Impact of absolute values and changes in meteorological and air quality conditions on community-acquired pneumonia in Germany.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major global health concern as it is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and economic burden to the health care systems. In Germany, more than 15,000 people die every year from CAP. Climate change is altering weather patterns, and it may influence the probability and severity of CAP.

New from opposite ends of the world.

The is a group of ancient fungi with global distribution. In the current study we accessed mucoralean fungi isolated from two countries on opposite sides of the Earth and in different hemispheres: South Korea and Brazil. isolates were obtained from freshwater, soil, invertebrates, and fruit seeds and identified using phenotypic techniques combined with the DNA sequence data.

Site-specific electronic structure of covalently linked bimetallic dyads from nitrogen K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy.

A nitrogen K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) survey is presented for tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3″,2″-h:2‴,3‴-j]phenazine (tpphz)-bridged bimetallic assemblies that couple chromophore and catalyst transition metal complexes for light driven catalysis, as well as their individual molecular constituents. We demonstrate the high N site sensitivity of the N pre-edge XANES features, which are energetically well-separated for the phenazine bridge N atoms and for the individual metal-bound N atoms of the inner coordination sphere ligands. By comparison with the time-dependent density functional theory calculated spectra, we determine the origins of these distinguishable spectral features.

Development of a Prediction Model for COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases: Results From the Global Rheumatology Alliance Registry.

Objective: Some patients with rheumatic diseases might be at higher risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to develop a prediction model for COVID-19 ARDS in this population and to create a simple risk score calculator for use in clinical settings.

Methods: Data were derived from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Registry from March 24, 2020, to May 12, 2021.

A20 and ABIN-1 cooperate in balancing CBM complex-triggered NF-κB signaling in activated T cells.

T cell activation initiates protective adaptive immunity, but counterbalancing mechanisms are critical to prevent overshooting responses and to maintain immune homeostasis. The CARD11-BCL10-MALT1 (CBM) complex bridges T cell receptor engagement to NF-κB signaling and MALT1 protease activation. Here, we show that ABIN-1 is modulating the suppressive function of A20 in T cells.

Discovery of Novel (Backusellaceae, Mucorales) Isolated from Invertebrates and Toads in Cheongyang, Korea.

Three novel fungal species, sp. nov., .

The peripheral nervous system in hematopoietic stem cell aging.

Hematopoietic stem cell performance and identity, crucial for homeostasis of the blood-forming system, is governed by extrinsic factors found in the bone marrow microenvironment. Communication within hematopoietic stem cell niches occurs via soluble factors or cell-to-cell contacts between niche and blood-forming cells - which in turn are influenced by systemic factors distributed by the bone marrow extracellular fluid. Although hematopoietic cell-intrinsic aging contributes to the aging phenotype of the hematopoietic system, the architecture and cellular composition of the bone marrow microenvironment have emerged to be highly dynamic during aging and suggested as a major driver for the functional limitations of the blood system observable in old individuals.

Structural basis of HapE-linked antifungal triazole resistance in .

Azoles are first-line therapeutics for human and plant fungal infections, but their broad use has promoted the development of resistances. Recently, a pan-azole-resistant clinical isolate was identified to carry the mutation P88L in subunit HapE of the CCAAT-binding complex (CBC), a conserved eukaryotic transcription factor. Here, we define the mechanistic basis for resistance in this isolate by showing that the HapE mutation interferes with the CBC's ability to bend and sense CCAAT motifs.

Study on chemopreventive effects of raw and roasted β-glucan-rich waxy winter barley using an in vitro human colon digestion model.

Due to their unique dietary fibre composition, in particular β-glucan, the consumption of barley may contribute to a healthy diet and the prevention of colon cancer. The aim of the present study was to analyse chemopreventive effects of barley flakes obtained from a β-glucan-rich barley cultivar. In order to address the impact of heat treatment on potential chemopreventive effects, barley flakes were roasted (160 °C-180 °C, approx.

The Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR)- Antagonist 2-Chloro-5-Nitro-N-Phenylbenzamide (GW9662) Triggers Perilipin 2 Expression via PPAR and Induces Lipogenesis and Triglyceride Accumulation in Human THP-1 Macrophages.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of the nuclear hormone receptor family, playing pivotal roles in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism as well as inflammation. While characterizing potential PPAR ligand activity of natural compounds in macrophages, we investigated their influence on the expression of adipophilin [perilipin 2 (PLIN2)], a well-known PPAR target. To confirm that a compound regulates PLIN2 expression via PPAR, we performed experiments using the widely used PPAR antagonist 2-chloro-5-nitro-N-phenylbenzamide (GW9662).

Impact of different roasting conditions on chemical composition, sensory quality and physicochemical properties of waxy-barley products.

The consumption of β-glucan-rich barley can contribute to a healthy diet. Sensory properties may be improved by roasting whereby the nutritional value should be preserved. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of different roasting conditions (160-200 °C, 20 minutes) on sensory quality, health-related compounds and viscosity in β-glucan-rich barley kernels, thin and thick flakes.

Gene expression profile of human T cells following a single stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with anti-CD3 antibodies.

Background: Anti-CD3 immunotherapy was initially approved for clinical use for renal transplantation rejection prevention. Subsequently, new generations of anti-CD3 antibodies have entered clinical trials for a broader spectrum of therapeutic applications, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. Despite their extensive use, little is known about the exact mechanism of these molecules, except that they are able to activate T cells, inducing an overall immunoregulatory and tolerogenic behavior.

The Zn2Cys6-type transcription factor LeuB cross-links regulation of leucine biosynthesis and iron acquisition in Aspergillus fumigatus.

Both branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and iron are essential nutrients for eukaryotic cells. Previously, the Zn2Cys6-type transcription factor Leu3/LeuB was shown to play a crucial role in regulation of BCAA biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus nidulans. In this study, we found that the A.

Phylogenetic Status of Two Undescribed Zygomycete Species from Korea: and .

During a survey of fungal diversity of the order Mucorales, three zygomycete isolates, CNUFC-YR113-1, CNUFC-KNU16-7, and CNUFC-BS1-1 were isolated from freshwater and soil samples in Korea. The strains were analyzed both morphologically and phylogenetically based on internal transcribed spacer and 28S rDNA gene sequences. Based on their morphology and phylogeny, the CNUFC-YR113-1 and CNUFC-KNU16-7 isolates were identified as , and CNUFC-BS1-1 was identified as .

Generalized enhanced suffix array construction in external memory.

Background: Suffix arrays, augmented by additional data structures, allow solving efficiently many string processing problems. The external memory construction of the generalized suffix array for a string collection is a fundamental task when the size of the input collection or the data structure exceeds the available internal memory.

Results: In this article we present and analyze [Formula: see text] [introduced in CPM (External memory generalized suffix and [Formula: see text] arrays construction.

Generation of an arginine-tRNA-adapted Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain for effective heterologous protein expression.

The tRNA population reflects the codon bias of the organism and affects the translation of heterologous target mRNA molecules. In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with modified levels of rare tRNA were engineered, that allowed efficient generation of recombinant proteins with unfavorable codon usage. We established a novel synthetic tRNA expression cassette and verified functional nonsense suppressor tRNA generation in a stop codon read-through assay with a modified β-galactosidase reporter gene.

DIEGO: detection of differential alternative splicing using Aitchison's geometry.

Motivation: Alternative splicing is a biological process of fundamental importance in most eukaryotes. It plays a pivotal role in cell differentiation and gene regulation and has been associated with a number of different diseases. The widespread availability of RNA-Sequencing capacities allows an ever closer investigation of differentially expressed isoforms.

Regulatory T Cell Specificity Directs Tolerance versus Allergy against Aeroantigens in Humans.

FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) maintain tolerance against self-antigens and innocuous environmental antigens. However, it is still unknown whether Treg-mediated tolerance is antigen specific and how Treg specificity contributes to the selective loss of tolerance, as observed in human immunopathologies such as allergies. Here, we used antigen-reactive T cell enrichment to identify antigen-specific human Tregs.

Candida albicans Induces Metabolic Reprogramming in Human NK Cells and Responds to Perforin with a Zinc Depletion Response.

As part of the innate immune system, natural killer (NK) cells are directly involved in the response to fungal infections. Perforin has been identified as the major effector molecule acting against many fungal pathogens. While several studies have shown that perforin mediated fungicidal effects can contribute to fungal clearance, neither the activation of NK cells by fungal pathogens nor the effects of perforin on fungal cells are well-understood.

The hypoxia-induced dehydrogenase HorA is required for coenzyme Q10 biosynthesis, azole sensitivity and virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus.

Aspergillus fumigatus is the predominant airborne pathogenic fungus causing invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. During infection A. fumigatus has to adapt to oxygen-limiting conditions in inflammatory or necrotic tissue.

Cortical spreading depolarization stimulates gliogenesis in the rat entorhinal cortex.

Recently, we showed that cortical spreading depolarizations (CSDs) are a potent trigger of hippocampal neurogenesis. Here, we evaluated CSD-induced cytogenesis in the entorhinal cortex (EC), which provides the major afferent input to the dentate gyrus. Cortical spreading depolarizations were induced by epidural application of 3 mol/L KCl, controls received equimolar NaCl.

Structural analysis of in silico mutant experiments of human inner-kinetochore structure.

Large multi-molecular complexes like the kinetochore are lacking of suitable methods to determine their spatial structure. Here, we use and evaluate a novel modeling approach that combines rule-bases reaction network models with spatial molecular geometries. In particular, we introduce a method that allows to study in silico the influence of single interactions (e.

Flavoenzyme-catalyzed formation of disulfide bonds in natural products.

Nature provides a rich source of compounds with diverse chemical structures and biological activities, among them, sulfur-containing metabolites from bacteria and fungi. Some of these compounds bear a disulfide moiety that is indispensable for their bioactivity. Specialized oxidoreductases such as GliT, HlmI, and DepH catalyze the formation of this disulfide bridge in the virulence factor gliotoxin, the antibiotic holomycin, and the anticancer drug romidepsin, respectively.

Antigen-specific expansion of human regulatory T cells as a major tolerance mechanism against mucosal fungi.

Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) have a central role for keeping the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory immune responses against chronically encountered antigens at mucosal sites. However, their antigen specificity especially in humans is largely unknown. Here we used a sensitive enrichment technology for antigen-reactive T cells to directly compare the conventional vs.