Medical Sciences Commons^™

Trem2 Depletion In Pancreatic Cancer Elicits Pathogenic Inflammation And Accelerates Tumor Progression Via Enriching Il-1Β+ Macrophages, Daowei Yang, Xinlei Sun, Hua Wang, Ignacio I Wistuba, Huamin Wang, Anirban Maitra, Yang Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background & aims: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a complex tumor microenvironment enriched with tumor-associated macrophages. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is highly expressed by a subset of macrophages in PDAC. However, the functional role of TREM2 in PDAC progression remains elusive.

Methods: We generated a novel transgenic mouse model (KPPC;Trem2-/-) that enables the genetic depletion of TREM2 in the context of spontaneous PDAC development. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis was used to identify changes in the tumor immune microenvironment on TREM2 depletion. We evaluated the impacts of TREM2 depletion on the tumor immune microenvironment to elucidate the functions …

Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation Expands The Immunosuppressive Myeloid Stroma And Antagonizes The Therapeutic Benefit Of Sting Activation In Glioblastoma, Spencer T Lea, Chao-Hsien Chen, Jun Wei, Ivana William, Inés Lopez Del Castillo, Michael A Curran

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly primary brain malignancy and is clinically refractory to immunotherapy. Active NLRP3 inflammasome signaling and IL-1β secretion have been observed in GBM, and NLRP3-driven myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) recruitment can mediate cancer immune evasion. Agonists of the cytosolic double-stranded DNA-sensing stimulator of IFN gene (STING) pathway can mediate proinflammatory conversion of cancer MDSCs; however, secretion of the NLRP3 products IL-1β and IL-18 has also been observed in certain myeloid populations following STING activation. In this study, we aimed to determine both the potential mechanistic synergy between STING and NLRP3 agonists, and the effects …

Enhancing Seizure Control In Ultra-Refractory Postencephalitic Epilepsies Using Multinodal Network Neuromodulation, Subhiksha Srinivasan, Surya Suresh, Ganne Chaitanya, Manoj Saranathan, Nitin Tandon, Sandipan Pati

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This case series reports the formidable challenge posed by postencephalitic epilepsies, characterized by frequent drug-resistant seizures and neuropsychiatric and cognitive comorbidities. Polypharmacy is frequently required, and surgical resection may not be feasible due to multifocality. Neuromodulation therapies, including Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS), offer a potential lifeline. In this case series, we shed light on the intricate landscape of seizure management and neuropsychiatric comorbidities in five individuals with frequent seizures (often weekly) and ultra-refractory epilepsy (defined as resistance to more than six different antiseizure medications, including failed epilepsy surgery) following catastrophic encephalitis. Four out of five patients …

Externally Validated Digital Decision Support Tool For Time-To-Osteoradionecrosis Risk-Stratification Using Right-Censored Multi-Institutional Observational Cohorts, Laia Humbert-Vidan, Serageldin Kamel, Andrew Wentzel, Zaphanlene Kaffey, Moamen Abdelaal, Kyle B Spier, Natalie A West, G Elisabeta Marai, Guadalupe Canahuate, Xinhua Zhang, Melissa M Chen, Kareem A Wahid, Jillian Rigert, Seyedmohammadhossein Hosseinian, Andrew J Schaefer, Kristy K Brock, Mark Chambers, Adegbenga O Otun, Ruth Aponte-Wesson, Vinod Patel, Andrew Hope, Jack Phan, Adam S Garden, Steven J Frank, William H Morrison, Michael T Spiotto, David Rosenthal, Anna Lee, Renjie He, Mohamed A Naser, Erin Watson, Katherine A Hutcheson, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Vlad C Sandulache, Lisanne V Van Dijk, Amy C Moreno, Teresa Guerrero Urbano, Clifton D Fuller, Stephen Y Lai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Existing studies on osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) have primarily used cross-sectional data, assessing risk factors at a single time point. Determining the time-to-event profile of ORNJ has important implications to monitor oral health in head and neck cancer (HNC) long-term survivors.

Methods: Data were retrospectively obtained for a clinical observational cohort of 1129 patients (198 ORNJ cases) with HNC treated with radiotherapy (RT) at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A Weibull Accelerated Failure Time model was trained on previously identified dosimetric, clinical and demographic predictors. External validation was performed using an independent cohort of 265 …

A Plain Language Summary Of Polaris: A Study To Look At Different Doses Of Encorafenib Plus Binimetinib For People With Braf V600-Mutant Melanoma With Brain Metastasis, Alexander M Menzies, Georgina V Long, Amiee Kohn, Hussein Tawbi, Jeffrey Webe, Keith Flaherty, Grant A Mcarthur, Paolo A Ascierto, Yanina Pfluger, Karl Lewis, Katy K Tsai, Omid Hamid, Hans Prenen, Luis Fein, Erjian Wang, Carolin Guenzel, Fan Zhang, Joseph F Kleh, Alessandra Di Pietro, Michael A Davies

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

What is this summary about?People with a type of melanoma called advanced or metastatic BRAF V600- mutant melanoma, with a change in the BRAF gene, that has spread to the brain have poor outcomes.Current treatments include encorafenib (BRAFTOVI®) and binimetinib (MEKTOVI®). The POLARIS clinical study looked at whether increasing the encorafenib dose would make treatment more effective, with similar side effects, in these patients.The first part of the study, known as the safety lead-in, looked at the side effects of a high dose of encorafenib together with binimetinib. This was followed by a phase 2 part to …

The Potential Benefit Of Encorafenib Plus Cetuximab With Chemotherapy Compared With Standard Of Care In People With Braf V600e-Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer In The Breakwater Study: A Plain Language Summary, Scott Kopetz, Takayuki Yoshino, Eric Van Cutsem, Cathy Eng, Tae Won Kim, Harpreet Singh Wasan, Jayesh Desai, Fortunato Ciardiello, Rona Yaeger, Timothy S Maughan, Elena Beyzarov, Xiaoxi Zhang, Graham Ferrier, Xiaosong Zhang, Josep Tabernero

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

A Plain Language Summary Of The Molecular Changes In The Tumors Of People With Braf V600e-Mutant Colorectal Cancer In The Beacon Study, Scott Kopetz, Danielle A Murphy, Jie Pu, Fortunato Ciardiello, Jayesh Desai, Eric Van Cutsem, Harpreet Singh Wasan, Takayuki Yoshino, Hedieh Saffari, Xiaosong Zhang, Phineas Hamilton, Tao Xie, Rona Yaeger, Josep Tabernero

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

What is this summary about?This summary discusses the genetic and molecular changes in tumors of participants with BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer who were treated with encorafenib plus cetuximab, with or without binimetinib, in the BEACON study.

What were the results?Encorafenib plus cetuximab, with or without binimetinib, reduced the risk of participants dying compared with cetuximab plus chemotherapy, regardless of genetic or molecular colorectal cancer subtypes.The study also found genetic and molecular changes in the participants’ tumors during treatment that were associated with how long they lived.

What do the results of the study mean?The types of …

Outcomes After Palliative Radiation Therapy In Patients With Symptomatic Locoregionally Advanced Breast Cancer, Luisa E Jacomina, David M Swanson, Melissa P Mitchell, Wendy A Woodward, Benjamin D Smith, Karen E Hoffman, Chelain R Goodman, Haven R Garber, Susie X Sun, Timothy A Yap, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Isidora Y Arzu, Elizabeth S Bloom, Pamela J Schlembach, Eric A Strom, Michael C Stauder, Simona F Shaitelman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Symptomatic locoregionally advanced breast cancer (SLABC) can cause troublesome pain or wound complications that negatively impact quality of life. Although palliative radiation therapy (RT) can minimize tumor-related symptoms, how best to tailor RT to achieve the most meaningful and durable response is not well defined.

Methods and materials: This is a single institution, multi-site retrospective review of patients with SLABC treated between 2016 and 2023 with palliative RT to symptomatic disease in the breast, chest wall, and/or regional lymph node basins. Overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LC), clinical and radiographic treatment response, overall pain scores, and treatment-related toxicities were …

Bispecific Antibodies In Hematologic And Solid Tumors: Current Landscape And Therapeutic Advances, Lorenzo Guidi, Julian Etessami, Carmine Valenza, Augusto Valdivia, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Enriqueta Felip, Giuseppe Curigliano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) have emerged as a novel class of therapeutics, offering a dual-targeting strategy to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of monoclonal antibodies, which is often limited by tumor heterogeneity and the occurrence of resistance mechanisms. By simultaneously engaging two distinct antigens or pathways, bsAbs disrupt multiple signaling cascades simultaneously, preventing escape mechanisms and offering a more durable response. Furthermore, they can optimize immune activation, improving immune cell recruitment strategies. In particular, T-cell engager bsAbs facilitate immune cell-mediated tumor destruction by linking T cells to tumor antigens. Instead, dual immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) enhance immune activation by blocking inhibitory signals. …

A Sumo-Interacting Motif In The Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Epac1 Is Required For Subcellular Targeting And Function, Wenli Yang, Fang Mei, Wei Lin, Jason E Lee, Si Nie, Christopher J Bley, André Hoelz, Xiaodong Cheng

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC1), a multifunctional intracellular cAMP receptor, dynamically localizes to various cellular loci, engaging with diverse molecular partners to maintain cellular homeostasis. The study investigates the role of the SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) in the subcellular targeting and cellular functions of EPAC1. It reveals that the SIM is a critical structural element for EPAC1's association with RanBP2/nucleoporin 358, a nucleoporin of the cytoplasmic filament component of the nuclear pore complex. Mutational disruption of EPAC1 SIM interferes with EPAC1's ability to activate its canonical effectors, small GTPases, Rap1 and Rap2, and noncanonical functions, such as the formation …

Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis Diagnosis, Management, Associated Conditions, Pathophysiology, And Future Directions: Summary Of A Multidisciplinary Workshop, Lauren T Roland, Cecelia Damask, Amber U Luong, Antoine Azar, Charles S Ebert, Thomas Edwards, Katherine N Cahill, Do-Yeon Cho, David Corry, Tara L Croston, Alexandra F Freeman, Amin Javer, Paneez Khoury, Jean Kim, Michael Koval, Edward D Mccoul, James W Mims, Anju Peters, Jay F Piccirillo, Richard P Ramonell, Amali Samarasinghe, Robert P Schleimer, Prestina Smith-Davidson, Andrej Spec, Michael E Wechsler, Sarah K Wise, Joshua M Levy

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a unique endotype of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Despite high recurrence rates and often more severe presenting signs compared with other subtypes of CRSwNP, research dedicated to AFRS has been lacking. Diagnostic criteria are outdated, the mechanistic relationship of AFRS to other associated diseases is unclear, and the pathophysiology of disease and risk factors for recurrence have not been well studied. In December 2023, a multidisciplinary group of rhinologists, otolaryngologists, pulmonologists, allergists, immunologists, scientists, and infectious disease experts met at the National Institute of Health to discuss unmet needs for future AFRS research …

Identification And Functional Assessment Of Candidate Causal Cis-Regulatory Variants Underlying Electrocardiographic Qt Interval Gwas Loci, Supraja Kadagandla, Lavanya Gunamalai, Dongwon Lee, Ashish Kapoor

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Identifying causal variants among tens or hundreds of associated variants at each locus in genome-wide association studies is challenging. As the vast majority of genome-wide association studies variants are noncoding, sequence variation at cis-regulatory elements (CREs) affecting transcriptional expression of specific genes is a widely accepted molecular hypothesis. Following this hypothesis, combined with the observation that open chromatin is a universal hallmark of all types of CREs, we aimed to identify candidate causal cis-regulatory variants underlying QT interval genome-wide association studies loci.

Methods: Common variants in high linkage disequilibrium with genome-wide significant variants were identified using variant …

Monte Carlo Study Of Gold Nanoparticle-Mediated Radiosensitization Effects Using Nanoscale Cell Model Combined With Fractal-Based Dna Model, Amrit Kaphle, Sandun Jayarathna, Sunil Krishnan, Sang Hyun Cho

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are promising radiosensitizers in radiation therapy, yet the exact mechanisms behind their effectiveness remain not fully understood. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations have been used to study extra energy deposition and increased DNA damage by the secondary electrons from intracellularly present GNPs, which are believed to be the key physical mechanisms responsible for the radiosensitization effects observed in many radiobiological studies. However, discrepancies between experimental results and computational predictions persist. While often attributed to purely biological effects, such discrepancies, from a physical modeling point of view, can also be due to the use of MC models constructed …

Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis Diagnosis, Management, Associated Conditions, Pathophysiology, And Future Directions: Summary Of A Multidisciplinary Workshop, Lauren T Roland, Cecelia Damask, Amber U Luong, Antoine Azar, Charles S Ebert, Thomas Edwards, Katherine N Cahill, Do-Yeon Cho, David Corry, Tara L Croston, Alexandra F Freeman, Amin Javer, Paneez Khoury, Jean Kim, Michael Koval, Edward D Mccoul, James W Mims, Anju Peters, Jay F Piccirillo, Richard P Ramonell, Amali Samarasinghe, Robert P Schleimer, Prestina Smith-Davidson, Andrej Spec, Michael E Wechsler, Sarah K Wise, Joshua M Levy

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a unique endotype of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Despite high recurrence rates and often more severe presenting signs compared with other subtypes of CRSwNP, research dedicated to AFRS has been lacking. Diagnostic criteria are outdated, the mechanistic relationship of AFRS to other associated diseases is unclear, and the pathophysiology of disease and risk factors for recurrence have not been well studied. In December 2023, a multidisciplinary group of rhinologists, otolaryngologists, pulmonologists, allergists, immunologists, scientists, and infectious disease experts met at the National Institute of Health to discuss unmet needs for future AFRS research …

Acute Dentate Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation Modulates Corticomotor Excitability In Chronic Stroke Survivors, Xin Li, Kenneth B. Baker, Kyle O'Laughlin, Yin-Liang Lin, Kelsey Baker, Robert Chen, Jacqueline Chen, Andre G. Machado, Ela B. Plow

School of Medicine Publications

Background

Deep brain stimulation of the dentate nucleus (DN-DBS) is an emerging therapy to improve upper extremity (UE) motor function after stroke. This study sought to investigate the physiologic mechanisms of acuteDN-DBS in chronic stroke survivors enrolled in a phase I trial for DN-DBS.

Methods

Twelve chronic stroke participants with moderate-to-severe UE impairment received (acute) single sessions (≥45 min) of active DBS and sham DBS in a sham-controlled, double-blind, cross-over experiment (order randomized). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to evaluate corticomotor physiology. We also characterized the relationship between acute DBS effects on physiology and baseline clinical …

Nf2 Loss-Of-Function And Hypoxia Drive Radiation Resistance In Grade 2 Meningiomas, Bhuvic Patel, Sangami Pugazenthi, Collin W English, Vijay Nitturi, Shree S Pari, Tatenda Mahlokozera, William A Leidig, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Alicia Yang, Kaleigh Roberts, Patrick Desouza, Kyle P Mcgeehan, Diane D Mao, Namita Sinha, Joseph E Ippolito, Sonika Dahiya, Allegra Petti, Hiroko Yano, Tiemo J Klisch, Akdes S Harmanci, Akash J Patel, Albert H Kim

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: World Health Organization Grade 2 meningiomas (G2Ms) often recur and resist therapies. Grade 2 meningiomas with histopathological necrosis have been associated with worse local control (LC) after radiation therapy, but the drivers and biomarkers of radiation resistance in G2Ms remain unknown.

Methods: We performed genetic sequencing and histopathological analysis of 113 G2Ms and investigated the role of genetic and microenvironmental factors on clonogenic survival after ionizing radiation. We performed transcriptional profiling of our in vitro model and 18 human G2M tumors by bulk RNA sequencing as well as 8 G2Ms by single nuclei RNA sequencing.

Results: NF2 loss-of-function (LOF) …

A Farewell Message, Misty L. Rhoads

Journal of Transformative Touch

No abstract provided.

Multicenter Evaluation Of A New Strip-Based Blood Glucose System For Point-Of-Care Testing In Critical And Non-Critical Care Settings, Michael Goodman, Sven Bercker, Nancy Breitenbeck, Cristina Canada-Vilalta, Daisy D Canepa, William A Clarke, Christopher W Farnsworth, Edward O Ganser, Nienke Geerts, Barbara Goldsmith, Gary Headden, Debra Hoppensteadt, Birgit Klapperich, Ryan Matika, Gabrielle Miles, Sagori Mukhopadhyay, James H Nichols, Rebecca M O'Dell, Zubaid Rafique, Andre Schuetzenmeister, Robbert Slingerland, Ann F Stankiewicz, Jonathan R Swanson, Nam K Tran, Alan H B Wu, Brad S Karon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Evaluation of the performance of Cobas® Pulse (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany), a new blood glucose (BG) monitoring system (BGMS; referred to here as BGMSA) intended for point-of-care testing using samples from patients in diverse clinical settings by intended point-of-care test operators.

Methods: Arterial, capillary, venous, or heel stick whole blood (WB) samples from patients in non-critical and critical care settings were collected and analyzed using BGMSA and the Nova StatStrip® BGMS (Nova Biomedical, Waltham, MA; referred to here as BGMSB), and a hexokinase comparator (Cobas 6000 Analyzer Series; Roche Diagnostics GmbH). The blood glucose measurement accuracy was assessed …

Anti-Viral Cd8 Central Memory Veto Cells As A New Platform For Car T Cell Therapy, Wei-Hsin Liu, Anat Globerson Levin, Assaf Lask, Galit Horn, Tova Waks, Bar Nathansohn Levi, Irit Milman Krentsis, Einav Shoshan, Xiaohua Su, Maksim Mamonkin, Richard E Champlin, Yair Reisner, Esther Bachar Lustig

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Central memory CD8 T cells exhibit marked veto activity enhancing engraftment in several mouse models of T cell-depleted bone marrow (TDBM) allografting. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) can be prevented by stimulation of mouse or human memory CD8 T cells against their cognate antigens under cytokine deprivation, in the early phase of culture followed by further expansion with IL21, IL15, and IL7. Thus, human anti-viral CD8 central memory veto T cells generated from CMV and EBV-positive donors are currently evaluated in a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Centre (MDACC). Results in 15 patients indicate a low risk of GVHD. Considering that …

Development Of A Novel Biomarker Platform For Profiling Key Protein-Protein Interactions To Predict The Efficacy Of Bh3-Mimetic Drugs, Andrew J Kinloch, Faiyaz Rahman, Bahriye Karakas, Muhammad Shahid, Bora Lim, Stephanie J Bouley, James A Walker, Erinna F Lee, Walter D Fairlie, Kevin R Kelly, Michael H Cardone

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

One of the hallmarks of cancer cells is their failure to respond to the cellular mechanism of apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family of proteins regulate apoptosis. Their ability to do so can be measured using several methods that in turn anticipate the fate of the cancer cell in response to apoptosis-inducing treatment. These assays ultimately identify the readiness of the cancer cell to undergo apoptosis, which is referred to as the mitochondrial priming state. These metrics, however, have been challenging to implement in the clinic.

The Tweak/Fn14 Signaling Mediates Skeletal Muscle Wasting During Cancer Cachexia, Meiricris Tomaz Da Silva, Anirban Roy, Anh Tuan Vuong, Aniket S Joshi, Cristeena Josphien, Meghana V Trivedi, Sajedah M Hindi, Vihang A Narkar, Ashok Kumar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by progressive skeletal muscle wasting. The TWEAK-Fn14 system regulates muscle mass in diverse conditions. However, its role in the regulation of muscle mass during cancer cachexia remains less understood. Here, we demonstrate that the levels of Fn14 are induced in skeletal muscle of multiple mouse models of cancer cachexia. Muscle-specific deletion of Fn14 reduces myofiber atrophy in mouse models of pancreatic and lung cancer cachexia. Silencing of Fn14 in KPC pancreatic cancer cells prior to their implantation in mice attenuates tumor growth without affecting myofiber size. Muscle-specific deletion of Fn14 reduces the gene …

Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 In Lung Diseases, Hongli Liu, Cristian Coarfa, Arzoo N Charania, Jennifer L Larson-Casey, Ivan O Rosas, Chao He

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), also known as osteopontin (OPN) or early T lymphocyte activation protein 1 (ETA-1), is a multifunctional protein involved in numerous biological processes, including immune modulation, stress response, and tissue remodeling. The role of SPP1 in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) has become an area of increasing interest, given its elevated expression in various ILDs such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD), and pneumoconiosis, especially with recent data derived from single-cell RNA sequencing. In addition to ILDs, SPP1 has been implicated in infectious granulomatous lung diseases, lung and pleural malignancies, airway diseases, and COVID-19. …

Neovascular Pruning By Ido1 Inhibitors Can Potentiate Immunogenic Cytotoxicity Of Ischemia-Targeted Agents To Synergistically Enhance Anti-Pd-1 Responsiveness, Shih-Chun Shen, Souvik Dey, James B. Duhadaway, Erika Sutanto-Ward, Maurice T. Hampton, Serguei V. Kozlov, George C. Prendergast, Alexander J. Muller

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Strategies for deploying indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1)-targeted therapies for use against cancer have focused on IDO1's role in promoting peripheral immune tolerance that shields tumors from effector T cells. However, preclinical investigation of both primary and metastatic tumor development in the lungs has uncovered a previously unappreciated role for IDO1 in directing a counterregulatory response to interferon (IFN)-γ that realigns the local inflammatory environment to promote tumor neovascularization. Understanding how to therapeutically leverage the ability of IDO1 inhibitors to subvert inflammatory neovascularization within the tumor microenvironment has potential ramifications for future clinical development of these compounds.

METHODS: Pulmonary metastases …

Russell’S Viper Envenomation: The Challenge Of Diagnosis, Jing-Hua Lin, Wang-Chou Sung, Jiunn-Wang Liao, Dong-Zong Hung

BioMedicine

Russell’s viper envenomation is rare in Taiwan, and its typical clinical presentations, including consumption coagulopathy, acute renal failure, haemolysis, and increased capillary permeability, have been reported in the literature as case reports or series. Here, we report a case with an atypical presentation, and suspected to be a Russell’s viper bite due to the distinct characteristics of the snake and some progressive clinical signs/symptoms. He returned to health successfully after the correct antivenom was administered, and envenomation was ultimately confirmed by venom detection in the patient’s serum and urine samples.

Neurenteric Cysts: A Neurosurgical Case Series And Treatment Perspectives, Defran Ercan, Walter Stummer, Maryam Khaleghi Ghadiri

BioMedicine

Neurenteric cysts (NC) are rare lesions of endodermal origin lined by mucin-secreting cuboidal or columnar epithelium of an intestinal or respiratory type. They occur more frequently spinally than cranially. From the radiological view, NC may be confused with other lesions of the central nervous system, like arachnoid or epidermoid cysts. However, due to advances in neuroimaging, there is an increasing trend in preoperative diagnosis of NC. We are reporting three cases of NC, each exhibiting markedly distinct symptoms and postoperative courses. The first patient, a 45year-old woman, had NC in the fourth ventricle. Although she underwent surgery, the lesion recurred …

A Staged-Olif Approach Can Minimize Construct Lengths In Adult Spinal Deformity- A Case Series And Literature Review, Guna Pratheep Kalanchiama, Alexander Shao-Rong Pang, Jacob Yoong-Leong Oh

BioMedicine

Background:

Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) is one of the challenging conditions to treat for spine surgeons. One of the important dilemmas in the management of these patients is the decision on the number of levels of instrumentation and the overall length of the construct. OLIF has the advantage of providing a minimally invasive approach to address this complex pathology also allowing us to stage the procedure and thus help clinicians reassess if the patient requires an additional decompression, long fusion lengths, or need for osteotomies.

Aim:

Our study aims to evaluate the possibility of minimizing the construct length following a …

Cyclohexylamine, The Principal Metabolite Of Cyclamate, Contracts The Epididymal Vas Deferens Of Rats By Affecting Endogenous Catecholamine Release Via Postsynaptic Α1aand Presynaptic Α2-Adrenoceptors In A Calcium-Dependent Manner, Yuh-Fung Chen, Yu-Wen Wang, Huei-Yann Tsai

BioMedicine

Background: Cyclohexylamine (CHA) is a principal metabolite of cyclamate, which was once one of the most prominently consumed non-sugar sweeteners. Earlier studies suggested that long-term use of cyclamate might be carcinogenic and genotoxic; however, no consistent evidence supports an association between cyclamate and cancer risk. However, this issue remains interesting. Cyclamate can be metabolized to CHA by the intestinal bacteria in humans and some animals. Previous reports indicated CHA could induce atrophy of rat testes and affect rat fertility, as well as contract rat vas deferens. However, the contractile mechanisms of CHA on rat vas deferens remains poorly understood. This …

Nutraceutical Benefits And Neuro-Protective Potent Of Four Colored Peppers (Capsicum Annuum Var. Grossum), Ya-Chen Yang, Chih-Lung Lin, Mei-Chin Yin

BioMedicine

Background: Four colored peppers (Capsicum annuum var. grossum), orange, purple, yellow and red, are plant foods served as salad or stir-fry for meals in Taiwan and many countries.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the multiple nutraceutical properties of aqueous extracts prepared from colored peppers.

Methods: Vitamin C content and phytochemical profiles of these peppers were analyzed. In vitro effects of anti-oxidative, anti-a-amylase, anti-a-glucosidase, antilipase and anti-acetylcholinesterase (AchE) of pepper aqueous extracts at 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg were evaluated. The neuronal protective potent of pepper aqueous extracts at 0.5 and 1 mg in high glucose treated nerve growth factor …

The Protective Role Of Astaxanthin Against Oxidative Stress And Inflammation In Peritoneal Dialysis Rats, Ratih Tri Kusuma Dewi, Bambang Purwanto, Brian Wasita, Vitri Widyaningsih

BioMedicine

Background: Prolonged exposure of peritoneal membrane to dialysate solution is known to cause fibrosis mediated by imbalanced inflammatory response and oxidative stress. In this context, proinflammatory cytokines including TGF-β and IL-1β, along with oxidative stress markers namely SOD and MDA, present in circulation, could serve as indicators of fibrosis. This phenomenon has the potential to interfere with the optimization of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) treatment. Other oral antioxidant supplements have been widely studied to prevent peritoneal damage, but investigations regarding Astaxanthin (AST) effect on fibrosis marked with proinflammatory cytokine are still limited.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the protective …

Knowledge Discovery In Databases Of Proteomics By Systems Modeling In Translational Research On Pancreatic Cancer, Mathilde Resell, Elisabeth Pimpisa Graarud, Hanne-Line Rabben, Animesh Sharma, Lars Hagen, Linh Hoang, Nan T. Skogaker, Anne Aarvik, Magnus K. Svensson, Manoj Amrutkar, Caroline S. Verbeke, Surinder K. Batra, Gunnar Qvigstad, Timothy C. Wang, Anil Rustgi, Duan Chen, Chun-Mei Zhao

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

BACKGROUND: Knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) can contribute to translational research, also known as translational medicine, by bridging the gap between

METHODS: This framework includes the data collection of a composition model (various research models), processing model (proteomics) and analytical model (bioinformatics, artificial intelligence/machine leaning and pattern evaluation), knowledge presentation, and feedback loops for hypothesis generation and validation. We applied this workflow to study pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

RESULTS: We identified the common proteins between human PDAC and various research models

CONCLUSIONS: This systems modeling workflow can be a valuable method for KDD, facilitating knowledge discovery in translational targets in …