a low-cost stress engineering applicable to vapor-deposited semiconductors.

Prolonging All-Optical Molecular Electron Spin Coherence in the Tissue Transparency Window.

Coherent electron spin states within paramagnetic molecules hold significant potential for microscopic quantum sensing. However, all-optical coherence measurements amenable to high spatial and temporal resolution under ambient conditions remain a significant challenge. Here we conduct room-temperature, picosecond time-resolved Faraday ellipticity/rotation (TRFE/R) measurements of the electron spin decoherence time in [IrBr].

Noninvasive Anatomical and Functional Imaging for Hemodynamic Relevance in Right Coronary Artery Anomalies.

Importance: Right anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (R-AAOCA) is a rare congenital condition increasingly diagnosed with the growing use of cardiac imaging. Due to dynamic compression of the anomalous vessel, invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) during a dobutamine-atropine volume challenge (FFR-dobutamine) is considered the reference standard. A reliable alternative method is needed to reduce extensive invasive testing, but it remains uncertain whether noninvasive imaging can accurately assess the hemodynamic relevance of R-AAOCA.

Deciphering the molecular landscape of acute myeloid leukemia initiation and relapse: a systems biology approach.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patient-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) behave differently than normal ones, creating a more protective environment for leukemia cells, making relapse harder to prevent. This study aimed to identify prognostic biomarkers and elucidate relevant biological pathways in AML by leveraging microarray data and advanced bioinformatics techniques. We retrieved the GSE122917 dataset from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus and performed differential expression analysis (DEA) within R Studio to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among healthy donors, newly diagnosed AML patients, and relapsed AML patients.

Expression of long non-coding RNAs MALAT1, MEG3, and XIST in gestational diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance first identified during pregnancy that does not meet the criteria for overt diabetes. Its pathophysiology shares key features with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), including insulin resistance and inflammation. Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in T2D.

Expanding the frontier of CAR therapy: comparative insights into CAR-T, CAR-NK, CAR-M, and CAR-DC approaches.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapies have demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in hematological malignancies, validating their therapeutic potential. However, challenges such as therapeutic resistance and limited accessibility hinder their broader application. To overcome these limitations, alternative CAR-based cell therapies, including CAR-Natural Killer (CAR-NK), CAR-macrophage (CAR-M), and CAR-dendritic cell (CAR-DC) therapies, have been proposed.

Aortic hemorrhage following anastomotic leakage after esophagogastric surgery before and after implementation of endoscopic vacuum therapy.

Background: Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has been established as a safe and effective treatment for anastomotic leakage. While rare, major aortic hemorrhage has been reported as a severe complication potentially associated with EVT. However, significant hemorrhages have also been observed in patients with transmural defects in the upper gastrointestinal tract, without the use of EVT.

Investigating the mechanisms of indocyanine green tumour uptake in sarcoma cell lines and ex vivo human tissue.

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a well-established near-infrared dye which has been used clinically for several decades. Recently, it has been utilised for fluorescence-guided surgery in a range of solid cancer types, including sarcoma, with the aim of reducing the positive margin rate. The increased uptake and retention of ICG within tumours, compared with normal tissue, gives surgeons a visual reference to aid resection when viewed through a near-infrared camera.

Lysosome-dependent cell death: disease implications and potential therapeutic targets.

Lysosome-dependent cell death (LDCD) is a regulated form of cell death initiated by increased lysosomal membrane permeability, leading to the cytoplasmic release of lysosomal enzymes and subsequent cellular damage. Molecular mechanisms controlling LDCD include lysosomal membrane instability and lysosomal enzyme release, which together lead to cell damage. A more profound comprehension of these underlying mechanisms may reveal new therapeutic targets for diseases associated with lysosomal dysfunction.

Utility and performance of cerebrospinal fluid cytology in discriminating central nervous system infections and brain tumors.

Background And Objective: Differentiating central nervous system infections (CNSIs) from brain tumors (BTs) is difficult due to overlapping features and the limited individual indicators, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology remains underutilized. To improve differential diagnosis, we developed a model based on 9 early, cost-effective cerebrospinal fluid parameters, including CSF cytology.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with CNSIs or BTs at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between October 1st, 2017 and March 31st, 2024 were enrolled and divided into the training set and the test set.

Clinical evaluation of motion robust reconstruction using deep learning in lung CT.

In lung CT imaging, motion artifacts caused by cardiac motion and respiration are common. Recently, CLEAR Motion, a deep learning-based reconstruction method that applies motion correction technology, has been developed. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the clinical usefulness of CLEAR Motion.

MRI Assessment of Radiation-Induced Delayed-Onset Microstructural Gray Matter Changes in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients.

Background: The dynamic progression of gray matter (GM) microstructural alterations following radiotherapy (RT) in patients, and the relationship between these microstructural abnormalities and cortical morphometric changes remains unclear.

Purpose: To longitudinally characterize RT-related GM microstructural changes and assess their potential causal links with classic morphometric alterations in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Study Type: Prospective, longitudinal.

Hydraulic constraints to stomatal conductance in flooded trees.

Stomatal closure is a pervasive response among trees exposed to flooded soil. We tested whether this response is caused by reduced hydraulic conductance in the soil-to-leaf hydraulic continuum (k), and particularly by reduced root hydraulic conductance (k), which has been widely hypothesized. We tracked stomatal conductance at the leaf level (g) and canopy scale (G) along with physiological conditions in two temperate tree species, Magnolia grandiflora and Quercus virginiana, that were subjected to flood and control conditions in a greenhouse experiment.

Impact of diabetes on outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Diabetic patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are at an increased risk of cardiovascular events as compared to non-diabetic patients. This analysis investigated outcomes of diabetic patients presenting with multivessel disease (MVD) and STEMI in a contemporary trial and the relevance of an immediate versus staged multivessel PCI strategy in this high-risk population.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the MULTISTARS AMI trial were stratified according to the presence/absence of diabetes.

Tetrandrine has protective role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury via the TRPV2/Ca/calcineurin/NFAT axis.

Background: The protective function of the tetrandrine (TET)-mediated transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) channel in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) has been established in numerous investigations. The objective of the current study was to explain how TRPV2 further modulates downstream factors to influence the progression of MI/RI.

Methods: To this end, an MI/RI model in rats and a hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) cell model in H9c2 cells were constructed.

A Phase II Trial to Assess the Evolution of the KRAS Mutation Load by Liquid Biopsy in Patients With Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Treated With Neoadjuvant NALIRIFOX.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between the KRAS mutational load and the histologic tumor response in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who received neoadjuvant treatment (NAC) with pegylated liposomal irinotecan in combination with oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin (NALIRIFOX).

Methods: This was a multicenter, single-arm, interventional, open-label, phase 2 trial in patients 18 years or older who had histologically or cytologically confirmed PDAC and were candidates for surgery and received neoadjuvant NALIRIFOX. The primary outcome was determination of the association between the KRAS mutational load and the histologic tumor response after chemotherapy.

Robust Antifogging and Antifouling Coating Tailored with Zwitterionic Nanocellulose for Multi-Functional Applications.

Biofouling often occurs simultaneously with fogging, presenting significant challenges to visibility, safety, and operational efficiency. The development of biocompatible coatings that offer both antifouling performance and stability under fogging conditions is highly sought after. A method to form multifunctional coatings is presented, utilizing a zwitterionic nanocellulose composite material that demonstrates both antifogging and antifouling properties, suitable for application on various surfaces.