Health-related quality of life in remitted psychotic depression.

Background: Some patients with major depression continue to demonstrate deficits in health-related quality of life (HRQL) following remission. No data exist, however, regarding HRQL in remitted psychotic depression. In this study, we aimed to characterize HRQL in patients with psychotic depression receiving controlled pharmacotherapy.

Cell Cycle-Dependent Regulation and Function of ARGONAUTE1 in Plants.

Regulated gene expression is key to the orchestrated progression of the cell cycle. Many genes are expressed at specific points in the cell cycle, including important cell cycle regulators, plus factors involved in signal transduction, hormonal regulation, and metabolic control. We demonstrate that post-embryonic depletion of Arabidopsis () ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1), the main effector of plant microRNAs (miRNAs), impairs cell division in the root meristem.

Characterization of the Spatial and Temporal Expression of Two Soybean miRNAs Identifies SCL6 as a Novel Regulator of Soybean Nodulation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) control expression of endogenous target genes through transcript cleavage or translational inhibition. Legume plants can form a specialized organ, the nodule, through interaction with nitrogen fixing soil bacteria. To understand the regulatory roles of miRNAs in the nodulation process, we functionally validated gma-miR171o and gma-miR171q and their target genes in soybean.

Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors of RnpA.

RnpA is thought to be a unique dual functional antimicrobial target that is required for two essential cellular processes, precursor tRNA processing and messenger RNA degradation. Herein, we used a previously described whole cell-based mupirocin synergy assay to screen members of a 53,000 compound small molecule diversity library and simultaneously enrich for agents with cellular RnpA inhibitory activity. A medicinal chemistry-based campaign was launched to generate a preliminary structure activity relationship and guide early optimization of two novel chemical classes of RnpA inhibitors identified, phenylcarbamoyl cyclic thiophene and piperidinecarboxamide.

The role of small or single-institution prospective studies in thoracic research.

Interventional studies are designed specifically to test the impact of a treatment or management strategy on an outcome of interest. In this article, we will highlight two viewpoints regarding the role of small or single-institution prospective interventional studies within the field of thoracic surgery: first, that these studies are beneficial and can positively impact the field, and second, that these studies can have such significant limitations that they may have no meaningful impact. We will also review elements that can make for successful design and execution of small prospective interventional studies.

Heat-Related Illnesses.

Heat-related illnesses comprise a spectrum of syndromes resulting from disruption of thermoregulation in people exposed to high environmental heat. Symptoms range from heat edema and exercise-associated muscle cramps to exercise-associated collapse, heat exhaustion, and life-threatening heat stroke. Athletes, outdoor laborers, and military personnel are at greatest risk.

Post-transcriptional adaptation of the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza under stress and hormonal stimuli.

The Lemnaceae family comprises aquatic plants of angiosperms gaining attention due to their utility in wastewater treatment, and rapid production of biomass that can be used as feed, fuel, or food. Moreover, it can serve as a model species for neotenous growth and environmental adaptation. The latter properties are subject to post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, meriting investigation of how miRNAs in Spirodela polyrhiza, the most basal and most thoroughly sequenced member of the family, are expressed under different growth conditions.

Chest computed tomography imaging improves potential lung donor assessment.

Objective: Chest computed tomography (CT) imaging is being increasingly used for potential lung donor assessment. However, the efficacy of CT imaging in this setting remains unknown. We hypothesize that chest CT imaging independently affects the decision-making process in donor lung utilization.

Unintended consequences of changes to lung allocation policy.

Organ allocation for transplantation aims to balance the principles of justice and medical utility to optimally utilize a scarce resource. To address practical considerations, the United States is divided into 58 donor service areas (DSA), each constituting the first unit of allocation. In November 2017, in response to a lawsuit in New York, an emergency action change to lung allocation policy replaced the DSA level of allocation for donor lungs with a 250 nautical mile circle around the donor hospital.

24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms.

Small RNAs are key regulators in plant growth and development. One subclass, phased siRNAs (phasiRNAs) require a trigger microRNA for their biogenesis. In grasses, two pathways yield abundant phasiRNAs during anther development; miR2275 triggers one class, 24-nt phasiRNAs, coincident with meiosis, while a second class of 21-nt phasiRNAs are present in premeiotic anthers.

Plant Extracellular Vesicles Contain Diverse Small RNA Species and Are Enriched in 10- to 17-Nucleotide "Tiny" RNAs.

Small RNAs (sRNAs) that are 21 to 24 nucleotides (nt) in length are found in most eukaryotic organisms and regulate numerous biological functions, including transposon silencing, development, reproduction, and stress responses, typically via control of the stability and/or translation of target mRNAs. Major classes of sRNAs in plants include microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs); sRNAs are known to travel as a silencing signal from cell to cell, root to shoot, and even between host and pathogen. In mammals, sRNAs are transported inside extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are mobile membrane-bound compartments that participate in intercellular communication.

Functional Genomics Reveals Synthetic Lethality between Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase and Oxidative Phosphorylation.

The plasticity of a preexisting regulatory circuit compromises the effectiveness of targeted therapies, and leveraging genetic vulnerabilities in cancer cells may overcome such adaptations. Hereditary leiomyomatosis renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC) is characterized by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) deficiency caused by fumarate hydratase (FH) nullizyogosity. To identify metabolic genes that are synthetically lethal with OXPHOS deficiency, we conducted a genetic loss-of-function screen and found that phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) inhibition robustly blocks the proliferation of FH mutant cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Technical Considerations for Lung Transplantation in Kartagener's Syndrome.

Kartagener's syndrome is a rare genetic disorder of ciliated epithelial cells associated with recurrent respiratory tract infections, bronchiectasis, and situs inversus. In some patients, the accumulation of airway secretions and recurrent infections lead to end-stage lung disease, for which lung transplantation is the only effective treatment. Anatomical variations, such as dextrocardia and pulmonary situs inversus, make the procedure challenging, yet feasible with certain technical modifications and careful preparation of donor lungs.

sRNA-FISH: versatile fluorescent in situ detection of small RNAs in plants.

Localization of mRNA and small RNAs (sRNAs) is important for understanding their function. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) has been used extensively in animal systems to study the localization and expression of sRNAs. However, current methods for fluorescent in situ detection of sRNA in plant tissues are less developed.

The Dominant and Poorly Penetrant Phenotypes of Maize Are Caused by DNA Methylation Changes at a Linked Transposon.

The maize () mutant () has been implicated in the epigenetic modifications of (), which regulates the production of the flavonoid pigments phlobaphenes. Here, we show that the gene maps to a genetically recalcitrant region near the centromere of chromosome 10. Transcriptome analysis of mutant and wild-type plants identified a candidate gene in the mapping region using a comparative sequence-based approach.

Induction Radiation Therapy for Esophageal Cancer: Does Dose Affect Outcomes?

Background: Wide variation is seen in the dosage of preoperative induction radiation therapy for esophageal cancer. We investigated associations between outcomes after esophagectomy and dosage of induction radiation therapy.

Methods: Patients undergoing induction radiation therapy (30 to 70 Gy), followed by esophagectomy, were identified from the National Cancer Database and classified as low (<40 Gy), standard (40 to 50.

Postoperative Pneumonia Prevention in Pulmonary Resections: A Feasibility Pilot Study.

Background: Pneumonia after pulmonary resection occurs in 5% to 12% of patients and causes substantial morbidity. Oral hygiene regimens lower the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonias; however, the impact in patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection is unknown. We conducted a prospective pilot study to assess the feasibility of an oral hygiene intervention in this patient cohort.

Efficiency and precision of microRNA biogenesis modes in plants.

Many evolutionarily conserved microRNAs (miRNAs) in plants regulate transcription factors with key functions in development. Hence, mutations in the core components of the miRNA biogenesis machinery cause strong growth defects. An essential aspect of miRNA biogenesis is the precise excision of the small RNA from its precursor.

Resting state functional connectivity in patients with remitted psychotic depression: A multi-centre STOP-PD study.

Background: There is paucity of neurobiological knowledge about major depressive disorder with psychotic features ("psychotic depression"). This study addresses this knowledge gap by using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) to compare functional connectivity in patients with psychotic depression and healthy controls.

Methods: We scanned patients who participated in a randomized controlled trial as well as healthy controls.

Graduate Subspecialty and Perceptions of Cardiothoracic Surgery Training: A 60-Year Retrospective Study.

Background: Recent initiatives in cardiothoracic (CT) surgery education have been aimed at early tracking, emphasizing specialization during the final years of residency. This study was performed to examine the impact of subspecialization on graduate assessment of quality of training and to identify educational gaps.

Methods: Surveys were sent to 119 surgeons who completed thoracic surgery residency at Washington University in St.