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ESP: PubMed Auto Bibliography 29 Aug 2026 at 01:58 Created:
Ecological Informatics
Wikipedia: Ecological Informatics Ecoinformatics, or ecological informatics, is the science of information (Informatics) in Ecology and Environmental science. It integrates environmental and information sciences to define entities and natural processes with language common to both humans and computers. However, this is a rapidly developing area in ecology and there are alternative perspectives on what constitutes ecoinformatics. A few definitions have been circulating, mostly centered on the creation of tools to access and analyze natural system data. However, the scope and aims of ecoinformatics are certainly broader than the development of metadata standards to be used in documenting datasets. Ecoinformatics aims to facilitate environmental research and management by developing ways to access, integrate databases of environmental information, and develop new algorithms enabling different environmental datasets to be combined to test ecological hypotheses. Ecoinformatics characterize the semantics of natural system knowledge. For this reason, much of today's ecoinformatics research relates to the branch of computer science known as Knowledge representation, and active ecoinformatics projects are developing links to activities such as the Semantic Web. Current initiatives to effectively manage, share, and reuse ecological data are indicative of the increasing importance of fields like Ecoinformatics to develop the foundations for effectively managing ecological information. Examples of these initiatives are National Science Foundation Datanet projects, DataONE and Data Conservancy.
Created with PubMed® Query: ( "ecology OR ecological" AND ("data management" OR informatics) NOT "assays for monitoring autophagy" ) NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion
Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)
RevDate: 2025-07-21
CmpDate: 2025-03-07
Southern Islands Vascular Flora (SIVFLORA) dataset: A global plant database from Southern Ocean islands.
Scientific data, 12(1):397.
The Southern Islands Vascular Flora (SIVFLORA) dataset is a globally significant, open-access resource that compiles essential biodiversity data on vascular plants from islands across the Southern Ocean. The SIVFLORA dataset was generated through five steps: study area delimitation, compiling the dataset, validating and harmonizing taxonomy, structuring dataset attributes, and establishing file format and open access. Covering major taxonomic divisions, SIVFLORA offers a comprehensive overview of plant occurrences, comprising 14,589 records representing 886 species, 95 families, and 42 orders. This dataset documents that 58.62% of the taxa are native, 9.61% are endemic, and 31.77% are alien species. The Falkland/Malvinas Archipelago, the most species-rich, contrast sharply with less diverse islands like the South Orkney Archipelago. SIVFLORA serves as a taxonomically harmonized, interoperable resource for investigating plant diversity patterns, ecosystem responses to climate change in extreme environments, island biogeography, endemism, and the effects of anthropogenic pressures on Southern Ocean flora.
Additional Links: PMID-40055331
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40055331,
year = {2025},
author = {Guerrero, PC and Contador, T and Díaz, A and Escobar, C and Orlando, J and Marín, C and Medina, P},
title = {Southern Islands Vascular Flora (SIVFLORA) dataset: A global plant database from Southern Ocean islands.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {397},
pmid = {40055331},
issn = {2052-4463},
mesh = {Islands ; *Biodiversity ; *Plants/classification ; Climate Change ; Ecosystem ; Oceans and Seas ; Databases, Factual ; },
abstract = {The Southern Islands Vascular Flora (SIVFLORA) dataset is a globally significant, open-access resource that compiles essential biodiversity data on vascular plants from islands across the Southern Ocean. The SIVFLORA dataset was generated through five steps: study area delimitation, compiling the dataset, validating and harmonizing taxonomy, structuring dataset attributes, and establishing file format and open access. Covering major taxonomic divisions, SIVFLORA offers a comprehensive overview of plant occurrences, comprising 14,589 records representing 886 species, 95 families, and 42 orders. This dataset documents that 58.62% of the taxa are native, 9.61% are endemic, and 31.77% are alien species. The Falkland/Malvinas Archipelago, the most species-rich, contrast sharply with less diverse islands like the South Orkney Archipelago. SIVFLORA serves as a taxonomically harmonized, interoperable resource for investigating plant diversity patterns, ecosystem responses to climate change in extreme environments, island biogeography, endemism, and the effects of anthropogenic pressures on Southern Ocean flora.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Islands
*Biodiversity
*Plants/classification
Climate Change
Ecosystem
Oceans and Seas
Databases, Factual
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-12
Identifying leptospirosis hotspots in Selangor: uncovering climatic connections using remote sensing and developing a predictive model.
PeerJ, 13:e18851.
BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is an endemic disease in countries with tropical climates such as South America, Southern Asia, and Southeast Asia. There has been an increase in leptospirosis incidence in Malaysia from 1.45 to 25.94 cases per 100,000 population between 2005 and 2014. With increasing incidence in Selangor, Malaysia, and frequent climate change dynamics, a study on the disease hotspot areas and their association with the hydroclimatic factors could enhance disease surveillance and public health interventions.
METHODS: This ecological cross-sectional study utilised a geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques to analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of leptospirosis in Selangor from 2011 to 2019. Laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis cases (n = 1,045) were obtained from the Selangor State Health Department. Using ArcGIS Pro, spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's I) and Getis-Ord Gi* (hotspot analysis) was conducted to identify hotspots based on the monthly aggregated cases for each subdistrict. Satellite-derived rainfall and land surface temperature (LST) data were acquired from NASA's Giovanni EarthData website and processed into monthly averages. These data were integrated into ArcGIS Pro as thematic layers. Machine learning algorithms, including support vector machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) were employed to develop predictive models for leptospirosis hotspot areas. Model performance was then evaluated using cross-validation and metrics such as accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F1-score.
RESULTS: Moran's I analysis revealed a primarily random distribution of cases across Selangor, with only 20 out of 103 observed having a clustered distribution. Meanwhile, hotspot areas were mainly scattered in subdistricts throughout Selangor with clustering in the central region. Machine learning analysis revealed that the LGBM algorithm had the best performance scores compared to having a cross-validation score of 0.61, a precision score of 0.16, and an F1-score of 0.23. The feature importance score indicated river water level and rainfall contributes most to the model.
CONCLUSIONS: This GIS-based study identified a primarily sporadic occurrence of leptospirosis in Selangor with minimal spatial clustering. The LGBM algorithm effectively predicted leptospirosis hotspots based on the analysed hydroclimatic factors. The integration of GIS and machine learning offers a promising framework for disease surveillance, facilitating targeted public health interventions in areas at high risk for leptospirosis.
Additional Links: PMID-40061226
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40061226,
year = {2025},
author = {Ab Kadir, MA and Abdul Manaf, R and Mokhtar, SA and Ismail, LI},
title = {Identifying leptospirosis hotspots in Selangor: uncovering climatic connections using remote sensing and developing a predictive model.},
journal = {PeerJ},
volume = {13},
number = {},
pages = {e18851},
pmid = {40061226},
issn = {2167-8359},
mesh = {*Leptospirosis/epidemiology ; Humans ; Malaysia/epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Geographic Information Systems ; *Remote Sensing Technology ; Incidence ; Climate Change ; Climate ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is an endemic disease in countries with tropical climates such as South America, Southern Asia, and Southeast Asia. There has been an increase in leptospirosis incidence in Malaysia from 1.45 to 25.94 cases per 100,000 population between 2005 and 2014. With increasing incidence in Selangor, Malaysia, and frequent climate change dynamics, a study on the disease hotspot areas and their association with the hydroclimatic factors could enhance disease surveillance and public health interventions.
METHODS: This ecological cross-sectional study utilised a geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques to analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of leptospirosis in Selangor from 2011 to 2019. Laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis cases (n = 1,045) were obtained from the Selangor State Health Department. Using ArcGIS Pro, spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's I) and Getis-Ord Gi* (hotspot analysis) was conducted to identify hotspots based on the monthly aggregated cases for each subdistrict. Satellite-derived rainfall and land surface temperature (LST) data were acquired from NASA's Giovanni EarthData website and processed into monthly averages. These data were integrated into ArcGIS Pro as thematic layers. Machine learning algorithms, including support vector machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) were employed to develop predictive models for leptospirosis hotspot areas. Model performance was then evaluated using cross-validation and metrics such as accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F1-score.
RESULTS: Moran's I analysis revealed a primarily random distribution of cases across Selangor, with only 20 out of 103 observed having a clustered distribution. Meanwhile, hotspot areas were mainly scattered in subdistricts throughout Selangor with clustering in the central region. Machine learning analysis revealed that the LGBM algorithm had the best performance scores compared to having a cross-validation score of 0.61, a precision score of 0.16, and an F1-score of 0.23. The feature importance score indicated river water level and rainfall contributes most to the model.
CONCLUSIONS: This GIS-based study identified a primarily sporadic occurrence of leptospirosis in Selangor with minimal spatial clustering. The LGBM algorithm effectively predicted leptospirosis hotspots based on the analysed hydroclimatic factors. The integration of GIS and machine learning offers a promising framework for disease surveillance, facilitating targeted public health interventions in areas at high risk for leptospirosis.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Leptospirosis/epidemiology
Humans
Malaysia/epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Geographic Information Systems
*Remote Sensing Technology
Incidence
Climate Change
Climate
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-12
Recombination Analysis of Geminiviruses Using Recombination Detection Program (RDP).
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2912:125-143.
Geminiviruses are recombination-prone, and characterizing this evolutionary process within their genomes is a frequent goal of researchers. RDP is a stand-alone Windows program combining many algorithms that detect and characterize recombination. It has been widely used by the geminivirus community (and beyond). Here we describe the use of RDP4 and RDP5 for analysis of geminiviral nucleotide sequences including: (i) obtaining a reasonable dataset for analysis, (ii) making a credible multiple sequence alignment and (iii) analyzing an alignment with RDP on that alignment. RDP to both characterize recombination events and to produce statistically recombination-free datasets for other molecular evolution analyses.
Additional Links: PMID-40064777
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40064777,
year = {2025},
author = {Crespo-Bellido, A and Martin, DP and Duffy, S},
title = {Recombination Analysis of Geminiviruses Using Recombination Detection Program (RDP).},
journal = {Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)},
volume = {2912},
number = {},
pages = {125-143},
pmid = {40064777},
issn = {1940-6029},
mesh = {*Geminiviridae/genetics ; *Recombination, Genetic ; *Software ; Genome, Viral ; Algorithms ; Sequence Alignment ; *Computational Biology/methods ; Evolution, Molecular ; },
abstract = {Geminiviruses are recombination-prone, and characterizing this evolutionary process within their genomes is a frequent goal of researchers. RDP is a stand-alone Windows program combining many algorithms that detect and characterize recombination. It has been widely used by the geminivirus community (and beyond). Here we describe the use of RDP4 and RDP5 for analysis of geminiviral nucleotide sequences including: (i) obtaining a reasonable dataset for analysis, (ii) making a credible multiple sequence alignment and (iii) analyzing an alignment with RDP on that alignment. RDP to both characterize recombination events and to produce statistically recombination-free datasets for other molecular evolution analyses.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
*Geminiviridae/genetics
*Recombination, Genetic
*Software
Genome, Viral
Algorithms
Sequence Alignment
*Computational Biology/methods
Evolution, Molecular
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-12
BioArchLinux: community-driven fresh reproducible software repository for life sciences.
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England), 41(3):.
MOTIVATION: The BioArchLinux project was initiated to address challenges in bioinformatics software reproducibility and freshness. Relying on Arch Linux's user-driven ecosystem, we aim to create a comprehensive and continuously updated repository for life sciences research.
RESULTS: BioArchLinux provides a PKGBUILD-based system for seamless software packaging and maintenance, enabling users to access the latest bioinformatics tools across multiple programming languages. The repository includes Docker images, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) support, and Junest for nonroot environments, enhancing accessibility across platforms. Although being developed and maintained by a small core team, BioArchLinux is a fast-growing bioinformatics repository that offers a participatory and community-driven environment.
The repository, documentation, and tools are freely available at https://bioarchlinux.org and https://github.com/BioArchLinux. Users and developers are encouraged to contribute and expand this open-source initiative.
Additional Links: PMID-40067093
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40067093,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, G and Ristola, P and Su, H and Kumar, B and Zhang, B and Hu, Y and Elliot, MG and Drobot, V and Zhu, J and Staal, J and Larralde, M and Wang, S and Yi, Y and Yu, H},
title = {BioArchLinux: community-driven fresh reproducible software repository for life sciences.},
journal = {Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)},
volume = {41},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {40067093},
issn = {1367-4811},
mesh = {*Software ; *Computational Biology/methods ; *Biological Science Disciplines ; Programming Languages ; Reproducibility of Results ; },
abstract = {MOTIVATION: The BioArchLinux project was initiated to address challenges in bioinformatics software reproducibility and freshness. Relying on Arch Linux's user-driven ecosystem, we aim to create a comprehensive and continuously updated repository for life sciences research.
RESULTS: BioArchLinux provides a PKGBUILD-based system for seamless software packaging and maintenance, enabling users to access the latest bioinformatics tools across multiple programming languages. The repository includes Docker images, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) support, and Junest for nonroot environments, enhancing accessibility across platforms. Although being developed and maintained by a small core team, BioArchLinux is a fast-growing bioinformatics repository that offers a participatory and community-driven environment.
The repository, documentation, and tools are freely available at https://bioarchlinux.org and https://github.com/BioArchLinux. Users and developers are encouraged to contribute and expand this open-source initiative.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Software
*Computational Biology/methods
*Biological Science Disciplines
Programming Languages
Reproducibility of Results
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-12
UnifiedGreatMod: a new holistic modelling paradigm for studying biological systems on a complete and harmonious scale.
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England), 41(3):.
MOTIVATION: Computational models are crucial for addressing critical questions about systems evolution and deciphering system connections. The pivotal feature of making this concept recognizable from the biological and clinical community is the possibility of quickly inspecting the whole system, bearing in mind the different granularity levels of its components. This holistic view of system behaviour expands the evolution study by identifying the heterogeneous behaviours applicable, e.g. to the cancer evolution study.
RESULTS: To address this aspect, we propose a new modelling paradigm, UnifiedGreatMod, which allows modellers to integrate fine-grained and coarse-grained biological information into a unique model. It enables functional studies by combining the analysis of the system's multi-level stable states with its fluctuating conditions. This approach helps to investigate the functional relationships and dependencies among biological entities. This is achieved, thanks to the hybridization of two analysis approaches that capture a system's different granularity levels. The proposed paradigm was then implemented into the open-source, general modelling framework GreatMod, in which a graphical meta-formalism is exploited to simplify the model creation phase and R languages to define user-defined analysis workflows. The proposal's effectiveness was demonstrated by mechanistically simulating the metabolic output of Escherichia coli under environmental nutrient perturbations and integrating a gene expression dataset. Additionally, the UnifiedGreatMod was used to examine the responses of luminal epithelial cells to Clostridium difficile infection.
GreatMod https://qbioturin.github.io/epimod/, epimod_FBAfunctions https://github.com/qBioTurin/epimod_FBAfunctions, first case study E. coli https://github.com/qBioTurin/Ec_coli_modelling, second case study C. difficile https://github.com/qBioTurin/EpiCell_CDifficile.
Additional Links: PMID-40073274
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40073274,
year = {2025},
author = {Aucello, R and Pernice, S and Tortarolo, D and Calogero, RA and Herrera-Rincon, C and Ronchi, G and Geuna, S and Cordero, F and Lió, P and Beccuti, M},
title = {UnifiedGreatMod: a new holistic modelling paradigm for studying biological systems on a complete and harmonious scale.},
journal = {Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)},
volume = {41},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {40073274},
issn = {1367-4811},
support = {//Ministero dell'Univerisita' e della Ricerca/ ; },
mesh = {*Models, Biological ; *Software ; *Systems Biology/methods ; Escherichia coli/metabolism/genetics ; Computer Simulation ; Clostridioides difficile ; *Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {MOTIVATION: Computational models are crucial for addressing critical questions about systems evolution and deciphering system connections. The pivotal feature of making this concept recognizable from the biological and clinical community is the possibility of quickly inspecting the whole system, bearing in mind the different granularity levels of its components. This holistic view of system behaviour expands the evolution study by identifying the heterogeneous behaviours applicable, e.g. to the cancer evolution study.
RESULTS: To address this aspect, we propose a new modelling paradigm, UnifiedGreatMod, which allows modellers to integrate fine-grained and coarse-grained biological information into a unique model. It enables functional studies by combining the analysis of the system's multi-level stable states with its fluctuating conditions. This approach helps to investigate the functional relationships and dependencies among biological entities. This is achieved, thanks to the hybridization of two analysis approaches that capture a system's different granularity levels. The proposed paradigm was then implemented into the open-source, general modelling framework GreatMod, in which a graphical meta-formalism is exploited to simplify the model creation phase and R languages to define user-defined analysis workflows. The proposal's effectiveness was demonstrated by mechanistically simulating the metabolic output of Escherichia coli under environmental nutrient perturbations and integrating a gene expression dataset. Additionally, the UnifiedGreatMod was used to examine the responses of luminal epithelial cells to Clostridium difficile infection.
GreatMod https://qbioturin.github.io/epimod/, epimod_FBAfunctions https://github.com/qBioTurin/epimod_FBAfunctions, first case study E. coli https://github.com/qBioTurin/Ec_coli_modelling, second case study C. difficile https://github.com/qBioTurin/EpiCell_CDifficile.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Models, Biological
*Software
*Systems Biology/methods
Escherichia coli/metabolism/genetics
Computer Simulation
Clostridioides difficile
*Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-27
CmpDate: 2025-03-13
CaecilianTraits, an individual level trait database of Caecilians worldwide.
Scientific data, 12(1):428.
Functional traits differ among species, which determine the ecological niche a species occupies and its ability to adapt to environment. However, differences in traits also exist at intraspecific level. Such variations shape differences in individual survival capabilities. Investigating intraspecific differences of functional traits is important for ecology, evolutionary biology and biodiversity conservation. Individual trait-based approaches have been applied in plant ecology. But for animals, most databases only provide data at the species level. In this study, we presented a global database of morphological traits for caecilians (Amphibia, Gymnophiona) at both species and individual level. Caecilians are a unique group of amphibians characterized by their secretive habits, which have limited our understanding of this taxon. We compiled the most comprehensive database covering 218 out of 222 known species, with 215 of them have individual level data. This database will facilitate research in the ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, and taxonomy of caecilians. Furthermore, this dataset can be utilized to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses at the individual level.
Additional Links: PMID-40074756
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40074756,
year = {2025},
author = {Wei, P and Song, Y and Tian, R and Wang, Y and Chen, J and Yuan, Z and Zhou, W},
title = {CaecilianTraits, an individual level trait database of Caecilians worldwide.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {428},
pmid = {40074756},
issn = {2052-4463},
support = {32170445//National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Amphibians/anatomy & histology/classification ; *Databases, Factual ; Biological Evolution ; Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Functional traits differ among species, which determine the ecological niche a species occupies and its ability to adapt to environment. However, differences in traits also exist at intraspecific level. Such variations shape differences in individual survival capabilities. Investigating intraspecific differences of functional traits is important for ecology, evolutionary biology and biodiversity conservation. Individual trait-based approaches have been applied in plant ecology. But for animals, most databases only provide data at the species level. In this study, we presented a global database of morphological traits for caecilians (Amphibia, Gymnophiona) at both species and individual level. Caecilians are a unique group of amphibians characterized by their secretive habits, which have limited our understanding of this taxon. We compiled the most comprehensive database covering 218 out of 222 known species, with 215 of them have individual level data. This database will facilitate research in the ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, and taxonomy of caecilians. Furthermore, this dataset can be utilized to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses at the individual level.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
*Amphibians/anatomy & histology/classification
*Databases, Factual
Biological Evolution
Biodiversity
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-12
Multi-omics analysis revealed the novel role of NQO1 in microenvironment, prognosis and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Scientific reports, 15(1):8591.
NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1) is overexpressed in various cancers and is strongly associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment and poor prognosis. In this study, we explored the role of NQO1 in the microenvironment, prognosis and immunotherapy of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using multi-omics analysis and machine learning. The results revealed that NQO1 was significantly overexpressed in HCC cells. NQO1[+]HCC cells were correlated with poor prognosis and facilitated tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarization to M2 macrophages. We identified core NQO1-related genes (NRGs) and developed the NRGs-related risk-scores in hepatocellular carcinoma (NRSHC). The comprehensive nomogram integrating NRSHC, age, and pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) Stage achieved an area under the curve (AUC) above 0.7, demonstrating its accuracy in predicting survival outcomes and immunotherapy responses of HCC patients. High-risk patients exhibited worse prognoses but greater sensitivity to immunotherapy. Additionally, a web-based prediction tool was designed to enhance clinical utility. In conclusion, NQO1 may play a critical role in M2 polarization and accelerates HCC progression. The NRSHC model and accompanying tools offer valuable insights for personalized HCC treatment.
Additional Links: PMID-40074806
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40074806,
year = {2025},
author = {Tang, Y and Hu, H and Chen, S and Hao, B and Xu, X and Zhu, H and Zhan, W and Zhang, T and Hu, H and Chen, G},
title = {Multi-omics analysis revealed the novel role of NQO1 in microenvironment, prognosis and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {8591},
pmid = {40074806},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {24B0413//the Scientific Research Project of the Hunan Provincial Department of Education/ ; 2024JJ7455//Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province/ ; 20224310NHYCG04//University of South China Clinical Research 4310 Program/ ; 20224310NHYCG01//University of South China Clinical Research 4310 Program/ ; 82473965//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2023JJ50156//the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province/ ; 202250045223//Science and technology innovation Program of Hengyang City/ ; ZYYD2024CG17//Central Government Guided Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region/ ; 2024WK4008//Hunan Province Innovation Ecological Construction Plan Science and Technology Assistance Project in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region/ ; SYTG-Y202429//Health Technology Promotion Project in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy/genetics/pathology/mortality/immunology/metabolism ; *NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)/genetics/metabolism ; *Liver Neoplasms/therapy/genetics/pathology/mortality/immunology/metabolism ; *Tumor Microenvironment/genetics ; *Immunotherapy/methods ; Prognosis ; Male ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Female ; Tumor-Associated Macrophages/immunology/metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Nomograms ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1) is overexpressed in various cancers and is strongly associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment and poor prognosis. In this study, we explored the role of NQO1 in the microenvironment, prognosis and immunotherapy of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using multi-omics analysis and machine learning. The results revealed that NQO1 was significantly overexpressed in HCC cells. NQO1[+]HCC cells were correlated with poor prognosis and facilitated tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarization to M2 macrophages. We identified core NQO1-related genes (NRGs) and developed the NRGs-related risk-scores in hepatocellular carcinoma (NRSHC). The comprehensive nomogram integrating NRSHC, age, and pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) Stage achieved an area under the curve (AUC) above 0.7, demonstrating its accuracy in predicting survival outcomes and immunotherapy responses of HCC patients. High-risk patients exhibited worse prognoses but greater sensitivity to immunotherapy. Additionally, a web-based prediction tool was designed to enhance clinical utility. In conclusion, NQO1 may play a critical role in M2 polarization and accelerates HCC progression. The NRSHC model and accompanying tools offer valuable insights for personalized HCC treatment.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
*Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy/genetics/pathology/mortality/immunology/metabolism
*NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)/genetics/metabolism
*Liver Neoplasms/therapy/genetics/pathology/mortality/immunology/metabolism
*Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
*Immunotherapy/methods
Prognosis
Male
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Female
Tumor-Associated Macrophages/immunology/metabolism
Middle Aged
Cell Line, Tumor
Nomograms
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-07-05
CmpDate: 2025-07-03
Short Read Lengths Recover Ecological Patterns in 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Data.
Molecular ecology resources, 25(6):e14102.
16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, the study of amplicon sequences of the 16S rRNA gene from mixed environmental samples, is an increasingly popular and accessible method for assessing bacterial communities across a wide range of environments. As metabarcoding sequence data archives continue to grow, data reuse will likely become an important source of novel insights into the ecology of microbes. While recent work has demonstrated the benefits of longer read lengths for the study of microbial communities from 16S rRNA gene segments, no studies have explored the use of shorter (< 200 bp) read lengths in the context of data reuse. Nevertheless, this information is essential to improve the reuse and comparability of metabarcoding data across existing datasets. This study reanalyzed nine 16S rRNA datasets targeting aquatic, animal-associated and soil microbiomes, and evaluated how processing the sequence data across a range of read lengths affected the resulting taxonomic assignments, biodiversity metrics and differential (i.e., before-after treatment) analyses. Short read lengths successfully recovered ecological patterns and allowed for the use of more sequences. Limited increases in resolution were observed beyond 150 bp reads across environments. Furthermore, abundance-weighted diversity metrics (e.g., Inverse Simpson index, Morisita-Horn dissimilarities or weighted Unifrac distances) were more robust to variation in read lengths. Read lengths alone contributed to consistent increases in the total number of ASVs detected, highlighting the need to consider metabarcoding-derived diversity estimates within the context of the bioinformatics parameters selected. This study provides evidence-based guidelines for the processing of short reads.
Additional Links: PMID-40079420
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40079420,
year = {2025},
author = {Jurburg, SD},
title = {Short Read Lengths Recover Ecological Patterns in 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Data.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {25},
number = {6},
pages = {e14102},
pmid = {40079420},
issn = {1755-0998},
mesh = {*RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification ; *Metagenomics/methods ; Microbiota ; Animals ; *DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods ; Biodiversity ; Computational Biology/methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods ; },
abstract = {16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, the study of amplicon sequences of the 16S rRNA gene from mixed environmental samples, is an increasingly popular and accessible method for assessing bacterial communities across a wide range of environments. As metabarcoding sequence data archives continue to grow, data reuse will likely become an important source of novel insights into the ecology of microbes. While recent work has demonstrated the benefits of longer read lengths for the study of microbial communities from 16S rRNA gene segments, no studies have explored the use of shorter (< 200 bp) read lengths in the context of data reuse. Nevertheless, this information is essential to improve the reuse and comparability of metabarcoding data across existing datasets. This study reanalyzed nine 16S rRNA datasets targeting aquatic, animal-associated and soil microbiomes, and evaluated how processing the sequence data across a range of read lengths affected the resulting taxonomic assignments, biodiversity metrics and differential (i.e., before-after treatment) analyses. Short read lengths successfully recovered ecological patterns and allowed for the use of more sequences. Limited increases in resolution were observed beyond 150 bp reads across environments. Furthermore, abundance-weighted diversity metrics (e.g., Inverse Simpson index, Morisita-Horn dissimilarities or weighted Unifrac distances) were more robust to variation in read lengths. Read lengths alone contributed to consistent increases in the total number of ASVs detected, highlighting the need to consider metabarcoding-derived diversity estimates within the context of the bioinformatics parameters selected. This study provides evidence-based guidelines for the processing of short reads.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
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*RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
*Bacteria/genetics/classification
*Metagenomics/methods
Microbiota
Animals
*DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods
Biodiversity
Computational Biology/methods
Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-13
CmpDate: 2025-05-13
Multiomics analysis revealed the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics at different environmentally relevant concentrations on intestinal homeostasis.
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 372:126050.
Nanoplastics pollution is a global issue, with the digestive tract being one of the first affected organs, requiring further research on its impact on intestinal health. This study involved orally exposing mice to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) at doses of 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/d for 42 days. The effects on intestinal health were thoroughly assessed via microbiomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and molecular biology. Our study demonstrated that the administration of all three doses of PS-NPs resulted in increased colonic permeability, heightened colonic and peripheral inflammation, reduced levels of antimicrobial peptides, and shortened colonic length. These effects may be attributed to a reduction in the abundance of probiotic bacteria, such as Clostridia_UCG-014, Roseburia, and Akkermansia, alongside an increase in the abundance of the pathogenic bacterium Desulfovibrionaceae induced by PS-NPs. Furthermore, we underscored the crucial role of histidine metabolism in PS-NPs-induced colonic injury, characterized by a significant reduction of L-histidine, which is closely related to microbial ecological dysregulation. Corresponding to microbiota deterioration and metabolic dysregulation, transcriptome analysis revealed that PS-NPs may disrupt colonic immune homeostasis by activating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study provided novel insights into the mechanisms by which PS-NPs disrupt intestinal homeostasis through integrated multiomics analysis, revealing critical molecular pathway and providing a scientific basis for future risk assessment of nanoplastics exposure.
Additional Links: PMID-40086783
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40086783,
year = {2025},
author = {Yang, JZ and Li, JH and Liu, JL and Zhou, AD and Wang, H and Xie, XL and Zhang, KK and Wang, Q},
title = {Multiomics analysis revealed the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics at different environmentally relevant concentrations on intestinal homeostasis.},
journal = {Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)},
volume = {372},
number = {},
pages = {126050},
doi = {10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126050},
pmid = {40086783},
issn = {1873-6424},
mesh = {Animals ; Mice ; *Polystyrenes/toxicity ; Homeostasis/drug effects ; *Microplastics/toxicity ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects ; *Intestines/drug effects ; Male ; Metabolomics ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Nanoplastics pollution is a global issue, with the digestive tract being one of the first affected organs, requiring further research on its impact on intestinal health. This study involved orally exposing mice to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) at doses of 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/d for 42 days. The effects on intestinal health were thoroughly assessed via microbiomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and molecular biology. Our study demonstrated that the administration of all three doses of PS-NPs resulted in increased colonic permeability, heightened colonic and peripheral inflammation, reduced levels of antimicrobial peptides, and shortened colonic length. These effects may be attributed to a reduction in the abundance of probiotic bacteria, such as Clostridia_UCG-014, Roseburia, and Akkermansia, alongside an increase in the abundance of the pathogenic bacterium Desulfovibrionaceae induced by PS-NPs. Furthermore, we underscored the crucial role of histidine metabolism in PS-NPs-induced colonic injury, characterized by a significant reduction of L-histidine, which is closely related to microbial ecological dysregulation. Corresponding to microbiota deterioration and metabolic dysregulation, transcriptome analysis revealed that PS-NPs may disrupt colonic immune homeostasis by activating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study provided novel insights into the mechanisms by which PS-NPs disrupt intestinal homeostasis through integrated multiomics analysis, revealing critical molecular pathway and providing a scientific basis for future risk assessment of nanoplastics exposure.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
Mice
*Polystyrenes/toxicity
Homeostasis/drug effects
*Microplastics/toxicity
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects
*Intestines/drug effects
Male
Metabolomics
Multiomics
RevDate: 2026-07-28
CmpDate: 2025-07-03
ParAquaSeq, a Database of Ecologically Annotated rRNA Sequences Covering Zoosporic Parasites Infecting Aquatic Primary Producers in Natural and Industrial Systems.
Molecular ecology resources, 25(6):e14099.
Amplicon sequencing tools such as metabarcoding are commonly used for thorough characterisation of microbial diversity in natural samples. They mostly rely on the amplification of conserved universal markers, mainly ribosomal genes, allowing the taxonomic assignment of barcodes. However, linking taxonomic classification with functional traits is not straightforward and requires knowledge of each taxonomic group to confidently assign taxa to a given functional trait. Zoosporic parasites are highly diverse and yet understudied, with many undescribed species and host associations. However, they can have important impacts on host populations in natural ecosystems (e.g., controlling harmful algal blooms), as well as on industrial-scale algae production, e.g. aquaculture, causing their collapse or economic losses. Here, we present ParAquaSeq, a curated database of available molecular ribosomal sequences belonging to zoosporic parasites infecting aquatic vascular plants, macroalgae and photosynthetic microorganisms, i.e. microalgae and cyanobacteria. These sequences are aligned with ancillary data and other information currently available, including details on their hosts, occurrence, culture availability and associated bibliography. The database includes 1131 curated sequences from marine, freshwater and industrial or artificial environments, and belonging to 13 different taxonomic groups, including Chytridiomycota, Oomycota, Phytomyxea, and Syndiniophyceae. The curated database will allow a comprehensive analysis of zoosporic parasites in molecular datasets to answer questions related to their occurrence and distribution in natural communities. Especially through meta-analysis, the database serves as a valuable tool for developing effective mitigation and sustainable management strategies in the algae biomass industry, but it will also help to identify knowledge gaps for future research.
Additional Links: PMID-40087979
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40087979,
year = {2025},
author = {Van den Wyngaert, S and Cerbin, S and Garzoli, L and Grossart, HP and Gsell, AS and Kraberg, A and Lepère, C and Neuhauser, S and Stupar, M and Tarallo, A and Cunliffe, M and Gachon, C and Gavrilović, A and Masigol, H and Rasconi, S and Selmeczy, GB and Schmeller, DS and Scholz, B and Timoneda, N and Trbojević, I and Wilk-Woźniak, E and Reñé, A},
title = {ParAquaSeq, a Database of Ecologically Annotated rRNA Sequences Covering Zoosporic Parasites Infecting Aquatic Primary Producers in Natural and Industrial Systems.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {25},
number = {6},
pages = {e14099},
pmid = {40087979},
issn = {1755-0998},
support = {PID2020-112978GB-I00//Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/ ; CA20125//European Cooperation in Science and Technology/ ; 451-03-66/2024-03/200178//Ministarstvo Prosvete, Nauke i Tehnološkog Razvoja/ ; 239548-051//RANNIS Icelandic Research Fund/ ; 340659/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; 346387//Research Council of Finland/ ; 101086521//European Commission/ ; IR0000005//European Commission/ ; NKFIH KKP 144068//National Laboratory for Water Science and Water Security/ ; RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00008//National Laboratory for Water Science and Water Security/ ; Y0801-B16//Austrian Science Fund/ ; //AXA Research Fund/ ; ANR-21-BIRE-0002-01//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; 101052342//Biodiversa+/ ; CIR-01_00028//Italian Ministry of University and Research/ ; GR1540/33-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; GR1540/47-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; GR1540/48-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; GR1540/51-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; CEX2019-000928-S//AEI/ ; },
mesh = {*Aquatic Organisms/parasitology ; *RNA, Ribosomal/genetics ; Microalgae/parasitology ; *Parasites/genetics/classification ; *Databases, Genetic ; },
abstract = {Amplicon sequencing tools such as metabarcoding are commonly used for thorough characterisation of microbial diversity in natural samples. They mostly rely on the amplification of conserved universal markers, mainly ribosomal genes, allowing the taxonomic assignment of barcodes. However, linking taxonomic classification with functional traits is not straightforward and requires knowledge of each taxonomic group to confidently assign taxa to a given functional trait. Zoosporic parasites are highly diverse and yet understudied, with many undescribed species and host associations. However, they can have important impacts on host populations in natural ecosystems (e.g., controlling harmful algal blooms), as well as on industrial-scale algae production, e.g. aquaculture, causing their collapse or economic losses. Here, we present ParAquaSeq, a curated database of available molecular ribosomal sequences belonging to zoosporic parasites infecting aquatic vascular plants, macroalgae and photosynthetic microorganisms, i.e. microalgae and cyanobacteria. These sequences are aligned with ancillary data and other information currently available, including details on their hosts, occurrence, culture availability and associated bibliography. The database includes 1131 curated sequences from marine, freshwater and industrial or artificial environments, and belonging to 13 different taxonomic groups, including Chytridiomycota, Oomycota, Phytomyxea, and Syndiniophyceae. The curated database will allow a comprehensive analysis of zoosporic parasites in molecular datasets to answer questions related to their occurrence and distribution in natural communities. Especially through meta-analysis, the database serves as a valuable tool for developing effective mitigation and sustainable management strategies in the algae biomass industry, but it will also help to identify knowledge gaps for future research.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Aquatic Organisms/parasitology
*RNA, Ribosomal/genetics
Microalgae/parasitology
*Parasites/genetics/classification
*Databases, Genetic
RevDate: 2025-05-16
CmpDate: 2025-05-09
Trends in stroke mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean from 1997 to 2020 and predictions to 2035: An analysis of gender, and geographical disparities.
Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association, 34(6):108286.
BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally, with significant public health implications. In Latin America, while mortality rates have declined, the number of stroke cases has increased due to prevalent risk factors like high blood pressure and obesity. Unlike Europe, recent trends in stroke mortality in this region remain underreported.
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates stroke mortality rates in Latin America Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries from 1997 to 2020 and predictions to 2035.
METHODS: This ecological observational study utilized mortality data from the World Health Organization database. Trends were analyzed using Joinpoint regression to evaluate the annual percent change (APC) by sex and country. Predicted mortality rates through 2035 were calculated using the Nordpred package in R. Changes in stroke mortality were assessed by disentangling the effects of population growth, aging, and risk factor modifications, based on age-specific rates and projections. Results were presented as absolute case numbers and relative percentages.
RESULTS: From 1997 to 2020, twelve countries presented significant reductions in stroke mortality rates for men in LAC, the main ones being Chile (-4.2 %), El Salvador (-4.2 %), and Puerto Rico (-4.0 %). Thirteen countries reported a reduction in their mortality for women, mainly in Puerto Rico (-4.3 %), Chile (-3.7 %), Argentina, El Salvador, and Uruguay (-3.5 %). By 2035, an increase in deaths among men and women is expected, mainly due to the increase in population structure and size. However, a decrease in the mortality rate will be reported, mainly due to the reduction of risk factors.
CONCLUSION: Our final findings show a reduction in stroke mortality trends in LAC countries between 1997 and 2020, due to creating public awareness about vascular risk factors by authorities and the implementation of effective health policies. By 2035, an overall increase in mortality is expected, mainly due to population change in each country.
Additional Links: PMID-40089216
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PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40089216,
year = {2025},
author = {Torres-Roman, JS and Quispe-Vicuña, C and Benavente-Casas, A and Julca-Marin, D and Rios-Garcia, W and Challapa-Mamani, MR and Rio-Muñiz, LD and Ybaseta-Medina, J},
title = {Trends in stroke mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean from 1997 to 2020 and predictions to 2035: An analysis of gender, and geographical disparities.},
journal = {Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association},
volume = {34},
number = {6},
pages = {108286},
doi = {10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2025.108286},
pmid = {40089216},
issn = {1532-8511},
mesh = {Humans ; Latin America/epidemiology ; Female ; Male ; *Stroke/mortality/diagnosis ; Caribbean Region/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Middle Aged ; Sex Distribution ; Time Factors ; Databases, Factual ; Aged ; Adult ; *Health Status Disparities ; Age Distribution ; Forecasting ; Risk Assessment ; Age Factors ; Young Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally, with significant public health implications. In Latin America, while mortality rates have declined, the number of stroke cases has increased due to prevalent risk factors like high blood pressure and obesity. Unlike Europe, recent trends in stroke mortality in this region remain underreported.
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates stroke mortality rates in Latin America Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries from 1997 to 2020 and predictions to 2035.
METHODS: This ecological observational study utilized mortality data from the World Health Organization database. Trends were analyzed using Joinpoint regression to evaluate the annual percent change (APC) by sex and country. Predicted mortality rates through 2035 were calculated using the Nordpred package in R. Changes in stroke mortality were assessed by disentangling the effects of population growth, aging, and risk factor modifications, based on age-specific rates and projections. Results were presented as absolute case numbers and relative percentages.
RESULTS: From 1997 to 2020, twelve countries presented significant reductions in stroke mortality rates for men in LAC, the main ones being Chile (-4.2 %), El Salvador (-4.2 %), and Puerto Rico (-4.0 %). Thirteen countries reported a reduction in their mortality for women, mainly in Puerto Rico (-4.3 %), Chile (-3.7 %), Argentina, El Salvador, and Uruguay (-3.5 %). By 2035, an increase in deaths among men and women is expected, mainly due to the increase in population structure and size. However, a decrease in the mortality rate will be reported, mainly due to the reduction of risk factors.
CONCLUSION: Our final findings show a reduction in stroke mortality trends in LAC countries between 1997 and 2020, due to creating public awareness about vascular risk factors by authorities and the implementation of effective health policies. By 2035, an overall increase in mortality is expected, mainly due to population change in each country.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
Latin America/epidemiology
Female
Male
*Stroke/mortality/diagnosis
Caribbean Region/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Middle Aged
Sex Distribution
Time Factors
Databases, Factual
Aged
Adult
*Health Status Disparities
Age Distribution
Forecasting
Risk Assessment
Age Factors
Young Adult
Aged, 80 and over
RevDate: 2025-06-04
CmpDate: 2025-05-29
Integrative omics reveals mechanisms of biosynthesis and regulation of floral scent in Cymbidium tracyanum.
Plant biotechnology journal, 23(6):2162-2181.
Flower scent is a crucial determiner in pollinator attraction and a significant horticultural trait in ornamental plants. Orchids, which have long been of interest in evolutionary biology and horticulture, exhibit remarkable diversity in floral scent type and intensity. However, the mechanisms underlying floral scent biosynthesis and regulation in orchids remain largely unexplored. In this study, we focus on floral scent in Cymbidium tracyanum, a wild species known for its strong floral fragrance and as a primary breeding parent of commercial Cymbidium hybrids. We present a chromosome-level genome assembly of C. tracyanum, totaling 3.79 Gb in size. Comparative genomic analyses reveal significant expansion of gene families associated with terpenoid biosynthesis and related metabolic pathways in C. tracyanum. Integrative analysis of genomic, volatolomic and transcriptomic data identified terpenoids as the predominant volatile components in the flowers of C. tracyanum. We characterized the spatiotemporal patterns of these volatiles and identified CtTPS genes responsible for volatile terpenoid biosynthesis, validating their catalytic functions in vitro. Dual-luciferase reporter assays, yeast one-hybrid assays and EMSA experiments confirmed that CtTPS2, CtTPS3, and CtTPS8 could be activated by various transcription factors (i.e., CtAP2/ERF1, CtbZIP1, CtMYB2, CtMYB3 and CtAP2/ERF4), thereby regulating the production of corresponding monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Our study elucidates the biosynthetic and regulatory mechanisms of floral scent in C. tracyanum, which is of great significance for the breeding of fragrant Cymbidium varieties and understanding the ecological adaptability of orchids. This study also highlights the importance of integrating multi-omics data in deciphering key horticultural traits in orchids.
Additional Links: PMID-40091604
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40091604,
year = {2025},
author = {Tu, M and Liu, N and He, ZS and Dong, XM and Gao, TY and Zhu, A and Yang, JB and Zhang, SB},
title = {Integrative omics reveals mechanisms of biosynthesis and regulation of floral scent in Cymbidium tracyanum.},
journal = {Plant biotechnology journal},
volume = {23},
number = {6},
pages = {2162-2181},
pmid = {40091604},
issn = {1467-7652},
support = {202403AC100032//Key Research and Development Program of Yunnan Province/ ; YNWR-CYJS-2020-023//High-level Talent Support Plan of Yunnan Province/ ; XDB31000000//Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/ ; 32170393//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2024YFF1306703//National Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; 202201AU070123//Yunnan Fundamental Research Project/ ; 202301AT070306//Yunnan Fundamental Research Project/ ; },
mesh = {*Flowers/metabolism/genetics ; *Orchidaceae/genetics/metabolism ; *Odorants/analysis ; Terpenes/metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcriptome ; Volatile Organic Compounds/metabolism ; Genomics ; Plant Proteins/metabolism/genetics ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Flower scent is a crucial determiner in pollinator attraction and a significant horticultural trait in ornamental plants. Orchids, which have long been of interest in evolutionary biology and horticulture, exhibit remarkable diversity in floral scent type and intensity. However, the mechanisms underlying floral scent biosynthesis and regulation in orchids remain largely unexplored. In this study, we focus on floral scent in Cymbidium tracyanum, a wild species known for its strong floral fragrance and as a primary breeding parent of commercial Cymbidium hybrids. We present a chromosome-level genome assembly of C. tracyanum, totaling 3.79 Gb in size. Comparative genomic analyses reveal significant expansion of gene families associated with terpenoid biosynthesis and related metabolic pathways in C. tracyanum. Integrative analysis of genomic, volatolomic and transcriptomic data identified terpenoids as the predominant volatile components in the flowers of C. tracyanum. We characterized the spatiotemporal patterns of these volatiles and identified CtTPS genes responsible for volatile terpenoid biosynthesis, validating their catalytic functions in vitro. Dual-luciferase reporter assays, yeast one-hybrid assays and EMSA experiments confirmed that CtTPS2, CtTPS3, and CtTPS8 could be activated by various transcription factors (i.e., CtAP2/ERF1, CtbZIP1, CtMYB2, CtMYB3 and CtAP2/ERF4), thereby regulating the production of corresponding monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Our study elucidates the biosynthetic and regulatory mechanisms of floral scent in C. tracyanum, which is of great significance for the breeding of fragrant Cymbidium varieties and understanding the ecological adaptability of orchids. This study also highlights the importance of integrating multi-omics data in deciphering key horticultural traits in orchids.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Flowers/metabolism/genetics
*Orchidaceae/genetics/metabolism
*Odorants/analysis
Terpenes/metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Transcriptome
Volatile Organic Compounds/metabolism
Genomics
Plant Proteins/metabolism/genetics
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25
Missing Data in Discrete Time State-Space Modeling of Ecological Momentary Assessment Data: A Monte-Carlo Study of Imputation Methods.
Multivariate behavioral research, 60(4):695-710.
When using ecological momentary assessment data (EMA), missing data is pervasive as participant attrition is a common issue. Thus, any EMA study must have a missing data plan. In this paper, we discuss missingness in time series analysis and the appropriate way to handle missing data when the data is modeled as an idiographic discrete time continuous measure state-space model. We found that Missing Completely at Random, Missing At Random, and Time-dependent Missing At Random data have less bias and variability than Autoregressive Time-dependent Missing At Random and Missing Not At Random. The Kalman filter excelled at handling missing data under most conditions. Contrary to the literature, we found that using a variety of methods, multiple imputations struggled to recover the parameters.
Additional Links: PMID-40091737
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40091737,
year = {2025},
author = {Slipetz, LR and Falk, A and Henry, TR},
title = {Missing Data in Discrete Time State-Space Modeling of Ecological Momentary Assessment Data: A Monte-Carlo Study of Imputation Methods.},
journal = {Multivariate behavioral research},
volume = {60},
number = {4},
pages = {695-710},
doi = {10.1080/00273171.2025.2469055},
pmid = {40091737},
issn = {1532-7906},
mesh = {*Ecological Momentary Assessment ; Humans ; *Monte Carlo Method ; *Models, Statistical ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Bias ; Computer Simulation ; Time Factors ; },
abstract = {When using ecological momentary assessment data (EMA), missing data is pervasive as participant attrition is a common issue. Thus, any EMA study must have a missing data plan. In this paper, we discuss missingness in time series analysis and the appropriate way to handle missing data when the data is modeled as an idiographic discrete time continuous measure state-space model. We found that Missing Completely at Random, Missing At Random, and Time-dependent Missing At Random data have less bias and variability than Autoregressive Time-dependent Missing At Random and Missing Not At Random. The Kalman filter excelled at handling missing data under most conditions. Contrary to the literature, we found that using a variety of methods, multiple imputations struggled to recover the parameters.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Ecological Momentary Assessment
Humans
*Monte Carlo Method
*Models, Statistical
Data Interpretation, Statistical
Bias
Computer Simulation
Time Factors
RevDate: 2025-05-13
CmpDate: 2025-05-13
Generative AI extracts ecological meaning from the complex three dimensional shapes of bird bills.
PLoS computational biology, 21(3):e1012887.
Data on the three dimensional shape of organismal morphology is becoming increasingly available, and forms part of a new revolution in high-throughput phenomics that promises to help understand ecological and evolutionary processes that influence phenotypes at unprecedented scales. However, in order to meet the potential of this revolution we need new data analysis tools to deal with the complexity and heterogeneity of large-scale phenotypic data such as 3D shapes. In this study we explore the potential of generative Artificial Intelligence to help organize and extract meaning from complex 3D data. Specifically, we train a deep representational learning method known as DeepSDF on a dataset of 3D scans of the bills of 2,020 bird species. The model is designed to learn a continuous vector representation of 3D shapes, along with a 'decoder' function, that allows the transformation from this vector space to the original 3D morphological space. We find that approach successfully learns coherent representations: particular directions in latent space are associated with discernible morphological meaning (such as elongation, flattening, etc.). More importantly, learned latent vectors have ecological meaning as shown by their ability to predict the trophic niche of the bird each bill belongs to with a high degree of accuracy. Unlike existing 3D morphometric techniques, this method has very little requirements for human supervised tasks such as landmark placement, increasing it accessibility to labs with fewer labour resources. It has fewer strong assumptions than alternative dimension reduction techniques such as PCA. Once trained, 3D morphology predictions can be made from latent vectors very computationally cheaply. The trained model has been made publicly available and can be used by the community, including for finetuning on new data, representing an early step toward developing shared, reusable AI models for analyzing organismal morphology.
Additional Links: PMID-40096239
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40096239,
year = {2025},
author = {Dinnage, R and Kleineberg, M},
title = {Generative AI extracts ecological meaning from the complex three dimensional shapes of bird bills.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {3},
pages = {e1012887},
pmid = {40096239},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {Animals ; *Birds/anatomy & histology ; *Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods ; Computational Biology ; *Beak/anatomy & histology ; *Artificial Intelligence ; Deep Learning ; },
abstract = {Data on the three dimensional shape of organismal morphology is becoming increasingly available, and forms part of a new revolution in high-throughput phenomics that promises to help understand ecological and evolutionary processes that influence phenotypes at unprecedented scales. However, in order to meet the potential of this revolution we need new data analysis tools to deal with the complexity and heterogeneity of large-scale phenotypic data such as 3D shapes. In this study we explore the potential of generative Artificial Intelligence to help organize and extract meaning from complex 3D data. Specifically, we train a deep representational learning method known as DeepSDF on a dataset of 3D scans of the bills of 2,020 bird species. The model is designed to learn a continuous vector representation of 3D shapes, along with a 'decoder' function, that allows the transformation from this vector space to the original 3D morphological space. We find that approach successfully learns coherent representations: particular directions in latent space are associated with discernible morphological meaning (such as elongation, flattening, etc.). More importantly, learned latent vectors have ecological meaning as shown by their ability to predict the trophic niche of the bird each bill belongs to with a high degree of accuracy. Unlike existing 3D morphometric techniques, this method has very little requirements for human supervised tasks such as landmark placement, increasing it accessibility to labs with fewer labour resources. It has fewer strong assumptions than alternative dimension reduction techniques such as PCA. Once trained, 3D morphology predictions can be made from latent vectors very computationally cheaply. The trained model has been made publicly available and can be used by the community, including for finetuning on new data, representing an early step toward developing shared, reusable AI models for analyzing organismal morphology.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
*Birds/anatomy & histology
*Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods
Computational Biology
*Beak/anatomy & histology
*Artificial Intelligence
Deep Learning
RevDate: 2026-02-17
CmpDate: 2026-02-17
Information storage across a microbial community using universal RNA barcoding.
Nature biotechnology, 44(2):269-276.
Gene transfer can be studied using genetically encoded reporters or metagenomic sequencing but these methods are limited by sensitivity when used to monitor the mobile DNA host range in microbial communities. To record information about gene transfer across a wastewater microbiome, a synthetic catalytic RNA was used to barcode a highly conserved segment of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). By writing information into rRNA using a ribozyme and reading out native and modified rRNA using amplicon sequencing, we find that microbial community members from 20 taxonomic orders participate in plasmid conjugation with an Escherichia coli donor strain and observe differences in 16S rRNA barcode signal across amplicon sequence variants. Multiplexed rRNA barcoding using plasmids with pBBR1 or ColE1 origins of replication reveals differences in host range. This autonomous RNA-addressable modification provides information about gene transfer without requiring translation and will enable microbiome engineering across diverse ecological settings and studies of environmental controls on gene transfer and cellular uptake of extracellular materials.
Additional Links: PMID-40102641
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@article {pmid40102641,
year = {2026},
author = {Kalvapalle, PB and Staubus, A and Dysart, MJ and Gambill, L and Reyes Gamas, K and Lu, LC and Silberg, JJ and Stadler, LB and Chappell, J},
title = {Information storage across a microbial community using universal RNA barcoding.},
journal = {Nature biotechnology},
volume = {44},
number = {2},
pages = {269-276},
pmid = {40102641},
issn = {1546-1696},
support = {2021-33522-35356//United States Department of Agriculture | National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)/ ; W911NF-24-2-0073//United States Department of Defense | United States Army | U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command | Army Research Office (ARO)/ ; 1805901//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; 1828869//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; 2227526//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; 2237052//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; 2237512//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; FWP 78814//U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/ ; A23-0202-004//Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {*Microbiota/genetics ; *RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; *DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods ; Escherichia coli/genetics ; Plasmids/genetics ; *Information Storage and Retrieval/methods ; RNA, Bacterial/genetics ; RNA, Catalytic/genetics ; Wastewater/microbiology ; },
abstract = {Gene transfer can be studied using genetically encoded reporters or metagenomic sequencing but these methods are limited by sensitivity when used to monitor the mobile DNA host range in microbial communities. To record information about gene transfer across a wastewater microbiome, a synthetic catalytic RNA was used to barcode a highly conserved segment of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). By writing information into rRNA using a ribozyme and reading out native and modified rRNA using amplicon sequencing, we find that microbial community members from 20 taxonomic orders participate in plasmid conjugation with an Escherichia coli donor strain and observe differences in 16S rRNA barcode signal across amplicon sequence variants. Multiplexed rRNA barcoding using plasmids with pBBR1 or ColE1 origins of replication reveals differences in host range. This autonomous RNA-addressable modification provides information about gene transfer without requiring translation and will enable microbiome engineering across diverse ecological settings and studies of environmental controls on gene transfer and cellular uptake of extracellular materials.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Microbiota/genetics
*RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
*DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods
Escherichia coli/genetics
Plasmids/genetics
*Information Storage and Retrieval/methods
RNA, Bacterial/genetics
RNA, Catalytic/genetics
Wastewater/microbiology
RevDate: 2026-04-28
CmpDate: 2025-05-08
The draft genome assembly of the cosmopolitan pelagic fish dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus.
G3 (Bethesda, Md.), 15(5):.
For the first time, the complete genome assembly of the dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), a tropical cosmopolitan species with commercial fishing importance was sequenced. Using a combination of Illumina and Nanopore sequencing technologies, a draft genome of 497.8 Mb was assembled into 6,044 contigs, with an N50 of 200.9 kb and a BUSCO genome completeness score of 89%. This high-quality genome assembly provides a valuable resource to study adaptive evolutionary processes and supports conservation and management strategies for this ecologically and economically significant species.
Additional Links: PMID-40102961
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40102961,
year = {2025},
author = {Hinojosa-Alvarez, S and Mendoza-Portillo, V and Chavez-Santoscoy, RA and Hernández-Pérez, J and Felix-Ceniceros, A and Magallón-Gayón, E and Mar-Silva, AF and Ochoa-Zavala, M and Díaz-Jaimes, P},
title = {The draft genome assembly of the cosmopolitan pelagic fish dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus.},
journal = {G3 (Bethesda, Md.)},
volume = {15},
number = {5},
pages = {},
pmid = {40102961},
issn = {2160-1836},
support = {CF-2023-G-493//Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Genome ; Molecular Sequence Annotation ; *Genomics/methods ; *Perciformes/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; *Fishes/genetics ; Whole Genome Sequencing ; Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {For the first time, the complete genome assembly of the dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), a tropical cosmopolitan species with commercial fishing importance was sequenced. Using a combination of Illumina and Nanopore sequencing technologies, a draft genome of 497.8 Mb was assembled into 6,044 contigs, with an N50 of 200.9 kb and a BUSCO genome completeness score of 89%. This high-quality genome assembly provides a valuable resource to study adaptive evolutionary processes and supports conservation and management strategies for this ecologically and economically significant species.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*Genome
Molecular Sequence Annotation
*Genomics/methods
*Perciformes/genetics
Sequence Analysis, DNA
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
*Fishes/genetics
Whole Genome Sequencing
Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-13
CmpDate: 2025-05-13
How immunity shapes the long-term dynamics of influenza H3N2.
PLoS computational biology, 21(3):e1012893.
Since its emergence in 1968, influenza A H3N2 has caused yearly epidemics in temperate regions. While infection confers immunity against antigenically similar strains, new antigenically distinct strains that evade existing immunity regularly emerge ('antigenic drift'). Immunity at the individual level is complex, depending on an individual's lifetime infection history. An individual's first infection with influenza typically elicits the greatest response with subsequent infections eliciting progressively reduced responses ('antigenic seniority'). The combined effect of individual-level immune responses and antigenic drift on the epidemiological dynamics of influenza are not well understood. Here we develop an integrated modelling framework of influenza transmission, immunity, and antigenic drift to show how individual-level exposure, and the build-up of population level immunity, shape the long-term epidemiological dynamics of H3N2. Including antigenic seniority in the model, we observe that following an initial decline after the pandemic year, the average annual attack rate increases over the next 80 years, before reaching an equilibrium, with greater increases in older age-groups. Our analyses suggest that the average attack rate of H3N2 is still in a growth phase. Further increases, particularly in the elderly, may be expected in coming decades, driving an increase in healthcare demand due to H3N2 infections.
Additional Links: PMID-40111995
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40111995,
year = {2025},
author = {Eales, O and Shearer, FM and McCaw, JM},
title = {How immunity shapes the long-term dynamics of influenza H3N2.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {3},
pages = {e1012893},
pmid = {40111995},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {Humans ; *Influenza, Human/immunology/epidemiology/transmission/virology ; *Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/immunology/genetics ; Computational Biology ; *Models, Immunological ; Adult ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adolescent ; },
abstract = {Since its emergence in 1968, influenza A H3N2 has caused yearly epidemics in temperate regions. While infection confers immunity against antigenically similar strains, new antigenically distinct strains that evade existing immunity regularly emerge ('antigenic drift'). Immunity at the individual level is complex, depending on an individual's lifetime infection history. An individual's first infection with influenza typically elicits the greatest response with subsequent infections eliciting progressively reduced responses ('antigenic seniority'). The combined effect of individual-level immune responses and antigenic drift on the epidemiological dynamics of influenza are not well understood. Here we develop an integrated modelling framework of influenza transmission, immunity, and antigenic drift to show how individual-level exposure, and the build-up of population level immunity, shape the long-term epidemiological dynamics of H3N2. Including antigenic seniority in the model, we observe that following an initial decline after the pandemic year, the average annual attack rate increases over the next 80 years, before reaching an equilibrium, with greater increases in older age-groups. Our analyses suggest that the average attack rate of H3N2 is still in a growth phase. Further increases, particularly in the elderly, may be expected in coming decades, driving an increase in healthcare demand due to H3N2 infections.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
*Influenza, Human/immunology/epidemiology/transmission/virology
*Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/immunology/genetics
Computational Biology
*Models, Immunological
Adult
Aged
Middle Aged
Adolescent
RevDate: 2025-05-08
CmpDate: 2025-05-08
Multi-omics analysis provided insights into the fruit softening of postharvest okra under carboxymethyl chitosan treatment.
International journal of biological macromolecules, 307(Pt 3):142149.
To understand the potential regulatory mechanism of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) treatment on postharvest softening of okra, a joint analysis of physiologic index, transcriptome and metabolome was used. The results showed that CMCS could delay the deterioration of the apparent quality of okra and reduce the degradation of chlorophyll. CMCS can reduce the accumulation of WSP and CSP and the decrease of NSP, and inhibit the enzyme activities of pectin degradation (PE, PG, PL). The results of metabolic pathways related to quality and texture showed that CMCS could increase the metabolic level of pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), inhibit the expression of membrane lipid degradation-related genes, and balance the expression of antioxidant-related genes. Ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) are two important phytohormones. CMCS down-regulates the biosynthesis of ethylene and increases the expression of ABA. The combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome showed that CMCS could significantly up-regulate flavonoid biosynthesis metabolites and transcriptional expression levels. Cellulose and pectin are important polymers to maintain the rigidity of okra cell wall. CMCS treatment can slow down the accumulation of cellulose by regulating the expression of DEGs related to cellulose synthesis (CesA) and degradation (EGase). CMCS slowed down the degradation of pectin by down-regulating the expression of pectin degradation-related genes. These results indicate that the quality of okra is deteriorated and the fruit is softened during cold storage. CMCS treatment can improve the nutritional quality of okra and slow down its texture decline. In this study, the regulatory effect of CMCS on softening and quality deterioration of okra during cold storage was discussed at the molecular level, which provided a reference for improving the quality of postharvest okra.
Additional Links: PMID-40112992
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40112992,
year = {2025},
author = {Wei, L and Luo, Z and Wu, X and Liu, C and Shi, Y and Zhang, Q and Chen, M and Qin, W},
title = {Multi-omics analysis provided insights into the fruit softening of postharvest okra under carboxymethyl chitosan treatment.},
journal = {International journal of biological macromolecules},
volume = {307},
number = {Pt 3},
pages = {142149},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142149},
pmid = {40112992},
issn = {1879-0003},
mesh = {*Chitosan/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; *Fruit/drug effects/metabolism/genetics ; *Abelmoschus/genetics/metabolism/drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects ; Transcriptome/drug effects ; *Metabolomics/methods ; Metabolome/drug effects ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Pectins/metabolism ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {To understand the potential regulatory mechanism of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) treatment on postharvest softening of okra, a joint analysis of physiologic index, transcriptome and metabolome was used. The results showed that CMCS could delay the deterioration of the apparent quality of okra and reduce the degradation of chlorophyll. CMCS can reduce the accumulation of WSP and CSP and the decrease of NSP, and inhibit the enzyme activities of pectin degradation (PE, PG, PL). The results of metabolic pathways related to quality and texture showed that CMCS could increase the metabolic level of pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), inhibit the expression of membrane lipid degradation-related genes, and balance the expression of antioxidant-related genes. Ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) are two important phytohormones. CMCS down-regulates the biosynthesis of ethylene and increases the expression of ABA. The combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome showed that CMCS could significantly up-regulate flavonoid biosynthesis metabolites and transcriptional expression levels. Cellulose and pectin are important polymers to maintain the rigidity of okra cell wall. CMCS treatment can slow down the accumulation of cellulose by regulating the expression of DEGs related to cellulose synthesis (CesA) and degradation (EGase). CMCS slowed down the degradation of pectin by down-regulating the expression of pectin degradation-related genes. These results indicate that the quality of okra is deteriorated and the fruit is softened during cold storage. CMCS treatment can improve the nutritional quality of okra and slow down its texture decline. In this study, the regulatory effect of CMCS on softening and quality deterioration of okra during cold storage was discussed at the molecular level, which provided a reference for improving the quality of postharvest okra.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Chitosan/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology
*Fruit/drug effects/metabolism/genetics
*Abelmoschus/genetics/metabolism/drug effects
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects
Transcriptome/drug effects
*Metabolomics/methods
Metabolome/drug effects
Gene Expression Profiling
Pectins/metabolism
Multiomics
RevDate: 2026-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-14
Healthy microbiome-moving towards functional interpretation.
GigaScience, 14:.
BACKGROUND: Microbiome-based disease prediction has significant potential as an early, noninvasive marker of multiple health conditions linked to dysbiosis of the human gut microbiota, thanks in part to decreasing sequencing and analysis costs. Microbiome health indices and other computational tools currently proposed in the field often are based on a microbiome's species richness and are completely reliant on taxonomic classification. A resurgent interest in a metabolism-centric, ecological approach has led to an increased understanding of microbiome metabolic and phenotypic complexity, revealing substantial restrictions of taxonomy-reliant approaches.
FINDINGS: In this study, we introduce a new metagenomic health index developed as an answer to recent developments in microbiome definitions, in an effort to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy microbiomes, here in focus, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The novelty of our approach is a shift from a traditional Linnean phylogenetic classification toward a more holistic consideration of the metabolic functional potential underlining ecological interactions between species. Based on well-explored data cohorts, we compare our method and its performance with the most comprehensive indices to date, the taxonomy-based Gut Microbiome Health Index (GMHI), and the high-dimensional principal component analysis (hiPCA) methods, as well as to the standard taxon- and function-based Shannon entropy scoring. After demonstrating better performance on the initially targeted IBD cohorts, in comparison with other methods, we retrain our index on an additional 27 datasets obtained from different clinical conditions and validate our index's ability to distinguish between healthy and disease states using a variety of complementary benchmarking approaches. Finally, we demonstrate its superiority over the GMHI and the hiPCA on a longitudinal COVID-19 cohort and highlight the distinct robustness of our method to sequencing depth.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we emphasize the potential of this metagenomic approach and advocate a shift toward functional approaches to better understand and assess microbiome health as well as provide directions for future index enhancements. Our method, q2-predict-dysbiosis (Q2PD), is freely available (https://github.com/Kizielins/q2-predict-dysbiosis).
Additional Links: PMID-40117176
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40117176,
year = {2025},
author = {Zielińska, K and Udekwu, KI and Rudnicki, W and Frolova, A and Łabaj, PP},
title = {Healthy microbiome-moving towards functional interpretation.},
journal = {GigaScience},
volume = {14},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40117176},
issn = {2047-217X},
support = {2020/38/E/NZ2/00598//NCN/ ; PLG/2023/016234//Jagiellonian University in Krakow/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics ; *Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/microbiology ; *Metagenomics/methods ; Dysbiosis/microbiology ; Phylogeny ; *Microbiota ; Principal Component Analysis ; Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Microbiome-based disease prediction has significant potential as an early, noninvasive marker of multiple health conditions linked to dysbiosis of the human gut microbiota, thanks in part to decreasing sequencing and analysis costs. Microbiome health indices and other computational tools currently proposed in the field often are based on a microbiome's species richness and are completely reliant on taxonomic classification. A resurgent interest in a metabolism-centric, ecological approach has led to an increased understanding of microbiome metabolic and phenotypic complexity, revealing substantial restrictions of taxonomy-reliant approaches.
FINDINGS: In this study, we introduce a new metagenomic health index developed as an answer to recent developments in microbiome definitions, in an effort to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy microbiomes, here in focus, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The novelty of our approach is a shift from a traditional Linnean phylogenetic classification toward a more holistic consideration of the metabolic functional potential underlining ecological interactions between species. Based on well-explored data cohorts, we compare our method and its performance with the most comprehensive indices to date, the taxonomy-based Gut Microbiome Health Index (GMHI), and the high-dimensional principal component analysis (hiPCA) methods, as well as to the standard taxon- and function-based Shannon entropy scoring. After demonstrating better performance on the initially targeted IBD cohorts, in comparison with other methods, we retrain our index on an additional 27 datasets obtained from different clinical conditions and validate our index's ability to distinguish between healthy and disease states using a variety of complementary benchmarking approaches. Finally, we demonstrate its superiority over the GMHI and the hiPCA on a longitudinal COVID-19 cohort and highlight the distinct robustness of our method to sequencing depth.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we emphasize the potential of this metagenomic approach and advocate a shift toward functional approaches to better understand and assess microbiome health as well as provide directions for future index enhancements. Our method, q2-predict-dysbiosis (Q2PD), is freely available (https://github.com/Kizielins/q2-predict-dysbiosis).},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
Humans
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics
*Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/microbiology
*Metagenomics/methods
Dysbiosis/microbiology
Phylogeny
*Microbiota
Principal Component Analysis
Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-04
CmpDate: 2025-05-04
Improved anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge under ammonia stress by nanoscale zero-valent iron/peracetic acid pretreatment and hydrochar regulation: Insights from multi-omics analyses.
Water research, 279:123497.
This study developed a novel strategy combining a nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI)/peracetic acid (PAA) pretreatment and hydrochar regulation to enhance anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) under ammonia-stressed conditions. The strategy significantly enhanced methane production at ammonia concentrations below 3000 mg/L, with the regulation groups (AN3000/REG) achieving a 50.1 % increase in cumulative methane yield. Metagenomic analysis demonstrated a 14.2 % enrichment of key functional microorganisms, including syntrophic fatty acid-oxidizing bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens, in the AN3000/REG groups. Some of them promote the conversion of butyrate and valerate to acetate through the upregulation of key genes in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, thereby supplying sufficient substrates for acetoclastic methanogenesis. Beyond enhancing acetoclastic methanogenesis, the AN3000/REG groups exhibited significant upregulation of other metabolic pathways, with a 34.2 % increase in syntrophic acetate oxidation-hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis genes and a 17.1 % increase in methanol/methylotrophic methanogenesis-related genes. These findings were further validated by the metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic combination analyses. Furthermore, the AN3000/REG groups exhibited a significant enhancement in direct interspecies electron transfer, with functional microbes (e.g., Geobacter, Methanosarcina, and Methanobacterium), pili, and cytochrome c showing significant increases of 1.38-fold, 12.7-fold, and 5.6-fold, respectively. This might be due to the synergistic effects of nZVI and hydrochar in the regulation groups. Additionally, metabolomic analyses revealed that the regulation strategy improved the microbial adaptability to ammonia stress by modulating metabolic products, such as alkaloids. Our study not only provides a promising strategy for alleviating ammonia inhibition during the anaerobic digestion of WAS but also provides a strong basis for understanding the underlying mechanism under ammonia-stressed conditions.
Additional Links: PMID-40120189
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40120189,
year = {2025},
author = {Sun, Q and Li, D and He, Y and Ping, Q and Wang, L and Li, Y},
title = {Improved anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge under ammonia stress by nanoscale zero-valent iron/peracetic acid pretreatment and hydrochar regulation: Insights from multi-omics analyses.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {279},
number = {},
pages = {123497},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123497},
pmid = {40120189},
issn = {1879-2448},
mesh = {*Sewage ; *Ammonia ; Anaerobiosis ; Iron/chemistry ; Methane ; *Peracetic Acid/chemistry ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {This study developed a novel strategy combining a nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI)/peracetic acid (PAA) pretreatment and hydrochar regulation to enhance anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) under ammonia-stressed conditions. The strategy significantly enhanced methane production at ammonia concentrations below 3000 mg/L, with the regulation groups (AN3000/REG) achieving a 50.1 % increase in cumulative methane yield. Metagenomic analysis demonstrated a 14.2 % enrichment of key functional microorganisms, including syntrophic fatty acid-oxidizing bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens, in the AN3000/REG groups. Some of them promote the conversion of butyrate and valerate to acetate through the upregulation of key genes in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, thereby supplying sufficient substrates for acetoclastic methanogenesis. Beyond enhancing acetoclastic methanogenesis, the AN3000/REG groups exhibited significant upregulation of other metabolic pathways, with a 34.2 % increase in syntrophic acetate oxidation-hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis genes and a 17.1 % increase in methanol/methylotrophic methanogenesis-related genes. These findings were further validated by the metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic combination analyses. Furthermore, the AN3000/REG groups exhibited a significant enhancement in direct interspecies electron transfer, with functional microbes (e.g., Geobacter, Methanosarcina, and Methanobacterium), pili, and cytochrome c showing significant increases of 1.38-fold, 12.7-fold, and 5.6-fold, respectively. This might be due to the synergistic effects of nZVI and hydrochar in the regulation groups. Additionally, metabolomic analyses revealed that the regulation strategy improved the microbial adaptability to ammonia stress by modulating metabolic products, such as alkaloids. Our study not only provides a promising strategy for alleviating ammonia inhibition during the anaerobic digestion of WAS but also provides a strong basis for understanding the underlying mechanism under ammonia-stressed conditions.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Sewage
*Ammonia
Anaerobiosis
Iron/chemistry
Methane
*Peracetic Acid/chemistry
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-06-26
CmpDate: 2025-06-19
To bin or not to bin: why parasite abundance data should not be lumped into categories for statistical analysis.
Parasitology, 152(3):338-345.
The impact of macroparasites on their hosts is proportional to the number of parasites per host, or parasite abundance. Abundance values are count data, i.e. integers ranging from 0 to some maximum number, depending on the host-parasite system. When using parasite abundance as a predictor in statistical analysis, a common approach is to bin values, i.e. group hosts into infection categories based on abundance, and test for differences in some response variable (e.g. a host trait) among these categories. There are well-documented pitfalls associated with this approach. Here, I use a literature review to show that binning abundance values for analysis has been used in one-third of studies published in parasitological journals over the past 15 years, and half of the studies in ecological and behavioural journals, often without any justification. Binning abundance data into arbitrary categories has been much more common among studies using experimental infections than among those using naturally infected hosts. I then use simulated data to demonstrate that true and significant relationships between parasite abundance and host traits can be missed when abundance values are binned for analysis, and vice versa that when there is no underlying relationship between abundance and host traits, analysis of binned data can create a spurious one. This holds regardless of the prevalence of infection or the level of parasite aggregation in a host sample. These findings argue strongly for the practice of binning abundance data as a predictor variable to be abandoned in favour of more appropriate analytical approaches.
Additional Links: PMID-40123484
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40123484,
year = {2025},
author = {Poulin, R},
title = {To bin or not to bin: why parasite abundance data should not be lumped into categories for statistical analysis.},
journal = {Parasitology},
volume = {152},
number = {3},
pages = {338-345},
pmid = {40123484},
issn = {1469-8161},
mesh = {Animals ; *Host-Parasite Interactions ; *Parasites/physiology ; *Parasitology/methods ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; *Parasitic Diseases/parasitology ; },
abstract = {The impact of macroparasites on their hosts is proportional to the number of parasites per host, or parasite abundance. Abundance values are count data, i.e. integers ranging from 0 to some maximum number, depending on the host-parasite system. When using parasite abundance as a predictor in statistical analysis, a common approach is to bin values, i.e. group hosts into infection categories based on abundance, and test for differences in some response variable (e.g. a host trait) among these categories. There are well-documented pitfalls associated with this approach. Here, I use a literature review to show that binning abundance values for analysis has been used in one-third of studies published in parasitological journals over the past 15 years, and half of the studies in ecological and behavioural journals, often without any justification. Binning abundance data into arbitrary categories has been much more common among studies using experimental infections than among those using naturally infected hosts. I then use simulated data to demonstrate that true and significant relationships between parasite abundance and host traits can be missed when abundance values are binned for analysis, and vice versa that when there is no underlying relationship between abundance and host traits, analysis of binned data can create a spurious one. This holds regardless of the prevalence of infection or the level of parasite aggregation in a host sample. These findings argue strongly for the practice of binning abundance data as a predictor variable to be abandoned in favour of more appropriate analytical approaches.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*Host-Parasite Interactions
*Parasites/physiology
*Parasitology/methods
Data Interpretation, Statistical
*Parasitic Diseases/parasitology
RevDate: 2025-07-06
CmpDate: 2025-07-03
Correcting for Bias in Estimates of θ w and Tajima's D From Missing Data in Next-Generation Sequencing.
Molecular ecology resources, 25(6):e14104.
Population genetic analyses use information from the site frequency spectrum to infer evolutionary processes. Two summary statistics, Watterson's estimator (θ w) of genetic diversity, and Tajima's D , used for detecting non-neutral evolution, are among the most frequently computed statistics utilising this information. However, missing information in genomic data, particularly as encoded in the Variant Call Format (VCF), can bias these estimates, leading to incorrect evolutionary inferences. We assessed the impact of missing data on the estimation of these statistics using various population genetic software packages (VCFtools, PopGenome, pegas and scikit-allel). By simulating neutral genomic data with varying levels of missing genotypes and sites, we found consistent underestimation of θ w across programs. We found a consequent bias in estimates of Tajima's D , though the direction varied by software. We developed and implemented correction methods as functions in an update of the popular pixy software, significantly reducing these biases. Our findings highlight the need for accurate data handling in population genomics to avoid misinterpretations of evolutionary phenomena.
Additional Links: PMID-40125978
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40125978,
year = {2025},
author = {Bailey, N and Stevison, L and Samuk, K},
title = {Correcting for Bias in Estimates of θ w and Tajima's D From Missing Data in Next-Generation Sequencing.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {25},
number = {6},
pages = {e14104},
pmid = {40125978},
issn = {1755-0998},
support = {R35 GM147501/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; R35GM147501/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {*High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods ; *Genetics, Population/methods ; *Genetic Variation ; Software ; *Computational Biology/methods ; Bias ; },
abstract = {Population genetic analyses use information from the site frequency spectrum to infer evolutionary processes. Two summary statistics, Watterson's estimator (θ w) of genetic diversity, and Tajima's D , used for detecting non-neutral evolution, are among the most frequently computed statistics utilising this information. However, missing information in genomic data, particularly as encoded in the Variant Call Format (VCF), can bias these estimates, leading to incorrect evolutionary inferences. We assessed the impact of missing data on the estimation of these statistics using various population genetic software packages (VCFtools, PopGenome, pegas and scikit-allel). By simulating neutral genomic data with varying levels of missing genotypes and sites, we found consistent underestimation of θ w across programs. We found a consequent bias in estimates of Tajima's D , though the direction varied by software. We developed and implemented correction methods as functions in an update of the popular pixy software, significantly reducing these biases. Our findings highlight the need for accurate data handling in population genomics to avoid misinterpretations of evolutionary phenomena.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods
*Genetics, Population/methods
*Genetic Variation
Software
*Computational Biology/methods
Bias
RevDate: 2026-04-29
CmpDate: 2025-05-14
Investigation of the mechanisms of liver injury induced by emamectin benzoate exposure at environmental concentrations in zebrafish: A multi-omics approach to explore the role of the gut-liver axis.
Journal of hazardous materials, 491:138008.
Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is a lipophilic pesticide that enters aquatic systems and adversely affects non-target organisms. This study investigated the long-term effects of EMB on zebrafish, exposing them to concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/L from the 4-hour post-fertilization (hpf) embryo stage to the 120-day post-fertilisation (dpf) adult stage. We found that exposure to 1 μg/L EMB induced liver damage, manifested as impaired liver function (elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)), histopathological damage (lipid accumulation), as well as inflammatory and oxidative damage, with a dose - dependent effect. Non-targeted metabolomic analysis revealed an increase in lipid molecules in the liver, affecting the pathways related to glycerophospholipid metabolism. In addition, EMB exposure resulted in damage to the intestinal barrier and inflammatory responses in zebrafish. 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that EMB exposure resulted in notable alterations in the gut microbiota composition. Notably, the abundance of Plesiomonas and Cetobacterium increased in the EMB exposure group and exhibited a positive correlation with the majority of liver lipid metabolites. In contrast, reductions in Muribaculaceae and Alloprevotella were negatively correlated. The results of this study indicate that long-term exposure to EMB disrupts the gut microbiota, leading to the dysregulation of hepatic phospholipid metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the health risks associated with EMB and highlight its potential threats to higher organisms, including mammals.
Additional Links: PMID-40132265
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40132265,
year = {2025},
author = {Gu, J and Shen, Y and Guo, L and Chen, Z and Zhou, D and Ji, G and Gu, A},
title = {Investigation of the mechanisms of liver injury induced by emamectin benzoate exposure at environmental concentrations in zebrafish: A multi-omics approach to explore the role of the gut-liver axis.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {491},
number = {},
pages = {138008},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138008},
pmid = {40132265},
issn = {1873-3336},
mesh = {Animals ; Zebrafish ; *Ivermectin/analogs & derivatives/toxicity ; *Liver/drug effects/metabolism/pathology ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects ; *Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/metabolism/pathology/etiology ; *Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity ; Metabolomics ; Lipid Metabolism/drug effects ; *Insecticides/toxicity ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is a lipophilic pesticide that enters aquatic systems and adversely affects non-target organisms. This study investigated the long-term effects of EMB on zebrafish, exposing them to concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/L from the 4-hour post-fertilization (hpf) embryo stage to the 120-day post-fertilisation (dpf) adult stage. We found that exposure to 1 μg/L EMB induced liver damage, manifested as impaired liver function (elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)), histopathological damage (lipid accumulation), as well as inflammatory and oxidative damage, with a dose - dependent effect. Non-targeted metabolomic analysis revealed an increase in lipid molecules in the liver, affecting the pathways related to glycerophospholipid metabolism. In addition, EMB exposure resulted in damage to the intestinal barrier and inflammatory responses in zebrafish. 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that EMB exposure resulted in notable alterations in the gut microbiota composition. Notably, the abundance of Plesiomonas and Cetobacterium increased in the EMB exposure group and exhibited a positive correlation with the majority of liver lipid metabolites. In contrast, reductions in Muribaculaceae and Alloprevotella were negatively correlated. The results of this study indicate that long-term exposure to EMB disrupts the gut microbiota, leading to the dysregulation of hepatic phospholipid metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the health risks associated with EMB and highlight its potential threats to higher organisms, including mammals.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
Zebrafish
*Ivermectin/analogs & derivatives/toxicity
*Liver/drug effects/metabolism/pathology
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects
*Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/metabolism/pathology/etiology
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity
Metabolomics
Lipid Metabolism/drug effects
*Insecticides/toxicity
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-14
CmpDate: 2025-05-14
Distribution of garbage codes in the Mortality Information System, Brazil, 2000 to 2020.
Ciencia & saude coletiva, 30(3):e09442023.
The analysis of the causes of death is essential to understand the main problems that affect the health level of the population of a region or country. The garbage codes (GC) provide little useful information about causes of death. This study aims to identify the proportion of GC among the deaths registered and to analyze their temporal distribution in Brazil from 2000 to 2020. It's an ecological time-series study of the evolution of the proportion of GC in Brazil. Time series analysis was performed using segmented linear regression models (joinpoint). Between 2000 and 2020, 39.9% of deaths that occurred in Brazil were coded with GC. Between 2000 and 2007, there was a continuous and persistent reduction in the proportion of GC (APC -2.1; P < 0.001). Between 2007 and 2015, there continued to be a reduction, albeit to a lesser extent (APC = -0.7; P = 0.013). Between 2015 and 2018, there was no significant trend of the proportion of GC (APC = -2.3; P = 0.172), which persisted from 2018 (APC 3.2; P < 0.079). Although a reduction in the proportion of GC in Brazil was observed until 2018, this trend did not persist after that year. Reducing the proportion of GC allows managers to plan health policies more adequately for the population.
Additional Links: PMID-40136165
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40136165,
year = {2025},
author = {Aquino, ÉC and Borowicc, SL and Alves-Souza, SN and Teixeira, RA and Ishitani, LH and Malta, DC and Morais Neto, OL},
title = {Distribution of garbage codes in the Mortality Information System, Brazil, 2000 to 2020.},
journal = {Ciencia & saude coletiva},
volume = {30},
number = {3},
pages = {e09442023},
doi = {10.1590/1413-81232025303.09442023},
pmid = {40136165},
issn = {1678-4561},
mesh = {Brazil/epidemiology ; Humans ; *Information Systems/statistics & numerical data ; Cause of Death/trends ; Time Factors ; Linear Models ; *Mortality/trends ; },
abstract = {The analysis of the causes of death is essential to understand the main problems that affect the health level of the population of a region or country. The garbage codes (GC) provide little useful information about causes of death. This study aims to identify the proportion of GC among the deaths registered and to analyze their temporal distribution in Brazil from 2000 to 2020. It's an ecological time-series study of the evolution of the proportion of GC in Brazil. Time series analysis was performed using segmented linear regression models (joinpoint). Between 2000 and 2020, 39.9% of deaths that occurred in Brazil were coded with GC. Between 2000 and 2007, there was a continuous and persistent reduction in the proportion of GC (APC -2.1; P < 0.001). Between 2007 and 2015, there continued to be a reduction, albeit to a lesser extent (APC = -0.7; P = 0.013). Between 2015 and 2018, there was no significant trend of the proportion of GC (APC = -2.3; P = 0.172), which persisted from 2018 (APC 3.2; P < 0.079). Although a reduction in the proportion of GC in Brazil was observed until 2018, this trend did not persist after that year. Reducing the proportion of GC allows managers to plan health policies more adequately for the population.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Brazil/epidemiology
Humans
*Information Systems/statistics & numerical data
Cause of Death/trends
Time Factors
Linear Models
*Mortality/trends
RevDate: 2025-07-09
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
High-Performance Genome Annotation for a Safer and Faster-Developing Phage Therapy.
Viruses, 17(3):.
Phage therapy, which uses phages to decrease bacterial load in an ecosystem, introduces a multitude of gene copies (bacterial and phage) into said ecosystem. While it is widely accepted that phages have a significant impact on ecology, the mechanisms underlying their impact are not well understood. It is therefore paramount to understand what is released in the said ecosystem, to avoid alterations with difficult-to-predict-but potentially huge-consequences. An in-depth annotation of therapeutic phage genomes is therefore essential. Currently, the average published phage genome has only 20-30% functionally annotated genes, which represents a hurdle to overcome to deliver safe phage therapy, for both patients and the environment. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of manual versus automated phage genome annotation methods. Twenty-seven phage genomes were annotated using SEA-PHAGE and Rime Bioinformatics protocols. The structural (gene calling) and functional annotation results were compared. The results suggest that during the structural annotation step, the SEA-PHAGE method was able to identify an average of 1.5 more genes per phage (typically a frameshift gene) and 5.3 gene start sites per phage. Despite this difference, the impact on functional annotation appeared to be limited: on average, 1.2 genes per phage had erroneous functions, caused by the structural annotation. Rime Bioinformatics' tool (rTOOLS, v2) performed better at assigning functions, especially where the SEA-PHAGE methods assigned hypothetical proteins: 7.0 genes per phage had a better functional annotation on average, compared to SEA PHAGE's 1.7. The method comparison detailed in this article indicate that (1) manual structural annotation is marginally superior to rTOOLS automated structural annotation; (2) rTOOLS automated functional annotation is superior to manual functional annotation. Previously, the only way to obtain a high-quality annotation was by using manual protocols, such as SEA-PHAGES. In the relatively new field of phage therapy, which requires support to advance, manual work can be problematic due to its high cost. Rime Bioinformatics' rTOOLS software allows for time and money to be saved by providing high-quality genome annotations that are comparable to manual results, enabling a safer and faster-developing phage therapy.
Additional Links: PMID-40143245
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40143245,
year = {2025},
author = {Culot, A and Abriat, G and Furlong, KP},
title = {High-Performance Genome Annotation for a Safer and Faster-Developing Phage Therapy.},
journal = {Viruses},
volume = {17},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {40143245},
issn = {1999-4915},
mesh = {*Genome, Viral ; *Bacteriophages/genetics ; *Molecular Sequence Annotation/methods ; *Computational Biology/methods ; *Phage Therapy/methods ; Humans ; },
abstract = {Phage therapy, which uses phages to decrease bacterial load in an ecosystem, introduces a multitude of gene copies (bacterial and phage) into said ecosystem. While it is widely accepted that phages have a significant impact on ecology, the mechanisms underlying their impact are not well understood. It is therefore paramount to understand what is released in the said ecosystem, to avoid alterations with difficult-to-predict-but potentially huge-consequences. An in-depth annotation of therapeutic phage genomes is therefore essential. Currently, the average published phage genome has only 20-30% functionally annotated genes, which represents a hurdle to overcome to deliver safe phage therapy, for both patients and the environment. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of manual versus automated phage genome annotation methods. Twenty-seven phage genomes were annotated using SEA-PHAGE and Rime Bioinformatics protocols. The structural (gene calling) and functional annotation results were compared. The results suggest that during the structural annotation step, the SEA-PHAGE method was able to identify an average of 1.5 more genes per phage (typically a frameshift gene) and 5.3 gene start sites per phage. Despite this difference, the impact on functional annotation appeared to be limited: on average, 1.2 genes per phage had erroneous functions, caused by the structural annotation. Rime Bioinformatics' tool (rTOOLS, v2) performed better at assigning functions, especially where the SEA-PHAGE methods assigned hypothetical proteins: 7.0 genes per phage had a better functional annotation on average, compared to SEA PHAGE's 1.7. The method comparison detailed in this article indicate that (1) manual structural annotation is marginally superior to rTOOLS automated structural annotation; (2) rTOOLS automated functional annotation is superior to manual functional annotation. Previously, the only way to obtain a high-quality annotation was by using manual protocols, such as SEA-PHAGES. In the relatively new field of phage therapy, which requires support to advance, manual work can be problematic due to its high cost. Rime Bioinformatics' rTOOLS software allows for time and money to be saved by providing high-quality genome annotations that are comparable to manual results, enabling a safer and faster-developing phage therapy.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Genome, Viral
*Bacteriophages/genetics
*Molecular Sequence Annotation/methods
*Computational Biology/methods
*Phage Therapy/methods
Humans
RevDate: 2025-05-17
CmpDate: 2025-05-17
Multi-omics reveal microbial succession and metabolomic adaptations to flood in a hypersaline coastal lagoon.
Water research, 280:123511.
Microorganisms drive essential biogeochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems and are sensitive to both salinity and hydrological changes. As climate change and anthropogenic activities alter hydrology and salinity worldwide, understanding microbial ecology and metabolism becomes increasingly important for managing aquatic ecosystems. Biogeochemical processes were investigated on sediment microbial communities during a significant flood event in the hypersaline Coorong lagoon, South Australia (the largest in the Murray-Darling Basin since 1956). Samples from six sites across a salinity gradient were collected before and during flooding in 2022. To assess changes in microbial taxonomy and metabolic function, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was employed alongside untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to assess changes in microbial taxonomy and metabolic function. Results showed a decrease in microbial richness and diversity during flooding, especially in hypersaline conditions. Pre-flood communities were enriched with osmolyte-degrading and methanogenic taxa, alongside osmoprotectant metabolites, such as glycine betaine and choline. Flood conditions favored taxa such as Halanaerobiaceae and Beggiatoaceae, inducing inferred metagenomic shifts indicative of sulfur cycling and nitrogen reduction pathways, while also enriching a greater diversity of metabolites including Gly-Phe dipeptides and guanine. This study demonstrates that integrating metabolomics with microbial community analysis enhances understanding of ecosystem responses to disturbance. These findings suggest microbial communities rapidly change in response to salinity reductions while maintaining key biogeochemical functions. Such insights are valuable for ecosystem management and predictive modelling under environmental stressors such as flooding.
Additional Links: PMID-40147302
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PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40147302,
year = {2025},
author = {Keneally, C and Chilton, D and Dornan, TN and Kidd, SP and Gaget, V and Toomes, A and Lassaline, C and Petrovski, R and Wood, L and Brookes, JD},
title = {Multi-omics reveal microbial succession and metabolomic adaptations to flood in a hypersaline coastal lagoon.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {280},
number = {},
pages = {123511},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123511},
pmid = {40147302},
issn = {1879-2448},
mesh = {*Floods ; Salinity ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Geologic Sediments/microbiology ; Metabolomics ; Microbiota ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Microorganisms drive essential biogeochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems and are sensitive to both salinity and hydrological changes. As climate change and anthropogenic activities alter hydrology and salinity worldwide, understanding microbial ecology and metabolism becomes increasingly important for managing aquatic ecosystems. Biogeochemical processes were investigated on sediment microbial communities during a significant flood event in the hypersaline Coorong lagoon, South Australia (the largest in the Murray-Darling Basin since 1956). Samples from six sites across a salinity gradient were collected before and during flooding in 2022. To assess changes in microbial taxonomy and metabolic function, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was employed alongside untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to assess changes in microbial taxonomy and metabolic function. Results showed a decrease in microbial richness and diversity during flooding, especially in hypersaline conditions. Pre-flood communities were enriched with osmolyte-degrading and methanogenic taxa, alongside osmoprotectant metabolites, such as glycine betaine and choline. Flood conditions favored taxa such as Halanaerobiaceae and Beggiatoaceae, inducing inferred metagenomic shifts indicative of sulfur cycling and nitrogen reduction pathways, while also enriching a greater diversity of metabolites including Gly-Phe dipeptides and guanine. This study demonstrates that integrating metabolomics with microbial community analysis enhances understanding of ecosystem responses to disturbance. These findings suggest microbial communities rapidly change in response to salinity reductions while maintaining key biogeochemical functions. Such insights are valuable for ecosystem management and predictive modelling under environmental stressors such as flooding.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
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*Floods
Salinity
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Geologic Sediments/microbiology
Metabolomics
Microbiota
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-06-25
CmpDate: 2025-06-24
Refining the NaV1.7 pharmacophore of a class of venom-derived peptide inhibitors via a combination of in silico screening and rational engineering.
FEBS letters, 599(12):1717-1732.
Ion channels are among the main targets of venom peptides. Extensive functional screening has identified a number of these peptides as modulators of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype NaV1.7, a potential target for the treatment of chronic pain. In this study, we used a bioinformatic approach that can automatically identify NaV1.7 gating modifier toxins from sequence information alone. The method further enables the incorporation of evolutionarily accessible sequence space in structure-activity relationship studies. The in silico method identified a putative NaV1.7 inhibitor, μ-theraphotoxin Cg4a, which we produced recombinantly and confirmed as a NaV1.7 inhibitor. Using structural and mutagenesis studies, we propose an improved definition of the pharmacophore of this class of NaV1.7 inhibitors, aiding future in silico screening and classification of NaV1.7 inhibitors.
Additional Links: PMID-40156461
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40156461,
year = {2025},
author = {Sharma, G and Deuis, JR and Jia, X and Crawford, T and Rahnama, S and Undheim, EAB and Vetter, I and Chin, YK and Mobli, M},
title = {Refining the NaV1.7 pharmacophore of a class of venom-derived peptide inhibitors via a combination of in silico screening and rational engineering.},
journal = {FEBS letters},
volume = {599},
number = {12},
pages = {1717-1732},
pmid = {40156461},
issn = {1873-3468},
support = {FTl10100925//Australian Research Council/ ; DE160101142//Australian Research Council/ ; APP1102267//National Health and Medical Research Council/ ; APP1080405//National Health and Medical Research Council/ ; 2017086//National Health and Medical Research Council/ ; APP1034958//National Health and Medical Research Council/ ; //University of Queensland/ ; 101039862/ERC_/European Research Council/International ; },
mesh = {*NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel/chemistry/metabolism/genetics ; Humans ; *Peptides/chemistry/pharmacology ; Animals ; *Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers/chemistry/pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Computer Simulation ; Protein Engineering ; *Scorpion Venoms/chemistry/pharmacology ; Computational Biology ; Pharmacophore ; },
abstract = {Ion channels are among the main targets of venom peptides. Extensive functional screening has identified a number of these peptides as modulators of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype NaV1.7, a potential target for the treatment of chronic pain. In this study, we used a bioinformatic approach that can automatically identify NaV1.7 gating modifier toxins from sequence information alone. The method further enables the incorporation of evolutionarily accessible sequence space in structure-activity relationship studies. The in silico method identified a putative NaV1.7 inhibitor, μ-theraphotoxin Cg4a, which we produced recombinantly and confirmed as a NaV1.7 inhibitor. Using structural and mutagenesis studies, we propose an improved definition of the pharmacophore of this class of NaV1.7 inhibitors, aiding future in silico screening and classification of NaV1.7 inhibitors.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel/chemistry/metabolism/genetics
Humans
*Peptides/chemistry/pharmacology
Animals
*Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers/chemistry/pharmacology
Structure-Activity Relationship
Amino Acid Sequence
Computer Simulation
Protein Engineering
*Scorpion Venoms/chemistry/pharmacology
Computational Biology
Pharmacophore
RevDate: 2025-04-20
CmpDate: 2025-04-18
Seed2LP: seed inference in metabolic networks for reverse ecology applications.
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England), 41(4):.
MOTIVATION: A challenging problem in microbiology is to determine nutritional requirements of microorganisms and culture them, especially for the microbial dark matter detected solely with culture-independent methods. The latter foster an increasing amount of genomic sequences that can be explored with reverse ecology approaches to raise hypotheses on the corresponding populations. Building upon genome-scale metabolic networks (GSMNs) obtained from genome annotations, metabolic models predict contextualized phenotypes using nutrient information.
RESULTS: We developed the tool Seed2LP, addressing the inverse problem of predicting source nutrients, or seeds, from a GSMN and a metabolic objective. The originality of Seed2LP is its hybrid model, combining a scalable and discrete Boolean approximation of metabolic activity, with the numerically accurate flux balance analysis (FBA). Seed inference is highly customizable, with multiple search and solving modes, exploring the search space of external and internal metabolites combinations. Application to a benchmark of 107 curated GSMNs highlights the usefulness of a logic modelling method over a graph-based approach to predict seeds, and the relevance of hybrid solving to satisfy FBA constraints. Focusing on the dependency between metabolism and environment, Seed2LP is a computational support contributing to address the multifactorial challenge of culturing possibly uncultured microorganisms.
Seed2LP is available on https://github.com/bioasp/seed2lp.
Additional Links: PMID-40163742
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@article {pmid40163742,
year = {2025},
author = {Ghassemi Nedjad, C and Bolteau, M and Bourneuf, L and Paulevé, L and Frioux, C},
title = {Seed2LP: seed inference in metabolic networks for reverse ecology applications.},
journal = {Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)},
volume = {41},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {40163742},
issn = {1367-4811},
support = {//French National Research Agency/ ; },
mesh = {*Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; *Software ; *Computational Biology/methods ; Models, Biological ; Algorithms ; },
abstract = {MOTIVATION: A challenging problem in microbiology is to determine nutritional requirements of microorganisms and culture them, especially for the microbial dark matter detected solely with culture-independent methods. The latter foster an increasing amount of genomic sequences that can be explored with reverse ecology approaches to raise hypotheses on the corresponding populations. Building upon genome-scale metabolic networks (GSMNs) obtained from genome annotations, metabolic models predict contextualized phenotypes using nutrient information.
RESULTS: We developed the tool Seed2LP, addressing the inverse problem of predicting source nutrients, or seeds, from a GSMN and a metabolic objective. The originality of Seed2LP is its hybrid model, combining a scalable and discrete Boolean approximation of metabolic activity, with the numerically accurate flux balance analysis (FBA). Seed inference is highly customizable, with multiple search and solving modes, exploring the search space of external and internal metabolites combinations. Application to a benchmark of 107 curated GSMNs highlights the usefulness of a logic modelling method over a graph-based approach to predict seeds, and the relevance of hybrid solving to satisfy FBA constraints. Focusing on the dependency between metabolism and environment, Seed2LP is a computational support contributing to address the multifactorial challenge of culturing possibly uncultured microorganisms.
Seed2LP is available on https://github.com/bioasp/seed2lp.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Metabolic Networks and Pathways
*Software
*Computational Biology/methods
Models, Biological
Algorithms
RevDate: 2025-07-05
CmpDate: 2025-07-03
Improving Whole Biodiversity Monitoring and Discovery With Environmental DNA Metagenomics.
Molecular ecology resources, 25(6):e14105.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) metagenomics sequences all DNA molecules present in environmental samples and has the potential of identifying virtually any organism from which they are derived. However, due to unacceptable levels of false positives and negatives, this approach is underexplored as a tool for biodiversity monitoring across the tree of life, particularly for non-microscopic eukaryotes. We present SeqIDist, a framework that combines multilocus BLAST matches against several reference databases followed by an analysis of sequence identity distribution patterns to disentangle false positives while revealing new biodiversity and increasing the accuracy of metagenomic approaches. We tested SeqIDist on an eDNA metagenomic dataset from a riverine site and compared the results to those obtained with an eDNA metabarcoding approach for benchmarking purposes. We start by characterising the biological community (~2000 taxa) across the tree of life at low taxonomic levels and show that eDNA metagenomics has a higher sensitivity than eDNA metabarcoding in discovering new diversity. We show that limited representation of whole genome sequences in reference databases can lead to false positives. For non-microscopic eukaryotes, eDNA metagenomic data often consist of a few sparse, anonymous sequences scattered across the genome, making metagenome assembly methods unfeasible. Finally, we infer eDNA source and residency time using read length distributions as a measure of decay status. The higher accuracy of SeqIDist opens the discussion of the potential of eDNA metagenomics for archived samples and its implementation in long-term biodiversity monitoring at a planetary scale.
Additional Links: PMID-40167332
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40167332,
year = {2025},
author = {Curto, M and Veríssimo, A and Riccioni, G and Santos, CD and Ribeiro, F and Jentoft, S and Alves, MJ and Gante, HF},
title = {Improving Whole Biodiversity Monitoring and Discovery With Environmental DNA Metagenomics.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {25},
number = {6},
pages = {e14105},
pmid = {40167332},
issn = {1755-0998},
support = {CEEC/0482/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; DL 57/2016/CP1440/CP1646/CT0001//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; LA/P/0069/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; PTDC/BIA-CBI/31644/2017//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; UID/04292/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; UID/BIA/00329/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; UIDP/50027/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; LA/P/0048/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; 857251//Horizon 2020 Framework Programme/ ; STG/21/044//KU Leuven/ ; },
mesh = {*Metagenomics/methods ; *Biodiversity ; *DNA, Environmental/genetics ; *Computational Biology/methods ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods ; Metagenome ; },
abstract = {Environmental DNA (eDNA) metagenomics sequences all DNA molecules present in environmental samples and has the potential of identifying virtually any organism from which they are derived. However, due to unacceptable levels of false positives and negatives, this approach is underexplored as a tool for biodiversity monitoring across the tree of life, particularly for non-microscopic eukaryotes. We present SeqIDist, a framework that combines multilocus BLAST matches against several reference databases followed by an analysis of sequence identity distribution patterns to disentangle false positives while revealing new biodiversity and increasing the accuracy of metagenomic approaches. We tested SeqIDist on an eDNA metagenomic dataset from a riverine site and compared the results to those obtained with an eDNA metabarcoding approach for benchmarking purposes. We start by characterising the biological community (~2000 taxa) across the tree of life at low taxonomic levels and show that eDNA metagenomics has a higher sensitivity than eDNA metabarcoding in discovering new diversity. We show that limited representation of whole genome sequences in reference databases can lead to false positives. For non-microscopic eukaryotes, eDNA metagenomic data often consist of a few sparse, anonymous sequences scattered across the genome, making metagenome assembly methods unfeasible. Finally, we infer eDNA source and residency time using read length distributions as a measure of decay status. The higher accuracy of SeqIDist opens the discussion of the potential of eDNA metagenomics for archived samples and its implementation in long-term biodiversity monitoring at a planetary scale.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
*Metagenomics/methods
*Biodiversity
*DNA, Environmental/genetics
*Computational Biology/methods
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods
Metagenome
RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-10
Quantitative characterization of tissue states using multiomics and ecological spatial analysis.
Nature genetics, 57(4):910-921.
The spatial organization of cells in tissues underlies biological function, and recent advances in spatial profiling technologies have enhanced our ability to analyze such arrangements to study biological processes and disease progression. We propose MESA (multiomics and ecological spatial analysis), a framework drawing inspiration from ecological concepts to delineate functional and spatial shifts across tissue states. MESA introduces metrics to systematically quantify spatial diversity and identify hot spots, linking spatial patterns to phenotypic outcomes, including disease progression. Furthermore, MESA integrates spatial and single-cell multiomics data to facilitate an in-depth, molecular understanding of cellular neighborhoods and their spatial interactions within tissue microenvironments. Applying MESA to diverse datasets demonstrates additional insights it brings over prior methods, including newly identified spatial structures and key cell populations linked to disease states. Available as a Python package, MESA offers a versatile framework for quantitative decoding of tissue architectures in spatial omics across health and disease.
Additional Links: PMID-40169791
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@article {pmid40169791,
year = {2025},
author = {Ding, DY and Tang, Z and Zhu, B and Ren, H and Shalek, AK and Tibshirani, R and Nolan, GP},
title = {Quantitative characterization of tissue states using multiomics and ecological spatial analysis.},
journal = {Nature genetics},
volume = {57},
number = {4},
pages = {910-921},
pmid = {40169791},
issn = {1546-1718},
support = {P01 AI177687/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; U54 HG010426/HG/NHGRI NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Spatial Analysis ; *Genomics/methods ; Single-Cell Analysis/methods ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {The spatial organization of cells in tissues underlies biological function, and recent advances in spatial profiling technologies have enhanced our ability to analyze such arrangements to study biological processes and disease progression. We propose MESA (multiomics and ecological spatial analysis), a framework drawing inspiration from ecological concepts to delineate functional and spatial shifts across tissue states. MESA introduces metrics to systematically quantify spatial diversity and identify hot spots, linking spatial patterns to phenotypic outcomes, including disease progression. Furthermore, MESA integrates spatial and single-cell multiomics data to facilitate an in-depth, molecular understanding of cellular neighborhoods and their spatial interactions within tissue microenvironments. Applying MESA to diverse datasets demonstrates additional insights it brings over prior methods, including newly identified spatial structures and key cell populations linked to disease states. Available as a Python package, MESA offers a versatile framework for quantitative decoding of tissue architectures in spatial omics across health and disease.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
*Spatial Analysis
*Genomics/methods
Single-Cell Analysis/methods
Multiomics
RevDate: 2026-06-05
CmpDate: 2025-08-01
Enhancing Enzyme Commission Number Prediction With Contrastive Learning and Agent Attention.
Proteins, 93(9):1507-1517.
The accurate prediction of enzyme function is crucial for elucidating disease mechanisms and identifying drug targets. Nevertheless, existing enzyme commission (EC) number prediction methods are limited by database coverage and the depth of sequence information mining, hindering the efficiency and precision of enzyme function annotation. Therefore, this study introduces ProteEC-CLA (Protein EC number prediction model with Contrastive Learning and Agent Attention). ProteEC-CLA utilizes contrastive learning to construct positive and negative sample pairs, which not only enhances sequence feature extraction but also improves the utilization of unlabeled data. This process helps the model learn the differences in sequence features, thereby enhancing its ability to predict enzyme function. Integrating the pre-trained protein language model ESM2, the model generates informative sequence embeddings for deep functional correlation analysis, significantly enhancing prediction accuracy. With the incorporation of the Agent Attention mechanism, ProteEC-CLA's ability to comprehensively capture local details and global features is enhanced, ensuring high-accuracy predictions on complex sequences. The results demonstrate that ProteEC-CLA performs exceptionally well on two independent and representative datasets. In the standard dataset, it achieves 98.92% accuracy at the EC4 level. In the more challenging clustered split dataset, ProteEC-CLA achieves 93.34% accuracy and an F1-score of 94.72%. With only enzyme sequences as input, ProteEC-CLA can accurately predict EC numbers up to the fourth level, significantly enhancing annotation efficiency and accuracy, which makes it a highly efficient and precise functional annotation tool for enzymology research and applications.
Additional Links: PMID-40171777
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40171777,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhao, W and Han, Q and Yang, F and Zhao, Y},
title = {Enhancing Enzyme Commission Number Prediction With Contrastive Learning and Agent Attention.},
journal = {Proteins},
volume = {93},
number = {9},
pages = {1507-1517},
doi = {10.1002/prot.26822},
pmid = {40171777},
issn = {1097-0134},
support = {32101590//National Outstanding Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32071838//Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
mesh = {*Enzymes/chemistry/metabolism/classification ; Databases, Protein ; *Machine Learning ; *Computational Biology/methods ; Algorithms ; Software ; Data Mining ; Proteins/chemistry ; },
abstract = {The accurate prediction of enzyme function is crucial for elucidating disease mechanisms and identifying drug targets. Nevertheless, existing enzyme commission (EC) number prediction methods are limited by database coverage and the depth of sequence information mining, hindering the efficiency and precision of enzyme function annotation. Therefore, this study introduces ProteEC-CLA (Protein EC number prediction model with Contrastive Learning and Agent Attention). ProteEC-CLA utilizes contrastive learning to construct positive and negative sample pairs, which not only enhances sequence feature extraction but also improves the utilization of unlabeled data. This process helps the model learn the differences in sequence features, thereby enhancing its ability to predict enzyme function. Integrating the pre-trained protein language model ESM2, the model generates informative sequence embeddings for deep functional correlation analysis, significantly enhancing prediction accuracy. With the incorporation of the Agent Attention mechanism, ProteEC-CLA's ability to comprehensively capture local details and global features is enhanced, ensuring high-accuracy predictions on complex sequences. The results demonstrate that ProteEC-CLA performs exceptionally well on two independent and representative datasets. In the standard dataset, it achieves 98.92% accuracy at the EC4 level. In the more challenging clustered split dataset, ProteEC-CLA achieves 93.34% accuracy and an F1-score of 94.72%. With only enzyme sequences as input, ProteEC-CLA can accurately predict EC numbers up to the fourth level, significantly enhancing annotation efficiency and accuracy, which makes it a highly efficient and precise functional annotation tool for enzymology research and applications.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Enzymes/chemistry/metabolism/classification
Databases, Protein
*Machine Learning
*Computational Biology/methods
Algorithms
Software
Data Mining
Proteins/chemistry
RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-22
Integration of multi-omics data and deep phenotyping provides insights into responses to single and combined abiotic stress in potato.
Plant physiology, 197(4):.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is highly water and space efficient but susceptible to abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, and flooding, which are severely exacerbated by climate change. Our understanding of crop acclimation to abiotic stress, however, remains limited. Here, we present a comprehensive molecular and physiological high-throughput profiling of potato (Solanum tuberosum, cv. Désirée) under heat, drought, and waterlogging applied as single stresses or in combinations designed to mimic realistic future scenarios. Stress responses were monitored via daily phenotyping and multi-omics analyses of leaf samples comprising proteomics, targeted transcriptomics, metabolomics, and hormonomics at several timepoints during and after stress treatments. Additionally, critical metabolites of tuber samples were analyzed at the end of the stress period. We performed integrative multi-omics data analysis using a bioinformatic pipeline that we established based on machine learning and knowledge networks. Waterlogging produced the most immediate and dramatic effects on potato plants, interestingly activating ABA responses similar to drought stress. In addition, we observed distinct stress signatures at multiple molecular levels in response to heat or drought and to a combination of both. In response to all treatments, we found a downregulation of photosynthesis at different molecular levels, an accumulation of minor amino acids, and diverse stress-induced hormones. Our integrative multi-omics analysis provides global insights into plant stress responses, facilitating improved breeding strategies toward climate-adapted potato varieties.
Additional Links: PMID-40173380
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@article {pmid40173380,
year = {2025},
author = {Zagorščak, M and Abdelhakim, L and Rodriguez-Granados, NY and Široká, J and Ghatak, A and Bleker, C and Blejec, A and Zrimec, J and Novák, O and Pěnčík, A and Baebler, Š and Perez Borroto, L and Schuy, C and Županič, A and Afjehi-Sadat, L and Wurzinger, B and Weckwerth, W and Pompe Novak, M and Knight, MR and Strnad, M and Bachem, C and Chaturvedi, P and Sonnewald, S and Sasidharan, R and Panzarová, K and Gruden, K and Teige, M},
title = {Integration of multi-omics data and deep phenotyping provides insights into responses to single and combined abiotic stress in potato.},
journal = {Plant physiology},
volume = {197},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {40173380},
issn = {1532-2548},
support = {//H2020-SFS-2019-2/ ; P4-0165//Slovenian Research Agency/ ; //Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic/ ; CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_026/0008446//European Regional Development Fund-Project/ ; },
mesh = {*Solanum tuberosum/physiology/genetics/metabolism ; *Stress, Physiological/genetics ; Phenotype ; Droughts ; Proteomics ; Metabolomics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcriptome ; Plant Leaves/physiology ; Plant Tubers ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is highly water and space efficient but susceptible to abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, and flooding, which are severely exacerbated by climate change. Our understanding of crop acclimation to abiotic stress, however, remains limited. Here, we present a comprehensive molecular and physiological high-throughput profiling of potato (Solanum tuberosum, cv. Désirée) under heat, drought, and waterlogging applied as single stresses or in combinations designed to mimic realistic future scenarios. Stress responses were monitored via daily phenotyping and multi-omics analyses of leaf samples comprising proteomics, targeted transcriptomics, metabolomics, and hormonomics at several timepoints during and after stress treatments. Additionally, critical metabolites of tuber samples were analyzed at the end of the stress period. We performed integrative multi-omics data analysis using a bioinformatic pipeline that we established based on machine learning and knowledge networks. Waterlogging produced the most immediate and dramatic effects on potato plants, interestingly activating ABA responses similar to drought stress. In addition, we observed distinct stress signatures at multiple molecular levels in response to heat or drought and to a combination of both. In response to all treatments, we found a downregulation of photosynthesis at different molecular levels, an accumulation of minor amino acids, and diverse stress-induced hormones. Our integrative multi-omics analysis provides global insights into plant stress responses, facilitating improved breeding strategies toward climate-adapted potato varieties.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Solanum tuberosum/physiology/genetics/metabolism
*Stress, Physiological/genetics
Phenotype
Droughts
Proteomics
Metabolomics
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Transcriptome
Plant Leaves/physiology
Plant Tubers
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
Maintaining taxonomic accuracy in genetic databases: A duty for taxonomists-Reanalysis of the DNA sequences from Mercan et al. (2024) on the genus Potamothrix (Annelida, Clitellata) in Turkish lakes.
Zootaxa, 5575(4):555-562.
Public DNA sequence databases such as GenBank are widely used for identification of organisms in ecological and taxonomic studies. It is important that these public databases contain as few mistakes as possible and that any errors detected in these databases are reported. Here, we reanalyzed the COI sequences of Mercan et al. (2024) and showed that they were mistakenly considered by these authors as belonging to different populations (haplotypes) within the species Potamothrix hammoniensis (Tubificinae). We found that they corresponded to four distinct Tubificinae lineages (species), Pothamothrix alatus paravanicus, Potamothrix bavaricus, Tubifex sp. and Potamothrix sp. Despite these identification errors, the data from Mercan et al. (2024) remain interesting as they provide new information on the diversity of the genus Potamothrix in Turkey. Prompt measures must be taken to correct these errors and prevent them from being detrimental to future studies.
Additional Links: PMID-40173850
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@article {pmid40173850,
year = {2025},
author = {Vivien, R and Martin, P},
title = {Maintaining taxonomic accuracy in genetic databases: A duty for taxonomists-Reanalysis of the DNA sequences from Mercan et al. (2024) on the genus Potamothrix (Annelida, Clitellata) in Turkish lakes.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5575},
number = {4},
pages = {555-562},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5575.4.5},
pmid = {40173850},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Turkey ; Animals ; Lakes ; Phylogeny ; *Databases, Genetic/standards ; *Databases, Nucleic Acid/standards ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; *Polychaeta/classification/genetics ; },
abstract = {Public DNA sequence databases such as GenBank are widely used for identification of organisms in ecological and taxonomic studies. It is important that these public databases contain as few mistakes as possible and that any errors detected in these databases are reported. Here, we reanalyzed the COI sequences of Mercan et al. (2024) and showed that they were mistakenly considered by these authors as belonging to different populations (haplotypes) within the species Potamothrix hammoniensis (Tubificinae). We found that they corresponded to four distinct Tubificinae lineages (species), Pothamothrix alatus paravanicus, Potamothrix bavaricus, Tubifex sp. and Potamothrix sp. Despite these identification errors, the data from Mercan et al. (2024) remain interesting as they provide new information on the diversity of the genus Potamothrix in Turkey. Prompt measures must be taken to correct these errors and prevent them from being detrimental to future studies.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Turkey
Animals
Lakes
Phylogeny
*Databases, Genetic/standards
*Databases, Nucleic Acid/standards
Sequence Analysis, DNA
*Polychaeta/classification/genetics
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
Methods for integrating public datasets: insights from youth disaster mental health research.
European journal of psychotraumatology, 16(1):2481699.
Introduction: Weather-related disasters pose significant risks to youth mental health. Exposure to multiple disasters is becoming more common; however, the effects of such exposure remain understudied. This study demonstrates the application of integrative data approaches and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles to evaluate the relationship between cumulative disaster exposure and youth depression and suicidality in the United States, taking into account contextual factors across levels of social ecology.Methods: We combined data from five public sources, including the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Census Bureau, Center for Homeland Defense and Security School Shooting Safety Compendium, and Global Terrorism Database. The integrative dataset included 415,701 youth from 37 districts across the United States who completed the YRBS between 1999 and 2021. The YRBS served as the core dataset.Results: This data note highlights strategies for harmonizing diverse data formats, addressing geographic and temporal inconsistencies, and validating integrated datasets. Automated data cleaning and visualization techniques enhance accuracy and efficiency. Planning for sensitivity analyses before data cleaning is recommended to improve the data integration process and enhance the robustness of findings.Discussion: This integrative approach demonstrates how leveraging FAIR principles can advance trauma research by facilitating large-scale analyses of complex public health questions. The methods provide a replicable framework for examining population-level impacts of phenomena and highlight opportunities for expanding trauma research.
Additional Links: PMID-40178345
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@article {pmid40178345,
year = {2025},
author = {Riobueno-Naylor, A and Gomez, I and Quan, S and Hutt Vater, C and Montes, M and Hoskova, B and Lai, BS},
title = {Methods for integrating public datasets: insights from youth disaster mental health research.},
journal = {European journal of psychotraumatology},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {2481699},
pmid = {40178345},
issn = {2000-8066},
mesh = {Humans ; Adolescent ; *Disasters ; United States/epidemiology ; *Mental Health/statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Female ; *Depression/epidemiology ; *Datasets as Topic ; Databases, Factual ; },
abstract = {Introduction: Weather-related disasters pose significant risks to youth mental health. Exposure to multiple disasters is becoming more common; however, the effects of such exposure remain understudied. This study demonstrates the application of integrative data approaches and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles to evaluate the relationship between cumulative disaster exposure and youth depression and suicidality in the United States, taking into account contextual factors across levels of social ecology.Methods: We combined data from five public sources, including the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Census Bureau, Center for Homeland Defense and Security School Shooting Safety Compendium, and Global Terrorism Database. The integrative dataset included 415,701 youth from 37 districts across the United States who completed the YRBS between 1999 and 2021. The YRBS served as the core dataset.Results: This data note highlights strategies for harmonizing diverse data formats, addressing geographic and temporal inconsistencies, and validating integrated datasets. Automated data cleaning and visualization techniques enhance accuracy and efficiency. Planning for sensitivity analyses before data cleaning is recommended to improve the data integration process and enhance the robustness of findings.Discussion: This integrative approach demonstrates how leveraging FAIR principles can advance trauma research by facilitating large-scale analyses of complex public health questions. The methods provide a replicable framework for examining population-level impacts of phenomena and highlight opportunities for expanding trauma research.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
Adolescent
*Disasters
United States/epidemiology
*Mental Health/statistics & numerical data
Male
Female
*Depression/epidemiology
*Datasets as Topic
Databases, Factual
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
Do Mixed-Species Groups Travel as One? An Investigation on Large African Herbivores Monitored Using Animal-Borne Video Collars.
The American naturalist, 205(4):451-458.
AbstractAlthough prey foraging in mixed-species groups benefit from a reduced risk of predation, whether heterospecific groupmates move together in the landscape, and more generally to what extent mixed-species groups remain cohesive over time and space, remains unknown. Here, we used GPS collars with video cameras to investigate the movements of plains zebras (Equus quagga) in mixed-species groups. Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), impalas (Aepyceros melampus), and giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) commonly form mixed-species groups with zebras in savanna ecosystems. We found that zebras adjust their movement decisions solely on the basis of the presence of giraffes, being more likely to move in zebra-giraffe herds, and this was correlated with a higher cohesion of such groups. Additionally, zebras moving with giraffes spent more time grazing, suggesting that zebras benefit from foraging in the proximity of giraffes. Our results provide new insights into animal movements in mixed-species groups, contributing to a better consideration of mutualism in movement ecology.
Additional Links: PMID-40179423
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@article {pmid40179423,
year = {2025},
author = {Dejeante, R and Valeix, M and Chamaillé-Jammes, S},
title = {Do Mixed-Species Groups Travel as One? An Investigation on Large African Herbivores Monitored Using Animal-Borne Video Collars.},
journal = {The American naturalist},
volume = {205},
number = {4},
pages = {451-458},
doi = {10.1086/734410},
pmid = {40179423},
issn = {1537-5323},
mesh = {Animals ; Video Recording ; *Herbivory ; *Giraffes/physiology ; *Equidae/physiology ; *Antelopes/physiology ; Social Behavior ; Geographic Information Systems ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {AbstractAlthough prey foraging in mixed-species groups benefit from a reduced risk of predation, whether heterospecific groupmates move together in the landscape, and more generally to what extent mixed-species groups remain cohesive over time and space, remains unknown. Here, we used GPS collars with video cameras to investigate the movements of plains zebras (Equus quagga) in mixed-species groups. Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), impalas (Aepyceros melampus), and giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) commonly form mixed-species groups with zebras in savanna ecosystems. We found that zebras adjust their movement decisions solely on the basis of the presence of giraffes, being more likely to move in zebra-giraffe herds, and this was correlated with a higher cohesion of such groups. Additionally, zebras moving with giraffes spent more time grazing, suggesting that zebras benefit from foraging in the proximity of giraffes. Our results provide new insights into animal movements in mixed-species groups, contributing to a better consideration of mutualism in movement ecology.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
Video Recording
*Herbivory
*Giraffes/physiology
*Equidae/physiology
*Antelopes/physiology
Social Behavior
Geographic Information Systems
Ecosystem
RevDate: 2026-08-23
CmpDate: 2025-04-17
SpaGRN: Investigating spatially informed regulatory paths for spatially resolved transcriptomics data.
Cell systems, 16(4):101243.
Cells spatially organize into distinct cell types or functional domains through localized gene regulatory networks. However, current spatially resolved transcriptomics analyses fail to integrate spatial constraints and proximal cell influences, limiting the mechanistic understanding of tissue organization. Here, we introduce SpaGRN, a statistical framework that reconstructs cell-type- or functional-domain-specific, dynamic, and spatial regulons by coupling intracellular spatial regulatory causality with extracellular signaling path information. Benchmarking across synthetic and real datasets demonstrates SpaGRN's superior precision over state-of-the-art tools in identifying context-dependent regulons. Applied to diverse spatially resolved transcriptomics platforms (Stereo-seq, STARmap, MERFISH, CosMx, Slide-seq, and 10x Visium), complex cancerous samples, and 3D datasets of developing Drosophila embryos and larvae, SpaGRN not only provides a versatile toolkit for decoding receptor-mediated spatial regulons but also reveals spatiotemporal regulatory mechanisms underlying organogenesis and inflammation.
Additional Links: PMID-40179878
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@article {pmid40179878,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, Y and Liu, X and Guo, L and Han, K and Fang, S and Wan, X and Wang, D and Xu, X and Jiang, L and Fan, G and Xu, M},
title = {SpaGRN: Investigating spatially informed regulatory paths for spatially resolved transcriptomics data.},
journal = {Cell systems},
volume = {16},
number = {4},
pages = {101243},
doi = {10.1016/j.cels.2025.101243},
pmid = {40179878},
issn = {2405-4720},
mesh = {Animals ; *Transcriptome/genetics ; *Gene Expression Profiling/methods ; Humans ; *Gene Regulatory Networks/genetics ; Drosophila/genetics ; Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {Cells spatially organize into distinct cell types or functional domains through localized gene regulatory networks. However, current spatially resolved transcriptomics analyses fail to integrate spatial constraints and proximal cell influences, limiting the mechanistic understanding of tissue organization. Here, we introduce SpaGRN, a statistical framework that reconstructs cell-type- or functional-domain-specific, dynamic, and spatial regulons by coupling intracellular spatial regulatory causality with extracellular signaling path information. Benchmarking across synthetic and real datasets demonstrates SpaGRN's superior precision over state-of-the-art tools in identifying context-dependent regulons. Applied to diverse spatially resolved transcriptomics platforms (Stereo-seq, STARmap, MERFISH, CosMx, Slide-seq, and 10x Visium), complex cancerous samples, and 3D datasets of developing Drosophila embryos and larvae, SpaGRN not only provides a versatile toolkit for decoding receptor-mediated spatial regulons but also reveals spatiotemporal regulatory mechanisms underlying organogenesis and inflammation.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
*Transcriptome/genetics
*Gene Expression Profiling/methods
Humans
*Gene Regulatory Networks/genetics
Drosophila/genetics
Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
Lineage-specific microbial protein prediction enables large-scale exploration of protein ecology within the human gut.
Nature communications, 16(1):3204.
Microbes use a range of genetic codes and gene structures, yet these are often ignored during metagenomic analysis. This causes spurious protein predictions, preventing functional assignment which limits our understanding of ecosystems. To resolve this, we developed a lineage-specific gene prediction approach that uses the correct genetic code based on the taxonomic assignment of genetic fragments, removes incomplete protein predictions, and optimises prediction of small proteins. Applied to 9634 metagenomes and 3594 genomes from the human gut, this approach increased the landscape of captured expressed microbial proteins by 78.9%, including previously hidden functional groups. Optimised small protein prediction captured 3,772,658 small protein clusters, which form an improved microbial protein catalogue of the human gut (MiProGut). To enable the ecological study of a protein's prevalence and association with host parameters, we developed InvestiGUT, a tool which integrates both the protein sequences and sample metadata. Accurate prediction of proteins is critical to providing a functional understanding of microbiomes, enhancing our ability to study interactions between microbes and hosts.
Additional Links: PMID-40180917
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@article {pmid40180917,
year = {2025},
author = {Schmitz, MA and Dimonaco, NJ and Clavel, T and Hitch, TCA},
title = {Lineage-specific microbial protein prediction enables large-scale exploration of protein ecology within the human gut.},
journal = {Nature communications},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {3204},
pmid = {40180917},
issn = {2041-1723},
support = {460129525//Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG)/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics ; Metagenome/genetics ; *Metagenomics/methods ; *Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification/metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {Microbes use a range of genetic codes and gene structures, yet these are often ignored during metagenomic analysis. This causes spurious protein predictions, preventing functional assignment which limits our understanding of ecosystems. To resolve this, we developed a lineage-specific gene prediction approach that uses the correct genetic code based on the taxonomic assignment of genetic fragments, removes incomplete protein predictions, and optimises prediction of small proteins. Applied to 9634 metagenomes and 3594 genomes from the human gut, this approach increased the landscape of captured expressed microbial proteins by 78.9%, including previously hidden functional groups. Optimised small protein prediction captured 3,772,658 small protein clusters, which form an improved microbial protein catalogue of the human gut (MiProGut). To enable the ecological study of a protein's prevalence and association with host parameters, we developed InvestiGUT, a tool which integrates both the protein sequences and sample metadata. Accurate prediction of proteins is critical to providing a functional understanding of microbiomes, enhancing our ability to study interactions between microbes and hosts.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics
Metagenome/genetics
*Metagenomics/methods
*Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism
*Bacteria/genetics/classification/metabolism
Phylogeny
Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-16
CmpDate: 2025-05-16
Evaluation of crop phenology using remote sensing and decision support system for agrotechnology transfer.
Scientific reports, 15(1):11582.
The decision support system for agro-technology transfer (DSSAT) is a worldwide crop modeling platform used for crops growth, yield, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass estimation under varying climatic, soil and management conditions. This study integrates DSSAT with satellite remote sensing (RS) data to estimates canopy state variables like LAI and biomass. For LAI estimation, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) product (MCD15A3H for LAI and MOD17A2 / MOD17A3 products for biomass) are used. Field data for Sheikhupura district is provided by National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) and used for the calibration and validation of the model. The results indicate strong agreement between the DSSAT and RS derived estimates. Correlation coefficients (R[2]) for LAI varied from 0.82 to 0.90, while for biomass ranged from 0.92 to 0.99 over two farms and two growing seasons (2012-2014). The index of agreement (D-index) ranged from 0.79 to 0.96 across the two farms and two growing seasons (2012-2014) affirming the model's durability. However, the biomass estimated from RS data is underestimated due to saturation phenomenon in the optical RS. The performance metrics, comprising the coefficient of residual mass (CRM) and normalized root mean square error (nRMSE), further substantiate the approach utilized. This study will help decision and policymakers and researchers to apply geospatial techniques for the sustainable agriculture practices.
Additional Links: PMID-40185844
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@article {pmid40185844,
year = {2025},
author = {Amin, NU and Islam, F and Umar, M and Muhammad, W and Rahman, SU and Gaafar, AZ and Shah, TA and Dauelbait, M and Bourhia, M},
title = {Evaluation of crop phenology using remote sensing and decision support system for agrotechnology transfer.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {11582},
pmid = {40185844},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {*Remote Sensing Technology/methods ; *Crops, Agricultural/growth & development ; Biomass ; *Agriculture/methods ; *Decision Support Techniques ; Plant Leaves/growth & development ; Seasons ; },
abstract = {The decision support system for agro-technology transfer (DSSAT) is a worldwide crop modeling platform used for crops growth, yield, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass estimation under varying climatic, soil and management conditions. This study integrates DSSAT with satellite remote sensing (RS) data to estimates canopy state variables like LAI and biomass. For LAI estimation, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) product (MCD15A3H for LAI and MOD17A2 / MOD17A3 products for biomass) are used. Field data for Sheikhupura district is provided by National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) and used for the calibration and validation of the model. The results indicate strong agreement between the DSSAT and RS derived estimates. Correlation coefficients (R[2]) for LAI varied from 0.82 to 0.90, while for biomass ranged from 0.92 to 0.99 over two farms and two growing seasons (2012-2014). The index of agreement (D-index) ranged from 0.79 to 0.96 across the two farms and two growing seasons (2012-2014) affirming the model's durability. However, the biomass estimated from RS data is underestimated due to saturation phenomenon in the optical RS. The performance metrics, comprising the coefficient of residual mass (CRM) and normalized root mean square error (nRMSE), further substantiate the approach utilized. This study will help decision and policymakers and researchers to apply geospatial techniques for the sustainable agriculture practices.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
*Remote Sensing Technology/methods
*Crops, Agricultural/growth & development
Biomass
*Agriculture/methods
*Decision Support Techniques
Plant Leaves/growth & development
Seasons
RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-19
Multi-omics insights into antioxidant and immune responses in Penaeus monodon under ammonia-N, low salinity, and combined stress.
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 295:118156.
Ammonia nitrogen and salinity are critical environmental factors that significantly impact marine organisms and present substantial threats to Penaeus monodon species within aquaculture systems. This study utilized a comprehensive multi-omics approach, encompassing transcriptomics, metabolomics, and gut microbiome analysis, to systematically examine the biological responses of shrimp subjected to low salinity, ammonia nitrogen stress, and their combined conditions. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that exposure to ammonia nitrogen stress markedly influenced the concentrations of antioxidant-related metabolites, such as glutathione, suggesting that shrimp mitigate oxidative stress by augmenting their antioxidant capacity. The transcriptomic analysis revealed an upregulation of genes linked to energy metabolism and immune responses and antioxidant enzymes. Concurrently, gut microbiome analysis demonstrated that ammonia nitrogen stress resulted in a marked increase in Vibrio populations and a significant decrease in Photobacterium, indicating that alterations in microbial community structure are intricately associated with the shrimp stress response. A comprehensive analysis further indicated that the combined stressors of ammonia nitrogen and salinity exert a synergistic effect on the immune function and physiological homeostasis of shrimp by modulating antioxidant metabolic pathways and gut microbial communities. These findings provide critical systematic data for elucidating the mechanisms through which ammonia nitrogen and salinity influence marine ecosystems, offering substantial implications for environmental protection and ecological management.
Additional Links: PMID-40188731
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@article {pmid40188731,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, Y and Huang, S and Jiang, S and Yang, L and Huang, J and Yang, Q and Jiang, Z and Shi, J and Ma, Z and Li, E and Zhou, F},
title = {Multi-omics insights into antioxidant and immune responses in Penaeus monodon under ammonia-N, low salinity, and combined stress.},
journal = {Ecotoxicology and environmental safety},
volume = {295},
number = {},
pages = {118156},
doi = {10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118156},
pmid = {40188731},
issn = {1090-2414},
mesh = {Animals ; *Penaeidae/immunology/physiology/drug effects ; *Ammonia/toxicity ; Salinity ; *Antioxidants/metabolism ; *Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity ; Oxidative Stress ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects ; Metabolomics ; Stress, Physiological ; Transcriptome ; Nitrogen/toxicity ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Ammonia nitrogen and salinity are critical environmental factors that significantly impact marine organisms and present substantial threats to Penaeus monodon species within aquaculture systems. This study utilized a comprehensive multi-omics approach, encompassing transcriptomics, metabolomics, and gut microbiome analysis, to systematically examine the biological responses of shrimp subjected to low salinity, ammonia nitrogen stress, and their combined conditions. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that exposure to ammonia nitrogen stress markedly influenced the concentrations of antioxidant-related metabolites, such as glutathione, suggesting that shrimp mitigate oxidative stress by augmenting their antioxidant capacity. The transcriptomic analysis revealed an upregulation of genes linked to energy metabolism and immune responses and antioxidant enzymes. Concurrently, gut microbiome analysis demonstrated that ammonia nitrogen stress resulted in a marked increase in Vibrio populations and a significant decrease in Photobacterium, indicating that alterations in microbial community structure are intricately associated with the shrimp stress response. A comprehensive analysis further indicated that the combined stressors of ammonia nitrogen and salinity exert a synergistic effect on the immune function and physiological homeostasis of shrimp by modulating antioxidant metabolic pathways and gut microbial communities. These findings provide critical systematic data for elucidating the mechanisms through which ammonia nitrogen and salinity influence marine ecosystems, offering substantial implications for environmental protection and ecological management.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
*Penaeidae/immunology/physiology/drug effects
*Ammonia/toxicity
Salinity
*Antioxidants/metabolism
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity
Oxidative Stress
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects
Metabolomics
Stress, Physiological
Transcriptome
Nitrogen/toxicity
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-22
CmpDate: 2025-05-20
Improving gut virome comparisons using predicted phage host information.
mSystems, 10(5):e0136424.
UNLABELLED: The human gut virome is predominantly made up of bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect bacteria. Metagenomic studies have revealed that phages in the gut are highly individual specific and dynamic. These features make it challenging to perform meaningful cross-study comparisons. While several taxonomy frameworks exist to group phages and improve these comparisons, these strategies provide little insight into the potential effects phages have on their bacterial hosts. Here, we propose the use of predicted phage host families (PHFs) as a functionally relevant, qualitative unit of phage classification to improve these cross-study analyses. We first show that bioinformatic predictions of phage hosts are accurate at the host family level by measuring their concordance to Hi-C sequencing-based predictions in human and mouse fecal samples. Next, using phage host family predictions, we determined that PHFs reduce intra- and interindividual ecological distances compared to viral contigs in a previously published cohort of 10 healthy individuals, while simultaneously improving longitudinal virome stability. Lastly, by reanalyzing a previously published metagenomics data set with >1,000 samples, we determined that PHFs are prevalent across individuals and can aid in the detection of inflammatory bowel disease-specific virome signatures. Overall, our analyses support the use of predicted phage hosts in reducing between-sample distances and providing a biologically relevant framework for making between-sample virome comparisons.
IMPORTANCE: The human gut virome consists mainly of bacteriophages (phages), which infect bacteria and show high individual specificity and variability, complicating cross-study comparisons. Furthermore, existing taxonomic frameworks offer limited insight into their interactions with bacterial hosts. In this study, we propose using predicted phage host families (PHFs) as a higher-level classification unit to enhance functional cross-study comparisons. We demonstrate that bioinformatic predictions of phage hosts align with Hi-C sequencing results at the host family level in human and mouse fecal samples. We further show that PHFs reduce ecological distances and improve virome stability over time. Additionally, reanalysis of a large metagenomics data set revealed that PHFs are widespread and can help identify disease-specific virome patterns, such as those linked to inflammatory bowel disease.
Additional Links: PMID-40197051
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40197051,
year = {2025},
author = {Shamash, M and Sinha, A and Maurice, CF},
title = {Improving gut virome comparisons using predicted phage host information.},
journal = {mSystems},
volume = {10},
number = {5},
pages = {e0136424},
pmid = {40197051},
issn = {2379-5077},
mesh = {*Bacteriophages/genetics/classification/physiology ; *Virome/genetics ; Humans ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics ; Animals ; Mice ; Feces/virology/microbiology ; Metagenomics/methods ; Computational Biology/methods ; Bacteria/virology ; },
abstract = {UNLABELLED: The human gut virome is predominantly made up of bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect bacteria. Metagenomic studies have revealed that phages in the gut are highly individual specific and dynamic. These features make it challenging to perform meaningful cross-study comparisons. While several taxonomy frameworks exist to group phages and improve these comparisons, these strategies provide little insight into the potential effects phages have on their bacterial hosts. Here, we propose the use of predicted phage host families (PHFs) as a functionally relevant, qualitative unit of phage classification to improve these cross-study analyses. We first show that bioinformatic predictions of phage hosts are accurate at the host family level by measuring their concordance to Hi-C sequencing-based predictions in human and mouse fecal samples. Next, using phage host family predictions, we determined that PHFs reduce intra- and interindividual ecological distances compared to viral contigs in a previously published cohort of 10 healthy individuals, while simultaneously improving longitudinal virome stability. Lastly, by reanalyzing a previously published metagenomics data set with >1,000 samples, we determined that PHFs are prevalent across individuals and can aid in the detection of inflammatory bowel disease-specific virome signatures. Overall, our analyses support the use of predicted phage hosts in reducing between-sample distances and providing a biologically relevant framework for making between-sample virome comparisons.
IMPORTANCE: The human gut virome consists mainly of bacteriophages (phages), which infect bacteria and show high individual specificity and variability, complicating cross-study comparisons. Furthermore, existing taxonomic frameworks offer limited insight into their interactions with bacterial hosts. In this study, we propose using predicted phage host families (PHFs) as a higher-level classification unit to enhance functional cross-study comparisons. We demonstrate that bioinformatic predictions of phage hosts align with Hi-C sequencing results at the host family level in human and mouse fecal samples. We further show that PHFs reduce ecological distances and improve virome stability over time. Additionally, reanalysis of a large metagenomics data set revealed that PHFs are widespread and can help identify disease-specific virome patterns, such as those linked to inflammatory bowel disease.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Bacteriophages/genetics/classification/physiology
*Virome/genetics
Humans
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics
Animals
Mice
Feces/virology/microbiology
Metagenomics/methods
Computational Biology/methods
Bacteria/virology
RevDate: 2025-04-14
CmpDate: 2025-04-08
Molecular Allergology: Epitope Discovery and Its Application for Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy of Food Allergy.
Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology, 68(1):37.
The prevalence of food allergy continues to rise, posing a significant burden on health and quality of life. Research on antigenic epitope identification and hypoallergenic agent design is advancing allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). This review focuses on food allergens from the perspective of molecular allergology, provides an overview of integration of bioinformatics and experimental validation for epitope identification, highlights hypoallergenic agents designed based on epitope information, and offers a valuable guidance to the application of hypoallergenic agents in AIT. With the development of molecular allergology, the characterization of the amino acid sequence and structure of the allergen at the molecular level facilitates T-/B-cell epitope identification. Alignment of the identified epitopes in food allergens revealed that the amino acid sequence of T-/B-cell epitopes barely overlapped, providing crucial data to design allergen molecules as a promising form for treating (FA) food allergy. Manipulating antigenic epitopes can reduce the allergenicity of allergens to obtain hypoallergenic agents, thereby minimizing the severe side effects associated with AIT. Currently, hypoallergenic agents are mainly developed through synthetic epitope peptides, genetic engineering, or food processing methods based on the identified epitope. New strategies such as DNA vaccines, signaling molecules coupling, and nanoparticles are emerging to improve efficiency. Although significant progress has been made in designing hypoallergenic agents for AIT, the challenge in clinical translation is to determine the appropriate dose and duration of treatment to induce long-term immune tolerance.
Additional Links: PMID-40198416
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40198416,
year = {2025},
author = {Huan, F and Gao, S and Gu, Y and Ni, L and Wu, M and Li, Y and Liu, M and Yang, Y and Xiao, A and Liu, G},
title = {Molecular Allergology: Epitope Discovery and Its Application for Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy of Food Allergy.},
journal = {Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology},
volume = {68},
number = {1},
pages = {37},
pmid = {40198416},
issn = {1559-0267},
support = {32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32472449//the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; 2022YFF1100103//the grant from the National Key R&D Program of China/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Food Hypersensitivity/therapy/immunology ; *Allergens/immunology/chemistry/genetics ; *Desensitization, Immunologic/methods ; Animals ; *Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology ; *Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/immunology ; *Epitopes/immunology ; Computational Biology ; Epitope Mapping ; },
abstract = {The prevalence of food allergy continues to rise, posing a significant burden on health and quality of life. Research on antigenic epitope identification and hypoallergenic agent design is advancing allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). This review focuses on food allergens from the perspective of molecular allergology, provides an overview of integration of bioinformatics and experimental validation for epitope identification, highlights hypoallergenic agents designed based on epitope information, and offers a valuable guidance to the application of hypoallergenic agents in AIT. With the development of molecular allergology, the characterization of the amino acid sequence and structure of the allergen at the molecular level facilitates T-/B-cell epitope identification. Alignment of the identified epitopes in food allergens revealed that the amino acid sequence of T-/B-cell epitopes barely overlapped, providing crucial data to design allergen molecules as a promising form for treating (FA) food allergy. Manipulating antigenic epitopes can reduce the allergenicity of allergens to obtain hypoallergenic agents, thereby minimizing the severe side effects associated with AIT. Currently, hypoallergenic agents are mainly developed through synthetic epitope peptides, genetic engineering, or food processing methods based on the identified epitope. New strategies such as DNA vaccines, signaling molecules coupling, and nanoparticles are emerging to improve efficiency. Although significant progress has been made in designing hypoallergenic agents for AIT, the challenge in clinical translation is to determine the appropriate dose and duration of treatment to induce long-term immune tolerance.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
*Food Hypersensitivity/therapy/immunology
*Allergens/immunology/chemistry/genetics
*Desensitization, Immunologic/methods
Animals
*Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
*Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/immunology
*Epitopes/immunology
Computational Biology
Epitope Mapping
RevDate: 2025-04-18
CmpDate: 2025-04-16
The impact of climate change on ecology of tick associated with tick-borne diseases.
PLoS computational biology, 21(4):e1012903.
Infectious diseases have caused significant economic and human losses worldwide. Growing concerns exist regarding climate change potentially exacerbating the spread of these diseases, particularly those transmitted by vectors such as ticks and mosquitoes. Tick-borne diseases, such as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), can be particularly detrimental to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. This study utilizes a mathematical modeling approach to predict changes in tick populations under climate change scenarios, incorporating tick ecology and climate-sensitive parameters. Sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the factors influencing tick population dynamics. The study further explores effective tick control strategies and their cost-effectiveness in the context of climate change. The findings indicate that the efficacy of tick population reduction varies greatly depending on the timing of control measure implementation and the effectiveness of the control strategies exhibits a strong dependence on the duration of implementation. Furthermore, as climate change intensifies, tick populations are projected to increase, leading to a rise in control costs and SFTS cases. In light of these findings, identifying and implementing appropriate control measures to manage tick populations under climate change will be increasingly crucial.
Additional Links: PMID-40198742
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40198742,
year = {2025},
author = {Choi, H and Lee, CH},
title = {The impact of climate change on ecology of tick associated with tick-borne diseases.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1012903},
pmid = {40198742},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {*Climate Change ; *Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Animals ; *Ticks/physiology ; Humans ; *Models, Biological ; Population Dynamics ; Computational Biology ; },
abstract = {Infectious diseases have caused significant economic and human losses worldwide. Growing concerns exist regarding climate change potentially exacerbating the spread of these diseases, particularly those transmitted by vectors such as ticks and mosquitoes. Tick-borne diseases, such as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), can be particularly detrimental to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. This study utilizes a mathematical modeling approach to predict changes in tick populations under climate change scenarios, incorporating tick ecology and climate-sensitive parameters. Sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the factors influencing tick population dynamics. The study further explores effective tick control strategies and their cost-effectiveness in the context of climate change. The findings indicate that the efficacy of tick population reduction varies greatly depending on the timing of control measure implementation and the effectiveness of the control strategies exhibits a strong dependence on the duration of implementation. Furthermore, as climate change intensifies, tick populations are projected to increase, leading to a rise in control costs and SFTS cases. In light of these findings, identifying and implementing appropriate control measures to manage tick populations under climate change will be increasingly crucial.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Climate Change
*Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission/epidemiology/prevention & control
Animals
*Ticks/physiology
Humans
*Models, Biological
Population Dynamics
Computational Biology
RevDate: 2025-04-18
CmpDate: 2025-04-08
TraitAM, a global spore trait database for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
Scientific data, 12(1):588.
Knowledge regarding organismal traits supports a better understanding of the relationship between form and function and can be used to predict the consequences of environmental stressors on ecological and evolutionary processes. Most plants on Earth form symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi, but our ability to make trait-based inferences for these fungi is limited due to a lack of publicly available trait data. Here, we present TraitAM, a comprehensive database of multiple spore traits for all described species of the most common group of mycorrhizal fungi, the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (subphylum Glomeromycotina). Trait data for 344 species were mined from original species descriptions and used to calculate newly developed fungal trait metrics that can be employed to explore both intra- and inter-specific variation in traits. TraitAM also includes an updated phylogenetic tree that can be used to conduct phylogenetically-informed multivariate analyses of AM fungal traits. TraitAM will aid our further understanding of the biology, ecology, and evolution of these globally widespread, symbiotic fungi.
Additional Links: PMID-40199921
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40199921,
year = {2025},
author = {Chaudhary, VB and Nokes, LF and González, JB and Cooper, PO and Katula, AM and Mares, EC and Pehim Limbu, S and Robinson, JN and Aguilar-Trigueros, CA},
title = {TraitAM, a global spore trait database for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {588},
pmid = {40199921},
issn = {2052-4463},
support = {DEB-2205650//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; Feodor Lynen Fellowship//Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)/ ; },
mesh = {Databases, Factual ; *Mycorrhizae/genetics ; Phylogeny ; *Spores, Fungal/genetics ; Symbiosis ; },
abstract = {Knowledge regarding organismal traits supports a better understanding of the relationship between form and function and can be used to predict the consequences of environmental stressors on ecological and evolutionary processes. Most plants on Earth form symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi, but our ability to make trait-based inferences for these fungi is limited due to a lack of publicly available trait data. Here, we present TraitAM, a comprehensive database of multiple spore traits for all described species of the most common group of mycorrhizal fungi, the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (subphylum Glomeromycotina). Trait data for 344 species were mined from original species descriptions and used to calculate newly developed fungal trait metrics that can be employed to explore both intra- and inter-specific variation in traits. TraitAM also includes an updated phylogenetic tree that can be used to conduct phylogenetically-informed multivariate analyses of AM fungal traits. TraitAM will aid our further understanding of the biology, ecology, and evolution of these globally widespread, symbiotic fungi.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Databases, Factual
*Mycorrhizae/genetics
Phylogeny
*Spores, Fungal/genetics
Symbiosis
RevDate: 2025-04-11
CmpDate: 2025-04-09
A multi-omics analysis reveals candidate genes for Cd tolerance in Paspalum vaginatum.
BMC plant biology, 25(1):441.
Cadmium (Cd) pollution in the farmland has become a serious global issue threatening both human health and plant biomass production. Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Sw.), a halophytic turfgrass, has been recognized as a Cd-tolerant species. However, the underlying genetic basis of natural variations in Cd tolerance still remains unknown. This study is possibly the first to apply genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and selective sweep analysis to identify potential Cd stress-responsive genes in P. vaginatum. We identified a total of 89 candidate genes and 656 putative selective sweeps regions. Based on the correlation analysis of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we identified the 55 key genes associated with metabolic changes induced by Cd treatment as the Cd tolerance-related genes. These genes showed significantly higher expression in Cd-tolerant accessions as compared to Cd-susceptive accessions. Therefore, our multi-omics study revealed the molecular and genetic basis of Cd tolerance, which may help develop Cd tolerant crop varieties.
Additional Links: PMID-40200134
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40200134,
year = {2025},
author = {Hu, X and Pan, L and Fu, C and Zhu, Q and Hao, J and Wang, X and Nawaz, M and Qu, J and Zhang, J and Chen, Y and Zong, J and Liao, L and Tang, M and Wang, Z},
title = {A multi-omics analysis reveals candidate genes for Cd tolerance in Paspalum vaginatum.},
journal = {BMC plant biology},
volume = {25},
number = {1},
pages = {441},
pmid = {40200134},
issn = {1471-2229},
support = {No.321RC475//Hainan Natural Science Foundation high-level Talents Project/ ; No.321RC475//Hainan Natural Science Foundation high-level Talents Project/ ; ZDYF2023XDNY078//the Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund/ ; XTCX2022STC10//Collaborative Innovation Center Project of Ecological Civilization in Hainan University/ ; KJRC2023C21//Innovational Fund for Scientific and Technological Personnel of Hainan Province/ ; No.32060409//the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; XTCX2022NYB08//Collaborative Innovation Center Project of Nanfan and High-Efficiency Tropical Agriculture in Hainan University/ ; },
mesh = {*Cadmium/toxicity ; *Paspalum/genetics/drug effects/metabolism/physiology ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; *Genes, Plant ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Cadmium (Cd) pollution in the farmland has become a serious global issue threatening both human health and plant biomass production. Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Sw.), a halophytic turfgrass, has been recognized as a Cd-tolerant species. However, the underlying genetic basis of natural variations in Cd tolerance still remains unknown. This study is possibly the first to apply genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and selective sweep analysis to identify potential Cd stress-responsive genes in P. vaginatum. We identified a total of 89 candidate genes and 656 putative selective sweeps regions. Based on the correlation analysis of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we identified the 55 key genes associated with metabolic changes induced by Cd treatment as the Cd tolerance-related genes. These genes showed significantly higher expression in Cd-tolerant accessions as compared to Cd-susceptive accessions. Therefore, our multi-omics study revealed the molecular and genetic basis of Cd tolerance, which may help develop Cd tolerant crop varieties.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Cadmium/toxicity
*Paspalum/genetics/drug effects/metabolism/physiology
Genome-Wide Association Study
*Genes, Plant
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-04-25
CmpDate: 2025-04-23
Visualization and quantification of coral reef soundscapes using CoralSoundExplorer software.
PLoS computational biology, 21(4):e1012050.
Despite hosting some of the highest concentrations of biodiversity and providing invaluable goods and services in the oceans, coral reefs are under threat from global change and other local human impacts. Changes in living ecosystems often induce changes in their acoustic characteristics, but despite recent efforts in passive acoustic monitoring of coral reefs, rapid measurement and identification of changes in their soundscapes remains a challenge. Here we present the new open-source software CoralSoundExplorer, which is designed to study and monitor coral reef soundscapes. CoralSoundExplorer uses machine learning approaches and is designed to eliminate the need to extract conventional acoustic indices. To demonstrate CoralSoundExplorer's functionalities, we use and analyze a set of recordings from three coral reef sites, each with different purposes (undisturbed site, tourist site and boat site), located on the island of Bora-Bora in French Polynesia. We explain the CoralSoundExplorer analysis workflow, from raw sounds to ecological results, detailing and justifying each processing step. We detail the software settings, the graphical representations used for visual exploration of soundscapes and their temporal dynamics, along with the analysis methods and metrics proposed. We demonstrate that CoralSoundExplorer is a powerful tool for identifying disturbances affecting coral reef soundscapes, combining visualizations of the spatio-temporal distribution of sound recordings with new quantification methods to characterize soundscapes at different temporal scales.
Additional Links: PMID-40208899
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40208899,
year = {2025},
author = {Minier, L and Rouch, J and Sabbagh, B and Bertucci, F and Parmentier, E and Lecchini, D and Sèbe, F and Mathevon, N and Emonet, R},
title = {Visualization and quantification of coral reef soundscapes using CoralSoundExplorer software.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1012050},
pmid = {40208899},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {*Coral Reefs ; *Software ; Animals ; Acoustics ; Anthozoa/physiology ; Sound ; Machine Learning ; Computational Biology ; Polynesia ; Ecosystem ; *Environmental Monitoring/methods ; },
abstract = {Despite hosting some of the highest concentrations of biodiversity and providing invaluable goods and services in the oceans, coral reefs are under threat from global change and other local human impacts. Changes in living ecosystems often induce changes in their acoustic characteristics, but despite recent efforts in passive acoustic monitoring of coral reefs, rapid measurement and identification of changes in their soundscapes remains a challenge. Here we present the new open-source software CoralSoundExplorer, which is designed to study and monitor coral reef soundscapes. CoralSoundExplorer uses machine learning approaches and is designed to eliminate the need to extract conventional acoustic indices. To demonstrate CoralSoundExplorer's functionalities, we use and analyze a set of recordings from three coral reef sites, each with different purposes (undisturbed site, tourist site and boat site), located on the island of Bora-Bora in French Polynesia. We explain the CoralSoundExplorer analysis workflow, from raw sounds to ecological results, detailing and justifying each processing step. We detail the software settings, the graphical representations used for visual exploration of soundscapes and their temporal dynamics, along with the analysis methods and metrics proposed. We demonstrate that CoralSoundExplorer is a powerful tool for identifying disturbances affecting coral reef soundscapes, combining visualizations of the spatio-temporal distribution of sound recordings with new quantification methods to characterize soundscapes at different temporal scales.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Coral Reefs
*Software
Animals
Acoustics
Anthozoa/physiology
Sound
Machine Learning
Computational Biology
Polynesia
Ecosystem
*Environmental Monitoring/methods
RevDate: 2025-04-16
CmpDate: 2025-04-13
The satisfaction of ecological environment in sports public services by artificial intelligence and big data.
Scientific reports, 15(1):12748.
In order to gain a more accurate understanding and enhance the relationship between the fitness ecological environment and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sports public services, this study combines a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach based on residual modules and attention mechanisms with the SERVQUAL evaluation model. The method employed involves the analysis of big data collected from questionnaire surveys, literature reviews, and interviews. This study critically examines the impact of advanced AI technologies on residents' satisfaction with the fitness ecological environment in sports public services and conducts theoretical analysis of the obtained data. The results show that the quality of sports public services empowered by AI significantly influences residents' satisfaction with the fitness ecological environment, such as running, swimming, ball games and other sports with high requirements for sports service quality and ecological environment. Only the good public sports service quality matching with them can meet the needs of the ecological environment for fitness, and stimulate the enthusiasm of the people for fitness. The study also shows that swimming, running and all kinds of ball games account for the largest proportion of all sports. To sum up, the satisfaction of residents' fitness ecological environment is greatly affected by the quality of public sports services, which is mainly reflected in the good and perfect sports environment and facilities that can provide residents with a wealth of fitness options, greatly improving the sports ecological environment. This study is helpful to realize the relationship between sports public service and sports ecological environment. It contributes to understanding the role of AI and deep learning in enhancing the correlation between sports public service and the ecological environment of sports.
Additional Links: PMID-40222989
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40222989,
year = {2025},
author = {Mu, K and Wang, Z and Tang, J and Zhang, J and Han, W},
title = {The satisfaction of ecological environment in sports public services by artificial intelligence and big data.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {12748},
pmid = {40222989},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Humans ; *Artificial Intelligence ; *Big Data ; *Sports ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Neural Networks, Computer ; *Personal Satisfaction ; },
abstract = {In order to gain a more accurate understanding and enhance the relationship between the fitness ecological environment and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sports public services, this study combines a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach based on residual modules and attention mechanisms with the SERVQUAL evaluation model. The method employed involves the analysis of big data collected from questionnaire surveys, literature reviews, and interviews. This study critically examines the impact of advanced AI technologies on residents' satisfaction with the fitness ecological environment in sports public services and conducts theoretical analysis of the obtained data. The results show that the quality of sports public services empowered by AI significantly influences residents' satisfaction with the fitness ecological environment, such as running, swimming, ball games and other sports with high requirements for sports service quality and ecological environment. Only the good public sports service quality matching with them can meet the needs of the ecological environment for fitness, and stimulate the enthusiasm of the people for fitness. The study also shows that swimming, running and all kinds of ball games account for the largest proportion of all sports. To sum up, the satisfaction of residents' fitness ecological environment is greatly affected by the quality of public sports services, which is mainly reflected in the good and perfect sports environment and facilities that can provide residents with a wealth of fitness options, greatly improving the sports ecological environment. This study is helpful to realize the relationship between sports public service and sports ecological environment. It contributes to understanding the role of AI and deep learning in enhancing the correlation between sports public service and the ecological environment of sports.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
*Artificial Intelligence
*Big Data
*Sports
Surveys and Questionnaires
Neural Networks, Computer
*Personal Satisfaction
RevDate: 2025-04-23
CmpDate: 2025-04-18
Advancing Gut Microbiome Research: The Shift from Metagenomics to Multi-Omics and Future Perspectives.
Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 35:e2412001.
The gut microbiome, a dynamic and integral component of human health, has co-evolved with its host, playing essential roles in metabolism, immunity, and disease prevention. Traditional microbiome studies, primarily focused on microbial composition, have provided limited insights into the functional and mechanistic interactions between microbiota and their host. The advent of multi-omics technologies has transformed microbiome research by integrating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, offering a comprehensive, systems-level understanding of microbial ecology and host-microbiome interactions. These advances have propelled innovations in personalized medicine, enabling more precise diagnostics and targeted therapeutic strategies. This review highlights recent breakthroughs in microbiome research, demonstrating how these approaches have elucidated microbial functions and their implications for health and disease. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of standardizing multi-omics methodologies, conducting large-scale cohort studies, and developing novel platforms for mechanistic studies, which are critical steps toward translating microbiome research into clinical applications and advancing precision medicine.
Additional Links: PMID-40223273
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40223273,
year = {2025},
author = {Yang, SY and Han, SM and Lee, JY and Kim, KS and Lee, JE and Lee, DW},
title = {Advancing Gut Microbiome Research: The Shift from Metagenomics to Multi-Omics and Future Perspectives.},
journal = {Journal of microbiology and biotechnology},
volume = {35},
number = {},
pages = {e2412001},
pmid = {40223273},
issn = {1738-8872},
mesh = {*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology ; Humans ; Metagenomics/trends ; Multiomics/trends ; *Host Microbial Interactions/physiology ; *Translational Research, Biomedical/methods/trends ; Precision Medicine/methods/trends ; },
abstract = {The gut microbiome, a dynamic and integral component of human health, has co-evolved with its host, playing essential roles in metabolism, immunity, and disease prevention. Traditional microbiome studies, primarily focused on microbial composition, have provided limited insights into the functional and mechanistic interactions between microbiota and their host. The advent of multi-omics technologies has transformed microbiome research by integrating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, offering a comprehensive, systems-level understanding of microbial ecology and host-microbiome interactions. These advances have propelled innovations in personalized medicine, enabling more precise diagnostics and targeted therapeutic strategies. This review highlights recent breakthroughs in microbiome research, demonstrating how these approaches have elucidated microbial functions and their implications for health and disease. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of standardizing multi-omics methodologies, conducting large-scale cohort studies, and developing novel platforms for mechanistic studies, which are critical steps toward translating microbiome research into clinical applications and advancing precision medicine.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology
Humans
Metagenomics/trends
Multiomics/trends
*Host Microbial Interactions/physiology
*Translational Research, Biomedical/methods/trends
Precision Medicine/methods/trends
RevDate: 2025-05-10
CmpDate: 2025-04-14
Establishing a comprehensive host-parasite stable isotope database to unravel trophic relationships.
Scientific data, 12(1):623.
Over the past decades, stable isotopes have been infrequently used to characterise host-parasite trophic relationships. This is because we have not yet identified consistent patterns in stable isotope values between parasites and their host tissues across species, which are crucial for understanding host-parasite dynamics. To address this, we initiated a worldwide collaboration to establish a unique database of stable isotope values of novel host-parasite pairs, effectively doubling the existing data in published literature. This database includes nitrogen, carbon, and sulphur stable isotope values. We present 3213 stable isotope data entries, representing 586 previously unpublished host-parasite pairs. Additionally, while existing literature was particularly limited in sulphur isotope values, we tripled information on this crucial element. By publishing unreported host-parasite pairs from previously unsampled areas of the world and using appropriate host tissues, our dataset stands unparalleled. We anticipate that end-users will utilise our database to uncover generalisable patterns, deepening our understanding of the complexities of parasite-host relationships and driving future research efforts in stable isotope parasitology.
Additional Links: PMID-40229317
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@article {pmid40229317,
year = {2025},
author = {Sabadel, AJM and Riekenberg, P and Ayala-Diaz, M and Belk, MC and Bennett, J and Bode, A and Bury, SJ and Dabouineau, L and Delgado, J and Finucci, B and García-Seoane, R and Giari, L and Henkens, J and IJsseldijk, LL and Joling, T and Kerr-Hislop, O and MacLeod, CD and Meyer, L and McGill, RAR and Negro, E and Quillfeldt, P and Reed, C and Roberts, C and Sayyaf Dezfuli, B and Schmidt, O and Sturbois, A and Suchomel, AD and Thieltges, DW and van der Lingen, CD and van der Meer, MTJ and Viana, IG and Weston, M and Willis, TJ and Filion, A},
title = {Establishing a comprehensive host-parasite stable isotope database to unravel trophic relationships.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {623},
pmid = {40229317},
issn = {2052-4463},
support = {CAWX2207//Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)/ ; },
mesh = {*Host-Parasite Interactions ; Animals ; Nitrogen Isotopes/analysis ; Carbon Isotopes ; *Databases, Factual ; Sulfur Isotopes/analysis ; *Parasites ; },
abstract = {Over the past decades, stable isotopes have been infrequently used to characterise host-parasite trophic relationships. This is because we have not yet identified consistent patterns in stable isotope values between parasites and their host tissues across species, which are crucial for understanding host-parasite dynamics. To address this, we initiated a worldwide collaboration to establish a unique database of stable isotope values of novel host-parasite pairs, effectively doubling the existing data in published literature. This database includes nitrogen, carbon, and sulphur stable isotope values. We present 3213 stable isotope data entries, representing 586 previously unpublished host-parasite pairs. Additionally, while existing literature was particularly limited in sulphur isotope values, we tripled information on this crucial element. By publishing unreported host-parasite pairs from previously unsampled areas of the world and using appropriate host tissues, our dataset stands unparalleled. We anticipate that end-users will utilise our database to uncover generalisable patterns, deepening our understanding of the complexities of parasite-host relationships and driving future research efforts in stable isotope parasitology.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Host-Parasite Interactions
Animals
Nitrogen Isotopes/analysis
Carbon Isotopes
*Databases, Factual
Sulfur Isotopes/analysis
*Parasites
RevDate: 2025-05-05
CmpDate: 2025-04-15
Source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in river sediments within a hilly agricultural watershed of Southwestern China: an integrated study based on Pb isotopes and PMF method.
Environmental geochemistry and health, 47(5):174.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments represent a pervasive environmental issue that poses significant ecological risks. This study employed a combination of geographic information systems, diagnostic ratios, correlation analysis, Pb isotope ratios, and positive matrix factorization (PMF) to elucidate the potential sources of 16 priority PAHs in river sediments from a hilly agricultural watershed in Southwestern China. The results indicated that PAHs concentrations ranged from 55.9 to 6083.5 ng/g, with a mean value of 1582.1 ± 1528.9 ng/g, reflecting high levels of contamination throughout the watershed. The predominant class of PAHs identified was high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. Diagnostic ratios and correlation analysis suggested that the presence of PHAs is likely attributed primarily to emissions from industrial dust and combustion of coal and petroleum. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed a significant association between Pb and PAHs, indicating potential shared sources for both pollutants. Additionally, Pb isotopic analysis demonstrated that aerosols may be the primary contributor to Pb accumulation within this environment. Given the similarity in origins between Pb and PAHs, it can be inferred that PAHs predominantly originate from aerosols associated with coal combustion, industrial dust emissions, and vehicle exhaust. This inference is further supported by PMF results which yielded consistent findings with those derived from Pb isotopes analysis. Moreover, PMF estimated three major sources contributing 57.63%, 23.57%, and 18.80%, respectively. These findings provide novel insights into identifying the sources of PAHs in river sediments within hilly agricultural watersheds in Southwest China, thereby establishing a scientific foundation for enhancing environmental quality in agricultural regions.
Additional Links: PMID-40232549
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40232549,
year = {2025},
author = {Xu, F and Jiang, C and Liu, Q and Yang, R and Li, W and Wei, Y and Bao, L and Tong, H},
title = {Source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in river sediments within a hilly agricultural watershed of Southwestern China: an integrated study based on Pb isotopes and PMF method.},
journal = {Environmental geochemistry and health},
volume = {47},
number = {5},
pages = {174},
pmid = {40232549},
issn = {1573-2983},
support = {NO. 2023YFC3705904//National Key Research and Development Plan of China/ ; NO. 2023YFC3705904//National Key Research and Development Plan of China/ ; NO. 2021-043//Stationing Point Tracking Research of Ecological Barrier Construction in the upper Yangtze River of Sichuan Province/ ; NO. 2021-043//Stationing Point Tracking Research of Ecological Barrier Construction in the upper Yangtze River of Sichuan Province/ ; NO. 41977169//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; NO. 41977169//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; SKLGP2022Z009//State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection Independent Research Project/ ; SKLGP2022Z009//State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection Independent Research Project/ ; },
mesh = {China ; *Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis ; *Geologic Sediments/chemistry/analysis ; *Rivers/chemistry ; *Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis ; *Environmental Monitoring/methods ; *Lead/analysis ; Agriculture ; Isotopes/analysis ; Geographic Information Systems ; },
abstract = {Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments represent a pervasive environmental issue that poses significant ecological risks. This study employed a combination of geographic information systems, diagnostic ratios, correlation analysis, Pb isotope ratios, and positive matrix factorization (PMF) to elucidate the potential sources of 16 priority PAHs in river sediments from a hilly agricultural watershed in Southwestern China. The results indicated that PAHs concentrations ranged from 55.9 to 6083.5 ng/g, with a mean value of 1582.1 ± 1528.9 ng/g, reflecting high levels of contamination throughout the watershed. The predominant class of PAHs identified was high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. Diagnostic ratios and correlation analysis suggested that the presence of PHAs is likely attributed primarily to emissions from industrial dust and combustion of coal and petroleum. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed a significant association between Pb and PAHs, indicating potential shared sources for both pollutants. Additionally, Pb isotopic analysis demonstrated that aerosols may be the primary contributor to Pb accumulation within this environment. Given the similarity in origins between Pb and PAHs, it can be inferred that PAHs predominantly originate from aerosols associated with coal combustion, industrial dust emissions, and vehicle exhaust. This inference is further supported by PMF results which yielded consistent findings with those derived from Pb isotopes analysis. Moreover, PMF estimated three major sources contributing 57.63%, 23.57%, and 18.80%, respectively. These findings provide novel insights into identifying the sources of PAHs in river sediments within hilly agricultural watersheds in Southwest China, thereby establishing a scientific foundation for enhancing environmental quality in agricultural regions.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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China
*Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis
*Geologic Sediments/chemistry/analysis
*Rivers/chemistry
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis
*Environmental Monitoring/methods
*Lead/analysis
Agriculture
Isotopes/analysis
Geographic Information Systems
RevDate: 2025-06-10
CmpDate: 2025-06-10
Delayed flowering phenology of red-flowering plants in response to hummingbird migration.
Current biology : CB, 35(9):2175-2182.e3.
The radiation of angiosperms is marked by a phenomenal diversity of floral size, shape, color, scent, and reward.[1][,][2][,][3][,][4] The multi-dimensional response to selection to optimize pollination has generated correlated suites of these floral traits across distantly related species, known as "pollination syndromes."[5][,][6][,][7][,][8][,][9] The ability to test the broad utility of pollination syndromes and expand upon the generalities of these syndromes is constrained by limited trait data, creating a need for new approaches that can integrate vast, unstructured records from community-science platforms. Here, we compile the largest North American flower color dataset to date, using GPT-4 with Vision to classify color in over 11,000 species across more than 1.6 million iNaturalist observations. We discover that red- and orange-flowering species (classic "hummingbird pollination" colors) bloom later in eastern North America compared with other colors, corresponding to the arrival of migratory hummingbirds. Our findings reveal how seasonal flowering phenology, in addition to floral color and morphology, can contribute to the hummingbird pollination syndrome in regions where these pollinators are migratory. Our results highlight phenology as an underappreciated dimension of pollination syndromes and underscore the utility of integrating artificial intelligence with community-science data. The potential breadth of analysis offered by community-science datasets, combined with emerging data extraction techniques, could accelerate discoveries about the evolutionary and ecological drivers of biological diversity.
Additional Links: PMID-40233751
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@article {pmid40233751,
year = {2025},
author = {McKenzie, PF and Berardi, AE and Hopkins, R},
title = {Delayed flowering phenology of red-flowering plants in response to hummingbird migration.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {35},
number = {9},
pages = {2175-2182.e3},
pmid = {40233751},
issn = {1879-0445},
support = {R35 GM142742/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {*Birds ; Animals ; *Flowers/growth & development/physiology ; Animal Migration ; Pollination ; North America ; Datasets as Topic ; Seasons ; Pigmentation ; Time Factors ; *Magnoliopsida/physiology ; Crowdsourcing ; },
abstract = {The radiation of angiosperms is marked by a phenomenal diversity of floral size, shape, color, scent, and reward.[1][,][2][,][3][,][4] The multi-dimensional response to selection to optimize pollination has generated correlated suites of these floral traits across distantly related species, known as "pollination syndromes."[5][,][6][,][7][,][8][,][9] The ability to test the broad utility of pollination syndromes and expand upon the generalities of these syndromes is constrained by limited trait data, creating a need for new approaches that can integrate vast, unstructured records from community-science platforms. Here, we compile the largest North American flower color dataset to date, using GPT-4 with Vision to classify color in over 11,000 species across more than 1.6 million iNaturalist observations. We discover that red- and orange-flowering species (classic "hummingbird pollination" colors) bloom later in eastern North America compared with other colors, corresponding to the arrival of migratory hummingbirds. Our findings reveal how seasonal flowering phenology, in addition to floral color and morphology, can contribute to the hummingbird pollination syndrome in regions where these pollinators are migratory. Our results highlight phenology as an underappreciated dimension of pollination syndromes and underscore the utility of integrating artificial intelligence with community-science data. The potential breadth of analysis offered by community-science datasets, combined with emerging data extraction techniques, could accelerate discoveries about the evolutionary and ecological drivers of biological diversity.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
*Birds
Animals
*Flowers/growth & development/physiology
Animal Migration
Pollination
North America
Datasets as Topic
Seasons
Pigmentation
Time Factors
*Magnoliopsida/physiology
Crowdsourcing
RevDate: 2025-05-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-30
A spectral framework to map QTLs affecting joint differential networks of gene co-expression.
PLoS computational biology, 21(4):e1012953.
Studying the mechanisms underlying the genotype-phenotype association is crucial in genetics. Gene expression studies have deepened our understanding of the genotype → expression → phenotype mechanisms. However, traditional expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) methods often overlook the critical role of gene co-expression networks in translating genotype into phenotype. This gap highlights the need for more powerful statistical methods to analyze genotype → network → phenotype mechanism. Here, we develop a network-based method, called spectral network quantitative trait loci analysis (snQTL), to map quantitative trait loci affecting gene co-expression networks. Our approach tests the association between genotypes and joint differential networks of gene co-expression via a tensor-based spectral statistics, thereby overcoming the ubiquitous multiple testing challenges in existing methods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of snQTL in the analysis of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) data. Compared to conventional methods, our method snQTL uncovers chromosomal regions affecting gene co-expression networks, including one strong candidate gene that would have been missed by traditional eQTL analyses. Our framework suggests the limitation of current approaches and offers a powerful network-based tool for functional loci discoveries.
Additional Links: PMID-40245036
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40245036,
year = {2025},
author = {Hu, J and Weber, JN and Fuess, LE and Steinel, NC and Bolnick, DI and Wang, M},
title = {A spectral framework to map QTLs affecting joint differential networks of gene co-expression.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1012953},
pmid = {40245036},
issn = {1553-7358},
support = {R01 AI123659/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; R35 GM142891/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {*Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics ; *Gene Regulatory Networks/genetics ; Animals ; Computational Biology/methods ; *Chromosome Mapping/methods ; Phenotype ; Genotype ; Models, Genetic ; Gene Expression Profiling/methods ; },
abstract = {Studying the mechanisms underlying the genotype-phenotype association is crucial in genetics. Gene expression studies have deepened our understanding of the genotype → expression → phenotype mechanisms. However, traditional expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) methods often overlook the critical role of gene co-expression networks in translating genotype into phenotype. This gap highlights the need for more powerful statistical methods to analyze genotype → network → phenotype mechanism. Here, we develop a network-based method, called spectral network quantitative trait loci analysis (snQTL), to map quantitative trait loci affecting gene co-expression networks. Our approach tests the association between genotypes and joint differential networks of gene co-expression via a tensor-based spectral statistics, thereby overcoming the ubiquitous multiple testing challenges in existing methods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of snQTL in the analysis of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) data. Compared to conventional methods, our method snQTL uncovers chromosomal regions affecting gene co-expression networks, including one strong candidate gene that would have been missed by traditional eQTL analyses. Our framework suggests the limitation of current approaches and offers a powerful network-based tool for functional loci discoveries.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics
*Gene Regulatory Networks/genetics
Animals
Computational Biology/methods
*Chromosome Mapping/methods
Phenotype
Genotype
Models, Genetic
Gene Expression Profiling/methods
RevDate: 2025-04-20
CmpDate: 2025-04-17
Investigating immune cell infiltration and gene expression features in pterygium pathogenesis.
Scientific reports, 15(1):13352.
Pterygium is a prevalent ocular disease characterized by abnormal conjunctival tissue proliferation, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving pterygium pathogenesis remain inadequately understood. This study aimed to investigate gene expression changes following pterygium excision and their association with immune cell infiltration. Clinical samples of pterygium and adjacent relaxed conjunctival tissue were collected for transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing combined with bioinformatics approaches. Machine learning algorithms, including LASSO, SVM-RFE, and Random Forest, were employed to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers. GO, KEGG, GSEA, and GSVA were utilized for enrichment analysis. Single-sample GSEA was employed to analyze immune infiltration. The GSE2513 and GSE51995 datasets from the GEO database, along with clinical samples, were selected for validation analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the PRJNA1147595 and GSE2513 datasets, revealing 2437 DEGs and 172 differentially regulated genes (DRGs), respectively. There were 52 co-DEGs shared by both datasets, and four candidate biomarkers (FN1, SPRR1B, SERPINB13, EGR2) with potential diagnostic value were identified through machine learning algorithms. Single-sample GSEA demonstrated increased Th2 cell infiltration and decreased CD8 + T cell presence in pterygium tissues, suggesting a crucial role of the immune microenvironment in pterygium pathogenesis. Analysis of the GSE51995 dataset and qPCR results revealed significantly higher expression levels of FN1 and SPRR1B in pterygium tissues compared to conjunctival tissues, but SERPINB13 and EGR2 expression levels were not statistically significant. Furthermore, we identified four candidate drugs targeting the two feature genes FN1 and SPRR1B. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular characteristics and immune microenvironment of pterygium. The identification of potential biomarkers FN1 and SPRR1B highlights their significance in pterygium pathogenesis and lays a foundation for further exploration aimed at integrating these findings into clinical practice.
Additional Links: PMID-40247093
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40247093,
year = {2025},
author = {Yang, J and Chen, YN and Fang, CY and Li, Y and Ke, HQ and Guo, RQ and Xiang, P and Xiao, YL and Zhang, LW and Liu, H},
title = {Investigating immune cell infiltration and gene expression features in pterygium pathogenesis.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {13352},
pmid = {40247093},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {ZKF2024042//National clinical key specialty ophthalmology open foundation/ ; ZKF2024041//National clinical key specialty ophthalmology open foundation/ ; 202208535051//China Scholarship Council/ ; 81860171//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 82460201//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 202205AC160016//Yunnan Young and middle-aged Academic and technical leader Project/ ; L2019029//Yunnan Provincial Health Committee Training program for leading medical talents/ ; YDYXJJ2024-0003//Yunnan University Medical Research Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Pterygium/genetics/immunology/pathology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Computational Biology/methods ; Conjunctiva/pathology/metabolism/immunology ; Transcriptome ; *Gene Expression Regulation ; Biomarkers/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Pterygium is a prevalent ocular disease characterized by abnormal conjunctival tissue proliferation, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving pterygium pathogenesis remain inadequately understood. This study aimed to investigate gene expression changes following pterygium excision and their association with immune cell infiltration. Clinical samples of pterygium and adjacent relaxed conjunctival tissue were collected for transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing combined with bioinformatics approaches. Machine learning algorithms, including LASSO, SVM-RFE, and Random Forest, were employed to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers. GO, KEGG, GSEA, and GSVA were utilized for enrichment analysis. Single-sample GSEA was employed to analyze immune infiltration. The GSE2513 and GSE51995 datasets from the GEO database, along with clinical samples, were selected for validation analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the PRJNA1147595 and GSE2513 datasets, revealing 2437 DEGs and 172 differentially regulated genes (DRGs), respectively. There were 52 co-DEGs shared by both datasets, and four candidate biomarkers (FN1, SPRR1B, SERPINB13, EGR2) with potential diagnostic value were identified through machine learning algorithms. Single-sample GSEA demonstrated increased Th2 cell infiltration and decreased CD8 + T cell presence in pterygium tissues, suggesting a crucial role of the immune microenvironment in pterygium pathogenesis. Analysis of the GSE51995 dataset and qPCR results revealed significantly higher expression levels of FN1 and SPRR1B in pterygium tissues compared to conjunctival tissues, but SERPINB13 and EGR2 expression levels were not statistically significant. Furthermore, we identified four candidate drugs targeting the two feature genes FN1 and SPRR1B. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular characteristics and immune microenvironment of pterygium. The identification of potential biomarkers FN1 and SPRR1B highlights their significance in pterygium pathogenesis and lays a foundation for further exploration aimed at integrating these findings into clinical practice.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
*Pterygium/genetics/immunology/pathology
Gene Expression Profiling
Computational Biology/methods
Conjunctiva/pathology/metabolism/immunology
Transcriptome
*Gene Expression Regulation
Biomarkers/metabolism
RevDate: 2025-12-10
CmpDate: 2025-12-08
The Genomics Revolution in Nonmodel Species: Predictions vs. Reality for Salmonids.
Molecular ecology, 34(23):e17758.
The increasing feasibility of whole-genome sequencing has been highly anticipated, promising to transform our understanding of the biology of nonmodel species. Notably, dramatic cost reductions beginning around 2007 with the advent of high-throughput sequencing inspired publications heralding the 'genomics revolution', with predictions about its future impacts. Although such predictions served as useful guideposts, value is added when statements are evaluated with the benefit of hindsight. Here, we review 10 key predictions made early in the genomics revolution, highlighting those realised while identifying challenges limiting others. We focus on predictions concerning applied aspects of genomics and examples involving salmonid species which, due to their socioeconomic and ecological significance, have been frontrunners in applications of genomics in nonmodel species. Predicted outcomes included enhanced analytical power, deeper insights into the genetic basis of phenotype and fitness variation, disease management and breeding program advancements. Although many predictions have materialised, several expectations remain unmet due to technological, analytical and knowledge barriers. Additionally, largely unforeseen advancements, including the identification and management applicability of large-effect loci, close-kin mark-recapture, environmental DNA and gene editing have added under-anticipated value. Finally, emerging innovations in artificial intelligence and bioinformatics offer promising new directions. This retrospective evaluation of the impacts of the genomic revolution offers insights into the future of genomics for nonmodel species.
Additional Links: PMID-40249276
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40249276,
year = {2025},
author = {May, SA and Rosenbaum, SW and Pearse, DE and Kardos, M and Primmer, CR and Baetscher, DS and Waples, RS},
title = {The Genomics Revolution in Nonmodel Species: Predictions vs. Reality for Salmonids.},
journal = {Molecular ecology},
volume = {34},
number = {23},
pages = {e17758},
pmid = {40249276},
issn = {1365-294X},
support = {//USDA-ARS/ ; },
mesh = {*Genomics/methods/trends ; Animals ; *Salmonidae/genetics ; Genome ; Computational Biology ; },
abstract = {The increasing feasibility of whole-genome sequencing has been highly anticipated, promising to transform our understanding of the biology of nonmodel species. Notably, dramatic cost reductions beginning around 2007 with the advent of high-throughput sequencing inspired publications heralding the 'genomics revolution', with predictions about its future impacts. Although such predictions served as useful guideposts, value is added when statements are evaluated with the benefit of hindsight. Here, we review 10 key predictions made early in the genomics revolution, highlighting those realised while identifying challenges limiting others. We focus on predictions concerning applied aspects of genomics and examples involving salmonid species which, due to their socioeconomic and ecological significance, have been frontrunners in applications of genomics in nonmodel species. Predicted outcomes included enhanced analytical power, deeper insights into the genetic basis of phenotype and fitness variation, disease management and breeding program advancements. Although many predictions have materialised, several expectations remain unmet due to technological, analytical and knowledge barriers. Additionally, largely unforeseen advancements, including the identification and management applicability of large-effect loci, close-kin mark-recapture, environmental DNA and gene editing have added under-anticipated value. Finally, emerging innovations in artificial intelligence and bioinformatics offer promising new directions. This retrospective evaluation of the impacts of the genomic revolution offers insights into the future of genomics for nonmodel species.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Genomics/methods/trends
Animals
*Salmonidae/genetics
Genome
Computational Biology
RevDate: 2025-06-17
CmpDate: 2025-06-17
Quantifying leachate discharge and assessing environmental risks of gully-type coal-based solid waste dumps in small watersheds: A refined hydrological modeling approach for mitigation strategies.
Water research, 282:123655.
Rainfall-induced leaching from extensive coal-based solid waste storage results in a long-term risk to watershed's water quality and safety. The leachate carries heavy metals and other contaminants, which migrate and accumulate through the watershed, leading to a persistent deterioration of downstream water environment. However, the lack of systematic research on the release, accumulation, and spatial-scale migration dynamics of leachate limits effective management of diffused leachate pollutions. This study presents a novel cross-scale coupling framework which integrates multi-source remote sensing data with Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, employing a strategy that transfers parameters from large basins to accurately quantify the hydrological processes in coal waste sub-basins. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis is performed on the hydrological characteristics, leachate generation, and watershed migration dynamics in gangue dump sub-watersheds, providing a new methodological framework for managing mining-related leachate pollution. The large basin model demonstrated strong performance (R[2] = 0.79, NSE = 0.66 for calibration; R[2] = 0.74, NSE = 0.59 for verification), while the sub-basin model exhibited excellent accuracy (R[2] = 0.94, NSE = 0.92 for calibration; R[2] = 0.81, NSE = 0.77 for verification). High-resolution drone data estimated the annual leachate production to be 3366.87 m[3]. Simulations revealed that leachate migration peaks in the summer months (July to September), significantly increasing downstream pollution risks. Risk assessments indicate that vegetation in land restoration areas reduces leachate production and migration via evapotranspiration and other processes. This study provides an adaptable methodological framework for managing mining-related leachate pollution and highlights the critical importance of optimal reclamation strategies for mitigating pollution and restoring degraded landscapes.
Additional Links: PMID-40253884
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40253884,
year = {2025},
author = {Wang, X and Zhao, C and Huang, G and Liu, H and Zhu, X and Huang, J},
title = {Quantifying leachate discharge and assessing environmental risks of gully-type coal-based solid waste dumps in small watersheds: A refined hydrological modeling approach for mitigation strategies.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {282},
number = {},
pages = {123655},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2025.123655},
pmid = {40253884},
issn = {1879-2448},
mesh = {*Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis ; *Coal ; Environmental Monitoring/methods ; Models, Theoretical ; Hydrology ; Risk Assessment ; *Solid Waste/analysis ; *Refuse Disposal ; },
abstract = {Rainfall-induced leaching from extensive coal-based solid waste storage results in a long-term risk to watershed's water quality and safety. The leachate carries heavy metals and other contaminants, which migrate and accumulate through the watershed, leading to a persistent deterioration of downstream water environment. However, the lack of systematic research on the release, accumulation, and spatial-scale migration dynamics of leachate limits effective management of diffused leachate pollutions. This study presents a novel cross-scale coupling framework which integrates multi-source remote sensing data with Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, employing a strategy that transfers parameters from large basins to accurately quantify the hydrological processes in coal waste sub-basins. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis is performed on the hydrological characteristics, leachate generation, and watershed migration dynamics in gangue dump sub-watersheds, providing a new methodological framework for managing mining-related leachate pollution. The large basin model demonstrated strong performance (R[2] = 0.79, NSE = 0.66 for calibration; R[2] = 0.74, NSE = 0.59 for verification), while the sub-basin model exhibited excellent accuracy (R[2] = 0.94, NSE = 0.92 for calibration; R[2] = 0.81, NSE = 0.77 for verification). High-resolution drone data estimated the annual leachate production to be 3366.87 m[3]. Simulations revealed that leachate migration peaks in the summer months (July to September), significantly increasing downstream pollution risks. Risk assessments indicate that vegetation in land restoration areas reduces leachate production and migration via evapotranspiration and other processes. This study provides an adaptable methodological framework for managing mining-related leachate pollution and highlights the critical importance of optimal reclamation strategies for mitigating pollution and restoring degraded landscapes.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis
*Coal
Environmental Monitoring/methods
Models, Theoretical
Hydrology
Risk Assessment
*Solid Waste/analysis
*Refuse Disposal
RevDate: 2026-08-24
CmpDate: 2025-05-30
A Discretized Overlap Resolution Algorithm (DORA) for resolving spatial overlaps in individual-based models of microbes.
PLoS computational biology, 21(4):e1012974.
Individual-based modeling (IbM) is an instrumental tool for simulating spatial microbial growth, with applications in both microbial ecology and biochemical engineering. Unlike Cellular Automata (CA), which use a fixed grid of cells with predefined rules for interactions, IbMs model the individual behaviors of cells, allowing complex population dynamics to emerge. IbMs require more detailed modeling of individual interactions, which introduces significant computational challenges, particularly in resolving spatial overlaps between cells. Traditionally, this is managed using arrays or kd-trees, which require numerous pairwise comparisons and become inefficient as population size increases. To address this bottleneck, we introduce the Discretized Overlap Resolution Algorithm (DORA), which employs a grid-based framework to efficiently manage overlaps. By discretizing the simulation space further and assigning circular cells to specific grid units, DORA transforms the computationally intensive pairwise comparison process into a more efficient grid-based operation. This approach significantly reduces the computational load, particularly in simulations with large cell populations. Our evaluation of DORA, through simulations of microbial colonies and biofilms under varied nutrient conditions, demonstrates its superior computational efficiency and ability to accurately capture microbial growth dynamics compared to conventional methods. DORA's grid-based strategy enables the modeling of densely populated microbial communities within practical computational timeframes, thereby expanding the scope and applicability of individual-based modeling.
Additional Links: PMID-40258091
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40258091,
year = {2025},
author = {Hashem, I and Wang, J and Van Impe, JFM},
title = {A Discretized Overlap Resolution Algorithm (DORA) for resolving spatial overlaps in individual-based models of microbes.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1012974},
pmid = {40258091},
issn = {1553-7358},
support = {//Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)/ ; //European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme/ ; },
mesh = {*Algorithms ; *Models, Biological ; Computational Biology/methods ; Computer Simulation ; Biofilms/growth & development ; },
abstract = {Individual-based modeling (IbM) is an instrumental tool for simulating spatial microbial growth, with applications in both microbial ecology and biochemical engineering. Unlike Cellular Automata (CA), which use a fixed grid of cells with predefined rules for interactions, IbMs model the individual behaviors of cells, allowing complex population dynamics to emerge. IbMs require more detailed modeling of individual interactions, which introduces significant computational challenges, particularly in resolving spatial overlaps between cells. Traditionally, this is managed using arrays or kd-trees, which require numerous pairwise comparisons and become inefficient as population size increases. To address this bottleneck, we introduce the Discretized Overlap Resolution Algorithm (DORA), which employs a grid-based framework to efficiently manage overlaps. By discretizing the simulation space further and assigning circular cells to specific grid units, DORA transforms the computationally intensive pairwise comparison process into a more efficient grid-based operation. This approach significantly reduces the computational load, particularly in simulations with large cell populations. Our evaluation of DORA, through simulations of microbial colonies and biofilms under varied nutrient conditions, demonstrates its superior computational efficiency and ability to accurately capture microbial growth dynamics compared to conventional methods. DORA's grid-based strategy enables the modeling of densely populated microbial communities within practical computational timeframes, thereby expanding the scope and applicability of individual-based modeling.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Algorithms
*Models, Biological
Computational Biology/methods
Computer Simulation
Biofilms/growth & development
RevDate: 2025-07-15
CmpDate: 2025-07-15
A two-level approach to geospatial identification of optimal pitaya cultivation sites using multi-criteria decision analysis.
Journal of the science of food and agriculture, 105(11):5851-5862.
BACKGROUND: Pitaya, also known as dragon fruit, is one of the most popular and expensive fruits in the world. It has been commercially produced since the early 20th century. This plant requires a specific growing environment and ecological conditions, so it is typically cultivated under greenhouse conditions in Türkiye. However, there is a clear need for a comprehensive assessment of outdoor adaptation and/or outdoor growing areas for sustainable yield at the regional scale.
RESULTS: This study presents a multi-criteria decision-making analysis-based geographical information system (GIS) study to identify and evaluate the suitability of outdoor growing areas for pitaya. In this study, eight crucial factors were identified for outdoor pitaya cultivation: temperature, rainfall, soil pH, soil depth, land use capability, altitude, slope and aspect. An analytical hierarchy process was conducted to determine the weights for each parameter, followed by a weighted overlay analysis using GIS tools. The range of weight values was obtained between 0.2748 and 0.0319. The area of the best places for pitaya cultivation was calculated to be 9245.7 ha (11.7%). It was determined that 32.63%, 37.57% and 18.1% of the locations were moderately suitable, less appropriate and unsuitable, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The selection of comparable production sites will be guided by the study. Such suitable site selection studies are extremely significant since the cultivation of the pitaya plant, which has a high commercial value for economically developing countries, will be crucial to the growth of agricultural employment in these nations. Future research will be guided by this study's methodology and analysis strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
Additional Links: PMID-40270457
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40270457,
year = {2025},
author = {Selim, S and San, BT and Koc-San, D and Selim, C},
title = {A two-level approach to geospatial identification of optimal pitaya cultivation sites using multi-criteria decision analysis.},
journal = {Journal of the science of food and agriculture},
volume = {105},
number = {11},
pages = {5851-5862},
doi = {10.1002/jsfa.14297},
pmid = {40270457},
issn = {1097-0010},
mesh = {*Fruit/growth & development/chemistry ; Geographic Information Systems ; Decision Support Techniques ; *Cactaceae/growth & development/chemistry ; Soil/chemistry ; Temperature ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Pitaya, also known as dragon fruit, is one of the most popular and expensive fruits in the world. It has been commercially produced since the early 20th century. This plant requires a specific growing environment and ecological conditions, so it is typically cultivated under greenhouse conditions in Türkiye. However, there is a clear need for a comprehensive assessment of outdoor adaptation and/or outdoor growing areas for sustainable yield at the regional scale.
RESULTS: This study presents a multi-criteria decision-making analysis-based geographical information system (GIS) study to identify and evaluate the suitability of outdoor growing areas for pitaya. In this study, eight crucial factors were identified for outdoor pitaya cultivation: temperature, rainfall, soil pH, soil depth, land use capability, altitude, slope and aspect. An analytical hierarchy process was conducted to determine the weights for each parameter, followed by a weighted overlay analysis using GIS tools. The range of weight values was obtained between 0.2748 and 0.0319. The area of the best places for pitaya cultivation was calculated to be 9245.7 ha (11.7%). It was determined that 32.63%, 37.57% and 18.1% of the locations were moderately suitable, less appropriate and unsuitable, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The selection of comparable production sites will be guided by the study. Such suitable site selection studies are extremely significant since the cultivation of the pitaya plant, which has a high commercial value for economically developing countries, will be crucial to the growth of agricultural employment in these nations. Future research will be guided by this study's methodology and analysis strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Fruit/growth & development/chemistry
Geographic Information Systems
Decision Support Techniques
*Cactaceae/growth & development/chemistry
Soil/chemistry
Temperature
RevDate: 2025-05-13
CmpDate: 2025-05-13
Deciphering the mechanisms for preferential tolerance of Escherichia coli BL21 to Cd(II) over Cu(II) and Ni(II): A combined physiological, biochemical, and multiomics perspective.
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 297:118195.
Environmental pollution severely affects ecological functions/health, and nondegradable pollutants such as heavy metals (HMs) cause significant damage to living organisms. Escherichia coli is one of the most studied life forms, and its response to oxidative stress is driven by a complex ensemble of mechanisms driven by transcriptomic-level adjustments. However, the magnitude of the physiological, metabolic, and biochemical alterations and their relationships with transcriptomic changes remain unclear. Studying the growth of E. coli in Cd-, Cu-, and Ni-polluted media at pH 5.0, we observed that (i) downregulation of the alkyl hydroperoxide complex, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase by Cd inhibited H2O2 degradation, and the accumulated H2O2 was respectively 2.7, 1.7, and 2.4 times greater than that in the control, Cu, and Ni treatments; (ii) Zn-associated resistance protein (ZraP) was the major scavenger of Cd, with a 140.7-fold increase in its expression; (iii) the P-type Cu[+] transporter (CopA), multicopper oxidase (CueO), and heteromultimeric transport system (CusCBAF) controlled the excretion and detoxification of Cu; (iv) the Cd[2+]/Zn[2+]/Pb[2+]-exporting P-type ATPase (ZntA) and transcriptional activator ZntR were the major transporters of Ni; (v) Cd upregulated biofilm formation and synthesis of secondary metabolites more than Cu and Ni, which resulted in increased adsorption and improved tolerance; and (vi) the activity of superoxide dismutase in Cu-spiked cells was 153.2 %, 141.7 %, and 172.7 % higher and corresponded to 85.7 %, 524.5 %, and 491.5 % lower O2[●][-] in the control, Cd-, and Ni-spiked cells, respectively. This study reveals E. coli's preferential tolerance mechanisms to Cd rather than Cu and Ni and demonstrates mechanisms for its survival in highly polluted environments.
Additional Links: PMID-40273607
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40273607,
year = {2025},
author = {Nkoh, JN and Ye, T and Shang, C and Li, C and Tu, J and Li, S and Wu, Z and Chen, P and Hussain, Q and Esemu, SN},
title = {Deciphering the mechanisms for preferential tolerance of Escherichia coli BL21 to Cd(II) over Cu(II) and Ni(II): A combined physiological, biochemical, and multiomics perspective.},
journal = {Ecotoxicology and environmental safety},
volume = {297},
number = {},
pages = {118195},
doi = {10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118195},
pmid = {40273607},
issn = {1090-2414},
mesh = {*Escherichia coli/drug effects/physiology/metabolism ; *Cadmium/toxicity ; *Nickel/toxicity ; *Copper/toxicity ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Escherichia coli Proteins/metabolism/genetics ; Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Environmental pollution severely affects ecological functions/health, and nondegradable pollutants such as heavy metals (HMs) cause significant damage to living organisms. Escherichia coli is one of the most studied life forms, and its response to oxidative stress is driven by a complex ensemble of mechanisms driven by transcriptomic-level adjustments. However, the magnitude of the physiological, metabolic, and biochemical alterations and their relationships with transcriptomic changes remain unclear. Studying the growth of E. coli in Cd-, Cu-, and Ni-polluted media at pH 5.0, we observed that (i) downregulation of the alkyl hydroperoxide complex, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase by Cd inhibited H2O2 degradation, and the accumulated H2O2 was respectively 2.7, 1.7, and 2.4 times greater than that in the control, Cu, and Ni treatments; (ii) Zn-associated resistance protein (ZraP) was the major scavenger of Cd, with a 140.7-fold increase in its expression; (iii) the P-type Cu[+] transporter (CopA), multicopper oxidase (CueO), and heteromultimeric transport system (CusCBAF) controlled the excretion and detoxification of Cu; (iv) the Cd[2+]/Zn[2+]/Pb[2+]-exporting P-type ATPase (ZntA) and transcriptional activator ZntR were the major transporters of Ni; (v) Cd upregulated biofilm formation and synthesis of secondary metabolites more than Cu and Ni, which resulted in increased adsorption and improved tolerance; and (vi) the activity of superoxide dismutase in Cu-spiked cells was 153.2 %, 141.7 %, and 172.7 % higher and corresponded to 85.7 %, 524.5 %, and 491.5 % lower O2[●][-] in the control, Cd-, and Ni-spiked cells, respectively. This study reveals E. coli's preferential tolerance mechanisms to Cd rather than Cu and Ni and demonstrates mechanisms for its survival in highly polluted environments.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Escherichia coli/drug effects/physiology/metabolism
*Cadmium/toxicity
*Nickel/toxicity
*Copper/toxicity
Oxidative Stress/drug effects
Escherichia coli Proteins/metabolism/genetics
Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism
Multiomics
RevDate: 2026-06-08
CmpDate: 2025-04-25
Assessing and adjusting for bias in ecological analysis using multiple sample datasets.
BMC medical research methodology, 25(1):112.
BACKGROUND: Ecological analysis utilizes group-level aggregate measures to investigate the complex relationships between individuals or groups and their environment. Despite its extensive applications across various disciplines, this approach remains susceptible to several biases, including ecological fallacy.
METHODS: Our study identified another significant source of bias in ecological analysis when using multiple sample datasets, a common practice in fields such as public health and medical research. We show this bias is proportional to the sampling fraction used during data collection. We propose two adjustment methods to address this bias: one that directly accounts for the sampling fraction and another based on measurement error models. The effectiveness of these adjustments is evaluated through formal mathematical derivations, simulations, and empirical analysis using data from the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.
RESULTS: Our findings reveal that the sampling fraction bias can lead to significant underestimation of true relationships when using aggregate measures from multiple sample datasets. Both adjustment methods effectively mitigate this bias, with the measurement-error-adjusted estimator showing particular robustness in real-world applications. The results highlight the importance of accounting for sampling fraction bias in ecological analyses to ensure accurate inference.
CONCLUSION: Beyond the ecological fallacy uncovered by Robinson's seminar work, our research identified another critical bias in ecological analysis that is likely just as prevalent and consequential. The proposed adjustment methods provide potential tools for researchers to adjust for this bias, thereby improving the validity of ecological inferences. This study underscores the need for caution when pooling aggregate measures from multiple sample datasets and offers potential solutions to enhance the reliability of ecological analyses in various research domains.
CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Additional Links: PMID-40275196
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40275196,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, Q},
title = {Assessing and adjusting for bias in ecological analysis using multiple sample datasets.},
journal = {BMC medical research methodology},
volume = {25},
number = {1},
pages = {112},
pmid = {40275196},
issn = {1471-2288},
support = {P2C HD042854/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {Humans ; Bias ; Kenya ; *Ecology/methods ; *Datasets as Topic ; Health Surveys ; Models, Statistical ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Computer Simulation ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Ecological analysis utilizes group-level aggregate measures to investigate the complex relationships between individuals or groups and their environment. Despite its extensive applications across various disciplines, this approach remains susceptible to several biases, including ecological fallacy.
METHODS: Our study identified another significant source of bias in ecological analysis when using multiple sample datasets, a common practice in fields such as public health and medical research. We show this bias is proportional to the sampling fraction used during data collection. We propose two adjustment methods to address this bias: one that directly accounts for the sampling fraction and another based on measurement error models. The effectiveness of these adjustments is evaluated through formal mathematical derivations, simulations, and empirical analysis using data from the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.
RESULTS: Our findings reveal that the sampling fraction bias can lead to significant underestimation of true relationships when using aggregate measures from multiple sample datasets. Both adjustment methods effectively mitigate this bias, with the measurement-error-adjusted estimator showing particular robustness in real-world applications. The results highlight the importance of accounting for sampling fraction bias in ecological analyses to ensure accurate inference.
CONCLUSION: Beyond the ecological fallacy uncovered by Robinson's seminar work, our research identified another critical bias in ecological analysis that is likely just as prevalent and consequential. The proposed adjustment methods provide potential tools for researchers to adjust for this bias, thereby improving the validity of ecological inferences. This study underscores the need for caution when pooling aggregate measures from multiple sample datasets and offers potential solutions to enhance the reliability of ecological analyses in various research domains.
CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
Bias
Kenya
*Ecology/methods
*Datasets as Topic
Health Surveys
Models, Statistical
Data Interpretation, Statistical
Computer Simulation
RevDate: 2025-05-01
CmpDate: 2025-05-01
metaTP: a meta-transcriptome data analysis pipeline with integrated automated workflows.
BMC bioinformatics, 26(1):111.
BACKGROUND: The accessibility of sequencing technologies has enabled meta-transcriptomic studies to provide a deeper understanding of microbial ecology at the transcriptional level. Analyzing omics data involves multiple steps that require the use of various bioinformatics tools. With the increasing availability of public microbiome datasets, conducting meta-analyses can reveal new insights into microbiome activity. However, the reproducibility of data is often compromised due to variations in processing methods for sample omics data. Therefore, it is essential to develop efficient analytical workflows that ensure repeatability, reproducibility, and the traceability of results in microbiome research.
RESULTS: We developed metaTP, a pipeline that integrates bioinformatics tools for analyzing meta-transcriptomic data comprehensively. The pipeline includes quality control, non-coding RNA removal, transcript expression quantification, differential gene expression analysis, functional annotation, and co-expression network analysis. To quantify mRNA expression, we rely on reference indexes built using protein-coding sequences, which help overcome the limitations of database analysis. Additionally, metaTP provides a function for calculating the topological properties of gene co-expression networks, offering an intuitive explanation for correlated gene sets in high-dimensional datasets. The use of metaTP is anticipated to support researchers in addressing microbiota-related biological inquiries and improving the accessibility and interpretation of microbiota RNA-Seq data.
CONCLUSIONS: We have created a conda package to integrate the tools into our pipeline, making it a flexible and versatile tool for handling meta-transcriptomic sequencing data. The metaTP pipeline is freely available at: https://github.com/nanbei45/metaTP .
Additional Links: PMID-40287646
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40287646,
year = {2025},
author = {He, L and Zou, Q and Wang, Y},
title = {metaTP: a meta-transcriptome data analysis pipeline with integrated automated workflows.},
journal = {BMC bioinformatics},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {111},
pmid = {40287646},
issn = {1471-2105},
support = {62102269//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
mesh = {*Metagenomics/methods ; Computational Biology/methods ; *Software ; *Gene Expression Profiling/methods ; *Microbiota ; Data Collection ; Quality Control ; Workflow ; RNA, Untranslated ; Molecular Sequence Annotation ; Rhizosphere ; Automation ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The accessibility of sequencing technologies has enabled meta-transcriptomic studies to provide a deeper understanding of microbial ecology at the transcriptional level. Analyzing omics data involves multiple steps that require the use of various bioinformatics tools. With the increasing availability of public microbiome datasets, conducting meta-analyses can reveal new insights into microbiome activity. However, the reproducibility of data is often compromised due to variations in processing methods for sample omics data. Therefore, it is essential to develop efficient analytical workflows that ensure repeatability, reproducibility, and the traceability of results in microbiome research.
RESULTS: We developed metaTP, a pipeline that integrates bioinformatics tools for analyzing meta-transcriptomic data comprehensively. The pipeline includes quality control, non-coding RNA removal, transcript expression quantification, differential gene expression analysis, functional annotation, and co-expression network analysis. To quantify mRNA expression, we rely on reference indexes built using protein-coding sequences, which help overcome the limitations of database analysis. Additionally, metaTP provides a function for calculating the topological properties of gene co-expression networks, offering an intuitive explanation for correlated gene sets in high-dimensional datasets. The use of metaTP is anticipated to support researchers in addressing microbiota-related biological inquiries and improving the accessibility and interpretation of microbiota RNA-Seq data.
CONCLUSIONS: We have created a conda package to integrate the tools into our pipeline, making it a flexible and versatile tool for handling meta-transcriptomic sequencing data. The metaTP pipeline is freely available at: https://github.com/nanbei45/metaTP .},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Metagenomics/methods
Computational Biology/methods
*Software
*Gene Expression Profiling/methods
*Microbiota
Data Collection
Quality Control
Workflow
RNA, Untranslated
Molecular Sequence Annotation
Rhizosphere
Automation
RevDate: 2025-04-29
CmpDate: 2025-04-27
FastAAI: efficient estimation of genome average amino acid identity and phylum-level relationships using tetramers of universal proteins.
Nucleic acids research, 53(8):.
Estimation of whole-genome relatedness and taxonomic identification are two important bioinformatics tasks in describing environmental or clinical microbiomes. The genome-aggregate Average Nucleotide Identity is routinely used to derive the relatedness of closely related (species level) microbial and viral genomes, but it is not appropriate for more divergent genomes. Average Amino-acid Identity (AAI) can be used in the latter cases, but no current AAI implementation can efficiently compare thousands of genomes. Here we present FastAAI, a tool that estimates whole-genome pairwise relatedness using shared tetramers of universal proteins in a matter of microseconds, providing a speedup of up to 5 orders of magnitude when compared with current methods for calculating AAI or alternative whole-genome metrics. Further, FastAAI resolves distantly related genomes related at the phylum level with comparable accuracy to the phylogeny of ribosomal RNA genes, substantially improving on a known limitation of current AAI implementations. Our analysis of the resulting AAI matrices also indicated that bacterial lineages predominantly evolve gradually, rather than showing bursts of diversification, and that AAI thresholds to define classes, orders, and families are generally elusive. Therefore, FastAAI uniquely expands the toolbox for microbiome analysis and allows it to scale to millions of genomes.
Additional Links: PMID-40287826
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40287826,
year = {2025},
author = {Gerhardt, K and Ruiz-Perez, CA and Rodriguez-R, LM and Jain, C and Tiedje, JM and Cole, JR and Konstantinidis, KT},
title = {FastAAI: efficient estimation of genome average amino acid identity and phylum-level relationships using tetramers of universal proteins.},
journal = {Nucleic acids research},
volume = {53},
number = {8},
pages = {},
pmid = {40287826},
issn = {1362-4962},
support = {DBI1356288NSF//NSF/ ; },
mesh = {Phylogeny ; *Genome, Bacterial ; *Software ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification ; *Amino Acids/genetics ; *Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {Estimation of whole-genome relatedness and taxonomic identification are two important bioinformatics tasks in describing environmental or clinical microbiomes. The genome-aggregate Average Nucleotide Identity is routinely used to derive the relatedness of closely related (species level) microbial and viral genomes, but it is not appropriate for more divergent genomes. Average Amino-acid Identity (AAI) can be used in the latter cases, but no current AAI implementation can efficiently compare thousands of genomes. Here we present FastAAI, a tool that estimates whole-genome pairwise relatedness using shared tetramers of universal proteins in a matter of microseconds, providing a speedup of up to 5 orders of magnitude when compared with current methods for calculating AAI or alternative whole-genome metrics. Further, FastAAI resolves distantly related genomes related at the phylum level with comparable accuracy to the phylogeny of ribosomal RNA genes, substantially improving on a known limitation of current AAI implementations. Our analysis of the resulting AAI matrices also indicated that bacterial lineages predominantly evolve gradually, rather than showing bursts of diversification, and that AAI thresholds to define classes, orders, and families are generally elusive. Therefore, FastAAI uniquely expands the toolbox for microbiome analysis and allows it to scale to millions of genomes.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
Phylogeny
*Genome, Bacterial
*Software
*Bacteria/genetics/classification
*Amino Acids/genetics
*Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2026-04-30
CmpDate: 2025-06-10
6PPD-quinone exposure induces oxidative damage and physiological disruption in Eisenia fetida: An integrated analysis of phenotypes, multi-omics, and intestinal microbiota.
Journal of hazardous materials, 493:138334.
The environmental prevalence of the tire wear-derived emerging pollutant N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPD-Q) has increasingly raised public concern. However, knowledge of the adverse effects of 6PPD-Q on soil fauna is scarce. In this study, we elucidated its impact on soil fauna, specifically on the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Our investigation encompassed phenotypic, multi-omics, and microbiota analyses to assess earthworm responses to a gradient of 6PPD-Q contamination (10, 100, 1000, and 5000 μg/kg dw soil). Post-28-day exposure, 6PPD-Q was found to bioaccumulate in earthworms, triggering reactive oxygen species production and consequent oxidative damage to coelomic and intestinal tissues. Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling revealed several physiological perturbations, including inflammation, immune dysfunction, metabolic imbalances, and genetic toxicity. Moreover, 6PPD-Q perturbed the intestinal microbiota, with high dosages significantly suppressing microbial functions linked to metabolism and information processing (P < 0.05). These alterations were accompanied by increased mortality and weight loss in the earthworms. Specifically, at an environmental concentration of 6PPD-Q (1000 μg/kg), we observed a substantial reduction in survival rate and physiological disruptions. This study provides important insights into the environmental hazards of 6PPD-Q to soil biota and reveals the underlying toxicological mechanisms, underscoring the need for further research to mitigate its ecological footprint.
Additional Links: PMID-40288322
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40288322,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhou, H and Wu, Z and Wang, X and Jiang, L and Sun, H and Li, H and Yan, Z and Wang, Y and Yao, X and Zhang, C and Tang, J},
title = {6PPD-quinone exposure induces oxidative damage and physiological disruption in Eisenia fetida: An integrated analysis of phenotypes, multi-omics, and intestinal microbiota.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {493},
number = {},
pages = {138334},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138334},
pmid = {40288322},
issn = {1873-3336},
mesh = {*Oligochaeta/drug effects/physiology/metabolism ; Animals ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects ; *Soil Pollutants/toxicity ; *Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; *Phenylenediamines/toxicity ; Phenotype ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Metabolomics ; Transcriptome/drug effects ; Multiomics ; Benzoquinones ; },
abstract = {The environmental prevalence of the tire wear-derived emerging pollutant N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPD-Q) has increasingly raised public concern. However, knowledge of the adverse effects of 6PPD-Q on soil fauna is scarce. In this study, we elucidated its impact on soil fauna, specifically on the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Our investigation encompassed phenotypic, multi-omics, and microbiota analyses to assess earthworm responses to a gradient of 6PPD-Q contamination (10, 100, 1000, and 5000 μg/kg dw soil). Post-28-day exposure, 6PPD-Q was found to bioaccumulate in earthworms, triggering reactive oxygen species production and consequent oxidative damage to coelomic and intestinal tissues. Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling revealed several physiological perturbations, including inflammation, immune dysfunction, metabolic imbalances, and genetic toxicity. Moreover, 6PPD-Q perturbed the intestinal microbiota, with high dosages significantly suppressing microbial functions linked to metabolism and information processing (P < 0.05). These alterations were accompanied by increased mortality and weight loss in the earthworms. Specifically, at an environmental concentration of 6PPD-Q (1000 μg/kg), we observed a substantial reduction in survival rate and physiological disruptions. This study provides important insights into the environmental hazards of 6PPD-Q to soil biota and reveals the underlying toxicological mechanisms, underscoring the need for further research to mitigate its ecological footprint.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Oligochaeta/drug effects/physiology/metabolism
Animals
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects
*Soil Pollutants/toxicity
*Oxidative Stress/drug effects
*Phenylenediamines/toxicity
Phenotype
Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism
Metabolomics
Transcriptome/drug effects
Multiomics
Benzoquinones
RevDate: 2025-05-11
CmpDate: 2025-05-10
Unlocking the soundscape of coral reefs with artificial intelligence: pretrained networks and unsupervised learning win out.
PLoS computational biology, 21(4):e1013029.
Passive acoustic monitoring can offer insights into the state of coral reef ecosystems at low-costs and over extended temporal periods. Comparison of whole soundscape properties can rapidly deliver broad insights from acoustic data, in contrast to detailed but time-consuming analysis of individual bioacoustic events. However, a lack of effective automated analysis for whole soundscape data has impeded progress in this field. Here, we show that machine learning (ML) can be used to unlock greater insights from reef soundscapes. We showcase this on a diverse set of tasks using three biogeographically independent datasets, each containing fish community (high or low), coral cover (high or low) or depth zone (shallow or mesophotic) classes. We show supervised learning can be used to train models that can identify ecological classes and individual sites from whole soundscapes. However, we report unsupervised clustering achieves this whilst providing a more detailed understanding of ecological and site groupings within soundscape data. We also compare three different approaches for extracting feature embeddings from soundscape recordings for input into ML algorithms: acoustic indices commonly used by soundscape ecologists, a pretrained convolutional neural network (P-CNN) trained on 5.2 million hrs of YouTube audio, and CNN's which were trained on each individual task (T-CNN). Although the T-CNN performs marginally better across tasks, we reveal that the P-CNN offers a powerful tool for generating insights from marine soundscape data as it requires orders of magnitude less computational resources whilst achieving near comparable performance to the T-CNN, with significant performance improvements over the acoustic indices. Our findings have implications for soundscape ecology in any habitat.
Additional Links: PMID-40294093
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40294093,
year = {2025},
author = {Williams, B and Balvanera, SM and Sethi, SS and Lamont, TAC and Jompa, J and Prasetya, M and Richardson, L and Chapuis, L and Weschke, E and Hoey, A and Beldade, R and Mills, SC and Haguenauer, A and Zuberer, F and Simpson, SD and Curnick, D and Jones, KE},
title = {Unlocking the soundscape of coral reefs with artificial intelligence: pretrained networks and unsupervised learning win out.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {e1013029},
pmid = {40294093},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {*Coral Reefs ; Animals ; Acoustics ; *Unsupervised Machine Learning ; *Artificial Intelligence ; Ecosystem ; Algorithms ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Computational Biology ; Fishes/physiology ; Machine Learning ; Environmental Monitoring/methods ; },
abstract = {Passive acoustic monitoring can offer insights into the state of coral reef ecosystems at low-costs and over extended temporal periods. Comparison of whole soundscape properties can rapidly deliver broad insights from acoustic data, in contrast to detailed but time-consuming analysis of individual bioacoustic events. However, a lack of effective automated analysis for whole soundscape data has impeded progress in this field. Here, we show that machine learning (ML) can be used to unlock greater insights from reef soundscapes. We showcase this on a diverse set of tasks using three biogeographically independent datasets, each containing fish community (high or low), coral cover (high or low) or depth zone (shallow or mesophotic) classes. We show supervised learning can be used to train models that can identify ecological classes and individual sites from whole soundscapes. However, we report unsupervised clustering achieves this whilst providing a more detailed understanding of ecological and site groupings within soundscape data. We also compare three different approaches for extracting feature embeddings from soundscape recordings for input into ML algorithms: acoustic indices commonly used by soundscape ecologists, a pretrained convolutional neural network (P-CNN) trained on 5.2 million hrs of YouTube audio, and CNN's which were trained on each individual task (T-CNN). Although the T-CNN performs marginally better across tasks, we reveal that the P-CNN offers a powerful tool for generating insights from marine soundscape data as it requires orders of magnitude less computational resources whilst achieving near comparable performance to the T-CNN, with significant performance improvements over the acoustic indices. Our findings have implications for soundscape ecology in any habitat.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Coral Reefs
Animals
Acoustics
*Unsupervised Machine Learning
*Artificial Intelligence
Ecosystem
Algorithms
Neural Networks, Computer
Computational Biology
Fishes/physiology
Machine Learning
Environmental Monitoring/methods
RevDate: 2025-05-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-29
HPC-T-Assembly: a pipeline for de novo transcriptome assembly of large multi-specie datasets.
BMC bioinformatics, 26(1):113.
BACKGROUND: Recent years have seen a substantial increase in RNA-seq data production, with this technique becoming the primary approach for gene expression studies across a wide range of non-model organisms. The majority of these organisms lack a well-annotated reference genome to serve as a basis for studying differentially expressed genes (DEGs). As an alternative cost-effective protocol to using a reference genome, the assembly of RNA-seq raw reads is performed to produce what is referred to as a 'de novo transcriptome,' serving as a reference for subsequent DEGs' analysis. This assembly step for conventional DEGs analysis pipelines for non-model organisms is a computationally expensive task. Furthermore, the complexity of the de novo transcriptome assembly workflows poses a challenge for researchers in implementing best-practice techniques and the most recent software versions, particularly when applied to various organisms of interest.
RESULTS: To address computational challenges in transcriptomic analyses of non-model organisms, we present HPC-T-Assembly, a tool for de novo transcriptome assembly from RNA-seq data on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures. It is designed for straightforward setup via a Web-oriented interface, allowing analysis configuration for several species. Once configuration data is provided, the entire parallel computing software for assembly is automatically generated and can be launched on a supercomputer with a simple command line. Intermediate and final outputs of the assembly pipeline include additional post-processing steps, such as assembly quality control, ORF prediction, and transcript count matrix construction.
CONCLUSION: HPC-T-Assembly allows users, through a user-friendly Web-oriented interface, to configure a run for simultaneous assemblies of RNA-seq data from multiple species. The parallel pipeline, launched on HPC infrastructures, significantly reduces computational load and execution times, enabling large-scale transcriptomic and meta-transcriptomics analysis projects.
Additional Links: PMID-40295976
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@article {pmid40295976,
year = {2025},
author = {Liberati, F and Pose Marino, TM and Bottoni, P and Canestrelli, D and Castrignanò, T},
title = {HPC-T-Assembly: a pipeline for de novo transcriptome assembly of large multi-specie datasets.},
journal = {BMC bioinformatics},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {113},
pmid = {40295976},
issn = {1471-2105},
mesh = {*Software ; *Transcriptome ; *Gene Expression Profiling/methods ; Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods ; Computational Biology/methods ; Databases, Genetic ; RNA-Seq/methods ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Recent years have seen a substantial increase in RNA-seq data production, with this technique becoming the primary approach for gene expression studies across a wide range of non-model organisms. The majority of these organisms lack a well-annotated reference genome to serve as a basis for studying differentially expressed genes (DEGs). As an alternative cost-effective protocol to using a reference genome, the assembly of RNA-seq raw reads is performed to produce what is referred to as a 'de novo transcriptome,' serving as a reference for subsequent DEGs' analysis. This assembly step for conventional DEGs analysis pipelines for non-model organisms is a computationally expensive task. Furthermore, the complexity of the de novo transcriptome assembly workflows poses a challenge for researchers in implementing best-practice techniques and the most recent software versions, particularly when applied to various organisms of interest.
RESULTS: To address computational challenges in transcriptomic analyses of non-model organisms, we present HPC-T-Assembly, a tool for de novo transcriptome assembly from RNA-seq data on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures. It is designed for straightforward setup via a Web-oriented interface, allowing analysis configuration for several species. Once configuration data is provided, the entire parallel computing software for assembly is automatically generated and can be launched on a supercomputer with a simple command line. Intermediate and final outputs of the assembly pipeline include additional post-processing steps, such as assembly quality control, ORF prediction, and transcript count matrix construction.
CONCLUSION: HPC-T-Assembly allows users, through a user-friendly Web-oriented interface, to configure a run for simultaneous assemblies of RNA-seq data from multiple species. The parallel pipeline, launched on HPC infrastructures, significantly reduces computational load and execution times, enabling large-scale transcriptomic and meta-transcriptomics analysis projects.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Software
*Transcriptome
*Gene Expression Profiling/methods
Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods
Computational Biology/methods
Databases, Genetic
RNA-Seq/methods
RevDate: 2026-05-28
CmpDate: 2025-09-23
An Approach to Integrate Metagenomics, Metatranscriptomics and Metaproteomics Data in Public Data Resources.
Proteomics, 25(17-18):33-42.
The availability of public metaproteomics, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics data in public resources such as MGnify (for metagenomics/metatranscriptomics) and the PRIDE database (for metaproteomics), continues to increase. When these omics techniques are applied to the same samples, their integration offers new opportunities to understand the structure (metagenome) and functional expression (metatranscriptome and metaproteome) of the microbiome. Here, we describe a pilot study aimed at integrating public multi-meta-omics datasets from studies based on human gut and marine hatchery samples. Reference search databases (search DBs) were built using assembled metagenomic (and metatranscriptomic, where available) sequence data followed by de novo gene calling, using both data from the same sampling event and from independent samples. The resulting protein sets were evaluated for their utility in metaproteomics analysis. In agreement with previous studies, the highest number of peptide identifications was generally obtained when using search DBs created from the same samples. Data integration of the multi-omics results was performed in MGnify. For that purpose, the MGnify website was extended to enable the visualisation of the resulting peptide/protein information from three reanalysed metaproteomics datasets. A workflow (https://github.com/PRIDE-reanalysis/MetaPUF) has been developed allowing researchers to perform equivalent data integration, using paired multi-omics datasets. This is the first time that a data integration approach for multi-omics datasets has been implemented from public data available in the world-leading MGnify and PRIDE resources.
Additional Links: PMID-40296452
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40296452,
year = {2025},
author = {Wang, S and Kaur, S and Kunath, BJ and May, P and Richardson, L and Rogers, AB and Wilmes, P and Finn, RD and Vizcaíno, JA},
title = {An Approach to Integrate Metagenomics, Metatranscriptomics and Metaproteomics Data in Public Data Resources.},
journal = {Proteomics},
volume = {25},
number = {17-18},
pages = {33-42},
pmid = {40296452},
issn = {1615-9861},
support = {/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; 223745/Z/21/Z//Wellcome/ ; //EMBL Core Funding/ ; C19/BM/13684739//National Research Fund Luxembourg (FNR)/ ; },
mesh = {*Metagenomics/methods ; *Proteomics/methods ; Humans ; Databases, Protein ; Metagenome ; *Transcriptome ; Animals ; Pilot Projects ; },
abstract = {The availability of public metaproteomics, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics data in public resources such as MGnify (for metagenomics/metatranscriptomics) and the PRIDE database (for metaproteomics), continues to increase. When these omics techniques are applied to the same samples, their integration offers new opportunities to understand the structure (metagenome) and functional expression (metatranscriptome and metaproteome) of the microbiome. Here, we describe a pilot study aimed at integrating public multi-meta-omics datasets from studies based on human gut and marine hatchery samples. Reference search databases (search DBs) were built using assembled metagenomic (and metatranscriptomic, where available) sequence data followed by de novo gene calling, using both data from the same sampling event and from independent samples. The resulting protein sets were evaluated for their utility in metaproteomics analysis. In agreement with previous studies, the highest number of peptide identifications was generally obtained when using search DBs created from the same samples. Data integration of the multi-omics results was performed in MGnify. For that purpose, the MGnify website was extended to enable the visualisation of the resulting peptide/protein information from three reanalysed metaproteomics datasets. A workflow (https://github.com/PRIDE-reanalysis/MetaPUF) has been developed allowing researchers to perform equivalent data integration, using paired multi-omics datasets. This is the first time that a data integration approach for multi-omics datasets has been implemented from public data available in the world-leading MGnify and PRIDE resources.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Metagenomics/methods
*Proteomics/methods
Humans
Databases, Protein
Metagenome
*Transcriptome
Animals
Pilot Projects
RevDate: 2025-05-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-30
Mitigating Risk: Predicting H5N1 Avian Influenza Spread with an Empirical Model of Bird Movement.
Transboundary and emerging diseases, 2024:5525298.
Understanding timing and distribution of virus spread is critical to global commercial and wildlife biosecurity management. A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIv) global panzootic, affecting ~600 bird and mammal species globally and over 83 million birds across North America (December 2023), poses a serious global threat to animals and public health. We combined a large, long-term waterfowl GPS tracking dataset (16 species) with on-ground disease surveillance data (county-level HPAIv detections) to create a novel empirical model that evaluated spatiotemporal exposure and predicted future spread and potential arrival of HPAIv via GPS tracked migratory waterfowl through 2022. Our model was effective for wild waterfowl, but predictions lagged HPAIv detections in poultry facilities and among some highly impacted nonmigratory species. Our results offer critical advance warning for applied biosecurity management and planning and demonstrate the importance and utility of extensive multispecies tracking to highlight potential high-risk disease spread locations and more effectively manage outbreaks.
Additional Links: PMID-40303041
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@article {pmid40303041,
year = {2024},
author = {McDuie, F and T Overton, C and A Lorenz, A and L Matchett, E and L Mott, A and A Mackell, D and T Ackerman, J and De La Cruz, SEW and Patil, VP and Prosser, DJ and Takekawa, JY and Orthmeyer, DL and Pitesky, ME and Díaz-Muñoz, SL and Riggs, BM and Gendreau, J and Reed, ET and Petrie, MJ and Williams, CK and Buler, JJ and Hardy, MJ and Ladman, BS and Legagneux, P and Bêty, J and Thomas, PJ and Rodrigue, J and Lefebvre, J and Casazza, ML},
title = {Mitigating Risk: Predicting H5N1 Avian Influenza Spread with an Empirical Model of Bird Movement.},
journal = {Transboundary and emerging diseases},
volume = {2024},
number = {},
pages = {5525298},
pmid = {40303041},
issn = {1865-1682},
mesh = {Animals ; *Influenza in Birds/epidemiology/virology/transmission/prevention & control ; *Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype/physiology ; *Animal Migration ; Birds ; Geographic Information Systems ; Disease Outbreaks/veterinary ; Animals, Wild ; },
abstract = {Understanding timing and distribution of virus spread is critical to global commercial and wildlife biosecurity management. A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIv) global panzootic, affecting ~600 bird and mammal species globally and over 83 million birds across North America (December 2023), poses a serious global threat to animals and public health. We combined a large, long-term waterfowl GPS tracking dataset (16 species) with on-ground disease surveillance data (county-level HPAIv detections) to create a novel empirical model that evaluated spatiotemporal exposure and predicted future spread and potential arrival of HPAIv via GPS tracked migratory waterfowl through 2022. Our model was effective for wild waterfowl, but predictions lagged HPAIv detections in poultry facilities and among some highly impacted nonmigratory species. Our results offer critical advance warning for applied biosecurity management and planning and demonstrate the importance and utility of extensive multispecies tracking to highlight potential high-risk disease spread locations and more effectively manage outbreaks.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*Influenza in Birds/epidemiology/virology/transmission/prevention & control
*Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype/physiology
*Animal Migration
Birds
Geographic Information Systems
Disease Outbreaks/veterinary
Animals, Wild
RevDate: 2025-05-01
CmpDate: 2025-04-30
First-Passage Time Analysis Based on GPS Data Offers a New Approach to Estimate Restricted Zones for the Management of Infectious Diseases in Wildlife: A Case Study Using the Example of African Swine Fever.
Transboundary and emerging diseases, 2023:4024083.
An essential part of any disease containment and eradication policy is the implementation of restricted zones, but determining the appropriate size of these zones can be challenging for managers. We designed a new method, based on animal movement, to help assess how large restricted zones should be after a spontaneous outbreak to successfully control infectious diseases in wildlife. Our approach uses first-passage time (FPT) analysis and Cox proportional hazard (CPH) models to calculate and compare the risk of an animal leaving different-sized areas. We illustrate our approach using the example of the African swine fever (ASF) virus and its wild pig reservoir host species, the wild boar (Sus scrofa), and we investigate the feasibility of applying this method to other systems. Using GPS data from 57 wild boar living in the Hainich National Park, Germany, we calculate the time spent by each individual in areas of different sizes using FPT analysis. We apply CPH models on the derived data to compare the risk of leaving areas of different sizes and to assess the effects of season and the sex of the wild boar on the risk of leaving. We conduct survival analyses to estimate the risk of leaving an area over time. Our results indicate that the risk of leaving an area decreases exponentially by 10% for each 100 m increase in radius size so that the differences were more pronounced for small sizes. Furthermore, the probability of leaving increases exponentially with time. Wild boar had a similar risk of leaving an area of a given size throughout the year, except in spring and winter, when females had a much lower risk of leaving. Our findings are in agreement with the literature on wild boar movement, further validating our method, and repeated analyses with location data resampled at different rates gave similar results. Our results may be applicable only to our study area, but they demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method to any ecosystem where wild boar populations are likely to be infected with ASF and where restricted zones should be established accordingly. The outlined approach relies solely on the analysis of movement data and provides a useful tool to determine the optimal size of restricted zones. It can also be applied to future outbreaks of other diseases.
Additional Links: PMID-40303815
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40303815,
year = {2023},
author = {Wielgus, E and Klamm, A and Conraths, FJ and Dormann, CF and Henrich, M and Kronthaler, F and Heurich, M},
title = {First-Passage Time Analysis Based on GPS Data Offers a New Approach to Estimate Restricted Zones for the Management of Infectious Diseases in Wildlife: A Case Study Using the Example of African Swine Fever.},
journal = {Transboundary and emerging diseases},
volume = {2023},
number = {},
pages = {4024083},
pmid = {40303815},
issn = {1865-1682},
mesh = {Animals ; *African Swine Fever/prevention & control/epidemiology/transmission ; *Geographic Information Systems ; Swine ; Animals, Wild ; *Sus scrofa ; Germany/epidemiology ; Female ; Disease Outbreaks/veterinary/prevention & control ; Male ; African Swine Fever Virus ; },
abstract = {An essential part of any disease containment and eradication policy is the implementation of restricted zones, but determining the appropriate size of these zones can be challenging for managers. We designed a new method, based on animal movement, to help assess how large restricted zones should be after a spontaneous outbreak to successfully control infectious diseases in wildlife. Our approach uses first-passage time (FPT) analysis and Cox proportional hazard (CPH) models to calculate and compare the risk of an animal leaving different-sized areas. We illustrate our approach using the example of the African swine fever (ASF) virus and its wild pig reservoir host species, the wild boar (Sus scrofa), and we investigate the feasibility of applying this method to other systems. Using GPS data from 57 wild boar living in the Hainich National Park, Germany, we calculate the time spent by each individual in areas of different sizes using FPT analysis. We apply CPH models on the derived data to compare the risk of leaving areas of different sizes and to assess the effects of season and the sex of the wild boar on the risk of leaving. We conduct survival analyses to estimate the risk of leaving an area over time. Our results indicate that the risk of leaving an area decreases exponentially by 10% for each 100 m increase in radius size so that the differences were more pronounced for small sizes. Furthermore, the probability of leaving increases exponentially with time. Wild boar had a similar risk of leaving an area of a given size throughout the year, except in spring and winter, when females had a much lower risk of leaving. Our findings are in agreement with the literature on wild boar movement, further validating our method, and repeated analyses with location data resampled at different rates gave similar results. Our results may be applicable only to our study area, but they demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method to any ecosystem where wild boar populations are likely to be infected with ASF and where restricted zones should be established accordingly. The outlined approach relies solely on the analysis of movement data and provides a useful tool to determine the optimal size of restricted zones. It can also be applied to future outbreaks of other diseases.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*African Swine Fever/prevention & control/epidemiology/transmission
*Geographic Information Systems
Swine
Animals, Wild
*Sus scrofa
Germany/epidemiology
Female
Disease Outbreaks/veterinary/prevention & control
Male
African Swine Fever Virus
RevDate: 2025-09-08
CmpDate: 2025-09-08
EukFunc: A Holistic Eukaryotic Functional Reference for Automated Profiling of Soil Eukaryotes.
Molecular ecology resources, 25(7):e14118.
The soil eukaryome constitutes a significant portion of Earth's biodiversity that drives major ecosystem functions, such as controlling carbon fluxes and plant performance. Currently, however, we miss a standardised approach to functionally classify the soil eukaryome in a holistic way. Here we compiled EukFunc, the first functional reference database that characterises the most abundant and functionally important soil eukaryotic groups: fungi, nematodes and protists. We classified the 14,060 species in the database based on their mode of nutrient acquisition into the main functional classes of symbiotroph (40%), saprotroph (26%), phototroph (17%), predator (16%) and unknown (2%). EukFunc provides further detailed information about nutrition mode, including a secondary functional class (i.e., for organisms with multiple nutrition modes), and preyed or associated organisms for predatory or symbiotic taxa, respectively. EukFunc is available in multiple formats for user-friendly functional analyses of specific taxa or annotations of metabarcoding datasets, both embedded in the R package EukFunc. Using a soil dataset from alpine and subalpine meadows, we highlighted the extended ecological insights obtained from combining functional information across the entire soil eukaryome as compared to focusing on fungi, protists or nematodes individually. EukFunc streamlines the annotation process, enhances efficiency and accuracy, and facilitates the investigation of the functional roles of soil eukaryotes-a prerequisite to better understanding soil systems.
Additional Links: PMID-40304278
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PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40304278,
year = {2025},
author = {Lentendu, G and Singer, D and Agatha, S and Bahram, M and Hannula, SE and Helder, J and Tedersoo, L and Traunspurger, W and Geisen, S and Lara, E},
title = {EukFunc: A Holistic Eukaryotic Functional Reference for Automated Profiling of Soil Eukaryotes.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {25},
number = {7},
pages = {e14118},
doi = {10.1111/1755-0998.14118},
pmid = {40304278},
issn = {1755-0998},
support = {PID2021-128499NB-I00 10.13039/501100011033//Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/ ; 182531//Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung/ ; },
mesh = {*Soil/parasitology ; *Eukaryota/classification/genetics/physiology ; Animals ; Nematoda/classification/genetics ; *Computational Biology/methods ; Fungi/classification/genetics ; *Soil Microbiology ; },
abstract = {The soil eukaryome constitutes a significant portion of Earth's biodiversity that drives major ecosystem functions, such as controlling carbon fluxes and plant performance. Currently, however, we miss a standardised approach to functionally classify the soil eukaryome in a holistic way. Here we compiled EukFunc, the first functional reference database that characterises the most abundant and functionally important soil eukaryotic groups: fungi, nematodes and protists. We classified the 14,060 species in the database based on their mode of nutrient acquisition into the main functional classes of symbiotroph (40%), saprotroph (26%), phototroph (17%), predator (16%) and unknown (2%). EukFunc provides further detailed information about nutrition mode, including a secondary functional class (i.e., for organisms with multiple nutrition modes), and preyed or associated organisms for predatory or symbiotic taxa, respectively. EukFunc is available in multiple formats for user-friendly functional analyses of specific taxa or annotations of metabarcoding datasets, both embedded in the R package EukFunc. Using a soil dataset from alpine and subalpine meadows, we highlighted the extended ecological insights obtained from combining functional information across the entire soil eukaryome as compared to focusing on fungi, protists or nematodes individually. EukFunc streamlines the annotation process, enhances efficiency and accuracy, and facilitates the investigation of the functional roles of soil eukaryotes-a prerequisite to better understanding soil systems.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Soil/parasitology
*Eukaryota/classification/genetics/physiology
Animals
Nematoda/classification/genetics
*Computational Biology/methods
Fungi/classification/genetics
*Soil Microbiology
RevDate: 2026-01-27
CmpDate: 2025-05-01
An integrated transcriptome, metabolome, and microbiome dataset of Populus under nutrient-poor conditions.
Scientific data, 12(1):717.
The rhizosphere microbiota recruited by plants contributes significantly to maintaining host productivity and resisting stress. However, the genetic mechanisms by which plants regulate this recruitment process remain largely unclear. Here, we generated a comprehensive dataset, including 27 root transcriptomes, 27 root metabolomes, and 54 bulk or rhizosphere soil 16S rRNA amplicons across nine poplar species from four sections grown in nutrient-poor natural soil, along with eleven growth phenotype data. We provided a thorough description of this dataset, followed by a comprehensive co-expression network analysis example that broke down the wall of the four-way relationship between plant gene-metabolite-microbe-phenotype, thus identifying the links between plant gene expression, metabolite accumulation, growth behavior, and rhizosphere microbiome variation under nutrient-poor conditions. Overall, this dataset enhances our understanding of plant and microbe interactions, offering valuable strategies and novel insights for resolving how plants regulate rhizosphere microbial compositions and functions, thereby improving host fitness, which will benefit future research.
Additional Links: PMID-40307287
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@article {pmid40307287,
year = {2025},
author = {Wu, J and He, D and Wang, Y and Liu, S and Du, Y and Wang, H and Tan, S and Zhang, D and Xie, J},
title = {An integrated transcriptome, metabolome, and microbiome dataset of Populus under nutrient-poor conditions.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {717},
pmid = {40307287},
issn = {2052-4463},
mesh = {*Metabolome ; *Microbiota ; Nutrients ; Plant Roots/microbiology/metabolism ; *Populus/microbiology/genetics/metabolism ; Rhizosphere ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Soil Microbiology ; *Transcriptome ; Datasets as Topic ; },
abstract = {The rhizosphere microbiota recruited by plants contributes significantly to maintaining host productivity and resisting stress. However, the genetic mechanisms by which plants regulate this recruitment process remain largely unclear. Here, we generated a comprehensive dataset, including 27 root transcriptomes, 27 root metabolomes, and 54 bulk or rhizosphere soil 16S rRNA amplicons across nine poplar species from four sections grown in nutrient-poor natural soil, along with eleven growth phenotype data. We provided a thorough description of this dataset, followed by a comprehensive co-expression network analysis example that broke down the wall of the four-way relationship between plant gene-metabolite-microbe-phenotype, thus identifying the links between plant gene expression, metabolite accumulation, growth behavior, and rhizosphere microbiome variation under nutrient-poor conditions. Overall, this dataset enhances our understanding of plant and microbe interactions, offering valuable strategies and novel insights for resolving how plants regulate rhizosphere microbial compositions and functions, thereby improving host fitness, which will benefit future research.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Metabolome
*Microbiota
Nutrients
Plant Roots/microbiology/metabolism
*Populus/microbiology/genetics/metabolism
Rhizosphere
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Soil Microbiology
*Transcriptome
Datasets as Topic
RevDate: 2025-05-03
CmpDate: 2025-05-01
Multi-omic approach to characterize the venom of the parasitic wasp Cotesia congregata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).
BMC genomics, 26(1):431.
BACKGROUND: Cotesia congregata is a parasitoid Hymenoptera belonging to the Braconidae family and carrying CCBV (Cotesia congregata Bracovirus), an endosymbiotic polydnavirus. CCBV virus is considered as the main virulence factor of this species, which has raised questions, over the past thirty years, about the potential roles of venom in the parasitic interaction between C. congregata and its host, Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). To investigate C. congregata venom composition, we identified genes overexpressed in the venom glands (VGs) compared to ovaries, analyzed the protein composition of this fluid and performed a detailed analysis of conserved domains of these proteins.
RESULTS: Of the 14 140 known genes of the C. congregata genome, 659 genes were significantly over-expressed (with 10-fold or higher changes in expression) in the VGs of female C. congregata, compared with the ovaries. We identified 30 proteins whose presence was confirmed in venom extracts by proteomic analyses. Twenty-four of these were produced as precursor molecules containing a predicted signal peptide. Six of the proteins lacked a predicted signal peptide, suggesting that venom production in C. congregata also involves non-canonical secretion mechanisms. We have also analysed 18 additional proteins and peptides of interest whose presence in venom remains uncertain, but which could play a role in VG function.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the venom of C. congregata not only contains proteins (including several enzymes) homologous to well-known venomous compounds, but also original proteins that appear to be specific to this species. This exhaustive study sheds a new light on this venom composition, the molecular diversity of which was unexpected. These data pave the way for targeted functional analyses and to better understand the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the formation of the venomous arsenals we observe today in parasitoid insects.
Additional Links: PMID-40307720
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40307720,
year = {2025},
author = {Moreau, SJM and Marchal, L and Boulain, H and Musset, K and Labas, V and Tomas, D and Gauthier, J and Drezen, JM},
title = {Multi-omic approach to characterize the venom of the parasitic wasp Cotesia congregata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {431},
pmid = {40307720},
issn = {1471-2164},
support = {ANR-12-ADAP-0001//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-12-ADAP-0001//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-12-ADAP-0001//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-12-ADAP-0001//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-12-ADAP-0001//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-12-ADAP-0001//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; SMHART project 35069//European Regional Development Fund/ ; SMHART project 35069//European Regional Development Fund/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Wasps/genetics/virology/metabolism ; *Wasp Venoms/genetics/metabolism/chemistry ; Female ; *Proteomics/methods ; Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism/chemistry ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Cotesia congregata is a parasitoid Hymenoptera belonging to the Braconidae family and carrying CCBV (Cotesia congregata Bracovirus), an endosymbiotic polydnavirus. CCBV virus is considered as the main virulence factor of this species, which has raised questions, over the past thirty years, about the potential roles of venom in the parasitic interaction between C. congregata and its host, Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). To investigate C. congregata venom composition, we identified genes overexpressed in the venom glands (VGs) compared to ovaries, analyzed the protein composition of this fluid and performed a detailed analysis of conserved domains of these proteins.
RESULTS: Of the 14 140 known genes of the C. congregata genome, 659 genes were significantly over-expressed (with 10-fold or higher changes in expression) in the VGs of female C. congregata, compared with the ovaries. We identified 30 proteins whose presence was confirmed in venom extracts by proteomic analyses. Twenty-four of these were produced as precursor molecules containing a predicted signal peptide. Six of the proteins lacked a predicted signal peptide, suggesting that venom production in C. congregata also involves non-canonical secretion mechanisms. We have also analysed 18 additional proteins and peptides of interest whose presence in venom remains uncertain, but which could play a role in VG function.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the venom of C. congregata not only contains proteins (including several enzymes) homologous to well-known venomous compounds, but also original proteins that appear to be specific to this species. This exhaustive study sheds a new light on this venom composition, the molecular diversity of which was unexpected. These data pave the way for targeted functional analyses and to better understand the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the formation of the venomous arsenals we observe today in parasitoid insects.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*Wasps/genetics/virology/metabolism
*Wasp Venoms/genetics/metabolism/chemistry
Female
*Proteomics/methods
Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism/chemistry
Multiomics
RevDate: 2026-05-22
CmpDate: 2025-05-02
The impact of short message service reminders or peer home visits on adherence to antiretroviral therapy and viral load suppression among HIV-Infected adolescents in Cameroon: a randomized controlled trial.
AIDS research and therapy, 22(1):49.
BACKGROUND: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral load suppression (VLS) constitute one of the key challenges to control human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), especially during adolescence. This trial aimed at assessing the impact of short message services (SMS) or peer home visits (PHV) on adherence to ART and VL suppression among adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV) in Cameroon.
METHODS: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted from July 2018 to February 2019 at the Mother and Child Center of the Chantal Biya Foundation in Yaounde. Eligible ALWHIV (15-19 years), with a fully disclosed HIV status, with availability of phone and guardian's consent, were randomly assigned to receive either daily SMS or bi-weekly PHV for a six-months period. The control-group received standard of care according to the national guidelines. Study investigators and participants were not blinded to the interventions group allocation, and no adverse events or side effects were observed. Adjusted logistic regression was used to assess the impact of interventions on outcomes. The study was approved by The Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry with PACTR201904582515723 at (www.pactr.org).
RESULTS: Adherence to ART increased in the PHV (aRR: 4.3; 95% CI: 2.2-8.3; p < 0.001) and SMS (aRR: 3.1, 95% CI: 2.1-5.3; p < 0.001) groups compared to the control-group. Likewise, VL suppression was higher in PHV (aRR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.9-7.5 p < 0.001) and SMS (aRR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.8-5.4; p < 0.001) groups compared to the control-group. Based on CI, both interventions showed similar benefits on improving adherence and VLS.
CONCLUSIONS: Among ALHIV, SMS or PHV contribute substantially to improving adherence and VL suppression among ALWHIV. Implementing such strategies would support efforts in eliminating pediatric AIDS in low- and middle-income countries.
Additional Links: PMID-40312707
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Citation:
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@article {pmid40312707,
year = {2025},
author = {Ketchaji, A and Fokam, J and Assah, F and Ateba, F and Wandji, ML and Pamen, JNB and Djoko, GRP and Seugnou, CDN and Kah, E and Atangana, AF and Ateudjieu, J},
title = {The impact of short message service reminders or peer home visits on adherence to antiretroviral therapy and viral load suppression among HIV-Infected adolescents in Cameroon: a randomized controlled trial.},
journal = {AIDS research and therapy},
volume = {22},
number = {1},
pages = {49},
pmid = {40312707},
issn = {1742-6405},
mesh = {Humans ; *HIV Infections/drug therapy/virology ; Adolescent ; Female ; Cameroon/epidemiology ; Male ; *Viral Load/drug effects ; *Text Messaging ; *House Calls ; Young Adult ; *Medication Adherence ; *Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use ; *Reminder Systems ; Peer Group ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral load suppression (VLS) constitute one of the key challenges to control human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), especially during adolescence. This trial aimed at assessing the impact of short message services (SMS) or peer home visits (PHV) on adherence to ART and VL suppression among adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV) in Cameroon.
METHODS: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted from July 2018 to February 2019 at the Mother and Child Center of the Chantal Biya Foundation in Yaounde. Eligible ALWHIV (15-19 years), with a fully disclosed HIV status, with availability of phone and guardian's consent, were randomly assigned to receive either daily SMS or bi-weekly PHV for a six-months period. The control-group received standard of care according to the national guidelines. Study investigators and participants were not blinded to the interventions group allocation, and no adverse events or side effects were observed. Adjusted logistic regression was used to assess the impact of interventions on outcomes. The study was approved by The Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry with PACTR201904582515723 at (www.pactr.org).
RESULTS: Adherence to ART increased in the PHV (aRR: 4.3; 95% CI: 2.2-8.3; p < 0.001) and SMS (aRR: 3.1, 95% CI: 2.1-5.3; p < 0.001) groups compared to the control-group. Likewise, VL suppression was higher in PHV (aRR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.9-7.5 p < 0.001) and SMS (aRR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.8-5.4; p < 0.001) groups compared to the control-group. Based on CI, both interventions showed similar benefits on improving adherence and VLS.
CONCLUSIONS: Among ALHIV, SMS or PHV contribute substantially to improving adherence and VL suppression among ALWHIV. Implementing such strategies would support efforts in eliminating pediatric AIDS in low- and middle-income countries.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
*HIV Infections/drug therapy/virology
Adolescent
Female
Cameroon/epidemiology
Male
*Viral Load/drug effects
*Text Messaging
*House Calls
Young Adult
*Medication Adherence
*Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use
*Reminder Systems
Peer Group
RevDate: 2025-05-13
CmpDate: 2025-05-13
Optimizing urban green spaces using a decision-support model for carbon sequestration and ecological connectivity.
Journal of environmental management, 384:125058.
Urban green spaces (UGSs) are vital for enhancing urban ecological health and resident well-being. However, their diverse functions need to be balanced based on spatial limitations and varying stakeholder preferences. Integrated planning approaches are needed to exploit the multiple benefits of UGSs. This study introduces a multi-objective decision-support model designed to optimize UGS planning by simultaneously addressing carbon sequestration, ecological connectivity, and cost constraints. The model incorporates the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II to identify Pareto-optimal solutions for tailored decision-making strategies that balance different priorities. The model indicated that ecological connectivity can be improved by 7.57 % while meeting carbon-reduction and budgetary targets. The model effectively balanced trade-offs, underscoring the importance of both the quantity and strategic placement of green space. This decision-support framework empowers decision-makers to rapidly simulate and validate optimal scenarios, effectively balance competing objectives, and provide a scientific basis through verifiable feedback, ultimately promoting the development of sustainable urban environments.
Additional Links: PMID-40319682
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@article {pmid40319682,
year = {2025},
author = {Hwang, H and Kim, D and Kim, S and Kim, JY and Kim, ES and Yang, T and Lee, N and Piao, Y and Park, BJ and Lee, DK},
title = {Optimizing urban green spaces using a decision-support model for carbon sequestration and ecological connectivity.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {384},
number = {},
pages = {125058},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125058},
pmid = {40319682},
issn = {1095-8630},
mesh = {*Carbon Sequestration ; *Decision Support Techniques ; Cities ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Urban green spaces (UGSs) are vital for enhancing urban ecological health and resident well-being. However, their diverse functions need to be balanced based on spatial limitations and varying stakeholder preferences. Integrated planning approaches are needed to exploit the multiple benefits of UGSs. This study introduces a multi-objective decision-support model designed to optimize UGS planning by simultaneously addressing carbon sequestration, ecological connectivity, and cost constraints. The model incorporates the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II to identify Pareto-optimal solutions for tailored decision-making strategies that balance different priorities. The model indicated that ecological connectivity can be improved by 7.57 % while meeting carbon-reduction and budgetary targets. The model effectively balanced trade-offs, underscoring the importance of both the quantity and strategic placement of green space. This decision-support framework empowers decision-makers to rapidly simulate and validate optimal scenarios, effectively balance competing objectives, and provide a scientific basis through verifiable feedback, ultimately promoting the development of sustainable urban environments.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Carbon Sequestration
*Decision Support Techniques
Cities
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
Ecosystem
RevDate: 2025-08-05
CmpDate: 2025-08-05
Mating system and the evolution of recombination rates in seed plants.
Journal of evolutionary biology, 38(7):920-929.
Meiotic recombination is a central mechanism underlying sexual reproduction among eukaryotes. In many species, the recombination rate is strongly constrained by chromosome size, as the number of crossovers per chromosome generally ranges between one and no more than a few (around three to five). Yet, recombination rates are variable and can evolve between species, in particular when they differ in their reproductive system. According to theory, indirect selection towards higher recombination rates is expected to be stronger in inbred populations, such as selfing species compared with randomly mating species. To test for the impact of the mating system on the evolution of recombination rates, we leveraged a dataset with genetic maps, genome sizes, chromosome numbers, and life history traits in 200 seed plant species. After controlling for the chromosome size effect, the phylogeny, and map quality, we found a joint positive effect of the mating system and longevity on recombination rates, with higher recombination rates in mixed-mating and selfing species. We also found that mixed-mating and selfing species had a significantly higher number of crossovers in larger chromosomes than outcrossing species, suggesting selection for relaxed crossover interference in these former species. Our results point to the mating system as an important factor potentially shaping the evolution of recombination despite mechanical constraints acting on the number of crossovers per chromosome.
Additional Links: PMID-40321106
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40321106,
year = {2025},
author = {Brazier, T and Stetsenko, R and Roze, D and Glémin, S},
title = {Mating system and the evolution of recombination rates in seed plants.},
journal = {Journal of evolutionary biology},
volume = {38},
number = {7},
pages = {920-929},
doi = {10.1093/jeb/voaf008},
pmid = {40321106},
issn = {1420-9101},
support = {ANR-19-CE12472//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; },
mesh = {*Magnoliopsida/genetics ; Genome, Plant ; Chromosomes, Plant ; Genome Size ; *Recombination, Genetic ; *Biological Evolution ; *Self-Fertilization/genetics ; Pollination ; Life History Traits ; Datasets as Topic ; Longevity ; Selection, Genetic ; },
abstract = {Meiotic recombination is a central mechanism underlying sexual reproduction among eukaryotes. In many species, the recombination rate is strongly constrained by chromosome size, as the number of crossovers per chromosome generally ranges between one and no more than a few (around three to five). Yet, recombination rates are variable and can evolve between species, in particular when they differ in their reproductive system. According to theory, indirect selection towards higher recombination rates is expected to be stronger in inbred populations, such as selfing species compared with randomly mating species. To test for the impact of the mating system on the evolution of recombination rates, we leveraged a dataset with genetic maps, genome sizes, chromosome numbers, and life history traits in 200 seed plant species. After controlling for the chromosome size effect, the phylogeny, and map quality, we found a joint positive effect of the mating system and longevity on recombination rates, with higher recombination rates in mixed-mating and selfing species. We also found that mixed-mating and selfing species had a significantly higher number of crossovers in larger chromosomes than outcrossing species, suggesting selection for relaxed crossover interference in these former species. Our results point to the mating system as an important factor potentially shaping the evolution of recombination despite mechanical constraints acting on the number of crossovers per chromosome.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Magnoliopsida/genetics
Genome, Plant
Chromosomes, Plant
Genome Size
*Recombination, Genetic
*Biological Evolution
*Self-Fertilization/genetics
Pollination
Life History Traits
Datasets as Topic
Longevity
Selection, Genetic
RevDate: 2025-06-07
CmpDate: 2025-05-06
The global impact of industrialisation and climate change on antimicrobial resistance: assessing the role of Eco-AMR Zones.
Environmental monitoring and assessment, 197(6):625.
This study examines the relationship between industrialisation, climate change, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene prevalence. Data analysis from the top 20 highly industrialised and the top 20 least industrialised nations revealed that industrial activities significantly contribute to global warming, with temperature increases of up to 2 °C observed in highly industrialised regions. These environmental changes influence the distribution and evolution of AMR genes, as rising temperatures can affect bacterial resistance in a manner similar to antibiotics. Through a bioinformatics approach, a marked disparity in AMR gene frequencies was observed between highly industrialised and less industrialised nations, with developed countries reporting higher frequencies due to extensive antibiotic use and advanced monitoring systems. 'Eco-AMR Zones' is proposed as a solution to specialised areas by promoting sustainable industrial practices, enforcing pollution controls, and regulating antibiotic use to mitigate AMR's environmental and public health impacts. These zones, supported by collaboration across various sectors, offer a promising approach to preserving antibiotic effectiveness and reducing environmental degradation. The study emphasises the importance of integrated global strategies that address both the ecological and public health challenges posed by AMR, advocating for sustainable practices, international collaboration, and ongoing research to combat the evolving threats of climate change and antimicrobial resistance.
Additional Links: PMID-40323496
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@article {pmid40323496,
year = {2025},
author = {Oyelayo, EA and Taiwo, TJ and Oyelude, SO and Alao, JO},
title = {The global impact of industrialisation and climate change on antimicrobial resistance: assessing the role of Eco-AMR Zones.},
journal = {Environmental monitoring and assessment},
volume = {197},
number = {6},
pages = {625},
pmid = {40323496},
issn = {1573-2959},
mesh = {*Industrial Development ; *Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics ; *Climate Change ; Temperature ; Environmental Monitoring ; Genes, Microbial ; Computational Biology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; },
abstract = {This study examines the relationship between industrialisation, climate change, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene prevalence. Data analysis from the top 20 highly industrialised and the top 20 least industrialised nations revealed that industrial activities significantly contribute to global warming, with temperature increases of up to 2 °C observed in highly industrialised regions. These environmental changes influence the distribution and evolution of AMR genes, as rising temperatures can affect bacterial resistance in a manner similar to antibiotics. Through a bioinformatics approach, a marked disparity in AMR gene frequencies was observed between highly industrialised and less industrialised nations, with developed countries reporting higher frequencies due to extensive antibiotic use and advanced monitoring systems. 'Eco-AMR Zones' is proposed as a solution to specialised areas by promoting sustainable industrial practices, enforcing pollution controls, and regulating antibiotic use to mitigate AMR's environmental and public health impacts. These zones, supported by collaboration across various sectors, offer a promising approach to preserving antibiotic effectiveness and reducing environmental degradation. The study emphasises the importance of integrated global strategies that address both the ecological and public health challenges posed by AMR, advocating for sustainable practices, international collaboration, and ongoing research to combat the evolving threats of climate change and antimicrobial resistance.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Industrial Development
*Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics
*Climate Change
Temperature
Environmental Monitoring
Genes, Microbial
Computational Biology
Anti-Bacterial Agents
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-14
Optimization hardness constrains ecological transients.
PLoS computational biology, 21(5):e1013051.
Living systems operate far from equilibrium, yet few general frameworks provide global bounds on biological transients. In high-dimensional biological networks like ecosystems, long transients arise from the separate timescales of interactions within versus among subcommunities. Here, we use tools from computational complexity theory to frame equilibration in complex ecosystems as the process of solving an analogue optimization problem. We show that functional redundancies among species in an ecosystem produce difficult, ill-conditioned problems, which physically manifest as transient chaos. We find that the recent success of dimensionality reduction methods in describing ecological dynamics arises due to preconditioning, in which fast relaxation decouples from slow solving timescales. In evolutionary simulations, we show that selection for steady-state species diversity produces ill-conditioning, an effect quantifiable using scaling relations originally derived for numerical analysis of complex optimization problems. Our results demonstrate the physical toll of computational constraints on biological dynamics.
Additional Links: PMID-40324147
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@article {pmid40324147,
year = {2025},
author = {Gilpin, W},
title = {Optimization hardness constrains ecological transients.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {5},
pages = {e1013051},
pmid = {40324147},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {*Ecosystem ; *Models, Biological ; Computer Simulation ; Computational Biology ; Biological Evolution ; },
abstract = {Living systems operate far from equilibrium, yet few general frameworks provide global bounds on biological transients. In high-dimensional biological networks like ecosystems, long transients arise from the separate timescales of interactions within versus among subcommunities. Here, we use tools from computational complexity theory to frame equilibration in complex ecosystems as the process of solving an analogue optimization problem. We show that functional redundancies among species in an ecosystem produce difficult, ill-conditioned problems, which physically manifest as transient chaos. We find that the recent success of dimensionality reduction methods in describing ecological dynamics arises due to preconditioning, in which fast relaxation decouples from slow solving timescales. In evolutionary simulations, we show that selection for steady-state species diversity produces ill-conditioning, an effect quantifiable using scaling relations originally derived for numerical analysis of complex optimization problems. Our results demonstrate the physical toll of computational constraints on biological dynamics.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Ecosystem
*Models, Biological
Computer Simulation
Computational Biology
Biological Evolution
RevDate: 2025-10-15
CmpDate: 2025-10-15
Accounting for Measurement Invariance Violations in Careless Responding Detection in Intensive Longitudinal Data: Exploratory vs. Partially Constrained Latent Markov Factor Analysis.
Multivariate behavioral research, 60(5):878-897.
Intensive longitudinal data (ILD) collection methods like experience sampling methodology can place significant burdens on participants, potentially resulting in careless responding, such as random responding. Such behavior can undermine the validity of any inferences drawn from the data if not properly identified and addressed. Recently, a confirmatory mixture model (here referred to as fully constrained latent Markov factor analysis, LMFA) has been introduced as a promising solution to detect careless responding in ILD. However, this method relies on the key assumption of measurement invariance of the attentive responses, which is easily violated due to shifts in how participants interpret items. If the assumption is violated, the ability of the fully constrained LMFA to accurately identify careless responding is compromised. In this study, we evaluated two more flexible variants of LMFA-fully exploratory LMFA and partially constrained LMFA-to distinguish between careless and attentive responding in the presence of non-invariant attentive responses. Simulation results indicated that the fully exploratory LMFA model is an effective tool for reliably detecting and interpreting different types of careless responding while accounting for violations of measurement invariance. Conversely, the partially constrained model struggled to accurately detect careless responses. We end by discussing potential reasons for this.
Additional Links: PMID-40326463
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@article {pmid40326463,
year = {2025},
author = {Vogelsmeier, LVDE and Jongerling, J and Ulitzsch, E},
title = {Accounting for Measurement Invariance Violations in Careless Responding Detection in Intensive Longitudinal Data: Exploratory vs. Partially Constrained Latent Markov Factor Analysis.},
journal = {Multivariate behavioral research},
volume = {60},
number = {5},
pages = {878-897},
doi = {10.1080/00273171.2025.2492016},
pmid = {40326463},
issn = {1532-7906},
mesh = {Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; *Markov Chains ; *Models, Statistical ; Computer Simulation ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; },
abstract = {Intensive longitudinal data (ILD) collection methods like experience sampling methodology can place significant burdens on participants, potentially resulting in careless responding, such as random responding. Such behavior can undermine the validity of any inferences drawn from the data if not properly identified and addressed. Recently, a confirmatory mixture model (here referred to as fully constrained latent Markov factor analysis, LMFA) has been introduced as a promising solution to detect careless responding in ILD. However, this method relies on the key assumption of measurement invariance of the attentive responses, which is easily violated due to shifts in how participants interpret items. If the assumption is violated, the ability of the fully constrained LMFA to accurately identify careless responding is compromised. In this study, we evaluated two more flexible variants of LMFA-fully exploratory LMFA and partially constrained LMFA-to distinguish between careless and attentive responding in the presence of non-invariant attentive responses. Simulation results indicated that the fully exploratory LMFA model is an effective tool for reliably detecting and interpreting different types of careless responding while accounting for violations of measurement invariance. Conversely, the partially constrained model struggled to accurately detect careless responses. We end by discussing potential reasons for this.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Factor Analysis, Statistical
*Markov Chains
*Models, Statistical
Computer Simulation
Data Interpretation, Statistical
RevDate: 2026-04-30
CmpDate: 2025-07-01
PFHxA and PFHxS promote breast cancer progression in 3D culture: MEX3C-associated immune infiltration revealed by bioinformatics and machine learning.
Journal of hazardous materials, 494:138458.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants with widespread use and bioaccumulative potential. Short-chain PFAS such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) have been introduced as safer alternatives to long-chain PFAS, yet their toxicological impacts remain poorly defined. In this study, we employed a 3D Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel model to mimic the tumor microenvironment and investigated the effects of PFHxA and PFHxS on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression. At environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1-10 μM), both compounds significantly enhanced proliferation, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Transcriptomic and machine learning analyses identified MEX3C as a key gene upregulated by PFAS exposure. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed activation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, which was further supported by siRNA-mediated knockdown of MEX3C, leading to a marked reduction in the expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, and mTOR proteins. Furthermore, immune cell co-culture experiments showed that MDA-MB-231 cells with high MEX3C expression promoted M2 macrophage polarization, suppressed M1 polarization, and enhanced macrophage chemotactic activity, the immunomodulatory effects were significantly attenuated upon MEX3C knockdown. These findings establish MEX3C as a central mediator of PFAS-induced tumor progression and immune remodeling. This study provides mechanistic insight into the carcinogenic potential of emerging short-chain PFAS and underscores the need for stricter regulation to safeguard public health.
Additional Links: PMID-40327938
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40327938,
year = {2025},
author = {Wang, H and Xie, G and Zhang, Z and Han, J and Zhang, Y and Xu, T and Yin, D},
title = {PFHxA and PFHxS promote breast cancer progression in 3D culture: MEX3C-associated immune infiltration revealed by bioinformatics and machine learning.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {494},
number = {},
pages = {138458},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138458},
pmid = {40327938},
issn = {1873-3336},
mesh = {Humans ; Machine Learning ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; *Fluorocarbons/toxicity ; Computational Biology ; Cell Movement/drug effects ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; *RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects ; *Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/immunology/pathology/genetics ; *Sulfonic Acids/toxicity ; Disease Progression ; },
abstract = {Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants with widespread use and bioaccumulative potential. Short-chain PFAS such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) have been introduced as safer alternatives to long-chain PFAS, yet their toxicological impacts remain poorly defined. In this study, we employed a 3D Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel model to mimic the tumor microenvironment and investigated the effects of PFHxA and PFHxS on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression. At environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1-10 μM), both compounds significantly enhanced proliferation, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Transcriptomic and machine learning analyses identified MEX3C as a key gene upregulated by PFAS exposure. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed activation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, which was further supported by siRNA-mediated knockdown of MEX3C, leading to a marked reduction in the expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, and mTOR proteins. Furthermore, immune cell co-culture experiments showed that MDA-MB-231 cells with high MEX3C expression promoted M2 macrophage polarization, suppressed M1 polarization, and enhanced macrophage chemotactic activity, the immunomodulatory effects were significantly attenuated upon MEX3C knockdown. These findings establish MEX3C as a central mediator of PFAS-induced tumor progression and immune remodeling. This study provides mechanistic insight into the carcinogenic potential of emerging short-chain PFAS and underscores the need for stricter regulation to safeguard public health.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Humans
Machine Learning
Cell Line, Tumor
Female
*Fluorocarbons/toxicity
Computational Biology
Cell Movement/drug effects
Cell Proliferation/drug effects
*RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects
*Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/immunology/pathology/genetics
*Sulfonic Acids/toxicity
Disease Progression
RevDate: 2025-05-06
CmpDate: 2025-05-07
[Multi-omics analysis of hormesis effect of lanthanum chloride on carotenoid synthesis in Rhodotorula mucilaginosa].
Sheng wu gong cheng xue bao = Chinese journal of biotechnology, 41(4):1631-1648.
Hormesis effect has been observed in the secondary metabolite synthesis of microorganisms induced by rare earth elements. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. To analyze the molecular mechanism of the regulatory effect of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in the presence of lanthanum chloride, different concentrations of lanthanum chloride were added to the fermentation medium of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and the carotenoid content was subsequently measured. It was found that the concentrations of La[3+] exerting the promotional and inhibitory effects were 0-100 mg/L and 100-400 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of 33 genes and the synthesis of 55 metabolites were observed to be up-regulated, while the expression of 85 genes and the synthesis of 123 metabolites were found to be down-regulated at the concentration range of the promotional effect. Notably, the expression of carotenoid synthesis-related genes except AL1 was up-regulated. Additionally, the content of β-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin demonstrated increases of 10.74%, 5.02%, and 3.22%, respectively. The expression of 5 genes and the synthesis of 91 metabolites were up-regulated, while the expression of 35 genes and the synthesis of 138 metabolites were down-regulated at the concentration range of the inhibitory effect. Meanwhile, the content of β-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin decreased by 21.73%, 34.81%, and 35.51%, respectively. In summary, appropriate concentrations of rare earth ions can regulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites by modulating the activities of various enzymes involved in metabolic pathways, thereby exerting the hormesis effect. The findings of this study not only contribute to our comprehension for the mechanism of rare earth elements in organisms but also offer a promising avenue for the utilization of rare earth elements in diverse fields, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare.
Additional Links: PMID-40328721
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@article {pmid40328721,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, H and Wen, T and Wang, Z and Zhao, X and Wu, H and Xiang, P and Ma, Y},
title = {[Multi-omics analysis of hormesis effect of lanthanum chloride on carotenoid synthesis in Rhodotorula mucilaginosa].},
journal = {Sheng wu gong cheng xue bao = Chinese journal of biotechnology},
volume = {41},
number = {4},
pages = {1631-1648},
doi = {10.13345/j.cjb.240537},
pmid = {40328721},
issn = {1872-2075},
mesh = {*Lanthanum/pharmacology ; *Rhodotorula/metabolism/drug effects/genetics ; *Carotenoids/metabolism ; *Hormesis/drug effects ; Fermentation ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Hormesis effect has been observed in the secondary metabolite synthesis of microorganisms induced by rare earth elements. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. To analyze the molecular mechanism of the regulatory effect of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in the presence of lanthanum chloride, different concentrations of lanthanum chloride were added to the fermentation medium of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and the carotenoid content was subsequently measured. It was found that the concentrations of La[3+] exerting the promotional and inhibitory effects were 0-100 mg/L and 100-400 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of 33 genes and the synthesis of 55 metabolites were observed to be up-regulated, while the expression of 85 genes and the synthesis of 123 metabolites were found to be down-regulated at the concentration range of the promotional effect. Notably, the expression of carotenoid synthesis-related genes except AL1 was up-regulated. Additionally, the content of β-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin demonstrated increases of 10.74%, 5.02%, and 3.22%, respectively. The expression of 5 genes and the synthesis of 91 metabolites were up-regulated, while the expression of 35 genes and the synthesis of 138 metabolites were down-regulated at the concentration range of the inhibitory effect. Meanwhile, the content of β-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin decreased by 21.73%, 34.81%, and 35.51%, respectively. In summary, appropriate concentrations of rare earth ions can regulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites by modulating the activities of various enzymes involved in metabolic pathways, thereby exerting the hormesis effect. The findings of this study not only contribute to our comprehension for the mechanism of rare earth elements in organisms but also offer a promising avenue for the utilization of rare earth elements in diverse fields, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Lanthanum/pharmacology
*Rhodotorula/metabolism/drug effects/genetics
*Carotenoids/metabolism
*Hormesis/drug effects
Fermentation
Multiomics
RevDate: 2026-07-08
CmpDate: 2025-05-07
Microbial metabolism in laboratory reared marine snow as revealed by a multi-omics approach.
Microbiome, 13(1):114.
BACKGROUND: Marine snow represents an organic matter-rich habitat and provides substrates for diverse microbial populations in the marine ecosystem. However, the functional diversity and metabolic interactions within the microbial community inhabiting marine snow remain largely underexplored, particularly for specific metabolic pathways involved in marine snow degradation. Here, we used a multi-omics approach to explore the microbial response to laboratory-reared phytoplankton-derived marine snow.
RESULTS: Our results demonstrated a dramatic shift in both taxonomic and functional profiles of the microbial community after the formation of phytoplankton-derived marine snow using a rolling tank system. The changes in microbial metabolic processes were more pronounced in the metaproteome than in the metagenome in response to marine snow. Fast-growing taxa within the Gammaproteobacteria were the most dominant group at both the metagenomic and metaproteomic level. These Gammaproteobacteria possessed a variety of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and transporters facilitating substrate cleavage and uptake, respectively. Analysis of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) revealed that the response to marine snow amendment was primarily mediated by Alteromonas, Vibrio, and Thalassotalea. Among these, Alteromonas exclusively expressing auxiliary activities 2 (AA2) of the CAZyme subfamily were abundant in both the free-living (FL) and marine snow-attached (MA) microbial communities. Thus, Alteromonas likely played a pivotal role in the degradation of marine snow. The enzymes of AA2 produced by these Alteromonas MAGs are capable of detoxifying peroxide intermediates generated during the breakdown of marine snow into smaller poly- and oligomers, providing available substrates for other microorganisms within the system. In addition, Vibrio and Thalassotalea MAGs exhibited distinct responses to these hydrolysis products of marine snow in different size fractions, suggesting a distinct niche separation. Although chemotaxis proteins were found to be enriched in the proteome of all three MAGs, differences in transporter proteins were identified as the primary factor contributing to the niche separation between these two groups. Vibrio in the FL fraction predominantly utilized ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCTs), while Thalassotalea MAGs in the MA fraction primarily employed TonB-dependent outer membrane transporters (TBDTs).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings shed light on the essential metabolic interactions within marine snow-degrading microbial consortia, which employ complementary physiological mechanisms and survival strategies to effectively scavenge marine snow. This work advances our understanding of the fate of marine snow and the role of microbes in carbon sequestration in the ocean. Video Abstract.
Additional Links: PMID-40329386
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40329386,
year = {2025},
author = {Hou, L and Zhao, Z and Steger-Mähnert, B and Jiao, N and Herndl, GJ and Zhang, Y},
title = {Microbial metabolism in laboratory reared marine snow as revealed by a multi-omics approach.},
journal = {Microbiome},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {114},
pmid = {40329386},
issn = {2049-2618},
mesh = {*Snow/microbiology ; Gammaproteobacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification ; Metagenomics/methods ; Metagenome ; *Seawater/microbiology ; *Microbiota ; *Bacteria/classification/metabolism/genetics/isolation & purification ; Phytoplankton/microbiology/metabolism ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Marine snow represents an organic matter-rich habitat and provides substrates for diverse microbial populations in the marine ecosystem. However, the functional diversity and metabolic interactions within the microbial community inhabiting marine snow remain largely underexplored, particularly for specific metabolic pathways involved in marine snow degradation. Here, we used a multi-omics approach to explore the microbial response to laboratory-reared phytoplankton-derived marine snow.
RESULTS: Our results demonstrated a dramatic shift in both taxonomic and functional profiles of the microbial community after the formation of phytoplankton-derived marine snow using a rolling tank system. The changes in microbial metabolic processes were more pronounced in the metaproteome than in the metagenome in response to marine snow. Fast-growing taxa within the Gammaproteobacteria were the most dominant group at both the metagenomic and metaproteomic level. These Gammaproteobacteria possessed a variety of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and transporters facilitating substrate cleavage and uptake, respectively. Analysis of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) revealed that the response to marine snow amendment was primarily mediated by Alteromonas, Vibrio, and Thalassotalea. Among these, Alteromonas exclusively expressing auxiliary activities 2 (AA2) of the CAZyme subfamily were abundant in both the free-living (FL) and marine snow-attached (MA) microbial communities. Thus, Alteromonas likely played a pivotal role in the degradation of marine snow. The enzymes of AA2 produced by these Alteromonas MAGs are capable of detoxifying peroxide intermediates generated during the breakdown of marine snow into smaller poly- and oligomers, providing available substrates for other microorganisms within the system. In addition, Vibrio and Thalassotalea MAGs exhibited distinct responses to these hydrolysis products of marine snow in different size fractions, suggesting a distinct niche separation. Although chemotaxis proteins were found to be enriched in the proteome of all three MAGs, differences in transporter proteins were identified as the primary factor contributing to the niche separation between these two groups. Vibrio in the FL fraction predominantly utilized ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCTs), while Thalassotalea MAGs in the MA fraction primarily employed TonB-dependent outer membrane transporters (TBDTs).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings shed light on the essential metabolic interactions within marine snow-degrading microbial consortia, which employ complementary physiological mechanisms and survival strategies to effectively scavenge marine snow. This work advances our understanding of the fate of marine snow and the role of microbes in carbon sequestration in the ocean. Video Abstract.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Snow/microbiology
Gammaproteobacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification
Metagenomics/methods
Metagenome
*Seawater/microbiology
*Microbiota
*Bacteria/classification/metabolism/genetics/isolation & purification
Phytoplankton/microbiology/metabolism
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-09
CmpDate: 2025-05-07
A comprehensive county-level distribution database of alien and invasive plants in China.
Ecology, 106(5):e70084.
Over the past half century, international trade and exchange have continued to increase in China, resulting in the widespread introduction of alien plant species. The accumulation of these alien species has accelerated invasion events, posing serious threats to local ecological security and economic development. Comprehensive and accurate species distribution records are extremely important for early detection, understanding dispersal dynamics, and supporting various management strategies and research initiatives. However, biodiversity databases, both global and local, often lack comprehensive and high-resolution distribution data for alien invasive plant species (AIPs). This limitation is particularly evident in China, where local databases typically provide coarse spatial data, often restricted to the provincial level, leading to a substantial underestimation of the actual distribution of AIPs. Here, we fill this gap by creating the most comprehensive distribution database for AIPs in China at a much finer spatial resolution. By integrating 73,469 distribution records from China's online herbarium, biodiversity databases, flora, published literature, and 173,396 georeferenced records from GBIF, we built the county-level distribution database for 400 AIPs and report for the first time their presence in 2684 administrative counties in China (92.5% of the total counties). Notably, our database provides 2.58 times more distribution records than global biodiversity data repositories such as GBIF and also includes the earliest introduction dates for each AIP. The temporal range of the records spans from 1607 to 2023, capturing over 400 years of AIP presence in China. These rigorously quality-controlled georeferenced data can be used to examine the dynamics and influencing factors of plant invasions in China. They can also serve as the most updated data reference for policy makers in designing effective AIP management policies in China. We encourage users to cite this data paper when utilizing the data, and there are no restrictions on its use for non-commercial purposes.
Additional Links: PMID-40329811
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40329811,
year = {2025},
author = {Yang, Y and Liu, X and Wu, J and Svenning, JC and Liu, J and Shrestha, N},
title = {A comprehensive county-level distribution database of alien and invasive plants in China.},
journal = {Ecology},
volume = {106},
number = {5},
pages = {e70084},
pmid = {40329811},
issn = {1939-9170},
support = {2022YFC2601100//National Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; DNRF173//Danmarks Grundforskningsfond/ ; },
mesh = {*Introduced Species ; China ; *Plants/classification ; *Databases, Factual ; Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Over the past half century, international trade and exchange have continued to increase in China, resulting in the widespread introduction of alien plant species. The accumulation of these alien species has accelerated invasion events, posing serious threats to local ecological security and economic development. Comprehensive and accurate species distribution records are extremely important for early detection, understanding dispersal dynamics, and supporting various management strategies and research initiatives. However, biodiversity databases, both global and local, often lack comprehensive and high-resolution distribution data for alien invasive plant species (AIPs). This limitation is particularly evident in China, where local databases typically provide coarse spatial data, often restricted to the provincial level, leading to a substantial underestimation of the actual distribution of AIPs. Here, we fill this gap by creating the most comprehensive distribution database for AIPs in China at a much finer spatial resolution. By integrating 73,469 distribution records from China's online herbarium, biodiversity databases, flora, published literature, and 173,396 georeferenced records from GBIF, we built the county-level distribution database for 400 AIPs and report for the first time their presence in 2684 administrative counties in China (92.5% of the total counties). Notably, our database provides 2.58 times more distribution records than global biodiversity data repositories such as GBIF and also includes the earliest introduction dates for each AIP. The temporal range of the records spans from 1607 to 2023, capturing over 400 years of AIP presence in China. These rigorously quality-controlled georeferenced data can be used to examine the dynamics and influencing factors of plant invasions in China. They can also serve as the most updated data reference for policy makers in designing effective AIP management policies in China. We encourage users to cite this data paper when utilizing the data, and there are no restrictions on its use for non-commercial purposes.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Introduced Species
China
*Plants/classification
*Databases, Factual
Biodiversity
RevDate: 2025-05-09
CmpDate: 2025-05-07
Bioinformatics Analysis of the Glutamate-Gated Chloride Channel Family in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.
International journal of molecular sciences, 26(8):.
Glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls), a class of ion channels found in the nerve and muscle cells of invertebrates, are involved in vital life processes. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pathogen of pine wilt disease, has induced major economic and ecological losses in invaded areas of Asia and Europe. We identified 33 GluCls family members by sequence alignment analysis. A subsequent bioinformatic analysis revealed the physicochemical properties, protein structure, and gene expression patterns in different developmental stages. The results showed that GluCls genes are distributed across all six chromosomes of B. xylophilus. These proteins indicated a relatively conserved structure by NCBI-conserved domains and InterPro analysis. A gene structure analysis revealed that GluCls genes consist of 5 to 14 exons. Expression pattern analysis revealed BxGluCls were extensively involved in the development of second instar larvae of B. xylophilus. Furthermore, BxGluCls15, BxGluCls25, and BxGluCls28 were mainly associated with the development of eggs of B. xylophilus. BxGluCls12, BxGluCls18, and BxGluCls32 were predominantly linked to nematode resistance and adaptation. Investigation the structure and expression patterns of BxGluCls is crucial to understand the developmental trends of B. xylophilus. It also helps identify molecular targets for the development of biopesticides or drugs designed to control this nematode.
Additional Links: PMID-40331936
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40331936,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, H and Wang, R and Pan, J and Chen, J and Hao, X},
title = {Bioinformatics Analysis of the Glutamate-Gated Chloride Channel Family in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
volume = {26},
number = {8},
pages = {},
pmid = {40331936},
issn = {1422-0067},
support = {202403//Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Prevention and Control Technology of Pine Wilt Disease/ ; 202401BD070001-115//Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects/ ; LXXK-2023M06, LXXK-2024Z04//Southwest Forestry University Forestry major in Yunnan Province First-Class Construction Discipline/ ; },
mesh = {*Chloride Channels/genetics/metabolism/chemistry ; Animals ; *Computational Biology/methods ; Phylogeny ; *Tylenchida/genetics/metabolism ; Multigene Family ; Amino Acid Sequence ; },
abstract = {Glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls), a class of ion channels found in the nerve and muscle cells of invertebrates, are involved in vital life processes. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pathogen of pine wilt disease, has induced major economic and ecological losses in invaded areas of Asia and Europe. We identified 33 GluCls family members by sequence alignment analysis. A subsequent bioinformatic analysis revealed the physicochemical properties, protein structure, and gene expression patterns in different developmental stages. The results showed that GluCls genes are distributed across all six chromosomes of B. xylophilus. These proteins indicated a relatively conserved structure by NCBI-conserved domains and InterPro analysis. A gene structure analysis revealed that GluCls genes consist of 5 to 14 exons. Expression pattern analysis revealed BxGluCls were extensively involved in the development of second instar larvae of B. xylophilus. Furthermore, BxGluCls15, BxGluCls25, and BxGluCls28 were mainly associated with the development of eggs of B. xylophilus. BxGluCls12, BxGluCls18, and BxGluCls32 were predominantly linked to nematode resistance and adaptation. Investigation the structure and expression patterns of BxGluCls is crucial to understand the developmental trends of B. xylophilus. It also helps identify molecular targets for the development of biopesticides or drugs designed to control this nematode.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Chloride Channels/genetics/metabolism/chemistry
Animals
*Computational Biology/methods
Phylogeny
*Tylenchida/genetics/metabolism
Multigene Family
Amino Acid Sequence
RevDate: 2025-05-09
CmpDate: 2025-05-07
Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals the Evolutionary Characteristics of the Phoebe bournei ARF Gene Family and Its Expression Patterns in Stress Adaptation.
International journal of molecular sciences, 26(8):.
Auxin response factors (ARFs) are pivotal transcription factors that regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. Yet, the genomic characteristics and functions of ARFs in Phoebe bournei remain undefined. In this study, 25 PbARF genes were identified for the first time across the entire genome of P. bournei. Phylogenetic analysis categorized these genes into five subfamilies, with members of each subfamily displaying similar conserved motifs and gene structures. Notably, Classes III and V contained the largest number of members. Collinearity analysis suggested that segmental duplication events were the primary drivers of PbARF gene family expansion. Structural analysis revealed that all PbARF genes possess a conserved B3 binding domain and an auxin response element, while additional motifs varied among different classes. Promoter cis-acting element analysis revealed that PbARF genes are extensively involved in hormonal responses-particularly to abscisic acid and jasmonic acid and abiotic stresses-as well as abiotic stresses, including heat, drought, light, and dark. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that PbARF25, PbARF23, PbARF19, PbARF22, and PbARF20 genes (class III), and PbARF18 and PbARF11 genes (class V) consistently exhibited high expression levels in the five tissues. In addition, five representative PbARF genes were analyzed using qRT-PCR. The results demonstrated significant differences in the expression of PbARF genes under various abiotic stress conditions (drought, salt stress, light, and dark), indicating their important roles in stress response. This study laid a foundation for elucidating the molecular evolution mechanism of ARF genes in P. bournei and for determining the candidate genes for stress-resistance breeding.
Additional Links: PMID-40332368
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40332368,
year = {2025},
author = {Zheng, K and Feng, Y and Liu, R and Zhang, Y and Fan, D and Zhong, K and Tang, X and Zhang, Q and Cao, S},
title = {Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals the Evolutionary Characteristics of the Phoebe bournei ARF Gene Family and Its Expression Patterns in Stress Adaptation.},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
volume = {26},
number = {8},
pages = {},
pmid = {40332368},
issn = {1422-0067},
mesh = {*Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; *Stress, Physiological/genetics ; Phylogeny ; *Evolution, Molecular ; *Computational Biology/methods ; *Plant Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; *Transcription Factors/genetics/metabolism ; *Multigene Family ; *Adaptation, Physiological/genetics ; *Poaceae/genetics ; Indoleacetic Acids/metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; },
abstract = {Auxin response factors (ARFs) are pivotal transcription factors that regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. Yet, the genomic characteristics and functions of ARFs in Phoebe bournei remain undefined. In this study, 25 PbARF genes were identified for the first time across the entire genome of P. bournei. Phylogenetic analysis categorized these genes into five subfamilies, with members of each subfamily displaying similar conserved motifs and gene structures. Notably, Classes III and V contained the largest number of members. Collinearity analysis suggested that segmental duplication events were the primary drivers of PbARF gene family expansion. Structural analysis revealed that all PbARF genes possess a conserved B3 binding domain and an auxin response element, while additional motifs varied among different classes. Promoter cis-acting element analysis revealed that PbARF genes are extensively involved in hormonal responses-particularly to abscisic acid and jasmonic acid and abiotic stresses-as well as abiotic stresses, including heat, drought, light, and dark. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that PbARF25, PbARF23, PbARF19, PbARF22, and PbARF20 genes (class III), and PbARF18 and PbARF11 genes (class V) consistently exhibited high expression levels in the five tissues. In addition, five representative PbARF genes were analyzed using qRT-PCR. The results demonstrated significant differences in the expression of PbARF genes under various abiotic stress conditions (drought, salt stress, light, and dark), indicating their important roles in stress response. This study laid a foundation for elucidating the molecular evolution mechanism of ARF genes in P. bournei and for determining the candidate genes for stress-resistance breeding.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
*Stress, Physiological/genetics
Phylogeny
*Evolution, Molecular
*Computational Biology/methods
*Plant Proteins/genetics/metabolism
*Transcription Factors/genetics/metabolism
*Multigene Family
*Adaptation, Physiological/genetics
*Poaceae/genetics
Indoleacetic Acids/metabolism
Promoter Regions, Genetic
RevDate: 2025-06-01
CmpDate: 2025-06-01
Wind driven transport of macroplastic debris in a large urban harbour measured by GPS-tracked drifters.
Marine pollution bulletin, 217:118034.
The transport pathways of floating plastic debris in Toronto Harbour, Ontario, Canada, were assessed using a series of GPS-tracked drifter bottles. The drifter trajectories were largely controlled by winds, and they could traverse the 2 km wide harbour within a day. The average ratio of drifter speed to wind speed (the wind factor) is consistent with values of 2-5 % used in modelling dispersion of marine debris. However, significant variability in wind factors meant some drifters travelled 2-5 times faster than expected in small waterbodies (Toronto Harbour), and as much as 7 times faster in large waterbodies (Lake Ontario). Importantly, based on our calculated wind factor equations and the coincident accumulation of our drifters with real plastic debris, we can justify the use of wind factors when studying plastic debris transport. Most (75 %) of the drifters that were released in the harbour, stayed within the harbour, accumulating downwind. However, 14 of all 66 drifters escaped Toronto Harbour, where ∼70 % escaped through the West Gap while ∼30 % escaped via the Outer Harbour. One drifter made a 290 km journey across Lake Ontario in a period of 14 days, demonstrating that Toronto is a potential source of plastic debris throughout Lake Ontario.
Additional Links: PMID-40334559
Publisher:
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40334559,
year = {2025},
author = {Semcesen, PO and Wells, MG and Sherlock, C and Gutierrez, RF and Rochman, CM},
title = {Wind driven transport of macroplastic debris in a large urban harbour measured by GPS-tracked drifters.},
journal = {Marine pollution bulletin},
volume = {217},
number = {},
pages = {118034},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118034},
pmid = {40334559},
issn = {1879-3363},
mesh = {*Wind ; *Plastics/analysis ; *Environmental Monitoring/methods ; Ontario ; Geographic Information Systems ; },
abstract = {The transport pathways of floating plastic debris in Toronto Harbour, Ontario, Canada, were assessed using a series of GPS-tracked drifter bottles. The drifter trajectories were largely controlled by winds, and they could traverse the 2 km wide harbour within a day. The average ratio of drifter speed to wind speed (the wind factor) is consistent with values of 2-5 % used in modelling dispersion of marine debris. However, significant variability in wind factors meant some drifters travelled 2-5 times faster than expected in small waterbodies (Toronto Harbour), and as much as 7 times faster in large waterbodies (Lake Ontario). Importantly, based on our calculated wind factor equations and the coincident accumulation of our drifters with real plastic debris, we can justify the use of wind factors when studying plastic debris transport. Most (75 %) of the drifters that were released in the harbour, stayed within the harbour, accumulating downwind. However, 14 of all 66 drifters escaped Toronto Harbour, where ∼70 % escaped through the West Gap while ∼30 % escaped via the Outer Harbour. One drifter made a 290 km journey across Lake Ontario in a period of 14 days, demonstrating that Toronto is a potential source of plastic debris throughout Lake Ontario.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
*Wind
*Plastics/analysis
*Environmental Monitoring/methods
Ontario
Geographic Information Systems
RevDate: 2025-05-11
CmpDate: 2025-05-08
A partner-driven decision support model to inform the reintroduction of bull trout.
PloS one, 20(5):e0323427.
Assessments of species reintroductions involve a series of complex decisions that include human perspectives and ecological contexts. Here, we present a reintroduction assessment involving bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) using a structured decision-making process. We approached this assessment by engaging partners representing public utilities, government agencies, and Tribes with shared interests in a potential reintroduction. These individuals identified objectives, decision alternatives, and ecological scenarios that were incorporated into a co-produced simulation-based model of potential reintroduction outcomes. The model included mathematical representations of habitat availability, life history expression, and assumptions regarding constraints on potential bull trout populations. Within each recipient stream, partners chose to explore a wide range of decision alternatives and simulated scenarios affecting reintroduction success. Results suggested that 1) reintroductions using eggs or adults were most optimal, 2) adding more individuals resulted in diminishing returns, 3) access to migratory habitat could improve success, and 4) the diversity of opportunities for life history expression led to improved reintroduction opportunities. In addition, modeled scenarios indicated some recipient streams consistently produced lower abundance of reintroduced bull trout. This work contributes a novel example to a growing portfolio of reintroduction assessments that may inform future conservation for bull trout and many other species facing similar challenges.
Additional Links: PMID-40338955
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40338955,
year = {2025},
author = {Benjamin, JR and Neibauer, J and Anthony, H and Vazquez, J and Rawhouser, A and Dunham, JB},
title = {A partner-driven decision support model to inform the reintroduction of bull trout.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {20},
number = {5},
pages = {e0323427},
pmid = {40338955},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Trout/physiology ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; Ecosystem ; *Decision Support Techniques ; Decision Making ; },
abstract = {Assessments of species reintroductions involve a series of complex decisions that include human perspectives and ecological contexts. Here, we present a reintroduction assessment involving bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) using a structured decision-making process. We approached this assessment by engaging partners representing public utilities, government agencies, and Tribes with shared interests in a potential reintroduction. These individuals identified objectives, decision alternatives, and ecological scenarios that were incorporated into a co-produced simulation-based model of potential reintroduction outcomes. The model included mathematical representations of habitat availability, life history expression, and assumptions regarding constraints on potential bull trout populations. Within each recipient stream, partners chose to explore a wide range of decision alternatives and simulated scenarios affecting reintroduction success. Results suggested that 1) reintroductions using eggs or adults were most optimal, 2) adding more individuals resulted in diminishing returns, 3) access to migratory habitat could improve success, and 4) the diversity of opportunities for life history expression led to improved reintroduction opportunities. In addition, modeled scenarios indicated some recipient streams consistently produced lower abundance of reintroduced bull trout. This work contributes a novel example to a growing portfolio of reintroduction assessments that may inform future conservation for bull trout and many other species facing similar challenges.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*Trout/physiology
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
Ecosystem
*Decision Support Techniques
Decision Making
RevDate: 2025-05-30
CmpDate: 2025-05-27
Macroecological patterns in experimental microbial communities.
PLoS computational biology, 21(5):e1013044.
Ecology has historically benefited from the characterization of statistical patterns of biodiversity within and across communities, an approach known as macroecology. Within microbial ecology, macroecological approaches have identified universal patterns of diversity and abundance that can be captured by effective models. Experimentation has simultaneously played a crucial role, as the advent of high-replication community time-series has allowed researchers to investigate underlying ecological forces. However, there remains a gap between experiments performed in the laboratory and macroecological patterns documented in natural systems, as we do not know whether these patterns can be recapitulated in the lab and whether experimental manipulations produce macroecological effects. This work aims at bridging the gap between experimental ecology and macroecology. Using high-replication time-series, we demonstrate that microbial macroecological patterns observed in nature exist in a laboratory setting, despite controlled conditions, and can be unified under the Stochastic Logistic Model of growth (SLM). We found that demographic manipulations (e.g., migration) impact observed macroecological patterns. By modifying the SLM to incorporate said manipulations alongside experimental details (e.g., sampling), we obtain predictions that are consistent with macroecological outcomes. By combining high-replication experiments with ecological models, microbial macroecology can be viewed as a predictive discipline.
Additional Links: PMID-40341906
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40341906,
year = {2025},
author = {Shoemaker, WR and Sánchez, Á and Grilli, J},
title = {Macroecological patterns in experimental microbial communities.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {5},
pages = {e1013044},
pmid = {40341906},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {*Models, Biological ; *Ecology/methods ; Biodiversity ; Ecosystem ; *Microbiota/physiology ; Computational Biology ; },
abstract = {Ecology has historically benefited from the characterization of statistical patterns of biodiversity within and across communities, an approach known as macroecology. Within microbial ecology, macroecological approaches have identified universal patterns of diversity and abundance that can be captured by effective models. Experimentation has simultaneously played a crucial role, as the advent of high-replication community time-series has allowed researchers to investigate underlying ecological forces. However, there remains a gap between experiments performed in the laboratory and macroecological patterns documented in natural systems, as we do not know whether these patterns can be recapitulated in the lab and whether experimental manipulations produce macroecological effects. This work aims at bridging the gap between experimental ecology and macroecology. Using high-replication time-series, we demonstrate that microbial macroecological patterns observed in nature exist in a laboratory setting, despite controlled conditions, and can be unified under the Stochastic Logistic Model of growth (SLM). We found that demographic manipulations (e.g., migration) impact observed macroecological patterns. By modifying the SLM to incorporate said manipulations alongside experimental details (e.g., sampling), we obtain predictions that are consistent with macroecological outcomes. By combining high-replication experiments with ecological models, microbial macroecology can be viewed as a predictive discipline.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
*Models, Biological
*Ecology/methods
Biodiversity
Ecosystem
*Microbiota/physiology
Computational Biology
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-10
Natural capital accounting as a decision support tool for environmental management of a protected area in Madagascar.
PloS one, 20(5):e0321948.
Ecosystem change affects the availability of resources and services provided by nature. Ecosystem Natural capital accounting helps track these changes and supports better decision-making for managing the environment. This approach aims to assess changes in the stocks and flows of natural resources and the possibility to integrate them into economic and political decisions. The protected area of Mahavavy-Kinkony Complex, in North-Western of Madagascar, was chosen to implement this approach due to its many types of ecosystems as well as important reserves of threatened birds. In five years (2013-2018), we have observed a reduction in woodland cover (forest and mangrove) due to both regulated and illegal logging, linked to urban expansion and increasing of human pressure. This loss of woodland compromises not only biodiversity but also the capacity of ecosystems to provide ecosystem services. At the same time, the silting up of surface waters is compromising water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. In addition, the increase in agricultural land at the expense of forested areas raises concerns about the continuing degradation of natural ecosystems. All of these changes can be observed inside local socio-ecological landscape type. Each socio-ecological landscape type shows the potential variation in the production of ecosystem services.
Additional Links: PMID-40344046
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40344046,
year = {2025},
author = {Ramihangihajason, TA and Weber, JL and Rakotondraompiana, S and Roger, E and Faramalala, MH and Rakotoniaina, S},
title = {Natural capital accounting as a decision support tool for environmental management of a protected area in Madagascar.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {20},
number = {5},
pages = {e0321948},
pmid = {40344046},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Madagascar ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; Ecosystem ; Biodiversity ; Forests ; Animals ; *Decision Support Techniques ; Humans ; Birds ; },
abstract = {Ecosystem change affects the availability of resources and services provided by nature. Ecosystem Natural capital accounting helps track these changes and supports better decision-making for managing the environment. This approach aims to assess changes in the stocks and flows of natural resources and the possibility to integrate them into economic and political decisions. The protected area of Mahavavy-Kinkony Complex, in North-Western of Madagascar, was chosen to implement this approach due to its many types of ecosystems as well as important reserves of threatened birds. In five years (2013-2018), we have observed a reduction in woodland cover (forest and mangrove) due to both regulated and illegal logging, linked to urban expansion and increasing of human pressure. This loss of woodland compromises not only biodiversity but also the capacity of ecosystems to provide ecosystem services. At the same time, the silting up of surface waters is compromising water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. In addition, the increase in agricultural land at the expense of forested areas raises concerns about the continuing degradation of natural ecosystems. All of these changes can be observed inside local socio-ecological landscape type. Each socio-ecological landscape type shows the potential variation in the production of ecosystem services.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Madagascar
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
Ecosystem
Biodiversity
Forests
Animals
*Decision Support Techniques
Humans
Birds
RevDate: 2025-09-30
CmpDate: 2025-05-29
Success-efficient/failure-safe strategy for hierarchical reinforcement motor learning.
PLoS computational biology, 21(5):e1013089.
Our study explores how ecological aspects of motor learning enhance survival by improving movement efficiency and mitigating injury risks during task failures. Traditional motor control theories mainly address isolated body movements and often overlook these ecological factors. We introduce a novel computational motor control approach, incorporating ecological fitness and a strategy that alternates between success-driven movement efficiency and failure-driven safety, akin to win-stay/lose-shift tactics. In our experiments, participants performed squat-to-stand movements under novel force perturbations. They adapted effectively through various adaptive motor control mechanisms to avoid falls, reducing failure rates rapidly. The results indicate a high-level ecological controller in human motor learning that switches objectives between safety and movement efficiency, depending on failure or success. This approach is supported by policy learning, internal model adaptation, and adaptive feedback control. Our findings offer a comprehensive perspective on human motor control, integrating risk management in a hierarchical reinforcement learning framework for real-world environments.
Additional Links: PMID-40344154
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@article {pmid40344154,
year = {2025},
author = {Babič, J and Kunavar, T and Oztop, E and Kawato, M},
title = {Success-efficient/failure-safe strategy for hierarchical reinforcement motor learning.},
journal = {PLoS computational biology},
volume = {21},
number = {5},
pages = {e1013089},
pmid = {40344154},
issn = {1553-7358},
mesh = {Humans ; *Reinforcement, Psychology ; *Learning/physiology ; Male ; Female ; Computational Biology ; Movement/physiology ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Psychomotor Performance/physiology ; Motor Skills/physiology ; },
abstract = {Our study explores how ecological aspects of motor learning enhance survival by improving movement efficiency and mitigating injury risks during task failures. Traditional motor control theories mainly address isolated body movements and often overlook these ecological factors. We introduce a novel computational motor control approach, incorporating ecological fitness and a strategy that alternates between success-driven movement efficiency and failure-driven safety, akin to win-stay/lose-shift tactics. In our experiments, participants performed squat-to-stand movements under novel force perturbations. They adapted effectively through various adaptive motor control mechanisms to avoid falls, reducing failure rates rapidly. The results indicate a high-level ecological controller in human motor learning that switches objectives between safety and movement efficiency, depending on failure or success. This approach is supported by policy learning, internal model adaptation, and adaptive feedback control. Our findings offer a comprehensive perspective on human motor control, integrating risk management in a hierarchical reinforcement learning framework for real-world environments.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
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Humans
*Reinforcement, Psychology
*Learning/physiology
Male
Female
Computational Biology
Movement/physiology
Adult
Young Adult
Psychomotor Performance/physiology
Motor Skills/physiology
RevDate: 2025-10-11
CmpDate: 2025-05-18
Relationships between urban green space types, cultural ecosystem services and disservices - a Public Participation Geographic Information System study in Zagreb, Croatia.
The Science of the total environment, 981:179549.
Urban green spaces are important providers of ecosystem services in cities, however cultural ecosystem services remain difficult to quantify. Different types of urban green spaces provide various cultural ecosystem services and differ in how they are perceived and utilized by citizens. In this study, we used a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) survey to collect data on citizens' perceptions and use of cultural ecosystem services and disservices provided by different types of urban green spaces in Zagreb, Croatia. We collected spatial data from 384 respondents on the perceived provision of 19 different attributes of cultural ecosystem services and disservices in 20 defined types of urban green spaces. We used descriptive statistics, spatial metrics, multivariate analysis and visualization techniques to explore and explain 5757 spatial points collected with the PPGIS questionnaire. Results confirm the importance of parks and forests but also that the water elements and greenery around residential buildings serve as important urban green space for providing benefits for citizens of Zagreb. Based on results presented, cultural ecosystem services are perceived as more important than disservices but in some places both co-exist. Our study builds on current literature by providing a systematic, city-wide assessment of cultural ecosystem services related to different types of urban green spaces, while advancing the availability of methods for their quantification.
Additional Links: PMID-40344895
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40344895,
year = {2025},
author = {Kičić, M and Scheuer, S and Korpilo, S and Vuletić, D and Seletković, A and Haase, D and Krajter Ostoić, S},
title = {Relationships between urban green space types, cultural ecosystem services and disservices - a Public Participation Geographic Information System study in Zagreb, Croatia.},
journal = {The Science of the total environment},
volume = {981},
number = {},
pages = {179549},
doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179549},
pmid = {40344895},
issn = {1879-1026},
mesh = {Croatia ; *Geographic Information Systems ; Cities ; *Ecosystem ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; *Community Participation ; Humans ; *Parks, Recreational ; },
abstract = {Urban green spaces are important providers of ecosystem services in cities, however cultural ecosystem services remain difficult to quantify. Different types of urban green spaces provide various cultural ecosystem services and differ in how they are perceived and utilized by citizens. In this study, we used a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) survey to collect data on citizens' perceptions and use of cultural ecosystem services and disservices provided by different types of urban green spaces in Zagreb, Croatia. We collected spatial data from 384 respondents on the perceived provision of 19 different attributes of cultural ecosystem services and disservices in 20 defined types of urban green spaces. We used descriptive statistics, spatial metrics, multivariate analysis and visualization techniques to explore and explain 5757 spatial points collected with the PPGIS questionnaire. Results confirm the importance of parks and forests but also that the water elements and greenery around residential buildings serve as important urban green space for providing benefits for citizens of Zagreb. Based on results presented, cultural ecosystem services are perceived as more important than disservices but in some places both co-exist. Our study builds on current literature by providing a systematic, city-wide assessment of cultural ecosystem services related to different types of urban green spaces, while advancing the availability of methods for their quantification.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Croatia
*Geographic Information Systems
Cities
*Ecosystem
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
*Community Participation
Humans
*Parks, Recreational
RevDate: 2025-05-12
CmpDate: 2025-05-10
GIS-based integration of marine data for assessment and management of a highly anthropized coastal area.
Scientific reports, 15(1):16200.
Monitoring coastal marine environments by evaluating and comparing their chemical, physical, biological, and anthropogenic components is essential for ecological assessment and socio-economic development. In this study, we conducted an integrated multivariate analysis to assess the descriptors of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive at a regional scale in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy), with a specific focus on the densely populated coastal zone of the Campania region. Physical, chemical, and biological data were collected and analyzed in 22 sampling sites during three oceanographic surveys in the Gulf of Gaeta (GoG), Naples (GoN), and Salerno (GoS) in autumn 2020. Our results indicated that these three gulfs were distinct overall, with GoN being more divergent and heterogeneous than GoG and GoS. The marine area studied in the GoN had more favorable hydrographic and trophic conditions and food web characteristics, except for the mesozooplankton biomass, and was closer to socio-economic factors compared to the GoS and GoG. Our analysis helped us find the key ecological features that define different sub-regions and connect them to social and economic factors, including human activities. We highlighted the relevance of primary and secondary variables in terms of the comprehensive ecological assessment of a marine area and its impact on specific socio-economic activities. These findings support the need to describe and integrate multiple descriptors at the spatial scale.
Additional Links: PMID-40346072
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@article {pmid40346072,
year = {2025},
author = {Bosso, L and Saviano, S and Abagnale, M and Bellardini, D and Bolinesi, F and Botte, V and Buondonno, A and Carotenuto, Y and Casotti, R and Chiusano, ML and Cipolletta, F and Conversano, F and De Domenico, F and Del Gaizo, G and Donnarumma, V and Furia, M and Iudicone, D and Kokoszka, F and Laface, F and Licandro, P and Mangoni, O and Margiotta, F and Mazzocchi, MG and Miralto, M and Montresor, M and Pansera, M and Pedà, C and Percopo, I and Raffini, F and Russo, L and Romeo, T and Saggiomo, M and Sarno, D and Trano, AC and Vannini, J and Vargiu, M and Zampicinini, G and Zingone, A and Cianelli, D and D'Alelio, D},
title = {GIS-based integration of marine data for assessment and management of a highly anthropized coastal area.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {16200},
pmid = {40346072},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Italy ; *Geographic Information Systems ; *Environmental Monitoring/methods ; Ecosystem ; Humans ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; Oceans and Seas ; Animals ; Food Chain ; },
abstract = {Monitoring coastal marine environments by evaluating and comparing their chemical, physical, biological, and anthropogenic components is essential for ecological assessment and socio-economic development. In this study, we conducted an integrated multivariate analysis to assess the descriptors of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive at a regional scale in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy), with a specific focus on the densely populated coastal zone of the Campania region. Physical, chemical, and biological data were collected and analyzed in 22 sampling sites during three oceanographic surveys in the Gulf of Gaeta (GoG), Naples (GoN), and Salerno (GoS) in autumn 2020. Our results indicated that these three gulfs were distinct overall, with GoN being more divergent and heterogeneous than GoG and GoS. The marine area studied in the GoN had more favorable hydrographic and trophic conditions and food web characteristics, except for the mesozooplankton biomass, and was closer to socio-economic factors compared to the GoS and GoG. Our analysis helped us find the key ecological features that define different sub-regions and connect them to social and economic factors, including human activities. We highlighted the relevance of primary and secondary variables in terms of the comprehensive ecological assessment of a marine area and its impact on specific socio-economic activities. These findings support the need to describe and integrate multiple descriptors at the spatial scale.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Italy
*Geographic Information Systems
*Environmental Monitoring/methods
Ecosystem
Humans
*Conservation of Natural Resources
Oceans and Seas
Animals
Food Chain
RevDate: 2025-05-27
CmpDate: 2025-05-11
Multiomics reveals the synergistic response of gut microbiota and spider A. ventricosus to lead and cadmium toxicity.
Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology, 114(5):77.
The potential crosstalk between the host and gut microbiota (GM) under heavy metal compound pollution remains unexplored. Herein, using comprehensive analysis of metagenomics, metabolomics, behavioral analysis, and cell morphology to investigate the causal relationship between GM and host responses to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) toxicities. Results indicate that Pb and Cd pollution, alone or together, hinder spider predatory behavior and change the composition and function of GM. Combined exposure reduces protein and exogenous compound metabolism, while single exposure affects energy and lipid metabolism. Gut microbiota helps spider antioxidant activity by increasing glutathione, lipoic acid, and L-cysteine. Oxidative damage, increased Enterobacteriaceae (Salmonella), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may harm the midgut barrier. Upregulation of choline and acetylcholine, and downregulation of spermidine, may initiate neurotoxicity. Inhibiting actinomycetes might boost sodium gallate for detoxifying single contaminants. Combined pollution detoxification may involve downregulation of indole synthesis metabolic bacteria, tryptophan, indole metabolites, cytochrome P450 (CYP450), and an increase in Desulfobulbia could remove heavy metals and reduce oxidative stress. Combined pollution has a synergistic effect, making the toxicity of multiple pollutants greater than their individual effects, impacting metal resistance genes (MRGs), and antibiotic resistance ontology (AROs) which used for classifying and describing antibiotic resistance, midgut barrier integrity, oxidative stress, and detoxification. The results help to elucidate the interplay of GM and host's reactions, and aid in monitoring and bioremediation of heavy metal pollution.
Additional Links: PMID-40348945
PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40348945,
year = {2025},
author = {Chen, J and Liu, J and Liu, S and Li, Z and Gao, C and Wang, Z and Huang, S and Jiang, Z and Yang, H},
title = {Multiomics reveals the synergistic response of gut microbiota and spider A. ventricosus to lead and cadmium toxicity.},
journal = {Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology},
volume = {114},
number = {5},
pages = {77},
pmid = {40348945},
issn = {1432-0800},
support = {32001205//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2023JJ30299//Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province/ ; 2019JJ50236//Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Cadmium/toxicity ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects ; *Lead/toxicity ; *Spiders/physiology/drug effects ; Metagenomics ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {The potential crosstalk between the host and gut microbiota (GM) under heavy metal compound pollution remains unexplored. Herein, using comprehensive analysis of metagenomics, metabolomics, behavioral analysis, and cell morphology to investigate the causal relationship between GM and host responses to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) toxicities. Results indicate that Pb and Cd pollution, alone or together, hinder spider predatory behavior and change the composition and function of GM. Combined exposure reduces protein and exogenous compound metabolism, while single exposure affects energy and lipid metabolism. Gut microbiota helps spider antioxidant activity by increasing glutathione, lipoic acid, and L-cysteine. Oxidative damage, increased Enterobacteriaceae (Salmonella), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may harm the midgut barrier. Upregulation of choline and acetylcholine, and downregulation of spermidine, may initiate neurotoxicity. Inhibiting actinomycetes might boost sodium gallate for detoxifying single contaminants. Combined pollution detoxification may involve downregulation of indole synthesis metabolic bacteria, tryptophan, indole metabolites, cytochrome P450 (CYP450), and an increase in Desulfobulbia could remove heavy metals and reduce oxidative stress. Combined pollution has a synergistic effect, making the toxicity of multiple pollutants greater than their individual effects, impacting metal resistance genes (MRGs), and antibiotic resistance ontology (AROs) which used for classifying and describing antibiotic resistance, midgut barrier integrity, oxidative stress, and detoxification. The results help to elucidate the interplay of GM and host's reactions, and aid in monitoring and bioremediation of heavy metal pollution.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
*Cadmium/toxicity
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects
*Lead/toxicity
*Spiders/physiology/drug effects
Metagenomics
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-08-06
CmpDate: 2025-05-30
Exploring deep learning in phage discovery and characterization.
Virology, 609:110559.
Bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses, play diverse ecological roles by shaping bacterial populations and also hold significant biotechnological and medical potential, including the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The discovery of novel bacteriophages using large-scale metagenomic data has been accelerated by the accessibility of deep learning (Artificial Intelligence), the increased computing power of graphical processing units (GPUs), and new bioinformatics tools. This review addresses the recent revolution in bacteriophage research, ranging from the adoption of neural network algorithms applied to metagenomic data to the use of pre-trained language models, such as BERT, which have improved the reconstruction of viral metagenome-assembled genomes (vMAGs). This article also discusses the main aspects of bacteriophage biology using deep learning, highlighting the advances and limitations of this approach. Finally, prospects of deep-learning-based metagenomic algorithms and recommendations for future investigations are described.
Additional Links: PMID-40359589
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@article {pmid40359589,
year = {2025},
author = {Silva, MKP and Nicoleti, VYU and Rodrigues, BDPP and Araujo, ASF and Ellwanger, JH and de Almeida, JM and Lemos, LN},
title = {Exploring deep learning in phage discovery and characterization.},
journal = {Virology},
volume = {609},
number = {},
pages = {110559},
doi = {10.1016/j.virol.2025.110559},
pmid = {40359589},
issn = {1096-0341},
mesh = {*Deep Learning ; *Bacteriophages/genetics/isolation & purification/classification ; Metagenomics/methods ; Computational Biology/methods ; Genome, Viral ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Metagenome ; Algorithms ; },
abstract = {Bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses, play diverse ecological roles by shaping bacterial populations and also hold significant biotechnological and medical potential, including the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The discovery of novel bacteriophages using large-scale metagenomic data has been accelerated by the accessibility of deep learning (Artificial Intelligence), the increased computing power of graphical processing units (GPUs), and new bioinformatics tools. This review addresses the recent revolution in bacteriophage research, ranging from the adoption of neural network algorithms applied to metagenomic data to the use of pre-trained language models, such as BERT, which have improved the reconstruction of viral metagenome-assembled genomes (vMAGs). This article also discusses the main aspects of bacteriophage biology using deep learning, highlighting the advances and limitations of this approach. Finally, prospects of deep-learning-based metagenomic algorithms and recommendations for future investigations are described.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Deep Learning
*Bacteriophages/genetics/isolation & purification/classification
Metagenomics/methods
Computational Biology/methods
Genome, Viral
Neural Networks, Computer
Metagenome
Algorithms
RevDate: 2025-05-16
CmpDate: 2025-05-14
Synthesis of transcriptomic studies reveals a core response to heat stress in abalone (genus Haliotis).
BMC genomics, 26(1):474.
BACKGROUND: As climate change causes marine heat waves to become more intense and frequent, marine species increasingly suffer from heat stress. This stress can result in reduced growth, disrupted breeding cycles, vulnerability to diseases and pathogens, and increased mortality rates. Abalone (genus Haliotis) are an ecologically significant group of marine gastropods and are among the most highly valued seafood products. However, heat stress events have had devastating impacts on both farmed and wild populations. Members of this genus are among the most susceptible marine species to climate change impacts, with over 40% of all abalone species listed as threatened with extinction. This has motivated researchers to explore the genetics linked to heat stress in abalone. A substantial portion of publicly available studies has employed transcriptomic approaches to investigate abalone genetic response to heat stress. However, to date, no meta-analysis has been conducted to determine the common response to heat stress (i.e. the core response) across the genus. This study uses a standardized bioinformatic pipeline to reanalyze and compare publicly available RNA-seq datasets from different heat stress studies on abalone.
RESULTS: Nine publicly available RNA-seq datasets from nine different heat-stress studies on abalone from seven different abalone species and three hybrids were included in the meta-analysis. We identified a core set of 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to heat stress in at least seven out of nine studies. This core set of DEGs mainly included genes associated with alternative splicing, heat shock proteins (HSPs), Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS), and other protein folding and protein processing pathways.
CONCLUSIONS: The detection of a consistent set of genes that respond to heat stress across various studies, despite differences in experimental design (e.g. stress intensity, species studied-geographical distribution, preferred temperature range, etc.), strengthens our proposal that these genes are key elements of the heat stress response in abalone. The identification of the core response to heat stress in abalone lays an important foundation for future research. Ultimately, this study will aid conservation efforts and aquaculture through the identification of resilient populations, genetic-based breeding programs, possible manipulations such as early exposure to stress, gene editing and the use of immunostimulants to enhance thermal tolerance.
Additional Links: PMID-40361012
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@article {pmid40361012,
year = {2025},
author = {Barkan, R and Cooke, I and Watson, SA and Strugnell, JM},
title = {Synthesis of transcriptomic studies reveals a core response to heat stress in abalone (genus Haliotis).},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {474},
pmid = {40361012},
issn = {1471-2164},
mesh = {Animals ; *Gastropoda/genetics/physiology ; *Heat-Shock Response/genetics ; *Gene Expression Profiling ; *Transcriptome ; Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: As climate change causes marine heat waves to become more intense and frequent, marine species increasingly suffer from heat stress. This stress can result in reduced growth, disrupted breeding cycles, vulnerability to diseases and pathogens, and increased mortality rates. Abalone (genus Haliotis) are an ecologically significant group of marine gastropods and are among the most highly valued seafood products. However, heat stress events have had devastating impacts on both farmed and wild populations. Members of this genus are among the most susceptible marine species to climate change impacts, with over 40% of all abalone species listed as threatened with extinction. This has motivated researchers to explore the genetics linked to heat stress in abalone. A substantial portion of publicly available studies has employed transcriptomic approaches to investigate abalone genetic response to heat stress. However, to date, no meta-analysis has been conducted to determine the common response to heat stress (i.e. the core response) across the genus. This study uses a standardized bioinformatic pipeline to reanalyze and compare publicly available RNA-seq datasets from different heat stress studies on abalone.
RESULTS: Nine publicly available RNA-seq datasets from nine different heat-stress studies on abalone from seven different abalone species and three hybrids were included in the meta-analysis. We identified a core set of 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to heat stress in at least seven out of nine studies. This core set of DEGs mainly included genes associated with alternative splicing, heat shock proteins (HSPs), Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS), and other protein folding and protein processing pathways.
CONCLUSIONS: The detection of a consistent set of genes that respond to heat stress across various studies, despite differences in experimental design (e.g. stress intensity, species studied-geographical distribution, preferred temperature range, etc.), strengthens our proposal that these genes are key elements of the heat stress response in abalone. The identification of the core response to heat stress in abalone lays an important foundation for future research. Ultimately, this study will aid conservation efforts and aquaculture through the identification of resilient populations, genetic-based breeding programs, possible manipulations such as early exposure to stress, gene editing and the use of immunostimulants to enhance thermal tolerance.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
Animals
*Gastropoda/genetics/physiology
*Heat-Shock Response/genetics
*Gene Expression Profiling
*Transcriptome
Computational Biology/methods
RevDate: 2026-03-11
CmpDate: 2026-03-11
Undercounts stemming from misclassification derived from fatal injuries in traffic crashes in Colombia, 2010 to 2021.
Traffic injury prevention, 27(3):278-286.
OBJECTIVES: To identify and address potential misclassification of traffic fatalities in Colombia from 2010 to 2021.
METHODS: For an ecological study, we employed national records and databases. A database was consolidated to include information on the fatality occurrence site, area, place of death, year of occurrence, marital status, age, and enrollment in social security. Generalized linear regression models were used to detect and adjust possible errors in records due to misclassification starting from existing data, allowing reclassification with a high probability of specific garbage codes being valid, potentially associated with mortality caused by traffic.
RESULTS: In 2010; there was a mortality rate of 13.3 deaths per 100,000 population, while in 2021; it was 15.1/per 100,000 population. In 2020; from the effects of pandemic-related confinement, the risk came down to 11.5/100.000 population. With the imputation, these records increased from 14.9 (2010) to 16.4 (2021); the most notable rise was among motorcyclists, who contributed 62%, with a marked increase in 2021:13/100.000 population, while pedestrians contributed 27.2%, cyclists: 4% and vehicle occupants: 6.5%.
CONCLUSIONS: Over the past decade, Colombia has stood out as one of the few countries worldwide that have been unable to reduce traffic-related mortality. The potential underestimation of the problem likely exacerbates this challenge due to record misclassification or measurement errors, which may be as high as 10%. Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable, facing a significantly increased risk of death. To address this critical issue, cross-sectoral and inter-institutional policies, and plans are urgently needed to mitigate the high incidence of motorcycle fatalities and break the cycles of poverty and orphanhood they can cause.
Additional Links: PMID-40367332
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PubMed:
Citation:
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@article {pmid40367332,
year = {2026},
author = {Rodríguez Hernández, JM and Chaparro Narváez, PE and Hidalgo Troya, A and Piñeros Garzón, FS},
title = {Undercounts stemming from misclassification derived from fatal injuries in traffic crashes in Colombia, 2010 to 2021.},
journal = {Traffic injury prevention},
volume = {27},
number = {3},
pages = {278-286},
doi = {10.1080/15389588.2025.2495863},
pmid = {40367332},
issn = {1538-957X},
mesh = {Humans ; Colombia/epidemiology ; *Accidents, Traffic/mortality/statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Motorcycles/statistics & numerical data ; *Wounds and Injuries/mortality ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Pedestrians/statistics & numerical data ; Databases, Factual ; Bicycling/injuries/statistics & numerical data ; Aged ; Child ; },
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: To identify and address potential misclassification of traffic fatalities in Colombia from 2010 to 2021.
METHODS: For an ecological study, we employed national records and databases. A database was consolidated to include information on the fatality occurrence site, area, place of death, year of occurrence, marital status, age, and enrollment in social security. Generalized linear regression models were used to detect and adjust possible errors in records due to misclassification starting from existing data, allowing reclassification with a high probability of specific garbage codes being valid, potentially associated with mortality caused by traffic.
RESULTS: In 2010; there was a mortality rate of 13.3 deaths per 100,000 population, while in 2021; it was 15.1/per 100,000 population. In 2020; from the effects of pandemic-related confinement, the risk came down to 11.5/100.000 population. With the imputation, these records increased from 14.9 (2010) to 16.4 (2021); the most notable rise was among motorcyclists, who contributed 62%, with a marked increase in 2021:13/100.000 population, while pedestrians contributed 27.2%, cyclists: 4% and vehicle occupants: 6.5%.
CONCLUSIONS: Over the past decade, Colombia has stood out as one of the few countries worldwide that have been unable to reduce traffic-related mortality. The potential underestimation of the problem likely exacerbates this challenge due to record misclassification or measurement errors, which may be as high as 10%. Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable, facing a significantly increased risk of death. To address this critical issue, cross-sectoral and inter-institutional policies, and plans are urgently needed to mitigate the high incidence of motorcycle fatalities and break the cycles of poverty and orphanhood they can cause.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Humans
Colombia/epidemiology
*Accidents, Traffic/mortality/statistics & numerical data
Male
Adult
Middle Aged
Female
Motorcycles/statistics & numerical data
*Wounds and Injuries/mortality
Adolescent
Young Adult
Pedestrians/statistics & numerical data
Databases, Factual
Bicycling/injuries/statistics & numerical data
Aged
Child
RevDate: 2025-07-25
CmpDate: 2025-07-25
Multi-omics analyses reveal differences in intestinal flora composition and serum metabolites in Cherry Valley broiler ducks of different body weights.
Poultry science, 104(8):105275.
Fledgling broiler ducks vary in body weight and growth rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum metabolites and the intestinal microbiota in Cherry Valley broiler ducks with different finishing weights and to reveal differences in their metabolic regulation and microbial composition. Serum and cecum content samples were collected from Cherry Valley broiler ducks of different finishing weights. Metabolites were identified and compared using untargeted metabolomics, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multivariate statistics and bioinformatics. Six key findings emerged. First, serum biochemical parameters showed that AST and ALT levels were significantly lower in the high weight group (Group H) than in the low weight group (Group L), and serum immunoglobulin IgG levels were significantly higher in group H. Second, the chorionic height to crypt depth ratio of the duodenum was significantly higher in group H than in group L. Third, the gut microbial community diversity or abundance was lower in broiler ducks in group L. Fourth, LEfSe analysis showed that the biomarker for group L was Streptococcus, whereas for group H it was Faecalibacterium. Fifth, a total of 127 differential metabolites were identified (49 up-regulated and 78 down-regulated). Finally, Spearman's correlation analysis showed that Spearman's correlation analyses showed that the Lipid-related serum metabolites were higher in low-body recombinant broiler ducks, mainly Lathosterol, Cholesterol, Cynaratriol and Leukotriene B4. In addition to lipid-associated serum metabolites in high-body recombination, The water-soluble vitamin-like metabolite Pantothenate and the antibiotic-like metabolite Tylosin were high. The cecum microbiota is strongly associated with metabolites, especially Faecalibacterium, unclassified Tannerellaceae, Subdoligranulum, Alistipes, and [Ruminococcus] torques_group, with which it exhibits strong Correlation. Broiler ducks with higher body weights have a better intestinal villous structure, enhanced digestion and absorption, higher levels of immunoglobulin secretion and superior growth performance. Broiler ducks with different body weights differed in plasma metabolites and cecum flora. Spearman's correlation analyses showed that the Correlation between differential metabolites and differential gut microbial genera.
Additional Links: PMID-40367572
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@article {pmid40367572,
year = {2025},
author = {Wang, H and Li, L and Wu, J and Yuan, X and Hong, L and Pu, L and Qin, S and Li, L and Yang, H and Zhang, J},
title = {Multi-omics analyses reveal differences in intestinal flora composition and serum metabolites in Cherry Valley broiler ducks of different body weights.},
journal = {Poultry science},
volume = {104},
number = {8},
pages = {105275},
pmid = {40367572},
issn = {1525-3171},
mesh = {Animals ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; *Ducks/microbiology/blood/physiology/growth & development ; *Body Weight ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/analysis ; Metabolomics ; *Metabolome ; Male ; Bacteria/classification/isolation & purification ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Fledgling broiler ducks vary in body weight and growth rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum metabolites and the intestinal microbiota in Cherry Valley broiler ducks with different finishing weights and to reveal differences in their metabolic regulation and microbial composition. Serum and cecum content samples were collected from Cherry Valley broiler ducks of different finishing weights. Metabolites were identified and compared using untargeted metabolomics, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multivariate statistics and bioinformatics. Six key findings emerged. First, serum biochemical parameters showed that AST and ALT levels were significantly lower in the high weight group (Group H) than in the low weight group (Group L), and serum immunoglobulin IgG levels were significantly higher in group H. Second, the chorionic height to crypt depth ratio of the duodenum was significantly higher in group H than in group L. Third, the gut microbial community diversity or abundance was lower in broiler ducks in group L. Fourth, LEfSe analysis showed that the biomarker for group L was Streptococcus, whereas for group H it was Faecalibacterium. Fifth, a total of 127 differential metabolites were identified (49 up-regulated and 78 down-regulated). Finally, Spearman's correlation analysis showed that Spearman's correlation analyses showed that the Lipid-related serum metabolites were higher in low-body recombinant broiler ducks, mainly Lathosterol, Cholesterol, Cynaratriol and Leukotriene B4. In addition to lipid-associated serum metabolites in high-body recombination, The water-soluble vitamin-like metabolite Pantothenate and the antibiotic-like metabolite Tylosin were high. The cecum microbiota is strongly associated with metabolites, especially Faecalibacterium, unclassified Tannerellaceae, Subdoligranulum, Alistipes, and [Ruminococcus] torques_group, with which it exhibits strong Correlation. Broiler ducks with higher body weights have a better intestinal villous structure, enhanced digestion and absorption, higher levels of immunoglobulin secretion and superior growth performance. Broiler ducks with different body weights differed in plasma metabolites and cecum flora. Spearman's correlation analyses showed that the Correlation between differential metabolites and differential gut microbial genera.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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Animals
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome
*Ducks/microbiology/blood/physiology/growth & development
*Body Weight
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/analysis
Metabolomics
*Metabolome
Male
Bacteria/classification/isolation & purification
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-17
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
New insights into the cold tolerance of upland switchgrass by integrating a haplotype-resolved genome and multi-omics analysis.
Genome biology, 26(1):128.
BACKGROUND: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a bioenergy and forage crop. Upland switchgrass exhibits superior cold tolerance compared to the lowland ecotype, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.
RESULTS: Here, we present a high-quality haplotype-resolved genome of the upland ecotype "Jingji31." We then conduct multi-omics analysis to explore the mechanism underlying its cold tolerance. By comparative transcriptome analysis of the upland and lowland ecotypes, we identify many genes with ecotype-specific differential expression, particularly members of the cold-responsive (COR) gene family, under cold stress. Notably, AFB1, ATL80, HOS10, and STRS2 gene families show opposite expression changes between the two ecotypes. Based on the haplotype-resolved genome of "Jingji31," we detect more cold-induced allele-specific expression genes in the upland ecotype than in the lowland ecotype, and these genes are significantly enriched in the COR gene family. By genome-wide association study, we detect an association signal related to the overwintering rate, which overlaps with a selective sweep region containing a cytochrome P450 gene highly expressed under cold stress. Heterologous overexpression of this gene in rice alleviates leaf chlorosis and wilting under cold stress. We also verify that expression of this gene is suppressed by a structural variation in the promoter region.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the high-quality haplotype-resolved genome and multi-omics analysis of upland switchgrass, we characterize candidate genes responsible for cold tolerance. This study advances our understanding of plant cold tolerance, which provides crop breeding for improved cold tolerance.
Additional Links: PMID-40369670
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@article {pmid40369670,
year = {2025},
author = {Wu, B and Luo, D and Yue, Y and Yan, H and He, M and Ma, X and Zhao, B and Xu, B and Zhu, J and Wang, J and Jia, J and Sun, M and Xie, Z and Wang, X and Huang, L},
title = {New insights into the cold tolerance of upland switchgrass by integrating a haplotype-resolved genome and multi-omics analysis.},
journal = {Genome biology},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {128},
pmid = {40369670},
issn = {1474-760X},
support = {2021YFYZ0013//Sichuan Province Research Grant/ ; SCCXTD-2020-16//Modern Agricultural Industry System Sichuan Forage Innovation Team/ ; 32071867//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
mesh = {*Panicum/genetics/physiology ; *Haplotypes ; *Genome, Plant ; *Cold-Shock Response/genetics ; Ecotype ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Cold Temperature ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Plant Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Transcriptome ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a bioenergy and forage crop. Upland switchgrass exhibits superior cold tolerance compared to the lowland ecotype, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.
RESULTS: Here, we present a high-quality haplotype-resolved genome of the upland ecotype "Jingji31." We then conduct multi-omics analysis to explore the mechanism underlying its cold tolerance. By comparative transcriptome analysis of the upland and lowland ecotypes, we identify many genes with ecotype-specific differential expression, particularly members of the cold-responsive (COR) gene family, under cold stress. Notably, AFB1, ATL80, HOS10, and STRS2 gene families show opposite expression changes between the two ecotypes. Based on the haplotype-resolved genome of "Jingji31," we detect more cold-induced allele-specific expression genes in the upland ecotype than in the lowland ecotype, and these genes are significantly enriched in the COR gene family. By genome-wide association study, we detect an association signal related to the overwintering rate, which overlaps with a selective sweep region containing a cytochrome P450 gene highly expressed under cold stress. Heterologous overexpression of this gene in rice alleviates leaf chlorosis and wilting under cold stress. We also verify that expression of this gene is suppressed by a structural variation in the promoter region.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the high-quality haplotype-resolved genome and multi-omics analysis of upland switchgrass, we characterize candidate genes responsible for cold tolerance. This study advances our understanding of plant cold tolerance, which provides crop breeding for improved cold tolerance.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
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*Panicum/genetics/physiology
*Haplotypes
*Genome, Plant
*Cold-Shock Response/genetics
Ecotype
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Genome-Wide Association Study
Cold Temperature
Gene Expression Profiling
Plant Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Transcriptome
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
[Spatial and temporal evolution of ecological risk in Guizhou Province, China from the perspective of ecosystem services and ecosystem health].
Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology, 36(4):1211-1221.
Guizhou Province is an important ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. Karst landform in Guizhou is developed, with fragile ecological background. The ecological risk assessment and control of Karst landform are of great significance to ecological security and sustainable development of southwest China and the upper reaches of those two rivers. Based on the InVEST model and vigor-organization-resi-lience model, we quantitatively evaluated the ecosystem services and ecosystem health and constructed the ecological risk assessment model of Guizhou Province. With the help of GIS technology, spatial autocorrelation analysis method and gravity center migration model, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of ecological risk in Guizhou Province from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that ecosystem services in Guizhou Province increased from 2000 to 2020, with an annual average growth rate of 0.3%. The ecosystem health status was generally well and showed a good trend, and the annual average growth rate of ecosystem health was 12.6%. The ecological risk was dominated by medium ecological risk. The proportion of extremely low ecological risk area and low ecological risk area increased, the proportion of medium and above ecological risk area decreased, and the overall ecological risk showed a downward trend. The low ecological risk areas were mainly located in the south and southeast of Guizhou Province, while the high ecological risk areas were distributed in the central, western and northern parts of Guizhou Province. The global Moran's I of ecological risk in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 were 0.856, 0.836, 0.844, 0.804, and 0.768, respectively, indicating that the positive correlation of ecological risk in spatial distribution, but the spatial correlation and spatial agglomeration characteristics were weakened. During the study period, the centroid and trajectory of ecological risk in Guizhou Province were consistent with the distribution area of its corresponding ecological risk. From 2000 to 2020, the spatial distribution pattern of ecological risk in Guizhou Pro-vince was relatively stable. With the evolution of time, the dispersion of spatial distribution of extremely high ecological risk and low ecological risk increased. Ecological risk assessment based on ecosystem services and ecosystem health would provide scientific basis for regional ecological risk management and control.
Additional Links: PMID-40371522
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40371522,
year = {2025},
author = {Dong, WZ and Su, WC and Gou, R and Zhou, HY and Liu, DY},
title = {[Spatial and temporal evolution of ecological risk in Guizhou Province, China from the perspective of ecosystem services and ecosystem health].},
journal = {Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology},
volume = {36},
number = {4},
pages = {1211-1221},
doi = {10.13287/j.1001-9332.202504.021},
pmid = {40371522},
issn = {1001-9332},
mesh = {China ; *Ecosystem ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; Risk Assessment ; Rivers ; Spatio-Temporal Analysis ; Geographic Information Systems ; *Environmental Monitoring/methods ; Ecology ; Models, Theoretical ; },
abstract = {Guizhou Province is an important ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. Karst landform in Guizhou is developed, with fragile ecological background. The ecological risk assessment and control of Karst landform are of great significance to ecological security and sustainable development of southwest China and the upper reaches of those two rivers. Based on the InVEST model and vigor-organization-resi-lience model, we quantitatively evaluated the ecosystem services and ecosystem health and constructed the ecological risk assessment model of Guizhou Province. With the help of GIS technology, spatial autocorrelation analysis method and gravity center migration model, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of ecological risk in Guizhou Province from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that ecosystem services in Guizhou Province increased from 2000 to 2020, with an annual average growth rate of 0.3%. The ecosystem health status was generally well and showed a good trend, and the annual average growth rate of ecosystem health was 12.6%. The ecological risk was dominated by medium ecological risk. The proportion of extremely low ecological risk area and low ecological risk area increased, the proportion of medium and above ecological risk area decreased, and the overall ecological risk showed a downward trend. The low ecological risk areas were mainly located in the south and southeast of Guizhou Province, while the high ecological risk areas were distributed in the central, western and northern parts of Guizhou Province. The global Moran's I of ecological risk in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 were 0.856, 0.836, 0.844, 0.804, and 0.768, respectively, indicating that the positive correlation of ecological risk in spatial distribution, but the spatial correlation and spatial agglomeration characteristics were weakened. During the study period, the centroid and trajectory of ecological risk in Guizhou Province were consistent with the distribution area of its corresponding ecological risk. From 2000 to 2020, the spatial distribution pattern of ecological risk in Guizhou Pro-vince was relatively stable. With the evolution of time, the dispersion of spatial distribution of extremely high ecological risk and low ecological risk increased. Ecological risk assessment based on ecosystem services and ecosystem health would provide scientific basis for regional ecological risk management and control.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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China
*Ecosystem
*Conservation of Natural Resources
Risk Assessment
Rivers
Spatio-Temporal Analysis
Geographic Information Systems
*Environmental Monitoring/methods
Ecology
Models, Theoretical
RevDate: 2025-05-15
CmpDate: 2025-05-15
[Wilderness network construction in Lincang City of Yunnan Province, Southwest China based on landscape connectivity].
Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology, 36(4):1233-1243.
Constructing wilderness networks based on landscape connectivity is crucial for wilderness conservation. We calculated the continuous spectrum of the wilderness with GIS, identified wilderness sources with morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA), constructed wilderness corridors and networks and extracted wilderness strategic points with minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR) and circuit theory. We further analyzed the characte-ristics of the wilderness network, and proposed wilderness protection strategies and ecological planning suggestions for Lincang City. Results showed that wilderness was mainly distributed at 1000-2500 m elevation, with a spatial pattern of more in the south and east, less in the north and west in Lincang City. Grade 3 wilderness covered 55% of the total area, indicating high quality of the study area. Based on the MSPA analysis, we found 27 wilderness sources, most of which were distributed in the eastern and southern areas such as Linxiang and Cangyuan. The western and northern such as Fengqing and Yongde had fewer wilderness sources. There were 63 wilderness corridors in the wilderness network, including 16 important corridors and 47 general corridors. There were 186 strategic points in the wilderness network, including 53 wilderness nodes and 133 barrier points. We constructed the wilderness network of Lincang based in the identified wilderness source areas and extracted wilderness corridors, which had the advantages of high stability, strong resistance to interference, efficient connectivity. Finally, we proposed the "three-zone as a whole" protection strategy and ecological planning suggestions, which had referential value for establishing an ecological security pattern in Lincang City and the practicalization of wilderness protection in China.
Additional Links: PMID-40371524
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@article {pmid40371524,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, YH and Zhang, Y},
title = {[Wilderness network construction in Lincang City of Yunnan Province, Southwest China based on landscape connectivity].},
journal = {Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology},
volume = {36},
number = {4},
pages = {1233-1243},
doi = {10.13287/j.1001-9332.202504.026},
pmid = {40371524},
issn = {1001-9332},
mesh = {China ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; *Ecosystem ; Geographic Information Systems ; *Wilderness ; Cities ; *Environment Design ; Models, Theoretical ; *City Planning ; },
abstract = {Constructing wilderness networks based on landscape connectivity is crucial for wilderness conservation. We calculated the continuous spectrum of the wilderness with GIS, identified wilderness sources with morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA), constructed wilderness corridors and networks and extracted wilderness strategic points with minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR) and circuit theory. We further analyzed the characte-ristics of the wilderness network, and proposed wilderness protection strategies and ecological planning suggestions for Lincang City. Results showed that wilderness was mainly distributed at 1000-2500 m elevation, with a spatial pattern of more in the south and east, less in the north and west in Lincang City. Grade 3 wilderness covered 55% of the total area, indicating high quality of the study area. Based on the MSPA analysis, we found 27 wilderness sources, most of which were distributed in the eastern and southern areas such as Linxiang and Cangyuan. The western and northern such as Fengqing and Yongde had fewer wilderness sources. There were 63 wilderness corridors in the wilderness network, including 16 important corridors and 47 general corridors. There were 186 strategic points in the wilderness network, including 53 wilderness nodes and 133 barrier points. We constructed the wilderness network of Lincang based in the identified wilderness source areas and extracted wilderness corridors, which had the advantages of high stability, strong resistance to interference, efficient connectivity. Finally, we proposed the "three-zone as a whole" protection strategy and ecological planning suggestions, which had referential value for establishing an ecological security pattern in Lincang City and the practicalization of wilderness protection in China.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
China
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
*Ecosystem
Geographic Information Systems
*Wilderness
Cities
*Environment Design
Models, Theoretical
*City Planning
RevDate: 2026-07-26
CmpDate: 2025-08-29
Cells Keep Diverse Company in Diseased Tissues.
Cancer research, 85(13):2351-2352.
Emerging spatial profiling technologies have revolutionized our understanding of how tissue architecture shapes disease progression, yet the contribution of cellular diversity remains underexplored. In this issue, Ding and colleagues introduce multiomics and ecological spatial analysis (MESA), an ecology-inspired framework that integrates spatial and single-cell expression data to quantify tissue diversity across multiple scales. MESA both identifies distinct cellular neighborhoods and computes a variety of diversity metrics alongside the identification of diversity "hotspots." Applied to human tonsil tissue, MESA revealed previously undetected germinal center organization, whereas in spleen tissue of a murine lupus model, MESA highlights increasing cellular diversity with disease progression. Importantly, diversity hotspots do not correspond to conventional compartments identified by existing methods, presenting an orthogonal metric of spatial organization. In colorectal cancer, MESA's diversity metrics outperformed established subtypes at predicting patient survival, whereas in hepatocellular carcinoma, multiomic integration identified significantly more ligand-receptor interactions between immune cells compared with single-modality analysis. This work establishes cellular diversity within tissues as a critical correlate of disease progression and underscores the value of multiomic integration in spatial biology. This article is part of a special series: Driving Cancer Discoveries with Computational Research, Data Science, and Machine Learning/AI.
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@article {pmid40378285,
year = {2025},
author = {Campbell, KR and Goeva, A},
title = {Cells Keep Diverse Company in Diseased Tissues.},
journal = {Cancer research},
volume = {85},
number = {13},
pages = {2351-2352},
doi = {10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-25-2070},
pmid = {40378285},
issn = {1538-7445},
mesh = {Disease Progression ; *Multiomics/methods ; *Spatial Analysis ; Palatine Tonsil/cytology/pathology ; Germinal Center/cytology/pathology ; Spleen/cytology/pathology ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; *Neoplasms/mortality/pathology ; Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; },
abstract = {Emerging spatial profiling technologies have revolutionized our understanding of how tissue architecture shapes disease progression, yet the contribution of cellular diversity remains underexplored. In this issue, Ding and colleagues introduce multiomics and ecological spatial analysis (MESA), an ecology-inspired framework that integrates spatial and single-cell expression data to quantify tissue diversity across multiple scales. MESA both identifies distinct cellular neighborhoods and computes a variety of diversity metrics alongside the identification of diversity "hotspots." Applied to human tonsil tissue, MESA revealed previously undetected germinal center organization, whereas in spleen tissue of a murine lupus model, MESA highlights increasing cellular diversity with disease progression. Importantly, diversity hotspots do not correspond to conventional compartments identified by existing methods, presenting an orthogonal metric of spatial organization. In colorectal cancer, MESA's diversity metrics outperformed established subtypes at predicting patient survival, whereas in hepatocellular carcinoma, multiomic integration identified significantly more ligand-receptor interactions between immune cells compared with single-modality analysis. This work establishes cellular diversity within tissues as a critical correlate of disease progression and underscores the value of multiomic integration in spatial biology. This article is part of a special series: Driving Cancer Discoveries with Computational Research, Data Science, and Machine Learning/AI.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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hide MeSH Terms
Disease Progression
*Multiomics/methods
*Spatial Analysis
Palatine Tonsil/cytology/pathology
Germinal Center/cytology/pathology
Spleen/cytology/pathology
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/pathology
Disease Models, Animal
*Neoplasms/mortality/pathology
Humans
Animals
Mice
RevDate: 2025-06-05
CmpDate: 2025-06-05
Unravelling the enzymatic wood decay repertoire of Cerrena zonata: A multi-omics approach.
Microbiological research, 298:128214.
Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB), such as wheat straw, bagasse, or wood, is a cost-effective, sustainable carbon source but remains challenging to utilize due to the recalcitrance of lignin, which hinders efficient carbohydrate hydrolysis. Effective LCB degradation demands a wide range of enzymes, and commercial enzyme cocktails often require physical or chemical pretreatments. A fully enzymatic degradation could drastically improve the efficiency of these processes. Basidiomycota fungi naturally possess diverse enzymes suited for LCB breakdown. The white-rot fungus Cerrena zonata, a member of the phylum Basidiomycota, was analyzed for its Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) using a multi-omics approach. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses of C. zonata identified 20,816 protein-encoding genes, including 487 CAZymes (2.3 %). Cultivating C. zonata with and without LCB addition revealed a total of 147 proteins, of which 36 were CAZymes (13 auxiliary activities (AA), 3 carbohydrate esterases, and 20 glycoside hydrolases). In accordance, laccase, manganese peroxidase (MnP) as well as versatile peroxidase (VP) activities were detected in the fungal culture supernatants. Furthermore, relevant enzymes were visualized via zymography. Consistent with these results, five putative peroxidases (AA2) and three putative laccases (AA1_1) were identified in all -omics dimensions. Further structure and sequence analysis of AA2 proteins supports that two proteins were classified as VPs and three as MnPs, based on their active and Mn[2 +] binding sites. In summary, C. zonata possesses a broad enzyme spectrum expressed under varied conditions, highlighting its potential for identifying efficient lignin-degrading enzymes for enzymatic pretreatment of food industry side streams and other LCBs.
Additional Links: PMID-40378593
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40378593,
year = {2025},
author = {Broel, N and Daumüller, F and Ali, A and Lemanschick, J and Maibach, K and Mewe, C and Bunk, B and Spröer, C and Baschien, C and Zorn, H and Schlüter, H and Rühl, M and Janssen, S and Gand, M},
title = {Unravelling the enzymatic wood decay repertoire of Cerrena zonata: A multi-omics approach.},
journal = {Microbiological research},
volume = {298},
number = {},
pages = {128214},
doi = {10.1016/j.micres.2025.128214},
pmid = {40378593},
issn = {1618-0623},
mesh = {Lignin/metabolism ; *Wood/metabolism/microbiology ; Fungal Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Glycoside Hydrolases/metabolism/genetics ; Peroxidases/metabolism/genetics ; Laccase/metabolism/genetics ; Biomass ; *Basidiomycota/enzymology/genetics/metabolism ; Genomics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genome, Fungal ; Proteomics ; Hydrolysis ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB), such as wheat straw, bagasse, or wood, is a cost-effective, sustainable carbon source but remains challenging to utilize due to the recalcitrance of lignin, which hinders efficient carbohydrate hydrolysis. Effective LCB degradation demands a wide range of enzymes, and commercial enzyme cocktails often require physical or chemical pretreatments. A fully enzymatic degradation could drastically improve the efficiency of these processes. Basidiomycota fungi naturally possess diverse enzymes suited for LCB breakdown. The white-rot fungus Cerrena zonata, a member of the phylum Basidiomycota, was analyzed for its Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) using a multi-omics approach. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses of C. zonata identified 20,816 protein-encoding genes, including 487 CAZymes (2.3 %). Cultivating C. zonata with and without LCB addition revealed a total of 147 proteins, of which 36 were CAZymes (13 auxiliary activities (AA), 3 carbohydrate esterases, and 20 glycoside hydrolases). In accordance, laccase, manganese peroxidase (MnP) as well as versatile peroxidase (VP) activities were detected in the fungal culture supernatants. Furthermore, relevant enzymes were visualized via zymography. Consistent with these results, five putative peroxidases (AA2) and three putative laccases (AA1_1) were identified in all -omics dimensions. Further structure and sequence analysis of AA2 proteins supports that two proteins were classified as VPs and three as MnPs, based on their active and Mn[2 +] binding sites. In summary, C. zonata possesses a broad enzyme spectrum expressed under varied conditions, highlighting its potential for identifying efficient lignin-degrading enzymes for enzymatic pretreatment of food industry side streams and other LCBs.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
Lignin/metabolism
*Wood/metabolism/microbiology
Fungal Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Glycoside Hydrolases/metabolism/genetics
Peroxidases/metabolism/genetics
Laccase/metabolism/genetics
Biomass
*Basidiomycota/enzymology/genetics/metabolism
Genomics
Gene Expression Profiling
Genome, Fungal
Proteomics
Hydrolysis
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-06-10
CmpDate: 2025-06-10
Hepatotoxic effects of exposure to different concentrations of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in Schizothorax prenanti: Insights from a multi-omics analysis.
Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 285:107390.
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is one of the most widely used phthalate esters (PAEs) that raise increasing ecotoxicological concerns due to their harmful effects on living organisms and ecosystems. Recently, while PAEs pollution in the Yangtze River has attracted significant attention, little research has been conducted on the impact of PAEs stress on S. prenanti, an endemic and valuable species in the Yangtze River. In this study, one control group (C-L) and three experimental groups: T1-L (3 µg/L), T2-L (30 µg/L), and T3-L (300 µg/L) were established with reference to the DBP concentration in the environment. For the first time, we investigated the effects of DBP stress on the liver of S. prenanti using histomorphological, physiological, and biochemical indexes, as well as a joint multi-omics analysis. The results revealed that compared to the C-L group, liver structural damage and stress were not significant in the environmental concentration group (T1-L) and the number of differential genes and differential metabolites were lower. However, as DBP stress concentration increased, the liver damage became severe, with significant vacuolation and hemolysis observed in the T2-L and T3-L groups. The TUNEL assay revealed a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells along with a notable rise in differential genes and metabolites in the T2-L and T3-L groups. Oxidative stress markers (T-AOC, SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX) were also significantly higher in the T2-L and T3-L groups. RNA-Seq analysis showed that the protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway was most significantly -enriched differential gene pathway shared by both C-L vs T2-L and C-L vs T3-L, with most of the genes in this pathway showing significant up-regulation. This suggests that the protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway may play a key role in protecting the liver from injuries caused by high DBP stress. Interestingly, C XI, C XII, C XIII, C XIV and C XV in the chemical carcinogenesis - reactive oxygen species pathway were significantly down-regulated in the T2-L and T3-L groups based on combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, suggesting that DBP causes liver injury by disrupting mitochondria. This comprehensive histomorphometric and multi-omics study demonstrated that the current DBP concentration in the habitat of S. prenanti in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River temporarily causes less liver damage. However, with increasing of DBP concentration, DBP could still cause serious liver damage to S. prenanti. This study provides a new mechanistic understanding of the liver response mechanism of S. prenanti under different concentrations of DBP stress and offers basic data for the ecological protection of the Yangtze River.
Additional Links: PMID-40381407
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PubMed:
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@article {pmid40381407,
year = {2025},
author = {Lei, L and Sha, W and Liu, Q and Liu, S and Zhou, Y and Li, R and Duan, Y and Fu, S and Li, H and Liao, R and Li, L and Zhou, R and Zhou, C and Liu, H},
title = {Hepatotoxic effects of exposure to different concentrations of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in Schizothorax prenanti: Insights from a multi-omics analysis.},
journal = {Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)},
volume = {285},
number = {},
pages = {107390},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107390},
pmid = {40381407},
issn = {1879-1514},
mesh = {*Dibutyl Phthalate/toxicity ; Animals ; *Liver/drug effects/pathology/metabolism ; *Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity ; *Cyprinidae/physiology ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Multiomics ; },
abstract = {Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is one of the most widely used phthalate esters (PAEs) that raise increasing ecotoxicological concerns due to their harmful effects on living organisms and ecosystems. Recently, while PAEs pollution in the Yangtze River has attracted significant attention, little research has been conducted on the impact of PAEs stress on S. prenanti, an endemic and valuable species in the Yangtze River. In this study, one control group (C-L) and three experimental groups: T1-L (3 µg/L), T2-L (30 µg/L), and T3-L (300 µg/L) were established with reference to the DBP concentration in the environment. For the first time, we investigated the effects of DBP stress on the liver of S. prenanti using histomorphological, physiological, and biochemical indexes, as well as a joint multi-omics analysis. The results revealed that compared to the C-L group, liver structural damage and stress were not significant in the environmental concentration group (T1-L) and the number of differential genes and differential metabolites were lower. However, as DBP stress concentration increased, the liver damage became severe, with significant vacuolation and hemolysis observed in the T2-L and T3-L groups. The TUNEL assay revealed a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells along with a notable rise in differential genes and metabolites in the T2-L and T3-L groups. Oxidative stress markers (T-AOC, SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX) were also significantly higher in the T2-L and T3-L groups. RNA-Seq analysis showed that the protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway was most significantly -enriched differential gene pathway shared by both C-L vs T2-L and C-L vs T3-L, with most of the genes in this pathway showing significant up-regulation. This suggests that the protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway may play a key role in protecting the liver from injuries caused by high DBP stress. Interestingly, C XI, C XII, C XIII, C XIV and C XV in the chemical carcinogenesis - reactive oxygen species pathway were significantly down-regulated in the T2-L and T3-L groups based on combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, suggesting that DBP causes liver injury by disrupting mitochondria. This comprehensive histomorphometric and multi-omics study demonstrated that the current DBP concentration in the habitat of S. prenanti in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River temporarily causes less liver damage. However, with increasing of DBP concentration, DBP could still cause serious liver damage to S. prenanti. This study provides a new mechanistic understanding of the liver response mechanism of S. prenanti under different concentrations of DBP stress and offers basic data for the ecological protection of the Yangtze River.},
}
MeSH Terms:
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*Dibutyl Phthalate/toxicity
Animals
*Liver/drug effects/pathology/metabolism
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity
*Cyprinidae/physiology
Oxidative Stress/drug effects
Multiomics
RevDate: 2025-05-21
CmpDate: 2025-05-19
TropiRoot 1.0: Database of tropical root characteristics across environments.
Ecology, 106(5):e70074.
Tropical ecosystems contain the world's largest biodiversity of vascular plants. Yet, our understanding of tropical functional diversity and its contribution to global diversity patterns is constrained by data availability. This discrepancy underscores an urgent need to bridge data gaps by incorporating comprehensive tropical root data into global datasets. Here, we provide a database of tropical root characteristics. This new database, TropiRoot 1.0, will be instrumental in evaluating an array of hypotheses pertaining to root functional ecology and plant biogeography, both within the tropics and relative to other global biomes. The data compilation was conducted by the TropiRoot Initiative, in partnership with the Fine-Root Ecology Database (FRED) and the Global Root Trait (GRooT) database, Colorado State University (CSU) and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Literature search and data extraction were conducted between 2020 and 2024. Literature was identified using Web of Science, Scopus, and complemented using the expert knowledge of members of TropiRoot. To provide broad environmental and geographical distributions, literature searches included root characteristics (traits) across global change drivers, natural gradients, and from different continents. We adopted FRED standardized data columns and streamlined the format to enhance accessibility for data extraction across various user groups. This optimized framework resulted in a smaller, yet comprehensive datasheet. To make the database compatible with other global root trait initiatives, column identification was standardized following the codes provided by FRED. These efforts culminated in data extracted from 104 new sources, resulting in more than 8000 rows of data (either species or community data). Most of the data in TropiRoot 1.0 include root characteristics such as root biomass, morphology, root dynamics, mass fraction, architecture, anatomy, physiology, and root chemistry. This initiative represents a 30% increase in the currently available data for tropical roots in FRED. TropiRoot 1.0 contains root characteristics from 25 different countries, where seven are located in Asia, six in South America, five in Central America and the Caribbean, four in Africa, two in North America, and 1 in Oceania. Due to the volume of data, when ancillary data were available, including soil data, these data were either extracted and included in the database or its availability was recorded in an additional column. Multiple contributors checked the entries for outliers during the collation process to ensure data quality. For text-based observations, we examined all cells to ensure that their content relates to their specific categories. For numerical observations, we ordered each numerical value from least to greatest and plotted the values, checking apparent outliers against the data in their respective sources and correcting or removing incorrect or impossible values. Some data (soil and aboveground) have different columns for the same variable presented in different units, including originally published units, but root characteristics data had units converted to match those reported in FRED. By filling a gap from global databases, TropiRoot 1.0 expands our knowledge of otherwise so far underrepresented regions and our ability to assess global trends. This advancement can be used to improve tropical forest representation in vegetation models. The data are freely available and should be cited when used.
Additional Links: PMID-40386950
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@article {pmid40386950,
year = {2025},
author = {Cordeiro, AL and Cusack, DF and Guerrero-Ramírez, N and Norby, RJ and Toro, L and Wong, MY and Wright, SJ and Cabugao, KGM and Andersen, KM and Fuchslueger, L and Iversen, CM and Soper, F and Ghimire, OP and Lugli, LF and Miron, AC and Valverde-Barrantes, O and Arnaud, M and Batterman, SA and Dietterich, LH and Lee, MY and Weemstra, M and Yaffar, D and Addo-Danso, SD and Pierick, K and Bridges, R and Easton, C and Felsing, I and Gonçalves, NB and Krudop, R and McKinzie, MR and Perbohner, J and Pozzoli-Oropeza, AN and Samaniego, M and Smilor, AW and Vargas, IS and Webb, L and Powers, JS and McCormack, ML},
title = {TropiRoot 1.0: Database of tropical root characteristics across environments.},
journal = {Ecology},
volume = {106},
number = {5},
pages = {e70074},
doi = {10.1002/ecy.70074},
pmid = {40386950},
issn = {1939-9170},
mesh = {*Plant Roots/physiology/anatomy & histology ; *Tropical Climate ; *Databases, Factual ; Ecosystem ; Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Tropical ecosystems contain the world's largest biodiversity of vascular plants. Yet, our understanding of tropical functional diversity and its contribution to global diversity patterns is constrained by data availability. This discrepancy underscores an urgent need to bridge data gaps by incorporating comprehensive tropical root data into global datasets. Here, we provide a database of tropical root characteristics. This new database, TropiRoot 1.0, will be instrumental in evaluating an array of hypotheses pertaining to root functional ecology and plant biogeography, both within the tropics and relative to other global biomes. The data compilation was conducted by the TropiRoot Initiative, in partnership with the Fine-Root Ecology Database (FRED) and the Global Root Trait (GRooT) database, Colorado State University (CSU) and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Literature search and data extraction were conducted between 2020 and 2024. Literature was identified using Web of Science, Scopus, and complemented using the expert knowledge of members of TropiRoot. To provide broad environmental and geographical distributions, literature searches included root characteristics (traits) across global change drivers, natural gradients, and from different continents. We adopted FRED standardized data columns and streamlined the format to enhance accessibility for data extraction across various user groups. This optimized framework resulted in a smaller, yet comprehensive datasheet. To make the database compatible with other global root trait initiatives, column identification was standardized following the codes provided by FRED. These efforts culminated in data extracted from 104 new sources, resulting in more than 8000 rows of data (either species or community data). Most of the data in TropiRoot 1.0 include root characteristics such as root biomass, morphology, root dynamics, mass fraction, architecture, anatomy, physiology, and root chemistry. This initiative represents a 30% increase in the currently available data for tropical roots in FRED. TropiRoot 1.0 contains root characteristics from 25 different countries, where seven are located in Asia, six in South America, five in Central America and the Caribbean, four in Africa, two in North America, and 1 in Oceania. Due to the volume of data, when ancillary data were available, including soil data, these data were either extracted and included in the database or its availability was recorded in an additional column. Multiple contributors checked the entries for outliers during the collation process to ensure data quality. For text-based observations, we examined all cells to ensure that their content relates to their specific categories. For numerical observations, we ordered each numerical value from least to greatest and plotted the values, checking apparent outliers against the data in their respective sources and correcting or removing incorrect or impossible values. Some data (soil and aboveground) have different columns for the same variable presented in different units, including originally published units, but root characteristics data had units converted to match those reported in FRED. By filling a gap from global databases, TropiRoot 1.0 expands our knowledge of otherwise so far underrepresented regions and our ability to assess global trends. This advancement can be used to improve tropical forest representation in vegetation models. The data are freely available and should be cited when used.},
}
MeSH Terms:
show MeSH Terms
hide MeSH Terms
*Plant Roots/physiology/anatomy & histology
*Tropical Climate
*Databases, Factual
Ecosystem
Biodiversity
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