Search Results (5,784)

Crop residue management and soil tillage (CRM and ST) are key steps in agricultural production. The effects of different CRM and ST modes on the quality of seedbed, seeding, and harvest yield are not well determined. In this study, the system of maize (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) rotation under ridge-tillage in the semi-arid regions of Northeast China was chosen as the study conditions. Four modes were investigated: deep tillage and seeding (DT and S), stubble field and no-tillage seeding (SF and NTS), three-axis rotary tillage and seeding (TART and S), and shallow rotary tillage and seeding (SRT and S). Results show that the DT and S mode produced the best quality of seedbed and seeding. Among the conservation tillage modes, the SRT and S mode produced the shortest average length of roots and straw, the best uniformity of their distribution in the seedbed, and the highest soybean yield. Both the SRT and S and SF and NTS modes yielded a higher net profit as their cost-effectiveness. When considering only the quality of seedbed and seeding under conservation tillage as a prerequisite, it can be concluded that the SRT and S mode is both advantageous and sustainable. Full article

Background/Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI), defined as the involuntary loss of urine, is common among female athletes. As more women engage in competitive sports, numerous studies have explored UI in young, nulliparous, and physically active women. The objectives of this study were (i) to analyze the prevalence, severity, and characteristics of UI in professional nulliparous female soccer players and (ii) to compare the status of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) between professional soccer players and physically active young women. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included professional soccer players (n = 18) and physically active women (n = 14). UI was assessed using the ICIQ-SF questionnaire, and PFM function was evaluated through intracavitary examination using the PERFECT method. Additional data were collected on body composition and on urinary, bowel, and sexual health. Results: UI affected 35.7% of physically active women and 50% of professional soccer players. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) was the most common type, present in 100% of affected soccer players and 60% of affected active women. The severity of UI was mostly mild, with no significant differences between groups. PFM assessment revealed deficiencies in control, relaxation, endurance, and rapid contractions, as well as difficulties performing an effective perineal locking (PL) maneuver during increased intra-abdominal pressure. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for targeted programs focused on strengthening and educating athletes about their PFMs, aiming to prevent UI and improve both performance and quality of life. The study reinforces the importance of preventive strategies for pelvic floor health in sports. Full article

Military personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan were exposed to emissions from open-air burn pits, where plastics, metals, and medical waste were incinerated. These exposures have been linked to deployment-related respiratory diseases (DRRD) and may also impact neurological health via the lung–brain axis. To investigate molecular mechanisms, adult male rats were exposed to filtered air, naphthalene (a representative volatile organic compound), or a combination of naphthalene and carbon black (surrogate for particulate matter; CBN) via whole-body inhalation (six hours/day, three consecutive days). Lung, brain, and plasma samples were collected 24 h after the final exposure. Pro-inflammatory biomarkers were assessed using multiplex electrochemiluminescence and western blot. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by RNA sequencing, and elastic net modeling was used to define exposure-predictive gene signatures. CBN exposure altered inflammatory biomarkers across tissues, with activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. In the lung, gene set enrichment revealed activated pathways related to proliferation and inflammation, while epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and oxidative phosphorylation were suppressed. In the brain, EMT, inflammation, and senescence pathways were activated, while ribosomal function and oxidative metabolism were downregulated. Elastic net modeling identified a lung gene signature predictive of CBN exposure, including Kcnq3, Tgfbr1, and Tm4sf19. These findings demonstrate that inhalation of a surrogate burn pit mixture induces inflammatory and metabolic gene expression changes in both lung and brain tissues, supporting the utility of this animal model for understanding systemic effects of airborne military toxicants and for identifying potential biomarkers relevant to DRRD and Veteran health. Full article

Recombinant protein hydrogels have emerged as transformative biomaterials that overcome the bioinertness and unpredictable degradation of traditional synthetic systems by leveraging genetically engineered backbones, such as elastin-like polypeptides, SF, and resilin-like polypeptides, to replicate extracellular matrix (ECM) dynamics and enable programmable functionality. Constructed through a hierarchical crosslinking strategy, these hydrogels integrate reversible physical interactions with covalent crosslinking approaches, collectively endowing the system with mechanical strength, environmental responsiveness, and controlled degradation behavior. Critically, molecular engineering strategies serve as the cornerstone for functional precision: domain-directed self-assembly exploits coiled-coil or β-sheet motifs to orchestrate hierarchical organization, while modular fusion of bioactive motifs through genetic encoding or site-specific conjugation enables dynamic control over cellular interactions and therapeutic release. Such engineered designs underpin advanced applications, including immunomodulatory scaffolds for diabetic wound regeneration, tumor-microenvironment-responsive drug depots, and shear-thinning bioinks for vascularized bioprinting, by synergizing material properties with biological cues. By uniting synthetic biology with materials science, recombinant hydrogels deliver unprecedented flexibility in tuning physical and biological properties. This review synthesizes emerging crosslinking paradigms and molecular strategies, offering a framework for engineering next-generation, adaptive biomaterials poised to address complex challenges in regenerative medicine and beyond. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dystonia, traditionally regarded as a purely motor disorder, is now increasingly recognized as involving clinically significant non-motor symptoms (NMSs) that can adversely affect patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to assess HRQoL in Romanian patients with isolated dystonia and to evaluate the impact of two key NMSs, depression and cognitive impairment, on their HRQoL. We hypothesized that depression would have a greater adverse effect on HRQoL than cognitive impairment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 65 adult Romanian patients with isolated dystonia. HRQoL was measured using the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), including the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and cognitive impairment was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and parametric and non-parametric tests were used. Multiple regression analysis was employed to evaluate associations between NMS and HRQoL. Results: The mean (SD) age was 56.6 (14.3) years, and 80% of participants were female. Depression and cognitive function were significantly associated with PCS (0.33 and −0.51, respectively) and MCS (0.26 and −0.78, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed that the two NMS explained 38% of the variance in PCS and 58% of the variance in MCS. Depression had a greater impact on PCS and MCS than cognitive impairment (−0.47 vs. 0.33 and −0.72 vs. 0.16, respectively). Cognitive impairment (MoCA < 26) was present in 35.4% of patients, while 46.2% had at least mild depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 5); 23.1% met criteria for moderate-to-severe depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10). Depressive symptoms showed strong negative correlations with all SF-36 domains, while cognitive performance correlated modestly. Conclusions: Both depression and cognitive impairment have a significant negative impact on HRQoL in dystonia, with depression having a stronger effect, as we hypothesized. Routine screening for non-motor symptoms is essential to support better clinical outcomes and enhance patients’ quality of life. Full article

Background and Objectives: The association between female breast size and spinal back pain is widely suggested in clinical practice but remains insufficiently quantified in general, non-surgical populations in the scientific literature. Larger breasts may increase biomechanical strain on the spine, contributing to musculoskeletal pain and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the association between breast size and back pain in a general orthopedic population of young women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 women aged 18–36 who attended orthopedic clinics for non-spinal complaints. Data were collected via structured telephone questionnaires, including demographics, self-reported breast size (cup and band), pain characteristics, and SF-12 quality of life scores. Binary logistic regression, ANOVA, and chi-square analyses assessed associations between breast size, pain presence, severity, and functional outcomes. Results: Back pain prevalence increased with breast size: only 4.9% of B cup participants reported backache, compared to 85% of DD/E cup participants. VAS scores rose from 0.3 ± 1.6 (B cup) to 6.0 ± 2.9 (DD/E cup). Each 1 cm increase in band length raised the odds of back pain by 19.8% (OR = 1.198, p < 0.001), while large cup size was associated with up to 12-fold increased odds of pain. Larger breast size was also significantly associated with work limitations and social impairment. Conclusions: Breast size was strongly associated with the presence and severity of back pain, particularly in the thoracic and cervical regions. Clinicians should consider breast size in the assessment of backache, and reduction mammaplasty may have therapeutic value beyond aesthetics. Full article

Background and Objectives: Adverse clinical outcomes are associated with malnutrition and frailty, which are highly prevalent among hospitalized older patients. This study aimed to evaluate their predictive value for the duration of hospitalization, short-term survival, and rehospitalization of patients admitted to internal medicine wards. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study included 134 acutely ill patients aged ≥50 years who were hospitalized in an internal medicine department and evaluated within the first 48 h of admission. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini nutritional assessment–short form (MNA-SF), Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002), and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Frailty was evaluated using the FRAIL scale and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). The primary outcomes were prolonged hospitalization (>10 days), mortality, and rehospitalization at 3 and 6 months post-discharge. Results: According to MNA-SF, 33.6% of patients were malnourished; 44% had nutritional risk per NRS-2002, and 44.8% were malnourished per GLIM. Frailty prevalence was 53.7% (FRAIL) and 59% (CFS). Malnutrition defined by all three scales (MNA-SF, NRS-2002, GLIM) was significantly associated with prolonged hospitalization (p = 0.043, 0.014, and 0.023, respectively), increased rehospitalization at both 3 months (p < 0.001) and 6 months (p < 0.001). Mortality was also significantly higher among malnourished patients. Higher CFS scores and low handgrip strength were additional predictors of adverse outcomes (p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, GLIM-defined malnutrition and CFS remained independent predictors of rehospitalization and mortality. Conclusions: Frailty and malnutrition are highly prevalent and independently associated with prolonged hospital stay, short-term rehospitalization and mortality. Routine screening at admission may facilitate early identification and guide timely interventions to improve patient outcomes. These findings might guide hospital protocols in aging health systems and support the development of standardized geriatric care pathways. Full article

Background/Objectives: Curcumin is a promising therapy for glioblastoma but is limited by poor water solubility, rapid metabolism, and low blood–brain barrier penetration. This study aimed to evaluate curcumin and six curcumin derivatives with improved activity against a glioblastoma cell line and favorable absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties. Methods: Twenty-one curcumin derivatives were assessed and subjected to in vitro MTT cytotoxicity assays in SF268 glioblastoma and Vero cells. On the basis of the cytotoxicity results, six derivatives with the most favorable characteristics were selected for additional mechanistic studies, which included microtubule depolymerization, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and BAX activation assays. ADMET properties were determined in silico. Results: Compounds 2–4, 6, and 11 demonstrated better activity (IC₅₀: 0.59–3.97 µg/mL and SI: 3–20) than curcumin (IC₅₀: 6.3 µg/mL; SI: 2.5). Lead derivatives destabilized microtubules, induced ΔΨm collapse, and activated BAX. In silico ADMET prediction analysis revealed that compounds 4 and 6 were the most promising for oral administration from a biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic point of view. Conclusions: Strategic modifications were made to one or both hydroxyl groups of the aromatic rings of curcumin to increase its physicochemical stability and activity against glioblastoma cell line SF268. Compound 4, bearing fully protected aromatic domains, was identified as a prime candidate for in vivo validation and formulation development. Full article

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a disabling pain condition, which is distinct from other pain syndromes by the presence of autonomic dysfunction and regional inflammatory changes. Objectives: To explore the impact of pharmacological treatment strategies, specifically scheduled, on-demand dosing regimens versus lack of medical treatment, on pain-related and functional outcomes in rehabilitation for individuals with CRPS. Methods: A total of 32 participants with CRPS were assigned to three treatment groups depending on analgesic treatment during the course of complex rehabilitation. Pre- and post-rehabilitation assessments were conducted using validated measures, including the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), PainDETECT, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH), and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). Results: Significant improvements in pain and upper limb function (DASH scores) were observed across all groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant changes were found in lower limb function (LEFS). Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in post-treatment pain scores (SFMPQ-B), particularly between groups with a constant treatment regimen and those without treatment. Conclusions: There were no statistically significant changes compared to different treatment regimen groups. The constant treatment group showed slightly better average improvements in pain and disability compared to other groups. Statistically significant improvements in all CRPS patients were observed in pain-related and functional measures. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sleep questionnaires are used as screening tools to estimate the presence and severity of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim was to prospectively assess the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of sleep questionnaires (Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Visual Analog Scale for snoring loudness (VAS), Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), STOP-Bang, and Pittsburgh Quality of Sleep (PSQI)) in subjects who underwent minimally invasive surgery for snoring and OSA. Methods: A total of 49 participants with primary snoring and/or OSA underwent minimally invasive surgery. Pre- and post-operative sleep study parameters and sleep questionnaire results were analyzed to assess the correlation between the subjective and objective parameters before and after surgery and changes with the surgery. Results: Pre-operative sleep study parameters demonstrated: an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) of 16.71 ± 9.31, oxygen desaturation index (ODI) of 14.43 ± 9.31, and mean percentage of snoring time (ST) of 17.26 ± 14.5%, ESS of 9.04 ± 5.76, VAS of 8.18 ± 1.93, SF-36 of 42.12 ± 22.86, STOP-Bang of 3.65 ± 1.13, and PSQI of 6.61 ± 3.23. Post-operative sleep study parameters demonstrated an AHI of 10.39 ± 7.86, ODI of 10.17 ± 7.78, and ST of 12.55 ± 13.36%, ESS of 6.61 ± 4.55, VAS of 4.13 ± 2.87, SF-36 of 42.45 ± 24.70, STOP-Bang of 2.49 ± 1.42, and PSQI of 4.98 ± 2.13. Changes with surgery for sleep parameters demonstrated a decrease in AHI: 37.83%, ODI: 29.52%, ST: 27.3%, ESS: 26.86%, VAS: 49.50%, PSQI: 24.69%, and STOP-Bang: 31.84%. The score of SF-36 was not significant. Conclusions: Sleep questionnaires are an essential component of the workup for patients with snoring and OSA. There are differences in their ability to identify the presence and quantify the severity of snoring and OSA when compared to objective sleep parameters. Their sensitivity in assessing changes with treatment also varies. Full article

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful genome-editing tool that is applied in baculovirus engineering. In this study, we present the first report of the AcMNPV genome deletions for bioproduction purposes, using a dual single-guide RNA (sgRNA) CRISPR/Cas9 approach. We used this method to remove nonessential genes for the budded virus and boost recombinant protein yields when applied as BEVS. We show that the co-delivery of two distinct ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, each assembled with a sgRNA and Cas9, into Sf9 insect cells efficiently generated deletions of fragments containing tandem genes in the genome. To evaluate the potential of this method, we assessed the expression of two model proteins, eGFP and HRPc, in insect cells and larvae. The gene deletions had diverse effects on protein expression: some significantly enhanced it while others reduced production. These results indicate that, although the targeted genes are nonessential, their removal can differentially affect recombinant protein yields depending on the host. Notably, HRPC expression increased up to 3.1-fold in Spodoptera frugiperda larvae. These findings validate an effective strategy for developing minimized baculovirus genomes and demonstrate that dual-guide CRISPR/Cas9 editing is a rapid and precise tool for baculovirus genome engineering. Full article

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are prevalent and interrelated conditions in older adults, both contributing to decreased quality of life and increased health risks. Nutritional interventions, including dietary changes and probiotic supplementation, may offer effective non-pharmacological strategies to address these conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of diet therapy alone and in combination with probiotics on quality of life and sleep apnea risk in older adults (>60 years) with MetS. Methods: In this controlled interventional study, 192 older adults with metabolic syndrome were assigned to one of three groups: control, diet therapy alone, or diet therapy plus probiotic supplementation. Participants were evaluated at baseline and after the intervention period using the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire and an apnea risk screening tool. Clinical and metabolic parameters, including BMI, HOMA index, and visceral fat, were also assessed. Results: Significant improvements in SF-36 scores were observed in both intervention groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05) (mean difference = −5.31, p = 0.016), with the diet + probiotics group showing the greatest enhancement. Participants who reduced their apnea risk also reported higher post-intervention SF-36 scores. The intervention led to reductions in visceral fat, inflammatory markers (CRP), and insulin resistance (HOMA index), which were correlated with improved quality of life. Conclusions: Integrated nutritional strategies, especially the combination of diet and probiotics, significantly improve quality of life and reduce apnea risk in older adults with metabolic syndrome. These findings support the use of personalized, non-pharmacological interventions targeting both metabolic health and sleep-related outcomes in geriatric populations. Full article

Climate change and landscape fragmentation have made fires the primary drivers of forest degradation in Southern Amazonia. Understanding their impacts is crucial for informing public conservation policies. In this study, we assessed the effects of repeated fires on trees with a diameter ≥10 cm across three distinct vegetation types in this threatened region: Amazonian successional forest (SF), transitional forest (TF), and ombrophilous forest (OF). Two anthropogenic fires affected all three vegetation types in consecutive years. We hypothesized that SF would be the least impacted due to its more open structure and the presence of fire-adapted savanna (Cerrado) species. As expected, SF experienced the lowest tree mortality rate (9.1%). However, both TF and OF were heavily affected, with mortality rates of 28.0% and 29.7%, respectively. Despite SF’s apparent fire resilience, all vegetation types experienced a significant net loss of species and individuals. These results indicate a fire-induced degradation stage in both TF and OF, characterized by reduced species diversity and structural integrity. Our findings suggest that recurrent fires may trigger irreversible vegetation shifts and broader ecosystem tipping points across the Amazonian frontier. Full article

Low-altitude drones, which are unimpeded by traffic congestion or urban terrain, have become a critical asset in emergency rescue missions. To address the current lack of emergency rescue data, UAV aerial videos were collected to create an experimental dataset for action classification and localization annotation. A total of 5082 keyframes were labeled with 1–5 targets each, and 14,412 instances of data were prepared (including flight altitude and camera angles) for action classification and position annotation. To mitigate the challenges posed by high-resolution drone footage with excessive redundant information, we propose the SlowFast-Traffic (SF-T) framework, a spatio-temporal sequence-based algorithm for recognizing traffic accident rescue actions. For more efficient extraction of target–background correlation features, we introduce the Actor-Centric Relation Network (ACRN) module, which employs temporal max pooling to enhance the time-dimensional features of static backgrounds, significantly reducing redundancy-induced interference. Additionally, smaller ROI feature map outputs are adopted to boost computational speed. To tackle class imbalance in incident samples, we integrate a Class-Balanced Focal Loss (CB-Focal Loss) function, effectively resolving rare-action recognition in specific rescue scenarios. We replace the original Faster R-CNN with YOLOX-s to improve the target detection rate. On our proposed dataset, the SF-T model achieves a mean average precision (mAP) of 83.9%, which is 8.5% higher than that of the standard SlowFast architecture while maintaining a processing speed of 34.9 tasks/s. Both accuracy-related metrics and computational efficiency are substantially improved. The proposed method demonstrates strong robustness and real-time analysis capabilities for modern traffic rescue action recognition. Full article

The extensive diversity of volatile organic compounds, along with their minor structural variations, presents significant challenges in the development of chemosensory-based biosensors. Previously, we generated sensor cells expressing insect odorant receptors (ORs) in Sf21 cells, demonstrating their potential as cell-based odorant sensor elements. However, it remains unclear whether the selectivity of cells expressing ORs in vitro for diverse compounds aligns with the receptor’s in vivo performance, aside from the response to target compounds. To address this, we assessed the ligand responses of sensor cells expressing ORs from Drosophila melanogaster using a high-throughput calcium imaging system. Our results demonstrate that in vitro receptor responses exhibit ligand selectivity comparable to in vivo conditions across different chemical categories. Broadly tuned OR-expressing sensor cells (Or13a, Or47a, and Or98a) displayed differential affinities, whereas the narrowly tuned Or56a-expressing sensor cells selectively responded to geosmin. Moreover, cell responses varied with subtle differences in chemical structure, including carbon chain length and functional group positioning. These findings provide valuable insights into insect OR–ligand interactions in vitro, demonstrating that receptor selectivity in sensor cells closely mirrors in vivo conditions. In addition to this consistency, our results highlight the subtle ligand differentiation capabilities of sensor cells enabling fluorescence-based visualization of receptor–ligand interactions. Full article