Importance of an N-terminal structural switch in the distinction between small RNA-bound and free ARGONAUTE.

ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins bind to small non-coding RNAs to form RNA-induced silencing complexes. In the RNA-bound state, AGO is stable while RNA-free AGO turns over rapidly. Molecular features unique to RNA-free AGO that allow its specific recognition and degradation remain unknown.

FXR1 Deletion from Cortical Parvalbumin Interneurons Modifies their Excitatory Synaptic Responses.

Fragile X autosomal homolog 1 (FXR1), a member of the fragile X messenger riboprotein 1 family, has been linked to psychiatric disorders including autism and schizophrenia. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons play critical roles in cortical processing, and have been implicated in FXR1-linked mental illnesses. Targeted deletion of FXR1 from PV interneurons in mice has been shown to alter cortical excitability and elicit schizophrenia-like behavior.

Effect of interactive digital counselling on risk factors and lifestyle in patients with coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Digital counselling has gained paramount importance for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients' treatment in recent years. It has been shown to provide a multitude of benefits, including improved risk factors and enhanced lifestyles. No previous reviews have emphasized the interactiveness of digital counselling.

Maternal plasma choline levels are positively correlated with maternal and placental phospholipid-DHA content in females with obesity who receive DHA supplementation.

Pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity are characterized by metabolic differences affecting placental nutrient transport and fetal development. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is critical for fetal brain development and is primarily incorporated into phosphatidylcholine (PC). Recent evidence suggests choline may enhance PC-DHA synthesis; however, data on the impact of maternal plasma choline on placental phospholipid DHA content in females with obesity are limited.

Impact of near continuous low dose rate neutron irradiation on pregnancy outcomes in mice.

The effects of galactic cosmic radiation on reproductive physiology remain largely unknown. We determined the impact of near-continuous low-dose-rate Californium-252 neutron irradiation (1 mGy/day) as a space-relevant analog on litter size and number of resorptions at embryonic day (E) 12.5 (n = 19 radiated dams, n = 20 controls) and litter size, number of resorptions, fetal growth, and placental signaling and transcriptome (RNA sequencing) at E18.

Soil microbiome interventions for carbon sequestration and climate mitigation.

Mitigating climate change in soil ecosystems involves complex plant and microbial processes regulating carbon pools and flows. Here, we advocate for the use of soil microbiome interventions to help increase soil carbon stocks and curb greenhouse gas emissions from managed soils. Direct interventions include the introduction of microbial strains, consortia, phage, and soil transplants, whereas indirect interventions include managing soil conditions or additives to modulate community composition or its activities.

Study of glucose homeostasis in burnout cases using an oral glucose tolerance test.

Burnout is caused by long term psychosocial stress and has, besides the fatigue and mental health burden, been associated with increased risk of adverse physical health, such as for example type 2 diabetes. This study aims to investigate the glucose and insulin levels in individuals with stress related burnout, by assessing these metabolic markers in response to a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). 38 cases with burnout (13 men and 25 women) and 35 healthy controls (13 men and 22 women) in the age 24-55 were included in the study.

Development and Characterization of a High-Affinity Selective Galectin-3 Mouse Tool Compound in Mouse Models of Cancer.

The interest in galectin-3 as a drug target in the cancer and fibrosis space has grown during the past few years with several new classes of compounds being developed. The first orally available galectin-3 inhibitor, (h-galectin-3 K = 0.025 μM), is currently in phase 2 clinical trials.

Castrate-resistant prostate cancer response to taxane is determined by an HNF1-dependent apoptosis resistance circuit.

Metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous cancer where advancements are needed in biomarker discovery and targeted therapy. A critical and often effective component of treatment includes taxanes. We perform a high-throughput screen across a cohort of 30 diverse patient-derived castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) organoids to a library of 78 drugs.

Protocol for the implementation and referral of the ecofit physical activity intervention within Diabetes Alliance Program Plus among regional, rural and remote people with type 2 diabetes in a primary care setting.

Background: This paper outlines the protocol for the ecofit implementation-effectiveness trial, a multi-component mobile Health (mHealth) intervention that aims to increase resistance and aerobic physical activity in primary care-based adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study will be conducted as part of the Diabetes Alliance Program Plus (DAP+), a large-scale integrated health service intervention in a large health district in Australia. The ecofit program has previously demonstrated efficacy and effectiveness in insufficiently active people with (or at risk of) T2D and community dwelling-adults, respectively.

Levator Ani Deficiency and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction 1 Year Postpartum: A Prospective Nested Case-Control Study.

Objective: First, to assess whether levator ani deficiency (LAD) is associated with pelvic floor dysfunction 1 year postpartum, including urinary, vaginal and bowel symptoms; and second, to explore at what cut-off of LAD score such pelvic floor dysfunction arises.

Design: Nested case-control study.

Setting: Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden.

Multiomics profiling of DNA methylation, microRNA, and mRNA in skeletal muscle from monozygotic twin pairs discordant for type 2 diabetes identifies dysregulated genes controlling metabolism.

Background: A large proportion of skeletal muscle insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes (T2D) is caused by environmental factors.

Methods: By applying multiomics mRNA, microRNA (miRNA), and DNA methylation platforms in biopsies from 20 monozygotic twin pairs discordant for T2D, we aimed to delineate the epigenetic and transcriptional machinery underlying non-genetic muscle insulin resistance in T2D.

Results: Using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), we found decreased mRNA expression of genes involved in extracellular matrix organization, branched-chain amino acid catabolism, metabolism of vitamins and cofactors, lipid metabolism, muscle contraction, signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases pathways, and translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane in muscle from twins with T2D.

Subcutaneous inoculation of Escherichia coli in broiler chickens causes cellulitis and elicits innate and specific immune responses.

Background: Cellulitis caused by Escherichia coli is a common cause of condemnation of broiler chickens at slaughter worldwide and is associated with economic losses and a possible negative impact on animal welfare. The study objective was to monitor clinical signs and immune responses after subcutaneous E. coli inoculation (1.

Perspectives of Clients and Health Care Professionals on the Opportunities for Digital Health Interventions in Cerebrovascular Disease Care: Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Background: Cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major and potentially increasing burden to public health. Digital health interventions (DHIs) could support access to and provision of high-quality health care (eg, outcomes, safety, and satisfaction), but the design and development of digital solutions and technologies lack the assessment of user needs. Research is needed to identify opportunities to address health system challenges and improve CVD care with primary users of services as the key informants of everyday requirements.

Evaluating the feasibility of "Friends in Nature," a complex nature-based social intervention to address loneliness and quality of life in six cities worldwide.

Background: Loneliness, a major public health concern, could be alleviated through social interventions with nature contact as a primary component. "Friends in Nature" is a complex nature-based social intervention designed to be implemented as part of "Reimagining Environments for Connection and Engagement: Testing Actions for Social Prescribing in Natural Spaces" (RECETAS). This project aims to alleviate loneliness and promote health-related quality of life in six different geographic areas worldwide.

20 years of bibliometric data illustrates a lack of concordance between journal impact factor and fungal species discovery in systematic mycology.

Journal impact factors were devised to qualify and compare university library holdings but are frequently repurposed for use in ranking applications, research papers, and even individual applicants in mycology and beyond. The widely held assumption that mycological studies published in journals with high impact factors add more to systematic mycology than studies published in journals without high impact factors nevertheless lacks evidential underpinning. The present study uses the species hypothesis system of the UNITE database for molecular identification of fungi and other eukaryotes to trace the publication history and impact factor of sequences uncovering new fungal species hypotheses.

Practical considerations of promising zone design for interim sample size Re-estimation: An application to GRAPHITE for graft vs host disease.

Background: Sample size calculation and power estimate are an integral part of clinical trials. With accelerated development to address the unmet medical needs, the fast-paced development may lead to uncertainties in initial planning and assumptions of clinical trials. Promising zone design presents sponsors an opportunity to re-estimate the sample size based on the interim data to mitigate risks, reduce uncertainties, and increase probability of trial success.

Photosynthetic advantages of conifers in the boreal forest.

Boreal conifers - the 'Christmas trees' - maintain their green needles over the winter by retaining their chlorophyll. These conifers face the toughest challenge in February and March, when subzero temperatures coincide with high solar radiation. To balance the light energy they harvest with the light energy they utilise, conifers deploy various mechanisms in parallel.

Modeling the recent drought and thinning impacts on energy, water and carbon fluxes in a boreal forest.

Globally, boreal forests act as important carbon sinks, however, drought and forest management could substantially alter the sink strength, though the controlling mechanisms of drought and management remain unclear. In this study, we combined the detailed process-based CoupModel with multiple measurements to study the impacts of recent drought and forest thinning on a boreal forest during 2018-2021. CoupModel after calibration showed high ability to represent the dynamics of long-term net ecosystem exchange and its responses to environmental changes.

Insect diversity estimation in polarimetric lidar.

Identifying flying insects is a significant challenge for biologists. Entomological lidar offers a unique solution, enabling rapid identification and classification in field settings. No other method can match its speed and efficiency in identifying insects in flight.