Cyclic Changes Research Articles

Influence of physical electrodeposition attributes on mechano-tribo and wettability characteristics of Ni-Co enhanced nanocoating

Abstract The current work presents a systematic exploration of the pulse electrodeposition process for Ni-Co nanocoating, with a focus on the impact of varying duty cycles (20% to 100%) and current density (3 A/dm2 to 9 A/dm2). The work is marked by incremental changes in duty cycle and current density and employs state-of-the-art characterisation techniques to analyse surface properties, mechanical strength, tribological behaviour and wettability. Ni-Co pulse electrodeposition at 20% duty cycle and 3 A/dm2 current density dominates with desired attributes for the electronics and aerospace sectors with improved mechano-tribo and contact angle properties. These coatings exhibited superior performance across all aspects that have been studied. The nanotribological experiments were conducted using a novel approach to look into the nanoscale tribological behaviours, thus setting a pioneering effort in this field. Reduction in grain size (∼57-83%) and enhancement in surface roughness (∼64-65%) were the crucial factors contributing to improved mechanical and tribological properties. The nanohardness of the coating increased to 4.36 GPa for the optimum coating, compared to other coatings with varying properties. Similar improvements were recorded in nanotribological properties, with an improvement of ~30%-70% for coatings at 20% duty cycle and 3 A/dm2. The synergetic effect of lower grain size, nano-hardness and surface roughness properties leads to an improved mechano-tribo coating. This advancement holds good potential for industrial applications where wear resistance and surface durability are critical. The optimal coating was analysed by employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical compositions of coatings, which confirms the formation of nickel oxide and cobalt oxide. This chemical insight adds a valuable layer of understanding, reinforcing the coatings' potential for corrosion resistance and other chemical interactions in a wide range of operation environments.

Anlotinib enhances the pro-apoptotic effect of APG-115 on acute myeloid leukemia cell lines by inhibiting the P13K/AKT signaling pathway.

APG-115 is a novel small-molecule selective inhibitor that destabilizes the p53-MDM2 complex and activates p53-mediated apoptosis in tumor cells. Anlotinib inhibits tumor angiogenesis and promotes apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the apoptotic effect and potential mechanism of APG-115 and anlotinib combination on AML cell lines with different p53 backgrounds. The IC50 values ​of APG-115 and anlotinib were detected by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis rate of AML cells was evaluated by Annexin-V and PI double staining. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on the MOLM16 cell line treated with APG-115 and anlotinib, and differential analysis and enrichment analysis were performed. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the changes in cell cycle and pathway-related genes and proteins in AML cell lines after drug treatment. In vivo experiments, the anti-leukemia effects of APG-115 and anlotinib on AML xenograft mouse models were evaluated. APG-115 and anlotinib could independently promote AML cell apoptosis, and the combination of the two drugs could produce a synergistic effect. Transcriptome sequencing showed that compared with the APG-115 monotherapy group, the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the MDM2-p53 and PI3K/AKT pathways. In vivo experiments showed that compared with AML xenograft mice treated with either drug alone, AML progression was slowed in AML xenograft mice treated with APG-115 and anlotinib. In vivo and in vitro experimental have shown that APG-115 combined with anlotinib can promote AML cells apoptosis and inhibit the progression of disease is independent of the p53 status.

DAMMING EFFECTS ON RIVER SILICON BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE IN A SOUTH MEDITERRANEAN BASIN (SEYBOUSE, NORTHEAST ALGERIA)

Silicon (Si) is the most abundant element in the earth's crust after oxygen; it is found in aquatic environments as orthosilicic acid. This study concerned for the first time the distribution and flux of dissolved silicates (SiO4) in strategic sites (Charef dam, Bouhamdane dam, and estuary) from the upstream of the Seybouse basin to its mouth to understand silicon biogeochemical transformations under dams and estuarine effects. Surface water sampling was taken and analyzed in the dry (September 2016) and wet (April 2017) seasons. In parallel to sampling dates, physical parameters, and water discharge data were recorded. The highest SiO4 levels were recorded upstream and weakened towards the mouth. It was reduced between 32% and 54% for the Charef and Bouhamdane dams respectively, while the retention rate of the estuary was on average 44%. In terms of flux, the Charef and Bouhamdane dams produced 2 t/yr and 17 t/yr respectively, whereas the estuary produced only 54 t/yr to the coastal zone. Dams and estuarine part play a crucial role in changes in the biogeochemical silicon cycle and are expected to have severe impacts on the river system and the receiving coastline functioning.

Replication kinetics, morphogenesis and interaction of shrimp parvovirus Penaeus stylirostris penstyldensovirus (PstDVI) in PmLyO-Sf9 cells

Penaeus stylirostris penstyldensovirus (PstDV1) is one of the significant shrimp parvovirus which causes runt deformity syndrome in shrimps. In the current study, we attempted to elucidate the replication cycle of the virus in PmLyO-Sf9 cells. PstDV1 needs 4-5h to complete replication in the cell line and release. Viral capsid gene expression leads to three peaks during the time course of the study at 4hpi, 12hpi and 72hpi. Immediate release of virus from the cell and reinfection in the cells observed. Calveloe mediated entry of virus to cells was noted through endosomal inhibition assay. Electron micrographs supported the findings which also depicted the receptor mediated entry, endosomal transport, viroplasm showing active virus replication and assembly of virus inside the nucleus to be released through cell lysis and occlusion bodies. Also, changes in cell cycle to make the cells to enter S phase was observed in cell cycle related genes and flow cytometric analysis. This reveal the potency of the cell line to study host-pathogen interaction, viral morphogenesis which could promotes successful development of antiviral formulations against the virus while preserving the environment for future generations.

Versatile nitrate-respiring heterotrophs are previously concealed contributors to sulfur cycle

Heterotrophic denitrifiers play crucial roles in global carbon and nitrogen cycling. However, their inability to oxidize sulfide renders them vulnerable to this toxic molecule, which inhibits the key enzymatic reaction responsible for reducing nitrous oxide (N2O), thereby raising greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we applied microcosm incubations, community-isotope-corrected DNA stable-isotope probing, and metagenomics to characterize a cohort of heterotrophic denitrifiers in estuarine sediments that thrive by coupling sulfur oxidation with denitrification through chemolithoheterotrophic metabolism. Remarkably, ecophysiology experiments from enrichments demonstrate that such heterotrophs expedite denitrification with sulfur acting as alternative electron sources and substantially curtail N2O emissions in both organic-rich and organic-limited environments. Their flexible, non-sulfur-dependent physiology may confer competitive advantages over conventional heterotrophic denitrifiers in detoxifying sulfide, adapting to organic matter fluctuations, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Our study provides insights into the ecological role of heterotrophic denitrifiers in microbial communities with implications for sulfur cycling and climate change.

HERA: a high-resolution pan-European hydrological reanalysis (1951–2020)

Abstract. Since 1950, anthropogenic activities have altered the climate, land cover, soil properties, channel morphologies, and water management in the river basins of Europe. This has resulted in significant changes in hydrological conditions. The availability of consistent estimates of river flow at the global and continental levels is a necessity for assessing changes in the hydrological cycle. To overcome limitations posed by observations (incomplete records, inhomogeneous spatial coverage), we simulate river discharge for Europe for the period 1951–2020 using a state-of-the-art hydrological modelling approach. We use the new European set-up of the OS LISFLOOD model, running at 1 arcmin (≈1.8 km) with 6-hourly time steps. The hydrological model is forced by climate reanalysis data (ERA5-Land) that are bias-corrected and downscaled to the model resolution with gridded weather observations. The model also incorporates 72 surface field maps representing catchment morphology, vegetation, soil properties, land use, water demand, lakes, and reservoirs. Inputs related to human activities are evolving through time to emulate societal changes. The resulting Hydrological European ReAnalysis (HERA) provides 6-hourly river discharge for 282 521 river pixels with an upstream area >100 km2. We assess its skill using 2448 river gauging stations distributed across Europe. Overall, HERA delivers satisfying results (median KGE′=0.55), despite a general underestimation of observed mean discharges (mean bias=-13.1 %), and demonstrates a capacity to reproduce statistics of observed extreme flows. The performance of HERA increases through time and with catchment size, and it varies in space depending on reservoir influence and model calibration. The fine spatial and temporal resolution results in an enhanced performance compared to previous hydrological reanalysis based on OS LISFLOOD for small- to medium-scale catchments (100–10 000 km2). HERA is the first publicly available long-term, high-resolution hydrological reanalysis for Europe. Despite its limitations, HERA enables the analysis of hydrological dynamics related to extremes, human influences, and climate change at a continental scale while maintaining local relevance. It also creates the opportunity to study these dynamics in ungauged catchments across Europe. The HERA hydrological reanalysis and its climate and dynamic socio-economic inputs are available via the JRC data catalogue: https://doi.org/10.2905/a605a675-9444-4017-8b34-d66be5b18c95 (Tilloy et al., 2024).

ГИСТОСТРУКТУРНЫЕ И ГИСТОХИМИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ МАТКИ У КОШЕК ПОРОДЫ МЕЙН-КУН В ПОСТНАТАЛЬНОМ ОНТОГЕНЕЗЕ

The aim of the study is to identify morphometric, histological and histochemical features of the uterus in Maine Coon cats in postnatal ontogenesis. The study was conducted at the Department of Agricultural Technology and Veterinary Medicine of the Khakass State University named after N.F. Katanov, as well as at veterinary clinics in the city of Abakan, Republic of Khakassia. The material for the histological study was organ complexes of 95 Maine Coon cats of five age groups: newborns, puberty, physiological maturity (anestrus) and pronounced senile changes. Histological sections were made from the obtained material using the generally accepted technique. Morphometric indices of the uterus in cats in postnatal ontogenesis increase in direct proportion to age until the onset of the period of pronounced senile changes, after which they decrease. The uterine wall of newborn kittens and kittens in the weaning period is characterized by poorly expressed differentiation of the endometrial layers and the absence of uterine glands. During puberty and physiological maturity, the maximum development of the uterine glands and characteristic cyclic changes in the endometrium are observed. In cats during the period of pronounced senile changes, a decrease in the number of uterine glands in relation to the stroma is noted. A small amount of glycogen is detected in the integumentary and glandular epithelium of the uterus. Glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans accumulate in the apical part of the epithelial and glandular cells. A positive reaction to glycogen is noted in the intercellular substance of the proper plate of the endometrial mucosa. Glycosaminoglycans are found in epithelial cells. In the inner layer of the muscular membrane, the reaction to glycogen is positive. Glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins are present in the vascular layer. Glycoproteins are detected in the endothelium of blood vessels.

Enhanced phosphorus weathering contributed to Late Miocene cooling

Late Miocene climate evolution provides an opportunity to assess Earth’s climate sensitivity to carbon cycle perturbation under warmer-than-modern conditions. Despite its relevance for understanding the climate system, the driving mechanisms underlying profound climate and carbon cycle changes – including the enigmatic Late Miocene cooling from 7 to 5.4 million years ago – remain unclear. Here, we present magnetic and geochemical paleoceanographic proxies from a hydrogenetic ferromanganese crust retrieved in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Our results indicate a striking 50% surge in deep ocean phosphorus concentrations occurred 7 – 4 million years ago, synchronous with enhanced deep ocean oxygen consumption. Employing a global biogeochemical model, we show that increased continental phosphorus weathering, without a concurrent rise in silicate weathering, contributed to the decline in atmospheric CO2 and associated cooling over the Late Miocene. This suggests a prominent decoupling of phosphorus and silicate weathering during a major carbon cycling event over the last 10 million years.

How do extreme fluctuations in water level affect fish condition in Amazonian Floodplain Lakes?

The annual flood pulse is a defining feature of Amazonian floodplain lakes, creating a highly variable environment that influences resource availability, such as food and habitat. These cyclical changes necessitate a high degree of adaptability among fish species, many of which have evolved specialized strategies to cope with the fluctuating conditions. In 2023, the Amazon basin experienced a record-breaking drought event, leading to mass mortality of Amazonian fish and other wildlife. This study examines the effect of this extreme event on fish condition in white-water (Rio Solimões basin) and black-water (Rio Negro basin) floodplain lakes. These contrasting environments provide a unique opportunity to study how different water qualities and extreme water-level fluctuations impact fish condition. Research was conducted during the normal low-water period in November 2019 and the drastically decreased water levels in November 2023. The main objective was to understand how extreme water-level fluctuations affect fish health and nutritional status. A total of 585 fishes were analyzed, with 294 from white-water and 291 from black-water, representing different feeding types to provide a comprehensive picture of changes in fish condition. Water-level changes had a statistically significant impact on fish condition in both areas. Comparing low-water and extreme low-water levels, fish condition was consistently higher during the normal low-water period. The linear mixed-effects model revealed that the intensity of the low-water season had a significant effect on fish length-adjusted mass, suggesting that the decrease in water level is associated with an overall decrease in fish length-adjusted mass. When comparing the mean water-level effect (Glass's Δ) between low-water and extreme low-water levels, we found a bigger effect in the black-water system than in the white-water system. This difference may be attributed to the lower nutrient content and higher levels of humic acids and refractory dissolved organic matter in black-water, which can further limit primary productivity and food availability for fishes.

Cyclical accretion regime change in the slow X-ray pulsar 4U 0114+65 observed with Chandra

4U 0114+65 is a high-mass X-ray binary system formed by the luminous supergiant B1Ia, known as V V662 Cas, and one of the slowest rotating neutron stars (NSs) with a spin period of about 2.6 hours. This provides a rare opportunity to study interesting details of the accretion within each individual pulse of the compact object. For this paper we analyzed 200 ks of Chandra grating data, divided into nine uninterrupted observations around the orbit. The changes in the circumstellar absorption column through the orbit suggest an orbital inclination of ∼ 40^∘ with respect to the observer and a companion mass-loss rate of ∼ 8.6 10^-7 M yr^-1. The peaks of the NS pulse exhibit a large pulse-to-pulse variability. Three of them show an evolution from a brighter regime to a weaker one. We propose that the efficiency of Compton cooling in this source fluctuates throughout an accumulation cycle. After significant depletion of matter within the magnetosphere, since the settling velocity is ∼ 2 lower than the free-fall velocity, the source gradually accumulates matter until the density exceeds a critical threshold. This increase in density triggers a transition to a more efficient Compton cooling regime, leading to a higher mass accretion rate and consequently to an increased brightness.

Operation of spinal sensorimotor circuits controlling phase durations during tied-belt and split-belt locomotion after a lateral thoracic hemisection.

Locomotion is controlled by spinal circuits that interact with supraspinal drives and sensory feedback from the limbs. These sensorimotor interactions are disrupted following spinal cord injury. The thoracic lateral hemisection represents an experimental model of an incomplete spinal cord injury, where connections between the brain and spinal cord are abolished on one side of the cord. To investigate the effects of such an injury on the operation of the spinal locomotor network, we used our computational model of cat locomotion recently published in eLife (Rybak et al., 2024) to investigate and predict changes in cycle and phase durations following a thoracic lateral hemisection during treadmill locomotion in tied-belt (equal left-right speeds) and split-belt (unequal left-right speeds) conditions. In our simulations, the 'hemisection' was always applied to the right side. Based on our model, we hypothesized that following hemisection the contralesional ('intact', left) side of the spinal network is mostly controlled by supraspinal drives, whereas the ipsilesional ('hemisected', right) side is mostly controlled by somatosensory feedback. We then compared the simulated results with those obtained during experiments in adult cats before and after a mid-thoracic lateral hemisection on the right side in the same locomotor conditions. Our experimental results confirmed many effects of hemisection on cat locomotion predicted by our simulations. We show that having the ipsilesional hindlimb step on the slow belt, but not the fast belt, during split-belt locomotion substantially reduces the effects of lateral hemisection. The model provides explanations for changes in temporal characteristics of hindlimb locomotion following hemisection based on altered interactions between spinal circuits, supraspinal drives, and somatosensory feedback.

Operation of spinal sensorimotor circuits controlling phase durations during tied-belt and split-belt locomotion after a lateral thoracic hemisection

Locomotion is controlled by spinal circuits that interact with supraspinal drives and sensory feedback from the limbs. These sensorimotor interactions are disrupted following spinal cord injury. The thoracic lateral hemisection represents an experimental model of an incomplete spinal cord injury, where connections between the brain and spinal cord are abolished on one side of the cord. To investigate the effects of such an injury on the operation of the spinal locomotor network, we used our computational model of cat locomotion recently published in eLife (Rybak et al., 2024) to investigate and predict changes in cycle and phase durations following a thoracic lateral hemisection during treadmill locomotion in tied-belt (equal left-right speeds) and split-belt (unequal left-right speeds) conditions. In our simulations, the ‘hemisection’ was always applied to the right side. Based on our model, we hypothesized that following hemisection the contralesional (‘intact’, left) side of the spinal network is mostly controlled by supraspinal drives, whereas the ipsilesional (‘hemisected’, right) side is mostly controlled by somatosensory feedback. We then compared the simulated results with those obtained during experiments in adult cats before and after a mid-thoracic lateral hemisection on the right side in the same locomotor conditions. Our experimental results confirmed many effects of hemisection on cat locomotion predicted by our simulations. We show that having the ipsilesional hindlimb step on the slow belt, but not the fast belt, during split-belt locomotion substantially reduces the effects of lateral hemisection. The model provides explanations for changes in temporal characteristics of hindlimb locomotion following hemisection based on altered interactions between spinal circuits, supraspinal drives, and somatosensory feedback.

Carbonate fluorapatite coatings on phillipsite represent a significant sink of phosphorus in abyssal plains of the western Pacific Ocean

As an essential micronutrient, phosphorus plays a key role in oceanic biogeochemistry, with its cycling intimately connected to the global carbon cycle and climate change. Authigenic carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) has been suggested to represent a significant phosphorus sink in the deep ocean, but its formation mechanisms in oceanic low-productivity settings remain poorly constrained. Applying X-ray absorption near edge structure, transmission electron microscopy, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer analyses, we report a unique mineral assemblage where CFA crystals coat phillipsite in abyssal sediments of the East Mariana Basin and the Philippine Sea. This finding suggests that phillipsite provides an ideal microenvironment for CFA formation due to its ability to release calcium cations and its strong adsorption capacity for phosphate anions. The feasibility of such a mechanism was confirmed by long-term (10 mo) laboratory experiments. Furthermore, the CFA forming in the sediment of abyssal plains is found to be enriched in rare earth elements (REE). The previously unrecognized mechanism of CFA formation may therefore not only contribute to the cycling of phosphorus in oceanic low-productivity environments but may also represent a significant sink of REE.

Spatial and Temporal Variations in Soil Organic Carbon in Northwestern China via Comparisons of Different Methods

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial component for investigating carbon cycling and global climate change. Accurate data exhibiting the temporal and spatial distributions of SOC are very important for determining the soil carbon sequestration potential and formulating climate strategies. An important scheme of mapping SOC is to establish a link between environmental factors and SOC via different methods. The Shiyang River Basin is the third largest inland river basin in the Hexi Corridor, which has closed geographical conditions and a relatively independent carbon cycle system, making it an ideal area for carbon cycle research in arid areas. In this study, 65 SOC samples were collected and 21 environmental factors were assessed from 2011 to 2021 in the Shiyang River Basin. The linear regression (LR) method and two machine learning methods, i.e., support vector machine regression (SVR) and random forest (RF), are applied to estimate the spatial distribution of SOC. RF is slightly better than SVR because of its advantages in the comparison of classification. When latitude, slope, and the normalized vegetation index (NDVI) are used as predictor variables, the best SOC performance is shown. Compared with the Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD), the optimal scheme improved the accuracy of the SOC significantly. Finally, the spatial distribution of SOC tended to increase, with a total increase of 135.94 g/kg across the whole basin. The northwestern part of the middle basin decreased by 2.82% because of industrial activities. The SOC in Minqin County increased by approximately 62.77% from 2011 to 2021. Thus, the variability of the spatial SOC increased. This study provides a theoretical basis for the spatial and temporal distributions of SOC in inland river basins. In addition, this study can also provide effective and scientific suggestions for carbon projects, offer a key scientific basis for understanding the carbon cycle, and support global climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Potential of Accelerometers to Remotely Early Detect Bovine Ephemeral Fever in Cattle Using Pattern Mining1

Abstract Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF), caused by an arthropod-borne rhabdovirus, is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions. It affects cattle with symptoms of fever, lameness, inappetence and in some situations can result in mortality. The goal of this study is to determine if accelerometer data can be used to identify the behaviour patterns that occur when cattle become ill from BEF. Eight heifers in a separate experiment were monitored with 3-axis accelerometers sensors. Movement variation (MV) was calculated from accelerometer data (25 Hz) using 1-minute epochs and then averaged hourly. Two different approaches, cosine similarity (CS) and deviation from previous behavioural patterns, were developed to autonomously detect patterns and recognize the onset of sickness in cattle using accelerometer data. Analyses show that one heifer had behavioural changes one day before the manager observed BEF, and another heifer had behavioural changes on the same day the manager observed BEF. The other six heifers did not display any BEF symptoms. To validate the efficacy of our analytical approaches, we employed them on a separate commercial herd of 73 cows where 4 of the 27 monitored cows were observed with BEF symptoms. Predictions were either on the day or even the day prior to the manager's observation and diagnosis. There were likely no false positives in the first or second trials using the deviation algorithm with sum_deviation formula, but there were several false positives with the other algorithms. These case studies demonstrate the potential of accelerometer data to autonomously detect disease onset, in some cases before it was apparent to the human observer. However, more research is needed to minimize false positives that may occur from other similar diseases, abnormal weather events or cyclical changes in behaviour such as oestrus is required.

A Comparative Spatiotemporal Analysis for Long-Term Trends of Hydrometeorological Variables in Maritsa River Basin

Revealing long-term trends in hydrometeorological variables plays a critical role in the sustainable management and planning of water resources. These analyses are necessary to understand climate change impacts, taking precautions for natural disasters, plan agricultural activities, and develop water management strategies. The aim of this study is to examine the changes in monthly and annual total precipitation and evapotranspiration values in the Maritsa River Basin, a transboundary water basin between Bulgaria, Greece, and Türkiye. For this, precipitation values for the 1982-2023 water years were taken from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) data set, and evapotranspiration values for the 1982-2023 water years were taken from the European Reanalysis 5th Generation-Land (ERA5-Land) data set. The Mann-Kendall, Sen's slope estimator, and Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA) methods were used to determine trends. According to the test results, there is a statistically significant increase in annual total precipitation values within the 95% confidence interval and in annual total evapotranspiration values within the 99% confidence interval. Specifically with all three methods positive and statistically significant trends are observed in precipitation in October, January, May and June. In the monthly evapotranspiration trend analysis, a statistically significant increase is observed except for November, December, June and July. Trend increases were visualized using the graphical method ITA. Significant increasing trends in both monthly and annual precipitation and evapotranspiration reveal changes in the hydrological cycle of the basin. The test results can be used in planning and solving problems related to the basin area.

The Role of Leaf Area Changes Within Plant CO2 Physiological Impacts on the Global Hydrological Cycle

AbstractRising atmospheric CO2 concentrations enhance greenhouse warming and drive changes to plant physiology, leading to innumerable climate impacts. This study explores the impacts of plant responses on hydrological cycling at 2x preindustrial CO2 concentrations by analyzing simulations that isolate plant physiological effects using the Community Earth System Model versions 1 and 2. We find that leaf area growth increases canopy evaporation, which offsets transpiration declines, and dampens changes in global mean evapotranspiration, precipitation, and runoff in a CESM2 experiment with dynamic leaf area. These leaf area impacts are also evident in the differences between CESM1 and CESM2, with CESM2 better capturing observed leaf area magnitudes but potentially overestimating leaf area‐CO2 sensitivity, highlighting the importance of plant CO2 physiology on hydrological cycle changes and the need to improve its representation in climate models.

TFII-I/GTF2I regulates globin gene expression and stress response in erythroid cells.

Transcription factor TFII-I/GTF2I is ubiquitously expressed and has been shown to play a role in the differentiation of hematopoietic cells and in the response to various cellular stressors. We previously demonstrated that TFII-I acts as a repressor of adult β-globin gene transcription and positively regulates expression of stress response proteins, including ATF3. Here we analyzed the function of TFII-I in TF-1 cells during erythroid differentiation and in response to cellular stress, including unfolded protein response, hypoxia, and oxidative stress. Ablation of TFII-I leads to mild changes in cell cycle and proliferation of TF-1 cells. Importantly, TFII-I deficiency increased expression of the adult β-globin gene with concomitant reduction in the expression of the fetal γ-globin genes during erythropoietin mediated erythroid differentiation of TF-1 cells. Furthermore, TFII-I regulates genes involved in stress response, including CHOP, Elongin A, ATF3, ATF4, and Grp78, and participates in the apoptotic response to stressors. In summary, the data provide further support for a role of TFII-I in stress response and in the regulation of globin genes.

Bivalve shell beds in the Triassic of the Sierra De Gádor (Alpujárride complex, Betic Cordillera, SE Spain)

Abstract The Peñón the Bernal section in the Sierra de Gádor comprises a succession of limestones, marly limestones and marls in the upper part of the Gádor unit, which belongs to the Alpujárride Complex in the Internal Zones of the Betic Cordillera. Several shell beds in this section and the locality of La Zarba in the same unit include relatively well-preserved macroinvertebrate assemblages. These beds reflect shell concentrations caused by storms and later colonised by epifaunal communities of cemented, epibyssate and endobyssate bivalves. Sedimentary features, fossil traces, and composition of bivalve assemblages indicate that the succession accumulated in a peritidal environment in a restricted carbonate platform with cyclic changes in water depth. The identified bivalve and ammonoid taxa suggest a Ladinian (Middle Triassic) age for the limestones, marly limestones and marls culminating the Gádor unit, so far considered as Upper Triassic in age. Like in other domains in the Betic Cordillera, the macroinvertebrate fauna has strong affinities with the Sephardic bioprovince.

Study on the effects of Mogroside V in inhibiting NLRP3-mediated granulosa cell pyroptosis and insulin resistance to improve PCOS

ObjectivePolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrinopathy in reproductive-aged women, contributing to 75% of infertility cases due to ovulatory dysfunction. The condition poses significant health and psychological challenges, making the study of its pathogenesis and treatment a research priority. This study investigates the effects of Mogroside V (MV) on PCOS, focusing on its anti-inflammatory and anti-insulin resistance properties.MethodsForty-five female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control, PCOS model, and MV treatment. The PCOS model was induced using a high-fat diet and letrozole. The MV treatment group was subsequently administered MV after the establishment of the PCOS model. The study monitored body mass, assessed estrous cycle changes, and measured serum hormone levels. Transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics were used to identify differentially expressed genes related to inflammation and insulin resistance. Expression of pyroptosis and insulin resistance markers was analyzed using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and IHC. Additionally, an in vitro model assessed MV's impact on inflammation and insulin resistance.ResultsThe PCOS group exhibited elevated serum testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin, and fasting glucose levels, along with increased insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and decreased estradiol (E2), which were reversed by MV treatment. Transcriptome analysis identified significant gene expression changes between groups, particularly in pathways related to NLRP3 inflammation and insulin metabolism. MV treatment normalized the expression of ovarian pyroptosis factors (NLRP3, Caspase-1, GSDMD) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18). In cellular models, MV increased E2 levels, reduced LDH release, and decreased the expression of insulin resistance and pyroptosis markers. Correlation analysis showed pyroptosis factors were positively correlated with HOMA-IR and IGF1, and negatively with IGF1R and E2 levels.ConclusionMV improves PCOS by reducing pyroptosis and insulin resistance, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and promoting estrogen synthesis, thereby restoring granulosa cell function and follicular development.