Search Results (74,000)

Oxidative stress and environmental factors impair spermatogenesis and testicular function. The gut–testis axis has emerged as an important regulator of male reproductive health, influencing spermatogenesis beyond traditional endocrine control. This study evaluated the efficacy of a combination of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), Bifidobacterium longum GA24, and ribonucleotides (MIX) on in vitro models of the gut–testis axis (co-culture Caco-2/HSerC on Transwell^® system). At the intestinal level, MIX increased Caco-2 cell viability, improved tight junction levels, regulated ROS production, and increased butyrate synthesis beyond physiological values, highlighting improved intestinal barrier function and integrity. In the gut–testis model, HSerC cells subjected to H₂O₂ 300 μM showed 1.5-fold increased viability, 81% reduction in ROS, increased ATP (+1.7-fold) and NO (+1.8-fold). The MIX combination reduced the apoptotic markers BAX (−1.6-fold), caspase-3 (−1.84-fold), and Cyto-C (−1.52-fold), and the inflammatory mediators TNFα and IL-6. MIX enhanced Sertoli cell maturation markers, increasing AR by 6-fold, p27 by 1.64-fold, and SGP-2 by 2.5-fold, and modulated hormonal-related markers by increasing testosterone and FSHR expression. These findings indicate that MIX may positively modulate the gut–testicular axis, supporting the intestinal barrier, testicular health, and spermatogenesis. Full article

The rapid chilling and aging stages following pork slaughter represent a critical window for determining final physicochemical quality and flavor development. To address the destructive nature of conventional meat quality assessment methods and the limitations of rigid spectral probes when applied to irregular biological surfaces, this study developed and validated a wireless monitoring system integrating a flexible visible/near-infrared (VIS/NIR) sensing array with ensemble learning algorithms. The proposed system enables non-destructive, continuous monitoring of pork quality during cold-chain storage. A DeepEnsemble regression model based on a stacking framework was constructed by integrating Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) to predict pH, moisture content, and total amino acid concentration. During a 26 h dynamic aging experiment, the proposed model achieved coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.9019, 0.9687, and 0.9600 for pH, moisture content, and total amino acids, respectively, with prediction performance exceeding that of individual regression models. The wireless transmission module maintained stable data communication under low-temperature and high-humidity conditions (−20 °C and 0–4 °C), with packet loss rates below 0.1%. These results indicate that the proposed system can effectively capture the dynamic evolution of pork quality during aging and provides a practical non-destructive approach for intelligent pork quality evaluation, cold-chain monitoring, and digital management of meat supply chains. Full article

User interfaces (UIs) have become prevalent and dominant to maximize overall user experience. In order to enhance UI design, the effects of their base properties must be mapped out. Therefore, we constructed a structural equation model, considering the direct effects of design properties and the mediating effects of user performance, with the specific goal of maximizing the UI for users. A total of thirty-six participants were surveyed with different random combinations of UIs while using an eye tracker and measuring their final perception. Significant direct, mediating, and moderating effects were found in this study. Design guidelines were made for maximizing user experience in this study. Full article

Cutaneous wound healing is a complex biological process often impaired by bacterial infections, especially by Staphylococcus aureus. To address this, alginate (ALG)/chitosan (CS) polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films incorporating alginate-coated silver nanoparticles (ALG–AgNPs) were fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly. The films exhibited a porous, layered morphology with homogeneous distribution of ALG–AgNPs, hydrophilic surfaces (contact angle ≈ 55°), a high swelling degree (~175%), and a water vapor transmission rate of 1830 g m⁻²·day⁻¹. Thermal analyses showed similar degradation profiles up to 600 °C, with the ALG–AgNP film displaying lower moisture loss and higher dehydration temperature, consistent with enhanced ionic and coordination crosslinking (–NH₃⁺/–COO⁻ and Ag–O–C bonds). The release of Ag⁺ in PBS (pH 7.4) was ~3% after 24 h, following a Korsmeyer–Peppas mechanism (R² = 0.97, n < 0.5), and degradation, with ~40% mass loss in 6 days, indicated gradual matrix disintegration. Cytocompatibility studies revealed >80% viability for fibroblasts, keratinocytes, macrophages, and <2% hemolysis of red blood cells. Immune assays showed a tendency towards reduced TNF-α and IL-1β and regulated IL-6/IL-8 release. Antibacterial evaluations demonstrated a 5-log reduction in planktonic bacterial viability and >2-log reduction in adhesion, and an 11 ± 1 mm inhibition zone for S. aureus. These results demonstrate that ALG/CS–AgNP PEM films combine biocompatibility, antibacterial efficacy, controlled degradation, and structural stability, making them promising multifunctional scaffolds for the regeneration of infected skin wounds. Full article

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a ropivacaine-loaded poloxamer 407 (P407)-based thermosensitive hydrogel applied at the subfascial site compared with a continuous local anesthetic delivery system using a catheter for postoperative pain control after cesarean section (CS), in combination with standard intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA). Methods: This single-center, prospective randomized controlled trial included 72 pregnant women undergoing CS between April and October 2025. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either ropivacaine hydrogel or catheter-based ropivacaine infusion, both in conjunction with IV-PCA. Primary outcomes included numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included the time to first NSAID request and the cumulative use of rescue NSAIDs. Results: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. NRS pain scores did not differ significantly at any time point, although they varied significantly over time within each group. The hydrogel group showed a statistically significant delay in the time to first NSAID request (6.3 ± 5.1 h vs. 5.0 ± 6.1 h, p = 0.049) and higher cumulative NSAID use (2.4 ± 1.7 vs. 1.6 ± 1.2, p = 0.035). No serious complications were observed in either group. Conclusion: The ropivacaine hydrogel provided postoperative pain control comparable to that of the continuous catheter system, with no statistically significant differences in NRS scores observed between groups. Given its ease of use, absence of catheter-related concerns, and substantially lower total anesthetic dose, the P407-based hydrogel may represent a practical and patient-friendly alternative for post-cesarean analgesia. Full article

Thallium (Tl) contamination of soils in lead-zinc mining areas poses potential ecological risks, and the impact of microplastics on Tl accumulation by hyperaccumulator plants remains unclear. This study examined soils collected from the Daliangzi lead-zinc mining area to investigate the characteristics of Tl contamination. These soil samples were used in plant cultivation experiments. The thallium contents in both the soil and plant samples were determined using acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The contamination level, plant enrichment capacity, and ecological risk were then comprehensively evaluated through the Geo-accumulation index (I_geo), Bioconcentration factor (BCF), and potential ecological risk index. The results indicated that the I_geo of Tl in the soil was 2.413, corresponding to a moderately to heavily polluted level, which necessitates focused attention. Polyethylene exhibited markedly opposing effects on Pteris vittata and Solanum nigrum: it significantly promoted Tl accumulation in the former, while distinctly inhibiting it in the latter. Microplastics could modify the pH value of soil, as well as the contents of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Risk assessment indices indicated that Tl pollution in this region reaches a very high contamination level with moderate potential ecological risk. Polyethylene and polypropylene demonstrated a species-specific promoting effect on Tl adsorption by the two hyperaccumulator plants, with polyethylene significantly enhancing the Tl accumulation capacity of P. vittata and polypropylene distinctly promoting Tl adsorption in S. nigrum. Full article

Monitoring surface water quality over large river systems remains challenging due to sparse in situ sampling and the need for decision-ready indicators. This study aims to address this problem by developing and evaluating an integrated Landsat 8-based backpropagation neural network and Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (L8-BPNN-CCME-WQI) for precise surface water quality assessment over the Saint John River (SJR), New Brunswick, Canada. The proposed approach combines atmospherically corrected Landsat 8 imagery, BPNN for estimating multiple surface water quality parameters (SWQPs), and CCME-WQI to translate SWQP fields into transparent water quality levels. The L8-BPNN-CCME-WQI models were trained using in situ measurements of turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature collected during our five field campaigns (from June 2015 to August 2016) and surface reflectance from five Landsat 8 scenes. The developed models achieved high performance during internal calibration and testing (R² ≥ 0.80 for all SWQPs) and demonstrated robust performance (R² ≈ 0.75–0.88) when applied to two independent surface water quality datasets from additional rivers across New Brunswick. Pixel-wise SWQP predictions were then input to the CCME-WQI formulation to derive reach-scale water quality levels, revealing that the lower Saint John River basin (below the Mactaquac Dam) is generally classified as “Fair” (CCME-WQI ≈ 67), whereas the middle basin upstream (above the Mactaquac Dam) is “Marginal” (CCME-WQI ≈ 59), reflecting stronger industrial and agricultural pressures. Overall, the L8-BPNN-CCME-WQI framework provides a scalable methodology for converting multi-parameter satellite-derived water quality information into spatially exhaustive CCME-WQI classes, supporting targeted regulation, prioritization of mitigation in critical reaches, and evaluation of management actions in large river systems. Full article

Pseudostellaria heterophylla, an important traditional medicinal plant in China, has suffered increasing yield and quality loss due to leaf spot disease in recent years. In this study, the causal agent was conclusively identified as Sclerotiophoma versabilis through detailed morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), the 28S large subunit of the nrDNA (LSU), RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and ß-tubulin (tub2) sequences. Pathogenicity tests fulfilled Koch’s postulates, thereby resolving previous taxonomic inconsistencies regarding this disease. The effects of environmental and nutritional factors on mycelial growth, conidial germination, and infection were systematically evaluated. Optimal mycelial growth occurred at 20–25 °C, pH 6–8, under continuous light. Optimal mycelial growth occurred at 20–25 °C, pH 6–8, under continuous light, while conidial germination was maximized at 20–25 °C and pH 6–7 under continuous light. Starch and glycine were identified as the most favorable carbon and nitrogen sources for the fungal mycelial growth, respectively. Infection assays indicated an incubation period of approximately 3 d and maximal disease development at moderate temperatures under low-light conditions, with 6 d-old cultures exhibiting the greatest infectivity. Microscopic observations revealed that S. versabilis penetrated host tissues directly or via stomata without forming specialized infection structures. These findings integrate taxonomic resolution with ecological and infection biology analyses, providing mechanistic insight into the environmental drivers of leaf spot epidemics and a scientific basis for disease-risk assessment and management in P. heterophylla production systems. Full article

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly being used in digital smile design and esthetic treatment planning; however, evidence comparing the esthetic performance of AI-generated designs with expert clinician-generated designs remains limited. Objective evaluation using standardized esthetic indices is necessary to determine whether AI-generated outcomes achieve comparable clinical quality. Methods: This prospective paired comparative study included 33 patients. For each case, two smile designs were created: one generated using a fully automated AI system (SmileFy) and one designed manually by an experienced clinician using Exocad software(version 3.2 Elefsina; exocad GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany). Twenty blinded prosthodontists evaluated all designs using the Dental Esthetic Screening Index (DESI) and a visual analog scale (VAS). Patients provided esthetic VAS ratings and forced-choice preferences. Objective geometric measurements and total design time were recorded. Paired statistical analyses were performed with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: AI-generated designs demonstrated significantly lower total DESI scores than expert-generated designs (14.79 ± 1.63 vs. 18.73 ± 1.82; p < 0.001). Both expert and patient VAS ratings were significantly higher for AI designs (p < 0.001). Patients preferred AI-generated designs in 69.7% of cases compared with 30.3% for expert designs (p < 0.001). AI workflows were significantly faster, with a mean design time of 30.82 ± 5.14 min versus 63.48 ± 14.12 min for expert workflows, corresponding to a 51.46% reduction in planning time (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Fully automated AI-generated smile designs demonstrated favorable esthetic performance, higher patient acceptance, and substantial improvements in workflow efficiency compared with expert-driven digital designs, supporting their potential role as adjunctive tools in esthetic treatment planning. Full article

Fermented foods are produced through controlled microbial activity and are valued for their extended shelf life, sensory attributes, and potential health benefits. This study examined the effects of production methods on microbial ecology by comparing microbial community structure, Shannon diversity, and pH changes in traditional and commercially produced Korean fermented foods. Cabbage and radish kimchi were fermented for four weeks to assess microbial succession and physicochemical changes, and additional fermented foods, including soy sauce, soybean paste, pepper paste, fruit vinegar, yogurt, and aged kimchi, were compared according to production method. Microbial communities were analyzed using amplicon sequencing targeting the V3–V4 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Traditionally produced cabbage kimchi exhibited high microbial diversity at the early fermentation stage, initially dominated by Weissella and Leuconostoc, followed by a gradual shift toward lactic acid bacteria dominance at later stages. In contrast, commercially produced cabbage kimchi maintained a simplified microbial community dominated by a limited number of lactic acid bacteria throughout fermentation. Radish kimchi showed production-method-dependent patterns, with the rapid dominance of lactic acid bacteria during traditional fermentation and partial recovery of microbial diversity during commercial fermentation. Shannon diversity was consistently higher in traditionally produced kimchi during fermentation. In contrast, commercially produced kimchi exhibited more rapid acidification. Across other fermented foods, traditionally produced soy-based products exhibited complex microbial communities dominated by Bacillus spp., whereas commercially produced products were characterized by yeast-dominant profiles. Fruit vinegar and yogurt showed low microbial diversity regardless of the production method. These findings demonstrate the importance of production strategies in shaping microbial ecology, fermentation dynamics, and resulting product characteristics across various Korean fermented foods. Full article

In the present study, the fruit extract of haritaki (T. chebula) was successfully encapsulated in liposomes, achieving an encapsulation efficiency of 97.2% for the total polyphenols, with the most significant release occurring under simulated digestive conditions in the intestinal phase. The zeta potential and Z-average size of the loaded liposomes were 20.52 mV and 521.73 nm at a pH of 2 and −59.72 mV and 823.03 nm at a pH of 8, respectively. The prepared liposomes were further incorporated in the matrix of dark chocolate in a content of 10%. The addition of liposomes significantly (p < 0.05) increased the particle size distribution (d(0.9), d(0.5) and d(0.1)) and the rheological (Casson’s yield point and viscosity) parameters of the chocolate, while the hardness and maximum melting temperature did not change significantly (p > 0.05). The results of the sensory analysis of the chocolates confirmed that the liposomes were well homogenized in the chocolate matrix and that the herbal taste of haritaki was successfully masked by incorporating it into the chocolate in the encapsulated form. Full article

In this study, density functional theory (DFT) within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is employed to investigate the structural, electronic, mechanical, and thermoelectric properties of perovskite hydrides XZrH₃ (X = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba). Mechanical stability and ductility are evaluated through the Cauchy pressure, Pugh’s ratio, and Poisson’s ratio, all of which point to ductile behavior with a dominant ionic-bonding character. Electronic structure calculations reveal metallic behavior arising from band overlap at the Fermi level. Equilibrium energy–volume data are fitted with the Murnaghan equation of state, and transport coefficients are extracted using the BoltzTraP package as implemented in WIEN2k. The absence of a band gap and the overlap between valence and conduction bands confirm conductor-like behavior. Lattice thermal conductivity for MgZrH₃, CaZrH₃, SrZrH₃, and BaZrH₃ increases monotonically with temperature. Overall, the results identify MgZrH₃ in particular as a promising candidate for thermoelectric devices and solid-state hydrogen storage, thereby supporting progress toward a sustainable hydrogen economy. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of the triglyceride–glucose index (TGI), triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, and inflammatory biomarkers in predicting short-term mortality among intensive care unit (ICU) patients with sepsis. Additionally, this study evaluated whether combining these indices with conventional clinical scores improves prognostic accuracy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 600 adult ICU patients diagnosed with sepsis according to Sepsis-3 criteria between January 2020 and April 2025. Clinical, biochemical, and hematological data were collected within the first 24 h of ICU admission. Metabolic indices (TGI, TG/HDL-C) and inflammatory markers (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], systemic immune-inflammation index [SII], and pan-immune-inflammation value [PIV]) were analyzed. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, Kaplan–Meier survival curves, and a multivariable logistic regression model were applied to determine prognostic performance. Results: Non-survivors exhibited significantly higher levels of TGI, TG/HDL-C, NLR, SII, and PIV compared to survivors (all p < 0.001). In ROC analysis, TGI (AUC = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.71–0.79), TG/HDL-C (AUC = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.68–0.76), and PIV (AUC = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.74–0.82) demonstrated good discriminative power for predicting 28-day mortality. Multivariate logistic regression identified TGI > 8.95 (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.19–1.74, p < 0.001), TG/HDL-C > 3.95 (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.08–1.59, p = 0.005), and PIV > 260 (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22–1.82, p < 0.001) as independent predictors of mortality. Integrating TGI and PIV with the SOFA score improved prognostic performance (ΔAUC = +0.04). Conclusions: Both TGI and TG/HDL-C are independent predictors of short-term mortality in septic ICU patients, reflecting the contribution of metabolic dysregulation to disease severity. The PIV demonstrated comparable predictive ability to conventional severity scores. Combining metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers with established clinical indices may enhance early risk stratification and guide personalized management strategies in sepsis. Full article

Coal preparation plants generate large volumes of fine tailings containing negatively charged colloidal particles that remain stable in suspension and hinder efficient water recovery. In this study, the flocculation performance of coal tailings was statistically evaluated using inorganic and organic reagents, namely ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and chitosan. The effects of chitosan dosage, FeCl₃ dosage, pH, stirring speed, and pulp density on turbidity and water recovery were investigated through Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Zeta potential measurements revealed that the sample exhibited a negative surface charge over the entire pH range. In contrast, chitosan effectively shifted the surface charge toward positive values under acidic and near-neutral conditions, indicating charge neutralization and polymer bridging mechanisms. ANOVA results revealed that pH, chitosan dosage, and pulp density were the most significant parameters influencing turbidity and water recovery. Under optimized conditions, turbidity was reduced to 9.86 NTU with a water recovery of 76.92%. Using chitosan alone provided an effective and statistically validated strategy for dewatering samples by enhancing floc formation through combined charge neutralization and interparticle bridging mechanisms, resulting in minimal turbidity. Although chitosan alone was sufficient to achieve effective flocculation, its synergistic combination with FeCl₃ resulted in the highest water recovery values under optimized conditions. Full article

Freshwater ostracods have considerable potential as indicators of environmental conditions, yet their ecology remains poorly documented in many large river floodplains of Southeast Europe. This study examines samples collected from ten aquatic habitats located along the Danube floodplain in Serbia’s Banat and Podunavlje regions. Monthly sampling was conducted over a twelve-month period (July 2023–June 2024), with concurrent measurements of water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and turbidity. Ostracods were recorded at seven sites, yielding 19 taxa belonging to 13 genera and four families within all three non-marine superfamilies of Podocopida. Eight recorded taxa represent new additions to the Serbian fauna. Species richness was highest in semi-isolated floodplain habitats. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that seasonal environmental variation, especially water temperature, turbidity, and conductivity, strongly structured assemblages. Hierarchical cluster analysis (UPGMA) grouped samples primarily by species composition, with seasonality exerting a strong secondary influence. Seasonal patterns revealed pronounced interspecific differences in temporal persistence and ecological tolerance of recorded species. Findings highlight the Danube floodplain’s role as a dispersal corridor, while also revealing that the river itself acts as a partial barrier, restricting faunal exchange to widespread, tolerant species. The results emphasize the importance of habitat heterogeneity and year-round sampling and support the integration of ostracods into long-term floodplain monitoring programs. Full article