Search Results (3,529)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the influence of saliva on the adhesion of C. albicans to various obturator prosthetic materials. Methods: This in vitro study investigated C. albicans adherence using clinical isolates, including one isolated from an obturator. The adherence of C. albicans cells to heat-cured acrylic, self-cured acrylic, a tissue conditioner, and silicone was measured using static and flow adhesion assays. The effect of pooled saliva from patients receiving radiotherapy or healthy volunteers on C. albicans adherence was determined. The adsorption of salivary proteins to acrylic coupons was investigated using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, and mass spectrometry. Results: It was found that C. albicans adhered to all obturator materials. Saliva was found to approximately double the adhesion of C. albicans to obturator materials, with saliva from patients who had received radiotherapy as part of their cancer treatment tending to increase adhesion more than saliva from healthy volunteers. The protein SPLUNC2 was found to be selectively concentrated by heat- and self-cured acrylic and may contribute to the adhesion of C. albicans to acrylic. Conclusions: This study found that saliva promotes the adhesion of C. albicans, and salivary proteins may play a role in facilitating this process. Adhesion was lower to acrylic-based prosthetic materials than to other materials. This suggests that interim obturators should be made from self-cured acrylic, and definitive obturators should be made from heat-cured acrylic. Full article

Rebalancing shared bikes poses a significant challenge for dockless bike-sharing (DLBS) operators, as inevitable spatiotemporal mismatches between demand and supply lead to high redistribution costs. Despite its operational significance, empirical research on the spatiotemporal imbalance of DLBS usage and its underlying drivers remain limited. Utilizing one month’s extensive trajectories of shared bikes in Shanghai, China, this study quantifies DLBS net flows at fine-grained grid level by hour to capture demand–supply imbalances across both spatial and temporal dimensions. To uncover dominant patterns in DLBS imbalance, we employ non-negative matrix factorization, a matrix decomposition technique, to extract latent structure of DLBS net flows. Four distinct patterns are identified: self-sustained balance, morning peak outflow, morning peak inflow, and metro-driven imbalance. We further apply multinomial logit models (MNL) to examine how these patterns are associated with different built environment characteristics. The results show that higher population density, greater diversity of points of interest, and proximity to city centers promote more balanced DLBS flows, whereas high road network density and concentrations of subway stations, residential communities, and firms intensify imbalances. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing the operational efficiency of DLBS systems and supporting informed transportation management and urban planning practices. Full article

Financialisation has an increasing influence on the functioning of non-financial enterprises. It is therefore important to examine whether and to what extent food sector enterprises are subject to the process of financialisation. The research objective was to determine the level of financialisation of food industry enterprises in Poland in relation to the whole industry sector. To achieve this objective, the following research hypothesis was formulated: the process of financialisation of food industry enterprises proceeds similarly to the analogous process undergoing in industrial enterprises but varies across different sectors of the food industry. The research was conducted on the basis of statistical data from Statistics Poland (SP) published in various statistical studies. Financial data from 2010 to 2023 were analysed. For this purpose, research tools used in the paper are referred to in the literature as measures of the level of financialisation, so-called balance sheet indicators. The main limitation of the research is that the results can only be applied to countries with similar economic conditions, especially post-communist countries, and that balance sheet indicators are used to measure financialisation, which, although widely used, are limited in their effectiveness because they focus only on balance sheet data. The results support the research hypothesis. The companies in the analysed industries are characterised by a low level of financialisation. The process of financialisation of food industry companies is similar to the one in industrial companies and is more intense in beverage production than in other food industry sectors. There is room for a sustainable financing policy. The results indicate that there is room for higher financing of food industry enterprises in Poland, but excessive financing may lead to excessive concentration and monopolisation of enterprises and even to speculation on agricultural markets. To maintain financial stability, it will be important to pursue a stable monetary policy, limit the risk of food price volatility, improve communication and coordination in international monetary policy, and increase national food self-sufficiency. This study fills a research gap in understanding the process of financialisation, assessing its degree of advancement and diversity in the main sectors of food processing enterprises. Full article

This work presents a green chemistry route to obtain titanium dioxide TiO₂ nanoparticles with an average size of about 13.25 nm using lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) extract. For these assessments, TiO₂ nanoparticles were added to the coating at concentrations of 1% and 5% w/w on fiber-cement sheets. Self-cleaning evaluation was analyzed by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 mg/L applied to the coated sheet, and then exposed to simulated sunlight. The coating containing 5 wt% TiO₂ nanoparticles showed the highest photodegradation, reaching 93.3% after 4 h under simulated sunlight exposure at the lowest MB concentration (5 mg/L). Additionally, average contact angles of 80.4°, 92.03°, and 104.25° were determined for coatings containing 0%, 1%, and 5 wt% TiO₂, respectively. Moreover, the modified 5 wt% TiO₂ exhibited up to 30.9% greater hydrophobicity than the control. Antifungal efficacy against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium was evaluated using the Poisoned Food method with nanoparticles at concentrations of 1 and 3 mg/mL showing a moderate growth inhibition. In conclusion, the versatility demonstrated suggests potential applications such as a nano-additive for aqueous acrylic coatings, improving hydrophobicity, self-cleaning and antifungal properties, which could be attractive to the construction industry. Full article

Biofouling arises from non-specific adsorption of several components present in complex biofluids, such as full blood, on the surface of electrochemical biosensors, with a resulting loss of functionality. Most biomarkers of clinical relevance are present in biological fluids at extremely low concentrations, making antibiofouling strategies necessary in electrochemical biosensing. Here, we demonstrate the effect of a highly porous gold (h-PG) film electrodeposited on a gold screen-printed electrode (AuSPE) using a self-templated method via hydrogen bubbling as an antibiofouling strategy in electrochemical biosensor development following exposure of the electrode to bovine serum albumin (BSA) at two different concentrations (2 and 32 mg/mL). The h-PG film has a high electrochemically active surface area, 88 times higher than the AuSPE electrode, with a pore size ranging from 2 to 50 μm. A rapid decrease in the Faradaic current was observed with the unmodified AuSPE, attesting to the strong biofouling effect of BSA at both concentrations tested. Notably, the h-PG-modified electrode showed an initial peak current decline, more evident at a higher BSA concentration, followed by rapid electrode regeneration when the electrode was left idle in the biofouling solution. Similar results were obtained for unmodified and modified electrodes in real serum and plasma samples. The regeneration process, explained in terms of balance between h-PG pore size and protein size, the nanoscale architecture of the h-PG electrodes, and repulsive electrostatic forces, indicates the huge potential of the h-PG film for use in biomedical electrochemical sensing. Full article

Continuous cropping obstacle (CCO) is becoming a major restrictive factor limiting the sustainable development of morel industry. The species-specific autotoxicity of extracellular self-DNA (esDNA) may be one of the primary drivers underlying the occurrence of CCO. In this study, the effects of short fragments (≤250 bp) of esDNA or extracellular DNA (exDNA) on mycelial growth of cultivable Morchella eximia and M. sextelata were assayed. These effects were quantified using a response index (RI). The results indicated the dose-dependent, strain-specific, and conspecific autotoxicity of esDNA in cultivable morels. At ecologically relevant DNA concentrations, the strain-specific and conspecific growth inhibitory effects of esDNA in tested Morchella strains were consistently negative (RI < 0). Additionally, our study found that the growth-inhibitory effects of exDNA from M. sextelata on M. eximia strains were weaker than those observed in the reverse scenario. Taken together, our study suggests, for the first time, the conspecific autotoxicity of esDNA in cultivable Morchella under laboratory conditions, providing novel insights into the potential mechanisms of CCO and highlighting its prospective applications in morel production. Full article

Background/Objectives: Long-term serological studies are essential to understand how repeated antigenic exposure affects the specific humoral immune response. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics in Austrian blood donors, as representatives of healthy adults, over a period of 36 months after the first SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: SARS-CoV-2 anti-N antibody levels were determined in more than 146,000 blood donations collected between 2020 and 2025. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 anti-N and anti-S antibody dynamics were examined in 204 individual blood donors at predefined points in time over a period of 36 months. Reinfections were inferred from increases in anti-N levels within an individual. Vaccination history and self-reported infection data were documented. Results: Anti-N seroprevalence was over 90% from the beginning of 2023 and remained at this level until 2025. Among the longitudinally observed participants, 97% had at least one serologically detected reinfection and 50% had two or more. While anti-N levels continued to increase over time, suggesting cumulative antigenic stimulation, anti-S concentrations and in vitro antibody functionality remained consistently high. Self-reported reinfections underestimated the actual incidence by a factor of six. Symptom profiles shifted toward mild respiratory manifestations, with significantly fewer cases of hyposmia or dysgeusia reported compared to the initial infection. Conclusions: After three years of observation, SARS-CoV-2 immunity is characterized by sustained antibody activity. The results show a transition from persistent, but inherently declining, to a repeatedly rebuilding, enhanced humoral immunity, indicating that SARS-CoV-2 has become endemic in Austria. Full article

Introduction: Human breast milk (HBM) is a critical source of nourishment for newborns, containing bioactive compounds that influence infant growth and metabolic programming. Among these compounds, leptin—a hormone primarily produced by adipocytes but also synthesized in the mammary gland—has gathered attention for its potential role in regulating energy balance and body weight. This study investigates the influence of maternal factors on HBM leptin concentrations and explores their associations with neonatal growth parameters. Material and Methods: 262 HBM samples were collected from healthy lactating mothers through Spanish Biobanks during the first six months postpartum. Data on maternal characteristics (body mass index (BMI), age, physical activity, parity, and delivery type) and neonatal measurements (weight, length, and head circumference) were collected. Leptin concentrations in skimmed HBM were measured using the ELISA technique (R&D Systems™, Minneapolis, MN, USA). Statistical analyses were conducted using R version 4.3.1 and MATLAB R2023a, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Leptin levels were highest in and declined over time, reaching a stable level after the first month of lactation. Preterm deliveries exhibited significantly higher leptin concentrations than term deliveries (0.42 vs. 0.07 ng/mL). Higher leptin levels were also observed in younger and primiparous mothers. Maternal BMI was positively associated with leptin concentration, with mothers who had elevated BMI showing higher levels than those with optimal BMI (0.36 vs. 0.05 ng/mL). Maternal physical activity was not associated with leptin concentrations in univariate analyses; although greater self-reported physical activity appeared associated with lower leptin concentrations in regression models, this finding should be interpreted cautiously and should not be considered evidence of an independent or consistent effect. Neonatal growth parameters (weight, length, and head circumference) were negatively correlated with HBM leptin concentrations. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that leptin levels in breast milk reflect both maternal metabolic status and neonatal characteristics and may represent a compensatory mechanism in preterm infants. HBM leptin levels are modulated by maternal BMI, age, parity, and delivery type, and are associated with neonatal growth parameters. Full article

As agricultural heritage systems provide crucial ecosystem service functions, conducting functional zoning serves as a fundamental and essential approach to implementing the ecological civilization strategy and promoting targeted conservation and sustainable utilization. Taking the Mountain Spring Water Fish Farming System in Kaihua, Zhejiang, a site recognized as a China-Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage System, as a case study, this research integrates the equivalent factor method and the Self-Organizing Map neural network clustering method to evaluate ecosystem service values, identify ecosystem service clusters, and conduct ecological functional zoning. Protection and utilization strategies are subsequently proposed for each functional zone. The results show the following findings: (1) From 2005 to 2020, the total ecosystem service value of the system exhibited a fluctuating yet overall declining trend, decreasing by approximately 0.25%; (2) five ecosystem service clusters were identified, within which services generally showed synergistic relationships, while trade-offs were mainly concentrated between food provision and other ecosystem services; (3) based on these findings, the study area was divided into five functional zones—the Heritage Culture Core Zone, the Ecological Restoration and Conservation Priority Zone, the Industrial Integration and Development Zone, the Ecological–Industrial Transition and Optimization Zone, and the Multi-Value Protection and Exploration Zone. Specific protection and utilization strategies were proposed for each zone. This study provides a novel theoretical perspective and practical reference for rational ecological functional zoning, as well as the protection and sustainable use of agricultural heritage systems. Full article

The global issue of food waste is a significant concern due to its extensive social, economic, and environmental repercussions. To attain our sustainable future objectives, we must confront the food waste challenge directly. This study, grounded on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) theoretical framework, examines the impact of AI-based stimuli—passion, usability, perceived personalization, and perceived interactivity—on users’ intentions of minimizing food waste. Social presence and psychological engagement signify internal organism (O) states, while self-efficacy acts as the moderating factor between these organism states and intention (R). Data were gathered via Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) in a stratified quota sample of 315 participants in Lithuania, concentrating on Generation Y and Millennial Generation Z consumers of the Samsung Food app, aimed at promoting food waste reduction. Participants were pre-screened and recruited via several means to guarantee an adequate sample. The results indicate that passion, usability, and perceived interactivity substantially influence social presence and psychological engagement. Nonetheless, these organism-level variables did not have an immediate impact on behavioral intention, and all indirect (mediated) effects from stimulus response were significantly rejected. Conversely, self-efficacy considerably influenced the association between social presence and psychological engagement with intention, indicating that enhanced user confidence enhances the possibility of turning engagement into behavioral responses. This study features generational differences between Y and Z and only found significant interaction between perceived personalization and social presence in Generation Y, as compared to Generation Z. This work extends the literature on AI-driven behavior modification by asserting that mere involvement is inadequate. Enabling consumers by enhancing self-efficacy is crucial for developing viable AI-based applications that encourage sustainable customer behavior. Full article

Rapid urbanization has intensified nitrate pollution in megacity rivers, posing severe challenges to urban water governance and sustainable nitrate management. This study presents nitrate dual-isotope signatures (δ¹⁵N-NO₃⁻ and δ¹⁸O-NO₃⁻) from surface water samples collected during the wet season from the Yongding River (YDR) and Chaobai River (CBR) in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei megacity region of North China. Average concentrations of nitrate (as NO₃⁻) were 8.5 mg/L in YDR and 12.7 mg/L in CBR. The δ¹⁵N-NO₃⁻ and δ¹⁸O-NO₃⁻ values varied from 6.1‰ to 19.1‰ and −1.1‰ to 10.6‰, respectively. The spatial distribution of NO₃⁻/Cl⁻ ratios and isotopic data indicated mixed sources, primarily sewage and manure in downstream sections and agricultural inputs in upstream areas. Isotopic evidence revealed widespread nitrification processes and could have potentially localized denitrification under low-oxygen conditions in the lower YDR. Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) results indicated that sewage and manure constituted the main nitrate sources (49.4%), followed by soil nitrogen (23.7%), chemical fertilizers (19.2%), and atmospheric deposition from rainfall (7.7%). The self-organizing map (SOM) further revealed three nitrate regimes, including natural and agricultural, mixed, and sewage dominated conditions, indicating a clear downstream gradient of increasing anthropogenic influence. The results suggest that efficient nitrogen management in megacity rivers requires improving biological nutrient removal in wastewater treatment, regulating fertilizer application in upstream areas, and maintaining ecological base flow for natural denitrification. This integrated framework provides a quantitative basis for nitrate control and supports sustainable water governance in highly urbanized watersheds. Full article

X-ray crystallography remains the gold standard for high-resolution structural biology, yet obtaining diffraction-quality crystals continues to pose a major bottleneck due to inherently low success rates. This review advocates a paradigm shift from probabilistic screening to rational engineering, reframing crystallization as a controllable self-assembly process. We provide a comprehensive overview of strategies that connect fundamental physicochemical principles to practical applications, beginning with contact design, which involves the active engineering of crystal contacts through surface entropy reduction (SER), introduction of electrostatic patches. Complementing these molecular approaches, we discuss physicochemical strategies that exploit heterogeneous nucleation on functionalized surfaces and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to lower the energy barrier for crystal formation. We also address scaffold design, utilizing rigid fusion partners and polymer-forming chaperones to promote crystallization even from low-concentration solutions. Furthermore, we highlight principles for controlling the behavior of multi-component complexes, based on our experimental experience. Finally, we examine de novo lattice design, which leverages AI tools such as AlphaFold and RFdiffusion to program crystal lattices from first principles. Together, these strategies establish an integrated workflow that links thermodynamic stability with crystallizability. Full article

Traffic police officers represent a critical occupational group with high vulnerability to vehicular air pollution, a severe environmental health threat in rapidly urbanizing metropolises such as Addis Ababa. This cross-sectional study explored occupational exposure, protective practices, health risks, perceptions, and awareness of air-quality-associated health risks among 120 traffic police officers in Addis Ababa. The officers were mostly male (80%) and married (93.3%), with the majority (62.6%) having served for more than ten years. While vehicle emissions were consistently recognized as the main source of air pollution, critical knowledge gaps were identified, i.e., only 24.2% had received pollution-related training, fewer than half (45.8%) were aware of government policies, and just 9.2% reported collaboration with environmental authorities. Awareness of the Air Quality Index (AQI) was generally low, and regular monitoring of AQI was limited. Self-reported health symptoms were highly prevalent among participants, with cough (75.0%), eye irritation (61.7%), sneezing (58.3%), and runny nose (55.8%) being the most frequently reported. Notably, sneezing, runny nose, eye irritation, and psychological stress showed significant association with perceived pollution levels at the workplace (p < 0.05), while blood pressure, cough, difficulty concentrating, and sleep loss were not significantly associated (p > 0.05). A higher prevalence of symptoms was generally observed in groups experiencing moderate-to-very high levels of pollution. Protective measures were applied inconsistently; while 63.3% of participants reported using masks, their beliefs about the effectiveness of using masks varied. Relocation (60%) and use of face covers/glasses (13.3%) were less commonly practiced. Overall, traffic police officers are exposed to occupational air pollution, which is associated with various health symptoms. These findings highlight the need for enhanced training, clearer communication of policies, stronger institutional engagement, the provision of standardized protective masks, and the promotion of AQI utilization to reduce occupational health risks and safeguard the wellbeing of traffic police officers in Addis Ababa. Full article

Optical fibers are gaining increasing attention in biomedical applications due to their unique advantages, including flexibility, biocompatibility, immunity to electromagnetic interference, potential for miniaturization, and the ability to perform remote, real-time, and in situ sensing. Label-free optical fiber biosensors represent a promising alternative to conventional cancer diagnostics, offering comparable sensitivity and specificity while enabling real-time detection at ultra-low concentrations without the need for complex labeling procedures. However, the sensing performance of biosensors is fundamentally governed by surface modification. The choice of optimal functionalization strategy is dictated by the sensor type, target biomarker, and detection environment. This review paper presents a comprehensive and expanded overview of various surface functionalization methods specifically designed for cancer biomarker detection using optical fiber biosensors, including silanization, self-assembled monolayers, polymer-based coatings, and different dimensional nanomaterials (0D, 1D, and 2D). Furthermore, the emerging integration of computational methods and machine learning in optimizing functionalized optical sensing has been discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that consolidates existing surface modification approaches into a single, cohesive resource, providing valuable insights for researchers developing next-generation fiber optic biosensors for cancer diagnostics. Moreover, the paper points out the current technical challenges and outlines the future perspectives of optical fiber-based biosensors. Full article

As the power density of microelectronic devices and components continues to increase, thermal management has become a critical bottleneck limiting their performance and reliability. With its advantages of effective heat dissipation, no need for external power, and good safety, the micro pulsating heat pipe (MPHP) exhibits unique application advantages and enormous development potential when compared to other cutting-edge thermal management solutions, such as embedded microchannel cooling technology, which has complicated manufacturing processes and is prone to leakage, or thermoelectric material cooling technology, which is limited by material efficiency and self-heating. However, a pulsating heat pipe (PHP) is vulnerable to the combined impacts of several elements (scale effects, wall effects, and interfacial effects) at the micro-scale, which can lead to highly variable heat transfer characteristics and complex two-phase flow behavior. There are still few thorough experimental reviews on this subject, despite the fact that many researchers have concentrated on the MPHP and carried out in-depth experimental investigations on their flow and heat transmission mechanisms. In order to provide strong theoretical support for optimizing the design of the MPHP cooling devices, this paper reviews previous experimental research on the MPHP with the goal of thoroughly clarifying the mechanisms of gas–liquid two-phase flow and heat/mass transfer within them. The definition of MPHP is first explained, along with its internal energy transmission principles and structural features. The motion states of gas–liquid two-phase working fluids in the MPHP from previous experimental investigations are then thoroughly examined, highlighting their distinctive flow patterns and evolution mechanisms. Lastly, the variations in thermal performance between different kinds of MPHPs are examined, along with the factors that affect them. Full article