Search Results (7,449)

This study considers citrus rootstocks as autonomous biological entities and examines whether, and to what extent, they differently regulate plant–water relations and biomass allocation as well as how such physiological variations translate into differences in vegetative vigor. To address these questions, four citrus genotypes—Sour Orange (SO), Volkamer Lemon (VL), Swingle Citrumelo (CTR), and Troyer Citrange (TC)—were compared with respect to their morphological traits, biomass distribution, and hydraulic properties. These four rootstocks were selected as they represent contrasting genetic backgrounds and well-documented differences in vigor, stress tolerance, and hydraulic behavior, providing an effective model for assessing intrinsic physiological variability. The findings reveal pronounced rootstock-specific differences in water acquisition, transport, and utilization, with direct implications for the hydraulic architecture, leaf water status, and partitioning of biomass between above- and belowground organs. CTR exhibited a highly integrated hydraulic strategy, characterized by elevated conductance across both aerial and root systems and accompanied by greater biomass allocation to the canopy and absorptive roots, resulting in an enhanced overall vigor. SO and VL displayed an intermediate physiological performance, whereas TC demonstrated a restricted hydraulic transport capacity, which is associated with lower biomass allocation, reduced leaf water potential, and diminished vigor. By assessing rootstocks independently of scion influences, this work demonstrates that variations between citrus rootstocks cannot be explained solely by morphological traits but instead reflect contrasting physiological strategies governing the coordinated management of water and carbon resources. These results highlight the rootstock as a central determinant of hydraulic functioning, biomass partitioning, and plant vigor and provide a conceptual basis for selecting rootstocks that are better suited to water-limited environments. Full article

Background: The Carnivore Diet (CD) is an almost exclusively animal-based dietary pattern that has gained increasing popularity on social media. Despite numerous health-related claims, a standardized definition is lacking, and scientific evidence regarding the long-term effects of this diet remains unclear. Methods: The literature search for this scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines (PRISMA-ScR) using the databases PubMed, LIVIVO, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Results: Nine human studies were included. Individual publications reported positive effects of the CD, such as weight reduction, increased satiety, and potential improvements in inflammatory or metabolic markers. At the same time, potential risks of nutrient deficiencies, particularly in vitamins C and D, calcium, magnesium, iodine, and dietary fiber, as well as elevated low-density-lipoprotein (LDL-) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, were identified, along with one case describing a deterioration in health status. Overall, the quality of evidence is very limited due to small sample sizes, short study durations, and the absence of control groups. Conclusions: The CD may offer short-term health benefits but carries substantial risks of nutrient deficiencies, reduced intake of health-promoting phytochemicals, and the development of cardiovascular disease. At this time, long-term adherence to a CD cannot be recommended. Full article

In achieving sustainable development goals, soils play a key role in environmental protection, natural resources, and food security. Peatlands are particularly important here, as they function at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and store large amounts of organic matter. However, organic soils are highly susceptible to transformation and degradation; therefore, their degradation caused by, among others, drainage properties is a high risk to both the environment and agriculture—it disrupts the ecosystems, causes greenhouse gas emissions, and eutrophicates the hydrosphere. Soil degradation in drained peatlands is associated with the transformation of soil organic matter (SOM), which in organic soils is the dominant component of the solid phase of the soil. The aim of our study was to assess the properties and degree of organic matter transformation in drained temperate peatland soils, with particular emphasis on sequential fractionation of SOM and humic acid properties. Due to the fact that in Poland, as many as 90% of non-forest peat bogs have been drained, we compare the mursh horizons that formed after peat bog drainage with the peat horizons that constitute the parent rock (where anaerobiosis occurs and morphological changes in the soil material are absent due to peat bog drainage). Studies were conducted on 11 soil profiles located in central-eastern Poland. Basic physicochemical soil properties were determined: pH, bulk density, contents of ash, SOM, total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN). Sequential carbon fractionation was used to qualitatively analyze organic matter, which allowed for the identification of labile fractions, lipid fractions, humic substances (fulvic and humic acids), and residual fractions. Humic acids (HAs) were extracted using the Schnitzer method and analyzed for their elemental composition and spectrometric parameters in the VIS range. It was demonstrated that SOM transformation in drained temperate peatland soils was correlated with comprehensive changes in the soil’s physical and chemical properties. Compared to peat horizons, topsoil horizons were characterized by higher ash content and density, lower SOM content, and a lower TC/TN ratio. Qualitative SOM transformation during aerobic SOM transformation after draining the studied peatlands consisted of an increase in the amount of labile fractions and humic substances and a decrease in the lipid and residual fractions. The research results have shown that the HAs properties depended on the depth. HAs from topsoil horizons, compared to peat horizons, were characterized by a lower “degree of maturity,” as reflected by the values of atomic ratios (H/C, O/C) and absorbance coefficients (A_4/6 and ΔlogK). It was found that the share of the distinguished SOM fractions and HAs properties were closely correlated with the physical and chemical properties of the soils. The study demonstrated the usefulness of the sequential carbon fractionation method for assessing the effects of dewatered peat transformation. The obtained results could contribute to the development of good practices ensuring high quality of organic matter and stability of ecosystems, as well as to the development of methods for limiting the mineralization of organic matter (SOM), greenhouse gas emissions, and the loss of organic soils in agricultural areas. Full article

Background: Diagnosing CNS tumors through MRI is limited by significant variability in scanner hardware, acquisition protocols, and intensity characteristics at clinical centers, resulting in substantial domain shifts that lead to diminished reliability for automated models. Methods: We present a Domain-Adaptive MRI Learning Model (DA-MLM) consisting of an adversarially aligned hybrid 3D CNN–transformer encoder with contrastive regularization and covariance-based feature harmonization. Varying sequence MRI inputs ($T1$, $T1ce$, $T2$, and $FLAIR$) were inputted to multi-scale convolutional layers followed by global self-attention to effectively capture localized tumor structure and long-range spatial context, with domain adaptation that harmonizes feature distribution across datasets. Results: On the BraTS 2020 dataset, we found DA-MLM achieved 94.8% accuracy, 93.6% macro-F1, and 96.2% AUC, improving upon previously established benchmarks by 2–4%. DA-MLM also attained Dice score segmentation of 93.1% (WT), 91.4% (TC), and 89.5% (ET), improving upon 2–3.5% for CNN and transformer methods. On the REMBRANDT dataset, DA-MLM achieved 92.3% accuracy with segmentation improvements of 3–7% over existing U-Net and expert annotations. Robustness testing indicated 40–60% less degradation under noise, contrast shift, and motion artifacts, and synthetic shifts in scanner location showed negligible performance impairment (<0.06). Cross-domain evaluation also demonstrated 5–11% less degradation than existing methods. Conclusions: In summary, DA-MLM demonstrates improved accuracy, segmentation fidelity, and robustness to perturbations, as well as strong cross-domain generalization indicating the suitability for deployment in multicenter MRI applications where variation in imaging performance is unavoidable. Full article

This study examined the association between biofilm growth and surface properties of 3D printed, milled, and conventional materials used for manufacturing fixed dental prostheses. Disc-shaped specimens were produced and finished from five 3D-printing resins (VarseoSmile Crown plus [VSC], NextDent C&B MFH [ND], VarseoSmile Temp [VST], Temp PRINT [TP], P Pro Crown & Bridge [P]), two polymer milling blocks (composite: TetricCAD [TC], PMMA: TelioCAD [TEL]), two conventional polymer materials (Tetric EvoCeram [TEC], Protemp 4 [PT]), and zirconia (ZR). Surface roughness (R_a), wettability, interfacial tension (IFT) and surface topography were examined. Three-day biofilms were grown on the specimens using A. naeslundii, S. gordonii, S. mutans, S. oralis, and S. sanguinis in a multi-species suspension. Biofilms were quantified by crystal violet staining and with a plating and culture method (CFU/mL). Linear regression analysis was computed to demonstrate associations between the surface properties and biofilm growth. The strength of this relationship was quantified by calculating Spearman’s ρ. TC exhibited the highest, and TP the lowest IFT. TEC showed the highest R_a, while TEL had the lowest, with significant differences detected particularly between milled and 3D-printed specimens. TP specimens exhibited the highest biofilm mass, while ZR surfaces retained the least. Bacterial viability within the biofilms remained similar across all tested materials. There was a strong negative correlation between total IFT and biofilm mass, and a moderate positive correlation between R_a and CFU/mL. Surface properties are shaped by material composition, microstructure, and manufacturing methods and play a crucial role in biofilm formation on dental restorations. Full article

Soil total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) are key indicators of soil fertility and ecosystem stability, particularly in dryland agroecosystems. However, how rotational tillage combined with straw return affects aggregate formation and aggregate-associated TC and TN stabilization remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we aimed to clarify how rotational tillage affects aggregate structure, stability, and the spatial distribution of TC and TN, thereby revealing internal processes driving nutrient stabilization in dryland farming systems. A long-term field experiment was conducted at the Shenfeng site of Shanxi Agricultural University, China, including three rotational tillage systems with straw return: T1 (two years of no tillage (NT) + one year of deep tillage (DT)), T2 (two years of conventional tillage (CT) + one year of DT), and T3 (two years of DT + one year of CT). Soil aggregates were separated into total mechanical aggregate (TMA), 0.25–2 mm MA, and 2–10 mm MA, and they were further fractionated into water-stable aggregates (WM, Wm, and Wf) for TC and TN analysis. The results showed that aggregate stability, TC, and TN were positively correlated and decreased with soil depth, indicating strong surface enrichment. TC was mainly enriched in 0.25–2 mm MA, whereas TN was concentrated in 2–10 mm MA, and water-stable macroaggregates (WM) acted as the dominant reservoirs for R_C and R_N. Relative to the 2016 baseline (CK), TC in 2022 tended to be higher under rotational tillage with straw return, while NT-containing systems better maintained TN across the 0–60 cm profile. Among the treatments, T1 provided the most balanced performance, with a higher MWD and GMD, lower D, and improved aggregate-associated TC and TN retention. These findings suggest that rotational tillage with straw return, particularly the NT–NT–DT sequence, can support aggregate stability and is associated with improved aggregate-mediated TC and TN retention in the Loess Plateau dryland winter wheat system. Full article

Background: Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, remains a major public health concern, and there is a continued need for new antitrypanosomal agents. Thiosemicarbazone (TSC) derivatives have emerged as a promising class of compounds with potential antiparasitic activity. Objectives: This study aimed to report the synthesis, characterization, and biological profiling of a novel series of thiosemicarbazone derivatives as antitrypanosomal agents against Trypanosoma cruzi. Methods: Fourteen new compounds and six previously described analogues were prepared and characterized by ¹H/¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). As a preliminary in vitro screen, activity was assessed by direct parasite counting in epimastigote and bloodstream trypomastigote forms, as tractable models of replicative and infective stages sharing core metabolic targets with intracellular amastigotes. Epimastigote potency was quantified as half-maximal effective concentrations (EC₅₀) derived from dose–response curves, whereas trypomastigote response was evaluated as percent viability after treatment at a fixed concentration of 20 µM. Mechanistic profiling included inhibition assays against the cysteine protease cruzipain (CZP) and selected redox defense enzymes, complemented by in silico similarity clustering and binding-pose affinity scoring. Results: A nitro-methoxy-substituted TSC showed potent CZP inhibition but limited trypomastigote efficacy, whereas brominated analogues displayed dual-stage activity independent of CZP inhibition. Tanimoto similarity analysis identified distinct structure–activity clusters, linking nitro-methoxy substitution to epimastigote selectivity and brominated scaffolds to broader antiparasitic profiles, with hydrophobicity and steric complementarity as key determinants. Enzymatic assays revealed no significant inhibition of cytosolic tryparedoxin peroxidase (cTXNPx) or glutathione peroxidase type I (TcGPx-I), suggesting redox disruption is not a primary mode of action. In vitro and in silico analyses showed low or no non-specific cytotoxicity under the tested conditions, supporting further optimization of these derivatives as antitrypanosomal preliminary hits. Key hits included derivative 3e (epimastigote EC₅₀ = 0.36 ± 0.02 µM) and brominated analogues 2c and 2e (epimastigote EC₅₀ = 3.92 ± 0.13 and 4.36 ± 0.10 µM, respectively), while docking supported favorable binding-pose affinity (e.g., ΔG_S-pose = −20.78 ± 2.47 kcal/mol for 3e). Conclusions: These results support further optimization of the identified thiosemicarbazone derivatives as preliminary antitrypanosomal hits and provide insight into structure–activity relationships and potential mechanisms of action. Full article

The present study analyses the changes in antioxidative behavior of biodegradable Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based composite films with bioactive additives derived from pomegranate peel, an abundant agricultural by-product rich in antioxidants and antimicrobials. PLA-based composites were prepared by incorporating industrial-grade pomegranate peel powder (PoP) via melt extrusion at concentrations of 1–5 percent by weight (wt.%). For mechanical characterization, the resulting films were subjected to tensile testing. Their thermal properties were further characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic oxidation induction temperature measurements (OIT), complemented by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), color analysis, rheology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Results show that the incorporation of PoP had no significant impact on the characteristic transition temperatures (Tg, Tm, and Tc) of PLA, indicating that the thermal behavior of the polymer matrix was largely preserved. However, while the thermo-oxidative stability of PLA was improved in the presence of PoP, with a maximum at 3 wt.% of PoP, increasing the OIT by 30 °C, the mechanical performance of the composite films was adversely affected, as evidenced by decreased tensile strength and elongation at break indication embrittlement, especially for ≥3 wt.% of PoP. Significant changes were observed in the films’ surface properties, as well as in their color parameters and UV transmittance values. Consequently, while PoP offers potential bioactive functionality for use as a sustainable additive, its content must be carefully optimized to maintain an acceptable balance between functionality and mechanical integrity. Full article

Emission tomography, including single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), requires image reconstruction from noisy and incomplete projection data. The maximum-likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) algorithm is widely used due to its statistical foundation and non-negativity preservation, but it is highly sensitive to noise, particularly in low-count conditions. Although total variation (TV) regularization can reduce noise, it often oversmooths structural details and requires careful parameter tuning. We propose a Graph-Enhanced Expectation Maximization (GREM) algorithm that incorporates graph-based neighborhood information into an MLEM-type multiplicative reconstruction scheme. The method is motivated by a penalized formulation combining a Kullback–Leibler divergence term with a graph Laplacian regularization term, promoting local structural consistency while preserving edges. The resulting update retains the multiplicative structure of MLEM and preserves the non-negativity of the image estimates. Numerical experiments using synthetic phantoms under multiple noise levels, as well as clinical ^99mTc-GSA liver SPECT data, demonstrate that GREM consistently outperforms conventional MLEM and TV-regularized MLEM in terms of PSNR and MS-SSIM. These results indicate that GREM provides an effective and practical approach for edge-preserving noise suppression in emission tomography without relying on external training data. Full article

Seed coat color in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a critical agronomic trait that affects both nutritional quality and market appeal. In this study, we identified two bHLH transcription factor genes, AhWSC1a and AhWSC1b, homologues of Arabidopsis TRANSPARENT TESTA 8, as indispensable gatekeepers of basal flavonoid pigmentation. QTL-seq analysis of a recombinant inbred line population derived from a black-testa parent (S3) and a white-testa parent (S2) revealed that recessive loss-of-function mutations in both AhWSC1a/1b abolish proanthocyanidin biosynthesis, resulting in a white testa. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling confirmed the absence of proanthocyanidins and a strong repression of late anthocyanin-pathway genes (DFR, LDOX) in the mutants. Molecular assays further demonstrated that AhWSC1 physically interacts with the R2R3-MYB regulator AhTc1 to form a functional MBW complex that activates AhDFR and AhLDOX transcription. In this research, we also found that the black testa phenotype may arise from elevated AhTc1 expression associated with a structural variant (SV); however, in the SV background, the introduction of ahwsc1a/1b mutant leads to a significant suppression of AhTc1 expression. Notably, because AhWSC1 is transcriptionally silent in hairy-root systems, overexpression of AhTc1 alone failed to induce these late-stage anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, highlighting AhWSC1 as an indispensable, rate-limiting hub of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway regulation. Collectively, our findings establish AhWSC1a and AhWSC1b as master regulators of peanut testa pigmentation, elucidate the molecular basis of classical white testa inheritance, and provide genetic targets for precision-breeding of nutritionally enhanced cultivars. Full article

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (JIA-U) is a rare condition, and assessment of the efficacy of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, synthetic (sDMARD) or biological (bDMARD), in randomized trials is hindered by this fact. Methods: In this prospective longitudinal study, we observed 38 children aged 1.3 to 15.2 years, with 69 eyes affected with JIA-U for 1970 overall eye examinations (6–59, median 16) irregularly scattered across 4.4–87.6 months (median 21.6) of follow-up, with on- and off-periods of DMARD use and use of topical treatments. Results: With adjustment for several time-invariant and time-varying covariates, periods of exposure to sDMARD vs. no DMARD exposure were associated with peak benefits of 15–20% lower probability of having more severe anterior chamber (AC) inflammation and a similar relative reduction in the daily use of topical corticosteroids (TCS). Periods of bDMARD exposure or of bDMARD + sDMARD exposure vs. no DMARD use were associated with peak benefits of an around 50% reduction in the probability of having more severe AC inflammation, and peak benefits of an around 60–65% reduction in TCS use. Conclusions: The observations regarding bDMARD (only) or bDMARD + sDMARD exposure are in agreement with the extent of benefits suggested for adalimumab vs. placebo (+background sDMARD) in the only existing randomized trial in this setting evaluating AC inflammation and TCS use. Full article

Weaning stress frequently compromises intestinal integrity and nutrient absorption in piglets and induces structural perturbations in the gut microbiota. This study investigated the effects of dietary Paramylon, a linear β-1,3-glucan from Euglena gracilis, on growth and intestinal function. A total of 32 healthy, 21-day-old weaned piglets (male, castrated, Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly allocated to four groups: control, 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% Paramylon (8 pigs/group). The results showed that 0.05% dietary Paramylon quadratically increased average daily gain and feed intake (p < 0.05). Serum TC content significantly increased, while the serum urea level significantly decreased (p < 0.05). This optimal dose was used for mechanistic exploration. Dietary 0.05% Paramylon notably enhanced ileal morphology, increasing the villus height to crypt depth ratio (p < 0.01) and significantly improving apparent nutrient digestibility and ileal β-amylase activity (p < 0.05). The expression levels of SLC7A1 and GLUT2 in ileum tissues were significantly upregulated (p < 0.05). The expression level of SLC7A7 in the liver was also increased (p < 0.05). This nutrient transport-promoting effect was further confirmed in IPEC-J2 cells, which manifested because 10 ng/mL of pure Paramylon significantly upregulated the gene expressions of SLC38A2, EAAT3, PEPT1, and GLUT2 (p < 0.05). KEGG enrichment analysis on the ileum indicated that differentially abundant metabolites were enriched in amino acid-related metabolic pathways. Furthermore, the 16s sequencing results revealed that Romboutsia was significantly enriched in the Paramylon group. In conclusion, Paramylon, as an effective dietary supplement, helps promote nutrient digestion and absorption in weaned piglets and contributes to maintaining intestinal health. Full article

In this study, a W–polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)-based 3D-printed composite was designed for medical radiation shielding, and syringe shielding components were fabricated to evaluate shielding performance and particle dispersion characteristics. Up to 70 wt% of tungsten powder was incorporated into the PETG polymer matrix to produce W–PETG filaments suitable for 3D printing. Using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method, a 3.0 mm-thick radiation shielding cover for a 10 mL syringe was fabricated. Radiation shielding performance was assessed using a ^99mTc (200 µCi) source at distances of 30, 50, and 100 cm. While a conventional 1.0 mm Pb shield exhibited shielding efficiencies of 92.24%, 94.26%, and 95.13% at each distance, the 3.0 mm W–PETG shield demonstrated efficiencies of 70.67%, 75.64%, and 77.57%, respectively. Higher temperatures improved shielding efficiency by approximately 5.48 percentage points. When processed above 160 °C, tungsten particle clustering decreased and a more uniform dispersion was achieved, enhancing shielding performance. The interrelationship among filament fabrication parameters, particle dispersion behavior, and shielding performance of W–PETG composites was quantitatively demonstrated. The lightweight, geometric design flexibility, and compatibility with 3D-printing processes of W–PETG composites suggest strong potential as alternative materials for custom medical radiation shielding devices. Full article

Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected tropical illness affecting 6–8 million people in Latin America. Reaching scholarly consensus on the host response to T. cruzi infection remains a significant challenge, primarily due to substantial heterogeneity in outcomes driven by both the choice of animal model and the infecting parasite’s discrete typing unit (DTU). This variability complicates the evaluation and comparison of new therapeutic compounds against existing drugs, namely benznidazole and nifurtimox. This study provides a comprehensive, kinetic, multifaceted characterization of the acute infection using the highly virulent T. cruzi Y strain (TcII) in outbred Swiss mice. Here, crucial infection parameters are presented, including the optimal infective dose, the parasitemia dynamics, tissue damage markers, hematological profiles, cytokine production (Th1/Th2/Th17/Th22), and molecular parasite identification in target organs (heart, colon, esophagus, spleen, and liver) across the span of the infection. The novelty of this study lies in the kinetic integration of these parameters within a defined model; rather than presenting isolated data points, we demonstrate how the biochemical, physiological, and clinical signs and immunological responses, with the resulting organ involvement, evolve and interact over time. To complete the report, a necropsy evaluation was performed at the end of the acute, fatal infection, and it is presented here. This study fulfills a long-standing recommendation from diverse drug discovery groups for the creation of a definitive reference model to standardize preclinical testing for anti-Chagasic agents. Full article

Background/Objective: Maxillary canine impaction is a frequent orthodontic challenge. Three-dimensional CBCT assessment allows precise evaluation of periradicular bone density, which may play a role in eruption failure. This study aimed to compare bone density (HU) around impacted canines with that of the contralateral erupted tooth and to assess correlations with age and sex. Methods: A total of 26 patients (10 males, 16 females; 13–19 years) with unilateral maxillary canine impaction were examined. Pre-treatment CBCT scans acquired were analyzed. Bone density was measured in HU at three root levels (cervical, middle, apical) and in four regions (buccal, palatal, mesial, distal). Statistical analyses included Student’s t-tests, linear regression, and correlation coefficients, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Tooth 2.3 was the most frequently impacted (61.5%), with a slight predominance of palatal impactions (53.8%). Bone density was significantly higher around impacted canines than around the contralateral erupted teeth in all regions and levels (p = 0.000), with values increasing from the cervical portion toward the apex. In impacted canines, bone density increased significantly with age, whereas no meaningful differences were found between males and females. Conclusions: Higher bone density surrounding impacted canines supports its potential role in eruption failure. The age-related increase highlights the clinical importance of early diagnosis and timely orthodontic–surgical intervention. Full article