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.

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.

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.

Consensus recommendations for measuring the impact of contraception on the menstrual cycle in contraceptive clinical trials.

Objective: We sought to develop consensus recommendations for measurement and analysis of data on contraceptive-induced menstrual changes (CIMCs) in contraceptive clinical trials. We built upon previous standardization efforts over the last 50 years and prioritized input from a variety of global experts and current regulatory authority guidance on patient-reported outcomes.

Study Design: We completed a formal consensus-building process with an interdisciplinary group of 57 experts from 30 organizations and 14 countries in five global regions who work across academia, nonprofit research organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, and funding agencies.

Selective activity of Tabebuia avellanedae against Giardia duodenalis infecting organoid-derived human gastrointestinal epithelia.

Giardia duodenalis is a widespread intestinal protozoan that affects mammals, including humans. Symptoms can range from being subclinical to causing severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Giardiasis often requires repeated treatment with synthetic drugs like metronidazole.

The neural basis of the insight memory advantage.

Creative problem solving and memory are inherently intertwined: memory accesses existing knowledge while creativity enhances it. Recent studies show that insights often accompanying creative solutions enhance long-term memory. This insight memory advantage (IMA) is explained by the 'insight as prediction error (PE)' hypothesis which states that insights arise from PEs updating predictive solution models and thereby enhancing memory.

Influence of frailty status on the incidence of intraoperative hypotensive events in elective surgery: Hypo-Frail, a single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Background: Frailty is a predictor of morbidity and mortality in older patients. This study aimed to investigate the influence of frailty status on likelihood, rate, duration, and severity of intraoperative hypotension (IOH), which can lead to severe organ dysfunction.

Methods: Surgical patients (≥70 yr old) with preoperative frailty assessment were analysed retrospectively.

Genetically attenuated parasites show promise as a next-generation malaria vaccine.

Metabolically active, genetically attenuated Plasmodium falciparum parasite lines are promising second-generation malaria vaccine candidates. Lamers et al. and Roozen et al.

Trends in work participation among patients with inflammatory rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (iRMDs): Data from the German National Database (2010-2022).

Objective: To analyse work participation among patients with inflammatory rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (iRMDs), namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA), axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).

Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 16 421 patients from the National Database of the German Collaborative Arthritis Centers, aged <65 years were analysed. For each diagnosis, yearly rates of absenteeism, employment and disability pensions were analysed from 2010 to 2022.

Improving MRI turbulence quantification by addressing the measurement errors caused by the derivatives of the turbulent velocity field - Sequence development and in-vitro validation.

Purpose: To improve the current method for MRI turbulence quantification which is the intravoxel phase dispersion (IVPD) method. Turbulence is commonly characterized by the Reynolds stress tensor (RST) which describes the velocity covariance matrix. A major source for systematic errors in MRI is the sequence's sensitivity to the variance of the derivatives of velocity, such as the acceleration variance, which can lead to a substantial measurement bias.

Safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in adults with generalised myasthenia gravis (Vivacity-MG3): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Given burdensome side-effects and long latency for efficacy with conventional agents, there is a continued need for generalised myasthenia gravis treatments that are safe and provide consistently sustained, long-term disease control. Nipocalimab, a neonatal Fc receptor blocker, was associated with dose-dependent reductions in total IgG and anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies and clinically meaningful improvements in the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scale in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis in a phase 2 study. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in a phase 3 study.

Hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory disease characterised by painful, deep-seated nodules, abscesses, and draining tunnels in the skin of axillary, inguinal, genitoanal, or inframammary areas. In recent years, the body of knowledge in hidradenitis suppurativa has advanced greatly. This disorder typically starts in the second or third decade of life.

AF4/ICP-ToF-MS for the investigation of species-specific adsorption of organometallic contaminants on natural colloidal particles.

Organotin (OT) compounds, while crucial in many industrial applications, pose substantial risks to the environment and human health. The toxicity and environmental behaviour of OTs depend on their chemical form, i.e.

People with aphasia show stable Cumulative Semantic Interference (CSI) when tested repeatedly in a web-based paradigm: A perspective for longitudinal assessment.

Retrieving words quickly and correctly is an important language competence. Semantic contexts, such as prior naming of categorically related objects, can induce conceptual priming but also lexical-semantic interference, the latter likely due to enhanced competition during lexical selection. In the continuous naming (CN) paradigm, such semantic interference is evident in a linear increase in naming latency with each additional member of a category out of a seemingly random sequence of pictures being named (cumulative semantic interference/CSI effect).

What influences the distribution of microplastics in the marine environment? An interdisciplinary study reveals key factors driving microplastic in the North Sea.

Microplastics (MP) are known to be ubiquitous. The pathways and fate of these contaminants in the marine environment are receiving increasing attention, but still knowledge gaps exist. In particular, the link between mass-based MP quantification and oceanographic parameters is often lacking.

The Genes of Nigerian Marek's Disease Virus (MDV) Field Isolates Contain Mutations Common to Both European and US High Virulence Strains.

Background: Marek's disease (MD) is a pathology affecting chickens caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), an acute transforming alphaherpesvirus of the genus . MD is characterized by paralysis, immune suppression, and the rapid formation of T-cell (primarily CD4+) lymphomas. Over the last 50 years, losses due to MDV infection have been controlled worldwide through vaccination; however, these live-attenuated vaccines are non-sterilizing and potentially contributed to the virulence evolution of MDV field strains.

[Tc]Technetium and Rhenium Dithiocarbazate Complexes: Chemical Synthesis and Biological Assessment.

Background/objectives: Dithiocarbazates (DTCs) and their metal complexes have been studied regarding their property as anticancer activities. In this work, using S-benzyl-5-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pirazol-1-carbodithionate (Hbdtc), we prepared [ReO(bdtc)(Hbdtc)] and [[Tc]TcO(bdtc)(Hbdtc)] complexes for tumor uptake and animal biodistribution studies.

Methods: Re complex was prepared by a reaction of H2bdtc and (NBu)[ReOCl], the final product was characterized by IR, H NMR, CHN, and MS-ESI.

Identification of a New Pentafluorosulfanyl-Substituted Chalcone with Activity Against Hepatoma and Human Parasites.

Background/objectives: New drugs are required for the treatment of liver cancers and protozoal parasite infections. Analogs of the known anticancer active and antileishmanial 2',4',6'-trimethoxychalcone SU086 were prepared and investigated.

Methods: The chalcones were prepared according to the Claisen-Schmidt condensation protocol and analyzed.

Comparison of ZnS(Ag) Scintillator and Proportional Counter Tube for Alpha Detection in Thin-Layer Chromatography.

(1) : Targeted alpha therapy is an emerging field in nuclear medicine driven by two advantages: overcoming resistance in cancer-suffering patients to beta therapies and the practical application of lower activities of Pb- and Ac-labelled peptides to achieve the same doses compared to beta therapy due to the highly cytotoxic nature of alpha particles. However, quality control of the Pb/Ac-radiopharmaceuticals remains a challenge due to the low activity levels used for therapy (100 kBq/kg) and the formation of several free daughter nuclides immediately after the formulation of patient doses; (2) : The routine alpha detection on thin-layer chromatograms (TLC) of Pb- and Ac-labelled peptides using a MiniScanPRO+ scanner combined with an alpha detector head was compared with detection using an AR-2000 scanner equipped with an open proportional counter tube. Measurement time, resolution and validity were compared for both scanners; (3) : For Ac, the quality control values of the radiochemical purity (RCP) were within the acceptance criteria 2 h after TLC development, regardless of when the TLC probe was taken.

Molecular Epidemiology, Drug-Resistant Variants, and Therapeutic Implications of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis D Virus Prevalence in Nigeria: A National Study.

Information on circulating HBV (sub-)genotype, variants, and hepatitis D virus (HDV) coinfection, which vary by geographical area, is crucial for the efficient control and management of HBV. We investigated the genomic characteristics of HBV (with a prevalence of 8.1%) and the prevalence of HDV in Nigeria.

Healthcare Professionals' Perspectives on Sepsis Care Pathways-Qualitative Pilot Expert Interviews.

: Despite recent decades' rapid advances in the management of patients with sepsis and septic shock, global sepsis mortality and post-acute sepsis morbidity rates remain high. Our aim was, therefore, to provide a first overview of sepsis care pathways as well as barriers and supportive conditions for optimal pre-clinical, clinical, and post-acute sepsis care in Germany. : Between May and September 2023, we conducted semi-structured, video-based, one-to-one pilot expert interviews with healthcare professionals representing pre-hospital, clinical, and post-acute care settings.