Regulation and mechanisms of action of RNA helicases.

RNA helicases are an evolutionary conserved class of nucleoside triphosphate dependent enzymes found in all kingdoms of life. Their cellular functions range from transcription regulation up to maintaining genomic stability and viral defence. As dysregulation of RNA helicases has been shown to be involved in several cancers and various diseases, RNA helicases are potential therapeutic targets.

Soluble immune checkpoints and T-cell subsets in blood as biomarkers for resistance to immunotherapy in melanoma patients.

Different mechanisms lead to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) resistance. Identifying clinically useful biomarkers might improve drug selection and patients' therapy. We analyzed the soluble immune checkpoints sPD1, sPDL1, sLAG3, and sTIM3 using ELISA and their expression on circulating T cells using FACS in pre- and on-treatment blood samples of ICI treated melanoma patients.

Doxazosin for the treatment of nightmare disorder: A diary-based case study.

The α-adrenergic antagonist prazosin has showed good effect against posttraumatic stress disorder-related nightmares in several randomized controlled trials. The α-adrenergic antagonist doxazosin, which has a longer half-live than prazosin, has received far less attention in the treatment of such nightmares. Here, we report a case of a patient suffering from severe nightmares following an erroneous medical administration of adrenaline (causing severe physiological hyper-activation) who was treated with doxazosin.

Clinical significance of signs of autoimmune colitis in F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography of 100 stage-IV melanoma patients.

Autoimmune colitis is a typical and possible severe side effect among patients treated with ipilimumab. We prospectively included 100 patients with metastasized melanoma under ipilimumab treatment in a radiological study of F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (F-FDG PET-CT). PET evidence of pancolitis ('PET-colitis') was correlated with clinical variables.

Safe Administration of An Anti-PD-1 Antibody to Kidney-transplant Patients: 2 Clinical Cases and Review of the Literature.

Antiprogrammed cell-death protein 1 (PD-1) antibodies have revolutionized therapy of metastatic melanoma and other tumors, but some subgroups of patients such as immunosuppressed patients after solid-organ transplantation, have regularly been excluded from clinical studies. We report 2 cases of kidney-transplant patients who received an anti-PD-1 antibody to treat metastatic melanoma. Treatment was tolerated well with no relevant adverse events and stable kidney functions, but the melanoma progressed in both patients.

Amyloidosis Cutis Dyschromica, a Rare Cause of Hyperpigmentation: A New Case and Literature Review.

Amyloidosis cutis dyschromica is a rare form of primary cutaneous amyloidosis without systemic involvement and characterized by asymptomatic, progressive hyper- and hypopigmentation. We present the first case of a patient with amyloidosis cutis dyschromica diagnosed previously elsewhere as having Addison disease with generalized hyperpigmentation of the skin. This case suggests that in patients presenting with asymptomatic cutaneous dyschromia a skin biopsy for histopathological examination should be considered.

Making the invisible visible: improved electrospray ion formation of metalloporphyrins/-phthalocyanines by attachment of the formate anion (HCOO(-)).

A protocol is developed for the coordination of the formate anion (HCOO(-)) to neutral metalloporphyrins (Pors) and -phthalocyanines (Pcs) containing divalent metals as a means to improve their ion formation in electrospray ionization (ESI). This method is particularly useful when the oxidation of the neutral metallomacrocycle fails. While focusing on Zn(II)Pors and Zn(II)Pcs, we show that formate is also readily attached to Mn(II), Mg(II) and Co(II)Pcs.

Comparison of the psychometric properties of two fatigue scales in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To compare psychometric functioning of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS; Krupp, LaRocca, Muir-Nash, & Steinberg, 1989) and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS; MSCCPG, 1998) in a community sample of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Method: A self-report survey including the FSS, MFIS, demographic, and other health measures was completed by 1271 individuals with MS. Analyses evaluated the reliability and validity of the scales, assessed their dimensional structures, and estimated levels of floor and ceiling effects.

Accuracy of automated attenuation-based 3-dimensional segmentation: in the analysis of left ventricular function compared with magnetic resonance imaging.

We evaluated attenuation-based 3-dimensional segmentation for the analysis of left ventricular function, using as our standard of reference magnetic resonance imaging and dual-source computed tomography with traditional short-axis planimetry.Twenty patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease were examined prospectively. In all magnetic resonance and computed tomographic datasets, global functional values were determined by 2-dimensional planimetry.

A facile route to water-soluble coronenes and benzo[ghi]perylenes.

Click reactions at the bay-position of perylenes and a new route to benzo[ghi]perylenes and coronenes are presented. Irradiation with light leads to an electrocyclic reaction of the newly formed triazole ring(s) with the neighbouring bay-positions of the perylene core and after oxidation by air, the benzo[ghi]perylenes and coronenes are obtained. By using Newkome dendrimers as substituents for perylene diimides (PDIs), water solubility can be achieved after removal of the tert-butyl protecting groups.

Efficient synthetic access to cationic dendrons and their application for ZnO nanoparticles surface functionalization: new building blocks for dye-sensitized solar cells.

A new concept for the efficient synthesis of cationic dendrons, 4-tert-butyl-1-(3-(3,4-dihydroxybenzamido)benzyl)pyridinium bromide (17), 1,1'-(5-(3,4-dihydroxybenzamido)-1,3-phenylene)bis(methylene)bis(4-tert-butylpyridinium) bromide (18), N1,N7-bis(3-(4-tert-butyl-pyridium-methyl)phenyl)-4-(3-(3-(4-tert-butyl-pyridinium-methyl)phenyl-amino)-3-oxopropyl)-4-(3,4-dihydroxybenzamido)heptanediamide tribromide (19), and N1,N7-bis(3,5-bis(4-tert-butyl-pyridium-methyl)phenyl)-4-(3-(3,5-bis(4-tert-butyl-pyridinium-methyl)phenylamino)-3-oxopropyl)-4-(3,4-dihydroxybenzamido)heptanediamide hexabromide (20), and their facile binding to zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures is introduced. Dendrons containing highly reactive benzylic bromides reacted readily with 4-tert-butyl-pyridine and resulted in cationic dendrons. Furthermore, these permanently positively charged dendrons were equipped with a catechol anchor group.

Studies on an iron(iii)-peroxo porphyrin. Iron(III)-peroxo or iron(II)-superoxo?

We demonstrate that a one electron reduced product of the heme iron dioxygen adduct exists in solution not only as the commonly accepted iron(iii)-peroxo species, but coexists with its isomeric iron(ii)-superoxo form. This unusual reduced metal-superoxide adduct [M(ii)-O(2)(-)] is recently reported as a reactive intermediate in the case of non-heme extradiol dioxygenases and could also be generated by cryoreduction of a heme Fe(II)-O(2) adduct. The existence of iron(ii)-superoxo species in solution is consistent with IR, EPR, mass and Mössbauer spectra.