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.

The effect size of rs521851 in the intron of MAGI2/S-SCAM on HADS-D scores correlates with EAT-26 scores for eating disorders risk.

An association between the () intron variant rs521851 and depression symptoms, as measured by the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D), has been recently reported. The role of in depression has been linked to disruptions in the gut-brain axis. In this study, we investigated the association between rs521851 and HADS-D scores in an independent cohort of 380 individuals, consisting of 238 patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of depression and 142 healthy controls.

Up-Conversion Photoluminescence Reconfiguration in Silicon by Inner Microstructure Control of Hybrid Plasmonic-Semiconductor Nanoparticles.

Hybrid metal-semiconductor nanostructures unifying plasmonic and high-refractive-index materials in a single resonant system demonstrate a wide set of unique optical properties. Such systems are a perspective for a broad palette of applications, but the link between their inner structure and optical properties is a very sensitive issue, which is still not revealed. Here, we describe the influence of internal microstructure of a hybrid gold-silicon nanoparticle (the gold nanoparticle with embedded silicon nanograins) on the up-conversion white-light photoluminescence.

First Alliance of Pyrazole and Furoxan Leading to High-Performance Energetic Materials.

Nitrogen heterocyclic scaffolds retain their leading position as valuable building blocks in material science, particularly for the design of small-molecule energetic materials. However, the search for more balanced combinations of directly linked heterocyclic cores is far from being exhausted and aims to reach ideally balanced high-energy substances. Herein, we present the synthetic route to novel pyrazole-furoxan framework enriched with nitro groups and demonstrate a promising set of properties, viz.

IR Hidden Patterns for Security Labels.

Authentication of a product's originality by anticounterfeiting labels represents a crucial point toward protection against forgery. Fast and scalable fabrication methods of original labels with a high degree of protection are in high demand for the protection of valuable goods. Here, we propose a simple strategy for fabrication of hidden security tags with IR luminescent readout by the direct femtosecond laser patterning of silicon-erbium-silicon sandwiched thin films.

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.

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.

Effect of the consumption of brazzein and monellin, two recombinant sweet-tasting proteins, on rat gut microbiota.

Sweet-tasting proteins (SPs) are proteins of plant origin initially isolated from tropical fruits. They are thousands of times sweeter than sucrose and most artificial sweeteners. SPs are a class of proteins capable of causing a sweet taste sensation in humans when interacting with the T1R2/T1R3 receptor.

TP63-TRIM29 axis regulates enhancer methylation and chromosomal instability in prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. High variability in DNA methylation and a high rate of large genomic rearrangements are often observed in PRAD.

Results: To investigate the reasons for such high variance, we integrated DNA methylation, RNA-seq, and copy number alterations datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), focusing on PRAD, and employed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA).

An improved and extended dual-index multiplexed 16S rRNA sequencing for the Illumina HiSeq and MiSeq platform.

Background: Recent advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have ushered in significant improvements in sequencing speed and data throughput, thereby enabling the simultaneous analysis of a greater number of samples within a single sequencing run. This technology has proven particularly valuable in the context of microbial community profiling, offering a powerful tool for characterizing the microbial composition at the species level within a given sample. This profiling process typically involves the sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene fragments.

A Compact Monitor for Ethylene and Other Plant-Produced Volatile Organic Compounds for NASA Space Missions.

In this work, we discuss the development of a compact analytical instrument for monitoring ethylene in compact greenhouses utilized by NASA to grow fresh vegetables in space. Traditionally, ethylene measurements are conducted by GC-MS systems. However, in space, they are not applicable due to their bulky size, heavy weight, special carrier gas requirement and high maintenance.

Regioselective Synthesis of NO-Donor (4-Nitro-1,2,3-triazolyl)furoxans via Eliminative Azide-Olefin Cycloaddition.

A facile and efficient method for the regioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 4-azidofuroxans to 1-dimethylamino-2-nitroethylene under -TSA catalysis affording (4-nitro-1,2,3-triazolyl)furoxans was developed. This transformation is believed to proceed via eliminative azide-olefin cycloaddition resulting in its complete regioselectivity. The developed protocol has a broad substrate scope and enables a straightforward assembly of the 4-nitro-1,2,3-triazole motif.

All-optical generation of static electric field in a single metal-semiconductor nanoantenna.

Electric field is a powerful instrument in nanoscale engineering, providing wide functionalities for control in various optical and solid-state nanodevices. The development of a single optically resonant nanostructure operating with a charge-induced electrical field is challenging, but it could be extremely useful for novel nanophotonic horizons. Here, we show a resonant metal-semiconductor nanostructure with a static electric field created at the interface between its components by charge carriers generated via femtosecond laser irradiation.

A forgotten participant in pore deblocking of zeolites: dicarbonate in NaMeA zeolites, Me = Na, K, Rb, Cs.

The dynamics of carbon dioxide, carbonate anion (CO), and dicarbonate anion (CO) in NaKA zeolite is studied at the DFT GGA level using molecular dynamics (AIMD). We show the easy formation of CO dicarbonate from the reaction between CO and CO at high CO loading and their equilibrium at low CO loading. We have found that the dicarbonate anion can contact up to six cations (Me and Na, Me = Na, K, Rb, Cs), which could reduce the separation properties of NaMeA zeolites relative to CO mixtures.

Association of R577X Polymorphism with Elite Basketball Player Status and Training Responses.

The α-actinin-3 () gene rs1815739 (C/T, R577X) polymorphism is a variant frequently associated with athletic performance among different populations. However, there is limited research on the impact of this variant on athlete status and physical performance in basketball players. Therefore, the aim of this study was twofold: (1) to determine the association of rs1815739 polymorphism with changes in physical performance in response to six weeks of training in elite basketball players using 30 m sprint and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (IR 2) tests, and (2) to compare genotype and allelic frequencies between elite basketball players and controls.

The TT Genotype Is Associated with Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Caffeine in Response to Resistance Exercise and Habitual Coffee Intake.

Caffeine is an adenosine A receptor () antagonist with ergogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Previous studies have reported that the gene regulates glutamate metabolism and immune responses, with the rs5751876 TT genotype (with high sensitivity to caffeine) showing larger ergogenic effect following caffeine ingestion. We therefore hypothesized that the TT genotype would be associated with greater anti-inflammatory effects of caffeine in response to exercise, and with higher coffee intake in physically active individuals.

Exome-Wide Association Study of Competitive Performance in Elite Athletes.

The aim of the study was to identify genetic variants associated with personal best scores in Turkish track and field athletes and to compare allelic frequencies between sprint/power and endurance athletes and controls using a whole-exome sequencing (WES) approach, followed by replication studies in independent cohorts. The discovery phase involved 60 elite Turkish athletes (31 sprint/power and 29 endurance) and 20 ethnically matched controls. The replication phase involved 1132 individuals (115 elite Russian sprinters, 373 elite Russian endurance athletes (of which 75 athletes were with VO measurements), 209 controls, 148 Russian and 287 Finnish individuals with muscle fiber composition and cross-sectional area (CSA) data).

Synergistic or antagonistic antioxidant combinations - a case study exploring flavonoid-nitroxide hybrids.

Neurodegenerative diseases impose a considerable medical and public health burden on populations throughout the world. Oxidative stress, an imbalance in pro-oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis that leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), has been implicated in the progression of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. The manipulation of ROS levels may represent a promising treatment option to slow down neurodegeneration, although adequate potency of treatments has not yet been achieved.

SNH Amidation of 5-Nitroisoquinoline: Access to Nitro- and Nitroso Derivatives of Amides and Ureas on the Basis of Isoquinoline.

For the first time, amides and ureas based on both 5-nitroisoquinoline and 5-nitrosoisoquinoline were obtained by direct nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen in the 5-nitroisoquinoline molecule. In the case of urea and monosubstituted ureas, only 5-nitrosoisoquinoline-6-amine is formed under anhydrous conditions.