PP2A Attenuates Thoracic Aneurysm and Dissection in Mouse Models of Marfan Syndrome.

Background: Recent studies show that hyperactivation of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling plays a causal role in the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. Modulation of PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) activity has been shown to be of significant therapeutic value. In light of the effects that PP2A can exert on the mTOR pathway, we hypothesized that PP2A activation by small-molecule activators of PP2A could mitigate AA progression in Marfan syndrome (MFS).

Genetic association analysis of lipid-lowering drug target genes in chronic kidney disease.

Objective: The impact of lipid-lowering medications on chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a subject of debate. This Mendelian randomization (MR) study aims to elucidate the potential effects of lipid-lowering drug targets on CKD development.

Methods: We extracted 11 genetic variants encoding targets of lipid-lowering drugs from published genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics, encompassing LDLR, HMGCR, PCSK9, NPC1L1, APOB, ABCG5/ABCG8, LPL, APOC3, ANGPTL3, and PPARA.

Conservative mechanism through various rapeseed ( L.) varieties respond to heavy metal (Cadmium, Lead, Arsenic) stress.

Introduction: Heavy metal soil pollution is a global issue that can be efficiently tackled through the process of phytoremediation. The use of rapeseed in the phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated agricultural land shows great potential. Nevertheless, its ability to tolerate heavy metal stress at the molecular level remains unclear.

Mechanisms of inflammatory microenvironment formation in cardiometabolic diseases: molecular and cellular perspectives.

Cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) are leading causes of death and disability worldwide, with complex pathophysiological mechanisms in which inflammation plays a crucial role. This review aims to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms within the inflammatory microenvironment of atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetic cardiomyopathy. In atherosclerosis, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) activate immune cells contributing to foam cell formation and arterial wall thickening.

Top-Down Strategy Enabling Elastic Wood Nanocarbon Sponges with Wrinkled Multilayer Structure and High Compressive Strength for High-Performance Compressible Supercapacitors.

3D porous carbon electrodes have attracted significant attention for advancing compressible supercapacitors (SCs) in flexible electronics. The micro- and nanoscale architecture critically influences the mechanical and electrochemical performance of these electrodes. However, achieving a balance between high compressive strength, electrochemical stability, and cost-effective sustainable production remains challenging.

Targeted Docking of Localized Hydrogen Bond for Efficient and Reversible Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Hydrogen bond (HB) chemistry, a pivotal feature of aqueous zinc-ion batteries, modulates electrochemical processes through weak electrostatic interactions among water molecules. However, significant challenges persist, including sluggish desolvation kinetics and inescapable parasitic reactions at the electrolyte-electrode interface, associated with high water activity and strong Zn2+-solvent coordination. Herein, a targeted localized HB docking mechanism is activated by the polyhydroxy hexitol-based electrolyte, optimizing Zn2+ solvation structures via dipole interaction and reconstructing interfacial HB networks through preferential parallel adsorption.

Reductive acetogenesis is a dominant process in the ruminant hindgut.

Background: The microbes residing in ruminant gastrointestinal tracts play a crucial role in converting plant biomass to volatile fatty acids, which serve as the primary energy source for ruminants. This gastrointestinal tract comprises a foregut (rumen) and hindgut (cecum and colon), which differ in structures and functions, particularly with respect to feed digestion and fermentation. While the rumen microbiome has been extensively studied, the cecal microbiome remains much less investigated and understood, especially concerning the assembling microbial communities and overriding pathways of hydrogen metabolism.

ZNF169 promotes thyroid cancer progression via upregulating FBXW10.

Background: Zinc finger protein 169 (ZNF169) plays a key role in cancer development. However, the specific role of ZNF169 in the tumorigenesis of thyroid carcinoma (THCA) remains poorly understood.

Methods: The expression of ZNF169 was measured using immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and western blot.

Suhexiang pill for acute ischemic stroke in real-world practice setting (SUNRISE): protocol of a multicenter registry.

Background: Suhexiang (SHX) pill is widely used for treating acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Experimental and randomized controlled trials suggested that SHX pill was beneficial for patients with AIS. However, the effectiveness of SHX pill in real-world practice setting remains unclear.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 exacerbates acute pancreatitis progression by enhancing ATF4-mediated autophagy.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a serious inflammatory disease with high incidence rate and mortality. It was confirmed that overactivation of autophagy in acinar cells can increase the risk of AP. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism of autophagy in AP is unclear.

NFAT5 exacerbates β-cell ferroptosis by suppressing the transcription of PRDX2 in obese type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Pancreatic β-cell damage is a critical pathological mechanism in the progression of obese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. We established an obese T2DM mouse model via high-fat diet feeding.

Rhodamine-functionalized carbon dots with pH-regulated FRET efficiency for ratiometric fluorescence sensing and imaging of extremely alkaline pH.

A ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe (CDs-Rho), synthesized through the simple covalent amide linkage between carbon dots (CDs) and pH-sensitive rhodamine dye (Rho), was designed for the precise sensing and imaging of extremely alkaline environments. The sensing mechanism involves the opposite pH-dependent fluorescence changes in CDs and Rho, respectively, coupled with pH-regulated FRET efficiency from CDs to Rho. The nanoprobe features a wide pH response window from pH 7.

Raptin, a sleep-induced hypothalamic hormone, suppresses appetite and obesity.

Sleep deficiency is associated with obesity, but the mechanisms underlying this connection remain unclear. Here, we identify a sleep-inducible hypothalamic protein hormone in humans and mice that suppresses obesity. This hormone is cleaved from reticulocalbin-2 (RCN2), and we name it Raptin.

Preliminary evidence of immune infiltration and neutrophil degranulation in peripheral blood of non-obese OSA patients related to cognitive decline.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients have varying degrees of cognitive impairment, but the specific pathogenic mechanism is still unclear. Meanwhile, poor compliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in OSA prompts better solutions. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed genes between the non-obese OSA patients and healthy controls, and to explore potential biomarkers associated with cognitive impairment.

Characterization of Bozitinib as a potential therapeutic agent for MET-amplified gastric cancer.

Hyperactive c-Met signaling pathway caused by altered MET is a common mechanism underlying gastric cancer and represents an attractive target for the treatment of gastric cancer with MET alterations. However, no c-Met kinase inhibitors are currently approved specifically for the treatment of c-Met-amplified gastric cancer. Recently, bozitinib, a highly selective c-Met kinase inhibitor, has shown remarkable potency in selectively inhibiting MET-altered non-small cell lung cancer and secondary glioblastoma.

On spectral bias reduction of multi-scale neural networks for regression problems.

In this paper, we derive diffusion equation models in the spectral domain to study the evolution of the training error of two-layer multiscale deep neural networks (MscaleDNN) (Cai and Xu, 2019; Liu et al., 2020), which is designed to reduce the spectral bias of fully connected deep neural networks in approximating oscillatory functions. The diffusion models are obtained from the spectral form of the error equation of the MscaleDNN, derived with a neural tangent kernel approach and gradient descent training and a sine activation function, assuming a vanishing learning rate and infinite network width and domain size.

Organic acid release and microbial community assembly driven by phosphate-solubilizing bacteria enhance Pb, Cd, and As immobilization in soils remediated with iron-doped hydroxyapatite.

Although iron-doped hydroxyapatite (Fe-HAP) and its composites have been reported to immobilize arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), its practical application is limited by the inefficient release of iron and phosphate. In this study, Ochrobactrum anthropic, a phosphate-solubilizing bacterium isolated from a lead-zinc smelting site, was employed to enhance multi-heavy metal immobilization in Fe-HAP-amended soils. O.

DO-GMA: An End-to-End Drug-Target Interaction Identification Framework with a Depthwise Overparameterized Convolutional Network and the Gated Multihead Attention Mechanism.

Identification of potential drug-target interactions (DTIs) is a crucial step in drug discovery and repurposing. Although deep learning effectively deciphers DTIs, most deep learning-based methods represent drug features from only a single perspective. Moreover, the fusion method of drug and protein features needs further refinement.

Aspartate Metabolism-Driven Gut Microbiota Dynamics and RIP-Dependent Mitochondrial Function Counteract Oxidative Stress.

Aspartate (Asp) metabolism-mediated antioxidant functions have important implications for neonatal growth and intestinal health; however, the antioxidant mechanisms through which Asp regulates the gut microbiota and influences RIP activation remain elusive. This study reports that chronic oxidative stress disrupts gut microbiota and metabolite balance and that such imbalance is intricately tied to the perturbation of Asp metabolism. Under normal conditions, in vivo and in vitro studies reveal that exogenous Asp improves intestinal health by regulating epithelial cell proliferation, nutrient uptake, and apoptosis.

Detection and Treatment with Peptide Power: A New Weapon Against Bacterial Biofilms.

Bacterial biofilms, complex microbial communities encased in a protective extracellular matrix, pose a significant threat to public health due to their inherent antibiotic resistance. This review explores the potential of peptides, particularly antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as innovative tools to combat biofilm-related infections. AMPs, characterized by their potent antimicrobial activity and tissue permeability, offer a promising approach to overcome the challenges posed by biofilms.

Efficacy and Safety of Different Acupuncture Treatments for Cancer-Related Pain: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Cancer pain is a prevalent and persistent issue, and while there have been some observations of the possible benefits of acupuncture in managing cancer pain, there is still debate regarding its safety and effectiveness. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of different acupuncture modalities in the treatment of cancer pain through a network meta-analysis.

Methods: Between the time each database was created and June 3, 2024, eight databases were queried: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and China Biomedicine.

Assisted Fermentation by a Modified Strain Producing Protease Improved the Quality of Sufu.

Traditionally fermented sufu is popular because of its flavor, abundance of nutrients, and long shelf life. However, traditional sufu is difficult to produce via industrial processes because of dominant microorganism attenuation during fermentation. Herein, specific protease-producing strains were isolated from traditional sufu.

Effects of partial replacement of soybean meal with and lysozyme on diarrheal incidence, plasma biochemical parameters, and immunity of weaned piglets.

Introduction: The study aimed to investigate the effects of and lysozyme on growth performance, diarrhea rate, immune function, plasma biochemical parameters, and gut microbiota and metabolites of weaned piglets.

Methods: Thirty weaned Xiangcun black piglets (BW, 11.47 ± 1.

Urban sensing in the era of large language models.

Urban sensing has become increasingly important as cities evolve into the centers of human activities. Large language models (LLMs) offer new opportunities for urban sensing based on commonsense and worldview that emerged through their language-centric framework. This paper illustrates the transformative impact of LLMs, particularly in the potential of advancing next-generation urban sensing for exploring urban mechanisms.