Search Results (3,943)

Cognitive models of depression posit a core role for attentional biases, though empirical evidence remains inconsistent, likely due to variations in task demands. This study utilized eye-tracking to assess attentional patterns in individuals with depressive symptoms during a goal-directed visual search task, specifically dissociating early orienting and late disengagement. Seventy-seven participants, classified into high (HD) and low (LD) depressive-symptom groups based on PHQ-9 scores, completed a “face-in-the-crowd” (FITC) task. The set size (4, 8, or 12 faces) was varied to examine the role of perceptual load. The task involved searching for a single emotional target among neutral distractors (assessing early orienting) and searching for a single neutral target among emotional distractors (assessing late disengagement). Contrary to the negativity-bias hypothesis, the HD group demonstrated what might be interpreted as adaptive attentional regulation. During early orienting (8-face condition), the HD group showed reduced total dwell time on happy targets, suggesting accelerated identification. An attentional bias index (sad minus happy dwell time) correlated positively with depression severity. During late disengagement (8-face condition), the HD group exhibited shorter target fixation latency specifically with sad distractors, indicating facilitated disengagement from negative information. The corresponding bias index correlated negatively with depression levels. Under explicit goal-directed demands, individuals with high depressive symptoms displayed facilitated processing of happy faces and accelerated disengagement from sad faces, rather than an enhanced negativity bias. This pattern tentatively suggests a possible adaptive attentional regulatory mechanism in early depression, although the findings were limited to the 8-face condition and no significant group differences emerged at set sizes 4 or 12. Replication is required before firm conclusions can be drawn. The result underscores the critical influence of task demands and highlights the value of early identification and targeted intervention. Full article

Wildfires release volatile phenolic compounds (VPs) that can be absorbed by grapevines, potentially resulting in “smoke taint” in wines. This has emerged as a prominent issue for the global wine industry due to negative impact on wine quality and subsequent financial losses. Since effective vineyard mitigation strategies remain limited, this study evaluated the efficacy of different materials applied to grapes to reduce the absorption of smoke marker compounds under simulated wildfire conditions. Twelve materials were applied to individual Cabernet Sauvignon clusters close to harvest. Treated vines were exposed to intentional smoke using a purpose-built tent. Grapes from treated vines, as well as smoke-exposed and non-exposed controls, were harvested at commercial maturity. The results showed a strong stratification of VPs within the tent and in the grapes. Glycosylation began within hours of smoke exposure, with significant increases in almost all glycosylated compounds within 4 hours compared to non-smoked controls. Some materials reduced VP uptake relative to untreated controls (kaolin, charcoal, and two commercial coating formulations—GM3E and GMB6), whereas others increased the absorption of smoke-derived compounds (Parka and wipe-out). These findings highlight that those protective treatments may have variable and sometimes counterproductive effects on smoke compound uptake. Full article

Background: Sleep bruxism involves repetitive jaw-muscle activity, including teeth clenching, grinding, or mandibular bracing. Despite the growing interest in botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) as a therapeutic intervention for bruxism, evidence remains limited, particularly regarding studies using portable electromyography (EMG) monitoring devices. This study evaluated the effects of BTX-A injections into the masseter muscle on the reduction of bruxism activity, as measured using the portable electromyographic Holter Bruxoff system. Methods: Adult patients with diagnosed sleep bruxism were monitored for two nights using the Bruxoff device to record masseter EMG activity, respiratory rate, and heart rate. After receiving standardized bilateral masseter BTX-A injections, participants underwent the same monitoring protocol 40 days later. Statistical analyses compared pre- and post-treatment values, and effect sizes were calculated. Results: Ten participants (60% women; mean age 47.6 ± 4.4 years) completed the study. The Bruxism Index showed a marked reduction, dropping from 12.2 ± 1.32 at baseline to 7.4 ± 1.35 after 40 days, a statistically significant change (t (9) = 10.23, p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 3.25). Average heart rate also decreased significantly, from 64.4 ± 2.99 to 62.6 ± 2.63 (t (9) = 2.86, p = 0.018; Cohen’s d = 0.91). However, the respiratory rate measurement remains stable. Conclusions: BTX-A injections into the masseter muscles produced a marked reduction in sleep-related bruxism activity as measured by portable EMG. These findings support BTX-A as a promising and effective treatment option for sleep bruxism. Full article

The genus Trichinella comprises zoonotic nematodes infecting a wide range of carnivorous and omnivorous animals, including humans. Infection occurs through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat containing viable Trichinella larvae. Among the species within this genus, Trichinella spiralis is considered one of the most epidemiologically important due to its high reproductive capacity and its frequent association with infections in domestic animals and humans. In this study, muscle samples from 18 invasive American minks (Neovison vison) were examined for Trichinella larvae using the magnetic stirrer method. Species identification was performed via multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), while the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region was amplified to evaluate the intraspecific genetic variability. Trichinella larvae were detected in one of the 18 (5.6%) animals investigated, and all isolates were identified as T. spiralis. Ten ITS1 sequences obtained from individual larvae were 100% identical. Network and principal coordinate analyses revealed that the sequences clustered by geographic origin rather than host species and were more related to isolates from domestic pigs than to wildlife animals. These findings provide the first evidence of T. spiralis in American minks in Baltic and Scandinavian countries and contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology of trichinellosis in the region. Full article

The seedlings of the young Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica Manetti) are very important for the regeneration and restoration of forest populations of this endemic species, which inhabits a very fragmented area in the highest mountains of North Africa (Algeria and Morocco). There is very minimal information on the diseases that are afflicting these young plants. In this work, Alternaria strains CHP2, S4.2, and SP1.1 were isolated from different plants and subjected to identification and pathogenicity testing. The infected plants developed clear symptoms of light brown disease spots on the leaves with a yellowish or chlorotic halo around them, which gradually developed to a yellowing of the plantlets and their complete drying. Some spots merged to form large areas of necrosis which covered an average of 80% of the plantlets. The impact of the infection on plant physiology was determined using measurements of photosynthetic pigments, which showed reductions of 46.28% in chlorophyll and 59.90% in carotenoids in strains SP1.1 and CHP2, respectively. Molecular characterization of the ITS region of the isolates revealed that strains CHP2 and S4.2 showed high sequence similarity to reference sequences of Alternaria spp., including taxa related to A. destruens and A. murispora, although species-level identification remains tentative. These findings highlight the growing relevance of fungal pathogens in forest regeneration under global climate change. By revealing the pathogenic role of Alternaria species, this study contributes to sustainable forest management and conservation strategies in changing environments. Full article

The increasing demand for sustainable plant protection products has intensified interest in microbial biocontrol agents (BCAs). This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of selected Streptomyces, Bacillus, and Trichoderma asperellum strains against phytopathogenic fungi and to assess their potential as BCAs under in vitro conditions. The antifungal activity of ten Streptomyces strains was first evaluated against Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum salicis, Fusarium oxysporum, and F. graminearum using a dual-culture assay. All isolates exhibited antifungal activity, with Streptomyces venezuelae MSCL 350 showing the strongest inhibition. In addition, the antifungal activity of T. asperellum MSCL 309 and three Bacillus strains was assessed against twelve Fusarium spp. isolates obtained from oats. T. asperellum demonstrated broad-spectrum inhibition, with growth inhibition ranging from 44.6% to 78.4%, primarily due to soluble metabolites, while volatile compounds showed no significant effect. Among the other tested Bacillus strains, only Bacillus subtilis MSCL 1441 exhibited antifungal activity, inhibiting all tested isolates. These results demonstrate strong strain-dependent antifungal activity and highlight T. asperellum MSCL 309, S. venezuelae MSCL 350, and B. subtilis MSCL 1441 as promising candidates for the development of environmentally friendly biocontrol agents. Full article

This study proposes a novel image encryption algorithm based on a two-dimensional discrete chaotic system that integrates cellular automata (CA) with a tent map. The algorithm addresses security vulnerabilities in digital image transmission and storage across open networks or cloud environments. It employs a three-phase encryption process: coordinate permutation, spatial permutation, and diffusion. Sequential application of Arnold’s coordinate scrambling, maze traversal-based spatial rearrangement, and a CA-driven diffusion mechanism enhances robustness against noise, differential attacks, and partial cropping. A Dynamic CA–Tent Map (DCA–TM) hybrid chaotic system is designed to overcome periodicity and limited key space issues inherent in conventional chaotic encryption. The permutation stage is refined into coordinate and spatial phases to achieve comprehensive pixel randomization. During diffusion, CA rules are selected dynamically based on the iteration counts of the initial parameters, yielding an adaptive encryption system with a variable key space. Performance evaluations—including Lyapunov exponent tests, bifurcation analysis, information entropy measurement, and pixel correlation assessment—confirm the strong chaotic behavior and high security of the proposed scheme. Full article

Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk. (carqueja) is widely used in traditional medicine and culinary practices in the Iberian Peninsula; however, most studies have focused on its flowers, while its stems remain largely unexplored, despite representing a significant proportion of the plant biomass. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of P. tridentatum stems as a source of bioactive compounds using different extraction methodologies. Aqueous, hydroethanolic, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) were applied, and the resulting extracts were characterized in terms of their extraction yield, protein and carbohydrate content, phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity in HaCaT and Caco-2 cell lines. Phenolic profiling by LC-ESI-QqTOF-HRMS tentatively identified 37 compounds, mainly corresponding to flavonoid and isoflavonoid glycosides, with genistein derivatives representing the dominant constituents across all extracts. Although extraction yields differed among methods, phenolic profiles were broadly similar. UAE and PLE extracts showed slightly higher antioxidant activity, while antimicrobial activity was limited, with only moderate inhibition observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Malassezia furfur. Additionally, cytotoxicity assays indicated low toxicity. Overall, the results demonstrate that P. tridentatum stems represent a promising yet underutilized biomass source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant potential and low cytotoxicity under the tested in vitro conditions. Full article

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent mycotoxin threatening food and feed safety. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a Bacillus safensis-derived multicopper oxidase (BsaMCO) capable of efficient AFB1 detoxification. Recombinant BsaMCO exhibited robust in vitro activity, achieving >78% degradation of AFB1 under 24 h incubation at 37 °C. Optimization experiments revealed that enzyme concentration, pH, temperature, metal ions, and electron acceptors significantly influenced degradation efficiency, defining an operational window suitable for practical applications. LC–MS profiling suggested the presence of transformation products tentatively consistent with oxidative demethylation to aflatoxin P1 (AFP1) and with the formation of AFG2a-like products through subsequent hydration- and oxidation-related transformations. Molecular docking and 100 ns all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated stable binding of AFB1 in the T1 copper pocket. Van der Waals and electrostatic interactions, together with a persistent hydrogen bond at Gly323, facilitated single-electron transfer through the intramolecular T2/T3 copper cluster. Principal component and Gibbs free energy analyses confirmed a low-energy, stable conformational ensemble. HepG2 cell assays indicated that BsaMCO-degraded products substantially reduced cytotoxicity and apoptosis compared with native AFB1. Simulated feed experiments further validated enzymatic AFB1 degradation, with approximately 53% reduction after 24 h. Collectively, these findings establish BsaMCO as a safe and effective biocatalyst for AFB1 detoxification, providing mechanistic, structural, and cellular evidence supporting its application in food and feed safety. Full article

Abnormal gait associated with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders represents a growing clinical burden, particularly in aging populations. This study presents a modular, low-cost Smart Rehabilitation Walker (SRW) that integrates multimodal sensing and real-time haptic feedback to enable simultaneous gait monitoring and corrective intervention in both clinical and home environments. The system combines force-sensing resistors for bilateral load symmetry assessment, inertial measurement units for fall detection, and surface electromyography (sEMG) for neuromuscular activity monitoring within a closed-loop assistive feedback architecture. A 15-day pilot study involving ten individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and clinically observed neurological gait abnormalities demonstrated measurable improvements in gait biomechanics. The Force Symmetry Index (FSI), calculated using the Robinson symmetry metric, decreased from an average of 0.9691 to 0.2019, corresponding to a 79.26% average reduction in inter-limb load asymmetry. Concurrently, sEMG measurements showed a substantial increase in neuromuscular activation (ΔEMG = 4.28), with statistical analysis confirming a significant improvement across participants (paired t-test: t(9) = 13.58, p < 0.001). To model rehabilitation trajectories, a nonlinear predictive framework based on Gaussian Process Regression achieved high predictive accuracy (R² ≈ 0.9, with a mean RMSE of 0.0385), while providing uncertainty-aware trend estimation. Validation using an independent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis gait dataset further demonstrated the transferability of the analytical pipeline. These results highlight the potential of sensor-enabled assistive walkers as scalable platforms for quantitative gait rehabilitation, adaptive feedback, and long-term mobility monitoring. Full article

Christian philosophers, theologians, and artists regularly claim that experiences of beauty in art can function (i) as a road to God and (ii) as an encounter with God. These claims are well motivated by various Biblical texts and sophisticated theistic accounts of aesthetic perception. What is often lacking, however, is empirical support for key premises in arguments supporting these common claims. As a result, the connection between beauty, art, and God remains tentative and subject to defeat by empirically grounded naturalistic accounts of aesthetic perception. In this essay, we will identify the key empirical premises supporting these common claims and suggest the application of the emerging field, experimental theological aesthetics, for empirically testing such premises. If successful, the resultant experimentally based approach to philosophical and theological aesthetics suggests new ways of advancing long-standing debates typically carried out along theoretical or a priori lines with little or no appeal to empirical concerns. Full article

Background: Glioblastoma exhibits profound intratumoral heterogeneity, with anatomically distinct tumor zones characterized by divergent molecular programs that drive therapy resistance. Whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived radiomic features can capture these regional transcriptomic differences remains unknown. We aimed to determine whether subcompartment-level radiomic features associate with transcriptomic pathway enrichment scores derived from biologically approximate tumor zones. Methods: We matched 28 patients (mean age 58.5 years; 13/28 MGMT methylated) across the IvyGAP RNA-seq atlas and the IVYGAP-RADIOMICS datasets. Single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) pathway scores were computed for 24 gene sets. Radiomic features (3920 per subcompartment) were reduced to 597. Nested leave-one-patient-out cross-validation (LOPO-CV) with Elastic Net served as the primary predictive analysis; linear mixed-effects models (LMM) provided exploratory associational analysis. Analyses used a biologically motivated but spatially non-co-registered zone-to-subcompartment mapping; all reported associations are zone-approximate. Results: Twenty-one of 24 pathways showed no predictive signal (R²_cv ≤ 0). Inflammatory Response (R²_cv = 0.185, 95% CI [0.071, 0.355], p = 0.008) was the only pathway supported by both the nested CV (FDR = 0.096) and the exploratory LMM (FDR = 0.024, ΔR² = 0.214 beyond subcompartment effects) analyses; the LMM association was robust to clinical covariate adjustment (likelihood ratio test p = 0.004). Angiogenesis (R²_cv = 0.209, 95% CI [0.028, 0.353], p = 0.006) reached nested CV significance (FDR = 0.096) but was not corroborated by the LMM (FDR = 0.445); it is therefore reported as a tentative single-framework signal requiring independent validation. T2-derived texture features were selected in 100% of folds for both pathways. Conclusions: Inflammatory Response is the only pathway supported by both analytical frameworks; Angiogenesis is a tentative nested-CV-only signal pending independent validation. The absence of signal for 21 of 24 pathways should not be interpreted as evidence of biological inaccessibility: at N = 28 (vs. N ≈ 240 required by Riley criteria), severe underpowering, attenuation from the non-spatial zone-to-subcompartment mapping, and methodological constraints each independently suffice to suppress real associations. Five of the 24 gene sets (the IvyGAP zone modules) are non-independent from the outcome data and cannot be interpreted as discovery. All reported associations are zone-approximate and may partly reflect macro-compartment (between-subcompartment) effects; validation in larger cohorts with spatially precise co-registration is essential. Full article

Lonicera japonica Flos (LJF) is widely used in pharmaceuticals and functional foods, with its bioactive constituents significantly influenced by processing methods. This study characterized the dynamic changes in chemical components in LJF under different maceration and decoction durations. Using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and molecular networking, a total of 260 metabolites were unambiguously identified or tentatively characterized, including 66 iridoids, 42 flavonoids and 49 phenolic acids. Among these, 11 phenolic acids and 3 flavonoids were absent in the macerated samples. Twenty-two representative compounds were quantified using calibration curves. Most secondary metabolites, particularly phenolic acids, exhibited lower levels in the macerated samples than the decocted samples (e.g., 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid: 65.67–106.41 μg/g during maceration vs. 32,783.05–55,754.68 μg/g during decoction). The decoction process significantly enhances the extraction of active constituents. Notably, certain iridoids (e.g., 7-O-methyl morroniside: 92.91–354.59 μg/g during maceration vs. 50.43–171.40 μg/g during decoction) were better preserved under maceration, highlighting its advantage for retaining heat-sensitive bioactive components. During the decoction process, 5-hydroxycinnamoylquinic acids tended to transform into 3- and 4-hydroxycinnamoylquinic acid isomers. Most di-hydroxycinnamoylquinic acids and flavonoids significantly decreased after 30 min. Nitrogen-containing seco-iridoids declined rapidly after 15 min. To balance extraction efficiency with the preservation of heat-sensitive bioactive components, a decoction time of 15–30 min is recommended. The study systematically elucidates the dynamic changes in bioactive components under two preparation methods, offering critical insights and a scientific foundation for the precision utilization of LJF in pharmaceutical and functional food industries. Full article

Background/Objectives: With the acceleration of global industrialization and continuous population growth, the world is increasingly confronted with the dual challenges of food insecurity and cultivated land contamination. The screening and breeding of rice varieties with superior agronomic traits and low heavy metal accumulation have therefore become important strategies for ensuring food safety and sustainable agricultural production. Methods: In this study, rice varieties carrying the Gn1a-i gene and exhibiting specific cadmium (Cd) accumulation characteristics were screened using a combination of molecular marker detection and cadmium accumulation evaluation. Specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) primers targeting the Gn1a-i gene were designed and combined with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) assay to enable rapid genetic screening of rice varieties. A six-day hydroponic experiment under cadmium stress was conducted across three temperature ranges (15–20 °C, 22–27 °C, and 30–35 °C), and cadmium accumulation in different plant organs (roots, stem sheath, and leaves) was analyzed. Results: Seven varieties carrying the Gn1a-i gene, including Xiangwanxian 12, were identified among ten tested rice varieties. Xiangwanxian 12 was subsequently selected for further evaluation, with the high-cadmium-accumulating variety Yuzhenxiang used as a control. At 144 h, the total Cd content in the measured organs of Xiangwanxian 12 was 9.6%, 4.0%, and 23.2% lower than that of Yuzhenxiang under low, medium, and high temperatures, respectively (one-tailed t-test, p < 0.01 for all three temperatures). Conclusions: The integration of LAMP-based genotyping and physiological evaluation provides a novel and reliable strategy for identifying low-Cd rice germplasm. Xiangwanxian 12, which carries the Gn1a-i allele and exhibits consistently lower Cd accumulation than Yuzhenxiang, suggests potential as a candidate for breeding high-yield, low-Cd rice cultivars. Full article

In this study, we compared the effects of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) on the total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, morphological characteristics, and tentative identification of bioactive compounds by LC-ESI-MS/MS in pomegranate seeds. We conducted a phytochemical characterization of the extracts by determining the total phenolic content and total flavonoids. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and free radical inhibition methods (DPPH and ABTS). Morphological characteristics were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, UV-Vis and FTIR of the extracts were recorded. Additionally, the main bioactive compounds were identified using HPLC-MS. Our results demonstrated that MAE was the most efficient technique, yielding a higher content of total phenols (35.47 mg GAE/g), total flavonoids (14.44 mg CAE/g) and antioxidant activity (0.19 and 0.41 mmol TEAC/g, as determined by FRAP and ABTS, respectively). In terms of morphological characteristics, UAE induced more changes in the structure of the plant material compared to MAE. According to HPLC-MS analysis, the extract obtained using MAE notably contained coumaric acid, cyanidin, and quercetin, whereas the UAE extract included coumaric acid, cyanidin, kaempferol, and epicatechin. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that MAE is a more efficient method than UAE for extracting bioactive compounds. Pomegranate seeds may represent a potential source of these compounds for application in various industrial areas. Full article