The X-Age Project to construct a Chinese aging clock.

The global surge in the population of people 60 years and older, including that in China, challenges healthcare systems with rising age-related diseases. To address this demographic change, the Aging Biomarker Consortium (ABC) has launched the X-Age Project to develop a comprehensive aging evaluation system tailored to the Chinese population. Our goal is to identify robust biomarkers and construct composite aging clocks that capture biological age, defined as an individual's physiological and molecular state, across diverse Chinese cohorts.

The TEX44-CPT1B axis regulates mitochondrial sheath assembly and fatty acid oxidation in sperm.

Mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) is essential for energy production and cellular homeostasis, yet its role in sperm function has remained unclear. Through whole-exome sequencing (WES) of 800 patients with asthenozoospermia, we identified biallelic Testis-Expressed Protein 44 (TEX44) variants in six individuals, all of whom exhibited defective mitochondrial sheath assembly and impaired sperm motility. Using Tex44 knockout mice, we show that TEX44 interacts with carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1B (CPT1B) to form a mitochondrial glue, anchoring adjacent mitochondria and facilitating the assembly of the sperm-specific mitochondrial sheath.

Molecular drivers of fusion plasmid: mechanistic insights and evolutionary implications.

Plasmid fusion, the recombination of distinct plasmids into a single plasmid, constitutes a critical mechanism shaping bacterial evolution. This process facilitates genetic resource consolidation, enabling bacterial populations to rapidly adapt to selective pressures such as antibiotic exposure. The growing recognition of plasmid fusion as a widespread genomic recombination event necessitates a comprehensive analysis of its prerequisites, molecular mechanisms, and functional consequences.

Pestivirus bovine viral diarrhea virus infection triggers lipophagy through the AMPK-PNPLA2/ATGL signaling pathway to promote viral replication.

Macroautophagy/autophagy facilitates the catabolic process by degrading lipids within lysosomes, thereby maintaining cellular energy homeostasis. However, the precise mechanism by which bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) induces autophagy to reprogram lipid metabolism remains unclear. In this study, we determined that BVDV infection depletes ATP and simultaneously induces the reprogramming of intracellular lipid metabolism.

The mitochondrial hub gene UCHL1 May serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosing diabetic cardiomyopathy: a comprehensive integration of biological pathways.

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by cardiac systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Research on the underlying mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction and the involved genes in patients with DCM is limited.

Objective: We aimed to explore the hub genes and pathways related to mitochondrial dysfunction that affect the progression of DCM.

Comparative genomic analysis of Paraclostridium bifermentans in the intestinal microbiome of Hu sheep.

The emergence of Paraclostridium bifermentans as a human pathogen has garnered increasing attention. However, due to the challenges associated with isolation, there remains a scarcity of relevant clinical isolates and genomic information. Here, we isolated two P.

Genetically programmable wearable devices for precision physiological and molecular monitoring.

Wearable devices have emerged as powerful tools for continuous, real-time health monitoring, enabling the detection of biochemical markers in sweat, tears, saliva, and interstitial fluid. However, existing wearable materials are hindered by limited chemical functionality, static sensing capabilities, and insufficient adaptability to dynamic physiological conditions, which restrict their current impact in precision medicine. Recent advancements have focused on integrating genetic engineering and synthetic biology into wearable platforms, resulting in genetically programmable biointerfaces that enhance specificity, responsiveness, and functional versatility in clinical and personalized healthcare settings.

PIEZO2 is the underlying mediator for precise magnetic stimulation of PVN to improve autism-like behavior in mice.

The precision magnetic stimulation system (pMSS), mediated by superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), can modulate endogenous oxytocin secretion by targeting the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and improve autistic-like behavior in mice. In this study, the underlying mechanisms of this system were explored. Our findings demonstrate that pMSS bi-directionally regulates oxytocin secretion, inhibiting secretion at a low frequency (1 Hz) and promoting secretion at a high frequency (10 Hz).

Identification of compounds targeting porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus nsp3 and evaluation of their antiviral efficacy.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a major threat to global pig farming. Vaccines face challenges like viral recombination and low immunogenicity, highlighting the need for new antivirals. Using molecular docking technology, we screened 200 small molecules interacting with viral nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3) from a bioactive compound library.

A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of human lens epithelium: identification and functional insights into lens stem/progenitor cells.

Background: The existence of stem/progenitor cells in the lens epithelium has been demonstrated, but their identification remains challenging. Accurate identification requires advanced technologies and a comprehensive understanding of lens epithelial cell (LEC) subtypes, presenting a significant challenge in age-related cataract research.

Methods: Eight pairs of human donor lens epithelium samples were collected for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq).

Mechanisms of ribosomopathy and phase separation-related ribosomopathy.

Ribosome is an intracellular ribonucleoprotein particle that serves as the site of protein biosynthesis. Ribosomal dysfunction caused by mutations in genes encoding ribosomal proteins (RPs) and ribosome biogenesis factors (RBFs) can lead to a spectrum of diseases, collectively known as ribosomopathy. Phase separation is a thermodynamic process that produces multiple phases from a homogeneous mixture.

Hepatic micropeptide modulates mitochondrial RNA processing machinery in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Micropeptides, originating from noncanonical translation, represent novel biomolecules with critical roles in tissue homeostasis and cancer development. However, the proteomic landscape and functional mechanisms of micropeptides in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely elusive. By employing a newly devised ultrafiltration tandem mass spectrometry assay, we identified an abundance of micropeptides in clinical HCC samples.

pH-Responsive bimetallic MOF nanoparticles enable triple-synergistic radiosensitization for enhanced radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy (RT) faces hypoxia-induced radioresistance, as oxygen-deficient tumor regions limit reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Current hypoxia-targeting strategies (, prodrugs, nanocarriers) struggle with inefficient delivery, off-target effects, and clinical translation barriers, necessitating advanced oxygenation or hypoxia-specific radiosensitization approaches. Herein, we developed pH-responsive BM-DOX@BSA nanoparticles (NPs) using a solvothermal method.

Lipid-targeted echo-planar spectroscopic imaging technique for in vivo lipid composition measurement.

Purpose: Accurate in vivo assessment of lipid composition with high resolution and full abdominal coverage is essential for understanding lipid metabolism. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a novel lipid-targeted imaging technique, chemical shift-selective adiabatic refocusing spin-echo echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) (Csar-EPSI), for rapid, precise, and reliable lipid composition measurements.

Methods: Csar-EPSI was designed with adiabatic pulses to selectively refocus lipid signals, suppress water, minimize chemical-shift displacement errors, and enable flexible voxel selection.

Forebrain neural progenitors effectively integrate into host brain circuits and improve neural function after ischemic stroke.

Human cortical neural progenitor cell transplantation holds significant potential in cortical stroke treatment by replacing lost cortical neurons and repairing damaged brain circuits. However, commonly utilized human cortical neural progenitors are limited in yield a substantial proportion of diverse cortical neurons and require an extended period to achieve functional maturation and synaptic integration, thereby potentially diminishing the optimal therapeutic benefits of cell transplantation for cortical stroke. Here, we generated forkhead box G1 (FOXG1)-positive forebrain progenitors from human inducible pluripotent stem cells, which can differentiate into diverse and balanced cortical neurons including upper- and deep-layer excitatory and inhibitory neurons, achieving early functional maturation simultaneously in vitro.

Ultrabright ratiometric Raman-guided epilepsy surgery by intraoperatively visualizing proinflammatory microglia.

Resective surgery is an effective approach for long-term seizure control in drug-resistant focal epilepsy when the epileptic focus (EF) can be accurately delineated and removed. However, intraoperative mapping of EF with electrocorticography is laborious, time-consuming, and highly vulnerable to the effects of anesthesia. Here, we demonstrated that activated microglia can be reliable biomarkers for EF localization.

Expression of xylanase XynB is synergistically controlled by two two-component systems in .

Xylan, a major component of hemicellulose, is crucially targeted by xylanases for its breakdown. This study focuses on the free xylanase XynB from to elucidate its expression and regulatory mechanisms. We successfully achieved heterologous expression and purification of recombinant XynB, verifying its enzymatic activity specifically against xylan.

A programmable DNA cleavage nuclease from mesophilic bacteria Clostridium beijerinckii.

Argonaute (Ago) proteins are widespread in all domains of life. Some prokaryotic Argonaute proteins (pAgos) possess endonuclease activity, enabling them to load small nucleic acid guides and cleave complementary nucleic acid targets. However, the diversity of pAgos means that many of their characteristics remain poorly understood.

Reveal the mechanism of brain function with fluorescence microscopy at single-cell resolution: from neural decoding to encoding.

As a key pathway for understanding behavior, cognition, and emotion, neural decoding and encoding provide effective tools to bridge the gap between neural mechanisms and imaging recordings, especially at single-cell resolution. While neural decoding aims to establish an interpretable theory of how complex biological behaviors are represented in neural activities, neural encoding focuses on manipulating behaviors through the stimulation of specific neurons. We thoroughly analyze the application of fluorescence imaging techniques, particularly two-photon fluorescence imaging, in decoding neural activities, showcasing the theoretical analysis and technological advancements from imaging recording to behavioral manipulation.

Advanced oxidation processes for the degradation of tralomethrin: Impacts on zebrafish embryonic development.

Tralomethrin (TRA), a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, has long-term adverse effects on aquatic organisms, highlighting the necessity for effective methods to mitigate its toxicity. This study investigated the degradation efficiency of TRA using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, ozone (O) oxidation, and a combined O/UV process. Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on degradation efficiency, this research not only compares the performance of UV, O, and O/UV processes but also evaluates the detoxification effects of their degradation products using zebrafish embryos.

Research advances in the diagnosis of infectious disease by aptasensor technology.

Infectious diseases remain a major challenge to public health. The accurate and timely detection of pathogens responsible for these diseases is essential for controlling their spread, supporting clinical diagnosis, and enabling the application of appropriate therapies. Traditionally, the antibody-based assay has been the primary method for pathogen detection.

Constructed transferrin receptor-targeted liposome for the delivery of fluvoxamine to improve prognosis in a traumatic brain injury mouse model.

The dysregulation of blood-brain barrier (BBB) activates pathological mechanisms such as neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and glymphatic system dysfunction accelerates toxic waste accumulation after TBI. It is essential to find an effective way to inhibit inflammation and repair BBB and glymphatic system after TBI; however, effective and lasting drug therapy remains challenging because BBB severely prevents drugs from being delivered to central nervous system. Transferrin receptors (TfRs) are mainly expressed on brain capillary endothelial cells.

spatiotemporal mapping of proliferation activity in gliomas via water-exchange dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.

Proliferation activity mapping is crucial for the guidance of first biopsy and treatment evaluation of gliomas due to the highly heterogenous nature of glioma tumor. Here we propose and demonstrate an ease-of-use way of spatiotemporal mapping of proliferation activity by simply tracking transmembrane water dynamics with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Specifically, we demonstrated that proliferation activity can accelerate the transmembrane water transport in glioma cells.

Autoimmune mechanisms and inflammation in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Obesity, characterized by the excessive accumulation of white adipose tissue, is a significant global health burden and a major risk factor for a range of diseases, including malignancies and metabolic disorders. Individuals with high visceral fat content are particularly susceptible to severe complications such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and liver disorders. However, the pathogenesis of obesity-related metabolic diseases extends beyond simple adiposity.

Roles of Immunity and Endogenous Retroelements in the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Treatment Strategies.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints. RA usually results in synovial hyperplasia, expansion of "pannus" and destruction of cartilage. The etiology and pathogenesis of RA are not fully understood, but immunity has been shown to play an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases such as RA.