Ancient bacteria–amoeba relationships and pathogenic animal bacteria

Long before bacteria infected humans, they infected amoebas, which remain a potentially important reservoir for human disease. Diverse soil amoebas including Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba can host intracellular bacteria. Though the internal environment of free-living amoebas is similar in many ways to that of mammalian macrophages, they differ in a number of important ways, including temperature. A new study in PLOS Biology by Taylor-Mulneix et al. demonstrates that Bordetella bronchiseptica has two different gene suites that are activated depending on whether the bacterium finds itself in a hot mammalian or cool amoeba host environment. This study specifically shows that B. bronchiseptica not only inhabits amoebas but can persist and multiply through the social stage of an amoeba host, Dictyostelium discoideum

Spectral extremal results on trees

Let ${\rm spex}(n,F)$ be the maximum spectral radius over all $F$-free graphs of order $n$, and ${\rm SPEX}(n,F)$ be the family of $F$-free graphs of order $n$ with spectral radius equal to ${\rm spex}(n,F)$. Given integers $n,k,p$ with $n>k>0$ and $0\leq p\leq \lfloor(n-k)/2\rfloor$, let $S_{n,k}^{p}$ be the graph obtained from $K_k\nabla(n-k)K_1$ by embedding $p$ independent edges within its independent set, where `$\nabla$' means the join product. For $n\geq\ell\geq 4$, let $G_{n,\ell}=S_{n,(\ell-2)/2}^{0}$ if $\ell$ is even, and $G_{n,\ell}=S_{n,(\ell-3)/2}^{1}$ if $\ell$ is odd. Cioab\u{a}, Desai and Tait [SIAM J. Discrete Math. 37 (3) (2023) 2228--2239] showed that for $\ell\geq 6$ and sufficiently large $n$, if $\rho(G)\geq \rho(G_{n,\ell})$, then $G$ contains all trees of order $\ell$ unless $G=G_{n,\ell}$. They further posed a problem to study ${\rm spex}(n,F)$ for various specific trees $F$. Fix a tree $F$ of order $\ell\geq 6$, let $A$ and $B$ be two partite sets of $F$ with $|A|\leq |B|$, and set $q=|A|-1$. We first show that any graph in ${\rm SPEX}(n,F)$ contains a spanning subgraph $K_{q,n-q}$ for $q\geq 1$ and sufficiently large $n$. Consequently, $\rho(K_{q,n-q})\leq {\rm spex}(n,F)\leq \rho(G_{n,\ell})$, we further respectively characterize all trees $F$ with these two equalities holding. Secondly, we characterize the spectral extremal graphs for some specific trees and provide asymptotic spectral extremal values of the remaining trees. In particular, we characterize the spectral extremal graphs for all spiders, surprisingly, the extremal graphs are not always the spanning subgraph of $G_{n,\ell}$

Poly[diaquadi-μ-hydroxido-κ4 O:O-dinitrato-κ4 O:O′-bis­[3-(pyridin-4-yl-κN)-5-(pyridin-3-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole]dicopper(II)]

The title compound, [Cu2(NO3)2(OH)2(C12H8N4O)2(H2O)2]n, consists of a neutral polymeric CuII complex in which each CuII atom has a distorted octa­hedral geometry defined by a pyridyl N atom from a 3-(pyridin-3-yl)-5-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole ligand and five O atoms from a water mol­ecule, two nitrates and two hydroxides. Two CuII ions are bridged by two hydroxide anions resulting in a Cu2O2 loop, located across an inversion center and connected by the nitrate anions into a broad two-dimensional polymeric structure parallel to (100). In the crystal, there are O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the coodinated water mol­ecule and the nitrate and hydroxide, and between the hydroxide and the nitrate. Inter­molecular π–π inter­actions are present between pyridine rings in adjacent two-dimensional structures, with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.582 (2) Å

Centrally Administered Cortistation-14 Induces Antidepressant-Like Effects in Mice via Mediating Ghrelin and GABAA Receptor Signaling Pathway

Cortistatin-14 (CST-14), a recently discovered cyclic neuropeptide, can bind to all five cloned somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) and ghrelin receptor to exert its biological activities and co-exists with GABA within the cortex and hippocampus. However, the role of CST-14 in the control of depression processes is not still clarified. Here, we tested the behavioral effects of CST-14 in the in a variety of classical rodent models of depression [forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and novelty-suppressed feeding test]. In the models of depression, CST-14 produced antidepressant-like effects, and does not altered locomotor activity levels. And, we found that CST-14 mRNA and BDNF mRNA were significantly decreased in the hippocampus and cortex after mice exposed to stress. Further data show that i.c.v. administration of CST-14 produce rapid antidepressant effects, and does not altered locomotor activity levels. Then these antidepressant-like effects were significantly reversed by [D-Lys3]GHRP-6 (ghrelin receptor antagonist), but not c-SOM (SSTRs antagonist). Meanwhile, the effects of some neurotransmitter blockers indicates that only GABAA system, but not CRF1 receptor, α/β-adrenergic receptor, is involved in the antidepressant effect of CST-14. The effects of the mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin), the PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and the p-ERK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) suggesting that the ERK/mTOR or PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway is not involved in the antidepressant effects of CST-14. Interestingly, intranasal administration of CST-14 led to reducing depressive-like behavior, and near-infrared fluorescent experiments showed the real-time in vivo bio-distribution in brain after intranasal infusion of Cy7.5-CST-14. Taken all together, the results of present study point to a role for CST-14 in the modulation of depression processes via the ghrelin and GABAA receptor, and suggest cortistation may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of depression disorders.Highlights:-CST-14 and BDNF mRNA are decreased in hippocampus and cortex once mice exposed to stress.-i.c.v. or intranasal administration of CST-14 produce rapid antidepressant effects.-NIR fluorescence imaging detected the brain uptake and distribution after intranasal CST-14.-Antidepressant effects of CST-14 were only related to ghrelin and GABAA system.-Co-injection of CST-14 and NPS produce antidepressant effect, and do not impair memory

Contralateral approach using microscope and tubular retractor system for ipsilateral decompression of lumbar degenerative lateral recess stenosis associated with narrow spinal canal

ObjectiveTo summarize the clinical effect of a single-center retrospective analysis of the contralateral approach with a microscope and tubular retractor system for ipsilateral decompression in patients with lumbar lateral recess stenosis and a narrow spinal canal.MethodsA total of 25 patients who underwent ipsilateral decompression surgery via a contralateral approach with microscope and tubular retractor system, performed by one surgeon at a single center were retrospectively examined. The width of the lamina fenestration was compared with the preoperative distance from the root of the spinous process to the dorsal articular facet, the bilateral articular facet change in the suprapedicle notch section on CT scan, and with the changes in transverse and sagittal diameters of the canal area on MRI. Clinical efficacy was assessed using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores.ResultsIn total, 25 patients were treated and the mean intraoperative time was 82.04 ± 12.48 min. There was no nerve injury, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and infection complications. The postoperative CT revealed that the width of the contralateral laminar fenestration was less than the distance from the root of the spinous process to the dorsal articular facet. The residual widths of the ipsilateral articular facet and contralateral articular facet were greater than 2/3 of the preoperative articular facet width. The transverse and sagittal diameter of canal were significantly increased. The mean follow-up period was 12–16 months, and no recurrence or reoperation incidence were found at the last follow-up. When compared to pre-surgery, the ODI, VAS, and JOA scores were significantly improved after surgery (p < 0.05).ConclusionBased on our single-center retrospective observation of 25 cases and combined with previous literature, the contralateral approach with a microscope and tubular retractor system for ipsilateral decompression in patients with lumbar lateral recess stenosis and a narrow spinal canal can reduce damage to the articular processes, and probably more conducive to the postoperative stability of the lumbar spine. This was a single center retrospective analysis with a small sample size and lacked randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, larger-scale, multicenter RTCs are required for additional validation

annotation.xls

Moor frog transcriptome<div><br></div

Moor frog transcriptome

Moor frog transcriptome

Characterization and differential expression of microRNAs elicited by sulfur deprivation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Background microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to play an essential role in the modulation of numerous biological processes in eukaryotes. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is an ideal model organism for the study of many metabolic processes including responses to sulfur-deprivation. We used a deep sequencing platform to extensively profile and identify changes in the miRNAs expression that occurred under sulfur-replete and sulfur-deprived conditions. The aim of our research was to characterize the differential expression of Chlamydomonas miRNAs under sulfur-deprived conditions, and subsequently, the target genes of miRNA involved in sulfur-deprivation were further predicted and analyzed. Results By using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized the microRNA transcriptomes under sulphur-replete and sulfur-deprived conditions in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We predicted a total of 310 miRNAs which included 85 known miRNAs and 225 novel miRNAs. 13 miRNAs were the specific to the sulfur-deprived conditions. 47 miRNAs showed significantly differential expressions responding to sulfur-deprivation, and most were up-regulated in the small RNA libraries with sulfur-deprivation. Using a web-based integrated system (Web MicroRNAs Designer 3) and combing the former information from a transcriptome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, 22 miRNAs and their targets involved in metabolism regulation with sulfur-deprivation were verified. Conclusions Our results indicate that sulfur-deprivation may have a significant influence on small RNA expression patterns, and the differential expressions of miRNAs and interactions between miRNA and its targets might further reveal the molecular mechanism responding to sulfur-deprivation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Characterization and differential expression of microRNAs elicited by sulfur deprivation in <it>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</it>

Abstract Background microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to play an essential role in the modulation of numerous biological processes in eukaryotes. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is an ideal model organism for the study of many metabolic processes including responses to sulfur-deprivation. We used a deep sequencing platform to extensively profile and identify changes in the miRNAs expression that occurred under sulfur-replete and sulfur-deprived conditions. The aim of our research was to characterize the differential expression of Chlamydomonas miRNAs under sulfur-deprived conditions, and subsequently, the target genes of miRNA involved in sulfur-deprivation were further predicted and analyzed. Results By using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized the microRNA transcriptomes under sulphur-replete and sulfur-deprived conditions in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We predicted a total of 310 miRNAs which included 85 known miRNAs and 225 novel miRNAs. 13 miRNAs were the specific to the sulfur-deprived conditions. 47 miRNAs showed significantly differential expressions responding to sulfur-deprivation, and most were up-regulated in the small RNA libraries with sulfur-deprivation. Using a web-based integrated system (Web MicroRNAs Designer 3) and combing the former information from a transcriptome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, 22 miRNAs and their targets involved in metabolism regulation with sulfur-deprivation were verified. Conclusions Our results indicate that sulfur-deprivation may have a significant influence on small RNA expression patterns, and the differential expressions of miRNAs and interactions between miRNA and its targets might further reveal the molecular mechanism responding to sulfur-deprivation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.</p