Cryo-EM analysis of complement C3 reveals a reversible major opening of the macroglobulin ring.

The C3 protein is the central molecule within the complement system and undergoes proteolytic activation to C3b in the presence of pathogens. Pattern-independent activation of C3 also occurs via hydrolysis, resulting in C3(HO), but the structural details of C3 hydrolysis remain elusive. Here we show that the conformation of the C3(HO) analog, C3MA, is indistinguishable from C3b.

Butyrate increases cardiac output and causes vasorelaxation in a healthy porcine model.

Background: Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, has shown potential to improve left ventricular (LV) function and induce vasorelaxation in rodents. Butyrate may either be produced by the microbiome in the colon, be ingested or administered intravenously. This study aimed to evaluate effects of butyrate on cardiac output (CO) and associated hemodynamic variables in a porcine model.

Prevalence of thoracic degenerative MRI findings and association with pain and disability: a systematic review.

Objectives: To systematically review the literature on the prevalence of degenerative MRI findings in the thoracic spine and their association with pain and disability.

Materials And Methods: The Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases were searched. Two independent reviewers screened the articles, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias (RoB) using a modified version of the Hoy tool for articles on prevalence and QUADAS-2 for articles on associations.

Virseqimprover: an integrated pipeline for viral contig error correction, extension, and annotation.

Despite the recent surge of viral metagenomic studies, it remains a significant challenge to recover complete virus genomes from metagenomic data. The majority of viral contigs generated from de novo assembly programs are highly fragmented, presenting significant challenges to downstream analysis and inference. To address this issue, we have developed Virseqimprover, a computational pipeline that can extend assembled contigs to complete or nearly complete genomes while maintaining extension quality.

Validation of a Cancer-Focused Information Seeking Experience (ISEE) Scale.

Background: Searching for health information is critical for maintaining one's health and reducing risk of disease, including cancer. However, some people are more likely to experience challenges in finding and comprehending health information; therefore, it is important to measure health information-seeking behavior. In order to add to prior research conducted with the scale, this study provides the first formal evaluation of the validity and reliability of the four-item, cancer-focused Information Seeking Experience (ISEE) scale in a cross-sectional, nationally representative health survey of U.