Agricultural Practices and Environmental Factors Drive Microbial Communities in the Mezcal-Producing Agave angustifolia Haw.

Mezcal, a traditional Mexican alcoholic beverage, has been a vital source of livelihood for indigenous and rural communities for centuries. However, increasing international demand is exerting pressure on natural resources and encouraging intensive agricultural practices. This study investigates the impact of management practices (wild, traditional, and conventional) and environmental factors on the microbial communities associated with Agave angustifolia, a key species in mezcal production.

CARD domains mediate anti-phage defence in bacterial gasdermin systems.

Caspase recruitment domains (CARDs) and pyrin domains are important facilitators of inflammasome activity and pyroptosis. Following pathogen recognition by nucleotide binding-domain, leucine-rich, repeat-containing (NLR) proteins, CARDs recruit and activate caspases, which, in turn, activate gasdermin pore-forming proteins to induce pyroptotic cell death. Here we show that CARD domains are present in defence systems that protect bacteria against phage.

Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance.

Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Bats have been suggested to harbour more zoonotic viruses than any other mammalian order. Infections in bats are largely asymptomatic, indicating limited tissue-damaging inflammation and immunopathology.

Spatially resolved transcriptomics and graph-based deep learning improve accuracy of routine CNS tumor diagnostics.

The diagnostic landscape of brain tumors integrates comprehensive molecular markers alongside traditional histopathological evaluation. DNA methylation and next-generation sequencing (NGS) have become a cornerstone in central nervous system (CNS) tumor classification. A limiting requirement for NGS and methylation profiling is sufficient DNA quality and quantity, which restrict its feasibility.

Oxidation state of bioavailable dissolved organic matter influences bacterioplankton respiration and growth efficiency.

Oxygen consumption by oceanic microbes can predict respiration (CO production) but requires an assumed respiratory quotient (RQ; ΔO/ΔCO). Measured apparent RQs (ARQs) can be impacted by various processes, including nitrification and changes in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition, leading to discrepancies between ARQ and actual RQ. In DOM remineralization experiments conducted in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, ARQs averaged 1.

scRNA seq of an F1 cross of Marek's disease resistant and susceptible chickens identifies allele specific expression signatures enriched in transcription modulators.

Marek's disease (MD), a T cell lymphoma disease in chickens, is caused by the Marek's disease virus (MDV) found ubiquitously in the poultry industry. Genetically resistant Line 6 (L6) and susceptible Line 7 (L7) chickens have been instrumental to research on avian immune system response to MDV infection. In this study we characterized molecular signatures unique to splenic immune cell types across different genetic backgrounds 6 days after infection.

Alterations in fecal bacteriome virome interplay and microbiota-derived dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.

Rising studies have consistently reported gut bacteriome alterations in schizophrenia (SCZ). However, little is known about the role of the gut virome on shaping the gut bacteriome in SCZ. Here in, we sequenced the fecal virome, bacteriome, and host peripheral metabolome in 49 SCZ patients and 49 health controls (HCs).

Large exciton binding energy in a bulk van der Waals magnet from quasi-1D electronic localization.

Excitons, bound electron-hole pairs, influence the optical properties in strongly interacting solid-state systems and are typically most stable and pronounced in monolayer materials. Bulk systems with large exciton binding energies, on the other hand, are rare and the mechanisms driving their stability are still relatively unexplored. Here, we report an exceptionally large exciton binding energy in single crystals of the bulk van der Waals antiferromagnet CrSBr.

Sucrose-preferring gut microbes prevent host obesity by producing exopolysaccharides.

Commensal bacteria affect host health by producing various metabolites from dietary carbohydrates via bacterial glycometabolism; however, the underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we identified Streptococcus salivarius as a unique anti-obesity commensal bacterium. We found that S.

Comparison of mNGS with conventional methods for diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis: a retrospective study.

The application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis is relatively under characterized. Here, we retrospectively evaluated data from cryptococcal meningitis patients who were tested using mNGS and/or routine testing, including fungal culture, India ink staining, and cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) testing. The performance of mNGS was then assessed.

The mycobacterial ABC transporter IrtAB employs a membrane-facing crevice for siderophore-mediated iron uptake.

The mycobacterial ABC transporter IrtAB features an ABC exporter fold, yet it imports iron-charged siderophores called mycobactins. Here, we present extensive cryo-EM analyses and DEER measurements, revealing that IrtAB alternates between an inward-facing and an outward-occluded conformation, but does not sample an outward-facing conformation. When IrtAB is locked in its outward-occluded conformation in nanodiscs, mycobactin is bound in the middle of the lipid bilayer at a membrane-facing crevice opening at the heterodimeric interface.

Genetically-encoded targeted protein degradation technology to remove endogenous condensation-prone proteins and improve crop performance.

Effective modulation of gene expression in plants is achievable through tools like CRISPR and RNA interference, yet methods for directly modifying endogenous proteins remain lacking. Here, we identify the E3 ubiquitin ligase E3TCD1 and develope a Targeted Condensation-prone-protein Degradation (TCD) strategy. The X-E3TCD1 fusion protein acts as a genetically engineered degrader, selectively targeting endogenous proteins prone to condensation.

Extreme smells - microbial production of volatile organic compounds at the limits of life.

Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs) are diverse molecules produced by microorganisms, ranging from mere waste by-products to important signalling molecules. While the interest in MVOCs has been increasing steadily, there is a significant gap in our knowledge of MVOCs in extreme environments with e.g.

Prospective, crossover, comparative study of two methods of chlorhexidine bathing.

Background: Bathing intensive care unit (ICU) patients with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) decreases healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The optimal method of CHG bathing remains undefined.

Methods: Prospective crossover study comparing CHG daily bathing with 2% CHG-impregnated cloths versus 4% CHG solution.

Subcellular mitochondrial heterogeneity enables opposing metabolic demands.

Mitochondria perform essential metabolic processes that sustain cellular bioenergetics and biosynthesis. In a recent article, Ryu et al. explored how mitochondria coordinate biochemical reactions with opposing redox demands within the same cell.

Temporary mechanical circulatory support utilization and outcomes in cardiogenic shock phenotypes: A comparative analysis of heart failure and acute myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is marked by substantial morbidity and mortality. The two major CS etiologies include heart failure (HF) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The utilization trends of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) and their clinical outcomes are not well described.

Nursing Care of the Patient With Epidural Analgesia.

Purpose: Although nurses frequently are responsible to care for and ensure safety of patients receiving epidural analgesia resources to guide them in this care are difficult to locate and not inclusive of all aspects of such care. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive resource to provide information for nurses when caring for patients receiving analgesia via an epidural catheter.

Methods: Literature and guidelines were reviewed to determine current standards of practice and guidance regarding care of patients receiving epidural analgesia.

Sporadic and Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis.

Horses are particularly susceptible to developing exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) characterized by muscle stiffness, pain, and reluctance to move. Diagnosis requires establishing abnormal increases in serum creatine kinase activity when horses exhibit clinical signs. The 2 main categories of ER include sporadic ER arising from extrinsic causes and chronic ER that arises from intrinsic continuous or episodic abnormalities in muscle function.

Myosin Heavy Chain Myopathy and Immune-Mediated Muscular Disorders.

Several inflammatory myopathies have an infectious or immune-mediated basis in the horse. Myosin heavy chain myopathy is caused by a codominant missense variant in MYH1 and has 3 clinical presentations: immune-mediated myositis, calciphylaxis, and nonexertional rhabdomyolysis in Quarter Horse-related breeds. An infarctive form of purpura hemorrhagica affects numerous breeds, presenting with focal firm, painful muscle swelling, and subsequent infarction of multiple tissues.

Myofibrillar Myopathy.

Myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) is characterized by segmental disarray of myofibrils and ectopic accumulation of a protein called desmin. Previously thought to be a glycogen storage disease, MFM is now recognized as a stand-alone myopathy. Endurance Arabians with MFM usually present with exertional rhabdomyolysis (MFM-ER) at the end of races, elevated serum muscle enzymes, and myoglobinuria.

Molecular regulation of mitophagy signaling in tumor microenvironment and its targeting for cancer therapy.

Aberrations emerging in mitochondrial homeostasis are restrained by mitophagy to control mitochondrial integrity, bioenergetics signaling, metabolism, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The mitophagy-accompanied mitochondrial processes that occur in a dysregulated condition act as drivers for cancer occurrence. In addition, the enigmatic nature of mitophagy in cancer cells modulates the cellular proteome, creating challenges for therapeutic interventions.

Effects of psilocybin on mouse brain microstructure.

Background And Purpose: There is surging interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds like psilocybin in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses like major depressive disorder (MDD). Recent studies point to the rapid antidepressant effect of psilocybin; however, the biological mechanisms underlying these differences remain unknown. This study determines the feasibility of using diffusion MRI to characterize and define the potential spatiotemporal microstructural differences in the brain following psilocybin treatment in C57BL/6J male mice.

The Rbfox1/LASR complex controls alternative pre-mRNA splicing by recognition of multipart RNA regulatory modules.

The Rbfox proteins regulate alternative pre-mRNA splicing by binding to the RNA element GCAUG. In the nucleus, most of Rbfox is bound to the large assembly of splicing regulators (LASR), a complex of RNA-binding proteins that recognize additional RNA motifs. However, it remains unclear how the different subunits of the Rbfox/LASR complex act together to bind RNA and regulate splicing.