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Trade-offs in avian parental care: a review of theory and meta-analysis of brood size manipulations.

The selective forces shaping parental care have been studied for over 50 years. While theoretical and experimental work has yielded qualitative progress, the large body of empirical work testing predictions about parental investment based on life-history trade-offs has yet to be synthesized. We first provide an overview of the core life-history theory exploring how selection might shape parental care. We then conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on studies that experimentally manipulated brood size in birds, a widely used experimental approach to manipulate parental investment. We extracted 313 estimates from 62 studies representing 31 species of birds from 19 different families and tested key predictions on trade-offs in parental care derived from theory. Our analysis provides strong support for some predictions about life-history trade-offs in parental care, but weak or equivocal support for others. Specifically, we found that overall, avian parents respond to brood size manipulations as predicted by life-history theory: they increased care in response to brood enlargement, and decreased care in response to brood reductions. Furthermore, for the same relative manipulation size, responses to brood reductions were greater than responses to brood enlargements. This finding is consistent with predictions derived from life-history theory based on some types of non-linear utility curves. However, many predictions derived from theory are not well supported by our comparative analysis. Species' life-history traits such as clutch size (a measure of current reproduction), adult survival, and broods per year (two measures of future reproduction), explained little, if any, among-species variation in response to brood size manipulations. Several factors may explain this. We highlight that brood size manipulations may affect more than just perception of the value of current reproduction, such as altering parents' perception of predation risk. Importantly, these unintended consequences could lead to asymmetric responses like those we observed. Other common experimental approaches - such as hormone manipulations, altering a partner's effort, and food supplementation - often affect multiple traits or fitness components simultaneously, or may involve cues that poorly match the evolved mechanisms guiding parental behaviour. Our review of both theory and experimental approaches suggests that there are multiple opportunities for more precise experiments. We offer several recommendations for effective designs. One is improved understanding of the biology underlying the functions relating to costs and benefits, with careful consideration of not only how the manipulation will affect only one of those, but also the mechanisms that might alter how parents perceive the manipulation. We also emphasize general principles, such as assessing alternative hypotheses and devising multiple independent tests. Armed with these recommendations, we believe there are new opportunities to increase the strength of inference achieved from studies aimed at understanding the trade-offs affecting the evolution of parental care.

Animals

Systemic biomarkers of treatment response to methotrexate in people with painful knee osteoarthritis: A biological substudy of the PROMOTE randomised controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Stratification of therapeutic responses may help identify efficacious therapies for osteoarthritis (OA). In the PROMOTE randomised trial, participants with elevated baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) showed greater pain reduction after methotrexate treatment. We set out to interrogate a broader panel of serum/plasma inflammatory response markers relevant to methotrexate actions as potential biomarkers of therapeutic effect. Our objectives were to: (i) characterize changes in these systemic markers during methotrexate treatment; determine whether (ii) baseline levels or (iii) changes in any marker during treatment were associated with treatment response; and (iv) compare these findings with the more established clinical inflammatory marker, hs-CRP. DESIGN: Plasma/serum samples from participants in PROMOTE's biological substudy were analysed for 35 inflammatory markers at baseline (pre-treatment) and at 6-months (post-treatment), by MesoScale V-plex multiplex assay. Those with paired biological and clinical data at both baseline and 6-months were included in the substudy analysis set. Relationships between markers and overall data structure were assessed by Pearson correlation and Principal Component analysis. Associations between markers (baseline levels or change over time) and change in average knee pain severity in past week (numerical rating scale, NRS) were evaluated by univariable linear regression, adjusting for baseline age, sex, and body mass index. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression with bootstrap resampling enabled marker selection. Benjamini-Hochberg correction adjusted for multiple testing (Padj). RESULTS: 87 participants with paired blood marker and clinical data were eligible for substudy analysis. 18/35 markers were quantifiable and analysed. Systemic IL-8 and TNF-α levels decreased (Padj=0.015, 0.048 respectively) while IL-15 increased (Padj=0.033) with methotrexate treatment over 6-months. Analysing within this active treatment randomised arm, higher baseline IFN-γ was associated with greater reduction in NRS pain change (0.66 [0.01, 1.31], P=0.047), as was decreasing TNF-α over 6-months (2.25 [0.00, 4.5], P=0.049). LASSO identified higher IFN-γ, lower plasma IL-15 and IL-16, and younger age as the most important baseline predictors of pain improvement. hs-CRP was highly selected by LASSO for treatment response in both arms. In a secondary univariate treatment arm-by-biomarker interaction analysis, of the 19 markers, only hs-CRP showed consistent effects in adjusted models (at baseline, coeffic. 2.34 [0.53, 4.15], P=0.001; change over 6-months, (0.36 [0.06, 0.66], P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Blood measurement of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-15 and IL-16 as well as hs-CRP could act as potential markers to stratify the treatment response by average knee pain to methotrexate in knee osteoarthritis.

Humans

Extended Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass: A Three-Arm Randomized Trial of Enoxaparin Duration and Rivaroxaban.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious but preventable complication after bariatric surgery, most of them after hospital discharge. The optimal regimen and duration of post-discharge prophylaxis, particularly the role of direct oral anticoagulants, remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES: To estimate 30-day VTE and bleeding event rates in high-risk patients undergoing one-anastomosis gastric bypass who received 15-day enoxaparin, 30-day enoxaparin, or 30-day rivaroxaban prophylaxis, and to perform exploratory comparisons among the regimens. METHODS: In this randomized, open-label, three-arm clinical trial, high-risk adults undergoing laparoscopic OAGB were randomized before discharge (1:1:1) to enoxaparin 40 mg subcutaneously twice daily for 15 days, enoxaparin 40 mg twice daily for 30 days, or rivaroxaban 10 mg orally once daily for 30 days, after standardized in-hospital enoxaparin and early ambulation. Participants underwent clinical assessment and duplex ultrasonography of the lower-limb and porto-mesenteric veins on postoperative days 15 and 30. The primary outcome was objectively confirmed VTE within 30 days. Bleeding was classified as International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) major bleeding or clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB). Because the expected event rate was low and no non-inferiority or equivalence margin was prespecified, comparisons were interpreted as exploratory. RESULTS: A total of 288 patients were randomized to 15-day enoxaparin (n = 97), 30-day enoxaparin (n = 97), or 30-day rivaroxaban (n = 94). One symptomatic lower-limb deep vein thrombosis occurred in the 15-day enoxaparin group (1.0%; 95% CI, 0.03%-5.6%); no VTE events occurred in the 30-day enoxaparin group (0%; 95% CI, 0%-3.7%) or the rivaroxaban group (0%; 95% CI, 0%-3.8%). Total bleeding occurred in 4/97 patients (4.1%) in each enoxaparin group and 8/94 patients (8.5%) in the rivaroxaban group. The absolute difference in total bleeding between rivaroxaban and 30-day enoxaparin was 4.4% points (95% CI, - 2.9 to 12.2), indicating substantial imprecision. No porto-mesenteric venous thrombosis was detected. CONCLUSION: Only one VTE event occurred, precluding reliable conclusions regarding comparative efficacy or prophylaxis duration. Bleeding estimates were also imprecise and do not establish comparative safety or equivalence between rivaroxaban and enoxaparin. The trial adds descriptive event-rate data from a standardized OAGB pathway, but larger multicenter studies with prespecified comparative hypotheses and assessment of adherence, oral tolerance, and drug exposure are required. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Humans

Spinal meningiomas: histopathological grading using a benchmark radiomics model with notes on disease control.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal meningiomas (SMs) are common primary spinal tumors for which surgery is considered the first-line treatment when safe and feasible. The ability to extrapolate the tumor grade from preoperative imaging may significantly inform early patient expectation-setting regarding recurrence. Building on radiomics studies in cranial meningiomas, the authors aimed to construct a benchmark radiomics model to preoperatively identify the histological grade of SMs. METHODS: Institutional surgical records from May 2012 to November 2025 were queried for pathology-confirmed meningiomas below the foramen magnum, with preoperative contrast-enhanced imaging available for segmentation. SMs were classified as low-grade (WHO grade 1) and high-grade (WHO grade 2 tumors and grade 1 tumors with atypia). Tumors were manually segmented, and features were extracted using the PyRadiomics software package. An ensemble model of k-nearest neighbors, random forest, and support vector machine classifiers was trained using nested cross-validation on a subset of 10 features to differentiate tumor grades. Clinical data for the cohort were also extracted, and disease control in an adjunctive clinical series was assessed. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included in radiomics analysis, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.879 and a mean F1 score of 0.748. The model's top 5 features were all texture features that differed significantly (p < 0.05) across low- and high-grade SMs. These included measures of tumor textural and contrast-enhancement heterogeneity, with overlap with features reported in radiomics models for histological grading of intracranial meningiomas. Fifty-five patients with a median radiographic follow-up of 22.2 (range 1.9-86.4) months remained for clinical analysis after exclusion of patients with less than 1 month of follow-up and syndromic meningiomas. Four recurrences occurred at a median of 20.8 (range 1.8-41.8) months. High-grade tumor pathology did not significantly impact progression-free survival (p = 0.682, log-rank test; Cox regression high vs low grade hazard ratio [HR] 0.62, 95% CI 0.06-6.11, p = 0.685). Subtotal resection was associated with poorer progression-free survival than gross-total resection (p = 0.004, log-rank test; Cox regression subtotal vs gross-total resection HR 10.62, 95% CI 1.46-77.05, p = 0.019). These findings remain contextualized within a relatively limited follow-up window and small recurrence event count, suggesting a need to characterize the interplay between tumor grade and extent of resection as drivers of local disease control in SMs. CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative radiomics model can stratify high-grade SMs using open-source tools applied to single-institution data.

Humans

Single-nucleus transcriptomics reveals cell type-specific remodeling and epilepsy-associated microglia.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common acquired epilepsy, causing refractory seizures and cognitive deficits. We performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing on hippocampal tissue from mice 3 and 6 weeks following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus, a robust model of TLE. Epilepsy samples showed reductions in Cck and Lamp5-Lhx6 interneuron subclusters, alongside increases in Cajal-Retzius cells, dentate granule (DG) cell precursors, and a mature DG cell subcluster. Among glia, an astrocyte subcluster and a markedly expanded microglia sublcuster were increased. We term this microglia population epilepsy-associated microglia (EAM). The transcriptomic profile of EAM overlaps with microglia described in models of Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury, including enrichment of Myo1e and Igf1. EAM display amoeboid morphology, can be found in clumps around pyramidal and granule cell body layers, and exhibit enlarged vesicles and mitochondria. Cell-cell interaction analysis predicts DG cells as their primary interaction partners. This dataset defines transcriptomic programs underlying key cellular alterations in TLE, enabling mechanistic dissection of epileptogenesis.

TLE

Remotely Supervised, Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Major Depressive Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder affects over 280 million people worldwide, and access to effective treatment remains limited. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive option, and portable devices now allow for home-based delivery under varying degrees of remote supervision. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy, safety, feasibility, and acceptability of home-based and remotely supervised tDCS for depressive disorders. METHODS: Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 and PRISMA-S (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses literature search extension) guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane databases, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform up to July 2025, with backward and forward citation searching. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias (version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies, and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for qualitative studies) and certainty of evidence (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation; GRADE). RESULTS: This review included 12 distinct studies (16 reports), of which 6 (50%) were randomized sham-controlled trials forming the meta-analytic pool. Active home-based tDCS produced a small, statistically significant improvement over sham (pooled Hedges g=0.36, 95% CI 0.06-0.66; P=.03; I2=34.3%). The effect was not robust to removal of the single largest positive trial (omitting the one study from 2025: g=0.39, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.91), and trial-level results were mixed: the 2 largest trials (one unsupervised [n=210] and one self-administered [n=141]) were negative on their primary depression outcomes, whereas the largest real-time supervised trial (n=174) was positive (between-group 95% CI 0.51-4.01; P=.01). This estimate was concordant in direction with an independent peer-reviewed meta-analysis of overlapping trials, which reported a pooled Montgomery-&#xc5;sberg Depression Rating Scale reduction (weighted mean difference -2.74, 95% CI -4.19 to -1.29) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale reduction (weighted mean difference -2.24, 95% CI -4.16 to -1.49), attenuating to nonsignificance (P>.05) in major depressive disorder without comorbid cognitive impairment. The pooled effect fell at or near the minimal clinically important difference. GRADE certainty was moderate. Adverse events were predominantly mild: one pilot study was terminated early for skin lesions, and one nonfatal suicide attempt occurred in an unsupervised trial. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based and remotely supervised tDCS produces a small, statistically significant but clinically modest antidepressant effect that is sensitive to the inclusion of the largest positive trial, with the 2 largest trials being negative. The available controlled evidence does not establish supervision intensity as a determinant of efficacy. Current data are insufficient to recommend routine clinical adoption; adequately powered trials with standardized supervision and longer follow-up are needed.

Humans

Exploring China's Clean Air Act and associated cardiovascular disease risk: a prospective, quasi-experimental, and causal inference modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Substantial improvements in air quality have been recorded following the implementation of China's Clean Air Act (CCAA) in 2013. However, the association between CCAA implementation and individual-level cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk remains unclear. We aimed to examine the long-term association between CCAA implementation and individual-level predicted CVD risk. METHODS: In this prospective, quasi-experimental study, we used data from the China Kadoorie Biobank, a prospective cohort study that recruited participants from five urban and five rural areas across China between 2004 and 2008, with three resurveys conducted after the baseline survey (in 2008, 2013-14, and 2020-21). We included 34&#x2009;862 individuals (mean age 51&#xb7;3 years) who participated in at least one resurvey and had no history of CVD at baseline. Participants were classified into intervention (n=25&#x2009;497) and control (n=9365) groups based on the local government's targets for particulate matter reduction. We estimated the 10-year risk of incident CVD morbidity or mortality using a validated risk prediction model. We used a difference-in-difference model to assess the long-term association between CCAA implementation and predicted risk, with adjustments made for regional confounders and individual-level characteristics, including demographics, lifestyle factors, medical history, and indoor air pollution exposure. The relationship between changes in long-term exposure to PM2&#xb7;5, PM10, and O3 and predicted risk after CCAA implementation was analysed using a linear model. The estimated risk differences associated with air pollutant changes were estimated based on the magnitude of changes and their corresponding effect sizes. FINDINGS: After the CCAA was implemented, PM2&#xb7;5 and PM10 concentrations declined in both groups, but O3 concentrations increased. The intervention group showed a 3&#xb7;95% (95% CI 3&#xb7;18-4&#xb7;72%) lower increase in predicted risk than the control group, with larger estimated differences under stricter enforcement. Between 2013 and 2021, each 10 &#x3bc;g/m3 change in PM2&#xb7;5 concentration was positively associated with a 1&#xb7;80 (1&#xb7;34-2&#xb7;27) percentage point change in predicted CVD risk, whereas each 10 &#x3bc;g/m3 change in PM10 concentration was associated with a 1&#xb7;24 (0&#xb7;84-1&#xb7;63) percentage point change and each 10 &#x3bc;g/m3 change in O3 concentration with a 0&#xb7;58 (0&#xb7;33-0&#xb7;83) percentage point change. Overall, the observed changes in air pollutants during the study period were associated with an average 6&#xb7;6 percentage point reduction in predicted CVD risk. INTERPRETATION: The CCAA and improved air quality were associated with a slower increase in predicted CVD risk, supporting the necessity for stricter, multipollutant air quality policies to maximise public health benefits. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Kadoorie Charitable Foundation, Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project, National Key R&D Program of China, Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, and UK Wellcome Trust.

Journal Article

Memantine Augmentation for Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive symptoms are frequently observed in patients with bipolar disorder and present a significant therapeutic challenge. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of memantine as an adjunctive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder in patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 46 patients with bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, stabilized on quetiapine and lithium, were randomly assigned to receive either memantine (n = 23) or placebo (n = 23) for 6 weeks. RESULTS: The memantine group showed a significant reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale scores compared with the placebo group (Cohen d = 1.57 vs 0.42, P < 0.001). Nausea was the most common side effect, but overall adverse effects were minimal. CONCLUSION: Memantine appears to be a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder in patients with bipolar disorder, warranting further investigation.

Humans

Osimertinib With or Without Chemotherapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With EGFR and Concurrent TP53 Mutations: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Combination therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its clinical benefit-risk profile remains a focus of ongoing debate. Identifying patients most likely to derive benefit from such regimens remains an unmet clinical need. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively compare the efficacy and safety of first-line osimertinib plus chemotherapy with osimertinib monotherapy for patients with EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC harboring concurrent TP53 mutations. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 3 study conducted at 17 sites in China. Between March 25, 2021, and July 11, 2024, a total of 294 eligible patients with treatment-naive, stage IV or recurrent nonsquamous NSCLC harboring concurrent TP53 and EGFR-sensitizing mutations were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive osimertinib plus chemotherapy (pemetrexed and carboplatin every 3 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by maintenance therapy of osimertinib plus pemetrexed; n&#x2009;=&#x2009;146) or osimertinib monotherapy (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;148). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival. Secondary end points included overall survival, response, safety, and quality of life. RESULTS: Among 294 enrolled patients, the median age was 57 years (range, 26-79 years), and 159 (54.1%) were female. The data cutoff date was November 11, 2025. At a median follow-up of 25.1 months for the osimertinib-chemotherapy group and 26.1 months for the osimertinib monotherapy group, median progression-free survival was significantly longer with osimertinib plus chemotherapy than with osimertinib monotherapy (34.0 vs 15.6 months; difference, 18.4 months [95% CI, 9.9-22.3]; hazard ratio, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.32-0.60]; P&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001). This benefit was consistent across prespecified subgroups, including those with brain metastases and L858R mutations. The overall survival data remained immature (30.6% maturity); however, a trend toward overall survival benefit with combination therapy was observed. The incidence of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events was higher in the combination group, with no new safety signal identified. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this randomized clinical trial, osimertinib plus chemotherapy significantly increased progression-free survival among patients with EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC harboring concurrent TP53 mutations. These findings provided a clinical rationale for individualized combination strategies in the management of patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04695925.

Adult

Longitudinal functional trajectory and surgical outcomes after intracranial meningioma resection: implications for surgical decision-making in older patients.

OBJECTIVE: As the population ages, meningiomas are increasingly encountered in older patients, yet longitudinal functional outcomes following surgery across age groups remain incompletely characterized. This study evaluated age-related differences in clinical and tumor characteristics, functional trajectory, and surgical outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 396 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for intracranial meningiomas at a single academic center between January 2023 and September 2025. Patients were stratified into 5 age groups (< 65, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, and &#x2265; 80 years). Neurological deficits and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) were assessed preoperatively, at discharge, and at last follow-up. Logistic regression analyses identified predictors of prolonged length of stay (LOS) (> 5 days) and poor functional outcome at discharge (KPS < 80). RESULTS: Older patients presented with greater comorbidity burden, larger tumors, and lower preoperative KPS (all p < 0.05), while gross-total resection was achieved at comparable rates across all age groups (p = 0.504). A clinically meaningful inflection point was observed around age 75 years, with KPS < 80 at discharge rising from 7.4% and 9.7% in the < 65-year and 70- to 74-year subgroups and to 36.2% and 57.1% in the 75- to 79-year and &#x2265; 80-year subgroups (p < 0.001), and median LOS increased from 4 days in the younger groups to 9 and 7 days in the 75- to 79-year and &#x2265; 80-year groups (p < 0.001). However, recovery rates among patients who experienced functional decline at discharge were comparable across age strata. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of prolonged LOS were age &#x2265; 75 years (OR 2.31, p = 0.019), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.85, p = 0.004), posterior fossa location (OR 2.1, p = 0.008), tumor diameter (OR 1.33, p < 0.001), postoperative edema (OR 2.58, p = 0.015), and neurosurgical complications (OR 3.18, p = 0.002). Independent predictors of poor functional outcome at discharge were age &#x2265; 75 years (OR 5.84, p < 0.001), lower preoperative KPS (OR 2.8, p < 0.001), posterior fossa location (OR 3.72, p = 0.003), neurosurgical complications (OR 3.56, p = 0.008), and recurrent meningioma (OR 2.89, p = 0.025). Among 70 endoscopic endonasal approach patients, higher preoperative deficit burden and subtotal resection rates were observed compared to open craniotomy, though overall functional outcomes were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical risk in meningioma resection increases from age 75 years onwards, yet recovery capacity following initial functional decline remains similar across all age groups. Preoperative functional status, tumor location, comorbidity burden, and recurrence history should guide surgical decision-making rather than age alone.

Humans

Proteomic analysis of cisplatin-induced spermatogenesis defects in mice.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin is a crucial chemotherapeutic agent used for treating various cancers; however, its excessive use can cause irreversible damage to the reproductive system, and the protein expression profile of cisplatin-induced testicular injury remains unclear. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were treated with cisplatin at various doses, and testes were collected for histological, immunofluorescence, and proteomic analyses. Germ cell loss and apoptosis were assessed using H&E staining, TUNEL assays, and immunofluorescence for LIN28A, SYCP3, MVH, and CDK1. Label-free quantitative proteomics identified differentially expressed proteins, which were analyzed for functional enrichment and protein-protein interactions. RESULTS: We observed that cisplatin treatment led to smaller testes, reduced sperm count, and a significant decrease in the number of spermatocytes and spermatids in mice. Label-free quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that cisplatin significantly reduced the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), a key spermatogenesis regulator, in the testes. Reduction in CDK1 expression is correlated with spermatogenic arrest, particularly in spermatocytes. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the critical role of CDK1 in cisplatin-induced spermatogenic dysfunction and provide new insights into fertility preservation strategies for patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Animals

Comparison of the clinical efficacy, safety and EEG functional connectivity changes between 18-Hz rTMS and iTBS of accelerated dTMS treatment for major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Although the antidepressant efficacy of 18-Hz deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) has been validated, its prolonged treatment duration has considerable limitations for treatment capacity and patient adherence. Therefore, novel short-course protocols such as accelerated dTMS and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) present promising alternative options. Here we addressed the question of whether iTBS of accelerated dTMS achieves comparable therapeutic and electrophysiological effects to accelerated dTMS with the conventional 18-Hz rTMS protocol in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In a randomized controlled trial (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;73), participants received either 18-Hz rTMS of accelerated dTMS (rTMS-dTMS group), iTBS of accelerated dTMS (iTBS-dTMS group), or pharmacotherapy alone (drug group). Both dTMS protocols were administered twice daily for 10 days targeting the left lateral prefrontal cortex including the dorsolateral region. Results showed that Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score of the iTBS-dTMS group decreased significantly from 22.5&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;3.7 before treatment to 8.2&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;4.1 after treatment (t&#x2009;=&#x2009;15.900, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). HAMD score of the rTMS-dTMS group decreased significantly from 21.3&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;2.9 before treatment to 8.0&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;3.8 after treatment (t&#x2009;=&#x2009;17.232, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). The drug group also exhibited significantly improved patients' mood symptoms, and the HAMD score decreased from 24.7&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;6.8 to 14.0&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;5.0 (t&#x2009;=&#x2009;6.363, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). The treatment response rate was 85.7% in the iTBS-dTMS group and 76.9% in the rTMS-dTMS group, which was much higher than that of the drug group (42.1%). The remission rate was 50.0% in the iTBS-dTMS group and 42.3% in the rTMS-dTMS group, which was significantly higher than 10.5% of the drug group. We demonstrate here that both accelerated dTMS protocols significantly reduced HAMD scores, improved the response rates, and remission rates, outperforming pharmacotherapy alone. Resting-state EEG analysis further revealed unique frequency-specific functional connectivity (FC) modulation effects: the rTMS-dTMS group primarily exhibited weakened alpha-band functional connectivity within the fronto-occipital, fronto-temporal and fronto-central networks after treatment, whereas the iTBS-dTMS group predominantly demonstrated reduced theta-band functional connectivity within the fronto-parietal, fronto-occipital and fronto-temporal pathways after treatment. These findings indicate that iTBS of accelerated dTMS demonstrates comparable efficacy and tolerability to 18-Hz rTMS of accelerated dTMS, whilst inducing treatment-specific network-level neurophysiological alterations. In the rTMS-dTMS group, relative changes in FC between the frontal and temporal/precentral regions showed significant negative correlation with HAMD score reduction rates, while relative changes in FC between the frontal lobe and parietal lobe showed a significant positive correlation with the rate of HAMD score reduction for the iTBS-dTMS group. This study revealed novel mechanisms by which accelerated dTMS protocols modulate brain networks, providing evidence for the clinical application of accelerated iTBS-dTMS as an efficient, evidence-based treatment for MDD.

Humans

DNM1L depletion leads to accelerated heteroplasmy shifting of m.10191C allele through ATG7-dependent pathways.

Nucleotide composition bias in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) makes the heavy strand prone to form a DNA secondary structure called a guanine quadruplex (G4). This secondary structure has been shown to inhibit polymerase processivity in vitro. We previously identified pathogenic mtDNA variants that lead to increased G4-forming propensity, including a T to C mutation at m.10191 (m.10191&#xa0;T&#xa0;>&#xa0;C) that causes Leigh syndrome. Cells treated with G4 binding agent (G4BA) berberine show a reduction in m.10191C pathogenic heteroplasmy levels. To help better understand the underlying mechanism behind berberine-induced heteroplasmy shift, we examined the relationship between mitochondrial fission and berberine-mediated shift. Here we show that knockdown of the fission factor DNM1L leads to an accelerated heteroplasmy shift towards the healthy mtDNA allele, lowering m.10191C by 10% in 3&#xa0;weeks, compared to the 5&#xa0;weeks required for berberine alone. The specific mechanism involves ATG7, as knockdown of ATG7 is able to partially delay this accelerated heteroplasmy shift. Taken together, we show that DNM1L knockdown is able to accelerate berberine-induced m.10191C heteroplasmy shifting through an autophagy-related mechanism.

Humans

Targeting TP53 in triple-negative breast cancer: Molecular pathogenesis, therapeutic implications, and emerging pharmacological strategies.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a highly aggressive and therapeutically challenging subtype, defined by the absence of oestrogen, progesterone, and HER2 expression. Tumour Protein 53 (TP53) mutations represent the most frequent genetic alteration, occurring in over 80% of cases and driving tumour initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Mutant p53 proteins not only lose canonical tumour-suppressive functions but also often acquire gain-of-function (GOF) oncogenic properties that promote metastasis, genomic instability, and resistance to mechanisms like ferroptosis. This review examines the biological role of TP53 in TNBC pathogenesis and evaluates emerging pharmacological strategies aimed at targeting these vulnerabilities. Key approaches include the pharmacological reactivation of mutant p53 using small molecules such as APR-246, COTI-2, and the mutation-specific reactivator rezatapopt (PC14586), which has shown significant clinical tumour reduction in Y220C-mutant patients. Other strategies involve targeted protein degradation, the exploitation of synthetic lethal interactions (e.g., Chk1 or Aurora kinase B inhibition), and the use of natural products like cryptolepine or piperine derivatives. Recent clinical evidence further highlights the potential of combining epigenetic agents like decitabine with chemotherapy in TP53-mutant populations. Integrating TP53 mutation status into biomarker-driven treatment paradigms is a pivotal step toward achieving precision oncology and improving clinical outcomes for patients with TNBC.

Precision oncology

Clopidogrel vs Aspirin According to Diabetes Mellitus: A Prespecified Analysis of the SMART-CHOICE 3 Trial.

BACKGROUND: Recent trials support the superior efficacy of clopidogrel compared to aspirin monotherapy after completion of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, limited evidence is available in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of clopidogrel vs aspirin monotherapy according to the presence of DM. METHODS: This was a prespecified analysis of the SMART-CHOICE 3 trial, which was a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial comparing clopidogrel vs aspirin monotherapy in patients with complex coronary lesions or high-risk clinical characteristics. From August 2020 to July 2023, a total of 5,506 patients who underwent PCI and standard DAPT duration and had complex coronary lesions, DM, or previous myocardial infarction, were randomized to clopidogrel or aspirin monotherapy groups. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), which was defined as a composite of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, or stroke. RESULTS: Of 5,506 patients, 2,089 had DM (1,039 in the clopidogrel group and 1,050 in the aspirin group). At a median follow-up of 2.3 years (IQR: 1.6-3.0 years), DM patients had a higher risk of MACCE compared to non-DM patients (6.8% vs 4.7%; HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.10-1.87; P = 0.008). Clopidogrel showed a significantly lower risk of MACCE than aspirin in DM patients (4.5% vs 9.1%; HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38-0.86; P = 0.008). There was no significant interaction between DM and antiplatelet monotherapy regarding MACCE (P for interaction = 0.124). The risk of bleeding was comparable between the 2 groups in DM patients (2.9% vs 2.9%; HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.57-1.95; P = 0.855). CONCLUSIONS: Among DM patients who completed the standard duration of DAPT after PCI, clopidogrel monotherapy was associated with a lower risk of a composite of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, and stroke compared with aspirin monotherapy, without increased rates of bleeding. There was no significant interaction between DM and antiplatelet monotherapy with respect to MACCE. (SMART-CHOICE 3 [SMart Angioplasty Research Team: CHoice of Optimal Anti-Thrombotic Strategy in Patients Undergoing Implantation of Coronary Drug-Eluting Stents 3]; NCT04418479).

Humans

Could creatine supplementation combined with physical rehabilitation accelerate return to play in athletes with patellar tendinopathy?

BACKGROUND: Several dietary supplements have been proposed to positively influence the rehabilitation process following injury. However, to date, no studies have specifically examined the effects of scientifically supported ergogenic aids on recovery outcomes when combined with physical performance interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the ergogenic effects of creatine supplementation on neuromuscular performance, tendon thickness, pain, and body composition in athletes diagnosed with patellar tendinopathy (PT). METHODS: Using a triple-blind experimental design, 20 federated athletes (age: 33.7&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;9.84 years) with PT were randomly assigned to either a creatine supplementation group (CR; n&#x2009;=&#x2009;9) or a placebo group (PLA; n&#x2009;=&#x2009;11). All participants followed a physical rehabilitation intervention that included daily eccentric training combined with stretching exercises, along with one session every 10 days of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and manual therapy targeting the tendon and surrounding muscle tissue. At the end of each eccentric training session, the participants ingested 3 capsules of creatine monohydrate - Creapure&#xae; (CR) or sucrose (PLA). At the beginning (PRE), after 4 weeks (MID), and after 8 weeks (POST), the pain level (Victorian Institute for Sports Assessment-Patella, VISA-P), tendon thickness (echography), body composition (bioelectrical impedance system), and neuromuscular performance using a countermovement jump test (CMJ) and a strength test (5-RM) of knee extension in the injured leg. RESULTS: A significant main effect of time was observed for VISA-P scores (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001; &#x3b7;2 p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.626), indicating a reduction in pain over time in both the creatine (CR) and placebo (PLA) groups. At POST, both groups showed significant improvements compared to PRE (CR: 78.0 points [69.2-86.8] vs. 60.6 points [53.4-67.7]; p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.002; PLA: 75.2 points [66.3-84.0] vs. 60.0 points [52.5-67.5]; p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.003). However, only the CR group showed a statistically significant improvement in the MID compared to PRE (MID: 70.2 points [60.0-80.5]; p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.027). A significant main effect of time was observed for both tendon thickness (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001; &#x3b7;2 p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.629) and the 5-RM leg extension test (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001; &#x3b7;2 p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.739), with both groups showing progressive improvements over time. Nevertheless, as trend toward a statistically significant time&#xb7;supplementation interaction was observed (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.099; &#x3b7;2p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.126), with an increase in performance only in CMJ in MID vs PRE (36.8&#x2009; cm (33.8-39.7) vs 34.3&#x2009; cm (30.8-37.7); p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.019) and POST vs MID (POST: 37.6&#x2009; cm (33.5-41.8); p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.015). CONCLUSIONS: A physical rehabilitation program involving eccentric training, stretching, and ESWT is effective in reducing tendon thickness and increasing muscle strength. However. It seems that the addition of CR induces an earlier reduction of pain and a positive effect on CMJ performance. Therefore, CR could be considered as an ergogenic recovery aid in athletes with PT.

Humans

Evolutionary diversification of invertase paralogs couples carbon metabolism and sexual reproduction in fission yeasts.

Dynamic patterns of gene gain and loss play a major role in the diversification of eukaryotes, reflecting adaptation to a broad range of ecological contexts. Reconstructing the evolutionary history of genes provides a powerful framework for understanding how functional innovation shapes life-history traits. Here we report a comprehensive analysis of gene gain and loss across the fission yeast clade, whose evolutionary trajectory remains elusive. Reductive evolution of metabolic genes is a major contributor to species diversification, as observed in other fungal taxa. Notably, we uncovered an evolutionary scenario in which an ancestral gene duplication was followed by lineage-specific loss of one or the other paralog, except in S. pombe, which retained both. We demonstrate that these paralogs encode catalytically-active invertases, named Inv1 and Inv2, with distinct enzymatic properties, localization, regulation, and physiological roles. Inv1 is a secreted enzyme subject to glucose catabolite repression and is the sole invertase required for sucrose assimilation, resembling canonical yeast invertases. In contrast, Inv2 is intracellular, constitutively expressed, and required for inducing sexual differentiation in response to nutrient availability. Overall, these findings reveal an unexpected role for carbon metabolism in modulating the haploid-diploid cycle of fission yeasts, suggesting that diversification of core metabolic functions may contribute to adaptation to environments with distinct sugar compositions.

Evolution

Maternal vitamin B12 deprivation exacerbates offspring obesity by reducing early-life colonization with Bifidobacterium pseudolongum.

Vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy and lactation is common, yet its mechanistic impact on reproductive outcomes and offspring health remains poorly understood. Here, we show that maternal dietary vitamin B12 deprivation not only impairs maternal glucose metabolism and reproductive outcomes but also exacerbates high-fat-diet-induced obesity in offspring. These effects are mediated by gut microbiota and associated with a marked reduction of Bifidobacterium pseudolongum (B. pseudolongum) in both dams and their offspring. Maternal vitamin B12 deprivation limits early-life acquisition of B. pseudolongum in offspring during lactation, subsequently intensifying obesity and metabolic dysregulation. Early-life restoration of B. pseudolongum or its key metabolite, acetate, effectively ameliorates this aggravated obesity. Mechanistically, acetate acts through the Ffar2 receptor to upregulate Ehhadh expression. Together, these data establish that perinatal nutrition imprints long-term metabolic phenotypes in offspring via early-life acquisition of the gut microbiota, with a critical window during lactation.

Animals