Targeted modulation of gut and intra-tumor microbiota to improve the quality of immune checkpoint inhibitor responses.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies, such as those blocking the interaction of PD-1 with its ligands, can restore the immune-killing function of T cells. However, ICI therapy is clinically beneficial in only a small number of patients, and it is difficult to predict post-treatment outcomes, thereby limiting its widespread clinical use. Research suggests that gut microbiota can regulate the host immune system and affect cancer progression and treatment.

MpADC, an L-aspartate-α-decarboxylase, from Myzus persicae, that enables production of β-alanine with high yield by whole-cell enzymatic catalysis.

Background: β-Alanine is a precursor of many important pharmaceutical products and food additives, its market demand is continuously increasing nowadays. Whole-cell catalysis relying on the recombinant expression of key β-alanine synthesizing enzymes is an important method to produce β-alanine. Nevertheless, β-alanine synthesizing enzymes found so far have problems including easy inactivation, low expression or poor catalytic activity, and it remains necessary to develop new enzymes.

The occurrence and development of radiation-induced lung injury after interstitial brachytherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy in SD rats.

Background: To compare the severity of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) after the right lung of SD rats received interstitial brachytherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT).

Methods: RILI rat model was established using interstitial brachytherapy and SBRT methods, respectively. CT scan was performed to analyze the lung volume and the CT value difference between the left and right lungs in rats.

CircRANBP17 modulated KDM1A to regulate neuroblastoma progression by sponging miR-27b-3p.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common childhood cancer. Circular RNA RAN binding protein 17 (circRANBP17) has been identified to participate in diverse tumor progression. This study aims to explore the function and mechanism of circRANBP17 in NB.

Associations between perceived overqualification, transformational leadership and burnout in nurses from intensive care units: A multicentre survey.

Aims: To explore whether perceived overqualification increases the risk of burnout and whether transformational leadership negatively moderates this relationship.

Background: Perceived overqualification might contribute to burnout and lead to poor experience of transformational leadership, and transformational leadership might be associated with burnout. However, these relationships have not yet been confirmed.

Imaging of Tumor Hypoxia With Radionuclide-Labeled Tracers for PET.

The hypoxic state in a solid tumor refers to the internal hypoxic environment that appears as the tumor volume increases (the maximum radius exceeds 180-200 microns). This state can promote angiogenesis, destroy the balance of the cell's internal environment, and lead to resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, as well as poor prognostic factors such as metastasis and recurrence. Therefore, accurate quantification, mapping, and monitoring of hypoxia, targeted therapy, and improvement of tumor hypoxia are of great significance for tumor treatment and improving patient survival.

Association of MYH9 Polymorphisms with Hypertension in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in China.

Background/aims: This study explored the correlation between hypertension and non-muscle myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) gene polymorphisms in Chinese chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Methods: This case-control study included 301 patients with CKD and 293 healthy controls. The E1 haplotype single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs3752462 and rs4821480 were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

Semi-preparative LC-SPE-cryoflow NMR for impurity identifications: use of mother liquor as a better source of impurities.

Unambiguous structural elucidation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) impurities is a particularly challenging necessity of pharmaceutical development, particularly if the impurities are low level (0.1% level). In many cases, this requires acquiring high-quality NMR data on a pure sample of each impurity.

Discovery of brivanib alaninate ((S)-((R)-1-(4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy)propan-2-yl)2-aminopropanoate), a novel prodrug of dual vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 kinase inhibitor (BMS-540215).

A series of amino acid ester prodrugs of the dual VEGFR-2/FGFR-1 kinase inhibitor 1 (BMS-540215) was prepared in an effort to improve the aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability of the parent compound. These prodrugs were evaluated for their ability to liberate parent drug 1 in in vitro and in vivo systems. The l-alanine prodrug 8 (also known as brivanib alaninate/BMS-582664) was selected as a development candidate and is presently in phase II clinical trials.

Sulfonyl-containing aldophosphamide analogues as novel anticancer prodrugs targeted against cyclophosphamide-resistant tumor cell lines.

A series of sulfonyl-group containing analogues of aldophosphamide (Aldo) were synthesized as potential anticancer prodrugs that liberate the cytotoxic phosphoramide mustards (PM, IPM, and tetrakis-PM) via beta-elimination, a nonenzymatic activation mechanism. Kinetic studies demonstrated that all these compounds spontaneously liberate phosphoramide mustards with half-lives in the range of 0.08-15.