Probing the extent of importin-α targeting of the TAF8 NLS by eliminating its cationic net-charge.

The nucleus, as the control center of the eukaryotic cell, is a prime target for therapeutic interventions due to its role in regulating genetic material. Importin-α is critical for successful nuclear import as it recognizes and binds to cargo proteins bearing a classical nuclear localization signal (NLS), which facilitates their transport from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. NLS tagging to 'actively' import therapeutics provides the most effective means of maximizing nuclear localization and therapeutic efficacy.

Pectin/arabinoxylan dietary polysaccharide microcapsule encapsulated with Clostridium butyricum for targeted delivery in colitis treatment.

The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, and its dysbiosis is a key factor in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as colitis. This study developed an innovative dual-layer synbiotic microcapsule system for targeted delivery of Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) to treat dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis.

Blockchain-driven innovations of carbon emission management in cement supply chain: Evidence from China.

Carbon emission management (CEM) in the cement supply chain (CSC) is crucial for promoting sustainable construction and addressing climate change. Blockchain technology, as a disruptive tool for environmental data governance across multiple stakeholders, provides a promising pathway to enhance the transparency, traceability, and reliability of carbon emission information. This study systematically evaluates its adaptability to the specific scenarios and CEM needs of different stakeholders in CSC and identifies critical prerequisites for successful implementation, which remain underexplored but essential for effective adoption.

Chemical reprogramming of human blood cells to pluripotent stem cells.

Chemical reprogramming offers a fundamentally innovative approach for generating human chemically induced pluripotent stem (hCiPS) cells using small molecules. Our recent studies showed that this approach was highly efficient in reprogramming human fibroblasts to hCiPS cells. However, generating hCiPS cells from human blood cells, which are the most accessible and convenient source for reprogramming, remains a challenge.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GUANKE Alleviates Intestinal Barrier Damage Caused by Influenza Infection in Mice.

Influenza, a highly transmissible acute respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, is responsible for annual seasonal epidemics and poses a substantial global disease burden. While primarily recognized for its respiratory manifestations, influenza infection exhibits significant extrapulmonary effects, particularly through disrupting gut microbiota composition and compromising intestinal barrier integrity. This study investigates the protective efficacy of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain GUANKE against influenza-associated intestinal pathology in a murine model.

High-precision Electromagnetic Flowmeter with Empty Pipe Detection via Complex Programmable Logic Device-based Waveform Recognition.

Traditional electromagnetic flowmeters are inherently prone to external interference and uneven velocity distribution during measurement, which severely limits their accuracy. In this study, an improved method is proposed, which optimizes the excitation drive waveform, performs multiple filtering and amplification of the electrode input, and uses a Complex Programmable Logic Device to achieve rapid switching between positive and negative induction signals. This enables smooth rectification and, in combination with software filtering techniques, achieves highly precise performance.

Probiotic-induced enrichment of increases gut microbiome wellness index and maps to lower host blood glucose levels.

The gut microbiome is essential for maintaining host health, influencing gut function and metabolic regulation. While probiotics are widely used to manage gut health, evidence of their specific effects in healthy individuals remains limited. Most studies focus on diseased populations, with little attention to early interventions in individuals without major diseases.

The ci-miR-5 regulates the CiCYP18A1 to control moulting process of Chilo infuscatellus: Prospective target for pest control.

The microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the regulation of gene expression, influencing the outcome of many biological processes in insects. The introduction of miRNA into the insect body can lead to pest developmental abnormalities indicating that miRNAs are potential targets for pest control. In this study, we employed small RNA sequencing to characterise and analyse the expression of miRNAs in the sugarcane shoot borer Chilo infuscatellus (Snellen).

ADFound: A Foundation Model for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive and functional decline. Consequently, early diagnosis and accurate prediction of disease progression are of paramount importance and inherently complex, necessitating the integration of multi-modal data. However, most existing methods are task-specific models that lack generalization ability, addressing only one task at a time and failing to simultaneously assess disease diagnosis and progression.

Timescale Matters: Finer Temporal Resolution Influences Driver Contributions to Global Soil Respiration.

Understanding the dynamics of soil respiration (R) and its environmental drivers is crucial for accurately modeling terrestrial carbon fluxes. However, current methodologies often lead to divergent estimates and rely on annual predictions that may overlook critical interactions occurring at seasonal scales. A critical knowledge gap lies in understanding how temporal resolution affects both R predictions and their environmental drivers.

Bifidobacterium adolescentis-derived nicotinic acid improves host skeletal muscle mitochondrial function to ameliorate sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia significantly diminishes quality of life and increases mortality risk in older adults. While the connection between the gut microbiome and muscle health is recognized, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, shotgun metagenomics revealed that Bifidobacterium adolescentis is notably depleted in individuals with sarcopenia, correlating with reduced muscle mass and function.

Hypothyroidism induced by excessive-iodine is associated in humans with altered hsa-miR-199a-5p/HIF-1α axis and thyroglobulin.

The adverse effect of excessive iodine intake has attracted extensive attention. However, the role of excessive iodine on hypothyroidism and detailed mechanism are not exactly known. Studies have shown that miRNAs are crucial to the occurrence and development of hypothyroidism.

Data-Driven Approach for Designing Eco-Friendly Heterocyclic Compounds for the Soil Microbiome.

Soil microbiota plays crucial roles in maintaining the health, productivity, and nutrient cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. The persistence and prevalence of heterocyclic compounds in soil pose significant risks to soil health. However, understanding the links between heterocyclic compounds and microbial responses remains challenging due to the complexity of microbial communities and their various chemical structures.

A rapid chemical reprogramming system to generate human pluripotent stem cells.

Chemical reprogramming enables the generation of human pluripotent stem (hCiPS) cells from somatic cells using small molecules, providing a promising strategy for regenerative medicine. However, the current method is time consuming, and some cell lines from different donors are resistant to chemical induction, limiting the utility of this approach. Here, we developed a fast reprogramming system capable of generating hCiPS cells in as few as 10 days.

Quantitative analysis of β-carotene and unsaturated fatty acids in blended olive oil via Raman spectroscopy combined with model prediction.

Blended vegetable oil is considered to be a valuable product in the market owing to favourable taste and nutritional composition. The quantification of its contents has notable implications for protecting food safety and consumer interests. Thus, a rapid and non-destructive method is needed to analyse the composition of blended oil.

Diet shapes and maintains the personalized native gut microbiomes in mice.

Background: The gut microbiome plays a critical role in human health and disease. Different dietary backgrounds play an important role in the uniqueness and diversity of the gut microbiota in different individuals, which promotes heterogeneity in disease phenotypes and treatment responses. Here, we explored how diet affects the composition and function of the native gut microbiome of model mice, based on the shotgun metagenomic and metabolomic, by analyzing the gut microbiome of C57B/6J mice in different dietary backgrounds.

Construction of flexible MnCoO@FeCoNi-LDH electrode materials with nanoflower-like and hierarchical structure for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor.

In the realm of energy storage, flexible portable supercapacitors have been receiving increasing attention in the last few years. Nonetheless, the process of choosing appropriate flexible materials remains challenging. Herein, we successfully synthesized a flower-like MnCoO@FeCoNi-LDH/CC (MnCo@FCN/CC) hierarchically nanostructured electrode material by anchoring MnCoO (MnCo) on a flexible carbon cloth (CC) substrate first and then loading FeCoNi-LDH nanosheets on MnCoO.

Applicability of soil health assessment dominated by biological indicators in facility agriculture.

The minimum data set (MDS) is widely used for soil health index (SHI) assessment, with the selection of indicators being crucial. However, biological indicators are less frequently used compared to physical and chemical indicators. This study aimed to establish a biologically-centered MDS for assessing soil health in tomato facility agriculture in Ningbo.

Denovo Production of Resveratrol by Engineered Rice Wine Strain HJ08 and Its Application in Rice Wine Brewing.

Resveratrol is a plant-derived polyphenolic compound with numerous biological activities and health-promoting properties. Rice wine is a popular traditional alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice grains, and widely consumed in Asia. To develop resveratrol-enriched rice wine, a heterologous resveratrol biosynthesis pathway was established by integrating the 4-coumaroyl-CoA ligase () and the stilbene synthase () from and at the δ locus sites of industrial rice wine strains HJ.

Cyanobacteria Lectin (MVL) Interacts with SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Receptor Binding Domains (RBDs) via Protein-Protein Interaction.

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) posed a major challenge to healthcare systems worldwide, especially as mutations in the culprit Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) complicated the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs. Therefore, the search for natural products with broad anti-SARS-CoV-2 capabilities is an important option for the prevention and treatment of similar infectious diseases. Lectins, which are widely recognized as antiviral agents, could contribute to the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.

Metabolic and Bioprocess Engineering of for Butyl Butyrate Production on Xylose and Shrimp Shell Waste.

Microbial conversion of agri-food waste to valuable compounds offers a sustainable route to develop the bioeconomy and contribute to sustainable biorefinery. displays a series of native traits suitable for high productivity conversion of agri-food waste, which make it a promising host for the production of various compounds, such as the short-chain fatty acids and their derivative esters products. In this study, a butanol synthetic pathway was constructed in , and then efficient butyl butyrate production through in situ esterification was achieved by the supplementation of lipase into the fermentation.

Arsenic aggravates the progression of diabetic nephropathy through miRNA-mRNA-autophagy axis.

Environmental factors play an important role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN), and previous study has shown that arsenic exposure can promote kidney damage in DN rats, however there is no relevant mechanism study so far. In this study, an arsenic-exposed (10 mg/L and 25 mg/L) DN mouse model was established through drinking water for 14 weeks. The results showed that 25 mg/L arsenic exposure increased the renal fibrosis in DN mice significantly, and urinary mAlb level increased with the increasing of arsenic exposure level.

Composite of CoS nanoparticles decorated CuS hollow cubes with rGO as thin film electrode for high-performance all solid flexible supercapacitors.

Stretchable flexible thin-film electrodes are extensively explored for developing new wearable energy storage devices. However, traditional carbon-based materials used in such independent electrodes have limited practical applications owing to their low energy storage capacity and energy density. To address this, a unique structure and remarkable mechanical stability thin-film flexible positive electrode comprising CoS nanoparticles decorated hollow CuS cubes and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), hereinafter referred to as CCSrGO, is prepared.