Neuregulin 1 mitigated prolactin deficiency through enhancing TRPM8 signaling under the influence of melatonin in senescent pituitary lactotrophs.

The age-related alterations in pituitary function, including changes in prolactin (PRL) production contributes to the systemic susceptibility to age-related diseases. Our previous research has shown the involvement of Nrg1 in regulating the expression and secretion of PRL. However, the precise role of Nrg1 in mitigating the senescence of pituitary lactotrophs and the underlying mechanisms are yet to be comprehended. Here, data from the GEPIA database was used to evaluate the association between transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8) and PRL in normal human pituitary tissues, followed by immunofluorescence verification using a human pituitary tissue microarray. TRPM8 levels showed a significant positive association with PRL expression in normal human pituitary tissues, and both TRPM8 and PRL levels declined during aging, suggesting that TRPM8 may regulate pituitary aging by affecting PRL production. It was also found that treatment with exogenous neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) markedly delayed the senescence of GH3 cells (rat lactotroph cell line) generated by D-galactose (D-gal). In addition, melatonin reduced the levels of senescence-related markers in senescent pituitary cells by promoting Nrg1 / ErbB4 signaling, stimulating PRL expression and secretion. Further investigation showed that Nrg1 attenuated senescence in pituitary cells by increasing TRPM8 expression. Downregulation of TRPM8 activation eliminated Nrg1-mediated amelioration of pituitary cell senescence. These findings demonstrate the critical function of Nrg1 / ErbB signaling in delaying pituitary lactotroph cell senescence and enhancing PRL production via promoting TRPM8 expression under the modulation of melatonin.

Diagnostic and prognostic role of LINC01767 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary contributor to cancer-related mortality on a global scale. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Long noncoding RNAs are emerging markers for HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic target. No study of LINC01767 in HCC was published. AIM: To conduct a multi-omics analysis to explore the roles of LINC01767 in HCC for the first time. METHODS: DESeq2 Package was used to analyze different gene expressions. Receiver operating characteristic curves assessed the diagnostic performance. Kaplan-Meier univariate and Cox multivariate analyses were used to perform survival analysis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox was used to identify the prediction model. Subsequent to the validation of LINC01767 expression in HCC fresh frozen tissues through quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction, next generation sequencing was performed following LINC01767 over expression (GSE243371), and Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes/Gene Set Enrichment Analysis/ingenuity pathway analysis was carried out. In vitro experiment in Huh7 cell was carried out. RESULTS: LINC01767 was down-regulated in HCC with a log fold change = 1.575 and was positively correlated with the cancer stemness. LINC01767 was a good diagnostic marker with area under the curve (AUC) [0.801, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.751-0.852, P = 0.0106] and an independent predictor for overall survival (OS) with hazard ratio = 1.899 (95%CI: 1.01-3.58, P = 0.048). LINC01767 nomogram model showed a satisfied performance. The top-ranked regulatory network analysis of LINC01767 showed the regulation of genes participating various pathways. LASSO regression identified the 9-genes model showing a more satisfied performance than 5-genes model to predict the OS with AUC > 0.75. LINC01767 was down-expressed obviously in tumor than para-tumor tissues in our cohort as well as in cancer cell line; the over expression of LINC01767 inhibit cell proliferation and clone formation of Huh7 in vitro. CONCLUSION: LINC01767 was an important tumor suppressor gene in HCC with good diagnostic and prognostic performance.

Enhancing neural operator learning with invariants to simultaneously learn various physical mechanisms.

We discuss the recent advancement in PDE learning, focusing on Physics Invariant Attention Neural Operator (PIANO). PIANO is a novel neural operator learning framework for deciphering and integrating physical knowledge from PDEs sampled from multi- physical scenarios.

Integrated Proteomics and Metabolomics Reveal Altered Metabolic Regulation of Xanthobacter autotrophicus under Electrochemical Water-Splitting Conditions.

Biological-inorganic hybrid systems are a growing class of technologies that combine microorganisms with materials for a variety of purposes, including chemical synthesis, environmental remediation, and energy generation. These systems typically consider microorganisms as simple catalysts for the reaction of interest; however, other metabolic activity is likely to have a large influence on the system performance. The investigation of biological responses to the hybrid environment is thus critical to the future development and optimization. The present study investigates this phenomenon in a recently reported hybrid system that uses electrochemical water splitting to provide reducing equivalents to the nitrogen-fixing bacteria Xanthobacter autotrophicus for efficient reduction of N2 to biomass that may be used as fertilizer. Using integrated proteomic and metabolomic methods, we find a pattern of differentiated metabolic regulation under electrochemical water-splitting (hybrid) conditions with an increase in carbon fixation products glycerate-3-phosphate and acetyl-CoA that suggests a high energy availability. We further report an increased expression of proteins of interest, namely, those responsible for nitrogen fixation and assimilation, which indicate increased rates of nitrogen fixation and support previous observations of faster biomass accumulation in the hybrid system compared to typical planktonic growth conditions. This work complicates the inert catalyst view of biological-inorganic hybrids while demonstrating the power of multiomics analysis as a tool for deeper understanding of those systems.

The shared role of neutrophils in ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis.

This study aimed to analyze single-cell sequencing data to investigate immune cell interactions in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Vertebral bone marrow blood was collected from three AS patients for 10X single-cell sequencing. Analysis of single-cell data revealed distinct cell types in AS and UC patients. Cells significantly co-expressing immune cells (P < 0.05) were subjected to communication analysis. Overlapping genes of these co-expressing immune cells were subjected to GO and KEGG analyses. Key genes were identified using STRING and Cytoscape to assess their correlation with immune cell expression. The results showed the significance of neutrophils in both diseases (P < 0.01), with notable interactions identified through communication analysis. XBP1 emerged as a Hub gene for both diseases, with AUC values of 0.760 for AS and 0.933 for UC. Immunohistochemistry verified that the expression of XBP1 was significantly lower in the AS group and significantly greater in the UC group than in the control group (P < 0.01). This finding highlights the critical role of neutrophils in both AS and UC, suggesting the presence of shared immune response elements. The identification of XBP1 as a potential therapeutic target offers promising intervention avenues for both diseases.

Toxic metals in rice among Asian countries: A review of occurrence and potential human health risks.

Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb) pose significant health risks, particularly in Asia, where rice is a staple for nearly three billion people. Despite their known dangers and environmental prevalence, studies addressing their concentrations in rice across different regions and the associated health implications remain insufficient. This review systematically examines the occurrence and impact of these toxic elements, filling a critical gap in the literature. Data from seven countries indicate mean concentrations in the order of Pb > As>Cd, with values of 0.255 ± 0.013, 0.236 ± 0.317, and 0.136 ± 0.150 mg/kg, respectively. Uncertainty analysis shows extensive variability, especially for Cd, with a 95% confidence interval range from 0.220 to 0.992 mg/kg. The typical daily intake of heavy metals through rice consumption, in the order of As>Cd > Pb, frequently exceeds safe limits. Generally, data obtained from various studies showed that children were more prone to heavy metal contamination through rice consumption than adults. This review is fundamental for ongoing monitoring, future research, and management strategies to reduce heavy metal contamination in rice.

Redox and Energy Homeostasis Enabled by Photocatalytic Material-Microbial Interfaces.

Material-microbial interfaces offer a promising future in sustainable and efficient chemical-energy conversions, yet the impacts of these artificial interfaces on microbial metabolisms remain unclear. Here, we conducted detailed proteomic and metabolomic analyses to study the regulations of microbial metabolism induced by the photocatalytic material-microbial interfaces, especially the intracellular redox and energy homeostasis, which are vital for sustaining cell activity. First, we learned that the materials have a heavier weight in perturbing microbial metabolism and inducing distinctive biological pathways, like the expression of the metal-resisting system, than light stimulations. Furthermore, we observed that the materials-microbe interfaces can maintain the delicate redox balance and the energetic status of the microbial cells since the intracellular redox cofactors and energy currencies show stable levels as naturally inoculated microbes. These observations ensure the possibility of energizing microbial activities with artificial materials-microbe interfaces for diverse applications and also provide guides for future designs of materials-microbe hybrids to guard microbial activities.

CT Anatomical Analysis of C4 Pedicle and Lateral Mass in Children Aged 0-14 in Southern China.

OBJECTIVE: The C4 is the transition point between the upper and lower cervical vertebrae and plays a pivotal role in the middle of the cervical spine. Currently, there are limited reports on large-scale sample studies regarding C4 anatomy in children, and a scarcity of experience exists in pediatric cervical spine surgery. The current study addresses the dearth of anatomical measurements of the C4 vertebral arch and lateral mass in a substantial sample of children. This study aims to measure the imaging anatomy of the C4 vertebral arch and lateral mass in children under 14 years of age across various age groups, investigate the growth and development of these structures. METHODS: We measured 12 indicators, including the size (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, and D8) and angle (A, C, D, and E) of the C4 vertebral arch and lateral mass, in 513 children who underwent cervical CT examinations at our hospital. We employed the aggregate function for statistical analysis, conducted t-tests for difference statistics, and utilized the least squares method for regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, as age increased, there was a gradual increase in the size of the vertebral arch and lateral mass. Additionally, the medial inclination angle of the vertebral arch decreased, and the lateral mass flattened gradually. The rate of change decreased gradually with age. The mean value of D1 increased from 2.31 mm to 3.88 mm, of D2 from 16.75 mm to 29.2 mm, of D3 from 2.21 mm to 4.92 mm, and of D4 from 7.34 mm to 11.84 mm. Meanwhile, the mean value of D5 increased from 5.2 mm to 9.71 mm, of D6 from 10.19 mm to 16.16 mm, of D7 from 2.53 mm to 5.67 mm, and of D8 from 6.11 mm to 11.45 mm. Angle A ranged from 49.12° to 54.97°, angle C from 15.28° to 19.83°, angle D from 39.91° to 53.7°, and angle E from 18.63° to 28.08°. CONCLUSION: Prior to cervical spine surgery in children, meticulous CT imaging anatomical measurements is essential. The imaging data serves as a reference for posterior C4 internal fixation, aids in designing posterior cervical screws for pediatric patients, and offer morphological anatomical references for posterior cervical spine surgery and screw design in pediatric patients.

Copper ion-doped multifunctional hydrogel with mild photothermal enhancement promotes vascularized bone regeneration.

The design and construction of a new and excellent synthetic graft is of great significance in the field of bone defect repair and reconstruction. In this study, a dopamine modified chitosan hydrogel doped with Cu ions with a mild photothermal effect was designed to provide a better microenvironment to advance the bone repair via promote the angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Characterizations showed the successful synthesis of the material while it also presented excellent biocompatibility and mild photothermal effect under the irradiation of near-infrared light. Further, it could enhance the angiogenesis of HUVECs cells through promoting the ability of migration and tube formation and enhance the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells via increasing the content of vital osteogenic factors including Runx2, Col-1, OPN, OCN, OSX, etc. The in vivo experiment also testified that it could promote the bone defect repair in rat models. These results indicate the multifunctional hydrogel is an ideal material for the treatment of bone defects and has good clinical application potential.

Synergistic material-microbe interface toward deeper anaerobic defluorination.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), particularly the perfluorinated ones, are recalcitrant to biodegradation. By integrating an enrichment culture of reductive defluorination with biocompatible electrodes for the electrochemical process, a deeper defluorination of a C6-perfluorinated unsaturated PFAS was achieved compared to the biological or electrochemical system alone. Two synergies in the bioelectrochemical system were identified: i) The in-series microbial-electrochemical defluorination and ii) the electrochemically enabled microbial defluorination of intermediates. These synergies at the material-microbe interfaces surpassed the limitation of microbial defluorination and further turned the biotransformation end products into less fluorinated products, which could be less toxic and more biodegradable in the environment. This material-microbe hybrid system brings opportunities in the bioremediation of PFAS driven by renewable electricity and warrants future research on mechanistic understanding of defluorinating and electroactive microorganisms at the material-microbe interface for system optimizations.

Value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in distinguishing sinonasal lymphoma from sinonasal carcinoma: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) parameters in distinguishing sinonasal lymphoma from sinonasal carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-two participants with histologically confirmed sinonasal lymphomas and fifty-two cases of sinonasal carcinoma underwent imaging with a 3.0T MRI scanner. DCE-MRI and DWI were conducted, and various parameters including type of time-intensity curve(TIC), time to peak, peak enhancement, peak contrast enhancement, washout rate, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and relative ADC were measured. Binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were employed to assess the diagnostic capability of individual and combined indices for differentiating nasal sinus lymphoma from nasal sinus carcinoma. RESULTS: Sinonasal lymphoma predominantly exhibited type II TIC(n = 20), whereas sinonasal carcinoma predominantly exhibited type III TIC(n = 23). Significant differences were observed in all parameters except washout ratio (p < 0.05), and ADC value emerged as the most reliable diagnostic tool in single parameter. Combined DCE-MRI parameters demonstrated superior diagnostic efficacy compared to individual parameters, with the highest efficiency (area under curve = 0.945) achieved when combining all parameters of DCE-MRI and DWI. CONCLUSIONS: Multiparametric evaluation involving contrast-enhanced dynamic MRI and DWI holds considerable diagnostic value in distinguishing sinonasal lymphoma from sinonasal carcinoma.

Insight into the mechanism of digestibility inhibition by interaction between corn starch with different gelatinization degree and water extractable arabinoxylan.

On the basis of revealing the interaction mechanism between corn starch (CS) and water-extractable arabinoxylan (WEAX) with high/low molecular weight (H-WEAX, L-WEAX), the degree of gelatinization (DG) on structural behaviors and in vitro digestibility of CS-WEAX complexes (CS/H, CS/L) was evaluated. With the increased DG from 50 % to 95 %, the water adsorption capacity of CS/L was increased 64 %, 58 %, 47 %, which were higher than that of CS/H (39 %, 54 %, 33 %). The gelatinization of starch was inhibited by WEAX, resulting in the enhancement of crystallinity, short-range ordered structure and molecular size of CS-WEAX complexes. Stronger interaction was detected in CS/L than with CS/H as proved by the increased hydrogen bonds and electrostatic force. Complexes exhibited higher resistant starch content (RS) at diverse DG, especially for CS/L. Notability, RS content of samples with 50 % DG were increased from 27.72 % to 32.89 % (CS/H), 36.96 % (CS/L). Except for the reduction of gelatinization degree by adding WEAX, the other possible mechanisms of retarding digestibility were explained as the small steric hindrance of L-WEAX promoted encapsulation of starch granules, limiting enzyme accessibility. Additionally, the fragmentation of CS granules with high DG promoted the movement of H-WEAX, reducing the difference in digestibility compared to CS/L.

Syntrophic methane production from volatile fatty acids: Focus on interspecies electron transfer.

Methane is a renewable biomass energy source produced via anaerobic digestion (AD). Interspecies electron transfer (IET) between methanogens and syntrophic bacteria is crucial for mitigating energy barriers in this process. Understanding IET is essential for enhancing the efficiency of syntrophic methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion. Interspecies electron transfer mechanisms include interspecies H2/formate transfer, direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), and electron-shuttle-mediated transfer. This review summarizes the mechanisms, developments, and research gaps in IET pathways. Interspecies H2/formate transfer requires strict control of low H2 partial pressure and involves complex enzymatic reactions. In contrast, DIET enhances the electron transfer efficiency and process stability. Conductive materials and key microorganisms can be modulated to stimulate the DIET. Electron shuttles (ES) allow microorganisms to interact with extracellular electron acceptors without direct contact; however, their efficiency depends on various factors. Future studies should elucidate the key functional groups, metabolic pathways, and regulatory mechanisms of IET to guide the optimization of AD processes for efficient renewable energy production.

Prediction of additional hospital days in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery with machine learning methods.

BACKGROUND: Machine learning (ML), a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), uses algorithms to analyze data and predict outcomes without extensive human intervention. In healthcare, ML is gaining attention for enhancing patient outcomes. This study focuses on predicting additional hospital days (AHD) for patients with cervical spondylosis (CS), a condition affecting the cervical spine. The research aims to develop an ML-based nomogram model analyzing clinical and demographic factors to estimate hospital length of stay (LOS). Accurate AHD predictions enable efficient resource allocation, improved patient care, and potential cost reduction in healthcare. METHODS: The study selected CS patients undergoing cervical spine surgery and investigated their medical data. A total of 945 patients were recruited, with 570 males and 375 females. The mean number of LOS calculated for the total sample was 8.64 ± 3.7 days. A LOS equal to or <8.64 days was categorized as the AHD-negative group (n = 539), and a LOS > 8.64 days comprised the AHD-positive group (n = 406). The collected data was randomly divided into training and validation cohorts using a 7:3 ratio. The parameters included their general conditions, chronic diseases, preoperative clinical scores, and preoperative radiographic data including ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL), ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), cervical instability and magnetic resonance imaging T2-weighted imaging high signal (MRI T2WIHS), operative indicators and complications. ML-based models like Lasso regression, random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) were developed for predicting AHD-related risk factors. The intersections of the variables screened by the aforementioned algorithms were utilized to construct a nomogram model for predicting AHD in patients. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and C-index were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. Calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were performed to test the calibration performance and clinical utility. RESULTS: For these participants, 25 statistically significant parameters were identified as risk factors for AHD. Among these, nine factors were obtained as the intersection factors of these three ML algorithms and were used to develop a nomogram model. These factors were gender, age, body mass index (BMI), American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scores, magnetic resonance imaging T2-weighted imaging high signal (MRI T2WIHS), operated segment, intraoperative bleeding volume, the volume of drainage, and diabetes. After model validation, the AUC was 0.753 in the training cohort and 0.777 in the validation cohort. The calibration curve exhibited a satisfactory agreement between the nomogram predictions and actual probabilities. The C-index was 0.788 (95% confidence interval: 0.73214-0.84386). On the decision curve analysis (DCA), the threshold probability of the nomogram ranged from 1 to 99% (training cohort) and 1 to 75% (validation cohort). CONCLUSION: We successfully developed an ML model for predicting AHD in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery, showcasing its potential to support clinicians in AHD identification and enhance perioperative treatment strategies.

Exploration of the combined role of immune checkpoints and immune cells in the diagnosis and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: a preliminary study immune checkpoints in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: Immune checkpoints have emerged as promising therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases. However, the specific roles of immune checkpoints in the pathophysiology of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) remain unclear. METHODS: Hip ligament samples were obtained from two patient groups: those with AS and femoral head deformity, and those with femoral head necrosis but without AS, undergoing hip arthroplasty. Label-Free Quantification (LFQ) Protein Park Analysis was used to identify the protein composition of the ligaments. Peripheral blood samples of 104 AS patients from public database were used to validate the expression of key proteins. KEGG, GO, and GSVA were employed to explore potential pathways regulated by immune checkpoints in AS progression. xCell was used to calculate cell infiltration levels, LASSO regression was applied to select key cells, and the correlation between immune checkpoints and immune cells was analyzed. Drug sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify potential therapeutic drugs targeting immune checkpoints in AS. The expression of key genes was validated through immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: HLA-DMB and HLA-DPA1 were downregulated in the ligaments of AS and this has been validated through peripheral blood datasets and IHC. Significant differences in expression were observed in CD8 + Tcm, CD8 + T cells, CD8 + Tem, osteoblasts, Th1 cells, and CD8 + naive T cells in AS. The infiltration levels of CD8 + Tcm and CD8 + naive T cells were significantly positively correlated with the expression levels of HLA-DMB and HLA-DPA1. Immune cell selection using LASSO regression showed good predictive ability for AS, with AUC values of 0.98, 0.81, and 0.75 for the three prediction models, respectively. Furthermore, this study found that HLA-DMB and HLA-DPA1 are involved in Th17 cell differentiation, and both Th17 cell differentiation and the NF-kappa B signaling pathway are activated in the AS group. Drug sensitivity analysis showed that AS patients are more sensitive to drugs such as doramapimod and GSK269962A. CONCLUSION: Immune checkpoints and immune cells could serve as avenues for exploring diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for AS.

Identifying critical features of iron phosphate particle for lithium preference.

One-dimensional (1D) olivine iron phosphate (FePO4) is widely proposed for electrochemical lithium (Li) extraction from dilute water sources, however, significant variations in Li selectivity were observed for particles with different physical attributes. Understanding how particle features influence Li and sodium (Na) co-intercalation is crucial for system design and enhancing Li selectivity. Here, we investigate a series of FePO4 particles with various features and revealed the importance of harnessing kinetic and chemo-mechanical barrier difference between lithiation and sodiation to promote selectivity. The thermodynamic preference of FePO4 provides baseline of selectivity while the particle features are critical to induce different kinetic pathways and barriers, resulting in different Li to Na selectivity from 6.2 × 102 to 2.3 × 104. Importantly, we categorize the FePO4 particles into two groups based on their distinctly paired phase evolutions upon lithiation and sodiation, and generate quantitative correlation maps among Li preference, morphological features, and electrochemical properties. By selecting FePO4 particles with specific features, we demonstrate fast (636 mA/g) Li extraction from a high Li source (1: 100 Li to Na) with (96.6 ± 0.2)% purity, and high selectivity (2.3 × 104) from a low Li source (1: 1000 Li to Na) with (95.8 ± 0.3)% purity in a single step.

Ion cocktail therapy for myocardial infarction by synergistic regulation of both structural and electrical remodeling.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Few drugs hold the ability to depress cardiac electrical and structural remodeling simultaneously after MI, which is crucial for the treatment of MI. The aim of this study is to investigate an effective therapy to improve both electrical and structural remodeling of the heart caused by MI. Here, an "ion cocktail therapy" is proposed to simultaneously reverse cardiac structural and electrical remodeling post-MI in rats and minipigs by applying a unique combination of silicate, strontium (Sr) and copper (Cu) ions due to their specific regulatory effects on the behavior of the key cells involved in MI including angiogenesis of endothelial cells, M2 polarization of macrophages and apoptosis of cardiomyocyte. The results demonstrate that ion cocktail treatment attenuates structural remodeling post-MI by ameliorating infarct size, promoting angiogenesis in both peri-infarct and infarct areas. Meantime, to some extent, ion cocktail treatment reverses the deteriorative electrical remodeling by reducing the incidence rate of early/delayed afterdepolarizations and minimizing the heterogeneity of cardiac electrophysiology. This ion cocktail therapy reveals a new strategy to effectively treat MI with great clinical translation potential due to the high effectiveness and safety of the ion cocktail combination.

Scutellarin Protects against Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury by Enhancing Aerobic Glycolysis through miR-34c-5p/ALDOA Axis.

Background: Aerobic glycolysis has recently demonstrated promising potential in mitigating the effects of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Scutellarin (Scu) possesses various cardioprotective properties that warrant investigation. To mimic IR injury in vitro, this study employed hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. Methods and Results: First, we conducted an assessment of the protective properties of Scu against HR in H9c2 cells, encompassing inflammation damage, apoptosis injury, and oxidative stress. Then, we verified the effects of Scu on the Warburg effect in H9c2 cells during HR injury. The findings indicated that Scu augmented aerobic glycolysis by upregulating p-PKM2/PKM2 levels. Following, we built a panel of six long noncoding RNAs and seventeen microRNAs that were reported to mediate the Warburg effect. Based on the results, miR-34c-5p was selected for further experiments. Then, we observed Scu could mitigate the HR-induced elevation of miR-34c-5p. Upregulation of miR-34c-5p could weaken the beneficial impacts of Scu in cellular viability, inflammatory damage, oxidative stress, and the facilitation of the Warburg effect. Subsequently, our investigation revealed a decrease in both ALDOA mRNA and protein levels following HR injury, which could be restored by Scu administration. Downregulation of ALDOA or Mimic of miR-34c-5p could reduce these effects induced by Scu. Conclusions: Scu provides cardioprotective effects against IR injury by upregulating the Warburg effect via miR-34c-5p/ALDOA.

Recent advances in germinated cereal and pseudo-cereal starch: Properties and challenges in its modulation on quality of starchy foods.

Germination is an environmentally friendly process with no use of additives, during which only water spraying is done to activate endogenous enzymes for modification. Furthermore, it could induce bioactive phenolics accumulation. Controlling endogenous enzymes' activity is essential to alleviate granular disruption, crystallinity loss, double helices' dissociation, and molecular degradation of cereal and pseudo-cereal starch. Post-treatments (e.g. thermal and high-pressure technology) make it possible for damaged starch to reassemble towards well-packed structure. These contribute to alleviated loss of solubility and pasting viscosity, improved swelling power, or enhanced resistant starch formation. Cereal or pseudo-cereal flour (except that with robust structure) modified by early germination is more applicable to produce products with desirable texture and taste. Besides shortening duration, germination under abiotic stress is promising to mitigate starch damage for better utilization in staple foods.

Mapping global lake aquatic vegetation dynamics using 10-m resolution satellite observations.

Aquatic vegetation is crucial for improving water quality, supporting fisheries and preserving biodiversity in lakes. Monitoring the spatiotemporal dynamics of aquatic vegetation is indispensable for the assessment and protection of lake ecosystems. Nevertheless, a comprehensive global assessment of lacustrine aquatic vegetation is lacking. This study introduces an automatic identification algorithm (with a total accuracy of 94.4%) for Sentinel-2 MSI, enabling the first-ever global mapping of aquatic vegetation distribution in 1.4 million lakes using 14.8 million images from 2019 to 2022. Results show that aquatic vegetation occurred in 81,116 lakes across six continents over the past four years, covering a cumulative maximum aquatic vegetation area (MVA) of 16,111.8 km2. The global median aquatic vegetation occurrence (VO, in %) is 3.0%, with notable higher values observed in South America (7.4%) and Africa (4.1%) compared with Asia (2.7%) and North America (2.4%). High VO is also observed in lakes near major rivers such as the Yangtze, Ob, and Paraná Rivers. Integrating historical data with our calculated MVA, the aquatic vegetation changes in 170 lakes worldwide were analyzed. It shows that 72.4% (123/170) of lakes experienced a decline in aquatic vegetation from the early 1980s to 2022, encompassing both submerged and overall aquatic vegetation. The most substantial decrease is observed in Asia and Africa. Our findings suggest that, beyond lake algal blooms and temperature, the physical characteristics of the lakes and their surrounding environments could also influence aquatic vegetation distribution. Our research provides valuable information for the conservation and restoration of lacustrine aquatic vegetation.