Search Results (5,221)

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) are a key element of regenerative medicine due to their ability to secrete growth factors that stimulate proliferation and angiogenesis, and modulate the inflammatory response. Despite their widespread use, the influence of the perinatal microenvironment on their biological properties remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of pH and blood gas parameters in umbilical cord blood on the global transcriptomic profile of UC-MSCs and to analyze the correlation between the metabolic status of the newborn and the expression of key trophic factors: EGF, FGF2, FGFR1, FGFR3, GDNF, HGF, IGF1, NES, NGF, and PGF. Methods: The study was conducted in two stages. In the first phase, transcriptomic screening was performed using Affymetrix HuGene 2.0 ST microarray on cells isolated from three environmental groups defined by cord blood pH: acidic (pH < 7.35), physiological (7.35–7.39), and alkaline (pH ≥ 7.4). In the second phase, the results were validated using qPCR on an expanded study group (N = 50). Gene expression levels (RQ) were related to blood gas parameters (pH, pCO₂, pO₂, cHCO₃) and the presence of clinical features of threatened neonatal asphyxia. Results: Microarray analysis revealed that environmental pH acts as a molecular phenotypic switch. Under low pH conditions (<7.35), a shift in cell profile from proliferative to structural–migratory was observed. Significant overexpression of genes responsible for extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and adhesion (e.g., COMP, DCN, LUM, FMOD) was observed, while pathways related to cell cycle and cell division (↓CDK1, AURKA, TOP2A) were downregulated. qPCR validation confirmed these observations, demonstrating a strong positive correlation between blood pH and the expression of regenerative mediators: FGFR1 (r = 0.28), EGF (r = 0.30), NGF (r = 0.39), and IGF1 (r = 0.30). A negative correlation was also found between carbon dioxide pressure (pCO₂) and the expression of NGF, FGFR1, and EGF. A significant clinical finding was that in newborns diagnosed with threatened asphyxia, EGF, FGFR1, and NGF gene expression was significantly reduced, indicating impaired trophic potential of the cells in response to metabolic stress. Conclusions: These results indicate that cord blood gas parameters are critical regulators of the genetic activity of UC-MSCs. Metabolic and respiratory acidosis not only inhibit the cells’ proliferative potential but also force them into a matrix remodeling mode, permanently modifying their transcriptomic profile. This suggests that the neonatal acid–base status may serve as an objective indicator of the “biological quality” of isolated stromal cells, which has significant implications for their future applications in cell therapies. Full article

Raman spectroscopic analysis of fluorite was conducted in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) over a pressure range of 0.5–20.5 GPa under different hydrostatic environments, whereas the electrical conductivity was measured at 298–873 K and 1.2–19.6 GPa. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations were performed on both the initial and recovered samples after recovery to ambient conditions. Three representative pressure-transmitting media (PTMs), including silicone oil, the mixture of methanol and ethanol (4:1 volume ratio, ME), and helium, were employed to control the degree of hydrostaticity within the DAC sample chamber. Experimental results indicate that the pressure-induced abrupt change in A_1g, A_3g, B_1g and B_2g Raman modes, together with the discontinuities in pressure-dependent Raman shifts, Grüneisen parameters, and electrical conductivity, can efficiently characterize the α (cubic structure, space group $Fm\overline{3}m$, No 225)-to-γ (cotunnite structure, PbCl₂-type, space group Pnma, No 62) phase transition in fluorite. The transition pressures are determined to be 10.4, 9.6, 8.9 and 7.5 GPa under conditions of no PTM, silicone oil, ME and helium, respectively, demonstrating that the structural phase transition of fluorite is highly sensitive to hydrostaticity. Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements upon decompression reveal that the phase transition is reversible, which is further confirmed by the HRTEM microstructural observation on both the initial and recovered samples. The linear relationships between electrical current and sinusoidal voltage, with the nonlinearity factors close to 1.00, manifest the Ohmic response of fluorite under high pressure. Finally, our high-temperature and high-pressure electrical conductivity results revealed the negative dependence of transition temperature on pressure, and the phase boundary between cubic and PbCl₂-type fluorite was determined as: P (GPa) = 13.057 (±1.008) − 0.008 (±0.001) T (K). The obtained phase diagram of fluorite can be employed to deeply explore the high-pressure phase stability and structural transitions of other similar binary halide family minerals. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study examined weight pressures and symptoms of eating disorders in professional modern dancers. Methods: Eighty-six female dancers (age: 20.7 ± 2.5 y, dancing experience: 14.2 ± 4.4 y) completed the Eating Attitudes Test 26 (EAT-26), the Weight-Pressures in Sport inventory for females (WPS-F), and provided information on their dance lessons. Results: Twenty-five dancers (29.07%) scored ≥20 in EAT-26. Positive associations were found between EAT-26 and its subscales with WPS-F and its subscales (r = 0.217 to 0.600, p ˂ 0.05). Negative associations were found between age and dancing experience with the EAT-26 score and its subscales Dieting and Bulimia and Food Preoccupation (r = −0.286 to −0.373, p ˂ 0.001) and between body weight and BMI with Oral Control (r = −0.300 to −0.372, p ˂ 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that Pressures regarding Appearance and Performance, age, and dancing experience accounted for 38.3% of the variance in EAT-26 (p ˂ 0.001), with age and training experience showing a negative coefficient. Moderation analysis showed that dancing experience moderates the relationship between Pressures regarding Appearance and Performance and eating disorder symptoms (interaction b = −0.329, p = 0.040). Conclusions: Professional female dancers are at elevated risk for disordered eating. Inherent pressures regarding appearance and performance were associated with and explained a significant portion of the variance in eating disorder symptom scores, while dancing experience appeared to attenuate this association, although the cross-sectional design of this study precludes conclusions regarding the direction of this effect. Full article

Vegetation change in cryosphere-affected mountain basins reflects interacting climate and human pressures but their relative influence remains uncertain in the Upper Indus Basin. The novelty of this study is the integration of satellite vegetation, climate variables, human pressure indicators, residual attribution and diagnostic validation in a data-scarce high-mountain basin. We evaluated growing-season Normalized Difference Vegetation Index dynamics and associated drivers from 2001 to 2023 using trend analysis, correlation, Random Forest diagnostics, Sentinel 2 validation, and residual trend analysis. The results showed widespread greening across 96.59% of the basin, with stronger improvement in the lower and central areas. Significant greening covered 69.94% of the basin, while only 1.55% showed significant browning. Precipitation and temperature were predominantly positive drivers of vegetation change, whereas potential evapotranspiration and solar radiation were mostly negative. Soil moisture played a strong regulatory role along elevation gradients. Residual trend analysis provided approximate and method-dependent estimates of the possible anthropogenic influence on vegetation change at 73.09% and climatic drivers at 26.91% rather than direct causal decomposition. These values are approximate and method-dependent estimates, not direct causal decomposition. The findings highlight human-related greening in lower valleys and climate-controlled vegetation responses in high-mountain areas. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pulmonary complications and respiratory muscle weakness are common in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM). Physical inactivity may further contribute to impaired respiratory muscle performance and reduced cough effectiveness in this population. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity level, respiratory muscle strength, and cough strength in individuals with Type 2 DM. This study was an observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty individuals with Type 2 DM and thirty age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Their physical activity level was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and respiratory muscle strength was evaluated using maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), whereas cough strength was assessed using a peak expiratory flow meter. Group comparisons were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test, and associations were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Additional multivariable regression analyses were conducted after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Results: Physical activity level, respiratory muscle strength, and cough strength were significantly lower in individuals with Type 2 DM than in healthy controls (p < 0.05). Within the Type 2 DM group, IPAQ scores were positively correlated with MIP (r = 0.438, p = 0.016), MEP (r = 0.581, p = 0.001), and cough strength (r = 0.619, p < 0.001), and diabetes duration was negatively correlated with MIP (r = −0.412, p = 0.024). After adjustment for BMI and waist circumference, Type 2 DM status remained independently associated with lower MIP (B = −15.69, 95% CI: −26.58 to −4.80, p = 0.006) and lower cough strength (B = −90.51, 95% CI: −161.52 to −19.50, p = 0.013). Conclusions: Individuals with Type 2 DM demonstrated lower physical activity levels, respiratory muscle strength, and cough strength than healthy controls. Higher physical activity levels were associated with better respiratory muscle strength and cough strength, whereas longer diabetes duration was associated with lower inspiratory muscle strength. These findings suggest that respiratory muscle function and cough performance may be adversely affected in individuals with Type 2 DM, warranting further investigation in larger longitudinal studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The global spread of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (CP-GNB) represents a major clinical challenge, causing severe hospital-acquired infections with limited treatment options. Accurate and rapid detection is essential for guiding antimicrobial therapy and implementing infection control measures. Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) targeting the five main carbapenemase families are increasingly used in routine diagnostics, and many new commercial assays have recently become available, often without thorough assessment. The continuous evolution of these enzymes under antibiotic pressure requires regular reassessment of assay performance. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the Beright Carba-5 assay (Alltest Biotech, Hangzhou, China) targeting the five main carbapenemases (KPC, NDM, OXA-48-like, IMP, and VIM), on a panel of 77 whole-genome sequenced Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) isolates exhibiting reduced susceptibility to carbapenems. Seventy-three were carbapenemase-producing (CP) GNBs, including six VIM-, 18 OXA-48-, 14 KPC-, 9 NDM-, 8 IMP-, 10 multiple carbapenemase-, and eight non-targeted carbapenemase-producers. Results: The assay was rapid and easy to use, showing 100% (CI: 73.54% to 100%) specificity, with no false positive results. However, overall sensitivity of CP-GNB detection was lower than expected at 63.08% (CI: 50.20% to 74.72%), with numerous false negatives, particularly among IMP and NDM producers, and to a lesser extent, KPC producers. Detection was more reliable for VIM and OXA-48-like variants. Practical limitations, including insufficient buffer supply, reduced the number of tested isolates from the planned 100 to 77. Conclusions: Overall, the Beright assay demonstrated insufficient sensitivity for routine diagnostic use. Full article

Background/Objectives: Behçet’s disease is a chronic relapsing multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent mucocutaneous ulceration, vasculitis, and exaggerated inflammatory responses to minor trauma. These features may adversely affect wound healing after major head and neck oncologic reconstruction. This case report describes repeated wound breakdown after oral cavity reconstruction in a patient with Behçet’s disease and advanced floor-of-mouth squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: A 51-year-old woman with Behçet’s disease and T4N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma involving the floor of the mouth and tongue underwent tumor resection followed by reconstruction of the oral cavity defect using a right anterolateral thigh perforator free flap. Subsequent surgical procedures included debridement of necrotic tissue, negative-pressure wound therapy, split-thickness skin grafting of the thigh donor site, and salvage tumor resection with pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction after tumor recurrence. Results: After the initial anterolateral thigh free flap reconstruction, flap perfusion was satisfactory in the immediate postoperative period; however, delayed marginal necrosis developed from the distal tongue-side flap margin, whereas the floor-of-mouth portion remained relatively stable. The right thigh donor site also developed progressive suture-line necrosis and wound dehiscence, requiring operative debridement, negative-pressure wound therapy, and split-thickness skin grafting. Although skin grafting achieved eventual donor-site coverage, partial graft necrosis and delayed secondary healing occurred. Persistent fistula and wound instability delayed postoperative radiotherapy, and recurrent floor-of-mouth squamous cell carcinoma subsequently developed approximately 6 months after the initial surgery. After salvage resection and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction, the flap appeared viable at inset, but marginal ecchymosis, partial necrosis, and wound dehiscence again developed, requiring additional debridement, quilting sutures, and negative-pressure wound therapy. The wound gradually stabilized with staged wound management. Conclusions: This case illustrates a multifactorial pattern of repeated marginal wound breakdown after technically successful flap reconstruction in a patient with Behçet’s disease. Behçet-related pathergy-like inflammation, vasculitis, and microcirculatory dysfunction may represent possible contributing mechanisms, but they were not directly proven in this patient. In oral cavity reconstruction, such wound instability may delay adjuvant therapy and adversely affect oncologic outcomes. Careful perioperative planning, close multidisciplinary coordination, meticulous tension-free closure, early recognition of wound compromise, and readiness for staged wound management are essential in patients with Behçet’s disease undergoing major head and neck oncologic reconstruction. Full article

The assessment of humanity’s ecological footprint has become increasingly critical in contemporary discourse due to growing environmental challenges. This study examines the economic evaluation of the ecological footprint with a particular focus on forest ecosystem services and food productivity. Using harmonized secondary data from FAOSTAT, EUROSTAT, the World Bank, and IPBES, the analysis covers selected developed and emerging economies, including the European Union, the United States, China, Brazil, and other representative countries. This study investigates the macroeconomic implications of natural capital degradation by applying a panel data econometric model to European Union countries over the period 2010–2023. Moving beyond descriptive approaches, the research formulates and tests three hypotheses linking biodiversity, environmental pressure, and green transition variables to economic performance. Using harmonized data from Eurostat and Statista, the study employs a fixed-effects regression framework to estimate the impact of biodiversity indicators, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy share, and environmental protection expenditures on GDP per capita. The results demonstrate that biodiversity preservation and resource efficiency are positively associated with economic performance, while environmental degradation—proxied by greenhouse gas emissions—exerts a statistically significant negative effect. Additionally, the findings confirm that investments in renewable energy and environmental protection contribute to long-term economic stability. By providing a transparent data structure, explicit variable operationalization, and reproducible econometric specification, the study offers an original empirical contribution to ecological economics and addresses the limitations of prior literature that relied primarily on descriptive synthesis. Full article

The study evaluated the effect of intercropping Paulownia (Paulownia spp.) with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. KWS Thalis) on selected components of agroecosystem biodiversity under Polish conditions. A field experiment established in 2019 compared an alley cropping system with barley monoculture during the 2025 growing season. Weed infestation, soil microbial communities, mesofauna abundance, and crop yield were assessed. Weed abundance was lower in the intercropping system than in monoculture, reaching 5.6 vs. 15.6 plants m⁻² at BBCH 21 and 21 and 22.8 vs. 35.6 plants m⁻² at BBCH 75. Bacterial alpha diversity was significantly higher under intercropping conditions, with Shannon index values ranging from 5.12 to 5.25, compared with 4.98–5.09 in monoculture. Fungal diversity showed moderate differences between systems, whereas the abundance of Collembola and Acari was influenced mainly by seasonal variation rather than by cultivation system. No significant reduction in barley yield was observed under intercropping conditions. The results suggest that Paulownia-based alley cropping may reduce weed pressure and support selected soil biological properties without negatively affecting crop productivity. However, the observed responses varied depending on the analyzed parameter and sampling period, indicating the preliminary and context-dependent character of the results. Further long-term studies are required to better understand the ecological mechanisms operating in such agroforestry systems. Full article

This study investigates the hydroclimatic impacts of climate change on the Göynük Stream Basin, a snow-fed tributary within the Euphrates River Basin, utilizing flow, precipitation, and temperature data from 1975 to 2022. The Göynük Stream Basin is characterized by high-altitude, harsh continental conditions, with its flow regime heavily influenced by snowmelt, rendering it particularly sensitive to climate change. Employing a suite of trend analysis methods, including Mann–Kendall, Spearman Rho, Theil–Sen, Şen-Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA), and Innovative Polygon Trend Analysis (IPTA), the research evaluated annual and seasonal data from one stream and four meteorological stations across multiple significance levels (90%, 95%, 99%). Unlike conventional hydroclimatic studies based solely on monotonic trend detection, this study integrates classical trend tests, innovative trend approaches, temporal regime-based analysis (RAPS), and machine learning techniques within a unified assessment framework to evaluate both hydroclimatic variability and runoff predictability under climate change conditions. Key findings indicate a significant decline in annual flow rates by approximately 9.37%, with a notable decrease in maximum flow rates evidenced by a negative trend slope of −0.2726 m³/s/year. While precipitation trends were generally decreasing, temperature data exhibited significant increases, especially during winter and spring. Seasonal analysis revealed substantial flow reductions in summer and autumn, coupled with an earlier timing of the annual maximum flow, shifting from mid-May to late March/early April, suggesting earlier snowmelt. The study concludes that the Göynük Stream Basin is experiencing increasing hydroclimatic pressures attributable to climate change. These insights are crucial for water resource management and serve as a guideline for similar snow-fed sub-basins within the broader Euphrates River Basin. Furthermore, the integration of a machine learning approach, utilizing meteorological and seasonal data, demonstrated strong monthly runoff prediction capabilities with NRMSE of 4.11% and R² equal to 0.951. Feature importance analysis highlighted seasonality and temperature as primary predictive factors. However, a marked decline in model accuracy after 2011 was observed, indicating a non-stationarity in the hydroclimatic system, likely driven by climate change impacts and underscoring the need for adaptive management strategies. Full article

This study portrays macroalgal assemblage structure in the transitional water system Mar Piccolo of Taranto (eLTER site) from 2012 to 2023, assessing the impact of the establishment of non-indigenous species (NIS). Seasonal sampling at three sites evaluated diversity and biomass variation through PERMANOVA, PCoA, PERMDISP and Indicator Value (IndVal) analyses. Results reveal significant spatio-temporal heterogeneity: Site 1 remains dominated by native species (>70% biomass) and summer peaks of NIS (>70% biomass) were recorded at Site 3, whereas Site 4 experienced a substantial NIS expansion, reaching 97% of the total biomass by 2021. Statistical clustering identified distinct indicator species for each inlet of the basin, such as Amphiroa beauvoisii (IndVal = 100) in the First Inlet and the NIS Hypnea corona (IndVal = 65.6) in the Second. Water temperature emerged as a primary driver of community shifts. Most species, including both native (Chondracanthus acicularis; r_s = 0.50, p ≤ 0.05) and several NIS (Polysiphonia morrowii r_s = 0.65, p ≤ 0.5; Osmundea oederi r_s = 0.70, p ≤ 0.5), exhibited negative correlations with mean thermal values, while Ulva laetevirens (r_s = −0.50, p ≤ 0.05) showed greater tolerance. These findings highlight the importance of LTER monitoring in demonstrating that the Mar Piccolo’s resistance to NIS pressure is non-uniform across the basin. Under a global warming scenario, thermal forcing is actively reshaping macroalgal assemblages. Full article

This study examines when green innovation contributes to pollution abatement by analyzing how financial globalization and different forms of innovation jointly shape ecological pressure across European Union (EU) countries over the period 1992–2021. The findings show that financial globalization consistently increases ecological pressure, with stronger effects at upper quantiles (0.8–0.9). Technological innovation exhibits a nonlinear pattern: general RD increases ecological pressure at lower quantiles (0.1–0.4), but this effect becomes insignificant and then negative at higher quantiles (0.7–0.9). In contrast, environmental innovation (EI) reduces CO₂ emissions at middle and upper quantiles (0.5–0.8), suggesting a stronger environmental contribution under medium-to-high ecological pressure conditions. Overall, the results demonstrate that the environmental impact of innovation depends on both the type of innovation and the prevailing level of ecological pressure. Specifically, general R&D and environmental innovation exhibit different environmental effects across lower and upper quantiles, suggesting that environmentally oriented innovation policies may be more effective under higher ecological pressure conditions. Full article

For old industrial urban agglomerations, low-carbon planning requires emission information at a finer spatial scale, but county-level energy statistics are often incomplete. This study focuses on the Central-Southern Liaoning Urban Agglomeration, a typical heavy-industrial region in Northeast China. County-level energy-related carbon emissions for 73 units from 2005 to 2024 are reconstructed by combining socioeconomic panel data with harmonized DMSP-OLS-like nighttime light data. On this basis, global and local spatial autocorrelation, Moran scatterplots, Markov and spatial Markov transition matrices, and a spatial STIRPAT-based Spatial Durbin Model are used to examine the spatial pattern, transition process, and driving factors of emissions. The results show that emissions continued to increase during the study period, although the growth rate became slower and no clear regional peak was observed. Moran’s I rose from 0.627 in 2005 to 0.675 in 2024, which means that county-level emissions became more spatially clustered. The traditional Markov matrix shows strong state persistence, with diagonal probabilities ranging from 0.8793 to 0.9852. The spatial Markov results further suggest that counties surrounded by high-emission neighbors face greater pressure to move upward. In the SDM results, the spatial autoregressive coefficient is significant at the 1% level, with rho = 0.537. GDPPC and POP show negative direct effects, SEC increases local emissions but has a negative indirect effect, and PE is positively related to local emissions. Spatially, high-emission counties are mainly distributed around Shenyang, Anshan, Liaoyang, Dalian, and other industrial cores, while eastern ecological counties remain at relatively low emission levels. These findings provide county-scale evidence for differentiated low-carbon governance in old industrial regions. Full article

The electrification of urban freight is a central pathway for advancing China’s dual-carbon agenda, yet the spatial and temporal mismatch between charging supply and logistics demand remains a major bottleneck. Using Shanghai as a case study, this paper develops an integrated framework of hotspot identification, mechanism interpretation, and planning response for electric logistics vehicle (ELV) charging demand. Based on the operating records of more than 1200 pure electric logistics vehicles in Shanghai from 1 March to 30 November 2023, 85,367 valid charging events were extracted. ST-DBSCAN is used to detect charging demand hotspots, and a negative binomial model is employed to examine their determinants. The results show that charging demand is highly differentiated in space and time, following a pattern of daytime concentration in core logistics areas and nighttime dispersion toward peripheral parking and recharging spaces. Initial state of charge, daily mileage, logistics point of interest (POI) density, and road network density are all significantly associated with hotspot intensity, while the effects of time vary across daytime and nighttime charging contexts. The predominance of slow charging, together with a pronounced midday charging peak (12:00–17:00), points to a potential fast-charging pressure of fast-charging capacity in major logistics nodes. Based on these findings, the paper proposes targeted recommendations for hub-oriented fast-charging deployment, fleet–charging coordination, and data-driven governance. The study provides empirical evidence for improving the spatial planning and refined governance of urban freight energy infrastructure. Full article

Accurate prediction of nonlinear wave–structure interaction is essential for the safe design of coastal structures. In this study, a fully nonlinear high-order spectral numerical wave tank is developed to investigate nonlinear wave interaction with a vertical wall. The incident-wave boundary is introduced through an additional velocity potential, with the incident-wave kinematics prescribed from corresponding nonlinear analytical wave solutions. The model is validated against the Fourier solution, demonstrating good accuracy in predicting free-surface elevation, pressure distribution, and resultant wave force. Numerical results show that wave nonlinearity significantly modifies both the standing-wave field and the wall loading. Under strongly nonlinear conditions, negative pressure develops near the lower part of the wall during the crest phase, giving rise to a characteristic saddle-shaped force history. Water depth further modulates this nonlinear mechanism by altering both the force magnitude and the pressure distribution along the wall. For focused wave groups, the force response is strongly affected by the focusing type, wave steepness, and spectral bandwidth. A narrower bandwidth maintains stronger phase coherence over a longer portion of the wave group, leading to slightly larger focused extrema and more pronounced amplification of adjacent wave and force cycles. These findings highlight the importance of nonlinear pressure effects and spectral characteristics in predicting extreme wave loads on vertical-wall coastal structures. Full article