J — Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal

Skin hyperpigmentation caused by excessive melanin production has led to increasing interest in the development of effective anti-melanogenic agents. In this study, the anti-melanogenic effects and underlying mechanisms of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) were investigated using α-MSH-induced B16F10 melanoma cells. NMN maintained over 80% cell viability at concentrations below 0.5% and significantly reduced α-MSH-induced melanin accumulation and melanin content. In addition, in situ tyrosinase assay demonstrated that NMN effectively suppressed intracellular melanogenesis. However, NMN did not exhibit direct inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that NMN did not directly interact with the catalytic copper-binding site of tyrosinase. Furthermore, tyrosinase zymography and Western blot analyses demonstrated that NMN suppressed melanogenesis primarily through downregulation of tyrosinase protein expression rather than direct inhibition of tyrosinase catalytic activity. Collectively, these findings suggest that NMN suppresses melanogenesis through regulation of melanogenic signaling pathways, indicating its potential utility for hyperpigmentation-related applications.

The study of the conceptual framework examined climate change, water civilization, and socio-economic development in ancient Dalmatia (Croatia). The study examined the cultural and social development centered on managing and depending on water from 350 BCE to 900 CE. Significance was highlighted on water resources and water civilization as the basis of human society, influencing culture, governance, and survival. This research utilized a thermodynamic framework to illustrate the dynamic interrelationships that affect the development of civilization, establishing continuous cycles of reciprocal influence and adjustment. The findings indicate that the main external dangers to civilizations in Dalmatia were significant alterations in climate patterns and abrupt variations in water cycles brought on by solar radiation and cooling due to volcanic eruptions. Within the organization, there was an insufficient water management expertise required to manage and regulate water resource systems. With the failure of water networks and dissipative structures, local communities were deprived of water and food resources. Hunger, warfare, and illness frequently ensued, resulting in large-scale movement or the desertion of cities. The results suggest that the connection among climate change, water societies, and socio-economic elements underpins both human history and contemporary global issues.

Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters are sensitive indicators of photosystem II (PSII) functionality and overall photosynthetic performance; however, their genetic architecture in wheat remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the gene action governing chlorophyll fluorescence traits in two bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crosses: N-92-9 × Ehsan and Kohdasht × Ehsan. Six generations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁, and BC₂) were evaluated under a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Sixteen OJIP-based fluorescence parameters were recorded, including Fo, Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm, ABS/RC, TRo/RC, ETo/RC, REo/RC, φ(Po), ψ(Eo), ABS/CSo, DIo/CSo, TRo/CSo, ETo/CSo, ABS/CSm, and DIo/CSm. Significant generation effects were detected for 14 of the 16 parameters in N-92-9 × Ehsan and for 12 parameters in Kohdasht × Ehsan. These statistical patterns and the subsequent generation mean analyses indicated cross- and trait-dependent contributions of additive, dominance, and epistatic effects. The ratio |F|/√(D×H) was less than unity for the majority of traits in both crosses, indicating an asymmetrical distribution of dominant and recessive alleles between the parents and confirming the importance of dominance in controlling these traits. Broad-sense heritability ranged from moderate to high, reaching 0.991 for Fv/Fm in N-92-9 × Ehsan and 0.697 for ABS/CSm in Kohdasht × Ehsan. Dominance gene effects were predominant for most traits in both crosses, suggesting that hybrid breeding strategies would be more effective for improving these traits. An exception was TRo/CSo in Kohdasht × Ehsan, where additive effects were more prominent, making it amenable to improvement through selection-based methods. These findings provide a cross-specific quantitative-genetic assessment of gene action for PSII fluorescence parameters and illustrate the potential value of combining generation mean analysis with marker-based approaches when integrating photosynthetic efficiency into wheat breeding programs.