Telaglenastat as an alternative to cisplatin as a radiosensitizer in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The efficacy of radiation treatment (RT) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is limited by radioresistance and the toxicity of FDA approved radiosensitizers. In extension to our previous research where we demonstrated that telaglenastat (CB839) increased efficacy of RT in in vitro and in vivo HNSCC models, here, we examine the radiosensitizing effects of telaglenastat in comparison to cisplatin's, as cisplatin is currently the standard of care for concurrent therapy. Combination of telaglenastat with RT reduced tumor volume in a HNSCC patient derived xenograft mouse model.

Controlled Spalling of 4H Silicon Carbide with Investigated Spin Coherence for Quantum Engineering Integration.

We detail scientific and engineering advances which enable the controlled spalling and layer transfer of single crystal 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) from bulk substrates. 4H-SiC's properties, including high thermal conductivity and a wide bandgap, make it an ideal semiconductor for power electronics. Moreover, 4H-SiC is an excellent host of solid-state atomic defect qubits for quantum computing and quantum networking.

Coherent Erbium Spin Defects in Colloidal Nanocrystal Hosts.

We demonstrate nearly a microsecond of spin coherence in Er ions doped in cerium dioxide nanocrystal hosts, despite a large gyromagnetic ratio and nanometric proximity of the spin defect to the nanocrystal surface. The long spin coherence is enabled by reducing the dopant density below the instantaneous diffusion limit in a nuclear spin-free host material, reaching the limit of a single erbium spin defect per nanocrystal. We observe a large Orbach energy in a highly symmetric cubic site, further protecting the coherence in a qubit that would otherwise rapidly decohere.

Improving Radiotherapy Response in the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer.

The application of radiotherapy to the treatment of cancer has existed for over 100 years. Although its use has cured many, much work remains to be done to minimize side effects, and in-field tumor recurrences. Resistance of the tumor to a radiation-mediated death remains a complex issue that results in local recurrence and significantly decreases patient survival.

Virtual models of chronic disease management: lessons from the experiences of virtual care during the COVID-19 response.

Objective This study examined Gold Coast staff and patient experiences with the rapid expansion of a virtual model of chronic disease management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The study undertook a survey of enrolled patients (n=24) and focus groups with clinical and administrative staff (n=44) delivering chronic disease programs at Gold Coast Health in Queensland. The study also examined routinely collected activity data for the chronic disease programs before COVID (January-February 2020) and for the first 3 months of the COVID-19 response (March-May 2020).

Glutaminase inhibition with telaglenastat (CB-839) improves treatment response in combination with ionizing radiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models.

The efficacy of ionizing radiation (IR) for head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is limited by poorly understood mechanisms of adaptive radioresistance. Elevated glutaminase gene expression is linked to significantly reduced survival (p < 0.03).

Determining the molecular landscape and impact on prognosis in HPV-associated head and neck cancer.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a better prognosis than HNSCC due to other risk factors. However, there is significant heterogeneity within HPV-associated HNSCC and 25% of these patients still do poorly despite receiving aggressive therapy. We currently have no good molecular tools to differentiate and exclude this "high-risk" sub-population and focus on "low-risk" patients for clinical trials.

Evaluation of antioxidant network proteins as novel prognostic biomarkers for head and neck cancer patients.

Objectives: Recurrence rates for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) approach 50% at 5 years. Current staging fails to identify patients with a worse prognosis who might benefit from intensified treatment, which warrants improved prognostic biomarkers. The purpose of this retrospective case study is to identify potential prognostic biomarkers in patients with HNSCC including APE1 (DNA repair/redox gene regulator), NRF2 and PPARGC1A (redox gene regulators), SOD3 and DCN (antioxidant proteins).

MST1R (RON) expression is a novel prognostic biomarker for metastatic progression in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: This study evaluates the prognostic significance of MST1R (RON) expression in breast cancer with respect to disease progression, long-term survival, subtype, and association with conventional prognostic factors.

Methods: The approach includes interrogation of survival and tumor staging with paired MST1R RNA expression from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Protein expression evaluation was performed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of MST1R on breast cancer tissue samples from the Cancer Diagnosis Program Breast Cancer Progression tissue microarray and locally obtained breast tumor tissue samples analyzed with paired survival, metastasis, and subtype.

Massive Dirac fermions in a ferromagnetic kagome metal.

The kagome lattice is a two-dimensional network of corner-sharing triangles that is known to host exotic quantum magnetic states. Theoretical work has predicted that kagome lattices may also host Dirac electronic states that could lead to topological and Chern insulating phases, but these states have so far not been detected in experiments. Here we study the d-electron kagome metal FeSn, which is designed to support bulk massive Dirac fermions in the presence of ferromagnetic order.

Analysis of RNA expression of normal and cancer tissues reveals high correlation of COP9 gene expression with respiratory chain complex components.

Background: The COP9 signalosome, composed of eight subunits, is implicated in cancer genetics with its deneddylase activity to modulate cellular concentration of oncogenic proteins such as IkB and TGFβ. However, its function in the normal cell physiology remains elusive. Primarily focusing on gene expression data of the normal tissues of the head and neck, the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database was used to identify groups of genes that were expressed synergistically with the COP9 genes, particularly with the COPS5 (CSN5), which possesses the catalytic activity of COP9.

Polyubiquitination of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 by Parkin.

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) is an essential protein crucial for repair of oxidized DNA damage not only in genomic DNA but also in mitochondrial DNA. Parkin, a tumor suppressor and Parkinson's disease (PD) associated gene, is an E3 ubiquitin ligase crucial for mitophagy. Although DNA damage is known to induce mitochondrial stress, Parkin's role in regulating DNA repair proteins has not been elucidated.

Repair of oxidative DNA damage and cancer: recent progress in DNA base excision repair.

Significance: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated by exogenous and environmental genotoxins, but also arise from mitochondria as byproducts of respiration in the body. ROS generate DNA damage of which pathological consequence, including cancer is well established. Research efforts are intense to understand the mechanism of DNA base excision repair, the primary mechanism to protect cells from genotoxicity caused by ROS.

BITC Sensitizes Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas to TRAIL-induced Apoptosis.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive cancer with a greater than 95% mortality rate and short survival after diagnosis. Chemotherapeutic resistance hinders successful treatment. This resistance is often associated with mutations in codon 12 of the K-Ras gene (K-Ras 12), which is present in over 90% of all pancreatic adenocarcinomas.