Search Results (1,782)

Fire incident reports contain detailed textual narratives that capture causal factors often overlooked in structured records, while financial damage amounts provide measurable outcomes of these events. Integrating these two sources of information is essential for uncovering interpretable links between descriptive causes and their economic consequences. To this end, we develop a data-driven framework that constructs a composite Risk Index, enabling systematic quantification of how specific keywords relate to property damage amounts. This index facilitates both the identification of high-impact terms and the aggregation of risks across semantically related clusters, thereby offering a principled measure of fire-related financial risk. Using more than a decade of Korean fire investigation reports on the chemical industry classified as Special Buildings (2013–2024), we employ topic modeling and network-based embedding to estimate semantic similarities from interactions among words, and subsequently apply Lasso regression to quantify their associations with property damage amounts, thereby estimating the fire risk index. This approach enables us to assess fire risk not only at the level of individual terms, but also within their broader textual context, where highly interactive related words provide insights into collective patterns of hazard representation and their potential impact on expected losses. The analysis highlights several domains of risk, including hazardous chemical leakage, unsafe storage practices, equipment and facility malfunctions, and environmentally induced ignition. The results demonstrate that text-derived indices provide interpretable and practically relevant insights, bridging unstructured narratives with structured loss information and offering a basis for evidence-based fire risk assessment and management. The derived Risk Index provides practical reference data for both safety management and insurance underwriting by enabling the prioritization of preventive measures within industrial sites and offering quantitative guidance for assessing facility-specific risk levels in insurance decisions. An R implementation of the proposed framework is openly available for public use. Full article

Changes in the homeostatic balance between purine nucleotide synthesis, degradation, and salvage are caused by disruptions in ATP supply and/or demand in the heart. These disruptions may affect myocardial energetics and, consequently, cardiac function and mechanics. Increased cardiac inorganic phosphate levels and decreased myocardial ATP levels are the outcomes of this decrease in purine nucleotide levels. Both modifications can immediately affect cellular mechanical work and tension development. Depletion of cardiac nucleotides and compromised myocardial mechanical function are linked to both acute myocardial ischemia and decompensatory remodelling of the myocardium in heart failure. Theoretically, in both acute ischemia and chronic high-demand situations associated with the development of heart failure, an imbalance in the breakdown, salvage, and synthesis of purine nucleotides results in a net loss of purine nucleotides. It was found that the use of nucleotide precursors can be a potentially effective approach to diminishing ischemia–reperfusion damage. The scope of this article is to review knowledge of the effect of purine nucleotide precursors such as D-ribose, AICAR, inosine, hypoxanthine, and adenine on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury and highlight potential targets for treating myocardial metabolic and mechanical dysfunction associated with ischemia–reperfusion injury by these molecules. Full article

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains on the cell surface are sulfated in various patterns, and this structure is the basis of CS function. We aimed to investigate the role of chondroitin 4-O-sulfotransferase-1 (C4ST-1), the enzyme responsible for the 4-sulfation of CS, in redox homeostasis and protein aggregation in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro2a and neural progenitor C17.2 cells. Results showed that C4ST-1 deficiency significantly reduced 4-sulfated CS, which led to markedly decreased intracellular glutathione levels and increased reactive oxygen species production. Mechanistically, C4ST-1 loss reduced the CS modification of neurocan, decreased the stability of the cystine transporter xCT, and decreased intracellular glutathione levels. This redox imbalance promoted protein aggregation and caused lysosomal membrane damage, indicating a failure of protein quality control. Although C4ST-1 deficiency alone did not cause tau protein aggregation, it significantly accelerated the aggregation of a familial tauopathy mutant following the introduction of seeds. These findings suggest that C4ST-1-mediated CS sulfation regulates the intracellular redox state and tau pathology. Thus, C4ST-1 may serve as a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

Aging is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, driving progressive structural and functional decline of the myocardium. Mitochondria, the primary source of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, are essential for cardiac contractility, calcium homeostasis, and redox balance. In the aging heart, mitochondria show morphological alterations including cristae disorganization, swelling, and fragmentation, along with reduced OXPHOS efficiency. These defects increase proton leak, lower ATP production, and elevate reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative damage. Concurrent disruptions in mitochondrial fusion and fission further impair turnover and quality control, exacerbating mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac decline. Serum response factor (SRF) signaling, a crucial regulator of cytoskeletal and metabolic gene expression, plays a key role in modulating mitochondrial function during cardiac aging. Dysregulation of SRF impairs mitochondrial adaptability, contributing to dysfunction. Additionally, reduced levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) hinder sirtuin-dependent deacetylation, further compromising mitochondrial efficiency and stress resilience. These cumulative defects activate regulated cell death pathways, leading to cardiomyocyte loss, fibrosis, and impaired diastolic function. Mitochondrial dysfunction therefore serves as both a driver and amplifier of cardiac aging, accelerating the transition toward heart failure. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of mitochondrial remodeling in the aging myocardium, examining the mechanistic links between mitochondrial dysfunction and myocardial injury. We also discuss emerging therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial bioenergetics and quality control as promising approaches to preserve cardiac function and extend cardiovascular health span in the aging population. Full article

Background/Objective: Riboflavin transporter deficiency (RTD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease, with under 500 cases genetically confirmed since the early 2000s. Thus far, three separate subtypes of RTD2 are described—type 1, 2 and 3—but, previously, RTD was classified as two separate genetic defects: Brown–Vialetto–Van Laere syndrome and Fazio–Londe syndrome, caused by mutations in the SLC52A2 and SLC52A3 genes, respectively. The most prominent symptoms found in patients include encephalopathy, expressed as peripheral and cranial nerve neuropathy, which in turn lead to a series of complications: decreased muscle strength, hypotonia, visual impairment, sensorineural hearing loss, bulbar palsy, sensory ataxia and respiratory insufficiency secondary to diaphragmatic paresis. At the cellular level, riboflavin is modified into active flavin cofactors: FMN, mediating riboflavin phosphorylation through riboflavin kinase, and FAD, involved in FMN adenylation through the flavin dinucleotide 1 synthesis. FMN and FAD are two of approximately 100 proteins collectively described as the ‘flavoproteome’. Most of them are mitochondrial oxidoreductases, catalyzing the electron transport in many metabolic reactions, as well as regulating important cell processes, such as the production of reactive oxygen species, protein conformation and damage repair. FMN and FAD are also responsible for the conversion of B6 and B9 vitamins into their active forms, which allows for healthy cell growth and immune function. Methods: In this article, the authors describe two children, a 6-year-old girl and her 5-year-old sister, both presenting with RTD2 caused by mutations in the SLC52A2 gene (c.916G>C (p.Gly306Arg); c.477C>G (p.Cys159Trp)), in whom the disease progression was successfully inhibited by vitamin B₂ supplementation in varying doses. Results: Their clinical image consists of psychomotor developmental delay, ataxia, horizontal nystagmus, hearing loss and a lack of visual fixation. Conclusions: The phenotype and clinical signs presented by the described sisters are further discussed in relation to the previously published reports of RTD2 cases. Full article

Background: Recreational noise exposure from personal listening devices (PLDs) may lead to hidden hearing loss (HHL), affecting auditory nerve function despite normal pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and otoacoustic emissions (OAE). Subclinical auditory damage at the synaptic level often goes undetected by conventional assessments, emphasizing the need for more sensitive measures. Recorded click ABR in the presence of various levels of ipsilateral maskers for the better identification of auditory damage at the synaptic level. These results could help to develop a better objective diagnostic tool that can detect hidden hearing loss. Objective: To examine the effects of PLD usage on extended high-frequency audiometric thresholds and on click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABR) with and without ipsilateral masking in individuals with normal hearing. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five young adults aged 18–35 years (18 PLD users, 17 controls) with clinically normal hearing were recruited. Extended high-frequency audiometry (EHFA) was conducted from 9 to 16 kHz. Click-evoked ABRs were recorded at 80 dB nHL under unmasked and ipsilateral broadband noise-masked conditions at 50, 60, and 70 dB SPL. ABR analyses included absolute and relative amplitude (V/I) and latencies of waves I, III, and V. Results: PLD users demonstrated significantly elevated extended high-frequency thresholds compared to controls. ABR analyses revealed reduced Wave I amplitudes across stimulus conditions in PLD users, while Wave V amplitudes were largely preserved, resulting in consistently higher V/I amplitude ratios under masked conditions. No group differences were observed for Wave III amplitudes or absolute/interpeak latencies, except for a modest prolongation of I–III latency at one masker level in PLD users. Conclusions: Conventional audiological tests may not detect early auditory damage; however, extended high-frequency audiometry and ABR with ipsilateral masking demonstrate greater sensitivity in identifying noise-induced functional changes within the auditory brainstem pathways. Full article

Background/Objectives: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common hair loss disorder in dermatological practice. Its primary pathogenesis involves the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by type II 5α-reductase upon reaching dermal papilla cells (DPCs). DHT impairs DPCs’ activity and inhibits hair growth. Although the FDA-approved drugs finasteride and minoxidil show certain efficacy, they are also associated with severe side effects. This study aims to explore the effects of Terminalia chebula fruit extract (TCFE) on hair growth and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: We investigated the therapeutic potential of TCFE in hair follicle regeneration, employing a multi-level experimental approach combining in vitro analyses of DPCs, in vivo animal models of AGA, and ex vivo cultures of human hair follicles and scalp tissue. Results: First, RNA-seq analysis and RT-PCR validation revealed that TCFE treatment activated the Wnt and TGF-β3 signaling pathways in DPCs, particularly upregulating the AKR1C gene family, which is involved in DHT metabolism. TCFE also potently inhibited type II 5α-reductase activity and mitigated DHT-induced damage to DPCs. In an AGA mouse model, TCFE reversed the AGA phenotype with efficacy comparable to finasteride. However, unlike finasteride, TCFE specifically enhanced the expression of AKR1C1 and AKR1C3, indicating a distinct mechanism. Finally, in ex vivo organ cultures, TCFE suppressed hair follicle cell apoptosis, promoted proliferation, and thereby stimulated hair growth. Conclusions: These findings suggest that TCFE is a promising natural treatment for AGA, likely acting through multiple mechanisms, including Wnt pathway activation, 5α-reductase inhibition, and enhanced DHT degradation. Full article

Eucalyptus plantations worldwide experience significant productivity losses due to herbivory caused by the weevil Gonipterus platensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae. Marelli 1927); however, the role of leaf nutritional status in host preference remains poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the incidence and severity of defoliation on two seed-propagated eucalypts—Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and Eucalyptus nitens Maiden, as well as two clonally propagated E. nitens × E. globulus hybrids—at a trial site in Mulchén, Chile. Sampling occurred after peak weevil activity (December 2022) and during austral autumn (May 2023). We determined foliar concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), carbon (C), and the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and analyzed their relationships with herbivory using ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA), and linear regression. Overall defoliation was low (<7%), but significantly higher on E. globulus, with hybrids exhibiting intermediate damage. Seasonally, N and Mg concentrations declined, while K and Ca levels increased, resulting in an elevated C/N ratio in autumn. A positive correlation was observed between leaf Ca concentration and both the incidence and severity of herbivory during peak activity in the susceptible E. globulus genotype (R² = 0.96, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that calcium accumulation may influence weevil feeding preferences. Further research should explore nutrient-mediated resistance to guide selection and fertilization strategies for developing more resilient eucalyptus varieties. Full article

Background and Objectives: Obesity represents a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in economically challenged regions, and is often associated with metabolic comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease. Oxidative stress plays a central role in obesity pathophysiology through the accumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. This study aimed to investigate changes in specific oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with obesity before and one year after bariatric surgery, with a lean control group as reference. Methods: This observational cohort study included 50 patients with morbid obesity undergoing bariatric surgery (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or one-anastomosis gastric bypass) and 50 patients without obesity undergoing other surgical procedures. Plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG), nitrite (NO₂⁻), and nitrate (NO₃⁻) were measured preoperatively and one year postoperatively in the bariatric group, and once in the control group. Quantification was performed using HPLC-based techniques. Results: Postoperative analysis revealed a significant reduction in oxidative stress markers. MDA levels decreased from 21.58 to 16.62 ng/mL after surgery, while GSH levels increased significantly, although they remained lower than in the control group. GSH/GSSG ratio improved slightly, indicating enhanced antioxidant capacity. Nitrite and nitrate levels showed a marked reduction postoperatively, which may reflect both diminished NO production and complex metabolic adaptations following weight loss. Correlation analysis showed that reductions in BMI were significantly associated with increases in GSH levels and decreases in MDA. Conclusions: Bariatric surgery led to significant improvements in key oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with obesity, supporting the hypothesis that weight loss mitigates oxidative damage. However, the reduction in nitrite suggests potential trade-offs in nitric oxide metabolism that warrant further investigation. Long-term studies are needed to determine the clinical significance and sustainability of these biochemical improvements. Full article

Autophagy and oxidative stress influence cardiovascular pathology. Autophagy mediates lysosome-dependent clearance of damaged proteins and organelles and maintains mitochondrial quality control, proteostasis, and metabolic flexibility. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) originate from mitochondrial respiration and enzymatic reactions during stress. At physiological levels, ROS function as redox signals that activate degradation and recycling, whereas excess oxidants damage lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids and promote cell loss. This review integrates evidence across cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, pressure overload remodeling, heart failure, diabetic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, aging, and inflammation. Full article

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) are among the most valuable tree species in the Lithuanian forests. Pure stands, which comprise approximately one-quarter of Lithuania’s forest area, provide an important framework for studying tree responses to thinning and susceptibility to species-specific diseases and damage. This study investigated stem health and quality in two experimental Scots pine stands (32 and 39 years old) and four experimental Norway spruce stands (36–43 years old) to assess the influence of the initial stand density and thinning intensity. Each stand consisted of five plots with different initial densities and was subjected to varying thinning regimes from stand establishment. Tree locations were mapped using the pseudolite-based positioning system TerraHärp, and local tree density was calculated. Stem health and damage were assessed using ICP-Forests methodology. Our results showed that across initial densities of 1000–4400 trees ha⁻¹, tree dimensions (diameter and height) were similar, regardless of thinning intensity. The highest levels of stem damage and competition-induced mortality occurred in the densest, unthinned stands, with deer browsing and scraping from fallen trees being the most common damage agents. In contrast, thinned stands exhibited a higher incidence of stem rot (Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref.), particularly for Norway spruce. Finally, stand density alone did not consistently explain the patterns of tree mortality in either the pine or spruce stands. These findings suggest that cultivating Scots pine and Norway spruce at lower initial densities with minimal thinning may reduce the damage and losses caused by fungal infection. Finally, novel techniques, such as the pseudolite-based positioning system for geolocating trees and drone imaging for assessing tree health, have proven valuable in facilitating field surveys. Full article

Background/Objectives: Compaction of sustained release coated pellets into tablets is associated with damage to the functional coat and loss in sustained release. The influences of precompression, trilayering, and tableting rate on the compaction of sustained release coated pellets into tablets are not well defined and were herein investigated to enhance the current limited understanding of these factors. Methods: Pellets coated with acrylic polymer (AC) or ethylcellulose (EC) were combined with filler material and compacted into multi-unit pellet system (MUPS) tablets prepared using different levels of precompression, as a trilayered MUPS tablet and at different tableting rates. The physical properties of the resulting MUPS tablets were evaluated. Trilayering was achieved by adding cushioning layers at the top and bottom of the MUPS tablet to avoid direct contact of pellets with punch surfaces. Results: With precompression, slightly stronger MUPS tablets were made compared to the tablets without precompression for EC pellets but not AC pellets. However, precompression led to a slight reduction in pellet coat damage for AC pellets but not EC pellets. Trilayering led to significant reductions in pellet coat damage and significant increases in tablet tensile strength. When EC pellets were lubricated with sodium stearyl fumarate, pellet coat damage was significantly lower. Increasing the tableting rate from 20 to 100 rpm did not result in increased pellet coat damage but in significantly weaker tablets due to the shorter dwell time. Conclusions: This study provides key insights on how compaction parameters and techniques could be altered to produce better MUPS tablets. Full article

This study focuses on the susceptibility and surface degradation of low-alloy carbon steel 42CrMo4 to corrosion and cavitation erosion, as this steel is widely used in marine environments with aggressive chemical species and harsh conditions. Due to its high strength and fatigue resistance, 42CrMo4 steel is often employed in offshore mechanical components such as shafts and fasteners as well as crane parts in ports and harbors. Various experimental methods, including corrosion and cavitation tests, were used to assess the steel’s surface integrity under extreme conditions. Surface changes were monitored using modern analytical tools for precise assessments, including image and morphological analyses, to quantify degradation levels and specific parameters of defects induced by corrosion and cavitation. Non-destructive techniques such as optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and image analysis software were employed for the quantitative assessment of morphological parameters and elemental analysis. EDS analysis revealed changes in elemental composition, indicating corrosion products that caused significant mass loss and defect formation, with degradation increasing over time. The average corrosion rate of 42CrMo4 steel in a 3.5% NaCl solution reached a peak value of 0.846 mm/year after 120 days of exposure. Cavitation erosion behavior was measured based on mass loss, indicating the occurrence of different cavitation periods, with the steady-state period achieved after 60 min. The number of formed pits increased until 120 min, after which it decreased slightly. This indicates that a time frame of 120 min was identified as significant for changes in the mechanism of pit formation. Specifically, up to 120 min, pit formation was the dominant mechanism of cavitation erosion, while after that, as the number of pits slightly declined, the growth and merging of formed pits became the dominant mechanism. The cavitation erosion tests showed mass loss and mechanical damage, characterized by the formation of pits and cavities. The findings indicate that the levels of surface degradation were higher for corrosion than for cavitation. The presented approach also provides an assessment of the degradation mechanisms of 42CrMo4 steel exposed to corrosive and cavitation conditions. Full article

Recently, disaster damages have become more widespread due to climate change and the interaction between disasters, and the complexity of solving this problem is increasing. Consequently, many buildings have been severely affected, with some houses being razed or flooded, losing their residential function. The damage to housing facilities not only destroys the life-cycles of individuals and households but also causes functional loss and productivity decrease in local communities. As a countermeasure, the central and local governments provide their citizens with housing facilities, such as temporary housing, to make their lives stable. This study conducted interviews with disaster victims who experienced housing damage from various natural disasters, from the victims of the earthquake in Pohang in 2017 to the landslide in Yecheon and Bonghwa in 2023, and victims who lived in temporary housing between 2017 and 2024 immediately after they suffered such disasters. It then investigated the housing facilities themselves. The study conducted in-depth interviews through one-on-one meetings with the disaster victims directly and their satisfaction levels with their temporary housing facilities were investigated. This study also explored certain issues to be improved on and inconveniences in housing through the statements and experiences of the disaster victims. Based on the interviews, the study identified and gathered the actual problems in and of the housing facilities. Furthermore, based on the results of these investigations, this study developed modular temporary housing units which reflect the various needs and demands of different households. This study contributes to the stability in the living situations of disaster victims. It increases the disaster resilience of the local communities. Full article

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a relatively rare bone malignancy that primarily affects children and young adults and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Cisplatin is a mainstay of treatment, but its efficacy is limited by off-target toxicities. Immunotherapy is not effective due to a poor antigenic tumor microenvironment. Here, we address these challenges by using manufactured M1 macrophage-derived vesicles (MVs) loaded with cisplatin. Human blood and mouse RAW 264.7 M1 macrophages were used to prepare empty (E-MVs) and cisplatin-loaded MVs (C-MVs). Human OS cell lines were used in vitro and in a tibia xenograft mouse model to evaluate the anti-cancer and immune-stimulating abilities of MVs. C-MVs had lower IC50s but equivalent DNA damage in OS cell lines when compared with free cisplatin. E-MVs and C-MVs were observed to accumulate in the tumor in OS tumor-bearing mice. C-MVs significantly reduced tumor burden and prolonged survival in a mouse model of OS. Animals dosed with free cisplatin experienced weight loss and renal and hepatic toxicity, while equivalent doses of C-MVs did not cause these effects. In addition, both E-MVs and C-MVs showed immunomodulation of the tumor microenvironment with a significant increase in the M1/M2 macrophages ratio (7-fold and 22-fold, respectively) and increased levels of TNF-α in serum (1.8-fold and 2.1-fold, respectively) compared to control mice. Collectively, these experiments support further development of C-MVs for the treatment of OS. Full article