Application of in-silico approaches in subunit vaccines: Overcoming the challenges of antigen and adjuvant development.

Subunit vaccines are crucial in preventing modern diseases due to their safety, stability, and ability to elicit targeted immune responses. However, challenges in antigen and adjuvant design hinder their development. Recent advancements in in-silico approaches methods, including reverse vaccinology, structural vaccinology, and machine learning, have revolutionized vaccine development from empirical practices to rational design approaches.

Thermal Inactivation of Salmonella Surrogate, Enterococcus faecium, in mash broiler feed pelleted in a university pilot feed mill: Microbiology and Food Safety Section.

This study evaluated the thermal inactivation kinetic parameters of a Salmonella surrogate Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) during feed manufacture in a university pilot feed mill setting. A batch of 227 kg mash broiler feed was pelleted after being inoculated with 1,000 mL of nalidixic acid (NaL) resistant E.

Sunflower Oil Fortified with Vitamins D and A and Sunflower Lecithin Ameliorated Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice and Exploration of the Underlying Protective Pathways.

The incidence of cognitive disorders is increasing globally, with a reported prevalence of over 50 million individuals affected, and current interventions offer limited efficacy. This study investigates the effects of sunflower oil fortified with sunflower lecithin, vitamin D, and vitamin A on scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice and explores the underlying mechanisms. The incidence of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, is increasing yearly, and current interventions offer limited efficacy.

Case report: Gastric langerhans cell histiocytosis with deletion mutation in a child that was misdiagnosed as lymphoma.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a myeloid neoplasm associated with the infiltration of most organs but rarely involves the stomach. Stomach tumors in children are very rare and can be easily misdiagnosed. We report the first case of gastric LCH in a 9-year-old boy who was misdiagnosed with gastric lymphoma.

Engineering a promiscuous prenyltransferase for selective biosynthesis of an undescribed bioactive cannabinoid analog.

Cannabinoids are unique meroterpenoids, with cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) serving as a dedicated precursor. This study introduces a fungal aromatic prenyltransferase AscC into the engineered Escherichia coli to catalyze the transfer of C-C terpenoid linear precursors to olivetolic acid. Four CBGA derivatives (compounds 1-4) with diverse C, C, or C prenyl chains are isolated and identified, with compound 4 being an undescribed product featuring a C prenyl chain at the C-5 position.

Lactopontin regulates gut microbiota and calcium absorption to promote bone growth in growing rats.

Lactopontin (LPN) is an important milk protein with the potential to improve bone health, however, the specific effects have not been determined. This study investigates the effects of LPN on early bone growth and development. 3-week-old SD rats (n = 16) were assigned to the control group and LPN group, receiving intragastric administration of deionized water and 15 mg/kg LPN for 30 days respectively.

Multifunctional composite films with regenerated cellulose prepared via acid-catalytic degradation for in-situ growth of ZnO.

Regenerated cellulose is extensively utilized as a natural polymer due to its actually natural piezoelectric properties as well as renewable properties, but suffers from processing difficulties and low piezoelectric constants (d). Consequently, this work focuses on controlling the molecular weight of regenerated cellulose through pretreatment methods that promote the growth of in situ ZnO to enhance its d. Firstly, the acid-catalyzed pulp fibers (PF) and zinc nitrate hexahydrate were added in NaOH/urea solvent to effectively prepare RC/ZnO composite film via regeneration and in-situ growth.

Rectifying the Crosstalk between the Skeletal and Immune Systems Improves Osteoporosis Treatment by Core-Shell Nanocapsules.

Contemporary osteoporosis treatment often neglects the intricate interactions among immune cells, signaling proteins, and cytokines within the osteoporotic microenvironment. Here, we developed core-shell nanocapsules composed of a cationized lactoferrin core and an alendronate polymer shell. By tuning the size of these nanocapsules and leveraging the alendronate shell, we enabled precise delivery of small interfering RNA targeting the Semaphorin 4D gene (siSema4D) to specific bone sites.

Non-orthogonal multiple access scheme based on color-coded four-dimensional constellation pairing mapping.

This paper proposes a short-range optical access method based on four-dimensional non-orthogonal multiple access (4D-NOMA), utilizing 4D constellation pairing mapping and two-dimensional inverse discrete Fresnel transform (2D-IDFnT) technology, achieving high compatibility with OFDM systems. An innovative color-coded 4D constellation pair mapping scheme was designed, introducing two types of four-dimensional spatial structures with 32 constellation points. By extending the three-dimensional constellation to four dimensions through color coding, the constellation figure of merit (CFM) increased by 22.

Investigations of modulation method and stress mechanism for the growth of AlGaN channel heterostructures.

In this work, the strong connection between the channel and the barrier layer of AlGaN channel heterostructures has been investigated in detail. Unlike GaN as a channel material, AlGaN channel layers significantly influence the transport characteristics and quality of AlGaN barrier layers with increasing Al composition. Furthermore, the stress mechanism in the growth of the AlGaN layer has been thoroughly discussed.

Microneedle-delivered adeno-associated virus vaccine amplified anti-viral immunity by improving antigen-presenting cells infection.

Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) have significant potential as vaccine carriers due to their excellent biosafety and efficient antigen gene delivery. However, most AAV vaccines show limited capacity to transduce antigen-presenting cells (APCs) following intramuscular injection which may cause inadequate cellular immune responses and undesired side effects due to transducing other tissues or cells. Herein, we developed a soluble microneedle patch for targeting the AAV vaccines to the epidermal and dermal APCs.

Characterization of a 4'-O-rhamnosyltransferase and de novo biosynthesis of bioactive steroidal triglycosides from Paris polyphylla.

Steroidal saponins in Paris polyphylla featuring complicated sugar chains exhibit notable biological activities, but their sugar-chain biosynthesis is still not fully understood. Here, we identified a 4'-O-rhamnosyltransferase (UGT73DY2) from P. polyphylla, which catalyzes the 4'-O-rhamnosylation of polyphyllins V and VI, producing dioscin and pennogenin 3-O-β-chacotrioside, respectively.

A Universal Therapeutic Vaccine Leveraging Autologous Pre-Existing Immunity to Eliminate in Situ Uniformly Engineered Heterogeneous Tumor Cells.

Tumor vaccines that activate the autologous immune system to eliminate tumor cells represent a promising approach in cancer immunotherapy. However, challenges such as tumor heterogeneity, limited antigen selection, insufficient antigen presentation, and the slow onset of de novo immune responses have resulted in poor universality and suboptimal response rates. In contrast, pathogen-specific pre-existing immunity acquired through infection or vaccination, can rapidly generate a more potent and enduring immune response upon re-encounter with the same antigen.

Metalloparticle-Engineered Pickering Emulsion Displaying AAV-Vectored Vaccine for Enhancing Antigen Expression and Immunogenicity Against Pathogens.

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) have emerged as promising vaccine vectors due to their enduring efficacy with a single dose. However, insufficient cellular immune responses and the random and non-specific distribution of AAVs post-injection may hinder the development of AAV vaccines. Here, a novel Pickering emulsion platform stabilized by biomineralized manganese nanoparticles and aluminum hydroxide, which can rapidly and efficiently load AAVs, is reported.

Bovine lactopontin promotes bone development in growing rats by altering the composition of intestinal flora and bile acid metabolism.

Lactopontin (LPN) is an important milk protein with the potential to improve bone health; however, its specific effects have not been determined. This study aims to investigate the effects of LPN on early bone growth and development. 3 week-old SD rats ( = 32) were assigned to the control group, whey protein concentration (WPC) group, LPN-L (low-dose LPN) group, and LPN-H (high-dose LPN) group, with intragastric administration of deionized water, 65.

A Childhood Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis With a Novel BRAFN486_T491delinsK Mutation: Good Response to Conventional Chemotherapy.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is characterized genetically by diverse gene mutations of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. BRAFN486_T491delinsK mutation is a rare mutation that involves the β2-αC ring domain, causing activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, and is predicted to be resistant to the chemotherapy and BRAFV600E inhibitor in adult LCH cases. Here, we report a childhood LCH case with this novel BRAF mutation and had a good response to conventional chemotherapy.

From Monocyclization to Pentacyclization: A Versatile Plant Cyclase Produces Diverse Sesterterpenes with Anti-Liver Fibrosis Potential.

A prolific multi-product sesterterpene synthase CbTPS1 is characterized from the medicinal Brassicaceae plant Capsella bursa-pastoris. Twenty different sesterterpenes including 16 undescribed compounds, possessing 10 different mono-/di-/tri-/tetra-/penta-carbocyclic skeletons, including the unique 15-membered macrocyclic and 24(15→14)-abeo-capbuane scaffolds, are isolated and structurally elucidated from engineered Escherichia coli strains expressing CbTPS1. Site-directed mutagenesis assisted by molecular dynamics simulations resulted in the variant L354M with up to 13.

Antigens and adjuvants co-stabilized Pickering emulsions amplify immune responses of subunit vaccines.

Most subunit antigens often induce suboptimal vaccination efficacy, possibly due to their low immunogenicity and limited ability to migrate to lymph nodes (LNs). Although the emergence of nanovaccine has significantly addressed these challenges, most formulations still require specific biological or chemical modifications to the carrier or antigen for efficient antigen loading. In this study, we report a Pickering emulsion-based nanovaccine that directly utilized antigens and adjuvants as stabilizers, effectively amplifying immune responses without additional physicochemical alterations.

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study on cerebrovascular reactivity changes in the precuneus of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment patients.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory impairment and cognitive decline, ultimately culminating in dementia. This study aims to evaluate cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) and functional connectivity (FC) in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), bypassing the requirement for hypercapnia. The study cohort comprised 53 AD patients, 38 MCI patients, and 39 normal control (NC) subjects.

Beyond BRAF: Investigating the Clinical and Genetic Spectrum of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in Children.

Background: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is the most prevalent histiocytic disorder in pediatric populations, with a highly heterogeneous clinical presentation. Currently, the correlation between clinical phenotypes and molecular alterations in childhood LCH, besides the BRAF mutation, has not been sufficiently studied.

Methods: This study presented data on 33 pediatric LCH patients treated at our center who exhibited various molecular alterations other than the BRAF mutation.

Effect of Salinity Stress on Gut-Brain-Gonad Axis in the Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans).

The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) can adapt to brackish water, which can endanger its biodiversity. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for establishing and maintaining spermatogenesis and are regulated by the gut-brain-gonad axis. However, the effect of salinity on SSCs is unclear.

Clearing MRD positivity with blinatumomab in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: insights from droplet digital PCR and flow cytometry.

Blinatumomab has shown to improve survival outcomes in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients with measurable residual disease (MRD) detected by multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC). However, data on blinatumomab clearing MRD with high sensitivity remain scarce. This study evaluates the effectiveness of blinatumomab in eradicating low levels of MRD, as detected by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) but undetectable by MFC, in children with B-ALL.

Recent advances in the organocatalytic synthesis of chiral C3-spiro-cyclopentaneoxindoles.

Although there have been various reviews on the asymmetric construction of C3-spirooxindoles, there is a scarcity of reviews focusing on the asymmetric organocatalytic synthesis of C3-spiro-cyclopentaneoxindole derivatives. This particular scaffold has garnered significant attention from synthetic chemists due to its relevance in medicinal chemistry. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advancements in the asymmetric organocatalytic synthesis of various C3-spiro-cyclopentaneoxindoles using organic catalysts.

miRNA targeting Mpp53 is involved in UV-B irradiation resistance in Myzus persicae.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, an environmental stressor, is crucial for the survival and adaptation of organisms. Myzus persicae, a global pest, is exposed to sunlight year-round, making it unable to avoid UV rays in its environment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression and mediate various biological processes.