Search Results (5,802)

Sunflower pectin is widely used as a food additive due to its gelling and stabilizing properties. However, its bioactive potential remains poorly understood. Here, we explored its effect on defecation. Using a diphenoxylate-induced constipation mouse model, we found that native sunflower pectins did not significantly promote defecation. Subsequently, we investigated whether they could be activated via biotransformation. For this, we enzymatically hydrolyzed the pectin and produced a number of fragments that covered a wide range of molecular weights (0.5 to 30 kDa) in two esterification states (0% and 10% methyl esterification). Interestingly, all fragments exhibited defecation-promoting effects. Moreover, the effect progressively increased as the molecular weight decreased, a trend that was observed with both esterified and non-esterified fragments. Comparative studies identified E3 as the most effective fraction. E3 also displayed a prebiotic effect in the gut of model mice. Structural analysis indicated that E3 comprises oligogalacturonides with degrees of polymerization from one to six, mainly DP3 and DP4. Overall, our study reveals an inverse correlation of molecular weight with defecation-promoting activities, and offers a simple and scalable approach to convert ineffective pectin into effective oligogalacturonides that have the potential to become functional food ingredients. Full article

Forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has excellent stress resistance and feeding quality. Lodging is one of the most critical factors influencing its yield and overall quality. However, there remains no definitive conclusion regarding the key indicators affecting the lodging of forage sorghum and their correlations. In this study, 149 forage sorghum lines, including 26 maintainer lines and 123 restorer lines, from the United States, China, and Japan were used to analyze the correlation between agronomic and mechanical properties at maturity. In addition, we selected forage sorghum with high, medium and low lignin content and observed the tissue sections, which further revealed the essence of lodging of forage sorghum from the microscopic point of view. Correlation analysis showed that lodging index (LI) was positively associated with plant height (PH), stem bending moment (SBM), lignin content (LC), stem center of gravity height (SGH), and fresh weight from the breaking point to the top of the panicle (FWP); lodging index was significantly negatively associated with breaking resistance (BR) and exhibited no significant correlation with stem diameter (SD) and lodging resistance of individual plant (LR). LI showed no significant association with BR and SD in the maintainer line subgroup, whereas LI was significantly negatively correlated only with BR and showed significant positive correlations with the other seven traits in the restorer line subgroup. Histological observation of the longitudinal section of the stem stained with Safranin O/Fast Green showed that the lodging resistance of sorghum could not be simply defined by the lignin content, and the structure of stem tissue played a more decisive role in determining the lodging resistance. Full article

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) offer attractive combinations of mechanical performance, thermal stability, and compositional flexibility, making them promising candidates for advanced structural applications. Laser-based additive manufacturing, particularly laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and laser-directed energy deposition (LDED), enables the fabrication of geometrically complex HEA components with non-equilibrium microstructures. However, the distinct thermal histories of LPBF and LDED, with typical cooling rates of approximately 10⁵–10⁷ K s⁻¹ and 10²–10⁴ K s⁻¹, respectively, strongly govern solidification behavior, elemental segregation, residual stress development, defect formation, and mechanical properties. Although previous reviews have discussed additively manufactured HEAs, an integrated framework linking composition design, printability, LPBF/LDED processing, microstructural evolution, post-processing, and industrial qualification remains limited. Therefore, this review establishes a unified composition–process–structure–property framework for laser additively manufactured HEAs. Fundamental HEA concepts, LPBF/LDED process characteristics, solidification behavior, phase formation, defect evolution, and mechanical performance from ambient to elevated temperatures are systematically discussed across representative FCC, refractory, and dual-phase HEA systems. This review emphasizes that printability should be considered during alloy design by correlating composition-dependent solidification characteristics, cracking susceptibility, phase stability, and defect formation with mechanical performance. Post-processing treatments are shown to modify residual stress, microsegregation, precipitation behavior, porosity, and deformation mechanisms, although their benefits must be balanced against thermal softening or brittle phase formation. Finally, CALPHAD, integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), machine learning (ML), and in situ monitoring are identified as promising tools for accelerating alloy and process optimization, while reproducible process windows, defect-control criteria, databases, and qualification protocols remain essential for industrial implementation. Full article

Monosodium glutamate (E621) is a common flavor enhancer in highly processed food. Although it makes food more enjoyable, chronic intake may lead to excitotoxicity in brain areas. The current study investigates histological and biochemical neurodegenerative alterations in the rat hippocampus following E621 administration and evaluates the potential neuroprotective properties of ascorbic acid (AA) against E621-induced adverse effects. Forty adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: control group (G1), AA group (G2), E621 group (G3), and AA + E621 group (G4). All animals received a daily intraperitoneal (IP) injection for 30 days. Hippocampal samples were processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), immunostained for GFAP, synaptophysin (a synaptic protein), and caspase-3, and biochemically analyzed for oxidative markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). G3 exhibited significant neurodegenerative changes, characterized by pyknotic granular cells and cytoplasmic vacuolation, with significantly elevated GFAP, synaptophysin, and caspase-3 immunoreactivity in the dentate gyrus (DG). These structural deficits correlated with elevated MDA levels and reduced SOD levels in G3. In contrast, simultaneous administration of AA with E621 resulted in substantial preservation of neuronal morphology, a reduction in caspase-3 immunoreactivity, and a restoration of synaptic vesicle density in G4. E621 induces hippocampal injury by increasing ROS levels and dysregulating GFAP, synaptophysin, and caspase-3. At the same time, AA preserves neuronal integrity and synaptic homeostasis, suggesting its potential role as a protective dietary supplement against brain injury induced by the E621 flavor enhancer. Full article

This study examines how Feng Shui quality of residential property, perceived green building features, and age group are associated with homebuyers’ purchase intention in Taiwan. Drawing on the literature on Feng Shui culture, green building features, and residential purchase decision-making, this study conceptualizes Feng Shui quality and green building features as two residential attributes that may influence homebuyers’ purchase intention. A structured online questionnaire survey was conducted between February and March 2025, yielding 584 valid responses from potential homebuyers in Taiwan. The data were analyzed using reliability analysis, correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and PROCESS Model 15 moderated mediation analysis. The results show that Feng Shui quality had a significant positive effect on perceived green building features and purchase intention. Perceived green building features were positively associated with purchase intention in most age groups, but the effect was not significant in the reference age group. The conditional indirect effects further indicated that perceived green building features mediated the relationship between Feng Shui quality and purchase intention in some age groups, but not in all groups. However, age group did not significantly moderate the relationship between Feng Shui quality and purchase intention or the relationship between perceived green building features and purchase intention. The indices of moderated mediation were also not significant. These findings suggest that Feng Shui quality may be associated with both green building perceptions and purchase intention, while green building features may serve as a partial explanatory mechanism in some age groups. The study contributes to residential purchase decision research by examining traditional Feng Shui culture and modern green building features within the same empirical framework, while acknowledging the limitations of self-reported, cross-sectional survey data. Full article

This study introduces Au-TiO₂ as a promising photocatalyst. This photocatalyst was synthesized by a sustainable method using mushroom and studied for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye and ciprofloxacin (CIPF) under simulated solar light. The structural, morphological, and surface chemical properties of the prepared Au-TiO₂ material were characterized. The photocatalytic performance of Au-TiO₂ was investigated and compared with TiO₂ without gold using methyl orange as a model dye. Pristine TiO₂ exhibited limited photocatalytic activity (around 30% MOD removal after 330 min). In contrast, Au-TiO₂ enhanced the degradation efficiency to 77% MOD. The improved performance was attributed to the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Kinetic analysis of MOD degradation indicated that the process was better described by a pseudo-first-order model, with a rate constant of 3.62 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹ and a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.9796. The Au-TiO₂ photocatalyst was also evaluated for ciprofloxacin (CIPF) degradation and achieved 84% removal. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Au-TiO₂ was attributed to improved charge separation and increased generation of reactive oxidative species. These results demonstrate that Au incorporation is a promising strategy for improving the photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ toward both dye and pharmaceutical contaminants. Full article

To investigate the dynamic response of marine risers under multi-parameter coupling effects, physical model tests of marine risers are designed and performed in this study. The tested parameters consist of structural parameters (materials, boundary condition and top tension) and environmental flow parameters (flow velocity, wave height and wave period). Three riser specimens including aluminum tube (Al), polymethyl methacrylate tube (PMMA) and unplasticized polyvinyl chloride tube (UPVC) are adopted to qualitatively simulate metallic risers and composite risers with distinct stiffness differences. A total of 216 sets of vibration test data are acquired from the indoor flume experiments. Based on experimental data, the individual effects of various parameters on the vibration amplitude and dominant frequency of risers are first analyzed via single-factor comparative tests. Subsequently, an XGBoost machine learning model is established to predict the cross-flow vibration amplitude of risers; stratified sampling and 5 × 5-fold cross-validation are utilized to optimize model hyperparameters. The model achieved a high goodness-of-fit of R² = 0.9296 during the development phase (training and internal validation), demonstrating favorable prediction accuracy. Finally, the SHAP interpretability method is introduced to quantify the contribution weights of individual parameters as well as the interaction mechanisms under multi-parameter coupling. Both single-parameter and multi-parameter analyses are performed, with representative results such as material = −3.965 and flow velocity = 2.085. The results indicate that the riser vibration amplitude exhibits a prominent negative correlation with material properties, boundary conditions, and top tension, while showing a positive correlation with flow velocity, wave height, and wave period. Full article

Modeling bivariate count data with complex dispersion and dependence structures remains a significant challenge in statistical data analysis. This article introduces two new bivariate count distributions derived from the generalized shifted inverse trinomial distribution. The proposed models, denoted by BGIT-I and BGIT-II, are constructed using convolution and trivariate reduction methods. They provide flexible joint frameworks for modeling correlated count data while accommodating different marginal dispersion patterns. BGIT-I allows negative, near-zero, and positive dependence, whereas BGIT-II induces non-negative dependence through a common component. The proposed models have simple, tractable probability generating functions, which facilitate the derivation of probabilistic properties and motivate a probability-generating-function-based estimation approach alongside maximum-likelihood estimation. The finite-sample performance of the estimators is further examined through a Monte Carlo simulation study. The practical utility of the proposed models is illustrated using two real bivariate count data sets involving shunter accidents and patient counts in critical care and emergency room settings. The results show that the proposed BGIT models provide competitive alternatives for modeling bivariate count data with different dispersion and dependence characteristics. Full article

Saline soils subjected to short-term waterlogging are a constraint on the sustainable production of protected vegetables, triggering soil structural degradation, salt accumulation, and oxidative damage in plants, which seriously damages crop yield and quality. Calcium-based amendments have attracted considerable attention for improving soil conditions and enhancing plant stress tolerance. However, the effects of calcium lactate amendment on saline soil improvement and pepper physiological responses under short-term waterlogging conditions remain insufficiently understood. Different application rates of calcium lactate were applied to saline pepper croplands under waterlogged conditions. The effects on soil physicochemical properties, nutrient availability, plant antioxidant physiology, fruit yield, and quality were analyzed. Calcium lactate improved the physicochemical properties of waterlogged soil and increased the available nutrients in the soil, with the content of available phosphorus and available potassium increasing by 565–855% and 1.60–35.54%, respectively. It enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase, reduced malondialdehyde accumulation (up to 39% compared with CK), and increased proline content (up to 54.62% compared with CK), thereby promoting plant physiological adaptation under short-term waterlogging conditions and improving pepper yield and fruit quality. Higher doses of calcium lactate exhibit better ameliorative effects. Correlation analysis and partial least squares path modeling suggested that calcium lactate application was associated with improved pepper yield and quality through pathways related to soil improvement and plant physiological regulation. This study provides insights into the potential application of calcium lactate for saline soil improvement and sustainable pepper production under short-term waterlogging conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Self-concealment is associated with greater psychological distress and decreased help-seeking engagement. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and sex invariance of the Persian Self-Concealment Scale (SCS) in Iranian adults. Methods: Participants were recruited using convenience sampling and social media advertising, targeting adults aged 18 or older who could read and understand Persian. The valid sample comprised 644 adults. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to delineate the underlying structural dimensions, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Multi-group CFA was used to evaluate the gender invariance. Results: A one-factor exploratory solution explained 48.83% of the variance, whereas parallel analysis suggested three factors, indicating some residual multidimensionality. The initial one-factor CFA showed poor fit (RMSEA = 0.114, CFI = 0.899, TLI = 0.871). A revised one-factor model that accounted for four localized item-pair residual associations showed improved fit in Sample 2 (RMSEA = 0.062, CFI = 0.974, TLI = 0.962, N = 322) and acceptable fit when applied without further respecification to the non-overlapping Sample 1 (N = 322) internal holdout (RMSEA = 0.078, CFI = 0.960). Internal consistency was high (α = 0.896; ω = 0.897), while correlations with depression, anxiety, and stress ranged from 0.35 to 0.37, providing moderate evidence of convergent validity. Gender invariance was partially supported. Conclusions: The Persian SCS shows promising but qualified psychometric performance for research use, pending independent replication and longitudinal validation. Full article

Tight dolomite gas reservoirs are promising exploration targets, yet their evaluation is complicated by multiscale pore-throat heterogeneity and poor seepage connectivity. Here, high-pressure mercury intrusion (HPMI), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and deep-learning-assisted pore extraction were integrated to characterize the pore-throat structure and fractal features of the Middle Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Ordos Basin. The reservoir is dominated by diagenetic-origin pores, mainly intercrystalline and intragranular dissolution pores, together with microfractures, and can be classified into three types with progressively poorer connectivity and flow capacity. Type I reservoirs contain more regular pores, larger pore-throat systems, and better storage and seepage capacity; Type II reservoirs are intermediate, whereas Type III reservoirs exhibit complex pore morphology, isolated pore networks, poor petrophysical properties, and limited gas-flow potential. The corresponding fractal dimensions are weakly correlated but complementary: D_SEM captures pore-boundary complexity, D_HPMI reflects pore-throat architecture and capillary-pressure-controlled seepage pathways, and D_NMR reflects multiscale movable-fluid distribution. Clay minerals, especially illite-rich mixed layers, further intensify pore-throat heterogeneity. Increasing fractal dimension is generally associated with higher displacement and median pressures, but poorer connectivity, porosity, permeability, movable-fluid content, and gas deliverability. These results provide a basis for the quantitative evaluation of multiscale pore systems and reservoir quality in tight dolomite gas reservoirs. Full article

Accurate rate of penetration (ROP) prediction in heterogeneous formations remains a key challenge for drilling optimization, as existing empirical models rely on fixed-structure coefficients unable to adapt to rapid lithological transitions. This study presents a novel exponential-form ROP model integrating surface drilling parameters (weight on bit (W), rotary speed (N), torque (T), and standpipe pressure (SPP)), log-derived geomechanical properties (dynamic combined compressibility modulus for carbonates; total porosity for sandstones), and three physically motivated energy parameters: rotational mechanical power per unit bit area (Prot), axial crushing energy (AE/AEs), and hydraulic cleaning efficiency (Hce). Bit wear is quantified through a modified Hareland and Hoberock wear function requiring no laboratory measurements. Parameter selection used combined Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis across 16 candidate variables from a raw dataset of 9375 depth readings for Well A and 4443 for Well B (at 0.25 m intervals). The model was developed using nonlinear least squares regression (Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm) in MATLAB. Validated on two vertical wells penetrating mixed carbonate and clastic sequences in a Middle Eastern offshore field and benchmarked against four classical formulations, the model achieves R² = 0.6568–0.6766 across full heterogeneous sections, improving on the best benchmark by margins of 0.36–0.46. Under lithology-specific calibration, R² advances to 0.8239–0.9139, with MAPE reducing to 5.71%. The model is limited to two vertical wells in a single field; further field validation is recommended before broader deployment. Full article

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are crucial symbiotic microorganisms in terrestrial ecosystems, playing a vital role in maintaining orchard soil health and productivity. However, how organic–and Ca, Mg, Zn fertilizers co-application affect vertical stratification and ecological functions of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in perennial fruit orchards remains unclear. Based on a five-year in situ peach trial, we established three fertilization regimes: low- (LWF), medium- (MWF), and high-input (HWF) regimes. We systematically analyzed the AMF community structure, diversity, and their correlations with soil physicochemical properties, as well as peach tree physiology, fruit yield, and quality across two soil depths: 0–20 cm (topsoil) and 20–40 cm (subsoil). HWF significantly inhibited AMF root colonization rates and spore density (p < 0.05), while reducing community α-diversity AMF α-diversity (p < 0.05), characterized by the enrichment of genera such as Glomus and a decrease in the relative abundance of Rhizoglomus. Redundancy analysis (RDA) identified available Zn (AZn) and Mg (WMg) as key drivers of this restructuring. Integrating RDA results into depth-specific partial least squares structural equation models (PLS-SEM), we found that subsoil AZn/WMg indirectly boosted yield by reshaping AMF composition (β = 0.34, p = 0.006), mediated via improved canopy status (NDVI, PRI). Total effect analysis confirmed the dominant role of subsoil pathways. These findings challenge the prevailing topsoil-centric view of soil microbial ecology and underscore the importance of considering the full soil profile when evaluating the impacts of agricultural practices on beneficial symbionts. We conclude that sustainable management strategies should account for depth-dependent AMF responses to maintain both productivity and belowground biodiversity across the entire rooting zone. Full article

Chalcones are naturally occurring open-chain flavonoids widely distributed in plants and recognized for their broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. Their versatile scaffold allows for extensive structural modifications, leading to a diverse range of natural and synthetic derivatives with notable biological potential. In the context of viral infections, chalcones have demonstrated remarkable efficacy against a variety of human pathogens, including dengue virus, HIV, HCV, influenza A, SARS-CoV-2, and other emerging viruses. Beyond human health, several chalcones have shown potent activity against plant viruses such as tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), and animal viruses including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and mammalian reovirus (MRV), underscoring their broad antiviral spectrum. These compounds act through multiple mechanisms, including the inhibition of viral enzymes (e.g., proteases, polymerases, and integrases), interference with viral entry and replication, and the modulation of host-related pathways. Recent advances in molecular docking, structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies, and synthetic optimization have further highlighted chalcones as a promising scaffold for antiviral drug discovery. Accordingly, this review summarizes and categorizes antiviral chalcones reported over the last two decades, emphasizing and critically discussing their molecular targets, mechanisms of action, and pharmacological potential as lead compounds. It also provides a comparative perspective on their pharmacological relevance by correlating their activities against standard therapeutic agents and reference inhibitors. Furthermore, the most recurrent viral targets were critically discussed regarding their conservation, expected genetic barriers to resistance, and the global SAR trends identified for the corresponding antiviral chalcones. Finally, in silico ADMET profiling of the most promising naturally occurring chalcones was performed to evaluate their drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties, offering guidance for future structural optimization and translational development. Collectively, these findings highlight the chalcone scaffold as a versatile platform for the development of novel antiviral agents targeting diverse viral and host pathways. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity is commonly associated with oxidative stress; however, the early biological events preceding overt tissue injury remain incompletely characterized. Identifying interventions capable of preserving redox homeostasis during this subacute phase may improve our understanding of the initial mechanisms underlying testicular dysfunction. This study investigated whether methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a naturally occurring organosulfur compound with antioxidant properties, modulates early oxidative responses in a subacute rat model of cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity. Methods: Thirty-two adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to Control, Cisplatin (CIS), MSM, and CIS + MSM groups (n = 8/group). MSM (500 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) was administered for 10 consecutive days, while a single dose of cisplatin (7 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was given on day 7. Oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant enzyme activities, intratesticular testosterone concentrations, inflammatory cytokines, GPX4 and HO-1 protein expression, histopathological alterations, and correlation analyses were evaluated. Results: Cisplatin exposure induced a marked oxidative imbalance, evidenced by increased malondialdehyde levels and reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and intratesticular testosterone concentrations (p < 0.05). MSM administration attenuated lipid peroxidation, restored antioxidant enzyme activities, and preserved intratesticular testosterone levels. Western blot analysis demonstrated a significant increase in GPX4 protein expression following cisplatin exposure, whereas MSM normalized GPX4 expression toward control values. In contrast, HO-1 expression and intratesticular IL-6 and TNF-α levels did not differ among the experimental groups. Histopathological evaluation revealed only mild structural alterations without corresponding differences in Johnsen score, indicating that biochemical and molecular disturbances preceded overt tissue degeneration. Correlation analysis further demonstrated close associations between antioxidant defense and preservation of endocrine function. Conclusions: Subacute cisplatin exposure primarily disrupted testicular redox homeostasis before prominent histopathological injury became evident. MSM was associated with attenuation of these early oxidative alterations accompanied by improved endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity, higher intratesticular testosterone concentrations, and normalization of GPX4 expression. These findings suggest that MSM may contribute to the maintenance of testicular redox homeostasis during the early phase of cisplatin-induced toxicity under the present experimental conditions. Full article