Modification of B-Nor Steroids Mediated by Filamentous Fungus : Focus on 15α-Hydroxylase Activity.

The metabolic activities of microorganisms to modify the chemical structures of organic compounds are an effective tool for the production of high-value steroidal drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The integration of biotransformation into the synthesis of APIs can greatly reduce the number of reaction steps and achieve higher process efficiency, thus enabling their greener production. The current research efforts are focused on either the optimization of existing processes or identification of new potentially useful bioconversions.

Comparison of biochemical changes induced in radioresistant prostate cancer cells by X-rays, radiosensitizing drugs, and a combined therapy using Raman microspectroscopy.

Cancer radioresistance is a major problem in radiotherapy. Many strategies have been proposed to overcome this process including the use of radiosensitizing drugs such as C75 or silibinin. The overall result of all treatments (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and combined treatment) is cancer cell death.

Phylloquinone improves endothelial function, inhibits cellular senescence, and vascular inflammation.

Phylloquinon (PK) and menaquinones (MK) are both naturally occurring compounds belonging to vitamin K group. Present study aimed to comprehensively analyze the influence of PK in several models of vascular dysfunction to determine whether PK has vasoprotective properties, similar to those previously described for MK. Effects of PK and MK on endothelial dysfunction were studied in ApoE/LDLR mice in vivo, in the isolated aorta incubated with TNF, and in vascular cells as regard inflammation and cell senescence (including replicative and stress-induced models of senescence).

High Concentration of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies 2 Years after COVID-19 Vaccination Stems Not Only from Boosters but Also from Widespread, Often Unrecognized, Contact with the Virus.

This study follows 99 subjects vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines over two years, with particular focus on the last year of observation (between days 360 and 720). The response to the vaccination was assessed with Diasorin's SARS-CoV-2 TrimericSpike IgG. Screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection was performed with Abbott's SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid IgG immunoassay.