Exploring multifaceted factors in chronic kidney disease risk: A comprehensive analysis of biochemistry, lifestyle, and inflammation in elderly Chinese individuals

This letter praises a recent article in the World Journal of Clinical Cases(Roles of biochemistry data,lifestyle,and inflammation in identifying abnormal renal function in old Chinese),examining factors affecting abnormal renal function in elderly Chinese using advanced machine learning.It highlights the importance of uric acid,age,hemoglobin,body mass index,sport hours,and systolic blood pressure.The study's holistic approach,integrating lifestyle and inflammation,offers a nuanced understanding of chronic kidney disease risk factors.The letter suggests exploring mechanistic pathways of hyperuricemia,the link between anemia and renal function,and the connection between body mass index and estimated glomerular filtration rate.It advocates investigating physical activity's impact on renal health and the independent effects of blood pressure.The study significantly contributes to chronic kidney disease understanding,proposing avenues for further exploration and interventions.Commendations are extended to the authors and the journal.

High Light Intensity Increases the CAM Expression in “MD-2” Micro-Propagated Pineapple Plants at the End of the Acclimatization Stage

This work describes the evaluation of morpho-physiological and biochemical changes in “MD-2” micro-propagated pineapple plants (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) grown after 30 days under low light intensity (LL, greenhouse light conditions at 250 μmol·m-2·s-1) or high light intensity (HL, field light conditions at 800 μmol·m-2·s-1). Gas exchange, leaf pH, protein content and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) (EC 1.15.1.1) were measured every 3 h during one day. Chlorophylls content and succulence index (SI) were determined at 9 h. Results showed significant differences in CO2 exchange rates, with a maximum occurring at 6 h (3.00 and 8.25 μmol CO2 m-2·s-1 for leaves under LL and HL conditions respectively). Plants under HL conditions had higher CO2 uptake and lower pH values between 0 h and 6 h respective to LL plants. The maximum pH value was attained 3 h before in HL plants. Leaf SI was increased and chlorophyll content decreased by HL conditions. SOD activity was higher in plants under HL conditions, near doubling those of LL plants at 18 h (2.8 versus 1.5 U·mg-1 Protein respectively). Both groups showed a typical CAM phenotype, but it was stronger in HL conditions, which may confer these plants with a better acclimation to transfer to the field.

A Possible Hypoallergenic Cereal in Wheat Food Allergy and Baker’s Asthma

Background: Wheat is a potent allergen source and is one of the causes of baker’s asthma and food allergy. The best strategy for managing food hypersensitivity involves strict avoidance of the trigger. However, wheat is quite difficult to avoid. Several alternative strategies for the treatment of food allergy are under study. Spelt is a possible hypoallergenic crop that may be tried in patients with wheat allergy. Methods: We have evaluated the allergenic IgE hypersensitivity mediated by spelt in wheat allergic patients. Overall, 66 patients who suffered from baker’s asthma or food allergy (45 males and 21 females, mean age 28.6 ± 12.9 years) were included. We have also compared its reactivity with standard- ized extracts from wheat and with purified non-specific lipid transfer proteins from wheat (Tri a 14) and from peach (Pru p 3). Immunodetection with spelt and common bread wheat extracts (Triticum aestivum, cultivar Astral) was per- formed. Fresh wheat and spelt grain extracts were used both for oral and bronchial challenge and skin tests. Specific IgE detection to different cereals was performed using the Immuno CAP System (Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden). The bronchial challenge was positive with wheat Astral in 44 (67%) patients, all of them suffered from asthma. Thirteen (29.54%) of these 44 patients had negative the challenge with spelt. The oral challenge with wheat Astral was positive in 22 (33%) patients with wheat food allergy, and the same test was positive in only in 6 of them with spelt (27.3%). The diagnostic yield (sensitivity, specificity and predictive values) of routine tests in determining spelt allergy by specific positive challenge responses was determined. Prick tests for spelt versus positive challenge tests had a good sensitivity (94%, 86.5 - 99.4;95%CI) and specificity (86%, 84 - 90;95% CI) for the diagnosis of spelt allergy. Immunodetection detected minor differences among different extracts. Conclusion: In summary, the prick test and bronchial and oral challenges both efficiently detected sensitization to spelt and their levels were related to more severe clinical profiles, but the wheal area was significantly lower with spelt (p 0.001) and the percentage of positive challenge tests decreased. Our results suggest that spelt is an old crop that may be tried in patients with wheat allergy.

Thermal preference, tolerance and temperature-dependent respiration in the California sea hare <i>Aplysia californica</i>

The thermoregulatory behavior of sea hare Aplysia californica was determined in a horizontal thermal gradient;with a preferred temperature (PT) of 18.3°C for the day cycle and 20.8°C for the night cycle. The displacement velocity demonstrated an initial rate of 30 cm·hˉ1 and gradually the velocity diminished to 18 cm·hˉ1 with several fluctuations mainly at 02:00 am. Critical Temperature Maxima (CTMax refers to the temperature point where at least 50% of the experimental group have a loss of attachment) was measured at three acclimation temperatures (16°C, 19°C and 22°C). At the lowest acclimation temperature (16°C), 50% of the experimental group had an attachment loss at CTMax 32.7°C, and in a higher acclimation temperature (22°C) CTMax was 36.2°C. The Oxygen Consumption Rate (OCR) was closely correlated to acclimation temperature, and at 16°C and 19°C sea hare had a relatively stable metabolic rate, with OCR increasing to 9 mg O2 hˉ1·kgˉ1 w.w. in a higher acclimation temperature.

Grape Phenolic Extract Potentially Useful in the Control of Antibiotic Resistant Strains of <i>Campylobacter</i>

In this work, a grape phenolic extract obtained by methanol extraction has been demonstrated to be effective in inhibiting the growth of different strains and species of Campylobacter, one of the most important bacterial foodborne pathogens causing gastroenteritis worldwide. Noteworthily, it was particularly effective against several strains presenting multiple antibiotic resistances. In all cases, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was lower than 300 mg GAE/L, being of 60 mg GAE/L for one of the most resistant strains (C. coli LP2), while the others were between 120 mg GAE/L and 180 mg GAE/L. The analytical study of the main phenolic compounds in the grape extract revealed that it was mainly constituted by catechins (85.7%) and phenolic acids (13.7%). However, experiments developed using pure standards demonstrate that phenolic acids (such as gallic, p-hidroxibenzoic, vanillic, and homovanillic acids) were the most active, provoking a Campylobacter growth decrease between 6.7 and 7.6 log, while epicatechin was the only catechin with activity as pure compound (1 log of growth decrease).

Heterologous expression of bacteriocin E-760 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and functional analysis

The use of antimicrobial peptides(AMPs)synthesized by bacteria(bacteriocins)is an alternative for combating multidrug resistant bacterial strains and their production by recombinant route is a viable option for their mass production.The bacteriocin E-760 isolated from the genus Enterococcus sp.has been shown to possess inhibitory activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.In this study,the expression of a chimeric protein coding for E-760 in the nucleus of C.reinhardtii was evaluated,as well as,its antibacterial activity.The synthetic gene E-760S was inserted into the genome of C.reinhardtii using Agrobacterium tumefaciens.A transgenic line was identified in TAP medium with hygromycin and also by PCR.The increment in the culture medium temperature of the transgenic strain at 35°C for 10 minutes,increased the production level of the recombinant protein from 0.14(Noninduced culture,NIC)to 0.36%(Induced culture,IC)of total soluble proteins(TSP);this was quantified by an ELISA assay.Recombinant E-760 possesses activity against Staphylococcus aureus in 0.34 U log,Streptococcus agalactiae in 0.48 U log,Enterococcus faecium in 0.36 U log,Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 2 U log and for Klebsiella pneumoniae,the activity was 0.07 U log.These results demonstrate that the nucleus transformation of C.reinhardtii can function as a stable expression platform for the production of the synthetic gene E-760 and it can potentially be used as an antibacterial agent.

Hypertension effects on p73 expression in the rat circumventricular organs and cerebrospinal fluid

It has been reported that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) show ventricular dilation, changes in CSF proteins and variations in the circumventricular organs (CVO) such as: the subcommissural organ (SCO), the subfornical organ (SFO) and the area postrema (AP) which are located in the walls of the third and fourth ventricles. On the other hand, p73 proteins are present in cells of the central nervous system (CNS) such as circumventricular structures and the neuroepithelium which are altered in ventricular dilation. The purpose of the present work is to study the TAp73 isoform expression in the circumventricular organs (CVO) and their variations in ventricular dilatation and arterial hypertension. Brains and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHR were used. The paraffin sections containing the CVO were immunohistochemically proc-essed with anti-TAp73 and by western blot, p73 bands in the CSF and circumventricular organ extract were also identified. The western blot study showed bands marked with p73 in the CSF and CVO, the p73 band expression was bigger in the SHR than in the WKY rats. We also found stronger markings in the SFO, SCO and AP of the hypertensive rats than in the WKY rats. It could be concluded that hypertension in the SHR produces altera-tions in the relationship between the p73 protein, circumventricular structures and CSF.

High Blood Pressure Effects on the Brain Barriers and Choroid Plexus Secretion

High blood pressure produces ventricular dilation, variations in circumventricular organs and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid compositions. On the other hand, chronic hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats can cause changes in the integrity of the brain barriers: blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and blood brain barrier. The permeability of the brain barriers can be studied by using transthyretin and S-100β. In the present work we study the integrity of the brain barrier and the choroid plexus function variations in arterial hypertension. Control rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats were used and the choroid plexus were processed by immunohistochemistry with anti-transthyretin and anti-vasopressin. Western blot was also performed in cerebrospinal fluid, serum and choroid plexus using anti-S-100β, anti-transthyretin. The accumulation of transthyretin immunoreactive was bigger in spontaneously hypertensive rats with respect to the control. Vasopressin was also higher in spontaneously hypertensive rats with respect to the control. Western blot showed that transthyretin tetramer was higher in the spontaneously hypertensive rats than in the control rats. The expression of transthyretin monomer was lower in hypertensive rats than the control in the cerebrospinal fluid, the transthyretin monomer reaction in the blood was stronger in hypertensive than in control rats. Western blot for the S-100 β showed an increase in blood and cerebrospinal fluid of hypertensive rats. The high blood pressure produces a disruption of the blood brain barrier and blood to cerebrospinal fluid barrier that allows extravasations from the cerebrospinal fluid to the blood and from the blood to the cerebrospinal fluid.

Dinamic of Bacteria Desnitrificants and Nitrificants in the Rizospheric of Wheat with Slow Release of Fertilizer,Irrigated with Waste or Well Water

The study of the paper about the rhizosphere in the transformation of nitrogen compounds can generate knowledge of the microbial and biochemical atmosphere of the rhizosphere of wheat, for the understanding of the dynamics of the N in agricultural zones, with the purpose of optimizing the fertilizer use and increasing the productivity of the cultures. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to know the effect the rhizosphere in the dynamics of the bacterial populations that take part in the cycle of the N in wheat nourished with slow release fertilizer and one commercial, irrigated with waste water or well. Analyses in the soil took place vertisol used in the experiment with the rhizospheric and non rhizospheric fraction. The slow release fertilizer used has a matrix enriched with N and P and is in the process of being patented (it explains in materials and methods). Each fertilizer was evaluated and the combination of the slow release fertilizer with organic fertilizer. The technique of the number most probable was used (MNP) to carry out the quantification of the nitrificants and denitrificants bacteria to the 55, 67 and 97 days after sowing (Dds). The results obtained for the MNP of denitrificants bacteria and Nitrosomonas indicate that the effect average of the types of water, soil and fertilizers, as well as their interaction to each other was not significant (p > 0.05). The effect of the fertilizing type and soil (rhizospheric and non rhizospheric) in the MNP of Nitrobacter was significant (p < 0.05). The tendencies show that the non rhizospheric soil is more favorable for the development of denitrificants bacteria and Nitrobacter, whereas the MNP of Nitrosomonas was greater in rhizospheric soil.

Plant cell wall-mediated disease resistance:Current understanding and future perspectives

Beyond their function as structural barriers,plant cell walls are essential elements for the adaptation of plants to environmental conditions.Cell walls are dynamic structures whose composition and integrity can be altered in response to environmental challenges and developmental cues.These wall changes are perceived by plant sensors/receptors to trigger adaptative responses during development and upon stress perception.Plant cell wall damage caused by pathogen infection,wounding,or other stresses leads to the release of wall molecules,such as carbohydrates(glycans),that function as damage-associated molecular patterns(DAMPs).DAMPs are perceived by the extracellular ectodomains(ECDs)of pattern recognition receptors(PRRs)to activate pattern-triggered immunity(PTI)and disease resistance.Similarly,glycans released from the walls and extracellular layers of microorganisms interacting with plants are recognized as microbe-associated molecular patterns(MAMPs)by specific ECD-PRRs triggering PTI responses.The number of oligosaccharides DAMPs/MAMPs identified that are perceived by plants has increased in recent years.However,the structural mechanisms underlying glycan recognition by plant PRRs remain limited.Currently,this knowledge is mainly focused on receptors of the LysM-PRR family,which are involved in the perception of various molecules,such as chitooligosaccharides from fungi and lipo-chitooligosaccharides(i.e.,Nod/MYC factors from bacteria and mycorrhiza,respectively)that trigger differential physiological responses.Nevertheless,additional families of plant PRRs have recently been implicated in oligosaccharide/polysaccharide recognition.These include receptor kinases(RKs)with leucine-rich repeat and Malectin domains in their ECDs(LRR-MAL RKs),Catharanthus roseus RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 1-LIKE group(CrRLK1L)with Malectin-like domains in their ECDs,as well as wall-associated kinases,lectin-RKs,and LRR-extensins.The characterization of structural basis of glycans recognition by these new plant receptors will shed light on their similarities with those of mammalians involved in glycan perception.The gained knowledge holds the potential to facilitate the development of sustainable,glycan-based crop protection solutions.

Temperature changes in the root ecosystem affect plant functionality

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme heat events that aggravate its negative impact on plant development and agricultural yield.Most experiments designed to study plant adaption to heat stress apply homogeneous high temperatures to both shoot and root.However,this treatment does not mimic the conditions in natural fields,where roots grow in a dark environment with a descending temperature gradient.Excessively high temperatures severely decrease cell division in the root meristem,compromising root growth,while increasing the division of quiescent center cells,likely in an attempt to maintain the stem cell niche under such harsh conditions.Here,we engineered the TGRooZ,a device that generates a temperature gradient for in vitro or greenhouse growth assays.The root systems of plants exposed to high shoot temperatures but cultivated in theTGRooZ grow efficiently and maintain their functionality to sustain proper shoot growth and development.Furthermore,gene expression and rhizosphere or root microbiomecomposition are significantly less affected in TGRooZ-grown roots than in high-temperature-grown roots,correlating with higher root functionality.Our data indicate that use of the TGRooZ in heat-stress studies can improve our knowledge of plant response to high temperatures,demonstrating its applicability from laboratory studies to the field.

The protein-protein interaction landscape of transcription factors during gynoecium development in Arabidopsis

Flowers are composed of organs whose identity is defined by the combinatorial activity of transcription factors(TFs).The interactions between MADS-box TFs and protein complex formation have been schematized in the floral quartet model of flower development.The gynoecium is the flower’s female reproductive part,crucial for fruit and seed production and,hence,for reproductive success.After the establishment of carpel identity,many tissues arise to form a mature gynoecium.TFs have been described as regulators of gynoecium development,and some interactions and complexes have been identified.However,broad knowledge about the interactions among these TFs and their participation during development remains scarce.In this study,we used a systems biology approach to understand the formation of a complex reproductive unit—as the gynoecium—by mapping binary interactions between well-characterized TFs.We analyzed almost 4500 combinations and detected more than 250 protein-protein interactions(PPIs),resulting in a process-specific interaction map.Topological analyses suggest hidden functions and novel roles for many TFs.In addition,we observed a close relationship between TFs involved in auxin and cytokinin-signaling pathways and other TFs.Furthermore,we analyzed the network by combining PPI data,expression,and genetic data,which helped us to dissect it into several dynamic spatio-temporal subnetworks related to gynoecium development processes.Finally,we generated an extended PPI network that predicts new players in gynoecium development.Taken together,all these results serve as a valuable resource for the plant community.

Roles of Ubiquitination in the Control of Phosphate Starvation Responses in Plants

Throughout evolution, plants have evolved sophisticated adaptive responses that allow them to grow with a limited supply of phos-phate, the preferential form in which the essential macronutrient phosphorus is absorbed by plants. Most of these responses are aimed to increase phosphate availability and acquisition through the roots, to optimize its usage in metabolic processes, and to protect plants from the deleterious effects of phosphate deficiency stress. Regulation of these adaptive responses requires fine percep- tion of the external and internal phosphate levels, and a complex signal transduction pathway that integrates information on the phosphate status at the whole-plant scale. The molecular mecha-nisms that participate in phosphate homeostasis include transcriptional control of gene expression, RNA silencing mediated by microRNAs, regulatory non-coding RNAs of miRNA activity, phosphate transporter trafficking, and post-translational modification of proteins, such as phosphorylation, sumoylation and ubiquitination. Such a varied regulatory repertoire reflects the complexity intrinsic to phosphate surveying and signaling pathways. Here, we describe these regulatory mechanisms, emphasizing the increasing importance of ubiquitination in the control of phosphate starvation responses.

The endophytic mycobiota of Arabidopsis thaliana

Fungal endophytes are receiving increasing attention as resources to improve crop production and ecosystem management.However,the biology and ecological significance of these symbionts remains poorly understood,due to a lack of model systems for more efficient research.In this work,we have analyzed the culturable endophytic mycobiota associated,in the wild,with leaves and siliques of the model plant A.thaliana.We have studied the effect of biotic and abiotic factors in the frequency of fungal endophytes in plant specimens,and in the species composition of the endophytic community.Our results indicate that the frequency of Arabidopsis plants hosting endophytes depends on the time of the year and the phenological stage of the plant,and that the probability of endophyte colonization increases as the life cycle of the plant progresses.The diversity of the endophytic assemblages of natural A.thaliana populations was high,and precipitation and temperature were the two main factors determining the diversity and species composition of the communities.We propose A.thaliana and its endophytes as a model system for an integral approach to the principles governing the endophytic lifestyle,taking advantage of the molecular tools and the abundant knowledge accessible from the host plant.