Naturally impaired side-chain shortening of aromatic 3-ketoacyl-CoAs reveals the biosynthetic pathway of plant acetophenones.

Acetophenones, which show scattered distribution across phylogenetically distant plants and fungi, play diverse roles in plant-plant, plant-insect, plant-microbiome and even animal-insect interactions. However, the enzymatic basis of acetophenone biosynthesis in plants remains unknown. Here we elucidate the complete biosynthetic pathway of picein (4-hydroxyacetophenone glucoside) from 4-coumaroyl-CoA using pear (Pyrus) as a study system.

Chronic social defeat stress induces meningeal neutrophilia via type I interferon signaling in male mice.

Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. Animal models of stress and stress-related disorders are associated with blood neutrophilia. The mechanistic relevance of this to symptoms or behavior is unclear.

Carbon monoxide alarm ownership and maintenance in patients attending the Emergency Departments: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a significant public health issue, with domestic exposure often linked to poor appliance maintenance and a lack of CO alarms. Despite known risks, CO alarm ownership remains low, particularly among lower socio-economic and ethnic minority groups. This study assessed CO alarm prevalence, characteristics, and maintenance among Emergency Department (ED) patients in the UK.

Successful Treatment of Catatonia: An Underrepresented Route of Administration Amidst a National Shortage Case Report.

Catatonia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a constellation of psychomotor symptoms generally resulting in decreased functioning and responsiveness. Conventional catatonia management for stabilization and acute treatment recommends intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) benzodiazepine administration; however, there is relatively limited literature with respect to the safety and efficacy of per os administration. Here, we present a case of an 18-year-old male with parakinetic catatonia successfully stabilized and treated using this less frequently documented method of administration to highlight alternatives amidst a national shortage of IV and IM lorazepam.

How PGL finds a sweet spot in phospholipid membranes: A combined multiscale MD and NMR study.

Glycolipids from pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis play important roles during the interaction of the pathogen with macrophages and can shape the host cell's immune response by modulating its membrane structure and function. Here, we study the phenolic glycolipids (PGLs) present in the envelope of some hypervirulent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and their impact on model membranes. By a combination of molecular modeling and simulations, and solid-state NMR experiments, we show that PGLs, such as the structurally related lipid phthiocerol dimycocerosate, adopt a conical shape in lipid membranes, which destabilizes the lamellar membrane phase and promotes a transition to a nonlamellar inverted-hexagonal phase.