Dense stroma activates the TGF-β1/FBW7 axis to induce metabolic subtype switching in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal diseases. Although several chemotherapy regimens have been developed over the past decades, few targeted therapies have shown a significant improvement in overall survival, partly due to the identification of PDAC as a single disease.

Methods: Combining metabolomic analysis and immunohistochemistry staining with Oil Red O staining, analysis for the oxygen consumption rate and extracellular acidification rate, we stratified pancreatic cancer cells into two subtypes.

Stress regulatory hormones and cancer: the contribution of epinephrine and cancer therapeutic value of beta blockers.

The word "cancer" evokes myriad emotions, ranging from fear and despair to hope and determination. Cancer is aptly defined as a complex and multifaceted group of diseases that has unapologetically led to the loss of countless lives and affected innumerable families across the globe. The battle with cancer is not only a physical battle, but also an emotional, as well as a psychological skirmish for patients and for their loved ones.

To describe the subsets of malignant epithelial cells in gastric cancer, their developmental trajectories and drug resistance characteristics.

Gastric cancer is an aggressive malignancy characterized by significant clinical heterogeneity arising from complex genetic and environmental interactions. This study employed single-cell RNA sequencing, using the 10 × Genomics platform, to analyze 262,532 cells from gastric cancer samples, identifying 32 distinct clusters and 10 major cell types, including immune cells (e.g.

The role of canopy family proteins: biological mechanism and disease function.

Canopy family proteins are highly sequence-conserved proteins with an N-terminal hydrophobic signal sequence, a unique pattern of six cysteine residues characteristic of the saposin-like proteins, and a C-terminal putative endoplasmic reticulum retention signal sequence. At present, the known canopy family proteins are canopy fibroblast growth factor signaling regulator 1 (CNPY1), CNPY2, CNPY3, and CNPY4. Despite similar structures, canopy family proteins regulate complex signal networks to participate in various biological processes.

Modulation of placental angiogenesis by metformin in a rat model of gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) significantly disrupts placental structure and function, leading to complications such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GDM on placental histology, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress, as well as evaluate metformin's protective role in mitigating these changes. A total of 60 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, metformin-treated, GDM, and GDM with metformin.

Melatonin improves the lead tolerance in Plantago ovata by modulating ROS homeostasis, phytohormone status and expression of stress-responsive genes.

Melatonin increases Pb tolerance in P. ovata seedlings via the regulation of growth and stress-related phytohormones, ROS scavenging and genes responsible for melatonin synthesis, metal chelation, and stress defense. Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic heavy metal that accumulates in plants through soil and air contamination and impairs its plant growth and development.

Statoliths function in gravity perception in plants: yes, no, yes!

The starch-statolith theory was established science for a century when the existence of gravitropic, starchless mutants questioned its premise. However, detailed kinetic studies support a statolith-based mechanism for graviperception. Gravitropism is the directed growth of plants in response to gravity, and the starch-statolith hypothesis has had a consensus among scientists as the accepted model for gravity perception.

MA -mediated lncRNA SCIRT stability promotes NSCLC progression through binding to SFPQ and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has emerged as one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. N6-methyladenosine (mA) methylation, a pervasive epigenetic modification in long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), plays a crucial role in NSCLC progression. Here, we report that mA modification and the expression of the lncRNA stem cell inhibitory RNA transcript (SCIRT) was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells.

Differential Myf5 and Myf6 expression and muscle fiber traits in Angora, Hair, Honamlı, and Kilis goats.

The present study was conducted on specific skeletal muscles of six weaned male kids from each of the Angora, Hair, Honamlı, and Kilis goat breeds. The relationships between the expression of myogenic factor 5 (Myf5) and myogenic factor 6 (Myf6) genes and muscle fibre characteristics were analysed. Muscle samples from the longissimus dorsi (LD) and semitendinosus (ST) were collected from six 90-day-old weaned male kids of each breed.

Host Plant Odour and Sex Pheromone are Integral to Mate Finding in Codling Moth.

The great diversity of specialist plant-feeding insects suggests that host plant shifts may initiate speciation, even without geographic barriers. Pheromones and kairomones mediate sexual communication and host choice, and the response to these behaviour-modifying chemicals is under sexual and natural selection, respectively. The concept that the interaction of mate signals and habitat cues facilitates reproductive isolation and ecological speciation is well established, while the traits and the underlying sensory mechanisms remain unknown.

Transcriptional regulation of development by SMAX1-LIKE proteins, targets of strigolactone and karrikin/KAI2 ligand signaling.

SUPPRESSOR OF MAX2 1 (SMAX1) and SMAX1-LIKE (SMXL) proteins comprise a family of plant growth regulators that includes downstream targets of the karrikin (KAR)/KAI2 ligand (KL) and strigolactone (SL) signaling pathways. Following the perception of KAR/KL or SL signals by α/β hydrolases, some types of SMXL proteins are polyubiquitinated by an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex containing the F-box protein MORE AXILLARY GROWTH2 (MAX2)/DWARF3 (D3), and proteolyzed. Because SMXL proteins interact with TOPLESS (TPL) and TPL-related (TPR) transcriptional corepressors, SMXL degradation initiates changes in gene expression.

Placental mitochondrial metabolic adaptation maintains cellular energy balance in pregnancy complicated by gestational hypoxia.

The mechanisms that drive placental dysfunction in pregnancies complicated by hypoxia and fetal growth restriction remain poorly understood. Changes to mitochondrial respiration contribute to cellular dysfunction in conditions of hypoxia and have been implicated in the pathoaetiology of pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia. We used bespoke isobaric hypoxic chambers and a combination of functional, molecular and imaging techniques to study cellular metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics in sheep undergoing hypoxic pregnancy.

Global burden and trends of severe periodontitis among women of childbearing age, 1990-2021.

Background: The global burden and trend of severe periodontitis, as well as its association with sociodemographic development, among women of childbearing age (WCBA) have been unclear so far. This study aims to assess the epidemiological pattern of severe periodontitis in WCBA from 1990 to 2021 and provide projections through 2040.

Methods: Data on the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of severe periodontitis among WCBA from 1990 to 2021 were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021.

MHC Class II-Expressing Mucosal Mast Cells Promote Intestinal Mast Cell Hyperplasia in a Mouse Model of Food Allergy.

Background: IgE-mediated food allergy is accompanied by mucosal mast cell (MMC) hyperplasia in the intestinal mucosa. Intestinal MMC numbers correlate with the severity of food allergy symptoms. However, the mechanisms by which MMCs proliferate excessively are poorly understood.

Nanoencapsulated Optical Fiber-Based PEC Microelectrode: Highly Sensitive and Specific Detection of NT-proBNP and Its Implantable Performance.

Microelectrodes offer exceptional sensitivity, rapid response, and versatility, making them ideal for real-time detection and monitoring applications. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors have shown great value in many fields due to their high sensitivity, fast response, and ease of operation. Nevertheless, conventional PEC sensing relies on cumbersome external light sources and bulky electrodes, hindering its miniaturization and implantation, thereby limiting its application in real-time disease monitoring.

Zinc finger protein 169 promotes tumor progress of hepatocellular cancer via up-regulating cyclin-dependent kinase 19.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the most prevalent types of cancer globally. Zinc finger protein 169 (ZNF169) holds significant importance as a transcription factor, yet its precise function in HCC remains to be elucidated. This study aims to examine the clinical importance, biological functions, and molecular pathways associated with ZNF169 in the development of HCC.

Cross-Sectional Comparison of Structural MRI Markers of Impairment in a Diverse Cohort of Older Adults.

Neurodegeneration is presumed to be the pathological process measure most proximal to clinical symptom onset in Alzheimer Disease (AD). Structural MRI is routinely collected in research and clinical trial settings. Several quantitative MRI-based measures of atrophy have been proposed, but their low correspondence with each other has been previously documented.

Retained versus removed copper intrauterine device during pregnancy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are highly effective contraceptives. Despite their effectiveness, pregnancies can occur during IUD use, and the management of such cases, particularly when the pregnancy is desired, remains controversial.

Material And Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate outcomes in women who unintentionally conceived while using IUDs and chose to continue their pregnancies.

Antitumor Research Based on Drug Delivery Carriers: Reversing the Polarization of Tumor-Associated Macrophages.

The development of malignant tumors is a complex process that involves the tumor microenvironment (TME). An immunosuppressive TME presents significant challenges to current cancer therapies, serving as a key mechanism through which tumor cells evade immune detection and play a crucial role in tumor progression and metastasis. This impedes the optimal effectiveness of immunotherapeutic approaches, including cytokines, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cancer vaccines.

A flagella-dependent jumbo phage controls rice seedling rot and steers toward reduced virulence in rice seedlings.

Bacteriophages (phages) are being investigated as potential biocontrol agents for the suppression of bacterial diseases in cultivated crops. Jumbo bacteriophages, which possess genomic DNA larger than 200 kbp, generally have a broader host range than other phages and therefore would be useful as biocontrol agents against a wide range of bacterial strains. Thus, the characterization of novel jumbo phages specific for agricultural pathogens would be of importance for the development of phage biocontrol strategies.

Xylosandrus ambrosia beetles preference of nursery tree species for attacks and colonization under water stress.

The role of flood and drought stress on Xylosandrus ambrosia beetle attacks and colonization in nursery trees with varying levels of water stress tolerance has not yet been studied. This study aimed to examine ambrosia beetle preference for tree species varying in their tolerance to water stress. Container-grown dogwoods, redbuds, and red maples were exposed to flood, drought, or sufficient water treatments for 28 d and beetle attacks were counted every third day.

Ameliorating salt stress in tomato by a top-down approach of acclimatizing the rhizosphere microbiome.

Soil salinization adversely impacts plant and soil health. While amendment with chemicals is not sustainable, the application of bioinoculants suffers from competition with indigenous microbes. Hence, microbiome-based rhizosphere engineering, focussing on acclimatization of rhizosphere microbiome under selection pressure to facilitate plant growth, exhibits promise.

Breaking down silos and echo chambers: Adolescence through an interdisciplinary lens.

Research on adolescence occurs across a variety of disciplines, including education, psychology, sociology, public health, biology, and medicine, among other fields, each with its own definition of the most pressing problems, levels of analysis, and proposed solutions. There is widespread recognition that human development occurs across levels simultaneously from molecular changes to broader cultural systems. Yet it remains challenging to integrate across levels and scholarly disciplines.

Integrated physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal potential mechanisms of potato tuber dormancy release.

Regulating potato tuber dormancy is crucial for crop productivity and food security. We conducted the first comprehensive physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic investigations of two varieties of long and short dormant potato tubers in order to clarify the mechanisms of dormancy release. In the current study, three different dormant stages of UGT (ungerminated tubers), MGT (minimally germinated tubers), and GT (germinated tubers) were obtained by treatment with the germination promoter gibberellin A and the germination inhibitor chlorpropham.

Antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus casei on Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is increasing each year. For example, in 2019 it was directly responsible for an estimated >1 million deaths. Additionally, the development of new drugs is much slower, generating enormous concerns about responses to infection in the future health scenario.