Search Results (31)

Mycorrhizal symbiosis in rice enhances drought adaptation but there are limited studies regarding the frequency and amplitude of mycorrhizae colonization in traditional landraces. This study investigates mycorrhizal colonization frequency (FMS) and intensity (IRS) in 12 rice landraces across three agroecological zones (Tarai, Inner-Tarai, Mid-hill) of Far-West Nepal under drought stress. Field experiments exposed landraces to control, intermittent, and complete drought treatments, with soil properties and root colonization analyzed. Results revealed FMS and IRS variations driven by soil composition and genotype. Mid-hill soils (acidic, high organic matter) showed lower FMS but elevated IRS under drought, while neutral pH in Tarai and silt/clay-rich soils supported higher FMS. Sandy soil in Inner-Tarai also promoted FMS. Drought significantly increased IRS, particularly in Anjana and Sauthiyari (Tarai), Chiudi and Shanti (Inner-Tarai), and Chamade and Jhumke (Mid-hill), which exhibited IRS surges of 171–388%. These landraces demonstrated symbiotic resilience, linking mycorrhizal networks to enhanced nutrient/water uptake. Soil organic matter and nutrient levels amplified IRS responses, underscoring fertility’s role in adaptation. FMS ranged from 50 to 100%, and IRS 1.20–19.74%, with intensity being a stronger drought-tolerance indicator than frequency. The study highlights the conservation urgency for these landraces, as traditional varieties decline due to hybrid adoption. Their drought-inducible mycorrhizal symbiosis offers a sustainable strategy for climate-resilient rice production, emphasizing soil–genotype interactions in agroecological adaptation. Full article

As climate change intensifies the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events, such as storm surges, understanding how extreme weather events alter mangrove carbon dynamics is critical for predicting the resilience of blue carbon ecosystems under climate change. Mangrove forests are generally recognized for their resilience to natural disturbances, a characteristic largely attributed to the evolutionary development of species-specific functional traits. However, limited research has explored the impacts of storm surges on carbon flux dynamics in both natural and restored mangrove ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed short-term responses of storm surges on carbon dioxide flux and methane flux in natural and restored mangroves. The results revealed that following the storm surge, CO₂ uptake decreased by 51% in natural mangrove forests and increased by 20% in restored mangroves, while CH₄ emissions increased by 14% in natural mangroves and decreased by 22% in restored mangroves. GPP is mainly driven by PPFD and negatively affected by VPD and RH, while Reco and CH₄ flux respond to a combination of temperature, humidity, and hydrological factors. NEE is primarily controlled by GPP and Reco, with environmental variables acting indirectly. These findings highlight the complex, site-specific pathways through which extreme events regulate carbon fluxes, underscoring the importance of incorporating ecological feedbacks into coastal carbon assessments under climate change. Full article

Wood ash, a byproduct of woody biomass power generation, has potential as an alternative K fertilizer due to its high K content and pH-raising properties. However, concerns remain about heavy metal contaminants like Cr and the limited understanding of element dynamics in soil–solution–crop systems after wood ash’s application. This study examined the effects of 1% (w/w) wood ash on element dynamics and komatsuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis) uptake in low-K soil through a pot experiment. XRD was used to analyze mineral composition, SEM-EDS to observe surface and elemental properties, and XANES to examine Cr speciation in wood ash. Soil solution analysis covered macro- and micronutrients, heavy metals, anions, pH, and DOC, while crop element concentrations and aboveground dry weight were also quantified. The chemical speciation of Cu and Cr in a soil solution was modeled using Visual MINTEQ. Wood ash significantly increased K concentrations (from 17 mg/L to 650 mg/L) in the soil solution, along with Ca, Mg, P, and Mo, while reducing Ni, Mn, Zn, and Cd levels. Komatsuna K uptake surged from 123 mg/kg to 559 mg/kg, leading to a 3.31-fold biomass increase. Notably, the Cd concentration in the crops dropped significantly from 0.709 to 0.057 mg/kg, well below the Codex standard of 0.2 mg/kg. Although Cu and Cr concentrations rose in the soil solution, crop uptake remained low due to >99% complexation with fulvic acid, as confirmed by Visual MINTEQ modeling. This study confirms that wood ash is an effective K fertilizer, but emphasizes the need for risk mitigation strategies to ensure safe and sustainable agricultural application. Full article

Hypoxia, a phenomenon that occurs when the oxygen level in tissues is lower than average, is commonly observed in human solid tumors. For oncological treatment, the hypoxic environment often results in radioresistance and chemoresistance. In this study, a new multifunctional oxygen carrier, carboxymethyl hexanoyl chitosan (CHC) nanodroplets decorated with perfluorohexane (PFH) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanodroplets (SPIO@PFH-CHC), was developed and investigated. PFH-based oxygen carriers can augment oxygenation within tumor tissues, thereby mitigating radioresistance. Concurrently, oxygenation can cause deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage via oxygen fixation and consequently suppress cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, these pH-sensitive nanodroplets allow higher cellular uptake with minimal cytotoxicity. Two distinctive mechanisms of SPIO@PFH-CHC nanodroplets were found in this study. The SPIO nanoparticles of the SPIO@PFH-CHC nanodroplets can generate hydroxyl radicals (HO^•) and other reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is vital to chemodynamic therapy (CDT) via the Fenton reaction. Meanwhile, the higher X-ray absorption among these nanodroplets leads to a local energy surge and causes more extensive deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage via oxygen fixation. This study demonstrates that low cytotoxic SPIO@PFH-CHC nanodroplets can be an efficient radiosensitizer for radiation therapy. Full article

International organizations like the EU and IUCN are advocating for nature-based solutions (NBSs) as green alternatives for climate change adaptation and mitigation, especially in disaster risk reduction and urban planning. The H2020 OPERANDUM project was designed to address the major hydro-meteorological risks (floods, droughts, landslides, storm surge, and coastal erosions) through the deployment and assessment of NBSs in different contexts and areas affected by specific hazards. Despite growing research and funding, NBSs are still in the early stages of mainstream adoption and face challenges in acceptance and dissemination. Although designed to benefit both social and ecological systems, they remain a niche area with low perceived effectiveness among technicians and decision-makers. Their uptake requires a paradigm shift that includes a change in cultural-cognitive institutions, a different and wider set of knowledge than traditional engineering (ecological, social), and an adaptive management approach, missing within the current governance system. Using a qualitative case study research method, this paper aims to identify barriers in mainstreaming NBSs for DRR (disaster risk reduction) in the Emilia-Romagna region—influenced not only by individual beliefs but also by variables tied to technical culture and local procedural norms—and emphasizing the importance of combining social and ecological indicators in socio-ecological system analysis. Full article

Morphologies of nanoparticles and aggregates play an important role in their properties for a range of applications. In particular, significant synthesis efforts have been directed toward controlling nanoparticle morphology and aggregation behavior in biomedical applications, as their size and shape have a significant impact on cellular uptake. Among several techniques for morphological characterization, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can provide direct and accurate characterization of nanoparticle/aggregate morphology details. Nevertheless, manually analyzing a large number of TEM images is still a laborious process. Hence, there has been a surge of interest in employing machine learning methods to analyze nanoparticle size and shape. In order to achieve accurate nanoparticle analysis using machine learning methods, reliable and automated nanoparticle segmentation from TEM images is critical, especially when the nanoparticle image contrast is weak and the background is complex. These challenges are particularly pertinent in biomedical applications. In this work, we demonstrate an efficient, robust, and automated nanoparticle image segmentation method suitable for subsequent machine learning analysis. Our method is robust for noisy, low-electron-dose cryo-TEM images and for TEM cell images with complex, strong-contrast background features. Moreover, our method does not require any a priori training datasets, making it efficient and general. The ability to automatically, reliably, and efficiently segment nanoparticle/aggregate images is critical for advancing precise particle/aggregate control in biomedical applications. Full article

Partial nitrification–anaerobic ammonia oxidation represents an innovative nitrogen removal technique, distinguished by its shortened nitrogen removal pathway and reduced energy demands. Currently, partial nitrification is mostly studied in sequential batch reactors, and some of the methods to realize partial nitrification in continuous flow reactors have problems such as complicated operation and management, and can be easily destabilized. This study introduces a novel system utilizing light to establish an algal-bacterial consortium within a partial nitrification framework, where oxygen is supplied by algae and a novel rotating biological contactor (RBC). This approach aims to simplify the control strategy and decrease the energy required for aeration. The results demonstrated that light at an intensity of 200 μmol/(m²·s) effectively inhibited nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), swiftly stabilizing partial nitrification. In the absence of light, free ammonia (FA) and free nitric acid (FNA) inhibited NOB, with ammonium removal efficiency (ARE) and nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR) at 68.35% and 34.00%, respectively. By day 88, under light exposure, effluent NO₂⁻-N concentrations surged, with ARE and NAR at 64.21% and 69.45%, respectively. By day 98, NAR peaked at 80.28%. The specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and NOB outside the disc was 3.24 mg O₂/(g MLSS·h) and 0.75 mg O₂/(g MLSS·h), respectively. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content initially decreased, then increased, ultimately exceeding pre-light exposure levels. Microbial abundance significantly declined due to light exposure, with Nitrosomonas related-AOB decreasing by 91.88% from 1.6% to 0.13%, and Nitrospira related-NOB decreasing by 99.23% from 5.19% to 0.04%, respectively. The results indicated that both AOB and NOB were inhibited by light, especially NOB. It is a feasible strategy to achieve partial nitrification and algal-bacterial consortia by using light in a rotating biological contactor. Full article

Recent years have seen a surge in research focused on NAD+ decline and potential interventions, and despite significant progress, new discoveries continue to highlight the complexity of NAD+ biology. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a well-established NAD+ precursor, has garnered considerable interest due to its capacity to elevate NAD+ levels and induce promising health benefits in preclinical models. Clinical trials investigating NMN supplementation have yielded variable outcomes while shedding light on the intricacies of NMN metabolism and revealing the critical roles played by gut microbiota and specific cellular uptake pathways. Individual variability in factors such as lifestyle, health conditions, genetics, and gut microbiome composition likely contributes to the observed discrepancies in clinical trial results. Preliminary evidence suggests that NMN’s effects may be context-dependent, varying based on a person’s physiological state. Understanding these nuances is critical for definitively assessing the impact of manipulating NAD+ levels through NMN supplementation. Here, we review NMN metabolism, focusing on current knowledge, pinpointing key areas where further research is needed, and outlining future directions to advance our understanding of its potential clinical significance. Full article

The fifth wave of COVID-19, driven by the Omicron variant, started to surge in Hong Kong in December 2021. Previous studies have shown that younger adults, compared to older adults, are vulnerable to increased risks of side effects after vaccination. However, little is known about the COVID-19 vaccination behavior among younger adults, especially university students, in Hong Kong. Therefore, the present online survey study aimed to investigate the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination intention among university students in Hong Kong using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a framework. Two other potential predictors, the previous influenza vaccine uptake frequency and the Hong Kong SAR government vaccination lottery program, were also examined. The intention to receive another dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was low (36.4%). Multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling for demographic and baseline characteristics, the perceived susceptibility (OR = 2.98, CI = 1.18–7.53) and previous influenza vaccine uptake frequency (OR = 1.54, CI = 1.08–2.19) significantly and positively predicted the COVID-19 vaccination intention. However, the government vaccination lottery program (i.e., wining prizes for being vaccinated) (OR = 0.87, CI = 0.34–2.26) was not a significant motivator of COVID-19 vaccination. Future public health campaigns should focus on the individual susceptibility to COVID-19 and past influenza vaccination history to promote increased vaccination uptake among university students. Full article

The growth dynamics of Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) are intricately linked to nitrogen availability, a pivotal nutrient. Escalating global nitrogen deposition, primarily driven by anthropogenic factors, is reshaping nutrient fluxes and productivity within forest and bamboo ecosystems. Such alterations bear significant implications for the growth equilibrium and yields of rapid-growth species such as Ma bamboo, thereby influencing their sustainable management strategies. This investigation delves into the responses of Ma bamboo under varying nitrogen deposition scenarios (0 g·clump⁻¹, 11.2 g·clump⁻¹, 13.5 g·clump⁻¹, and 22.5 g·clump⁻¹), examining stoichiometric attributes in bamboo shoots, leaves, and soil across distinct growth phases. Our empirical findings reveal that in the early growth stage, nitrogen enrichment markedly augmented N and P concentrations in the foliage and shoots, alongside a corresponding enhancement in soil P content. This was paralleled by a substantial reduction in the C:N ratio in leaves and the C:P ratio in shoots and soil, indicating an amplified uptake of P and N in both plant and soil matrices. During the middle stage, all nitrogen treatments boosted nitrogen levels across various plant tissues, while concurrently, soil C content exhibited a notable decline with increased nitrogen supplementation. In the late stage, leaf and soil N content continued to ascend; however, alterations in C content in both soil and leaves were not pronounced. Contrastingly, N and P levels in shoots showed a gradual decrement. Yield assessments disclosed that during the early stage, the N3 treatment (22.5 g·clump⁻¹) not only delayed shoot emergence by 14 days but also surged the yield by 115.87% in comparison to the control (CK). In the late stage, the N2 treatment (13.5 g·clump⁻¹) extended emergence duration by 10 days, with the yield apex under N3 treatment (22.5 g·clump⁻¹) evidencing a 116.67% yield augmentation over CK. In summation, this study elucidates the stoichiometric balancing and distribution strategies within the plant–soil system of Ma bamboo, investigating its adaptability and responsive feedback to diverse nitrogen deposition gradients. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of plant nutrient adaptation mechanisms in the context of nitrogen deposition, enriches the discourse on plant population stoichiometry, and offers valuable insights and scientific underpinnings for broader-scale community or ecosystem stoichiometry studies. Full article

Pancreatic cancer’s substantial impact on cancer-related mortality, responsible for 8% of cancer deaths and ranking fourth in the US, persists despite advancements, with a five-year relative survival rate of only 11%. Forecasts predict a 70% surge in new cases and a 72% increase in global pancreatic cancer-related deaths by 2040. This review explores the intrinsic metabolic reprogramming of pancreatic cancer, focusing on the mevalonate pathway, including cholesterol biosynthesis, transportation, targeting strategies, and clinical studies. The mevalonate pathway, central to cellular metabolism, significantly shapes pancreatic cancer progression. Acetyl coenzyme A (Acetyl-CoA) serves a dual role in fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis, fueling acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) development. Enzymes, including acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, 3-hydroxy-3methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase, and HMG-CoA reductase, are key enzymes in pancreatic cancer. Inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, e.g., by using statins, shows promise in delaying PanIN progression and impeding pancreatic cancer. Dysregulation of cholesterol modification, uptake, and transport significantly impacts tumor progression, with Sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1) driving cholesterol ester (CE) accumulation and disrupted low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) expression contributing to cancer recurrence. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) expression in tumor stroma influences immune suppression. Clinical trials targeting cholesterol metabolism, including statins and SOAT1 inhibitors, exhibit potential anti-tumor effects, and combination therapies enhance efficacy. This review provides insights into cholesterol metabolism’s convergence with pancreatic cancer, shedding light on therapeutic avenues and ongoing clinical investigations. Full article

The contribution that exogenous phytases have made towards sustainable chicken-meat production over the past two decades has been unequivocally immense. Initially, their acceptance by the global industry was negligible, but today, exogenous phytases are routine additions to broiler diets, very often at elevated inclusion levels. The genesis of this remarkable development is based on the capacity of phytases to enhance phosphorus (P) utilization, thereby reducing P excretion. This was amplified by an expanding appreciation of the powerful anti-nutritive properties of the substrate, phytate (myo-inositol hexaphosphate; IP₆), which is invariably present in all plant-sourced feedstuffs and practical broiler diets. The surprisingly broad spectra of anti-nutritive properties harbored by dietary phytate are counteracted by exogenous phytases via the hydrolysis of phytate and the positive consequences of phytate degradation. Phytases enhance the utilization of minerals, including phosphorus, sodium, and calcium, the protein digestion, and the intestinal uptakes of amino acids and glucose to varying extents. The liberation of phytate-bound phosphorus (P) by phytase is fundamental; however, the impacts of phytase on protein digestion, the intestinal uptakes of amino acids, and the apparent amino acid digestibility coefficients are intriguing and important. Numerous factors are involved, but it appears that phytases have positive impacts on the initiation of protein digestion by pepsin. This extends to promoting the intestinal uptakes of amino acids stemming from the enhanced uptakes of monomeric amino acids via Na⁺-dependent transporters and, arguably more importantly, from the enhanced uptakes of oligopeptides via PepT-1, which is functionally dependent on the Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger, NHE. Our comprehension of the phytate–phytase axis in poultry nutrition has expanded over the past 30 years; this has promoted the extraordinary surge in acceptance of exogenous phytases, coupled with the development of more efficacious preparations in combination with the deflating inclusion costs for exogenous phytases. The purpose of this paper is to review the progress that has been made with phytate-degrading enzymes since their introduction in 1991 and the underlying mechanisms driving their positive contribution to chicken-meat production now and into the future. Full article

The deployment of optical network infrastructure and development of new network services are growing rapidly for beyond 5/6G networks. However, optical networks are vulnerable to several types of security threats, such as single-point failure, wormhole attacks, and Sybil attacks. Since the uptake of e-commerce and e-services has seen an unprecedented surge in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the security of these transactions is essential. Blockchain is one of the most promising solutions because of its decentralized and distributed ledger technology, and has been employed to protect these transactions against such attacks. However, the security of blockchain relies on the computational complexity of certain mathematical functions, and because of the evolution of quantum computers, its security may be breached in real-time in the near future. Therefore, researchers are focusing on combining quantum key distribution (QKD) with blockchain to enhance blockchain network security. This new technology is known as quantum-secured blockchain. This article describes different attacks in optical networks and provides a solution to protect networks against security attacks by employing quantum-secured blockchain in optical networks. It provides a brief overview of blockchain technology with its security loopholes, and focuses on QKD, which makes blockchain technology more robust against quantum attacks. Next, the article provides a broad view of quantum-secured blockchain technology. It presents the network architecture for the future research and development of secure and trusted optical networks using quantum-secured blockchain. The article also highlights some research challenges and opportunities. Full article

The study has two primary aims: the first is to examine the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination patterns among those previously infected, and the second is an evaluation of the period elapsed between the patient’s latest dose of the vaccine and the infection itself by demographic group. A retrospective study was conducted from 1 March 2020, to 31 May 2022, in Israel. The study found that among Israelis, vaccination uptake following infection is relatively low. When examining gender, one sees that the immunization rate among recovering females is higher than among men. Similarly, differences in uptake exist between age groups. When examining the interval between vaccine dose and infection according to age groups, the most significant breakthrough infection rate is among the ages of 20–59 (1–6 days—0.3%; 7–13 days—0.48%; two to three weeks—0.3%, p < 0.001). This study reveals potential reservoir groups of virus spread. Among previously infected, low vaccination uptake levels are observed (first dose—30–40%, second dose—16–27%, third dose—9% and fourth dose—2%, p < 0.001), despite findings that indicate surging reinfection rates. Among vaccinated, two critical groups (0–19; 20–59) exhibit highest levels of breakthrough cases varying per vaccine doses, with statistically significant findings (p < 0.001). These population groups may be subject to a false sense of security as a result of perceived acquired long-term immunity prompting low perceived risk of the virus and non-vigilance with protective behavior. The findings point to the possibility that individuals engage in more risky health behavior, per the Peltzman effect. Full article

Alterations in lipid handling are an important hallmark in cancer. Our aim here is to target key metabolic enzymes to reshape the oncogenic lipid metabolism triggering irreversible cell breakdown. We targeted the key metabolic player proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) using a pharmacological inhibitor (R-IMPP) alone or in combination with 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) inhibitor, simvastatin. We assessed the effect of these treatments using 3 hepatoma cell lines, Huh6, Huh7 and HepG2 and a tumor xenograft in chicken choriorallantoic membrane (CAM) model. PCSK9 deficiency led to dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation in all cell lines and a decrease in cell migration. Co-treatment with simvastatin presented synergetic anti-proliferative effects. At the metabolic level, mitochondrial respiration assays as well as the assessment of glucose and glutamine consumption showed higher metabolic adaptability and surge in the absence of PCSK9. Enhanced lipid uptake and biogenesis led to excessive accumulation of intracellular lipid droplets as revealed by electron microscopy and metabolic tracing. Using xenograft experiments in CAM model, we further demonstrated the effect of anti-PCSK9 treatment in reducing tumor aggressiveness. Targeting PCSK9 alone or in combination with statins deserves to be considered as a new therapeutic option in liver cancer clinical applications. Full article