Nanobodies as allosteric modulators of Parkinson's disease-associated LRRK2.

Mutations in the gene coding for leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are a leading cause of the inherited form of Parkinson's disease (PD), while LRRK2 overactivation is also associated with the more common idiopathic form of PD. LRRK2 is a large multidomain protein, including a GTPase as well as a Ser/Thr protein kinase domain. Common, disease-causing mutations increase LRRK2 kinase activity, presenting LRRK2 as an attractive target for drug discovery. Currently, drug development has mainly focused on ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a variety of nanobodies that bind to different LRRK2 domains and inhibit or activate LRRK2 in cells and in in vitro. Importantly, nanobodies were identified that inhibit LRRK2 kinase activity while binding to a site that is topographically distinct from the active site and thus act through an allosteric inhibitory mechanism that does not involve binding to the ATP pocket or even to the kinase domain. Moreover, while certain nanobodies completely inhibit the LRRK2 kinase activity, we also identified nanobodies that specifically inhibit the phosphorylation of Rab protein substrates. Finally, in contrast to current type I kinase inhibitors, the studied kinase-inhibitory nanobodies did not induce LRRK2 microtubule association. These comprehensively characterized nanobodies represent versatile tools to study the LRRK2 function and mechanism and can pave the way toward novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for PD.

Dose escalation of biologic treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in Japan.

Patients receiving interleukin (IL)-inhibiting biologics for moderate-to-severe psoriasis (PsO) may be treated with escalated doses to optimize outcomes. This study evaluated escalation prevalence in a Japanese claims analysis of patients with PsO diagnosis preceding IL-inhibiting biologic treatment and ≥1 post-induction maintenance claim (index date) with sufficient data availability from January 2014 to May 2022. Patients with non-persistence were excluded. Expected daily dose (EDD) was calculated as the recommended maintenance dose divided by the treatment interval. Dose escalation was defined as ≥2 claims showing a ≥20% increase in the observed average daily dose (ADD) over the EDD (with sensitivities requiring ≥1 claim and ≥30%). Significant differences were tested using multivariable regressions. The study included 982 unique patients treated with brodalumab (BRO; n = 104), guselkumab (GUS; n = 207), ixekizumab (IXE; n = 159), risankizumab (RIS; n = 135), secukinumab (SEC; n = 215) and ustekinumab (UST; n = 196). Within 12 months, dose escalation was observed for all IL-inhibiting biologics other than GUS and RIS: 44.4% for UST, 37.2% for IXE, 3.4% for SEC and 1.4% for BRO. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, odds of dose escalation were significantly lower for all products relative to UST. In sensitivities, escalation was observed for all products except RIS.

Efficacy, tolerability, and bone density outcomes of elagolix with add-back therapy for endometriosis-associated pain: 12 months of an ongoing randomized phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Elagolix, an approved oral treatment for endometriosis-associated pain, has been associated with hypoestrogenic effects when used as monotherapy. Hormonal add-back therapy has the potential to mitigate these effects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy, tolerability, and bone density outcomes of elagolix 200 mg twice daily with 1 mg estradiol /0.5 mg norethindrone acetate (add-back) therapy once daily compared with placebo in premenopausal women with moderate-to-severe endometriosis-associated pain. STUDY DESIGN: This ongoing, 48-month, phase 3 study consists of a 12-month, double-blind period, with randomization 4:1:2 to elagolix 200 mg twice daily with add-back therapy, elagolix 200 mg twice daily monotherapy for 6 months followed by elagolix with add-back therapy, or placebo. The co-primary endpoints were proportion of patients with clinical improvement (termed "responders") in dysmenorrhea and nonmenstrual pelvic pain at month 6. We report 12-month results on efficacy of elagolix with add-back therapy versus placebo in reducing dysmenorrhea, nonmenstrual pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and fatigue. Tolerability assessments include adverse events and change from baseline in bone mineral density. RESULTS: A total of 679 patients were randomized to elagolix with add-back therapy (n=389), elagolix monotherapy (n=97), or placebo (n=193). Compared with patients randomized to placebo, a significantly greater proportion of patients randomized to elagolix with add-back therapy responded with clinical improvement in dysmenorrhea (62.8% versus 23.7%; P≤.001) and nonmenstrual pelvic pain (51.3% versus 36.8%; P≤.001) at 6 months. Compared with placebo, elagolix with add-back therapy produced significantly greater improvement from baseline in 7 hierarchically ranked secondary endpoints including dysmenorrhea (months 12, 6, 3), nonmenstrual pelvic pain (months 12, 6, 3), and fatigue (months 6) (all P<.01). Overall, the incidence of adverse events was 73.8% with elagolix plus add-back therapy and 66.8% with placebo. The rate of severe and serious adverse events did not meaningfully differ between treatment groups. Study drug discontinuations associated with adverse events were low in patients receiving elagolix with add-back therapy (12.6%) and those receiving placebo (9.8%). Patients randomized to elagolix monotherapy exhibited decreases from baseline in bone mineral density of -2.43% (lumbar spine), -1.54% (total hip), and -1.78% (femoral neck) at month 6. When add-back therapy was added to elagolix at month 6, the change from baseline in bone mineral density remained in a similar range of -1.58% to -1.83% at month 12. However, patients who received elagolix plus add-back therapy from baseline exhibited little change from baseline in bone mineral density (<1% change) at months 6 and 12. CONCLUSION: Compared with placebo, elagolix with add-back therapy resulted in significant, clinically meaningful improvement in dysmenorrhea, nonmenstrual pelvic pain, and fatigue at 6 months that continued until month 12 for both dysmenorrhea and nonmenstrual pelvic pain. Elagolix with add-back therapy was generally well tolerated. Loss of bone mineral density at 12 months was greater in patients who received elagolix with add-back therapy than those who received placebo. However, the change in bone mineral density with elagolix plus add-back therapy was < 1% and was attenuated compared with bone loss observed with elagolix monotherapy.

Design, synthesis, molecular docking and biological evaluation of 1,3,5-trisubstituted-1H-pyrazole derivatives as anticancer agents with cell cycle arrest, ERK and RIPK3- kinase activities.

The need for new ERK and RIPK3 kinase modulators arises from their central roles in cellular processes, especially in diseases like cancer. This research focused on a ligand-based strategy, incorporating previously documented 1,3,5-trisubstituted-1H-pyrazole derivatives, to craft innovative inhibitors specifically targeting ERK and RIPK3 kinases. Compounds 6, 7, 10a, 10c, and 10d exhibited significant cytotoxicity against PC-3 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 21.9 to 28.6 µM and 3.90-35.5 µM, respectively values surpassing those of the reference compound Doxorubicin. Additionally, cell cycle analysis revealed intriguing results, particularly with 10d inducing cell cycle arrest at the S phase in treated PC-3 cells, indicating potential DNA replication phase inhibition. Moreover, compounds 6, 10a, and 10d exhibited promising results in the in vitro kinase assay supported by molecular docking studies. The core scaffold of these compounds established interactions with vital amino acids within the active pockets of ERK and RIPK3 kinases, thereby securely anchoring them in place. These findings underscore the development of promising modulators for ERK and RIPK3 kinases, suggesting their potential for future contributions to cancer treatments.

Rs12039395 Variant Influences the Expression of hsa-miR-181a-5p and PTEN Toward Colorectal Cancer Risk.

BACKGROUND: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA (miRNA) genes could alter miRNA expression levels or processing and, thus, may contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Therefore, this study aimed to examine whether the MIR181A1 genomic sequence possesses SNPs that can affect the expression of hsa-miR-181a-5p and, subsequently, impact its targets and associate with CRC risk. METHODS: The NCBI dbSNP database was searched for possible SNPs associated with MIR181A1. One SNP with a minor allele frequency > 5%, rs12039395 G > T was identified. In silico analyses determined the effect of the SNP on the secondary structure of the miRNA and predicted the hsa-miR-181a-5p target genes. The SNP was genotyped using allelic discrimination assay, the relative hsa-miR-181a-5p expression level was determined using quantitative real-time PCR, and immunohistochemical staining was used to detect target genes in 192 paraffin-embedded specimens collected from 160 CRC patients and 32 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The rs6505162 SNP conferred protection against CRC, and the G-allele presence provides may provide accessibility for the transcriptional machinery. Hsa-miR-181a-5p was significantly over-expressed in the CRC group compared to controls and in samples carrying the G-allele compared to those with T-allele. PTEN, identified as the only hsa-miR-181a-5p target implicated in CRC, was significantly diminished in the CRC group compared to controls and showed an inverse relationship with hsa-miR-181a-5p expression level as well as negatively associated with the G-allele presence in CRC. CONCLUSION: This study highlights that rs12039395 G > T may protect against CRC by influencing the expression of hsa-mir-181a-5p and its target gene, PTEN.

Guanidine dicycloamine-based analogs: green chemistry synthesis, biological investigation, and molecular docking studies as promising antibacterial and antiglycation leads.

Dicyandiamide (DCD) reacted with amino acids 1a-f to produce biguanides 2 and 4 and guanidine pyrazolones 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, according to the reaction. DCD exhibited the following reactions: imidodicarbonimidicdiamide 9, diazocan-2-ylguanidine 10, methyl biguanidylthion 11, N-carbamothioylimidodicarbonimidicdiamide 12, 2-guanidinebenzoimidazole 13a, 2-guanidinylbenzoxazole 13b, and 2-guanidinylbenzothiazol 13c. These reactions were triggered by 6-amino caproic acid, thioacetamide, thiourea, o-aminophenol, o-aminothiophenol, and anthranilic acid, respectively. Compound 2 had the least antimicrobial activity, while compound 13c demonstrated the most antibacterial impact against all bacterial strains. Furthermore, in terms of antiglycation efficacy (AGEs), 12, 11, and 7 were the most effective AGE cross-linking inhibitors. Eight and ten, which showed a considerable inhibition on cross-linking AGEs, come next. Compounds 4 and 6 on the other hand have shown the least suppression of AGE production. The most promising antiglycation scaffolds 8, 11, and 12 in the Human serum albumin (HAS) active site were shown to be able to adopt crucial binding interactions with important amino acids based on the results of in silico molecular docking. The most promising antiglycation compounds 8, 11, and 12 were also shown to have better hydrophilicity, acceptable lipophilicity, gastrointestinal tract absorption (GIT), and blood-brain barrier penetration qualities when their physicochemical properties were examined using the egg-boiled method.

How Intravesical Platelet-Rich Plasma Can Help Patients with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Comprehensive Scoping Review.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation that affects the bladder. The study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of intravesical platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in patients with IC/BPS. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search strategy to involve studies that investigate the efficacy of intravesical PRP injections or instillations over different time intervals. Various outcome measures were assessed, including pain scores, functional outcomes, urodynamic parameters, and surface expressions on the urothelium. RESULTS: Our search strategy revealed 1,125 studies. After screening, ten articles met the inclusion criteria. Intravesical PRP significantly reduced the visual analog scale (VAS) compared with baseline scores. Several clinical trials reported significant improvements in the global response rate (GRA), O'Leary-Sant Symptom (OSS) questionnaire, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI), and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI). Urodynamic parameters such as maximum flow rate (Qmax) and post-voiding residual (PVR) showed significant improvements in some studies. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that intravesical PRP injections could be a promising effective treatment option for IC/BPS patients by their significant ability to reduce pain. However, improvement of urodynamic and functional outcomes is still not clear. Further large comparative trials are still warranted to assess the efficacy of PRP instillation.

Growth and endocrinopathies among children with ß-Thalassemia major treated at Dubai Thalassemia centre.

BACKGROUND: ß-Thalassemia major (BTM) is one of the most common hereditary anemias worldwide. Patients suffer from iron overload that results from repeated blood transfusion This in turn leads to multiple organ damage and endocrinopathies. This study aims to assess the prevalence of growth retardation, hypothyroidism, and diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents with BTM treated at Dubai Thalassemia Centre. METHODS: A total of 105 children and adolescents were included in this retrospective observational study. RESULTS: 39 children and 66 adolescents' data were analyzed. Females composed 51.3% (n = 20) of children and 53.0% (n = 35) of adolescents. Pretransfusion hemoglobin below 9 gm/dl was observed in 10.8% (n = 4) and 10.6% (n = 7) in children and adolescents, respectively. The mean age of menarche was 13.5 years. Among all study participants, 22.6% (n = 14) had normal height velocity whereas 37.1% (n = 23) had reduced height velocity in one year and 40.3% (n = 25) had reduced height velocity in two consecutive years. The proportion of children and adolescents showing reduced height velocity was significantly higher in females compared to the males (90.6% versus 63.3%, respectively, Chi-square = 6.597, p-value = 0.010). Although none of the study participants had diabetes mellitus, 26.1% (n = 12/46) had pre-diabetes. Elevated TSH was observed in 14.7% (n = 5) children and 8.1% (n = 5) adolescents while low FT4 was reported in one child and one adolescent. CONCLUSION: Of all endocrinopathies seen among children and adolescents with BTM, growth delay remains the main concern for this group of patients. Effective treatment is key to further reducing endocrinopathies. Although the sample size is limited, we postulate that the low percentage of endocrinopathies among children with BTM treated at Dubai thalassemia center and the low level of pretransfusion anemia reflect the effective transfusion and chelation at the center.

The use of urinary kidney injury molecule-1 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin for diagnosis of hepato-renal syndrome in advanced cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic liver disease is a common and important clinical problem.Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a life threatening complication. Serum creatinine (Cr) remains the only conventional indicator of renal function. However, the interpretation of serum Cr level can be confounded by malnutrition and reduced muscle mass often observed in patients with severe liver disease. Here, we present a cross-sectional study to explore the sensitivity and specificity of other markers as urinary KIM-1 and NGAL for cases of HRS. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was conducted on 88 patients who were admitted to Alexandria main university hospital. Enrolled patients were divided in two groups; group 1: patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (child B and C) who have normal kidney functions while group 2: patients who developed HRS. Stata© version 14.2 software package was used for analysis. RESULTS: Group 1 included 18 males and 26 females compared to 25 males and 19 females in group 2 (p = 0.135). Only the urinary KIM-1 showed a statistically significant difference between both groups in the multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender, serum bilirubin, serum albumin, INR, serum K, AST and ALT levels. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study aligns with prior research, as seen in the consistent findings regarding Urinary NGAL elevation in cirrhotic patients with AKI. Urinary KIM-1, independent of Urinary NGAL, may have a role in precisely distinguishing between advanced liver cirrhosis and HRS and merits further exploration.

Emergence and Genomic Characterization of a spa Type t4407 ST6-SCCmec Type IVa Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain Isolated from Al-Karak Hospital, Jordan.

Background and Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major concern in Jordanian hospitals in terms of infection control. The purpose of this study was to identify the resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from surfaces of critical locations within the Al-Karak Governmental Hospital in 2019. Additionally, the study aimed to conduct whole-genome sequencing on the isolates. Materials and Methods: In February 2019, fourteen S. aureus strains were isolated from surfaces in critical sites in the Al-Karak Governmental Hospital. These isolates underwent antibiogram testing to determine their resistance profile. Genome sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform was applied to the extracted DNA from these isolates. The genomic data, including coding sequences, were analyzed to identify lineage, resistance genes, and plasmids. Results: The antibiogram results revealed that 11 of the 14 isolates were resistant to oxacillin, 6 to linezolid, and 1 to rifampicin, while none showed resistance to chloramphenicol. Eleven isolates were identified as MRSA, with a novel spa type (t4407) not previously reported in Jordan. High-quality sequencing data were obtained for only one isolate, i.e., A29, the genome showed 2,789,641 bp with a 32.7% GC content and contained 2650 coding sequences. Genomic analysis indicated the ST6 lineage, mecA gene (SCCmec type IVa(2B)), and a hybrid plasmid (pJOR_blaZ) carrying the blaZ gene for ß-lactam resistance. Genomic data were deposited in NCBI (CP104989). The A29 genome closely resembled an MRSA genome isolated from a Danish hospital in 2011. The SNP analysis revealed identical antimicrobial resistance genes in these two genomes. Conclusions: This study unveils the first genomic sequence of an MRSA isolate from Jordan, marked by distinctive genotypic traits. The findings enhance our understanding of the MRSA types circulating in Jordan and the region and substantiate the phenomenon of intercontinental MRSA transmission.

Elagolix for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding in Women with Uterine Fibroids.

BACKGROUND: Uterine fibroids are hormone-responsive neoplasms that are associated with heavy menstrual bleeding. Elagolix, an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist resulting in rapid, reversible suppression of ovarian sex hormones, may reduce fibroid-associated bleeding. METHODS: We conducted two identical, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month phase 3 trials (Elaris Uterine Fibroids 1 and 2 [UF-1 and UF-2]) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of elagolix at a dose of 300 mg twice daily with hormonal "add-back" therapy (to replace reduced levels of endogenous hormones; in this case, estradiol, 1 mg, and norethindrone acetate, 0.5 mg, once daily) in women with fibroid-associated bleeding. An elagolix-alone group was included to assess the impact of add-back therapy on the hypoestrogenic effects of elagolix. The primary end point was menstrual blood loss of less than 80 ml during the final month of treatment and at least a 50% reduction in menstrual blood loss from baseline to the final month; missing data were imputed with the use of multiple imputation. RESULTS: A total of 412 women in UF-1 and 378 women in UF-2 underwent randomization, received elagolix or placebo, and were included in the analyses. Criteria for the primary end point were met in 68.5% of 206 women in UF-1 and in 76.5% of 189 women in UF-2 who received elagolix plus add-back therapy, as compared with 8.7% of 102 women and 10% of 94 women, respectively, who received placebo (P<0.001 for both trials). Among the women who received elagolix alone, the primary end point was met in 84.1% of 104 women in UF-1 and in 77% of 95 women in UF-2. Hot flushes (in both trials) and metrorrhagia (in UF-1) occurred significantly more commonly with elagolix plus add-back therapy than with placebo. Hypoestrogenic effects of elagolix, especially decreases in bone mineral density, were attenuated with add-back therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Elagolix with add-back therapy was effective in reducing heavy menstrual bleeding in women with uterine fibroids. (Funded by AbbVie; Elaris UF-1 and Elaris UF-2 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02654054 and NCT02691494.).

Risankizumab improved health-related quality of life, fatigue, pain and work productivity in psoriatic arthritis: results of KEEPsAKE 1.

OBJECTIVES: PsA is a heterogeneous disease that impacts many aspects of social and mental life, including quality of life. Risankizumab, an antagonist specific for IL-23, is currently under investigation for the treatment of adults with active PsA. This study evaluated the impact of risankizumab vs placebo on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among patients with active PsA and inadequate response or intolerance to conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD-IR) in the KEEPsAKE 1 trial. METHODS: Adult patients with active PsA (n = 964) were randomized (1:1) to receive risankizumab 150 mg or placebo. PROs assessed included the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36, v2), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue), EuroQoL-5 Dimension-5 Level (EQ-5D-5L), Patient's Assessment of Pain, Patient's Global Assessment (PtGA) of Disease Activity, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-PsA (WPAI-PsA) questionnaire. Least squares (LS) mean change from baseline at week 24 was compared between risankizumab and placebo. RESULTS: At week 24, differences between groups were observed using LS mean changes from baseline in SF-36 physical component summary and mental component summary; FACIT-Fatigue; EQ-5D-5L; Patient's Assessment of Pain; PtGA; all eight SF-36 domains (all nominal P < 0.001); and the WPAI-PsA domains of impairment while working (presenteeism), overall work impairment and activity impairment (all nominal P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Risankizumab treatment resulted in greater improvements in HRQoL, fatigue, pain and work productivity in patients with active PsA who have csDMARD-IR, when compared with placebo. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03675308.

Efficacy and safety of risankizumab for active psoriatic arthritis: 52-week results from the KEEPsAKE 1 study.

OBJECTIVE: PsA is a chronic disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations requiring treatment options with long-term efficacy and safety. In this follow-up analysis, the 52-week efficacy and safety of risankizumab 150 mg in patients with active PsA who had previous inadequate response/intolerance to one or more conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD-IR) were evaluated. METHODS: KEEPsAKE 1 is an ongoing, global, phase 3 study with a 24-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled period (period 1) and an open-label extension period (period 2). In period 1, eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to receive subcutaneous risankizumab 150 mg or placebo at weeks 0, 4 and 16. At week 24 (period 2), all continuing patients received open-label risankizumab 150 mg every 12 weeks through week 208. RESULTS: At week 24, 57.3% of risankizumab-treated patients (n = 483) achieved ≥20% improvement in ACR criteria (ACR20) vs 33.5% of placebo-treated patients (n = 481; P < 0.001). At week 52, 70.0% of patients who were randomized to receive continuous risankizumab therapy and 63.0% of patients who were randomized to receive placebo in period 1 and then receive risankizumab at week 24 achieved ACR20. Similar result trends were observed for other efficacy measures. Risankizumab was well tolerated through 52 weeks of treatment with a consistent safety profile from week 24 through week 52. CONCLUSION: In patients with active PsA who were csDMARD-IR, continuous risankizumab treatment demonstrated robust long-term efficacy and was well tolerated through 52 weeks of treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, KEEPsAKE1, NCT03675308.

Efficacy and safety of risankizumab for active psoriatic arthritis: 52-week results from the KEEPsAKE 2 study.

OBJECTIVE: PsA is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the skin and joints are affected. In this follow-up analysis, the 52-week efficacy and safety of risankizumab 150 mg in patients with active PsA who had previous inadequate response/intolerance to one or two biologic therapies (Bio-IR) or one or more conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD-IR) were evaluated. METHODS: In the ongoing, phase 3, KEEPsAKE 2 trial, patients with active PsA were randomized 1:1 to receive subcutaneous risankizumab 150 mg or placebo at weeks 0, 4 and 16 (period 1). At week 24 (period 2), patients who received placebo were switched to risankizumab, and all patients received risankizumab 150 mg every 12 weeks from weeks 28 to 208. RESULTS: At week 24, 51.3% of risankizumab-treated patients (n = 224) achieved ≥20% improvement in ACR criteria (ACR 20) vs 26.5% of placebo-treated patients (n = 220; P < 0.001). At week 52, 58.5% of patients randomized to receive continuous risankizumab achieved ACR20, and 55.7% of patients who switched from placebo to risankizumab at week 24 achieved ACR20. Similar trends were observed for other efficacy measures. Rates of serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and TEAEs leading to discontinuation remained stable through week 52, and no deaths were reported. CONCLUSION: Risankizumab was well tolerated and improved symptoms of PsA in Bio-IR/csDMARD-IR patients, with a consistent long-term safety profile from weeks 24 to 52. TRIAL REGISTRATION: United States National Library of Medicine clinical trials database www.clinicaltrials.gov; KEEPsAKE 2; NCT03671148.

Vitamin D ameliorates diethylnitrosamine-induced liver preneoplasia: A pivotal role of CYP3A4/CYP2E1 via DPP-4 enzyme inhibition.

Growing evidence has indicated that vitamin D (Vit D) regulates cell proliferation and differentiation in cancer cells. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to investigate the possible beneficial effects of Vit D on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver preneoplasia. The effect of Vit D on HepG2 cells was investigated using MTT assay. Additionally, liver preneoplasia was induced in Swiss male albino mice by giving overnight fasted animals 5 consecutive doses of DEN (75 mg/kg/week). Oral treatment with Vit D (200 IU/kg/day) was initiated either 2 weeks before DEN (first protocol) or 1 week after the first dose of DEN injection (second protocol). At the end of the experiment, tissue levels of GGT, DPP-4, TNF-α, IL-6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4 were also estimated. Moreover, the histopathological study of liver tissue and immunohistochemical detection of GST-P, PCNA, and NF-κB were performed. Vit D exerted a significant cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cells via significantly increasing BAX, p53, and BAX/Bcl2 ratio, and significantly decreasing Bcl2 mRNA expression. In both in vivo protocols, Vit D was capable of normalizing relative liver weight, PCNA, altered hepatocellular foci, and ductular proliferation. Moreover, Vit D significantly reduced the DEN-induced elevation of AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, DDP-4, TNF-α, IL-6, CYP2E1, liver DNA damage, GST-P, NF-κB, nuclear hyperchromasia/pleomorphism, cholestasis, and inflammatory cell aggregates, but significantly increased CYP3A4 content. In conculsion, current results reflect the potential impact of Vit D in the management of early stages of liver cancer.

Comparison of risankizumab and apremilast for the treatment of adults with moderate plaque psoriasis eligible for systemic therapy: results from a randomized, open-label, assessor-blinded phase IV study (IMMpulse).

BACKGROUND: Treatment of psoriasis with risankizumab has demonstrated superior efficacy to other treatments, such as adalimumab, ustekinumab and secukinumab. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the efficacy and safety of risankizumab and apremilast in adults with moderate plaque psoriasis eligible for systemic therapy. It also evaluated the efficacy and safety of switching to risankizumab vs. continuing apremilast in patients who did not achieve ≥ 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75 nonresponders) after 16 weeks of treatment with apremilast. METHODS: This 52-week, phase IV, multicentre, randomized, open-label, efficacy assessor-blinded study (NCT04908475) enrolled patients (aged ≥ 18 years) with a diagnosis of moderate chronic plaque psoriasis (≥ 6 months) and who were candidates for systemic therapy. The enrolled patients (randomized 1 : 2) received subcutaneous risankizumab (150 mg at weeks 0 and 4) or oral apremilast (30 mg twice daily). At week 16, all patients treated with apremilast were re-randomized (1 : 1) to risankizumab or apremilast, stratified by week-16 PASI 75 response. The co-primary outcomes in period A at week 16 were the achievement of ≥ 90% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) and static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) 0/1 with a two-grade or better improvement from baseline. At week 52, the primary endpoint in period B was the achievement of PASI 90 in PASI 75 nonresponders with apremilast at week 16. Safety was monitored throughout the study. All patients who received one dose of treatment were included in the efficacy and safety analysis. RESULTS: At baseline, 118 and 234 patients were assigned to receive risankizumab and apremilast, respectively. At week 16, PASI 90 was achieved by 55.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 47.0-64.9] and 5.1% (95% CI 2.3-8.0), and sPGA 0/1 by 75.4% (95% CI 67.7-83.2) and 18.4% (95% CI 13.4-23.3), respectively. In period B, among PASI 75 nonresponders with apremilast at week 16, 83 switched to risankizumab and 78 continued apremilast. At week 52, 72.3% (95% CI 62.7-81.9) who switched to risankizumab achieved PASI 90 vs. 2.6% (95% CI 0.0-6.1) who continued apremilast. The most frequent adverse events (reported in ≥ 5%) in risankizumab-treated patients were COVID-19 infection and nasopharyngitis. Diarrhoea, nausea and headache were most frequent among apremilast-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with moderate psoriasis, treatment with risankizumab demonstrated superior efficacy to those treated with apremilast, including those who did not benefit from prior treatment with apremilast. The safety profile of risankizumab was similar to prior studies, and no new safety signals were identified. These results show that, compared with apremilast, risankizumab treatment can significantly improve clinical outcomes in systemic-eligible patients with moderate psoriasis.

Long-term safety and efficacy of risankizumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: Interim analysis of the LIMMitless open-label extension trial up to 5 years of follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease often requiring long-term therapy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of risankizumab in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: LIMMitless is an ongoing phase 3, open-label extension study evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of continuous risankizumab 150 mg every 12 weeks for adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis following multiple phase 2/3 base studies. This interim analysis assessed safety (ie, monitored treatment-emergent adverse events [TEAEs]) through 304 weeks. Efficacy assessments included determining the proportion of patients who achieved ≥90% or 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90/100), static Physician's Global Assessment of clear/almost clear (sPGA 0/1), and Dermatology Life Quality Index of no effect on patient's life (DLQI 0/1) through 256 weeks. RESULTS: Among 897 patients randomized to risankizumab in the base studies, 706 were still ongoing at data cutoff. Rates of TEAEs, TEAEs leading to discontinuation, and TEAEs of safety interest were low. At week 256, 85.1%/52.3% of patients achieved PASI 90/100, respectively, 85.8% achieved sPGA 0/1, and 76.4% achieved DLQI 0/1. LIMITATIONS: Open-label study with no placebo or active-comparator group. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term continuous risankizumab treatment for up to 5 years was well tolerated and demonstrated high and durable efficacy.

KE: A Knowledge Enhancing Framework for Machine Learning Models.

Machine learning models are widely used in science and engineering to predict the properties of materials and solve complex problems. However, training large models can take days and fine-tuning hyperparameters can take months, making it challenging to achieve optimal performance. To address this issue, we propose a Knowledge Enhancing (KE) algorithm that enhances knowledge gained from a lower capacity model to a higher capacity model, enhancing training efficiency and performance. We focus on the problem of predicting the bandgap of an unknown material and present a theoretical analysis and experimental verification of our algorithm. Our experiments show that the performance of our knowledge enhancement model is improved by at least 10.21% compared to current methods on OMDB datasets. We believe that our generic idea of knowledge enhancement will be useful for solving other problems and provide a promising direction for future research.

Identification of sulphonamide-tethered N-((triazol-4-yl)methyl)isatin derivatives as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease.

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the end of 2019 led to profound consequences on global health and economy. Till producing successful vaccination strategies, the healthcare sectors suffered from the lack of effective therapeutic agents that could control the spread of infection. Thus, academia and the pharmaceutical sector prioritise SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drug discovery. Here, we exploited previous reports highlighting the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities of isatin-based molecules to develop novel triazolo-isatins for inhibiting main protease (Mpro) of the virus, a crucial enzyme for its replication in the host cells. Particularly, sulphonamide 6b showed promising inhibitory activity with an IC50= 0.249 µM. Additionally, 6b inhibited viral cell proliferation with an IC50 of 4.33 µg/ml, and was non-toxic to VERO-E6 cells (CC50 = 564.74 µg/ml) displaying a selectivity index of 130.4. In silico analysis of 6b disclosed its ability to interact with key residues in the enzyme active site, supporting the obtained in vitro findings.

Developing a Biomechanical Testing Setup of the Pelvis-Part II: Experimental Testing.

Biomechanical testbench emulating the physiological loading of the pelvis is crucial in developing reconstructive implants for fragility fractures of the pelvis. Additionally, it will help understand the influence of the common daily loading on the pelvic ring. However, most reported experimental studies were mainly comparative with simplified loading and boundary conditions. In Part I of our study, we described the concept of the computational experiment design to design and construct a biomechanical testbench emulating the gait movement of the pelvis. The 57 muscles and joints' contact forces were reduced to four force actuators and one support, producing a similar stress distribution. The experimental setup is explained in this paper and some experimental results are presented. In addition, a series of repeatability and reproducibility tests were conducted to assess the test stand capabilities of replicating the gait physiological loading. The calculated stresses and the experimentally recorded strains showed that the pelvic ring response to the loading always follows the loaded leg side during the gait cycle. Furthermore, the experimental results of the pelvis displacement and strain at selected locations match the numerical ones. The developed test stand and the concept of computational experiment design behind it provide guidelines on how to design biomechanical testing equipment with physiological relevance.