Search Results (19,869)

Trifolium repens L. (white clover) is a widely distributed perennial legume, which is regarded as one of the most important forages for its high protein content and excellent palatability. Low temperature limits the distribution and productivity of white clover, thereby reducing its economic returns. WRKY transcription factors are key regulators in stress defense and are involved in multiple abiotic stress responses in plants. In this study, a cold inducible gene named TrWRKY41 was cloned from white clover. The TrWRKY41 protein is predominantly localized in the nucleus and functions as a hydrophilic, acidic protein. Under cold stress, the overexpression plants had significantly higher chlorophyll (CHL) and proline (Pro) contents, significantly increased activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content significantly decreased. Compared to wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana, TrWRKY41-overexpressing plants exhibited better cold tolerance. In addition, target genes downstream of the TrWRKY41 transcription factor were predicted utilizing BLAST alignment and AlphaFold2 (version 0.2.0) software, the expression of six genes, including AtCOR47, AtCOR6.6, and AtABI5, was significantly up-regulated under cold stress. It suggests that TrWRKY41 may enhance cold tolerance in Arabidopsis by activating the ICE-CBF-COR cascade. This study provides candidate genes for research on enhancing the cold tolerance of white clover. Full article

Egg-laying performance in hens is regulated by complex molecular mechanisms within the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis and ovarian follicles. This study employed integrative transcriptome profiling of primordial (PR), primary (PM), small white (SW), and small yellow (SY) follicles in hens with low and high egg-laying capacities to explain regulatory pathways influencing reproductive outcomes. Specific gene expression patterns were observed that correlated with follicular growth, steroidogenesis, and granulosa cell proliferation. Heatmap clustering and principal component analysis revealed transcriptional divergence between low- and high-laying hens, suggesting that coordinated changes in signaling pathways influence egg-laying performance. High-laying hens intricated an upregulation of the PI3K-AKT-FOXO3, TGF-β, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, which facilitate early follicular development, granulosa cell proliferation, and folliculogenesis. Higher phosphorylation of AKT and reduced nuclear FOXO3 activity were associated with enhanced primordial follicle growth. Increased TGF-β signaling, as demonstrated by higher levels of SMAD2/3/4 and cell cycle regulators, promoted granulosa cell proliferation in primary follicles (PMF). In SWF, higher levels of β-catenin and its downstream genes, such as c-Myc and cyclin D1, promoted follicle development. High-laying hens revealed increased expression of FSHR, CYP19A1, 17β-HSD, CYP1A1, and CYP1B1 in SYF, signifying enhanced FSH level and steroidogenesis. Similarly, low-laying hens exhibited downregulation of key genes, suggesting reduced follicular development and hormone signaling. These findings identify key regulatory networks and molecular markers associated with reproductive performance, providing targets for genetic selection and interventions to enhance egg production while reducing the risk of hormonal overstimulation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Treatment of childhood ependymoma evolved from 1970 to 1999 by reducing radiation volumes and incorporating chemotherapy. The impact of these changes on long-term health outcomes remains unknown. In this report, we evaluated temporal changes in all-cause and cause-specific late mortality, chronic health conditions (CHCs), and subsequent neoplasms (SNs) in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) cohort of adult survivors of pediatric ependymoma, diagnosed between 1970 and 1999. Methods: A total of 404 five-year survivors of ependymoma (47.5% female, 80.7% non-Hispanic White, median 6 (range 0–20) years at diagnosis, 22 (5–49) years from diagnosis) diagnosed between 1970 and 1999 and enrolled in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were evaluated for late (>5 years from diagnosis) mortality, SNs, and CHCs. Outcomes were analyzed by diagnosis decade, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy exposure. Gray’s test compared cumulative incidences. Multivariable piecewise exponential models estimated relative risks (RRs). Results: Whole-brain radiation exposure decreased over time (42.9% (1970s) to 2.7% (1990s)), while focal radiation (21.4% to 68.9%), and chemotherapy (29.5% to 50.2%) use increased. Fifteen-year all-cause late mortality (incidence, 95% CI) remained similar across decades: 1970s (9.3%, 3.4–18.8%), 1980s (14.7%, 9.4–21.2%), 1990s (10.3%, 6.7–14.9%). All-cause late mortality was higher after treatment with whole-brain radiation (22.5%, 11.2–36.5%) compared to focal radiation (11.4%, 7.5–16.1%) or no brain radiation (3.5%, 0.9–9.1%) (p < 0.001), and with chemotherapy (14.4%, 9.6–20.0%) versus without (6.8%, 3.8–11.0%) (p = 0.004). Compared to no brain radiation, the RR (95% CI) of grade 3–4 CHCs increased among survivors treated with focal (2.6, 1.3–5.4) and whole-brain radiation (3.5, 1.5–8.1), while chemotherapy was not associated with CHCs or SNs. Conclusions: Despite reduced radiation volumes and increased use of chemotherapy, late mortality and morbidity among pediatric ependymoma survivors remained largely unchanged across treatment decades. Full article

A widely used repository of violent death records is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). The NVDRS includes narrative data, which researchers frequently utilize to go beyond its structured variables. Prior work has shown that NVDRS narratives vary in length depending on decedent and incident characteristics, including race/ethnicity. Whether these length differences reflect differences in narrative information potential is unclear. We use the 2003–2021 NVDRS to investigate narrative length and complexity measures among 300,323 suicides varying in decedent and incident characteristics. To do so, we operationalized narrative complexity using three manifest measures: word count, sentence count, and dependency tree depth. We then employed regression methods to predict word counts and narrative complexity scores from decedent and incident characteristics. Both were consistently lower for black non-Hispanic decedents compared to white, non-Hispanic decedents. Although narrative complexity is just one aspect of narrative information potential, these findings suggest that the information in NVDRS narratives is more limited for some racial/ethnic minorities. Future studies, possibly leveraging large language models, are needed to develop robust measures to aid in determining whether narratives in the NVDRS have achieved their stated goal of fully describing the circumstances of suicide. Full article

Accurate prediction of blast-induced air overpressure (AOp) is vital for environmental management and safety in mining and construction. Traditional empirical models are simple but fail to capture complex meteorological effects, while accurate black-box machine learning models lack interpretability, creating a significant dilemma for practical engineering. This study resolves this by applying explainable AI (XAI) to develop a transparent, “white-box” model that explicitly quantifies how meteorological parameters, wind speed, direction, and air temperature influence AOp. Using a dataset from an urban excavation site, the methodology involved comparing a standard USBM empirical model and a Multivariate Non-linear Regression (MNLR) model against a Symbolic Regression (SR) model implemented with the PySR tool. The SR model demonstrated superior performance on an independent test set, achieving an R² of 0.771, outperforming both the USBM (R² = 0.665) and MNLR (R² = 0.698) models, with accuracy rivaling a previous “black-box” neural network. The key innovation is SR’s ability to autonomously generate an explicit, interpretable equation, revealing complex, non-linear relationships between AOp and meteorological factors. This provides a significant engineering contribution: a trustworthy, transparent tool that enables engineers to perform reliable, meteorologically informed risk assessments for safer blasting operations in sensitive environments like urban areas. Full article

White mold of carrot is mainly caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, while Sclerotinia nivalis is rarely reported. This study provides the first molecular confirmation of S. nivalis on carrot in Russia, expanding knowledge of its global distribution. rDNA-ITS sequencing (100% identity with reference strains) and phylogenetic analyses confirmed the isolate as S. nivalis. The growth, sclerotia formation, temperature response, pathogenicity, and fungicide sensitivity of four Sclerotinia strains (S. sclerotiorum from carrot, rapeseed, and soybean, and S. nivalis from carrot) were compared. S. nivalis showed slower growth, smaller but more numerous sclerotia (2–5 mm), and an optimal temperature of 15 °C, lower than S. sclerotiorum (25 °C). The soybean strain S. sclerotiorum SC382 was the most aggressive, causing 62% necrosis of carrot leaves and complete root decay within 9 days, while S. nivalis and the carrot isolates showed moderate aggressiveness. The S. nivalis SM8 strain was four times less sensitive to fluazinam (EC₅₀ = 0.0107 µg/mL) than S. sclerotiorum, whereas sensitivity to boscalid and pyraclostrobin varied. These findings confirm S. nivalis as a new causal agent of carrot white mold in Russia and demonstrate the potential of Sclerotinia strains from soybean and rapeseed to infect carrot, emphasizing the need for species-level monitoring and adapted control strategies. Full article

Introduction: There is limited data in the literature on the effect of prostaglandins (PG) and thromboxanes (TX) on the development and severity of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (HT). This article aimed to analyze the association between blood count and the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway in 39 women with HT. Methods: Biochemical analysis of PGE2 and TXB2 was performed using liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Morphological abnormalities were found in the women studied, particularly with regard to white blood cell parameters. An increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was associated with significantly higher levels of monocytes (p = 0.041). Correlations were also noted between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with TXB2 and PGE2. Furthermore, a very strong correlation was demonstrated for the first time between antibodies against tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) and antibodies against thyroglobulin (ATG) (r = 0.781; p = 0.007). Correlations between blood count and eicosanoids were also demonstrated. Conclusions: The results suggest the involvement of COX products in the pathogenesis of HT and hematopoiesis; therefore, this study may contribute not only to advancing knowledge, but also to developing new guidelines for diagnosing and treating autoimmune diseases. Full article

Background/Objectives: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and large extracellular vesicles (LEVs) are key components of the liquid biopsy that provide minimally invasive access to tumor biology. A clinically relevant subset of CTCs coexpressing epithelial and immune markers (im.CTCs) has been described, yet the origin of this phenotype remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the cellular and molecular context underlying the emergence of immune marker expression on CTCs and LEVs. Methods: Using high-resolution immunofluorescence microscopy of patient-derived blood samples, we identified direct physical interactions between white blood cells (WBCs) and both im.CTCs and im.LEVs, exclusively in patients harboring im.CTCs. Results: In several cases, WBCs partially encapsulated CTCs and LEVs, and quantitative analysis revealed localized enrichment of immune membrane markers at the contact interface, distinguishing these events from random proximity. Proteomic profiling further identified CD4+ T cells as the predominant interacting immune cell type and confirmed the presence of CD45, CD3, and CD4 on the interacting CTCs and LEVs, matching their WBC counterparts. Conclusion: These findings support membrane transfer as a potential mechanism for the acquisition of immune markers by CTCs and LEVs and provide in vivo evidence of contact-dependent tumor-immune interactions in circulation with implications for immune modulation and clinical interpretation of the im.CTC phenotype. Full article

Introduction: We aimed to clarify the influence of the thrombus composition on ischemic stroke endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) efficiency by utilizing various staining methods for patients that presented with occlusions of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Methods: Between September 2017 and May 2021, we analyzed thrombi retrieved during endovascular thrombectomy EVT in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Patients with reperfusion failure, intracranial atherosclerotic occlusions, and inadequate staining were excluded. The thrombus composition was stratified using three staining techniques—Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Martius Scarlet Blue (MSB) staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), fibrin (Fibrin II), and platelets (CD41). Associations between EVT efficiency outcomes and the thrombus composition were evaluated. Results: During the study period, thrombus was available for analysis in 159 patients. A total of 59 patients were included in the main analysis. Increases in the trichotomized RBS tertiles were associated with decreases in the components of various platelet/other components but not for fibrin. A modified first pass effect (mFPE) of the modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction perfusion scale (mTICI) 2b or higher was associated with larger thrombus surface area (16.0 ± 11.6 vs. 47.4 ± 62.3 mm², p = 0.005), a higher MSB fibrin content (29.8 ± 10.7 vs. 21.3 ± 10.9%, p = 0.002), and IHC fibrin (28.5 ± 14.5 vs. 20.1 ± 11.4%, p = 0.008). There was a marginal association between the mTICI 2b mFPE and lower MSB platelet/other components (27.6 ± 20.9 vs. 34.4 ± 14.9%, p = 0.078). The discrepancy between MSB platelet/others and IHC platelets was greater in the mFPE (-) group, suggesting that components other than platelets may contribute to EVT resistance. A mFPE of mTICI 2c or higher was associated with greater thrombus surface area (17.8 ± 11.9 vs. 37.7 ± 55.0 mm², p = 0.015) and MSB fibrin (32.1 ± 10.3 vs. 22.8 ± 11.0%, p = 0.002). There was a marginal reverse association between the mTICI 2c mFPE and MSB RBCs (33.4 ± 20.2% vs. 41.5 ± 17.3%, p = 0.062). There was no significant association between final near-complete reperfusion and the thrombus composition. Conclusions: In patients presenting with occlusions of the MCA, a higher thrombus fibrin content is associated with better EVT efficiency. Both a higher MSB platelet/other components and RBC content may have a negative influence on EVT efficiency. These results may help identify preprocedural biomarkers beyond the conventional assessment of RBCs, WBCs, and fibrin compositions, which could guide decision-making during mechanical thrombectomy. Full article

Prestressing wedges are critical in bridge and road construction, but flaws in wedge threads lead to severe safety hazards, construction delays, and costly maintenance. Traditional manual inspection remains labor-intensive and inconsistent, particularly under variable illumination and complex surface conditions. However, few studies have investigated improving the inspection effectiveness. Therefore, this study aims to propose a lightweight FasterNET-YOLOv5 framework for accurate and robust prestress wedge flaw detection in industrial applications. The framework achieves a detection precision of 96.3%, recall of 96.2, and mAP@0.5 of 96.5 with 18% faster end-to-end inference speed, enabling deployable system configuration on portable or embedded devices, making the approach suitable for real-time industrial inspection. Further practical guidance for workshop inspection illumination conditions was confirmed by robustness evaluations, as white lighting background provides the most balanced performance for incomplete thread and scratch defects. Moreover, a mechanical model-based inverse method was exploited to link the detections from machine vision. The results also demonstrate the potential for broader 3D surface inspection tasks in threaded, machined, and curved components of intelligent, automated, and cost-effective quality control. In general, this research contributes to computational inspection systems by bridging deep learning-based flaw detection with engineering-grade reliability and deployment feasibility. Full article

Background: White adipose tissue (WAT) exhibits diurnal oscillations regulated by clock genes, which autonomously control its functionality. These rhythms are modulated by the central clock and external factors, such as light exposure and diet. Flavanols, phenolic compounds known for their beneficial metabolic effects, have been shown to modulate the expression of clock genes. This study explored the impact of flavanols on clock gene expression in WAT explants from lean and obese rats under changes in light/dark cycles. Methods: WAT explants were obtained from 24 Fischer rats fed a standard diet (STD) or cafeteria diet (CAF) for seven weeks. During the final week, rats were changed to short (6 h of light, L6) or long (18 h of light, L18) photoperiods. CAF-fed rats were also administered a grape seed (poly)phenol-rich extract (GSPE) (25 mg/kg) or vehicle (VH). After sacrifice, WAT explants were collected every 6 h starting at 8 a.m. the following day (CT0, CT6, CT12, CT18, and CT24). Results: The results showed that under L18 conditions, STD-fed rats displayed oscillations in Bmal1, Cry1, Per1, and Rev-erbα clock gene expression, whereas many of these rhythms were disrupted under L6 conditions. Moreover, the administration of the CAF diet also resulted in the loss of clock gene circadian oscillations in the WAT explants. GSPE administration restored the oscillation of these clock genes under L18 and L6 conditions. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential zeitgeber role of flavanols in modulating WAT peripheral clocks and their capacity to improve metabolic and circadian regulation under conditions of diet- and photoperiod-induced disruption. Full article

Inspired by the bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the U.S., this article considers how DEI influences individualism. This study uses literature on Black racial identity development and the conceptual lens of individualism to examine how Black women define themselves. The data used for this study came from 22 college-educated Black women who discussed their paths towards wearing their natural hair, which included personalized descriptions of the ways that race, gender, White beauty norms, workplace expectations, and the perspectives of others influenced this process. The narratives provided by these Black women reveal that DEI helps to promote their individual identity development by helping them to sort through the various messages and opinions to arrive at both a hairstyle and an identity that corresponds to their character. Full article

The problem of marine plastic pollution is multifaceted and poses a serious threat to the ecosystem and human health. This work is the first investigation of mesoplastics (MEPs, 5 mm–2.5 cm) along the most representative beaches of the whole Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Surface sediment samples (0–5 cm), with 3 replicates each, were collected from thirty-three beaches to identify mesoplastic item characteristics (concentration, weight, type, size, color, and nature). The samples were collected between October and November 2021 and a total of 1998 mesoplastics (59.99 g kg⁻¹) were collected from the thirty-three beaches studied. The average concentrations ranged from 20.18 ± 13.93 MEP kg⁻¹ to 0.61 ± 0.61 g kg⁻¹, showing a great variability within each beach and between the beaches investigated. Mesoplastic fragments accounted for 43.92% of the total mesoplastic items, showed sizes from 5 to 10 mm (56.64%) and were predominantly white/transparent (43.36%). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed that Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were the most common polymers. The present results revealed a moderate level of mesoplastics pollution along the beaches investigated. Fishing, coastal activities, and wastewater discharges were probably the main sources. Furthermore, this study is likely to serve as a scientific baseline for monitoring and tracking mesoplastic pollution on Moroccan beaches. Full article

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and sarcopenia are prevalent age-related conditions that often coexist and share common mechanisms such as chronic inflammation, reduced neuroplasticity, and impaired muscle function. Resistance exercise training (RET) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological strategy capable of addressing both physical and cognitive decline. The aim of this narrative review is to synthesize preclinical and clinical evidence on the effects of RET in older adults with MCI and sarcopenia, with a specific focus on its impact on neuroinflammation, cognitive performance and structural brain changes. At the molecular level, RET activates anabolic pathways, including PI3K/Akt/mTOR, enhances neurotrophic support via BDNF, NT-3, and IGF-1, and promotes hippocampal neurogenesis through exercise-induced myokines such as irisin and cathepsin B. RET also exerts immunomodulatory actions by shifting microglia toward anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes, attenuating reactive astrogliosis, and supporting oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation, thereby improving myelin integrity. Neuroimaging studies consistently report preservation of hippocampal and precuneus gray matter, as well as improved white matter connectivity following RET. Clinically, RET has demonstrated significant and sustained improvements in executive function, memory, and global cognition, with effects persisting for up to 18 months. Collectively, RET represents a multifaceted intervention with the potential to delay progression from MCI to Alzheimer’s disease by integrating neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anabolic effects. Standardization of RET protocols and identification of biomarkers of responsiveness are needed to optimize its role within multimodal dementia-prevention strategies. Full article

Located in southern China, the five-hundred-meter aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST) is the world’s most sensitive radio telescope, especially for pulsar observation. Since its commissioning in 2016 and full operation in 2020, it has detected over 1100 new pulsars—boosting the globally known various pulsars to over 4000. In this concise overview, we highlight how harnessing FAST’s unique advantages—exceptional precision and ultra-high sensitivity—is set to fuel future discoveries of specialized pulsar types and exotic astrophysical objects. Notable targets include double millisecond pulsar binaries (MSP-MSPs), pulsar/millisecond pulsar–black hole systems (PSR-BHs or MSP-BHs), sub-millisecond pulsars, ultra-long-period pulsars, white dwarf pulsars, and short-orbit double neutron star systems (DNSs)—with orbital periods under one hour. As anticipated, in the 2040s, the combined capabilities of the FAST, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), and other cutting-edge astronomical instruments will enable over 10,000 pulsar samples, which will usher in a golden era for pulsar research: such breakthroughs will not only significantly broaden and deepen our understanding of the “pulsar paradise” but also drive substantial progress in the field of multi-messenger astronomy. Beyond pulsar-focused research, FAST is poised to play a pivotal role in testing general relativity, detecting nanohertz gravitational waves, studying fast radio bursts (FRBs), and investigating the micro-structure of pulsar emissions. These investigations will not only strengthen our understanding of fundamental physics but also unlock deeper insights into the universe’s profound mysteries. Full article