HCC portal hypertension imaging score derived from CT predicts re-bleeding and mortality after acute variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Risk factors for re-bleeding and death after acute variceal bleeding (AVB) in cirrhotic HCC patients are not fully understood.We aimed to (1) explore how the combination of high-risk esophageal varices, HCC status, and portal vein tumor thrombus (i.e., HCC Portal Hypertension Imaging Score [HCCPHTIS]) helps predict increased risk of variceal re-bleeding and mortality; (2) assess predictability and reproducibility of the identified variceal re-bleeding rules. METHODS: This prospective study included 195 HCC patients with first-time AVB and liver cirrhosis, and conducted multivariable Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was calculated to find the optimal sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff values of the variables. The reproducibility of the results obtained was verified in a different but related group of patients. RESULTS: 56 patients (28.7%) had re-bleeding within 6 weeks; HCCPHTIS was an independent risk factor for variceal re-bleeding after AVB (Odd ratio, 2.330; 95% confidence interval: 1.728-3.142, p < 0.001). The positive predictive value of HCCPHTIS cut off value > 3 was 66.2%, sensitivity 83.9%, and specificity 82.3%. HCCPHTIS area under the curve was higher than Child-Pugh score (89% vs. 75%, p < 0.001). 74(37.9%) death occurred within 6 weeks; HCCPHTIS > 4 was associated with increased risk of death within 6 weeks after AVB (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: HCCPHTIS > 3 is a strong predictor of variceal re-bleeding within the first 6 weeks. However, patients with HCCPHTIS > 4 were at increased risk of death within 6 weeks.

Subtyping and prognostic model construction based on vesicle-mediated transport-related genes in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is impacted by various environmental and genetic variables. Dysregulation of vesicle-mediated transport-related genes (VMTRGs) has been observed in many malignancies, but their effect on prognosis in CRC remains unclear. METHODS: CRC samples were clustered into varying subtypes per differential expression of VMTRGs. R package was utilized to explore differences in survival, immune, and drug sensitivity among different disease subtypes. According to differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between subtypes, regression analysis was employed to build a riskscore model and identify independent prognostic factors. The model was validated through a Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Immune landscape, immunophenoscore (IPS), and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores for different risk groups were calculated. RESULTS: Two subtypes of CRC were identified based on VMTRGs, which showed significant differences in survival rates, immune cell infiltration abundance, immune functional activation levels, and immune checkpoint expression levels. Cluster2 exhibited higher sensitivity to anti-tumor drugs such as Nilotinib, Cisplatin, and Oxaliplatin compared to Cluster1. DEGs were mainly enriched in biological processes such as epidermis development, epidermal cell differentiation, and receptor-ligand activity, and signaling pathways like pancreatic secretion. The constructed 13-gene riskscore model demonstrated good predictive ability for CRC patients' prognosis. Furthermore, differences in immune landscape, IPS, and TIDE scores were observed among different risk groups. CONCLUSION: This study successfully obtained two CRC subtypes with distinct survival statuses and immune levels based on differential expression of VMTRGs. A 13-gene risk model was constructed. The findings had important implications for prognosis and treatment of CRC.

Tianhuang formula ameliorates liver fibrosis by inhibiting CCL2-CCR2 axis and MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: In the progression of chronic liver diseases, liver fibrosis is a reversible pathophysiologic event for liver diseases prognosis and risk of cirrhosis. Liver injury factors of different etiologies mediate this process. There is still a lack of effective medications for treating liver fibrosis. Additionally, the ameliorative effects of traditional herbs on liver fibrosis have been commonly reported. Tianhuang formula (THF) is a drug combination consisting of 2 traditional Chinese herbs, which has been showing significant improvement in metabolic liver diseases. However, the hepatoprotective effect and mechanism of THF in ameliorating liver fibrosis are still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the effects of THF on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced and methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced liver fibrosis model and to reveal the potential mechanisms. It can provide experimental evidence for THF as a therapeutic candidate for liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, CCl4-induced mice were treated with THF (80 mg/kg, 160 mg/kg) or Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) capsules (4.8 g/kg) for 6 weeks. MCD-induced mice received the same doses of THF or FZHY for 4 weeks. FZHY is used as a comparative study in these two models. Following that, using kit reagents detected changes in relevant serum and liver biochemical indicators. Histological changes in mouse liver were measured by staining of H&E and Sirius Red. The markers expression of liver fibrosis and inflammation were detected using qRT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining analysis. The potential regulatory mechanism of THF to ameliorate liver fibrosis was performed by RNA-sequencing analysis. Finally, the analysis results were verified by immunofluorescence co-staining, qRT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and hepatic triglyceride (TG) levels in CCl4 and MCD-induced liver fibrosis mice were significantly improved after THF treatment. Meanwhile, the expression of fibrosis and inflammation markers were significantly suppressed. Furthermore, THF downregulated the expression of the macrophage marker CD68. According to RNA-sequencing analysis, we found the CCL2-CCR2 axis and MAPK/NF-κB as the potential signaling pathway for THF against liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that THF ameliorated liver injury, inflammation and fibrotic process by inhibiting CCL2-CCR2 axis and its downstream MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Anchor-Enhanced Geographical Entity Representation Learning.

Geographical entity representation learning (GERL) aims to embed geographical entities into a low-dimensional vector space, which provides a generalized approach for utilizing geographical entities to serve various geographical intelligence applications. In practice, the spatial distribution of geographical entities is highly unbalanced; thus, it is challenging to embed them accurately. Previous GERL models treated all geographical entities uniformly, resulting in insufficient entity representations. To address this issue, this article proposes an anchor-enhanced GERL (AE-GERL) model, which utilizes the key informative entities as anchors to improve the representations of geographical entities. Specifically, AE-GERL develops an anchor selection algorithm to identify anchors from large-scale geographical entities based on their spatial distribution and entity types. To utilize anchors to guide geographical entities, AE-GERL constructs an anchor-enhanced graph to establish explicit connections between anchors and nonanchor entities. Finally, a graph neural network (GNN) based anchor to nonanchor node learning model is designed to impute missing information of nonanchor entities. Extensive experiments are conducted on four datasets, and the experimental results demonstrate that AE-GERL outperforms the baseline models in both sparse and dense scenarios. This study provides a methodological reference for embedding geographical entities in various geographical applications and also provides an effective approach to improve the performance of message-passing-based GNN models.

Mastering the craft: Creating an insightful and widely-cited literature review.

The art of constructing an insightful literature review manuscript has witnessed an exemplar in the work of Oz et al (2023), wherein concept progression harmoniously merges with figures and tables. Reflecting on retrospective data science, it is evident that well-cited articles can wield a transformative influence on the Journal Citation Reports Impact Factor score, as exemplified by Robert Weinberg's landmark on cancer (Hanahan and Weinberg, 2011). Here, we aim to spotlight a commendable contribution by Tuba Oz, Ajeet Kaushik, and Malgorzata Kujawska in this issue while pivoting towards identifying the hallmarks of a subpar literature review-elements that hinder rather than promote advancement. The hurdles and roadblocks encountered within subpar literature reviews are multifold. Anticipation of emerging trends, identification of challenges, and exploration of solutions remain conspicuously absent. Original Contributions fail to surface amidst the vast sea of pre-existing literature, with noticeable gaps amplified by the lack of illustrative figures and tables. The manuscript, at times, assumes a skeletal form, reflecting an attempt to accommodate an excess of references, leading to convoluted sentences laden with citations. In contrast, a potent solution lies in adopting a comprehensive approach. A nuanced and critical evaluation of sources can culminate in a robust discussion, surpassing the mere summarization of conclusions drawn by others. This approach, often dismissed, holds the potential to elevate clarity, coherence, and logical flow, ultimately inviting engaged readership and coveted citations. The critical necessity of integrating visionary insights is underscored and achieved through a rigorous analysis of pivotal concepts and innovative ideas. Examples can be harnessed to elucidate the application of these solutions. We advocate a paradigm shift, urging literature review writers to embrace the readers' perspective. A literature review's purpose extends beyond providing a comprehensive panorama; it should illuminate avenues for concept development within a specific field of interest. By achieving this balance, literature reviews stand to captivate a devoted readership, paving the way for manuscripts that are both widely read and frequently cited. The pathway forward requires a fusion of astute analysis and visionary insights, shaping the future of literature review composition.

BCR-ABL1-driven exosome-miR130b-3p-mediated gap-junction Cx43 MSC intercellular communications imply therapies of leukemic subclonal evolution.

Rationale: In the bone marrow microenvironment (BMME), mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) control the self-renewal of both healthy and cancerous hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). We previously showed that in vivo leukemia-derived MSCs change neighbor MSCs into leukemia-permissive states and boost leukemia cell proliferation, survival, and chemotherapy resistance. But the mechanisms behind how the state changes are still not fully understood. Methods: Here, we took a reverse engineering approach to determine BCR-ABL1+ leukemia cells activated transcriptional factor C/EBPß, resulting in miR130a/b-3p production. Then, we back-tracked from clinical specimen transcriptome sequencing to cell co-culture, molecular and cellular assays, flow cytometry, single-cell transcriptome, and transcriptional regulation to determine the molecular mechanisms of BCR-ABL1-driven exosome-miR130b-3p-mediated gap-junction Cx43 MSC intercellular communications. Results: BCR-ABL1-driven exosome-miR130a/b-3p mediated gap-junction Cx43 (a.k.a., GJA1) BMSC intercellular communications for subclonal evolution in leukemic microenvironment by targeting BMSCs-expressed HLAs, thereby potentially maintaining BMSCs with self-renewal properties and reduced BMSC immunogenicity. The Cx43low and miR-130a/bhigh subclonal MSCs subsets of differentiation state could be reversed to Cx43high and miR-130a/blow subclones of the higher stemness state in Cx43-overexpressed subclonal MSCs. Both miR-130a and miR-130b might only inhibit Cx43 translation or degrade Cx43 proteins and did not affect Cx43 mRNA stability. The subclonal evolution was further confirmed by single-cell transcriptome profiling of MSCs, which suggested that Cx43 regulated their stemness and played normal roles in immunomodulation antigen processing. Thus, upregulated miR-130a/b promoted osteogenesis and adipogenesis from BMSCs, thereby decreasing cancer progression. Our clinical data validated that the expression of many genes in human major histocompatibility was negatively associated with the stemness of MSCs, and several immune checkpoint proteins contributing to immune escape in tumors were overexpressed after either miR-130a or miR-130b overexpression, such as CD274, LAG3, PDCD1, and TNFRSF4. Not only did immune response-related cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions and PI3K-AKT pathways, including EGR3, TNFRSF1B, but also NDRG2 leukemic-associated inflammatory factors, such as IFNB1, CXCL1, CXCL10, and CCL7 manifest upon miR-130a/b overexpression. Either BCR siRNAs or ABL1 siRNAs assay showed significantly decreased miR-130a and miR-130b expression, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing confirmed that the regulation of miR-130a and miR-130b expression is BCR-ABL1-dependent. BCR-ABL1 induces miR-130a/b expression through the upregulation of transcriptional factor C/EBPß. C/EBPß could bind directly to the promoter region of miR-130b-3p, not miR-130a-3p. BCR-ABL1-driven exosome-miR130a-3p could interact with Cx43, and further impact GJIC in TME. Conclusion: Our findings shed light on how leukemia BCR-ABL1-driven exosome-miR130b-3p could interact with gap-junction Cx43, and further impact GJIC in TME, implications for leukemic therapies of subclonal evolution.

RNA-Sequencing Combined With Genome-Wide Allele-Specific Expression Patterning Identifies ZNF44 Variants as a Potential New Driver Gene for Pediatric Neuroblastoma.

INTRODUCTION: Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the children's most common solid tumors, accounting for approximately 8% of pediatric malignancies and 15% of childhood cancer deaths. Somatic mutations in several genes, such as ALK, have been associated with NB progression and can facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies. However, the differential expression of mutated and wild-type alleles on the transcriptome level is poorly studied. METHODS: This study analyzed 219 whole-exome sequencing datasets with somatic mutations detected by MuTect from paired normal and tumor samples. RESULTS: We prioritized mutations in 8 candidate genes (RIMS4, RUSC2, ALK, MYCN, PTPN11, ALOX12B, ZNF44, and CNGB1) as potential driver mutations. We further confirmed the presence of allele-specific expression of the somatic mutations in NB with integrated analysis of 127 RNA-seq samples (of which 85 also had DNA-seq data available), including MYCN, ALK, and PTPN11. The allele-specific expression of mutations suggests that the same somatic mutation may have different effects on the clinical outcomes of tumors. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests 2 novel variants of ZNF44 as a novel candidate driver gene for NB.

Long-term survival with anlotinib as a front-line treatment in an elderly NSCLC patient: A case report.

Background: Half of the population of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are older than 70 years and have limited therapeutic options due to poor tolerance and being excluded in most clinical trials. Anlotinib hydrochloride, a novel oral multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved for the standard third-line treatment for NSCLC in China. Herein we report an elderly NSCLC patient without any driver gene mutations who was undergoing anlotinib as a front-line treatment and who achieved long-term survival. Case summary: The 77-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital for chest tightness after engaging in physical activity for a week. The patient has been diagnosed with stage IIIB driver gene-negative squamous cell lung carcinoma. After that, he was treated with anlotinib for 2 years and 10 months from the first diagnosis until the last disease progression. Briefly, anlotinib combined with platinum-based chemotherapy was performed as the first-line therapy over six cycles. After 6 more cycles of anlotinib monotherapy maintenance, disease progression occurred. Then, anlotinib combined with tegafur was administered as a salvage treatment, and the disease was controlled again. After 29 cycles of anlotinib combined with tegafur regimens, the disease progressed finally. The patient achieved a total of 34 months of progression-free survival after anlotinib was used as the front-line treatment. He is still alive with a good performance status now (performance status score: 1). Conclusion: This patient achieved long-term survival using anlotinib as a front-line regimen combined with chemotherapy.

The Formation Mechanism of (001) Facet Dominated α-FAPbI3 Film by Pseudohalide Ions for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells.

Formamidinium lead triiodide (α-FAPbI3 ) has been widely used in high-efficiency perovskite solar cells due to its small band gap and excellent charge-transport properties. Recently, some additives show facet selectivity to generate a (001) facet-dominant film during crystallization. However, the mechanism to realize such (001) facet selectivity is not fully understood. Here, the authors attempted to use three ammonia salts NH4 X (X are pseudohalide anions) to achieve better (001) facet selectivity in perovskite crystallization and improved crystallinity. After addition, the (001) facet dominance is generally increased with the best effect from SCN- anions. The theoretical calculation revealed three mechanisms of such improvements. First, pseudohalide anions have larger binding energy than the iodine ion to bind the facets including (110), (210), and (111), slowing down the growth of these facets. The large binding energy also reduces nucleation density and improves crystallinity. Second, pseudohalide ions improve phase purity by increasing the formation energies of the δ-phase and other hexagonal polytypes, retarding the α- to δ-phase transition. Third, the strong binding of these anions can also effectively passivate the iodine vacancies and suppress nonradiative recombination. As a result, the devices show a power conversion efficiency of 24.11% with a Voc of 1.181 V.

HAI-1 is required for the novel role of FGFBP1 in maintenance of cell morphology and F-actin rearrangement in human keratinocytes.

Formation and maintenance of skin barrier function require tightly controlled membrane-associated proteolysis, in which the integral membrane Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, HAI-1, functions as the primary inhibitor of the membrane-associated serine proteases, matriptase and prostasin. Previously, HAI-1 loss in HaCaT human keratinocytes resulted in an expected increase in prostasin proteolysis but a paradoxical decrease in matriptase proteolysis. The paradoxical decrease in shed active matriptase is further investigated in this study with an unexpected discovery of novel functions of fibroblast growth factor-binding protein 1 (FGFBP1), which acts as an extracellular ligand that can rapidly elicit F-actin rearrangement and subsequently affect the morphology of human keratinocytes. This novel growth factor-like function is in stark contrast to the canonical activity of this protein through interactions with FGFs for its pathophysiological functions. This discovery began with the observation that HAI-1 KO HaCaT cells lose the characteristic cobblestone morphology of the parental cells and exhibit aberrant F-actin formation along with altered subcellular targeting of matriptase and HAI-2. The alterations in cell morphology and F-actin status caused by targeted HAI-1 deletion can be restored by treatment with conditioned medium from parental HaCaT cells, in which FGFBP1 was identified by tandem mass spectrometry. Recombinant FGFBP1 down to 1 ng/ml was able to revert the changes caused by HAI-1 loss. Our study reveals a novel function of FGFBP1 in the maintenance of keratinocyte morphology, which depends on HAI-1.

Qigong Exercise Balances Oxygen Supply and Acid-Base to Modulate Hypoxia: A Perspective Platform toward Preemptive Health & Medicine.

Qigong is a meditative movement with therapeutic effects and is commonly practiced in Eastern medicine. A growing body of evidence validates its health benefits, leading to mechanistic questions about how it works. We propose a novel mechanism by which the "acid" caused by hypoxia affects metabolism, and the way it is neutralized through Qigong practice involves the body's blood flow and vasculature modifications. Specifically, Qigong exercise generates an oxygen supply and acid-base balance against the hypoxic effects of underlying pathological conditions. We also propose that Qigong exercise mediated and focused on the local hypoxia environment of tissues might normalize the circulation of metabolic and inflammation accumulation in the tumor tissue and restore the normal metabolism of tissues and cells through calm, relaxation, and extreme Zen-style breathing that gravitates toward preemptive health and medicine. Thus, we propose the mechanisms of action related to Qigong, intending to unify Eastern and Western exercise theory.

Cognitive impairment in diffuse axonal injury patients with favorable outcome.

Background and purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially the severe TBI are often followed by persistent cognitive sequalae, including decision-making difficulties, reduced neural processing speed and memory deficits. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is classified as one of the severe types of TBI. Part of DAI patients are marginalized from social life due to cognitive impairment, even if they are rated as favorable outcome. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the specific type and severity of cognitive impairment in DAI patients with favorable outcome. Methods: The neurocognition of 46 DAI patients with favorable outcome was evaluated by the Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic (MoCA-BC), and the differences in the domains of cognitive impairment caused by different grades of DAI were analyzed after data conversion of scores of nine cognitive domains of MoCA-BC by Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Among the 46 DAI patients with favorable outcome, eight had normal cognitive function (MoCA-BC ≥ 26), and 38 had cognitive impairment (MoCA-BC < 26). The MoCA-BC scores were positively correlated with pupillary light reflex (r = 0.361, p = 0.014), admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (r = 0.402, p = 0.006), and years of education (r = 0.581, p < 0.001). Return of consciousness (r = -0.753, p < 0.001), Marshall CT (r = -0.328, p = 0.026), age (r = -0.654, p < 0.001), and DAI grade (r = -0.403, p = 0.006) were found to be negatively correlated with the MoCA-BC scores. In patients with DAI grade 1, the actually deducted scores (Ads) of memory (r = 0.838, p < 0.001), abstraction (r = 0.843, p < 0.001), and calculation (r = 0.782, p < 0.001) were most related to the Ads of MoCA-BC. The Ads of nine cognitive domains and MoCA-BC were all proved to be correlated, among patients with DAI grade 2. However, In the DAI grade 3 patients, the highest correlation with the Ads of MoCA-BC were the Ads of memory (r = 0.904, p < 0.001), calculation (r = 0.799, p = 0.006), orientation (r = 0.801, p = 0.005), and executive function (r = 0.869, p = 0.001). Conclusion: DAI patients with favorable outcome may still be plagued by cognitive impairment, and different grades of DAI cause different domains of cognitive impairment.

Netrin-1 mediates nerve innervation and angiogenesis leading to discogenic pain.

Objective: Discogenic low back pain (LBP) is associated with nociceptive nerve fibers that grow into degenerated intervertebral discs (IVD) but the etiopathogenesis of disease is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of Netrin-1 in causing discogenic LBP. Methods: The level of nociceptive nerve innervation was examined in disc degenerative patients and rat needle-punctured models by immunohistochemistry. Nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were isolated from IVD tissues of rats and induced degeneration by interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) or tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). The candidate genes related to neuron outgrowth and migration were selected by Next-generation sequencing (NGS). CRISPR/Cas9 was used to knockdown Netrin-1 in NP cells. The impact of Netrin-1 on nerve innervation were evaluated with P2X2、NF200 staining and microfluidics assay. Meanwhile the CD31 staining and transwell assay were used to evaluate the impact of Netrin-1 in angiogenesis. The proteins and RNA extracted from NP cells related to catabolism and anabolism were examined by western blot assay and RT-qPCR experiment. ChIP and luciferase experiments were used to assess the intracellular transcriptional regulation of Netrin-1. Further, a needle-punctured rat model followed by histomorphometry and immunofluorescence histochemistry was used to explore the potential effect of Netrin-1 on LBP in vivo. Results: The level of nerve innervation was increased in severe disc degenerative patients while the expression of Netrin-1 was upregulated. The supernatants of NP cells stimulated with IL-1ß or TNFα containing more Netrin-1 could promote axon growth and vascular endothelial cells migration. Knocking down Netrin-1 or overexpressing transcription factor TCF3 as a negative regulator of Netrin-1 attenuated this effect. The needle-punctured rat model brought significant spinal hypersensitivity, nerve innervation and angiogenesis, nevertheless knocking down Netrin-1 effectively prevented disc degeneration-induced adverse impacts. Conclusion: Discogenic LBP was induced by Netrin-1, which mediated nerve innervation and angiogenesis in disc degeneration. Knocking down Netrin-1 by CRISPR/Cas9 or negatively regulating Netrin1 by transcription factor TCF3 could alleviate spinal hypersensitivity. The translational potential of this article: This study on Netrin-1 could provide a new target and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment for discogenic back pain.

In vitro biocompatibility study of EDC/NHS cross-linked silk fibroin scaffold with olfactory ensheathing cells.

In this paper, we investigated silk fibroin (SF) cross-linked by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) and its biocompatibility with olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). After cross-linked with different concentrations of EDC/NHS solutions, SF scaffolds were analyzed by different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, x-ray diffraction, tensile machine and water contact angle assay. As to their structures, we found 4.5% EDC/NHS cross-linked SF possessed a more significant increase of ß-sheet and a decrease of α-helix than 1.5% group. These changes helped SF achieve excellent mechanical properties. While more remarkable improvement of hydrophilicity was seen in 1.5% EDC/NHS treated SF. Immunofluorescence, MTT, Annexin-V/PI and ELISA analysis were then conducted to determine the states and functions of OECs on the scaffolds. OECs on 4.5% EDC/NHS cross-linked SF seemed insufficient to spread, and the proliferation was limited on 4 and 6 days. Moreover, 4.5% EDC/NHS exerted adverse effects on cell survival and nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion at day 4, but not 1.5% EDC/NHS. Taken together, SF scaffolds showed improved physical and hydrophilic properties through cross-linking. 1.5% EDC/NHS cross-linked SF scaffolds showed significant advantages between mechanical property and the states and functions with OECs, which has the potential to be used for neural repairing.

Caveolae-Mediated Extracellular Vesicle (CMEV) Signaling of Polyvalent Polysaccharide Vaccination: A Host-Pathogen Interface Hypothesis.

We published a study showing that improvement in response to splenectomy associated defective, in regards to the antibody response to Pneumovax® 23 (23-valent polysaccharides, PPSV23), can be achieved by splenocyte reinfusion. This study triggered a debate on whether and how primary and secondary immune responses occur based on humoral antibody responses to the initial vaccination and revaccination. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine sheds new light on the interpretation of our previous data. Here, we offer an opinion on the administration of the polyvalent polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), which appears to be highly relevant to the primary vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and its booster dose. Thus, we do not insist this is a secondary immune response but an antibody response, nonetheless, as measured through IgG titers after revaccination. However, we contend that we are not sure if these lower but present IgG levels against pneumococcal antigens are clinically protective or are equally common in all groups because of the phenomenon of "hyporesponsiveness" seen after repeated polysaccharide vaccine challenge. We review the literature and propose a new mechanism-caveolae memory extracellular vesicles (CMEVs)-by which polysaccharides mediate prolonged and sustained immune response post-vaccination. We further delineate and explain the data sets to suggest that the dual targets on both Cav-1 and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins may block the viral entrance and neutralize viral load, which minimizes the immune reaction against viral attacks and inflammatory responses. Thus, while presenting our immunological opinion, we answer queries and responses made by readers to our original statements published in our previous work and propose a hypothesis for all vaccination strategies, i.e., caveolae-mediated extracellular vesicle-mediated vaccine memory.

Three-target treatment combined with surgery for BRAF V600E-mutant colon cancer with peritoneal metastasis: a case report.

Background: BRAF V600E-mutant advanced colon cancer with peritoneal metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis. Surgery is not recommended by current guidelines, and there are few cases demonstrating the efficacy of targeted therapy combined with surgery in such patients. In the era of precision medicine, we apply aggressive surgery after successful conversion of triple-targeted drugs to prolong survival and provide a clinical basis for the treatment of such patients. Case Description: A 72-year-old male patient presented with abdominal distension and changes in bowel habits was admitted to the Department of Oncology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital. The patient was diagnosed with advanced ascending colon adenocarcinoma with peritoneal metastasis after relevant examinations such as abdominal enhanced computed tomography and tests of tumor markers. Later, further genetic testing was performed suggesting BRAF V600E mutation. We treated the patient with first-line three-target therapy (dabrafenib + trametinib + cetuximab). Repeat abdominal enhanced computed tomography after 6 weeks of three-target therapy revealed the disappearance of peritoneal metastases. Subsequently, after 3 months, the patient underwent resection of the primary lesion and removal of greater omental metastases. Three-target therapy continued after surgery until 4 months post-operation. However, carbohydrate antigen 199 was significantly increased at 9 months after medication discontinuation, and returned to normal after 4 months of re-initiation of three-target therapy. The three-target therapy was further adjusted to two-target therapy (dabrafenib + cetuximab) based on the results of circulating tumor cells, and the tumor markers are now normal. Conclusions: Patients with BRAF V600E colon cancer combined with peritoneal metastases are treated with targeted drug conversion therapy, and aggressive surgery may prolong survival depending on the conversion effect. Continued maintenance therapy after surgery may play a role in preventing recurrence.

A generalizable and tunable engineered ecosystem provides a clear route to prosperity and well-being to harness the world's aquatic "blue" food systems to help end hunger: A perspective.

Seafood security is essential in modern society. In 2013, Bush and colleagues stated, 'Aquaculture, farming aquatic organisms, provides close to 50% of the world's supply of seafood, with a value of United States $125 billion. It makes up 13% of the world's animal-source protein (excluding eggs and dairy) and employs an estimated 24 million people'. With the increase in the human population and reducing fishing resources, humans increasingly rely on aquacultural products as the primary protein sources for many countries. Aquacultural productivity has been improving in recent years, and in certain countries, the aquaculture output is more than the fishing output. For example, Chinese aquaculture production is more than fishing output, which provides one-third of animal protein. Thus, intensive aquaculture has become the main supply with global aquatic products (FAO). In recent years, it is estimated that each person consumption of aquaculture products is 130 kg in some countries (Iceland). Here, we illustrate the road blocker in farmed shrimp production and provide our resolution. The global pandemic of white spot syndrome (WSS), caused by the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), bears a devastating economic loss in farmed shrimp production, thereby jeopardizing seafood security. Currently, there is no effective control for WSS. Conventional single-species intensive farming removes the spatiotemporal interaction between different species. We hypothesize that establishing the spatiotemporal interface of a predator-prey may control WSS outbreak. We search for the pathways for the mechanisms by which predator-prey species interact and compete across spatial scales to characterize WSSV dispersal at regional scales for the local spatiotemporal structure of viral transmission. Thus, we create a generalizable and tunable engineered ecosystem that provides a clear route to prosperity and well-being to harness the world's aquatic "blue" food systems to help end hunger.

Binary effects of intravascular laser irradiation of blood on motor recovery and homocysteine reduction in a case with ischemic hemiparesis: portrayed with brain perfusion images.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a burdensome cerebral eventthat affects many aspects of daily activities such as motion, speech, memory, vision, and cognition. Intravascular laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) is a novel therapy, going beyond conventional rehabilitation modalities, that is effective in stroke recovery. Homocysteine ​​is an important risk factor associated with stroke. However, there are few studies that examine the relationship between ILIB treatment and the level of homocysteine. In recent years, researchers use the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan of the brain to evaluate stroke patients and patients with a neurologicdeficit. The present report investigates the clinical effect of ILIB treatment on the level of serum homocysteine, the perfusion change of impaired brain region via SPECT, and the patient's neurologic appearance. CASEPRESENTATION: We focus on a case of a 62-year-old man with subacute stroke accompanied with left hemiparesis and hyperhomocysteinemia, who showed dramatic improvement in muscle power, a decreasing level of homocysteine, and increased blood flow of the right cerebral after three-courseILIB treatment. CONCLUSION: We found that ILIB is effective in lowering serum levels of homocysteine and facilitating cerebral circulation for the patient with subacute stroke.

The Machine-Learning-Mediated Interface of Microbiome and Genetic Risk Stratification in Neuroblastoma Reveals Molecular Pathways Related to Patient Survival.

Currently, most neuroblastoma patients are treated according to the Children's Oncology Group (COG) risk group assignment; however, neuroblastoma's heterogeneity renders only a few predictors for treatment response, resulting in excessive treatment. Here, we sought to couple COG risk classification with tumor intracellular microbiome, which is part of the molecular signature of a tumor. We determine that an intra-tumor microbial gene abundance score, namely M-score, separates the high COG-risk patients into two subpopulations (Mhigh and Mlow) with higher accuracy in risk stratification than the current COG risk assessment, thus sparing a subset of high COG-risk patients from being subjected to traditional high-risk therapies. Mechanistically, the classification power of M-scores implies the effect of CREB over-activation, which may influence the critical genes involved in cellular proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and angiogenesis, affecting tumor cell proliferation survival and metastasis. Thus, intracellular microbiota abundance in neuroblastoma regulates intracellular signals to affect patients' survival.

Molecular Characterization of Differentiated-Resistance MSC Subclones by Single-Cell Transcriptomes.

Background: The mechanism of tumorigenicity potentially evolved in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) remains elusive, resulting in inconsistent clinical application efficacy. We hypothesized that subclones in MSCs contribute to their tumorgenicity, and we approached MSC-subclones at the single-cell level. Methods: MSCs were cultured in an osteogenic differentiation medium and harvested on days 12, 19, and 25 for cell differentiation analysis using Alizarin Red and followed with the single-cell transcriptome. Results: Single-cell RNA-seq analysis reveals a discrete cluster of MSCs during osteogenesis, including differentiation-resistant MSCs (DR-MSCs), differentiated osteoblasts (DO), and precursor osteoblasts (PO). The DR-MSCs population resembled cancer initiation cells and were subjected to further analysis of the yes associated protein 1 (YAP1) network. Verteporfin was also used for YAP1 inhibition in cancer cell lines to confirm the role of YAP1 in MSC--involved tumorigenicity. Clinical data from various cancer types were analyzed to reveal relationships among YAP1, OCT4, and CDH6 in MSC--involved tumorigenicity. The expression of cadherin 6 (CDH6), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), and YAP1 expression was significantly upregulated in DR-MSCs compared to PO and DO. YAP1 inhibition by Verteporfin accelerated the differentiation of MSCs and suppressed the expression of YAP1, CDH6, and OCT4. A survey of 56 clinical cohorts revealed a high degree of co-expression among CDH6, YAP1, and OCT4 in various solid tumors. YAP1 inhibition also down-regulated HeLa cell viability and gradually inhibited YAP1 nuclear localization while reducing the transcription of CDH6 and OCT4. Conclusions: We used single-cell sequencing to analyze undifferentiated MSCs and to discover a carcinogenic pathway in single-cell MSCs of differentiated resistance subclones.