Search Results (851)

Contemporary iterations of avian phylogenies based on multiple genome sequence assemblies assign three major clades: Palaeognathae (mostly ratite birds), Galloanseres (land and waterfowl) and the largest group—Neoaves. The latter two are sister clades representing subdivisions of Neognathae, while Neoaves further subdivide into Columbaves (pigeons/doves/cuckoos/bustards, etc.), Mirandornithes (flamingos/grebes), Telluraves (“higher land birds”, including finches) and the newly recognized Elementaves (e.g., penguins/pelicans/hummingbirds/swifts/cranes/shorebirds). Molecular studies provide clade information, likely divergence timings and a framework from which gross genomic (chromosomal) changes may be mapped. In this review, we consider the patterns of chromosome change that have occurred throughout all avian clades thus far examined, citing studies from standard karyotyping through molecular cytogenetics to whole genome assemblies. Standard karyotyping led to the realization that most chromosomes (particularly the microchromosomes and dot chromosomes) could not be distinguished by classical means. Indeed, cross-species comparisons were difficult, even among the macrochromosomes, because of indistinct banding patterns. Based on fluorescence (or fluorescent) in situ hybridization (FISH), comparative genomics was thence progressed considerably by cross-species chromosome painting (Zoo-FISH) for the macrochromosomes and interspecific mapping of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probes for the microchromosomes. A key finding was that the most studied species, the chicken, fortuitously, has a genomic organization somewhat akin to that of the ancestral karyotype and tends to be the standard from which all others are measured. A notable exception is the fusion of basal chromosome 4 with a smaller chromosome that convergently appears in some other Galliformes, at least one goose and one dove species. While some groups such as Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) and Psittaciformes (parrots, etc.) underwent extensive interchromosomal change, most, broadly speaking, retain a basic karyotype that differs little from bird to bird. Many, e.g., Passeriformes (finches, songbirds, etc.) and Columbiformes (pigeons, doves), do this despite multiple intrachromosomal rearrangements. The complete karyotype and fully established chromosome-level genome assembly of the chicken allow full integration of DNA sequence assembly with karyotype. They further permit cytogenetic studies to be performed using genome assemblies alone alongside cutting-edge long-read sequencing and optical mapping without the need for chromosome preparation. The classic ZW sex-determination system of birds is easily visible in most Neognathae species, but intrachromosomal change in the sex chromosomes is faster than in the autosomes; indeed, there are numerous examples of autosomal fusions and new sex chromosomes formed. Sex chromosomes aside, the classic avian karyotype represents a very successful mode of genome organization established before the emergence of the dinosaurs and perpetuated to this day in their only living descendants. Full article

Effective reprocessing of surgical instruments is essential to prevent healthcare-associated infections in the field of veterinary medicine. However, chemical disinfectants are frequently used as alternatives to sterilization in small animal clinics, particularly in resource-limited settings. This preliminary exploratory study evaluated routine chemical disinfection practices and residual bacterial contamination of surgical instruments in veterinary clinics in Veracruz, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted in ten small animal veterinary clinics. Samples were collected from the surgical instruments and operative surfaces immediately after routine chemical disinfection. Bacterial isolation was performed using conventional culture methods, and microbial identification was performed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Descriptive analysis and Fisher’s exact test were used to explore the association between disinfectant category and bacterial contamination. Bacterial growth was detected in 19 of the 60 samples (31.6%). The identified microorganisms included Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Burkholderia species. Most clinics relied on low-level disinfectants, particularly benzalkonium chloride (BAC). Residual contamination was more commonly observed in clinics reporting the use of low-level disinfectants, particularly benzalkonium chloride-based products. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the exploratory observational design and limited sample size. These results suggest that routine chemical disinfection, particularly when low-level disinfectants are used, may not always achieve complete microbial elimination under real-world clinical conditions. Improved infection prevention and instrument reprocessing practices are required in veterinary clinical settings. From a One Health perspective, strengthening infection control measures in veterinary clinics may help reduce microbial circulation among animals, veterinary personnel, and the environment. Full article

Waste materials are abundant and often act as slow environmental contaminants, creating severe ecological challenges. With rapid industrialization, electricity demand has increased substantially, and in India, coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) remain the dominant source of power generation. Coal combustion produces two major by-products: fly ash and bottom ash (BA). While fly ash is widely utilized in blended cements due to its pozzolanic nature, BA has received comparatively limited attention despite having similar chemical characteristics. Owing to its coarser particle size, BA shows strong potential as a substitute for natural river sand, the excessive extraction of which has led to severe resource depletion and sustainability concerns. Unlike previous studies that focused on single-source BA or limited performance evaluation, this study investigates the use of BA from multiple sources to develop resource-efficient bottom ash concrete (BAC). Concrete mixes containing 0%, 20%, 35%, and 50% BA as volumetric replacements of river sand were evaluated for their fresh, mechanical, durability, and microstructural properties. The results indicate that BA significantly influences concrete performance due to its porous structure. Among the investigated mixes, 35% river sand replacement with BA showed the most favorable performance for the specific materials and sources used in this study, achieving up to 17.46% higher compressive strength and up to 16.14% higher resistance to transport-related properties at 90 days. Microstructural analysis confirmed the formation of secondary C–S–H gel, which enhanced matrix densification. However, 50% replacement resulted in reduced performance. The findings demonstrate that BA can be effectively utilized in concrete at replacement levels of up to 35% as a sustainable substitute for river sand under the investigated material conditions. Full article

Intelligent perception of watermelon targets in complex field environments is a key prerequisite for automated harvesting and future collaborative decision-making with agricultural large models. To address severe leaf occlusion, large pose variation, dense adhesion among adjacent fruits, and the inability of conventional horizontal bounding boxes to accurately represent target orientation under natural cultivation conditions, this paper proposes an improved YOLO11n-OBB-based method for rotated watermelon detection. During data preparation, a semi-automatic annotation strategy combining segmentation-mask assistance with circumscribed rectangle fitting was adopted to efficiently construct a watermelon OBB dataset that closely matches the true physical boundaries of the fruits. On this basis, three structural improvements were introduced to the YOLO11n-OBB baseline: an LSK module was selectively embedded into the middle and later stages of the backbone to enhance adaptive receptive-field modeling and occlusion reasoning in complex bac kgrounds; the original neck structure was replaced with a lightweight BiFPN to strengthen bidirectional feature fusion for targets with large-scale variation in field scenes; and KFIoU Loss was incorporated into the rotated box regression branch to alleviate angle sensitivity and boundary discontinuity, thereby improving the convergence stability of orientation parameter learning. On the constructed watermelon OBB test set, the improved model raised mAP@0.5 (OBB) from 0.871 to 0.931, mAP@0.5:0.95 (OBB) from 0.670 to 0.736, Precision from 0.885 to 0.931, and Recall from 0.849 to 0.908 relative to the YOLO11n-OBB baseline (relative gains of 6.89%, 9.85%, 5.20%, and 6.95%, respectively), while keeping the inference speed at 100 FPS and the parameter count at only 2.71 M. While maintaining a compact model size and high real-time performance, the proposed method significantly improved rotated detection accuracy in crowded and overlapping scenes. In addition, the detection results were encapsulated into a structured JSON perception interface, preliminarily demonstrating the integration pathway of this lightweight front-end for task planning and human–machine collaborative operations with agricultural large models, and indicating its potential for future intelligent agricultural decision-making. Full article

Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) causes severe respiratory and reproductive diseases in cattle, leading to significant economic losses worldwide. Current inactivated vaccines in China fail to induce robust cellular immunity and cannot differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). To address these limitations, we constructed two triple-gene-deleted BoHV-1 vaccine candidates, ∆T3 (∆TK-∆gE/gI) and ∆g3 (∆gG-∆gE/gI), using Red/ET two-step recombination technology based on an infectious BAC clone. Their safety and immunogenicity were evaluated in a rabbit model. Both deletion mutants exhibited growth kinetics similar to the wild-type strain but with significantly reduced viral titers and plaque areas. The triple-gene deletion mutants showed superior safety compared with single-gene deletion mutants, with minimal clinical signs and low viral shedding. Immunization with ∆T3 and ∆g3 induced robust gB-specific and neutralizing antibody responses. Following challenge with the virulent BoHV-1 BC01 strain, vaccinated rabbits maintained normal body temperatures, showed significantly reduced viral shedding (approximately 100-fold), and exhibited milder pulmonary lesions. These findings demonstrate that ∆T3 high-dose and ∆g3 low-dose regimens are promising DIVA-compatible vaccine candidates, offering an effective strategy for IBR control and eradication programs. Full article

Sybil attacks remain a primary challenge for Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain systems, as low-cost identity creation can distort validator participation and limit consensus reliability. This study proposes a hybrid participation–governance framework that integrates Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) and Reputation-Based Access Control (RpBAC) with a trust-based PoS workflow to reduce the influence of suspicious identities during validator selection and block validation. The proposed framework also incorporates graylisting and dynamic reward–penalty updates to support adaptive participation control. The strategy was evaluated in a simulation environment informed by Ethereum-derived block metadata, using network sizes ranging from 100 to 1000 nodes and Sybil attack ratios of 30%, 40%, and 50%. Its performance was compared with PoS-only and PoS + ABAC baselines using both security and performance indicators. The results show that the full ABAC + RpBAC configuration achieved the strongest and most stable security performance across the evaluated settings while introducing additional overhead at larger network sizes. These findings suggest that combining policy-based eligibility control with behavior-based reputation control strengthens the resilience against Sybil in PoS-like blockchain environments. However, this improvement requires a measurable trade-off between security and performance. Full article

Background: Adipocytes play a critical role in the breast cancer tumorigenic microenvironment. However, their effects and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of adipocytes in luminal A breast cancer invasiveness at the cellular and molecular levels. Methods: Various adipocyte types were co-cultured with MCF7 breast cancer cells in direct and indirect manners. Invasiveness was assessed via proliferation, migration, and invasion, with alterations examined at morphological, cellular, and molecular levels. The role of adipocytes on MCF7 was further explored using an orthotopic breast cancer xenograft mouse model. Results: MCF7 co-cultured with adipocytes, especially brown adipocytes (BAC), showed increased invasiveness and tumorigenic potential. Morphologically, co-cultivation with BAC increased the proliferation, EMT, and stemness of MCF7. Mechanistically, co-culture of MCF7 with BAC exhibited disturbed expression of genes related to adipogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics; notably, IRX3 was the most prominently elevated one. Knockdown of IRX3 restored balanced mitochondrial function and reduced both the invasiveness of breast cancer cells in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Conclusions: Brown adipocytes promote breast cancer invasiveness by upregulating adipogenesis-related IRX3, which acts via the mitochondrial functional regulation. Full article

Acne is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disorder with a high recurrence rate, in which Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) plays a key pathogenic role by colonizing subepidermal pilosebaceous units. The stratum corneum limits drug penetration, rendering conventional topical therapies ineffective. Herein, we report a detachable sustained-release microneedle system named Bacitracin@Hyaluronic Acid–Zein Microneedle (Bac@HA-ZMN) for localized antibacterial delivery in acne therapy. This microneedle patch consists of a dissolvable HA base and zein-based indwelling microneedle tips loaded with bacitracin (Bac) against P. acnes. Mechanical testing showed an average fracture force of 1.6 N per needle tip (n = 100), sufficient for skin insertion. The needle tips enabled Bac delivery to a depth of approximately 500 μm. In vitro transdermal studies demonstrated a cumulative release of 76.1% within 96 h, significantly higher than that of the control group (14.2%). In a murine acne model, the Bac@HA-ZMN treatment group showed a significantly smaller lesion area than the control group, and the immunohistochemical positive expression areas of the inflammatory factors IL-8, MMP-2, and TNF-α were reduced to 0.79%, 4.12%, and 2.14%, respectively, which was caused by the inhibitory effect of Bac on P. acnes. These results demonstrated Bac@HA-ZMN as a promising localized, sustained antibacterial delivery platform for acne treatment. Full article

Maritime emergency response requires broadband and reliable communications in sea areas where shore coverage is limited or emergency connectivity is temporarily unavailable, making rapid on-demand aerial networking essential. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) acting as aerial base stations can be rapidly deployed to provide on-demand coverage; however, ship mobility, heterogeneous emergency priorities, and UAV endurance limitations make the joint optimization of user association and multi-UAV deployment a challenging mixed-integer, long-horizon decision problem. This paper considers a multi-UAV maritime emergency communication system where ships are categorized into multiple priority classes and served links must satisfy a minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) constraint. We formulate a long-term system-utility maximization problem that jointly determines (i) per-slot association between UAVs and ships under capacity, priority, and SNR constraints, and (ii) dynamic UAV deployment under mobility, geofencing, and battery constraints. To obtain tractable and high-quality solutions, we decompose the problem into two coupled subproblems. For user association, we propose a Priority-Aware Branch-and-Cut (PA-BAC) algorithm that integrates linear programming relaxation, cutting-plane tightening, and priority-guided branching, with a priority-greedy feasible initialization to accelerate incumbent improvement. For dynamic deployment, we develop an Enhanced Multi-Agent Proximal Policy Optimization (E-MAPPO) method featuring a global value network, entropy regularization, and sequential actor updates to enhance learning stability and exploration. Importantly, the PA-BAC association is embedded into the learning loop to provide reliable, constraint-satisfying per-slot rewards and reduce the burden of end-to-end learning over hybrid-action spaces. Simulation results demonstrate that PA-BAC consistently improves normalized priority-weighted throughput over heuristic association baselines. Moreover, by mathematically enforcing priority and QoS feasibility at every slot and delegating only continuous mobility to MARL, the integrated E-MAPPO-PA-BAC framework achieves higher long-term system utility, improved energy efficiency, and strong robustness across varying ship densities—properties that are vital for time-sensitive maritime emergency communications. Additional runtime, sensitivity, and AIS-driven trace evaluations further verify the computational practicality of PA-BAC and the applicability of the proposed framework under realistic ship mobility patterns. Full article

Enhancing egg production in geese without antibiotics remains a challenge in poultry science. This study compared the effects of Lactobacillus (LAB) and Bacillus (BAC) probiotics on laying performance, gut microbiota, and serum metabolism in Zhedong White geese. Birds were fed a control diet or diets supplemented with LAB or BAC. Egg production and quality were monitored throughout the trial. Serum metabolomics and fecal 16S rRNA sequencing were integrated with KEGG enrichment and correlation analyses to uncover functional mechanisms. Both probiotics improved laying performance and egg quality. Total egg production of the LAB group was 8.5% higher than that of the BAC group (p < 0.05). The LAB group’s advantage in egg production was consistent with its stronger activation of the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway (elevated serum corticosterone and tetrahydrocorticosterone indicated an overall enhancement of steroidogenic flux). Simultaneously, the LAB group exhibited a more efficient conversion of L-phenylalanine to catecholamine precursors, which drove activation of the neuroendocrine reproductive axis. The BAC group showed more significant changes in nitrogen and energy metabolism pathways and a more pronounced expansion of energy-harvesting Firmicutes. These findings reveal two strain-specific regulatory pathways: LAB functions through the “aromatic amino acid–neuroendocrine–steroid hormone axis,” while BAC relies on the “gut microbiota–energy metabolism” pathway, with direct implications for the precise application of probiotics under antibiotic-free farming conditions. Full article

The reliable identification of impairment relevant to safety-critical activities remains a significant challenge for public safety, motivating the exploration of unobtrusive and widely accessible sensing technologies. This study examines the viability of utilising inertial data acquired from consumer-grade smartphones to characterise gait disturbances associated with simulated visual impairment. The study simulates intoxication-related effects using alcohol-impairment goggles and does not involve the measurement of real alcohol intoxication. Two supervised experimental protocols were conducted in which participants traversed predefined walking routes under normal conditions and while wearing alcohol-impairment simulation goggles representing five manufacturer-declared blood alcohol concentration (BAC)-related goggle conditions plus a no-goggles control condition. An initial indoor trial, conducted in a structured corridor environment, yielded limited discrimination of gait dynamics due to strong spatial and visual stabilisation cues. To address this limitation, a subsequent outdoor experiment was conducted along a 100 m path lacking prominent visual reference points, resulting in motion patterns that more closely reflect unconstrained, real-world locomotion. Tri-axial accelerometer and gyroscope signals were recorded using smartphones, followed by artefact removal, segmentation, and standardisation to ensure inter-trial comparability. The resulting curated dataset comprises 290,919 multi-channel samples derived from 96 walking trials involving 16 participants and is released as an openly accessible resource to support further research in gait analysis and classification of gait alterations associated with simulated impairment. Model evaluation was performed using an 80/20 train–test split conducted within each traversal, with training and test windows originating from the same participant and walking session. Consequently, the reported results reflect within-subject performance instead of subject-independent generalisation. Multiple deep learning architectures combining convolutional feature extraction, bidirectional long short-term memory layers, and self-attention mechanisms were systematically evaluated. Using a subject-dependent evaluation protocol, the best-performing architecture achieved an accuracy of 71.4% and a weighted F1-score of 71.5% in distinguishing gait patterns associated with different levels of simulated visual impairment. The best-performing architectures yielded classification performance consistent with exploratory, low-stakes assessment of gait alterations associated with simulated visual impairment, using accelerometer data alone. These findings illustrate the feasibility of using smartphones as auxiliary tools for exploratory, low-stakes screening or educational applications and contribute a publicly released dataset and benchmark results to facilitate methodological advancement in inertial sensor-based gait impairment analysis. Full article

To mitigate health hazards from pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) as well as the coating mildew issue in high-humidity indoor environments, and to overcome the challenges of particle agglomeration and non-uniform distribution in conventional benzalkonium chloride (BAC)-clay composites, this study proposes a wet chemical strategy to prepare BAC-hectorite antimicrobial composites using synthetic hectorite as a high-performance carrier, which is superior to natural clays such as montmorillonite and kaolin in structural uniformity, ion-exchange efficiency, and dispersion stability. Characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis confirmed the successful intercalation of BAC cations into the hectorite interlayers through ion exchange. This resulted in a significant expansion of the interlayer spacing from 1.0–1.2 nm to 1.5–1.8 nm, a marked alleviation of particle agglomeration, and an optimized pore structure. A clear structure–activity relationship between preparation conditions, microstructure regulation, and antimicrobial performance is systematically established. Antibacterial tests revealed superior efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria; the composite exhibited an inhibition zone of 13.31 mm and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 μg/mL against S. aureus, compared to 11.62 mm and 32 μg/mL against E. coli. Practical application tests demonstrated that at an ultralow addition level of 0.4%, incorporating this composite into latex paint achieved an antibacterial rate exceeding 99.9% against both pathogens. When added to putty powder, it yielded Grade 0 mold resistance with no observable growth. Furthermore, compounding with polypropylene (PP) increased the elongation at break to approximately 600%, simultaneously realizing antibacterial, antifungal, and toughening functions, thereby not only conferring antibacterial functionality but also significantly enhancing toughness—resolving the typical polymer embrittlement caused by traditional inorganic antibacterial fillers. Short-term evaluations confirm that this composite offers a stable structure, high-efficiency antimicrobial properties, and improved substrate mechanics at low loading levels. These findings provide technical support and experimental guidance for the functional upgrading of indoor decorative coatings, putties, and polymer materials used in high-humidity scenarios such as kitchens and bathrooms. Full article

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a reliable HS-GC-FID/FID method for the determination of ethanol and other low-molecular-weight volatile compounds in biological fluids for forensic applications. Method: The method is based on headspace gas chromatography with dual-column and dual flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID/FID), using Zebron ZB-BAC1 and ZB-BAC2 columns. The procedure was validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, and accuracy, as well as carryover. Results: The method demonstrated linearity over the concentration range of 0.05–5.0‰, with R² values of 0.997–0.999. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.05‰, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.025‰. Precision and accuracy were both below 5%. Retention times (min) on the two columns were as follows: methanol (1.70/1.81), ethanol (2.06/2.29), acetone (2.60/2.59), isopropanol (2.45/2.73), n-propanol (3.24/3.98), and n-butanol (6.35/8.45). The developed method was successfully evaluated through international proficiency testing and is routinely applied in our laboratory for forensic casework. Conclusions: The developed HS-GC-FID/FID method provides accurate and reliable determination of ethanol and other relevant volatile compounds in biological fluids (i.a., blood) and meets the requirements for forensic toxicology. Additionally, the literature review conducted in this study highlights that globally unified principles for forensic alcohol analysis are still lacking, and that certain inappropriate methodological approaches remain in use. The present paper also provides recommendations defining essential methodological requirements to ensure the evidential reliability of ethanol analysis in forensic toxicology. Full article

Cationic surfactants from quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are increasingly recognized as relevant micropollutants particularly following their widespread use during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (2024/3019) highlights micropollutant removal as a regulatory priority, mandating advanced treatment for their elimination. In this context, this study examined benzalkonium chloride (BAC) retention and membrane response during nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO), across concentrations ranging from monomeric to micellar. RO membranes achieved >97% rejection, whereas NF showed 65–96% removal strongly affected by micelle formation. Flux decline was most pronounced in RO, with relative permeability (J/J₀) decreasing to ~0.12 at 1.0 CMC, while NF membranes exhibited better hydraulic stability. Membrane active layer zeta potential measurements confirmed adsorption and charge neutralization, with shifts toward less negative values after BAC exposure. Hermia model analysis revealed that fouling was governed by cake layer formation or pore blocking, depending on membrane type and feed concentration. Full article

The antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii necessitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting essential enzymes such as Undecaprenyl Pyrophosphate Phosphatase (UppP). This study explored spider venom peptides in silico as potential allosteric inhibitors of A. baumannii UppP. A systematic literature review was conducted to select eight α-helical peptides with reported anti-A. baumannii activity, followed by their computational physicochemical characterization. Three-dimensional models of A. baumannii UppP and the candidate peptides were generated, and a putative allosteric binding site was validated through molecular docking of a known inhibitor of the BacA homolog. The eight peptides were subsequently docked to this validated site using HADDOCK. Results revealed variable binding affinities; peptides LC-AMP-I1, Lycosin-II, and GK37 exhibited the most favorable HADDOCK scores and extensive interaction networks, consistent with their reported high antimicrobial potency. Other candidates, notably Lt-MAP2, showed low binding affinity but high predicted synergistic potential. These findings identify promising spider venom peptide candidates, suggesting dual (membrane disruption/UppP inhibition) or synergistic mechanisms of action, and validate UppP as a viable pharmacological target for peptide-based inhibitors. Full article