A retrospective observational study to estimate the risk of HLA alloimmunization with blood transfusion: Can the risk be reduced by leucodepletion?

Background: In this retrospective study, our aim was to find the effect of leucodepleted (LD) blood transfusions on the formation of anti-HLA-antibodies when compared to non-leucodepleted (non-LD) transfusions using Luminex-based method.

Methods: In this study, Luminex single antigen bead assay (L-SAB) and HLA typing were performed on 310 patients. Test positivity rates (as MFI - Mean florescence intensity) were analyzed according to the different sensitization events and gender.

Genome-wide identification, characterization and primer designing of simple sequence repeats across Leguminosae family.

Legumes are important clade of commercially important family Leguminosae that mainly include medicinal, flowering and edible plants. Although the genomic sequence of legumes is accessible, only the limited number of effective simple sequence repeat markers has been identified by prior research. Additional polymorphic simple sequence repeats marker discovery will aid in the genetics and breeding of legumes.

Artificial Intelligence for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery.

The continuous implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in multiple scientific domains and the rapid advancement in computer software and hardware, along with other parameters, have rapidly fuelled this development. The technology can contribute effectively in solving many challenges and constraints in the traditional development of the drug. Traditionally, large-scale chemical libraries are screened to find one promising medicine.

Detection of donor-specific HLA antibodies: A retrospective observation in 350 renal transplant cases.

Background: The main objective of this study was to determine the results of the cell-based assay (CDC-XM and FC-XM), and correlate with the results of solid phase assay (L-SAB).

Methods: In this retrospective study, 350 prospective renal transplant recipients were tested for the presence of HLA antibodies by CDC-XM, FC-XM and L-SAB screening with their corresponding donor.

Results: T-cell-FC-XM showed a sensitivity of 71.

A case of successful desensitization using therapeutic plasma exchange in high-risk HLA incompatible kidney transplantation.

Advances in immune suppression therapies and desensitization have made possible kidney transplantation regardless of HLA incompatibility. Single antigen bead assay (SAB) is a semi-quantitative estimation of the amount of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies present in the recipient plasma, and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) generated gives this rough estimation of the antibodies present in the recipient. Here we present a case of successful kidney transplantation in a patient who expressed DSA with high MFI.

Continuous circular closure in unilateral cleft lip and plate repair in one surgery.

The study aims at assessing wound healing and safety of single-stage two-layers continuous closure in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). In this retrospective, descriptive cohort study, we assessed wound healing without fistula formation at 1, 3, and 6 months after a single-stage two-layer UCLP repair, in which the midline suture is continuously circular all along the oral and nasal sides. We examined lengths of hospital stay and the incidence of intra- and postoperative adverse events.

Mechanical Anastomotic Coupling Device versus Hand-sewn Venous Anastomosis in Head and Neck Reconstruction-An Analysis of 1694 Venous Anastomoses.

 There is a steep learning curve to attain a consistently good result in microvascular surgery. The venous anastomosis is a critical step in free-tissue transfer. The margin of error is less and the outcome depends on the surgeon's skill and technique.

Genome-wide identification of Argonautes in Solanaceae with emphasis on potato.

Regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) play important roles in many fundamental processes in plant biology such as development, fertilization and stress responses. The AGO protein family has here a central importance in gene regulation based on their capacity to associate with sRNAs followed by mRNA targeting in a sequence-complementary manner. The present study explored Argonautes (AGOs) in the Solanaceae family, with emphasis on potato, Solanum tuberosum (St).

Implications of a Genetic Etiology for Renal Transplant: Early-Onset Alport Syndrome with a Novel Mutation.

Alport's syndrome (AS) is a rare disorder characterized by a triad of deafness, progressive renal dysfunction, and ocular abnormalities. We presented a patient of early onset AS with a novel frameshift pathogenic variant in the and discuss the utility of genetic testing in the family as well as for the transplant recipient. The patient was a 17-year-old adolescent male with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and hearing loss.

SRSF2 Regulation of Reveals Splicing as a Therapeutic Vulnerability of the p53 Pathway.

is an oncogene and critical negative regulator of tumor suppressor p53. Genotoxic stress causes alternative splicing of transcripts, which leads to alterations in p53 activity and contributes to tumorigenesis. is one of the alternatively spliced transcripts predominantly produced in response to genotoxic stress, and is comprised of terminal coding exons 3 and 12.

Molecular characterization and protein structure prediction of heat shock transcriptional factors in goat () and sheep ().

The heat shock factors are important as they are master regulator of heat shock response. There are only few mammalian which have been characterized, namely , , and . The present study was aimed to clone and sequence characterize the partial open reading frames (ORFs) of and gene from cDNA isolated from testicular tissue of sheep (Macheri) and goat (Beetal).

Rbfox-Splicing Factors Maintain Skeletal Muscle Mass by Regulating Calpain3 and Proteostasis.

Maintenance of skeletal muscle mass requires a dynamic balance between protein synthesis and tightly controlled protein degradation by the calpain, autophagy-lysosome, and ubiquitin-proteasome systems (proteostasis). Several sensing and gene-regulatory mechanisms act together to maintain this balance in response to changing conditions. Here, we show that deletion of the highly conserved Rbfox1 and Rbfox2 alternative splicing regulators in adult mouse skeletal muscle causes rapid, severe loss of muscle mass.

Molecular evolution and diversification of the SMXL gene family.

Strigolactones (SLs) are a relatively recent addition to the list of plant hormones that control different aspects of plant development. SL signalling is perceived by an α/β hydrolase, DWARF 14 (D14). A close homolog of D14, KARRIKIN INSENSTIVE2 (KAI2), is involved in perception of an uncharacterized molecule called karrikin (KAR).

Argonaute 8 (AGO8) Mediates the Elicitation of Direct Defenses against Herbivory.

In , specific RNA-directed RNA polymerase (RdR1) and the Dicer-like (DCL3 and DCL4) proteins are recruited during herbivore attack to mediate the regulation of defense responses. However, the identity and role(s) of Argonautes (AGOs) involved in herbivory remain unknown. Of the 11 AGOs in the genome, we silenced the expression of 10.

Phylogenetic and Evolutionary Analysis of Plant ARGONAUTES.

Comparative sequence analysis is widely used for the reconstruction of phylogeny and for understanding the evolutionary history of gene families. Here, we describe the methodologies to reconstruct the phylogenetic and evolutionary history of a gene family across genomes with a focus on the ARGONAUTE (AGO) family of proteins in plants. The method described here may easily be adapted for studying molecular evolution of a wide variety of gene families.

Genome-wide characterization of cellulases from the hemi-biotrophic plant pathogen, , reveals the presence of a highly stable GH7 endoglucanase.

Background: is a filamentous fungus that causes spot blotch disease in cereals like wheat and has severe economic consequences. However, information on the identities and role of the cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDE) in is very limited. Several fungi produce CWDE like glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) that help in host cell invasion.

Evolution of structural and functional diversification among plant Argonautes.

Argonautes (AGOs) are the effector proteins of the RNA-induced silencing (RISC) complex, formed during the phenomena of small-RNA mediated post-transcriptional gene silencing. AGOs are a large family of proteins; their number varies from a few (4 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) to many (18 in Oryza sativa) in plants. Genetics-guided analysis have demonstrated the roles of some of the AGOs during growth and development of plants.

Splicing factor SRSF1 negatively regulates alternative splicing of MDM2 under damage.

Genotoxic stress induces alternative splicing of the oncogene MDM2 generating MDM2-ALT1, an isoform attributed with tumorigenic properties. However, the mechanisms underlying this event remain unclear. Here we explore MDM2 splicing regulation by utilizing a novel minigene that mimics endogenous MDM2 splicing in response to UV and cisplatinum-induced DNA damage.

Pumilio1 haploinsufficiency leads to SCA1-like neurodegeneration by increasing wild-type Ataxin1 levels.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a paradigmatic neurodegenerative proteinopathy, in which a mutant protein (in this case, ATAXIN1) accumulates in neurons and exerts toxicity; in SCA1, this process causes progressive deterioration of motor coordination. Seeking to understand how post-translational modification of ATAXIN1 levels influences disease, we discovered that the RNA-binding protein PUMILIO1 (PUM1) not only directly regulates ATAXIN1 but also plays an unexpectedly important role in neuronal function. Loss of Pum1 caused progressive motor dysfunction and SCA1-like neurodegeneration with motor impairment, primarily by increasing Ataxin1 levels.

Molecular evolution and diversification of the Argonaute family of proteins in plants.

Background: Argonaute (AGO) proteins form the core of the RNA-induced silencing complex, a central component of the smRNA machinery. Although reported from several plant species, little is known about their evolution. Moreover, these genes have not yet been cloned from the ecological model plant, Nicotiana attenuata, in which the smRNA machinery is known to mediate important ecological traits.

The RNA-binding protein Rbfox1 regulates splicing required for skeletal muscle structure and function.

The Rbfox family of RNA-binding proteins is highly conserved with established roles in alternative splicing (AS) regulation. High-throughput studies aimed at understanding transcriptome remodeling have revealed skeletal muscle as displaying one of the largest number of AS events. This finding is consistent with requirements for tissue-specific protein isoforms needed to sustain muscle-specific functions.