Search Results (10,121)

Background & Aims: One-carbon metabolism plays a central role in neurotransmitter synthesis, methylation capacity, and neurobiological resilience. Variants in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene can reduce enzymatic activity, affecting folate- and methionine-cycle functions and potentially influencing biological pathways relevant to mood and anxiety disorders. Personalised nutraceutical treatment strategies, particularly those addressing methylation capacity through targeted B-vitamin, folate, and adjunctive metabolic interventions are increasingly implemented in integrative clinical practice, yet evidence regarding their clinical outcomes remains limited. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 50 adults attending an integrative general practice clinic for anxiety and/or depression. All received personalised nutraceutical treatment informed by clinical assessment, laboratory testing and, for 37/50 patients, MTHFR genotyping. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler-10 (K10) scale at baseline and approximately three months later. Secondary analyses evaluated whether outcomes differed by MTHFR genotype, whether specific supplements (e.g., L-methylfolate and SAMe) were associated with greater improvement, whether biomarker changes correlated with symptom change, and the safety/tolerability profile. Results: Across the full cohort, mean K10 scores significantly decreased by four points over the treatment period, with 72% of patients showing clinical improvement. Reductions in psychological distress were seen across all MTHFR genotypes, including individuals with homozygous variant genotypes. Supplement-specific analyses showed improvement among those receiving methylfolate or SAMe, although the differences were not statistically significant. Following nutraceutical treatment, biomarker analyses demonstrated significant increases in serum vitamin B12 and modest reductions in homocysteine, but biomarker shifts did not correlate strongly with K10 change. No serious adverse events or clinically significant abnormalities in liver or renal function were identified. Conclusions: In this real-world primary care cohort, personalised nutraceutical treatment, grounded in one-carbon metabolism support and applied alongside usual care, was associated with clinically meaningful reductions in psychological distress. Outcomes were comparable across MTHFR genotypes when treatments were appropriately tailored, suggesting that genotype and biomarker-informed nutraceutical strategies may mitigate potential metabolic disadvantages. These findings support further controlled research into precision nutraceutical psychiatry for anxiety and depression. Secondary analyses of genotype subgroup, specific supplements, and biomarker–outcome associations are reported alongside Benjamini–Hochberg FDR-adjusted p-values and should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating. Full article

This study evaluated the effect of supplementing a combination of a multi-carbohydrase enzyme complex and a direct-fed microbial on the performance and welfare of broilers fed an energy-reduced diet. A complete randomized design was used comprising seven dietary treatments: (1) positive control (PC), which was a standard broiler diet; (2) negative control (NC) with no DFMs and a −132 kcal/kg energy reduction from the PC; (3) NC + Enspira+^® at 125 ppm (ENS); (4) NC + Enspira+^® at 125 ppm + DFMs (Amnil^®) at 300 ppm (AE-1); (5) NC + Enspira+® at 125 ppm + DFMs at 400 ppm (AE-2); (6) E NC + Enspira+^® at 125 ppm + DFMs at 500 ppm (AE-3); and (7) AE-2 + DFMs (Novela^®) at 125 ppm for the starter then AE-1 + DFMs (Novela^®) at 125 ppm for the remaining phases (AENO). Each treatment consisted of 10 pens with 25 male Cobb broilers per pen, and the birds were raised for 35 days. Body weight (BW) and feed consumption (FC) of birds from 0–35 d of age were measured for each pen, and the mortality-corrected feed conversion ratio (FCR) and weight-corrected FCR (WTC FCR) were calculated. On day 36, five birds/pen were processed, and the carcass, breast, and leg quarter weights and yields were determined. No differences were observed between the treatments in FC, BW, mortality, starter- or finisher-phase FCR, or d 0–35 FCR and WTC FCR (p > 0.05). However, during the grower phase, the PC had a better FCR than the NC and AE-3, while AE-1 and AE-2 were similar to the PC. D 28 FCR was also lowest in the PC and AE-2 compared to the NC, with the remaining treatments being intermediate. The NC had lower carcass, breast, and leg quarter weights than all other treatments (p < 0.05). The PC and AE-1 had greater carcass yields than the NC (p < 0.05), and the remaining treatments were intermediate. No differences between treatments were observed in the breast or leg quarter yields (p > 0.05). In conclusion, supplementing an energy-reduced diet with DFMs and enzyme prevented the reductions in carcass, breast, and leg quarter weights observed with the NC, and inclusion of DFMs at 400 ppm additionally maintained the FCR through d 28. These results indicate that the enzyme and DFMs at an inclusion level of 400 ppm can improve live performance in the grower phase and processing yield in broilers fed an energy-reduced diet. Full article

Vitamin D and its metabolite 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25-OH-D₃) are central to calcium homeostasis, maternal skeletal integrity, and sow reproductive efficiency. This study compared vitamin D₃ with an equivalent supranutritional dose of chemically or microbially produced 25-OH-D₃ from day 90 of gestation to weaning. A total of 100 Large White × Landrace sows were assigned to five treatments (n = 20): a basal control (25 µg/kg vitamin D₃), a VD₃ group (basal + 50 µg/kg vitamin D₃), and three 25-OH-D₃ groups (basal + 50 µg/kg 25-OH-D₃; QV1–QV3). Reproductive traits, colostrum composition, serum vitamin D-related indices, antioxidant and cytokine profiles, pre-weaning piglet growth, femoral mineral concentration, intestinal morphology, and barrier-related gene expression were assessed. Compared with the control, QV2 increased litter weight gain from birth to day 14 by 9.8%, piglet serum 25-OH-D₃ at weaning by 33.2%, and femoral calcium concentration by 14.4% (p < 0.05); litter and average piglet weights at weaning were unchanged. Maternal 25-OH-D₃ supplementation also altered the overall redox profile and several circulating inflammatory cytokines, increased jejunal and ileal villus height in the QV2 and QV3 groups, and upregulated selected tight-junction-related genes, including occludin and ZO-1, in a source- and intestinal-segment-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Responses were source-dependent, and QV2 showed the strongest effects for selected endpoints; the data do not support class-wide superiority of biosynthesized preparations. Full article

Evaluating the in vivo systemic tolerance of phytogenic feed additives is a crucial prerequisite before their widespread application in vulnerable newborn ruminants. This study aimed to investigate the systemic effects of orally administered cold-pressed Nigella sativa oil on the hematological and biochemical profiles of neonatal lambs (0–45 days of age) fed exclusively on colostrum and maternal milk. The pre-specified primary endpoint was the absence of clinically meaningful change in hepatorenal markers and complete blood count between groups over 45 days. Thirty-two single-born Merino lambs were divided into a treatment group that received 1.5 mL/day of the oil for the first 15 days of life and an untreated control group. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 7, 21, and 45 to evaluate both immediate and carry-over physiological effects. Using a covariate-adjusted linear mixed-effects model to account for baseline variances, the results demonstrated that the oil was physiologically well-tolerated. The supplementation exerted no significant adverse effects (p > 0.05) on hepatorenal markers or the measured acute-phase protein. The supplementation maintained neonatal energy metabolism stability without inducing artificial lipid suppression in serum triglycerides or total cholesterol levels. Furthermore, the oil preserved hematological homeostasis without negatively impacting red blood cell indices and modulated platelet distribution width indices without causing pathological thrombocytosis. In conclusion, the early direct oral administration of N. sativa oil is a physiologically well-tolerated supplement that supports basal metabolic and hematological stability in pre-ruminant lambs without inducing systemic disruptions within the parameters measured. Full article

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease which, if left untreated or poorly controlled, can lead to serious complications. This global public health challenge is frequently associated with a deficit of Mg, which is one of the most important elements in the human body and is indispensable for many metabolic processes and the maintenance of human health. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, its mitochondrial-supportive function, and its crucial role in the secretion and action of insulin as well as metal ion homeostasis, Mg may have great potential in the treatment of diabetes and diabetic complications. Therefore, we collected studies on a possible association between Mg and diabetes in humans. In other words, we intended to summarize data on the efficacy of oral Mg supplementation on glycemic and insulinemic parameters and Mg levels in biological specimens from humans with DM, gestational diabetes (GDM), insulin resistance (IR), and prediabetes (Pre-D). Our work indicates that, in some cases, supplementation with Mg may improve glycemic and/or insulinemic indices in hypo- or normomagnesemic individuals suffering from diabetes or IR. However, the results of certain studies did not show any beneficial effects of Mg intervention. Therefore, based on the findings presented in the current review, it can be concluded that further long-term studies on a larger population are required to demonstrate the efficacy of oral Mg supplementation in hypo- or normomagnesemic subjects with diabetes or at risk of developing the disease. It also seems justified to introduce routine determination of blood Mg levels (especially the ionized Mg form) in patients with diabetes and in those at risk of IR and glucose metabolism disorders. Moreover, it remains to be clearly determined which patients could benefit most from supplementation with this mineral, as its deficiency may impair insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. To sum up, the results reviewed in the present report do not definitively indicate that supplementation with Mg may be regarded as a public health strategy for improving the outcomes of diabetes despite the fact that, in some cases, Mg has been reported to have a positive effect on the metabolic profile in subjects with diabetes and may be used as an adjuvant therapy of this modern-age disease. Full article

Background/Objectives: Exercise in hypoxic environments induces greater physiological stress than normoxic conditions, potentially limiting exercise performance through reduced skeletal muscle oxygenation and increased metabolic strain. Beetroot juice (BRJ), a dietary source of inorganic nitrate, may enhance nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and oxygen delivery under hypoxic conditions. This study examined the acute effects of BRJ supplementation on metabolic responses, skeletal muscle oxygenation, and cardiac function during submaximal exercise at a fixed heart rate under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Methods: Twelve healthy adult males completed four conditions in a randomized, crossover design, with double-blinding applied to the supplementation condition: normoxic condition + placebo (NPLA), normoxic condition + BRJ (NBRJ), hypoxic condition + placebo (HPLA), and hypoxic condition + BRJ (HBRJ). Participants ingested 70 mL of BRJ (400 mg NO₃⁻) or placebo 2.5 h before 30 min of submaximal exercise at 70% HRmax under normoxic (FiO₂ 20.9%) or hypoxic (FiO₂ 14.5%) conditions. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to test the main effects of environment and treatment and their interaction for each outcome. Results: Hypoxic conditions required a significantly lower mechanical load and induced greater physiological stress. However, a significant environment × treatment interaction was observed for Deoxy_Hb, with HBRJ statistically indistinguishable from normoxic conditions, indicating a clear attenuation of the hypoxia-induced increase in oxygen extraction. In addition, a significant main effect of treatment without a significant interaction was observed for RER, and HBRJ did not differ significantly from NBRJ. Conclusions: BRJ supplementation may help attenuate hypoxia-induced skeletal muscle deoxygenation, as reflected in Deoxy_Hb, potentially via NO-mediated mechanisms; however, as circulating nitrate/nitrite concentrations were not directly measured and interaction effects were not confirmed for most variables, these findings should be regarded as preliminary evidence for the potential use of BRJ as a nutritional strategy in hypoxic exercise settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pediatric solid tumors (PST) are a biologically distinct group of malignancies whose developmental origins and molecular drivers differ substantially from those of adult cancers, with direct implications for therapeutic strategy and clinical outcome. This review synthesizes current evidence on molecular pathogenesis, tumor microenvironment biology, and the structural conditions that shape access to care across select PST. Methods: A narrative review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted primarily using PubMed, supplemented by Google Scholar, covering publications from 2000 to 2025. Tumor types were selected based on their prevalence in the pediatric population and the availability of evidence addressing both molecular features and health disparities. Body: Across eight tumor types (neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, pediatric brain tumors, rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilms tumor, retinoblastoma, osteosarcoma, and chondrosarcoma), recurrent molecular alterations including MYCN amplification, EWS-FLI1 fusions, PAX-FOXO1 rearrangements and IDH 1/2 mutations emerge as central determinants of disease behavior and eligibility for treatment. The tumor microenvironment manifests as a shared mediator of immune exclusion and therapeutic resistance across tumor types, with, but not limited to, tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and checkpoint molecule expression, identified as recurrent features influencing treatment response. Immunotherapeutic strategies have shown variable efficacy across PST, with the most consistent clinical benefit established in neuroblastoma. A critical and underappreciated pattern stands out across tumor types: children carrying the most aggressive molecular subtypes are disproportionately those with the least access to therapies those subtypes demand, emphasizing an overlap of biological and structural disadvantage that is also amplified in low- and middle-income countries, where late-stage presentation, treatment abandonment and limited access to molecular diagnostics compound the biological disadvantage. Conclusions: Within the eight PST reviewed, the most aggressive molecular subtypes and the greatest structural disadvantages converge in the same children; those carrying MYCN amplification, PAX-FOXO1 fusions, or EWS-FLI1 fusions are disproportionately those with the least access to the therapies their biology demands. Genomic and immunologic advances will only reach their full clinical potential when paired with inclusive trial data, diversified genomic databases, and most importantly, equitable access to biomarker-specialized therapies across all populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in pregnant women with preeclampsia (PE), using serum markers of redox imbalance and cytokine levels and perinatal outcomes. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study was carried out from 2021 to 2023. The study was retrospectively registered with REBEC (Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry). After screening, women were randomized into 2 groups according to the type of supplementation: 600 mg of NAC (NAC group) or capsules containing 2% colloidal silicon dioxide and 98% microcrystalline cellulose (placebo group) until delivery. Blood samples were collected to quantify biomarkers of redox imbalance and cytokine levels. Questionnaires containing socioeconomic, clinical, obstetric, and anthropometric data were applied. Results: A total of 51 pregnant women with PE were included (26 in the placebo group and 25 in the NAC group). The use of NAC was associated with a higher gestational age at birth (GA) of the conceptus (placebo group: 37.39 weeks ± 1.96 SD vs. NAC group: 38.45 weeks ± 1.51 SD; p = 0.044). A moderate effect size was observed for this variable (Cohen’s d = 0.52). However, treatment allocation (NAC vs. control) was not independently associated with gestational age at birth after adjustment for covariates (F(1,28) = 0.144; p = 0.707; η²p = 0.005). The adjusted mean difference between groups was 0.92 weeks (95% CI: −0.16 to 2.00). No other significant effects on redox and inflammatory markers were identified using NAC. Conclusions: NAC supplementation did not impact the mode of delivery between the NAC and placebo groups. As a secondary exploratory finding, a possible trend toward prolonged gestational age was observed in the NAC group; however, this result should be interpreted with caution, given the exploratory nature of the analysis, the neutrality of the primary outcome, and the limited sample size. Full article

Background: Online adaptive radiotherapy (oART) can change the dose distribution briefly to match the shape of the targets and organs at risk. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-guided oART has been introduced in clinical practice and is expected to improve clinical outcomes. This technology allows treatment as an extension of conventional CT-based image-guided radiotherapy technology and has the advantage of relatively short treatment times. However, the clinical and dosimetric benefits of oART have not yet been adequately reported. Methods: We systematically reviewed previous studies evaluating CBCT-guided oART in patients with malignancies. Case reports, conference abstracts, letters, editorials, and reviews were excluded. PubMed was searched from January 2019 to 22 November 2025, supplemented by hand searching. Study design, cancer site, workflow, treatment time, dosimetric outcomes, feasibility, and clinical outcomes were extracted. Owing to clinical and methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively. Results: A total of 127 studies were included. Across most studies, adapted plans improved target coverage and reduced or maintained doses to organs at risk compared with scheduled plans. This review provides an overview of the workflows and latest developments in CBCT-guided oART. Furthermore, the clinical and dosimetric benefits at each site, including the chest, abdomen, pelvis, head, and neck, are shown. Conclusions: The development of oART is expected to lead to the introduction of personalized medicine and improve the clinical outcomes of patients with various cancers. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to establish CBCT-guided oART. This review received no external funding and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251237632). Full article

A 56-day feeding trial was designed to investigate the effects of alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) on the growth, immune response, antioxidant activity and apoptosis pathways of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). We formulated six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets with different concentrations of AOS (0% (control), 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2% and 0.25%). The results showed that the WGR of the AOS0.15–0.2 groups were markedly increased, and the FBW and SGR of the AOS0.1–0.2 groups were also markedly boosted. In addition, no significant differences were observed in FCR, SR and FI in the treatment groups. According to SGR and WG second-degree polynomial regression analysis, the optimum AOS addition level for juvenile largemouth bass was 0.14–0.15%. On the other hand, no notable differences were observed in crude protein, moisture, crude lipid or crude ash content between groups, and no notable differences were also observed in the levels of AST and ALT in the plasma between all groups. Additionally, ALP activities were considerably higher in the AOS0.15–0.25 groups. In terms of intestinal digestion and absorption function, AOS0.1 group and AOS0.15 group significantly increased the intestinal amylase and lipase activities, and A0S0.1–0.2 groups significantly increased the intestinal trypsin activities, while proper dietary supplementation with AOS significantly improved villus muscular thickness, villus height, and villus width. Furthermore, proper dietary supplementation with AOS significantly up-regulated the mRNA levels of occ, clau, C6A6, C7A5, C7A8B, C6A14 and pept1 in the intestine. No significant differences were observed in the mRNA levels of C7A6, C7A1A and C7A10A between all groups. With respect to the antioxidant and immune functions of the intestine, the analysis revealed no remarkable differences between the groups concerning SOD, GPX activity or T-AOC content in the intestine. However, a significant increase in CAT activity of the intestine was observed in the AOS0.05–0.15 groups, and MDA levels were lower in all AOS-added groups. Apart from the above, AOS0.15–0.25 groups significantly reduced intestinal TNF-α concentration. No notable differences were observed in the intestinal contents of TGF-β, IL-10 and IL-6 between all groups. Additionally, proper dietary supplementation with AOS could improve antioxidant effects and inhibit inflammation by regulating the gene expressions of the related-Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathway, including nrf2, keap1, Mn-sod, gpx, nf-κb, il-10 and tgf-β. There was no significant difference in the mRNA levels of cat, fox, il-8 and tnf-α. With respect to cell apoptosis in the intestine, TUNEL assay results showed that green positive cells were significantly lower in the AOS0.05–0.2 groups than the AOS0 group. Additionally, proper dietary supplementation with AOS could inhibit cell apoptosis by regulating the mRNA levels of bxl-xl, caspase 3, caspase 8, caspase 9 and bcl-2. However, there was no significant effect on the level of bax mRNA in any of the treatment groups. In summary, proper dietary supplementation with AOS exerted positive effects on growth, intestinal digestion and absorption function, immune antioxidant responses, and apoptosis pathways to a certain extent. Full article

This article re-examines the French military physician and physiologist Jules Héricourt’s (1850–1938) treatment of what he termed intoxications d’origine externe, intoxications of external origin, in his popularising 1904 book Les Frontières de la Maladie: Maladies Latentes et Maladies Atténuées. Héricourt grouped alcohol, tea, coffee, tobacco, and carbon monoxide under a single clinical logic: each, in his account, produced disease gradually, cumulatively, and at exposure levels too low to be recognised as pathological. Through close, critical reading of the primary text, supplemented by biographical and historiographical contextualisation, this study asks how Héricourt characterised each form of intoxication, on what evidentiary basis, and what his synthesis contributes to the historiography of chronic toxic exposure. The analysis shows that most of Héricourt’s specific clinical claims lack a stated evidentiary basis and that several derive directly from earlier authors; his scientific authority rested chiefly on his experimental physiological work with Charles Richet rather than on documented clinical toxicology. The article argues that the book’s historiographical significance lies not in medical originality but in its role as a widely read popularisation of the idea that ordinary domestic and social habits could produce disease through prolonged, low-intensity, unrecognised exposure, an idea that resonates, at the level of general logic, with later models of chronic and cumulative toxic exposure. This resonance is treated as suggestive rather than as evidence of direct influence. Full article

This study evaluated nano-iron sulfide (nFeS) as an iron source for bioavailability, biocompatibility, and tolerance in broilers. Broilers (Arbor Acres; males; initial body weight: 43.0 ± 0.4 g) were allocated between five diets: an iron-deficient basal diet (ID), or a basal diet with 80 mg Fe/kg as FeSO₄; or 20, 40, or 80 mg Fe/kg as nFeS. The results showed that nFeS treatments (40, 80 mg/kg) improved average daily gain and feed conversion rates compared to ID and showed comparable or even superior effects relative to FeSO₄ on growth performance within 1–21 days (p < 0.05). nFeS improved whole-blood hemoglobin (Hb) content and packed cell volume (PCV) percentages at day 21, while increasing serum SOD and GSH-Px activities at day 42. nFeS (40, 80 mg/kg) had or tended to deposit higher iron content in the liver, spleen, duodenum and serum than the FeSO₄ groups. nFeS significantly increased breast meat lightness and redness compared with ID (p < 0.05) and showed comparable effects on postmortem pH, drip loss, and shear force relative to FeSO₄. nFeS reshaped the microbial composition in the jejunum and cecum, particularly enriching the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus in the jejunum. At a dose of up to 400 mg/kg, nFeS revealed no negative effects in broilers. In conclusion, nFeS is an effective iron supplement with high bioavailability and comparability, with additional benefits in shaping intestinal microbiota. Full article

Prunus mahaleb L. is an important cherry rootstock because of its tolerance to drought and poor soils. Despite its horticultural importance, efficient in vitro multiplication of P. mahaleb remains challenging. Therefore, this study compared conventional agar-solidified culture with the PlantForm^TM temporary immersion system (TIS) for micropropagation of a Bulgarian local form of P. mahaleb. Three basal media, Murashige and Skoog (MS), Woody Plant Medium (WPM), and Driver and Kuniyuki Walnut (DKW), were initially evaluated in both cultivation systems. The media were subsequently supplemented with ascorbic and citric acids to determine whether these antioxidants could further improve culture performance. Compared with agar-solidified culture, the PlantForm^TM TIS significantly enhanced explant proliferation, achieving the highest number of new shoots (6.69 ± 1.82) and biomass production on antioxidant-supplemented DKW medium. The same treatment also resulted in the greatest accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, with maximum total chlorophyll (0.991 ± 0.025 mg g⁻¹ FW) and carotenoid (0.349 ± 0.050 mg g⁻¹ FW) contents. Rooting efficiency ranged from 38.89% to 51.85% and did not differ significantly among treatments, whereas acclimatization was not achieved under the conditions tested. These findings demonstrate that PlantForm^TM TIS combined with antioxidant-supplemented DKW medium provides a promising approach for the multiplication of this P. mahaleb form. However, the rooting and acclimatization stages require further optimization. Full article

Background/Objectives: Resistance exercise (RE) reduces heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy young individuals, reflecting increased cardiovascular demand and autonomic stress during recovery. Given that theacrine (TEA) acts on the central nervous system and may influence autonomic cardiovascular regulation, its effects on HRV metrics remain unclear and have not yet been investigated. Methods: Seventeen young, healthy resistance-trained participants (8 females) completed two RE sessions under TEA and placebo (PLA) conditions in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. HRV indices related to vagal modulation (RMSSD and HFnu), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were assessed at three time points: pre-supplementation, pre-exercise (90 min after supplementation), and 30 min post-exercise. Results: In the TEA condition, RMSSD increased at pre-exercise compared with pre-supplementation (p = 0.01), with no significant difference between pre-supplementation and post-exercise (p = 0.140). The PLA condition showed significant post-exercise reductions in RMSSD compared to both pre-supplementation and pre-exercise (p < 0.01). Similar patterns were observed for HFnu. SBP, DBP, and HR increased significantly after exercise in both conditions, with no between-condition differences. No significant time × condition interactions or sex effects were observed for any HRV or cardiovascular variable. Conclusions: Acute TEA supplementation did not significantly alter autonomic or cardiovascular responses compared with PLA following a single RE session. Although distinct post-exercise HRV patterns were observed between conditions, the time × condition interaction did not support a significant treatment effect. Larger studies are needed to clarify the potential effects of TEA on post-exercise autonomic recovery. Full article

Boron (B) toxicity severely restricts Citrus growth and productivity in high-B soil and irrigation water environments. Although exogenous Zinc (Zn) has been reported to mitigate B toxicity in plants, the underlying physiological regulation mechanisms—particularly in Citrus—remain incompletely understood. In this study, seedlings of two Citrus species differing markedly in B tolerance—Citrus sinensis (sweet orange, B-tolerant) and C. grandis (sour pomelo, B-sensitive)—were subjected to three boric acid treatments (10, 200, and 400 μM) and five ZnSO₄ treatments (0.002, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.25 mM) in a fully factorial design over 15 weeks. Comprehensive physiological assessments—including growth parameters, photosynthetic performance, mineral-nutrient profiling (in leaves and roots), and antioxidant enzyme activity—were conducted to decipher the mechanistic basis of Zn-mediated B detoxification. Results showed that 400 μM BA alone triggered severe B toxicity symptoms in the older leaves of C. grandis, whereas 0.25 mM Zn independently led to chlorosis symptoms similar to Fe deficiency in the apical leaves of both Citrus species. Either B or Zn toxicity affected photosynthesis in matured leaves. Exogenous Zn at 0.05–0.20 mM alleviated B toxicity symptoms in B-sensitive C. grandis, yet consistent alleviation of Zn toxicity by excess B was not observed across all measured variables. Severe B toxicity caused a significant reduction in Fe, N, P and Ca contents and a significant increase in Cu and Mn contents in C. grandis roots, yet it only led to a significant reduction in Mn, N, P and Ca contents in C. grandis leaves. Unlike this, B toxic treatments in C. sinensis resulted in a significant reduction in merely Fe content and a significant increase in Cu, Mn, N and K contents in roots, and a significant reduction in Mn and Ca contents in the leaves. Under basal B supply, 0.05–0.20 mM Zn supplementation dose-dependently increased root Zn, Cu and Mn contents as well as leaf Zn and Cu contents in both Citrus species, but concurrently decreased root Fe content and leaf Fe and Ca contents—additionally, in C. grandis, leaf N, P, K and Mg contents were further reduced. Regarding antioxidant responses in C. grandis, B toxicity significantly suppressed leaf CAT activity while enhancing APX and GPX activities. Under B toxicity conditions, 0.2 mM Zn supplement significantly restored CAT activity and suppressed APX and GPX activities. These antioxidant modulations were highly dependent on species identity and treatment combination, and were markedly more pronounced in B-sensitive C. grandis. Collectively, this work clarifies the physiological interplay between Zn and B in Citrus, uncovers divergent adaptive strategies employed by contrasting citrus species under combined B–Zn stress, and provides a mechanistic foundation for optimizing exogenous Zn application to mitigate B toxicity in citrus production. Full article