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Vibrational strong coupling results from the interaction between optically allowed molecular vibrational excitations and the resonant mode of an infrared cavity. Strong coupling leads to the formation of hybrid states, known as vibrational polaritons, which are readily observed in transmission measurements and a manifold of the reservoir states. In contrast, Raman spectroscopy of vibrational polaritons is elusive and has recently been the focus of both theoretical and experimental investigations. Because Raman measurements are frequently performed with high-numerical aperture excitation/collection optics, the angular dispersion of the strongly coupled system must be carefully considered. Herein, we experimentally investigated vibrational polaritons involving dispersive collective lattice resonances of infrared antenna arrays. Despite clear indications of the strong coupling to vibrational excitations in the transmission spectrum; we found that Raman spectra do not bear signatures of the polaritonic transitions. Detailed measurements indicate that the disappearance of the Raman signal is not due to the polariton dispersion in our samples. On the other hand, the Tavis–Cummings–Holstein model that we employed to interpret our results suggests that the ratio of the Raman transition strengths between the reservoir and the polariton states scales according to the number of strongly coupled molecules. Because the vibrational transitions are relatively weak, the number of molecules required to achieve strong coupling conditions is about 109 per unit cell of the array of infrared antennas. Therefore, the scaling predicted by the Tavis–Cummings–Holstein model can explain the absence of the polariton signatures in spontaneous Raman scattering experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the intricate mechanisms underlying brain‐related diseases hinges on unraveling the pivotal role of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), an essential dynamic interface crucial for maintaining brain equilibrium. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of BBB physiology, delving into its cellular and molecular components while exploring a wide range of in vivo and in vitro BBB models. Notably, recent advancements in 3D cell culture techniques are explicitly discussed, as they have significantly improved the fidelity of BBB modeling by enabling the replication of physiologically relevant environments under flow conditions. Special attention is given to the cellular aspects of in vitro BBB models, alongside discussions on advances in stem cell technologies, providing valuable insights into generating robust cellular systems for BBB modeling. The diverse array of cell types used in BBB modeling, depending on their sources, is meticulously examined in this comprehensive review, scrutinizing their respective derivation protocols and implications. By synthesizing diverse approaches, this review sheds light on the improvements of BBB models to capture physiological conditions, aiding in understanding BBB interactions in health and disease conditions to foster clinical developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fidgetin-like 1 (FIGNL1) is extensively overexpressed in a variety of cancers. It facilitates non-small cell lung cancer tumor cell proliferation and hepatocellular carcinoma formation due to abnormal DNA repair. Clinically relevant data indicates that its high expression is linked with the poor prognosis of patients with renal clear-cell carcinoma, low-grade gliomas, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Nevertheless, the scope of FIGNL1's involvement in cancer, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC), remains unclear. Aims: To investigate the function of FIGNL1 in CRC. Study Design: Cell culture study Methods: The TCGA database and immunohistochemistry analysis were employed to investigate FIGNL1 expression in CRC tissue. A cell viability assay was performed using the Cell Counting Kit-8. The cell migration and invasion were evaluated using the transwell assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection was conducted to knockdown FIGNL1 expression. Infection with FIGNL1 overexpression lentivirus was performed to promote FIGNL1 overexpression. The STRING database was employed for predicting protein interaction. Results: FIGNL1 was substantially upregulated in human CRC tissues and was associated with TNM stages and lymph node metastasis in patients. The inhibition of CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in Caco-2 cells was achieved by silencing FIGNL1 using siRNA. Additional investigations suggested that FIGNL1 overexpression could promote CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via P38 signaling pathway activation in Colo-205 cells. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that FIGNL1-mediated P38 phosphorylation was contingent upon SPIDR interaction. Conclusion: These results implied that FIGNL1 was a potential anticancer drug target, which also offered a novel strategy for future CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correction notice addresses errors in figures in the original article "Pancreatic cancer-initiating cell exosome message transfer into noncancer-initiating cells: the importance of CD44v6 in reprogramming." The corrections made to Figures 3i, 4g, and 7f do not impact the overall results or conclusions of the paper. The corrected figures provide accurate representations of the data presented in the study, focusing on the effects of CIC-TEX treatment on RTK expression, downstream signaling molecules, and apoptosis resistance in pancreatic cancer cells. The study highlights the importance of CD44v6 in reprogramming and the potential implications for adjuvant pancreatic cancer therapy. [Extracted from the article]

Advancements in optoelectronic biointerfaces have revolutionized healthcare by enabling targeted stimulation and monitoring of cells, tissues, and organs. Photostimulation, a key application, offers precise control over biological processes, surpassing traditional modulation methods with increased spatial resolution and reduced invasiveness. This perspective highlights three approaches in non-genetic optoelectronic photostimulation: nanostructured phototransducers for cellular stimulation, micropatterned photoelectrode arrays for tissue stimulation, and thin-film flexible photoelectrodes for multiscale stimulation. Nanostructured phototransducers provide localized stimulation at the cellular or subcellular level, facilitating cellular therapy and regenerative medicine. Micropatterned photoelectrode arrays offer precise tissue stimulation, critical for targeted therapeutic interventions. Thin-film flexible photoelectrodes combine flexibility and biocompatibility for scalable medical applications. Beyond neuromodulation, optoelectronic biointerfaces hold promise in cardiology, oncology, wound healing, and endocrine and respiratory therapies. Future directions include integrating these devices with advanced imaging and feedback systems, developing wireless and biocompatible devices for long-term use, and creating multifunctional devices that combine photostimulation with other therapies. The integration of light and electronics through these biointerfaces paves the way for innovative, less invasive, and more accurate medical treatments, promising a transformative impact on patient care across various medical fields. Highlights: • Non-genetic optoelectronic biointerfaces revolutionize healthcare by enabling precise biological stimulation and monitoring. • Key methods include nanostructured phototransducers, micropatterned arrays, and thin-film flexible electrodes. • Future advancements will integrate imaging, develop wireless devices, and create multifunctional therapies, transforming patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methodological improvement to single‐cell manipulation is critical for exploring the fundamentals of cellular life and unraveling biological complexity. Although micro‐manipulation technologies capable of precise cell localization have been widely established, scaling existing platforms for highly efficient single‐cell immobilization without sacrificing cell viability and sample quantity has proven challenging. Here, a highly efficient single‐cell trapping and arraying approach is introduced by advancing the performance of a microfluidic mechanical trapping chip. The chip can achieve representative single‐cell capture with over 99% efficiency and at least a 75% success rate of perfect capture, a precisely controlled single‐cell array, absolute sequential cell captures without cell loss, and the maintenance of high cell viability during the whole manipulation process. This approach enables diverse single‐cell trapping, large‐scale arraying manipulations, and dynamic cellular and molecular analysis, and offers a path toward the development of high‐performance single‐cell systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Glioblastoma (GBM) uses the Leloir pathway to catabolize D-Galactose (Gal) for tumor growth. Selective targeting of the Leloir pathway with Gal-based antimetabolites has potential for the treatment of GBM. Here, we tested the effect of a Gal-based antimetabolite, 4-deoxy-4-fluorogalactose (4DFG) on the viability and metabolism of GBM cells in culture. 4DFG is a good Glut3/Glut14 substrate and acts as a potent glioma chemotherapeutic. GBM cell cultures were used to examine toxicity and alterations in glycan composition. 4DFG is moderately potent against GBM cells in vitro (IC50: 125–300 µM). Glycosylation in GBM was disrupted by 4DFG. The effect of 4DFG on D-glucose (Glc) metabolism in GBM cells was assessed by using 13C NMR-based tracer studies. 13C-NMR-based metabolic flux analysis revealed that both glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolic fluxes of [U-13C]Glc were significantly decreased in the presence of 4DFG in GBM cells. Survival analysis in an intracranial mouse model during treatment with 4DFG (6 × 25 mg/kg of 4DFG, intravenously) showed improved outcomes by three-fold (p < 0.01). 4DFG is metabolized by GBM in vitro and in vivo, and is lethal to GBM tumors, but well tolerated in mice. A functional Gal-scavenging pathway in GBM allows Gal-based antimetabolites to act as chemotherapeutics. Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) uses Glut3 and/or Glut14 and the Leloir pathway to catabolize D-Galactose (Gal). UDP-4-deoxy-4-fluorogalactose (UDP-4DFG) is a potent inhibitor of the two key enzymes, UDP-galactose-4-epimerase (GALE) and UDP-Glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH), involved in Gal metabolism and in glycan synthesis. The Gal antimetabolite 4-deoxy-4-fluorogalactose (4DFG) is a good substrate for Glut3/Glut14 and acts as a potent glioma chemotherapeutic. Methods: Primary GBM cell cultures were used to examine toxicity and alterations in glycan composition via lectin binding in fixed cells and by Western blots. Toxicity/efficacy in vivo data was performed in mouse flank and intracranial models. The effect of 4DFG on D-glucose (Glc) metabolism in GBM cells was assessed by using 13C NMR-based tracer studies. Results: 4DFG is moderately potent against GBM cells (IC50: 125–300 µM). GBM glycosylation is disrupted by 4DFG. Survival analysis in an intracranial mouse model showed that treatment with 4DFG (6 × 25 mg/kg of 4DFG, intravenously) improved outcomes by three-fold (p < 0.01). Metabolic flux analysis revealed that both glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolic fluxes of [U-13C]Glc were significantly decreased in the presence of 4DFG in GBM cells. Conclusion: A functional Gal-scavenging pathway in GBM allows Gal-based antimetabolites to act as chemotherapeutics. 4DFG is metabolized by GBM in vitro and in vivo, is lethal to GBM tumors, and is well tolerated in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hanging drop cultures provide a favorable environment for the gentle, gel-free formation of highly uniform three-dimensional cell cultures often used in drug screening applications. Initial cell numbers can be limited, as with primary cells provided by minimally invasive biopsies. Therefore, it can be beneficial to divide cells into miniaturized arrays of hanging drops to supply a larger number of samples. Here, we present a framework for the miniaturization of hanging drop networks to nanoliter volumes. The principles of a single hanging drop are described and used to construct the fundamental equations for a microfluidic system composed of multiple connected drops. Constitutive equations for the hanging drop as a nonlinear capacitive element are derived for application in the electronic-hydraulic analogy, forming the basis for more complex, time-dependent numerical modeling of hanging drop networks. This is supplemented by traditional computational fluid dynamics simulation to provide further information about flow conditions within the wells. A fabrication protocol is presented and demonstrated for creating transparent, microscale arrays of pinned hanging drops. A custom interface, pressure-based fluidic system, and environmental chamber have been developed to support the device. Finally, fluid flow on the chip is demonstrated to align with expected behavior based on the principles derived for hanging drop networks. Challenges with the system and potential areas for improvement are discussed. This paper expands on the limited body of hanging drop network literature and provides a framework for designing, fabricating, and operating these systems at the microscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the wide application of electric energy storage component arrays, such as battery cell arrays, capacitor arrays, and inductor arrays, their potential safety risks have gradually drawn the public attention. However, existing technologies cannot realize rapid, precise, and nondestructive localization of the faulty component within these large-scale arrays, especially for a component with an early stage short-circuit fault. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a magnetic field based method and realizes precise fault localization by inducing an alternating magnetic field from the target array, unlike previous research where a static magnetic field was induced. Through establishing a physical model of the short-circuit component as well as the whole array, a spatial filtering algorithm based on beamforming techniques is utilized to process the measured magnetic field data in real time. Both the simulation and experimental results demonstrate the capability of the proposed method in enhancing the security of electric energy storage component arrays. Within an imaging area of 80 × 80 mm2, the proposed method can accurately locate the faulty component out of a nine-component array, with an error of only 0.72 mm for capacitors and 0.91 mm for battery cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC) shows high enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) expressions. EZH2‐mediated epigenetics promote epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), enhancing invasive and metastatic potential in malignancies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small noncoding RNAs, modulate EMT, determining tumor phenotypes. However, the association between miRNAs and EZH2 in SCLC remains to be clarified—we aimed to identify a novel tumorigenic mechanism through miRNAs, EZH2, and EMT in SCLC, leading to future therapeutic applications. Methods: We analyzed EZH2 and E‐cadherin expressions in lung cancer cell lines and tumor tissues from 34 SCLC patients and confirmed EZH2 siRNA‐mediated EMT inhibition. miRNA expression profiles were compared between EZH2 knockdown SCLC cells and negative control SCLC cells using miRNA array. We identified a target miRNA of EZH2 showing expressional differences in EZH2‐knockdown cells and analyzed the impact of the miRNA on EZH2‐mediated EMT and tumorigenesis. Results: All SCLC cells showed increased EZH2 and decreased E‐cadherin expressions. SCLC tissues had higher EZH2 and lower E‐cadherin expressions than other lung cancer tissues. miRNA array revealed that miR‐4448 expression increased in EZH2‐knockdown SCLC cells. miR‐4448 overexpression reduced tumor cell growth and prevented EMT. miR‐4448 bound to the 3′UTR of the girdin gene and suppressed its expression, thereby decreasing Akt phosphorylation at Ser473. Attenuated Akt phosphorylation resulted in AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation at Thr172 and 183, enhancing EZH2 phosphorylation at Thr311. Conclusion: SCLC characterized high EZH2 expression and promoted EMT, compared with non‐small cell lung cancer. miR‐4448 inhibited Girdin expression, reducing Akt phosphorylation, and enhancing AMPK and EZH2 phosphorylation. Eventually, miR‐4448 prevented EZH2‐mediated EMT and tumorigenesis by modulating the Girdin/Akt/AMPK axis in SCLC. miR‐4448 might be a potential SCLC inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) is reported increasingly often in young women, and this aggressive disease lacks effective methods of targeted therapy. Since mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) is an important biomarker for predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, it is important to investigate the clinicopathological features and immune microenvironment of dMMR ECAs. We assessed 617 ECAs from representative tissue microarray sections, gathered clinicopathologic information, reviewed histological characteristics, and performed immunohistochemical staining for MMR, programmed cell death 1 (PD-L1), and other immune markers. Of 617 ECA samples, 20 (3.2%) cases had dMMR. Among them, loss of MMR-related proteins expression was observed in 17/562 (3.0%) human papilloma virus-associated (HPVA) adenocarcinoma and 3/55 (5.5%) non-HPV-associated (NHPVA) adenocarcinoma. In NHPVA cohort, dMMR status was observed in 3 (3/14, 15.0%) patients with clear cells. dMMR ECAs had a higher tendency to have a family history of cancer, larger tumor size, p16 negative, HPV E6/E7 mRNA in situ hybridization (HPV E6/E7 RNAscope) negative, and lower ki-67 index. Among the morphological variables evaluated, poor differentiation, necrosis, stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, peritumoral lymphocytes, and lymphoid follicles were easily recognized in the dMMR ECAs. In addition, dMMR ECAs had higher CD3+, CD8+, CD38+, CD68+ and PD-1+ immune cells. A relatively high prevalence of PD-L1 expression was observed in dMMR ECAs. dMMR ECAs were significantly more likely to present with a tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes -high/PD-L1-positive status. In conclusion, dMMR ECAs have some specific morphological features and a critical impact on the immune microenvironment, which may provide insights into improving responses to immunotherapy-included comprehensive treatment for ECAs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Traditional methods for predicting patient outcomes rely heavily on the physical characteristics of tumors. Our research aims to develop a new, simple risk score that uses three specific molecular markers found in tumor tissues. By examining the presence and levels of these markers, we hope to better predict which patients have a higher risk of poor outcomes. This can help doctors make more informed decisions about treatment options. Our findings may lead to improved survival rates by identifying high-risk patients who need more aggressive treatment and sparing low-risk patients from unnecessary procedures. Introduction: Several new molecular markers in colorectal carcinomas have been discovered; however, classical histopathological predictors are still being used to predict survival in patients. We present a novel risk score, which uses molecular markers, to predict outcomes in patients with colorectal carcinoma. Methods: The immunohistochemistry of tissue micro arrays was used to detect and quantify H2BUB1, RBM3 and Ki-67. Different intensities of staining were categorized for these markers and a score was established. A multivariate analysis was performed and survival curves were established. Results: 1791 patients were evaluated, and multivariate analysis revealed that our risk score, the 3-biomarker classifier, is an independent marker to predict survival. We found a high risk-score to be associated with dismal median survival for the patients. Conclusions: A more personalized score might be able to better discriminate low- and high-risk patients and suggest adjuvant treatment compared to classical pathological staging. Our score can serve as a tool to predict outcomes in patients suffering from colorectal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles involved in intercellular signaling, carrying various cargo from microRNAs to metabolites and proteins. They are released by practically all cells and are highly heterogenous due to their origin and content. Several groups of exosomes are known to be involved in various pathological conditions including autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and infectious diseases as well as cancer, and therefore a substantial understanding of their biogenesis and release is crucial. Polarized cells display an array of specific functions originated from differentiated membrane trafficking systems and could lead to hints in untangling the complex process of exosomes. Indeed, recent advances have successfully revealed specific regulation pathways for releasing different subsets of exosomes from different sides of polarized epithelial cells, underscoring the importance of polarized cells in the field. Here we review current evidence on exosome biogenesis and release, especially in polarized cells, highlight the challenges that need to be combatted, and discuss potential applications related to exosomes of polarized-cell origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A self‐powered mechanoreceptor array is demonstrated using four mechanoreceptor cells for recognition of dynamic touch gestures. Each cell consists of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for touch sensing and a bi‐stable resistor (biristor) for spike encoding. It produces informative spike signals by sensing a force of an external touch and encoding the force into the number of spikes. An array of the mechanoreceptor cells is utilized to monitor various touch gestures and it successfully generated spike signals corresponding to all the gestures. To validate the practicality of the mechanoreceptor array, a spiking neural network (SNN), highly attractive for power consumption compared to the conventional von Neumann architecture, is used for the identification of touch gestures. The measured spiking signals are reflected as inputs for the SNN simulations. Consequently, touch gestures are classified with a high accuracy rate of 92.5%. The proposed mechanoreceptor array emerges as a promising candidate for a building block of tactile in‐sensor computing in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), due to the low cost and high manufacturability of the TENG. This eliminates the need for a power supply, coupled with the intrinsic high throughput of the Si‐based biristor employing complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computing in memory (CIM) breaks the conventional von Neumann bottleneck through in situ processing. Monolithic integration of digital and analog CIM hardware, ensuring both high precision and energy efficiency, provides a sustainable paradigm for increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) applications but remains challenging. Here, we propose a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor-compatible ferroelectric hybrid CIM platform that consists of Boolean logic and triggers for digital processing and multistage cell arrays for analog computation. The basic ferroelectric-gated units are assembled with solution-processable two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide atomic-thin channels at a wafer-scale yield of 96.36%, delivering high on/off ratios (>107), high endurance (>1012), long retention time (>10 years), and ultralow cycle-to-cycle/device-to-device variations (~0.3%/~0.5%). Last, we customize a highly compact 2D hybrid CIM system for dynamic tracking, achieving a high accuracy of 99.8% and a 263-fold improvement in power efficiency compared to graphics processing units. These results demonstrate the potential of 2D fully ferroelectric-gated hybrid hardware for developing versatile CIM blocks for AI tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise Methods Conclusions The extraction of high‐quality RNA is the critical first step for the analysis of gene expression and gene space. This remains particularly challenging in plants, and especially in ferns, where the disruption of the cell wall and separation of organic compounds from nucleic acids is not trivial.We developed a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)‐based RNA extraction protocol that consistently performs well across a large phylogenetic breadth of ferns—a lineage of plants high in secondary compounds—and in an array of tissue types. Two alternative options (precipitation vs. clean‐up without intermediate precipitation) are presented, both of which yield high‐quality RNA extracts with optical density (OD) ratios of OD 260/280 = 1.9–2.1 and OD 260/230 > 1.6, and RNA integrity numbers >7.This study presents an efficient protocol for the extraction of high‐quality RNA from multiple tissues and across the fern phylogeny, a clade of plants that still lags behind other major lineages in the development of genomic resources. We hope that this method can be used to help facilitate the closing of this gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.--Biomarkers in breast cancer need strict monitoring given their role in patient management. Objective.--To study the impact that regular participation in the National Cancer Grid (NCG) external quality assurance (EQA) system has on concordance rates for biomarkers in breast carcinoma. Design.--Tissue microarrays (TMAs) containing breast carcinomas were circulated to participating laboratories that performed immunohistochemistry for breast bio- markers. The returned TMAs were then assessed for test concordance. Results.--A total of 105 laboratories participated in the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) EQA system cycles, and 99 centers participated in the human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) EQA system. In the ER EQA in the first cycle only 1 laboratory had a 100% concordance rate, which improved to 59 of 77 (76.6%) and 85 of 97 (87.6%) in the fourth and fifth cycles, respectively. In the PR EQA the 100% pass rate jumped from zero to 52 of 76 (68.4%) in the fourth cycle and 86 of 97 (88.6%) in the last cycle. For HER2 EQA, the 100% pass rates were seen in 7 of 23 laboratories (30.4%) in the first cycle, 49 of 78 laboratories (62.8%) in the fourth cycle, and 48 of 94 laboratories (51.1%) in fifth cycle of EQA. Centers that participated in the NCG EQA system for a longer period often changed testing methodology, with consequent improvement in their laboratory concordance rates. An increasing trend for the use of automated platforms and of the US Food and Drug Administration-approved antibody for HER2 testing was observed. Conclusions.--Our experience demonstrates that laboratory performance improves with participation in an EQA system even in less perfect settings, and this drives the placement of more proficient practices across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide perovskites with naturally coupled electron‐ion dynamics hold great potential for nonvolatile memory applications. Self‐rectifying memristors are promising as they can avoid sneak currents and simplify device configuration. Here we report a self‐rectifying memristor firstly achieved in a single perovskite (NHCINH3)3PbI5 (abbreviated as (IFA)3PbI5), which is sandwiched by Ag and ITO electrodes as the simplest cell in a crossbar array device configuration. The iodide ions of (IFA)3PbI5 can be easily activated, of which the migration in the bulk contributes to the resistance hysteresis and the reaction with Ag at the interface contributes to the spontaneous formation of AgI. The perfect combination of n‐type AgI and p‐type (IFA)3PbI5 gives rise to the rectification function like a p–n diode. Such a self‐rectifying memristor exhibits the record‐low set power consumption and voltage. This work emphasizes that the multifunction of ions in perovskites can simplify the fabrication procedure, decrease the programming power, and increase the integration density of future memory devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a binarized neural network (BNN) comprising quasi‐nonvolatile memory (QNVM) devices that operate in a positive feedback loop mechanism and exhibit an extremely low subthreshold swing (≤ 5 mV dec−1) and a high on/off ratio (≥ 107). A pair of QNVM devices are used for a single synaptic cell in a cell array, in which its memory state represents the synaptic weight, and the voltages applied to the pair act as input in a complementary fashion. The array of synaptic cells performs matrix multiply‐accumulate (MAC) operations between the weight matrix and input vector using XNOR and current summation. All the results of the MAC operations and vector‐matrix multiplications are equivalent. Moreover, the BNN features a high accuracy of 93.32% in the MNIST image recognition simulation owing to high device uniformity (1.35%), which demonstrates the feasibility of compact and high‐performance neuromorphic computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractive index sensing has great application potential in a wide range of chemical and biomedical fields, however, these sensors usually require large-area and fabrication-intense arrays of unit cells. Here, we propose an ultracompact sensor based on a single dielectric nanoparticle for refractive index sensing with a footprint smaller than 2 µ m2 and numerically investigate its sensing performance. A single-mode resonance rather than multimodes interaction is adopted for the spectroscopic feature of refractometric sensing. The elaborate resonator geometry facilitates the excitation of the gapped-vortex mode and enables the exposure of electric hotspots outside the dielectric. Such design enhances the coupling to the sensing medium, thus exhibiting high sensitivity at the level of 345 nm RIU–1 with a figure of merit of 12.78 per RIU. The single-particle nanostructure together with the single-mode resonance exhibits robust sensing performance to dimension deviations. Importantly, a thin annular beam is employed as the illumination to increase the excitation efficiency of the single-mode resonance, which significantly improves the modulation depth without relying on the near-field coupling of array nanostructures. This work provides a miniaturization platform for the dielectric sensors and other application fields based on enhanced light-matter interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design analysis employing numerical analysis has become one of the most significant components in realizing broadband spiral absorbers in the infrared (IR) region. To date, there have been very few research studies on broadband electromagnetic (EM) wave absorptions by such absorbers in that frequency band. Therefore, in this research, we have proposed a new type of absorber based on gradient log-spiral to enhance the absorption bandwidth in the IR region. The absorbers are designed by considering arrangements of different log-spiral arms in a fractal-like pattern. Investigation was carried out in both unit cell and array configuration. Strong average absorption reaching 88.5% in the unit cell and 83.6% in the array configuration was observed over the bandwidth from 4.5 to 100 THz for a wide range of incident angles. The absorption of the unit cell absorber remains almost stable up to 45° for transverse electric and 75° for transverse magnetic mode polarizations. This unique approach opens a new direction of imaging, EM stealth, camouflaging, and wireless EM energy harvesting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "RETRACTED: MiR-1236-3p Inhibits the Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration of Colon Cancer Cells and Hinders Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Targeting DCKL3," discusses a study on the role of miR-1236-3p in colon cancer. The study found that miR-1236-3p was significantly downregulated in colon cancer tissues and inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of cancer cells. The researchers also identified DCKL3 as a target gene for miR-1236-3p. The study suggests that miR-1236-3p could be a promising therapeutic target for colon cancer, although further research is needed. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) plays an important role in the progression of multiple solid tumors and induces resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) target treatment. However, the expression status and the clinical significance of HER2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still controversial. Pyrotinib (PYR) is a promising novel EGFR/HER2 dual inhibitor, whose efficacy in OSCC has not been determined. Methods: 57 locally advanced de novo OSCC patients were included in this study to investigate the relationship between the HER2 expression levels and the prognosis by the tissue microarray analysis (TMA). In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to retrieve the efficacy of PYR in OSCC. The main downstream of HER2 was evaluated by western blotting in OSCC cell lines and xenograft tumors to explore the potential mechanism of PYR. Results: This study revealed the primary tumor of OSCC had higher HER2 expression levels. Patients with HER2 overexpression had poor overall survival (P < 0.014) and poor disease free survival (P < 0.042). In vitro, PYR suppressed the proliferation, colony formation and migration of OSCC cells. It also promoted apoptosis of OSCC cells and induced cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, PYR was able to inhibit the occurrence and development of OSCC effectively in vivo. Western blotting revealed that PYR suppressed OSCC by inhibiting the phosphorylation of HER2, AKT and ERK. Conclusions: This study exhibited the anti-OSCC effects of PYR in vitro and in vivo, and demonstrated PYR inhibited OSCC cells by inducing apoptosis via the HER2/ AKT and ERK pathway. The result of this study also indicated locally advanced OSCC patients might benefit from HER2 assay and EGFR/HER2 dual inhibit treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bufaviruses (BuV) are members of the Parvoviridae of the Protoparvovirus genus. They are non-enveloped, T = 1 icosahedral ssDNA viruses isolated from patients exhibiting acute diarrhea. The lack of treatment options and a limited understanding of their disease mechanisms require studying these viruses on a molecular and structural level. In the present study, we utilize glycan arrays and cell binding assays to demonstrate that BuV1 capsid binds terminal sialic acid (SIA) glycans. Furthermore, using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), SIA is shown to bind on the 2/5-fold wall of the capsid surface. Interestingly, the capsid residues stabilizing SIA binding are conserved in all human BuVs identified to date. Additionally, biophysical assays illustrate BuV1 capsid stabilization during endo–lysosomal (pH 7.4–pH 4) trafficking and capsid destabilization at pH 3 and less, which correspond to the pH of the stomach. Hence, we determined the cryo-EM structures of BuV1 capsids at pH 7.4, 4.0, and 2.6 to 2.8 Å, 3.2 Å, and 2.7 Å, respectively. These structures reveal capsid structural rearrangements during endo–lysosomal escape and provide a potential mechanism for this process. The structural insights gained from this study will add to the general knowledge of human pathogenic parvoviruses. Furthermore, the identification of the conserved SIA receptor binding site among BuVs provides a possible targetable surface-accessible pocket for the design of small molecules to be developed as anti-virals for these viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work introduces a novel low‐profile antenna for UWB applications through the use of a frequency‐selective surface (FSS). The FSS reflector uses a 7 × 7 array with a unit cell of 12.4 × 12.4 mm. By incorporating this periodic structure, the antenna's peak gain reaches 11 dBi, covering a UWB frequency range from 3.01 GHz to 13.5 GHz. Both FSS and UWB antennae are printed on the same type of substrate (FR4‐epoxy). The gap between the FSS layer and antenna is a half wavelength (18 mm) to obtain the best performance. The fabricated optimized antenna prototype shows a reasonable accord between numerical and experimental results. These results are compared to the existing literature designs. Overall, the proposed antenna system has reduced complexity and size, while offering a very wide bandwidth and high gain, making it a good candidate for imminent wideband and high‐gain wireless communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is an important pharmacological constituent of Glycyrrhiza glabra, which possesses a range of physiological and pharmacological activities, as well as significant antitumor activity, and can be used as a potential drug for targeted cancer therapy. LINC01503 is an oncogene, which has been closely associated with the malignant biological processes of many cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ISL on the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration of lung squamous carcinoma cells by regulating LINC01503. Methods Plasma was collected from lung squamous carcinoma patients and healthy individuals treated at Tangshan People's Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022. The expression of LINC01503 in lung squamous carcinoma plasma, tissues and cells was detected by real-time quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Lung squamous carcinoma cells were treated with different concentrations of ISL for 24 h, and LINC01503 expression was detected by qRT-PCR. The cells were treated in groups: si-NC group, si-LINC01503 group, DMSO (0.1% dimethyl sulfone) group, ISL group, pc DNA3.1(+)-NC group, pc DNA3.1(+)-LINC01503 group, ISL+pc DNA3.1(+)-NC group and ISL+pc DNA3.1(+)- LINC01503 groups. CCK-8 assay, clone formation assay, flow cytometry, Transwell assay and scratch assay were used to explore the effect of LINC01503 on the functional phenotype of lung squamous carcinoma cells. Results Fluorescence in situ hybridization results showed that the average fluorescence intensity of LINC01503 in tissue microarrays of lung squamous carcinoma patients was higher than that in paracancerous tissues (P<0.05). The expression of LINC01503 in the plasma of patients with lung squamous carcinoma was higher than that in the plasma of healthy individuals (P<0.05). Knockdown of LINC01503 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of lung squamous carcinoma cells and promoted apoptosis (P<0.05). ISL inhibited the proliferation, invasion, migration and promoted apoptosis of lung squamous carcinoma cells (P<0.05). Overexpression of LINC01503 followed by intervention with ISL reversed the promotional effect of overexpression of LINC01503 on the proliferation, invasion and migration of lung squamous carcinoma cells as well as the inhibitory effect on apoptosis (P<0.05). Conclusion LINC01503 was highly expressed in lung squamous carcinoma, and LINC01503 could promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of lung squamous carcinoma cells and inhibit the apoptosis, ISL could inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of lung squamous carcinoma cells and promote apoptosis of lung squamous carcinoma cells by regulating the expression of LINC01503. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of single cancer cells is critical to obtain accurate patient diagnosis and prognosis. In this work, we report the selective dielectrophoretic capture and electrochemical analysis of single melanoma cells at an array of interlocked spiral bipolar electrodes (iBPEs). Following dielectrophoretic capture, individual melanoma cells are hydrodynamically transferred into picoliter‐scale chambers for subsequent analysis. The interlocked spiral end of the iBPE (the sensing pole) is utilized to read out an electrochemical enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (eELISA), which quantifies the expression of a cell surface antigen, melanoma cell adhesion marker (MCAM). The opposite pole of each BPE is located in a fluidically isolated compartment containing reagents for electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL), such that luminescence reports iBPE current. In a preliminary device design, the ECL intensity was insufficient to detect MCAM expression on single cells. To achieve single‐cell analysis, we decreased the gap size between the interlocked spirals tenfold (5.0 μm to 0.5 μm), thereby creating a more sensitive biosensor by enhanced redox cycling of the product of eELISA. This work is significant because it allows for the selective isolation and sensitive analysis of individual melanoma cells in a device amenable to point‐of‐care (POC) application by combining dielectrophoresis (DEP) with interdigitated bipolar electrodes (IDBPEs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects millions worldwide and is the leading cause of death among non-communicable diseases. Western diets typically comprise of meat and dairy products, both of which are rich in cholesterol (Cho) and methionine (Met), two well-known compounds with atherogenic capabilities. Despite their individual effects, literature on a dietary combination of the two in the context of CVD are limited. Therefore, studies on the combined effects of Cho and Met were carried out using male Sprague Dawley rats. An additional interest was to investigate the cardioprotective potential of sitagliptin, an anti-type 2 diabetic drug. We hypothesized that feeding a dietary combination of Cho and Met would result in adverse cardiac effects and would be attenuated upon administration of sitagliptin. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a control (Con), high Met (1.5%), high Cho (2.0%), or high Met (1.5%) + high Cho (2.0%) diet for 35 days. They were orally gavaged with an aqueous preparation of sitagliptin (100 mg/kg/d) or vehicle (water) from day 10 through 35. On day 36, rats were euthanized, and tissues were collected for analysis. Results: Histopathological evaluation revealed a reduction in myocardial striations and increased collagen deposition in hypercholesterolemia (HChol), responses that became exacerbated upon sitagliptin administration. Cardiac pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic responses were adversely impacted in similar fashion. The addition of Met to Cho (MC) attenuated all adverse structural and biochemical responses, with or without sitagliptin. Conclusions: Adverse cardiac outcomes in HChol were enhanced by the administration of sitagliptin, and such effects were alleviated by Met. Our findings could be significant for understanding or revisiting the risk-benefit evaluation of sitagliptin in type 2 diabetics, and especially those who are known to consume atherogenic diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the formation of new walls during plant cell division tends to follow maximal tensile stress direction, analyses of individual cells over time reveal a much more variable behavior. The origin of such variability as well as the exact role of interphasic microtubule behavior before cell division have remained mysterious so far. To approach this question, we took advantage of the Arabidopsis stem, where the tensile stress pattern is both highly anisotropic and stable. Although cortical microtubules (CMTs) generally align with maximal tensile stress, we detected a specific time window, ca. 3 h before cell division, where cells form a radial pattern of CMTs. This microtubule array organization preceded preprophase band (PPB) formation, a transient CMT array predicting the position of the future division plane. It was observed under different growth conditions and was not related to cell geometry or polar auxin transport. Interestingly, this cortical radial pattern correlated with the well-documented increase of cytoplasmic microtubule accumulation before cell division. This radial organization was prolonged in cells of the trm678 mutant, where CMTs are unable to form a PPB. Whereas division plane orientation in trm678 is noisier, we found that cell division symmetry was in contrast less variable between daughter cells. We propose that this "radial step" reflects a trade-off in robustness for two essential cell division attributes: symmetry and orientation. This involves a "reset" stage in G2, where an increased cytoplasmic microtubule accumulation transiently disrupts CMT alignment with tissue stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notch pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signalling system that operates to influence an astonishing array of cell fate decisions in different developmental contexts. Notch signalling plays important roles in many developmental processes, making it difficult to name a tissue or a developing organ that does not depend on Notch function at one stage or another. Thus, dysregulation of Notch signalling is associated with many developmental defects and various pathological conditions, including cancer. Although many recent advances have been made to reveal different aspects of the Notch signalling mechanism and its intricate regulation, there are still many unanswered questions related to how the Notch signalling pathway functions in so many developmental events. The same pathway can be deployed in numerous cellular contexts to play varied and critical roles in an organism's development and this is only possible because of the complex regulatory mechanisms of the pathway. In this review, we provide an overview of the mechanism and regulation of the Notch signalling pathway along with its multifaceted functions in different aspects of development and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Here, we show that the plant-derived product, sanguinarine, inhibited aerobic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation; which resulted in energy alternations and necroptosis of tumor cells. Moreover, we identify the PKM2/β-catenin axis as the main target in sanguinarine treatment against HCC development. Backgrounds: Abnormal metabolism is the hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma. Targeting energy metabolism has become the major focus of cancer therapy. The natural product, sanguinarine, displays remarkable anti-tumor properties by disturbing energy homeostasis; however, the underlying mechanism has not yet been elucidated. Methods: The anticancer activity of sanguinarine was determined using CCK-8 and colony formation assay. Morphological changes of induced cell death were observed under electron microscopy. Necroptosis and apoptosis related markers were detected using western blotting. PKM2 was identified as the target by transcriptome sequencing. Molecular docking assay was used to evaluate the binding affinity of sanguinarine to the PKM2 molecule. Furthermore, Alb-CreERT2; PKM2loxp/loxp; Rosa26RFP mice was used to construct the model of HCC—through the intervention of sanguinarine in vitro and in vivo—to accurately explore the regulation effect of sanguinarine on cancer energy metabolism. Results: Sanguinarine inhibited tumor proliferation, metastasis and induced two modes of cell death. Molecular docking of sanguinarine with PKM2 showed appreciable binding affinity. PKM2 kinase activity and aerobic glycolysis rate declined, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was inhibited by sanguinarine application; these changes result in energy deficits and lead to necroptosis. Additionally, sanguinarine treatment prevents the translocation of PKM2 into the nucleus and suppresses the interaction of PKM2 with β-catenin; the transcriptional activity of PKM2/β-catenin signaling and its downstream genes were decreased. Conclusions: Sanguinarine showed remarkable anti-HCC activity via regulating energy metabolism by PKM2/β-catenin signaling. On the basis of these investigations, we propose that sanguinarine might be considered as a promising compound for discovery of anti-HCC drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Once in an immunosuppressive tumoral microenvironment (TME), macrophages take over an essential role by activating signaling pathways such as STAT3 and NFkB to keep the immune suppression and tumor progression. However, this role in cancer cervical (CC) is not still clear. For that, we studied the interaction of tumor associated macrophages (TAM) and STAT3 and NFkB pathways with of several cancer hallmarks in 691 patients with CC, and more importantly, their impact on clinical outcome of these patients. Interestingly, a strong immunosuppressive loop was identified via TAM and STAT3 and NFkB pathways in TME which reverberated in a higher expression of tumor progression markers, and consequently in a poor clinical outcome. Introduction: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the progression, invasion, and metastasis of cervical carcinoma (CC). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are significant components of the CC TME, but studies on their correlation with CC progression are still controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between TAM infiltration, the STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathway, and Overall Survival (OS) in CC patients. Methods: In a retrospective study, 691 CC patients who had received a definitive histopathologic diagnosis of CC scored by the FIGO staging system and not undergone preoperative treatment were selected from a database. The effect of TAM infiltration on tumor progression biomarkers using Tissue Microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemistry was evaluated. Furthermore, the impact of the expression of these biomarkers and clinical–pathological parameters on recurrence-free (RF) and OS using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox regression methods was also analyzed. Results: High stromal CD163 + 204 + TAMs density and via STAT3 and NF-κB pathways was relevant to the expression of E-cadherin, Vimentin, MMP9, VEGFα, Bcl-2, Ki-67, CD25, MIF, FOXP3, and IL-17 (all p < 0.0001). In addition, elevated TNM staging IV had a strong association correlation with STAT3 and NF-κB pathways (p < 0.0001), CD25 (p < 0.001), VEGFα (p < 0.001), MIF (p < 0.0001), and Ki-67 (p < 0.0001). On the other hand, overall and recurrence survival was shown to be strongly influenced by the expression of SNAIL (HR = 1.52), E-cadherin (HR = 1.78), and Ki-67 (HR = 1.44). Conclusion: M2-TAM and via STAT3/NF-κB pathways had a strong effect on CC tumor progression which reverberated in the severity of clinicopathological findings, becoming an important factor of poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study develops the experimental and finite element analysis of an auxetic piezoelectric energy harvester consisting of a cantilever, auxetic substrate, and piezoelectric layer. Firstly, five auxetic models with 1, 4, 9, 16, and 25 honeycomb auxetic cells are presented. Harvested power and stress distribution of the piezoelectric layer for these models are compared with plain piezoelectric energy harvester. All the analysis has been performed using the experimental tests and finite element method. Mesh size sensitivity analysis of the finite element model is presented, and it is verified by previous experimental studies. The model with 25 auxetic cells harvests more power than other models. Furthermore, comparing stress distribution on the piezoelectric layer of these models indicates that increasing the number of auxetic cells leads to increasing the average stress on the piezoelectric layer. The present investigation illustrates that harvested power of an auxetic energy harvester in resonant frequency could improve to twenty times more than a plain harvester. Besides, the new auxetic model with trapezoidal geometry is presented in the present paper. Utilizing this model as the substrate in a piezoelectric energy harvester leads to increasing the efficiency of the energy harvester by 82.5%. The damping ratio of the auxetic energy harvester has been measured by experimental investigation. Also, experimental analysis has been performed to find the optimum energy harvester circuit resistor. The density of the harvested power for the trapezoidal energy harvester with an optimum circuit resistor is 107% more than the rectangular energy harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leukocyte Ig-like receptor B family 4 (LILRB4) as an immune checkpoint on myeloid cells is a potential target for tumor therapy. Extensive osteolytic bone lesion is the most characteristic feature of multiple myeloma. It is unclear whether ectopic LILRB4 on multiple myeloma regulates bone lesion. Methods: The conditioned medium (CM) from LILRB4-WT and -KO cells was used to analyze the effects of LILRB4 on osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Xenograft, syngeneic and patient derived xenograft models were constructed, and micro-CT, H&E staining were used to observe the bone lesion. RNA-seq, cytokine array, qPCR, the activity of luciferase, Co-IP and western blotting were used to clarify the mechanism by which LILRB4 mediated bone damage in multiple myeloma. Results: We comprehensively analyzed the expression of LILRB4 in various tumor tissue arrays, and found that LILRB4 was highly expressed in multiple myeloma samples. The patient's imaging data showed that the higher the expression level of LILRB4, the more serious the bone lesion in patients with multiple myeloma. The conditioned medium from LILRB4-WT not -KO cells could significantly promote the differentiation and maturation of osteoclasts. Xenograft, syngeneic and patient derived xenograft models furtherly confirmed that LILRB4 could mediate bone lesion of multiple myeloma. Next, cytokine array was performed to identify the differentially expressed cytokines, and RELT was identified and regulated by LILRB4. The overexpression or exogenous RELT could regenerate the bone damage in LILRB4-KO cells in vitro and in vivo. The deletion of LILRB4, anti-LILRB4 alone or in combination with bortezomib could significantly delay the progression of bone lesion of multiple myeloma. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that LILRB4 promoted the bone lesion by promoting the differentiation and mature of osteoclasts through secreting RELT, and blocking LILRB4 singling pathway could inhibit the bone lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: STING is a key element in the cGAS/STING cytosolic sensing pathway and several STING agonists are currently being evaluated as anticancer drugs in the field of cancer immunotherapy. This study provides a unique catalog of STING expressions in tumor cells as well as its clinical relevance and association with PD-L1 expression in tumor and inflammatory cells in more than 130 different tumor entities. Stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING) activates the immune response in inflammatory cells. STING expression in cancer cells is less well characterized, but STING agonists are currently being evaluated as anticancer drugs. A tissue microarray containing 18,001 samples from 139 different tumor types was analyzed for STING by immunohistochemistry. STING-positive tumor cells were found in 130 (93.5%) of 139 tumor entities. The highest STING positivity rates occurred in squamous cell carcinomas (up to 96%); malignant mesothelioma (88.5%–95.7%); adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (94.9%), lung (90.3%), cervix (90.0%), colorectum (75.2%), and gallbladder (68.8%); and serous high-grade ovarian cancer (86.0%). High STING expression was linked to adverse phenotypes in breast cancer, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid (p < 0.05). In pTa urothelial carcinomas, STING expression was associated with low-grade carcinoma (p = 0.0002). Across all tumors, STING expression paralleled PD-L1 positivity of tumor and inflammatory cells (p < 0.0001 each) but was unrelated to the density of CD8+ lymphocytes. STING expression is variable across tumor types and may be related to aggressive tumor phenotype and PD-L1 positivity. The lack of relationship with tumor-infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes argues against a significant IFN production by STING positive tumor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metasurface array for electromagnetic (EM) energy harvesting for Wi-Fi bands is presented in this paper; the metasurface array consists of a metasurface unit, a rectifier, and a load resistor. Each row of unit cells in the array is interconnected to form an energy transfer channel, which enables the transfer and concentration of incident power. Furthermore, at the terminal of the channel, a single series diode rectifier circuit and a load resistor are integrated in a coplanar manner. It is used to rectify the energy in Wi-Fi bands and enables DC energy harvesting across the load. Finally, a 5 × 7 prototype of the metasurface array is fabricated and measured for the verification of the rationality of the design. Testing in an anechoic chamber shows that the prototype achieves a 72% RF-DC efficiency at 5.9 GHz when the available incident power is about 7 dBm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: It is generally reported that the prognostic factors for ampulla of Vater cancer include T stage, N stage, and lymphovascular invasion and subtype, and the meaning of MUC stain is controversial. This retrospective study by the authors evaluated the significance of various MUC stains in AoV cancer using single-center clinicopathological data. The results showed that MUC5AC was significant for lymph node metastasis and was furthermore valuable as a prognostic factor for predicting overall survival. If this is evaluated in addition to the hematoxylin and eosin stain, which is commonly performed in preoperative biopsy, it is expected to be a method to select groups that require more extensive LN dissection and further prevent locoregional recurrence. Introduction: Mucins play a pivotal role in epithelial carcinogenesis; however, their role remains elusive in ampulla of Vater (AoV) cancer, regardless of histological subtype. Therefore, we investigated the clinical significance of MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6 expression in AoV cancer. Methods: Using samples from 68 patients with AoV cancer, we performed immunohistochemical staining for MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6 using a tissue microarray. Subsequently, we analyzed their expression patterns in relation to clinicopathological parameters and patient outcomes. Results: Of the patients, 98.5% exhibited positive expression for MUC1, while MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6 were expressed in 44.1%, 47.1%, and 41.2% of the patients, respectively. Correlation analyses between mucin expression and clinicopathological factors revealed no significant associations, except between MUC5AC expression and N stage. Univariate analysis demonstrated significant associations between MUC5AC expression and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis further confirmed that MUC5AC expression was a significant predictor of OS, along with the N stage. However, MUC5AC expression was not meaningfully associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS). The patients positive for MUC5AC expression had a considerably shorter OS than those with negative expression. Conclusions: Our study provides insights into the clinical impact of mucins on AoV cancer, regardless of the histological subtype. Although MUC1 expression is universal, MUC5AC expression is a significant prognostic indicator that correlates with lymph node metastasis and poor OS. These results emphasize the possible utility of MUC5AC as a biomarker for extensive lymph node dissection and the prognostic evaluation of patients with AoV cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the design of horn array antennas, usually there is a challenge with the grating lobe problem and consequently quite low aperture efficiency. A new configuration for horn array antennas is presented which introduces high aperture efficiency with suppressed grating lobes in both E‐& H‐plane radiation patterns. The proposed array unit cell is a dual‐mode horn loaded by two corrugations in E‐plane. A sample 4 ⨯ 4 array of the proposed unit cell is designed to operate at Ku band. The simulation and measurement results show 13.3% operating bandwidth over which the grating lobes are totally suppressed and the aperture efficiency is above 70%. The antenna measured gain is also 27 dBi with 2 dB variation over the bandwidth. The results show that the aperture efficiency of 98% is achievable making use of the proposed topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processing in Memory based on memristors is considered the most effective solution to overcome the Von Neumann bottleneck issue and has become a hot research topic. The execution efficiency of logical computation and in-memory data transmission is crucial for Processing in Memory. This paper presents a design scheme for data transmission and multi-bit multipliers within MAT (a data storage set in MPU) based on the memristive alternating crossbar array structure. Firstly, to improve the data transfer efficiency, we reserve the edge row and column of the array as assistant cells for OR AND (OA) and AND data transmission logic operations to reduce the data transfer steps. Furthermore, we convert the multipliers into multi-bit addition operations via Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) logical operations, which effectively improves the execution efficiency of multipliers. PSpice simulation shows that the proposed data transmission and multi-bit multiplier solution has lower latency and power consumption and higher efficiency and flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research provides a detailed explanation of the design, simulation, and experimental of quad-square metamaterial-based negative-index unit cells for S-band applications. The Computer Simulation Technology 2022 licensee version was utilized to design and obtain numerical results for the unit cell. The proposed unit cell for the metamaterial has dimensions of 5 × 5 × 1.57 mm3. The substrate chosen was FR-4, resulting in a substantial effective medium ratio value of 19.07. A series of systematic parametric studies were conducted to optimize the quad square metamaterial structure. Key parameters, such as substrate types, unit cell arrays, thicknesses of substrate, and split gaps, were varied to determine their impact on the structure. The validated equivalent circuit result was compared to the simulated results, showing a significant agreement. The demonstrated correlation between simulation and experimental data highlights the dependability of the proposed quad-square metamaterial, positioning it as a viable option for a range of electromagnetic applications, such as communication systems, sensors, and imaging devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: With the introduction of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), novel treatment options for advanced and recurrent cervical cancer might be found. The expression of their target proteins in cervical cancer is largely unknown. This study addresses this issue by analyzing gene and protein expression of potential novel ADC targets in cervical cancer. (1) Background: There is a huge unmet clinical need for novel treatment strategies in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer. Several cell membrane-bound molecules are up-regulated in cancer cells as compared to normal tissue and have revived interest with the introduction of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs). (2) Methods: In this study, we characterize the expression of 10 potential ADC targets, TROP2, mesotheline, CEACAM5, DLL3, folate receptor alpha, guanylatcyclase, glycoprotein NMB, CD56, CD70 and CD138, on the gene expression level. Of these, the three ADC targets TROP2, CEACAM5 and CD138 were further analyzed on the protein level. (3) Results: TROP2 shows expression in 98.5% (66/67) of cervical cancer samples. CEACAM5 shows a stable gene expression profile and overall, 68.7% (46/67) of cervical cancer samples are CEACAM-positive with 34.3% (23/67) of cervical cancer samples showing at least moderate or high expression. Overall, 73.1% (49/67) of cervical cancer samples are CD138-positive with 38.8% (26/67) of cervical cancer samples showing at least moderate or high expression. (4) Conclusions: TROP2, CEACAM5 or CD138 do seem suitable for further clinical research and the data presented here might be used to guide further clinical trials with ADCs in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testicular descent is a complex process that only occurs in mammals. The role of the gubernaculum during testicular descent has been explained mainly by its capacity for dilatation and contraction. This study tried to investigate the changes in the structure of the fibers and cells of the gubernaculum in different age levels of testicular descent in goat fetuses. Embryo samples were collected and grouped in such a way that 60 male goat fetuses were obtained from 100 pregnant does (Capra marghoz). The samples were classified based on the average length (CRL) of the used embryos into 6 age groups. Tissues of the gubernaculum were stained using Masson's Trichrome method to observe collagen fibers under light microscopy. In the present study, growth and orientation of collagen fibers of gubernaculum were observed from the age of 51 days in a manner that the arrangement and order of fibroblasts and collagens to be associated with the onset of testicular migration order and collagen fibers until the end of the third month. Further, changes in the cell arrays and strings were observed after the age of 111 days in such a way that near the birth date, the gubernaculum converted into atrophy tissue. It can be said that from the beginning of the period of testicular descent until its completion, the tissue of the gubernaculum undergoes cellular changes, such as deformation and increase and secretion in connective fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is emerging as a main feature for 5G/6G communications. To enhance spectral and energy efficiencies in wireless environments, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) will play a significant role in beyond-5G/6G communications. Multi-functional RISs, capable of not only reflecting or transmitting the beam in desired directions but also sensing the signal, wirelessly transferring power to nearby devices, harvesting energy, etc., will be highly beneficial for beyond-5G/6G applications. In this paper, we propose a nearly 2-bit unit cell of RISs integrated with sensing capabilities in the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency band. To collect a very small fraction of the impinging signals through vias, we employed substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology at the bottom of the unit cell and a via. This enabled the sensing of incoming signals, requiring only a small amount of the impinging signal to be collected through SIW. Initially, we utilized Floquet ports and boundary conditions to obtain various parameters of the unit cells. Subsequently, we examined 1 × 3-unit cells, placing them on the waveguide model to obtain the required parameters of the unit cell. By using the waveguide and 1 × 3-unit cell arrays, the sensing amount was also determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Breast cancer (BC) ranks as among the top two commonly diagnosed cancers in women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is recognized globally as the most lethal subtype of BC, with patients often building resistance to conventional chemotherapy treatments. This study assesses the relationship between taxane-based chemotherapy resistance in BC and the oncoprotein epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2), with an emphasis on the aggressive TNBC group. Analyses of preclinical models and human tissue samples reveal that EMP2 may not only be used to predict patient response to taxanes but also serve as a therapeutic target for resistant disease. Our findings demonstrate a correlation between elevated EMP2 expression post-chemotherapy and reduced survival outcomes and reveal that targeting EMP2 in conjunction with chemotherapy yields a synergistic reduction in TNBC tumor volume. Thus, results shed light on a novel biomarker for guiding the personalized, targeted treatment of intractable and recurrent TNBC. Breast cancer (BC) remains among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women worldwide. Triple-negative BC (TNBC) is a subset of BC characterized by aggressive behavior, a high risk of distant recurrence, and poor overall survival rates. Chemotherapy is the backbone for treatment in patients with TNBC, but outcomes remain poor compared to other BC subtypes, in part due to the lack of recognized functional targets. In this study, the expression of the tetraspan protein epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) was explored as a predictor of TNBC response to standard chemotherapy. We demonstrate that EMP2 functions as a prognostic biomarker for patients treated with taxane-based chemotherapy, with high expression at both transcriptomic and protein levels following treatment correlating with poor overall survival. Moreover, we show that targeting EMP2 in combination with docetaxel reduces tumor load in syngeneic and xenograft models of TNBC. These results provide support for the prognostic and therapeutic potential of this tetraspan protein, suggesting that anti-EMP2 therapy may be beneficial for the treatment of select chemotherapy-resistant TNBC tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Colorectal cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide and there is an urgent need for prognostic markers to identify aggressive tumours for intensified treatment. CD10 has been controversially discussed as prognosticator for these tumours. However, the published evidence mainly originates from smaller cohorts from one sub-continent. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the role of CD10 in a large European cohort of 1469 colorectal cancer patients. Our data demonstrate that CD10 expression is associated with earlier tumour stages and left-sided tumours, but we can exclude CD10 as a relevant independent prognosticator for colorectal cancer. The role of CD10 expression in colorectal cancer has been controversially discussed in the literature. Some data suggest a predictive capacity for lymph node and liver metastases, thus influencing overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). This study aims to analyse the relationship between CD10 expression and overall survival (OS) in a European cohort. To determine the association of CD10 expression with tumour phenotype, molecular features, and prognosis, a tissue microarray of 1469 colorectal carcinomas was analysed using immunohistochemistry and was compared with matched clinicopathologic data. CD10 expression correlated with earlier tumour stages (p = 0.017) and left-sided colon cancer (p < 0.001). However, no correlation was found between CD10 expression and lymph node involvement (p = 0.711), tumour grading (p = 0.397), or overall survival (p = 0.562). Even in the subgroup analysis of tumour or nodal stage, CD10 did not affect overall survival, although it was significantly associated with p53 and nuclear β-catenin expression (p = 0.013 and p < 0.001, respectively). CD10 expression correlates with earlier tumour stages, colon cancer location, and indicators of aggressive CRC subtypes. However, we can exclude CD10 as a relevant independent prognosticator for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at investigating the expression of Met and YAP in gastric cancer and their impact on clinical prognosis. Methods. Tissue samples and clinical data were collected from 89 patients with gastric cancer. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify the expression of Met and YAP using tissue microarray. The correlation between the expressions of Met, YAP, and clinicopathological characteristics of patients was determined using a chi-square test. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, while multivariate survival analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Bioinformatics analysis was carried out by downloading chip data from TCGA. Results. The expression levels of both Met and YAP were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues compared to adjacent tissues (P < 0.001). Met expression showed a positive association with P53 and CD133, whereas YAP expression correlated positively with tumor grade and CD133 (P < 0.05). Pearson's analysis revealed a significant correlation between Met expression and VEGFR as well as CD133, while YAP expression correlated with Ki67 and VEGFR (P < 0.05). Patients with high levels of both Met and YAP exhibited decreased survival time (P < 0.01). Furthermore, Met expression, N stage, and VEGFR were identified as independent risk factors for gastric cancer prognosis (P < 0.05), whereas no such association was observed for YAP expression. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between the expressions of Met and YAP; both proteins were highly expressed in gastric cancer patients accompanied by markedly reduced survival time. Conclusion. The expressions of Met and YAP are closely associated with the survival outcomes as well as clinicopathological features in patients with gastric cancer. Moreover, our findings highlight that Met serves as an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The grading of oral epithelial dysplasia is often time-consuming for oral pathologists and the results are poorly reproducible between observers. In this study, we aimed to establish an objective, accurate and useful detection and grading system for oral epithelial dysplasia in the whole-slides of oral leukoplakia. Methods: Four convolutional neural networks were compared using the image patches from 56 whole-slide of oral leukoplakia labeled by pathologists as the gold standard. Sequentially, feature detection models were trained, validated and tested with 1,000 image patches using the optimal network. Lastly, a comprehensive system named E-MOD-plus was established by combining feature detection models and a multiclass logistic model. Results: EfficientNet-B0 was selected as the optimal network to build feature detection models. In the internal dataset of whole-slide images, the prediction accuracy of E-MOD-plus was 81.3% (95% confidence interval: 71.4–90.5%) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.793 (95% confidence interval: 0.650 to 0.925); in the external dataset of 229 tissue microarray images, the prediction accuracy was 86.5% (95% confidence interval: 82.4–90.0%) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.669 (95% confidence interval: 0.496 to 0.843). Conclusions: E-MOD-plus was objective and accurate in the detection of pathological features as well as the grading of oral epithelial dysplasia, and had potential to assist pathologists in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micro-photosynthetic power cell (µPSC) generates electricity through the exploitation of living photosynthetic organisms through the principles of photosynthesis and respiration. Modeling such systems will enhance insights into the µPSC that can be employed to design real-time applications from µPSC. In this study, the bio-inspired electrical equivalent modeling of the array of µPSC is elucidated. The model is validated for array configurations of the micro-photosynthetic power cells. The developed arrayed model foresees the steady-state response at various electrical loadings. The polarization characteristics of the current-voltage (I-V) and current-power (I-P) characteristics of the array of µPSC in series and parallel, and their combinations in series and parallel connected µPSCs were validated with the experimental results. From this analysis, it is predicted that the arraying of the µPSC in the combination of series and parallel is the optimal array strategy to obtain the desired voltage and current from the µPSC such that it can be used to power real-time low and ultra-low power devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β and toll‐like receptors (TLRs) have been shown to independently modulate the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Since a direct cross‐talk between these two signalling pathways in HCC has not been clearly described before, we aimed here to explore the possibility of such interaction. A human HCC tissue array (n = 20 vs. four control samples), human HCC samples (n = 10) and steatohepatitis‐driven murine HCC samples (control, NASH and HCC; n = 6/group) were immunostained for TGFβR1, pSMAD2, TRAF6, IRAK1 and PCNA. The results were confirmed by immunoblotting. Effects of constant activation of the SMAD pathway by constitutive expression of ALK5 or knockdown of mediators of TLR signalling, IRAK1 and MyD88, on HCC proliferation, were investigated in the HCC cell line (HUH‐7) after treatment with TGFβ1 cytokine or TGFβR1 kinase inhibitor (LY2157299) using PCNA and MTS assay. TGFβR1 expression is decreased in human and murine HCC and associated with downregulated pSMAD2, but increased IRAK1, TRAF6 and PCNA staining. TGFβR1 kinase inhibition abolished the cytostatic effects of TGFβ1 and led to the induction of IRAK1, pIRAK1 and elevated mRNA levels of TLR‐9. Overexpression of ALK5 and knockdown of MyD88 or IRAK1 augmented the cytostatic effects of TGFβ1 on HUH‐7. In another epithelial HCC cell line, that is, HepG2, TGFβR1 kinase inhibitor similarly elevated cellular proliferation. There is a balance between the canonical SMAD‐driven tumour‐suppressing arm and the non‐canonical tumour‐promoting arm of TGFβ signalling. Disruption of this balance, by inhibition of the canonical pathway, induces HCC proliferation through TLR signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]