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Astaxanthin has attracted considerable interest, owing to its potent antioxidant and pigmentation properties. To investigate its effects of astaxanthin on body color variation in Lutjanus erythropterus, fish were divided into a control group and a treatment group fed an astaxanthin-supplemented diet. Body color parameters, growth performance, and liver antioxidant enzyme activities were measured at the end of the experiment. Tissues, including skin, intestine, liver, and blood, were subsequently collected for transcriptome sequencing. The results demonstrate that the astaxanthin-treatment group exhibited significantly enhanced body coloration alongside improved body length, body weight, and specific growth rate compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Specifically regarding the red–green value (a*), the treatment group showed significantly higher values on the ventral skin, dorsal skin, and gill cover (p < 0.05). The yellow–blue (b*) and lightness (L*) values were also significantly elevated in the ventral skin and gill cover (p < 0.05), although no significant differences were observed in the dorsal skin (p > 0.05). The skin was identified as the tissue with the highest total carotenoid content. Astaxanthin supplementation enhanced liver antioxidant capacity, evidenced by significantly elevated total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the treatment group (p < 0.05). Catalase (CAT) activity did not differ significantly between groups (p > 0.05). Transcriptomic analysis identified several coloration-associated genes, such as bco1, bco2, gstt1, and gstz1. It also revealed significant enrichment in key metabolic pathways (fatty acid, cholesterol, and retinol metabolism) and signaling pathways (PPAR and PI3K-Akt). Furthermore, the expression of multiple solute-carrier family members and apolipoproteins was detected, with notable enrichment in lipid digestion and absorption, cholesterol metabolism, and several key immune-related signaling pathways. These findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms of carotenoid-mediated pigmentation in L. erythropterus.

The Pacific whiteleg shrimp ( Penaeus vannamei , synonym Lipopenaeus vannamei ) is an important aquaculture species, and its breeding improvement relies heavily on high-quality genomic resources. Here, we sequenced the genome of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp using PacBio and Hi-C technologies, resulting in a 1.7 Gb genome assembly with a Contig N50 of 57.65Kb and a Scaffold N50 of 605Kb.BUSCO analysis indicated that our genome assembly achieved a gene coverage of 84.6%, a figure considered high among crustacean reference genomes. In total, 907,237,377 bp of repetitive sequences (accounting for 50.48% of the assembled genome) and 22,923 protein-coding genes were identified. Utilizing Hi-C technology, we anchored 14,604 contigs onto 44 chromosomes, yielding a chromosome-level genome assembly with a contig N50 of 42,894,961 bp. In summary, our high-quality genome assembly provides valuable reference genomic resources for the improvement and breeding of elite cultivars of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp.

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) has been widely employed for the study of gene expression in fish, and accurate normalization is crucial. In this study, we aimed to identify the most stably expressed genes in various tissues, different developmental stages, and within astaxanthin treatment groups in Lutjanus erythropterus . Twelve candidate genes ( EEF1A , CYB5R3 , DLD , IDH3A , MRPL17 , MRPL43 , NDUFS7 , PABPC1 , PAGR1 , PFDN2 , PSMC3 , and RAB10 ) were examined via qRT-PCR. We employed geNorm and NormFinder to assess their stability. The results revealed that RAB10 and PFDN2 exhibited relatively stable expression patterns across different tissue and astaxanthin treatment groups, while NDUFS7 and MRPL17 proved to be the most reliable reference gene combinations across various developmental stages. The stability of these selected genes was further validated by assessing the expression of two target genes, CRADD and CAPNS1 , across developmental stages, reinforcing the reliability of NDUFS7 as it closely aligned with transcriptome-wide expression patterns at these stages. The present results will help researchers to obtain more accurate results in future qRT-PCR analysis in L. erythropterus.

Sipuncula is a class of exocoelomic unsegmented animals whose evolutionary relationships are unresolved. The peanut worm Sipunculus nudus is a globally distributed, economically important species belonging to the class Sipuncula. Herein, we present the first high-quality chromosome-level assembly of S. nudus based on HiFi reads and high-resolution chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data. The assembled genome was 1,427 Mb, with a contig N50 length of 29.46 Mb and scaffold N50 length of 80.87 Mb. Approximately 97.91% of the genome sequence was anchored to 17 chromosomes. A BUSCO assessment showed that 97.7% of the expectedly conserved genes were present in the genome assembly. The genome was composed of 47.91% repetitive sequences, and 28,749 protein-coding genes were predicted. A phylogenetic tree demonstrated that Sipuncula belongs to Annelida and diverged from the common ancestor of Polychaeta. The high-quality chromosome-level genome of S. nudus will serve as a valuable reference for studies of the genetic diversity and evolution of Lophotrochozoa.

The mucosal microbiome plays a critical role in host health, yet the structural dynamics of the sea turtle nasal microbiome remain largely unexplored, and the ecological driving mechanisms of the cloacal microbiome under specific rescue contexts remain poorly understood. This study employed 16 S rRNA gene amplicon high-throughput sequencing to analyze bacterial community diversity in the nasal cavity and cloaca of green turtles ( Chelonia mydas ), hawksbill turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ), and olive ridley turtles ( Lepidochelys olivacea ) rehabilitated at the Naozhou Island Rescue Station. Results showed that the nasal microbiota exhibited high environmental plasticity. Holding conditions significantly explained > 50% of the variation in the green turtle nasal microbiota: unlike the low dominance and high evenness characteristics of the indoor group, specific outdoor environmental pressures drove the targeted enrichment of Sedimenticolaceae; whereas short-term indoor individuals displayed individual signatures associated with facial physical injury and stress. Beyond environmental effects, distinct species-specific patterns were also observed in the nasal cavity: the stable, high-abundance colonization of Deinococcota in hawksbill and olive ridley turtles constituted a distinct feature distinguishing them from green turtles. Regarding the cloacal microbiome, host species identity exerted the most significant effect, showing strong phylogenetic conservatism. The green turtle cloacal microbiota demonstrated significant environmental resistance, maintaining a core composition of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Campilobacterota. Hawksbill and olive ridley turtles reflected specific differentiation and functional convergence of the cloacal microbiota driven by dietary guilds: both exhibited a uniform high abundance of Cardiobacteriaceae, while Brumimicrobium served as a significant biomarker distinguishing hawksbills from the other two species. Within the constraints of sample size, this study establishes critical foundational data on the mucosal microbiomes of these three sea turtle species in a controlled rescue environment. Based on these profiles, we propose that the nasal microbiota serves as a sentinel for monitoring environmental stress, while the cloacal microbiota acts as a cornerstone for maintaining physiological homeostasis, thereby providing a critical scientific basis for health assessment, the optimization of rescue environments, and the development of species-specific conservation strategies.

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) has been widely employed for the study of gene expression in fish, and accurate normalization is crucial. In this study, we aimed to identify the most stably expressed genes in various tissues, different developmental stages, and within astaxanthin treatment groups in Lutjanus erythropterus . Twelve candidate genes ( EEF1A , CYB5R3 , DLD , IDH3A , MRPL17 , MRPL43 , NDUFS7 , PABPC1 , PAGR1 , PFDN2 , PSMC3 , and RAB10 ) were examined via qRT-PCR. We employed geNorm and NormFinder to assess their stability. The results revealed that RAB10 and PFDN2 exhibited relatively stable expression patterns across different tissue and astaxanthin treatment groups, while NDUFS7 and MRPL17 proved to be the most reliable reference gene combinations across various developmental stages. The stability of these selected genes was further validated by assessing the expression of two target genes, CRADD and CAPNS1 , across developmental stages, reinforcing the reliability of NDUFS7 as it closely aligned with transcriptome-wide expression patterns at these stages. The present results will help researchers to obtain more accurate results in future qRT-PCR analysis in L. erythropterus.

Prior literature has shown that, for a symmetric information setting, supplier encroachment into a reseller's market can mitigate double marginalization and benefit both the supplier and the reseller. This paper extends the investigation of supplier encroachment to the environment where the reseller might be better informed than the supplier. We find that the launch of the supplier's direct channel can result in costly signaling behavior on the part of the reseller, in which he reduces his order quantity when the market size is small. Such a downward order distortion can amplify double marginalization. As a result, in addition to the \"win-win\" and \"win-lose\" outcomes for the supplier and the reseller, supplier encroachment can also lead to \"lose-lose\" and \"lose-win\" outcomes, particularly when the reseller has a significant efficiency advantage in the selling process and the prior probability of a large market is low. We further explore the implications of those findings for information management in supply chains. Complementing the conventional understanding, we show that with the ability to encroach, the supplier may prefer to sell to either a better informed or an uninformed reseller in different scenarios. On the other hand, as a result of a supplier developing encroachment capability, a reseller either may choose not to develop an advanced informational capability or may become more willing to find a means of credibly sharing his information. This paper was accepted by Yossi Aviv, operations management.

Aging disrupts systemic metabolism, but the mechanisms by which gut microbial metabolites drive tissue‐specific decline remain unclear. We conducted a multi‐organ, multi‐omics atlas across the gut, serum, liver, lung, and cortex in young and early‐aged mice to address this. We identified a conserved aging signature marked by the microbiota‐associated depletion of protective circulating metabolites, such as lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs), concurrently with the systemic accumulation of pro‐oxidative microbial catabolites, specifically trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO) and indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA). This microbial‐metabolic drift disrupted systemic lipid transport and redox balance, leading to distinct organ‐level vulnerabilities: hepatic lipid retention and ferroptosis susceptibility, pulmonary immune‐redox activation, and cortical neurochemical dysregulation. To establish functional relevance, we conducted an integrated meta‐analysis of 40 independent studies encompassing natural aging models, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and probiotic interventions. This quantitative synthesis provided convergent evidence that microbial remodeling is a functionally relevant correlate associated with systemic aging phenotypes by restoring intestinal barrier integrity (upregulating ZO‐1, MUC2), suppressing tissue inflammatory factors (IL‐6, IL‐1β, TNF‐α), and mitigating oxidative stress (reducing MDA and restoring SOD/GSH). Together, our findings highlight gut‐derived metabolic reprogramming as a modifiable, upstream driver of systemic aging, offering tractable targets for therapeutic intervention. A gut‐derived metabolic signature drives systemic aging phenotypes. Integrated multi‐omics profiling of young versus aged mice identifies a conserved aging signature characterized by the depletion of protective lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC 22:0) and the concurrent accumulation of pro‐oxidative microbial catabolites (TMAO, IAA). This metabolic drift propagates across the serum‐liver‐lung‐cortex axis, driving systemic redox stress and organ‐specific decline. A comprehensive meta‐analysis of 50 independent studies provides translational validation, demonstrating that reversing this signature via microbiome interventions restores intestinal barrier integrity (ZO‐1), suppresses inflammation (IL‐6), and boosts antioxidant capacity (SOD/GPX), thereby establishing the gut‐metabolite axis as a modifiable redox hub for extending healthspan.

The immune activation caused by microbial translocation has been considered to be a major driver of HIV infection progression. The dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been demonstrated in HIV infection, but the interplay between gut microbiota and its metabolites in the pathogenesis of HIV is seldom reported. We conducted a case-controlled study including 41 AIDS patients, 39 pre-AIDS patients and 34 healthy controls. Both AIDS group and pre-AIDS group were divided according to clinical manifestations and CD4 + T cell count. We collected stool samples for 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis, and examined immune activation and microbial translocation for blood samples. The pre-AIDS and AIDS groups had higher levels of microbial translocation and immune activation. There were significant differences in gut microbiota and metabolites at different stages of HIV infection. Higher abundances of pathogenic bacteria or opportunistic pathogen, as well as lower abundances of butyrate-producing bacteria and bacteria with anti-inflammatory potential were associated with HIV severity. The metabolism of tryptophan was disordered after HIV infection. Lower level of anti-inflammatory metabolites and phosphonoacetate, and higher level of phenylethylamine and polyamines were observed in HIV infection. And microbial metabolic pathways related to altered metabolites differed. Moreover, disrupted metabolites contributed by altered microbiota were found to be correlated to microbial translocation and immune activation. Metabolites caused by dysbiosis of gut microbiota and related metabolic function are correlated to immune activation and microbial translocation, suggesting that the effect of microbiota on metabolites is related to intestinal barrier disruption in HIV infection.

In recent years, Tiaoshen acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been employed for treating patients with insomnia, but the clinical efficacy remains to be substantiated. To assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating insomnia using the Tiaoshen method in TCM. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. The research was conducted in Shenzhen. Electronic databases, including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, SinoMed, Weipu, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases, were retrieved up to September 15, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) meeting inclusion criteria were screened. Quality assessment of included articles was performed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Valid data were then extracted and analyzed via meta-analysis using Review Manager 5.3. The study was registered in the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY), 2023100051. A total of 13 articles were included, comprising 849 patients with insomnia (diagnosed as chronic insomnia or primary insomnia). Meta-analysis results indicated that acupuncture with the Tiaoshen method could decrease the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score [RR=-3.03, 95% CI (-3.73, -2.33), P < .00001], hyperarousal (HAS) scale score [RR=-7.75, 95% CI (-12.29, -3.22), P < .0008], and fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) score [RR=-2.11, 95% CI (-2.83, -1.38), P < .00001] compared with superficial acupuncture on non-effective acupoints or conventional acupuncture manipulation. Additionally, acupuncture with the Tiaoshen method demonstrated safety. However, the funnel plot suggested the presence of publication bias. Acupuncture with the Tiaoshen method could enhance sleep quality and efficiency. Due to the low quality of some literature, further high-quality RCTs are needed to improve the level of evidence.