Heterologous expression of calcium-independent mesophilic α-amylase from Priestia megaterium: Immobilization on genipin-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes and silica supports to enhance thermostability and catalytic activity.

α-Amylases, constituting a significant share of the enzyme market, are mainly synthesized by the genus Bacillus. Enzymes tailored for specific industrial applications are needed to meet the growing demand across a range of industries, and thus finding new amylases and optimizing the ones that already exist are extremely important. This study reports the successful expression, characterization and immobilization of P.

Endothelial Cpt1a Inhibits Neonatal Hyperoxia-Induced Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling by Repressing Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) increases the mortality of preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). There are no curative therapies for this disease. Lung endothelial carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (Cpt1a), the rate-limiting enzyme of the carnitine shuttle system, is reduced in a rodent model of BPD.

Protocol for quantifying muscle fiber size, number, and central nucleation of mouse skeletal muscle cross-sections using Myotally software.

Here, we present a protocol for using Myotally, a user-friendly software for fast, automated quantification of muscle fiber size, number, and central nucleation from immunofluorescent stains of mouse skeletal muscle cross-sections. We describe steps for installing the software, preparing compatible images, finding the file path, and selecting key parameters like image quality and size limits. We also detail optional features, such as measuring mean fluorescence.

miR-449a/miR-340 reprogram cell identity and metabolism in fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma, arises in skeletal muscle and remains in an undifferentiated state due to transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators. Among its subtypes, fusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS) accounts for the majority of diagnoses in the pediatric population. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that modulate cell identity via post-transcriptional regulation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs).

Structural and Functional Glycosylation of the Abdala COVID-19 Vaccine.

Abdala is a COVID-19 vaccine produced in Pichia pastoris and is based on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Abdala is currently approved for use in multiple countries with clinical trials confirming its safety and efficacy in preventing severe illness and death. Although P.

Controlled Inflammation Drives Neutrophil-Mediated Precision Drug Delivery in Heterogeneous Tumors.

Tumor heterogeneity remains a formidable obstacle in targeted cancer therapy, often leading to suboptimal treatment outcomes. This study presents an innovative approach that harnesses controlled inflammation to guide neutrophil-mediated drug delivery, effectively overcoming the limitations imposed by tumor heterogeneity. By inducing localized inflammation within tumors using lipopolysaccharide, it significantly amplify the recruitment of drug-laden neutrophils to tumor sites, irrespective of specific tumor markers.

Harnessing miRNAs: A Novel Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) complex, responsible for tuberculosis (TB) infection, continues to be a predominant global cause of mortality due to intricate host-pathogen interactions that affect disease progression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), essential posttranscriptional regulators, have become pivotal modulators of these relationships. Recent findings indicate that miRNAs actively regulate immunological responses to Mtb complex by modulating autophagy, apoptosis, and immune cell activities.

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and anemia in Hirakud Command Area, Odisha, India: unveiling the role of environmental toxicants.

Background: The present community-based study assessed the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD)/chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) as well as anemia in some intense agricultural zones under Hirakud Command Area and evaluated their association with pesticides and heavy metal exposure.

Methods: Random cluster sampling method was used to assess the prevalence of CKD and anemia. Hematological analysis was carried out using autoanalyzer.

Light sensitive orange carotenoid proteins (OCPs) in cyanobacterial photoprotection: evolutionary insights, structural-functional dynamics and biotechnological prospects.

Among all photosynthetic life forms, cyanobacteria exclusively possess a water-soluble, light-sensitive carotenoprotein complex known as orange carotenoid proteins (OCPs), crucial for their photoprotective mechanisms. These protein complexes exhibit both structural and functional modularity, with distinct C-terminal (CTD) and N-terminal domains (NTD) serving as light-responsive sensor and effector regions, respectively. The majority of cyanobacterial genomes contain genes for OCP homologs and related proteins, highlighting their essential role in survival of the organism over time.

Innovative capsulation and microencapsulation of plant hormones: a strategy to combat plant pathogens.

One of the prevailing trends in contemporary agriculture is the application of biological control. Nevertheless, several reports suggest that biocontrol bacteria exhibit poor survival rates in host plants. Consequently, the concept of shielding biological control agents by encapsulating them in outer coatings has gained popularity.

Identification of significant SNPs for yield-related salt tolerant traits in rice through genome-wide association analysis.

Rice salt tolerance is highly anticipated to meet global demand in response to decreasing farmland and soil salinization. Therefore, dissecting the genetic loci controlling salt tolerance in rice for improving productivity is of utmost importance. Here, we evaluated six salt-tolerance-related traits of a biparental mapping population comprising 280 F2 rice individuals (Oryza sativa L.

Pharmacognistic, proximate and phytochemical analysis of stem of Cistanche tubulosa (Schenck) Hook. F.

A medicinal plant is any plant that in one or more of its organs contains substances that can be used by it or their constituent for therapeutic purposes. The present work was done to evaluate pharmacognostic, fluorescence, proximate and phytochemical analysis of ethanolic extracts of Cistanche tubulosa (Orobanchaceae) along with antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial activity against four bacterial strains S.

Amplification-Free Attomolar Detection of Short Nucleic Acids with Upconversion Luminescence: Eliminating Nonspecific Binding by Hybridization Complex Transfer.

The anti-Stokes emission of photon upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) facilitates their use as labels for ultrasensitive detection in biological samples as infrared excitation does not induce autofluorescence at visible wavelengths. The detection of extremely low-abundance analytes, however, remains challenging as it is impossible to completely avoid nonspecific binding of label conjugates. To overcome this limitation, we developed a novel hybridization complex transfer technique using UCNP labels to detect short nucleic acids directly without target amplification.

A comparison between different chemical fractionation methods for immunoglobulin preparation.

Background: Application of antibodies in therapeutics and diagnostics are growing Continually. Herein, we aimed to find the most qualified immunoglobulin (Ig) chemical preparation method.

Methods: A rabbit was immunized against recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NP) and reactive polyclonal antibodies were prepared using the ammonium sulfate (AS), caprylic acid (CA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and caprylic acid/ammonium sulfate (CA/AS) methods.

A Drosophila cardiac myosin increases jump muscle stretch activation and shortening deactivation.

Stretch activation (SA), a delayed increase in force production following rapid muscle lengthening, is critical to the function of vertebrate cardiac muscle and insect asynchronous indirect flight muscle (IFM). SA enables or increases power generation in muscle types used in a cyclical manner. Recently, myosin isoform expression has been implicated as a mechanism for varying the amplitude of SA in some muscle types.

Heterologous Expression and Optimization of Fermentation Conditions for Recombinant Ikarugamycin Production.

Ikarugamycin is a member of the natural product family of the polycyclic tetramate macrolactams (PoTeMs). The compound exhibits a diverse range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, anti-leukemic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, it interferes with several crucial cellular functions, such as oxidized low-density lipoprotein uptake in macrophages, Nef-induced CD4 cell surface downregulation, and mechanisms of endocytosis.

Tetragonia tetragonioides extract prevented high-fat diet-induced obesity and changed hepatic and adipose transcriptomic signatures in C57BL/6J male mice.

Obesity, often driven by high-fat diets (HFD), is a major global health issue, necessitating effective preventive measures. Tetragonia tetragonoides, a plant with known medicinal properties, has not been extensively studied for its effects on HFD-induced obesity and related genetic changes in mice. This study explores the impact of Tetragonia tetragonoides extract (TTE; 300 mg/kg) on obesity-related traits in C57BL/6J male mice, with a focus on transcriptomic changes in the liver and white adipose tissue (WAT).

Conserved ancillary residues situated proximally to the VIM-2 active-site affect its metallo β-lactamase activity.

Verona-integron-metallo-β-lactamase (VIM-2) is one of the most widespread class B β-lactamase responsible for β-lactam resistance. Although active-site residues help in metal binding, the residues nearing the active-site possess functional importance. Here, to decipher the role of such residues in the activity and stability of VIM-2, the residues E146, D182, N210, S207, and D213 were selected through in-silico analyses and substituted with alanine using site-directed mutagenesis.

Low impact of Zostera marina meadows on sediment and water microbiota under brackish conditions.

Background: Zostera marina is an important ecosystem engineer influencing shallow water environments and possibly shaping the microbiota in surrounding sediments and water. Z. marina is typically found in marine systems, but it can also proliferate under brackish conditions.

Changes in the intestinal microbiota of broiler chicken induced by dietary supplementation of the diatomite-bentonite mixture.

Background: Diatomite is a source of biologically available silicon but in feed industry its insecticide and anti-caking properties have been also widely recognized. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of dietary diatomite-bentonite mixture (DBM) supplementation on the quantitative and qualitative composition of the bacterial microbiome of the broiler chicken gut. The trial was carried out on 960 Ross 308 broiler chickens divided into 2 experimental groups throughout the entire rearing period lasting 6 weeks.

A Native LH1-RC-HiPIP Supercomplex from an Extremophilic Phototroph.

Halorhodospira (Hlr.) halophila strain BN9622 is an extremely halophilic and alkaliphilic purple phototrophic bacterium and has been widely used as a model for exploring the osmoadaptive and photosynthetic strategies employed by phototrophic extreme halophiles that enable them to thrive in hypersaline environments. Here we present the cryo-EM structures of (1) a unique native Hlr.

Chromosome-level Genome Assembly of Korean Long-tailed Chicken and Pangenome of 40 Gallus gallus Assemblies.

This study presents the first chromosome-level genome assembly of the Korean long-tailed chicken (KLC), a unique breed of Gallus gallus known as Ginkkoridak. Our assembly achieved a super contig N50 of 5.7 Mbp and a scaffold N50 exceeding 90 Mb, with a genome completeness of 96.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri fermented brown rice alleviates anxiety improves cognition and modulates gut microbiota in stressed mice.

Chronic stress disrupts gut microbiota homeostasis, contributing to anxiety and depression. This study explored the effects of Limosilactobacillus reuteri fermented brown rice (FBR) on anxiety using an ICR mouse chronic mild stress (CMS) model. Anxiety was assessed through body weight, corticosterone levels, neurotransmitter profiles, and behavioral tests.

Frequency of polycystic ovarian morphology and other ultrasonographic findings in Iranian female athletes.

Objectives: Polycystic ovary morphology and ovarian cysts are frequent and usually asymptomatic in young female individuals. The present study is the first to examine ovarian sonographic findings in asymptomatic female athletes from Iran. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of such sonographic findings in healthy female athletes on a screening basis.