Editing a gibberellin receptor gene improves yield and nitrogen fixation in soybean.

Soybean is an important source of oil, protein, and feed. However, its yield is far below that of major cereal crops. The green revolution increased the yield of cereal crops partially through high-density planting of lodging-resistant semi-dwarf varieties, but required more nitrogen fertilizers, posing an environmental threat.

Impact of telomere length on autoimmune thyroid disease in Europeans: insights from Mendelian randomization.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between Telomere Length (TL) and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (AITD) in Europeans using Mendelian Randomization (MR).

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with TL and AITD were obtained from genome-wide association studies. MR analysis was conducted using inverse variance weighted as the primary method.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-Targeting Peptides and Their Applications in Tumor Imaging Probe Construction: Current Advances and Future Perspectives.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a key target for both cancer diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. Assessing EGFR expression before therapy has become routine in clinical practice, yet current methods like biopsy and immunohistochemistry (IHC) have significant limitations, including invasiveness, limited repeatability, and lack of real-time, whole-body data. EGFR-targeted imaging has emerged as a promising alternative.

Effects of a Comprehensive Intervention Program of Static-Dynamic Balance Training Combined with Reminiscence Therapy on the Level of Healthy Aging Among Older Adults in a Rural Community: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Healthy aging levels are generally low among rural older adults, yet the effects of combined static-dynamic balance training and reminiscence therapy on this population remain underexplored. This study evaluated the efficacy of a combined static-dynamic balance training and reminiscence therapy (SDBT-RT) program in promoting healthy aging in rural communities, with emphasis on both immediate and sustained outcomes.

Patients And Methods: A randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled trial with two parallel groups included 64 adults >60 years from rural Huzhou, China, randomized to intervention (n=32) and control (n=32) groups.

Gut Microbiota-Derived Metabolites Orchestrate Metabolic Reprogramming in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Frontiers.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major cardiovascular complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by myocardial structural and functional abnormalities in the absence of overt coronary artery disease or hypertension. A growing body of evidence implicates the gut microbiota and its metabolites as key modulators of systemic metabolic homeostasis, influencing energy metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The gut microbiota emerges as a novel regulator of cardiac remodeling and metabolic reprogramming in DCM through the gut-heart axis.

Comparison of ciprofol and propofol for endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography anesthesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The potential of ciprofol in endoscopic anesthesia is receiving increasing attention. Compared to propofol, ciprofol exhibits stronger sedative effects and requires a lower dosage. This study aimed to compare the safety of ciprofol and propofol in Chinese patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) anesthesia.

Deciphering diabetic neuropathy: immune cell causality revealed.

Objective: This study assessed the causal effects of immune cell phenotypes on diabetic neuropathy (DN) using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods: Datasets of immune cell phenotypes and DN were collected from the European Bioinformatics Institute and FinnGen. Single nucleotide polymorphisms that met the specified criteria were subjected to a stepwise selection based on the hypotheses of association, independence, and exclusivity.

Chronic stress, gut microbiota, and immunity: interconnections and implications for health.

Psychological stress influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and the sympathetic-adrenal -medullary (SAM) axes which directly impact the immune system. Stress not only affects hematopoietic stem cell activity but also increases the circulating levels of inflammatory cells, thereby potentially exacerbating pathogenic conditions. Moreover, stress affects hormone release, inflammation, and autonomic changes, which can modify the composition of the gut microbiota and indirectly alter the immune system.

Multidimensional on-site perception study of stairway spaces in mountain city parks among young and older adult people: a case study of Pipa Mountain Park, Chongqing, China.

Stairway spaces in mountain city parks are crucial for vertical traffic. The multidimensional perceptions of stairway spaces are influenced by visual and auditory environments and behavioural traits. The intrinsic associations between environmental factors and age have been universally confirmed using multimodal data; however, localised studies on the perceptions of different age groups in mountainous environments are lacking.

Potential of ciprofol as an alternative to propofol in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy: a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

Objective: Ciprofol is increasingly being used for sedation and induction of anesthesia in China. However, it remains unclear whether ciprofol is a more appropriate sedative than propofol in gastrointestinal endoscopy, especially in the elderly population. This study aimed to compare the safety of ciprofol with propofol in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy.

L-shaped association between fibrinogen to serum albumin ratio and all-cause mortality among critically ill children: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: While elevated fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) correlates with all-cause mortality in adults, its prognostic value in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between FAR and in-hospital all-cause mortality in critically ill pediatric patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing the PIC database from 2010 to 2018.

Stress-coupled spin state switching in a spin crossover composite modulates current in an organic semiconductor.

The combination of spin-crossover (SCO) complexes with electrically conducting materials offers a promising route for developing stimuli-responsive electronics, yet the mechanism of charge transport modulation remains unexplored. Here, we investigate a bilayer heterostructure comprising silica-coated SCO nanoparticles [Fe(Htrz)(trz)](BF)@SiO within a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix and organic semiconductors (OSCs), where mechanical stress generated by spin-state switching within the PVP:SCO layer modulates the conductance within the OSC layer. Through piezo-resistivity characterization, we reveal a reversible conductance modulation in the OSC layer under hydrostatic pressure, providing a quantitative evaluation of pressure-induced stress sensitivity with the OSC layer.

The emerging role of disulfidptosis in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by Aβ deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation. Clinically, AD manifests as progressive episodic-memory loss that ultimately erodes global cognition and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Despite decades of investigation, the molecular underpinnings of AD remain incompletely understood and no disease-modifying therapies are available.

Solvation Design of an Interfacial Self-Compatible Quasi-Solid Electrolyte for High-Loading Sodium-Based Dual-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-based dual-ion batteries (SDIBs) attract extensive attention in stationary energy storage for their low cost, environmental friendliness, and high working voltage. However, traditional liquid electrolytes for SDIBs undergo solvent co-intercalation and severe oxidation decomposition at high voltage, causing unstable cathode structure and low Coulombic efficiency, especially with high loading (>5 mg cm). Herein, an interfacial self-compatible quasi-solid electrolyte (ACPE) is developed via an additive-induced solvation design strategy.

Stereo-cell: Spatial enhanced-resolution single-cell sequencing with high-density DNA nanoball-patterned arrays.

Single-cell sequencing technologies have advanced our understanding of cellular heterogeneity and biological complexity. However, existing methods face limitations in throughput, capture uniformity, cell size flexibility, and technical extensibility. We present Stereo-cell, a spatial enhanced-resolution single-cell sequencing platform based on high-density DNA nanoball (DNB)-patterned arrays, which enables scalable and unbiased cell capture at a wide input range and supports high-fidelity transcriptome profiling.

Intestinal metabolite TMAO promotes CKD progression by stimulating macrophage M2 polarization through histone H4 lysine 12 lactylation.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression is tightly associated with renal fibrosis, which is regulated by macrophage M2 polarization. The intestinal metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has been reported to promote CKD, yet its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we elucidated a mechanism wherein TMAO excreted through the kidneys alters the pyruvate metabolism of renal tubular epithelial cells, resulting in the production of lactic acid.

Dietary Fatty Acids as Modulators of Sperm Quality - From Molecular Pathways to Nutritional Interventions.

Infertility affects a growing number of families worldwide. Male factors contribute to 20-50% of infertility cases, and their improvement can help reduce the rising infertility rates. Recent studies have increasingly shown that fatty acids (FAs) can modulate sperm quality and significantly impact male fertility.

Nature Nano-Barrier: HPMC/MD-Based Pickering Emulsion to Extend Cherry Tomato Shelf Life.

To improve the postharvest preservation of cherry tomatoes and combat pathogenic, both bacterial and fungal contamination (particularly ), a novel biodegradable coating was developed based on a water-in-water (W/W) Pickering emulsion system. The emulsion was stabilized by (), with maltodextrin (MD) as the dispersed phase and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as the continuous phase. Characterization of emulsions at varying concentrations revealed that the optimized W/W-PL^8 film exhibited superior stability, smooth morphology, and low water vapor permeability (WVP = 220.

Effects of Ursolic Acid on Immune Function and Antioxidative Capacity in Weaned Rabbits.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of ursolic acid (UA) on the growth performance, immune function, intestinal antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory responses of weaned rabbits. A total of 160 Hyla meat rabbits aged 35 days were randomly assigned to four groups. Each treatment group consisted of 8 replicates, with 5 rabbits per replicate.

Intracranial aneurysm location: potential influencing factor in ruptures with internal carotid artery occlusion.

Background And Purpose: Intracranial aneurysms combined with spontaneous internal carotid artery occlusion (ICAO) are a rare and serious vascular disorder. Currently, there is only limited information available on the clinical characteristics of these patients and the risk factors for aneurysm rupture. Our objective is to describe the clinical features of these patients and predict the risk factors for the rupture of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) combined with ICAO.

Effect of a single low-dose esketamine administration during surgical abortion on postoperative sleep disturbance: a randomized controlled trial.

Women with pre-existing sleep disturbance frequently experience postoperative sleep disturbance after surgery. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted to investigate the efficacy of intraoperative adjunctive esketamine administration in the reduction of postoperative sleep disturbance following surgical abortion for women with pre-existing sleep disturbance. 204 women who had sleep disturbance and were scheduled for elective surgical abortion were randomized in a one-to-one allocation ratio to receive either a single intravenous injection of 0.

Calcitonin promotes osteogenic differentiation through CREB-mediated transcriptional upregulation of osteopontin in human periodontal ligament stem cells.

Osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) facilitates the neogenesis of alveolar bone and contribute to the alveolar bone repair. Calcitonin (CT) has been reported to promote osteogenic differentiation in osteoblast, but its effects and mechanism on human PDLSCs remain obscure. In this study, alizarin red staining and western blot were used to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation and the expression level of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated CREB (pCREB), and osteopontin (OPN) in human PDLSCs.

The role of trimethylamine N-oxide in disease pathogenesis and the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite derived from gut microbiota, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, digestive, neurological, and renal disorders. This review explores the complex mechanisms by which TMAO contributes to disease progression, including its role in inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic disorders. The study focused on the potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to regulate TMAO levels and mitigate its adverse effects.

Prevalence, Geometry, and Hemodynamics of Small and Medium-Sized Intracranial Aneurysms With and Without Blebs in the Chinese Han Population.

Background: Blebs are small bulges on the surface of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) that increase rupture risk. Among Chinese individuals, the prevalence, distribution, and clinical, geometric, and local hemodynamic characteristics of small- and medium-sized (<15 mm) blebbed IAs remain unclear.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence, distribution, and associated clinical, geometric, and hemodynamic features of blebs in small- and medium-sized IAs among Chinese patients, and to identify predictors of aneurysm rupture and bleb formation.

Critical role of extracellular loops in differential modulations of TTX-sensitive and TTX-resistant Na channels.

The cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel Na1.5 is resistant to tetrodotoxin (TTXr). Here, we report a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of wild-type human Na1.