RNase P cleavage of pseudoknot substrates reveals differences in active site architecture that depend on residue N-1 in the 5' leader.

We show that a small biotin-binding RNA aptamer that folds into a pseudoknot structure acts as a substrate for bacterial RNase P RNA (RPR) with and without the RNase P C5 protein. Cleavage in the single-stranded region in loop 1 was shown to depend on the presence of a RCCA-motif at the 3' end of the substrate. The nucleobase and the 2'hydroxyl at the position immediately 5' of the cleavage site contribute to both cleavage efficiency and site selection, where C at this position induces significant cleavage at an alternative site, one base upstream of the main cleavage site.

Complex Polyploids: Origins, Genomic Composition, and Role of Introgressed Alleles.

Introgression allows polyploid species to acquire new genomic content from diploid progenitors or from other unrelated diploid or polyploid lineages, contributing to genetic diversity and facilitating adaptive allele discovery. In some cases, high levels of introgression elicit the replacement of large numbers of alleles inherited from the polyploid's ancestral species, profoundly reshaping the polyploid's genomic composition. In such complex polyploids, it is often difficult to determine which taxa were the progenitor species and which taxa provided additional introgressive blocks through subsequent hybridization.

Data-driven identification of predictive risk biomarkers for subgroups of osteoarthritis using interpretable machine learning.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is increasing in prevalence and has a severe impact on patients' lives. However, our understanding of biomarkers driving OA risk remains limited. We developed a model predicting the five-year risk of OA diagnosis, integrating retrospective clinical, lifestyle and biomarker data from the UK Biobank (19,120 patients with OA, ROC-AUC: 0.

Three-dimensional modeling of a plasma in a strong azimuthal magnetic field.

Three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations are able to model the generation of disk-shaped plasma, driven by laser ablation from a current-carrying rod in a pulsed-power machine producing azimuthal magnetic fields of 2-3 MG. The plasma at such extreme conditions is unique in that the parameter space for the plasma β and Hall parameter χ transition from below unity to greater than unity at different stages of the plasma generation. In simulations, the formation of the plasma disk in the azimuthal direction is driven by heat flux from the laser spot and depends on the set of transport coefficients used in simulations.

Evaluation in vitro of the virulence of two entomopathogenic heterorhabditid nematodes in the control of Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae in byproducts of the sugar and alcohol industry.

Stomoxys calcitrans causes losses to livestock, mainly to cattle. This study aimed to determine the pathogenic potential of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88 and H. baujardi LPP7 against S.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Allotetraploid Species Using Polarized Genomic Sequences.

Phylogenetic analysis of polyploid hybrid species has long posed a formidable challenge as it requires the ability to distinguish between alleles of different ancestral origins in order to disentangle their individual evolutionary history. This problem has been previously addressed by conceiving phylogenies as reticulate networks, using a two-step phasing strategy that first identifies and segregates homoeologous loci and then, during a second phasing step, assigns each gene copy to one of the subgenomes of an allopolyploid species. Here, we propose an alternative approach, one that preserves the core idea behind phasing-to produce separate nucleotide sequences that capture the reticulate evolutionary history of a polyploid-while vastly simplifying its implementation by reducing a complex multistage procedure to a single phasing step.

GM-CSF: Orchestrating the Pulmonary Response to Infection.

This review summarizes the structure and function of the alveolar unit, comprised of alveolar macrophage and epithelial cell types that work in tandem to respond to infection. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) helps to maintain the alveolar epithelium and pulmonary immune system under physiological conditions and plays a critical role in restoring homeostasis under pathologic conditions, including infection. Given the emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome, understanding basic lung physiology in infectious diseases is especially warranted.

Infection and reinfection of Stomoxys calcitrans larvae (Diptera: Muscidae) by entomopathogenic nematodes in different times of exposure.

Stomoxys calcitrans is a hematophagous dipteran. Several agents are used in biological control, including entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). Bioassay I involved an evaluation of the effect of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88 and Heterorhabditis baujardi LPP7 on S.

Invasive fungal disease and the immunocompromised host including allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients: Improved understanding and new strategic approach with sargramostim.

In hosts with damaged or impaired immune systems such as those undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) or intensive chemotherapy, breakthrough fungal infections can be fatal. Risk factors for breakthrough infections include severe neutropenia, use of corticosteroids, extended use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and intensive care unit admission. An individual's cumulative state of immunosuppression directly contributes to the likelihood of experiencing increased infection risk.

Immune Immunomodulation in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Strategic Considerations for Personalized Therapeutic Intervention.

We are learning that the host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2) infection is complex and highly dynamic. Effective initial host defense in the lung is associated with mild symptoms and disease resolution. Viral evasion of the immune response can lead to refractory alveolar damage, ineffective lung repair mechanisms, and systemic inflammation with associated organ dysfunction.

A polygenic biomarker to identify patients with severe hypercholesterolemia of polygenic origin.

Background: Severe hypercholesterolemia (HC, LDL-C > 4.9 mmol/L) affects over 30 million people worldwide. In this study, we validated a new polygenic risk score (PRS) for LDL-C.

Recombinant human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor expressed in yeast (sargramostim): A potential ally to combat serious infections.

Granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), can direct the activation, proliferation and differentiation of myeloid-derived cells. It is also responsible for maturation and function of professional antigen presenting cells thereby impacting adaptive immune responses, while assisting to maintain epithelial barrier function. GM-CSF in combination with other endogenous cytokines and secondary stimuli, such as tumor necrosis factor can modulate pro-inflammatory monocyte priming via chromatin remodeling and enhanced transcriptional responses, a concept termed "trained immunity".

Data on energy consumption in the production of layered double hydroxides.

Electrocoagulation consists of the in-situ generation of the coagulant by the electro dissolution of sacrificial electrodes (Mg and Al). This technique, besides being normally used for water treatment, can be used to synthesize Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) or Hydrotalcites (HT) such as green rust, MgAlCl/LDH, and other oxides as Magnetite. The HT has a high tendency for water in the interlayer to be replaced by anions, these exchange characteristics generate a high interest in the fields of drug administration, photodegradation, catalyst supports, supercapacitors, and water oxidation.

Multilayered Tuning of Dosage Compensation and Z-Chromosome Masculinization in the Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) Butterfly.

In species with genetic sex determination, dosage compensation can evolve to equal expression levels of sex-linked and autosomal genes. Current knowledge about dosage compensation has mainly been derived from male-heterogametic (XX/XY) model organisms, whereas less is understood about the process in female-heterogametic systems (ZZ/ZW). In moths and butterflies, downregulation of Z-linked expression in males (ZZ) to match the expression level in females (ZW) is often observed.

Identification of disease-associated loci using machine learning for genotype and network data integration.

Motivation: Integration of different omics data could markedly help to identify biological signatures, understand the missing heritability of complex diseases and ultimately achieve personalized medicine. Standard regression models used in Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) identify loci with a strong effect size, whereas GWAS meta-analyses are often needed to capture weak loci contributing to the missing heritability. Development of novel machine learning algorithms for merging genotype data with other omics data is highly needed as it could enhance the prioritization of weak loci.

Clinical Outcomes and Healthcare Costs Associated with Laparoscopic Appendectomy in a Middle-Income Country with Universal Health Coverage.

Background: Although many studies have compared outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and open appendectomy (OA), some clinical and economic outcomes continue to be controversial, particularly in low-medium-income countries. We aimed at determining clinical and economic outcomes associated with LA versus OA in adult patients in Colombia.

Methods: Retrospective, cohort study based on administrative healthcare records included all patients who underwent LA or OA in Colombia's contributory regime between July 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015.

Gene expression profiling across ontogenetic stages in the wood white (Leptidea sinapis) reveals pathways linked to butterfly diapause regulation.

In temperate latitudes, many insects enter diapause (dormancy) during the cold season, a period during which developmental processes come to a standstill. The wood white (Leptidea sinapis) is a butterfly species distributed across western Eurasia that shows photoperiod-induced diapause with variation in critical day-length across populations at different latitudes. We assembled transcriptomes and estimated gene expression levels at different developmental stages in experimentally induced directly developing and diapausing cohorts of a single Swedish population of L.

Properties of human genes guided by their enrichment in rare and common variants.

We analyzed 563,099 common (minor allele frequency, MAF≥0.01) and rare (MAF < 0.01) genetic variants annotated in ExAC and UniProt and 26,884 disease-causing variants from ClinVar and UniProt occurring in the coding region of 17,975 human protein-coding genes.

Examining the importance of laboratory and diagnostic testing when treating and diagnosing onychomycosis.

Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection caused primarily by dermatophytes. Several other nail disorders, including psoriasis, can simulate onychomycosis. Accurate diagnosis is therefore vital for the ongoing treatment and management of onychomycosis and to avoid misdiagnosis and treatment delay, which can be both lengthy and costly.

Serum Adipsin Levels throughout Normal Pregnancy and Preeclampsia.

Adipsin is a protease produced at high levels by adipose tissue. It is involved in complement activation and metabolic control. The objective of this study was to determine the changes in adipsin levels during different stages of normal pregnancy, and its association with obstetric outcomes, such as preeclampsia.

Maternal serum omentin-1 profile is similar in humans and in the rat animal model.

Omentin-1 is an adipocytokine with anti-inflammatory activity that has been associated with different metabolic disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the serum profiles of omentin-1 throughout human and rat pregnancy. Serum omentin-1 levels were determined by ELISA in a prospective cohort study of healthy pregnant women (n=40) during the three trimesters of pregnancy and in twenty healthy non-pregnant women during the follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Maternal Serum Meteorin Levels and the Risk of Preeclampsia.

Background: Meteorin (METRN) is a recently described neutrophic factor with angiogenic properties. This is a nested case-control study in a longitudinal cohort study that describes the serum profile of METRN during different periods of gestation in healthy and preeclamptic pregnant women. Moreover, we explore the possible application of METRN as a biomarker.