Responsive cancer care in Asia: stigma and pain must be acknowledged and addressed.

Purpose: This study investigates whether cancer-related stigma and pain among patients with advanced cancer influences their perceptions of receiving responsive care.

Methods: We surveyed 2138 advanced cancer patients from 11 hospitals in eight Asian countries. Participants rated their most recent healthcare visit and a hypothetical patient's experience described in vignettes concerning dignity, clarity of information, and involvement in decision-making.

Microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems: impacts on diatom communities.

In recent years, heightened concern has emerged regarding the pervasive presence of microplastics in the environment, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. This concern has prompted extensive scientific inquiry into microplastics' ecological and physiological implications, including threats to biodiversity. The robust adsorption capacity of microplastic surfaces facilitates their widespread distribution throughout aquatic ecosystems, acting also as carriers of organic pollutants.

Lowering LDL cholesterol by PCSK9 inhibition: a new era of gene silencing, RNA, and alternative therapies.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) discovery has added a new paradigm to our understanding of cholesterol homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Since its discovery, PCSK9 inhibitors have become a widely investigated therapeutic class for lipid management in cardiovascular diseases and hypercholesterolemia. Scientists have explored different approaches for PCSK9 inhibition, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), gene silencing and gene editing techniques, vaccines, mimetic peptides, and small molecules.

Cdr1 in focus: a personal reflection on multidrug transporter research.

Drug resistance mechanisms in human pathogenic Candida species are constantly evolving. Over time, these species have developed diverse strategies to counter the effects of various drug classes, making them a significant threat to human health. In addition to well-known mechanisms such as drug target modification, overexpression, and chromosome duplication, Candida species have also developed permeability barriers to antifungal drugs through reduced drug import or increased efflux.

Molecular and therapeutic insight into ER Stress signaling in NSCLC.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress is intricately involved in cancer development, progression and response to chemotherapy. ER stress related genes might play an important role in predicting the prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients and may be manipulated to improve the treatment outcome and overall survival rate. In this review, we analyzed the contribution of the three major ER stress pathways-IRE1, ATF6, and PERK-in lung cancer pathogenesis via modulation of tumor microenvironment (TME) and processes as metastasis, angiogenesis, apoptosis and N-glycosylation.

Costly traits in a dynamic world: trait responses to fine-scale varying environment differ according to selection pressures in a tropical lizard.

Under current climate change patterns, rapidly changing environments can impose strong selection on traits. Costly traits that require heavy investment and strongly affect fitness may be particularly vulnerable to such changes. Despite organisms experiencing dynamic environments, our knowledge of costly trait response is limited as longitudinal studies across generations are rare.

Aryl Borane as a Catalyst for Dehydrative Amide Synthesis.

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane B(CF)·HO is reported as a catalyst for dehydrative amidation of carboxylic acids and amines. This protocol is applicable across a wide range of >35 substrates, including aromatic and aliphatic amines and acids, resulting in amides in ≤92% yields. The scalability of the reaction up to 10 mmol, along with the synthesis of drugs such as ibuprofen amide, moclobemide, and phenacetin, demonstrates the industrial potential of our protocol.

Validation of a Pretransplant Risk Prediction Model for Early Allograft Dysfunction After Living-donor Liver Transplantation.

Background: Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) affects outcomes in liver transplantation (LT). Existing risk models developed for deceased-donor LT depend on posttransplant factors and fall short in living-donor LT (LDLT), where pretransplant evaluations are crucial for preventing EAD and justifying the donor's risks.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 2944 adult patients who underwent LDLT at 17 centers between 2016 and 2020.

Self-Assembly of Mycolic Acid in Water: Monolayer or Bilayer.

The enduring pathogenicity of can be attributed to its lipid-rich cell wall, with mycolic acids (MAs) being a significant constituent. Different MAs' fluidity and structural adaptability within the bacterial cell envelope significantly influence their physicochemical properties, operational capabilities, and pathogenic potential. Therefore, an accurate conformational representation of various MAs in aqueous media can provide insights into their potential role within the intricate structure of the bacterial cell wall.

Lichen nitidus.

Lichen nitidus (LN) is a rare inflammatory skin condition characterized by small, shiny, flat-topped papules, commonly affecting children and young adults. Its etiology remains unclear, though immune-mediated pathways are suspected. LN is often asymptomatic, with papules primarily on the trunk, upper limbs, and genitalia.

Wastewater biotreatment and bioaugmentation for remediation of contaminated sites at an oil recycling plant.

This work focused on the biotreatment of wastewater and contaminated soil in a used oil recycling plant located in Bizerte. A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and a trickling filter (TF) were used to treat stripped and collected wastewater, respectively. The CSTR was started up and stabilized for 90 days.

Geochemical assessment of groundwater quality using Nemerov's pollution index: a micro-level study in the groundwater critical zone of western Rajasthan, India.

The pollution index is a helpful tool for assessing the quality of groundwater. To assess the water quality in the southern segment of Barmer District (Rajasthan), India, we collected 20 samples of groundwater from the post-monsoon 2021 and pre-monsoon 2022 periods. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total hardness, Cl, SO, F, NO, total dissolved solids, Ca, and Mg were analyzed.

Resolving the Ambiguity of Thermal Reversion in a Nonconjugated Monocyclic Diene-Based Photoswitch for Rechargeable Solar Thermal Batteries.

We report nonconjugated monocyclic dienes (nCMDs) as unique photoswitchable molecules that hold promise for harvesting substantial solar energy and storing it for extended durations. Herein, cyclohepta-1,4-diene and its N-heterocyclic analogue have been considered as prototypical models for investigating photoswitching behavior in nCMDs. Initially, the nonradiative deactivation pathway of nCMD from the low-lying excited state to the [2 + 2]-cycloadduct has been evaluated.

Precision nutrition-based interventions for the management of obesity in children and adolescents up to the age of 19 years.

Background: Precision nutrition-based methods develop tailored interventions and/or recommendations accounting for determinants of intra- and inter-individual variation in response to the same diet, compared to current 'one-size-fits-all' population-level approaches. Determinants may include genetics, current dietary habits and eating patterns, circadian rhythms, health status, gut microbiome, socioeconomic and psychosocial characteristics, and physical activity. ​​​​In this systematic review, we examined the evidence base for the effect of interventions based on precision nutrition approaches on overweight and obesity in children and adolescents to help inform future research and global guidelines.

Risk factor assessment for post-thrombolytic coronary angiogram normalcy in young myocardial infarction patients.

Objectives: Acute myocardial infarction is a critical medical condition that poses a significant risk to life. It is distinguished by the abrupt cessation of blood flow to a specific segment of the cardiac muscle. Acute myocardial infarction accounts for more than 15 % of global mortality annually.

Staged versus Simultaneous Surgery for Adult Spinal Deformity - A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta analysis.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of staged versus same-day spinal fusion surgeries in Adult spinal deformity (ASD).

Background: ASD surgeries are associated with high complication rates, ranging from 10% to 40%.

Dithiocarbamate-Based Sequence-Defined Oligomers as Promising Membrane-Disrupting Antibacterial Agents: Design, Activity, and Mechanism.

The emerging prevalence of antimicrobial resistance demands cutting-edge therapeutic agents to treat bacterial infections. We present a synthetic strategy to construct sequence-defined oligomers (SDOs) by using dithiocarbamate (DTC). The antibacterial activity of the synthesized library of SDOs was studied using a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative .

Advancements in genetic engineering for enhanced Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production: a comprehensive review of metabolic pathway manipulation and gene deletion strategies.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are bioplastics produced by few bacteria as intracellular lipid inclusions under excess carbon source and nutrient-deprived conditions. These polymers are biodegradable and resemble petroleum-based plastics. The rising environmental concerns have increased the demand for PHA, but the low yield in wild-type bacterial strains limits large-scale production.

Structural and Mechanistic Insights into the Main Protease (Mpro) Dimer Interface Destabilization Inhibitor: Unveiling New Therapeutic Avenues against SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-CoV-2 variant recurrence has emphasized the imperative prerequisite for effective antivirals. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for viral replication, making it one of the prime and promising antiviral targets. Mpro features several druggable sites, including active sites and allosteric sites near the dimerization interface, that regulate its catalytic activity.