Search Results (23,215)

The scarcity of resources has constrained the supply of conventional feedstuffs for livestock production. Consequently, mulberry (Morus spp.), known for its high protein content and bioactive compounds, has been developed as a promising alternative feed. However, the optimal water–fertilizer ratio for cultivating feed mulberry and the underlying physiological and agronomic mechanisms remain poorly understood. To address this, a two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted to investigate the effects of water–fertilizer coupling on feed mulberry yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and soil quality. This experiment employed a split-plot design with three irrigation levels (I1 = 45, I2 = 90, and I3 = 135 mm) and four fertilizer rates (F1 = 0, F2 = 150, F3 = 225, and F4 = 300 kg·ha⁻¹). The results demonstrated the following: (1) The variation trends in SWC were consistent with those of soil available N, P, and K contents. Under water–fertilizer coupling, the total water consumption peaked in the I3F3 treatment, with values of 639.9 mm and 703.5 mm in the two years, respectively. (2) The I3F3 treatment produced both the highest yield (37.19 and 41.66 t·ha⁻¹) and the highest leaf N, P, and K contents among all treatments. (3) Water and fertilizer use efficiencies exhibited parabolic trends in response to increasing irrigation and fertilizer inputs. The highest agronomic nitrogen efficiency (AEN) was observed in I2F2. (4) The AMOS 26 model further revealed that soil nutrient content had the strongest direct positive effect on yield (standardized coefficient = 0.68), followed by total water consumption (0.33). And irrigation significantly enhanced soil nutrient availability (standardized coefficient = 0.29). In summary, the I3F3 combination achieved the highest yield and water use efficiency, whereas the I2F2 treatment exhibited the highest AEN. This trade-off suggests that the optimal strategy depends on management objectives (yield maximization vs. resource conservation) in the North China Plain. Full article

Lichen planus pigmentosus inversus (LIPPI) is a rare variant within the spectrum of lichenoid dermatoses, characterized by sharply demarcated hyperpigmented lesions predominantly affecting intertriginous areas. Its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood, but immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by exogenous factors have been proposed. We report the case of an 80-year-old Caucasian female who developed extensive, reticulated brownish-grey hyperpigmentation involving multiple flexural sites shortly after the fifth intra-articular injection of the homeopathic combination preparation Zeel comp. N for knee pain. Histopathological examination showed a markedly atrophic epidermis with compact orthokeratosis, focal hypergranulosis, basal vacuolar/interface change, pigment incontinence, and a band-like lymphocytic infiltrate; these findings were compatible with LIPPI. The temporal association with repeated intra-articular administration of botanical and sulfur-containing compounds suggests a possible trigger; however, causality remains speculative. Prick and patch testing with the injection solution were negative, no rechallenge was performed, and pharmacovigilance assessment by the Naranjo algorithm supported only a possible adverse drug reaction. Several constituents, including Toxicodendron derivatives, Arnica montana and Solanum dulcamara, are recognized sensitizers capable of inducing delayed-type immune responses. Importantly, allergic contact sensitization and lichenoid interface dermatitis are distinct processes; in the present case, sensitization or systemic immune stimulation is considered only as a potential upstream trigger of a lichenoid reaction pattern. Similar lichenoid eruptions, including LIPPI, have been reported after systemic immune stimulation such as COVID-19 vaccination or targeted therapies. Differential diagnoses, particularly ashy dermatosis, were considered less likely because of the inverse/flexural distribution and clinico-pathological evidence of lichenoid interface dermatitis with epidermal atrophy. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids, acitretin, and topical tacrolimus improved pruritus, whereas hyperpigmentation persisted. This case highlights a possible temporal association between intra-articular administration of biologically active compounds and LIPPI, while emphasizing the need for cautious interpretation, pharmacovigilance data, and further reports. Full article

The Standard Model accurately describes particle phenomena through continuous gauge fields, color, chirality, generations, and Yukawa couplings, but it does not derive these labels from a deeper structural principle. This paper proposes a carrier-resolution interpretation in which particle species are carrier-readable manifestations of a common loop-detectable codimension-two archetype defect. The carrier supplies Lorentzian propagation and globally available $U\left(1\right)$ phase closure, while particle labels arise through holonomy, embedding, closure, and read-out conditions. The first persistent asymmetric resolution contains a lepton-like $Z_2$-Lorentz branch and a hadron-supporting branch with confined $Z_3$ closure. The $Z_2$ branch accounts for spinorial and chiral read-out through twofold holonomy and Lorentz embedding, while the three observed fermion generations are interpreted as the three leading saturated projective embedding layers of the common $Z_2$-Lorentz branch, not as consequences of the $Z_3$ color-like layer. In this framework, $Z_3$ supplies hadronic sectorality, and higher $Z_n$ refinements provide suppressed mass and response corrections rather than additional ordinary generations. The usual $SU{\left(3\right)}_C$ QCD description is retained as the effective after-read-out continuum gauge theory of color dynamics revealed by high-energy probes. The proposal does not replace QCD; instead, it interprets confined $Z_3$ closure as a pre-read-out structural condition whose incomplete sectors are not carrier-readable as isolated hadrons. As a quantitative test, the neutron–proton magnetic-moment ratio is derived from an ideal $Z_3$-complete baseline, a rule-generated closure-interface sequence, and a neutral-parent magnetic completion. The same-branch sequence reaches a sub-ppm residual and then saturates, so the remaining discrepancy is assigned to a neutral magnetic-completion seam rather than to deeper $Z_n$ terms. The resulting prediction is $-0.684979364944$, differing from the CODATA value of $-0.68497935\left(16\right)$ by about $0.022$ ppm, or $0.093$ standard deviations. No coefficient is adjusted to fit the observed value. The result is presented as a sharp no-fit test of carrier-resolution and neutral-parent closure, not as a replacement for QCD or a complete theory of all baryon magnetic moments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Decreases in skeletal muscle mass affect the efficacy of and tumor response to various therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in skeletal muscle mass during TACE-based combination therapy and tumor response and prognosis. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 306 patients with unresectable HCC, divided into four groups according to the treatment received: TACE alone (n = 133), TACE plus targeted and immunotherapy combination (TACE + T + I, n = 68), TACE plus immunotherapy (TACE + I, n = 52), and TACE plus targeted therapy (TACE + T, n = 53). Skeletal muscle mass was assessed at the third lumbar vertebral level (L3) before treatment and at six months post-treatment using computed tomography (CT) scans. Patients were stratified based on changes in skeletal muscle index (SMI) values. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare overall survival (OS) among groups classified by changes in SMI, while tumor response was assessed with univariate and multivariate analyses, using logistic regression analysis. Result: A total of 306 patients with unresectable HCC were included in this study. The median OS was 17.0 (0.9–83.0) months in the decreased-SMI group compared with 35.0 (2.0–113.0) months in the non-decreased-SMI group. The overall response rate (CR + PR) was 34.7% in the decreased-SMI group and 53.8% in the non-decreased group. Among different treatment regimens, significant differences in Kaplan–Meier survival curves were observed between the TACE and TACE + T + I groups. In multivariate analysis, decreased SMI remained an independent predictor of poor OS and tumor non-response, whereas a low-SMI pre-treatment was not an independent prognostic factor. Additionally, inadequate nutritional status and compromised liver function were associated with a greater decrease in SMI during comprehensive treatment. Conclusions: A decline in skeletal muscle index (SMI) among patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing TACE-based comprehensive treatment is associated with poor prognosis and unfavorable tumor response and is further linked to deteriorating nutritional status and impaired liver function. Monitoring SMI provides an effective approach for assessing overall patient condition and predicting clinical outcomes. Full article

Background: Outdoor activity is essential for healthy aging, yet the affective, cognitive, and behavioral pathways linking perceived neighborhood environment to outdoor activity in middle-aged and older Chinese adults remain underexplored. Objective: This cross-sectional study examined associations between perceived spatial environment and outdoor activity, and tested five candidate mediators in a parallel-mediation framework, among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 in Xiamen, China. Methods: Of 251 returned questionnaires, 99 cases with inconsistent response patterns and 12 high-leverage cases (Cook’s D > 3/n) were excluded, yielding N = 140. Hierarchical regression and non-parametric bootstrap mediation (5000 resamples; bias-corrected 95% Cis) were conducted, with sensitivity analyses, Fornell–Larcker discriminant-validity assessment, and Harman’s single-factor test for common-method bias. Results: Perceived spatial environment was strongly associated with outdoor activity (β = 0.96, p < 0.001). Bootstrap analyses identified four significant indirect pathways—place attachment (0.26 [0.13, 0.39]), perceived social environment (0.21 [0.11, 0.31]), service environment (0.18 [0.09, 0.28]), and attitudinal preferences (0.17 [0.05, 0.29])—whereas the a priori hypothesized behavioral mediator, social interaction, did not reach statistical significance (0.10 [−0.000, 0.205]). Sensitivity analyses confirmed coefficient stability across outlier-trimmed and untrimmed samples. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with an environment–behavior model in which affective and cognitive constructs—particularly place attachment—appear to be more proximal mediators than enacted social-interaction frequency. Given high inter-construct correlations (limited discriminant validity) and a self-selected community-active sample, results are best interpreted as hypothesis-generating and require replication with longitudinal and multi-method designs. Full article

This study examines how community-based organizations (CBOs) engaged in education organizing develop and sustain strategic alliances within complex education policy environments. It explores how alliances are deliberately constructed, maintained, and adapted in response to shifting political contexts. Using a QUAN–QUAL mixed-methods design, the study combines ego-centric social network survey data from 12 CBOs in mid-sized U.S. cities (N = 84 stakeholder ties) with follow-up interviews conducted with CBO leaders. Quantitative analyses revealed positive relationships among trust, communication, perceived importance, and collaboration intensity, with trust and communication as highly interconnected dimensions of alliance building. Qualitative findings provided insight into how CBO leaders strategically evaluate potential relationships, highlighting the importance of power, accessibility, responsiveness, shared interests, and accountability. While stakeholder groups were viewed similarly across many dimensions, leaders described alliance formation as an ongoing process of negotiation rather than a straightforward accumulation of social capital. Findings suggest that effective alliances depend not only on relationship strength but also on how organizations navigate competing interests, unequal power dynamics, and shifting political landscapes. Full article

This study examined the influence of social media content and online member group support on the environmental attitudes and green self-identity of organic food consumers in Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. Based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, data were collected from 766 consumers in Ecuador (n = 310), Peru (n = 259), and Chile (n = 197) through an online survey, the participants were adults from Ecuador, Peru, and Chile with different educational backgrounds who had purchased or consumed organic products during the month preceding the survey. The proposed model was assessed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling. The results revealed that both social media content and online member group support positively influenced environmental attitudes, while environmental attitudes significantly strengthened green self-identity, which in turn positively affected purchasing behavior of organic products. Although some relationships varied across countries, the mediating effects of environmental attitudes were consistently supported. Furthermore, the Measurement Invariance of Composite Models procedure established compositional invariance for all constructs across the three country pairs, and multigroup analysis did not identify significant differences in structural relationships between Ecuador and Peru or between Ecuador and Chile. These findings confirm the transnational robustness of the proposed framework, providing valuable insights into how digital social environments influence environmental attitudes, strengthen ecological self-identity, and promote the purchase of organic foods. Full article

Background: This study evaluated the potential effects of different COVID-19 vaccine platforms (mRNA and inactivated) on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) through Galectin-3, a biomarker of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. It aimed to compare serum Galectin-3 levels among NSTEMI patients according to COVID-19 vaccination status and vaccine type. Methods: A total of 75 patients with NSTEMI were prospectively enrolled and categorized into three groups: inactivated vaccine recipients (n = 25), mRNA vaccine recipients (n = 25), and unvaccinated controls (n = 25). Serum Galectin-3 levels were measured to assess chronic inflammatory status. Additionally, markers of acute myocardial injury and inflammatory response were analyzed. Results: Galectin-3 levels were similar across the inactivated vaccine, mRNA vaccine, and unvaccinated NSTEMI group, with no statistically significant difference observed (p = 0.481). Although troponin I levels and acute inflammatory cell burden were higher in vaccinated patients compared with the unvaccinated NSTEMI group, Galectin-3 levels remained comparable among all groups. No significant differences in Galectin-3 levels were observed according to vaccination status or vaccine type. Conclusions: In this exploratory cohort of NSTEMI patients, serum Galectin-3 levels did not differ significantly according to COVID-19 vaccination status or vaccine type. These findings suggest no detectable association between vaccination history and Galectin-3 levels in the study population. Larger prospective studies with longitudinal follow-up are needed to confirm these observations. Full article

Exposure to high altitudes for hours or days is defined as acute hypobaric hypoxia (AHH) condition, which rapidly engages adjustments such as signaling pathways involving inflammation, immune modulation and oxidative stress, whose dysregulation has been described as contributing to the pathophysiology of high-altitude illnesses, due to insufficient acclimatization, such as developing acute mountain sickness (AMS). Given its traditional high-altitude use and bioactive properties, Senecio nutans (S. nutans) extract, or chachacoma (CH), has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate high-altitude related pathobiology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of S. nutans on acclimatization, regarding the status of oxidative stress, inflammation, immune and symptoms associated with AMS in an animal model exposed to AHH. Twenty-eight female Wistar rats (≈3 months old) were randomly allocated into four experimental groups (n = 7 each): normobaric normoxia (NX), normobaric normoxia plus S. nutans administration (NX+CH), acute hypobaric hypoxia (AHH; 48 h exposure), and acute hypobaric hypoxia plus S. nutans administration (AHH+CH). S. nutans was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 80 mg/kg, one hour prior to hypoxic exposure. Outcomes included body weight, food intake, hematological parameters, lung histopathology, pulmonary mRNA expression of HIF-1α, NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and VEGF, and lipid peroxidation in lung tissue assessed by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. After 48 h of AHH, animals exhibited a decrease in body weight and food intake, increase in hematocrit level and total leukocytes, as well as lung injury characterized by thickening of alveolar walls and inflammatory infiltrates. In addition, AHH induced an increase in pulmonary IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression. In contrast, S. nutans administration partially attenuated hypoxia-induced body weight loss, mitigated the rise in hematocrit levels, and reduced lung damage, while returning total leukocyte counts to control levels. Notably, S. nutans also decreased the hypoxia-induced overexpression of IL-6 and IL-1β. Regarding lipid peroxidation, no significant differences were observed among groups. These findings suggest that S. nutans exerts a protective effect against acute hypobaric hypoxia by attenuating inflammatory responses and preserving pulmonary structure, thereby supporting its potential as a preventive strategy to mitigate early pathophysiological alterations associated with high-altitude exposure. Full article

Innate immunity predictors of HIV-1 risk and pathogenesis vary with reproductive hormones, pregnancy, and lactation, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that pregnancy-associated physiological adaptations alter systemic microRNA (miRNA) expression, thereby regulating immunity, pathogenesis and susceptibility to infection. We analyzed 174 serum samples from 88 participants in a longitudinal cohort from Uganda and Zimbabwe across pre-pregnancy (PP), pregnancy (P), and postpartum breastfeeding (BF). Cell-free peripheral blood miRNAs (n = 2083) were profiled using HTG EdgeSeq. Pregnancy-specific miRNAs were identified by intersecting differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs from P vs. PP and P vs. BF comparisons. miRNA targets and pathways were analyzed using miRWalk, Cytoscape/ClueGO, and cytoHubba. Pregnancy was associated with DE miRNAs (29 upregulated and 131 downregulated) targeting 2733 validated genes. Enriched pathways (FDR < 0.05) included adaptive immune response, Hippo Signaling, Cellular Senescence, HSV-1 infection, and two cancer-related pathways. Pregnancy-enriched targets within each pathway overlapped with the HIV–host interactome by 37–88%. Network analysis identified 47 hub genes interacting with 18 HIV-1 proteins, with Tat and gp120 being most connected viral and HLA-A being the most connected host protein. These findings indicate that pregnancy-driven systemic miRNAs target the HIV–host interactome and specifically identify pregnancy-enriched central hub genes involved in cell cycle control, viral immune evasion and replication to be further investigated for their predictive value in HIV acquisition and pathogenesis in longitudinal cohorts and experimental settings. Full article

Background: Stapokibart is a novel biologic for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). We aimed to identify baseline biomarkers predicting early (4-week) and mid-term (16-week) responses to stapokibart in CRSwNP. Methods: A total of 57 patients were prospectively enrolled. Baseline clinical data and complete blood count (CBC) parameters were collected, and derived inflammatory indices were calculated. Patients were classified as responders or non-responders at week 4 and 16 based on achieving either a ≥8.9-point reduction in SNOT-22 or a ≥1-point decrease in Nasal Polyp Score (NPS). Results: Stapokibart significantly improved SNOT-22, VAS, and NPS at both week 4 and week 16 (all p < 0.001). At week 4, 80.7% achieved an early response. Responders showed significantly higher baseline eosinophil count and eosinophil percentage and lower neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (N/E) (all p < 0.05). Univariate analysis identified N/E, comorbid asthma, eosinophil count, and aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI) as predictors of early response (all p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified N/E as an independent predictor (OR = 0.943, p = 0.011; AUC = 0.756). At week 16, 75.4% of patients achieved a mid-term response. Responders had significantly higher baseline SNOT-22 scores and NPS (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that baseline NPS and SNOT-22 scores were independently associated with mid-term response, and their combined model showed good predictive performance (AUC = 0.832, 95% CI: 0.716–0.948). Conclusions: Peripheral blood inflammatory biomarkers, particularly N/E, may predict early response to stapokibart in CRSwNP, whereas mid-term response appears more strongly associated with baseline disease severity. These findings support biomarker-driven stratification for individualized treatment strategies in CRSwNP. Full article

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is a major invasive pest threatening fruit production across Europe. This study integrates spatiotemporal geostatistical modelling with degree-day and photoperiod analyses to characterise its seasonal dynamics in Emilia-Romagna (Italy) from 2020 to 2022. Weekly pheromone trap data were used to quantify developmental succession among Small nymphs (early instars, N1–N3), Large nymphs (late instars, N4–N5), and Adults. Time-series and cross-correlation analyses confirmed consistent developmental delays across years, with Small preceding Large by approximately two weeks and Adults emerging after an additional two to three weeks. However, global inter-stage correlations were moderate (r ≈ 0.4–0.5), indicating substantial spatial heterogeneity among monitoring sites and suggesting that regional averages do not fully capture local population dynamics. To address this variability, a three-dimensional spatiotemporal geostatistical model (space × time) was implemented using Direct Sequential Simulation. The model successfully reproduced seasonal population waves and interannual differences in onset and persistence. The identification of persistent hotspots and stage-specific temporal windows is biologically relevant because it highlights where and when H. halys populations are most likely to increase. As such, from an IPM perspective, these outputs can support earlier monitoring, more precise timing of management interventions, and spatial prioritization of control efforts. These findings demonstrate that combining stage-specific temporal analysis with spatially explicit modelling improves forecasting accuracy and supports more precise timing of biological and chemical interventions. The proposed framework provides a scalable tool for climate-responsive integrated pest management in fruit-growing systems. Full article

Background: Although ERα-positive breast cancer represents approximately 70% of all breast cancer diagnoses worldwide, specific prognostic biomarkers for this subtype that are capable of stratifying patients remain limited. TRIM28 (KAP1/TIF1β), which is a multifunctional E3 ubiquitin ligase and transcriptional coregulator of ERα, has been shown to play oncogenic roles in multiple malignancies. However, its prognostic significance in ERα-positive breast cancer subtype has not been explored across independent patient cohorts. Methods: Multiple bioinformatics tools were employed to assess TRIM28 mRNA expression and prognostic significance across independent patient cohorts totaling over 4000 patients. The Kaplan–Meier plotter was used to examine associations between TRIM28 expression and survival outcomes in ERα-positive breast cancer. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was performed in the METABRIC dataset (n = 1356) to confirm independent prognostic value, with sensitivity analyses using alternative TRIM28 expression cutoffs and PAM50 subtype-specific subgroup analyses. Independent validation was performed using multivariate Cox regression in the TCGA-BRCA Firehose Legacy ERα-positive cohort (n = 372). Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) was used to investigate pathways associated with TRIM28-correlated genes, and Breast Cancer Gene-Expression Miner (Bc-GenExminer) was used to assess immune cell infiltration. Results: TRIM28 expression is significantly elevated in ERα-positive breast cancer compared to normal breast tissue. High TRIM28 expression (defined as the upper quartile, ≥75th percentile, of TRIM28 expression) is independently associated with worse overall survival after adjustment for tumour size, tumour mutational burden (TMB), hormone therapy status, and age, with stratification on histologic grade (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03–1.41, p = 0.0194; METABRIC, n = 1356). This finding was independently validated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression in the TCGA-BRCA Firehose Legacy ERα-positive cohort (n = 372; events = 56), in which high TRIM28 expression remained independently associated with worse OS after adjustment for age, T-stage, and TMB (HR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.10–3.71, p = 0.024). PAM50 subtype-specific analyses within METABRIC additionally confirmed an independent association of high TRIM28 with worse OS in Luminal A (HR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.08–1.74, p = 0.009), with a directionally consistent but non-significant trend in Luminal B (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.93–1.58, p = 0.155). The prognostic effect was robust across alternative TRIM28 expression cutoffs. TRIM28 expression positively correlates with tumour size, histologic grade, Nottingham Prognostic Index, and TMB, and negatively correlates with immune cell infiltration and is significantly lower in patients receiving hormone therapy. Genes co-expressed with TRIM28 are enriched in cell cycle and DNA damage response activation signatures and RAS/MAPK and RTK pathway inhibition signatures. Conclusions: TRIM28 is an independent prognostic biomarker in ERα-positive breast cancer, validated across multiple independent cohorts. These findings nominate TRIM28 as a priority candidate for prospective clinical validation and targeted experimental investigation in ERα-positive breast cancer. Full article

This paper proposes an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)-informed hierarchical energy management framework for coordinated operation of electric vehicles (EVs), photovoltaic (PV) systems, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in campus microgrids. The proposed two-layer architecture integrates a soft actor–critic (SAC) deep reinforcement learning (DRL) agent in the upper layer with a receding horizon model predictive control (MPC) optimizer in the lower layer. The key novelty is an AMI-to-control pipeline that transforms historical 15 min smart-meter measurements into operational flexibility features and embeds them into a hierarchical SAC–MPC architecture, where the DRL layer provides adaptive coordination and the MPC layer enforces grid, storage, and EV-service constraints. The proposed framework using the real-world Pecan Street data (15 min resolution) of 73 homes across Austin, Texas and California (2014–2019) achieves a 53.1% cost reduction and a 25.7% peak demand reduction when compared with uncontrolled charging, and the proposed framework outperforms MPC-only (50.9%), DRL-only (−5.2%), and rule-based (5.1%) baselines. The statistically significant contributions of network-aware constraints, demand-response activation, and predictive look-ahead horizon are statistically significant (n = 10 independent runs) contributions (p = 0.001). The state representation informed by AMI offers directional cost improvement (+8.4%, p = 0.055) with 11% faster convergence of training. The zero network constraint violation is observed in all evaluation scenarios and the average MPC solve time is around 150 ms, which is much less than the 15 min sampling period. Sensitivity analyses show that the hierarchical DRL–MPC architecture remains computationally feasible across EV penetration, seasonal, and forecast-uncertainty scenarios. However, BESS provided no net economic benefit under the evaluated energy-only TOU tariff, increasing weekly cost by $15.25 and peak grid demand by 14.2 kW. Break-even analysis indicates that demand charges of approximately $9.9/kW per month are required for BESS to become cost-effective in the proxy system, highlighting that storage value depends strongly on tariff design and peak-demand objective formulation. Full article

Background: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are metabolites produced by the gut microbiota after fiber fermentation. Some SCFAs, such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, have been recognized as essential for human health, especially for the brain; however, the cellular mechanisms activated by these molecules in food-intake-related organs, such as the olfactory bulb, remain unclear. Objective: This study evaluates the effects of acetic acid (AA) and sodium butyrate on the physiology of Ca²⁺ metabolism in olfactory bulb cells (OBCs). Methods: Primary OBC cultures of the postnatal rat (P7-21) were made, and Ca²⁺ imaging experiments were performed to record the intracellular Ca²⁺ responses (iCaR) elicited by the application of AA and sodium butyrate (100 nM–1 mM). Immunocytochemical analyses were performed to identify GFAP⁺ cells and GPR41 and GPR43 receptors in OBCs. Endpoint RT-PCR analyses were made to identify GPR41 and GPR43 transcripts in OBCs. Results: Fewer than 10% of the OBCs tested responded to the application of AA and sodium butyrate with iCaR. Pharmacological studies (20 µM 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate (2-APB); 10 nM GLPG0974, 120 nM AR420626) showed that iCaR were independent of inositol triphosphate (IP₃)-signaling pathways and that OBCs expressed both GPR41 and GPR43 receptors. Endpoint RT-PCR studies performed in both olfactory bulbs and primary OBC cultures confirmed the expression of the GPR41 receptor. Conclusions: This study shows that AA and butyrate induce intracellular Ca²⁺ responses activated by GPR41 and GPR43 receptors in a discrete cellular population of the rat olfactory bulb. Full article