Breaking the habit: isolating nicotine-degrading bacteria in undergraduate microbiology teaching labs.

Nicotine is a major alkaloid in tobacco plants and an addictive component of tobacco products. Some bacteria grow on tobacco plants and have evolved the ability to metabolize nicotine. As part of our microbiology teaching lab, we used minimal media with nicotine as the sole carbon source to isolate nicotine-degrading bacteria from tobacco leaves and commercial tobacco products.

Microglial phagolysosome dysfunction and altered neural communication amplify phenotypic severity in Prader-Willi Syndrome with larger deletion.

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder of genetic etiology, characterized by paternal deletion of genes located at chromosome 15 in 70% of cases. Two distinct genetic subtypes of PWS deletions are characterized, where type I (PWS T1) carries four extra haploinsufficient genes compared to type II (PWS T2). PWS T1 individuals display more pronounced physiological and cognitive abnormalities than PWS T2, yet the exact neuropathological mechanisms behind these differences remain unclear.

Loss of GIPR in LEPR cells impairs glucose control by GIP and GIP:GLP-1 co-agonism without affecting body weight and food intake in mice.

Objective: The glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) decreases body weight via central GIP receptor (GIPR) signaling, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we assessed whether GIP regulates body weight and glucose control via GIPR signaling in cells that express the leptin receptor (Lepr).

Methods: Hypothalamic, hindbrain, and pancreatic co-expression of Gipr and Lepr was assessed using single cell RNAseq analysis.

Epidemiology of COVID-19 in Infants in the United States: Incidence, Severity, Fatality, and Variants of Concern.

Background: The clinical spectrum of infant COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic infection to life-threatening illness, yet epidemiologic surveillance has been limited for infants.

Methods: Using COVID-19 case data (restricted to reporting states) and national mortality data, we calculated incidence, hospitalization, mortality and case fatality rates through March 2022.

Results: Reported incidence of COVID-19 was 64.

Dependency of NELF-E-SLUG-KAT2B epigenetic axis in breast cancer carcinogenesis.

Cancer cells undergo transcriptional reprogramming to drive tumor progression and metastasis. Using cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumor organoids, we demonstrate that loss of the negative elongation factor (NELF) complex inhibits breast cancer development through downregulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness-associated genes. Quantitative multiplexed Rapid Immunoprecipitation Mass spectrometry of Endogenous proteins (qPLEX-RIME) further reveals a significant rewiring of NELF-E-associated chromatin partners as a function of EMT and a co-option of NELF-E with the key EMT transcription factor SLUG.

Signalling inhibition by ponatinib disrupts productive alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT).

Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) supports telomere maintenance in 10-15% of cancers, thus representing a compelling target for therapy. By performing anti-cancer compound library screen on isogenic cell lines and using extrachromosomal telomeric C-circles, as a bona fide marker of ALT activity, we identify a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor ponatinib that deregulates ALT mechanisms, induces telomeric dysfunction, reduced ALT-associated telomere synthesis, and targets, in vivo, ALT-positive cells. Using RNA-sequencing and quantitative phosphoproteomic analyses, combined with C-circle level assessment, we find an ABL1-JNK-JUN signalling circuit to be inhibited by ponatinib and to have a role in suppressing telomeric C-circles.

Computational exploration of the dual role of the phytochemical fortunellin: Antiviral activities against SARS-CoV-2 and immunomodulatory abilities against the host.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections generate approximately one million virions per day, and the majority of available antivirals are ineffective against it due to the virus's inherent genetic mutability. This necessitates the investigation of concurrent inhibition of multiple SARS-CoV-2 targets. We show that fortunellin (acacetin 7-O-neohesperidoside), a phytochemical, is a promising candidate for preventing and treating coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by targeting multiple key viral target proteins.

Deciphering the role of the two conserved motifs of the ECF41 family σ factor in the autoregulation of its own promoter in Azospirillum brasilense Sp245.

In Azospirillum brasilense, an extra-cytoplasmic function σ factor (RpoE10) shows the characteristic 119 amino acid long C-terminal extension found in ECF41-type σ factors, which possesses three conserved motifs (WLPEP, DGGGR, and NPDKV), one in the linker region between the σ and σ , and the other two in the SnoaL_2 domain of the C-terminal extension. Here, we have described the role of the two conserved motifs in the SnoaL_2 domain of RpoE10 in the inhibition and activation of its activity, respectively. Truncation of the distal part of the C-terminal sequence of the RpoE10 (including NPDKV but excluding the DGGGR motif) results in its promoter's activation suggesting autoregulation.

Joint Effects of Socioeconomic Position, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender on COVID-19 Mortality among Working-Age Adults in the United States.

Substantial racial/ethnic and gender disparities in COVID-19 mortality have been previously documented. However, few studies have investigated the impact of individual socioeconomic position (SEP) on these disparities. To determine the joint effects of SEP, race/ethnicity, and gender on the burden of COVID-19 mortality.

Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Role of Pancreatic Secretome in COVID-19 Associated Multi-organ Dysfunctions.

The SARS-CoV-2 infection affects the lungs, heart, kidney, intestine, olfactory epithelia, liver, and pancreas and brings forward multi-organ dysfunctions (MODs). However, mechanistic details of SARS-CoV-2-induced MODs are unclear. Here, we have investigated the role of pancreatic secretory proteins to mechanistically link COVID-19 with MODs using single-cell transcriptome analysis.

Deciphering the link between Diabetes mellitus and SARS-CoV-2 infection through differential targeting of microRNAs in the human pancreas.

Purpose: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and Diabetes mellitus affect each other bidirectionally. However, the cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection on the incidence of diabetes is unclear. In the SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, host microRNAs (miRNAs) may target the native gene transcripts as well as the viral genomic and subgenomic RNAs.

Fatty acid oxidation is a druggable gateway regulating cellular plasticity for driving metastasis in breast cancer.

Cell state transitions control the functional behavior of cancer cells. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers cancer stem cell-like properties, enhanced tumorigenicity and drug resistance to tumor cells, while mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) reverses these phenotypes. Using high-throughput chemical library screens, retinoids are found to be potent promoters of MET that inhibit tumorigenicity in basal-like breast cancer.

Out-of-Hospital COVID-19 Deaths: Consequences for Quality of Medical Care and Accuracy of Cause of Death Coding.

To examine age and temporal trends in the proportion of COVID-19 deaths occurring out of hospital or in the emergency department and the proportion of all noninjury deaths assigned ill-defined causes in 2020. We analyzed newly released (March 2021) provisional COVID-19 death tabulations for the entire United States. Children (younger than 18 years) were most likely (30.

Evaluation of binding of potential ADMET/tox screened saquinavir analogues for inhibition of HIV-protease via molecular dynamics and binding free energy calculations.

Developing novel drug molecules against HIV is a scientific quest necessitated by development of drug resistance against used drugs. We report comparative results of molecular dynamics simulation studies on 11 structural analogues of Saquinavir (SQV) - against HIV-protease that were earlier examined for pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. We reported analogues S1, S5 and S8 to qualify the ADMET criterion and may be considered as potential lead molecules.

COVID-19 in Children in the United States: Intensive Care Admissions, Estimated Total Infected, and Projected Numbers of Severe Pediatric Cases in 2020.

Importance: A surge in severe cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) in children would present unique challenges for hospitals and public health preparedness efforts in the United States.

Objective: To provide evidence-based estimates of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and projected cumulative numbers of severely ill pediatric COVID-19 cases requiring hospitalization during the US 2020 pandemic.

Design: Empirical case projection study.

Food and Nutrient Intakes of Jamaican Immigrants in Florida.

This study assessed dietary intakes, nutritional composition, and identified commonly eaten foods among Jamaicans in Florida. Dietary intake was assessed among 44 study participants to determine commonly eaten foods and nutrient composition. Weighed recipes were collected and analyzed to determine nutrient composition for traditional foods.

Acculturation and dietary intake pattern among Jamaican immigrants in the US.

Information on dietary intakes of Jamaican immigrants in the United States is sparse. Understanding factors that influence diet is important since diet is associated with chronic diseases. This study examined the association between acculturation, socio-cultural factors, and dietary pattern among Jamaican immigrants in Florida.

Induced-Decay of Glycine Decarboxylase Transcripts as an Anticancer Therapeutic Strategy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma.

Self-renewing tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are thought to be responsible for tumor recurrence and chemo-resistance. Glycine decarboxylase, encoded by the GLDC gene, is reported to be overexpressed in TIC-enriched primary non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). GLDC is a component of the mitochondrial glycine cleavage system, and its high expression is required for growth and tumorigenic capacity.

Stoic beliefs and health: development and preliminary validation of the Pathak-Wieten Stoicism Ideology Scale.

Introduction: We developed and validated a new parsimonious scale to measure stoic beliefs. Key domains of stoicism are imperviousness to strong emotions, indifference to death, taciturnity and self-sufficiency. In the context of illness and disease, a personal ideology of stoicism may create an internal resistance to objective needs, which can lead to negative consequences.

Whole exome sequencing unveils a frameshift mutation in CNGB3 for cone dystrophy: A case report of an Indian family.

Rationale: Genetic elucidation of cone-dominated retinal dystrophies in Indian subcontinent is much needed to identify and catalog underlying genetic defects. In this context, the present study recruited a consanguineous Indian family affected with autosomal recessive cone dystrophy (CD). Considering the huge genetic heterogeneity and recessive inheritance of the disease, we chose to dissect out causal variant in this family by whole exome sequencing (WES).

Deciphering the Role of microRNAs in BRD4-NUT Fusion Gene Induced NUT Midline Carcinoma.

NUT midline carcinoma (NMC) is a very aggressive and lethal type of squamous epithelial cell cancer caused due to fusion of BRD4 and NUT genes. The gene fusion results into a new fusion protein that promotes oncogenesis. The detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the NMC are still not clear and new findings are urgently required to complement the current efforts.