During routine dissections of cadavers as part of the medical curriculum, we identified a rare unilateral variation in the brachial plexus on the right side of a female body donor. This variation consisted of four unusual changes to the regular pattering of nerve bundles and the dorsal scapular artery permeating the complex neural network. The variation included contributions of root C4 to the plexus by a root C4/C5 anastomosis, a rare fusion of the superior and middle trunks to a ‘superomiddle’ trunk, a preliminary, proximal branching of the suprascapular nerve off the C5 root. We further observed an accessory ‘medial anterior division’ branching off the fused upper and middle trunks merging with the anterior division of the inferior trunk forming the medial cord. The latter event potentially introduced nerve fibers from C5 to C7, which are absent in common patterns. We aim to relate these observations to previous categorizations and quantifications of brachial plexus patterns. We believe that the combination of different variations in this case resulted in a unique pattern. Since this observation was made in the dissection class, we further aim to raise awareness among medical students and anatomical instructors for the likelihood of variations to textbook patterns. This will hopefully foster an appreciation of uniqueness and individuality in the interaction with future patients demonstrating that proper preparation prior to surgical interventions is always a necessary prerequisite. Full article

Hawaii is known for its diverse micro-climates, making the evaluation of varieties at different locations an important strategy to determine the best varieties for each climate zone. Demand for dry beans in Hawaii has been rising due to the increase in production of value-added goods made from legumes. Initial field trials in 2017 were conducted to determine the best sowing date for dry beans in Hawaii since there were no previous such determinations. Field trials were conducted between 2018 and 2021 to evaluate 24 varieties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum), 21 varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), and 10 varieties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) for their suitability and yield variability under Hawaii’s micro-climates. Preliminary sowing date trials were conducted in 2017, and a variety of trials were conducted between 2018 and 2021; seven field trials were conducted, including two in each of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii County, and one in Kauai County. The trials were conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. For all the study sites, 20-20-20 NPK fertilizer was applied at 30, 13, and 25 kg/ha N-P-K, respectively. A drip irrigation system was used in all locations as supplemental irrigation. Irrigation was used when needed and turned off 2weeks prior to harvest. The results showed highly significant (p < 0.01) differences in yield between the varieties of each legume crop. Highly significant (p < 0.01) differences in yield were also found between the study locations. There was a significant (p < 0.05) decline in yield by 28% and 45% in chickpea and by 32% and 43% in common bean when planted 1 and 2 months, respectively, after the optimal mid-February planting on Oahu and Maui County. A decline of 21% and 50% in chickpea and 30 and 48% in common bean was recorded when planted 1 and 2 months, respectively, after the optimal mid-March planting in Hawaii County. The study results lead to developing site-specific recommendations for varieties and planting dates from each of the legume crops for each county. However, more studies are needed to develop site-specific recommendations for the micro-climates within each county. Full article

Two cobalt(II) complexes [CoL₁](OTf)₂ (1, L₁ = 6,6′′-di(anilino)-4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine) and [CoL₂](OTf)₂·MeOH (2, L₂ = 6,6′′-di(N,N-dimethylamino)-4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine) were synthesized and characterized. Crystal structure analyses showed that the spin carries were coordinated by five N atoms from the neutral pentaaza ligands, forming distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination environments. Ab initio calculations revealed large easy-axial anisotropy in complexes 1 and 2. Magnetic measurements suggest that complexes 1 and 2 are field-induced single-molecule magnets, whose relaxations are mainly predominated by Raman and direct processes. Full article

Phlomoides rotata is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that grows in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau region at a 3100–5000 m altitude. Iridoid compounds are the main active compounds of the P. rotata used as medical ingredients and display anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and hepatoprotective properties. To better understand the biological mechanisms of iridoid compounds in this species, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome of P. rotata leaves from four different regions (3540–4270 m). Global metabolome profiling detected 575 metabolites, and 455 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were detected in P. rotata leaves from the four regions. Eight major DAMs related to iridoid metabolism in P. rotata leaves were investigated: shanzhiside methyl ester, 8-epideoxyloganic acid, barlerin, shanzhiside, geniposide, agnuside, feretoside, and catalpin. In addition, five soil physical and chemical indicators in P. rotata rhizosphere soils were analyzed. Four significant positive correlations were observed between alkaline nitrogen and geniposide, exchangeable calcium and geniposide, available potassium and shanzhiside, and available phosphorus and shanzhiside methyl ester. The transcriptome data showed 12 P. rotata cDNA libraries with 74.46 Gb of clean data, which formed 29,833 unigenes. Moreover, 78.91% of the unigenes were annotated using the eight public databases. Forty-one candidate genes representing 23 enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of iridoid compounds were identified in P. rotata leaves. Moreover, the DXS1, IDI1, 8-HGO1, and G10H2 genes associated with iridoid biosynthesis were specifically expressed in P. rotata. The integration of transcriptome and metabolome analyses highlights the crucial role of soil physical and chemical indicators and major gene expression related to iridoid metabolism pathways in P. rotata from different areas. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation for exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying iridoid compound accumulation in P. rotata. Full article

The global challenge faced due to the impact of the construction industry on climate change, along with the issues surrounding sustainable waste disposal, has necessitated various research on using waste products as eco-friendly alternatives in construction. In this study, the avoidance of waste disposal through landfills in Australia was encouraged by incorporating lime kiln dust (LKD) and tire rubber waste (TRW) into masonry mixes to manufacture green bricks. Furthermore, the investigations in this article highlight the use of mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) to determine the durability of the LKD-TRW bricks when exposed to freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles by examining the pore size distribution within the bricks. The LKD waste was blended with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) at a 70:30 blending ratio and combined with the TRW in stepped increments of 5% from 0 to 20% to produce these eco-friendly bricks. The compressive strength (CS), flexural strength (FS), frost resistance (FR), pore size distribution according to mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and the water absorption (WA) properties of the bricks were assessed. The CS and FS values at 28 days of curing were recorded as 6.17, 5.25, and 3.09 MPa and 2.52, 2, and 1.55 MPa for 0, 5, and 10% TRW contents, respectively. Durability assessments using the F-T test showed that the bricks produced with 0% TRW passed as frost-resistant bricks. Furthermore, the results from the MIP test showed a total pore volume of 0.033 mL/g at 3 µm pore size for the 0% TRW content, further confirming its durability. Hence, the 0% LKD-TRW bricks can be utilized in cold regions where temperatures can be as low as −43 °C without deteriorating. Lastly, WA values of 7.25, 11.76, and 14.96% were recorded for the bricks with 0, 5, and 10% TRW, respectively, after the 28-day curing period. From all of the results obtained from the laboratory investigations, the LKD-TRW bricks produced with up to 10% TRW were within the satisfactory engineering requirements for masonry units. Full article

This research assesses the environmental uses of Haleakalā Crater, and adjoining east Maui areas, by native Hawaiians during recent centuries, and evaluates the modern utilization of this volcanic depression. The study methods examine, and focus on, numerous historical and modern accounts and reports. Three historical periods were identified as follows: (1). A phase, from the ~1400s until contact with foreigners in 1778, characterized by the development of settlements, population expansion, the intensification of traditional agriculture, and the political consolidation of Maui. The construction of the Kiha-a-Pi‘i-lani trail across the crater enhanced travel between distant island areas. (2). Following the collapse of Maui’s human populations during the late 1700s, and until the 20th century, came a period distinguished by scientific exploration of the crater, and intentional or accidental introductions of animals, including goats, horses, cattle, and wild dogs. (3). After Haleakalā became a National Park in 1916, efforts to eradicate introduced animals and to encourage the reproduction of silverswords and other plants were initiated. Unfortunately, in retrospect, construction of a modern paved road, improvement of hiking trails, and building of facilities allowed swift access to the Park and substantially increased tourist numbers, up to ~2 million yearly visitors. Faced with such crowds, the long-term planning of Park resources appears to be a formidable task. Full article

Disparities in stroke may be due to socioeconomics, demographics, risk factors (RF) and ethnicity. Asian data are scant. This retrospective hospital-based study aimed to explore demographics, RF, stroke subtypes and mechanisms among the Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore. Stroke was subtyped into haemorrhagic stroke (HS) and ischaemic stroke (IS). For IS, the clinical syndrome was classified using the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project (OCSP) classification while the stroke mechanism was categorised using the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification. During the study period 1 June 2015 to 31 December 2023, data were collected on 1165 patients, with a mean age of 65.6 ± 12.9 yr; 47.4% were female, 83% were Chinese and hypertension (63.5%) and hyperlipidaemia (60.3%) were the most common RF. HS comprised 23.5% (95%CI 21.1–26.1%) (intracerebral 21.7%, subarachnoid 1.3%) of the patients, while IS comprised 76.5% (95%CI 73.9–78.9%) (small artery occlusion 29.0%, cardioembolism 13.3%, large artery atherosclerosis 9.4%, stroke of other determined aetiology 6.2%, stroke of undetermined aetiology 18.6%); 55% of patients had lacunar syndrome. A multivariable analysis showed that HS was associated with ethnicity (p = 0.044), diabetes mellitus (OR 0.27, 95%CI 0.18–0.41, p < 0.001) and smoking (OR 0.47, 95%CI 0.34–0.64, p < 0.001). There were no significant inter-ethnic differences by the OCSP (p = 0.31) or TOAST (p = 0.103) classification. While differences in stroke subtype in Asia may be due to RF, ethnicity has a role. More studies are needed to further explore this. Full article

Binary transition metal selenides (BTMSs) are more promising than single transition metal selenides (TMS) as anode materials of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, it is still very challenging to prepare high-performance BTMSs in the pure phase, instead of a mixture of two TMSs. In this study, a binary metal center-based MOF derived selenization strategy was developed to prepare iron–cobalt selenide (Fe₂CoSe₄@NC) and iron–nickel selenide (Fe₂NiSe₄@NC) nanocomposites in the single phase and when wrapped with carbon layers. As the anode material of SIBs, Fe₂CoSe₄@NC exhibits higher long-term cycling performance than Fe₂NiSe₄@NC, maintaining a capacity of 352 mAh g⁻¹ after 2100 cycles at 1.0 A g⁻¹, which is ascribed to the higher percentage of the nanopores, larger lattice spacing, and faster Na+ diffusion rate in the electrode materials of the former rather than the latter. Full article

Background and Purpose: In urological surgery, accurate localization of the ureteral orifice is crucial for procedures such as ureteral stent insertion, assessment of ureteral orifice lesions, and prostate tumor resection. Consequently, we have developed and validated a computer-assisted ureteral orifice detection system that combines the YOLO deep convolutional neural network and the attention mechanism. Data: The cases were partitioned into a training set and a validation set at a 4:1 ratio, with 84 cases comprising 820 images in the training set and 20 cases containing 223 images in the validation set. Method: We improved the YOLO network structure to accomplish the detection task. Based on the one-stage strategy, we replaced the backbone of YOLOv5 with a structure composed of ConvNeXt blocks. Additionally, we introduced GRN (Global Response Normalization) modules and SE blocks into the blocks to enhance deep feature diversity. In the feature enhancement section, we incorporated the BiFormer attention structure, which provides long-distance context dependencies without adding excessive computational costs. Finally, we improved the prediction box loss function to WIoU (Wise-IoU), enhancing the accuracy of the prediction boxes. Results: Testing on 223 cystoscopy images demonstrated a precision of 0.928 and recall of 0.756 for our proposed ureteral orifice detection network. With an overlap threshold of 0.5, the mAP of our proposed image detection system reached 0.896. The entire model achieved a single-frame detection speed of 5.7 ms on the platform, with a frame rate of 175FPS. Conclusion: We have enhanced a deep learning framework based on the one-stage YOLO strategy, suitable for real-time detection of the ureteral orifice in endoscopic scenarios. The system simultaneously maintains high accuracy and good real-time performance. This method holds substantial potential as an excellent learning and feedback system for trainees and new urologists in clinical settings. Full article

Organic residues, as a nutrient source suitable of producing solutions for hydroponic crop production, have the potential to reduce the dependence on mineral fertilizers. Especially in remote and resource-constrained regions, organic residues might be the only option to produce hydroponic nutrient solutions. However, nutrient solutions made from organic residues, called bioponic solutions, are usually unbalanced in their nutrient composition, which leads to deficiencies and poor plant growth. This study aimed to experimentally develop a low-tech approach to produce bioponic stock solutions rich in NO₃⁻, P, and K, to create a balanced bioponic solution. The mixed bioponic solution contained 58 mg L⁻¹ NH₄⁺-N, 43 mg L⁻¹ NO₃⁻-N, 50 mg L⁻¹ PO₄³⁻-P, and 246 mg L⁻¹ K⁺. This approach resulted in satisfactory levels of P, K and micronutrients. The solution was tested pure and spiked with Ca(NO₃)₂ on lettuce in comparison with a mineral Hoagland nutrient solution. Neither the bioponic nor the spiked bioponic solution achieved comparable lettuce yields to the Hoagland solution. The poor growth of the plants in the bioponic solution was attributed to an unfavorable NH₄⁺:NO₃⁻ ratio, high microorganism load, and elevated pH levels. However, the approach of preparing bioponic stock solutions could be promising for future research into the production of balanced bioponic nutrient solutions from organic residues. Full article

Abstract: There is a “popular” belief that a fat-free diet is beneficial, supported by the scientific dogma indicating that high levels of fatty acids promote many pathological metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative conditions. This dogma pressured scientists not to recognize the essential role of fatty acids in cellular metabolism and focus on the detrimental effects of fatty acids. In this work, we critically review several decades of studies and recent publications supporting the critical role of mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism in cellular homeostasis and many pathological conditions. Fatty acids are the primary fuel source and essential cell membrane building blocks from the origin of life. The essential cell membranes phospholipids were evolutionarily preserved from the earlier bacteria in human subjects. In the past century, the discovery of fatty acid metabolism was superseded by the epidemic growth of metabolic conditions and cardiovascular diseases. The association of fatty acids and pathological conditions is not due to their “harmful” effects but rather the result of impaired fatty acid metabolism and abnormal lifestyle. Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to impaired metabolism and drives multiple pathological conditions. Despite metabolic flexibility, the loss of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation cannot be fully compensated for by other sources of mitochondrial substrates, such as carbohydrates and amino acids, resulting in a pathogenic accumulation of long-chain fatty acids and a deficiency of medium-chain fatty acids. Despite popular belief, mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation is essential not only for energy-demanding organs such as the heart, skeletal muscle, and kidneys but also for metabolically “inactive” organs such as endothelial and epithelial cells. Recent studies indicate that the accumulation of long-chain fatty acids in specific organs and tissues support the impaired fatty acid oxidation in cell- and tissue-specific fashion. This work, therefore, provides a basis to challenge these established dogmas and articulate the need for a paradigm shift from the “pathogenic” role of fatty acids to the critical role of fatty acid oxidation. This is important to define the causative role of impaired mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation in specific pathological conditions and develop novel therapeutic approaches targeting mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism. Full article

Vegetation is a natural link between the atmosphere, soil, and water, and it significantly influences hydrological processes in the context of climate change. Under global warming, vegetation greening significantly aggravates the water conflicts between vegetation water use and water resources in water bodies in arid and semiarid regions. This study established an improved eco-hydrological coupled model with related accurately remotely sensed hydrological data (precipitation and soil moisture levels taken every 3 hours with multiply verification) on a large spatio-temporal scale to determine the optimal vegetation coverage (M*), which explored the trade-off relationship between the water supply, based on hydrological balance processes, and the water demand, based on vegetation transpiration under the impact of climate change, in a semiarid basin. Results showed that the average annual actual vegetation coverage (M) in the Hailar River Basin from 1982 to 2012 was 0.62, and that the average optimal vegetation coverage (M*) was 0.56. In 67.23% of the region, M* was lower than M, which aggravated the water stress problem in the Hailar River Basin. By identifying the sensitivity of M* to vegetation characteristics and meteorological parameters, relevant suggestions for vegetation-type planting were proposed. Additionally, we also analyzed the dynamic threshold of vegetation under different climatic conditions, and we found that M was lower than M* under only four of the twenty-eight climatic conditions considered (rainfall increase by 10%, 20%, and 30% with no change in temperature, and rainfall increase by 20% with a temperature increase of 1 °C), thereby meeting the system equilibrium state under the condition of sustainable development. This study revealed the dynamic relationship between vegetation and hydrological processes under the effects of climate change and provided reliable recommendations to support vegetation management and ecological restoration in river basins. The remote sensing data help us to extend the model in a semiarid basin due to its accuracy. Full article

The design of automotive human–machine interfaces (HMIs) for global consumers’ needs to cater to a broad spectrum of drivers. This paper comprises benchmark studies and explores how users from international markets—Germany, China, and the United States—engage with the same automotive HMI. In real driving scenarios, N = 301 participants (premium vehicle owners) completed several tasks using different interaction modalities. The multi-method approach included both self-report measures to assess preference and satisfaction through well-established questionnaires and observational measures, namely experimenter ratings, to capture interaction performance. We observed a trend towards lower preference ratings in the Chinese sample. Further, interaction performance differed across the user groups, with self-reported preference not consistently aligning with observed performance. This dissociation accentuates the importance of integrating both measures in user studies. By employing benchmark data, we provide insights into varied market-based perspectives on automotive HMIs. The findings highlight the necessity for a nuanced approach to HMI design that considers diverse user preferences and interaction patterns. Full article

Recently, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines based on the prefusion F (pre-F) antigen were approved in the United States. We aimed to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based protocol for the practical and large-scale evaluation of RSV vaccines. Two modified pre-F proteins (DS-Cav1 and SC-TM) were produced by genetic recombination and replication using an adenoviral vector. The protocol was established by optimizing the concentrations of the coating antigen (pre-F proteins), secondary antibodies, and blocking buffer. To validate the protocol, we examined its accuracy, precision, and specificity using serum samples from 150 participants across various age groups and the standard serum provided by the National Institute of Health. In the linear correlation analysis, coating concentrations of 5 and 2.5 μg/mL of DS-Cav1 and SC-TM showed high coefficients of determination (r > 0.90), respectively. Concentrations of secondary antibodies (alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-human immunoglobulin G, diluted 1:2000) and blocking reagents (5% skim milk/PBS-T) were optimized to minimize non-specific reactions. High accuracy was observed for DS-Cav1 (r = 0.90) and SC-TM (r = 0.86). Further, both antigens showed high precision (coefficient of variation < 15%). Inhibition ELISA revealed cross-reactivity of antibodies against DS-Cav1 and SC-TM, but not with the attachment (G) protein. Full article

In order to fulfill the practical application demands of precisely localizing underwater vehicles using passive electric field localization technology, we propose a scalar-potential-based method for the passive electric field localization of underwater vehicles. This method is grounded on an intelligent differential evolution algorithm and is particularly suited for use in three-layer and stratified oceanic environments. Firstly, based on the potential distribution law of constant current elements in a three-layer parallel stratified ocean environment, the mathematical positioning model is established using the mirror method. Secondly, the differential evolution (DE) algorithm is enhanced with a parameter-adaptive strategy and a boundary mutation processing mechanism to optimize the key objective function in the positioning problem. Additionally, the simulation experiments of the current element in the layered model prove the effectiveness of the proposed positioning method and show that it has no special requirements for the sensor measurement array, but the large range and moderate number of sensors are beneficial to improve the positioning effect. Finally, the laboratory experiments on the positioning method proposed in this paper, involving underwater simulated current elements and underwater vehicle tracks, were carried out successfully. The results indicate that the positioning method proposed in this paper can achieve the performance requirements of independent initial value, strong anti-noise capabilities, rapid positioning speed, easy implementation, and suitability in shallow sea environments. These findings suggest a promising practical application potential for the proposed method. Full article

Motivated by two definitions of distance, “pre-symmetric w-distance” and “w-cone distance”, we define the concept of a pre-symmetric w-cone distance in a TVS-CMS and introduce its properties and examples. Also, we discuss the TVS-cone version of the recent results obtained by Romaguera and Tirado. Meanwhile, using Minkowski functionals, we show the equivalency between some consequences concerning a pre-symmetric w-distance in a usual metric space and a pre-symmetric w-cone distance in a TVS-CMS. Then, some types of various w-cone-contractions and the relations among them are investigated. Finally, as an application, a characterization of the completeness of TVS-cone metric regarding pre-symmetric concept is performed, which differentiates our results from former characterizations. Full article

The diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) unit represents one of the building blocks more widely employed in the field of organic electronics; in most of the reported DPP-based small molecules, this unit represents the electron acceptor core symmetrically coupled to donor moieties, and the solubility is guaranteed by functionalizing lactamic nitrogens with long and branched alkyl tails. In this paper, we explored the possibility of modulating the solubility by realizing asymmetric DPP derivatives, where the molecular structure is extended in just one direction. Four novel derivatives have been prepared, characterized by a common dithyenil-DPP fragment and functionalized on one side by a thiophene unit linked to different auxiliary electron acceptor groups. As compared to previously reported symmetric analogs, the novel dyes showed an increased solubility in chloroform and proved to be soluble in THF as well. The novel dyes underwent a thorough optical and electrochemical characterization. Electronic properties were studied at the DFT levels. All the dyes were used as active layers in organic field effect transistors, showing balanced charge transport properties. Full article

Background: Admission for renal biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing kidney disease. However, prolonged waiting times for admission can lead to delayed diagnosis. Despite this issue, there are currently no studies demonstrating how to improve the efficiency of renal biopsy procedures. Methods: We initiated a quality improvement project to implement pre-admission testing (PAT) for renal biopsy from 2016 to 2024 (until 15 April). Our evaluation focused on waiting times for admission, length of admission periods, hospitalization expenses, percentage of cases with no renal biopsy performed, incidence of severe bleeding due to renal biopsy, and percentage of cases with adequate tissue samples obtained. Additionally, we highlighted the time periods during the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. Results: The highest annual case number was observed in time period 1 (168.3/year). Following the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, there was a notable decrease in case numbers during time period 2 (119.8), which then increased to 143.0 in time period 3 (post-SARS-CoV-2 era). The mean waiting time was 13.72 ± 40.30 days for time period 1 and 10.00 ± 47.80 days for time period 2, without statistical significance. Following the implementation of PAT, patients now only need to wait approximately 0.76 days for admission, representing a significant reduction in waiting time. Subsequently, following the implementation of PAT, the waiting time decreased significantly to 2.09 ± 2.65 days. Additionally, hospitalization expenses per patient significantly decreased from approximately USD 69.62 ± 97.09 to USD 41.66 ± 52.82. The percentage of missed biopsy is significantly low (p < 0.001). Severe bleeding events (indicated as embolization and blood transfusion) were consistent across the three time periods (p = 0.617). Conclusions: The implementation of PAT can improve the pre-admission process for renal biopsy, resulting in decreased waiting times, fewer missed appointments, shorter admission durations, and reduced hospitalization expenses. We propose implementing PAT for outpatient individuals awaiting in-hospital renal biopsy procedures to mitigate delayed diagnosis, reduce pre-admission waiting periods, and streamline admission processes, thereby enhancing overall patient care efficiency. Full article

Chickpeas are more sustainable than other food systems and have high a nutritional value, especially regarding their vitamin composition. One of the main vitamins in chickpeas is vitamin B6, which is very important for several human metabolic functions. Since chickpeas are consumed after cooking, our goal was to better understand the role of leaching (diffusion) and thermal degradation of vitamin B6 in chickpeas during hydrothermal processing. Kinetics were conducted at four temperatures, ranging from 25 to 85 °C, carried out for 4 h in an excess of water for the diffusion kinetics, or in hermetic bags for the thermal degradation kinetics. Thermal degradation was modeled according to a first-order reaction, and diffusion was modeled according to a modified version of Fick’s second law. Diffusivity constants varied from 4.76 × 10⁻¹⁴ m²/s at 25 °C to 2.07 × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s at 85 °C; the temperature had an impact on both the diffusivity constant and the residual vitamin B6. The kinetic constant ranged from 9.35 × 10⁻⁶ at 25 °C to 54.9 × 10⁻⁶ s⁻¹ at 85 °C, with a lower impact of the temperature. In conclusion, vitamin B6 is relatively stable to heat degradation; loss is mainly due to diffusion, especially during shorter treatment times. Full article

The morphological architecture of inflorescence influences seed production. The regulatory mechanisms underlying alfalfa (Medicago sativa) inflorescence elongation remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome of two extreme materials at three developmental stages to explore the mechanisms underlying inflorescence elongation in alfalfa. We observed the developmental processes of long and short inflorescences and found that the elongation capacity of alfalfa with long inflorescence was stronger than that of alfalfa with short inflorescences. Furthermore, integrative analysis of the transcriptome and proteome indicated that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was closely correlated with the structural formation of the inflorescence. Additionally, we identified key genes and proteins associated with lignin biosynthesis based on the differential expressed genes and proteins (DEGs and DEPs) involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Moreover, targeted hormone metabolome analysis revealed that IAA, GA, and CK play an important role in the peduncle elongation of alfalfa inflorescences. Based on omics analysis, we detected key genes and proteins related to plant hormone biosynthesis and signal transduction. From the WGCNA and WPCNA results, we furthermore screened 28 candidate genes and six key proteins that were correlated with lignin biosynthesis, plant hormone biosynthesis, and signaling pathways. In addition, 19 crucial transcription factors were discovered using correlation analysis that might play a role in regulating candidate genes. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of inflorescence elongation in alfalfa and establishes a theoretical foundation for improving alfalfa seed production. Full article

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can be produced safely and greenly using water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic plant, as a reducing agent. This study aimed to optimize the UV-irradiation parameters for the synthesis of AgNPs from water hyacinth leaf extract. The study varied the reaction time and pH levels and added a stabilizing agent to the mixture. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The findings revealed that the optimal conditions for synthesizing AgNPs were achieved by adjusting the pH level to 8.5, adding starch as a stabilizing agent, and exposing the mixture to UV-A radiation for one hour. These conditions resulted in the smallest size and highest quantity of AgNPs. Furthermore, the synthesized AgNP colloids remained stable for up to six months. This study highlights the potential of utilizing water hyacinth as a sustainable and cost-effective reducing agent for AgNP synthesis, with potential applications in pharmaceuticals, drug development, catalysis, and sensing detection. Full article

This study examined the possibility of using various types of waste paper—used newsprint (NP), used lightweight coated paper (LWC), used office paper (OP), and used corrugated cardboard (CC)—for the removal of anionic dyes, Acid Red 18 (AR18) and Acid Yellow 23 (AY23), and cationic dyes, Basic Violet 10 (BV10) and Basic Red 46 (BR46), from aqueous solutions. The scope of this research included the characterization of sorbents (FTIR, SEM, BET surface area, porosity, pH_PZC, effectiveness of water coloration), determination of pH effect on the effectiveness of dye sorption, sorption kinetics (pseudo-first-order model, second-order model, intraparticular diffusion model), and the maximum sorption capacity (Langmuir models and Freundlich model) of the tested sorbents. The use of waste paper materials as sorbents was found to not pose any severe risk of aquatic environment contamination. AR18, AY23, and BV10 sorption intensities were the highest at pH 2, and that of RB46 at pH 6. The waste paper sorbents proved particularly effective in removing cationic dyes, like in the case of, e.g., NP, which had a sorption capacity that reached 38.87 mg/g and 90.82 mg/g towards BV10 and BR46, respectively, and were comparable with that of selected activated carbons (literature data). Full article