Publications by authors named "Kevin G Liu"

Objective: The present study compares postoperative outcomes between patients with and without sickle cell disease (SCD) undergoing 1-to 3-level lumbar spinal fusion for degenerative pathologies.

Methods: Patients who underwent 1-to 3-level lumbar spinal fusion for degenerative pathologies from 2010 to 2021 were identified using the PearlDiver database. Patients were separated into 1) SCD and 2) non-SCD groups and were propensity-matched 1:1 for age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, surgical approach, and various comorbidities.

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Background: In recent years, the use of intraoperative computer tomography-guided (CT-guided) navigation has gained significant popularity among health care providers who perform minimally invasive spine surgery. This review aims to identify and analyze trends in the literature related to the widespread adoption of CT-guided navigation in spine surgery, emphasizing the shift from conventional fluoroscopy-based techniques to CT-guided navigation.

Methods: Articles pertaining to this study were identified via a database review and were hierarchically organized based on the number of citations.

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CRISPR-associated proteins such as Cas9 and Cas12a are programable RNA-guided nucleases that have emerged as powerful tools for genome manipulation and molecular diagnostics. However, these enzymes are prone to cleaving off-target sequences that contain mismatches between the RNA guide and DNA protospacer. In comparison to Cas9, Cas12a has demonstrated distinct sensitivity to protospacer-adjacent-motif (PAM) distal mismatches, and the molecular basis of Cas12a's enhanced target discrimination is of great interest.

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CRISPR-associated proteins such as Cas9 and Cas12a are programable RNA-guided nucleases that have emerged as powerful tools for genome manipulation and molecular diagnostics. However, these enzymes are prone to cleaving off-target sequences that contain mismatches between the RNA guide and DNA protospacer. In comparison to Cas9, Cas12a has demonstrated distinct sensitivity to protospacer-adjacent-motif (PAM) distal mismatches, and the molecular basis of Cas12a's enhanced target discrimination is of great interest.

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Article Synopsis
  • Research on targeting glucose metabolism in cancer has faced challenges due to ineffective anti-glycolytic agents and limited understanding of different cancer types' glucose use.
  • A new compound, KL-11743, effectively inhibits class I glucose transporters, leading to decreased NADH levels and increased aspartate, indicating a shift to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.
  • The study found that mutations in key metabolic pathways make certain tumors, particularly SDHA-deficient cancers, more susceptible to GLUT inhibitors like KL-11743, showing potential for targeted cancer therapies.
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  • Aerobic glycolysis, discovered by Warburg as a key feature of cancer, is also involved in the activation and growth of immune cells.* -
  • Glucose transporters (GLUTs) enable the transport of glucose across cell membranes and are potential targets for regulating aerobic glycolysis.* -
  • The study focuses on developing and improving a new set of effective oral inhibitors that target GLUT1 and GLUT3, which could lead to new treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.*
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4-(1-Phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)quinoline (1) was identified by screening the Lundbeck compound collection, and characterized as having mGlu4 receptor positive allosteric modulator properties. Compound 1 is selective over other mGlu receptors and a panel of GPCRs, ion channels and enzymes, but has suboptimal lipophilicity and high plasma and brain non-specific binding. In view of the challenges at the hit-to-lead stage previously reported in the development of mGlu4 receptor positive allosteric modulators (PAMs), a thorough structure-mGlu4 PAM activity relationship study was conducted to interrogate the chemical tractability of this chemotype.

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There is an increasing amount of evidence to support that activation of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4 receptor), either with an orthosteric agonist or a positive allosteric modulator (PAM), provides impactful interventions in diseases such as Parkinson's disease, anxiety, and pain. mGlu4 PAMs may have several advantages over mGlu4 agonists for a number of reasons. As part of our efforts in identifying therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as Parkinson's disease, we have been focusing on metabotropic glutamate receptors.

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As part of our efforts to develop agents for cognitive enhancement, we have been focused on the 5-HT(6) receptor in order to identify potent and selective ligands for this purpose. Herein we report the identification of a novel series of 3-sulfonylindazole derivatives with acyclic amino side chains as potent and selective 5-HT(6) antagonists. The synthesis and detailed SAR of this class of compounds are reported.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers are focusing on the 5-HT(6) receptor to develop agents that enhance cognitive function for CNS diseases.
  • A new series of compounds called 5-piperazinyl-3-sulfonylindazoles have been identified as strong and selective antagonists of the 5-HT(6) receptor.
  • The study will detail the synthesis, structure-activity relationships, and the pharmacological effects of one specific compound, WAY-255315 (or SAM-315).
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Cognitive dysfunction is a characteristic of various forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a core feature of schizophrenia. As part of our continuing efforts to develop agents for cognitive enhancement, we have been focused on the 5-HT(6) receptor-one of the emerging therapeutic targets in this area. Herein, we report the identification of a novel series of 3-piperidinyl-5-sulfonylindazole derivatives as potent 5-HT(6) antagonists.

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As part of our continuing efforts to identify therapeutics for CNS diseases, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), we have been focused on the 5-HT(6) receptor in an attempt to identify ligands as a potential treatment for cognitive dysfunction. Herein we report the identification of a novel series of 1-sulfonylindazole derivatives as potent and selective 5-HT(6) antagonists. The synthesis and SAR of this class of compounds are reported.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers are exploring the 5-HT(6) receptor to find new treatments for cognitive issues related to CNS diseases like schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.
  • A new group of benzoxazole derivatives has been identified as effective 5-HT(6) ligands, highlighting their potential as therapeutic options.
  • The study includes details on how these compounds were synthesized and their functional characteristics, showing they act as full antagonists in specific assays.
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A regiospecific synthesis of a series of 1-sulfonyl azepinoindoles as potent 5-HT6 ligands is reported.

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Synthesis of 2,3-substituted indoles from phenylhydrazine and alpha-branched aldehydes via rearrangement of 3,3-disubstituted indolenine intermediates is reported. [reaction: see text]

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