Alterations of the Gut Microbiota Associated With Promoting Efficacy of Prednisone by Bromofuranone in MRL/lpr Mice
This study addressed the effect of bromofuranone on the treatment of SLE with prednisone, since bromofuranone could regulate gut microbiota by inhibiting the AI-2/LuxS quorum-sensing. Remarkably, bromofuranone did not alleviate lupus but promoted the efficacy of prednisone in the treatment of lupus. The alterations in the gut microbiota, including decreased Mucispirillum, Oscillospira, Bilophila and Rikenella, and increased Anaerostipes, were associated with prednisone treatment for SLE. In addition, the increase of Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Sutterella, and Adlercreutzia was positively associated with the bromofuranone-m...
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology - April 30, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research
Identification of LIFR, PIK3R1, and MMP12 as Novel Prognostic Signatures in Gallbladder Cancer Using Network-Based Module Analysis
Conclusions: We found a highly reliable FI network, which revealed LIFR, PIK3R1, and MMP12 as novel prognostic biomarker candidates for GBC. These findings could accelerate biomarker discovery and therapeutic development in this cancer.
Introduction
Gallbladder cancer (GBC), the sixth most common gastrointestinal cancer, is an uncommon but challenging disease. Its incidence has recently increased highly worldwide (1). The risk factors for GBC include sex, aging, obesity, chronic cholecystitis, and cholelithiasis (2, 3). Because of the lack of an effective early diagnostic method, the disease often is not diagnosed ...
Source: Frontiers in Oncology - April 30, 2019 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Lsr2 Is an Important Determinant of Intracellular Growth and Virulence in Mycobacterium abscessus
Discussion
Lsr2, a unique nucleoid associated protein in the Actinomyces and Mycobacterium genera, has been extensively studied in M. tuberculosis (Colangeli et al., 2009; Gordon et al., 2010; Bartek et al., 2014). Like its ortholog H-NS, homodimers of Lsr2 can bind DNA cooperatively to form long oligomers on AT-rich sequences that can further interact to bridge distant DNA regions and contribute to loop formation (Chen et al., 2008; Liu and Gordon, 2012). At the genomic level, Lsr2 filaments are found at the promoters of 401 and 272 genes in M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis, respectively, often extending into their codin...
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology - April 29, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research
Biocontrol of Carp: The Australian Plan Does Not Stand Up to a Rational Analysis of Safety and Efficacy
Conclusion
Invasive carp expanded in Australia to their current range and relative abundance decades ago (Shearer and Mulley, 1978; Koehn, 2004). Despite political pressure, there is no environmental justification to rush the release of a viral biocontrol agent. Before continental-scale release of CyHV-3, which would be costly and irreversible, further assessments should include obtaining convincing evidence that prolonged exposure to the virus does not pose a significant risk to non-target native species especially in terms of potential selection for mutations favoring adaptation to such species. While field trials are p...
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology - April 29, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research
Systems Biology Understanding of the Effects of Lithium on Cancer
Conclusions sections. Both authors shared in the final refinement of the manuscript.
Funding
Salary support for WG by National Science Foundation grant 1624615 is gratefully acknowledged.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge very useful comments from Peter Klein on an earlier version of this manuscript, and from the reviewers of this paper, whose comments have resulted in improvements. An earlier version of this...
Source: Frontiers in Oncology - April 29, 2019 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks
This study was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Italian and European Union laws for the ethical treatment of animals. The protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of the University of Trento and licensed by the Italian Health Ministry (permit number 986/2016-PR).
Author Contributions
PS, EV, OR-S, and GV conceived and designed the experiments. EL and AP conducted the experiments. PS, EV, and OR-S developed the behavioral paradigms. EL, AP, PS, OR-S, and EV analyzed the data. EL and PS drafted the manuscript. All the authors wrote the manuscript and approved the final version for publication...
Source: Frontiers in Physiology - April 29, 2019 Category: Physiology Source Type: research
α-Lys424 Participates in Insertion of FeMoco to MoFe Protein and Maintains Nitrogenase Activity in Klebsiella oxytoca M5al
Conclusion
Amino Acid Residues Around FeMoco Are Immutable
FeMoco is situated deep below MoFe protein and surrounded by amino acid residues, supported by α-subunit mainly. The residues play varying roles in catalytic properties and orientation. α-Lys424 is located near homocitrate long arm. Homocitrate serves as a terminus of FeMoco. nifV− mutation, in which homocitrate was replaced by citrate resulted in significant decreases of acetylene, proton, and nitrogen reduction activity, indicating an important role of homocitrate in nitrogenase activity (Liang et al., 1990). Nitrogenase undergoes protonati...
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology - April 15, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research
Innate Immune Cells' Contribution to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
This study was supported in part by the Projects: Redes Internacionales (REDI170651) (to AH and MI); Proyecto interno Universidad Autónoma de Chile (DIUA 134-2018) and by the Pilot Research Grant (PP-1805-30965) from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (to AH); Proyecto Genera-Autónoma N°UA 17-04 and FONDECYT de Inicio N° 11160592, CONICYT (to NE) and Proyecto Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Puente P1802 (to CL).
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any comme...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - April 14, 2019 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Bifunctional Small Molecules Enhance Neutrophil Activities Against Aspergillus fumigatus in vivo and in vitro
We report that the bifunctional compounds enhance the interactions between primary human neutrophils and A. fumigatus in vitro, using three microfluidic assay platforms. The bifunctional compounds significantly enhance the recruitment of neutrophils, increase hyphae killing by neutrophils in a uniform concentration of drug, and decrease hyphal tip growth velocity in the presence of neutrophils compared to the antifungal targeting moiety alone. We validated that the bifunctional compounds are also effective in vivo, using a zebrafish infection model with neutrophils expressing the appropriate EM receptor. We measured signif...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - April 8, 2019 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Gamma Irradiation Influences the Survival and Regrowth of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic-Resistance Genes on Romaine Lettuce
Conclusion
Bacterial communities comprising the lettuce phyllosphere are diverse and harbor a wide array of ARGs, potentially serving as a route of dissemination of antibiotic resistance from leafy vegetables to the human microbiota. With respect to antibiotic resistance and public health concern, the question remains in terms of whether this represents a substantial human health risk (Holzel et al., 2018). Irradiation and washing were found to act synergistically in reducing some ARB and ARGs on the lettuce phyllosphere, and therefore may be viable options for mitigating antibiotic resistance in the food chain. The metag...
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology - April 8, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research
A conversation with Sally C. Morton: excellence in health policy statistics
This article is conversation with Morton about her career. (Source: Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology)
Source: Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology - November 27, 2018 Category: Statistics Source Type: research
Rural Assertive Community Treatment and Telepsychiatry
Assertive community treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based treatment for patients with severe and persistent mental illness. ACT has been shown to reduce inpatient hospitalization and is increasingly being used as a mainstay of evidence-based psychiatric practice for these clinical populations. The increasing implementation of evidence-based practices has led to the expansion of ACT in rural areas. Variability in the adaptation of ACT in rural areas has included accommodation by teams to multiple barriers. One way to increase psychiatric professional efficiency in rural areas is with telepsychiatry and possibly with rural AC...
Source: Journal of Psychiatric Practice - July 1, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Columns Source Type: research
Charles Covell Named Distinguished Alumnus of Virginia Tech Department of Entomology
Pictured, left to right: Dr. Alan Grant, Dean of the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Dr. Charles Covell, Jr.; Dr. Dixie Dalton, President of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization; and Dr. Tim Kring, Head of the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology. (Source: ESA News)
Source: ESA News - June 12, 2018 Category: Biology Authors: jrominiecki Source Type: research
Firearm Seizure Laws Appear to Reduce Firearm-Related Suicides, Study Shows
States that have laws allowing police to temporarily seize firearms from people deemed to be at risk of danger to self or others have experienced a decrease in the number of suicides involving firearms, according to areport inPsychiatric Services in Advance.In recent years, several states have enacted laws allowing time-limited seizure of firearms, with a level of judicial oversight and due process, from people deemed to be at risk. In 1999, Connecticut became the first state to do so following a mass shooting at the state lottery headquarters. Indiana followed suit in 2005 after the fatal shooting of a police officer in I...
Source: Psychiatr News - June 5, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Tags: aggregate suicides Connecticut firearm seizure laws firearm suicides Indiana firearm seizure laws Source Type: research
