Feasibility study of electron beam irradiation for decontamination of chemical and biological warfare agent simulants: Dosimetric and operational evaluation.

The pathological features of invasion and metastasis in malignant tumors are intricately intertwined with the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recent investigations underscore that, alongside immune cells, blood vessels, and the lymphatic system, the nervous system emerges as a pivotal player within the TME. Tumors possess the remarkable ability to modify and even co-opt the architecture and functions of the nervous system, creating a dynamic interplay. Furthermore, aberrant neuronal activation has the potential to accelerate tumor progression. This review summarizes the emerging field of cancer neuroscience, encompassing both direct neuro-cancer cell communication and indirect interactions mediated through other TME components. It further outlines the commonly used experimental tools, cutting-edge technologies, and potential therapeutic targets identified along neuro-cancer interaction pathways. By elucidating the reciprocal interplay between the nervous system and tumors, this area of research offers new perspectives for understanding tumorigenesis and provides promising molecular targets and strategies for cancer therapy.

Increasing use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) raises concern for interactions with warfarin. Although GLP-1 RAs do not affect warfarin pharmacokinetics, their appetite-reducing effects may decrease vitamin K intake and increase International Normalized Ratio (INR) variability. Large-scale real-world data (RWD) are needed to evaluate these effects. To evaluate changes in time-in-therapeutic INR range (TTR) among warfarin patients initiated on GLP-1 RA therapy. This retrospective cohort study evaluated TTR 6 months before and after GLP-1 RA initiation using RWD from the TriNetX Research Network. Included patients were required to have evidence of warfarin use before and after GLP-1 RA initiation. Primary outcomes included changes in TTR, INR, and INR recheck frequency. Secondary outcomes included time below and above the therapeutic range and INR variability. Of 53,943 patients screened, 1,021 met inclusion criteria. Mean TTR decreased by 2.1% (95% CI, -3.7% to -0.6%; p = 0.01), decreasing from 64.2% to 62.1%. Mean INR did not change (0.00; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.03; p = 0.79). INR recheck frequency increased slightly, with a mean interval decrease of 0.7 days (95% CI -1.4 to 0.0; p = 0.049). Time below therapeutic range increased by 0.8% (p = 0.25), time above therapeutic range increased by 1.3% (p = 0.04), and INR standard deviation increased by 0.03 (p = 0.051). GLP-1 RA initiation was associated with a modest decrease in TTR and increased INR variability among warfarin-treated patients. Clinicians may consider closer INR monitoring following GLP-1 RA initiation.

Reciprocal effects between plants and soil have been proposed as mechanisms that promote coexistence. However, recent theoretical and empirical works have questioned their role in stabilizing coexistence within multispecies communities. In these systems, soil-mediated indirect interactions may play a pivotal but often overlooked role. We investigate these indirect interactions using an experimental system of two competing shrub species grown in soil conditioned by a mediating third tree species. Tree-induced shifts in soil microbial communities, metabolites and nutrients boost growth in the weak competitor species while reducing germination in the dominant competitor. Simulations demonstrate that these shifts in plant performance are sufficient to stabilize coexistence, producing simulated spatial distributions consistent with those observed in natural communities. Our findings underscore the role of soil effects in driving indirect interactions that sustain coexistence in diverse plant communities, highlighting the importance of indirect but also positive and negative multitrophic interactions in maintaining biodiversity.

Conflicts between large marine predators and fisheries often involve both indirect (competition for fish stocks) and direct negative interactions (bycatch or depredation). However, the extent and the mechanisms of these conflicts are hampered by lack of data on the behavior of predators in natural situations (absence of fishing vessels) and in response to fishing activities. For killer whales Orcinus orca in the remote subantarctic waters of the southern South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, this lack of understanding is particularly problematic since negative interactions with industrial fisheries targeting toothfish affect the conservation of populations. In this study, we combined data from 36 satellite tags deployed on killer whales in these regions between 2011 and 2024 with tracking (AIS) data of toothfish fishing vessels to i) assess the overlap between killer whale offshore foraging areas and fishing areas, and ii) examine the factors influencing the decision of individuals to engage in depredation. Through kernel utilization distributions and statistical models we show that killer whales foraged in offshore areas used by fishing vessels to catch toothfish, but this overlap varied greatly across individuals within populations. We found that killer whales changed their trajectories and headed toward fishing vessels as far as > 100km from them, possibly to engage in depredation. However, this behavior was not systematic and differed across individuals and areas. The behavior was detected only 55% of the times killer whales entered a 60km range from a vessel. By highlighting areas of co-occurrence of killer whales and fisheries and the extent to which killer whales are able to change their behavior in response to fishing activities, our findings provide information that can be used to mitigate the negative impacts of interactions.

Genome-wide analysis reveals ligand-dependent allostery in RARα:RXR-mediated transcriptional regulation.

Fucoidan attenuates alcohol-induced liver injury via PON1/HDL/NF-κB axis.

Mosquito symbionts have the potential to control mosquito-borne diseases by reducing vector competence through direct or indirect interactions with pathogens. However, the microbiome of field-collected mosquitoes is often unstable, and it remains unclear whether certain symbiont species can both colonize their hosts stably and modulate host immunity. In this study, we collected second-instar Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens larvae from field water sources in Hong Kong and reared them to fourth-instar larvae and adults under laboratory conditions. We investigated microbiome changes from water to mosquito midguts and identified stable bacterial species (≥ 0.01% relative abundance) across mosquito stages using 16S rRNA-based bacteriome analysis. We further isolated symbiotic bacteria on culture plates, screened stable species by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and evaluated their functional potential. Mosquito microbiomes were influenced by water source, developmental stage, and host species. Taxonomically, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes dominated mosquito midguts. Each mosquito species maintained four stable bacterial species (≥ 0.01% relative abundance) throughout development. We confirmed culturable Comamonas thiooxydans as a stable symbiont of Culex pipiens and Vibrionimonas magnilacihabitans in Aedes albopictus. Genomic predictions suggested their involvement in antimicrobial peptide synthesis. Functionally, these bacteria enhanced host survival and increased hemolymph antimicrobial activity against Erwinia carotovora subspecies carotovora 15 (ECC15), but not across mosquito species. Our findings suggest that mosquitoes harbor generally unstable bacterial communities with only a few species-specific stable symbionts, which may contribute to host survival and immune function. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Abstract The beneficial role of social relationships in the well‐being of older adults has been well documented. However, little is known about how social interactions contribute to well‐being in very old adults aged 80 years and above. This study examined between‐ and within‐person associations between social interactions and affect in very old adults' daily lives. Fifty‐seven community dwellers (age 82 to 86 years) responded to a daily diary questionnaire regarding whether they had direct and indirect social interactions with others and how frequently they felt positive and negative affect in the evenings over 7 days. At the between‐person level, older adults who directly interacted with others more frequently reported higher levels of positive affect than those who did less. At the within‐person level, on days with direct social interactions, older adults reported higher levels of positive affect than on days without such interactions. The within‐person association between direct social interactions and positive affect was more evident in older adults living alone than in those co‐residing with others. The findings suggest that daily face‐to‐face social interactions may enhance the daily well‐being of very old adults, particularly those with limited social relationships.

Enhancement of non-Markovianity due to environment-induced indirect interaction

Three-dimensional (3D) co-culture is a rapidly evolving technique for researchers looking to accurately study cell-cell interactions using in vitro experiments. The limitations of monolayer cell culture, including limited interactions between the cellular and extracellular environment and disturbed cell morphology, are addressed by simulating the in vivo cellular environment. Using a scaffold to provide structural support and including biologically active extracellular matrix components, 3D cultures display behaviours and morphologies more congruent with tissue. Incorporating multiple cell types into this kind of 3D environment allows for the study of cell-cell interactions inside a biomimetic model system. A wide range of 3D co-culture technologies has emerged, each with its own advantages and challenges. Often these technologies require specialized equipment, a complex setup, or specific technical knowledge. As well, there exist a few standardized methods for studying indirect cell-cell interactions between two cell types separated by a reconstituted basement membrane. Here, we describe a 3D co-culture method that requires only fundamental technical skills and uses more widely applicable materials to successfully recapitulate indirect cell-cell interactions across a basement membrane. A monolayer of cells is covered in a layer of extracellular matrix, in the form of Matrigel, and a second cell type is seeded on top. The resultant co-culture is maintained for five days, at which point cells are analyzed for morphological changes by immunofluorescence or extracted from the co-culture for more detailed genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic analyses. This protocol is ideal for studying the impact of cell-cell communication on cell behaviour when physical contact is prohibited by a basement membrane. As researchers continue to opt for more in vivo-relevant cell culture methods, a streamlined approach is necessary to avoid high barriers to entry.

During alcoholic fermentations, some non-Saccharomyces yeasts are often displaced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It remains unclear whether this displacement is mediated by metabolites produced by S. cerevisiae or depends on cell-cell contact. This study evaluated the effects of extracellular metabolites produced by S. cerevisiae on the growth and fermentative performance of Kluyveromyces marxianus isolated from mezcal fermentations. The development of both yeasts was evaluated in monocultures and in co-cultures with physical contact. Indirect interaction was also tested by exchanging cell-free fermented media. The growth and fermentative response of K. marxianus in cell-free S. cerevisiae-fermented medium showed modulation that depended on the growth phase during which the exchange was performed. The exchange performed at 6 h (exponential phase) limited the maximum growth of K. marxianus and resulted in lower fermentative performance. When the exchange was done during the stationary phase (17.5 h), K. marxianus exhibited a longer stationary phase and better fermentative performance. Finally, when the exchange was performed at 24 h (the beginning of the death phase), the effects on survival and fermentative performance were less pronounced. Furthermore, co-culture with cell-cell contact showed that direct competition and/or mechanisms dependent on physical contact intensify the displacement of K. marxianus. The results show that direct cell-cell contact promotes greater inhibition of K. marxianus by S. cerevisiae, which is relevant for the design of mixed fermentations aimed at achieving a greater contribution of non-Saccharomyces yeasts to the organoleptic characteristics of alcoholic beverages.

Community-led conservation, nature exposure, and nature-based mental health in rural Ghana.

Ecosystems world-wide are experiencing an accelerating accumulation of exotic plant species, posing serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. While soil microbially mediated indirect interactions play a crucial role in shaping plant community composition, their contribution to accumulation of exotics remains poorly understood, especially under changing environmental conditions. Here, we examined how native and exotic plants impact the growth and competitiveness of later-arriving native and exotic plants through soil microbial legacies generated in different environmental conditions. We found that soil microbial legacies generated by exotics under well-watered conditions conferred a competitive advantage to later-arriving exotics over natives, but legacies generated by natives had no such effect. This indirect advantage for exotics was linked to a higher relative abundance of pathogens in soils conditioned by exotics, which was negatively correlated with native growth and positively associated with the competitive effects of exotics on natives. However, drought eliminated this pathogen-mediated indirect advantage among exotics by preventing pathogen accumulation. This study highlights the critical importance of considering soil microbially mediated indirect interactions between native and exotic species for accurately predicting the accumulation of exotic plant species under climate change.

ABSTRACT China is undergoing rapid population aging, with nearly 90% of older population expected to age in place. Residential areas therefore play a crucial role in sustaining their post-retirement social networks. To explore the potential of maintaining meaningful social connections of community-dwelling elderly people, this study examined their activity patterns across 16 community common spaces by site observation in three communities in Zhengzhou City, statistics of visitor counts and activity participation primarily by elderly people were collected. The result shows that some spaces were predominantly visited by elderly people, while others attracted by mixed generations, giving rise to spatial and interactive coexistence. Activity analysis further showed that inaction and chatting were the most frequent and persistent activities by elderly people, while other activities often occurred simultaneously, creating conditions for coexistence characterized either by direct or indirect interactions. Shared activity interests and supportive spatial settings were found to facilitate these interactions. These findings underscore the importance of individual visitors, intergenerational interactions, and their coexistence, while emphasizing the value of outdoor common spaces in fostering such coexistences. Overall, this study adopts a “coexistence” perspective to explore elderly individuals’ daily social connections, thereby enhancing the discussion regarding their social presence within physical environments.

The transcription factor c-MYC (MYC) is deregulated in ~70% of human cancers. Throughde novo motif discovery analysis on published MYC ChIP-seq datasets from cancer cell lines, we found cell-type-specific co-enrichment of the TRE motifs (AP-1 binding sites) alongside MYC's canonical EBOX motif. MYC binds indirectly to TRE motifs in cooperation with AP-1 transcription factors, and these indirect interactions occur predominantly at enhancers rather than promoters. At elevated MYC levels, as seen in cancers, MYC's indirect binding to TRE sites at enhancers increases. Integration of ChIP-seq and RNA sequencing data revealed that TRE enhancer-binding sites are frequently associated with MYC-mediated transcriptional repression. Gene Ontology analysis showed that MYC utilizes TRE sites to transcriptionally rewire cells, modulating cancer hallmarks like proliferation, apoptosis, and cell adhesion. These molecular insights into how increased MYC levels alter gene regulation could inform new therapeutic strategies targeting cancer-specific MYC functions and its co-regulators.

The electrophysiological relevance of interstitial nonmyocytes for cardiac electrophysiology arises from their abundant direct and indirect interactions with cardiac myocytes. This review defines the interstitium, explores biophysical and biochemical mechanisms of interactions between interstitial components and cardiac myocytes, illustrates consequences of these interactions for heart rhythm, and identifies targets for further research in this area.

Theory predicts that indirect interactions in ecological networks sustain species diversity through oscillatory dynamics. However, a framework linking interaction structure to the presence, type, and complexity of these cycles is lacking. Here, we develop an analytical toolbox combining invasion graphs with a mathematical decomposition of interaction matrices into symmetric and antisymmetric components. We find that invasion cycles-closed loops of species invasions-are suppressed when symmetric interactions dominate, reflecting strong self-limitation. Conversely, antisymmetric dominance, indicating competitive asymmetries, leads to the well-known cycles of single-species invasion such as rock-paper-scissors as well as novel multispecies invasion patterns, in which several species simultaneously invade each transition of the cycle. As asymmetries increase, more complex cycles involving both sequential and simultaneous invasions emerge. Yet this potential for cycles is suppressed as variability in intrinsic growth rates increases. Our work clarifies when interactions drive cycles and introduces a simple ratio that assesses symmetric versus antisymmetric contributions in the interaction matrix, constraining cycle emergence and the number of species they can sustain.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermetia illucens) meal, an alternative to conventional dietary protein sources, such as soybean meal, is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, antimicrobial peptides and other bioactive components. These components may modulate the composition and function of the gut microbiota or, after absorption, affect host metabolic pathways. We hypothesised that the functional effects of BSFL meal would be reflected in alterations in the serum metabolite profile of Silkie crossbreed chickens. Serum samples from chickens fed a control soybean-based diet or a diet containing 150 g/kg partially defatted BSFL meal were analysed using untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 3304 metabolite features were detected, of which 1341 were annotated, with 777 retained for statistical analysis. Principal component analysis and PERMANOVA revealed a clear separation between dietary groups (p = 0.001). Forty metabolites were significantly altered (FDR ≤ 0.05), with 31 more abundant and nine less abundant in the BSFL group. These shifts were characterised mainly by increased lipid-related metabolites, including medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and phospholipids, indicating alterations in lipid metabolism. In addition, changes in amino acid derivatives and energy-related metabolites suggested the modulation of amino acid and energy metabolic pathways. Several metabolites with putative microbial origin were elevated, consistent with indirect host-microbiome metabolic interactions. These metabolic changes showed correlations with significantly higher average daily gain (p = 0.02), numerically greater final live weight, and a reduced feed conversion ratio in BSFL-fed chickens (p = 0.07 and p = 0.08, respectively). Overall, dietary inclusion of 150 g/kg BSFL meal modified systemic metabolism without detectable negative effects on performance or serum biomarkers, suggesting that this level of BSFL inclusion can be beneficial for slow-growing Silkie chickens.

Staphylococcus species are frequently isolated from the sinonasal niche of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients. While Staphylococcus aureus is often associated with recalcitrant CRS, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus lugdunensis are largely deemed commensal. The purpose of this study was to investigate interspecies interactions and how those might influence inflammation and susceptibility to antibiotics. Twelve staphylococcal isolates were harvested from six CRS patients, each infected with S. aureus and S. epidermidis, or with S. aureus and S. lugdunensis. Bacteria were cultured to allow biofilm formation in direct and indirect interspecies interactions, followed by measuring their biofilm biomass, antibiotic sensitivity, and toxicity and inflammatory potential when applied to human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). S. epidermidis produced up to 7.4-fold higher biomass than S. aureus in monocultures, with a reduction in S. epidermidis biomass under indirect coculture conditions with S. aureus biofilm (p<0.05). In contrast, the biofilm biomass values of both S. lugdunensis and S. aureus were higher under indirect coculture conditions compared to monocultures for 2/3 paired isolates (p<0.05). S. epidermidis monocultures and S. aureus/S. epidermidis cocultures were less toxic to HNECs than S. aureus monocultures. S. aureus and S. lugdunensis monocultures and S. aureus/S. lugdunensis cocultures induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) and toxicity to a similar extent versus controls. An increased tolerance to amoxicillin was observed for 2/3 S. epidermidis biofilm and for 3/3 S. lugdunensis biofilm when in indirect contact with S. aureus biofilm (p<0.05). Overall, staphylococcal interactions were highly strain specific, with S. aureus influencing the biofilm-forming capacity and increasing the tolerance to amoxicillin of both S. epidermidis and S. lugdunensis. S. epidermidis but not S. lugdunensis could mitigate S. aureus induced epithelial cytotoxicity. These findings support the complex nature of interactions among staphylococci with S. aureus and potentially S. lugdunensis having a pathogenic role and S. epidermidis a protective role within polymicrobial biofilms. Our findings have implications for the inflammatory potential and response to therapy of mixed biofilms.