A Novel Gene Synthesis Platform for Designing Functional Protein Polymers.

Recombinant protein polymers with repeat sequences of specific amino acids can be regarded as sustainable functional materials that can be designed using genetic engineering. However, synthesizing genes encoding these proteins is significantly time-consuming and labor-intensive owing to the difficulty of using common gene synthesis tools, such as restriction enzymes and PCR primers. To overcome these obstacles, a novel method is proposed herein: seamless cloning of rolling-circle amplicons (SCRCA).

Layer-by-layer assembled film can serve as an enhanced reaction environment for Diels-Alder reaction.

Although the Diels-Alder reaction (DA) has garnered significant attention due to its numerous advantages, its long reaction time is a drawback. Herein, we investigated the effects of polarity difference on DA using Layer-by-Layer (LbL) films comprising polycationic polyallylamine hydrochloride and polyanionic poly (styrenesulfonic acid-co-furfuryl methacrylate) [poly (SS--FMA)] as the reaction environment. First, furan composition in poly (SS--FMA) was adjusted to be 19 mol% to achieve good water solubility and layer deposition.

Safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of a novel 24-valent pneumococcal vaccine candidate in healthy, pneumococcal vaccine-naïve Japanese adults: A phase 1 randomized dose-escalation trial.

Background: The burden of pneumococcal diseases remains high in Japan. Pn-MAPS24v is a novel MAPS-based vaccine containing complexes of 24 serotype-specific polysaccharides (PS), non-covalently coupled with fusion protein 1 (CP1). This study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of different dose levels of Pn-MAPS24v, administered in Japanese adults either subcutaneously (SC) or intramuscularly (IM).

Anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activities of novel hydrazone derivatives downregulation of interleukin-6.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity worldwide. Sorafenib is a first-line drug for the treatment of HCC, however, it is reported to cause serious adverse effects and may lead to resistance in many patients. In this study, 20 hydrazone derivatives incorporating triazoles, pyrazolone, pyrrole, pyrrolidine, imidazoline, quinazoline, and oxadiazine moieties were designed, synthesized, and characterized.

Double-Layered Electrospun Nanofiber Filter for the Simultaneous Removal of Urea and Ammonium from Blood.

A major challenge in the development of wearable artificial kidneys (WAKs) lies in the efficient removal of urea, which is found at an extremely high concentration in the blood of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urease is an enzyme that hydrolyzes urea. While it can efficiently remove urea, toxic ammonium is produced as a byproduct.