Zebra optimization algorithm incorporating opposition-based learning and dynamic elite-pooling strategies and its applications.

To address the limitations of the Zebra Optimization Algorithm (ZOA), including insufficient late-stage optimization search capability, susceptibility to local optima, slow convergence, and inadequate exploration, this paper proposes an enhanced Zebra Optimization Algorithm integrating opposition-based learning and a dynamic elite-pooling strategy (OP-ZOA: Opposition-Based Learning Dynamic Elite-Pooling Zebra Optimization Algorithm). he proposed search algorithm employs a good point set-elite opposition-based learning mechanism to initialize the population, enhancing diversity and facilitating escape from local optima. Additionally, a real-time information synchronization mechanism is incorporated into the position update process, enabling the exchange of position and state information between the optimal individual (Xbest) and the vigilante agent (Xworse).

Androgen induces 3'UTR shortening of de novo lipogenesis genes by alternative polyadenylation in prostate cancer cells.

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a pervasive mechanism that is emerging as a formidable player in post-transcriptional regulation. The transcriptional landscape can be altered via APA in response to various stimulating factors. Using the PacBio single-molecule long-read sequencing method, we present for the first time the 3'UTR landscape and reveal a global increase of APA events in prostate cancer (PCa) LNCaP cells in response to androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a critical regulator of PCa progression.

Efficient Quantification of Tacrolimus in Rat Plasma With Ultra-High Performance LC-Q-Orbitrap MS: A Precision Pharmacokinetic Analysis Tool.

The narrow therapeutic index of tacrolimus demands precise dose optimization to maintain therapeutic efficacy while minimizing toxicity, underscoring the necessity for reliable analytical techniques to accurately measure drug concentrations in biological matrices. In this study, we developed an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry method for quantifying tacrolimus in plasma. This approach employed an Acquity UPLC BEH C column, leveraging a gradient elution of methanol (A) and water with 0.

GraphGIM: rethinking molecular graph contrastive learning via geometry image modeling.

Background: Learning molecular representations is crucial for accurate drug discovery. Using graphs to represent molecules is a popular solution, and many researchers have used contrastive learning to improve the generalization of molecular graph representations.

Results: In this work, we revisit existing graph-based contrastive methods and find that these methods have limited diversity in the constructed sample pairs, resulting in insufficient performance gains.

Dexmedetomidine improves functional activity of dopaminergic neurons in MPTP-treated mice.

Preservation of functions in dopaminergic neurons is a potential medication strategy for Parkinson's disease (PD) during perioperative periods. An increasing number of studies have shown that Dexmedetomidine (DEX) plays a neuroprotective role in patients with neurological conditions. However, how DEX exerts its effects on dopaminergic neurons in PD remains unclear.

Familial Reclassification Within Order and Proposal of Four Novel Species.

The order consists of three families (, and ), many members of which are important pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. Previous classifications of members within order have relied heavily on 16S rRNA gene sequences, leading to taxonomic ambiguities at the familial level. With the advancement of sequencing technologies, an increasing number of whole-genome sequences have been available, providing an opportunity to revisit the taxonomy of families in .

Distorted Intermediate S (1) State in Xanthophylls Drives Efficient Energy Transfer in Light-Harvesting Complex II.

Understanding energy transfer in photosynthetic light-harvesting systems, especially the role of carotenoids and their structural dynamics, remains challenging. Despite their critical function in light harvesting, the mechanisms by which carotenoids transfer excitation energy to chlorophylls have not been fully understood. This study used temperature-dependent femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy, quantum chemical calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations to investigate ultrafast conformational changes in free xanthophylls and those bound in light-harvesting complex II (LHCII).

Associations between SNAP-25 gene polymorphism, autonomic nervous system activity and recovery of consciousness from propofol anesthesia.

Background: The release of synaptic neurotransmitters and function of pre-synaptic proteins are essential for maintaining nervous system excitation. General anesthesia is a reversible state characterized by the loss of consciousness and reduced responsiveness. This study hypothesized that polymorphisms in one or more genes encoding the three pre-synaptic proteins comprising the SNARE complex affect consciousness and autonomic nerve function during propofol anesthesia.

Tunable Oxygen Vacancies Enable Dynamic Infrared Response for Efficient CO Reduction on Plasmonic BiO.

Photocatalytic CO reduction offers a sustainable route to convert CO into value-added fuels, yet remains limited by poor infrared light utilization. Herein, a nonmetallic plasmonic BiO photocatalyst with tunable oxygen vacancies is reported that enables continuous adjustment of infrared absorption from 700 to 1700 nm. By varying calcination temperature, the carrier concentration and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) response are effectively modulated.

Obtaining a Probability Sample of a Pregnancy Cohort of Births: A Review of the Problem and a Practical Solution.

The Michigan Archive for Research on Child Health (MARCH) study produced a probability sample of Michigan births between 2017 and 2023, with data collection beginning at first prenatal visit and continuing up to age 4. Birth certificate data were used to create a sampling frame of hospitals and associated obstetric clinics, from which a probability-proportional-size sample of 10 hospitals was drawn. Close to 100 pregnancies were then recruited in clinics serving each sampled hospital, yielding a probability sample of 1,021 births.

Astrocyte-derived CCL5-mediated CCR5 neutrophil infiltration drives depression pathogenesis.

Cross-talk between the nervous and immune systems is involved in neurological diseases. However, their potential interplay in depression has yet to be elucidated. Here, using single-cell RNA and neutrophil SMART RNA sequencing, we showed that CCR5 neutrophils were significantly increased in patients with depression and preferentially migrated to the hippocampus in a mouse model of depression.

Self-supported β-GaO nanowires and for stretchable solar-blind UV photodetectors.

Fire rescue robots equipped with solar-blind UV photodetectors can significantly improve operational safety and efficiency in hazardous environments involving high temperatures, explosions, toxic gases, and smoke. However, conventional rigid photodetectors cannot meet the flexibility requirements for seamless integration with robotic systems. This study presents a breakthrough in developing stretchable solar-blind UV photodetectors through an innovative combination of electrospinning and high-temperature phase transformation.

A centipede-inspired robot with passive terrain adaptation: optimized design and performance analysis.

In order to enhance the passability and motion flexibility of a mobile robot operating on unstructured terrain, a centipede style multi-drive module articulated mobile robot has been developed. This robot combines passive deformation wheels with flexible articulation devices, enabling it to passively adapt to complex and variable obstacle terrains. Additionally, the passive deformation wheels have been optimized.

Wasserstein Graph Neural Networks for Graphs With Missing Attributes.

Missing node attributes pose a common problem in real-world graphs, impacting the performance of graph neural networks' representation learning. Existing GNNs often struggle to effectively leverage incomplete attribute information, as they are not specifically designed for graphs with missing attributes. To address this issue, we propose a novel node representation learning framework called Wasserstein Graph Neural Network (WGNN).

Nitrogen Recovery through Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium: Impact of Environmental Factors.

The application of the bacterial dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) process for treating nitrate-rich wastewater offers an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient strategy with significant potential for ammonium nitrogen recovery. This study investigates the impact of carbon sources, C/N ratios, pH, and temperature on the DNRA efficiency of sp. strain LZ-1 (strain LZ-1).

A novel Ti/TiAl laminated composite with excellent shear properties.

In this study, Ti/TiAl laminated composites consisting of Ti layer, α-TiAl interfacial reactive layer, and TiAl layer were successfully prepared by spark plasma sintering using alternately stacking Ti and TiAl powders. The corresponding microstructural evolution and shear strength of the laminated composites were systematically studied. Laminated composites with different intermediate layers (Ti layer, TiAl layer, and TiAl layer) showed different shear fracture behaviors, and the ultimate shear strength of Ti layer, TiAl layer, and TiAl layer reached about 622 MPa, 466 MPa, and 328 MPa, respectively, indicating excellent shear performance.

VirBR counter-silences HppX3 to promote conjugation of blaNDM-IncX3 plasmids.

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamases (NDM), encoded by the blaNDM gene, mediate carbapenem resistance, posing serious threats to public health due to their global presence across diverse hosts and environments. The blaNDM is prominently carried by the IncX3 plasmid, which encodes a Type IV secretion system (T4SS) responsible for plasmid conjugation. This T4SS has been shown to be phenotypically silenced by a plasmid-borne H-NS family protein; however, the underlying mechanisms of both silencing and silencing relief remain unclear.

Flexible Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on β-GaO Nanowire Channel Bridge Structure: Combining High Responsivity and Strain Stability.

Solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors are gaining attention for their high signal-to-noise ratio and strong anti-interference capabilities. With the rising demand for applications in high-strain environments, such as fire rescue robots and smart firefighting suits, a flexible photodetector that maintains stable performance under bending strain is needed. Current devices struggle to balance strain cycle stability and responsivity.

Engineered Probiotics Enable Targeted Gut Delivery of Dual Gasotransmitters for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapy.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains an incurable condition, often accompanied by high rates of anxiety and depression, further diminishing the quality of life of patients. Endogenous gasotransmitters, such as carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), exhibit potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. However, their therapeutic application is limited by challenges in targeted delivery to affected tissues.

A Dual-Function Fe-Doped CoO Nanosheet Array for Efficient OER and HER in an Alkaline Medium.

The electrocatalysts of heteroatom-doped non-precious metal oxide materials are of great significance for efficient and low-cost electrochemical water-splitting systems. Herein, an innovative Fe-doped CoO nanoflake (Fe-CoO/NF) on nickel foam has been developed, which exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity for both hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) and oxygen evolution reactions (OERs). Benefiting from the synergy of the charge redistribution and d-band center shift caused by doping engineering, the as-obtained Fe-CoO/NF shows both excellent HER ( = 196 mV) and OER ( = 290 mV) activities with low Tafel slopes (109 mV dec for HER and 49 mV dec for OER, respectively) and excellent stability.

Impacts of sulfamethoxazole on heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacteria and its response strategies: Insights from physiology to proteomics.

The effects of sulfonamide antibiotics on heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) and the response mechanisms of HN-AD bacteria are not fully understood. This study investigated the physiological changes and proteomic responses of the HN-AD bacteria Pseudomonas stutzeri (P. stutzeri) under varying concentrations of sulfamethoxazole (SMX).

EasyMetagenome: A user-friendly and flexible pipeline for shotgun metagenomic analysis in microbiome research.

Shotgun metagenomics has become a pivotal technology in microbiome research, enabling in-depth analysis of microbial communities at both the high-resolution taxonomic and functional levels. This approach provides valuable insights of microbial diversity, interactions, and their roles in health and disease. However, the complexity of data processing and the need for reproducibility pose significant challenges to researchers.

Indole derivatives ameliorated the methamphetamine-induced depression and anxiety via aryl hydrocarbon receptor along "microbiota-brain" axis.

In addition to the high neurotoxicity, depression, and anxiety are the most prominent characteristics of methamphetamine (Meth) withdrawal. Studies to date on the issue of Meth-associated depression and anxiety are focused on the brain, however, whether peripheral homeostasis, especially the "microbiota-gut" axis participates in these adverse outcomes, remains poorly understood. In the current study, with the fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) assay, the mice received microbiota from Meth withdrawal mice displayed marked depression and anxiety behaviors.

SMALL AND ROUND GRAIN is involved in the brassinosteroid signaling pathway which regulates grain size in rice.

Grain size is a key determinant of 1,000-grain weight, one of three factors determining grain yield. However, the complete regulatory network controlling grain size has not been fully clarified. Here, we identified a rice mutant, named small and round grain (srg) that exhibits semi-dwarf stature and small grain size.

Sophoricoside Inhibited Glioblastoma Cell Progression Through Activated AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK).

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, with a mean survival of less than 2 years. Unique brain structures and the microenvironment, including blood-brain barriers, put great challenges on clinical drug development. Sophoricoside (Sop), an isoflavone glycoside isolated from seeds of Sophora japonica L.