Available prediction models are inaccurate in elderly who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of present study was to analyze the separate and combined prognostic values of baseline HDL-C and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients treated successfully with TAVI who had complete 2-year follow-up. We analyzed 334 patients treated with TAVI from 01/2010 to 07/2017 who had measurements of HDL-C and CRP on admission or during qualification for the procedure. Baseline HDL-C ≤46 mg/dl (areas under the curve [AUC] = 0.657) and CRP ≥0.20 mg/dl (AUC = 0.634) were predictive of 2-year mortality. After stratification with both cutoffs, patients with low HDL-C and concomitant high CRP most often had LVEF ≤50% and were high risk as per EuroSCORE II. Those with isolated CRP elevation had the lowest frequency of LVEF ≤50%, but more sarcopenia (based on psoas muscle area). After adjustment in the multivariate analysis for other identified predictors including EuroSCORE II and statin therapy, isolated HDL-C ≤46 mg/dl (identified in 40 patients) and isolated CRP ≥0.20 mg/dl (n = 109) were both independent predictors of 2-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.92 and HR = 2.42, respectively) compared with patients with both markers within established cutoffs (n = 105) who had the lowest 2-year mortality (9.5%). Patients with both markers exceeding cutoffs (n = 80) had the highest risk (HR = 4.53) with 2-year mortality of 42.5%. High CRP was associated with increased mortality within the first year of follow-up, whereas low HDL-C increased mortality in the second year. The combination of both markers with EuroSCORE II enhanced mortality prediction (AUC = 0.697). In conclusion, low baseline HDL-C and high CRP jointly contribute to the prediction of increased all-cause mortality after TAVI. Recent MitraClip heart failure (HF) trials suggest that baseline left ventricular (LV) remodeling may be critical for patient selection. We, therefore, investigated whether baseline LV remodeling affects safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes in HF patients with symptomatic secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing percutaneous mitral valve repair using MitraClip. LV remodeling was assessed by LV end-systolic dimension index (LVESDi) on transthoracic baseline echocardiography. Early and late outcome was reported using Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium-criteria. A total of 107 consecutive HF patients (73 ± 10 years, 70% male) who underwent MitraClip intervention for secondary MR were studied. The study population was stratified by median LVESDi between nonadvanced (0.05). LVESDi, but not LV end-diastolic diameter index nor LV ejection fraction, independently related to HF hospitalization (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.16, p less then 0.001) and mortality (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.17, p less then 0.001). At 1 and 3 years, survival free of HF hospitalization was higher in patients without versus with advanced LV remodeling (89% vs 66% and 65% vs 37%, p = 0.002) and mortality was lower (9% vs 24% and 36% vs 47%, p = 0.074), respectively. Annual HF hospitalization rate only decreased in the nonadvanced LV remodeling group (-43%, p = 0.025). Advanced LV remodeling, assessed by LVESDi, in HF patients who underwent MitraClip therapy does not influence therapeutic safety nor efficacy, but implies increased HF hospitalization and mortality risk. This parameter may be valuable for MitraClip therapy patient selection. Being seriously affected by a rheumatic disease at the age of 16 seems a catastrophe that somehow must be learned to manage. And the challenges that come up when the illness worsens in the life course have to be coped with. So, this article tries to outline some of the points I have experienced and find relevant for patients with ankylosing spondylitis. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/VX-770.html A patient who has had ankylosing spondylitis for 50 years describes her long journey to diagnosis, living with the disease, the different types of treatments she has tried (both traditional and nontraditional), and her participation in clinical studies. She describes her use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as biologics to help manage inflammation and the importance of diet and exercise-Pilates, yoga, and physical therapy-to maintain and improve movement and flexibility. She offers her own personal advice to those recently diagnosed. The most prevalent health concerns in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) include spinal stiffness, spinal pain, mobility limitations, fatigue, and disturbed sleep. Many patients experience impairments related to extraspinal disease, extra-articular disease, or drug side effects. To capture overall life impact, self-reported measurement instruments assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have been developed. This article summarizes the literature on relevant concepts and frameworks when measuring overall health or HRQoL, available measures assessing this outcome in axSpA, the hierarchical relations between overall health/HRQoL and specific axSpA impairments, and the role of context when interpreting interventions for overall health or HRQoL outcomes. In axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), the first treatment step is generally a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and if insufficient, a biologic is added. Currently, most evidence is available of the biologic tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors. In patients who have achieved sustained low disease activity, tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor tapering is considered, although standardized tapering schedules are lacking. In axSpA patients with extra-articular manifestations, the effect of axSpA treatment on these extra-articular manifestations is important to determine the preferred therapy. Overall, it is recommended that treatment of axSpA be individualized based on the most prominent symptoms and presence of extra-articular and peripheral symptoms. Axial spondyloathritis (axSpA) treatment with biologic DMARDs was previously focused around anti-TNF agents. Significant advances in research have led to new therapeutic options, such as secukinumab, an IL-17 inhibitor, which has been approved for the treatment of axSpA. Two other biologic agents that are already licensed for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, tofacitinib and ixekizumab, have demonstrated improved outcomes in axSpA. Several newer agents have been developed to inhibit IL-17, IL-23, and JAK. Early trials are promising; however, further research is needed. Rapid expansion of therapies available to treat axSpA could lead to improved disease control and decreased disease burden.

The latter group of 13 patients (treatments started) included five patients who underwent surgery and eight patients who underwent chemotherapy. Focusing on five patients who were diagnosed after surgery, we observed that two patients died during postoperative course, while in other two cases prolonged hospitalization was needed. One patient had no issues. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cc-99677.html Chemotherapy was delayed for the remaining patents without sequelae. Conclusions Our report highlights that COVID-19 impacts the quality of treatments for cancer patients. Mortality rate is high, especially after surgery. More important, patients under active treatment for cancer are at high risk of developing severe evolution of COVID-19. Prioritizing patients journey during COVID-19 is of paramount importance.Here, in Part II of a duology on the characterization and potential treatment for COVID-19, we characterize the application of an innovative treatment regimen for the prevention of the transition from mild to severe COVID-19, as well as detail an intensive immunotherapy intervention hypothesis. We propose as a putative randomized controlled trial that high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin (HDMTX-LR) rescue can abolish 'PANIC', thereby 'left-shifting' severe COVID-19 patients to the group majority of those infected with SARS-CoV-2, who are designated as having mild, even asymptomatic, disease. HDMTX-LR is endowed with broadly pleiotropic properties and is a repurposed, generic, inexpensive, and widely available agent which can be administered early in the course of severe COVID-19 thus rescuing the critical and irreplaceable gas-exchange alveoli. Further, we describe a preventative treatment intervention regimen for those designated as having mild to moderate COVID-19 disease, but who exhibit features which herald the transition to the severe variant of this disease. Both of our proposed hypothesis-driven questions should be urgently subjected to rigorous assessment in the context of randomized controlled trials, in order to confirm or refute the contention that the approaches characterized herein, are in fact capable of exerting mitigating, if not abolishing, effects upon SARS-CoV-2 triggered 'PANIC Attack'. Confirmation of our immunotherapy hypothesis would have far-reaching ramifications for the current pandemic, along with yielding invaluable lessons which could be leveraged to more effectively prepare for the next challenge to global health.Most hospitalised surgical patients have significant medical comorbidity and are administered a considerable number of drugs and/or experience significant complications. Shared care (SC) is the shared responsibility and authority in managing hospitalised patients. In this article, we discuss whether patients should be selected for SC. The various selection criteria are not safe or easy to implement and leave out many patients who are eligible for SC. Perioperative management is essential for preventing postoperative mortality. Rescue failure (hospital mortality secondary to postoperative complications) is the main factor linked to hospital operative mortality and can affect any patient, regardless of age, comorbidity or type of surgery. The component that most reduces rescue failure is the presence of internists in operation rooms. We consider that all patients hospitalised in surgery departments should receive SC.Aim To develop consensus recommendations about good clinical practice rules for caring end-of-life patients. Methods A steering committee of 12 Spanish and Portuguese experts proposed 37 recommendations. A two rounds Delphi method was performed, with participation of 105 panelists including internists, other clinicians, nurses, patients, lawyers, bioethicians, health managers, politicians and journalists. We sent a questionnaire with 5 Likert-type answers for each recommendation. Strong consensus was defined when > 95% answers were completely agree or > 90% were agree or completely agree; and weak consensus when > 90% answers were completely agree or > 80% were agree or completely agree. Results The panel addressed 7 specific areas for 37 recommendations spanning identification of patients; knowledge of the disease, values and preferences of the patient; information; patient's needs; support and care; palliative sedation, and after death care. Conclusions The panel formulated and provided the rationale for recommendations on good clinical practice rules for caring end-of-life patients.Introduction The EGSYS score uses clinical variables to predict which patients may have cardiac (CS) or non-cardiac syncope (NCS) and has been validated in the emergency department setting. This study aims to determine whether the score has the same applicability in an outpatient setting. Methods In this retrospective study of all patients observed in the outpatient setting of a hospital with a syncope unit between January 2015 and December 2016, the EGSYS score was calculated for each patient, and its sensitivity and specificity were determined for the prediction of CS in patients with score ≥3. Results A total of 224 patients, mean age 64.3±21.7 years, 116 (51.8%) male, were analyzed. In the 163 (72.7%) patients with confirmed syncope, CS was diagnosed in 27 (16.6%) and NCS in 136 (83.4%). The EGSYS score was ≥3 in 40 (20.0%) patients with NCS and in 13 (48.1%) with CS. A positive score had a sensitivity of 48.2% (95% CI 28.7-68.1), a specificity of 77.9% (95% CI 70.0-84.6), and a positive and negative predictive value of 30.2% (95% CI 20.8-41.8) and 88.3% (95% CI 83.9-91.7), respectively. Conclusion The EGSYS score has limited usefulness in an outpatient setting, where observed patients have already been been medically assessed. Given its high specificity and negative predictive value, it may be useful to reassure low-risk patients and family members.The increasing use of stereotactic body radiation therapy for lung tumours comes along with new post-therapeutic imaging findings that should be known by physicians involved in patient follow-up. Radiation-induced lung injury is much more frequent than after conventional radiation therapy, it can also be delayed and has a different radiological presentation. Radiation-induced lung injury after stereotactic body radiation therapy involves the lung parenchyma surrounding the target tumour and appears as a dynamic process continuing for years after completion of the treatment. Thus, the radiological pattern and the severity of radiation-induced lung injury are prone to changes during follow-up, which can make it difficult to differentiate from local recurrence. Contrary to radiation-induced lung injury, local recurrence after stereotactic body radiation therapy is rare. Other complications mainly depend on tumour location and include airway complications, rib fractures and organizing pneumonia. The aim of this article is to provide a wide overview of radiological changes occurring after SBRT for lung tumours.

PURPOSE To characterize the effects of netarsudil on the aqueous humor outflow tract distal to the trabecular meshwork (TM). We hypothesized that netarsudil increases outflow facility in eyes with and without circumferential ab interno trabeculectomy (AIT) that removes the TM. METHODS Sixty-four porcine anterior segment cultures were randomly assigned to groups with (n = 32) and without circumferential AIT (n = 32). Cultures were exposed to 0.1, 1, and 10 μM netarsudil (N = 8 eyes per concentration). For each concentration, IOP and vessel diameters were compared with their respective pretreatment baselines. Outflow tract vessel diameters were assessed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) and rendered in 4D (XYZ time series). RESULTS Netarsudil at 1 μM reduced IOP both in eyes with TM (- 0.60 ± 0.24 mmHg, p = 0.01) and in eyes without TM (- 1.79 ± 0.42 mmHg, p  less then  0.01). At this concentration, vessels of the distal outflow tract dilated by 72%. However, at 0.1 μM netarsudil elevated IOP in eyes with TM (1.59 ± 0.36 mmHg, p  less then  0.001) as well as in eyes without TM (0.23 ± 0.32 mmHg, p  less then  0.001). Vessels of the distal outflow tract constricted by 31%. Similarly, netarsudil at a concentration of 10 μM elevated IOP both in eyes with TM (1.91 ± 0.193, p  less then  0.001) and in eyes without TM (3.65 ± 0.86 mmHg, p  less then  0.001). At this concentration, outflow tract vessels constricted by 27%. CONCLUSION In the porcine anterior segment culture, the dose-dependent IOP changes caused by netarsudil matched the diameter changes of distal outflow tract vessels. Hyper- and hypotensive properties of netarsudil persisted after TM removal.BACKGROUND The Oncotype DX is a quantitative assay of the expression of 16 tumor-related genes and 5 reference genes that predicts the potential of adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive early breast cancer patients. The study aims to evaluate the impact of Oncotype DX as a tool for adjuvant treatment decision of ER-positive, HER2-negative, N0/N1 early-stage breast cancer patients and to determine which clinicopathological criteria derived the greatest advantage. RESULTS A hundred patients at a median age of 50 years were included. TNM stage distribution was 34, 63, and 3 patients for stages I, II, and IIIA respectively. Fifty-four patients had luminal A and 46 had luminal B tumors. The recurrence score (RS) results were low, intermediate, and high risk in 54, 34, and 12 patients respectively. Before the test results, adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy (CET) was recommended for 46 patients while 54 were advised for endocrine therapy (ET). After getting the test results, 25 patients received CET (1, 12, and12 patients in the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups respectively) and 75 received ET. Treatment change was documented in 37 patients (8 patients from ET to CET and 29 from CET to ET; p = 0.001, McNemar test). Treatment change was significant among patients ≤ 50 years, luminal B tumors, stage II and IIIA disease, and node-positive disease. CONCLUSION Oncotype DX testing resulted in significant changes in the adjuvant treatment decisions in ER-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer particularly in the case of young, luminal B, N1, and stage II-IIIA disease.Since its 2010 launch, Instagram has rapidly risen to become one of the leading social media in the world, with more than one billion monthly users. Within the field of radiology, perhaps because of the image-weighted nature of the platform, several prominent organizations host Instagram accounts, including the Radiological Society of North America, American Roentgen Ray Society, American College of Radiology, and the American Board of Radiology. We started our own Instagram account in January 2016 because of the popularity of this social media platform among medical students. Our website contains over 260,000 images and is aimed at educating physicians, technologists, and nurses around the world on radiology, with an emphasis on body computed tomography. Given our varied selection of radiology resources, we were curious as to which posts perform best on Instagram and set out how to best characterize the interest in these posts. Our results point to an approach that can aid radiology educators who use social media, particularly Instagram, in producing popular content.Photoperiod is important in initiation or suppression of reproductive timing and gonadal maturation which varies with species. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ml351.html The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of two photoperiodic manipulating regimes, i.e., long (18L6D) and short (10L14D) photoperiods for a period of 60 days on somatic growth and gonadal maturation of a live-bearer ornamental fish, Mickey Mouse platy (Xiphophorus maculatus). The control fish were further kept under the laboratory environmental condition. The results showed a significant increase in weight gain, specific growth rate, and gonadosomatic index in fish under long photoperiod than those exposed to short photoperiod and control condition (P  less then  0.05). A condition factor showed significant variations between long photoperiod and control groups. Furthermore, a long photoperiod also induced a significant increase in the number of fish with mature embryo and middle-eyed embryo in the ovary. Similarly, histological analysis of testes of males showed an increase in the number of mature spermatid and spermatozoa under long photoperiod when compared to those of control and short photoperiod ones. Thus, it can be concluded that long-day photoperiodic manipulation may be applied for healthy growth and early gonadal maturation of live-bearer ornamental fishes.Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) strikes a balance between reconstruction speed and image accuracy in medical imaging field. In this paper, an improved robust tensor principal component analysis (RTPCA) method is proposed to reconstruct the dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from highly under-sampled K-space data. The MR reconstruction problem is formulated as a high-order low-rank tenor plus sparse tensor recovery problem, which is solved by robust tensor principal component analysis (RTPCA) with a new tensor nuclear norm (TNN). To further exploit the low-rank structures in multi-way data, the core matrix nuclear norm, extracted from the diagonal elements of the core tensor under tensor singular value decomposition (t-SVD) framework, is also integrated into TNN for enforcing the low-rank structure in MRI datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of both MR image reconstruction accuracy and computational efficiency on 3D and 4D experiment datasets, especially for 4D MR image reconstruction.

Metformin is one of the most commonly used first-line oral medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Multiple observational studies, reviewed in numerous systematic reviews, have shown that metformin treatment may not only reduce the risk of cancer but may also improve the efficacy of cancer treatment in diabetic patients. Recent studies have been conducted to determine whether a similar protective effect can be demonstrated in nondiabetic cancer patients. However, the results are controversial. The potential optimal dose, schedule, and duration of metformin treatment and the heterogeneity of histological subtypes and genotypes among cancer patients might contribute to the different clinical benefits. In addition, as the immune property of metformin was investigated, further studies of the immunomodulatory effect of metformin on cancer cells should also be taken into account to optimize its clinical use. In this review, we present and discuss the latest findings regarding the anticancer potential of metformin in nondiabetic patients with cancer.Cellular senescence is a physiological process reacting to stimuli, in which cells enter a state of irreversible growth arrest in response to adverse consequences associated with metabolic disorders. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/l-selenomethionine.html Molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of cellular senescence remain unclear. Here, we established a replicative senescence model of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) from passage 3 (P3) to 18 (P18), and performed biochemical characterizations and NMR-based metabolomic analyses. The cellular senescence degree advanced as the cells were sequentially passaged in vitro, and cellular metabolic profiles were gradually altered. Totally, 8, 16, 21 and 19 significant metabolites were primarily changed in the P6, P10, P14 and P18 cells compared with the P3 cells, respectively. These metabolites were mainly involved in 14 significantly altered metabolic pathways. Furthermore, we observed taurine retarded oxidative damage resulting from senescence. In the case of energy deficiency, HUVECs metabolized neutral amino acids to replenish energy, thus increased glutamine, aspartate and asparagine at the early stages of cellular senescence but decreased them at the later stages. Our results indicate that cellular replicative senescence is closely associated with promoted oxidative stress, impaired energy metabolism and blocked protein synthesis. This work may provide mechanistic understanding of the progression of cellular senescence.Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a promising therapeutic strategy to protect heart against ischemic-reperfusion injury. Exosomes have been proved to be an important regulator in many pathological processes. Whether the exosomes derived from RIC could improve cardiac remodeling and function after myocardial infarction (MI) has not been reported. MI animal model was established by ligating the left coronary artery. The bilateral hindlimbs of rats were subjected to RIC treatment using tourniquets. Exosomes were isolated from the plasma of RIC rats and identified by transmission electron microscope. The proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of endothelial cells were measured by CCK8, traswell, and flow cytometry. Western blotting, and qRT-PCR were applied to measure the expression of angiogenesis-related molecules, and immunohistochemistry staining was used to observe the expression of vWF. RIC and RIC exosomes remarkably facilitated cardiac function, cardiac cell remodeling, and angiogenesis. RIC exosomes markedly increased the cell ratio in the G1 phase, cell migration, cell proliferation, tube formation, and inhibited cell apoptosis through Hsp70. The expression of eNOS, iNOS, HIF-1α, Ang-1, and VEGF was markedly increased by RIC exosomes. RIC exosomes significantly improved cardiac function, cardiac remodeling, and angiogenesis after MI, and they accelerated angiogenesis through increasing the levels of angiogenesis-related molecules.Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies. To identify potential prognostic biomarkers for EC, we analyzed the relationship between the EC tumor microenvironment and gene expression profiles. Using the ESTIMATE R tool, we found that immune and stromal scores correlated with clinical data and the prognosis of EC patients. Based on the immune and stromal scores, 387 intersection differentially expressed genes were identified. Eight immune-related genes were then identified using two machine learning algorithms. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were mainly associated with T cell activation and response. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that expression of TMEM150B, CACNA2D2, TRPM5, NOL4, CTSW, and SIGLEC1 significantly correlated with overall survival times of EC patients. In addition, using the TIMER algorithm, we found that expression of TMEM150B, SIGLEC1, and CTSW correlated positively with the tumor infiltration levels of B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. These findings indicate that the composition of the tumor microenvironment affects the clinical outcomes of EC patients, and suggests that it may provide a basis for development of novel prognostic biomarkers and immunotherapies for EC patients.Magnetic field (MF) is being used in antitumor treatment; however, the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the potency and mechanism of a previously published tumor suppressing MF exposure protocol were further investigated. This protocol, characterized as a 50 Hz electromagnetic field modulated by static MF with time-average intensity of 5.1 mT, when applied for 2 h daily for over 3 consecutive days, selectively inhibited the growth of a broad spectrum of tumor cell lines including lung cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer and nephroblastoma. The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased shortly after field exposure and persisted. Subsequently, pronounced DNA damage and activation of DNA repair pathways were identified both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, use of free radical scavenger alleviated DNA damage and partially reduced cell death. Finally, this field was found to inhibit cell proliferation, and simultaneously induced two types of programmed cell death, apoptosis and ferroptosis.

Rationale Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Methyltransferase-like 3 (Mettl3), an RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase, has been shown to act as an oncogene in several human cancers. However, the regulatory role of posttranslational modifications of Mettl3 in liver cancer remains elusive. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/CP-690550.html Methods SUMOylation was analyzed using immunoprecipitation and western blot assays. In vitro and in vivo biological functions were examined using MTS, colony formation, wound healing, transwell, apoptosis, and viability assays and the BALB/c nude mouse model, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to evaluate the prognostic value of Mettl3 expression in HCC. The regulatory mechanism of Mettl3 in HCC was investigated by m6A dot blot, immunofluorescence, dual luciferase reporter, protein stability, and RNA stability assays. Results Mettl3 was found to be SUMOylated by a small ubiquitin-like modifier SUMO1. Further, SUMOylation of Mettl3 was increased upon mitogen stimulation, which correlated with UBC9 upregulation, and was positively correlated with high metastatic potential of liver cancer. Finally, SUMOylation of Mettl3 was found to regulate HCC progression via controlling Snail mRNA homeostasis in an m6A methyltransferase activity-dependent manner. Conclusions This study revealed a novel mechanism of SUMOylated Mettl3-mediated Snail mRNA homeostasis, identifying the UBC9/SUMOylated Mettl3/Snail axis as a novel mediator of the SUMO pathway involved in HCC progression.The unique features of noble-metal nanostructures (NMNs) are leading to unprecedented expansion of research and exploration of their application in therapeutics, diagnostics and bioimaging fields. With the ever-growing applications of NMNs, both therapeutic and environmental NMNs are likely to be exposed to tissues and organs, requiring careful studies towards their biological effects in vitro and in vivo. Upon NMNs exposure, tissues and cells may undergo a series of adaptive changes both in morphology and function. At the cellular level, the accumulation of NMNs in various subcellular organelles including lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and nucleus may interfere with their functions, causing changes in a variety of cellular functions, such as digestion, protein synthesis and secretion, energy metabolism, mitochondrial respiration, and proliferation. In animals, retention of NMNs in metabolic-, respiratory-, immune-related, and other organs can trigger significant physiological and pathological changes to these organs and influence their functions. Exploring how NMNs interact with tissues and cells and the underlying mechanisms are of vital importance for their future applications. Here, we illustrate the characteristics of NMNs-induced adaptive changes both in vitro and in vivo. Potential strategies in the design of NMNs are also discussed to take advantage of beneficial adaptive changes and avoid unfavorable changes for the proper implementation of these nanoplatforms.Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out in 2019 and spread rapidly around the world. There is still no specific antiviral therapy to the current pandemic. In China, historical records show that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is effective in prevention and enhancing the resistance to pandemic with unique insights. To fight with COVID-19, National Health and Commission of PRC has recommended some TCM in the guideline, such as HuoxiangZhengqi, LianhuaQingwen ShufengJiedu and XueBijing, and actually displayed a remarkable effect in clinical treatment strategic for COVID-19. We review studies to provide an in-depth understanding into the effect of TCM, and also introduce the possible mechanism involved in COVID-19 treatment.Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a systemic and wide-spread disease characterized by accumulation of excess fat in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. Artificial sweeteners (ASs) or sugar substitutes are food additives that provide a sweet taste, and are also known as low-calorie or non-calorie sweeteners. Recently people consume increasingly more ASs to reduce their calorie intake. Gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem where 1014 microorganisms play several roles in host nutrition, bone mineralization, immune system regulation, xenobiotics metabolism, proliferation of intestinal cells, and protection against pathogens. A disruption in composition of the normal microbiota is known as 'gut dysbiosis' which may adversely affect body metabolism. It has recently been suggested that dysbiosis may contribute to the occurrence of NAFLD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ASs on the risk of NAFLD. The focus of this review is on microbiota changes and dysbiosis. Increasing evidence shows that ASs have a potential role in microbiota alteration and dysbiosis. We speculate that increased consumption of ASs can further raise the prevalence of NAFLD. However, further human studies are needed to determine this relationship definitively.Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases characterized by the growth of abnormal cells, which is the second leading cause of death globally. To treat cancer, currently, a number of anticancer drugs belonging to various classes chemically are available. The discovery of artemisinin and its derivatives such as artesunate, arteether, and artemether became a milestone in the cure for malaria. Here, we report the anti-cancer property of anhydrodihydroartemisinin (ADHA) - a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin against prostate cancer cell line PC-3. ADHA was found to be inhibiting growth of PC-3 cells. ADHA was also found to be inhibiting migration of PC-3 cells. At molecular level, ADHA was found to be inhibiting the expression of c-Jun, p-c-Jun, p-Akt and NF-κB and activated caspase 3 and 7. The results show that ADHA like few other artemisinin derivatives hold potential to be used as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer cells.It has widely been reported that the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is affected by increased oxidative stress, and this may have a role in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Quercetin, a polyphenol extensively found in nature, has recently been considered. Also, physical activities have a paradoxical effect on brain function in older adults. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the synergic effects of quercetin (as chemical treatment) and exercise (as physical treatment) on AD-induced learning and memory impairment. Fifty-six adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into one of the following eight groups (n=7) The Control, Sham (saline), AD (intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin (STZ)), AD+80 mg/kg Quercetin (STZ+Q80), Quercetin vehicle (1 % Ethanol)+STZ, Exercise pretreatment (EX)+STZ, Off the treadmill+STZ, and EX+Q80+STZ. Quercetin administration was done intraperitoneally for 21 days after STZ injection. The rats ran on the treadmill for one hour a day for 60 days at a speed of 20-22 m/min.

05). In addition, the levels of CAF in FTBFR group was significantly lower compared to control group. Moreover, the circulatory levels of N-terminal propeptide type III collagen (P3NP) were reduced significantly in FT and C groups (p ≤ 0.05) but did not statistically differ from baseline in FTBFR group (p > 0.05). These changes were accompanied by significant improvements in dynamic strength, flexibility, static, and dynamic balance in both training groups (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusions The finding showed greater improvements in muscle quality indices and functional performance of older men when exercises performed with BFR.The diagnosis of a large B-cell lymphoma and classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is often straightforward. However, in select circumstances, these simple diagnoses can be quite complex. In part, diagnostic difficulty may be due to uncertainty in the evaluation of morphologic and immunophenotypic features along a biologic continuum, or alternatively arise from uncertainty in predicting the behavior and outcomes of patients. Here, we systematically discuss and review areas of diagnostic difficulty in the diagnosis of large B-cell lymphomas (LBCL), classic Hodgkin lymphomas (CHL) and peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL). We provide careful data-driven analyses and evidence-based approaches to help guide pathologists and clinicians. We discuss 1) marginal zone lymphomas with increased large cells versus diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 2) chronic lymphocytic leukemia with expanded proliferation centers versus diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 3) chronic lymphocytic leukemia with Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg-like cells versus CHL arising from chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 4) complex cases of follicular lymphoma versus DLBCL, 5) PTCL with large B-cell proliferations versus PTCL with LBCL, 6) PTCL with Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg-like cells versus CHL, and finally 7) blastoid/pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma versus DLBCL. Our evidence and data driven approach may serve as a useful diagnostic guide.Introduction Frantz's Tumor or Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm (SPN) is rare with a solid-cystic pattern, and most common in young women. Presentation of case This study based on guidelines for case reports (SCARE) reports a case of SPN in a teenager aged 13 years at the diagnosis time, attended at a teaching public hospital in Brazil, which evolved into liver metastases. Clinical, laboratory, therapeutic and imaging data were collected from the physical chart and analyzed in light of current publications on the topic. The first consultation occurred in January 2012, where weight loss, fever, vomiting, left-sided hypochondrium and epigastric pain were reported. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/n-nitroso-n-methylurea.html Imaging exams evidenced an expansive heterogeneous process in the pancreatic tail; however, laboratory exams and tumor markers did not present alteration in relation to reference values. In March of 2012, she underwent caudal body pancreatectomy, splenectomy, segmental colectomy and colo-coloanastomosis as a function of the intraoperative findings. After 63 months, right-sided hepatectomy was performed to resect metastases. Currently, she is undergoing outpatient monitoring, without complaint or alterations in imaging and laboratory exams, totaling 100 months of global survival. Discussion This is an interesting case report of a rare tumor, in so far as without any adjuvant chemotherapies, an 8-year long survival time could be achieved in this particular type of tumor despite initially large tumor expansion and later liver metastases. Conclusion Additional epidemiological studies, molecular and clinical trials are required to increase knowledge on SPN.Introduction Urethral duplication and epispadias are one of the rare anomalies of the genitourinary system. Sometimes, urethral duplication can also be associated with anorectal malformations, epispadias, hypospadias, bladder doubling, bladder exstrophy and other urinary excretory system anomalies. Presentation of case In this article we report three years old male patient with incomplete urethral duplication and epispadias. During our examination there was detected the second - accessory urethra along with the main urethra on the dorsal surface of the penile. The accessory urethra was stripped from the surrounding tissues to the root of the penile and it became apparent that the accessory urethra was merged into the main urethra at the same level. The accessory urethra was closed by suturing and removed from that part. Then, by using 7.0 pds thread there was performed urethroplasty. Discussions Urethral duplication is one of the rarely found congenital anomalies in the genitals. Duplications in the sagittal plane can be complete or incomplete, dorsal or ventral, and may be associated with other congenital urogenital anomalies. An epispadias is a rare type of malformation of the penis in which the urethra ends in an opening on the upper aspect of the penis. Despite the fact that there are many considerations about their embryology, the reason of appearance of these anomalies is still unknown. Conclusions While planning of surgical treatment of such common anomalies along with the good cosmetic results the lower urinary excretory system functions should be considered as well.Introduction Idiopathic deep venous thrombosis is a relatively common clinical finding. The aim of this article is to report and discuss a case of lymphoma presented as DVT in line with SCARE guidelines with brief literature review. Case report A 19-year-old male presented with right lower limb swelling for two week duration. Examination showed pitting leg edema with warm tense calf. Hematological investigations showed lymphopaenia. Duplex ultrasound showed DVT of right common femoral vein with inguinal lymphadenopathy. Computed tomography showed inguinal lymphadenopahthy. Histopathological examination of lymph node specimen confirmed the diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Burkett's type). Discussion Several series have documented a significantly higher risk of malignancy in patients with presumed idiopathic DVT. Among such patients, 7.6% have been noted to have a malignancy during follow-up; the incidence of occult malignancy diagnosed within 6-12 months of an idiopathic DVT is 2.2-5.3 times higher than that expected from general population estimates.

Arrest rates also differed by demographic characteristics post-decriminalization. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/yj1206.html Notably, African Americans had a greater absolute/relative reduction in possession-based arrests than Whites. However, relative reductions for sales/manufacturing-based arrests was nearly 3 times lower for African Americans. Males had greater absolute/relative reduction for possession-based arrests, but lower relative reduction for sales/manufacturing-based arrests compared to females. There were no substantial absolute differences by age; however, youths (vs. adults) experienced higher relative reduction in arrest rates. Conclusions Findings suggest an absolute/relative reduction for possession-based arrests post-decriminalization; however, relative disparities in sales/manufacturing-based arrests, specifically for African Americans, increased. More consideration towards the heterogeneous effect of marijuana decriminalization are needed given the unintended harmful effects of arrest on already vulnerable populations.Background People with mental health conditions (MHC) experience health disparities related to combustible tobacco use, and recent studies suggest disproportionately high use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, e.g., e-cigarettes) among adults with MHC. Continued surveillance of ENDS use by MHC status is needed, as well as in-depth examinations of why adults with versus without MHC are using ENDS. Methods Using 2018 U.S. nationally representative data (N = 5878), this study examined associations between MHC and serious psychological distress (SPD) with ENDS use. Among current ENDS users (n = 544), associations between MHC and SPD with perceived benefits and reasons for using ENDS were also investigated. Results Both MHC and SPD were associated with higher likelihood of having ever used ENDS, currently using ENDS, and currently using ENDS daily. There was an interaction between SPD and smoking status in predicting current ENDS use such that the association between SPD and higher current ENDS use was stronger among never smokers. Compared to those without MHC, participants with MHC indicated that using ENDS helped them feel more relaxed and that stress management was a more important reason for ENDS use. Conclusions U.S. adults with MHC (and particularly never smokers with SPD) report disproportionately high use of ENDS. Individuals with MHC may be particularly likely to use ENDS for relaxation and stress management.Macrophages release a variety of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Here we describe a previously unreported class of EVs that are released from macrophages in response to Escherichia coli endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), that we have named "macrolets" since they are extruded as large "droplets" released from macrophages. Morphologically, macrolets are anuclear, bounded by a single lipid membrane and structurally dependent on an actin cytoskeleton. Macrolets are enriched in tetraspanins and separable on this basis from their parent macrophages. Macrolets are distinguished from classic exosomes by their larger size (10-30 μm), discoid shape, and the presence of organelles. Macrolets are rich in both interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6R),and are capable of trapping and killing E. coli in association with production of reactive oxygen species. Our observations offer insights into the mechanisms by which macrophage activities may be amplified in sites of infection, inflammation, and healing.The aim of this randomized controlled study was to investigate the effectiveness of mirror therapy (MT) on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients' symptoms and hand function after surgery. The patients' hand function was evaluated using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) and the Nine Hole Peg Test. Their pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale, and their sensitivity was evaluated using the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test before surgery, and at 3 and 6 weeks post-surgery. Thirty-five patients between the ages of 25 and 60 years were included in the study. In the control group (CTG) (n=17), the conventional physiotherapy program was applied for 4 weeks after 2 weeks of immobilization. In addition to conventional physiotherapy, the MT group (MTG) (n=18) did MT during the immobilization period. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups' demographic and clinical characteristics before treatment (p˃0.05). After treatment, all parameters improved in both groups. MTG had statistically lower pain at rest (p=0.004) and nighttime pain (p=0.037) in the 3rd week. But there were no statistically significant differences between the other parameters and scores between the groups (p˃0.05). The study indicates improvement in the parameters due to the early introduction of MT after CTS surgery, but once conventional methods were started after immobilization, there were no significant differences between groups. However, the MT had reduced pain and improved sensation and function. Both groups experienced positive effects of the surgical treatment and the physiotherapy in the 6th postoperative week.The proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint is particularly vulnerable to trauma. In comminuted fractures, arthroplasty with a silicone implant is a treatment option that may be controversial in an emergency setting. This joint destruction is usually accompanied by soft tissue injuries (skin and tendon damage, devascularization) making the reconstruction all the more complex. The aim of our work was to evaluate emergency finger silicone implants for complex and comminuted fractures of the PIP joint as well as clinical and radiological complications. In this single-center, retrospective study, 13 patients operated between January 2007 and January 2019 on an emergency basis with a Neuflex® PIP arthroplasty were reviewed. This PIP joint reconstruction was associated with the soft tissue repair at the same time (skin cover, tendons, nerves) in all patients. The average age was 57.7 years with a male predominance (92%). The injuries were caused by a domestic accident in 61% of cases. The average follow-up was 4.7 years.

001) and uric acid (ß 1.7, p = 0.018), after adjustment for age and sex. In a model including age, BMI, WC, TG and uric acid, age (ß - 0.2, p = 0.002) and TG (ß 0.04, p = 0.02) were independent predictors of fetuin-A. Prevalence of steatosis was 66%. The rates of mild and moderate-severe steatosis were 50.5% and 15.5%, respectively. In the logistic model, the independent predictors of moderate-severe steatosis were fetuin-A (OR 1.22, p = 0.036), age (OR 1.17, p = 0.01) and BMI (OR 2.75, p = 0.011). CONCLUSION In a sample of young adults, circulating levels of fetuin-A correlated with moderate-severe NAFLD, independent of confounders, and with some metabolic parameters. Fetuin-A might be a useful marker to predict NAFLD and metabolic disorders.This Special Issue is focused on the Biophysical Society of Japan. It represents the first in a series tasked with introducing an individual national biophysical society to the wider biophysical community. In this Editorial for Volume 12 Issue 2, I first outline the nature and goals of this program before going on to describe the contents of the Special Issue that relate to the activities organized by the Biophysical Society of Japan and the scope of the research performed by its members.Movement synergies, muscle co-contraction, and decreased motor drive to muscle agonists were suggested to be major factors in motor impairments after stroke. The purpose of this study was to investigate the major muscle mechanisms contributing to motor impairment after stroke. Twelve healthy and 13 post-stroke patients participated in this observational study. Both groups participated in a single experimental session, performing hand pointing movements in multiple directions, during which EMG was assessed. Additionally, the patients underwent the Fugl-Meyer assessment. A set of features from the electromyography (EMG) signal and co-contraction ratios were used to compare the capacity to modulate the muscle activity between the two groups of participants. A correlation analysis was applied between the Euclidian distances of each target and the Fugl-Meyer scoring assessment in the post-stroke patients. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/yj1206.html We found that impaired modulation of muscle activity in post-stroke patients was characterized by significantly increased Euclidian distances between the EMG features of different target directions and by a higher variability between muscle activation compared to healthy subjects. Impaired capacity to modulate muscle activity significantly correlated with the impairment status. In conclusion, impaired motor performance post-stroke systematic disturbance in the control signal to limb muscles, which manifests as decreased capacity to modulate muscle activity, rather than co-contraction of muscle antagonists or stereotyped movement patterns.Traumatic brain injury has ripple effect on the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional domains of quality of life and portends a long-term neurological disability in survivors. In this study we evaluated the prognostic role of demographic and clinico-radiological variables on the hospitalization length and mortality in 71 of patients with frontal brain contusions. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plots were performed, with area under the curve (AUC) values, for graphical comparison of variables that would predict mortality and hospitalization length. We found that the best prognostics of mortality were the Glasgow Coma Scale score, the motor function score, and the Rotterdam CT score, with AUC values of 0.873, 0.836, and 0.711, respectively. Concerning the prediction of hospitalization length, the AUC showed inappreciable differences, with the highest values for the Glasgow Coma Scale score, Rotterdam CT score, and the serum cortisol level in a 0.550-0.600 range. Curve estimation, based on multivariate analysis, showed that the scores of motor function, Glasgow Coma Scale, and Rotterdam CT correlated best with the prediction of both mortality and hospitalization length, along with the upward dynamic changes of serum cortisol for the latter. We conclude that basically simple and non-invasive assessment in survivors of acute traumatic brain contusion is helpful in predicting mortality and the length of hospital stay, which would be of essential value in better allocation of healthcare resources for inpatient treatment and rehabilitation and for post-hospital patient's functioning.The use of agricultural by-products might provide an important alternative to improve animal agriculture and to reduce feeding costs. The effects of inclusion in the diet of four levels of delinted cottonseed (0, 80, 160, and 240 g/kg) on intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance, blood parameters, and the ingestive behaviour of confined sheep were studied. Twenty-four mixed-breed rams with an average body weight of 27.6 ± 2.9 kg were used in a completely randomised design with four treatments. The addition of delinted cottonseed (DCS) did not alter (P > 0.05) the intake of dry matter, crude protein, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre, or ether extract in the two forms calculated (g/day and % body weight). The use of different levels of DCS in sheep feed did not influence (P > 0.05) the voluntary water intake. The dietary DCS levels linearly affected (P  less then  0.05) the digestibility coefficients of the dry matter (DM), organic matter, neutral detergent fibre, ether extract, and non-fibrous carbohydrates. The DCS inclusion levels did not affect the nitrogen balance (P = 0.22), plasma concentrations of urea (P = 0.51), and glucose (P = 0.17).The feeding efficiency and rumination in g DM/h reduced linearly (P  less then  0.05) with the addition of DCS in the diet. Therefore, the addition of delinted cottonseed affects the intake, digestibility, and ingestive behaviour of confined sheep, and the addition of up to 80 g/kg delinted cottonseed in the diet of confined sheep is recommended.Assessment of the ruminant livestock feed sources availability, existing feeding practices, and nutrient balances was embarked at different zones of Gurez valley of Kashmir in two major seasons (summer and winter). A baseline survey was conducted to obtain the information in three zones, viz., Lower, Middle and Upper Gurez. The study was carried out in three villages in each zone where seven farmer families per village were selected randomly for the study. A total of 63 households owning livestock were interviewed to collect the information and the samples of available animal feeds and fodders fed during the seasons for chemical analysis. Daily nutrient intakes were calculated and compared with the standard requirements to determine the nutrient balances of livestock during the seasons. The main crops cultivated only during summer season were pulses (98.41%), maize (95.24%), and potatoes (90.48%), while few farmers in Lower and Middle Gurez also sow oats (42.86%) and had apple orchards (17.46%), the by-products and wastes of which were utilized as livestock feeds.

BACKGROUND Large, multicentre studies are required in emergency medicine to advance clinical care and improve patient outcomes. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine clinical trials network is available to researchers to assist with facilitating large, multicentre research. However, there is no current information about the research capacity of emergency departments (EDs) in Australia and New Zealand. METHODS All EDs accredited for emergency medicine training in Australia and New Zealand were eligible to participate. Research leads or ED directors were invited via email and telephone to complete a survey. Data were collected regarding the presence of a research lead; their research experience; available research resources including colleagues, funding, departmental paid research time; publications; and research culture. RESULTS One hundred and twelve responses were received on behalf of 122 (84%) sites (10 satellite plus main) from a possible 143 sites with all types of hospitals and regions represented. Research leads were identified at 66 (59%) sites; 32 (29%) had a director of emergency medicine research. A wide range of research was underway. Ninety-six sites (66%) contributed data to multicentre projects. Twenty-one centres (17%) were highly productive with multiple resources (skilled colleagues, funding, staffing), a positive research culture and high-volume output. Sixty to seventy centres (50-58%) had limited resources, experienced an unsupportive research culture and authored manuscripts infrequently. Paid time for research directors was associated with increased research outputs. DISCUSSION ACEM sites have the capacity to undertake large multicentre studies with a varied network of sites and researchers. While some sites are well equipped for research, the majority of EDs had minimal research output.BACKGROUND Opportunistic pathogens are important for clinical practice as they often cause antibiotic-resistant infections. However, little is documented for many emerging opportunistic pathogens and their biological characteristics. Here, we isolated a strain of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from a patient with a biliary tract infection. We explored the biological and genomic characteristics of this strain to provide new evidence and detailed information for opportunistic pathogens about the co-infection they may cause. RESULTS The isolate grew very slowly but conferred strong protection for the co-infected cephalosporin-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae. As the initial laboratory testing failed to identify the taxonomy of the strain, great perplexity was caused in the etiological diagnosis and anti-infection treatment for the patient. Rigorous sequencing efforts achieved the complete genome sequence of the isolate which we designated as AF18. AF18 is phylogenetically close to a few strains isolated from soil, clinical sewage, and patients, forming a novel species together, while the taxonomic nomenclature of which is still under discussion. And this is the first report of human infection of this novel species. Like its relatives, AF18 harbors many genes related to cell mobility, various genes adaptive to both the natural environment and animal host, over 30 mobile genetic elements, and a plasmid bearing blaCTX-M-3 gene, indicating its ability to disseminate antimicrobial-resistant genes from the natural environment to patients. Transcriptome sequencing identified two sRNAs that critically regulate the growth rate of AF18, which could serve as targets for novel antimicrobial strategies. CONCLUSIONS Our findings imply that AF18 and its species are not only infection-relevant but also potential disseminators of antibiotic resistance genes, which highlights the need for continuous monitoring for this novel species and efforts to develop treatment strategies.BACKGROUND The advent of mass cytometry has dramatically increased the parameter limit for immunological analysis. New approaches to analysing high parameter cytometry data have been developed to ease analysis of these complex datasets. Many of these methods assign cells into population clusters based on protein expression similarity. RESULTS Here we introduce an additional method, termed Brick plots, to visualize these cluster phenotypes in a simplified and intuitive manner. The Brick plot method generates a two-dimensional barcode that displays the phenotype of each cluster in relation to the entire dataset. We show that Brick plots can be used to visualize complex mass cytometry data, both from fundamental research and clinical trials, as well as flow cytometry data. CONCLUSION Brick plots represent a new approach to visualize complex immunological data in an intuitive manner.BACKGROUND Feature selection in class-imbalance learning has gained increasing attention in recent years due to the massive growth of high-dimensional class-imbalanced data across many scientific fields. In addition to reducing model complexity and discovering key biomarkers, feature selection is also an effective method of combating overlapping which may arise in such data and become a crucial aspect for determining classification performance. However, ordinary feature selection techniques for classification can not be simply used for addressing class-imbalanced data without any adjustment. Thus, more efficient feature selection technique must be developed for complicated class-imbalanced data, especially in the context of high-dimensionality. RESULTS We proposed an algorithm called sssHD to achieve stable sparse feature selection applied it to complicated class-imbalanced data. sssHD is based on the Hellinger distance (HD) coupled with sparse regularization techniques. We stated that Hellinger distance is n applicability.BACKGROUND Transcriptional responses required to maintain cellular homeostasis or to adapt to environmental stress, is in part mediated by several nucleic-acid associated proteins. In this study, we sought to establish an affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) approach that would enable the collective identification of nucleic acid-associated proteins in mycobacteria. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/meclofenamate-sodium.html We hypothesized that targeting the RNA polymerase complex through affinity purification would allow for the identification of RNA- and DNA-associated proteins that not only maintain the bacterial chromosome but also enable transcription and translation. RESULTS AP-MS analysis of the RNA polymerase β-subunit cross-linked to nucleic acids identified 275 putative nucleic acid-associated proteins in the model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis under standard culturing conditions. The AP-MS approach successfully identified proteins that are known to make up the RNA polymerase complex, as well as several other known RNA polymerase complex-associated proteins such as a DNA polymerase, sigma factors, transcriptional regulators, and helicases.