MR Imaging Reveals Dynamic Aggregation of Multivalent Glycoconjugates in Aqueous Solution.

Glycoconjugates forming from the conjugation of carbohydrates to other biomolecules, such as proteins, lipids, or other carbohydrates, are essential components of mammalian cells and are involved in numerous biological processes. Due to the capability of sugars to form multiple hydrogen bonds, many synthetic glycoconjugates are desirable biocompatible platforms for imaging, diagnostics, drugs, and supramolecular self-assemblies. Herein, we present a multimeric galactose functionalized paramagnetic gadolinium (Gd(III)) chelate that displays spontaneous dynamic aggregation in aqueous conditions.

HaloTag display enables quantitative single-particle characterisation and functionalisation of engineered extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play key roles in diverse biological processes, transport biomolecules between cells and have been engineered for therapeutic applications. A useful EV bioengineering strategy is to express engineered proteins on the EV surface to confer targeting, bioactivity and other properties. Measuring how incorporation varies across a population of EVs is important for characterising such materials and understanding their function, yet it remains challenging to quantitatively characterise the absolute number of engineered proteins incorporated at single-EV resolution.

HaloTag display enables quantitative single-particle characterization and functionalization of engineered extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play key roles in diverse biological processes, transport biomolecules between cells, and have been engineered for therapeutic applications. A useful EV bioengineering strategy is to express engineered proteins on the EV surface to confer targeting, bioactivity, and other properties. Measuring how incorporation varies across a population of EVs is important for characterizing such materials and understanding their function, yet it remains challenging to quantitatively characterize the absolute number of engineered proteins incorporated at single-EV resolution.

Cell-Wall-Targeting Antibiotics Cause Lag-Phase Bacteria to Form Surface-Mediated Filaments Promoting the Formation of Biofilms and Aggregates.

Antibiotics are known to promote bacterial formation of enhanced biofilms, the mechanism of which is not well understood. Here, using biolayer interferometry, we have shown that bacterial cultures containing antibiotics that target cell walls cause biomass deposition on surfaces over time with a linear profile rather than the Langmuir-like profiles exhibited by bacterial adherence in the absence of antibiotics. We observed about three times the initial rate and 12 times the final biomass deposition on surfaces for cultures containing carbenicillin than without.

[Association between serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism and clinicopathological factors and effect of the polymorphism on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients].

Objective: To examine the association between the genotype (LL, LS and SS) of serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism(5-HTTLPR) and clinicopathological factors, and to investigate the effect of 5-HTTLPR on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: Data of peripheral blood samples of 161 colorectal cancer patients at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from October 2009 to January 2014 were collected retrospectively. The genotyping of 5-HTTLPR was determined by PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis.

The impacts of pretreatment circulating eosinophils and basophils on prognosis of stage Ⅰ-Ⅲ colorectal cancer.

Aim: The effects of circulating eosinophils and basophils on cancer survival are unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the impacts of eosinophils and basophils on prognosis of stage I-III colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

Methods: From February 2003 to March 2013, 569 stage I-III CRC patients were enrolled in this retrospective study.