Search Results (47,812)

Background and Objectives: The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a key innate immune complex, and its aberrant activation contributes to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin with anti-inflammatory and metabolic regulatory functions, but its role in NLRP3 inflammasome activation and gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated pyroptosis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BDNF deficiency on LPS- and nigericin-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in vivo, and to elucidate the involvement of NF-κB signaling, autophagy, and ESCRT-III-dependent plasma membrane repair in this process. Materials and Methods: In this in vivo study, male Bdnf ^+/+ and Bdnf ^+/− mice were subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus nigericin-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Serum and hippocampus, cortex, liver, epididymal adipose, and muscle tissues were collected 24 h after stimulation for analysis of inflammasome-related, autophagy-related, and membrane repair-related proteins by Western blotting and of serum BDNF, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) by ELISA. Results: Bdnf ^+/− mice displayed significantly reduced circulating BDNF levels and exhibited exaggerated LPS plus nigericin-induced increases in IL-1β and IL-18 compared with Bdnf ^+/+ mice. Across all tissues, BDNF deficiency enhanced NF-κB p65, NLRP3, active caspase-1 p20, and GSDMD expression, indicating amplified inflammasome activation and pyroptosis. Conversely, LC3B and SQSTM1/p62 levels were decreased, and VPS4A expression, a key component of the ESCRT-III membrane repair machinery, was suppressed in Bdnf ^+/− mice, suggesting impaired selective autophagy, autophagosome formation, and plasma membrane repair. Conclusions: Together, these findings indicate that BDNF restrains NLRP3 inflammasome activation and GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis through inhibition of NF-κB signaling and coordinated activation of autophagy and ESCRT-III-dependent membrane repair. BDNF thus emerges as an endogenous negative regulator of inflammasome activity and a potential therapeutic target for conditions characterized by aberrant NLRP3-driven inflammation. Full article

Imidazopyridines are a versatile class of nitrogen-fused heterocycles bridging medicinal chemistry and materials science. Their π-conjugated framework allows broad structural tuning, yielding diverse biological and photophysical properties. The best-known isomers, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine, have been widely studied as pharmacophores and luminescent materials, respectively. The less explored imidazo[4,5-b] and imidazo[4,5-c]pyridines are now emerging as alternative scaffolds with distinctive electronic and functional behavior. This review summarizes synthetic strategies, electronic features, and key applications—from kinase inhibition and antiviral activity to fluorescence imaging, down-conversion, Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)/Light-emitting Electrochemical Cell (LEC) and hybrid optoelectronic systems—outlining how imidazopyridines can evolve from molecular frameworks into multifunctional platforms for bioimaging and advanced optoelectronic technologies. Full article

Producing high-quality analytical reports for the environmental domain is typically time-consuming and requires significant human expertise. This paper describes MeteoChat, a semi-automatic framework for efficiently generating specialized environmental reports from heterogeneous environmental data. MeteoChat utilizes a Large Language Model (LLM) fine-tuned and integrated with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). The system’s core is its plug-and-play philosophy, which separates analytical reasoning from the data source and the report’s intended audience. The fine-tuning phase uses data-agnostic, parameterized question–context–answer triples defined by an environmental expert to teach the LLM domain-specific analytical logic and audience-appropriate communication styles. Subsequently, the RAG phase integrates the model with actual datasets, which are processed via an Extract–Transform–Load (ETL) workflow to generate statistical summaries. This architectural separation ensures that the same reporting engine can operate on different sources, such as meteorological time series, satellite imagery, or geographical data, without additional training. Users interact with the system via a web-based conversational interface, where responses are tailored for either technical experts (using explicit calculations and tables) or the general public (using simplified, narrative language). MeteoChat has been tested with real data extracted from the micrometeorological network of ARPA Lazio. Full article

RNA editing is a way to diversify, regulate expression, and expand the cell transcriptome. The most common RNA editing is the reversible conversion of adenosine (A) to inosine (I) driven by double-stranded RNA-binding adenosine deaminases (ADARs). As inosine is recognized as guanosine (G) during translation, the RNA editing may result in non-synonymous codon changes. For this reason, ADARs have gained attention as promising enzymes to rewrite mRNA. Many efforts were undertaken to engineer a precise, effective, and controllable ADAR-based system to target certain Adenines on RNA to repair pathological mutations. This review summarizes the advances in ADAR-mediated RNA editing, evolving from systems using antisense oligonucleotides as guide RNA to recruit endogenous or overexpressed ADARs, through more complex setups additionally expressing other RNA-binding proteins, to rational designs harnessing ADARs to convert other nucleotides and amplify the low initial signal. Increasing the specificity and yield of RNA editing, expanding the number of targetable sites, and reducing off-target and bystander activity remain key challenges for these technologies. Improving delivery efficiency across a broad range of cell types, as well as optimizing delivery routes in in vivo studies are also critical to harness them as advantageous tools for both research and therapy. Full article

Aquaculture output, sustainability, and profitability can be enhanced by using functional feed additives. The effect of supplementation with two different dietary levels of propylene glycol (PG) and essential oils (EOs) was evaluated in Nile tilapia. A total of 150 juvenile fish were randomly allocated into five groups. Growth performance, feed utilization, serum biochemistry, hematology, and gene expression were assessed. PG supplementation significantly improved growth performance, feed conversion, protein efficiency, and energy utilization. Both additives significantly reduced cortisol and glucose levels and altered liver enzymes and lipid profiles. PG improved immunological indices, while hematological responses were dose-dependent; both EOs and PG increased hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH). Moreover, the high PG dose significantly increased platelet counts, reduced hemoglobin (Hb), and elevated hematocrit. Additionally, EOs significantly upregulated antifreeze protein IV (AFPIV) and fat metabolism-related genes in a dose-dependent manner, indicating a potential role in lipid mobilization and stress tolerance. Expression analysis of the immunoglobulin H (IGMH) gene revealed a significant increase in PG-supplemented groups, suggesting its immunostimulatory potential. Overall, PG enhanced immunity and growth performance, while EOs promoted AFPIV and fat metabolism gene expression. Therefore, PG and EO supplementation could serve as an effective functional strategy to enhance O. niloticus growth, stress adaptation, and immune resilience. Full article

Energy obtained by green ways with releasing environmental pollution is still a challenge for sustainable development for model society. Among energy technologies, photothermal conversion by using solar energy has become a new field and a hot topic in recent years. Based on the exploration of nanomaterials in the past decades, photothermal nanomaterials by using nanomaterials bring new chances for expending the utilization of green energy with high efficiency, mainly including metal semiconductors and carbon nanomaterials. Their modulated structure for enhancing light absorption, accelerating transformation of photon into heat, and located heat management were also considered important for promoting the utilization of solar energy and therefore, the strategies for designed and controllable preparing of photothermal nanomaterials were also summarized. The applications of photothermal nanomaterials were also reviewed to reveal the new chances for energy conversion engineering or promoting the solar energy utilization of solar energy in some cold regions or somewhere with low solar irradiation. Full article

Conventional production methods of aragonite production utilize chemical inducers to promote the evolution of the calcite crystalline phase to the aragonite phase of calcium carbonate. The chemical inducers used require a considerable amount of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) to induce crystallization, which is a major operational cost. Application of such materials in large amounts can be a deterrent to achieving a sustainable and economically feasible end-product derived from carbon dioxide (CO₂) molecules. A number of previous research works focused mainly on optimizing the usage of MgCl₂ or introducing alternative chemical inducers for aragonite production. In this work, we are proposing the usage of natural seawater as it is a naturally available and abundant resource to induce the synthesis and continuous production of aragonite compounds. Due to inconsistent quality and salinity of the natural seawater sampled, harvested, and dried, Red Sea Salt is utilized, blended at 33 g/L throughout the laboratory experiments for better statistical control, and is referred to as blended or artificial seawater. A methodology of utilizing seawater, which has a considerable concentration of MgCl₂ compound, can be utilized as a sustainable, natural, and economically feasible natural inducer to synthesize aragonite has been developed by utilizing artificial seawater for laboratory proof of concept. The main effects identified for the optimization of aragonite synthesis are lime (CaO) feedstock concentration in seawater, reaction temperature, and reaction duration. The experiment results indicated that only by increasing temperature and reaction duration, or both, can the aragonite yield be increased. It is suggested that the range of operation to obtain > 80% aragonite purity has been identified with the reaction temperature at 90 °C, reaction duration of 10 min, and CaO concentration in seawater at 1 g/L. The quality of the aragonite synthesized via seawater is characterized using XRD, ICP, FESEM, and TGA, and compared with aragonite particles synthesized using MgCl₂ inducers. In comparison, seawater aragonite has lower residual alkalinity compared to both calcite and aragonite via MgCl₂ and has a mixture of predominantly needle-shaped crystalline structure and remnants of cubic-shaped particles, presumably calcite, suitable for application in food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals (calcium antacids, nutritional supplements, chewable, lozenges). Full article

This study investigates the application of soybean peroxidase (SBP), an enzyme extracted from a soybean processing byproduct, for the decolourization and oxidative treatment of three industrial azo dyes: Acid Orange 7 (AO7), Acid Orange 20 (AO20), and Reactive Black 5 (RB5), each at a concentration of 50 µM. These dyes are widely used in textile, paper, and leather industries and persist in wastewater. Optimization experiments were conducted at room temperature (approximately 22 °C) to examine the effects of pH, SBP activity, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentration. Optimal degradation conditions were identified as: pH 3.5, 0.075 U/mL SBP, and 0.0375 mM H₂O₂ for RB5; pH 3.0, 0.5 U/mL SBP, and 0.0375 mM H₂O for AO7; and pH 3.0, 0.0025 U/mL SBP (200-fold less than for the isomeric AO7) and 0.0625 mM H₂O₂ for AO20. Under these conditions, dye conversion was very rapid, reaching >97% decolouration in 30 s. The initial first-order rate constants and half-lives were ≥10.7 min⁻¹ and ≤0.065 min (AO7), ≥7.3 min⁻¹ and ≤0.095 min (AO20), and ≥8.5 min⁻¹ and ≤0.081 min (RB5). When normalized to enzyme activity, AO7 showed the highest catalytic efficiency. These findings support the use of SBP as a low-cost, eco-friendly, and effective biocatalyst for the rapid treatment of dye-containing industrial wastewater. Full article

Background: The role of nonselective beta blockers (NSBB) in patients with cirrhosis and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) has been a subject of debate. Conflicting studies exist regarding their impact on mortality in this population. This study aims to evaluate the effect of NSBB on mortality in patients with cirrhotic ascites and a history of SBP. Methods: Data were obtained from the TRNETX database, identifying patients aged 18 to 80 years with cirrhosis, ascites, and SBP using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. The study period spanned from September 2001 to January 2024. Patients were divided into two groups: those with SBP receiving NSBB (SBP + NSBB), such as carvedilol, nadolol, and propranolol, and those with SBP not receiving NSBB (SBP−NSBB). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). Outcomes were assessed over a two-year follow-up period. Additionally, we evaluated the association of NSBB use and mortality in cirrhotic ascites by creating two separate cohorts: patients with cirrhotic ascites on NSBB (Ascites + NSBB) and those not on NSBB (Ascites − NSBB). A 1:1 propensity score matching was conducted based on baseline demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory parameters, including creatinine, INR, sodium, albumin, and bilirubin. Results: Before propensity matching, 18,160 patients were identified in the SBP-NSBB cohort, and 14,198 patients were in the SBP + NSBB cohort. After matching, each group comprised 11,801 patients. Patients with SBP who did not receive NSBB therapy exhibited higher mortality than those on NSBB therapy [OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.21]. Conversely, the incidence of AKI was higher in the SBP + NSBB group [OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87–0.95]. In the cirrhotic ascites cohort, patients not receiving NSBB (Ascites − NSBB) demonstrated higher mortality compared to those on NSBB (Ascites + NSBB) [OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.13–1.20]. Conclusions: In a propensity-matched analysis of large patient cohorts, NSBB therapy was associated with reduced mortality in both patients with cirrhotic ascites and those with SBP. Despite a higher incidence of AKI in the SBP + NSBB group, NSBB treatment appears beneficial in reducing overall mortality in these populations. Full article

Background: Prolonged tablet use for digital handwriting is increasingly common in educational settings, yet optimal ergonomic positioning remains unclear. This exploratory, cross-sectional study examined how tablet tilt angle affects hand and wrist muscle activation patterns during digital handwriting. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited fifteen healthy university students (age 22.3 ± 2.2 years) who completed standardized writing tasks at three tablet tilt angles (0°, 20°, 60°). Surface electromyography recorded activation from four muscles responsible for the dynamic tripod grip: abductor pollicis brevis (APB), flexor pollicis longus (FPL), flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU). Results: Significant differences in muscle activation were observed across angles (p < 0.05) for three muscles. APB activation was higher at 0° (18.68 ± 11.88% MVIC) and 20° (18.72 ± 12.13% MVIC) than at 60° (14.67 ± 10.38% MVIC), while FDS use decreased from 0° (10.98 ± 4.80% MVIC) to 60° (6.43 ± 3.14% MVIC). Conversely, ECU use increased from 0° (11.76 ± 6.96% MVIC) to 60° (16.15 ± 8.02% MVIC). FPL showed no significant differences. Conclusions: Tablet tilt angle substantially affects neuromuscular activation patterns during digital handwriting. In healthy young adults, these findings may help inform preventive ergonomic strategies for prolonged tablet handwriting; however, direct clinical extrapolation requires validation in clinical and more diverse populations. Full article

The sustainable supply of freshwater resources is facing serious challenges due to the rapid industrial development, massive expansion of urbanization, and increasing environmental pollution. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation desalination (SIED) is considered one of the most promising candidates to tackle water scarcity and energy crisis, owing to its sustainable solar energy, abundant water sources, and pollution-free characteristic. MXene has attracted considerable attention in the domain of purified water production, owing to its remarkable properties, including tunable hydrophilicity, ease of processing, resistance to fouling, mechanical strength, and photothermal conversion capabilities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the research progress of hydrogels/aerogels in the SIED field. Firstly, the synthesis strategy and the significantly distinctive features of MXene and its nanocomposites are outlined. Secondly, based on the photothermal conversion capacity and ease of modulation of MXene, various fabrication processes of MXene aerogels are analyzed, and the varying wettability levels of the MXene aerogel-based evaporators are discussed and summarized. Thirdly, the properties of MXene hydrogel-based evaporators are discussed from four perspectives: photothermal conversion capacity, water transport capacity, evaporation enthalpy regulation, and salt resistance. Finally, the challenges and issues related to the development of MXene hydrogels/aerogels in SIED are further discussed. Full article

This study systematically investigates the role of Ni in Co₂SiO₄ in a bimetallic (Co²⁺,Ni²⁺)₂SiO₄ olivine-type system and the materials’ catalytic efficiency in a model Heck–Mizoroki coupling reaction. Thus, a series of olivines with varying (Co²⁺,Ni²⁺)₂SiO₄ compositions (0–100% Ni) was synthesised and characterised by ICP-OES, FTIR/Raman, P-XRD and XPS analysis. Ideal mixing of metals was achieved with (49:51) Co:Ni. Catalytic testing revealed distinct conversion vs. time profiles, with the (69:31) Co:Ni olivine exhibiting the best overall performance, combining good reactivity with near-perfect selectivity (>99%) and improved stability. Mechanistic pathways were probed through product scope analysis, reactant–product temporal profiling, leaching and radical scavenging experiments. Results suggest a radical-assisted Heck–Mizoroki mechanism. Spectroscopic data correlated Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ incorporation with M1 and M2 site occupancy, where Ni²⁺ M2 sites enhanced reactant activation and intermediate stability and Co²⁺ in the M1 site enhanced product release, though also homocoupling in Co₂SiO₄. Minimal leaching was observed for all bimetallic catalysts. These findings highlight the tunability of bimetallic olivines for C–C coupling reactions via controlled cation distribution. Full article

Despite skepticism and distrust in artificial intelligence (AI), it is increasingly integrated into daily life, with its potential benefits drawing interest. Yet little is known about the attitudinal and psychological effects of human–AI interactions, and whether consistent interactions with AI chatbots can change users’ attitudes and perceptions. Our within-subjects experiment (N = 52) investigated how five days of socially oriented, friendlike interactions with an AI chatbot, versus a journaling control, influenced changes in attitudes and perceptions of AI. Participants’ attitudes towards AI, trust, perceived empathy, anthropomorphism, animacy, likeability, perceived intelligence and safety, dependency, and exploratory well-being indicators were recorded. Results indicated that consistent friendlike interaction with AI chatbots led to significant increases in perceived empathy and animacy of technology, but no changes in global attitudes and perceptions of anthropomorphism. Participants also reported higher self-esteem levels after journaling, compared to after AI interaction. This suggests that although friendly engagement with AI chatbots may lead to perceptions of empathy and lifelikeness, where users interpret it to be genuinely understanding and supportive, this comes with trade-offs for self-esteem. Concurrently, empathy and perceived lifelikeness increased without corresponding increases in anthropomorphism, indicating that users may regard AI chatbots as separate living entities rather than having human-like qualities. Full article

The increasing of treated wastewater for irrigation in water-scarce regions increases the risk of heavy metals soil contamination, threatening food safety and human health. This study investigated the synergistic potential of the fungi Trichoderma harzianum and three icia faba L. varieties (Agadulce, Hiba, and Reina mora) for soil bioremediation under wastewater irrigation. A split-plot design under controlled greenhouse conditions assessed the impacts of irrigation type and Trichoderma harzianum inoculation on soil heavy metal content and plant uptake. Although metal concentrations remained within WHO permissible limits, T. harzianum significantly reduced soil metal loads. Specifically, the ‘Reina mora’ cultivar exhibited the superior performance in this dual myco-phytoremediation approach, achieving the highest reduction in soil metal concentrations. Conversely, the ‘Hiba’ variety demonstrated a distinct advantage for food safety by exhibiting the lowest heavy metal accumulation in plant tissues. Risk assessments based on deterministic models indicated negligible non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for both adults and children. This study presents a dual myco-phytoremediation approach as a promising and practical strategy for mitigating heavy metal risks and supporting sustainable crop production in wastewater-irrigated regions. Full article

The poultry sector plays a crucial role in global food production by meeting the growing demand for affordable, nutritious protein sources. However, it faces significant challenges in providing sustainable and cost-effective nutritional solutions that improve poultry health, performance, and product quality. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to enhance poultry nutrition through the development of precise feeding strategies. AI helps monitor and optimize nutrient intake, thereby boosting feed efficiency, reducing waste, and lowering costs. This article examines how AI-driven innovations may advance the management of poultry feed ingredients, nutrient monitoring, and dietary formulations. By utilizing AI tools such as machine learning algorithms and real-time data analytics, poultry producers can track and assess the nutritional needs of individual birds. This allows for the development of more precise feed formulations tailored to the specific needs of different age groups, breeds, and environmental conditions. These AI technologies help select the best feed ingredients and enable precise adjustments to nutrient composition. This results in healthier birds, better feed conversion rates, and higher-quality poultry products. Additionally, AI advancements help reduce the environmental impact of poultry farming by reducing feed waste and resource consumption. This article highlights how AI-driven insights enhance decision-making, enabling the poultry industry to grow sustainably while promoting animal welfare, increasing efficiency, and producing high-quality poultry products that meet consumer expectations for both sustainability and nutritional value. Full article