Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents the majority of lung cancer cases and remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Early detection, accurate staging, and individualized therapy are crucial for improving patient survival. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed NSCLC care through the automated analysis of imaging, pathology, and molecular datasets. Deep learning (DL) and machine learning (ML) models, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have demonstrated high accuracy in tumor detection, histologic classification, biomarker prediction (PD-L1, EGFR, KRAS) and prognosis assessment. Integration of the AI with whole slide imaging (WSI), computed tomography (CT), PET/CT and liquid biopsies enables non-invasive tumor characterization, early recurrence detection and prediction of treatment response. Multimodal AI approaches that combine imaging, genomic, and clinical data offer superior patient stratification and personalized treatment planning compared with traditional methods. Beyond diagnosis, AI facilitates therapeutic development through radiomics based nodule classification, multi-omics data interpretation, and drug discovery. Radiomics, in particular, extracts quantitative imaging biomarkers that capture tumor heterogeneity beyond human perception. The AI further supports clinical decision-making in surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy, enhancing workflow efficiency. Despite challenges in data quality, interpretability, and clinical adoption, AI holds significant promise for advancing precision oncology and improving outcomes in NSCLC management.

The gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse microbial community, including bacteria, archaea, and protozoa, which play pivotal roles in maintaining host gut health. Probiotics, comprising nonpathogenic microorganisms administered in appropriate doses, have garnered attention for their therapeutic potential in promoting overall human health. They bolster antipathogenic defenses, enhance immune function, and ameliorate gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome. The intricate interplay between diet, gut microbiota, and mental health is well-documented, with numerous studies highlighting the impact of food consumption on stress levels and cognitive function. Preclinical and clinical investigations have elucidated the therapeutic effects of probiotics and prebiotics in managing various mental disorders, including depression, autism spectrum disorders, and fibromyalgia syndrome. Emerging research underscores the role of psychobiotics, a class of probiotic microbes with psychotropic properties, in alleviating psychiatric distress. Furthermore, synbiotics, combining live microorganisms with substrates, hold promise in modulating gut microbiota and mitigating stress, depression, and anxiety. This review aims to explore the intricate communication pathways between the gut and brain and their implications for disease pathology.

The nanomaterial-mediated freightage of drugs is considered to be more effective than archetypical drug delivery means. The nanomaterial-based simultaneous innovative delivery of proven antineoplastic natural compounds obtained from the higher plants, i.e., phytoconstituents with extant anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs has been found to be remarkably more synergistic, efficacious and viable than their monotherapy and combination therapy in conventional pharmaceutical dosage forms to combat cancer. In order to overcome the acknowledged limitations of present antineoplastic phytoconstituents as well as prevalent anticancer agents against malignancies, the current review aims to provide an evidence-based account of the pertinent pre-clinical research, supporting the fact of significantly increased compliance through such nanocombinatorial therapies against different types of cancers. Future studies in this area might create a new avenue for cancer treatment to reach the best possible outcome for the people.

Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) has emerged as a strategy to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections; however, in Brazil, its use occurs without formal clinical protocols, shifting prevention responsibilities to individuals. This qualitative descriptive study included 32 cisgender men ages ≥ 18 years who reported Doxy-PEP use. Data were collected through an online semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, guided by Orem's Self-Care Theory and the health vulnerability framework. Four interrelated themes were identified: reliance on informal information networks; ethical and biomedical tensions, including concerns about antimicrobial resistance; pharmacological self-management through informal or negotiated access; and weak institutional support leading to alternative therapeutic itineraries. Doxy-PEP use reflects a situated self-care practice shaped by intersecting vulnerabilities and institutional gaps, highlighting the need for equitable, evidence-based nursing interventions for sexually transmitted infection prevention.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has transformed the treatment of refractory haematological malignancies, yet its success remains limited by cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Although earlier intervention with tocilizumab and corticosteroids has reduced the incidence of severe toxicity, these strategies act after inflammatory signaling is already established and do not reliably prevent isolated or delayed neurological complications. This has shifted the field from reactive management towards prevention at the level of the cellular product itself. Manufacturing conditions, cellular compositions and differentiation state can shape the inflammatory setpoint of CAR T cells, but attempts to preserve less-differentiated, highly proliferative populations may also increase expansion-driven toxicity. Construct engineering therefore aims not simply to weaken CAR activity, but to recalibrate antigen recognition, signaling strength and cytokine output while preserving durable tumor control. Multimodal reversible CAR engineering approaches via drug-gated receptors, safety switches, transient surface shielding, and targeted CAR degradation, further recast CAR T cells as tuneable therapeutic systems rather than fixed products. However, most evidence remains preclinical or derived from small, heterogeneous studies. Progress will depend on prospective trials that evaluate efficacy and neurotoxicity together, using harmonised product analytics, neurological endpoints and longitudinal biomarker sampling to define clinically meaningful safety/activity trade-offs.

Naematelia aurantialba is a medicinal fungus, which has many bioactivities such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, immune regulation, anti-tumor, etc. Here, we characterized and analyzed the composition and molecular weight of polysaccharides from N. aurantialba, and their bioactivities against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in zebrafish and the underlying mechanisms. Polysaccharides from N. aurantialba have an average molecular weight of 37.6 kDa, and mainly contain 68.83% mannose, 13.97% xylose, 13.02% glucuronic acid, and 2.64% glucose. In zebrafish, the treatment with N. aurantialba polysaccharides (NAP) reduced the damage to the intestinal barrier and the number of inflammatory cells in the intestinal area of zebrafish with DSS-induced UC. In addition, the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in zebrafish treated with NAP were downregulated, while the expression level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was upregulated. The polysaccharides of N. aurantialba decreased the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative damages in the body, increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes. These are associated with changes of inflammatory signaling pathways such as NF- kB and NLRP3. In summary, polysaccharides from N. aurantialba have shown anti-inflammatory effects on UC in zebrafish models, demonstrating their potential for intestinal health care.

Pleurotus ostreatus is a well-known culinary-medicinal mushroom for its rich nutritional composition and diverse biological activities. The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate 115 wild isolates and five commercial strains cultivated under controlled bottle-culture conditions in terms of β-glucan, ergothioneine, and lovastatin contents, as well as selected biological activities and nutritional parameters. Isolates PO85, PO71, and PO36 exhibited the highest β-glucan [61.526 g/100 g dry weight (dw)], lovastatin (1.509 mg/g dw), and ergothioneine (10.732 mg/g dw) contents, respectively. In biological activity assays, the isolate PO85 promoted the growth of Lactobacillus strains effectively, lovastatin-rich extract of isolate PO116 pronounced antifungal activity against Candida albicans, and ergothioneine-rich extract of isolate PO164 exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity in the ABTS radical scavenging assay. In terms of nutritional analysis, isolate PO71 was rich in dry matter, nitrogen, and protein, whereas isolate PO85 had high moisture, ash, and reducing sugar levels but lower fat content. These findings highlight the significant intraspecific variability of P. ostreatus and suggest that some isolates may offer potential for future functional food applications due to their metabolite profiles and biological activities.

Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, cancer, and obesity pose a leading threat to human health largely driven by unhealthy diet. To mitigate the problem, intake of edible mushrooms has garnered attention worldwide owing to their beneficial health effects. Among them, Pleurotus citrinopileatus is widely cultivated in several countries such as China, Japan and Russia, due to taste, lucrative color and easy cultivation process. The present study aimed to evaluate mycochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of water-based preparations isolated from the yellow oyster mushroom. Qualitative tests for bioactive compounds revealed presence of flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, polysterols, terpenoids and tannins in both the aqueous extracts. Whereas quantitative analysis demonstrated that the infusion contained significantly higher levels of total phenolics (21.37 μg of GAE/mg of dry extract); while the decoction exhibited slightly elevated contents of flavanoid (8.8 μg of quercetin equivalents/mg of dry extract), β-carotene (0.032 μg/mg dry extract), lycopene (0.02 μg/mg dry extract) and ascorbic acid (0.89 μg/mg extract). Antioxidant evaluations revealed that infusion outperformed the decoction in all experiments, exhibiting remarkable 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino bis (3-ethylbenzothi-azoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, as reflected by low half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) values of 303.6 and 70.69 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the infusion also displayed notable Fe2+-chelating ability, total antioxidant capacity and reducing power portraying better bioactivity. Pearson's correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive relationship between phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidative activities of both the extracts. Overall, these findings suggest consideration of infusion extract from P. citrinopileatus as an antioxidant rich functional beverage for industrial application supporting Sustainable Development Goals 3, 12, and 17.

Cordyceps chanhua is a significant natural source of N6-(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine (HEA), yet the regulatory mechanisms governing HEA biosynthesis remain poorly understood. In this study, 40 wild C. chanhua strains were isolated from samples collected in Zhejiang and Hubei provinces. Together with one laboratory-main- tained strain (CH1), a total of 41 strains were evaluated through fruiting assays for bioconversion efficiency and HEA production. All isolates were identified as the MAT1-2 mating type. Bioconversion efficiencies varied widely, ranging from 20% to 160%. Based on these results, strains CH1, CH21, and CH24 were selected for further investigation. The influence of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) concentration, sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration, cultivation duration, and substrate composition and ratios on HEA accumulation were systematically assessed. Among single-substrate me- dia, mung beans supported the highest HEA levels in fruiting bodies, whereas soybean medium produced the greatest HEA content in mycelial sclerotia. When oats and mung beans were combined at a 20:10 ratio, HEA levels in fruiting bodies reached their maximum. Under NAA treatment, mycelial sclerotia demonstrated peak HEA content at 2 g/L, corresponding to a 3.17-fold increase relative to the control. With NaCl supplementation, the highest HEA concentra- tion in fruiting bodies was observed at 10 g/L, a 2.9-fold increase over the control. Moreover, HEA accumulation in fruiting bodies increased initially and then declined with extended cultivation, a pattern unaffected by NaCl treatment. These findings provide a laboratory-scale reference for optimizing cultivation parameters to enhance HEA production in C. chanhua.

A pilot early phase 1 trial (NCT07261657) represents the first clinical effort to activate persisting transferred rare persisting cells by using IL-15 superagonist N-803.

Tattoo-associated nontuberculous mycobacterial infections can present in a variety of ways, including papular, pustular, nodular, and abscess-like morphologies. We report the case of an immunocompetent 28-year-old male who presented with diffusely distributed monomorphic papules with collarettes of scale confined to recently tattooed skin. Histopathologic evaluation demonstrated an atypical lichenoid vacuolar interface dermatitis, and tissue culture ultimately confirmed infection with Mycobacterium abscessus complex following prolonged incubation. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by atypical clinical and histopathologic features of tattoo-associated nontuberculous mycobacterial infections, emphasizing the importance of early biopsy, mycobacterial culture, and prolonged combination antimicrobial therapy for optimal patient outcomes.

Local field potentials (LFPs) recorded from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibit a distinctive multiscale spectral signature: exaggerated beta-band oscillations (13-30 Hz) coupled to high-frequency oscillations (HFOs, 200-400 Hz), with HFO amplitude being phase-locked to the beta cycle. This phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) has been identified as a promising biomarker of the parkinsonian state, yet no biophysical model has explained how it emerges, what determines the HFO frequency, or how HFOs can exist without beta modulation in the medicated STN. Here we show that a heterogeneous population of excitatory Izhikevich neurons with recurrent coupling produces three dynamical regimes: (i) asynchronous tonic firing, (ii) asynchronous bursting, in which neurons burst individually producing broadband HFO power but without coherent population-level PAC, and (iii) synchronous bursting, which gives rise to beta-HFO PAC. The regimes are governed by two biophysically interpretable parameters that capture complementary effects of dopamine depletion: one reflecting changes in intrinsic neuronal excitability, the other reflecting changes in synaptic coupling strength. The transition from asynchronous to synchronous bursting in this model emulates the emergence of pathological STN neuronal activity in the parkinsonian state. HFO peak frequency varies continuously across the two-parameter landscape, suggesting a possible mechanism of the clinically observed shift from slow (200-300 Hz) to fast (300-400 Hz) HFOs between medication states. The character of the synchronization transition depends on baseline excitability, ranging from a sharp co-emergence of bursting and synchrony at low excitability to a decoupled transition at intermediate excitability, where the bursting fraction saturates while the population synchronization continues to increase with coupling. The asynchronous-to-synchronous bursting transition and the beta-HFO PAC in the STN population also arise in an extended version of the model with reciprocal coupling to an inhibitory population of globus pallidus externa (GPe)-like neurons, with the beta frequency varying with the delay in the synaptic coupling between the two populations. The model generates testable predictions for future clinical and experimental studies, provides a numerical dissection of how mesoscopic LFP features could map onto microscopic neuronal dynamics, and serves as a computational building block for future circuit-level models that may inform brain stimulation strategies tailored to the patient-specific dynamical state of the STN.