Decoupled responses of soil microbial diversity and ecosystem functions to successive degeneration processes in alpine pioneer community.

Many alpine ecosystems are undergoing vegetation degradation because of global changes, which are affecting ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. The ecological consequences of alpine pioneer community degradation have been less studied than glacial retreat or meadow degradation in alpine ecosystems. We document the comprehensive responses of microbial community characteristics to degradation processes using field-based sampling, conduct soil microcosm experiments to simulate the effects of global change on microorganisms, and explore their relationships to ecosystem functioning across stages of alpine pioneer community degradation.

Synthesis of Headful Packaging Phages Through Yeast Transformation-Associated Recombination.

De novo synthesis of phage genomes enables flexible genome modification and simplification. This study explores the synthetic genome assembly of phage vB_PaeS_SCUT-S4 (S4), a 42,932 bp headful packaging phage, which encapsidates a terminally redundant, double-stranded DNA genome exceeding unit length. We demonstrate that using the yeast TAR approach, the S4 genome can be assembled and rebooted from a unit-length genome plus a minimal 60 bp terminal redundant sequence.

p97 Inhibitors Possessing Antiviral Activity Against SARS-CoV-2 and Low Cytotoxicity.

p97 (also known as valosin-containing protein, VCP) is a member of the AAA+ ATPase family and is intimately associated with protein quality control and homeostasis regulation. Therefore, pharmaceutical inhibition of p97 has been actively pursued as an anticancer strategy. Recently, p97 has emerged as an important pro-viral host factor and p97 inhibitors are being evaluated as potential antiviral agents.

Drug Screening of Flavonoids as Potential VEGF Inhibitors Through Computational Docking and Cell Models.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), also known as VEGF-A, has been linked to various diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) and cancer. Even though there are VEGF inhibitors that are currently commercially available in clinical applications, severe adverse effects have been associated with these treatments. There is still a need to develop novel VEGF-based therapeutics against these VEGF-related diseases.

Chronic Pain and Comorbid Emotional Disorders: Neural Circuitry and Neuroimmunity Pathways.

Chronic pain is a multidimensional experience that not only involves persistent nociception but is also frequently accompanied by significant emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which complicate its management and amplify its impact. This review provides an in-depth exploration of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of chronic pain and emotional disturbances. Key areas of focus include the dysregulation of major neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate) and the resulting functional remodeling of critical neural circuits implicated in pain processing, emotional regulation, and reward.