Deep Sequencing of the Medicago truncatula Root Transcriptome Reveals a Massive and Early Interaction between Nodulation Factor and Ethylene Signals.

The legume-rhizobium symbiosis is initiated through the activation of the Nodulation (Nod) factor-signaling cascade, leading to a rapid reprogramming of host cell developmental pathways. In this work, we combine transcriptome sequencing with molecular genetics and network analysis to quantify and categorize the transcriptional changes occurring in roots of Medicago truncatula from minutes to days after inoculation with Sinorhizobium medicae. To identify the nature of the inductive and regulatory cues, we employed mutants with absent or decreased Nod factor sensitivities (i.

Peer-to-peer physician feedback improves adherence to blood transfusion guidelines in the surgical intensive care unit.

Background: Translation of evidence to practice regarding adherence to published guidelines for transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs) in critically ill patients is sometimes suboptimal. We sought to use a multimodal intervention founded on peer-to-peer feedback and monthly audit to increase adherence to restrictive RBC transfusion guidelines.

Methods: We conducted a prospective interventional study with a preintervention and postintervention comparison in our tertiary care center.

PRUNE2 is a human prostate cancer suppressor regulated by the intronic long noncoding RNA PCA3.

Prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) is the most specific prostate cancer biomarker but its function remains unknown. Here we identify PRUNE2, a target protein-coding gene variant, which harbors the PCA3 locus, thereby classifying PCA3 as an antisense intronic long noncoding (lnc)RNA. We show that PCA3 controls PRUNE2 levels via a unique regulatory mechanism involving formation of a PRUNE2/PCA3 double-stranded RNA that undergoes adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR)-dependent adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing.

Vitamin D in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Effects on Clinical, Biochemical, and Densitometric Presentation.

Context: Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25OHD]) deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and insufficiency (20-29 ng/mL) are common in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), but data regarding their skeletal effects in PHPT are limited.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the association between 25OHD levels and PHPT severity.

Design, Settings, And Participants: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 100 PHPT patients with and without 25OHD insufficiency and deficiency from a university hospital setting.

A non-pathogenic and optically high concentrated (R,R)-2,3-butanediol biosynthesizing Klebsiella strain.

The objective of this work was to construct a non-pathogenic Klebsiella pneumonia strain that can produce optically high concentrated (R,R)-2,3-BDO. A K. pneumonia mutant lacking the pathogenic factor was used as the host strain.

Deregulation of Retinaldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Leads to Defective Angiogenic Function of Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells in Pediatric Moyamoya Disease.

Objective--: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a common cause of childhood stroke, in which the abnormal function of the endothelial colony-forming cell (ECFC) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. This study was designed to identify genes involved in MMD pathogenesis using gene expression profiling and to understand the defective function of MMD ECFCs.

Approach And Results--: We compared gene expression profiles of ECFCs isolated from patients with MMD and normal controls.

Hypoxia-activated chemotherapeutic TH-302 enhances the effects of VEGF-A inhibition and radiation on sarcomas.

Background: Human sarcomas with a poor response to vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) inhibition and radiation therapy (RT) have upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and HIF-1α target genes. This study examines the addition of the hypoxia-activated chemotherapy TH-302 to VEGF-A inhibition and RT (a.k.

Evidence That Ly6C(hi) Monocytes are Protective in Acute Ischemic Stroke by Promoting M2 Macrophage Polarization.

Background And Purpose: Ly6C(hi) monocytes are generally thought to exert a proinflammatory role in acute tissue injury, although their impact after injuries to the central nervous system is poorly defined. CC chemokine receptor 2 is expressed on Ly6C(hi) monocytes and plays an essential role in their extravasation and transmigration into the brain after cerebral ischemia. We used a selective CC chemokine receptor 2 antagonist, INCB3344, to assess the effect of Ly6C(hi) monocytes recruited into the brain early after ischemic stroke.

Effects of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibition in Hyperuricemic Heart Failure Patients: The Xanthine Oxidase Inhibition for Hyperuricemic Heart Failure Patients (EXACT-HF) Study.

Background: Oxidative stress may contribute to heart failure (HF) progression. Inhibiting xanthine oxidase in hyperuricemic HF patients may improve outcomes.

Methods And Results: We randomly assigned 253 patients with symptomatic HF, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%, and serum uric acid levels ≥9.

The psychometric properties of the korean version of the verbal abuse questionnaire in university students.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Korean Verbal Abuse Questionnaire (K-VAQ) that consists of 15 items related with life-time verbal aggression exposure.

Methods: A total of 5814 university students who agreed to take part in the study completed the K-VAQ, the Korean version of the Life Event CheckList (LEC-K) and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (K-IES-R). Internal consistency was checked by using item-total item correlation and Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

Outcomes of anatomical versus functional testing for coronary artery disease.

Background: Many patients have symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease (CAD) and are often evaluated with the use of diagnostic testing, although there are limited data from randomized trials to guide care.

Methods: We randomly assigned 10,003 symptomatic patients to a strategy of initial anatomical testing with the use of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) or to functional testing (exercise electrocardiography, nuclear stress testing, or stress echocardiography). The composite primary end point was death, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for unstable angina, or major procedural complication.

The structure of human SFPQ reveals a coiled-coil mediated polymer essential for functional aggregation in gene regulation.

SFPQ, (a.k.a.

The effect of cyclosporine A in hemorrhagic shock model of rats.

Background: The inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening during ischemia-reperfusion can ameliorate injuries. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) in rats after hemorrhagic shock.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to pressure-controlled hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial pressure, 38 ± 1 mm Hg) for 90 minutes.

The impact and sustainability of the graduated driver licensing program in preventing motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts.

Background: Graduated driving licensing (GDL) programs phase in driving privileges for teenagers. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the 2007 GDL law on the incidence of total motor vehicle crashes (tMVCs) and fatal motor vehicle crashes (fMVCs) among teenagers in Massachusetts.

Methods: The Fatality Analysis and Reporting System, the Missouri Census Data Center, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation databases were all used to create and compare the incidence of tMVCs and fMVCs before (2002-2006) and after (2007-2011) the law enactment.

Nicotinic acid is a common regulator of heat-sensing TRPV1-4 ion channels.

Nicotinic acid (NA, a.k.a.

De novo nonsense mutations in KAT6A, a lysine acetyl-transferase gene, cause a syndrome including microcephaly and global developmental delay.

Chromatin remodeling through histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deactylase (HDAC) enzymes affects fundamental cellular processes including the cell-cycle, cell differentiation, metabolism, and apoptosis. Nonsense mutations in genes that are involved in histone acetylation and deacetylation result in multiple congenital anomalies with most individuals displaying significant developmental delay, microcephaly and dysmorphism. Here, we report a syndrome caused by de novo heterozygous nonsense mutations in KAT6A (a.

Measuring protein-protein and protein-nucleic Acid interactions by biolayer interferometry.

Biolayer interferometry (BLI) is a simple, optical dip-and-read system useful for measuring interactions between proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, small molecules, and/or lipids in real time. In BLI, a biomolecular bait is immobilized on a matrix at the tip of a fiber-optic sensor. The binding between the immobilized ligand and another molecule in an analyte solution produces a change in optical thickness at the tip and results in a wavelength shift proportional to binding.

Texture analysis of mandibular cortical bone on digital dental panoramic radiographs for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in Korean women.

Objective: To determine whether individual measurements or a combination of textural features and mandibular cortical width (MCW) derived from digital dental panoramic radiographs (DPRs) are more useful in assessment of osteoporosis.

Study Design: Textural features were obtained by using fractal dimension (FD) and gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM). Digital DPRs and bone mineral densities (BMDs) of the lumbar spine and the femoral neck were obtained from 141 female patients.

Effect of a broad-specificity chemokine-binding protein on brain leukocyte infiltration and infarct development.

Background And Purpose: Expression of numerous chemokine-related genes is increased in the brain after ischemic stroke. Here, we tested whether post-stroke administration of a chemokine-binding protein (CBP), derived from the parapoxvirus bovine papular stomatitis virus, might reduce infiltration of leukocytes into the brain and consequently limit infarct development.

Methods: The binding spectrum of the CBP was evaluated in chemokine ELISAs, and binding affinity was determined using surface plasmon resonance.

Evaluation of a density-based rapid diagnostic test for sickle cell disease in a clinical setting in Zambia.

Although simple and low-cost interventions for sickle cell disease (SCD) exist in many developing countries, child mortality associated with SCD remains high, in part, because of the lack of access to diagnostic tests for SCD. A density-based test using aqueous multiphase systems (SCD-AMPS) is a candidate for a low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic for SCD. In this paper, the field evaluation of SCD-AMPS in a large (n = 505) case-control study in Zambia is described.

Usefulness of fetal urine production measurement for prediction of perinatal outcomes in uteroplacental insufficiency.

Objectives: To evaluate whether fetal urine production measurement is useful for predicting adverse outcomes in patients with uteroplacental insufficiency.

Methods: We enrolled patients with uteroplacental insufficiency at 24 to 40 weeks' gestation and normal pregnancies matched for gestational age and divided them into 3 groups according to perinatal outcomes: group 1 (n = 141), a control group of normal pregnancies; group 2 (n = 29), uteroplacental insufficiency without adverse outcomes; and group 3 (n = 18), uteroplacental insufficiency with adverse outcomes. An adverse outcome was defined as 1 or more of the following: (1) cesarean delivery because of fetal distress; (2) admission to the neonatal intensive care unit; (3) cord arterial pH less than 7.

Distribution and recovery trajectory of Macondo (Mississippi Canyon 252) oil in Louisiana coastal wetlands.

We measured the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in 405 wetland sediment samples immediately before the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster led to their broad-scale oiling, and on nine trips afterwards. The average concentrations of alkanes and PAHs were 604 and 186 times the pre-spill baseline values, respectively. Oil was distributed with some attenuation up to 100m inland from the shoreline for alkanes, but increased for aromatics, and was not well-circumscribed by the rapid shoreline assessments (a.