Search Results (2,340)

Obesity increases susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias due to an arrhythmogenic substrate by promoting oxidative stress and inflammation-driven cardiac remodeling. Klotho, an anti-aging protein that is reduced in obesity-related cardiovascular disease, protects against oxidative injury and inflammation. Berberine (BBR) has been demonstrated to have antiarrhythmic properties, but Klotho mediates these effects in obesity remains unclear. Here, high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats were treated with BBR for 8 weeks. Surface electrocardiography showed BBR shortened prolonged QT, QTc, and Tp-Te intervals. Optical mapping of isolated hearts revealed that BBR eliminated arrhythmia susceptibility (60% to 0%) and stabilized cardiac electrophysiology by shortening action potential duration (APD₅₀/APD₉₀), reducing repolarization dispersion, normalizing conduction velocity, and improving abnormal intracellular Ca²⁺ handling. BBR also attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and increased expression of the potassium channel subunits Kv4.2, Kv4.3, and KChIP2. Furthermore, BBR suppressed oxidative stress and inflammation while upregulating circulating and tissue Klotho levels in obese rats. In ox-LDL-treated H9C2 cells, Klotho silencing abolished the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of BBR, indicating that Klotho is required for its cardioprotective actions. These findings demonstrate that BBR stabilizes the arrhythmogenic substrate in obesity-related cardiac remodeling, at least partly through upregulation of Klotho expression and subsequent attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation. Full article

Background: Cerebral aneurysms and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) may induce cardiac electrical instability through autonomic dysregulation and an exaggerated neurohumoral stress response. Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities, including QT/QTc prolongation, QTc dispersion, and P-wave dispersion, are recognized markers of ventricular repolarization heterogeneity and atrial conduction abnormalities associated with arrhythmogenic risk. However, data regarding the reversibility of these electrophysiological alterations following definitive aneurysm treatment remain limited. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 39 patients with cerebral aneurysms who underwent microsurgical clipping between January 2025 and May 2026 and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Standard 12-lead ECGs were evaluated at baseline (preoperative) and one month after surgery in the aneurysm group. QT interval, corrected QT (QTc) interval, QTc dispersion, and P-wave dispersion were assessed using standardized methods. Baseline transthoracic echocardiographic parameters, including left ventricular ejection fraction and left atrial diameter, were evaluated to minimize potential confounding related to structural cardiac abnormalities. Between-group and within-group comparisons were performed using appropriate statistical analyses. Results: Baseline demographic and echocardiographic characteristics were comparable between the aneurysm and control groups. Patients with cerebral aneurysms demonstrated significantly higher baseline QT interval, QTc interval, QTc dispersion, and P-wave dispersion compared with healthy controls. Following microsurgical treatment, significant reductions in QT interval, QTc interval, QTc dispersion, and P-wave dispersion were observed at one month compared with preoperative values, whereas PR interval and QRS duration remained unchanged. These findings suggest a partial normalization of cardiac electrical heterogeneity after definitive aneurysm treatment. Conclusions: Cerebral aneurysms are associated with increased ventricular repolarization and atrial conduction heterogeneity, reflecting autonomic-mediated cardiac electrical instability. The significant reduction in QTc dispersion and P-wave dispersion following microsurgical treatment suggests that these electrophysiological abnormalities may be at least partially reversible after aneurysm repair. ECG-derived markers such as QTc dispersion and P-wave dispersion may represent practical and non-invasive tools for monitoring cardiac electrical instability and recovery in patients with cerebral aneurysms. Full article

The present study evaluated the effects of basil essential oil (BEO) and cinnamon essential oil (CEO) on the oxidative stability and fatty acid degradation of vegetable oil blends during deep-frying. Three vegetable oil blends (OB1, OB2, and OB3), formulated with different n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratios, were supplemented with essential oils at concentrations of 200, 400, 800, and 1200 ppm and subjected to repeated deep-frying at 180 ± 5 °C for 8 h with periodic sampling. Changes in fatty acid composition, peroxide value (PV), acid value (AV), malondialdehyde (MDA), and p-anisidine value (AnV) were performed to characterize lipid oxidation under thermal stress. Prolonged frying significantly increased oxidation indices and accelerated the degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly n-3 fatty acids, leading to an increased n-6/n-3 ratio. However, supplementation with basil and cinnamon essential oils effectively inhibited lipid oxidation and reduced fatty acid degradation compared with the control. Both essential oils decreased PV, AV, MDA, and AnV in a concentration-dependent manner, with more pronounced effects at 800 and 1200 ppm. Kinetic analysis showed that MDA formation followed a zero-order model, while PV changes fitted a first-order kinetic model, with R2 values ranging from 0.857 to 0.932. These findings suggest that basil and cinnamon essential oils enhance the oxidative stability of vegetable oil blends during deep-frying by reducing lipid oxidation and slowing unsaturated fatty acid degradation, highlighting their potential as natural antioxidants for frying oil applications. Full article

As global populations grow and technology advances, daily life is increasingly shaped by digital systems such as computers and smart devices. However, prolonged device use has contributed to increasing physical and mental health concerns, particularly those associated with poor sitting posture. Posture-related strain is frequently overlooked and contributes to musculoskeletal discomfort, including back, neck, shoulder, and wrist pain, and may also be associated with sleep disturbances and elevated stress levels. To the best of our knowledge and based on the existing literature, this is the first study to introduce a machine learning-based framework for advanced muscle strain severity classification using Internet of Things (IoT) devices that integrates posture monitoring and muscle strain detection into a unified low-cost framework ($23 hardware cost). The primary objective of this work is accurate classification of muscle strain severity, while real-time alerts serve as a secondary ergonomic feedback mechanism. Specifically, this study makes four major contributions. First, we created a novel dataset through real-time acquisition of electromyography (EMG) and posture signals from participants in hospital and industrial environments, capturing diverse muscle strain patterns validated against clinical assessment procedures. Second, we designed a two-part hardware architecture consisting of posture detection (PD) and strain detection (SD) modules using a NodeMCU ESP8266, HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, EMG sensor, and buzzer for real-time physiological monitoring, incorporating EMG-specific preprocessing including band-pass filtering, rectification, and RMS smoothing. Third, we proposed and evaluated a hybrid machine learning framework integrating Vision Transformer (ViT) and XGBoost to classify strain severity into three study-specific categories: baseline (EMG RMS < 40 µV), compensatory strain (40–59 µV), and overload (≥60 µV). These categories were used as reproducible severity proxies for machine learning annotation and should not be interpreted as universal biomarkers of structural tissue damage. Finally, the proposed framework achieved a classification accuracy of 99.0% (95% CI: 98.5–99.5%) with an inference latency of 15.2 ms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nutritional support is a key component in the management of chronically ventilated patients, who are at high risk of malnutrition due to prolonged illness and metabolic stress. Enteral nutrition, particularly high-protein formulas (HPFs) and high-density formulas (HDFs), is commonly used to improve clinical outcomes; however, their effects on anthropometric and biochemical parameters remain incompletely understood. Our objective was to evaluate the association of HPFs and HDFs with changes in anthropometric and biochemical parameters in chronically ventilated patients receiving enteral nutrition. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated chronically ventilated patients receiving long-term enteral nutrition. Patients were categorized into four groups based on feeding strategy: continuous HPF, transition to HPF, transition from HPF and transition to HDF. Body weight, serum albumin and total protein were assessed at baseline and follow-up (up to 6 months). Within-group changes were analyzed using paired statistical tests. Results: Within-group analyses demonstrated changes in body weight, body mass index and serum albumin levels over time. Body weight increased significantly across all groups. The greatest increase was observed in patients transitioning to an HPF (70.82–75.35 kg, p = 0.00019), with a significant increase also following HDF administration (59.51–62.57 kg, p = 0.0389). Serum albumin increased significantly only in the transition-to-HPF group. HDF administration showed a non-significant increase in albumin and a near-significant rise in total protein. Conclusions: Enteral nutrition strategies were associated with changes in anthropometric and biochemical parameters in chronically ventilated patients. HPFs and HDFs were associated with improved body weight, with biochemical improvements most evident after HPF initiation and favorable trends observed with HDF administration. Future prospective studies with standardized protocols and objective nutritional markers are warranted. Full article

The most persistent biomedical challenges of the 21st century are neurodegenerative disorders (NDs), where molecular alterations lead to devastating clinical consequences and progressive neuronal loss. The prevalence of neurodegeneration is continuously rising and becoming the main contributor to chronic disability and mortality. Despite their clinical differences, many conditions share pathogenic processes, including oxidative stress, protein misfolding and aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. Instead of functioning independently, these processes cooperate to form a self-reinforcing network that gradually weakens synapses and ultimately leads to neuronal death. This study redefines neurodegeneration as a disorder of system-level failure by emphasizing poor cellular stress integration. In addition to demonstrating how gut microbiome gene networks impact inflammation and amyloid production, new research highlights the relationships between mitochondrial–lysosomal interactions, endoplasmic reticulum stress responses, and transcriptionally driven synaptic vulnerability. A key molecular topic is the interaction and pathogenic convergence of the JAK/STAT, HIF-1α, and Notch signaling pathways. Under ongoing metabolic stress, prolonged stimulation of this triad increases inflammation, hinders the regenerative processes, and maintains pseudo-hypoxic conditions, explaining why single-target treatments have mostly been unsuccessful. This review also explores progress in fluid, digital, and imaging biomarkers that facilitate early diagnosis and patient stratification, and assesses new disease-modifying approaches such as antisense oligonucleotides, immunomodulators, gene therapies, and small-molecular agents. Artificial intelligence is emphasized as an essential tool for integrating multimodal data, drug discovery and predictive modeling. Full article

Vibrio tubiashii infection has led to several Babylonia areolata pandemics on the southeast coast of China, yet the immune response of the ivory shell against V. tubiashii and the specific pathogen–host interaction remain unclear. This dynamic study aimed to characterize the response of B. areolata to V. tubiashii infection with the use of pathology, transcriptomics, an enzymatic assay, and inflammatory cytokines. Hepatopancreatic cells showed marked vacuolar degeneration with intact cell membrane and extensive cytoplasmic vacuolization after infection. The dynamic transcriptome of the hepatopancreatic tissue was analyzed by RNA-seq after V. tubiashii infection, and a total of 2733 (3 h), 5610 (24 h), 3323 (48 h), and 418 (72 h) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified during infection. The GO and KEGG analyses showed that the DEGs were enriched in metabolic regulation, lysosome, and multiple immune-related pathways such as the MAPK signaling pathway. The immune response of B. areolata was distinct, where the early stage of immune response (3 h) showed binding, focal adhesion, and apoptosis, as well as an activated antioxidant system. Here, expression of TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-8 was significantly increased in the hepatopancreas, whereas expression of IL-6 and IL-17 increased afterward. During the middle stage (24 h and 48 h), a large number of DEGs were suppressed, especially those associated with metabolism and lysosomes, although their expression returned to normal during prolonged infection (72 h). The PPI network showed that ppp2, atp6, and sos1 were the top immune-related DEGs during infection. Key infection-related and time-course-related genes were analyzed by WGCNA. This study illustrates that oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis are strategies of the hepatopancreatic immune response in B. areolata against V. tubiashii infection and enlightens conservation and production by furthering our understanding of gastropod immunity. Full article

Coronary artery vasospasm (CAV) is a transient, reversible constriction of the epicardial coronary arteries that reduces coronary blood flow and may cause myocardial ischemia. Despite its clinical significance, CAV remains underdiagnosed and can present as chest pain, acute coronary syndrome, malignant arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death. Vasospasm may occur in both angiographically normal coronary arteries and at sites of pre-existing atherosclerotic stenosis. The pathophysiology of CAV is multifactorial and involves vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) hyperreactivity, endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation and autonomic dysregulation. VSMCs contraction is mediated by phosphorylation of the myosin light chain (MLC) through calcium (Ca²⁺)/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), while relaxation is regulated by myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). Increased intracellular Ca²⁺ levels and enhanced Ca²⁺ sensitivity contribute to excessive vasoconstriction. Rho-kinase (ROCK) plays a pivotal role in sustained vasospasm by inhibiting MLCP, thereby promoting prolonged smooth muscle contraction. Endothelial dysfunction contributes to CAV by disrupting normal vascular tone regulation, largely as a result of decreased nitric oxide (NO) mediated vasodilation. Chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress exacerbate both endothelial dysfunction and VSMCs contraction. Understanding these molecular mechanisms is essential for identifying novel therapeutic targets. Emerging treatment strategies, including ROCK inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists and anti-inflammatory agents, may improve outcomes in patients with refractory CAV. Full article

Brucellosis and tuberculosis (TB) are chronic infectious diseases of international public health importance, with developing countries being most affected. The diagnosis of brucellosis and tuberculosis co-infection remains challenging because both diseases present with overlapping nonspecific clinical manifestations, such as prolonged fever, fatigue, and weight loss, and elicit similar cell-mediated immune and inflammatory responses, which can complicate differential diagnosis, particularly in endemic regions. Recently, it has been shown that chronic infections affect cell stress pathways such as oxidative stress and telomere function. The current literature review provides an overview of the relationship between brucellosis and TB at a molecular level, focusing on telomere biology, oxidative stress and the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. Due to chronic immune response in brucellosis and TB patients, an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels is observed, leading to DNA damage and subsequent telomere shortening and alteration of telomerase activity. These alterations might be responsible for immune senescence, weakened defense response and persistent infection. In addition, different methods of drug resistance have been discovered among brucellae and mycobacteria, such as mutation in target sites, efflux systems and intracellular persistence, making their eradication difficult. Finally, the potential role of telomere-related genes and biomarkers of oxidative stress in diagnosis and prognosis is also highlighted. Insights into these interrelated pathways would allow us to have a better understanding of host–pathogen interactions and hence offer a possible means of developing new strategies in the fight against co-infection by finding new biomarkers. Full article

Background and Objectives: With the rising number of geriatric surgical patients, postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) has become a major concern, linked to impairments in memory, attention, and executive function. POCD increases morbidity, prolongs hospitalization, and diminishes quality of life. This review examines the mechanisms underlying POCD, with emphasis on neuroinflammation, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and oxidative stress, and evaluates the impact of anesthetic techniques on cognitive outcomes in the elderly. Materials and Methods: This narrative review used a targeted literature search to identify relevant clinical, translational, and mechanistic evidence on POCD in older surgical patients. The evidence was synthesized qualitatively, with attention to heterogeneity in study populations, anesthetic techniques, cognitive assessment methods, and follow-up duration. Results: Neuroinflammation, BBB compromise, oxidative stress, perioperative stress responses, and patient vulnerability appear to contribute to POCD. Evidence comparing anesthetic techniques remains heterogeneous. Some studies suggest associations between general anesthesia, volatile agents, and early postoperative cognitive changes, whereas other comparative and randomized studies do not demonstrate consistent long-term cognitive differences between general, regional, neuraxial, volatile, and intravenous anesthetic approaches. Regional and neuraxial techniques may reduce anesthetic or opioid exposure in selected patients, but they should not be interpreted as definitively superior for POCD prevention. Adjunctive and multimodal strategies, including dexmedetomidine and non-opioid analgesics, show potential benefits, although evidence remains variable. Conclusions: Individualized anesthetic planning, early risk stratification, avoidance of excessive anesthetic depth, hemodynamic optimization, multimodal analgesia, and postoperative recovery strategies may help reduce modifiable contributors to POCD. Current evidence does not support a definitive hierarchy of anesthetic techniques for preventing POCD, and further high-quality studies are needed. Full article

Background/Objectives: Burnout among healthcare professionals has become a major challenge affecting workforce sustainability, quality of care, and organizational performance. Although traditionally conceptualized as an individual response to chronic occupational stress, increasing evidence suggests that burnout is strongly influenced by broader organizational and systemic factors. This article aims to develop a multilevel conceptual framework that explains burnout as a systemic phenomenon emerging from interactions across healthcare structures, institutions, organizations, and individuals. Methods: An integrative conceptual synthesis was conducted using literature from healthcare burnout, occupational stress, organizational resilience, workforce sustainability, and health systems research. Relevant theoretical perspectives, including the Maslach Burnout Framework, Job Demands–Resources Model, Conservation of Resources Theory, and organizational resilience literature, were critically examined and integrated to develop a theory-building framework. Results: The proposed framework conceptualizes burnout as a dynamic process of pressure transfer operating across five interconnected levels: societal, political, institutional, organizational, and individual. Three central processes are identified: pressure transfer, normalization of exhaustion, and human capital erosion. The model further introduces the concepts of post-pandemic chronicization, invisible burnout, and human infrastructure to explain how prolonged systemic pressures contribute to the normalization and persistence of burnout within healthcare systems. Conclusions: Burnout should be understood not only as an individual psychological outcome but also as an indicator of systemic dysfunction. The proposed framework expands existing burnout models by integrating organizational and institutional determinants and provides a foundation for future empirical validation, workforce monitoring, and system-level interventions aimed at strengthening healthcare resilience and sustainability. Full article

Thermal overload in internal combustion engines may progressively destabilize lubricant-film integrity and promote severe tribological deterioration within highly stressed contact interfaces. This study investigates the thermo-tribological degradation sequence of a high-mileage gasoline engine subjected to prolonged idle operation under impaired cooling conditions, ultimately resulting in engine seizure. The investigated engine had accumulated 356,724 km, while the lubricant had remained in service for approximately 26,724 km prior to the experiment. The post-failure investigation combined teardown inspection, geometrical camshaft assessment, reverse gravimetric reconstruction, hydraulic tappet surface profiling, XRF surface characterization, laboratory oil analysis, and SEM/EDS evaluation of wear debris. The results demonstrated strongly localized degradation concentrated primarily within the cam–tappet interfaces. Severe non-uniform camshaft wear was accompanied by pronounced hydraulic tappet surface damage and evidence of unstable boundary-lubrication conditions. Laboratory oil analysis revealed elevated wear-metal concentrations, depletion of the alkaline reserve, increased oxidation indicators, and a final Class D oil condition assessment. SEM/EDS characterization identified Fe-bearing wear debris associated with sustained material removal and debris recirculation during the final degradation stage. The combined evidence supports a coupled thermo-tribological degradation mechanism involving lubricant deterioration, boundary-lubrication instability, adhesive wear acceleration, oxidative surface degradation, and debris-assisted surface damage preceding final engine seizure. The present case study provides experimentally documented evidence of lubrication collapse under real-engine thermal runaway conditions and highlights the critical role of lubricant condition in maintaining tribological stability under severe thermal loading. Full article

Shelter organisations take responsibility for the care, assessment and homing of large numbers of domestic cats from diverse backgrounds. However, not all cats that come under shelter care are suited to close human-cohabitation or to certain types of human-domestic lifestyles. Shelter stakeholders may undertake decision-making processes to determine how each cat should be managed and where they should go next. These processes may lead to different cat welfare experiences and long-term outcomes depending on how they occur, yet little is known about current approaches. The aim of this study was to characterise current approaches to cat and adopter assessments, behaviour management and homing decisions across the British Isles shelter sector, considering reported practices against sector minimum standards where applicable. A total of 393 quantitative and qualitative responses from employees and volunteers were received. Responses indicated that overall, stakeholders were consistently undertaking cat and prospective adopter assessments, with subsequent information used to support cat management, decision-making and homing. However, the degree of standardisation and objectivity associated with these processes was unclear, with considerable variation in approaches, including certain practices potentially associated with poor cat welfare outcomes identified. Examples include exposure to stressful handling and behavioural interventions and assessment ‘tests’, prolonged stays for harder-to-home cats and potentially suboptimal homing decisions for cats not suited to domestic ‘pet’ lifestyles. Identified opportunities to support welfare-friendly processes at the individual level include more consistent use of cats’ within-shelter behavioural presentations as grounds for ‘pet’-suitability assessments, and careful and consistent application of cat-labelling and terminology. It is also recommended that care is taken to ensure methods of cat assessments, behavioural interventions and homing decisions are pragmatic and optimised to positive cat welfare outcomes. Full article

Fish are continuously exposed to stress factors throughout their life cycle, making the use of anaesthetics essential for a wide range of experimental procedures. Currently, the most commonly used and FDA approved anaesthetic for fish research is Tricaine Methanesulfonate (MS-222). However, its use has been associated with several undesirable effects, including hypoxemia, hypercapnia and hypoglycaemia, as well as environmental concerns due to its release through aquaculture effluents. These limitations highlight the need for alternative anaesthetic strategies. Natural compounds such as clove oil, menthol and thymol have been investigated as potential alternatives, demonstrating effective anaesthetic properties. However, their low aqueous solubility, represents a significant challenge, which may be overcome through nanoencapsulation. This approach can enhance solubility, enable controlled release, and reduce the effective dose required. Accordingly, the present study aims to provide an overview of the recent advances in nanoparticle-based encapsulation strategies for anaesthetic delivery in fish, with a focus on their efficacy, safety and environmental impact. Some studies have demonstrated the benefits of nanoencapsulation. In adult zebrafish (Danio rerio), lower concentrations of benzocaine were required when encapsulated in chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles, while lidocaine-loaded lipid NPs reduced bradycardia. In Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), clove oil encapsulated in lipid-based nanocapsules enabled effective anaesthesia and prolonged release of the active compound eugenol. Similarly, mucoadhesive zein NPs, reduced the effective concentration of Eugenol by up to 50%. Monoterpenes such as menthol and thymol also show promise for zebrafish anaesthesia, demonstrating efficacy at 50 mg/L. These findings suggest that nanoparticle-based delivery systems can improve the efficacy and safety of fish anaesthetics while reducing required doses and potential environmental impact. Future research should focus on optimizing nanoparticle-anaesthetic systems by combining natural compounds with biocompatible and biodegradable nanocarriers (e.g., zein, chitosan or PLGA) to achieve controlled release, targeted delivery and minimization of side effects. Full article

Introduction: The fartet (Apricaphanius iberus) and the samaruc (Valencia hispanica) are two endemic fish species from the Valencian Community that have experienced significant population declines due to habitat degradation, competition with invasive species, and the impacts of climate change. Despite their critical conservation status, key aspects of their population dynamics and reproductive biology remain poorly understood. Objective: This study aimed to assess the resilience of their embryos to water stress through diapause-like mechanisms. Methodology: For studying the embryonic arrestment, eggs were collected from captive populations and subjected to different incubation periods (1, 3, 7, 10 and 14 days) on different substrates (commercial sand and filter paper). Hatching rates were analyzed in relation to the duration of exposure to stress water conditions and the type of substrate used. Results: The experiments conducted demonstrated that the embryos of both species were able to withstand water stress conditions (eggs out of the water). In the case of the samaruc, the results showed that eggs collected in both May and June could resist water-stress conditions for at least 10 days, exhibiting hatching rates of 100% during this period, which decreased to 50% by day 14. Regarding the fartet, embryos from eggs collected in May were able to survive up to 3 days under water-stress conditions, with hatching rates of 100%. In contrast, embryos from eggs collected in June showed greater resilience to water stress, with high hatching rates of 60–100% at days 7 and 10. Conclusions: These results suggest that, although a mechanism like embryonic diapause may be present in these species, its effectiveness as an adaptive strategy may depend on multiple environmental factors not controlled in this study, such as temperature, oxygen availability, and water salinity. The absence of hatching after prolonged incubation periods indicates that, if a diapause mechanism exists in these species, it may not be as efficient as in other annual cyprinodontiforms adapted to extremely fluctuating environments. These results highlight the importance of adaptive management measures to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure the long-term persistence of both species. Full article