Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019, it has spread rapidly, and many coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases have occurred in Gwangju, South Korea. Viral mutations following the COVID-19 epidemic have increased interest in the characteristics of epidemics in this region, and pathogen genetic analysis is required for infection control and prevention. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome analysis was performed on samples from patients with COVID-19 in Gwangju from 2020 to 2022 to identify the trends in COVID-19 prevalence and to analyze the phylogenetic tree of dominant variants. B.41 and B.1.497 prevailed in 2020, the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak; then, B.1.619.1 mainly occurred until June 2021. B.1.617.2, classified as sublineage AY.69 and AY.122, occurred continuously from July to December 2021. Since strict measures to strengthen national quarantine management had been implemented in South Korea until this time, mutations phylogenetic analysis was also able to infer the epidemiological relationship between infection transmission routes. Since the first identification of the Omicron variant in late December 2021, the spread of infection has been very rapid, and weekly whole-genome analysis of specimens has enabled us to monitor new Omicron sublineage occurring in Gwangju. Our study suggests that conducting reginal surveillance in addition to nation-level genomic surveillance will enable more rapid and detailed variant surveillance, which will be helpful in the overall prevention and management of infectious diseases.

Post-harvest handling and ripening techniques have an impact on peach quality and shelf life, which has a big impact on consumer satisfaction and market competitiveness. This review paper examines recent advancements in ripening techniques and post-harvest technologies with the goal of improving peach fruit quality and sustainability. The factors impacting fruit quality after harvest and the physiological changes that occur throughout peach ripening are fully explained. For maintaining peach freshness and reducing losses, novel handling methods like modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and controlled atmosphere storage (CAS) have been investigated. The study explores the possibilities of nanotechnology applications and low-temperature storage for prolonging shelf life while maintaining texture, flavor, and aroma. Examining the effectiveness and waste reduction potential of automation and mechanization in post-harvest activities. The paper also discusses ethylene-based and non-ethylene-based ripening agents, as well as innovative techniques including gene editing and RNAi technology for controlled and delayed ripening. Analyses are done on how these technologies affect the sensory qualities and nutrient profiles of peaches. The study emphasizes the significance of sustainable practices in the peach industry by focusing on waste reduction, resource efficiency, and circular economy integration. Post-harvest technologies' potential environmental consequences have been taken into consideration and the paper encourages more study and cooperation to increase sustainability.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be diminishing, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants represents a threat to humans due to its inherent transmissibility, immunological evasion, virulence, and invulnerability to existing therapies. The previous COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 500 million people and caused over 6 million deaths. Vaccines are essential, but in circumstances when vaccination is not accessible or in individuals with compromised immune systems, drugs can give additional protection. Targeting host signaling pathways is recommended due to their genomic stability and resistance barriers. Plant-derived products, which have been used in traditional medicine for treating pathological conditions, offer structurally novel therapeutic compounds including anti-viral. In addition, plant-derived bioactive substances might serve as the ideal basis for developing sustainable/efficient/cost-effective anti-viral alternatives. Epigenetic modifications in the genome can affect gene expression without altering DNA sequence. Host cells can use epigenetic gene regulation as a mechanism to silence incoming viral DNA molecules, while viruses have recruited cellular epi transcriptomic (covalent modifications of RNAs) modifiers to increase the translational efficiency and transcript stability of viral transcripts to enhance viral gene expression and replication. Moreover, viruses manipulate host cells' epigenetic machinery to ensure productive viral infections. Environmental factors, such as natural products, may influence epigenetic modifications. In this review, we are exploring the potential of plant-derived substances as epigenetic modifiers for broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, reviewing modulation processes and anti-viral effects on DNA and RNA viruses, and addressing future research objectives in this rapidly emerging field.

The α-glucosidase inhibitor is of interest to researchers due to its association with type-II diabetes treatment by suppressing postprandial hyperglycemia. Hesperidin is a major flavonoid in orange fruit with diverse biological properties. This paper evaluates the effects of hesperidin on α-glucosidase through inhibitory kinetics, fluorescence quenching, and molecular docking methods for the first time. The inhibition kinetic analysis showed that hesperidin reversibly inhibited the α-glucosidase activity with an IC50 value of 18.52 M and the inhibition was performed in an uncompetitive type. Fluorescence quenching studies indicated that the intrinsic fluorescence of α-glucosidase was quenched via a static quenching process and only one binding site was present between hesperidin and α-glucosidase. The interaction between them was spontaneous and mainly driven by hydrogen bonds as well as hydrophobic forces. Furthermore, molecular docking results suggested that hesperidin might bond to the entrance or outlet part of the active site of α-glucosidase through a network of five hydrogen bonds formed between hesperidin and the four amino acid residues (Trp709, Arg422, Asn424, and Arg467) of ?-glucosidase and hydrophobic effects. These results provide new insights into the inhibitory mechanisms of hesperidin on α-glucosidase, supporting the potential application of hesperidin-rich orange product as a hypoglycemic functional food.

Aspergillus flavus is a pathogenic fungus that affects and contaminates several foodstuffs and is associated with cancer in humans. In Senegal, significant losses of groundnut production are mainly due to contamination caused by this species. This study evaluated in vitro antifungal activities of Cyperus articulatus, Cyperus rotundus and Lippia alba essential oils against A. flavus isolated from peanut seeds. Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of rhizomes of the two Cyperus species and leaves of L. alba were analyzed by GC-DIF and GC-MS. The essential oil yields from C. articulatus, C. rotundus and L. alba were 1.1%, 1.3% and 1.7%, respectively. These three samples had the following chemotypes: (i) Mustakone (21.4%)/eudesma-4(15)-7-dien-1β-ol (8.8%)/caryophyllene oxide (5.9%), (ii) caryophyllene oxide (25.2%)/ humulene epoxyde 2 (35.0%) and (iii) geranial (46.6%)/neral (34.6%). The three oils tested inhibited the growth of A. flavus at concentrations between 100 and 1000 ppm. The L. alba oil was the most effective with total clearance of A. flavus on PDA. For the essential oils of C. rotundus (93.65%) and C. articulatus (78.11%), the highest inhibition rates were obtained with 1000 ppm dose. Thus, the L. alba oil could be used safely as an effective protector of groundnuts against A. flavus.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound particles released from cells, and their cargo can alter the function of recipient cells. EVs from X-irradiated cells have been shown to play a likely role in non-targeted effects. However, EVs derived from proton irradiated cells have not yet been studied. We aimed to investigate and compare the proteome of EVs and their cell of origin after proton or X-irradiation. The EVs were derived from a human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line exposed to 0, 4, or 8 Gy with either protons or X-rays. The EVs and irradiated OSCC cells underwent liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for protein identification. Interestingly, we found different protein profiles both in the EVs and in the OSCC cells after proton irradiation compared to X-irradiation. In the EVs, we found that protons cause a downregulation of proteins involved in cell growth and DNA damage response compared to X-rays. In the OSCC cells, proton and X-irradiation induced dissimilar cell death pathways and distinct DNA damage repair systems. These results are of potential importance for understanding how non-targeted effects in normal tissue can be limited and for future implementation of proton therapy in the clinic.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a complex disease and the cause of one of the highest cancer-related mortalities in men worldwide. Annually, more than 1.2 million new cases are diagnosed globally, accounting for 7% of newly diagnosed cancers in men. Programmed cell death (PCD) plays an essential role in removing infected, functionally dispensable or potentially neoplastic cells. Apoptosis is the canonical form of PCD with no inflammatory responses elicited, and the close relationship between apoptosis and PCa has been well studied. Necroptosis and pyroptosis are two lytic forms of PCD resulting in the release of intracellular contents, which induces inflammatory responses. An increasing number of studies have confirmed that necroptosis and pyroptosis are also closely related to the occurrence and progression of PCa. Recently, a novel form of PCD named PANoptosis, which is a combination of apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, revealed the attached connection among them and may be a promising target for PCa. Apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and PANoptosis are good examples to better understand the mechanism underlying PCD in PCa. This review aims to summarize the emerging roles and therapeutic potential of apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and PANoptosis in PCa.

Smart livestock farming leverages technology to boost production and meet food demand sustainably. This study delves into smart technologies in animal production, covering opportunities, challenges, and solutions. Smart agriculture employs modern technology to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and animal welfare in livestock farming. It includes remote monitoring, GPS-based animal care, robotic milking, smart health collars, predictive disease control, and other innovations to achieve these goals. While smart animal production holds great promise, it does face challenges related to cost, data management, and connectivity. To address these challenges, potential solutions include remote sensing, technology integration, and farmer education. Smart agriculture offers opportunities for increased efficiency, improved animal welfare, and enhanced environmental conservation. A well-planned approach is crucial to maximize the benefits of smart livestock production while ensuring its long-term sustainability. This study confirms the growing adoption of smart agriculture in livestock production, with the potential to support sustainable development goals and deliver benefits such as increased productivity and resource efficiency. To fully realize these benefits and ensure the sustainability of livestock farming, it is essential to address cost and education challenges. Therefore, this study recommends promoting a positive outlook among livestock stakeholders and embracing smart agriculture to enhance farm performance.

The highly adaptable parasite Trypanosoma cruzi undergoes complex developmental stages to exploit host organisms effectively. Each stage involves the expression of specific proteins and precise intracellular structural organization. These morphological changes depend on key structures that control intracellular components’ growth and redistribution. In trypanosomatids, the flagellar attachment zone (FAZ) connects the flagellum to the cell body and plays a pivotal role in cell expansion and structural rearrangement. While FAZ proteins are well-studied in other trypanosomatids, there is limited knowledge about specific components, organization, and function in T. cruzi. This study employed the CRISPR/Cas9 system to label endogenous genes and conduct deletions to characterize FAZ-specific proteins during epimastigote cell division and metacyclogenesis. In T. cruzi, these proteins exhibited distinct organization compared to counterparts in T. brucei. TcGP72 is anchored to the flagellar membrane, while TcFLA-1BP is anchored to the membrane lining the cell body. We identified unique features in the organization and function of the FAZ in T. cruzi compared to other trypanosomatids. Deleting these proteins had varying effects on intracellular structures, cytokinesis, and metacyclogenesis. This study reveals specific variations that directly impact the success of cell division and differentiation of this parasite.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the critical role that supercomputers play in addressing global health crises. This perspective article explores the transformative impact of supercomputing in pandemic response, highlighting how these powerful machines have transitioned from crisis management tools to essential components of preparedness strategies. In this article, we examine the key contributions of supercomputers in combating the pandemic, including their ability to accelerate scientific research, facilitate data analysis, model complex scenarios, and optimize resource allocation. Furthermore, we delve into the role of supercomputing in strengthening public health infrastructure and preparedness. We analyze the lessons learned from the pandemic and emphasize the need for proactive investment in supercomputing capabilities, data infrastructure, and computational expertise as a crucial element of pandemic preparedness efforts. By harnessing the potential of supercomputers, countries can establish robust computational frameworks that enable real-time monitoring, early detection, and effective response to future outbreaks. Moreover, we address the challenges faced by supercomputing initiatives, including the need for enhanced international collaboration, equitable access to computing resources, and the ethical considerations associated with data privacy and security. We discuss potential strategies to overcome these challenges and foster a global network of interconnected supercomputing centers dedicated to pandemic preparedness and response. Finally, we highlight ongoing research and development efforts aimed at advancing supercomputing technologies, such as exascale computing and quantum computing, and their potential to revolutionize pandemic response. We emphasize the importance of sustained investment in research and development to ensure that supercomputing remains at the forefront of future pandemic preparedness strategies.

Serine/threonine kinase (AKT) signaling regulates diverse cellular processes and is one of the most important aberrant cell survival mechanisms associated with tumorigenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Targeting AKT has become an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of many cancers. AKT3 (PKBγ), the least studied isoform of the AKT family, has emerged as a major contributor to malignancy. AKT3 is frequently overexpressed in human cancers, and many regulatory oncogenic or tumor suppressor small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), have recently been identified to be involved in regulating AKT3 expression. Therefore, a better understanding of regulatory miRNA/AKT3 networks may reveal novel biomarkers for diagnosis of patients with cancer and provide invaluable information for developing more effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this review is to summarize current research progress in the isoform-specific functions of AKT3 in human cancers and the roles of dysregulated miRNA/AKT3 in specific types of human cancers.

Grape pomace is a byproduct of wineries and sustainable source of bioactive phenolic compounds. Encapsulation of phenolics with a well-chosen coating may be a promising means of delivering them to the intestine, where they can then be absorbed and exert their health-promoting properties. Ionic gelation of grape pomace extract with natural coatings (sodium alginate and its combination with maltodextrins, gelatin, chitosan, tragacanth gum, and gum arabic) was performed, and the resulting hydrogel microbeads were then air-, vacuum-, or freeze-dried to prevent their spoilage. The physicochemical characterization (size, shape, texture, and morphology) of the microbeads and the in vitro release of phenols from microbeads were studied and a good relationship between them was established. Freeze-dried microbeads showed the highest cumulative release of phenols as in the intestinal phase (23.31 – 43.27 mgGAE/gMB), followed by vacuum-dried (23.31 - 35.41 mgGAE/gMB) and air-dried (22.74 – 31.38 mgGAE/gMB), while the most suitable release dynamics in the intestinal phase were observed for alginate-based microbeads combined with gelatin (58.4 %), gum arabic (34 %) and 1.5 % w/v chitosan (15.3 %). The results highlight the importance of developing encapsulated formulations containing a natural source of bioactive compounds that can be used in various functional foods and pharmaceutical products.

The analysis of the land use dynamics of the Lac Télé Community Reserve (RCLT) using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and (Enhance Thematic Mapper) ETM+ images highlight significant changes in the vegetation cover from 1980 to 2000 and 2018. Thus, the rate of forest area decreased by 21.41% for the entire LTCR in favor of savannahs which increased by 15.23%. The conversion of this forest area to savannah due to the practice of slash and burn agriculture facilitates the opening up of the forest area and contributes to greatly degrading the spawning grounds of fish species from the Likouala aux herbes river. For the mapping of fishing activity in general and the ecological characterization of the 151 identified spawning grounds in particular; the respective mean values of the physical and chemical water parameters; temperature (28.13°C), pH (4.23) and depth (3.34) did not vary significantly from one selected village to another between July and September 2019. The fish diversity unregistered during the study, in the 07 pilot villages would be due to the diversity of the microhabitats noted in the villages of the LTCR, especially from the villages; Botongo, Mossengue and Bouanela where the indices of ichthyological diversity were the highest.

Cyperus rotundus L. exhibits promising potential for the development of functional foods due to its documented pharmacological and biological activities. This study investigated the antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of C. rotundus kombucha. The results demonstrated potent antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 76.7±9.6 uL/mL for the DPPH assay and 314.2±16.9 uL/mL for the ABTS assay. Additionally, the kombucha demonstrated alpha-glucosidase inhibitory with an IC50 value of 142.7±5.2 µL/mL. This in vitro antioxidant potential was further validated in vivo using Drosophila. Drosophila fed a high-sugar diet and supplemented with pure kombucha revealed significant increases in DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity. Drosophila on a high-sugar diet supplemented with varying kombucha concentrations manifested enhanced resistance to oxidative stresses induced by H2O2 and paraquat. Concurrently, there was a notable decline in lipid peroxidation levels. Additionally, significant upregulations in CAT, SOD1, and SOD2 activities were observed when the high-sugar diet was supplemented with kombucha. Furthermore, in vivo assessments using Drosophila demonstrated significant reductions in alpha-glucosidase activity when fed with kombucha. A comprehensive GC-MS and HPLC analysis of C. rotundus kombucha detected the presence of antioxidative and anti-glucosidase compounds. In conclusion, C. rotundus kombucha exhibits considerable antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties, demonstrating its potential as a beneficial beverage for health promotion.

A wide variety of substances have been used to anaesthetise invertebrates, but many are not anaesthetics and merely incapacitate animals, rather than preventing pain. Much is now known about the mode of action of modern clinical and veterinary anaesthetics because of their use on human beings and other vertebrates. In essence, the role of an ideal general anaesthetic is to act as a muscle relaxant, an analgesic, an anaesthetic and an amnesic. To achieve all these properties with a single substance is difficult and various adjuvants usually need to be administered, resulting in a cocktail of drugs. In a clinical setting, the vast majority of patients are unaware of surgery being carried out and have no memory of it, so they can claim to have felt no pain, but this is much more difficult to demonstrate in invertebrates. Here we show that 1% MgCl2, a muscle relaxant, is a useful adjuvant for the clinical anaesthetic isoflurane on Octopus vulgaris when applied for 10 minutes before the clinical anaesthetic. After this, full anaesthesia can be achieved in 5 minutes using only 1% isoflurane and from which full recovery takes place rapidly in about 10 to 15 minutes. This reduces stress on the animal and minimises the quantity of anaesthetic used.

BDD is a hoof disease characterized by inflammation of the second and fifth accessory digits and the skin in this region. This pathology is scarcely described in the literature; however, it has recently been observed in beef cattle in the Amazon Biome region. The objective of this study was to identify the epidemiological factors associated with BDD onset in cattle in the analyzed biome. Samples were collected from eight farms with extensive breeding systems located in Xinguara, Rondon do Pará, Curionópolis, and Ipixuna do Pará, in the state of Pará, Brazil. A total of 706 Nellore and Nellore crossbred with taurine animals of both sexes were evaluated, with males aged between 2–4 years and a mean weight of 650 kg and females aged between 2–11 years and a mean weight of 400 kg. Distal extremities were inspected during cattle management, and in case of accessory digit lesions, a specific examination was carried out after proper restraint. Animals were diagnosed with BDD in all farms analyzed. Of the 706 cattle inspected, 49 (6.94%) showed BDD, of which 19 (38.77%) were Nellore and 30 (61.22%) were crossbred. This was the first study to determine BDD’s occurrence in extensive farming systems in the Amazon region, also showing that pastures with large amounts of stumps and stones, the physical structure of pens, and trauma and injury incidence during animal management are the most important predisposing factors for the onset of BDD.

The continuous growth of roots depends on their ability to maintain a balanced ratio between cell production and cell differentiation at the tip. This process was reported to be regulated by the hormonal balance of cytokinin and auxin. However, other important regulators, such as plant folates, have also been reported to play a regulatory role. In this study, we investigated the impact of the folate precursor PABA on root development. Using pharmacological, genetic, and imaging approaches, we show that the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana roots is repressed by either supplementing the growth medium with PABA or overexpressing the PABA synthesis gene GAT-ADCS. This is associated with a smaller root meristem size, which consists of fewer cells. Conversely, reducing the levels of free root endogenous PABA results in longer roots with extended meristems and increased cell numbers. We provide evidence that PABA represses Arabidopsis root growth in a folate-independent manner and likely acts through two mechanisms: (i) the G2/M transition of cell division in the root apical meristem and (ii) promoting premature cell differentiation in the transition zone. These data collectively suggest that PABA plays a role in Arabidopsis root growth at the point where cell division and cell differentiation intersect.

Nuclear bodies (NBs) are dynamic structures present in eukaryotic cell nuclei. They are not bounded by membranes and are often considered biomolecular condensates, defined structurally and functionally by the localisation of core components. Nuclear architecture can be reorganised during normal cellular processes such as the cell cycle as well as in response to cellular stress. Many plant and animal viruses target their proteins to NBs, in some cases triggering their structural disruption and redistribution. Although not all such interactions have been well characterised, subversion of NBs and their functions may form a key part of the life cycle of eukaryotic viruses that require the nucleus for their replication. This review will focus on Cajal bodies (CBs) and the viruses that target them. Since CBs are dynamic structures, other NBs (principally nucleoli and promyelocytic leukaemia, PML, bodies), whose components interact with CBs, will also be considered. As well as providing important insights into key virus: host cell interactions, studies on Cajal and associated NBs may identify novel cellular targets for development of anti-viral compounds.

The COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020 and is still ongoing. The course of the epidemic remains uncertain, and mutations in the coronavirus, as well as the emergence of new variants of concern, make it possible that there will be periodic surges in the number of cases. Moreover, it is not clear how quickly and to what extent the effectiveness of vaccination will decline as the virus continues to mutate. One possible solution to combat the rapidly mutating coronavirus is the development of pan-coronavirus vaccines that stimulate the production of antibodies against conserved elements of the virus. Another approach could be the creation of safe vaccine platforms that can be rapidly adapted to deliver new, specific antigens in response to viral mutations. Recombinant probiotic microorganisms that can produce viral antigens by inserting specific viral DNA fragments into their genome show promise as a platform and vector for mucosal vaccine antigen delivery. With a well-established safety profile and the ability to transform into vaccine candidates, probiotic bacteria have significant research potential. The authors of this study have developed a convenient and universal technique for inserting the DNA sequences of pathogenic bacteria and viruses into the gene that encodes the pili protein of the probiotic strain E. faecium L3. The paper presents data on the immunogenic properties of two E. faecium L3 vaccine strains, which produce two different fragments of the coronavirus S1 protein, and provides an assessment of the protective efficacy of these oral vaccines against coronavirus infection in Syrian hamsters.

CagY is the largest and most complex protein from Helicobacter pylori's type IV secretion system (T4SS) and may participate in the modulation of gastric tissue inflammation. A three-dimensional structure has been reported for only two segments of the protein. To build a more complete model, particularly the region that spans between the outer membrane (OM) and the inner membrane (IM), we employed different approaches, including homology modeling, ab initio, and deep learning techniques. For the long-middle repeat region (MRR), modeling was performed using deep learning techniques and Molecular Dynamics. The modeled segments were assembled into a chain of 1595 aa, and a 14-chain CagY multimer structure was composed by structural alignment. The final multimer structure correlated with previously published struc-tures and allows to show how the multimer may form the T4SS channel through which CagA and other molecules are translocated to gastric epithelial cells. The model further confirmed that MRR, the most polymorphic and complex region of CagY, presents numerous cysteine residues forming disulfide bonds that stabilize the protein and suggest this domain probably functions as a contractile region that may play an essential role in the modulatory activity of CagY on tissue inflammation.

In this paper, the filtering method of biomedical image denoising is described comprehensively. Firstly, it introduces the biomedical image denoising, describes the relationship between biomedical image denoising and medical care, introduces the filtering methods, the filtering methods of biomedical image denoising, the challenges encountered by the current filtering methods, and other application fields of filtering methods. Firstly, the background of biomedical image denoising is introduced. Biomedical image denoising is a challenge. Different imaging modes have different noise characteristics, and noise levels can vary greatly depending on the specific application. Secondly, it describes that biomedical image denoising plays an important role in medical care, and the biomedical image directly affects the patient's diagnosis, treatment plan and the overall quality of medical care service. Then the filtering method is introduced in detail, describing the core concepts and related features of linear filtering, nonlinear filtering and frequency domain filtering, and then focusing on the adaptive filtering method, describing the characteristics, conditions of use, common algorithms and advantages of adaptive filtering method. Then the filter methods of biomedical image denoising are introduced, and the core concepts of Gaussian filter, median filter, total variation denoising and Wiener filter are introduced respectively. Then, the challenges encountered by filtering methods are described, such as the accurate selection of filters, the balance between noise reduction and image detail preservation are introduced. Finally, the application of filtering method in other fields is mentioned, such as audio processing, speech recognition and so on. In summary, this paper comprehensively expounds the denoising and filtering methods of biomedical images, the filtering methods of medical image denoising, the relationship between medical image denoising and medical care, and the challenges encountered by filtering methods.

Salmonid alphavirus strain 3 is responsible for outbreaks of pancreas disease in salmon and rainbow trout in Norway. Although the extensive amount of research on SAV3 focused mainly on the heart and pancreas (of clinical importance), tropism and pathogenesis studies of the virus in other salmon tissues are limited. Here, we used a combination of RT-qPCR (Q_nsp1 gene) and in situ hybridization (RNAscope®) to demonstrate the tropism of SAV3 in situ in tissues of Atlantic salmon, employing a challenge model (by cohabitation). In addition, as previous results suggested that pseudobranch may harbor the virus, the change in the expression of different immune genes upon SAV3 infection (RT-qPCR) was focused on the pseudobranch in the current study. In situ hybridization detected SAV3 in the heart, pseudobranch, gills, pyloric caeca, and pancreas after virus infection, with the heart ventricle showing the most extensive infection. Furthermore, the detection of the virus at different adipose tissues associated with the internal organs of the salmon, suggests a specific affinity of SAV3 to adipocyte’s components. The innate immune response to SAV3 in the pseudobranch after infection dominated over the adaptive responses, yet it did not mitigate the infection in that tissue. The early detection of SAV3 in the pseudobranch after infection, along with the persistent low infection over the experimental course, suggests a pivotal role of the pseudobranch in SAV3 pathogenesis in Atlantic salmon.

The combined efect of shape and electrostatic complementarities (Sc, EC) at the interface of the interacting protein partners (PPI) serves as the physical basis for such associations and is a strong detterminant of their binding energetics. EnCPdock (https://www.scinetmol.in/EnCPdock/) presents a comprehensive web-platform for the direct conjoint comparative analyses of complementarity and binding energetics in PPIs. It elegantly interlinks the dual nature of local (Sc) and non-local complementarity (EC) in PPIs using the Complementarity Plot. It further derives an AI-based ∆G_binding with a prediction accuracy comparable to the state-of-the-art. This book-chapter presents a practical manual to conceptualize and implement EnCPdock with its various features and functionalities, collectively having the potential to serve as a valuable protein engineering tool in the design of novel protein interfaces.

The A. japonicus industry has expanded significantly, but no research has focused on how to de-termine the age of A. japonicus during farming. Correctly estimating the age of A. japonicus can provide a decision-making basis for the breeding process, and data for the protection of A. japonicus aquatic germplasm resources. DNA methylation levels in the body wall of Apostichopus japonicus at 4 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years old were determined by MethylRAD-Seq, and differentially methylated genes related to age were screened. The results of the study found that 441 and 966 differentially methylated genes were detected at CCGG and CCWGG sites, respectively. As-partate aminotransferase, succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, the histone H2AX, heat shock protein Hsp90, aminopeptidase N, cell division cycle CDC6, Ras GTPase activating protein (RasGAP), slit guidance ligand slit 1, integrin linked kinase ILK, mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase Mtor, protein kinase A Pka, and autophagy-related 3 atg3 these genes may play key roles in the growth and aging process of A. japonicus. This study provided data for identifying the age of A. japonicus.

(1) Background: Some evidence suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) has potential to help alleviate HIV symptoms due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here we examined acute CBD effects on various behaviors and the endocannabinoid system in HIV Tat transgenic mice. (2) Methods: Tat transgenic mice (female/male) were injected with CBD (3,10,30 mg/kg) and assessed for antinociception, activity, coordination, anxiety, and recognition memory. Brains were taken to quantify endocannabinoids and related lipids. Additionally, CBD and metabolite 7-hydroxy-CBD were quantified in the plasma and cortex. (3) Results: Tat decreased striatal-related nociception and locomotion, with some sex-dependent effects on coordination. CBD had no effect on nociception and coordination, but increased locomotor activity. For anxiety, differential CBD effects were noted for sex, with decreasing anxiety-like behavior in males only. In the striatum and spinal cord, male sex was associated with lower 2-arachidonoylglycerol and with elevated concentrations of its proinflammatory metabolite arachidonic acid. CBD metabolism was altered by sex and Tat. (4) Conclusion: Findings indicate that acute CBD effects are not altered by HIV Tat, and CBD has minimal effects on behavior and the endocannabinoid system. Interestingly, sex-dependent alterations were noted for endocannabinoids and related lipids, which may be of relevance in view of potential CBD-based treatment options for people living with HIV.

Coral recruitment is an important factor to coral reefs in maintaining their health. Currently, numerous coral reefs are facing extreme degradation, which protection and therefore rehabilitation practices are required to reverse. The present study explores the potential role of coral recruitment assessment by citizen scientists about the impacts of human influences towards coral reefs through measurement of coral recruitment values. Only a very small number of studies use forms of pre-launch assessment prior to reef restoration. These methods are able to properly guide vital decision-making information for reef rehabilitation methods and locations. In this initial study we observe significant relationships between reefs with higher coral recruitment values and their health. As compared to other average coral reef values, the reef we measured had higher recruitment values on average. Two sections of the reef had noticeably higher mean corals per square meter compared to average values, while a third section of the reef had a lower frequency. This section has been brought to concern through the pre-launch assessment, and has potential for rehabilitation through coral transplantation and a reduction of anthropogenic actions within the area.

The author attempts to reconstruct the climatic vicissitudes of the Mediterranean to explain why only broadly distributed Eurasian forest species have penetrated the Mediterranean peninsulas. He has carried out a bibliographic survey of the status of breeding forest birds in Italy over 15 decades (1872-2022) in order to establish an objective long-term trend (stable, increasing, decreasing, etc.). The number of breeding forest birds in Italy amounts to 61; their distribution, with a few exceptions, indicates that they are widespread in Eurasia, but only a small percentage of Eurasian forest species have colonized Italy and the other Mediterranean peninsulas, namely 49 in Iberian, 61 in Italian and 64 in Balkan peninsulas; a small percentage of them (between 10.9 and 14.3%) belongs to trans-Saharan migrants. The similarity between the forest species on the three peninsulas (Iberian, Italian and Balkan) results between 0.45 and 0.48, indicating a certain differ-ence in the overall fauna on the three territories. Not all species have penetrated southwards into the three peninsulas; for example, some that stopped in the Italian Alps have instead arrived to the forests of Greece, at a latitude corresponding to southern Italy, or species that in Italy stopped in the northern Apennines in the other two peninsulas have instead arrived far south. Iberian peninsula and the island of Corsica hold three endemic species among breeding forest birds, Italian and Balkan peninsulas have not endemic species. Overall, the Mediterranean presently hosts mainly neo-endemic taxa among forest bird species; the only paleo-endemics can be considered the three species of nuthatches living in Corsica, Algeria, and Turkey (other than Caucasus and the islet of Lesvos) and Le Vaillant’s woodpecker in the Maghreb (North Africa). Italian forests cover ca. 40% of land surface and since 1980’ are increasing, but 22% of them do not have a natural origin. However, it is difficult to know the true increase of forests, because some of them are fired every year. The presence of some ecologically demanding forest birds depends on the age of the trees, permanent open spaces and other characteristics at the edge of woodland.

Conservation tillage and deep side-fertilization both hold the potential to reduce nitrogen leaching and improve grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in fragrant rice cultivation practices. However, the combined impact of different tillage practices with deep side-fertilization on nitrogen leaching remains uncertain. Therefore, this study conducted on-site experiments for four rice growing seasons in both early and late seasons in 2018 and 2019, using the fragrant rice varieties "Meixiangzhan 2"(MX) and "Xiangyaxiangzhan"(XY). The four experimental treatments included:conventional tillage with regular fertilization (T1), conventional tillage with simultaneous deep fertilization (T2), reduced tillage with simultaneous deep fertilization (T3) , and no-tillage with simultaneous deep fertilization (T4). Our results indicate that the T4 treatment exhibited higher nitrogen leaching rates and potential nitrogen losses throughout the entire rice growth cycle, with a 4.51% increase in total nitrogen leaching and a 1.86% increase in potential nitrogen leaching compared to T1. In contrast, the T2 treatment demonstrated the lowest nitrogen leaching rate, resulting in a 6.01% reduction in total nitrogen leaching and a 9.57% decrease in potential nitrogen leaching compared to T1, demonstrating the most optimal performance. For MX, the T1 treatment resulted in lower daily grain outputs compared to the other treatments, with disparities ranging from 5.35% to 9.94%. Similarly, for the XY, the T1 treatment yielded significantly lower daily grain outputs compared to the other treatments, with discrepancies ranging from 6.26% to 10.81% during the late season of 2019. Overall, this study shows that conventional tillage with deep fertilization effectively reduces nitrogen leaching and boosts fragrant rice yields. Minimizing nitrogen leaching enhances nitrogen utilization efficiency. These insights highlight the significance of strategic fertilization and cultivation for environmental conservation and agricultural sustainability.

Corynebacterium glutamicum is prominent for the industrial production of secreted amino acids. Notably, it naturally accumulates the carotenoid pigment decaprenoxanthin in its membranes. Metabolic engineering enabled production of astaxanthin. Here, a bioprocess for astaxanthin production in lab-scale stirred bioreactors was established by a DoE-guided approach to optimize the basic process parameters pH, rDOS, aeration rate as well as inoculation cell density. The DoE-guided approach from 2 L scale cultivation revealed that the pH showed the strongest effect on the product formation. Subsequently, an optimum at pH 8, an aeration rate of 0.25 vvm, 30 % rDOS and an initial optical density of 1 was established that allowed production of 7.6±0.6mg L-1 astaxanthin in batch mode. These process conditions were successfully transferred to a fed-batch process resulting in a high cell density cultivation with up to 60 g CDW L-1 biomass and 64 mg L-1 astaxanthin and thus demonstrating an about 9-fold improvement compared to optimal batch conditions. Moreover, pH shifts experiments indicate that the cells can quickly adapt to a change from pH 6 to 8 and start producing astaxanthin showing the possibility of a biphasic bioprocesses for astaxanthin production.

Respiratory viral infections, including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and, more recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, continue to pose significant global health threats. Conventional treatments for these infections often face challenges such as limited efficacy, the emergence of drug-resistant strains, and the requirement for frequent administration. In recent years, nanobodies have emerged as a promising class of therapeutic agents due to their unique properties, including small size, high stability, and specific binding capabilities. This mini-review article focuses on the application of nanobodies as spray and aerosol particles for the treatment of respiratory viral infections. Furthermore, we highlight the remarkable efficacy of nanobodies in preclinical and clinical studies against respiratory viruses, including their ability to neutralize viral particles, inhibit viral replication, and modulate the host immune response. We discuss the potential advantages of using nanobodies as inhalable formulations, including their improved delivery to the respiratory tract, enhanced stability in aerosol form, and reduced systemic side effects. Additionally, we explore the various strategies employed to engineer nanobodies for optimal aerosol delivery, such as conjugation to carrier particles or formulation as dry powders. We also examine the potential challenges and limitations associated with the development of nanobody-based aerosol therapies, including production scalability, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory considerations.

Lots of efforts are made to optimize spectrum quality used for indoor farming to maximize artificial light utilization and reduce water loss. For such an improvement, green (G) light supplementation to a red-blue (RB) background was successfully employed in our previous studies to restrict both non-photochemical thermal dissipation (NPQ) and stomatal conductance (gs). At the same time, however, the downregulation of NPQ and gs influences the leaf temperature (Tleaf) in opposite ways. Thus, to elucidate which factor plays a more prominent role in Tleaf regulation and whether such response is temporal or permanent we investigated the correlation between NPQ or gs and the subsequent Tleaf. To this end, we analysed tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Malinowy Ozarowski) grown solely under monochromatic LED lamps (435, 520, or 662 nm; 80 µmol m–2 s–1) or under mixed RGB spectrum (1:1:1; 180 µmol m–2 s–1), and simultaneously measured the gs and Tleaf with an infrared gas analyser and thermocouple or employed infrared thermal camera (FLIR) during thermal imaging analyses. Results documented that growth light quality significantly modified the Tleaf, and such response is not temporal. Furthermore, we found that plants' actual adaxial leaf surface temperature is more closely related to NPQ amplitude, while the temperature of the abaxial surface corresponds to gs.

Viviparity is made possible by the placenta, a structure acquired relatively recently in the evolutionary history of eutherian mammals. Compared to oviparity, it increases the survival rate of the fetus, owing to the eutherian placenta. Questions such as “How was the placenta acquired?” and “Why is there diversity in placental morphology among mammalian species?” remain largely unsolved. Our present understanding of the molecules regulating placental development remains unclear, owing in no small part to the persistent obscurity surrounding the molecular mechanisms underlying placental acquisition. Many genes that characterize eutherian placental morphology likely evolved to be expressed at the fetal-maternal interface concurrently with those during embryogenesis. Therefore, identifying these genes, how they were acquired, and how they came to be expressed specifically at the fetal-maternal interface will shed light on some crucial molecular mechanisms underlying placental evolution. Exhaustive studies support the hypothesis that endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) could be evolutional driving forces for trophoblast cell fusion and placental structure in mammalian placentas including those of the bovine species. This review focuses on bovine ERVs (BERVs) and their expression and function in the placenta.

After reviewing the history of the struggle between human beings and plant diseases, insects and weeds, especially reviewing the thoughts of plant protection in ancient Chinese agricultural books, the target recognition of plant pests and the six types of plant protection methods and 36 subdi-vision measures were summarized. Then the development overview of pesticide application technology was focused and reviewed systematically by combining the development timeline of pesticide application and the key technologies including the performance measurement and the simulation and modeling of pesticide spraying system. And three suggestions for further research were proposed from the perspectives of human-being and environmental health, the sustainable and eco-friendly application medium, and the efficiently application equipment system in plant protection.

Clinical work conducted over the last seventeen years at the EEG Institute in Los Angeles and by other neurofeedback providers around the world has demonstrated the utility of extending frequency-based neurofeedback deep into the infra-low frequency (ILF) region, using the method of endogenous neuromodulation described herein. The method is characterized by the absence of any overt reinforcements, which makes it possible to extend the clinical reach to extremely low frequencies. As the training frequency is lowered, the signal becomes more difficult to discriminate, and ultimately it can only be discerned by the brain itself, in the process of endogenous neuromodulation. The method emulates how the brain does skill learning in general: It must observe itself performing the skill, with feedback on its performance. While the immediate target of ILF neurofeedback is enhanced self-regulatory competence--with symptomatic relief and functional recovery the secondary consequences, progressive lowering of the target frequencies has led to improved outcomes in application to challenging dysfunctions such as episodic suicidality, migraine, seizures, and bipolar mood swings. The work has also yielded insights into how the frequency domain is organized. The training proceeds best at frequencies that are specific to each individual, and these are referred to as optimal response frequencies (ORFs). These frequencies differ for various placements but stand in two fixed relationships to one another, one that holds over the EEG spectral range, and another that holds over the entire ILF range. Training in the ILF region engages the dynamics of the glial-neuronal networks, which govern tonic, resting state regulation. The collective clinical experience with ILF neuromodulation within a large practitioner network supports the case for making protocol-based, individualized ‘homeodynamic’ regulation a therapeutic priority, particularly for our most impacted clinical populations: addiction, trauma formations, traumatic brain injury, and the dementias. The case is made for further outcome studies and foundational research.

Snakebite envenoming can be a life-threatening medical emergency that requires prompt medical intervention to neutralise the effects of venom toxins. Each year up to 138,000 people die from snakebite and 3-fold more victims suffer life-altering disabilities. Current treatment of snakebite relies solely on antivenom – polyclonal antibodies isolated from the plasma of hyperimmunised animals – which is associated with numerous deficiencies. The ADDovenom project seeks to deliver a novel snakebite therapy, through use of an innovative protein-based scaffold as a next-generation antivenom. The ADDomer is a megadalton-sized, thermostable synthetic nanoparticle derived from the adenovirus penton base protein with 60 high-avidity binding sites to neutralise venom toxins. Here, we outline our experimental strategies to achieve this goal using state-of-the-art protein engineering, expression technology, mass spectrometry, as well as in vitro and in vivo venom neutralisation assays. We anticipate that the approaches described here will produce antivenom with unparalleled efficacy, safety and affordability.

Mouse wild-derived strains (WDS) combine the advantages of classical laboratory stocks and wild animals, and thus appear as promising tools for diverse biomedical and evolutionary studies. We employed 18 WDS representing three non-synanthropic species (Mus spretus, M. spicilegus, and M. macedonicus) and three house mouse subspecies (M. musculus musculus, M. m. domesticus, M. m. castaneus) which are all important human commensals to explore whether the number of major urinary protein (MUP) genes and their final protein levels in the urine are correlated with the level of commensalism. Contrary to expectations, MUP copy number (CN) and protein excretion in the strains derived from M. m. castaneus, which is supposed to be the strongest commensal, were not significantly different from the non-commensal species. Regardless of an overall tendency for higher MUP amounts in taxa with higher CN, there is no significant correlation at the strain level. Our study thus suggests that the expansion of the Mup cluster, which appeared before the house mouse diversification, is unlikely to facilitate commensalism with humans in the three house mouse subspecies. Finally, we found considerable variation among con(sub)specific WDS, warning against generalisations of results based on a few strains.

There are no theorems (proven theories) in the biological sciences. We propose that the 3 31 nt minihelix tRNA evolution theorem be universally accepted as one. The 3 31 nt minihelix theorem completely describes evolution of type I and type II tRNAs from ordered precursors (RNA repeats and inverted repeats). Despite diversification of tRNAome sequences, statistical tests overwhelmingly support the theorem. Furthermore, the theorem relates the dominant pathway for the origin of life on Earth, specifically, how tRNAomes and the genetic code may have coevolved. Alternate models for tRNA evolution (i.e., 2 minihelix, convergent and accretion models) are falsified. In the context of the pre-life world, tRNA was a molecule that via mutation could modify anticodon sequences and teach itself to code. We relate the clearest history to date of the chemical evolution of life on Earth. From analysis of tRNA evolution, ribozyme-mediated RNA ligation was a primary driving force in evolution of complexity during the pre-life to life transition on Earth.

Brown-Spotted Pit viper (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus), also known as the Chinese habu, is a widespread and highly venomous snake distributed from from northeastern India to eastern China. Genomics research can help provide much insight in understanding venom components and natural selection in vipers. Here, we collected, sequenced and assembled the genome of a male P. mucrosquamatus individual from China, producing a highly continuous reference genome, with the length of 1.53 Gb and 41.18% repeat element content. From this 24,799 genes were identified, and 97.97% genes could be annotated. Nuclear genome single-copy genes phylogenetic tree including 6 species verified the validity of our genome assembly and annotation process. This research will contribute to further study on Protobothrops biology and the genetic basis of the snake venom.

The black soldier larvae meal (BSFLM) has been the most extensively studied insect protein source in shrimp nutrition. However, both the availability and prices of BSFLM are still a constraint for its widespread use as an ingredient in animal feeds. The present study investigated the growth and economic performance of post-larval (PL) P. vannamei fed nursery diets with a progressive replacement of fish meal (FML) for BSFLM at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. These replacements corresponded to a dietary inclusion (% of the diet, as-is) of FML and BSFLM of 16.50 and 6.33%, 11.00 and 13.04%, 5.50 and 19.74%, and 0 and 26.46%, respectively. A total of 102,647 shrimp at the age of PL15 with 2.7 ± 0.2 mg body weight (BW) were stocked in fifty 1.5-m3 tanks under 1,369 PLs/m3 (2,053 ± 33 PLs/tank) and reared for 42 days. Final shrimp survival (90.5 ± 7.6%), daily weight gain (14.7 ± 1.1 mg/day), and apparent feed intake (0.67 ± 0.03 g of feed per stocked shrimp) were unaffected by dietary treatment. The highest gained yield (791 ± 52 and 776 ± 38 g/m3) and final BW (621 ± 7.2 and 632 ± 7.2 mg) were attained when FML was replaced for BSFLM at 50 and 75% with the lowest at 0% (726 ± 34 g/m3 and 598 ± 8.1 mg, respectively). Shrimp fed diets with 0 and 100% replacement of FML exhibited the highest feed conversion ratio (1.25 ± 0.04 and 1.24 ± 0.08) compared to those fed a diet with 50% (1.16 ± 0.06). At a price of USD 2.00/kg, BSFLM demonstrated a favorable ROI (Return of Investment) when compared to FML, irrespective of the replacement level. With 25 and 50% replacement, BSFLM remained cost-competitive up to 3.50 USD/kg. At 75% FML replacement, there were no significant differences in ROI with a price range of 2.00 up to 3.04 USD/kg. At full replacement, ROI dropped significantly at a BSFLM price of 2.50 USD/kg and beyond. It can be concluded that FML can be fully replaced for BSFLM in well-balanced nursery diets for P. vannamei. While the full replacement of FML for BSFLM was successfully accomplished, the competitive ROI was sustained only when the price of BSFLM did not exceed 3.04 USD/kg at its dietary highest inclusion of 19.74%. Further research may be necessary to fine-tune cost-effective inclusion levels of BSFLM to optimize the economic outcomes while considering the fluctuating prices of FML.

Intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) (M||P) significantly enhances crop yield. In a long-term M||P field experiment with two P fertilizer levels, we examined how long-term M||P affects topsoil aggregate fractions and stability, organic carbon (SOC), available phosphorus (AP), and total phosphorus (TP) in each aggregate fraction, along with crop yields. Compared to their respective monocultures, long-term M||P substantially increased the proportion of topsoil mechanical macroaggregates (7.6–16.3%) and water-stable macroaggregates (>1 mm) (13.8–36.1%), while reducing the unstable aggregate index (ELT) and the percentage of aggregation destruction (PAD). M||P significantly boosted the concentration (12.9–39.9%) and contribution rate (4.1–47.9%) of SOC in macroaggregates compared to single crops. Moreover, the concentration of TP in macroaggregates (>1 mm) and AP in each aggregate fraction of M||P exceeded that of the respective single crops (P<0.05). Furthermore, M||P significantly increased the Ca2-P, Ca8-P, Al-P, and Fe-P concentrations of intercropped maize (IM) and the Ca8-P, O-P, and Ca10-P concentrations of intercropped peanuts (IP). The land equivalent ratio (LER) of M||P was higher than one, and M||P stubble improved the yield of subsequent winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) compared with sole-crop maize stubble. P application augmented the concentration of SOC, TP, and AP in macroaggregates, resulting in improved crop yields. In conclusion, our findings suggest that long-term M||P combined with P application, sustains farmland productivity in the North China Plain by increasing SOC and macroaggregate fractions, improving aggregate stability, and enhancing soil P availability.

The plant Allium hookeri, belonging to the Allium genus, has a history of being used both as a common food ingredient and in herbal medicine. It has recently been reported to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A. hookeri has been also shown to exhibit neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory activities, but the active compounds responsible for these effects have not been identified in previous studies. This study aimed to perform a metabolite profiling using an HRESI-qTOF MS/MS-based molecular networking approach and identify the active compounds from A. hookeri that target senescent cell-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) inhibitory effects, which contribute to neuroprotective activities. As a result, ten compounds, including one new flavonoid (2) and nine known compounds (1 and 3–10), were identified, and their biological activity was tested. The most potent compound was N-trans-feruloyltyramine (7), which inhibited SASP markers and contributed to the senomorphic activities of A. hookeri. These findings suggest that the phenolamides from A. hookeri could be a promising source of bioactive compounds for preventing senescence-associated diseases.

(1) Background: The Gárdos channel (KCNN4) and Piezo1 are the best-known ion channels in the red blood cell (RBC) membrane. Nevertheless, the quantitative electrophysiological behavior of RBCs and its heterogeneity are still not completely understood.; (2) Methods: Here we use state-of-the-art biochemical methods to probe for the abundance of the channels in RBCs. Furthermore, we utilize automated patch-clamp, based on planar chips, to compare the activity of the two channels in reticulocytes and mature RBCs. Besides this characterization, we performed membrane potential measurements to demonstrate the effect of channel activity and interplay on the RBC properties.; (3) Results: Both, Gárdos channel and Piezo1, albeit their average copy number of activatable channels per cell is in the single digit range, can be detected by transcriptome analysis of reticulocytes. Proteomics analysis of RBCs could only detect Piezo1 but not the Gárdos channel. Furthermore, they can be reliably measured in the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp method. While for the Gárdos channel the activity is higher in reticulocytes compared to mature RBCs, for Piezo1 the tendency is the opposite. While the interplay between Piezo1 and Gárdos channel cannot be followed using the patch-clamp measurements, it could be proved based on membrane potential measurements in populations of intact RBCs.; (4) Conclusions: We discuss the Gárdos channel and Piezo1 abundance, interdependencies and interactions in the context of their proposed physiological and pathophysiological functions, which are the passing of small constrictions, e.g., in the spleen, and their active participation in blood clot formation and thrombosis.

Once discovered, cancer stem cells have become a hot topic in the research of cancer therapy. These cells possess stem cell-like self-renewal and differentiation capacities and are important factors that dominate cancer metastasis, therapy- resistance and recurrence. What's worse, their own characteristics make them difficult to be eliminated. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Targeting colorectal cancer stem cells (CRCSCs) can inhibit colorectal cancer metastasis, enhance therapeutic efficacy, and reduce recurrence. Here, we introduced the origin, marker proteins, identification, cultivation and research techniques of CRCSCs, summarized the signaling pathways that regulate the stemness of CRCSCs, such as Wnt, JAK/STAT3, Notch, and Hh signaling pathway. In addition to these, we also reviewed anti-CRCSC drugs targeting signaling pathways，markers，and other regulators in recent years. These will help researchers gain insight into the current agents targeting to CRCSCs, explore new cancer drugs, and propose potential therapy.

This study presents a comprehensive ecological evaluation of avian species based on 5,322 photographs obtained through camera-trap sampling. We identified 1,427 independent bird sightings, encompassing 26 families and 49 species. The study focused on temporal activity patterns, nesting behaviors, habitat preferences, and the overlap coefficient of activity patterns among 22 species of Passeriformes. Two species exhibited predominant morning activity, while five species were active in the afternoon, and 15 exhibited cathemeral activity (activity throughout the day). A cross-analysis revealed varying degrees of overlap in the activity patterns of pairs of species with similar behavioral ecology. Our findings indicate that despite exhibiting similar ecological behavior, these species display unique activity patterns, likely influenced by factors such as resource availability, competition avoidance, and thermoregulation strategies. The results highlight the richness and complexity of avian temporal niches and emphasize the need for further research into their correlation with environmental factors. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of niche separation within Passeriformes and expands our knowledge of avian behavioral ecology.

(1) Background: In Eugenia Stipitata Mac Vaugh (Arazá), there is an abundance of flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids, which are bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiulcer, and cardiovascular disease prevention benefits. Therefore, the aim of this review is to compile the compounds that have been identified in the fruit and gather information about secondary metabolites to establish their potential preventive and therapeutic effects; (2) Methods: a literature search was conducted in repositories and databases such as Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Agriculture Collection Gale, SAGE, OXFORD University, DOAJ, among others. Articles identifying and quantifying bioactive compounds present in Arazá were included; (3) Results: Five studies meeting the inclusion criteria were incorporated, resulting in the compilation of 82 compounds, of which 24 were identified and quantified, while 58 were solely identified. This review was able to identify and report the concentration, and in some cases, the quantity, of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities present in Arazá; (4) Conclusions: With this scope, it was possible to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the fruit's potential to potentially enhance health aspects, thereby providing greater prominence and added value to this product, allowing for more frequent inclusion in the diets of consumers, and even enabling exportation.

The agamid lizard Phrynocephalus melanurus, is restricted to the Northwest China (Dzungar Basin) and adjacent Eastern Kazakhstan (Zaisan and Alakol basins). To elucidate the phylogeography of P. melanurus, we obtained the mitochondrial DNA COI segments of 175 sampled lizards from 44 localities across the whole distribution range. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two main clades comprising six geographically structured lineages (I, IIa, IIb, IIc1, IIc2, and IIc3) that fits an isola-tion by distance (IBD) model. The divergence from the most recent ancestor was dated to ~1.86 million years ago (Ma). Demographic analyses demonstrated lineage-specific response to past climate change: stable population for Clade I, IIb and IIc2; while past population expansion for IIc1 and IIc3 since 0.02 Ma and 0.18 Ma, respectively. Bayesian phylogeographic diffusion anal-yses detected initial spreading at the Saur Mount vicinity approximately 1.8 Ma. Historical species distribution modeling (SDM) projected expansion of the suitable habitat in the last interglacial period and stepwise contraction in the Last Glacial Maximum and Holocene epochs. The SDM predicts a shrinkage and shift of suitable area eastward as a response to future climate change. Our findings suggest that the evolution of P. melanurus followed a parapatric divergence with subsequent dispersal and adaptation to cold and dry environments during the Quaternary. Moreover, future conservation strategies need to be taken to maintain the population of lineage IIc1.

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of ETS homologous factor (EHF) in malignant breast cancer cells. (2) Methods: Overexpression and knockdown of the EHF gene in human and mouse breast cancer cells were performed, and the TCGA dataset and Q-omics were analyzed. (3) Results: We found that the tumor suppressor NDRG2 is correlated with EHF gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer cells, that EHF overexpression results in reduced cell proliferation and that apoptosis is promoted by chemotherapeutic reagent treatment of EHF-overexpressing cells. By EHF overexpression, senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and p21WAF1/CIP1 expression were increased, suggesting that EHF may induce cellular senescence. In addition, overexpression of EHF reduced the migratory ability and inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, EHF inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3. Overexpression of EHF also reduced tumor size, and lung metastasis in vivo. At the tumor site, β-galactosidase activity was increased by EHF. Finally, Kaplan-Meier-plotter analysis showed that TNBC patients with high expression of EHF had a longer relapse-free survival rate. (4) Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that EHF inhibits breast tumor progression by inducing senescence and regulating EMT in TNBC cells.

Scavenging of atmospheric trace gases has been recognized as one of the lifestyle-defining capabilities of microorganisms in terrestrial polar ecosystems. Several metagenome-assembled genomes of as-yet-uncultivated methanotrophic bacteria, which consume atmospheric CH4 in these ecosystems, have been retrieved in cultivation-independent studies. In this study, we isolated and characterized a representative of these methanotrophs, strain D3K7, from a subarctic soil of Northern Russia. Strain D3K7 grows on methane and methanol in a wide range of temperatures, between 5 and 30°C. Weak growth was also observed on acetate. The presence of acetate in the culture medium stimulated growth at low CH4 concentrations (~100 p.p.m.v.). The finished genome sequence of strain D3K7 is 4.15 Mb in size and contains about 3700 protein-encoding genes. According to the result of phylogenomic analysis, this bacterium forms a common clade with metagenome-assembled genomes obtained from the active layer of a permafrost thaw gradient in Stordalen Mire, Abisco, Sweeden, and the mineral cryosol at Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic. This clade occupies a phylogenetic position in between characterized Methylocapsa methanotrophs and representatives of the as-yet-uncultivated Upland Soil Cluster Alpha (USCα). As shown by the global distribution analysis, D3K7-like methanotrophs colonize mostly northern terrestrial ecosystems, such as polar deserts, subarctic soils, permafrost environments, but also occur in boreal peatlands or high-latitude habitats.

Alheira is a naturally fermented meat sausage traditionally made in the Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) have been found to be the dominant microorganisms in alheira. This study aimed: 1) to characterize technological features and in vitro antimicrobial activity of LAB isolates; and 2) to reveal associations between such phenotypic characteristics and the isolates genotypically identified to species level through amplification and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal gene. Sixty-two LAB isolates were identified and Enterococcus faecium was the most prevalent (32.3%), followed by Leuconostoc mesenteroides (19.4%) and Latilactobacillus sakei (17.7%), aligning with previous research on traditional Portuguese fermented meat sausages. The phenotypic analysis of LAB isolates indicated diverse acidification capacities, proteolytic activities, and inhibitory effects against foodborne pathogens. Comprising the technological attributes, L. paracasei and L. mesenteroides had higher proteolytic activity (3.46 and 3.43 mm), whereas E. faecium and L. paracasei stood out for their acidifying capacity, with mean pH after 6 h of 5.78 and 6.03, respectively. Overall, lactobacilli presented higher inhibition diameter against the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium. Although the mechanisms for inhibition of pathogen growth needs to be further elucidated, these findings enhance our understanding of LAB diversity and functionality in alheira sausages, contributing to product safety and quality assessment.

Hippocampal neuronal activity generates dendritic and somatic Ca2+ signals, which depending on stimulus intensity, rapidly propagate to the nucleus and induce the expression of transcription factors and genes with crucial roles in cognitive functions. Soluble Amyloid-beta Oligomers (AβOs), the main synaptotoxins engaged in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, generate aberrant Ca2+ signals in primary hippocampal neurons, increase their oxidative tone and disrupt structural plasticity. Here, we explored the effects of sub-lethal AβOs concentrations on activity-generated nuclear Ca2+ signals and on the Ca2+-dependent expression of neuroprotective genes. To induce neuronal activity, neuron-enriched primary hippocampal cultures were treated with the GABAA receptor blocker gabazine (GBZ), and nuclear Ca2+ signals were measured in AβOs-treated or control neurons transfected with a genetically encoded nuclear Ca2+ sensor. Incubation (6 h) with AβOs significantly reduced the nuclear Ca2+ signals and the enhanced phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) induced by GBZ. Likewise, incubation (6 h) with AβOs significantly reduced the GBZ-induced increases in the mRNA levels of Neuronal Per Arnt Sim domain protein 4 (Npas4), Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf), Ryanodine Receptor type-2 (RyR2), and the antioxidant enzyme NADPH-Quinone-Oxidoreductase (Nqo1). Based on these findings we propose that AβOs, by inhibiting the generation of activity induced nuclear Ca2+ signals, disrupt key neuroprotective gene expression pathways required for hippocampal-dependent learning and memory processes.

Few Sclerophyllous plants from the central coast of Chile have been systematically studied. This work describes the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial properties of Baccharis concava Pers. (sin. B. macraei), a shrub found in the first line and nearby the pacific coast between latitudes 29-38⁰S. B. concava has been traditionally used by indigenous inhabitants of today central Chile for their anthelmintic properties, wound healing properties and as a diuretic. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of B. concava were prepared from leaves and small branches. The qualitative phytochemical characterization indicated presence of alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic and tannins compounds. The antimicrobial activity of this extract was assessed in a panel of microorganisms including Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and pathogenic yeasts. The extract displayed important antimicrobial effects against Gram positive, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans, but not against Gram negative, for which an intact Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is apparently the determinant of resistant to B. concava extracts. The hydroalcoholic extract was then fractionated through a sephadex LH-20/methanol-ethyl acetate column. Followed, the fractions were pooled according to a similar composition that was visualized by TLC/UV analysis. Fractions obtained by this criterion were assessed for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The fraction presenting the most antimicrobial activity was HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analyzed obtaining a composition rich in structures derived from caffeoylquinic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acid and quercetin, among others. In conclusion, the extracts of B. concava show a strong antimicrobial activity probably due to their composition rich in metabolites derived from caffeoylquinic acid and quercetin, that in turn could be responsible for helping with wound healing, as reported from its ancient cultural use. In addition, the development of antimicrobial therapies based in the molecules found in B. concava could help to combat infection caused by pathogenic yeasts and Gram-positive bacteria, without affecting the Gram-negative microbiota.

The exogenous application of phenolic compounds is increasingly recognized as a valuable strategy for promoting growth and mitigating the adverse effects of abiotic stress. However, the biostimulant effect under optimal conditions have not been thoroughly explored. In this study, we investigated the impact of foliar application of flavonoids, specifically Crop Bio Life (CBL), on tomato plants grown under controlled conditions. Our study focused on determining growth parameters, such as cell size, and assessing the concentration of hormones. Principal component analysis (PCA) from all physiological variables were determined. Additionally, we utilized high-throughput mRNA sequencing technology and bioinformatic methodologies to robustly analyze the transcriptomes of tomato leaves regulated by flavonoids. The findings revealed that CBL primarily influenced cells enlargement, leading to increased growth. Furthermore, CBL-treated plants exhibited higher concentrations of the hormone zeatin but lower concentrations of IAA. Moreover, RNAseq analysis indicated that CBL-treated plants required increased mineral transport and water uptake, as evidenced by gene expression patterns. Genes related to pathways such as fatty acid degradation, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and ABC transporters showed regulatory mechanisms governing internal flavonoid biosynthesis, transport, and tissue concentration, ultimately resulting in higher flavonoid concentrations in tomato leaves.

: With the increase in demand for non-dairy starter cultures and probiotic bacteria as carriers, the use of legumes (also called pulses) as an alternative has gained momentum. In this study, we investigated the diversity of bacterial communities in samples of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) soaked in water for 12 h and 24 h. We soaked 500 g of pigeon pea in sterile distilled water at room temperature (± 25 °C) for 12 h and 24 h; 10 mL of the soaking water was then collected to measure the bacterial diversity using a metataxonomic analysis. The V1–V9 regions on the 16S ribosomal RNA gene were amplified using 27F and 1492R primers under specific polymerase chain reaction conditions for the bacterial identification. Genomic DNA (130 ng) was sequenced on a R9.4 flow cell by Oxford Nanopore Technologies using a GridION sequencer. Library preparations were initiated using a Native Barcoding Kit 24 V14 (SQK-NBD114.24). Primary data were acquired using MinKNOW version 22.05.7. A total of 13 bacterial families and 89 genera were identified in the pigeon pea sample soaked for 12 h; 26 families and 90 genera were identified in the pigeon pea sample soaked for 24 h. Among the bacterial families identified, the five predominant families in both samples were Enterobacteriaceae, Erwiniaceae, Yersiniaceae, Pectobacteriaceae, and Lactobacillaceae. According to the relative abundance of the identified bacterial genera, the following nine genera were predominant in both samples: Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Pantoea, Kosakonia, Pseudoenterobacter, Pluralibacter, Leclercia, and Kluyvera. At a genus level, a slight increase in the abundance of Klebsiella, Kosakonia, and Pluralibacter and a slight decrease in the abundance of Citrobacter were observed after prolonged incubation from 12 h to 24 h. The values of five diversity indices revealed that the sample soaked in water for 24 h had a richer bacterial abundance and diversity than the 12 h sample. Shannon and Simpson values revealed a higher bacterial diversity in the sample collected at 24 h than the sample collected at 12 h. Species observations and abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) values demonstrated that the sample collected at 24 h harbored a higher bacterial richness than the sample collected at 12 h. These findings indicated that the bacterial diversity in the pigeon pea samples increased with the soaking time. The bacterial communities during the soaking of the pigeon pea samples were dominated by the Enterobacteriaceae family and Enterobacter genus. The presence of bacterial genera such as Lacticaseibacillus, Lentilactobacillus, and Secundilactobacillus was notable because of their importance as starter cultures for fermented plant-based milk products, including pigeon pea beverages for lactose-intolerant individuals or individuals with malnutrition.

Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCC) results from infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is a prevalent cause of heart disease in endemic countries. We previously found that cardiac fibrosis can vary widely in C3H/HeN mice chronically infected with T. cruzi JR strain, mirroring the spectrum of heart disease in humans. In this study, we examined functional cardiac abnormalities in this host:parasite combination to determine its potential as an experimental model for CCC. We utilized electrocardiography (ECG) to monitor T. cruzi-infected mice and determine whether ECG markers could be correlated with cardiac function abnormalities. We found that the C3H/HeN:JR combination frequently displayed early onset CCC indicators, such as sinus bradycardia and right bundle branch block, as well as prolonged PQ, PR, RR, ST and QT intervals in the acute stage. Our model exhibited high levels of cardiac inflammation and enhanced iNOS expression in the acute stage, but denervation did not appear to have a role in pathology. These results demonstrate the potential of the C3H/HeN:JR host:parasite combination as a model for CCC that could be used for screening new compounds targeted at cardiac remodeling and for examining the potential of anti-parasitic drugs to prevent or alleviate CCC development and progression.

In recent years, genetic research has been developing rapidly and taking on a larger role in research and medicine. The synthesis of any particle that can be used in this research can pave the way for new developments in this field. This research aims to develop a chemical method to produce nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots - economical and bio-sourced substances that bind to genomic DNA. Carbon quantum dots are produced by the green synthesis hydrothermal method from radish, which is abundant in nature, and economically affordable. Nitrogen is added to increase the fluorescence properties of the produced carbon quantum dots and to improve their binding to DNA. The synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were tested through chromosome imaging subsequently. It was shown that N-CQDs can bind to the chromosomes, and N-CQDs reflected green light better than DAPI under the FITC filter, a potential advantage of using N-CQDs over DAPI in chromosome imaging.

The use of zeolite in agriculture as a soil conditioner is becoming an important field of research in crop growth. To study the effect of synthetic zeolite and deficit irrigation on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivation, an experiment in a controlled environment was conducted. In particular, sweet pepper was cultivated in a glasshouse using polypropylene pots filled with sandy-loam soil to which 2% of zeolite was added. The zeolite employed in the experiments was obtained using coal fly ash as raw material. The experiment was planned in order to have two main treatments consisting of a) soil with zeolite at 2% (Z) and b) soil without zeolite, as control (C), and three subplot treatments consisting of 1) full irrigation at 100% of available water content (AWC) (100); 2) deficit irrigation at 70% of AWC (70); 3) deficit irrigation at 50% of AWC (50). Sweet pepper cultivation started on the 24th April 2023 and lasted until the 23th June 2023 and during the trial environmental data, such as soil humidity, air temperature and relative humidity, and some crop parameters, such as plant height, leaf number, SPAD index, were monitored. At the end of the trial, fresh and dry plant weight, dry matter content, and leaf water potential were measured. Results showed that for plant fresh weight and dry matter content, no significant differences were observed by treatments and their interactions whereas for the other parameters the statistical analysis returned significant differences. The study suggests that the soil structural benefits, resulting from the zeolite application, are not followed by an equal positive effect in terms of sweet pepper growth under deficit irrigation conditions.

Severe COVID-19 is frequently associated with thromboembolic complications. Increased platelet activation and platelet-leukocyte aggregate formation can amplify thrombotic responses by inducing tissue factor (TF) expression on leukocytes. Here, we characterized TF-positive extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their cellular origin in 12 patients suffering from severe COVID-19 (time course, 134 samples overall) and 25 healthy controls. EVs exposing phosphatidylserine (PS) were characterized by flow cytometry. Their cellular origin was determined by staining with anti-CD41, anti-CD45, anti-CD235a, and anti-CD105 as platelet, leukocyte, red blood cell, and endothelial markers. We further investigated the association of EVs with TF, platelet factor 4 (PF4), C-reactive protein (CRP) and high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB-1). COVID-19 patients showed higher levels of PS-exposing EVs compared to controls. The majority of these EVs originated from platelets. A higher amount of EVs in patient samples were associated with CRP, HMGB-1, PF4, and TF, as compared to EVs from healthy donors. In COVID-19 samples, 16.5% of all CD41+ EVs displayed the leukocyte marker CD45, and 55.5% of all EV aggregates (CD41+CD45+) co-expressed TF, which reflects the interaction of platelets and leukocytes in COVID-19 on an EV level.

Acute respiratory viruses (ARVs) are leading cause of diseases in human worldwide. High risk individuals including children and elderly could potentially develop severe illness that could result in hospitalization or death in the worst case. Most common ARVs are Human respiratory syncytial virus, Human Metapneumovirus, Human Parainfluenza Virus, rhinovirus, coronaviruses (including SARS and MERS CoV), adenoviruses, Human Bocavirus, enterovirus (-D68 and 71), and influenza viruses. The olfactory deficits due to ARVs infection is a common symptom among patients. This mini review provides an overview of the role of SARS-CoV-2 and other common ARVs in the development of human olfactory pathophysiology. We highlight the critical need for understanding the signaling underlying the olfactory dysfunction and the development of therapeutics for this wide-ranging category of AVRs to restore the altered or loss of smell in affected patients.

In cancer patients, hyponatremia is detected in about 40% of cases at hospital admission and has been associated to a worse outcome. We have previously observed that cancer cells from differ-ent tissues show a significantly increased proliferation rate and invasion potential, when cul-tured in low extracellular [Na+]. We have recently developed an animal model of hyponatremia using Foxn1nu/nu mice. The aim of the present study was to compare tumor growth and inva-sivity of the neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-AS in hyponatremic vs. normonatremic mice. Ani-mals were subcutaneously implanted with luciferase-expressing SK-N-AS cells. When masses reached about 100 mm3, hyponatremia was induced in a subgroup of animals via desmopressin infusion. Tumor masses were significantly greater in hyponatremic mice, starting from day 14 and until the day of sacrifice (day 28). Immunohistochemical analysis showed a more intense vascularization and higher levels of expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, chro-mogranin A and heme oxigenase-1 gene in hyponatremic mice. Finally, metalloproteases were also more abundantly expressed in hyponatremic animals compared to control ones. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo demonstration that hyponatremia is associated to increased cancer growth by activating molecular mechanisms that promote proliferation, angiogenesis and invasivity.

Hermetia illucens is a very promising insect due to its ability to convert low-value substrates in highly nutrient feed. Its feeding and nutrition are important issues. This work aimed to study the effect of different substrates composed of coffee silverskin, by-product of the roasting process, enriched with different inclusion of microalgae (5%, 10%, 20%, 25%), Schizochytrium limacinum and Isochrysis galbana, coupled with the assessment of environmental sustainability by LCA. In general, the inclusion of microalgae caused an increase in the growth performance of the larvae, although S. limacinum showed the best results. Higher prepupal weight were observed in larvae fed on 20% and 25% of S. limacinum, shorter development times in larvae fed on 25% of both S. limacinum and I. galbana and higher growth rate were observed in larvae fed on 25% of S. limacinum. Anyway, the inclusion of 10% of S. limacinum showed a small difference with the higher inclusions. Moreover, the 10% of S. limacinum achieved the best waste reduction index. Therefore, considering the greater inclusion of microalgae, the higher the environmental impact of larvae production, the addition of 10% of S. limacinum seems to be the best compromise for the larval rearing.

The generation and maintenance of membrane potential is considered a fundamental element of the cellular machinery. They are based on elements of physics and chemistry. Mathematics is used to validate the equations and evaluate the results. However, this computation process can lead to a misunderstanding of the phenomena involved or to the masking of crucial events. It is even possible that the calculation no longer corresponds to the hypothesis considered. Membrane theory is no exception to these trivial considerations, which are essential for normal theory validation.

Background. The measurement of physical performance constitutes an indicator of physical functional capacity and allows the design of physical exercise programs adapted to the individual abilities and needs of older adults with and without frailty. Aim. To present a synthesis of knowledge on the effect of exercise programs on physical performance in older adults with and without frailty in the community. Method. A systematic review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA-2020 criteria. The search for articles was made until May 4, 2023 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SciELO and LILACS. The outcome variable was physical performance, measured through the SPPB (Short Physical Performance Battery). The mean difference (MD) was estimated to evaluate the effect. Results. We found 2,483 studies, of which 12 met the eligibility criteria for the systematic review and 9 for the meta-analysis. The effect of exercise on SPPB score was significantly higher in the exercise group compared to control in non-frail older adults with MD=0.51 [95% CI, 0.05 to 0.96, p&lt;0.05]. Likewise, in older adults with frailty, the effect of exercise on the global SPPB score was significantly higher in the exercise group compared to the control with an MD=0.66 [95% CI, 0.09 to 1.24, p&lt;0.05 ]. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that exercise programs are effective in increasing and/or maintaining physical performance in older adults with and without frailty, whose effect is more evident in older adults with frailty, probably due to the greater margin of recovery of intrinsic capacity.

Biofilm-associated proteins (BAPs) are important in the development and resilience of biofilms, which are intricate populations of microbes protected by extracellular matrix. All members of the BAP family are known to possess common characteristics such as high molecular weight and a signal sequence for extracellular secretion. It has been shown that BAPs are directly linked to the pathogenicity of many bacteria. This mini review highlights several potential strategies to target BAPs for drug development.

Bifenthrin (BF) is a new highly effective broad-spectrum insecticide that has gained widespread use. However, there is limited research on the potential toxic effects of bifenthrin pollution on amphibians. In this research, Chinese giant salamanders (CGS) were exposed to three different concentrations of BF (0, 0.04, and 4 g/L BF) for 1-week to investigate the toxic effects. Behavioral changes, liver pathology, oxidative stress factors, DNA damage, and transcriptome differences were observed and analyzed. The results showed that exposure to BF (0.04 and 4) significantly decreased the adenosine-triphosphate (ATP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) contents in the brain, liver, and kidney of CGS, whereas the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents were increased. The liver tissue showed considerable inflammatory reactions and structural malformations. RNAseq analysis of the liver showed that BF caused abnormal antioxidant indices of CGS, which affected molecular function genes such as catalytic activity, ATP-dependent activity, metabolic processes, signaling and immune system processes, behavior and detoxification significantly up-regulated, resulting the differential genes were significantly enriched in calcium signaling pathway, PPARα signaling pathway and NF-kB signaling pathway. These results indicated that BF induced the abnormal production of free radicals to exceed the potential of the self-defense system, causing different degrees of oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in the body, resulting in oxidative stress, abnormal lipid metabolism, DNA damage, tissue inflammation, and abnormal behavior. This work provides a theoretical basis for the rational use of pyrethrin and environmental risks assessment, and scientific guidance for the conservation of amphibian populations.

This work is the first part of a series of papers on a comprehensive analysis of the processes of prebiotic self-organization and protophotosynthesis on the surface of semiconductor minerals and in systems of natural dispersed semiconductors. Comprehensive analysis within the framework of the "semiconductor world" concept allows integrating a variety of models on a single physical basis - from ZnS world and FeS world (based on inorganic semiconductors) to the PAH world and aromatic world (including organic semiconductors). Thus, we do not put forward a new alternative hypothesis of chemical evolution - a new "chemical world", but only integrate the evolutionary and geochemical criteria of different "chemical worlds" into a single "physical world", which gives one the opportunity to reconstruct and predict the directions of chemical evolution according to the uniform principles of physical chemistry. In the first part of this series we consider photoinduced self-organization and "photo-controlled" evolution of the early protobiological systems performing solar energy conversion on the surface of dispersed semiconductor minerals capable of (photo)catalyzing and photosensitizing prebiological processes. The latter include a transition from the elementary cycles of photocatalytic reactions on the surface of semiconductors to protophotometabolic cycles and protophotosynthesis, from photophysical processes on the surface of mineral semiconductors to photoinduced membrane potentials, from photocontrolled sorption on the surface of such minerals to the formation of photosensitive protomembranes and selection of photosynthetic structures. The evolutionary approach to the analysis of protobiological mechanisms and protobioenergetics within the framework of the "semiconductor world" concept provides a new approach to the study of the last common point of divergence of protobiological systems, where the emergence principles of different energy supply schemes (like the energy source-specific photoautotrophy and substrate-specific chemoautotrophy) merge at the physicochemical level. The proposed integrating scheme is consistent with most biological, geological, and physicochemical concepts, which ensures its complete cross-checking and internal consistency.

The review concerns the chemical structures of all the triterpene glycosides from the most valuable commercially harvesting North Atlantic sea cucumber Cucumaria frondosa and their biological activities. The isolation and structural elucidation of 17 specific triterpene glycosides are described along with isolation and identification of two known glycosides. Antitumor, immunomodulatory, antithrombotic and anti-Alzheimer disease activities are also described. Frondoside A, the major component of the glycosidic fraction seems to be very perspective leader-compound for creation of useful medicinal preparations.

Despite recent advancements, therapies remain ineffective against advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), resulting in unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) offers a promising approach in the treatment of malignant neoplasms. Yet, the exact mechanisms driving CAP-induced cancer cell death are not fully understood. This study revealed a significant reduction in the viability of OSCC cell lines, inactivation of AKT and ERK, and the downregulation of the miR-21, miR-31, miR-134, miR-146a and miR-211 expression followed the CAP treatment. Pretreatment with ZVAD, 3-MA, and Fer-1 synergistically reduced CAP-induced cell death, indicating a combined induction of variable death pathways by CAP. Activation of AKT and ERK, alongside combined treatments using death inhibitors and miRNA mimics, counteracted the cell mortality associated with CAP. CAP-induced downregulation of miR-21, miR-31, miR-187 and miR-211 expression was rescued by AKT and ERK activation. Additionally, CAP treatments notably inhibited the growth of SAS cell xenografts on nude mice. The reduced expression of oncogenic miRNAs in vivo aligned with in vitro findings. In conclusion, our study indicates that CAP jet treatment diminishes OSCC cell viability by abrogating survival signals and oncogenic miRNA expression.

This manuscript explores sustainable agriculture's role in mitigating environmental challenges and meeting the nutritional needs of a growing global population. The objective is to assess the impact of different fertilizers on two distinct tomato-growing soils, each characterized by unique chemical and biological properties. The study compares four fertilizer treatments: Additionally, it evaluates the environmental implications of these fertilizers, focusing on their Carbon and Water Footprints. The findings indicate significant improvements in soil quality with SBO fertilizer. Both soils experienced a shift towards a near-neutral pH, increased organic matter content, and heightened microbial biomass. Enzyme activities were notably superior in SBO-treated soils. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results demonstrate that the SBO-based system is the most sustainable, with the lowest Carbon footprint. NPK exerts the highest environmental impact. The Water Footprint analysis aligns with these results, showing that SBO requires the least water for tomato production. In summary, this study underscores the significance of sustainable fertilization practices in improving soil quality and reducing environmental footprints in agriculture, offering potential benefits for food production and environmental conservation.

Brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) are a critical concern in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) patients, carrying the risk of life-threatening intracranial hemorrhage. While traditionally seen as congenital, the debate continues due to documented de novo cases. Our primary goal was to identify the precise postnatal window in which deletion of the HHT gene Endoglin (Eng) triggers BAVM development. We employed SclCreER(+);Eng2f/2f mice, enabling timed Eng gene deletion in endothelial cells via tamoxifen. Tamoxifen was given at four postnatal periods: P1-3, P8-10, P15-17, and P22-24. BAVM development was assessed at 2-3 months using latex dye perfusion. We examined angiogenic activity by assessing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression via Western blotting and Flk1-LacZ reporter mice. Longitudinal magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was conducted up to 9 months. BAVMs emerged in 88% (P1-3), 86% (P8-10), and 55% (P15-17) of cases, with varying localization. Notably, the P22-24 group did not develop BAVMs but exhibited skin AVMs. VEGFR2 expression peaked in the initial 2 postnatal weeks, coinciding with BAVM onset. These findings support the “second hit” theory, highlighting the role of early postnatal angiogenesis, in initiating BAVM development in HHT type I mice.

Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) is caused by different viruses and bacteria. Viruses associated with CIRDC include canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine influenza virus (CIV), canine herpesvirus (CHV), canine coronavirus (CCoV) and canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV). Bacteria associated with CIRDC include Bordetella bronchiseptica, Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus, and Mycoplasma spp. The present study examined the prevalence of pathogens associated with CIRDC in specimens received by a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Georgia from 2018 to 2022. Out of 459 cases, viral agents were detected in 34% cases and bacterial agents were detected in 58% cases. A single pathogen was detected in 31% cases, while two or more pathogens were identified in 24% cases. The percentages of viral agents identified were CAV-2 (4%), CDV (3%), CPIV (16%), CCoV (7%), and CIV (2%). The percentages of bacterial agents were Bordetella bronchiseptica (10%), Mycoplasma canis (24%), Mycoplasma cynos (21%), and S treptococcus zooepidemicus (2%). Positive viral cases ranged from 2-4% for CAV-2, 1-7% for CDV, 1-4% for CHV, 9-22% for CPIV, 4-13% for CCoV, and 1-4% for CIV. Overall, the study showed that the most prevalent pathogens associated with CIRDC during the study period were CPIV, M. canis, and M. cynos.

The class I carcinogen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) poses a significant risk to human health. The contamination of food sources contributes to the spread of AFB1, mainly through grains and nuts, from Aspergillus flavus. The high percentage of aflatoxin contamination in various imported nuts in the Republic of Kazakhstan has encouraged researchers to develop a local method of AFB1 detoxification. This research was focused on studying the ability of Ziziphora serpyllace leaf extract growing in the Akmola region of the Republic of Kazakhstan to inactivate aflatoxin B1 in various nuts. For the first time, an extract of Ziziphora serpyllace leaves growing in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan was used to detoxify AFB1 in nuts, and this demonstrated low cytotoxic activity, high antimicrobial and high antifungal activity, while preserving the qualitative characteristics of the nuts.

The ribosome is a macromolecular complex composed of RNA and proteins that interact through an integrated and interconnected network to preserve its ancient core activities. In this review, we emphasize the pivotal role played by RNA-binding proteins as a driving force in the evolution of the current form of the ribosome, underscoring their importance in ensuring accurate protein synthesis. This category of proteins includes both ribosomal proteins and ribosome biogenesis factors. Impairment of their RNA-binding activity can also lead to ribosomopathies, a group of disorders characterized by defects in ribosome biogenesis that are detrimental to protein synthesis and cellular homeostasis. A comprehensive understanding of these intricate processes is essential for elucidating the mechanisms underlying the resulting diseases and advancing potential therapeutic interventions.

Castanea sativa Mill., an indigenous species of the mountainous Gabala region of Azerbaijan, where its local variety is now facing the danger of extinction. The preservation of this variety of European chestnut requires the development of effective strategies for reliable in vitro regeneration systems as an alternative to traditional methods, which has become the main objective of this study. In solving this problem, the generally accepted technique of micro-multiplication of axillary shoots was mainly used. First, a phased sterilization of was carried out using liquid soap, Previkur fungicide and mercury (II) chloride. DKW (Driver and Kuniyuki Walnut) nutrient medium was used for germination of explants, into which growth stimulants BAP (Benzilamunapurine), IBA (Indole - 3 butyric acid), IAA (Indole Acetic acid), NAA (Naphthalene Acetic Acid) and GA3 (Gibberelic acid) were introduced in various combinations and quantities. The test of the above-mentioned sterilization model revealed significant shortcomings in terms of the acceptability of the results obtained (16-77%). It was also found that the germination of explants takes 14 days and it is better to conduct it in a DKW environment containing hormones BAP (0.6 mg), IBA (0.1 mg) and GA3 (0.1 mg) / 1 L DKW. A mixture of BAP (0.1mg) + IBA (0.35 mg) is more suitable for the reproduction of grown explants + GA3 (0.2 mg) / 1 l DKW (the result is 3 new micro-plants for each explant), and for good root formation (it takes 30 days) – a mixture of IBA 1.0 mg + NAA 0.5 mg + IAA 0.5 mg / l L DKW. After the shoots have acquired a certain length (at least 1.5 cm), it is required to transfer them for 22 days to a DKW medium containing IBA (1 mg), IAA (0.5 mg) and NAA(0.5 mg) / l L DKW so that the root splitting process begins and ends.

Eimeria tenella rhoptry protein has the properties of a protective antigen. EtROP27 is a pathogenic related gene detected by transcriptome, but its expression pattern, immunogenicity and potency have been unknown. Therefore, a gene segment of EtROP27 was amplified and transplanted to pET28a prokaryotic vector for recombinant protein expression and purified to generate polyclonal antibody. Then, RT-PCR, Western blotting were performed to know the expression pattern of EtROP27. Subsequently, animal experiments were conducted to evaluate the immunoprotective effect of the recombinant protein using different immunizing doses (50, 100, 150 μg). The results showed that the expression of EtROP27 gradually increased with the prolongation of infection time, reaching the highest level after 96 hours and then decreased. And EtROP27 was a natural antigen of coccidia which can stimulate the body to produce high levels of IgY. As recombinant protein vaccines, the immune protection evaluation tests of EtROP27 showed that the average weight gain rate of the immune challenge groups were significantly higher than that of the infection control group. The average lesion scores were significantly lower than that of the control group. The oocyst excretion decreased by 81.25%, 86.21%, 80.01% and the anticoccidial index were 159.45, 171.47, 166.75. EtROP27 is a promising candidate antigen gene for development of coccidiosis vaccine.

Autophagy is a cellular mechanism that utilizes lysosomes to degrade its own components and is performed using Atg5 and other molecules originating from the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. On the other hand, we identified an alternative type of autophagy, namely, Golgi membrane-associated degradation (GOMED), which also utilizes lysosomes to degrade its own components, but does not use Atg5 originating from the Golgi membranes. The GOMED pathway involves Ulk1, Wipi3, Rab9 and other molecules, and plays crucial roles in a wide range of biological phenomena, such as the regulation of insulin secretion and neuronal maintenance. We here describe the overview of GOMED, the methods to detect autophagy and GOMED, and to distinguish GOMED from autophagy.

The aim of the research was to evaluate various fertilisation programs in increasing plant resistance to abiotic stress such as drought. It was tested whether the algal biostimulator provides the same tolerance to drought stress in highbush blueberry plants as regular fertilisers without biostimulation. The research was conducted in 2022 in a greenhouse in controlled drought conditions. Three-year-old highbush blueberry bushes (12 pieces) were used in the experiment. Highbush blueberry bushes (Vaccinium corymbosum) 'Brigitta Blue' cultivars were planted in plastic pots with a capacity of 10 dm3 containing an acidic substrate and placed in a greenhouse. Controlled lighting conditions were maintained using sodium lamps and a temperature of 25°C/20°C day/night. The substrate in pots was maintained at 80% of field water capacity by manual watering and weekly supply of nutrient solution for 5 weeks until water deficit occurred. Half of the plants were sprayed weekly with a biostimulant based on seaweed extract. Seven days after the third application of the product, half of the untreated and treated plants were subjected to water deficit stress by restricting water supply to 40% of field capacity. The tested biostimulator impacted on stimulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes but had no effect on the chlorophyll content in the leaves or the concentration of nutrients in the leaves. The effect of marine algae products on the yield quantity and high quality is related among other to bioactiv substances witch helps to prevent drought stress.

The performance of the nanoribbon biosensor upon the use of two different types of molecular probes — the antibodies and the aptamers against HCVcoreAg — has been tested. The sensor chips employed are based on “silicon-on-insulator structures”. Two different HCVcoreAg preparations have been tested: recombinant b-galactosidase-conjugated HCVcoreAg (“Virogen”, USA) and recombinant HCVcoreAg (“Vector-Best”, Russia). Upon the detection of either type of the antigen preparation, the lowest concentration of the antigen detectable in buffer with pH 5.1 has been found to be approximately equal, amounting to ~10^–14 M. This value has been found to be similar upon the use of either type of molecular probes.

It is known that exposure to heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) has several adverse effects, particularly on the human reproductive system. Pb and Cd have been associated with infertility in both men and women. In pregnant women, they have been associated with spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, and impairment of the development of the fetus. Since these heavy metals come from both natural and anthropogenic activities and their harmful effects have been observed even at levels of exposure, their exposure remains a public health issue, especially for the reproductive system. Given this, the present study aimed to investigate the potential reproductive effects of Pb and Cd levels in the follicular fluid (FF) of infertile women and no-smokers exposed to heavy metals for professional reasons or living in rural areas near landfills and waste disposal areas, to correlate the intrafollicular presence of these metals with possible alterations in the ultrastructure of human cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), probably responsible of infertility. Blood and FF metals were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. COCs corresponding to each FF analyzed were subjected to ultrastructural analyses by transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrated for the first time that intrafollicular levels of Pb (0.66 µg/dL to 0.85 µg/dL) and Cd (0.26 µg/L - 0.41 µg/L) could be associated with morphological alterations of both the oocyte and CCs ultrastructure. Since blood Cd levels (0.54 µg/L - 1.87 µg/L) were above the current reference values established by the guidelines of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whereas blood Pb levels (1.28 µg/dL - 3.98 µg/dL) were below the ATSDR reference values we believe that these alterations could be due especially to Cd, even if we cannot exclude a possible additional effect of Pb. Our results highlighted that oocytes were affected in maturation and quality, whereas CCs showed scarcely active steroidogenic elements. Regressing CCs, with cytoplasmic alterations, were also numerous. According to Cd's endocrine-disrupting activity, the poor steroidogenic activity of CCs might correlate with delayed oocyte cytoplasmic maturation. So, we conclude that levels of heavy metals in the blood and the FF might negatively affect fertilization, embryo development, and pregnancy, compromising oocyte competence to fertilization both directly and indirectly, impairing CC steroidogenic activity, and inducing CC apoptosis.

As research into the relationship between the gut microbiome and health continues to evolve, probiotics are garnering increasing interest among consumers. Fermentation is rec-ognized as an efficacious biotechnology for augmenting the nutritional and functional at-tributes of foods. In this study, the ameliorative effects of Lycium barbarum L. lyophilized powder fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum NXU0011 (LP+Ly) on dextran sodium sul-fate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice were investigated employing immuno-histochemistry, qRT-PCR, macrogenomics, and metabolomics. The results revealed that LP+Ly intervention significantly ameliorated histopathological inflammation in the ulcer-ated colon, diminished the expression of inflammatory markers such as IL-6, P-STAT3, and miR-214, and enhanced the diversity of intestinal flora in the mouse model group. Moreover, there was an increase in abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus, Prevotella, and Akkermansia. Metabolomic analysis indicated that 15 metabolites, including citrulline, D-xylose, and α-ketoisovaleric acid, exhibited significant variations following LP+Ly inter-vention. The metabolic pathways that displayed substantial differences included tryptophan biosynthesis, arginine biosynthesis, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. By modulating arginine biosynthesis, LP+Ly effectively improved the intestinal inflammatory state, thus mitigating the effects of UC.

With rising rates of human obesity, the study aimed to determine the relationship between maternal diet-induced obesity and offspring morphometrics and behaviour in mice. Pregnant and lactating female mice fed a diet high in fat and sugar (HFHS) commonly consumed by human populations showed decreased food, calorie, and protein intake but increased adiposity at the expense of lean mass. The pre-weaning body weight of HFHS offspring was reduced for the first postnatal week but not thereafter with HFHS female offspring having higher body weights by weaning, due to continuing higher fractional growth rates. Post-weaning, there were minor differences in offspring food and protein intake. Maternal diet, however, affected fractional growth rate and total body fat content of male but not female HFHS offspring. Maternal diet did not affect offspring locomotor activity or social behaviour in either sex. Both male and female HFHS offspring displayed reduced anxiety-related behaviours with sex differences in particular aspects of the elevated plus maze task. In the novel object recognition task, performance was impaired in male but not female HFHS offspring. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that maternal obesity alters the growth, adiposity, and behaviour of male and female offspring, with sex-specific differences.

Cardiomyopathies are major causes of heart failure. Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and it is endemic in Central, South America. Thirty percent of the cases evolve into chronic cardiomyopathy (CCC) with worse prognosis as compared with other cardiomyopathies. In vivo bioenergetic analysis and ex vivo proteomic analysis of myocardial tissues highlighted worse mitochondrial dysfunction in CCC, and previous studies identified nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene variants segregating with CCC. Here, we assessed the role of the mitochondrial genome through mtDNA copy number variations and mtDNA haplotyping and sequencing from heart or blood tissues of severe, moderate CCC and asymptomatic/indeterminate Chagas disease as well as healthy controls as an attempt to help decipher mitochondrial-intrinsic genetic involvement in Chagas disease development. We have found that mtDNA copy number was significantly lower in CCC than in heart tissue from healthy individuals, while blood mtDNA content was similar among asymptomatic Chagas disease, moderate and severe CCC patients. MtDNA haplogrouping study has indicated that African haplogroups were over represented in the Chagas subject groups in comparison with Brazilian healthy individuals. The European lineage is associated to protection against cardiomyopathy and the macro haplogroup H is associated with increased risk towards CCC. By mitochondria DNA sequencing, 84 mtDNA-encoded protein sequence pathogenic variants were associated with CCC. Among them, two variants were associated to left ventricular non-compaction and two to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The finding that mitochondrial protein-coding SNPs and mitochondrial haplogroups associate with risk of evolving to CCC is consistent with a key role of mitochondrial DNA in the development of Chronic Chagas disease Cardiomyopathy.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only widely used prophylactic tuberculosis (TB) vaccine that can prevent severe TB in infants. However, it provides poor protection in adults, and therefore, there in ongoing research on new TB vaccines and immunization strategies with more durable immune effects. The recombinant BCG and BCG prime-protein booster are two important vaccine strategies that have recently been developed based on BCG and could improve immune responses. In this study, three immune strategies based on four protective antigens, namely, ESAT-6, CFP-10, nPPE18, and nPstS1, were applied to construct recombinant rBCG-EPCP009, EPCP009 subunit protein, and BCG prime-EPCP009 booster vaccine candidates. The short- and long-term immune effects after vaccination in Balb/c mice were evaluated based on humoral immunity, cellular immunity, and the ability of spleen cells to inhibit in vitro mycobacterial growth. At 8 and 12 weeks after the initial immunization, splenocytes from mice inoculated with the BCG prime-EPCP009 protein booster secreted higher levels of PPD- and EPCP009-specific IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-17, GM-CSF, and IL-12 and had a higher IFN-γ⁺CD4⁺ TEM:IL-2⁺CD8⁺ TCM cell ratio than splenocytes from mice inoculated with the rBCG-EPCP009 and EPCP009 proteins. In addition, the EPCPE009-specific IgG2a/IgG1 ratio was slightly higher in the BCG prime-EPCP009 protein booster group than in the other two groups. The in vitro mycobacterial inhibition assay showed that the splenocytes of mice from the BCG prime-EPCP009 protein booster group exhibited stronger inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis （M. tuberculosis）growth than the splenocytes of mice from the other two groups. These results indicate that the BCG prime-EPCP009 protein booster exhibited superior immunogenicity and M. tuberculosis growth inhibition to the parental BCG, rBCG-EPCP009, and EPCP009 proteins under in vitro conditions. Thus, the BCG prime-EPCP009 protein booster may be important for the development of a more effective adult TB vaccine.

(1) Background: the popularity of rabbits has increased during the last decades and became the third common companion animals in EU. Their participation in animal assisted interventions (AAI) is growing. It is highly important to ensure the well-being of the animals in AAI. Whereas the needs and the advantages of people involved in AAI are becoming more and more evident, the needs of animals are not clearly determined, it is required not to affect the animals negatively. Those animals who are used for AAI purpose need toneed to be transported regulrarly; (2) Methods: the rabbits stress – caused by transportation – were measured by non-invasive faecaesl cortisol metabolite (FCM) analysis. 18 animals were involved in the study and experienced a 30 minutes transportation every second day duringfor two weeks (total 6 times) while 128 samples were collected; (3) Results: rabbits –could handle the transportation procedure by the first and second time but subsequently the stress hormone metabolites in faeces samples increased significantly regardless of the offered treatments (hay, carrot and apple) during the carriage. (4) Conclusions: those owners who use rabbits for Animal Assisted Intervention purpose need to take into account that transportation itself is a stressful experience for the animals.

Deciphering protein–protein interactions (PPIs) in vivo is crucial to understand protein function. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) is one of extensively used PCAs over the last decade in many different native contexts, including human live cells. It is based on the reconstitution of a monomeric fluorescent protein (FP) such as cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) from two complementary nonfluorescent sub-fragments (N- and C-terminal sub-fragments) upon spatial proximity. Interaction between a bait protein and a prey protein fused to such complementary sub-fragments is sufficient to lead to the reconstitution of the FP, resulting in an emission signal upon excitation (Figure 1). In this comprehensive review, we commence by tracing the development of fluorescent proteins (FPs) tailored for BiFC, followed by the highlighting of BiFC advantages over other PPI detection methods. Concurrently, the essential factors and nuanced considerations when employing BiFC are thoroughly explored. To vividly showcase the versatility of BiFC, the implementations at different throughputs are also presented, encompassing both single PPI experiments and large-scale studies, along with noteworthy variants of BiFC.

In chemotherapy practice the dexamethasone is used as concomitant agent to mitigate the side effects of antitumor drug cisplatin. However, it is known, that both cisplatin and dexamethasone are capable to stimulate the production of reactive oxygen spacies, which targets various biomolecules, including lipids. This work is devoted to the study of quantitative changes in products of lipid peroxidation in the nuclei of cells of some tissues of rats after separate and combined use of cisplatin and dexamethasone. The amount of lipid peroxidation products was determined by spectrophotometric method after its extraction by heptan-isopropanol mixture. When used separately, cisplatin and dexamethasone enhance the formation of lipid peroxidation products in the studied tissues of rats to various degrees. As a result of these alterations, the values of the oxidation index in the studied nuclear preparations also changed accordingly. During the combined use of cisplatin and dexamethasone there is some antagonism in the action of these drugs. Instead of the supposed summation of the effects of enhancing lipid peroxidation processes, “masking” of the effect of cisplatin with dexamethasone is observed. Thus, it has been assumed that exactly such antagonism revealed during combined action helps mitigate the side effects of cisplatin with dexamethasone.

Several effective online and offline inference tools offer an interactive platform for inference, visualization, and analysis of gene regulatory networks. However, a tool currently needs to offer a scalable, lightweight, integrated online platform for carrying out inference, visualization, benchmarking, and extensive network analysis in an integrated manner. We introduce NetRA (Network Reconstruction and Analysis for Gene Regulatory Network), a comprehensive web tool for network analysis, visualization, and inference of large expression networks. Additionally, a platform for benchmarking and evaluation is provided. In order to deliver a highly scalable, lightweight, and rich user interface, the tool is created using the most recent technologies. We incorporate the original code of eleven (11) inference algorithms (not limited to) from Bioconductor in the current version. We also report a qualitative comparison of 11 candidate methods regarding prediction accuracy and network characteristics which will shed light on their performance against 4000 sizes synthetic DREAM network. We believe the tool will significantly aid biologists' downstream system biology research. NetRA tool can be extensible to different kinds of complex network analyses. Availability: On request ([email protected]).

Breast cancer (BCa) is the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumor in women and is also one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Most breast tumors are hormone-dependent and estrogen signaling plays a critical role in promoting the survival and malignant behaviors of these cells. Estrogen signaling involves ligand-activated cytoplasmic estrogen receptors that translocate to the nucleus with various co-regulators such as steroid receptor co-activator (SRC) family members, and bind to the promoters of target genes and regulate their expression. SRC-3 is a member of this family that interacts with, and enhances the transcriptional activity of the ligand activated estrogen receptor. Although SRC-3 has important roles in normal homeostasis and developmental processes, it has been shown to be amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer and to promote malignancy. The malignancy-promoting potential of SRC-3 is diverse and involves both promoting malignant behavior of tumor cells and creating a tumor microenvironment that has an immunosuppressive phenotype. SRC-3 also inhibits the recruitment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with effector function and promotes stemness. Furthermore, SRC-3 is also involved in the development of resistance to hormone therapy and immunotherapy during breast cancer treatment. The versatility of SRC-3 in promoting breast cancer malignancy in this way makes it a good target, and methodical targeting of SRC-3 probably will be important for the success of breast cancer treatment.

This review resumes published data on fungal diversity in and within monuments (e.g., religious and secular monuments, museums, and statues), covering a multidisciplinary investigation into the complex interactions between fungi and cultural heritage structures. Fungi represent remarkable adversaries to monuments, potentially compromising their structural integrity and aesthetic value. Based on a bibliographic search of manuscripts published, the knowledge of fungal communities colonizing monuments was comprehensively assessed. This work first describes the diverse fungal species implicated in the degradation of monument materials (e.g., stone, metal, and glass). It elucidates the factors governing fungal colonization and proliferation in and within these structures (e.g., environmental conditions, construction materials, and human interventions). Finally, the efficacy of preservation and restoration techniques to mitigate fungal threats and safeguard our cultural heritage is also discussed. This synthesis highlights the pivotal role of mycological research in heritage conservation, and a platform for future studies to address critical knowledge gaps is provided. Understanding fungal diversity in and within monuments is critical to preserving these invaluable cultural treasures, as it informs targeted conservation strategies and ensures their longevity in the face of fungal challenges.

The continued exploration of the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in little-studied ecological niches represents a fundamental activity to understand the diffusion and biotechnological significance of this heterogeneous class of prokaryotes. In this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lpb. plantarum) strains have been isolated from Tunisian vegetable sources, including fermented olive, fermented pepper and from dead locust intestines, subsequently evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 4267 and Listeria monocytogenes CECT 4031, as well as against some fungi, including Penicillium expansum, Aspergilus niger and Botrytis cinerea. In addition, their resistance to the oro-gastro-intestinal transit, aggregation capabilities, biofilm production capacity, adhesion to human enterocyte-like cells and cytotoxicity to colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line were determined. Further, the adhesion to tomatoes and the biocontrol potential on this model food matrix were analyzed. It has been found that all the strains were able to inhibit the indicator growth, mostly through organic acids production. Besides, these strains showed promising probiotic traits, including in vitro tolerance to oro-gastrointestinal conditions, adhesion to abiotic surface and to Caco-2 cells. Moreover, all tested Lpb. plantarum strains were able to adhere to tomatoes with similar rate (4.0-6.0 LogCFU/g tomato). The co-culture of LAB strains with pathogens on tomatoes showed that Lpb. plantarum could be a good candidate to control pathogen growth. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to guarantee their use as probiotic strains for biocontrol on food matrices.

Cabbage (B. oleracea var. capitata) contains three FLC homolog genes (BoFLC1, BoFLC2, and BoFLC3) and one pseudogene (BoFLC5) that responds to low temperatures necessary for flowering. We isolated three BoFLC-encoding genes from early-, mid-, and late-flowering cabbage plants. Leaf samples were collected for RNA extraction and expression analysis. Gene structure analysis and phylogenetic comparison were performed for intra- or interspecific relationships of the BoFLC homologs. Gene expression related to flowering regulators (BoGI, BoCOOLAIR, and BoVIN3) was analyzed. While BoFLC genes commonly have seven exons and six introns of 3,361–4.384 bp, variations in insertion or deletion were evident between the early- and late-flowering genotypes. Repressed expression of BoFLC 1, 2, and 3 genes under chilling temperatures appeared to occur from 8 weeks after vernalization. Higher expression levels of GI, COOLAIR, and VIN3 were initiated 7 weeks after chilling (WAT) treatment in the early flowering genotype. The vernalization trigger repressed the expression of BoFLC homologs. This study provides molecular insights into BoFLC homologs between early- and late-flowering cabbage genotypes, in which structural variations in BoFLC1 appeared to be important as a binding motif to flowering regulating factors such as BoGI, BoCOOLAIR, and BoVIN3 for which motif analysis is further implemented.

Combining antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action can help prevent the development of resistance by attacking the infectious agent through multiple pathways. Additionally, by using faster and more economical screening methods, effective synergistic drug candidates can be rapidly identified, facilitating faster paths to clinical testing. In this work, a rapid method was standardized to identify possible synergisms from drug combinations. We analyzed the possible reduction of antiviral effective concentration of drugs already approved by the FDA, such as ivermectin  (IVM), ribavirin (RIBA) and acyclovir (ACV) against Zika virus (ZIKV), Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and herpes virus type 2 (HHV-2). Essential oils (EOs) were also included in the study since they have been reported for more than a couple of decades to have broad-spectrum antiviral activity. We also continued studying the antiviral properties of one of our patented molecule with broad-spectrum antiviral activity, the ferruginol analogue 18-(phthalimid-2-yl)ferruginol (phthFGL). In general, the combination of IVM, phthFGL and Oregano EO showed the greatest synergism potential against CHIKV, ZIKV and HHV-2, obtaining a reduction in the EC99 value of up to ~8, and ~27, and ~12-fold for CHIKV, in example, respectively. The ternary combination RIBA, phthFGL, Oregano EO was slightly more efficient than the binary combination RIBA/phthFGL but much less efficient than IVM, phthFGL, Oregano EO which indicates that IVM could contribute more to the differentiations of cell targets (for example by inhibition of host heterodimeric importin IMP α/β1 complex) than ribavirin. PhthFGL showed a good pharmacokinetic profile.

Tomato quality is intricately regulated by a combination of factors, including the presence of bioactive compounds referred to as secondary metabolites and various organoleptic characteristics. These attributes are notably influenced and harmonized by the specific growing conditions, with a particular emphasis on the type of fertilization employed. Traditionally, chemical fertilizers have been favoured in crop cultivation due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to accelerate crop growth. However, in pursuit of sustainable and intelligent agricultural practices, there is a growing need for alternative fertilizers. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the impact of fertilizers derived from waste materials, specifically sulphur bentonite and orange residue (referred to as SB), on tomato quality. This assessment extended to examining qualitative and quantitative alterations in aroma-related volatile compounds and the antioxidant systems of tomatoes, in comparison to the conventional use of fertilizers such as horse manure and NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). The results obtained revealed distinct effects of different fertilizers on tomato quality. Notably, parameters such as TPRO (total protein), TCARB (total carbohydrate), LIC (lycopene content), TCAR (total carotenoid content), total phenols, total flavonoids, and aroma profiling exhibited significantly superior values in the group treated with SB fertilizer. These findings strongly suggest that the novel fertilizer functioned as a bio-stimulant, enhancing the nutraceutical and sensory attributes of tomatoes, with a pronounced impact on the synthesis of secondary metabolites and the aroma profile of the fruits.

Taking Korla fragrant pear as the research object, single factor testing and water and fertilizer coupling testing were conducted. Under the premise of the drip irrigation mode, the effects of water, nitrogen, and phosphorus on the growth, fruit quality, and yield of Korla Fragrant Pear were studied to provide a theoretical basis for efficient water and fertilizer management. Among them, the single factor test set water, nitrogen and phosphorus as the three factors, and each factor was set at five levels, namely, water (W1, 5460 m3·hm−2;W2, 5880 m3·hm−2;W3,6300 m3·hm−2; W4, 6720 m3·hm−2; W5, 7140 m3·hm−2), nitrogen (N1, 150 kg N·hm−2;N2, 225 kg N·hm−2; N3, 300 kg N·hm−2; N4, 375 kg N·hm−2; N5, 450 kg N·hm−2), phosphorus (P1,75 kg P2O5·hm−2; P2, 150 kg P2O5·hm−2; P3, 225 kg P2O5·hm−2; P4, 300 kg P2O5·hm−2; P5, 375 kg P2O5·hm−2). The results showed that the total nitrogen and total phosphorus contents in leaves under the W3, W4, N3, N4, P3, and P4 treatments were significantly higher than those under other treatments, and the fruit quality was better. Therefore, the W3, W4, N3, N4, P3, and P4 treatments were selected as the water and fertilizer inputs for the water–fertilizer coupling test for Korla fragrant pear. Eight treatments were set up in the water and fertilizer coupling test: Treatment 1 (T1, W3N3P3), Treatment 2 (T2, W3N3P4), Treatment 3 (T3, W3N4P3), Treatment 4 (T4,W3N4P4), Treatment 5 (T5, W4N3P3), Treatment 6 (T6, W4N3P4), Treatment 7 (T7, W4N4) P3), and Treatment 8 (T8, W4N4P4). The results showed that the leaf area index of the T1, T2, T3, and T4 treatments was significantly higher than that of the other treatments at maturity. The T3 treatment resulted in the highest fruit yield, single fruit weight, and primary fruit rate. The results of the grey correlation degree analysis of fruit quality showed that T3 treatment had the highest degree of correlation and ranking of each fruit quality index, indicating that T3 treatment had the highest fruit quality. Detailed investigation of pear tree growth and fruit quality showed that the T3 treatment (375 kg·hm−2 nitrogen application, 225 kg·hm−2 phosphorus application and 6300 m3·hm−2 irrigation) had the best fruit growth and development performance, and the sweet pear fruit quality was the best.

Astrocytes are morphological intricate cells and actively modulate the function of the brain. Through the numerous fine processes, astrocytes contact with neurons, blood vessels and other glia cells. Emerging evidence have shown that astrocytes exhibit brain-regional diversity in the morphology, transcriptome, calcium signaling and functions. However, little is known about the brain regional heterogeneity of astrocyte-astrocyte structural interaction. So far, the visualization and characterization of the morphological features for the adjacent astrocytes with high resolution has been difficult, and as a result, it is still well accepted that astrocytes in the adult brain share non-overlapped territory. In contrast, by using an approach that combines sparse viral labeling with dual-fluorescent dyes, which allows for efficient and specific labeling of adjacent astrocytes, thus enabling a comprehensive visualization of their fine processes and the degree of their territorial overlap. Our study in the hypothalamic regions revealed a marked spatial overlap among adjacent astrocytes. Additionally, we revealed the heterogeneity of astrocyte-neuron ratio across brain regions, and conducted an assessment of the photostability and labeling efficiency of fluorescent dyes used for labeling adjacent astrocytes. Our study here provides new insights for studying the morphological heterogeneity of astrocytes across the central nervous system.

Actively combating post-harvest food spoilage and waste can dramatically increase the efficiency of food utilization worldwide. In climacteric fruits, chemical treatments such as 1-MCP are an effective way of reducing post-harvest spoilage and waste by inhibiting the fruit’s ability to perceive ethylene. 1-MCP treatment is increasingly being used to explore the complex nature of ripening physiology at a fundamental level, however, differences in application and quantitation methods create difficulties in comparing conclusions across studies. Here we report an effective and reproducible method for 1-MCP application and quantitation for small-medium sized research applications. By use of surrogate alkene standards 1-butene and cis-2-butene, the highly volatile and elusive 1-MCP molecule can be identified and quantified by gas chromatography and subsequent standard curves may be developed. It is hoped that the methodology outlined here can help standardize consistent 1-MCP application for post-harvest research without excessive investment in specialized equipment.

Basketball playing entails the repetitive performance of short intense actions using lower limb explosive power. As such, it is important to measure this capability in basketball players, especially among young players, and to optimize training programs and game plans. After presenting an in-depth understanding of the specific physiological requirements when playing basketball, as well as the type of movements required, The aim of this review is to better understand the importance of the physiological energy systems in basketball, to examine the contribution of each energy system and, accordingly, to heighten awareness of the importance and dominance of the alactic anaerobic physiological system in basketball, for actions requiring high level explosive power. This review of the literature depicts the horizontal and vertical physical movements and physiological requirements entailed in playing basketball, and presents eight standardized anaerobic alactic measurement tools relevant to the game. As some of these tests suit a number of ball games, the findings of this review article are important for making order of the elements unique to basketball as well as additional parameters to consider when testing basketball players. By reliably and validly testing the anaerobic alactic capabilities of basketball players, test results can be used for training purposes and for improving game outcomes. Despite the fact that much of the information in this review is familiar to coaches, highlighting the specific needs of basketball may help them to choose the most suitable tools, and may also shed light on new directions for developing basketball-specific assessment tests.

The cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 1–cyclin B (CycB) complex plays critical roles in cell cycle regulation. Before Drosophila male meiosis, CycB is exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via the nuclear porin 62kD (Nup62) subcomplex in the nuclear pore complex. When this is inhibited, Cdk1 is not activated, and meiosis does not initiate. We investigated the mechanism that controls cellular localization and activation of Cdk1. Cdk1–CycB continuously shuttled into and out of the nucleus in the prolonged G2 phase before meiosis. Overexpression of CycB, but not that with nuclear localization signal sequences, rescued reduced cytoplasmic CycB and inhibition of meiosis in Nup62-silenced cells. Full-scale Cdk1 activation occurred in the nucleus shortly after its rapid nuclear entry. Cdk1-dependent centrosome separation did not occur in Nup62-silenced cells, while Cdk1 interacted with Cdk-activating kinase and Twine/Cdc25C in the nucleus of Nup62-silenced cells, suggesting the involvement of another suppression mechanism. Silencing of roughex rescued Cdk1 inhibition and initiated meiosis. Nuclear exports of Cdk1 ensured its escape from inhibition by cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. The complex reentered the nucleus via importin β at the onset of meiosis. We propose a model regarding the dynamics and activation mechanism of Cdk1–CycB to initiate male meiosis.

For a comprehensive exploration of the Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) approach, we critically assess whether protein pairs establish direct or indirect interactions within this context. Emphasizing the multifaceted nature of protein interactions, this review underscores the imperative of delineating macromolecular complex characteristics across five distinct levels: composition, stoichiometry, copy number, topology, and dynamics. A pivotal discussion revolves around the challenges introduced by the overexpression of target proteins and the potential artificial ramifications of fusion proteins. The significance of stoichiometry in protein interactions is illuminated, with the HOXA9/PBX1 interaction serving as a pertinent case study. The research identifies and elaborates on the inherent limitations of prevailing large-scale BiFC screenings, advocating for the incorporation of rigorous negative controls. A novel proposition is introduced in the form of a high-throughput multicolor BiFC strategy, exemplified using the HOXA9 and PBX1 proteins. The paper culminates with an insightful discourse on the implications of tags within the BiFC system, presenting the TriFC (Tripartite Fluorescence Complementation) assay as a promising alternative.

Migratory and local birds may disperse ticks and their associated pathogens. The aim of this study was to provide information regarding tick infesting birds in Asturias, region that accounts for most of the Lyme disease hospitalizations in Spain. From September 2021 and April 2023 trained and experienced bird- banders collected ticks from birds in six estuary and forest locations. A total of 1,698 birds (52 species, 38 genera and 26 families) were captured. A total 51 ticks (28 larvae, 20 nymphs and 3 females) were collected from 43 birds, belonging to three species: Ixodes ricinus (31), I. frontalis (18) and Haemaphysalis concinna (1). The average prevalence of tick infestation was 2.5% and the average tick burden was 1.2 ticks per host. The bird species Turdus merula, Parus major, Luscinia svecica and Anthus pratensis were among the most infested. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected from one Turdus merula. We have not detected B. burgdorferi s.l., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii or piroplasmids in any of the 51 analyzed ticks. The results of the study suggest low infestation rate in migratory/estuary birds and a higher rate in forest/sedentary ones. Despite this, the detection of pathogens, although with low prevalence, can pose a risk to public health.

This study evaluated five annual and eleven perennial Indian pasture legumes species for their nutritive value, dry matter, mineral contents and in vitro fermentation parameters, aiming to boost their potential as animal feed. Legume species significantly differed (p<0.05) in organic matter, crud protein (CP), ether extracts, fibres, and protein fractions. Clitoria ternatea (CT) a perennial had higher (p<0.05) buffer soluble protein (477), while neutral detergent soluble protein was highest in annually grown Lablab purpureus (420 g/kg CP). Atylosia scarabaeoides (AS) had higher NSC (392 g/kg DM) than SC (367 g/kg DM). Rapidly degradable fraction (51.7 g/kg tCHO) was lower (p<0.05) than other fractions of carbohydrate. Total digestible nutrients, digestible energy and metabolisable energy varied and values were higher for Desmenthus virgatus and lowest for Stylosanthas seabrana (SSe). The NE values for lactation (NEL), maintenance (NEM) and gain (NEG) were also higher for DV (6.6, 7.95 and 4.28) and lowest for SSe (3.54, 4.24 and 0.58 kJ/g DM), respectively. dry matter intake, digestible DM (DDM) and relative feed value of legumes differed (p<0.05) with mean values of 2.22% body weight, 592 g/kg DM and 102%, respectively. Annual grasses like Dolichos biflorus, Macroptilium atropurpureum, Rhynchosia minima (RM) were found better with micro minerals compared to other perennials. In vitro dry matter degradability, partition factor, short chain fatty acids and microbial protein production of legumes varied (P<0.05) and mean values were 578 g/kg DM, 5.61 mg DDM/mL, 2.42 mm/g and 352 mg/g, respectively. Gas and CH4 production (mL/g and mL/g DDM) varied (p<0.05) being lowest gas from AS (55.5) and highest from CT-blue (141), while CH4 production was lower (p<0.05) from CT-white and AS (8.24 and 9.14) and higher from Arachis glabrata (AG) and Arachis hagenbackii (AH) (15.2 and 15.1). Methane in total gas was low for DV, RM and CT-w (8.99, 9.72 and 9.51%) and loss of DE and ME as CH4 varied (P<0.05) amongst the legumes with mean values of 4.62 and 7.86%, respectively. Based on these findings, each legume offers unique benefits, allowing for tailored combinations of annual and perennial legumes to optimize rumen feed efficiency.