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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a temporally and spatially precisely controllable, noninvasive, and potentially highly efficient method of phototherapy. The three components of PDT primarily include photosensitizers, oxygen, and light. PDT employs specific wavelengths of light to active photosensitizers at the tumor site, generating reactive oxygen species that are fatal to tumor cells. Nevertheless, traditional photosensitizers have disadvantages such as poor water solubility, severe oxygen‐dependency, and low targetability, and the light is difficult to penetrate the deep tumor tissue, which remains the toughest task in the application of PDT in the clinic. Here, we systematically summarize the development and the molecular mechanisms of photosensitizers, and the challenges of PDT in tumor management, highlighting the advantages of nanocarriers‐based PDT against cancer. The development of third generation photosensitizers has opened up new horizons in PDT, and the cooperation between nanocarriers and PDT has attained satisfactory achievements. Finally, the clinical studies of PDT are discussed. Overall, we present an overview and our perspective of PDT in the field of tumor management, and we believe this work will provide a new insight into tumor‐based PDT. We highlight the development and molecular mechanisms underlying the activation of photosensitizers, the challenges of PDT in tumor management, and the advantages of nanocarriers‐based PDT against cancer.

T cells undergo metabolic reprogramming and multiple biological processes to satisfy their energetic and biosynthetic demands throughout their lifespan. Several of these metabolic pathways result in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The imbalance between ROS generation and scavenging could result in severe damage to the cells and potential cell death, ultimately leading to T cell-related diseases. Interestingly, ROS play an essential role in T cell immunity. Here, we introduce the important connectivity between T cell lifespan and the metabolic reprogramming among distinct T cell subsets. We also discuss the generation and sources of ROS production within T cell immunity as well as highlight recent research concerning the effects of ROS on T cell activities.

Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells (Tregs) normally serve to attenuate immune responses and are key to maintenance of immune homeostasis. Over the past decade, Treg cells have become a major focus of research for many groups, and various functional subsets have been characterized. Recently, the Ikaros family member, Helios, was reported as a marker to discriminate naturally occurring, thymic-derived Tregs from those peripherally induced from naïve CD4+ T cells. We investigated Helios expression in murine and human T cells under resting or activating conditions, using well-characterized molecules of naïve/effector/memory phenotypes, as well as a set of Treg-associated markers. We found that Helios-negative T cells are enriched for naïve T cell phenotypes and vice versa. Moreover, Helios can be induced during T cell activation and proliferation, but regresses in the same cells under resting conditions. We demonstrated comparable findings using human and murine CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs, as well as in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Since Helios expression is associated with T cell activation and cellular division, regardless of the cell subset involved, it does not appear suitable as a marker to distinguish natural and induced Treg cells.

The lung is a specialized barrier organ that must tightly regulate interstitial fluid clearance and prevent infection in order to maintain effective gas exchange. Lymphatic vessels are important for these functions in other organs, but their roles in the lung have not been fully defined. In the present study, we addressed how the lymphatic vasculature participates in lung homeostasis. Studies using mice carrying a lymphatic reporter allele revealeded that, in contrast to other organs, lung lymphatic collecting vessels lack smooth muscle cells entirely, suggesting that forward lymph flow is highly dependent on movement and changes in pressure associated with respiration. Functional studies using CLEC2-deficient mice in which lymph flow is impaired due to loss of lympho-venous hemostasis or using inducible lung-specific ablation of lymphatic endothelial cells in a lung transplant model revealeded that loss of lymphatic function leads to an inflammatory state characterized by the formation of tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs). In addition, impaired lymphatic flow in mice resulteds in hypoxia and features of lung injury that resemble emphysema. These findings reveal both a lung-specific mechanism of lymphatic physiology and a lung-specific consequence of lymphatic dysfunction that may contribute to chronic lung diseases that arise in association with TLO formation.

Additive manufacturing has been used to develop a variety of scaffold designs for clinical and industrial applications. Mechanical properties (i.e., compression, tension, bending, and torsion response) of these scaffolds are significantly important for load-bearing orthopaedic implants. In this study, we designed and additively manufactured porous metallic biomaterials based on two different types of triply periodic minimal surface structures (i.e., gyroid and diamond) that mimic the mechanical properties of bone, such as porosity, stiffness, and strength. Physical and mechanical properties, including compressive, tensile, bending, and torsional stiffness and strength of the developed scaffolds, were then characterised experimentally and numerically using finite element method. Sheet thickness was constant at 300 μm, and the unit cell size was varied to generate different pore sizes and porosities. Gyroid scaffolds had a pore size in the range of 600–1200 μm and a porosity in the range of 54–72%, respectively. Corresponding values for the diamond were 900–1500 μm and 56–70%. Both structure types were validated experimentally, and a wide range of mechanical properties (including stiffness and yield strength) were predicted using the finite element method. The stiffness and strength of both structures are comparable to that of cortical bone, hence reducing the risks of scaffold failure. The results demonstrate that the developed scaffolds mimic the physical and mechanical properties of cortical bone and can be suitable for bone replacement and orthopaedic implants. However, an optimal design should be chosen based on specific performance requirements.

Background: The incidence of non-rheumatic valvular heart diseases (NRVHD) has shown an increasing trend. However, most studies have overlooked the impact of gender on the disease. Female patients, as a specific subgroup, have rarely been discussed independently. It is essential to conduct separate epidemiological studies to understand the latest epidemiological data for female NRVHD patients and to raise awareness among researchers and clinicians. Methods: Data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database were retrieved to obtain epidemiological data on female NRVHD from both global and regional perspectives, covering 204 countries and territories. Joinpoint regression, age-period-cohort analysis, decomposition, and predictive analyses were employed to further examine the epidemiological data. Results: The incidence of female NRVHD patients has shown a continuous upward trend and is expected to persist in the future, particularly in regions with high and high-middle Socio-Demographic Index (SDI). However, in low and lower-middle SDI regions, patients experience relatively higher Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and Years Lived with Disability (YLDs), with a greater number of heart failure cases attributed to NRVHD. Decomposition analysis indicates that the increase in the incidence of NRVHD and its subtypes is primarily driven by population growth and aging. Conclusions: With economic development and population aging, female NRVHD remains a significant healthcare burden for countries worldwide. Low- and middle-SDI regions should implement tertiary prevention strategies to address the impending shift in the spectrum of valvular heart diseases. Further clinical research should focus on female patients as a distinct subgroup of NRVHD, exploring the unique aspects of the disease in this population.

In recent years, antibiotics pollution has caused serious harm to the aquatic environment, and microalgae mediated degradation of antibiotics has attracted increasing attention. However, the potential toxicity of antibiotics to keystone microalgae species or their microalgae consortia, and the impact of microalgal diversity on antibiotic removal need to be further studied. In this study, we investigated the removal efficiency and tolerance of five freshwater microalgae ( Chlorella pyrenoidosa , Scenedesmus quadricauda , Dictyosphaerium sp., Haematoccocus pluvialis , and Botryococcus braunii ) and their microalgae consortia to sulfamethoxazole (SMX). We found that the removal efficiency of SMX by C. pyrenoidosa reached 49%, while the other four microalgae ranged between 9% and 16%. In addition, C. pyrenoidosa , S. quadricauda , and Dictyosphaerium sp. had better tolerance to SMX than H. pluvialis , and their growth and photosynthesis were less affected. At 10 and 50 mg/L SMX, the removal capacity of SMX by mixed microalgae consortia was lower than that of C. pyrenoidos except for the consortium with C. pyrenoidos and S. quadricauda . The consortia generally showed higher sensitivity towards SMX than the individual species, and the biochemical characteristics (photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, superoxide anion (O 2 - ), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and extracellular enzymes) were significantly influenced by SMX stress. Therefore, the removal of antibiotics by microalgae consortia did not increase with the number of microalgae species. Our study provides a new perspective for the selection of microalgal consortia to degrade antibiotics.

Small herbivores are important biological factors affecting plant productivity and species richness in the grassland ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau. However, the response of different grassland types to the disturbance of the \"endemic species\" plateau pika ( ) remains unclear. In this study, two representative grassland types, alpine meadow and alpine steppe, were taken as research objects to compare the effects of pika disturbance on vegetation structure and function indicators, and to explore the disturbance response threshold of these ecosystems. The results showed that the alpine steppe was more sensitive to pika disturbance, with significant decreases in biomass, vegetation height, and coverage even at low disturbance levels. In contrast, alpine meadows exhibited greater resilience, maintaining higher productivity and species diversity under moderate disturbance conditions. Notably, the functional index of alpine meadow peaked under moderate disturbance, while alpine steppe rapidly transitioned to a degraded state. These differences highlight the varying disturbance thresholds between the two grassland types. This study highlights the vulnerability of alpine grassland ecosystems to pika disturbance and provides a strong scientific basis for designing effective grassland management and ecological restoration strategies.

Background Ageing results in diminished adaptability, as well as declines in physiological and psychological functions and resilience. The epigenetic clock ‘Phenotypic Age’ (PhenoAge) represents ‘preclinical ageing’. Phenotypic Age Acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel) is defined as the residual from a linear regression model predicting PhenoAge on the basis of chronological age. Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) have all been shown to correlate with ageing; however, the connections between these factors and PhenoAge are still insufficiently investigated. Methods Data for this study were sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015–2018), comprising 2580 participants. Complex survey designs were considered. To examine the association between body fat area and PhenoAgeAccel, logistic regression was applied. Additionally, subgroup analysis was used to identify variations in population characteristics. The dose‒response relationship between body fat area and PhenoAgeAccel was determined via restricted cubic spline analysis. Mediation and interaction analyses were further employed to investigate the roles of the HOMA-IR and HDL-C in this association. Results In nonelderly adults, the relationships between body fat area and PhenoAgeAccel differed chronological age. For abdominal subcutaneous fat area (SFA), this relationship was nonlinear in individuals aged 18–44 years and 45–59 years, with thresholds of 2.969 m² and 3.394 m², respectively. In contrast, a nonlinear relationship of visceral fat area (VFA) with PhenoAgeAccel was observed in individuals aged 18–44 years, while this relationship was linear in individuals aged 45–59 years, with thresholds of 0.769 m² and 1.220 m², respectively. Mediation effect analysis revealed that the HOMA-IR had a more pronounced mediation effect in individuals aged 18–44 years, accounting for 13.4% of the relationship between VFA and PhenoAgeAccel and 6.9% of the relationship between SFA and PhenoAgeAccel. Conversely, HDL-C had a greater mediating effect in individuals aged 45–59 years, accounting for 21.7% of the relationship between VFA and PhenoAgeAccel and 11.6% of the relationship between abdominal SFA and PhenoAgeAccel. HOMA-IR ≥ 2.73 or VFA > 0.925 m², as well as HOMA-IR ≥ 2.73 or abdominal SFA > 3.137 m², accelerated PhenoAge, whereas 1.60 < HDL-C ≤ 3.90 mmol/L combined with abdominal SFA ≤ 3.137 m² or VFA ≤ 0.925 m² decelerated PhenoAge. Conclusion In this study, the nonlinear relationships among abdominal SFA, VFA, and PhenoAgeAccel were elucidated, while characteristic thresholds across different age groups were identified. The results of this study emphasize the complex influence of fat distribution on the ageing process and refine the roles of HOMA-IR and HDL-C in various age cohorts. These findings provide a biological basis for future screening for accelerated ageing and appropriate intervention in high-risk populations and offer valuable insights for guiding personalized clinical interventions and health management strategies.

The immune system functions as a sophisticated defense mechanism, shielding the body from harmful pathogenic invaders [...].The immune system functions as a sophisticated defense mechanism, shielding the body from harmful pathogenic invaders [...].