From human to superhuman: the impact of the microbiome on physiology.

The complex microbial community residing in the human gut has long been understood to regulate gastrointestinal physiology and to participate in digestive diseases, but its extraintestinal actions and influences are increasingly recognized. This article discusses bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiome and athletic performance, metabolism, longevity and the ability of the gut-brain axis to influence cognitive function and mental health.

Modulation of Molecular Quadrupole Moments by Phenyl Side-Chain Fluorination for High-Voltage and High-Performance Organic Solar Cells.

The ground-state charge generation (GSCG) in photoactive layers determines whether the photogenerated carriers occupy the deep trap energy levels, which, in turn, affects the device performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this work, charge-quadrupole electrostatic interactions are modulated to achieve GSCG through a molecular strategy of introducing different numbers of F atom substitutions on the BTA3 side chain. The results show that 8F substitution (BTA3-8F) and 16F substitution (BTA3-16F) lead to different patterns of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level changes.

Distribution and role of peripheral arterial chemoreceptors in cardio-respiratory control of the south american rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus).

Peripheral arterial chemoreceptors monitor the levels of arterial blood gases and adjust ventilation and perfusion to meet metabolic demands. These chemoreceptors are present in all vertebrates studied to date but have not been described fully in reptiles other than turtles. The goals of this study were to 1) identify functional chemosensory areas in the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus) 2) determine the neurochemical content of putative chemosensory cells in these areas and 3) determine the role each area plays in ventilatory and cardiovascular control.

Hijacking of plasminogen by dengue virus: The kringle-4 and -5 domains of plasminogen binds synergistically to the domain I of envelope protein.

Dengue fever is a serious health issue, particularly in tropical countries like Singapore. We have previously found that dengue virus (DENV) recruits human plasmin in blood meal to enhance the permeability of the mosquito midgut for infection. Here, using biolayer interferometry, we found that neither kringle-4 nor kringle-5 plasmin domains alone binds well to dengue virus.

AFFIPred: AlphaFold2 structure-based Functional Impact Prediction of missense variations.

Protein structure holds immense potential for pathogenicity prediction, albeit structure-based predictors are limited compared to the sequence-based counterparts due to the "structure knowledge gap" between large number of available protein sequences and relatively limited number of structures. Leveraging the highly accurate protein structures predicted by AlphaFold2 (AF2), we introduce AFFIPred, an ensemble machine learning classifier that combines sequence and AF2-based structural characteristics to predict missense variant pathogenicity. Based on the assessments on unseen datasets, AFFIPred reached a comparable level of performance with the state-of-the-art predictors such as AlphaMissense.

The wheat NLR pair RXL/Pm5e confers resistance to powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew poses a significant threat to global wheat production and most cloned and deployed resistance genes for wheat breeding encode nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptors. Although two genetically linked NLRs function together as an NLR pair have been reported in other species, this phenomenon has been relatively less studied in wheat. Here, we demonstrate that two tightly linked NLR genes, RXL and Pm5e, arranged in a head-to-head orientation, function together as an NLR pair to mediate powdery mildew resistance in wheat.

Transcriptome Concordance Between Borderline Tumors and Endometrioid Carcinoma: An Integrative Genomic Analysis.

Background: Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) differ from ovarian carcinomas in their clinical presentation and behavior, yet their molecular characteristics remain poorly understood. This study aims to address this gap by integrating whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare BOTs with high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), endometrioid carcinoma (EC), and clear-cell carcinoma (CCC).

Objective: To elucidate the molecular features of BOTs and evaluate their similarities and differences in comparison to HGSC, EC, and CCC.

Amplifying Women's Voices in Menopause Research: The Importance of Inclusive Perspectives.

Menopause, a significant life transition for half the global population, intersects biological, cultural and social dimensions. Despite its universal occurrence, menopause research has historically been dominated by biomedical perspectives, often neglecting women's voices and diverse experiences. This article highlights the importance of including women's perspectives in menopause research to ensure relevance, accuracy and equity.

Nuclear Condensates of WW Domain-Containing Adaptor With Coiled-Coil Regulate Mitophagy via Alternative Splicing.

Biomolecular condensates segregate nuclei into discrete regions, facilitating the execution of distinct biological functions. Here, it is identified that the WW domain containing adaptor with coiled-coil (WAC) is localized to nuclear speckles via its WW domain and plays a pivotal role in regulating alternative splicing through the formation of biomolecular condensates via its C-terminal coiled-coil (CC) domain. WAC acts as a scaffold protein and facilitates the integration of RNA-binding motif 12 (RBM12) into nuclear speckles, where RBM12 potentially interacts with the spliceosomal U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP).

"Popping the Ion-Basket": Enhancing Thermoelectric Performance of Conjugated Polymers by Blending with Latently Dissociable Perovskite Quantum Dots.

A novel additive method to boost the Seebeck coefficient of doped conjugated polymers without a significant loss in electrical conductivity is demonstrated. Perovskite (CsPbBr) quantum dots (QDs) passivated by ligands with long alkyl chains are mixed with a conjugated polymer in a solution phase to form polymer-QD blend films. Solution sequential doping of the blend film with AuCl solution not only doped the conjugated polymer but also decomposed the QDs, resulting in a doped conjugated polymer film embedded with separated ions dissociated from the QDs.

Antibodies and Inflammation: Fecal Biomarkers of Gut Health in Domestic Ruminants.

Gastrointestinal infections present major challenges to ruminant livestock systems, and gut health is a key constraint on fitness, welfare, and productivity. Fecal biomarkers present opportunities to monitor animal health without using invasive methods, and with greater resolution compared to observational metrics. Here we developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for three potential fecal biomarkers of gut health in domestic ruminants: two immunological (total immunoglobulin [Ig]A and total IgG) and one inflammatory (lactoferrin).

A Clinical Drug as the Three-Photon Fluorescence Probe for In Vivo Microscopic Imaging of Mouse Kidney.

Three-photon fluorescence (3PF) microscopy encounters significant challenges in biological research and clinical applications, primarily due to the limited availability of high-performance probes. We took a shortcut by exploring the excellent 3PF property of berberine hydrochloride (BH), a clinically utilized drug derived from the traditional Chinese medicine, Coptis. Capitalizing on its renal metabolism characteristics, we employed BH for in vivo 3PF microscopic imaging of the mouse kidney.

Disentangling Effects of Vegetation Structure and Physiology on Land-Atmosphere Coupling.

Terrestrial vegetation is a key component of the Earth system, regulating the exchange of carbon, water, and energy between land and atmosphere. Vegetation affects soil moisture dynamics by absorbing and transpiring soil water, thus modulating land-atmosphere interactions. Moreover, changes in vegetation structure (e.

Gut Microbiota Metabolites Sensed by Host GPR41/43 Protect Against Hypertension.

Background: Fermentation of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota leads to the production of metabolites called short-chain fatty acids, which lower blood pressure and exert cardioprotective effects. Short-chain fatty acids activate host signaling responses via the functionally redundant receptors GPR41 and GPR43, which are highly expressed by immune cells. Whether and how these receptors protect against hypertension or mediate the cardioprotective effects of dietary fiber remains unknown.

WDR74-Mediated Ribosome Biogenesis and Proteome Dynamics During Mouse Preimplantation Development.

Preimplantation embryonic development is orchestrated by dynamic changes in the proteome and transcriptome, regulated by mechanisms such as maternal-to-zygotic transition. Here, we employed label-free quantitative proteomics to comprehensively analyze proteome dynamics from germinal vesicle oocytes to blastocysts in mouse embryos. We identified 3490 proteins, including 715 consistently detected across all stages, revealing stage-specific changes in proteins associated with translation, protein modification, and mitochondrial metabolism.

CAMKIIδ Reinforces Lipid Metabolism and Promotes the Development of B Cell Lymphoma.

The most prevalent types of lymphomas are B cell lymphomas (BCL). Newer therapies for BCL have improved the prognosis for many patients. However, approximately 30% with aggressive BCL either remain refractory or ultimately relapse.

Innovative Infrared Spectroscopic Technologies for the Prediction of Deoxynivalenol in Wheat.

Mycotoxin contamination in cereals is a global food safety concern. One of the most common mycotoxins in grains is deoxynivalenol (DON), a secondary metabolite produced by the fungi and . Exposure to DON can lead to adverse health effects in both humans and animals including vomiting, dizziness, and fever.

Detection of clinically relevant variants in the gene below 10% allelic frequency: A multicenter study by ERIC, the European Research Initiative on CLL.

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the reliability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect variants ≤10% allelic frequency (low-VAF) is debated. We tested the ability to detect 23 such variants in 41 different laboratories using their NGS method of choice. The sensitivity was 85.

Transcriptional engineering for value enhancement of oilseed crops: a forward perspective.

Plant-derived oils provide 20%-35% of dietary calories and are a primary source of essential omega-6 (linoleic) and omega-3 (α-linolenic) fatty acids. While traditional breeding has significantly increased yields in key oilseed crops like soybean, sunflower, canola, peanut, and cottonseed, overall gains have plateaued over the past few decades. Oilseed crops also experience substantial yield losses in both prime and marginal agricultural areas due to biotic and abiotic stresses and shifting agro-climates.

Multi-dimensional bio mass cytometry: simultaneous analysis of cytoplasmic proteins and metabolites on single cells.

Single-cell multi-dimensional analysis enables more profound biological insight, providing a comprehensive understanding of cell physiological processes. Due to limited cellular contents, the lack of protein and metabolite amplification ability, and the complex cytoplasmic environment, the simultaneous analysis of intracellular proteins and metabolites remains challenging. Herein, we proposed a multi-dimensional bio mass cytometry platform characterized by protein signal conversion and amplification through an orthogonal exogenous enzymatic reaction.

Confronting allergies: strategies for combating pollution and safeguarding our health.

Increasing evidence demonstrates a robust link between environmental pollutants and allergic reactions, with air and indoor pollution exacerbating respiratory allergies and climate change intensifying seasonal allergies. Comprehensive action, including government regulations, public awareness, and individual efforts, is essential to mitigate pollution's impact on allergies and safeguard public health and ecological balance. Recent findings indicate a strong correlation between environmental pollutants and allergic reactions, with air pollution from vehicular emissions and industrial activities exacerbating respiratory allergies like asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Pandemic one health clones of and producing CTX-M-14, CTX-M-27, CTX-M-55 and CTX-M-65 ESβLs among companion animals in northern Ecuador.

From a One Health perspective, dogs and cats have begun to be recognized as important reservoirs for clinically significant multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and genomic features of ESβL producing Enterobacterales isolated from dogs, in the province of Imbabura, Ecuador. We identified four isolates expressing ESβLs from healthy and diseased animals.

Cell-Based Meat Safety and Regulatory Approaches: A Comprehensive Review.

Cell-based meat (CBM) technology is a highly promising alternative to traditional animal agriculture, with considerable advantages in terms of sustainability, animal welfare, and food security. Nonetheless, CBM's successful commercialization is dependent on efficiently dealing with several critical concerns, including ensuring biological, chemical, and nutritional safety as well as navigating the global regulatory framework. To ensure CBM's biological safety, detecting and mitigating any potential hazards introduced during the manufacturing process is crucial.

Predicting the location of coordinated metal ion-ligand binding sites using geometry-aware graph neural networks.

More than 50 % of proteins bind to metal ions. Interactions between metal ions and proteins, especially coordinated interactions, are essential for biological functions, such as maintaining protein structure and signal transport. Physiological metal-ion binding prediction is pivotal for both elucidating the biological functions of proteins and for the design of new drugs.

Microfluidic organ-on-chip systems for periodontal research: advances and future directions.

Advances in tissue engineering and microfluidic technologies have enabled the development of sophisticated models known as organ-on-a-chip (OoC) or microphysiological systems. These systems enable to potential to simulate the dynamic interactions between host tissues and their microenvironment including microbes, biomaterials, mechanical forces, pharmaceutical, and consumer-care products. These fluidic technologies are increasingly being utilized to investigate host-microbe and host-material interactions in oral health and disease.