Search Results (282)

Unconventional food plants (UFPs) are increasingly valued for their nutritional composition and bioactive potential. This study proposes a comprehensive characterization of the chemical and bioactive properties of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) (PA); Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott (Araceae) (XS); Stachys byzantina K. Koch (Lamiaceae) (SB); and inflorescences from three cultivars of Musa acuminata (Musaceae) var. Dwarf Cavendish, var. BRS Platina, and var. BRS Conquista (MAD, MAP, and MAC), including the assessment of physical, nutritional, phytochemical, and biological parameters. Notably, detailed phenolic profiles were established for these species, many of which are poorly documented in the literature. XS was characterized by a unique abundance of C-glycosylated flavones, especially apigenin and luteolin derivatives, rarely described for this species. SB exhibited high levels of phenylethanoid glycosides, particularly verbascoside and its isomers (up to 21.32 mg/g extract), while PA was rich in O-glycosylated flavonols such as quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin derivatives. Nutritionally, XS had the highest protein content (16.3 g/100 g dw), while SB showed remarkable dietary fiber content (59.8 g/100 g). Banana inflorescences presented high fiber (up to 66.5 g/100 g) and lipid levels (up to 7.35 g/100 g). Regarding bioactivity, PA showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (95.21%) and SB the highest reducing power in the FRAP assay (4085.90 µM TE/g). Cellular antioxidant activity exceeded 2000% in most samples, except for SB. Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities were generally low, with only SB showing moderate effects against Caco-2 and AGS cell lines. SB and PA demonstrated the strongest antimicrobial activity, particularly against Yersinia enterocolitica, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Enterococcus faecalis, with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.156 to 0.625 mg/mL. Linear discriminant analysis revealed distinctive chemical patterns among the species, with organic acids (e.g., oxalic up to 7.53 g/100 g) and fatty acids (e.g., linolenic acid up to 52.38%) as key discriminant variables. Overall, the study underscores the nutritional and functional relevance of these underutilized plants and contributes rare quantitative data to the scientific literature regarding their phenolic signatures. Full article

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes global swine outbreaks, but its cellular pathogenesis is poorly understood. Using single-cell RNA data from ASFV-infected pig spleens across four timepoints, we identified macrophages as the primary viral reservoir, with infection driving lymphoid depletion and myeloid expansion. We characterized four functionally distinct macrophage subsets, including a metabolically reprogrammed SusceptibleMac population serving as the major viral niche and an AntiviralMac subset rapidly depleted during infection. Viral gene expression analysis revealed E165R as a central hub in viral replication networks, while host transcriptomics uncovered disruption of Netrin signaling pathways that may facilitate immune evasion. Pseudotime analysis revealed dynamic macrophage state transitions during infection. These findings provide a high-resolution cellular atlas of ASFV pathogenesis, revealing macrophage subset-specific responses that shape disease outcomes and identifying potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Full article

The 83rd session of the IMO Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) approved a global pricing mechanism for the shipping industry, with formal adoption scheduled for October 2025. Proposed mechanisms include the International Maritime Sustainable Fuels and Fund (IMSF&F) and a combined approach integrating GHG Fuel Standards with Universal GHG Contributions (GFS&UGC). This study developed a model based on the marginal abatement cost curve (MACC) methodology to assess the cost-effectiveness of alternative fuels under both mechanisms. Sensitivity analyses evaluated the impacts of fuel prices, carbon prices, and the GHG Fuel Intensity (GFI) indicator on MAC. Results indicate that implementing the GFS&UGC mechanism yields higher net present values (NPVs) and lower MACs compared to IMSF&F. Introducing universal GHG contributions promotes a comparatively fairer transition to sustainable shipping fuels. Investments in zero- or near-zero-fueled (ZNZ) ships are unlikely to be recouped by 2050 unless carbon prices rise sufficiently to boost revenues. Bio-Methanol and bio-diesel emerged as the most cost-competitive ZNZ options in the long term, while e-Methanol’s poor competitiveness stems from its extremely high price. Both pooling costs and universal GHG levies significantly reduce LNG’s economic viability over the study period. MACs demonstrated greater sensitivity to fuel prices (P_fuel) than to carbon prices (P_carbon) or GFI within this study’s parameterization scope, particularly under GFS&UGC. Ratios of P_carbon%/P_fuel% in equivalent sensitivity scenarios were quantified to determine relative price importance. This work provides insights into fuel selection for shipping companies and supports policymakers in designing effective GHG pricing mechanisms. Full article

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is usually considered an incidental, benign, age-related finding without serious complications in patients evaluated for cardiovascular or pulmonary disease with imaging studies that may result in mitral regurgitation or stenosis when severe. Therefore, it is usually not considered a significant alteration. However, there is accumulating evidence that it is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events, such as atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, aortic artery disease, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular and/or intraventricular conduction disturbance, systemic embolization, infective endocarditis, heart failure and mortality. The presence of MAC also significantly influences the outcome of mitral valve transcatheter and surgical interventions. Several conditions may predispose to MAC. MAC is strongly related to cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking and cardiovascular atherosclerosis, and inflammation may also play a role in the pathogenesis of MAC. Also, conditions that increase mitral valve stress, such as hypertension, aortic stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, predispose to accelerated degenerative calcification of the mitral annulus area. Congenital disorders, e.g., Marfan syndrome and Hurler syndrome, are also associated with MAC, due to an intrinsic abnormality of the connective tissue composing the annulus. Full article

This study examined the relationships between mid-arm circumference (MAC) and calf circumference (CC) with cognitive performance, considering the moderating effect of apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE4) status. Data from 196 older adults (65–90 years) in the General Lifestyle and AD (GLAD) study were analyzed. Cognitive performance was assessed using the CERAD neuropsychological battery, with episodic memory score (EMS) and non-memory score (NMS) as primary outcomes. Multiple linear regression analyses examined associations between MAC, CC, and waist circumference (WC) with cognition, adjusting for key covariates. Interaction effects with APOE4 status were also explored. Higher MAC (or MAC/WC) significantly correlated with better EMS, while higher CC (or CC/WC) correlated with better NMS, even after Bonferroni correction (P_B < 0.0125). These associations were stronger in APOE4-negative individuals but not significant in APOE4-positive participants. WC was not associated with cognitive measures. The results suggest that Upper- and lower-limb musculature may play distinct roles in cognitive function, with MAC linked to episodic memory and CC to non-memory cognition, particularly in APOE4-negative individuals. These findings highlight the potential of muscle health maintenance as a strategy for preserving cognitive function in aging populations. Full article

Antibiotics are frequently used in the poultry industry, which has led to the emergence of bacterial strains that are resistant to antimicrobial treatments. The main objectives of this research were to conduct a multimodal risk assessment, to determine the extent of contamination of chicken meat with Escherichia coli, assess the prevalence of strains resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC), and characterise the genes associated with resistance and virulence. A standardised procedure involving enrichment in buffered peptone water and isolation of E. coli on MacConkey agar was carried out on 100 chicken carcasses. Subsequently, the sensitivity of the strains was tested against 21 antibiotic discs. Additionally, ESBL production was detected using a double synergy test. Specific PCRs were employed to identify resistance to critical antibiotics in human medicine (such as cephalosporins, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, and colistin), as well as the presence of virulence genes. The contamination rate of chicken meat with E. coli was 82%. The prevalence of ESC-resistant isolates was 91.2%. Furthermore, 76.5% of the isolates exhibited ESBL production, with the different beta-lactamase genes (bla_CTXM, bla_TEM, and bla_SHV). The mcr-1 gene, associated with colistin resistance, was detected in four strains (5.9%). Some isolates also carried resistance genes such as sul1, sul2, sul3, tetA, tetB, qnrB, and qnrS. In addition, several virulence genes were detected. In our study, we were able to link the expression of AMR to the iron metabolic regulatory elements using a multimodal machine learning approach; this mechanism could be targeted to mitigate the bacteria virulence and resistance. The high prevalence of ESBL-producing and multi-resistant E. coli strains in poultry presents significant human health risks, with the focus on antibiotic-resistant uropathogenic strains since poultry meat could be an important source of uropathogenic strains, underscoring the danger of hard-to-treat urinary tract infections, stressing the need for controlled antibiotic use and thorough monitoring. Full article

Background: The prevalence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is increasing in Europe and North America. Most pulmonary NTM cases are caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). The treatment of pulmonary MAC is suboptimal with failure rates ranging from 30% to 40% and there is a need to develop new vaccines. Methods: We tested the ability of two whole-cell vaccines, DAR-901 (heat-killed M. obuense) and BCG (live-attenuated M. bovis), to induce MAC cross-reactive immunity by first immunizing BALB/c mice and then performing IFN-γ ELISPOT assays after overnight stimulation of splenocytes with live MAC. To study the ability of these vaccines to protect against MAC infection, BALB/c mice were vaccinated with DAR-901 (intradermal) or BCG (subcutaneous or intranasal) and challenged with aerosolized MAC 4 weeks later. A group of mice vaccinated with BCG were also treated with clarithromycin via gavage. Lung colony-forming units (CFU) in immunized mice and unvaccinated controls were quantified 4 weeks after infection. Histopathology was used to quantify lung inflammation and flow cytometry was used to study lung immunity in BCG-vaccinated and unvaccinated mice following MAC infection. To increase the safety profile of mucosal BCG vaccination, we studied BCG with a “kill switch” (tetR BCG) in scnn1b-transgenic mice (i.e., mice prone to cystic fibrosis-type lung diseases). Results: Our results showed that (i) DAR-901 induced cross-reactive immunity to MAC to a similar level as BCG, (ii) DAR-901 and BCG protected against aerosol MAC challenge, (iii) mucosal BCG vaccination, compared to systemic BCG and DAR-901 vaccinations, provided the best protection against MAC challenge, (iv) BCG vaccination did not interfere with anti-MAC activities of clarithromycin, (v) BCG-vaccinated mice had increased inflammation and increased frequencies of activated CD4 and CD8 T cells following MAC infection, and (vi) doxycycline treatment of tetR BCG-vaccinated mice decreased lung BCG CFU without affecting MAC immunity. Conclusions: Both DAR-901 and BCG vaccinations induce MAC cross-reactive immunity and protect against aerosolized MAC challenges. Mucosal BCG vaccination provides the best protection and TetR BCG could enhance the safety of mucosal BCG vaccination. Full article

Pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira are the etiological agents of leptospirosis, a disease that affects humans and animals worldwide. Despite the increasing number of studies, the mechanisms of leptospiral pathogenesis remain poorly comprehended. In this study, we report various interactions of the LigA7’-13’ and LigB1’-7’ domains with host components. The LigA7’-13’ and LigB1’-7’ were cloned into the pET28a vector, and the recombinant proteins were expressed in E. coli C43 (DE3) and E. coli BL21 (DE3), respectively. Both recombinant protein domains were expressed in soluble form and purified using nickel-chelating chromatography. The rLigA7’-13’ and rLigB1’-7’ domains exhibited binding to several types of integrins, with most interactions occurring in a dose-dependent and saturable manner, consistent with the characteristics of typical receptor-ligand interactions. The recombinant domain LigA7’-13’ demonstrated affinity for the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) chondroitin-4-sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, heparin, chondroitin sulfate B, and heparan sulfate, while no binding was detected for LigB1’-7’ with these molecules. Both rLigA7’-13’ and rLigB1’-7’ interacted with components of the terminal complement pathway and were capable of recruiting C9 from normal human serum (NHS). These interactions may inhibit the formation of polyC9, ultimately preventing the assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Collectively, our data expand the repertoire of host components that interact with rLigA7’-13’ and rLigB1’-7’, opening new avenues for understanding leptospiral immune evasion and broadening the roles of these domains in bacterial virulence. Full article

A comparative evaluation of Moringa oleifera Lam. ethanolic leaf extracts was performed using different extraction methods (maceration or ultrasound-assisted) and the qualitative and quantitative profile of the bioactive compounds contained were further assessed. The antioxidant potential and antimicrobial activity were evaluated, as well as the antiangiogenic effects through in ovo studies. Six ethanolic extracts were tested in this study. Moringa MAC 70% and Moringa US 70% extracts displayed the highest concentration of phenolic compounds and also showed a significant AOA at the highest tested dose. Regarding the antimicrobial effect, the extracts obtained with 70% ethanol (maceration or ultrasound-assisted) had antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, S. pyogenes and E. coli, followed by Candida parapsilosis. On the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, the extracts showed no effect. The HET-CAM assay showed that the extracts did not cause any irritation compared to the used positive control. Furthermore, the extracts Moringa MAC 70% and Moringa US 70% did not affect the normal process of blood vessel formation. The data obtained highlights that, from the six tested extracts, the ones obtained with 70% ethanol using maceration and ultrasound-assisted methods (Moringa MAC 70% and Moringa US 70%) showed the highest phenolic content and exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity. The same two extracts did not show signs of irritation in the HET-CAM model. Full article

Background/Objectives: The World Health Organization has recognized Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a multidrug-resistant bacterium that presents public health concerns. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MDR P. aeruginosa isolates along with their susceptibility profiles and determine the genetic basis of resistance. Methods: A total of 100 P. aeruginosa isolates were cultured on MacConkey agar with various specimens from patients admitted to ICUs and wards. Species identification was performed for each isolate using the VITEK^® 2 system. Each isolate was tested for susceptibility to specific antibiotics by the broth microdilution method. The resistance genes were detected by molecular methods, i.e., PCR and Sangar sequencing. Results: Among the 100 P. aeruginosa isolates tested phenotypically, 33 MDR P. aeruginosa isolates were detected. The aminoglycoside group of antibiotics showed the least resistance against P. aeruginosa, with increasing resistance to carbapenems and ciprofloxacin. The most prevalent detected genes responsible for resistance were blaVEB, blaVIM, aac (6′)-Ib, and qnr S. DNA sequencing results for the MDR isolates showed that 14 isolates had Thr-83> Ile mutation in gyrA, and 12 isolates had Ser-87>Leu mutation in parC genes. Conclusions: We conclude that the low rates of resistance to certain antibiotics, such as amikacin and piperacillin-tazobactam, seem encouraging to be effective for the treatment of Pseudomonas infections. Furthermore, the prominent mechanisms of resistance to fluoroquinolones in clinical strains of P. aeruginosa include mutations in gyrA and parC genes. These findings highlight the necessity of molecular diagnostics in guiding therapy and the potential need for broader surveillance. Full article

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications are becoming the most important factor shaping network traffic. However, traditional controls developed for human-generated traffic are not able to cope with new demands. Thus, hybrid MAC protocols have been proposed to make use of the combined advantages of contention and reservation. Most of them are based on a contention stage (where a variant of CSMA/CA or ALOHA is used) followed by a reservation stage (e.g., TDMA or FDMA). In this paper, we introduce 2CA-R², a hybrid MAC protocol for M2M communications intended to be used in the device domain. What distinguishes this proposal is that the contention stage is controlled by a conflict–resolution algorithm known as Adaptive-2C. The protocol was evaluated using a model based on a Markov chain and computer simulations. Its performance was compared with DCF, the MAC technique used in IEEE802.11 standards. Our results show significant improvements over DCF in various metrics of network performance across different traffic situations. We also evaluated the time the protocol takes to resolve an access conflict, and we observed substantial improvements in the number of stations that can be served with the same network resource (in some cases, around a 40% improvement). Full article

Mastitis in dairy cows, typically caused by bacterial infection, is a common inflammatory condition of the mammary tissue that leads to fibrosis, adversely affecting cow health, milk production, and dairy product quality. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has shown effectiveness in alleviating inflammation and fibrosis in various organs. The study employed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce fibrotic conditions in two experimental systems: MAC-T bovine mammary epithelial cells and Kunming mouse models. Key parameters, including relative gene mRNA expression, protein levels, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, were assessed using RT-qPCR, Western blotting (WB), and 2’,7’-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) techniques, while histological analysis of mammary tissue was performed using H&E and Masson trichrome staining. Measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, assessing the enzyme activities of catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were two methods of assessing oxidative stress. These methods were also tested in mouse mammary glands. APS significantly decreased ROS concentrations (p < 0.01), restored oxidative stress balance in mice (p < 0.05), and reduced fibrosis and inflammation, as demonstrated by histological observations and analysis. It also exerted regulatory effects on fibrosis markers (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, α-SMA) and inflammation markers (NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β), as demonstrated by changes in their mRNA and protein expression. These findings endorse APS’s viability as an alternative therapeutic agent for mammary fibrosis therapy by demonstrating its ability to inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and mammary fibrosis in vivo, while also mitigating ROS production and reducing inflammation. Full article

Danmaku analysis is important for understanding video content and user interactions. However, current methods often look at separate comments and do not see the complex links between Danmaku and the video’s context. This paper presents a new approach that combines advanced shot segmentation techniques, using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DDCNN), with an analysis of feelings based on the MacBERT model. First, videos are cut into clear scenes based on detected scene changes. Then, a large group of Danmaku comments are collected and studied to make a complete dictionary of feelings for this field. With this as a base, a new Danmaku-E model is made to find and group seven different emotional categories within Danmaku comments. The model shows significantly improved performance, with accuracy increasing from 94.58% to 95.37% and F1 score going from 94.92% to 95.66%, helped by the improved dictionary of feelings. Experimental results show the good effects of the expanded dictionary in helping model performance in different structures. Also, the Apriori algorithm is used to find and explain links between Danmaku comments and video content, providing a deeper understanding into user participation and emotional reactions. Full article

Background and Objectives: Due to a lack of an ultrashort questionnaire for Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) assessment in the North Macedonian population, the OHIP5 was translated into Macedonian language with aim to test its psychometrical properties. Materials and Methods: Two types of reliability were tested: internal consistency by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (general population), and test-retest reliability by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in a convenient sample of dental students who answered the same questions twice. Two types of validity were also tested: convergent validity (via a Spearman rank correlation) and known-group validity (via a Mann–Whitney U test). Responsiveness was tested by calculating the significance of the differences between the pre-treatment and after-treatment scores and by calculating the effect sizes of different dental treatments. Results: The Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.756 and inter-item correlations above 0.2 pointed out good internal consistency. The test-retest reliability was confirmed by high ICCs and no significant differences between the OHIP5-MAC scores in a period of two weeks as dental students had no oral health changes. The Spearman rank correlation of −0.88 (p < 0.01) between the OHIP5-MAC summary scores and one simple question scoring self-perceived oral health (1–5; 1-worst oral health; 5-excellent oral health) confirmed the convergent validity. Significant differences between subjects with natural teeth and those with removable dentures (p < 0.01) confirmed the know-group validity, as it was predicted that removable denture wearers would have more impairment of oral health than individuals with natural teeth. The sensitivity of a questionnaire to measure changes elicited by dental treatments, i.e., responsiveness, was confirmed in individuals who received different dental treatments and scored significantly better (lower scores) their OHRQoL one month after the treatment, compared to their pretreatment scores (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Generally good psychometric properties of the OHIP5-MAC justify the recommendation for its future use in clinical settings and research. Full article

This study utilized MAC-T cells cultured in vitro as a model to investigate the effects of varying concentrations of valine on α-casein synthesis and its underlying regulatory mechanisms. In this experiment, MAC-T cells were subjected to a 12 h starvation period, followed by the addition of valine in a range of concentrations (a total of seven concentrations: 0.000, 1.596, 3.192, 6.384, 12.768, 25.536, and 51.072 mM, as well as in 10% Fetal Bovine Serum). The suitable range of valine concentrations was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot analyses were employed to evaluate the expression levels and phosphorylation states of the casein alpha s1 gene (CSN1S1), casein alpha s2 gene (CSN1S2) and mTOR signaling pathway-related genes. The functionality of the mTOR signaling pathway was further validated through rapamycin (100.000 nM) inhibition experiments. Results indicated that 1× Val (6.384 mM), 2× Val (12.768 mM), 4× Val (25.536 mM), and 8× Val (51.072 mM) significantly enhanced α-casein synthesis (p < 0.01). Within this concentration range, valine significantly upregulated the expression of CSN1S1, CSN1S2, and mTOR signaling pathway-related genes including the RagA gene (RRAGA), RagB gene (RRAGB), RagC gene (RRAGC), RagD gene (RRAGD), mTOR, raptor gene (RPTOR), and 4EBP1 gene (EIF4EBP1), eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (EIF4E), and S6 Kinase 1 (S6K1) (p < 0.01). Notably, the expression of the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (EEF2) gene peaked at 1× Val (6.384 mM), while the expression of other genes reached their maximum at 4× Val (25.536 mM). Additionally, valine significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of mTOR, S6K1, 4E-binding protein-1 (4EBP1), ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6), and eEF2 (p < 0.01), with the highest phosphorylation levels of mTOR, S6K1, and RPS6 observed at 4× Val (25.536 mM). Rapamycin treatment significantly inhibited mTOR phosphorylation and α-casein synthesis (p < 0.01); however, the addition of 4× Val (25.536 mM) partially mitigated this inhibitory effect. In conclusion, valine promotes α-casein synthesis by activating the mTOR signaling pathway, with an optimal concentration of 4× Val (25.536 mM). Full article