Life

Pinus koraiensis leaves are known for various bioactivities, including anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-hyperlipidemic effects. This study aimed to compare the essential oil from P. koraiensis leaves (EPO) and the supercritical-CO₂-extracted oil (SPO) for physicochemical traits, antibacterial and anticancer activities, and anti-inflammatory/antioxidant effects, and profiled fatty acids by means of GC-MS. SPO showed stronger antimicrobial activity than EPO against Streptococcus mutans, whereas EPO was more active against Candida albicans. In HaCaT keratinocytes and THP-1 monocytic cell line, SPO more effectively suppressed LPS-induced ROS and attenuated TNF-α and IL-6 upregulation. Across a panel of human cancer cell lines, SPO exerted greater cytotoxicity, particularly in non–small cell lung, prostate, and colon cancers. GC–MS revealed greater compositional diversity in SPO (16 fatty acids, 10 unique), while linolelaidic acid was detected only in EPO; pentadecenoic acid was abundant in all oils. Collectively, SPO demonstrates broader bioactivity and richer fatty-acid diversity than EPO, supporting its potential as a functional food or medicinal ingredient.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder with established cardiovascular and metabolic risks. Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy remains the standard of care; however, its long-term effectiveness is often limited by poor compliance and adherence. This study sought to explore clinical and device-related factors influencing PAP use, with emphasis on pressure variability in Auto-PAP users and comorbidities such as COPD. We performed a retrospective analysis of 359 patients with OSAS who were treated with CPAP, Auto-PAP, or BiPAP devices at the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology between January 2022 and July 2024. Compliance was measured as the proportion of days the device was used, whereas adherence was estimated through average nightly hours of use. Patient data were stratified by demographic, clinical, and device-related characteristics. Statistical testing included Chi-square, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and correlation analyses. Demographics did not significantly differ between compliant and non-compliant groups. Notably, Auto-PAP users with greater pressure variability (>10 cm H₂O) had significantly lower compliance (p = 0.001). Nasal mask preference was also associated with poorer compliance (p = 0.030). Multivariate models further revealed that atrial fibrillation reduced the likelihood of good adherence (OR = 0.319, 95% CI 0.137–0.746). These results highlight the importance of monitoring pressure variability, device type, and comorbidities to personalize PAP therapy and improve long-term outcomes.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is widely used in fermented foods and as a probiotic, yet the genomic basis underlying its γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production capacity and strain-level functional diversity remains incompletely resolved. We analyzed 1240 publicly available genomes to map species-wide genome architecture, the distribution of GABA-related genes, and accessory drivers of phenotypes. Pangenome analysis identified 45,201 gene families, including 622 strict core genes (1.38%) and 444 soft-core genes (2.36%). The accessory genome dominated (3138 shell and 40,997 cloud genes; 97.64%), indicating a strongly open pangenome. In contrast, the GABA (gad) operon was universally conserved: gadB (glutamate decarboxylase) and gadC (glutamate/GABA antiporter) were present in all genomes regardless of isolates source. Accessory-genome clustering revealed ecological and geographic structure without loss of the operon, suggesting that phenotypes variability relevant to fermentation and probiotic performance is primarily shaped by accessory modules. Accessory features included carbohydrate uptake and processing islands, bacteriocins and immunity systems, stress- and membrane-associated functions, and plasmid-encoded traits. Analysis of complete genomes confirmed substantial variation in plasmid load (median = 2; range = 0–17), highlighting the role of mobile elements in niche-specific adaptation. Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes database (CAZy) and biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) profiling revealed a conserved enzymatic and metabolic backbone complemented by rare lineage-specific functions. Collectively, these results position L. plantarum as a genetically stable GABA producer with extensive accessory-encoded flexibility and provide a framework for rational strain selection.