Search Results (5,198)

The rheological characteristics of pea protein (PP100%) and alginate (AG100%) as pure and mixed gels with different levels of pea protein (AP90:10, AP80:20, and AP70:30) were investigated via large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Small-angle oscillatory shear (SAOS) was carried out for the samples, and a slight frequency dependence of the storage modulus (G’) and the loss modulus (G”) was observed for the pastes and gels, indicating the formation of a weak network, which is crucial for understanding the gel’s mechanical stability under small levels of deformation. Elastic and viscous Lissajous curves from the LAOS measurement at different levels of strain (1 to 1000%) elucidated that the mixed gels formed a strong network, which showed breakdown at high deformation (>100% strain). The synergistic strengthening of the network of the mixture was noticeable in the Fourier transform and Chevyshev harmonic analyses. This analysis indicated that the nonlinearity of e₃/e₁ and v₃/v₁ started at higher levels of strain for the mixed gels. The FTIR spectra revealed that there was no strong interconnection by crosslinking between pea protein and sodium alginate, indicating that the synergistic effect mainly came from electrostatic interactions. These findings suggest that combining alginate with pea protein can enhance the mechanical properties of gels, making them suitable for various food applications. Full article

Background: Approximately 50% of older patients hospitalized for hip fractures are admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation department at a skilled nursing home. Given the wide variation in rehabilitation stay lengths, predicting the length of stay upon hospital discharge would help manage patients’ recovery expectations and create appropriate therapy schedules. Existing literature on length of stay predictors included both acute hospital and in-hospital rehabilitation phases or involved small sample sizes. The present study aims to identify predictors for the length of geriatric rehabilitation stay in skilled nursing homes for older patients after hip fracture surgery upon hospital discharge. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from 1 October 2017 to 1 July 2023, including 561 patients. Potential predictors of the length of geriatric rehabilitation stay were first tested univariately, with variables showing p < 0.15 entered into a multivariate forward linear regression model. Results: This model identified the following independent predictors of a longer length of geriatric rehabilitation stay: Functional Ambulation Categories (FACs) 0 (B = 29.9, 95% CI 24.1–35.7), 1 (B = 18.0, 95% CI 11.8–24.2), 2 (B = 12.0, 95% CI 7.1–17.0), or 3 (B = 3.6, 95% CI −1.2–9.4) at hospital discharge vs. FAC 4, living independently with home care services (B = 5.9, 95% CI 2.5–9.3) or in a residential home prior to the hip fracture (B = 0.2, 95% CI −7.4–7.8) vs. living independently without home care services, non- or partial weight-bearing mobilization vs. full weight-bearing mobilization (B = 15.4, 95% CI 8.5–22.2), internal fixation vs. hemiarthroplasty (B = 4.7, 95% CI 1.4–7.9), in-hospital delirium (B = 7.0, 95% CI 2.2–11.7), and in-hospital heart failure (B = 7.9, 95% CI 0.5–15.3). The explained variance was 32.0%. Conclusions: This study identified FAC at hospital discharge, premorbid living situation, postoperative weight-bearing protocol, surgery type, in-hospital delirium, and in-hospital heart failure as independent predictors of the length of geriatric rehabilitation stay. Future investigations are needed to identify additional predictors, such as cognitive functioning, to better predict the length of geriatric rehabilitation stay upon hospital discharge. Full article

Newcastle disease (ND) is caused by virulent strains of avian paramyxovirus type 1, also known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Despite vaccination, the frequency of reported outbreaks in Ethiopia has increased. From January to June 2022, an active outbreak investigation was conducted in six commercial chicken farms across areas of central Ethiopia to identify the circulating NDV strains. Thirty pooled tissue specimens were collected from chickens suspected of being infected with NDV. A questionnaire survey of farm owners and veterinarians was also carried out to collect information on the farms and the outbreak status. NDV was isolated using specific-pathogen-free (SPF)-embryonated chicken eggs and detected using haemagglutination and the reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). The genotype and virulence of field NDV isolates were determined using phylogenetic analysis of fusion (F) protein gene sequences and the mean death time (MDT) test in SPF-embryonated chicken eggs. The questionnaire results revealed that ND caused morbidity (23.1%), mortality (16.3%), case fatality (70.8%), and significant economic losses. Eleven of thirty tissue specimens tested positive for NDV using haemagglutination and RT–PCR. The MDT testing and sequence analysis revealed the presence of virulent NDV classified as genotype VII of class II velogenic pathotype and distinct from locally used vaccine strains (genotype II). The amino acid sequences of the current virulent NDV fusion protein cleavage site motif revealed ¹¹²RRQKR↓F¹¹⁷, unlike the locally used avirulent vaccine strains (¹¹²GRQGR↓L¹¹⁷). The epidemiological data, MDT results, cleavage site sequence, and phylogenetic analysis all indicated that the present NDV isolates were virulent. The four NDV sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers F gene (PP726912-15) and M gene (PP726916-19). The genetic difference between avirulent vaccine strains and circulating virulent NDV could explain the low level of protection provided by locally used vaccines. Further studies are needed to better understand the circulating NDV genotypes in different production systems. Full article

This study investigates plastic litter on two beaches in Malta, Golden Bay and Rivera Beach, with a focus on plastic abundance, characteristics, sources, and the influence of human activity on pollution levels. Conducted in March 2023 during the low-tourist season, 13 sediment samples were collected from a depth of 5 cm using a systematic square sampling method. Plastic litter was quantified and sorted by size, shape, color, and polymer type, and concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were measured (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Fe via ICP-OES). Golden Bay exhibited significantly higher plastic quantities (53.9 ± 4.3 n/m²) compared to Rivera Beach (29.7 ± 4.0 n/m²). Microplastics were dominant on both beaches, with Golden Bay showing a higher proportion (57.0%) than Rivera Beach (50.6%). The plastic litter predominantly consisted of PE (59.6–68.0%) and PP (29.6–38.8%). Golden Bay plastics had PTE concentrations up to 4.9 times higher than those in Rivera Beach, notably for Mn (309.0 μg/g vs. 63.1 μg/g). This research contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of plastic pollution in coastal environments, particularly in areas influenced by tourism. Full article

Ageing populations, mass “baby-free” policies and children born to mothers at the age at which they are biologically expected to become grandmothers are growing problems in most developed societies. Therefore, any opportunity to improve the quality of infertility treatments seems important for the survival of societies. The possibility of indirectly studying the quality of developing oocytes by examining their follicular fluids (hFFs) offers new opportunities for progress in our understanding the processes of final oocyte maturation and, consequently, for predicting the quality of the resulting embryos and personalising their culture. Using mass spectrometry, we studied follicular fluids collected individually during in vitro fertilisation and compared their composition with the quality of the resulting embryos. We analysed 110 follicular fluids from 50 oocyte donors, from which we obtained 44 high-quality, 39 medium-quality, and 27 low-quality embryos. We identified 2182 proteins by Sequential Window Acquisition of all Theoretical Mass Spectra (SWATH-MS) using a TripleTOF 5600+ hybrid mass spectrometer, of which 484 were suitable for quantification. We were able to identify several proteins whose concentrations varied between the follicular fluids of different oocytes from the same patient and between patients. Among them, the most important appear to be immunoglobulin heavy constant alpha 1 (IgA1hc) and dickkopf-related protein 3. The first one is found at higher concentrations in hFFs from which oocytes develop into poor-quality embryos, the other one exhibits the opposite pattern. None of these have, so far, had any specific links to fertility disorders. In light of these findings, these proteins should be considered a primary target for research aimed at developing a diagnostic tool for oocyte quality control and pre-fertilisation screening. This is particularly important in cases where the fertilisation of each egg is not an option for ethical or other reasons, or in countries where it is prohibited by law. Full article

It is difficult to select low-cost filler materials. Specifically, carbon-based filling materials are a matter of concern, and developing a carbon-filled polymer composite with enhanced properties is necessary. In this study, the authors developed a polymer composite using virgin polypropylene (PP) as a matrix and affordable micrographite (µG) as a filler. The developed composite has many potential applications in the automotive, aerospace, and electronic industries. To prepare the test specimens, the composite was prepared using a twin-screw extruder containing 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 wt.% µG powder (BET surface area ≈ 29 m²/g; particle size > 50 µm) followed by injection molding. Different mechanical properties like the tensile, flexural, and impact strengths were determined. The prepared composites were further characterized by means of XRD, TGA, DSC, FTIR, DMA, FESEM, and PLM tests. The results were analyzed and compared with those for PP. Improved tensile (up to ≈ 34 MPa) and flexural (up to ≈ 40 MPa) strength was observed with an increase in the µG content. However, the impact strength continuously decreased (maximum ≈ 32 J/m for PP) with fractures. These findings underscore that graphite plays a significant role in controlling the deformation behavior and ultimate strength of composites. An XRD analysis revealed that adding graphite restructured the crystalline arrangement of PP and altered the composite’s crystallographic properties. Nonetheless, no induction effect (β-phase formation) was observed. A moderate enhancement in the thermal stability was observed owing to a small increase in the melt (T_m), onset (T_onset), and residual (T_R) temperatures. A microstructural analysis showed that the micrographite powder strongly prevented spherulite growth and modified the graphite powder’s rate of dispersion and agglomeration in a polymer matrix. The results show that graphite could be a viable low-cost alternative carbon-based filler material in polypropylene matrices. Full article

Load recognition remains not comprehensively explored in Home Energy Management Systems (HEMSs). There are gaps in current approaches to load recognition, such as enhancing appliance identification and increasing the overall performance of the load-recognition system through more robust models. To address this issue, we propose a novel approach based on the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) F-test combined with SelectKBest and gradient-boosting machines (GBMs) for load recognition. The proposed approach improves the feature selection and consequently aids inter-class separability. Further, we optimized GBM models, such as the histogram-based gradient-boosting machine (HistGBM), light gradient-boosting machine (LightGBM), and XGBoost (extreme gradient boosting), to create a more reliable load-recognition system. Our findings reveal that the ANOVA–GBM approach achieves greater efficiency in training time, even when compared to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a higher number of features. ANOVA–XGBoost is approximately 4.31 times faster than PCA–XGBoost, ANOVA–LightGBM is about 5.15 times faster than PCA–LightGBM, and ANOVA–HistGBM is 2.27 times faster than PCA–HistGBM. The general performance results expose the impact on the overall performance of the load-recognition system. Some of the key results show that the ANOVA–LightGBM pair reached 96.42% accuracy, 96.27% F₁, and a Kappa index of 0.9404; the ANOVA–HistGBM combination achieved 96.64% accuracy, 96.48% F₁, and a Kappa index of 0.9434; and the ANOVA–XGBoost pair attained 96.75% accuracy, 96.64% F₁, and a Kappa index of 0.9452; such findings overcome rival methods from the literature. In addition, the accuracy gain of the proposed approach is prominent when compared straight to its competitors. The higher accuracy gains were 13.09, 13.31, and 13.42 percentage points (pp) for the pairs ANOVA–LightGBM, ANOVA–HistGBM, and ANOVA–XGBoost, respectively. These significant improvements highlight the effectiveness and refinement of the proposed approach. Full article

Understanding the correlation between genotype and phenotype remains challenging for modern genetics. Digenic network analysis may provide useful models for understanding complex phenotypes that traditional Mendelian monogenic models cannot explain. Clinical data, whole exome sequencing data, in silico, and machine learning analysis were combined to construct a digenic network that may help unveil the complex genotype–phenotype correlations in a child presenting with inherited seizures and thrombocytopenia. The proband inherited a maternal heterozygous missense variant in SCN1A (NM_001165963.4:c.2722G>A) and a paternal heterozygous missense variant in MYH9 (NM_002473.6:c.3323A>C). In silico analysis showed that these two variants may be pathogenic for inherited seizures and thrombocytopenia in the proband. Moreover, focusing on 230 epilepsy-associated genes and 35 thrombopoiesis genes, variant call format data of the proband were analyzed using machine learning tools (VarCoPP 2.0) and Digenic Effect predictor. A digenic network was constructed, and SCN1A and MYH9 were found to be core genes in the network. Further analysis showed that MYH9 might be a modifier of SCN1A, and the variant in MYH9 might not only influence the severity of SCN1A-related seizure but also lead to thrombocytopenia in the bone marrow. In addition, another eight variants might also be co-factors that account for the proband’s complex phenotypes. Our data show that as a supplement to the traditional Mendelian monogenic model, digenic network analysis may provide reasonable models for the explanation of complex genotype–phenotype correlations. Full article

This study investigates agro-industrial by-products as sources of bioactive compounds, particularly focusing on phenolic compounds known for their antioxidant properties. With growing interest in natural alternatives to synthetic antioxidants due to safety concerns, this study highlights the health benefits of plant-derived phenolic compounds in food preservation and healthcare products. Traditional and advanced analytical techniques were used to obtain phytochemical profiles of various residue extracts, including espresso (SCG) and cold-brew spent coffee grounds (CBCG), pineapple peel (PP), beetroot pomace (BP), apple pomace (AP), black carrot pomace (BCP), and garlic peel (GP). Assessments of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant capacity (AC) supported their revalorization. CBCG showed the highest TPC, TFC, and AC. TPC content in by-products decreased in the order CBCG > SCG > GP > BCP > PP > AP > BP, with a similar trend for TFC and AC. Phytochemical profiling via FI-ESI-FTICR-MS enabled the preliminary putative identification of a range of compounds, with polyphenols and terpenes being the most abundant. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed key patterns among samples. Strong positive correlations (Pearson’s R > 0.8) indicated significant contribution of polyphenols to antioxidant capacities. These findings highlight the potential of agro-industrial residues as natural antioxidants, advocating for their sustainable utilization. Full article

The elimination of ground reaction force (support withdrawal) vastly affects slow postural muscles in terms of their regulation and structure. One of the effects of support withdrawal in this study was an immediate postural muscle inactivation, followed by the daily gradual development of spontaneous activity of the slow postural soleus muscle in response to rat hindlimb suspension to mimic space flight. The origin of this activity is somewhat akin to muscle spasticity after spinal cord injuries and is the result of KCC2 content decline in the spinal cord’s motor neurons. However, the physiological consequences of unloading-induced spontaneous activity remain unexplored. We have conducted an experiment with the administration of a highly specific KCC2 activator during 7-day unloading. For this experiment, 32 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: C+placebo, C+CLP-290 (100 mg/kg b w), 7HS+placebo, and 7HS+CLP—hindlimb-suspended group with CLP-290 administration (100 mg/kg b w). The soleus muscles of the animals were dissected and analyzed for several proteostasis- and metabolism-related parameters. CLP-290 administration to the unloaded animals led to the upregulation of AMPK downstream (p-ACC) and mTOR targets (p-p70S6k and p-4E-BP) and an enhanced PGC1alpha decrease vs. the 7HS group, but neither prevented nor enhanced atrophy of the soleus muscle or myofiber CSA. Full article

In this work, solid-state fermentation (SSF) was applied to babassu mesocarp (BM) for the low-cost bioproduction of natural aroma compounds having Trichoderma harzianum (IOC 4042) and Geotrichum candidum (CCT 1205) as microbial agents. Fermentation was carried out using in natura babassu mesocarp (IN-BM) and defatted babassu mesocarp through soxhlet extraction (DEF-BM) as support, impregnated with hydration solutions of three and seven salts. The compounds produced were analyzed using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Among several aroma compounds detected, 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6-PP)—GRAS 3696, coconut aroma; 2-phenylethanol (2-PE)—GRAS 2858, rose and honey aroma; and hexanal—GRAS 2557, green apple aroma, were the compounds that that were detected with the greatest intensity. The highest concentrations (ppm (w/w)) of 6-PP and 2-PE were obtained in DEF-BM using NS7SG (308.17 ± 3.18 and 414.53 ± 1.96), respectively, while for hexanal, the highest concentration (ppm (w/w)) was obtained in IN-BM using NS7SG (210.83 ± 2.14). The results indicate that producing aroma compounds by G. candidum and T. harzianum through BM SSF is viable, generating value-added compounds. Full article

Waste cooking oil is a common byproduct in the culinary industry, often posing disposal challenges. This study explores its conversion into the valuable bioplastic material, medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA), through microbial biosynthesis in controlled bioreactor conditions. Twenty-four bacterial isolates were obtained from oil-contaminated soil and waste materials in Mahd Ad-Dahab, Saudi Arabia. The best PHA-producing isolates were identified via 16S rDNA analysis as Neobacillus niacini and Metabacillus niabensis, with the sequences deposited in GenBank (accession numbers: PP346270 and PP346271). This study evaluated the effects of various carbon and nitrogen sources, as well as environmental factors, such as pH, temperature, and shaking speed, on the PHA production titer. Neobacillus niacini favored waste cooking oil and yeast extract, achieving a PHA production titer of 1.13 g/L, while Metabacillus niabensis preferred waste olive oil and urea, with a PHA production titer of 0.85 g/L. Both strains exhibited optimal growth at a neutral pH of 7, under optimal shaking -flask conditions. The bioreactor performance showed improved PHA production under controlled pH conditions, with a final titer of 9.75 g/L for Neobacillus niacini and 4.78 g/L for Metabacillus niabensis. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) confirmed the biosynthesized polymer as mcl-PHA. This research not only offers a sustainable method for transforming waste into valuable materials, but also provides insights into the optimal conditions for microbial PHA production, advancing environmental science and materials engineering. Full article

The effects of low-dose radiation exposure remain a controversial topic in radiation biology. This study compares early (0.5, 4, 24, 48, and 72 h) and late (5, 10, and 15 cell passages) post-irradiation changes in γH2AX, 53BP1, pATM, and p-p53 (Ser-15) foci, proliferation, autophagy, and senescence in primary fibroblasts exposed to 100 and 2000 mGy X-ray radiation. The results show that exposure to 100 mGy significantly increased γH2AX, 53BP1, and pATM foci only at 0.5 and 4 h post irradiation. There were no changes in p-p53 (Ser-15) foci, proliferation, autophagy, or senescence up to 15 passages post irradiation at the low dose. Full article

The indigo dye found in wastewater from printing and dyeing processes is potentially carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic, making it a serious threat to the health of animals, plants, and humans. Motivated by the growing need to remove indigo from wastewater, this study prepared novel fiber absorbents using melt-blow polypropylene (PP) melt as a matrix, as well as acrylic acid (AA) and maleic anhydride (MAH) as functional monomers. The modification conditions were studied to optimize the double-initiation, continuous-suspension grafting process, and then functional fibers were prepared by melt-blown spinning the modified PP. The results showed that the optimum modification conditions were as follows: a 3.5 wt% interfacial agent, 8 mg/L of dispersant, 80% monomer content, a 0.8 mass ratio of AA to MAH, a 1000 r/min stir speed, 3.5 wt% initiator DBPH grafting at 130 °C for 3 h, and 1 wt% initiator BPO grafting at 90 °C for 2 h. The highest grafting rate of the PP-g-AA-MAH was 31.2%, and the infrared spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis showed that AA and MAH were successfully grafted onto PP fiber. This modification strategy also made the fibers more hydrophilic. The adsorption capacity of the PP-g-AA-MAH fibers was highly dependent on pH, and the highest indigo adsorption capacity was 110.43 mg/g at pH 7. The fiber adsorption capacity for indigo increased rapidly before plateauing with increasing time or indigo concentration, and the experimental data were well described in a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and a Langmuir isothermal adsorption model. Most impressively, the modified fiber adsorption capacity for indigo remained as high as 91.22 mg/g after eight regeneration and reuse cycles. In summary, the PP-g-AA-MAH fibers, with excellent adsorption-desorption characteristics, could be readily regenerated and reused, and they are a promising material for the removal of indigo from wastewater. Full article

This work demonstrates the potentials of a commercially available few-layer graphene (FLG) in enhancing the electro-dissipative properties, mechanical strength, and UV protection of polyolefin blend composites; interesting features of electronic packaging materials. Polyethylene (PE)/ polypropylene (PP)/ FLG blend composites were prepared following two steps. Firstly, different concentrations of FLG were mixed with either the PE or PP phases. Subsequently, in the second step, this pre-mixture was melt-blended with the other phase of the blend. FLG-filled composites were characterized in terms of electrical conductivity, morphological evolution upon shear-induced deformation, mechanical properties, and UV stability of polyolefin blend composites. Premixing of FLG with the PP phase has been observed to be a better mixing strategy to attain higher electrical conductivity in PE/PP/FLG blend composite. This observation is attributed to the influential effect of FLG migration from a thermodynamically less favourable PP phase to a favourable PE phase via the PE/PP interface. Interestingly, the addition of 4 wt.% (~2 vol.%) and 5 wt.% (~2.5 vol.%) of FLG increased an electrical conductivity of ~10 orders of magnitude in PE/PP—60/40 (1.87 × 10⁻⁵ S/cm) and PE/PP—20/80 (1.25 × 10⁻⁵ S/cm) blends, respectively. Furthermore, shear-induced deformation did not alter the electrical conductivity of the FLG-filled composite, indicating that the conductive FLG network within the composite is resilient to such deformation. In addition, 1 wt.% FLG was observed to be sufficient to retain the original mechanical properties in UV-exposed polyolefin composites. FLG exhibited pronounced UV stabilizing effects, particularly in PE-rich blends, mitigating surface cracking and preserving ductility. Full article