Search Results (38,101)

Background: Thromboxane B2 Synthase 1 (THBS1), also known as TSP-1, is a multifunctional glycoprotein involved in various cellular processes that plays a crucial role in skeletal muscle development and repair. It acts as a key physiological activator of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), both in vivo and in vitro. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the effects of THBS1 on myoblast proliferation and differentiation using the mouse skeletal muscle satellite cell line C2C12 and to reveal its regulatory relationship with the TGF-β signaling pathway through a series of cellular and molecular experiments. Results: Overexpression or knockout of THBS1 in C2C12 cells regulates and upregulates the activity of the TGF-β signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation and differentiation of C2C12 cells. Conclusions: These results provide a theoretical foundation for future research aimed at enhancing skeletal muscle quality in livestock and poultry and lay the groundwork for developing therapeutic strategies for skeletal muscle disorders. Full article

Cacti thrive in arid and coastal environments partly through associations with beneficial endophytic and rhizosphere bacteria; however, current knowledge remains limited. This study aimed to assess the diversity of cultivable bacteria associated with Opuntia dillenii and evaluate their potential as Plant Growth-Promoting (PGP) agents. Endophytic bacteria were isolated from cladodes and roots, while rhizobacteria were recovered from rhizosphere soil. Bacterial isolates were identified using morphological characteristics and 16S rRNA/gyrB sequencing, followed by screening for PGP traits, pH and temperature tolerance. A total of 31 isolates were obtained, including 23 endophytes and 8 rhizobacteria, mainly affiliated with Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Bacillus (35.48%) and Priestia (32.25%) predominated, with Priestia flexa as the most prevalent species. The most frequent PGP traits were phosphate solubilization (80.65%), proteolytic activity (70.97%), siderophore production (67.74%), and nitrogenase activity (64.52%). The highest phosphate solubilization indices were observed for strain R3 (3.41), R6 (3.39) and S6 (3.21), whilst the highest indole-3-acetic acid yields were recorded for C9 (172.88 µg/mL), R11 (96.22 µg/mL) and C3 (90.94 µg/mL), and the strongest siderophore production for C3 (30.37 mm), C7 (27.96 mm) and S7 (27.88 mm). These findings highlight O. dilleniid-associated coastal bacteria as promising resources for plant growth and plant stress resilience. Full article

Greenhouse microclimate regulation is challenging due to nonlinear coupling among temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and light intensity, which limits the effectiveness of conventional threshold-based and PID control strategies under time-varying environmental disturbances. This paper presents a forecast-augmented ensemble control framework that combines Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and Support Vector Machine classifiers with one-hour-ahead weather forecasts for closed-loop greenhouse microclimate regulation. The proposed system was deployed and validated in a working greenhouse cultivating cucumber (cv. ‘Madora F1’) over 28 consecutive days. Sensor measurements and forecast inputs were processed through a unified preprocessing pipeline, while control actions were generated through majority voting and executed on Raspberry Pi 4B edge hardware with a worst-case inference latency below 18 ms. The proposed framework achieved a temperature RMSE of 0.83 °C during field deployment. For reference, RMSE values of 3.21 °C and 1.94 °C were obtained for the threshold-based and PID baseline controllers, respectively, under the adopted disturbance-consistent evaluation protocol. Compliance rates reached 96.4% for temperature, 94.1% for relative humidity, and 97.2% for soil moisture across 40,320 resampled observation intervals (60 s analysis grid) derived from the original 10 s acquisition stream. Integration of short-term weather forecasts enabled anticipatory irrigation management, reducing irrigation pump operation by 18% without compromising soil-moisture compliance and yielding an estimated annual energy saving of 158 kWh per greenhouse zone. Unlike prediction-oriented greenhouse artificial-intelligence studies, the proposed approach implements a deployable forecast-augmented closed-loop control architecture validated under continuous real-world greenhouse operation. Full article

Modulation of cholesterol metabolism and reduction in serum cholesterol are key strategies for preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Functional foods enriched with dietary fiber and phytochemicals have attracted increasing attention for their potential health benefits. In this study, milk tablets containing kale and carrot (KC) were developed and preliminarily evaluated for their cholesterol-lowering potential. KC milk tablets were rich in dietary fiber, contained gallic acid, and exhibited antioxidant properties. They also supported the growth of Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum in vitro, accompanied by increased SCFA production. In an open-label, pre–post exploratory study in hypercholesterolemic subjects, daily consumption for 6 weeks was associated with significantly increased HDL-C and reduced LDL-C levels. In addition, circulating ApoB100 and HMGCR levels were reduced, whereas ApoE and TNF-α remained unchanged. Therefore, these preliminary findings suggest that KC milk tablets may accomplish beneficial changes in lipid profiles and support the potential of dietary fiber–phenolic interactions with enhanced SCFA production which might modulate cholesterol metabolism. However, in further studies, randomized controlled trials are required to understand the precise underlying mechanism. Full article

In this paper, a comprehensive investigation into the single-mode capability of curved sapphire fiber is performed, ranging from theoretical simulation to experimental verification. The equivalent refractive index theoretical model for curved sapphire fiber is proposed based on stress–optic effects and the conformal mapping technique. According to the finite element method, when the radius of curvature is 0.02 m, the curved losses’ difference between high-order modes and the fundamental mode is as high as five orders of magnitude, demonstrating the best single-mode potential. In addition, the curving experiments of sapphire fiber and sapphire fiber Bragg grating are completed. The transmission spectrum of the curved sapphire fiber with a curving radius of 0.02 m is the closest to that of the single-mode fiber. As for curved sapphire fiber Bragg grating (CSFBG), the 3 dB bandwidth of reflection spectrum with the same radius of curvature is also the smallest, with a value of 3.7 nm. Furthermore, the temperature performance of the proposed CSFBG is measured from 22 °C to 1600 °C. The sensitivity is 37.88 pm/°C (@1600 °C), and the measurement accuracy is ±2.98 °C. This study provides theoretical support for single-mode signal transmission of curved sapphire fibers and facilitates high-precision sensing applications under extreme high-temperature conditions. Full article

Marine invertebrates, such as sponges, corals, mollusks and sea squirts, are appropriate climate-change descriptors on sublittoral rocks. The present study assesses the diversity, relative abundance and health condition of epibenthic invertebrates inhabiting sublittoral rocky habitats within the Natura 2000 network (Chalkidiki, north Aegean), after the 2021 marine heatwaves. Samplings were made with non-destructive techniques in autumn 2021 by diving along vertical belt transects (up to 30 m). Fourteen stations were surveyed, revealing 56 macroscopic invertebrates, 16 algae and 15 reef-associated fishes. Richness showed increased values at the deepest and steepest cliffs. Reefs were the dominant habitat type, hosting different facies of infralittoral algae and coralligenous biocenoses. Three algal (Halimeda tuna, Peyssonelia squamaria, Lithophyllum strictiforme) and 12 invertebrate (Aplysina aerophoba, Chondrilla nucula, Chondrosia reniformis, Ircinia variabilis, I. oros, Sarcotragus foetidus, Spongia officinalis, Balanophyllia europaea, Cladocora caespitosa, Pinna nobilis, Spondylus gaederopus, Microcosmus sabatieri) species were found in partial or full necrosis. According to relevant data collected about 20 years ago, the biota had higher diversity without signs of necrosis. Sarcotragus foetidus, I. variabilis, B. europaea, C. caespitosa and S. gaederopus were the most affected by necrosis species over the surveyed area. They represent appropriate climate change descriptors to assess the resilience of Mediterranean MPAs, being priority species in marine conservation. Full article

Antirestriction proteins protect mobile genetic elements from the host’s restriction-modification systems. Here, we investigated the ability of ArdA and ArdB antirestriction proteins to regulate gene expression in an engineered E. coli K-12 MG1655-based biosensor strain. This biosensor strain harbors a lux-based reporter system controlled by the AllR-repressed promoter. Although structurally similar, DNA-mimic ArdA proteins interact with AllR differently. Recently described small sArdC and well-known ArdA from the conjugative plasmid R64 appear to bind AllR and open the promoter, while the other tested antirestriction proteins (small sArdN protein and various full-sized ArdA proteins from different sources) have no effect on gene expression under AllR-controlled promoter. Direct binding between ArdA and AllR was experimentally confirmed using pull-down assays with His-tagged ArdA. Our study opens up prospects for the specific use of antirestriction proteins for the regulation of gene expression. Surprisingly, ArdB, a non-DNA-mimic antirestriction protein used initially as a control, was also able to open the promoter, apparently through nonspecific interaction with DNA. We verified this effect with a distant ArdB homolog from a rhizobacterium, which was also able to open the promoter. Full article

The northward shift in climate zones and the urban heat island effect demand passive cooling for building roofs in northern regions. Artificial turf is a lightweight candidate, but existing studies treat it as homogeneous material, overlooking blade morphology and roof-scale thermal performance. This study conducted a scaled indoor experiment using a 1 m³ building model. Three artificial turfs with different blade lengths (Type A long, Type B medium, Type C short) were compared against concrete and XPS roofs under simulated summer solar radiation. Results show that blade morphology governs thermal performance. Type A exhibited the lowest peak surface temperature (48.9 °C vs. 53.4 °C and 60.6 °C), and its interface temperature (37.0 °C) was 15.1–19.0 °C lower than Types B and C, attributed to a static air insulation layer and enhanced convection. Its cooling rate (0.98 °C/min) was 1.69–2.33 times faster. Compared to concrete and XPS, Type A had lower surface temperature, less downward heat conduction, and a 29.3 °C drop in 30 min (concrete: 22.3 °C; XPS: 21.7 °C), showing urban heat island mitigation potential. Its heat flux reduction ratio reached 42.9%, with equivalent thermal resistance of ~0.40 m²·K/W, reducing summer peak indoor temperature by 3–6 °C in aging buildings. Double-layer stacking underperformed a single long-blade layer due to heat accumulation. Optimised long-blade turf challenges the view that low albedo inevitably causes high temperature, offering dual benefits of insulation and rapid dissipation for passive cooling in urban renewal. Full article

Professional soccer imposes substantial physiological demands eliciting complex neuroendocrine responses. This review synthesizes evidence on hormonal adaptations in professional soccer players, with emphasis on ethnic and national differences and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. We analyzed 21 key studies investigating testosterone, cortisol, the testosterone-to-cortisol (T:C) ratio, growth hormone (GH), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) responses to training and competition. Acute cortisol elevations that may persist for up to 72 h post-match in some professional populations and T:C ratio reductions following congested fixture periods are reported across available studies, while somatotropic responses vary considerably across studies. Preliminary evidence suggests that ethnic and geographic background may influence circulating testosterone and urinary steroid excretion profiles, with UGT2B17 genetic polymorphisms identified as one contributing factor; however, the evidence base is limited and requires replication. Approximately 7.4% of elite junior cohorts—though not necessarily professional adult populations—develop non-functional overreaching (NFOR), characterized by blunted GH and ACTH responses. Pathophysiological mechanisms involve hypothalamic–pituitary––adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis dysregulation producing anabolic–catabolic imbalance. Individualized, longitudinal T:C monitoring and post-match load moderation may be warranted; future research should establish ethnicity-specific normative values and investigate links between hormonal dysregulation and injury risk. Full article

Objective: TNFSF13B, which encodes B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) and peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PADI4), plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). This study investigated the associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TNFSF13B/BAFF and PADI4 genes with AAV susceptibility, clinical phenotypes, and disease activity in a Guangxi Chinese population. Methods: A case–control study included 324 AAV patients and 324 healthy controls. After propensity score matching (201 pairs), genomic DNA was genotyped for TNFSF13B/BAFF rs3759467 (formerly rs386492354) and rs1041569, and PADI4 rs11203366 and rs874881 using multiplex PCR and high-throughput sequencing. Genetic associations were analyzed via logistic regression, subgroup, haplotype, and clinical correlation analyses. For each of the four SNPs separately, machine learning models (logistic regression, SVM, Random Forest, XGBoost) were built and evaluated via 5-fold cross-validation. No formal adjustment for multiple comparisons was applied due to the exploratory nature of this study. Results: For TNFSF13B/BAFF, the rs3759467 C allele was protective (dominant model OR = 0.60, p = 0.011; log-additive OR = 0.71, p = 0.020; CA haplotype OR = 0.71, p = 0.019), while the rs1041569 T allele was a risk factor (dominant model OR = 1.70, p = 0.016). Subgroup analysis revealed stronger protective effects of rs3759467 in females, Han ethnicity, and MPA patients, and stronger risk effects of rs1041569 in Han ethnicity and MPA patients. Haplotype CA was protective (OR = 0.71, p = 0.019), and TT was risk-associated (OR = 1.55, p = 0.017). Both TNFSF13B/BAFF SNPs were associated with rash and hemoptysis incidence (p < 0.05). rs1041569 was also associated with RBC (red blood cell) count and HB (hemoglobin) levels (p < 0.05). For PADI4, rs11203366 and rs874881 showed no association with AAV susceptibility (all p > 0.05). However, their genotypes were associated with disease activity (BVAS, Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score), RBC count, and HB levels (p < 0.05). Although machine learning was applied to explore predictive patterns, its performance was suboptimal (AUC < 0.6), indicating limited clinical applicability. Accordingly, the primary findings rely on the genetic model analysis, and the machine learning results should not be overinterpreted as clinically actionable. SHAP analysis indicated that risk-associated genotypes contributed most to model predictions. Conclusions:TNFSF13B/BAFF gene polymorphisms rs3759467 and rs1041569 were associated with AAV susceptibility in this Guangxi cohort, influencing clinical manifestations like rash, hemoptysis, and anemia severity. PADI4 polymorphisms rs11203366 and rs874881 are not associated with susceptibility but may correlate with disease activity and hematological parameters. These findings highlight the ethnic and clinical subtype specificity of genetic influences in AAV. Due to the lack of external validation, these findings are exploratory and require replication. Full article

Background: University counselling services provide essential support for students navigating critical academic phases. These services have proven to be successful in promoting long-term psychological well-being and student retention. Methods: In a clinical and health psychology perspective, this study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Narrative Mediation Path (NMP) counselling groups involving 85 underachieving university students, lagging behind in their studies. The intervention aims at promoting psychological well-being, Reflective Functioning, emotion regulation, and academic engagement in order to improve students’ academic performance and prevent university dropouts. At the beginning and end of counselling the following measures were administered: (a) Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation—Outcome Measure, (b) SInAPSi Academic Engagement Scale, (c) Academic Performance Inventory, (d) Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, (e) Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Results: The results showed that counselling group participation was associated with significant and clinical improvement in all the outcomes considered. Reflective Functioning showed a trend toward improvement, but this change did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Overall, the present study suggested that group counselling could represent a useful service supporting students’ psychological wellbeing and in facing the difficulties encountered during the academic career. Full article

This study aimed to determine whether intranasal hinokitiol modulates short-term salivary secretory IgA (SIgA) secretion dynamics and IgA antibody-forming cell (AFC) activity in the submandibular glands of aged mice, a model of age-associated mucosal immune decline. Aged BALB/c mice received intranasal hinokitiol (50 μg) once weekly for 4 weeks. Saliva was collected on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 at baseline, 0.5 h, 1.5 h, 3 h, and 6 h after each administration. SIgA levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. On day 21, IgA AFCs were enumerated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay, and their viability and proliferative activity were assessed using the MTT assay. Salivary SIgA rose transiently after each dose, peaking at 1.5 h and returning to baseline by 6 h. By day 21, baseline SIgA secretion was significantly higher than at day 0, indicating a cumulative effect. IgA AFCs were unchanged in number, but viability and proliferation increased at 0.5 and 1.5 h, coinciding with SIgA peaks. Flow cytometry revealed significant expansion of B220⁺CD38⁺ memory B-cells; B220⁺CD138⁺ plasma cells were unaffected. Intranasal hinokitiol transiently enhances salivary SIgA secretion in aged mice, likely through short-term modulation of salivary gland immune activity. This non-invasive approach may aid mucosal defense in aging populations. These findings suggest that intranasal HNK may represent a novel non-invasive approach for enhancing mucosal immune function during aging and may provide a basis for future preventive strategies against oral and respiratory infections. Full article

Small ruminant production in Kosovo is predominantly extensive, and biosecurity practices remain poorly characterized. The emergence of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in Europe (beginning in 2024) and the first confirmed case in Kosovo (July 2025) highlight the urgent need for baseline biosecurity data to inform disease control. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on 63 small ruminant farms (53 meat-producing, 10 dairy-producing) across seven municipalities in Kosovo between September 2025 and February 2026. Biosecurity practices were assessed using the Biocheck.UGent™ questionnaire during direct on-farm visits. External (Ext) biosecurity scores (preventing pathogen introduction) were higher (p < 0.0001) than internal (Int) scores (limiting spread within farms). For external biosecurity, the highest scores were observed for purchase and reproduction (Ext A), intermediate scores existed for feed and water (Ext C) and visitors and farm workers (Ext D), and the lowest scores were found for transport and carcass removal (Ext B) and infrastructure (Ext E). For internal biosecurity, the highest scores were observed for lamb/kid management (Int H) and dairy management (Int I), followed by the management of adult animals (Int J); work organization (Int K) and reproduction management (Int G) formed an intermediate-low cluster, whereas disease management (Int F) scored the lowest. Benchmarking against the Biocheck.UGent™ worldwide database (predominantly intensive systems, thus not directly comparable) indicated that internal biosecurity and overall biosecurity levels were lower than the benchmark, while external biosecurity was comparable for some components. Given the convenience sample (36.4% response rate), findings are exploratory and are not directly generalizable. Larger herd size was positively correlated with external (ρ = 0.54, p < 0.0001), internal (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.005), and overall (ρ = 0.57, p < 0.0001) biosecurity scores. This first empirical biosecurity assessment of small ruminant farms in Kosovo reveals critical gaps in transport hygiene, disease management, and reproductive management pathways that enable PPR spread and perpetuate endemic zoonoses. The positive association between herd size and biosecurity may indicate structural barriers and/or knowledge gaps for small farms. Current biosecurity tools, designed for intensive systems, require adaptation for extensive production systems. These findings provide a baseline for targeted interventions, policy development, and validation of context-appropriate biosecurity instruments in Kosovo and similar extensive systems globally. Full article

The economic viability of second-generation (2G) bioethanol production depends on the availability of robust, multistress-tolerant yeast strains capable of withstanding harsh industrial conditions. This study investigates animal manure as a novel ecological niche for discovering such strains, as microbes in these environments naturally adapt to high organic loading and fluctuating temperatures. From eighty-six initial isolates, twenty-nine demonstrated superior xylose fermentation at 37 °C. Eight high-performing isolates (C2-1, B1-2, B1-6, B2-6, B2-8, G1-4, G1-5, and G2-4) exhibited exceptional tolerance to ethanol, high temperatures, and lignocellulosic-derived inhibitors (acetic acid, formic acid, furfural, and vanillic acid). Molecular identification classified isolate C2-1 as Pichia kudriavzevii and the remaining seven as Candida tropicalis. In synthetic media, C. tropicalis B2-8 produced up to 16.33 g/L of ethanol using xylose (60 g/L) as the sole carbon source. While the undetoxified, highly acidic sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate completely inhibited yeast growth, the industrial potential of these strains was successfully validated using the concentrated, undetoxified enzymatic hydrolysate derived from the acid-pretreated sugarcane bagasse solids, which contained 30.15 g/L glucose and 25.58 g/L xylose. P. kudriavzevii C2-1 achieved ethanol titers of 6.02 g/L and 5.71 g/L at 37 °C and 40 °C, respectively. The C. tropicalis strains outperformed P. kudriavzevii, yielding 6.12–6.35 g/L at 37 °C and maintaining 5.75–6.19 g/L at 40 °C. These findings underscore the potential of manure-derived yeasts as resilient biocatalysts. Although their fermentation yields remain relatively low and require further metabolic optimization, their ability to survive and ferment in this concentrated, undetoxified enzymatic hydrolysate at elevated temperatures makes them promising candidates for further development in high-temperature ethanol fermentation (HTEF), offering a potential pathway toward reducing cooling costs associated with 2G biorefineries. Full article

Background and Objectives: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are widely used for type 2 diabetes and obesity treatment and may influence reward-related behaviors, including alcohol use. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of GLP-1RAs on alcohol consumption and related outcomes in adults with alcohol use or alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed and Web of Science were searched from inception to December 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), secondary analyses of RCTs, and observational studies reporting quantitative alcohol consumption outcomes. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment (RoB 2 and ROBINS-I) were performed independently by two reviewers. Results: Five studies (n = 49,892) were included, comprising three RCT-based analyses and one large cohort study. Semaglutide and dulaglutide were associated with modest reductions in alcohol consumption and craving in several studies, with statistically significant improvements in selected behavioral outcomes. In contrast, exenatide did not demonstrate significant effects in the overall AUD population, with signals limited to subgroups. The cohort study showed small but statistically significant reductions in AUDIT-C scores following GLP-1RA initiation. Objective measures (e.g., PEth, breath alcohol concentration) showed reductions in selected contexts but were reported in a few studies. Conclusions: GLP-1RAs may be associated with modest reductions in alcohol consumption, but evidence remains limited and heterogeneous. Larger, well-designed RCTs are needed to define their role in the management of AUD. Full article