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Introduction: Men with African ancestry have the highest incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer (PCa) worldwide. Methods: This study aimed to identify differentially methylated genes between tumor vs. adjacent normal and aggressive vs. indolent PCa in 121 African American patients. Epigenome‐wide DNA methylation patterns in tumor DNA were assessed using the human Illumina Methylation EPIC V1 array. Results: Around 5,139 differentially methylated CpG‐sites (q < 0.01, lΔβl > 0.2) were identified when comparing normal vs. tumor, with an overall trend of hypermethylation in prostate tumors. Multiple representative differentially methylated regions (DMRs), including immune‐related genes, such as CD40, Galectin3, OX40L, and STING, were detected in prostate tumors when compared to adjacent normal tissues. Based on an epigenetic clock model, we observed that tumors' total number of stem cell divisions and the stem cell division rate were significantly higher than adjacent normal tissues. Regarding PCa aggressiveness, 2,061 differentially methylated CpG‐sites (q < 0.05, lΔβl >.05) were identified when the grade group (GG)1 was compared with GG4/5. Among these 2,061 CpG sites, 155 probes were consistently significant in more than one comparison. Among these genes, several immune system genes, such as COL18A1, S100A2, ITGA4, HLA‐C, and ADCYAP1, have previously been linked to tumor progression in PCa. Conclusion: Several differentially methylated genes involved in immune‐oncologic pathways associated with disease risk or aggressiveness were identified. In addition, 261 African American‐specific differentially methylated genes related to the risk of PCa were identified. These results can shedlight on potential mechanisms contributing to PCa disparities in the African American Population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare skin cancer associated with poor survival. Based on a previous Phase II trial of adults with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma by Kim and colleagues (2022), there is now a strong rationale for combination therapy (i.e., nivolumab and ipilimumab) to become a treatment option for patients with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma. The goal of this paper was to report on the secondary outcome of quality of life (QOL) among patients on this trial. Methods: Patients receiving combined nivolumab and ipilimumab, with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ‐C30 prior to starting treatment and every 2 weeks thereafter. Changes in QOL during treatment and post‐treatment were evaluated using piecewise random‐effects mixed models. Exploratory analyses compared changes in QOL between study arms. The original trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03071406). Results: Study participants (n = 50) reported no changes in overall QOL (ps > 0.05), but emotional functioning improved during treatment (p = 0.01). Cognitive and social functioning worsened post‐treatment (ps < 0.01). In general, patients treated with combination therapy only (n = 25) reported no change in QOL over time, whereas patients also treated with SBRT (n = 25) consistently demonstrated worsening QOL post‐treatment. Conclusion: QOL is generally preserved in patients treated with combination therapy, but the addition of SBRT may worsen QOL. Combined with clinical efficacy data published previously, results support the use of combination therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab as a treatment option for patients with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the increasing environmental and climate changes globally, there is an increasing interest in the molecular‐level understanding of environmental organic compound mixtures, that is, the pursuit of complete and detailed knowledge of the chemical compositions and related chemical reactions. Environmental organic molecule mixtures, including those in air, soil, rivers, and oceans, have extremely complex and heterogeneous chemical compositions. For their analyses, ultrahigh‐resolution and sub‐ppb level mass accuracy, achievable using Fourier‐transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR MS), are important. FT‐ICR MS has been successfully used to analyze complex environmental organic molecule mixtures such as natural, soil, particulate, and dissolved organic matter. Despite its success, many limitations still need to be overcome. Sample preparation, ionization, structural identification, chromatographic separation, and data interpretation are some key areas that have been the focus of numerous studies. This review describes key developments in analytical techniques in these areas to aid researchers seeking to start or continue investigations for the molecular‐level understanding of environmental organic compound mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water can easily be contaminated by many dye molecules because of its high solubility with dense color. Dye‐contaminated water requires purification via the adsorptive removal of dye molecules, employing various porous materials. To increase the removal efficiency and selectivity, demands for developing new metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for dye removal continue to increase. Herein, we present a study on the dye‐adsorption properties of MOFs based on their structures and pore sizes. The effects of dye molecule charge and size were also investigated. Three different MOFs (Universitetet i Oslo; UiO‐66, UiO‐67, Materials of Institute Lavoisier; MIL‐100 [Fe]) and four dye molecules (Methylene Blue, Rhodamine B, Tropaeolin O, and Amaranth) were employed. The results suggest that the surface properties and framework structure of the MOFs affect dye adsorption capacity and kinetics, as characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy and adsorption kinetics analysis. These results provide opportunities for the development of MOFs for dye removal from aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We hypothesized that radiotherapy (RT) would improve both local and regional control with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Methods A single-institution institutional review board-approved study was performed including 113 patients with nonmetastatic Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Postoperative RT was delivered to the primary tumor bed (71.7% cases) ± draining lymphatics (33.3% RT cases). Results Postoperative local RT was associated with improved local control (3-year actuarial local control 89.4% vs 68.1%; p = .005; Cox hazard ratio [HR] 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.55; p = .002). Similarly, regional RT was associated with improved regional control (3-year actuarial regional control 95.0% vs 66.7%; p = .008; Cox HR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01-0.69; p = .02). Regional RT played an important role for both clinical node-negative patients (3-year regional control 100% vs 44.7%; p = .03) and clinical/pathological node-positive patients (3-year regional control 90.9% vs 55.6%; p = .047). Conclusion Local RT was beneficial for all patients with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck, whereas regional RT was beneficial for clinical node-negative and clinical/pathological node-positive patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 48-55, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prepare materials with high CO2 adsorption, a series of hierarchical LTA zeolites possessing various mesopore spaces that are decorated with alkylamines was designed and synthesized. The highest CO2 uptake capacity was achieved when (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) was grafted onto the hierarchical LTA zeolite having the largest mesopores. Owing to the contributions of both alkylamine groups grafted onto the mesopore surfaces and active sites in the LTA zeolites, the amount of CO2 that can be taken up on these materials is much higher than for conventional aminosilicas such SBA-15 and MCM-41. Furthermore, the adsorbent shows good CO2 uptake capacity and recyclability in dynamic flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invariant natural killer (iNKT) cells recognize glycolipid antigens such as the marine sponge-derived chemical α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) when presented by the CD1d protein. We have shown that in vivo activation of iNKT cells with α-GalCer results in dynamic changes in the iNKT cell population characterized by surface TCR down-modulation, cytokine secretion, expansion, homeostatic contraction and acquisition of an anergic phenotype. Here, we have investigated the potential role of the inhibitory, co-stimulatory molecule programmed death-1 (PD-1) in iNKT cell anergy. We have found that expression of PD-1, but not CTLA-4, is preferentially up-regulated within the first few hours and is retained on the surface of iNKT cells for as long as 5 weeks after initial α-GalCer stimulation in vivo. A combination of blocking antibodies directed against the ligands of PD-1, PDL1 and PDL2, restored the cytokine secretion and proliferative capacity of anergic iNKT cells, and anti-PD-1 antibodies showed a similar but p0rtial effect. Antibody treatment was only effective when started at the time of α-GalCer treatment but was unable to break anergy once it was established. These findings suggest a key role of the PD-1 pathway in the induction but not maintenance of α-GalCer-induced iNKT cell anergy. Our results have important implications for the development of iNKT cell-based immunotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]