Glycolysis is a well-known process by which metabolically active cells, such as tumor or immune cells meet their high metabolic demands. Previously, our laboratory has demonstrated that in airway epithelial cells, the pleiotropic cytokine, interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) induces glycolysis and that this contributes to allergic airway inflammation and remodeling. Activation of glycolysis is known to increase NADPH reducing equivalents generated from the pentose phosphate pathway, linking metabolic reprogramming with redox homeostasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-PCD is a participatory study initiated by people with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) who have an essential vote in all stages of the research from the design of the study to the recruitment of participants, and interpretation and communication of the study results. COVID-PCD aims to collect epidemiological data in real-time from people with PCD throughout the pandemic to describe incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), symptoms and course of disease; identify risk factors for prognosis; and assess experiences, wishes and needs. The study is advertised through patient support groups and participants register online on the study website (www.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the context of a PRMT5 inhibitor program, we describe our efforts to develop a flexible and robust strategy to access tetrahydrofuro[3,4-]furan nucleoside analogues. Ultimately, it was found that a Wolfe type carboetherification from an alkenol derived from d-glucofuranose diacetonide was capable of furnishing the B-ring and installing the desired heteroaryl group in a single step. Using this approach, key intermediate was delivered on a gram scale in a 62% yield and 9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiation-induced bystander effects (RIBE) have raised many concerns about radiation safety and protection. In RIBE, unirradiated cells receive signals from irradiated cells and exhibit irradiation effects. Until now, most RIBE studies have been based on morphological and biochemical characterization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA facile one-pot strategy for CN and CN exchange with aryl, heteroaryl, and alkenyl nitriles using a Ni phosphine catalyst and BPh is described. This late-stage carbon isotope exchange (CIE) strategy employs labeled Zn(CN) to facilitate enrichment using the nonlabeled parent compound as the starting material, eliminating synthesis for precursor development. A broad substrate scope encompassing multiple pharmaceuticals is disclosed, including the preparation of [C] belzutifan to illustrate the exceptional functional group tolerance and utility of this labeling approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF7,8-Dihydroxyflavone (DHF) is a naturally occurring flavonoid that has been reported to protect against a variety of pathologies. Chronic administration of DHF prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in female, but not male, mice. However, the mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism have not been elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicromachines (Basel)
February 2021
We conducted a laser parameter study on CO laser induced electrical conductivity on a polyimide film. The induced electrical conductivity was found to occur dominantly at the center of the scanning line instead of uniformly across the whole line width. MicroRaman examination revealed that the conductivity was mainly a result of the multi-layers (4-5) of graphene structure induced at the laser irradiation line center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFare emerging fungal pathogens causing opportunistic skin and severe systemic infection. Nosocomial outbreaks are associated with azole resistance and understanding of the underlying mechanisms are limited to knowledge from other fungal species. Herein, we identified distinct antifungal susceptibility patterns in 26 isolates derived from healthy and diseased individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe regulation of permeance and selectivity in membrane systems may allow effective relief of conventional energy-intensive separations. Here, pressure-responsive ultrathin membranes (≈100 nm) fabricated by compositing flexible two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheets (MONs) with graphene oxide nanosheets for CO separation are reported. By controlling the gas permeation direction to leverage the pressure-responsive phase transition of the MONs, CO -induced gate opening and closing behaviors are observed in the resultant membranes, which are accompanied with the sharp increase of CO permeance (from 173.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe resistance of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains a significant clinical problem. Targeting alternative pathways, such as protein prenylation, is known to be effective in overcoming resistance. Simvastatin inhibits 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (a key enzyme in isoprenoid-regulation), thereby inhibiting prenylation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A high proportion of COVID-19 patients were reported to have cardiac involvements. Data pertaining to cardiac sequalae is of urgent importance to define subsequent cardiac surveillance.
Methods: We performed a systematic cardiac screening for 97 consecutive COVID-19 survivors including electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, serum troponin and NT-proBNP assay 1-4 weeks after hospital discharge.
To demonstrate the causative role of gut microbiome in human health and diseases, we first need to identify, via next-generation sequencing, potentially important functional members associated with specific health outcomes and disease phenotypes. However, due to the strain-level genetic complexity of the gut microbiota, microbiome datasets are highly dimensional and highly sparse in nature, making it challenging to identify putative causative agents of a particular disease phenotype. Members of an ecosystem seldomly live independently from each other.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHong Kong is one of the earliest cities to have hampered by the COVID-19. When preventive public health measures are enforced, specific groups, who have already been facing inequality before the outbreak, are likely to become more overlooked and vulnerable. This community case study aims to describe the additional needs of families of children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental issues, as well as unexpected difficulties and challenges social service professionals encountered when delivering service and their solutions toward these challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Video gaming is a promising intervention for cognitive and social impairment in patients with schizophrenia. A number of gaming interventions have been evaluated in small-scale studies with various patient groups, but studies on patients with schizophrenia remain scarce and rarely include the evaluation of both clinical and neurocognitive outcomes. In this study, we will test the effectiveness of two interventions with gaming elements to improve cognitive and clinical outcomes among persons with schizophrenia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConjugated polyenes are a class of widely occurring natural products with various biological functions. We previously identified 4-hydroxy auxarconjugatin B (4-HAB) as anti-inflammatory agent with an IC of ~20 µM. In this study, we synthesized a new anti-inflammatory 4-HAB analogue, F240B, which has an IC of less than 1 µM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntegrating CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing into modern breeding programs for crop improvement in cereals. Global climate trends in many agricultural regions have been rapidly changing over the past decades, and major advances in global food systems are required to ensure food security in the face of these emerging challenges. With increasing climate instability due to warmer temperatures and rising CO levels, the productivity of global agriculture will continue to be negatively impacted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is increasingly performed. Physically small Asians have smaller aortic root and peripheral vessel anatomy. The influence of gender of Asian patients undergoing TAVR is unknown and may affect outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Recent epidemiological data indicate that minority groups, especially Hispanic communities, experience higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19. It is important to understand the nature of this health disparity and the socioeconomic or behavioral factors that are placing Hispanic communities and other minority populations at higher risk for morbidity and mortality.
Objective: The purpose of this project is to assess current COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among a predominantly Hispanic population from Orange County, California, and identify risk factors that may contribute to increased susceptibility and vulnerability to contracting SARS-CoV-2.
Background: Malnutrition in advanced cancer patients is common but limited and inconclusive data exists on the effectiveness of nutrition interventions. Feasibility and acceptability of a novel family-based nutritional psychosocial intervention were established recently. The aims of this present study were to assess the feasibility of undertaking a randomised controlled trial of the latter intervention, to pilot test outcome measures and to explore preliminary outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected various aspects of life, at different levels and in different countries on almost every continent. In response, many countries have closed their borders and imposed lockdown policies, possibly bringing benefits to people's health with significantly less emission from air pollutants. Currently, most studies or reports are based on local observations at the city or country level.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSelective oxidation of alcohols to their corresponding aldehyde or carboxylic acid is one of the most important classes of organic synthesis reactions. In addition, electrochemical alcohol oxidation is considered a viable anode reaction that can be paired with H evolution or other reductive fuel production reactions in electrochemical and photoelectrochemical cells. NiOOH, a material that has been extensively studied as an oxygen evolution catalyst, is among the most promising electrocatalysts for selective alcohol oxidation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFumaric acid diesters are important building blocks for organic synthesis. A class of zwitterionic organocatalysts based on an amide anion/iminium cation charge pair were found to be effective in catalyzing the isomerization of maleic acid diesters to give fumaric acid diesters. Comparison of the performance of different zwitterionic organocatalysts toward the reaction revealed that nonclassical hydrogen bonding was involved in the stabilization of the Michael adduct intermediate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
December 2020
Encapsulation devices are an emerging barrier technology designed to prevent the immunorejection of replacement cells in regenerative therapies for intractable diseases. However, traditional polymers used in current devices are poor substrates for cell attachment and induce fibrosis upon implantation, impacting long-term therapeutic cell viability. Bioactivation of polymer surfaces improves local host responses to materials, and here we make the first step toward demonstrating the utility of this approach to improve cell survival within encapsulation implants.
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