Establishment of a novel experimental animal model for the treatment of tibial segmental bone defects in juvenile sheep.

Segmental long bone defects present a significant clinical challenge as critical-size defects cannot heal spontaneously. Most studies focus on adult bone defects, with limited research on pediatric cases. To enhance the study of bone defects in children, we established a juvenile sheep bone defect model.

Essential genes encoded by the mating-type locus of the human fungal pathogen .

Fungal sexual reproduction is controlled by the mating-type () locus. In contrast to a majority of species in the phylum Basidiomycota that have tetrapolar mating-type systems, the opportunistic human pathogen employs a bipolar mating-type system, with two mating types ( and α) determined by a single locus that is unusually large (~120 kb) and contains more than 20 genes. While several genes are associated with mating and sexual development, others control conserved cellular processes (e.

Homeodomain protein Sxi1α regulates cell-cell fusion during distinct sexual reproduction modes in .

Sex-specific homeodomain () proteins are key regulators of cell identity and sexual development in fungi, typically functioning as heterodimers to regulate transcription. In the human fungal pathogens and , the proteins Sxi1α and Sxi2 (sex-induced 1α and 2) have been characterized as interacting partners that play critical roles in sexual development during sexual reproduction. Given the dominance of α cells in natural populations of , the roles of Sxi1α and Sxi2 in unisexual reproduction, which predominantly involves same-sex (α × α) mating, remain unclear.

Tracing the evolution and genomic dynamics of mating-type loci in pathogens and closely related species.

Sexual reproduction in basidiomycete fungi is governed by loci ( and ), which exhibit remarkable evolutionary plasticity, characterized by expansions, rearrangements, and gene losses often associated with mating system transitions. The sister genera and provide a powerful framework for studying loci evolution owing to their diverse reproductive strategies and distinct architectures, spanning bipolar and tetrapolar systems with either linked or unlinked loci. Building on recent large-scale comparative genomic analyses, we generated additional chromosome-level assemblies uncovering distinct evolutionary trajectories shaping loci organization.

How the partner's perceived psychological state affects perinatal mental health in Chinese women: multiple mediating effects of couple communication and perceived social support.

The association between partner congruence and maternal mental health manifests intricate cultural variations. This study aimed to explore how the perceived psychological state of partners affects perinatal mental health among Chinese women and examine the mediating roles of couple communication and perceived social support. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,654 pregnant women (mean age: 29.

Phylogeography Analysis Reveals Rabies Epidemiology, Evolution, and Transmission in the Philippines.

Rabies, caused by rabies virus, is a severe public health problem in the Philippines, where animal rabies epidemiology had been extensively investigated, but little is known about the national epidemiologic situations since 2010. Here, we report a 12-year nationwide animal rabies surveillance with systematic phylogenetic analysis, in which 353 whole genomes of rabies viruses collected from animal rabies cases between 2018 and 2022 were obtained. The phylogenetic and spatial-temporal evolutionary analyses showed that rabies viruses in the Philippines were exclusively classified into the SEA4 subclade within the Asian clade, but forming three major geographically specific lineages.

PA2G4 in health and disease: An underestimated multifunctional regulator.

Background: Proliferation-associated protein 2G4 (PA2G4), also known as ErbB3-binding protein 1 (EBP1), is an evolutionarily conserved, ubiquitously expressed, multifunctional factor in health and disease. In recent decades, its role as a sophisticated regulator in a broad range of biological processes has drawn widespread attention from researchers.

Aim Of Review: We introduce the molecular structure, functional modules, and post-translational modifications of PA2G4.

Spatiotemporal 3D cell impedance monitoring for metal nanoparticle risk assessment by plug-in vertical electrode array.

Metal nanoparticles are commonly found in our daily lives and pose great risks to people's health. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a research model for the toxic effects of metal nanoparticles. In recent decades, three-dimensional (3D) cell models have attracted increasing interest in the fields of cell barriers, nanotoxicology, and drug screening, as they have significant advantages over two-dimensional (2D) cell models in accurately simulating behavior of human cells.

Correlation between TCF7 and bladder cancer and feasibility of Erlotinib targeting in bladder cancer: Molecular mechanism and expression of TCF7 recombinant protein.

The primary objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the mechanism by which TCF7 recombinant protein operates, as well as to examine its expression patterns within bladder cancer cells. This research seeks to establish a new theoretical framework and provide experimental data that could advance the field of molecular targeted therapy for bladder cancer. Erlotinib, a well-known targeted therapy drug, was administered to the bladder cancer cells, and we evaluated its antitumor effects through various assays such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle analysis.

Butyrolactol A is a phospholipid flippase inhibitor that potentiates the bioactivity of caspofungin against resistant fungi.

Fungal infections cause millions of deaths annually and are challenging to treat due to limited antifungal options and increasing drug resistance. Cryptococci are intrinsically resistant to the latest generation of antifungals, echinocandins, while , a notorious global threat, is also increasingly resistant. We performed a natural product extract screen for rescue of the activity of the echinocandin caspofungin against H99, identifying butyrolactol A, which restores echinocandin efficacy against resistant fungal pathogens, including .

Real-time cell barrier monitoring by spatial transepithelial electrical resistance measurement on a microelectrode array integrated Transwell.

Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurement is a label free, rapid and real-time technique, which is commonly used to evaluate the integrity of cell barriers. TEER characterization is important for applications, such as tissue (brain, intestines, lungs) barrier modeling, drug screening, and cell growth monitoring. Traditional TEER methods usually only show the average impedance of the whole cell layer, and lack accuracy and the characterization of internal spatial differences within cell layer regions.

A TROP2/Claudin Program Mediates Immune Exclusion to Impede Checkpoint Blockade in Breast Cancer.

Immune exclusion inhibits anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy, but its mechanisms remain poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that Trophoblast Cell-Surface Antigen 2 (TROP2), a key target of emerging anti-cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), controls barrier-mediated immune exclusion in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) through Claudin 7 association and tight junction regulation. TROP2 expression is inversely correlated with T cell infiltration and strongly associated with outcomes in TNBC.

Essential genes encoded by the mating-type locus of the human fungal pathogen .

Fungal sexual reproduction is controlled by the mating-type () locus. In contrast to a majority of species in the phylum Basidiomycota that have tetrapolar mating-type systems, the opportunistic human pathogen employs a bipolar mating-type system, with two mating types ( and α) determined by a single locus that is unusually large (~120 kb) and contains more than 20 genes. While several genes are associated with mating and sexual development, others control conserved cellular processes (e.

Correction: Environmental regulation, green innovation, and international competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises in China: From the perspective of heterogeneous regulatory tools.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

A study on the macro and micro mechanisms of cotton seedling growth regulation by high-voltage electrostatic field and optimization of system parameters.

Addressing the issues of inefficiency and severe environmental pollution associated with artificial and chemical methods in cotton growth regulation, this study introduces the high-voltage electrostatic field environmental control technology. It delves into the technology's macro- and microscopic impacts on cotton seedling growth and optimizes its operational parameters. At the macro level, the study examines the influence of adjusting the output voltage of the high-voltage electrostatic generator, the distance between the upper pole plate and the cotton leaf, and the action time of the electric field on seedling features above (plant height, ground diameter, and leaf area) and below ground (fresh weight and dry weight of roots).

High voltage pulsed electric field: A novel method for killing parasitic eggs on the surface of raisins.

Aiming to address the issue of stored grain pests easily breeding during the process of dried fruits in Xinjiang, this study proposes a method and a device for killing raisin parasitic eggs based on a high-voltage pulsed electric field. A one-way test and a Box-Behnken central combination test were conducted to investigate the effects of high-voltage pulsed electric field strength and frequency on the unhatched rate and larval survival rate of Plodia interpunctella eggs on raisin surfaces. The experimental results were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using biooptical microscope observation and incubation at constant temperature and humidity post-treatment.

The Cryptococcus neoformans STRIPAK complex controls genome stability, sexual development, and virulence.

The eukaryotic serine/threonine protein phosphatase PP2A is a heterotrimeric enzyme composed of a scaffold A subunit, a regulatory B subunit, and a catalytic C subunit. Of the four known B subunits, the B"' subunit (known as striatin) interacts with the multi-protein striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex. Orthologs of STRIPAK components were identified in Cryptococcus neoformans, namely PP2AA/Tpd3, PP2AC/Pph22, PP2AB/Far8, STRIP/Far11, SLMAP/Far9, and Mob3.

Downregulation of microRNA-129-2 by Hepatitis B Virus Promotes Cell Proliferation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Objective: MicroRNA-192-2 has been shown to have a role in the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the relationship between microRNA-192-2 and hepatitis B virus (HBV) in HCC patients remains unclear.

Methods: Specimens were collected from 56 HCC patients diagnosed with HBV infection and 56 HCC patients without viral infection. HBV and miR-129-2 levels in HCC tissues, adjacent tissues, and cell lines were analyzed by RT‒PCR.

Selenium-mediated alleviation of skeletal muscle atrophy through enterotype modulation in mice.

Skeletal muscle is crucial for health, and glucocorticoid-induced atrophy poses a significant clinical challenge. This study utilized a dexamethasone (Dex)-induced mouse model to assess the impact of selenium supplementation on skeletal muscle atrophy during and after Dex treatment. Increasing evidence suggests the existence of a 'gut-muscle axis', where gut microbiota plays a regulatory role in muscle metabolism and function.

Distinct evolutionary trajectories following loss of RNA interference in .

While increased mutation rates typically have negative consequences in multicellular organisms, hypermutation can be advantageous for microbes adapting to the environment. Previously, we identified two hypermutator clinical isolates that rapidly develop drug resistance due to transposition of a retrotransposon, Cnl1. Cnl1-mediated hypermutation is caused by a nonsense mutation in the gene encoding a novel RNAi component, Znf3, combined with a tremendous transposon burden.

The STRIPAK complex controls genome stability, sexual development, and virulence.

The eukaryotic serine/threonine protein phosphatase PP2A is a heterotrimeric enzyme composed of a scaffold A subunit, a regulatory B subunit, and a catalytic C subunit. Of the four known B subunits, the B"' subunit (known as striatin) interacts with the multi-protein striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex. Orthologs of STRIPAK components were identified in , namely PP2AA/Tpd3, PP2AC/Pph22, PP2AB/Far8, STRIP/Far11, SLMAP/Far9, and Mob3.