Resistance to Cry14A family Bacillus thuringiensis crystal proteins in Caenornabditis elegans operates via the nhr-31 transcription factor and vacuolar-type ATPase pathway.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been successfully used commercially for more than 60 years for biocontrol of insect pests. Since 1996, transgenic plants expressing Bt crystal (Cry) proteins have been used commercially to provide protection against insects that predate on corn and cotton. More recently, Bt Cry proteins that target nematodes have been discovered.

Immunolocalization and Ultrastructure Show Ingestion of Cry Protein Expressed in by and Its Mode of Action.

Great interest exists in developing a transgenic trait that controls the economically important soybean () pest, soybean cyst nematode (SCN, ), due to its adaptation to native resistance. Soybean plants expressing the delta-endotoxin, Cry14Ab, were recently demonstrated to control SCN in both growth chamber and field testing. In that communication, ingestion of the Cry14Ab toxin by SCN second stage juveniles (J2s) was demonstrated using fluorescently labeled Cry14Ab in an in vitro assay.

Graphical models for identifying pore-forming proteins.

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are proteins that form lesions in biological membranes. Better understanding of the structure and function of these proteins will be beneficial in a number of biotechnological applications, including the development of new pest control methods in agriculture. When searching for new pore formers, existing sequence homology-based methods fail to discover truly novel proteins with low sequence identity to known proteins.

The Empty Ischial Fossa Sign: A Visual Representation of Relative Inadequate Anteversion in the Posteriorly Tilted Pelvis.

Background: Instability is a known complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and is influenced by spinopelvic alignment. Radiographic markers have been investigated to optimize the acetabular cup position. This study evaluated if the empty ischial fossa (EIF) sign and the position of the trans-teardrop line were predictive of postoperative instability.

DNA elements tether canonical Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 to human genes.

Development of multicellular animals requires epigenetic repression by Polycomb group proteins. The latter assemble in multi-subunit complexes, of which two kinds, Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), act together to repress key developmental genes. How PRC1 and PRC2 recognize specific genes remains an open question.

A Novel Method to Calculate Functional Pelvic Tilt Using a Standing Anteroposterior Pelvis Radiograph.

Background: Functional patient-specific acetabular component positioning is important in total hip arthroplasty. We preoperatively evaluate the pelvic tilt (PT) on standing anteroposterior (AP) pelvis radiographs using a novel measurement and then recreate this intraoperatively using imaging. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a linear correlation between this novel measurement and the actual PT.

Variation in microbial feature perception in the Rutaceae family with immune receptor conservation in citrus.

Although much is known about the responses of model plants to microbial features, we still lack an understanding of the extent of variation in immune perception across members of a plant family. In this work, we analyzed immune responses in Citrus and wild relatives, surveying 86 Rutaceae genotypes with differing leaf morphologies and disease resistances. We found that responses to microbial features vary both within and between members.

Topological screen identifies hundreds of Cp190- and CTCF-dependent chromatin insulator elements.

insulators were the first DNA elements found to regulate gene expression by delimiting chromatin contacts. We still do not know how many of them exist and what impact they have on the genome folding. Contrary to vertebrates, there is no evidence that fly insulators block cohesin-mediated chromatin loop extrusion.

Ventral Hippocampal Formation Is the Primary Epileptogenic Zone in a Rat Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Temporal lobe epilepsy is common, but mechanisms of seizure initiation are unclear. We evaluated seizure initiation in female and male rats that had been systemically treated with pilocarpine, a widely used model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Local field potential (LFP) recordings from many brain regions revealed variable sites of earliest recorded seizure activity, but mostly the ventral hippocampal formation.

Risk factors for delirium in elderly patients after lumbar spinal fusion.

Objective: To identify perioperative risk factors for postoperative delirium (POD) in patients aged 65 or older undergoing lumbar spinal fusion procedures.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion over an approximately three-year period at a single institution. Demographic and perioperative data were obtained from electronic medical records.

Risk factors and classification of reintervention following deep venous stenting for acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis.

Background: Acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is associated with the development of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). Thrombolysis and deep venous stenting can restore vessel outflow and can reduce the incidence of PTS. However, for a proportion of patients, subsequent stenosis or reocclusion will necessitate further intervention.

Anterior-Based Approaches to Total Hip Arthroplasty: Beyond the Learning Curve.

Background: Anterior-based approaches for total hip arthroplasty (THA) have gained popularity over the last decade. At our institution, anterior-based approaches are preferentially utilized, including both anterior-based muscle-sparing (ABMS) and direct anterior (DA) for primary THA. As there are higher complication rates during the transition to an anterior approach, we compared the outcomes and complications between ABMS and DA approaches beyond the learning curve.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Healthful Flavonoids among Diverse Mandarin Accessions.

Mandarins have many unique flavonoids with documented health benefits and that help to prevent chronic human diseases. Flavonoids are difficult to measure and cannot be phenotyped without the use of specialized equipment; consequently, citrus breeders have not used flavonoid contents as selection criteria to develop cultivars with increased benefits for human health or increased tolerance to diseases. In this study, peel, pulp, and seed samples collected from many mandarin accessions and their hybrids were analyzed for the presence of selected flavonoids with documented human health benefits.

A deep learning model to detect novel pore-forming proteins.

Many pore-forming proteins originating from pathogenic bacteria are toxic against agricultural pests. They are the key ingredients in several pesticidal products for agricultural use, including transgenic crops. There is an urgent need to identify novel pore-forming proteins to combat development of resistance in pests to existing products, and to develop products that are effective against a broader range of pests.

Chemical Diversity of Citrus Leaf Essential Oils.

The essential oils from leaves of 20 commercial citrus accessions maintained by the University of California, Riverside Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection and selected on the basis of their odor profile were analyzed by GCMS/FID. The main components were quantified while the semi-quantitative percentage composition data was compiled with data from other publications for sample visualization, classification and comparison with leaf oils from other citrus accessions. Some compositional clusters aligned closely with the taxonomic clades of sweet orange, bitter orange, and C.

Phylogenomic analysis of evolutionary relationships in Ranitomeya poison frogs (Family Dendrobatidae) using ultraconserved elements.

The use of genome-scale data in phylogenetics has enabled recent strides in determining the relationships between taxa that are taxonomically problematic because of extensive morphological variation. Here, we employ a phylogenomic approach to infer evolutionary relationships within Ranitomeya (Anura: Dendrobatidae), an Amazonian lineage of poison frogs consisting of 16 species with remarkable diversity in color pattern, range size, and parental care behavior. We infer phylogenies with all described species of Ranitomeya from ultraconserved nuclear genomic elements (UCEs) and also estimate divergence times.

Increased Complications and Cost Associated With Hip Arthroplasty for Femoral Neck Fracture: Evaluation of 576,119 Medicare Patients Treated With Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: The benefit of total hip arthroplasty (THA) for treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) and femoral neck fractures (FNFs) in the geriatric population is well established. We compare perioperative complications and cost of THA for treatment of OA to hemiarthroplasty (HA) and THA for treatment of FNF.

Methods: Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services were used to identify all patients 65 years and older undergoing primary hip arthroplasty between 2013 and 2017.

A Bacillus thuringiensis Cry protein controls soybean cyst nematode in transgenic soybean plants.

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are economically important pests of agricultural crops, and soybean cyst nematode (SCN) in particular is responsible for a large amount of damage to soybean. The need for new solutions for controlling SCN is becoming increasingly urgent, due to the slow decline in effectiveness of the widely used native soybean resistance derived from genetic line PI 88788. Thus, developing transgenic traits for controlling SCN is of great interest.

Managing Hip-Spine Concepts in the Direct Anterior Approach With Use of Fluoroscopy.

Background: The spinopelvic relationship in regard to total hip arthroplasty has become a topic of increasing interest in recent years. Hip arthritis and a stiff lumbar spine create a situation where the spinopelvic junction has decreased mobility, which in turn increases the risk of instability after total hip arthroplasty as the femoral acetabular joint must undergo increased motion. Regardless of the approach, surgeons should be aware of the risk of instability in patients with a stiff spinopelvic junction and the necessary modifications to component positioning to avoid postoperative instability.

Kidney dosimetry in 777 patients during Lu-DOTATATE therapy: aspects on extrapolations and measurement time points.

Purpose: Fractionated peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with Lu-DOTATATE is increasingly applied as an effective treatment for patients with disseminated neuroendocrine tumors. In parallel to dose planning before external beam radiation therapy, dosimetry is also needed to optimize PRRT to the individual patient. Accordingly, absorbed doses to organs at risk need to be calculated during PRRT, based on serial measurements of radioactivity distribution utilizing SPECT/CT.

Clinical management of COVID-19: Experiences of the COVID-19 epidemic from Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has presented clinicians with an enormous challenge in managing a respiratory virus that is not only capable of causing severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, but also multisystem disease. The extraordinary pace of clinical research, and particularly the surge in adaptive trials of new and repurposed treatments, have provided rapid answers to questions of whether such treatments work, and has resulted in corticosteroids taking centre stage in the management of hospitalised patients requiring oxygen support. Some treatment modalities, such as the role of anticoagulation to prevent and treat potential thromboembolic complications, remain controversial, as does the use of high-level oxygen support, outside of an intensive care unit setting.

Can Dislocation Rates Be Decreased Using the Anterior Approach in Patients With Lumbar Spondylosis or Lumbar Instrumented Fusion?

Background: Although spinopelvic stiffness is known to contribute to instability following total hip arthroplasty (THA), it is unknown whether use of an anterior surgical approach is associated with decreased postoperative instability rates in patients with lumbar spondylosis or fusion.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 1750 patients who underwent primary THA at our institution over an 8-year time period. Radiographic and chart review was performed evaluating for dislocations.