Search Results (206,008)

Background: Behçet’s Disease (BD) was traditionally classified according to the International Study Group (ISG), where oral ulcers were mandatory. The International Team for the Revision of the International Criteria for BD (ICBD) introduced a scoring system instead. Our aim was to assess (a) sensitivity, (b) concordance between ISG and ICDB criteria in global and severe BD cases (ocular, vascular, and neurological), and (c) evaluate their clinical implications. Methods: Retrospective cohort study including 142 BD patients diagnosed in a well-defined population in Northern Spain, between January 1980 and November 2023. Both ISG and ICBD criteria were compared, sensitivity and concordance were assessed using Prevalence-Adjusted and Bias-Adjusted Kappa (PABAK) and the unadjusted Kappa. Results: A total of 142 BD patients diagnosed by expert rheumatologists (73 men; mean age of 36.4) were studied. Among them, 84 met ISG criteria, while 116 fulfilled ICBD criteria. Sensitivity of ISG and ICBD criteria in the overall cohort was (59.1% and 81.6%), respectively. Among patients with severe manifestations (ocular, vascular, or neurological), sensitivity increased to 71.2% for ISG and 92.5% for ICBD. Overall concordance was moderate (Kappa = 0.490), with 70.4% of patients classified identically. When adjusting prevalence and bias, concordance improved slightly (PABAK = 0.549). Of the 32 patients classified as BD exclusively by ICBD, 7 were receiving anti-TNF therapy, and 2 were receiving apremilast. Conclusions: The ICBD criteria demonstrated higher sensitivity than the traditional ISG criteria in classifying BD, particularly in severe cases. Classifying these additional patients under ICBD facilitated the initiation of on-label biologic treatments, potentially enhancing BD management, especially for severe cases. Full article

With the rising concerns about climate change and continuous increase in the salinity of soil, it is essential to understand the C-cycling functioning of saline soil to better predict the ecological functions and health of soil. Microbes play critical roles in C-cycling. However, limited research has been conducted to understand the impact of soil salinity on the microbial functional genes involved in C-cycling. In this study, effects of varying soil salinity levels in wetlands on the C-cycling functions and diversity of soil microbes were investigated by metagenomic sequencing. The results showed a higher relative abundance of genes related to decomposition of easily degradable organic C at low salinity. On the other hand, higher abundance of genes participating in the decomposition of recalcitrant organic C were observed at high salinity. These findings indicate distinct metabolic bias of soil microbes based on the salinity levels. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were dominant in soils with low to medium salinity levels, while Bacteroidetes phyla was prominent in highly saline soils. Furthermore, partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) identified electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus as key regulators of C-cycling gene expression. Overall, the present study highlights the intricate connections between salinity, microbial attributes, and carbon metabolism in soil, suggesting that the soil microbes adapt to saline stress through divergent eco-adaptations. The findings of this study highlight the significance of exploring these microbial interactions for effective management and conservation of saline wetlands. Full article

The intra-articular application of drugs has gained considerable interest with regard to formulations for advanced drug delivery systems. It has been identified as a potential route for local drug delivery. A drug agent is usually incorporated into the hydrogel to prolong and control the drug release. This study aimed to design and evaluate an intra-articular hydrogel based sodium hyaluronate, which was modified with an additional polymer to enable the sustained release of the incorporated anti-inflammatory agent, diclofenac sodium (NaDic). Viscosity studies, drug release tests and FTIR−ATR measurements, as well as DSC analysis, were carried out to evaluate the obtained formulations. The viscosity measurements were performed using a rotational viscometer. The drug release was carried out by employing the apparatus paddle over the disk. The concentration of the released drug was obtained spectrophotometrically. The results revealed that the addition of the second polymer to the matrix influenced the dynamic viscosity of the hydrogels. The highest viscosity of (25.33 ± 0.55) × 10³ cP was observed when polyacrylic acid (PA) was doped in the formulation. This was due to the hydrogen bond formation between both polymers. The FTIR−ATR investigations and DSC study revealed the hydrogen bond formation between the drug and both polymers. The drug was released the slowest from hydrogel doped with PA and 17.2 ± 3.7% of NaDic was transported to the acceptor fluid within 8 h. The hydrogel based on hyaluronan sodium doped with PA and containing NaDic is a promising formulation for the prolonged and controlled intra-articulate drug delivery of anti-inflammatory agents. Full article

Lignin used in this work was isolated from sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) wood through a hybrid pulping process using soda/ethanol as pulping liquor and denoted soda-oxyethylated lignin (SOL). SOL was mixed with a polyethylene glycol (PEG)–glycerol mixture (80/20 v/v) as liquefying solvent with 98% wt. sulfur acid as catalyst, and the mixture was taken to boil at 140 °C for 2, 2.5, and 3 h. Three bio-polyols LBP1, LBP2, and LBP3 were obtained, and each of them exhibited a high proportion of -OH groups. Lignin-based polyurethane foams (LBPUFs) were prepared using the bio-polyols obtained with a toluene diisocyanate (TDI) prepolymer by the one-shot method. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) were used characterize lignin in order to determine viscosity, yield, and composition and to characterize their structure. The PEG-400–glycerol mixture was found to react with the lignin bio-polyols’ phenolic -OHs. The bio-polyols’ viscosity was found to increase as the liquefaction temperature increased, while simultaneously their molecular weights decreased. All the NCO groups were eliminated from the samples, which had high thermal stability as the liquefaction temperature increased, leading to a decrease in cell size, density, and crystallinity and an improvement in mechanical performance. Based on these properties, especially the presence of some aromatic rings in the bio-polyols, the foams produced can be useful in automotive applications and for floor carpets. Full article

Waterfowl semen cryopreservation technology is a key link in genetic resource conservation and artificial breeding, but poultry spermatozoa, due to their unique morphology and biochemical properties, are prone to oxidative stress during freezing, resulting in a significant decrease in vitality. In this study, we first used four different freezing procedures (P1–P4) to freeze duck semen and compared their effects on duck sperm quality. Then, the changes in antioxidant indexes in semen were monitored. The results showed that program P4 (initial 7 °C/min slow descent to −35 °C, followed by 60 °C/min rapid descent to −140 °C) was significantly better than the other programs (p < 0.05), and its post-freezing sperm vitality reached 71.41%, and the sperm motility was 51.73%. In the P1 and P3 groups, the sperm vitality was 65.56% and 53.41%, and the sperm motility was 46.99% and 31.76%, respectively. In terms of antioxidant indexes, compared with the fresh semen group (CK), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) in the P2 group were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while the activities of SOD and CAT in the P4 group showed no significant changes (p > 0.05) except that the activity of GSH-px was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). And the CAT and GSH-px activities in the P4 group were significantly higher than those in the P2 group (p < 0.05). The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the P2 group was significantly higher than that in the fresh semen group (p < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the P2 group and the P4 group (p > 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) content of the P2 and P4 groups was significantly lower than that of the fresh semen group (p < 0.05). The staged cooling strategy of P4 was effective in reducing the exposure time to the hypertonic environment by balancing intracellular dehydration and ice crystal inhibition, shortening the reactive oxygen species accumulation and alleviating oxidative stress injury. On the contrary, the multi-stage slow-down strategy of P2 exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and the oxidative stress cascade response due to prolonged cryogenic exposure time. The present study confirmed that the freezing procedure directly affects duck sperm quality by modulating the oxidative stress pathway and provides a theoretical basis for the standardization of duck semen cryopreservation technology. Full article

The blended system of solid waste micro-powders is of great significance for the efficient utilization of recycled micro-powder. In this study, a ternary blended cementitious system composed of fly ash, slag, and recycled micro-powder was constructed, and its effects on the workability, mechanical properties, shrinkage performance, and microstructure of recycled mortar were systematically investigated. The experimental results show that with the increasing dosage of slag and recycled micro-powder (partially replacing cement and fly ash), the standard consistency water demand of the cementitious system decreases and the setting time is prolonged. When the replacement levels of recycled micro-powder and slag are both 10%, the 3-day, 7-day, and 28-day mechanical strengths of the mortar specimens are comparable to those of the reference group, with an increased flexural-to-compressive strength ratio and improved brittleness. SEM and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analyses revealed that systems incorporating low addition levels of recycled micro powder and slag powder exhibit calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel, acicular ettringite crystals, and a denser pore structure. However, at higher dosages (>10%), the porosity increases significantly and the pore structure deteriorates, resulting in reduced shrinkage performance. Overall, when the replacement rate of cement–fly ash by recycled micro-powder and slag is 10%, the ternary blended system exhibits optimal macroscopic performance and microstructure, providing a scientific basis for the resource utilization of solid waste. Full article

As direct detection methods of Borrelia burgdorferi are limited, serology plays an important role in diagnosing Lyme disease (LD). There are various types of Lyme serological tests with varying diagnostic accuracy, so it is necessary to compare and rank them. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of various serological diagnostic methods for LD using network meta-analysis (NMA). We searched the Cochrane Library and PubMed databases for all serological diagnostic accuracy studies published from the discovery of LD until June 2024. After screening, we assessed the quality of the included studies with QUADAS-C and extracted relevant data. We calculated the Q* index of the receiver operating characteristic curve for each diagnostic test. Meta-disc 2.0 and Stata 15.0 were used to perform traditional meta-analysis and NMA with the gold standard (the comprehensive evaluation) as a reference. We then compared the Q* index values between different methods using two-by-two comparisons and ranked them accordingly. A total of 52 studies with 181,032 participants, including 5318 patients with LD, were included. These studies covered 14 diagnostic methods. The results of the NMA suggest that modified two-tiered testing (MTTT), C6 enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and standard two-tiered testing (STTT) rank in the top three among the 14 methods in terms of Q* index, with MTTT being the highest, followed by C6 EIA and STTT. MTTT and C6 EIA have higher overall diagnostic performance, and their accuracy is not inferior to that of the widely used STTT (PROSPERO CRD42022378326). Full article

Atriplex hortensis var. rubra (red orache, RO) is a halotolerant species rich in nutraceutical compounds, which makes it a valuable crop for human nutrition. This plant could also be exploited for phytoremediation of contaminated soil and wastewater, and for saline aquaponics. A root rot disease was observed on hydroponically grown RO plants, caused by Pythium deliense and Pythium Cluster B2a sp. Identification was based on morphology, molecular analysis (ITS and COI), and phylogenetic analysis. We assessed disease severity in plants grown in a growth chamber with nutrient solutions containing different NaCl concentrations (0, 7, and 14 g L⁻¹ NaCl). In vitro growth at different salinity levels and temperatures was also evaluated. Both Pythium species were pathogenic but showed different responses. Pythium deliense was significantly more virulent than Pythium Cluster B2a sp., causing a steady reduction in root dry weight (RDW) of 70% across all salinity levels. Pythium Cluster B2a sp. reduced RDW by 50% at 0 and 7 g L⁻¹ NaCl while no symptoms were observed at 14 g L⁻¹ NaCl. Pythium deliense grew best at 7 and 14 g L⁻¹ NaCl, while Pythium Cluster B2a sp. growth was reduced at 14 g L⁻¹ NaCl. Both pathogens had an optimum temperature of 30 °C. This is the first report of Pythium spp. causing root rot on RO grown hydroponically. The effective use of halophytic crops must consider pathogen occurrence and fitness in saline conditions. Full article

The increasing demand for critical raw materials such as copper and cobalt highlights the need for efficient beneficiation of low-grade ores. This study investigates a copper–cobalt sulfide ore (0.99% Cu, 0.028% Co) using froth flotation to produce high-grade concentrates. Various types of surfactants are applied in different ways, each serving an essential function such as acting as collectors, frothers, froth stabilizers, depressants, activators, pH modifiers, and more. A series of flotation tests employing different collectors (SIPX, PBX, AERO, DF 507B) and process conditions was conducted to optimize recovery and selectivity. Methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) was consistently used as the foaming agent, and 700 g/L was used as the slurry density at 25 °C. Dosages of 30 and 100 g/t¹ were used in all tests. Notably, adjusting the pH to ~4 using HCl significantly improved cobalt concentrate separation. The optimized flotation conditions yielded concentrates with over 15% Cu and metal recoveries exceeding 80%. Mineralogical characterization confirmed the selective enrichment of target metals in the concentrate. The results demonstrate the potential of this beneficiation approach to contribute to the European Union’s supply of critical raw materials. Full article

In this study, the impact of moderate and high CO₂ and O₂ levels was compared to low and moderate gas combinations during prolonged storage on the quality of Regina sweet cherries harvested in different maturity stages, particularly in terms of decreasing internal browning. Fruits were harvested in two different maturity stages (Light and Dark Mahogany skin color) and stored in CA of 15% CO₂ + 10% O₂; 10% CO₂ + 10% O₂; 10% CO₂ + 5% O₂; 5% CO₂ + 5% O₂ and MA of 4 to 5% CO₂ + 16 to 17% O₂ for 30 and 40 days at 0 °C and 90% RH, followed by a marketing period. After the storage, both maturity stages significantly reduced internal browning, decay, and visual quality losses in CA with 10–15% CO₂ and 10% O₂. In addition, it preserved luminosity, total soluble solids (TSSs), titratable acidity (TA), and bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins and phenols. This treatment also maintained the visual appearance of the sweet cherries, favoring their market acceptance. At the same time, the light red fruits showed a better general quality compared to darker color after the storage. In conclusion, a controlled atmosphere with optimized CO₂ and O₂ concentrations, together with harvesting with a Light Mahogany external color, represents an effective strategy to extend the shelf life of Regina sweet cherries up to 40 days plus the marketing period, maintaining their physical and sensory quality for export markets. Full article

While the Ankom RF system facilitates efficient high-throughput in vitro fermentation studies, its high cost and limited flexibility constrain its broader applicability. To address these limitations, we developed and validated a low-cost, modular gas monitoring system (FerME), assembled from commercially available components. To evaluate its performance and reproducibility relative to the Ankom RF system (Ankom Technology, Macedon, NY, USA), in vitro rumen fermentation experiments were conducted under strictly controlled and identical conditions. Whole rumen contents were collected approximately 2 h post-feeding from individual mid- or late-lactation dairy cows and immediately transported to the laboratory. Each fermenter received 50 mL of processed rumen fluid, 100 mL of anaerobically prepared artificial saliva buffer, and 1.2 g of the donor cow’s diet. Bottles were sealed with the respective system’s pressure sensors, flushed with CO₂, and incubated in a 50 L water bath maintained at 39 °C. FerME (New Taipei City, Taiwan) and Ankom RF fermenters were placed side-by-side to ensure uniform thermal conditions. To assess the effect of filter bag use, an additional trial employed Ankom F57 filter bags (Ankom Technology, Macedon, NY, USA; 25 μm pore size). Trial 1 revealed no significant differences in cumulative gas production, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), NH₃-N, or pH between systems (p > 0.05). However, the use of filter bags reduced gas output and increased propionate concentrations (p < 0.05). Trial 2, which employed filter bags in both systems, confirmed comparable results, with the FerME system demonstrating improved precision (CV: 4.8% vs. 13.2%). Gas composition (CH₄ + CO₂: 76–82%) and fermentation parameters remained consistent across systems (p > 0.05). Importantly, with 12 pressure sensors, the total cost of FerME was about half that of the Ankom RF system. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that FerME is a reliable, low-cost alternative for real-time rumen fermentation monitoring and could be suitable for studies in animal nutrition, methane mitigation, and related applications. Full article

2,5-bis(hydroxymethy)lfuran (BHMF), a renewable compound with extensive industrial applications, can be obtained by selective hydrogenation of the C=O group of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a platform molecule derived from lignocellulosic biomass. In this work, we perform kinetic modeling of the selective liquid-phase hydrogenation of HMF to BHMF over a Cu/SiO₂ catalyst prepared by precipitation–deposition (PD) at a constant pH. Physicochemical characterization, using different techniques, confirms that the Cu/SiO₂–PD catalyst is formed by copper metallic nanoparticles of 3–5 nm in size highly dispersed on the SiO₂ surface. Before the kinetic study, the Cu/SiO₂-PD catalyst was evaluated in three solvents: tetrahydrofuran (THF), 2-propanol (2-POH), and water. The pattern of catalytic activity and BHMF yield for the different solvents was THF > 2-POH > H₂O. In addition, selectivity to BHF was the highest in THF. Thus, THF was chosen for further kinetic study. Several experiments were carried out by varying the initial HMF concentration (C⁰_HMF) between 0.02 and 0.26 M and the hydrogen pressure (P_H2) between 200 and 1500 kPa. In all experiments, BHMF selectivity was 97–99%. By pseudo-homogeneous modeling, an apparent reaction order with respect to HFM close to 1 was estimated for a C⁰_HMF between 0.02 M and 0.065 M, while when higher than 0.065 M, the apparent reaction order changed to 0. The apparent reaction order with respect to H₂ was nearly 0 when C⁰_HMF = 0.13 M, while for C⁰_HMF = 0.04 M, it was close to 1. The reaction orders estimated suggest that HMF is strongly absorbed on the catalyst surface, and thus total active site coverage is reached when the C⁰_HMF is higher than 0.065 M. Several Langmuir–Hinshelwood–Hougen–Watson (LHHW) kinetic models were proposed, tested against experimental data, and statistically compared. The best fitting of the experimental data was obtained with an LHHW model that considered non-competitive H₂ and HMF chemisorption and strong chemisorption of reactant and product molecules on copper metallic active sites. This model predicts both the catalytic performance of Cu/SiO₂-PD and its deactivation during liquid-phase HMF hydrogenation. Full article

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting 10–15% of women of reproductive age. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have accounted for only a fraction of its high heritability, indicating the need for alternative approaches to identify rare genetic variants contributing to its etiology. To this end, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in a multi-affected family. Methods: A multigenerational family was studied, comprising three sisters, their mother, grandmother, and a daughter, all diagnosed with endometriosis. WES was conducted on the three sisters and their mother. We used the enGenome-Evai and Varelect software to perform our analysis, which mainly focused on rare, missense, frameshift, and stop variants. Results: Bioinformatic analysis identified 36 co-segregating rare variants. Six missense variants in genes associated with cancer growth were prioritized. The top candidates were c.3319G>A (p.Gly1107Arg) in the LAMB4 gene and c.1414G>A (p.Gly472Arg) in the EGFL6 gene. Variants in NAV3, ADAMTS18, SLIT1, and MLH1 may also contribute to disease onset through a synergistic and additive model. Conclusions: We identified novel candidate genes for endometriosis in a multigenerational affected family, supporting a polygenic model of the disease. Our study is an exploratory family-based WES study, and replication and functional studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary findings. Full article

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the immune system attacking the central nervous system, leading to demyelination and neurodegeneration. This work investigates the relationship between specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms and MS, aiming to reveal the immunogenetic background of this disease for more individualized management approaches. This study employed a case–control design, analyzing HLA allele frequencies in 179 MS patients and 200 control subjects using next-generation sequencing, The key findings indicate significant associations between several HLA Class I and II alleles and MS, including HLA-B*35:03:01:03, HLA-C*04:01:01:14, HLA-DRB1*15:01:01:26, and HLA-DQA1*05:05:01:02. These findings emphasize the critical role of HLA molecules in MS Romanian patients. Full article

To address the central cracking problem in continuous casting slabs of 38CrMoAl steel, high-temperature tensile tests were performed using a Gleeble-3800 thermal simulator to characterize the hot ductility of the steel within the temperature range of 600–1200 °C. The phase transformation behavior was computationally analyzed via the Thermo-Calc software, while the microstructure, fracture morphology, and precipitate characteristics were systematically investigated using a metallographic microscope (MM), a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Additionally, the effects of different holding times and cooling rates on the microstructure and precipitates of 38CrMoAl steel were also studied. The results show that the third brittle temperature region of 38CrMoAl steel is 645–1009 °C, and the fracture mechanisms can be classified into three types: (I) in the α single-phase region, the thickness of intergranular proeutectoid ferrite increases with rising temperature, leading to reduced hot ductility; (II) in the γ single-phase region, the average size of precipitates increases while the number density decreases with increasing temperature, thereby improving hot ductility; and (III) in the α + γ two-phase region, the precipitation of proeutectoid ferrite promotes crack propagation and the dense distribution of precipitates at grain boundaries causes stress concentration, further deteriorating hot ductility. Heat treatment experiments indicate that the microstructures of the specimen transformed under water cooling, air cooling, and furnace cooling conditions as follows: martensite + proeutectoid ferrite → bainite + ferrite → ferrite. The average size of precipitates first decreased, then increased, and finally decreased again with increasing holding time, while the number density exhibited the opposite trend. Therefore, when the holding time was the same, reducing the cooling rate could increase the average size of the precipitates and decrease their number density, thereby improving the hot ductility of 38CrMoAl steel. Full article