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Abstract The astrocyte-to-neuron lactate shuttle model entails that, upon glutamatergic neurotransmission, glycolytically derived pyruvate in astrocytes is mainly converted to lactate instead of being entirely catabolized in mitochondria. The mechanism of this metabolic rewiring and its occurrence in human brain are unclear. Here by using immunohistochemistry (4 brains) and imaging mass cytometry (8 brains) we show that astrocytes of the adult human neocortex and hippocampal formation express barely detectable amounts of mitochondrial proteins critical for performing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). These data are corroborated by queries of transcriptomes (107 brains) of neuronal versus non-neuronal cells fetched from the Allen Institute for Brain Science for genes coding for a much larger repertoire of entities contributing to OXPHOS, showing that human non-neuronal elements barely expressed mRNAs coding for such proteins. With less OXPHOS, human brain astrocytes are thus bound to produce more lactate to avoid interruption of glycolysis.

The article is focused on an image of the history as a traumatic experience of the past and its visual embodiment in the novel “La Reine Margot” by Alexandre Dumas and its similarly-titled film by Patrice Chereau. Based on the concepts of “narrative fetishism” and “work of sorrow” substantiated by Eric Santner, the novel and cinema narratives are analyzed in the context of the historical narrative. The novel by Dumas has the following objects of visualizing the traumatic experience distinguished the event (Bartholomew’s Night), historical space (Paris, the Louvre), the human body in its life manifestations and the image of Providence (fate). It is noted that the visual aesthetics in Dumas’ novel narrative forms the perception of historical trauma within the framework of “narrative fetishism”, creating a romantic image of the history and historical personalities. The key objects of visualization in the film by Chereau are the event of Bartholomew’s Night and the body (in the images of physically and spiritually traumatized characters). Unlike Dumas, who conveyed the memory of the sixteenth century in the light of the romantic nineteenth century, Chereau creates the memory of the twentieth century demonstrating a naturalistic-baroque interpretation of the romantic image of the history. The “narrative fetishism” of the novel gives way to the “work of sorrow” stipulated by the experience of historical trauma in the film.

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Reconstructing interglacial marine environments helps us understand the climate change mechanisms of the past. To contribute to this body of knowledge, we studied a high-resolution 455 cm-thick sediment sequence of the Boreal (Eemian) marine beds directly overlying Moscovian (Saalian) moraine in the Bychye-2 section on the Pyoza River. We analyzed lithological and microfossil (foraminifers, ostracods, pollen, aquatic palynomorphs) variations at the studied site. Stratigraphical zonation is based on the local and well-established regional pollen zones, correlated with the western European pollen zones. The studied marine beds accumulated from the end of the Moscovian glacial (>131 ka) until ca. 119.5 ka. We distinguished three successive phases: a seasonally sea-ice-covered, relatively deep, freshened basin in the initial rapid flooding stage (>131–130.5 ka); a deep basin in the maximum flooding phase with less extensive sea ice cover (130.5–130.25 ka); and a shallow basin with reduced sea ice cover (130.25–119.5 ka). According to a pollen zone comparison with other sites, the regional glacioisostatic rebound started ca. 130 ka. The diverse warm-water assemblages of benthic foraminifers and ostracods containing typical Baltic Sea species occurred during the regression, mainly 128–124 ka, thus giving evidence for a relatively long-lasting connection between the White and Baltic Seas.

Pathogenic variants in the RPE65 gene cause the only known form of inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) that are prone to gene therapy. The current study is aimed at the evaluation of the prevalence of RPE65-associated retinopathy in the Russian Federation, the characterization of known variants in the RPE65 gene, and the establishment of the specificities of the mutation spectrum in Russian patients. Methods: The analysis was carried out on blood samples obtained from 1053 non-related IRDs patients. The analysis, which consisted of 211 genes, was carried out based on the method of massive parallel sequencing (MPS) for all probands. Variant validation, as well as biallelic status verification, were carried out using direct automated Sanger sequencing. The number of copies of RPE65 exons 1–14 was analyzed with quantitative MLPA using an MRC-Holland SALSA MLPA probemix. Results: Out of 1053 non-related patients, a molecular genetic diagnosis of IRDs has been confirmed in 474 cases, including 25 (5.3%) patients with RPE65-associated retinopathy. We detected 26 variants in the RPE65 gene, nine of which have not been previously described in the literature. The most common mutations in the Russian population were c.304G>T/p.(Glu102*), c.370C>T/p.(Arg124*), and c.272G>A/p.(Arg91Gln), which comprised 41.8% of all affected chromosomes. Conclusions: The current study shows that pathogenic variants in the RPE65 gene contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of IRDs and comprise 5.3% of all patients with a confirmed molecular genetic diagnosis. This study allowed for the formation of a cohort for target therapy of the disorder; such therapy has already been carried out for some patients.

Pathogenic CFTR variants cause cystic fibrosis (CF), and CF-related disorders (CF-RD), including bilateral aplasia of the vas deferens (CBAVD). The spectrum of clinical manifestations depends on the CFTR genotype. The frequency and spectrum of the CFTR variants vary between populations and clinical groups. CFTR variants and genotypes were analyzed in Russian men with CF (n = 546) and CBAVD syndrome (n = 125). Pathogenic variants were detected in 93.95% and 39.2% of the CF and CBAVD alleles, respectively. The most frequent c.1521_1523del (F508del; p.Phe508del) variant was found in 541 (49.5%) CF alleles. A total of 162 CFTR genotypes were revealed in CF patients, including 152 homozygous and 394 compound-heterozygous. The most common CF-genotype was F508del/F508del (24.9%). Other frequent CF-genotypes were F508del/3849+10kbC>T, F508del/CFTRdele2,3, and F508del/E92K. CF-causing variants and/or 5T allele were found in 88% of CBAVD patients: 5T/CFTRmut (48.0%), CFTRmut/N (17.6%), CFTRmut/CFTRmut (6.4%), 5T/5T (10.4%), 5T/N (5.6%) and N/N (12.0%), with the most common CBAVD-genotype being F508del/5T (29.6%). The allele frequencies of F508del, CFTRdele2,3 394delTT, and 3849+10kbC>T were significantly higher in CF patients. L138ins/L138ins, 2184insA/E92K, and L138ins/N genotypes were found in CBAVD, but not in CF patients. The results indicate certain differences in the frequency of some CFTR variants and genotypes in Russian CF and CBAVD patients.

The article studies the interpretation of the Faustian theme in the novel “We” by Yevgeny Zamyatin. The conflict between the Apollonian and Dionysian is considered as a mode of the Faustian theme. The features of its development are analyzed at three levels, they are psychological, spatial and philosophical. The interaction of psychological, spatial and philosophical levels makes it possible to implement a number of ideas in the novel, such as a never-ending revolution, a protest against authoritarianism and the enslavement of man by civilization, the impossibility of changing human nature.

(1) Introduction: Pathogenic variants in the CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator, OMIM: 602421) gene cause Cystic Fibrosis (CF, OMIM: 219700) and CF-related disorders (CF-RD), often accompanied by obstructive azoospermia due to congenital bilateral aplasia of vas deferens (CBAVD, OMIM: 277180) in male patients. The L138ins (c.413_415dup; p. (Leu138dup)) is a mild variant in the CFTR gene that is relatively common among CF-patients in Slavic populations. The frequency of this variant in Russian infertile men has not been sufficiently studied; (2) Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 6033 Russian infertile men. The patients were tested for 22 common in Russian populations pathogenic variants of the CFTR gene and the IVS9Tn-polymorphic locus of the intron 9. Molecular-genetic studies were performed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP-PCR), multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), and nested PCR (for analysis of the IVS9Tn-polymorphic locus); (3) Results: Pathogenic variants in the CFTR were detected in 3.9% of patients. The most frequent variants were F508del and CFTRdele2.3(21kb), accounted for 61.0% and 7.1% of detected variants, respectively. The L138ins variant was detected in 17 (0.28%) individuals: one of them was homozygous, 10 patients were heterozygous, and 6 patients were compound-heterozygous (F508del/L138ins, n = 4; L138ins/N1303K, n = 1; L138ins/5T, n = 1). Two pathogenic CF-causing variants in the CFTR gene were detected in 8 patients, including 7 compound heterozygous (F508del/L138ins, n = 4; F508del/N1303K, n = 1; 2184insA/E92K, n = 1; 3849+10kbC>T/E92K, n = 1) and one homozygous (L138ins/L138ins). The L138ins variant was found in 7 out of 16 (43.75%) chromosomes in six of these patients. The most common pathogenic variant, F508del, was identified in five out of them, in 5 of 16 (31.25%) chromosomes. The allele frequency (AF) of the L138ins variant in the sample has been found to be 0.0014.; (4) Conclusions: The L138ins variant of the CFTR gene is the third most common variant after F508del and CFTRdele2.3(kb) among Russian infertile men.

X-linked centronuclear myopathy is caused by pathogenic variants in the MTM1 gene, which encodes myotubularin, a phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) phosphatase. This form of congenital myopathy predominantly affects males. This study presents a case of X-linked myotubular myopathy in a female carrier of a pathogenic c.1261-10A>G variant in the MTM1 gene.

Abstract The impact of prematurity on human development and neonatal diseases, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, has been widely reported. However, little is known about the effects of prematurity on the programs of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation of the upper respiratory epithelium, which is key for adaptation to neonatal life. We developed a minimally invasive methodology for isolation of neonatal basal cells from nasopharyngeal (NP) aspirates and performed functional analysis in organotypic cultures to address this issue. We show that preterm NP progenitors have a markedly distinct molecular signature of abnormal proliferation and mitochondria quality control compared to term progenitors. Preterm progenitors had lower oxygen consumption at baseline and were unable to ramp up consumption to the levels of term cells when challenged. Although they formed a mucociliary epithelium, ciliary function tended to decline in premature cells as they differentiated, compared to term cells. Together, these differences suggested increased sensitivity of preterm progenitors to environmental stressors under non-homeostatic conditions.

Febrile-associated epileptic encephalopathy is a large genetically heterogeneous group that is associated with pathogenic variants in SCN1A, PCDH19, SCN2A, SCN8A, and other genes. The disease onset ranges from neonatal or early-onset epileptic encephalopathy to late-onset epilepsy after 18 months. Some etiology-specific epileptic encephalopathies have target therapy which can serve as a clue for the correct genetic diagnosis. We present genetic, clinical, electroencephalographic, and behavioral features of a 4-year-old girl with epileptic encephalopathy related to a de novo intronic variant in the SCN2A gene. Initial NGS analysis revealed a frameshift variant in the KDM6A gene and a previously reported missense variant in SCN1A. Due to lack of typical clinical signs of Kabuki syndrome, we performed X-chromosome inactivation that revealed nearly complete skewed inactivation. Segregation analysis showed that the SCN1A variant was inherited from a healthy father. The proband had resistance to multiple antiseizure medications but responded well to sodium channel inhibitor Carbamazepine. Reanalysis of NGS data by a neurogeneticist revealed a previously uncharacterized heterozygous variant c.1035–7A>G in the SCN2A gene. Minigene assay showed that the c.1035–7A>G variant activates a cryptic intronic acceptor site which leads to 6-nucleotide extension of exon 9 (NP_066287.2:p.(Gly345_Gln346insTyrSer). SCN2A encephalopathy is a recognizable severe phenotype. Its electro-clinical and treatment response features can serve as a hallmark. In such a patient, reanalysis of genetic data is strongly recommended in case of negative or conflicting results of DNA analysis.

Abstract Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder without a cure. Here we show that mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I is an important small molecule druggable target in AD. Partial inhibition of complex I triggers the AMP-activated protein kinase-dependent signaling network leading to neuroprotection in symptomatic APP/PS1 female mice, a translational model of AD. Treatment of symptomatic APP/PS1 mice with complex I inhibitor improved energy homeostasis, synaptic activity, long-term potentiation, dendritic spine maturation, cognitive function and proteostasis, and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in brain and periphery, ultimately blocking the ongoing neurodegeneration. Therapeutic efficacy in vivo was monitored using translational biomarkers FDG-PET, 31P NMR, and metabolomics. Cross-validation of the mouse and the human transcriptomic data from the NIH Accelerating Medicines Partnership–AD database demonstrated that pathways improved by the treatment in APP/PS1 mice, including the immune system response and neurotransmission, represent mechanisms essential for therapeutic efficacy in AD patients.

The article considers the theme of madness as a cultural phenomenon in its romantic (Edgar Poe) and postmodern (Claude Chabrol) film interpretation. The study is based on the cultural and philosophical concept of madness grounded by Michel Foucault. The historical existence of madness phenomenon has two types of its perception distinguished, ‘cosmic’, which is the tragic madness of the world, and ‘critical’, which is peculiar to human consciousness and behavior, generating the ironic understanding. According to the philosopher, the cosmic and critical cultural experience of madness is embodied in visually plastic (pictorial) and verbal (literary) forms respectively. The verbal and literary specifics of creating an aesthetic image of madness within the romantic canon in Edgar Allan Poe’s story is compared with the peculiarities of the visual-sound plastic form of the images in Claude Chabrol’s film, created in the style of surrealism. In Poe’s story madness appears as a local phenomenon, a state of human consciousness determining the way of thinking and the specifics of behavior. The main way how the writer creates the characters includes their behavioral characteristics and speech. In Chabrol’s film interpretation the theme of madness unfolds gradually, being embodied in visual images, the pace of the film, the changing intraframe composition, the specific movement in the frame, the speed and rhythm of cutting, the color and sound of the film. Within the postmodernism aesthetics the director, inserting surrealistic Buñuel’s intertext, using the techniques of playing with the audience and varying interpretations of the end, focuses on the cosmic experience of madness, transforming Poe’s romantic-ironic interpretation into a understanding the “tragic madness of the world”.

Background Integration of HIV services with other health services has been proposed as an important strategy to boost the sustainability of the global HIV response. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive synthesis of the existing scientific evidence on the impact of service integration on the HIV care cascade, health outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. Methods and findings We reviewed the global quantitative empirical evidence on integration published between 1 January 2010 and 10 September 2021. We included experimental and observational studies that featured both an integration intervention and a comparator in our review. Of the 7,118 unique peer-reviewed English-language studies that our search algorithm identified, 114 met all of our selection criteria for data extraction. Most of the studies (90) were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in East Africa (55) and Southern Africa (24). The most common forms of integration were (i) HIV testing and counselling added to non-HIV services and (ii) non-HIV services added to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The most commonly integrated non-HIV services were maternal and child healthcare, tuberculosis testing and treatment, primary healthcare, family planning, and sexual and reproductive health services. Values for HIV care cascade outcomes tended to be better in integrated services: uptake of HIV testing and counselling (pooled risk ratio [RR] across 37 studies: 1.67 [95% CI 1.41–1.99], p < 0.001), ART initiation coverage (pooled RR across 19 studies: 1.42 [95% CI 1.16–1.75], p = 0.002), time until ART initiation (pooled RR across 5 studies: 0.45 [95% CI 0.20–1.00], p = 0.050), retention in HIV care (pooled RR across 19 studies: 1.68 [95% CI 1.05–2.69], p = 0.031), and viral suppression (pooled RR across 9 studies: 1.19 [95% CI 1.03–1.37], p = 0.025). Also, treatment success for non-HIV-related diseases and conditions and the uptake of non-HIV services were commonly higher in integrated services. We did not find any significant differences for the following outcomes in our meta-analyses: HIV testing yield, ART adherence, HIV-free survival among infants, and HIV and non-HIV mortality. We could not conduct meta-analyses for several outcomes (HIV infections averted, costs, and cost-effectiveness), because our systematic review did not identify sufficient poolable studies. Study limitations included possible publication bias of studies with significant or favourable findings and comparatively weak evidence from some world regions and on integration of services for key populations in the HIV response. Conclusions Integration of HIV services and other health services tends to improve health and health systems outcomes. Despite some scientific limitations, the global evidence shows that service integration can be a valuable strategy to boost the sustainability of the HIV response and contribute to the goal of ‘ending AIDS by 2030’, while simultaneously supporting progress towards universal health coverage. Caroline Bulstra and co-workers assess evidence on the benefits of service integration in the HIV care cascade. Author summary Why was this study done? The rapid scale-up of HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) in many countries and communities over the past 2 decades has been largely achieved with stand-alone HIV programmes. Increasing life expectancy and the side effects of ART are leading to more co-morbidities among people living with HIV, suggesting that ART programmes that also offer other treatments could improve both healthcare effectiveness and the patient experience. Other reasons for integration of services include the hope that joint delivery of services will increase coverage and reduce costs. The global evidence on integration of HIV services and other health services, to our knowledge, has never been synthesised, and it is thus unclear what the empirical effects of integration are. What did the researchers do and find? We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesise the results of integrating HIV services and other health services for HIV care cascade outcomes (testing, linkage to care, treatment initiation, treatment adherence, retention, and viral suppression), HIV health outcomes (new infections and mortality), non-HIV health outcomes, and costs and cost-effectiveness. In most of the 114 studies that our systematic review identified most outcomes were better in integrated compared to separate services. What do these findings mean? Integration of HIV services and other health services tends to improve health and health systems outcomes. The success of integration strategies is highly context-specific, and more evidence is needed on integration in specific geographical areas and for key populations in the HIV response. Despite such limitations, our systematic review and meta-analysis support the case for integration as a valuable and viable strategy to boost the sustainability of the HIV response and contribute to the goal of ‘ending AIDS by 2030’, while simultaneously supporting progress towards universal health coverage.

Hearing loss is one of the most genetically heterogeneous disorders known. Over 120 genes are reportedly associated with non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL). To date, in Russia, there have been relatively few studies that apply massive parallel sequencing (MPS) methods to elucidate the genetic factors underlying non-GJB2-related hearing loss cases. The current study is intended to provide an understanding of the mutation spectrum in non-GJB2-related hearing loss in a cohort of Russian sensorineural NSHL patients and establish the best diagnostic algorithm. Genetic testing using an MPS panel, which included 33 NSHL and syndromic hearing loss (SHL) genes that might be misdiagnosed as NSHL genes, was completed on 226 sequentially accrued and unrelated patients. As a result, the molecular basis of deafness was found in 21% of the non-GJB2 NSHL cases. The total contribution pathogenic, and likely pathogenic, variants in the genes studied among all hereditary NSHL Russian patients was 12%. STRC pathogenic and likely pathogenic, variants accounted for 30% of diagnoses in GJB2-negative patients, providing the most common diagnosis. The majority of causative mutations in STRC involved large copy number variants (CNVs) (80%). Among the point mutations, the most common were c.11864G>A (p.Trp3955*) in the USH2A gene, c.2171_2174delTTTG (p.Val724Glyfs*6) in the STRC gene, and c.107A>C (p.His36Pro) and c.1001G>T (p.Gly334Val) in the SLC26A4 gene. Pathogenic variants in genes involved in SHL accounted for almost half of the cases with an established molecular genetic diagnosis, which were 10% of the total cohort of patients with non-GJB2-related hearing loss.

Abstract Background Ribo-seq is a popular technique for studying translation and its regulation. A Ribo-seq experiment produces a snap-shot of the location and abundance of actively translating ribosomes within a cell’s transcriptome. In practice, Ribo-seq data analysis can be sensitive to quality issues such as read length variation, low read periodicities, and contaminations with ribosomal and transfer RNA. Various software tools for data preprocessing, quality assessment, analysis, and visualization of Ribo-seq data have been developed. However, many of these tools require considerable practical knowledge of software applications, and often multiple different tools have to be used in combination with each other. Results We present riboStreamR, a comprehensive Ribo-seq quality control (QC) platform in the form of an R Shiny web application. RiboStreamR provides visualization and analysis tools for various Ribo-seq QC metrics, including read length distribution, read periodicity, and translational efficiency. Our platform is focused on providing a user-friendly experience, and includes various options for graphical customization, report generation, and anomaly detection within Ribo-seq datasets. Conclusions RiboStreamR takes advantage of the vast resources provided by the R and Bioconductor environments, and utilizes the Shiny R package to ensure a high level of usability. Our goal is to develop a tool which facilitates in-depth quality assessment of Ribo-seq data by providing reference datasets and automatically highlighting quality issues and anomalies within datasets.

Abstract Population growth and climate change will impact food security and potentially exacerbate the environmental toll that agriculture has taken on our planet. These existential concerns demand that a passionate, interdisciplinary, and diverse community of plant science professionals is trained during the 21st century. Furthermore, societal trends that question the importance of science and expert knowledge highlight the need to better communicate the value of rigorous fundamental scientific exploration. Engaging students and the general public in the wonder of plants, and science in general, requires renewed efforts that take advantage of advances in technology and new models of funding and knowledge dissemination. In November 2018, funded by the National Science Foundation through the Arabidopsis Research and Training for the 21st century (ART 21) research coordination network, a symposium and workshop were held that included a diverse panel of students, scientists, educators, and administrators from across the US. The purpose of the workshop was to re‐envision how outreach programs are funded, evaluated, acknowledged, and shared within the plant science community. One key objective was to generate a roadmap for future efforts. We hope that this document will serve as such, by providing a comprehensive resource for students and young faculty interested in developing effective outreach programs. We also anticipate that this document will guide the formation of community partnerships to scale up currently successful outreach programs, and lead to the design of future programs that effectively engage with a more diverse student body and citizenry.

Background: Mitochondrial succinate accumulation has been suggested as key event for ischemia reperfusion injury in mice. No specific data are however available on behavior of liver mitochondria during ex situ machine perfusion in clinical transplant models. Methods: We investigated mitochondrial metabolism of isolated perfused rat livers before transplantation. Livers were exposed to warm and cold ischemia to simulate donation after circulatory death (DCD) and organ transport. Subsequently, livers were perfused with oxygenated Belzer-MPS for 1h, at hypothermic or normothermic conditions. Various experiments were performed with supplemented succinate and/or mitochondrial inhibitors. The perfusate, liver tissues, and isolated mitochondria were analyzed by mass-spectroscopy and fluorimetry. Additionally, rat DCD livers were transplanted after 1h hypothermic or normothermic oxygenated perfusion. In parallel, perfusate samples were analysed during HOPE-treatment of human DCD livers before transplantation. Findings: Succinate exposure during rat liver perfusion triggered a dose-dependent release of mitochondrial Flavin-Mononucleotide (FMN) and NADH in perfusates under normothermic conditions. In contrast, perfusate FMN was 3-8 fold lower under hypothermic conditions, suggesting less mitochondrial injury during cold re-oxygenation compared to normothermic conditions. HOPE-treatment induced a mitochondrial reprogramming with uploading of the nucleotide pool and effective succinate metabolism. This resulted in a clear superiority after liver transplantation compared to normothermic perfusion. Finally, the degree of mitochondrial injury during HOPE of human DCD livers, quantified by perfusate FMN and NADH, was predictive for liver function. Interpretation: Mitochondrial injury determines outcome of transplanted rodent and human livers. Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion improves mitochondrial function, and allows viability assessment of liver grafts before implantation. Funding: detailed information can be found in Acknowledgments.

The model of Regularized Quantum Mechanical Force Field (RQMFF) was applied to the joint treatment of ab initio and experimental vibrational data of the four primary nucleobases using a new algorithm based on the scaling procedure in Cartesian coordinates. The matrix of scaling factors in Cartesian coordinates for the considered molecules includes diagonal elements for all atoms of the molecule and off-diagonal elements for bonded atoms and for some non-bonded atoms (1–3 and some 1–4 interactions). The choice of the model is based on the results of the second-order perturbation analysis of the Fock matrix for uncoupled interactions using the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. The scaling factors obtained within this model as a result of solving the inverse problem (regularized Cartesian scale factors) of adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine molecules were used to correct the Hessians of the canonical base pairs: adenine–thymine and cytosine–guanine. The proposed procedure is based on the block structure of the scaling matrix for molecular entities with non-covalent interactions, as in the case of DNA base pairs. It allows avoiding introducing internal coordinates (or coordinates of symmetry, local symmetry, etc.) when scaling the force field of a compound of a complex structure with non-covalent H-bonds.

Plant root hairs elongate in response to low soil phosphate. Here Bhosale et al. show that root hair elongation requires auxin synthesis mediated by TAA1, auxin transport by AUX1 in the lateral root cap and epidermis, and signaling via the auxin-inducible ARF19, RSL2 and RSL4 transcription factors.

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), the most common recessive inherited ataxia, results from deficiency of frataxin, a small mitochondrial protein crucial for iron-sulphur cluster formation and ATP production. Frataxin deficiency is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in FRDA patients and animal models; however, early mitochondrial pathology in FRDA cerebellum remains elusive. Using frataxin knock-in/knockout (KIKO) mice and KIKO mice carrying the mitoDendra transgene, we show early cerebellar deficits in mitochondrial biogenesis and respiratory chain complexes in this FRDA model. At asymptomatic stages, the levels of PGC-1α (PPARGC1A), the mitochondrial biogenesis master regulator, are significantly decreased in cerebellar homogenates of KIKO mice compared with age-matched controls. Similarly, the levels of the PGC-1α downstream effectors, NRF1 and Tfam, are significantly decreased, suggesting early impaired cerebellar mitochondrial biogenesis pathways. Early mitochondrial deficiency is further supported by significant reduction of the mitochondrial markers GRP75 (HSPA9) and mitofusin-1 in the cerebellar cortex. Moreover, the numbers of Dendra-labeled mitochondria are significantly decreased in cerebellar cortex, confirming asymptomatic cerebellar mitochondrial biogenesis deficits. Functionally, complex I and II enzyme activities are significantly reduced in isolated mitochondria and tissue homogenates from asymptomatic KIKO cerebella. Structurally, levels of the complex I core subunit NUDFB8 and complex II subunits SDHA and SDHB are significantly lower than those in age-matched controls. These results demonstrate complex I and II deficiency in KIKO cerebellum, consistent with defects identified in FRDA patient tissues. Thus, our findings identify early cerebellar mitochondrial biogenesis deficits as a potential mediator of cerebellar dysfunction and ataxia, thereby providing a potential therapeutic target for early intervention of FRDA.

The central regulator of the ethylene (ET) signaling pathway, which controls a plethora of developmental programs and responses to environmental cues in plants, is ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE2 (EIN2). Here we identify a chromatin-dependent regulatory mechanism at EIN2 requiring two genes: ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE6 (EIN6), which is a H3K27me3 demethylase also known as RELATIVE OF EARLY FLOWERING6 (REF6), and EIN6 ENHANCER (EEN), the Arabidopsis homolog of the yeast INO80 chromatin remodeling complex subunit IES6 (INO EIGHTY SUBUNIT). Strikingly, EIN6 (REF6) and the INO80 complex redundantly control the level and the localization of the repressive histone modification H3K27me3 and the histone variant H2A.Z at the 5’ untranslated region (5’UTR) intron of EIN2. Concomitant loss of EIN6 (REF6) and the INO80 complex shifts the chromatin landscape at EIN2 to a repressive state causing a dramatic reduction of EIN2 expression. These results uncover a unique type of chromatin regulation which safeguards the expression of an essential multifunctional plant stress regulator.

We assessed the effect of different doses of vitamin D supplementation on microcirculation, signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Sixty-seven patients with T2DM and peripheral neuropathy (34 females) were randomized into two treatment groups: Cholecalciferol 5000 IU and 40,000 IU once/week orally for 24 weeks. Severity of neuropathy (NSS, NDS scores, visual analogue scale), cutaneous microcirculation (MC) parameters and inflammatory markers (ILs, CRP, TNFα) were assessed before and after treatment. Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency was detected in 78% of the 62 completed subjects. Following treatment with cholecalciferol 40,000 IU/week, a significant decrease in neuropathy severity (NSS, p = 0.001; NDS, p = 0.001; VAS, p = 0.001) and improvement of cutaneous MC were observed (p < 0.05). Also, we found a decrease in IL-6 level (2.5 pg/mL vs. 0.6 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and an increase in IL-10 level (2.5 pg/mL vs. 4.5 pg/mL, p < 0.001) after 24 weeks of vitamin D supplementation in this group. No changes were detected in the cholecalciferol 5000 IU/week group. High-dose cholecalciferol supplementation of 40,000 IU/week for 24 weeks was associated with improvement in clinical manifestation, cutaneous microcirculation and inflammatory markers in patients with T2DM and peripheral neuropathy.

Ribosome footprinting, or Ribo-seq, has revolutionized the studies of translation. It was originally developed for yeast and mammalian cells in culture (Ingolia et al., 2009). Herein, we describe a plant-optimized hands-on ribosome footprinting protocol derived from previously published procedures of polysome isolation (Ingolia et al., 2009; Mustroph et al., 2009) and ribosome footprinting (Ingolia et al., 2009; Ingolia et al., 2013). With this protocol, we have been able to successfully isolate and analyze high-quality ribosomal footprints from different stages of in vitro grown Arabidopsis thaliana plants (dark-grown seedlings [Merchante et al., 2015] and 13-day-old plantlets in plates and plants grown in liquid culture [unpublished results]).

The original version of this Article omitted the following from the Acknowledgements: ‘We also thank DBT-CREST BT/HRD/03/01/2002.’ This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.