Epigenomic features associated with body temperature stabilize tissues during cold exposure in cold-resistant pigs.

Cold stress in low-temperature environments can trigger changes in gene expression, but epigenomics regulation of temperature stability in vital tissues, including the fat and diencephalon, is still unclear. Here, we explore the cold-induced changes in epigenomic features in the diencephalon and fat tissues of two cold-resistant Chinese pig breeds, Min and Enshi black (ES) pigs, utilizing H3K27ac CUT&Tag, RNA-seq, and selective signature analysis. Our results show significant alterations in H3K27ac modifications in the diencephalon of Min pigs and the fat of ES pigs after cold exposure. Dramatic changes in H3K27ac modifications in Min pigs are primarily associated with genes involved in energy metabolism and hormone regulation, whereas those in ES pigs are primarily associated with immunity-related genes. Moreover, transcription factors PRDM1 and HSF1, which show evidence of selection, are enriched in genomic regions presenting cold-responsive alterations in H3K27ac modification in the Min pig diencephalon and ES pig fat, respectively. Our results indicate the diversity of epigenomic response mechanisms to cold exposure between Min and ES pigs, providing unique epigenetic resources for studies of low-temperature adaptation in large mammals.

Prevalence of subthreshold depression and its related factors in Chinese college students: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students and to explore the related factors. Methods: The research subjects were Chinese college students participating in the "2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR-2022)". Data on respondents' general characteristics, quality of life, perceived pressure, family communication, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and depression status were gathered. To investigate the association between each variable and the risk of subthreshold depression, statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and rank sum tests were conducted. Furthermore, a binary stepwise logistic regression was employed to establish the regression model of the factors related to subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. Results: A prevalence of subthreshold depression of about 39.7 % was found among the 8934 respondents. Logistic regression analysis revealed that respondents who are female, have chronic diseases, are in debt, experience significant impacts from epidemic control policies, have lower self-assessed quality of life, experience challenges in family communication, perceive lower social support, have lower self-efficacy, and feel higher perceived pressure are more likely to develop subthreshold depression compared to the control group. (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students was found to be approximately 40 %. Female college students suffering from chronic diseases, with households in debt, greatly impacted by epidemic control policies, and experiencing high perceived stress, may be at risk for subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. On the other hand, strong family communication, perceived social support, and self-efficacy were identified as potential protective factors. In order to facilitate timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment of subthreshold depression in Chinese college students, it is crucial for the government, local communities, colleges, and families to prioritize the mental health of college students and implement targeted measures accordingly.

Antibody-drug conjugates in gastric cancer: from molecular landscape to clinical strategies.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a crucial component of targeted therapies in gastric cancer, potentially altering traditional treatment paradigms. Many ADCs have entered rigorous clinical trials based on biological theories and preclinical experiments. Modality trials have also been conducted in combination with monoclonal antibody therapies, chemotherapies, immunotherapies, and other treatments to enhance the efficacy of drug coordination effects. However, ADCs exhibit limitations in treating gastric cancer, including resistance triggered by their structure or other factors. Ongoing intensive researches and preclinical experiments are yielding improvements, while enhancements in drug development processes and concomitant diagnostics during the therapeutic period actively boost ADC efficacy. The optimal treatment strategy for gastric cancer patients is continually evolving. This review summarizes the clinical progress of ADCs in treating gastric cancer, analyzes the mechanisms of ADC combination therapies, discusses resistance patterns, and offers a promising outlook for future applications in ADC drug development and companion diagnostics.

Scalable Cathodic H2O2 Electrosynthesis using Cobalt-Coordinated Nanocellulose Electrocatalyst.

Converting hierarchical biomass structure into cutting-edge architecture of electrocatalysts can effectively relieve the extreme dependency of nonrenewable fossil-fuel-resources typically suffering from low cost-effectiveness, scarce supplies, and adverse environmental impacts. A cost-effective cobalt-coordinated nanocellulose (CNF) strategy is reported for realizing a high-performance 2e-ORR electrocatalysts through molecular engineering of hybrid ZIFs-CNF architecture. By a coordination and pyrolysis process, it generates substantial oxygen-capturing active sites within the typically oxygen-insulating cellulose, promoting O2 mass and electron transfer efficiency along the nanostructured Co3O4 anchored with CNF-based biochar. The Co-CNF electrocatalyst exhibits an exceptional H2O2 electrosynthesis efficiency of ≈510.58 mg L-1 cm-2 h-1 with an exceptional superiority over the existing biochar-, or fossil-fuel-derived electrocatalysts. The combination of the electrocatalysts with stainless steel mesh serving as a dual cathode can strongly decompose regular organic pollutants (up to 99.43% removal efficiency by 30 min), showing to be a desirable approach for clean environmental remediation with sustainability, ecological safety, and high-performance.

Differential expression of ADRB1 causes different responses to norepinephrine in adipocytes of Duroc-Landrace-Yorkshire pigs and min pigs.

Research has shown that pigs from different regions exhibit varying responses to cold stimuli. Typically, cold stimuli induce browning of white adipose tissue mediated by adrenaline, promoting non-shivering thermogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying differential response of pig breeds to norepinephrine are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences and molecular mechanisms of the effects of norepinephrine (NE) treatment on adipocytes of Min pigs (a cold-resistant pig breed) and Duroc-Landrace-Yorkshire (DLY) pigs. Real time-qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence were performed following NE treatment on cell cultures of adipocytes originating from Min pigs (n = 3) and DLY pigs (n = 3) to assess the expressions of adipogenesis markers, beige fat markers, and mitochondrial biogenesis markers. The results showed that NE did not affect browning of adipocytes in DLY pigs, whereas promoted browning of adipocytes in Min pigs. Further, the expression of ADRB1 (Adrenoceptor Beta 1, ADRB1) was higher in subcutaneous adipose tissue and adipocytes of Min pigs than those of DLY pigs. Overexpression of ADRB1 in DLY pig adipocytes enhanced sensitivity to NE, exhibiting decreased adipogenesis markers, upregulated beige fat markers, and increased mitochondrial biogenesis. Conversely, adipocytes treated with ADRB1 antagonist in Min pigs resulted in decreased cellular sensitivity to NE. Further studies revealed differential CpG island methylation in ADRB1 promoter region, with lower methylation levels in Min pigs compared to DLY pigs. In conclusion, differential methylation of the ADRB1 promoter region leads to different ADRB1 expression, resulting in varying responsiveness to NE in adipocytes of two pig breeds. Our results provide new insights for further analysis of the differential cold responsiveness in pig breeds from different regions.

Ab Initio Prediction of Two-Dimensional GeSiBi2 Monolayer as Potential Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

The conceptualization and deployment of electrode materials for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries are key concerns for next-generation energy storage systems. In this contribution, the configuration stability of single-layer GeSiBi2 is systematically discussed based on first-principles calculations, and its potential as an anode material is further investigated. It is demonstrated that the phonon spectrum confirms the dynamic stability and the adsorption energy identifies a strong interaction between Na atoms and the substrate material. The electronic bands indicative of inherent metallicity contribute to the enhancement of electronic conductivity after Na adsorption. The multilayer adsorption of Na provides a theoretical capacity of 361.7 mAh/g, which is comparable to that of other representative two-dimensional anode materials. Moreover, the low diffusion barriers of 0.19 and 0.15 eV further guarantee the fast diffusion kinetics. These contributions signal that GeSiBi2 can be a compatible candidate for sodium-ion batteries anodes.

Tracking cognitive trajectories in older survivors of COVID-19 up to 2.5 years post-infection.

Emerging evidence suggests that neurological and other post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 can persist beyond or develop following SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the long-term trajectories of cognitive change after a COVID-19 infection remain unclear. Here we investigated cognitive changes over a period of 2.5 years among 1,245 individuals aged 60 years or older who survived infection with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain in Wuhan, China, and 358 uninfected spouses. We show that the overall incidence of cognitive impairment among older COVID-19 survivors was 19.1% at 2.5 years after infection and hospitalization, evaluated using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-40. Cognitive decline primarily manifested in individuals with severe COVID-19 during the initial year of infection, after which the rate of decline decelerated. Severe COVID-19, cognitive impairment at 6 months and hypertension were associated with long-term cognitive decline. These findings reveal the long-term cognitive trajectory of the disease and underscore the importance of post-infection cognitive care for COVID-19 survivors.

Two new Cortinarius species in subgenus Leprocybe from Southwest China.

Two new Cortinarius species in subgenus Leprocybe, Cortinarius hengduanensis and C. yadingensis, are proposed based on a combination of morphological and molecular evidence. Cortinarius hengduanensis has distinct olive tinged basidiomata, a squamulose pileus, and small, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores, the ITS sequence differs from that of C. flavifolium by at least 28 substitutions and independent positions. Cortinarius yadingensis has a squamulose pileus and subglobose to broadly ellipsoid coarsely verrucose basidiospores, the ITS sequence has at least 11 substitutions and index position deviations from the other members of the Leprocybe section. Both new species were found in mixed forests of southwest China.

Antifungal Activity and Mechanism of Physcion against Sclerotium rolfsii, the Causal Agent of Peanut Southern Blight.

Peanut southern blight, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii, is a widespread and devastating epidemic. Frequently, it is laborious to effectively control by labor-intensive foliar sprays of agrochemicals due to untimely find. In the present study, seed treatment with physcion (PHY) at doses of 0.08, 0.16, and 0.32 g AI kg-1 seed significantly improved the growth and photosynthetic activity of peanuts. Furthermore, PHY seed treatment resulted in an elevated enzymatic activity of key enzymes in peanut roots, including peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, catalase, lipoxygenase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, as well as an increase in callus accumulation and lignin synthesis at the infection site, ultimately enhancing the root activity. This study revealed that PHY seed treatment could promote the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA)/ethylene (ET) in peanut roots, while also decreasing the content of malondialdehyde levels in response to S. rolfsii infection. The results were further confirmed by transcriptome data and metabolomics. These findings suggest that PHY seed treatment activates the plant defense pathways mediated by SA and JA/ET in peanut roots, enhancing the resistance of peanut plants to S. rolfsii. In short, PHY is expected to be developed into a new plant-derived immunostimulant or fungicide to increase the options and means for peanut disease control.

FTO-mediated RNA m6A methylation regulates synovial aggression and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) plays an important role in synovial inflammation and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As the most abundant mRNA modification, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in the development of various diseases; however, its role in RA remains to be defined. In this study, we reported the elevated expression of the m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) in FLS and synovium from RA patients. Functionally, FTO knockdown or treatment with FB23-2, an inhibitor of the mRNA m6A demethylase FTO, inhibited the migration, invasion and inflammatory response of RA FLS, however, FTO-overexpressed RA FLS exhibited increased migration, invasion and inflammatory response. We further demonstrated that FTO promoted ADAMTS15 mRNA stability in an m6A-IGF2BP1 dependent manner. Notably, the severity of arthritis was significantly reduced in CIA mice with FB23-2 administration or CIA rats with intra-articular injection of FTO shRNA. Our results illustrate the contribution of FTO-mediated m6A modification to joint damage and inflammation in RA and suggest that FTO might be a potential therapeutic target in RA.

The association between urinary sodium and the risk of dementia: Evidence from a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sodium intake reduction is crucial for cardiovascular health, however, its lasting impact on dementia remains unclear. METHODS: We included 458,577 UK Biobank participants without dementia at baseline. We estimated 24-h urinary sodium (E24hUNa) using spot urinary parameters and obtained the incidence of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia from multiple sources. RESULTS: The mean E24hUNa was 3.0 g (1st-99th percentile: 1.5 g-5.1 g). Over a mean follow-up of 13.6 years, 7886 (1.7 %) participants developed all-cause dementia, including 3763 (0.8 %) Alzheimer's disease and 1851 (0.4 %) vascular dementia. In the restricted cubic spline model, we identify a potential cutoff of 3.13 g for E24hUNa, below which each 1 g decrease in E24hUNa was associated with 21 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.11-1.34) higher all-cause dementia risk and 35 % (95 % CI 1.11-1.63) higher vascular dementia risk (P-value <0.001 for non-linearity). The hazard ratios were 1.15 (95 % CI, 1.07-1.24) for all-cause dementia and 1.21 (95 % CI 1.04-1.40) for vascular dementia among individuals with E24hUNa below 3.13 g compared to those with E24hUNa higher than 3.13 g. LIMITATIONS: One of the major limitations is the estimation of 24-h urinary sodium with spot urine samples. CONCLUSIONS: An E24hUNa level below 3.13 g, equivalent to 3.37 g daily sodium intake, is associated with increased risks of all-cause and vascular dementia. This exploratory study suggests a potential lower limit below which the risk of dementia increases with a lower sodium level. Future studies are necessary to validate our findings.

Dynamical behaviors and invariant recurrent patterns of Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation with time-periodic forces.

In this study, we perform an extensive numerical study of the one-dimensional Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation under time-periodic forces. We examine the statistics of chaotic solutions and the behaviors from turbulent solutions to steady periodic solutions as the period of the forces increases. When the period is small, global turbulent characteristics associated with local oscillations are found, and the forces are considered not to influence the turbulent dynamics. Long periodic orbits are found to capture the dynamics of the turbulent solutions. On the other hand, if the strength is large enough and the period is large, only regular periodic motions are found and their spatial structures are like viscous shocks.

Knowledge mapping of paediatric fever-a visual analysis based on CiteSpace.

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the research hotspots and frontiers in the field of paediatric fever between 2013 and 2023. Methods: The included articles were visually analysed using CiteSpace 6.1.R6 software. Results: A total of 2,662 Chinese-language articles and 1,456 English-language articles were included in the study. Based on the Chinese literature, research groups were identified represented by Xinmin Li, Jinling Hong and Hongshuang Luo. Based on the English literature, research groups were formed represented by Henriette Moll, Santiago Mintegi and Elizabeth Alpern. Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine was the institution with the largest number of publications in the Chinese literature, and the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention was the institution with the largest number of publications in the English literature. The research on paediatric fever mainly focused on mechanism exploration, green treatment and clinical management. Conclusion: Several relatively stable research groups have been formed. Future studies on the differential diagnosis, rational drug use, standardised management and clinical practice guidelines for paediatric fever are needed.

Balance between carbon gain and loss in warmer environments: impacts on photosynthesis and leaf respiration in four temperate tree species.

The temperature sensitivities of photosynthesis and respiration remain a key uncertainty in predicting how forests will respond to climate warming. We grew seedlings of four temperate tree species, including Betula platyphylla, Fraxinus mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica and Tilia amurensis, at three temperature regimes (ambient, +2 °C, and +4 °C in daytime air temperature). We investigated net photosynthesis (Anet25), maximum rate of RuBP-carboxylation (Vcmax25) and RuBP-regeneration (Jmax25), stomatal conductance (gs25), mesophyll conductance (gm25), and leaf respiration (Rleaf) in dark (Rdark25) and in light (Rlight25) at 25 °C in all species. Additionally, we examined the temperature sensitivities of Anet, Vcmax, Jmax, Rdark and Rlight in F. mandshurica. Our findings showed that the warming-induced decreases in Anet25, Vcmax25 and Jmax25 were more prevalent in the late-successional species T. amurensis. Warming had negative impacts on gs25 in all species. Overall, Anet25 was positively correlated with Vcmax25 and Jmax25 across all growth temperatures. However, a positive correlation between Anet25 and gs25 was observed only under warming conditions, and gs25 was negatively associated with vapor pressure deficit. This implies that the vapor pressure deficit-induced decrease in gs25 was responsible for the decline in Anet25 at higher temperatures. The optimum temperature of Anet in F. mandshurica increased by 0.59 °C per 1.0 °C rise in growth temperature. While +2 °C elevated the thermal optima of Jmax, it did not affect the other temperature sensitivity parameters of Vcmax and Jmax. Rdark25 was not affected by warming in any species, and Rlight25 was stimulated in T. amurensis. The temperature response curves of Rdark and Rlight in F. mandshurica were not altered by warming, implying a lack of thermal acclimation. The ratios of Rdark25 and Rlight25 to Anet25 and Vcmax25 in T. amurensis increased with warming. These results suggest that Anet and Rleaf did not acclimate to warming synchronously in these temperate tree species.

Peripheral Th17/Treg imbalance in Chinese patients with untreated antisynthetase syndrome associated interstitial lung disease.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common and fatal manifestation of antisynthetase syndrome (ASS). The aim of this study was to provide new insight into investigate peripheral blood lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, cytokine levels and their relation to the clinical profile of untreated patients with ASS-ILD. The retrospective study population included thirty patients diagnosed with ASS-ILD and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Baseline clinical and laboratory data were collected for all subjects, including peripheral blood lymphocyte, CD4+ T cell subsets measured by flow cytometry, and serum cytokine levels measured by multiple microsphere flow immunofluorescence. Their correlations with clinical and laboratory findings were analyzed by Pearson's or Spearman's correlation analysis. In addition, the Benjamini-Hochberg method was used for multiple correction to adjust the p-values. Patients with ASS-ILD had lower CD8+ T cells, higher proportion of Th17 cells and Th17/Treg ratio than HCs. Serum cytokine levels (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, IL-8, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ) were higher in patients with ASS-ILD than HCs. Moreover, Th17/Treg ratio was negatively correlated with diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO)%. Our study demonstrated abnormalities of immune disturbances in patients with ASS-ILD, characterized by decreased CD8+ T cells and an increased Th17/Treg ratio, due to an increase in the Th17 cells. These abnormalities may be the immunological mechanism underlying the development of ILD in ASS.

Pioneer Transcription Factors: The First Domino in Zygotic Genome Activation.

Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is a pivotal event in mammalian embryogenesis, marking the transition from maternal to zygotic control of development. During the ZGA process that is characterized by the intricate cascade of gene expression, who tipped the first domino in a meticulously arranged sequence is a subject of paramount interest. Recently, Dux, Obox and Nr5a2 were identified as pioneer transcription factors that reside at the top of transcriptional hierarchy. Through co-option of retrotransposon elements as hubs for transcriptional activation, these pioneer transcription factors rewire the gene regulatory network, thus initiating ZGA. In this review, we provide a snapshot of the mechanisms underlying the functions of these pioneer transcription factors. We propose that ZGA is the starting point where the embryo's own genome begins to influence development trajectory, therefore in-depth dissecting the functions of pioneer transcription factors during ZGA will form a cornerstone of our understanding for early embryonic development, which will pave the way for advancing our grasp of mammalian developmental biology and optimizing in vitro production (IVP) techniques.

Dynamic interfacial electrostatic energy harvesting via a single wire.

Spontaneously occurred electrostatic breakdown releases enormous energy, but harnessing the energy remains a notable challenge due to its irregularity and instantaneity. Here, we propose a revolutionary method that effectively harvests the energy of dynamic interfacial electrostatic breakdown by simply imbedding a conductive wire (diameter, 25 micrometers) beneath dielectric materials to regulate the originally chaotic and distributed electrostatic energy resulted from contact electrification into aggregation, effectively transforming mechanical energy into electricity. A point-charge physical model is proposed to explain the power generation process and output characteristics, guide structural design, and enhance output performance. Furthermore, a quantified triboelectric series including 72 dielectric material pairs is established for materials choice and optimization. In addition, a high voltage of over 10 kilovolts is achieved using polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene terephthalate. This work opens a door for effectively using electrostatic energy, offering promising applications ranging from novel high-voltage power sources, smart clothing, and internet of things.

Kv3.1 Interaction with UBR5 Is Required for Chronic Inflammatory Pain.

Chronic inflammatory pain caused by neuronal hyperactivity is a common and refractory disease. Kv3.1, a member of the Kv3 family of voltage-dependent K+ channels, is a major determinant of the ability of neurons to generate high-frequency action potentials. However, little is known about its role in chronic inflammatory pain. Here, we show that although Kv3.1 mRNA expression was unchanged, Kv3.1 protein expression was decreased in the dorsal spinal horn of mice after plantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), a mouse model of inflammatory pain. Upregulating Kv3.1 expression alleviated CFA-induced mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia, whereas downregulating Kv3.1 induced nociception-like behaviors. Additionally, we found that ubiquitin protein ligase E3 component n-recognin 5 (UBR5), a key factor in the initiation of chronic pain, binds directly to Kv3.1 to drive its ubiquitin degradation. Intrathecal injection of the peptide TP-CH-401, a Kv3.1 ubiquitination motif sequence, rescued the decrease in Kv3.1 expression and Kv currents through competitive binding to UBR5, and consequently attenuated mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized pathway of Kv3.1 abrogation by UBR5 and indicate that Kv3.1 is critically involved in the regulation of nociceptive behavior. Kv3.1 is thus a promising new target for treating inflammatory pain.

Research advances in predicting the expansion of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage based on CT images: an overview.

Hematoma expansion (HE) is an important risk factor for death or poor prognosis in patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH). Accurately predicting the risk of HE in patients with HICH is of great clinical significance for timely intervention and improving patient prognosis. Many imaging signs reported in literatures showed the important clinical value for predicting HE. In recent years, the development of radiomics and artificial intelligence has provided new methods for HE prediction with high accuracy. Therefore, this article reviews the latest research progress in CT imaging, radiomics, and artificial intelligence of HE, in order to help identify high-risk patients for HE in clinical practice.

Optimization of polysaccharide conditions and analysis of antioxidant capacity in the co-culture of Sanghuangporus vaninii and Pleurotus sapidus.

Fungal polysaccharides are commonly utilized in the food industry and biomedical fields as a natural and safe immune modulator. Co-culturing is a valuable method for enhancing the production of secondary metabolites. This study used intracellular polysaccharide (IPS) content as a screening index, co-culturing seven different fungi with Sanghuangporus vaninii. The seed pre-culture liquid culture time was selected through screening, and conditions were assessed using single factor experimentation, a Plackett-Burman (PB) design, and response surface methodology (RSM) optimization. RSM optimization was conducted, leading to the measurement of antioxidant capacity. Results indicated that the co-culture of S. vaninii and Pleurotus sapidus exhibited the most effective outcome. Specifically, pre-culturing S. vaninii and P. sapidus seed cultures for 2 days and 0 days, respectively, followed by co-culturing, significantly increased IPS content compared to single-strain culturing. Further optimization of co-culture conditions revealed that yeast extract concentration, liquid volume, and S. vaninii inoculum ratio notably influenced IPS content in the order of yeast extract concentration > liquid volume > S. vaninii inoculum ratio. Under the optimal conditions, IPS content reached 69.9626 mg/g, a 17.04% increase from pre-optimization co-culture conditions. Antioxidant capacity testing demonstrated that co-cultured IPS exhibited greater scavenging abilities for DPPH and ABTS free radicals compared to single strain cultures. These findings highlight the potential of co-culturing S. vaninii and P. sapidus to enhance IPS content and improve antioxidant capacity, presenting an effective strategy for increasing fungal polysaccharide production.