Mitochondrial-Derived Peptides: Implication in the Therapy of Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs), including humanin, MOTS-c, and small humanin-like peptides (SHLPs), have emerged as promising therapeutic candidates for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). This review systematically evaluates current literature retrieved from databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using keywords such as "mitochondrial-derived peptides," "neurodegeneration," "humanin," "MOTS-c," and "SHLPs." Studies were included based on their relevance to mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, neuroprotection, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in AD, PD, and HD models.

Dimethyl-2-oxoglutarate but not antioxidants prevents glucose hypometabolism induced neural cell death: implications in the pathogenesis and therapy of Alzheimer's disease.

Cerebral glucose hypometabolism is a cardinal molecular signature of Alzheimer's disease, and its role in the pathogenesis of this disorder is under intensive study in both animal and cell-based models. In the current study, we exposed SH-SY5Y cells (human neuroblastoma cell line) over a period of 48 h to DRB18, an inhibitor of multiple glucose transporters, in different concentrations to develop a state of glucose hypometabolism. Under this metabolic insult, in SH-SY5Y cells a profound dose-dependent neural cell death, an increased production of reactive oxygen radicals, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and a depletion of cellular ATP content were noted; these effects were not prevented by lipid-soluble novel antioxidants such as ferrostatin-1 and liproxstatin-1 or by a general water-soluble antioxidant like N-acetylcysteine.

Lead and arsenic toxicity: emerging mechanisms, immunotoxic effects, and future research perspectives.

Lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) are two of the most widespread environmental toxicants, posing significant immunological and systemic health risks worldwide. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the immunotoxicity of Pb and As, highlighting their shared and unique cellular mechanisms, with a focus on oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and epigenetic modifications. Pb exposure has been shown to suppress CD4⁺ T cell populations, alter CD8⁺ and NK cell ratios, elevate Th2 cytokines like IL-4 and IL-6, and increase IgE levels, contributing to heightened allergy risk and systemic inflammation.

Recent advancements in the role of biopolymers as photocatalytic materials for waste-water treatment.

Photocatalysis has gained immense attention over the years as it enables the mineralization of complex pollutants in simple and cost-effective architecture. However, leaching and poor reusability of powdered photocatalysts renders this aspired technology as a potential source of secondary pollution. Photocatalysts are generally immobilized onto a surface as an attempt to resolve these issues.

Polymeric nanocomposites: Recent advances, challenges, techniques, and biomedical applications.

Incredible advances in material technology have fueled the adoption of a variety of new materials, hybrids, and composites across a wide range of applications. Among these developing prospects, polymer nanocomposites stand out for their potential to revolutionize the future due to their diverse characteristics and accompanying benefits. These nanocomposites have a wide range of applications, including drug delivery, gene therapy, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and biosensors.

Symptom Management for Well-Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: ASCO Guideline.

Purpose: To develop a clinical practice guideline and recommendations for symptom management of patients with well-differentiated grade 1 to grade 3 metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Methods: ASCO convened an Expert Panel to develop a clinical practice guideline by reviewing the literature for relevant guidelines, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and observational studies to develop recommendations for clinical practice.

Results: The literature review identified eight guidelines, 19 systematic reviews, and three RCTs that informed the development of guideline recommendations.

Evolving trends in the solvent strategies for preparing semiconducting nanomaterials for multifarious applications.

Semiconducting nanomaterials have been widely explored for various applications due to their remarkable coordination between electronic and morphological attributes. The extent of their potential applications transcends from various environmental remediation applications like sensing and photocatalysis to several complex applications like energy storage/production and drug delivery processes. The properties of semiconducting nanomaterials can be effectively tuned by changing the solvent strategies.

Dose finding, bioavailability, and PK-PD of oral triapine with concurrent chemoradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer and vaginal cancer (ETCTN 9892).

Background: The addition of IV triapine to chemoradiation appeared active in phase I and II studies but drug delivery is cumbersome. We examined PO triapine with cisplatin chemoradiation.

Methods: We implemented a 3 + 3 design for PO triapine dose escalation with expansion, starting at 100 mg, five days a week for five weeks while receiving radiation with weekly IV cisplatin for locally advanced cervical or vaginal cancer.

Nemvaleukin alfa, a modified interleukin-2 cytokine, as monotherapy and with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors (ARTISTRY-1).

Background: Nemvaleukin alfa (nemvaleukin, ALKS 4230) is a novel, engineered cytokine that selectively binds to the intermediate-affinity interleukin-2 receptor, preferentially activating CD8 T cells and natural killer cells, with minimal expansion of regulatory T cells, thereby mitigating the risk of toxicities associated with high-affinity interleukin-2 receptor activation. Clinical outcomes with nemvaleukin are unknown. ARTISTRY-1 investigated the safety, recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), and antitumor activity of nemvaleukin in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Pivotal role of starch in restoring the photocatalytic performance of chitosan films for eliminating water pollutants.

The photocatalytic performance of chitosan-derived catalytic films deteriorates due to surface area loss during catalyst immobilization. It limits the practical efficacy of these films, despite being a greener and more reusable alternative to powdered catalysts. Herein, we have restored and enhanced the photocatalytic efficiency of chitosan films from 67% to 95% by starch impregnation.

A neuroendocrine biomarker revolution from monoanalyte to multianalyte biomarkers in non-functioning gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) arise from neuroendocrine cells in a wide variety of organs. One of the most affected disease sites is the gastrointestinal system, which originates the gastro-entero-pancreatic NENs (GEP-NENs), a heterogenous group of malignancies that are rapidly increasing in incidence. These tumors can be functioning, with secretory activity leading to identifiable clinical syndromes, or non-functioning, with no secretory activity but with local symptoms of tumor growth and metastasis.

Inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase subunit M2 enhances the radiosensitivity of metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.

Ribonucleotide Reductase (RNR) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the production of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), which are essential substrates for DNA repair after radiation damage. We explored the radiosensitization property of RNR and investigated a selective RRM2 inhibitor, 3-AP, as a radiosensitizer in the treatment of metastatic pNETs. We investigated the role of RNR subunit, RRM2, in pancreatic neuroendocrine (pNET) cells and responses to radiation in vitro.

Critical updates in neuroendocrine tumors: Version 9 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for all cancer sites, including gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs), is meant to be dynamic, requiring periodic updates to optimize AJCC staging definitions. This entails the collaboration of experts charged with evaluating new evidence that supports changes to each staging system. GEP-NETs are the second most prevalent neoplasm of gastrointestinal origin after colorectal cancer.

Leveraging Programmatic Collaboration for a Radiopharmaceutical Clinic.

Radiation oncologists, radiopharmacists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical oncologists have seen a renewed clinical interest in radiopharmaceuticals for the curative or the palliative treatment of cancer. To allow for the discovery and the clinical advancement of targeted radiopharmaceuticals, these stakeholders have reformed their trial efforts and remodeled their facilities to accommodate the obligations of a program centered upon radioactive investigational drug products. Now considered informally as drugs and not beam radiotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals can be more easily studied in the traditional clinical trial enterprise ranging from phase 0-I to phase III studies.

Exosomal Dynamics and Brain Redox Imbalance: Implications in Alzheimer's Disease Pathology and Diagnosis.

Oxidative burden plays a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, fostering protein aggregation, inflammation, mitochondrial impairment, and cellular dysfunction that collectively lead to neuronal injury. The role of exosomes in propagating the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases including AD is now well established. However, recent studies have also shown that exosomes are crucial responders to oxidative stress in different tissues.

Development and validation of a chromatin regulator signature for predicting prognosis hepatocellular carcinoma patient.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with a bleak prognosis. Although emerging research increasingly supports the involvement of chromatin regulators (CRs) in cancer development, CRs in HCC patients have not received proportionate attention. This study aimed to investigate the role and prognostic significance of CRs in HCC patients, providing new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

A feasibility (pilot) mixed methods study of an innovative non-pharmacological breath-based yoga and social-emotional intervention program in an at-risk youth sample in London, Canada.

Background: Various service provision models for youth at risk of homelessness have been researched and implemented, including access to housing and physical and mental health resources. However, even with these interventions, we remain unaware of how best to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety and the rate of drug use in these populations primarily because of a lack of feasibility data.

Methods: This paper presents the results of a mixed-methods study in London, Canada, that examined the feasibility of implementing a biopsychosocial intervention, SKY Schools, in at-risk youth aged between 16 and 25 (n = 49).

TEM8 in Oncogenesis: Protein Biology, Pre-Clinical Agents, and Clinical Rationale.

The TEM8 protein represents an emerging biomarker in many solid tumor histologies. Given the various roles it plays in oncogenesis, including but not limited to angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and cell migration, TEM8 has recently served and will continue to serve as the target of novel oncologic therapies. We review herein the role of TEM8 in oncogenesis.