Melanin-Inspired Maleimide Coatings on Various Substrates for Rapid Thiol Functionalization.

In this study, a substrate-independent maleimide film is developed that can be formed under mild aqueous conditions (pH 7.4), and which allows rapid and efficient external thiol immobilization onto the coated surfaces. For the coating block, tyrosine-conjugated maleimide (Tyr-Mal) containing a phenolic amine moiety is prepared as a substrate-independent dormant coating precursor, wherein the maleimide component permits a rapid Michael addition reaction with the thiol moiety of interest.

Fabrication of Versatile Antifouling Coatings Inspired by Melanogenesis Using a Tyrosine-Conjugated Carboxybetaine Derivative.

In this study, we developed zwitterionic surface coatings of carboxybetaine by mimicking natural melanogenesis. We synthesized an unnatural tyrosine-conjugated carboxybetaine (Tyr-CB) that undergoes melanin-like oxidation upon treatment with tyrosinase under various aqueous conditions. The thickness of the resulting poly(Tyr-CB) film was tuned by adjusting the pH during the coating process.

Immune Regulation and Immune Therapy in Melanoma: Review with Emphasis on CD155 Signalling.

Melanoma is commonly diagnosed in a younger population than most other solid malignancies and, in Australia and most of the world, is the leading cause of skin-cancer-related death. Melanoma is a cancer type with high immunogenicity; thus, immunotherapies are used as first-line treatment for advanced melanoma patients. Although immunotherapies are working well, not all the patients are benefitting from them.

Prognostic Effect of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Carcinomas Measured by Digital Image Analysis.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC) is characterized by prominent tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and has a favorable prognosis. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), characterized by ectopic aggregated lymphocytes with high-endothelial venules (HEV), are associated with favorable outcomes in various solid tumors. We hypothesized that EBVaGC, characterized by intense TILs, may be closely associated with TLS or HEV.

Effect of multiple quantum well periods on structural properties and performance of extended short-wavelength infrared LEDs.

We present research on the role of multiple quantum well periods in extended short-wavelength infrared InGaAs/InAsPSb type-I LEDs. The fabricated LEDs consisted of 6, 15, and 30 quantum well periods, and we evaluated the structural properties and device performance through a combination of theoretical simulations and experimental characterization. The strain and energy band offset was precisely controlled by carefully adjusting the composition of the InAsPSb quaternary material, achieving high valence and conduction band offsets of 350 meV and 94 meV, respectively.

Mesonephric-like Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Corpus: Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of L1 Cell Adhesion Molecule (L1CAM) Over-expression.

Background/aim: The expression of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) in uterine mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) remains understudied. Our aim was to explore the L1CAM expression in uterine MLA, delving into its clinicopathological implications and prognostic significance.

Patients And Methods: We conducted L1CAM immunostaining in MLA, endometrioid carcinoma (EC), and serous carcinoma (SC), compared L1CAM expression across these histological types, and probed the relationship between L1CAM expression and the clinicopathological features and outcomes of patients with MLA.

Formation of Antifouling Brushes on Various Substrates Using a Melanin-Inspired Initiator Film.

In this study, we developed a substrate-independent initiator film that can undergo surface-initiated polymerization to form an antifouling brush. Inspired by the melanogenesis found in nature, we synthesized a tyrosine-conjugated bromide initiator (Tyr-Br) that contains phenolic amine groups as the dormant coating precursor and α-bromoisobutyryl groups as the initiator. The resultant Tyr-Br was stable under ambient air conditions and underwent melanin-like oxidation only in the presence of tyrosinase to form an initiator film on various substrates.

Antifouling Surface Coating on Various Substrates by Inducing Tyrosinase-Mediated Oxidation of a Tyrosine-Conjugated Sulfobetaine Derivative.

Inspired by the melanogenesis occurring in nature, we report tyrosinase-mediated antifouling surface coating by synthesizing a tyrosine-conjugated sulfobetaine derivative (Tyr-SB). Synthetic Tyr-SB contains zwitterionic sulfobetaine and tyrosine, whose phenolic amine group acts as a dormant coating precursor. In contrast to catecholamine derivatives, tyrosine derivatives are stable against auto-oxidation and are enzymatically oxidized only in the presence of tyrosinase to initiate melanin-like oxidation.

Development of Universal and Clickable Film by Mimicking Melanogenesis: On-Demand Oxidation of Tyrosine-Based Azido Derivative by Tyrosinase.

A tyrosine-based azido derivative (TBAD) that permits both substrate-independent surface coating and clickable film functionalization by mimicking natural melanogenesis is synthesized here. In contrast to catechol derivatives, which are generally susceptible to oxidation by air under ambient conditions, the monophenol-based TBAD remains stable under alkaline and neutral conditions and is activated to oxidized quinone in situ by tyrosinase to initiate melanin-like polymerization. The resulting poly(TBAD) film can be formed on various substrates including noble metals, metal oxides, and synthetic polymers, which can undergo click reaction with terminal alkyne moieties on the entire surface or a specific region through Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition.

S/Mo ratio and petal size controlled MoS nanoflowers with low temperature metal organic chemical vapor deposition and their application in solar cells.

Vertically aligned two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide nanoflowers (MoS NFs) have drawn considerable attention as a novel functional material with potential for next-generation applications owing to their inherently distinctive structure and extraordinary properties. We report a simple metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method that can grow high crystal quality, large-scale and highly homogeneous MoS NFs through precisely controlling the partial pressure ratio of HS reaction gas, P , to Mo(CO) precursor, P , at a substrate temperature of 250 °C. We investigate microscopically and spectroscopically that the S/Mo ratio, optical properties and orientation of the grown MoS NFs can be controlled by adjusting the partial pressure ratio, P /P .

Feasibility of training using full immersion virtual reality video game in young stroke survivor: A case report.

Background: With the recent developments in science, full-immersion virtual reality devices have been developed, which may have feasibility for stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: This case report investigated the feasibility of training using a full-immersion virtual reality video game for improving motor function, balance, and gait in a young stroke survivor.

Method: The case was a 27-year-old woman with stroke.

Threonyl-tRNA Synthetase Promotes T Helper Type 1 Cell Responses by Inducing Dendritic Cell Maturation and IL-12 Production an NF-κB Pathway.

Threonyl-tRNA synthetase (TRS) is an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase that catalyzes the aminoacylation of tRNA by transferring threonine. In addition to an essential role in translation, TRS was extracellularly detected in autoimmune diseases and also exhibited pro-angiogenetic activity. TRS is reported to be secreted into the extracellular space when vascular endothelial cells encounter tumor necrosis factor-α.

Sulfonate Version of OHPAS Linker Has Two Distinct Pathways of Breakdown: Elimination Route Allows Para-Hydroxy-Protected Benzylsulfonate (PHP-BS) to Serve as an Alternative Self-Immolative Group.

Recently we have reported that the ortho-hydroxy-protected aryl sulfate (OHPAS) system can be exploited as a new self-immolative group (SIG) for phenolic payloads. We extended the system to nonphenolic payloads by simply introducing a para-hydroxy benzyl (PHB) spacer. As an additional variation of the system, we explored a benzylsulfonate version of the OHPAS system and found that it has two distinct breakdown pathways, cyclization and 1,4-elimination, the latter of which implies that para-hydroxy-protected (PHP) benzylsulfonate (BS) can also be used as an alternative SIG.

IL-33 changes CD25 Tregs to Th17 cells through a dendritic cell-mediated pathway.

Interleukin (IL)-33 is an alarmin factor that is highly secreted in a variety of autoimmune diseases, induces maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) and differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) cells. As the balance between Th17 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) is important to maintain immune homeostasis, in this study, we investigated the effects of IL-33 on Treg cell response. We observed that direct treatment with IL-33 had no effect on Treg differentiation, whereas IL-33-matured DCs (IL33-matDCs) inhibited the differentiation of CD4 T cells to Tregs by decreasing the expression of Foxp3.

NLRP3 negatively regulates Treg differentiation through Kpna2-mediated nuclear translocation.

Naïve CD4 T cells in the periphery differentiate into regulatory T cells (Tregs) in which Foxp3 is expressed for their suppressive function. NLRP3, a pro-inflammatory molecule, is known to be involved in inflammasome activation associated with several diseases. Recently, the expression of NLRP3 in CD4 T cells, as well as in myeloid cells, has been described; however, a role of T cell-intrinsic NLRP3 in Treg differentiation remains unknown.

Aryl Sulfate is a Useful Motif for Conjugating and Releasing Phenolic Molecules: Sulfur Fluorine Exchange Click Chemistry Enables Discovery of Ortho-Hydroxy-Protected Aryl Sulfate Linker.

A new self-immolative linker motif, Ortho Hydroxy-Protected Aryl Sulfate (OHPAS), was devised, and OHPAS-containing antibody drug conjugates (ADC) were tested in vitro and in vivo. Conveniently synthesized using Sulfur Fluorine Exchange (SuFEx) chemistry, it is based structurally on diaryl sulfate, with one aryl acting as a payload and the other as a self-immolative sulfate unit having a latent phenol function at the ortho position. The chemically stable OHPAS linker was stable in plasma samples from 5 different species, yet it can release the payload molecule smoothly upon chemical or biological triggering.

Introduction of Para-Hydroxy Benzyl Spacer Greatly Expands the Utility of Ortho-Hydroxy-Protected Aryl Sulfate System: Application to Nonphenolic Payloads.

The ortho-hydroxy-protected aryl sulfate (OHPAS) linker is composed of a diaryl sulfate backbone equipped with a latent phenol moiety at the ortho position of one of the aryl units. The Ar-OH released when the ortho phenol undergoes intramolecular cyclization and displaces the second aryl unit can be viewed as a payload. We have shown in the preceding paper that the OHPAS linkers are highly stable chemically and in various plasmas, yet release payloads when exposed to suitable triggering conditions.

Effect of Horizontal Whole-Body Vibration Training on Trunk and Lower-Extremity Muscle Tone and Activation, Balance, and Gait in a Child with Cerebral Palsy.

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of horizontal whole-body vibration (WBV) training on trunk and lower-extremity muscle tone and activation, balance, and gait in a child with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. CASE REPORT A 10-year-old male with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy received horizontal WBV training followed by conventional physiotherapy (50 min per day, 12 days per month), but only conventional physiotherapy during followup. Muscle tone was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and muscle activation with surface electromyography.

Development of a wheeled walker braking device using the four-bar mechanism.

The elderly population in many countries has been rising rapidly, and falls are a serious event many elderly people experience. Assistive equipment is actively used to reduce falls among elderly people. Popular types of assistive equipment include canes, electric wheelchairs, and wheeled walkers.

IL-33-matured dendritic cells promote Th17 cell responses via IL-1β and IL-6.

IL-33 is associated with a variety of autoimmune diseases, such as sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Although IL-33 is mainly involved in the induction of Th2 cells, however, the relationship between IL-33 and Th17 cells is still largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of IL-33 on DC-mediated CD4 T cell activation and Th17 cell differentiation because DCs are essential cells for presenting self-antigens to CD4 T cells in autoimmune disease conditions.

l-Asparaginase-mediated downregulation of c-Myc promotes 1,25(OH) D -induced myeloid differentiation in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) largely depends on chemotherapy, but current regimens have been unsatisfactory for long-term remission. Although differentiation induction therapy utilizing 1,25(OH) D (VD3) has shown great promise for the improvement of AML treatment efficacy, severe side effects caused by its supraphysiological dose limit its clinical application. Here we investigated the combinatorial effect of l-asparaginase (ASNase)-mediated amino acid depletion and the latent alternation of VD3 activity on the induction of myeloid differentiation.

Costunolide, a sesquiterpene lactone, inhibits the differentiation of pro-inflammatory CD4 T cells through the modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases.

CD4 T cell activation and adequate differentiation into effector T helper (Th) cells are crucial for mediating adaptive immune responses to cope with foreign pathogens. Despite the significant role of Th cells, excessive increases in their numbers result in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of costunolide, a plant-derived natural compound with an anti-inflammatory activity, in regulating Th cells and the underlying mechanisms.

5-diphenylacetamido-indirubin-3'-oxime as a novel mitochondria-targeting agent with anti-leukemic activities.

Current treatment for leukemia largely depends on chemotherapy. Despite the progress in treatment efficacy of chemotherapy, a poor outcome consequent upon chemoresistance against conventional anti-cancer drugs still remains to be solved. In this study, we report 5-diphenylacetamido-indirubin-3'-oxime (LDD398) as a novel mitochondria-targeting anti-leukemic agent, which is a derivative of indirubin used in traditional medicine.

Luteolin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through extrinsic and intrinsic signaling pathways in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Luteolin is a common flavonoid that exists in medicinal herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Luteolin has biochemical functions including anti-allergy, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer functions. However, its efficacy and precise mode of action against breast cancer are still under study.