Search Results (13,843)

Sodium alginate was extracted from beach-cast Sargassum spp. collected along the coast of Puerto Progreso, Yucatán, Mexico, using two established pretreatment routes based on formaldehyde and ethanol. This study evaluates how extraction methodology controls alginate recovery, molecular structure, hydrogel rheology, macroscopic integrity, swelling behavior, and preliminary inorganic contaminant profiles. The ethanol-based route provided the highest extraction yield, reaching 19.87 ± 0.79% w/w for AE-5, whereas the formaldehyde route reached a maximum of 15.60 ± 0.62% w/w for AF-12; statistical analysis confirmed significant differences among extraction conditions (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Despite its lower yield, the formaldehyde route produced alginate with higher intrinsic viscosity (2.13 dL/g) and viscosity-average molecular weight (1.00 × 105 g/mol) than the ethanol-derived sample (1.33 dL/g and 0.62 × 105 g/mol), indicating better preservation of polymer chain length. ¹H NMR analysis showed that AE-5 had higher guluronic acid content (F_G = 0.60), lower M/G ratio (0.67), and higher G-block fraction (F_GG = 0.54), favoring Ca²⁺-mediated junction zone formation. Consequently, AE-5-derived hydrogels exhibited the highest storage modulus at 1 Hz (G′ = 23,650 Pa), compared with AF-12-derived hydrogels (13,160 Pa) and the commercial reference (14,480 Pa). However, visual inspection and swelling analysis showed that the higher small-amplitude stiffness of AE-5 did not translate into superior macroscopic integrity; these hydrogels showed greater fragmentation during handling and higher long-term swelling. In contrast, AF-12-derived hydrogels showed lower stiffness but better apparent cohesion and a more restricted swelling profile, consistent with enhanced long-range network connectivity derived from higher molecular weight. FTIR confirmed preservation of the characteristic functional groups of sodium alginate, whereas XRD provided qualitative evidence of residual crystalline inorganic phases. Selected-metal analysis by MP-AES detected Cu in both extracted alginates, while As was detected but not quantified only in AF-12; Cd and Pb were not detected under the analytical conditions employed. Overall, the results establish a route-dependent structure-property relationship in which extraction conditions govern yield, chain preservation, block architecture, viscoelastic response, swelling behavior, and preliminary contaminant profile. These findings support beach-cast Sargassum as a promising source of research-grade sodium alginate, while emphasizing that further purification, expanded contaminant profiling, arsenic speciation, biological evaluation, and direct mechanical testing are required before any food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, or environmental application can be proposed. Full article

Seed enhancement technologies have emerged as promising approaches to improve seedling growth and nursery performance of forest tree species. This study evaluated the effects of combining seed priming and seed coating technologies with beneficial microbial inoculants on the seedling quality of Falcataria falcata (L.) Greuter & R.Rankin. Fourteen treatments, including hydropriming (HP), gibberellic acid (GA₃), Rhizobium sp., Trichoderma sp., endomycorrhiza, polymer coating, nutrients, fungicide, and insecticide, were assessed under nursery conditions. Seedling quality was determined using the number of roots, number of nodules, root-to-shoot ratio, vigor index I, and vigor index II. Significant differences among treatments were observed for all measured parameters (p < 0.001). The treatment HP + GA₃ + Rhizobium sp. + polymer coat + fungicide (T13) produced the highest number of roots (31.76 roots seedling⁻¹), indicating enhanced root development. Meanwhile, HP + endomycorrhiza (T4) resulted in the highest number of nodules (5.49 nodules seedling⁻¹), root-to-shoot ratio (0.593), and vigor index I (2055.57), reflecting improved biomass allocation and overall seedling quality. Principal component analysis explained 71.9% of the total variation and revealed distinct associations between treatments and growth attributes. Treatments containing Rhizobium sp. were primarily associated with root proliferation and seedling vigor, whereas endomycorrhizal treatments were linked to nodulation and balanced biomass development. The results demonstrate that integrating microbial inoculants with seed priming and coating technologies can significantly enhance seedling quality, even when germination responses are similar among treatments. These findings highlight the potential of biologically enhanced seeds as a sustainable strategy for producing vigorous planting materials suitable for plantation forestry, reforestation, and landscape restoration programs. Full article

New copper(II) (C1) and palladium(II) (C2) complexes with S,O-tetradentate ligand (L) derived from thiosalicylic and thiopropionic acids were synthesized. In cell-based assays, (C1) exhibited the most pronounced activity within the tested compound series and was therefore advanced for mechanistic evaluation in 4T1 triple-negative breast cancer cells. (C1) significantly reduced 4T1 cell viability by inducing early and late apoptosis, accompanied by mitochondrial membrane depolarization and enhanced cytochrome C release. Consistently, (C1) increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, promoting a pro-apoptotic shift. In parallel, (C1) triggered autophagy, as evidenced by decreased p62 and LC3B levels, induced G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest, and suppressed proliferative signaling by downregulating Ki67, cyclin D, and phosphorylated AKT. The DNA-binding studies showed moderate to strong affinity, favoring minor groove binding, with higher affinity for (C1) than for (C2). Tryptophan fluorescence quenching indicated a strong interaction with BSA via a predominantly static mechanism, more pronounced for (C1). Molecular docking at the DNA and BSA binding sites corroborated experimental findings and suggested favorable interactions between the complexes and apoptosis-related proteins (CASP3, BAX, and BCL2). The integrated experimental and computational data identify (C1) as a biologically active compound with multimodal biological effects in vitro, supporting further structural optimization and mechanistic investigation. Full article

Bacterial infections and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) severely impede wound healing. However, traditional hydrogels often lack the integrated antibacterial and antioxidant properties required for effective treatment. To overcome these limitations, a natural thioctic acid (TA)-based multifunctional composite hydrogel (PTA-Arg/SAS) was developed. Arginine (Arg) served as a green inducer for the aqueous ring-opening polymerization of TA. Concurrently, salicylic acid-grafted sericin (SAS) was introduced to inhibit poly(thioctic acid) (PTA) depolymerization via the formation of stable sulfur-aryl (S-Ar) bonds. The hydrogel exhibits self-healing capability, injectability, and robust tissue adhesion to porcine skin (1877 Pa dry; 1663 Pa wet). Furthermore, SAS endowed the system with potent antibacterial (99.1% against E. coli, 97% against S. aureus) and antioxidant activities (98.2% ABTS and 72.7% DPPH radical scavenging rates). In vitro evaluations confirmed the viability of L929 cells (>98% over 3 days) and a negligible hemolysis ratio (<5%). Consequently, this study provides a strategy for fabricating next-generation bioactive dressings for complex wound management. Full article

The Baleysky gold deposit in Eastern Transbaikalia is a classic example of the long-term environmental legacy of gold mining. The cessation of industrial wastewater discharge in 1995 led to the accumulation of more than 3 million m³ of acidic water with high concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids. These waters contain concentrations many times higher than the maximum permissible levels for fishery waters (Mn up to 6594, Al—1473, Zn—486, and Cu—414), posing a significant threat to the ecosystem of the Unda River and the health of the local population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the artificial geochemical barrier method for treating such waters under laboratory conditions. Column experiments were conducted using local soil and the commercial carbonate sorbent taurite at a sorbent-to-filtrate ratio of 1:5. Taurite demonstrated a significantly higher sorption capacity than soil, substantially reducing the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Al, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu and raising the pH from 2.90 to 7.96–8.03. Although health risks associated with both carcinogenic (CR) and non-carcinogenic effects (HI) decreased significantly after treatment with taurite, residual risk levels remained unacceptably high (CR ≈ 10⁻³, HI > 1). The results show that engineered geochemical barriers have great potential for reducing anthropogenic contamination at abandoned mining sites, although further optimization of this technology is necessary to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements. Full article

Terra rossa (red soils) developed over carbonate terrains represent an unconventional yet potentially valuable secondary source of rare earth elements (REEs) due to enrichment in Fe–Al-rich weathering products. In this study, the hydrometallurgical recovery of REEs from terra rossa samples collected from the Seydişehir–Akseki region (Türkiye) was systematically investigated through acid leaching. Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and nitric acid (HNO₃) were comparatively evaluated as lixiviants under optimized conditions. A Taguchi L16 orthogonal experimental design was used to assess the effects of acid concentration (1–4 M), temperature (25–95 °C), leaching duration (60–480 min), and solid-to-liquid ratio (1:10–1:40). All three acids achieved high REE recoveries under optimized conditions (4 M, 95 °C, 480 min, and 1:40 S/L). HCl exhibited the highest overall efficiency, yielding recoveries of 93–98%, followed by H₂SO₄ (89–96%) and HNO₃ (88–97%). Statistical analyses indicated that acid type and concentration were the main factors controlling REE dissolution, followed by temperature and leaching duration. Overall, the results confirm that terra rossa deposits constitute an underexplored secondary REE resource and demonstrate that optimized acid leaching is an effective approach for the valorization of weathering-derived materials. Full article

Sustainable management of permanent grasslands requires evidence-based selection of fertilization practices that support long-term soil organic matter quality and ecosystem function. This study addresses the need to identify optimal agricultural practices in permanent grasslands and the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil humic substances (HS) composition and stability. Grassland plots were amended after cutting with mineral fertilizer (NPK), farmyard manure (FYM), cattle slurry (CS), or digestate (DIG), and humic acids (HA) were isolated using the standard International Humic Substances Society procedure. The elemental composition, total carbon and nitrogen contents, C/N ratio, and selected biogenic elements were determined using routine laboratory methods, while infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence excitation–emission matrix analysis, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy were applied to characterize chemical structure and semiquinone radical concentrations. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated distinct clustering of fertilization treatments, which was supported by a statistically significant effect (p < 0.05) based on ANOVA. The results suggest that the fertilization regime was associated with variation in HS composition and radical abundance. DIG and NPK treatments showed lower O/C ratios and radical concentrations, potentially reflecting more reduced humic acids. In contrast, FYM and CS treatments tended to exhibit higher radical concentrations and O/C ratios. These findings highlight the importance of fertilizer type in shaping soil organic matter dynamics in managed grassland ecosystems and provide a scientific basis for the development of sustainable soil management strategies and environmentally sound fertilization practices in permanent grassland systems. Full article

Electrospinning is a highly versatile technique for fabricating nanofibrous membranes with high surface-area-to-volume ratios and tunable porosity. Although polycaprolactone (PCL) is widely utilized in biomedical engineering due to its biocompatibility, its electrospinning traditionally relies on hazardous organic solvents like dichloromethane (DCM) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). This paper details the development of a fully sustainable, green electrospinning process for PCL using a bio-derived binary mixture of acetic acid and formic acid. Processing parameters (applied voltage, tip-to-collector distance, and flow rate) were systematically optimized using a Design of Experiments (DoE) response surface methodology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the successful fabrication of uniform, bead-free nanofibers with a mean diameter of 247 nm, representing a 37.3% reduction compared to conventional DCM:DMF-spun matrices. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) verified complete solvent evaporates. Full article

Introduction: The uric acid-to-albumin ratio (UAR) is a novel cardiovascular biomarker, but its prognostic value in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) remains unknown. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 1513 consecutive patients who underwent successful CTO-PCI at a single center from February 2011 to December 2023. Patients were stratified by baseline UAR tertiles. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), and the secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Multivariable Cox regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were performed. Results: During a median follow-up of 810 days, patients in the highest UAR tertile had significantly higher rates of MACCE (18.5%, 10.1%, and 7.5% across tertiles; p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (10.7%, 3.8%, and 2.0%; p < 0.001). After multivariable adjustment, each one-unit increase in UAR was associated with a 6% higher risk of MACCE (HR 1.06; 95% CI 1.02–1.10; p = 0.002) and a 9% higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.04–1.14; p < 0.001). Patients in the highest UAR tertile had significantly increased risks of MACCE (HR 1.90; 95% CI 1.25–2.90; p = 0.003) and all-cause mortality (HR 3.40; 95% CI 1.62–7.12; p = 0.001) compared with those in the lowest UAR tertile. RCS analysis showed significant overall associations between UAR and both MACCE and all-cause mortality, with no significant evidence of nonlinearity. Conclusions: Elevated baseline UAR was independently associated with long-term MACCE and all-cause mortality after successful CTO-PCI. These findings support UAR as a readily available prognostic marker but do not establish causality or support UAR-guided therapeutic decision-making. Prospective studies are needed for validation. Full article

This experiment investigated the effects of two rearing systems, cage and free-range, on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, slaughter performance, cecal microbiota, and hepatic metabolism of yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 240 healthy 21-day-old Liangfenghua yellow-feathered male broilers with similar body weight were randomly assigned to a cage group (LY) and a free-range group (SY), with 10 replicates per group and 12 birds per replicate. All birds were fed the same diet until 63 days of age. Compared with the LY group, the SY group had significantly lower final body weight, average daily gain, and abdominal fat percentage (p < 0.05), while average daily feed intake and feed-to-gain-ratio were significantly higher (p < 0.05). The Shannon and Simpson indices of the cecal microbiota were significantly higher in the SY group (p < 0.05), and the genera Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Rikenella, and Oscillibacter were specifically enriched. A total of 560 differential metabolites were identified by liver non-targeted metabolomics, and these metabolites were significantly enriched in the necroptosis, cysteine and methionine metabolism, thiamine metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism pathways (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis between cecal microbiota and liver metabolites revealed that the differentially abundant bacterial genera showed significant negative correlations with multiple amino acid metabolites in the liver. In conclusion, the free-range rearing system reduced the growth performance of yellow-feathered broilers but enriched specific bacterial genera, increased gut microbiota diversity, and modulated host amino acid metabolism and energy homeostasis through the “gut microbiota–liver” axis, ultimately inducing an adaptive metabolic state characterized by reduced abdominal fat deposition and remodeling of hepatic metabolic pathways. Full article

A six-week feeding experiment was carried out to investigate the suitability of wasted tofu meal (WTM) as a substitute protein source for fish meal (FM) in diets for juvenile yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata). A diet containing FM as the principal protein source served as the control (C), while WTM was incorporated to replace 20%, 35%, and 50% of the FM protein in the experimental diets, referred to as T20, T35, and T50, respectively. Juvenile fish with an initial average body weight of approximately 30.99 g were randomly distributed into 500-L tanks at a density of 20 fish per tank, with triplicate groups assigned to each dietary treatment. At the end of the feeding trial, fish fed the T20 diet showed no significant differences from the control group in final body weight, specific growth rate, daily feed intake, feed efficiency, or survival. However, fish receiving the T35 and T50 diets exhibited significant reductions in most growth performance indices compared with those fed the control diet. Although nutrient retention efficiency and plasma biochemical indicators associated with fish health were not significantly influenced by dietary treatment, alterations were observed in whole-body lipid composition and fatty acid profiles, including reductions in EPA, DHA, total n-3 fatty acids, and the n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio with increasing WTM inclusion. Overall, the findings suggest that, under the dietary formulations tested, WTM can replace up to 20% of FM protein in diets for juvenile yellowtail without negatively affecting growth performance or physiological health; however, supplementation with n-3 HUFA-rich lipid sources may be required to maintain optimal whole-body fatty acid composition and product nutritional quality. Full article

The valorization of phosphogypsum (PG), a byproduct of phosphoric acid production, along with waste glass (WG) and silica fume (SF) into value-added materials has attracted growing attention in recent years. The present study aims to synthesize three types of porous geopolymers (GD, GDP, and GDG) using Tunisian clay and locally available mineral wastes, and to investigate their potential as low-cost adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw precursors and the resulting porous geopolymers were analyzed using various techniques, including FTIR, XRD, BET, and SEM. Variations in Si/Al, Na/Al, and Ca/Al ratios play a critical role in the geopolymer structure. The high Ca/Al ratio in GDP (porous geopolymer from calcined clay and phosphogypsum) promotes the formation of C-A-S-H, leading to increased macroporosity, which favors adsorption capacity despite the presence of a more heterogeneous morphology. The results indicated that the maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) for MB dye was obtained for the GDP sample, reaching 68 mg/g. Adsorption experiments revealed the successful removal of MB dye by geopolymers, with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models adequately describing the adsorption process. The MB uptake by geopolymers was facilitated by weak physicochemical interactions, including electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π–π interactions. This study proposes a simple and effective alkali activation strategy that combines different industrial wastes within a single geopolymer system, resulting in improved porosity and adsorption efficiency. Overall, the findings highlight the potential of these waste-derived geopolymers as promising and sustainable adsorbents for wastewater treatment applications. Full article

The Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEET) family plays a crucial role in the carbohydrate distribution, phloem loading, and stress response of plants, yet the evolutionary characteristics and functional diversification of SWEET genes in the endangered timber species Phoebe bournei (Hemsl.) Yen C. Yang remain largely unexplored. In this study, 21 PbSWEET genes were identified and classified into four subfamilies (A-D). Subfamily A exhibited a unique lineage expansion, mainly driven by tandem and segmental duplications. The nonsynonymous-to-synonymous substitution ratio (Ka/Ks) values of all duplicate gene pairs were all less than 1, indicating a strong selective suppression effect; consistent with this evolutionary constraint, the majority of PbSWEET proteins harbor the conserved Medicago truncatula Nodulin 3/saliva (MtN3_slv) domain, with only a few exceptions lacking a complete version. Promoter and hormone response analyses revealed that under abscisic acid (ABA) stress, PbSWEET4 exhibited an immediate burst, whereas PbSWEET10 showed a delayed burst. Physiological data indicated that soluble sugars may be more dominant osmolytes than proline (Pro), a pattern that points to a potential carbon-centric regulatory strategy. PbSWEET4 showed an early burst before sugar/oxidative peaks, suggesting a possible non-canonical signaling role, whereas PbSWEET10 exhibited a late increase coinciding with sugar/malondialdehyde (MDA) peaks, suggesting potential involvement in sugar redistribution. Under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, PbSWEET10 was rapidly induced, yet sugar accumulation occurred only at 24 h, a temporal decoupling that suggests a possible transcription–metabolism decoupling. Collectively, these correlative patterns point to a possible dual-wave transcriptional mechanism and nominate PbSWEET10 as a candidate for stress response, though these inferences require functional validation. Full article

The problem of chromium contamination, especially Cr(VI), in acidic wastewater has drawn significant attention, requiring effective and sustainable remediation measures. In this study, tannic-acid/Fe₃O₄-modified corn straw biochar (Fe-TA-CSB) is prepared by a grinding-calcination method to remove Cr(VI). The factors influencing the removal effect of Fe-TA-CSB are investigated through static adsorption experiments. The removal mechanism is explored by combining adsorption kinetics, isothermal adsorption, and thermodynamics, as well as characterization methods. The results show that the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) increases with the increase in pH, contact time (t), and solid–liquid ratio (m/v), but decreases with the increase in initial concentration (C₀). Under optimal conditions of TA/Fe₃O₄ mass ratio = 12.5%, pH = 3.0, m/v = 1.0 g/L, and C₀ = 10 mg/L, the removal efficiency value is 94.02%, which is approximately 81.44% after four adsorption–desorption cycles. The adsorption behavior is fitted well by the Sips isotherm model and Elovich kinetics model, suggesting the adsorption process of heterogeneous monolayer chemisorption. The removal mechanism of Cr(VI) by Fe-TA-CSB involves electrostatic interaction with Cr(VI), reduction in Cr(VI) to Cr(III) through C–O and Fe(II), and complexation of reduced Cr(III) with the introduced Fe–O and phenolic hydroxyl groups. Fe-TA-CSB is an environmentally friendly and renewable adsorbent with good potential for the treatment of acidic wastewater. Full article

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a life-threatening inflammatory disorder characterized by high mortality and limited therapeutic options. Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS), a marine-derived bioactive polysaccharide, exhibits prebiotic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are effective against various inflammatory diseases. In this study, a mouse model of SAP was established by intraperitoneal injection of cerulein (100 μg/kg) and lipopolysaccharide (5 mg/kg), and the mice were pretreated with AOS (200 mg/kg) by gavage for 4 consecutive weeks to explore the potential protective efficacy and underlying mechanisms. The results shown that AOS attenuated the severity of SAP, as evidenced by reduced serum amylase and lipase levels, as well as alleviated histopathological injury in both pancreatic and ileal tissues. AOS suppressed the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) in serum, pancreas, and ileum at protein or mRNA levels. Moreover, AOS effectively diminished pancreatic and ileal inflammatory infiltration and oxidative stress in SAP mice, accompanied by inhibited the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway and activated the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant axis. Furthermore, AOS restored intestinal barrier integrity, as manifested by upregulated expression of tight junction proteins (claudin-1, occludin, ZO-1), reduced serum diamine oxidase, and decreased bacterial translocation from the gut to the pancreas. It was revealed by 16S rRNA sequencing that AOS ameliorated SAP-induced gut dysbiosis by restoring microbial diversity, normalizing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, enriching beneficial genera (Lactobacillus, Blautia), and enhancing cecal short-chain fatty acid (acetic, propionic, butyric acid) production. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that AOS exerts comprehensive protective effects against SAP through suppression of inflammatory signaling and oxidative stress, as well as restoring gut homeostasis. These results suggest that AOS may serve as a promising prebiotic-based nutritional strategy for the management of SAP. Full article