ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling protein ATRX is an essential regulator involved in maintenance of DNA structure and chromatin state and regulation of gene expression during development. ATRX was originally identified as the monogenic cause of X-linked α-thalassemia mental retardation (ATR-X) syndrome. Affected individuals display a variety of developmental abnormalities and skeletal deformities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMolecular efflux is a mechanism through which bacteria actively expel undesirable substances. This is a crucial line of defense against toxic chemicals in harsh environments. Understanding how efflux works is critical for designing antimicrobial strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHere we present the Multisite Assembly of Gateway Induced Clones (MAGIC) system, which harnesses site-specific recombination-based cloning via Gateway technology for rapid, modular assembly of between 1 and 3 "Entry" vector components, all into a fourth, standard high copy "Destination" plasmid backbone. The MAGIC toolkit spans a range of in vitro and in vivo uses, from directing tunable gene expression, to driving simultaneous expression of microRNAs and fluorescent reporters, to enabling site-specific recombinase-dependent gene expression. All MAGIC system components are directly compatible with existing multisite gateway Tol2 systems currently used in zebrafish, as well as existing eukaryotic cell culture expression Destination plasmids, and available mammalian lentiviral and adenoviral Destination vectors, allowing rapid cross-species experimentation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Rheumatol
April 2024
Background: Clinical experience has shown that a single measure is not sufficient to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Various clinimetric tools are necessary to address the many clinical situations that can arise.
Methods: In order to develop a comprehensive measurement tool, the Pan American League of Associations for Rheumatology searched for the most frequent measures of disease activity applied in RA by means of a semi-systematic review of the available literature.
Graphene oxide (GO) has been developed as a very effective medium for filtration and removal of microbial contaminants in fuel. GO is capable of filtering out microorganisms without needing micrometer and submicrometer pores for filtration. Our previous studies showed that microorganisms are attracted by GO and bind irreversibly to GO without promoting bacterial growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe complexes involving MYBPA2, TT2b, and TT8 proteins are the critical regulators of ANR and LAR genes to promote the biosynthesis of proanthocyanidins in the leaves of Lotus spp. The environmental impact and health of ruminants fed with forage legumes depend on the herbage's concentration and structure of proanthocyanidins (PAs). Unfortunately, the primary forage legumes (alfalfa and clover) do not contain substantial levels of PAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntestinal malrotation is characterised by positional and congenital fixation abnormalities resulting from a failure in embryonic development in the normal 270° rotation around the axis of the superior mesenteric artery. Intestinal malrotation is primarily thought to affect neonates with an incidence of 1 in 500, however, only 1 in 6000 live births are symptomatic, and these usually present within the first month of life in 40% of cases and within the first year in over 5% of cases as an obstructive pathology or volvulus. In adults, however, the incidence has been documented at 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPylephlebitis is a suppurative thrombus of the portal vein and/or its branches secondary to an intra-abdominal infection. Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of emergency operation in general surgery and is typically treated with antibiotics and timely appendectomy with minimal adverse outcomes (Ferris M, Quan S, Kaplan BS, et al. The global incidence of appendicitis: a systematic review of population-based studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA main challenge in Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording technology is the build-up of contaminants called smear on the near field transducer. In this paper, we investigate the role of optical forces originating from the electric field gradient in the formation of smear. First, based on suitable theoretical approximations, we compare this force with air drag and the thermophoretic force in the head-disk interface for two smear nanoparticle shapes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFacial development requires a complex and coordinated series of cellular events that, when perturbed, can lead to structural birth defects. A quantitative approach to quickly assess morphological changes could address how genetic or environmental inputs lead to differences in facial shape and promote malformations. Here, we report on a method to rapidly analyze craniofacial development in zebrafish embryos using facial analytics based on a coordinate extrapolation system, termed zFACE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBacterial phytopathogens living on the surface or within plant tissues may experience oxidative stress because of the triggered plant defense responses. Although it has been suggested that polyamines can defend bacteria from this stress, the mechanism behind this action is not entirely understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of oxidative stress on the polyamine homeostasis of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and the functions of these compounds in bacterial stress tolerance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 51-year-old non-obese woman presented with a one-week history of progressive blurry vision within the inferior visual field of her left eye. Her only relevant past medical history was long-standing hypothyroidism and recent vaccination against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) with an mRNA vaccine 12 days before the onset of symptoms. At examination, the anterior segment was unremarkable, but the retinal fundus revealed a central retinal vein occlusion associated with a branch retinal artery occlusion of the superior temporal branch in her left eye.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Gastrointest Endosc
October 2022
Background: Tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEFs) can be described as a pathological communication between the trachea and the esophagus. According to their origin, they may be classified as benign or malignant. Benign TEFs occur mostly as a consequence of prolonged mechanical ventilation, particularly among patients exposed to endotracheal cuff overinflation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is an increased demand for real-time monitoring of biological and biochemical processes. While most sensor research focuses on physiological conditions, less has been done towards developing real-time biosensors that can operate in and survive exposure to extreme environments and harsh chemicals such as fuel. One interesting application is monitoring microbial load in fuel tanks to prevent both fuel spoilage and biocorrosion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo succeed in plant invasion, phytopathogenic bacteria rely on virulence mechanisms to subvert plant immunity and create favorable conditions for growth. This process requires a precise regulation in the production of important proteins and metabolites. Among them, the family of compounds known as polyamines have attracted considerable attention as they are involved in important cellular processes, but it is not known yet how phytopathogenic bacteria regulate polyamine homeostasis in the plant environment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genome resequencing of spontaneous glyphosate-resistant mutants derived from the soybean inoculant E109 allowed identifying genes most likely associated with the uptake (gltL and cya) and metabolism (zigA and betA) of glyphosate, as well as with nitrogen fixation (nifH). Mutations in these genes reduce the lag phase and improve nodulation under glyphosate stress. In addition to providing glyphosate resistance, the amino acid exchange Ser90Ala in NifH increased the citrate synthase activity, growth rate and plant growth-promoting efficiency of E109 in the absence of glyphosate stress, suggesting roles for this site during both the free-living and symbiotic growth stages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNon-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is a common, severe craniofacial malformation that imposes significant medical, psychosocial and financial burdens. NSCL/P is a multifactorial disorder with genetic and environmental factors playing etiologic roles. Currently, only 25% of the genetic variation underlying NSCL/P has been identified by linkage, candidate gene and genome-wide association studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEpithelial tissues sustain barrier function by removing and replacing aberrant or unfit cells. Here, we describe approaches to evaluate epithelial restorative capacity after inducing cell loss in zebrafish larvae. We provide details to quantify morphological changes to the tail fin epithelium after cell loss, and instructions to interrogate changes in gene expression and proliferation associated with replacement of the lost cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough legumes are of primary economic importance for human and livestock consumption, the information regarding signalling networks during plant stress response in this group is very scarce. is a major experimental model within the Leguminosae family, whereas and are frequent components of natural and agricultural ecosystems worldwide. These species display differences in their perception and response to diverse stresses, even at the genotype level, whereby they have been used in many studies aimed at achieving a better understanding of the plant stress-response mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrobiol Resour Announc
December 2021
Epithelia provide the first line of defense against foreign pathogens, and disruption of tissue homeostasis frequently allows for opportunistic infections. Here we provide a protocol for induction of epithelial cell loss in zebrafish larvae, followed by infection with fungal pathogens. Details are provided for monitoring larval survival after infection, assessment of fungal burden, and prophylactic treatment with antifungal compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoybean is the most inoculant-consuming crop in the world, carrying strains belonging to the extremely related species Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens. Currently, it is well known that B. japonicum has higher efficiency of soybean colonization than B.
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