Anti-PD-L1 F(ab) Conjugated PEG-PLGA Nanoparticle Enhances Immune Checkpoint Therapy.

Immune checkpoint therapies are effective in the treatment of a subset of patients in many different cancers. Immunotherapy offers limited efficacy in part because of rapid drug clearance and off-target associated toxicity. PEG-PLGA is a FDA approved, safe, biodegradable polymer with flexible size control.

Neutrophils Deficient in Innate Suppressor IRAK-M Enhances Anti-tumor Immune Responses.

Tumor-associated immune-suppressive neutrophils are prevalent in various cancers, including colorectal cancer. However, mechanisms of immune-suppressive neutrophils are not well understood. We report that a key innate suppressor, IRAK-M (interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase M), is critically involved in the establishment of immune-suppressive neutrophils.

Enhanced Mucosal Defense and Reduced Tumor Burden in Mice with the Compromised Negative Regulator IRAK-M.

Aberrant inflammation is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer. IRAK-M is a critical negative regulator of TLR signaling and overzealous inflammation. Here we utilize data from human studies and Irak-m mice to elucidate the role of IRAK-M in the modulation of gastrointestinal immune system homeostasis.

Is it important to position foot in subtalar joint neutral position during non-weight-bearing molding for foot orthoses?

When taking molds for foot orthoses, it is accepted practice to position the subtalar joint in its neutral position. However, foot orthoses have no contact with the talus, and this leads to a hypothesis that as long as there is correction available to appropriately align the forefoot relative to the hindfoot when taking a mold, changes in subtalar joint angles do not lead to significant alterations in the plantar surface shapes of the molds taken. This study tested this presumption with 20 subjects between 22 and 46 years old.

Dipeptidyl peptidases as survival factors in Ewing sarcoma family of tumors: implications for tumor biology and therapy.

Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) is a group of aggressive pediatric malignancies driven by the EWS-FLI1 fusion protein, an aberrant transcription factor up-regulating specific target genes, such as neuropeptide Y (NPY) and its Y1 and Y5 receptors (Y5Rs). Previously, we have shown that both exogenous NPY and endogenous NPY stimulate ESFT cell death via its Y1 and Y5Rs. Here, we demonstrate that this effect is prevented by dipeptidyl peptidases (DPPs), which cleave NPY to its shorter form, NPY(3-36), not active at Y1Rs.

The effect of prosthesis alignment on the symmetry of gait in subjects with unilateral transtibial amputation.

A high degree of gait symmetry is characteristic of healthy gait. The aim of this study is to examine the symmetry of various gait parameters in subjects with unilateral trans-tibial amputation over a range of acceptable anteroposterior translational and tilt alignments, and further to examine if a consistent alignment of highest symmetry can be found. Acceptable alignments were determined by bench, static and dynamic testing on level and non-level surfaces.

The interaction between physical and social-psychological factors in indoor environmental health.

Indoor environmental health is now recognized as an important factor in preventing respiratory health problems in the United States. It is also a concern in Canada due to the amount of time that Canadians spend indoors because of cold weather and the potential for increased time indoors during the summer if the climate warms. The negative health effects are often labeled as sick building syndrome, but diagnosing a building or its occupants as sick is complicated by the variety of symptoms, the presence of chronic versus acute symptoms and social and psychological (socio-psychological) factors that may reduce the effectiveness of an engineering solution.