Long-read DNA sequencing reveals the organization of the mitochondrial genome in the early-branching dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina.

The mitochondrial genomes of dinoflagellate protists are remarkable for their highly fragmented and heterogeneous organization. Early attempts to determine their structure without 'next-generation' DNA sequencing failed to recover a defined genome. Still, it coincided in showing that the proteins coding genes, three in total, and parts of the ribosomal RNA genes were spread across a diffuse assortment of small linear fragments.

A Bayesian approach for estimating the uncertainty on the contribution of nitrogen fixation and calculation of nutrient balances in grain legumes.

Background: The proportion of nitrogen (N) derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa) is a fundamental component of the plant N demand in legume species. To estimate the N benefit of grain legumes for the subsequent crop in the rotation, a simplified N balance is frequently used. This balance is calculated as the difference between fixed N and removed N by grains.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition dysregulation in prostate cancer: Insights from molecular unraveling and epidemiological analyses in Tunisia, North Africa.

Introduction: The progression of prostate cancer (PCa) has been linked worldwide, including in African populations, to the dysregulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods: To clarify the connection among EMT markers, clinicopathological parameters, and epidemiological factors, we analyzed 35 PCa specimens from patients in Tunisia, a country in North Africa, arranged by stages. We also carried out extensive molecular and epidemiological analyses.

An insight into the diagnostic, prognostic, and taxanes resistance of double zinc finger and homeodomain factors expression in naïve prostate cancer.

Unlabelled: Currently, clinical biomarkers are urgently needed to improve patient management to guide personal therapy for cancer. In this study, we investigate the deregulation of in prostate cancer (PC) Tunisian patients. Expression patterns of the were investigated in prostate adenocarcinoma and benign prostate biopsies using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and 2-ΔΔCt method.

The benefits of woody plant stem photosynthesis extend to hydraulic function and drought survival in Parkinsonia florida.

As climate change exacerbates drought stress in many parts of the world, understanding plant physiological mechanisms for drought survival is critical to predicting ecosystem responses. Stem net photosynthesis, which is common in arid environments, may be a drought survival trait, but whether the additional carbon fixed by stems contributes to plant hydraulic function and drought survival in arid land plants is untested. We conducted a stem light-exclusion experiment on saplings of a widespread North American desert tree species, Parkinsonia florida L.

Co-expression of Twist and Snai1: predictor of poor prognosis and biomarker of treatment resistance in untreated prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) remains one of the most complex tumors in men. The assessment of gene expression is expected to have a profound impact on cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transcription factors Twist and Snai1 in the treatment of naïve prostate cancer.

Design, synthesis and validation of a new Crimped Head-Piece for DNA-Encoded libraries generation.

Codification of DNA Encoded Libraries (DELs) is critical for successful ligand identification of molecules that bind a protein of interest (POI). There are different encoding strategies that permit, for instance, the customization of a DEL for testing single or dual pharmacophores (single strand DNA) or for producing and screening large diversity libraries of small molecules (double strand DNA). Both approaches challenges, either from the synthetic and encoding point of view, or from the selection methodology to be utilized for the screening.

Draft genome sequence of a black yeast fungus isolated from La Brea Tar Pits.

A 30.28 Mb draft genome sequence was assembled and annotated for the melanized ascomycetous fungus NRRL_64630 (Pezizomycotina; Chaetothyriales) isolated from La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, California. Species identification was made by phylogenetic assessment of the Internal Transcribed Spacer.

Correlation between E-cadherin/β-catenin, Vimentin expression, clinicopathologic features and drug resistance prediction in naïve prostate cancer: A molecular and clinical study.

Although epithelial-mesenchymal markers play an important role in prostate cancer (PC), further research is needed to better understand their utility in diagnosis, cancer progression prevention, and treatment resistance prediction. Our study included 111 PC patients who underwent transurethral resection, as well as 16 healthy controls. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to examine the expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and Vimentin.

The transportome of the endophyte in free life and symbiosis with and its expression in moderate salinity.

is an endophytic root symbiont fungus that enhances the growth of various plants under different stress conditions, including salinity. Here, the functional characterization of two fungal Na/H antiporters, SiNHA1 and SiNHX1 has been carried out to study their putative role in saline tolerance. Although their gene expression does not respond specifically to saline conditions, they could contribute, together with the previously characterized Na efflux systems SiENA1 and SiENA5, to relieve Na from the cytosol under this stressed condition.

Concurrent Presentation of Mycosis Fungoides and Primary Cutaneous Marginal Zone LPD: Clinicopathological Study of 4 Cases and Literature Review.

Background: Mycosis fungoides is rarely associated to B-cell malignancies, and the few reported cases are mainly internal lymphomas involving secondarily the skin (ie, chronic lymphocytic leukemia).

Objectives: The aim of our study is to describe the clinical and histopathological features of 4 patients presenting with 2 concurrent primary cutaneous lymphomas and review the pertinent literature.

Methods: We identified 4 cases of concurrent primary cutaneous lymphomas in our institutions.

Nursing and Telemental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Measures taken to reduce the rate of contagion during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain led to the interruption of nursing interventions for many patients with serious mental illness (SMI), while others stayed in touch with their nurses telematically. However, published research into the impact of mental telehealth and the outcome of the changes that took place in the pandemic is very limited. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in nursing interventions received by severe mental illness (SMI) patients and to test whether telemental health (TH) has been effective in reducing relapses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma, lupus erythematosus profundus, and overlapping cases: molecular characterization through the study of 208 genes.

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare cytotoxic cutaneous lymphoma. Differential diagnosis with lupus erythematosus panniculitis (LEP) can be challenging and overlapping cases have been described. In this study, we investigate whether gene expression profiling may or not identify markers that can be used to improve our understanding of the disease and to make a precise differential diagnosis.

Acral lymphomatoid papulosis: Report of five cases, differential diagnosis, and review.

Acral lymphomatoid papulosis (a-LyP) is a rare clinical variant of LyP whose diagnosis may be challenging. A case series of a-LyP was studied clinically, histopathologically, immunohistochemically, and from molecular point of view. Including ours, 25 cases of a-LyP have so far been reported.

Schools That Promote the Improvement of Academic Performance and the Success of All Students.

The movement for effective schools and school improvement has enjoyed a long history, at both the theoretical and practical level. The contextual variables focused on the educational process of the classrooms have been identified in numerous investigations, concluding that the improvement of academic performance is a key element of the movement. The main objective of this research is focused on verifying the effectiveness of the treatment based on collaborative/cooperative learning methodologies and projects to improve the linguistic and mathematical competence as an enhancing element of academic performance.

Differences in electroencephalographic spectra during pre-sleep wakefulness, N1, and R sleep between comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: The neuropsychobiological effects of the comorbidity of insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are not well studied. Our objective was to compare electroencephalographic spectra of patients with comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea syndrome to those of patients with sleep apnea syndrome alone during pre-sleep wakefulness and the N1 and R sleep periods.

Method: We performed electroencephalography and polysomnography on 10 patients with comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea and 10 with only sleep apnea.

A Decoupled Automation Platform for Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry Experiments.

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is a biophysical technique well suited to the characterization of protein dynamics and protein-ligand interactions. In order to accurately define the rate of exchange, HDX experiments require the repeated measure of deuterium incorporation into the target protein across a range of time points. Accordingly, the HDX-MS experiment is well suited to automation, and a number of automated systems for HDX-MS have been developed.

The Role of Soil Fungi in K Plant Nutrition.

K is an essential cation and the most abundant in plant cells. After N, its corresponding element, K, is the nutrient required in the largest amounts by plants. Despite the numerous roles of K in crop production, improvements in the uptake and efficiency of use of K have not been major focuses in conventional or transgenic breeding studies in the past.

The endophyte Serendipita indica reduces the sodium content of Arabidopsis plants exposed to salt stress: fungal ENA ATPases are expressed and regulated at high pH and during plant co-cultivation in salinity.

Serendipita indica (formerly Piriformospora indica) is an endophytic fungus that colonizes plant roots producing a beneficial effect on plant growth and development under optimal and suboptimal conditions provoked by any biotic or abiotic stress, such as salt stress. Salinity induces osmotic and ionic imbalances in plants, mainly by altering the Na and K contents. However, the mechanism by which Serendipita improves plant growth has yet to be elucidated.

Costs and benefits of photosynthetic stems in desert species from southern California.

Woody plants with green photosynthetic stems are common in dry woodlands with the possible advantages of extra carbon gain, re-assimilation of CO2, and high water-use efficiency. However, their green stem tissue may also incur greater costs of water loss when stomata are closed. Our study focussed on evaluating the costs and benefits of having green stems in desert plants, addressing the water-use efficiency hypothesis.

Alterations in neuronal cytoskeletal and astrocytic proteins content in the brain of the autistic-like mouse strain C58/J.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by deficient social interaction, impaired communication as well as repetitive behaviors. ASD subjects present connectivity and neuroplasticity disturbances associated with morphological alterations in axons, dendrites, and dendritic spines. Given that the neuronal cytoskeleton and astrocytes have an essential role in regulating several mechanisms of neural plasticity, the aim of this work was to study alterations in the content of neuronal cytoskeletal components actin and tubulin and their associated proteins, as well as astrocytic proteins GFAP and TSP-1 in the brain of a C58/J mouse model of ASD.

Sleep Architecture in Night Shift Workers Police Officers with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-hypopnea Syndrome.

Introduction: Reduced sleep to increase work hours is common among police officers, when this situation is combined with Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), health consequences are greater, therefore we believe there is a need of research for these alterations. The aim of this study was to measure the changes in sleep architecture (SA) in police officers who currently have Night shift work (NSW) and OSAHS.

Methods: We compared SA in 107 subjects divided in three groups: the first group included police officers with NSW and severe OSAHS (n = 48); the second group were non-police officers with diurnal work time and severe OSAHS (n = 48) and the third group was formed by healthy controls (n = 11).