A Multivalent DNA Nanoparticle/Peptide Hybrid Molecular Modality for the Modulation of Protein-Protein Interactions in the Tumor Microenvironment.

Despite success in the treatment of some blood cancers and melanoma, positive response to immunotherapies remains disappointingly low in the treatment of solid tumors. The context of the molecular crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment can result in dysfunctional immune cell activation, leading to tumor tolerance and progression. Although modulating these protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is vital for appropriate immune cell activation and recognition, targeting nonenzymatic PPIs has proven to be fraught with challenges.

Paediatric trigger thumb: Diagnostic pearls.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to report diagnostic pearls and review the clinical presentation and outcomes of surgical treatment of paediatric trigger thumbs.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records and imaging studies was performed on children with trigger thumbs from January 2009 to December 2019.

Results: Sixty-four trigger thumbs in 52 consecutive patients were treated.

Seriousness and outcomes of reported adverse drug reactions in old and new antiseizure medications: a pharmacovigilance study using EudraVigilance database.

Epilepsy is a widespread disease requiring long-term drug treatment. The aim of this study was to collect information on reported suspected adverse drug reactions (sADRs) of antiseizure medications (ASMs) and study their seriousness and outcomes in various system organ classifications (SOCs). We intended to compare old and new ASMs' ADRs.

Total Synthesis of Homoseongomycin Enantiomers and Evaluation of Their Optical Rotation.

A total synthesis of each homoseongomycin enantiomer was accomplished in 17 total steps (longest linear sequence = 12 steps) and 10 chromatographic purifications. Several schemes were attempted to forge the key 5-membered ring, but only a Suzuki coupling-intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation sequence proved viable. Challenges encountered during the optical rotation characterization of the natural product left us with two important takeaways.

Synthesis and Evaluation of diaryl ether modulators of the leukotriene A hydrolase aminopeptidase activity.

Activation of the aminopeptidase (AP) activity of leukotriene A hydrolase (LTAH) presents a potential therapeutic strategy for resolving chronic inflammation. Previously, ARM1 and derivatives were found to activate the AP activity using the alanine-p-nitroanilide (Ala-pNA) as a reporter group in an enzyme kinetics assay. As an extension of this previous work, novel ARM1 derivatives were synthesized using a palladium-catalyzed Ullmann coupling reaction and screened using the same assay.

Analysis of N- and O-linked site-specific glycosylation by ion mobility mass spectrometry: State of the art and future directions.

Glycosylation, the major post-translational modification of proteins, significantly increases the diversity of proteoforms. Glycans are involved in a variety of pivotal structural and functional roles of proteins, and changes in glycosylation are profoundly connected to the progression of numerous diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as the gold standard for glycan and glycopeptide analysis because of its high sensitivity and the wealth of fragmentation information that can be obtained.

Six years' experience and trends of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration and the effect of vitamin D consumption on these trends.

Vitamin D (vitD) deficiency may have importance in some diseases, but there is a lack of data in our country to clarify the current situation. Our aim was to examine the basic characteristics of patients' vitD status, and the ratio of vitD deficiency and its relation to certain diseases, assess seasonality and trends, and reveal the indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vitD supplementation at the patient population level. Anonymized data on 25(OH)D test results were obtained from the clinical data registry of a tertiary teaching hospital covering the period between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2021.

"Ghost" Fragment Ions in Structure and Site-Specific Glycoproteomics Analysis.

Mass spectrometry (MS) can unlock crucial insights into the intricate world of glycosylation analysis. Despite its immense potential, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of isobaric glycopeptide structures remains one of the most daunting hurdles in the field of glycoproteomics. The ability to distinguish between these complex glycan structures poses a significant challenge, hindering our ability to accurately measure and understand the role of glycoproteins in biological systems.

Vertebrate and Invertebrate Animal and New In Vitro Models for Studying Biology.

The history of research has involved the use of a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate animal models, from insects to humans. In this review, we itemise these models and describe how they have made significant contributions to understanding the pathophysiology of infections and to the development and testing of vaccines and antimicrobials. We also look ahead, briefly, to their potential replacement by complex in vitro cellular models.

"Ghost" fragment ions in structure and site-specific glycoproteomics analysis.

Mass spectrometry (MS) can unlock crucial insights into the intricate world of glycosylation analysis. Despite its immense potential, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of isobaric glycopeptide structures remains one of the most daunting hurdles in the field of glycoproteomics. The ability to distinguish between these complex glycan structures poses a significant challenge, hindering our ability to accurately measure and understand the role of glycoproteins in biological systems.

DNA origami presenting the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 elicit robust protective immune response.

Effective and safe vaccines are invaluable tools in the arsenal to fight infectious diseases. The rapid spreading of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has highlighted the need to develop methods for rapid and efficient vaccine development. DNA origami nanoparticles (DNA-NPs) presenting multiple antigens in prescribed nanoscale patterns have recently emerged as a safe, efficient, and easily scalable alternative for rational design of vaccines.

Halogenated Carboxylates as Organic Anodes for Stable and Sustainable Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Organic materials are competitive as anodes for Na-ion batteries (NIBs) due to the low cost, abundance, environmental benignity, and high sustainability. Herein, we synthesized three halogenated carboxylate-based organic anode materials to exploit the impact of halogen atoms (F, Cl, and Br) on the electrochemical performance of carboxylate anodes in NIBs. The fluorinated carboxylate anode, disodium 2, 5-difluoroterephthalate (DFTP-Na), outperforms the other carboxylate anodes with H, Cl, and Br, in terms of high specific capacity (212 mA h g), long cycle life (300 cycles), and high rate capability (up to 5 A g).

Pharmacokinetic and metabolomic studies with a BIO 300 Oral Powder formulation in nonhuman primates.

BIO 300, a pharmaceutical formulation of genistein, is being developed as a radiation countermeasure to treat hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) and the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE). Several studies have affirmed its safety and efficacy in alleviating the damaging effects of ionizing radiation. However, dose optimization of any drug has always been an important area of research because unnecessarily high drug doses may result in serious complications.

Site-specific glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2: Big challenges in mass spectrometry analysis.

Glycosylation of viral proteins is required for the progeny formation and infectivity of virtually all viruses. It is increasingly clear that distinct glycans also play pivotal roles in the virus's ability to shield and evade the host's immune system. Recently, there has been a great advancement in structural identification and quantitation of viral glycosylation, especially spike proteins.

Identification of Novel Biomarkers for Acute Radiation Injury Using Multiomics Approach and Nonhuman Primate Model.

Purpose: The availability of validated biomarkers to assess radiation exposure and to assist in developing medical countermeasures remains an unmet need.

Methods And Materials: We used a cobalt-60 γ-irradiated nonhuman primate (NHP) model to delineate a multiomics-based serum probability index of radiation exposure. Both male and female NHPs were irradiated with different doses ranging from 6.

A multi-omics approach identifies pancreatic cancer cell extracellular vesicles as mediators of the unfolded protein response in normal pancreatic epithelial cells.

Although cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (cEVs) are thought to play a pivotal role in promoting cancer progression events, their precise effect on neighbouring normal cells is unknown. In this study, we investigated the impact of pancreatic cancer ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) derived EVs on recipient non-tumourigenic pancreatic normal epithelial cells upon internalization. We demonstrate that cEVs are readily internalized and induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) in treated normal pancreatic epithelial cells within 24 h.

An optimized method for the isolation of urinary extracellular vesicles for molecular phenotyping: detection of biomarkers for radiation exposure.

Background: Urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a source of biomarkers with broad potential applications across clinical research, including monitoring radiation exposure. A key limitation to their implementation is minimal standardization in EV isolation and analytical methods. Further, most urinary EV isolation protocols necessitate large volumes of sample.

Hypoxia-activated neuropeptide Y/Y5 receptor/RhoA pathway triggers chromosomal instability and bone metastasis in Ewing sarcoma.

Adverse prognosis in Ewing sarcoma (ES) is associated with the presence of metastases, particularly in bone, tumor hypoxia and chromosomal instability (CIN). Yet, a mechanistic link between these factors remains unknown. We demonstrate that in ES, tumor hypoxia selectively exacerbates bone metastasis.

Regenerative Endodontics and Minimally Invasive Dentistry: Intertwining Paths Crossing Over Into Clinical Translation.

Regenerative endodontic procedures have been described for over a decade as a paradigm shift in the treatment of immature necrotic permanent teeth, owing to their ability to allow root maturation with subsequent enhancement of the tooth's fracture resistance in addition to the potential for regeneration of vital intracanal tissues. Concomitantly, minimally invasive endodontics is another rising concept with the main concern of preservation of tooth structure. Stemming from their potential to preserve the original tooth structure, both regenerative and minimally invasive endodontics could be considered as two revolutionary sciences with one common goal.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Patients With Epilepsy and Diabetes Mellitus, Focusing on the Outcome of Treatment.

Millions all over the world live with epilepsy, and they may require long-term drug treatment. The use and interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) have grown over the previous years. Coadministration of herbal products with medicines may result in adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and/or unfavorable interactions.

Microbiome study in irradiated mice treated with BIO 300, a promising radiation countermeasure.

Background: The mammalian gut harbors very complex and diverse microbiota that play an important role in intestinal homeostasis and host health. Exposure to radiation results in dysbiosis of the gut microbiota leading to detrimental pathophysiological changes to the host. To alleviate the effects of irradiation, several candidate countermeasures are under investigation.

Biofluid Metabolomics of Mice Exposed to External Low-Dose Rate Radiation in a Novel Irradiation System, the Variable Dose-Rate External Cs Irradiator.

An important component of ionizing radiation (IR) exposure after a radiological incident may include low-dose rate (LDR) exposures either externally or internally, such as from Cs deposition. In this study, a novel irradiation system, VAriable Dose-rate External Cs irradiatoR (VADER), was used to expose male and female mice to a variable LDR irradiation over a 30 d time span to simulate fall-out-type exposures in addition to biofluid collection from a reference dose rate (0.8 Gy/min).

Analysis of the metabolomic profile in serum of irradiated nonhuman primates treated with Ex-Rad, a radiation countermeasure.

To date, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four drugs to mitigate hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome and all four are repurposed radiomitigators. There are several additional drug candidates currently under evaluation that may also be helpful for use during a widespread emergency. One possible candidate is Ex-Rad, also known as ON01210, a chlorobenzyl sulfone derivative (organosulfur compound), which is a novel, small-molecule kinase inhibitor with demonstrated efficacy in the murine model.