The () Genetic Variant Is Associated with Muscle Fiber Size and Strength Athlete Status.

Background: Data on the genetic factors contributing to inter-individual variability in muscle fiber size are limited. Recent research has demonstrated that mice lacking the Arkadia (RNF111) N-terminal-like PKA signaling regulator 2N (; also known as ) gene exhibit reduced muscle fiber size, contraction force, and exercise capacity, along with defects in calcium handling within fast-twitch muscle fibers. However, the role of the gene in human muscle physiology, and particularly in athletic populations, remains poorly understood.

Toward optimal disease surveillance with graph-based active learning.

Tracking the spread of emerging pathogens is critical to the design of timely and effective public health responses. Policymakers face the challenge of allocating finite resources for testing and surveillance across locations, with the goal of maximizing the information obtained about the underlying trends in prevalence and incidence. We model this decision-making process as an iterative node classification problem on an undirected and unweighted graph, in which nodes represent locations and edges represent movement of infectious agents among them.

The expanding landscape of genetic causes of obesity.

Obesity and weight regulation disorders are determined by the combined effects of genetics and environment. Polygenic obesity results from the combination of common variants in several genes which predisposes the individual to obesity and its related complications. In contrast, monogenic obesity results from changes in single genes, especially those in leptin-melanocortin pathway, and presents with early onset severe obesity, with or without other syndromic features.

Xenon plasma-focused ion beam milling for fabrication of high-purity, bright single-photon sources operating in the C-band.

Electron beam lithography is a standard method for fabricating photonic micro and nanostructures around semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), which are crucial for efficient single and indistinguishable photon sources in quantum information processing. However, this technique is difficult for direct 3D control of the structure shape, complicating the design and enlarging the 2D footprint to suppress in-plane photon leakage while directing photons into the collecting lens aperture. Here, we present an alternative approach to employ xenon plasma-focused ion beam (Xe-PFIB) technology as a reliable method for the 3D shaping of photonic structures containing low-density self-assembled InAs/InP quantum dots emitting in the C-band range of the 3rd telecommunication window.

SGLT2 inhibition improves coronary flow velocity reserve and contractility: role of glucagon signaling.

Background: SGLT2 inhibitors, a T2DM medication to lower blood glucose, markedly improve cardiovascular outcomes but the underlying mechanism(s) are not fully understood. SGLT2i's produce a unique metabolic pattern by lowering blood glucose without increasing insulin while increasing ketone body and glucagon levels and reducing body weight. We tested if glucagon signaling contributes to SGLT2i induced improvement in CV function.

Analysis of Expression of the , , , , and Genes in Peripheral Blood of the Patients with Parkinson's Disease in the Early Clinical Stages.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common progressive neurodegenerative diseases. An important feature of the disease is its long latent period, which necessitates search for prognostic biomarkers. One method of identifying biomarkers of PD is to study changes in gene expression in peripheral blood of the patients in early stages of the disease and have not been treated.

Near-critical Stranski-Krastanov growth of InAs/InP quantum dots.

This work shows how to control the surface density and size of InAs/InP quantum dots over a wide range by tailoring the conditions of Stranski-Krastanov growth. We demonstrate that in the near-critical growth regime, the density of quantum dots can be tuned between and   . Furthermore, employing both experimental and modeling approaches, we show that the size (and therefore the emission wavelength) of InAs nanoislands on InP can be controlled independently from their surface density.

Different Factors Influencing Postural Stability during Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation of the Cervical Spinal Cord.

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is a promising noninvasive alternative to epidural stimulation. However, further studies are needed to clarify how tSCS affects postural control. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of transcutaneous cervical spinal cord stimulation on postural stability in healthy participants via computerized stabilization.

Molecular Docking of Chiral Drug Enantiomers With Different Bioactivities.

Chirality has an important role in the drug design because enantiomers may exhibit different bioactivity when interacting with macromolecules of a living organism. In our previous work, based on the analysis of a set of 100 chiral drugs, a relationship was established between the sign of chirality of enantiomers and their bioactivity. To understand the reasons for the observed patterns of chiral specificity of drug enantiomers, the interaction of 10 enantiomeric pairs of chiral drugs with the corresponding target proteins has been considered using molecular docking and further postprocessing by quantum chemistry methods.

Effects of Age and MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease on the Expression of Genes Associated with the Regulation of the Sleep-Wake Cycle in Mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a long prodromal period, during which patients often have sleep disturbances. The histaminergic system and circadian rhythms play an important role in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Changes in the functioning of these systems may be involved in the pathogenesis of early stages of PD and may be age-dependent.

Analysis of , , , and Gene Expression in the Peripheral Blood of Patients in the Early Stages of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common human neurodegenerative diseases. Belated diagnoses of PD and late treatment are caused by its elongated prodromal phase. Thus, searching for new candidate genes participating in the development of the pathological process in the early stages of the disease in patients who have not yet received therapy is relevant.

Identification of Genomic Predictors of Muscle Fiber Size.

The greater muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) is associated with greater skeletal muscle mass and strength, whereas muscle fiber atrophy is considered a major feature of sarcopenia. Muscle fiber size is a polygenic trait influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, the genetic variants underlying inter-individual differences in muscle fiber size remain largely unknown.

Exploring the relationship between caffeine metabolism-related CYP1A2 rs762551 polymorphism and team sport athlete status and training adaptations.

Background: This study aimed to achieve a dual objective: to compare the frequencies of CYP1A2 rs762551 genotypes between team sport athletes and a control group, and to determine the association between the rs762551 polymorphism and changes in physical performance after a six-week training program among elite basketball players.

Methods: The study encompassed an analysis of 504 individuals, comprising 320 athletes and 184 controls. For the Turkish cohort, DNA was isolated using the buccal swab method, and genotyping was conducted using the KASP technique.

Association analysis of indel variants and gene expression identifies MDM4 as a novel locus for skeletal muscle hypertrophy and power athlete status.

Insertions and deletions (indels) are the second most common type of variation in the human genome. However, limited data on their associations with exercise-related phenotypes have been documented. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between 18,370 indel variants and power athlete status, followed by additional studies in 357,246 individuals.

National, regional, and global trends in insufficient physical activity among adults from 2000 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 507 population-based surveys with 5·7 million participants.

Background: Insufficient physical activity increases the risk of non-communicable diseases, poor physical and cognitive function, weight gain, and mental ill-health. Global prevalence of adult insufficient physical activity was last published for 2016, with limited trend data. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of insufficient physical activity for 197 countries and territories, from 2000 to 2022.

Effect of Gene Polymorphism and Acute Caffeine Supplementation on Hormonal Response to Resistance Exercise: A Double-Blind, Crossover, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Previous studies have reported that TT genotype carriers of the adenosine A2a receptor () gene rs5751876 polymorphism have better ergogenic and anti-inflammatory responses to caffeine intake compared to C allele carriers. The aim of the present study was twofold: (1) to investigate the association of the rs5751876 polymorphism with acute caffeine supplementation on hormonal (growth hormone and testosterone) response to resistance exercise (RE); (2) to examine the relationship between the rs5751876 polymorphism and the resting levels of growth hormone and testosterone in athletes who are light caffeine consumers. A double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study involving 30 resistance-trained men (age 21.

The impact of health inequity on spatial variation of COVID-19 transmission in England.

Considerable spatial heterogeneity has been observed in COVID-19 transmission across administrative areas of England throughout the pandemic. This study investigates what drives these differences. We constructed a probabilistic case count model for 306 administrative areas of England across 95 weeks, fit using a Bayesian evidence synthesis framework.

Clinical, Anamnestic, and Demographic Characteristics of Patients with Myocardial Infarction in Russian Federation According to the Russian Registry of Acute Myocardial Infarction - REGION-IM.

Aim: Based on data from the Russian REGION-MI registry, to characterize patients with myocardial infarction (MI) hospitalized in Russian hospitals, describe their historical, demographic, and clinical characteristics, and compare the results with the data of previous Russian and international registries of acute coronary syndrome.

Material And Methods: REGION-MI is a multicenter prospective observational study. The follow-up period was divided into three stages: during the hospital stay, at 6 and 12 months after the inclusion in the registry.

Bayesian workflow for time-varying transmission in stratified compartmental infectious disease transmission models.

Compartmental models that describe infectious disease transmission across subpopulations are central for assessing the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions, behavioral changes and seasonal effects on the spread of respiratory infections. We present a Bayesian workflow for such models, including four features: (1) an adjustment for incomplete case ascertainment, (2) an adequate sampling distribution of laboratory-confirmed cases, (3) a flexible, time-varying transmission rate, and (4) a stratification by age group. Within the workflow, we benchmarked the performance of various implementations of two of these features (2 and 3).

tRNA anticodon cleavage by target-activated CRISPR-Cas13a effector.

Type VI CRISPR-Cas systems are among the few CRISPR varieties that target exclusively RNA. The CRISPR RNA-guided, sequence-specific binding of target RNAs, such as phage transcripts, activates the type VI effector, Cas13. Once activated, Cas13 causes collateral RNA cleavage, which induces bacterial cell dormancy, thus protecting the host population from the phage spread.

High-throughput quantum photonic devices emitting indistinguishable photons in the telecom C-band.

Single indistinguishable photons at telecom C-band wavelengths are essential for quantum networks and the future quantum internet. However, high-throughput technology for single-photon generation at 1550 nm remained a missing building block to overcome present limitations in quantum communication and information technologies. Here, we demonstrate the high-throughput fabrication of quantum-photonic integrated devices operating at C-band wavelengths based on epitaxial semiconductor quantum dots.

Heterogeneous integration of single InAs/InP quantum dots with the SOI chip using direct bonding.

Quantum information processing with photons in small-footprint and highly integrated silicon-based photonic chips requires incorporating non-classical light sources. In this respect, self-assembled III-V semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are an attractive solution, however, they must be combined with the silicon platform. Here, by utilizing the large-area direct bonding technique, we demonstrate the hybridization of InP and SOI chips, which allows for coupling single photons to the SOI chip interior, offering cost-effective scalability in setting up a multi-source environment for quantum photonic chips.

Experimental demonstration of a nanobeam Fano laser.

Microscopic single-mode lasers with low power consumption, large modulation bandwidth, and ultra-narrow linewidth are essential for numerous applications, such as on-chip photonic networks. A recently demonstrated microlaser using an optical Fano resonance between a discrete mode and a continuum of modes to form one of the mirrors, i.e.

On-Demand Generation of Indistinguishable Photons in the Telecom C-Band Using Quantum Dot Devices.

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) enable the generation of single and entangled photons, which are useful for various applications in photonic quantum technologies. Specifically for quantum communication via fiber-optical networks, operation in the telecom C-band centered around 1550 nm is ideal. The direct generation of QD-photons in this spectral range with high quantum-optical quality, however, remained challenging.