Qingdao University

Neurodegenerative diseases are prevalent conditions that greatly impact human health. These diseases are primarily characterized by the progressive loss and eventual death of neuronal function, although the precise mechanisms underlying these processes remain incompletely understood. Iron is an essential trace element in the human body, playing a crucial role in various biological processes. The maintenance of iron homeostasis relies on the body’s intricate and nuanced regulatory mechanisms. In recent years, considerable attention has been directed toward the relationship between dysregulated iron homeostasis and neurodegenerative diseases. The regulation of iron homeostasis within cells is crucial for maintaining proper nervous system function. Research has already revealed that disruptions in iron homeostasis may lead to ferroptosis and oxidative stress, which, in turn, can impact neuronal health and contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This article primarily explores the intimate relationship between iron homeostasis and neurodegenerative diseases, aiming to provide novel insights and strategies for treating these debilitating conditions.

This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features and diagnostic strategies of CD30-negative classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) based on core needle biopsy specimens. Six cases diagnosed at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital and Beijing Gaobo Boren Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis was established through integrated evaluation of histomorphology and immunohistochemical (IHC) profiling. All cases underwent repeated CD30 immunostaining using multiple antibody clones and platforms to confirm true CD30 negativity. The cohort comprised five males and one female (male-to-female ratio 5:1), with a median age of 17.5 years (range: 6-86 years). Histological subtypes included four cases of mixed cellularity and two of nodular sclerosis, all demonstrating characteristic morphological features of cHL. CD30 expression was entirely absent in five cases and weakly positive in scattered tumor cells in one case. To ensure diagnostic accuracy, repeat biopsies were performed in four patients. IHC analysis revealed consistent expression of PAX5, C-MYC, ATF3, and p53 in all six cases, with variable positivity for CD20 (3/6), LCA (1/6), MUM1 (4/6), OCT2 (4/6), and BOB.1 (1/6). Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) was positive in five cases (83.3 %), with none of the cases undergoing flow cytometry (FCM). Five patients received ABVD chemotherapy; four achieved complete remission, one died, and one was lost to follow-up. IDiagnosis was established based on histomorphological identification of Reed-Sternberg-like cells within a characteristic inflammatory background, in conjunction with an extended immunophenotypic panel. CD30 immunostaining was repeated using different clones and platforms to exclude technical artifacts. In cases with persistent CD30 negativity, complete excision was performed when feasible, and diagnosis was confirmed only if R-S-like cells concurrently exhibited: (1) variable or weak CD20 and LCA expression, never both strongly positive; (2) weak or absent PAX5 and MUM1; (3) discordant BOB.1 and OCT2 expression; and (4) positive c-MYC, p53, and ATF3 nuclear staining. Cases failing to meet all criteria were excluded. In conclusion, CD30-negative cHL diagnosed on limited biopsy material tends to affect younger male patients and retains typical morphological and immunophenotypic hallmarks of cHL. A thorough diagnostic approach incorporating multi-clone CD30 IHC and repeat sampling when necessary is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis in these diagnostically ambiguous cases.

Endotoxin sensing has been receiving increasing attention as the endotoxin concentration is an important index for evaluating bacterial contamination and infection. The gold-standard sensing method based on horseshoe crab deformed cell lysate analysis (LAL) has been facing great challenges including high cost and animal ethical issues, which encourages researchers to explore alternative sensing probes to LAL. Herein, using 3-aminobenzoboric acid as a functional reagent, nitrogen and boron doped CeO₂ nanozymes with phosphatase activity are successfully designed and prepared. Interestingly, the introduced nitrogen and boron elements endows the nanozymes with obviously enhanced catalytic activity and high selectivity to endotoxin due to the specifical interaction between endotoxin and boric acid residue groups. Accordingly, the limit of detection of the as-prepared fluorescent liquid phase sensor is as low as 5.17 ng mL^-1 within the linear range of 20-200 ng mL^-1. Impressively, the detection time of the fabricated sensor is only 10 min and the sensor shows extremely high selectivity for lipopolysaccharide, which exhibits great application potential as alternative to traditional endotoxin sensors.