Search Results (6,563)

Oxidative stress is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases through its effects on cellular metabolism, mitochondrial function, immune signaling pathways, and inflammatory tissue injury. Disruption of redox homeostasis promotes metabolic reprogramming and persistent activation of innate and adaptive immune responses, contributing to disease progression across multiple inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Recent advances in high throughput molecular technologies have generated large scale multi-omics datasets that enable comprehensive investigation of redox-associated mechanisms at a systems level. Integration of these datasets with computational analytical approaches has facilitated the identification of multidimensional molecular signatures associated with disease development and progression. This systematic review evaluates studies applying computational frameworks to analyze redox-related molecular data in immune-mediated diseases including multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. Across the reviewed studies, oxidative stress associated with molecular signatures were consistently linked to immune activation, mitochondrial metabolism, and inflammatory signaling pathways. Computational analyses also identified regulatory genes involved in antioxidant defense and metabolic regulation, as well as pathways associated with regulated cell death. These findings highlight the translational potential of computational redox analysis for biomarker discovery, disease stratification, and development of targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring redox balance and improving clinical management of immune-mediated diseases. Full article

Serine protease-like proteases (SBTs) constitute a distinct class of serine proteases exclusive to plants. Despite the recognized importance of SBTs in various plants, knowledge concerning the evolution and function of SBT genes in Brassica napus is limited. In this study, a total of 140, 63, and 71 SBT genes were identified in B. napus, B. oleracea, and B. rapa, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis classified these 330 identified SBTs into five subfamilies, and collinearity analyses further indicated that gene redundancy and gene loss were strongly associated with polyploidization in Brassicaceae plants. Additionally, analyses of gene structure and conserved motifs suggested that evolutionary changes in exon-intron structures may contribute to the differentiation of coding regions, expression patterns, and even functions within the BnSBT family. Analysis of promoter cis-regulatory elements revealed their predominant association with hormonal responses, abiotic stress, and processes related to plant growth and development. Furthermore, eight differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through a comparative analysis of RNA-Seq data from high- and low-yielding cultivars. qRT-PCR verification also revealed that these eight DEGs (BnSBT1.4b, BnSBT1.4c, BnSBT1.4d, BnSBT1.5c, BnSBT1.6b, BnSBT1.8a, BnSBT3.14a, and BnSBT3.14b) were significantly differentially expressed in the pericarp and seeds. They could be categorized into two distinct groups: BnSBT1.4b, BnSBT1.4c, BnSBT1.4d, BnSBT1.5c, and BnSBT1.8a were highly expressed in high-SPSI material, whereas BnSBT1.6b, BnSBT3.14a, and BnSBT3.14b were highly expressed in low-SPSI material. These results suggest that BnSBTs have diverse potential functions in regulating yield traits in Brassica napus. These findings offer key insights into Brassicaceae SBT genes and highlight the importance of BnSBTs in achieving high yields in Brassica napus. Full article

Although transplantation of induced oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (iOPCs) is a promising strategy for white matter injury, the therapeutic efficacy of in vitro-generated iOPCs remains limited due to insufficient differentiation potential. Here, we aimed to identify key transcription factors and small-molecule drugs to optimize iOPC quality. Through transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, we identified the transcription factor SOX10, which is differentially expressed between endogenous fetal OPCs and exogenous iOPCs. We established lentivirus-mediated SOX10 overexpression in neural stem cells (NSCs) before iOPC induction and performed cellular assays and multi-omics analysis. Early SOX10 overexpression reduced cell migration but promoted maturation into oligodendrocytes and suppressed astrocyte differentiation. Multi-omics analyses revealed that SOX10 overexpression is associated with the extensive redistribution of SOX10 chromatin binding and enrichment of regulatory programs linked to oligodendroglial differentiation, including the activation of the key signaling downstream transcription factors JUN/FOS. Moreover, TSA, Dabrafenib, and Fedratinib effectively upregulated SOX10 and improved iOPC differentiation. This study identifies SOX10 as a core upstream regulator governing the fate of iOPCs, providing a potential strategy for optimizing iOPC induction for future investigation of white matter injury therapy. Full article

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein δ (C/EBPδ) is a rapidly responsive transcription factor that occupies an important regulatory position in adipocytes. Induced during the early stage of adipocyte differentiation, C/EBPδ integrates hormonal, inflammatory, metabolic, and stress-related cues and contributes to the coordination of downstream transcriptional and functional programs. Beyond its role in the initiation of differentiation, C/EBPδ is also involved in adipogenic progression, metabolic regulation, and immune-related functions in adipocytes. Current evidence indicates that C/EBPδ participates in early adipogenic regulatory networks, contributes to lipid metabolic programs, and is associated with immune-regulatory processes linked to lipid antigen presentation. Notably, the biological output of C/EBPδ is strongly shaped by tissue type, developmental stage, and microenvironmental context, ranging from promotion of adipogenic differentiation to regulation of inflammatory, metabolic, and adaptive stress responses under distinct physiological and pathological conditions. This review summarizes the upstream regulatory network, downstream functional framework, and context-dependent roles of C/EBPδ in adipocytes, and further discusses its potential relevance to adipose-related diseases as well as the opportunities and challenges for future precision intervention strategies. Full article

Under the coordinated implementation of the “dual carbon” goals and digital rural development strategy, digital technology has become a critical support for solving key problems in agricultural carbon reduction and advancing the green and low-carbon transformation of agriculture. Based on panel data from 31 provincial-level regions in China from 2010 to 2023, this study uses the fixed-effect model, mediating the effect model and threshold effect model to systematically examine the impact and transmission mechanism of digital technology on agricultural carbon emission intensity. The results show that: (1) Digital technology markedly lowers agricultural carbon emission intensity, and this conclusion remains steady after endogeneity correction and robustness checks. (2) Digital technology reduces emissions through two core channels: enhancing environmental regulation to constrain high-carbon behaviors via precise monitoring, and improving agricultural socialized services to promote intensive production and lower the adoption threshold of low-carbon technologies. (3) The emission reduction effect of digital technology exhibits a threshold characteristic related to agricultural industrial agglomeration, with the marginal effect of emission reduction showing an increasing trend as the agglomeration level rises. (4) The carbon reduction effect of digital technology shows obvious heterogeneity across grain production functional zones. The inhibitory effect is significant in major grain-producing areas and grain production–consumption balance areas, but not significant in major grain-consuming areas. (5) The carbon reduction effect also presents heterogeneity under different topographic relief conditions. The effect is significant in low-relief areas but not significant in high-relief areas, because complex terrain restricts the construction of digital infrastructure and large-scale application of digital technologies, which further reflects the regulatory role of natural geographical conditions. Accordingly, this paper proposes to strengthen the empowering role of digital technology in the green transformation of agriculture, attach importance to regional coordination and differentiated policy design, and comprehensively improve the capacity of agricultural carbon emission reduction and sequestration. Therefore, it is imperative to strengthen the enabling role of digital technology in the green transformation of agriculture, attach importance to regional coordination and differentiated policy design, and comprehensively enhance the capacity of agriculture for carbon emission reduction, sequestration and sustainable development. Full article

Doping remains a major threat to athlete health and sport integrity. Although anti-doping efforts have traditionally focused on athletes, increasing attention has turned to Athlete Support Personnel (ASP) due to their influence on athletes’ decisions, behaviors and involvement in anti-doping rule violations. This narrative review aimed to synthesize the existing literature on the role of ASP (including coaches, physicians, pharmacists, sport psychologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, parents and other family members) in anti-doping, with particular attention to their influence on athletes’ knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, education and decision-making related to doping. Coaches, physicians, and pharmacists are among the ASP groups most frequently examined in the literature, although substantial knowledge gaps remain across all groups. Coaches shape motivational climates and ethical norms but often lack adequate understanding of anti-doping regulations and supplement risks. Physicians and pharmacists play key roles in medication management and Therapeutic Use Exemptions procedures, though incomplete regulatory knowledge may contribute to inadvertent violations. Nutritionists are central in preventing supplement-related doping, while research on sport psychologists and physiotherapists remains limited despite their preventive potential. Parents significantly shape athletes’ moral development and susceptibility to doping, acting as protective or risk factors depending on family dynamics. Overall, anti-doping education for ASP remains inconsistent. In conclusion, ASP plays an essential yet heterogeneous role in influencing doping-related behaviors. Strengthening role-specific and interdisciplinary anti-doping education, particularly within university programs and professional development, appears critical for enhancing ASP competence and promoting a sustainable culture of clean sport. Full article

Oxidative stress is one of the major environmental stresses that the fungal pathogen Candida albicans frequently encounters. In view of the negative regulatory effect of Ume6 on autophagy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the close link between autophagy and oxidative stress in mammals, we explored the regulatory effect of Ume6 on autophagy and oxidative stress in C. albicans in this study. Here, we identify the transcriptional regulator Ume6 as a key positive regulator of autophagy under oxidative stress conditions. Deletion of UME6 resulted in reduced autophagy levels under H₂O₂ treatment, correlating with reduced transcriptional expression of core autophagy-related genes. Although UME6 deletion alone did not alter H₂O₂ sensitivity, it significantly exacerbated the sensitivity of a catalase mutant, revealing a functional role for Ume6 in oxidative stress tolerance. Intriguingly, we discovered that 3-methyladenine (3-MA), a canonical autophagy inhibitor in other systems, acts as an autophagy activator in C. albicans, promoting Atg8 transport to the vacuole and enhancing autophagy levels. This 3-MA-induced autophagy alleviated oxidative stress damage, as evidenced by improved growth and protection of vacuolar membrane integrity in H₂O₂-treated cells. Furthermore, deletion of UME6 or nitrogen starvation reduced apoptosis under oxidative stress, including decreased Annexin-V binding, metacaspase activation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and mitochondrial cytochrome c release. This study uncovers the critical role of Ume6 in governing oxidative stress, autophagy, and apoptosis. Full article

Frequent extreme heatwaves (HWs) have significantly exacerbated urban thermal risks, yet the regulatory mechanisms of urban morphology remain poorly understood. This study focuses on the core urban areas of Beijing and develops a Local Climate Zone (LCZ)-constrained spatiotemporal data fusion model (LCZ-FSDAF) to generate high-resolution Land Surface Temperature (LST) datasets from 2015 to 2024. By integrating urban–rural gradient analysis with the XGBoost-SHAP model, this study quantitatively resolves the spatiotemporal evolution of land surface temperature during heatwaves and the nonlinear threshold effects of urban morphological parameters, using a representative extreme heatwave event in July 2023 as a case study. The results indicate that the LCZ-FSDAF model achieves high precision across complex urban underlying surfaces (up to 0.946, RMSE as low as 0.762 K), effectively capturing the spatial heterogeneity of the urban thermal environment. Over the past decade, heatwave events in Beijing have exhibited a significant trend of increasing frequency, duration, and intensity. During these events, LST displays a concentric core-high, periphery-low structure; however, the peak temperature shifts toward high-density built-up areas in the sub-core, manifesting a distinct heat island core shift phenomenon. Furthermore, the impact of urban morphology on LST is characterized by significant nonlinearity, with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Mean Building Height (MBH) identified as dominant factors. Notably, Building Coverage (BC) and Sky View Factor (SVF) exhibit pronounced threshold effects across different thermal indicators. Findings of this study are useful for guiding urban planning, optimizing spatial configurations, formulating urban heat island mitigation policies under heatwaves, and promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of cities and communities. Full article

Fruit flesh thickness is one of the key factors affecting the yield and quality of bitter melon, and its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. One thick-flesh germplasm (KF) and one thin-flesh germplasm (NF) with significantly different flesh thicknesses were screened from 70 bitter melon germplasms. Through phenotypic surveys, combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses, and exogenous sugar treatments, the regulatory mechanisms on flesh thickness were preliminary investigated. The results showed that flesh thickness of the two germplasms remained stable during different years and seasons. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that fructose and mannose metabolism pathway significantly enriched in both omics datasets. The expression of key enzyme encoding genes from this pathway exhibited various expression patterns. In KF, most genes showed significantly higher expression levels than NF, with synergistic expression predominating among genes. Soluble sugar content was positively correlated with gene expression, while HXK, SDH, and TPI activities were negatively correlated with most genes, and FBP activity was positively correlated with most genes. Genes affect carbon source metabolic flux distribution by promoting sugar synthesis and inhibiting sugar respiration consumption. Exogenous sugar treatment exhibited germplasm-specific and concentration-dependent influence of gene expression, with KF primarily showing negative feedback and NF predominantly activating expression. Fruit flesh thickness was significantly positively correlated with the synergistic high expression of sugar metabolism genes and soluble sugar accumulation. This study provides a theoretical basis for molecular improvement of bitter melon fruit flesh thickness. Full article

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major clinical problem due to its resistance, virulence, and biofilm formation, which diminish antibiotic efficacy. This review explores natural products and antimicrobial nanoparticles (NPs) as alternative and combined strategies for controlling MRSA. Natural compounds, such as plant metabolites, essential oils, antimicrobial peptides, and fungal products, act by disrupting membranes, interfering with cellular processes, and limiting biofilm formation. Antimicrobial NPs, especially metal and metal oxide materials, act through membrane damage, oxidative stress, and metal ion release, enabling activity against resistant bacteria and improving biofilm penetration. Combining natural products with NPs increases stability, delivery, and local activity, enhances antibacterial effects, and reduces effective doses. Green synthesis enables direct integration of bioactive compounds, while nano-delivery platforms optimize solubility and controlled release. Nanotechnology-based applications such as wound dressings, nanocarriers, and multifunctional platforms support localized and sustained treatment and promote tissue repair. Despite these advances, clinical use is still constrained by safety concerns, variability in NP properties, and the lack of standardized evaluation and regulatory frameworks. Overall, combining natural products with antimicrobial NPs offers a practical strategy to augment MRSA treatment, but further progress depends on consistent design, robust safety evaluation, and clinical translation. Full article

Miscanthus lutarioriparius exhibits strong potential for cadmium (Cd) accumulation, making it a promising candidate for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soils. However, its full remediation potential remains underexploited, highlighting the need for targeted genetic improvement This study presents a comprehensive genome-wide identification and systematic characterization of 20 Ml4CL (4-coumarate: CoA ligase genes) in the M. lutarioriparius. Results indicate that the Ml4CL gene family has undergone substantial evolutionary divergence and expansion. Phylogenetic classification is highly consistent with gene structures ad conserved motifs suggesting potential functional diversification. Promoter analysis revealed a complex cis-regulatory landscape enriched in n ABA- and light-responsive elements, frequently co-occuring with hormone-responsive elements associated with jasmonic acid (JA), gibberellins (GAs), salicylic acid (SA), and strigolactones (SLs) signaling. This pattern suggests that the Ml4CL family may function as an integrative regulatory node linking multiple stress and hormonal signaling pathways. Importantly, under Cd stress, Ml4CL genes exhibited diverse expression dynamics, including gene-specific repression and dose-dependent biphasic responses. Notably, Ml4CL4 showed strong repression, while other members displayed “induction-then-repression” or “repression-then-induction” patterns, suggesting a staged or hierarichical transcriptional response. These findings further suggest that Cd-responsive signaling networks may involve non-linear or threshold-dependent mechanismsthat activate distinct transcriptional programs depending on stress levels. Collectively, this study highlights the regulatory role of the Ml4CL family in plant adaptation to complex environments and identifies candidate dose-resonsive regulatory elements and key allelic variations. These findings provide valuable targets for molecular breeding and synthetic biology aimed at improving crop stress resilience. Full article

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common cause of vision loss in diabetes, and it often progresses without early symptoms. DR reflects injury of the retinal neurovascular unit (NVU), which includes neurons, Müller glia, astrocytes, endothelial cells, pericytes, and immune cells. Chronic hyperglycemia drives oxidative stress, advanced glycation end products–receptor for advanced glycation end products (AGE–RAGE) signaling, mitochondrial injury, and low-grade inflammation. These changes disrupt endothelial junctions, promote leukostasis, weaken pericyte support, increase basement membrane thickening, and lead to capillary dropout and hypoxia. Hypoxia-related signaling increases anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity, which raises vascular leakage and supports neovascular disease. Glial stress and microglial activation add cytokines and reactive oxygen species, and neural dysfunction can appear early and can weaken neurovascular coupling. Modern diabetes care changes the short-term risk landscape because potent therapies can lower HbA1c quickly. Large and rapid HbA1c reductions can trigger early worsening of diabetic retinopathy (EWDR), mainly in patients with high baseline HbA1c and moderate-to-severe baseline DR. Semaglutide’s retinopathy complication signal in SUSTAIN-6 fits an EWDR-like pattern that tracks with rapid glycemic improvement in vulnerable eyes. In parallel, surgery adds acute stress, inflammation, glucose swings, hemodynamic shifts, and medication interruptions. These factors can worsen microvascular instability during recovery. Current perioperative guidelines and regulatory recommendations describe glucose targets and medication safety considerations, including preoperative interruption of SGLT2 inhibitors to reduce euglycemic ketoacidosis risk; however, the retina-specific implications of these measures remain indirect. This review summarizes current evidence linking NVU biology, EWDR risk, and perioperative diabetes-related factors. It discusses how these factors may interact in patients with diabetes and how they may influence retinal outcomes. The review is intended to synthesize current evidence and mechanistic interpretations rather than to provide formal clinical practice recommendations. Full article

This review proposes a “phenomenon–mechanism–regulation” framework for understanding nitrogen immobilization during the conversion of green waste into growing media. Nitrogen immobilization acts as a double-edged sword: intense short-term immobilization, typically occurring within the first 1–2 weeks after substrate establishment, can rapidly deplete mineral nitrogen and induce plant nitrogen deficiency, whereas the immobilized nitrogen is subsequently incorporated into microbial biomass and lignin-associated organic pools, forming a slow-release reservoir that enhances nitrogen retention and reduces leaching losses. Owing to its extremely high C/N ratio (often >100) and the coexistence of labile carbon fractions and recalcitrant compounds (e.g., lignin and phenolics), green waste exhibits substantially stronger immobilization potential than conventional media. Empirical evidence indicates that nitrogen immobilization can reach 10–115 mg N·L⁻¹ within a few days in wood-derived substrates, and additional fertilization of up to 100 mg N·L⁻¹ may be required to maintain crop growth. Mechanistically, nitrogen immobilization is governed by the coupling of microbial assimilation—driven by stoichiometric C/N imbalance (typically triggered when C/N > 20–25)—and abiotic chemical fixation, including reactions between NH₄⁺/NO₂⁻ and lignin-derived phenolics forming stable organic nitrogen compounds. The relative dominance of these pathways is jointly regulated by carbon quality, nitrogen form, and pH. Based on these mechanisms, regulatory strategies are summarized at multiple scales, including feedstock pretreatment to reduce labile carbon availability, substrate formulation to optimize C/N balance, and model-assisted intelligent fertigation to synchronize nitrogen supply with crop demand. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for improving green waste valorization and promoting sustainable horticultural production. Full article

Metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a major chronic liver disorder that progresses through inflammation and fibrosis to cirrhosis, yet no effective pharmacological therapy is available. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are key mediators of intercellular communication, have recently been reported to exert preventative and therapeutic effects in disease models. This study evaluated the oral efficacy of EVs derived from the microalga Chlorella vulgaris (CEVs) in an MASLD mouse model. Male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to a control group (normal diet), an MASLD group (choline- and methionine-deficient high-fat diet; CDHF), or CEV group (CDHF + CEVs). Twelve-week CEV administration did not alter the CDHF-induced reduction in circulating lipid levels or produce an increase in hepatic lipid content. However, CEV treatment significantly suppressed CDHF-induced fibrosis with collagen accumulation and reduced the mRNA expression of fibrosis-related genes, including Col1a1, Acta2, Mmp2, and Timp1. CEVs also significantly downregulated the expression of macrophage-derived inflammatory mediators—Ccl2, Ccr2, Il6 and Il1b—and reduced lobular inflammatory foci. These findings suggest that CEVs attenuate hepatic fibrosis by modulating early inflammation associated with steatosis and inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation. This study supports the potential of CEVs as a novel oral intervention for slowing MASLD progression. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between banking sector stability and economic growth in Ethiopia, employing a dynamic panel data approach with the Two-Step System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). The analysis uses a balanced dataset from 13 Ethiopian commercial banks covering 2014 to 2023, gathered from the World Bank database, the National Bank of Ethiopia, and audited financial statements. Banking sector stability is assessed using indicators such as Z-score, non-performing loan (NPL) ratio, capital adequacy ratio (CAR), liquidity ratio (LR), return on assets (ROA), and loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR), along with key macroeconomic and institutional factors. The results show that banking stability, as indicated by Z-score, liquidity ratios, and profitability, has a positive and significant effect on economic growth, confirming the sector’s role in promoting development. Surprisingly, a positive correlation between NPLs and economic growth suggests unique structural features in the Ethiopian banking system that warrant further investigation. Other variables, such as inflation rates, government expenditure, and gross domestic savings, positively influence economic growth, whereas foreign direct investment is negatively associated with it. The study highlights the importance of enhancing the stability of the banking sector by implementing robust regulatory frameworks, prudent risk management practices, and improved profitability to support sustainable economic development in Ethiopia, while calling for additional research into the unexpected effects of NPLs and FDI amid ongoing financial reforms. Full article