Landscape of extracellular vesicles in the tumour microenvironment: Interactions with stromal cells and with non-cell components, and impacts on metabolic reprogramming, horizontal transfer of neoplastic traits, and the emergence of therapeutic resistance

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly recognised as a pivotal player in cell-cell communication, an attribute of EVs that derives from their ability to transport bioactive cargoes between cells, resulting in complex intercellular signalling mediated by EVs, which occurs under both physiological and pathological conditions. In the context of cancer, recent studies have demonstrated the versatile and crucial roles of EVs in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Here, we revisit EV biology, and focus on EV-mediated interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells, including fibroblasts, immune cells, endothelial cells and neurons. In addition, we focus on recent reports indicating interactions between EVs and non-cell constituents within the TME, including the extracellular matrix. We also review and summarise the intricate cancer-associated network modulated by EVs, which promotes metabolic reprogramming, horizontal transfer of neoplastic traits, and therapeutic resistance in the TME. We aim to provide a comprehensive and updated landscape of EVs in the TME, focusing on oncogenesis, cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, together with our future perspectives on the field.

Passively mode locked thulium and thulium/holmium doped fiber lasers using MXene Nb2C coated microfiber

As a result of the emergence of two-dimensional (2D) materials for various opto-electronics applications, a new class of materials named MXenes have been attracting interests due to their outstanding nonlinear properties. In this work, an MXene niobium carbide (Nb2C) was proposed and demonstrated as a saturable absorber to induce mode-locking in thulium- and thulium/holmium-doped fiber lasers. The Nb2C solution was first prepared using the liquid exfoliation technique, and then deposited onto a microfiber for integration into the laser cavity. Stable mode-locking operation was observed in both laser cavities, where the center wavelengths of the laser were recorded at 1944 nm for the TDFL and 1950 nm for the THDFL. The generated pulses in the TDFL and THDFL had repetition rates of 9.35 and 11.76 MHz respectively, while their corresponding pulse widths were 1.67 and 1.34 ps. Both of the lasers were highly stable, having SNR values of more than 52 dB and showed no major fluctuations when tested for their long-term stabilities. The results demonstrate an excellent performance of the Nb2C as a saturable absorber, offering opportunities to further explore MXenes for future photonics devices.

Low birth weight in Kuala Lumpur

Low birth weight babies are defined as those weighing under 2,500 g. They make 13.5% of all births at the Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur but contribute to 74.8% of all deaths. They are most likely to be Indian babies and least likely to be Chinese. Among all 3 communities, the primigravidae tend to produce smaller babies than multiparae but this is also true for the Indian of parity more than 3. The Malay teenager is more likely to produce small babies than their older counterparts but not so with the Indian and Chinese. There are definite clinical factors associated with or causing the births of small babies and the lighter the baby, the more influential are these factors. Maternal hypertension, antepartum haemorrhage, multiple pregnancy and unexplained intrauterine death are the 4 outstanding associations with both low birth weight and perinatal death. Although the spontaneous (often premature) onset of labour was the commonest preceding factor, it was much less important in the lowest birth weight groups of babies and was a less important contributor to perinatal death.

Functional combinatorial precision medicine for predicting and optimizing soft tissue sarcoma treatments

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare, heterogeneous tumors with poor survival outcomes, primarily due to reliance on cytotoxic chemotherapy and lack of targeted therapies. Given the uniquely individualized nature of STS, we hypothesized that the ex vivo drug sensitivity platform, quadratic phenotypic optimization platform (QPOP), can predict treatment response and enhance combination therapy design for STS. Using QPOP, we screened 45 primary STS patient samples, and showed improved or concordant patient outcomes that are attributable to QPOP predictions. From a panel of approved and investigational agents, QPOP identified AZD5153 (BET inhibitor) and pazopanib (multi-kinase blocker) as the most effective combination with superior efficacy compared to standard regimens. Validation in a panel of established patient lines and in vivo models supported its synergistic interaction, accompanied by repressed oncogenic MYC and related pathways. These findings provide preliminary clinical evidence for QPOP to predict STS treatment outcomes and guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies for STS patients.