Pre-treatment DNA methylome and transcriptome profiles correlate with melanoma response to anti-PD1 immunotherapy.

Successful immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy occurs in only a fraction of melanoma patients, and yet all patients are susceptible to potentially serious ICI-related side-effects. No current biomarkers robustly predict ICI treatment response in melanoma patients. In this study we sought to identify methylome and transcriptome markers which have the potential to predict immunotherapy response in melanoma patients ahead of treatment with anti-PD1 ICI monotherapy.

ALSUntangled #78: Zinc.

ALSUntangled reviews alternative and off-label treatments for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS). In this review, we assess the utilization of dietary zinc supplements for modulating ALS pathology and progression. Studies in mouse models of ALS have demonstrated that high-dose zinc supplementation may be harmful, but moderate doses could potentially be beneficial.

Synthesis, screening and validation of cysteine-reactive fragments as chikungunya virus protease inhibitors.

Alphaviruses like the Chikungunya virus cause severe outbreaks; however, no specific treatments are available. Their viral replication depends on the nsP2 cysteine protease, a promising but underexplored target for drug discovery. In this study, we report a covalent fragment screening against Chikungunya virus nsP2 protease, resulting in the identification of three inhibitors that can serve as starting points for future drug development.

COVID-19 infection and sleep health: findings from the nationally representative COVID-19 Unequal Racial Burden survey.

Study Objectives: To estimate overall and racial/ethnic-specific associations between COVID-19 infection status and sleep health.

Methods: We analyzed online survey data collected from December 2020-February 2021 among Asian, Black, Latino (English and Spanish-speaking), and White adults (n=1000 each), along with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NH/PI), and multiracial adults (n=500). COVID-19 infection (confirmed, probable, suspected), based on self-reported data on symptoms and infected contacts, was classified using World Health Organization definitions.

Racial and ethnic disparities in the perceived neighborhood walking environment and self-reported sleep health: A nationally representative sample of the United States.

Objectives: To identify associations between perceived neighborhood walkability and sleep across racial and ethnic groups of US adults.

Methods: Data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey (N=27,521) were used to assess self-reported measures of walkability (pedestrian access, accessible amenities, unsafe walking conditions) and sleep (short and long duration; frequency of waking up unrested, trouble falling and staying asleep, sleep medication use). Stratified by racial and ethnic group, we calculated the age-adjusted prevalence of neighborhood walkability features and sleep measures and estimated prevalence ratios assessing associations between neighborhood walkability and sleep while adjusting for sociodemographic and health covariates.