Search Results (9,407)

The microevolutionary pathways and molecular mechanisms by which the important pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus acquires resistance in the aquatic environment under continuous selective pressure from quinolone antibiotic residues are still unknown. Here, the study successfully simulated the long-term pressure of antibiotic residues in aquaculture by susceptible V. parahaemolyticus (VPD14) which was isolated from seafood, to a 30-day in vitro induction with sublethal concentrations of levofloxacin, which yielded the mutants (VPD14M). A phenotypic analysis revealed that VPD14M exhibited resistance to ampicillin, levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, compared to VPD14. These changes were accompanied by adaptations, including a decreased growth rate and an enhanced biofilm formation capacity. Whole-Genome Sequencing identified that the acquired resistance was primarily attributable to key point mutations in three Quinolone Resistance-Determining Regions (QRDRs). Specifically, a G → T substitution at nucleotide position 248 in the gyrA gene, leading to a serine-to-isoleucine substitution at the 83rd amino acid position (Ser83Ile) of the DNA gyrase subunit A; a C → T substitution at position 254 in the parC gene, resulting in a serine-to-phenylalanine substitution at position 85 (Ser85Phe) of the topoisomerase IV subunit A; and a C → T substitution at position 2242 in the gyrB gene, causing a proline-to-serine substitution at position 748 (Pro748Ser) of the DNA gyrase subunit B. Collectively, the study demonstrated that sublethal antibiotic levels rapidly drive quinolone resistance in V. parahaemolyticus, and the specific mutations identified offer critical support for resistance monitoring and seafood safety alerts. Full article

Increases in global temperatures, due to the climate change, are generating stress in most plant species. We hypothesize that young plants of Opuntia spp. adjust their Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) to the increase in nighttime temperature, allowing them to continue growing. The study was carried out in a greenhouse and laboratory of the Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, Mexico. Three-month-old greenhouse-grown plants remained in a control environment with an average day/night temperature of 19.1/12.3 °C or were maintained in a chamber with increased nighttime temperatures averaging 19.1/18.9 °C day/night for 70 days. The experimental design was completely randomized with two treatments (control and high nighttime temperatures). After 70 days of high nighttime temperatures (HNT), at dawn (end of CAM phase I), plants had a 45% decrease in glucose (2.9 to 1.5 mg/100 mg dry tissue; dt) concentration and doubled and tripled fructose (0.43 to 0.95 mg/100 mg dt) and sucrose (0.47 to 0.09 mg/100 mg dt) concentrations. Glucose consumption may be related to the plant’s metabolic energy expenditure to overcome stress. The significant increase in fructose and sucrose is explainable by their function as signaling molecules among others. In contrast, photosynthetic efficiency, i.e., increased compared to the control, but the difference of acidity (end of phase I less phase III), the concentration of starch (1 mg/100 mg dt), free amino acids and soluble protein (1.2 mg/100 mg dt), wet and dry matter, stem height (60 cm) and width of the stem at dawn were not significantly affected. The adjustments in C and N metabolism and the non-significant effect on growth promoted by 70 HNT days may be related to adjustments in enzyme activities without changes in protein concentration. Young Opuntia spp. plants adjust their metabolism in response to increased nighttime temperatures, allowing them to maintain growth similar to that of the control. The results confirm the great potential of using the Opuntia genus in agriculture and genetic improvement in the face of the challenges posed by climatic change. Full article

Background/Objectives: Septic shock involves severe circulatory and microcirculatory dysfunction and often requires vasopressors to maintain adequate mean arterial pressure (MAP). Conventional monitoring mainly reflects macrocirculation and may not capture changes in vascular tone or microcirculation. Remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) is a contactless optical method that analyzes peripheral pulse waveforms and may offer additional physiological insight during vasopressor therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of rPPG for detecting pulse waveform changes associated with norepinephrine administration in septic shock. Methods: Prospective case series included three adult patients (n = 3) with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit at Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia. All patients received standard sepsis treatment, including fluid resuscitation and titrated norepinephrine to maintain MAP ≥ 65 mmHg. Continuous invasive arterial pressure monitoring was performed alongside rPPG signal acquisition from the palmar skin surface under controlled lighting. From averaged rPPG waveforms, perfusion index (PI), dicrotic notch amplitude (c-wave), and diastolic wave amplitude (d-wave) were extracted. Correlations between norepinephrine dose, MAP, and rPPG parameters were explored. Results: Increasing norepinephrine doses were associated with higher MAP and PI in all patients. Dicrotic notch and diastolic wave amplitude decreased consistently. These changes occurred alongside macrocirculatory stabilization and are consistent with increased vascular tone and altered arterial compliance. Conclusions: rPPG demonstrated feasibility for detecting pulse waveform changes during norepinephrine therapy in septic shock; however, larger controlled studies are required for validation. Full article

With the rapid advancement of deepfake generation technologies, forged videos have become increasingly realistic in visual quality and temporal consistency, posing serious threats to multimedia security. Existing detection methods often struggle to effectively model temporal dynamics and capture subtle inter-frame anomalies. To address these challenges, we propose a Stochastic Differential Equation and Quantum Uncertainty Network (SDEQ-Net), a novel deepfake video anomaly detection framework that integrates continuous time stochastic modeling with quantum uncertainty mechanisms. First, a Continuous Time Neural Stochastic Differential Filtering Module (CNSDFM) is introduced to characterize the continuous evolution of latent inter-frame states using neural stochastic differential equations, enabling robust temporal filtering and uncertainty estimation. Second, a Quantum Uncertainty Aware Fusion Module (QUAFM) incorporates Hermitian-symmetric density matrix representations and von Neumann entropy to enhance feature fusion under uncertainty, leveraging the mathematical symmetry properties of quantum state representations for principled uncertainty quantification. Third, a Fractional Order Temporal Anomaly Detection Module (FOTADM) is proposed to generate fine grained temporal anomaly scores based on fractional order residuals, which are used as dynamic weights to guide attention toward anomalous frames. Extensive experiments on three benchmark datasets, including FaceForensics++, Celeb-DF, and DFDC, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. SDEQ-Net achieves AUC scores of 99.81% on FF++ (c23) and 97.91% on FF++ (c40). In cross dataset evaluations, it obtains 89.55% AUC on Celeb-DF and 86.21% AUC on DFDC, consistently outperforming existing state-of-the-art methods in both detection accuracy and generalization capability. Full article

Background: The efficacy of real-time fMRI neurofeedback (NFB) depends critically on how feedback is presented and perceived by the participant. Although various visual feedback designs are used in practice, there is limited evidence on the impact of modality on learning and performance. We conducted a feasibility study to compare the effectiveness of different feedback modalities, and to evaluate the technical performance of NFB across two scanner field strengths. Methods: In a single-session study, nine healthy adults (6 men, 3 women) voluntarily adapted the activation level of the primary sensorimotor cortex (SMC) to reach three predefined activation levels. We contrasted a continuous, signal-proportional feedback (cFB; a thermometer-style bar) with an affect-based, categorical feedback (aFB; a smiling face). A no-feedback transfer condition (noFB) was included to probe regulation based on internal representations alone. To assess technical feasibility, three participants were scanned at 7T and six at 3T. Results: Participants achieved successful regulation in 44.4% of trials overall (cFB 46.9%, aFB 43.8%, noFB 42.6%). Overall success rates did not differ significantly between modalities and field strengths when averaged across the session; given the small feasibility sample, this null result is inconclusive and does not establish equivalence. Learning effects were modality-specific. Only cFB showed a significant within-session improvement (+14.8 percentage points from RUN1 to RUN2; p = 0.031; d_z = 0.94), whereas aFB and noFB showed no evidence of learning. Exploratory whole-brain contrasts (uncorrected) suggested increased recruitment of ipsilateral motor regions during noFB. The real-time pipeline demonstrated robust technical performance: transfer/reconstruction latency averaged 497.8 ms and workstation processing averaged 296.8 ms (≈795 ms end-to-end), with rare stochastic outliers occurring predominantly during 7T sessions. Conclusions: In this single-session motor rt-fMRI NFB paradigm, continuous signal-proportional feedback supported rapid within-session learning, whereas affect-based categorical cues did not yield comparable learning benefits. Stable low-latency operation was achievable at both 3T and 7T. Larger, balanced studies are warranted to confirm modality-by-learning effects and to better characterize transfer to feedback-free self-regulation. Full article

Discontinuous phase flooding (such as polymer microspheres) is an important method for enhancing oil recovery. With the hydration swelling and elastic properties, a unique “migration–entrapment–remigration” discontinuous flow behavior is identified during flooding. And a more pronounced conformance control effect is observed in high-permeability flow channels and deeper reservoir regions compared to continuous phase flooding. These complex seepage mechanisms pose significant challenges to reservoir numerical simulation. Based upon a chemical reaction framework, a multi-component mathematical model comprising oil, gas, water, pre-discontinuous phase, and discontinuous phase components is developed in this study. The discontinuous phase is generated through chemical reactions involving the pre-discontinuous phase. A minimum reaction porosity is first introduced in the chemical reaction process to enhance the discontinuous phase generation in high-permeability regions. A threshold pressure is incorporated into the discontinuous phase equation for the “migration–entrapment–remigration” discontinuous flow characteristics. The model is subsequently solved using a fully implicit finite volume method. A new numerical simulator implementing this approach is developed in C++. Validation through physical experiments confirms the method’s accuracy. The discontinuous migration process of “migration–entrapment–remigration” is clearly reflected through the injection pressure fluctuations during simulation. Mechanistic models and field-scale simulations both confirm that discontinuous phase flooding significantly enhances oil recovery efficiency, outperforming both water flooding and continuous phase flooding. The novel reaction specification enhances conformance control in high-permeability channels, as demonstrated by the simulation results. The proposed model accurately captures the migration characteristics of the discontinuous phase and holds important practical value for reservoirs with discontinuous phase flooding. Full article

Within the framework of a discrete-time chronon model, we consider a dual description of physical time. In this description, macroscopic time is a continuous parameter, while a microscopic integer chronon index labels elementary updates of the system. On this basis, a hierarchy of temporal layers ${\mathrm{Ch}}_N$ (Chronon) is introduced. The simple layers $\mathrm{Ch}2$, $\mathrm{Ch}3$ and $\mathrm{Ch}4$ are analysed, and it is shown that they naturally support $U\left(1\right)$ (Unitary group), $SU\left(3\right)$ (Special Unitary group) and a pair-locked $SU\left(2\right)$ (Special Unitary group) symmetry, respectively. Special attention is paid to the twelve-slot layer $\mathrm{Ch}12$. This layer is the minimal one which simultaneously separates partitions into four triads and three quartets. For $\mathrm{Ch}12$, we demonstrate that the intersection of the corresponding commutants in ${\mathbb{C}}^3\otimes {\mathbb{C}}^4$ reproduces the Standard Model gauge algebra $SU{\left(3\right)}_C\times SU{\left(2\right)}_L\times U{\left(1\right)}_Y$ and the pattern of hypercharges and anomaly cancellation. The appearance of three fermion generations is interpreted in terms of three inequivalent embeddings of a triad into the dodecad which preserve the quartet structure. Possible connections of the chronon dynamics with the hierarchy of masses (via Floquet-type quasi-energies), with dark sectors associated with misaligned layers, and with a temporal interpretation of entanglement are briefly discussed on a qualitative level. These questions are formulated as open problems for further study. Full article

This study addresses the management and optimization of decentralized bioresource energy generation under conditions of political instability, using Ukraine as a representative case. The research aims to enhance energy security and operational resilience where centralized energy infrastructure is vulnerable to disruption. A high-efficiency technology for decentralized heat generation is proposed, based on the direct combustion of non-standard agricultural biomass with a one-year renewal cycle. The methodology combines experimental and statistical analysis of biomass feeding processes with advanced three-dimensional modeling of mixture formation and combustion, as well as the development of an artificial intelligence-driven automated control system. The system enables the use of sunflower, rapeseed, wheat, corn, and other agricultural residues with variable particle size and moisture content of up to 40%, without the need for pre-drying or pelletization. An original jet–vortex bioheat generator and optimized dosing systems were designed to ensure continuous and stable combustion. An operational algorithm allowing stable performance within 25–100% of nominal capacity was formulated based on statistical evaluation of screw feeder behavior and optimization of adjustable electric drive parameters, ensuring thermal carrier temperature stability within ±1–2 °C. The main novelty lies in the integrated optimization framework combining unconventional biomass utilization, adaptive electric drive control, and AI-based automation to achieve high energy efficiency and environmental performance. The results indicate that such decentralized systems can substantially strengthen national energy security and support sustainable energy supply in unstable political environments. Full article

Urban heat not only affects thermal comfort but also constrains the sustainable development of cities, underscoring the necessity of understanding the temporal response of land surface temperature (LST) to urban characteristics over time. Most existing studies rely on single-overpass satellite observations or daily averages, failing to capture continuous diurnal variability and the time-dependent influence of different drivers. In this study, we reconstructed seasonal hourly LST series for Beijing using an improved diurnal temperature cycle (DTC) model (${\mathrm{GEM}}_{\eta }$) based on MODIS data, and employed a random forest framework to quantify the relative contributions of natural, urban morphological, and anthropogenic factors throughout the diurnal cycle. Unlike previous studies that rely on traditional DTC models and machine learning for largely static or single-scale assessments, our research provides a unified, time-explicit comparison of LST driver dominance across seasons, hourly diurnal cycles, and urban–rural contexts. The results indicate that persistent urban heat island (UHI) effects occur in all seasons, with the maximum intensity reaching approximately 5.0 °C in summer. Generally, natural factors exert a cooling influence, whereas urban morphology and human activities contribute to warming. More importantly, the dominant drivers show strong temporal dependence: a nature-dominated regime prevails in summer, where vegetation exerts an overwhelming cooling effect. Conversely, during transition seasons and winter, LST variability is governed by a mixed-driven mechanism characterized by an hourly-resolved diurnal handoff, in which the dominant contributors shift hour by hour between surface physical properties and anthropogenic proxies. Our findings challenge the static view of urban heat drivers and provide quantitative evidence for developing time-sensitive and seasonally adaptive mitigation strategies, thereby supporting sustainable urban planning and enhancing climate resilience in megacities. Full article

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major global health threat because covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) persists in hepatocytes and limits the efficacy of current antiviral therapies. Effective HBV research and drug screening require culture models that recapitulate the complete viral life cycle and allow for quantitative monitoring of replication. In this study, an 11-amino acid luminescent reporter, HiBiT, was inserted at multiple sites within the preS1 region of a genotype D HBV genome, and the C terminus of preS1 was identified as optimal for maintaining robust replication. We then established HepG2-B4 cells stably replicating HiBiT-HBV with HiBiT at the preS1 C terminus. Extracellular HiBiT activity and supernatant levels of HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBcAg increased continuously until day 42 and were reduced by nucleos(t)ide analog treatment, and cccDNA was confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Supernatants from HepG2-B4 cells infected naïve HepG2-NTCP cells and primary human hepatocytes, as shown by extracellular HiBiT activity. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct gene expression changes in HepG2-B4 cells compared with parental HepG2 cells. These findings indicate that the HepG2-B4 system provides a rapid, quantitative, and scalable platform for HBV replication and infection studies and is suitable for mechanistic investigations and high-throughput antiviral screening. Full article

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a common estrogenic mycotoxin in rabbit breeding that causes various toxic effects. Selenomethionine (SeMet) is a feed additive with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. To evaluate the protective role and action mechanism of SeMet against ZEA-induced liver injury, 90-day-old rabbits were randomized into five groups: control, ZEA-alone, and SeMet pretreatment at 0.2, 0.35, and 0.5 mg/kg. SeMet was administered for 21 days, followed by continuous intragastric ZEA (1.2 mg/kg B.W.) for 7 days starting on day 15. As a result, ZEA exposure significantly elevated liver function parameters, disrupted lobular architecture, and impaired glycogen synthesis. It also induced liver oxidative stress, thus upregulating expressions of Bax, Cyt C, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9, triggering hepatocyte apoptosis, mitochondrial damage, and mitophagy. SeMet pretreatment activated SIRT1, reduced the acetylated FOXO1/P53 levels, and enhanced CAT and SOD2 expression, mitigating ZEA-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, and mitophagy. Based on the above findings, SeMet’s alleviating effect might be mediated via the SIRT1-FOXO1/P53 pathway, with 0.35 mg/kg of SeMet exerting the optimal efficacy, highlighting its therapeutic potential for mitigating ZEA-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits. Full article

Habitat restoration followed by species reintroduction is a key strategy for biodiversity recovery. For species with parasitic life stages, such as the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), host suitability is crucial. Before a planned reintroduction of mussels into a newly constructed nature-like fishway, we tested the compatibility of four brown trout (Salmo trutta) strains from local and foreign drainages as hosts for mussels from a nearby river. The strains included (a) a local sympatric wild strain, (b) a local allopatric wild strain from near the fishway, (c) a local allopatric hatchery strain used for stocking, and (d) a foreign allopatric hatchery strain. After forty days, infestation rates of the parasitic mussel glochidia did not differ significantly among strains, indicating that all could serve as hosts. Glochidia that developed on the local allopatric hatchery strain had the highest growth rate, suggesting the highest suitability for production under laboratory conditions. While stocking hatchery strains can have negative ecological impacts, local wild fish provide a sustainable option without continued introductions of hatchery strains. If wild fish are scarce, carefully chosen hatchery strains may support juvenile mussel production and reintroduction under controlled conditions. Our findings highlight the importance of evaluating host compatibility before mussel reintroduction and fish stocking. Full article

Background/Objectives: The increasing problem of excess body weight and the resulting dyslipidemia among children and adolescents is a serious health challenge that may have long-term consequences. In this context, the search continues for an optimal diet that will support both body weight normalization and improvement in lipid parameters. In the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and lipid disorders, limiting highly processed foods and replacing them with natural, minimally processed options lower in fat, saturated fatty acids (SFA), cholesterol, sugar, and salt is recommended. This study aimed to assess the quality and nutritional value of the low-glycemic index (LGI) diet and standard (ST) diet. Methods: Both diets were based on the principal recommendation of the Cardiovascular Health Integrated Lifestyle Diet-2 (CHILD-2). The Diet Quality Index (DQI) was used to assess the diet quality. Moreover, the nutritional value of the diet was assessed before and after 8 weeks of intervention. The study included 40 patients aged 8–16 years with excess body weight and dyslipidemia who completed the entire nutritional intervention. Results: This study demonstrated that both LGI and ST diets were effective in improving diet quality. The nutritional intervention led to an almost 2-fold reduction in the mean DQI score in the LGI diet group and almost 1.5-fold reduction in the ST diet group (significant differences between groups). No participants were classified into a lower diet quality category than at baseline. The percentage of participants with minimum moderate diet quality reached 100% in the LGI diet group and 44% in the ST diet group. Changes in nutritional value were similar in the LGI and ST diet groups. Both interventions resulted in a significant increase in protein and fiber consumption, as well as a decrease in cholesterol, SFA, and sodium. A greater improvement in diet quality was significantly associated with lower fat and SFA, as well as higher vitamin C intake, in both groups; specifically, it was also associated with reduced cholesterol and sugar intake in the LGI diet group, and reduced sodium intake in the ST diet group. Conclusions: These results suggest that in the dietary therapy of children and adolescents with excess body weight and dyslipidemia, the quality of the diet is crucial, as it is associated with beneficial changes in nutritional value, which may have a positive impact on patient health. To achieve this, however, constant and consistent cooperation with a dietitian is necessary to help implement appropriate dietary recommendations in practice. Further long-term, larger-scale studies are needed. Full article

The rapid rise in atmospheric CO₂ necessitates strategies for mitigation and valorization. Microalgae offer potential through simultaneous CO₂ capture and production of high-value biomolecules. Five Chlorophyta strains (A–E: Micractinium sp., Chlamydomonas sp., Micractinium sp., Chlorococcum sp., and Chlorella vulgaris) were isolated from temperate waters and soils and tested for growth and biochemical responses under controlled nitrogen availability (low: 0.346 g L⁻¹ nitrate; high: 0.6 g L⁻¹ nitrate + ammonia), carbon supply (low: 0.04% CO₂; high: 4% CO₂), and cultivation systems (batch reactors, fermenters, and varied illumination). Over 14 days, maximum dry biomass was achieved in batch cultivation with CO₂ sparging, low nitrogen, and continuous light, ranging from 1.47 g L⁻¹ (strain A) to 2.67 g L⁻¹ (strain D). Biomass composition varied: proteins, 25–45%; carbohydrates, 20–35%; and lipids, 18–28%. Nitrogen limitation promoted lipid accumulation (e.g., strain D: +40%) with concurrent protein decline (−25%). Chlorophyll a/b displayed strain-specific plasticity; high CO₂ generally increased chlorophyll, while nitrogen stress reduced it up to 50%. Overall, this study demonstrates that locally adapted Chlorophyta strains can achieve high biomass productivity under CO₂ enrichment while allowing for flexible redirection of carbon flux toward lipids, carbohydrates, or pigments through nutrient management. Among the tested isolates, strains D and E emerged as the most promising candidates for integrated CO₂ sequestration and biomass production, while strains B, C, and D showed strong potential for biodiesel feedstock; strain A for carbohydrate valorization; and strain E for chlorophyll extraction. Future research should focus on scale-up validation in pilot photobioreactors under continuous operation, optimization of two-stage cultivation strategies for lipid production, integration with industrial CO₂ point sources, and strain improvement using modern genomics-assisted breeding and genome-editing technologies. These efforts will support the translation of regional microalgal resources into scalable carbon-capture and bioproduct platforms. Full article

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has experienced pronounced climate change over recent decades, yet the coupled interactions and trade-offs between vegetation dynamics and water yield (WY) remain insufficiently quantified. In this study, we employed the Lund–Potsdam–Jena (LPJ) model to simulate the spatiotemporal evolution of net primary productivity (NPP) and WY across the TP from 1981 to 2060, and applied the Geodetector method to identify the dominant drivers of vegetation dynamics. The results showed that: (1) during 1981–2020, both NPP and WY generally increased across the TP but exhibited distinct spatial patterns, with NPP showing more widespread and pronounced increases than WY; (2) sensitivity experiments revealed that a 2 °C warming substantially increased NPP (+48.79%) but suppressed WY (−17.96%), whereas a 25% increase in precipitation resulted in only a modest rise in NPP (+5.72%) but a sharp increase in WY (+46.72%); (3) the driving factor analysis showed that precipitation, temperature, and WY were the primary controls on NPP, while interaction analysis revealed that their combined effects explained NPP variability more effectively than individual factors; (4) under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), vegetation–water interactions were projected to shift, with continued greening intensifying water depletion in arid regions, while humid regions were more capable of meeting increased water demand. These findings enhance understanding of vegetation–water coupling across the TP and provide a scientific basis for evaluating future ecohydrological risks under climate change. Full article