Public Housing Resident Perspectives on Smoking, Barriers for Smoking Cessation, and Changes in Smoking Mandates.

Background: Individuals from low-income groups report disproportionate rates of cigarette use, secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure with increased morbidity and mortality. Smoking bans in public housing have been enacted in attempt to reduce tobacco use and SHS exposure among lower income individuals. This study investigated the support needs of tobacco users living in two public housing complexes in Detroit, Michigan (USA), including their perspectives on smoking, resources and barriers for smoking cessation, and the impact of policy changes.

A synthesis of the current knowledge on the Australian Orchesellidae (Collembola, Entomobryoidea).

The Australian Orchesellidae includes only 11 nominal species in four genera: Australotomurus Stach, 1947, Alloscopus Brner, 1906, Heteromurus Wankel, 1860, and Falcomurus Mandal, 2018. Here we describe Dicranocentrus dolosus sp. nov.

Prevention of necrosis in ischemic skin flaps using hydrogel of Rhizophora mangle.

Introduction: Necrosis in ischemic cutaneous flaps (ISF) is a type of surgical failure more feared among surgical complications. Currently, synthetic drugs are applied during the treatment of necrosis in ISF and although several substances show improvement in viability, some require application at high systemic doses, which can produce important side effects. Therefore, the search for natural substances with fewer side effects is constant.

Characterization of amniotic fluid sludge in preterm and term gestations.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of amniotic fluid sludge obtained from patients in term and preterm gestations.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients with dense aggregates of particulate matter detected in amniotic fluid, observed with transvaginal sonography. All patients were in labor and had an impending delivery, either preterm or at term.

Transdisciplinary Imagination: Addressing Equity and Mistreatment in Perinatal Care.

Inequities in birth outcomes are linked to experiential and environmental exposures. There have been expanding and intersecting wicked problems of inequity, racism, and quality gaps in childbearing care during the pandemic. We describe how an intentional transdisciplinary process led to development of a novel knowledge exchange vehicle that can improve health equity in perinatal services.

Dissecting Electronic-Structural Transitions in the Nitrogenase MoFe Protein P-Cluster during Reduction.

The [8Fe-7S] P-cluster of nitrogenase MoFe protein mediates electron transfer from nitrogenase Fe protein during the catalytic production of ammonia. The P-cluster transitions between three oxidation states, P, P, P of which P↔P is critical to electron exchange in the nitrogenase complex during turnover. To dissect the steps in formation of P during electron transfer, photochemical reduction of MoFe protein at 231-263 K was used to trap formation of P intermediates for analysis by EPR.

Biocontainment of Genetically Engineered Algae.

Algae (including eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria) have been genetically engineered to convert light and carbon dioxide to many industrially and commercially relevant chemicals including biofuels, materials, and nutritional products. At industrial scale, genetically engineered algae may be cultivated outdoors in open ponds or in closed photobioreactors. In either case, industry would need to address a potential risk of the release of the engineered algae into the natural environment, resulting in potential negative impacts to the environment.

Nanoencapsulation of buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) in porcine gelatin enhances the antioxidant potential and improves the effect on the antibiotic activity modulation.

The present study evaluated the cytotoxicity, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial effect on the antibiotic activity modulation of gelatin nanoparticles containing buriti oil (OPG). The cytotoxicity analysis was performed on Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (CHO) using a MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] test. The antioxidant potential of buriti oil and OPG was determined by total antioxidant capacity, reducing power, and the ABTS (2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) test.

An uncharacteristically low-potential flavin governs the energy landscape of electron bifurcation.

Electron bifurcation, an energy-conserving process utilized extensively throughout all domains of life, represents an elegant means of generating high-energy products from substrates with less reducing potential. The coordinated coupling of exergonic and endergonic reactions has been shown to operate over an electrochemical potential of ∼1.3 V through the activity of a unique flavin cofactor in the enzyme NADH-dependent ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase I.

Hydrolyzed Proteins and Vegetable Peptides: Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms in Obesity and Potential Therapeutic Targets.

Chronic low-grade inflammation is present in overweight and obesity, causing changes in several metabolic pathways. It impairs systemic functioning and positively feeds back the accumulation of more adipose tissue. Studies with hydrolyzed proteins and plant peptides have demonstrated a potential anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect of these peptides.

Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Histopathological and Biochemical Parameters in the Kidney and Pancreas of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a worldwide health concern, and projections state that cases will reach 578 million by 2030. Adjuvant therapies that can help the standard treatment and mitigate DM effects are necessary, especially those using nutritional supplements to improve glycemic control. Previous studies suggest creatine supplementation as a possible adjuvant therapy for DM, but they lack the evaluation of potential morphological parameters alterations and tissue injury caused by this compound.

Encapsulation techniques perfect the antioxidant action of carotenoids: A systematic review of how this effect is promoted.

Considering that antioxidant activities are directly related to carotenoid functionalities, it is necessary to use techniques that promote the stability of these natural pigments. This systematic review aimed to gather evidence on the effect of encapsulation techniques on the maintenance and/or enhancement of the antioxidant activity of carotenoids. The study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020142065).

Sex-specific differences in reproductive life-history traits of the moss Weissia jamaicensis.

Premise: We investigated sex-specific differences in the life-history traits of a metapopulation of the dioicous moss Weissia jamaicensis. Field observations revealed high rates of fertilization, which is uncommon for most dioicous bryophytes. We raised four hypotheses associated with the way the reproductive traits are related to the fertilization rate in this metapopulation.

Synthesis, Assessment of Antineoplastic Activity, and Molecular Docking of Novel 2-Thioxo-oxazolidin-4-one Derivatives.

Background: Oxazolidinones display several biological effects, including anticancer activity. The purpose of this present work was to investigate a series of novel oxazolidinone derivatives with potential antineoplastic activity. Their mechanisms of death induction and effects in the cell cycle were also evaluated.

The RNA-binding protein HuR in human cancer: A friend or foe?

The RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are critical trans factors that associate with specific cis elements present in mRNAs whose stability and translation are subject to regulation. The RBP Hu antigen R (HuR) is overexpressed in a wide variety of human cancers and serves as a prognostic factor of poor clinical outcome. HuR promotes tumorigenesis by interacting with a subset of oncogenic mRNAs implicated in different cancer hallmarks, and resistance to therapy.

Composition and yield of non-cellulosic and cellulosic sugars in soluble and particulate fractions during consolidated bioprocessing of poplar biomass by Clostridium thermocellum.

Background: Terrestrial plant biomass is the primary renewable carbon feedstock for enabling transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) by the cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum offers a single step microbial platform for production of biofuels and biochemicals via simultaneous solubilization of carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass and conversion to products. Here, solubilization of cell wall cellulosic, hemicellulosic, and pectic polysaccharides in the liquor and solid residues generated during CBP of poplar biomass by C.

Quantification of Metabolic Products from Microbial Hosts in Complex Media Using Optically Diffracting Hydrogels.

We herein describe a highly versatile platform approach for the in situ and real-time screening of microbial biocatalysts for enhanced production of bioproducts using photonic crystal hydrogels. This approach was demonstrated by preparing optically diffracting films based on polymerized -isopropylacrylamide that contracted in the presence of alcohols and organic acids. The hydrogel films were prepared in a microwell plate format, which allows for high-throughput screening, and characterized optically using a microwell plate reader.

Establishing as a Platform Organism for the Production of Biocommodities from Liquid C Metabolites.

Using the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, acetogens can nonphotosynthetically fix gaseous C molecules, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. Many acetogens can also grow on liquid C compounds such as formate and methanol, which avoid the storage and mass transfer issues associated with gaseous C compounds. Substrate redox state also plays an important role in acetogen metabolism and can modulate products formed by these organisms.

Machine Learning Predicts Biogeochemistry from Microbial Community Structure in a Complex Model System.

Microbial community structure is influenced by the environment and in turn exerts control on many environmental parameters. We applied this concept in a bioreactor study to test whether microbial community structure contains information sufficient to predict the concentration of HS as the product of sulfate reduction. Microbial sulfate reduction is a major source of HS in many industrial and environmental systems and is often influenced by the existing physicochemical conditions.

Practical genetic control strategies for industrial bioprocesses.

Optimization of metabolism to maximize production of bio-based chemicals must consistently balance cellular resources for biocatalyst growth and desired compound synthesis. This mini-review discusses synthetic biology strategies for dynamically controlling expression of genes to enable dual-phase fermentations in which growth and production are separated into dedicated phases. Emphasis is placed on practical examples which can be reliably scaled to commercial production with the current state of technology.

The Biochemistry and Physiology of A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinases (ADAMs and ADAM-TSs) in Human Pathologies.

Metalloproteinases are a group of proteinases that plays a substantial role in extracellular matrix remodeling and its molecular signaling. Among these metalloproteinases, ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinases) and ADAM-TSs (ADAMs with thrombospondin domains) have emerged as highly efficient contributors mediating proteolytic processing of various signaling molecules. ADAMs are transmembrane metalloenzymes that facilitate the extracellular domain shedding of membrane-anchored proteins, cytokines, growth factors, ligands, and their receptors and therefore modulate their biological functions.

The amniotic fluid proteome changes with gestational age in normal pregnancy: a cross-sectional study.

The cell-free transcriptome in amniotic fluid (AF) has been shown to be informative of physiologic and pathologic processes in pregnancy; however, the change in AF proteome with gestational age has mostly been studied by targeted approaches. The objective of this study was to describe the gestational age-dependent changes in the AF proteome during normal pregnancy by using an omics platform. The abundance of 1310 proteins was measured on a high-throughput aptamer-based proteomics platform in AF samples collected from women during midtrimester (16-24 weeks of gestation, n = 15) and at term without labor (37-42 weeks of gestation, n = 13).

Engineered neutrophil-derived exosome-like vesicles for targeted cancer therapy.

Neutrophils are the most abundant innate immune cells in human circulation; however, their derived exosomes have been rarely studied for tumor treatment. Here, we reported that exosomes from neutrophils (N-Ex) induce tumor cell apoptosis by delivering cytotoxic proteins and activating caspase signaling pathway. In addition, we decorated N-Ex with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) to achieve higher tumor-targeting therapeutic effect.