Molecular genetic tools such as CRISPR-Cas gene editing systems are invaluable for understanding gene and protein function and revealing the details of a pathogen's life and disease cycles. Here we present protocols for genome editing in Phytophthora infestans, an oomycete with global importance as a pathogen of potato and tomato. Using a vector system that expresses variants of Cas12a from Lachnospiraceae bacterium and its guide RNA from a unified transcript, we first present a method for editing genes through the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints in overhead athletes. This study investigated the prevalence of the main risk factors and sex differences related to the development of shoulder pain in a cohort of amateur overhead athletes.
Hypothesis: The external rotation/internal rotation (ER/IR) isometric strength ratio <0.
Background: The dynamic evolution of the virus causing COVID-19 necessitates the development of adapted vaccines to protect against emerging variants.
Research Design And Methods: A combined Markov-decision tree model estimated the outcomes of alternative vaccination strategies. The Saudi Arabian population was stratified into standard-risk and high-risk subpopulations, defined as either the population comprising individuals aged ≥ 65 years and individuals with at least one comorbidity.
This study investigates cancer-related mutations (TA98 and YG5185 strains/Ames test), cell death (human A549 cell line/MTT assay) and unregulated pollutants (16 PAH, 13 carbonyls) from the gas exhaust emissions from a last-mile delivery vehicle following the WLTC driving cycle, operating with hydrotreated vegetable oil and biodiesel. Both biofuels were used pure and blended 20 % by volume with diesel fuel. Gas phase samples were collected using XAD-2 Amberlite® resin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To describe the clinical findings in an 11-year-old male with a history of hemifacial microsomia presenting with ocular ischemic syndrome secondary to large cerebral aneurysms.
Observations: An 11-year-old male with a history of hemifacial microsomia presented to the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Emergency Department complaining of nausea, diarrhea, headache, and decreased vision in the left eye. Visual acuity was light perception in the left eye and intraocular pressure was within normal limits.
Background: There is limited evidence about exercise performance during postoperative immobilization. This study aimed to quantify the muscle activity in the immobilized shoulder girdle in an abduction and neutral rotation position during a battery of contralateral activities and ipsilateral exercises of the upper limb in healthy volunteers and patients with unilateral shoulder pain (USP).
Methods: Thirty participants were included and grouped as without ( = 17) or with USP ( = 13).
Negative mental health outcomes are prevalent among veterans exposed to military-related stressors and are associated with social isolation. Limited research exists on resilience following military separation and its impact on social isolation in veterans. We examined resilience against military-related stressors and 2-year longitudinal associations with social isolation indicators; gender differences were also explored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSimian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV) infecting chimpanzees (SIVcpz) and sooty mangabeys (SIVsm) are, respectively, the biological precursors of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) Types 1 and 2. Former French colonies in West Africa are the regions where retroviruses first jumped from primates to humans. Ivory Coast is nowadays a country of over 29 million people, being 2% (580,000) persons living with HIV (PLWH).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderrepresentation of people from racial and ethnic minoritized groups in clinical trials threatens external validity of clinical and translational science, diminishes uptake of innovations into practice, and restricts access to the potential benefits of participation. Despite efforts to increase diversity in clinical trials, children and adults from Latino backgrounds remain underrepresented. Quality improvement concepts, strategies, and tools demonstrate promise in enhancing recruitment and enrollment in clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceuticals (Basel)
September 2024
The treatment of arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AAION), non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAAION), and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy (PION) is a topic of ongoing research with mixed evidence on some pharmacotherapies and a need for more consensus. This manuscript provides an overview of these conditions' current, potential future, and attempted pharmacotherapies. AAION's current treatment regimen consists of high-dose steroids, with methotrexate, tocilizumab, and abatacept, being the most viable steroid-sparing therapy candidates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe self-assembly of liquid crystal droplets and shells represents a captivating frontier in soft matter physics, promising precision engineering of functional materials. In this study, we delve into the phase behavior and investigate defect formation patterns in spherical shell-confined discotic liquid crystals (DLCs) through NpT Monte Carlo simulations. These shells are created by confining DLCs between two spherical surfaces, promoting the same anchoring.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Acute agitation is a common presenting symptom in medical and mental health emergencies that may require pharmacologic intervention. There is a manufacturer recommendation against intramuscular coadministration of olanzapine with parenteral (intramuscular or intravenous) benzodiazepines despite a deficiency of high-quality evidence. The purpose of this study was to contribute to available literature regarding intramuscular olanzapine and parenteral benzodiazepine use in acutely agitated patients in the emergency department (ED).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTree growth and longevity trade-offs fundamentally shape the terrestrial carbon balance. Yet, we lack a unified understanding of how such trade-offs vary across the world's forests. By mapping life history traits for a wide range of species across the Americas, we reveal considerable variation in life expectancies from 10 centimeters in diameter (ranging from 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe describe the geographical variation in tree species composition across Amazonian forests and show how environmental conditions are associated with species turnover. Our analyses are based on 2023 forest inventory plots (1 ha) that provide abundance data for a total of 5188 tree species. Within-plot species composition reflected both local environmental conditions (especially soil nutrients and hydrology) and geographical regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOn May 23-24, 2024, the 1 Spanish Conference on Genomic Medicine convened in Madrid, Spain. An international and multidisciplinary group of experts gathered to discuss the current state and prospects of genomic medicine in the Spanish-speaking world. There were 278 attendees from Latin America, US, UK, Germany, and Spain, and the topics covered included rare diseases, genome medicine in national health systems (NHSs), artificial intelligence, and commercial development ventures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProteins are localized and concentrated at cellular and genomic locations for specific and efficient functions. Efforts to understand protein accumulation in eukaryotic organisms have primarily focused on multivalent interactions between intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) as mediators of protein condensation. We previously showed that α-crystalline domain (ACD) proteins 15 (ACD15) and 21 (ACD21) were required for multimerization and the accumulation of gene-silencing methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 6 (MBD6) at chromocenters in .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in veterans and associated with impairments in family functioning, including parenting. There is a bidirectional relationship between PTSD and familial functioning such that impaired functioning is related to increases in trauma-related symptoms, and vice versa. Despite this known bidirectional association, there is currently no trauma-informed parenting intervention available for veterans within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderstanding the interfacial electronic structures of organic semiconductor phthalocyanines (MePc) and graphene is essential for their practical application in various fields. In this study, we investigated the electronic structure and the tuning of the work function of free metal phthalocyanine (Pc4), cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc), and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) molecules deposited on a graphene monolayer using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). We found that the functionalization of MePc molecules induces p-doping to the graphene substrate due to the charge transfer mechanism with the MePc molecule.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis is a presentation of a common symptom, acute chest pain, with a rare etiology and the relevant implications of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). In a tertiary hospital in South Florida, during the fall of 2023, an adult female patient with acute chest pain was admitted to the internal medicine ward. The ECG demonstrated no acute ischemic changes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the field of hydrocracking reactions, achieving optimal middle distillate yields remains a persistent challenge with commercially available zeolite Y catalysts. This limitation is attributed to challenges related to diffusion constraints within the catalyst. In response, we present a promising solution not only to these problems but also to the challenges encountered in nanosized Y zeolites when attempting to generate acidic sites within their structure and when analyzing their performance in vacuum gas oil hydrocracking.
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