Enrichment of rice endosperm with anthocyanins by endosperm-specific expression of rice endogenous genes.

A diet rich in anthocyanins can benefit human health against a broad spectrum of human diseases due to the high antioxidant activities of anthocyanins. Enrichment of anthocyanins in the starchy endosperm of rice is an effective solution to provide nutritional food in human diets. However, previous attempts failed to engineer anthocyanin biosynthesis in the rice endosperm by transgenic expression of rice endogenous genes.

Incidence and risk factors of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in elderly patients with hypertension.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) poses a significant clinical challenge, especially in older patients with HT. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing HFpEF occurrence in elderly patients with HT.

Methods: Elderly patients with HT were categorized into two groups: no HFpEF group and HFpEF group based on HFpEF diagnosis.

Engineering Dual Active Sites and Defect Structure in Nanozymes to Reprogram Jawbone Microenvironment for Osteoradionecrosis Therapy.

Four to eight percent of patients with head and neck cancer will develop osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) after radiotherapy. Various radiation-induced tissue injuries are associated with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) overproduction. Herein, Fe doping is used in VO (Fe-VO) nanozymes with multienzyme activities for ORNJ treatment via RONS scavenging.

-Derived β-Glucan as a Novel Modulator of Tumor Microenvironment: Targeting Macrophage Polarization and Inducing Ferroptosis in Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and their polarization state significantly influences patient outcomes. This study investigates the inhibitory effects of β-glucan extracted from Candida albicans on lung cancer progression, focusing on its impact on TAM polarization and the induction of ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death.

Methods: Utilizing both in vivo animal models and in vitro cellular assays, we assessed the impact of β-glucan on tumor growth, cellular proliferation, and migration.

Associations between modifiable risk factors and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: joint modelling of longitudinal and survival data.

Background: Stronger associations between modifiable risk factors and cognitive function have been found in younger than older adults. This age pattern may be subject to mortality selection and non-ignorable missingness caused by dropouts due to death, but this remains unclear.

Methods: Longitudinal data from 9,562 adults aged 50 and older from Waves 1-4 (2011-2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used.

Exploring Cistanche's therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms in asthma treatment.

Asthma, a prevalent chronic respiratory disease, is characterized by airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, significantly impacting global health. Current treatments, including corticosteroids, face limitations due to variable patient responses and side effects. This study explores the therapeutic potential of Cistanche, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, in an asthmatic mouse model induced by house dust mites (HDM).

EMS-induced missense mutation in TaCHLI-7D affects leaf color and yield-related traits in wheat.

Mutations in TaCHLI impact chlorophyll levels and yield-related traits in wheat. Natural variations in TaCHLI-7A/B influence plant productivity, offering potential for molecular breeding. Chlorophyll is essential for plant growth and productivity.

Cdon is essential for organ left-right patterning by regulating dorsal forerunner cells clustering and Kupffer's vesicle morphogenesis.

and are members of the cell adhesion molecule subfamily III Ig/fibronectin. Although they have been reported to be involved in muscle and neural development at late developmental stage, their early roles in embryonic development remain unknown. Here, we discovered that in zebrafish, , but not , is expressed in dorsal forerunner cells (DFCs) and the epithelium of Kupffer's vesicle (KV), suggesting a potential role for in organ left-right (LR) patterning.

Mapping QTLs with additive and epistatic effects for awn length and their effects on kernel-related traits in common wheat.

Introduction: Wheat awns are crucial determinants of wheat yield due to their capacity to photosynthesize and exchange gas. Understanding the genetic basis of awn length (AL) is essential for improving wheat yield in molecular breeding programs.

Methods: In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of AL were analyzed using recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population referred to as YY-RILs, which was derived from a cross between Yannong 15 (YN15) and Yannong 1212 (YN1212).

Porous Gelatin Methacrylate Gel Engineered by Freeze-Ultraviolet Promotes Osteogenesis and Angiogenesis.

Alveolar bone defect reconstruction is a common challenge in stomatology. To address this, a thermosensitive/photosensitive gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) gel was developed based on various air solubilities and light-curing technologies. The gel was synthesized by using a freeze-ultraviolet (FUV) method to form a porous and quickly (within 15 min) solidifying modified network structure.

Cxcr4a regulates heart progenitor development and cardiac rhythm in zebrafish.

is involved in multiple organ development including coronary vasculature formation and heart left-right (LR) patterning, whether it is involved in heart progenitor determination and cardiac rhythm regulation is not addressed. Here we showed that in mutants, from 2 days post fertilization (dpf) to 4dpf the embryos transiently displayed pericardial edema and increased cardiac rhythm. While from 5dpf, the heart phenotype disappeared.

Iron/Molybdenum Sulfide Nanozyme Cocatalytic Fenton Reaction for Photothermal/Chemodynamic Efficient Wound Healing.

The issue of bacterial infectious diseases remains a significant concern worldwide, particularly due to the misuse of antibiotics, which has caused the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Fortunately, the rapid development of nanomaterials has propelled significant progress in antimicrobial therapy, offering promising solutions. Among them, the utilization of nanoenzyme-based chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has become a highly hopeful approach to combating bacterial infectious diseases.

The protective effects of Chromofungin in oligomeric amyloid β (Aβ)-induced toxicity in neurons in Alzheimer's disease.

Oligomeric Aβ is considered to play a harmful role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prolonged exposure to oligomeric Aβ could induce neuronal damage including cellular senescence. Amelioration of Aβ-induced cellular senescence has been considered as a promising strategy for the treatment of AD.

Nrf2 activation by pyrroloquinoline quinone inhibits natural aging-related intervertebral disk degeneration in mice.

Age-related intervertebral disk degeneration (IVDD) involves increased oxidative damage, cellular senescence, and matrix degradation. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a water-soluble vitamin-like compound with strong anti-oxidant capacity. The goal of this study was to determine whether PQQ can prevent aging-related IVDD, and the underlying mechanism.

HO-1 upregulation promotes mitophagy-dependent ferroptosis in PM2.5-exposed hippocampal neurons.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been extensively implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Recent studies have revealed that PM2.

Characterization of a wheat stable QTL for spike length and its genetic effects on yield-related traits.

Spike length (SL) is one of the most important agronomic traits affecting yield potential and stability in wheat. In this study, a major stable quantitative trait locus (QTL) for SL, i.e.

Quantitative trait loci detection for three tiller-related traits and the effects on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields.

A total of 38 putative additive QTLs and 55 pairwise putative epistatic QTLs for tiller-related traits were reported, and the candidate genes underlying qMtn-KJ-5D, a novel major and stable QTL for maximum tiller number, were characterized. Tiller-related traits play an important role in determining the yield potential of wheat. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the genetic basis for tiller number when attempting to use genetic improvement as a tool for enhancing wheat yields.

Longitudinal change of intrinsic capacity and associated factors in older Chinese adults: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Background: Although intrinsic capacity (IC) has been constructed in older populations, whether IC retains the same structure over time has not been formally examined, nor have the factors associated with the changes in IC over time been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to establish that the structure of IC remains unchanged over time by testing its longitudinal measurement invariance and to investigate factors that influence the longitudinal change of IC over time.

Methods: Data came from 7,271 participants aged 60 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011 (Wave 1) and 2015 (Wave 3).

Fine mapping of a major QTL, qKl-1BL controlling kernel length in common wheat.

A major stable QTL, qKl-1BL, for kernel length of wheat was narrowed down to a 2.04-Mb interval on chromosome 1BL; the candidate genes were predicated and the genetic effects on yield-related traits were characterized. As a key factor influencing kernel weight, wheat kernel shape is closely related to yield formation, and in turn affects both wheat processing quality and market value.

Fine particulate matter 2.5 induces susceptibility to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection via expansion of PD-L1 neutrophils in mice.

Background: Exposure to PM2.5 has been implicated in a range of detrimental health effects, particularly affecting the respiratory system. However, the precise underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

Oxidative stress-mediated activation of FTO exacerbates impairment of the epithelial barrier by up-regulating IKBKB via N6-methyladenosine-dependent mRNA stability in asthmatic mice exposed to PM2.5.

In order to comprehend the underlying mechanisms contributing to the development and exacerbation of asthma resulting from exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), we established an asthmatic model in fat mass and obesity-associated gene knockdown mice subjected to PM2.5 exposure.

Biomarkers predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma.

In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a transformative approach in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite their success, challenges persist, including concerns about their effectiveness, treatment costs, frequent occurrence of treatment-related adverse events, and tumor hyperprogression. Therefore, it is imperative to identify indicators capable of predicting the efficacy of ICIs treatment, enabling optimal patient selection to maximize clinical benefits while minimizing unnecessary toxic side effects and economic losses.