Publications by authors named "Daniel Leonard"

The risk of inducing hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) constitutes the main challenge associated with insulin therapy for diabetes. Insulin doses must be adjusted to ensure that blood glucose values are within the normal range, but matching insulin doses to fluctuating glucose levels is difficult because even a slightly higher insulin dose than needed can lead to a hypoglycaemic incidence, which can be anything from uncomfortable to life-threatening. It has therefore been a long-standing goal to engineer a glucose-sensitive insulin that can auto-adjust its bioactivity in a reversible manner according to ambient glucose levels to ultimately achieve better glycaemic control while lowering the risk of hypoglycaemia.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the deaths of millions of people and severe global economic impacts. Small molecule therapeutics have played an important role in the fight against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, but their efficacy has been limited in scope and availability, with many people unable to access their benefits, and better options are needed. EDP-235 is specifically designed to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, with potent nanomolar activity against all SARS-CoV-2 variants to date, as well as clinically relevant human and zoonotic coronaviruses.

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Background: Carcinoid tumors are rare neuroendocrine malignancies presenting in an increasing number in our center. The incidence of carcinoid tumors is approximatively between 2.5 and 5 cases per 100,000 people of whom about 50% develop carcinoid syndrome.

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Tumor acidosis is associated with increased invasiveness and drug resistance. Here, we take an unbiased approach to identify vulnerabilities of acid-exposed cancer cells by combining pH-dependent flow cytometry cell sorting from 3D colorectal tumor spheroids and transcriptomic profiling. Besides metabolic rewiring, we identify an increase in tetraploid cell frequency and DNA damage response as consistent hallmarks of acid-exposed cancer cells, supported by the activation of ATM and ATR signaling pathways.

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We report a rapid postgrafting reaction to prepare alkyl ammonium functionalized polycarbazoles from a commercially available monomer. This novel synthetic approach provides benefit to preparing the high molecular weight quaternized polycarbazoles within 1 h of Friedel-Crafts polycondensation, avoiding the synthesis and purification step to prepare a functionalized monomer. The postgrafting reaction produces hexyl alkyl ammonium functionalized polycarbazole with 100% grafting degree.

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Background: Recent data regarding the impact of biologics and new surgical techniques on the indications and outcomes of colectomy for ulcerative colitis (UC) are limited.

Aims: The present study aimed at determining the trend of colectomy in UC by comparing colectomy indications and outcomes between 2000 and 2010 and 2011-2020.

Methods: This observational retrospective study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals, including consecutive patients who underwent colectomy between 2000 and 2020.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed the prognostic value of the Immunoscore in Stage I/II colon cancer patients, using data from over 1,800 individuals across North America and Europe.
  • Results indicated that a high Immunoscore correlated with lower recurrence rates and better survival outcomes, especially significant in Stage II and high-risk Stage II patients.
  • The findings suggest that a low Immunoscore can effectively identify early colon cancer patients at risk of relapse, even when accounting for other clinical factors.
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Background: There has been growing evidence of the benefits of high-intensity aerobic interval training (HIIT) and resistance training (RES) for populations with cancer. However, these two modalities have not yet been performed alone in rectal cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACR T). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the feasibility of HIIT and RES in rectal cancer patients undergoing NACR T.

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BACKGROUND: In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of Immunoscore in patients with stage I−III colon cancer (CC) in the Asian population. These patients were originally included in an international study led by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) on 2681 patients with AJCC/UICC-TNM stages I−III CC. METHODS: CD3+ and cytotoxic CD8+ T-lymphocyte densities were quantified in the tumor and invasive margin by digital pathology.

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Anastomotic leakage is a major complication following colorectal surgery leading to peritonitis, complications, and mortality. has shown beneficial effects on the gut barrier function. Whether reduces peritonitis and mortality during colonic leakage is unknown.

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Introduction: Fatal pedestrian and pedalcyclist crashes have been on the rise in the United States since 2009. This rise in fatalities coincides with the rise of large vehicles on American roadways, continuing a trend that began years earlier.

Method: Through rare access to both crash and hospital records, this report investigates the relationship between striking vehicle type and medical outcomes of pedestrian and pedalcyclist cases.

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Chronic pelvic sepsis eventually requires salvage surgery in half of all patients. The goal of surgery is to resolve pelvic inflammation while restoring intestinal continuity. Our salvage procedure achieves this by bringing a healthy conduit into the pelvis and creating an anastomosis beyond the source of sepsis.

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Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the rectum are rare, with an estimated incidence of 0.1% of all colorectal cancers. However, it is crucial to diagnose NET, particularly in patients with ulcerative colitis, who seem to have a higher risk of cancerization according to recent studies, given the aggressiveness and poor prognosis of these tumors.

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l-Arogenate (also known as l-pretyrosine) is a primary metabolite on a branch of the shikimate biosynthetic pathway to aromatic amino acids. It plays a key role in the synthesis of plant secondary metabolites including alkaloids and the phenylpropanoids that are the key to carbon fixation. Yet understanding the control of arogenate metabolism has been hampered by its extreme instability and the lack of a versatile synthetic route to arogenate and its analogues.

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Quaternary amino acids are important tools for the modification and stabilisation of peptide secondary structures. Here we describe a practical and scalable synthesis applicable to quaternary alpha-arylated amino acids (Q4As), and the development of solid-phase synthesis conditions for their incorporation into peptides. Monomeric and dimeric α-helical peptides are synthesised with varying degrees of Q4A substitution and their structures examined using biophysical methods.

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Pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgical resection is still the standard treatment for locally advanced low rectal cancer. Nowadays new strategies are emerging to treat patients with a complete response to pre-operative treatment, rendering the optimal management still controversial and under debate. The primary aim of this study was to obtain a snapshot of tumor regression grade (TRG) distribution after standard CRT.

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