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  • Dupont Mathiesen posted an update 6 days, 3 hours ago

    Previous studies reported on slightly increased concentrations of abnormal serum N-glycans in CDG-I due to defects in the mannosylation steps of dolichol-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis. This preliminary work aims at considering serum N-glycan accumulation of high mannosylated glycoforms, such as oligomannose and hybrid type N-glycans, as potential diagnostic signals for ALG2-CDG patients.

    The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) measured as the transient increase in cortisol levels following morning awakening appears to be a distinct feature of the HPA axis. Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) experience daily stress, mood instability (MI) and studies have shown disrupted HPA-axis dynamics.

    to evaluate (1) patient-evaluated stress against the CAR, (2) associations between the CAR and mood symptoms, and (3) the effect of smartphone-based treatment on the CAR.

    Patients with BD (n = 67) were randomized to the use of daily smartphone-based monitoring (the intervention group) or to the control group for six months. Clinically rated symptoms according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-items (HDRS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), patient-evaluated perceived stress using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and salivary awakening cortisol samples used for measuring the CAR were collected at baseline, after three and six months. In the intervention group, smartphone-based data on stress and MI were rated daily during the entire study period.

    Smartphone-based patient-evaluated stress (B 134.14, 95% CI 1.35; 266.92, p = 0.048) and MI (B 430.23, 95% CI 52.41; 808.04, p = 0.026) mapped onto increased CAR. No statistically significant associations between the CAR and patient-evaluated PSS or the HDRS and the YMRS, respectively were found. There was no statistically significant effect of smartphone-based treatment on the CAR.

    Our data, of preliminary character, found smartphone-based patient-evaluations of stress and mood instability as read outs that reflect CAR dynamics. Smartphone-supported clinical care did not in itself appear to disturb CAR dynamics.

    Our data, of preliminary character, found smartphone-based patient-evaluations of stress and mood instability as read outs that reflect CAR dynamics. Smartphone-supported clinical care did not in itself appear to disturb CAR dynamics.Background Nowadays, lung cancer seriously affects human health in the world. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop effective anti-lung cancer drugs. Methods In this work, chalcone derivative HYQ97 was designed via a molecular hybridization strategy. It was synthesized by the cycloaddition in the presence of sodium ascorbate under mild conditions. Lung cancer cell lines were cultured to investigate its antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. Results HYQ97 inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cell lines. Specifically, its IC50 value against lung cancer A549 cells was 74.26 nM. It could inhibit heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and degrade its client proteins in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, HYQ97 suppressed the epithelial mesenchymal transition process and induced apoptosis of A549 cells. Importantly, HYQ97 also had significant inhibitory effects on tumor growth in vivo. Conclusions Chalcone derivative HYQ97 is a promising candidate for lung cancer treatment.Pituitary blastoma (PitB) has recently been identified as a rare and potentially lethal pediatric intracranial tumor. All cases that have been studied molecularly possess at least one DICER1 pathogenic variant. Here, we characterized nine pituitary samples, including three fresh frozen PitBs, three normal fetal pituitary glands and three normal postnatal pituitary glands using small-RNA-Seq, RNA-Seq, methylation profiling, whole genome sequencing and Nanostring® miRNA analyses; an extended series of 21 pituitary samples was used for validation purposes. These analyses demonstrated that DICER1 RNase IIIb hotspot mutations in PitBs induced improper processing of miRNA precursors, resulting in aberrant 5p-derived miRNA products and a skewed distribution of miRNAs favoring mature 3p over 5p miRNAs. This led to dysregulation of hundreds of 5p and 3p miRNAs and concomitant dysregulation of numerous mRNA targets. Gene expression analysis revealed PRAME as the most significantly upregulated gene (500-fold increase). PRAME is a member of the Retinoic Acid Receptor (RAR) signaling pathway and in PitBs, the RAR, WNT and NOTCH pathways are dysregulated. Cancer Hallmarks analysis showed that PI3K pathway is activated in the tumors. Whole genome sequencing demonstrated a quiet genome with very few somatic alterations. The comparison of methylation profiles to publicly available data from ~ 3000 other central nervous system tumors revealed that PitBs have a distinct methylation profile compared to all other tumors, including pituitary adenomas. In conclusion, this comprehensive characterization of DICER1-related PitB revealed key molecular underpinnings of PitB and identified pathways that could potentially be exploited in the treatment of this tumor.

    Ocular infections are a serious public health problem in Ethiopia with increased incidence of morbidity and blindness. Empirical therapy with topical ophthalmic broad spectrum antibiotic formulations is also a prevailing practice. The aim of this study was to determine the bacterial causes of external ocular infections (EOIs), antimicrobial resistance and its associated risk factors among patients at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

    A hospital based cross – sectional study was conducted from 1 February to 30 April 2019. Patients with EOIs were consecutively included from 1 February to 30 April, 2019. Data were collected using structured questionnaire by face-to-face interview and complemented with patient card review. Conjunctival, eyelid margin and lacrimal sac swabs were collected aseptically. Bacterial species were identified using standard bacteriological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Binary logistic regression ana tobramycin. Overall, 45.2% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant. The percentage of multi-drug resistance was 80% among Enterobacter isolates and 64.3% among K. pneumoniae.

    Bacterial external ocular infections linked with multi-drug resistance and resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline and piperacillin are high. Therefore, empirical treatment of eye infections in the study area needs to be monitored by regular antimicrobial-susceptibility testing of isolates.

    Bacterial external ocular infections linked with multi-drug resistance and resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline and piperacillin are high. Therefore, empirical treatment of eye infections in the study area needs to be monitored by regular antimicrobial-susceptibility testing of isolates.

    Evidence suggests that an overlap exists between the neurobiology of psychotic disorders and the effects of cannabinoids on neurocognitive and neurochemical substrates involved in reward processing.

    We investigate whether the psychotomimetic effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the antipsychotic potential of cannabidiol (CBD) are underpinned by their effects on the reward system and dopamine.

    This narrative review focuses on the overlap between altered dopamine signalling and reward processing induced by cannabinoids, pre-clinically and in humans. A systematic search was conducted of acute cannabinoid drug-challenge studies using neuroimaging in healthy subjects and those with psychosis RESULTS There is evidence of increased striatal presynaptic dopamine synthesis and release in psychosis, as well as abnormal engagement of the striatum during reward processing. Although, acute THC challenges have elicited a modest effect on striatal dopamine, cannabis users generally indicate impaired presyture research should address these unanswered questions to understand the relationship between endocannabinoid dysfunction, reward processing abnormalities, and psychosis.Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria that produce 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase can promote plant growth and enhance abiotic stress tolerance. In this study, Burkholderia pyrrocinia strain P10, with an ACC deaminase activity of 33.01-µmol/h/mg protein, was isolated from the tea rhizosphere and identified based on morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. In addition to its ACC deaminase activity at pH 5.0-9.0 and in response to 5% NaCl and 20% polyethylene glycol, strain P10 can also solubilize phosphorus compounds, produce indole-3-acetic acid, and secrete siderophores. Pot experiments revealed that strain P10 can significantly enhance peanut seedling growth under saline conditions (100- and 170-mmol/L NaCl). Specifically, it increased the fresh weight and root length of plants by 90.12% and 79.22%, respectively, compared with high-salt stress. These results provide new insights into the biological characteristics of Burkholderia pyrrocinia, which may be useful as a bio-fertilizer.Cardiac regeneration is an ancestral trait in vertebrates that is lost both as more recent vertebrate lineages evolved to adapt to new environments and selective pressures, and as members of certain species developmentally progress towards their adult forms. While higher vertebrates like humans and rodents resolve cardiac injury with permanent fibrosis and loss of cardiac output as adults, neonates of these same species can fully regenerate heart structure and function after injury – as can adult lower vertebrates like many teleost fish and urodele amphibians. Recent research has elucidated several broad factors hypothesized to contribute to this loss of cardiac regenerative potential both evolutionarily and developmentally an oxygen-rich environment, vertebrate thermogenesis, a complex adaptive immune system, and cancer risk trade-offs. AZ 3146 in vitro In this review, we discuss the evidence for these hypotheses as well as the cellular participators and molecular regulators by which they act to govern heart regeneration in vertebrates.

    To improve urotrauma care by describing veterans’ current demographics and needs assessment during transitional care to the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) system.

    We utilized our previously identified cohorts obtained from the DoD Trauma Registry data for male service members injured in theater linked with VHA electronic health records. We included veterans who received care at VHA at least once from October 2001 through September 2011 for chart review. We investigate demographics, opportunities for care, combat-related trauma, disability, and associated mental health or urologic conditions specifically at the initial encounter with a VHA healthcare provider.

    We queried 580 veterans’ records in VHA from the linked databases. We idenfied that 141 (24.4%) veterans received addional care outside VHA and 17.1% (n = 99) of charts had insufficient data for injury validation. Reference to the urotrauma was mentioned in 72% of VHA initial visits (n = 416/580). The most common urotrauma occurred to the lowe coordinating care with mental health pathways (PTSD/traumatic brain injury) may be an opportunity to evaluate the long-term effects of urotrauma.