Efficient synthesis of fluorinated triphenylenes with enhanced arene-perfluoroarene interactions in columnar mesophases.

The high potential of non-covalent arene-fluoroarene intermolecular interactions in the design of liquid crystals lies in their ability to strongly promote self-assembly, improve the order and stability of the supramolecular mesophases, and enable tuneability of the optical and electronic properties, which can potentially be exploited for advanced applications in display technologies, photonic devices, sensors, and organic electronics. We recently successfully reported the straightforward synthesis of several mesogens containing four lateral aliphatic chains and derived from the classical triphenylene core self-assembling in columnar mesophases based on this paradigm. These mesogenic compounds were simply obtained in good yields by the nucleophilic substitution (SFAr) of various types of commercially available fluoroarenes with the electrophilic organolithium derivatives 2,2'-dilithio-4,4',5,5'-tetraalkoxy-1,1'-biphenyl (2Li- ).

Outcome of Surgery for Hypothalamic Hamartoma-Related Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: There is a paucity of data directly comparing the outcome of surgical techniques available for the treatment of hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs). This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of commonly used surgical approaches in the treatment of HH-related epilepsy.

Methods: A systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis was conducted.

Comparing surgical techniques and results of secondary ischemic mitral regurgitation: a state-of-the-art literature review.

Background And Objective: Surgery for mitral valve disease is a developing area with a wide range of surgical options. There is growing evidence on the best approach for secondary ischemic mitral regurgitation (SIMR) when the pathology is within the ventricle. The goal of this literature review is to provide a comprehensive comparison of surgical treatments for SIMR.

From Geometry of Hamiltonian Dynamics to Topology of Phase Transitions: A Review.

In this review work, we outline a conceptual path that, starting from the numerical investigation of the transition between weak chaos and strong chaos in Hamiltonian systems with many degrees of freedom, comes to highlight how, at the basis of equilibrium phase transitions, there must be major changes in the topology of submanifolds of the phase space of Hamiltonian systems that describe systems that exhibit phase transitions. In fact, the numerical investigation of Hamiltonian flows of a large number of degrees of freedom that undergo a thermodynamic phase transition has revealed peculiar dynamical signatures detected through the energy dependence of the largest Lyapunov exponent, that is, of the degree of chaoticity of the dynamics at the phase transition point. The geometrization of Hamiltonian flows in terms of geodesic flows on suitably defined Riemannian manifolds, used to explain the origin of deterministic chaos, combined with the investigation of the dynamical counterpart of phase transitions unveils peculiar geometrical changes of the mechanical manifolds in correspondence to the peculiar dynamical changes at the phase transition point.

Effect of dietary calcium and vitamin D supplements on plasma bone turnover biomarkers, bone mineralization, bone strength, and lameness score in gilts.

This study investigated the impact of calcium (Ca) and vitamin D supplements on bone metabolism, bone measurement, lameness, and selection rate in gilts fed 5 dietary treatments. Two Ca levels (6.85/6.

Human rhinovirus 16 induces an ICAM-1-PKR-ATF2 axis to modulate macrophage functions.

Unlabelled: Human rhinovirus (HRV) infections are the leading cause of disease exacerbations in individuals with chronic pulmonary diseases, primarily due to impaired macrophage functions, resulting in defective bacterial elimination. We previously demonstrated that HRV16 impairs macrophages' functions in an ARL5b-dependent manner. In permissive cells, ARL5b acted as an HRV16 restriction factor and was repressed.

Large B-cell lymphomas with CCND1 rearrangement have different immunoglobulin gene breakpoints and genomic profile than mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is genetically characterized by the IG::CCND1 translocation mediated by an aberrant V(D)J rearrangement. CCND1 translocations and overexpression have been identified in occasional aggressive B-cell lymphomas with unusual features for MCL. The mechanism generating CCND1 rearrangements in these tumors and their genomic profile are not known.

Sensitivity of the Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment Score (UIATS) to detect aneurysms at high-risk of rupture: Retrospective analysis in a cohort of 346 patients with a proven subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the capability of the Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment Score (UIATS) to discriminate unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) at high risk for subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

Material And Method: During the period from January 2012 to December 2022, we included all consecutive adult patients admitted to our institution for an aSAH caused by the rupture of a saccular IA. The patient-related, aneurysm-related and treatment-related risk factors considered by UIATS were retrieved from medical records.

Alpha-synuclein-induced nigrostriatal degeneration and pramipexole treatment disrupt frontostriatal plasticity.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the degeneration of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopaminergic neurons, leading to motor and cognitive symptoms. Numerous cellular and molecular adaptations following neurodegeneration or dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) have been described in motor networks but little is known regarding associative basal ganglia loops. This study investigated the contributions of nigrostriatal degeneration and pramipexole (PPX) on neuronal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), frontostriatal plasticity, and markers of synaptic plasticity.

Direct single-cell observation of a key cell-cycle oscillator.

Initiation of DNA replication in is coupled to cell size via the DnaA protein, whose activity is dependent on its nucleotide-bound state. However, the oscillations in DnaA activity have never been observed at the single-cell level. By measuring the volume-specific production rate of a reporter protein under control of a DnaA-regulated promoter, we could distinguish two distinct cell-cycle oscillators.

Structural basis of TMPRSS2 zymogen activation and recognition by the HKU1 seasonal coronavirus.

The human seasonal coronavirus HKU1-CoV, which causes common colds worldwide, relies on the sequential binding to surface glycans and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) for entry into target cells. TMPRSS2 is synthesized as a zymogen that undergoes autolytic activation to process its substrates. Several respiratory viruses, in particular coronaviruses, use TMPRSS2 for proteolytic priming of their surface spike protein to drive membrane fusion upon receptor binding.

Funding and conclusions of network meta-analyses on targeted therapies in inflammatory diseases: an overview.

Objectives: To explore the association between industry funding and network meta-analyses' (NMAs) conclusion, and the use in Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) of NMAs.

Study Design And Setting: This was an overview of NMAs and CPGs. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Epistemonikos, and several guideline databases up to February 18th 2023.

Prediction of recurrence risk in endometrial cancer with multimodal deep learning.

Predicting distant recurrence of endometrial cancer (EC) is crucial for personalized adjuvant treatment. The current gold standard of combined pathological and molecular profiling is costly, hampering implementation. Here we developed HECTOR (histopathology-based endometrial cancer tailored outcome risk), a multimodal deep learning prognostic model using hematoxylin and eosin-stained, whole-slide images and tumor stage as input, on 2,072 patients from eight EC cohorts including the PORTEC-1/-2/-3 randomized trials.

Three-Year Outcomes With Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided or Angiography-Guided Multivessel Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Myocardial Infarction.

Background: In patients with multivessel disease with successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, the FLOWER-MI trial (Flow Evaluation to Guide Revascularization in Multivessel ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) showed that a fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided strategy was not superior to an angiography-guided strategy for treatment of noninfarct-related artery lesions regarding the 1-year risk of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, or unplanned hospitalization leading to urgent revascularization. The extension phase of the trial was planned using the same primary outcome to determine whether a difference in outcomes would be observed with a longer follow-up.

Methods: In this multicenter trial, we randomly assigned patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease with successful percutaneous coronary intervention of the infarct-related artery to receive complete revascularization guided by either FFR (n=586) or angiography (n=577).

Flexible fluorinated graphite foils with high contents of the (CF) phase for slow neutron reflectors.

In order to prepare self-standing and flexible slow neutron reflectors made of graphite fluoride (GF) with high contents of (CF) structural phase, graphite foils of different thicknesses were used as starting materials for gas (F)/solid fluorination. The maximal interlayer distance of GF was obtained with this phase thanks to the stacking sequence FCCF/FCCF; this is mandatory for the efficient reflection of slow neutrons. 71 and 77% of the (CF) phase were achieved for graphite foils with thicknesses of 1.

CD74 supports accumulation and function of regulatory T cells in tumors.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are plastic cells playing a pivotal role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Tregs actively adapt to the microenvironment where they reside; as a consequence, their molecular and functional profiles differ among tissues and pathologies. In tumors, the features acquired by Tregs remains poorly characterized.

Mediation of antitumor activity by AZD4820 oncolytic vaccinia virus encoding IL-12.

Oncolytic viruses are engineered to selectively kill tumor cells and have demonstrated promising results in early-phase clinical trials. To further modulate the innate and adaptive immune system, we generated AZD4820, a vaccinia virus engineered to express interleukin-12 (IL-12), a potent cytokine involved in the activation of natural killer (NK) and T cells and the reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment. Testing in cultured human tumor cell lines demonstrated broad oncolytic activity and IL-12 transgene expression.

Immunogenicity and efficacy of VLA2001 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection in male cynomolgus macaques.

Background: The fight against COVID-19 requires mass vaccination strategies, and vaccines inducing durable cross-protective responses are still needed. Inactivated vaccines have proven lasting efficacy against many pathogens and good safety records. They contain multiple protein antigens that may improve response breadth and can be easily adapted every year to maintain preparedness for future seasonally emerging variants.

Scedosporiosis and lomentosporiosis: modern perspectives on these difficult-to-treat rare mold infections.

SUMMARYAlthough species and are uncommon causes of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs), these infections are associated with high mortality and are costly to treat with a limited armamentarium of antifungal drugs. In light of recent advances, including in the area of new antifungals, the present review provides a timely and updated overview of these IFDs, with a focus on the taxonomy, clinical epidemiology, pathogenesis and host immune response, disease manifestations, diagnosis, antifungal susceptibility, and treatment. An expansion of hosts at risk for these difficult-to-treat infections has emerged over the last two decades given the increased use of, and broader population treated with, immunomodulatory and targeted molecular agents as well as wider adoption of antifungal prophylaxis.