A valuable plant, Cyclobalanopsis gilva, (C. gilva) has a low germination rate (below 50%) under its natural habitations. In order to examine the reasons for the low germination rate, the seeds of C. gilva (germinated and non-germinated) were evaluated using comparative proteomics analysis. A total of 3078 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified through a label-free method; most DAPs up-accumulated in germinated seeds were related to carbohydrates metabolism. Furthermore the proteins related to the signals, stress, and protein metabolism showed up-accumulation in germinated and no abundance or down-accumulation in non-germinated seeds. Enzyme activity of HK, PGK, PFK, and PK from glycolysis in SG-Control samples were 1.7-, 1.1-, 1.4-, and 1.3-times higher compared with those in control ones while CS, NAD-MDH, α-KGDH, and ICDH from the TCA cycle in SG-Control samples were 3, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.2 times higher than those in NG-Control ones. The β-amylase activity was 4-fold higher in successfully germinated seeds compared to non-germinated seeds. Interestingly, α-amylase did not show significant changes in protein abundance and enzyme activity among the three samples. The present findings reveal that unsuccessful germination of C. gilva seeds is due to lack of energy.Species delimitation has advanced from a purely phenotypic exercise to a branch of science that integrates multiple sources of data to identify independently evolving lineages that can be treated as species. We here test species limits in the avian Lesser Short-toed Lark Alaudala rufesens-Sand Lark A. raytal complex, which has an intricate taxonomic history, ranging from a single to three recognised species, with different inclusiveness in different treatments. Our integrative taxonomic approach is based on a combination of DNA sequences, plumage, biometrics, songs, song-flights, geographical distributions, habitat, and bioclimatic data, and using various methods including a species delimitation program (STACEY) based on the multispecies coalescent model. We propose that four species should be recognised Lesser Short-toed Lark A. rufescens (sensu stricto), Heine’s Short-toed Lark A. heinei, Asian Short-toed Lark A. cheleensis and Sand Lark A. raytal. There is also some evidence suggesting lineage separation within A. cheleensis and A. raytal, but additional data are required to evaluate this. The species delimitation based on STACEY agrees well with the non-genetic data. Although computer-based species delimitation programs can be useful in identifying independently evolving lineages, we stress that whenever possible, species hypotheses proposed by these programs should be tested by independent, non-genetic data. Our results highlight the difficulty and subjectivity of delimiting lineages and species, especially at early stages in the speciation process.Aggressive behavior may have adaptive value under some environmental conditions. However, when it is extreme or improper, it may also lead to maladaptive results, seriously threatening human and social well-being. Aggressive behavior is a multifactorial disease, and the etiology is largely unknown. The stress-related hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a crucial system in the stress response that has emerged as a potential mechanism of aggressive behavior. The NR3C2 gene is an important regulator of the HPA axis it is involved in regulating HPA axis activity and behavioral adaptation to stressors. Moreover, the epigenetic mechanism of DNA methylation has been suggested to mediate the development of aggressive behavior. However, the association between NR3C2 methylation and aggressive behavior has not been studied. In the present study, we assessed NR3C2 methylation (including three regions promoter P1, exon 1α, and the sequence downstream of exon 1α) in peripheral blood DNA of adult males with aggressive behavior (n = 106) and healthy controls (n = 104). We found the NR3C2 gene to be associated with aggressive behavior, with hypermethylation detected in the entire aggressive behavior group as well as in the robbery subgroup compared to controls. In addition, analysis of methylation at 75 CpG sites revealed that some important CpG sites are associated with aggressive behavior. Our results suggest that HPA axis-related gene NR3C2 methylation is associated with aggressive behavior. These results lend support for using NR3C2 DNA methylation as a potential biomarker of aggressive behavior.Cue-induced drug craving and seeking progressively increases during abstinence. This “incubation of drug craving” phenomenon has been observed in both laboratory animals and humans. Pralsetinib concentration Preclinical studies identified several neural mechanisms underlying incubation of drug craving after forced abstinence, primarily focusing on cocaine. Recently, studies started focusing on another powerful psychostimulant, methamphetamine (Meth), and developed new incubation procedures (choice-induced and punishment-induced abstinence). Here, we review mechanistic studies at the circuit, synaptic and molecular levels on incubation of Meth craving. First, we provide an overview of neural adaptations associated with prolonged forced abstinence after extended-access Meth self-administration. Next, we review studies examining the causal roles of discrete brain regions and associated circuits, glutamate transmission, histone deacetylase 5 and oxytocin in incubation of Meth craving after forced abstinence. Lastly, we review causal and correlational studies examining the mechanisms underlying incubation of Meth craving after choice-induced voluntary abstinence and punishment-induced abstinence, respectively. We conclude by discussing the translational potential of these mechanistic studies in Meth relapse prevention in human drug users.Resistance to high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIR) has been observed in mice fed a high-fat diet and may provide a potential approach for anti-obesity drug discovery. However, the metabolic status, gut microbiota composition, and its associations with DIR are still unclear. Here, ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based urinary metabolomic and 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based fecal microbiome analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between metabolic profile, gut microbiota composition, and body weight of C57BL/6J mice on chow or a high-fat diet for 8 weeks. PICRUSt analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences predicted the functional metagenomes of gut bacteria. The results demonstrated that feeding a high-fat diet increased body weight and fasting blood glucose of high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice and altered the host-microbial co-metabolism and gut microbiota composition. In DIR mice, high-fat diet did not increase body weight while fasting blood glucose was increased significantly compared to chow fed mice.