Downscaling air temperatures for high-resolution niche modeling in a valley of the Amazon lowland forests: A case study on the microclima R package.

The forests of the Amazon basin are threatened by climate and land use changes. Due to the transition towards a drier climate, moisture-dependent organisms such as canopy epiphytes are particularly affected. Even if the topography in the Amazon lowland is moderate, mesoscale nocturnal katabatic flows result from cold air production related to radiative cooling.

Effects of multistrain Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus probiotics on HMO compositions after supplementation to pregnant women at threatening preterm delivery: design of the randomized clinical PROMO trial.

Background: As an indigestible component of human breast milk, Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) play an important role as a substrate for the establishing microbiome of the newborn. They have further been shown to have beneficial effects on the immune system, lung and brain development. For preterm infants HMO composition of human breast milk may be of particular relevance since the establishment of a healthy microbiome is challenged by multiple disruptive factors associated with preterm birth, such as cesarean section, hospital environment and perinatal antibiotic exposure.

Abnormal biomarkers predict complex FAS or FADD defects missed by exome sequencing.

Background: Elevated TCRαβCD4CD8 double-negative T cells (DNT) and serum biomarkers help identify FAS mutant patients with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS). However, in some patients with clinical features and biomarkers consistent with ALPS, germline or somatic FAS mutations cannot be identified on standard exon sequencing (ALPS-undetermined: ALPS-U).

Objective: We sought to explore whether complex genetic alterations in the FAS gene escaping standard sequencing or mutations in other FAS pathway-related genes could explain these cases.

Germline mutations and developmental mosaicism underlying -mutant lung cancer.

While the development of multiple primary tumors in smokers with lung cancer can be attributed to carcinogen-induced field cancerization, the occurrence of multiple primary tumors in individuals with -mutant lung cancer who lack known environmental exposures remains unexplained. We identified ten patients with early-stage, resectable non-small cell lung cancer who presented with multiple anatomically distinct -mutant tumors. We analyzed the phylogenetic relationships among multiple tumors from each patient using whole exome sequencing (WES) and hypermutable poly-guanine (poly-G) repeat genotyping, as orthogonal methods for lineage tracing.

Functional traits and trait coordination change over the life of a leaf in a tropical fern species.

Premise: Plant ecological strategies are often defined by the integration of underlying traits related to resource acquisition, allocation, and growth. Correlations between key traits across diverse plants suggest that variation in plant ecological strategies is largely driven by a fast-slow continuum of plant economics. However, trait correlations may not be constant through the life of a leaf, and it is still poorly understood how trait function varies over time in long-lived leaves.

TGF-β in the microenvironment induces a physiologically occurring immune-suppressive senescent state.

TGF-β induces senescence in embryonic tissues. Whether TGF-β in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) induces senescence in cancer and how the ensuing senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) remodels the cellular TME to influence immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) responses are unknown. We show that TGF-β induces a deeper senescent state under hypoxia than under normoxia; deep senescence correlates with the degree of E2F suppression and is marked by multinucleation, reduced reentry into proliferation, and a distinct 14-gene SASP.

Using in-tube extraction and slice selective NMR experiments allow imaging via statistical analysis of metabolic profiles.

Imaging the distribution of metabolites is very powerful in diagnostics but it is also employed in fundamental research. Although NMR spectroscopy is well established for determining metabolic profiles of biological samples, its application is limited to magnetic resonance imaging that can produce images of larger structures, but the number of detectable metabolites is very low. Mass spectrometry imaging on the other hand is well established with pixel sizes in the μm range.

Structural and biophysical characterization of the selenoprotein SelW1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Selenoprotein W is widespread among pro- and eukaryotic organisms. It possesses antioxidant activity and plays pivotal roles in mammalian embryonic development and cellular functions. A very simple, prototypical selenoprotein W is SelW1 from Chlamydomonas.

Simple and Rapid (Extraction) Protocol for NMR Metabolomics-Direct Measurement of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Metabolites Using Slice Selection.

Investigating the metabolic profiles of solid sample materials with solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy requires the extraction of these metabolites. This is commonly done by using two immiscible solvents such as water and chloroform for extraction. Subsequent solvent removal makes these extraction procedures very time-consuming.

Structural and biophysical characterization of the type VII collagen vWFA2 subdomain leads to identification of two binding sites.

Type VII collagen is an extracellular matrix protein, which is important for skin stability; however, detailed information at the molecular level is scarce. The second vWFA (von Willebrand factor type A) domain of type VII collagen mediates important interactions, and immunization of mice induces skin blistering in certain strains. To understand vWFA2 function and the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to skin blistering, we structurally characterized this domain by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy.

Maternally Inherited Differences within Mitochondrial Complex I Control Murine Healthspan.

Mitochondrial complex I-the largest enzyme complex of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation machinery-has been proposed to contribute to a variety of age-related pathological alterations as well as longevity. The enzyme complex-consisting proteins are encoded by both nuclear (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). While some association studies of mtDNA encoded complex I genes and lifespan in humans have been reported, experimental evidence and the functional consequence of such variants is limited to studies using invertebrate models.

Std fimbriae-fucose interaction increases Salmonella-induced intestinal inflammation and prolongs colonization.

Expression of ABO and Lewis histo-blood group antigens by the gastrointestinal epithelium is governed by an α-1,2-fucosyltransferase enzyme encoded by the Fut2 gene. Alterations in mucin glycosylation have been associated with susceptibility to various bacterial and viral infections. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a food-borne pathogen and a major cause of gastroenteritis.

Implementing Dietary Modifications and Assessing Nutritional Adequacy of Diets for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Guidelines for dietary recommendations and nutritional therapy for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are lacking, and patients are moving toward popular defined diets for relief of symptoms and inflammation. However, many proposed diets involve elimination of specific foods or food groups and may exacerbate or inadequately replete micronutrient deficiencies that are prevalent in patients with IBD at baseline. Further, limited data are available to guide clinicians on the use of dietary protocols for IBD.

A 90-day episode-of-care cost analysis of robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty.

Aim: To evaluate 90-day episode-of-care (EOC) costs associated with robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) versus manual TKA (mTKA).

Patients & Methods: TKA procedures were identified in Medicare 100% data. Accounting for baseline differences, propensity score matching was performed 1:5.

Prenatally detected umbilical cord tumor as a sign of diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis.

We report a case of a prenatally detected hemangioma of the umbilical cord as an early sign of diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis (DNH). The newborn was diagnosed with multiple hemangiomas in the liver, intestines, skin, and brain. Prenatal ultrasound findings, neonatal appearance of the hemangiomas, and the associated complications are illustrated.

H-NMR spectroscopy shows cellular uptake of HEPES buffer by human cell lines-an effect to be considered in cell culture experiments.

HEPES is commonly used in cell culture media as a buffering substance. Compared to the bicarbonate/CO buffer system, it does not require a CO atmosphere, thereby ensuring stable pH values during handling of cell culture media outside of an incubator. Due to its intrinsic charge, HEPES is considered not to be taken up by cells, which was a prerequisite during buffer development for cell culture by Good and colleagues.

Neutrophils Kill Antibody-Opsonized Cancer Cells by Trogoptosis.

Destruction of cancer cells by therapeutic antibodies occurs, at least in part, through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and this can be mediated by various Fc-receptor-expressing immune cells, including neutrophils. However, the mechanism(s) by which neutrophils kill antibody-opsonized cancer cells has not been established. Here, we demonstrate that neutrophils can exert a mode of destruction of cancer cells, which involves antibody-mediated trogocytosis by neutrophils.

Changes in Neutrophil Metabolism upon Activation and Aging.

Neutrophil activation is an important mechanism of host defense against pathogens. Chronic inflammation and autoimmunity are often associated with abnormalities in phenotype and functions of neutrophils. Since effector functions of immune cells during inflammation are tightly linked to their metabolic state, changes in neutrophil metabolome upon activation have been investigated in this study.

Olanzapine Reduces Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting Compared With Aprepitant in Myeloma Patients Receiving High-dose Melphalan Before Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) occurs in most patients who receive high-dose melphalan and significantly affects patients' quality of life during autologous stem cell transplantation. Faced with unsatisfactory results using an aprepitant-based regimen, an olanzapine-based regimen was initiated, with the hope of improving the incidence of acute and delayed CINV. A retrospective study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of olanzapine- versus aprepitant-based regimens for CINV prevention in adult hematopoietic stem cell recipients who received high-dose melphalan.

Effect of Common Species of Florida Landscaping Plants on the Efficacy of Attractive Toxic Sugar Baits Against Aedes albopictus.

Attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) was applied to 5 different types of commonly found plants in landscaping of northeastern Florida. The ATSB applications were assessed for possible plant effects and preference against Aedes albopictus in semifield evaluations. Positive and negative controls consisted of plants sprayed with attractive sugar bait (no toxicant) and plants with nothing applied.

Skin melanocytes and fibroblasts show different changes in choline metabolism during cellular senescence.

Unmodified cells undergo only a limited number of cell divisions until they enter a state termed cellular senescence. Other triggers like cytotoxic compounds can also induce cell senescence. Since cell senescence represents a major mechanism of tumor suppression this cellular state has attracted increasing attention.

Attractive Toxic Sugar Bait (ATSB) Mixed With Pyriproxyfen for Control of Larval Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Through Fecal Deposits of Adult Mosquitoes.

Studies were conducted to determine if pyriproxyfen, an insect growth regulator (IGR) added to attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs) and ingested by adult Aedes albopictus (Skuse), could be fecally disseminated into water to inhibit emergence of mosquitoes (EI). Experimental treatments consisted of four dilutions of pyriproxyfen (0.5, 1, 5, and 10 ppb) in ATSB, with attractive sugar bait (ASB) serving as the negative control.

Evaluations of dual attractant toxic sugar baits for surveillance and control of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Florida.

Background: Dual attractant toxic sugar baits (D-ATSB) containing two host kairomones, L-lactic (LA) and 1-octen-3-ol (O), and fruit-based attractants were evaluated through olfactory, consumption and mortality, and semi-field experiments to determine if host kairomones could first, enhance attraction of a fruit-based (attractant) toxic sugar bait (ATSB), and second, increase the efficacy of a fruit based attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB).

Methods: Four combinations of LA and O were incorporated into the ATSB and evaluated in an olfactometer to determine if these combinations could enhance attraction of Aedes aegypti (L.) to the bait.