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Organoids-on-a-chip exhibit significant potential for advancing disease modeling, drug screening, and precision medicine, largely due to their capacity to facilitate interactions among organoids. However, the influence of chip design on these interactions remains poorly understood, primarily due to our limited knowledge of the mediators of communication and the complexity of interaction dynamics. This study demonstrates that analyzing albumin secretion from liver organoids within an organoids-on-a-chip system can provide a measure of the interaction intensity among organoids, offering valuable insights into how chip design influences these interactions. Our findings reveal that the interaction dynamics of target organoids is primarily affected by the types of neighboring organoids positioned upstream. For instance, adipose organoids located upstream and adjacent to liver organoids considerably stimulate functional improvements in the liver organoids, whereas adipose organoids in other arrangements do not produce similar effects. Importantly, both theoretical and experimental evidence indicate that the interaction dynamics is independent of the physical distance between organoids. Instead, it can be adjusted by flow rate, well depth, introducing a vascular barrier, or the media volume within the system. However, it is crucial to note that the influence of these factors is not linear. Finally, the exosome was identified as one of key mediators of communication within the organoids-on-a-chip system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of flavonoid Icaritin (ICT) in estrogen-deficient ovariectomized (OVX) female mice by activating the Estrogen receptor (ER)/ Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, potentially delaying Parkinson's disease (PD) progression post-castration. Seventy-five 8-week-old C57BL/6J female mice underwent ovariectomy, followed by MPTP (20 mg/kg) injection for 7 days. ICT (20 mg/kg) was administered for 14 days, and motor function was assessed using various behavioral tests. Serum estradiol, FSH, LH levels were measured by ELISA, and the expression of PI3K/Akt signaling and apoptosis proteins was analyzed by Western blot. Bone mineral density was assessed via dual-energy X-ray absorption, and histology of the uterus and femur was performed. Results showed that ICT alleviated MPTP-induced motor deficits, increased serum estradiol, and improved uterine atrophy. At the molecular level, ICT activated the PI3K/Akt pathway, reduced apoptosis, and mitigated PD symptoms and osteoporosis induced by OVX. These findings suggest ICT may offer therapeutic potential in managing OVX-induced motor dysfunction and PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast conserving surgery (BCS) is a standard treatment for breast cancer. Intraoperative frozen section analysis (FSA) is widely used for margin assessment in BCS. In addition, FSA-assisted excisional biopsy is still commonly practiced in many developing countries. The aim of this study is to develop a predictive model applicable to BCS with FSA-assisted excisional biopsy and margin assessment, with a focus on predicting the risk of secondary margin positivity in re-excision procedures following positive initial margins. This may reduce surgical complications and healthcare costs associated with multiple re-excisions and FSAs for recurrent positive margins. Methods: Patients were selected, divided into training and testing sets, and their data were collected. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was used to identify significant variables from the training set for model building. Model performance was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and Decision Curve Analyses (DCAs). An optimal threshold identified by the Youden index was validated using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Results: The study included 348 patients (256 in the training set, 92 in the testing set). No significant statistical differences were found between the sets. LASSO identified six variables to construct the model and corresponding nomogram. The model showed good discrimination (mean area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.79 in the training set and 0.83 in the testing set), calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test results (p -values 0.214 in the training set, 0.167 in testing set)) and clinical utility. The optimal threshold was set at 97 points in the nomogram, yielding a sensitivity of 0.66 (0.54-0.77), specificity of 0.80 (0.74-0.85), PPV of 0.56 (0.47-0.64) and NPV of 0.86 (0.82-0. 90) for the training set, and a sensitivity of 0.65 (0.46-0.84), specificity of 0.88 (0.79-0.95), PPV of 0.68 (0.53-0.85) and NPV of 0.87 (0.81-0.93) for the testing set, demonstrating the model's effectiveness in both sets. Conclusions: This study successfully developed a novel predictive model for secondary margin positivity applicable to BCS with FSA-assisted excisional biopsy and margin assessment. It demonstrates good discriminative ability, calibration, and clinical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic activity of 3-mercaptopyruvate (3MP) sulfurtransferase (MPST) converts 3MP to hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S). However, the regulatory mechanisms governing MPST and its impact on the brain remain largely unexplored. Our study reveals the neuroprotective role of endothelial MPST-generated H 2 S, regulated by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Bioinformatics analysis and RNA sequencing demonstrated that endothelial PP2A is associated with neurodegenerative disease pathways. Cerebral ischemic mice exhibited significant inactivation of endothelial PP2A, evidenced by the reduction of PP2Ac α in the brain endothelium. Mice with endothelium-specific null PP2A (PP2AEC-cKO) exhibited neuronal loss, cognitive dysfunction, and long-term potentiation deficits. Postnatal inactivation of endothelial PP2A also contributes to cognitive dysfunction and neuronal loss. However, regaining endothelial PP2A activity by overexpressing Ppp2ca rescued neuronal dysfunction. Mechanistically, PP2A deficiency is intricately linked to the MPST–H 2 S signaling pathway. A robust reduction in endothelial MPST-dependent H 2 S production followed PP2A deficiency. Exogenous H 2 S treatment and AAV-mediated overexpression of MPST in brain endothelial cells significantly mitigated neuronal dysfunction in PP2AEC-cKO mice. Furthermore, PP2A deficiency promotes an increase in calcium influx and calpain2 phosphorylation, subsequently leading to MPST degradation. The PP2A activator (FTY720) and MPST activator (3MP sodium) both remarkably restored endothelial MPST-dependent H 2 S production, subsequently rescuing ischemia-induced neurological deficits. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that endothelial PP2A deficiency leads to MPST degradation by activating calpain2, thus damaging neuronal function. Endothelial PP2A inactivation reduces H 2 S production by promoting calpain2-mediated MPST degradation, leading to neuronal loss and cognitive impairment. FTY720 and 3MP sodium show potential for reversing this neuronal injury. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the mechanical behavior of CRTS (China Railway Track System) II cement emulsified asphalt mortar (CA mortar), this study tested the compressive strength and flexural strength of CA mortar at different ages under varying water-to-cement ratios and dosages of water-reducing agent. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results, the hydration products and microstructure of CA mortar at different ages were analyzed. The main conclusions are as follows. As the water-to-cement ratio increases, the compressive strength and flexural strength of CA mortar generally exhibit a decreasing trend. The strength increases rapidly in the early stages, with the 7-day compressive strength reaching over 80% of the 28-day compressive strength, and the 7-day flexural strength reaching over 93% of the 28-day flexural strength. As the dosage of water-reducing agent increases, both the compressive strength and flexural strength of CA mortar first increase and then decrease, with a reasonable range of water-reducing agent dosage being between 0.2% and 1.0%, and 0.5% is most appropriate. The hydration reaction of CA mortar is nearly complete at 3 days, with the increase in ages, the cement hydration slows down due to the coating action of asphalt, and the strength no longer changes greatly. Hydration products are mainly Ettringite, which is the main source of strength of CA mortar. After the emulsified asphalt breaks, it adsorbs onto the hydration products and sand surfaces, gradually forming a continuous phase, which enhances the structural toughness of the CA mortar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Pachyonychia Congenita" published in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine & Surgery discusses the case of a 12-year-old boy with thickened fingernails and toenails, diagnosed with pachyonychia congenita. The patient had experienced recurrent nail loss since birth. The authors, Junfeng Du and Yong Luo, provide insights into this dermatological condition without any conflicts of interest or funding for their work. [Extracted from the article]

The separation of xylene isomers is a critical and energy-intensive process in the petrochemical industry, primarily due to their closely similar molecular structures and boiling points. In this work, we report the synthesis and application of a novel core-shell zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) composite, ZIF-65@ZIF-67, designed to significantly enhance the kinetic separation of xylene isomers through a synergistic "shell-gated diffusion and core-facilitated transport" strategy. The external ZIF-67 shell selectively restricts the diffusion of larger isomers (MX and OX), while the internal ZIF-65 core accelerates the diffusion of PX, thereby amplifying the diffusion differences among the isomers. This architecture yields remarkable improvements in both selectivity and diffusion rates, as demonstrated by vapor-phase adsorption studies and molecular dynamics simulations. The ZIF-65@ZIF-67 composite exhibits up to 12.5 times higher PX/OX selectivity in liquid-phase adsorption and 3.4 times higher dynamic selectivity in fixed-column breakthrough experiments compared to the individual ZIF components. Theoretical simulations further corroborate the heterogeneous diffusion control mechanism, revealing the time-dependent diffusion regulation within the core-shell architecture. This work underscores the great potential of core-shell MOF composites in optimizing molecular sieving processes for industrially significant separations and highlights a new route for enhancing kinetic separation efficiency in complex multicomponent systems., (© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In 2001, Tang's team discovered a unique type of luminogens with substantial enhanced fluorescence upon aggregation and introduced the concept of "aggregation-induced emission (AIE)". Unlike conventional fluorescent materials, AIE luminogens (AIEgens) emit weak or no fluorescence in solution but become highly fluorescent in aggregated or solid states, due to a mechanism known as restriction of intramolecular motions (RIM). Initially considered a purely inorganic chemical phenomenon, AIE was later applied in biomedicine to improve the sensitivity of immunoassays. Subsequently, AIE has been extensively explored in various biomedical applications, especially in cell imaging. Early studies achieved nonspecific cell imaging using nontargeted AIEgens, and later, specific cellular imaging was realized through the design of targeted AIEgens. These advancements have enabled the visualization of various biomacromolecules and intracellular organelles, providing valuable insights into cellular microenvironments and statuses. Neurological disorders affect over 3 billion people worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools. AIEgens offer promising opportunities for imaging the central nervous system (CNS), including nerve cells, neural tissues, and blood vessels. This review focuses on the application of AIEgens in CNS imaging, exploring their roles in the diagnosis of various neurological diseases. We will discuss the evolution and conclude with an outlook on the future challenges and opportunities for AIEgens in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics of CNS disorders., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2025 Shan Liu et al.)

This report describes a rare case of a paraganglioma occurring beneath the vocal folds. During the preoperative biopsy, we encountered significant hemorrhage, forcing us to stop the procedure and preventing us from obtaining a definitive diagnosis. Despite these challenges, the eventual surgery had a good outcome., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2025 The Author(s). Clinical Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Management of thyroid nodules with atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) cytology is challenging because of uncertain malignancy risk. Intraoperative frozen section pathology provides real-time diagnosis for AUS/FLUS nodules undergoing surgery, but its accuracy is limited. This study aimed to develop an integrated predictive model combining clinical, ultrasound and IOFS features to improve intraoperative malignancy risk assessment. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with AUS/FLUS cytology and negative BRAF V600E mutation who underwent thyroid surgery. The cohort was randomly divided into training and validation sets. Clinical, ultrasound, and pathological features were extracted for analysis. Three models were developed: an IOFS model with IOFS results as sole predictor, a clinical model integrating clinical and ultrasound features, and an integrated model combining all features. Model performance was evaluated using comprehensive metrics in both sets. The superior model was visualized as a nomogram. Among 531 included patients, the integrated model demonstrated superior diagnostic ability, predictive performance, calibration, and clinical utility compared to other models. It exhibited AUC values of 0.92 in the training set and 0.95 in the validation set. The nomogram provides a practical tool for estimating malignancy probability intraoperatively. This study developed an innovative integrated predictive model for intraoperative malignancy risk assessment of AUS/FLUS nodules. By combining clinical, ultrasound, and IOFS features, the model enhances IOFS diagnostic sensitivity, providing a reliable decision-support tool for optimizing surgical strategies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: Although there have been reports that green tea intake has thromboprophylactic effect, it was still unknown whether it had adjuvant effect on the basis of conventional anticoagulation for patients diagnosed with venous thromboembolism (VTE)., Methods: VTE patients were retrospectively classified into green tea group and no green tea group in a 1:1 ratio using propensity score matching, based on whether they drank green tea during the 3 months' period after VTE diagnosis. Primary outcomes were VTE recurrence at 3 months after VTE diagnosis and VTE-related death during 3 months after VTE diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were all-cause death and major bleeding during 3 months after VTE diagnosis. The primary and secondary outcomes were compared between the green tea and no green tea groups, in all patients, PE patients, and patients with cancer-associated VTE, respectively., Results: The VTE recurrence at 3-month after VTE diagnosis occurred less in the green tea group (N = 1102) than in the no green tea group (N = 1102) (19 [1.7%] vs 55 [5.0%], P < 0.001). The VTE-related mortality during 3 months after VTE diagnosis occurred similarly between the two groups (13 [1.2%] vs 21 [1.9%], P = 0.187). The all-cause mortality (82 [7.4%] vs 78 [7.1%], P = 0.682) and major bleeding (55 [5.0%] vs 40 [3.6%], P = 0.142) during 3 months after VTE diagnosis both occurred similarly between the two groups. The results of VTE recurrence analysis in PE and cancer-associated VTE subgroups were both consistent with the main findings., Conclusions: Green tea intake on the basis of conventional anticoagulation can lead to a lower short-term VTE recurrence rate without safety concern, compared with isolated conventional anticoagulation., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Nanomedicine enables precision-targeted therapies through a non-invasive approach, and nanoparticles may be biologically affected during their colonization in vivo . Ensuring the efficient expression of their ex vivo performance in vivo , while ensuring biosafety, is of great significance. Previous studies have employed genetically engineered E. coli following in vivo entry as a genetically engineered targeting synergist, to enhance the effect of focused ultrasound ablation by exploiting its targeted colonization of tumor tissue. However, the proliferation process of the actual potentiating nanomaterials, i.e. , the aerosol proteins produced by genetically engineered E. coli , in vivo has not been precisely observed. The authors of this paper demonstrate this spatiotemporal change in the expression of gas vesicle proteins while genetically engineered E. coli reproduces following tumor colonization. Based on their targeting and proliferative properties, the authors chose to intervene in the treatment at the maximal gas vesicle protein count to enhance the monitoring and utilization of the potentiator. By examining the therapeutic potential of the novel combination of genetic engineering and focused ultrasound, we present a robust strategy that improves the efficiency of non-invasive treatments., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)