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This study is conducted to identify conceptual metaphors of EMOTIONS in song lyrics written by one of the most well-known composers of the twenty-first century, Taylor Swift, a talented composer in expressing her emotions through song lyrics. In this study, a comprehensive analysis was undertaken of 208 songs drawn from 14 studio albums of a specific artist, to examine the metaphorical constructions associated with emotional intimacy, the self in emotional contexts, emotional stability, emotions in general, and intense emotional experiences. This research endeavors to depict the interplay among language, human cognition, and artistic expression, aiming to enhance our comprehension of how conceptual metaphorical frameworks related to emotions influence the lyrical content of Taylor Swift's musical compositions.

Psychology in education is receiving more and more attention from researchers. Much research has been conducted to identify the factors that cause negativity in school psychology. Choosing a different approach, this study investigates the impact of positive endogenous factors on students’ subjective well-being. In addition, the study also determined the differences between the groups of disciplines in terms of the relationships in the research model, something that no previous research has done. The results of data analysis by the PLS-SEM obtained from 624 respondents showed that emotional intelligence positively affects motivation and subjective well-being. Not only that, but it also limits burnout in education. The study proposes relevant solutions for students and universities based on this result.

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on social networking sites (SNS) has become crucial in shaping online consumers’ purchase intentions, reflecting the growing reliance on rich nature of user-generated content and recommendations shared on these platforms. This study aims to investigate the intricate relationships among different factors of eWOM information, including information credibility, information usefulness, information adoption, attitude towards information, and their impacts on online purchase intention. This study draws upon the Information Adoption Model (IAM) and the Information Acceptance Model (IACM) foundation theory which reveal the steps individuals take in adopting new information, and focuses on how perceptions and attitudes towards information shape acceptance. The study used a quantitative approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire to collect data from 337 Vietnamese individuals actively engaged in eWOM activities on various SNS platforms. Statistical analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that information credibility significantly influences both information usefulness and adoption. Interestingly, while information usefulness shapes user attitudes, it does not directly impact online purchase intention. Similarly, a positive attitude toward eWOM does not necessarily lead to information adoption. This suggests that consumers may hold favorable views of eWOM content without actively adopting it. Information adoption emerges as a critical determinant of online purchase intention, emphasizing the importance of promoting user engagement and trust in eWOM information. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of online consumer behavior and provide valuable guidance for stakeholders seeking to leverage eWOM effectively in digital marketing.

This mixed-methods study aimed to develop and validate the exercise maintenance motivation (EMM) scale, designed to assess the motivation for maintaining exercise among fitness center (FC) members in Vietnam. The two-phase study was conducted to outline the development process of the EMM-FC scale, which is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT). In the first qualitative phase, ten in-depth interviews and four focus groups (n = 39) were performed, identifying five components of EMM through content analysis. Following this, the scale’s content and face validity were assessed through a connecting step and pre-testing, which led to the elimination of 20 items, resulting in 40 statements. In the second phase, a cross-sectional survey (n = 280) was conducted to assess the factorial structure of the EMM-FC scale with Exploratory Factor Analysis. Findings yielded five construct dimensions with satisfactory psychometric indicators, including convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency reliability of the EMM-FC scale. The 30-item EMM-FC scale covered five SDT-driven constructs, comprising of “Exercise achievements”, “Exercise environments”, “Exercise integration with life goals”, “Exercise enjoyment”, and “Workout-aholic”, explaining 61.3% of the variance. The scores of five constructs were positively correlated with the total scores of the scale and notably distinguished between exercise maintainers and non-exercise maintainers. Further research is required to thoroughly assess the scale’s robust psychometric properties to be applied in future practical research for exercise maintenance. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2023-04-04-06 Full Text: PDF

Social media live streaming commerce is an emerging and effective online shopping channel that integrates live streaming and e-commerce through social media platforms. This trend has gained significant attention, particularly from Generation Z, who are drawn to the interactive and entertaining aspects of shopping through live streaming. This study investigates factors affecting the purchase intention of Vietnamese Generation Z consumers in live streaming commerce on social media platforms, assessing the impact of six factors: entertainment, information quality, interactivity, perceived risk, peer customer evaluations and recommendations, and streamers. Using a non-probability sampling, an online survey was conducted among 344 consumers who possess prior experience with social media live streaming commerce. Data analysis used a partial least squares structural equation modeling technique. The findings revealed that increased entertainment, higher information quality, enhanced interactivity, positive peer customer evaluations and recommendations, and a more attractive and expert streamer positively impact purchase intention. Notably, streamers exhibited the most robust influence, while information quality demonstrated the weakest effect among the influencing factors. Conversely, perceived risk did not significantly hinder purchase intention, suggesting Generation Z consumers’ confidence in online transactions and their willingness to take risks for entertainment and interactivity in live streaming commerce. In light of these results, businesses are advised to elevate consumer purchase intentions by prioritizing aspects related to entertainment, information quality, interactivity, and peer customer evaluations. Prudent selection of streamers is highlighted as a pivotal strategy for organizations to effectively shape customer purchasing intentions. AcknowledgmentThe researchers express sincere gratitude to all the participants who generously participated in this study.

This study aimed to explore the components of Exercise Maintenance Motivation (EMM) and identify its consensus and distinguishing aspects among members of fitness centers (FCs) in Vietnam. The study incorporated both qualitative and Q-sorting methodologies across two stages. The first stage involved conducting ten in-depth and four focus-group interviews with 39 members of six different FCs in Vietnam, resulting in the generation of 40 EMM statements. In the second stage, these statements were subjected to Q-sorting by 39 participants. The KADE application for the Q method was used for data analysis, and Principal Component Analysis was employed to determine the optimal number of factors. The analysis yielded four factors, encompassing 34 statements and accounting for 86% of the variance in EMM components among participants. These components, labeled “F1. Exercise achievements”, “F2. Exercise environments”, “F3. Exercise enjoyment”, and “F4. Workout-aholic”, achieved consensus among 17 (37%), 14 (30%), 5 (12%), and 3 (7%) participants, respectively. The leading motivational expressions were “get to be healthier”, “a better-looking appearance”, and “get a fit body appearance”. These were followed by FC-based supportive exercise conditions, positive feelings, and exercise addiction. There were five consensus statements that spanned all four factors. The numbers of distinguishing statements varied across factors, with F1, F3, and F4 each contributing 11 (28.2%) and F2 contributing 15 (38.5%). This study contributed to the four central drivers of EMM. To facilitate the development of a comprehensive EMM scale, future research should incorporate larger samples, allowing for a dissection of motivational paradigms. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2023-04-03-07 Full Text: PDF

Numerous investigations have documented active tuberculosis (TB) infection following biologic treatment. One of the most secure biologic medications for infections is secukinumab. Additionally, no cases of active TB while receiving secukinumab therapy were recorded. Secukinumab 150 mg per month has been administered for a 19-year-old man with spondyloarthritis since May 2020. A diagnosis of pulmonary TB was made when the patient complained of a moderate fever, a productive cough, and weight loss after 2 years. His fever and respiratory symptoms were relieved after 6 weeks of treatment by stopping secukinumab and utilizing 4 antibiotics: isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduced his joint and back discomfort. During biological therapy, even with secukinumab, annual screening for latent and active TB is crucial. We require additional study on secukinumab-treated patients with active TB in nations with high TB burdens, including Vietnam.

Background: Systematic literature studies (SLS) have become a core research methodology in Evidence-based Software Engineering (EBSE). Search completeness, i.e., finding all relevant papers on the topic of interest, has been recognized as one of the most commonly discussed validity issues of SLSs. Aim: This study aims at raising awareness on the issues related to search string construction and on search validation using a quasi-gold standard (QGS). Furthermore, we aim at providing guidelines for search string validation. Method: We use a recently completed tertiary study as a case and complement our findings with the observations from other researchers studying and advancing EBSE. Results: We found that the issue of assessing QGS quality has not seen much attention in the literature, and the validation of automated searches in SLSs could be improved. Hence, we propose to extend the current search validation approach by the additional analysis step of the automated search validation results and provide recommendations for the QGS construction. Conclusion: In this paper, we report on new issues which could affect search completeness in SLSs. Furthermore, the proposed guideline and recommendations could help researchers implement a more reliable search strategy in their SLSs.

Objective: Identify factors associated with reduced emotional well-being (EWB) among family caregivers of children with more complex special health care needs (SHCN)., Methods: We applied gradient boosted trees (GBTs) to the 2016-2021 National Survey of Children's Health to identify factors associated with questions assessing (1) global mental health, (2) parental coping, and (3) parental aggravation among family caregivers of children with more complex SHCN. We then conducted adjusted logistic regression and post-hoc margins analyses to describe the relationships between GBT-identified factors and caregiver EWB outcomes., Results: Our GBT models' area under the curve (AUC) scores ranged from 0.69-0.77. Among our sample, (1) caregiver reported lack of emotional support, (2) increased levels of frustration and effort in getting their child needed health services, and (3) the presence of child emotional and behavioral conditions were factors associated with reduced caregiver EWB. In margins analyses of adjusted regression models, GBT-identified factors were associated with significantly higher likelihoods of adverse caregiver EWB outcomes. For example, compared to caregivers who reported a source of emotional support, the predicted probabilities of experiencing poor/fair mental health (13.7% vs. 7.8%), reduced parental coping (8.0% vs. 2.1%), and frequently feeling bothered by (9.9% vs. 5.4%) and angry with (3.5% vs. 1.5%) their child were higher among caregivers who lacked emotional support., Conclusion: In addition to enhanced care coordination support, future efforts aiming to improve well-being among family caregivers of children with more complex SHCN could consider targeting caregiver emotional support and/or treatment of child emotional and behavioral conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

On December 5, 2022, an indirect drive fusion implosion on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved a target gain G_{target} of 1.5. This is the first laboratory demonstration of exceeding "scientific breakeven" (or G_{target}>1) where 2.05 MJ of 351 nm laser light produced 3.1 MJ of total fusion yield, a result which significantly exceeds the Lawson criterion for fusion ignition as reported in a previous NIF implosion [H. Abu-Shawareb et al. (Indirect Drive ICF Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 075001 (2022)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.129.075001]. This achievement is the culmination of more than five decades of research and gives proof that laboratory fusion, based on fundamental physics principles, is possible. This Letter reports on the target, laser, design, and experimental advancements that led to this result.

The Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) non-selective cation channel predominantly expressed in primary sensory neurons of the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia mediates pain and neurogenic inflammation. TRPV1 mRNA and immunoreactivity were described in the central nervous system (CNS), but its precise expression pattern and function have not been clarified. Here we investigated Trpv1 mRNA expression in the mouse brain using ultrasensitive RNAScope in situ hybridization. The role of TRPV1 in anxiety, depression-like behaviors and memory functions was investigated by TRPV1-deficient mice and pharmacological antagonism by AMG9810. Trpv1 mRNA is selectively expressed in the supramammillary nucleus (SuM) co-localized with Vglut2 mRNA, but not with tyrosine hydroxylase immunopositivity demonstrating its presence in glutamatergic, but not dopaminergic neurons. TRPV1-deleted mice exhibited significantly reduced anxiety in the Light-Dark box and depression-like behaviors in the Forced Swim Test, but their performance in the Elevated Plus Maze as well as their spontaneous locomotor activity, memory and learning function in the Radial Arm Maze, Y-maze and Novel Object Recognition test were not different from WTs. AMG9810 (intraperitoneal injection 50 mg/kg) induced anti-depressant, but not anxiolytic effects. It is concluded that TRPV1 in the SuM might have functional relevance in mood regulation and TRPV1 antagonism could be a novel perspective for anti-depressant drugs., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) plays important roles in cellular signaling and in industry. Thus, the accurate detection of H 2 O 2 is critical for its application. Unfortunately, the direct detection of H 2 O 2 by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is not possible because of its low Raman cross section. Therefore, the detection of H 2 O 2 via the presence of an intermediary such as 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) has recently been developed. In this study, the peroxidase-mimicking activity of gold-silver core-shell-assembled silica nanostructures (SiO 2 @Au@Ag alloy NPs) in the presence of TMB was investigated using SERS for detecting H 2 O 2 . In the presence of H 2 O 2 , the SiO 2 @Au@Ag alloy catalyzed the conversion of TMB to oxidized TMB, which was absorbed onto the surface of the SiO 2 @Au@Ag alloy. The SERS characteristics of the alloy in the TMB-H 2 O 2 mixture were investigated. The evaluation of the SERS band to determine the H 2 O 2 level utilized the SERS intensity of oxidized TMB bands. Moreover, the optimal conditions for H 2 O 2 detection using SiO 2 @Au@Ag alloy included incubating 20 µg/mL SiO 2 @Au@Ag alloy NPs with 0.8 mM TMB for 15 min and measuring the Raman signal at 400 µg/mL SiO 2 @Au@Ag alloy NPs.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique, that uses magnetic plasmonic particles (MPPs), is an advanced SERS detection platform owing to the synergetic effects of the particles' magnetic and plasmonic properties. As well as being an ultrasensitive and reliable SERS material, MPPs perform various functions, such as aiding in separation, drug delivery, and acting as a therapeutic material. This literature discusses the structure and multifunctionality of MPPs, which has enabled the novel application of MPPs to various biological fields.

The importance of glucose in many biological processes continues to garner increasing research interest in the design and development of efficient biotechnology for the sensitive and selective monitoring of glucose. Here we report on a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of 4-mercaptophenyl boronic acid (4-MPBA)-immobilized gold-silver core-shell assembled silica nanostructure (SiO 2 @Au@Ag@4-MPBA) for quantitative, selective detection of glucose in physiologically relevant concentration. This work confirmed that 4-MPBA converted to 4-mercaptophenol (4-MPhOH) in the presence of H 2 O 2 . In addition, a calibration curve for H 2 O 2 detection of 0.3 µg/mL was successfully detected in the range of 1.0 to 1000 µg/mL. Moreover, the SiO 2 @Au@Ag@4-MPBA for glucose detection was developed in the presence of glucose oxidase (GOx) at the optimized condition of 100 µg/mL GOx with 1-h incubation time using 20 µg/mL SiO 2 @Au@Ag@4-MPBA and measuring Raman signal at 67 µg/mL SiO 2 @Au@Ag. At the optimized condition, the calibration curve in the range of 0.5 to 8.0 mM was successfully developed with an LOD of 0.15 mM. Based on those strategies, the SERS detection of glucose can be achieved in the physiologically relevant concentration range and opened a great promise to develop a SERS-based biosensor for a variety of biomedicine applications.

Background: Blood prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels are widely used as diagnostic biomarkers for prostate cancer. Lateral-flow immunoassay (LFIA)-based PSA detection can overcome the limitations associated with other methods. LFIAbased PSA detection in clinical samples enables prognosis and early diagnosis owing to the use of high-performance signal reporters., Results: Here, a semiquantitative LFIA platform for PSA detection in blood was developed using Au-Ag nanoparticles (NPs) assembled on silica NPs (SiO2@Au-Ag NPs) that served as signal reporters. Synthesized SiO2@Au-Ag NPs exhibited a high absorbance at a wide wavelength range (400-800 nm), with a high scattering on nitrocellulose membrane test strips. In LFIA, the color intensity of the test line on the test strip differed depending on the PSA concentration (0.30-10.00 ng/mL), and bands for the test line on the test strip could be used as a standard. When clinical samples were assessed using this LFIA, a visual test line with particular color intensity observed on the test strip enabled the early diagnosis and prognosis of patients with prostate cancer based on PSA detection. In addition, the relative standard deviation of reproducibility was 1.41%, indicating high reproducibility, and the signal reporter showed good stability for 10 days., Conclusion: These characteristics of the signal reporter demonstrated the reliability of the LFIA platform for PSA detection, suggesting potential applications in clinical sample analysis.

In this study, dense gold-assembled SiO 2 nanostructure (SiO 2 @Au) was successfully developed using the Au seed-mediated growth. First, SiO 2 (150 nm) was prepared, modified by amino groups, and incubated by gold nanoparticles (ca. 3 nm Au metal nanoparticles (NPs)) to immobilize Au NPs to SiO 2 surface. Then, Au NPs were grown on the prepared SiO 2 @Au seed by reducing chloroauric acid (HAuCl 4) by ascorbic acid (AA) in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The presence of bigger (ca. 20 nm) Au NPs on the SiO 2 surface was confirmed by transmittance electronic microscopy (TEM) images, color changes to dark blue, and UV-vis spectra broadening in the range of 450 to 750 nm. The SiO 2 @Au nanostructure showed several advantages compared to the hydrofluoric acid (HF)-treated SiO 2 @Au, such as easy separation, surface modification stability by 11-mercaptopundecanoic acid (R-COOH), 11-mercapto-1-undecanol (R-OH), and 1-undecanethiol (R-CH 3 ), and a better peroxidase-like catalysis activity for 5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) reaction. The catalytic activity of SiO 2 @Au was two times better than that of HF-treated SiO 2 @Au. When SiO 2 @Au nanostructure was used as a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate, the signal of 4-aminophenol (4-ATP) on the surface of SiO 2 @Au was also stronger than that of HF-treated SiO 2 @Au. This study provides a potential method for nanoparticle preparation which can be replaced for Au NPs in further research and development.

Nanobiotechnology is known as the application of nanoscaled techniques in biology which bridges natural science to living organism for improving the quality of life of humans. Nanotechnology was first issued in 1959 and has been rapidly developed, supplying numerous benefits to basic scientific academy and to clinical application including human healthcare, specifically in cancer therapy. This chapter discusses recent advances and potentials of nanotechnology in pharmaceutics, therapeutics, biosensing, bioimaging, and gene delivery that demonstrate the multifunctionality of nanotechnology.

The epilepsies are commonly accompanied by widespread abnormalities in cerebral white matter. ENIGMA-Epilepsy is a large quantitative brain imaging consortium, aggregating data to investigate patterns of neuroimaging abnormalities in common epilepsy syndromes, including temporal lobe epilepsy, extratemporal epilepsy, and genetic generalized epilepsy. Our goal was to rank the most robust white matter microstructural differences across and within syndromes in a multicentre sample of adult epilepsy patients. Diffusion-weighted MRI data were analysed from 1069 healthy controls and 1249 patients: temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (n = 599), temporal lobe epilepsy with normal MRI (n = 275), genetic generalized epilepsy (n = 182) and non-lesional extratemporal epilepsy (n = 193). A harmonized protocol using tract-based spatial statistics was used to derive skeletonized maps of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity for each participant, and fibre tracts were segmented using a diffusion MRI atlas. Data were harmonized to correct for scanner-specific variations in diffusion measures using a batch-effect correction tool (ComBat). Analyses of covariance, adjusting for age and sex, examined differences between each epilepsy syndrome and controls for each white matter tract (Bonferroni corrected at P < 0.001). Across 'all epilepsies' lower fractional anisotropy was observed in most fibre tracts with small to medium effect sizes, especially in the corpus callosum, cingulum and external capsule. There were also less robust increases in mean diffusivity. Syndrome-specific fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity differences were most pronounced in patients with hippocampal sclerosis in the ipsilateral parahippocampal cingulum and external capsule, with smaller effects across most other tracts. Individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy and normal MRI showed a similar pattern of greater ipsilateral than contralateral abnormalities, but less marked than those in patients with hippocampal sclerosis. Patients with generalized and extratemporal epilepsies had pronounced reductions in fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum, corona radiata and external capsule, and increased mean diffusivity of the anterior corona radiata. Earlier age of seizure onset and longer disease duration were associated with a greater extent of diffusion abnormalities in patients with hippocampal sclerosis. We demonstrate microstructural abnormalities across major association, commissural, and projection fibres in a large multicentre study of epilepsy. Overall, patients with epilepsy showed white matter abnormalities in the corpus callosum, cingulum and external capsule, with differing severity across epilepsy syndromes. These data further define the spectrum of white matter abnormalities in common epilepsy syndromes, yielding more detailed insights into pathological substrates that may explain cognitive and psychiatric co-morbidities and be used to guide biomarker studies of treatment outcomes and/or genetic research., (© The Author(s) (2020). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Metallic alloy nanoparticles are synthesized by combining two or more different metals. Bimetallic or trimetallic nanoparticles are considered more effective than monometallic nanoparticles because of their synergistic characteristics. In this review, we outline the structure, synthesis method, properties, and biological applications of metallic alloy nanoparticles based on their plasmonic, catalytic, and magnetic characteristics.

Histamine intoxication associated with seafood consumption represents a global health problem. The consumption of high concentrations of histamine can cause illnesses ranging from light symptoms, such as a prickling sensation, to death. In this study, gold-silver alloy-embedded silica (SiO 2 @Au@Ag) nanoparticles were created to detect histamine using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The optimal histamine SERS signal was measured following incubation with 125 μg/mL of SiO 2 @Au@Ag for 2 h, with a material-to-histamine solution volume ratio of 1:5 and a phosphate-buffered saline-Tween 20 (PBS-T) solvent at pH 7. The SERS intensity of the histamine increased proportionally with the increase in histamine concentration in the range 0.1-0.8 mM, with a limit of detection of 3.698 ppm. Our findings demonstrate the applicability of SERS using nanomaterials for histamine detection. In addition, this study demonstrates that nanoalloys could have a broad application in the future.

In this study, SiO 2 @Au@4-MBA@Ag (4-mercaptobenzoic acid labeled gold-silver-alloy-embedded silica nanoparticles) nanomaterials were investigated for the detection of thiram, a pesticide. First, the presence of Au@4-MBA@Ag alloys on the surface of SiO 2 was confirmed by the broad bands of ultraviolet-visible spectra in the range of 320-800 nm. The effect of the 4-MBA (4-mercaptobenzoic acid) concentration on the Ag shell deposition and its intrinsic SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) signal was also studied. Ag shells were well coated on SiO 2 @Au@4-MBA in the range of 1-1000 µM. The SERS intensity of thiram-incubated SiO 2 @Au@4-MBA@Ag achieved the highest value by incubation with 500 µL thiram for 30 min, and SERS was measured at 200 µg/mL SiO 2 @Au@4-MBA@Ag. Finally, the SERS intensity of thiram at 560 cm -1 increased proportionally with the increase in thiram concentration in the range of 240-2400 ppb, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 72 ppb.

Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 is an anaerobic archaeon usually found in a deep-sea hydrothermal vent area, which can use elemental sulfur (S 0 ) as a terminal electron acceptor for energy. Sulfur, essential to many biomolecules such as sulfur-containing amino acids and cofactors including iron-sulfur cluster, is usually mobilized from cysteine by the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate- (PLP-) dependent enzyme of cysteine desulfurase (CDS). We determined the crystal structures of CDS from Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 (ToCDS), which include native internal aldimine (NAT), gem-diamine (GD) with alanine, internal aldimine structure with existing alanine (IAA), and internal aldimine with persulfide-bound Cys356 (PSF) structures. The catalytic intermediate structures showed the dihedral angle rotation of Schiff-base linkage relative to the PLP pyridine ring. The ToCDS structures were compared with bacterial CDS structures, which will help us to understand the role and catalytic mechanism of ToCDS in the archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1.

Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) is important for both glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in life. Class II (zinc dependent) FBA is an attractive target for the development of antibiotics against protozoa, bacteria, and fungi, and is also widely used to produce various high-value stereoisomers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. In this study, the crystal structures of class II Escherichia coli FBA (EcFBA) were determined from four different crystals, with resolutions between 1.8 Å and 2.0 Å. Native EcFBA structures showed two separate sites of Zn1 (interior position) and Zn2 (active site surface position) for Zn2＋ ion. Citrate and TRIS bound EcFBA structures showed Zn2＋ position exclusively at Zn2. Crystallographic snapshots of EcFBA structures with and without ligand binding proposed the rationale of metal shift at the active site, which might be a hidden mechanism to keep the trace metal cofactor Zn2＋ within EcFBA without losing it. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(12): 681-686].

D-Alanyl-D-alanine is an essential precursor of bacterial peptidoglycan and is synthesized by D-alanine-D-alanine ligase (DDL) with hydrolysis of ATP; this reaction makes DDL an important drug target for the development of antibacterial agents. Five crystal structures of DDL from Yersinia pestis (YpDDL) were determined at 1.7-2.5 Å resolution: apo, AMP-bound, ADP-bound, adenosine 5'-(β,γ-imido)triphosphate-bound, and D-alanyl-D-alanine- and ADP-bound structures. YpDDL consists of three domains, in which four loops, loop 1, loop 2 (the serine loop), loop 3 (the ω-loop) and loop 4, constitute the binding sites for two D-alanine molecules and one ATP molecule. Some of them, especially the serine loop and the ω-loop, show flexible conformations, and the serine loop is mainly responsible for the conformational change in substrate nucleotide phosphates. Enzyme-kinetics assays were carried out for both the D-alanine and ATP substrates and a substrate-binding mechanism was proposed for YpDDL involving conformational changes of the loops.

Acinetobacter baumannii, which is emerging as a multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen, causes a number of diseases, including pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, and skin infections. With ATP hydrolysis, the D-alanine-D-alanine ligase (DDL) catalyzes the synthesis of D-alanyl-D-alanine, which is an essential component of bacterial peptidoglycan. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of DDL from A. baumannii (AbDDL) at a resolution of 2.2 Å. The asymmetric unit contained six protomers of AbDDL. Five protomers had a closed conformation in the central domain, while one protomer had an open conformation in the central domain. The central domain with an open conformation did not interact with crystallographic symmetry-related protomers and the conformational change of the central domain was not due to crystal packing. The central domain of AbDDL can have an ensemble of the open and closed conformations before the binding of substrate ATP. The conformational change of the central domain is important for the catalytic activity and the detail information will be useful for the development of inhibitors against AbDDL and putative antibacterial agents against A. baumannii. The AbDDL structure was compared with that of other DDLs that were in complex with potent inhibitors and the catalytic activity of AbDDL was confirmed using enzyme kinetics assays.

Two groups of male inmates (n = 31, n = 31) participated in the Positive Re-Entry in Corrections Program (PRCP). This positive psychology intervention focused on teaching offenders skills that facilitate re-entry into the community. Offenders participated in weekly lectures, discussions, and homework assignments focused on positive psychology principles. The two groups differed in duration of treatment (8 weeks and 12 weeks). Participants completed pre- and post-intervention measures of gratitude, hope, and life satisfaction. Using a 2 × 2 mixed design ANOVA, we hypothesized that the intervention (with two between-subjects levels of 8 and 12 weeks) and duration (with two repeated measures levels of pre and post) of treatment would moderate pre- to post-intervention change. Results indicated significant differences on pre- and post-intervention scores for both groups of offenders on all measures. The analysis did not yield statistically significant differences between groups, demonstrating no additive benefits from the inclusion of four additional sessions, thus saving time and money for correctional programming and funding. This research supports the use of positive psychology in prison interventions., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

Acinetobacter baumannii causes bacteraemia, pneumonia, other respiratory-tract and urinary-tract infections in humans. OXA-23 carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii K0420859 (A. baumannii OXA-23) is resistant to carbapenem, a common antibacterial drug. To develop an efficient and novel antibacterial drug against A. baumannii OXA-23, D-alanine-D-alanine ligase, which is essential in bacterial cell-wall synthesis, is of interest. Here, the D-alanine-D-alanine ligase (AbDdl) gene from A. baumannii OXA-23 was cloned and expressed, and the AbDdl protein was purified and crystallized; this enzyme can be used as a novel target for an antibacterial drug against A. baumannii OXA-23. The AbDdl crystal diffracted to a resolution of 2.8 Å and belonged to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 113.4, b = 116.7, c = 176.5 Å, a corresponding VM of 2.8 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 56.3%, and six protomers in the asymmetric unit.

D-Alanine-D-alanine ligase (DDL) catalyzes the biosynthesis of d-alanyl-d-alanine, an essential bacterial peptidoglycan precursor, and is an important drug target for the development of antibacterials. We determined four different crystal structures of DDL from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causing Bacteria Blight (BB), which include apo, ADP-bound, ATP-bound, and AMPPNP-bound structures at the resolution between 2.3 and 2.0 Å. Similarly with other DDLs, the active site of XoDDL is formed by three loops from three domains at the center of enzyme. Compared with d-alanyl-d-alanine and ATP-bound TtDDL structure, the γ-phosphate of ATP in XoDDL structure was shifted outside toward solution. We swapped the ω-loop (loop3) of XoDDL with those of Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori DDLs, and measured the enzymatic kinetics of wild-type XoDDL and two mutant XoDDLs with the swapped ω-loops. Results showed that the direct interactions between ω-loop and other two loops are essential for the active ATP conformation for D-ala-phosphate formation., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aminopeptidases are metalloproteinases that degrade N-terminal residues from protein and play important roles in cell growth and development by controlling cell homeostasis and protein maturation. We determined the crystal structure of XoLAP, a leucyl aminopeptidase, at 2.6 Å resolution from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, causing the destructive rice disease of bacterial blight. It is the first crystal structure of aminopeptidase from phytopathogens as a drug target. XoLAP existed as a hexamer and the monomer structure consisted of an N-terminal cap domain and a C-terminal peptidase domain with two divalent zinc ions. XoLAP structure was compared with BlLAP and EcLAP (EcPepA) structures. Based on the structural comparison, the molecular model of XoLAP in complex with the natural aminopeptidase inhibitor of microginin FR1 was proposed. The model structure will be useful to develop a novel antibacterial drug against Xoo.

The prokaryotic DNA protection during starvation (Dps) proteins typically protect macromolecules against damaging agents via physical association with DNA and by oxidizing and sequestering iron. However, Deinococcus radiodurans Dps-1, which binds DNA with high affinity, fails to protect DNA against hydroxyl radicals due to iron leakage from the core, raising the question of how (•)OH-mediated damage to Dps-1-bound DNA is avoided. As shown here, Mn(II) inhibits ferroxidase activity, suggesting that ferroxidation may be prevented in vivo as D. radiodurans accumulates a high ratio of Mn:Fe. Dps-1 has an N-terminal extension with a unique metal-binding site, an extension that has been proposed to be important for DNA binding and dodecameric assembly. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that Mn(II) restores DNA binding to bipyridyl-treated Dps-1, whereas Fe(II) fails to do so in the presence of H(2)O(2), thus preventing DNA binding under conditions of ongoing ferroxidase activity. We also show that disruption of the N-terminal metal site leads to a significant reduction in DNA binding and to compromised oligomeric assembly, with the mutant protein assembling into a hexamer in the presence of divalent metal. We propose that securing the N-terminal loop by metal binding is required to initiate dodecameric assembly by contacting the neighboring dimer and that the absence of such optimal contacts results in formation of a hexameric assembly intermediate in which three dimers associate about one of the 3-fold axes. Once dodecameric Dps-1 is assembled, metal binding no longer affects oligomeric state; instead, differential metal binding controls DNA interaction under conditions of oxidative stress.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes the serious disease bacterial blight in rice. The pepA (Xoo0834) gene from Xoo is one of around 100 genes that have been selected for the design of antibacterial drugs. The pepA gene encodes leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), an exopeptidase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of leucine residues from the N-terminus of a protein or peptide. This enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized, and preliminary X-ray structural studies have been carried out. The LAP crystal diffracted to 2.6 A resolution and belonged to the cubic space group P2(1)3. The unit-cell volume of the crystal was compatible with the presence of two monomers in the asymmetric unit.

The bacterial beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III (KASIII) encoded by the gene fabH (Xoo4209) from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, a plant pathogen, is an important enzyme in the elongation steps of fatty-acid biosynthesis. It is expected to be one of the enzymes responsible for bacterial blight (BB), a serious disease that results in huge production losses of rice. As it represents an important target for the development of new antibacterial drugs against BB, determination of the crystal structure of the KAS III enzyme is essential in order to understand its reaction mechanism. In order to analyze the structure and function of KAS III, the fabH (Xoo4209) gene was cloned and the enzyme was expressed and purified. The KASIII crystal diffracted to 2.05 A resolution and belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 69.8, b = 79.5, c = 62.3 A. The unit-cell volume of the crystal is compatible with the presence of a single monomer in the asymmetric unit, with a corresponding Matthews coefficient V(M) of 2.27 A(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 45.8%.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), existing as homotrimer in solution, contains a unique zinc-binding site coordinated by three Cys230 residues at the tip of trimeric interface. TRAIL mutant with replacements of Cys230 with Ala (TRAIL(C230A)) negligibly formed trimeric structure and showed no apoptotic activity. Here, to elucidate the relationship between the trimeric stability and the apoptotic activity of TRAIL(C230A), we rationally designed mutations to induce homotrimerization of TRAIL(C230A) by substituting for the three residues involved in hydrogen bonding (Tyr183 and Tyr243) and putative repulsive electrostatic (Arg227) interactions at the buried trimeric interface into hydrophobic residues, like Y183F, Y243F, and R227I. The TRAIL(C230A)-derived mutants exhibited enhanced homotrimerization, but only the mutants containing R227I exhibited significant apoptosis-inducing activity in cancer cells. These results, together with the induction of rigid local structure around the zinc-binding region by R227I in TRAIL(C230A), suggest that ordered, rigid structure around the zinc-binding region is critical for the homotrimerization and apoptotic activity of TRAIL.

Studies using the prestin knockout mouse indicate that removal of the outer hair cell (OHC) motor protein is associated with loss of sensitivity, frequency selectivity and somatic electromotility. Here we provide data obtained from another prestin mouse model that was produced commercially. In vivo electrical recordings from the round window indicate that the phenotype is similar to that of the original knockout generated by the Zuo group at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Hence, compound action potential (CAP) thresholds are shifted in a frequency-dependent manner and CAP tuning curves at 12 kHz are flat for masker frequencies between 3 and 18 kHz. Although CAP input-output functions at 6 kHz show a shift in sensitivity at low levels, responses approach wild-type magnitudes at high levels where the cochlear amplifier has less influence. In order to confirm that the loss of sensitivity and frequency selectivity is due to loss of prestin, we performed immunohistochemistry using a prestin antibody. Cochlear segments from homozygous mutant mice showed no fluorescence, while wild-type mice displayed a fluorescent signal targeted to the OHC's lateral membrane. Absence of prestin protein was confirmed using LDS-PAGE/Western blot analysis. These results indicate that the loss of function phenotype is associated with loss of prestin protein. Lack of prestin protein also results in a shortening of OHC length to approximately 60% of wild-type, similar to that reported previously by Liberman's group. The linkage shown between the loss of prestin protein and abnormal cochlear function validates the original knockout and attests to the importance of OHC motor function in the auditory periphery., ((c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Targeted deletion of the prestin gene reduces cochlear sensitivity and eliminates both frequency selectivity and outer hair cell (OHC) somatic electromotility. In addition, it has been reported by Liberman and colleagues that F2 generation heterozygotes exhibit a 6 dB reduction in sensitivity, as well as a decrease in protein and electromotility. Considering that the active process is non-linear, a halving of somatic electromotility would be expected to produce a much larger change in sensitivity. We therefore re-evaluated comparisons between heterozygotes and wildtype mice using both in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology, as well as molecular biology. Data reported here for F3-F5 generation mice indicate that compound action potential thresholds and tuning curves, as well as the cochlear microphonic, are similar in heterozygotes and wildtype controls. Measurements of non-linear capacitance in isolated OHCs demonstrate that charge density, as well as the voltage dependence and sensitivity of motor function, is indistinguishable in the two genotypes, as is somatic electromotility. In addition, both immunocytochemistry and western blot analysis in young adult mice suggest that prestin protein in heterozygotes is near normal. In contrast, prestin mRNA is always less than in wildtype mice at all ages tested. Results from F3-F5 generation mice suggest that one copy of the prestin gene is capable of compensating for the deleted copy and that heterozygous mice do not suffer peripheral hearing impairment.

Gross-potential recordings in mice lacking the Prestin gene indicate that compound action potential (CAP) thresholds are shifted by approximately 45 dB at 5 kHz and by approximately 60 dB at 33 kHz. However, in order to conclude that outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility is associated with the cochlear amplifier, frequency selectivity must be evaluated and the integrity of the OHC's forward transducer ascertained. The present report demonstrates no frequency selectivity in CAP tuning curves recorded in homozygotes. In addition, CAP input-output functions indicate that responses in knockout mice approach those in controls at high levels where the amplifier has little influence. Although the cochlear microphonic in knockout mice remains approximately 12 dB below that in wild-type mice even at the highest levels, this deficit is thought to reflect hair cell losses in mice lacking prestin. A change in OHC forward transduction is not implied because knockout mice display non-linear responses similar to those in controls. For example, homozygotes exhibit a bipolar summating potential (SP) with positive responses at high frequencies; negative responses at low frequencies. Measurement of intermodulation distortion also shows that the cubic difference tone, 2f(1)-f(2), is approximately 20 dB down from the primaries in both homozygotes and their controls. Because OHCs are the sole generators of the negative SP and because 2f(1)-f(2) is also thought to originate in OHC transduction, these data support the idea that forward transduction is not degraded in OHCs lacking prestin. Finally, application of AM1-43, which initially enters hair cells through their transducer channels, produces fluorescence in wild-type and knockout mice indicating transducer channel activity in both inner and outer hair cells.

Cytogenetic studies showed 47,XY, + mar in a developmentally retarded child with some features of Prader-Willi syndrome, and 46,XX in his mother. The marker chromosome showed a single subterminal primary constriction, bisatellites, and two C-bands. DA/DAPI staining showed two intense bands in the marker chromosome, which most likely was derived from chromosome 15. Intense DA/DAPI fluorescence was also found in one chromosome 13 in the child, and one 13 and one 10 in his mother. The present results confirm the reports of DA/DAPI heteromorphism in acrocentric chromosomes other than the 15, and demonstrate a pericentric DA/DAPI heteromorphism in chromosome 10.

During general anesthesia blood pressure levels have been recorded for 35 children (10 aged 1-12 months, 15 aged 12-24 months, 10 more than 24 months). Four different methods of indirect measurement were used: pulse palpation, flush technique, ausculatory determination by mean of a conventional sphygmomanometer, Doppler ultrasonic technique by mean of arteriosonde. The pulse palpation is the easiest method at any age, during pediatric anesthesia but does not give values of diastolic blood pressure. The flush technique quite convenient for infants less than 24 months gives values lying midway between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Ausculatory determination in operating room is difficult especially with small infants less than 12 months. During anesthesia longer than thirty minutes, monitoring blood pressure by Doppler ultrasound sphygmomanometer can be fairly available. Even in case of difficulties to detect clear signals of systolic and diastolic blood pressure the sphygmomanometer can be used to obtain blod pressure determination by flush technique or pulse palpation.

A method for reading the foetal heart rate tracings and a guide of management advise in each case have been established from a review of the literature and the study of 500 records. The tracings are schematically divided into three categories according to the presumed risk of foetal distress: normal or "tolerable" tracings, alarm symptoms and danger symptoms. For each categorie, and according to the duration of the variations, a type of management is proposed. Other diagnostic means, such as capillary blood pH measurement are desirable to improve the foetal state diagnostic and make the treatment more precise.