Search Results (890)

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a pervasive mycotoxin contaminating global food and feed. While enzymatic degradation offers a promising, specific, and eco-friendly strategy for mycotoxin mitigation, the biotransformation of ZEN within acidic food matrices remains challenging due to the intrinsically low activity of zearalenone lactonase (ZENG). In this work, we synthesized a ZENG–hydroxyapatite (Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂) hybrid nanoflower (CaNF) via biomineralization under alkaline conditions. Compared to free ZENG, the as-prepared biohybrid nanoflower exhibited markedly enhanced acid tolerance and catalytic activity, achieving a 12-fold increase in ZEN degradation efficiency at pH 5.0. Furthermore, the biohybrid nanoflower demonstrated robust performance in various acidic food matrices, including corn juice, wort, beer, and corn steep liquor. This study presents a powerful enzymatic tool for the efficient biotransformation of ZEN in acidic food-related systems. Full article

The aim of this study was to determine whether exposure to low doses of zearalenone (ZEN) over a period of six weeks affects the values of the carry-over factor (COF) of ZEN in the roof of the third cerebral ventricle (RTCV) and in selected skeletal muscles (longissimus and quadriceps) in prepubertal gilts. The study was conducted on 60 clinically healthy prepubertal gilts with an initial body weight (BW) of 14.5 ± 2 kg. Gilts were randomly assigned to a control group (group C; n = 15) and three experimental groups (ZEN5, ZEN10, and ZEN15; n = 15 each). Groups ZEN5, ZEN10, and ZEN15 were administered ZEN per os at doses of 5 µg/kg BW, 10 µg/kg BW, and 15 µg/kg BW, respectively. Group C animals were orally administered a placebo. Tissue samples (brain and skeletal muscles) were collected post-mortem for toxicological analyses on exposure days 7 (D1), 21 (D2), and 42 (D3). The concentrations of ZEN and its metabolites, α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZEL), were determined in the collected samples. All examined tissues contained the parent compound, but ZEN metabolites were not detected in any of the samples. The absence of ZEN metabolites may have resulted from a physiological deficit of estradiol (E₂) and, consequently, testosterone (T) and progesterone (P₄) in prepubertal gilts. Low-dose ZEN mycotoxicosis led to a persistent presence of ZEN in the RTCV (COF from 1·10⁻⁶ on D1 to 7·10⁻⁷ on D3) and somewhat lower ZEN levels in skeletal muscles (COF from 8·10⁻⁶ on D1 to 6·10⁻⁷ on D3). The presence of ZEN in the RTCV confirms that it crosses the blood–brain barrier and may therefore participate in the hormonal homeostasis of the brain. Full article

Zearalenone (ZEN) is an estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium spp. and commonly found in cereals and feed materials. This study evaluated the ability of Metschnikowia pulcherrima KKP 1368 biomass to reduce extractable ZEN under controlled buffered pH conditions (pH 3.50 and 7.00) selected as simplified conditions relevant to the porcine gastrointestinal environment. ZEN was quantified by LC-MS/MS, whereas LC-MS-QTOF was used as a qualitative/semi-quantitative screening approach for tentatively assigned transformation-related features. In the presence of yeast biomass, extractable ZEN was already lower than in the corresponding controls at the first sampling point, indicating a rapid biomass-associated effect. After 12 h, reductions relative to the corresponding controls reached 63.0% at pH 3.50 (p < 0.0001) and 51.6% at pH 7.00 (p = 0.0001). ZEN remained stable in control samples, and the strain remained viable under both pH conditions throughout incubation. LC-MS-QTOF detected several tentatively assigned features consistent with zearalanone, zearalenone-14-glucuronide, and zearalenol O-glucoside; these assignments require confirmation with authentic standards. Overall, M. pulcherrima KKP 1368 reduced extractable ZEN in a simplified buffered in vitro system, probably through rapid adsorption/reduced extractability and possible biotransformation. Further studies using biomass fractions or inactivated biomass, mass-balance experiments, authentic standards, and toxicological assays are needed to clarify the relative contribution of adsorption and transformation and to assess the practical relevance of this approach. Full article

Background: Idiopathic epiretinal membranes (iERMs) are treated with pars plana vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane peeling. Simultaneous internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling could reduce the recurrent rate. We aimed to explore the anatomical and functional factors influencing recovery outcomes in patients with iERM after surgical intervention. Methods: We enrolled 85 eyes of 85 participants with iERM who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with ERM and ILM peeling from January to December 2020 in Kaohsiung Veterans Hospital. We analyzed ERM staging, preoperative and postoperative vision and findings of retinal microstructures, and thickness changes determined using optic coherence tomography (OCT), as well as pre- and postoperative inner and outer retinal layer thickness changes. Results: The mean age was 65.64 ± 6.19 years, and no ERM recurrence was observed within one year. Males comprised 44.71% of participants (38/85). The mean preoperative vision score was 0.47 [Snellen equivalent (SE), 68/200] ± 0.29 logMAR, and the mean final vision score was 0.32 (SE, 96/200) ± 0.30 logMAR. Visual improvements were significant (p < 0.001, paired t-test). Preoperative vision (β = 0.327, p = 0.010) and final lens status (β = 0.400, p = 0.002) were significantly correlated with final vision (R² = 0.309). Central foveal thickness and inner and outer retinal layer thickness decreased continuously until 12 months postoperatively in the pseudophakia group, whereas for those in the phakia group, the outer retinal layer thickness only decreased in the first 6 months. Conclusions: Poor initial vision and final phakia significantly worsened final visual outcomes. Postoperative vision, central foveal thickness, and thickness of the inner and outer retinal layers showed the continuous statistical improvement in pseudophakic eyes over 6 months. Full article

Robust genetic tools are a prerequisite for causal, perturbation-based tests of redox physiology in acetogens. Here we establish practical genetic entry points for Sporomusa sphaeroides DSM 2875 under strictly anaerobic handling. We first attempted genome editing via double-crossover allelic exchange targeting pyrF using a non-replicative pUC19-based knockout construct and 5-fluoroorotic acid counterselection. Diagnostic PCR identified ΔpyrF candidates with the expected size shifts, demonstrating that homologous recombination is technically feasible in DSM 2875; however, the ΔpyrF genotype exhibited severe growth defects and could not be stably maintained over repeated passages, indicating a key limitation of a pyrF-based workflow under our current conditions. We then evaluated multiple E. coli–anaerobe shuttle plasmids for introduction and maintenance. Among the tested vectors, pJIR751 reproducibly yielded erythromycin-resistant transformants after prolonged incubation and supported serial passaging on selective media. Plasmid retention was confirmed by diagnostic PCR from liquid cultures in all tested isolates. Importantly, this maintainable plasmid platform enables genetically grounded perturbation-and-rescue experiments under electrode- or Fe⁰-assisted conditions, allowing mechanistic hypotheses in bioelectrochemical acetogenesis to be tested causally rather than inferred from phenotypes alone. Together, these results define current practical boundaries for S. sphaeroides genetics and establish pJIR751 as a practical foundation for downstream genetic manipulation in bioelectrochemical studies. Full article

Objective: Clinical remission is a major therapeutic goal in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) because of its association with improved long-term outcomes. However, its relationship with patient-reported burden, quality of life, and disease perception remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to evaluate patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with SLE in clinical remission, identify factors associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and assess physician–patient discordance in disease activity perception. Methods: A total of 106 adult patients with SLE in clinical remission according to the definition proposed by Zen et al. were enrolled at a single rheumatology center. Patients were classified into complete remission, clinical remission off corticosteroids, or clinical remission on corticosteroids. Demographic, clinical, and treatment-related data were collected, including organ damage (SLICC-SDI) and disease activity (SLEDAI-2K). Patients completed PRO measures including SF-36, Global Health (GH), pain VAS, STAI-Y1 and STAI-Y2, Zung Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and HAQ. Disease activity was assessed by both the patient (PGA) and the physician (PhGA); a PGA–PhGA difference >25 mm was considered clinically relevant discordance. Results: Among patients in clinical remission, mild anxiety was observed in 17.1% according to STAI-Y1 and in 27.9% according to STAI-Y2, mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms in 47.1%, and mild insomnia in 25.5%. Of the 106 patients, 24 (22.6%) were in complete remission, 27 (25.5%) in clinical remission off corticosteroids, and 55 (51.9%) in clinical remission on corticosteroids. Patients in clinical remission on corticosteroids showed worse patient-reported outcomes than those in complete remission or clinical remission off corticosteroids. In multivariable analyses, poorer physical HRQoL was independently associated with functional disability, pain intensity, and depressive symptoms, whereas poorer mental HRQoL was independently associated with trait and state anxiety. Clinically relevant physician–patient discordance was observed in 22.6% of the cohort and was almost exclusively driven by higher patient than physician scores. Pain intensity emerged as the most robust independent correlate of discordance. Conclusions: A substantial patient-reported burden may persist in patients with SLE despite clinical remission. Pain, psychological distress, insomnia, and functional disability contribute to impaired HRQoL, while physician–patient discordance appears to reflect a broader mismatch between inflammatory disease control and the patient’s lived experience of illness. These findings support a more comprehensive and patient-centered approach to remission assessment in SLE. Full article

While spirituality and contemplative practices are increasingly invoked in response to environmental crisis, the specific mechanisms by which they may mediate professional ethical action remain underdeveloped. This is particularly evident regarding nuclear harm, an existential planetary threat often siloed from health scholarship. This paper investigates the mediating mechanism of contemplative formation as the analytical link between spiritual ethics and planetary health. By centering this link, we demonstrate how professional nursing identity can be restructured to address existential threats like nuclear harm, which are currently under-integrated in health scholarship. We employed a convergent, integrative design combining a scoping review of the literature published in 2015–2025 with a contemplative autoethnography. The scoping review (n = 39) maps the scholarly evidence of spiritual–ecological constructs, while the autoethnography provides a situated, analytical account of the first author’s professional and spiritual formation. Integration was achieved through a four-step thematic synthesis that explicitly identifies where first-person lived experience and third-person scholarly evidence converge to illuminate the process of ethical integration. Four convergent themes describe the pathways linking contemplative practice to planetary health: (1) embodied practice (somatic resilience); (2) narrative meaning-making (transforming grief into purpose); (3) interconnected ethics (reframing remote harms as proximate responsibilities); and (4) reflective integration (the reflexive weaving of clinical and spiritual identities). The findings reveal that while contemplative traditions offer robust resources for systems thinking and equity, nuclear harm and nursing perspectives remain significantly under-integrated in the current planetary health literature. Contemplative formation functions as the mediating mechanism that turns planetary threats into sustained professional advocacy. The Interbeing Planetary Health Framework provides a pragmatic guide for nursing ethics under existential risks. Full article

Winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important crop used for feed, food, malting, and bioethanol production. Recent research indicates that the seed mycobiome significantly influences seed health and usability, affecting its potential applications. This study examined the fungal species present in seven barley cultivars grown under two agrotechnical regimes. Fungal species were classified according to their effects on seeds and plants, and biodiversity indices were calculated for each group. Enhanced agrotechnical practices increased yields and improved grain quality. Higher DON concentrations were observed in low-yield treatments. Mycological analysis revealed that field fungi, particularly Fusarium, dominated the grain mycobiome and were associated with infection and reduced seed quality. High Dominance (Y), Margalef, and Shannon–Wiener indices for quality-deteriorating fungi correlated with lower yields, while the Dominance index (λ) for these fungi was negatively correlated with grain protein content. The prevalence of specific fungi on seeds depends on storage conditions and fungal adaptations, which may result in complementary consortia. Understanding these interactions can support the development of effective seed storage strategies and inform material classification and future use decisions. Full article

Optical klystrons have been developed in storage ring free-electron lasers (FELs) as insertion devices to increase the FEL gain in a straight section with limited length. By adjusting the magnetic field in the dispersion section of the optical klystron to shift the relative delay between the electron bunch and FEL pulse from an integer multiple of the FEL wavelength, FELs can oscillate at two wavelengths. The electron density of the electron bunch that interacts with the FEL pulse in a small-signal regime is modulated at the FEL wavelength period. When the FEL oscillates simultaneously at two wavelengths, the electron density of the electron bunch beats through the modulation with two periods. This beat generates long-wavelength coherent edge radiation at a bending magnet located in the straight section containing the optical klystron. Difference-frequency waves induced by dual-wavelength ultraviolet free-electron lasers generate a high-intensity mid-infrared monochromatic beam. Our findings will lay the foundation for the development of the difference-frequency waves of soft X-rays and extreme ultraviolet light using hard X-ray FELs. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different aerobic exposure durations on mycotoxin accumulation, nutritional quality changes, and microbial community dynamics of corncob silage. The experiment was divided into four groups: T0 (corncob silage fermented for 45 days without aerobic exposure), T4 (corncob silage exposed to air for 4 days), T8 (corncob silage exposed to air for 8 days), and T12 (corncob silage exposed to air for 12 days). The results showed that after aerobic exposure, the contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), Crude Ash, lactic acid (LA), and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) in all exposed groups (T4, T8, T12) were significantly lower than those in the T0 group, whereas the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), propionic acid (PA), and butyric acid (BA) were significantly higher than those in the T0 group. Exposure to aerobic conditions for 12 days resulted in the four mycotoxins exhibiting levels significantly higher than those in the other groups, and notably, zearalenone (ZEN) and ochratoxin (OT) exhibited a continuous increase in concentration with the extension of aerobic exposure. Aerobic exposure increased bacterial diversity and fungal relative abundance, and significant separations were observed in both bacterial and fungal communities between the T0 group and the aerobic exposure groups. At the phylum level, Firmicutes was the dominant bacterial phylum in the T0 group, while Pseudomonadota became the dominant phylum after aerobic exposure. At the genus level, Lacticaseibacillus was the dominant bacterial genus in the T0 group, whereas Variovorax, Vibrionimonas, and Mycobacterium dominated the bacterial communities in the aerobic exposure groups. The relative abundance of the fungal phylum Ascomycota increased from 30% in the T0 group to 80~90% in the aerobic exposure groups; the dominant fungal genera shifted from Zygosaccharomyces to Albifimbria and Pichia. In conclusion, prolonged aerobic exposure elevates the concentrations of mycotoxins in corncob silage, reduces the nutritional quality, and induces significant shifts in both bacterial and fungal community compositions. Full article

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a widely distributed estrogenic mycotoxin that compromises intestinal health in pigs, but its spatial difference ZEN and niche-specific regulatory effects on the intestinal microbiota remain largely unelucidated. In this study, 12 healthy three-way crossbred weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly divided into two treatments. The control group (CON) was fed with the basal diet, and the treatment group (ZEN) was supplemented with 1.5 mg ZEA/kg of the basal diet for 28 days. Chyme and mucosal microorganisms in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and cecum were profiled by using 16S rDNA sequencing. The results indicated that ZEN significantly reduced the α-diversity of ileal chyme, while the abnormal increase in α-diversity of ileal and cecal mucosa represented a pathological signature of intestinal mucosal barrier damage induced by ZEN, which was detrimental to intestinal health. β-Diversity analysis revealed ZEN altered the microbial community composition of the cecal chyme. LEfSe analysis revealed gut segment-specific and niche-specific biomarker taxa among the groups, and functional prediction further indicated that ZEN exposure significantly perturbed key metabolic pathways: it downregulated nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism as well as the citrate cycle in ileal chyme and upregulated the pentose and glucuronate interconversions pathway in cecal chyme. Collectively, this study demonstrated the effects of ZEN on the intestinal microbiota across spatial difference and ecological niches in weaned piglets, providing a basis for elucidating the microecological mechanisms underlying ZEN-induced intestinal injury in pigs. Full article

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health threat, with individual genetic determinants like Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) gene variations potentially modulating immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This systematic review evaluates the role of TLR2 polymorphisms in influencing susceptibility to and clinical manifestations of pulmonary TB. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect was conducted through July 2024 for observational studies investigating TLR2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and active TB. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Of 8878 identified articles, 32 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently investigated variants, Arg753Gln (rs5743708), −196 to −174 del, and rs3804099, were consistently associated with increased TB susceptibility, particularly in Asian and African populations. Furthermore, specific polymorphisms correlated with greater disease severity, including cavitary lesions and aggressive clinical progression. In conclusion, TLR2 genetic polymorphisms significantly increase the risk of developing pulmonary TB and contribute to more severe clinical outcomes. These findings emphasize the potential of genetic profiling in enhancing TB control strategies and developing personalized diagnostic or therapeutic approaches. Full article

Until recently, our view of Chinese Buddhist history was overly influenced by sectarian categories inherited by Japanese Buddhism, which clearly distinguished Zen/Chan, Pure Land, and esoteric Buddhism (mostly Shingon 真言). Recently, scholars have begun to study syncretistic trends known as “esoteric Zen” and “esoteric nenbutsu.” However, the latter has so far been mostly examined within the framework of Shingon Buddhism. This paper will emphasize the importance of nenbutsu in the esoteric Tendai school (Taimitsu 台密), particularly in a secret ritual called “Genshi Kimyōdan” 玄旨帰命壇. Full article

This study provides a combined profile of fungal isolates from fresh and dried chili peppers in markets in Guangzhou. Multilocus sequence analysis revealed a wide variety of species, seven of which were reported for the first time from chili pepper (F. annulatum, F. compactum, F. pernambucanum, F. ramsdenii, and F. tardichlamydosporum, P. citrinum and P. steckii). In this research work, quantitative determination using targeted LC–MS/MS of dried chili peppers showed a significantly higher frequency of contamination and higher toxin concentrations than fresh samples. The predominant mycotoxins in dried peppers were DON and FB₁, which were present in all the samples at mean levels of 0.56 µg/g and 0.067 µg/g, respectively. AFB₁ and OTA were present in all dried samples but were detected only occasionally in fresh peppers. ZEN and CIT were detected at lower concentrations, but more prevalent among dried products (63.6% and 81.8% of all samples, respectively). The aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) level of 180 µg/kg in dried chili samples was 36 times above the EU maximum limit (5 µg/kg), and the OTA level reached 54 µg/kg, exceeding the EU limit by a factor of 2.7 (20 µg/kg). Statistical analysis also showed that all six mycotoxins were statistically higher in dried pepper than in fresh pepper. In vitro evaluation demonstrated that certain Fusarium isolates synthesized FB₁. At the same time, Penicillium species, including P. citrinum and P. steckii, consistently produced citrinin, confirming the strong influence of growth substrate on toxin biosynthesis. The frequent occurrence and elevated levels of regulated mycotoxins highlight significant public health concerns and underscore the need for improved postharvest handling and drying practices. These findings provide critical baseline data linking fungal diversity with toxin production dynamics, developing essential guidance for targeted mitigation strategies. Full article