Cryptochromes (CRYs) in pepper: Genome-wide identification, evolution and functional analysis of the negative role of CaCRY1 under Phytophthora capsici infection.

Cryptochromes (CRYs) are ultraviolet-A (UV-A) and blue light photoreceptors that perceive UV-A and blue light to mediate a range of physiological processes including disease response in plants. However, there has been no report about the roles of CRY genes in pepper, which often suffers from Phytophthora blight caused by Phytophthora capsici. In this work, three pepper CRY genes were identified and their characteristics were examined by bioinformatics analysis.

Prevalence and molecular spectrum of thalassemia in infertile population among different ethnic groups in Hainan Province, China.

Hainan is an area with high prevalence of thalassemia and complex genetic background. There are few studies on the prevalence and genotype of thalassemia in different ethnic groups of infertility patients in Hainan province. The aim of our study was to explore the prevalence and genotype of thalassemia among infertile individuals in Hainan Province.

Cancer Photodynamic Therapy Enabled by Water-Soluble Chlorophyll Protein.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been utilized to treat various malignant cancers for more than a century. However, many photosensitizers (e.g.

Improving vulnerable Calbindin1 neurons in the ventral hippocampus rescues tau-induced impairment of episodic memory.

Background: Intraneuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Given the significant correlation between tau pathology and memory loss in AD patients, identifying vulnerable brain regions, particularly susceptible neuron types in these regions, will advance our understanding of AD onset and shed light on therapeutic strategies to manage its progression.

Methods: Immunofluorescent staining was employed to identify the brain regions and neuron types vulnerable to tau pathology in AD.

Health-seeking behaviours of the families with older adults during the COVID-19 epidemic in rural China: a qualitative inquiry from the perspective of migration and social support networks.

Introduction: Health behaviours during a public health crisis for families with vulnerable ageing relatives are worth studying. After the Chinese government's zero-tolerance policy on COVID-19 ended at the close of 2022, a significant surge in COVID-19 cases was observed among the Chinese population. This surge exposed a notable disparity in medical resources between urban and rural areas in China, with rural regions experiencing a pronounced lag in healthcare infrastructure.

Heparan sulfate regulates myofibroblast heterogeneity and function to mediate niche homeostasis during alveolar morphogenesis.

Postnatal respiration requires bulk formation of alveoli that produces extensive surface area for gas diffusion from epithelium to the circulatory system. Alveolar morphogenesis initiates at late gestation or postnatal stage during mammalian development and is mediated by coordination among multiple cell types. Here we show that fibroblast-derived Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan (HS-GAG) is essential for maintaining a niche that supports alveolar formation by modulating both biophysical and biochemical cues.

Therapeutic and prognostic impact of target volume delineation in postoperative radiotherapy for high-grade glioma patients with subventricular zone involvement.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect of target volumes for radiotherapy and dose on the prognosis of high-grade glioma (HGG) patients when the tumor involves the subventricular zone (SVZ), and to provide a reference for postoperative target volume delineation in HGG patients with SVZ involvement.

Methods: The clinical and pathological data were collected from 50 HGG patients with SVZ involvement were collected in the Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University during the period from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. The average dose (Dmean) of the whole ipsilateral and contralateral SVZs as well as the V45Gy and V60Gy of the whole ipsilateral SVZs of the tumor were derived from the dose-volume histograms (DVH).

PPM1G dephosphorylates α-catenin to maintain the integrity of adherens junctions and regulates apoptosis in Sertoli cells.

Protein phosphatase, Mg2+/Mn2+ dependent, 1G (PPM1G) regulates protein function via dephosphorylation. PPM1G participates in the assembly of adherens junctions by dephosphorylating α-catenin. Here, we demonstrated through siRNA transfection and intratesticular injection that PPM1G is critical for maintaining blood-testis barrier function and regulating Sertoli cell apoptosis.

Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation.

Background: Patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC) often display resistance to immunotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have shown potential in enhancing immunotherapy, yet clinical benefits remain unfulfilled, which may relate to inadequate patient stratification.

Methods: Circulating tumor cells and tumor tissues were collected from multicenter cohorts of patients with CRC receiving cetuximab to analyze EGFR variant type III (EGFRvIII) expression and immune infiltration.

Deep Learning-Assisted Discovery of Protein Entangling Motifs.

Natural topological proteins exhibit unique properties including enhanced stability, controlled quaternary structures, and dynamic switching properties, highlighting topology as a unique dimension in protein engineering. Although artificial design and synthesis of topological proteins have achieved certain success, their diversity and complexity remain rather limited due to the scarcity of available entangling motifs essential for the construction of nontrivial protein topologies. In this work, we developed a deep-learning model to predict the entanglement features of a homodimer based solely on its amino acid sequence via the Gauss linking number matrices.

Characterization of NOD-like receptor-based molecular heterogeneity in glioma and its association with immune micro-environment and metabolism reprogramming.

Background And Purpose: The characteristics and role of NOD-like receptor (NLR) signaling pathway in high-grade gliomas were still unclear. This study aimed to reveal the association of NLR with clinical heterogeneity of glioblastoma (GBM) patients, and to explore the role of NLR pathway hub genes in the occurrence and development of GBM.

Methods: Transcriptomic data from 496 GBM patients with complete prognostic information were obtained from the TCGA, GEO, and CGGA databases.

A novel compound heterozygous mutation in the DYNC2H1 gene in a Chinese family with Jeune syndrome.

Background: The dynein cytoplasmic two heavy chain 1 (DYNC2H1) gene encodes a cytoplasmic dynein subunit. Cytoplasmic dyneins transport cargo towards the minus end of microtubules and are thus termed the "retrograde" cellular motor. Mutations in DYNC2H1 are the main causative mutations of short rib-thoracic dysplasia syndrome type III with or without polydactyly (SRTD3).

Kdm2a inhibition in skeletal muscle improves metabolic flexibility in obesity.

Skeletal muscle is a critical organ in maintaining homoeostasis against metabolic stress, and histone post-translational modifications are pivotal in those processes. However, the intricate nature of histone methylation in skeletal muscle and its impact on metabolic homoeostasis have yet to be elucidated. Here, we report that mitochondria-rich slow-twitch myofibers are characterized by significantly higher levels of H3K36me2 along with repressed expression of Kdm2a, an enzyme that specifically catalyses H3K36me2 demethylation.

Fam170a deficiency causes male infertility by impairing histone-to-protamine exchange during mouse spermiogenesis.

Chromatin remodeling, which involves the histone-to-protamine exchange process during spermiogenesis, is crucial for sperm nuclear condensation and male fertility. However, the key regulators and underlying molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain largely unexplored. In this study, we discovered that deficiency in the family with sequence similarity 170 member A (Fam170a) led to abnormal sperm nuclear morphology and male infertility in mice, mirroring the observation of very low Fam170a transcription levels in sperm of infertile men with teratozoospermia.

The methyl-CpG binding domain 2 regulates peptidylarginine deiminase 4 expression and promotes neutrophil extracellular trap formation via the Janus kinase 2 signaling pathway in experimental severe asthma.

Objective: The prognosis for severe asthma is poor, and the current treatment options are limited. The methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) participates in neutrophil-mediated severe asthma through epigenetic regulation. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of severe asthma.

Improving Geldanamycin Production in Through UV Mutagenesis of Protoplast.

Geldanamycin, a benzoquinone ansa antibiotic, has been extensively applied in medical, agricultural, and health research areas due to its antitumor, antifungal, herbicidal, and antiradiation effects. In this study, an improvement of geldanamycin production by FIM18-0592 was first performed by protoplasts combined with UV mutagenesis and ribosome engineering technology, respectively. The results showed that strains induced by UV mutagenesis of protoplasts were superior to protoplasts treated with erythromycin in terms of the positive variability, average relative titer, and maximum relative titer, with values of 51.

Construction of Self-Cleaning Membrane Integrating Underwater Superoleophobicity, Photocatalysis, and Antibacterial Activity for Water Purification.

The treatment of oily wastewater and oil/water mixtures has received more and more attention. In this study, a Zn-MOF (ZIF-8) decorated polyimide (PI) nanofiber membrane with triple self-cleaning performance was constructed, and the decoration of ZIF-8 on the PI membrane improved the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane, which further enhanced the underwater oil resistance, and the mechanical properties of the membranes improved significantly with the increase of in situ growth time. In addition, the inherent photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of ZIF-8 endowed the membranes with fantastic performance.

Long-Term Care Insurance and Health Inequality: Evidence From China.

This study examined the relationship between the Chinese Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) programme and health inequality among older adults in China and explored potential explanatory factors. Overall, the LTCI was found to improve the health of Chinese older adults. However, it was also associated with widening health inequality among older residents across income classes and between urban and rural areas.

Auto-Deposited Microparticle Composite Coating for Low-Cost and Efficient Daytime Radiative Cooling.

Radiative cooling is an excellent strategy for mitigating global warming, by enhancing heat fluxes away from the Earth, thus balancing the Earth's heat flow. However, for randomly particle-dispersed radiative cooling materials, the particle content as high as 94-96 wt % or 60 vol %, far exceeds the critical pigment percentage (40-50%) of traditional coatings, preventing its large-scale application. Here, inspired by particle deposition under gravity in solution, we demonstrate an auto-deposited SiO composite radiative cooling coating (ADRC) which reduces the amounts of particles required and lowers costs.

Agingassociated challenges to persons living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam: integrated perspectives from multiple stakeholders.

This study examined the aging-associated health and care needs among the HIV population in Vietnam, integrating perspectives from healthcare professionals, PLWH, and their caregivers. Qualitative data were collected through five focus group interviews involving ten PLWH, nine caregivers, and eight healthcare providers in Hanoi, Vietnam, in March 2023. Thematic analyses uncovered recurring patterns and themes across the three participant groups.

Impact of leachate from boiled-water-treated plastic products on male reproductive health: Insights from transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling.

Given the extensive use of plastic materials in modern society, there is an escalating concern about the potential risks associated with exposure to plastic products. This study investigated the impact of plastic leachates from boiled-water-treated cups, including polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), on male reproductive health. Experimental mice were administered daily doses of the plastic leachates for 180 consecutive days.

GZMK-expressing CD8 T cells promote recurrent airway inflammatory diseases.

Inflammatory diseases are often chronic and recurrent, and current treatments do not typically remove underlying disease drivers. T cells participate in a wide range of inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, Crohn's disease, oesophagitis and multiple sclerosis, and clonally expanded antigen-specific T cells may contribute to disease chronicity and recurrence, in part by forming persistent pathogenic memory. Chronic rhinosinusitis and asthma are inflammatory airway diseases that often present as comorbidities.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Chronic Type 2 Diabetes Patients in China Toward Continuous Glucose Monitoring: An Online Questionnaire Survey.

Purpose: Investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of type 2 diabetes patients regarding continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken at the First People's Hospital of Jiujiang City from Sep 20, 2023, to Dec 10, 2023.

Results: A total of 633 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus accessed the questionnaire link.