Ileo-ileal intussusception and necrotising enterocolitis after indomethacin exposure masquerading clinically as solitary intestinal perforation.

We report a case of small bowel perforation from ileo-ileal intussusception with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) after indomethacin exposure mimicking spontaneous intestinal perforation in an extremely preterm neonate. Indomethacin exposure can cause mesenteric hypoperfusion, resulting in an ischaemic lead point for intussusception and NEC. We advocate that intussusception should be considered as one of the differentials for neonates with recurrent feeding intolerance postindomethacin exposure.

Use of phase plate cryo-EM reveals conformation diversity of therapeutic IgG with 50 kDa Fab fragment resolved below 6 Å.

While cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is fruitfully used for harvesting high-resolution structures of sizable macromolecules, its application to small or flexible proteins composed of small domains like immunoglobulin (IgG) remain challenging. Here, we applied single particle cryo-EM to Rituximab, a therapeutic IgG mediating anti-tumor toxicity, to explore its solution conformations. We found Rituximab molecules exhibited aggregates in cryo-EM specimens contrary to its solution behavior, and utilized a non-ionic detergent to successfully disperse them as isolated particles amenable to single particle analysis.

Temporal variations and chemical characteristics of marine PM at Dongsha Islands, South China Sea: Three-year measurement.

The study of long-range transport effects on marine fine particles (PM), particularly in remote sites such as the Dongsha Islands, is pivotal for advancing our understanding of air pollution dynamics on a regional scale and for formulating effective environmental policies. PM concentrations were examined over three consecutive years and grouped based on their transport routes. The backward trajectory simulation revealed that high PM concentrations were observed in the West Channel, originating from North and Central China, the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese Islands, opposed to the East Channel.

Guarding the gatekeepers: a comprehensive approach to control nosocomial measles.

Purpose: Despite substantial vaccination progress, persistent measles outbreaks challenge global elimination efforts, particularly within healthcare settings. In this paper, we critically review the factors contributing to measles outbreak and effective control measures for nosocomial transmission of measles.

Methods: We systematically searched electronic databases for articles up to 17th May, 2023.

K2 capsular polysaccharide degradation by a bacteriophage depolymerase does not require trimer formation.

Unlabelled: K2-capsular is a hypervirulent pathogen that causes fatal infections. Here, we describe a phage tailspike protein, named K2-2, that specifically depolymerizes the K2 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of into tetrasaccharide repeating units. Nearly half of the products contained -acetylation, which was thought crucial to the immunogenicity of CPS.

Spatiotemporal variation and inter-transport of atmospheric speciated mercury between Kaohsiung Harbor and neighboring urban areas.

This study investigated the spatiotemporal variation, gas-particle partition, and source resolution of atmospheric speciation mercury (ASM) in Kaohsiung Harbor and neighboring Metro Kaohsiung. Four sampling sites were selected to determine the pollution characteristics and inter-transport of ASM between the port and urban areas. The yearly average GEM, GOM, and PBM concentrations were 7.

A RAD51-ADP double filament structure unveils the mechanism of filament dynamics in homologous recombination.

ATP-dependent RAD51 recombinases play an essential role in eukaryotic homologous recombination by catalyzing a four-step process: 1) formation of a RAD51 single-filament assembly on ssDNA in the presence of ATP, 2) complementary DNA strand-exchange, 3) ATP hydrolysis transforming the RAD51 filament into an ADP-bound disassembly-competent state, and 4) RAD51 disassembly to provide access for DNA repairing enzymes. Of these steps, filament dynamics between the ATP- and ADP-bound states, and the RAD51 disassembly mechanism, are poorly understood due to the lack of near-atomic-resolution information of the ADP-bound RAD51-DNA filament structure. We report the cryo-EM structure of ADP-bound RAD51-DNA filaments at 3.

The deficiency of poly-β-1,6-N-acetyl-glucosamine deacetylase trigger A. baumannii to convert to biofilm-independent colistin-tolerant cells.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen that can be resistant to antibiotics by rapidly modulating its anti-drug mechanisms. The multidrug-resistant A. baumannii has been considered one of the most threatening pathogens to our society.

Cryo-EM Analyses Permit Visualization of Structural Polymorphism of Biological Macromolecules.

The functions of biological macromolecules are often associated with conformational malleability of the structures. This phenomenon of chemically identical molecules with different structures is coined structural polymorphism. Conventionally, structural polymorphism is observed directly by structural determination at the density map level from X-ray crystal diffraction.

The explorations of the awareness, contemplation, self-Efficacy, and readiness of advance care planning, and its predictors in Taiwanese patients while receiving hemodialysis treatment.

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major chronic illness worldwide, and Taiwan reports one of the highest incidence rates of ESRD with 529 cases per million population (pmp). A number of patients with ESRD patients might require lifelong hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialyses (PD). Due to the progression of dialysis, patients are likely to experience other chronic comorbidities, anxiety and depression, frequent hospitalizations, and higher rates of mortality compared to patients with other types of chronic illnesses.

Risk Stratification in Oral Cancer: A Novel Approach.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck cancer with high morbidity and mortality. Currently, treatment decisions are guided by TNM staging, which omits important negative prognosticators such as lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion (PNI), and histologic differentiation. We proposed nomogram models based on adverse pathological features to identify candidates suitable for treatment escalation within each risk group according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.

Development of Capsule Polysaccharide-Conjugated Vaccine Candidates Using Phage Depolymerases.

is an important pathogen associated with nosocomial infection and has developed increasing resistance to antibiotics such as extended-spectrum β-lactams and carbapenem. In recent years, isolates have emerged as a major cause of global community-acquired infections such as pneumonia and pyogenic liver abscess. Although serotypes K1 and K2 have been identified as the predominant capsular types associated with invasive infections, no vaccine is commercially available, probably due to immunogenicity loss in the traditional depolymerization method to obtain capsule polysaccharide (CPS) for the preparation of conjugated vaccine.

Structural and biological insights into Klebsiella pneumoniae surface polysaccharide degradation by a bacteriophage K1 lyase: implications for clinical use.

Background: K1 capsular polysaccharide (CPS)-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae is the primary cause of pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA) in Asia. Patients with PLA often have serious complications, ultimately leading to a mortality of ~ 5%. This K1 CPS has been reported as a promising target for development of glycoconjugate vaccines against K.

Pregnancy exacerbated lymph node metastasis of well differentiated thyroid carcinoma: A case report.

Introduction: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer during pregnancy, second to breast cancer. Pregnancy can cause an increase in the size of existing thyroid nodules due to the similar structure of placental human chorionic gonadotropin and thyroid stimulating hormone. However, the impact of pregnancy on malignant thyroid tumors is still unclear.

Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Patients Without Diabetes With Hemodialysis Using Ultrasonography: Is It a Useful Adjunctive Tool?

Objective: (1) To examine the ultrasonography (US) characteristics in patients with hemodialysis-related carpal tunnel syndrome (H-CTS) and (2) to evaluate the accuracy of a proposed US parameter-dynamic ratio of median nerve-to-hamate hook distance (RMHD) in diagnosis of H-CTS.

Design: A case-control study.

Setting: A tertiary medical center and a secondary hospital from November 2017 to March 2021.

Living with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Kingdom of Tonga: a qualitative investigation of the barriers and enablers to lifestyle management.

Background: Despite the increasing prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in the Kingdom of Tonga, little is known of non-communicable disease experiences among adults living in this location. This investigation aimed to explore the barriers and enablers to healthy lifestyle in a group of men and women living with T2DM residing in this Pacific Island nation.

Methods: This qualitative study consisted of three semi-structured focus groups (n = 16), conducted at the only Tongan Public Hospital located at Nuku'alofa, capital of Tonga (north coast of the island of Tongatapu).

Copper Centers in the Cryo-EM Structure of Particulate Methane Monooxygenase Reveal the Catalytic Machinery of Methane Oxidation.

The particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is the first enzyme in the C1 metabolic pathway in methanotrophic bacteria. As this enzyme converts methane into methanol efficiently near room temperature, it has become the paradigm for developing an understanding of this difficult C1 chemistry. pMMO is a membrane-bound protein with three subunits (PmoB, PmoA, and PmoC) and 12-14 coppers distributed among different sites.

Bacteriophage Tail-Spike Proteins Enable Detection of Pseudaminic-Acid-Coated Pathogenic Bacteria and Guide the Development of Antiglycan Antibodies with Cross-Species Antibacterial Activity.

Pseudaminic acid (Pse), a unique carbohydrate in surface-associated glycans of pathogenic bacteria, has pivotal roles in virulence. Owing to its significant antigenicity and absence in mammals, Pse is considered an attractive target for vaccination or antibody-based therapies against bacterial infections. However, a specific and universal probe for Pse, which could also be used in immunotherapy, has not been reported.

Pre-pro is a fast pre-processor for single-particle cryo-EM by enhancing 2D classification.

2D classification plays a pivotal role in analyzing single particle cryo-electron microscopy images. Here, we introduce a simple and loss-less pre-processor that incorporates a fast dimension-reduction (2SDR) de-noiser to enhance 2D classification. By implementing this 2SDR pre-processor prior to a representative classification algorithm like RELION and ISAC, we compare the performances with and without the pre-processor.

Classifying hand sensorimotor functions of the chronic kidney disease patients using novel manual tactile test and pinch-holding-up activity.

Hand function deterioration brings about inconvenience to the daily lives of the chronic kidney disease patients. However, a full spectrum of hand function examination is absent. Therefore, this study aimed to classify the hand sensorimotor functions of the chronic kidney disease patients using the novel sensorimotor assessment tools, manual tactile test (MTT) and pinch-holding-up activity (PHUA) test, and explore the feasibility in comparison with traditional evaluations in the clinical practice.

Deriving a sub-nanomolar affinity peptide from TAP to enable smFRET analysis of RNA polymerase II complexes.

Our capability to visualize protein complexes such as RNA polymerase II (pol II) by single-molecule imaging techniques has largely been hampered by the absence of a simple bio-orthogonal approach for selective labeling with a fluorescent probe. Here, we modify the existing calmodulin-binding peptide (CBP) in the widely used Tandem Affinity Purification (TAP) tag to endow it with a high affinity for calmodulin (CaM) and use dye-CaM to conduct site-specific labeling of pol II. To demonstrate the single molecule applicability of this approach, we labeled the C-terminus of the Rpb9 subunit of pol II with donor-CaM and a site in TFIIF with an acceptor to generate a FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) pair in the pol II-TFIIF complex.

Two separate functions of NME3 critical for cell survival underlie a neurodegenerative disorder.

We report a patient who presented with congenital hypotonia, hypoventilation, and cerebellar histopathological alterations. Exome analysis revealed a homozygous mutation in the initiation codon of the gene, which encodes an NDP kinase. The initiation-codon mutation leads to deficiency in NME3 protein expression.