Search Results (15,340)

Drought stress severely limits plant growth and productivity, yet the molecular basis of drought tolerance and post-drought recovery remains incompletely understood in many forage legumes. Medicago ruthenica is a perennial legume native to arid and cold regions and exhibits strong drought resilience. Results: We integrated key physiological traits related to stomatal regulation, photosynthesis, osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense with RNA-seq across four stages (well-watered control, CK; drought for 9 days, D9; drought for 12 days, D12; and rewatering for 4 days, RW). Drought triggered stage-dependent physiological shifts, and transcriptome profiling identified >3000 drought- and rewatering-responsive genes enriched in primary metabolism, redox homeostasis and hormone signaling. WGCNA highlighted two drought-associated modules (MEcyan and MEcoral1) and prioritized three hub transcription factors for functional validation: 861 (AP2/ERF), 22 (WRKY) and 89 (bZIP). Overexpression of each gene in tobacco improved drought tolerance, as indicated by enhanced growth/root traits, increased osmolyte accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced membrane damage. Conclusions: Together, these results provide an integrated view of drought stress response and recovery in M. ruthenica and identify 861, 22 and 89 as candidate regulatory genes for engineering drought resilience in legumes. Full article

(1) Background: The search for new polymodal antioxidants to correct oxidative stress of various origins and its consequences remains one of the most pressing and rapidly developing areas of biomedical research. (2) Methods: Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical detection, induced luminescence assay, ELISA for 8-oxoguanine detection, animal survival, blood cell count, micronucleus test, and PCR were used. (3) Results: 2R,3R-trans-dihydroquercetin (DHQ) was shown to reduce the amount of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals formed during water radiolysis, leading to reduced damage to biomolecules. DHQ is a radioprotector, most effective at a dose of 300 mg/kg administered 15 min before radiation exposure. The dose reduction factor is 1.22. DHQ administration reduces the severity of radiation-induced leukopenia and thrombopenia by protecting red bone marrow cells. The mechanism of DHQ’s radioprotective action is fundamentally different from that of classical stress response inducers and is based on the normalization of the target cell transcriptional profile, rather than its hyperstimulation. (4) Conclusions: DHQ’s ability to restore the expression of antioxidant defense, DNA repair, and apoptotic genes to physiological levels under radiation exposure allows it to be considered a promising pharmacological agent for the correction of radiation-induced damage to normal tissues. Full article

Saline–alkaline water constitutes a vital strategic non-traditional fishery resource in China, characterized by high pH values, elevated carbonate alkalinity, and complex ionic compositions. These extreme environmental conditions impose significant stress on aquatic animals, mainly by inducing ionic toxicity and disrupting acid–base regulatory mechanisms. Such disruptions subsequently lead to osmotic imbalance, metabolic dysregulation, and immunosuppression, thus restricting the survival and growth of aquatic species in aquaculture systems. Consequently, the sustainable development of the saline–alkaline aquaculture is imperative for enhancing production efficiency and promoting the utilization of marginal land and water resources. This review comprehensively summarizes the current status of saline–alkaline aquaculture and highlights the stress-inducing impacts of salinity, alkalinity, and specific ionic ratios on teleost fishes and crustaceans. It further explores key adaptive mechanisms, including osmoregulatory and ionoregulatory strategies, bioenergetic trade-offs related to oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion, coordinated antioxidant and innate immune responses, as well as recent findings from multi-omics research. This review aims to offer a scientific foundation for the selection and breeding of saline–alkaline-tolerant strains, the precise regulation of aquaculture water environments, and the development of ecological aquaculture models in saline–alkaline regions, thereby facilitating the sustainable utilization of saline–alkaline land and water resources. Full article

Soil salinization poses a severe threat to global wheat production, yet the physiological mechanisms underlying photosynthetic responses to neutral, alkaline, and combined salt stress remain poorly understood. This study systematically evaluated the photosynthetic physiology and salt tolerance of six spring wheat genotypes under three types of salt stress at varying concentrations. By integrating phenotypic data, gas exchange parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence indices, and biomass measurements, and applying structural equation modeling and multivariate analysis, key traits regulating biomass were identified. The results revealed significant interactions among salt stress type, genotype, and concentration on photosynthetic parameters. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that under neutral salt stress, both gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll content had significant direct effects on seedling biomass, with standardized path coefficients of 0.421 and 0.400, respectively. Under alkaline and combined salt stresses, only chlorophyll content showed a significant direct effect on biomass, with standardized path coefficients of 0.873 and 0.790, respectively. Multiple regression analysis further identified key photosynthetic factors influencing growth under different stress types. Under neutral salt stress, phi (Ro) and E significantly affected biomass, whereas under alkaline and combined salt stresses, biomass was primarily co-regulated by phi (Ro) and phi (Eo). Based on a comprehensive evaluation of salt tolerance index, damage index, and biomass response, genotypes W06 and W02 exhibited the strongest overall salt tolerance. This study systematically elucidates the differential response mechanisms of photosynthesis in spring wheat under distinct salt stress types, providing an important theoretical basis and elite germplasm resources for breeding salt-tolerant wheat varieties. Full article

Nanomaterials (NMs) are increasingly utilized in drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, and therapeutic applications. However, their widespread use raises concerns regarding potential neurotoxicity, particularly for metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. Accumulating evidence indicates that these nanoparticles induce neurotoxicity through interconnected mechanisms, including excessive reactive oxygen species generation, activation of neuroinflammatory pathways, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disruption of blood–brain barrier integrity. These molecular events collectively lead to synaptic impairment, neuronal apoptosis, and progressive cognitive and behavioral deficits, with toxicity severity influenced by dose, exposure duration, and age. Given that in vitro models often fail to capture complex systemic interactions such as nanoparticle biodistribution, blood–brain barrier dynamics, and neuroimmune responses, this review places particular emphasis on in vivo studies to provide a more physiologically relevant understanding of nanoparticle-induced neurotoxicity. Importantly, a growing body of in vivo evidence demonstrates that natural bioactive compounds can mitigate these effects by targeting key pathogenic pathways, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, while preserving neuronal integrity. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of natural bioactives as protective agents against nanoparticle-induced neurotoxicity and as candidates for broader neuroprotective strategies. This review summarizes the mechanistic basis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticle neurotoxicity and critically evaluates the protective role of natural bioactive compounds, with a focus on evidence derived from animal models. Full article

Vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali (Foph) severely limits cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) production in Andean regions, where management options are restricted and largely dependent on fungicides. Silicon (Si) has been proposed as a sustainable strategy to enhance tolerance to vascular pathogens; however, its role in the cape gooseberry–Foph pathosystem remains unknown. This study evaluated the effects of soil and foliar Si applications on disease development and physiological responses in cape gooseberry plants under greenhouse conditions. Three soil doses and three foliar doses were tested, including inoculated and non-inoculated controls without treatment. Si significantly reduced disease progression, decreasing the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and disease severity index, with efficacy values of up to 69% in inoculated plants, particularly at 8 g kg⁻¹ soil application. Si also reduced vascular browning and mitigated pathogen-induced physiological impairment by maintaining higher stomatal conductance, relative chlorophyll content, maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II, and plant growth. These findings indicate that Si, especially when soil-applied, enhances physiological tolerance to Foph and represents a promising complementary tool for its integrated management. Full article

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is defined as coronary artery disease accompanied by left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction equal to or less than 40%. The substrate of ischemic cardiomyopathy is heterogeneous, characterized by the coexistence of normal, stunned, hibernating, and scarred myocardium within the same myocardial region. Altogether, these components may represent different phases of a single pathological process. It is well-established that the assessment of isolated myocardial viability and ischemia alone has failed to reliably guide the indication for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). CABG in patients with low ejection fraction carries a significant risk of perioperative mortality and morbidity, largely related to the development of postcardiotomy shock. Preoperative optimization with pharmacologic or mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is often essential; the decision requires integrating multiple complex factors, including clinical presentation, response to optimization therapy, myocardial viability, the presence of hibernating or scarred myocardium, left ventricular end-systolic volume index, coronary angiography findings, hemodynamic assessment, and the Pulmonary Arterial Pressure Index score. A preoperative evaluation that incorporates anatomical, morphological, functional, and hemodynamic domains enables more precise selection and timing of MCS. Preemptive left ventricular unloading mitigates the physiological impact of cardiopulmonary bypass, preserves end-organ perfusion, and reduces the need for high-dose vasopressors. However, the risk–benefit ratio remains uncertain and may be associated with serious complications. Careful judgment regarding the indications for MCS has the potential to enhance the safety of CABG in high-risk patients, but robust, long-term, prospective studies are needed to determine its true impact on clinical outcomes. In this review, we will examine the indications and criteria for the use of MCS in patients with advanced ischemic cardiomyopathy, as well as the various devices available for preoperative or intraoperative support, including technical considerations, advantages and disadvantages, and associated complications. Full article

Traditional Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is static and incompatible with dynamic systems like Digital Twins, creating a digital gap in managing health-oriented urban environments, especially in Urban Underground Spaces (UUS). This paper bridges this gap with a deep learning framework that automates the continuous prediction of human physiological arousal. We created a novel multimodal dataset from in situ experiments, synchronizing first-person video, environmental data, and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) as a real-time physiological arousal proxy. Our dual-branch spatial–temporal model fuses these data streams to predict GSR with high accuracy (Pearson’s r = 0.72), effectively mapping objective environmental inputs to continuous human physiological dynamics. This framework provides an automated, human-centric analysis engine for urban planning, design validation, and real-time building management. It establishes a foundational ‘human dynamics layer’ for urban Digital Twins, evolving them into predictive tools for simulating human-environment interactions and embedding physiological perception into intelligent urban systems. Full article

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays a pivotal role in evaluating treatment response following radiation-based therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As radiation modalities such as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) gain prominence, understanding the underlying mechanisms of radiation-induced cellular senescence is essential for accurate interpretation of imaging. The physiological changes of radiation treatment manifest as altered diffusion characteristics and delayed regression of enhancement and tumor volumes on MRI, challenging conventional response criteria. Herein, functional and temporal imaging biomarkers are necessary. However, current imaging strategies lack standardization and robust validation, underscoring the need for prospective studies to correlate MRI findings with treatment outcomes. This review synthesizes emerging evidence on MRI-based evaluation of radiation-treated HCC, explores the physiological rationale linking senescence to imaging phenotypes, and advocates for optimized imaging protocols and criteria to enhance post-treatment surveillance and therapeutic decision-making. Full article

Plants are sessile organisms that use molecular oxygen to perform basic metabolic functions. However, when oxygen availability decreases to 1–5% (hypoxic stress), the plant responds transcriptionally to adjust its metabolism and survive the stress. It has been observed that during hypoxia, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels decrease drastically, which could trigger plant death. However, despite experiencing an energy deficit, it has been observed that during hypoxia, plants induce defense mechanisms against pathogens. Plants manage to evade pathogenic microorganisms during an energy deficit by using complex signaling networks and different levels of regulation (transcriptional, post-translational, physiological, metabolomic, etc.) that converge to respond to both types of stress (biotic and abiotic). Understanding this phenomenon would have potential applications for agriculture and crop improvement. Therefore, this review details the main mechanisms of plant response to hypoxia and how this affects immunity mechanisms, highlighting the participation of ERF-VII transcription factors as oxygen sensors and their ability to bind to the GCC-box present in promoter regions of defense genes, MAPK signaling pathways, hormonal pathways, ROS, and Ca²⁺. Full article

Viral infections with gastrointestinal involvement remain a significant global health burden with limited therapeutic options. While probiotics show antiviral potential, their impact on primary human intestinal epithelial defenses is poorly defined. This study utilized human intestinal organoid-derived monolayers (ODMs), generated from the non-inflamed mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, to examine how Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 (BB-12) and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) modulate mucosal antiviral pathways. Unlike conventional Caco-2 cells, ODMs preserved physiological cellular diversity and intact innate signaling. Expression of viral receptors and interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs) was quantified by RT-qPCR, while the effector 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) was also assessed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Both probiotic strains modulated IFN-associated pathways; however, BB-12 induced a markedly stronger antiviral transcriptional response than LGG. Notably, OAS1 exhibited cell type-specific regulation; while goblet cells showed high basal levels, both probiotics enhanced OAS1 expression selectively in ileal enterocytes. Despite this shared effect, only BB-12 pretreatment significantly restricted Influenza A (H1N1) replication in ileal ODMs, whereas LGG did not significantly affect viral replication. These findings establish human ODMs as a superior platform for probiotic immunology, suggesting that BB-12 more effectively shapes epithelial antiviral “set-points” and highlighting OAS1 as a sensitive component of a broader antiviral program. Full article

Salinity stress impairs maize growth by inducing osmotic stress, pigment degradation, and ionic imbalance, particularly during early seedling development. This study investigated the morpho-physiological and ionic responses of different maize genotypes exposed to increasing salinity levels (control, 3, 6, and 9 dS/m) at the seedling stage. Salinity caused a reduction in biomass accumulation (shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight), plant height, and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, with pronounced effects under severe stress. Significant genotypic variability was detected for photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoids) growth traits, and ionic regulation, indicating diverse physiological adaptation strategies. Stress tolerance indices and multivariate analysis revealed that chlorophyll stability, carotenoid accumulation, and maintenance of ionic homeostasis (K⁺/Na⁺ ratio) were the dominant physiological determinants of salinity tolerance. Additionally, principal component analysis showed a shift from biomass-driven variation under non-stress conditions to pigment- and ion-driven variation under higher salinity. Based on the results, genotypes BML 6 and HKI 163 maintained higher pigment content and improved K⁺/Na⁺ balance, enabling better growth under saline conditions. These findings highlight key physiological traits underlying salinity tolerance and provide insight into early-stage adaptive mechanisms in maize. Full article

Infrared thermography has been proposed as a non-invasive tool for mastitis detection in dairy ruminants; however, the extent of environmental confounding and diagnostic performance in small ruminants remain poorly characterized. This study evaluated udder thermography in dairy goats through correlation analysis under winter and summer conditions, and an experimental intramammary inflammation challenge using Staphylococcus aureus lipoteichoic acid, with receiver operating characteristic analysis using somatic cell count >1500 × 10³ cells/mL as the reference standard. Strong positive correlations between ambient temperature and udder surface temperatures intensified substantially from winter to summer, while surface temperatures showed weak or absent correlations with rectal temperature. Experimental inflammation induced a 12-fold increase in somatic cell count (305 vs. 3658 × 10³ cells/mL, p < 0.001); however, thermographic responses remained minimal and spatially inconsistent, with area under the curve values approximating 0.5 and weak correlations between thermographic measurements and somatic cell count. Environmental temperature variation and physiological thermoregulatory adjustments substantially exceeded the minimal thermal signal generated by intramammary inflammation, limiting diagnostic utility. Infrared thermography showed poor diagnostic utility for detecting experimentally induced intramammary inflammation in dairy goats under the tested conditions. Full article

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide with increasing concern regarding its non-target impacts in coastal ecosystems and mariculture species. Here, we profiled acute physiological stress signatures of waterborne glyphosate exposure in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, integrating measured exposure concentrations, tissue residues, digestive and oxidative/innate immune biomarkers, and gut microbiota. After 24 h exposure, measured waterborne glyphosate confirmed the intended gradient (0.09 ± 0.02, 1.26 ± 0.09, and 4.49 ± 1.12 mg/L for low-, medium-, and high-dose treatments, respectively), and overt stress phenotypes with mortality occurred only at the high dose (36.67%), enabling separation of high-dose survivors (HS) and high-dose dead (HD) for downstream analyses. Tissue measurements showed low/background levels in controls, with compartment-specific distribution: the respiratory tree exhibited higher burdens at the medium dose, whereas coelomic fluid showed the highest burdens in HS at the 24 h endpoint. Functionally, most intestinal digestive enzymes were unchanged, but trypsin activity was consistently suppressed across exposed groups (p < 0.05). In coelomic fluid, oxidative stress responses were evident, with elevated MDA (L and M), reduced CAT (L, M, and HS), and reduced GSH-PX in HS (all p < 0.05), while SOD, GR, and lysozyme showed no significant changes. Gene sequencing of 16S rRNA (n = 3 per group) revealed significant shifts in community diversity/evenness (Shannon p = 0.0497; Simpson p = 0.0484) and beta diversity (PCo1 = 30.08%, PCo2 = 26.30%; PERMANOVA F = 1.816, p = 0.008), with LEfSe indicating discriminative taxa associated with exposure/outcomes. Collectively, these multi-level endpoints define an acute glyphosate stress signature in A. japonicus, linking internal dose distribution to oxidative disruption, impaired intestinal proteolysis, and microbiome restructuring. Full article

As a global environmental problem, biological invasion poses a serious threat to natural ecosystems. To explore the influence mechanism of Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb on the growth and development of landscape plants, this study systematically analyzed the effects of extracts from different organs (stems, leaves, and roots) of A. philoxeroides on the seed germination and seedling growth of Zinnia elegans Jacq. by combining the Petri dish filter paper method with a pot experiment to reveal the potential mechanism of allelopathy. The results showed that the aqueous extract of A. philoxeroides inhibited the seed germination and seedling growth of Z. elegans. The high concentration (100 mg·mL⁻¹) of stem and leaf extracts significantly reduced the germination rate (by 99.10% and 90.65%) and seedling morphological parameters. The allelopathic inhibition increased with an increase in concentration, and the inhibitory effect of stem and leaf extracts was significantly stronger than that of root extracts. Aqueous extracts from the roots, stems, and leaves of A. philoxeroides at three concentrations (25, 50, and 100 mg·mL⁻¹) induced oxidative stress in seedlings, as evidenced by the elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) content and dysregulated activities of antioxidant enzymes. Specifically, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities exhibited a concentration-dependent trend of initial induction followed by subsequent inhibition, while root activity was significantly suppressed (p < 0.05), ultimately impairing seedling growth. The aqueous extracts of A. philoxeroides showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the seed germination and seedling growth of Z. elegans. High concentrations of stem and leaf extracts exerted a significant inhibitory effect on seedling growth, and this growth suppression was attributed to the induction of oxidative stress by the extracts. This study elucidated the phytotoxicity degree and physiological response mechanisms underlying the biochemical allelopathy of A. philoxeroides on Z. elegans. The findings provide a theoretical foundation for the selection of horticultural plant cultivars resistant to allelopathic stress and the development of management strategies for invasive plants. Full article