Search Results (4,277)

Grapevine branch and leaf silage (GBLS), a polyphenol-rich unconventional forage, exhibits antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that can benefit animal health and productivity. A total of 60 healthy six-month-old Kazakh rams (43.29 ± 4.55 kg, p > 0.05 for initial body weight among groups) were randomly assigned to three dietary groups, each consisting of four replicates with five rams per replicate. The control group (CK) was fed a basal diet based on whole-plant corn silage, whereas the experimental groups received diets in which 50% (GBLS50%) or 100% (GBLS100%) of the corn silage was replaced with GBLS. A 10-day adaptation period preceded the 90-day formal feeding trial. Results showed a significant quadratic response for average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) across GBLS substitution rates (p < 0.05), with the 50% level yielding the highest values. Specifically, ADFI at the 50% replacement level was significantly higher than that of the control (p < 0.05), confirming an inverted U-shaped response with 50% as the optimal substitution rate. However, in-depth analysis of serum biochemical parameters revealed that GBLS supplementation significantly reduced serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, urea nitrogen, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and malondialdehyde (MDA), while significantly increasing levels of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) (p < 0.05). Rumen fermentation analysis showed that the GBLS50% group had significantly lower concentrations of acetate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) (p < 0.05). In the rumen microbiota study, no significant differences were observed in alpha or beta diversity or at the phylum level between groups (p > 0.05); however, the abundance of Lactobacillus gasseri was significantly reduced in the GBLS50% group (p < 0.05). Metabolomic profiling identified 43 significantly altered metabolites—27 upregulated (e.g., PE (18:1(9Z)/0:0) and 12,14-pentacosadiynoic acid) and 16 downregulated (e.g., deoxyadenosine). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis highlighted purine metabolism as a significantly altered pathway (p < 0.05), providing insight into the potential metabolic mechanisms underlying the physiological effects of GBLS in rams. In conclusion, replacing 50% of whole-plant corn silage with grapevine branch and leaf silage improves growth performance trends and significantly enhances immunity and antioxidant capacity in Kazakh rams. Full article

IEC 61850 digital substations depend on communication services whose compromise can affect protection, supervision, and control. Existing work has advanced substation threat modeling, cyber-physical testbeds, and intrusion detection, but the relation between structured threat priority and operational observability remains under-characterized. This article examines that relation in a smart grid simulator (SGSim)-based IEC 61850 digital-substation environment. DFD-guided STRIDE analysis, CVSS v3.1 scoring, likelihood–impact prioritization, and ATT&CK for ICS mapping produce a 47-threat inventory. Three high-priority scenarios are then validated using packet-capture evidence and SCADA/HMI observations: a volumetric denial-of-service (DoS) attack against the IEC 60870-5-104 supervisory path, a TCP SYN flood targeting the same service endpoint, and a GOOSE false data injection (FDI) attack targeting event communication. The analysis distinguishes risk priority, operational observability, and operational consequence, and evaluates each attack across network, service, and operator planes. The results show that, in the studied environment, the validated high-priority attacks do not disclose their severity through a common visibility pattern. The volumetric DoS case is strongly visible and primarily compromises communication availability; the SYN flood weakens control recoverability while remaining weakly visible at the operator plane; and the GOOSE FDI case preserves communication continuity while falsifying the represented operational state. These findings indicate that visible disruption alone is insufficient for interpreting cyber-physical severity in the studied SGSim-based digital substation. Full article

Thermophilic microbial inoculant (CI) has been demonstrated to optimize the green waste composting (GWC) process. The pathways through which it enhances lignocellulose degradation remain unclear. This study evaluated composting performance under four treatments: CI, effective microorganisms (EM), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (WF), and natural composting (CK). To elucidate the biological differences between efficient lignocellulose-degrading systems and CK, metagenomic analyses were conducted on CI and CK based on lignocellulose degradation rates. The results indicated that CI inoculation did not negatively affect the compost heating process and produced a nitrogen-rich, safe, and mature compost product. Compared to other treatments, CI increased the lignocellulose degradation rate by 3.66% to 31.8%. Metagenomic analysis revealed that CI inoculation enriched genes encoding glycoside hydrolases (GHs), glycosyl transferases (GTs), carbohydrate esterases (CEs), and carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) across multiple composting phases, positively impacting dominant carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) families including AA3, CE1, and CE7. CI inoculation also elevated the relative abundance of lignocellulose-degrading microorganisms (0.70~2.73%), simplified microbial network structure, and strengthened microbial cooperation. Within the microbial network, Chryseolinea, Protaetiibacter, and unclassified_f__Burkholderiaceae were identified as core taxa involved in lignocellulose degradation. Redundancy analysis (RDA) identified temperature as the primary factor influencing biological factors, with CI improving composting efficiency by optimizing the microenvironment. Collectively, this work provides a novel strategy for microbial inoculant application in composting and offers new perspectives for identifying core taxa, contributing to advancing composting efficiency. Full article

Understanding how soil arthropod communities respond to nutrient enrichment is important for assessing grassland ecosystem health, but such knowledge remains limited for degraded Sophora alopecuroides grasslands. To address this gap, a two-year field experiment was conducted in the Tuhulusu grassland (Xinjiang, China) with four treatments: nitrogen (N) addition, phosphorus (P) addition, combined N and P (NP) addition, and an unamended control (CK). Soil arthropod communities and environmental variables were monitored during the flowering, maturity, and senescence stages of S. alopecuroides. Across all treatments, three taxa—Oppiidae, Hypoaspidae, and Rhagidiidae—remained dominant, indicating wide ecological tolerance. Nutrient addition significantly altered arthropod individual density (response variable) and soil properties, including total phosphorus, available phosphorus, nitrate−N, ammonium−N, and pH (all p < 0.001), and these effects were strongly linked to plant phenology. The dominance, evenness, and Shannon diversity indices ranked as NP > CK > P > N. The key environmental drivers varied by treatment: total phosphorus and soil moisture under N addition, soil moisture under P and NP addition, and pH and electrical conductivity under CK. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that soil arthropod communities in S. alopecuroides grasslands are sensitive to nutrient enrichment in a phenology−dependent manner, with soil moisture content emerging as a critical limiting factor under nutrient−added conditions. Full article

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies in men and remains a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Radiotherapy is a well-established treatment modality for PCa, offering clinical outcomes comparable to surgical approaches. In recent years, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), characterized by the delivery of high radiation doses in a limited number of fractions, has been increasingly adopted as a standard approach in the treatment of prostate cancer, due to its favorable efficacy and toxicity profile. CyberKnife (CK) is one of the most commonly used hypofractionated radiotherapy techniques. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate and compare the radiation dose delivery and treatment time of CK-based SBRT using two different collimation systems: the multileaf collimator (MLC) and the IRIS variable aperture collimator, a dynamic device that adjusts its opening to simulate different circular field sizes. A total of 19 patients with low-to-intermediate-risk PCa were selected and treated at the Radiation Oncology Department of the National Cancer Institute IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale in Naples between January 2024 and January 2025. For each patient, two treatment plans were generated—one with the IRIS collimator and one with the MLC. The results demonstrated that the use of the MLC significantly reduced treatment time while maintaining dosimetric quality comparable to IRIS-based plans. These findings support the clinical benefit of MLC implementation in prostate SBRT with the CK system. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare cutaneous adenocarcinoma that frequently involves apocrine-rich regions and may extend beyond clinically apparent margins through adnexal structures. Surgical excision remains the standard of care; however, management can be challenging in elderly patients and in anatomically sensitive areas such as the scrotum, where morbidity and functional impairment are significant concerns. Despite increasing use of radiation-based therapies, optimal superficial radiation therapy (SRT) parameters, particularly with respect to depth of penetration, remain poorly standardized. Case Presentation: An 88-year-old male with a history of melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and remote prostate cancer presented with biopsy-proven EMPD involving the scrotum and perineum. Imaging demonstrated no evidence of underlying or metastatic malignancy. Given lesion size (9 × 4 cm), anatomic location, and patient preference to avoid surgery, SRT was selected. The patient underwent treatment with 70 kV energy, delivering a total dose of 5440 cGy in 17 fractions (320 cGy per fraction) administered twice weekly. Energy selection was guided by the known propensity of EMPD for adnexal extension, with the aim of improving treatment coverage of potential subclinical disease. Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of incorporating tumor depth and adnexal involvement into treatment planning for EMPD. Depth-guided SRT may represent a viable non-surgical management strategy in carefully selected patients, particularly when surgical morbidity is a concern. These findings support a more individualized, mechanism-based approach to optimizing radiation therapy in cutaneous malignancies. Full article

Salvia sclarea L. extract contains various bioactive components such as flavonoids and fatty acids, exhibiting anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Salvia sclarea L. extract on the gut microbiota and serum metabolome in lambs. Sixty 2-month-old Chinese Merino female lambs (body weight 20 ± 2 kg) were randomly assigned to five groups. The control (CK) group received the basal diet only, while the treatment groups received the basal diet supplemented with 0.04 mL/kg (CL1), 0.08 mL/kg (CL2), 0.12 mL/kg (CL3), and 0.16 mL/kg (CL4) of Salvia sclarea L. extract, respectively. The results showed that Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Proteobacteria were identified as the dominant phyla across all groups (>90%). Compared with the CK group, CL1 and CL2 groups significantly reduced the relative abundance of Tenericutes (decreased by 38.2% and 32.9%, respectively, p < 0.05); the relative abundance of Patescibacteria in the CL1 group was significantly lower (decreased by 55.2%, p < 0.05). At the genus level, Ruminococcaceae constituted a substantial proportion, including Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, UCG-010, UCG-014, and NK4A214 group. STAMP analysis revealed that Klebsiella was significantly enriched in CL2, CL3, and CL4 groups compared to the CK group (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis between microbiota and immune indices showed that Christensenellaceae R-7 group was significantly negatively correlated with TNF-α (p < 0.05); Ruminococcaceae UCG-005 was significantly negatively correlated with IFN-γ (p < 0.05) and showed a negative correlation trend with immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM). Conversely, Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 was significantly positively correlated with IL-4 (p < 0.05) but showed a negative correlation trend with IgM. Untargeted metabolomics analysis identified 8, 18, 25, and 20 differential metabolites in CL1, CL2, CL3, and CL4 groups, respectively. Notably, 3-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone and Gamma-Glu-Cys were significantly upregulated across all treatment groups. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that these differential metabolites were primarily involved in nucleotide metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and oxidative stress-related pathways. Further Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant associations between gut microbiota and differential metabolites. Specifically, g_Klebsiella was significantly positively correlated with 3-Hydroxycapric acid and 3-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Salvia sclarea L. extract modulates host energy metabolism by regulating nucleotide metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis, and enhances immune function by alleviating oxidative stress, through the remodeling of gut microbiota and serum metabolome. Full article

Long-term fertilization regulates soil microbial communities and is essential for black soil health and sustainable productivity, yet its key drivers remain unclear. Using a 39-year field experiment, we evaluated the effects of four fertilization regimes: no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer (NPK), organic fertilizer (M), and combined organic-inorganic fertilizer (MNPK). Soil properties and bacterial communities were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and multivariate analyses. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexi, and Gemmatimonadota dominated (>80% of the community), and all treatments significantly altered their relative abundances. Compared with CK, NPK reduced soil pH by 8.3% and bacterial abundance by 29.7%, increased soil organic matter (SOM) by 22.9%, and decreased community evenness. MNPK reduced pH by only 2.0%, increased SOM by 53.8% and bacterial abundance by 38.9%, and improved community evenness, mitigating acidification while maintaining high diversity. M increased pH by 2.3%, SOM by 73.3%, and bacterial abundance by 71.8%. Soil pH, available phosphorus, and SOM were the main drivers of community structure. Overall, MNPK showed the strongest synergistic effects on soil fertility and microbial stability, making it an optimal strategy for sustainable black soil management. Full article

Organic amendments can mitigate soil acidification and degradation, yet their long-term effects on soil microbiome, functions, and crop productivity remain underexplored in latosolic red soils. This study aimed to elucidate how different fertilization regimes reshape soil microbial communities and predicted functions, and how these changes link to sweet potato productivity after 15 years. Soil and plant samples were collected from a 15-year field experiment on latosolic red soil under five treatments: no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (NPK), and chemical fertilizer combined with commercial manure (NPK + CM), pig manure (NPK + PM), or rice straw (NPK + RS). Soil properties, bacterial and fungal communities, and predicted functions (FAPROTAX, FUNGuild) were analyzed. The results showed that long-term NPK alone significantly acidified soil (pH decreased by 1.49 units), whereas NPK + PM increased pH by 1.38 units relative to NPK, and also increased soil organic carbon, available nutrients, and sweet potato yield (by 31% compared with NPK). Soil pH was strongly associated with reshaping the microbial community. NPK + PM enriched beneficial phyla (e.g., Myxococcota, Nitrospirota, Latescibacterota, Entotheonellaeota, and Mortierellomycota) and enhanced predicted chemoheterotrophic, predatory or exoparasitic, and saprotrophic functions. Variance partitioning showed that nutrients, key microbial taxa, and predicted functions jointly explained productivity variation (adjusted R² = 0.9386). Thus, chemical fertilizer combined with pig manure is an effective strategy to mitigate soil acidification and improve sweet potato productivity by regulating soil nutrient-microbiome interactions. Our findings support reshaping the microbiome via organic amendments for sustainable agriculture in acidic soils. Full article

Aims: Coronary heart disease (CHD) associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a primary driver of mortality in RA patients. In this study, we sought to establish a combined rat model of CHD and RA by integrating cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), high-fat diet (HFD), and intradermal administration of bovine type II collagen emulsified in complete Freund’s adjuvant. The aim of constructing this model is to investigate and analyze the pathogenesis of RA-induced CHD under the modulation of HFD and cardiac I/R exposure. Methods and Results: Sixty-four male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly categorized into eight groups (n = 8 per group): control, I/R, HFD, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), I/R + CIA, HFD + CIA, I/R + HFD, and I/R + HFD + CIA groups (n = 8 per group). We applied Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to observe the structural changes within the model over time. To further elucidate molecular mechanisms, transcriptome RNA-seq analysis was carried out to identify key signaling pathways, with particular emphasis on the homeostasis of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/Myd88 signaling in the ischemic myocardium. Furthermore, we conducted in vivo shRNA-mediated knockdown of polymerase I and transcription release factor (PTRF) and evaluated the co-localization of PTRF and TLR4 through immunofluorescence experiments. It is worth mentioning that our rat model of RA-induced (CHD) under a high-fat diet effectively manifested the relevant pathological features that align with the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) definition of “bi” syndrome. The results indicate that the combined stimulation of HFD and CIA significantly elevated cardiac injury markers (CK-MB, LDH, CRP, and c-TNT) and was accompanied by a more severe expansion of the infarct area and increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis compared to the I/R group alone. In addition, the histopathological evaluation revealed significantly aggravated myocardial inflammation and fibrosis deposition, accompanied by extensive areas of tissue damage, further indicating a state of heightened inflammation and severe cardiac degenerative changes. Consistently, myocardial tissues from rats in the I/R + CIA + HFD group exhibited robust activation of the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway and a pronounced elevation in the p-JNK/JNK ratio. Moreover, pronounced co-localization between PTRF and TLR4 was evident in small vessels surrounding the infarcted myocardium. Importantly, AAV-mediated knockdown of PTRF attenuated the HFD- and CIA-induced exacerbation of myocardial injury in I/R rats. Conclusions: We successfully established a rat model of CHD with rheumatic syndrome using I/R in combination with RA and HFD. The present findings suggest that the PTRF-related TLR4/MyD88-JNK signaling pathway may act as an important regulatory mechanism underlying myocardial injury aggravated by combined HFD and CIA stimulation. Full article

The rehabilitation of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, involves stressors like handling and confinement. To assess physiological stress responses during rehabilitation, twenty-five C. caretta hospitalized at C.Re.Ta.M. were monitored over a two-month period at three time points (T0, T1, and T2). The cohort included 12 juveniles (CCL: 30.6 ± 5.7 cm) and 13 subadults (CCL: 52.5 ± 10.4 cm). Heterophil/lymphocyte ratios (H/L), corticosterone (CORT), glucose (Glu), creatine kinase (CK), and uric acid (UA) plasma concentrations were assessed. Two-way repeated-measure ANOVA revealed significant time effects on H/L ratio (p < 0.0001), CORT (p < 0.0001), Glu (p = 0.0002), CK (p < 0.0001), and UA (p < 0.05), with a significative group x time interaction observed for CK (p = 0.016), CORT (p = 0.006) and UA (p = 0.035). No group effect was observed in any of the data. In the juvenile group, H/L (p < 0.01) and CORT (p < 0.001) were significantly lower at T2 compared to T0. At the T0 point, CORT levels were significantly higher in juveniles compared to the subadult group. In subadults, significant decreases in H/L ratio (p < 0.001), Glu (p < 0.01), CK (p < 0.001), and UA (p < 0.05) were observed at both T1 and T2 relative to T0. At T0, CK levels were significantly higher in subadults compared to juveniles. No significant correlations were found between CORT and the other measured parameters. Our results suggest that the rehabilitation period is a safety period during which the animals reestablish their homeostasis despite captivity conditions. However, further studies are needed to define other causes of variations in stress levels in rehabilitating C. caretta. Full article

Vairimorpha ceranae (formerly Nosema ceranae) is an obligate intracellular parasite that poses a major threat to the health of the honey bee. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been recognized as key regulators in gene expression and pathogen–host interactions. However, their expression patterns and regulatory roles in V. ceranae infection remain largely unexplored. In this study, we performed circRNA profiling in V. ceranae spores (NcCK) and the midguts of Apis mellifera ligustica workers at 7 d post inoculation (dpi) and 10 dpi (Nc7T and Nc10T) based on transcriptome sequencing, followed by in-depth investigation of the regulatory roles of differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs). In total, 243 circRNAs were identified in V. ceranae, with lengths predominantly ranging from 201 to 400 nucleotides. Comparative analysis screened 70 and 192 DEcircRNAs in the NcCK vs. Nc7T and NcCK vs. Nc10T comparison groups, respectively, with a significant majority being downregulated. The parental genes of these DEcircRNAs were significantly enriched in fundamental cellular processes and critical pathways such as protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and ribosome biogenesis. Additionally, we constructed a competing endogenous RNA network, suggesting that DEcircRNAs could potentially interact with DEmiRNAs to modulate mRNAs associated with fungal proliferation-relevant signaling pathways like MAPK, PI3K–Akt, and cAMP. Moreover, numerous DEcircRNAs were predicted to contain internal ribosome entry site elements, indicative of their potential for protein coding. The back-splicing junctions and expression trends of selected DEcircRNAs were successfully validated by RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Our data not only offer a valuable resource for future functional studies but also provide a basis for elucidating the circRNA-mediated mechanisms underlying microsporidian pathogenesis and host–pathogen interactions. Full article

The scientific evidence regarding the use of plant-derived extracts to alleviate exercise-induced muscle damage in horses remains limited. Mulberry leaf flavonoids (MLFs) are the primary bioactive constituents of a traditional medicinal plant and are potent antioxidants. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of MLFs against exercise-induced muscle damage. In this study, twelve Mongolian horses were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design to investigate the protective effects of MLFs. Our results showed that high-intensity exercise negatively impacted the immune status, metabolic state, myofibrillar structure, and antioxidant capacity of the horses. Conversely, MLFs significantly reduced blood levels of white blood cells (WBC), monocytes (MON), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and malondialdehyde (MDA) across various exercise distances and during recovery. Simultaneously, MLFs increased serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Mechanistically, transcriptomic analysis revealed that dietary MLFs upregulated genes associated with myofibrillar structural proteins (MYOZ2, MYOM3), the antioxidant defense system (GPX3, SOD3), and skeletal muscle satellite cell proliferation and differentiation (MYOD1, MRF6). Furthermore, quantitative proteomics indicated the enrichment of the PI3K-Akt and TGF-β signaling pathways, as well as ECM–receptor interactions, suggesting their potential involvement in regulating protein metabolism and facilitating myofibrillar restoration. Overall, MLFs effectively alleviated inflammation, metabolic disorder, and exercise-induced muscle damage. Under the tested conditions, a daily dosage of 10 g MLFs provided superior protective effects. Full article

The contemporary cyber-threat landscape is becoming increasingly diverse and complex, creating a persistent gap between situational awareness and operational response. This study presents a framework designed to bridge this gap by transforming up-to-date cyber-threat intelligence (CTI) into standardized knowledge structures and actionable defense measures. First, the proposed framework integrates the threat data collected from OpenCTI and normalizes them based on the MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques matrix. It then leverages a large language model to automatically generate diverse threat scenarios based on the analyzed intelligence. Each scenario is organized as a tactic sequence, and individual techniques are mapped to MITRE D3FEND defensive categories based on official ATT&CK–D3FEND relationships and structured contextual interpretation. Finally, the framework produces outputs in the form of a Defense Description that includes the corresponding technique IDs, recommended defense strategies, supporting rationales, and prerequisites. An evaluation using several recent cases demonstrates that the proposed framework effectively connects current threat intelligence with practical defense strategies. In summary, the proposed framework strengthens proactive cyber defense by directly linking structured attack flows to actionable context-aware defensive techniques. In addition, this framework provides a structured pipeline that systematizes and automates steps conventionally performed manually, thereby reducing repetitive analyst effort. Full article

Selenium (Se) is an important micronutrient that is required in very small amounts and plays a significant role in enhancing plant growth, stress resistance, and fruit quality. In this study, we investigated the effects of different sodium selenite concentrations (CK, 0 mg/L; Se1, 0.50 mg/L; Se2, 1.00 mg/L, Se3, 2.00; and Se4, 3.00 mg/L) on the growth, nutrient absorption, antioxidant capacity, and leaf metabolome of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Brigitta’) in hydroponic culture. Our results showed that moderate Se concentration (1.00 mg/L, Se2) had noticeable enhancements in key traits like taller plants, thicker stems, a greater number of leaves, and stem fresh weight, with increases of 60.23%, 61.90%, 36.05%, and 87.97%, respectively, compared to the CK. In addition, the appropriate application of Se fertilizer (1.0 mg/L, Se2) can enhance the absorption of macronutrients by plants, with the total contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) increasing by 48.11%, 15.85%, and 14.25%, respectively, compared to CK. In comparison to CK, the content and accumulation of total Se rose dramatically under the Se4 treatment, showing increases of 2300% and 2514%. The contents of chlorophyll and antioxidant enzyme activities were maximized at Se2, while excessive Se (Se4) led to oxidative damage, as indicated by elevated MDA, H₂O₂, and O₂⁻ levels. Moreover, metabolomic analysis revealed that moderate Se concentration (Se2) significantly altered metabolic pathways related to aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, and ABC transporters, with downregulation of key metabolites in sugar and organic acid metabolism (e.g., α-D-glucose-6-phosphate, L-lactic acid, maleic acid). In contrast, high Se concentration (Se4) disrupted these pathways and promoted volatile compound accumulation. These findings demonstrate that moderate Se application enhances blueberry growth and quality by regulating nutrient uptake, antioxidant defense, and primary metabolism, whereas excessive Se induces metabolic imbalance and oxidative stress. Overall, moderate Se fertilizer (1.00 mg/L) can significantly enhance the growth and quality of blueberries, while excessive selenium may have adverse effects. Full article