Hadrons consist of quarks and gluons, collectively known as partons. The probability of finding a parton carrying a specific fraction of the hadron's momentum is described by parton distribution functions (PDFs), which are important for predicting parton-related phenomena. In a new study, Professor Xiangdong Ji studies two cutting-edge approaches for calculating PDFs from first principles, analyzing how they differ and how they can complement each other.

This study is the first to reveal the dual regulatory role of copper metabolism imbalance and cuproptosis in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC), providing novel molecular targets and therapeutic strategies for targeting the cuproptosis pathway and its key regulatory genes in the treatment of IBD and CRC. The related findings were published in Research under the title "Unveiling the Cuproptosis in Colitis and Colitis-Related Carcinogenesis: A Multifaceted Player and Immune Moderator."

Recently, Professor Peng Cao's team at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine conducted an in-depth study on the therapeutic potential of plant-derived extracellular vesicles in inflammatory skin diseases. They proposed a novel strategy for treating psoriasis using Perilla frutescens leaf-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (PLEVPs), and established a comprehensive research framework encompassing medicinal plant screening, molecular profiling, mechanistic studies, and in vivo validation.

The study revealed that PLEVPs effectively alleviate psoriasis symptoms by delivering the functional miRNA pab-miR396a-5p, which precisely modulates the IL-17 signaling pathway. This regulation reduces inflammation and keratinocyte hyperproliferation, demonstrating strong potential for localized therapy and clinical translation. The findings were published online in the international journal Research, under the title “Perilla frutescens Leaf-Derived Extracellular Vesicle-Like Particles Carry Pab-miR-396a-5p to Alleviate Psoriasis by Modulating IL-17 Signaling.”

Gastric cancer (GC), once primarily seen in older adults, is on the rise among younger individuals in developed countries. In a recent review, researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong analyzed how diet, gastric microbes, and their metabolites influence the risk of GC, highlighting harmful and protective microbial species and dietary patterns. This study serves as a roadmap for GC research and points toward personalized dietary and microbiome-based strategies for GC prevention.