E-Cigarette effects on oral health: A molecular perspective.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have emerged as a potential alternative to traditional smoking and may aid in tobacco harm reduction and smoking cessation. E-cigarette use has notably increased, especially among young non-tobacco users, raising concerns due to the unknown long-term health effects. The oral cavity is the first and one of the most crucial anatomical sites for the deposition of e-cigarette aerosols.

PLAS-20k: Extended Dataset of Protein-Ligand Affinities from MD Simulations for Machine Learning Applications.

Computing binding affinities is of great importance in drug discovery pipeline and its prediction using advanced machine learning methods still remains a major challenge as the existing datasets and models do not consider the dynamic features of protein-ligand interactions. To this end, we have developed PLAS-20k dataset, an extension of previously developed PLAS-5k, with 97,500 independent simulations on a total of 19,500 different protein-ligand complexes. Our results show good correlation with the available experimental values, performing better than docking scores.

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Extract Increases Cisplatin Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer Cells.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance are major obstacles in the long-term efficacy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment. Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is common and has been proposed as an independent predictor of HNSCC recurrence and disease-free survival. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for these negative patient outcomes are unknown.

Insights on the Radiation-Induced Adaptive Response at the Cellular Level and Its Implications in Cancer Therapy.

Background: Development of resistance upon exposure to small doses of ionizing radiation followed by higher doses is known as radiation-induced adaptive response (RIAR). Traditionally, the induction of the RIAR phenomenon at the cellular level has been examined in cell lines, animal models, and epidemiological studies where people live in high natural background radiation.

Summary: The primary intention of the earlier studies was to corroborate the existence of RIAR and the mechanism involved in mediating the response surveyed by exposure to a low dose of radiation (<500 mGy) as priming dose toward the radiation protection point of view.