Laccases: Production, Expression Regulation, and Applications in Pharmaceutical Biodegradation.

Laccases are a family of copper-containing oxidases with important applications in bioremediation and other various industrial and biotechnological areas. There have been over two dozen reviews on laccases since 2010 covering various aspects of this group of versatile enzymes, from their occurrence, biochemical properties, and expression to immobilization and applications. This review is not intended to be all-encompassing; instead, we highlighted some of the latest developments in basic and applied laccase research with an emphasis on laccase-mediated bioremediation of pharmaceuticals, especially antibiotics.

Group observed structured encounter (GOSCE) for third-year medical students improves self-assessment of clinical communication.

Objectives: This study assesses the effectiveness of a GOSCE in teaching medical students clinical communication, as well as group collaboration and peer feedback.

Methods: The GOSCE was administered during the Internal Medicine clerkship. Groups consisted of 4-6 students and one faculty member.

MicroRNA-21 plays a pivotal role in the oocyte-secreted factor-induced suppression of cumulus cell apoptosis.

It is known that oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs) are more resistant to apoptosis than other compartments of the antral follicle. However, although oocyte-secreted factors (OSFs) have been found to be involved in suppressing bovine CC apoptosis, little is known about the intracellular mechanisms by which OSFs render CCs resistant to apoptosis. Here, we show that coculture with mouse or pig cumulus-denuded oocytes, culture with recombinant mouse growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), or culture in pig oocyte-conditioned medium (POCM) significantly inhibited CC apoptosis of mouse oocytectomized cumulus oophorus complexes (OOXs).

Inactivation kinetics and conformation change of Hypocrea orientalis β-glucosidase with guanidine hydrochloride.

The relationship between unfolding and inactivation of Hypocrea orientalis β-glucosidase has been investigated for the first time. The secretion of β-glucosidase from H. orientalis is induced by raw cassava residues.

White Blood Cell Count and Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in the Women's Health Initiative.

White blood cell (WBC) count appears to predict total mortality and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality, but it is unclear to what extent the association reflects confounding by smoking, underlying illness, or comorbid conditions. We used data from the Women's Health Initiative to examine the associations of WBC count with total mortality, CHD mortality, and cancer mortality. WBC count was measured at baseline in 160,117 postmenopausal women and again in year 3 in 74,375 participants.

The feeling of understanding: an exploration with neural models.

There exists a dynamic interaction between the world of information and the world of concepts, which is seen as a quintessential byproduct of the cultural evolution of individuals as well as of human communities. The feeling of understanding (FU) is that subjective experience that encompasses all the emotional and intellectual processes we undergo in the process of gathering evidence to achieve an understanding of an event. This experience is part of every person that has dedicated substantial efforts in scientific areas under constant research progress.

Evaluation and Adaptation of a Laboratory-Based cDNA Library Preparation Protocol for Retrospective Sequencing of Archived MicroRNAs from up to 35-Year-Old Clinical FFPE Specimens.

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens, when used in conjunction with patient clinical data history, represent an invaluable resource for molecular studies of cancer. Even though nucleic acids extracted from archived FFPE tissues are degraded, their molecular analysis has become possible. In this study, we optimized a laboratory-based next-generation sequencing barcoded cDNA library preparation protocol for analysis of small RNAs recovered from archived FFPE tissues.

Platelet count and total and cause-specific mortality in the Women's Health Initiative.

Purpose: We used data from the Women's Health Initiative to examine the association of platelet count with total mortality, coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality, cancer mortality, and non-CHD/noncancer mortality.

Methods: Platelet count was measured at baseline in 159,746 postmenopausal women and again in year 3 in 75,339 participants. Participants were followed for a median of 15.

Evaluation of the Relationship between Age and Outcome after Microvascular Reconstruction among Patients with Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

 In patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), disease recurrence remains a significant obstacle to long-term survival. If possible, surgical salvage with reconstruction remains the best treatment option for patients with recurrence. Currently, there is no literature discussing whether age should preclude microvascular reconstruction in these patients.

A Novel Multi-domain High Molecular, Salt-Stable Alkaline Xylanase from sp. SL3.

A novel multi-domain high molecular xylanase coding gene () was cloned from sp. SL3, an alkaliphilic bacterial strain isolated from the sediment of soda lake Dabusu. The deduced XynSL3 is composed of a putative signal peptide, three tandem domains of carbohydrate binding module (CBM) family 22, a catalytic domain of glycosyl hydrolase (GH) family 10 and a domain of CBM9.

Arabidopsis CBF3 and DELLAs positively regulate each other in response to low temperature.

The C-repeat binding factor (CBF) is crucial for regulation of cold response in higher plants. In Arabidopsis, the mechanism of CBF3-caused growth retardation is still unclear. Our present work shows that CBF3 shares the similar repression of bioactive gibberellin (GA) as well as upregulation of DELLA proteins with CBF1 and -2.

Influence of Fasting Status and Sample Preparation on Metabolic Biomarker Measurements in Postmenopausal Women.

Background: Epidemiologic data linking metabolic markers-such as insulin, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs)-and adipose tissue-derived factors with cancer are inconsistent. Between-study differences in blood collection protocols, in particular participant's fasting status, may influence measurements.

Methods: We investigated the impact of fasting status and blood sample processing time on components of the insulin/IGF axis and in adipokines in a controlled feeding study of 45 healthy postmenopausal-women aged 50-75 years.

RIPK1 counteracts ZBP1-mediated necroptosis to inhibit inflammation.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) regulates cell death and inflammation through kinase-dependent and -independent functions. RIPK1 kinase activity induces caspase-8-dependent apoptosis and RIPK3 and mixed lineage kinase like (MLKL)-dependent necroptosis. In addition, RIPK1 inhibits apoptosis and necroptosis through kinase-independent functions, which are important for late embryonic development and the prevention of inflammation in epithelial barriers.

CbRCI35, a Cold Responsive Peroxidase from Regulates Reactive Oxygen Species Homeostasis and Enhances Cold Tolerance in Tobacco.

Low temperature affects gene regulatory networks and alters cellular metabolism to inhibit plant growth. Peroxidases are widely distributed in plants and play a large role in adjusting and controlling reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in response to abiotic stresses such as low temperature. The Rare Cold-Inducible 35 gene from () belongs to the type III peroxidase family and has been reported to be a cold responsive gene in plants.

The disruption of two salt bridges of the cold-active xylanase XynGR40 results in an increase in activity, but a decrease in thermostability.

Cold-active xylanases are of great interest due to their large potential for application in the food industry. In this study, salt bridges of the eight glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 10 cold-active xylanases reported to date were predicted and the salt bridges specific to the cold-active xylanase XynGR40 were identified. Seven mutants were constructed to disrupt salt bridges specific to XynGR40.

Degradation of tetracycline by immobilized laccase and the proposed transformation pathway.

Magnetic cross-linked enzyme aggregates (M-CLEAs) were prepared for Cerrena laccase and used in antibiotic treatment. Of the seven antibiotics examined in this study, Cerrena laccase M-CLEAs were most effective in degradation of tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC), followed by ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole and erythromycin. The redox mediator ABTS was not able to improve efficiencies of degradation of TC and OTC.

Reduced expression of FILIP1L, a novel WNT pathway inhibitor, is associated with poor survival, progression and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer.

Filamin A interacting protein 1-like (FILIP1L) is an inhibitor of the canonical WNT pathway. WNT/β-catenin signaling and its downstream pathway, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), play a key role in ovarian cancer metastasis and chemoresistance. To study the clinical implications of FILIP1L in regulating the WNT/β-catenin pathway, the expression of FILIP1L, β-catenin, SNAIL and SLUG was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays of 369 ovarian samples ranging from normal to metastatic.

Chemical treatment of contaminated sediment for phosphorus control and subsequent effects on ammonia-oxidizing and ammonia-denitrifying microorganisms and on submerged macrophyte revegetation.

In this work, sediments were treated with calcium nitrate, aluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate, and Phoslock®, respectively. The impact of treatments on internal phosphorus release, the abundance of nitrogen cycle-related functional genes, and the growth of submerged macrophytes were investigated. All treatments reduced total phosphorus (TP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in interstitial water, and aluminum sulfate was most efficient.

High-throughput sequencing-based analysis of endogenetic fungal communities inhabiting the Chinese Cordyceps reveals unexpectedly high fungal diversity.

Chinese Cordyceps, known in Chinese as "DongChong XiaCao", is a parasitic complex of a fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) and a caterpillar. The current study explored the endogenetic fungal communities inhabiting Chinese Cordyceps. Samples were collected from five different geographical regions of Qinghai and Tibet, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 sequences from each sample were obtained using Illumina high-throughput sequencing.

Pyrosequencing analysis revealed complex endogenetic microorganism community from natural DongChong XiaCao and its microhabitat.

Background: Ophiocordyceps sinensis (DongChong XiaCao (DCXC) in Chinese), a fungal parasite of caterpillars, is a traditional Chinese medicine. Bioactive components isolated from natural DCXC possess a wide range of pharmacological actions. Many efforts have been directed towards isolating the fungi based on culture-dependent methods for investigation of fungal diversity in order to determine the anamorph of natural DCXC and find new medicinal fungi resources, and the results have been varied.

HHLA2, a New Immune Checkpoint Member of the B7 Family, Is Widely Expressed in Human Lung Cancer and Associated with EGFR Mutational Status.

Purpose: Immunotherapy with antibodies against B7/CD28 family members, including PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 has shifted the treatment paradigm for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with improved clinical outcome. HHLA2 is a newly discovered member of the family. By regulating T-cell function, HHLA2 could contribute to tumor immune suppression and thus be a novel target for cancer immunotherapy.

Laccase Gene Family in Cerrena sp. HYB07: Sequences, Heterologous Expression and Transcriptional Analysis.

Laccases are a class of multi-copper oxidases with industrial potential. In this study, eight laccases (Lac1-8) from Cerrena sp. strain HYB07, a white-rot fungus with high laccase yields, were analyzed.

Whole-exome sequencing identifies compound heterozygous mutations in ARSA of two siblings presented with atypical onset of metachromatic leukodystrophy from a Chinese pedigree.

Background: Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused mainly by variants in arylsulfatase A (ARSA) gene. MLD can be divided into three major clinical forms according to the age of onset: late infantile, juvenile, and adult. We report two siblings of late infantile MLD presenting with cerebellar ataxia as the only first clinical symptom.

The relationship between apoptosis, chromatin configuration, histone modification and competence of oocytes: A study using the mouse ovary-holding stress model.

The epigenetic factors causing competence differences between SN (surrounded nucleolus) and NSN (non-surrounded nucleolus) oocytes, the significance for the increased histone acetylation and methylation in SN oocytes, and whether chromatin configuration or histone modification determines oocyte competence, are unclear. This study has addressed these issues by using the ovary-holding (OH) stress models where oocyte SN configuration was uncoupled from histone modifications and developmental potential. Prepubertal mouse ovaries containing high percentages of NSN oocytes were preserved at 37 or 39 °C for 1 or 2 h before examination for oocyte chromatin configuration, developmental competence, histone modification and apoptosis.