Research Progress in Diffusion Spectrum Imaging.

Studies have demonstrated that many regions in the human brain include multidirectional fiber tracts, in which the diffusion of water molecules within image voxels does not follow a Gaussian distribution. Therefore, the conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) that hypothesizes a single fiber orientation within a voxel is intrinsically incapable of revealing the complex microstructures of brain tissues. Diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) employs a pulse sequence with different b-values along multiple gradient directions to sample the diffusion information of water molecules in the entire q-space and then quantitatively estimates the diffusion profile using a probability density function with a high angular resolution.

Argonaute 5-mediated antiviral defense and viral counter-defense in Nicotiana benthamiana.

The argonaute (AGO) family proteins play a crucial role in preventing viral invasions through the plant antiviral RNA silencing pathway, with distinct AGO proteins recruited for specific antiviral mechanisms. Our previous study revealed that Nicotiana benthamiana AGO5 (NbAGO5) expression was significantly upregulated in response to bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) infection. However, the roles of NbAGO5 in antiviral mechanisms remained to be explored.

The Role of Plant Transcription Factors in the Fight against Plant Viruses.

Plants are vulnerable to the challenges of unstable environments and pathogen infections due to their immobility. Among various stress conditions, viral infection is a major threat that causes significant crop loss. In response to viral infection, plants undergo complex molecular and physiological changes, which trigger defense and morphogenic pathways.

Relationship between gray matter structure and age in children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.

Objective: The present study used magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the difference in the relationship between gray matter structure and age in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) subjects.

Methods: After screening T1 structural images from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database, 111 children and adolescents (7-18 years old) with high-functioning ASD and 151 TD subjects matched for age, sex and full IQ were included in the current study. By using the voxel-based morphological analysis method, gray matter volume/density (GMV/GMD) maps were obtained for each participant.

Multiparameter single-cell proteomic technologies give new insights into the biology of ovarian tumors.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Its diagnosis at advanced stage compounded with its excessive genomic and cellular heterogeneity make curative treatment challenging. Two critical therapeutic challenges to overcome are carboplatin resistance and lack of response to immunotherapy.

Chemical Synthesis of the Nonreducing Hexasaccharide Fragment of Axinelloside A Based on a Stepwise Glycosylation Approach.

An expedient synthesis of the nonreducing hexasaccharide fragment of axinelloside A has been completed via a linear stepwise glycosylation approach. Challenges involved in the synthesis include the highly stereoselective construction of five consecutive 1,2--glycosidic linkages and the formation of a sterically crowded 2,3-disubstituted l-fucoside subunit. Protecting group-directing glycosylation strategies such as the remote participation effect of the benzoyl substituent and the stereocontrolling effect of the 4,6--benzylidene group were employed for the synthesis of the desired 1,2--glycosidic linkages.

Characterization of Virus-Inducible Orchid Argonaute 5b Promoter and Its Functional Characterization in during Virus Infection.

Plant ARGONAUTES (AGOs) play a significant role in the defense against viral infection. Previously, we have demonstrated that AGO5s encoded in subsp. (PaAGO5s) took an indispensable part in defense against major viruses.

Hybrid Fluorescent Mass-Tag Nanotrackers as Universal Reagents for Long-Term Live-Cell Barcoding.

Barcoding and pooling cells for processing as a composite sample are critical to minimize technical variability in multiplex technologies. Fluorescent cell barcoding has been established as a standard method for multiplexing in flow cytometry analysis. In parallel, mass-tag barcoding is routinely used to label cells for mass cytometry.

NbNAC42 and NbZFP3 Transcription Factors Regulate the Virus Inducible Promoter in .

Plant argonautes (AGOs) play important roles in the defense responses against viruses. The expression of gene () is highly induced by (BaMV) infection; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we have analyzed the potential promoter activities of and its interactions with viral proteins by using a 2,000 bp fragment, designated as PN1, upstream to the translation initiation of PN1 and seven serial 5'-deletion mutants (PN2-PN8) were fused with a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter and introduced into the genome by -mediated transformation for further characterization.

Measuring trogocytosis between ovarian tumor and natural killer cells.

Trogocytosis is an active transport mechanism by which one cell extracts a plasma membrane fragment with embedded molecules from an adjacent cell in a contact-dependent process leading to the acquisition of a new function. Our protocol, which has general applicability, consolidates and optimizes existing protocols while highlighting key experimental variables to demonstrate that natural killer (NK) cells acquire the tetraspanin CD9 by trogocytosis from ovarian tumor cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gonzalez et al.

Chemical Synthesis and Antigenic Evaluation of Inner Core Oligosaccharides from Acinetobacter baumannii Lipopolysaccharide.

Acinetobacter baumannii is currently posing a serious threat to global health. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent virulence factor of pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. To explore the antigenic properties of A.

First Report of Distinct (BaMV) Isolates Infecting in Vietnam and the Identification of a Highly Variable Region in the BaMV Genome.

New isolates of the (BaMV) were identified in bamboo in Vietnam. Sequence analyses revealed that the Vietnam isolates are distinct from all known BaMV strains, sharing the highest sequence identities (about 77%) with the Yoshi isolates reported in California, USA. Unique satellite RNAs were also found to be associated with the BaMV Vietnam isolates.

Mass Cytometry for the Characterization of Individual Cell Types in Ovarian Solid Tumors.

Mass cytometry aka Cytometry by Time-Of-Flight (CyTOF) is one of several recently developed multiparametric single-cell technologies designed to address cellular heterogeneity within healthy and diseased tissue. Mass cytometry is an adaptation of flow cytometry in which antibodies are labeled with stable heavy metal isotopes and the readout is by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. With minimal spillover between channels, mass cytometry enables readouts of up to 60 parameters per single cell.

Voltage-dependent anion channel proteins associate with dynamic Bamboo mosaic virus-induced complexes.

Infection cycles of viruses are highly dependent on membrane-associated host factors. To uncover the infection cycle of Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) in detail, we purified the membrane-associated viral complexes from infected Nicotiana benthamiana plants and analyzed the involved host factors. Four isoforms of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) proteins on the outer membrane of mitochondria were identified due to their upregulated expression in the BaMV complex-enriched membranous fraction.

High-grade serous ovarian tumor cells modulate NK cell function to create an immune-tolerant microenvironment.

Tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is unresponsive to immune checkpoint blockade despite significant frequencies of exhausted T cells. Here we apply mass cytometry and uncover decidual-like natural killer (dl-NK) cell subpopulations (CD56+CD9+CXCR3+KIR+CD3-CD16-) in newly diagnosed HGSC samples that correlate with both tumor and transitioning epithelial-mesenchymal cell abundance. We show different combinatorial expression patterns of ligands for activating and inhibitory NK receptors within three HGSC tumor compartments: epithelial (E), transitioning epithelial-mesenchymal (EV), and mesenchymal (vimentin expressing [V]), with a more inhibitory ligand phenotype in V cells.

Exploring the Multifunctional Roles of Odontoglossum Ringspot Virus P126 in Facilitating Cymbidium Mosaic Virus Cell-to-Cell Movement during Mixed Infection.

Synergistic interactions among viruses, hosts and/or transmission vectors during mixed infection can alter viral titers, symptom severity or host range. Viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSRs) are considered one of such factors contributing to synergistic responses. Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) and cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV), which are two of the most significant orchid viruses, exhibit synergistic symptom intensification in orchids with unilaterally enhanced CymMV movement by ORSV.

Argonaute 5 family proteins play crucial roles in the defence against Cymbidium mosaic virus and Odontoglossum ringspot virus in Phalaenopsis aphrodite subsp. formosana.

The orchid industry faces severe threats from diseases caused by viruses. Argonaute proteins (AGOs) have been shown to be the major components in the antiviral defence systems through RNA silencing in many model plants. However, the roles of AGOs in orchids against viral infections have not been analysed comprehensively.

Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Poaceae Using a Foxtail Mosaic Virus Vector.

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful tool for rapidly knocking down the expression of plant genes to elucidate functional genomics. We have established a VIGS vector for monocot plants derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. For silencing a targeted gene, plant gene fragment was inserted into the vector between open reading frame 4 (ORF4) and ORF5 under the control of a duplicated coat protein promoter.

Autophagy is involved in assisting the replication of Bamboo mosaic virus in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Autophagy plays a critical role in plants under biotic stress, including the response to pathogen infection. We investigated whether autophagy-related genes (ATGs) are involved in infection with Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV), a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Initially, we observed that BaMV infection in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves upregulated the expression of ATGs but did not trigger cell death.

Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen Suppresses RNA Replication of through an Interaction with the Viral Genome.

(BaMV), a member of the genus, has a monopartite positive-strand RNA genome on which five open reading frames (ORFs) are organized. ORF1 encodes a 155-kDa nonstructural protein (REP) that plays a core function in replication/transcription of the viral genome. To find out cellular factors modulating the replication efficiency of BaMV, a putative REP-associated protein complex from leaf was isolated on an SDS-PAGE gel, and a few proteins preferentially associated with REP were identified by tandem mass spectrometry.

Exogenous regucalcin negatively regulates the progression of cervical adenocarcinoma.

Cervical adenocarcinoma (CA) is a type of cervical cancer, and in previous decades its incidence has steadily increased. The upregulation of regucalcin (RGN) in various tumor cell types inhibits the progression of cancer. To understand the role of RGN in CA, RGN expression in human cervical cancer compared with normal tissues was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA).

A mechanism of regucalcin knock-down in the promotion of proliferation and movement of human cervical cancer HeLa cells.

Background: Regucalcin (RGN) has been reported to have inhibitory effects on the proliferation and migration of many cancer cells. In this research, RGN expression has been silenced to study its effects on human cervical cancer HeLa cells.

Methods: Lentivirus mediated siRNA was infected into HeLa cells by lentivirus vector.