Exploring diazotrophic diversity: unveiling Nif core distribution and evolutionary patterns in nitrogen-fixing organisms.

Background: Diazotrophs carry out biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) using the nitrogenase enzyme complex (NEC), which relies on nitrogenase encoded by nif genes. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and gene duplications have created significant diversity among these genes, making it challenging to identify potential diazotrophs. Previous studies have established a minimal set of Nif proteins, known as the Nif core, which includes NifH, NifD, NifK, NifE, NifN, and NifB.

Direct and transgenerational effects of simvastatin on the metabolism of the amphipod Gammarus locusta.

In this study, untargeted Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) metabolomics was applied for the first time, to our knowledge, to assess the metabolic impact of direct and transgenerational exposure (F0 and F3 generations, respectively) of amphipods Gammarus locusta to simvastatin (SIM), a pharmaceutical widely prescribed for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Results revealed the important gender-dependent nature of each of these effects. Directly exposed males showed enhanced glucose catabolism and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity, in tandem with adaptations in osmotic regulation and glyoxylate metabolism.

Performance and Health Parameters of Sows and Their Litters Using a Probiotic Supplement Composed of 541 and 516.

This study investigated the efficacy of using probiotics on the performance and health parameters of sows and their litters. A randomized block design was used with 584 sows and 292 replications, with two dietary treatments: the control group (basal diet without probiotics) and the probiotic group (basal diet supplemented with 400 g/ton of a probiotic composed of () 541 and () 516). Feed intake was evaluated throughout the experimental period.

A PCR-Based Approach for Early Diagnosis of Head and Neck Aspergillosis: A Pilot Study.

Background: Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by the inhalation of fungal spores of the genus spp. This fungus mainly affects the lungs but can spread and infect the maxillofacial region through the bloodstream or inoculation of the fungus after extraction or endodontic treatment, especially in the upper posterior teeth. The disease has nonspecific clinical manifestations that hinder its early diagnosis.

Effect of protease supplementation on amino acid digestibility of soybean meal fed to growing-finishing pigs in two different ages.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of protease inclusion level in two different ages on the apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AAs) in soybean meal (SBM) fed to growing-finishing pigs. Ten cannulated pigs (21 ± 2 kg) were assigned to experimental diets in a duplicate 5 × 5 Latin square design. In phase I (23 to 30 kg-pigs, 90 ± 17 d of age), ileal digesta was collected in five periods of 7 d (5 d adaptation and 2 d ileal digesta collection).

Negative affectivity in university students and its relationship with academic performance and professional outlook after COVID-19.

Objectives: to evaluate the prevalence of negative affectivity in university students in the post-COVID-19 pandemic context and its relationship with academic performance and professional outlook.

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate students from a public university in Minas Gerais between September 2022 and September 2023. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and psychosocial characterization questionnaire and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21.

Assessment of fluid responsiveness using pulse pressure variation, stroke volume variation, plethysmographic variability index, central venous pressure, and inferior vena cava variation in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Importance: Maneuvers assessing fluid responsiveness before an intravascular volume expansion may limit useless fluid administration, which in turn may improve outcomes.

Objective: To describe maneuvers for assessing fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients.

Registration: The protocol was registered at PROSPERO: CRD42019146781.

A new approach: preventive protocols with yeast products and essential oils can reduce the in-feed use of antibiotics in growing-finishing pigs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of yeast products () and essential oils () in total or partial replacement to in-feed antibiotic protocols (growth promoter and prophylactic), both in recommended doses and in overdose of prophylactic antibiotics (), on growth performance, and diarrhea incidence in the growing-finishing pigs; and fecal microbiota in market hogs. Four hundred pigs (20.36 ± 2.

Antidepressant-like effect of riparin I and riparin II against CUMS-induced neuroinflammation via astrocytes and microglia modulation in mice.

Depression is a common mood disorder and many patients do not respond to conventional pharmacotherapy or experience a variety of adverse effects. This work proposed that riparin I (RIP I) and riparin II (RIP II) present neuroprotective effects through modulation of astrocytes and microglia, resulting in the reversal of depressive-like behaviors. To verify our hypothesis and clarify the pathways underlying the effect of RIP I and RIP II on neuroinflammation, we used the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model in mice.

Public health case for microbiome-sparing antibiotics and new opportunities for drug development.

Although antibiotics remain a cornerstone of modern medicine, the issues of widespread antibiotic resistance and collateral damage to the microbiome from antibiotic use are driving a need for drug developers to consider more tailored, patient-directed products to avoid antibiotic-induced perturbations of the structure and function of the indigenous microbiota. This perspective summarizes a cascade of microbiome health effects that is initiated by antibiotic-mediated microbiome disruption at an individual level and ultimately leads to infection and transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens across patient populations. The scientific evidence behind each of the key steps of this cascade is presented.

Histiocytic sarcoma affecting the oral cavity: a clinical, pathologic and molecular study.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular features of histiocytic sarcomas affecting the oral cavity.

Methods: Pathology files of two institutions were searched for cases of histiocytic sarcoma, and new H&E-stained slides and immunohistochemistry reactions evaluated for diagnosis confirmation. Molecular screening for KRAS and PIK3CA mutations was performed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Sanger sequencing.

FDA, CDC, and NIH Co-sponsored Public Workshop Summary-Development Considerations of Antimicrobial Drugs for the Treatment of Gonorrhea.

There is an unmet need for developing drugs for the treatment of gonorrhea, due to rapidly evolving resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae against antimicrobial drugs used for empiric therapy, an increase in globally reported multidrug resistant cases, and the limited available therapeutic options. Furthermore, few drugs are under development. Development of antimicrobials is hampered by challenges in clinical trial design, limitations of available diagnostics, changes in and varying standards of care, lack of robust animal models, and clinically relevant pharmacodynamic targets.

Pericentromeric satellite RNAs as flexible protein partners in the regulation of nuclear structure.

Pericentromeric heterochromatin is mainly composed of satellite DNA sequences. Although being historically associated with transcriptional repression, some pericentromeric satellite DNA sequences are transcribed. The transcription events of pericentromeric satellite sequences occur in highly flexible biological contexts.

The impact of grazing on biodiversity and forest succession in the Brazilian dry forest region is constrained by non-equilibrium dynamics.

The impacts of grazing on rangelands have historically been studied within the framework of the equilibrium model, which predicts significant impacts of grazing on ecosystems. However, in recent decades, studies have observed a non-equilibrium pattern, suggesting that abiotic factors play a primary role compared to grazing. These studies are primarily focused on rangelands, despite animal husbandry occurring in other biomes, such as seasonally dry tropical forests.

Structural and Functional Characterization of New Lipid Transfer Proteins with Chitin-Binding Properties: Insights from Protein Structure Prediction, Molecular Docking, and Antifungal Activity.

Faced with the emergence of multiresistant microorganisms that affect human health, microbial agents have become a serious global threat, affecting human health and plant crops. Antimicrobial peptides have attracted significant attention in research for the development of new microbial control agents. This work's goal was the structural characterization and analysis of antifungal activity of chitin-binding peptides from and seeds on the growth of and species.

Carvacrol alleviates CUMS-induced depressive-like behaviors and cognitive impairment by reducing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in mice.

The present study aimed to evaluate the protective potential of carvacrol against depressive-like behavior and cognitive impairment prompted by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in mice. The animals were divided into six groups: Control (non-stressed), CARV (carvacrol at 50 mg/kg, p.o.

ELMO2 biallelic pathogenic variants in a patient with gingival hypertrophy and cherubism phenotype: Case report and molecular review.

Ramon syndrome (OMIM #266270) was first described in a patient with cherubism, gingival fibromatosis, epilepsy, intellectual disability, hypertrichosis, and stunted growth. In 2018, Mehawej et al. described a patient with Ramon syndrome in whom a homozygous variant in ELMO2 was identified, suggesting that this gene may be the causative for this syndrome.

Long-term administration of omeprazole in mice: a study of behavior, inflammatory, and oxidative stress alterations with focus on central nervous system.

Chronic use of omeprazole has been linked to central effects alongside with the global concern of increasing appearance of neuropsychiatric disorders. This study aimed to identifying behavioral, inflammatory, and oxidative stress alterations after long-term administration of omeprazole. C57BL/6 mice were divided in groups: OME and Sham, each received either solutions of omeprazole or vehicle, administered for 28 days by gavage.

Answering the Cell Stress Call: Satellite Non-Coding Transcription as a Response Mechanism.

Organisms are often subjected to conditions that promote cellular stress. Cell responses to stress include the activation of pathways to defend against and recover from the stress, or the initiation of programmed cell death to eliminate the damaged cells. One of the processes that can be triggered under stress is the transcription and variation in the number of copies of satellite DNA sequences (satDNA), which are involved in response mechanisms.