Integrons are key players in the spread of beta-lactamase-encoding genes.

Integrons mediate the acquisition and expression of gene cassettes (GCs). The production of beta-lactamases (BLs) is the most relevant mechanism of beta-lactams resistance. To explore the role of integrons in BL genes dissemination, we retrieved sequences and metadata from the INTEGRALL database and performed literature review.

Smart Speakers as an Environmental Control Unit for Severe Motor Dependence: The Case of a Young Adult with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a disease that primarily affects males and causes a gradual loss of muscle strength. This results in a deterioration of motor skills and functional mobility, which can impact the performance of various occupations. Individuals with DMD often rely heavily on caregivers to assist with daily activities, which can lead to caregiver burden.

Integron-associated genes are reliable indicators of antibiotic resistance in wastewater despite treatment- and seasonality-driven fluctuations.

The present study aims to characterize the bacterial community, resistome and integron abundance of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) over the course of 12 months and evaluate the year-long performance of integron-related genes as potential indicators of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in influents and effluents. For that, total DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rRNA-targeted metabarcoding, high-throughput (HT) qPCR (48 targets) and standard qPCR (5 targets). Targets included integrase genes, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and putative pathogenic groups.

G-quadruplex DNA structure is a positive regulator of transcription.

DNA structure can regulate genome function. Four-stranded DNA G-quadruplex (G4) structures have been implicated in transcriptional regulation; however, previous studies have not directly addressed the role of an individual G4 within its endogenous cellular context. Using CRISPR to genetically abrogate endogenous G4 structure folding, we directly interrogate the G4 found within the upstream regulatory region of the critical human oncogene.

MRT-ModSeq - Rapid detection of RNA modifications with MarathonRT.

Chemical modifications are essential regulatory elements that modulate the behavior and function of cellular RNAs. Despite recent advances in sequencing-based RNA modification mapping, methods combining accuracy and speed are still lacking. Here, we introduce MRT- ModSeq for rapid, simultaneous detection of multiple RNA modifications using MarathonRT.

RSCanner: rapid assessment and visualization of RNA structure content.

Motivation: The increasing availability of RNA structural information that spans many kilobases of transcript sequence imposes a need for tools that can rapidly screen, identify, and prioritize structural modules of interest.

Results: We describe RNA Structural Content Scanner (RSCanner), an automated tool that scans RNA transcripts for regions that contain high levels of secondary structure and then classifies each region for its relative propensity to adopt stable or dynamic structures. RSCanner then generates an intuitive heatmap enabling users to rapidly pinpoint regions likely to contain a high or low density of discrete RNA structures, thereby informing downstream functional or structural investigation.

Bioplastics: Innovation for Green Transition.

Bioplastics are one of the possible alternative solutions to the polymers of petrochemical origins. Bioplastics have several advantages over traditional plastics in terms of low carbon footprint, energy efficiency, biodegradability and versatility. Although they have numerous benefits and are revolutionizing many application fields, they also have several weaknesses, such as brittleness, high-water absorption, low crystallization ability and low thermal degradation temperature.

Population structure and genetic connectivity of the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) across nursery grounds from the Eastern Tropical Pacific: Implications for management and conservation.

Defining demographically independent units and understanding patterns of gene flow between them is essential for managing and conserving exploited populations. The critically endangered scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, is a coastal semi-oceanic species found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters. Pregnant females give birth in shallow coastal estuarine habitats that serve as nursery grounds for neonates and small juveniles, whereas adults move offshore and become highly migratory.

Report and Comparative Genomics of an NDM-5-Producing in a Portuguese Hospital: Complex Class 1 Integrons as Important Players in Spread.

Background: New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) has been spreading across the globe, but the causes of its success are poorly understood. We characterized a -positive strain from a Portuguese hospital and conducted comparative genomic analyses to understand the role of clonal background and horizontal gene transfer in dissemination.

Methods: After PCR screening and genome sequencing, Ec355340 was subjected to mating, transformation, and plasmid curing assays and MICs determination for several antibiotics.

Molecular and Computational Strategies to Increase the Efficiency of CRISPR-Based Techniques.

The prokaryote-derived Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas mediated gene editing tools have revolutionized our ability to precisely manipulate specific genome sequences in plants and animals. The simplicity, precision, affordability, and robustness of this technology have allowed a myriad of genomes from a diverse group of plant species to be successfully edited. Even though CRISPR/Cas, base editing, and prime editing technologies have been rapidly adopted and implemented in plants, their editing efficiency rate and specificity varies greatly.

A proposed multistage evaluation approach for Higher Education Institutions based on network Data envelopment analysis: A Brazilian experience.

The evaluation of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is a challenging task, due to the complexity inherent in the context in which they are inserted, the different institutional profiles, the variety of resources used and the results offered in the performance of their mission. In this way, the present study proposes an evaluative approach that aims to measure efficiency taking into account the diverse activities characteristic of university institutions. To this end, a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, known as Network DEA, is used, which encompasses the different processes and subprocesses that take place within these institutions.

Cell size controlled in plants using DNA content as an internal scale.

How eukaryotic cells assess and maintain sizes specific for their species and cell type remains unclear. We show that in the shoot stem cell niche, cell size variability caused by asymmetric divisions is corrected by adjusting the growth period before DNA synthesis. KIP-related protein 4 (KRP4) inhibits progression to DNA synthesis and associates with mitotic chromosomes.

controls plant architecture by locally restricting environmental responses.

The diversity and environmental plasticity of plant growth results from variations of repetitive modules, such as the basic shoot units made of a leaf, axillary bud, and internode. Internode elongation is regulated both developmentally and in response to environmental conditions, such as light quality, but the integration of internal and environmental signals is poorly understood. Here, we show that the compressed rosette growth habit of is maintained by the convergent activities of the organ boundary gene () and of the gibberellin-signaling genes.

Nitrogen and Stem Development: A Puzzle Still to Be Solved.

High crop yields are generally associated with high nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates. A growing tendency that is urgently demanding the adoption of precision technologies that manage N more efficiently, combined with the advances of crop genetics to meet the needs of sustainable farm systems. Among the plant traits, stem architecture has been of paramount importance to enhance harvest index in the cereal crops.

The global and local distribution of RNA structure throughout the SARS-CoV-2 genome.

SARS-CoV-2 is the causative viral agent of COVID-19, the disease at the center of the current global pandemic. While knowledge of highly structured regions is integral for mechanistic insights into the viral infection cycle, very little is known about the location and folding stability of functional elements within the massive, ∼30kb SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome. In this study, we analyze the folding stability of this RNA genome relative to the structural landscape of other well-known viral RNAs.

Genotypic and phenotypic traits of bla-carrying Escherichia coli strains from an UV-C-treated wastewater effluent.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are relevant sources of antibiotic resistance into aquatic environments. Disinfection of WWTPs' effluents (e.g.

Occurrence, antibiotic-resistance and virulence of E. coli strains isolated from mangrove oysters (Crassostrea gasar) farmed in estuaries of Amazonia.

Concentration of bacterial species indicative of fecal contamination in the gut of mangrove oysters (Crassostrea gasar) is a major concern for public health and food surveillance. Our work aimed to determine the occurrence, antibiotic-resistance, phylogenetic profile and virulence of Escherichia coli strains isolated from C. gasar farmed in four estuaries of Amazonia.

Bilateral R5-R8 sympathectomy for compensatory hyperhidrosis: complications and patient satisfaction.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life of patients who had undergone bilateral thoracic sympathectomy from R5 to R8 as a treatment for severe and debilitating compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH).

Methods: Twelve patients with severe and debilitating compensatory hyperhidrosis underwent extended sympathectomy (R5-R8) from September 2016 to May 2019 at the Hospital das Clínicas, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Outcomes such as the level of patient satisfaction with the operation, quality of life scores as well as postoperative complications were assessed.

Sensitive detection of structural features and rearrangements in long, structured RNA molecules.

Technical innovations in structural probing have drastically advanced the field of RNA structure analysis. These advances have led to parallel approaches developed in separate labs for analyzing RNA structure and dynamics. With the wealth of methodologies available, it can be difficult to determine which is best suited for a given application.

Phylogenetic Analysis with Improved Parameters Reveals Conservation in lncRNA Structures.

The existence of evolutionary conservation in base pairing is strong evidence for functional elements of RNA structure, although available tools for rigorous identification of structural conservation are limited. R-scape is a recently developed program for statistical prediction of pairwise covariation from sequence alignments, but it initially showed limited utility on long RNAs, especially those of eukaryotic origin. Here we show that R-scape can be adapted for a more powerful analysis of structure conservation in long RNA molecules, including mammalian lncRNAs.

Brassinosteroids, the Sixth Class of Phytohormones: A Molecular View from the Discovery to Hormonal Interactions in Plant Development and Stress Adaptation.

Phytohormones are natural chemical messengers that play critical roles in the regulation of plant growth and development as well as responses to biotic and abiotic stress factors, maintaining plant homeostasis, and allowing adaptation to environmental changes. The discovery of a new class of phytohormones, the brassinosteroids (BRs), almost 40 years ago opened a new era for the studies of plant growth and development and introduced new perspectives in the regulation of agronomic traits through their use in agriculture. BRs are a group of hormones with significant growth regulatory activity that act independently and in conjunction with other phytohormones to control different BR-regulated activities.

Total hip revision arthroplasty of high-risk pelvic vascular injury associated with an endovascular approach: a case report.

Vascular injury during a revision total hip revision arthroplasty surgery is an uncommon event; nonetheless, it is recognized as an intraoperative complication. Preoperative planning becomes imperative in such cases, especially when there is a conflict between the implanted material and the iliac vessels. Usually an ilioinguinal approach is used to identify the vascular structures at risk and isolate them from the prosthetic components, which increases the duration and morbidity of the procedure for the patient.

Fate of cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and ESBL-producers over a full-scale wastewater treatment process with UV disinfection.

Disinfection by UV radiation is one of the most promising solutions to reduce the bacterial load and antibiotic resistance in the final effluents of urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTP). Our aim was to evaluate the fate of cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producers in a full-scale system that includes UV-C disinfection. Over treatment, the abundance of cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae was reduced, with reductions of 1.

Electrostatic spraying in the chemical control of Triozoida limbata (Enderlein) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in guava trees (Psidium guajava L.).

Background: Owing to the difficulty in reaching targets during pesticide applications on guava trees, it is important to evaluate new technologies that may improve pest management. In electrostatic spraying, an electric force is added to the droplets to control their movements such that they are efficiently directed to the target. The present study evaluated the performance of electrostatic and non-electrostatic spraying in the control of the guava psyllid, the deposition of the spray mixture on the leaves and the losses to the soil.