Dissemination of pathogenic bacteria is reinforced by a MARTX toxin effector duet.

Multiple bacterial genera take advantage of the multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxin (MARTX) toxin to invade host cells. Secretion of the MARTX toxin by Vibrio vulnificus, a deadly opportunistic pathogen that causes primary septicemia, the precursor of sepsis, is a major driver of infection; however, the molecular mechanism via which the toxin contributes to septicemia remains unclear. Here, we report the crystal and cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structures of a toxin effector duet comprising the domain of unknown function in the first position (DUF1)/Rho inactivation domain (RID) complexed with human targets.

EPRS1 Controls the TGF- Signaling Pathway via Interaction with TβRI in Hepatic Stellate Cell.

Glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (EPRS1) is known to associated with fibrosis through its catalytic activity to produce prolyl-tRNA. Although its catalytic inhibitor halofuginone (HF) has been known to inhibit the TGF-β pathway as well as to reduce prolyl-tRNA production for the control of fibrosis, the underlying mechanism how EPRS1 regulates the TGF-β pathway was not fully understood. Here, we show a noncatalytic function of EPRS1 in controlling the TGF-β pathway and hepatic stellate cell activation via its interaction with TGF-β receptor I (TβRI).

Reusable Electronic Tongue Based on Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Nanodisc-Conjugated Graphene Field-Effect Transistor for a Spiciness-Related Pain Evaluation.

The sense of spiciness is related to the stimulation of vanilloid compounds contained in the foods. Although, the spiciness is commonly considered as the part of taste, it is more classified to the sense of pain stimulated on a tongue, namely, pungency, which is described as a tingling or burning on the tongue. Herein, first, a reusable electronic tongue based on a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) nanodisc conjugated graphene field-effect transistor is fabricated and spiciness-related pain evaluation with reusable electrode is demonstrated.

Glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1 coordinates early endosomal anti-inflammatory AKT signaling.

The AKT signaling pathway plays critical roles in the resolution of inflammation. However, the underlying mechanisms of anti-inflammatory regulation and signal coordination remain unclear. Here, we report that anti-inflammatory AKT signaling is coordinated by glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (EPRS1).

First Report of Canker Caused by Pectobacterium actinidiae on Asian Pear Trees (Pyrus pyrifolia) in South Korea.

In July 2020, pear trees (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Niitaka) with cankers displaying dark-red bacterial ooze on the trunk and branches were found in two pear orchards located in Naju, Jeollanam-do, South Korea (34°57'50″ N, 126°43'52″ E and 34°56'14″ N, 126°33'42″ E). The incidence was 1.

Effect of the stellate ganglion block on symptoms of ulcerative colitis: A case report.

Rationale: Chronic ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease in which epithelial injury continuously occurs in the colonic mucosa. While mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid) is used to treat ulcerative colitis, it can also cause liver failure, headaches, and abdominal pain; therefore, an alternative treatment is required. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 80 stellate ganglion blocks in reducing pain and other symptoms in a patient with chronic ulcerative colitis.

Effect of intravenous dexamethasone on the duration of postoperative analgesia for popliteal sciatic nerve block: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Intravenous (IV) dexamethasone prolongs the duration of a peripheral nerve block; however, there is little available information about its optimal effective dose. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of three different doses of IV dexamethasone on the duration of postoperative analgesia to determine the optimal effective dose for a sciatic nerve block.

Methods: Patients scheduled for foot and ankle surgery were randomly assigned to receive normal saline or IV dexamethasone (2.

First Report of Bleeding Canker of Pear Tree Trunks Caused by Dickeya fangzhongdai in Korea.

Pears (Pyrus pylifolia L.) are cultivated nationwide as one of the most economically important fruit trees in Korea. At the end of October 2019, bleeding canker was observed in a pear orchard located in Naju, Jeonnam Province (34°53'50.

Endogenous TLR2 ligand embedded in the catalytic region of human cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase 1.

Background: The generation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses is required for successful cancer vaccine therapy. In this regard, ligands of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been suggested to activate adaptive immune responses by modulating the function of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Despite their therapeutic potential, the development of TLR ligands for immunotherapy is often hampered due to rapid systemic toxicity.

Structural basis of inactivation of Ras and Rap1 small GTPases by Ras/Rap1-specific endopeptidase from the sepsis-causing pathogen .

Multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxin (MARTX) toxins are secreted by Gram-negative bacteria and function as primary virulence-promoting macromolecules that deliver multiple cytopathic and cytotoxic effector domains into the host cytoplasm. Among these effectors, Ras/Rap1-specific endopeptidase (RRSP) catalyzes the sequence-specific cleavage of the Switch I region of the cellular substrates Ras and Rap1 that are crucial for host innate immune defenses during infection. To dissect the molecular basis underpinning RRSP-mediated substrate inactivation, we determined the crystal structure of an RRSP from the sepsis-causing bacterial pathogen (RRSP).

A Novel Substance P-Based Hydrogel for Increased Wound Healing Efficiency.

The neuropeptide substance P (SP) is known to stimulate wound healing by regulating the production of relevant cytokines as well as cell proliferation and migration. However, the therapeutic application of SP is limited by its low stability under biological conditions and oxidation during purification, formulation, and storage. To address this problem, we developed a novel formulation of SP as an SP gel, and investigated its wound healing activity both in vitro and in vivo.

Development of Carrot Medium Suitable for Conidia Production of .

The causal fungus of pear scab, , grows slowly and rarely produces conidia on artificial media in the laboratory, but it produced conidia on the Cheongah medium containing Cheongah powder. grew too slow to produce conidia until 15 days after cultivation but produced conidia with 4 × 10 conidia/plate 30 days after cultivation on the Cheongah medium containing 1% Cheongah powder. showed a peak production of conidia with 4.

Infection-specific phosphorylation of glutamyl-prolyl tRNA synthetase induces antiviral immunity.

The mammalian cytoplasmic multi-tRNA synthetase complex (MSC) is a depot system that regulates non-translational cellular functions. Here we found that the MSC component glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS) switched its function following viral infection and exhibited potent antiviral activity. Infection-specific phosphorylation of EPRS at Ser990 induced its dissociation from the MSC, after which it was guided to the antiviral signaling pathway, where it interacted with PCBP2, a negative regulator of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) that is critical for antiviral immunity.

Transsacrococcygeal approach to ganglion impar block for treatment of chronic coccygodynia after spinal arachnoid cyst removal: A case report.

Background: Coccygodynia is a pain in the region of the coccyx that radiates to the sacral, perineal area. The cause of the pain is often unknown. Coccygodynia is diagnosed through the patient's past history, a physical examination, and dynamic radiographic study, but the injection of local anesthetics or a diagnostic nerve blockade are needed to distinguish between somatic, neuropathic, and combined pain.

Non-contrast cardiac CT immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention: does it predict the risk of left ventricular remodeling in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction?

To assess the clinical utility of non-contrast cardiac CT (CCT) immediately after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for predicting the risk of left ventricle (LV) remodeling in the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 35 patients with AMI underwent non-contrast CCT immediately after PCI. Volume and transmural extent of myocardial delayed enhancement (DE) were assessed on non-contrast CCT. Serial echocardiography and serologic biomarkers were evaluated at baseline and at 2 and 12 months after AMI.

Seborrheic dermatitis treatment with stellate ganglion block: a case report.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disorder presumed to be caused by increased sebaceous gland secretion, metabolic changes in the cutaneous microflora, and changes in the host immune function. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is known to increase the blood flow rate without altering the blood pressure, heart rate, or cardiac output, to stabilize hypertonic conditions of the sympathetic nerves, and to affect the endocrine and immune systems. It is used in the differential diagnosis and treatment of autonomic nervous system disorders of the head, neck, and upper limbs.

Correction: The cabABC Operon Essential for Biofilm and Rugose Colony Development in Vibrio vulnificus.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.

The cabABC Operon Essential for Biofilm and Rugose Colony Development in Vibrio vulnificus.

A transcriptome analysis identified Vibrio vulnificus cabABC genes which were preferentially expressed in biofilms. The cabABC genes were transcribed as a single operon. The cabA gene was induced by elevated 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) and encoded a calcium-binding protein CabA.

Specific and Sensitive Detection of Venturia nashicola, the Scab Fungus of Asian Pears, by Nested PCR.

The fungus Venturia nashicola is the causal agent of scab on Asian pears. For the rapid and reliable identification as well as sensitive detection of V. nashicola, a PCR-based technique was developed.

Comparison of the preventive effects of pretreatment of lidocaine with a tourniquet and a premixed injection of lidocaine on propofol-LCT/MCT injection pain.

Background: Lidocaine has been used widely to prevent propofol injection pain. Various methods of administration exist, such as lidocaine premixed with propofol or lidocaine pretreatment using a tourniquet, but it is unclear which method of lidocaine administration is more effective for the prevention of injection pain of propofol LCT/MCT. The purpose of this study was to compare pretreatment of lidocaine with a tourniquet and a premixed injection of lidocaine to prevent injection pain of propofol-LCT/MCT.

Asymptomatic pneumomediastinum resulting from air in the epidural space -a case report-.

There are no reports regarding pneumomediastinum caused by thoracic epidural block complications. We believe that it is possible to experience an occurrence of pneumomediastinum caused by air in the epidural space after performing a thoracic epidural block using the loss of resistance (LOR) technique with air. We report a witnessed case where pneumomediastinum appeared after a thoracic epidural block.

Effect of molecular structure and packing density of an azo self-assembled monolayer on liquid crystal alignment.

We studied the alignment of liquid crystals (LCs) on a photo-switchable azo-containing self-assembled monolayer (azo-SAM) with different packing densities and molecular structures. The packing density of the azo-SAM substrates was varied by changing the dipping time of the substrate in azosilane monomers solution (2mM in toluene). The thickness of the monolayer on the silicon substrate increased as the dipping time was increased.

Structural insights into the regulation of sialic acid catabolism by the Vibrio vulnificus transcriptional repressor NanR.

Pathogenic and commensal bacteria that experience limited nutrient availability in their host have evolved sophisticated systems to catabolize the mucin sugar N-acetylneuraminic acid, thereby facilitating their survival and colonization. The correct function of the associated catabolic machinery is particularly crucial for the pathogenesis of enteropathogenic bacteria during infection, although the molecular mechanisms involved with the regulation of the catabolic machinery are unknown. This study reports the complex structure of NanR, a repressor of the N-acetylneuraminate (nan) genes responsible for N-acetylneuraminic acid catabolism, and its regulatory ligand, N-acetylmannosamine 6-phosphate (ManNAc-6P), in the human pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus.