The appropriate use of gastrostomy tubes in palliative surgery.

Palliative surgery is defined as an operation or procedure performed with the primary intention of relieving symptoms or improving quality of life. Gastrostomy tubes are often employed with palliative intent but, like many palliative interventions, there is insufficient data to facilitate surgical decision-making. This can be challenging for healthcare professionals as caring for palliative patients often encompasses end of life care, severe life-altering symptoms, and poor prognosis.

Nuclear damage in mutant iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes is associated with impaired lamin localization to the nuclear envelope.

The gene encodes the nuclear envelope proteins Lamins A and C, which comprise a major part of the nuclear lamina, provide mechanical support to the nucleus, and participate in diverse intracellular signaling. mutations give rise to a collection of diseases called laminopathies, including dilated cardiomyopathy (-DCM) and muscular dystrophies. Although nuclear deformities are a hallmark of -DCM, the role of nuclear abnormalities in the pathogenesis of -DCM remains incompletely understood.

Kinase-mediated RAS signaling via membraneless cytoplasmic protein granules.

Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-mediated activation of downstream effector pathways such as the RAS GTPase/MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade is thought to occur exclusively from lipid membrane compartments in mammalian cells. Here, we uncover a membraneless, protein granule-based subcellular structure that can organize RTK/RAS/MAPK signaling in cancer. Chimeric (fusion) oncoproteins involving certain RTKs including ALK and RET undergo de novo higher-order assembly into membraneless cytoplasmic protein granules that actively signal.