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PubMed2026

Single nucleus multiomics reveals an early inflammatory response to high-fat diet in mouse islets.

In periods of sustained hyper-nutrition, pancreatic β-cells undergo functional compensation through transcriptional upregulation of gene programs driving insulin secretion. This adaptation is essential for maintaining systemic glucose homeostasis and metabolic health. Using single nuclei multiomics, we have mapped the early transcriptional adaptive mechanisms in murine islets of Langerhans exposed to high-fat diet (HFD) for 1 and 3 wk. We show that β-cells exhibit the largest transcriptional response to HFD, characterized by early activation of pro-inflammatory eRegulons and down-regulation of β-cell identity genes, particularly in a distinct subset of β-cells. These observations extend to humans, where the prevalence of an β-cells with a high inflammatory signature is increased in diabetes. Collectively, these observations point to cellular crosstalk through pro-inflammatory signaling as a central and early driver of β-cell dysfunction that limits the compensatory capacity of β-cells, which is closely linked to the development of diabetes.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Timing and Dose Matter: Late High-Speed Exposure and Higher High-Intensity Acceleration Volumes Reduce Hamstring Reinjury Risk in Elite Male Football (Soccer).

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to (a) investigate whether the timing and magnitude of exposure to high-speed running (HSR), sprinting, and high-intensity accelerations during on-field rehabilitation after hamstring strain injury were associated with reinjury risk and (b) examine changes in match running performance upon return to play (RTP). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Data from 95 elite male football (soccer) players from five professional clubs competing in major European and Middle Eastern leagues were analyzed. Players with complete rehabilitation load profiles were included in the 2-month and 6-month reinjury analysis. Modified Poisson regression assessed associations between rehabilitation load characteristics and reinjury risk. Match running performance (HSR distance, sprint distance, and high-intensity accelerations per minute) during the five matches before injury and the first five matches after RTP was compared using paired t-tests for the entire cohort. RESULTS: Late introduction of HSR, sprinting, and high-intensity accelerations during rehabilitation (ie, ≥ 60% of rehabilitation progression) was associated with a significantly lower reinjury risk at 2 months (relative risk [RR] range = 0.948-0.969; P < .01) and 6 months (RR range = 0.964-0.979; P < .05). Higher daily exposure to high-intensity accelerations once introduced was protective (RR = 0.861 (0.778-0.951)). There were no meaningful associations between total volume of HSR or sprinting and reinjury. Match running performance metrics did not differ between pre-injury and post-RTP matches (all P > .05). Changes in performance were not correlated with rehabilitation load characteristics. CONCLUSION: The timing of high-intensity running exposure during on-field rehabilitation appeared associated with a lower hamstring reinjury risk. Delaying the introduction of HSR, sprinting, and accelerations, followed by a structured and progressive build-up, was associated with lower risk of reinjury without compromising the subsequent match performance of elite male football players. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2026;56(9):611-621. Epub 7 Jul 2026. doi:10.2519/jospt.2026.14077.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Sex modifies the association of high-altitude hypoxia with poor sleep quality and depression in school-age children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: While chronic exposure to high-altitude hypoxia is known to impair sleep and mental health, whether these effects are sex-dependent remains unclear. This study addresses a critical gap by investigating how sex modifies the association between high-altitude hypoxia and risks of poor sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and their co-occurrence in children and adolescents. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study (March-May 2024), we enrolled 1,345 long-term residents of the Shannan Tibet Autonomous Prefecture (altitude: 3,650-4,800 m) and 2,909 age-matched controls from low-altitude plains (Anhui Province, China). Sleep quality and depression were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), respectively. Sex-stratified analyses and interaction metrics (RERI/AP/SI) were employed to evaluate additive and multiplicative effects. RESULTS: High-altitude residents exhibited significantly higher prevalence of poor sleep (24.2% vs. 18.7%, P < 0.001), depression (23.6% vs. 15.3%, P < 0.001), and their co-occurrence (12.6% vs. 8.6%, P < 0.001) compared to low-altitude controls. A significant negative additive interaction (RERI = - 0.78, 95% CI: -1.35 to - 0.3; P < 0.001) indicated that sex modifies the altitude-outcome association. Specifically: (1) high-altitude residence significantly increased poor sleep risk in males (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.26-2.03) but not in females (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.07-1.79); and (2) the expected female predominance in poor sleep observed in the plain region (OR = 1.452, 95% CI: 1.191-1.769) disappeared in the plateau region (OR = 0.865, 95% CI: 0.667-1.121). Similar patterns were independently replicated for depressive symptoms. These findings confirm that high-altitude exposure differentially increases risk in males rather than protecting females. CONCLUSION: Males show marked vulnerability to high-altitude-associated sleep and mood impairments, while females demonstrate resilience. Sex-tailored interventions for high-altitude populations, particularly targeting male adolescents, are urgently needed.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A chromosomal gtrB homolog and dam differentially contribute to dry-heat and high hydrostatic pressure resistance in Salmonella enterica.

Salmonella enterica can persist in low-moisture foods and shows enhanced dry-heat resistance under low water activity, posing significant food safety challenges. However, the genetic basis of extreme dry-heat resistance and its relationship with other processing stresses remain unclear. In this study, twelve S. enterica strains were screened for dry-heat treatment at 60 °C and 80 °C, with S. Infantis CICC21649 identified as the most resistant strain. Comparative genomics and transcriptional analysis identified candidate genes related to envelope integrity and regulation, including gtrB and dam. Deletion of the chromosomal gtrB homolog reduced dry-heat resistance, producing an additional 0.91-log10 reduction relative to the parent strain at 80 °C. Deletion of dam caused broader stress sensitivity, reducing resistance to both dry heat and high hydrostatic pressure, with the stronger phenotype observed under high hydrostatic pressure. Proteomic analysis of the chromosomal gtrB homolog mutant revealed broad alterations in envelope-associated proteins, transport functions, oxidative stress pathways, and central metabolism under dry-heat stress. These findings indicate that the chromosomal gtrB homolog is an important contributor to extreme dry-heat resistance, whereas dam contributes to resistance against both dry-heat and high hydrostatic pressure, likely through a broader regulatory role in stress adaptation. These results reveal distinct structural and regulatory layers underlying stress adaptation in S. enterica and provide practical guidance for low-moisture food processing by highlighting the need to account for strain-dependent and stress-specific resistance during process validation.

Hydrostatic Pressure↗

PubMed2026

Spatially resolved multi-omics analysis of indigenous Bacillus-fortified high-temperature Daqu.

Layer-dependent patterns associated with indigenous Bacillus fortification on high-temperature Daqu remain unclear. Here, six indigenous functional Bacillus strains were combined to fortify Daqu at three inoculation levels (QH4, QH5, QH6), with non-fortified as the control (CK). Upper, middle, and lower shelf-layer samples were profiled by physicochemical measurements, volatilomics, organic acid analysis, untargeted metabolomics, 16S/ITS amplicon sequencing, and metagenomics. PERMANOVA showed significant effects of treatment, spatial layer, and their interaction on physicochemical, volatile, bacterial, and fungal profiles (P = 0.001). Among the three inoculation levels, QH5 showed the most balanced performance: QH5_M exhibited the highest observed mean peak temperature (63.3 °C; +4.5 °C relative to CK_M), and its group-mean temperature remained ≥ 60 °C for seven consecutive days. Multi-omics analyses indicated coordinated, non-linear, and layer-dependent differences associated with indigenous Bacillus fortification, with QH5_M showing the most pronounced combined thermal, pyrazine, substrate, microbial, and predicted functional profile. These findings indicate that moderate indigenous Bacillus fortification was associated with distinct layer-dependent thermal and flavor profiles and coordinated microbial, metabolic, and predicted functional differences.

Bacillus↗

PubMed2026

Who Is the Ideal Candidate for High-Definition Liposuction? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: High-definition liposuction (HDL) enhanced muscular definition by selectively removing superficial subcutaneous fat. Despite its growing popularity and high satisfaction rates, no consensus exists regarding the ideal candidate. This systematic review evaluates demographic factors, patient selection criteria, and complication rates associated with HDL. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted utilizing PRISMA-P guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for studies published within the past 10 years. Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria, comprising 9570 patients. Study designs included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and observational analyses reporting demographics, procedural details, and complications. Standardized data extraction was performed. Pooled analyses were conducted for hematoma and seroma, and univariable meta-regression assessed associations between mean age, BMI, and proportion of female patients with complication rates. RESULTS: Mean age was 36.0 years and mean BMI was 25.8 kg/m 2 (range: 18 to 66); 55% of patients were female. Selection criteria varied; most studies applied BMI thresholds (≤30 to 34 kg/m 2 ) and excluded poorly controlled diabetes, heavy smoking, and thromboembolic history. The abdomen, flanks, and chest were most treated. Mean fat removal was 4268.8 mL, with an average operative time of 235 minutes. Complication rates were low; the pooled incidence of seroma was 7% and hematoma was 1%. Meta-regression showed no significant associations between complications and age, BMI, or sex. Patient satisfaction was high. CONCLUSION: HDL is safe and effective across diverse populations; however, variability in selection criteria and reporting limits evidence-based definitions of ideal candidates. Further prospective studies with standardized reporting are needed.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A status update on the unkept promise of high-frequency spinal cord stimulation for treatment-refractory chronic migraine.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic migraine (CM) refractory to conventional pharmacotherapy (r-CM) remains a debilitating neurological condition with limited therapeutic options. High-frequency spinal cord stimulation at 10 kilohertz (HF-SCS) has recently emerged as a distinct neuromodulatory paradigm for this patient population. Unlike traditional spinal cord stimulation, HF-SCS operates above the frequency range that generates paresthesia, thereby eliminating stimulation-induced sensation while potentially engaging unique analgesic mechanisms. AREAS COVERED: This focused narrative review synthesizes the available clinical evidence, technical considerations, and mechanistic hypotheses specifically pertaining to cervical HF-SCS for refractory chronic migraine (r-CM). The authors further provide their expert perspectives on the future of this technology as a treatment option for refractory chronic migraine. EXPERT OPINION: Current data from prospective open-label studies and retrospective case series suggest that cervical HF-SCS may reduce monthly migraine days, facilitate conversion from chronic to episodic migraine patterns in some implanted patients, and may improve headache-related disability and quality of life over at least 52 weeks of follow-up. The paresthesia-free nature of HF-SCS confers a distinct advantage for both patient tolerability and future trial design, as it permits sham-controlled methodologies that have historically been impossible with conventional neurostimulation. However, these findings remain preliminary and should be considered hypothesis-generating pending confirmation in adequately powered randomized sham-controlled trials.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

High levels of mitotic gene conversion are needed to effectively purge deleterious mutations in asexual organisms.

Self-fertilisation and asexual reproduction are both hypothesised to cause long-term extinction due to inefficient selection against deleterious mutations. Self-fertilisation can counter these effects through creating homozygous genotypes and purging deleterious mutations. Although complete asexuality lacks meiotic gene exchange, mitotic gene conversion creates homozygous regions that could limit deleterious mutation accumulation in an analogous manner. We compare mutation accumulation in self-fertilising and facultative sexual populations subject to mitotic gene conversion, and quantify the efficacy of purging in the latter. We first show analytically that purging is most effective with high levels of asexuality and gene conversion, and when deleterious mutations are recessive. We further show using simulations that, when mitotic gene conversion becomes sufficiently high in obligate asexuals, there is a reduction in the mutation count and a jump in homozygosity, reflecting purging. However, this mechanism is not necessarily as efficient at purging under high self-fertilisation, and elevated rates of mitotic gene conversion seem to be needed for widespread purging compared to empirical estimates. If gene conversion rates are allowed to evolve, then elevated rates that increase mean fitness can arise, but only if there is sufficient variance in the gene conversion rate. Conversely, if gene conversion rates are already high and rates are not constrained then they will slightly decrease, reducing mean fitness.

Self-fertilisation↗

PubMed2026

Development of a cell-based nanoluciferase reporter system for high-throughput screening of HBV cccDNA inhibitors.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistence is sustained by the viral covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) minichromosome, which remains a major barrier to curative antiviral therapies. The lack of reliable quantitative cccDNA detection methods and surrogate markers has hindered efforts to target cccDNA in antiviral high-throughput screening (HTS). Here, we established a novel inducible cccDNA-dependent nanoluciferase (NLuc) reporter cell line, designated HepBLE12, by inserting an in-frame 11-amino acid split-NLuc HiBiT tag into the precore (pC) coding region of an HBV transgene. The resulting 1.3-kDa HiBiT tag on pC serves as the detection module of the split NLuc system, generating quantitative luminescence upon high-affinity complementation with the cognate 18-kDa LgBiT subunit in cell lysates. Notably, the HiBiT assay enables direct detection of intracellular HiBiT-pC protein rather than secreted HBeAg, providing a reporter signal more closely linked to cccDNA activity. HepBLE12 cells exhibited inducible and robust viral DNA replication, and the cccDNA-dependent HiBiT signal was validated under diverse experimental conditions that modulate cccDNA formation or transcription. We further miniaturized the assay to a 384-well format and optimized key parameters following standard HTS assay development practices. The assay was successfully automated and demonstrated excellent performance in a multi-day variability study and a pilot screen, with signal-to-background (S/B) ≈ 9, coefficient of variance (CV) < 10%, and average Z-factor value of 0.74, exceeding canonical HTS quality benchmarks. Together, the HepBLE12 cell-based HTS platform provides a robust and practical tool for identifying inhibitors targeting HBV cccDNA.

Hepatitis B virus↗

PubMed2026

The effect of monetary versus point-based rewards on effort-cost decision making in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.

OBJECTIVE: The dissemination of inexpensive computerized behavioral tasks indexing amotivation may enhance the assessment of clinical high risk (CHR) across settings. However, the impact of varying reward value in such tasks is unclear. If point-based rewards engage participants, this could improve the scalability of computerized assessments. We tested how point-based rewards versus money impacted effort-cost decision-making in CHR individuals. We further assessed how negative symptom severity and household income interacted with reward-type to impact behavior. METHODS: Participants completed the Effort Expenditure for Reward Task (EEfRT). Participants were randomly assigned to receive either money or points for their performance during the EEfRT. Data from a large sample of CHR (N = 233) individuals and healthy controls (HC; N = 157) were collected. RESULTS: Across diagnostic groups, we observed heightened effort expenditure when money was used as a reward (b = 0.13, p = 0.018). We did not find an interaction of CHR status (b = 0.07, p = 0.845) or negative symptoms (b = 0.01, p = 0.429) with reward-type. Within CHR individuals, heightened negative symptom severity was associated with reduced expended effort (b = -0.03, p = 0.016), regardless of reward type. In an exploratory analysis, we found that individuals in the money condition with relatively high household income expended less effort during high reward, high probability trials (b = -0.24, p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Across CHR and HC individuals, individuals pursuing money expended greater effort. While we did not find a group by reward type interaction, CHR individuals with heightened negative symptom severity expended less effort across trials, replicating prior work. Present findings support further study of point-based rewards in tasks indexing amotivation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A streamlined workflow for high throughput metaproteomic analysis of the rumen microbiome.

Metaproteomics can provide direct functional insights into complex microbial communities, yet its application in rumen research remains limited due to labor-intensive and low-throughput sample preparation workflows before the MS analysis. This work aimed to develop and characterize a streamlined, high throughput metaproteomic workflow optimized for rumen samples. Key steps, including microbial cell extraction, cell lysis, protein digestion, and LC-MS/MS acquisition, were systematically assessed and optimized to reduce hands-on time while maintaining deep proteome coverage. The optimized workflow integrates a minimized cell extraction protocol using 0.5 g starting material and in-solution tryptic digestion. Application of the final workflow to 72 samples from in vitro fermentation revealed that biological variability between inocula dominated technical variability, which remained moderate (median CV of 21-24% across batches). Overall, the optimized workflow supports robust taxonomic and functional characterization of the rumen microbiome with improved scalability. These advances provide a foundation for applying metaproteomics to larger experimental designs, including nutritional trials and cohort studies, thereby enabling broader functional interrogation of rumen microbial ecosystems. SIGNIFICANCE: This study addresses current limitations in the application of metaproteomics to rumen microbiome research by developing a streamlined and scalable sample preparation workflow. By optimizing key steps and reducing sample input while maintaining reproducibility and proteome coverage, this work enables more efficient processing of larger sample sets. These advances support the broader use of metaproteomics in rumen studies and facilitate functional investigations relevant to animal nutrition and sustainable livestock production.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Effects of aerosol aging on composition and light-absorbance of nitrogen-containing organic compounds: Evidences from ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis.

Nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) are key components of particulate matter (PM), but their compositional evolution and light-absorbing properties during atmospheric aging remain poorly understood. In this study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry was used to semi-quantitatively analyze 59 PM1 samples collected in Shanghai. NOCs accounted for 31 % and 64 % of the detected species in negative (ESI-) and positive (ESI+) ionization modes, respectively. Atmospheric aging significantly reduced the molecular diversity of polar organics, with both the number and mass concentration percentages of CHON- compounds showing significant negative correlations with aging degree. Van Krevelen analysis demonstrated a decrease in the number of carboxylic-rich alicyclic molecules and their CHON- contributions during the aging process (from 37.7 % in fresh samples to 21.2 % in aged samples). CHN+ compounds, a major NOCs group in ESI+ mode, also decreased with aging. Correlation analyses involving the Bep/(Bep+Bap) ratio, relative humidity, and mass absorption efficiency at 365 nm revealed a decline in light absorption capacity with aging, suggesting aqueous-phase oxidation as a dominant aging mechanism. CHON- and CHN+ compounds were identified as the principal light-absorbing constituents in PM1. This work provides new insights into the aging-induced transformations of NOCs in urban PM1, and their changing role in light absorption, highlighting the need for further investigation of the aging mechanisms of NOCs.

Aerosols↗

PubMed2026

An automated geometric modeling framework in GATE for the design and optimization of high-sensitivity converging-beam SPECT collimators.

Objective.The trade-off between detection sensitivity and spatial resolution is a fundamental challenge in designing organ-dedicated Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) collimators. While converging-hole geometries offer a solution, their optimization is often hindered by the lack of flexible computational tools capable of modeling large-scale, non-parallel hole arrays. This study aims to develop an automated geometric modeling framework to facilitate the design and evaluation of complex converging- and diverging-hole collimators within standard Monte Carlo environments.Approach.We developed a specialized modeling framework by implementing custom C++ classes and a vector-based alignment algorithm within GATE. This platform enables automated, orientation-consistent construction of large-scale converging arrays not natively supported by standard implementations. A high-sensitivity pure cone-beam collimator (CBC) was designed using this framework. The evaluation used hot-rod, disc, and Jaszczak phantoms for physical characterization, while XCAT and dedicated brain models were employed for clinical tasks, including cardiac, brain perfusion, and DaTscan SPECT simulations.Main results.The CBC achieved a nearly fourfold sensitivity increase compared to a conventional low-energy high-resolution parallel-hole collimator at a 20 cm radius of rotation, while maintaining comparable spatial resolution. Despite a 52.3% field of view reduction, the CBC yielded a 2.2-fold noise reduction (CV: 11.7% vs 25.9%) and mitigated partial volume effects via geometric magnification. XCAT and brain phantom simulations confirmed enhanced anatomical definition and contrast recovery in cardiac, perfusion, and DaTscan tasks.Significance.This work provides an efficient computational tool for rapid design space exploration of advanced collimator geometries. The results demonstrate that the proposed CBC design offers a significant sensitivity advantage, making it highly suitable for high-performance, small-volume clinical applications such as brain and cardiac molecular imaging.

Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon↗

PubMed2026

Factors Impacting Overall Survival Post-Relapse in High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Children's Oncology Group Outcomes From 2000 to 2019.

PURPOSE: Prior studies of features impacting post-relapse survival in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB) evaluated patient cohorts that did not receive contemporary high-risk or relapse therapies. We describe overall survival (OS) after first progression or first relapse of HRNB in a modern cohort. METHODS: Patients with HRNB enrolled on COG ANBL00B1(NCT00904241) between 2000 and 2019, who had relapsed or progressive disease were eligible. Clinical and molecular risk factors at diagnosis, therapy era, clinical trial enrollment, and clinical features at relapse, including site of and time to relapse, were evaluated. OS post-relapse was compared between groups using log-rank tests and Cox models. RESULTS: Among 4253 eligible HRNB patients, 1616 had relapse or progression as a first event. Five-year OS post-relapse was 19.1 ± 1.1%. The risk group with the lowest post-relapse survival was observed in patients with INSS Stage 4 or 4S disease < 18 months of age at diagnosis with MYCN amplified (MYCN-A) tumors. The other significant most unfavorable factors at diagnosis included diagnosis 2000-2004, tumor MYCN-A, 1p loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and elevated LDH or ferritin. Unfavorable factors at relapse included the time to relapse < 36 months from diagnosis, and combined local and metastatic disease at relapse. Multivariable analysis indicated that those with tumors harboring 1p LOH, age ≤ 5 years at diagnosis, or earlier treatment therapy era (2000-2004) had a higher risk of post-relapse death. CONCLUSIONS: While the 5-year OS rate was low in this cohort, there are subsets of patients with relapsed HRNB who demonstrate long-term survival. TRIALS REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00904241.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Efficacy of high-intensity laser therapy versus ultrasound therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) and ultrasound (US) are widely used for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), but comparative efficacy data remain scarce. This study compared HILT and US as exercise adjuncts in patients with KOA. METHODS: In this single-center, assessor-blinded RCT, 66 adults with KOA were randomized 1:1 to HILT or US twice weekly for 6 weeks as exercise adjuncts. The primary outcome was WOMAC total score change from baseline to 12 weeks post-treatment (minimum important change [MIC] = 10 points, applied as an approximation). Secondary outcomes included VAS, OKS, KOOS, and EQ-5D-5L. RESULTS: In ITT analysis (N = 66), the HILT group achieved a mean WOMAC reduction of 40.0 vs 8.2 points (adjusted between-group difference: -27.7 points, 95% CI: - 39.0 to - 16.5; p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.277). At 12 weeks post-treatment, greater improvements across all secondary outcomes were observed in exploratory analyses (p ≤ 0.012). Furthermore, HILT maintained therapeutic effects up to 12 weeks post-treatment, whereas the US group experienced a gradual loss of post-treatment gains. CONCLUSION: HILT combined with exercise produced greater short-term improvements in WOMAC total score than US in patients with KOA, with exploratory findings suggesting consistent benefits in pain, function, and quality of life, and with benefits maintained up to 12 weeks after the last treatment session.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Trends in the Prevalence of Foods High in Saturated Fats, Sodium, and Added Sugars among U.S. adults, NHANES 2007-2018.

BACKGROUND: Foods and beverages high in saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars (HFSS) are often ultra-processed and linked to poor health outcomes, but few studies have investigated their intake. OBJECTIVE: To describe the trends in the intake of HFSS foods and beverages between 2007 and 2018 in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, by sociodemographic characteristics and What We Eat in America food groups. DESIGN: This is a secondary, cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2018. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: The final sample included 27,984 adults 19 years of age or older from NHANES with at least one complete dietary recall. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes are the percentage of total energy intake from foods classified as HFSS according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Nutrient Profile Model. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: To estimate the percentage of energy intake from foods and beverages HFSS, linear regression models with interaction terms between cycles and covariates were used. RESULTS: The overall intake of foods and beverages HFSS did not change, representing over 60% of the total energy intake between 2007-2010 and 2015-2018. The intake of foods and beverages high in sodium increased by 2.0 percentage points (95% CI: 0.5, 3.5) and 3.5 percentage points (95% CI: 1.1, 5.8), respectively. The intake of foods and beverages high in saturated fats increased by 6.1 percentage points (95% CI: 4.5, 7.6) and 6.1 percentage points (95% CI: 3.9, 8.2), respectively. The intake of foods and beverages high in added sugars did not change. CONCLUSION: In the U.S., intake of HFSS foods and beverages is high. Future research should focus on whether public health interventions and policies might reduce the intake of foods high in nutrients of concern.

Added sugars↗

PubMed2026

Reduced Length of ADT and ARTA With XRT in High-Risk Prostate Cancer (RELAX): A Randomised Controlled Trial.

AIM: To assess the efficacy of a short, intensified regimen of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and androgen receptor-targeted agent (ARTA) with curative-intent external beam radiotherapy (XRT) for high-risk prostate cancer (HRPCa) staged with prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The RELAX (Reduced Length of ADT and ARTA with XRT in high-risk prostate cancer) trial is a multicentre, phase II randomised non-inferiority trial comparing 9 months of ADT and 6 months of ARTA against the standard 24-month ADT, with definitive dose-escalated hypofractionated pelvic radiotherapy for PSMA-staged non-metastatic HRPCa. The primary endpoint is 5-year disease-free survival (DFS), defined from randomisation to first biochemical or clinico-radiological recurrence or any-cause death. Secondary endpoints include biochemical failure-free survival, metastasis-free survival, overall survival, testosterone recovery, treatment-related adverse effects, and patient-reported outcomes. Participants are monitored with serial serum PSA and testosterone levels, CTCAE and PRO-CTCAE assessments, and PSMA-PETCT at recurrence. The non-inferiority margin is set at 10% absolute difference from an expected 5-year DFS of 85% in the standard arm, with intention-to-treat analysis. The trial is ethics board approved and funded by institutional intramural grant, and registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06818682). RESULTS: The planned accrual of 206 participants commenced in February 2025, with nearly a third of enrolment completed till date. CONCLUSION: The RELAX trial incorporates contemporary standards of PSMA-based staging, dose-escalated hypofractionated radiotherapy, and ARTA for HRPCa. The results are expected to inform the efficacy of a shorter, intensified androgen suppression strategy against the prevailing standard of long-term ADT for these patients.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Gene expression patterns in the intestines of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) under prolonged high-salinity stress.

The effective development of high-salinity aquaculture for the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius depends on understanding its molecular mechanisms. Therefore, we conducted a 60-day experiment to investigate the effects of prolonged high-salinity stress on the survival, growth, amino acid levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, and gene expression of S. intermedius. The experiment involved the preparation of two groups: one with a salinity of 32 (group S32) and another with 36 (group S36). The results showed that the survival rate of S. intermedius in group S36 was 80% ± 6.7%, while the weight gain rate was only 61.58% ± 1.92%. Both parameters were significantly lower than those in group S32 (P < 0.05). In addition, the GSH, Cys, and Glu expression in S. intermedius was significantly higher than that observed in group S32 (P < 0.05). The transcriptomic results showed that, when comparing groups S32 and S36, 179 differentially expressed genes were identified. These genes were predominantly enriched in pathways related to metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis. We highlight the genes CGL, EAAT3, AMY, and NADH, which are associated with the energy metabolism, cysteine transport, and amino acid biosynthesis of S. intermedius. We speculated that S. intermedius exposed to high salinity enhances energy metabolism, as well as Cys synthesis and transport, to mitigate oxidative stress. This study provides a theoretical reference for the healthy aquaculture of S. intermedius in high-salinity environments.

Animals↗