Search Results (283)

The prostate gland, a male accessory reproductive organ, is regulated by hormonal inputs and autonomic innervation from the major pelvic ganglion. This study examined the effects of major pelvic ganglion denervation on prostate histology, immune cell infiltration, and systemic levels of prolactin, testosterone, and cytokines in rats. Male Wistar rats (300–350 g) were divided into groups receiving bilateral axotomy of the hypogastric nerve, the pelvic nerve, or both, alongside with a sham-operated control. After 15 days, the animals were killed, and prostate tissue was dissociated in DMEM medium containing DNase I and collagenase. The dissociated cells were stained with fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies, and cell characterization was performed using a flow cytometer. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to analyze histological characteristics, while testosterone, prolactin, and interleukin levels were measured via ELISA. Histological analysis revealed inflammatory atypical hypertrophy e hiperplasia. Immunological assessments demonstrated increased leukocytes, T lymphocytes (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺), B lymphocytes, and macrophages following double nerve axotomy. Serum analyses showed elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ, as well as anti-inflammatory IL-10, in denervated animals. Hormonal assessments revealed significant increases in serum prolactin and testosterone levels after double axotomy. Loss of neural control may promote pathological prostate changes via inflammation and hormonal dysregulation, offering insights into neuroimmune and neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying prostate pathologies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Immediate dentin sealing (IDS) has been widely investigated in sound dentin; however, its efficacy on demineralized dentin remains insufficiently explored. This in vitro experimental study aimed to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of indirect composite resin restorations bonded to demineralized dentin using IDS, assessed at 24 h and after 6 months of aging. Methods: Twenty-five extracted premolars were randomly divided into five groups: (1) control (no sealing), (2) IDS applied to sound dentin (sound-IDS), (3) IDS applied to demineralized dentin (carious-IDS), (4) delayed dentin sealing (DDS) on sound dentin (sound-DDS), and (5) DDS on demineralized dentin (carious-DDS). SBS values were analyzed using a three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with dentin condition (sound vs. demineralized), aging time (24 h vs. 6 months), and sealing strategy (control, IDS, DDS) as independent variables. Statistical analyses were performed using SigmaPlot 12.0, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The results showed that IDS led to significantly higher SBS than DDS (p < 0.05). Bond strength was significantly influenced by dentin condition (p < 0.05), and all interactions between variables—particularly between dentin condition and sealing strategy, and between aging time and treatment—were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Overall, bond strength was higher at 24 h than after 6 months. IDS showed optimal performance in sound dentin, while DDS resulted in better long-term outcomes in demineralized dentin. Conclusions: These findings suggest that DDS may be the more effective approach in cases of carious or demineralized dentin. Full article

The use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has led to the development of resistant pest populations, posing a challenge to long-term pest management. This review aims to evaluate the scientific literature on the individual and combined use of baculoviruses with conventional chemical and biological insecticides to combat Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera exigua, and Spodoptera frugiperda in broccoli, tomato, and maize crops. Notable findings include that both individual Plutella xylostella nucleopolyhedrovirus (PxNPV) and the combination of Plutella xylostella granulovirus (PxGV) and azadirachtin at a low dose effectively control Plutella xylostella; both combinations of Spodoptera exigua multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV) with emamectin benzoate and chlorfenapyr reduced resistance in Spodoptera exigua and increased the efficacy of the insecticides; and the combination of Spodoptera frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) and spinetoram is effective against Spodoptera frugiperda. Integrating baculoviruses into pest management strategies offers a promising approach to mitigate the adverse effects of chemical pesticides, such as resistance development, health risks, and environmental damage. However, there remains a broad spectrum of research opportunities regarding the use of baculoviruses in agriculture. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the impregnation process of apple slices with bioactive compounds (BCs) that were obtained from the richest antioxidant fruit powder extracts. Acaí, beetroot, blueberry, cranberry, dragon fruit, and pomegranate powders were assessed on their main BCs, antioxidant capacity (AC), and reducing power (RP) before and after heat treatment to select the extract with the highest and most stable BCs and AC. The effect of pH (3–7) and the total soluble solids (TSSs) (5–15%) on the BCs and AC of selected fruit powder extracts were also evaluated to decide which one should be used to impregnate apple slices. Results indicate that the pomegranate extract presented the highest BCs, AC, and RP among the fruit powders tested, even after heat treatment. Moreover, the TSSs did not affect the BCs from the pomegranate extract; however, pH affected the stability, showing higher values of BCs as the pH was reduced. Apple slices impregnated with pomegranate extract (pH 2) showed an increase in their total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins, AC, and RP at 25.94, 3085.00, 19.80, and 56.94%, respectively, compared to control apple slices. This study indicates that reducing the pH of pomegranate extracts may increase their antioxidant compounds, showing a higher impregnation of them on apple slices. Full article

Background: Pre-season training is critical for developing tolerance to high physical demands in professional soccer, and nitric oxide (NO) precursors such as dietary nitrate (NO₃⁻) and citrulline malate (CM) can support performance and recovery during this demanding phase. This study aimed to examine the effects of a four-week supplementation protocol combining 500 mg of NO₃⁻ from amaranth extract and 8 g of CM (NIT + CM) on external training load and post-match recovery in professional female soccer players during pre-season. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 34 female soccer players who received either the NIT + CM product or a placebo for four weeks during pre-season. Global positioning system (GPS)-derived external load was recorded throughout the intervention. Performance tests—a countermovement jump (CMJ) test and the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT)—and blood sampling for plasma NO₃⁻ and nitrite (NO₂⁻) concentrations were conducted at baseline and the day after a competitive match. Results: The supplementation with NIT + CM increased maximal speed (Vmax) throughout training and match play. During post-match testing, the NIT + CM group exhibited a significantly smaller decline in mean (P_mean) and minimum (P_min) power during the WAnT, along with reduced power loss in both the first (0–15 s) and second (15–30 s) intervals. Plasma NO₃⁻ concentrations significantly increased from baseline in the NIT + CM group and remained elevated 24 h after the final dose, confirming sustained systemic exposure. Conclusions: Chronic NIT + CM supplementation may enhance Vmax and help preserve anaerobic performance the day after a match. These effects could reflect improved tolerance to high training loads and sustained NO₃⁻ availability during recovery. Full article

In this study, polysulfone-based nanocomposites with carbon black (CB) nanoparticles were fabricated to evaluate their urea-removal properties. The nanocomposites were obtained using two different methods: solution mixing and melt extrusion. These materials were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which allowed for the identification of the corresponding functional groups within the polysulfone polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed, confirming the amorphous structure of the polysulfone. The addition of modified carbon black shifted the most intense peak of the polysulfone. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed an increase in thermal stability with the addition of different concentrations of modified carbon black for solution-mixing method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the melt-extrusion method presented a better dispersion of the nanoparticles, since large agglomerates were not observed. Additionally, a urea adsorption study was conducted, obtaining removal percentages of 76% and 72% for the extrusion and solution-mixing methods, respectively. It was demonstrated that the nanocomposite can be used for up to five cycles without losing urea-removal efficiency, whereas the efficiency of pure polysulfone decreases as the number of cycles increases. Finally, the hemolysis test was performed, and the nanocomposites showed less than 1% hemolysis, indicating that the material is non-hemolytic. Full article

Insect detection under real-field conditions remains a challenging task due to factors such as lighting variations and the small size of insects that often lack sufficient visual features for reliable identification by deep learning models. These limitations become especially pronounced in lightweight architectures, which, although efficient, struggle to capture fine-grained details under suboptimal conditions, such as variable lighting conditions, shadows, small object size and occlusion. To address this, we introduce the motion module, a lightweight component designed to enhance object detection by integrating motion information directly at the feature map level within the YOLOv8 backbone. Unlike methods that rely on frame differencing and require additional preprocessing steps, our approach operates on raw input and uses only two consecutive frames. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that incorporating the motion module leads to consistent performance improvements across key metrics. For instance, on the YOLOv8n model, the motion module yields gains of up to 5.11% in mAP50 and 7.83% in Recall, with only a small computational overhead. Moreover, under simulated illumination shifts using HSV transformations, our method exhibits robustness to these variations. These results highlight the potential of the motion module as a practical and effective tool for improving insect detection in dynamic and unpredictable field scenarios. Full article

In healthy conditions and cardiovascular diseases, the most abundant microparticles (MPs) in the bloodstream are those of platelet origin, but the direct effect of these microparticles on endothelial activation is poorly understood. The objective of this paper is to measure endothelial cell activation, as evaluated by the expression of the adhesion molecules E-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and PECAM-1 in endothelial cell line HMEC-1 when stimulated with MPs produced by platelets stimulated in vitro with thrombin (TH), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), calcium ionophore (ICa), N-acetylglucosamine (NAcGlc), and without any stimulus. Platelets from healthy individuals induced the formation of MPs with different agonists. The results from the determination of the phenotype of the MPs showed that the expression of GPIIb/IIIa was significant, with median fold changes of TH = 2.2, ADP = 5.2, Ica = 7.0, and NAcGlc = 10.0. However, in HMEC-1 cells, the expression of adhesion molecules stimulated with MPs had a median change slightly higher for E-Sel expression (ranging from 1.4 to 4.2) and ICAM-1 expression (range 2.2 to 3.0), especially VCAM-1 expression (ranging from 15 to 18.8), all of which were significant. For PECAM-1, only stimulation with ICa (1.5) was significant, demonstrating that MPs elicit stimulus-dependent responses in endothelial cells. Platelet-derived MPs may have a potential role in modulating inflammation and other endothelial functions. Full article

Plums are one of the most important stone fruits worldwide. Surprisingly, the effect of UV-C light on improving their bioactive compounds and its effect during storage has not been explored. This research aimed to assess the effect of UV-C light on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of plums, as well as to evaluate the storage conditions on the quality attributes of these fruits. Plums were UV-C light-irradiated (0, 0.175, and 0.356 kJ/m²) to analyze their effect on phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity. A selected dose of UV-C light treatment was applied to plums as a pretreatment to assess the effect of packaging (non-packed, packed in closed polyethylene boxes, and packed in closed polyethylene boxes with perforations) and temperature (5, 15, and 20 °C) on the quality characteristics of plums using a 3² experimental design. The results showed that phenolic compounds (3–10%), total anthocyanins (22–39%), and antioxidant capacity (8–15%) increased with the UV-C light treatment (0.356 kJ/m²). In storage, firmness remained constant, and color parameters (a* and b*) were reduced in all conditions, whereas weight loss was lower in plums stored in closed packages. Moreover, total anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity were enhanced under all storage conditions. The microbial load decreased due to the UV-C light treatment and remained constant during storage time (<100 CFU/g). Storing the plums at a low temperature in a closed package effectively preserved the quality attributes of plums for 40 days without affecting the sensory acceptance. Full article

This study aimed to develop and validate a dual murine model integrating a high-fat diet (HFD) and a single streptozotocin (STZ) dose to induce diabetes mellitus (DM), alongside periodontitis (Perio) induced by ligature placement and oral inoculation with Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis). The goal was to mimic human pathological conditions, creating a physiologically relevant environment to study the interplay between DM and Perio. A total of 128 six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control, DM, Perio, and DM-P. DM was induced by HFD and STZ injection, and Perio by ligature placement and P. gingivalis infection. Evaluations occurred at baseline and days 7, 14, and 21. Alveolar bone loss was assessed by micro-computed tomography, and inflammation was examined histologically. DM mice showed elevated glucose levels and insulin resistance. Perio and DM-P groups experienced significant bone loss compared with Control and DM groups. The morphometric analysis revealed abundant inflammatory cells and reduced collagen fibers in Perio and DM-P groups, especially at day 7. This dual murine model successfully replicated the key features of DM and Perio, maintaining overall health of the animals, and good tolerability by those subjects to the stress of both interventional procedures. Full article

Using a digital oscilloscope, the main harmonics resulting from the application of different frequencies and power levels of ultrasonic waves during the polymer extrusion process were identified. The primary harmonics are located between 10 and 60 kHz and exhibit unique characteristics, such as shape, crest, and trough, the latter being associated with voltage and current. The crest-to-trough distance (height) observed during processing at 34 kHz and 375 W shows the highest value, which correlates with the highest melt flow index and the lowest apparent viscosity. It is well known that the application of ultrasonic waves can randomly break C-C bonds in hydrocarbon compounds, leading to a decrease in molecular weight. However, the application of ultrasonic waves at different frequencies and power levels can promote chain scission in both high- and medium-molecular-weight polymer chains, thereby increasing the molecular weight distribution. This phenomenon can lead to chain disentanglement, along with chain scission, as evidenced by a decrease in molecular weight at medium power and frequency intensities. Finally, a schematic representation of the interaction between polymer chains and ultrasonic waves is proposed. Full article

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and lethal lung disease with limited therapeutic options. This review focuses on the role of retinoids, particularly all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), and hypoxia in the pathogenesis of IPF. Despite an established understanding of genetic and environmental factors in IPF, the interplay between retinoid signaling and the response to hypoxia remains poorly explored due to its complexity. Preclinical evidence suggests that atRA could help reduce pulmonary fibrosis by modulating TGF-β signaling pathways and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Additionally, we mention other diseases where a relationship between hypoxia and retinoids has been observed. We review how hypoxia, a key factor in the progression of IPF, may influence the efficacy of retinoid therapy. Combination strategies are explored to overcome hypoxia-induced treatment resistance. Finally, we address the complex role of retinoids in lung regeneration, balancing their potential benefits against the risk of exacerbating fibrotic processes. This review suggests that retinoids have potential as a treatment or adjuvant for IPF and highlights the need for further research to elucidate the precise mechanisms of retinoid action in IPF, particularly in hypoxia. Full article

The growing demand for sustainable materials with tunable thermal and structural properties has driven the development of composites reinforced with natural fibers in additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. This study investigates the thermal and chemical behavior of polymer composites produced via Digital Light Processing (DLP), an AM technique based on vat photopolymerization that stands out for its high resolution, dimensional control, and superior speed compared to methods such as FDM and SLA. Samples were manufactured with a UV-curable acrylate resin reinforced with jute fibers (Corchorus capsularis) in mass fractions of 0%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3% in solid geometries (CS-). TGA indicated a 4% reduction in the initial degradation temperature with increasing fiber content, from 326.3 °C (CS-0) to 313.2 °C (CS-3.0). TMA revealed a reduction of up to 19% in the coefficients of thermal expansion, indicating greater dimensional stability. The DMA indicated a 16.9% decrease in the storage modulus with 3% fibers, evidencing changes in the viscoelastic response. FTIR detected additional bands at 3340 cm⁻¹ and 1030 cm⁻¹, related to O–H and polysaccharides, confirming a fiber–matrix chemical interaction. These results demonstrate the potential of jute as a sustainable reinforcement in photopolymerizable resins, paving the way for ecological and functional applications in 3D-printed composites. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the cost of care for people living with HIV (PLwHIV) in the Condesa Specialized Clinics (CSCs). A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using the Adherence Follow-Up Questionnaire developed by The AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) to measure adherence in 261 PLwHIV. An economic Markov model was developed to simulate clinical outcomes, health costs, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over a 5-year horizon from the CSC perspective. The mean adherence index was 89.97, and 59% of the surveyed PLwHIV were non-adherent, but more than 95% of the population had an undetectable viral load, suggesting that ART remains effective in achieving clinical goals, even under suboptimal adherence conditions. More than half of the surveyed PLwHIV (60.54%) stated that they had stopped taking their ART at some point, and the three most frequent causes were forgetting (49.37%), being away from home (45.57%), and having a change in their daily routine (25.95%). The economic model showed a cumulative cost per PLwHIV of USD 8432 and 3.80 QALYs (USD 2218/QALYs), which is below the threshold of willingness to pay in Mexico (USD 13,790/QALY). These findings provide valuable information to guide public health decisions and resource allocation in HIV management in Mexico. Full article

Within the field of wastewater treatment, various treatment systems stand out, including those that use chemical reagents to promote a precipitation reaction. Among these chemical methods are electrochemical processes such as electrocoagulation systems, which have gained prominence due to their ease of operation and the cost-benefit associated with the accessibility of the coagulant material. This article aims to guide the implementation of the electrocoagulation process in various water remediation systems as an improvement option for any treatment train. Electrocoagulation is analyzed from the perspective of Electrochemical Engineering. Various essential aspects of electrocoagulation are addressed, including its definition, the types of reactions occurring within the reactor, hydrodynamics, the variables that need to be controlled and their influence on the process’s hydrodynamics, the factors to consider in the design of an electrocoagulation reactor, and some results obtained with this technique in the treatment of various wastewater and/or substrates. All of this is presented from a practical and easy-to-apply approach, providing a reference point for those interested in implementing this technology. Full article