Search Results (10,711)

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical traits, colour, and texture profile of fermented sausage, Baranjski kulen, produced from the meat of pigs originating from three pork chains. The first pork chain consisted of the Black Slavonian pig breed (PC1), the second pork chain consisted of crossbred pigs from the Croatian breeding programme (Duroc × Large White) (PC2), and the third pork chain (PC3) referred to commercial hybrids (Pietrain × Duroc × Pietrain × Camborough 23). A total of 16 pigs (8 gilts and 8 castrates) from each chain were used, reared to 6–18 months of age, and slaughtered at 135–180 kg. Baranjski kulen from PC2 and PC3 had a higher protein content (up to 2% more) and lower fat content (4–5% less) compared to PC1. PC3 kulen showed greater colour intensity (higher a* values), while PC2 kulen had the highest hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness, indicating a firmer texture. In contrast, PC3 kulen had a softer and more tender texture. These findings underline the impact of production chain on product quality and can be used to optimise processing strategies and strengthen the market potential of Baranjski kulen. Full article

The Jurubatiba Sandbank National Park (PARNA Jurubatiba) is an ecological reserve characterized by harsh environmental conditions, including low rainfall, high sun exposure, and sandy soil. Among its native vegetation, Eremanthus crotonoides stands out for its richness in flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and sesquiterpene lactones. The objective of this study was to isolate and quantify sesquiterpene lactones from this species using ¹H NMR and to investigate their anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential and cytotoxicity against cancer cells. UPLC-(ESI)-MS/MS analyses enabled metabolite annotation, and semi-preparative HPLC-DAD allowed the isolation of centratherin and goyazensolide, which were identified by 1D and 2D NMR. In vitro assays showed that centratherin at 10 µM concentration reduced the viability of PC-3 and HCT-116 cancer cells by 100%, while goyazensolide had no noteworthy effects. Furthermore, enzymatic inhibition assays on SARS-CoV2 targets revealed that centratherin exhibited a lower apparent IC₅₀ of 12 µM against PL^pro, while goyazensolide was more active against 3CL^pro, with an IC₅₀ of 71 µM. Notably, the dichloromethane fraction demonstrated promising activity against both enzymes, with IC₅₀ values of 30 µM for PL^pro and 11 µM for 3CL^pro. This study reports, for the first time, the isolation of goyazensolide from E. crotonoides and highlights the potential of both sesquiterpene lactones as SARS-CoV-2 enzyme inhibitors. In contrast to centratherin, goyazensolide fortunately had almost no cytotoxic effects at inhibition concentration on the cells tested. This shows that anticancer and anti-SARS effects can be separated and should have different SARs, an important prerequisite for further development. Full article

This study investigated the role of miR-144 in mitigating oxidized fish oil (OFO)-induced muscle oxidative stress and quality deterioration in Megalobrama amblycephala. The feeding trial was conducted for 5 weeks, and four experimental diets were formulated, namely NC (fresh fish oil), OF (OFO), OF + ago (OFO and miR-144 agomir), and OF + anta (OFO and miR-144 antagomir). Histological results showed that OFO significantly reduced myofiber density (from 758.00 ± 13.69 to 636.57 ± 13.44 N/mm²) and decreased the percentage of myofibers with diameters > 50 μm (from 53.45% to 38.52%). OFO intake significantly increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP), and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), and significantly decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in muscle. OFO treatment significantly up-regulated the expression of inflammatory factors (NF-κB, TNF-α, HO-1, and IL-6), significantly down-regulated NQO1. Moreover, OFO reduced muscle differentiation and maturation by down-regulating the expression of MyoG, MYHC1, and protein synthesis genes (AKT3, TOR, and S6K1), and up-regulating the expression of protein hydrolysis genes (FoxO3a, MuRF1, HSP70, Beclin-1, P62, and ATG8). Moreover, miR-144 agomir exacerbated OFO-induced muscle damage by suppressing Nrf2, whereas miR-144 antagomir mitigated these effects. Silencing miR-144 re-activates Nrf2, alleviating oxidative damage, enhancing protein deposition, and improving muscle quality. These findings suggest that targeting the miR-144/Nrf2 axis could counteract OFO-induced muscle deterioration. Full article

Background and Objectives: Avian influenza poses a continuous public health threat, particularly to individuals with occupational exposure to poultry such as farm workers, live animal market employees, and processing plant staff. This study aimed to investigate the systemic metabolic effects of such exposure and to identify potential biomarkers for early detection and health risk assessment. Materials and Methods: An untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics approach was applied to analyze serum samples from occupationally exposed individuals and healthy controls. Multivariate statistical analysis, pathway enrichment, and topology analysis were performed to identify significantly altered metabolites and metabolic pathways. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was employed to select key metabolites. Results: Multivariate statistical analysis revealed a clear separation between the exposure group and control, suggesting distinct metabolic profiles between the two populations. Pathway analysis indicated significant alterations in alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, as well as tryptophan metabolism, which are closely linked to immune regulation, energy metabolism, and host–pathogen interactions. LASSO feature selection and subsequent manual verification identified 17 key metabolites with strong discriminative power. Furthermore, lipidomic profiling revealed a pronounced increase in lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) levels and a concurrent decrease in phosphatidylcholine (PC) species in exposed individuals. Conclusions: This study reveals metabolic disruptions associated with occupational avian influenza exposure and identifies potential serum biomarkers related to immune and lipid metabolism. These findings provide novel insights into host responses to avian influenza exposure and may support early detection and health risk assessment in high-risk occupational populations. Full article

Predictive Coding (PC) frameworks claim to model recognition via prediction–error loops, but they often lack explicit biological implementation of fast familiar recognition and impose latency that limits real-time robotic control. We begin with Experience-Based Pattern Matching (EBPM), a biologically grounded mechanism inspired by neural engram reactivation, enabling near-instantaneous recognition of familiar stimuli without iterative inference. Building upon this, we propose Dynamic Integrative Matching and Encoding (DIME), a hybrid system that relies on EBPM under familiar and low-uncertainty conditions and dynamically engages PC when confronted with novelty or high uncertainty. We evaluate EBPM, PC, and DIME across multiple image datasets (MNIST, Fashion-MNIST, CIFAR-10) and on a robotic obstacle-course simulation. Results from multi-seed experiments with ablation and complexity analyses show that EBPM achieves minimal latency (e.g., ~0.03 ms/ex in MNIST, ~0.026 ms/step in robotics) but poor performance in novel or noisy cases; PC exhibits robustness at a high cost; DIME delivers strong trade-offs—boosted accuracy in familiar clean situations (+4–5% over EBPM on CIFAR-10), while cutting PC invocations by ~50% relative to pure PC. Our contributions: (i) formalizing EBPM as a neurocomputational algorithm built from biologically plausible principles, (ii) developing DIME as a dynamic EBPM–PC integrator, (iii) providing ablation and complexity analyses illuminating component roles, and (iv) offering empirical validation in both perceptual and embodied robotic scenarios—paving the way for low-latency recognition systems. Full article

The Brief Peer Conflict Scale (Brief-PCS) has been shown to be psychometrically suitable for assessing the combination of the forms and functions of aggressive behavior in adolescence. However, its validity, invariance, and utility across other age groups remains unexplored. The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief-PCS in community samples of adolescents and emerging adults, and to compare self-reported aggression across these age groups and by sex. A sample of 891 individuals (58.4% female, Mage = 16.69) completed the Brief-PCS and additional measures assessing psychopathy characteristics, forms of aggression, and overall aggression. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the four-factor measurement model (i.e., proactive overt, reactive overt, proactive relational, and reactive relational aggression) as the best fit for the data. Evidence also supported the scales’ internal consistency and convergent validity. This four-factor measurement model proved to be invariant across age groups and sex. Males reported being overall more aggressive than females, and adolescents reported more aggressive behaviors than emerging adults, except for proactive relational aggression. These findings extend prior research by confirming the Brief-PCS as a psychometrically sound and developmentally invariant tool, enhancing its value for examining both theoretical and applied aspects of aggression throughout the lifespan. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of intraoperative hyaluronic acid (HA) application on short-term functional outcomes after open surgical repair of Achilles tendon rupture. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 102 patients screened at three tertiary centers (January 2023–October 2024). After applying the exclusion criteria, 64 patients were analyzed (32 HA, 32 control), with group allocation based on the intraoperative use of HA. The primary outcomes were the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Score and the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months; the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores, assessed at 6 and 12 months; and physical-performance tests (heel-rise endurance, single-leg hop distance, and calf muscle strength), performed at 6 and 12 months. Complications, including re-rupture, wound infection, and delayed wound healing, were also recorded. Results: At 6 months, the HA group had higher AOFAS scores (mean difference: 9.0, 95% CI: 6.3–11.7, p = 0.008) and ATRSs (mean difference: 7.0, 95% CI: 3.8–10.2, p = 0.008) than the controls. The differences were smaller but remained significant at 12 months (AOFAS mean difference: 5.0, 95% CI: 2.5–7.5, p = 0.034; ATRS mean difference: 4.0, 95% CI: 1.1–6.9, p = 0.034). The SF-36 PCS and MCS scores were also superior in the HA group at 6 and 12 months (all p < 0.05). The physical-performance tests (heel-rise endurance, single-leg hop, calf strength) showed significant mean differences, with the HA group scoring higher at both timepoints (all p < 0.05). Complication rates were low and not significantly different between groups (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Intraoperative HA application during open Achilles tendon repair was associated with improvements in short-term functional recovery, general health status, and physical performance without increasing complication rates. These findings support the use of HA as a safe adjunct to optimize tendon gliding; however, prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results. Full article

Local livestock genetic resources are crucial for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation. Dengchuan cattle, a nationally protected dairy breed in China, are esteemed for their high milk fat content and cultural significance. However, they have been threatened by crossbreeding with exotic high-yielding breeds, resulting in a decline in purebred resources. In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity and structure of a conserved population using 100K SNP microarray data from 74 individuals. After implementing strict quality control measures, 78,460 loci were retained for principal component analysis (PCA), which identified 100 SNPs most associated with PC1. After calculating high-consistency loci using PLINK, based on allelic consistency, we selected 61 high-stability markers to represent 60 individuals for further analysis. Genetic diversity parameters indicated moderate polymorphism, with an effective population size (Ne) of 2.293, observed heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.300, expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.326, and an average polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.261. A paired t-test confirmed a highly significant difference between Ho and He (p < 0.001). Runs of homozygosity (ROH) revealed a moderate level of inbreeding (F_ROH = 0.0928), with bulls exhibiting slightly higher values than females. Neighbor-joining (NJ) clustering further indicated clear lineage distinctions among bulls, but lower kinship among females. Overall, Dengchuan cattle exhibit moderate genetic diversity but face risks due to a small Ne and an unbalanced family structure. Targeted breeding strategies and genetic monitoring are recommended to ensure sustainable conservation and utilization. Full article

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a transformative technology with significant potential across various applications. IoT enables everyday devices to become smarter, processes to become more intelligent, and communication to be more informative. As the fastest-growing field in Information Technology, IoT integrates objects into a virtual infrastructure that keeps us informed about their states. IoT devices include IT appliances such as PCs, mobile phones, laptops, smartwatches, and other wearable devices, which communicate through sensor-based embedded systems that transmit data. However, as the number of connected devices increases, so do the risks of connectivity and security breaches. These systems are often used in machine-to-machine communication, sharing vast amounts of data, which heightens the risk of intrusions. This survey systematically reviewed and analyzed 82 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2024, covering IoT security architecture, threats, and defense mechanisms. The review identifies key trends, common challenges, and security threats specific to IoT-based architecture across different domains. Additionally, it proposes solutions to enhance IoT security. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the current state of IoT security and offer insights into future research and the practical implementation of protective measures. Full article

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human health, yet its dietary intake is insufficient in many populations worldwide. Agronomic biofortification represents an effective strategy to enrich crops with Se, and Totally Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) provides a reliable platform to evaluate cultivar-specific responses under standardized conditions. This study evaluated the effects of foliar sodium selenate doses of 0, 5, 10, and 15 µM on two basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars, ‘Fine Verde’ (FV) and ‘Red Rubin’ (RR), in a micro-TCEA system. The yield was not significantly different at 5–10 µM but declined by 21% at 15 µM, particularly for FV. RR out-yielded FV (+14%), whereas FV produced taller shoots. The 5 µM Se concentration did not affect the total chlorophyll content and quantum yield of photosystem II under control conditions. The highest Se dose (15 µM) decreased the chlorophyll content and electron transport rate by 18% and 12%, respectively, while increasing the stomatal conductance (50%) and transpiration rate (120%). The total phenolics content in RR was double that in FV and increased with Se, whereas the NO₃⁻ concentration in RR decreased by 9% at 10 µM. Principal component analysis separated treatments by Se dose (PC1 = 44.5%) and cultivar (PC2 = 42.7%), showing RR’s stronger connection of RR to biomass and antioxidant accumulation under moderate Se. Overall, a single foliar application of 5 µM sodium selenate appears optimal to achieve effective Se enrichment while maintaining productivity and quality. These findings support basil as a promising candidate for Se biofortification in TCEA systems, with potential contributions to dietary Se intake. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pain is a common issue among patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), and palliative care (PC) aims to improve their quality of life. This study investigates the incidence, nature, and treatment of pain in chronic HD patients in Hungary, along with factors influencing pain intensity and the benefits of PC. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design involving 159 patients with chronic end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving HD at the National Dialysis Center in Pécs, Hungary. Pain was assessed using a “PQRST” questionnaire, and statistical analyses were performed on clinical and laboratory data to identify potential pain triggers. We also reviewed the latest literature on PC for patients with ESKD undergoing HD. Results: Approximately 57% of patients reported pain, with 88% indicating moderate-to-severe pain levels. While 64% used regular pain medication, only 29% experienced complete pain relief. Non-pharmacological methods, along with adjuvant agents and strong notably different based on parathyroid opioids, were underutilized. Pain intensity was hormone (PTH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Key factors affecting pain included body mass index (BMI), hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM), and PTH levels. Research shows that PC is rarely used for patients on HD in many countries, despite being effective in managing symptoms. Conclusions: PC, along with pain assessment and multidisciplinary management, reduces the symptomatic burden for patients with ESKD. Effective management of mild pain should be handled by a nephrologist experienced in PC, while severe, therapy-resistant pain should be managed by PC specialists. Therefore, implementing PC is essential in the treatment of these patients. Full article

Salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits plant growth and survival. Colobanthus quitensis, the only native dicotyledon in the Antarctic Peninsula and southern South America, naturally inhabits environments with contrasting salinity regimes. This study compared the salt stress responses of three geographically distinct populations—Antarctic (pA), Magellanic coastal (pPA), and Andean inland (pC)—exposed to 0, 50, and 150 mM NaCl under controlled conditions. Morpho-physiological traits, photosynthetic parameters, osmolyte accumulation, oxidative damage markers, and antioxidant responses were evaluated. Population-specific strategies were observed. In pA, salinity reduced shoot biomass by 58% and doubled lipid peroxidation levels at 50 mM, indicating high oxidative stress. In pPA, shoot growth was maintained even at 150 mM, although chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased by approximately 20%, along with a reduction in total antioxidant capacity. In contrast, pC showed a coordinated tolerance response, maintaining biomass while accumulating the highest proline levels (742 µmol g⁻¹ FW at 150 mM) and enhancing total antioxidant capacity by 35% compared to the control. Multivariate analyses supported the contrasting strategies among populations. These results provide novel evidence of local adaptation and ecological plasticity in C. quitensis, particularly highlighting the hidden resilience of non-coastal populations. The findings support the potential of this extremophile species as a model system for investigating salinity tolerance and as a promising genetic resource for developing biotechnological strategies aimed at improving crop resilience under saline conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Accurate telephone triage of emergency medical cases plays a crucial role in improving outcomes for critically ill patients. Effective triage enables emergency medical dispatchers to provide appropriate pre-arrival instructions and to deploy operational units according to the patient’s severity level. This study aimed to develop and assess the content validity of the Emergency Medical Triage Protocol and Criteria-Based Dispatch Code (EMTP-CBDC) for Thailand. The objective was to ensure the tool’s content accuracy and applicability in prioritizing emergency responses in line with medical urgency, considering global changes and universal standards. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from 15–30 April 2024. The content validity of the newly developed EMTP-CBDC, comprising 30 symptom groups, was evaluated by five emergency physician experts with at least 1 year of experience in emergency medical oversight. The assessment focused on four aspects: relevance, clarity, simplicity, and ambiguity. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was calculated at both the item level (I-CVI) and the scale level using the average index (S-CVI/Ave). To adjust for chance agreement, the probability of chance agreement (Pc) and the modified kappa coefficient (k*) were calculated for each item. Results: The content validation revealed I-CVI values ranging from 0.80 to 1.00 across all items. The S-CVI/Ave scores were 0.97 for relevance, 0.93 for clarity, 0.98 for simplicity, and 0.94 for ambiguity. These values surpassed the accepted thresholds for content validity. Conclusions: The EMTP-CBDC developed for Thailand demonstrated good content validity across relevance, clarity, simplicity, and ambiguity. Further studies are needed to establish its reliability and field performance before routine implementation. Full article

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) progression is strongly driven by dysregulated signaling pathways, with NF-κB playing a central role. Sesquiterpene lactones have been reported to modulate this pathway. This study evaluated and compared the cytotoxic effects of two structurally distinct sesquiterpene lactones: Tatridin A, a germacranolide, and desacetyl-β-cyclopyrethrosin, a eudesmanolide derivative. Their mechanisms of action were also examined, focusing on oxidative stress induction and NF-κB modulation. Methods: Chemical structures were confirmed by NMR and X-ray crystallography. Cytotoxicity was assessed in DU-145 and 22Rv1 PC cells using real-time cell analysis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were measured with fluorometric assays. NF-κB activity was determined in THP-1 reporter cells and by Western blot of IκBα phosphorylation. Results: Tatridin A markedly reduced viability, showing lower IC₅₀ values (81.4 ± 2.7 µM in DU-145 and 50.7 ± 1.9 µM in 22Rv1 cells) than desacetyl-β-cyclopyrethrosin (166.9 ± 3.2 µM and 290.3 ± 8.3 µM, respectively). It also inhibited proliferation at markedly lower concentrations, with clonogenic IC₅₀ values of 7.7 µM in DU-145 and 5.24 µM in 22Rv1cells. Both compounds increased ROS, but tatridin A induced earlier and stronger responses and ΔΨm loss. Furthermore, tatridin A more effectively inhibited NF-κB signaling than classical inhibitors. Conclusions: Tatridin A exerts cytotoxic effects through oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairment, and NF-κB inhibition, supporting the therapeutic potential of germacranolides for the treatment of advanced PC. Full article

Gliomas are aggressive brain tumours with diverse histological and molecular features, complicating accurate diagnosis and treatment. Dysregulated lipid metabolism contributes to glioma progression, and analysing lipid profiles in plasma and tissue may enhance diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. This study investigated lipid dysregulation to identify key lipid signatures that distinguish glioma from other brain diseases and examined the associations between lipid biomarkers in glioma tissue and plasma. Biospecimens from 11 controls and 72 glioma patients of varying grades underwent lipidomic profiling using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified differentially abundant lipids, and correlation analysis evaluated the associations between tissue and plasma biomarkers. Lipidomic analysis revealed distinct lipid profiles in the tissues and plasma of glioma patients compared to those of controls. Prominent lipid metabolites in glioma tissues included LPC 21:3 (AUC = 0.925), DG 43:11 (AUC = 0.906), and PC 33:1 (AUC = 0.892), which served as effective biomarkers. Conversely, in plasma, lipid metabolites such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE 21:3, AUC = 0.862), ceramide-1-phosphate (CerP 26:1, AUC = 0.861), and sphingomyelin (SM 24:3, AUC = 0.858) were identified as the most promising lipid biomarkers. Significant positive and negative correlations were observed between the tissue and plasma lipid biomarkers of glioma patients. Lipidomic profiling revealed aberrant lipid classes and pathways in glioma tissues and plasma, enhancing understanding of glioma heterogeneity and potential clinical applications. Full article