Search Results (72)

This study examines the discrepancy between stated preferences and actual behavior in entertainment consumption, with a particular focus on the role of perceived accessibility constraints. While literature suggests that factors such as time and cost may hinder the translation of preferences into behavior, the direction of this relationship remains unclear. Using survey data from 608 respondents, the analysis investigates why individuals who express a preference for physical entertainment often exhibit higher levels of digital consumption. To address this question, the study constructs composite indices capturing physical consumption (PCI), digital consumption (DCI), and perceived accessibility constraints (PACI), and estimates a series of logistic regression models to identify the determinants of the preference–behavior gap. The results reveal that perceived accessibility constraints have a statistically significant effect on behavioral inconsistency. However, contrary to initial expectations, the relationship is negative, indicating that higher perceived constraints are associated with a lower probability of exhibiting a preference–behavior gap. In contrast, gender differences remain significant, while consumption intensity measures do not explain the observed discrepancy. These findings suggest that the preference–behavior gap is shaped less by actual consumption patterns and more by how individuals perceive the feasibility of engaging in their preferred activities. Full article

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the seismic damage performance levels of reinforced concrete (RC) external beam–column joints exhibiting beam flexural failure mode based on acoustic emission (AE) characteristics. To achieve this purpose, two specimens of RC external beam–column joints with beam flexural failure mode were tested under constant axial compression at the column and low-cyclic lateral loading at the end of the beam. During the tests, six AE-based indicators—namely AE hit ($H_{\mathrm{AE}}$), AE energy ($E_{\mathrm{AE}}$), AE count ($C_{\mathrm{AE}}$), amplitude ($A_{\mathrm{AE}}$), rise time (RT), and peak frequency ($f_{\mathrm{p}}$)—were measured using the PCI-2 Acoustic Emission System equipped with R6$\alpha$ piezoelectric sensors. In addition, five damage performance levels, i.e., no damage, minor damage, medium damage, serious damage, and collapse, were proposed based on the analysis of AE monitoring results. After calibration, the fiber finite element method was used to conduct a numerical simulation of 432 joints subjected to lateral loading. An empirical expression for the material parameter of the Park–Ang damage model was presented based on simulated results. Suggested five damage performance levels were used together with a response databank from the numerical analysis to obtain the limit damage values. This work provides a quantitative AE-based framework for seismic damage assessment of RC external beam–column joints with beam flexural failure mode, which can inform performance-based seismic design and post-earthquake safety evaluation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nutritional research emphasizes evaluating food processing levels alongside nutrient content. The Nova system categorizes foods as minimally processed foods (MPFs), processed culinary ingredients (PCIs), processed foods (PFs), and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). High UPF consumption is linked to adverse health outcomes in older adults. Traditional Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) often fail to capture processing differences. This study evaluated the reproducibility and relative validity of a Nova-based FFQ (NFFQ-Elderly) in Italian healthy older adults aged ≥65 years. Methods: A total of 111 older adults (73.7 ± 5.9 years; 56.8% women) completed the NFFQ-Elderly twice (4–6 weeks interval). Relative validity was compared with a three-day weighed food record. Foods were categorized by Nova groups and analyzed for absolute intake, energy and weight percentages. Pearson correlation (r), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and Bland–Altman plots were used. Results: Reproducibility was satisfactory for MPFs (r = 0.75; ICC = 0.74), UPFs (r = 0.87; ICC = 0.85), and PFs (r ≈ 0.73; ICC ≈ 0.66–0.67). Relative validity was moderate for MPFs (r = 0.57; ICC = 0.53) and UPFs (r = 0.48; ICC ≈ 0.37), but lower for PCIs. Accuracy generally improved when intakes were expressed as percentages of total energy or weight. Bland–Altman analyses showed limited mean bias for MPFs and PFs, but higher variability for PCIs and absolute energy intake. Conclusions: The NFFQ-Elderly appears to be a suitable tool for ranking older adults according to their relative intake of MPFs and UPFs. Estimates for PCIs are less reliable, indicating caution when interpreting absolute intake values. Full article

Ischemic heart disease (IHD), the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, is currently treated though revascularization strategies such as pharmacological thrombolysis, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the restoration of blood flow often induces cardiac dysfunction, known as myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI). The pathogenesis of MIRI involves a complex, multifactorial process characterized by the interplay of diverse pathophysiological mechanisms, including oxidative stress, intracellular calcium overload, inflammatory cascade activation, apoptosis, autophagy, and microvascular endothelial dysfunction. In recent years, modified RNA (modRNA) technology has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy for MIRI due to its enhanced molecular stability, reduced immunogenicity, and controllable transient protein expression. Studies have demonstrated that optimized modRNA delivery systems enable efficient, localized expression of therapeutic genes (e.g., antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and pro-angiogenic factors) at injury sites, significantly mitigating MIRI-associated pathological damage. Nevertheless, significant challenges remain in clinical translation, such as delivery system targeting, transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity. This review focuses on recent advances in the development and application of modRNA-based delivery systems for MIRI treatment. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of MIRI and the structural characteristics and application of modRNA may encourage researchers to explore promising therapeutic modalities for addressing reperfusion-related cardiac injury. Full article

Among various statistical process-control (SPC) methods, control charts are widely employed as essential instruments for monitoring and improving process quality. This study focuses on a new modified exponentially weighted moving-average (New Modified EWMA) control chart that enhances detection capability under integrated and fractionally integrated time-series processes. Special attention is given to the effect of symmetry on the chart structure and performance. The proposed chart preserves a symmetric monitoring configuration, in which the two-sided design ($\mathrm{LCL}>0$) establishes control limits that are equally spaced around the center line, enabling balanced detection of both upward and downward shifts. Conversely, the one-sided version ($\mathrm{LCL}=0$) introduces a deliberate asymmetry to increase sensitivity to upward mean shifts, which is particularly useful when downward deviations are physically implausible or less critical. The efficacy of the control chart utilizing both models is assessed through Average Run Length (ARL). Herein, the explicit formula of ARL is derived and compared to the ARL obtained from the Numerical Integral Equation (NIE) in terms of both accuracy and computational time. The accuracy of the analytical ARL expression is validated by its negligible percentage difference ($\%diff$) in comparison to the results derived using the NIE approach, and the display processing time not exceeding 3 s. To confirm the highest capability, the suggested method is compared to both the classic EWMA and the modified EWMA charts using evaluation metrics such as ARL and SDRL (standard deviation run length), as well as RMI (relative mean index) and PCI (performance comparison index). Since asset values are volatile due to positive and negative market influences, symmetry is crucial in financial monitoring. Thus, symmetric control-chart structures reduce directional bias and better portray financial market activity by balancing upward and downward movements. Finally, examination of US stock prices illustrates performance, employing a symmetrical two-sided control chart for the rapid detection of changes through the new modified EWMA, in contrast to standard EWMA and modified EWMA charts. Full article

Phototropins (PHOTs) are plant blue-light receptors that mediate crucial physiological processes such as phototropism, chloroplast movement, stomatal opening, and flowering. However, the PHOT family genes remain poorly characterized in pepper. Here, we identified and molecularly cloned two PHOT genes (CaPHOT1 and CaPHOT2) in pepper, which were phylogenetically classified into distinct groups with their homologs from rice, maize, tomato, and Arabidopsis. These genes exhibit conserved gene structures, implying functional conservation during evolution. Subcellular localization analysis confirmed that both CaPHOT1 and CaPHOT2 are localized to the plasma membrane. Expression profiling revealed that both CaPHOT1 and CaPHOT2 were expressed in all tissues, with the highest transcripts in leaves and the lowest in roots. Notably, RNA-seq data revealed that the expression of CaPHOT1 was up-regulated by JA and SA, whereas CaPHOT2 showed no significant changes. Furthermore, CaPHOT1 and CaPHOT2 displayed divergent expression patterns upon Phytophthora capsici infection (PCI). Furthermore, transient overexpression of CaPHOT1 in pepper enhanced susceptibility to PCI, indicating its negative role in disease resistance. Our findings identified the CaPHOT gene family in pepper and functionally demonstrated that CaPHOT1 negatively regulates resistance to PCI, thereby providing insights for future research on PHOTs in other plant species. Full article

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with a potent P2Y12 inhibitor is recommended for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). On-treatment platelet reactivity has been associated with ischemic endpoints and may vary between male and female patients. We, therefore, investigated sex-related differences in on-treatment platelet reactivity in ACS patients receiving ticagrelor or prasugrel. Methods: Maximal platelet aggregation by light-transmission aggregometry (LTA) and platelet surface P-selectin expression in response to arachidonic acid (AA), ADP, collagen, TRAP (a protease-activated receptor [PAR-1] agonist), and AYPGKF (a PAR-4 agonist) were assessed in 80 prasugrel- and 77 ticagrelor-treated patients 3 days after PCI. Results: In the overall study population (n = 157), women were older and had lower serum creatinine, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels than men (all p < 0.05). Women exhibited higher ADP-inducible platelet aggregation in response to both 10 μM and 5 μM of ADP (both p < 0.05), while no sex-related differences were observed for AA-, TRAP-, collagen-, or AYPGKF-inducible platelet aggregation and agonist-inducible platelet surface P-selectin expression. In prasugrel-treated patients, women had higher ADP-inducible platelet aggregation and P-selectin expression compared with men (both p < 0.05), whereas no sex-related differences were found in ticagrelor-treated patients. In the multivariate linear regression analyses, female sex remained an independent predictor of higher platelet aggregation in response to 5 μM of ADP in prasugrel-treated patients (p < 0.05). High on-treatment residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) in response to AA was detected in four patients, and HRPR ADP was seen in seven patients, with no significant differences between female and male ACS patients (both p > 0.05). Low on-treatment residual platelet reactivity (LRPR) in response to AA was identified in 153 patients and LRPR ADP was present in 80 patients, with a higher prevalence of LRPR ADP in men (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Female ACS patients on prasugrel exhibited higher ADP-inducible platelet aggregation than male patients, while no sex-related differences were observed in patients on ticagrelor. Full article

Traditional Pavement Condition Index (PCI) assessments are highly resource-intensive, demanding substantial time and labor while generating significant carbon emissions through extensive field operations. To address these sustainability challenges, this research presents an innovative methodology utilizing Gene Expression Programming (GEP) to determine PCI values based on International Roughness Index (IRI) measurements from Iraqi road networks, offering an environmentally conscious and resource-efficient approach to pavement management. The study incorporated 401 samples of IRI and PCI data through comprehensive visual inspection procedures. The developed GEP model exhibited exceptional predictive performance, with coefficient of determination (R²) values achieving 0.821 for training, 0.858 for validation, and 0.8233 overall, successfully accounting for approximately 82–85% of PCI variance. Prediction accuracy remained robust with Mean Absolute Error (MAE) values of 12–13 units and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values of 11.209 and 11.00 for training and validation sets, respectively. The lower validation RMSE suggests effective generalization without overfitting. Strong correlations between predicted and measured values exceeded 0.90, with acceptable relative absolute error values ranging from 0.403 to 0.387, confirming model effectiveness. Comparative analysis reveals GEP outperforms alternative regression methods in generalization capacity, particularly in real-world applications. This sustainable methodology represents a cost-effective alternative to conventional PCI evaluation, significantly reducing environmental impact through decreased field operations, lower fuel consumption, and minimized traffic disruption. By streamlining pavement management while maintaining assessment reliability and accuracy, this approach supports environmentally responsible transportation systems and aligns contemporary sustainability goals in infrastructure management. Full article

Coronary no-reflow (CNR) is the failure of blood to reperfuse ischemic myocardial tissue after restoration of the vasculature. CNR poses a significant clinical challenge in the treatment of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as it increases mortality and the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Myocardial ischemia with subsequent reperfusion results in severe damage to the cardiac microcirculation. The pathophysiological causes of CNR include cardiomyocyte vulnerability, capillary and endothelial damage, leukocyte activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and changes in microRNA profiles and related gene expression. The impact of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the occurrence of CNR cannot be overlooked, as it can provoke distal atherothrombotic embolization. Current standards of pharmacological therapy for CNR are confined to intracoronary vasodilators and antiplatelet agents. As our understanding of the pathogenesis of the CNR phenomenon improves, opportunities emerge for developing novel therapeutic strategies. The following literature review provides an overview of the pathophysiology of the no-reflow phenomenon (based on animal and preclinical studies), contemporary treatment trends, and current therapeutic approaches. Full article

Background: Although contemporary stent technology has significantly evolved, a substantial number of patients present with stent failure (SF), the clinical expression of which is either in-stent restenosis (ISR) or stent thrombosis (ST). Methods: In this observational, single-center study, we aimed to compare the clinical characteristics, clinical presentation, angiographic findings and subsequent management of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for SF, either ISR or ST, with patients who had PCI for de novo lesions. Results: Over a period of two years (September 2022–October 2024), 1120 patients underwent PCI, of whom 9% had SF. Of the 101 SF cases, the majority (76 cases, 75%) had ISR, while the rest (25 cases, 25%) had ST. Regarding baseline characteristics, patients who underwent PCI for SF had a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (53% vs. 29%; p < 0.001), dyslipidemia (88% vs. 50%; p < 0.001) as well as prior coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (7.9% vs. 3.7%; p = 0.043), while they were less likely to be current smokers (33% vs. 52%; p < 0.001). SF PCI patients presented more frequently with unstable angina (17% vs. 8.9%; p = 0.010). A new stent was implanted in less than half of SF cases (i.e., stent implantation, 44% vs. 91%; p < 0.001). On the other hand, in the clinical setting of SF, drug-coated balloons (44% vs. 5.3%; p < 0.001) and plain balloon angioplasty (8.9% vs. 0.7%; p < 0.001) was applied more frequently compared with de novo lesions. Furthermore, the usage of cutting/scoring balloons and lithotripsy was significantly higher in the SF group (8.9% vs. 0.4% and 12% vs. 3%, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). Intracoronary imaging guidance was more commonly used in the SF group (33% vs. 13%; p < 0.001). Stent malapposition (44%) and neoatherosclerosis (67%) were the most common mechanisms of ST and ISR, respectively, as identified by intravascular imaging modalities. Finally, the success rates were comparable (96% vs. 98%; p = 0.150) between the two groups. Conclusions: Approximately one of ten patients underwent PCI because of the failure of a previously implanted stent. Use of intracoronary imaging is significantly higher in the clinical context of SF. While DES implantation remains the standard of practice for de novo lesions, DCBs are a popular alternative, especially for ISR cases. Interventional cardiologists who are involved in the treatment of SF cases should be familiar with interpreting intravascular imaging to guide the use of the adjunctive device required to ensure that optimal procedural results in SF cases are obtained. Full article

Osteosarcoma is a highly aggressive bone malignancy, particularly challenging in metastatic cases, with a 5-year survival rate remaining under 30%. Although doxorubicin (doxo) is a standard first-line chemotherapeutic agent, its clinical utility is often hindered by the development of drug resistance and associated systemic toxicity. Emerging evidence highlights the role of epigenetic alterations, particularly those involving histone deacetylases (HDACs), in promoting chemoresistance. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of combining doxo with the selective HDAC inhibitors, tasquinimod (Tas, targeting HDAC4) and PCI-34051 (PCI, targeting HDAC8), in SJSA-1 osteosarcoma cells. Utilizing both 2D and 3D in vitro models, the combination treatment (referred to as the T4 group) significantly reduced cell viability by 57.69% in 2D cultures and decreased spheroid volume by 35.19% in 3D models. The apoptotic response was markedly enhanced, with late apoptosis reaching 64.59% and necrosis at 32.07%, both surpassing the effects observed with doxo alone. Furthermore, wound healing assays demonstrated a 37.74% inhibition of migration, accompanied by a decreased expression of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP9 and MMP13. Mechanistically, the combination therapy led to the downregulation of protein kinase B (pAKT) and RUNX2, along with upregulation of apoptotic markers, including caspase 8, caspase 3, and cleaved caspase 3, indicating a disruption of key survival pathways. These findings suggest that dual HDAC inhibition with Tas and PCI can potentiate doxo efficacy by enhancing apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation, and reducing metastatic potential, thus offering a promising strategy to overcome chemoresistance in osteosarcoma. Further preclinical and clinical studies are required to validate these therapeutic benefits. Full article

Revascularization procedures such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are crucial to restore blood flow to the heart and are used in the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI). However, these techniques are known to cause myocardial reperfusion injury in the ischemic heart. The present study aims to mimic ischemia–reperfusion injury in vitro on primary human cardiomyocytes (HCMs) and use the established injury model to study the rescue mechanism of skeletal muscle cell (SkM)-seeded electrospun fiber-coated human amniotic membrane scaffold (EF–HAM) on injured cardiomyocytes through paracrine secretion. An in vitro ischemia–reperfusion injury model was established by exposing the HCM to 5 h of hypoxia, followed by a 6 h reoxygenation period. Six different conditioned media (CM) including three derived from SkM-seeded EF–HAMs were introduced to the injured cells to investigate the cardioprotective effect of the CM. Cell survival analysis, caspase-3 and XIAP expression profiling, mitochondrial membrane potential analysis, and measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were conducted to evaluate the outcomes of the study. The results revealed a significant increase in the viability of HCM exposed to H/R injury by 77.2% (p < 0.01), 111.8% (p < 0.001), 68.7% (p < 0.05), and 69.5% (p < 0.05) when supplemented with HAM CM, EF–HAM 3 min CM, EF–HAM 5 min CM, and EF–HAM 7 min CM, respectively. Furthermore, CM derived from SkM-seeded EF–HAM scaffolds positively impacted hypoxia-/reoxygenation-induced changes in caspase-3 expression, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species generation, but not in XIAP expression. These findings suggest that EF–HAM composite scaffolds can exert antiapoptotic and cardioregenerative effects on primary human cardiomyocytes through the paracrine mechanism. Full article

Soil erosivity is a key indicator of the effectiveness of precipitation acting on the land’s surface and is mainly controlled by event-scale and seasonal weather and climatic factors but is also influenced by the nature of the land’s surface, including relief and vegetation cover. The aim of this study is to examine spatial and temporal variations in soil erosivity across southern Africa using rainfall data for the period 2000–2023 and a gridded raster spatial modelling approach. The two wettest and driest years in the record (±>1.5 standard deviation of rainfall values) were identified, which were 2000 and 2006, and 2003 and 2019, respectively. Monthly rainfall values in these extreme wet/dry years were then analyzed for four rainfall regions (arid, semiarid, subhumid, humid), identified according to their annual rainfall totals. These data were then used to calculate Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) values as an expression of rainfall seasonality, and the modified Fournier index (MFI) was used to quantify rainfall erosivity. The results show that there are significant differences in erosivity between the different climate regions based on rainfall seasonality and also their distinctive environmental settings. In turn, these reflect the synoptic climatic conditions in these regions, their different precipitation sources, and rainfall totals. The results of this study show that calculated MFI values at the national scale, which is the approach taken in most previous studies, cannot effectively describe or account for erosivity values that characterize different climatic regions at the sub-national scale. Furthermore, the mismatch between PCI and MFI spatial patterns across the region highlights that, under semiarid, and highly seasonal rainfall regimes, episodic rainfall events interspersed with periods of dryness result in significant variability in erosivity values that are unaccounted for by rainfall totals or seasonality alone. In these environments, flash floods and wind erosion result in regional-scale soil erosion and land degradation, but these processes and outcomes are not clear when considering MFI values alone. Fully evaluating spatial and temporal patterns of erosivity in their climatic and environmental contexts, as developed in this study, has implications for sediment and carbon exports, as well as identifying the major regions in which land degradation is an environmental and agricultural issue. Full article

Phytochrome-interacting factor (PIF) is a subfamily of the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) and plays key roles in plant responses to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. In this work, a PIF gene named CaPIF7a was cloned and its role in the regulation of pepper’s resistance to Phytophthora capsici infection (PCI) was studied. The cloned CaPIF7a gene has a CDS length of 1383 bp, encodes a hydrophilic protein containing bHLH and APB characteristic domains, and subcellular localization results showed that CaPIF7a was located in the nucleus. Expression analysis showed that CaPIF7a gene has the highest expression level in leaf, and its expression was regulated under PCI and salicylic acid (SA) treatment. Silencing of CaPIF7a in pepper plants by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) reduces the resistance of pepper to PCI, with decreased expression of SA-responsive and SA-biosynthesis genes and obviously decreased SA content. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) was employed to identify the potential targets of CaPIF7a, and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) verified that CaPIF7a could regulate the expression of CaHY5 by binding its promoter. These findings indicated that CaPIF7a might be a key modulator in plant immune response and presented a possible regulatory network of CaPIF7a in PCI. Full article

In Crohn’s Disease (CD), intestinal fibrosis is a prevalent yet unresolved complication arising from chronic and transmural inflammation. The histological assessment of CD intestines shows changes in tissue morphology in all the layers, including the mucosa and muscularis. This study aimed to determine the differences in fibrogenesis between mucosa and muscularis. Human precision-cut intestinal slices (hPCIS) were prepared from human intestine mucosa and muscularis and treated with TGF-β1 and/or PDGF-BB for 72 h. Gene and protein expression and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity were determined. The basal gene expression of various fibrosis markers was higher in muscularis compared to mucosa hPCIS. During incubation, Pro-Collagen-1A1 secretion increased in muscularis but not in mucosa hPCIS. MMP gene expression increased during incubation in mucosa and muscularis hPCIS, except for MMP9, MMP12, and MMP13 in muscularis hPCIS. Incubation with TGF-β1 caused increased COL1A1 expression in the mucosa but not in muscularis hPCIS. In muscularis hPCIS, TGF-β1 treatment caused a decrease in MMP1 and CTSK expression, while MMP13 was increased. In the presence of TGF-β1, protease inhibitor expression was stable, except for SERPINE1, which was increased in muscularis hPCIS. We conclude that fibrogenesis is more pronounced in muscularis hPCIS compared to mucosa hPCIS, especially when stimulated with TGF-β1. Full article