Interaction between bacterial phytochromes Agp1 and Agp2 of Agrobacterium fabrum by fluorescence resonance energy transfer and docking studies.

Phytochromes are biliprotein photoreceptors found in bacteria, fungi, and plants. The soil bacterium Agrobacterium fabrum has two phytochromes, Agp1 and Agp2, which work together to control DNA transfer to plants and bacterial conjugation. Both phytochromes interact as homodimeric proteins.

Characterization of Hospital Admissions During Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: Insights From the ICOG Study.

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have improved the therapeutic arsenal in outpatient oncology care; however, data on necessity of hospitalizations associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are scarce. Here, we characterized hospitalizations of patients undergoing ICI, from the prospective cohort study of the immune cooperative oncology group (ICOG) Hannover.

Methods: Between 12/2019 and 06/2022, 237 patients were included.

Precision in Liver Diagnosis: Varied Accuracy Across Subgroups and the Need for Variable Thresholds in Diagnosis of MASLD.

Background And Aims: The performance of non-invasive liver tests (NITs) is known to vary across settings and subgroups. We systematically evaluated whether the performance of three NITs in detecting advanced fibrosis in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) varies with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) status or liver enzymes.

Methods: Data from 586 adult LITMUS Metacohort participants with histologically characterised MASLD were included.

Defining Excellence: The First Core Set of Quality Indicators for the European Paediatric Surgical Audit on Hirschsprung's Disease Care.

Aim: This study aimed to develop a universally applicable core set of quality indicators for Hirschsprung's disease care through a consensus-driven process, to standardise and improve care quality across Europe.

Methods: A modified Delphi method was used to achieve consensus among healthcare professionals (HPs) and patient representatives (PRs) across Europe. Participants completed three rounds of anonymous surveys, rating quality indicators for Hirschsprung's disease care.

Modeling the response to interleukin-21 to inform natural killer cell immunotherapy.

Natural killer (NK) cells are emerging agents for cancer therapy. Several different cytokines are used to generate NK cells for adoptive immunotherapy including interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18 in solution, and membrane-bound IL-21. These cytokines drive NK cell activation through the integration of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathways, which overlap and synergize, making it challenging to predict optimal cytokine combinations for both proliferation and cytotoxicity.

FDA-approved drugs featuring macrocycles or medium-sized rings.

Macrocycles or medium-sized rings offer diverse functionality and stereochemical complexity in a well-organized ring structure, allowing them to fulfill various biochemical functions, resulting in high affinity and selectivity for protein targets, while preserving sufficient bioavailability to reach intracellular compartments. These features have made macrocycles attractive candidates in organic synthesis and drug discovery. Since the 20th century, more than three-score macrocyclic drugs, including radiopharmaceuticals, have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating bacterial and viral infections, cancer, obesity, immunosuppression, inflammatory, and neurological disorders, managing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and more.

Association of Alzheimer's and Lewy body disease pathology with basal forebrain volume and cognitive impairment.

Background: Degeneration of the basal forebrain cholinergic system is a hallmark feature shared by Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Lewy body disease (LBD) whereas hippocampus atrophy is more specifically related to AD. We aimed to investigate the relationship between basal forebrain and hippocampus atrophy, cognitive decline, and neuropathology in a large autopsy sample.

Methods: Data were obtained from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC).

RADAR-AD: assessment of multiple remote monitoring technologies for early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions worldwide, leading to cognitive and functional decline. Early detection and intervention are crucial for enhancing the quality of life of patients and their families. Remote Monitoring Technologies (RMTs) offer a promising solution for early detection by tracking changes in behavioral and cognitive functions, such as memory, language, and problem-solving skills.

Propensity score matched comparison of lymph node upstaging in early-stage lung cancer: open versus minimally invasive surgery with standardized lymphadenectomy.

Background: Lymph node upstaging represents a quality criterion for standardized lymphadenectomy in lung cancer surgery. The aim of the study was to compare whether the quality of standardized lymphadenectomy in lung cancer surgery is comparable in minimally invasive (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) and the open approach (thoracotomy). Furthermore, factors associated with lymph node upstaging were assessed, as was its impact on overall survival and progression-free survival.

Ribosome pausing in amylase producing Bacillus subtilis during long fermentation.

Background: Ribosome pausing slows down translation and can affect protein synthesis. Improving translation efficiency can therefore be of commercial value. In this study, we investigated whether ribosome pausing occurs during production of the α-amylase AmyM by the industrial production organism Bacillus subtilis under repeated batch fermentation conditions.

Rationale and design of the multicenter, national, randomized, open labeled phase III trial: allogeneic stem cell transplantation as a potential curative treatment for patients with relapsed or progressed multiple myeloma (AlloRelapseMM Study).

Background: Even though major improvements have been made in the treatment of myeloma, the majority of patients eventually relapse or progress. Patients with multiple myeloma who relapse after initial high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cells have a median progression free survival up to 2-3 years, depending on risk factors such as previous remission duration. In recent years, growing evidence has suggested that allogeneic stem cell transplantation could be a promising treatment option for patients with relapsed or progressed multiple myeloma.

Psychological stressors of imprisonment and coping of older incarcerated persons: a qualitative interview study.

Background: Imprisonment has a major impact on a person's psychological well-being. The proportion of older imprisoned persons is dramatically increasing worldwide, and they are likely to have greater physical and mental health needs compared to younger persons in prisons. However, there is currently a lack of research on the psychological stressors and the coping strategies of older imprisoned persons.

Nutraceutical Impact of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Expression Levels of EZH-2 and KRT-14 Genes against DSS-induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Rat Model.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a collection of intestinal disorders that cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Prolonged inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract is a major risk factor for colorectal cancer. The objective of this study was to fucus on gene expression levels of (KRT-14; associated with epithelial cell integrity) and enhancer of zeste homolog-1 (EZH-2; involved in cellular proliferation) in a IBD rat model in order to rule out impact of nutraceuticals (pumpkin seed oil; PSO) as a complementary approach to conventional treatments of IBD.

PSMA PET/CT based multimodal deep learning model for accurate prediction of pelvic lymph-node metastases in prostate cancer patients identified as candidates for extended pelvic lymph node dissection by preoperative nomograms.

Purpose: To develop and validate a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT based multimodal deep learning model for predicting pathological lymph node invasion (LNI) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients identified as candidates for extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) by preoperative nomograms.

Methods: [Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 PET/CT scan of 116 eligible PCa patients (82 in the training cohort and 34 in the test cohort) who underwent radical prostatectomy with ePLND were analyzed in our study. The Med3D deep learning network was utilized to extract discriminative features from the entire prostate volume of interest on the PET/CT images.

Inoculation reduces social media engagement with affectively polarized content in the UK and US.

The generation and distribution of hyper-partisan content on social media has gained millions of exposure across platforms, often allowing malevolent actors to influence and disrupt democracies. The spread of this content is facilitated by real users' engaging with it on platforms. The current study tests the efficacy of an 'inoculation' intervention via six online survey-based experiments in the UK and US.

Factors associated with statural growth in pediatric kidney transplant recipients with focus on metabolic acidosis.

Background: We investigated factors associated with post-transplant growth in pediatric kidney transplant (KTx) recipients with a focus on plasma bicarbonate (HCO3) and estimated the effect of alkali treatment on growth.

Methods: In this study of the CERTAIN Registry, data were collected up to 5 years post-transplant. Generalized Additive Mixed Models were applied to assess the association between post-transplant growth and covariates.

London dispersion forces and steric effects within nanocomposites tune interaction energies and chain conformation.

The interplay between attractive London dispersion forces and steric effects due to repulsive forces resulting from the Pauli principle often determines the geometry and stability of nanostructures. Aromatic polyimides (PI) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were chosen as building blocks as two components in the hetero delocalized electron nanostructures. Two PIs, having the same diamine part and different linkage substituents between two phenyl rings of dianhydride part, one linked with ether bond (C-O-C) (OPI), the other with C-(CF3)2 (FPI), were investigated.

Accuracy of full arch scans performed with nine different scanning patterns- an in vitro study.

Objective: Evaluation of the accuracy of direct digitization of maxillary scans depending on the scanning strategy.

Materials And Methods: A maxillary model with a metal bar as a reference structure fixed between the second molars was digitized using the CEREC Primescan AC scanner (N = 225 scans). Nine scanning strategies were selected (n = 25 scans per strategy), differing in scan area segmentation (F = full jaw, H = half jaw, S = sextant) and scan movement pattern (L = linear, Z = zig-zag, C = combined).

Maternal weight during pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in offspring.

In addition to biological factors, maternal exposures during pregnancy can contribute to leukemogenesis in offspring. We conducted a population-based cohort study in Sweden to investigate the association between risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in offspring and maternal anthropometrics during pregnancy. A total of 2,961,435 live-born singletons during 1983-2018 were followed from birth to ALL diagnosis, end of age 18, or end of 2018.

A novel uORF regulates folliculin to promote cell growth and lysosomal biogenesis during cardiac stress.

Pathological cardiac remodeling is a maladaptive response that leads to changes in the size, structure, and function of the heart. These changes occur due to an acute or chronic stress on the heart and involve a complex interplay of hemodynamic, neurohormonal and molecular factors. As a critical regulator of cell growth, protein synthesis and autophagy mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is an important mediator of pathological cardiac remodeling.

Global transcriptional modulation and nutritional status of soybean plants following foliar application of zinc borate as a suspension concentrate fertilizer.

The management of micronutrients, such as boron (B) and zinc (Zn), is critical for plant growth and crop yields. One method of rapid intervention crop management to mitigate nutritional deficiency is the foliar supply of B and Zn. Our study investigates the effect of foliar-supplied B and Zn availability on the global transcriptional modulation in soybean (Glycine max).