Genomic strategies to facilitate breeding for increased β-Glucan content in oat (Avena sativa L.).

Background: Hexaploid oat (Avena sativa L.) is a commercially important cereal crop due to its soluble dietary fiber β-glucan, a hemicellulose known to prevent cardio-vascular diseases. To maximize health benefits associated with the consumption of oat-based food products, breeding efforts have aimed at increasing the β-glucan content in oat groats.

A Catch-Release Strategy for the Genomics-Driven Discovery of Antiproliferative Furan-Functionalized Peptides.

Furan-functionalized peptides are of significant pharmacological interest due to their pronounced bioactivities and unique potential for orthogonal bioconjugation and derivatization. However, naturally occurring peptides with furyl side chains are exceedingly rare. This study presents a streamlined method to predict and assess the microbial production of peptides incorporating 3-furylalanine (Fua) moieties.

Patient-specific hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes indicate allelic and contractile imbalance as pathogenic factor in early-stage Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is often caused by heterozygous mutations in β-myosin heavy chain (MYH7, β-MyHC). In addition to hyper- or hypocontractile effects of HCM-mutations, heterogeneity in contractile function (contractile imbalance) among individual cardiomyocytes was observed in end-stage HCM-myocardium. Contractile imbalance might be induced by burst-like transcription, leading to unequal fractions of mutant versus wildtype mRNA and protein in individual cardiomyocytes (allelic imbalance).

Radiation Exposure and Protection for (Assumed) Pregnant Interventional Cardiologists and Electrophysiologists.

Background: Concern about fetus radiation dose and assumed health effects remains a barrier for women considering a career in invasive cardiology. However, there is a lack of real-world fetus exposure data that can be used to support career decisions. The purpose of this work was to measure radiation exposure to invasive cardiologists which would contribute to dose to the fetus during pregnancy.

An Unusual Presentation of Juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease involving multiple organ systems that often mimic other conditions. The majority of patients with SLE show mucocutaneous manifestations, fatigue, fever, rheumatological manifestations, and weight loss as initial symptoms. SLE is classically managed medically with hydroxychloroquine, glucocorticoids, and/or immunosuppressives.

Tissue-resident memory cells in antitumoral immunity and cancer immunotherapy.

As cancer immunotherapy evolves, tissue-resident memory (T) cells remain key contributors to the antitumoral immune response due to their ability to mediate local tumor control, high expression of immune checkpoints, potential to respond to immunotherapy, and location across tissue sites where distal tumor metastases occur. This review synthesizes recent findings on the biology of T cells, their role in cancer, and their interactions with the tumor microenvironment. We also identify several critical research gaps, such as how mechanistic interrogation of T cell function is required for integration into therapeutics, proposing a focused research agenda to better exploit their potential.

Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions for Behavior Change in Physiological Health Outcomes and the Use Case for Knee Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review.

Background: The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in the adult population is high and patients profit from individualized therapy approaches. Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) are upcoming digital interventions for behavior change.

Objective: This systematic review summarizes the features and effectiveness of existing JITAIs regarding important physiological health outcomes and derives the most promising features for the use case of KOA.

Genomes of Aegilops umbellulata provide new insights into unique structural variations and genetic diversity in the U-genome for wheat improvement.

Aegilops umbellulata serve as an important reservoir for novel biotic and abiotic stress tolerance for wheat improvement. However, chromosomal rearrangements and evolutionary trajectory of this species remain to be elucidated. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation into Ae.

Horse Sector Participants' Attitudes towards Anthropomorphism and Animal Welfare and Wellbeing.

Anthropomorphizing can misinform the making of inferences about animal mental experiences. This is a consideration when implementing the Five Domains Model for animal welfare assessment. An online survey run in 2021 captured horse sector participants' perspectives about anthropomorphism and wellbeing in relation to horses.

Atomic diffraction by nanoholes in hexagonal boron nitride.

Fabricating patterned nanostructures with matter waves can help to realise new nanophotonic devices. However, due to dispersion effects, designing patterns with nanoscale features is challenging. Here, we consider the propagation of a helium matter wave through different holes in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as a case study for the weakest dispersion interaction and the matter wave's diffraction as it passes through the holes.

Case Report: C-reactive protein apheresis in non-ST-elevation ACS-case series from the C-reactive protein apheresis in Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry.

C-reactive protein (CRP) apheresis has been introduced in ST-elevation myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. Here, we describe a first-in-man application in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Seven NSTE-ACS patients with high CRP levels (range 14.

Analysis of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Induced by Endplate Drilling or Needle Puncture in Complement C6-Sufficient and C6-Deficient Rabbits.

Previous studies indicate an implication of the terminal complement complex (TCC) in disc degeneration (DD). To investigate the functional role of TCC in trauma-induced DD in vivo, the model of endplate (EP) drilling was first applied in rabbits using a C6-deficient rabbit strain in which no TCC formation was possible. In parallel the model of needle puncture was investigated.

Association mapping of tan spot and septoria nodorum blotch resistance in cultivated emmer wheat.

A total of 65 SNPs associated with resistance to tan spot and septoria nodorum blotch were identified in a panel of 180 cultivated emmer accessions through association mapping Tan spot and septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) are foliar diseases caused by the respective fungal pathogens Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and Parastagonospora nodorum that affect global wheat production. To find new sources of resistance, we evaluated a panel of 180 cultivated emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) accessions for reactions to four P.

SGLT2 inhibitors attenuate endothelial to mesenchymal transition and cardiac fibroblast activation.

Beneficial effects of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) in cardiovascular diseases have been extensively reported leading to the inclusion of these drugs in the treatment guidelines for heart failure. However, molecular actions especially on non-myocyte cells remain uncertain. We observed dose-dependent inhibitory effects of two SGLT2is, dapagliflozin (DAPA) and empagliflozin (EMPA), on inflammatory signaling in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Evolution, diversity, and function of the disease susceptibility gene Snn1 in wheat.

Septoria nodorum blotch (SNB), caused by Parastagonospora nodorum, is a disease of durum and common wheat initiated by the recognition of pathogen-produced necrotrophic effectors (NEs) by specific wheat genes. The wheat gene Snn1 was previously cloned, and it encodes a wall-associated kinase that directly interacts with the NE SnTox1 leading to programmed cell death and ultimately the development of SNB. Here, sequence analysis of Snn1 from 114 accessions including diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid wheat species revealed that some wheat lines possess two copies of Snn1 (designated Snn1-B1 and Snn1-B2) approximately 120 kb apart.

Open Microsurgical Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment After Failed Endovascular Therapy: An Evaluation of Aneurysm Treatment Frequencies in All Neurovascular Centers Across Austria and the Czech Republic Over 20 Years.

Background And Objectives: Endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms has tremendously advanced over the past decades. Nevertheless, aneurysm residual and recurrence remain challenges after embolization. The objective of this study was to elucidate the portion of embolized aneurysms requiring open surgery and evaluate whether newer endovascular treatments have changed the need for open surgery after failed embolization.

pH-sensitive spontaneous decay of functionalized carbon dots in solutions.

Carbon quantum dots have become attractive in various applications, such as drug delivery, biological sensing, photocatalysis, and solar cells. Among these, pH sensing via luminescence lifetime measurements of surface-functionalized carbon dots is one application currently investigated for their long lifetime and autonomous operation. In this article, we explore the theoretical connection between excitation lifetimes and the pH value of the surrounding liquid via the protonation and deprotonation of functional groups.

Implementing multi-trait genomic selection to improve grain milling quality in oats (Avena sativa L.).

Oats (Avena sativa L.) provide unique nutritional benefits and contribute to sustainable agricultural systems. Breeding high-value oat varieties that meet milling industry standards is crucial for satisfying the demand for oat-based food products.

Direct α-Hydroxy Acid Loading onto a Bacterial Thiotemplate Assembly Line via a Multienzyme Gateway.

Various nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) create structural and functional diversity by incorporating α-hydroxy acids into peptide backbones. Trigonic acid, an unusual cyclopropanol-substituted hydroxy acid, is the source of the molecular warhead of malleicyprol, a critical virulence factor of human and animal pathogens of the Burkholderia pseudomallei (BP) group. The process of selecting and loading this building block remained enigmatic as the NRPS module designated for this task is incomplete.

An mHealth Intervention Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Eating in a Family Setting (SMARTFAMILY): Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Numerous smartphone apps are targeting physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE), but empirical evidence on their effectiveness for the initialization and maintenance of behavior change, especially in children and adolescents, is still limited. Social settings influence individual behavior; therefore, core settings such as the family need to be considered when designing mobile health (mHealth) apps.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a theory- and evidence-based mHealth intervention (called SMARTFAMILY [SF]) targeting PA and HE in a collective family-based setting.

Primary follicular lymphoma of the prostate co-existing with grade group 5 prostatic adenocarcinoma and presenting as a PI-RADS lesion 4 on mpMRI.

Primary prostatic lymphoma is an exceedingly rare entity comprising less than 0.09% of all prostatic cancers with follicular lymphoma making up only 12% as a subset. To our knowledge, primary follicular lymphoma co-existing with high grade prostatic adenocarcinoma presenting as a PI-RADS lesion 4 on mpMRI has not been previously described.