Cytokinesis in Trypanosoma brucei relies on an orphan kinesin that dynamically crosslinks microtubules.

Many single-celled eukaryotes have complex cell morphologies defined by microtubules arranged into higher-order structures. The auger-like shape of the parasitic protist Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) is mediated by a parallel array of microtubules that underlies the plasma membrane.

The eternal quest for self-improvement of somatic cells.

Multiple somatic mutations drive cancer cell transformation, but the sequence of events is poorly understood. In this issue of , Kester et al. combine organoid technology, prospective barcode labeling, and single-cell sequencing to study the evolution of somatic clones .

Mammalian Glycosylation Patterns Protect Citrullinated Chemokine MCP-1/CCL2 from Partial Degradation.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) is a potent chemotactic agent for monocytes, primarily produced by macrophages and endothelial cells. Significantly elevated levels of MCP-1/CCL2 were found in synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), compared to osteoarthritis or other arthritis patients. Several studies suggested an important role for MCP-1 in the massive inflammation at the damaged joint, in part due to its chemotactic and angiogenic effects.

Evaluating the Variability Between 20-m Multistage Fitness Test Estimating Equations in Law Enforcement Recruits.

Campbell, P, Maupin, D, Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, Simas, V, Canetti, E, Schram, B, and Orr, R. Evaluating the variability between 20-m multistage fitness test estimating equations in law enforcement recruits. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 742-748, 2024-The 20-m multistage fitness test (20MSFT) is commonly used by law enforcement agencies to measure aerobic fitness and to estimate maximal aerobic consumption (V̇ o2 max).

Epigenome-Wide Association Study Reveals CpG Sites Associated with Thyroid Function and Regulatory Effects on .

Thyroid hormones play a key role in differentiation and metabolism and are known regulators of gene expression through both genomic and epigenetic processes including DNA methylation. The aim of this study was to examine associations between thyroid hormones and DNA methylation. We carried out a fixed-effect meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of blood DNA methylation sites from 8 cohorts from the ThyroidOmics Consortium, incorporating up to 7073 participants of both European and African ancestry, implementing a discovery and replication stage.

Prospective associations of hemoglobin A and c-peptide with risk of diabetes-related cancers in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort.

Self-reported type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for many cancers, suggesting its pathology relates to carcinogenesis. We conducted a case-cohort study to examine associations of hemoglobin A (HbA) and c-peptide with cancers associated with self-reported T2DM. This study was drawn from a prospective cohort of 32,383 women and men who provided blood specimens at baseline: c-peptide and HbA were assessed in 3,000 randomly selected participants who were cancer-free-at-baseline and an additional 2,281 participants who were cancer-free-at-baseline and subsequently diagnosed with incident colorectal, liver, pancreatic, female breast, endometrial, ovarian, bladder, or kidney cancers.

Mitochondrial genes in the 22q11.2 deleted region regulate neural stem and progenitor cell proliferation.

Microdeletion of a 3Mbp region encompassing 45 protein-coding genes at chromosome 22q11.2 (22q11.2DS) predisposes to multiple neurodevelopmental disorders and is one of the greatest genetic risk factors for schizophrenia.

APOBEC mutagenesis is a common process in normal human small intestine.

APOBEC mutational signatures SBS2 and SBS13 are common in many human cancer types. However, there is an incomplete understanding of its stimulus, when it occurs in the progression from normal to cancer cell and the APOBEC enzymes responsible. Here we whole-genome sequenced 342 microdissected normal epithelial crypts from the small intestines of 39 individuals and found that SBS2/SBS13 mutations were present in 17% of crypts, more frequent than most other normal tissues.

Sensitization in transplantation: Assessment of Risk 2022 Working Group Meeting Report.

The Sensitization in Transplantation: Assessment of Risk workgroup is a collaborative effort of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics that aims at providing recommendations for clinical testing, highlights gaps in current knowledge, and proposes areas for further research to enhance histocompatibility testing in support of solid organ transplantation. This report provides updates on topics discussed by the previous Sensitization in Transplantation: Assessment of Risk working groups and introduces 2 areas of exploration: non-human leukocyte antigen antibodies and utilization of human leukocyte antigen antibody testing measurement to evaluate the efficacy of antibody-removal therapies.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; can it be used as a rapid typing method of Neisseria gonorrhoeae?

Background: Typing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is necessary for epidemiologic surveillance, while time consuming and resource intensive. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has shown promising results when typing several bacterial species. This study investigates whether FTIR spectroscopy can be used as a rapid method for typing clinical N.

Distinct microbiome profiles in convergent wisdom tooth impactions.

Aims: Long-term retention of impacted third molars (wisdom teeth) is associated with plaque stagnation and the development of caries on the adjacent surface of the neighboring second molar. While caries and tooth loss are common outcomes of impaction, there is currently insufficient evidence to support the pre-emptive removal of asymptomatic wisdom teeth. Emerging evidence suggests that convergently growing impactions are associated with caries.

Validation of a Genetic-Enhanced Risk Prediction Model for Colorectal Cancer in a Large Community-Based Cohort.

Background: Polygenic risk scores (PRS) which summarize individuals' genetic risk profile may enhance targeted colorectal cancer screening. A critical step towards clinical implementation is rigorous external validations in large community-based cohorts. This study externally validated a PRS-enhanced colorectal cancer risk model comprising 140 known colorectal cancer loci to provide a comprehensive assessment on prediction performance.

Safety of Crossing Donor-specific Antibodies in Lung Transplantation.

Background: Donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) have been associated with antibody-mediated rejection, chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), and increased mortality in lung transplant recipients. Our center performs transplants in the presence of DSA, and we sought to evaluate the safety of this practice with respect to graft loss, CLAD onset, and primary graft dysfunction (PGD).

Methods: We reviewed recipients transplanted from 2010 to 2017, classifying them as DSA positive (DSA + ) or negative.

Absence of Improvement With Exercise in Some Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Qualitative Study of Responders and Nonresponders.

Objective: To compare the perceptions of patients about why they did, or did not, respond to a physical therapist-supported exercise and physical activity program.

Methods: This was a qualitative study within a randomized controlled trial. Twenty-six participants (of 40 invited) with knee osteoarthritis sampled according to response (n = 12 responders, and 14 nonresponders based on changes in both pain and physical function at 3 and 9 months after baseline) to an exercise and physical activity intervention.

Target Organ Toxicity in Rats After Subchronic Oral Exposure to Soil Extracts Containing a Complex Mixture of Contaminants.

Complex mixtures of unknown contaminants present a challenge to identify toxicological risks without using large numbers of animals and labor-intensive screens of all organs. This study examined soil extracts from a legacy-contaminated pesticide packaging and blending site. HepG2 cytotoxicity was used as an initial screen of 18 soil samples; then, three extracts (A, B and C) from different locations at the study site were used for testing in animals.

Galápagos tortoise stable isotope ecology and the 1850s Floreana Island Chelonoidis niger niger extinction.

A consequence of over 400 years of human exploitation of Galápagos tortoises (Chelonoidis niger ssp.) is the extinction of several subspecies and the decimation of others. As humans captured, killed, and/or removed tortoises for food, oil, museums, and zoos, they also colonized the archipelago resulting in the introduction of invasive plants, animals, and manipulated landscapes for farming, ranching, and infrastructure.