The effect of IL-1β inhibitor canakinumab (Ilaris®) on IL-6 production in human skeletal muscle cells.

Muscle inflammation is one of the hallmarks of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle cells produce higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in response to toll-like receptor stimulation compared to normal muscle skeletal cells. IL- 1β induces the human skeletal muscle secretion of the myokine Interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Addressing systemic racism and its influence on health disparities through a foundational pharmacy course and a student-led symposium.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of integrating a student-led symposium within a pharmacy course on student knowledge, understanding, perceptions, confidence, and opinions of systemic racism (SR).

Methods: First professional year (P1) students completed a group project that describes the historical context and impact of SR on health outcomes. The project included a written paper and presentation at a student-led symposium to faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

Association of Gene Variant Classes With Motor Outcomes in a Drug Registration Clinical Trial Setting.

Background And Objectives: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by pathogenic variants of the gene, leading to the loss of dystrophin. Clinical variability in DMD can complicate interpretation of interventional data in clinical trials. One source of clinical variability is allelic heterogeneity (different pathogenic variants with different effects on dystrophin protein expression).

Second-Generation Antipsychotic-Associated Serious Adverse Events in Women: An Analysis of a National Pharmacoepidemiologic Database.

Purpose: Women have historically been underrepresented in second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) clinical trials, accounting for less than 35% of participants, which raises concerns about the generalizability of the safety profile for these medications.

Methods: The US adverse event reporting system was queried for the dates January 1, 2019, to July 8, 2024, to examine the following 6 SGAs: aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone. Reports were excluded if patients were under 18 years old, contained an unknown age or gender, or were duplicated.

Genomic and Proteomic Analyses of Bacterial Communities of Ticks from Broome County, New York.

The microbial communities of , the primary vector of Lyme disease in North America, exhibit regional variations that may affect pathogen transmission and vector competence. We analyzed bacterial communities in ticks collected from Broome County, New York, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (18 ticks) as well as mass spectrometry-based proteomics (36 ticks). According to the 16S rRNA analysis, the endosymbiont was the most abundant species, with significantly higher ( = 0.

Noninvasive Monitoring of Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 in Human Skin Layers: Mechanical Interaction with Skin Components and Its Potential Skincare Benefits.

Self-assembling peptides (SAPs) represent a rich source of building blocks that interact with biological structures. For instance, cosmetic SAPs like Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 have gained increasing interest for their anti-aging properties. However, their short-term impact on the skin composition and mechanics remains unclear.

Serum metabolomic signatures of patients with rare neurogenetic diseases: an insight into potential biomarkers and treatment targets.

Introduction: To further advance our understanding of Muscular Dystrophies (MDs) and Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs), it is necessary to identify the biological patterns associated with disease pathology. Although progress has been made in the fields of genetics and transcriptomics, there is a need for proteomics and metabolomics studies. The present study aimed to be the first to document serum metabolic signatures of MDs (DMD, BMD, and LGMD 2A) SCAs (SCA 1-3), from a South Asian perspective.

Class III Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase/Vacuolar Protein Sorting 34 in Cardiovascular Health and Disease.

Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases (PI3Ks) play a critical role in maintaining cardiovascular health and the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Specifically, vacuolar Protein Sorting 34 (VPS34) or PIK3C3, the only member of Class III PI3K, plays an important role in CVD progression. The main function of VPS34 is inducing the production of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, which, together with other essential structural and regulatory proteins in forming VPS34 complexes, further regulates the mammalian target of rapamycin activation, autophagy, and endocytosis.

Ultrasonication outperforms electroporation for extracellular vesicle cargo depletion.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), submicron-sized membranous structures released by cells, serve as vehicles of tissue-specific proteins and nucleic acids, facilitating intercellular communication and playing roles in pathophysiological processes. Leveraging their unique characteristics, EVs have emerged as promising drug delivery nanocarriers. Electroporation (EP) and ultrasonication (US) are among the prevalent techniques used for loading exogenous drugs into EVs owing to their simplicity and efficiency.

Effectiveness of ceftazidime-avibactam versus ceftolozane-tazobactam for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in the USA (CACTUS): a multicentre, retrospective, observational study.

Background: Ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam are preferred treatment options for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections; however, real-world comparative effectiveness studies are scarce. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences between the agents might affect clinical response rates. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam for treatment of invasive multidrug-resistant P aeruginosa infections.

Safety of enoxaparin in patients implanted with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices.

Background: The objective of this study is to determine the incidence of major bleeding events in patients implanted with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) bridged with enoxaparin (LMWH) compared to intravenous unfractionated heparin (IV UFH) for a subtherapeutic INR on warfarin.

Methods: A single-center, retrospective, cohort study was conducted including patients with CF-LVADs implanted between January 1, 2012 and July 1, 2020 who received at least one inpatient dose or outpatient prescription for LMWH or IV UFH at least 60 days after CF-LVAD implantation. The primary endpoint was the incidence of major bleeding.

Emerging therapeutic strategies for Wnt-dependent colon cancer targeting macropinocytosis.

Aberrations in the Wnt signaling pathway, particularly mutations in genes like APC and β-catenin, are pivotal in initiating and driving the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), establishing this pathway as a crucial target for therapeutic intervention. Membrane trafficking plays a key role in regulating Wnt signaling by controlling the activation, modulation, and secretion of essential signaling molecules that contribute to CRC progression. This review explores the connection between membrane trafficking and Wnt signaling, with a specific focus on macropinocytosis-an endocytic process involved in nutrient uptake that also plays a role in Wnt signal regulation.

Combinatorial Anti-Cancer Effect of Polypurine Reverse Hoogsteen Hairpins against and Targeting in Prostate and Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines.

: and are proto-oncogenes that are strictly regulated in healthy cells that have key roles in several processes such as cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. These genes are tightly interconnected, and their dysregulation can lead to cancer progression. We previously individually targeted these oncogenes using Polypurine Reverse Hoogsteen (PPRH) hairpins, mostly targeting the complementary strand of G-quadruplex-forming sequences.

Inflammatory protein associations with brain MRI measures: Framingham Offspring Cohort.

Introduction: Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and inflammatory biomarkers are crucial for investigating preclinical neurocognitive disorders. Current investigations focus on a few inflammatory markers. The study aims to investigate the associations between inflammatory biomarkers and MRI measures and to examine sex differences among the associations in the Framingham Heart Study.

Therapeutic failure reported with HIV long-acting injectables: An analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System from 2021 to 2024.

Objectives: We examined adverse event (AE) reports relating to cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) in the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), focusing on therapeutic failure (TF) and non-therapeutic failure (NTF) outcomes.

Methods: FAERS is a database of AE and medication error reports from post-marketing surveillance. The study was granted exempt approval by the Binghamton University Institutional Review Board.

Confinement controls the directional cell responses to fluid forces.

Our understanding of how fluid forces influence cell migration in confining environments remains limited. By integrating microfluidics with live-cell imaging, we demonstrate that cells in tightly-but not moderately-confined spaces reverse direction and move upstream upon exposure to fluid forces. This fluid force-induced directional change occurs less frequently when cells display diminished mechanosensitivity, experience elevated hydraulic resistance, or sense a chemical gradient.

Emerging interactions between mitochondria and NAD metabolism in cardiometabolic diseases.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential coenzyme for redox reactions and regulates cellular catabolic pathways. An intertwined relationship exists between NAD and mitochondria, with consequences for mitochondrial function. Dysregulation in NAD homeostasis can lead to impaired energetics and increased oxidative stress, contributing to the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases.

Persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nares test positivity during initial days of systemic antistaphylococcal antimicrobial therapy.

The typical duration of positive nucleic acid tests for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the nares of patients receiving systemic anti-MRSA antimicrobials is unknown. In this study, hospitalized adult patients with an initial positive MRSA nares nucleic acid test prescribed systemic anti-MRSA antimicrobials had follow-up testing done 48 to 96 hours later. A positive follow-up test was detected in 100/113 (88.