Search Results (81,371)

Background: Metabolically Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a prevalent liver disorder closely tied to metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) may have a dual interesting role in MAFLD pathophysiology—supporting vascular repair in early stages, but potentially contributing to fibrosis in later stages. In this study, berberine (BBR), a plant-derived isoquinoline alkaloid, exhibits multiple beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and endothelial-protective effects, on the study group, perhaps by influencing VEGF concentration. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of BBR in addressing vascular function parameters linked to MAFLD, particularly its impact on serum VEGF levels and arterial stiffness. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled seventy individuals with MAFLD who were overweight or obese. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either BBR (1500 mg/day) or a placebo orally for 12 weeks. The following parameters were assessed pre- and post-intervention: VEGF, brachial SBP (Systolic Blood Pressure)/DBP (Diastolic Blood Pressure), MAP (Mean Arterial Pressure), AIx (Augmentation Index), AP (Aortic Pressure), number of waveforms, Pulse Pressure (PP), PWV (Pulse Wave Velocity), and PWA-SP/PWA-DP (Pulse Wave Analysis Systolic/Diastolic Pressure). The results for the metabolic parameters—FLI (Fatty Liver Index)—and anthropometric parameters—BMI (Body Mass Index), fat mass corp—and laboratory parameters, among them, hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), were published by us earlier. Results: In the BBR-treated cohort, VEGF concentrations demonstrated a statistically significant increase following the intervention, rising from a baseline mean of 456.23 ± 307.61 pg/mL to 561.22 ± 389.77 pg/mL (p < 0.0001). In the BBR group, a significant reduction in PWA-SP was observed after 12 weeks of supplementation (134.85 ± 16.26 vs. 124.46 ± 13.47 mmHg, p < 0.0001). No statistically significant differences were observed in the parameters determining arterial stiffness in the BBR and placebo groups. In the BBR group, delta VEGF correlated negatively with delta FLI; no such associations were observed in the placebo group. Changes in PWV were consistent and significantly correlated with changes in brachial SBP/DBP, PWA-SP, PWA-DP, and MAP. No serious adverse events were reported, and BBR was well tolerated. Conclusions: BBR appears to be a safe and promising adjunct in MAFLD therapy, potentially exerting reparative effects through VEGF modulation and vascular support. Further research is warranted to confirm its long-term impact and elucidate underlying protective mechanisms. Full article

Corticosterone (CORT) is the primary avian stress hormone and regulates key physiological processes, but chronically elevated levels can be detrimental. This study simulated chronic stress by exogenously increasing CORT to assess effects on gait score, bone morphometry, immune indicators, and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in broiler chickens. A total of 60 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated to six treatment groups (T0–T5; n = 10 per group). T0 received a placebo and served as the control group, while T1–T5 were gavaged daily with increasing corticosterone doses (1–5 mg/kg body weight). Treatments were administered from day 1 to day 42. CORT did not affect gait score on day 11 (p = 0.232) or day 42 (p = 0.112), but gait score was significantly correlated with body weight (day 11: p < 0.001; day 42: p = 0.004). Elevated CORT reduced bursa diameter (p < 0.001) and increased bursa follicle scores (p < 0.001), while heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios remained unaffected (p = 0.349). Carcass and bone dimensions decreased consistently with higher doses (p < 0.001), and body weight correlated positively with all bone traits (p < 0.001). Length-to-width ratios increased with CORT dose (p < 0.001). Composite carcass FA showed dose-related variation in carcass asymmetry, with highest in T4, intermediate in T2, T3, and T5, and lowest in T0–T1 (p = 0.026). Trait-specific FA effects were detected for metatarsus length (p = 0.005) and wattle (p = 0.018), while bone FA remained unaffected (p = 0.272). Overall, exogenously increasing CORT impaired growth, suppressed immune function, and increased fluctuating asymmetry, indicating reduced developmental stability. Full article

The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent validity and reliability of the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) in complete CrossFit^® sessions by comparing it with a weighted RPE measure (RPE_W) obtained from different session phases. Twenty-four recreational practitioners (13 men and 11 women; age 34.5 ± 8.3 years; height 172.9 ± 11.2 cm; body mass 76.2 ± 15.2 kg) completed 28 standardized sessions (~60 min) consisting of warm-up, strength/skill, Workout of the Day (WOD), and cooldown phases. Phase-specific RPE values were collected after each session component, and a global sRPE was recorded ~30 min post-session. Results showed that RPE_W (5.8 ± 1.5) was significantly lower than sRPE (6.8 ± 1.4; p < 0.001, d = 0.69), resulting in a higher training load estimated by sRPE (+15.5%). Bland–Altman analysis revealed a positive bias and wide limits of agreement, while relative reliability was moderate to good (ICC = 0.73–0.77). Multiple regression analysis indicated that WOD RPE explained 70% of the variance in sRPE (R² = 0.70, p < 0.001), confirming its role as the primary perceptual determinant. In conclusion, sRPE represents a valid, simple, and cost-effective tool for monitoring internal load in CrossFit^®. However, it tends to overestimate RPE_W and shows substantial interindividual variability, limiting its precision for individualized monitoring. Coaches and practitioners should therefore interpret sRPE values with caution, especially considering the strong influence of the final session phase. Full article

Biomimetic olfactory and taste biosensors replicate human sensory functions by coupling selective biological recognition elements (such as receptors, binding proteins, or synthetic mimics) with highly sensitive transducers (including electrochemical, transistor, optical, and mechanical types). This review summarizes recent progress in olfactory and taste biosensors focusing on three key areas: (i) materials and device design, (ii) artificial intelligence (AI) and data fusion for real-time decision-making, and (iii) pathways for practical application, including hybrid platforms, Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and regulatory considerations. We provide a comparative analysis of smell and taste sensing methods, emphasizing cases where integrating both modalities enhances sensitivity, selectivity, detection limits, and reliability in complex environments like food, environmental monitoring, healthcare, and security. Ongoing challenges are addressed with emerging solutions such as antifouling/self-healing interfaces, modular cartridges, machine learning (ML)-assisted calibration, and manufacturing-friendly approaches using scalable microfabrication and sustainable materials. The review concludes with a practical roadmap advocating for the joint development of receptors, materials, and algorithms; establishment of open standards for long-term stability; implementation of explainable/edge AI with privacy-focused analytics; and proactive collaboration with regulatory bodies. Collectively, these strategies aim to advance biomimetic smell and taste biosensors from experimental prototypes to dependable, commercially viable tools for continuous chemical sensing in real-world applications. Full article

Anesthetic protocols for non-invasive immobilization of Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) and Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) for procedures lasting up to two hours are lacking. This study directly evaluated the safety and efficacy of a multimodal anesthetic protocol in 11 Black Vultures and 4 Turkey Vultures undergoing electroretinography (ERG). Vultures were anesthetized with intramuscular dexmedetomidine (5 μg/kg), midazolam (0.2 mg/kg), butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg), and ketamine (5 mg/kg) (DMBK), followed by isoflurane induction and maintenance. All vultures were mechanically ventilated to maintain consistent end-tidal CO₂. Monitored parameters included sedation and recovery quality, heart and respiratory rates, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, non-invasive blood pressure, body temperature, and end-tidal concentrations of CO₂, isoflurane, and oxygen. All vultures achieved profound sedation with smooth induction and a median isoflurane maintenance concentration of 1.4% for approximately two hours. Recovery was rapid and uneventful. Heart rates ranged from 60 to 119 beats/min. Mean arterial blood pressure averaged 149 mmHg in Black Vultures and 158 mmHg in Turkey Vultures, with Turkey Vultures showing significantly higher diastolic pressure. A second-degree heart block was detected in one Black Vulture but required no treatment. All ERG procedures were completed successfully. The DMBK protocol provided profound sedation in both species, maintained key cardiorespiratory parameters, including heart rate and arterial blood pressure, within a clinically acceptable range throughout isoflurane maintenance, and enabled uneventful rapid recovery. These findings support DMBK with the cardiorespiratory monitoring system as a safe and effective regimen for anesthetizing vultures and likely other similarly sized raptors requiring non-invasive immobilization. Full article

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a widespread human condition closely associated with musculoskeletal disorders, involving alterations in body composition and systemic inflammation. In this cross-sectional study, 1075 adults were classified into a VDD (n = 304) group and a VD sufficient (VDS) group (n = 771). Body composition measurements, including the fat mass-to-weight ratio (FM/WT), were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Plasma levels of IL-9, IL-34, and MCP-1 were also measured. Data on osteoporosis (OP) and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) were collected. Regression analyses indicated that FM/WT was independently associated with VDD, which in turn was linked to elevated IL-34 levels. Individuals with VDD had a significantly higher prevalence of OP and KOA compared with those with VDS. Structural equation modeling confirmed and quantified these associations, suggesting that FM/WT is a significant predictor of VDD status (β = 0.305, 95% CI: 0.231–0.367). VDD is directly associated with elevated IL-34 levels (β = 0.353, 95% CI: 0.308–0.398), while IL-34 levels, in turn, are a possible cause of KOA (β = 0.573, 95% CI: 0.460–0.687) and OP (β = 0.433, 95% CI: 0.329–0.536). Our data clearly demonstrate existence of a physiological-pathological continuum: obesity-VDD-IL-34 and both OP and KOA. Full article

Background: Radial artery spasm remains a frequent complication during transradial coronary and peripheral angiography. Despite its impact on procedural success and patient discomfort, consistent predictors remain elusive, as does a standard definition. Objectives: This study aimed to identify independent clinical, hemodynamic, and anatomical predictors of radial artery spasm using data from a single-operator, real-world cohort of patients undergoing both elective and emergency procedures, utilizing an angiographic definition of radial artery spasm. Methods: A retrospective observational analysis was conducted on 96 patients with successful radial artery access. Radial artery spasm was objectively defined as >50% luminal narrowing on radial angiography. Patient demographics, procedural characteristics, comorbidities, and arterial parameters were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify significant predictors. Results: Radial artery spasm occurred in 62.5% of patients. Univariate analysis identified lower height, weight, smaller radial artery diameter, higher pain scores, and lower diastolic blood pressure as associated with radial artery spasm. In multivariate analysis, only lower body weight (β = −0.043, p = 0.0307) and smaller radial artery diameter (β = −1.352, p = 0.0200) remained independent predictors. Age, sex, and most comorbidities, including diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and peripheral artery disease, showed no significant association. Clinically, these findings suggest that simple pre-procedural assessment of patient weight and radial artery diameter may help operators identify individuals at higher risk of radial spasm, allowing for tailored preventive strategies and potentially improving procedural comfort and success. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that low body weight and small radial artery diameter are significant independent predictors of angiographic radial artery spasm, highlighting the importance of anatomical considerations over demographic or clinical factors. Preprocedural assessment of radial artery size may enhance risk stratification and guide preventive strategies. Further multicenter validation is warranted. Incorporating routine evaluation of radial artery size and body habitus into pre-procedural assessment may help identify patients who could benefit from tailored preventive approaches—such as smaller sheath sizes, increased vasodilator use, or ultrasound-guided puncture—to optimize procedural success and patient comfort. Full article

Background/Objectives: Overweight and obesity affect a majority of adults, contributing to metabolic disorders. Caloric restriction often leads to undesirable lean mass loss alongside fat reduction. This study investigated whether exogenous β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) supplementation, as an adjunct to a hypocaloric diet, improves body composition and metabolic markers in overweight and obese adults by preferentially reducing fat mass while preserving lean mass. Methods: In this 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 51 adults were assigned to receive either racemic BHB mineral salts or placebo (maltodextrin) twice daily, alongside modest caloric restriction. Assessments at baseline and week 8 included dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for body composition, indirect calorimetry for resting metabolic rate (RMR), and venous blood analyses for cardiometabolic biomarkers (e.g., lipids, HOMA-IR, uric acid, liver enzymes). Results: Body mass decreased in both groups over the intervention (p < 0.01 within placebo and p < 0.001 within BHB). Within the BHB group, fat mass decreased significantly (−2 kg; p < 0.05 vs. baseline), body fat percentage improved (p < 0.01 vs. baseline), and lean-to-fat mass ratio increased (p < 0.05 vs. baseline); no such significant changes were observed within the placebo group. Group × time interactions were not significant for these body composition variables (p > 0.05). Furthermore, lean mass was largely preserved, with no declines in RMR. Within the BHB group, LDL cholesterol was reduced (p < 0.05 vs. baseline), while other lipids, HOMA-IR, and uric acid remained stable, with liver enzymes showing a positive change. Conclusions: Exogenous BHB supplementation may enhance the quality of diet-induced weight loss through within-group improvements in fat mass reduction and lean mass preservation, with no adverse metabolic impacts. Full article

The application prospects of photorealistic 3D reconstruction are broad in smart cities, cultural heritage preservation, and related domains. However, existing methods face persistent challenges in balancing reconstruction accuracy, computational efficiency, and robustness, particularly in complex scenes characterized by reflective surfaces, vegetation, sparse viewpoints, or large-scale structures. In this study, an enhanced 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) framework that integrates three key innovations is proposed: (i) a depth-aware regularization module that leverages metric depth priors from the pre-trained Depth-Anything V2 model, enabling geometrically informed optimization through a dynamically weighted hybrid loss; (ii) a gradient-driven adaptive densification mechanism that triggers Gaussian adjustments based on local gradient saliency, reducing redundant computation; and (iii) a neighborhood density-based floating artifact detection method that filters outliers using spatial distribution and opacity thresholds. Extensive evaluations are conducted across four diverse datasets—ranging from architectures, urban scenes, natural landscapes with water bodies, and long-range linear infrastructures. Our method achieves state-of-the-art performance in both reconstruction quality and efficiency, attaining a PSNR of 34.15 dB and SSIM of 0.9382 on medium-sized scenes, with real-time rendering speeds exceeding 170 FPS at a resolution of 1600 × 900. It demonstrates superior generalization on challenging materials such as water and foliage, while exhibiting reduced overfitting compared to baseline approaches. Ablation studies confirm the critical contributions of depth regularization and gradient-sensitive adaptation, with the latter improving training efficiency by 38% over depth supervision alone. Furthermore, we analyze the impact of input resolution and depth model selection, revealing non-trivial trade-offs between quantitative metrics and visual fidelity. While aggressive downsampling inflates PSNR and SSIM, it leads to loss of high-frequency detail; we identify 1/4–1/2 resolution scaling as an optimal balance for practical deployment. Among depth models, Vitb achieves the best reconstruction stability. Despite these advances, memory consumption remains a challenge in large-scale scenarios. Future work will focus on lightweight model design, efficient point cloud preprocessing, and dynamic memory management to enhance scalability for industrial applications. Full article

Microplastic pollution is a pressing global concern, yet its immunotoxicological impacts on invertebrates remain poorly understood. The Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larva has gained attention for its role in waste management and potential bioremediation, making it essential to evaluate its interactions with microplastics. In this study, fluorescent carboxylate-modified polystyrene microbeads were directly injected into the hemocoel of larvae to bypass gut-associated variables and investigate systemic immune responses. Experimental groups were analyzed at multiple time points (1 h, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 7 days) using histopathology, cytology, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results confirmed the persistence and systemic distribution of microplastics in hemolymph and tissues, with hemocytes exhibiting active phagocytosis of particles. Microplastics were retained within tissues for up to seven days, indicating long-term sequestration. Histological observations further highlighted their close association with metabolically active organs such as the fat body and Malpighian tubules, suggesting possible effects on detoxification and metabolism. These findings demonstrate that microplastics elicit measurable immune responses and are subject to cellular uptake and retention in insect larvae. The study provides novel insights into the immunological and histopathological consequences of microplastic contamination in H. illucens larvae, with implications for their safe use in bioconversion and bioremediation applications. Full article

Gradually replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy constitutes a long-term strategy for achieving sustainable development. In the short term, it is necessary to explore unconventional oil and gas resources to support current economic sustainability and to secure essential time for the energy transition. With the continuous growth in global energy demand, unconventional resources such as shale oil and shale gas have become important alternative energy sources. Lacustrine mudrock successions demonstrate significant potential for unconventional oil and gas resources. However, the unclear understanding of how paleoenvironmental evolution influences lithofacies and organic matter enrichment restricts the optimization of shale oil reservoirs and evaluation of shale oil resources, thereby hindering the progress of lacustrine shale oil exploration and development. The mudrocks in the Chang 7 Member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, were deposited in a pro-delta to a deep lacustrine environment and are rich in shale oil resources. Through petrographic, sedimentological, sequence stratigraphic, and geochemical analyses, this study reveals how the evolution of the paleoenvironment controlled the development of mudrocks and the enrichment of organic matter, and establishes a sedimentary model for freshwater lacustrine systems. Six lithofacies have been identified within the mudrock interval of the Chang 7 Member. According to the T-R (transgressive–regressive) sequence model, the Chang 7 Member can be subdivided into three fourth-order sequences, termed Parasequence Set 1–3 (PPS1–3). Mudrock is predominantly developed in the fourth-order sequences PSS1 and PSS2. The PSS1 and the lower part of PSS2 consist of lithofacies 1–4, representing semi-deep to deep lacustrine deposits. The upper part of PSS2 develops lithofacies 5, representing shallow lacustrine to pro-delta deposits. Fluctuations of the lake level controlled the vertical stacking of lithofacies and the transition in depositional mechanisms. During lake-level rise, bottom currents shifted to suspension settling, whereas the opposite occurred during lake-level fall. The organic matter is derived from algae, and its enrichment is jointly controlled by productivity and the redox conditions. Volcanic–hydrothermal activity and a humid climate promoted high productivity in the water body. This high productivity promotes dyoxic conditions in the bottom water. Fourth-order relative lake-level fluctuations also influence organic matter enrichment. During lake-level rise, increased productivity coupled with reduced consumption and dilution favors organic matter enrichment. Conversely, organic matter accumulation is inhibited during lake-level fall. Ultimately, a depositional model for a freshwater lacustrine basin under a humid to semi-humid climatic background was established. This paper elucidates the influence of sedimentary environment on mudrock lithofacies and organic matter enrichment, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing shale oil reservoir selection and resource assessment, thereby promoting efficient exploration and low-carbon development of shale oil in lacustrine basins. Full article

Cylindrical bodies generate flow-induced noise when exposed to external flows, which can be predicted numerically using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) combined with the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW–H) Equation. Accurate prediction, however, requires turbulence models such as Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) with fine spatial resolution and small time steps, in addition to time-dependent surface pressure data and receiver arrangements. These requirements greatly increase computational costs and limit the applicability of such methods during the design stage. To address this challenge, a Deep Neural Network (DNN) model was developed to predict flow-induced noise around a cylinder. Training data were generated from CFD cases using cylinder geometry and inflow velocity as design variables, with multiple receivers arranged in a polar coordinate system. Acoustic signals were computed using Farassat’s Formulation 1A, the time-domain surface solution of the FW–H Equation. The DNN was trained with design variables, receiver coordinates, and octave-band center frequencies as inputs, while the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) served as the output. Model performance was evaluated using the adjusted coefficient of determination () and the root mean squared error (RMSE). In addition, interpolation capability was tested by varying receiver spacing to examine robustness under sparse data conditions. The results confirm that the proposed framework provides accurate and computationally efficient predictions suitable for early-stage design. Full article

Campus buildings often present hidden safety risks such as falls and wheelchair instabilities, which are closely related to architectural layout, material selection, and accessibility design. This study develops YOLOv11-Safe, an attention-enhanced and geometry-aware framework that functions as both a detection model and a spatial diagnostic tool for building safety assessment. The framework integrates a modified SimAM attention mechanism and a normalized Wasserstein distance (NWD) loss to improve detection accuracy in complex indoor environments, trained on a dataset of 1000 annotated images covering fall and wheelchair accident scenarios. To interpret spatial risk patterns, a Random Forest classifier combined with SHAP analysis was applied to quantify the contribution of five architectural–behavioral variables: body–ground contact ratio (BGCR), accessibility index (AI), event duration (D), body posture angle (PA), and spatial density (SD). Results show that BGCR and AI dominate the risk-level prediction, while D, PA, and SD refine boundary conditions. Scene-based verification further demonstrated that the framework accurately localized unsafe features—such as uneven drainage edges and discontinuous handrails—and translated them into actionable design feedback. The proposed approach thus links deep-learning detection with interpretable spatial analysis, offering a quantitative foundation for evidence-based architectural safety optimization in university campuses. Full article

The mammalian brain undergoes a series of orderly developmental events, including neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon guidance, and synaptic connection. These neurodevelopmental mechanisms have traditionally been characterized through studies focused on transcriptional control; however, a growing body of evidence highlights the critical roles of co- or post-transcriptional steps like alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and RNA chemical modification in orchestrating brain development. This review discusses the recent progress made toward understanding the influence of alternative mRNA processing on neurodevelopment, including three aspects: the key mRNA processing events that drive neuronal differentiation from stem/progenitor cells; the regulatory mechanisms that govern cell-type and stage-specific mRNA-processing patterns; and the neuropathological consequences of mRNA-processing dysregulation. By integrating these insights, we aim to deepen the understanding of how mRNA alternative processing influences neurodevelopment and its implications for neurological health. Full article

Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity is a pressing global health issue. Addressing this multifaceted issue requires comprehensive interventions, particularly those improving social sustainability by strengthening support systems in families, schools, and communities. This scoping review explored interventions aimed at enhancing social sustainability to improve anthropometric outcomes in overweight and obese children. Methods: A literature search was conducted from 2 August to 1 September 2025 and included all studies published up to the latter date using PubMed, Scopus, Virtual Health Library, and Cochrane Library databases. Inclusion criteria were (a) children (2–12 y); (b) socially sustainable, family-, community-, or school-centered interventions targeting childhood obesity; (c) body weight, BMI (absolute or z-score), body fat, or waist circumference assessment; and (d) publication as a randomized controlled trial. Methodological quality was assessed using the 11-point PEDro scale. Results: Eleven studies were included (N = 39,902). Mean intervention duration was 27 months. BMI z-score and prevalence of overweight/obese children, assessed in 9 of 11 studies, were the most common anthropometric outcomes, followed by absolute BMI in 8 of 11 studies. Most studies were rated “fair” or “good” quality and indicated that school-, community- and family-oriented interventions may effectively improve anthropometric variables in pediatric obesity. Conclusions: Socially sustainable, multi-level interventions involving families, schools, and community systems appear to optimize anthropometric outcomes in childhood obesity by integrating health promotion into children’s daily social settings and reinforcing consistent, health-oriented norms and resources. Further studies employing independent, blinded evaluators, culturally sensitive components in interventions, and adequate participant adherence reports are required to enhance practical and clinical application. Full article