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PubMed2026

Single-cell transcriptomics reveals heterogeneous stress responses and Mg2+-mediated survival mechanisms in Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus during freeze-drying and storage.

Maintaining the viability of lactic acid bacteria during dehydration and subsequent storage remains a significant challenge. Here, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to reveal the heterogeneous stress responses of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, identifying seven distinct transcriptional clusters across the liquid culture, freeze-drying, and storage phases. The dominant clusters in the freeze-drying and storage were not completely consistent, showing significant functional differentiation. Genomic stability may be important for survival during freeze-drying and storage, while intracellular energy homeostasis appears important for viability during storage. The magnesium transporter mgtB was highly expressed in clusters tolerant to freeze-drying and storage, suggesting a critical role for Mg2+ homeostasis. Further experimental validation confirmed that Mg2+ treatment significantly bolstered stress resistance, increasing immediate post-freeze-drying survival by over 2-fold (up to 92.90%) and post-storage survival by over 5-fold (up to 5.98%). Proteomic data indicated that Mg2+ supplementation correlated with the maintenance of several biological functions potentially relevant to bacterial survival during freeze-drying and storage, including DNA repair, translation, and central carbon metabolism. These findings provide a map of microbial stress resistance through population heterogeneity and offer a potential strategy that may be adapted for enhancing the stability of other industrial lactic acid bacteria products.

Freeze Drying↗

PubMed2026

Utility of hearing aid use on neurocognitive functions and auditory processing: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Hearing loss not only affects the peripheral auditory system but also leads to changes in central auditory pathways and neurocognitive skills. The use of hearing aids has shown potential benefits in mitigating the adverse effects of hearing loss. Earlier literature showed various studies assessing the impact of hearing aid use on cognitive functions and auditory processing, a comprehensive review of the existing literature is warranted. Existing literature showed heterogeneous outcomes among studies investigated the effect of Hearing aid use in combating the adverse effects of hearing loss on neurocognitive functions and auditory processing. METHOD: Databases including PubMed, SciELO, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Index Copernicus were searched (2005-2025) using English keywords on hearing aid effects on neurocognition and auditory processing in individuals with hearing loss. Studies on effect of hearing aid use on neurocognition and auditory processing were included, while those involving cochlear implant users or other neurological disorders unrelated to hearing loss were excluded. Titles, authors and publication years were examined, and duplicates were removed. RESULTS: Total of 61 research papers were found on specific area and were included in the present review. Findings of these 61 articles have been analysed and are reported in this article. The outcome of the present study showed usefulness of hearing aid use on neurocognitive functions and auditory processing. CONCLUSION: The present literature review emphasized the importance of early rehabilitation through hearing aid use to alleviate the adverse effects of hearing loss on neurocognitive function and auditory processing.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Transcriptomic responses of gill and intestinal tissues in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to bacterial infection following sequential nanoimmersion and hydrogel-based multivalent vaccination.

Bacterial pathogens, including Flavobacterium oreochromis, Aeromonas veronii, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Edwardsiella tarda, represent major infectious threats to Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). A multivalent vaccination strategy integrating cationic nanoemulsion immersion with oral hydrogel boosters was developed to investigate tissue-specific immune responses at the transcriptomic level. Gill tissues were collected following immersion challenge and intestinal tissues following intraperitoneal injection challenge, reflecting the physiologically relevant infection biology of each pathogen and the mechanistic rationale of each delivery platform. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) generated high-quality datasets (mapping rate > 81.64%) with strong concordance to quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) validation (r = 0.83). Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed distinct yet complementary immune signatures between tissues. Gill transcriptomes were enriched in phagosome, focal adhesion, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction (ECM-receptor interaction), and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways, accompanied by increased expression of major histocompatibility complex class I/II (MHC class I/II), mannose receptor, αVβ3 integrin, and calnexin, indicating innate activation, enhanced phagocytic capacity, epithelial barrier reinforcement, and adaptive immune coordination. Intestinal transcriptomes showed predominant enrichment of adaptive immune pathways, including the intestinal immune network for immunoglobulin (Ig) production, Forkhead box O (FoxO) signaling, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, with increased expression of T-cell receptor (TCR), inducible T-cell co-stimulator ligand (ICOS-L), C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), and polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR), reflecting T and B cell coordination, lymphocyte trafficking, and mucosal immunoglobulin transport, alongside innate engagement through phagosome pathway enrichment. Shared upregulation of MHC class II, B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, integrin alpha M (ITGAM), and immunoglobulin-associated components across both tissues suggests coordinated mucosal immune activation through a conserved immune module, warranting direct experimental validation. Collectively, these findings provide transcriptomic evidence that this vaccination strategy elicits an integrated, tissue-specialized immune response, advancing mechanistic understanding of gill and intestinal immunity in vaccine-induced protection of teleost fish.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Biliary Cirrhosis in Myhre Syndrome: The First Case Report of Liver Transplantation and a Review of Reported Hepatic Findings.

Myhre syndrome is a rare autosomal-dominant disorder caused by gain-of-function pathogenic variants in SMAD4 and is now recognized as a progressive multisystem fibrotic disease. Although transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a central role in hepatic fibrogenesis, hepatobiliary involvement in Myhre syndrome has not been systematically evaluated. We report the first case of Myhre syndrome complicated by rapidly progressive biliary cirrhosis requiring liver transplantation in a 15-year-old male with a confirmed SMAD4 p.Ile500Val variant. Following an infectious episode, the patient developed severe cholestasis with imaging and histopathologic findings consistent with fibro-obliterative cholangiopathy, ultimately necessitating living donor liver transplantation. A systematic review of 55 published reports comprising 217 patients with Myhre syndrome revealed that hepatic evaluation was rarely performed and that previously reported liver abnormalities were mild and secondary, most commonly related to right heart dysfunction or metabolic disease, with no prior cases of progressive biliary fibrosis. This case suggests that dysregulated SMAD4-TGF-β signaling may predispose selected organs to fibro-obliterative injury and that infection-driven inflammation may act as a critical trigger for hepatic fibrosis in Myhre syndrome, expanding the recognized spectrum of organ involvement in this disorder.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Shared Medical Appointments for Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Shared medical appointments (SMAs) integrate group-based clinical care with individual medical management and are increasingly used in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) to improve access, engagement, and care coordination. However, their use, outcomes, and implementation in SUD care have not been systematically synthesized. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review registered with PROSPERO (CRD42025639504). MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Cochrane Central were searched from database inception through September 2025. Randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and qualitative studies examining SMAs among adults with SUDs were included. Outcomes of interest included treatment engagement and retention, substance use outcomes, mental health and patient-reported outcomes, and implementation characteristics. Study quality was assessed across quantitative and qualitative designs, and findings were synthesized descriptively. RESULTS: Fourteen studies, representing approximately 578 participants, met inclusion criteria. Twelve studies focused exclusively on opioid use disorder, 1 included both alcohol and opioid use disorders, and 1 did not specify substance type. Treatment retention was reported in 6 studies, with a median 6-month retention of 72.9%. Three studies reported reductions in substance use outcomes, and 2 reported improvements in depression or anxiety. Qualitative studies consistently described high patient satisfaction, peer support, and shared accountability. Implementation studies demonstrated feasibility across diverse outpatient settings, with substantial heterogeneity across study designs and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: SMAs appear feasible and acceptable for addiction care and may support treatment retention and patient experience. Evidence remains heterogeneous and largely observational, highlighting the need for rigorous comparative studies to better define effectiveness and implementation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Weight Loss without Food Intake Suppression through Size-Dependent Retention of Anti-Inflammatory Nanomedicines.

Obesity is a risk factor for high-mortality health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, which makes the advancement of efficacious and safe weight loss therapies a high priority in pharmacology. The causal link between obesity and its comorbid conditions is believed to be a chronic state of inflammation originating within adipose tissue, with macrophages playing central roles, an axis that is not targeted directly by current therapies. Here, we use nanocarriers to deliver an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid receptor agonist to adipose tissue macrophages and report the impact of size on therapeutic effect. Three dextran nanocarriers between 4-30 nm in hydrodynamic diameter released molecular drug cargo at equivalent rates and exhibited similar biological potency in vitro. In vivo in a mouse model of obesity, body weight and body fat were reduced in a size-dependent manner after 2-4 weeks of treatment. Unlike current clinical pharmacotherapies for weight loss, these body composition changes were not associated with changes in food intake. Greater retention of larger dextran nanocarriers in visceral adipose tissue appears to elicit a local change to promote browning by increasing mitochondrial abundance and lipid droplet fragmentation. Further development of this platform may result in a safe and potent modulator of adipose tissue in the state of obesity without direct action on nutrient intake to address malnutrition and lean body mass deficiencies observed with current weight loss pharmacotherapies.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Clinical insights into catathrenia: A real-world analysis from a tertiary sleep center.

INTRODUCTION: Catathrenia is a rare sleep-related breathing disorder marked by groaning during prolonged expiration, often underrecognized or misdiagnosed as obstructive or central sleep apnoea (OSA or CSA) or parasomnia. Understanding its clinical and polysomnographic features is essential for accurate diagnosis and management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study of adult patients diagnosed with catathrenia at Serviço de Medicina do Sono de Coimbra. Diagnosis was established by attended overnight polysomnography (PSG) with synchronised audio-video recording. Demographic data, symptoms, comorbidities, PSG variables, treatment modalities, and outcomes were reviewed. Catathrenia events were defined as deep inhalation followed by prolonged exhalation with monotonous groaning. RESULTS: Ten patients were included. Median age was 46 years (range 27-78), mostly female (70%). Common comorbidities included obesity (n = 4), depression (n = 2), Parkinson's disease (n = 1), and restless legs syndrome (n = 1). Six patients (60%) had concomitant obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Seven patients had excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale > 10). All catathrenia episodes occurred exclusively during REM sleep. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy was the most frequently used treatment and was associated with objective or subjective improvement in most patients. Two patients experienced spontaneous remission. CONCLUSION: Catathrenia remains underdiagnosed and can mimic other sleep disorders. Recognition of its REM-sleep predominance and PSG pattern is essential. Individualised treatment, often involving PAP therapy, may improve symptoms and patient outcomes.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Predicting ACL injury risk in athletes: A systematic review of machine learning-based models.

BACKGROUND: Early ACL injury risk identification in athletes is essential. This systematic review examines machine learning (ML) models for predicting ACL injuries, evaluating their methodological quality, performance, and reliability. METHOD: A comprehensive electronic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore databases, supplemented by Google Scholar for grey literature, covering articles published between January 1, 2015, and August 30, 2025. Eligible studies were appraised using the Prediction Model Study Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) for methodological quality and risk of bias, and the Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) guidelines for quality of evidence. RESULTS: Ten studies were included. PROBAST showed eight studies had moderate risk of bias and two low risk. TRIPOD found only two studies met quality criteria. ML models included logistic regression (n = 5), support vector machines (n = 4), k-nearest neighbor (n = 3), decision trees (n = 3), random forests (n = 5), neural networks (n = 2), linear discriminant analysis (n = 1), and pre-trained CNNs (n = 1). AUC ranged from 0.63 to 0.98. Accuracy (reported in six studies) ranged from 26% to 95%; however, these values should be interpreted with caution due to the absence of confidence intervals, lack of class imbalance handling, and limited external validation across studies. Tree-based ensemble methods such as random forest achieved competitive accuracy (74-86%), while SVM, a non-ensemble classifier, reported accuracy ranging from 71% to 95%; however, the highest values were obtained in studies with notably small sample sizes (n = 12 to n = 39), raising concerns about overfitting and generalizability. CONCLUSION: Current ML algorithms show promise for identifying athletes at high ACL injury risk and detecting relevant risk factors. Although study quality was generally satisfactory, future research should prioritize external validation and model interpretability to support clinical translation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Viral replication through phase separation: Cytosolic and nuclear condensates.

Replication of many RNA and DNA viruses occurs within specialized intracellular hubs organized as membraneless biomolecular condensates (BCs) driven by liquid-liquid phase separation. As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses depend on the host cell machinery to complete their replication cycles and therefore actively remodel the intracellular environment to favor viral genome replication, transcription, and assembly. Cytosolic and nuclear phase-separated replication compartments (RC) provide concentrated and dynamic platforms that promote efficient interactions between viral genomes and viral or host proteins essential for infection. The formation of viral replication BCs is typically facilitated by viral proteins enriched in intrinsically disordered regions and low-complexity domains, which enable multivalent interactions with viral nucleic acids and cellular factors. These interactions are mediated by diverse biophysical forces, including hydrophobic and π interactions, hydrogen bonding, molecular crowding, and osmotic effects. Throughout infection, viral BCs remain highly dynamic, allowing continuous exchange of components and functional maturation of replication hubs. Their properties and activities are further regulated by post-translational modifications of viral and host proteins, such as phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation. In this review, we summarize current evidence supporting liquid-liquid phase separation as a central organizing principle of viral RCs. We focus on representative RNA and DNA viruses that replicate in the cytosol or nucleus, highlighting virus-specific strategies, conserved mechanisms, and the consequences of BC formation for viral replication efficiency, host antiviral responses, and therapeutic intervention.

Phase Separation↗

PubMed2026

The effectiveness of digital health interventions for type 2 diabetes in underserved populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials (1835 participants) evaluated whether digital health interventions (DHIs) improve glycemic control among underserved adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), including racial/ethnic minority, low-income, Medicaid-insured, rural, and low-health-literacy populations. Searches of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to December 20, 2025 identified eligible parallel-group randomized controlled trials reporting change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Random-effects meta-analysis showed that DHIs produced a modest but statistically significant HbA1c reduction versus control (mean difference, -0.37 %age points; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.30; P < .0001; equivalent to -4.0 mmol/mol). Heterogeneity was moderate-to-substantial (I² = 69.9%). Subgroup analyses suggested directionally similar effects by population group and intervention modality, but interpretation was limited by study-level data and the small number of trials. Funnel-plot inspection and Egger's test (P = .31) did not suggest major small-study effects, although power was limited. Overall certainty for HbA1c was moderate. DHIs may support more equitable diabetes care when implemented with cultural tailoring, language access, digital-literacy support, and technology-access safeguards.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Distinct cell morphotypes of Aureobasidium melanogenum ZN exhibit differential functional profiles in promoting maize growth.

Black yeast-like fungi of the genus Aureobasidium exhibit morphological plasticity, but whether distinct cellular states within the same genetic background are associated with different plant growth-promoting functions remains unclear. Here, yeast-like cells (YL), swollen cells (SC), and chlamydospores (CH) of Aureobasidium melanogenum ZN were characterized. YL was associated mainly with siderophore production and laccase activity, SC with extracellular polysaccharide accumulation, and CH with phosphate mobilization and higher ammonia and IAA production. Whole-genome and comparative genomic analyses revealed a shared repertoire related to nutrient acquisition, auxin-associated metabolism, extracellular oxidation, and carbohydrate remodeling, with expansions in nutrient- and cell-surface-related gene families. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed distinct deployment of these capacities, with CH exhibiting broad reprogramming of tryptophan-associated, nitrogen, phosphate, central-carbon, and amino-acid metabolism. In maize, CH at the optimal inoculation concentration of 105 CFU·mL-1 produced the strongest growth promotion, increasing plant height, dry biomass, root length, root surface area, and root volume by 58.6%, 365.1%, 191.0%, 194.3%, and 222.4%, respectively. Consistent with this pronounced growth phenotype, maize root transcriptomics showed coordinated CH-induced responses involving root development, nutrient transport, redox regulation, and root-interface remodeling. Root-zone tracking showed greater short-term stability and persistence of CH. These findings identify cellular state as an important functional dimension of Aureobasidium-plant interactions and provide a basis for developing fungal inoculants with defined beneficial cellular states.

Zea mays↗

PubMed2026

Neuromuscular blocking agents for tracheal intubation of critically ill adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Emergency tracheal intubation in critically ill adults is associated with a high risk of peri-intubation adverse events, making first-attempt success a key safety target. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate whether the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) improves the proportion of first-attempt success and reduces adverse events during emergent intubations outside the operating room. METHODS: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials or nonrandomized studies comparing sedative-hypnotic plus NMBA versus sedative-hypnotic alone in critically ill adults undergoing emergency endotracheal intubation in nonoperative settings. Animal, cadaveric, manikin/simulation, and pediatric studies were excluded. Articles were screened on 21 August 2025, in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Web of Science Core Collection. MAIN RESULTS: Of 4736 screened citations, 13 studies (8 cohort; 5 before-after studies) were included in the quantitative analysis, with 14 072 participants. NMBA use was associated with higher first-attempt success, which ranged from 69 to 92% (pooled odds ratio, 2.72; 95% onfidence interval: 1.42-5.21; low-certainty evidence). Secondary outcomes related to adverse events were rated as very low certainty due to sparse data, inconsistent reporting, and serious imprecision. CONCLUSION: NMBA use during emergency intubation was associated with improved first-attempt success, although the certainty of evidence was low.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Chlorfenapyr-pyrethroid nets for pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors: efficacy, resistance risks, and policy implications.

The Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 aims to reduce malaria incidence and mortality by 90%, yet widespread pyrethroid resistance among major malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa threatens this goal. Thus, the World Health Organization recommends chlorfenapyr-pyrethroid combination nets as a priority intervention where pyrethroid resistance undermines vector control. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the performance, emerging resistance risks, and policy implications of these next-generation insecticide-treated nets. A structured search of literature from 2010 to 2024 across PubMed, Embase, WHO IRIS, and Google Scholar identified 31 eligible studies from 113 records. Evidence shows that chlorfenapyr-pyrethroid nets consistently outperform pyrethroid-only nets against resistant Anopheles populations, demonstrating a 1.8-fold increase in mosquito mortality (95% CI: 1.5-2.1). Community trials report 40-60% reductions in malaria infection incidence and entomological inoculation rates following deployment. However, early signs of chlorfenapyr resistance have emerged in Anopheles gambiae populations in Central Africa (RR: 2.4, p = 0.01), linked to CYP6P4 metabolic overexpression. A significant correlation was also observed between agricultural pesticide use and vector resistance patterns (r = 0.62, p < 0.05). Although chlorfenapyr-pyrethroid nets provide an important short-term tool for managing pyrethroid resistance, their long-term effectiveness depends on integrated resistance management. Rotational deployment with other insecticide classes, strengthened genetic and phenotypic surveillance, and a coordinated 'One Health' approach involving both public health and agriculture are essential to sustain gains and advance progress toward the 2030 malaria targets.

Pyrethrins↗

PubMed2026

Evidence of genome-wide relaxed selection on mildly deleterious mutations in an ancient subterranean catfish.

About one hundred subterranean catfish species have been described, resulting from repeated colonization of cave environments by multiple surface lineages. Most cave-dwelling species are found in the Americas, in particular in South America, but a few species also live in Central and North America. Despite the availability of high-quality genome assemblies for two cave species, the Mexican blind catfish Prietella phreatophila and the Colombian blind catfish Trichomycterus rosablanca, genomic approaches to investigate genetic changes associated with subterranean life or to estimate cave colonization times remain largely unexplored. To fill this gap, we additionally sequenced the genomes of four blind and depigmented subterranean catfishes from Peru (three Trichomycterus and one Astroblepus), as well as the genomes of four close surface relatives. We first extracted a large set of light-related genes, such as phototransduction and crystallin genes, and found contrasting decays of these sequences in different cave species, from 1% of pseudogenes in T. rosablanca to 48% in P. phreatophila. Two independent molecular dating methods gave congruent ages, indicating that these catfishes colonized subterranean habitats at different times, ranging from Early Pliocene to Late Pleistocene, supporting the hypothesis that surface catfishes repeatedly and rapidly adapted to subterranean habitats. The oldest cave species, P. phreatophila, appears to have been thriving in the dark for over 3.5 million years. Moreover, a genome-wide analysis of protein-coding genes suggests weaker purifying selection on mildly deleterious mutations in this cavefish than in other catfish lineages, likely reflecting a long-term small effective population size.

cavefishes↗

PubMed2026

Association between prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene and adverse birth outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) is a ubiquitous chlorinated solvent with documented placental transfer. Despite widespread environmental and occupational exposure, no prior systematic review has synthesized evidence on prenatal PCE exposure and adverse birth outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched from inception to July 13, 2026. Eligible studies reported associations between prenatal PCE exposure (drinking water or inhalation) and adverse birth outcomes. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) criteria. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed using risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with Knapp-Hartung adjustments and Paule-Mandel τ2 estimation. RESULTS: Twenty one studies (1987-2023) met inclusion criteria. Prenatal PCE exposure was associated with spontaneous abortion (8 studies; RR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.00-1.63; I2 = 64.2%). Analyses of stillbirth, central nervous system defects, oral clefts, neural tube defects, preterm birth, low birthweight, and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) yielded positive but statistically non-significant pooled estimates. The certainty of evidence ranged from very low to low across outcomes (GRADE). CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal PCE exposure may be associated with spontaneous abortion, particularly at higher exposure levels, and with SGA. Findings support ongoing regulatory efforts to limit PCE in occupational and environmental settings, particularly for pregnant individuals. Future prospective studies with biological monitoring and confounder-adjusted designs are needed.

Tetrachloroethylene↗

PubMed2026

Integrated physiological and transcriptomic analyses reveal coordinated gill responses to heat stress in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca).

Climate change-driven warming of aquatic environments has made thermal stress an increasingly important factor influencing fish physiological homeostasis. Given their central roles in respiration and osmoregulation, gills are particularly responsive to variations in ambient temperature. Histological examination, physiological measurements, and transcriptome profiling were integrated to investigate the mechanisms associated with heat stress-induced gill injury in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). Histological analysis revealed that exposure to 29 °C directly caused structural damage to the gills of pikeperch. Oxidative status was evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). MDA accumulation was significantly enhanced under heat stress, while antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, POD, and CAT) displayed a transient increase followed by a subsequent decline. Transcriptome profiling showed marked enrichment of the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway after heat stress, suggesting activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in pikeperch gills. With increasing stress duration, the unfolded protein response (UPR) appeared unable to re-establish ER homeostasis, shifting ire1 and atf6 toward a pro-apoptotic state. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis further highlighted hub genes potentially involved in heat stress-induced ER stress and apoptosis. TUNEL staining and western blotting collectively confirmed that heat stress triggered apoptosis in pikeperch gill tissue. Overall, this study provides new insights into the physiological and molecular responses of pikeperch gills to heat stress and enhances our understanding of thermal stress adaptation in cold-water aquaculture species under climate change.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Conserved host-exclusive oligonucleotide motifs enriched in pathogenic genes of human oncogenic viruses.

Comparative viral genomics can reveal sequence-level constraints influencing virus-host interactions. Relative minimal absent words (rMAWs) are short oligonucleotide motifs present in viral genomes but completely absent from the host, potentially reflecting selective pressures related to host adaptation and immune evasion. Using the EAGLE algorithm and the GRCh38 human reference genome, we systematically screened for prevalent rMAWs (prMAWs) across six major human oncogenic viruses: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8/KSHV). highly conserved 11- and 12-bp prMAWs were identified in EBV, HBV, HTLV-1, and HHV-8/KSHV, with sequence prevalences ranging from 91.5% to 97.9%. Conversely, no short prMAWs were detected in HCV or HPV, likely reflecting differences in genome architecture, mutation rates, and long-term host adaptation to the human host. Importantly, the identified host-exclusive motifs exhibited non-random genomic distribution and were preferentially embedded within viral genes central to replication, persistence, immune modulation, and oncogenesis, including EBNA-1 (EBV), HBx (HBV), Tax-associated regions (HTLV-1), and lytic replication genes of HHV-8/KSHV. Notably, all detected prMAWs were enriched in GC nucleotides and exhibited marked CpG over-representation, suggesting sequence constraints associated with epigenetic regulation and viral persistence. Collectively, these highly conserved, host-exclusive signatures offer promising, candidates for sequence-directed approaches in the diagnosis, monitoring, and investigation of virus-associated cancers.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Efficacy of Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy for Nocturnal GERD Symptoms and Associated Sleep Disturbances: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

GOALS: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy in relieving nocturnal reflux symptoms and sleep disturbances. BACKGROUND: Nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is commonly associated with sleep disturbances. The benefits of PPI therapy for GERD-related nocturnal reflux and sleep disturbance remain unclear. STUDY: We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases from inception to March 1, 2026, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with GERD and sleep disturbances that compared any PPI to placebo or an alternative therapy. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients experiencing relief from nighttime heartburn. Secondary outcomes included relief from GERD-related sleep disturbances, changes in subjective sleep quality, work productivity, and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). RESULTS: Five RCTs involving 1495 patients met the inclusion criteria. Three placebo-controlled trials consistently showed that PPI therapy improved nighttime heartburn relief and GERD-related sleep disturbances compared with placebo. Subjective sleep quality and sleep-related daytime functioning also generally improved with PPI therapy. However, the findings were more heterogeneous across trials because of differences in study populations, comparators, and outcome measures. Across the placebo-controlled studies, TEAEs were generally similar between the PPI and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: PPI therapy was associated with improvement in nighttime heartburn and reflux-related sleep disturbances, especially in patients with reflux-driven nocturnal symptoms. The available evidence also suggests potential improvement in subjective sleep quality and sleep-related daytime functioning.

Humans↗