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Transcriptomic insights into temperature regulation of proliferation and differentiation in skeletal muscle cells of Nibea albiflora.

Myogenesis involves sequential stages of muscle satellite cell activation, myoblast proliferation, differentiation, and fusion into multinucleated myotubes. Teleost muscle exhibits indeterminate growth and is highly sensitive to environmental temperature, yet the underlying mechanisms by which temperature regulate proliferation and differentiation remain poorly understood. In this study, we established a primary skeletal muscle cell culture from the yellow drum (Nibea albiflora), an economically important marine fish, and integrated morphological observations with comparative transcriptomics analysis to characterize cellular and molecular responses at 28 °C and 20 °C during both proliferation and differentiation stages. Phenotypic analysis revealed that 28 °C significantly enhanced both myoblast proliferation and myogenic differentiation ability compared with 20 °C. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that at 28 °C, differentiation upregulated extracellular matrix(ECM) organization, calcium signaling, and sarcomere assembly, while proliferation enhanced focal adhesion, growth factor signaling, and lipid metabolism. At 20 °C, differentiation was characterized by glutathione metabolism, and ferroptosis, while proliferation involved cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and negative regulation of signal transduction. Core myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), particularly myogenin, were strongly upregulated at 28 °C during the differentiation stage, serving as an internal control. Based on these findings, we propose a testable model that elevated temperature coordinates Ca2+-dependent MRF activation with ECM-integrin signaling to drive sarcomere assembly and muscle growth. Key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) regulating myogenesis in N. albiflora were also identified. This study provides a mechanistic framework for temperature adaptation in teleost skeletal muscle and identifies candidate genes for functional validation and marker-assisted selection, as well as a rationale for temperature management strategies to improve aquaculture yield of N. albiflora.

Animals

Identification of aquaporin (AQP) genes in the noble scallop Chlamys nobilis and characterization of their expression under low-temperature stress.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane channel proteins essential for water homeostasis and cellular stress responses. In marine bivalves, their roles in cold tolerance remain poorly understood despite frequent winter mortality events in aquaculture. Here, we identified nine AQP genes in the genome of the economically important noble scallop Chlamys nobilis. Phylogenetic analysis revealed strong conservation with other bivalve AQPs, and structural features, including conserved NPA motifs and ar/R selectivity filters, support their canonical water/glycerol transport functions. Tissue-specific expression profiling showed predominant enrichment in osmoregulatory tissues (gills, intestine) and gonads. Under both chronic and acute low-temperature stress from 23 °C to 9 °C, most CnAQP genes exhibited transient upregulation followed by suppression. Notably, CnAQP4 displayed sustained upregulation, implicating it as a key mediator of long-term cold adaptation. Promoter analysis further revealed abundant cis-elements linked to growth and development as well as immune regulation. Our findings provide the first comprehensive characterization of the AQP family in C. nobilis, highlighting its critical role in maintaining cellular integrity during cold stress and offering molecular targets for selective breeding of cold-tolerant scallop strains.

Animals

Diurnal differences in the effects of heat exposure on renal function: A randomized controlled crossover trial.

High temperature is a major risk factor for kidney injury, and population exposure to nighttime heat is increasing as the climate warms. However, whether renal responses to heat exposure differ between daytime and nighttime remains unclear. Forty-one healthy adults participated in a randomized crossover experiment conducted in a controlled laboratory setting. Participants were exposed to heat (32°C during daytime; 30°C during nighttime) and thermoneutral conditions (26°C) for 8 h. Blood and urine samples were collected before and after each exposure to examine various renal biomarkers reflecting glomerular filtration function, tubular injury, and early kidney stress. Heat exposure affected both blood and urinary biomarkers of kidney function, with notable diurnal differences in renal responses. Daytime heat exposure primarily affected blood markers of glomerular filtration, increasing creatinine by 7.67% (95% CI: 4.73%-10.61%) and cystatin C by 3.05% (95% CI: 0.17%-5.93%), while reducing estimated glomerular filtration rate by 0.05% (95% CI: 0.02%-0.08%). In contrast, nighttime heat exposure predominantly elevated urinary biomarkers of early kidney stress, including insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (58.40%, 95% CI: 27.66%-89.14%), kidney injury molecule-1 (47.25%, 95% CI: 18.91%-75.59%), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (51.88%, 95% CI: 22.26%-81.51%). Moreover, increases in insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 were significantly greater at night than during the day. Sleep-related parameters, including sleep quality, duration, and heart rate variability, partially mediated nighttime heat effects on renal responses. These results indicated that heat exposure induced different diurnal patterns in renal responses.

Humans

ER proteostasis failure in HYOU1 deficiency alters B cells, neutrophils, and interferon signalling.

Hypoxia upregulated 1 (HYOU1) is a stress-inducible ER chaperone. We investigated 2 unrelated patients carrying biallelic HYOU1 variants and presenting with primary immunodeficiency. Patient 1, homozygous for p.Pro444His, displayed failure to thrive, hypoglycemia, B cell lymphopenia, and neutropenia. Patient 2, compound heterozygous for p.Arg262Gln and p.Pro757_Glu758insAla, exhibited recurrent infections, enteropathy, and hypogammaglobulinemia. In Patient 1, while HYOU1 transcription was preserved, the protein was severely reduced. Tunicamycin treatment of dermal fibroblasts showed a blunted unfolded protein response and defective induction of ER stress-responsive genes. Immunophenotyping showed near-absence of circulating B cells, and single-cell RNA sequencing of bone marrow identified an arrest at the pro-B cell stage. Neutrophils displayed hypogranulation and dysregulated IFN- and apoptosis-associated transcriptional signatures, unresponsive to G-CSF. HYOU1 deficiency hence results in ER stress-induced proteostasis failure that simultaneously impairs adaptive immunity through B cell developmental arrest and innate immunity through neutrophil dysfunction and IFN pathway imbalance. This work expands the spectrum of HYOU1 deficiency and further identifies ER proteostasis as a central determinant of immune homeostasis.

Journal Article

Fatty acids and breast cancer: Epidemiology, subtype-specific metabolism, immune regulation, and clinical translation.

Fatty acids (FAs) are bioactive dietary and metabolic molecules that participate in membrane architecture, energy homeostasis, inflammatory signaling, gene regulation and immune function, all of which intersect with breast cancer (BC) risk, progression and treatment response. In this narrative review we integrate epidemiological, clinical, translational and mechanistic evidence on the role of FAs in BC. Saturated, monounsaturated, trans- and polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) are treated as distinct biological exposures rather than interchangeable measures of total fat intake. Similarly, evidence from dietary assessment, circulating biomarkers, erythrocyte membrane composition, adipose tissue stores and tumor lipid signatures is interpreted separately, because each captures exposure and biology at a different level. BC subtypes differ in FA synthesis, uptake, oxidation, storage and remodeling: luminal tumors are frequently linked to hormone-regulated lipogenesis, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive tumors to growth-factor-driven lipid metabolism, and triple-negative tumors to exogenous FA uptake, inflammatory lipid mediators and ferroptosis-related vulnerabilities. FA-derived mediators also shape immune-cell polarization, cytokine signaling and the tumor microenvironment, and dietary FAs may reshape the gut microbiota; the fiber-derived short-chain FAs it produces, distinct from dietary FAs, likewise help regulate immune and inflammatory tone. Clinical data suggest possible roles for fat-quality modification and selected n-3 PUFA interventions, but findings are heterogeneous and not yet sufficient to support routine biomarker-guided precision onco-nutrition. Candidate biomarkers, such as erythrocyte n-6:n-3 composition, require prospective validation before clinical implementation. FA biology thus represents a modifiable but complex axis in BC prevention, tumor biology and supportive care.

Humans

Integrated multi-omics profiling of amniotic fluid identifies predictive biomarkers for fetal growth restriction trajectories.

BACKGROUND: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a complex condition with highly heterogeneous clinical outcomes, making prenatal distinction between transient and persistent growth failure challenging. This study aims to identify amniotic fluid (AF) biomarkers capable of differentiating distinct FGR trajectories and characterizing persistent growth failure mechanisms. METHODS: Integrated proteomic and metabolomic profiling was performed on AF samples from transient FGR (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;11), persistent FGR (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;9), and healthy controls (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;13). Diagnostic and prognostic models were developed using multivariate analysis. Selected protein candidates were validated via ELISA in an independent cohort (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;69). RESULTS: Multi-omics analysis revealed distinct molecular signatures for FGR stratification. A two-protein diagnostic panel (PDGFA and phospho-STAT5A) achieved an AUC of 1.000 in the discovery stage and 0.780 in the external validation cohort. For prognostic assessment, a molecular signature including IREB2, HLA-C, and PLXNB2 accurately predicted persistent growth failure from transient recovery (AUC = 0.966). Cross-platform integration highlighted the mass spectrometry-derived WASHC2C as a central hub protein with a significant progressive increase across the control, transient, and persistent groups (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes a multi-omics framework for prenatal FGR stratification. Our findings identify distinct molecular&#xa0;signatures reflecting&#xa0;the intrauterine environment and provide high-performance molecular tools for predicting divergent fetal growth trajectories to guide personalized clinical decision-making.

Humans

Fasting-refeeding regimes induce compensatory growth and muscle transcriptomic remodeling in juvenile Qihe gibel carp (Carassius gibelio var. Qihe).

Compensatory growth, an important adaptive response in fish, holds considerable potential for improving feeding efficiency in aquaculture. To identify an optimal fasting-refeeding strategy for juvenile Qihe gibel carp (Carassius gibelio var. Qihe) and to clarify the mechanisms underlying the compensatory growth, we divided two-month-old fish into four groups, namely S0 group (continuous feeding for 28&#xa0;days), S2 group (4&#xa0;cycles of 2-day fasting followed by 5-day refeeding), S4 group (fasting for 4&#xa0;days followed by refeeding for 24&#xa0;days), and S8 group (fasting for 8&#xa0;days followed by refeeding for 20&#xa0;days), then growth performance, muscle tissue morphology, biochemical responses, and muscle transcriptomic profiles under different feeding regimes were investigated. After a 28-day aquaculture experiment, fish in the S4 group exhibited significantly greater body length and weight than those in the S0, S2, and S8 groups, indicating over-compensatory growth. Histological analysis further showed that muscle growth in the S4 group was mainly associated with myofiber hyperplasia. Different feeding regimes also induced distinct changes in hepatic antioxidant and metabolic enzyme activities, as well as intestinal digestive enzyme activities. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the forkhead box O (FoxO) signaling pathway was significantly enriched during compensatory growth. Key genes, including serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (sgk1) and insulin receptor substrate 1 (irs1), were predicted to play important roles in this process. Overall, these results indicate that fasting for 4&#xa0;days followed by refeeding for 24&#xa0;days (the S4 regime) is the optimal strategy for inducing compensatory growth in juvenile Qihe gibel carp. This study provides new insights into the morphological, physiological, and molecular basis of compensatory growth and offers a scientific foundation for developing efficient and sustainable feeding strategies for this species.

Animals

The identification of growth-promoting lncRNAs in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OCSCC) is an aggressive tumor that develops within the mouth of patients. Tumor-suppressor gene loss and genomic arrangements fuel tumorigenesis and transcriptional reprogramming. Understanding how these alterations contribute to OCSCC growth and cell survival may identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities or biomarkers. We profiled the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the growth of three OCSCC cell lines using a CRISPRi-screen and identified 19 lncRNAs that contribute to OCSCC proliferation. By comparing these lncRNAs to other screens, we find that these lncRNAs are uniquely required in OCSCC and not other malignancies. We show that these lncRNAs are abundantly expressed in OCSCC cells and tumors. Independent testing of candidate lncRNAs confirms their role in supporting OCSCC growth. Our results show that a novel subset of lncRNAs are required for the growth of OCSCC cancer cells and that these lncRNAs are cell lineage specific.

CRISPRi

Sea urchin co-culture boosts abalone growth by reducing environmental stress and remodeling gut microbiota.

Biofouling and microenvironmental deterioration are major bottlenecks restricting the intensive aquaculture of Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai). While co-culturing offers an eco-friendly mitigation strategy, the underlying mechanisms promoting abalone growth remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the growth performance of H. d. hannai co-cultured with varying densities of the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius). By employing transcriptome and 16S rRNA sequencing of the abalone gut, we investigated the synergistic responses of host gene expression and gut microbiota. Compared with the monoculture group, the co-culture groups showed significantly less biofouling and greater growth of abalone, with the co-culture (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;15) exhibiting the best outcomes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 1444, 760, and 508 DEGs in G5, G10, and G15, respectively, compared with G0. These DEGs were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and sterol metabolism, indicating a shift in intestinal energy metabolism from stress defense toward growth under co-culture conditions. Gut microbiota profiling identified Proteobacteria and Firmicutes as the dominant phyla, with specific functional taxa (e.g., Psychrilyobacter and Akkermansia) enriched in a density-dependent manner. Furthermore, correlation analysis demonstrated that growth traits positively correlated with growth-promoting taxa (e.g., the unclassified AB1 lineage), but negatively correlated with potentially opportunistic taxa (e.g., Tabrizicola). These findings provide insights into a potential synergistic mechanism of "environmental stress alleviation-metabolic reprogramming-microecological remodeling" driving abalone growth, providing a theoretical foundation for optimizing co-culture systems and developing growth-associated biomarkers.

Animals

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&#xb7;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

Exploratory identification and cellular functional characterization of ppiabl as a candidate gene associated with growth traits in Paralichthys olivaceus.

The Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is an important mariculture species. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying its growth traits remain poorly understood. To explore the genetic basis of growth variation, whole-genome resequencing was performed in a cultured cohort of 60 individuals, followed by exploratory genome-wide association analysis and candidate-gene prioritization. The results revealed heritability estimates of 0.40 for body weight and 0.24 for body length, with substantial overlap in associated loci between the two traits. Exploratory association and variant-annotation analyses prioritized ppiabl, which carries a nonconservative missense variant, as a candidate gene for further investigation. Tissue expression analysis showed that ppiabl was highly expressed in muscle tissue. This gene encodes a protein belonging to the conserved peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase family. In Japanese flounder primary muscle cells, ppiabl knockdown was associated with altered expression of growth-related genes and an increased G1-phase fraction, whereas overexpression produced changes in the opposite direction. In line with this, fast-growing individuals were found to have significantly larger muscle fiber areas than slow-growing ones. These findings suggest that ppiabl may be involved in muscle-related cellular processes associated with growth variation in Japanese flounder, although its contribution to whole-animal growth requires further validation. Overall, this exploratory study prioritizes ppiabl as a candidate gene potentially associated with growth-related cellular processes in Japanese flounder, although validation in larger independent populations and in vivo models is required.

Animals

Storm and Stress 2.0? A Dual-Factor, Person-Centered Analysis of Adolescent Well-being Across Two Year 7 Cohorts and Gender.

PURPOSE: Concerns about the mental health and well-being of younger generations is a recurring theme across countries and time. Adolescence is debated as a period of volatility ("storm and stress") or growth. Recent trends have reignited worries about youth mental health and well-being, particularly for females, and revived a deficit-based view of adolescence. To advance understanding, this study adopts a dual-factor approach that incorporates both negative and positive well-being domains. Mental health trends were compared across two grade-matched Australian adolescent cohorts assessed 5 years apart. METHODS: Data were drawn from cross-sectional cohorts of year 7 students (12-13 years) in one Australian jurisdiction: 2,085 in 2018 and 2,378 in 2023. Positive affect, happiness, resilience, depression, and anxiety were assessed using latent profile analysis to identify mental health profiles, which were then compared between cohorts and gender. RESULTS: Four profiles were identified: complete mental health, symptomatic but positive, resilient but disaffected, and troubled. Approximately 80% of students were classified in profiles reflecting some positive mental health. Between 2018 and 2023, the proportion with complete mental health declined by 7.93%, while those categorized as troubled increased by 4.76%. Declines were most pronounced among female students. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight both resilience and vulnerability in adolescent mental health. While most students continue to show positive well-being, the decline among females signals an urgent need for gender-sensitive approaches. At the same time, the results add nuance to accounts of a youth mental health 'crisis' to some degree, by highlighting positive domains of well-being which are often overlooked.

Humans

Quality assessment, prognostic factors, and biomarkers for brain tumor analysis: a comprehensive systematic review.

The brain tumors possess different causative factors and properties, making their diagnosis and treatment difficult. Growth of these cancers usually leads to compression of the adjacent nerves and obstruction of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, thus leading to increase in intracranial pressure. This affects the working of brain in many ways; thus, the difficulty involved in its treatment. With the improvements in technology in neuroimaging, including Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI), the diagnosis process has become easy. The effectiveness of any form of therapy in such patients depends primarily on their prognosis. While it is a common practice that physicians determine the prognosis of the disease by considering the age of the patient, histological grade of the tumor, and resection status, now this method has become more comprehensive by adding molecular signature and genetic analyses to the list of criteria. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows a reliable molecular classification. It increases the level of risk stratification, facilitating the application of therapies tailored to individual patients. Thus, molecular oncology has greatly changed our views on brain tumors' pathology and prognosis while neoadjuvant treatments aim at increasing the survival rate. On the other hand, radiogenomics is a field of study that combines non-invasive imaging phenotypes and genomic information in order to find unique molecular signatures of tumors without collecting samples from tumors. Molecular biomarkers are absolutely essential in the diagnosis of cancer, treatment monitoring, and recurrence of cancer. Advances in liquid biopsy technology, particularly the methods for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and Extracellular Vesicle (EV) based analysis, have enabled the possibility of non-invasive monitoring of the progression of the tumors over time. This review highlights key studies and important scientific works about imaging technologies, biomarkers, and prognostic factors of malignant brain tumors.

Humans

Evolutionary expansion of the NF-Y gene family in bivalves and divergent subunit responses to thermal and pathogenic stress in the noble scallop.

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a conserved eukaryotic transcription factor complex that specifically interacts with the CCAAT motif. Prior research has demonstrated that this gene family participates in various biological processes, encompassing growth, development, and stress responses, across a broad spectrum of organisms. However, research on the role of the NF-Y family in bivalves remains limited. In this study, we comprehensively identified the NF-Y family in 34 bivalve species, and further investigated its expression in the noble scallop Chlamys nobilis. A total of 296 NF-Y genes were identified and classified into three subfamilies, NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that NF-YA and NF-YC have remained relatively conserved, whereas NF-YB has undergone significant expansion. Additionally, while substantial disparities in gene copy numbers exist across species, the motif composition and exon-intron structures within each subfamily demonstrate notable conservation. Tissue expression profiling revealed distinct expression patterns among CnNF-Y genes, with several members exhibiting relatively high transcript abundance in gonadal tissues. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results demonstrated that CnNF-YA2, CnNF-YB6, and CnNF-YC were significantly and continuously upregulated under heat stress. Conversely, several genes, particularly CnNF-YA2, CnNF-YB3, and CnNF-YB4, exhibited dynamic transcriptional responses to Vibrio parahaemolyticus exposure. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolutionary trajectory and functional diversification of the NF-Y gene family in bivalves, laying a theoretical foundation for future research on thermal adaptation, immune regulation, and molecular breeding in scallops.

Animals

Practical Saudi Guidelines on management of moderate-to-severe psoriasis: 2026 update.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease that affects approximately 5.3% of the population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Thus, we aim to develop updated evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the management of adults and pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in the KSA. METHODS: These guidelines followed the "Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation" (GRADE) methodology. We conducted a systematic literature review of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for high-quality evidence published between 2020 and 2026. The panel developed 31 PICO questions that address key treatment considerations for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. RESULTS: We established 27 evidence-based recommendations and 4 good-practice statements addressing key aspects of moderate-to-severe psoriasis management. These guidelines strongly recommend adopting the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 as the primary treatment goal over PASI 75. For adult patients, the guidelines recommend biologic therapies, including interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors, IL-23 inhibitors, IL-12/23 inhibitors, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-&#x3b1; inhibitors, for better disease control. For pediatric patients, the guidelines recommend early initiation of biologic therapy, with etanercept, secukinumab, ixekizumab, and adalimumab as preferred options. CONCLUSION: These Saudi national guidelines offer a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for managing moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients.

Humans

Marine air promotes structural compaction and coating growth of soot aerosols after long-range transport from East Asia.

Soot aerosol, a key global warming contributor, undergoes morphological and chemical transformations during atmospheric transport, particularly in humidified marine environments. This study investigates morphology, mixing state, and aging mechanisms of soot particles collected in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea. Transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal that coated soot particles dominate the marine atmosphere, accounting for over 98 % of soot-containing particles, with a mean mixing state index (&#x3c7;) of 0.83. The fractal dimension (Df) of soot particles is 1.84 &#xb1; 0.05 in the Northern Yellow Sea, 1.90 &#xb1; 0.08 in the Bohai Sea, and 1.96 &#xb1; 0.07 in the Southern Yellow Sea, indicating structural compaction during long-range transport. Correspondingly, the average Dp/Dcore ratios (particle to core size ratio) are 5.3 in the Bohai Sea, 4.2 in the Northern Yellow Sea, and 3.9 in the Southern Yellow Sea. Notably, those ratios are higher in marine environments compared to those observed during continental regional transport from northern to southern China (3.54), suggesting enhanced coating growth in humid marine air. The results highlight the important role of marine atmospheres in accelerating soot aging, which in turn leads to significantly stronger light absorption compared to soot in continental air. Our results highlight the necessity of incorporating compact morphologies, uniform mixing states, and thick coatings into optical models for accurate radiative forcing simulations.

Aerosols

Low-salinity stress alters growth, histology, physiology, and transcriptomic profiles of the gills and antennal glands in Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Salinity is a major abiotic constraint in freshwater aquaculture of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, yet the coordinated roles of the gills and antennal glands, the two primary osmoregulatory organs in decapod crustaceans, under low-salinity stress remain poorly characterized. Here, we integrated histological, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses to characterize the adaptive responses of M. rosenbergii to acute (96&#xa0;h) and chronic (8&#xa0;weeks) exposure to salinity 5. Chronic low-salinity stress significantly impaired growth performance and decreased the survival rate. Acute stress induced thinning of the gill filaments, partial disorganization of pillar cells, and dilation of the intermicrovillar space in the antennal glands, whereas chronic stress caused gill vacuolization, cuticle thinning, and adaptive folding of antennal gland microvilli. In parallel, acute exposure significantly decreased hemolymph sodium and potassium ion concentrations but increased magnesium ion concentration, whereas chronic exposure increased hemolymph sodium and potassium ion concentrations, upregulated gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity, and enhanced hepatopancreatic antioxidant capacity. Transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct tissue-specific responses. Under acute stress, the gills preferentially activated pathways associated with cytoskeletal remodeling, motor proteins, and tight junctions, whereas chronic acclimation shifted the transcriptional response toward the renin-angiotensin system and glutathione metabolism. In the antennal glands, acute stress rapidly activated the renin secretion pathway, whereas chronic exposure promoted membrane remodeling by enriching pathways related to lipid and glycan metabolism. These findings reveal tissue-specific functional differentiation and synergistic coordination between the gills and antennal glands that underpin M. rosenbergii's adaptive response to low-salinity stress.

Animals

Impact of kangaroo care on circadian rhythm, growth, physiological stability in premature infants, and cortisol and melatonin levels in maternal breast milk: A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects of regular kangaroo care (KC) on sleep-wake cycles, growth, physiological stability, and maternal breast milk cortisol and melatonin levels in premature infants. DESIGN: This study was a parallel group, single-blind, pre-test-post-test, randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: This randomized controlled study was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in T&#xfc;rkiye between September 2024 and September 2025 Thirty-six premature infants were randomized to intervention (n = 28) or control (n = 28). Infants in the intervention group received KC for three consecutive days, twice daily (10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.) for 60 min per session. Data were collected using the Infant Information Form, Physiological Parameters Monitoring Chart, and Premature Infant Sleep-Wake Cycles Tracking Chart. Sleep-wake cycles were monitored using a Bispectral Index device. Breast milk cortisol and melatonin levels were measured at baseline and on day three using the competitive ELISA method. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06589349). RESULTS: Regular KC had a statistically significant effect on BIS values, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature (p < 0.05). No statistically significant effects were observed on infant body weight or on maternal breast milk cortisol and melatonin levels (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that regular KC is associated with improved regulation of the sleep-wake cycle and enhanced physiological stability in premature infants. No significant changes were observed in maternal breast milk cortisol or melatonin levels following KC.

Humans