Biology and Life Sciences

Abstract: Production of a biodegradable, environmentally friendly polymer film material, composed of potato starch (PS), xanthan gum (XG), and plasticizers: glycerin, sorbitol, and citric acid, was carried out. The effect of these components on the structural and biopolymer composite mechanical properties, including elasticity and tensile strength, was investigated. The addition of XG significantly reduces the hardness for the film forming materials, thereby lowering the difficulty of gelatinization. It was demonstrated that increasing the plasticizers mass during composite blend preparation improved elasticity but reduced the mechanical strength of the films. It is assumed that these additives in the biopolymer disrupted hydrogen bonds and other intermolecular contacts between starch and gum macro chains. Glycerol influences the elasticity of the bioplastic, while sorbitol influences its strength. Taking various factors into account, the optimal combined concentration of glycerol, sorbitol and citric acid was determined in composite during film preparation. Based on the results of the new polymeric films’ flexibility study, it was concluded that they could be used as a replacement for traditional, non-biodegradable polymeric materials. At the optimal concentration of components, the strength of polymer films is 1.6 MPa, and the relative elongation is 45%.

Abstract: Anaerobic bacteria are the dominant group in the animal intestinal microbiota, and most strains cannot grow or proliferate normally upon exposure to air. Blautia sp. AUH-JLD56 (KF374935) is a strictly anaerobic strain previously isolated by our research group from human feces. Under anaerobic conditions, this strain converts arctigenin to 3′-demethylarctigenin (3′-DMAG), reaching a maximum conversion concentration of 3.6 mM. To improve the oxygen tolerance of this wild-type strain, we performed long-term oxygen tolerance domestication and successfully obtained an oxygen-tolerant mutant. Phenotypic analysis showed that the growth of the oxygen-tolerant mutant under aerobic conditions (OD_{600 nm} = 2.37) was slightly lower than that of the wild-type under strictly anaerobic conditions (OD_{600 nm} = 2.82). Compared with the wild-type, the mutant exhibited an accelerated aerobic growth rate and enabled stable conversion of arctigenin. Notably, under aerobic conditions, the mutant achieved a maximum conversion concentration of 8.2 mM, which is significantly higher than the 3.6 mM obtained with the wild-type under anaerobic conditions. This study realizes, for the first time, efficient aerobic bioconversion of arctigenin to 3′-DMAG using an oxygen-tolerant derivative of a strict anaerobe, thereby overcoming the oxygen-dependent limitation of such strains. Our approach provides a new strategy and technical reference for the oxygen tolerance domestication and industrial application of other intestinal strict anaerobes with specific enzymatic functions.

Abstract:

Disordered eating in young adults is shaped by sociocultural pressures and may be modulated by genetic variation. We examined sex differences in eating-pathology, psychosocial correlates, at two candidate loci Hypocretin and Neuropeptide S (HCRTR1 rs10914456; NPSR1 rs324981). A total of 550 individuals visiting various nutrition clinics were initially approached for participation in the study. Of these, 460 consented to take part ,after exclusions, 360 completed SCOFF; 200 scoring >2 proceeded to EAT-26 and comprised the analytic sample (100 males, 100 females). Psychosocial factors (media influence, academic pressure, peer pressure, isolation/loneliness, and K-pop self-comparison) were assessed by a structured questionnaire. EAT-26 total and subscales were compared by sex (t-tests). Genotypes were contrasted by sex using χ² tests; allele frequencies were derived from genotype counts and ORs with CI were computed. Females showed higher EAT-26 total scores than males (29.7±1.9 vs 23.2±1.3; t(198)=2.82, p<0.005); 68% of females and 76% of males scored ≥20. Anorexia subscale scores were greater in females (t(198)=3.713, p<0.0003), as well as binge-eating scores (t(198)=1.722, p<0.05); bulimia indices did not differ by sex (p>0.05). Body dissatisfaction was common (87%) without sex difference (p>0.05).Significant sex associations were observed for media influence (χ²=67.94, p<0.05), academic pressure (χ²=45.6, p<0.0001), K-pop self-comparison (χ²=112.12, p<0.0001), peer pressure (χ²=46.37, p<0.05),and isolation/loneliness (χ²=28.72, p<0.0001).Genotyping data revealed marked sex-dependent associations at both loci. For HCRTR1 rs10914456, female cases showed a significantly higher frequency of the risk (TT) genotype, conferring 4.86-fold greater odds of carrying T-allele relative to males (OR = 4.86, 95% CI: 1.46–16.17, p = 0.001). In contrast, for NPSR1 rs324981, males exhibited a pronounced T-allele–driven risk pattern, being T-carriers (AT+TT) relative to females (OR = 4.11, 95% CI 1.23–13.68, p = 0.022).Within females specifically, the AA genotype was significantly overrepresented compared with T-carrying genotypes (AA vs AT+TT: OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.59–6.66, p = 0.0013).Collectively, these results highlight a female-specific recessive risk pattern at HCRTR1 and a male-specific dominant T-allele effect at NPSR1, underscoring robust sex-differentiated genetic susceptibility to disordered eating. Overall females exhibited severe eating-pathology and heightened psychosocial sensitivity than males, while genetic risk showed locus-specific sex patterns. Integrating psychosocial screening with genetic profiling may lead to early intervention.

Abstract: Microbiology laboratories generate extensive experimental outputs that are often in-sufficiently translated into applied innovation and technology development. This study presents a Routine-to-Research-to-Innovation (R2R) framework integrating routine labor-atory workflows with bioactivity validation, formulation development, and intellectual property (IP) mapping. Lactic acid bacteria isolated from Thai fermented foods demon-strated strong bacteriocin activity and storage stability, while secondary metabolites de-rived from Streptomyces and Brevibacillus exhibited antibacterial, antioxidant, and an-ti-inflammatory activities with prototype formulation potential. Red palm oil-based sys-tems enriched with microbial bioactives also showed favorable physicochemical stability under accelerated conditions. Patent landscape analysis (Thailand, 2020–2025) demon-strated translational alignment between laboratory outputs and existing innovation do-mains, supporting the potential application of the R2R framework in translational micro-biology, technology transfer, and early-stage innovation development.

Abstract: The embryological basis for the lamination of the retroperitoneal fascia has long remained an anatomical paradox. Classical peritoneal fusion theories cannot account for either the highly organized multilaminar architecture of the mature fascia or the striking temporal lag between early visceral fixation (gestational weeks 9–18) and the abrupt, synchronized emergence of definitive fascial laminae around week 20. Integrating recent advances in fetal biomechanics, we propose that this developmental lag reflects a system-level mechanical transition driven by the geometric constraints of scaling and the evolutionary demands of obligate bipedalism.

Abstract: Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, alkalinity, temperature extremes, flooding, heavy metals, and emerging pollutants, challenge plant growth and productivity by disturbing water relations, ion balance, redox homeostasis, membrane stability, energy metabolism, and developmental progression. Although substantial progress has been made in identifying stress-responsive hormones, second messengers, kinases, transcription factors, transporters, and metabolic regulators, plant stress adaptation cannot be fully explained by linear signaling cascades or single tolerance genes. A major unresolved question is how early molecular events are reorganized into coordinated physiological and developmental outputs that support survival, recovery, and productivity. In this review, we propose an intermolecular interaction–driven adaptive remodeling framework for plant abiotic stress responses. This framework emphasizes that stress tolerance emerges from dynamic changes in receptor–ligand recognition, protein–protein interactions, calcium decoding, redox-sensitive modification, phosphorylation networks, transcriptional regulation, chromatin-associated control, and metabolite-mediated feedback. We discuss how these interaction networks converge on core signaling hubs, including abscisic acid, reactive oxygen species, Ca²⁺, and kinase/phosphatase systems, and how they remodel stomatal behavior, root architecture, ion and pH homeostasis, redox buffering, metabolism, development, and reproductive resilience. We further highlight how natural variation, multi-omics, genome editing, high-throughput phenotyping, and field validation can translate interaction-centered stress biology into crop resilience. This perspective provides a conceptual bridge between molecular stress perception, network behavior, physiological adaptation, and climate-resilient agriculture.

Abstract: Since its emergence in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected a wide range of animal species, including wildlife. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection has been widely reported in wildlife, particularly in white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) across the United States, data on viral circulation in New England wildlife remain limited. Here, we evaluated SARS-CoV-2 infection and serological evidence of previous exposure in free-ranging wildlife from the northeastern United States. We examined samples from 1,646 animals representing 28 wildlife species, collected through wildlife rehabilitation centers, clinics, and hunter harvests in New England and Virginia between 2022 and 2025. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in three WTD from Massachusetts and Vermont. Phylogeographic analysis of Vermont WTD sequences indicated a human SARS-CoV-2 lineage as the most likely source, consistent with a single human-to-deer spillover event followed by subsequent circulation within deer. Serological screening using ELISA detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 12 individ-uals from three species, including Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), Eastern coyote (Canis latrans), and raccoon (Procyon lotor), although neutralizing antibodies were found in only one Eastern cottontail. Overall, these findings reveal ongoing but limited SARS-CoV-2 circulation in northeastern wildlife and highlight the importance of continued surveillance to detect spillover events, monitor viral evolution, and evaluate potential risks posed by wildlife.

Abstract: Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling plays a pivotal role in the development, maintenance, and regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues. While its transcriptional regulation has been extensively characterized, accumulating evidence indicates that FGF activity is also modulated by a diverse array of post-transcriptional mechanisms. In this review, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, alternative splicing, and RNA modifications are examined as key regulators of FGF ligands and receptors across bone, cartilage, muscle, and tooth. Enhancer RNAs and RNA-binding proteins are also discussed as potential modulators of FGF transcript stability and translation. By integrating both established and emerging layers of RNA-level regulation, this review outlines a complex, tissue-specific architecture that fine-tunes FGF signaling in development and repair. To highlight this layered regulatory dimension, the concept of a pathway-specific RNA regulome is introduced, referring to the network of RNA-based mechanisms that modulate signaling cascades, such as FGF, across distinct biological processes. The therapeutic implications of targeting post-transcriptional nodes, particularly through non-coding RNAs and epitranscriptomic marks, are highlighted as promising avenues for future musculoskeletal interventions.

Abstract: DNA/cell mass homeostasis is a pervasive feature of living organisms. As the cell grows in response to nutrient availability, it must duplicate each chromosome once and only once each division cycle. Across the eukaryote Tree of Life, cells differ in their sizes in a manner that depends directly on the amount of DNA they harbor, what has been termed the “nucleotypic effect”: cell size expands or contracts as DNA content increases or decreases. In eukaryotes, any deviation from DNA/mass homeostasis results in the deregulation of the developmental program and the initiation of carcinogenesis and other genetic pathologies. In bacteria, deviation from, or perturbation of, DNA/mass homeostasis alters important physiological features such as the cell cycle timing of DNA replication initiation and the co-ordination of initiation with replication termination and cell division. In prokaryotes, the timing of initiation occurs at a relatively constant and growth rate invariant mass, termed the initiation mass (Mi), and depends strictly on DNA replication fork rates and membrane biogenesis. Complex “machines”, frequently referred to as hyperstructures or factories, mediate the phase transitions that define the different periods of the bacterial cell cycle. The following will examine how the cell size and DNA/mass homeostasis maintains a balance between replication initiation and elongation, that gate the phase transitions that organize the cell cycle in time and space.

Abstract: The establishment of a reference population for genomic selection in Korean beef cattle is an ongoing process. There is a high likelihood of sex-specific differences in the composition of the reference and test populations. This study evaluates the accuracy of Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBVs) for carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle, specifically investigating the efficacy of cow-based reference populations. The effectiveness of genomic selection (GS) is heavily dependent on the composition and size of the reference population. Utilizing genotype data from a Hanwoo 50k SNP chip and phenotypic data from 19,168 steers and 6,233 cows, the study estimated GEBV accuracies for carcass weight (CWT), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF), and marbling score (MS) using the GBLUP method. Results demonstrate that steer-based reference populations achieved the highest accuracy (0.64–0.88), averaging 0.78, likely due to standardized management and higher trait heritability (0.39–0.51) compared to cows. In contrast, cow-based reference populations exhibited prediction accuracies (0.55–0.75) in four traits using adjusted residual phenotype, averaging 0.64, but remained highly practical alternatives. While growth traits (CWT and EMA) showed significant bias in cross-sex predictions, fat deposition traits (BF and MS) remained stable across sexes. The study concludes that although steer-based populations provide optimal accuracy, incorporating cows into the reference population is strategically vital in Hanwoo.

Abstract: This study aimed to characterize metabolomic changes in the eye lens of senescence-accelerated OXYS rats in comparison with control Wistar rats, and to identify biochemical shifts associated with genotype, age, and cataract progression. Cataract severity was clinically graded. Rats' lenses were analyzed using quantitative ¹H NMR spectroscopy at 3.6 and approximately 4.5 months of age. A total of 43 metabolites were quantified. We found that at 3.6 months of age, OXYS lenses exhibited a significant accumulation of 17 metabolites, primarily amino acids, compared to Wistar rats, suggesting an imbalance between amino acid uptake and crystallin biosynthesis. However, by 4.5 months, OXYS lenses exhibited rapid metabolic changes characterized by significant decreases in amino acid, glucose, and key energy/antioxidant markers, including NAD, adenylate energy charge, and hypotaurine. Clinical cataract grade (Grade 2 vs. 3) had a negligible impact on the overall metabolomic profile. Our results indicate that profound metabolic reorganization, including an initial amino acid excess followed by energy and antioxidant depletion, precedes the morphological manifestation of cataracts in OXYS rats. We suggest that a biochemical "point of no return" occurs early in cataractogenesis, while subsequent increase in lens opacification is a secondary consequence of preexisting metabolic disturbances.

Abstract:

Leukocyte recruitment from blood into tissues involves sequential adhesive steps, including rolling and integrin-dependent arrest. The integrin VLA-4 is known to mediate firm adhesion, but can also support rolling. CD44–hyaluronan interactions have also been implicated in leukocyte rolling. Here, we used parallel-plate flow chamber assays to compare the contributions of CD44 and VLA-4 to monocyte rolling on different cellular monolayers. Monocytoid WEHI 78/24 cells rolled and adhered through CD44 on hyaluronan-presenting ECV304 monolayers, whereas VLA-4 dominated adhesion on endothelial monolayers expressing functional VCAM-1. Primary human monocytes showed similar CD44-dependent rolling on ECV304 monolayers. Blocking CD44, adding soluble hyaluronan, or removing surface hyaluronan with hyaluronidase reduced rolling and adhesion. These results show that CD44 can support monocyte rolling when VLA-4/VCAM-1 adhesion is not the dominant interaction. This cell-based flow model distinguishes CD44/hyaluronan-mediated rolling from VLA-4/VCAM-1-rolling and may help analyze monocyte rolling on hyaluronan, including tumor-derived monolayers.

Abstract: Rare diseases, though individually uncommon, collectively represent a major global health challenge, affecting millions worldwide and increasingly recognized in India as a significant contributor to pediatric and adult morbidity. Cystic fibrosis (CF), a multisystem autosomal recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (\textit{CFTR}) gene, exemplifies this burden, with delayed diagnosis and diverse mutational spectra complicating clinical management in South Asian populations. To advance rare disease genomics, quantitative analysis of CFTR sequences across multiple species is essential, as evolutionary conservation highlights residues and motifs critical for channel function, while divergence reveals lineage-specific adaptations relevant to disease mechanisms. In the present study, we performed integrative analyses encompassing amino acid composition, sequence homology, frequency-dominant residue patterns, hydropathy-based n‑gram distributions, hydropathy profile continuity, and intrinsic disorder architectures across various CFTR sequences from multiple species. The quantitative signatures derived from amino acid composition, sequence homology, hydropathy-based n‑grams, hydropathy profiles, and intrinsic disorder analyses carry significant translational impact, as they provide a unified framework for identifying conserved motifs, resolving disorder-prone domains, and guiding the precise mapping of pathogenic mutations and their functional consequences. Collectively, our findings demonstrate how cross-species quantitative protein analysis of CFTR bridges evolutionary biology with clinical investigation, providing translational insights that strengthen rare disease research and therapeutic development in cystic fibrosis.

Abstract: Poxviruses are large double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that cause important human and animal diseases, including smallpox and mpox. Poxviruses have also been identified in diverse bat populations; however, their potential for zoonotic transmission and adaptation to other mammalian hosts remains poorly understood. Poxviruses encode numerous immunomodulatory proteins that contribute to virulence, immune evasion, and host range. In this study, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of two bat-associated poxviruses belonging to the genus Vespertilionpoxvirus: hypsugopox virus (HYPV) and eptesipox virus (EPTV). We identified 24 and three previously unannotated putative open reading frames (ORFs) in HYPV, and EPTV, respectively, substantially expanding the predicted coding capacity of these viruses. Comparative analyses further revealed gene duplication and fragmentation events affecting several virulence and host range factors, as well as other unusual genomic features, including the presence of two divergent E3L homologs in EPTV. Together, our findings provide new insights into the genome evolution and potential host adaptation of bat-associated poxviruses and establish a foundation for future functional studies of Vespertilionpoxvirus biology, host-virus interactions, and zoonotic potential.

Abstract: Metabolomics is a powerful approach for monitoring metabolic effects in a particular situation by qualitatively or quantitatively analyzing metabolites related to specific physiological or pathological responses within a biological process. Rapeseed is a major source of vegetable oil and contains a wide variety of metabolites. Recent advances, particularly the integration of metabolomics with other omics approaches, now allow us not only to obtain a comprehensive overview but also to perform detailed analyses of key metabolites that respond to specific conditions. In this review, we summarize recent progresses in rapeseed metabolomics study, introduce the key metabolites uncovered by this approach, and discuss those associated with growth &amp; development, and abiotic and biotic stresses, including macronutrient availability, temperature, water stress, salt stress, and cadmium toxicity. Future perspectives and current challenges in metabolomics are also discussed, along with its potential for breeding applications aimed at developing new rapeseed varieties with stable, high-yield, and high-quality traits.

Abstract: Soil salinization severely limits alfalfa productivity; however, the molecular mechanisms governing cultivar-specific differences in salt tolerance remain largely unclear. In this study, two alfalfa cultivars (Zhongmu No.3 and WL440-HQ) were exposed to 200 mM NaCl stress, followed by integrated transcriptome sequencing, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and functional validation. In total, 3,517 salt-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 795 shared DEGs and cultivar-specific DEGs (1,336 in Zhongmu No.3 and 1,386 in WL440-HQ). GO and KEGG enrichment revealed conserved stress-response pathways, including flavonoid biosynthesis and starch and sucrose metabolism, as well as cultivar-specific patterns, with Zhongmu No.3 strongly enriched in stimulus-responsive genes. WGCNA further identified phenotype-related modules and core hub genes, notably MsWRKY22 and MsPSK3. Overexpression of MsPSK3 enhanced salt-alkali tolerance in alfalfa by activating antioxidant systems. Dual-luciferase and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assays verified that MsMYC2 directly binds to and activates the MsPSK3 promoter. This study reveals the molecular regulatory network underlying alfalfa responses to salt–alkali stress and provides key candidate genes for breeding salt-tolerant alfalfa varieties.

Abstract: Generally, cancer is responsible for nearly every sixth death worldwide. Early cancer revelation can provide successful and low-cost treatment of cancer, enhancing survival rates of cancer patients. This explains the key importance of development of novel highly sensitive systems for revelation of cancers in humans. Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) of several different types (microRNAs, circular RNAs, and small nucleolar RNAs) represent promising cancer biomarkers. At the same time, nanoribbon biosensors allow one to detect cancer-associated RNAs at ultra-low concentrations. Here we focus at experimental results on the detection of cancer-associated RNAs in human plasma with our nanoribbon biosensor, demonstrating promising capabilities of this nanotechnology-based device as a base of highly efficient diagnostic screening platform for early diagnosis of cancers in humans.

Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is more common in women than men and the risk of AD increases markedly during and after the menopausal transition. Although a role for estrogen deficiency is well studied, recent reports have revealed the pivotal but under-recognized contribution of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in mediating neurodegenerative risk. In this review, we integrate current understanding of reproductive aging, AD pathobiology, and sex differences with a specific emphasis on endocrine, metabolic and inflammatory processes. FSH increases during reproductive aging and has mechanistic connections to several canonical molecular pathways that are altered in AD. This includes signaling through C/EBPβ-δ-secretase, mitochondria, glucose metabolism, and the autophagic/lysosomal clearance pathway. The convergence of these processes appears to underlie aspects of amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation, tau pathology, and chronic neuroinflammation. FSH also modulates apolipoprotein biology (e.g., ApoE) by impacting lipid metabolism, protein lipidation, and clearance, which in turn affects Aβ kinetics and neuroinflammation in an ApoE isoform-specific manner. In addition, reproductive aging is associated with changes in vascular health and permeability, blood-brain barrier function, and immunometabolic processes that may drive neurodegenerative risk. Critically, these early upstream events drive disease risk before the onset of the more classical pathological features, which may shift our current perception of Aβ and tau as causes of AD to instead be consequences of upstream failure. Overall, this review provides mechanistic insight into the role of FSH and its downstream signaling pathways in neurodegeneration. As such, modulating FSH signaling and downstream pathways is a promising and mechanistically supported therapeutic strategy for reducing AD risk in women.

Abstract: Honeybee population decline poses a serious threat to global biodiversity and agricultural productivity, underscoring the need for continuous and non-invasive hive monitoring solutions. In particular, early detection of queen absence is critical for maintaining colony viability. This study investigates the effectiveness of machine learning and deep learning models for acoustic-based queen-presence detection using short-duration hive audio recordings. Audio data collected from multiple sources were processed to extract spectrogram, Mel-spectrogram, and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficient features, which were evaluated using classical ML classifiers and convolutional neural networks. Experimental results indicate that MFCC-based representations consistently outperform spectrogram-based features across segment lengths, achieving higher accuracy and greater stability. The best performance was obtained with Mel features using convolutional neural networks for short segments and gradient-boosted models for longer windows. These findings demonstrate that brief acoustic segments are sufficient for reliable classification, supporting real-time monitoring under noisy field conditions. The proposed approach offers a scalable and low-cost framework for precision beekeeping and contributes to sustainable beekeeping through early, automated anomaly detection. The proposed framework supports real-time, low-cost deployment scenarios, enabling scalable precision apiculture solutions.

Abstract: Pathogenicity islands (PAIs) are regions of bacterial genomes that harbor genes encoding virulence factors. Identifying molecules that enhance pathogenicity is crucial for understanding the mechanisms pathogens employ to cause disease and their evolution. Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis) is a pathogenic micro-organism that causes caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in sheep and goats. Despite its prevalence in Mexico, its genetic material has not been analyzed for virulence factors acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the complete genome of C. pseudotuberculosis strains of Mexican origin to identify genes hosted in PAIs. Seventeen genomes were sequenced using Illumina technology. GIPSY software was used to identify the coordinates of the PAIs, and a positive selection analysis was performed. All genomes corresponded to C. pseudotuberculosis biovar ovis, and fourteen regions harboring virulence factors were identified. Additionally, five coding sequences with mutations under positive selection were identified. A comparative genetic study was conducted between the new Mexican strains and previously reported strains, using whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST) to determine phylogenetic relationships. This work provides the complete genetic repertoire of 17 new strains and identifies 51 genes that could serve as targets in future studies.