Zhonghua 11 and Taichung 65 exhibit distinct physiological and molecular responses to brassinosteroids despite their close japonica relationship.

A near-isogenic line, d61-zh11, was developed to transfer the classical brassinosteroid (BR)-insensitive mutation into a modern functional genomics background.

d61-zh11 provides a standardized reference mutant for the reproducible and system-level dissection of BR signaling in rice.

The brain continuously produces metabolic waste that must be removed to maintain healthy function. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a central role in this process by carrying away proteins such as amyloid-β, phosphorylated tau, and α-synuclein, which are linked to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders when they accumulate abnormally.

Scientists have long known that much of this waste ultimately leaves the brain through lymphatic vessels and drains into lymph nodes in the neck. Yet one fundamental question has remained unanswered: How does cerebrospinal fluid cross the arachnoid membrane, a protective barrier separating the brain from the surrounding lymphatic system?

A research team led by Director KOH Gou Young at the Center for Vascular Research within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), together with collaborators in Korea, Finland, and the United States, has now identified the missing anatomical gateway. The researchers discovered microscopic openings in the arachnoid membrane, which they named “arachnoid fenestrations”, that allow cerebrospinal fluid to pass directly into meningeal lymphatic vessels. The findings reveal the most detailed pathway yet for brain waste clearance and identify a drainage route that progressively deteriorates during aging but can be functionally restored in aged mice.

New research from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa used high-resolution modeling that includes small-scale processes to examine projected heat stress on coral reefs over the 21st century. Comparing this heat stress to previous estimates of the rate at which corals may adapt to changing conditions, the authors found that Hawaiian corals have the possibility of adapting to future heat stress, even under a high emissions scenario.

Women who experience pregnancy complications face an increased risk of developing peripheral artery disease later in life, according to a new UTHealth Houston study.

The study of nearly 45,000 first-time mothers found that repeated exposure to combinations of common air pollutants in early pregnancy was associated with nearly three-times greater odds of early preterm birth. Levels that the EPA's AQI would classify as "safe" may still pose health risks when experienced together. The most critical pregnancy window was weeks 9-14 of pregnancy, particularly around week 11, when the placenta and fetal blood supply are developing.

New work from a UVA Engineering researcher could help physicians enlist the aid of our own specialized human cells to fight off or diagnose diseases such as cancer.