Pathological fracture induced by Halicephalobus gingivalis (Nematoda: Rhabditida) in a horse limb.

Halicephalobus gingivalis is a free-living nematode that occasionally causes infections in horses. We report a rare case of limb fracture of horse caused by infection with H. gingivalis.

Identification and characterization of a small molecule that activates thiosulfate sulfurtransferase and stimulates mitochondrial respiration.

The enzyme Thiosulfate sulfurtransferase (TST, EC 2.8.1.

3D structures of the Plasmodium vivax subtilisin-like drug target SUB1 reveal conformational changes to accommodate a substrate-derived α-ketoamide inhibitor.

The constant selection and propagation of multi-resistant Plasmodium sp. parasites require the identification of new antimalarial candidates involved in as-yet untargeted metabolic pathways. Subtilisin-like protease 1 (SUB1) belongs to a new generation of drug targets because it plays a crucial role during egress of the parasite from infected host cells at different stages of its life cycle.

Thiosulfate sulfurtransferase prevents hyperglycemic damage to the zebrafish pronephros in an experimental model for diabetes.

Thiosulfate sulfurtransferase (TST, EC 2.8.1.

Molecular Target Validation of Aspartate Transcarbamoylase from by Torin 2.

Malaria is a tropical disease that kills about half a million people around the world annually. Enzymatic reactions within pyrimidine biosynthesis have been proven to be essential for proliferation. Here we report on the essentiality of the second enzymatic step of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, catalyzed by aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC).

New directions in antimalarial target validation.

: Malaria is one of the most prevalent human infections worldwide with over 40% of the world's population living in malaria-endemic areas. In the absence of an effective vaccine, emergence of drug-resistant strains requires urgent drug development. Current methods applied to drug target validation, a crucial step in drug discovery, possess limitations in malaria.

A novel mechanism of inhibition by phenylthiourea on PvdP, a tyrosinase synthesizing pyoverdine of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The biosynthesis of pyoverdine, the major siderophore of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a well-organized process involving a discrete number of enzyme-catalyzed steps. The final step of this process involves the PvdP tyrosinase, which converts ferribactin into pyoverdine. Thus, inhibition of the PvdP tyrosinase activity provides an attractive strategy to interfere with siderophore synthesis to manage P.

Oligomeric protein interference validates druggability of aspartate interconversion in Plasmodium falciparum.

The appearance of multi-drug resistant strains of malaria poses a major challenge to human health and validated drug targets are urgently required. To define a protein's function in vivo and thereby validate it as a drug target, highly specific tools are required that modify protein function with minimal cross-reactivity. While modern genetic approaches often offer the desired level of target specificity, applying these techniques is frequently challenging-particularly in the most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.

Oligomeric interfaces as a tool in drug discovery: Specific interference with activity of malate dehydrogenase of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.

Malaria remains a major threat to human health, as strains resistant to current therapeutics are discovered. Efforts in finding new drug targets are hampered by the lack of sufficiently specific tools to provide target validation prior to initiating expensive drug discovery projects. Thus, new approaches that can rapidly enable drug target validation are of significant interest.

Diagnostic utility of DREAM gene mRNA levels in thyroid tumours.

Objective: The transcriptional repressor DREAM is involved in thyroid-specific gene expression, thyroid enlargement and nodular development, but its clinical utility is still uncertain. In this study we aimed to investigate whether DREAM mRNA levels differ in different thyroid tumors and how this possible difference would allow the use of DREAM gene expression as molecular marker for diagnostic and/or prognosis purpose.

Materials And Methods: We quantified DREAM gene mRNA levels and investigated its mutational status, relating its expression and genetic changes to diagnostic and prognostic features of 200 thyroid tumors, being 101 malignant [99 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) and 2 anaplastic thyroid carcinomas] and 99 benign thyroid lesions [49 goiter and 50 follicular adenomas (FA)].

Identification of a non-competitive inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum aspartate transcarbamoylase.

Aspartate transcarbamoylase catalyzes the second step of de-novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. As malarial parasites lack pyrimidine salvage machinery and rely on de-novo production for growth and proliferation, this pathway is a target for drug discovery. Previously, an apo crystal structure of aspartate transcarbamoylase from Plasmodium falciparum (PfATC) in its T-state has been reported.

Obesity and thyroid cancer.

Many studies have provided observational data on the association of obesity and thyroid cancers, but only few of them propose mechanisms that would permit a better understanding of the causal molecular mechanisms of this association. Considering that there is an increasing incidence of both obesity and thyroid cancers, we need to summarize and link recent studies in order to characterize and understand the contribution of obesity-related factors that might affect thyroid cancer development and progression. Adipose tissue is involved in many vital processes, including insulin sensitivity, angiogenesis, regulation of energy balance, activation of the complement system, and responses such as inflammation.

First report of coenurosis in sheep in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

This paper reports the first case of coenurosis in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. This disease is caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Taenia multiceps (Leske, 1780). The animal in which the disease was diagnosed was an 18-month-old ewe from an endemic area of Southern Brazil as an imported animal among a group of 30 sheep.