Allele-Specific Regulation of PAXIP1-AS1 by SMC3/CEBPB at rs112651172 in Psychiatric Disorders Drives Synaptic and Behavioral Dysfunctions in Mice.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BPD) are highly heritable psychiatric disorders with complex genetic and environmental underpinnings. Allele-specific expression (ASE) has emerged as a critical mechanism linking noncoding genetic variants to disease risk through epigenetic and environmental modulation. Here, whole-genome and transcriptome analyses of monozygotic twin pairs discordant for BPD or SCZ are performed, identifying that noncoding genetic variants drive differential ASE patterns of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in affected individuals compared to their unaffected co-twins.

Potential role of gut bacteria in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver cancer is the fourth most deadly cancer, and early detection and timely treatment apparently play a crucial role in it. Intestinal bacteria affect the development of liver cancer through various pathways. In this study, the gut bacteria of liver cancer patients are analysed in detail by using metagenomic sequencing technology, and some of the bacterial species and metabolic pathways that may affect the development of liver cancer have been identified.

A Conserved N-Terminal Di-Arginine Motif Stabilizes Plant DGAT1 and Modulates Lipid Droplet Organization.

Diacylglycerol-O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1, EC 2.3.1.

Spatially-adaptive dose calculation grid and planning method for proton minibeam radiation therapy.

Background: Proton minibeam radiation therapy (pMBRT) poses computational challenges in achieving accurate dose calculations for sub-millimeter minibeams, necessitating fine spatial resolution (e.g., 0.

Resveratrol enhances duck cathelicidin expression in heterophilic granulocytes MAPK-EGR1 signalling pathway.

1. This study investigated whether resveratrol (RES) can regulate the expression of duck cathelicidins (dCATHs) in heterophilic granulocytes (HGs). To address this, HG was isolated from ducks and treated with RES, followed by transcriptome sequencing to explore potential regulatory pathways.

Exploring the relationship between co-abundance of gut microbiota and novel metabolic pathways in different subtypes of irritable bowel syndrome: insights from the American Gut Project.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder with an unclear etiology. Recent studies have underscored the association between alterations in the gut microbiome and the pathogenesis of IBS. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the co-abundance patterns of gut microbiota and metabolic pathways across different IBS subtypes.

Targeting Msx2 as a brake in the fusion fate of osteoclasts and an anabolic therapy in pre-clinical models of osteoporosis.

Highly conserved homeobox genes are closely related to bone formation during embryogenesis, while their role in adult bone resorption remains unclear. In this study, we found that the homeobox gene MSX2 actively participates bone metabolism. Myeloid-specific Msx2 deficiency safeguards bone mass under physiological and pathological conditions.

Blockade of Bruton's tyrosine kinase suppresses B cell activation and antibody secretion in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. The abnormal B cell activation and pathogenic antibodies secretion are important in the pathogenesis of SLE. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) plays vital roles in B cell activation, development and differentiation.

Polysubstance Use and Social Sequelae in Women of Reproductive Age with Recent Marijuana Use.

Polysubstance use (PSU) involving marijuana among women of reproductive age (WRA) is linked to psychosocial harm, yet research on the combined effects of marijuana with stimulants, opioids, tobacco, and binge drinking remains limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of PSU in WRA with past month MJ use and examine the association between PSU status and social sequelae, including getting in trouble with the law, relationship difficulty with others, and lower achievement in job or educational settings, in this group of women. We used data from the United States 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included 11,895 non-institutionalized WRA (18-44 years old) with reported use of MJ in the past month.

Visomitin Attenuates Pathological Bone Loss by Reprogramming Osteoclast Metabolism via the STAT3/LDHB Axis.

A persistently substantial energy demand and metabolic reprogramming endure throughout the entire course of osteoclastogenesis, accompanied by an intensified oxidative stress. Hence, balancing cellular energy metabolism and maintaining redox homeostasis offer potential for coordinating osteoclastogenesis and bone loss in pathological conditions. In the present study, we have discovered Visomitin, a novel antioxidant that specifically targets mitochondria, which efficiently decreases intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, inhibits osteoclastogenesis, and impairs the function of bone resorption.

Chromatin interaction maps of human arterioles reveal mechanisms for the genetic regulation of blood pressure.

Arterioles are small blood vessels located just upstream of capillaries in nearly all tissues. Despite the broad and essential role of arterioles in physiology and disease, current knowledge of the functional genomics of arterioles is largely absent. Here, we report extensive maps of chromatin interactions, single-cell expression, and other molecular features in human arterioles and uncover mechanisms linking human genetic variants to gene expression in vascular cells and the development of hypertension.

Assessing the effects of social media based anti-tobacco campaigns on tobacco use among youth in Virginia: an agent-based simulation approach.

Anti-tobacco campaigns contributed to the great decline of adolescent cigarette smoking in the United States from 2000 to 2022. However, studies on the ways in which campaigns are designed and disseminated on social media to generate optimal impact are limited. We aim to examine the effect of various campaign designs implemented under different structures of social-network influencers on reducing tobacco use among youth in Virginia.

Cognitive-behavioral stress management program alleviates anxiety and depression in parents of adolescent patients with osteosarcoma.

Cognitive-behavioral stress management program (CSMP) can alleviate anxiety and depression, while its effect on parents of adolescent patients with osteosarcoma remains unclear. This study purposes to investigate the influence of CSMP on anxiety and depression in these parents. Totally, 31 parents of adolescent patients with osteosarcoma were enrolled to receive CSMP.

Artificial Intelligence Applications to Personalized Dietary Recommendations: A Systematic Review.

Personalized dietary recommendations are essential for managing chronic conditions such as diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, traditional approaches often fall short in accounting for individual metabolic variability. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated dietary interventions in improving clinical outcomes among adults.

Conditional QTL/QTN mapping for seed width and mining candidate genes based on soybean FW-RIL population.

Soybean seed width (SW) is a pivotal quantitative trait influencing both seed yield and appearance quality, controlled by a complex interplay of multiple genes and environmental factors. This research was undertaken to identify significant genetic loci and candidate genes associated with SW, thereby facilitating the development of molecular markers crucial for advancing soybean breeding programs. In this study, a four-way recombinant inbred line (FW-RIL) population, derived from the cross of (Kenfeng14 × Kenfeng15) × (Heinong48 × Kenfeng19), alongside a diverse germplasm population (GP) comprising 455 soybean cultivars, served as the genetic material.

Lipid storage in green tissues alters redox homeostasis, malate metabolism, phospholipids, and nitrogen partitioning in plants.

In our previous research, we explored the ramifications of accumulating High Lipid levels in the green tissues of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L., HL-Lp), revealing notable changes in gene transcripts associated with mitochondrial oxidative respiration and redox equilibrium. This study provides biochemical evidence of substantially altered redox components and investigates the broader metabolic consequences of lipid accumulation in vegetative tissues.

Physiological role and mechanisms of action for a long noncoding haplotype region.

Direct targeting of noncoding genomic regions harboring common sequence variants associated with human traits through in vivo animal model studies and precise genome editing in human cells is essential for closing the critical gap between genetic discoveries and physiological understanding. However, such investigation has been impractical for many of these variants as they are in haplotypes containing multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning thousands of base pairs and have small effect sizes. We developed an integrated approach to address this challenge, combining an efficient two-step technique to precisely edit large haplotypes in human induced pluripotent stem cells and orthologous region deletion in phenotypically permissive animal models.

A fully flexible joint lattice position and dose optimization method for LATTICE therapy.

Background: Lattice radiotherapy (LATTICE) is a technique of spatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT) that delivers high radiation doses to specific regions (vertices) within a large tumor, forming a spatially modulated "lattice" pattern, while surrounding areas receive lower doses to minimize damage to healthy tissues. In LATTICE, vertices (regions of high dose) are typically placed at regular intervals within tumors, such as simple cubic or hexagonal arrangement, which limits the flexibility needed to adapt to irregular tumor shapes and the proximity of critical organs, potentially leading to unexpected hotspots or under-treatment of tumor regions. Optimizing the placement of vertices in LATTICE is beneficial for precisely targeting high-dose regions within the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to adjacent healthy tissue, but there is still no optimization method available for solving the positions of fully flexible placed vertices.

Matrix metalloproteinase-10 promotes kidney fibrosis by transactivating β-catenin signaling.

Kidney fibrosis is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and serves as a hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The turnover of ECM is controlled by a family of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), endopeptidases that play a crucial role in ECM remodeling and other cellular processes. In this study, we demonstrate that MMP-10 was upregulated in a variety of animal models of kidney fibrosis and human kidney biopsies from CKD patients.

Development and Validation of an Explainable Machine Learning Model for Warning of Hepatitis E Virus-Related Acute Liver Failure.

Background And Aims: Early identification of patients with acute hepatitis E (AHE) who are at high risk of progressing to hepatitis E virus-related acute liver failure (HEV-ALF) is crucial for enabling timely monitoring and intervention. This multicentre retrospective cohort study aimed to develop and validate an interpretable machine learning (ML) model for predicting the risk of HEV-ALF in hospitalised patients with AHE in tertiary care settings.

Methods: The study cohort included patients admitted to seven tertiary medical centers in Jiangsu, China, between 01 January 2018 and 31 December 2024.

Exploring the Comorbidity Mechanism among Functional Diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Predominant Diarrhea, and Functional Dyspepsia through the Gut-brain Axis and the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San Therapy.

Background: Functional Diarrhea (FDr), Irritable Bowel Syndrome with predominant diarrhea (IBS-D), and Functional Dyspepsia (FD) are common functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) with significant impacts on quality of life. While the gut-brain axis and key regulators like 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and butyrate are known to play crucial roles in these conditions, the mechanisms underlying their comorbidities remain unclear. Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San (SLBZS), a traditional herbal formula, is effective in treating FGIDs.

Assessing the effects of minimum floor price laws on tobacco use among youth in the state of Virginia, USA: an agent-based simulation approach.

Background: Preventing youth exposure to cigarette smoking is a public health priority. One of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use is to increase the prices of tobacco products. Minimum floor price laws (MFPLs) are a relatively new but more feasible strategy that sets a price below which the product cannot be sold.

Prediction of Breast Cancer Remission.

Background And Objectives: This study aims to use electronic health records (EHR) and social determinants of health (SDOH) data to predict breast cancer remission. The emphasis is placed on utilizing easily accessible information to improve predictive models, facilitate the early detection of high-risk patients, and facilitate targeted interventions and personalized care strategies.

Methods: This study identifies individuals who are unlikely to respond to standard treatment of breast cancer.

Equal access, unequal outcomes? racial disparities in mortality between black and white women with breast cancer: a 10-year systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study uses systematic review and meta-analysis to address whether the significant disparities in breast cancer (BC) related health outcomes between Black and White women in the U.S. exist for women treated in the equal access Military Health System (MHS).

A genome-wide association study prioritizes VRN1-2 as a candidate gene associated with plant height in soybean.

Plant height is an important architectural trait that affects crop growth, yield, and stress resistance. Tremendous efforts have been dedicated to revealing the genetic basis or regulatory mechanism; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown primarily due to the lack of controlling genes. In this study, we conducted a single-nucleotide resolution genome-wide association study (GWAS) of plant height using a diverse soybean panel collected worldwide with 6.