Assessing horizontal gene transfer in the rhizosphere of using fabricated ecosystems (EcoFABs).

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major process by which genes are transferred between microbes in the rhizosphere. However, examining HGT remains challenging due to the complexity of mimicking conditions within the rhizosphere. Fabricated ecosystems (EcoFABs) have been used to investigate several complex processes in plant-associated environments.

Development of modular expression across phylogenetically distinct diazotrophs.

Unlabelled: Diazotrophic bacteria can reduce atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia enabling bioavailability of the essential element. Many diazotrophs closely associate with plant roots increasing nitrogen availability, acting as plant growth promoters. These associations have the potential to reduce the need for costly synthetic fertilizers if they could be engineered for agricultural applications.

Desiccated Cyanobacteria Serve As Efficient Plasmid DNA Carriers in Space Flight.

Effective transport of biological systems as cargo during space travel is a critical requirement to use synthetic biology and biomanufacturing in outer space. Bioproduction using microbes will drive the extent to which many human needs can be met in environments with limited resources. Vast repositories of biological parts and strains are available to meet this need, but their on-site availability requires effective transport.

An idea to explore: Student-centered scientific and medical writing project and workshop for undergraduate students.

Writing is usually integrated in the curriculum of science studies. However, students often lack the skills to write for various audiences or, to produce a well written manuscript. We developed a concise project of 15 European Credits to improve the writing skills in an early phase of the bachelor study.

Sustainable production of 2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine at high titer in engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Unlabelled: The industrial amino acid production workhorse, Corynebacterium glutamicum naturally produces low levels of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a valuable flavor, fragrance, and commodity chemical. Here, we demonstrate TMP production (∼0.8 g L-1) in C.

Associations of the gut microbiome with psychoneurological symptom cluster in women with gynecologic cancers: a longitudinal study.

Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the associations between the gut microbiome and psychoneurological symptoms (PNS) cluster in women with gynecologic cancers over time.

Methods: In this secondary data analysis, 19 women with cervical and endometrial cancers treated with radiotherapy were followed at pre-treatment, 6-8 weeks, and 6 months post-treatment. To measure symptoms, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used.

Associations Between Social Determinants of Health and Psychoneurologic Symptom Clusters in Women With Gynecologic Cancers: A Longitudinal Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and psychoneurologic symptom (PNS) clusters in women with gynecologic cancers during cancer treatment.

Sample & Setting: 67 women with gynecologic cancers who received radiation therapy were assessed at baseline, six to eight weeks after treatment, and six months after treatment at oncology clinics in Georgia.

Methods & Variables: Fatigue, pain, sleep disturbances, cognitive impairment, and depressive symptoms were measured to determine a PNS cluster score.

Dermatology Life Quality Index in Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Biologic Versus Non-biologic Treatment in Malaysia: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Psoriasis imposes a substantial burden on patients' social, emotional, physical, and family life. Although psoriasis has no complete cure, various treatments are available to control its symptoms and improve a patients' quality of life.

Objective: We aimed to compare the effectiveness of biologic versus non-biologic treatments on health-related quality of life among patients with psoriasis in Malaysia.

Development of genetic tools for heterologous protein expression in a pentose-utilizing environmental isolate of Pseudomonas putida.

Pseudomonas putida has emerged as a promising host for the conversion of biomass-derived sugars and aromatic intermediates into commercially relevant biofuels and bioproducts. Most of the strain development studies previously published have focused on P. putida KT2440, which has been engineered to produce a variety of non-native bioproducts.

Photobiological production of high-value pigments via compartmentalized co-cultures using Ca-alginate hydrogels.

Engineered cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus can use light and CO to produce sucrose, making it a promising candidate for use in co-cultures with heterotrophic workhorses. However, this process is challenged by the mutual stresses generated from the multispecies microbial culture. Here we demonstrate an ecosystem where S.

Biosystem design of Corynebacterium glutamicum for bioproduction.

Corynebacterium glutamicum, a natural glutamate-producing bacterium adopted for industrial production of amino acids, has been extensively explored recently for high-level biosynthesis of amino acid derivatives, bulk chemicals such as organic acids and short-chain alcohols, aromatics, and natural products, including polyphenols and terpenoids. Here, we review the recent advances with a focus on biosystem design principles, metabolic characterization and modeling, omics analysis, utilization of nonmodel feedstock, emerging CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) tools for Corynebacterium strain engineering, biosensors, and novel strains of C. glutamicum.

Incidence and predictors of toxicity in the management of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma treated with radiation therapy.

Purpose/objective: Given the rarity of vulvar cancer, data on the incidence of acute and late severe toxicity and patients' symptom burden from radiotherapy (RT) are lacking.

Materials/methods: This multi-center, single-institution study included patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma treated with curative intent RT between 2009 and 2020. Treatment-related acute and late grade ≥ 3 toxicities and late patient subjective symptoms (PSS) were recorded.

Tuning a high performing multiplexed-CRISPRi strain to further enhance indigoidine production.

In this study, a 14-gene edited KT2440 strain for heterologous indigoidine production was examined using three distinct omic datasets. Transcriptomic data indicated that CRISPR/dCpf1-interference (CRISPRi) mediated multiplex repression caused global gene expression changes, implying potential undesirable changes in metabolic flux. C-metabolic flux analysis (C-MFA) revealed that the core flux network after CRISPRi repression was conserved, with moderate reduction of TCA cycle and pyruvate shunt activity along with glyoxylate shunt activation during glucose catabolism.

Single-cell analysis and functional characterization uncover the stem cell hierarchies and developmental origins of rhabdomyosarcoma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common childhood cancer that shares features with developing skeletal muscle. Yet, the conservation of cellular hierarchy with human muscle development and the identification of molecularly defined tumor-propagating cells has not been reported. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, DNA-barcode cell fate mapping and functional stem cell assays, we uncovered shared tumor cell hierarchies in RMS and human muscle development.

The impact of the Fundamental Critical Course on knowledge acquisition in Rwanda.

Background: Emerging critical care systems have gained little attention in low- and middle-income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 4% of the healthcare workforce is trained in critical care, and mortality rates are unacceptably high in this patient population.

Objectives: We sought to retrospectively describe the knowledge acquisition and confidence improvement of practitioners who attend the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) course in Rwanda.

Metabolic Consequences of Developmental Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics, the Flame Retardant BDE-47 and Their Combination in Zebrafish.

Single-use plastic production is higher now than ever before. Much of this plastic is released into aquatic environments, where it is eventually weathered into smaller nanoscale plastics. In addition to potential direct biological effects, nanoplastics may also modulate the biological effects of hydrophobic persistent organic legacy contaminants (POPs) that absorb to their surfaces.

"Did you wash your hands?": a prospective study of patient empowerment to prompt hand washing by healthcare providers.

Background: Hand hygiene is paramount in preventing the spread of healthcare-associated infections especially during disease epidemics. Compliance rates with hand hygiene policies remain below 50% internationally and may be lower in the outpatient care setting. This study assessed the impact of the patient empowerment model on hand hygiene compliance among healthcare providers.