At the nucleus of cancer: how the nuclear envelope controls tumor progression.

Historically considered downstream effects of tumorigenesis-arising from changes in DNA content or chromatin organization-nuclear alterations have long been seen as mere prognostic markers within a genome-centric model of cancer. However, recent findings have placed the nuclear envelope (NE) at the forefront of tumor progression, highlighting its active role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical forces. Despite significant progress, the precise interplay between NE components and cancer progression remains under debate.

Effects of the Interface Properties on the Performance of UV-C Photoresistors: Gallium Oxide as Case Study.

Electrical contacts are of the greatest importance as they decisively contribute to the overall performance of photoresistors. Undoped κ-GaO is an ideal material for photoresistors with high performance in the UV-C spectral region thanks to its intrinsic solar blindness and extremely low dark current. The quality assessment of the contact/κ-GaO interface is therefore of paramount importance.

Glycosylation Pathways Targeted by Deregulated miRNAs in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex condition with a multifactorial aetiology including both genetic and epigenetic factors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in ASD and may influence metabolic pathways. Glycosylation (the glycoconjugate synthesis pathway) is a necessary process for the optimal development of the central nervous system (CNS).

Effect of Essential Oil on Model Lipid Membranes.

essential oil is a natural substance able to inhibit the growth of several pathogens. This antimicrobial effect is often attributed to its ability to penetrate cellular structures and disrupt them. Although these properties are recognized as playing a key role in the mechanism of action of this substance, many unresolved issues still exist, and fundamental studies focused on such aspects are scarce.

Twenty years of studying the origins and fate of atmospheric mercury over the Mediterranean Sea.

This study provides a review of 13 oceanographic campaigns between 2000 and 2017 to measure Hg in the Mediterranean, highlighting major findings from measurement and modelling activities during the Med-Oceanor program. The initial campaigns showed that high concentrations of RGM could be found far from industrial source regions and the observed daily variation in concentration, with peaks at midday and lower concentrations during darkness gave the first indications that photochemically mediated oxidation reactions were producing RGM in the MBL. Later atmospheric chemistry modelling studies showed the feasibility of Hg oxidation by bromine containing oxidants, which are released as a result of the acidification of sea salt aerosols in the Marine Boundary Layer (MBL).

Fine Tuning of an Advanced Planner for Cognitive Training of Older Adults.

Developing effective cognitive training tools for older adults, specifically addressing executive functions such as planning, is a challenging task. It is of paramount importance to ensure the implementation of engaging activities that must be tailored to the specific needs and expectations of older adults. Furthermore, it is essential to provide the appropriate level of complexity for the planning task.

Nitrogen doped carbon dots for intracellular redox modulation optical stimulation.

Carbon dots (CDs) are promising candidates as oxygen photosensitizers, in cancer therapeutic applications due to their high quantum yield, superior chemical and photostability, low cytotoxicity and ease of chemical functionalization/tuning. Nitrogen doping can further improve oxygen photosensitization performance. Besides photodynamic therapy, however, the possibility to finely and remotely regulate the intracellular redox balance by using physical stimuli has been attracting more and more interest not only for nanotheranostic application, but also as a novel, fully biocompatible therapeutic tool.

Circulating MicroRNAs in Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Anti-IL-23: A Cohort Study.

Introduction: Psoriasis is characterized by aberrant keratinocyte activity and immune cell infiltration, driven by immune-mediated pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in regulating these processes, offering insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate changes in circulating miRNAs in psoriasis patients undergoing risankizumab therapy, an anti-IL-23 monoclonal antibody, to understand its impact on disease pathogenesis and treatment response.

Supplying LSD1 with FAD in pancreatic cancer: A matter of protein-protein interaction?

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a key regulator in cancer epigenetic, and its activity is reliant on flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as a cofactor. In this study, we investigated the correlation between LSD1 and FAD synthase isoform 2 (FADS2) protein levels in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines. We first assessed LSD1 protein and mRNA levels in mutant p53-expressing PANC-1 and MiaPaCa2 cells and p53-null AsPc-1 cells, compared to human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) controls.

Functional Roles of the Charged Residues of the C- and M-Gates in the Yeast Mitochondrial NAD Transporter Ndt1p.

Mitochondrial carriers transport organic acids, amino acids, nucleotides and cofactors across the mitochondrial inner membrane. These transporters consist of a three-fold symmetric bundle of six transmembrane α-helices that encircle a pore with a central substrate binding site, whose alternating access is controlled by a cytoplasmic and a matrix gate (C- and M-gates). The C- and M-gates close by forming two different salt-bridge networks involving the conserved motifs [YF][DE]XX[KR] on the even-numbered and PX[DE]XX[KR] on the odd-numbered transmembrane α-helices, respectively.

P2 Receptor Antagonists Rescue Defective Heme Content in an In Vitro SLC25A38-Associated Congenital Sideroblastic Anemia Cell Model.

Mutations in the SLC25A38 gene are responsible for the second most common form of congenital sideroblastic anemia (CSA), a severe condition for which no effective treatment exists. We developed and characterized a K562 erythroleukemia cell line with markedly reduced expression of the SLC25A38 protein (A38-low cells). This model successfully recapitulated the main features of CSA, including reduced heme content and mitochondrial respiration, increase in mitochondrial iron, ROS levels and sensitivity to oxidative stress.

Gliotic Response and Reprogramming Potential of Human Müller Cell Line MIO-M1 Exposed to High Glucose and Glucose Fluctuations.

Retinal neurodegeneration (RN), an early marker of diabetic retinopathy (DR), is closely associated with Müller glia cells (MGs) in diabetic subjects. MGs play a pivotal role in maintaining retinal homeostasis, integrity, and metabolic support and respond to diabetic stress. In lower vertebrates, MGs have a strong regenerative response and can completely repair the retina after injuries.

Photosynthetic Activity Measured In Situ in Microalgae Cultures Grown in Pilot-Scale Raceway Ponds.

The microalga sp. (Chlorophyceae) was cultured in a raceway pond (RWP) placed in a greenhouse. The objective of this case study was to monitor the photosynthesis performance and selected physicochemical variables (irradiance, temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration) of microalgae cultures in situ at various depths of RWP.

Convolutional neural networks for automatic MR classification of myocardial iron overload in thalassemia major patients.

Objectives: To develop a deep-learning model for supervised classification of myocardial iron overload (MIO) from magnitude T2* multi-echo MR images.

Materials And Methods: Eight hundred twenty-three cardiac magnitude T2* multi-slice, multi-echo MR images from 496 thalassemia major patients (285 females, 57%), labeled for MIO level (normal: T2* > 20 ms, moderate: 10 ≤ T2* ≤ 20 ms, severe: T2* < 10 ms), were retrospectively studied. Two 2D convolutional neural networks (CNN) developed for multi-slice (MS-HippoNet) and single-slice (SS-HippoNet) analysis were trained using 5-fold cross-validation.

Size-Dependent Multiexciton Dynamics Governs Scintillation From Perovskite Quantum Dots.

The recent emergence of quantum-confined nanomaterials in the field of radiation detection, in particular lead halide perovskite nanocrystals, offers scalability and performance advantages over conventional materials. This development raises fundamental questions about the mechanism of scintillation itself at the nanoscale and the role of particle size, arguably the most defining parameter of quantum dots. Understanding this is crucial for the design and optimization of future nanotechnology scintillators.

A fully human IgG1 antibody targeting connexin 32 extracellular domain blocks CMTX1 hemichannel dysfunction in an in vitro model.

Connexins (Cxs) are fundamental in cell-cell communication, functioning as gap junction channels (GJCs) that facilitate solute exchange between adjacent cells and as hemichannels (HCs) that mediate solute exchange between the cytoplasm and the extracellular environment. Mutations in the GJB1 gene, which encodes Cx32, lead to X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1 (CMTX1), a rare hereditary demyelinating disorder of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) without an effective cure or treatment. In Schwann cells, Cx32 HCs are thought to play a role in myelination by enhancing intracellular and intercellular Ca signaling, which is crucial for proper PNS myelination.

Crowding effects on the structure and rheology of ultrasoft PNIPAM-PEGMA copolymer microgels.

We investigate the link between the internal microstructure of poly(-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PNIPAM-PEGMA) microgels, their bulk moduli and the rheological response and structural arrangement in dense suspensions. The low degree of crosslinking combined with the increased hydrophilicity induced by the presence of PEGMA results in a diffuse, star-like density profile of the particle and very low values of the bulk modulus in dilute conditions, as determined by small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The ultrasoft nature of the particle is reflected in the changes of the structural arrangement in dense suspensions, which evidence a strong deswelling and a sharp rise of the bulk modulus at moderate packing fractions.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring for the Diagnosis of Post-Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Glucose Tolerance From Years One to Five After Kidney Transplantation-A Prospective Pilot Study.

Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) and prediabetes are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTR), when diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) display low concordance with the oGTT in the early phase posttransplant. For this prospective cross-sectional pilot study, 41 KTR from years one to five after transplantation without known preexisting PTDM (defined by HbA1c ≥ 6.