Search Results (4,809)

GNSS-derived strain-rate analysis, geodetic earthquake recurrence modeling, and seismic potential estimations were integrated to investigate segment-scale deformation behavior along the central North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) using a high-resolution geodetic velocity field. The obtained strain rates reveal that deformation within the central NAFZ is distributed across a geometrically complex and kinematically heterogeneous fault network rather than being restricted to the main fault strand alone. While the main fault accommodates the majority of regional deformation, significant strain accumulation is also observed along major splay fault systems, including the Merzifon–Esençay, Ezinepazarı, Sungurlu, Eldivan, and Ekinveren faults. The derived strain patterns further indicate the coexistence of localized transtensional and transpressional deformation regimes controlled by fault geometry, segment boundaries, and structural discontinuities. Geodetically derived earthquake recurrence periods display pronounced spatial variability, with shorter recurrence periods concentrated along the main fault strand and comparatively longer earthquake cycles characterizing structurally complex splay systems. Among the investigated structures, the eastern and central segments of the Merzifon–Esençay Fault (MEF) exhibit relatively elevated strain accumulation and seismic potential. In particular, the estimated potential earthquake magnitudes reaching Mw 7.3–7.5, together with paleoseismological evidence indicating that the most recent major surface-rupturing event along the Esençay segment occurred approximately 3700 years ago, suggest that this fault system may represent a candidate seismic gap within the central NAFZ. Overall, the results demonstrate that deformation within the central NAFZ is strongly partitioned among interacting fault segments and highlight the importance of segment-scale geodetic analyses for improving seismic hazard assessments in complex strike-slip fault systems. Full article

Aconitum soongaricum, a medicinal plant endemic to the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, China, produces numerous natural compounds with potential medicinal value. Mitochondria function as energy hubs and play critical roles in plant development and stress adaptation; thus, their genomic composition underpins biological functions. Here, we assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of A. soongaricum using next- and third-generation sequencing data and performed comparative analyses with related species. The mitochondrial genome exhibited a typical circular structure of 487,849 bp with a GC content of 46.80%. A total of 77 genes were annotated, including 41 protein-coding genes (PCGs), three rRNAs, 31 tRNAs, and two pseudogenes. The genome showed a strong A/U bias at the third codon position and displayed C-to-U RNA editing transitions, whereas no U-to-C transitions were estimated. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis supported a close relationship among A. soongaricum, A. carmichaelii, and A. kusnezoffii, confirming the utility of mitochondrial genomes for genetic relationship inference in genus Aconitum. Divergence time estimation placed the differentiation of A. soongaricum from the other two species at approximately 4.19 million years ago (Mya). Additionally, we evaluated the expression levels of NADH dehydrogenase (nad) genes across different tissues and under drought stress using real-time PCR, revealing diverse expression patterns. Collectively, this study provides a foundation for future investigations into the genetic mechanisms underlying evolution, energy metabolism, and environmental adaptation in A. soongaricum. Full article

Cremastra appendiculata is a medicinally important orchid whose seed germination depends on fungal symbionts. Here, we present the first telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly of the orchid mycorrhizal fungus Coprinellus disseminatus, comprising 15 gapless chromosomes (54.41 Mb) with 98.80% BUSCO completeness. Symbiotic germination assays demonstrated that C. disseminatus significantly outperformed its congeners C. domesticus and C. radians in protocorm biomass. Comparative genomic analyses revealed highly conserved carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) repertoires among the three species, ruling out CAZyme divergence as the primary driver of differential symbiotic performance. CAFE analysis showed that since its divergence approximately 117.8 million years ago, C. disseminatus underwent substantial gene family expansions enriched in proteasome, endocytosis, adherens junction, and tight junction pathways, suggesting that lineage-specific expansion of these functional modules may have contributed to its superior symbiotic capacity for orchid seed germination. These findings require further experimental validation through transcriptomic and functional genomic approaches. Full article

Precise manipulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by CRISPR-Cas systems remains challenging, largely due to inefficient import of guide RNAs, motivating the exploration of alternative programmable nucleases. Here, we show that prokaryotic Argonaute nucleases (pAgos) of various classes can be efficiently targeted to human mitochondria. Using the Su9 mitochondrial targeting sequence from Neurospora crassa, we achieved robust mitochondrial import of four pAgos—DecAgo, CbuAgo, KmaAgo and RslAgo. As a functional readout of their activity in cells, we targeted the single-stranded D-loop region, which plays a central role in mtDNA replication and maintenance, reasoning that cleavage at this site was expected to potentially result in a reduction in mtDNA copy number. Of the four enzymes, only RNA-guided DecAgo induced a pronounced reduction in mtDNA levels, decreasing copy number approximately fivefold within 48 h. Unexpectedly, this effect occurred independently of exogenous guides, suggesting that DecAgo may utilize endogenous mitochondrial guide RNAs. These findings identify DecAgo as an active nuclease in human mitochondria and reveal a previously unrecognized mode of targeting, highlighting the need to further investigate the underlying mechanism and the potential role of endogenous guide molecules, as well as improving targeting specificity. Full article

Medical intervention for ischemic heart disease began approximately 150 years ago with nitrates, and for nearly a century thereafter, little fundamental progress was made. With the advent of the left internal thoracic artery to the left anterior descending artery (LITA-LAD) bypass in the 1960s, treatment entered a new stage; however, its essential significance remained insufficiently recognized for many years. Numerous studies were subsequently conducted to evaluate alternative or parallel treatment strategies, but these investigations also helped bring the durable capacity of LITA-LAD to perfuse ischemic myocardium into sharper focus. Over the past quarter century, the treatment of ischemic heart disease has remained in a state of uncertainty, and its central prognostic foundation has often been obscured, although in recent years this uncertainty has begun to resolve. In this review, we reexamine the historical process by which the significance of LITA-LAD remained incompletely appreciated in parts of the cardiology and cardiac surgical communities. We further outline how the principal basis of the long-term prognostic benefit conferred by LITA-LAD gradually became evident and define the contemporary roles of medical therapy and percutaneous coronary intervention in relation to LITA-LAD-based coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Full article

Marine invertebrates, such as sponges, corals, mollusks and sea squirts, are appropriate climate-change descriptors on sublittoral rocks. The present study assesses the diversity, relative abundance and health condition of epibenthic invertebrates inhabiting sublittoral rocky habitats within the Natura 2000 network (Chalkidiki, north Aegean), after the 2021 marine heatwaves. Samplings were made with non-destructive techniques in autumn 2021 by diving along vertical belt transects (up to 30 m). Fourteen stations were surveyed, revealing 56 macroscopic invertebrates, 16 algae and 15 reef-associated fishes. Richness showed increased values at the deepest and steepest cliffs. Reefs were the dominant habitat type, hosting different facies of infralittoral algae and coralligenous biocenoses. Three algal (Halimeda tuna, Peyssonelia squamaria, Lithophyllum strictiforme) and 12 invertebrate (Aplysina aerophoba, Chondrilla nucula, Chondrosia reniformis, Ircinia variabilis, I. oros, Sarcotragus foetidus, Spongia officinalis, Balanophyllia europaea, Cladocora caespitosa, Pinna nobilis, Spondylus gaederopus, Microcosmus sabatieri) species were found in partial or full necrosis. According to relevant data collected about 20 years ago, the biota had higher diversity without signs of necrosis. Sarcotragus foetidus, I. variabilis, B. europaea, C. caespitosa and S. gaederopus were the most affected by necrosis species over the surveyed area. They represent appropriate climate change descriptors to assess the resilience of Mediterranean MPAs, being priority species in marine conservation. Full article

Prostate cancer (PrC) is one of the most common malignancies among men worldwide. However, the contribution of genetic variation in microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis pathway genes to PrC susceptibility remains poorly characterized in many ethnically diverse populations. We conducted a case–control study involving 532 PrC patients and 550 controls from the Volga-Ural region of Eurasia to evaluate the association of twenty-one single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with PrC risk using single-variant and polygenic approaches. Association analyses identified rs595055 in the AGO1 gene as significantly associated with PrC risk after correction for multiple testing. To evaluate the cumulative effect of genetic variation, weighted and unweighted polygenic risk scores (PRSs) were constructed. The weighted PRS was significantly associated with PrC risk (odds ratio per standard deviation increase = 1.63, 95% CI [1.43–1.85], P = 1.37 × 10⁻¹³), and demonstrated moderate discriminatory performance (AUC = 63.1%), outperforming the unweighted model. Individuals in the highest PRS quartile had approximately threefold higher odds of PrC than those in the lowest quartile. Combining the weighted PRS with prostate-specific antigen improved discrimination (AUC = 68.1%). These findings support the contribution of miRNA biogenesis pathway genes to PrC susceptibility and highlight the potential value of pathway-based polygenic risk stratification in understudied populations. Full article

In Southeast Asia (SEA), Bos indicus (zebu) refers to the traditional cattle, whereas Bos taurus (taurine) refers to exotic breeds imported from foreign countries. Notably, a previous study reported that all Thai cattle dating to 3500–1700 years before present (YBP) belonged to the taurine lineage. This suggests that zebu may have been introduced into Thailand at a later date, subsequently replacing the taurine population. In the present study, we analysed 26 cattle remains from nine archaeological sites across Thailand dated to between 3400 and 600 YBP. Taxonomic classification of the specimens was determined using partial D-loop sequences. DNA from four cattle remains obtained from two archaeological sites (Khao Khuram, dated to 1700–1500 YBP, and Sukhothai Historical Park, dated to 850–650 YBP) was successfully amplified and sequenced. Both phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses showed that these remains were grouped in the same haplotype as modern zebu cattle from India, China, and Cambodia. The results suggest that ancient Thai cattle belonged to the zebu lineage and that zebu cattle were introduced into Thailand from India at least 1700 years ago. Furthermore, genetic relationships suggest two potential routes of introduction into Thailand and other SEA countries via overland and maritime routes. Full article

Many biting midge species of the genus Culicoides Latreille are significant pests and vectors that transmit diverse parasites to humans and other animals. However, knowledge of these hematophagous insects in Laos remains limited, with the most recent information reported more than four decades ago. In this study, we investigated Culicoides species diversity, DNA barcoding and host blood sources using specimens collected across seven provinces in northern, central, and southern Laos. A total of 4592 specimens were collected, comprising 3095 females and 1497 males. Morphological identification, complemented by DNA barcode analysis, revealed 26 species (24 named and 2 unnamed), including five (three named and two unnamed) new country records. Culicoides peregrinus was the most abundant species, representing 25.7% (1179 individuals), followed by C. oxystoma at 23.8% (1093 individuals), and C. arakawae/C. mahasarakhamense, which together comprised 18.5% (849 individuals) of the total specimens. DNA barcode analysis demonstrated that this genetic marker is effective for species identification of Culicoides in Laos. Of the 115 COI sequences, 103 (89.6%) were successfully matched with conspecifics in the BOLD database. Cryptic genetic diversity was detected in three species, C. clavipalpis, C. palpifer, and C. huffi, with two, two, and three divergent lineages, respectively. Host blood meal analysis revealed that chickens and domestic water buffalo were the most common blood sources for the investigated Culicoides species. These findings provide important baseline information for future studies on the pest and vectorial roles of Culicoides in Laos. Full article

Standard diagnostic categories (International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)) were developed as a pragmatic compromise between competing theoretical schools in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Focused on recognizable patterns of symptoms, they produce reliable descriptions and facilitate clinical communication, research, and reimbursement. Such a focus, however, necessarily falls short of the etiological complexity of bodily, personal, interpersonal, and cultural processes that shape human suffering. This article argues that beneath the diversity of approaches seeking to address this gap, a fundamental complementarity emerges—one constitutive of human existence itself: the complementarity between two irreducible ways of being in the world. The first is the organismic–biological dimension, elaborated in Jakob von Uexküll’s biosemiotics: sign-governed, evolutionarily pre-formed processes of meaning-attribution that operate prior to and independent of language. The second is the symbolic–cultural dimension, developed in Ernst Cassirer’s philosophy of symbolic forms: the embedding of human beings in socially created, intersubjectively shared symbol systems through which the world is seen and understood. Although both approaches were published nearly a century ago, this article is not primarily a historical contribution. Rather, it argues that psychopathology and therapy can be understood more fully—and clinical practice enriched—when both dimensions are taken into account as genuinely complementary perspectives. Full article

Background and Objectives: Bladder cancer (BCa) is characterized by high rates of recurrence and progression, underscoring the need for reliable non-invasive biomarkers. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed non-coding RNAs generated by back-splicing and are stable in biological fluids, including urine. Increasing evidence implicates circRNAs in BCa pathogenesis. However, identification of clinically relevant circRNAs remains challenging. This study aimed to streamline circRNA selection and identification of functional urinary circRNAs for potential use as biomarkers for BCa monitoring. Methods: Using a database-screening approach, we identified circRNAs with high predicted affinity (TDMD score > 1.1) to miR-101-3p (a tumor-suppressive microRNA in BCa). In addition, candidate circRNAs were prioritized based on the following: (i) derivation from genes involved in BCa tumorigenesis; and (ii) origination from exonic or long non-coding RNA sequences. The potential contribution of Argonaute-2 (Ago2) binding sites to circRNA activity or potential usage as biomarker was also evaluated. Expression levels were assessed in urine samples and BCa cell lines, and functional relevance was examined using molecular and cellular assays. Results: circCIAO1(5) and circMALAT1 fulfilled prioritization criteria and exhibited distinct Ago2-binding site profiles. Both circRNAs were upregulated in urine from BCa patients and in aggressive BCa cell lines and showed differential expression between remission and recurrent disease. CircCIAO1(5) demonstrated higher-affinity binding to miR-101-3p, while both circRNAs interacted with miR-101-3p and Ago2. Functional assays revealed enhanced proliferation, motility, and invasion upon circRNA overexpression, consistent with miR-101-3p sequestration and reduction in depression of its target oncogene—EZH2. Conclusions: circCIAO1(5) and circMALAT1 are promising candidates as urinary biomarkers for noninvasive BCa monitoring, illustrating the value of bioinformatics-guided determination of circRNA as potential biomarkers and significance of circRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms in BCa biology. Full article

Marine application of electrical assets can be challenging considering the upgraded targets in terms of increasing voltage, power, temperature, specific weight, dynamics, reliability and resilience. Research work has restarted, based at least on recent literature publications, on the investigation of electrothermal aging phenomenology, whose understanding would be fundamental for the design of modern and high-performance electrical and electronic asset components. There is, however, a seeming lack of remembrance on the topic, since most of these issues were already faced decades ago. This paper reconnects to past work, proposing an innovative general approach to aging rate and life modeling under combined thermoelectrical stress and showing experimental data that support the proposed models and parameters with the purpose of quantifying the extent of stress synergy. The use of aging rate additive or multiplicative models is developed, introducing a corrective coefficient whose value is an indication of the extent of synergism and of the feasibility to perform accelerated aging tests by applying electrical and thermal stress separately, rather than simultaneously. Insulating materials typically used in ship technologies, such as synthetic paper, polyamide and cross-linked polyethylene, are considered to support the proposed models. Eventually, the contribution of partial discharges to aging rate is experimentally exploited, discussed and also modeled in order to expand the electrothermal aging phenomenology to extrinsic aging (e.g., partial discharge aging). Full article

Introduction: Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, holding great ecological and economic importance. As transitional zones between rivers and the sea, they experience abrupt abiotic changes linked to the tidal cycle, as well as seasonal changes related to greater river discharge during periods of higher rainfall. Therefore, salinity and temperature are key factors in structuring communities. These estuarine areas are recognized as nursery grounds, offering an abundance of food and shelter from predators, which creates ideal conditions for juvenile growth. Objective: Intense heatwaves were recorded in northern Spain during 2021 and 2022. This study aimed to understand how environmental factors influence the daily and seasonal dynamics of epibenthic communities and to compare these results with those obtained 40 years ago. Methodology: The epibenthic community in the Minho River estuary was assessed between September 2021 and August 2022 during spring tides at both low tide and high tide. Five trawls were carried out at each tide using a 2-meter-wide beam trawl. Several physical and chemical parameters were evaluated during the sampling process. Results: A total of 10,527 demersal fish and epibenthic crustaceans belonging to 21 species were caught in the sampling area. The structure of epibenthic assemblages was heavily influenced by tidal regimes. Assemblages at low tide had a greater number of taxa. In contrast, high-tide assemblages exhibited significantly higher diversity and evenness. Significant differences were observed between the spring/summer and winter assemblages. A SIMPER analysis revealed that Carcinus maenas contributed most to assemblage dissimilarity, both seasonally and by tide. Furthermore, Echiichthys vipera and Platichthys flesus were the species that contributed most to assemblage dissimilarity in both 1982 and 2021–2022. Conclusions: Compared with historical data, the rise in temperature and salinity, coupled with reduced water flow, has caused a profound restructuring of benthopelagic communities. This is driven by a significant increase in the marine character of the habitat. Substantial taxonomic turnover is evident, characterized by reductions in abundance and increases in the number of taxa sampled, as well as in diversity and evenness. Full article

Research on free-ranging animal species, which extends from the breadth of stock identification and population dynamics to fine-scaled analysis of behavior, depends on identifying individuals. Recognizing wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) primarily depends on photographs of distinct patterns of notches which eventually develop on the trailing edge of most dorsal fins. Although photo-identification has advanced to include computer-aided fin identification software, there can still be error related to dolphins whose identifying patterns are subtle, obscured, or absent (“clean fins”). Facial pigment patterns on dolphin species were described as bridle marks over a hundred years ago. The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate bridle mark presence, distinctiveness, and permanence as a supplement to dorsal fin photo-identification. A 17-year population census of 860 bottlenose dolphins in Palm Beach, Florida, USA, includes 458 dolphins with photographic records showing bridle marks. A subset of 30 dolphins, based on an encounter history spanning at least 7 years, was coded using a 17-point system. The results confirmed bottlenose dolphin bridle mark distinctiveness and permanence on all 30 dolphins. In conclusion, bridle marks can supplement photo-identification as a double-mark system to improve accuracy. This tool is helpful for recognizing calves with clean dorsal fins post weaning and adults without dorsal fin markings. Full article

Hypsizygus marmoreus (Peck) H.E. Bigelow is a commercial edible mushroom includes two primary commercial varieties: brown and white. To reveal the genetic and metabolic differences between these two varieties, genomic and metabolomic comparisons of the white strain F4 and the brown strain B5-15 were performed. The assembled genome sizes were 40,851,948 bp for F4 and 41,902,673 bp for B5-15. Molecular clock analysis estimated that H. marmoreus diverged from Termitomyces sp. approximately 59.4 million years ago during the Paleocene based on the genomic information. The two genomes showed little difference in the gene compositions related to β-Glucosidase and certain lignin degrading auxiliary enzymes. In contrast, the structures of the mating-type loci, including gene copy numbers and the transcriptional orientation of open reading frames, differed between the varieties, and it exhibited higher mating-type locus diversity. Comparative genomic analysis further indicated that the brown strain can biosynthesize melanin-like compounds using chorismate as the starting molecule, with tyrosinase acting as a key enzyme. Moreover, metabolomic profiling based on principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolic profiles between the two varieties. Collectively, these findings improve our understanding of the genetic basis underlying the phenotypic differences between the two H. marmoreus varieties. Full article