Search Results (5,695)

Celiac disease (CD) is a primary immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by gluten ingestion in genetically predisposed individuals. Gluten ingestion results in villous atrophy of the small intestine and can lead to impaired absorption of multiple vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin D and calcium. This may result in vitamin D deficiency, a physiologic stimulus for parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, subsequently causing secondary hyperparathyroidism. Malabsorption and hyperparathyroidism in CD can contribute to metabolic bone disease (MBD), including osteopenia or osteoporosis. Correction of CD with a gluten-free diet (GFD) does not always reverse MBD. Although malabsorption in CD is a well-recognized cause of secondary hyperparathyroidism, some case reports have also suggested a potential association between CD and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). In this literature review, we present evidence from observational studies, case series, and case reports that suggest a potential association or coexistence of CD and PHPT. Although the exact relationship between CD and PHPT remains unclear, limited evidence suggests that the two conditions may be related or may coexist independently of one another, with GFD treatment potentially unmasking underlying PHPT in patients with CD. One proposed mechanism is that vitamin D deficiency in CD reduces the vitamin D-mediated suppression of parathyroid cell proliferation, potentially contributing to the development of PHPT; however, current evidence remains insufficient to establish a causal relationship. PHPT and CD can contribute to MBD with increased fracture risk and adversely affect quality of life and overall health. Monitoring PTH, vitamin D, and calcium levels is important to identify persistent hyperparathyroidism and unmask underlying PHPT after correction of malabsorption. The literature review highlights a gap in our understanding of the pathogenesis linking these two conditions and underscores the need for future studies to elucidate their potential relationship. Because surgery is the only curative treatment modality for PHPT, patients with persistent hyperparathyroidism despite correction of malabsorption should be evaluated for possible concomitant PHPT, as they may require interdisciplinary management involving gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, and endocrine surgeons. Full article

The herbaceous layer in subtropical moist forests often faces multiple concurrent growth and development constraints, yet the relative importance of these constraints and their responses to nutrient addition remain poorly quantified. We conducted a three-year factorial experiment in a montane moist secondary evergreen forest in central Yunnan of southwestern China, manipulating fertilization (control vs. fertilization), plant root competition (roots present vs. excluded), and forest litter (litter present vs. removed) in a fully crossed design. We investigated plant species richness, number of individuals, height, biomass, water content, and root-to-shoot (R/S) ratio of the herbaceous layer. The study results revealed a consistent hierarchy of inhibitory effects: root competition suppressed herb layer growth more strongly than litter layer inhibition, and their combined effect was severe enough to eliminate all herbaceous plants in the unfertilized control (i.e., R+L+ treatment). Fertilization significantly increased community-level plant species richness, number of individuals, height, biomass, and water content but substantially reduced R/S ratios in three of the four treatment combinations where comparisons were valid (R+L−, R−L+, and R−L−). This pattern indicates a shift in community biomass allocation toward aboveground organs under nutrient enrichment, although species turnover and intraspecific plasticity could both contribute to this pattern. In the R+L+ treatment, no plants were present in the control, so fertilization enabled the establishment of a plant community with an R/S ratio of 1.18 ± 0.08. The R/S ratios responded hierarchically to both competition and fertilization: it was highest under combined root + litter competition, intermediate under single-factor competition, and lowest when both competition sources were removed. Fertilization consistently lowered R/S ratios in the three treatment combinations where valid comparisons were possible (R+L−, R−L+, and R−L−). Our findings suggest that fertilization can alleviate multi-layer competition and promote herb layer development in this subtropical forest. Full article

Petroleum contamination of the fragile loess soils of Northern Shaanxi, China, calls for low-cost biological remediation strategies. Combining plants with soil macrofauna is a promising option, but it remains unclear whether the two agents act on the same or on different components of the soil microbial system. In a 150-day soil-column experiment on a moderately contaminated loess soil (initial total petroleum hydrocarbon, TPH, 1.88 g kg⁻¹), we crossed ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and earthworms (Metaphire tschiliensis) in a 2 × 2 factorial design and measured bacterial and fungal community composition, five carbon (C)-, nitrogen (N)-, and phosphorus (P)-acquiring enzyme activities and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry. Ryegrass was the sole significant driver of hydrocarbon removal (p < 0.001; TPH reduced by 26.6% under the combined treatment), whereas earthworms had no significant main effect (p = 0.168). The two agents acted on distinct targets: earthworms restructured the bacterial community (PERMANOVA R² = 0.253, p < 0.001) without changing α-diversity and strongly raised NO₃⁻-N and N-acquiring NAG activity, whereas ryegrass shaped the fungal community (R² = 0.105, p = 0.036) and increased C-acquiring enzyme activities. A significant ryegrass × earthworm interaction emerged for β-1,4-glucosidase (p = 0.017) and for microbial C limitation (p = 0.011), which is consistent with the additional rhizosphere C demand being expressed only after earthworms had relieved N shortage. The relative abundance of the hydrocarbon-degrading guild was unrelated to residual TPH (r = 0.19, p = 0.424), indicating that the taxonomic abundance of potential degraders did not predict hydrocarbon removal. Vector angles (51.7–53.7°) fell between the conventional 45° and the recently proposed 55° threshold; available N:P ratios, substrate stoichiometry and the enzymatic response to earthworm-derived N are consistent with N rather than P limitation and suggest that the 45° threshold overestimates P limitation in alkaline soils. Within the conditions tested, plant establishment appears to be the priority for remediating petroleum-contaminated loess, and the combination of plants, earthworms and moderate N-containing organic amendments is a promising strategy that now requires direct experimental evaluation. Full article

Cover crops are increasingly promoted to improve soil health, reduce nutrient losses, and enhance water quality, yet their large-scale performance across diverse climatic and soil conditions remains insufficiently quantified. We hypothesized that cereal rye cover crop adoption would reduce sediment and nutrient losses, with potential impacts on cash crop yields, and that these effects would vary with precipitation regime and soil vulnerability. Using Conservation Effects Assessment Project data and Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender simulations across 4317 U.S. corn and soybean sites over 45 years, we evaluated two scenarios: current management (Base) and Base plus Cover Crop (BCC). Stratification by precipitation group and Soil Vulnerability Index enabled assessment of context-dependent responses. Simulations showed substantial reductions in sediment losses (up to 60%) and surface nitrogen losses (≈30%) under the BCC scenario, with the strongest benefits in wetter regions and highly vulnerable soils. Soluble phosphorus decreased modestly (≈9%), and nitrogen retention improved under low-to-moderate leaching vulnerability. Yield reductions were limited (6–7%) and were smallest in drier regions where irrigation mitigated water stress. Overall, cereal rye cover crop adoption delivered meaningful soil and water conservation benefits with measurable yield impacts, supporting its role as an effective and scalable conservation practice across diverse U.S. agroecosystems. Full article

Background: Childhood undernutrition is associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, and increased susceptibility to gastrointestinal complications. This review examines whether plant-derived protein hydrolysates and bioactive peptides can influence gut barrier integrity, inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress, nutrient absorption, and microbiota composition. Methods: A scoping review of evidence published from 2010 and 2026 was conducted following a structured, multi-database search and screening process. Studies were assigned to defined evidence categories according to whether the intervention was an identified peptide sequence, a peptide fraction, a whole hydrolysate, an intact protein, or a complex food matrix. Results: Plant-derived protein hydrolysates, peptide fractions, and identified peptides were reported to increase occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1 expression and reduce epithelial permeability in colitis models and in human-derived intestinal monolayers. Several interventions inhibited NF-κB and MAPK signaling, reducing TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. Selected interventions lowered intestinal malondialdehyde and raised superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity; three studies demonstrated Keap1–Nrf2–ARE pathway activation directly. Microbiota effects were compositional, with increased short-chain fatty acid production, higher abundances of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and reduced pathobionts. Evidence for nutrient absorption was weaker: no included study measured PEPT1 expression, transport activity, or peptide flux following hydrolysate administration, and most sequences reviewed exceeded the di- and tripeptide substrate limit of that transporter. Conclusions: No included study administered a plant-derived peptide in a model of undernutrition, and none assessed clinically diagnosed SIBO. Mechanistic evidence suggests plausible benefits for gut barrier integrity, redox balance, inflammation, and microbiota composition, but controlled trials in undernourished children are required before clinical claims can be made. Full article

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is among the world’s most widely consumed grain legumes and a foundational species for organic and low-input agriculture, yet its agroecological value extends far beyond nitrogen fixation and nutritional provisioning. This review reframes P. vulgaris as a breeding target defined by ecosystem function rather than by yield alone, synthesizing evidence on functional biology, biological nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere microbiome assembly and soil ecosystem engineering to identify the trait complexes that ecosystem-oriented breeding programs must select for. We examine the constraints limiting expression of these traits under organic management, including weed competition, biotic and abiotic stress, nutrient limitation, and the scarcity of cultivars and certified seed adapted to low-input environments, and evaluate the agroecological management practices, resource-use efficiency metrics and emerging technologies—spanning precision agriculture, phenomics, molecular breeding, genome editing and microbiome engineering—that can accelerate their genetic improvement. Central to this synthesis is a paradigm shift in breeding objectives: common bean is conceptualized as a holobiont whose performance emerges from coordinated plant–microbiome interaction, requiring breeding programs to select explicitly for nitrogen-fixation efficiency, root system architecture, rhizosphere recruitment capacity, nutrient-use efficiency and multi-stress resilience as heritable, ecosystem-oriented traits. We conclude by outlining priority breeding research directions integrating genomics, phenomics, envirotyping and rhizosphere ecology, positioning common bean breeding as a strategic lever for the transition toward regenerative, climate-smart organic agriculture. Full article

The increasing specialization of crop and livestock production has disrupted traditional nutrient cycling in agricultural systems, creating a dual challenge of excessive dependence on synthetic fertilizers and inefficient utilization of livestock manure. Crop–livestock circular agriculture offers a promising pathway to address these interconnected problems by recoupling animal production, manure management, and crop cultivation within an integrated nutrient-recycling framework. This review critically synthesizes recent advances in crop–livestock circular agriculture, with particular emphasis on manure valorization, nutrient recovery and reuse, enabling treatment technologies, crop–livestock nutrient matching, and regionally adapted implementation models. Current evidence demonstrates that appropriately managed manure recycling can partially substitute synthetic fertilizers, improve soil fertility and structure, enhance nutrient-use efficiency, and reduce nutrient losses and associated environmental pressures. Technologies including solid–liquid separation, aerobic composting, anaerobic digestion, and emerging resource-recovery approaches further expand the potential for converting livestock waste into fertilizers, energy, and other value-added agricultural inputs. However, the environmental and agronomic benefits of these systems depend strongly on balancing manure-derived nutrient supply with crop demand and local land carrying capacity. This requirement is particularly important in the hilly agricultural regions of Southwest China, where fragmented farmland, dispersed livestock production, complex terrain, and high transportation costs constrain the direct adoption of large-scale centralized models. Locally adapted strategies integrating decentralized manure treatment, nearby land application, and coordinated regional nutrient allocation may therefore provide more practical solutions. Despite substantial progress, broader implementation remains limited by spatial mismatches between manure production and cropland demand, insufficient technological adaptation, economic constraints, and a lack of long-term system-level assessments. Future research should move beyond individual waste-treatment technologies toward integrated crop–livestock management that combines nutrient budgeting, precision manure application, resource recovery, digital decision support, and region-specific governance. Such advances are essential for transforming livestock manure from an environmental liability into a strategic nutrient resource and for accelerating the transition toward resource-efficient, low-impact, and resilient agricultural systems. Full article

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms require control strategies that suppress bloom-forming taxa while limiting effects on non-target primary producers and toxin-related risks. We developed a cationic polyquaternium (P126)-engineered local red-soil composite and evaluated its electrokinetic properties, taxon-dependent photophysiological effects, activity against colonial Microcystis, robustness to water chemistry, short-term Danio rerio responses, and field-scale performance. P126 modification reversed soil surface charge to the range of +20 to +33 mV across a pH range of 6.0–10.0, generating a strong electrostatic contrast with negatively charged cyanobacteria. At 10 mg L⁻¹, the composite suppressed maximum photosystem II quantum yield (F_v/F_m) in Microcystis aeruginosa and Dolichospermum sp., with no statistically detectable effects on the four tested chlorophyte and diatom strains. For Microcystis colonies ≥ 500 μm, 20 mg L⁻¹ of composite achieved >95% MTT-based inhibition within 24 h, versus < 15% for CuSO₄. Suppression persisted across the tested pH and nutrient ranges but was attenuated by high humate concentrations. The maximum unfractionated-sample ELISA microcystin-equivalent signal was approximately 25% lower than with CuSO₄; however, dissolved and particulate fractions were not resolved. No statistically detectable treatment-related differences in zebrafish hatching or larval length were observed up to 10.5 mg L⁻¹. In a physically isolated sub-lake, composite application preceded a decline of more than three orders of magnitude in algal/cyanobacterial density and an increase in Secchi depth from approximately 0.25 to 1.2 m; Vallisneria natans was planted subsequently. These results provide laboratory evidence and field case-study observations consistent with electrostatically favored, selective bloom suppression, while residual-polymer fate, sediment effects, chronic toxicity, and multi-trophic responses require further evaluation. Full article

The sustainability limitations of fishmeal and fish oil have increased interest in nutrient- rich microalgal co-products for aquafeeds. This study evaluated the effects of processing on the nutritional composition and apparent digestibility of a defatted Nannochloropsis sp. QH25 co-product in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Experiment 1 assessed the effects of extrusion at 90 °C or 127 °C, with or without precooking, and enzymatic treatment with protease, xylanase, and β-glucanase. Based on nutrient composition, the 90 °C extrusion treatment without precooking was selected for Experiment 2, which compared a reference diet with three diets containing 30% raw, extruded, or enzyme-treated co-product, using four replicate tanks per diet. Extrusion at 127 °C reduced crude protein, gross energy, and methionine concentrations, whereas extrusion at 90 °C largely preserved nutrient composition. Precooking reduced several essential amino acids but increased methionine and did not affect tryptophan. Crude protein digestibility was numerically higher in the extruded co-product than in the raw co-product, although the difference was not statistically significant. Most essential amino acids showed similar digestibility in the raw and extruded treatments, whereas enzymatic processing resulted in lower crude protein and amino acid digestibility. Omega-3 fatty acid digestibility remained high across diets. Overall, the raw co-product showed high nutrient digestibility, while extrusion resulted in only small, generally non-significant numerical differences and enzymatic processing generally resulted in lower nutrient digestibility under the conditions evaluated. Full article

Peach fruit quality—including sweetness, firmness, and nutritional value—is strongly determined by mineral nutrition, yet limited soil availability of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) under production activities often constrains high-quality fruit formation in juicy peach production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar application of Ca and Mg on leaf nutrient status and fruit quality in peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch). Seven treatments were established, including 0.1% (T1), 0.2% (T2), and 0.3% (T3) CaCl₂ solutions, 0.1% (T4), 0.2% (T5), and 0.3% (T6) MgSO₄ solutions, and a water-sprayed control (CK). All treatments were applied during the fruit development stage, and RNA sequencing analysis was performed on the highest-concentration MgSO₄ treatment group. The results of this study showed that high-concentration treatments (0.3% CaCl₂, T3; 0.3% MgSO₄, T6) significantly increased leaf chlorophyll and Ca/Mg accumulation relative to CK. For Ca treatments, T3 significantly increased sucrose content, whereas T2 enhanced glucose accumulation and total phenolic content, indicating that appropriate CaCl₂ supplementation may improve fruit quality through regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant responses. T6 produced the greatest gains in soluble sugars, soluble solids, vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity, indicating a close link between leaf Mg status and carbohydrate accumulation. Transcriptomic analysis of peach leaves further revealed that Mg supplementation modulated genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, contributing to sugar accumulation. This study revealed that foliar application of 0.3% MgSO₄ offers an effective strategy for improving peach fruit quality. Full article

Corticioid fungi play important ecological roles in forest ecosystems by contributing to wood decomposition, nutrient cycling, and habitat formation. Their simplified morphology has long-complicated taxonomic classification, while molecular phylogenetics has revealed this group to be highly polyphyletic. This bibliometric review assessed global publication trends, research dynamics, and geographical patterns in corticioid fungi research between 2016 and 2025. After duplicate removal and manual screening, 231 publications were retained for analysis. The results showed that original research articles strongly dominate the literature, whereas review papers remain scarce. Publication output peaked in 2021, when integrative taxonomic studies combining traditional morphology and molecular phylogenetic approaches predominated. Geographically, European research centers laid the historical foundations of corticioid fungi research. In recent years, however, Chinese research groups have contributed substantially to the increase in species discoveries and taxonomic revisions, whereas megadiverse regions of Africa and Central and South America remain underexplored due to limited research infrastructure. These findings underscore the importance of international collaboration for advancing research in underexplored regions and enhancing global assessments of fungal biodiversity. Full article

Eutrophication has become a major environmental concern in Lake Taihu, with total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) serving as key indicative parameters. However, existing retrievals of TP and TN in Lake Taihu mostly rely on conventional empirical algorithms over limited periods, and the month-to-month spatial patterns of the two nutrients across the whole lake remain poorly characterized. To address this gap, the present study introduces Maximal Information Coefficient (MIC)-based feature selection into machine learning retrieval of TP and TN from Sentinel-2 imagery and produces month-to-month lake-wide maps over nine months. This study utilized Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and water quality data obtained from 15 automatic monitoring stations in Lake Taihu between January 2024 and December 2024 to develop retrieval models for TP and TN. Feature selection was first performed using the MIC. Subsequently, four machine learning algorithms—Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Backpropagation Neural Network (BP), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)—were employed to establish TP and TN retrieval models. The final models were then selected to map the spatial distributions of the two nutrients. Results showed that the SVM model incorporating band combinations achieved the best TP retrieval performance (R² = 0.65, RMSE = 0.03 mg/L), while RF yielded the highest accuracy for TN estimation (R² = 0.46, RMSE = 0.36 mg/L), explaining only about 46% of the variance and indicating limited predictive power for TN retrieval. Temporally, TP concentrations across Lake Taihu remained relatively low from December to May, increased gradually from August to October, and reached the annual peak in October. Spatially, western lake zones exhibited higher TP concentrations than the eastern area. TN shared identical spatial distribution patterns with TP across the lake; temporally, TN concentrations reached the annual maximum in March and the annual minimum in August. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of satellite-based TP and TN retrieval for lake water quality monitoring and provide scientific support for water environment management in Lake Taihu. Full article

Microalgae thrive in diverse and often challenging environments by coordinating metabolic and physiological responses to environmental stress, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations remain incompletely understood. Here, we combined physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses to investigate the response of the green microalga Chlorella sp. SLA-04 to nitrogen depletion and high-alkalinity growth. Nitrogen depletion redirected carbon toward carbohydrate and lipid storage and was accompanied by coordinated transcriptional changes that suppressed photosynthesis while activating TAG biosynthetic and degradative pathways. The coordinated induction of lipid biosynthetic and degradative pathways is consistent with a model in which TAG synthesis and turnover help maintain redox homeostasis during nutrient stress. In contrast, high-alkalinity growth altered fatty-acid composition and was associated with transcriptional changes involving ion transport, membrane remodeling, and osmotic adaptation. Alkaline growth also altered the expression of mobile genetic elements and genes associated with RNA-mediated genome surveillance, suggesting that adaptation to high pH extends beyond central metabolism. Together, these findings provide a system-level view of how coordinated physiological and transcriptional responses enable Chlorella sp. SLA-04 to adapt to nutrient limitations and high-alkalinity growth. Full article

The use of algae-based bioenergy platforms in establishing circular bioeconomy systems is due to their capacity to generate biomass of renewable origin, using solar energy and carbon dioxide (CO₂), while the process also involves remediation and recovery of resources. The introduction of algae to bioenergy systems is still limited by obstacles related to biomass productivity, efficiency of harvesting, and energy demands of further utilization of biomass, not to mention lack of system integration. The present paper provides a review of the new developments in the area of algal bioenergy platforms, focusing on the use of algae-assisted microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and biotech solutions based on nanotechnology. The combination of algae with MFC technology allows for the generation of bioelectricity and the use of algal systems for carbon fixation, nutrient removal, bioconversion of biomass, etc. Meanwhile, nanotechnology has become an important approach to enhance the development of algal bioenergy technologies by providing better cultivation activity, light absorption, nutrient transport, biomass extraction, catalysis, and electrodes. Advanced nanomaterials, such as magnetic nanoparticles, metal oxides, carbon-containing nanostructures, and combined nanomaterials, have allowed the industry to overcome the most important problems in algal biomass processing and bioelectrochemical energy production. At the same time, integrated algal biorefineries make it possible to transform a variety of biomass forms into biofuels or something even more valuable. Nevertheless, despite achieving significant resolution of many concerns, the scalability of technologies and the safety of the nanoparticles are still among major challenges to industrial implementation. The further development of algae-based technologies should allow sufficient integration of advanced nanomaterials, genetically engineered microbes, and scaling of reactor technologies. This review provides a unique integrated framework connecting algae cultivation, microbial fuel cell technologies, and nanotechnology-enabled biorefineries toward scalable circular bioenergy systems. Full article

Nostoc sphaeroides is a diazotrophic cyanobacterium that forms macroscopic spherical colonies in seasonally flooded paddy fields. Studies of its environmental physiology, colony development and cultivation have largely proceeded independently. This review integrates strain-resolved genomic, transcriptomic, physiological and ecological evidence to examine spherical multicellularity as a possible adaptation to a variable habitat. Developmental transitions between motile hormogonia and vegetative, heterocyst-forming filaments link dispersal with establishment, while an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix promotes water retention, ion binding and formation of an associated cyanosphere. Colony enlargement may improve persistence but also produces gradients of light, gases and nutrients that can limit carbon acquisition. Visible light, low-dose ultraviolet radiation, nitrogen form, phosphate, calcium, hydration and agrochemicals influence photosynthetic electron flow, carbon-concentrating mechanisms, repair and developmental investment. The NsHik33-NsRpaB pathway provides a causal connection between environmental sensing and ultraviolet acclimation, whereas many proposed colony-level functions remain supported mainly by omics data or evidence from model cyanobacteria. Important research priorities include spatial chemical mapping, defined cyanosphere communities, multiplex genetics and experiments under fluctuating environmental conditions. Together, the evidence identifies N. sphaeroides as a promising organism for studying how cyanobacterial developmental multicellularity promotes persistence in variable environments and may inform cultivation practices. Full article