Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, presents a significant challenge in global health due to the parasite's complex life cycle and its persistence in human tissues. In contrast, advances in treating Trypanosoma brucei infections, notably through the use of irreversible enzyme inhibitors like eflornithine, offer valuable insights into therapeutic strategies. This article explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can aid in identifying crucial metabolic and biochemical pathways in T. cruzi that could serve as targets for irreversible enzymatic inhibitors, drawing parallels to the successful inhibition of T. brucei’s ornithine decarboxylase. By employing AI for data mining, drug-target interaction prediction, pathway modelling, and drug repurposing, researchers can accelerate the discovery of novel treatments. We compare the biological and biochemical differences between T. cruzi and T. brucei, highlighting how AI can bridge the gap in drug discovery and offer new possibilities for Chagas disease treatment.

The colpodellids consist of free-living predatory protists phylogenetically related to pathogenic Apicomplexan parasites such as Plasmodium species, Cryptosporidium sp. and Toxoplasma gondii. Among the colpodellids, Colpodella species prey on bodonids, algae, and ciliates. Voromonas pontica preys on Percolomonas species. In the past decade, Colpodella species have been reported to cause opportunistic infections in humans and animals, and having the potential for zoonotic infections in humans due to the presence of Colpodella species in ticks. In the reported cases, transmission and pathogenic stages of Col-podella were not identified by light microscopy. In the colpodellid V. pontica, cyst stages of both the pred-ator and its prey Percolomonas cosmopolitus have not been identified by light microscopy. In this study we evaluated the dye components used for Sam-Yellowe’s trichrome staining, from different major vendors to determine the consistency and reproducibility of the staining protocol to aid the use of the staining proto-col for diagnosis. We show that although slight variations in the color of the stained cells are obtained, life cycle stages of Colpodella ATCC 50594 could be clearly identified, regardless of the vendor used. For the first time, Sam-Yellowe’s trichrome staining series, could identify cysts of V. pontica and its prey, demonstrating that the staining protocol can identify life cycle stages of other colpodellids. Sam-Yellowe's trichrome staining will aid molecular diagnosis of infections caused by colpodellids in human and ani-mals, identify colpodellids in ticks and flies and from environmental samples, when used for staining.

Pathogenicity of many bacteria including Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus depends on pore-forming toxins (PFTs), which cause lysis of host cells by forming pores in membranes of eukaryotic cells. Bioinformatic analysis revealed in over 600 PFTs a region homologous to the Lys171-Gly250 sequence in hemolysin II (HlyII) from B. cereus, which we designated as “homologous peptide”. Three β-barrel PFTs were used for a detailed comparative analysis. Two of them –HlyII and cytotoxin K2 (CytK2), – are synthesized in Bacillus cereus sensu lato; the third – S. aureus α-toxin (Hla) – is the most investigated representative of the family. Protein modeling showed certain amino acids of homologous peptide to be located on the surface of the monomeric forms of these β-barrel PFTs. We obtained monoclonal antibodies against both a cloned homologous peptide and a 14-membered synthetic peptide DSFNTFYGNQLFMK as part of homologous peptide. The HlyII, CytK2 and Hla regions recognized by the obtained antibodies, as well as an antibody capable of suppressing the hemolytic activity of CytK2, were identified in the course of the work. Antibodies capable of recognizing PFTs of various origins can be useful tools for both identification and suppression of the cytolytic activity of PFTs.

The mushroom industry generates large amounts of stems, a co-product with valuable sensory and health characteristics. This work aimed to study the influence of particle size (L — >0.510 mm; LI — 0.510-0.315 mm; SI—0.315-0.180 mm; S — <0.180 mm) and species in the characterization and antioxidant activity of flours from stems of Agaricus bisporus (ABSF) and Pleurotus ostreatus (POSF). ABSF was rich in protein (14 g/100 g), calcium (428.23-700.77 mg/100 g), and sorbitol (22.57-26.60 g/100 g), while POSF in β-glucans (36.62-40.34 g/100 g) and linoleic acid (20.57-39.86 g/100 g of lipid). Both species were flush in amino acids with umami flavor. The highest hydration properties and oil holding capacity were exhibited in the S size of both species. ABSF showed elevated values for emulsifying activity than POSF. ABSF-S recorded the heightened antioxidant capacity in vitro, in consonance with the total phenolic compounds (0.91 mg/g). However, this antioxidant assays in POSF presented a positive correlation with β-glucans content. According to these results, there could be several food applications for these co-products, such as emulsifier stabilizer, sweetener or fortifier in the development of functional food.

It is increasingly common for experiments in biology and medicine to involve large numbers of hypothesis tests. A natural graphical method for visualizing these tests is to construct a histogram from the p-values of these tests. In this article, we examine the shapes, both normal and abnormal, that these histograms can take on, as well as present simple inferential procedures that help to interpret the shapes in terms of diagnosing potential problems with the experiment. We examine potential causes of these problems in detail, and discuss potential remedies. Throughout, examples of abnormal-looking p-value histograms are provided and based on case studies involving real biological experiments.

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family, is the second-largest superfamily in plants after MYB, which plays a significant role in the physiological processes of plant growth, tissue development, and environmental variation. However, the systematized study of the bHLH transcription factor family has not yet been conducted in A. catechu. Herein, we conducted genome genome-wide investigation of AcbHLH genes located on 16 chromosomes of A. catechu. A phylogenic tree was constructed to adjudge their homology of genes, and 24 subgroups were identified. Finally, we analyzed the dynamic changes of gene-expression levels of nine AcbHLH genes in response to drought and salt in leaves and roots. The expression patterns of 9 AcbHLH genes show differences in leaves and roots. Under stress conditions induced by salt and drought, AcbHLH22, AcbHLH62 and AcbHLH45 are significantly upregulated in both leaves and roots. In conclusion, this study will substantially contribute to the foundation for exploring the role of the bHLH superfamily in A.catechu in dealing with abiotic stresses.

The rapid pace of urbanization, coupled with the growing need for environmental sustainability and technological innovation, has brought smart city initiatives to the forefront of global urban development. This paper provides a comparative analysis of smart city policies from leading cities such as Oslo, Zurich, and Canberra, and derives strategic insights for Qatar. By examining the strategies, priorities, outcomes, and challenges associated with implementing smart city initiatives in these cities, the study identifies areas of alignment and divergence with Qatar's own smart city policy framework. The research highlights potential opportunities for cross-learning and suggests how Qatar can leverage lessons from international best practices to enhance its smart city initiatives. Key areas of focus include fostering strategic partnerships, promoting innovation, and ensuring effective governance and data management systems. The findings provide actionable insights to improve the effectiveness of Qatar's smart city projects, aligning them with the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Recent studies with ApoE knockout (ApoE-/-) mice deficient for PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide) or its receptor PAC1 provide evidence for a possible involve-ment of immune- and vasoregulatoy PACAP signaling at the PAC1 receptor in atherogenesis and plaque associated vascular inflammation. Therefore, we tested the PAC1 receptor agonist Maxadilan and the PAC1 selective antagonist M65 on plaque development and lumen stenosis in the ApoE-/- atherosclerosis model for possible anti-atherogenic effects. Adult male ApoE-/- mice were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet (CED) or standard chow (SC) treat-ed with Maxadilan, M65 or Sham. Effects of treatment on atherosclerotic plaques, lumen stenosis, apoptosis and pro-inflammatory signatures were analyzed in the brachiocephalic trunk (BT). The percentage of Maxadilan treated mice exhibiting plaques under SC and CED was lower than that of Sham or M65 treatment indicating opposite effects of Maxadilan and M65. Maxadilan ap-plication inhibited lumen stenosis under SC and CED compared to Sham. In spite of significantly increased cholesterol levels, lumen stenosis of Maxadilan-treated mice was similar under CED and SC. In contrast, M65 under SC or CED did not reveal a significant influence on lumen steno-sis. Maxadilan significantly reduced the TNF-α+ area in the plaques under CED, but not under SC. In contrast, the IL-1β+ area was reduced after Maxadilan treatment under SC, but remained unchanged under CED compared to Sham. Maxadilan reduced the caspase-3+ area in the media under both SC and CED without affecting lipid content in plaques. Despite persisting hypercholesterolemia, Maxadilan reduces lumen stenosis, apoptosis and TNF-α driven inflammation. Our data suggest that Maxadilan provides atheroprotection by act-ing downstream of cholesterol-induced vascular inflammation. This implicates the potential of PAC1-specific agonist drugs against atherosclerosis even beyond statins and PCSK-9.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a significant health concern, particularly in women, with almost half of them experiencing at least one UTI in their lifetime. This problem is further compounded by the high recurrence rate within 6-12 months. Postmenopausal women are especially vulnerable to recurrent UTI due to the natural decline in estrogen levels, which alters the urogenital epithelium and subsequently affects the urogenital microbiome. Methods: This study included 674 female patients that were admited at "Dr. Carol Davila" Central Military Emergency University Hospital in Bucharest over a period of 3 years. Results: Of the 674 women with urinary tract infection, 435 (79.3%) had more than one positive culture, and 239 (35.4%) experienced at least one recurrent urinary tract infection 6-12 months after the initial diagnosis. The mean age of women with urinary tract infection was 63 (± 15.61 years). Recurrent urinary tract infections were most prevalent in those aged 65-80 years (52%). Escherichia coli was detected in 71% of the positive cultures. Conclusions: The management of recurrent urinary tract infections in women presents a complex challenge that necessitates a multifaceted approach. The emerging understanding of the urobiome and its role in bladder health offers promising avenues for developing targeted interventions. As research in this field advances, it is imperative to integrate these new insights into clinical practice to balance traditional antibiotic treatments with novel strategies that consider the intricate microbial ecosystem of the urinary tract.

Disruptions in power quality have a negative impact on many energy consumers. These include lighting, where interference manifests itself, among others, in the form of light flickering. The article presents phenomena accompanying the operation of modern light sources against the background of exemplary results of studies on the flicker of conventional light sources, such as incandescent or fluorescent lamps. To assess the effects of these phenomena, it is necessary to use measures other than those traditionally used. The results of measurements carried out in accordance with different recommendations take into account both power supply disturbances and the properties of modern light sources.

Abstract: Thermophilic fungi constitute an interesting study model for understanding ecologi-cal mechanisms of adaptation in diverse environments and have attractive toolboxes with a wide range of biotechnological applications. This work describes for the first time an endophytic and thermophilic strain of Aspergillus brasiliensis that was isolated in the crater of the active volcano "El Chichonal" in Mexico. The average temperature of the collection site was around 60 °C and the soil pH was moderately acidic. The complete genome of A. brasiliensis E_15.1 was sequenced and assembled in about 37 Mb of genomic DNA. We performed a comprehensive phylogenomic anal-ysis for the precise taxonomic identification of this species as a novel strain of Aspergillus brasil-iensis. Likewise, the predicted coding sequences were classified according to various functions including Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes), biosynthetic gene clusters of secondary metabolites (BGCs), and metabolic pathways associated with plant growth promotion. Among the functional traits identified was the degradation of chitin, chitooligosaccharides, xylan, and cellulose, as well as the biosynthesis of clavaric acid, a triterpene with antitumor activity due to its ability to inhibit Farnesyl-protein transferase. In addition to the genomic analysis, a set of en-zymatic assays confirmed the thermostability of extracellular xylanases, cellulases of A. brasili-ensis E_15.1. Our findings suggest that the enzymatic repertoire of A. brasiliensis E_15.1 has a high potential for industrial application due to its thermostability and can promote plant growth at high temperatures. Finally, this strain constitutes an interesting source of terpenoids with pharmacological activity.

Objectives. Invasive fungal spondylodiscitis (IFSD) is rare and could be lethal in certain circumstances. Previous literature revealed limited data concerning the outcomes. This study aimed to establish a risk-scoring system. Methods. A total of 53 patients were included in the study from a multi-centered database in Taiwan. All the clinicopathological and laboratory data were retrospectively analyzed. Variables strongly related to 1-year mortality were identified using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to express the performance of our IFSD scoring model. Results. Five strong predictors were included in the IFSD score: predisposing immunocompromised state, the initial presentation of either radiculopathy or myelopathy, initial laboratory findings of WBC > 12.0 or < 0.4 103/uL, hemoglobin < 8 g/dL, and evidence of candidemia. 1-year mortality rates for patients with IFSD Scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 0%, 16.7%, 56.3%, 72.7%, and 100%, respectively. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.823. Conclusions. We developed a practical scoring model with easily obtained demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters to predict the probability of 1-year mortality in patients with IFSD. However, more large-scale and international validations would be necessary before this scoring model is commonly used.

The conserved MYST proteins form the largest family of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) that acetylate lysines within the N-terminal tails of histone, enabling active gene transcription. Here, we have investigated the biological and regulatory functions of the MYST family HAT Sas3 in the opportunistic human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus using a series of genetic, biochemical, pathogenic, and transcriptomic analyses. The deletion of sas3 results in drastically reduced colony growth, asexual development, spore germination, response to stresses, and the fungal virulence. Genome-wide expression analyses have revealed that the sas3 mutant showed 2,402 significant differentially expressed genes; 1,147 up-regulated and 1,255 down-regulated. The representative up-regulated gene resulting from sas3 is hacA predicted to encode a bZIP transcription factor, whereas the UV-endonuclease UVE-1 was significantly down-regulated by sas3. Furthermore, our Western blot analyses suggest that Sas3 likely catalyzes acetylation of H3K9, K3K14, and H3K29 in A. fumigatus. In conclusion, Sas3 is associated with diverse biological processes and can be a potential target for controlling pathogenic fungi.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous, critical priority human fungal pathogen. Despite its clinical importance, there is limited knowledge regarding the variations of the genome within mitochondria, the powerhouse organelle within eukaryotic cells. In this study, we leveraged publicly available raw, whole genome sequence data from 1939 isolates to investigate the variations in the mitochondrial genomes of A. fumigatus. These isolates were isolated from 22 countries on six continents, as well as from outer space and from within the International Space Station. In total, our analysis revealed 39 mitochondrial single nucleotide polymorphisms (mtSNPs) within this global sample and together, these 39 mtSNPs grouped the 1939 isolates into 79 mitochondrial multilocus genotypes (MLGs). Among the 79 MLGs, 39 were each distributed in at least two countries and 30 were each shared by at least two continents. The two most frequent MLGs were also broadly distributed: MLG11 represented 420 isolates from 11 countries and four continents and while MLG79 represented 418 isolates from 18 countries and five continents, consistent with long-distance dispersals of mitogenomes. Our population genetic analyses of the mtSNPs revealed limited differentiation among continental populations but highly variable genetic differences among national populations, largely due to localized clonal expansions of different MLGs. Phylogenetic analysis and Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components of mtSNPs suggested the presence of at least three mitogenome clusters. Linkage disequilibrium, Index of Association, and phylogenetic incompatibility analyses collectively suggested evidence for mitogenome recombination in natural populations of A. fumigatus. In addition, sequence read depth analyses revealed an average ratio of ~20 mitogenomes per nuclear genome in this global population but the ratios varied among strains within and between certain geographic populations. Together, our results suggest evidence for organelle dynamics, genetic differentiation, recombination, and both widespread and localized clonal expansion of the mitogenomes in the global A. fumigatus population.

Endophytic fungi are a diverse group of microorganisms that colonize the inter- or intracellular spaces of plants for mutual benefits. The interactions with a host plant and other microbiomes are multidimensional and play a crucial role in the production of secondary metabolites. We screened bioactive compounds present in the extracts of Aspergillus flavus, an endophytic fungus isolated from the roots of the medicinal grass Cynodon dactylon, for its anticancer potential. Ethyl acetate extract from isolated A. flavus showed significant cytostatic effects (IC50: 16.25 μg mL−1) against breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Morphology of cells and DAPI stained nuclei along with the results of flow cytometry annexin V/PI assay suggested apoptosis to be the main process leading to cells’ death. While investigating the mechanism that triggers apoptosis, we found that the extract of A. flavus increased ROS generation and caused loss of mitochondrial membrane potential of MCF-7 cells. To identify the metabolites that might be responsible for the anticancer effect, the extract was examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Interestingly, nine phytochemicals were found to have potential inhibitory effects of anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) in the breast cancer cells. In the in silico molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies revealed that two compounds: 2,4,7-Trinitrofluorenone and 3alpha, 5alpha-Cyclo-ergosta-7,9(11),22t-triene-6beta-ol exhibited significant binding affinities (-9.20, and -9.50 Kcal mol-1, respectively) against Bcl-2 along with binding stability and intermolecular interactions of its ligand-Bcl-2 complexes. Overall, the study found that the endophytic A. flavus from C. dactylon contains plant-like bioactive compounds that have a promising effect in breast cancer.

: This Systematic Review focused on the use of Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium breve in neurodegenerative diseases. The study of metabolomics has demonstrated the relationship between dysbiosis and neuronal death. The modulation of the gut microbiota in the intervention of these pathologies has become a promising area of study, showing beneficial results such as the improvement of synaptic function, the reduction of neuroinflammation, as well as the improvement of associated neuropsychiatric symptoms. Several studies have addressed the administration of Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium breve, alone, in conjunction or in combination with other strains, in the intervention of neurodegenerative diseases. This Systematic Review includes the results of 17 research articles (n=5 in humans and n=12 in animal models) and the main result was that the use of these Bifidobacterium strains, alone, in conjunction or in combination with other strains, produced improvements in neurodegenerative disease-related symptomatology and degenerative cellular processes. However, some studies shown neutral results in certain variables. These data suggest that the use of these probiotics has a neuroprotective effect that may delay the progression of the disease. This research provides relevant and updated information on the use of these Bifidobacterium strains in neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has reemphasized the urgent need for broad-spectrum antiviral therapies. We developed a computational workflow using scRNA-Seq data to assess cellular metabolism during viral infection. With this workflow we predicted the capacity of cells to sustain SARS-CoV-2 virion production in patients and found a tissue-wide induction of metabolic pathways that support viral replication. Expanding our analysis to influenza A and dengue viruses, we identified metabolic targets and inhibitors for potential broad-45 spectrum antiviral treatment. These targets were highly enriched for known interaction partners of all analyzed viruses. Indeed, phenformin, an NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase inhibitor, suppressed SARS-CoV-2 and dengue virus replication. Atpenin A5, blocking succinate dehydrogenase, inhibited SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza A with high selectivity indices. In vivo, phenformin showed antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in a Syrian hamster model. Our work establishes host metabolism as druggable for broad-spectrum antiviral strategies, providing invaluable tools for pandemic preparedness.

Epicauta gorhami is a hypermetamorphic insect that mainly forage soybeans during the adult stage. However, the lack of appropriate references hinders our studying of the gene function in E. gorhami. In this study, refer to five computational tools (Ct value, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder), the stability of 10 housekeeping genes (GAPDH, ACT, RPL4, RPL27, α-TUB, RPS18, EF1α, RPS28, RPL13 and SOD) was assessed by RT-qPCR under three different conditions (adult ages, tissues/organs and temperatures). The findings suggested that SOD and RPS18 were the most ideal references for examine gene transcripts among diverse adult ages and at various temperatures; A pair of RPS18 and RPS28 was the most reliable genes to assess gene expressions in diverse adult tissues. Finally, The relative expression levels of EgUAP were computed after normalization RPS18 and RPS28 with across diverse adult tissues. As expected, EgUAP expression was abundant in the foregut, trachea and antenna, and low in the midgut, hindgut and epidermis. These findings will lay a solid foundation for analysing the gene expression of E. gorhami.

Mycoplasma galisepticum (MG) is one of the most significant pathogens of domestic poultry and turkeys, causing substantial economic losses, especially in the commercial poultry industry, resulting in reduced egg production and the condemnation of carcasses in Ethiopian abattoirs due to the lack of detection methods to design control strategies. The study was aimed to develop an in-house indirect ELISA kit that can detect antibodies against MG in chickens. Coated antigen was purified from a whole culture of M. galisepticum, and the protein content was estimated, followed by optimization of the antigen, serum, and conjugate dilutions. The kit was assessed with natural and experimentally prepared serum and compared with a commercial ELISA kit. This in-house indirect ELISA kit had a sensitivity of 93.7% and a specificity of 87.5% and showed no cross-reactivity with positive serum against other avian infections. The current ELISA kit is sensitive and specific and can be used for the detection of antibodies against MG in chickens.

The complex network relationship between leaf traits and their multiple traits is closely related to the environment, and is the result of interactions between various environmental factors such as climate and soil. Based on previous work, we selected 20 P. euphratica trees along the desert riparian forest of the main stream of the Tarim River for leaf sample collection and habitat survey. We used 27 leaf traits of P. euphratica to visualize the leaf trait network (LTN). Through network structure parameters, such as edge density, diameter, average path length, and average clustering coefficient, the spatial pattern of the LTN and its relationships with 11 soil factors and 19 climatic factors were discussed using principal component analysis and correlation analysis. The results showed that: (1) there were significant differences in the parameters of the leaf trait network of P. euphratica along the main stream of the Tarim River. The variation coefficients of the diameter and average path length were the largest, respectively, whereas that of the average clustering coefficient was the smallest. (2) There were both positive and negative correlations between each parameter and soil factors, such as soil water content, total potassium, and organic matter, and climatic factors, such as isothermality, minimum temperature of the coldest month, and precipitation of the wettest month. (3) The explanatory power of climate alone on the leaf traits of P. euphratica was generally higher than that of soil factors, indicating that climatic conditions play a more decisive role in shaping the network structure of leaf traits of P. euphratica. However, regarding the influence of network modularity, the contribution of soil factors was significant, indicating that the influence of soil conditions on some LTN parameters cannot be ignored.

Background: Several studies hypothesized a therapeutic role of probiotics in the management of chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) patients. Here, we assessed the effect of probiotics as an add-on treatment in patients with clinical recurrences of CBP, through gut microbiota modification analysis. Methods: This study has been planned as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial examining the efficacy and safety of consumption of probiotics containing human Lactobacillus casei DG® or placebo following 1 month-treatment with ciprofloxacin. Twenty-four patients with CBP were recruited and treated for 3 months with placebo (n. 12) or with Lactobacillus Casei DG® (n. 12). During the enrollment and follow-ups, IPSS, NIH-CPSI and SF-36 were used. Urological examinations and microbiological tests were performed to analyze the symptomatology, recurrences frequency, and gut and seminal microbiota. Results: The treatment with Lactobacillus Casei DG® induced a significantly (p&lt;0.01) faster recovery of symptoms (2 days vs. 8 days) than placebo and an increased time free from symptoms (86 days vs. 42 days) without the occurrence of adverse events. In the treatment group, the appearance of Lactobacilli after 30 days (T1) was higher in the probiotic group, and a significant reduction of Corynebacterium, Peptoniphilus, Pseudomonas, Veillonella, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus has been observed. Conclusion: These data suggest that in patients with CBP, the use of Lactobacillus casei DG after an antimicrobial treatment is safe and effective in improving the days free of symptoms and the quality of life.

The present study investigated the photoprotective effect of the ultrasonic-assisted ethanol extract (USHE) from Sargassum horneri, a brown seaweed containing fucosterol (6.22 ± 0.06 mg/g) and sulfoquinovosyl glycerolipids (C23H43O11S, C25H45O11S, C25H47O11S, C27H49O11S), against oxidative damage in ultraviolet B (UVB)-exposed HaCaT keratinocytes. USHE indicated the antioxidant activity with increasing ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging. Moreover, USHE increased cell viability by markedly reducing the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in UVB-exposed HaCaT keratinocytes. Additionally, USHE reduced the apoptosis, and sub-G1 cell population, and increased the mitochondrial membrane potential. Moreover, USHE modulated the protein expression levels of anti-apoptotic molecules (Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, and PARP), and pro-apoptotic molecules (Bax, cleaved caspase-3, p53, cleaved PARP, and cytochrome C). This modulation accorded with the upregulation of cytosolic heme oxygenase (HO)-1, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO 1), and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), collectively known as components of the antioxidant system. These findings suggest that USHE has a photoprotective effect in UVB-exposed HaCaT keratinocytes and can be utilized to develop cosmeceuticals for UVB protection.

Background/Objectives: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can infect humans and animals, causing non-invasive gastrointestinal listeriosis or invasive listeriosis. The objectives of this study were to determine: the genetic diversity of L. monocytogenes; the genes associated with the resistance to antibiotics, benzalkonium chloride (BC), and CdCl₂, and biofilm formation. Methods: Seventeen strains of L. monocytogenes isolated fresh fruits and vegetables were selected for this study. Genetic diversity and the genes associated with antibiotic resistance were determined by PCR amplification. Susceptibility to antibiotics were determined using the agar diffusion method. Resistance to BC and CdCl₂ was determined using the minimum inhibitory concentration method. Capacity for biofilm formation was evaluated using the crystal violet staining method. Results: This study demonstrates that the isolates of L. monocytogenes belong to serotypes 1/2a (29.4%) and 1/2b (70.5%). Potential hypervirulent strains containing 70.5% Listeria pathogenicity island 1 (LIPI-1-2), 17.6% (LIPI-1-3), and 11.7% (LIPI-1-4) were also identified. Antibiotic susceptibility tests show that L. monocytogenes exhibit six different multiresistant patterns with a MAR index of ³ 0.46 (70.5%); besides, the gen Ide, tetM, and msrA were detected in 52.9%, 29.4%, and 17.6%, respectively, associated with efflux pump Lde, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin resistance. Phenotypic test shows that 58.8% cadmium-resistant L. monocytogenes have a co-resistance to BC of 23.5%. Subsequently, all strains of L. monocytogenes exhibited moderate biofilm. Conclusions: This study contributes to the persistence and genetic diversity of strains L. monocytogenes isolated fresh fruits and vegetables; in addition, resistance to CdCl₂ and correlation with co-resistance to BC disinfectant used in the food industry.

Early Endosomes represent first line sorting compartments or even organelles for internalized molecules. They enable the transport of molecules or ligands to other compartments of the cell, such as lysosomes for degradation or recycle them back to the membrane by various mechanisms. Moreover, early endosomes function as signaling and scaffolding platform to initiate or prolong distinct signaling pathways. Accordingly, early endosomes have to be recognized as either part of a degradation or recycling pathway. The physical proximity of many ligand-binding receptors with other membrane bound proteins or complexes such as NADPH oxidases may result in an interaction of second messengers like reactive oxygen species (ROS) and early endosomes that promote correct recognition of individual early endosomes. In fact, redoxosomes comprise an endosomal subsection of signaling endosomes. One example of such potential interaction is epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Here we summarize recent findings on EGFR signaling as a well-studied example for receptor trafficking and trans-activation and illustrating the interplay between cellular and endosomal ROS.

Salmonella species are important foodborne pathogens worldwide. Salmonella pathogenicity is associated with multiple virulence factors and enhanced antimicrobial resistance. To determine the molecular characteristics and genetic correlations of Salmonella, 24 strains of Salmonella isolated from different sources (raw poultry, human stool, and food) in the Wenzhou area were investigated to determine the distribution of antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Aminoglycoside-resistance genes were detected in all samples. Over half of the samples found antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and point mutations for several clinically frequently used antibiotic, β-lactamases, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones. Of these strains, 62.5% were predicted to be multidrug-resistant (MDR). The quinolone-modifying enzyme gene aac(6')-Ib-cr, detected in five samples (S1–S4 and S10), were located on integrons. Analysis of Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI) profiles suggests that serotypes with close genetic relationships share the same distribution of virulence factors, revealing a link between genotype and SPI profiles. CgMLST analysis indicated that five isolates S14–S18 were closely related to strains originating from the UK, suggesting that they may have been introduced from the UK. Data from this study may enrich the molecular traceability database for Salmonella and provide a basis for effective public health policies.

The expression of the oncogene zinc-finger protein 217 (ZNF217) has been reported to play a central role in cancer development, resistance, and recurrence. Therefore, targeting ZNF217 has been proposed as a possible strategy to fight cancer, making necessary to discover novel com-pounds. The present work aims to characterize the chemopreventive properties of cucurbitacin D , a compound with a broad range of anticancer effectsin relation to the ZNF217 expression. Different cucurbitacins were isolated from the Vietnamese plant Elaeocarpus hainanensis. The purified compounds were tested on nucleophosmin-mutated acute myeloid leukemia and other hematology cancer to study their effects on viability, apoptosis, cell cycle and on the expression of ZNF217. Cucurbitacin D reduced the number of acute myeloid leukemia cells by increasing apoptosis and blocking cell cycle progression. It also significantly decreased ZNF217 expression but only in the OCI-AML3 Nucleophosmin-mutated cell line, but not in other hematologic cancers. The reduction in ZNF217 expression contributed significantly to the blocking of cell cycle progression but not to apoptosis as established by the silencing of the same gene. The obtained results suggest Cucurbitacin D as a promising molecule to target the mutated Nu-cleophosmin or its pathway in acute myeloid leukemia cells, although further studies are needed for in depth investigatiion of its specificity.

Background and Objectives: Most of the research of the BRCA1 inactivation is focused on monoallelic germline alterations and loss of heterozygosity in tumour. The aim of this study was to identify characteristic transcriptomic pattern of monoallelic somatic BRCA1 inactivation and estimate its impact to the event-free breast cancer survival prognosis. Materials and Methods: We conducted global transcriptome sequencing of breast cancer tissue samples to identify differentially expressed genes and signalling pathways associated with monoallelic somatic BRCA1 inactivation. The study group involved 36 patient samples categorized based on BRCA1 inactivation status. Subsequently, the differential gene expression and Kaplan-Meier analyses in the groups with and without monoallelic somatic BRCA1 inactivation were performed. Results: Kaplan-Meier analysis showed tendency for longer event-free survival in patients with monoallelic somatic BRCA1 inactivation, suggesting somatic BRCA1 inactivation is favourable prognostic. Differential gene expression analysis followed by the STRING tool enrichment analysis showed significant enrichment of proteins in the extracellular region and extracellular space. Conclusion: In this study we identified transcriptomic profile of differentially expressed genes TPSD1, FABP4, CARTPT and MMP9 as indicative for homologous recombination impaired tumours with tendency for better therapy results.

Background: Patients with mutations in the monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) suffer from Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS), characterized by developmental delay and a highly disabling movement disorder. Despite the potential of thyroid hormone derivatives to overcome the transporter defect, current trials did not achieve patient-oriented therapeutic goals. Objectives: Since most neurological symptoms are related to the dopaminergic system, we investigated the role of dopamine and its metabolites in MCT8 deficiency with regard to pathophysiology and potential therapeutic strategies in an observational cohort study. Methods: We present longitudinal data from the DEEPTYPE registry of ten patients with video-documentation, standardized phenotyping, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, treatment response to levodopa/carbidopa supplementation, and neuroimaging data. To establish a cell-based model for pathophysiological studies, we differentiated healthy human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into dopaminergic neurons. Results: Children presented with signs of parkinsonism in childhood, including hypokinesia, hypomimia, inability to sit or stand, rigidity, dystonia, and autonomic dysfunction along the classification of Leuzzi and colleagues. Cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid concentrations were decreased (n=11), suggesting isolated dopamine pathway impairment. Six out of seven patients responded favorably to levodopa/carbidopa supplementation and we did not see any adverse drug reactions. Our cell-based studies showed that hiPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons expressed MCT8 and produced quantifiable levels of biogenic amines. Conclusions: Parkinsonism is part of AHDS's clinical presentation and may be amenable to treatment. The precise impact of MCT8 deficiency on the dopamine metabolism needs to be further elucidated, e.g. by using patient iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons in future studies.

Obesity looms large in the contemporary health landscape, extending its impact beyond physical appearance to influencing overall well-being. This slow intruder subtly weaves its influence through society, affecting individual health and presenting a significant public health dilemma. Beyond the visible weight gain, a web of interconnected health issues emerges, from cardiovascular complications to metabolic disorders, casting a pervasive shadow over the pursuit of a healthy, fulfilling life. In response to the escalating prevalence of obesity and its associated health complexities, there is a growing interest in swift weight management medications. However, current pharmacotherapies targeting crucial weight management pathways often fall short due to substantial side effects outweighing their benefits. Recently, plant extracts have emerged as potential regulators of lipid metabolism and obesity by influencing gut microbiota composition and abundance. This comprehensive review takes deep dive into the potential roles of Salvia spp. phytochemicals as health-promoting agents, with a specific focus on the anti-obesity properties of Salvia spp. by compiling a wealth of in-vitro, in-vivo and clinical studies. Drawing from the latest research, we unravel the potential of Salvia spp. by shedding light on their underlying mechanisms intertwined with gut microbiota dynamics. As scientific inquiry progresses, unraveling the intricate interplay between plant extracts, gut microbiota, and metabolic health holds tremendous promise for addressing the escalating global burden of obesity. This review is a humble attempt to provide a valuable synthesis of current knowledge, so as to pave the way for future advancements in pursuit of effective anti-obesity strategies for clinical interventions.

The antimicrobial resistance to clinically approved antibiotics is rapidly increasing worldwide. Staphylococcus aureus is a critical contributor to deaths associated with antibiotic resistance. In this regard, the search for natural compounds is quite active, that alone or in combination with other agents can be effective as new antibacterial agents. The antibacterial activity of essential oils has presented an increasing interest during the last years and was effective even on multidrug-resistant strains. The present study aims to investigate the interaction effects of oregano essential oil (OEO) with some conventional antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus tested by agar methods. For this purpose, we selected S. aureus ATCC 29213 and five clinical isolates representative of the species. The essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis of the Oregano essential oil revealed the main component to be carvacrol (81,20%). Concentration 2.5% (v/v) OEO was combined with drugs proposed by EUCAST, 2024, specifically penicillin, cefoxitin, erythromycin, gentamycin and tetracycline. The research results showed that the combination of OEO with penicillin, cefoxitin, erythromycin, and tetracycline enhanced the antimicrobial activity of the antibiotics against S. aureus in almost all cases. The area of suppression remained identical (but not smaller) in the unaffected cases. When comparing the effects of the GEN-OEO combination and GEN against most S. aureus strains, a decrease in antimicrobial activity was reported by the diffusion agar method.

In order to explore the effect of Wickerhamomyces on the production of flavor compounds in Xiaoqu Baijiu, this study examined the correlation between the fungal communities in Xiaoqu and ester compounds. It was hypothesized that Wickerhamomyces contributes to the aroma of Xiaoqu. Enhanced fermentation methods were used to validate the role of Wickerhamomyces in Xiaoqu Baijiu brewing. Compared to traditional Xiaoqu, enhanced fermentation significantly increased the acidity of fermented grains and starch utilization rate (P<0.05). The fungal communities in fermented grains were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing technology. The dominant fungi in both control and test groups were Saccharomyces, Cyberlindnera, Rhizopus, and Meyerozyma, with Wickerhamomyces replacing Saccharomymycopsis in the enhanced group. Flavor compounds in the fermentation experiments were analyzed, revealing that ethyl acetate content in Xiaoqu Baijiu increased by 949.94 mg/L in the test group, while isoamyl alcohol decreased by 23.62 mg/L and isobutanol decreased by 34.81 mg/L. Functional prediction analysis using PICRUSt2 confirmed a higher relative abundance of enzymes involved in ethyl acetate metabolism and a lower relative abundance of enzymes involved in higher alcohol metabolism in the test group. These findings demonstrate that Wickerhamomyces enhances ethyl acetate production and reduces higher alcohols during Xiaoqu Baijiu brewing, offering a theoretical foundation for enhancing the quality of Xiaoqu Baijiu.

Bicarbonate and CO2 are essential substrates for carboxylation reactions in bacterial central metabolism. In Staphylococcus aureus, the bicarbonate transporter, MpsABC (membrane potential-generating system) is the only carbon concentrating system. A mpsABC deletion mutant can hardly grow in ambient air. In this study, we investigated the changes that occur in S. aureus when it suffers from CO2/bicarbonate deficiency. Electron microscopy revealed that mpsABC has a twofold thicker cell wall thickness compared to the parent strain. The mutant was also substantially inert to cell lysis induced by lysostaphin and the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100. Mass spectrometry analysis of muropeptides revealed the incorporation of alanine into the pentaglycine interpeptide bridge, which explains the mutant’s lysostaphin resistance. Flow cytometry analysis of wall teichoic acid (WTA) glycosylation patterns revealed a significantly lower -glycosylated and higher ß-glycosylated WTA, explaining the mutant’s increased resistance towards Triton X-100. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed altered gene expression profiles. Autolysin-encoding genes such as sceD, a lytic transglycosylase encoding gene, were upregulated, while genes related to cell wall-anchored proteins, secreted proteins, transporters, and toxins were downregulated. Overall, we demonstrate that bicarbonate deficiency is a stress response that causes changes in cell wall composition and global gene expression resulting in increased resilience to cell wall lytic enzymes and detergents.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health problem. The human gut microbiome is implicated in the dynamics of antibiotic resistance acquisition and transmission, with the gut microbiota thought to play a crucial role. This study aimed to determine the potential influence of human gut bacteria microbiota on the gut resistome and the relationship between gut background microbiota and Escherichia coli resistome. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines was used to systematically review studies that characterised gut microbiota and resistome using metagenomic analysis and/or those that reported gut E. coli resistome in healthy individuals. Changes in the diversity and abundance of bacterial gut microbiota and the resistome across different groups and the microbiota composition of the gut harbouring antibiotic-resistant E. coli were summarised. Findings suggest that lower bacterial microbiota diversity is likely associated with an increased abundance of the overall gut resistome. Age-related differences were observed, with younger infants exhibiting lower microbiota diversity and higher ARG abundance compared to older infants and adults. Studies that reported correlation revealed positive correlations between the compositional relative abundance of Proteobacteria and ARGs abundance, mainly driven by members within the Enterobacteriaceae family, particularly E. coli. This study also revealed that human gut microbiome studies that investigate gut resistome using metagenomic sequencing approaches in apparently healthy individuals are at least uncommon.

The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, poses a significant threat to global agricultural products. Although pheromone-based technologies show promise for P. interpunctella management, limitations like single-sex targeting necessitate exploring complementary strategies. Vegetable-based oils represent a potential alternative, but their efficacy, sex-specificity, and interaction with sex pheromones remain unclear. To answer these questions, we first examined attraction of P. interpunctella female and male adults to ten different vegetable oils, i.e., camellia, corn, olive, peanut, rapeseed, sesame, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and a blended oil (mixture of sunflower seed, rapeseed, soybean, peanut, and sesame oils), in the semi-field conditions. Sesame, olive, and blended oils demonstrated most attractive, capturing significantly more adults compared to other oils. We then evaluated effectiveness of these three attractive oils and their combinations with P. interpunctella sex pheromone in a grain warehouse. Traps baited with these oils captured significantly more females and males compared to control traps without attractants. However, sex pheromone addition did not improve male capture and significantly reduced female capture, suggesting an inhibitory effect. Our findings highlight the potential of blended, olive, or sesame oil trap alone as alternative monitoring and trapping tools for P. interpunctella, delivering novel insights into the development of efficient integrated pest management strategies for stored products.

Transformative education significantly advances society's growth as an essential doorway to fresh language learning chances. It equips people to succeed in a complicated world by encouraging critical thinking, inclusivity, social responsibility, lifelong learning, and international collaboration. Adopting transformative education can result in a more inventive, sustainable, and equal society where everyone can realize their potential and advance society's interests as educational systems change. This paper aims to gather literature regarding how transformative education becomes a door toward new learning opportunities in societal development especially language. Transformative education may produce a generation of knowledgeable, sympathetic, and proactive students who can bring about constructive social change by prioritizing holistic development. Hence, educators should work to foster a learning atmosphere where all students feel supported and respected. Through integrating social justice ideals into the educational process, transformative education equips students to act as change agents and advocates for equity both within and outside their communities.

The role that aquatic aerosols might play in inter-ecosystem exchange in freshwater riparian environments has largely been understudied. In these environments, where freshwater streams are used both as drinking water and for treated waste disposal, water features like waterfalls, downed trees, and increased streamflow can serve as bioaerosol producers. Such water features could have an important role in the bacterial colonization of surrounding surfaces, including the riparian phyllosphere. In this study, we explore the influence of a freshwater stream’s bacterial community composition and micropollution on riparian maple leaves exposed to bioaerosols produced from the stream. Using culture-based and non-culture-based techniques, we compared phylloplane microbial communities in riparian zones, adjacent non-riparian forested zones, and the surface waters of the stream. In this system, riparian zone maple leaf surfaces had higher bacterial counts than non-riparian zone trees. Using metagenomic profiling of the 16S rRNA gene, we found that, while microbial communities on leaves in both riparian zone and forested sites were diverse, riparian zone bacterial communities were significantly more diverse. In addition, we found that riparian leaf bacterial communities shared more amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) with stream bacterial communities than forest leaves, indicating that the riparian zone phyllosphere is likely influenced by bioaerosols produced from water surfaces.

Inflorescence architecture underpins sexual reproduction in wild Musa species and productivity in edible banana cultivars. In a functional analysis we identified the apical inflorescence and lateral ‘cushion’ meristems and the change in flower type as the three primary components of inflorescence architecture. Five genotypes of two clone-sets of edible plantains (Musa AAB), were grown for four generations along an elevation gradient (1100 m to 2200 m, 16°C to 24°C) straddling the equator in the humid highlands of East Africa. The data consisted of peduncle length at harvest, fruit per hand (Fh) and hands per bunch (Hb). The activity of the apical inflorescence meristem drives peduncle length and lateral ‘cushion’ meristems determine fruit per hand. However, Hb is determined by a change in flower type – from fruit-forming to non-fruit forming. Site temperature affected Hb more than Fh, while development of the genet (rhizome) changed the allocation of resources between Hb and Fh, independently of the effect of site temperature. Clone-sets differed in their response to genet development. Cooler temperatures reduced the number of fruit-forming flowers in an inflorescence and changed the balance away from female towards male flowers. In banana breeding schemes, manipulating inflorescence components independently raises options for producing genotypes better suited to markets, environments, and cultural practices.

Literature circles create an interactive and participatory learning atmosphere that greatly increases student participation in the classroom. Through literature circles, students can exchange ideas and gain knowledge from one another in a nurturing learning atmosphere. Students feel more at ease taking chances and voicing their opinions in the classroom when there is a strong sense of community among the students. This research study used a narrative literature review as a qualitative method. Relevant literature in this review showed that literature circles can increase students' reading passion and enthusiasm. Students are more likely to be engaged when they can select their own reading materials and facilitate discussions. Thus, by implementing literature circles, teachers may create a more engaging and encouraging learning environment in the classroom, which will ultimately improve student performance and foster a deeper understanding of literature.

Mutualism between insects and symbiotic bacteria drives insect evolution, and insecticide resistance is affected by symbiotic bacteria, increasing the complexity of pest resistance. This study evaluated the sublethal and transgenerational effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide nitenpyram on the population dynamics of Acyrthosiphon gossypii and measured its impact on the symbiotic bacterial community. The results showed that LC20 (2.49 mg·L−1) of nitenpyram significantly reduced the fecundity and lifespan of the parent G0 generation of A. gossypii, and had similar inhibitory effects on its G1 and G2 generations. Compared with those of control group, the population parameters λ (finite rate of increase), R0 (net reproductive rate), and r (intrinsic increase rate) of G1 and G2 were significantly reduced, but mean generation time (T) was increased. Nitenpyram treatment affected the biological traits of A. gossypii, and also changed the relative abundance of Buchnera and Sphingomonas in three consecutive generations G0-G2. Under nitenpyram treatment, the relative abundance of Buchnera decreased in G0, while that of Sphingomonas increased. The relative abundance of Buchnera increased in G1 and G2, but that of Sphingomonas decreased. Our findings may provide a new perspective for evaluating the potential effects of pesticides on aphids.

Buruli ulcer is a chronic ulcerative disease of skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Although Australian possums are known to be susceptible to Buruli ulcer, many aspects of the disease in possums, including welfare impacts, remain largely unreported. Severe clinical Buruli ulcer was identified in four common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) from Melbourne, Victoria. All four possums were euthanised due to welfare concerns and poor prognosis, based on the presence of deep ulcerative lesions to paws, some of which exposed carpal or tarsal bones. These lesions were considered likely to cause partial or complete loss of limb function, which would severely affect the welfare and survival of these wild arboreal animals. Histologically, there was severe ulcerative necrotising pyogranulomatous dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis, with intralesional acid-fast bacteria. M. ulcerans was detected by real-time PCR in all swabs and biological tissues collected from all four cases. Buruli ulcer may be an important and under-recognised cause of poor possum welfare in endemic areas. In addition to severe cutaneous lesions, infection extends to underlying bones and joints, and the systemic distribution of M. ulcerans throughout all major tissues and internal organs, as observed in these four cases, may further impact the health and fitness of infected possums. Further research is needed to investigate the epidemiology, pathogenesis and impacts of Buruli ulcer in possums, and to inform the design of interventions that may protect the health and welfare of possums and other affected animal species.

Enhancing the Efficiency of Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Extraction and Fractionation Trains: An Integrated Approach of Simulation Analysis, Advanced Modifications, and Technological Advancements. Through comprehensive research, innovative solutions such as the heat pump aided distillation (HPAD) system and self-heat recuperation technology (SHRT) have been developed to significantly reduce the energy consumption associated with conventional distillation systems. To identify a practical system for NGL fractionation trains, this study extensively examined and compared various HPAD and SHRT options to retrofit a single column. The objective was to find the most suitable and efficient solution for the fractionation process of natural gas liquids (NGLs). The retrofit options analyzed in this study encompassed a range of techniques, including vapor compression (VC), mechanical vapor re-compression (MVR), thermal vapor re-compression (TVR), bottom flashing (BF), side heat exchanger (SHE), intermediate heating and cooling (IHC), self-heat recuperative (SHR), and modified self-heat recuperative (MSHR) distillation. These methods were carefully examined to determine their suitability and effectiveness in improving the performance of NGL fractionation trains.In this study, a depropanizer column, typically employed in conventional NGL plants, was selected as a case study. The simulation software Aspen HYSYS V7.3 was employed to model and analyze eight retrofit designs based on predefined criteria. The simulation data was carefully evaluated to identify the most efficient design for minimizing energy consumption. Among the retrofit options, the mechanical vapor re-compression (MVR) technique demonstrated the most significant energy cost reduction, with a remarkable 68.11 percent improvement compared to the base case conventional column. These findings highlight the potential of MVR as an effective solution for lowering energy costs in NGL fractionation trains.Following the MVR retrofit option, the study found that vapor compression (VC) achieved a considerable energy cost reduction of 66.65 percent, closely followed by modified self-heat recuperative (MSHR) at 64.02 percent, bottom flashing (BF) at 62.88 percent, self-heat recuperative (SHR) at 55.85 percent, side heat exchanger (SHE) at 54.23 percent, intermediate heating and cooling (IHC) at 39.54 percent, and thermal vapor re-compression (TVR) also at 39.54 percent. These findings highlight the significant potential for energy savings offered by these retrofit options, with VC being the most popular choice, closely followed by MSHR, BF, SHR, SHE, IHC, and TVR.

Human fungal pathogen Candida albicans causes oral infectious diseases such as oral thrush in immunocompromised patients with hyposalivation, diabetes mellitus, prolonged use of anti-biotics or immunosuppressive medicines and poor oral hygiene. An anti-fungal medication classified as a BCS class II drug, Clotrimazole has high permeability and low solubility in water. It is commercially available as lozenges, which do not uniformly distribute the drug within saliva for local therapy. This results in higher dose frequency and lower patient compliance. Therefore, in this study we proposed a niosomal based subgingival film formulation of clotrimazole for enhancing drug efficacy by improving drug solubilization capacity and improving patient compliance by prolonging the release of drug at the targeted site and reducing the dose frequency to show effective anti-fungal activity. The prepared niosomal film showed good entrapment efficiency and anti-fungal activity. Niosomal film showed better release pattern than drug loaded film.

Lipofuscin is indigestible garbage that accumulates in the autophagic vesicles and cytosol of post-mitotic cells with age. Drs. Brunk and Terman postulated that lipofuscin accumulation is the main or at least a major driving factor in aging. They even posited that the evolution of memory is the reason why we get lipofuscin at all, as stable synaptic connections must be maintained over time, meaning that the somas of neurons must also remain in the same locale. In other words, they cannot dilute out their garbage over time through cell division. Mechanistically, their position certainly makes sense given that rendering a large percentage of a post-mitotic cell’s lysosomes useless must almost certainly negatively affect that cell and the surrounding microenvironment. Here, I explore the possibility that the accumulation of lipofuscin may to some extent exacerbate every other kind of age-related damage. I do not think that lipofuscin removal will reverse/prevent all forms of aging, just the major component facing us currently. In this piece, I will review what is known about lipofuscin accumulation from evolutionary and mechanistic standpoints and discuss a method of removing it from single cells in vitro.

Currently, obesity is a critical global public health burden. Numerous studies have demonstrated the regulation of the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic abnormalities by the gut microbiota and microbial factors; however, their involvement in the various degrees of obesity is not yet understood well. Previously, obesity has been shown to be associated with decreased levels of vitamin B12. Considering exclusive microbial production of vitamin B12, we hypothesised that a decrease in cobalamin levels in obese individuals may be at least partially caused by its depleted production in the intestinal tract by the commensal microbiota. In the present study, our aim was to estimate the abundance of enzymes and metabolic pathways for vitamin B12 synthesis in the gut microbiota of mouse models of alimentary and genetically determined obesity, to evaluate the contribution of the obesogenic microbiome to vitamin B12 synthesis in the gut. We have defined a significantly lower representation of enzymes and metabolic pathways for vitamin B12 biosynthesis in obese mice compared to non-obese mice, wherein enzyme depletion was more pronounced in lepr(-/-) (db/db) mice, which developed severe obesity. The representation of enzymes involved in cobalamin synthesis is strongly correlated with representation of several microbes in high-fat diet fed mice, whereas there were almost no correlations in db/db mice. Therefore, the degree of obesity and the composition of the correspondent microbiota are the main contributors to the representation of genes and pathways for cobalamin biosynthesis in the mouse gut.

Naturally fermented dairy products are an important component of the human diet. They are a valuable source of nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals. Their importance as a source of probiotic bacterial strains should not be overlooked. A number of studies highlights the positive effects of species of the Lactobacillacea on the intestinal microbiota, the overall homeostasis of the body, as well as a complementary treatment for some diseases. However, data on the effects on intestinal epithelial cells of postmetabolites released by bacteria are incomplete. This is likely due to the fact that these effects are species and strain specific. In the present study, we investigated the effects of postmetabolites produced by a pre-selected candidate probiotic strain Limosilactobacillus fermentum on HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells. Our data showed a pronounced proliferative effect, evaluated by flow cytometry, quantification of cell population, and determination of mitotic index. This was accompanied by stabilization of the cell monolayer, measured by increase of TEER (trans epithelial electric resistance) and reorganization of actin filaments. The data obtained are a clear indication of the positive effects, that the products secreted by L. fermentum strain 53 have on the intestinal epithelial cells.

Sunflower is one of the oil crops and its planting areas was listed behind Soybean, peanut and rapeseeds in China. It will encounter different kind of diseases during planting, thus limited the seeds yield. Fusarium species are the major threat to different crops nowadays, it is very important to identify the species caused diseases on different hosts, so that the potential control measures may be explored. In Inner mongolia, Sunflower Disk Rot (SDR) was found in different sunflower planting field, the average infection ratio around 8.50%, typically in some verieties, its infection ratio reach to 11.67%. The diseased receptacle were collected from different locations and Koch’s postulate was conducted. The results showed that Fusarium verticillioides was the main causal agent caused SDR. Fungicide toxicity tests shown that Fludioxonil and Flutolanil were screened out from six fungicides for controlling F. verticillioides, with EC50 values of 0.05 µg/mL (R = 0.9825) and 0.96 µg/mL (R = 0.9964) , respectively. This is the first report of SDR caused by F. verticillioides, and it will alert sunflower reseachers to include SDR in the disease list, so as to control sunflower diseases with integrated management strategy successfully.

The genome sequencing of Botrytis cinerea has supplied a general overview of the map of genes involved in secondary metabolite synthesis. B. cinerea genomic data have revealed that this phytopathogenic fungus has seven sesquiterpene cyclase (Bcstc) genes that encode proteins involved in the farnesyl diphosphate cyclization. Three sesquiterpene cyclases (BcStc1, BcStc5 and BcStc7) have been characterized, related to the biosynthesis of botrydial, abscisic acid and (+)-4-epi-eremophilenol, respectively. However, the role of the other four sesquiterpene cyclases (BcStc2, BcStc3, BcStc4 and BcStc6) remains unknown. BcStc3 is a well-conserved protein with homologues in many fungal species, and here, we have undertaken its functional characterization in the life cycle of the fungus. A null mutant ΔBcstc3 and an overexpressed–Bcstc3 transformant (OvBcstc3) were generated, and both strains show deregulation of those other sesquiterpene cyclase-encoding genes (Bcstc1, Bcstc5, Bcstc7). These results suggest a co-regulation of the expression of the sesquiterpene cyclase gene family in B. cinerea. Phenotypic characterization of both transformants revealed that BcStc3 is involved in oxidative stress tolerance, production of reactive oxygen species and virulence. The metabolomic analysis allowed the isolation of characteristic polyketides and eremophilenols from the secondary metabolism of B. cinerea, although no sesquiterpenes different from those already described were identified.

Drosophila melanogaster serves as a important research model both for genetic investigations and for the study of metal toxicity, facilitating the elucidation of physiological mechanisms comparable to those of human organisms. In our research, we evaluated the toxicity effect resulting from exposure to various concentrations of lead and copper on the prolificity rates throughout the life cycle (egg-adult) of four genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster: wild-type (control), white, brown, and white-vestigial. During our study, the prolificity rates were examined across three repetitions under the impact of exposure to concentrations of 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, and 4.00 mM of copper (CuSO₄) and lead (Pb(C₂H₃O₂₎₂). Prolificity rates throughout the life cycle exhibited variations as a direct consequence of genetic factors, the concentration of exposure, and the specific type of metal, either copper or lead. The mutant white-vestigial genotype revealed an IC₅₀ concentration for prolificity inhibition at lower doses of 2.00 mM for copper and 4.00 mM for lead, in contrast to the control genotype (wild-type), which exhibited an inhibition concentration rate >IC₅₀ of 4.00 mM only in the case of copper. Our results concluded that the (i) dose influences the prolificity rate in a directly proportional manner, (ii) comparative analyses between copper and lead revealed that copper displayed toxicity across all genotypes within the concentration range of 0.50 mM to 2.00 mM. In contrast, lead exhibited toxicity within the concentration range of 1.00 mM to 4.00 mM, highlighting a (iii) more acute toxicity characteristic in the case of copper. Thus, the results of this research reflect the importance of using Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic model in the comparative study of the interaction between genetic factors and the toxicity of metals, offering significant insights into monitoring their impact and defining the maximum permissible doses on organisms.

Since 2015, the invasive alga Rugulopteryx okamurae has triggered the most serious marine macrophyte invasion in Europe. The removal of its huge coastal biomass generates health problems, strong odors, impact on tourism and high clean-up costs. As a circular economy strategy we propose composting with native terrestrial isopods that has not been previously tested. Therefore, specimens of Porcellio laevis were captured in urban parks and kept for 5 years in terrariums with adequate humidity and temperature control. A sample of 150 adult specimens was divided into six batches of 25 animals. Three batches were fed with organic household waste (control) and three with a 50% diet of waste and algae (treatment). P. laevis consumed up to 1.5 times their weight per day on the algae diet with little or no weight loss, but there was high mortality in both mancas and adults. However, the results are promising and we propose to encourage research with isopods because of their great voracity, high prolificacy and rusticity for the recycling of invasive algae. It should be explored in further work what percentage of R.okamurae avoids mortality by the diterpenes of the algae.

Taeniid infections pose a significant threat to both animal and public health, as certain tapeworms within this group can also infect humans, potentially leading to severe health conditions. Therefore, this calls for preventive and control measures, such as regular deworming of dogs. While the efficacy of deworming has been established in developed countries, there is a paucity of reported deworming practices in rural areas of developing countries, such as Tanzania. This study aims to understand determinants for helminth treatment-seeking behavior towards control of cestodial taeniid infections in rural settings in northern Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in agropastoral and pastoral areas of northern Tanzania. Comprehensive data from household surveys in selected sub-villages were collected to ascertain dog ownership, dog deworming practices, and the availability of dewormers. Analytical methods were employed to discern how various determinants influenced deworming practices among dog owners in these communities. Awareness of dewormers specifically formulated for dogs emerged as a pivotal factor affecting dog deworming practices. Dog owners who were informed about appropriate dog dewormers were nearly two times more likely to engage in deworming compared to those with limited knowledge (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.77 - 4.18, p < 0.001). A majority 32(51.6%, 95% CI: 38.7-64.3) acknowledged accessing dewormers for livestock within their wards. Praziquantel a potent dewormer on cestodes was least known to most dog owners 2(13%, 95% CI: 2.3-41.6). Praziquantel, a potent and common dewormer effective against cestodial taeniid infections, remains relatively unknown in rural areas of northern Tanzania. Therefore, more awareness on appropriate deworming agents against taeniids in dogs should be raised in rural dog-keeping communities.

Abstract: Community forests are being promoted in Togo as an alternative to the degradation of protected areas and as a means of restoring forest landscapes. The present study is carried out within Kouampante Community Forest (KCF) in Ogaro (Togo, West Africa). It intends to contribute to the sustainable management of KCF. Specially, it aims at: (i) mapping forest ecosystems and analysing their dynamic and (ii) characterising the floristic diversity of the KCF. Forest ecosytems are mapped and their dynamic evaluated based on Google Earth images of 2010 and 2020. The floristic and silvicultural analyses are based on inventories carried out in 13 plots of 1,000 m² each. The KCF is made up mainly by tree/shrub savannahs (58.73%) and croplands/fallow (41.27%) in 2010. These two land use types have undergone changes over the period. In 2020, the KCF had two land use types: tree/shrub savannahs (84.30%) and croplands/fallows (15.70%). The flora census consisted of 59 species grouped in 6 families. The most important plant species are Detarium microcarpum and Vitellaria paradoxa. The Fabaceae were the most abundant and diversified families, followed by the Combretaceae. The demographic structure showed a high abundance of individuals with small diameter and height. This indicates the possibility of a rapid restoration of the native vegetation. Protecting the forest from anthropogenic threats could be crucial for achieving the desired objective.

Enterococci are widely acknowledged as prominent pathogens in hospitals, with the potential to transfer resistance genes, virulence factors, or other characteristics that increase their ability to survive in humans. Healthy cattle, sheep, and goats can be reservoirs for gastrointestinal pathogenic fecal enterococci, some of which could be multidrug-resistant to antimicrobials. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and diversity of Enterococcus species in healthy sheep, goat, and cattle carcasses, as well as to analyze the antimicrobial resistance phenotype/genotype and the virulence gene content. During 2019–2020, carcass surface samples of 150 ruminants were collected in a slaughterhouse. A total of 90 enterococci, comprising 5 species, were obtained. The overall prevalence of enterococci was found to be 60%, out of which 37.7% were identified as E. hirae, 33.3% as E. casseliflavus, 15.5% as E. faecium, 12.2% as E. faecalis, and 1.1% as E. gallinarum. Virulence-associated genes of efaA (12.2%) were commonly observed in the Enterococcus isolates, followed by gelE (3.3%), asaI (3.3%), and ace (2.2%). Characteristic resistance genes were identified by PCR with an incidence of 6.6%, 2.2%, 1.1%, 1.1%, 1.1%, and 1.1% for the tetM, ermB, ermA, aac(6’)Ie-aph(2")-la VanC1, and VanC2 genes, respectively. The high resistance to quinupristin-dalfopristin (28.8%), tetracycline (21.1%), ampisilin (20%), and rifampin (15.5%) was distributed among two, four, four, and five of the five species, respectively. The resistance of Enterococcus isolates to 11 antibiotic groups was determined and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains occupied 18.8% of the Enterococcus isolates. Efflux pump genes causing multidrug resistance were detected in Enterococcus isolates (34.4%). The study's results showed that there were enterococci in the slaughterhouse that were multidrug resistant (MDR) and had a number of genes linked to virulence that could be harmful to human health.

The application of numerical simulation methods for studying vertical-axis wind turbines offers significant advantages over conventional horizontal-axis wind turbines regarding wind energy utilisation, start-up wind speed, and environmental impact. This paper aims to investigate and establish the aerodynamic design performance of asymmetrical (NACA 4412) airfoils used in the application of vertical-axis wind turbines. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation uses Ansys software based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The aerodynamic parameters (pressure and velocity) are evaluated and compared within a range of angles of attack (AoA) 5-12 degrees at a fixed Reynolds number, as is a usual condition for wind turbine application. The lift coefficient (Cl), drag coefficient (Cd), and Cl/Cd ratio are obtained within the range AoA for the asymmetrical airfoils, and the performances have been predicted using the potential flow panel and CFD methods. This study suggests that while Xfoil may not be as precise as computational fluid dynamics (CFD), its predicted lift and drag coefficients generally align with experimental results. These help us to understand the best air-foil selection in a wind turbine application and predict its optimum AoA at which it performs at its best.

Toxic runoff from heavy rains on 26 September 2019 caused a complete fish kill on the 2-km-long headwater reach of Garvin Brook, Winona County, Minnesota, USA. This project examined recovery of the slimy sculpin (Uranidea cognata) population within the lower 900 m of the kill zone, comparing relative abundance estimates and size structures between the kill zone and a downstream, unimpacted reference section. Electrofishing surveys were conducted at 24 sites (12 within both kill and reference zones) at six, 11, 18, 28, and 42 months post-kill to assess relative abundance (catch-per-effort [CPE], fish/min) and population age structures (based on total length). At six months post-kill, sculpin were present throughout the kill zone. However, adult CPE declined significantly with upstream distance, suggestive of on-going immigration of adult sculpin from downstream. Age structures were similar in kill and reference zones with all size/age groups present in both zones after six months, while CPE was twice as high in the reference (6.3 fish/min) versus the kill zone (3.0 fish/min). After 11 months, CPE did not differ between zones (14 fish/min) and remained that way for the remainder of the study. However, age structures differed dramatically between zones at both 11 and 18 months post-kill; adult sculpin were significantly more abundant in the reference zone, whereas juvenile fish dominated the kill zone. By 28 months post-kill, both sculpin abundance and age structure within the kill zone had fully recovered from the kill. Sculpin recovery was accomplished mostly through enhanced reproduction within the kill zone following initial post-kill movements of both adult and juvenile fish into the kill zone from downstream. Low predation on juvenile sculpin due to reduced abundance of trout and adult sculpin post-kill likely allowed more rapid recovery of the sculpin population within the kill zone.

The 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) is the most important volatile in determining the aroma of fragrant rice, however, the transcriptional regulation mechanism of 2-AP biosynthesis in fragrant rice is still unclear. In this study, the Osp5cs1 knockout mutant lines and OsP5CS1 over-expression lines were constructed by genetic transformation of indica rice cultivar i.e., ‘Zhonghua11’, which was knocked out OsBADH2 to produce fragrance in aromatic rice. The OsP5CS1 gene was also identified as a key gene in the 2-AP biosynthesis pathway of aromatic rice. The OsP5CS1 promoter was used as bait, and the transcription factor OsbZIP60-like was screened by yeast one-hybrid assays. The transcription factor OsbZIP60-like specifically bound to the OsP5CS1 gene. The dual luciferase reporting system found that OsbZIP60-like transcription factor promoted the transcriptional activation of OsP5CS1. Compared with the wild type, the OsP5CS1 gene expression was significantly down-regulated in Osbzip60-like mutant, and resulted in substantial reduction in 2-AP biosynthesis. Moreover, the OsP5CS1 gene expression was significantly up-regulated in OsbZIP60-like over-expressed plants, and the 2-AP concentrations were also increased whereas the Osbzip60-like mutants were found to be sensitive to Zn deficiency. Overall, the OsbZIP60-like transcription factor promoted the 2-AP accumulation. This study provides a theoretical basis for the transcriptional regulation mechanism of 2-AP biosynthesis and explores the function of OsbZIP transcription factor in fragrant rice.

Three new compounds (1, 11 and 12), together with 32 known ones, were isolated from the root bark of Morus alba L. using various chromatographic methods. The structures of the undescribed compounds were elucidated based on 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS data analysis, while the known ones were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. All the isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against human gastric cancer HGC27 cells by CCK-8 assay. Among them, compounds 5, 8, 10 and 30 exhibited cytotoxic activities on HGC27 cells with IC50 values of 10.24 ± 0.89 μM, 28.94 ± 0.72 μM, 6.08 ± 0.34 μM and 33.76 ± 2.64 μM, respectively. Furthermore, compound 10 was confirmed to reduce proliferation ability, increase apoptosis rate and inhibit cell migration pathway by annexin V/PI double staining experiment, transwell experiment and western blot analysis.

Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite with the ability to infect various warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans, is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. This infection poses significant risks, leading to severe complications in immunocompromised individuals and potentially affecting the fetus through congenital transmission. A comprehensive understanding of the intricate molecular interactions between T. gondii and its host is pivotal for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. This review emphasizes the crucial role of proteomics in T. gondii research, with a specific focus on host-parasite interactions, post-translational modifications (PTMs), PTM crosstalk, and ongoing efforts in drug discovery. Additionally, we provide an overview of recent advancements in proteomics techniques, encompassing interactome sample preparation methods such as BioID, APEX, and Y2H, as well as various proteomics approaches, including single-cell analysis, DIA, targeted, top-down, and plasma proteomics. Furthermore, we discuss the integration of proteomics with other omics technologies, highlighting its potential in unraveling the intricate mechanisms of T. gondii pathogenesis and identifying novel therapeutic targets.

Presence of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) in the outer layer of outer membranes (OMs) is an almost universal molecular signature of Gram-negative bacteria. The O-antigen or O-polysaccharide (OPS) chains attach to millions of LPS molecule to form a continuous layer on the surface of most of Escherichia coli strains. OPS structure is one of the most variable features of bacteria, with about 200 E. coli O-serotypes currently described. In this review a analyze accumulating evidence suggesting that a vast majority of these OPS types provide robust shields that restrict the access of large molecules to the OM surface. Sophisticated mechanisms employed by bacteriophages to penetrate the OPS barrier are also considered. These are initiated with specific recognition of OPS molecules by phage receptor-binding proteins (RBP), or of other cell-surface molecules that are exposed above the OPS layer. Only after can virions gain access to secondary receptors found closer to the OM surface. The mechanisms of breaking through OPS in most if not all cases appear to rely on mechanical force generated by molecular motors of processive depolymerization or deacetylation of cell surface polysaccharides by enzymatically active RBPs, or by internal rearrangement of the virion.

Helium is a strategic rare gas resource related to national security and the development of high-tech industries, the high-quality development of helium industry chains has a great significance to improve the security of helium resource. This paper through literature and market research, summarizes the progress of helium resource endowmen, exploration and development, supply and demand pattern, trade market and industrial technology, equipment through literature and market research in the world, analyses the development situation of global helium resources industry chains. This study proposes the development status and challenges of China's helium industry and the corresponding development path of helium industry based on the upstream, midstream, downstream and downstream indicators. Most of the countries in the world have not started helium exploration or remain in low exploration level, but the exploration practice shows that global helium resource potential is considerable; helium exploration and development subjects become diversified in recent years, which may change the global helium supply and demand pattern; The helium reservoir forming theory and exploration and development technology are underdeveloped, and the helium extraction equipment is continuously improved; The global helium production capacity, supply and demand，trade pattern market would be profoundly changing. For a long time, the United States has had an absolute say in the global helium trade system, the contradiction between supply and demand would persist for a long time and significant price fluctuations. China's helium development challenges and opportunities coexist considering the global helium industry chain existing pattern and the new trend of development. There is an urgent need to build an independent and controllable , stable and resilient helium industrial chain, and provide helium resources guarantee for the development of high-tech industries.

Objective: The aim of this review was to identify newly discovered bacteria from individuals with periodontal/peri-implant diseases and organize them in new clusters (GF-MoR complexes) to update Socransky’s complexes (1998). Methods: The focus question was developed based on the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) strategy: “In patients with periodontal and/or peri-implant disease, what bacteria (microorganisms) were detected through laboratory assays?” The search strategy was applied to PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and Embase. The search keyterms, combined with Boolean markers, were: (1) bacteria, (2) microbiome, (3) microorganisms, (4) biofilm, (5) niche, (6) native bacteria, (7) gingivitis), (8) periodontitis, (9) peri-implant mucositis, and (10) peri-implantitis. The search was restricted to 1998–2024 and English language. The bacteria groups in the oral cavity obtained/found were retrieved and were included in the GF-MoR complexes which were based on the disease/condition, presenting six groups: (1) Health, (2) Gingivitis, (3) Peri-implant mucositis, (4) Periodontitis, (5) Peri-implantitis, and (6) Necrotizing and Molar-Incisor (M-O) pattern Periodontitis. The percentual found per group refers to the number of times a specific bacterium was found associated with a particular disease. Results: A total of 381 articles were found; 162 articles were eligible for full-text reading (k=0.92); 9 articles were excluded with justification, and 153 were included in this review (k=0.98). Most of the studies reported results for Health condition, Periodontitis, and Peri-implantitis (3 out of 6 GF-MoR clusters), limiting the number of bacteria found in the other groups. Therefore, it is essential to understand that bacterial colonization is a dynamic process, and the bacteria present in one group can also be present in other one or others, such as observed with the bacteria found in all groups (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannarela forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans) (GF-MoR’s red Triangle); the second most observed bacteria were grouped at GF-MoR’s blue Triangle: Porphyromonas spp., Prevotela spp., and Treponema spp., present in 5 of the six groups; and the third most detected bacteria were clustered in the grey Polygon (GF-MoR’s grey Polygon): Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Campylobacter rectus, and Eikenella corrodens. These three geometric shapes had the most relevant bacteria for periodontal and peri-implant diseases. Specifically, per group, GF-MoR’s Health had 58 species; GF-MoR’s Gingivitis presented 16 bacteria; the GF-MoR’s Peri-implant mucositis included 17 bacteria; GF-MoR’s Periodontitis group had 101 different bacteria; GF-MoR’s Peri-implantitis presented 61 bacteria; and the last group was a combination of Necrotizing diseases and Molar-Incisor (M-I) pattern Periodontitis, with seven bacteria. Observing the top seven bacteria of all groups, all were gram-negative; Groups 4 and 5 (Periodontitis and Peri-implantitis) presented the same top seven bacteria. Conclusion: For the first time in the literature, GF-MoR’s complexes are presented, gathering the bacteria according to the condition found and including more bacteria than Socransky’s complexes. On this understanding, this study can drive future research into treatment options for periodontal and peri-implant diseases, guiding future studies and collaborating to prevent and worsen systemic conditions. Moreover, it permits the debate about the evolution of the bacterial clusters correlated to periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions.

The proliferation of cloud computing has given rise to challenges in security that established perimeter-based models cannot easily adapt to. The new buzzword Zero Trust, which is based on the principle of "never trust, always verify," has been looked up as one of the promising solutions. Is Zero Trust a certainty or pie in the sky for security in the cloud? This is discussed further in this paper. This philosophical approach leads us through the earlier work and scientific literature available on the subject, presenting Zero Trust's capabilities, advantages when introduced into cloud security architecture, and obstacles about its incorporation. The study finds that Zero Trust holds the potential to enhance cloud security significantly, but it is no silver bullet and demands careful implementation and further studies to understand its intricacies as well as pitfalls.

Insurance companies need to calculate solvency capital requirements in order to ensure that they can meet their future obligations to policyholders and beneficiaries. The solvency capital requirement is a risk management tool essential for, when extreme catastrophic events occur, resulting in a high number of possibly interdependent claims. This paper studies the problem of aggregating the risks coming from several insurance business lines and analyses the effect of reinsurance in the level of risk. Our starting point is to use a Hierarchical Risk Aggregation method, which was initially based on 2-dimensional elliptical copulas. We then propose the use of copulas from the Archimedean family and a mixture of different copulas. Our results show that a mixture of copulas can provide a better fit to the data than an individual copula and consequently avoid over or underestimating of the capital requirement of an insurance company. We also investigate the significance of reinsurance in reducing the insurance company’s business risk and its effect on diversification. The results show that reinsurance does not always reduce the level of risk, but can also reduce the effect of diversification for insurance companies with multiple business lines.

The primary goal of Theory of Everything (ToE) is to unify General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, establishing a theoretical framework that explains all natural phenomena and fundamental laws of the universe. The rapid development of artificial intelligence in the 21st century presents new opportunities for the establishment of TOE. Research has revealed that the observer and the agent, as key concepts in physics and intelligence science respectively, share intrinsic consistency. Using this as a breakthrough point, we first proposed Standard Agent Model, which, from the perspective of information processing, establishes a unified structure for agents. This model posits that any agent possesses five essential capabilities: input, output, storage, creation, and control of these four capabilities.By setting the values of these five essential capabilities in Standard Agent Model to either zero or infinity, we identify two extreme states of agents: Absolute Zero Agent (α Point) and Omniscient and Omnipotent Agent (Ω Point). Based on the evolution of agents towards these two extreme states, we derive two driving forces for agent evolution: α Gravity and Ω Gravity. These elements collectively form General Model of Agent Evolution.Building on the first two models, we further derive Intelligent Universe Evolution Model, proposing that Universe, as an agent, evolves dynamically between α Point and Ω Point under the influence of α Field and Ω Field. These three models together constitute "Theory of Universal Intelligent Evolution," abbreviated as Ω Theory. According to Ω Theory, we demonstrate that the observer in physics and a wide range of research objects can be unified within the framework of Standard Agent Model. Additionally, we argue that the four fundamental forces have the potential to be unified into α Gravity and Ω Gravity.Within the framework of Ω Theory, through theoretical analysis and experimental validation, it has been demonstrated that the differences between classical mechanics, relativity, and quantum mechanics stem from the varying intelligence levels assigned to observers. Furthermore, it has been discovered that the differences in intelligent characteristics between the theoretical Universe proposed by these three major physical theories and Universe in which humanity currently resides are the root cause of the varying precision and limitations of these theories.

As the global economy pays increasing attention to sustainable development and environmental protection, the role of green finance in promoting regional technological innovation is becoming more and more prominent. This study aims to analyse the impact of green finance on regional technological innovation and its mechanism of action, with special attention to the mediating effect of R&D inputs and the moderating role of regional characteristics. By analysing the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2021 with fixed and mediated effect models, the results show that green finance significantly promotes regional technological innovation. R&D investment intensity partially mediates this effect, while regional innovation and entrepreneurship capacity plays a significant moderating role in this relationship. Specifically, regional innovation and entrepreneurship capacity reinforces the positive impact of green finance on R&D investment, but the marginal effect of R&D investment is reduced in regions with stronger innovation and entrepreneurship capacity. The findings provide a theoretical basis for formulating relevant policies to promote green finance development and sustainable innovation in regional economies.

Here, we describe the bicomplex (p,q)- Fibonacci numbers and the bicomplex (p,q)- Fibonacci quaternions that are based on these numbers and give some of their equations, including the Binet formula, generating function, Catalan, Cassini, d’Ocagne’s identities, and some summation formulas for both of them. Finally, we create a matrix for bicomplex (p,q)- Fibonacci quaternions, and we obtain a determinant of a special matrix that gives the terms of that quaternion.

In this paper, some convexity properties and some inequalities for the (p,k)-analogue of the Gamma function, Г_p,k(x) are given. In particular, a (p,k)-analogue of the celebrated Bohr-Mollerup theorem is given. Furthermore, a (p,k)-analogue of the Riemann zeta function, ζ_p,k(x) is introduced and some associated inequalities are derived. The established results provide the (p,k)-generalizations of some known results concerning the classical Gamma function.

The epidemiology of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) is currently changing, driven by aggressive immunosuppressive therapy, leading to an expanded spectrum of patients at risk of IFIs. Aspergillosis is a leading cause of IFIs, which usually affects immunocompromised patients. There is a limited number of antifungal medications available for treating IFIs and their effectiveness is often hindered by rising resistance rates and practical limitations. Consequently, new antifungals, especially those with novel mechanisms of action, have become increasingly required. This study assessed the activity of four novel antifungal agents with different mechanisms of activity: manogepix, rezafungin, ibrexafungerp, and olorofim against 100 isolates of Aspergillus section Terrei, containing amphotericin B (AmB) wildtypes/non-wildtypes and azole-susceptible/-resistant strains, according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) method. In general, all tested agents showed potent and consistent activity against tested isolates, exhibiting a geometric mean (GM) and minimum effective concentration (MEC)/minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) range respectively as follows: manogepix (0.048 mg/L, 0.032-0.5 mg/L), rezafungin (0.020 mg/L, 0.016-0.5 mg/L), ibrexafungerp (0.071 mg/L, 0.032-2 mg/L), and olorofim (0.008 mg/L, 0.008-0.032 mg/L). In terms of MIC90/MEC90, olorofim had the lowest values (0.008 mg/L), followed by rezafungin (0.032 mg/L), manogepix (0.125 mg/L), and ibrexafungerp (0.25 mg/L). All antifungals tested demonstrated promising in vitro activity against Aspergillus section Terrei, including A. terreus and cryptic species that were azole-resistant and AmB non-wildtype.

The hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene from Escherichia coli and the pyrithiamine resistance gene from Aspergillus oryzae are two dominant selectable marker genes widely used to genetically manipulate several fungal species. Despite the recent development of CRISPR/Cas9 and marker-free systems, in vitro molecular tools to study Aspergillus fumigatus, a saprophytic fungus causing life threatening diseases in immunocompromised hosts, still rely extensively on the use of dominant selectable markers. The limited number of drug selectable markers is already a critical aspect, but the possibility that their introduction into a microorganism could induce enhanced virulence or undesired effects on metabolic behavior, constitutes another problem. In this context, here we demonstrate that the use of ptrA in A. fumigatus leads to secretion of a compound that allows recovery of thiamine auxotrophy. In this study we developed a simple modification of the two commonly used dominant markers in which the development of resistance can be controlled by the xylose-inducible promoter PxylP from Penicillium chrysogenum. This strategy provides an easy solution to avoid undesired side effects since the marker expression can be readily silenced when not required.

A saprophytic soil fungus, Aspergillus flavus, produces aflatoxin (toxigenic strains) in the kernels of corn (Zea mays L.) and seeds of many other crops. Many strains of A. flavus do not produce toxigenic aflatoxin, and soil application of these atoxigenic strains is a suppressive control tactic to assist in controlling toxigenic conspecifics. Effects of atoxigenic A. flavus applications on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and other bees are unknown, and basic information on bee occurrences in corn fields treated with and without this biological pesticide is needed to inform integrated pest management in corn. Fields with atoxigenic A. flavus applications were compared to nearby control fields in three counties in corn production regions in eastern Texas. In each corn field, twenty bee bowl traps were deployed along four equal transects located between corn rows, with contents of the bowls (i.e. bees) retrieved after 24 hours. Eleven bee genera from four families were collected from corn fields, with only two honey bees collected and zero honey bees observed in transects. The sweat bee genus Agapostemon (primarily composed of the Texas-striped sweat bee A. texanus) was most abundant in corn fields (44% of the total number of bees collected) followed by long-horned bees (Melissodes spp., 24%). The southernmost county (i.e. San Patricio) produced over 80% of the total number of bees collected. Bee communities occurring in corn production fields with applications of atoxigenic A. flavus applications were not significantly different from nearby control fields. While little is known of bee resource use in corn production systems in Texas, the abundant yet variable bee communities across latitudes in this study suggests a need to investigate the influence of farming practices on bee resources in regional corn production systems.

We introduce the notion of p-adic equiangular lines and derive the first fundamental relation between common angle, dimension of the space and the number of lines. More precisely, we show that if {τj} n j=1 is p-adic γ-equiangular lines in Qd p , then (1) |n| 2 ≤ |d| max{|n|, γ2 }. We call Inequality (1) as the p-adic van Lint-Seidel relative bound. We believe that this complements fundamental van Lint-Seidel [Indag. Math., 1966] relative bound for equiangular lines in the p-adic case. Keywords: Equiangular lines, p-adic Hilbert space.

This article presents a proposed system that enables energy transfer from the dc grid to a single-phase onboard grid, operating at an hi frequency. In addition to the energy transfer function, it additionally enables compensation of reactive power in the ac grid when the converter operates at less than rated power. To operate in compensator mode, it is necessary to decouple the current from the grid into active and reactive components and control them independently. To achieve good dynamics, synchronizers that operate in the dq system are used. In the case of a single-phase grid, it requires such a synchronizer to generate virtual quadrature signals. The used systems based on second-order generalized integrator are good, but to improve dynamics in the work a quadrature generator based on trigonometric calculations was proposed. The developed system was implemented in a proportional resonant current control system. Tests performed in steady state and in dynamic states related to typical grid disturbances showed better dynamic properties than the standard integrator-based system.Keywords: power transfer; compensator; P+R controller

Arc sensors have been used in seam tracking and widely studied since the 80s; commercial arc sensing products for T and V shaped grooves have been developed. However, it is difficult to use these arc sensors in narrow gap welding because arc stability and sensing accuracy are not satisfactory. Pulse gas melting arc welding (P-GMAW) has been successfully applied in narrow gap welding and all position welding processes, so it is worthwhile to research P-GMAW arc sensing technology. In this paper, we derived a linear mathematical P-GMAW model for arc sensing, and the assumptions for the model are verified through experiments and finite element methods. Finally, the linear characteristics of the mathematical model were investigated. In torch height changing experiments, uphill experiments, and groove angle changing experiments the P-GMAW arc signals all satisfied the linear rules. In addition, the faster the welding speed, the higher the arc signal sensitivities; the smaller the groove angle, the greater the arc sensitivities. The arc signal variation rate needs to be modified according to the welding power, groove angles, and swing or rotate speed.

Pardosa pseudoannulata is one of the most common wandering spiders in agricultural fields and a potentially good bioindicator for heavy metal contamination. However, little is known about the mechanism by which spiders respond to heavy metals at the molecular level. In this study, high-throughput transcriptome sequencing was employed to characterize the de novo transcriptome of the spiders and to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after cadmium exposure. We obtained 60,489 assembled unigenes, 18,773 of which were annotated in the public databases. Ultimately, 3450 cDNA simple sequence repeats were identified and validated as potential molecular markers in the unigenes. A total of 2939, 2491 and 3759 DEGs were detected among the three libraries of two Cd-treated groups and the control. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that metabolism processes and digestive system function were predominately enriched in response to Cd stress. At the cellular and molecular levels, significantly enriched pathways in lysosomes and phagosomes as well as replication, recombination and repair demonstrated that oxidative damage resulted from Cd exposure. Based on the selected DEGs, certain critical genes involved in defence and detoxification were analysed. These results may elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying spiders' responses to heavy metal stress.

The natural compounds PSK and PSP have antitumor and immunostimulant properties. These pharmacological benefits have been documented in vitro and in vivo, although there is not information in silico which describes the action mechanisms at molecular level. In this study, the inverse docking method was used to identify the interactions of PSK and PSP with two local databases: BPAT with 66 antitumor proteins, and BPSIC with 138 surfaces and intracellular proteins. This led to the identification interactions and coincidences of PSK and AB680 inhibitor in the active site of CD73. It was also found that PSK bonds to CD59 interacting with amino acids APS22 and PHE23, which coincide with the rlLYd4 internalization inhibitor. With the isoform of K-RAS protein, PSK bonded to the TYR32 amino acid at switch 1, while with BAK it bonded to the region of the α1 helix, while PSP bonded to the activation site and the C-terminal and N-terminal ends of that helix. In Bcl-2, PSK interacted at the binding site of the Venetoclax inhibitor, showing coincidences with amino acids ASP111, VAL133, LEU137, MET115, PHE112, and TYR108; while PSP had coincidences with THR132, VAL133, LEU137, GLN118, MET115, APS111, PHE112, and PHE104.

Terpenoids are crucial secondary metabolites found in plants, essential for numerous physiological functions such as defense strategies, signal communication, and adaptation to environmental stresses. The enzymes referred to as Terpene Synthases (TPS) play crucial roles in the production of these compounds, fulfilling an essential role throughout the entire biosynthetic pathway.Despite their importance, systematic studies on the TPS genome in Physcomitrium patens (P. patens) remain inadequate. This research offers an extensive bioinformatics evaluation of the TPS genes in P. patens, aiming to clarify their possible functions in plant development, growth, and responses to stress. Preliminary examinations were conducted on the physicochemical characteristics, secondary protein structures, subcellular distribution, and genetic configurations of the TPS genes in P. patens. Initial analyses were performed on the physicochemical properties, protein secondary structures, subcellular localization, and gene structures of the TPS genes in P. patens. The findings demonstrate that TPS family members are dispersed across six chromosomes, with ten TPS family members identified. Analysis of conserved motifs revealed that the PpTPS members exhibit high sequence conservation, suggesting that these enzymes maintain stable structural characteristics during terpene synthesis. Further examination of evolutionary pressures indicated that TPS family members are predominantly subjected to purifying selection, which helps preserve the structural stability of TPS enzymes. Furthermore, an analysis of cis-acting elements indicated that TPS genes might respond to various factors, including light, plant hormones, tissue development, and environmental stressors. This suggests that TPS genes could be vital in managing how plants adapt to changes in their environment. Tissue expression profiling revealed that TPS family members have significant functions across various developmental stages and tissues. This is demonstrated by qRT-PCR analyses, indicating that the expression of the PpTPS gene is influenced by abscisic acid (ABA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), sodium chloride (NaCl), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The findings suggest that the PpTPS genes could play an essential role in the functional development of plant leaves and in their responses to abiotic stress.In summary, this research presents a comprehensive examination of the TPS family members in P. patens, yielding important perspectives on the functions of the PpTPS7 and PpTPS8 genes in the development of leaves and responses to abiotic stress.The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of TPS genes and present new perspectives and strategies for the enhancement and application of P. patens.

Characterization of fungal spider pathogens lags far behind their insect counterparts. In addition, little to nothing is known concerning ecological reservoir and/or fungal entomopathogen community surrounding infection sites. Five infected spider cadavers were identified in the neo-tropical climate of north central Florida, US, from three of which viable cultures could be obtained. Multilocus molecular phylogenetic and morphological characteristics identified one isolate as a new species of Gibellula, named, G. floridensis, and the other two as isolates of Parengyodontium album. To examine the insect fungal community sampling of different habitats/trophic levels including soil, leaf litter, leaf, and twig from the surrounding area of the infection sites were collected and analyzed by ITS amplicon sequencing. These data revealed broad but differential distribution of entomopathogenic fungi between habitats and some variation between sites, with members of genera Metarhizium and Metacordyceps from Clavicipitaceae, Purpureocillium and Polycephalomyces from Ophiocordyceps, and Akanthomyces and Simplicillium from Cordycipitaceae, predominating. However, no sequences corresponding to Gibellula or Parengyodontium, even at the genera levels could be detected. Potential explanations for these findings are discussed. These data highlight novel discovery of fungal spider pathogens and open the broader question regarding the environmental distribution and ecological niches of such host specific pathogens.

FER zeolites has a unique framework structure and acid distribution, and is widely studied as a catalyst for reactions such as n-butene skeletal isomerization and dimethyl ether carbonylation. The BAS located in the 10-MR of FER zeolites serves as the active site for the isomerization reaction of n-butene skeletal to produce isobutene. In contrast, the acid site found in the 8-MR is prone to side reactions, such as polymerization and cracking, which can adversely affect the selectivity of isobutene. This study prepared five types of FER zeolites using different method, inducing Na-form or H-form crystal seeds without organic structure directing agents (OSDAS), using pyridine alone as a template, and combining the seeds with pyridine. The differences in the structure and acid distribution of the five zeolites were investigated, as well as their catalytic performance for the the skeletal isomerization of n-Butene. Experiments and characterization results showed that under hydrothermal synthesis conditions, the FER-PY+SH zeolites synthesized by using both H-form zeolites seeds and pyridine exhibited the highest aluminum concentrations at T1 and T3 positions, along with the greatest BAS of 10-MR. This unique composition contributed to the highest selectivity of isobutene. The FER-PY+SH catalyst was continuously used for 720 hours at 350 ℃, 0.1 MPa, and n-butene mass space velocity of 2.0 h^-1 for three recycles on 2160 h. During this period, the conversion of n-butene over 39%, while the selectivity of isobutene exceeded 95%.The catalyst exhibited excellent stability and activity.

The risk of a fatal outcome was 41% in unvaccinated patients (p = 0.713), which increased by 2.66% with co-infection with two pathogens (p = 0.342) and by 26% with three pathogens (p = 0.005). Additionally, 50% of ICU patients had a triple infection, compared with only 1.3% in the inpatient unit (p = 0.0029). The risk of death and/or ICU admission was 12 times higher (p = 0.042) with an additional pathogen and increased by 95% (p = 0.003) with a third concomitant pathogen. Regular multiplex testing is important for prompt treatment and targeted antibiotic use.

Background/Objectives Gastroparesis, a chronic digestive disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying, often results from diabetes, post-surgical complications, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. In approximately 50% of cases, the cause is idiopathic gastroparesis (IGD). Recent studies suggest a link between chronic enteroviral infections and persistent gas-trointestinal symptoms, including delayed gastric emptying. This study investigates the effects of a silydianin-rich extract from Silybum marianum seeds on enteroviral infections in vitro and the mitigation of delayed gastric emptying in mice. Silydianin, a key bioactive compound known for its liver-protective and antioxidant properties, has not been extensively studied for its impact on enteroviral infections and gastroparesis; Methods NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C, and DEPT) identi-fied silydianin as the primary compound, with minor flavonolignans and trace amounts of an oxidation product. The study assessed the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the extract at various stages of the viral life cycle, including virucidal activity, cell protection, and post-infection effects, using neutral red assays in RD cells, with results confirmed by real-time PCR. The viruses studied included Coxsackievirus B2, Coxsackievirus A10, Poliovirus SL-1, and Enterovirus EV71. The impact on delayed gastric emptying was evaluated in a mouse model of gastroparesis using doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg compared to a control; Results: The silydianin-rich extract exhibited con-sistent antiviral activity, with the highest selectivity index (SI) for EV71 (4.08) during virucidal activity. It provided moderate cell protection, with EC50 values ranging from 120.88 to 186.10 µg/mL and SI values from 2.20 to 3.39. Post-infection treatment showed varying efficacy, with Coxsackie A10 demonstrating the highest SI (3.90). In vivo, the extract at 200 mg/kg significantly improved gastric emptying to 96.47% and slightly increased gastrointestinal transit from 50.33% to 61.46%; Conclusions These results suggest that silydianin may be effective in treating enteroviral infections and enhancing intestinal function, making it a promising candidate for gastroparesis treatment and warranting further research.

This study aimed to analyze the population dynamics of the mite Varroa destructor in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in a temperate semi-arid climate in Mexico. Ten colonies homogeneous in population, food stores, and levels of mite infestation, were used. The mite infestation rate in brood and adult bees, total number of mites, daily mite fall, brood and adult bee population, and food stores, were determined periodically for 10 months. There was a significant effect (P &lt;0.05) of sampling period on the population of V. destructor in adult bees, brood, total mite population, and daily fallen mites. The total mite population increased 26% on average per colony. The increase in brood amount reduced the mite infestation rate in adult bees, and the opposite occurred when the brood decreased. Monitoring V. destructor populations by recording fallen mites is more reliable than determining mite infestation rates in bees, as mite fall has a dynamic pattern similar to that of the total mite population. The best period to apply an acaricide treatment in the region of study is between November and December because most mites were in the phoretic phase, since there was less brood in the colonies compared to other times.

Background/Objectives: This literature review, on occasion of the reported case report, explores the complex interplay between gabapentin (GBP), a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients undergoing major surgical procedures. It specifically investigates the potential impact of GBP on cortisol levels, stress responses, and infection risk, illustrated by a detailed clinical case. Methods: This review combines a comprehensive literature search with a case report of a 17-year-old male with osteosarcoma who experienced transient adrenal insufficiency and infections while receiving GBP. The case is analyzed in the context of existing literature on GBP and the HPA axis. Results: The findings highlight the intricate relationship between GBP use, adrenal insufficiency, and infection susceptibility. It underscores the need for further research and clinical vigilance when prescribing GBP to patients with underlying medical conditions, particularly in the context of major surgical procedures. The review underscores the need for further research and clinical vigilance when prescribing GBP, particularly in perioperative settings. Conclusions: GBP’s effects on the HPA axis and immune responses are complex and multifaceted. Clinicians should exercise caution when prescribing GBP, especially for patients with underlying conditions undergoing major surgery. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of GBP's influence on cortisol levels and stress responses.

Capulus danieli, a distinct member of Capulidae, exhibits a unique ecological behaviour by attaching and drilling onto the pecten, distinguishing itself from other gastropods. Herein, we present the first characterisation of the mitochondrial genome of Capulus danieli. The results showed that the genome spans 15600 base pairs, with an A + T content of 71.12% and a G + C content of 28.88%. Within this genetic makeup, we identified 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close evolutionary relationship between Capulus danieli and members of the Ficoidea superfamily. The divergence time estimation suggested that Capulus danieli diverged approximately 52.29 million years ago. These findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary history and genetic architecture of Capulus danieli, shedding light on its unique ecological adaptations to the marine environment.

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic human pathogen and a leading cause of bloodstream infections. It can acquire different antibiotic resistance genes, leading to treatment failure. Aim: We elaborate on the genomic characteristics; antibiotic resistance, virulence, pathogenicity, phylogenomics and clonal diversity of S. aureus implicated in bloodstream infections. Six multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. aureus, three methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and three methicillin-sensitive S. aureus obtained from blood cultures underwent whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. All isolates carried different permutations and combinations of resistance genes including, blaZ, mecA, aac(6')-aph (2''), ant(9)-Ia, ant(6)-Ia, mepR, fosB, norA, norC, lmrS, arlS, arlR, mgrA, kdpD and sdrM. We found 6 spa types (t9475, t355, t045, t1265, t1257, and t7888) with varying profiles of virulence genes responsible for immune invasion, enterotoxins, adhesion/biofilm, haemolysins, and leukotoxins. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (Luk-PV) was found in one MSSA isolate. Two SCCmec types IVd(2B) and I(1B) were identified. Isolates belonged to four multilocus sequence types (MLSTs), the most common of which was ST5 (n=3). The STs were clustered into two clonal complexes CC5 and CC8. We found two MRSA clones typed as ST5-CC5-t045-SCCmec_I(1B), and the human-associated MRSA endemic clone ST612-CC8-t1257-SCCmec_IVd(2B). The insertion sequences IS30 and IS6 associated with virulence were found in two isolates. The presence of virulent MDR S. aureus in bloodstream infections poses a clinical concern because of limited treatment options and increased risk of mortality.

A feeding study was conducted to evaluate the different diets supplemented with vitamin solution effect on broodstock reproduction, growth performances, and the survival rates of larvae and fry of Pangasius catfish during over-spawning season. The experiment of broodstock cultivation was set up as a diet supplement design with six different diets consisting of vitamin solution, each diet fed to triplicate groups of fish, the stocking density of 10 broodstock fish (07 females and 03 males) per hapa net. Fish larvae and fry were reared in the hatchery for 45 days after hatching to evaluate growth performances and survival rates of fish fingerling. The growth and reproductive performances of breeders fed with different test diets showed that there were differences among the six tested diets (P < 0.05). The highest final body weight (FBW), weight gain (WG), daily weight gain (DWG), specific growth rate (SGR) of broodstock and survival rate of Pangasius fingerlings were found in Treatment 5, which contained 0.6% H-OVN for Pangasius Broodstock mixed with 12.6% algal oil and Treatment 3, which contained 0.6% vitamin premix H-OVN for Pangasius Broodstock compared to other Treatments. With these test diets, the Gonadosomatic index (GSI), relative fecundity index (RFI), fertilized egg, hatching rates of eggs, and survival rate of fingerling ranged between a 6.7–12.8%, 104,267–199,512 eggs/kg, 62.2–93.6%, 43.5–76.2%, and 45.3–66.3%, respectively (P < 0.05). The findings of this study showed that the diet containing 35% CP contents supplemented with 0.6% vitamin premix H-OVN mixed with algal oils showed the highest results in terms of growth, reproductive performance indices, and survival rates of Pangasius catfish fingerling.

Porcine pleuropneumonia (PPP) is one of the main causes leading to massive losses in the pig industry, with high economic impacts. Among different etiological agents, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) is responsible for severe fibrinous-necrotizing pleuropneumonia. A total of 19 different APP serotypes are currently recognized. This study aimed to identify APP serotypes isolated from pneumonic lesions in naturally infected and dead pigs in the Piedmont Region and to describe lesions. A total of 107 dead pigs with a suspected PPP diagnosis were included in this study. Lungs were evaluated using gross pathology scoring systems, APP isolation and serotypes identification by multiplex PCR were conducted. Gross lung lesions were mainly represented by fibrinous pneumonia and pleuropneumonia. APP was isolated in 21/107 (19.6%) samples. On the contrary, PCR indicated APP DNA presence in 53/107 (49.5%) of lung samples. The most observed serotypes were serotype 2 in 24/53 (45.3%) and serotype 6 in 13/53 (24.5%) samples. Moreover, multiplex PCR results suggested a coinfection of different serotypes in 5 samples. This study highlights the relevance of the different techniques application (i.e. bacteriological culture, PCR, gross and histopathology) for improving the identification of APP infections.

Hydroalcoholic extracts from Malbec and Torrontés wine pomace (Vitis vinifera L.) originating from the high-altitude vineyards of Argentina's Calchaquí Valleys were characterized. Total phenolics, hydroxycinnamic acids, orthodiphenols, anthocyanins, non-flavonoid phenolics, total flavonoids, flavones/flavonols, flavanones/dihydroflavonols, and tannins were quanti-fied through spectrophotometric methods, with Malbec extract exhibiting higher concentra-tions in most of phytochemical groups when compared to Torrontés. HPLC-DAD identified more than 30 phenolic compounds in both extracts. Malbec displayed superior antiradical ac-tivity (ABTS cation, nitric oxide, and superoxide anion radicals), reduction power (iron, copper and phosphomolybdenum), hypochlorite scavenging, and iron chelating ability, compara-tively to Torrontés. The cytotoxicity assessments revealed that Torrontés affected the viability of HT29-MTX and Caco-2 colon cancer cells by 70% and 50%, respectively, at the highest tested concentration (1 mg/mL). At the same time, both extracts did not demonstrate acute toxicity in Artemia salina or in red blood cell assays at 500 µg/mL. Both extracts inhibited the lipoxygen-ase enzyme, with Malbec also reducing the tyrosinase activity and neither inhibited the xan-thine oxidase. The substantial phenolic content and diverse biological activities in Calchaquí Valleys' pomaces underline their potentialities to be valorized for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

Orb web spiders are common and highly diversified animals found in almost all habitats. They have remarkable plasticity against biotic and abiotic factors, making them excellent indicators of environmental health. The web-creation behavior of spiders is influenced by disturbances in the environment. The aim of the research was to observe the alteration in the web-building behavior of Neoscona vigilans caused by human activities, specifically traffic disturbance. Spider webs were located and photographed at nighttime along the roadside, and their web characteristics were calculated. Spiders were captured from webs for their body measurements. Spider 4^th leg length, carapace width, and body length had a significant association with web size and diameter, CTL, capture area, and mesh size. The quantity of trapped prey, the height of the plant, and the foliage radius increased with the distance from the road. Conversely, anchor points and web elevation from the ground dropped. The highest and lowest proportion of anomalies (modifications/defects) were recorded as holes (52.7%) in 105 webs (100%) and supernumerary (0.7%) in 55 webs (52.4%), respectively. Road disturbance had a negative influence on the spider’s behavior as the webs formed in close proximity to the road had a higher frequency of anomalies with a gradual decrease distantly. We can gain further insight into how different environmental changes, disruptions, and pollutants lead to this imperfection in the otherwise flawless perfect structure of spider webs.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) stands as a significant cause of drug attrition. To mitigate clinical DILI risks, assessing drugs using human liver models is crucial since animal studies may fall short due to species-specific liver pathway variations. Cell-based preclinical hepatotoxicity testing is often pertinent. In the present study, cells from a human liver cancer line (HepG2, HepaRG) were cultured in both formats of 2D and 3D spheroids to explore their responses to drugs. Liver-specific marker expressions across cell lines and culture formats were also examined to assess disparities in drug-induced liver injury marker expressions. In cytotoxicity assays, HepG2 cells exhibited heightened sensitivity to amiodarone HCl, while HepaRG cells showed greater sensitivity to acetaminophen. Generally, 2D cultures were more responsive to drugs than 3D cultures. Consistency was observed between cytotoxicity assays and liver injury markers AST and ALT. Variations were also noted in liver cell marker secretion, with albumin and urea concentrations declining post-drug treatment, particularly with higher baseline expression in HepaRG cells and 3D cultures. Additionally, mRNA expression levels of CYP enzymes involved in hepatocellular drug metabolism were compared following treatment with enzyme inducers. CYP1A2 and CYP2C9 were not expressed in HepG2 cells. On the other hand, CYP3A4 was expressed higher in 3D culture than in 2D culture. HepaRG cells exhibited significantly increased expression of all three enzymes post-treatment. Notably, enzyme expression was notably higher in 3D cultures than in 2D cultures. Collectively, these findings suggest that HepaRG cells and 3D cultures hold promise for evaluating DILI during early-stage drug development.

The B169L protein (pB169L) of African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a structural protein with an unidentified function during the virus replication. The sequences of the B169L gene and the downstream B438L gene are separated by short intergenic regions. However, the regulatory mode of the gene transcription remains unknown. Here, we identified two distinct promoter regions and two transcription start sites (TSS) located upstream of the open reading frame (ORF) of B438L. Using the promoter reporter system, we demonstrated that the cis activity of the ORF proximal promoter exhibited significantly higher levels compared with that of the distal promoter located in the B169L gene. Furthermore, transfection with the plasmids with two different promoters for B438L could initiate the transcription and expression of the B438L gene in HEK293T cells, and the cis activity of the ORF proximal promoter also displayed the higher activities compared with the distal promoter. Interestingly, the B438L distal promoter also initiated the transcription of the alternatively spliced B169L mRNA (B169L mRNA2) encoding a truncated pB169L (tpB169L) (amino acids 92–169), and the gene transcription efficiency was increased upon mutation of the initiation codon located upstream of the alternatively spliced B169L gene. Taken together, we demonstrated that the distal promoter of B438L gene initiates the transcription of both the B438L mRNA and B169L mRNA2. Comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional regulatory mode of the B438L gene is beneficial for the understanding of the association of B438L protein and pB169L and the construction of the gene-deleted ASFV.

In this study, we demonstrate the direct preparation of dihalo-γ-lactams featuring two distinct halogens from dichloroamides using a novel Atom Exchange Radical Cyclization (AERC) procedure. This method integrates the established Atom Transfer Radical Cyclization with halogen exchange in solution. The technique operates under mild conditions and requires little amounts of metallic copper, serving as both a supplemental activator and reducing agent.

Zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) open new opportunities for biomedical applications as a strategy against microbes and dye removal in an efficient way. The composite ZnNPs using Rhododendron arboreum (R. arboreum) stem bark were synthesized and characterized for UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The synthesized nanoparticles showed zones of inhibition of 23±0.09, 18±0.1 and 16±0.05 mm, against the Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values against K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and E. coli were found to be 34±0.21 and 72.71±0.47, 47±0.11 and 94.86±0.84 and 94±0.18 and 185.43±0.16 µg/mL, respectively. The biosynthesized ZnNPs resulted in significant eradication of the outer and inner membranes of the bacterial cells. Likewise, the synthesized ZnNPs showed time-dependent photocatalytic degradation activity and revealed 65% methyl orange dye degradation with an irradiation period of 6 hours. The findings of this study suggest the suitability of the novel R. arboreum stem bark-based ZnNPs as an effective ameliorant against bactericidal activities and photocatalysts for the removal of hazardous water contaminants.

Morphological and phylogenetic (45S nrDNA+RPB1 gene) analyses of three glomoid spore-producing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi revealed the presence of two new species be-longing to the genus Glomus in the family Glomeraceae. In the field, Glomus highlandensis sp. nov. was found in a saltmarsh of the Scottish Highlands and in maritime sand dunes of the Baltic Sea in Poland, both saline environments, while G. mongioie sp. nov. originates from the Italian Alps. Phylogenetic placement analysis using environmental sequences indicated that G. highlandensis could have likely worldwide distribution while G. mongioie seems to be a rare species in the world. The molecular and phylogenetic analysis provided important insights about the presence of ribosomal variants in Glomus, with potential negative implication in phylogeny and species recognition.

Probiotics are microorganisms infused in products for health benefits including acceleration of nutrient digestion, however, it is also important to ensure the safety prior to incorporation. Here, we present evidence of the ability of two probiotic isolates,Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BCRC-16100 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ZFM54, in the (1) enhancement of carbohydrate digestion, (2) tolerance to stress, and (3) antibiotic resistance. Approaches include whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis and bioactivity assays. WGS revealed genes suggesting the ability of the two isolates to promote carbohydrate digestion, tolerance to stress and antibiotic resistance. Carbohydrate digestive ability was confirmed through a biochemical assay where the two isolates cause glucose release from starch. The two isolates also showed versatility in a range of temperature and alcohol concentration. For antibiotic resistance particularly on vancomycin, there are three mechanisms namely transporter control, transcriptional regulation, and efflux pump. Furthermore, promoter and transposable element analysis showed that some of the active antibiotic resistant (AbR) genes can be laterally transferred. Altogether, we show the potential of two probiotic isolates to be incorporated in products for improved carbohydrate digestion and the need to address the removal of active and mobile antibiotic resistance genes that may compromise safety.

Ajuga arabica is an essential medicinal plant found naturally in Saudi Arabia, recognized for its therapeutic characteristics. Nevertheless, research on the genetic diversity and population arrangement of this species in Saudi Arabia is deficient. In this study, we conducted a comparative examination of DNA and gene sequences to evaluate the genetic diversity and population configuration of Ajuga arabica in Saudi Arabia. Our findings demonstrate that there are high levels of genetic diversity within populations, but low levels of genetic differentiation among populations. Moreover, we discovered proof of gene flow among populations, suggesting that there are no significant genetic barriers to gene flow. Our results offer valuable insights into the genetic diversity and population structure of Ajuga arabica in Saudi Arabia, which can support conservation efforts and promote the sustainable use of this valuable medicinal plant.

The application potential of cellulosic materials in natural composites and other fields needs to be explored to develop innovative, sustainable, lightweight, functional biomass materials that are also environmentally friendly. This study investigated Typha augostifolia (Typha sp.) as a potential new raw material for extracting cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for application in wastewater treatment composites. Alkaline treatments and bleaching were used to remove cellulose from the stem fibers. The CNCs were then isolated from the recovered cellulose using acid hydrolysis. The study showed a few distinct functional groups (O-H, -C-H, =C-H and C-O, and C-O-C) in the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the smooth surface of CPC and CNCs that resulted from removing lignin and hemicellulose from powdered Typha augostifolia. Based on the crystalline index, the powdered Typha augostifolia, CPC, and CNCs were 42.86%, 66.94% and 77.41%. The loss of the amorphous section of the Typha sp. fiber resulted in a decrease in particle size. It may be inferred from the features of a Typha sp. CNC that CNCs may be employed as reinforcement in composites for wastewater treatment.

B-1 cells, a subtype of B lymphocytes, are found in lymphoid tissues and peritoneal and pleural cavities. They play diverse roles, releasing cytokines, generating antibodies, regulating the immune response, engaging in phagocytosis, and moving to inflammatory sites. However, their physiology remains partially understood, especially in stressful conditions like sleep restriction. This study aimed to investigate murine B-1 cell activation and differentiation under sleep restriction. Male C57BL/6J mice underwent an 18-hour sleep restriction for 21 days, followed by Candida albicans or Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection. Purified peritoneal B-1 cells were evaluated for activation markers, microbicidal molecules, cytokine gene expression, Toll-like receptors, and commitment factors. Results showed that sleep restriction minimally influenced activation marker expression in B-1 cells across infection models. However, under sleep restriction, microbicidal molecule production increased in P. brasiliensis (NO) and C. albicans (ROS) infections. Gene expression revealed elevated TLR-2 and cytokines (IL-12, IL-6, TNF-α) in sleep-restricted animals. Lineage commitment analysis indicated myeloid polarization in sleep-restricted B-1 cells for all infection models. These findings underscore the impact of sleep restriction on B-1 cell activation and differentiation, with outcomes varying based on infection type. This study highlights the importance of investigating immunological changes resulting from sleep restriction.

Despite saltmarshes being considered as nature-based solutions (NbS) towards climate change mitigation, India’s saltmarsh ecosystems are least studied. This study quantifies the seasonal variation in carbon stocks mono-specific saltmarsh species (Porteresia coarctata) and its potential to play an important role in India’s climate change mitigation plans. Seasonal (pre-and post-monsoon) sampling of P. coarctata surface water, biomass and 30 cm sediment core was collected across four locations on the east coast of India to quantify sediment dry bulk density (DBD), organic matter (OM%), organic carbon (Corg%), Corg stocks of sediment and biomass, total carbon (C%) and nitrogen (N%) and stable isotopes of δ13C and δ15N. In general, the sediment DBD, OM and Corg of P. coarctata meadows was higher in post-monsoon and was influenced by salinity and pH changes. Isotope (δ¹³C) modelling of various sediment C sources suggested, particulate organic matter (POM) contribution was highest (0.04-0.79%) followed by P. coarctata (0.01–052%) and other macrophytes across our study locations. The seasonal variation of δ¹³C showed increased contribution of marine derived particulate and dissolved organic matter into P. coarctata meadows in post-monsoon season. Heavier δ¹⁵N values were observed in post-monsoon season suggesting anthropogenic input, that was utilized by P. coarctata to increase its above and below-ground biomass and shoot density. The combined ecosystem (30 cm sediment + biomass) Corg stocks of P. coarctata was 1.7-fold higher in post-monsoon (4021.20± 917 Mg C) compared to pre-monsoon (2297.36 ±647 Mg C) season among the four locations with a sediment Corg contribution >70%. Based on the International Panel for Climate Change Tier II assessment the P. coarctata meadows (443 ha) can help in avoiding the pre and post-monsoon emissions of 8431.34 and 14757.84 Mg CO₂ respectively. The combined price of the total CO₂ equivalent stored in P. coarctata meadows in pre- and post-monsoon is US$ 14.50 and US$ 25.38 million respectively. Further studies quantifying the NbS potential of P. coarctata mono-specific and mixed meadows of India’s coast is needed along with integration of saltmarsh ecosystems into India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, is one of the major infection spreading from consuming contaminated food and water. The poor sanitation is one the major cause for successful infection. S. typhi is responsible for causing typhoid fever, which is a growing public health concern in developing countries. This bacterium has acquired antimicrobial resistance to many promising which is a growing health concern for community. This study is aim to elucidate the molecular complexity of flouroquinolone resistance in S. Typhi isolates (n=286). Genomic data was downloaded from NCBI and analysis was done by Resfinder, MLST, and Pointfinder. Genomic analysis unveils a complex resistance profile, featuring antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) including blaCTXM-15, blaTEM-1D, catA1, dfrA7, qnrS1, sul1, sul2, and tetA(B). The investigation focuses on mutations in DNA gyrA, parC, and qnrS1 genes which plays an important role in quinolone resistance. Mutation analysis reveals mutations such as DNA gyrA_S83F, DNA gyrA_D87N, DNA gyrA_S83Y, DNA gyrB_S464F, parC_S80I, and parE_L416F with the presence of qnrS1 gene produces resistance against quinolones. The Docking studies was conducted by “Autodock vina” and visualize by “Discovery studio” which demonstrate that these mutations leads to ciprofloxacin resistance, indicating reduced binding affinity, and altered solvent accessibility which indicates the structural changes at mutation sites. This study provides crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms driving flouroquinolone resistance in S. typhi, guiding future strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. Further validation through experimental mutagenesis is recommended, for targeted therapeutic interventions against the mounting threat of antibiotic-resistant S. typhi.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of convective and microwave drying on the content of bioactive compounds of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), drying parameters and energy consumption. The fruit was dehydrated in a convective dehydrator at a temperature of 50 °C and 70 °C and a microwave oven at power levels of 90 V, 180 V and 240 V. The highest amount of anthocyanins, polyphenols and antioxidant capacity were obtained in microwave dried blackberry fruits at 90 V and 180 V. It turned out that microwave dehydration shortened the processing time and lower the energy consumption compared to the convective drying. Blackberry fruits dehydrated at 240 V showed the shortest dehydration time, minimal energy consumption and the most efficient diffusion.

This study sought to improve the nutritional, functional and biochemical properties of pearl millet through malting and fermentation. Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MLP) was used as a fortificant. Mixture design was used to find optimal proportions for each of the components that yield a high protein and or low saturated fat content. Twelve mixtures with varying ratios of fermented, and malted pearl millet flour ranging between 30–65%, and MLP between 5–15% were generated through I-Optimal mixture design. The mixtures were wet-cooked, freeze-dried and analyzed for protein and fat content. The data obtained were fitted to a linear mixture model and the search for the optimum was done using Numerical Optimization for maximising protein and minimising saturated fat. The linear model was suitable for explaining variation for total protein and saturated fat with r2 of 0.50 and 0.51, respectively. Increasing MLP increased protein content. Two final formulations were generated through the optimization process. Pearl millet’s protein content increased by up to 22% while saturated fat decreased by up to 13%. Ash content increased by 75%. Polyphenol content and oxygen radical absorbance capacity increased by 80% and 25%, respectively. Final and peak viscosity were reduced by 90% and 95%, respectively.