Sesterterpenoids isolated from the marine sponge Coscinoderma bakusi.

Twelve neomanoalide derivatives (1-12) and two halisulfate derivatives (13 and 14), nine of which are unprecedented (4-9, 11, 12, and 14; coscilides A-H and halisulfate 11, respectively), were isolated from the sponge Coscinoderma bakusi. The previously unreported neomanoalide derivatives show distinct features in their 6,7-double bond geometry (4 and 9) or terpenoid moieties (5-8, 11, and 12) compared to the reported ones, as elucidated using NMR spectroscopy and HRMS analysis. Among these derivatives, compounds 11 and 12 contain terpenoid moieties that are rarely found in marine natural products.

Anti-fibrogenic effect of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned media in human esophageal fibroblasts.

Esophageal fibrosis can develop due to caustic or radiation injuries. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) are known to mitigate fibrosis in various organs. However, the potential effects of UC-MSCs on human esophageal fibrosis remain underexplored.

Leveraging Pretrained Transformers for Efficient Segmentation and Lesion Detection in Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Scans.

Introduction: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used to detect jaw lesions, although CBCT interpretation is time-consuming and challenging. Artificial intelligence for CBCT segmentation may improve lesion detection accuracy. However, consistent automated lesion detection remains difficult, especially with limited training data.

A novel marine-derived mitophagy inducer ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction and thermal hypersensitivity in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Background And Purpose: Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis and maintenance of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a significant limitation of cancer chemotherapy. Recently, the stimulation of mitophagy, a pivotal process for mitochondrial homeostasis, has emerged as a promising treatment strategy for neurodegenerative diseases, but its therapeutic effect on CIPN has not been explored. Here, we assessed the mitophagy-inducing activity of 3,5-dibromo-2-(2',4'-dibromophenoxy)-phenol (PDE701), a diphenyl ether derivative isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea sp.

Halenaquinol Blocks Staphylococcal Protein A Anchoring on Cell Wall Surface by Inhibiting Sortase A in .

Sortase A (SrtA) is a cysteine transpeptidase that binds to the periplasmic membrane and plays a crucial role in attaching surface proteins, including staphylococcal protein A (SpA), to the peptidoglycan cell wall. Six pentacyclic polyketides (-) were isolated from the marine sponge sp., and their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques and by comparing them to previously reported data.

The effectiveness of intervention measures on MERS-CoV transmission by using the contact networks reconstructed from link prediction data.

Introduction: Mitigating the spread of infectious diseases is of paramount concern for societal safety, necessitating the development of effective intervention measures. Epidemic simulation is widely used to evaluate the efficacy of such measures, but realistic simulation environments are crucial for meaningful insights. Despite the common use of contact-tracing data to construct realistic networks, they have inherent limitations.

Characterization of TGFβ1-induced tendon-like structure in the scaffold-free three-dimensional tendon cell culture system.

The biological mechanisms regulating tenocyte differentiation and morphological maturation have not been well-established, partly due to the lack of reliable in vitro systems that produce highly aligned collagenous tissues. In this study, we developed a scaffold-free, three-dimensional (3D) tendon culture system using mouse tendon cells in a differentially adherent growth channel. Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGFβ) signaling is involved in various biological processes in the tendon, regulating tendon cell fate, recruitment and maintenance of tenocytes, and matrix organization.

Norterpene Cyclic Peroxides from the Marine Sponge , Inhibitors of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1.

Bioassay-guided isolation of the extract from the marine sponge showing inhibitory activity against human transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (hTRPA1) resulted in the isolation of 12 norditerpene cyclic peroxides (-) and eight norsesterterpene cyclic peroxides (-). Among these, 10 (-, , , -) are unprecedented analogs. Compounds with either a hydroxy (, ) or a methoxy (, ) group attached to the cyclohexanone moiety were obtained as epimeric mixtures at C-11, while compounds , , , and are likely the artifacts of isolation.

Primary Intracranial Ewing Sarcoma With Gene Translocation Mimicking a Meningioma and a Multidisciplinary Therapeutic Approach: A Case Report and Systematic Review of Literatures.

Ewing sarcoma and peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/pPNET) is an undifferentiated malignant tumor that is most prevalent in children and young adults and often radiologically mimics a meningioma. A 38-year-old female patient visited our hospital with complaints of right-sided tinnitus, right hemiparesis, and imbalance. She underwent preoperative imaging and was subsequently diagnosed as having a meningioma on the petrous ridge.

Trabecular structural difference between the superior and inferior regions of the vertebral body: a cadaveric and clinical study.

Background: Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures commonly involve the superior vertebral body; however, their associated causes have not yet been clearly established. This study aimed to determine the trabecular structural differences between the superior and inferior regions of the vertebral body using cadaveric and clinical studies.

Materials And Methods: First, five vertebrae were collected from three human cadavers.

Effects of microplastics and phenanthrene on gut microbiome and metabolome alterations in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma.

Plastic pollution of the oceans is increasing, and toxic interactions between microplastics (MPs) and organic pollutants have become a major environmental concern. However, the combined effects of organic pollutants and MPs on microbiomes and metabolomes have not been studied extensively. In the present study, to evaluate whether MPs and phenanthrene (Phe) act synergistically in the guts of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma), we performed toxicity assessments, 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses.

Cyclized proteins with tags as permeable and stable cargos for delivery into cells and liposomes.

Despite the therapeutic potential of recombinant proteins, their cell permeabilities and stabilities remain significant challenges. Here we demonstrate that cyclized recombinant proteins can be used as universal cargos for permeable and stable delivery into cells and polydiacetylene liposomes. Utilizing a split intein-mediated process, cyclized model fluorescent proteins containing short tetraarginine (R) and hexahistidine (H) tags were generated without compromising their native protein functions.

Coscinoderines A-J: Trisubstituted Pyridinium-Containing Norterpenoids Isolated from , a Tropical Marine Sponge.

Ten new norterpene alkaloids, coscinoderines A-J (-), were isolated from the marine sponge . Each coscinoderine contains a 1,2,5-trisubstituted pyridinium moiety bearing a terpene unit at the C-2 position. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of NMR and HRMS data, and the absolute stereochemistry of with a 2-methylbutyl group attached to the nitrogen was determined from a comparison of the calculated and measured ECD spectra.

Bottom-up Solution Synthesis of Graphene Nanoribbons with Precisely Engineered Nanopores.

The incorporation of nanopores into graphene nanostructures has been demonstrated as an efficient tool in tuning their band gaps and electronic structures. However, precisely embedding the uniform nanopores into graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) at the atomic level remains underdeveloped especially for in-solution synthesis due to the lack of efficient synthetic strategies. Herein we report the first case of solution-synthesized porous GNR (pGNR) with a fully conjugated backbone via the efficient Scholl reaction of tailor-made polyphenylene precursor (P1) bearing pre-installed hexagonal nanopores.

A phase 1 first-in-human study of GS-0189, an anti-signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) monoclonal antibody, in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) is the receptor for cluster of differentiation (CD)47, a potent "don't eat me" signal for macrophages. Disruption of CD47-SIRPα signaling in the presence of prophagocytic signals can lead to enhanced phagocytosis of tumor cells, resulting in a direct antitumor effect; agents targeting this pathway have shown efficacy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and other tumor types. GS-0189 is a novel anti-SIRPα humanized monoclonal antibody.

A local water molecular-heating strategy for near-infrared long-lifetime imaging-guided photothermal therapy of glioblastoma.

Owing to the strong absorption of water in the near-infrared (NIR) region near 1.0 μm, this wavelength is considered unsuitable as an imaging and analytical signal in biological environments. However, 1.

Anti-cancer Effect of Unique Cartilage Matrix-associated Protein in Breast Cancer Cells Depends on γ-Carboxylation.

Background/aim: Unique cartilage matrix-associated protein (UCMA), a recently discovered vitamin K-dependent protein (VKDP) with a large number of γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues, is associated with ectopic calcifications. Although the function of VKDPs is related to their γ-carboxylation status, the carboxylation status of UCMA in breast cancer is still unknown. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effect of UCMA with differing γ-carboxylation status on breast cancer cell lines, such as MDA-MB-231, 4T1, and E0771 cells.

Systemic C-peptide supplementation ameliorates retinal neurodegeneration by inhibiting VEGF-induced pathological events in diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is caused by retinal vascular dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Intraocular delivery of C-peptide has been shown to be beneficial against hyperglycemia-induced microvascular leakage in the retina of diabetes; however, the effect of C-peptide on diabetes-induced retinal neurodegeneration remains unknown. Moreover, extraocular C-peptide replacement therapy against DR to avoid various adverse effects caused by intravitreal injections has not been studied.

2D Materials in the Display Industry: Status and Prospects.

With advances in flexible electronics, innovative foldable, rollable, and stretchable displays have been developed to maintain their performance under various deformations. These flexible devices can develop more innovative designs than conventional devices due to their light weight, high space efficiency, and practical convenience. However, developing flexible devices requires material innovation because the devices must be flexible and exhibit desirable electrical insulating/semiconducting/metallic properties.

Dopamine ameliorates hyperglycemic memory-induced microvascular dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that mediates visual function in the retina and diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness; however, the role of dopamine in retinal vascular dysfunction in DR remains unclear. Here, we report a mechanism of hyperglycemic memory (HGM)-induced retinal microvascular dysfunction and the protective effect of dopamine against the HGM-induced retinal microvascular leakage and abnormalities. We found that HGM induced persistent oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential collapse and fission, and adherens junction disassembly and subsequent vascular leakage after blood glucose normalization in the mouse retinas.

Scalarane Sesterterpenoids Isolated from the Marine Sponge and their Cytotoxicity.

Eighteen scalarane sesterterpenoids (-), including eight new derivatives (-), were isolated from the sponge (family Thorectidae), the extract of which showed cytotoxicity against the HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines. Of the new derivatives, six compounds (-) were found to contain a γ-hydroxybutenolide moiety capable of reversible stereoinversion at the hydroxylated carbon center. Under the influence of other adjacent functional groups, each derivative exhibited a different stereochemical behavior, which was fully deduced by ROESY experiments.

Transcriptional and toxic responses to saxitoxin exposure in the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus.

Saxitoxin (STX) is a highly toxic marine neurotoxin produced by phytoplankton and a growing threat to ecosystems worldwide due to the spread of toxic algae. Although STX is an established sodium channel blocker, the overall profile of transcriptional levels in STX-exposed organisms has yet to be described. Here, we describe a toxicity assay and transcriptome analysis of the copepod Tigriopus japonicus exposed to STX.

Factors Affecting the Occurrence of Mental Health Problems in Female Cancer Survivors: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of cancer survivorship stage and health-related behaviors on the risk of developing mental health problems (depressive and anxiety disorders) in women who have experienced cancers that affect women (breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer). Using the healthcare utilization and medical checkup data from 2010 to 2020 provided by the National Health Insurance Service, the occurrence of mental health problems since 2020 was tracked for 36,801 women diagnosed with cancer. The occurrence of mental health problems was defined as the cases in which the disease code was assigned to anxiety disorders (F40~F44, F48) and depressive disorders (F32~34, F41.