Selenoprotein K at the intersection of cellular pathways.

Selenoprotein K (selenok) is linked to the integrated stress response, which helps cells combat stressors and regain normal function. The selenoprotein contains numerous protein interaction hubs and post-translational modification sites and is involved in protein palmitoylation, vesicle trafficking, and the resolution of ER stress. Anchored to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, selenok interacts with protein partners to influence their stability, localization, and trafficking, impacting various cellular functions such as calcium homeostasis, cellular migration, phagocytosis, gene expression, and immune response.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis SS2, from Dibenzofuran-Contaminated Soil, Reveals Putative Aromatic Compound Degradation Genes.

The draft genome sequence of strain Bacillus thuringiensis SS2 consists of 426 contigs assembled at the scaffold level, totaling 5,030,306 bp, and contains 5,288 putative PATRIC protein-coding genes, including genes responsible for total benzoate consumption, degradation of halogenated compounds, heavy metal tolerance/resistance, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and microcin C7 self-immunity protein.

Complete Genome Sequences of Cluster A Mycobacteriophages Kenmech and Peterson and Cluster F Mycobacteriophage Rockne.

Kenmech, Peterson, and Rockne are bacteriophages that infect Mycobacterium smegmatis mc 155. Both Kenmech and Peterson genomes are ~52 kbp long and contain 1 tRNA as well as 92 and 89 protein-coding genes, respectively. Rockne has a 56,704-bp genome with 108 protein-coding genes and no tRNA.

Complete Genome Sequence of Cluster C Mycobacteriophage McGee.

Mycobacteriophage McGee is a myovirus isolated from a wet soil sample collected at Manassas, VA, using Mycobacterium smegmatis mc155. McGee has a genome 156,008 bp long, containing 237 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes, and 1 transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) gene. McGee shares high gene content similarity to phages in actinobacteriophage cluster C1.

Draft Genome Sequence of Serratia marcescens SSA1, Isolated from Dioxin-Polluted Soil.

Serratia marcescens SSA1 was isolated from a dump site with a history of incineration. Its DNA of 5.05 Mbp has a GC content of 59.

Draft Genome Sequence and Annotation of the Synthetic Textile Dye-Decolorizing Strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AD20, Isolated from a Dye Waste Pond.

A limited number of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens genome sequences have been generated and are available in the public domain from soil, fermented foods, and plants. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of AD20, isolated from a dye pond with azo dye decolorization capabilities.

Metallobiology and therapeutic chelation of biometals (copper, zinc and iron) in Alzheimer's disease: Limitations, and current and future perspectives.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of cognitive impairment and dementia worldwide. The pathobiology of the disease has been studied in the form of several hypotheses, ranging from oxidative stress, amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation, accumulation of tau forming neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) through metal dysregulation and homeostasis, dysfunction of the cholinergic system, and to inflammatory and autophagic mechanism. However, none of these hypotheses has led to confirmed diagnostics or approved cure for the disease.

Stimulation of an anti-tumor immune response with "chromatin-damaging" therapy.

Curaxins are small molecules that bind genomic DNA and interfere with DNA-histone interactions leading to the loss of histones and decondensation of chromatin. We named this phenomenon 'chromatin damage'. Curaxins demonstrated anti-cancer activity in multiple pre-clinical tumor models.

Defining best practices for tissue procurement in immuno-oncology clinical trials: consensus statement from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Surgery Committee.

Immunotherapy is now a cornerstone for cancer treatment, and much attention has been placed on the identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers. The success of biomarker development is dependent on accurate and timely collection of biospecimens and high-quality processing, storage and shipping. Tumors are also increasingly used as source material for the generation of therapeutic T cells.

Fidelity of human ovarian cancer patient-derived xenografts in a partially humanized mouse model for preclinical testing of immunotherapies.

Background: Immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be used alone in front-line therapies or in combination with other regimens for certain advanced cancers. Since ICB only works in a subset of patients and has limited efficacy in treating ovarian cancer (OVC), developing preclinical models that help to understand which patients may derive benefit from ICB would be of tremendous benefit in OVC.

Methods: Here, we generated preclinical human OVC models from freshly resected tumors, which include six patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) from six different patient tumors, three transplantable OVC PD spheroid lines (PD-sphs), and 3 cell lines (PD-CLs).

An Immunosuppressive Effect of Melanoma-derived Exosomes on NY-ESO-1 Antigen-specific Human CD8 T Cells is Dependent on IL-10 and Independent of BRAF Mutation in Melanoma Cell Lines.

Exosomes, including human melanoma-derived exosomes (HMEX), are known to suppress the function of immune effector cells, which for HMEX has been associated with the surface presence of the immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1. This study investigated the relationship between the BRAF mutational status of melanoma cells and the inhibition of secreted HMEX exosomes on antigen-specific human T cells. Exosomes were isolated from two melanoma cell lines, 2183-Her4 and 888-mel, which are genetically wild-type BRAF and BRAF, respectively.

Clinical and pathological associations of PTEN expression in ovarian cancer: a multicentre study from the Ovarian Tumour Tissue Analysis Consortium.

Background: PTEN loss is a putative driver in histotypes of ovarian cancer (high-grade serous (HGSOC), endometrioid (ENOC), clear cell (CCOC), mucinous (MOC), low-grade serous (LGSOC)). We aimed to characterise PTEN expression as a biomarker in epithelial ovarian cancer in a large population-based study.

Methods: Tumours from 5400 patients from a multicentre observational, prospective cohort study of the Ovarian Tumour Tissue Analysis Consortium were used to evaluate associations between immunohistochemical PTEN patterns and overall survival time, age, stage, grade, residual tumour, CD8+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) counts, expression of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR) by means of Cox proportional hazard models and generalised Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests.

Cancer Moonshot Immuno-Oncology Translational Network (IOTN): accelerating the clinical translation of basic discoveries for improving immunotherapy and immunoprevention of cancer.

Despite regulatory approval of several immune-based treatments for cancer in the past decade, a number of barriers remain to be addressed in order to fully harness the therapeutic potential of the immune system and provide benefits for patients with cancer. As part of the Cancer Moonshot initiative, the Immuno-Oncology Translational Network (IOTN) was established to accelerate the translation of basic discoveries to improve immunotherapy outcomes across the spectrum of adult cancers and to develop immune-based approaches that prevent cancers before they occur. The IOTN currently consists of 32 academic institutions in the USA.

A neurologic dysfunction scoring protocol for jaundiced neonates requiring exchange transfusion.

Aim: To evaluate the performance of a neurologic assessment protocol among jaundiced infants requiring exchange transfusion (ET).

Methods: We identified infants in a referral children's hospital who received ET and those who met the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) criteria for ET based on total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels. The performance of a bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND-M) scoring protocol for acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE) in detecting infants treated with ET in both groups was investigated by logistic regression analysis and c-statistic.

A review of nutritional and toxicological implications of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) meal in animal feeding systems.

The nutrient-rich defatted castor meal has been tested as a potential source of protein in diets of many livestock species but has limitation due to challenges of toxins. This review was conducted to compile the relevant research information on advances in the use of raw and differently processed castor seed meal in animal feed. In this article, distribution and uses of castor and its products were identified.

Phyllodes tumor of the breast metastasizing to the vulva.

Phyllodes tumors of the breast are rare breast tumors that resemble fibroadenoma. They are composed of two types of tissues: stromal and glandular tissues. Unlike fibroadenoma, they are commonly found in the third decade of life and they tend to grow more rapidly.

SCNVSim: somatic copy number variation and structure variation simulator.

Background: Somatically acquired structure variations (SVs) and copy number variations (CNVs) can induce genetic changes that are directly related to tumor genesis. Somatic SV/CNV detection using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data still faces major challenges introduced by tumor sample characteristics, such as ploidy, heterogeneity, and purity. A simulated cancer genome with known SVs and CNVs can serve as a benchmark for evaluating the performance of existing somatic SV/CNV detection tools and developing new methods.

Structural variation discovery in the cancer genome using next generation sequencing: computational solutions and perspectives.

Somatic Structural Variations (SVs) are a complex collection of chromosomal mutations that could directly contribute to carcinogenesis. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology has emerged as the primary means of interrogating the SVs of the cancer genome in recent investigations. Sophisticated computational methods are required to accurately identify the SV events and delineate their breakpoints from the massive amounts of reads generated by a NGS experiment.

Classification of current anticancer immunotherapies.

During the past decades, anticancer immunotherapy has evolved from a promising therapeutic option to a robust clinical reality. Many immunotherapeutic regimens are now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for use in cancer patients, and many others are being investigated as standalone therapeutic interventions or combined with conventional treatments in clinical studies. Immunotherapies may be subdivided into "passive" and "active" based on their ability to engage the host immune system against cancer.

Use of wound drains following open reduction and internal fixation of femoral shaft fractures.

Objective: To determine if routine use of closed suction wound drainage is justified following open reduction and internal fixation of femoral-shaft fractures.

Method: Patients undergoing reduction and internal fixation of 75 femoral shaft fractures were prospectively randomised into two groups: one receiving closed-suction drainage (CSD) and one no wound drainage (NWD). The state of the wound dressing at 24 and 48 hours post-surgery, blood transfusion requirements, status of the wound (presence of hyperaemia, surgical site infection, undue wound tenderness, presence of induration at the wound edge and wound healing) at days 7, 14, 28 and 90 postoperatively, and duration of wound healing, were assessed.

Femoral bifurcation with ipsilateral tibia hemimelia: early outcome of ablation and prosthetic fitting.

Femoral bifurcation and tibia hemimelia are rare anomalies. Hereby, we present a case report of a 2-year-old boy who first presented in our orthopedic clinic as a 12-day-old neonate, with a grossly deformed right lower limb from a combination of complete tibia hemimelia and ipsilateral femoral bifurcation. Excision of femoral exostosis, knee disarticulation and prosthetic fitting gives satisfactory early outcome.

Timing of antibiotic prophylaxis in tourniquet surgery.

It is customary to administer prophylactic antibiotics before exsanguination of the limb and inflation of a tourniquet in extremity surgery. To compare the clinical outcome in lower limb operations when prophylactic antibiotics were administered before versus after limb exsanguination and tourniquet inflation, we randomized patients to the administration of prophylactic antibiotics 5 minutes before exsanguination and inflation of the tourniquet (ABT) and administration of prophylactic antibiotics 1 minute after inflation of the tourniquet (AAT). A total of 106 patients completed the study, including 76 males (71.

Outcome of non-operative management of femoral shaft fractures in children.

Background: Femoral shaft fractures are common injuries in childhood. There is paucity of information on their presentation and outcome of the available treatment methods in the African population. This study evaluated the outcome of non-operative methods of treatment of femoral shaft fractures in our centre.

Open intramedullary nailing of neglected femoral shaft fractures: indications and outcome.

The management of neglected femoral shaft fractures poses a challenge to the orthopaedic surgeon. We evaluated the outcome of open intramedullary nailing of neglected femoral shaft fractures at our centre. A total of 52 patients with 55 femoral shaft fractures, with a mean age of 39.

Considerable haplotype diversity within the 23kb encompassing the ADH7 gene.

Background: Of the seven known human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) genes, the non-liver expressed ADH7 gene codes for the enzyme with the highest maximal activity for ethanol. Previous study from our laboratory has suggested that ADH7 has an epistatic role for protection against alcoholism based on a single ADH7 SNP.

Methods: We have now studied seven SNPs, additional populations for the SNP previously examined, and six more new SNPs, across 23 kb of ADH7 in 38 population samples originating from different geographical regions of the world.