Prevalence of congenital heart defects in people with Down syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHD) in Down syndrome (DS) varies considerably across studies (from 16% to 84%). This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CHD in people with DS (CHD-DS).

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched through to 5 January 2023.

Impact of tourism on bird behavior: a comparison of flight initiation distance between birds in areas of tourist and non-tourist attraction.

Tourism, as an important manifestation of urbanization, is becoming increasingly popular. Although it offers numerous advantages for the local community, it also exerts a multifaceted impact on local wildlife. Previous research on the effects of tourism has mainly focused on protected areas or tourist spots, rarely considering the surrounding non-tourist attraction areas.

Spirulina polysaccharides improve postthaw sperm quality in bulls by inhibiting the activation of pathways related to protein kinase A.

Sperm cryopreservation is widely used in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and livestock breeding. Although sperm cryopreservation accelerates breeding, the quality of cryopreserved sperm tends to be decreased. Improving the quality of frozen sperm is a hot topic, and spirulina polysaccharide, known for its immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties, is considered a promising natural extract for extensive studies.

TFEB activator protects against ethanol toxicity-induced cardiac injury by restoring mitophagy and autophagic flux.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a major cause of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) and myocardial injury. This study aims to investigate the role of transcription factor EB (TFEB) in ethanol-induced cardiac anomalies using a murine model, AC16 human cardiomyocytes, and human plasma. Wild-type mice treated with a TFEB activator (Compound 1) or vehicle (25 mg/kg/d) were challenged with or without ethanol (3 g/kg/d, i.

Ramadan intermittent fasting for patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases: practical guidance for health-care professionals.

Ramadan intermittent fasting can pose challenges and risks for some groups of patients. Based on a narrative literature review and our clinical expertise, we provide practical guidance for clinicians managing patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary conditions who wish to fast during Ramadan. Following the established International Diabetes Federation and Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance risk stratification framework, we categorised patients' risk as low or moderate, high, or very high.

Floodplain forests drive fruit-eating fish diversity at the Amazon Basin-scale.

Unlike most rivers globally, nearly all lowland Amazonian rivers have unregulated flow, supporting seasonally flooded floodplain forests. Floodplain forests harbor a unique tree species assemblage adapted to flooding and specialized fauna, including fruit-eating fish that migrate seasonally into floodplains, favoring expansive floodplain areas. Frugivorous fish are forest-dependent fauna critical to forest regeneration via seed dispersal and support commercial and artisanal fisheries.

An Albumin-Photosensitizer Supramolecular Assembly with Type I ROS-Induced Multifaceted Tumor Cell Deaths for Photodynamic Immunotherapy.

Photodynamic therapy holds great potentials in cancer treatment, yet its effectiveness in hypoxic solid tumor is limited by the oxygen-dependence and insufficient oxidative potential of conventional type II reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, the study reports a supramolecular photosensitizer, BSA@TPE-BT-SCT NPs, through encapsulating aggregation-enhanced emission photosensitizer by bovine serum albumin (BSA) to significantly enhance ROS, particularly less oxygen-dependent type I ROS for photodynamic immunotherapy. The abundant type I ROS generated by BSA@TPE-BT-SCT NPs induce multiple forms of programmed cell death, including apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis.

Unveiling patterns in spatial transcriptomics data: a novel approach utilizing graph attention autoencoder and multiscale deep subspace clustering network.

Background: The accurate deciphering of spatial domains, along with the identification of differentially expressed genes and the inference of cellular trajectory based on spatial transcriptomic (ST) data, holds significant potential for enhancing our understanding of tissue organization and biological functions. However, most of spatial clustering methods can neither decipher complex structures in ST data nor entirely employ features embedded in different layers.

Results: This article introduces STMSGAL, a novel framework for analyzing ST data by incorporating graph attention autoencoder and multiscale deep subspace clustering.

sp. nov., sp. nov., sp. nov. and gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from human faeces.

Small, obligately anaerobic strains 13CB8C, 13CB11C, 13CB18C and 13GAM1G were isolated from a faecal sample in a patient with Parkinson's disease with a history of duodenal resection. After conducting a comprehensive polyphasic taxonomic analysis including genomic analysis, we propose the establishment of one new genus and four new species. The novel bacteria are sp.

Establishment of a CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing System in Flax.

Flax is an important crop used for oil and fiber production. Although genetic engineering has been possible in flax, it is not commonly used to produce cultivars. However, the use of genome editing technology, which can produce site-specific mutations without introducing foreign genes, may be a valuable tool for creating elite cultivars that can be easily cultivated.

Innovations in RNA therapeutics: a review of recent advances and emerging technologies.

The field of biomedical science has witnessed another milestone with the advent of RNA-based therapeutics. This review explores three major RNA molecules, namely: messenger RNA (mRNA), RNA interference technology (RNAi), and Antisense Oligonucleotide (ASO), and analyses U.S.

Discovery of a 2'-α-Fluoro-2'-β--(fluoromethyl) Purine Nucleotide Prodrug as a Potential Oral Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Agent.

A novel 2'-α-fluoro-2'-β--(fluoromethyl) purine nucleoside phosphoramidate prodrug has been designed and synthesized to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. The SARS-CoV-2 central replication transcription complex (C-RTC, nsp12-nsp7-nsp8) catalyzed in vitro RNA synthesis was effectively inhibited by the corresponding bioactive nucleoside triphosphate (). The cryo-electron microscopy structure of the C-RTC: complex was also determined.

Fluorescent aptasensor based on target-induced hairpin conformation switch coupled with nicking enzyme-assisted signal amplification for detection of beta-amyloid oligomers in cerebrospinal fluid.

A fluorescent aptasensor was developed based on target-induced hairpin conformation switch coupled with nicking enzyme-assisted signal amplification (NESA) to detect the oligomeric form of ß-amyolid peptide (AβO) in cerebrospinal fluid. The hairpin DNA probe (HP) was specifically designed to recognize AβO. When AβO is present in the sensing system, it induces an HP conformational switch and triggers the NESA reaction.

Sequence-Dependent Slowdown of DNA Translocation Using Transmembrane RNA-DNA Interactions in MoS Nanopore.

The emergence of nanopores in two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials offers an attractive solid-state platform for high-throughput and low-cost DNA sequencing. However, several challenges remain to be addressed before their wide application, including the too-fast DNA translocation speed (compared to state-of-the-art single nucleoside detection techniques) and too large noise/signal ratios due to DNA fluctuations inside the nanopores. Here, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing RNA-DNA interactions in modulating DNA translocations in 2D MoS nanopores.

Ultrasound and blind endometrial sampling for detection of endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (diagnostic). The objectives are as follows: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial sampling with histology in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding and thickened endometrium on ultrasound. Diagnosis will be verified by the reference standards, hysteroscopy with histology, obtained by targeted (such as grasp biopsy of the endometrium or resection of focal pathology) or global sampling (with dilation and curettage), and histology of hysterectomy specimens.

MaGA20ox2f, an OsSD1 homolog, regulates flowering time and fruit yield in banana.

Unlabelled: Previous studies illustrated that two banana GA20 oxidase2 (MaGA20ox2) genes, and , are implicated in controlling banana growth and development; however, the biological function of each gene remains unknown. Ma04g15900 protein (termed MaGA20ox2f in this article) is the closest homolog to the Rice SD1 (encoded by 'green revolution gene', ) in the banana genome. The expression of is confined to leaves, peduncles, fruit peels, and pulp.

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Insights Into the Prebiotic Potential of Camellia Seed Oil for Enhancing Proliferation In Vitro.

Camellia seed oil (CSO), a potential prebiotic agent, can significantly increase the relative abundance of () in mice gut microbiota following oral administration, this study aims to investigate the enhancing effect in vitro. The results showed that after 24-h co-cultivation with 0.5% (v/v) CSO, the growth of increased from 11.

Enzyme Activities Shape Malting Quality Standards.

Malting quality of barley is a complex characteristic, which is influenced by a combination of interacting traits that are regulated by various genetic and environmental factors. The activities of various enzymes play pivotal roles in determining the malting quality, as they drive the biochemical processes responsible for converting barley saccharides and proteins into fermentable sugars and amino acids during the malting process. In this study, 14 malting barley cultivars were used to investigate the relationship between enzyme activities and malting quality traits.

Effects of Nutritional Status During Sexual Maturation and Resource Availability on the Resource Allocation of Females in Burying Beetles.

Resource availability should have consequences for life-history functions and trade-offs among them because it influences the amounts of resources allocated to different functions. Nutritional status during a key developmental window (sexual maturation) may also have an important impact on life-history functions and such trade-offs. However, less is known about whether and how they interact to influence the resource allocation of individuals.

Captivity Reduces Diversity and Shifts Composition of the Great Bustard () Microbiome.

Captivity offers protection for endangered species, but for bustards, captive individuals face a higher risk of disease and exhibit lower reintroduction success rates. Changes in the diversity of host bacterial and fungal microbiota may be a significant factor influencing reintroduction success. The great bustard () is a globally recognized endangered bird species.

Pre-harvest treatment with gibberellin (GA) and nitric oxide donor (SNP) enhances post-harvest firmness of grape berries.

Grapes are prone to softening, which limits their shelf life and suitability for long-distance transport. This study explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of the chemical preservatives gibberellin (GA) and the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on grape firmness. Enhancing grape quality, prolonging shelf life, and extending market supply were key objectives.

Revolutionizing cardiovascular research: Human organoids as a Beacon of hope for understanding and treating cardiovascular diseases.

Organoids, exhibiting the capability to undergo differentiation in specific in vitro growth environments, have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their capacity to recapitulate human organs with resemblant in vivo structures and physiological functions. This groundbreaking technology offers a unique opportunity to study human diseases and address the limitations of traditional animal models. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a leading cause of mortality worldwide, have spurred an increasing number of researchers to explore the great potential of human cardiovascular organoids for cardiovascular research.

Oligo-FISH barcode chromosome identification system provides novel insights into the natural chromosome aberrations propensity in the autotetraploid cultivated alfalfa.

Alfalfa is one of the most economically valuable forage crops in the world. However, molecular cytogenetic studies in alfalfa lag far behind other cash crops and have reached a bottleneck. Here, we developed a novel chromosome identification system by designing 21 oligo probes in specific regions of each chromosome, which can be used as a barcode to simultaneously distinguish all chromosomes in a cell.

Circadian rhythms of microbial communities and their role in regulating nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in the rhizosphere of tea plants.

The circadian clock mediates metabolic functions of plants and rhythmically shapes structure and function of microbial communities in the rhizosphere. However, it is unclear how the circadian rhythm of plant hosts regulates changes in rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities and nutrient cycles. In the present study, we measured diel changes in the rhizosphere of bacterial and fungal communities, and in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling in 20-year-old tea plantations.

Deciphering the endogenous SUMO-1 landscape: a novel combinatorial peptide enrichment strategy for global profiling and disease association.

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) plays a pivotal role in diverse cellular processes and is implicated in diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. However, large-scale identification of endogenous SUMO-1 faces challenges due to limited enrichment methods and its lower abundance compared to SUMO-2/3. Here we propose a novel combinatorial peptide strategy, combined with anti-adhesive polymer development, to enrich endogenous SUMO-1 modified peptides, revealing a comprehensive SUMOylation landscape.