Protective humoral immunity induced by virus-like particles expressing Toxoplasma gondii CST1 or MIC8.

Protective efficacy assessment of toxoplasmosis vaccines, at least at the preclinical level, frequently involves lethal dose challenge infection. Nonetheless, their efficacies remain largely unexplored against low infection doses which better reflects how humans become infected in the real world. In this study, we compared the immunity elicited in mice that were heterologously immunized with recombinant baculovirus and virus-like particles expressing either the cyst wall protein (CST1) or microneme protein 8 (MIC8) of Toxoplasma gondii (T.

Whole-Body and Segmental Phase Angles and Cognitive Function in the Older Korean Population: Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background: Recently, the phase angle (PhA) has emerged as an essential indicator of cellular health. Most studies have examined its association with physiological conditions, such as sarcopenia, frailty, and physical function, in older populations. Simultaneously, growing attention is being paid to the clinical relevance of segmental PhAs for future applications.

Identification of essential genes for Acanthamoeba castellanii excystation during encystation and excystation.

Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic pathogen that causes Acanthamoeba keratitis, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and other cutaneous diseases. The life cycle of Acanthamoeba consists of 2 stages of trophozoites and cysts. Under adverse environmental conditions, Acanthamoeba encysts, while the conditions become favorable for growth, it reverts to the trophozoite form.

Nanotherapeutic strategy against glioblastoma using enzyme inhibitors.

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive brain cancer and thus patients with glioblastoma have a severely low 5-year survival rate (<5 %). Glioblastoma damages neural centers, causing severe depression, anxiety, and cognitive disorders. Glioblastoma is highly resistant to most of available anti-tumor medications, due to heterogeneity of glioblastoma as well as the presence of stem-like cells.

Physiological cost of antibiotic resistance: Insights from a ribosome variant in bacteria.

Antibiotic-resistant ribosome variants arise spontaneously in bacterial populations; however, their impact on the overall bacterial physiology remains unclear. We studied the naturally arising antibiotic-resistant L22* ribosome variant of and identified a Mg-dependent physiological cost. Coculture competition experiments show that Mg limitation hinders the growth of the L22* variant more than the wild type (WT), even under antibiotic pressure.

Endovascular Treatment With Targeted Embolization of Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Single-Center Study.

Objective: To assess the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of targeted embolization for cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (CSDAVF).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study investigated patients with CSDAVF who underwent endovascular treatment at a tertiary hospital between October 1991 and March 2023. Treatment strategies were determined based on clinical symptoms and shunt characteristics.

Exploring the FAP-Targeted Therapeutics for Adrenocortical Carcinoma: Choosing the Right Track.

Metastatic or recurrent adrenocortical carcinoma is a potentially lethal malignancy, presenting significant challenges in disease management owing to absence of effective systemic treatments. Significantly diminished survival rates necessitate rapid identification of specific molecules for the development of targeted therapeutics. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-expressing cancer-associated fibroblasts have been a major breakthrough causing a paradigm shift in targeted theranostics focusing on the tumor microenvironment.

Medication Management in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Psychiatric Pharmacists in Primary Care.

This study describes the role of psychiatric pharmacists (PPs) in medication management at a county-hospital-based primary care clinic serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). During a 20-week period, PPs provided 308 interventions for 97 patients with IDD, 55% of whom had a concomitant psychiatric/behavioral disorder and 70% of whom were taking at least one psychotropic medication. PP services included medication reviews (48%), medication histories (13%), collaborative care (12%), pharmacotherapy interventions (11%), advisory services (9%), and patient/caregiver education (7%).

Probiotic and Postbiotic Potentials of EF-2001: A Safety Assessment.

Background: Probiotics, which are live microorganisms that, when given in sufficient quantities, promote the host's health, have drawn a lot of interest for their ability to enhance gut health. , a member of the human gut microbiota, has shown promise as a probiotic candidate due to its functional attributes. However, safety concerns associated with certain strains warrant comprehensive evaluation before therapeutic application.

CpG-adjuvanted virus-like particle vaccine induces protective immunity against Leishmania donovani infection.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) poses a significant public health challenge due to the lack of an approved human vaccine. We attempted to enhance the efficacy of virus-like particle vaccines expressing the Leishmania donovani promastigote surface antigen (LdPSA-VLP) by adjuvanting with CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN). Here, adjuvanted vaccine-induced immune responses and their efficacies in mice challenged with mCherry-expressing L.

Ultradian Rest-activity Rhythms Induced by Quinpirole in Mice Using Wavelet Analysis.

Objective: Ultradian rhythms are biological rhythms with periods of a few seconds to a few hours. Along with circadian rhythms, ultradian rhythms influence human physiology. However, such rhythms have not been studied as intensively as circadian rhythms.

Vinblastine Resistance Is Associated with Nephronophthisis 3-Mediated Primary Cilia via Intraflagellar Transport Protein 88 and Apoptosis-Antagonizing Transcription Factor.

Primary cilia (PC) are microtubule-based organelles that function as cellular antennae to sense and transduce extracellular signals. Nephronophthisis 3 (NPHP3) is localized in the inversin compartment of PC. Mutations in NPHP3 are associated with renal-hepatic-pancreatic dysplasia.

Indirect-To-Direct Bandgap Crossover and Room-Temperature Valley Polarization of Multilayer MoS Achieved by Electrochemical Intercalation.

Monolayer (1L) group VI transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit broken inversion symmetry and strong spin-orbit coupling, offering promising applications in optoelectronics and valleytronics. Despite their direct bandgap, high absorption coefficient, and spin-valley locking in K or K' valleys, the ultra-short valley lifetime limits their room-temperature applications. In contrast, multilayer TMDs, with more absorptive layers, sacrifice the direct bandgap and valley polarization upon gaining inversion symmetry from the bilayer structure.

Application of Nanotechnology and Phytochemicals in Anticancer Therapy.

Cancer is well recognized as a leading cause of mortality. Although surgery tends to be the primary treatment option for many solid cancers, cancer surgery is still a risk factor for metastatic diseases and recurrence. For this reason, a variety of medications has been adopted for the postsurgical care of patients with cancer.

Heterologous immunization targeting the CST1 antigen confers better protection than ROP18 in mice.

To evaluate the protective efficacy induced by heterologous immunization with recombinant baculoviruses or virus-like particles targeting the CST1 and ROP18 antigens of .: Recombinant baculovirus and virus-like particle vaccines expressing CST1 or ROP18 antigens were developed to evaluate protective immunity in mice upon challenge infection with 450 (ME49). Immunization with CST1 or ROP18 vaccines induced similar levels of -specific IgG and IgA responses.

A nanoscale visual exploration of the pathogenic effects of bacterial extracellular vesicles on host cells.

Background: Bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) are pivotal mediators of intercellular communication and influence host cell biology, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of infections. Despite their significance, the precise effects of bacterial EVs on the host cells remain poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate ultrastructural changes in host cells upon infection with EVs derived from a pathogenic bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus (S.

68 Ga-DOTA.SA.FAPi PET in Response Assessment After 177 Lu-Microspheres Selective Intra-arterial Radionuclide Therapy for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

We report a case of a 48-year-old man with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, who underwent FDG PET for restaging and demonstrated mildly tracer-avid arterial enhancing lesion in segment III (SUV max , 5.7). Owing to low FDG uptake, patient was planned for 68 Ga-SA.

Exploration of a Machine Learning Model Using Self-rating Questionnaires for Detecting Depression in Patients with Breast Cancer.

Objective: Given the long-term and severe distress experienced during breast cancer treatment, detecting depression among breast cancer patients is clinically crucial. This study aimed to explore a machine-learning model using self-report questionnaires to screen for depression in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A total of 327 patients who visited the breast cancer clinic were included in this study.

Identification of novel toxins associated with the extracellular contractile injection system using machine learning.

Secretion systems play a crucial role in microbe-microbe or host-microbe interactions. Among these systems, the extracellular contractile injection system (eCIS) is a unique bacterial and archaeal extracellular secretion system that injects protein toxins into target organisms. However, the specific proteins that eCISs inject into target cells and their functions remain largely unknown.

Tailoring Fibroblast-Activation Protein Targeting for Theranostics: A Comparative Preclinical Evaluation of the Ga- and Lu-Labeled Monomeric and Dimeric Fibroblast-Activation Protein Inhibitors DOTA.SA.FAPi and DOTAGA.(SA.FAPi).

Background: FAP radiopharmaceuticals show promise for cancer diagnosis; however, their limited tumor residency hinders treatment. This study compared two FAPi derivatives, DOTA.SA.

Harnessing the power of infection prevention and public health data systems to support health care in Washington State during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: State health departments' (SHD) role in infection prevention and control (IPC) includes robust educational and consultative services for various health care settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington-SHD (W-SHD) IPC staff conducted remote and on-site Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) consultations for long-term care (LTC) and non-LTC health care facilities.

Methods: ICAR consultations were classified as "reactive" in response to a COVID-19 outbreak or "proactive" to help facilities improve IPC protocols.