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The ultraviolet (UV) radiation triggers a pigmentation response in human skin, wherein, melanocytes rapidly activate divergent maturation and proliferation programs. Using single-cell sequencing, we demonstrate that these 2 programs are segregated in distinct subpopulations in melanocytes of human and zebrafish skin. The coexistence of these 2 cell states in cultured melanocytes suggests possible cell autonomy. Luria–Delbrück fluctuation test reveals that the initial establishment of these states is stochastic. Tracking of pigmenting cells ascertains that the stochastically acquired state is faithfully propagated in the progeny. A systemic approach combining single-cell multi-omics (RNA+ATAC) coupled to enhancer mapping with H3K27 acetylation successfully identified state-specific transcriptional networks. This comprehensive analysis led to the construction of a gene regulatory network (GRN) that under the influence of noise, establishes a bistable system of pigmentation and proliferation at the population level. This GRN recapitulates melanocyte behaviour in response to external cues that reinforce either of the states. Our work highlights that inherent stochasticity within melanocytes establishes dedicated states, and the mature state is sustained by selective enhancers mark through histone acetylation. While the initial cue triggers a proliferation response, the continued signal activates and maintains the pigmenting subpopulation via epigenetic imprinting. Thereby our study provides the basis of coexistence of distinct populations which ensures effective pigmentation response while preserving the self-renewal capacity. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation triggers a pigmentation response in human skin, wherein melanocytes rapidly activate divergent maturation and proliferation programs. Here, the authors identify distinct melanocyte sub-populations with maturation and proliferation programs initiated by stochastic gene expression in response to external pigmentation cues such as UV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) are highly comorbid but under-treated and associated with poorer outcomes. This paper reports a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of single-session, clinician-delivered screening and brief intervention (SBI) for reducing cannabis risk. The primary outcome was the cannabis-specific Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) scores, measured at three-month post-intervention. The secondary objectives were to determine the efficacy of SBI in reducing the frequency of cannabis use, in risk transition from moderate to low risk, and in prescription and non-prescription opioid use. One hundred forty-three participants were randomly allocated to receive either SBI (n = 72) or control (n = 71) interventions. We performed Per-protocol (PP) (n = 125) and Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (n = 143). We adjusted our analysis for age, sex, and baseline ASSIST score. The ITT showed that the SBI group had a significant reduction (F = 39.46, p <.001, Effect size 0.22) in the mean ASSIST at follow-up. PP analyses too revealed a similar positive effect of SBI (F = 53.1; p <.001, Effect size 0.31). At follow-up, the SBI group had a higher number of days of cannabis abstinence. Care providers and policymakers may consider SBI for cannabis use in individuals on medications for OUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a 2024 Indian study which identified a Fibulin 7 peptide and its possible therapy for inflammation in sepsis. Topics covered include the procedures of the study on the peptide's mechanism of action, and trials with mice which showed that peptide-treated mice had lower immune cell count in blood, and more viable innate cell populations in their bone marrow. Also noted is the need to further study the peptide's application as therapy for sepsis in humans.

The article discusses a 2024 Indian study on the consumption of edible and nutritious snail meat with findings that one bivalve and three gastropod species of snails had high amounts of polyunsaturated acids with possible low cholesterol meat.

The article discusses the expansion of aquaculture in India as of 2024. Topics covered include the profile of aquaculture production and the cultivation of exotic and native tiger shrimps, and the factors of high profitability and freedom from climatic vagaries and irrigation water scarcity in the shift from agriculture to aquaculture. Also noted are the environmental concern of irreversible conversion of agricultural land and the promotion of rainwater harvesting to rejuvenate agriculture.

Background and Aims: Multiple substance use is a common but underrecognized problem in patients on opioid agonist treatment (OAT). Co-occurring substance misuse is associated with poor clinical and psychosocial outcomes. We aimed (a) to determine the effect of screening and brief intervention (SBI) for substance misuse in people on OAT and (b) to qualitatively summarize the implementation of SBI. Methods: We performed a systematic review of clinical trials on the efficacy of SBI for alcohol and drug misuse in participants on OAT. We searched 5 electronic databases and included published studies and unpublished trials. We measured the standardized mean difference in substance risk scores before and after intervention. We also estimated the standardized mean difference in alcohol consumption per day before and after intervention. Results: We included a total of 8 studies; 5 of these were included in the meta-analysis, and all were reviewed for narrative synthesis. We observed a significant change in the pre-post brief intervention substance risk scores with a medium effect size (Hedges g = 0.752, 95% confidence interval, 0.405–1.099). Sensitivity analyses with different pretest-posttest correlations did not change our result. Modest effects of SBI were found in reducing both alcohol and illicit drug risk scores, and among the population on methadone and buprenorphine treatment. We also observed a significant decrease in alcohol consumption per day 3 months after SBI. Studies showed a limited and incomplete screening for substance misuse and delivery of brief intervention in OAT settings. Conclusions: Screening and brief intervention may be a potential treatment for co-occurring substance misuse among patients on OAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance thin-layer chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPTLC-MS) is one of the most modern hyphenated analytical methods available today. HPTLC-MS has recently been used to perform extensive analytical work using advanced features and still more analyses are in progress using these advanced features. Herbal medicines contain a wide range of bioactives that require proper identification for the activity and quality control. Recently, herbal medicine identification and quality control have become increasingly popular using high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief overview of recent method developments in analysis, 15 most significant herbal drug applications with their chromatographic conditions, pharmacological actions, and solvents used in the present paper. An extensive literature search was performed incorporating several databases, notably, Web of Knowledge, PubMed and Google Scholar, and other relevant published materials. In previous research, HPTLC and its hyphenation with MS allowed for quantification of analytes in complex matrixes at nanogram and picogram concentrations. Quantifying a wide variety of analytes using these techniques has been extremely accurate, selective, and sensitive. Throughout this review, the HPTLC-MS technique is discussed in relation to the quality control of herbal drugs. Hence, 15 herbal drugs were identified based on their RF values and m/z ratio by mass spectrometry by HPTLC-MS for the first time. In this compilation, researchers can gain insights into HPTLC-MS techniques for resolving quality control issues with herbal drugs using their fingerprint spectra. Besides, the application of HPTLC-MS methods could to be sufficiently precise and reproducible for established conditions and after validation may be used for routine quality control of herbal drugs/formulations in herbal industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]