Search Results (132)

Background/Objectives: Sheep pox, a highly contagious disease, is prevalent in Africa and Asia, with sporadic outbreaks in Europe, and inflicts tremendous economic losses. Vaccination represents the primary and most effective prevention method. The genetic diversity of circulating SPPV strains worldwide is poorly studied, and vaccine selection is typically guided by the availability of a particular vaccine. In this study, four sheep pox vaccines, including the RM65, KSGP 0240, KSGP ARRIAH, and NISKHI ARRIAH vaccines, were evaluated against a contemporary virulent strain circulating in Asia. Methods: The level of antibodies in the blood serum was determined using the ELISA and microneutralization assay. Blood samples and nasal swabs were obtained for PCR examination. Comprehensive clinical and postmortem pathological examinations were conducted. Results: The body temperature of all experimental animals remained within the physiological norm, with no clinical manifestations, local reactions, viremia, or necropsy pathological lesions, demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines used against the contemporary virulent strain. Furthermore, immunization was associated with the formation of neutralizing and specific antibodies in all vaccinated groups post vaccination, with a significant increase in their levels after challenge, indicating a high level of immunogenicity. The NISKHI ARRIAH vaccine exhibited statistically significant superiority over the other vaccinated groups. However, the unvaccinated control group demonstrated post-challenge moderate-to-severe clinical signs, postmortem lesions, with high levels of virus shedding, and lower levels of neutralizing and specific antibodies, compared with the vaccinated groups. Conclusions: Our study results indicate that the experimental group immunized with the NISKHI ARRIAH vaccine exhibited the initial and most substantial immune response, maintaining the highest antibody levels on the 28th day after vaccination in comparison to the other studied vaccines. Full article

The concept of using ‘acid-adapted’ challenge cultures in the microbial validation of food processes that incorporate an acidic treatment is that they would be more resistant to acid and require a robust process to obtain targeted log reductions. The recent confirmation that acid-adapted Salmonella challenge cultures for droëwors and biltong processes are more sensitive to those processes than non-adapted cultures changes that preference for the use of non-adapted cultures for validation studies with these specific processes. However, it is difficult to achieve > 5-log reductions with non-adapted cultures, one of two USDA-FSIS parameters available for validation of processes that are not aligned with traditional process conditions for dried beef products in the USA (i.e., beef jerky). A natural multipurpose (flavor, antimicrobial) commercial product, described as a refined liquid smoke flavorant, provided >7-log reductions with droëwors when challenged with non-adapted cultures of Salmonella (5-serovar mixture), Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC, four-strain mixture), and Listeria monocytogenes (four-strain mixture) as well as a >7-log reduction with biltong processing (vs Salmonella). Comparisons between standard droëwors and biltong processes (all <5-log reductions) using non-adapted challenge cultures vs. the same formulation plus 0.75% pyrolyzed liquid smoke extracts (Flavoset) showed greater and significant (p < 0.05) reductions in duplicate trials with triplicate samples at each sampling point in each trial (total n = 6) when analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA). Although sold as a flavorant, this study examines the antimicrobial properties of Flavoset 5400L to improve the safety of droëwors and biltong by achieving a >5-log reduction with non-adapted pathogenic challenge cultures. Validation processes for droëwors and biltong established with these parameters should result in greater safety of marinaded, non-thermally processed meats from traditional foodborne pathogens commonly associated with meats or meat processing environments. Full article

Germanium (Ge) has long been regarded as a promising channel material, owing to its superior carrier mobility and highly tunable electronic band structure. The new generation of low-power electronics is approaching the formation of fully depleted (FD) transistors on Si-on-insulator (SOl) and Ge-on-insulator (GOl) substrates. In this work, we present a full process of a novel FDGOI transistor formed on a strained GOI with low defect density. This scalable and industry-compatible approach enables the formation of uniform 50 nm thick Ge layers by using spinning wet etch with ultrasmooth surfaces (RMS roughness = 0.262 nm) and a low etch-pit density of ~10⁵ cm⁻². Electrical measurements reveal excellent carrier transport properties, with back-gate (BG) transistors achieving mobilities of 550–600 cm²/V·s, while front-gate (FG) devices exhibit sharp switching behavior and steep subthreshold slopes, yielding I_ON/I_OFF ratios up to 10⁵. Temperature-dependent measurements further demonstrate a pronounced enhancement of device performance: the I_ON/I_OFF ratio increases to 106, the subthreshold swing (SS) decreases from 179 mV/dec at room temperature to 137 mV/dec at 120 K, and the threshold-voltage shift with temperature is as low as 1.87 mV/K across the range of 30–300 K. Such behavior highlights the potential of band-gap engineering for precise threshold-voltage control. Taken together, these results establish GOI as a CMOS-compatible material platform and provide a solid technological basis for the development of next-generation low-power transistors beyond conventional CMOS scaling. Full article

The growing demand for sustainable construction practices has driven research into self-sensing materials incorporating recycled waste for smart SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) systems. However, previous works did not investigate the influence of rheological behavior and piezoresistive properties of sustainable cementitious sensors containing red mud (RM) on the strain monitoring of concrete beams. To address this gap, this study presents an experimental analysis of the rheological, mechanical, and self-sensing performance of mortars incorporating carbon black nanoparticles (CBN) and varying levels of RM (25–100% sand replacement by volume), followed by their application in monitoring strain in a reinforced concrete beam under dynamic loading. The results showed that increasing RM content led to higher viscosity and yield stress, with a 60% reduction in consistency index. Compressive strength increased by up to 80%, while mortars with RM content higher than 50% showed high electrical conductivity and reversible resistivity changes under load cycles. Mortars containing 50–100% RM demonstrated improved piezoresistive response, with a 23% increase in gauge factor, and the best-performing sensor embedded in a concrete beam exhibited stable and reversible fractional changes in resistivity, closely matching strain gauge data during dynamic loading conditions. These findings highlight the potential of RM-based smart mortars to enhance sustainability and performance in SHM applications. Full article

Autochthonous enterococci surviving mild thermization of raw milk (RM) before traditional Greek cheese processing may simultaneously comprise safe and virulent thermoduric strains with multiple antibiotic resistances (ARs). Therefore, this study biotyped and then compared the ARs of 60 Enterococcus isolates from two antilisterial sheep milks of native Epirus breeds before (RM) and after (TM) thermization at 65 °C for 30 s; the RM isolates were previously genotyped and evaluated for primary safety traits, namely, hemolytic activity, vanA/vanB, cytolysin, and virulence genes, by molecular methods. Biochemically typical and atypical strains of Enterococcus faecium (six biotypes), E. durans (five biotypes), E. faecalis (two biotypes), and E. hirae (one biotype), which were subdominant to other LAB species in RM (19 isolates), prevailed in TM (41 isolates). E. faecium biotypes 1A, 1D, and 1H included multiple-Ent+ (entA/entB/entP or entA/entB) strains with strong antilisterial CFS activity, whereas E. faecium 1X (entA), E. durans 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2X (entA/entP or entP), E. faecalis 3B, and E. hirae 4A (entA) biotypes displayed direct in vitro antilisterial activity only. Biotypes 1D, 1X, and 2A were selected in TM. All E. faecium/durans isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, but the m-Ent + E. faecium biotype 1A and 1D strains were resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and ampicillin. In contrast, all biotype 1X isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics tested. All E. faecalis and most E. durans isolates were resistant to penicillin but susceptible to erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. Biotype 2X isolates and one virulent (ace; gelE) E. faecalis isolate from RM were tetracycline-resistant. A sporadic RM isolate of E. hirae that was resistant to penicillin and vancomycin was not retrieved from the counterpart TM, but the inclusion of three vancomycin-resistant isolates from TM in the primary biotype 3B of E. faecalis was a cause for concern. In conclusion, based on the results, antibiotic-susceptible representatives of all strain biotypes of the E. faecium/durans group, as well as antagonistic m-Ent+ E. faecium strains from sheep milk that were susceptible to vancomycin and ampicillin and lacking virulence genes, can be included in safe complex natural starters to be developed for onsite use in traditional Greek hard cheese technologies. Full article

Porphyridium purpureum can synthesize a high phycoerythrin content, which has strong potential application in nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. An effective culture strategy is the key to producing biomass of P. purpureum rich in phycoerythrin. However, there are still bottlenecks in the large-scale production of Porphyridium, such as nutrient supplementation and cultivation mode. In this study, P. purpureum SCS-02, isolated from the South China Sea, was used as experimental microalga strain. The effects of different salinity (10, 20 and 34 ppt) and semi-continuous culture on accumulation of biomass and phycoerythrin were investigated. The semi-continuous culture modes include recycled culture medium mode (RM) and fresh culture medium mode (FM). The results showed that low salinity (10 ppt) could enhance the accumulation of phycoerythrin, the content and yield of which were 8.39% DW and 160 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The yield of phycoerythrin of P. purpureum in semi-continuous culture with a 30% renewal rate of fresh culture medium was 253% higher than the batch culture. In summary, the semi-continuous culture strategy with fresh medium renewal under low salinity conditions increased the phycoerythrin yield to 641.47 mg after 30 days of cultivation, while exopolysaccharide accumulation was significantly reduced compared with batch culture. These results provide useful reference for optimizing culture strategies of P. purpureum, and may serve as a basis for future attempts to scale phycoerythrin production under industrially relevant conditions. Full article

Developing highly efficient and cost-effective immobilized biocatalysts is essential for optimizing diacylglycerol (DAG) production via biotransformation of natural oil. To address this, the 1,3-regiospecific MAS1-H108W lipase, derived from marine Streptomyces sp. strain W007, was produced through high-density fermentation (20 °C, pH 7.0, 132 h). This lipase was immobilized by XAD1180 resin adsorption, yielding an immobilized MAS1-H108W lipase with a lipase activity of 4943.5 U/g and a protein loading of 201.5 mg/g under selected conditions (lipase/support ratio 100 mg/g, initial buffer pH of 8.0). After immobilization, the lipase maintained its optimal temperature at 70 °C and shifted its optimal pH from 7.0 to 8.0, along with enhanced thermostability. The immobilized MAS1-H108W lipase demonstrated superior efficiency in DAG synthesis compared to non-regiospecific immobilized MAS1 lipase and commercial lipases (Novozym 435 and Lipozyme RM IM). Under the optimized reaction conditions (reaction temperature 60 °C, olive oil/glycerol molar ratio 1:2, adding amount of immobilized MAS1-H108W lipase 1.0 wt.%), a maximum DAG content of 49.3% was achieved within 4 h. The immobilized lipase also exhibited excellent operational stability, retaining 81.9% of its initial production capacity after 10 reuse cycles. Furthermore, in the glycerolysis of various vegetable oils (corn oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil), the DAG content catalyzed by immobilized MAS1-H108W lipase consistently exceeded 48%. This work provides a highly efficient and economical immobilized biocatalyst for DAG production, and highlights the significant potential of regioselective lipases in promoting efficient DAG synthesis via glycerolysis. Full article

Type I restriction-modification (RMI) systems play a crucial role in bacterial defense against mobile elements by distinguishing self and foreign DNA through sequence-specific methylation and cleavage. Here, we characterize BlihIA, a novel RMI system from Bacillus licheniformis DSM13 which features redundancy in its hsdS gene copies. Using ONT sequencing, we identify the bipartite recognition site of BlihIA as RTAC(N)₅GCT. We demonstrate the system’s activity both in vivo through efficiency of plaquing (EOP) assay and in vitro in a nuclease reaction with purified BlihIA complex. Notably, mutation of the recognition site abolished in vitro DNA cleavage, confirming sequence specificity. Furthermore, we show that the antirestriction protein ArdB from plasmid R64 effectively prevents DNA cleavage by BlihIA, suggesting a direct mechanism of inhibition. This study provides the first functional characterization of a novel RM system BlihIA, extending the diversity of RM systems in Bacillus species and suggesting potential applications for improving genetic transformation in industrial strains. Full article

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and feasibility of resistance training (RT) in middle-aged and young individuals by examining cardiocirculatory and metabolic responses to squat performed under low and high external loads as per current exercise prescription guidelines. Methods: Eighteen RT-trained individuals (nine middle-aged individuals, including eight women who were equally distributed) performed a cycling incremental test for the determination of their maximal aerobic capacity and three sessions of RT, respectively, to determine their one repetition maximum (1RM) of squat and their physiological responses during different training protocols of squat with equal training loads (3 × 12 at 55% 1RM vs. 5 × 5 at 80% 1RM). Whole-body metabolic (oxygen update and blood lactate) and cardiocirculatory (heart rate and blood pressure) responses and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were compared across age groups and % 1RM to determine the metabolic stimulus and cardiovascular strain imposed by this form of training. Results: Young and middle-aged individuals exhibited similar cardiocirculatory responses to RT, with the only exception being a higher diastolic response in the middle-aged group for both protocols (present also at rest). No difference was found between the two age groups in terms of metabolic response and RPE. 80% 1RM induced a similar cardiocirculatory response and a higher RPE but a lower metabolic response compared to 55% 1RM. Conclusions: While no difference in physiological responses was found between the groups, the lower-load and higher-repetition training scheme demonstrated better time efficiency, metabolic activation, and perceived effort with equivalent cardiocirculatory strain. These findings support the safety of RT and can guide practitioners in the design of training protocols. Full article

This review focuses on the synthesis of spacer-armed phosphooligosaccharides structurally related to the capsular phosphoglycans of pathogenic bacteria, including the Haemophilus influenzae serotypes a, b, c, and f, Neisseria meningitidis serogroups a and x, the Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6f, 19a, and 19f, and the Campylobacter jejuni serotype HS:53, strain RM1221, in which the phosphodiester linkage is a structural component of a phosphoglycan backbone. Also, in this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the preparation and immunogenicity of neoglycoconjugates based on synthetic phosphooligosaccharides. The discussed data helps evaluate the prospects for the development of conjugate vaccines on the basis of synthetic phosphooligosaccharide antigens. Full article

A restriction enzyme PsaI, an isoschizomer of the type II restriction endonuclease HindIII, has been purified to homogeneity from Gram-negative bacilli Pseudomonas anguilliseptica KM9 found in a wastewater treatment plant in Poland. Experimental data revealed that R.PsaI is highly active in the presence of Co²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Zn²⁺ and reached a maximal level of activity between 2.5 and 10 mM while its activity was significantly decreased in the presence of Ca²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Ni²⁺. Moreover, we found that the purified R.PsaI did not require NaCl for enzyme activity. Restriction cleavage analysis followed by sequencing confirmed 5′-AAGCTT-3′ as the recognition site. The genes for restriction–modification system PsaI were identified and characterized. Downstream of the psaIM gene, we noticed an ORF that shares extensive similarity with recombinase family protein specifically involved in genome rearrangements. Sequence analysis revealed that the PsaI R-M gene complex showed striking nucleotide sequence similarity (>98%) with the genes of the PanI R-M system from a P. anguilliseptica MatS1 strain identified in a soil sample from Sri Lanka. Full article

This study presents a self-powered smart wrist brace integrated with a piezoelectric sensor for real-time biomechanical monitoring during weightlifting activities. The system was designed to quantify wrist flexion across multiple loading conditions (0 kg, 0.5 kg, and 1.0 kg), leveraging mechanical strain-induced voltage generation to capture angular displacement. A flexible PVDF film was embedded within a custom-fitted wrist brace and tested on male and female participants performing controlled wrist flexion. The resulting voltage signals were analyzed to extract root-mean-square (RMS) outputs, calibration curves, and sensitivity metrics. To interpret the experimental results analytically, a lumped-parameter cantilever beam model was developed, linking wrist flexion angles to piezoelectric voltage output based on mechanical deformation theory. The model assumed a linear relationship between wrist angle and induced strain, enabling theoretical voltage prediction through simplified material and geometric parameters. Model-predicted voltage responses were compared with experimental measurements, demonstrating a good agreement and validating the mechanical-electrical coupling approach. Experimental results revealed consistent voltage increases with both wrist angle and applied load, and regression analysis demonstrated strong linear or mildly nonlinear fits with high $R^2$ values (up to 0.994) across all conditions. Furthermore, surface plots and strain sensitivity analyses highlighted the system’s responsiveness to simultaneous angular and loading changes. These findings validate the smart wrist brace as a reliable, low-power biomechanical monitoring tool, with promising applications in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and real-time athletic performance feedback. Full article

Passive back-support exoskeletons commonly employ elastic components to assist users during dynamic tasks. However, these designs are ineffective in providing sustained assistance for prolonged static bending postures, such as those required in surgery, assembly, and farming, where users experience continuous lumbar flexion. To address this limitation, a novel passive back-support exoskeleton inspired by the human spine is proposed in this work. The exoskeleton integrates a five-bar linkage mechanism with vertebrae-mimicking units, allowing for both dynamic flexion–extension movements and rigid support at various flexion angles. During the experiments, subjects are instructed to perform a 30-min forward-bending assembly task under two conditions: with and without wearing the exoskeleton. Compared to the free condition, the electromyography results indicate a 10.1% reduction in integrated EMG (IEMG) and a 9.78% decrease in root mean square (RMS) values of the erector spinae with the exoskeleton. Meanwhile, the metabolic rate is decreased by 11.1%, highlighting the effectiveness of the exoskeleton in mitigating muscle fatigue during prolonged static work. This work provides a promising solution for reducing musculoskeletal strain in occupations requiring sustained forward bending, making it a valuable advancement in passive exoskeleton technology. Full article

Background/Objectives: Beetroot juice (BJ), a natural source of dietary nitrate, has gained increasing attention for its potential to improve exercise performance and cardiovascular function. While its benefits are well documented in endurance contexts, less is known about its short-term effects on resistance training performance and recovery. Thus, this study investigated the effects of short-term BJ supplementation on strength performance, cardiovascular responses, muscle oxygenation, and post-exercise recovery in resistance-trained males. Methods: Twelve healthy men (age: 21.3 ± 1.9 years; body mass index: 21.42 ± 2.36 kg/m²) completed two supplementation protocols involving BJ, providing 450 mg of nitrate per day, and a nitrate-free placebo (PLA). Each protocol consisted of two laboratory visits, one to assess the acute ergogenic effects and another to evaluate recovery after 72 h, resulting in a total of four sessions over a two-week period. During the three consecutive days of supplementation, participants ingested a single 900 mL dose (15 g BJ powder/PLA) 2 h before the first session, followed by three daily 300 mL doses (5 g BJ each/PLA) over the next two days, and a final dose (15 g BJ powder/PLA) taken 2 h before the second session (72 h post-first session). Each testing session involved incremental back squat (BS) and bench press (BP) exercises at 60%, 70%, and 80% of the one-repetition maximum (1RM) performed to failure, with three-minute rest intervals between sets. Repetition to failure, movement velocity, peak power, peak heart rate (HR), and muscle oxygenation (SmO₂) were recorded during BP and BS exercises. Heart rate variability (HRV) and blood lactate were assessed before and after each training session. Lower-limb strength (CMJ and SJ) and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) were assessed daily during the 3-day supplementation period. Results: BJ significantly increased repetitions completed at 80% 1RM during BP and BS (p < 0.05) compared to the PLA. Peak movement velocity improved across all intensities using BJ with higher values compared to the PLA at 60–80% 1RM (p < 0.05). SmO₂ was higher in BJ at 70–80% 1RM) and further improved after 72 h of BJ supplementation (p < 0.05). Cardiovascular strain was reduced in BJ, evidenced by lower peak HRs and smaller post-exercise declines in HRV indices (p < 0.05). Post-exercise recovery favored BJ, with faster recovery in jump performance at 24 h and reduced upper-limb DOMS at 24–48 h (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Short-term BJ supplementation enhances high-intensity resistance performance, improves muscle oxygenation, attenuates cardiovascular strain, and accelerates neuromuscular recovery. These benefits highlight its potential as a practical strategy for athletes seeking to optimize training performance and recovery during periods of intense resistance training. Full article

A testing method is developed to evaluate the acceleration- and strain-based fatigue life of a thermal interface layer in the high-cycle fatigue regime. The methodology adopts vibration-based fatigue testing, where adhesively bonded beams are excited at their resonant frequency under variable amplitude loading using an electrodynamic shaker. Fatigue failure is monitored through shifts in modal frequency and modal damping. Key findings include the identification of a 4% frequency shift as the failure criterion, corresponding to macro-delamination. The thickness of the thermal interface material influences acceleration-based fatigue life, decreasing by a factor of 0.2 when reduced from 0.3 mm to 0.15 mm and increasing by 5.5 when increased to 0.5 mm. Surface quality has a significant impact on both acceleration-based and strain-based fatigue curves. Beams from chemically etched aluminum–magnesium alloy specimens exhibit a sevenfold increase in fatigue life compared to beams from untreated printed circuit boards. Strain-based fatigue life increases with temperature, with a 0.2 reduction at $-40$ °C and an eightfold increase at $100$ °C relative to $23$ °C. The first principal strain ${\epsilon }_{1,\mathrm{rms}}$ is validated as a reliable local damage parameter, effectively characterizing fatigue behavior across varying TIM thicknesses. Full article