mA and cardiac posttranscriptional regulation: a novel player in heart development and disease.

The growing body of research on cardiac epitranscriptomic factors has underscored their potential biological roles and impact on heart development and disease. While transcriptional and translational regulation of cardiac genes in the developing heart has been extensively studied, the potential roles of posttranscriptional regulation of cardiac mRNAs remain a significant gap in our understanding. In addition, discrepancies between transcriptomes and proteomes in both embryonic and adult hearts are well recognized, further suggesting an emerging regulatory role of the epitranscriptome in cardiac biology.

Regulation of atrial and ventricular cardiomyocyte identity.

Establishment and maintenance of specialized CMs in the heart is critical for the proper cardiac structure and function. Conversely, loss or gain of their identities is associated with various heart diseases such as cardiac arrythmia and cardiomyopathy. CM identity is established during early heart development and continues to be maintained under normal physiological condition, and this is predominantly accomplished by gene regulation.

Cellulase-friendly dual-functional deep eutectic solvents for enhancing reactivity of dissolving pulp to produce cellulose acetate.

High-quality dissolving pulp is essential for cellulose acetate (CA) production. However, the inherent stability of existing dissolving pulp significantly impedes chemical penetration, posing a huge challenge. Here, a novel deep eutectic solvent (DES)-assisted endoglucanase-enriched cellulase (EG) process is developed to enhance the pulp reactivity, facilitating the production of acetate-grade dissolving pulp.

MPEP ameliorates sepsis-associated delirium by modulating hippocampal mGluR5 signaling and pyramidal neuron excitability in mice.

Background: Delirium is a cerebral manifestation commonly seen in sepsis, known as sepsis-associated delirium (SAD), and is thought to be closely related to excitatory nervous system disorders. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is one of the important receptors in the central glutamatergic nervous system, which is widely involved in the regulation of synaptic transmission, synaptic plasticity and excitatory/inhibitory balance. The inhibition of mGluR5 is considered as a potential drug target for reversing excitatory nervous system disorders.

Two Transcriptional Factors Antagonistically Fine-Tune MIR1863a to Balance Resistance and Yield Traits in Rice.

Immune activation usually trades off growth, leading to yield loss. Genes that coordinate resistance and yield are urgently required for crop improvement. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) provide rich candidates for coordinating resistance with yield.

Association between triglyceride-glucose index and activities of daily living disability among middle-aged and older patients with arthritis: longitudinal evidence from CHARLS.

Objective: To investigate the longitudinal association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and activities of daily living (ADL) disability in middle-aged and older adults with arthritis.

Methods: We analyzed data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2015-2018), including 2,695 arthritis patients without baseline ADL disability. The TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2].

Unleashing the potential of lignin with innovative trifunctional binary deep eutectic solvent strategy: Isolation of uncondensed lignin.

Highly efficient conversion of lignin into value-added chemicals and materials is trapped in the inevitable cleavage of β-O-4 linkages and formation of highly condensed structures with deep colors during lignin isolation. Here, we develop a trifunctional choline chloride/glyoxylic acid (ChCl/GA) binary deep eutectic solvent with a π-π conjugate structure and moderate acidity for the fast isolation of light-colored lignin with near proto-structures (exceeding 88% of delignification ratio for 1 hour). The synergetic interaction of GA and ChCl substantially reduced Gibbs free energy of acetal reaction and thoroughly captured reactive intermediates, precisely activating the following key functions: stabilizing β-O-4 linkages, inhibiting condensation reaction, and shielding -OH groups.

Transcriptome and metabolome profiling reveal the chlorogenic acid as a resistance substance for rice against the white-backed planthopper (Horváth).

The white-backed planthopper (WBPH), (Horváth) is a major migratory pest of rice, making research on rice resistance to WBPH essential for rice breeding and pest management. This study compared the resistance of susceptible rice TN1 and resistant rice KL35 to WBPH by analyzing antixenosis, antibiosis, and tolerance. We also conducted transcriptome and metabolome analysis to identify the defensive compounds against the WBPH and regulatory genes in KL35.

Metabolite-Based Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Dynamics Simulations to Preliminarily Verify Treating Diabetic Encephalopathy Effect of Kuwanon G.

Kuwanon G (KWG), a bioactive flavonoid from mulberry, exhibits potential neuroprotective effects against diabetic encephalopathy (DE), yet its metabolic fate and therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study integrated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS), network pharmacology, molecular docking, and dynamics simulations to characterize KWG's metabolic profile and evaluate its anti-DE activity. In vivo and in vitro analyses identified 56 metabolites in rats, predominantly formed via oxidation, dehydrogenation, methylation, and glucuronidation.

Microplastic mediated arsenic toxicity involves differential bioavailability of arsenic and modulated uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Microplastics (MPs) and arsenic (As) commonly co-expose in agricultural systems, posing a significant threat to crop growth. This research investigated the combined effects of polyethylene (PE)/ polylactic acid (PLA) with As on growth characteristics, As accumulation, and microbial communities in two genotypes of rice. The results showed that MPs with As exhibited antagonistic effects at low As concentrations, while co-exposure with high As concentrations showed synergistic toxicity in two genotypes of rice.

Screening ligands interacting with NDUFS3 from Oroxylum indicum extract using bioaffinity ultrafiltration combined with in vitro protein purification.

Oroxylum indicum (O. indicum) is a common traditional Chinese medicine, but its neuroprotective effects in Parkinson's disease (PD) model have not been fully elaborated. Mitochondrial complex I dysfunction is the core pathology of oxidative stress injury in PD, and the mechanism of regulating the activity of its key subunit NADH: Ubiquinone Oxidoreductase Core Subunit S3 (NDUFS3) has not been clarified.

Chitosan composite films with high-content technical alkali lignin.

Technical alkali lignin (TAL) has been widely studied as the regulator in forming materials. When composited with non-thermoplastic polymers, its content was generally below 10 wt%, which is utterly inadequate in dealing with a difficult situation for the large-scale production of TAL. Here, we adjusted the solvent to form a series of high-strength chitosan-based composite films with high-content TAL.

Understanding and enhancing rice resistance to false smut disease.

Flower-infecting fungi have caused many economically important diseases in crop production. The fungal pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens infects developing rice florets, causing false smut disease, which leads to reduced grain yield and quality, as well as contamination with mycotoxins that pose hazards to human health and food security. To ensure rice production, substantial efforts have been made on understanding the interaction between rice and U.

Uncovering the bioactive constituents and their mechanisms of the Forsythiae Fructus against hyperpigmentation using a combined strategy integrating cell-specific extraction, plasma pharmaceutical chemistry and network pharmacology.

Skin hyperpigmentation is a type of difficult-to-treat disease that frequently results from the improper metabolism of facial pigment. The herb Forsythiae Fructus (FF) possesses whitening and freckle-removal properties. Its probable active components and anti-hyperpigmentation mechanism, however, are still unknown.

Lignin: Dissolution, modification, and derived materials.

Global environmental issues and energy dilemmas have made renewable and sustainable technologies become on the cutting edge. Lignin, the most abundant non-petroleum polyhydroxy aromatic macromolecule, has been widely studied to convert to platform chemicals via violent cleavage. This makes good use of lignin, which can effectively remit environmental and energy problems.

Microplastics change the safe production ability of arsenic-stressed rice (Oryza sativa L.) by regulating the antioxidant capacity, arsenic absorption, and distribution in rice.

Microplastics (MPs) and arsenic (As) are pervasive pollutants in agricultural soils, drawing increasing attention due to their combined toxicity. While biodegradable plastics offer a potential alternative to conventional plastics, their interactions with As and subsequent effects on edible crops remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the combined effect of polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics with As on rice growth, As accumulation, and rhizosphere microbial communities in two rice genotypes.

Responses of cotton growth, physiology, and soil properties to polyethylene microplastics in arid areas.

Microplastics (MPs), as a global environmental issue, have unclear impacts on agricultural ecosystems. Cotton, as a major agricultural crop in Xinjiang, requires plastic film covering to ensure its yield. The widespread use of plastic film (commonly made of polyethylene) in cotton cultivation has led to significant concerns about microplastic pollution in cotton fields.

Restoring the Redox and Norepinephrine Homeostasis in Mouse Brains Promotes an Antidepressant Response.

Effective diagnosis and treatment of major depressive disorder remains a major challenge because diagnostic criteria overlap with other conditions and 50% of patients are resistant to conventional treatments. Emerging evidence has indicated that oxidative stress and reduced norepinephrine are key pathological features of depression. Herein, we constructed a smart organic small-molecule fluorescence-based therapeutic system (Cou-NE-HO) for the diagnosis and treatment of depression targeted at restoring redox homeostasis and efficiently upregulating norepinephrine in the brain.

Advancing conductive cellulosic textiles: Structural, optical and thermoelectric enhancements via innovative metallic oxide deposition.

Traditionally known for their insulating properties, cellulosic textiles have faced limitations in the approval of conducting materials. Specifically, this study investigate the impact of annealing time duration on the structural, morphological, and thermoelectric properties of zinc doped copper oxide (Zn doped CuO) nanostructures deposited onto cellulosic fabric using the Thermal Evaporation Method. Various characterization techniques including x- ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermoelectric attributes of samples were analyzed.

Facile fabrication of high-strength whole cotton-based cellulose film and its freshness preservation.

Current studies have shown the potential of cellulose-based films in freshness preservation but are restricted by shrinkage due to the intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the regeneration process. The route that can consume hydroxyl groups is proper for fabricating cellulose-based film with flat appearances, such as the Schiff reaction that was the further crosslinking with polyamines. However, dynamic Schiff reaction undoubtedly releases amine components under acidic or alkaline conditions, as well as the presence of the microorganisms.

OsHARBI1-1 enhances cadmium tolerance in yeast through YAP1 mediated modulation of cell wall integrity genes and catalase genes.

Harbinger transposase-derived 1 proteins (HARBI1s) play important roles in plant growth, development, and response to abiotic stress. OsHARBI1-1 has been identified as a gene encoding HARBI1-1 protein in rice and has been shown to be responsive to Cadmium (Cd) stress. However, the function of OsHARBI1-1 protein under heavy metal stress remains unclear.

Unveiling the role of OsSAP17: Enhancing plant resistance to drought and salt.

With the intensification of climate change coupled with the inadequate agricultural management in certain regions, plants face numerous challenges due to various abiotic stresses. Stress associated proteins (SAPs) are essential functional genes in plants for coping with stress. This research provides a functional analysis of OsSAP17, a protein belonging to the SAP family in rice.

Fabrication of ethylcellulose/technical alkaline lignin composite film with high anticorrosion performance in NaCl, HCl, and KOH solutions.

Technical alkaline lignin (TAL)-based composite films have been developed for anti-corrosion applications, during which one-component solvents, including acetone and ethanol, were employed. The poor solubility of TAL in the abovementioned solvents undoubtedly resulted in inhomogeneous surface micromorphology and the consequent unstable performance. The present study provides a series of ethylcellulose/TAL (EC/TAL) composite films with uniform surface microstructure by using the 1,4-dioxane/water binary solvent.

Cellulose nanocrystals-based Pickering emulsion with enhanced foliar adhesion and pH responsiveness for intelligent delivery of pesticides.

Pickering emulsions stabilized by functionalized natural macromolecules have emerged with promising responsiveness for pesticide encapsulation and release. This study developed Pickering emulsions using amine-modified cellulose nanocrystals (ACNCs) as stabilizers. The resultant O/W ACNCs-Pickering emulsions (ACNCs-Pickering) exhibited long-term storage stability and showed increasing emulsion stability depending on the concentration of ACNCs.