Search Results (165)

Background: Anthracycline- and taxane-based chemotherapy regimens are widely used in the treatment of breast cancer; however, their effects on body composition and fluid distribution are not fully elucidated. Conventional assessment methods are often insufficient to distinguish true tissue changes from treatment-related fluid shifts. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate longitudinal changes in body composition and fluid distribution during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients using bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy. The secondary objective was to investigate the impact of anthracycline and docetaxel exposure on these changes and to identify patterns suggestive of masked sarcopenia. Methods: This prospective, single-center, longitudinal observational study was conducted between October 2024 and October 2025. Follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months were completed by October 2025. A total of 51 female breast cancer patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy were evaluated using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BCM^®). Measurements were performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Changes in total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW), extracellular-to-intracellular water ratio (E/I), lean tissue mass (LTM), adipose tissue mass (ATM), and volume status were analyzed longitudinally and according to treatment exposure. Results: The cohort consisted of 51 women (median age, 55 years), of whom 70.6% were postmenopausal, and the majority had stage II–III disease. While TBW remained stable, significant alterations in fluid distribution and body composition were observed. ECW increased, and ICW decreased, resulting in a significant rise in the E/I ratio. LTM declined significantly, particularly during the first 3 months, whereas ATM showed a gradual increase. Volume status increased progressively over time, indicating fluid accumulation. Anthracycline exposure was associated with greater reductions in LTM, while docetaxel treatment was linked to significant increases in extracellular fluid and volume, especially during the 3–6-month interval. At 6 months, a median increase of +1100 mL in volume was observed alongside a decrease in muscle mass (−1.4 kg), consistent with a pattern of masked sarcopenia. Conclusions: Chemotherapy in breast cancer patients is associated with concurrent muscle loss and fluid redistribution, which may obscure clinically relevant changes in body composition. Bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy enables differentiation between fluid and tissue compartments and provides a more accurate assessment than conventional methods. Early recognition of these changes may facilitate timely nutritional support and appropriate fluid management strategies. Full article

Preharvest climatic conditions and irrigation management are decisive determinants of avocado postharvest performance. Avocado trees are highly susceptible to the water regimen, conditions that disrupt carbon assimilation, mineral nutrient uptake, and biomass partitioning. This study evaluated the effects of deficit irrigation imposed during early stages of fruit growth, coinciding with active cell division, on fruit development and postharvest quality of ‘Hass’ avocado. Deficit and excess irrigation induced physiological stress, reducing stem water potential (≈−1 MPa) and altering photochemical efficiency, while F_V/F_M remained unaffected. Fruit growth was strongly affected, with weight reductions of up to 26% during development and 22% at harvest under severe deficit, resulting in fruits becoming more yellowish-green. In contrast, excessive irrigation promoted larger fruit with darker green skin, with delayed maturation. Metabolomic revealed that the fruit developmental stage was the main driver of metabolic variation, while irrigation effects were minor and stage-dependent, limited to osmotic-related metabolites such as GABA. These findings indicate that early-season water imbalances primarily affect fruit growth through changes in water relations rather than metabolic reprogramming, highlighting the importance of precise irrigation management during critical developmental stages. Fine-tuning water supply during early developmental stages is a strategic tool for optimizing fruit size and postharvest quality in avocado. Full article

Background: Abemaciclib (ABM) in combination with tamoxifen (TAM) is an extremely significant treatment regimen for hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer. It is approved for patients to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. A bioanalytical method for the simultaneous determination of this new anti-breast cancer combination and its pharmacokinetic application has not yet been reported. Methods: An ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method was developed for quantifying ABM, TAM, and its metabolites, including abemaciclib active metabolites M2, M18, and M20 and tamoxifen active metabolite N-desmethyl tamoxifen (NDTAM), in rat plasma using econazole as the internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Kinetex C18 column (100 × 2.1 mm ID, 2.6 µm) using gradient elution with 5 mM ammonium formate in water (eluent A) and 5 mM ammonium formate in water/methanol (1:9, v/v, eluent B) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Detection was performed on a TSQ Fortis Plus mass spectrometer employing multiple reaction monitoring mode under positive electrospray ionization. Results: The developed method was validated according to the guidance of the FDA. Linearity in rat plasma (ng/mL) was achieved from 1 to 1000 for ABM, TAM, and M20; 3 to 1000 for M2; 5 to 500 for M18; and 1 to 500 for NDTAM; with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9991 to 0.9931 for all analytes using a weighting factor of 1/X². The lower limit of detection (LLOD) ranged between 0.3 and 1.5 ng/mL for all drugs. The accuracy ranged from 96 to 108% and the precision was less than 7.6% RSD for all analytes. For the first time, the newly developed approach was effectively used in a pharmacokinetic study on the simultaneous oral administration of ABM and TAM in rats that received 30.0 mg/kg of ABM and 8.0 mg/kg of TAM. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported UPLC–MS/MS method for the assay of ABM, TAM, and its active metabolites in plasma. This method offers a bioanalytical tool for assessing the pharmacokinetics of ABM and TAM. Therefore, this study makes a definite significant contribution to the field of bioanalytical research. Further validation in human plasma is required for future clinical or therapeutic drug monitoring applications, as the approach was developed in an animal model. Full article

Sustainable sourcing of bioactive ingredients is an important direction in the development of topical formulations. Fruit by-products generated during food processing such as apple pomace, represent a promising resource for skincare applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and consumer perception of a three-step facial skincare regimen consisting of a cleansing gel, serum, and face cream containing upcycled apple pomace extract. Unlike most cosmetic studies focusing on single products, this research assessed a complete skincare routine to better reflect real-life usage conditions. All formulations underwent dermatological safety evaluation prior to the in vivo study. The clinical assessment was conducted on 30 healthy female volunteers aged 25–55 years. Skin hydration, pH, transepidermal water loss, sebum level, and skin gloss were measured on untreated skin, after the first use, and after four weeks. User perception was assessed using a questionnaire completed by 58 participants. Short-term changes in skin parameters were observed after application, while four weeks of use maintained them within physiological ranges. Skin gloss increased significantly by 4.2%, and no adverse reactions were reported. These results indicate that the tested skincare regimen containing apple pomace extract was well-tolerated and cosmetically acceptable under the study conditions. Full article

Pythiosis is a neglected infectious disease caused by the aquatic oomycete Pythium insidiosum and remains underrecognized in cattle, particularly in tropical regions. Here, we report the first molecularly confirmed outbreak of bovine pythiosis in the Amazon biome, affecting more than 400 animals raised under extensive production systems and areas with prolonged exposure to standing water. Clinically affected cattle presented ulcerative and exudative cutaneous lesions, predominantly involving the distal limbs. Given the diagnostic challenges associated with pythiosis, etiological confirmation was achieved through quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of P. insidiosum, providing rapid and specific molecular detection during the outbreak investigation. Therapeutic interventions were implemented as part of routine field management, including intramuscular triamcinolone combined with topical copper sulfate; this regimen was associated with clinical improvement in a substantial proportion of affected animals, though treatment efficacy was not formally evaluated. The outbreak occurred in flood-prone pastures during the rainy season, highlighting the role of aquatic environments in pathogen transmission. These findings expand the current understanding of bovine pythiosis in tropical ecosystems and underscore the importance of molecular diagnostics, outbreak surveillance, and a One Health approach for the identification and management of water-associated pathogens in livestock. Full article

Taxanes, such as paclitaxel and docetaxel, are microtubule-stabilizing agents widely used in oncology, either as monotherapy or in combination regimens. While highly effective, these first-generation taxanes face important limitations, including significant toxicity, reduced water solubility, and the emergence of multidrug resistance. To address these challenges, semi-synthetic taxoids have been developed, aiming to improve pharmacological profiles and overcome therapeutic barriers. Central to these efforts is the understanding of structure-activity relationships, which guides the rational design of taxane analogues with enhanced efficacy and safety. This review explores recent advances in taxoid development, highlights findings from clinical trials, and evaluates how these new agents compare with traditional taxanes in terms of therapeutic potential and tolerability. While novel delivery systems offer improved outcomes with existing drugs, the development of new taxane analogues remains a promising approach to address drug resistance, albeit with challenges related to toxicity, high costs, and historically low success rates in drug development. Furthermore, taxanes are already used in certain cardiovascular conditions and show emerging potential in neurodegenerative diseases, although current evidence remains largely limited to preclinical or early-phase clinical studies. These developments mark an important evolution in the field and offer new opportunities for future therapeutic strategies. Full article

Background: We investigated whether a water extract of Lilii bulbus (Lilium lancifolium Thunberg; WELB) could modulate inhibitory synaptic organization in a mouse model of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling. Methods: Starting 14 days prior to the initial PTZ challenge, WELB (500 mg/kg) was delivered via oral gavage once daily. This treatment regimen was maintained for a total of 40 days, spanning the entire period until the animals reached the fully kindled state. Results: Behavioral assessments revealed that WELB treatment significantly reduced seizure severity and Racine scores, prolonged the latency to clonic seizures, and shortened seizure duration, demonstrating potent anticonvulsant activity. Two-photon calcium imaging further showed that WELB markedly suppressed PTZ-induced neuronal hyperexcitability in the posterior parietal cortex, accompanied by decreased expression of neuronal activation markers, including c-fos, phosphorylated-calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (p-CaMKIIα), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NR1). In the hippocampus, WELB modulated the expression of GABAergic interneuron markers [glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67), vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SOM)] and upregulated GABAergic gene transcripts [GABA-A receptor α1 subunit (Gabra1), GABA-A receptor α2 subunit (Gabra2), GABA transporter 1 (Gat1), GABA transporter 3 (Gat3), PV, SOM, cholecystokinin (CCK)] that were downregulated by PTZ kindling. Moreover, WELB enhanced the expression of GABAergic synaptic organization-related proteins (gephyrin, collybistin, neurexin-1β, neuroligin-2, and neuropilin-2), indicating its regulatory effect on inhibitory synaptic integrity. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings suggest that WELB may exert its anticonvulsant effects by functionally remodeling GABAergic synaptic organization-related factors, thereby restoring inhibitory circuit integrity and providing a mechanism-based therapeutic strategy for epilepsy and seizure-related neurological disorders. Full article

Salinity is a key environmental survival factor for all aquatic organisms, especially migratory species. The masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) is a representative migratory fish species. Following the freshwater parr stage, anadromous masu salmon briefly inhabit brackish water and transition before migrating to the ocean. To demonstrate the physiological responses of masu salmon (length: 8 ± 0.5 cm, water temperature: 10 ± 0.5 °C) to variations in salinity, we carried out three gradual transfer experiments (gradual daily increases direct transfer experiment of 3.2 (D10), 1.6 (D20), and 1.1 (D30) ppt until reaching 32 ppt) and one (immediate transfer to 32 ppt on day 0) as domestication regimens for masu salmon. The results indicated the following: (1) In the gradual transfer experiment group, growth performance, along with ion and hormone indicators, suggested that the D30 treatment group of anadromous masu salmon exhibited a high level of adaptability. (2) In the direct transfer experiment, in addition to the activity of antioxidant enzymes, both ion concentrations and hormone indicators returned to a stable state within 7 days. Our findings provide a scientific protocol for salinity regulation during the artificial propagation of masu salmon and establish critical acclimation parameters for land-based recirculating aquaculture systems aimed at marine salmonid farming, thereby highlighting their practical value. Full article

This study evaluated whether commonly used household cleaning agents affect the surface microhardness of acrylic and copolyester materials used in pediatric removable appliances and sought to identify safe options for daily home cleaning. Standardized acrylic and copolyester specimens were exposed to a short-term, clinically relevant brushing regimen using tap water (control), children’s toothpaste, liquid soap, antibacterial liquid soap, 20% saline solution, or 20% sodium bicarbonate (“carbonated”) solution. Surface microhardness was assessed with Vickers testing, and surface features were examined by light microscopy. In the acrylic group, antibacterial liquid soap and the carbonated solution were associated with reduced microhardness (Spearman ρ = −0.622 and −0.532, respectively; both p < 0.001) and more pronounced surface alterations. In the copolyester group, antibacterial liquid soap showed a significant inverse association with microhardness in regression analysis (p = 0.032), while the other agents showed no statistically significant relationships (p > 0.05). Clinically, antibacterial liquid soap should be avoided for routine cleaning of both acrylic and copolyester appliances, and sodium bicarbonate–based carbonated solutions may be detrimental to acrylic. Children’s toothpaste and ordinary liquid soap appear to be practical, safer alternatives for daily use. Full article

The sustainable management of water resources and the development of climate-resilient infrastructure depend on the precise identification of water bodies in satellite imagery. This paper presents a novel deep learning architecture that integrates a convolutional block attention module (CBAM) into a modified EfficientNet–UNet backbone. This integration allows the model to prioritize informative features and spatial areas. The model robustness is ensured through a rigorous training regimen featuring five-fold cross-validation, dynamic test-time augmentation, and optimization with the Lovász loss function. The final model achieved the following values on the independent test set: precision = 90.67%, sensitivity = 86.96%, specificity = 96.18%, accuracy = 93.42%, Dice score = 88.78%, and IoU = 79.82%. These results demonstrate improvement over conventional segmentation pipelines, highlighting the effectiveness of attention mechanisms in extracting complex water-body patterns and boundaries. The key contributions of this paper include the following: (i) adaptation of CBAM within a UNet-style architecture tailored for remote sensing water-body extraction; (ii) a rigorous ablation study detailing the incremental impact of decoder complexity, attention integration, and loss function choice; and (iii) validation of a high-fidelity, computationally efficient model ready for deployment in large-scale water-resource and ecosystem-monitoring systems. Our findings show that attention-guided segmentation networks provide a robust pathway toward high-fidelity and sustainable water-body mapping. Full article

Background: Reliable analgesia is essential to ensure animal welfare and experimental validity in preclinical disease models. However, evidence on the efficacy and side effects of analgesics remains limited. This study investigated the effects of three commonly used analgesics on animal well-being in a murine model of cholestasis. Methods: Thirty male C57BL/6J mice underwent transmitter implantation followed by bile duct ligation (BDL) and received continuous metamizole (3 g/L), tramadol (1 g/L), or carprofen (0.15 g/L) via drinking water before and after surgery. Welfare was evaluated using multiple parameters, including body weight, a distress score, drinking volume, burrowing and nesting behavior, mouse grimace scale (MGS), and telemetric data (heart rate, heart rate variability: SDNN and RMSSD, core body temperature, and locomotion). Additionally, liver and gastrointestinal tissues were analyzed histologically for necrosis and immune cell infiltration. Results: Even prior to surgery, analgesic-specific reductions in body weight, drinking behavior, and burrowing and nesting activity were observed. After transmitter implantation, metamizole treatment led to significantly reduced body weight, drinking volume, and locomotion compared to the other two analgesics. Following BDL, all treatment groups exhibited pronounced distress, weight loss, and reduced activity. Tramadol treatment resulted in slightly improved MGS and SDNN values, indicating minor benefits without sustained welfare restoration. In contrast, carprofen treatment was associated with reduced survival and inflammatory alterations in the forestomach. Conclusions: None of the tested analgesic regimens fully restored animal welfare after BDL. However, tramadol provided modest advantages, suggesting it may represent the most suitable option among the tested analgesics for the BDL model. Full article

Organophosphate (OP) insecticide poisoning remains a significant world health issue. Despite attempts to reduce OP insecticide use in some countries, they continue to be used extensively in many regions, putting agricultural workers at risk of excess exposure. Furthermore, the high toxicity and ready availability of OP insecticides in agricultural settings have created an additional public health issue due to their use in attempted suicides. Tens of thousands of people are admitted to hospitals every year after intentional ingestion of OP insecticides. The standard treatment regimen for OP poisoning can prevent mortality, even in some severe cases, but these treatments do not protect the central nervous system (CNS) from excitotoxic damage, and therefore, additional neuroprotective treatments are needed. One promising treatment is the use of halogenated ether anesthetics, including isoflurane, a common anesthetic available in hospitals throughout the world. Isoflurane can be administered by inhalation using vaporizer equipment, or it can be injected intravenously as a lipid–water emulsion. In both cases, excellent neuroprotection has been observed in preclinical models, even when administered up to 1 h after the onset of OP insecticide poisoning. Prolonged administration was not necessary for neuroprotective efficacy, with administration times of only 5 min being sufficient. Including inhalational anesthetics as an adjunct to the standard treatment for OP poisoning could significantly reduce chronic morbidities, especially long-term CNS damage. Research is ongoing to bring this promising treatment to human trials. Full article

Penetration of harmful substances, such as chloride ions, is a major contributor to durability issues in concrete structures. Low permeability is critical for long-term performance, prompting the assessment and classification of concrete based on its resistance to ionic transport. However, the transport mechanisms are complicated and influenced by a range of interdependent factors including binder type, mixture proportions, specimen age, and curing conditions. There are two widely adopted test methods used for assessing chloride ion permeability: the Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT) and the Surface Resistivity Test (SRT), a non-destructive alternative. While RCPT is well-established, its long testing time as well as its high costs and sensitivity to specimen preparation limit its practicality. The SRT offers faster, more repeatable, and easier implementation. This state-of-the-art review systematically compares RCPT and SRT results across studies, revealing a strong inverse correlation with coefficients of determination (R²) from 0.85 to 0.95, as influenced by compressive strength, testing age, water-to-cement ratio, and supplementary cementitious material (SCM) type. Results showed that RCPT often has standard deviation (SD) values exceeding 300 coulombs and coefficient of variation (COV) values up to 10%, while SRT has lower variability (SD < 3 kΩ·cm and COV ≈ 5%). The review concludes that, with appropriate calibration, the SRT can reliably classify concrete permeability, closely aligning with RCPT results. However, research gaps remain regarding the applicability of existing models to less conventional SCMs and concrete types. Future research should prioritize the development of binder-specific correlations, validation using diffusion-based methods, and exploration of alternative SCMs and curing regimens to expand SRT applicability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Prussian blue (PB) is the agent of choice for internal cesium (Cs) decorporation, yet its performance is critically dependent on gastrointestinal (GI) pH and formulation attributes. Hypochlorhydria, common in patients treated with proton pump inhibitors, may alter the stagewise distribution of Cs binding during GI transit. This study aimed to compare the performance of different PB formulations in sequential in vitro models simulating normogastria and hypochlorhydria: normogastric regimen (NG) and hypochlorhydric regimen (HC). Methods: A static, enzyme-free sequential model was applied using compendial simulated fluids (SGFs pH 1.2 or acetate pH 4.0, SIF pH 6.8, and phosphate buffer pH 7.2). The formulations tested included PB active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) (bulk), compression blend, PB tablets 500 mg (PB tablets), and Radiogardase^®. For each stage, cesium bound (qs, mg/g PB), fractional contributions (fs), and total capture (qtotal) were quantified. Additional analyses included sensitivity to initial Cs concentration (C₀) and desorption in mineralized water. Results: Overall performance was primarily determined by formulation (p < 0.0001), with a significant formulation × regimen interaction. The compression blend and PB tablets exhibited the highest decorporation capacity, PB-API showed intermediate performance, and Radiogardase^® was clearly lower. Under HC, capture was concentrated in the gastric stage (44–47%), whereas in NG, it shifted toward intestinal stages. Desorption in the mineralized water was statistically significant but negligible compared with total capture, supporting the stability of cesium sequestration. Conclusions: Formulation and gastric acidity regimens not only determine the total cesium capture but also redistribute it across the GI tract. PB tablets represent an effective and accessible alternative to Radiogardase^®, maintaining robust decorporation capacity under clinically relevant pH conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fonte Essenziale^®, a mineral water rich in bicarbonate, sulfate, calcium, and magnesium, has shown potential in modulating the gut–liver axis and microbiota in hepatic steatosis. However, its long-term effects on intestinal permeability (IP), systemic inflammation (SI), and oxidative stress—key factors in Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)—remain unexplored. Methods: Eighty-seven MASLD patients were randomized into two groups: group A received Fonte Essenziale^® (400 mL/day, fasting) plus a controlled nutritional regimen for 12 months, followed by a 6-month water washout; group B followed only the controlled nutritional regimen. IP markers, SI (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), oxidative stress (dROMs/BAP), and clinical data (including Controlled Attenuation Parameter—CAP) were assessed at baseline (T0), 12 months (T12), and post-washout (T18). Baseline increased IP (in-IP) was defined by fecal zonulin > 110 ng/mL and serum LBPp > 10 µg/mL; improvement (im-IP) required normalization of both. A ≥30% CAP reduction indicated steatosis improvement. Results: Thirty-eight patients in group A and thirty-nine in group B completed the study. At T12, group A showed significant reductions in fecal zonulin (p: 0.0163) and serum LBPp (p < 0.0001), with increased occludin and claudin 1 (all p < 0.0001). Im-IP prevalence was higher in group A (p: 0.0037). Group A also showed significant reductions in IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, LPS, and dROM/BAP (all p < 0.05), especially among those with im-IP. CAP, insulin, and HDL levels improved significantly (all p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis confirmed water intake (aOR: 2.185, p: 0.001) and im-IP achievement (aHR: 1.267, p: 0.021) as predictors of steatosis improvement. Benefits persisted at T18. Conclusions: Prolonged Fonte Essenziale^® intake improved hepatic steatosis and MASLD outcomes by modulating IP, SI, and oxidative stress. This trial has been registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT07211113). Full article