Thr92Ala-DIO2 heterozygosity is associated with skeletal muscle mass and myosteatosis in patients with COVID-19.

Introduction: The type 2 deiodinase and its Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism have been linked to clinical outcomes in acute lung injury and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Objective: The objective was to identify a potential association between Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism and body composition (appendicular muscle mass, myosteatosis, and fat distribution) and to determine whether they reflect the severity or mortality associated with the disease.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study (June-August 2020), 181 patients hospitalized with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 underwent a non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the thorax to assess body composition, laboratory tests, and genotyping for the Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism.

Effects of food emulsifiers on high fat-diet-induced obesity, intestinal inflammation, changes in bile acid profile, and liver dysfunction.

Obesity has become one of the most prevalent health concerns of our time. A long-term high-fat diet is closely related to obesity. Food emulsifiers are incorporated into high-fat foods to enhance the texture and stability.

Low muscle mass and high visceral fat mass predict mortality in patients hospitalized with moderate-to-severe COVID-19: a prospective study.

Introduction: The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been positively correlated with several comorbidities. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the relationship between the mortality and severity of COVID-19 and obesity classes according to BMI, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area, s.c.

The Deficiency of SCARB2/LIMP-2 Impairs Metabolism via Disrupted mTORC1-Dependent Mitochondrial OXPHOS.

Deficiency in scavenger receptor class B, member 2 (SCARB2) is related to both Gaucher disease (GD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), which are both neurodegenerative-related diseases without cure. Although both diseases lead to weight loss, which affects the quality of life and the progress of diseases, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we found that mice showed significantly reduced lipid storage in white fat tissues (WAT) compared to WT mice on a regular chow diet.

Nuclear score evaluation in follicular-patterned thyroid lesions using optical and digital environments.

Introduction: The subjective evaluation of nuclear features in follicular-patterned lesions of the thyroid is a reason for diagnosis discordance. The assessment of nuclear features also varies whether the observation is performed optically or digitally. Our objective was to study the concordance among pathologists regarding the nuclear score (NS) evaluation in a series of follicular-patterned lesions, using optical versus three digital scanning protocols.

Heterozygote Advantage of the Type II Deiodinase Thr92Ala Polymorphism on Intrahospital Mortality of COVID-19.

Context: The type 2 deiodinase and its Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism have been linked to clinical outcomes in acute lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: Our objectives were to evaluate were cumulative mortality during admission according to Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism.

Methods: Here we conducted an observational, longitudinal, and prospective cohort study to investigate a possible association between the Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism and intrahospital mortality from COVID-19 in adult patients admitted between June and August 2020.

Mechanisms of Viscous Media Effects on Elementary Steps of Bacterial Bioluminescent Reaction.

Enzymes activity in a cell is determined by many factors, among which viscosity of the microenvironment plays a significant role. Various cosolvents can imitate intracellular conditions in vitro, allowing to reduce a combination of different regulatory effects. The aim of the study was to analyze the media viscosity effects on the rate constants of the separate stages of the bacterial bioluminescent reaction.

Thyroid Hormone Levels During Hospital Admission Inform Disease Severity and Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

Illness severity in patients infected with COVID-19 is variable. Here, we conducted an observational, longitudinal, and prospective cohort study to investigate serum thyroid hormone (TH) levels in adult COVID-19 patients, admitted between June and August 2020, and to determine whether they reflect the severity or mortality associated with the disease. Two hundred forty-five patients [median age: 62 (49-75) years] were stratified into non-critical (181) and critically ill (64) groups.

Tetrazole Ring Substitution at Carbon and Boron Sites of the Cobalt Bis(dicarbollide) Ion Available via Dipolar Cycloadditions.

Herein, we describe the synthesis of two families of compounds accessible from [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of known B8-substituted isonitrilium and new C1-alkylnitrile and C(1,1')-dialkylnitrile derivatives of the [(1,2-CBH)-3,3'-Co(III)] ion with an azide ion that produce a tetrazole ring substitution at the cobaltacarborane cage. In addition, we outline the important differences in reactivity observed for the two types [B-isonitrilium/C-(alkyl)nitrile] of cobaltacarborane derivatives. The first family of compounds described corresponds to C5-atom-boronated tetrazole rings, with the five-membered moiety in the second type being doubly substituted at the N1 and C5 positions.

In situ formed anti-inflammatory hydrogel loading plasmid DNA encoding VEGF for burn wound healing.

Excessive inflammation and reduced angiogenesis are two major obstacles in burn wound healing and skin regeneration. Here we report the fabrication and application of a sophisticated hydrogel from chemically modified hyaluronic acid (HA), dextran (Dex), and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) integrating resveratrol (Res) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plasmid as the anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic components for burn wounds. Firstly, covalent alterations were conducted to obtain methacrylic acid anhydride modified HA (HAMA), N-hydroxyethylacrylamide (HEAA) modified Dex (Dex-HEAA), and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl acrylate (526) modified β-CD (526-β-CD), respectively.

Intrinsic Membrane Permeability to Small Molecules.

Spontaneous solute and solvent permeation through membranes is of vital importance to human life, be it gas exchange in red blood cells, metabolite excretion, drug/toxin uptake, or water homeostasis. Knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms is the sine qua non of every functional assignment to membrane transporters. The basis of our current solubility diffusion model was laid by Meyer and Overton.

Preparation and characterisation of a novel silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid/sodium alginate scaffold for skin repair.

To mimic the natural structure of tissue extracellular matrix, a novel silk fibroin (SF)/hyaluronic acid (HA)/sodium alginate (SA) composite scaffold (92% in porosity) was prepared by freeze-drying. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectra indicated interactions among SF, HA, and SA molecules. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the prepared SF/HA/SA scaffold had soft, elastic characteristics, with an average pore diameter of 93 μm.

Mesenchymal stem cells and cell-derived extracellular vesicles protect hippocampal neurons from oxidative stress and synapse damage induced by amyloid-β oligomers.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a disabling and highly prevalent neurodegenerative condition, for which there are no effective therapies. Soluble oligomers of the amyloid-β peptide (AβOs) are thought to be proximal neurotoxins involved in early neuronal oxidative stress and synapse damage, ultimately leading to neurodegeneration and memory impairment in AD. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) against the deleterious impact of AβOs on hippocampal neurons.

Authentic CRAC channel activity requires STIM1 and the conserved portion of the Orai N terminus.

Calcium (Ca) is an essential second messenger required for diverse signaling processes in immune cells. Ca release-activated Ca (CRAC) channels represent one main Ca entry pathway into the cell. They are fully reconstituted via two proteins, the stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), a Ca sensor in the endoplasmic reticulum, and the Ca ion channel Orai in the plasma membrane.

Communication between N terminus and loop2 tunes Orai activation.

Ca release-activated Ca (CRAC) channels constitute the major Ca entry pathway into the cell. They are fully reconstituted via intermembrane coupling of the Ca-selective Orai channel and the Ca-sensing protein STIM1. In addition to the Orai C terminus, the main coupling site for STIM1, the Orai N terminus is indispensable for Orai channel gating.

Molecular mimicking of C-terminal phosphorylation tunes the surface dynamics of Ca1.2 calcium channels in hippocampal neurons.

L-type voltage-gated Ca1.2 calcium channels (Ca1.2) are key regulators of neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and excitation-transcription coupling.

Macrophage-derived IL-1α promotes sterile inflammation in a mouse model of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.

The metabolic intermediate of acetaminophen (APAP) can cause severe hepatocyte necrosis, which triggers aberrant immune activation of liver non-parenchymal cells (NPC). Overzealous hepatic inflammation determines the morbidity and mortality of APAP-induced liver injury (AILI). Interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) signaling has been shown to play a critical role in various inflammatory conditions, but its precise role and underlying mechanism in AILI remain debatable.

Amyloid-β oligomers transiently inhibit AMP-activated kinase and cause metabolic defects in hippocampal neurons.

AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) is a key player in energy sensing and metabolic reprogramming under cellular energy restriction. Several studies have linked impaired AMPK function to peripheral metabolic diseases such as diabetes. However, the impact of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer disease (AD), on AMPK function and downstream effects of altered AMPK activity on neuronal metabolism have been investigated only recently.

[The perspective fluoroplastic porous carrier for conservation and transfer of samples of blood plasma: application of "dry drop" technique with the purpose of detection of individual fatty acids.].

It is proposed for preserving samples of biological fluids (blood plasma first of all) and mailing them to analytical laboratory to significantly modify a well-known technique of "dried blood spot" (DBS) at the expense of application of home-made fluoroplastic filtering material type MFFK-G as a porous carrier of fluid biological sample. The synthetic material contains no chemically active molecular fragments and it has four times greater water capacity than filter and chromatographic paper. Thus, fluoroplastic porous disc of mass of 15 mg is suitable to carrying of 70-100 mkl (instead of 15-20 mkl) of fluid.

An Overview of Sub-Cellular Mechanisms Involved in the Action of TTFields.

Long-standing research on electric and electromagnetic field interactions with biological cells and their subcellular structures has mainly focused on the low- and high-frequency regimes. Biological effects at intermediate frequencies between 100 and 300 kHz have been recently discovered and applied to cancer cells as a therapeutic modality called Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields). TTFields are clinically applied to disrupt cell division, primarily for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).