Hyperproduction of nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis VIT MS2 using random mutagenesis and statistical optimization through central composite design.

Background: An increase in worldwide death rates attributed to ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction explains the demand to search for new thrombolytic drugs. The current study investigates the therapeutic effect of Nattokinase, a fibrinolytic protein from the mutant strain Bacillus subtilis VITMS 2 isolated from fermented milk of Vigna unguiculata.

Results: The enzyme production was improved using random mutagenesis combined with statistical optimization through composite central design (CCD) with agro-residual substrates.

Structural Mechanism of Insect Cuticular Protein Binding to Chitin Revealed by Solid-State NMR.

The exoskeleton of an insect is a fascinating example of how nature employs organic substances to craft high-performance materials, characterized by their hardness, tensile strength, and lightweight. Dissecting the atomic-level arrangement of these multifunctional organics, primarily proteins and chitin, within insect cuticles will aid in deciphering this enigma. Despite its importance, revealing the mechanism of interaction between cuticular proteins and chitin polysaccharides in heterogeneous systems remains a challenge.

Surface-engineered nanoprobes for multimodal bioimaging: from molecular design to theranostic integration.

Bioimaging technologies are indispensable for deciphering cellular dynamics, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic responses. However, conventional agents are limited by photobleaching, poor tissue penetration, and nonspecific distribution. These shortcomings hinder real-time visualization of deep tissues and complex pathologies.

Polyhydroxy-Decorated 2D Covalent Organic Framework with Imine Active Sites toward Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Experimental and Theoretical Insights.

The development of metal-free electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for next-generation energy technologies, offering cost reduction, improved stability, and independence from scarce noble metals. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their tunable porosity, high surface area, and structural versatility. In this study, we report a hydroxyl-functionalized enamine- and imine-linked two-dimensional (2D) COFs (TFPh_DHPh_COF) as an efficient ORR electrocatalyst in alkaline media.

Genome‑wide identification of the cotton FAR gene family reveals GhFAR3 as a positive regulator of Verticillium dahliae resistance.

Although fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) proteins are known to play essential roles in plant growth and development, their involvement in biotic and abiotic stress responses remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, we performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of 31 FAR genes across four cotton species (Gossypium arboreum, G. raimondii, G.

Intelligent single-cell manipulation: LLMs- and object detection-enhanced active-matrix digital microfluidics.

Single-cell analysis is crucial for deciphering cellular heterogeneity and understanding complex biological systems. However, most existing single-cell sample manipulation (SCSM) systems suffer from various drawbacks such as high cost, low throughput, and heavy reliance on human interventions. Currently, large language models (LLMs) have been used in robotic platforms, but a limited number of studies have reported the application of LLMs in the field of lab-on-a-chip automation.

Floatable Liquid Metal Porous Hydrogel With Hydrogen Production for Flexible Sensor and Energy Harvesting.

Liquid metal (LM) micro/nano droplets, when used as initiators, fillers, and cross-linkers, are desirable for enhancing toughness, self-healing, and sensing properties of LM hydrogels. Despite recent progress in designing multifunctional LM hydrogel, porous LM hydrogel is not widely reported. In this study, porous LM hydrogel is fabricated by sonicating bulk LM into carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) solution (> 2 wt.

An integrated approach for key gene selection and cancer phenotype classification: Improving diagnosis and prediction.

The identification of key features and reliable phenotype classification remains pivotal in cancer research, with direct implications for early diagnosis, prognosis, treatment optimization, and cost reduction in healthcare. This study introduces a hybrid model that integrates statistical and machine learning (ML) algorithms to enhance feature selection and improve classification accuracy for cancer phenotypes. Five well-known statistical tests (LIMMA, SAM, ANOVA, KW-test, and t-test) are employed to identify significant features based on statistical decision markers.

A comprehensive targeted panel of 295 genes: Unveiling key disease initiating and transformative biomarkers in multiple myeloma.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy that progresses from a benign precursor stage known as Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS). Distinguishing MM from MGUS at the molecular level by identifying key biomarkers, genomic alterations, and gene interactions is critical for early detection and deeper insight into MM pathogenesis.

Methods: We have developed an advanced genomics domain-rooted AI-workflow that combines the traditional statistical mutation profiling methods with the proposed BIO-DGI (Bio-Inspired Graph Network Learning-based Gene-Gene Interaction) attention-based deep learning architecture exploiting gene-gene interaction.

Immunocompetent cell targeting by food-additive titanium dioxide.

Food-grade titanium dioxide (fgTiO) is a bio-persistent particle under intense regulatory scrutiny. Yet paradoxically, the only known cell reservoirs for fgTiO are graveyard intestinal pigment cells which are metabolically and immunologically quiescent. Here we identify immunocompetent cell targets of fgTiO in humans, most notably in the subepithelial dome region of intestinal Peyer's patches.

Time-series transcriptomic analysis reveals survival strategies of dominant strains in a domesticated community and their influence on polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesis in co-culture.

Mixed microbial cultures are increasingly employed to enhance the production of value-added metabolites like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). However, the role of interspecies interactions in shaping PHA yield and monomer composition remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of co-culturing two PHA-producing strains, Paracoccus shandongensis wg2 and Brevundimonas diminuta R79, which were enriched from activated sludge, on PHA production and gene expression under different carbon sources.

Rebaudioside D and M, the next-generation sugar substitutes, do not exacerbate metabolic dysfunction in high-fat diet mice.

As concerns about sugar-sweetened beverages are increasing, interest in natural sweeteners with zero calories is also growing. This study explores the health impacts of rebaudioside D and M, emerging sugar substitutes, compared to traditional alternatives and stevioside. In mouse models, we investigated the effects of rebaudioside D and M on obesity, liver health, thermogenic adipocytes, skeletal muscle, and gut microbiota.

Fully bio-based composite and modular metastructures.

The reliance on fossil-derived components in the design of metamaterials and metastructures presents sustainability and environmental challenges, prompting the development of alternative solutions. In response, this study proposes a fully bio-based and modular metastructure composed of rods extracted from the giant bamboo () and plant-based polymeric joints derived from soybean () and castor oil (), aiming to offer a sustainable alternative for load-bearing structural components. The research investigates the design, fabrication, and mechanical performance of a unit trussed cell (50 × 50 × 50 mm) engineered to exhibit auxetic-like chiral rotation and enhanced energy absorption under compressive loading.

Active Biopaste for Coral Reef Restoration.

Preserving coral reefs is crucial for safeguarding marine biodiversity, global ecosystems, and coastal communities. Coral restoration focuses on farming and transplanting corals back onto reefs. However, traditional attachment methods, such as petroleum-based epoxy, pose environmental risks or provide inefficient affixation.

Valence and Site Engineering Enable Efficient Broadband Near-Infrared Emission at 960 nm in Cr-Activated Forsterite.

Near-infrared (NIR) light sources hold great potential for applications in night vision illumination, bio-imaging, and non-destructive testing. However, radiationless de-activation and low absorption restrict the development of high-efficiency blue light excitable NIR phosphors, especially for emissions beyond 900 nm. Herein we report a high-performance Cr-activated forsterite (MgSiO:1.

Data-Driven Printability Modeling of Hydrogels for Precise Direct Ink Writing Based on Rheological Properties.

Hydrogels are gaining significant attention in soft robotics and electronics due to their favorable mechanical properties and sustainability. While hydrogel inks enable three-dimensional (3D) printing as a key fabrication technique, the relationship between their rheological behavior and printability remains insufficiently understood. This study quantitatively examines this correlation through a rheology-printability database of 150 3D-printed hydrogels analyzed via machine learning.

Respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation by chronological month of age and by birth month in infants.

Understanding the distribution of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden by more granular age bands in infants is necessary for optimising infant RSV immunisation strategies. Using a Bayesian model, we synthesised published data from a systematic literature review and unpublished data shared by international collaborators for estimating the distribution of infant RSV hospitalisations by month of age. Based on local RSV seasonality data, we further developed and validated a web-based prediction tool for estimating infant RSV hospitalisation distribution by birth month.

Core-shell microbead-based 3D vascularized glioma tumor model for effective drug testing.

The 3D hydrogel-based tumor model demonstrates significant potential in replicating the physiological characteristics oftumor environments for mechanistic studies and drug testing. However, the challenge persists in accurately mimicking a vascularized microtumor with a compartmentalized structure in a controlled, heterogeneous, and high-throughput manner. This study introduces a vascularized 3D tumor model that incorporates an endothelial cell (EC) barrier, created by encapsulating glioma cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) within the core (6% gelatin) and shell (10% GelMa) of core-shell microbeads, respectively.

Conformational ligand-directed targeting of calcium-dependent receptors in acute trauma.

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of mortality, but injury-specific molecular targets remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that distinctive yet unrecognized tissue targets accessible to circulating ligands might emerge during trauma, thereby underscoring a trauma-related proteome.

Methods: We screened a peptide library to discover targets in a porcine model of major trauma: compound femur fracture with hemorrhagic shock.

Mechanism of reducing rice starch digestibility by quinoa protein amyloid-like fibrils pretreated with magnetic field.

The study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which magnetic field-pretreated quinoa protein amyloid-like fibrils affected the digestive properties of rice starch. Magnetic field pretreatment induced conformational changes in quinoa protein, promoting fibrillation, and quinoa protein formed the most amyloid-like fibrils under a 3 mT magnetic field treatment. The higher amyloid-like fibrils content enhanced both the short-range and long-range ordered structures of rice starch, as evidenced by the increased R value (from 0.

Multimodal and Data-Driven Assessment of Myeloid Neoplasms Refines Classification across Disease States.

Unlabelled: The World Health Organization fifth edition and International Consensus Classification for myeloid neoplasms both incorporate empirical numerical thresholds to morphologic and molecular features defining certain disease entities. However, the clinical implications of these thresholds remain unclear. We analyzed a large cohort (N = 6,976) of patients with myeloid neoplasms to evaluate the impact of proposed yet different numerical thresholds for variant allele frequency of genetic mutations or hematologic parameters set forth by the World Health Organization fifth edition and International Consensus Classification for classification of SF3B1-mutated myelodysplastic neoplasms, NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and oligomonocytic chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

Discovery of BGM1812, a Novel Dual Amylin and Calcitonin Receptor Agonist for Obesity Treatment.

Parallel activation of the calcitonin receptor (CTR) and amylin receptor (AMYR) is considered a more effective weight-loss strategy. Although the novel dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA), petrelintide, is currently undergoing phase II clinical trials, its agonistic activity remains insufficient compared with natural agonists. Further optimization of the agonistic capabilities of petrelintide is an attractive strategy for developing DACRAs.

Application of protein modeling and molecular simulation techniques in the field of food microbial contamination: principles, research status and future prospects.

Food safety problems caused by microbial contamination (biotoxins, foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria, etc.) have always been a hot issue in food research, which seriously threatens people's health. In order to deeply analyze the principle of microbial contamination and ensure food safety from the root, the research on microbial biomolecular interactions with the help of molecular simulation technology has attracted wide attention.

Bio-engineered microRNA-7 effectively interferes with the Akt3/p53 axis to suppress human non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Unfortunately, effective treatment is still lacking. The p53 tumor-suppressor protein is a critical mediator of cellular growth arrest and apoptosis, and is closely related to NSCLC.