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Synergistic effects of chilling and brining on the quality and safety of freshwater fish species from Western Ethiopian reservoirs
Abstract This study evaluated the independent and synergistic effects of chilled storage (4 °C) and 8% (w/v) brining on the quality, shelf-life, and safety of these species over 28-days. Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ), African catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ), and Common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) are primary protein sources in Fincha’a, Amarti, and Nashe area of Ethiopia, but their high moisture and enzymatic activity can drive rapid spoilage under ambient conditions. Fish from Fincha’a, Amarti, and Nashe reservoirs were subjected to four treatments: unsalted chilled (control), brining chilled (8% NaCl brine), storage periods, and fish species with corresponding ambient controls. Quality was assessed via pH dynamics, Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N), Total Viable Count (TVC), Psychrotrophic counts, and selective pathogen detection. A full factorial (3 × 4 × 2) experimental design GLM analyzed species, treatment, and time interactions. Chilling alone delayed spoilage but failed by day 7 (TVC > 7 log₁₀ CFU/g; TVB- N > 30 mg/100 g). In contrast, chilling combined with 8% brine extended the microbiological shelf-life to 14 days for Nile tilapia and African catfish based on TVC and TVB-N criteria, though Common carp exceeded the TVC limit by day 7. Presumptive v ibrio spp. emerged consistently by weeks 3–4 in brined samples, establishing a maximum safe storage limit of 14 days for brined-chilled Nile tilapia and African catfish. Common carp showed significantly higher microbial susceptibility than Nile tilapia or African catfish ( p < 0.001). While 8% brining combined with chilling significantly outperforms chilling alone, the delayed emergence of presumptive Vibrio species precludes storage beyond 14 days. These findings provide preliminary evidence-based safety guidance for small-scale fisheries in Ethiopia and similar resource-limited settings where continuous cold chain infrastructure is unavailable.
Analysis of a caputo fractional-order modeling approach to dietary-gut-brain interactions in autism spectrum disorder
Green synthesis of spheroid silver nanoparticles using cyanobacteria with multifunctional biological activities
Assessment of hydrogeophysical delineation of groundwater zones using vertical electrical sounding (VES) in Jeypore Block, Koraput District, Odisha
Abstract Groundwater occurrence in hard-rock terrains is complex and spatially heterogeneous, controlled by weathered and fractured zones with limited surface expression. This research integrates Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) with remote sensing, GIS and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) for groundwater potential mapping of Jeypore Block, Koraput District, Odisha. This area is underlain by Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt rocks such as khondalites, charnockites, and granite gneisses. Fifteen VES surveys using Schlumberger configuration were conducted across the study area, with electrode spreads up to 800 m. Resistivity data were interpreted using IPI2WIN software, producing one-dimensional resistivity models and Dar-Zarrouk parameters. Subsurface profiling revealed distinct lithological layers consisting of topsoil, laterite, sandstone, weathered/fractured granite, and compact bedrock. Layer thicknesses ranged from 0.6 to 20.4 m in the first layer to 99.5 m in the third layer. Iso-resistivity maps generated using Surfer-25 showed significant lateral heterogeneity. Low-resistivity zones (2.6–105.2 Ωm) indicated saturated formations, whereas high-resistivity values (> 150 Ωm) represented compact basement rocks. Curve-type analysis identified predominantly AAA-type curves, which indicate increasing resistivity with depth. HA-type curves observed at two locations suggested the presence of conductive, water-saturated layers favourable for aquifer development. VES-derived parameters were integrated with twelve geospatial thematic layers, including geology, geomorphology, soil, NDVI, lineament density, drainage density, rainfall, slope, physiography, land use, groundwater fluctuation, and hydrogeology, using the AHP framework. The consistency ratio of the model was 2.36%, indicating reliable thematic weighting. Validation via pumping tests and ROC analysis (AUC = 0.86) confirmed model reliability. This approach offers a scientifically robust framework for sustainable groundwater management in structurally complex hard-rock terrains.
Evaluation of the simplicity, representativeness, data completeness and timeliness of the national surveillance system for invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease in Italy, 2016–2023
Elders’ authority and evolving roles in death rituals in rural South Africa and their relevance for minimally invasive tissue sampling
Smooth muscle cell spheroids as 3D model of phenotypic plasticity and matrix deposition revealed by 2D–3D proteomics
Abstract Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are regulators of vascular homeostasis and play a role in cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms. Together with endothelial cells (ECs), they control vascular remodeling by producing extracellular matrix (ECM), regulating the expression of adhesion molecules, and releasing signaling factors. Since changes in the ECM composition critically determine disease progression, models that reproduce authentic cell–ECM interactions are indispensable. Two-dimensional (2D) cultures fail to capture the mechanical integration of vascular cells within their ECM environment. We established a scaffold-free three-dimensional (3D) spheroid model of murine and human aortic VSMCs derived from heart failure patients to mimic their multicellular organization, cell plasticity, and interactions with the ECM. Using mass spectrometry, we provided to our knowledge the first comprehensive proteomic profiling of relevant 3D-cultured VSMCs in comparison to conventional 2D culture. VSMCs formed compact spheroids with a protein signature indicative of a synthetic phenotype, characterized by active ECM organization, adhesion, and energy homeostasis pathways. We demonstrated that the spheroid protocol can also be used to generate EC spheroids, offering opportunities to study VSMC-EC crosstalk. Our findings show that VSMC 3D culture promotes the transition from contractile to synthetic VSMC phenotypes with ECM deposition, providing a translational in vitro system to investigate VSMC-mediated repair mechanisms and vascular remodeling in cardiovascular diseases.
Regional water stress dynamics in oil palm under ENSO in Malaysia and Indonesia using 22-year multiple climate data
Abstract The increasing frequency of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events due to climate change poses significant challenges to oil palm production, highlighting the need for effective adaptation strategies. However, few studies have examined the regional heterogeneity of climate stressors. This study investigates regional climate risks to oil palm during ENSO phases to support effective adaptation in Malaysia and Indonesia. We analyzed 22 years of annual Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) yield data and seven climate variables representing soil, atmosphere, water input, and plant water status. Regions highly sensitive to ENSO were identified, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine seasonal relationships between FFB yield and each variable. Climate anomalies during ENSO phases were assessed to determine regional impacts, and key climate risk variables were identified. GRACE satellite data was used for validation. The results revealed that elevated atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) particularly affected regions in the Malay Peninsula during El Niño. GRACE data indicated that water deficits were the dominant stressor during El Niño, while non-water-mass-related factors also contributed to reduced FFB yields during La Niña. These findings provide insights for jurisdiction-level adaptation planning to enhance climate resilience in the oil palm sector.
Analytical solitons, phase-space dynamics, and stability analysis in Katugampola fractional nonlinear telegraph equation
Differential evaluation of multi-scale ecological security pattern construction based on MSPA model—a case study of the Lijiang River Basin in China
DFT investigation of CO₂ activation and carbon trapping at Ni/Al₂O₃ interfaces in dry reforming of methane
Developing a prognostic signature with cancer-associated fibroblasts for predicting the prognosis and immune landscape of prostate cancer
Patient characteristics associated with caregiver satisfaction in emergency department-based hospice transitions
3D pore pressure prediction in the offshore Nile Delta, prestack inversion based workflow for drilling optimization and risk mitigation
Abstract The offshore Nile delta basin, which is considered as one of the world’s high-pressure basins, is where the study develops the geopressured cube in 3D for the sapphire field. The key phase in the pressure prediction process is thought to be the interval velocity. In this study, we aim to use high-quality seismic data to estimate the shear and acoustic impedance volumes from the seismic pre-stack inversion technique. These cubes are then transformed into a high-resolution 3D interval velocity cube, which act as the initial and crucial input for the pressure estimation. Using four wells for model building and one for model evaluation, the workflow generated complete 3D cubes for overburden, effective stress, and formation pressure using the pre-stack inversion velocity. Optimizing the Eaton and Bowers equations parameter to be valid in the offshore Nile delta rather than the standard parameter from the Gulf of Mexico. it is considered One of the paper’s novelties. There is a high correlation between the pressure calculated from the logging while drilling (LWD) at the rig site and the formation pressure derived from the workflow. The technique shows a novel method for use in the well-planning and exploratory stages.