Browse Articles

Functional role of THRAP3 in modulating thyroid hormone–mediated gene networks in C2C12 myotubes

Thyroid hormone (TH) secreted by the thyroid gland plays essential roles in regulating metabolism, development, and nervous system function. Thyroid hormone receptor-associated protein 3 (THRAP3) is a nuclear coactivator that interacts with the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) and facilitates target gene regulation through the mediator complex. Although this mechanism has been well studied in other tissues, the specific role of THRAP3 in skeletal muscle remains unclear. Here we investigated the function of THRAP3 in skeletal muscle using Thrap3 knockout (KO) C2C12 cells. Loss of THRAP3 significantly suppressed the expression of key myogenic regulatory factors, including Myod1 , Mef2c , and myosin heavy chain genes, resulting in impaired myogenic differentiation and muscle diameter. Furthermore, we found that THRAP3 influences triiodothyronine (T3)-induced gene expression, suggesting that it cooperatively modulates thyroid hormone signaling in muscle cells. Taken together, our findings identify THRAP3 as a novel regulator of myogenesis and indicate that it supports T3 activity by coordinating thyroid hormone–responsive gene expression in skeletal muscle.

Development and mechanical performance evaluation of a novel red mud-based filler for tunnel invert backfilling

Correction: Performance enhancement and PAPR reduction for MIMO based QAM-FBMC systems

Cross sectional analysis of emotion regulation, psychological distress and well being of emerging adult students in Urban India post COVID 19

Shifting epidemiological patterns and strain replacement of hand, foot, and mouth disease in southern China, 2009–2022: A longitudinal study

Background China launched a universal campaign of monovalent-inactivated EV-A71 vaccine in 2016. However, the monovalent-inactivated vaccine is ineffective against HFMD with other etiologies. To date, little is known about the epidemiological patterns and the replacement of the predominant pathogens that induce HFMD after the universal vaccination campaign. Methods Using HFMD surveillance and VP1 sequencing data in pre- and post-vaccination periods, time series analysis, and Wavelet approaches, we identified pathogen replacement, changes in the viral spectrum and epidemiological patterns of HFMD. Results A prolonged but lower peak of HFMD occurred in the spring, and a late, higher peak presented during fall in the post-vaccination period. The typical half-year transmission cycle disappeared, the one-year cycle did not change, and the CVA16 and CVA6 serotypes have the potential to replace EV-A71 as the predominant strains. Conclusions The epidemic pattern of HFMD has shifted after the vaccination campaign. While the EV-A71 vaccine reduced transmission in the spring season, it had little impact on reducing cases in fall. Meanwhile, potential new predominant strains have emerged. Public health system should incorporate enhanced surveillance by including whole genome sequencing to ensure close monitoring of serotype replacement and to assess the need for multivalent vaccines across Southern China.

Challenging Claims of an Autism Epidemic — Misconceptions and a Path Forward

Lexical alignment persists across a 12 h interval but is unaffected by sleep versus wake

Abstract Sleep may play a key role in consolidating social interactions by transforming brief communicative experiences into stable social memories. In this paper, we used the lexical alignment task to investigate whether sleep enhances the consolidation of shared linguistic representations between partners. Lexical alignment, where participants converge their word choices with those produced by a partner, served as a marker of successful communication and shared understanding. Eighty-two participants completed a picture-matching and picture-naming task before and after 12 h of sleep or wake. Results showed the lexical alignment effect persisted 12 h after the initial picture-matching interaction. However, this effect was not influenced by whether participants slept or remained awake during the retention interval. These findings suggest that while participants encoded enduring representations of partner-specific lexical information during interaction, sleep-based consolidation did not confer an additional benefit. One possibility is that a higher level of social relevance is needed for these memories to be susceptible to sleep consolidation. Alternatively, limited hippocampal involvement during encoding may have reduced the extent to which information was reactivated during sleep. Future research should employ richer and more interactive tasks to clarify how sleep supports the consolidation of social experiences and relationship perceptions.

Monitoring of Cd and GSH contents and Bn-OASTL expression in transgenic tobacco seedlings in response to Cd stress

Cadmium (Cd) pollution threatens agricultural productivity and food safety. O- acetylserine(thiol)lyase ( OASTL ) genes have been tied to plant responses to heavy metal stress, yet their roles in heterologous systems, particularly in Cd accumulation and tolerance, remain unclear. Here, we isolated a novel OASTL gene, BnaOASTL , from the high-Cd-accumulating oilseed rape cultivar Brassica napus “Nanyou 868” and expressed it in tobacco ( Nicotiana benthamiana ). Transgenic lines were exposed to Cd stress, and Cd content, glutathione (GSH) level, and BnaOASTL expression were evaluated. The full-length BnaOASTL cDNA (969 bp) encoded a cytoplasmic/nuclear protein of 322 amino acids. Under Cd stress, Bn-OASTL expression was significantly upregulated in transgenic plants, particularly in roots. However, compared with wild-type, transgenic lines showed no improvement in Cd tolerance or accumulation and no significant changes in GSH levels. The findings suggest that although BnaOASTL is transcriptionally responsive to Cd stress, its overexpression alone does not confer altered Cd tolerance or accumulation in tobacco. The study highlights the complexity of Cd response mechanisms and suggests that BnaOASTL functions within a broader, species-specific regulatory network.

Efgartigimod for Fetal Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody–Related Disorder

When two years of academic work vanished with a single click

Dialectal substitution as an adversarial approach for evaluating Arabic NLP robustness

The effect of comprehensive intervention on family support and the mediating effect between intervention and changes in children’s dietary and physical activity behaviors

Objective Childhood overweight and obesity have become one of the major global public health problems. Family support plays an important role in the development of children’s healthy behaviors. This study aimed to assess the effect of a comprehensive intervention for childhood obesity on family support and to examine the mediating effect of family support between the intervention and changes in children’s dietary and physical activity behaviors. Methods A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted from 2018 to 2019, involving 396 students from eight elementary schools in Changzhi City, China. Data on children’s dietary habits, physical activity, and family support were collected via structured questionnaires. Generalized estimating equation models were used to assess the effect s of the intervention on family support and its mediating effects were examined. Results After one academic year, the intervention group demonstrated a higher level of family support compared to the control group (OR = 2.539, 95% CI: 2.163–5.402), with increases observed from fathers (OR = 1.910, 95% CI: 1.620–4.087), mothers (OR = 3.624, 95% CI: 1.826–4.092), and grandmothers (OR = 1.289, 95% CI: 1.009–1.648). Mediation analysis indicated that changes in family support partially mediated the association between the intervention and improvements in children’s dietary habits and screen time. Conclusions The comprehensive intervention effectively enhanced family support, and changes in family support served as a mediator for the improvements in children’s dietary behaviors. Integrating family based strategies into the comprehensive childhood obesity prevention programs may further enhance intervention efficacy.

Prurigo Pigmentosa

‘Bodies like ours aren’t considered in academia’

Cannabidiol mitigates high-fat-diet-induced early-stage inflammation in two adipose tissue fat depots of Wistar rats

Genome-wide identification and multi-dimensional functional characterization of the SIR2 family in Brassica napus L.

Silent Information Regulator 2 (SIR2) family proteins are NAD + -dependent histone deacetylases that play key roles in epigenetic regulation, plant development, and stress responses; however, systematic characterization of this family (hereafter SRTs) in the important oilseed crop Brassica napus (rapeseed) remains limited. In this study, we identified 4 SRT genes in the rapeseed genome, designated BnaASRT1/2 and BnaCSRT1/2, based on their homology to Arabidopsis SRTs and chromosomal localization. These genes encode proteins with conserved SIR2 domains, sharing >80% sequence identity and >95% coverage with Arabidopsis SRTs, and exhibit similar subcellular localizations (SRT1s in the nucleus, SRT2s in mitochondria). Phylogenetic and synteny analyses confirmed the evolutionary conservation of rapeseed SRTs, which originated from whole-genome duplication events and were stably inherited from its diploid ancestors ( Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea ). Structural analysis indicates that gene structure, motifs, and promoter elements related to stress and hormone responses are conserved, although subtle differences in the promoters suggest functional specialization. Notably, GO enrichment and molecular docking assays demonstrated that BnaSRTs possess histone deacetylase activity, with strong binding affinity to key acetylation sites (e.g., H3K9ac). Treatment with the SIRT-specific inhibitor nicotinamide (NAM) significantly elevated histone acetylation levels and altered the expression of genes involved in photosynthesis, metabolism, and stress responses-further supporting BnaSRTs' ole in epigenetic regulation. Furthermore, expression profiling via the BnIR database showed tissue-specific expression of BnaSRTs (e.g., high BnaASRT2 expression in buds, flowers, and siliques) and dynamic responses to abiotic stresses (salt, drought, cold) and hormones (ABA, JA, IAA), with BnaSRT2s showing the most prominent expression changes. Collectively, these findings clarify the evolutionary conservation, structural features, and functional roles of the SIR2 family in rapeseed, laying a foundation for epigenetic improvement of its agronomic traits.

Conflation of Contraception and Abortion — Implications for Access to Contraceptives

Daily briefing: Largest ever ‘superposition’ pushes quantum boundary

Prediction method for rock shear strength parameters based on data-driven and interpretability analysis

Productivity losses and treatment cost of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Ghana

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition among ageing men, characterized by lower urinary tract symptoms that significantly impact the quality of life and economic productivity of affected individuals. The financial burden of BPH extends beyond direct medical expenses to include direct non-medical costs and productivity losses. In Ghana, limited data exist on the cost implications of BPH, leaving a critical gap in healthcare planning and resource allocation. We aimed to determine the cost and productivity losses associated with diagnosing and managing BPH at the Ho Teaching Hospital. A cross-sectional cost-of-illness study was conducted at the Urology Unit of the Ho Teaching Hospital. Data was collected from 105 patients diagnosed with BPH using structured questionnaires from 11 th June 2024–30 th September 2024. Direct monthly medical costs, including consultation, diagnostics, medication, and surgical interventions, were calculated using a bottom-up approach. Direct monthly non-medical costs covered transportation, food, lodging, and caregiver expenses, while productivity losses were estimated based on absenteeism and reduced working hours, using the human capital approach. The mean monthly direct medical cost per patient was GHS 890.11 (USD 60.35), with surgeries accounting for 30% of total expenses. The total direct non-medical costs, dominated by transportation (66.3%), amounted to GHS 9,842.00 (USD 667.25). Productivity losses due to absenteeism and caregiving responsibilities totalled GHS 4,746.28 (USD 321.78), with 30% of employed patients missing work. Notably, direct medical costs contributed the highest economic burden (86.5%), surpassing direct non-medical costs (9.1%) and productivity losses (4.4%). BPH imposes a significant financial burden on patients and households in Ghana, driven by high out-of-pocket medical costs, non-medical expenses, and lost productivity. The findings underscore the need for cost-effective treatment strategies, improved health insurance coverage, and targeted interventions to alleviate financial hardships associated with BPH management.