Search Results (40,000)

The current study focuses on a preliminary evaluation of the use of solid residues produced from the distillation of selected medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) as fertilizers for alkaline soils. Specifically, the residues of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), helichrysum (Helichrysum Italicum (Roth) G. Don), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.) were added in an alkaline and calcareous soil at the rates of 0 (control), 1, 2, 4 and 8%, in three replications (treatments), and the treated soils were analyzed. The results showed that upon application of the residues, soil electrical conductivity (EC), organic C, total N and the C/N ratio significantly increased, especially at the 4 and 8% rates. The same was found for soil available P, K, B, Cu and Mn. The effects of the residues on soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and available Zn and Fe were rather inconclusive, whereas soil available N significantly decreased, which was somewhat unexpected. From the different application rates tested, it seems that all residues could improve soil fertility (except N?) when they were applied to soil at rates of 2% and above, without exceeding the 8% rate. The reasons for the latter statement are soil EC and available Mn: the doubling of EC upon application of the residues and the excessive increase in soil available Mn in treatments with 8% residues raise concerns of soil salinization and Mn phytotoxicity risks, respectively. This work provides the first step towards the potential agronomic use of solid residues from MAP distillation in alkaline soils. However, for the establishment of such a perspective, further research is needed in respect to the effect of residues on plant growth and soil properties, by means of at least pot experiments. Based on the results of the current study, the undesirable effect of residues on soil available N should be investigated in depth, since N is the most important essential element for plant growth, and possible risks of micronutrient phytotoxicities should also be studied. In addition, application rates between 2 and 4% should be studied extensively in order to recommend optimum application rates of residues to producers. Full article

This study investigates the beneficiation of finely grinded rutile ore utilizing a combination of flocculation and flotation methods. Rutile, a Ti-bearing mineral with industrial significance, is often associated with heavy minerals found in coastal and metamorphic environments. A rutile ore sample from Azıtepe (Alaşehir, Türkiye) was reduced to −63 µm and enriched under varying pH conditions (2.5–12) using different reagent combinations and was used for our investigation of both flocculation and flotation processes using reagents such as Aero801(SIPX), Aero825, tannic acid (TA), and pomace oil. The best results were achieved at pH: 8 using Aero801(SIPX) and pomace oil during flocculation, and Aero801(SIPX), Aero825, and Aerofroth88 during flotation, yielding a concentrate with an 8.99% TiO₂ grade and an 89.5% recovery rate. Meanwhile, a 7.00% TiO₂ grade concentrate was obtained with a recovery rate of 71.92% at neutral pH. This study found that pH and reagent selection had an important effect on TiO₂ enrichment efficiency in fine size, low-grade rutile ores. Future research is recommended to investigate selective depressants and multi-stage cleaning to improve separation. Full article

Renal oncocytoma (RO) is a benign renal neoplasm characterized by dense accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria possibly resulting from increased mitochondrial biogenesis and decreased mitophagy; however, the mechanisms controlling these mitochondrial changes are unclear. ROs harbor recurrent inactivating mutations in mitochondrial genes encoding the Electron Transport Chain (ETC) Complex I, and we hypothesize that Complex I loss in ROs directly impairs mitophagy. Our analysis of ROs and normal kidney (NK) tissues shows that a significant portion (8 out of 17) of ROs have mtDNA Complex I loss-of-function mutations with high variant allele frequency (>50%). ROs indeed exhibit reduced Complex I expression and activity. Analysis of the various steps of mitophagy pathway demonstrates that AMPK activation in ROs leads to induction of mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy, and formation of autophagosomes. However, the subsequent steps involving lysosome biogenesis and function are defective, resulting in an overall inhibition of mitophagy. Inhibiting Complex I in a normal kidney cell line recapitulated the observed lysosomal and mitophagy defects. Our data suggest Complex I loss in RO results in defective mitophagy due to lysosomal loss and dysfunction. Full article

Background: This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of rehabilitation-focused exercise interventions for lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD), a leading cause of chronic low back pain. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across international and regional databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Magiran, SID, and Noormags) covering the period from January 2010 to January 2025. The review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under registration number CRD420251088811. Using keywords such as “lumbar DDD,” “exercise therapy,” and “rehabilitation,” a total of 2495 records were identified. After screening, 20 studies—including clinical trials, quasi-experimental, and experimental designs—met the inclusion criteria and were assessed using the McMaster Critical Review Form for Quantitative Studies. Results: Interventions such as hydrotherapy, core stability training, Pilates, and suspension exercises were found to significantly reduce pain and improve functional outcomes. While multimodal approaches (e.g., aquatic exercise combined with acupuncture) showed positive effects, the comparative studies revealed no significant differences between modalities. Suspension training demonstrated superior efficacy in pain reduction compared to isolated core stability exercises. The methodological quality of included studies ranged from good to excellent, with the majority rated as very good or excellent (McMaster scores: 8 “excellent,” 7 “very good,” and 5 “good”). Common limitations among the studies included methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes (n = 14–30), and insufficient long-term follow-up. Conclusions: Exercise-based rehabilitation is an effective strategy for managing lumbar DDD. Evidence particularly supports the use of suspension training and aquatic therapy for superior improvements in pain and functional outcomes. Future research should aim to adopt standardized protocols, recruit larger sample sizes, and include extended follow-up periods to produce more robust and generalizable findings. Full article

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant brain tumors, with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Background/Objectives: Integrin α_vβ₃, a cell surface receptor overexpressed in GBM, specifically binds to cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartate-D-phenylalanine-lysine (c(RGDfK)) motif, making it a valuable target for tumor-specific delivery and PET imaging. This study explores a novel radiotheranostic agent, [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK), which combines the imaging and therapeutic capabilities of copper-64 (⁶⁴Cu) and the cytotoxic activity of a terpyridine-platinum (TP) complex, conjugated to c(RGDfK). Methods: A robust protocol was developed for the small-scale preparation of NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK). Comparative cellular studies were conducted using U87 MG glioblastoma (GBM) cells and SVG p12 human astrocytes to evaluate the performance of [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK) relative to [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-c(RGDfK), [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-TP, ^natCu-NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK), cisplatin, and temozolomide. Results: ⁶⁴Cu-radiolabeling of NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK) was achieved with >99% radiochemical purity, and competition assays confirmed high binding affinity to integrin α_vβ₃ (IC₅₀ = 16 ± 8 nM). Cellular uptake, internalization, and retention studies demonstrated significantly higher accumulation of [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK) in U87 MG cells compared to control compounds, with 38.8 ± 1.8% uptake and 28.0 ± 1.0% internalization at 24 h. Nuclear localization (6.0 ± 0.5%) and stable intracellular retention further support its therapeutic potential for inducing localized DNA damage. Importantly, [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK) exhibited the highest cytotoxicity in U87 MG cells (IC₅₀ = 10 ± 2 nM at 48 h), while maintaining minimal toxicity in normal SVG p12 astrocytes. Conclusions: These results highlight [⁶⁴Cu]Cu-NOTA-TP-c(RGDfK) as a promising targeted radiotheranostic agent for GBM, warranting further preclinical development Full article

Background/Objectives: Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is often managed by tacrolimus induction therapy followed by maintenance therapy. We compared the effectiveness of ustekinumab versus vedolizumab as maintenance therapies after tacrolimus induced improvement in patients with ASUC. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included patients with ASUC who received tacrolimus induction therapy followed by ustekinumab or vedolizumab between January 2018 and November 2024. The primary outcome was clinical remission at week 16. Secondary and exploratory outcomes included clinical remission at week 8, biologic persistence, and relapse risk. An inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed using the following covariates: male sex, prior biologics or JAK inhibitors, partial Mayo score, CRP, and albumin. Results: Among 235 tacrolimus-treated patients, 29 received ustekinumab and 22 received vedolizumab. After IPTW adjustment, the clinical remission rates were significantly higher in the ustekinumab group at both week 8 (82.1% vs. 51.8%, p = 0.02) and week 16 (85.4% vs. 36.8%, p = 0.02). Biologic persistence was significantly higher in the ustekinumab group (p = 0.004), and ustekinumab significantly reduced the hazard of relapse in multivariable analyses (HR 0.42 [95% CI: 0.20–0.88], p = 0.02). Conclusions: Ustekinumab showed greater effectiveness than vedolizumab in terms of achieving remission at 16 weeks after tacrolimus induction therapy in patients with ASUC. Full article

In gas–liquid two-phase flows, diverging channels such as diffusers often develop low-pressure separation zones where gas can accumulate, hindering pressure recovery and reducing system performance. This issue is particularly critical in centrifugal pumps, where it leads to efficiency losses. Unlike pumps, diffusers without rotating components allow for more precise experimental studies. This research investigates a passive control method using upstream cross-flow steps to reduce gas accumulation in a horizontal diverging channel. Thin metallic sheets with toothed geometries of 2 mm, 5 mm, and 8 mm heights were installed upstream to interact with the flow. These features aim to enhance turbulence, break up larger gas pockets, and promote vertical bubble dispersion, all while minimizing additional flow separation. The diffuser was intentionally designed with an expanding angle to encourage flow separation and gas accumulation. The experiments covered various two-phase flow conditions (liquid Reynolds number 59,530–78,330; gas Reynolds number 3–9.25), and high-speed imaging captured detailed phase interactions. The results show that the steps significantly reduce gas accumulation, especially at higher water flow rates. These findings support the development of more accurate computational models and offer insights for optimizing centrifugal pump designs by minimizing gas buildup in separated flow regions. Full article

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma show strong potential as biological control agents (BCAs) against grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) through mechanisms like antibiotic metabolite production and lytic enzymes. This study evaluated the biocontrol activity of four native Trichoderma strains—T. gamsii T065 and T071, T. carraovejensis T154, and T. harzianum T214—against Phaeoacremonium minimum, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, and Diplodia seriata. Culture filtrates obtained at 8, 16, and 24 days post-incubation were tested using antibiogram and mycelial inhibition assays. Strains T071, T154, and T214 effectively inhibited D. seriata, while T154 and T214 also suppressed P. chlamydospora. Nevertheless, the limited effectiveness of all filtrates against P. minimum suggests that antibiosis is not the predominant mechanism involved in its control. These findings highlight the potential of specific Trichoderma strains and incubation times to directly control GTD pathogens and support the development of scalable biocontrol solutions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Anxiety and depression are common among individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) and pose significant barriers to lifestyle modifications. Evidence on sex-related differences in anxiety and depression following cardiac rehabilitation (CR) remains inconclusive. This study aims to assesses the prevalence and changes in anxiety and depression symptoms during CR and explores potential sex differences. Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest–post-test design was employed, measuring self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms utilizing the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: HADS was reported by 175 patients, 122 men and 53 women, at CR admission and discharge between 1 January 2022 and 30 April 2024. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms (HADS-anxiety score ≥ 8) significantly decreased from 28.2% at admission to 16.9% at discharge, while depression prevalence dropped (HADS-depression score ≥ 8) from 16.3% to 6.2%. Statistically significant sex differences were observed in depression prevalence at discharge, with women exhibiting lower symptom prevalence. Both sexes experienced significant HADS-anxiety and HADS-depression score reductions (p < 0.001) in both the overall sample and the sub-analysis of patients presenting with symptoms at admission. Women initially presented higher HADS-anxiety scores and significantly greater HADS-anxiety score reductions (p = 0.014) than men. No significant sex differences were observed in the reduction in HADS-depression scores. Conclusions: The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms significantly decreased among both sexes compared to admission, with women experiencing greater symptom reduction at discharge than men. Further research is needed to determine specific CR components contributing to these improvements. Full article

Background: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the research literature on the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients with hyperacusis and misophonia. Method: Four databases were searched: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science (Wis)—last search conducted on the 16th of April 2024 to identify relevant studies. The methodological quality of each study was independently assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Results: Five studies were included for the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in hyperacusis, and seventeen studies for misophonia. Among patients with hyperacusis, between 8% and 80% had depression, and between 39% and 61% had any anxiety disorder as measured via a diagnostic interview and/or self-report questionnaires. For misophonia, nine studies provided data on various forms of mood and anxiety disorders, with prevalences ranging from 1.1% to 37.3% and 0.2% to 69%, respectively. Conclusions: Although the 22 included studies varied considerably in design and scope, some recurring patterns of comorbidity were noted. However, apparent trends—such as the higher prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders compared to other psychiatric conditions—should be interpreted with caution, as most studies did not comprehensively assess a full range of psychiatric disorders. This likely skews prevalence estimates toward the conditions that were specifically investigated. Full article

The ongoing global climate change has led to an increase in the frequency and complexity of drought events. Pinus yunnanensis, a native tree species in southwest China that possesses significant ecological and economic value, exhibits a high sensitivity to drought stress, particularly in its seedlings. This study investigates the response mechanisms of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs, defined as the sum of soluble sugars and starch) and the stoichiometric characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) to repeated drought conditions in Pinus yunnanensis seedlings. We established three treatment groups in a potting water control experiment involving 2-year-old Pinus yunnanensis seedlings: normal water supply (CK), a single drought (D1), and three drought–rewatering cycles (D3). The findings indicated that the frequency of drought occurrences, organ responses, and their interactions significantly influenced the non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content and its fractions, as well as the C/N/P content and its stoichiometric ratios. Under D3 treatment, stem NSC content increased by 24.97% and 29.08% compared to CK and D1 groups (p < 0.05), respectively, while root NSC content increased by 41.35% and 49.46% versus CK and D1 (p < 0.05). The pronounced accumulation of soluble sugars and starch in stems and roots under D3 suggests a potential stress memory effect. Additionally, NSC content in the stems increased significantly by 77.88%, while the roots enhanced their resource acquisition by dynamically regulating the C/P ratio, which increased by 23.26% (p < 0.05). Needle leaf C content decreased (18.77%) but P uptake increased (8%) to maintain basal metabolism (p < 0.05). Seedling growth was N-limited (needle N/P < 14) and the degree of N limitation was exacerbated by repeated droughts. Phenotypic plasticity indices and principal component analysis revealed that needle nitrogen and phosphorus, soluble sugars in needles, stem C/N ratio (0.61), root C/N ratio (0.53), and stem C/P ratio were crucial for drought adaptation. This study elucidates the physiological mechanisms underlying the resilience of Pinus yunnanensis seedlings to recurrent droughts, as evidenced by their organ-specific strategies for allocating carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, alongside the dynamic regulation of nitrogen storage compounds (NSCs). These findings provide a robust theoretical foundation for implementing drought-resistant afforestation and ecological restoration initiatives targeting Pinus yunnanensis in southwestern China. Full article

Background: Little is known about the rate of rib fracture healing after Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures (SSRFs). We sought to evaluate the radiographic evidence of rib healing and hypertrophic ossification (HO) in patients after SSRFs. Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients who had undergone SSRFs from 1 January 2010 to 31 March 2023 and had a computed tomography (CT) of the chest performed greater than 6 months after SSRFs. The rib fracture locations were mapped on the initial trauma CT scan and evaluated on the follow-up CT scan for healing and HO formation. Results: A total of 254 SSRF cases were evaluated, 21 patients met the inclusion criteria; out of 208 fractures, 109 underwent SSRFs. The median time to follow-up CT scan was 17(7–88) months. Overall, 95% of the fractures healed completely. Seventy percent of the non-union fractures were in posterior or paraspinal locations on ribs 8–10. HO was noted in nine patients and seen as early as 8 months post-operatively. A significant association was identified between the fixation method used to perform SSRFs (89% vs. 11%, p = 0.024) and operative day (6(0–9) vs. 2(2–5), p = 0.023). Conclusions: Non-union of rib fractures is uncommon after SSRFs. Many of these fractures involve the posterior or paraspinal lower rib cage. HO between fractures is common after SSRFs. Full article

Ice energy storage systems have gained significant attention as sustainable solutions for energy management, particularly in applications with fluctuating energy demands. This study aims to compare two different designs, a triple-tube heat exchanger (TTHE) and spherical ice balls, the latter being the most widely used traditional design in the industry. The TTHE design was first analyzed theoretically, then optimized using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, and validated by the literature. Finally, it was compared with spherical ice balls under identical conditions. The analyses were conducted for an ice storage volume of 1000 kg, with the complete solidification process designed to occur within 8 h. The results indicate that the TTHE reduced solidification time by 25% while simultaneously increasing energy storage by 8%. This study contributes to the advancement of sustainable energy technologies by providing a comparative analysis of spherical ice balls and triple-tube heat exchangers for optimizing ice storage systems. The implementation of a TTHE for thermal storage can lower energy costs, mitigate peak demand, and address the intermittency challenges associated with renewable energy sources. Full article

Tactile pavings (Tenji Blocks) are prone to wear, obstruction, and improper installation, posing significant safety risks for visually impaired pedestrians. This system incorporates a lightweight YOLOv8 (You Only Look Once version 8) model for real-time detection using a fisheye camera to maximize field-of-view coverage, which is highly advantageous for low-altitude UAV navigation in complex urban settings. To enable lightweight deployment, a novel Lightweight Shared Detail Enhanced Oriented Bounding Box (LSDE-OBB) head module is proposed. The design rationale of LSDE-OBB leverages the consistent structural patterns of tactile pavements, enabling parameter sharing within the detection head as an effective optimization strategy without significant accuracy compromise. The feature extraction module is further optimized using StarBlock to reduce computational complexity and model size. Integrated Contextual Anchor Attention (CAA) captures long-range spatial dependencies and refines critical feature representations, achieving an optimal speed–precision balance. The framework demonstrates a 25.13% parameter reduction (2.308 M vs. 3.083 M), 46.29% lower GFLOPs, and achieves 11.97% ${\mathrm{mAP}}_{50:95}$ on tactile paving datasets, enabling real-time edge deployment. Validated through public/custom datasets and actual UAV flights, the system realizes robust tactile paving detection and stable navigation in complex urban environments via hierarchical control algorithms for dynamic trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance, providing an efficient and scalable platform for automated infrastructure inspection. Full article

Variants in COL4A3 and COL4A4 cause autosomal dominant and recessive Alport syndrome, yet data on their distribution and clinical expression in different populations remain limited. This study investigated genotype–phenotype correlations and the distribution of COL4A3/COL4A4 variants in a Lithuanian Alport syndrome cohort. A total of 221 individuals from Lithuania were analyzed for COL4A3 and COL4A4 variants using either next-generation sequencing or Sanger sequencing in order to assess variant distribution and associated clinical features. Only individuals with pathogenic, likely pathogenic, or uncertain significance variants were included. Fifty-two individuals (38 index cases) with pathogenic, likely pathogenic, or variants of uncertain significance were identified, as follows: forty-eight were heterozygous, four had autosomal recessive, and four had digenic Alport syndrome. COL4A3 variants were found in 9.5% (21/221) and COL4A4 in 17.6% (39/221). Among the 28 identified variants, 18 were novel. Glycine substitutions (n = 8) were the most frequent and associated with worse kidney outcomes and increased hearing abnormalities. Hematuria was diagnosed significantly earlier than proteinuria (p = 0.05). Most individuals with autosomal dominant Alport syndrome had normal kidney function (eGFR > 90 mL/min/1.73 m²), while those with autosomal recessive Alport syndrome had more severe disease. Kidney failure occurred in 2/4 (50%) autosomal recessive Alport syndrome and 2/48 (4%) autosomal dominant Alport syndrome cases. A significant inverse correlation was found between eGFR and age in proteinuric individuals (r = –0.737; p = 0.013). This study expands knowledge of Alport syndrome in the Lithuanian population and contributes novel variant data to the global Alport syndrome genetic database. Full article