Notes

Membrane Protein Architectural with Rosetta.
Plant breeding is both the science and art of developing elite crop cultivars by creating and reassembling desirable inherited traits for human benefit. From the bulk selection of wild plants for cultivation during early civilization to Mendelian genetics and genomics-assisted breeding in modern society, breeding methodologies have evolved over the last thousand years. In the past few decades, the "Green Revolution" through breeding of semi-dwarf wheat and rice varieties, and the use of heterosis and transgenic crops have dramatically enhanced crop productivity and helped prevent widespread famine (Hickey et al., 2019). Integration of these technologies can significantly improve breeding efficiency in the development of super crop varieties (Li et al., 2018). For example, a hybrid cotton variety CCRI63 and six related hybrid varieties account for nearly 90% of cotton production in the Yangtze River Basin (Wan et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2018). These varieties have successfully combined high yield, good quality, and biotic stress tolerance through the integration of conventional breeding, hybrid and genetically modified organism (GMO) technologies (Lu et al., 2019; Ma et al., 2019; Song et al., 2019). Unfortunately, such technology integration is not practical for most staple food crops, including rice and wheat, because of social or technical restrictions. Furthermore, plant breeding is still labor-intensive and time-consuming, and conventional breeding remains the leading approach for the release of commercial crop varieties worldwide. This is especially true for breeding cultivars and hybrids with high yield, good quality, and resistance to biotic or abiotic stresses (Liu et al., 2015; Gu et al., 2016). New germplasm, knowledge, and breeding techniques are required to breed the next generation of crop varieties.Background and purpose Previous studies have shown that adipocytokines are associated with atherosclerosis, diagnosis, and functional prognosis after ischemic stroke. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between omentin-1 and atherosclerotic acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Methods In this study, we investigated the association between serum omentin-1 levels at admission and severity, infarction volume, and functional prognosis of patients 90 days after atherosclerotic ACI. Results A total of 109 patients with atherosclerotic ACI were enrolled. Serum omentin-1 levels at admission were lower in patients with ACI than those in healthy controls (47.18 ± 13.64 vs. 56.27 ± 34.44 ng/ml, p = .014). Serum omentin-1 levels at admission were negatively correlated with severity of ACI (r = -.271, p = .004) and infarction volume (r = -.264, p = .006), respectively. Moreover, serum omentin-1 levels were lower in the poor functional prognosis group than those in the good functional prognosis group in patients with large artery and small artery atherosclerotic ACI. In a logistic regression analysis, higher serum omentin-1 level (>43.10 ng/ml) at admission was negatively associated with a poor functional prognosis 90 days after atherosclerotic ACI. Conclusions Serum omentin-1 levels at admission were significantly lower among patients with ACI. A higher plasma omentin-1 level (>43.10 ng/ml) was negatively associated with poor functional prognosis 90 days after atherosclerotic ACI. Further studies are needed to investigate the pathophysiological mechanism of omentin-1 in affecting attacks and prognosis of ACI as well as to confirm the value of plasma omentin-1 level as a potential biomarker.Background and aims Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a novel concept proposed in 2020, the utility of which has not been tested and validated in real world. We aimed to compare the characteristics of MAFLD and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods The data were retrieved from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of the United States, which is an unbiased survey dataset and frequently used for the study of fatty liver disease. Results A total of 13,083 cases with completed ultrasonography and laboratory data were identified from the NHANES III database. MAFLD was diagnosed in 4087/13083 (31.24%) participants, while NAFLD in 4347/13083 (33.23%) amongst the overall population and 4347/12045 (36.09%) in patients without alcohol intake and other liver diseases. Compared with NAFLD, MAFLD patients were significantly older, had higher BMI level, higher proportions of metabolic comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension), and higher HOMA-IR, lipid and liver enzymes. MAFLD patients with alcohol consumption were younger than those without, and more likely to be male. They had less metabolic disorder but higher liver enzymes. There were more cases with advance fibrosis in MAFLD patients with alcohol consumption. Conclusion MAFLD definition is more practical for identifying patients with fatty liver disease with high risk of disease progression.Background Stickler syndrome is a collagen disorder that can affect multiple organ systems. It is characterized by ocular abnormalities, hearing loss, midfacial hypoplasia, hypermobility, and joint abnormalities. The phenotypic expression of Stickler syndrome can vary among those affected. Since Stickler syndrome is a collagen disorder, it is possible to expect pregnancy complications similar to those reported in other collagen disorders. To our knowledge, there is only one case report in the literature on the management of pregnancy and delivery of a patient with Stickler syndrome. Methods/case report A 37-year-old primigravid woman with a diagnosis of Stickler syndrome presented at 9 weeks gestation for prenatal genetic consultation. At 26, the patient had prophylactic laser therapy for lattice degeneration of the retina. At 32, she was found to be heterozygous for the c.1527 G>T variant in the COL2A1 gene, which is associated with ocular abnormalities and autosomal dominant form of Stickler syndrome. Subsequently, she desired to pursue prenatal diagnostic testing for the familial variant. check details The patient voiced that the results would impact pregnancy management. Amniocentesis was performed at 16 weeks gestation. Results were negative for the maternal COL2A1 variant. Karyotype was normal (46, XX). Results A multidisciplinary team using a patient-centered approach including obstetrics, ophthalmology, maternal-fetal medicine, and genetics determined that there were no contraindications for vaginal delivery. At 39 weeks, the patient underwent spontaneous vaginal delivery with no complications. Conclusion There is a paucity of data available regarding the maternal outcomes of women affected with collagen disorders, especially Stickler Syndrome. This case highlights the importance of accurate genetic diagnosis in the prenatal period and provides information to physicians caring for patients with Stickler syndrome.
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