Search Results (2,581)

Tree peony is an important horticultural plant with both ornamental and oil value. The tree peony genome and databases were used to search for calmodulin family genes to explore their function in the pollination of tree peony. The CaM gene family was identified, and then the basic protein characteristics of the family members, such as gene structure, isoelectric point, molecular weight, subcellular localization, and conserved protein domain, were analyzed. The expression levels of these genes in the pistil tissue of Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ at different developmental stages after pollination were also analyzed. Further, qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression levels of six PsCaMs during the development process of the pistil under bee pollination conditions. The results showed that there were six CaM family members located on three chromosomes and one non-chromosome. There were a large number of hormone response and stress response elements on the gene promoter of this family. During the development of pistil tissue after pollination, CaM family gene expression showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, which may be related to its function during pollination. The purpose of this study is to identify the gene characteristics and expression patterns of the CaM family during pollination, and to lay a foundation for the functional study of the CaM family in tree peony pollination. Full article

Background/Objectives: The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor family regulates plant development, metabolism, and stress responses. Yet, its genome-wide composition remains unexplored in Lilium bakerianum var. rubrum (LBVR), an ornamental lily valued for its floral traits. This study aimed to identify, classify, and profile the bHLH family in LBVR using full-length transcriptomic resources. Methods: PacBio HiFi full-length transcriptome sequencing was combined with Illumina RNA-seq for accurate structural annotation and expression quantification. Candidate bHLHs were identified by iTAK and HMMER-Pfam, and their physicochemical properties, secondary structures, motifs, and phylogenetic positions were examined. Expression patterns were analyzed across four floral stages (bud, initial bloom, full bloom, and late bloom). Results: A total of 113 high-confidence bHLH genes were identified, with ~90% successfully annotated. The proteins displayed variation in molecular weight, isoelectric point, structural features, and motif composition. Phylogenetic analysis placed them into 13 clades consistent with Arabidopsis subfamilies, revealing lineage-specific expansions and contractions. Expression profiling showed that 95 genes were active in at least one stage, with two transcriptional waves: a strong bud-to-initial-bloom activation and a secondary wave spanning anthesis. Seventeen genes were expressed exclusively at the bud stage, suggesting roles in early floral-organ initiation and pigmentation. Conclusions: This work provides the first genome-wide characterization of bHLHs in LBVR. The integrated sequencing approach generated a robust catalogue and developmental expression map, offering candidates for functional studies and resources for breeding in lilies. Full article

Background/Objectives: As convenience store meals become a major dietary source for modern society, the reliability of their nutrition labels is increasingly scrutinized. With advances in artificial intelligence (AI), large language models (LLMs) have been explored for automated nutrition estimation. Aim: To evaluate the accuracy and clinical applicability of AI-assessed nutrition data by comparing outputs from five AI models with professional dietitian estimations and labeled nutrition facts. Methods: Eight ready-to-eat convenience store meals were analyzed. Four experienced dietitians independently estimated the meals’ calories, macronutrients, and sodium content based on measured food weights. Five AI chatbots were queried multiple times with identical input prompts to assess intra- and inter-assay variability. All results were compared to the official nutrition labels to quantify discrepancies and cross-model consistency. Results: Dietitian estimations showed strong internal consistency (CV < 15%), except for fat, saturated fat and sodium (CVs up to 33.3 ± 37.6%, 24.5 ± 11.7%, and 40.2 ± 30.3%, respectively). Among AI models, ChatGPT4.o showed relatively consistent calory, protein, fat, saturated fat and carbohydrate estimates (CV < 15%), and Claude3.7, Grok3, Gemini, and Copilot showed caloric and protein content as consistent (CV < 15%). Sodium values were consistently underestimated across all AI models, with CVs ranging from 20% to 70%. The accuracy of nutritional fact estimation over the five AI models for calories, protein, fat, saturated fat and carbohydrates was between 70 and 90%; when compared to the nutritional labels of RTE, the sodium content and saturated fat estimated were severely underestimated. Conclusions: Current AI chat models provide rapid estimates for basic nutrients and can aid public education or preliminary assessment; GPT-4 outperforms peers in calorie and potassium-related estimations but remains suboptimal in micronutrient prediction. Professional dietitian oversight remains essential for safe and personalized dietary planning. Full article

This study presents a multidisciplinary forensic experiment evaluating the destructive effects of household chemical agents on animal bone and soft tissue analogues, with a particular focus on traumatic lesion persistence and trace evidence detection. A total of 59 domestic pig rib fragments, subjected to standardized lesions inflicted with either an axe or a ceramic knife, were immersed in acidic, basic, and oxidizing solutions for over two months. Samples were monitored through macroscopic scoring, serological species identification, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Results showed marked differences in tissue degradation depending on the chemical, with lesion persistence ranging from rapid obliteration to prolonged detectability. Axe-induced wounds generally remained visible longer than ceramic knife injuries, which tended to be erased earlier. XRF analysis revealed differential residue detection, with metallic traces persisting only under certain conditions, while serological testing demonstrated varying levels of protein preservation despite advanced tissue degradation. These findings underscore the forensic relevance of recognizing lesion persistence and chemical-specific degradation patterns, contributing to the assessment of chemical body disposal attempts and to the development of experimental training models for forensic practice. Full article

This study investigated the changes in pH, water retention, color, texture characteristics, protein conformation, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and total plate count in reduced-fat sausages. It explored the quality differences between sausages with and without the addition of resistant starch during storage at 4 °C over a period of 1 to 30 days. The results indicated that TBARS and TVB-N values significantly increased (p < 0.05) with the extension of refrigeration time, and the α-helix and β-sheet structures were transformed into β-turn and random coil structures, leading to a significant decrease in the pH, L* and a* values, texture characteristics, and chewiness of all sausages, as well as a significant increase in storage loss and centrifugation loss. Under the same refrigeration time, the sausage with added resistant starch exhibited better water retention and texture characteristics compared to the treatment without resistant starch. Additionally, the TBARS and TVB-N values were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the former. Therefore, the incorporation of resistant starch can effectively slow down the deterioration of gel properties and the increase in total bacterial count in reduced-fat sausages during refrigeration. Full article

Insights into the state of individual cells within a living organism are essential for identifying diseases and abnormalities. The internal state of a cell is reflected in its morphological features and changes in the localization of intracellular molecules. Using this information, it is possible to infer the state of the cells with high precision. In recent years, technological advancements and improvements in instrument specifications have made large-scale analyses, such as single-cell analysis, more widely accessible. Among these technologies, imaging flow cytometry (IFC) is a high-throughput imaging platform that can simultaneously acquire information from flow cytometry (FCM) and cellular images. While conventional FCM can only obtain fluorescence intensity information corresponding to each detector, IFC can acquire multidimensional information, including cellular morphology and the spatial arrangement of proteins, nucleic acids, and organelles for each imaging channel. This enables the discrimination of cell types and states based on the localization of proteins and organelles, which is difficult to assess accurately using conventional FCM. Because IFC can acquire a large number of single-cell morphological images in a short time, it is well suited for automated classification using machine learning. Furthermore, commercial instruments that combine integrated imaging and cell sorting capabilities have recently become available, enabling the sorting of cells based on their image information. In this review, we specifically highlight practical applications of IFC in four representative areas: cell cycle analysis, protein localization analysis, immunological synapse formation, and the detection of leukemic cells. In addition, particular emphasis is placed on applications that directly contribute to elucidating molecular mechanisms, thereby distinguishing this review from previous general overviews of IFC. IFC enables the estimation of cell cycle phases from large numbers of acquired cellular images using machine learning, thereby allowing more precise cell cycle analysis. Moreover, IFC has been applied to investigate intracellular survival and differentiation signals triggered by external stimuli, to monitor DNA damage responses such as γH2AX foci formation, and more recently, to detect immune synapse formation among interacting cells within large populations and to analyze these interactions at the molecular level. In hematological malignancies, IFC combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) enables high-throughput detection of chromosomal abnormalities, such as BCR-ABL1 translocations. These advances demonstrate that IFC provides not only morphological and functional insights but also clinically relevant genomic information at the single-cell level. By summarizing these unique applications, this review aims to complement existing publications and provide researchers with practical insights into how IFC can be implemented in both basic and translational research. Full article

Background: Understanding the genetic mechanisms and identifying potential therapeutic targets are essential for clarifying Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) etiology and improving treatments. This study aims to bridge the gap between basic transcriptomic discoveries and clinical applications in ASD research. Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of GSE18123 datase were identified. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to link genetic loci to relevant biological pathways. Connectivity Map (CMap) analysis was used to predict potential drugs. Furthermore, immune infiltration correlation analysis explored associations between key genes and immune cell subpopulations. Diagnostic performance of top genes was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: The functional enrichment analysis successfully revealed relevant biological processes associated with ASD, while the CMap analysis predicted potential drugs that were consistent with some clinical trial results. Random forest analysis selected ten key feature genes (SHANK3, NLRP3, SERAC1, TUBB2A, MGAT4C, TFAP2A, EVC, GABRE, TRAK1, and GPR161) with the highest importance scores for autism prediction. Immune infiltration analysis showed significant correlations in genes and multiple immune cell types, demonstrating complex pleiotropic associations within the immune microenvironment. ROC curve analysis indicated that most top genes had strong discriminatory power in differentiating ASD from controls, particularly MGAT4C (AUC = 0.730), highlighting its potential as a robust biomarker. Conclusions: This study effectively bridges the basic transcriptomic discoveries and clinical applications in ASD research. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the etiology of ASD and provide potential therapeutic leads. Future research could focus on validating these potential drugs in clinical studies, as well as further exploring the biological functions of the identified genes to develop more targeted and effective treatments for ASD. Full article

Aqueous batteries, which replace flammable organic electrolytes with water, offer advantages such as intrinsic safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness, making them well-suited to the energy storage needs driven by the increasing proliferation of renewable energy. However, their widespread adoption is hampered by the narrow electrochemical stability window of water, dendrite growth on metal anodes, and various parasitic interfacial reactions. This review proposes a unified three-part framework for biomimetic electrolytes—SEI-mimetic, antifreeze-protein-mimetic, and ion-channel-mimetic—corresponding to three mechanistic strands—water activity regulation, interfacial mechanics, and sub-nanometer transport—to organize and compare various strategies. This paper systematically reviews and evaluates the latest advances in biomimetic electrolytes. It discusses these three biomimetic concepts and their applications in different battery chemistries (monovalent and multivalent metal systems, as well as aqueous redox-flow batteries). It also proposes a roadmap and engineering thresholds for both basic research and commercialization. Full article

Myelin is a lipid-rich membrane that insulates axons, providing support and ensuring efficient nerve impulse conduction. Disruption of this sheath, or demyelination, impairs neural transmission and underlies symptoms like vision loss and muscle weakness in multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite extensive studies using in vitro and in vivo models, the molecular mechanisms driving demyelination remain incompletely understood. To investigate the role of myelin basic protein (MBP) in membrane stability, we prepared model myelin membranes (MMMs) from lipids expectedly undergoing gel-to-fluid phase transition, mimicking both normal and altered myelin, with and without MBP. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that MBP suppresses the main phase transition in normal MMMs, unlike in modified MMMs. FTIR spectra showed strengthening of van der Waals interactions in normal MMMs with MBP upon heating and opposite effects in the analogous modified MMM system. Additionally, phosphate groups were identified as critical sites for MBP–lipid interactions. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy suggests that MBP adopts helical structures that penetrate the bilayer of normal MMMs. These findings offer new insights into the molecular-level interactions between MBP and myelin membranes, with implications for understanding demyelination in diseases like MS. Full article

Pseudomonas fragi and Aeromonas salmonicida are major spoilage microorganisms in refrigerated grass carp. This study systematically investigated the physicochemical and metabolomic characteristics of chilled grass carp that were artificially inoculated with P. fragi and A. salmonicida in mono- and co-culture. The results indicated that P. fragi was the dominant bacterium in the co-culture of grass carp. The P. fragi-inoculated group exhibited significantly higher levels of total volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs, byproducts of lipid peroxidation) compared with the A. salmonicida group. Moreover, the TBAR levels were greater in the co-culture than in the A. salmonicida group at the end of storage. A metabolomic analysis revealed that 712, 424, and 465 differential metabolites were identified in grass carp inoculated with A. salmonicida, P. fragi, and their co-culture, respectively. The metabolic pathway enrichment showed that purine metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism were prevalent across all three inoculated groups. A total of 175 amino acids, peptides, and analogues were identified in the A. salmonicida group, indicating that A. salmonicida played a vital role in protein degradation. P. fragi was primarily enriched in linoleic acid metabolism and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and fatty acids, demonstrating its advantages in lipid metabolism. Additionally, six potential spoilage biomarkers were identified, including inosine, cytidine, L-aspartic acid, L-tyrosine, Pro-Ile and PS(17:1(9Z)22:0). These results elucidated the complex and competitive interactions between A. salmonicida and P. fragi in the spoilage of grass carp, providing a scientific basis for the quality monitoring of grass carp and targeted preservation strategies. Full article

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is increasingly affecting individuals across various age groups due to inadequate insulin action and secretion. It has become the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with an estimated 9.3% of the global population currently affected. Recent epigenetic studies have shown that variations such as DNA methylation and histone modifications are implicated in the development of T2DM. However, epigenetically related conditions are known to be reversible, which could potentially pave the way for predicting and treating T2DM. This has led to the development of epigenetic modifier drugs, including histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), histone acetyltransferase inhibitors (HATi), protein arginine methyltransferase inhibitors (PRMTi), DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi), histone demethylating inhibitors (HDMi), and sirtuin-activating compounds (STAC). A major challenge with these epigenetic drugs is that only a few have been approved for treating metabolic diseases due to their potential to negatively impact off-target genes. The low specificity of these drugs can lead to side effects and increased toxicity, contributing to complex diseases such as cancer. Hence, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases can provide new insights and strategies for preventing, diagnosing, and treating metabolic disorders, such as T2DM. This review summarizes the epigenetic variations in T2DM, pharmaco-epigenetics, and the challenges surrounding epigenetics. This provides basic insight into the discovery of novel drug targets, which can lead to the development of epigenetic therapies for T2DM. Hence, the reversible nature of epigenetic variations retains hope for future novel strategies to combat T2DM. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cinnamon leaves, an important source of the functional compound cinnamaldehyde (CA), have been shown to be effective in improving type II diabetes and Parkinson’s disease (PD) in rats following the incorporation of cinnamon leaf extract into a nanoemulsion. However, the effect of a cinnamon leaf extract nanoemulsion (CLEN) on improving Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent type of dementia, remains unexplored. The objectives of this study were to determine functional compounds in cinnamon leaves by UPLC-MS/MS, followed by the preparation of a nanoemulsion and its byproducts to study their effects on AD and PD in rats. Methods: Oven-dried (60 °C for 2 h) cinnamon leaf powder and hydrosol, obtained by steam distillation of cinnamon leaf powder, were stored at 4 °C. After determination of basic composition (crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrate, moisture and ash) of cinnamon leaf powder, it was extracted with 80% ethanol with sonication at 60 °C for 2 h and analyzed for bioactive compounds by UPLC-MS/MS. Then, the CLEN was prepared by mixing cinnamon leaf extract rich in CA with lecithin, soybean oil, tween 80 and ethanol in an optimal ratio, followed by evaporation to form thin-film and redissolving in deionized water. For characterization, mean particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and surface morphology were determined. Animal experiments were done by dividing 90 male rats into 10 groups (n = 9), with groups 2–8 being subjected to mini-osmotic pump implantation surgery in brain to infuse Amyloid-beta 40 (Aβ40) solution in groups 2–8 for induction of AD, while groups 9 and 10 were pre-fed respectively with cinnamon powder in water (0.5 g/10 mL) and in hydrosol for 4 weeks, followed by induction of AD as shown above. Different treatments for a period of 4 weeks included groups 1–9, with group 1 (control) and group 2 feeding with sterilized water, while groups 3, 4 and 5 were fed respectively with high (90 mg/kg), medium (60 mg/kg) and low (30 mg/kg) doses of cinnamon leaf extracts, groups 6, 7 and 8 fed respectively with high (90 mg/kg), medium (60 mg/kg) and low (30 mg/kg) doses of nanoemulsions, groups 9 and 10 fed respectively with 10 mL/kg of cinnamon powder in water and hydrosol (0.5 g/10 mL). Morris water maze test was conducted to determine short-term memory, long-term memory and space probing of rats. After sacrificing of rats, brain and liver tissues were collected for determination of Aβ40, BACE1 and 8-oxodG in hippocampi, and AchE and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cortices, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px) and MDA in both cortices and livers, and dopamine in brain striata by using commercial kits. Results: The results showed that the highest level of CA (18,250.7 μg/g) was in the cinnamon leaf powder. The CLEN was prepared successfully, with an average particle size of 17.1 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.236, a zeta potential of −42.68 mV, and high stability over a 90-day storage period at 4 °C. The Morris water maze test revealed that the CLEN treatment was the most effective in improving short-term memory, long-term memory, and spatial probe test results in AD rats, followed by the cinnamon leaf extract (CLE), powder in hydrosol (PH), and powder in water (PW). Additionally, both CLEN and CLE treatments indicated a dose-dependent improvement in AD rats, while PH and PW were effective in preventing AD occurrence. Furthermore, AD occurrence accompanied by PD development was demonstrated in this study. With the exception of the induction group, declines in Aβ40, BACE1, and 8-oxodG in the hippocampi and AchE and MDA in the cortices of rats were observed for all the treatments, with the high-dose CLEN (90 mg/kg bw) exhibiting the highest efficiency. The antioxidant enzyme activity, including that of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px, in the cortices of rats increased. In addition, dopamine content, a vital index of PD, was increased in the striata of rats, accompanied by elevations in SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px and decreased MDA in rat livers. Conclusions: These outcomes suggest that the CLEN possesses significant potential for formulation into a functional food or botanical drug for the prevention and treatment of AD and/or PD in the future. Full article

Due to its complex composition and toxicity, the waste liquid from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) poses a serious environmental challenge that must be addressed before disposal. In this study, the photochemical treatment of HTC liquid in a microreactor flow system was investigated. The effects of wavelength, the presence of atmospheric oxygen, oxidizing agent (H₂O₂) and catalyst (FeSO₄), residence time and pH on the efficiency of the photo-treatment were investigated. In addition, the influence of the addition of deep eutectic solvent (DES) on photo-treatment was studied. The results showed that the photochemical treatment was more efficient at 365 nm than at 420 nm, and that the acidic conditions gave better results than the basic ones. UV₃₆₅ treatment in the presence of H₂O₂ (at a dosage of 1 vol%) resulted in removal efficiencies of 31.6% for COD, 17.6% for TOC, 16.9% for NH₄-N and 17.2% for PO₄-P. The addition of FeSO₄ caused coagulation/flocculation effects, but improved phosphorus removal. The addition of DES resulted in slight discolouration of the liquid and proved unsuccessful in COD removal. The GC-MS analysis and 3D-EEM spectra showed significant changes in the fate of organics and in the fluorescence intensity of aromatic proteins and humic acid-like substances. Photochemical treatment in a microreactor flow system in the presence of H₂O₂ under the selected operating conditions reduced the content of organics and nutrients in the HTC liquid, but the process liquids still showed toxic effects on the organisms V. fischeri and Daphnia magna. Full article

Chilled yak meat is becoming more and more popular with the improvement in living standards, and the flavor of chilled meat is closely related to storage time. The effect of storage time on the flavor of chilled yak meat was explored in this study. We used GC-MS, HS-GC-IMS, and LC-MS/MS to detect changes in the metabolites in yak meat during storage at 4 °C and constructed storage time-dependent metabolite fingerprints of the yak meat. The results showed that low-temperature storage promoted the degradation of proteins and lipids, nucleotide release, and the production of the volatile compounds heptanal, octanal, n-nonanal, benzaldehyde, 2,3-pentanedione, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, and 2-butanone. With an increase in the chilled storage time of yak meat, the total volatile basic nitrogen and total viable count of the meat were significantly increased. The short-term storage time of yak meat at 4 °C should not exceed 5 days. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, is characterized by two key pathological features: extracellular amyloid beta plaques and intracellular highly phosphorylated tau protein aggregates known as neurofibrillary tangles. While in the last decades intensive research related to anti-amyloid disease-modifying therapies for AD was conducted, there has been less interest in treatments targeting tau protein. However, this paradigm is slowly changing, as recent studies have shown the increasing importance of tau protein in the onset and evolution of AD. In this context, this review aims to offer a practical overview of currently available therapies targeting tau protein and future research directions. The first part of the manuscript highlights the pathophysiological basics of tau protein aggregation and tau-related kinase dysregulations, considering their role in physiological versus AD conditions. Subsequently, the most relevant classes of drugs modulating tau protein formation, aggregation, and post-translational modifications are presented, with appropriate examples from clinical trials. Finally, unexplored research directions regarding tau-targeting therapies are discussed, with active and passive immunotherapies a promising research direction. Therapies targeting tau protein are a valuable treatment modality in AD, with current drug classes expected to diversify soon. Full article