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The hidden power of antisense long non-coding RNAs: a dive into a novel regulatory layer mediated by double-stranded RNA formation
No full textOver the past decade, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have gained prominence in research due to their widespread presence in cells, yet their functions remain increasingly complex and less understood. Despite being initially deemed 'junk', many lncRNAs are now recognized as key regulators in cells and are often affected in disease contexts. Notably, numerous mRNAs have annotated antisense RNAs (asRNAs). Because asRNAs resemble the largest group of lncRNAs and were identified to serve a general function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, they are the focus of this review. In S. cerevisiae, the absence of RNA interference (RNAi) enables unbiased study and allowed researchers to investigate their roles in gene regulation more directly with intriguing results, summarized here. Expression of asRNA leads to the formation of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) with the regarding sense counterpart, resulting in enhanced gene expression through preferential nuclear export. Thus, these hidden leaders can boost gene expression and require future attention pivotal for elucidating their influence on biological processes and revealing disease mechanisms
Multicomponent dark matter with collider implications
No full textAbstract The present work aims to study an extension of the Standard Model (SM) that addresses the prominent SM shortcomings, i.e., can explain the neutrino mass, the dark matter (DM) content, and the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe. The model introduces the possibility of a multicomponent DM scenario leading to distinctive signals at colliders. The SM is extended by a “dark” SU(2)D gauge symmetry and new fermions and scalar doublets, charged only under SU(2)D, that provide candidates for a multicomponent DM. Previously, we have considered in this model the asymmetric DM scenario, while in the present work, we explore the symmetric DM case. We focus on the parameter region where the dark fermion DM annihilates dominantly into the additional dark gauge bosons and the “inert” doublet DM annihilates to SM states via the SM Higgs resonance. This particular choice of doublet mass ensures that the heavier BSM Higgs always has one decay mode open to DM leading to the possibility of detecting such particles at the LHC, in the missing energy plus dijet ( + 2j) final states. We also discuss the prospects for detecting DM through direct and indirect detection experiments and via Long-Lived-Particle searches. Finally, we show that, as typical of other WIMP models, for low DM mass, signals can be expected in future collider experiments, but for the higher mass range above 500 GeV we have to rely solely on direct detection experiments. Both types of experiments will be essential to fully cover the allowed parameter space
Integrating population genomics and environmental data to predict adaptation to climate change in post-bottleneck Tibetan macaques
No full textRapid climate change represents a profound threat to biodiversity. Understanding the local adaptations and their vulnerabilities to climate change are imperative for developing conservation measures. Here, we combined a multidisciplinary approach to determine the local adaptations of an endemic and near-threatened primate, aiming to reveal its potential to cope with future climate change. Results suggest that climatic fluctuations played an important role in shaping its demographic trajectory and genetic structure. In addition, Tibetan macaques have experienced a severe bottleneck in the recent past, with highly deleterious mutations partially removed, but moderately deleterious mutations accumulating. The severe bottleneck and lower genetic diversity may have reduced their potential to adapt to environmental change, which will compromise long-term viability. Furthermore, we found that the eastern group exhibited higher genomic offsets and loss of suitable habitat in response to climate change. Overall, we emphasize the importance of integrating population genomics and environmental data to predict the adaptation of post-bottleneck populations to rapid climate change
Identifying late Pleistocene and Holocene refugia for baboons
No full textClimate change has the scope to significantly modulate the distribution of floral and faunal taxa, with those regions persistently suitable to a population through the largest environmental perturbations termed "refugia". Within Africa, focus has been placed on forest refugia during glacial cycles as hotspots of biodiversity, whilst refugia for savannah species have been overlooked. We compiled a comprehensive dataset of baboon occurrences and fitted species distribution model ensembles to predict the present potential habitable range of each species and the genus as a whole. We then hindcasted these models to palaeoclimate reconstructions spanning the Late Pleistocene and Holocene in 1-thousand-year time steps to predict potentially habitable ranges throughout a full interglacial-glacial cycle. Our results indicate a substantial mosaic of refugia in the eastern African Rift Valley system, a discrete refugium in southern and south-western Africa, as well as isolated refugia across western Africa and Arabia. Orbital precession and obliquity both play a role in driving maxima and minima or predicted habitable ranges for alternate baboon species, but these appear expressed within ca. 100 thousand-year eccentricity cycles. This supports the use of full interglacial-glacial cycles, rather than simply comparing peak glacial and interglacial conditions, to determine the presence of refugia
Intercropping of Indica and Japonica With Staggered Sowing Increases Rice Yield in the Yangtze and Huaihe River Basins in Henan, Central China
No full textABSTRACT Intercropping systems that increase crop yield and land use efficiency are becoming increasingly popular worldwide, especially in developing countries. Despite many advantages related to nutrient, light, temperature, water, and land use efficiencies, intercropping of rice subspecies such as Indica and Japonica has not yet been fully explored. Hence, a two‐year field experiment was conducted to study the effects of Indica–Japonica (i.e., XLY900‐YY9 and YLY900‐YY9) intercropping on the rice yield depending on sowing dates, and the intercropping effects were evaluated by yield, land equivalent ratio (LER), interspecific relative competitiveness (A), and relative crowding index (K). The Indica–Japonica intercropping at I 1 J 1 sowing dates had cumulative yields of 12 t ha −1 (20%–23%) higher than the yield of Indica or Japonica under mono‐cropping. This increase was mainly due to the efficient use of light and a higher photosynthetic rate. The LER values (1.23–1.27) and those of the relative crowding index (K) (1.69–5.36) were both greater than 1, indicating that intercropping used land more efficiently than mono‐cropping. The interspecific relative competitiveness (A) showed Indica to be more competitive (A > 0, ranging from 1.05 to 1.80), while Japonica was less competitive (A < 0, ranging from −1.05 to −1.80), but with reduced overall competition between the two for light and land resources. Hence, Indica–Japonica intercropping has high potential to maximize rice yield while utilizing the natural resources more efficiently, and could contribute to food security, particularly in regions where rice is a staple crop.National Natural Science Foundation of China https://doi.org/10.13039/50110000180
Perisplenic mass as initial diagnosis of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma
No full textAbstract Perisplenic masses or collections are rare findings on imaging examinations. The differential diagnostic spectrum is broad. We report the case of an 84-year-old man who presented to our emergency department with fatigue, unwanted weight loss, loss of appetite and abdominal pain. In B-mode ultrasound a very hypoechoic collection circularly located around the spleen was seen. A splenic hematoma or an abscess were primarily suspected. Performing contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination the perisplenic collection was surprisingly strongly contrasted in the arterial phase. An additional abdominal CT confirmed the mass in the left upper abdomen circularly around the spleen, compressing the left colic flexure and beginning to infiltrate the gastric fundus. An ultrasound-guided tissue biopsy was taken via a percutaneous intercostal approach, which resulted in the diagnosis of a low-grade epithelioid malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM). MPM often presents with diffuse multifocal involvement of the peritoneal lining, however a unifocal manifestation of MPM is uncommon in general. A perisplenic mass manifestation of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is an extremely rare occurrence. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by the rare perisplenic manifestation of MPM