Disruption of the epigenetic regulator locus in hematopoietic cells phenocopies the profibrotic attributes of Y chromosome loss in heart failure.

Heart failure affects millions of people worldwide, with men exhibiting a higher incidence than women. Our previous work has shown that mosaic loss of the Y chromosome (LOY) in leukocytes is causally associated with an increased risk for heart failure. Here, we show that LOY macrophages from the failing hearts of humans with dilated cardiomyopathy exhibit widespread changes in gene expression that correlate with cardiac fibroblast activation.

Clonal Hematopoiesis in Clinical and Experimental Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background: Clonal hematopoiesis (CH), which results from an array of nonmalignant driver gene mutations, can lead to altered immune cell function and chronic disease, and has been associated with worse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. However, the role of CH in the prognosis of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been understudied. This study aimed to characterize CH in patients with HFpEF and elucidate its causal role in a murine model.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of violaceoid D, a cytotoxic alkylated phenol isolated from Aspergillus violaceofuscus Gasperini.

The enantioselective synthesis of violaceoid D, a cytotoxic phenolic compound isolated from the culture broth of Aspergillus violaceofuscus Gasperini, was achieved. The total synthesis involves stereoselective construction of the stereogenic center of violaceoid D via Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, followed by Smiles rearrangement. The absolute configuration of natural violaceoid D was determined to be R from the specific rotation value.

[Treatment of patients with COVID-19 on Hemodialysis: Efficacy of Remdesivir].

Background: There is no standard therapy for hemodialysis (HD) patients with COVID-19. Data on remdesivir in HD patients with COVID-19 are scarce.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 25 HD patients with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir.

Hematopoietic loss of Y chromosome leads to cardiac fibrosis and heart failure mortality.

Hematopoietic mosaic loss of Y chromosome (mLOY) is associated with increased risk of mortality and age-related diseases in men, but the causal and mechanistic relationships have yet to be established. Here, we show that male mice reconstituted with bone marrow cells lacking the Y chromosome display increased mortality and age-related profibrotic pathologies including reduced cardiac function. Cardiac macrophages lacking the Y chromosome exhibited polarization toward a more fibrotic phenotype, and treatment with a transforming growth factor β1-neutralizing antibody ameliorated cardiac dysfunction in mLOY mice.

Hiccups as a specific neurological manifestation in males with COVID-19.

Several clinical manifestations of COVID-19 have been reported in the literature since then. In addition to upper respiratory symptoms, dysgeusia and anosmia are relatively common neurological manifestations with COVID-19. We had five cases of hiccups in succession; therefore, we assume that hiccups might be a specific symptom of COVID-19.

Red face may be a specific sign of SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant.

Japan is currently suffering the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the dominant type being SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant. Patients with COVID-19 variant types show more aggressive symptoms. In the present study, three patients developed a red face during treatment.

Enhancement of Photosynthetic Iron-Use Efficiency Is an Important Trait of for Adaptation of Photosystems to Iron Deficiency.

Leaf iron (Fe) contents in Fe-deficiency-tolerant plants are not necessarily higher than that in Fe-deficiency-susceptible ones, suggesting an unknown mechanism involved in saving and allowing the efficient use of minimal Fe. To quantitatively evaluate the difference in Fe economy for photosynthesis, we compared the ratio of CO assimilation rate to Fe content in newly developed leaves as a novel index of photosynthetic iron-use efficiency (PIUE) among 23 different barley ( L.) varieties.

A vegetable oil-based biopesticide with ovicidal activity against the two-spotted spider mite, Koch.

A recently developed biopesticide made of safflower and cottonseed oils has excellent ovicidal activity against the hard-to-control spider mite Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). It has attracted attention as a sustainable treatment for controlling because it has low potential for promoting resistance and little effect on the predatory mite (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), which is an important natural enemy of spider mites. Here, we investigated the mechanism of its ovicidal activity against .

Environmental RNA interference in two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, reveals dsRNA processing requirements for efficient RNAi response.

Comprehensive understanding of pleiotropic roles of RNAi machinery highlighted the conserved chromosomal functions of RNA interference. The consequences of the evolutionary variation in the core RNAi pathway genes are mostly unknown, but may lead to the species-specific functions associated with gene silencing. The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a major polyphagous chelicerate pest capable of feeding on over 1100 plant species and developing resistance to pesticides used for its control.

[Radiation Exposure in Computed Tomography Localizer Radiograph].

This research measured the radiation exposure of the computed tomography(CT) localizer radiograph of the trunk of the body. The entrance surface dose for CT localizer radiograph was measured using radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeter(RPLD) on four points of measurement, including the center of the phantom, on the surface of a phantom placed in the center of a CT bed, assuming that the subject has a thickness of 20 cm. The entrance surface dose of the localizer radiograph under the chest CT protocol manufacturer's initial setting conditions of 120 kV 35 mA was 0.

Identification of isoforms of calyculin A-sensitive protein phosphatases which suppress full-type hyperactivation in bull ejaculated spermatozoa.

In bull spermatozoa, extracellular Ca-dependent full-type hyperactivation, which is characterized by the asymmetrical beating in whole parts of the middle/principal pieces, is suppressed by calyculin A-sensitive protein phosphatases. The aim of this study was to identify isoforms of these protein phosphatases. Ejaculated spermatozoa were used for the investigation on effects of protein phosphatase inhibitors (calyculin A with high specificity for both of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, and okadaic acid with relatively higher specificity for protein phosphatase 2A than protein phosphatase 1) on the induction of extracellular Ca-dependent full-type hyperactivation by incubation with CaCl and cAMP analog (cBiMPS).

Hemagglutination ability and hemolytic activity of Trichosporon asahii.

Trichosporon asahii is a human fungal pathogen that causes deep-seated infections in immunocompromised patients. While the pathogenic mechanisms of T. asahii remain unknown, our previous studies indicate that adherent colony morphologies were generated from parent strains, which may contribute to their pathogenicity.

Bis[μ-1,3-bis-(di-phenyl-phosphan-yl)propane-κ(2) P:P']digold(I) tetra-chloridonickelate(II) diethyl ether monosolvate.

The title compound, [Au2(C27H26P2)2][NiCl4]·C4H10O, consists of a digold(I) complex cation, an [NiCl4](2-) complex anion and a diethyl ether solvent mol-ecule. Two 1,3-bis-(di-phenyl-phosphan-yl)propane (dppp) ligands bridge two Au(I) atoms, forming a metallacycle in which each of the Au(I) atoms is coordinated in a slightly distorted linear environment by two P atoms. In the complex anion, the Ni(II) atom is coordinated by four chloride ligands in a distorted tetra-hedral geometry.

Biotechnological production of caffeic acid by bacterial cytochrome P450 CYP199A2.

Caffeic acid is a biologically active molecule that has various beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we explored the catalytic potential of a bacterial cytochrome P450, CYP199A2, for the biotechnological production of caffeic acid. When the CYP199A2 enzyme was reacted with p-coumaric acid, it stoichiometrically produced caffeic acid.

Passive immune-prophylaxis against influenza virus infection by the expression of neutralizing anti-hemagglutinin monoclonal antibodies from plasmids.

The genetic delivery of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by in vivo production may offer a new solution to the current problems in the mAb therapy for microbial diseases. Herein, plasmids encoding the neutralizing mAb against hemagglutinin (HA) of A/PR/8/34 influenza virus (IFV) were electro-transferred into mouse muscle and the relationship between serum recombinant anti-HA mAb (rHA mAb) levels and the prophylactic efficacy against lethal IFV infection were analyzed. Pretreatment of the muscle with hyaluronidase before electroporation and gene transfer into 3 muscles resulted in a marked enhancement of the mAb expression.

Alteration of sugar donor specificities of plant glycosyltransferases by a single point mutation.

In comparison with the amino acid sequences of seven species of glucosyltransferases and six species of galactosyltransferases, glutamine and histidine are highly conserved as the last amino acid residue of a glycosyltransferase-specific conserved region (UDPGT) in glucosyltransferases and galactosyltransferases, respectively. Consequently, the sugar donor specificities of glycosyltransferases are successfully altered by a single amino acid point mutation. UDP-galactose:anthocyanin galactosyltransferase (ACGaT), isolated from Aralia cordata, acquired glucosyltransferase activity in addition to the inherent galactosyltransferase activity by replacing histidine with glutamine.