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Online-delivered eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder due to multiple traumas: a non-concurrent multiple baseline design.

Background: No controlled studies incorporating randomization have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of online eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment, despite its use in clinical practice.Objective: This study evaluated the effect of online EMDR treatment in adults aged 18-65 years with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from multiple traumas.Method: A multiple baseline single-case experimental design (n = 21) was employed. Participants were patients with PTSD due to multiple traumas, recruited from a mental healthcare institution in the Netherlands. They were randomly assigned to baseline phases of 2, 3.5, or 5.5 weeks. After this, participants received 10 weekly online EMDR sessions. The primary outcome was the total score on an adapted version of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), which was administered twice a week during baseline and intervention phases, and once 12 weeks after the end of the intervention phase. We performed visual analysis and calculated the improvement rate difference (IRD) for each individual separately to determine whether online EMDR was effective. We also performed a paired t-test and calculated Cohen's d for pretreatment and post-treatment comparisons, and pretreatment versus follow-up to evaluate effects at the group level.Results: Visual analysis and IRD scores showed that the treatment was effective for 15 participants, with effect sizes ranging from small to very large. The mean scores on the PCL-5 at group level decreased significantly over time between pretreatment and post-treatment (Mdiff = 23.6, Cohen's d = 1.34, 95% CI 0.74-1.93), as well as between pretreatment and follow-up (Mdiff = 27.2, Cohen's d = 1.62, 95% CI 0.95-2.27).Conclusion: Most participants showed a reduction in symptoms following the start of the online EMDR. Furthermore, at the group level there was a significant and clinically relevant reduction in symptoms over time. This provides preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of online EMDR treatment.

Humans

Heterogeneity in Teriflunomide Treatment Arms: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Regression of Randomised Multiple Sclerosis Trials.

BACKGROUND: Teriflunomide is widely used as an active comparator in Phase 3 randomised trials for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Temporal changes in disease activity within teriflunomide-treated cohorts have not been systematically examined. OBJECTIVES: To assess temporal trends in relapse and disability outcomes across teriflunomide arms of Phase 3 multiple sclerosis (MS) trials and identify predictors of between-trial heterogeneity. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of Phase 3 randomised controlled trials including a teriflunomide arm. PubMed, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched up to October 2025. Annualised relapse rate (ARR) and 12- and 24-week confirmed disability worsening (CDW) were extracted together with baseline characteristics. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Random-effects meta-analyses, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Twelve teriflunomide cohorts from eight trials involving 4,900 adults with RMS were included. ARR ranged from 0.11 to 0.37 with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 94%). Trial start year was inversely associated with ARR and explained a large proportion of between-study variability in exploratory meta-regression analyses. Confirmed disability worsening outcomes also showed substantial heterogeneity with a weaker trend toward lower event rates in more recent trials. CONCLUSION: Teriflunomide-treated trial populations have shifted toward lower relapse activity over time, and trial start year was the principal predictor of between-trial heterogeneity in ARR in exploratory analyses. These findings most plausibly reflect evolving recruitment and diagnostic practices rather than changes in drug efficacy. Accounting for these temporal dynamics is essential when interpreting outcomes from RMS trial using teriflunomide as comparator.

Humans

Nimodipine in animal models of demyelination relevant to multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory neurodegenerative disease in which axonal injury, neuronal death, and demyelination occur. Treatment for MS relapses remains limited, which alleviates acute loss of function but has no impact on long-term disability. This study aimed to perform a systematic review of the effects of nimodipine on experimental demyelination models, including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and Cuprizone models in rodents. METHODS: This study was conducted following the PRISMA statement. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. The primary outcome was EAE clinical disease severity (peak clinical score and/or cumulative disease burden). Secondary outcomes included relapse activity (when reported), histological myelin outcomes, oligodendrocyte lineage markers, neuroaxonal injury markers, and inflammatory readouts. Risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE tool. RESULTS: Out of 4660 results, 5 studies were included in the systematic review (four EAE studies and one cuprizone model). Nimodipine was administered using heterogeneous regimens (oral, intravenous, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, or osmotic pump delivery; 1-30 mg/kg/day). The included studies reported the variable effects of nimodipine on relapse-related outcomes, myelination, inflammatory processes, and neuroprotection in the EAE model of MS. Across EAE studies, nimodipine generally reduced clinical disease severity or cumulative burden, although relapse-related outcomes were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: Preclinical evidence suggests that nimodipine may attenuate disease severity and demyelination and may promote repair-related processes in rodent models relevant to MS. However, to evaluate the clinical applicability of nimodipine in MS patients, well-powered, transparently reported preclinical replication and early-phase clinical studies are required before clinical translation.

Animals

Dissemination of blaKPC-3-harbouring Klebsiella pneumoniae across ST48 and ST628 in multiple healthcare facilities in the Republic of Korea.

Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-3 (KPC-3) remains rare in South Korea, where KPC-2 is the dominant carbapenemase, making the repeated detection of a concentrated blaKPC-3 signal over five years notable. We performed genomic analyses of blaKPC-3-harbouring K. pneumoniae from a regional healthcare network. Two chromosomally distinct lineages with concordant capsule loci (ST628/KL15 and ST48/KL62) presented multidrug-resistant phenotypes, and the virulence-associated loci were confined to ST48. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analyses revealed near-clonal relatedness within lineages, with 0-38 pairwise SNPs among ST628 isolates and 8 SNPs between the two ST48 isolates. Core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) supported this structure, as ST628 isolates were assigned to complex type 19149 with 0-7 allelic differences, and ST48 isolates were assigned to complex type 19150 with 5 allelic differences. These patterns support vertical spread via clonal expansion across multiple facilities. Despite substantial chromosomal separation, most isolates carried the same IncFII(K) plasmid backbone and blaKPC-3, and they were nearly indistinguishable from a plasmid previously reported in South Korea. One isolate carried blaKPC-3 on a distinct multireplicon IncFIB(K)/IncFII(K) plasmid, indicating that the signal was not confined to a single plasmid backbone. In both plasmids, blaKPC-3 was embedded within Tn4401b. These findings indicate that a rare blaKPC-3 genotype can persist regionally through sustained clonal dissemination and that cross-lineage linkage is compatible with past horizontal transfer involving a conserved plasmid. These findings underscore the need for subtype-resolved, regionally coordinated genomic surveillance in connected healthcare networks to detect uncommon carbapenemase variants early.

Klebsiella pneumoniae

Molecular Landscape and Advanced Diagnostic Technologies for BRAF Mutations in Cancer: From Quantitative PCR and ddPCR to CRISPR-Based Platforms.

BRAF mutations are key oncogenic alterations across multiple malignancies, including melanoma, thyroid carcinoma, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioma, and hairy cell leukemia. The most prevalent variant, BRAF-V600E, induces constitutive activation of the MAPK signaling pathway, promoting tumor progression and influencing therapeutic responsiveness. Accurate detection of BRAF alterations is therefore essential for molecular classification, prognostic assessment, treatment selection, and resistance surveillance. This review summarizes the molecular heterogeneity of BRAF mutations and critically evaluates current diagnostic methodologies. Conventional approaches such as allele-specific PCR and Sanger sequencing are compared with advanced quantitative platforms, including high-resolution melting analysis, droplet digital PCR, and next-generation sequencing, with emphasis on analytical sensitivity, mutation coverage, and clinical applicability. Emerging technologies such as CRISPR-based assays, rolling circle amplification systems, and nanoparticle-based biosensors and point-of-care diagnostic platforms are also discussed for their potential to enhance ultra-sensitive detection, particularly in liquid biopsy settings. These emerging tools are highlighted for their potential to enable ultra-sensitive, rapid, and decentralized mutation detection, particularly in liquid biopsy settings. Key challenges, including intratumoral heterogeneity, low allele-frequency variants, FFPE-associated artifacts, and clonal evolution under therapeutic pressure, are examined within a translational framework. In addition, we examine critical barriers to clinical implementation, including standardization, cost, and global accessibility of molecular diagnostics, and outline potential solutions through scalable technologies and decentralized testing strategies. We propose that optimal BRAF testing requires a mutation subclass-informed and clinically integrated strategy combining comprehensive baseline profiling with longitudinal molecular monitoring. Future diagnostic paradigms will likely integrate multi-omics data and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted interpretation to refine precision oncology implementation. Looking forward, we propose that optimal BRAF testing will require integration of multi-omics profiling with AI-assisted interpretation, enabling automated variant classification, real-time clinical decision support, and improved prediction of therapeutic response and resistance.

Humans

Liver transcriptome analysis revealed multiple immune processes and lipid metabolism pathways involved in the defense response of the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) against Aeromonas salmonicida.

Aeromonas salmonicida is a significant pathogen causing notable economic losses in Scophthalmus maximus aquaculture. This study utilized Illumina sequencing technology to examine the transcriptional response characteristics of S. maximus liver at 24 h following A. salmonicida infection. A total of 2363 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified when compared to the negative control group. The immunity-related Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, as well as metabolism-related PPAR signaling pathway and insulin signaling pathway, were notably enriched. Significant differences exist in the expression of key genes within the PPAR pathway, particularly cd36, acsl4a, pparαa, and plin2, all of which mediate the interaction between lipid metabolism and the immune response. These results offer valuable insights into the immunometabolic regulatory mechanism of S. maximus response to A. salmonicida infection.

Animals

Prevalence of Slowly Expanding Lesions in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic active lesions (CALs) reflect chronic inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Slowly expanding lesions (SELs) are CALs identified on conventional MRI by linear, concentric expansion over time, while paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) are CALs characterized by a paramagnetic rim on susceptibility-sensitive MRI. However, the prevalence of SELs and their overlap with PRLs remain unclear. The aims of this study were to (1) estimate the proportion of SELs among all T2 lesions and the proportion of patients with at least 1 SEL and (2) assess the proportion of SELs overlapping with PRLs. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase on February 1, 2026, for studies evaluating SELs in MS. At least 2 authors independently assessed study eligibility. Primary outcomes were the pooled proportion of SELs among T2 lesions and the proportion of patients with at least 1 SEL. We estimated mean per-patient volumes of SELs and total T2 lesions and the proportion of SELs overlapping with PRLs. Random-effects generalized linear mixed-effects models and inverse-variance methods were used, with between-study heterogeneity assessed using τ2 and I2 and robustness using sensitivity analyses. Univariable meta-regression explored heterogeneity. PROSPERO: CRD42024603778. RESULTS: Of 5,980 records, 20 studies comprising 4,786 patients with MS were included (mean age: 43.6 ± 6.3 years; 63.7% female). Sample sizes varied by outcome. SELs accounted for 14% (95% CI 10-21) of all T2 lesions, and 78% (67-85) of patients had at least 1 SEL. After sensitivity analysis, per-patient mean volumes were 1.42 mL (0.79-2.06) for SELs and 10.6 mL (8.53-12.67) for total T2 lesions. In total, 11% (6-20) of SELs overlapped with PRLs. In subgroup analyses, proportions of SELs were similar in relapsing-remitting and progressive MS (15%), but the proportion of patients with at least 1 SEL was higher in progressive MS. Between-study heterogeneity was high across analyses with no significant sources identified. DISCUSSION: Although SELs represent a minority of T2 lesions, most patients have at least 1 SEL and a subset overlaps with PRLs, suggesting a partial correspondence between these 2 imaging markers of chronic inflammatory activity. Limitations include possible publication bias, high unexplained heterogeneity, differences in SEL identification methods, and differences in MRI time point number/timing.

Humans

Privacy, security, and reliability risks of artificial intelligence in healthcare: a systematic review of empirical evidence.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare information systems, supporting clinical decision-making, imaging analysis, and predictive modeling. While these applications offer operational and clinical benefits, they also introduce emerging risks to patient privacy, data security, and system reliability. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review empirical evidence on privacy breaches, security vulnerabilities, and misuse associated with AI applications in healthcare settings. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library were searched for empirical studies published between January 2015 and November 2025 that evaluated AI use or misuse in clinical diagnosis, treatment, or decision-making. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data using a standardized form. Findings were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity in study designs, AI methods, and reported outcomes. RESULTS: Of 7,285 records identified through database searches and 205 through citation screening, 22 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria, spanning multiple clinical domains and data modalities, predominantly medical imaging applications. Five recurring threat categories were identified: patient re-identification, membership inference, unauthorized access and adversarial exploitation, input manipulation, and misuse or overinterpretation of AI outputs. Across studies, AI models were shown to encode latent biometric signals across diverse data types, limiting the effectiveness of traditional anonymization and synthetic data approaches. Adversarial attacks and input manipulation were also shown to compromise diagnostic performance and system integrity. CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides empirical evidence suggesting that contemporary AI systems in healthcare introduce privacy and security risks that may challenge traditional assumptions about data protection. These findings underscore the need for privacy- and security-by-design approaches and governance frameworks that address risks across the AI lifecycle.

Humans

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

Effect of flavored on!® nicotine pouch products on smoking behaviors: A sequential, multiple assignment, randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether flavored versus unflavored nicotine pouch (NP) access affects cigarette reduction and smoke exposure among adults who smoke daily, and whether delayed flavor introduction affects these outcomes. METHODS: Adults who smoked ≥ 5 cigarettes/day (CPD) with interest in replacing cigarettes with NPs were enrolled in a remote, six-week, sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (n = 402 randomized; n = 400 analyzed). Participants were randomized to immediate access to seven NP flavors (Flavor), unflavored-only access for six weeks (Original), or unflavored-only for three weeks followed by flavor access (Delayed Flavor). Primary outcomes were ≥ 50% reduction in weekly mean expired-air carbon monoxide (CO) from baseline and mean CO at Week 6. Secondary outcomes included ≥ 50% CPD reduction, mean CPD, CO-verified 7-day abstinence, and incident smoke-free days. RESULTS: At Week 6, Flavor and Original did not differ in ≥ 50% CO reduction (14.3% vs 14.2%; IRR=1.0, 95% CI=0.6-1.8) or mean CO (18.3 vs 16.5 ppm; β=1.9, 95% CI=-1.3-5.0). CPD decreased across groups by Week 6, with no differences between Flavor and Original in ≥ 50% CPD reduction (50.3% vs 51.6%; IRR=1.0, 95% CI=0.8-1.2) or CO-verified abstinence (9.3% vs 8.9%; IRR=1.0, 95% CI=0.5-2.2). Flavor increased smoke-free days early, with attenuation over time. Among Week 3 non-responders, delayed flavor access increased ≥ 50% CPD reduction at Week 6 (33.3% vs 18.6%; IRR=1.8, 95% CI=1.0-3.2). CONCLUSIONS: NP access supported cigarette reduction regardless of flavor availability, but flavors may accelerate smoke-free days and improve response among individuals who do not reduce cigarette consumption with unflavored products alone.

Humans

Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of oral JMKX003002 in Chinese healthy participants: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single- and multiple-ascending dose, and food-effect phase I clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharma-codynamics (PD) of the sodium-hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) inhibitor JMKX003002 in Chinese healthy participants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included a single-ascending dose (SAD) study with seven cohorts (1 mg [n = 4] and 5, 20, 50, 75, 100, or 125 mg [n = 8]), a food-effect (FE) study with six sequence groups (25 mg twice daily, n = 4), and a multiple-ascending dose (MAD) study with two cohorts (10 mg or 20 mg twice daily, n = 10). RESULTS: JMKX003002 was well-tolerated, with mostly mild treatment-related adverse events. One Grade 3 diarrhoea occurred in each of the 50 mg and 125 mg groups. No serious adverse events were reported, and no participants discontinued or withdrew due to treatment-emergent adverse events. Most plasma samples were below the limit of quantification (0.2 ng/mL), with only transient detection of low concentrations, indicating low systemic exposure. JMKX003002 was primarily excreted in stool (79.9% recovered) and was undetectable in urine. The PD results consistently showed decreased urinary sodium and phosphorus, along with increased stool sodium and phosphorus, compared to baseline across all three studies. One day after discontinuation, stool sodium and phosphorus remained elevated relative to baseline in the MAD study. Mixed-effects model analysis in the FE study demonstrated significant food effect on stool sodium and phosphorus excretion. CONCLUSION: JMKX003002 exhibited favorable safety and tolerability with minimal systemic exposure. It effectively increased sodium and phosphorus excretion in stool. These promising findings warrant further investigation of JMKX003002 to evaluate its clinical benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300070473). Registered on April 13, 2023; prospectively registered.

Adult

Pervasive hybridization and introgression in Diervilleae (Caprifoliaceae).

Diervilleae (Caprifoliaceae) is a horticulturally important lineage with striking floral diversity and a long history of interspecific crossing, suggesting reticulate evolution. We integrated nuclear SNPs and whole plastome data to reconstruct a phylogenomic backbone for the tribe and to identify hybrids, cultivated accessions, and introgression among lineages. Nuclear and plastid phylogenies consistently recover Weigela and Diervilla as reciprocally monophyletic and resolve four major lineages within Weigela, providing a reproducible framework for revising sectional limits and species boundaries. Cultivated accessions form a well supported clade sister to W. florida and show predominantly W. florida ancestry while retaining contributions from multiple wild lineages, consistent with recurrent crossing, backcrossing, and selection. Analyses of wild populations reveal recurrent hybrids and enable plausible parental combinations to be inferred. Tests across the genome further indicate strong evidence for historical introgression across Diervilleae, with the strongest signals involving W. middendorffiana, W. maximowiczii, and Diervilla. Fossil evidence, divergence time estimation, and paleodistribution modelling together suggest range expansion during the Miocene and Pliocene followed by climate driven contraction, providing a spatiotemporal context for episodic contact, introgression, and the East Asia-North America disjunction.

Hybridization, Genetic

Responding to a protracted tuberculosis outbreak: lessons from multiple rounds of investigation in a Chinese boarding school.

PURPOSE: This study analysed a multi-semester pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cluster outbreak in a Chinese boarding school to provide evidence for future epidemic control. METHODS: Contacts were screened via symptoms, infection tests and chest radiography. Screening expanded progressively from close contacts to same-floor contacts, then all students and staff. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and bioinformatics analysis was used for lineage classification, transmission clustering (&#x2264;12 SNPs defining a cluster) and drug resistance prediction. RESULTS: From 2020 to 2022, 20 students were diagnosed with PTB, half laboratory-confirmed. Most cases clustered in class 16 and were epidemiologically linked to the primary case (case 0), who had household PTB exposure. Case 0 and case 1 had diagnostic delays exceeding 3 and 6&#xa0;months, respectively. WGS of five isolates (case 1, 3, 4, 9 and 10) collected over three semesters showed all belonged to lineage 2 and differed by &#x2264;12 SNPs, confirming the same transmission chain. The infection rate in class 16 (46.34%) was significantly higher than other case classes (19.05%) and classes without cases (8.27%) (&#x3c7;2&#xa0;=&#xa0;61.169, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;0.001). No new cases were detected during a one-year follow-up of students involved in the outbreak after the final round of screening, nor among household contacts of all cases followed up to the present. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of entry health examinations facilitated the outbreak. Delayed diagnosis, incomplete contact screening and absence of preventive treatment led to cross-semester persistence. The infection rate disparity confirms class 16 as the outbreak epicentre. Improving community case management, extending contact follow-up and enhancing cluster outbreak measures are recommended to prevent future outbreaks.

Humans

Ancient DNA and Human Physiology.

Ancient DNA (aDNA) enables the reconstruction of chronologically sampled genomes from ancient humans, animals, plants, pathogens, and microorganisms, as well as environmental DNA, providing a record of biological changes through time. Improvements in short and degraded DNA extraction methods and low-cost sequencing now enable the generation of broad, cross-regional datasets that expand evolutionary analyses from past population demography to biological mechanisms. By tracking temporal shifts of allele frequencies, integrating functional genomics resources (e.g., gene expression, chromatin structure variation), modeling population demography to separate selection from genetic drift, and aligning genetic changes with archaeological, cultural, and climatic data, aDNA has the potential to link sequence variation to physiological function within their temporal and environmental contexts. In this review, we summarize illustrative case studies from aDNA research spanning complex traits, dietary adaptations, and responses to pathogens and other environmental changes, showing how human biology has evolved under multiple selective pressures through time. These dated signals help triage experimental work and expose mechanisms that are rare or absent in living cohorts. Although some challenges remain, such as geographic and temporal sampling disparities, limitations in data resolution and variant detection, and genotype-phenotype uncertainties, rapid methodological progress and stronger ethical frameworks are expanding what can be inferred, making aDNA a promising tool for refining physiological pathways, their timing, and their drivers.

Humans

Genome-wide scans reveal candidate genes associated with wing morph differentiation in Tetrix japonica.

Wing dimorphism is an important dispersal-related trait in insects, but its genomic basis remains poorly understood in pygmy grasshoppers. Here, we integrated genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analyses, population structure inference, selection scans, and functional annotation to investigate genomic differentiation between long- and short-winged Tetrix japonica. Principal component analysis (PCA), ADMIXTURE, and phylogenetic analyses revealed weak genome-wide separation between morphs, indicating differentiation on a largely shared genetic background. Genome-wide scans based on the fixation index (FST), nucleotide diversity ratios, and Tajima's D, using 50-kb non-overlapping windows and empirical top-5% outlier thresholds, identified multiple candidate regions across seven chromosomes. The broader long- and short-winged candidate sets spanned 9.35&#xa0;Mb and 9.37&#xa0;Mb and directly overlapped 82 and 77 genes, respectively. Candidate genes were associated with signaling/hormone regulation, membrane transport, metabolism, cytoskeletal organization, extracellular matrix structure, and development. Short-winged candidate genes were significantly enriched for ABC-type transporter activity and ATP hydrolysis activity. Because all individuals originated from a single laboratory-maintained population with weak genome-wide structure, these regions should be regarded as candidate loci from a screening-stage analysis that require validation in independent populations and by functional assays, rather than as confirmed targets of selection.

Animals

The HOXA gene cluster: a critical regulator in bone-related disorders.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal homeostasis relies on the dynamic balance between bone formation and bone resorption. The disruption of this balance acts as the central pathological mechanism of multiple metabolic bone diseases including osteoporosis, and is closely correlated with the progression of various other bone-related disorders. As pivotal transcription factors regulating embryonic development and cell fate, the homeobox A (HOXA) gene family plays an essential role in skeletal physiological and pathological processes. METHODS: This review systematically summarizes recent research advances of the HOXA gene family in bone-related diseases, concludes the evolutionarily conserved regulatory patterns of HOXA members, and clarifies the molecular mechanisms by which HOXA genes mediate bone metabolic disorders and the occurrence as well as development of bone diseases. RESULTS: Accumulating evidence demonstrates that HOXA family members present complex functions and strong heterogeneity in bone-related diseases. They participate in the pathogenesis of bone diseases via three evolutionarily conserved regulatory manners: determining regional patterning, modulating signaling pathways, and integrating epigenetic and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) regulatory networks. CONCLUSION: Further exploring the underlying mechanisms of the HOXA family in bone-related diseases provides novel insights into the pathogenesis of bone disorders. Meanwhile, it also supplies solid theoretical basis and potential therapeutic targets for the development of novel HOXA-targeted therapeutic strategies against bone diseases.

Humans

Fluoride as a Modifier of Metallome Homeostasis: A Systematic Review of Animal Studies.

Fluoride is widely used for caries prevention due to its effects on mineralized tissues, yet its potential role as a modifier of systemic metal homeostasis remains insufficiently explored. This systematic review synthesizes preclinical evidence on the association between fluoride exposure and changes in metal and semi-metal concentrations across biological matrices. A comprehensive search strategy was conducted across major databases without language or date restrictions, following SyRF, CAMARADES and PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Thirty-one animal studies were included, encompassing multiple species, exposure conditions and analytical approaches. Despite substantial methodological heterogeneity, consistent patterns emerged. Fluoride exposure was associated with element-specific redistribution of the metallome rather than uniform change. Essential elements were predominantly depleted, most consistently zinc, copper and manganese, whereas the toxic metals lead and cadmium tended to be retained. This contrast between homeostatically regulated essential elements that are lost and non-regulated toxic metals that accumulate supports the hypothesis that fluoride differentially modifies the distribution and retention of co-existing elements. The novelty of this review lies in integrating metallomic outcomes across experimental models, highlighting fluoride as a potential systemic modulator rather than a tissue-specific agent. Although variability in study design and risk of bias limits causal inference, the consistent directionality of findings across models reinforces their biological plausibility and translational relevance.

Animals

The circadian clock proteins PRR modulate root hair development via the RHD6/RSL module in Arabidopsis.

Root hairs, derived from trichoblasts, are critical for plant growth and environmental adaptation. Although environmental cues are known to influence root hair development, how endogenous timing systems such as the circadian clock integrate into the core transcriptional network governing root hair formation remains unclear. Here, we show that the circadian clock-associated protein PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR5 (PRR5) physically interacts with ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE6 (RHD6) and RHD6 LIKE1 (RSL1), two basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors essential for root hair initiation. Genetic analyses suggest that PRR proteins contribute to root hair development under long-day conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana. Simultaneous disruption of PRR5, PRR7, and PRR9 results in defective root hairs, whereas PRR5 overexpression markedly increases root hair density and length. Transcriptomic and RT-qPCR analyses reveal that PRRs enhance the expression of RHD6, RSL1, and multiple downstream root hair-responsive genes, while modulating their temporal expression patterns. Furthermore, PRR5-mediated root hair promotion requires RHD6/RSL1, and PRR proteins enhance RHD6-dependent activation of the RSL4 promoter. PRRs also contribute to root hair development under phosphate-deficient and salt-stress conditions. Together, these findings establish a molecular framework in which PRR proteins regulate the RHD6/RSL network to coordinate root hair development and environmental responses.

Arabidopsis