Combined strategies for improving the heterologous expression of a novel xylanase from Fusarium oxysporum Fo47 in Pichia pastoris.

Xylanase, an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing non-starch polysaccharides found in grain structures like wheat, has been found to improve the organizational structure of dough and thus increase its volume. In our past work, one promising xylanase FXYL derived from Fusarium oxysporum Fo47 and first expressed 779.64 U/mL activity in P. pastoris. It has shown significant potential in improving the quality of whole wheat bread, making it become a candidate for development as a new flour improver. After optimization of expression elements and gene dose, the xylanase activity of FXYL strain carrying three-copies reached 4240.92 U/mL in P. pastoris. In addition, 12 factors associated with the three stages of protein expression pathway were co-expressed individually in order in three-copies strain, and the translation factor Pab1 co-expression increased FXYL activity to 8893.53 U/mL. Nevertheless, combining the most effective or synergistic factors from three stages did not exhibit better results than co-expressing them alone. To further evaluate the industrial potential, the xylanase activity and protein concentration reached 81184.51 U/mL and 11.8 g/L in a 5 L fed-batch fermenter. These engineering strategies improved the expression of xylanase FXYL by more than 104-fold, providing valuable insights for the cost-effective industrial application of FXYL in the baking field.

Predicting ischemic stroke patients' prognosis changes using machine learning in a nationwide stroke registry.

Accurately predicting the prognosis of ischemic stroke patients after discharge is crucial for physicians to plan for long-term health care. Although previous studies have demonstrated that machine learning (ML) shows reasonably accurate stroke outcome predictions with limited datasets, to identify specific clinical features associated with prognosis changes after stroke that could aid physicians and patients in devising improved recovery care plans have been challenging. This study aimed to overcome these gaps by utilizing a large national stroke registry database to assess various prediction models that estimate how patients' prognosis changes over time with associated clinical factors. To properly evaluate the best predictive approaches currently available and avoid prejudice, this study employed three different prognosis prediction models including a statistical logistic regression model, commonly used clinical-based scores, and a latest high-performance ML-based XGBoost model. The study revealed that the XGBoost model outperformed other two traditional models, achieving an AUROC of 0.929 in predicting the prognosis changes of stroke patients followed for 3 months. In addition, the XGBoost model maintained remarkably high precision even when using only selected 20 most relevant clinical features compared to full clinical datasets used in the study. These selected features closely correlated with significant changes in clinical outcomes for stroke patients and showed to be effective for predicting prognosis changes after discharge, allowing physicians to make optimal decisions regarding their patients' recovery.

Isolation and characterization of an antimicrobial Bacillus subtilis strain O-741 against Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine bacterium that can infect and cause the death of aquatic organisms. V. parahaemolyticus can also cause human foodborne infection via contaminated seafood, with clinical syndromes which include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and so on. Since controlling V. parahaemolyticus is important for aquaculture and human health, various strategies have been explored. This study investigates the application of antagonistic microorganisms to inhibit the growth of V. parahaemolyticus. We screened aquaculture environment samples and identified a Bacillus subtilis strain O-741 with potent antimicrobial activities. This strain showed a broad spectrum of antagonistic activities against V. parahaemolyticus and other Vibrio species. Application of the O-741 bacterium significantly increased the survival of Artemia nauplii which were infected with V. parahaemolyticus. Furthermore, the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of O-741 bacterium exhibited inhibitory ability against V. parahaemolyticus, and its activity was stable to heat, acidity, UV, enzymes, and organic solvents. Next, the O-741 CFS was extracted by ethyl acetate, and analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and the functional faction was identified as an amicoumacin A compound. The organic extracts of CFS containing amicoumacin A had bactericidal effects on V. parahaemolyticus, and the treated V. parahaemolyticus cells showed disruption of the cell membrane and formation of cell cavities. These findings indicate that B. subtilis strain O-741 can inhibit the V. parahaemolyticus in vitro and in vivo, and has potential for use as a biocontrol agent for preventing V. parahaemolyticus infection.

Physical Fitness and Risk of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents.

Importance: With the rising prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents, identifying modifiable associations is critical. Objective: To examine the association between physical fitness and mental disorder risks. Design, Setting, and Participants: This nationwide cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Student Fitness Tests and National Health Insurance Research Databases from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019. Participants were divided into 2 cohorts targeting anxiety and depression (1 996 633 participants) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 1 920 596 participants). Participants were aged 10 to 11 years at study entry and followed up for at least 3 years, had a nearly equal gender distribution, and an average follow-up of 6 years. Data were analyzed from October 2022 to February 2024. Exposures: Assessments of physical fitness included cardiorespiratory fitness (CF), muscular endurance (ME), muscular power (MP), and flexibility, measured through an 800-m run time, bent-leg curl-ups, standing broad jump, and sit-and-reach test, respectively. Main Outcomes and Measures: Kaplan-Meier method calculated the cumulative incidence of anxiety, depression, and ADHD across fitness quartiles. Additionally, multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used that included all 4 fitness components and explored sex and income as modifiers. Results: The anxiety and depression cohort had 1 996 633 participants (1 035 411 participants were male [51.9%], and the median [IQR] age was 10.6 [10.3-11.0] years), while the ADHD cohort had 1 920 596 (975 568 participants were male [51.9%], and the median [IQR] age was 10.6 [10.3-11.0] years). Cumulative incidence of mental disorders was lower among participants in better-performing fitness quartiles, suggesting a dose-dependent association. Gender-specific analyses, controlling for confounders, revealed that improved CF, indicated by a 30-second decrease in run times, was associated with reduced risks of anxiety, depression, and ADHD in female participants, and lower risks of anxiety and ADHD in male participants (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] for ADHD risk for female participants, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.90-0.94; P < .001; for male participants, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.92-0.94; P < .001). Enhanced ME, marked by an increase of 5 curl-ups per minute, was associated with decreased risks of depression and ADHD in female participants, and lower anxiety and ADHD risks in male participants (aHR for ADHD risk for female participants, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.97; P < .001; for male participants, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.95-0.97; P < .001). Improved MP, reflected by a 20-cm increase in jump distance, was associated with reduced risks of anxiety and ADHD in female participants and reduced anxiety, depression, and ADHD in male participants (aHR for ADHD risk for female participants, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-1.00; P = .04; for male participants, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99; P = .001). Conclusions and Relevance: This study highlights the potential protective role of cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, and muscular power in preventing the onset of mental disorders. It warrants further investigation of the effectiveness of physical fitness programs as a preventive measure for mental disorders among children and adolescents.

Nursing students' emotions, educational concerns, and the impact of study careers and professional futures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a challenge to education systems worldwide. The aim of the study was to explore the impact of COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education on the study careers and professional futures of nursing students. METHODS: The study was completed between March and June 2023 using a multi-stage sampling design. A total of 1126 nursing students were recruited to complete the questionnaire. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of basic characteristics of the subjects, the COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions scale, the COVID-19-related concern for education scale, and the impact of the COVID-19 on study careers and professional futures scale (SCPFI-19 S). One-way ANOVA/t-test, correlation coefficient analysis, and hierarchical linear regression analysis were used to explore factors influencing changes in study careers and professional futures, and the relationship between COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education. RESULTS: Univariate analysis of variance indicated that residence, willingness, and whether to engage in nursing after graduation were related to SCPFI-19 S (P < 0.05). COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education were significantly and positively associated with SCPFI-19 S (r = 0.566, P < 0.01; r = 0.199, P < 0.01). Stratified multiple regression analysis showed that COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education of nursing students were significant predictors of SCPFI-19 S. CONCLUSION: Overall, both COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education were significantly correlated with SCPFI-19 S. In future interventions, schools should consider structures and strategies to support students' mental health and educational trajectories during current and future epidemics or similar crises.

Targeted Overexpression of Claudin 11 in Osteoblasts Increases Trabecular Bone Mass by Stimulating Osteogenesis at the Expense of Adipogenesis in Mice.

Mice lacking Claudin11 (Cldn11) manifest reduced trabecular bone mass. However, the impact of Cldn11 expression in osteoblasts in vivo remains understudied. Herein, we generated osteoblast-specific transgenic (Tg) mice expressing Cldn11 and characterized their skeletal phenotype. Micro-CT analyses of the distal metaphysis of the femur showed a 50% and a 38% increase in trabecular bone mass in Tg male and female mice, respectively, due to a significant increase in trabecular number and a reduction in trabecular separation. Histomorphometry and serum biomarker studies uncovered that increased trabecular bone mass in Cldn11 Tg mice was the consequence of enhanced bone formation. Accordingly, an abundance of bone formation (Alp, Bsp), but not bone resorption (Ctsk), markers were augmented in the femurs of Cldn11 Tg mice. Since the trabecular bone density is known to inversely correlate with the amount of marrow adipose tissue (MAT), we measured the MAT in osmium-tetroxide-labeled bones by micro-CT scanning. We found 86% less MAT in the proximal tibia of the Tg males. Consistently, the expression levels of the adipogenic markers, adiponectin and leptin, were 50% lower in the femurs of the Tg males. Our data are consistent with the possibility that claudin11 exerts anabolic effects in osteoblastic lineage cells that act via promoting the differentiation of marrow stem cells towards osteoblasts at the expense of adipocytes.

Associations of mental well-being with higher education-related stress and orientation of the academic goals among nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

To investigate the association between the mental health of nursing students, the stress of higher education, and academic goal orientation. At a medical college, 1170 nursing students volunteered for this cross-sectional survey. The Warwick-Edinburgh Well-being Scale, the Higher Education Stress Scale, and the Academic Goal Orientation Questionnaire were utilised to collect data. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were all performed to evaluate the data. The significance level for all statistical tests was p < 0.05. A total of 1126 valid samples, with a 96.23% effective recovery rate. The Higher Education Stress Scale score for nursing students was (38.31 ± 8.29), the Academic Goal Orientation Questionnaire result was (49.32 ± 9.62), and the Mental Health Scale value was (31.24 ± 14.00). Overall, there was a strong relationship between the stress associated with higher education, academic goal orientation, and the mental health of nursing students. Therefore, in future interventions, the Chinese government and its relevant educational authorities can enhance nursing students' ability to reasonably regulate stress related to higher education and set clear academic goals by adjusting the strategies for regulating nursing students' academic stress and increasing the number of academic goal-oriented courses to improve their mental health.

Retraction of "Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Grown on Cellulose/GO Hydrogels as Advanced Catalytic Materials for the Heterogeneous Fenton-like Reaction".

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b00170.].

Relationship between self-esteem and quality of life in middle-aged and older patients with chronic diseases: mediating effects of death anxiety.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have explored the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life. However, few studies have elucidated the mechanisms underlying the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life in middle-aged and older patients with chronic diseases. The present study aimed to explore the mediating role of death anxiety in this relationship. METHODS: Middle-old-aged patients with chronic diseases were selected as the respondents by using a multi-stage sampling method, random number table method from October 2021 to February 2022 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The Cumulative Disease Rating Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale (SES), the Chinese version of the Death Anxiety Scale (CT-DAS), and the Simplified version of the Quality of Life Scale (SF-12) were used as the researching tools to conduct the survey. SPSS26.0 was used to analysis data. AMOS 23.0 software was used to construct structural equation modeling. RESULTS: 294 valid questionnaires were collected. There were significant differences in quality of life among middle-aged and elderly patients with chronic diseases who have different physical activities, socialization, and chronic pain (P < 0.01); Self-esteem was positively associated with quality of life (r = 0.330, P < 0.01), self-esteem was negatively associated with death anxiety (r = -0.222, P < 0.01), and death anxiety was negatively associated with quality of life (r = -0.263, P < 0.01); Death anxiety partially mediated the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life, with the mediating effect accounting for 18.40% of the total effect. CONCLUSION: Death anxiety partially mediates the relationship between self-esteem and quality of life. Interventions to improve self-esteem and reduce death anxiety should be used to improve the quality of life of middle-aged and senior patients with chronic diseases.

The HSP40 family chaperone isoform DNAJB6b prevents neuronal cells from tau aggregation.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder with clinical presentations of progressive cognitive and memory deterioration. The pathologic hallmarks of AD include tau neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaque depositions in the hippocampus and associated neocortex. The neuronal aggregated tau observed in AD cells suggests that the protein folding problem is a major cause of AD. J-domain-containing proteins (JDPs) are the largest family of cochaperones, which play a vital role in specifying and directing HSP70 chaperone functions. JDPs bind substrates and deliver them to HSP70. The association of JDP and HSP70 opens the substrate-binding domain of HSP70 to help the loading of the clients. However, in the initial HSP70 cycle, which JDP delivers tau to the HSP70 system in neuronal cells remains unclear. RESULTS: We screened the requirement of a diverse panel of JDPs for preventing tau aggregation in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y by a filter retardation method. Interestingly, knockdown of DNAJB6, one of the JDPs, displayed tau aggregation and overexpression of DNAJB6b, one of the isoforms generated from the DNAJB6 gene by alternative splicing, reduced tau aggregation. Further, the tau bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay confirmed the DNAJB6b-dependent tau clearance. The co-immunoprecipitation and the proximity ligation assay demonstrated the protein-protein interaction between tau and the chaperone-cochaperone complex. The J-domain of DNAJB6b was critical for preventing tau aggregation. Moreover, reduced DNAJB6 expression and increased tau aggregation were detected in an age-dependent manner in immunohistochemical analysis of the hippocampus tissues of a mouse model of tau pathology. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, downregulation of DNAJB6b increases the insoluble form of tau, while overexpression of DNAJB6b reduces tau aggregation. Moreover, DNAJB6b associates with tau. Therefore, this study reveals that DNAJB6b is a direct sensor for its client tau in the HSP70 folding system in neuronal cells, thus helping to prevent AD.

Compounds targeting ferroptosis in breast cancer: progress and their therapeutic potential.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of Breast cancer (BC), making it the most common cancer among women and a major threat to women's health. Consequently, there is an urgent need to discover new and effective strategies for treating BC. Ferroptosis, a novel form of cell death characterized by the accumulation of iron-dependent lipid reactive oxygen species, has emerged as a distinct regulatory pathway separate from necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy. It is widely recognized as a crucial factor in the development and progression of cancer, offering a promising avenue for BC treatment. While significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms of ferroptosis in BC, drug development is still in its early stages. Numerous compounds, including phytochemicals derived from dietary sources and medicinal plants, as well as synthetic drugs (both clinically approved medications and laboratory reagents), have shown the ability to induce ferroptosis in BC cells, effectively inhibiting tumor growth. This comprehensive review aims to examine in detail the compounds that target ferroptosis in BC and elucidate their potential mechanisms of action. Additionally, the challenges associated with the clinical application of ferroptosis-inducing drugs are discussed, offering valuable insights for the development of novel treatment strategies for BC.

Important findings of a technology-assisted in-home music-based intervention for individuals with stroke: a small feasibility study.

PURPOSE: To examine the feasibility of stroke survivors receiving music-based rehabilitation via a mobile app. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited ten chronic stroke survivors who were community-dwelling with mild-moderate upper extremity (UE) paresis. Participants were encouraged to exercise their paretic UE with a commercial instrument training app, Yousician, with a piano keyboard at home for three weeks. The feasibility of the training was measured by: (a) the acceptance of using the app to receive in-home piano training (e.g., daily usage time, exit interview) and (b) the effects of the app functionality as a rehabilitation tool (e.g., participants' motor improvements after training). RESULTS: Our small sample size of participants demonstrated general positive feedback and self-motivation (e.g., interest in extended training time) about using a mobile app to receive in-home, music-based UE training. Participants showed no trend of declined usage and practiced on average ∼33 min per day for 4-5 days per week during the 3-week participation. We also observed positive results in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Action Research Arm Test, and Nine Hole Peg Test after training. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided insight into the feasibility of delivering music-based interventions through mobile health (mHealth) technology for stroke populations. Although this was a small sample size, participants' positive and negative comments and feedback provided useful information for future rehab app development. We suggest four ways to further improve and design a patient-oriented app to facilitate the use of a mHealth app to deliver in-home music-based interventions for stroke survivors.

Stroke survivors showed acceptance and positive feedback on receiving in-home music-based training via a mobile app.mHealth technologies may allow positive effects of music-based interventions in motor performance and home practice compliance.Further developments in the co-design process with patients, caregivers, and therapists are needed to design a patient-oriented app to deliver better in-home music-based interventions for stroke survivors.

The Effects of Partial Substitution of Fertilizer Using Different Organic Materials on Soil Nutrient Condition, Aggregate Stability and Enzyme Activity in a Tea Plantation.

Fertilization plays a crucial role in enhancing tea production. However, it has been demonstrated that the long-term single application of chemical fertilizer will reduce soil nutrient content and the formation of soil aggregates, which is not conducive to the sustainable development of soil and agriculture. Many studies have shown that partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer can improve soil physicochemical properties and soil nutrient content. This study compared the effects of different organic materials as substitutes for chemical fertilizer. We partially replaced chemical fertilizer with rabbit manure, wine lees and rapeseed cake, amounting to 30% of the total annual nitrogen application in the field experiment, and we set nine different fertilization methods to assess and analyze the soil nutrient condition, aggregate stability and enzyme activity. The results showed that the experimental soil aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) were significantly increased compared with control (p < 0.05); the aforementioned fertilization methods also decreased the soil aggregate fractal dimension (D), disruption rate (PAD), average weight-specific surface area (MWSSA) and soil erodibility factor (K). The application of the fertilizer containing organic materials and microbial agent increased soil organic carbon (SOC) by 20.7% to 22.6% and total nitrogen (TN) by 34.6% to 38.1%; it also significantly promoted sucrase, urease and protease activities in all aggregate sizes (p < 0.05) and increased the 2-5 mm aggregate content. The correlation coefficients between the SOC and the enzyme activities were 0.18-0.95, and most of them showed an extremely significant positive correlation (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the application of fertilizers containing organic materials and microbial agents can improve soil aggregate stability, aggregate enzyme activity and soil structural stability.

Nursing students' emotional empathy, emotional intelligence and higher education-related stress: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing is one of the critically important disciplines in healthcare. Due to its complexity and specificity, nursing students often face additional higher education-related stress. However, there is less research on higher education-related stress among nursing students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of emotional empathy and emotional intelligence on the dimensions of higher education-related stress among nursing students. METHODS: This study utilized a multi-stage sampling design and was completed within the March-June 2023 period. A total of 1126 nursing students were recruited to complete the questionnaire. The self-administered questionnaire included the basic characteristics of the subjects, an emotional empathy scale, an emotional intelligence scale, and a higher education-related stress scale. One-way ANOVA/t-tests, correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to explore the factors affecting higher education-related stress and the relationship between emotional empathy and emotional intelligence with the dimensions of higher education-related stress. RESULTS: The mean (SD) scores of challenges and dissatisfaction dimensions of higher education-related stress among nursing students were 30.052 (7.466) and 8.270 (2.205), respectively. Emotional empathy was significantly and positively related to the challenges and dissatisfaction dimensions of higher education-related stress. Emotional intelligence was negatively correlated with the challenges dimension of higher education-related stress and positively correlated with the dissatisfaction dimension. Stratified multiple regression analyses revealed that nursing students' emotional empathy and emotional intelligence were significant predictors of the dimensions of higher education-related stress. CONCLUSION: Overall, emotional empathy and emotional intelligence were significantly correlated with all dimensions of higher education-related stress. Consequently, in future interventions, the Chinese government and education sector can develop nursing students' ability to use emotional empathy and emotional intelligence rationally through emotional regulation strategies and emotional intelligence courses, to reduce the higher education-related stress they experience.

Spinal cord stimulation for visceral pain associated with medullary sponge kidney.

Chronic pain is a common reason for which people in the USA seek medical care. It is linked to opioid consumption, anxiety and a reduction in quality of life. Over the past 50 years, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has evolved as a safe and efficacious treatment for chronic pain etiologies. The authors present the first known case of SCS for pain due to medullary sponge kidney disease. This report adds to the growing body of literature supporting the use of SCS for treating visceral organ pain, while also highlighting the utility of ventral lead placement for treating visceral pain. As SCS utilization increases, it is expected that there will be a decrease in opioid consumption, and this will help us contain the opioid epidemic.

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons that people in the USA seek medical care. It is associated with an increased reliance on opioids, anxiety, depression and a lower quality of life. Over the past 50 years, a treatment modality known as spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has emerged and evolved. Based on evidence, SCS has shown promising results in treating chronic pain related to different causes and has also led to an improvement in the quality of life in those suffering from pain. In this case report, the authors present a case of a patient with chronic pain due to recurrent kidney stones secondary to their hereditary kidney disease, and who responded well to treatment with SCS. The patient self-reported almost 80% pain relief after undergoing treatment with SCS as well as an improved quality of life, based on their ability to engage in their daily professional and leisurely activities without being so restricted by pain from their recurrent kidney stones. This case report adds to the growing body of literature that underscores the utility of SCS in treating a variety of pain mediated pathologies. As SCS continues to show promising results, we hope that SCS usage to target pain will increase, and this will lead to a decrease in opioid prescriptions and help curb the opioid epidemic.

A novel label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of heat shock protein 70 of lung adenocarcinoma cell line following paclitaxel treatment using l-cysteine-functionalized Au@MnO2/MoO3 nanocomposites.

The future trend in achieving precision medicine involves the development of non-invasive cancer biomarker sensors that offer high accuracy, low cost, and time-saving benefits for risk clarification, early detection, disease detection, and therapeutic monitoring. A facile approach for the synthesis of MoO3 nanosheets was developed by thermally oxidizing MoS2 nanosheets in air followed by thermal annealing. Subsequently, Au@MnO2 nanocomposites were prepared using a combined hydrothermal process and in situ chemical synthesis. In this study, we present a novel immunosensor design strategy involving the immobilization of antiHSP70 antibodies on Au@MnO2/MoO3 nanocomposites modified on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) using EDC/NHS chemistry. This study establishes HSP70 as a potential biomarker for monitoring therapeutic response during anticancer therapy. Impedance measurements of HSP70 on the Au@MnO2/MoO3/SPE immunosensor using EIS showed an increase in impedance with an increase in HSP70 concentration. The electrochemical immunosensor demonstrated a good linear response in the range of 0.001 to 1000 ng mL-1 with a detection limit of 0.17 pg mL-1 under optimal conditions. Moreover, the immunosensor was effective in detecting HSP70 at low concentrations in a lung adenocarcinoma cell line following Paclitaxel treatment, indicating its potential for early detection of the HSP70 biomarker in organ-on-a-chip and clinical applications.

RAD51 paralogs synergize with RAD51 to protect reversed forks from cellular nucleases.

Fork reversal is a conserved mechanism to prevent stalled replication forks from collapsing. Formation and protection of reversed forks are two crucial steps in ensuring fork integrity and stability. Five RAD51 paralogs, namely, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, XRCC2 and XRCC3, which share sequence and structural similarity to the recombinase RAD51, play poorly defined mechanistic roles in these processes. Here, using purified BCDX2 (RAD51BCD-XRCC2) and CX3 (RAD51C-XRCC3) complexes and in vitro reconstituted biochemical systems, we mechanistically dissect their functions in forming and protecting reversed forks. We show that both RAD51 paralog complexes lack fork reversal activities. Whereas CX3 exhibits modest fork protection activity, BCDX2 significantly synergizes with RAD51 to protect DNA against attack by the nucleases MRE11 and EXO1. DNA protection is contingent upon the ability of RAD51 to form a functional nucleoprotein filament on DNA. Collectively, our results provide evidence for a hitherto unknown function of RAD51 paralogs in synergizing with RAD51 nucleoprotein filament to prevent degradation of stressed replication forks.

Ramen Consumption and Gut Microbiota Diversity in Japanese Women: Cross-Sectional Data from the NEXIS Cohort Study.

A cross-sectional study involving 224 healthy Japanese adult females explored the relationship between ramen intake, gut microbiota diversity, and blood biochemistry. Using a stepwise regression model, ramen intake was inversely associated with gut microbiome alpha diversity after adjusting for related factors, including diets, Age, BMI, and stool habits (ß = -0.018; r = -0.15 for Shannon index). The intake group of ramen was inversely associated with dietary nutrients and dietary fiber compared with the no-intake group of ramen. Sugar intake, Dorea as a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing gut microbiota, and γ-glutamyl transferase as a liver function marker were directly associated with ramen intake after adjustment for related factors including diets, gut microbiota, and blood chemistry using a stepwise logistic regression model, whereas Dorea is inconsistently less abundant in the ramen group. In conclusion, the increased ramen was associated with decreased gut bacterial diversity accompanying a perturbation of Dorea through the dietary nutrients, gut microbiota, and blood chemistry, while the methodological limitations existed in a cross-sectional study. People with frequent ramen eating habits need to take measures to consume various nutrients to maintain and improve their health, and dietary management can be applied to the dietary feature in ramen consumption.