Search Results (7,362)

Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams are crucial for the water cycle and ecosystem services, yet they are often neglected by managers and researchers, especially in headwater areas. This oversight has caused a lack of comprehensive basemaps for these vital river systems. In headwater regions, water bodies are typically sparse and disconnected, with narrow and less distinct channels. Therefore, we propose a novel hybrid method that integrates topographic data and remote sensing imagery to delineate river networks. Our method reestablishes connectivity among sparsely distributed water bodies through topographic pairs, enhances less distinct channel features using the gamma function, and converts topographic and water indices data into a weighted graph to determine optimal channels with the A* algorithm. The topographic and water indices data are derived from the Multi-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain DEM (MERIT DEM) and an average composite of the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), respectively. In the upper Lancang-Mekong River basin, our method outperformed five publicly available DEM datasets, achieving over 91% positional accuracy within a 30 m buffer. This hybrid method enhances positional accuracy and effectively connects sparse water bodies in headwater areas, offering promising applications for delineating intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams and providing baseline information for these river systems. Full article

Over the millennia, patterns of food consumption have changed; however, foods were always whole foods. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been a very recent development and have become the primary food source for many people. The purpose of this review is to propose the hypothesis that, forsaking the evolutionary dietary environment, and its complex milieu of compounds resulting in an extensive metabolome, contributes to chronic disease in modern humans. This evolutionary metabolome may have contributed to the success of early hominins. This hypothesis is based on the following assumptions: (1) whole foods promote health, (2) essential nutrients cannot explain all the benefits of whole foods, (3) UPFs are much lower in phytonutrients and other compounds compared to whole foods, and (4) evolutionary diets contributed to a more diverse metabolome. Evidence will be presented to support this hypothesis. Nutrition is a matter of systems biology, and investigating the evolutionary metabolome, as compared to the metabolome of modern humans, will help elucidate the hidden connections between diet and health. The effect of the diet on the metabolome may also help shape future dietary guidelines, and help define healthy foods. Full article

The accurate estimation of basal endogenous losses (BEL) of amino acids at the ileum is indispensable to improve nutrient utilization efficiency. This study used a quantitative proteomic approach to identify variations in BEL in the ileal digesta of growing pigs fed a nitrogen-free diet (NFD) or a casein diet (CAS). Eight barrow pigs (39.8 ± 6.3 kg initial body weight (BW)) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 crossover design. A total of 348 proteins were identified and quantified in both treatments, of which 101 showed a significant differential abundance between the treatments (p < 0.05). Functional and pathway enrichment analyses revealed that the endogenous proteins were associated with intestinal metabolic function. Furthermore, differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in the digesta of pigs fed the NFD enriched terms and pathways that suggest intestinal inflammation, the activation of innate antimicrobial host defense, an increase in cellular autophagy and epithelial turnover, and reduced synthesis of pancreatic and intestinal secretions. These findings suggest that casein diets may provide a more accurate estimation of BEL because they promote normal gastrointestinal secretions. Overall, proteomic and bioinformatic analyses provided valuable insights into the composition of endogenous proteins in the ileal digesta and their relationship with the functions, processes, and pathways modified by diet composition. Full article

Primary cilia are finger-like sensory organelles that extend from the bodies of most cell types and have a distinct lipid and protein composition from the plasma membrane. This partitioning is maintained by a diffusion barrier that restricts the entry of non-ciliary proteins, and allows the selective entry of proteins harboring a ciliary targeting sequence (CTS). However, CTSs are not stereotyped and previously reported sequences are insufficient to drive efficient ciliary localisation across diverse cell types. Here, we describe a short peptide sequence that efficiently targets transmembrane proteins to primary cilia in all tested cell types, including human neurons. We generate human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines stably expressing a transmembrane construct bearing an extracellular HaloTag and intracellular fluorescent protein, which enables the bright, specific labeling of primary cilia in neurons and other cell types to facilitate studies of cilia in health and disease. We demonstrate the utility of this resource by developing an image analysis pipeline for the automated measurement of primary cilia to detect changes in their length associated with altered signaling or disease state. Full article

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is becoming an increasingly serious health problem in humans and animals. Probiotics can inhibit the development of IBD. Due to the specificity of the strains, the function and mechanism of action of different strains are still unclear. Here, a DSS-induced colitis mouse model was utilized to investigate the ability and mechanism by which Lacticaseibacillus casei IB1 alleviates colitis. Treatment with L. casei IB1 improved DSS-induced colitis in mice, as indicated by increased body weight, colon length, and goblet cell numbers and decreased disease activity index (DAI), proinflammatory factor (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) levels, and histopathological scores after intake of IB1. IB1 supplementation also improved the expression of tight junction proteins and inhibited the activation of the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways to alleviate intestinal inflammation. In addition, IB1 rebalanced the intestinal microbial composition of colitis mice by increasing the abundance of Faecalibaculum and Alistipes and decreasing the abundance of Bacteroides and Escherichia_Shigella. In summary, L. casei IB1 showed great potential for relieving colitis by regulating the microbiota and restoring the epithelial barrier. It can be used as a potential probiotic for the prevention and treatment of UC in the future. Full article

Background: The NiTi alloy, known for its shape memory and superelasticity, is increasingly used in medicine. However, its high nickel content requires enhanced biocompatibility for long-term implants. Low-temperature plasma treatments under glow-discharge conditions can improve surface properties without compromising mechanical integrity. Methods: This study explores the surface modification of a NiTi alloy by oxidizing it in low-temperature plasma. We examine the impact of process temperatures and sample preparation (mechanical grinding and polishing) on the structure of the produced titanium oxide layers. Surface properties, including topography, morphology, chemical composition, and bioactivity, were analyzed using TEM, SEM, EDS, and an optical profilometer. Bioactivity was assessed through the deposition of calcium phosphate in simulated body fluid (SBF). Results: The low-temperature plasma oxidization produced titanium dioxide layers (29–55 nm thick) with a predominantly nanocrystalline rutile structure. Layer thickness increased with extended processing time and higher temperatures (up to 390 °C), though the relationship was not linear. Higher temperatures led to thicker layers with more precipitates and inhomogeneities. The oxidized layers showed increased bioactivity after 14 and 30 days in SBF. Conclusions: Low-temperature plasma oxidation produces bioactive titanium oxide layers on NiTi alloys, with a structure and properties that can be tuned through process parameters. This method could enhance the biocompatibility of NiTi alloys for medical implants. Full article

Athletes’ anthropometry, and especially their body composition, plays an important role in sport performance in general and in Trainera rowing in particular. Rowers’ anthropometric and performance profiles may vary according to their position in the boat. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between anthropometry, physical performance, physiological variables, and elite male rowers’ boat positions. Twenty elite male traditional rowers were assessed and categorized according to their boat position: either in the middle of the boat (M) (n = 9) or in the bow and stern positions (BS) (n = 11). Anthropometric measurements and body composition were obtained for each rower, and physical performance was measured by a 45-s supramaximal rowing test and a VO_2max incremental test on a Concept II rowing ergometer. The results showed that the rowers in the middle were taller (186.6 ± 4.9 cm), and significant differences were also found between the two groups according to body mass (BS 72.3 ± 3.8 vs. M 85.4 ± 4.3) and peak power (BS 641.5 ± 84 vs. M 737 ± 47.1), mean power (BS 538.5 ± 48.4 vs. M 604.1 ± 42.3), and physiological parameters (p < 0.05), VO_2max (BS 66.5 ± 4.9 vs. M 59.3 ± 6.7). It can be concluded that height could be associated with elite rowers’ performance and that a lower body mass index is related to better performance in bow and stern positions. Full article

The experiment was conducted to investigate the potential effects of steviol glycosides on growth performance, rumen fermentation processes, and microbial diversity in Hu sheep. A single-factor design was used for the trial. Twenty healthy weaned Hu lambs, possessing comparable body weights averaging 18.31 ± 1.24 kg, were randomly allocated into two distinct groups: the control group (CON) and the experimental group (STE), with each comprising 10 lambs. The CON was fed the basal diet, and the STE was supplemented with 0.07% steviol glycosides based on the basal diet. During the experimental period, variations in body weight and feed intake were closely monitored and recorded. After feeding for 90 d, blood was collected to determine blood biochemical indices, and rumen fluid samples were gathered for an in-depth analysis of rumen fermentation parameters and microbial diversity. The outcomes revealed no statistically significant differences in growth performance or serum biochemical indices between the two groups (p > 0.05). Rumen pH in STE and CON was within the normal range. The rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) and acetic acid (AA) content of STE decreased significantly compared with CON (p < 0.05). No significant variations were observed in the levels of other volatile fatty acids (VFAs) between the two groups (p > 0.05). The rumen microbial OTUs count, as well as the Shannon, Simpson, Chao1, and Ace indices, were notably lower in the STE group compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Additionally, at the phylum level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria collectively accounted for over 97% of the total phylum composition. In comparison to the CON group, the STE group exhibited an increase in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (p < 0.05), accompanied by a significant reduction in the relative abundance of Patescibacteria and Desulfobacteria (p < 0.05). At the genus level, there was a notable increase in the relative abundance of Prevotella_7 and Succinivibrionaceae_UCG_001 in the STE group, whereas the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group significantly decreased (p < 0.05). According to the correlation analysis between rumen microflora and VFAs, the relative abundance of Succinivibrionaceae_UCG_001 displayed a significant negative correlation with AA (p < 0.05), whereas Lactobacillus exhibited a notable positive correlation with isobutyric acid (IBA) (p < 0.05). In summary, steviol glycosides had no significant effect on the production performance and blood biochemical indexes of Hu sheep. Steviol glycosides can improve rumen fermentation parameters and rumen microflora structure of Hu sheep and have a certain effect on rumen microbial diversity and composition. Full article

Background: Ophiocordyceps sinensis has long been recognized as a mysterious and valuable traditional Chinese medicine but there has been little research on quality markers for O. sinensis. Purpose: This study looked into the potential of using powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) to analyze polysaccharides as a quality marker for O. sinensis. Study design: There were 16 different habitats of O. sinensis collected in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet. In addition, five different types of Cordyceps species were collected. The characteristic diffraction peaks of O. sinensis were determined and then matched with the characteristic diffraction peaks of intracellular polysaccharides obtained from O. sinensis to determine the attribution relationship of the characteristic diffraction peaks. Methods: O. sinensis powder’s X-ray diffraction pattern is determined by its composition, microcrystalline crystal structure, intramolecular bonding mechanism, and molecular configuration. After fractionation and alcohol precipitation of crude intracellular polysaccharide, mycelium crude intracellular polysaccharide (MCP) and fruiting body crude intracellular polysaccharide (FCP) were obtained and the fingerprint of O. sinensis was identified by the specific characteristic peaks of the X-ray diffraction pattern from intracellular polysaccharide. Results: The results indicated that the PXRD patterns of different populations of O. sinensis were overlaid well with 18 characteristic diffraction peaks obtained by microcrystalline diffraction. Moreover, the powder diffractograms as a fingerprint provided a practical identification of O. sinensis from other Cordyceps species. In addition, we detected that the powder diffractograms of intracellular polysaccharide MCP and MCP75 could be coupled with the PXRD of O. sinensis. Specifically, 18 characteristic diffraction peaks were identified as coming from MCP and MCP75 according to those interplanar crystal spacing, which matched well with those of PXRD of O. sinensis. Conclusions: PXRD spectra combined with an updated multivariable discriminant model were found to be an efficient and sensitive method for O. sinensis quality control. According to the findings of this study, PXRD should be further investigated for quality control assessments and plant extract selection trials. Full article

Flaxseed is known for its numerous health benefits and is often used in the prevention and treatment of civilizational diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of consuming crushed flaxseed on cardiovascular risk in 51 menopausal women. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks, during which participants received a daily dose of 40 g of crushed flaxseed from two varieties with differing lignan contents. Participants were divided into three subgroups based on the variety of flaxseed consumed: (1) high-lignan group (HL), (2) low-lignan group (LL), and (3) control group (no flaxseed consumption). Biochemical blood parameters were measured using a BiOLis 24i Premium automatic analyzer. Body composition was assessed using an InBody 720 device. In the lipid profile, we observed a significant increase in total cholesterol (T-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, along with a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in both the HL and LL groups. Triglyceride (TG) levels exhibited no significant change, whereas high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were significantly reduced in both the HL (p < 0.01) and LL (p < 0.01) groups. Visceral fat area (VFA) and percent body fat (PBF) showed a slight decreasing trend in the HL group, whereas in the LL group, VFA showed a slight increase. Body mass index (BMI) remained stable across all groups. These findings suggest that for the modulation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, the daily dosage, duration of consumption, form of intake, and the specific variety of flaxseed (based on lignan content) are crucial factors. Full article

The ecological restoration of submerged plants is one of the most widely used technologies in the remediation of eutrophic water bodies. This technology mainly removes nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients in water through the absorption effects of plant roots, stems, and leaves and the biotransformation of microorganisms attached to their surfaces. Root exudates can directly affect root-attached microorganisms and other aquatic organisms, thus significantly influencing water remediation by submerged plants. At present, there are few reviews on the root exudates of submerged plants and their effects on aquatic organisms. In this study, the composition, collection, and methods of detecting the root exudates of submerged plants are reviewed. Factors affecting the release of root exudates from submerged plants are analyzed, including abiotic (light, temperature, and nutritional status) and biotic factors (rhizosphere microorganisms). The positive or negative effects of root exudates on phytoplankton, zooplankton, and microorganisms are also discussed. The results show that plant species, growth stages, and environmental factors (light, temperature, and nutritional status) are crucial factors affecting root exudates. In addition, submerged plants can significantly influence phytoplankton, zooplankton, and microorganisms by releasing allelochemicals or other root exudates. Based on the results of this study, the influencing mechanisms of root exudates on ecological restoration processes by submerged plants are clarified. This review provides important guiding significance for applying submerged macrophytes in water restoration. Full article

Bioimpedance is a diagnostic sensing method used in medical applications, ranging from body composition assessment to detecting skin cancer. Commonly, discrete-component (and at times integrated) circuit variants of the Howland Current Source (HCS) topology are employed for injection of an AC current. Ideally, its amplitude should remain within 1% of its nominal value across a frequency range, and that nominal value should be programmable. However, the method’s applicability and accuracy are hindered due to the current amplitude diminishing at frequencies above 100 kHz, with very few designs accomplishing 1 MHz, and only at a single nominal amplitude. This paper presents the design and implementation of an adaptive current source for bioimpedance applications employing automatic gain control (AGC). The “Adaptive Howland Current Source” (AHCS) was experimentally tested, and the results indicate that the design can achieve less than 1% amplitude error for both 1 mA and 100 µA currents for bandwidths up to 3 MHz. Simulations also indicate that the system can be designed to achieve up to 19% noise reduction relative to the most common HCS design. AHCS addresses the need for high bandwidth AC current sources in bioimpedance spectroscopy, offering automatic output current compensation without constant recalibration. The novel structure of AHCS proves crucial in applications requiring higher β-dispersion frequencies exceeding 1 MHz, where greater penetration depths and better cell status assessment can be achieved, e.g., in the detection of skin or breast cancer. Full article

The progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)requires the assessment of nutritional disturbances at each stage of the disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status in various ages of boys with DMD using screening and in-depth evaluation methods. Body composition by Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), basal metabolic rate (BMR) by indirect calorimetry, a questionnaire of nutritional status—Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (PNST)—and laboratory parameters were performed. In the cohort of 93 boys aged 8.54 (5.9–12.6 years), inappropriate nutritional status occurred in 41.8% of boys (underweight 11.8%, overweight 16.0%, and obesity 14.0%). In the 10–13 age group, the occurrence of overweight and underweight was the highest. Based on PNST, 15.1% of patients were at nutritional risk (≥2 points)—the most in the 14–17 age group (29%). A negative correlation was identified between PNST and z-scores of body weight, BMI, and FFMI (r Spearman = −0.49, −0.46, and −0.48, respectively; p < 0.05). There were no differences between BMR results from indirect calorimetry and calculations from the Schofield formula for any age group. In obese boys, the caloric requirement in indirect calorimetry was significantly lower than that indicated by the calculations according to the Schofield formula (p < 0.028). Inappropriate nutritional status occurred in almost half of the children with DMD. The age group in which nutritional disorders were most frequently identified was 10–13 years old. PNST could be considered a tool for screening malnutrition after testing a larger group of DMD patients. Full article

Fracture-cavity carbonate reservoirs provide a large area, fracture development, high productivity, long stable production time, and other characteristics. However, after long-term exploitation, the lack of energy in the formation leads to a rapid decrease in production, and the water content in crude oil steadily increases, thereby disrupting normal production. To recover normal production, it is necessary to connect the cracks and pores that have not been affected during the original production, so as to allow the crude oil inside to enter the production cracks and replenish energy through methods such as hydraulic expansion of fracture-cavity carbonate rock. Accordingly, we propose hydraulic expansion techniques based on the following four processes for implementation: (1) applying high pressure to prevent a nearby fracture network from opening the seam, (2) connecting a distant fracture-cavity body, (3) breaking through the clay filling section of a natural fracture network, and (4) constructing an injection production well pattern for accelerating injection and producing diversion. Hydraulic fracturing involves closing or partially closing the original high-permeability channels, which usually produce a large amount of water, while opening previously unaffected areas through high pressure to increase crude oil production. We also introduce two composite techniques: (1) temporary plugging of the main deep fractures, followed by hydraulic expansion; and (2) capacity expansion and acidification/pressure processes. Hydraulic expansion allowed us to recover and supplement the formation energy and efficiently increase production. We tested various wells, achieving an effective hydraulic expansion rate of up to 85%. In addition, the productivity of conventional water injection and hydraulic expansion after on-site construction was compared for one well, clearly indicating the effectiveness of water injection and the remarkable crude oil increase after hydraulic expansion. Full article

Background: The sleep-low method has been proposed as a way to sleep in a low-glycogen state, increase the duration of low glycogen availability and sleep and temporarily restrict carbohydrates to improve exercise performance. However, long-term dietary restriction may induce mental stress in athletes. Therefore, if it can be shown that the effects of the sleep-low method can be achieved by restricting the carbohydrate intake at night (the nighttime carbohydrate restriction method), innovative methods could be developed to reduce weight in individuals with obesity and enhance athletes’ performance with reduced stress and in a shorter duration when compared with those of previous studies. With this background, we conducted a study with the purpose of examining the intervention effects of a short-term intensive nighttime carbohydrate restriction method. Methods: A total of 22 participants were recruited among university students participating in sports club activities. The participants were assigned at random to groups, including a nighttime carbohydrate restriction group of 11 participants (6 males, 5 females; age 22.3 ± 1.23) who started a carbohydrate-restricted diet and a group of 11 participants (5 males, 6 females; age 21.9 ± 7.9) who continued with their usual diet. The present study had a two-group parallel design. In the first week, no dietary restrictions were imposed on either group, and the participants consumed their own habitual diets. In the second week, the total amount of calories and carbohydrate intake measured in the first week were divided by seven days, and the average values were calculated. These were used as the daily calorie and carbohydrate intakes in the second week. Only the nighttime carbohydrate restriction group was prohibited from consuming carbohydrates after 4:00 p.m. During the two-week study period, all participants ran for one hour each day before breakfast at a heart rate of 65% of their maximum heart rate. Results: The results obtained from young adults participating in sports showed significant differences in peak oxygen consumption ($\stackrel{·}{\mathrm{V}}$O2peak), work rate max, respiratory quotient (RQ), body weight and lean body mass after the intervention when compared with before the intervention in the nighttime carbohydrate restriction group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the nighttime carbohydrate restriction method markedly improves fat metabolism even when performed for a short period. This method can be used to reduce body weight in individuals with obesity and enhance athletes’ performance. However, it is important to consider the intake of nutrition other than carbohydrates. Full article