Heavy Metal-Associated Proteins in Plants: Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Insights from Angiosperms and Ancestral Plants.

Heavy metal-associated (HMA) proteins are mainly metal ion transporters and are involved in heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification processes. However, despite the importance of this protein family, their role in several plant species has not been identified nor studied. In the present work, a genome-wide identification methodology was used to identify HMA proteins in 13 plant species, in a representation of angiosperm species belonging to the clades of magnoliids, monocotyledons, and eudicotyledons, and non-angiosperms such as Physcomitrella patens and Selaginella moellendorffii.

Clinical outcomes of cyclophosphamide therapy in relentless placoid choroiditis: A descriptive case series.

Purpose: To describe the clinical presentation and visual outcomes of relentless placoid choroiditis (RPC) in four patients treated with intravenous cyclophosphamide, a treatment not extensively studied in this condition.

Background: RPC is a rare and recently described ocular disease characterized by a prolonged and progressive clinical course, widespread lesions, and unknown etiology. There is no consensus on its treatment, and the use of cyclophosphamide in RPC has not been extensively studied.

Acyl-CoA-binding protein as a driver of pathological aging.

The tissue hormone acyl coenzyme A-binding protein (ACBP, encoded by the gene , DBI) has been implicated in various facets of pathological aging. Here, we show that ACBP plasma concentrations are elevated in (close-to-)centenarians (mean ± SD age 99.5 ± 4.

Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction predicts the magnitude of improvement in patients taking sacubitril/valsartan.

Background: Sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) improve left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in heart failure patients, but the magnitude of improvement may depend on baseline values.

Methods: We analyzed whether baseline LVEF can predict its improvement in patients with LVEF ≤ 45% receiving S/V. Patients were divided into 4 groups (G) according to baseline LVEF (G1: ≤ 20%; G2: 21-30%; G3: 31-40%; G4: 41-45%).

Beyond the trinity: unraveling a fourth clade in the PEBP gene family in plants.

Proposal for a new fourth PEBP gene group (SFT-like) in a genomic context different from 21 the other three. FT/TFL groups evolved from MFT, but then became sub-, neo-functionalized. The phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) gene family plays crucial roles in plant development, principally involved in flowering time regulation and seed development.

Pangenomic analysis of the bacterial cellulose-producing genera Komagataeibacter and Novacetimonas.

Bacterial cellulose holds significant commercial potential due to its unique structural and chemical properties, making it suitable for applications in electronics, medicine, and pharmaceuticals. However, large-scale BC production remains limited by challenges related to bacterial performance. In this study, we compared 79 microbial genomes from three genera-Komagataeibacter, Novacetimonas, and Gluconacetobacter-to investigate their pangenomes, genetic diversity, and evolutionary relationships.

A scaffold protein manages the biosynthesis of steroidal defense metabolites in plants.

plants produce two major classes of valuable sterol-derived natural products-steroidal glycoalkaloids and steroidal saponins-from a common cholesterol precursor. Attempts to heterologously produce these molecules have consistently failed, although the genes responsible for each biosynthetic step have been identified. Here we identify a cellulose synthase-like protein, an unexpected biosynthetic component that interacts with the early pathway enzymes, enabling steroidal scaffolds production in plants.

Use and Benefit of Sacubitril/Valsartan in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Heart failure (HF) is a highly prevalent syndrome in elderly subjects. Currently, multiple drugs have shown clinical benefits in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, evidence is scarce in elderly patients (beyond 75 years old), even more so for the latest drugs, such as angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs).

Impact of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Very Elderly Population with Heart Failure with Reduce Ejection Fraction: Real Life Data.

(1) Background: The validation of new lines of therapy for the elderly is required due to the progressive ageing of the world population and scarce evidence in elderly patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The purpose of our study is to analyze the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in this subgroup of patients. (2) Methods: A single-center, real-world observational study was performed.

Bioimpedance analysis predicts worsening events in outpatients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) is an entity with poor prognosis characterized by decompensations. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is used to assess volume overload (VO) and may be useful to identify apparently stable HF outpatients at risk of decompensation. The aim of this study is to analyse whether VO assessed by BIA is associated with worsening heart failure (WHF) in stable outpatients with HF and reduced LVEF (HFrEF).

Mutational Profile and Retinal Phenotypes of -Related Cone-Rod Dystrophies in a Mexican Cohort.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to describe the genotype and phenotype of a Mexican cohort with -related retinal disease.

Methods: The study included 14 patients from 11 unrelated pedigrees with retinal dystrophies who were demonstrated to carry biallelic pathogenic variants in . Visual assessment methods included best corrected visual acuity, color fundus photography, Goldmann visual field test, kinetic perimetry, dark/light adapted chromatic perimetry, full-field electroretinography, autofluorescence imaging, and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography imaging.

Is developmental plasticity triggered by DNA methylation changes in the invasive cane toad ()?

Many organisms can adjust their development according to environmental conditions, including the presence of conspecifics. Although this developmental plasticity is common in amphibians, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Exposure during development to either 'cannibal cues' from older conspecifics, or 'alarm cues' from injured conspecifics, causes reduced growth and survival in cane toad () tadpoles.

Promiscuous CYP87A enzyme activity initiates cardenolide biosynthesis in plants.

Cardenolides are specialized, steroidal metabolites produced in a wide array of plant families. Cardenolides play protective roles in plants, but these molecules, including digoxin from foxglove (Digitalis spp.), are better known for treatment of congenital heart failure, atrial arrhythmia, various cancers and other chronic diseases.

Enhancing Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment through High-Intensity Functional Training: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Physical exercise is a very promising non-pharmacological approach to prevent or reduce the cognitive decline that occurs in people aged 60 years or older. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a high-intensity intervallic functional training (HIFT) program on cognitive functions in an elderly Colombian population with mild cognitive impairment. A controlled clinical trial was developed with a sample of 132 men and women aged >65 years, linked to geriatric care institutions, which were systematically blind randomized.

Residual effects of 12 weeks of power-oriented resistance training plus high-intensity interval training on muscle dysfunction, systemic oxidative damage, and antioxidant capacity after 10 months of training cessation in older people with COPD.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the residual effects of a 12-week concurrent training program (power training + high-intensity interval training) in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: A total of 21 older adults with COPD [intervention (INT), n = 8; control (CON), n = 13; 76.9 ± 6.

Effects of High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) on the Functional Capacity, Frailty, and Physical Condition of Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Physical exercise has been established as an intervention in the integral approach for the physical, functional, and social health of older adults. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a high-intensity functional training (HIFT) program on the physical condition and functional capacity of an elderly Colombian population with mild cognitive impairment. This research corresponds to a blind randomized controlled clinical trial.

Exercise effects on functional capacity and quality of life in older patients with colorectal cancer: study protocol for the ECOOL randomized controlled trial.

Background: Surgery and treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the elderly patient increase the risk of developing post-operative complications, losing functional independence, and worsening health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There is a lack of high-quality randomized controlled trials evaluating the potential benefit of exercise as a countermeasure. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a home-based multicomponent exercise program for improving HRQoL and functional capacity in older adults undergoing CRC surgery and treatment.

Single-cell multi-omics in the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus.

Advances in omics technologies now permit the generation of highly contiguous genome assemblies, detection of transcripts and metabolites at the level of single cells and high-resolution determination of gene regulatory features. Here, using a complementary, multi-omics approach, we interrogated the monoterpene indole alkaloid (MIA) biosynthetic pathway in Catharanthus roseus, a source of leading anticancer drugs. We identified clusters of genes involved in MIA biosynthesis on the eight C.

Integration of discovery and engineering in plant alkaloid research: Recent developments in elucidation, reconstruction, and repurposing biosynthetic pathways.

Plants synthesize tens of thousands of bioactive nitrogen-containing compounds called alkaloids, including some clinically important drugs in modern medicine. The discovery of new alkaloid structures and their metabolism in plants have provided ways to access these rich sources of bioactivities including new-to-nature compounds relevant to therapeutic and industrial applications. This review discusses recent advances in alkaloid biosynthesis discovery, including complete pathway elucidations.

Does an Association among Sarcopenia and Metabolic Risk Factors Exist in People Older Than 65 Years? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Sarcopenia is defined as the generalized and progressive loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass that may be affected by metabolic factors, although this relationship has been poorly studied. The aim of this review and meta-analysis was to analyze the relationship among the different metabolic risk factors and sarcopenia in people older than 65 years. Following the PRISMA 2020 guide, we searched for articles that studied the relationship among sarcopenia and metabolic risk factors in adults over 65 years of age, published between 2012 and 2022 in four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Plus, and CINAHL.

Global transcriptome and gene co-expression network analyses reveal regulatory and non-additive effects of drought and heat stress in grapevine.

Despite frequent co-occurrence of drought and heat stress, the molecular mechanisms governing plant responses to these stresses in combination have not often been studied. This is particularly evident in non-model, perennial plants. We conducted large scale physiological and transcriptome analyses to identify genes and pathways associated with grapevine response to drought and/or heat stress during stress progression and recovery.

Ten-year longitudinal changes in muscle power, force, and velocity in young, middle-aged, and older adults.

Background: Maximum muscle power (P ) is a biomarker of physical performance in all ages. No longitudinal studies have assessed the effects of aging on P obtained from the torque-velocity (T-V) relationship, which should be considered the 'gold standard'. This study evaluated the longitudinal changes in the T-V relationship and P of the knee-extensor muscles in young, middle-aged, and older adults after 10 years of follow-up.