Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

The role of autophagy in liver cancer: Crosstalk in signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets

10.3390/ph13120432Pharmaceuticals13121-2

A Review and Meta-Analysis of Influenza Interactome Studies

10.3389/fmicb.2022.869406Frontiers in Microbiology1

Annexin-A1 - A Blessing or a Curse in Cancer?

10.1016/j.molmed.2019.02.004Trends in molecular medicine.254315-327complete

Mass spectrometry based quantitative proteomics and integrative network analysis accentuates modulating roles of annexin-1 in mammary tumorigenesis

10.1002/pmic.201400175Proteomics1542065408-41

"Where-There-Is-No-Psychiatrist Integrated Personal Therapy" among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study

10.3390/ijerph18189514INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH181

A Flow Cytometry-Based Assay for High-Throughput Detection and Quantification of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Mixed Cell Populations

10.1002/cyto.a.23672CYTOMETRY PART A95A3268-27

A novel 4,6-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazolo-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivative inhibits tumor cell invasion and potentiates the apoptotic effect of TNFα by abrogating NF-κB activation cascade

Condensed-bicyclic 4,6-substituted1,2,4-triazolo-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives (CBTT) have been shown to possess a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities. In this study, several novel CBTT derivatives were synthesized and investigated for their possible role as anti-neoplastic agents. The anti-proliferative effect of various CBTT derivatives was analyzed against tumor cell lines by (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) MTT assay. One of the potential CBTT derivative, 5-(3-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,4triazolo3,4-b1,3,4thiadiazol-6-yl)flurobenzonitrile (DTTF) was found to be the most potent against cervical cancer SiHa cells and exhibited minimal effect against normal cells. Molecular docking analysis indicated that transcription factor NF-$\kappa$B was one of the potential molecular targets modulated by DTTF. Specifically, the drug blocked the TNF$\alpha$-induced phosphorylation of upstream I$\kappa$B$\alpha$ kinase in a time-dependent manner leading to the suppression of NF-$\kappa$B activation and nuclear translocation. DTTF also potentiated the apoptotic effect of TNF$\alpha$, as well as significantly inhibited migration and invasion of tumor cells. Overall, these findings indicate a potential novel role and mechanism(s) of action of DTTF as an anticancer agent against diverse malignancies

TLR7 protein expression in mild and severe lupus-prone models is regulated in a leukocyte, genetic, and IRAK4 dependent manner

The global increase in autoimmunity, together with the emerging autoimmune-related side effects of cancer immunotherapy, have furthered a need for understanding of immune tolerance and activation. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the archetypical autoimmune disease, affecting multiple organs, and tissues. Studying SLE creates knowledge relevant not just for autoimmunity, but the immune system in general. Murine models and patient studies have provided increasing evidence for the innate immune toll like receptor-7 (TLR7) in disease initiation and progression. Here, we demonstrated that the kinase activity of the TLR7-downstream signaling molecule, interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase 4 (IRAK4), is essential for mild and severe autoimmune traits of the Sle1 and Sle1-TLR7 transgenic (Sle1Tg7) murine models, respectively. Elimination of IRAK4 signaling prevented all pathological traits associated with murine lupus, including splenomegaly with leukocyte expansion, detectable circulating antinuclear antibodies and glomerulonephritis, in both Sle1 and Sle1Tg7 mice. The expansion of germinal center B cells and increased effector memory T cell phenotypes that are typical of lupus-prone strains, were also prevented with IRAK4 kinase elimination. Analysis of renal leukocyte infiltrates confirmed our earlier findings of an expanded conventional dendritic cell (cDC) within the kidneys of nephritic mice, and this was prevented with IRAK4 kinase elimination. Analysis of TLR7 at the protein level revealed that the expression in immune cells is dependent on the TLR7-transgene itself and/or autoimmune disease factors in a cell-specific manner. Increased TLR7 protein expression in renal macrophages and cDCs correlated with disease parameters such as blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and the frequency of leukocytes infiltrating the kidney. These findings suggest that controlling the level of TLR7 or downstream signaling within myeloid populations may prevent chronic inflammation and severe nephritis.ASTAR (Agency for Sci., Tech. and Research, S’pore)Published versio