Search Results (94)

This study investigates the spatial dynamics of participation in the carbon farming eco-scheme in Poland under the EU CAP for 2023–2027. Addressing the broader context of sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation, this research explores how farm size and structural characteristics influence the adoption of regenerative practices incentivised through this eco-scheme. Using spatial statistical methods, including the global Moran’s I test and the global spatial cross-correlation index, this study analyses county-level data from 2023 to 2024 on farm size, the number of beneficiaries, and payment levels. The findings reveal distinct spatial clusters in eco-scheme participation, with larger farms showing greater regional concentration and smaller farms displaying stronger local clustering in payment distribution. The findings highlight varied spatial mechanisms that influence adoption and financial support patterns, indicating that both farm size and regional context play a significant role in shaping the uptake of eco-schemes. This study emphasises the significance of comprehensive spatial and socio-economic data in the formulation of effective, evidence-based policies pertaining to sustainable agriculture. It establishes a basis for more precisely targeted interventions and optimal resource allocation, thereby supporting both national and EU climate objectives while simultaneously enhancing the resilience and sustainability of rural regions. Full article

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., commonly known as “plant gold”, is a species of the Eucommiaceae family, native to East Asia and widely utilized in medicine, food, and the chemical industry. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the bark of E. ulmoides plays a special role, used to nourish the liver and kidneys and to strengthen tendons and bones. Due to its extensive pharmacological profile, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, and cardio- and neuroprotective effects, there has been growing interest in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying its biological effects. However, many of these mechanisms remain poorly understood to date. This study analyzed the phytochemical composition of E. ulmoides bark infusions and tinctures and their dominant compounds using the HPLC-DAD-MS/MS method, and evaluated their anti-inflammatory effects in human immune cell models. The analysis identified lignans, iridoids, and caffeic acid derivatives as the dominant constituents of the tested samples. The extracts significantly inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1) in neutrophils, PBMC-derived monocytes/macrophages, and THP-1 cells. The results presented herein offer significant insights into the detailed phytochemical composition of E. ulmoides bark, and contribute to a deeper understanding of its anti-inflammatory mechanisms in human immune cells. Full article

This study analyzed the effects of thermohydrolysis on the anaerobic conversion efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass, comparing conventional and microwave heating methods. The research aimed to identify the optimal temperature and duration for biomass pre-treatment to maximize biogas output. Four temperatures (100 °C, 130 °C, 150 °C, and 180 °C) and six durations (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40 min) were tested. The results showed that microwave heating increased biogas production compared to conventional heating at the same temperatures and durations. At 150 °C, microwave heating for 20 min produced 1184 ± 18 NmL/gVS of biogas, which was 16% more than the 1024 ± 25 NmL/gVS achieved through conventional heating. Statistically significant differences in biogas output between microwave and conventional heating were observed at 130 °C, 150 °C, and 180 °C, with the greatest difference recorded between 130 °C and 150 °C: 13% for conventional heating and 18% for microwave heating. Notably, increasing the temperature from 150 °C to 180 °C did not result in a statistically significant rise in biogas production. The energy balance analysis revealed that microwave heating, despite its lower efficiency compared to conventional heating, resulted in higher net energy gains. The most favorable energy balance for microwave heating was observed at 150 °C, with a net gain of 170.8 Wh/kg, while conventional heating at the same temperature achieved a gain of 126.2 Wh/kg. Microwave heating became cost-effective starting from 130 °C, yielding an energy surplus of 18.2 Wh/kg. The maximum energy output from microwave conditioning was 426 Wh/kg at 150 °C, which was 158 Wh/kg higher than conventional heating. These findings suggest that microwave thermohydrolysis, particularly at 150 °C for 20 min, enhances both biogas production and energy efficiency compared to conventional methods. The results highlight the potential of microwave pre-treatment as an effective strategy to boost methane fermentation yields, especially at temperatures above 130 °C. Full article

Background: Myocardial work (MW) is a new echocardiographic parameter used in the assessment of cardiac energy expenditure. The aim of the current study was to evaluate changes in left ventricular MW parameters in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Methods: One hundred and thirty five consecutive patients who underwent TAVI at one center were evaluated before and after the procedure using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to assess the following MW indices: global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), global work index (GWI) and global work efficiency (GWE). Results: The comparison of MW parameters before and an average of 5.9 days after TAVI showed an increase in GCW, GWW and GWI, and no significant change in GWE. A detailed analysis showed an increase in GCW and GWI only in patients with the worst initial global longitudinal strain (GLS) > −8.0%: 845.2 vs. 852.2; p < 0.001 and 469.7 vs. 499.0 mmHg%; p < 0.001, respectively, whereas in the group of patients with GLS < −16.0%, a reduction in these indices was observed: 2135.8 vs. 2043.0; p < 0.001 and 1732.4 vs. 1633.1 mmHg%; p < 0.001. The significant increase in GWE was observed in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 30%: 77.7 vs. 72.0; p = 0.043 and GLS > −8.0%: 74.4 vs. 71.0 mmHg%; p < 0.001. The increase in GCW and GWI parameters after TAVI was strongly correlated with LVEF and pressure aortic gradient (PGA) before the procedure. Conclusions: Echocardiographic assessment of myocardial work parameters is a valuable method of documenting hemodynamic changes in patients with severe aortic stenosis before and after TAVI. Long-term left ventricular overload in patients with aortic stenosis results in a global reduction of myocardial work parameters; therefore, in patients with the lowest LVEF and GLS, the increased GCW, GWI and GWE reflect energy reserves enabling a rapid increase in the effective work of the heart. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bladder cancer is a significant clinical problem with approximately 500,000 new cases worldwide annually. In approximately 25% of cases, disease is diagnosed at a stage of invasion of the muscle layer of the bladder. The current standard approach in this disease is preoperative chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy. Dose-dense MVAC (ddMVAC), a two-day chemotherapy regimen, is the reference treatment protocol in this setting. The presented study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of accelerated MVAC (aMVAC) chemotherapy—a one-day regimen given before the resection of the bladder due to muscle-invasive disease. Methods: A retrospective analysis included 119 consecutive patients diagnosed with urothelial muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who underwent preoperative chemotherapy with the aMVAC regimen. The planned treatment included 4–6 cycles of preoperative chemotherapy. The analysis of the degree of histopathological response to treatment was based on the three-grade TRG (tumor regression grade) classification. Results: A complete pathological response (TRG1) was observed in 44 patients (36.7%), and a major pathologic response (<ypT2) was achieved in 58 patients (48.7%). A reduction in the cisplatin dose was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the chance of achieving complete pathologic responses (46.1% vs. 10%, RR for TRG1 = 0.69, p = 0.00118). Patients who received at least 4 cycles (compared to ≤3 cycles) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly higher chance of achieving a pathological response (partial or complete) to treatment (78.1% vs. 52.2%, RR 0.68, p = 0.0374). Administration of at least five cycles of chemotherapy was associated (compared to four cycles) with a significantly higher likelihood of achieving a complete pathological response (63.2% vs. 33.8%, RR = 1.71, p = 0.0221). The vast majority of adverse events were in grades 1 and 2, according to CTCAE version 5.0. Only five patients experienced grade 3–4 toxicities. The most common adverse event was anemia, which occurred in 66.3% of patients. Conclusions: Our real-world data analysis confirms the activity, safety, and feasibility of the aMVAC regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with urothelial MIBC. Full article

On 21 January 2024, asteroid 2024BX1, discovered the three hours before, fell to Earth south of Ribbeck in the Havelland region of Germany. In this study, fragments of the Ribbeck meteorite, characterized by white and gray colors lithology, were examined for their chemical and phase compositions. The white lithology fragment exhibited a homogeneous chemical and phase structure typical of orthopyroxene, which crystallizes in the orthorhombic system. The gray lithology fragment showed a greater diversity in chemical and phase compositions. Raman spectra analysis revealed that, in addition to the pyroxenes found in the white lithology fragment, minerals from the olivine group (fayalite and forsterite) were also present, along with plagioclase and sulfur in pure crystalline form. Full article

The growing emergence of multi-drug resistant microbial strains has kept the scientific world searching for novel bioactive compounds with specific chemical characteristics. Accordingly, researchers have started exploring the understudied metabolites from endophytes as a new source of bioactive compounds. In this context, the current study was designed to evaluate the bioactive properties of endophytic fungi from the Mokrzański forest in Wrocław, Poland that have not yet been fully researched. Forty-three endophytic fungi were isolated from twelve distinct plants. Following their cultivation, fungal extracts were separately prepared from biomass and cell-free filtrates, and their antibacterial, antifungal (against human and plant pathogens), and antioxidant properties were examined. Five promising fungi after screening were identified to possess all of these activities. These strains and their respective plant hosts were Trichoderma harzianum BUK-T (Fagus sylvatica), Aspergillus ochraceus ROB-L1 (Robinia pseudoacacia), Chaetomium cochliodes KLON-L1, Fusarium tricinctum KLON-L2 (Acer platanoides), and Penicillium chrysogenum SOS-B2 (Pinus sylvestris). Moreover, gamma irradiation at several doses (Gy) was separately applied to the fungal cultures to study their effects on the recorded activities. Finally, compounds after preparative thin-layer chromatography fractionation of the five fungal strains were identified by GC-MS. These findings suggest that the isolated endophytic fungi could serve as novel sources of bioactive metabolites with antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, potentially paving the way for future research and the development of new bioactive compounds. Full article

To functionalize the NiTi alloy, multifunctional innovative nanocoatings of Ag-TiO₂ and Ag-TiO₂ doped with hydroxyapatite were engineered on its surface. The coatings were thoroughly characterized, focusing on surface topography and key functional properties, including adhesion, surface wettability, biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, and corrosion resistance. The electrochemical corrosion kinetics in a simulated body fluid and the mechanisms were analyzed. The coatings exhibited hydrophilic properties and were biocompatible with fibroblast and osteoblast cells while also demonstrating antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. epidermidis. The coatings adhered strongly to the NiTi substrate, with superior adhesion observed in the hydroxyapatite-doped layers. Conversely, the Ag-TiO₂ layers showed enhanced corrosion resistance. Full article

Anhedonia constitutes a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD) mediating the ultimate goal of MDD treatment: functional remission. Anhedonia is also present in other clinical populations, including patients with chronic pain. Recent data links anhedonia to insulin resistance (IR). Some researchers have underlined a different dimension of anhedonia as a temperament/personality trait. The objective of this post-hoc analysis was to explore the links between anhedonia (main outcome) and (1) IR, (2) temperamental, personality, and schizotypy traits (exposures). The study population included patients with MDD, fibromyalgia, and healthy controls. Participants were split into groups: (1) insulin resistant (IR[+] n = 69, HOMA-IR ≥ 2.1) and (2) insulin sensitive (IR[−] n = 69, HOMA-IR < 2.1). Anhedonia was significantly higher in the IR[+] group than the IR[−] group. IR was a predictor of higher anhedonia levels. IR[+] vs. IR[−] participants showed higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of hyperthymic affective temperaments, as well as conscientiousness and emotional stability personality traits. Depressive, irritable, and anxious temperaments, cognitive disorganization, and introvertive anhedonia positively predicted anhedonia, while hyperthymic temperament, conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability traits negatively predicted anhedonia. IR partially mediated the relationship between depressive temperament and anhedonia. In sum, IR, affective temperaments, and personality traits are predictors of anhedonia. Full article

Research to date has mainly focused on the properties and efficiency of the production of selected, individual types of biofuels from microalgae biomass. There are not enough studies investigating the efficiency of the production of all energy sources synthesised by these microorganisms in a single technological cycle. The aim of this research was to determine the possibilities and efficiency of the production of hydrogen, bio-oil, and methane in the continuous cycle of processing T. subcordiformis microalgae biomass. This study showed it was feasible to produce these three energy carriers, but the production protocol adopted was not necessarily valuable from the energy gain standpoint. The production of bio-oil was found to be the least viable process, as bio-oil energy value was only 1.3 kWh/MgTS. The most valuable single process for microalgae biomass conversion turned out to be methane fermentation. The highest specific gross energy gain was found after applying a protocol combining biomass production, hydrogen biosynthesis, and subsequent methane production from T. subcordiformis biomass, which yielded a total value of 1891.4 kWh/MgTS. The direct methane fermentation of T. subcordiformis biomass enabled energy production at 1769.8 kWh/MgTS. Full article

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of our deep learning algorithm in calculating cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) and thus in the assessment of cardiomegaly or pericardial effusion occurrences on chest radiography (CXR). Methods: From a database of 8000 CXRs, 13 folders with a comparable number of images were created. Then, 1020 images were chosen randomly, in proportion to the number of images in each folder. Afterward, CTR was calculated using RadiAnt Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Viewer software (2023.1). Next, heart and lung anatomical areas were marked in 3D Slicer. From these data, we trained an AI model which segmented heart and lung anatomy and determined the CTR value. Results: Our model achieved an Intersection over Union metric of 88.28% for the augmented training subset and 83.06% for the validation subset. F1-score for subsets were accordingly 90.22% and 90.67%. In the comparative analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) vs. humans, significantly lower transverse thoracic diameter (TTD) (p < 0.001), transverse cardiac diameter (TCD) (p < 0.001), and CTR (p < 0.001) values obtained using the neural network were observed. Conclusions: Results confirm that there is a significant correlation between the measurements made by human observers and the neural network. After validation in clinical conditions, our method may be used as a screening test or advisory tool when a specialist is not available, especially on Intensive Care Units (ICUs) or Emergency Departments (ERs) where time plays a key role. Full article

Background: The literature review shows that female patients are more frequently underdiagnosed or suffer from delayed diagnosis. Recognition of sex-related differences is crucial for implementing strategies to improve cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed to assess sex-related disparities in the frequency of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided procedures in patients who underwent angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We have derived the data from the national registry of percutaneous coronary interventions and retrospectively analyzed the data of more than 1.4 million angiography and/or PCI procedures [1,454,121 patients (62.54% men and 37.46% women)] between 2014 and 2022. The logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore whether female sex was associated with FFR utilization. Results: The FFR was performed in 61,305 (4.22%) patients and more frequently in men than women (4.15% vs. 3.45%, p < 0.001). FFR was more frequently assessed in females with acute coronary syndrome than males (27.75% vs. 26.08%, p < 0.001); however, women with chronic coronary syndrome had FFR performed less often than men (72.25% vs. 73.92%, p < 0.001). Females with FFR-guided procedures were older than men (69.07 (±8.87) vs. 65.45 (±9.38) p < 0.001); however. less often had a history of myocardial infarction (MI) (24.79% vs. 36.73%, p < 0.001), CABG (1.62% vs. 2.55%, p < 0.005) or PCI (36.6% vs. 24.79%, p < 0.001) compared to men. Crude comparison has shown that male sex was associated with a higher frequency of FFR assessment (OR = 1.2152–1.2361, p < 0.005). Conclusions: Despite a substantial rise in FFR utilization, adoption in women remains lower than in men. Female sex was found to be an independent negative predictor of FFR use. Full article

The pursuit of assessing fetal well-being in obstetrical practice remains a central tenet, propelling ongoing endeavors to explore innovative markers and diagnostic methodologies aimed at prognosing potential perinatal adversities. Deviations from standard patterns of intrauterine growth, whether exhibiting excessive or insufficient trajectories, stand as pivotal indices hinting at underlying pathophysiological processes or heightened concurrent medical conditions. Initiatives like the Delphi consensus and the INTERGROWTH-21st project strive to refine diagnostic criteria and establish international standards for fetal growth assessment. This article aims to present the current knowledge regarding the assessment of abnormal growth, including novel methods such as growth velocity. Integrating fetal growth velocity assessment into perinatal care protocols holds promise in enhancing diagnostic precision. Growth velocity, involving changes in fetal size over a given period, offers insights into distinguishing between constitutional and pathological growth abnormalities. Various methodologies and models have been proposed to evaluate growth velocity, with notable advancements in understanding fetal growth patterns across different trimesters. It is believed that accelerated and reduced growth velocity may be a sensible parameter in the detection of fetal growth restriction (FGR), small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses, large-for-gestational-age (LGA) fetuses and macrosomic fetuses as well as appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) fetuses that encounter problems with growth continuation. Recent studies found that changes in growth velocity reflect the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes (APOs). Future directions in fetal health research aim to elucidate the long-term consequences of abnormal fetal growth velocity on neurodevelopmental outcomes, highlighting the critical role of early assessment and intervention. Full article

To functionalize the surface of the NiTi alloy, hybrid layers comprising nanometric silica and titanium oxides were synthesized. The TiO₂–SiO₂ nanosystem was chemically prepared and utilized for electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to create multifunctional layers on the alloy surface. The impact of pH on Zeta potential and ceramic particle size was explored to ensure a stable colloidal suspension for EPD, with optimal parameters established at a pH of approximately 6. A uniform layer was formed by applying a voltage of 40 V for 3 min, appearing as a thin film interspersed with regularly spaced larger agglomerates. The thin film primarily consisted of a minor fraction of defective rutile nanoparticles, accompanied by silica and carbon agglomerates from the nanosystem synthesis process. Heat treatment at 800 °C for 2 h induced significant structural changes, developing a novel-generation material with a different structure. An interlayer with strong Si–O–Ti connections was formed. Moreover, the mechanism of layer formation was extensively discussed. Full article