Healthcare doi: 10.3390/healthcare13020197

Authors: Florin Țovîrnac Alina Mihaela Călin Eva Maria Elkan Nicoleta Andreea Țovîrnac Valentin Marian Antohi Alexandru Nechifor

Background/Objectives: This research investigates the impact of exogenous and endogenous factors on fetal health in pregnant women under the age of 18, with a special focus on the influence of educational level, adherence to vices (smoking and alcohol), comorbidities (diabetes and hypertension), and poor sanitary conditions. Methods: The study uses retrospective data collected from a medical institution in the Southeast region of Romania, including a sample of 3639 births during the post-pandemic period (2022–2023). This period was considered to be a reference period for the study because, as a result of measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 disease in the pandemic, there was an increase in the birth rate among patients under 18 years of age. The APGAR clinical score was evaluated at 5, 10, and 20 min after birth and measured on an inverted scale to reflect the increased risk to fetal health. Results: The results indicate that lack of education is a significant exogenous factor associated with an increased risk of preterm births and a lower APGAR score. Additionally, adherence to vices is more pronounced among pregnant women with low educational levels and smoking and alcohol consumption negatively impact fetal health. Regarding comorbidities, diabetes did not significantly affect the short-term APGAR score, while hypertension had a complex effect, though medical interventions mitigated the associated risks. Conclusions: The conclusions of the research emphasize the need for appropriate educational and medical interventions to reduce the risks associated with preterm births and newborn health in adolescent pregnancies, especially in disadvantaged environments. The study suggests future research directions to expand the analysis to other geographical regions and for long-term monitoring of newborn health.

Coatings doi: 10.3390/coatings15010110

Authors: Junwoo Lee Keliang Wang Carson Malhado Qi Hua Fan

Fluorocarbon thin films are widely used in protective coatings due to their distinctive physical and chemical properties. However, their inherent lubricating nature often results in low scratch resistance and poor adhesion to substrates. In this study, a beam plasma source was employed to deposit fluorocarbon thin films, resulting in enhanced adhesion and scratch resistance while preserving optical transmittance and hydrophobicity. The beam plasma source can generate high-density plasma, resulting in the effective dissociation of the C4F8 source gas, as evidenced by the large ion current and high film deposition rates. A unique feature of this beam plasma source is that it can simultaneously emit a single broad beam of ions with independently controllable ion energy and flux to interact with the film. The fluorocarbon films exhibit high hydrophobicity with a contact angle of about 105°, a high optical transmittance of 85–90% in the visible wavelength range, and exceptional scratch resistance and durability.

Land doi: 10.3390/land14010200

Authors: Ruolan Jiang Xingyin Duan Song Liao Ziyi Tang Hao Li

Rapeseed mapping is crucial for refined agricultural management and food security. However, existing remote sensing-based methods for rapeseed mapping in Southwest China are severely limited by insufficient training samples and persistent cloud cover. To address the above challenges, this study presents an automatic rapeseed mapping framework that integrates multi-source remote sensing data fusion, automated sample generation, and deep learning models. The framework was applied in Santai County, Sichuan Province, Southwest China, which has typical topographical and climatic characteristics. First, MODIS and Landsat data were used to fill the gaps in Sentinel-2 imagery, creating time-series images through the object-level processing version of the spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (OL-STARFM). In addition, a novel spectral phenology approach was developed to automatically generate training samples, which were then input into the improved TS-ConvNeXt ECAPA-TDNN (NeXt-TDNN) deep learning model for accurate rapeseed mapping. The results demonstrated that the OL-STARFM approach was effective in rapeseed mapping. The proposed automated sample generation method proved effective in producing reliable rapeseed samples, achieving a low Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance (<0.81) when compared to field samples. The NeXt-TDNN model showed an overall accuracy (OA) of 90.12% and a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 81.96% in Santai County, outperforming other models such as random forest, XGBoost, and UNet-LSTM. These results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed automatic rapeseed mapping framework in accurately identifying rapeseed. This framework offers a valuable reference for monitoring other crops in similar environments.

Minerals doi: 10.3390/min15010092

Authors: Özgül Uyanık Sönmez Abidin Temel Muazzez Çelik Karakaya Güllü Deniz Dogan-Kulahci

The Yahşihan/Kırıkkale sedimentary basin, located in Central Anatolia within the İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone, mostly consists of Upper Cretaceous to Lower Pliocene sediments developed on the Ankara Melange, which is linked to the Northern Neo-Tethys Ocean. Although the stratigraphic, sedimentological, and tectono-stratigraphic characteristics of the basin have been investigated by many researchers, its mineralogical and geochemical characteristics have not been studied extensively. In this study, the provenance, paleoclimatological properties, and tectonic structure of the sedimentary rocks were interpreted using detailed mineralogical and geochemical analysis data. Formations such as the Karadağ (Cenomanian-Campanian) Çiçekdağ (Santonian-Campanian), Samanlık (Maastrichtian), Dizilitaşlar (Paleocene-Early Eocene) Çayraz (Middle Eocene), İncik (Upper Eocene-Lower Miocene), Central Anatolia Group (Middle Miocene-Pliocene), and Quaternary alluvium were deposited in the basin. X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and geochemical analyses were employed to determine the mineralogical and chemical composition of the units. Although highly oxic paleo-environmental conditions predominated in the basin, anoxic and suboxic conditions could also be present in the Dizilitaşlar and İncik formations. The units are primarily felsic with some mafic contributions, suggesting an oceanic island arc environment with varying paleoenvironmental conditions, reflecting seasonal changes between humid and arid periods.

Animals doi: 10.3390/ani15020274

Authors: Jiali Chen Jiyuan Wang Lei Liu Fuchang Li

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of dietary iron (Fe) levels on the production performance, nutrient digestibility, blood biochemistry, and meat and fur quality of growing Rex rabbits. Two hundred 3-month-old Rex rabbits were randomly allocated to five groups, each with forty replicates. Rabbits were fed a basal diet supplemented with varying levels of Fe (0, 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg) in the form of ferrous sulfate monohydrate. The analyzed Fe concentrations in the diets were 8.2, 25.4, 49.1, 85.6, and 178.7 mg/kg, respectively. Over a 35-day trial period, rabbits supplemented with 40 mg/kg Fe showed a markedly increased average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and fur area compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The addition of 20 and 40 mg/kg Fe markedly improved the digestibility of crude protein and nitrogen (p < 0.05). Additionally, 80 mg/kg Fe supplementation significantly increased the redness of the longissimus dorsi muscle 30 min postmortem (p < 0.05). Dietary Fe addition also significantly elevated serum concentrations of Fe and copper (p < 0.05) while decreasing the total Fe-binding capacity (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary Fe supplementation boosted growth performance, protein and nitrogen digestibility, Fe stores, and meat and fur quality in Rex rabbits. Specifically, 40 mg/kg Fe (diet Fe content of 49.1 mg/kg) improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and fur quality, while 80 mg/kg Fe (diet Fe content at 85.6 mg/kg) was optimal for enhancing meat quality.

Forests doi: 10.3390/f16010186

Authors: Yicong Qi Yin Zhang Shuqi Tang Zhen Zeng

With the increasing demand for wood in the wood market and the frequent trade of high-value wood, the accurate identification of wood varieties has become essential. This study employs two hyperspectral imaging systems—visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (VNIR) and short-wave infrared spectroscopy (SWIR)—in combination with a deep learning model to propose a method for wood species identification. Spectral data from wood samples were obtained through hyperspectral imaging technology, and classification was performed using a combination of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Transformer models. Multiple spectral preprocessing and feature extraction techniques were applied to enhance data quality and model performance. The experimental results show that the full-band modeling is significantly better than the feature-band modeling in terms of classification accuracy and robustness. Among them, the classification accuracy of SWIR reaches 100%, the number of model parameters is 1,286,228, the total size of the model is 4.93 MB, and the Floating Point Operations (FLOPs) is 1.29 M. Additionally, the Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) technique was utilized for model interpretability, revealing key spectral bands and feature regions that the model emphasizes during classification. Compared with other models, CNN-Transformer is more effective in capturing the key features. This method provides an efficient and reliable tool for the wood industry, particularly in wood processing and trade, offering broad application potential and significant economic benefits.

Land doi: 10.3390/land14010198

Authors: Xiangzhao Yan Wei Yang Zaohong Pu Qilong Zhang Yutong Chen Jiaqi Chen Weiqi Xiang Hongyu Chen Yuyang Cheng Yanwei Zhao

In semi-arid basins, riparian vegetation is an important part of the river ecosystem. However, with the decrease in river runoff caused by human activities and the continuous changes in climate, riparian vegetation has gradually degraded. To identify the main influencing factors of riparian vegetation changes, we extracted the river flow indicators, climate indicators, and riparian vegetation indicators of a Xiliao River typical section from 1985 to 2020 in spring and summer, and established a random forest model to screen the key driving factors of riparian vegetation. Then, we simulated the response characteristics of riparian vegetation to the key driving factors in spring and summer based on nonlinear equations. The results showed that the contribution of river flow factors to riparian vegetation was higher than that of climate factors. In spring, the key driving factors of riparian vegetation were the average flow in May and the average flow from March to May; in summer, the key driving factors were the average flow in May, the maximum 90-day average flow, and the average flow from March to August. Among them, the average flow in May contributed more than 50% to the indicators of riparian vegetation in both spring and summer. The final conclusion is that in the optimal growth range of plants, increasing the base flow and pulse flow of rivers will promote seed germination and plant growth, but when the river flow exceeds this threshold, vegetation growth will stagnate. The research results improve the existing knowledge of the influencing factors of riparian vegetation in semi-arid basins, and provide a reference for improving the natural growth of riparian vegetation and guiding the ecological protection and restoration of rivers in semi-arid areas.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms26020829

Authors: Ilia Komoltsev Olga Kostyunina Pavel Kostrukov Daria Bashkatova Daria Shalneva Stepan Frankevich Olga Salyp Natalia Shirobokova Aleksandra Volkova Aleksandra Soloveva Margarita Novikova Natalia Gulyaeva

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the primary causes of mortality and disability, with arterial blood pressure being an important factor in the clinical management of TBI. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), widely used as a model of essential hypertension and vascular dementia, demonstrate dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, which may contribute to glucocorticoid-mediated hippocampal damage. The aim of this study was to assess acute post-TBI seizures, delayed mortality, and hippocampal pathology in SHRs and normotensive Sprague Dawley rats (SDRs). Male adult SDRs and SHRs were subjected to lateral fluid-percussion injury. Immediate seizures were video recorded, corticosterone (CS) was measured in blood plasma throughout the study, and hippocampal morphology assessed 3 months post-TBI. Acute and remote survival rates were significantly higher in the SHRs compared to the SDRs (overall mortality 0% and 58%, respectively). Immediate seizure duration predicted acute but not remote mortality. TBI did not affect blood CS in the SHRs, while the CS level was transiently elevated in the SDRs, predicting remote mortality. Neuronal cell loss in the polymorph layer of ipsilateral dentate gyrus was found in both the SDRs and SHRs, while thinning of hippocampal pyramidal and granular cell layers were strain- and area-specific. No remote effects of TBI on the density of astrocytes or microglia were revealed. SHRs possess a unique resilience to TBI as compared with normotensive SDRs. SHRs show shorter immediate seizures and reduced CS response to the injury, suggesting the development of long-term adaptative mechanisms associated with chronic hypertension. Though remote post-traumatic hippocampal damage in ipsilateral dentate gyrus is obvious in both SHRs and SDRs, the data imply that physiological adaptations to high blood pressure in SHRs may be protective, preventing TBI-induced mortality but not hippocampal neurodegeneration. Understanding the mechanisms of resilience to TBI may also help improve clinical recommendations for patients with hypertension. Limitation: since more than a half of the SDRs with prolonged immediate seizures or elevated CS 3 days after TBI have died, survivorship bias might hamper correct interpretation of the data.

Journal of Clinical Medicine doi: 10.3390/jcm14020636

Authors: Andrei Urîtu Ciprian Roi Alexandra Roi Alexandru Cătălin Motofelea Ioana Badea Doina Chioran Mircea Riviș

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the most accurate and consistent landmarks for determining the precise location of the mandibular foramen (MF) and the mandibular ramus, suggesting appropriate adjustments to anesthesia techniques based on these variations in order to improve the success rate of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block. Methods: CT scans of the mandibles from 100 patients were analyzed to measure the distance between the MF and various landmarks, including the sigmoid notch, gonion, posterior and anterior margins of the ramus, temporal crest, and the mandibular ramus height from the condyle to the gonion. The width of the mandibular ramus was also assessed, with correlations made to age and gender. Results: The MF was found to be closer to the sigmoid notch (mean = 21.2 mm), p = 0.393, than to the gonion (mean = 22.6 mm), p = 0.801, and closer to the posterior margin of the ramus (mean = 13.1 mm), p = 0.753, than to the anterior margin of the ramus. Additionally, the MF was closer to the temporal crest. Age also influenced the position of the MF, with a posterior and superior movement of the foramen, reducing the distance between the MF and the posterior margin of the ramus as well as the MF and the sigmoid notch (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A precise understanding of the MF’s location will help dentists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons improve the success of the IAN block, avoid injury to the inferior alveola neurovascular bundle, and minimize surgical complications such as paresthesia, permanent anesthesia, and hemorrhage.

Journal of Clinical Medicine doi: 10.3390/jcm14020637

Authors: Guglielmo Imbriaco Giacomo Sebastiano Canova Lorenzo Righi Sara Tararan Giorgia Di Mario Nicola Ramacciati

Background/Objectives: Dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) is widely recognized as a critical intervention that significantly reduces no-flow time, improving survival rates in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs). This study evaluates current practices and the organization of DA-CPR in Italian emergency medical communication centers (EMCCs) and identifies areas for improvement. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and May 2024 among all Italian EMCCs, achieving a 92.6% response rate (62 out of 67) and covering 95.5% of the population. Data were collected on the availability of DA-CPR, additional medical instructions provided, standardized protocols, integration into dispatch software, availability of video call systems, and follow-up programs. Results: All responding EMCCs provide DA-CPR, with 79.1% (n = 49) initiating these protocols more than five years ago. In adult cardiac arrest, 74.2% (n = 46) provide instructions for chest compressions only. Standardized protocols are used in 69.4% (n = 43) of EMCCs, and 53.2% (n = 33) have these protocols integrated into their dispatch software. Additionally, 93.5% (n = 58) provide dispatcher-assisted instructions for other medical conditions, including pediatric CPR (90.3%, n = 56), neonatal CPR (90.3%, n = 56), foreign body airway obstruction (85.5%, n = 53), labor (56.5%, n = 35), and massive bleeding (41.9%, n = 26). A training path for DA-CPR is available in 48 EMCCs (77.4%), and in most cases, it is included in the basic dispatcher course (56.5%, n = 36), with 50% conducting periodic retraining. Moreover, 33.9% (n = 21) utilize video call systems to support dispatcher-assisted instructions. Data on DA-CPR are collected by 46.8% of EMCCs (n = 29), primarily on relevant cases, but only 25.8% (n = 16) have a follow-up path for patients. Conclusions: This study highlights a widespread implementation of DA-CPR across Italian EMCCs. However, regional disparities, mainly in protocols and technological support, indicate areas requiring urgent attention. Enhancing training programs and standardizing protocols could improve DA-CPR effectiveness and patient outcomes, thus guaranteeing equitable care nationwide. Future initiatives should focus on integrating support tools like video calls, expanding retraining programs, and establishing follow-up and debriefing paths.

Axioms doi: 10.3390/axioms14010070

Authors: Min Hou Yue Wu

In this paper, we introduce a quantum private comparison (QPC) protocol designed for two players to securely and privately assess the equality of their private information. The protocol utilizes four-particle cluster states prepared by a semi-honest third party (TP), who strictly adheres to the protocol without deviation or collusion with any participant. The TP facilitates the private comparison by enabling users to encode their information through bit-flip or phase-shift operators applied to the received quantum sequences. Once the information is encoded, the sequences are returned to the TP, who can derive the comparison results without accessing any details of the private information. This design ensures correctness, privacy, and fairness throughout the process. The QPC protocol is robust against both external threats and participant attacks due to the incorporation of the decoy-state method and quantum key distribution techniques. Additionally, the protocol employs unitary operations and Bell-basis measurements, enhancing its technical feasibility for practical implementation. Notably, the proposed protocol achieves a qubit efficiency of up to 50%. This efficiency, combined with its strong security features, establishes the QPC protocol as a promising solution for private information comparisons within the realm of quantum cryptography.

Healthcare doi: 10.3390/healthcare13020195

Authors: Costanza Raimondi Claudia Casella Emanuele Capasso Laura L. Campanozzi Giulia Mercuri Antonio Oliva Antonio G. Spagnolo Pietro Refolo

Background: On 20 March 2024, the Italian Minister of Health, in collaboration with the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità) and the National Health Council (Consiglio Superiore di Sanità), issued updated guidelines for assisted reproduction technologies (ART). They introduced two key changes: (1) permitting post-mortem embryo transfers, allowing a woman to proceed with the procedure after her male partner’s death, and (2) permitting embryo transfer even if the male partner is alive but the relationship has ended. Objectives: This study explores the ethical and medico-legal challenges posed by the updated Italian ART Guidelines, with a specific focus on the complexities of informed consent and the ethical dilemmas introduced by these provisions. Methods: This study employs a comprehensive review of legislation, case law, and a comparative analysis of national and international norms. Primary and secondary sources include laws, regulations, court decisions, and key ethical and medico-legal perspectives. Results were organized into two thematic areas: the medico-legal dimension, focusing on informed consent, and the ethical dimension, addressing post-mortem and ex-partner embryo transfers. Results: The new guidelines exacerbate the already intricate ART landscape in Italy. Post-mortem and post-relationship embryo transfers raise significant ethical concerns and amplify legal uncertainties. Conclusions: These updates highlight the pressing need for legislative reform to address unresolved ethical and legal issues in ART.

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17020769

Authors: Maria Isabella Sifola Linda Carrino Eugenio Cozzolino Mario Palladino Mariarosaria Sicignano Daniele Todisco Luisa del Piano

A field experiment was conducted in 2018 at Marciano della Chiana (Arezzo, AR, Central Italy) with the main aim of investigating the effect of soil amendment with organic fraction municipal solid waste (OFMSW) compost and legume green manuring (Vicia villosa Roth, cv. villana) on a tobacco crop (dark fire-cured Kentucky type, cv. Foiano) grown under both full (100% of ETc) and deficit (70% of crop evapotranspiration, ETc) irrigation. The treatments are hereafter reported as GM (vetch green manuring) and NGM (no vetch green manuring), FI (full irrigation) and DI (deficit irrigation), and C (compost soil amendment) and NC (no compost soil amendment). The following parameters were calculated: (i) yield of the cured product (CLY, Mg ha−1) at a standard moisture content of 19%; (ii) irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE, kg of cured product m−3 seasonal irrigation volume), nitrogen (N) agronomic efficiency (NAE, kg of cured product kg−1 mineral N by synthetic fertilizers). Dry biomass accumulated in the stem and leaves (Mg ha−1) was also measured at 25, 57, 74, and 92 days after transplanting (DAT). The N recovery from the different plant parts (kg ha−1) was determined at 57 and 74 DAT. The C/N ratio, NO3-N (kg ha−1), the soil organic matter (SOM, %), and the soil contents of P2O5 and K2O (mg kg−1) were also analytically determined at 43, 74, and 116 DAT. Water retention measurements were carried out on soil samples at 116 DAT at 0–0.3 and 0.3–0.6 soil depths. Overall, there was a negative effect of both compost amendment and green manuring on yield. Green manuring and compost soil amendment improved soil chemical characteristics (i.e., SOM and C/N), as well as the plant N recovery, the IWUE, and the NAE. They increased the water retention capacity of the soil when the tobacco crop was deficit-irrigated and appeared to be promising practices to support the deficit irrigation strategy, contributing to reaching good agronomic results, although under the conditions of water shortage, and showing synergistic action in those conditions.

Buildings doi: 10.3390/buildings15020289

Authors: Tianyang Liu Li Ma Hongwei Fu

In this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) era, resilient and sustainable construction methods, such as prefabricated construction, are essential for addressing the planet’s sustainability challenges. However, disruptions in the prefabricated construction supply chain (PCSC) frequently arise, seriously impeding the performance of prefabricated building projects. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors influencing the prefabricated construction supply chain (RPCSC) and analyze their intrinsic interconnections. Initially, an exhaustive literature review was conducted to identify the primary factors affecting the RPCSC. Subsequently, the Delphi technique was applied to validate and refine the list of factors, resulting in the identification of 11 key concepts. Finally, the impact of these concepts on the RPCSC, along with their interactions, was assessed using the fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) approach. The results indicate that these factors can be ranked by their degree of effect on the RPCSC: information exchange/sharing, research and development, the performance of prefabricated components, decision alignment, the construction of prefabricated buildings, relationship quality among members, professional management personnel/labor quality, supply–demand consistency, cost/profit sharing, policies and regulations, and transport risk. Furthermore, this study elucidates both the individual and synergistic effects of these factors on the RPCSC by constructing a pathway map.

Energies doi: 10.3390/en18020430

Authors: Agnieszka A. Tubis Honorata Poturaj

(1) Background: Digital transformation is critical in further developing the energy supply chain. The attainment of successive levels of digital maturity by chain participants translates into numerous benefits related to the efficiency, cost, and effectiveness of the energy flows implemented. However, the increasing degree of digitalisation and automation generates an increased risk of cyberattacks and other challenges related to the operation of the smart grid. This paper presents the results of a literature review describing the phenomenon of digital transformation in the energy supply chain. (2) Methods: The literature review was performed using two review methods. First, a systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA method. However, due to unsatisfactory results, this review was supplemented by a search supporting a narrative review. (3) Results: Analysing the identified publications made it possible to distinguish nine leading research trends related to digital transformation in the energy supply chain. These trends were characterised based on the described research results, and all articles were classified into the corresponding categories. (4) Conclusions: The presented results provide interesting material for further research related to building resilience in the energy supply chain and selected Industry 4.0 tools for assessing and managing risks associated with the operation of the energy sector.

Macromol doi: 10.3390/macromol5010004

Authors: Patricia O. Schmitt Débora da S. Rodrigues Matheus de P. Goularte Silvia H. F. da Silva Marcilio M. Morais Darci A. Gatto Cláudia F. Lemons e Silva Camila M. Cholant André L. Missio

Arundo donax L. is a plant with great potential as lignocellulosic biomass, being a promising source for the development of biodegradable materials. This study evaluated the effects of different chemical pretreatments (H2SO4, NaOH, and NaClO) combined with dry milling on the physicochemical properties of biomass. Pretreatment with NaClO was the most effective in removing lignin, reducing its content to 0.2%, while increasing the cellulose content to 67%. Pretreatment with H2SO4, although retaining a higher lignin content (24%), resulted in the greatest reduction in particle size, reaching a mean diameter (Dm) of 44.31 µm after 20 h of milling. Density analysis revealed that the raw samples reached a maximum density of 0.218 g/cm3 after 20 h of milling, with the pretreated samples showing lower densities due to the removal of structural components. Thermal analysis showed mass losses of up to 66.4% for samples pretreated with NaClO after 10 h of milling, indicating significant structural changes and improved thermal stability. Morphological analysis via SEM demonstrated elongated and fine particles, with acid pretreatment resulting in the most pronounced structural changes. These findings highlight the efficiency of combining chemical and physical pretreatments to modify the structure of A. donax L., optimizing its properties for the production of high-performance biodegradable materials.

Environments doi: 10.3390/environments12010030

Authors: Maria Luigia Vommaro Michela Guadagnolo Martina Lento Anita Giglio

Abstract: Herbicides are synthetic chemicals that are extensively employed in agricultural practices with the objective of enhancing crop yield and quality. Despite their selectivity for plant systems and being generally regarded as non-toxic to animals, there is a paucity of understanding surrounding the sublethal effects on non-target organisms, including animals. This gap underscores the necessity for ecotoxicological research that prioritizes the identification of suitable models and develops reliable biomarkers for the early assessment of environmental impact. In this context, hemocytes—circulating immune cells found in invertebrates—have been identified as a crucial system for assessing sublethal toxicological effects, given their role in immune defense and overall organism health. Tenebrio molitor, a beetle pest of stored grain, was used as a model for the assessment of the effects of a metribuzin-based herbicide (MTB, Feinzin DF 70, 70% metribuzin, 0.25 kg ha−1). Following a 96 h exposure to MTB, the males (7–10 days post-eclosion) were examined for multiple biomarkers in their hemocytes, including cell density, phagocytic activity, lysosomal membrane stability, and cytological changes. Although no mortality was observed, exposure to MTB resulted in a reduction in the phagocytic index and an increase in blast-like cells, indicating the potential for immunotoxicity. Lysosomal membrane stability was reduced, though no significant changes in hemocyte density or nuclear morphology were observed. These responses indicate potential immune system impairment, which could affect the beetle’s fitness and reproductive potential. This study highlights the potential of hemocytes for assessing sublethal herbicide effects, raising concerns about the ecological impact of herbicides in agroecosystems and their potential risks to both wildlife and human health.

Diagnostics doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15020222

Authors: Tran Truong Tran Vo Nguyen Dao

Objective: The purpose of this research was to assess the factors linked to early left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in hypertensive patients who have preserved ejection fraction (EF ≥ 50%) using speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 579 outpatients recruited from City International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City using a total sampling approach, where echocardiographic measurements and clinical data were gathered and analyzed. Results: The prevalence of LV diastolic dysfunction among hypertensive individuals was found to be 45.25%, with 9.15% showing abnormal global longitudinal strain (GLS). Factors such as being over the age of 60, having diabetes, concentric LV hypertrophy, concentric LV remodeling, and LV diastolic dysfunction were identified as correlating with abnormal GLS (p < 0.05). In contrast, other cardiovascular risk factors, including smoking and dyslipidemia, did not significantly influence the GLS index (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Key factors including diabetes, diastolic dysfunction, concentric hypertrophy, and concentric remodeling of the LV are significant predictors of abnormal GLS. These results are important for the management of hypertensive patients aimed at enhancing cardiac function.

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers17020315

Authors: Santiago Cepeda Olga Esteban-Sinovas Vikas Singh Prakash Shetty Aliasgar Moiyadi Luke Dixon Alistair Weld Giulio Anichini Stamatia Giannarou Sophie Camp Ilyess Zemmoura Giuseppe Roberto Giammalva Massimiliano Del Bene Arianna Barbotti Francesco DiMeco Timothy Richard West Brian Vala Nahed Roberto Romero Ignacio Arrese Roberto Hornero Rosario Sarabia

Abstract: Background: Intraoperative ultrasound (ioUS) provides real-time imaging during neurosurgical procedures, with advantages such as portability and cost-effectiveness. Accurate tumor segmentation has the potential to substantially enhance the interpretability of ioUS images; however, its implementation is limited by persistent challenges, including noise, artifacts, and anatomical variability. This study aims to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for glioma segmentation in ioUS images via a multicenter dataset. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from the BraTioUS and ReMIND datasets, including histologically confirmed gliomas with high-quality B-mode images. For each patient, the tumor was manually segmented on the 2D slice with its largest diameter. A CNN was trained using the nnU-Net framework. The dataset was stratified by center and divided into training (70%) and testing (30%) subsets, with external validation performed on two independent cohorts: the RESECT-SEG database and the Imperial College NHS Trust London cohort. Performance was evaluated using metrics such as the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), average symmetric surface distance (ASSD), and 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95). Results: The training cohort consisted of 197 subjects, 56 of whom were in the hold-out testing set and 53 in the external validation cohort. In the hold-out testing set, the model achieved a median DSC of 0.90, ASSD of 8.51, and HD95 of 29.08. On external validation, the model achieved a DSC of 0.65, ASSD of 14.14, and HD95 of 44.02 on the RESECT-SEG database and a DSC of 0.93, ASSD of 8.58, and HD95 of 28.81 on the Imperial-NHS cohort. Conclusions: This study supports the feasibility of CNN-based glioma segmentation in ioUS across multiple centers. Future work should enhance segmentation detail and explore real-time clinical implementation, potentially expanding ioUS’s role in neurosurgical resection.

Pharmaceutics doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics17010136

Authors: Shery Jacob Fathima Sheik Kather Sai H. S. Boddu Mahesh Attimarad Anroop B. Nair

Nanosuspensions (NS), with their submicron particle sizes and unique physicochemical properties, provide a versatile solution for enhancing the administration of medications that are not highly soluble in water or lipids. This review highlights recent advancements, future prospects, and challenges in NS-based drug delivery, particularly for oral, ocular, transdermal, pulmonary, and parenteral routes. The conversion of oral NS into powders, pellets, granules, tablets, and capsules, and their incorporation into film dosage forms to address stability concerns is thoroughly reviewed. This article summarizes key stabilizers, polymers, surfactants, and excipients used in NS formulations, along with ongoing clinical trials and recent patents. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of various methods for NS preparation is provided. This article also explores various in vitro and in vivo characterization techniques, as well as scale-down technologies and bottom-up methods for NS preparation. Selected examples of commercial NS drug products are discussed. Rapid advances in the field of NS could resolve issues related to permeability-limited absorption and hepatic first-pass metabolism, offering promise for medications based on proteins and peptides. The evolution of novel stabilizers is essential to overcome the current limitations in NS formulations, enhancing their stability, bioavailability, targeting ability, and safety profile, which ultimately accelerates their clinical application and commercialization.

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15020964

Authors: Miki Vizel Roger Alimi Daniel Lahav Moty Schultz Asaf Grosz Lior Klein

We use an array of nine elliptical Planar Hall Effect (PHE) sensors and machine learning algorithms to map the magnetic signal generated by a magnetic source. Based on the obtained mapping, the location and nature of the magnetic source can be determined. The sensors are positioned at the vertices of a symmetrical and evenly spaced 3 × 3 grid. The main electronic card orchestrates their measurement by supplying the required driving current and amplifying and sampling their output in a synchronized manner. A two-dimensional interpolation of the data collected from the nine sensors fails to yield a satisfactory mapping. To address this, we employed the Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm (LMA) as a deterministic optimization method to estimate the magnetic source’s position and parameters, as well as machine earning (ML) algorithms, which consist of a Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN). While LMA provided reasonable results, its reliance on a sparse sensor network and initial guesses for variables limited its accuracy. We show that the mapping is significantly improved if the data are processed with an FCNN that undergoes training and testing. Using simulations, we demonstrate that achieving similar improvement without ML would require increasing the number of sensors to more than 50.

Energies doi: 10.3390/en18020429

Authors: Romeo Danielis Arsalan Muhammad Khan Niazi Mariangela Scorrano Manuela Masutti Asees Muhammad Awan

This paper reviews the existing studies employing total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis to evaluate the comparative economic viability of battery electric trucks (BETs) and diesel trucks (DTs). A key finding is that until recent years, BETs have not been cost-competitive with DTs. Light-duty trucks and medium-duty trucks started to become competitive in 2021 (1) according to some estimates, whereas heavy-duty trucks might remain to be not competitive even in future decades. However, (2) TCO estimates differ across continents. (3) The combing effect of fuel prices and taxes is most likely responsible for the fact that BETs enjoy a stronger competitive position relative to DTs in Europe, Asia, and Oceania, whereas, in North America, most estimates assign them poor competitiveness, both presently and in the coming years. (4) Most studies underline that significant cost disproportions persist in the heavy-duty truck segment due to its demanding operational requirements and a lack of robust high-powered charging infrastructure. Consequently, substantial financial incentives and subsidies will be required for heavy-duty trucks to enhance their economic viability, potentially accelerating cost parity from post-2035 to the near future. This paper identifies several constraints in its TCO analysis, including limited data on residual values, variability in discount rates, depreciation costs, and a lack of longitudinal and market data for BETs.

Horticulturae doi: 10.3390/horticulturae11010105

Authors: Adriana C. Guerreiro Custódia Gago Dário Passos Jaime Martins Sandra Cruz Fernão Veloso Rui Guerra Maria D. Antunes

Kiwiberries, an emerging fruit variety with increasing consumer demand, face significant commercialization challenges due to their short shelf life. This study evaluates the effectiveness of edible alginate-based coatings in extending the shelf life of kiwiberries. Two emulsion types—coarse (Coarse) and nanoemulsions (Nano)—and two application methods—spraying (Spray) and dipping (Dip)—were tested. Additionally, the use of visible/near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy for non-destructive quality monitoring was explored. Coatings were prepared with 2% (w/v) alginate (SAlg) enriched with eugenol (Eg) and citral (Ct) at their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.10% and 0.15%, respectively, as well as at double these concentrations. This resulted in a total of ten different treatments. The fruits were stored at approximately 5 °C, with evaluations conducted after 5 days, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. Quality parameters, including color, firmness, soluble solid content (SSC), dry matter, weight loss, decay, total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoids, DPPH, FRAP, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, were analyzed. Over the storage period, color and SSC increased, while firmness decreased. Weight loss and MDA levels showed the most significant changes, particularly in treatments with higher essential oil concentrations. Notably, treatments such as SAlg Spray, SAlg Dip, SAlg Ct 0.15 + Eg 0.1 Nano Spray, SAlg Ct 0.15 + Eg 0.1 Nano Dip, and SAlg Ct 0.15 + Eg 0.1 Coarse Dip demonstrated superior preservation of kiwiberry quality. Moreover, Vis-NIR spectroscopy proved valuable for distinguishing between coating treatments, highlighting its potential for non-destructive quality assessment.

Journal of Clinical Medicine doi: 10.3390/jcm14020635

Authors: Irene A. Zagol-Ikapitte Mohammad A. Tabatabai Derek M. Wilus Donald J. Alcendor

Background/Objectives: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minorities. Contributing biological factors that explain this disparity have been elusive. Moreover, non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of AD are needed. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoconstrictive factor linked to cerebral vascular disease pathology and neuronal injury, could provide insights to better understand racial disparities in AD. As a potent vasoconstrictive peptide that regulates contractions in smooth muscle, endothelial cells, and pericytes, ET-1 may result in cerebral vascular constriction, leading to cerebral hypoperfusion; over time, this may result in neuronal injury, contributing to the pathology of AD. The role of the ET-1 system as a driver of ethnic disparities in AD requires further investigation. In the United States (U.S.), ET-1 dysregulation in Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) ethnic populations has largely been unexplored. Genetics linking ET-1 dysregulation and racial disparities in AD also require further investigation. In this study, we examined the role of the ET-1 protein in human plasma as a potential biomarker with predictive value for correlating with the development of AD by age, race, and sex. Methods: We examined ET-1 protein levels using quantitative mass spectrometry in AA and NHW patients with AD, along with controls. Results: A partial correlation between age at draw and ET-1, stratified by race and sex, while controlling for AD status, was significant for female AAs (r = 0.385, p = 0.016). When the data were not stratified but controlled for AD status, the partial correlation between age at draw and ET-1 was not significant (r = 0.108, p = 0.259). Conclusions: Based on the small number of plasma specimens and no plasma specimens from H/L individuals with AD, we conclude that ET-1 was clearly not a significant factor in predicting AD in this study and will require a larger scale study for validation.

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15020963

Authors: Dang Li Patrick Cheong-Iao Pang Chi-Kin Lam

Edge detection methods are significant in medical imaging-assisted diagnosis. However, existing methods based on grayscale gradient computation still need to be optimized in practicality, especially in terms of actual visual quality and sensitivity to image contrast. To optimize the visualization and enhance the robustness of contrast changes, we propose the Contrast Invariant Edge Detection (CIED) method. CIED combines Gaussian filtering and morphological processing methods to preprocess medical images. It utilizes the three Most Significant Bit (MSB) planes and binary images to detect and extract significant edge information. Each bit plane is used to detect edges in 3 × 3 blocks by the proposed algorithm, and then the edge information from each plane is fused to obtain an edge image. This method is generalized to common types of images. Since CIED is based on binary bit planes and eliminates complex pixel operations, it is faster and more efficient. In addition, CIED is insensitive to changes in image contrast, making it more flexible in its application. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of CIED, we develop a medical image dataset and conduct edge image and contrast evaluation experiments based on these images. The results show that the average precision of CIED is 0.408, the average recall is 0.917, and the average F1-score is 0.550. The results indicate that CIED is not only more practical in terms of visual effects but also robust in terms of contrast invariance. The comparison results with other methods also confirm the advantages of CIED. This study provides a novel approach for edge detection within medical images.

Clinical and Translational Neuroscience doi: 10.3390/ctn9010002

Authors: Serra Aksoy Pritika Dasgupta

Background/Objectives: Brain tumors are among the severe and life-threatening conditions, with timely and accurate detection being crucial for determining the appropriate course of treatment. These tumors can vary widely in their aggressiveness, location, and type, making early diagnosis and precise classification essential for improving patient outcomes and survival rates. The complexity of brain tumors, combined with the detailed nature of MRI scans, presents significant challenges in the diagnostic process, underscoring the need for advanced tools to support clinicians in making informed decisions. New Method: This study focuses on developing and evaluating a proposed model for brain tumor classification using MRI images. The model employs a transfer learning approach fine-tuned to the brain tumor dataset, explicitly utilizing the EfficientNetB0 architecture. Results: The proposed model achieved an outstanding overall accuracy of 0.99, with precision, recall, and F1 scores exceeding 0.98 across all tumor classes. Comparison with Existing Methods: These results demonstrate the model’s potential as a reliable tool for assisting clinicians in diagnosing and classifying brain tumors. Conclusions: This is particularly valuable in the early stages of tumor development, where detection can be challenging, and early intervention is critical for successful treatment.

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information doi: 10.3390/ijgi14010037

Authors: Jiwei Zhao Luyao Wang Dong Jia Yaowen Wang

The Qin-Mang River Basin is an important biodiversity conservation area in the Yellow River Basin. Studying the spatiotemporal changes in its ecosystem services (ESs) and the trade-offs and synergies (TOSs) between them is crucial for regional ecological protection and high-quality development. This study, based on land use type (LUT), and meteorological and soil data from 1992 to 2022, combined with the InVEST model, correlation analysis, and spatial autocorrelation analysis, explores the impacts of land use/land cover changes (LUCCs) on ESs. The results show that: (1) driven by urbanization and economic development, the expansion of built-up areas has replaced cultivated land and forests, with 35,000 hectares of farmland lost, thereby increasing pressure on ESs; (2) ESs show an overall downward trend, habitat quality (HQ) has deteriorated, carbon storage (CS) remains stable but the area of low CS has expanded, and sediment delivery ratio (SDR) and water yield (WY) fluctuate due to human activities and climate influence; (3) the TOSs of ESs change dynamically, with strong synergies among HQ, CS, and SDR. However, in areas with water scarcity, the negative correlation between HQ and WY has strengthened; (4) spatial autocorrelation analysis reveals that in 1992, significant positive synergies existed between ESs in the northern and northwestern regions, with WY negatively correlated with other services. By 2022, accelerated urbanization has intensified trade-off effects in the southern and eastern regions, leading to significant ecological degradation. This study provides scientific support for the sustainable management and policymaking of watershed ecosystems.

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering doi: 10.3390/jmse13010178

Authors: Youshuang Hu Aggeliki Barberopoulou Magaly Koch

The 2018 Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami serves as a backdrop for this work, which employs simple and straightforward remote sensing techniques to determine the extent of the destruction and indirectly evaluate the region’s vulnerability to such catastrophic events. Documenting damage from tsunamis is only meaningful shortly after the disaster has occurred because governmental agencies clean up debris and start the recovery process within a few hours after the destruction has occurred, deeming impact estimates unreliable. Sentinel-2 and Maxar WorldView-3 satellite images were used to calculate well-known environmental indices to delineate the tsunami-affected areas in Palu, Indonesia. The use of NDVI, NDSI, and NDWI indices has allowed for a quantifiable measure of the changes in vegetation, soil moisture, and water bodies, providing a clear demarcation of the tsunami’s impact on land cover. The final tsunami inundation map indicates that the areas most affected by the tsunami are found in the urban center, low-lying regions, and along the coast. This work charts the aftermath of one of Indonesia’s recent tsunamis but may also lay the groundwork for an easy, handy, and low-cost approach to quickly identify tsunami-affected zones. While previous studies have used high-resolution remote sensing methods such as LiDAR or SAR, our study emphasizes accessibility and simplicity, making it more feasible for resource-constrained regions or rapid disaster response. The scientific novelty lies in the integration of widely used environmental indices (dNDVI, dNDWI, and dNDSI) with threshold-based Decision Tree classification to delineate tsunami-affected areas. Unlike many studies that rely on advanced or proprietary tools, we demonstrate that comparable results can be achieved with cost-effective open-source data and straightforward methodologies. Additionally, we address the challenge of differentiating tsunami impacts from other phenomena (et, liquefaction) through index-based thresholds and propose a framework that is adaptable to other vulnerable coastal regions.

Journal of Low Power Electronics and Applications doi: 10.3390/jlpea15010003

Authors: Shanthala Lakshminarayana Revathy Perumalsamy Chenyun Pan Sungyong Jung Hoon-Ju Chung Hyusim Park

This work presents a potentiometric readout circuit for a pH-sensing system in an oral healthcare device. For in vivo applications, noise, area, and power consumption of the readout electronics play critical roles. While CMOS amplifiers are commonly used in readout circuits for these applications, their applicability is limited due to non-deterministic noises such as flicker and thermal noise. To address these challenges, the Correlated Double Sampler (CDS) topology is widely employed as a sampled-data circuit for potentiometric readout, effectively eliminating DC offset and drift, thereby reducing overall noise. Therefore, this work introduces a novel potentiometric readout circuit realized with CDS and a switched-capacitor-based low-pass filter (SC-LPF) to enhance the noise characteristic of overall circuit. The proposed readout circuit is implemented in an integrated circuit using 0.18 µm CMOS process, which occupies an area of 990 µm × 216 µm. To validate the circuit performances, simulations were conducted with a 5 pF load and a 1 MHz input clock. The readout circuit operates with a supply voltage range ±1.65 V and linearly reproduces the pH sensor output of ±1.5 V. Noise measured with a 1 MHz sampling clock shows 0.683 µVrms, with a power consumption of 124.1 µW.

Atmosphere doi: 10.3390/atmos16010110

Authors: Qihua Wang Yuande Yang Jiayu Hu Jianglong Zhang Zuqiang Li Yuechen Wang

Temperate glaciers in the Kangri Karpo region of the southeastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) have experienced significant ablation in recent decades, increasing the risk of glacier-related hazards and impacting regional water resources. However, the spatial and temporal pattern of mass loss in these glaciers remains inadequately quantified. In this study, we used ASTER L1A stereo images to construct a high-resolution elevation time series and provide a comprehensive spatial–temporal assessment of glacier elevation change from 2000 to 2024. The results indicate that almost all glaciers have experienced rapid ablation, with an average surface elevation decrease of −18.35 ± 5.13 m, corresponding to a rate of −0.76 ± 0.21 m yr−1. Glaciers in the region were divided into the northern and southern basins, with average rates of −0.79 ± 0.17 m yr−1 and −0.72 ± 0.13 m yr−1, respectively. A notable difference in acceleration trends between the two basins was observed, with the elevation rate increasing from −0.78 ± 0.17m yr−1 to −1.04 ± 0.17 m yr−1 and from −0.52 ± 0.13 m yr−1 to −0.92 ± 0.13 m yr−1, respectively. The seasonal cycle was identified in glacier surface elevation change, with an accumulation period from November to March followed by a prolonged ablation period. The seasonal amplitude decreased with elevation, with higher elevations exhibiting longer accumulation periods and less ablation. Correlation analysis with meteorological data indicated that higher summer temperatures and increased summer rainfall intensify elevation loss, while increased spring snowfall may reduce ablation. Our analysis highlights distinct variations in glacier elevation changes across different locations, elevations, and climatic conditions in the Kangri Karpo region, providing valuable insights into glacier responses to environmental changes on the Tibetan Plateau.

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17020768

Authors: Hakim Laid Mouloud Benhacene Asaad Mubarak Hussien

This study investigates the effect of using renewable energy resources on sustainable development in Saudi Arabia. The research model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), with data collected from 180 respondents with expertise in energy and sustainability, using quantitative research design. The results suggest that hydropower and wind energy significantly contribute to sustainable development in the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Despite this, the scalability of hydropower is restricted by Saudi Arabia’s geographical and resource limitations. On the other hand, wind energy has become a realistic alternative, especially along the Red Sea coast, where there are consistent wind speeds. Despite the Kingdom’s high levels of solar insolation, solar energy is highlighted more for its potential than it is for its currently measurable impact. Interestingly, the contributions from the three renewable energy sources were not statistically different from each other, suggesting the need to interpret the findings with care and to recognize the specific sustainability tradeoffs of different energy sources. Hydropower is applicable within the Kingdom’s geographical and resource context, but solar and wind energies are scalable and contextually relevant solutions. Therefore, the findings of this study emphasize the strategic value of a balanced and diversified renewable energy strategy to help Saudi Arabia to achieve its Vision 2030 goals and foster sustainable development.

Buildings doi: 10.3390/buildings15020288

Authors: Gebrail Bekdaş Yaren Aydın Sinan Melih Nigdeli İnci Süt Ünver Wook-Won Kim Zong Woo Geem

Soils may not always be suitable to fulfill their intended function. Soil improvement can be achieved by mechanical or chemical methods, especially in transportation facilities. L and FA additives are frequently used as chemical improvement additives. In this study, two natural clay samples with extreme and very high plasticity were improved by using L and FA admixtures, and their properties under static and repeated loads were investigated by ML methods. Two soil samples from two different sites were analyzed. In this study, eight datasets were used. There are 14 inputs, including specific gravity (Gs), void ratio (eo), sieve analysis (+No.4, −No.200), clay size, LL, plastic limit (PL), plasticity index (PI), linear shrinkage (Ls), shrinkage limit (SL), cure day, agent, clay type, and agent percentage. The outputs are index and swelling properties (compressive, percent), compressive strengths, modulus of elasticity, and compressibility properties in soaked and non-soaked conditions. Prediction is attempted with different ML (ML) techniques. ML techniques used for regression (such as Decision Tree Regression (DTR) and K-nearest neighbors (KNN)). SHapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), the impact of inputs on outputs were observed, and it was generally found that PL and LL had the highest impact on outputs. Different performance metrics are used for evaluation. The results showed that these ML techniques can predict the static and cyclic properties of extremely high plasticity clays with high performance (R2 > 0.99). These results highlight the general applicability of the used ML models on different datasets containing soil properties.

Microorganisms doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13010211

Authors: Albert Olufemi Ikhane Foluso Oluwagbemiga Osunsanmi Rebamang Anthony Mosa Andrew Rowland Opoku

The challenges of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to human health have pushed for the discovery of a new antibiotics agent from natural products. Cyanobacteria are oxygen-producing photosynthetic prokaryotes found in a variety of water habitats. Secondary metabolites are produced by cyanobacteria to survive extreme environmental stress factors, including microbial competition. This study presents the antibacterial activity and mechanism of the crude extracts from Cylindrospermum alatosporum NR125682 (A) and Loriellopsis cavernicola NR117881 (B) isolated from freshwater. The cyanobacteria were identified through 16S rRNA sequencing. Crude extracts were sequentially prepared using hexane, dichloromethane, and ethanol consistently. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the CSLI microdilution test protocol, and crude extract potential to inhibit the growth of the tested clinical bacteria strains were evaluated. The mechanism of action of the extracts including membrane damage, efflux pump, β-lactamase activity, DNA degradation, and extract–drug interaction was investigated using standard procedures. The hexane extract of B performed the best with a MIC (0.7–1.41 mg/mL) and MBC (1.41–2.81 mg/mL) range. All the crude extracts inhibited efflux pump activity against the bacteria tested. However, the extracts poorly inhibited β-lactamase. The ethanol extract of B exhibited the most appreciable antibacterial activity. The dichloromethane extract of B showed the highest significant DNA degradation potential, when compared with other samples. The extracts exhibited synergism when combined with erythromycin against some test bacteria, indicating primary microbial activity through membrane interactions. Hence, this study demonstrates the significance of cyanobacteria for antibiotic development.

Colloids and Interfaces doi: 10.3390/colloids9010007

Authors: Hiroyuki Ohshima

A general theoretical approach is introduced to analyze the time-dependent, transient diffusiophoresis of a charged spherical colloidal particle in a symmetrical electrolyte solution when an electrolyte concentration gradient is suddenly applied. We derive a closed-form approximate expression for the relaxation function R(t), which describes the time course of the diffusiophoretic mobility of a weakly charged spherical colloidal particle possessing a thin electrical double layer. The relaxation function depends on the mass density ratio of the particle to the electrolyte solution and the kinematic viscosity. However, it does not depend on the type of electrolyte (e.g., KCl or NaCl). It is also found that the expression for the relaxation function in transient diffusiophoresis of a weakly charged spherical colloidal particle with a thin electrical double layer takes the same form as that for its transient electrophoresis.

Forests doi: 10.3390/f16010185

Authors: Wenxiang Fu Xuemin He Yudong Chen Zhenying Ma Junfang Zhou Qingbin Xu

In natural saline habitats, the impact of the salt-ion content absorbed by halophytes on their biomass development remains unclear. This research investigated Poacynum pictum (Schrenk) Baill., a typical halophyte in the Ebinur Lake Wetland Reserve. P. pictum was collected from three water–salt habitats: high water and high salt (Habitat 1), medium water and medium salt (Habitat 2), and low water and low salt (Habitat 3). This study aimed to quantify the salt-ion content and biomass in different P. pictum organs, analyze their distribution under varying water–salt habitats, and explore the mechanism of the relationship between salt-ion content and biomass. The results showed the following: (1) With the decrease in water–salt habitats, the Na+ contents of aboveground organs decreased, whereas root Na+ content increased. The aboveground organs’ Ca2+ contents exhibited the ranking Habitat 2 > Habitat 3 > Habitat 1. The Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents followed a similar pattern, with leaves showing the highest concentrations, and the Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents in roots exhibited a declining trend with the decrease in water–salt habitats. The Cl− content was predominant in the leaves and stems of all water–salt habitats. This indicates that P. pictum can maintain an ionic state in the body and resist habitat stress through the separation and absorption of salt ions in different organs. (2) With the decrease in water–salt habitats, the leaf, twig, stem, and total biomass of P. pictum demonstrated a gradually decreasing trend, and the root biomass initially increased and then decreased. This reveals that P. pictum can adapt to high–saline habitats and achieve normal growth and development, and that suitable water and salt conditions are important for underground accumulation. (3) The Na+ content in leaves, twigs, and stems had a significant positive effect on the biomass of these organs, making it the most influential factor, and the root biomass was primarily affected by root Ca2+. These findings indicate that P. pictum adapted to saline habitats by adjusting its ion uptake and biomass, and the Na+ in aboveground organs and Ca2+ in roots are critical for biomass development in their respective organs. This study provides valuable insights into the adaptation strategies of halophytes in salinized environments and highlights the importance of specific ions’ accumulation for biomass maintenance.

Neurology International doi: 10.3390/neurolint17010012

Authors: Monton Wongwandee Kantham Hongdusit

Background: Central facial palsy (CFP), resulting from upper motor neuron lesions in the corticofacial pathway, is traditionally characterized by the sparing of the upper facial muscles. However, reports of upper facial weakness in CFP due to acute ischemic stroke have challenged this long-held assumption. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of upper facial weakness in CFP and identify its associated clinical factors. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to a university hospital in Thailand from January 2022 to June 2023. Full-face video recordings were analyzed using the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System. Upper facial weakness was defined as asymmetry in at least one upper facial expression. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with upper facial weakness. Results: Of 108 patients with acute ischemic stroke, 92 had CFP, and among these, 70 (76%) demonstrated upper facial weakness. Tight eye closure (force and wrinkle formation, both 42%) was the most sensitive indicator for detecting upper facial weakness. Greater stroke severity, as reflected by higher NIHSS scores (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.42; 95% CI 1.07–1.88) and the presence of lower facial weakness (aOR, 6.56; 95% CI 1.85–23.29) were significantly associated with upper facial involvement. Although upper facial weakness was generally milder than lower facial weakness, its severity correlated with increasing lower facial asymmetry during movement. Conclusions: Contrary to traditional teaching, upper facial weakness is common in CFP due to acute ischemic stroke. The severity of stroke and the presence of lower facial weakness are key predictors of upper facial involvement. These findings underscore the need for clinicians to reconsider the diagnostic paradigm, recognizing that upper facial weakness can occur in CFP. Enhanced awareness may improve diagnostic accuracy, inform treatment decisions, and ultimately lead to better patient outcomes.

Pathogens doi: 10.3390/pathogens14010097

Authors: Sukumar Pal Jennifer R. Carmichael Delia F. Tifrea Olga Tatarenkova Luis M. de la Maza

Studies in humans indicate that certain Chlamydia trachomatis serovars are more pathogenic than others. Specifically, several studies concluded that serovars from the C-complex are more pathogenic than those from the B-complex, although there are reports that do not support this finding. To investigate these results in an animal model, the eight genitourinary C. trachomatis serovars were tested in two strains of mice: C3H/HeN and BALB/c. These two strains of mice were investigated because C3H/HeN is more susceptible to Chlamydia muridarum infections than BALB/c, indicative of differences in their immunogenetic background. Mice were infected transcervically with 105 inclusion forming units of each of the C. trachomatis serovars, and vaginal cultures were collected. To determine the pathogenicity and its impact on fertility, at week seven post-infection, female mice were caged with male mice. In the C3H/HeN mice, significant differences in vaginal shedding and fertility were observed between serovars from the B-complex (D and E) and those from the C-complex (H, I, J) and B- and C-related complexes (G, F, and K). The animals infected with serovars F, G, H, I, J, and K shed less but had significantly more infertility than the mice infected with serovars D or E. The experiments in the BALB/c mice, however, did not show major differences in pathogenicity between the eight C. trachomatis serovars. These results support the findings in humans and emphasize the critical importance of the immunogenetic background of the host on the outcome of C. trachomatis infections. The data imply that management of C. trachomatis-infected patients may require a more personalized approach.

Processes doi: 10.3390/pr13010276

Authors: Alondra Abigail Hernández-Guerrero María Luisa Castrejón-Godínez Patricia Mussali-Galante Efraín Tovar-Sánchez Alexis Rodríguez

Heavy metals are among the most toxic environmental pollutants. They are a group of chemical elements broadly distributed in different environments. Anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, and mining release large amounts of waste that contain toxic heavy metals into the environment. Bacteria are organisms that present a wide diversity of cellular mechanisms that can be used to develop efficient, low-cost, easy-to-implement, and sustainable processes to remediate sites contaminated with heavy metals. In this study, the capacity of the strain Burkholderia zhejiangensis CEIB S4-3 to remove Cd, Pb, and the mixture of both metals was evaluated through in vitro experiments. B. zhejiangensis CEIB S4-3 can eliminate on average 90% of Cd+2 and 91% of Pb+2 present in the study system (50 mg/L), while in the presence of the mixture of both heavy metals, the bacterial strain, the removal of Cd and Pb was 59 and 75%, respectively. The main cellular mechanism for removing Cd was extracellular biosorption, while, in the case of Pb, it was intracellular bioaccumulation. Heavy metals from the mixture of Cd and Pb were removed through extracellular absorption. In addition, the analysis of the genome of the bacterial strain revealed the presence of genes related to resistance to heavy metals, such as genes implicated in sensing and transcriptional response to heavy metals exposure and heavy metals efflux systems as the most important. The data obtained in this work can be the basis for developing new systems to remove Cd and Pb using B. zhejiangensis CEIB S4-3.

Viruses doi: 10.3390/v17010134

Authors: Amanda Carroll-Portillo October Barnes Cristina N. Coffman Cody A. Braun Sudha B. Singh Henry C. Lin

Interactions between bacteriophages with mammalian immune cells are of great interest and most phages possess at least one molecular pattern (nucleic acid, sugar residue, or protein structure) that is recognizable to the immune system through pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) receptors (i.e., TLRs). Given that phages reside in the same body niches as bacteria, they share the propensity to stimulate or quench immune responses depending on the nature of their interactions with host immune cells. While most in vitro research focuses on the outcomes of direct application of phages to immune cells of interest, the potential impact of their transcytosis through the intestinal barrier has yet to be considered. As transcytosis through intestinal cells is a necessary step in healthy systems for access by phage to the underlying immune cell populations, it is imperative to understand how this step may play a role in immune activation. We compared the activation of macrophages (as measured by TNFα secretion) following direct phage application to those stimulated by incubation with phage transcytosed through a polarized Caco2 epithelial barrier model. Our results demonstrate that phages capable of activating TNFα secretion upon direct contact maintain the stimulatory capability following transcytosis. Furthermore, activation of macrophages by a transcytosed phage is enhanced as compared to that occurring with an equivalent multiplicity of directly applied phage.

Agronomy doi: 10.3390/agronomy15010241

Authors: Gabriele De Carolis Vincenzo Giannico Leonardo Costanza Francesca Ardito Anna Maria Stellacci Afwa Thameur Sergio Ruggieri Sabina Tangaro Marcello Mastrorilli Nicola Sanitate Simone Pietro Garofalo

This study investigated the application of high-resolution satellite imagery from SuperDove satellites combined with machine learning algorithms to estimate the spatiotemporal variability of some winter wheat parameters, including the relative leaf chlorophyll content (RCC), relative water content (RWC), and aboveground dry matter (DM). The research was carried out within an experimental field in Southern Italy during the 2024 growing season. Different machine learning (ML) algorithms were trained and compared using spectral band data and calculated vegetation indices (VIs) as predictors. Model performance was assessed using R2 and RMSE. The ML models tested were random forest (RF), support vector regressor (SVR), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB). RF outperformed the other ML algorithms in the prediction of RCC when using VIs as predictors (R2 = 0.81) and in the prediction of the RWC and DM when using spectral bands data as predictors (R2 = 0.71 and 0.87, respectively). Model explainability was assessed with the SHAP method. A SHAP analysis highlighted that GNDVI, Cl1, and NDRE were the most important VIs for predicting RCC, while yellow and red bands were the most important for DM prediction, and yellow and nir bands for RWC prediction. The best model found for each target was used to model its seasonal trend and produce a variability map. This approach highlights the potential of integrating ML and high-resolution satellite imagery for the remote monitoring of wheat, which can support sustainable farming practices.

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17020767

Authors: Baocai Su Zhenwen Zhao Shuisheng Fan

Agricultural waste treatment in the post-production stage is a crucial component of agricultural green development. To achieve ecological revitalization, it is essential to address the pollution constraints posed by agricultural waste. This study is grounded in the survey data collected from 284 mushroom farmers in Gutian County, Fujian Province. Given that the explanatory variable pertains to the number of green treatment behavior adoptions by mushroom farmers regarding mushroom residue, which falls under the category of ordered discrete variables and exhibits an evident recurrence relationship, we opted to analyze the impacts of government regulation, agricultural socialized services, and their interaction terms on the green treatment behavior of mushroom farmers’ mushroom residue through the Ordered Probit model. This approach enabled us to uncover how the differentiation among mushroom farmers influences their green treatment behavior. The study yielded several significant findings. Firstly, both government regulation and agricultural socialized services can effectively drive mushroom farmers to adopt green treatment behaviors for mushroom residue. Secondly, there is an interactive effect between government regulation and agricultural socialized services in relation to the green treatment behavior of mushroom farmers’ residue, indicating a certain degree of complementarity between the two. Thirdly, the differentiation among mushroom farmers has a pronounced impact on the green treatment behavior of mushroom residue. Notably, there are distinct differences in the green treatment behavior of mushroom farmers with varying education levels and planting scales. Moreover, as the education level and planting scale increase, the influence of government regulation and agricultural socialized services on the behavior of mushroom farmers tends to strengthen. Consequently, in the process of promoting the green treatment behavior of mushroom farmers’ mushroom residue, we should maximize the utilization of the policy constraints and guiding measures of government regulation to enhance the normative role of mushroom farmers’ behavior. Simultaneously, we need to fully exploit the recycling and transportation support functions of agricultural socialized services. By grasping the complementarity between government regulation and agricultural socialized services in terms of both normative behavior and solution measures, we can effectively ensure the practical feasibility of the green treatment behavior of mushroom residue.

Brain Sciences doi: 10.3390/brainsci15010093

Authors: Han Wu Yixiao Zhang Yiru Liu Shijun Zhang Linjun Zhang Hua Shu Yang Zhang

Background/Objectives: In a tonal language like Chinese, phonologically contrasting tones signify word meanings at the syllable level. Although the development of lexical tone perception ability has been examined in many behavioral studies, its developmental trajectory from childhood to adulthood at the neural level remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the issue by measuring the mismatch negativity (MMN) response to a Chinese lexical tonal contrast in three groups. Methods: The MMN response to a flat-falling tonal contrast (Tone1 versus Tone4) were recorded from children (25 participants aged 6–8), adolescents (26 participants aged 12–14), and young adults (20 participants aged 18–24). Nonsense speech stimuli were also used by superimposing Tone1 and Tone4 on an English syllable. Results: All three groups demonstrated typical early MMN responses in both the meaningful and nonsense syllable conditions. However, the MMN amplitudes varied significantly across groups, with the child group showing smaller responses compared to the adolescent and adult groups, while the latter two groups had similar MMN amplitudes. Conclusions: Neural sensitivity to tonal contrasts is not fully mature in children and reaches a more adult-like level during adolescence, with no significant difference in sensitivity to meaningful versus nonsense syllables. These results provide new insights into the neural development of lexical tone perception in a tonal language, highlighting its maturation during adolescence in this process.

Energies doi: 10.3390/en18020428

Authors: M A Sasi Bhushan M. Sudhakaran Sattianadan Dasarathan Mariappane E

A peak shaving approach in selected industrial loads helps minimize power usage during high demand hours, decreasing total energy expenses while improving grid stability. A battery energy storage system (BESS) can reduce peak electricity demand in distribution networks. Quasi-dynamic load flow analysis (QLFA) accurately assesses the maximum loading conditions in distribution networks by considering factors such as load profiles, system topology, and network constraints. Achieving maximum peak shaving requires optimizing battery charging and discharging cycles based on real-time energy generation and consumption patterns. Seamless integration of battery storage with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and industrial processes is essential for effective peak shaving strategies. This paper proposes a model predictive control (MPC) scheme that can effectively perform peak shaving of the total industrial load. Adopting an MPC-based algorithm design framework enables the development of an effective control strategy for complex systems. The proposed MPC methodology was implemented and tested on the Indian Utility 29 Node Distribution Network (IU29NDN) using the DIgSILENT Power Factory environment. Additionally, the analysis encompasses technical and economic results derived from a simulated storage operation and, taking Puducherry State Electricity Department tariff details, provides significant insights into the application of this method.

Healthcare doi: 10.3390/healthcare13020196

Authors: Grzegorz Onik Katarzyna Knapik Dariusz Górka Karolina Sieroń

Background/Objectives: Among the neuropsychiatric symptoms of long COVID, the following may be listed: sleep disturbances, headaches, anxiety, depression, dizziness, numbness, memory loss, and concentration difficulties. Various therapies have been implemented to mitigate these symptoms; however, health resort treatments that utilize a wide range of modalities stimulating multidirectional biological reactions may also be effective. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms in long COVID patients who qualified for health resort treatment, evaluate the effectiveness of health resort treatment in this group of patients, and evaluate the effect of balneological factors in the treatment course. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 120 people with long COVID (69 women and 51 men) aged 42–79 who underwent health resort treatment in 2021 was performed. People were eligible for treatment at a lowland health resort based on a valid referral from a doctor. The treatment included balneological therapies, physical medicine modalities, exercise programs, health education, and psychological support. Patients assessed the severity of persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms on a 0–10 point scale before and after treatment. Results: After the treatment, the greatest improvement was noted in sleep disorders (2.47 ± 2.23 points vs. 0.86 ± 1.25 points, p < 0.00001) and dizziness (1.39 ± 1.94 points vs. 0.34 ± 0.76 points, p < 0.00001). The lowest improvement was observed in memory disorders (2.68 ± 2.5 points vs. 1 ± 1.4 points, p < 0.00001). Conclusions: Patients with long COVID who qualified for health resort treatment reported mild neuropsychiatric symptoms. Health resort treatment mitigates neuropsychiatric symptoms, as it is a complex approach. Treatment that includes balneological factors improves symptoms to a greater extent. This method of treatment should be integrated into the standard treatment for long COVID.

Journal of Functional Biomaterials doi: 10.3390/jfb16010035

Authors: Chanh-Trung Nguyen Van Phu Le Thi Huong Le Jeong Sook Kim Sung Hoon Back Kyo-in Koo

This research introduced a strategy to fabricate sub-millimeter-diameter artificial liver tissue by extruding a combination of a liver decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM), alginate, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes. Vascularization remains a critical challenge in liver tissue engineering, as replicating the liver’s intricate vascular network is essential for sustaining cellular function and viability. Seven scaffold groups were evaluated, incorporating different cell compositions, scaffold materials, and structural configurations. The hepatocyte and endothelial cell scaffold treated with alginate lyase demonstrated the highest diffusion rate, along with enhanced albumin secretion (2.8 µg/mL) and urea synthesis (220 µg/mL) during the same period by day 10. A dense and interconnected endothelial cell network was observed as early as day 4 in the lyased coculture group. Furthermore, three-week implantation studies in rats showed a stable integration to the host with no adverse effects. This approach offers significant potential for advancing functional liver tissue replacements, combining accelerated diffusion, enhanced albumin secretion, improved urea synthesis, dense vascular network formation, and stable implantation outcomes.

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17020765

Authors: Gurinder Kaur Ronald Kander

Supply chain management (SCM) involves complexities and uncertainties in the flow of goods and services from raw materials to end users. Inaccurate estimation of raw materials, labor, or equipment can lead to financial losses and environmental impacts. This study explores the application of system dynamics modeling (SDM) in manufacturing hemp-reinforced polymer composites (HRPC) to optimize resource usage. Using SDM software STELLA® (Version 3.7.3), selected for its affordability and features, the research demonstrates how system dynamics (SD) can enhance sustainability by minimizing materials, labor, and equipment, reducing energy consumption. A literature review identified a gap in existing research, as we found no prior studies simulating HRPC manufacturing using SDM. The study concludes that SDM is an effective tool for optimizing resource use and improving manufacturing efficiency. By simulating multiple supply chain scenarios in a risk-free environment, the model helps reduce resource consumption and enhance sustainability. Additionally, outputs from the STELLA® model can be used as inputs for life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantitatively measure environmental impacts.

Water doi: 10.3390/w17020276

Authors: Zongjun Gao Tingting Huang Jinkai Chen Hong Tian Menghan Tan Yiru Niu Kexin Lou

Groundwater is a significant source of water, and evaluating its hydrochemical attributes, quality, and associated health risks holds paramount importance in guaranteeing safe water access for the population and fostering sustainable socio-economic progress. Situated within a semi-arid region, the Dianbu area (DBA) features numerous greenhouses interspersed amongst open farmlands. An examination revealed a discernible decline in the overall water chemistry environment in this area. This study extensively examined the fundamental water chemistry characteristics of groundwater and surface water samples through a statistical analysis, Piper’s trilinear diagram, ion ratios, and other analytical methods. The assessment of irrigation water quality was conducted using the entropy weight water quality index (EWQI), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), percentage of soluble sodium (Na%), among other relevant indicators. The findings demonstrate multiple key aspects: 1. Water cations are chiefly composed of Ca2+ and Na+, while groundwater anions are notably NO3− and SO42− dominant, defining the water type as NO3-SO4-Ca. Conversely, surface water primarily displays HCO3− and SO42− anions, aligning it with an HCO3-SO4-Ca water type. 2. The extensive agricultural activities in the region, coupled with the excessive utilization of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, as well as the discharge of domestic sewage, contribute to heightened NO3− concentrations in groundwater. 3. The water quality assessments indicate that approximately 53% of agricultural water quality meets irrigation standards based on EWQI, with SAR results suggesting around 65.52% suitability for irrigation and Na% findings indicating approximately 55.88% viability for this purpose. Proper water selection tailored to specific conditions is advised to mitigate potential soil salinization risks associated with long-term irrational irrigation practices.

Religions doi: 10.3390/rel16010093

Authors: Fernando Adolfo Mora-Ciangherotti

After his questionable re-election in 2018, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros (NMM) began a campaign to attract the attention of evangelical leaders, apostles, prophets, pastors, and church members to secure their votes for the 2024 campaign. The main reason for this move was the surprising growth of the evangelical population in the country, which reached almost 30% by the end of 2023. Several independent churches and denominations accepted NMM’s invitation to meet and participate in government programs specifically targeted at evangelical churches. Despite allegations of human rights abuses, corruption, and violations of the Venezuelan constitution, some evangelicals created a narrative about NMM as the “protector of families” and as God’s chosen one to usher in a new era of prosperity for the nation. Through acts of “identificational” repentance staged at the Miraflores Palace, a contrite NMM received prophetic declarations and prayers from apostles and pastors, and the country was cleansed of curses and satanic influences. This article seeks to document, analyze, and situate these discourses in relation to contemporary theological trends, as an important case of evangelical alignment with left-wing politics in Latin America. Moreover, the article also seeks to show how these events relate to the evolution of Venezuelan evangelical involvement in national politics, particularly under 25 years of socialist governments of Hugo Chávez Frías and Nicolás Maduro Moros.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms26020822

Authors: Justyna Waśniowska Ewa Piątkowska Piotr Pawlicki Sylwester Smoleń Aneta Kopeć Agnieszka Dyląg Joanna Krzemińska Aneta Koronowicz

Iodine is a key micronutrient essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormone, which regulates metabolic processes and maintains overall health. Despite its importance, iodine deficiency is a global health issue, leading to disorders such as goiter, hypothyroidism, and developmental abnormalities. Biofortification of crops with iodine is a promising strategy to enhance the dietary iodine intake, providing an alternative to iodized salt. Curly kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is a nutrient-rich vegetable high in vitamins A, C, K; minerals; fiber; and bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying properties. This study evaluates the effects of diets containing iodine-biofortified curly kale (‘Oldenbor F1’ and ‘Redbor F1’) on iodine content, tissue iodine levels, and various biochemical parameters in laboratory rats. The biofortified curly kale was enriched with 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol. The iodine content in the AIN-93G (control) diet and the non-biofortified curly kale diets did not differ significantly. However, diets with 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol biofortified kale showed significantly higher iodine levels compared with the control diets. Tissue analysis revealed the highest iodine concentrations in the liver and kidneys of rats fed diets with biofortified curly kale, indicating better iodine bioavailability. Biochemical analysis showed that rats fed the biofortified kale diet had lower total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels compared with rats fed the control diet. Additionally, the biofortified diet improved the liver function markers (ALAT, ASAT) and reduced oxidative stress markers (TBARS). The study also investigated the expression of thyroid-related genes (Slc5A5, Tpo, Dio1, Dio2) in response to diets containing biofortified kale. The results demonstrated significant changes in gene expression, indicating adaptive mechanisms to dietary iodine levels and the presence of bioactive compounds in the biofortified kale. The study also observed variations in uric acid levels, with lower concentrations in rats fed a diet with biofortified curly kale. Biofortified curly kale supports thyroid function and improves liver and kidney health by reducing oxidative stress and modulating key biochemical and genetic markers. These findings suggest that biofortified curly kale can effectively increase dietary iodine intake as a nutritional intervention to address iodine deficiency and promote overall health.

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17020766

Authors: Marcela Taušová Maksym Mykhei Katarína Čulkova Peter Tauš Dávid Petráš Pavol Kaňuch

This paper compares the use of renewable energy sources (RESs) in the EU, focusing on their application in the transport, cooling and heating sectors and electricity production. It examines the current situation in the EU and assesses to what extent their laws and policies have contributed to the transition to renewable energy sources. This study focuses on several forms of renewable energy, including solar, wind, hydro energy, and biomass energy. The analysis is based on several variables, including production, consumption, and environmental impact. The findings of the analysis highlight the contrasts and similarities between the two nations and illuminate the best strategies for advancing sustainable energy development. This study also analyzes the main renewable energy strategies and policies to understand which factors support or hinder the transition to sustainable and clean energy. The analysis underscores the importance of optimizing energy efficiency and achieving long-term savings using RESs. Additionally, this study emphasises the role of RESs in enhancing energy security and promoting economic growth through technological innovation. This study also highlights the potential of RESs to reduce emissions in industry, transport, and agriculture, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability. The results show that the use of renewable energy sources (RESs) in the European Union has increased in the analyzed period. The results of this study can be useful to government agencies, businesses, academia, and the public interested in supporting the development of sustainable energy in the EU.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants14020281

Authors: Olimpia Llalla-Cordova Javier E. Ortiz Luciana R. Tallini Laura Torras-Claveria Jaume Bastida Lorena Celina Luna Gabriela E. Feresin

Hieronymiella peruviana, a recently described endemic species from southern Peru, belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and is known for its diversity of alkaloids. Amaryllidoideae have been studied for their diverse biological activities, particularly for their properties in treating neurodegenerative diseases. This work examines the alkaloidal profile using GC-MS and UPLC-MS/MS of alkaloid-enriched extracts obtained from the leaves and bulbs of H. peruviana and their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) enzymes. In addition, the phenolic and flavonoid content in the methanolic extract from bulbs was quantified and the antioxidant capacity was evaluated. Moreover, the seed germination was investigated under four temperature conditions (15, 20, 25, and 30 °C). Twenty-two alkaloids, most of them of the homolycorine- and galanthamine-type, including galanthamine, were identified in the alkaloid extracts by means of GC-MS and UPLC-MS/MS analysis. Lycorine and 8-O-Demethylhomolycorine were the most abundant alkaloids in the bulbs and leaves, respectively. The leaves and bulbs alkaloid extracts demonstrated strong AChE inhibition (IC50 = 5.20–8.60 µg/mL) and moderate BuChE inhibition (IC50 = 90.20–122.76 µg/mL). The bulbs’ methanolic extract exhibited mild antioxidant activity, showing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values of 16.36% at 500 μg/mL and 58.31 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g, respectively. Seed germination was most effective at 20 °C and 25 °C. Finally, 60 days after germination, the survival rate of H. peruviana seedlings was 48.33%. These findings establish H. peruviana as a promising source of bioactive alkaloids with potential pharmacological and therapeutic applications, as well as providing critical insights for its propagation and conservation.

Polymers doi: 10.3390/polym17020242

Authors: Katarina Dimic-Misic Monir Imani Michael Gasik

Alginate hydrogels have gathered significant attention in biomedical engineering due to their remarkable biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to encapsulate cells and bioactive molecules, but much less has been reported on the kinetics of gelation. Scarce experimental data are available on cross-linked alginates (AL) with bioactive components. The present study addressed a novel method for defining the crosslinking mechanism using rheological measurements for aqueous mixtures of AL and calcium chloride (CaCl2) with the presence of hydroxyapatite (HAp) as filler particles. The time-dependent crosslinking behaviour of these mixtures was exploited using a plate–plate rheometer, when crosslinking occurs due to calcium ions (Ca2+) binding to the guluronic acid blocks within the AL polymer, forming a stable “egg-box” structure. To reveal the influence of HAp particles as filler on crosslinked sample morphology, after rheological measurement and crosslinking, crosslinked samples were freeze-dried and their morphology was assessed using an optical microscope and SEM. It was found that the addition of HAp particles, which are known to enhance the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of crosslinked AL gels, significantly decreased (usually rapidly) the interaction between the Ca2+ and AL chains. In this research, the physical “shielding” effect of HAp particles on the crosslinking of AL with Ca2+ ions has been observed for the first time, and its crosslinking behaviour was defined using rheological methods. After crosslinking and rheometer measurements, the samples were further evaluated for morphological properties and the observations were correlated with their dewatering properties. While the presence of HAp particles led to a slower crosslinking process and a more uniform development of the rheological parameters, it also led to a more uniform porosity and improved dewatering properties. The observed effects allow for a better understanding of the crosslinking process kinetics, which directly affects the physical and chemical properties of the AL gels. The shielding behaviour (retardation) of filler particles occurs when they physically or chemically block certain components in a mixture, delaying their interaction with other reactants. In hydrogel formulations, filler particles like hydroxyapatite (HAp) can act as barriers, adsorbing onto reactive components or creating physical separation, which slows the reaction rate and allows for controlled gelation or delayed crosslinking. This delayed reactivity is beneficial for precise control over the reaction timing, enabling the better manipulation of material properties such as crosslinking distribution, pore structure, and mechanical stability. In this research, the physical shielding effect of HAp particles was observed through changes in rheological properties during crosslinking and was dependent on the HAp concentration. The addition of HAp also enabled more uniform porosity and improved dewatering properties. The observed effects allow for a better understanding of the crosslinking process kinetics, which directly affects the physical and chemical properties of the AL gels.

Religions doi: 10.3390/rel16010094

Authors: Arjun Nair

Research into the unio mystica has revealed what seems to be an area of “real discussion” between scholars of different traditions of mysticism, particularly those of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although this research serves as a promising start to the dialogue among scholars, it has also raised many questions about a “shared moment” that is nevertheless expressed in “irreducibly diverse” and distinct ways in each tradition. What purpose, for instance, can generic cross-cultural categories serve when they mean little or nothing to scholars in each tradition? By contrast, tradition-specific vocabularies are profuse and often difficult to represent in interlinguistic contexts without significant explanation. The challenge of translating mystical texts, imagery, and ideas across cultures and linguistic traditions raises obvious concerns about the misrepresentation and distortion of traditions in an environment of post-colonial critique. Nevertheless, the continued promise of dialogue calls for specialists of these traditions—particularly non-western and non-Christian traditions—to approach, assess, re-formulate, and even challenge the categories of mysticism from within the conceptual and theoretical horizons of the traditions that they research. The present study models such an approach to scholarship in mysticism. It offers a (re)formulation of the unio mystica from within the theoretical frame of the 12th/13th-century Muslim/Sufi mystic, Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240) and early members of his school of thought. By unpacking the primary terms involved in such an account—“God”, the “human being/self”, and “union”—from within the conceptual and theoretical horizons of that tradition, it problematizes the prevailing understanding of the unio mystica constructed from the writings of specialists in Christian mysticism. More importantly, it illustrates the payoff in terms of dialogue (incorporating the critique of existing theories) when each tradition operates confidently from its own milieu, developing its own theoretical resources for mysticism rather than prematurely embracing existing ideas or categories.

Sensors doi: 10.3390/s25020570

Authors: Ning Li Zhiyu Xiang Liang Feng Zhiqiang Gao Jiaqi Liu Haitao Gu

As advancements in autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technology unfold, the role of underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is becoming increasingly pivotal. However, the high energy consumption in these networks can significantly reduce their operational lifespan, while latency issues can impair overall network performance. To address these challenges, a novel mixed packet forwarding strategy is developed, which incorporates a wakeup threshold and a dynamically adjusted access probability for the cluster head (CH). This approach aims to conserve energy while maintaining acceptable network latency levels. The wakeup threshold restricts the frequency of state switching for the CH, thereby reducing energy consumption. Meanwhile, the dynamic access probability regulates the influx of packets to mitigate system congestion based on current network conditions. Furthermore, to accommodate the network’s varied transmission demands, packets generated by sensor nodes (SNs) are categorized into two types according to their sensitivity to latency. A discrete−time queueing model with preemptive priority is then established to evaluate the performance of different packets and the CH. Numerical results show how different parameters affect network performance and demonstrate that the proposed mixed packet forwarding mechanism can effectively manage the trade−off between latency and energy consumption, outperforming the traditional mechanism within a specific range of parameters.

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15020962

Authors: Wantong Yang Enze Wang Zhiwen Gui Yuan Zhou Baosheng Wang Wei Xie

Web application fuzzing faces significant challenges in achieving comprehensive test interface (attack surface) coverage, primarily due to the complexity of user interactions and dynamic website architectures. While web crawlers can automatically access and extract critical website information—including form fields and request parameters—which are essential for generating effective fuzzing test cases, current crawler technologies exhibit three primary limitations: (i) insufficient capabilities in analyzing page relationships and determining page states; (ii) lack of functionality-aware exploration capabilities, resulting in generated inputs with poor contextual relevance; (iii) generation of unstructured operation sequences that fail to execute effectively due to their incompatibility with state-based testing logic. To address these challenges, we propose CrawlMLLM, a framework using multi-modal large language models to simulate human web browsing. It includes three core components: page state mining, functionality analysis, and automatic operation generation. Evaluations show 163% code coverage improvements over SOTA work. When integrated with vulnerability audit tools, CrawlMLLM found 44 vulnerabilities in three vulnerable web applications versus 34 by the baseline. In six real-world applications, CrawlMLLM detected 20 vulnerabilities while the next best method found six.

Biomedicines doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13010235

Authors: Krasimir Kostov Tatyana Simeonova Borislav Ignatov Tsvetelina Eftimova

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), necessitating effective risk assessment methods. This study evaluates the calcium–phosphorus product (Ca × P) to estimated glomerular filtration rate (Ca × P/eGFR) ratio as a potential biomarker for predicting CV risk in pre-dialysis CKD patients. Methods: Eighty-four CKD patients in stages G1–G4, according to the KDIGO criteria, were classified into CVD (n = 43) and non-CVD (n = 41) groups. Biochemical parameters, including serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphate (Pi), parathyroid hormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Ca × P, eGFR, and the Ca × P/eGFR ratio, were measured and calculated. Statistical analyses were performed to identify predictors of CV risk and evaluate the diagnostic reliability of the Ca × P/eGFR ratio for predicting the risk. Results: Significant differences were observed in SCr, BUN, eGFR (p < 0.001), and the Ca × P/eGFR ratio (p = 0.007) between the groups. Regression analysis indicated the Ca × P/eGFR ratio as a significant CVD risk predictor (p = 0.012, OR = 1.206, 95% CI: 1.042–1.395). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an AUC of 0.751 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.645–0.857), with a sensitivity and specificity of the method of 74.4% and 70.7%, respectively. Significant correlations were found between the Ca × P/eGFR ratio and SCr, BUN, UA, Ca, Pi, PTH, and ALP. Conclusions: The Ca × P/eGFR ratio may serve as a significant predictor of CVD risk in pre-dialysis CKD patients, suggesting that its integration into routine evaluations could enhance CV risk stratification and management.

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15020961

Authors: Cécile Bord Louis Lenoir Julie Benoit Delphine Guérinon Gilles Dechambre Christophe Chassard Christian Coelho

In this work, the aim was to characterize and differentiate two Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) semi-hard French cheese categories (Salers and Cantal cheeses) by focusing on their sensory, biochemical and volatile characteristics. A total of twelve cheeses, including six Cantal and six Salers cheeses, were analyzed. The provenance of milk from two dairy cow breeds (Salers and non-Salers) was discussed sensorially and chemically for each cheese sample and for each cheese category. Despite very few significant differences in biochemical parameters, differences were observed concerning the volatile composition and sensory profiles between each cheese category. Salers cheeses were clearly differentiated by their appearance and their more intense aromatic characteristics compared to Cantal cheeses. A large number of volatile compounds (VOCs) belonging to acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and esters were detected in each cheese category (n = 78). The relative quantity of each compound varied depending on the cheese category but was lowly impacted by the origin of the breed’s milk. The results suggest that the provenance of milk (Salers vs. non-Salers) have a low impact on the chemical and sensory differentiation of cheeses regardless of the PDO cheese category. However, the PDO cheese categories (Salers vs. Cantal) were clearly differentiated by their volatile and sensory characteristics. The PDO Salers cheeses presented the highest flavor variability compared to the PDO Cantal cheeses due to compounds belonging to alcohols, acids, aldehydes and ester conferring ammonia, vegetal and animal flavors compared to the PDO Cantal cheeses that were perceived as more pungent and bitter.

Nutrients doi: 10.3390/nu17020352

Authors: Anna Walawska-Hrycek Eugeniusz Hrycek Weronika Galus Halina Jędrzejowska-Szypułka Ewa Krzystanek

Background: Calcitriol, beyond its well-established role in calcium and phosphate homeostasis, contributes to immunological processes. No known vitamin D dosage regimen effectively corrects the deficiency while accounting for immunoregulatory effects. Therefore, the purpose of this assessment was to determine whether regular administration of low doses of vitamin D might correct deficiency and have immunoregulatory effects. Methods: A total of 35 healthy volunteers were asked to supplement with vitamin D daily at a dosage of 500 or 1000 IU, depending on the degree of deficiency, for 12 months. At the beginning of the study and after the end of the supplementation period, concentrations of 25(OH)D; PTH; total calcium; inorganic phosphorus; and the inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IL-10, TGF-β, and IFN-γ were determined in all participants. Results: Correction of vitamin D deficiency was achieved with accompanying decreases in PTH and pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations, while the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokines remained stable. Conclusions: Therefore, regular vitamin D supplementation, even in small doses, effectively corrected the deficiency and had immunomodulatory effects.

Water doi: 10.3390/w17020275

Authors: Jin Huang Shuang Liang Huiru Liu Yongren Li Xiaoyu Wang Yongjun Guo Jian Liang

Chaetoceros muelleri and Isochrysis zhanjiangensis, known for their rapid reproduction, small size, and rich nutritional content, are commonly used as feed microalgae in aquaculture. This study aimed to sterilize these microalgal species and assess the effects of antibiotics on their algal cell density. Phycospheric bacteria were isolated and identified using the spread plate method and 16S rDNA sequencing, and antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted using four antibiotics: ampicillin, streptomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin sulfate. A sterile system was established for C. muelleri using ampicillin, streptomycin, and gentamicin, and for I. zhanjiangensis using kanamycin, ampicillin, and streptomycin. Based on the results, antibiotics with sterilization effects were selected and added to the algal cultures. Their effects on cell density were evaluated during a six-day co-culture. Ampicillin and streptomycin effectively inhibited bacteria associated with C. muelleri, initially increasing algal cell density but later causing a decline. For I. zhanjiangensis, kanamycin and ampicillin were effective, with kanamycin significantly promoting growth throughout the cycle, achieving a 36.92% higher cell density on day six (p < 0.05).

International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms26020828

Authors: Peiwen Gao Fei Peng Jing Liu Weiwei Wu Guoyan Zhao Congyan Liu Hangxue Cao Yuncheng Li Feng Qiu Wensheng Zhang

With the widespread use of lidocaine for pain control in cancer therapy, its antitumor activity has attracted considerable attention in recent years. This paper provides a simple strategy of combining lidocaine with chemotherapy drugs for cancer therapy, aiming to relieve chemotherapy-induced pain and achieve stronger antitumor efficacy. However, there is still a lack of substantial pre-clinical evidence for the efficacy and related mechanisms of such combinations, obstructing their potential clinical application. In this study, we propose intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) against gastric cancer (GC) as an ideal scenario to evaluate the efficacy of a lidocaine/paclitaxel combination. Firstly, we used human GC cells MKN-45-luc to investigate the antitumor activity and related mechanisms of the lidocaine/paclitaxel combination in vitro. Then, we used C57BL/6 mice with intraperitoneal drug suffusion to evaluate the efficacy of lidocaine to suppress paclitaxel-induced hyperalgesia and related mechanisms. Lastly, in BALB/c tumor-bearing nude mice we evaluated the synergistic antitumor activity and pain-relieving effect of the lidocaine/paclitaxel combination. Our results showed enhanced antitumor activity for the lidocaine/paclitaxel combination, which induced apoptosis, inhibited migration, and the invasion of GC cells in a synergistic manner. In animal models, the lidocaine/paclitaxel combination effectively inhibited growth and peritoneal metastasis of the tumor, resulting in prolonged survival time. Meanwhile, lidocaine showed considerable anti-inflammatory activity alongside its anesthetic effect, which, in combination, effectively relieved hyperalgesia induced by paclitaxel. These results suggested that intraperitoneal suffusion with lidocaine/paclitaxel could be a pain-free IPC formulation with enhanced antitumor activity, which could provide a promising treatment for GC with peritoneal metastasis.

Buildings doi: 10.3390/buildings15020287

Authors: Guofeng Wang Fayi Deng Kaifu Ren Yougqiao Fang Haiyan Xu

The excavation of deep and large vertical shafts in karst areas can easily lead to sudden changes in the stress field of the surrounding rock and even cause disasters such as cave collapses. To investigate the influence of karst areas on the stability of deep and large vertical shaft excavation using the raise boring machine (RBM) method, based on the ventilation vertical shaft project of Zimuyan Tunnel, the influence of karst caves on the displacement and stress fields of the surrounding rock during the construction stage of the vertical shaft was analyzed using the finite element simulation method. Furthermore, the influence of the cave dimensions and the distance between the cave and the shaft on the stability of the surrounding rock was evaluated. The results indicate that the karst cave caused an increase in the radial displacement of the surrounding rock, and the radial displacements and stress in the surrounding rock increased linearly with depth. However, the radial displacement of the surrounding rock in the range of 20D to 21D (D is the well diameter) above the bottom of the well, and the radial stress of the surrounding rock in the range of 7D above and below the depth of the cave, are significantly affected by the cave. When the cavern size increased from 0 to 2.0D, the maximum radial displacement of the surrounding rock in each construction stage increased by 10.7, 16.6, 2.3, and 2.2 times, respectively. Moreover, when the distance between the cavern and the well was increased from 0.5D to 2.0D, the maximum radial displacements of the surrounding rock corresponding to each construction stage were reduced by 51.5%, 61.6%, 40.7%, and 18.4%, respectively. These findings can provide valuable references for the design, construction, and monitoring of deep and large vertical shafts in karst areas.

Materials doi: 10.3390/ma18020452

Authors: Raluca Iștoan Daniela-Roxana Tămaș-Gavrea Mihaela Dumitran Ovidiu Gavril Gavriș

The objective of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of twelve compositions based on hemp shiv and four traditional binders used in the construction industry: cement, plaster, hydrated lime and clay, with the aim of using the resulting materials as final finishing products applicable to the raw area of walls, slabs and other construction elements for walls. Comparative, cost and multi-criteria analyses were carried out on the proposed compositions. The comparative analysis focused on acoustic, thermal, mechanical and fire characteristics, followed by a cost analysis and ending with multi-criteria analysis. In general, cement presented the highest values for mechanical properties, while the other binders demonstrated the most favorable results for acoustic and thermal properties. This paper aims to provide an overview of the traditional binders used in hemp shiv composition and to examine the impact of the physical and mechanical properties of these binders on the final product.

Journal of Clinical Medicine doi: 10.3390/jcm14020633

Authors: Marta Mesalles-Ruiz Maitane Alonso Marc Cruellas Martí Plana Anna Penella Alejandro Portillo Víctor Daniel Gumucio Xavier González-Compta Manel Mañós Julio Nogués

Objectives: To compare the outcomes of tracheostomised COVID-19 patients with non-COVID-19 tracheostomised patients to identify factors influencing severity and mortality. Methods: A retrospective, single-centre cohort study was conducted on COVID-19 tracheostomised patients admitted from May 2020 to February 2022, compared with a cohort of non-COVID-19 tracheostomised patients. Results: COVID-19 tracheostomised patients had a higher mortality rate (50% vs. 27.3% in non-COVID-19 patients). Mortality risk factors in COVID-19 tracheostomised patients included female sex (HR 1.99, CI 1.09–3.61, p = 0.025), ischemic heart disease (HR 5.71, CI 1.59–20.53, p = 0.008), elevated pre-tracheostomy values of PEEP (HR 1.06, CI 1.01–1.11, p = 0.017) and INR (HR 1.04, CI 1.01–1.07, p = 0.004), and ventilatory complications (HR 8.63, CI 1.09–68.26, p = 0.041). No significant differences in complication rates were found based on Sars-CoV-2 infection or tracheostomy type. Conclusions: Tracheostomy technique did not impact complications, discharge circumstances, or mortality, supporting the safety of bedside percutaneous tracheostomies for COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 tracheostomised patients exhibited a higher mortality rate.

Photonics doi: 10.3390/photonics12010089

Authors: Xinkai Ma Hui Zhang Yuanhao Zhao LinXuan Yao Changchun Yu Yaru Gao Yangsheng Yuan Yangjian Cai Bohan Guo

Propagation properties represent a critical aspect of laser beams utilized in free space optical (FSO) communications. We examined the evolution characteristics of the electric field associated with partially coherent flat-topped beam rectangular arrays propagating bidirectionally through the turbulent atmosphere and plasma links. Utilizing the optical transmission matrix, alongside the second moment theory and Wigner distribution functions, we derived analytical expressions for both the intensity distribution and propagation factors of the partially coherent flat-topped beam rectangular arrays affected by the atmospheric turbulence and plasma disturbances. The numerical results indicate that appropriately selecting parameters such as beam order, transverse spatial coherence width, and beam width can effectively mitigate the adverse effects on propagation properties caused by the turbulent atmosphere and plasma. Our results have significant implications for FSO communications within specific environmental contexts.

Biology doi: 10.3390/biology14010100

Authors: Ujjwal Layek Nandita Das Arabinda Samanta Prakash Karmakar

Reproductive traits and plant–pollinator interactions largely depend on seasonal weather conditions, which are species-specific. Turnera ulmifolia is an ornamental plant distributed worldwide. There is little information about plant species’ reproductive ecology and environmental factors’ impact on it. Here, we aimed to examine the effects of seasonal atmospheric factors (e.g., temperature, light, relative humidity, rainfall) and photoperiod on flowering, interactions with flower visitors, and the reproductive success of Turnera ulmifolia in West Bengal, India. Flowering intensity peaked in hot summers and dropped in cold winters, correlating positively with temperature and humidity. Flower opening and closing occurred earlier on hot days, while flower longevity increased in winter, showing a negative correlation with temperature and humidity. Pollen and ovule production were lower in cold weather, positively linked to temperature and humidity. The self-compatible plant was moderately dependent on pollinators and had no pollination deficit in open conditions. Visitor abundance, richness, and diversity varied season-wise, with higher values during spring–summer. Based on pollinating agents, the plant showed multiple pollination modes (e.g., melittophily, myophily, myrmecophily, and psychophily). Effective pollinators were Amegilla zonata, Borbo cinnara, Halictus acrocephalus, Nomia (Curvinomia) strigata, and Tetragonula iridipennis. The fruit set (%) did not differ significantly season-wise, but the seed set remained higher in the hot days of summer than in cold winter. Therefore, it can be concluded that atmospheric factors and photoperiod significantly impact floral traits, plant–pollinator interactions, and plant reproduction.

Buildings doi: 10.3390/buildings15020286

Authors: Kaien Jiang Ziming Yang Ju Chen Guoer Lv Huafeng Yu

This study introduces a novel design for a cast-steel joint in the shape of a T, aimed at resolving concerns regarding stress concentration at points where geometric intersections occur and enhancing the quality of welding in T-shaped welded joints. The proposed integrated design framework greatly facilitated the successful construction of a three-dimensional joint between a brace and a chord at a T-shaped node. The geometric parameters of curves in the connector were optimized using a depth-first search algorithm, resulting in control points for the optimized curve. Computer-aided design software was then employed to obtain the refined connector. The design framework has the ability to produce designs with smooth and uninterrupted boundaries, making them highly compatible with traditional casting methods and effectively tackling the manufacturing challenges related to topology optimization. The numerical simulation results demonstrate that, in comparison to traditionally welded T-joints of the same size, the stress concentration factor of the optimized joints exhibits a significant reduction, accompanied by a notable disparity in stress distribution. Moreover, the impact of the thickness of the brace and the axial compression ratio on the stress concentration factor of the optimized joints was relatively insignificant. The stress concentration factor of the cast-steel joint was reduced by more than 84%, leading to a significant enhancement in fatigue performance.

Diagnostics doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15020223

Authors: Misaki Kinoshita-Ise Taiichiro Ida Tatsuro Iwasaki Hideaki Iwazaki Kazuyuki Yokota Hoshito Taguchi Manabu Ohyama

Background/Objectives: High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) has been reported to be useful for the diagnosis of cutaneous diseases; however, its two-dimensional nature limits the value both in quantitative and qualitative evaluation. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization might help overcome the weakness of the currently existing HFUS. Methods: 3D-HFUS was newly developed and applied to various skin tumors and inflammatory hair diseases to assess its validity and advantages for dermatological use. Results: Three-dimensional images were successfully obtained from skin tumors, including basal cell carcinoma, subungual squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease, and malignant melanoma, as well as inflammatory hair loss diseases including alopecia areata in different disease phases and lichen planopilaris. Vertical and horizontal images were generated from the original 3D image data and assessed in comparison with histopathological and/or dermoscopic images. By additionally obtaining horizontal data, lateral tumor margins at any depth were visualized in tumors. In inflammatory hair loss diseases, signs potentially associated with disease activity and pathology were detected. In addition, horizontal evaluation helped grasp hair cycle status and hair follicle densities. Conclusions: These findings suggested that this novel technology holds promise as a robust noninvasive tool to diagnose and evaluate various cutaneous diseases.

Sensors doi: 10.3390/s25020566

Authors: Paulina Kurnyta-Mazurek Rafał Wrąbel Artur Kurnyta

The range of sensor technologies for structural health monitoring (SHM) systems is expanding as the need for ongoing structural monitoring increases. In such a case, damage to the monitored structure elements is detected using an integrated network of sensors operating in real-time or periodically in frequent time stamps. This paper briefly introduces a new type of sensor, called a Customized Crack Propagation Sensor (CCPS), which is an alternative for crack gauges, but with enhanced functional features and customizability. Due to those characteristics, it is necessary to develop a family of computer-aided supporting models for rapid prototyping and analysis of the new designs of sensors of various shapes and configurations, which this paper presents by use of simulation tools. For a prototyping of the sensor lay out, an algorithm is elaborated, based on an application created in LabVIEW 2022 software, which generates two spreadsheets formatted by the requirements of Autodesk Inventor 2014 and COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6 software, based on data entered by the user. As a result, a tailored-in-shape CCPS layout is prepared. A parametric model of the sensor is prepared in Autodesk Inventor software, which automatically changes its geometric dimensions after changing data in an MS Excel spreadsheet. Then, the generated layout is analyzed to obtain electromechanical characteristics for defined CCPS geometry and materials used in the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Another application is devoted to purely mechanical analysis. The graphical user interface (GUI) add-on based on the Abaqus 2018 software engine is prepared for advanced mechanical analysis simulations of sensor materials in selected loading scenarios. The GUI is used for entering material libraries and the selection of loading conditions and a type of specimen, while the results of the numerical analysis are delivered through Abaqus. The main advantage of the developed GUI is the capacity for personnel inexperienced in using the Abaqus environment to perform analysis. Some results of simulation tests carried out in both COMSOL Multiphysics as well as Abaqus software are delivered in this paper, using a predefined parametric sensor model. For example, using a rigid epoxy resin for an insulating layer shows a negligible difference in the level of strain compared to the structure during a simulated tensile test, specifically in the tested layer thickness range of up to 0.3 mm. However, during bending tests, an approx. 17% change in principal strain level can be observed through the top to bottom edge of the epoxy resin layer. The adopted methodology for carrying out simulation studies assumes the parallel use of a set of various computer-aided tools. This approach allows for taking advantage of individual software environments, which allows for expanding the scope of analyses and using the developed models and applications in further research activities.

Brain Sciences doi: 10.3390/brainsci15010092

Authors: Karolina Jezierska Aneta Cymbaluk-Płoska Justyna Zaleska Wojciech Podraza

Background: Many studies, for example, on taste-visual dissonance, have shown that the influence of the visual cortex on taste sensation is enormous. The presented work aims to investigate, using fNIRS, whether a taste stimulus, in this case, the taste of bitter, also causes stimulation of the visual cortex in the fNIRS study. Methods: fNIRS was used to examine 51 participants (204 examinations, 9996 records), collecting signals from the left hemisphere. Differences between the maximum and minimum changes in oxyHb concentrations (ΔoxyHb) for the areas of the brain cortex considered responsible for recording visual and gustatory signals were analyzed. Protocols I, II, III, and IV—activation with distillate water, coffee with lower concentration, reference (no stimulation), and coffee with higher concentration, respectively, were used. Results: We recorded high signals for teste activation on channels covering the gustatory cortex, which confirms the correctness of the choice of research method. As expected, a significant statistical difference was observed between protocols I, II, and IV and reference III (without stimulation). What seems important is the fact that we also received high signals for the channels 45–49, which cover the visual cortex. The statistical analysis shows no differences between protocols I, II, and IV (different taste activation—water, coffee A, and coffee B) for specific channels for analyzing regions of interest. As a result of the analysis of the correlation between the subjective bitterness assessment solutions and the signal ΔoxyHb height, it was observed that a statistically significant correlation, although weak, occurs only for 14 and gustatory channels, only for coffee with a higher concentration. Additionally, the only statistically significant difference between women and men was observed in Protocol I (water), where the ΔoxyHb signal was twice as high in women compared to men. Conclusions: In conclusion, we can clearly state that the senses of sight and taste work closely together. Moreover, this cooperation is not one-sided: while visual activation influences taste perception, interestingly, a taste stimulus can also generate a hemodynamic response, activating the visual cortex.

World Electric Vehicle Journal doi: 10.3390/wevj16010048

Authors: Wandee Onreabroy Supatsara Piemsomboon Suneerat Traikunwaranon Naksit Wilaiprajuabsang Amornrat Kaewpradap

This study investigates the enhancement of power transfer efficiency (PTE) in wireless power transfer (WPT) systems for electric vehicles (EVs) through simulations and experimental evaluations using metamaterial (MTM) configurations. The MTM model, validated against existing research, was designed for operation at 85 kHz. The influence of MTM on the magnetic field alignment and flux density at the receiver coil significantly improved PTE compared to systems without an MTM configuration. We tested various arrangements of three, six, and nine MTM cells positioned at left, right, top, bottom, and combined locations across coil distances of 0–5.0 cm. The results showed that a nine-cell MTM arrangement yielded greater PTE than a three-cell arrangement because of improved electromagnetic flux distribution. However, the T-shaped arrangement of six MTM cells achieved the maximum PTE at a 2.0 cm coil distance. This performance exceeded that of the configuration with 3 × 3 MTM cells, indicating that the T-shaped design optimizes electromagnetic flux distribution. The six-cell T-shaped arrangement boosted the PTE by 7.7% compared to the nine-cell version, demonstrating its potential as an innovative and efficient WPT system for future EV applications.

Pharmaceuticals doi: 10.3390/ph18010131

Authors: Rui Ding Tiffany C. Edwards Prithwish Goswami Daniel J. Wilson Christine D. Dreis Yihong Ye Robert J. Geraghty Liqiang Chen

Background: p97 (also known as valosin-containing protein, VCP) is a member of the AAA+ ATPase family and is intimately associated with protein quality control and homeostasis regulation. Therefore, pharmaceutical inhibition of p97 has been actively pursued as an anticancer strategy. Recently, p97 has emerged as an important pro-viral host factor and p97 inhibitors are being evaluated as potential antiviral agents. Methods: We designed and synthesized novel p97 inhibitors based on the rearrangement of the central fused ring of our previously reported p97 inhibitors. These compounds were tested for inhibition of p97, cytotoxicity, and antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Molecular docking was also performed on selected inhibitors to shed light on their binding modes. Results: Among these new p97 inhibitors, two compounds possess enhanced anti-p97 activity over their parent compounds. More significantly, these two inhibitors exhibit strong antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 at doses with no significant cytotoxicity. Molecular docking reveals no major change of the binding mode relative to that of their parent compounds, further supporting our design strategy. Conclusions: These compounds are structurally novel p97 inhibitors that display low toxicity and possess promising antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and potentially other viruses. Further structural exploration is therefore justified and improved analogs will serve as useful tools for studying p97 as a promising host antiviral target.

Diagnostics doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15020224

Authors: Costanza Lisi Victor Mergen Lukas J. Moser Konstantin Klambauer Jonathan Michel Albert M. Kasel Hatem Alkadhi Matthias Eberhard

Background/Objectives: Diffuse myocardial fibrosis and altered deformation are relevant prognostic factors in aortic stenosis (AS) patients. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the relationship between myocardial strain, and myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) in patients with severe AS with a photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT. Methods: We retrospectively included 77 patients with severe AS undergoing PCD-CT imaging for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) planning between January 2022 and May 2024 with a protocol including a non-contrast cardiac scan, an ECG-gated helical coronary CT angiography (CCTA), and a cardiac late enhancement scan. Myocardial strain was assessed with feature tracking from CCTA and ECV was calculated from spectral cardiac late enhancement scans. Results: Patients with cardiac amyloidosis (n = 4) exhibited significantly higher median mid-myocardial ECV (48.2% versus 25.5%, p = 0.048) but no significant differences in strain values (p > 0.05). Patients with prior myocardial infarction (n = 6) had reduced median global longitudinal strain values (−9.1% versus −21.7%, p < 0.001) but no significant differences in global mid-myocardial ECV (p > 0.05). Significant correlations were identified between the global longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strains and the CT-derived left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) (all, p < 0.001). Patients with low-flow, low-gradient AS and reduced EF exhibited lower median global longitudinal strain values compared with those with high-gradient AS (−15.2% versus −25.8%, p < 0.001). In these patients, the baso-apical mid-myocardial ECV gradient correlated with GLS values (R = 0.28, p = 0.02). Conclusions: In patients undergoing PCD-CT for TAVR planning, ECV and GLS may enable us to detect patients with cardiac amyloidosis and reduced myocardial contractility

Sensors doi: 10.3390/s25020565

Authors: Jinhua Liu Yongsheng Shi Dongjin Huang Jiantao Qu

The advancement of neural radiance fields (NeRFs) has facilitated the high-quality 3D reconstruction of complex scenes. However, for most NeRFs, reconstructing 3D tissues from endoscopy images poses significant challenges due to the occlusion of soft tissue regions by invalid pixels, deformations in soft tissue, and poor image quality, which severely limits their application in endoscopic scenarios. To address the above issues, we propose a novel framework to reconstruct high-fidelity soft tissue scenes from low-quality endoscopic images. We first construct an EndoTissue dataset of soft tissue regions in endoscopic images and fine-tune the Segment Anything Model (SAM) based on EndoTissue to obtain a potent segmentation network. Given a sequence of monocular endoscopic images, this segmentation network can quickly obtain the tissue mask images. Additionally, we incorporate tissue masks into a dynamic scene reconstruction method called Tensor4D to effectively guide the reconstruction of 3D deformable soft tissues. Finally, we propose adopting the image enhancement model EDAU-Net to improve the quality of the rendered views. The experimental results show that our method can effectively focus on the soft tissue regions in the image, achieving higher fidelity in detail and geometric structural integrity in reconstruction compared to state-of-the-art algorithms. Feedback from the user study indicates high participant scores for our method.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms26020827

Authors: Zsuzsanna Németh Mariann Paulinné Bukovics Liza Dalma Sümegi Gábor Sturm István Takács Laura Simon-Szabó

In addition to conventional treatments, there is growing interest in preventive and complementary therapies. Proper nutrition can prevent the manifestation of several chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, and can attenuate the severity of these diseases. Edible mushrooms have been used as nutrition and medicine for thousands of years. The spectrum and quantity of their medicinal compounds made them a widely investigated target both in basic research and clinical trials. The most abundant and medically important components are polysaccharides, terpenoids, phenols, and heterocyclic amines, but bioactive proteins, vitamins, including vitamin D, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and essential minerals are also important ingredients with noteworthy health benefits. Mushroom extracts have anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective, anti-osteoporotic, and anti-tumor effects and are well tolerated, even by cancer patients. In our previous review we detailed the molecular aspects of the development of type 2 diabetes, discussing the role of physical activity and diet, but we did not detail the role of medicinal mushrooms as part of nutrition. In this review, we aimed to summarize the most important medical mushrooms, along with their natural habitats, growing conditions, and components, that are presumably sufficient for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance.

Marine Drugs doi: 10.3390/md23010047

Authors: Jing Huang Lei Li Liyan Xu Lixin Feng Yuxin Wang Attila Gabor SIK Meng Jin Rongchun Wang Kechun Liu Xiaobin Li

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by uncontrolled, chronic relapsing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and has become a global healthcare problem. Here, we aimed to illustrate the anti-inflammatory activity and the underlying mechanism of methyl 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzoate (MBD), a compound derived from marine organisms, especially in IBD, using a zebrafish model. The results indicated that MBD could inhibit the inflammatory responses induced by CuSO4, tail amputation and LPS in zebrafish. Furthermore, MBD notably inhibited the intestinal migration of immune cells, enhanced the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier and improved intestinal peristalsis function in a zebrafish IBD model induced by trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS). In addition, MBD could inhibit ROS elevation induced by TNBS. Network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking, transcriptomics sequencing and RT-PCR were conducted to investigate the potential mechanism. The results showed that MBD could regulate the TLR/NF-κB pathways by inhibiting the mRNA expression of TNF-α, NF-κB, IL-1, IL-1β, IL6, AP1, IFNγ, IKKβ, MyD88, STAT3, TRAF1, TRAF6, NLRP3, NOD2, TLR3 and TLR4, and promoting the mRNA expression of IL4, IκBα and Bcl-2. In conclusion, these findings indicate that MBD could be a potential candidate for the treatment of IBD.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010106

Authors: Xiao Xu

This study employs advanced data-driven and machine learning techniques to critically assess the integration of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) into academic programs, with a focus on psychological well-being, financial, and equity and inclusion risks. Using data from the 2018 National Graduates Survey in Canada, the analysis examines how WIL programs influence students’ academic and career trajectories, with particular emphasis on identifying key risk factors. The study explores psychological well-being risks associated with academic programs, financial burdens both during and after education, and equity and inclusion risks for institutions. By analysing variables related to work placements, student loans, financial assistance, and the alignment of WIL experiences with students’ post-graduation employment, this research provides critical insights into the effectiveness of WIL programs from a large-scale, survey-based, big data perspective. The findings highlight key areas for improvement to mitigate these risks and enhance the overall value of WIL for students across various disciplines.

Land doi: 10.3390/land14010199

Authors: Yajie Shang Yuanyuan Chen Yalin Zhai Lei Wang

Amid global climate challenges and an urgent need for ecological protection, the northeastern black soil region—one of the world’s remaining “three major black soil regions”—confronts significant tensions between agricultural economic development and land ecological protection, threatening national food security. Based on the “production–ecology–life” (PLE) classification system, this study established a dual-dimensional evaluation for carbon metabolism and ESV in horizontal and vertical dimensions. The horizontal flow of carbon and ESV was traced across different ecosystems, while the spatial and temporal dynamics of carbon metabolism and ESV were analyzed vertically. Spatial autocorrelation analyses were employed to examine the interaction patterns between carbon metabolism and ESV. The findings reveal that (1) cropland production space remains the dominant spatial type, exhibiting fluctuating patterns in the size of other spatial types, with a notable reduction in water ecological space. (2) From 2000 to 2020, high-value carbon metabolism density areas were primarily concentrated in the central region, while low-value areas gradually decreased in size. Cropland production space and urban living space served as key compartments and dominant pathways for carbon flow transfer in the two periods, respectively. (3) The total ecosystem service value (ESV) showed a downward trend, decreasing by CNY 1.432 billion from 2000 to 2020. The spatial distribution pattern indicates high values in the center and northwest, contrasting with lower values in the southeast. The flow of ecological value from forest ecological space to cropland production space represents the main loss pathway. (4) A significant negative correlation exists between carbon metabolism density and ESV, with areas of high correlation predominantly centered around cropland production space. This study provides a scientific foundation for addressing the challenges facing the black soil region, achieving synergistic resource use in pursuit of carbon neutrality, and constructing a more low-carbon and sustainable spatial pattern.

Journal of Functional Biomaterials doi: 10.3390/jfb16010034

Authors: Thomas R. Fuerst Alexander Marin Sarah Jeong Liudmila Kulakova Raman Hlushko Katrina Gorga Eric A. Toth Nevil J. Singh Alexander K. Andrianov

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health concern, and the development of an effective HCV vaccine plays an important role in the effort to prevent new infections. Supramolecular co-assembly and co-presentation of the HCV envelope E1E2 heterodimer complex and core protein presents an attractive vaccine design strategy for achieving effective humoral and cellular immunity. With this objective, the two antigens were non-covalently assembled with an immunostimulant (TLR 7/8 agonist) into virus-mimicking polymer nanocomplexes (VMPNs) using a biodegradable synthetic polyphosphazene delivery vehicle. The resulting assemblies were characterized using dynamic light scattering and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation methods and directly visualized in their vitrified state by cryogenic electron microscopy. The in vivo superiority of VMPNs over the individual components and an Alum-formulated vaccine manifests in higher neutralizing antibody titers, the promotion of a balanced IgG response, and the induction of a cellular immunity—CD4+ T cell responses to core proteins. The aqueous-based spontaneous co-assembly of antigens and immunopotentiating molecules enabled by a synthetic biodegradable carrier offers a simple and effective pathway to the development of polymer-based supramolecular nanovaccine systems.

Coatings doi: 10.3390/coatings15010109

Authors: Bożena Łosiewicz Patrycja Osak Delfina Nowińska Joanna Maszybrocka

The development of dental implants has significantly advanced due to technological innovations aimed at improving their performance and patient outcomes. This work presents key factors influencing the success of dental implants, including osseointegration, which is the direct connection between living bone and the implant surface, and the various surface modifications that enhance this process. This review highlights the importance of surface roughness, chemical composition, and the use of bioactive coatings to promote better integration with surrounding bone tissue. Innovations such as nanotechnology, 3D printing, and smart surfaces are paving the way for more effective and personalized dental implant solutions. This review underscores the importance of ongoing research and development to improve success rates, enhance patient comfort, and reduce healing times. It focuses on creating cost-effective, reliable methods that integrate multiple functions, such as combining antibacterial and osteoconductive properties to improve overall implant performance.

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17020764

Authors: Princess Claire D. Ochigue Maricar A. Aguilos Arnold A. Lubguban Hernando P. Bacosa

Plastics play an indispensable role in modern society, yet their long-term durability poses severe environmental challenges, with mismanaged waste polluting ecosystems worldwide. The transition to a circular economy emphasizes the importance of recycling and resource recovery to mitigate these impacts. While conventional disposal methods like mechanical and chemical recycling or incineration face limitations such as quality degradation, high costs, or pollutant emissions, value-added approaches present an innovative solution. This review explores the potential of integrating recycled plastic waste into composite materials to enhance performance and sustainability. Focusing on diverse strategies, the paper highlights the use of recycled plastics in combination with fibers, wood, metal, concrete, glass, rubber, textiles, and foam. These composites demonstrate superior mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, enabling applications across industries like construction, automotive, aerospace, and furniture. Furthermore, various roles of plastic waste—such as filler, reinforcement, matrix, or additive—are analyzed to showcase advancements in material innovation. By presenting methodologies and outcomes from recent research, this paper underscores the potential of recycled plastics in creating high-performance materials, supporting sustainable development and circular economic goals.

Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules30020417

Authors: Mei Jiang Jingjing Yao Qiang Guo Yueer Yan Yi Tang Yuliang Yang

Paper-based cultural relics experience aging and deterioration during their long-term preservation, which poses a serious threat to their lifetime. The development of conservation materials with high compatibility and low intervention has been expected to extend the lifetime of paper artifacts. As a new type of biological macromolecule, nanocellulose has been extensively utilized in paper conservation, attributed to its excellent paper compatibility, high optical transparency, outstanding mechanical strength, and large specific surface area with abundant hydroxyl groups. This review systematically summarizes the latest development of three kinds of nanocellulose (cellulose nanofibril, cellulose nanocrystal, and bacterial nanocellulose) and their composites used for the multifunctional conservation of paper relics. Owing to the strong hydrogen bond interactions between hydroxyls of nanocellulose and paper fibers, nanocellulose can effectively consolidate paper without adding adhesives. The composite of nanocellulose with other functional materials greatly expands its application scope, and the superior performance has been emphasized in paper deacidification, consolidation, antimicrobial effect, antioxidation, UV resistance, self-cleaning, promotion of printing property, reduction in air permeability, and flame retardancy. The application characteristics and future prospects of nanocellulose composites are highlighted in the conservation of paper-based cultural relics.

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers17020314

Authors: Kento Shionoya Atsushi Sofuni Shuntaro Mukai Yoshiya Yamauchi Takayoshi Tsuchiya Reina Tanaka Ryosuke Tonozuka Kenjiro Yamamoto Kazumasa Nagai Yukitoshi Matsunami Hiroyuki Kojima Hirohito Minami Noriyuki Hirakawa Qiang Zhan Takao Itoi

Background: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), including gallbladder and bile duct cancers, have a poor prognosis. Recent advances in chemotherapy, such as using targeted drugs for specific gene mutations, have improved outcomes. Gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy has been the standard of care for the primary treatment of BTCs, but secondary treatment had not been established until recently. In recent years, durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GCD) chemotherapy is emerging as a promising regimen, although more evidence is needed for its effectiveness. Methods: This retrospective single-center study involved 44 patients receiving GCD treatment between January 2023 and March 2024 with a median follow-up of 10 months. Outcomes focused on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), response rates, and adverse events (AEs). Results: The overall response rate (ORR) was 23%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 82%. The overall median OS and PFS were 15.3 and 8.0 months, respectively, with patients receiving primary chemotherapy experiencing longer survival compared to a control group. Patients who did not undergo bile duct drainage had statistically different better OS and PFS. Grade 3 or higher AEs occurred in 54.5% of patients, with neutropenia and biliary infections being common. Conclusions: GCD chemotherapy shows potential as an effective treatment for BTCs. The favorable treatment outcome was the response rate, particularly in primary therapy or those cases with no metastasis. Bile duct management is crucial for improving patient outcomes. GCD chemotherapy has a high response rate, PFS, and OS compared to other forms of chemotherapy.

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering doi: 10.3390/jmse13010174

Authors: Ziqing Hong Mianmo Meng Kong Deng Jingwen Bao Qianyou Wang Xingchen Liu

Pore connectivity and ultimate imbibed porosity are two important parameters used to assess the shale oil reservoir property, the proper appraising of which could facilitate the efficient flow of oil from the matrix and an improvement in recovery efficiency. In previous studies, the uncertainty in sample dimensions and the extra-long stable time during imbibition experiments exploring pore connectivity and ultimate imbibed porosity showed a lack of discussion, which influenced the accuracy and efficiency of the SI experiments. In this study, SI experiments with shale samples of different thicknesses are carried out to acquire the two parameters in a short period of time. As a result, the pore connectivity of sample D86-5 from the Qingshankou Formation (Fm) in the Songliao Basin fluctuates with the increase in thicknesses, with an average of 0.265. The water penetrates sample D86-5 of all thicknesses, so the ultimate imbibed porosity fluctuates around 3.7%, and the stable time increases with thicknesses. The pore connectivity of sample Y172 from the Shahejie Fm in the Bohaiwan Basin fluctuates around an average of 0.026, which is much smaller than that of D86-5. The ultimate imbibed porosity of Y172 decreases with thicknesses because the penetration depth is so small that the pores cannot be fully accessed, and the stable time increases before becoming stable with fluctuations. The method is examined using the samples from the Liushagang Fm in the Beibuwan Basin measuring around 400 μm: the ultimate imbibed porosity of BW1-1 and BW1-3 is 5.8% and 18.1%, respectively, the pore connectivity of BW1-1, BW1-2, and BW1-3 is 0.086, 0.117, and 0.142, respectively, and the results can be obtained within a day. In comparison, the average pore connectivity of the 400 μm samples from Qingshankou, Shahejie, and Liushagang Fms is 0.324, 0.033, and 0.097, respectively, and the average ultimate imbibed porosity of these Fms is 3.7%, 3.1%, and 12.0%, respectively. Based on the above results, a quick method for measuring the two parameters with thin samples by spontaneous imbibition is established, providing a fast solution for the evaluation of the sweet spot.

Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules30020413

Authors: Ram Chandra Nepal Elif S. Seven Roger M. Leblanc Charles C. Chusuei

Elevated dopamine (DA) levels in urine denote neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer. Saccharide-derived carbon dots (CDs) were applied to assay DA detection in simulated urine (SU) while delineating the effects of graphene defect density on electrocatalytic activity. CDs were hydrothermally synthesized to vary graphene defect densities using sucrose, raffinose, and palatinose, depositing them onto glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were encapsulated by the CDs. Cyclic (CV) and linear sweep (LSV) voltammetry measurements were obtained, drop-casting the CDs onto GCEs and measuring DA in a phosphate-buffer solution (pH = 7). DA had an oxidation peak at +0.2 V with SucCDs, with the highest current correlating with the highest defect density. PalCD-Co3O4 exhibited the largest signal for DA detection in simulated urine (SU) using the oxidation peak at +0.5 V; the composite had a lower defect density compared to SucCD-Co3O4. The Co3O4-PalCDs had a DA detection range of 1 to 90 µM with an LOD of 0.88 μM in SU. SEM-EDX analysis of the electrode surface revealed semi-spherical structures with an average particle diameter of 80 ± 19 nm (n = 347) with PalCDs decorating the Co3O4 NPs. XRD characterization showed the incorporation of PalCD and Co3O4 within the composite. XPS showed electron density donation from the PalCD to Co3O4.

Systems doi: 10.3390/systems13010061

Authors: Yingxi Ge Kehong Chen

The aim of this study was to analyze the strategic choices and profit variations of a monopolistic automobile manufacturer capable of producing both traditional fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles, with a particular focus on government interventions. Using a theoretical model, the research examined firm-level production decisions by incorporating consumer preferences and market competition under three policy scenarios: no government intervention, government subsidies, and tax policies. The key findings are as follows: (1) In the absence of government intervention, the firm’s production strategy is influenced by consumer preferences for new energy vehicles. Specifically, the firm prioritizes the production of new energy vehicles when consumer preference is high, fuel vehicles when preference is low, and both types when preference is moderate. (2) Government subsidies substantially reduce the production of fuel vehicles while promoting the production of new energy vehicles. However, excessively high subsidies may lead the firm to revert to fuel vehicle production. (3) Tax policies influence production strategies in a manner similar to subsidy policies. (4) When government intervention is weak and competition between fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles is intense, subsidy policies are more effective; however, when competition is less intense, tax policies may be more beneficial. Under strong government intervention, subsidy policies are found to be more effective. This research contributes to the literature by providing a theoretical foundation for government policymaking in the new energy vehicle sector, offering insights into firm-level production decisions under various policy environments. The originality of this study lies in its comparison of the effectiveness of subsidy and tax policies in promoting new energy vehicle production, which helps guide policymakers in designing optimal policy interventions.

Micromachines doi: 10.3390/mi16010110

Authors: Zhengjian Wang Xichun Luo Jining Sun Wenkun Xie Yinchuan Piao Yonghang Jiang Xiuyuan Chen

Silk fibroin, known for its biocompatibility and biodegradability, holds significant promise for biomedical applications, particularly in drug delivery systems. The precise fabrication of silk fibroin particles, specifically those ranging from tens of nanometres to hundreds of microns, is critical for these uses. This study introduces elliptical vibration micro-turning as a method for producing silk fibroin particles in the form of cutting chips to serve as carriers for drug delivery systems. A hybrid finite element and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (FE-SPH) model was used to investigate how vibration parameters, such as frequency and amplitude, influence chip formation and morphology. This research is essential for determining the size and shape of silk fibroin particles, which are crucial for their effectiveness in drug delivery systems. The results demonstrate the superior capability of elliptical vibration micro-turning for producing shorter, spiral-shaped chips in the size range of tens of microns, in contrast to the long, continuous chips with zig-zag folds and segmented edges generated by conventional micro-turning. The unique zig-zag shapes result from the interplay between the high flexibility and hierarchical structure of silk fibroin and the controlled cutting environment provided by the diamond tool. Additionally, higher vibration frequencies and lower vertical amplitudes promote chip curling, facilitate breakage, and improve chip control, while reducing cutting forces. Experimental trials further validate the accuracy of the hybrid model. This study represents a significant advancement in the processing of silk fibroin film, offering a complementary approach to fabricating short, spiral-shaped silk fibroin particles with a high surface-area-to-volume ratio compared to traditional spheroids, which holds great potential for enhancing drug-loading efficiency in high-precision drug delivery systems.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants14020279

Authors: Françoise Martz Santeri Kankaanpää

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Eurasia, wildly distributed throughout the temperate parts of the world. Although generally considered as a weed due to its fast growth and invasive capacity, stinging nettle is well suited to cultivation and is currently experiencing a revival as a beneficial crop due to its numerous potential applications. This interest reflects in an increasing number of scientific articles related to nettle in the last years. However, reports mostly focus on the aerial parts of the plant. Roots are rich in numerous phytochemicals such as phytosterols, lignans, coumarins, sugars, and lectins. By compiling the most relevant publications, the aim of this review is to gather the current knowledge about nettle roots, such as root system functioning, biochemical composition, and related functional activities. A special emphasis is placed on lectins (or UDA for Urtica dioica agglutinin) due to their functional activities. This review highlights the potential of nettle root as a source of biomolecules. Gaps of knowledge and possible future directions for nettle root research, production, and uses are discussed.

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering doi: 10.3390/jmse13010175

Authors: Nikolina Ilijanić Dea Brunović Slobodan Miko Valentina Hajek Tadesse Ozren Hasan Ivan Razum Martina Šparica Miko Saša Mesić

This study focuses on the analysis of sediment core retrieved from the deepest part (25 m) of Pirovac Bay. A long sedimentary sequence (7.45 m) supplemented by a shorter sediment core (1.45 m) from a shallower part of the bay was analyzed for sedimentological, mineralogical, geochemical, and micropaleontological (ostracod) parameters. The sediment thickness above the underlying karst paleorelief (karstic bedrock) is up to 12 m. Sediments recorded a transition from a freshwater to a marine environment starting from post-Neapolitan Yellow Tuff tephra sedimentation. First, the floodplain developed in Pirovac Bay, with intermittent pools and ponds, followed by wetland environment. The formation of a shallow freshwater paleolake during the Middle Holocene at 10 cal kyr BP was enabled by the rising sea level and high freshwater input from the karstified underground from the adjacent Lake Vrana (Biograd na Moru). The onset of marine intrusions through the karstified underground is evident with formation of a brackish lake in the Pirovac Bay basin. Marine transgression and flooding of the bay occurred at 7.3 cal kyr BP, evidenced by the geochemical and ostracod parameters, providing crucial insights into the dynamics of coastal inundation under past climate change. Intriguingly, freshwater ostracod species were still present in the marine sediments, brought into the bay from Lake Vrana through surficial canal Prosika and groundwater discharge (numerous estavelles) along the northeastern shores of the bay, proving their mutual influence. This submerged Holocene freshwater paleolake, reported here for the first time, underlines the sensitivity of coastal karst systems to the rise in sea level and serves to stress how important understanding of these processes is for effective management in coastal zone and climate change adaptation strategies. The findings provided evidence supporting the existence of coastal marine basins as freshwater lakes prior to being flooded by seawater as a consequence of the Holocene post-glacial sea level rise.

Life doi: 10.3390/life15010127

Authors: Anastasia Alexandrova Elizaveta Kontareva Margarita Pustovalova Sergey Leonov Yulia Merkher

Cancer-related deaths primarily occur due to metastasis, a process involving the migration and invasion of cancer cells. In most solid tumors, metastasis occurs through collective cell migration (CCM), guided by “cellular leaders”. These leader cells generate forces through actomyosin-mediated protrusion and contractility. The cytoskeletal mechanisms employed by metastatic cells during the migration process closely resemble the use of the actin cytoskeleton in endocytosis. In our previous work, we revealed that tumor cells exhibiting high metastatic potential (MP) are more adept at encapsulating 100–200 nm nanoparticles than those with lower MP. The objective of this study was to investigate whether nanoparticle encapsulation could effectively differentiate leader tumor cells during their CCM. To achieve our objectives, we employed a two-dimensional CCM model grounded in the wound-healing (“scratch”) assay, utilizing two breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and MDA-MB-231, which display low and high migratory potential, respectively. We conducted calibration experiments to identify the “optimal time” at which cells exhibit peak speed during wound closure. Furthermore, we carried out experiments to assess nanoparticle uptake, calculating the colocalization coefficient, and employed phalloidin staining to analyze the anisotropy and orientation of actin filaments. The highest activity for low-MP cells was achieved at 2.6 h during the calibration experiments, whereas high-MP cells were maximally active at 3.9 h, resulting in 8% and 11% reductions in wound area, respectively. We observed a significant difference in encapsulation efficiency between leader and peripheral cells for both high-MP (p < 0.013) and low-MP (p < 0.02) cells. Moreover, leader cells demonstrated a considerably higher anisotropy coefficient (p < 0.029), indicating a more organized, directional structure of actin filaments compared to peripheral cells. Thus, nanoparticle encapsulation offers a groundbreaking approach to identifying the most aggressive and invasive leader cells during the CCM process in breast cancer. Detecting these cells is crucial for developing targeted therapies that can effectively curb metastasis and improve patient outcomes.

Forests doi: 10.3390/f16010184

Authors: Huayong Zhang Yue Zhou Xiande Ji Zhongyu Wang Zhao Liu

Betula albosinensis serves as an important constructive and afforestation tree species in mountainous areas. Its suitable habitat and habitat quality are highly vulnerable to the climate. However, few studies have centered on the shrinkage, expansion, and habitat fragmentation of B. albosinensis forests under climate change. In this study, the Random Forest model was employed to predict current and future trends of shrinking and expanding of B. albosinensis, while a composite landscape index was utilized to evaluate the habitat fragmentation in the highly suitable habitats of B. albosinensis. The results indicated that suitable habitats for B. albosinensis were primarily concentrated in the vicinities of the Qinling, Qilian, and Hengduan Mountains, situated in western China. The most influential factor affecting the distribution of B. albosinensis was temperature seasonality (Bio4). In future scenarios, the center of distribution of B. albosinensis was projected to shift towards the west and higher altitudes. The total suitable habitats of B. albosinensis were anticipated to expand under the scenarios of SSP370 and SSP585 in the 2090s, while they were expected to contract under the remaining scenarios. Although these results indicated that the suitable areas of habitat for B. albosinensis were relatively intact on the whole, fragmentation increased with climate change, with the highest degree of fragmentation observed under the SSP585 scenario in the 2090s. The findings of this study provide a foundation for the protection of montane vegetation, the maintenance of montane biodiversity, and the evaluation of species’ habitat fragmentation.

Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules30020416

Authors: Airi Fujii Saki Onishi Nodoka Watanabe Mizuki Kajimura Kentaro Ito Keita Minamisaka Yuto Nishidono Saki Shirako Yukinobu Ikeya Mikio Nishizawa

Traditional Japanese medicines, i.e., Kampo medicines, consist of crude drugs (mostly plants) that have empirical pharmacological functions (‘Yakuno’ in Japanese), such as clearing heat. Crude drugs with cold properties, such as Phellodendron bark, have the empirical function of clearing heat as they cool the body. Because we found that anti-inflammatory compounds were present in several crude drugs for clearing heat, it is speculated that the empirical function of clearing heat may be linked to anti-inflammatory activities. When 10 typical crude drugs were selected from 22 herbal crude drugs for clearing heat, we identified anti-inflammatory compounds in five crude drugs, including Phellodendron bark. In this study, the other crude drugs were extracted and partitioned with ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and n-butanol to obtain three crude fractions. All the EtOAc-soluble fractions, except that from Forsythia fruits, inhibited interleukin (IL)-1β-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in primary-cultured rat hepatocytes. Anti-inflammatory compounds were identified from these EtOAc-soluble fractions: baicalein from Scutellaria roots, (−)-nyasol from Anemarrhena rhizomes, and loniflavone from Lonicera leaves and stems. (+)-Phillygenin was purified from Forsythia fruits by removing cytotoxic oleanolic and betulinic acids. These compounds suppressed the production of NO and cytokines in hepatocytes. Anti-inflammatory compounds were not purified from the EtOAc-soluble fraction of Rehmannia roots because of their low abundance. Collectively, these findings indicate that anti-inflammatory compounds are present in all 10 crude drugs for clearing heat, confirming that these anti-inflammatory compounds in crude drugs provide the empirical functions for clearing heat. Other empirical functions of Kampo medicine can also be explained by modern pharmacological activities.

Drones doi: 10.3390/drones9010074

Authors: Heng Xu Dayong Zhu

As Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology advances, UAVs have attracted widespread attention across military and civilian fields due to their low cost and flexibility. In unknown environments, UAVs can significantly reduce the risk of casualties and improve the safety and covertness when performing missions. Reinforcement Learning allows agents to learn optimal policies through trials in the environment, enabling UAVs to respond autonomously according to the real-time conditions. Due to the limitation of the observation range of UAV sensors, UAV target search missions face the challenge of partial observation. Based on this, Partially Observable Deep Q-Network (PODQN), which is a DQN-based algorithm is proposed. The PODQN algorithm utilizes the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to remember the past observation information. It integrates the target network and decomposes the action value for better evaluation. In addition, the artificial potential field is introduced to solve the potential collision problem. The simulation environment for UAV target search is constructed through the custom Markov Decision Process. By comparing the PODQN algorithm with random strategy, DQN, Double DQN, Dueling DQN, VDN, QMIX, it is demonstrated that the proposed PODQN algorithm has the best performance under different agent configurations.

Biosensors doi: 10.3390/bios15010063

Authors: Changfeng Zhu Yujiao Zhao Jiyang Liu

The sensitive detection of inflammatory biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is highly desirable for the evaluation of periodontal disease. Luminol-based electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensors offer a promising approach for the fast and convenient detection of biomarkers. However, luminol’s low ECL efficiency under neutral conditions remains a challenge. This study developed an immunosensor by engineering an immunorecognition interface on the outer surface of mesoporous silica nanochannel film (SNF) and confining a Co3O4 nanocatalyst within the SNF nanochannels to improve the luminol ECL efficiency. The SNF was grown on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode using the simple Stöber solution growth method. A Co3O4 nanocatalyst was successfully confined within the SNF nanochannels through in situ electrodeposition, confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical measurements. The confined Co3O4 demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity, effectively enhancing luminol and H2O2 oxidation and boosting the ECL signal under neutral conditions. Using interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a proof-of-concept demonstration, the epoxy functionalization of the SNF outer surface enabled the covalent immobilization of capture antibodies, forming a specific immunorecognition interface. IL-6 binding induced immunocomplex formation, which reduced the ECL signal and allowed for quantitative detection. The immunosensor showed a linear detection range for IL-6 from 1 fg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.64 fg mL−1. It also demonstrated good selectivity and anti-interference capabilities, enabling the successful detection of IL-6 in artificial GCF samples.

Coatings doi: 10.3390/coatings15010108

Authors: Dong Wang Decheng Feng Zhiguo Chen Zengxin Liu Wenhui Zhang Junwen Lei Dongdong Yao Junyan Yi Zhongshi Pei

Considering the harsh service environment of asphalt pavements in cold regions, there is an urgent need to develop high-viscosity, and high-elasticity modified asphalt. This study focuses on the composite modification effects of SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene) and TPS (TAFPACK-Super) modifiers. A multivariate regression analysis model was established to evaluate the effects of different external additive proportions on the properties of high-viscosity and high-elasticity modified asphalt, including softening point, penetration, ductility, and dynamic viscosity. The results indicate that the constructed quadratic nonlinear regression models exhibit excellent goodness of fit (0.929, 0.994, 0.882, and 0.939), verifying their reliability. The model further elucidates the influence patterns of different materials on asphalt properties: SBS has the greatest impact on the softening point and dynamic viscosity, TPS significantly enhances ductility, while aromatic oil primarily affects penetration. By considering performance and cost, an optimized formulation for TPS-SBS composite-modified asphalt was determined: 9% SBS, 1% TPS, and 3% aromatic oil. Validation tests demonstrate that the modified asphalt prepared with the optimal formulation meets all performance criteria, with a dynamic viscosity of 55.32 × 104 Pa·s at 60 °C. Additionally, this composite-modified asphalt exhibits excellent aging resistance, construction workability, and high-temperature stability, providing scientific support and reference for the development of durable asphalt pavements in cold regions.

Forests doi: 10.3390/f16010182

Authors: Jetsada Wongprom Narinthorn Jumwong Pattama Sangvisitpirom Sapit Diloksumpun La-ongdao Thaopimai

Mixed-species plantations involving Eucalyptus and Acacia trees are an effective alternative for managing sustainable plantations. In this study, we evaluated the growth, productivity, nutrient return, and soil properties of a mixed Eucalyptus hybrid (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. × E. urophylla S.T. Blake; E) and Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth. plantation (A) and Eucalyptus hybrid and A. auriculiformis plantations. The mixed Eucalyptus hybrid and A. auriculiformis plantation included three ratios at E33:A67, E50:A50, and E67:A33, while the Eucalyptus (E100) and A. auriculiformis (A100) plantations were established on degraded lands in the Had Wanakorn Forestry Research and Student Training Station, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Thailand. Three replications within a plot size of 20 × 20 m2 were designed to plant Eucalyptus hybrid and A. auriculiformis seedlings at a spacing of 2 × 3 m2. The diameters at breast height (DBH) and height (H) of the Eucalyptus hybrid and A. auriculiformis were measured and monitored after planting for five years. The aboveground biomass of the five-year-old mixed and monoculture plantations was then estimated. Litterfall production and nutrient return from the mixed and monoculture plantations were measured for three years. In addition, soil samples at depths of 0–5, 5–10, and 10–20 cm were collected to analyze the soil’s chemical properties. Differences in growth, aboveground biomass, litterfall production, nutrient return, and soil properties were analyzed and tested using Tukey’s HSD. The results indicated that both the DBH and H of the Eucalyptus hybrid in the mixed and monoculture plantations were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Similarly, the DBH and H of A. auriculiformis in each treatment were also not significantly different (p > 0.05). However, the DBH and H of the Eucalyptus hybrid were higher than those of A. auriculiformis. The aboveground biomass for the mixed plantation ratios E50:A50, E100, E67:A33, and E33:A67 was not significantly different, while the stem biomass was the highest in E100. Litterfall production was influenced by the proportion of the Eucalyptus hybrid relative to A. auriculiformis, but the monoculture A100 plantation had the highest litter production. The nitrogen return estimated for the mixed plantation was between A100 and E100. Similarly, the total nitrogen in the topsoil (0–5 cm) of the mixed plantation was higher than that in the monoculture E100 plantation. These results indicate that mixing A. auriculiformis with Eucalyptus can improve soil nutrients and nutrient cycling and increase nutrient returns, suggesting that mixed plantations are an effective option for sustainable plantation management and can mitigate the negative environmental impacts of Eucalyptus monocultures.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants14020280

Authors: Antonio Carlomagno Claudio Bonghi Giuseppe Montanaro Alessandra Ferrandino Angela Rasori Vitale Nuzzo Vittorino Novello

Abstract: Fruit dropping represents a concern in many fruit species, including Vitis vinifera L. This research investigated the role of two plant growth regulators (PGRs), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), in mitigating preharvest berry dropping (PHBD) through affecting ethylene (ET) and auxin (AUX) metabolism and interactions, key hormones involved in abscission. The experiment was carried out on cv. Dolcetto, with PGR treatments applied at 43, 53, and 90 days after anthesis (DAA) for NAA and at 56 DAA for 1-MCP. Berry dropping incidence, yield parameters, and transcript levels of genes related to ET and AUX pathways were analyzed, including VIT_212s0059g01380, VIT_211s0016g02380, VIT_207s0005g00820, VIT_216s0013g00980, VIT_203s0091g00310, and VIT_207s0104g00800. Both NAA and 1-MCP significantly reduced PHBD, with NAA achieving a 92% reduction and 1-MCP an 82% reduction compared to control vines. Transcript analysis revealed differential gene expression patterns, indicating that NAA affects the ET biosynthesis pathway, while 1-MCP interferes with ET receptor signaling. The results suggest that both PGRs effectively reduced berry dropping, providing a basis for integrated crop management strategies to mitigate PHBD in grapevine cultivars susceptible to this physiological disorder.

Genes doi: 10.3390/genes16010104

Authors: Elisabetta Prada Giulia Bruna Marchetti Denise Pires Marafon Alessandra Mazzocchi Giulietta Scuvera Lidia Pezzani Carlo Agostoni Donatella Milani

Mendelian disorders of the epigenetic machinery (MDEMs) include a large number of conditions caused by defective activity of a member of the epigenetic machinery. MDEMs are characterized by multiple congenital abnormalities, intellectual disability and abnormal growth. that can be variably up- or down-regulated. Background/Objectives: In several MDEMs, a predisposition to metabolic syndrome and obesity since childhood has been reported. Methods: To investigate the metabolic bases of this abnormal growth, we collected physical data from a heterogeneous pool of 38 patients affected by MDEMs. Thirty-five patients performed indirect calorimetry (as a measure of resting energy expenditure, REE) and blood tests to monitor plasmatic nutritional parameters. Conclusions: Although limited by a small-sized and heterogeneous sample, our study demonstrates a linear correlation between REE and physical parameters, OFC, height and weight, and observed a slight imbalance on several plasmatic spies of metabolic syndrome predisposition. Furthermore, we demonstrated a significantly higher REE in Sotos Syndrome type 1 patients compared to the controls, which resulted independent from height, suggesting that impaired metabolism in these patients may go beyond overgrowth.

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15020958

Authors: Edoardo d’Andrea Andrea Politano Bartolomeo Cassano Nico Lanconelli Marta Cremonesi Vincenzo Patera Massimiliano Pacilio

This study compares dosimetric approaches for lung dosimetry in 166Ho radioembolization (Ho-TARE) with direct Monte Carlo (MC) simulations on a voxelized anthropomorphic phantom derived from a real patient’s CT scan, preserving the patient’s lung density distribution. Lung dosimetry was assessed for five lung shunt (LS) scenarios with conventional methods: the mono-compartmental organ-level approach (MIRD), voxel S-value convolution for soft tissue (kST, ICRU soft tissue with 1.04 g/cm3) and lung tissue (kLT, ICRU lung tissue with 0.296 g/cm3), local density rescaling (kSTL and kLTL, respectively, for soft tissue and lung tissue), or global rescaling for a lung mean density of 0.221 g/cm3 (kLT221). Significant underestimations in the mean absorbed dose (AD) were observed, with relative differences with respect to the reference (MC) of −64% for MIRD, −93% for kST, −56% for kSTL, −76% for kLT, −68% for kLT221, and −60% for kLTL. Given the high heterogeneity of lung tissue, standard dosimetric approaches cannot accurately estimate the AD. Additionally, MC results for 166Ho showed notable spatial absorbed dose inhomogeneity, highlighting the need for tailored lung dosimetry in Ho-TARE accounting for the patient-specific lung density distribution. MC-based dosimetry thus proves to be essential for safe and effective radioembolization treatment planning in the presence of LS.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms26020826

Authors: Eleonora Virgilio Valentina Ciampana Chiara Puricelli Paola Naldi Angelo Bianchi Umberto Dianzani Domizia Vecchio Cristoforo Comi

The pathophysiology of cognitive impairment (CI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. Meningeal B cell aggregates may contribute to cortical grey matter pathology. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), kappa free light chains (KFLC), and KFLCs-Index (kappa-Index) are reliable quantitative markers of intrathecal synthesis, but few data have been presented exploring the association with CI, and no data are present for lambda FLC (LFLC) in MS. We evaluated cognition using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) battery and collected serum and CSF at diagnosis in newly diagnosed drug-naïve MS patients. We observed that patients with impaired verbal memory and overall CI showed increased CSF KFLCs (respectively p: 0.0003 and p: 0.003) and kappa-Index (respectively p: 0.01 and p: 0.02) compared to those with normal verbal memory and no CI. Patients with CI also displayed lower CSF LFLCs (p: 0.04) and lambda-Index (p: 0.001); however, only CSF KFLC negatively correlated with normalized results of verbal memory (for age, sex, and educational levels), even after correction for EDSS (r: −0.27 p: 0.01). Finally, CSF FKLC and kappa-Index were significant predictors of verbal memory in a multivariate analysis. Our results, suggest that intrathecal B cell activity might contribute to CI development in MS patients.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms26020824

Authors: Botao Zhang Yuancong Xu Shuwen Liu Sixu Chen Wencong Zhao Zhaoyang Li Junshuai Wang Weijian Zhao Heng Zhang Yuhui Dong Yong Gong Wang Sheng Peng Cao

Cyanobacterial cytochrome c6 (Cyt c6) is crucial for electron transfer between the cytochrome b6f complex and photosystem I (PSI), playing a key role in photosynthesis and enhancing adaptation to extreme environments. This study investigates the high-resolution crystal structures of Cyt c6 from Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and Synechocystis PCC 6803, focusing on its dimerization mechanisms and functional implications for photosynthesis. Cyt c6 was expressed in Escherichia coli using a dual-plasmid co-expression system and characterized in both oxidized and reduced states. X-ray crystallography revealed three distinct crystal forms, with asymmetric units containing 2, 4, or 12 molecules, all of which consist of repeating dimeric structures. Structural comparisons across species indicated that dimerization predominantly occurs through hydrophobic interactions within a conserved motif around the heme crevice, despite notable variations in dimer positioning. We propose that the dimerization of Cyt c6 enhances structural stability, optimizes electron transfer kinetics, and protects the protein from oxidative damage. Furthermore, we used AlphaFold3 to predict the structure of the PSI-Cyt c6 complex, revealing specific interactions that may facilitate efficient electron transfer. These findings provide new insights into the functional role of Cyt c6 dimerization and its contribution to improving cyanobacterial photosynthetic electron transport.