Enzymatic epimerization of monoterpene indole alkaloids in Kratom.

Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) are a large, structurally diverse class of bioactive natural products. These compounds are biosynthetically derived from a stereoselective Pictet-Spengler condensation that generates a tetrahydro-β-carboline scaffold characterized by a 3 stereocenter. However, a subset of MIAs contain a non-canonical 3 stereocenter.

Alpha-synuclein pathology enhances peripheral and CNS immune responses to bacterial endotoxins.

Increasing evidence points to infectious diseases as contributor to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD), probably driven by a peripheral and CNS inflammatory response together with alpha-synuclein (aSyn) pathology. Pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin is suggested as a risk factor, and LPS shedding gram-negative bacteria are more prevalent in the gut-microbiome of PD patients. Here, we investigated whether LPS could contribute to the neurodegenerative disease progression via neuroinflammation, especially under conditions of aSyn pathology.

Effects of elastic therapeutic taping on reducing drooling in children with neurological disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background & Aims: Effective treatment for anterior drooling in children with neurological disorders can lead to improved social interactions, reduced physical complications such as perioral infections, and enhanced quality of life for both patients and their parents. Elastic therapeutic taping (ETT) has emerged a novel intervention for drooling, but its evidence was limited. This study systematically reviewed the effectiveness of ETT on reducing anterior drooling in children with neurological disorders.

UniVar: A variant interpretation platform enhancing rare disease diagnosis through robust filtering and unified analysis of SNV, INDEL, CNV and SV.

Background: Interpreting the pathogenicity of genetic variants associated with rare diseases is a laborious and time-consuming endeavour. To streamline the diagnostic process and lighten the burden of variant interpretation, it is crucial to automate variant annotation and prioritization. Unfortunately, currently available variant interpretation tools lack a unified and comprehensive workflow that can collectively assess the clinical significance of these types of variants together: small nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions/deletions (INDELs), copy number variants (CNVs) and structural variants (SVs).

Current Status of Vertebral Body Tethering for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Umbrella Review.

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a prevalent spinal deformity among teenagers worldwide. Vertebral body tethering (VBT) is an innovative, minimally invasive technique developed to address spinal curvature by modulating vertebral growth. However, the existing body of evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of VBT in treating AIS is fragmented and requires thorough consolidation and critical assessment.