Advancing Open Science

Oxidative and nitrosative stress are key contributors to the development and progression of chronic inflammatory disorders, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (viz., Alzheimer’s disease). Cholinergic dysfunction is a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and is closely associated with these processes. Red seaweeds are rich in bioactive compounds that have been increasingly investigated for their potential to modulate these processes. This review aims to examine the role of major red seaweed-derived metabolites in regulating redox imbalance, immunomodulatory capacity and acetylcholinesterase activity, with emphasis on in vitro studies. An analysis of peer-reviewed literature was conducted, focusing on chemical, biochemical and cell-based assays. Studies assessed antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory effects, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition of isolated compounds/fractions of red seaweed using established methods, including radical scavenging assays, Griess-based nitrite assay and enzyme inhibition assays. Sulfated polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), phycoerythrin, bromophenols, phlorotannin and terpenoid-derived metabolites demonstrated antioxidant capacity through radical scavenging, metal chelation and modulation of endogenous antioxidants. They also modulated inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. In vitro evidence supports red seaweed-derived compounds as promising modulators of redox homeostasis, inflammation and cholinergic function, highlighting their relevance as functional food ingredients, while underscoring the need for in vivo and clinical validation.

Colombia generates large volumes of lignocellulosic residues from agriculture, forestry, and agro-industrial activities. Much of this material is landfilled, openly burned, or left to decompose. These practices drive greenhouse-gas emissions (methane and CO₂), particulate air pollution, water contamination, and pest proliferation. Therefore, this study focuses on the design, simulation, exergetic and economic analysis of lignocellulosic biorefinery schemes in Colombia using corn stover (CS) as feedstock. This approach thus turns an environmental liability into valuable resources. Mass and energy balances obtained from Aspen Plus V10^® were used to calculate exergy efficiency. Economic indicators were provided by the Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA) V10^® software. The first scenario (SCE01) included xylitol, lignin, carbon dioxide, biogas, and biofertilizer production along with in situ ethanol co-production; for scenario 2 (SCE02), a cogeneration (CHP) stage using biogas and biofertilizer as fuel was added; in scenario 3 (SCE03), the ethanol production of scenarios 1 and 2 was replaced by glutamic acid production. The exergy efficiency results were as follows: SCE01 (60.1%), SCE02 (36.8%), SCE03 (37.5%). The largest exergy losses were found in the CHP system. In terms of economic viability, all scenarios showed favorable economic parameters. SCE03 showed better results with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 28.01% and a Net Present Value (NPV) of USD 985.1 M compared to SCE01 (27.48%; USD 769.1 M) and SCE02 (27.13%; USD 643.1 M). In light of these results, the SCE03 approach represents the most attractive investment opportunity, with the potential to integrate the social and environmental pillars of sustainability by fostering rural economic development and CO₂ capture. Optimization strategies can be readily adopted to enhance the overall efficiency of the proposed model, enabling it to serve as a benchmark for scaling and comparing alternative lignocellulosic waste valorization pathways at a national level.

After a shear-type strongly braced steel frame suffers from non-sway buckling, the effective length factor for columns in a non-sway frame should be selected for stability calculations, and the P-δ effect should be considered for second-order analysis. However, an unreasonable design may result if the shear-type bracing cannot be accurately and practically designed to meet the strong bracing requirements. In this paper, an analytical method for the critical bracing design of shear-type strongly braced steel frames is proposed. First, the relationship between the shear-type bracing stiffness and buckling load of structures is analyzed, and then the calculation formula for the story critical bracing stiffness is derived based on the critical bracing stiffness of the separation column. Furthermore, the relationship between the cross-sectional properties of the shear-type brace members and the critical bracing lateral stiffness is established. Based on this, a direct calculation formula for the critical brace area of shear-type strongly braced steel frames is derived. This formula can determine whether a shear-type braced steel frame will experience sidesway or non-sway buckling, thereby providing a basis for selecting the appropriate approach for calculating the column effective length factor and second-order effects.

Electrical spark discharge was used to prepare nano Ag–Cu colloids with an electrical discharge machine, deionized water (DW) as the dielectric fluid (DF), and at room temperature and normal pressure. The upper and lower electrodes of the electrical discharge machine were pure Ag and Cu wires or composite metal wires with an Ag–Cu ratio of 92.5:7.5 or 72:28. The optimal T_on–T_off, process time, and current for colloid production were identified as 30–30 µs, 5 min, and approximately 11 A, respectively. The absorbance, characteristic wavelength, particle size distribution, and suspension stability were, respectively, 0.586, 406 nm, 101 nm, and 28.1 mV for the colloids prepared using pure Ag and Cu wires; 0.509, 419 nm, 197.5 nm, and −6.67 mV for the 92.5:7.5 composite wires; and 1.479, 407 nm, 85.27 nm, and14.8 mV for the 72:28 composite wires. The diffraction peaks of the Ag and Cu particles shifted for the composite-produced colloids; this was likely caused by internal structural defects in the composite metal wires. Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze the nanomaterials. The average Ag and Cu lattice widths, respectively, were 0.234 nm and 0.207 nm for the pure-metal wires, 0.243 nm and 0.210 nm for the 92.5:7.5 composite wires, and 0.243 nm and 0.210 nm for the 72:28 composite wires. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were conducted to determine the crystal orientations of the nano Ag–Cu particles and revealed that nano Ag–Cu colloids prepared using pure Ag and Cu wires had an Ag–Cu particle ratio of approximately 97:3.

It is important for the rock engineering practice to acknowledge the difference between uncertainty, which diminishes with adequate data access, and radical uncertainty, which persists because critical features and failure mechanisms may remain undetected, not because of inadequate sampling but because they represent conditions that cannot be expected. Radical uncertainty represents an ontological feature of complex geological systems rather than a limitation of our current state of knowledge. The paper’s central thesis is that current rock engineering practice has developed what we term the “epistemological three-body problem”: the interaction between (i) inherent geological uncertainty that includes radical uncertainty (unknown unknowns), (ii) empirical methods that lack field-scale validation yet have gained professional acceptance through historical precedent, and (iii) regulatory frameworks that demand apparent certainty. We demonstrate this thesis through three interconnected arguments. First, we expose the epistemological and validation challenges inherent in widely adopted design methods. Second, we analyze how operational definitions, validation processes, and numerical modelling approaches may generate misleading precision rather than meaningful understanding of rock engineering problems, and third, we propose a framework for acknowledging and working within the boundaries of radical uncertainty. On this basis, we must acknowledge that rock engineering practice necessarily operates under a standard of a “balance of probabilities”. Given the nature of radical uncertainty, professional practice should evaluate methods not by whether they eliminate uncertainty, but by whether they represent reasonable approaches to managing it.

Background/Objectives: Taiwan cinnamon leaves have been reported to be effective in improving chronic diseases. Herein, cinnamon leaf extract (CLE) and nanoemulsion (CLEN) were prepared to explore their effects in improving sexual dysfunction in rats. Methods: Following extraction with 80% ethanol and analysis by UPLC-MS/MS, CLEN was prepared using an optimal ratio of soybean oil, lecithin, Tween 80, deionized water, and CLE. A total of 48 male rats and 48 female rats were used, with the former being induced with erectile dysfunction, followed by treatment with CLEN or CLE at two doses (100 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. After conducting the penile reflex test, male rats were paired with female rats for measurement of sexual behavior and ICP/MAP. Following sacrifice, α-SMA, nNOS, and β-III tubulin expression areas were measured by histochemical analyses; SMC/collagen ratio by Masson’s trichrome staining; and NO, cGMP, and PDE5 levels by ELISA kits. Results: CLEN was more effective than CLE in increasing intromission frequency, decreasing intromission and ejaculation latency, and recovering erectile response for improving copulatory and ejaculatory performances. A higher maximum ICP/MAP ratio was shown for CLEN through elevation of neurovascular function and erectile capacity. Additionally, CLEN efficiently reduced fibrosis, enhanced neuronal marker expression, and increased the SMC/collagen ratio, leading to penile tissue protection and neural regeneration. Both treatments showed elevated levels of NO and cGMP with a reduction in PDE5, probably through modulation of the NO-cGMP signaling pathway. Conclusions: CLEN was more effective than CLE in restoring erectile function in rats. Some more clinical trials are needed to verify this finding.

The obligate symbiosis between aphids and their primary bacterial symbionts (Buchnera) is ecologically and evolutionarily significant, yet the genetic patterns underlying these associations require further clarification. This study investigated the coevolutionary relationships of two aphid species, Cinara formosana and Tuberolachnus salignus, with their Buchnera symbionts using COI (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and bacterial 16S rRNA (16S ribosomal RNA) markers revealed substantial genetic divergence between the two aphid species, with interspecific genetic distances ranging from 0.131 to 0.138. In contrast, populations of T. salignus from different regions showed minimal intraspecific variation (genetic distance 0.006). Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that populations of each aphid species formed distinct, monophyletic clusters. Crucially, the phylogenetic relationships inferred from the aphid COI gene were fully congruent with those derived from the Buchnera 16S rRNA gene sequences. This concordance further supports the application of the COI gene as a reliable marker for species identification within the studied Lachninae aphids. Our findings provide novel insights into the coupled genetic divergence and coevolution of aphids and their obligate symbionts, offering a molecular framework for the precise identification and population monitoring of these aphids, which can inform sustainable management strategies.

In this narrative review, we provide an overview of morphology-based body composition measurement techniques and introduce evaluation methods relevant to veterinary practice. We specifically focus on previous work on the feline body mass index and body composition assessment methods using ultrasonography, creating new figures and tables from previously reported data. Based on these modalities, we introduce an objective, easy-to-use method for estimating obesity and assessing body composition. We highlight that adiposity and muscularity evaluation via the feline body mass index and ultrasonography appropriately reflects the total fat mass, fat percentage, and lean body mass assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The proposed method objectively assesses obesity and can be easily and stably used in clinical veterinary practice.