Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals genome evolution in predatory litostomatean ciliates.

Many ciliated protists prey on other large microbial organisms, including other protists and microscopic metazoans. The ciliate class Litostomatea unites both predatory and endosymbiotic species. The evolution of predation ability in ciliates remains poorly understood, in part, due to a lack of genomic data.

Endoscopic spray cryotherapy for dysphagia palliation in esophageal cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Endoscopically delivered liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy is reported to be a safe and possibly more effective strategy for dysphagia palliation in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to pool all available data to evaluate the impact of this treatment modality. Electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) from January 2005 through June 2023 were searched for studies evaluating endoscopically delivered liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy for dysphagia palliation in patients with advanced esophageal cancer.

A Review of Rattlesnake Venoms.

Venom components are invaluable in biomedical research owing to their specificity and potency. Many of these components exist in two genera of rattlesnakes, and , with high toxicity and proteolytic activity variation. This review focuses on venom components within rattlesnakes, and offers a comparison and itemized list of factors dictating venom composition, as well as presenting their known characteristics, activities, and significant applications in biosciences.

Growth and Dispersion Control of SnO Nanocrystals Employing an Amino Acid Ester Hydrochloride in Solution Synthesis: Microstructures and Photovoltaic Applications.

Tin oxide (SnO) is a technologically important semiconductor with versatile applications. In particular, attention is being paid to nanostructured SnO materials for use as a part of the constituents in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), an emerging renewable energy technology. This is mainly because SnO has high electron mobility, making it favorable for use in the electron transport layer (ETL) in these devices, in which SnO thin films play a role in extracting electrons from the adjacent light-absorber, i.

Sink Node Placement and Partial Connectivity in Wireless Sensor Networks.

This research delves into the aspects of communication and connectivity problems within random Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). It takes into account the distinctive role of the sink node, its placement, and application-specific requirements for effective communication while conserving valuable network resources. Through mathematical modeling, theoretical analysis, and simulation evaluations, we derive, compare, and contrast the probabilities of partial and full connectivity within a random WSN, factoring in network parameters and the maximum allowable hop distance/count hmax.

Lightweight Multi-Class Support Vector Machine-Based Medical Diagnosis System with Privacy Preservation.

Machine learning, powered by cloud servers, has found application in medical diagnosis, enhancing the capabilities of smart healthcare services. Research literature demonstrates that the support vector machine (SVM) consistently demonstrates remarkable accuracy in medical diagnosis. Nonetheless, safeguarding patients' health data privacy and preserving the intellectual property of diagnosis models is of paramount importance.

Dealing with Dust Entrained in the Nitrogen Plume Demonstration.

Water condensation plumes produced by the addition of iron powder to liquid nitrogen can be contaminated with small quantities of particulate matter. Variations on the plume demonstration, including those using noisemakers, are described to help minimize the release of particulates into the air.

Three closely-related subclasses Phacodiniidia Small & Lynn, 1985, Protohypotrichia Shi et al., 1999, and Euplotia Jankowski, 1979 (Protista, Ciliophora): A new contribution to their phylogeny with reconsiderations on the evolutionary hypotheses.

The huge variety of species and worldwide distribution of ciliated protists in class Spirotrichea continue to make it one of the most complicated and confused groups in Ciliophora, despite significant research interest in the unique molecular genetics of these organisms. In this study, the morphological and molecular information were integrated, and it is inferred from a new perspective for the evolutionary relationship among Phacodiniidia, Protohypotrichia, Hypotrichia and Euplotia. Our results indicate that Kiitricha and Caryotricha, two members in Protohypotrichia, may represent two parallel branches of evolution; Euplotidae and Aspidiscidae represent the most recently diverged taxa within Euplotida, followed by Certesiidae, Gastrocirrhidae, and Uronychidae.

Comparative genome analysis of three euplotid protists provides insights into the evolution of nanochromosomes in unicellular eukaryotic organisms.

Unlabelled: One of the most diverse clades of ciliated protozoa, the class Spirotrichea, displays a series of unique characters in terms of eukaryotic macronuclear (MAC) genome, including high fragmentation that produces nanochromosomes. However, the genomic diversity and evolution of nanochromosomes and gene families for spirotrich MAC genomes are poorly understood. In this study, we assemble the MAC genome of a representative euplotid (a new model organism in Spirotrichea) species, .

Increased Phenoloxidase Activity Constitutes the Main Defense Strategy of Larvae against Fungal Entomopathogenic Infections.

The cabbage looper is an important agricultural pest worldwide and is frequently used as a model organism for assessing entomopathogenic fungi virulence, though few studies have measured the host response repertoire to fungal biocontrol agents. Here, we quantified the immune response of larvae following exposure to two entomopathogenic fungal species: and . Results from our study demonstrate that larvae exposed to fungal entomopathogens had higher total phenoloxidase activity compared to controls, indicating that the melanization cascade is one of the main immune components driving defense against fungal infection and contrasting observations from other insect-fungi interaction studies.

Five-year-olds' sensitivity to knowledge discrepancies about object identity during online language comprehension.

In everyday communication, children experience situations where their knowledge or perspectives differ from those of their communicative partner. The current study examined this issue in the context of real-time language comprehension, focusing on 5-year-old children's ability to manage knowledge discrepancies about the identity of mutually visible objects. In Experiment 1, we examined 5-year-olds' ability to manage privileged knowledge about an object's identity.

Dual catheter and double-lumen cerebrospinal fluid shunt systems with backflow mechanisms.

Purpose: We previously developed a novel functional benchtop apparatus to simulate catheter occlusion in vitro utilizing avian vitelline membrane and chalaza to test catheter designs and de-obstruction techniques. Here, we study the integration of double-lumen catheter-mediated backflow in the shunt system assembly and its potential for an in-line de-obstruction of an obstructed ventricular catheter.

Methods: A double-lumen catheter was connected to a standard proximal shunt catheter for all trials.

1D Narrow-Bandgap Tin Oxide Materials: Systematic High-Resolution TEM and Raman Analysis.

We demonstrate for the first time the structure identification and narrow-bandgap property of 1D hybridized SnO/SnO nanoparticles derived from the calcination of a single-source precursor, i.e., tin(II) oxalate.

Increasing HPV Vaccination Rates in the Primary Care Setting.

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in females, with more than 70% caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 16/18. The high mortality rate could be reduced with early intervention through the administration of the HPV vaccine. The purpose of this project was to increase the HPV vaccination rates in the primary care setting by bundling the HPV vaccine with routine vaccines (Tdap), meningococcal, and influenza.

Engaging Audience on Social Media: The Persuasive Impact of Fit Between Humor and Regulatory Focus in Health Messages.

Drawing upon construal level theory and regulatory fit literature, this research examined the effect of fit between humor and regulatory focus on audience engagement with health information on social media. The results of two studies showed that incongruity humor (vs. aggressive humor) induced greater social proximity between the source and the viewer, and humor type interacted with regulatory focus of a message to impact audience engagement.

A Qualitative Analysis of Eating Behaviors Among Food Insecure College Students.

Objective: To explore (1) how the cycle of food availability impacts food insecure college students' food-coping behaviors and (2) how access to a campus food pantry impacts food availability.

Methods: Qualitative, semistructured one-on-one interviews via Zoom were transcribed verbatim. Three investigators performed content analysis to identify and compare themes among participants with and without access to a campus food pantry.

Preparation of Nanostructured Sn/Ti Oxide Hybrid Films with Terpineol/PEG-Based Nanofluids: Perovskite Solar Cell Applications.

Tin oxide (SnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO) are recognized as attractive energy materials applicable for lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Sintering is one of the effective strategies for improving the carrier transport of semiconductor nanomaterials. Using the alternative metal-oxide-based ETL, nanoparticles are often used in a way that they are dispersed in a precursor liquid prior to their thin-film deposition.

Single-cell transcriptome reveals cell division-regulated hub genes in the unicellular eukaryote Paramecium.

The transition from growth to division during the cell cycle encompasses numerous conserved processes such as large-scale DNA replication and protein synthesis. In ciliate cells, asexual cell division is accompanied by additional cellular changes including amitotic nuclear division, extensive ciliogenesis, and trichocyst replication. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes remain elusive.

Spectroscopic characterization of the interactions between poly(2-(trimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) chloride and the xanthene dyes, 2', 7'-difluorofluorescein and 2, 4, 5, 7-tetraiodofluorescein.

Intermolecular interactions in buffered aqueous solution between the polycation, poly(2-(trimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) chloride (pTMAEMC) and two anionic xanthene dyes, 2', 7'-difluorofluorescein (Oregon Green 488) and 2, 4, 5, 7-tetraiodofluorescein (Erythrosin B), are characterized using multiple optical spectroscopic methods. Visible absorption spectroscopy indicates the formation of ground-state pTMAEMC-dye complexes. Benesi-Hildebrand binding isotherm analysis of visible absorption spectra for pTMAEMC-dye mixtures quantifies the strength of binding interactions producing the complexes.

Plumes from Using Iron to Boil Liquid Nitrogen to Illustrate the Importance of Surface Area.

The relationship between surface area and dynamics of processes can be demonstrated by adding iron at room temperature to liquid nitrogen. The rate at which the liquid nitrogen boils to produce gas is related to the surface area of the iron. Adding iron in the form of consistent units that have measurable sizes can be readily connected to observable differences in rates of nitrogen gas production.

Pandemic vulnerability index of US cities: A hybrid knowledge-based and data-driven approach.

Cities become mission-critical zones during pandemics and it is vital to develop a better understanding of the factors that are associated with infection levels. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many cities severely; however, there is significant variance in its impact across cities. Pandemic infection levels are associated with inherent features of cities (e.

A secondary function of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase is required for resistance to oxidative and desiccation stress in Fusarium verticillioides.

The disaccharide trehalose has long been recognized for its role as a stress solute, but in recent years some of the protective effects previously ascribed to trehalose have been suggested to arise from a function of the trehalose biosynthesis enzyme trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) synthase that is distinct from its catalytic activity. In this study, we use the maize pathogenic fungus Fusarium verticillioides as a model to explore the relative contributions of trehalose itself and a putative secondary function of T6P synthase in protection against stress as well as to understand why, as shown in a previous study, deletion of the TPS1 gene coding for T6P synthase reduces pathogenicity against maize. We report that a TPS1-deletion mutant of F.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual serum lipids and analysis of lipid ratios in ankylosing spondylitis and healthy control cohorts: significantly lower mean HDL-cholesterol level in ankylosing spondylitis cohorts.

Objectives: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is suspected to have increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to critically study serum lipids and lipoprotein ratios in AS compared to healthy control (HC) subjects and determine any significant difference.

Methods: English-language articles were systematically searched in PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase (Medline records removed), and Scopus databases from 1970 to 2021.

Multiple mosquito AMPs are needed to potentiate their antifungal effect against entomopathogenic fungi.

Mosquito resistance to microbial infections, including fungal entomopathogens that are selected for mosquito control, depend on a range of antimicrobial effectors, among them antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). These short peptides, along the antimicrobial effector lysozyme, act by disrupting the microbial cell membrane or by interfering with microbial physiological processes. While the induction of AMPs and lysozyme during fungal entomopathogenic infections have been reported, their contribution to the mosquito antifungal response has not been evaluated.

MITE infestation accommodated by genome editing in the germline genome of the ciliate .

During their development following sexual conjugation, ciliates excise numerous internal eliminated sequences (IESs) from a copy of the germline genome to produce the functional somatic genome. Most IESs are thought to have originated from transposons, but the presumed homology is often obscured by sequence decay. To obtain more representative perspectives on the nature of IESs and ciliate genome editing, we assembled 40,000 IESs of , a species belonging to a lineage (Heterotrichea) that diverged early from those of the intensively studied model ciliate species.