Search

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: Ticks, which are obligate blood‐feeding parasites, transmit a wide range of pathogens during their hematophagic process. Certain enzymes and macromolecules play a crucial role in inhibition of several tick physiological processes, including digestion and reproduction. In the present study, genes encoding type 2 cystatin were cloned and characterized from Haemaphysalis doenitzi, and the potential role of cystatin in tick control was further assessed. RESULTS: Two cystatin genes, HDcyst‐1 and HDcyst‐2, were successfully cloned from the tick H. doenitzi. Their open reading frames are 390 and 426 base pairs, and the number of coding amino acids are 129 and 141, respectively. In the midgut, salivary glands, Malpighian tubules and ovaries of ticks, the relative expression of HDcyst‐1 was higher in the midgut and Malpighian tubules, and HDcyst‐2 was higher in the salivary glands of H. doenitzi, respectively. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection and low‐temperature stress elevated cystatin expression in ticks. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay showed that both rHDcyst‐1 and rHDcyst‐2 protein vaccines increased antibody levels in immunized rabbits. A vaccination trial in rabbits infected with H. doenitzi showed that both recombinant cystatin proteins significantly reduced tick engorgement weights and egg mass weight, in particular, rHDcyst‐1 significantly prolonged tick engorgement time by 1 day and reduced egg hatching rates by 16.9%. In total, rHDcyst‐1 and rHDcyst‐2 protein vaccinations provided 64.1% and 51.8% protection to adult female ticks, respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the immunological characterization of the cystatin protein and sequencing of the cystatin gene in H. doenitzi. Cystatin proteins are promising antigens that have the potential to be used as vaccines for infestation of H. doenitzi control. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cancer, kappa B-interacting protein (IKBIP) has rarely been reported. This study aimed at investigating its expression pattern and biological function in brain glioma at the transcriptional level.

Current antiangiogenic therapy is limited by its cytostatic property, scarce drug delivery to the tumor, and side toxicity. To address these limitations, we unveiled the role of ZEB1, a tumor endothelium- enriched zinc-finger transcription factor, during tumor progression. We discovered that the patients who had lung adenocarcinomas with high ZEB1 expression in tumor endothelium had increased prevalence of metastases and markedly reduced overall survival after the diagnosis of lung cancer. Endothelial ZEB1 deletion in tumor-bearing mice diminished tumor angiogenesis while eliciting persistent tumor vascular normalization by epigenetically repressing TGF-[beta] signaling. This consequently led to improved blood and oxygen perfusion, enhanced chemotherapy delivery and immune effector cell infiltration, and reduced tumor growth and metastasis. Moreover, targeting vascular ZEB1 remarkably potentiated the anticancer activity of nontoxic low-dose cisplatin. Treatment with low-dose anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) antibody elicited tumor regression and markedly extended survival in ZEB1-deleted mice, conferring long-term protective anticancer immunity. Collectively, we demonstrated that inactivation of endothelial ZEB1 may offer alternative opportunities for cancer therapy with minimal side effects. Targeting endothelium-derived ZEB1 in combination with conventional chemotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade therapy may yield a potent and superior anticancer effect., Introduction The vasculature of solid tumors is structurally abnormal relative to that of nonmalignant tissues, characterized by highly permeable and leaky vessels, enhanced angiogenic sprouting, and loss of hierarchical architecture [...]

Azobenzene-based probes have been widely used in biosensing, bioimaging and nanomedicine; however, their water solubility was not good enough, especially for long-term processes. To address the problem, cyclodextrins (CDs) were utilized as water-soluble hosts to facilitate the dispersion of azo molecules separately in the aqueous solution, which avoided aggregation to improve water solubility. In addition, an azobenzene-based pH probe was developed to serve as a model molecule to investigate the influence on responsive performance after host–guest interaction. Compared with α-and β-CD, γ-CD with the biggest cavity size and weakest host–guest interaction displayed the best improvement on water solubility and minimized influence on the pH-responsive performance, providing a universal approach to improve the water solubility of azobenzene-based probes while with a minimal negative effect on the responsive performance, which will be of interest to researchers in the fields of supramolecular chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective acylation of saccharides is an important basic transformation in saccharide chemistry. Synthetic strategies and protocols for saccharides can reach broad users when reagents are simple (inexpensive and readily available), green, and easy to handle. Herein, we disclose that the simplest boric acid, B(OH)3, can work as an effective promoter for C3–OH selective acylation of unprotected monosaccharides under the catalysis of a readily available N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst. Solvents such as THF from untreated commercial sources can be directly used. Mechanistically, the boric acid plays multiple roles in benefiting reaction yields and regioselectivities, including solubilizing the saccharide substrates by forming borate esters with the saccharides, shielding the C6–OH unit of the saccharides from acylation, and enhancing the selectivity between C3–OH and C2–OH reactions. We also found that the solvent has a profounder effect on the reaction yield and selectivity than the base. Selectively acylated saccharide products can be easily obtained with good-to-excellent yields and gram scales. Our study will encourage the further development of new synthetic strategies for saccharides that can reach beyond laboratory scales and to scientists not necessarily with expertise in organic synthesis. Compared to previous methods using aryl and alkyl boronic acids as modulating reagents, the use of boric acid provides a greener solution economically and environmentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are commonly coexisting conditions. The impact of LBBB on catheter ablation of AF has not been well determined. This study aims to explore the long‐term outcomes of patients with AF and LBBB after catheter ablation. Methods: Forty‐two patients with LBBB of 11,752 patients who underwent catheter ablation of AF from 2011 to 2020 were enrolled as LBBB group. After propensity score matching in a 1:4 ratio, 168 AF patients without LBBB were enrolled as non‐LBBB group. Late recurrence and a composite endpoint of stroke, all‐cause mortality, and cardiovascular hospitalization were compared between the two groups. Results: Late recurrence rate was significantly higher in the LBBB group than that in the non‐LBBB group (54.8% vs. 31.5%, p =.034). Multivariate analysis showed that LBBB was an independent risk factor for late recurrence after catheter ablation of AF (hazard ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–4.40, p =.031). LBBB group was also associated with a significantly higher incidence of the composite endpoint (21.4% vs. 6.5%, HR 3.98, 95% CI 1.64–9.64, p =.002). Conclusions: LBBB was associated with a higher risk for late recurrence and a higher incidence of composite endpoint in the patients underwent catheter ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of gentamycin irrigation in preventing postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) in emergency neurosurgical procedures. A total of 518 consecutive emergency neurosurgeries, including craniotomies, endoscopic and burr hole procedures were reviewed retrospectively. Patients received either only normal saline (NS) irrigation or NS irrigation with gentamycin added (80 mg/L) during the whole process of surgery. SSIs including wound infection and intracranial infection were the primary outcome. SSI was considered while purulence was observed during wound dressing and confirmed with bacterial culture of wound exudation. In addition, positive result of bacterial growth culture of cerebrospinal fluid was also considered as infection. Infection rates were calculated 28 days after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using t test or Chi-squared test where appropriate. This study included 444 patients. Gentamycin was used in 179 (40.3%) patients. Only 2 (1.1%) of 179 patients receiving gentamycin irrigation had an infection. However, among the other 265 patients receiving only NS irrigation, the infection rate was 8.3%. With the addition of gentamycin, the infection rate was decreased by 86.7% (P = 0.001). The two infected patients in gentamycin group were compromised postoperatively: one patient had removed his own extraventricular drainage tube accidentally due to restlessness, and the other had severely contaminated his wound with vomitus during the intracranial drainage tube removal process. If these two patients were excluded from analysis, the effective infection rate using gentamycin irrigation is 0%. The gentamycin plus NS irrigation during emergency neurosurgical procedures can lead to a significantly lower rate of postoperative infection than when NS is used alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]