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PubMed2026

Associations between multiple essential trace metal concentrations and risk of hyperuricemia: insights from a central Chinese population.

Previous studies have indicated that levels of individual essential trace metals are related to hyperuricemia (HUA), but evidence on their combined effects is limited. To address this gap, the associations of individual and joint levels of 12 essential trace metals (manganese, selenium, nickel, chromium, cobalt, tin, iron, molybdenum, zinc, strontium, vanadium, and copper) with the risk of HUA were investigated in 2,021 adults recruited from Hunan Province, China. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was employed to determine urinary metal concentrations. Logistic regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and quantile g calculation (Qgcomp) were applied to evaluate the associations of single and mixture metal concentrations with HUA. Of the participants, 516 (25.53%) were diagnosed with HUA. Inverse associations were found between vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, selenium, strontium, and molybdenum levels and HUA, with ORs ranging from 0.63 to 0.91. Conversely, a positive association was observed between zinc concentration and HUA [OR (95% CI): 1.17 (1.01, 1.37)]. Both BKMR and Qgcomp models showed a negative overall effect of essential trace metals on HUA risk, with strontium (- 43.6%) and vanadium (- 27.8%) being the main contributors. In addition, formal interaction tests revealed significant effect modification by age for tin and by BMI for zinc. In conclusion, the levels of essential trace metals were linked to a decreased risk of HUA, and these associations were modified by age and BMI only for specific metals.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A Novel Moisturizer Formulated With Micronized Centella asiatica and Mandelic Acid Improves Mature, Crepey Skin.

BACKGROUND: Dermatoporosis is a condition of fragile, aging skin that manifests as altered pH, wrinkles, laxity, easy bruising, and hyperpigmentation. This study evaluated efficacy, safety, and subject perception after the use of a novel cream, GC (Galderma Laboratories, LP, Fort Worth, TX), on subjects with mature, aging skin. METHODS: A 12-week multicenter, randomized, blinded, in-use study enrolled female and male subjects aged 40 to 60 years of all races, ethnicities, and Fitzpatrick skin types. Subjects were required to have a history of fragile skin and dry, crepey skin on the knees and thighs. GC cream was applied to knee and upper thigh skin twice daily. Assessments included clinical grading, digital photography, bioinstrumentation (skin texture, pH, and heatmap hydration), standard safety assessments, and satisfaction. RESULTS: Use of GC cream for 12 weeks resulted in significant improvements in skin crepiness, photodamage, and firmness, as well as decreased skin pH and early improvements in skin roughness and smoothness from baseline. Corneometer heatmapping documented improved skin hydration over baseline. No adverse events were reported; the GC cream was well tolerated, and subjects reported high satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Twice-daily application of the novel GC skin cream significantly improved the overall skin quality of mature, aging skin, including crepiness, photodamage, firmness, texture, pH, and hydration. GC cream was well tolerated with high subject satisfaction. These data are intended to help guide healthcare providers and patients in choosing an effective moisturizer that was specifically designed for patients with fragile, mature skin.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

TNF-NF-κB signaling mediates immune-biomineralization crosstalk during shell repair under ocean acidification in Mytilus edulis.

Ocean acidification (OA) impairs biomineralization in bivalves, but its effects on immune-biomineralization crosstalk during shell repair remain unknown. Here, we exposed adult Mytilus edulis bearing standardized shell perforations to three pH levels (8.1, 7.9, and 7.7) for up to 40 days. OA slowed early repair and caused microstructural disorganization and an approximately 87% reduction of compressive strength at pH 7.7, yet the damaged area appeared largely closed by day 15, suggesting a decoupling between morphological closure and functional recovery. In addition, transcriptomic profiling of hemocytes and mantle tissue, based on an average of 6.5 Gb of clean reads per sample mapped to the M. edulis reference genome (NCBI Assembly GCF_000511035.1), revealed that these shell-level defects were accompanied by coordinated immune and metabolic reprogramming. Hemocytes, the primary immune effector cells of bivalves, exhibited pH- and time-dependent shifts with moderate acidification (pH 7.9) promoting inflammatory transcripts, whereas severe acidification (pH 7.7) suppressed these signals while upregulating stress-associated pathways; both treatments consistently downregulated lysosomal proteases and NF-κB negative regulators. The mantle, a primarily mineralizing organ, paradoxically upregulated immune-related genes while suppressing oxidative phosphorylation and extracellular matrix pathways. This tissue-level imbalance, with hemocytes recruited but functionally constrained and mantle metabolically suppressed yet immunologically activated, points to TNF-NF-κB pathway modulation as a key mediator of shell repair under acidification. Our findings demonstrate that visible shell closure masks underlying structural and mechanical failure, and that immune regulation, rather than simple suppression or activation, critically shapes the repair outcome. These results advocate for multifunctional indicators beyond closure area to assess shell integrity in acidified marine environments.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Proteomic characterization of the acquired enamel pellicle under acidic challenges at early and mature formation stages.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize acquired enamel pellicle (AEP) proteomic changes after exposure to citric acid (CA) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) under different pellicle formation times (3 and 120 min) in the same volunteers. DESIGN: Nine healthy volunteers participated in this randomized crossover in vivo study. The AEP was allowed to form for 3 or 120 min and subsequently exposed for 10 s to deionized water (control), 1% CA (pH 2.5), or 0.01 M HCl (pH 2.0). Pellicle samples were collected, followed by protein extraction, tryptic digestion, and analysis by nanoliquid chromatography (nanoLC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) with MSE (data-independent acquisition; nanoLC-MSᴱ). Label-free quantitative proteomics were performed for relative quantification using t-test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: At 120 min, CA exposure markedly reduced several typical AEP proteins, especially acidic proline-rich proteins (PRPs). Conversely, basic PRPs were upregulated, suggesting acid-resistance protein signature. At 3 min, basal-layer proteins (PRPs, cystatins, histatins and mucins) were more abundant. Hemoglobins increased 6-8-fold (up to 150-fold in 3 min control), suggesting association with early pellicle formation and an acid-resistant protein signature. CA exposures for 120 min also upregulated typical AEP proteins (PRPs, mucins, cystatins, immunoglobulins), while HCl exposure depleted albumins and lactotransferrin. CONCLUSION: Intrinsic and extrinsic acids induce distinct proteomic signatures in the AEP. Hemoglobin and PRPs appear consistently enriched in the early pellicle layer, reflecting an initial acid-resistant protein signature. These findings provide new insights into the molecular remodeling of the AEP following intrinsic and extrinsic acid exposure, highlighting proteins potentially involved in early-stage pellicle formation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

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 h) and chronic (8 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↗

PubMed2026

Early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: clinical spectrum, diagnosis, outcomes, and evolving treatment strategies.

Early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (EIDEE) is among the most severe epilepsy syndromes, with onset before three months of age and an estimated incidence of approximately 10 per 100,000 live births. The 2022 International League Against Epilepsy classification unified the historically distinct Ohtahara syndrome and early myoclonic encephalopathy under a single diagnostic framework defined by frequent drug-resistant tonic and/or myoclonic seizures, an abnormal neurological examination, and an abnormal interictal electroencephalogram-most characteristically a burst-suppression pattern. This narrative review synthesizes the clinical, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, genetic, and therapeutic literature within the EIDEE framework. The clinical phenotype is characterized by central hypotonia, postnatal microcephaly, cortical visual impairment, and age-dependent syndromic evolution toward infantile epileptic spasms syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in the majority of patients. Electroencephalography remains essential for syndromic classification, while systematic metabolic screening and early trio whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing are central to the etiologic workup, achieving diagnostic yields of 60-65%. The most commonly identified genetic causes include STXBP1, KCNQ2, and SCN2A variants. Outcomes are poor overall and strongly etiology-dependent: vitamin-responsive disorders carry a substantially more favorable prognosis, whereas mortality reaches 25% in genetic cohorts. Genotype-guided pharmacotherapy is now applicable to a clinically meaningful subset of patients, with sodium channel blockers, potassium channel openers, and emerging antisense oligonucleotide therapies representing important therapeutic advances. Gene therapy trials are underway but have encountered early safety signals, underscoring the vulnerability of this population. Critical unmet needs include earlier molecular diagnosis, precision therapies targeting developmental outcomes beyond seizure control, and prospective international registries to characterize the long-term natural history of EIDEE.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Insights into the fate and dynamics of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant Bacillus cereus during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Bacillus cereus, an important pathogen responsible for causing foodborne diseases worldwide, releases pore-forming enterotoxins, which target host epithelial cells, leading to osmotic lysis and ultimately manifesting as diarrheal syndrome. Moreover, some B. cereus strains carry antimicrobial resistance genes that confer multidrug resistance against a spectrum of antibiotics. Characterizing the survival traits of multidrug-resistant (MDR) B. cereus strains in the intestinal microenvironment is essential for developing targeted strategies to effectively manage diarrheal foodborne diseases caused by this pathogen. This study used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to evaluate the pre- and post-digestion toxigenic potential, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and genetic diversity of MDR B. cereus strains isolated from food samples in Guangdong Province, China. The four B. cereus isolates investigated in this study exhibited a genetic diversity, as determined by multilocus sequence typing analysis of WGS data. All four isolates produced the diarrheal toxins Hbl, Nhe, and CytK to varying levels, indicative of their potential to cause outbreaks of foodborne diseases. Each of the four isolates exhibited resistance to more than three classes of antibiotics, fulfilling the criterion for multidrug resistance. At an initial concentration of 9 log colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, the intestinal concentration of these four isolates crossed the threshold required to induce widespread diarrhea in the general population. Under rice slurry protection, all tested isolates maintained intestinal concentration beyond the threshold when the initial concentration was increased to ≥8 log CFU/mL. Moreover, the upregulations of genes associated with acid tolerance, bile tolerance and stress response were observed in the surviving MDR B. cereus isolates. Digestion markedly altered the antibiotic resistance profiles of the MDR B. cereus isolates. In the absence of a food matrix, the MDR isolates lost their resistance to imipenem, meropenem, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole post-digestion and was influenced by the initial concentration of the strains. In the presence of food matrix rice slurry, the effects of digestion on the antibiotic resistance of MDR B. cereus isolates can be mitigated, enabling them to maintain their antibiotic resistance to the greatest extent. Most remarkably, after digestion, the isolates Bce055 and Bce166 exhibited newly emergent resistance to cefotetan and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Our findings clarify the fate of MDR B. cereus isolates in the gastrointestinal tract and inform the development of prevention and control strategies for foodborne diseases caused by this pathogen.

Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial↗

PubMed2026

Thermal analysis techniques for microplastic mass quantification: Methodological challenges and standardization needs.

Microplastics (MPs, 1 μm-5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs, <1 μm) are ubiquitous contaminants requiring standardized quantification methods. This systematic review evaluates thermal analysis techniques for mass-based MP detection, including pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), thermogravimetry-MS (TGA-MS), thermal extraction desorption-GC-MS (TED-GC-MS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Database searches (Web of Science, from inception to December 1, 2025) following PRISMA guidelines identified studies across seven environmental matrices (water, soil/sediment, atmosphere, biota, human tissues). We identify critical standardization gaps: inconsistent marker ion selection, unvalidated conversion factors for tire and road wear particles (TRWPs), and the absence of certified reference materials for complex matrices. Py-GC-MS demonstrates versatility but suffers from lipid interference in biological samples; TED-GC-MS offers superior sensitivity (sample capacity ∼200× Py-GC-MS) but lacks real-time chromatographic monitoring. To advance data comparability, we propose: (i) harmonized ion selection hierarchies based on specificity-sensitivity balance, (ii) matrix-specific TRWP quantification protocols, and (iii) inter-laboratory validation using environmental reference materials. This review provides a methodological roadmap for standardizing thermal analysis in MP research.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Clinical efficacy and brain mechanism characteristics of guide chi and regulate spirit tuina therapy in the treatment of post-stroke walking dysfunction: A randomized controlled trial based on fNIRS.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to preliminarily evaluate the role of Guide Chi and Regulate Spirit(GCRS) Tuina in enhancing walking function in post-stroke patients with walking dysfunction; secondly, by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), it investigates the effect of GCRS Tuina on the restoration of brain function in this patient population. METHODS: Participants in the control group received 4-week rehabilitation treatment, while those in the Combined Tuina Group (CTG) additionally received GCRS Tuina therapy for another 4 weeks on this basis. Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), Fugl - Meyer Assessment Scale for Lower Extremity Motor Function (FMA - LE), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) were evaluated at the baseline and after 4 treatment weeks. A gait and motion analysis system was used to measure step length, stride, walking speed, and step frequency. FNIRS was used to measure the resting-state functional connectivity(FC) strength, as well as the β - value and HbO2 concentration mean during the walking task. RESULTS: A total of 60 participants completed the randomized, and 53 completed the trial and entered the statistical analysis. Compared with the Single Rehabilitation Group(SRG), the CTG group had higher FAC, FMA-LE, and MBI scores after 4 weeks. After the treatment course, the standardized step length, stride, walking speed, and step frequency of the CTG were higher than SRG. At the Region of Interest(ROI) level, the CTG exhibited 13 inter-ROI FC strengths that were higher than SRG, and the differences could survive the FDR correction (PFDR<0.05). Under the walking task, the CTG group had higher β values in 18 channels and higher Oxyhemoglobin(HbO2) concentrations in 19 channels than the SRG (PFDR <0.05). CONCLUSION: GCRS Tuina therapy can significantly improve patients' walking function, enhance lower limb motor ability and daily living ability. It can improve walking efficiency. Tuina can significantly increase the FC and enhance the activation levels and HbO2 concentrations. The stimulation of Tuina may help reconstruct the brain's motor control network, restore impaired motor function, promote the occurrence of neural plasticity, strengthen the neural circuits in the cognitive-motor-sensory cortex to improve walking function. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been registered with the International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry (ITMCTR2024000654).

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Unveiling the molecular basis of gonadal development: Multi-omics uncovers sex-related genes and steroid pathways in Sinonovacula constricta.

The razor clam Sinonovacula constricta is an economically important cultured mollusk in China, but the molecular mechanism of its gonadal development and sexual differentiation remains unclear. This study integrated gonadal transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analysis to identify key sex-related molecules. Transcriptome analysis identified 2795 DELs and 6497 DEGs between sexes, including the sex-related genes Fem-1b, Fem-1c, GUCY1B2 and FAT4, as well as a regulatory network of 39 lncRNA-mRNA pairs involving Tektin-4, Ropporin-1, Histone H1, and FoxN4. Proteomic analysis revealed 3217 DEPs: Tektin family members, Ropporin-1 and Tssk proteins were upregulated in the testis, while histone H1 and FAT4 were upregulated in the ovary. Metabolomic analysis detected 409 DEMs, with uridine identified as a potential sex differential marker (upregulated in the ovary), and 23 gonadal development-related DEMs showed sex-specific upregulation. Integrative transcriptome-proteome analysis identified 1543 co-expressed DEGs/DEPs enriched in nucleosome assembly, oxidative phosphorylation, and carbon metabolism, including key sex-related genes AKAP14, Tektin/Tssk families, Histone H1, and FAT4. Transcriptome-metabolome integration identified 32 shared KEGG pathways (e.g., biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, pyrimidine metabolism), while proteome-metabolome integration revealed 5 (positive ion) and 6 (negative ion) co-enriched pathways, with alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation being functionally relevant to gonadal development. Collectively, these results reveal the molecular basis of gonadal development, highlight critical sex-related genes and steroid metabolic pathways, and provide valuable resources for future reproduction and breeding in S. constricta.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Desert-derived Ensifer sp. SA403 enhances potato salt tolerance by reshaping rhizosphere microbiome functions and host responses.

Soil salinization increasingly threatens global food security, and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), a moderately salt-sensitive crop, is particularly vulnerable to saline soils. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer a promising strategy to improve crop performance, yet how PGPR interact with native microorganisms to enhance potato salt tolerance remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified a desert-derived PGPR strain, Ensifer sp. SA403, which substantially enhanced potato performance under high salinity across sterile, non-sterile and field conditions. Physiologically, inoculation with SA403 reduced shoot Na⁺ accumulation and increased the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio; notably, these effects were markedly stronger in non-sterile substrates than under sterile conditions, indicating that SA403-mediated ion homeostasis relies on cooperation with the resident microbiota rather than on the strain acting alone. Metagenomic profiling indicated that SA403 strain reshaped rhizosphere communities, significantly enriching beneficial taxa such as Priestia and Bradyrhizobium, and upregulated functional pathways involved in glutathione and sulfur metabolism. Furthermore, host transcriptomic analyses showed that SA403 modulated plant responses to salt stress, with differentially expressed genes enriched in jasmonic acid signaling, ethanolamine metabolism and amino-acid biosynthesis pathways. Field trials on saline soils confirmed that SA403 significantly increased seedling emergence and tuber weight. Together, our results demonstrate that SA403 functions as a biological mediator that optimizes rhizosphere microecology and coordinates ion balance and host signaling to enhance potato salt tolerance. These findings support the potential of SA403 as a robust PGPR-based tool for sustainable potato production on saline soils.

Rhizosphere↗

PubMed2026

Effects of lavender oil preparation silexan on different symptoms of major depression - results from a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by depressed mood, anhedonia, and loss of energy, which can be accompanied by associated symptoms and co-morbidities. Psychiatric scales such as the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) must account for the complex nature of depression. METHODS: The MADRS total score change between baseline and week 8 was the primary outcome measure in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial investigating the antidepressant efficacy of 8 weeks' treatment with silexan compared to sertraline and placebo in patients with mild or moderate MDD. We report on a pre-planned, exploratory analysis of the individual MADRS items. Treatment effects were assessed using analyses of covariance with baseline adjustment, based on an estimand strategy. RESULTS: 498 subjects (silexan 170, sertraline 171, placebo 157) were treated and analyzed. After 8 weeks, silexan was superior to placebo for 5 out of the 9 MADRS items analyzed ("apparent sadness", "reported sadness", "reduced appetite", "concentration difficulties", "lassitude"; P < .05) and showed clinically important adjusted mean value differences >0.2 points for 7 out of the 9 items. Item-level results for silexan and sertraline were mainly comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Silexan had a strong over-all antidepressant effect, with the most pronounced improvements affecting the cardinal symptoms of depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT2020-000688-22 first entered on 12/08/2020. Significance statement Patients with depressive disorders can show many different symptoms. To better characterize the clinical action of an antidepressant, it is therefore important to analyze not only the overall value of a depression scale but also the individual items that describe these symptoms. Silexan is a preparation from lavender oil whose antidepressant effect has been proven in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 8-week study in patients with mild or moderate major depressive disorder. Based on the individual items of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale that was used as the main outcome for efficacy, we found in an exploratory, hypothesis-generating analysis that silexan had a rather broad antidepressant effect in the participants of our study, with potentially clinically meaningful advantages over placebo for 7 out of the 9 individual items investigated. This applied in particular to the main symptoms of depression, namely sadness and lassitude. Our single-item analysis thus helps to understand the antidepressant effects of silexan in more detail. Significant outcomes In patients with mild to moderate major depressive disorder, lavender oil preparation silexan has a clinical profile similar to that of the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor sertraline based on an item-level analysis of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Silexan has a significant antidepressant effect that includes an alleviation of depressed mood, anhedonia, and loss of energy, the cardinal symptoms of depression. The broad improvement of symptoms of depression could not be explained by the proven anxiolytic efficacy silexan alone but indicates an independent, direct antidepressant effect. The present item-level analysis provides valuable and detailed additional insights into the therapeutic profiles of silexan and sertraline and may help clinicians to tailor antidepressant treatment to the specific symptoms of a patient. Limitations For item-level analyses of the MADRS, no validated thresholds for the assessment of the clinical importance of changes over time have been defined, taking into account that different items may have different thresholds. Even though our analyses were pre-defined, they were exploratory and did not include studywise type I error level control. Their generalizability beyond the study population is therefore limited.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Quantitative assessment of the fingerprint evidential value using machine learning.

Fingerprints as physical evidence have long supported criminal investigation and adjudication. In practice, however, fingerprint identification relies mainly on examiners' experience. Furthermore, expert opinions tend to be categorical, even though the opinions with the same conclusion could differ substantially in evidential strength. To quantitatively assess fingerprint evidential value, this study proposes a machine learning-based framework as an interpretable decision-support tool. A lightweight residual one-dimensional convolutional neural network was constructed, incorporating channel recalibration and a similarity-driven attention mechanism to learn adaptive contribution weights for different matched minutiae (minutiae for short). Controlled experiments revealed that the predicted evidential value increased with the number of minutiae and was significantly influenced by the quality of minutiae. With 10 minutiae, the mean predicted scores were 4.49, 7.00, and 9.09 for blurred, moderately blurred, and clear minutiae, respectively. Multiple regression analysis indicated that replacing a pair of blurred minutiae with a pair of clear minutiae increased the score by 0.492, whereas replacing it with a pair of moderately blurred minutiae increased the score by only 0.216. By mapping predicted scores to graded levels of evidential strength, the framework contributes to a paradigm shift from categorical expert opinions to graded ones, helping courts evaluate fingerprint evidence more scientifically.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

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↗

PubMed2026

Cryo-EM structure of TGFBIp fibrils driven by a corneal dystrophy-linked mutation enables design of peptide inhibitors of aggregation.

Corneal dystrophy is a heterogeneous group of diseases which manifests clinically by progressive corneal opacity and diminishing visual acuity. A group of corneal dystrophies are linked to autosomal dominant mutations in transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBIp) and characterized by extracellular amyloid-positive deposits of unknown molecular structure. Here, we determined the cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of amyloid fibrils formed by the TGFBIp FAS1-4 domain with corneal dystrophy-linked mutation V624M. The L569 to N609 fibril core, which includes the Y571-R588 segment enriched in patient corneal deposits, forms symmetrical protofilaments with internal solvent channels. Leveraging this structure, we designed peptide inhibitors intended to bind onto fibril ends to block elongation, targeting the unequal growth of symmetrical protofilaments. Our G1 and H4 inhibitors exhibit concentration-dependent reduction of TGFBIp FAS1-4 aggregation as assessed by Thioflavin T, solubility fractionation, and electron microscopy. Our work illustrates how fibril structures can guide rational inhibitor design and suggests the targeting of protein aggregates as a therapeutic approach for corneal and ocular diseases.

betaIG-H3 Protein↗

PubMed2026

Infra-low-frequency neurofeedback alters EEG network efficiency: exploratory evidence from healthy volunteers.

Infra-Low-Frequency Neurofeedback (ILF-NFB) combines classic frequency-band (FB) and infra-low-frequency (ILF) EEG components in implicit training protocols and is increasingly applied in clinical contexts. Yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ILF-NFB remain to be further elucidated. In this randomized, sham-controlled and double-blind study, we explored the online impact of a one-session ILF-NFB application on EEG correlates in healthy participants (39 analyzed datasets). Continuous 31-channel EEG was recorded during verum and sham feedback in a double-blind, randomized crossover design. In this exploratory analysis approach, functional connectivity was estimated using the debiased weighted phase-lag index (dwPLI) and analyzed with graph-theoretical measures. The results revealed higher global efficiency during verum compared to sham in the Beta1 band (12-15 Hz), reaching significance in the primary comparison but not surviving Bonferroni correction across the five tested bands; block-wise follow-ups showed a significant verum-sham difference in the first half of the neurofeedback session and a directionally consistent pattern in the second half. The Condition × Block interaction was not significant. No consistent differences were observed in other frequency bands, nor for betweenness centrality. While preliminary, these exploratory results point to possible network-level effects during ILF-NFB and motivate further confirmatory work in extended training protocols and clinical populations.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A systematic review of macaque brain stimulation: Trends and future directions.

Neurostimulation techniques can powerfully modulate neural circuit activity and provide causal insights into the relationship between brain function and behavior. Macaque monkeys have long been a key animal model for brain stimulation studies. While stimulating the macaque brain with one or a few electrodes has already taught us much about brain function and dysfunction, recent technological advances promise a future with more precise stimulation using many more electrodes. However, such possibilities also increase the number of choices an experimenter has when designing their study. We can learn from a rich past, but a comprehensive overview of which brain regions have been studied and with what stimulation parameters is lacking. Here, we present a PRISMA-compliant systematic review of 734 macaque brain stimulation studies using electrical and/or optogenetic stimulation. We find a striking bias in which brain areas have traditionally been stimulated: a mere 10 brain regions account for half of all studies, with the remainder of studies investigating approximately 150 other areas. Across studies, stimulation frequency robustly predicted direct behavioral effects independent of brain region, while amplitude did not. Future studies could more systematically explore less studied regions through lower stimulation frequencies (e.g., 20-50 Hz) alongside established ranges (∼200 Hz). Tools such as fMRI or optical imaging can capture neural circuit engagement evoked by these frequencies, even when behavioral effects are absent or remain subtle. Our synthesis offers a guide towards the next steps in high-channel-count, high-precision stimulation approaches.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Gastrointestinal digestion governs insect protein hydrolysis and predicted bioactive peptide release: Species-dependent implications for functional food applications.

This study investigates the digestion of insect proteins and the release of predicted bioactive peptides during human gastrointestinal digestion. Using the Infogest in vitro model, mealworm, cricket, and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) proteins were digested and analyzed through discovery proteomics and bioinformatics to identify predicted bioactive peptides. Sequential windowed acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion mass spectra (SWATH-MS) quantified insect proteins including predicted bioactive peptide precursor proteins, the precursors of predicted bioactive peptides. Results indicated that gastrointestinal digestion strongly influences peptide release, with the gastric phase exhibiting a richer predicted bioactive peptide profile than the small intestinal phase. Many predicted bioactive peptides were rapidly hydrolysed under small intestine conditions, which may lead to reduced stability or diminished activity in vivo, potentially explaining why certain peptides show strong bioactivity in vitro but limited effects in vivo. Additionally, predicted bioactive peptide release varied by insect species, influenced by genetic factors and peptide abundance. These findings highlight the importance of species selection and consideration of proteolytic digestion patterns in optimizing insect-derived bioactive peptides for functional foods and nutraceutical applications.

Animals↗