Transcription factor FOXD1 and miRNA-204-5p play a major role in B4GALNT2 downregulation in colon cancer.

The β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (B4GALNT2) which synthesizes the histo-blood group antigen Sd is highly expressed by normal colon, but it is dramatically down-regulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). High B4GALNT2 expression in CRC tissues is a marker of longer survival. The molecular bases of B4GALNT2 inhibition in CRC are largely obscure.

Uniform impact on individual megakaryocytes is essential for efficient in vitro platelet production.

Different approaches are being developed to efficiently produce in vitro platelets from cultured megakaryocytes to meet the constant demand of platelet transfusion and serve for research purposes. Recent works have shown that turbulence and periodic stress can significantly enhance platelet yield. Here we have developed and characterized a platelet production device that takes in account these properties.

Genome-wide association study unravels mechanisms of brain glymphatic activity.

Brain glymphatic activity, as indicated by diffusion-tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (ALPS) index, is involved in developmental neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, but its genetic architecture is poorly understood. Here, we identified 17 unique genome-wide significant loci and 161 candidate genes linked to the ALPS-indexes in a discovery sample of 31,021 individuals from the UK Biobank. Seven loci were replicated in two independent datasets.

Conformational diversity in class C GPCR positive allosteric modulation.

The metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlus) are class C G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) that form obligate dimers activated by the major excitatory neurotransmitter L-glutamate. The architecture of mGlu receptor comprises an extracellular Venus-Fly Trap domain (VFT) connected to the transmembrane domain (7TM) through a Cysteine-Rich Domain (CRD). The binding of L-glutamate in the VFTs and subsequent conformational change results in the signal being transmitted to the 7TM inducing G protein binding and activation.

[Recommendations for clinical practice: Prevention and management of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection during pregnancy and the perinatal period (extended version)].

The Société de Pathologie Infectieuse de Langue Française released in 2024 a new national recommendation for clinical practice on the prevention and management of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection during pregnancy and the perinatal period. The previous recommendation was issued in 1998, at a time of anti-VZV immunoglobulins shortage; it has hence become obsolete. This recommendation is a formalized expert consensus focusing on infectious diseases management; it is drawn up by a multidisciplinary working group (infectiologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, microbiologists, midwives, hygienists).

Low-level primary clarithromycin resistance of Helicobacter pylori in Reunion Island.

Introduction: The increasing resistance of Helicobacter pylori to clarithromycin leads to an ongoing adaptation of empirical first-line treatment for H. pylori infections.

Patients And Methods: Prospective study (2022-2023) of 364 patients with no previous treatment for H.

Exploring the influence of perineal biometrics and stiffness measured by elastography during pregnancy on perineal tears : a pilot study.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the biometrics and elasticity of the perineal body and the anal sphincter in the ninth month of pregnancy and explore their association with the risk of perineal tears during childbirth.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, pregnant women at 36-40 weeks of gestation were included. Using transperineal 2D-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE), we measured the biometrics and stiffness of the perineal body (PB), external anal sphincter (EAS), internal anal sphincter (IAS), and anal mucosa (AM) at rest and during Valsalva maneuvers.

Results from a phase 1b study of telisotuzumab vedotin in combination with osimertinib in patients with c-Met protein-overexpressing, EGFR-mutated locally advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after progression on prior osimertinib.

Background: Osimertinib is the standard first-line treatment for advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated NSCLC. However, treatment resistance is inevitable and increased c-Met protein expression correlates with resistance. Telisotuzumab vedotin (Teliso-V) is an antibody-drug conjugate that targets c-Met protein overexpression.

Design and Ex Vivo Evaluation of a PCLA Degradable Device To Improve Annulus Fibrosus Repair.

With a prevalence of over 90% in people over 50, intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a major health concern. This weakening of the intervertebral discs can lead to herniation, where the nucleus pulpus (NP) leaks through the surrounding Annulus Fibrosus (AF). Considering the limited self-healing capacity of AF tissue, an implant is needed to restore its architecture and function.

Assessment of the effects of cadmium, samarium and gadolinium on the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis): A biochemical, transcriptomic and metabolomic approach.

Improving the understanding of how chemicals affect on organisms and assessing the associated environmental risks is of major interest in environmental studies. This can be achieved by using complementary approaches based on the study of the molecular responses of organisms. Because of the known chemical pressures on the environment, regulations on the content of some chemicals, such as cadmium, have been mostly completed.

Single-molecule resolution of the conformation of polymers and dendrimers with solid-state nanopores.

Polymers and dendrimers are macromolecules, possessing unique and intriguing characteristics, that are widely applied in self-assembled functional materials, green catalysis, drug delivery and sensing devices. Traditional approaches for the structural characterization of polymers and dendrimers involve DLS, GPC, NMR, IR and TG, which provide their physiochemical features and ensemble information, whereas their unimolecular conformation and dispersion also are key features allowing to understand their transporting profile in confined ionic nanochannels. This work demonstrates the nanopore approach for the determination of charged homopolymers, neutral block copolymer and dendrimers under distinct bias potentials and pH conditions.

Coupling of single nanodiamonds hosting SiV color centers to plasmonic double bowtie microantennas.

Color centers are promising single-photon emitters owing to their operation at room temperature and high photostability. In particular, using nanodiamonds as a host material is of interest for sensing and metrology. Furthermore, being a solid-state system allows for incorporation to photonic systems to tune both the emission intensity and photoluminescence spectrum and therefore adapt the individual color center to desired properties.

Hypoxia-Initiated Supramolecular Free Radicals Induce Intracellular Polymerization for Precision Tumor Therapy.

Despite the development of various controlled release systems for antitumor therapies, off-target side effects remain a persistent challenge. In situ therapeutic synthesis from biocompatible substances offers a safer and more precise alternative. This study presents a hypoxia-initiated supramolecular free radical system capable of inducing intracellular polymerization, thereby disrupting the cytoskeleton and organelles within 4T1 cells.

Arctic soil carbon insulation averts large spring cooling from surface-atmosphere feedbacks.

The insulative properties of soil organic carbon (SOC) and surface organic layers (moss, lichens, litter) regulate surface-atmosphere energy exchanges in the Arctic through a coupling with soil temperatures. However, a physical description of this process is lacking in many climate models, potentially biasing their high-latitude climate predictions. Using a coupled surface-atmosphere model, we identified a strong feedback loop between soil insulation, surface air temperature, and snowfall.

Casein Kinases 2-dependent phosphorylation of the placental ligand VAR2CSA regulates Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes cytoadhesion.

Placental malaria is characterized by the massive accumulation and sequestration of infected erythrocytes in the placental intervillous blood spaces, causing severe birth outcomes. The variant surface antigen VAR2CSA is associated with Plasmodium falciparum sequestration in the placenta via its capacity to adhere to chondroitin sulfate A. We have previously shown that the extracellular region of VAR2CSA is phosphorylated on several residues and that the phosphorylation enhances the adhesive properties of CSA-binding infected erythrocytes.

Genomic exploration of the journey of Plasmodium vivax in Latin America.

Plasmodium vivax is the predominant malaria parasite in Latin America. Its colonization history in the region is rich and complex, and is still highly debated, especially about its origin(s). Our study employed cutting-edge population genomic techniques to analyze whole genome variation from 620 P.

Dialogue mechanisms between astrocytic and neuronal networks: A whole-brain modelling approach.

Astrocytes critically shape whole-brain structure and function by forming extensive gap junctional networks that intimately and actively interact with neurons. Despite their importance, existing computational models of whole-brain activity ignore the roles of astrocytes while primarily focusing on neurons. Addressing this oversight, we introduce a biophysical neural mass network model, designed to capture the dynamic interplay between astrocytes and neurons via glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission pathways.

Ambivalent partnership of the Drosophila posterior class Hox protein Abdominal-B with Extradenticle and Homothorax.

Hox proteins, a sub-group of the homeodomain (HD) transcription factor family, provide positional information for axial patterning in development and evolution. Hox protein functional specificity is reached, at least in part, through interactions with Pbc (Extradenticle (Exd) in Drosophila) and Meis/Prep (Homothorax (Hth) in Drosophila) proteins. Most of our current knowledge of Hox protein specificity stems from the study of anterior and central Hox proteins, identifying the molecular and structural bases for Hox/Pbc/Meis-Prep cooperative action.

Identification of novel genes responsible for a pollen killer present in local natural populations of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Gamete killers are genetic loci that distort segregation in the progeny of hybrids because the killer allele promotes the elimination of the gametes that carry the sensitive allele. They are widely distributed in eukaryotes and are important for understanding genome evolution and speciation. We had previously identified a pollen killer in hybrids between two distant natural accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Use of assistive technology to assess distal motor function in subjects with neuromuscular disease.

Unlabelled: Among the 32 items of the Motor Function Measure scale, 3 concern the assessment of hand function on a paper-based support. Their characteristics make it possible to envisage the use of a tablet instead of the original paper-based support for their completion. This would then make it possible to automate the score to reduce intra- and inter-individual variability.

Dynamic Control of Weight-Update Linearity in Magneto-Ionic Synapses.

Multifunctional hardware technologies for neuromorphic computing are essential for replicating the complexity of biological neural systems, thereby improving the performance of artificial synapses and neurons. Integrating ionic and spintronic technologies offers new degrees of freedom to modulate synaptic potentiation and depression, introducing novel magnetic functionalities alongside the established ionic analogue behavior. We demonstrate that magneto-ionic devices can perform as synaptic elements with dynamically tunable depression linearity controlled by an external magnetic field, a functionality reminiscent of neuromodulation in biological systems.

Estimation of Dislocation Densities With Nondestructive Scanning Electron Microscope Techniques: Application to Gallium Nitride.

Characterizing threading dislocations (TDs) in gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors is crucial for ensuring the reliability of semiconductor devices. The current research addresses this issue by combining two techniques using a scanning electron microscope, namely electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) and high-resolution electron backscattered diffraction (HR-EBSD). It is a comparative study of these techniques to underscore how they perform in the evaluation of TD densities in GaN epitaxial layers.

Near-Surface Concentration Profile of Sheared Semidilute Polymer Solutions.

Controlling the structure of polymer solutions near a solid surface is crucial for many industrial processes as it significantly impacts solution flow and influences slip at the interface. To date, only a few techniques have been developed to experimentally investigate this type of interface at the nanometric scale of solid/liquid interactions. In this study, we probe the interface between a smooth sapphire surface and a semidilute polystyrene solution, using neutron reflectivity.