BIL7 enhances plant growth by regulating the transcription factor BIL1/BZR1 during brassinosteroid signaling.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant steroid hormones that regulate plant development and environmental responses. BIL1/BZR1, a master transcription factor that regulates approximately 3000 genes in the BR signaling pathway, is transported to the nucleus from the cytosol in response to BR signaling; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this process is unknown. Here, we identify a novel BR signaling factor, BIL7, that enhances plant growth and positively regulates the nuclear accumulation of BIL1/BZR1 in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Anion recognition using -substituted ureidocalix[4]arene receptors.

Calix[4]arenes bearing urea units at the position(s) of the upper rim of the macrocyclic skeleton were prepared by the reaction of the corresponding amines with aryl isocyanates. As shown by the H NMR and UV/vis titration experiments, these systems are capable of effectively complexing selected anions even in a highly competitive environment (such as DMSO-). While the monoureido derivatives showed approximately the same complexation ability irrespective of the substitution ( isomers), the bisureas at the upper rim demonstrated interesting differences in complexation.

Rate of skin and nerve complications as a result of cutaneous traction with modern foam boots.

Introduction: Cutaneous traction is used to temporize lower extremity fractures and relies on friction between the skin and surrounding material to apply a longitudinal force. This circumferential compressive force can lead to pressure sores, skin sloughing, or compressive neuropathies. These complications have been reported in up to 11% of patients when the cutaneous traction relies on adhesive tapes, plaster, and rubber bandages being in immediate contact with the skin.

BRZ-INSENSITIVE-LONG HYPOCOTYL8 inhibits kinase-mediated phosphorylation to regulate brassinosteroid signaling.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase in eukaryotes. In plants, the GSK3-like kinase BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE 2 (BIN2) functions as a central signaling node through which hormonal and environmental signals are integrated to regulate plant development and stress adaptation. BIN2 plays a major regulatory role in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling and is critical for phosphorylating/inactivating BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1), also known as BRZ-INSENSITIVE-LONG HYPOCOTYL 1 (BIL1), a master transcription factor of BR signaling, but the detailed regulatory mechanism of BIN2 action has not been fully revealed.

Radiographic Thigh Muscle Measurements Are a Reliable Predictor of Psoas Area and Sarcopenia.

Background: Sarcopenia is associated with falls, fractures, postoperative complications such as periprosthetic joint infections and dislocations, and early mortality. Although cross-sectional imaging is currently used to diagnose sarcopenia, inexpensive and widely available screening tests are needed. The goal of this study was to investigate whether measurements of thigh muscles made on radiographs can predict psoas muscle area and the presence of sarcopenia as determined on computed tomography (CT) scans.

Upper Rim-Bridged Calix[4]arenes via Cyclization of Alkynyl Intermediates with Diphenyl Diselenide.

A Sonogashira coupling of -iodocalix[4]arene with various terminal acetylenes confirmed that the position of calixarene is well addressable, and that both thermal and microwave protocols led to good yields of alkynylcalixarenes. Alkynes thus obtained were subjected to the ferric chloride and diphenyl diselenide-promoted electrophilic closure. It turns out that the calix[4]arenes give completely different bridging products than those described for the non-macrocyclic starting compounds.

BIL9 Promotes Both Plant Growth via BR Signaling and Drought Stress Resistance by Binding with the Transcription Factor HDG11.

Drought stress is a major threat leading to global plant and crop losses in the context of the climate change crisis. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant steroid hormones, and the BR signaling mechanism in plant development has been well elucidated. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms of BR signaling in drought stress are still unclear.

Research trends in drama therapy: a bibliometric analysis based on Scopus.

Aim: As drama therapy has become increasingly important in healthcare, the number of scientific publications has increased, complicating the orientation in the research field. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of research trends in drama therapy, assessing the impact factors of publications and analyzing the research structure.

Methods: Three hundred and ninety-five scientific articles indexed in Scopus were analyzed without time, geographic and language restrictions using bibliometric analysis methods - performance analysis, citation analysis, and science mapping.

Form follows function: Nuclear morphology as a quantifiable predictor of cellular senescence.

Enlarged or irregularly shaped nuclei are frequently observed in tissue cells undergoing senescence. However, it remained unclear whether this peculiar morphology is a cause or a consequence of senescence and how informative it is in distinguishing between proliferative and senescent cells. Recent research reveals that nuclear morphology can act as a predictive biomarker of senescence, suggesting an active role for the nucleus in driving senescence phenotypes.

4-Axis 3D-Printed Tubular Biomaterials Imitating the Anisotropic Nanofiber Orientation of Porcine Aortae.

Many of the peculiar properties of the vasculature are related to the arrangement of anisotropic proteinaceous fibers in vessel walls. Understanding and imitating these arrangements can potentially lead to new therapies for cardiovascular diseases. These can be pre-surgical planning, for which patient-specific ex vivo anatomical models for endograft testing are of interest.

Population size as a major determinant of mating system and population genetic differentiation in a narrow endemic chasmophyte.

Background: Mating system is one of the major determinants of intra- and interspecific genetic structure, but may vary within and between plant populations. Our study model included all known populations of Moehringia tommasinii (Caryophyllaceae), a narrow endemic plant inhabiting rock crevices in the northwestern Adriatic, and some populations of co-occurring and widespread M. muscosa, an ecologically divergent relative with an overlapping flowering period.

Biodiesel production from Sisymbrium irio as a potential novel biomass waste feedstock using homemade titania catalyst.

Biomass waste streams are a possible feedstock for a range of eco-friendly products and a crucial alternative energy source for achieving carbon neutrality; therefore, the efficient management of biomass waste has taken on a greater significance in recent years. Due to its well-comparable physic-chemical properties with fossil diesel, biodiesel is a potential substitute for fossil fuel. This study aimed to synthesize biodiesel from the widely available non-edible seed oil of Sisymbrium irio L.

Brain D2-Like Dopamine Receptor Distribution in Rats with Different Types of Genetic Epilepsy.

The distribution of the D2-like dopamine receptor (D2DR) in the cortex and striatum was compared between rats with absence, audiogenic, or combined genetically determined epilepsy and normal Wistar rats by autoradiography. A significantly lower D2DR binding density was observed in the dorsal and ventrolateral aspects of the nucleus accumbens in epileptic vs. non-epileptic rats.

Neuroinflammation in Pathogenesis of Audiogenic Epilepsy: Altered Proinflammatory Cytokine Levels in the Rats of Krushinsky-Molodkina Seizure-Prone Strain.

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in epileptogenesis, however, most studies are performed using pharmacological models of epilepsy, while there are only few data available for non-invasive, including genetic, models. The levels of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines were examined in the Krushinsky-Molodkina (KM) rat strain with high audiogenic epilepsy (AE) proneness (intense tonic seizure fit in response to loud sound) and in the control strain "0" (not predisposed to AE) using multiplex immunofluorescence magnetic assay (MILLIPLEX map Kit). Cytokine levels were determined in the dorsal striatum tissue and in the brain stem.

Binge drinking does not appear to have an adverse effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Findings from a study of four First Nations communities.

Binge drinking and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are common health problems throughout the world. However, the impact of binge drinking on NAFLD has yet to be described. The objective of this study was to document the extent of liver disease in community-based NAFLD patients who self-reported monthly binge drinking and compare the findings to NAFLD patients from the same communities who denied binge drinking (controls).

Parents' attitudes toward childhood COVID-19 immunization in Croatia: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Aim: To assess parents' attitudes toward childhood COVID-19 immunization in Croatia.

Methods: In this multicenter cross-sectional study, we collected data from four tertiary care facilities in Zagreb, Split, and Osijek between December 2021 and February 2022. During the visit to the Pediatric Emergency Departments, parents were asked to fill out a highly-structured questionnaire about their attitudes toward COVID-19 immunization in children.

Targeting high glucose-induced epigenetic modifications at cardiac level: the role of SGLT2 and SGLT2 inhibitors.

Background: Sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLT) inhibitors (SGLT2i) showed many beneficial effects at the cardiovascular level. Several mechanisms of action have been identified. However, no data on their capability to act via epigenetic mechanisms were reported.

The genome of a Far Eastern isolate of Diaporthe caulivora, a soybean fungal pathogen.

Diaporthe caulivora is an economically important fungal pathogen and a causal agent of soybean stem canker and seed decay. Here, the genome of a Russian Far Eastern isolate of D. caulivora was sequenced, assembled, and announced.

Rodent Models of Audiogenic Epilepsy: Genetic Aspects, Advantages, Current Problems and Perspectives.

Animal models of epilepsy are of great importance in epileptology. They are used to study the mechanisms of epileptogenesis, and search for new genes and regulatory pathways involved in the development of epilepsy as well as screening new antiepileptic drugs. Today, many methods of modeling epilepsy in animals are used, including electroconvulsive, pharmacological in intact animals, and genetic, with the predisposition for spontaneous or refractory epileptic seizures.

Diversity and Typology of Land-Use Explain the Occurrence of Alien Plants in a Protected Area.

Plant life history and functional characteristics play an important role in determining the invasive potential of plant species and have implications for management approaches. We studied the distribution of 24 alien plant taxa in a protected area in relation to different land-uses by applying ordination analyses and generalized linear models. Taxa richness is best explained by the presence of built-up areas, followed by residential areas, marshlands, and agricultural lands with semi-natural formations.

Performance Comparison of Different Approaches in Genotyping MHC-DRB: The Contrast between Single-Locus and Multi-Locus Species.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are widely recognised as valuable markers for wildlife genetic studies given their extreme polymorphism and functional importance in fitness-related traits. Newly developed genotyping methods, which rely on the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS), are gradually replacing traditional cloning and Sanger sequencing methods in MHC genotyping studies. Allele calling in NGS methods remains challenging due to extreme polymorphism and locus multiplication in the MHC coupled with allele amplification bias and the generation of artificial sequences.

The pivotal role of miRNA-21 in myocardial metabolic flexibility in response to short- and long-term high glucose treatment: Evidence in human cardiomyocyte cell line.

Aim: miRNA-21 is a crucial regulator of developing cardiac diseases, but its role is still controversial, and therefore it is necessary to clarify, at cardiac level, its involvement in high glucose induced-acute and chronic cardiac damage.

Methods: Human ventricular cardiac myoblasts AC16, treated and not with miRNA-21 inhibitor, were exposed to high glucose for 2 and 7 days, and the expression of damage markers were investigated. Further, cardiac energetic metabolism was evaluated by measuring both the expression of glucose transporters and lipids regulators.

Regioselective Lithiation of Tetrabromocalix[4]arenes: A Simple Way for the Desymmetrization of the Macrocyclic Skeleton.

Desymmetrization of persubstituted calix[4]arenes represents an interesting way to yield distally disubstituted derivatives. The reaction of tetrabrominated calixarenes in three different conformations (, , and ) with an excess of -BuLi surprisingly leads with high selectivity to distally dilithiated derivatives that, by reaction with electrophiles, give substitution patterns which are difficult to obtain by other ways. Using a combination of synthetic and theoretical approaches (DFT), we tried to demonstrate the usefulness of this method and provide a possible explanation for this unexpected selectivity.