The Inhibition of Serum Amyloid A Protein Aggregation by a Five-Residue Peptidomimetic: Structural and Morphological Insights.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a small protein consisting of 104 residues and, under physiological conditions, exists mainly in hexameric form. It belongs to the positive acute-phase proteins, which means that its plasma concentration increases rapidly in response to injury, inflammation, and infection. The accumulation of SAA molecules promotes the formation of amyloid aggregates, which deposit extracellularly in many organs, causing their dysfunction.

Towards Achilles Tendon Injury Prevention in Athletes with Structural MRI Biomarkers: A Machine Learning Approach.

Background: Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have proven their effectiveness in orthopaedic settings, especially in tasks like medical image analysis. This study compares human musculoskeletal radiologists to artificial intelligence in a novel, detailed, short, and cost-effective examination of Achilles tendon magnetic resonance images to uncover potential disparities in their reasoning approaches. Aiming to identify relationships between the structured assessment of the Achilles tendon and its function that could support injury prevention.

Structure and Properties of Bioactive Titanium Dioxide Surface Layers Produced on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy in Low-Temperature Plasma.

Background: The NiTi alloy, known for its shape memory and superelasticity, is increasingly used in medicine. However, its high nickel content requires enhanced biocompatibility for long-term implants. Low-temperature plasma treatments under glow-discharge conditions can improve surface properties without compromising mechanical integrity.

Rpt5-Derived Analogs Stimulate Human Proteasome Activity in Cells and Degrade Proteins Forming Toxic Aggregates in Age-Related Diseases.

Aging and age-related diseases are associated with a decline in the capacity of protein turnover. Intrinsically disordered proteins, as well as proteins misfolded and oxidatively damaged, prone to aggregation, are preferentially digested by the ubiquitin-independent proteasome system (UIPS), a major component of which is the 20S proteasome. Therefore, boosting 20S activity constitutes a promising strategy to counteract a decrease in total proteasome activity during aging.

Influence of Low Temperature Plasma Oxidizing on the Bioactivity of NiTi Shape Memory Alloy for Medical Applications.

The present study elucidates the impact of glow discharge oxidation within a low-temperature plasma environment on the bioactivity characteristics of an NiTi shape memory alloy. The properties of the produced surface layers, such as structure (TEM observations), surface morphology (SEM observations), chemical and phase composition (EDS and XRD measurements), wettability (optical gonimeter), and the biological response of osteoblasts and platelets to the oxidized surface compared with the NiTi alloy without a surface layer are presented. The presented surface modification of the NiTi shape memory alloy, achieved through oxidizing in a low-temperature plasma environment, led to the creation of a continuous surface layer composed of nanocrystalline titanium oxide TiO (rutile).