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Nutritional assessment, multi-platform phytochemical profiling, and biological activities of Centaurea calcitrapa L. based on GC–MS and HPLC analysis
Abstract The rise of antibiotic resistance and metabolic disorders has led to increased interest in plant-derived bioactive compounds Centaurea calcitrapa L., a medicinal plant rich in phenols and flavonoids, has been traditionally used in folk medicine; however, data regarding the nutritional composition and biological activities of its aerial flowering parts remain limited. This study evaluated the phytochemical profile, nutritional composition, and biological properties of the aerial flowering parts of C. calcitrapa . Proximate analysis indicated a nutritional value of 145.45 ± 10.03 kcal/100 g, with a high content of organic matter (87.8 ± 1.13%) and moisture (63.27 ± 3.05%). The plant contained crude fiber (25.47 ± 1.94%), carbohydrates (17.61 ± 0.95 g/100 g), proteins (13.05 ± 1.94 g/100 g), fats (2.53 ± 0.2%), and free amino acids (5.29 ± 0.23 g/100 g). Ash analysis showed total ash (12.2 ± 1.13%), with notable water-soluble (10.12 ± 0.97%) and acid-soluble ash (9.85 ± 0.84%). Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and moderate tannins, while quantitative analysis demonstrated high levels of total flavonoids (178.42 ± 19.81 mg QE/g) and phenolic content (112.85 ± 6.56 mg GAE/g), indicating strong phytochemical richness. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze petroleum ether extract and identify 50 plant constituents, mostly fatty acids and hydrocarbons, with oleic acid (48.426%) and palmitic acid (15.834%) as the main constituents. HPLC analysis of the methanolic extract revealed 15 phenolic compounds, including rutin, apigenin, quercetin, kaempferol, epicatechin gallate, and protocatechuic acid. The methanolic extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with DPPH scavenging activity reaching 90.16 ± 1.13% at 1000 µg/mL and an IC 50 of 24.01 ± 0.73 µg/mL, compared with 12.71 ± 0.7 µg/mL for ascorbic acid. The total antioxidant capacity showed an IC 50 of 37.58 ± 1.21 µg/mL. The methanolic extract revealed moderate antibacterial activity against six human pathogenic bacteria, with inhibition zones ranging from 16.89 ± 0.95 to 20.98 ± 1.52 mm. MIC values ranged from 62.5 to 125 mg/mL, while MBC values ranged from 125 to 250 mg/mL. In addition, the methanolic extract exhibited in vitro inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with IC 50 values of 37.26 ± 0.91 µg/mL and 20.19 ± 1.54 µg/mL, respectively. These results suggest the presence of bioactive compounds in the aerial flowering parts of C. calcitrapa . Overall, the methanolic extract demonstrated antioxidant and antibacterial activities, in addition to in vitro carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme inhibitory activity. These findings indicate that C. calcitrapa may represent a promising source of bioactive constituents with potential applications in medicinal and nutritional fields.
Comparative analysis of the mucosal and shell microbiota of Trachemys scripta elegans across multiple urban freshwater habitats
Turtles harbor diverse microbial communities that influence their health, ecology, and interactions with the environment. While sea turtle microbiomes have received growing attention, the microbial communities associated with freshwater turtles, particularly the widely distributed and invasive red-eared slider ( Trachemys scripta elegans ), remain understudied. Here, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbiomes of 42 red-eared sliders across four urban aquatic habitats in Austin, Texas, USA, sampling five body locations: carapace, plastron, skin, oral cavity, and cloaca. A total of 142 samples yielded 20,160 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs), with community composition most strongly structured by body location, but also by geographic habitat. External surfaces (carapace, plastron, skin) were dominated by Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Deinococcota, while oral and cloacal samples exhibited higher proportions of Bacteroidota and site-specific variation. Alpha diversity differed significantly across habitats of origins but not across body locations, while beta diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial profiles among body regions. Notably, we report the first characterization of the oral microbiome in red-eared sliders, which was dominated by Proteobacteria and Deinococcota—patterns consistent with other reptiles. These findings shed light on microbial communities in invasive freshwater turtles and emphasize the need for broader microbial surveillance in urban aquatic ecosystems where wildlife and humans frequently interact.
SLIC-Former: a superpixel-guided transformer framework for automatic liver segmentation in CT images
Abstract Accurate and efficient liver segmentation from computed tomography (CT) images remains a critical challenging task due to the organ’s irregular shape, variable intensity, and lies close to surrounding organs with similar appearance. In this study, we propose SLIC-Former, a superpixel-guided transformer framework for automatic liver segmentation in abdominal CT scans. The method replaces fixed square image patches with adaptive superpixels generated by the Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) algorithm, so that each token follows anatomical boundaries and reduces redundant computation. Quantitative evaluation on the Liver Tumor Segmentation (LiTS) dataset demonstrated strong segmentation performance, achieving a Dice coefficient of 0.93, an IoU of 0.87, and a VOE of 13.5%, indicating high overlap with expert annotations. Qualitative results confirm that the model produces smooth and coherent liver masks. Overall, SLIC-Former offers an accurate and computationally efficient tool for automatic liver segmentation and provides a promising basis for future extensions to more organs, larger datasets, and clinical decision-support systems.
Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of home-based isometric exercise and behaviour change for the management of hypertension: The HOME-FIT study protocol
This protocol describes a pilot randomised controlled trial that aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a 24-week remotely delivered home-based isometric exercise and behaviour change intervention for adults with arterial hypertension (AH) characterised as ≥140/90 mmHg by European and UK guidelines. The study will also explore the potential effects of the intervention on office and ambulatory blood pressure (BP). Seventy participants diagnosed with AH and receiving pharmacological treatment will be recruited from Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Participants will be randomised with minimisation for sex and mean office systolic BP (≤140 mm Hg vs > 140 mm Hg) to the intervention (n = 35) or control group (n = 35). The intervention group will undergo 12 weeks of remotely supervised isometric wall squat exercises, three times per week, and will receive advice based on a leaflet that follows UK recommendations for behaviour change, including weight management, diet, physical activity, salt intake, alcohol reduction, and smoking cessation. After that, they will be followed for an additional 12 weeks and will continue to receive further guidance to maintain the wall squat exercise and behaviour changes. The control group will receive similar advice to that of the intervention group, reinforcing the standard care recommendation. Primary outcomes for feasibility will be determined by screening, eligibility, recruitment, and retention rates at 12 and 24 weeks. Exercise adherence will be measured by the proportion of sessions completed. Behaviour change adherence will be self-reported via a questionnaire and assessed at 12 and 24 weeks. Participant acceptability will be determined through semi-structured interviews. Secondary outcomes include office and ambulatory BP measurements at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Findings will guide the development of a future large-scale trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of non-pharmacological hypertension management, addressing key gaps and supporting scalable, patient-centred care. ClinicalTrials.gov Registration Number: NCT07213479
Embedded and surface ultrasonic pulse velocity for in situ strength assessment of cast reinforced concrete during curing using IoT sensing
Psychological distress in hypertension: Prevalence and links to self-care in Gonabad, Iran
Introduction A critical component in the hypertension management and the prevention of its life-threatening complications, is self-care. Psychological factors such as stress, anxiety and depression may significantly influence self-care behaviors in people with hypertension. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress and their association with self-care levels among hypertensive patients. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024−2025 in Gonabad, Iran, among a population of 509 hypertensive patients. Participants were selected through cluster random sampling, with inclusion criteria consisting of: A confirmed diagnosis of hypertension by a physician, Willingness to provide informed consent, Absence of cognitive impairment, and At least one year of residency in Gonabad. Data were gathered by three self-administered questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire, the DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale), and the Self-Care of Hypertension Inventory (SC-HI V 3 ). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS v25, with statistical tests including independent t-tests, ANOVA, Multiple Linear Regression and Pearson’s correlation. Results The majority of participants in this study were female and older persons (age > 60 years). Marital status showed a significant association with levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Additionally, variables such as age group, marital status, education level, and occupation were significantly correlated with hypertension self-care levels and all three of its subscales. Furthermore, 62.5%, 75.2%, and 59.3% of hypertensive patients exhibited depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a significant negative association between: Depression and self-care (r = −0.314, p < 0.001), Anxiety and self-care (r = −0.330, p < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was also observed between depression/anxiety and the age at hypertension onset. Variables of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Age, Education and Income could predict 15% of self-care of hypertension variance. Conclusion The prevalence of psychological disorders—particularly stress, depression, and anxiety—among hypertensive patients is alarmingly high. Moreover, significant negative correlations exist between these mental health conditions and hypertension self-care levels. These findings underscore the critical need for: Preventive interventions and Mental health promotion programs tailored to this population. Policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers must prioritize integrating psychological support into hypertension management strategies to mitigate these adverse effects and improve patient outcomes.
Multi-stage feature purification for robust object detection in haze-degraded aerial images
Measuring airway compliance of pulmonary fibrosis by endobronchial optical coherence elastography
Background Optical coherence elastography derived from optical coherence tomography for measuring soft tissue and organ compliance, holds promise in respirology but remains largely exploratory. Methods The airway lumen area (Ai) was measured by endobronchial optical coherence tomography in control subjects (n = 4), and pulmonary fibrosis (n = 8) while airway pressure (Paw) increased from 0–20 cm H 2 O. Airway compliance (AC) and airway specific compliance (ASC) were derived from the Paw vs. Ai curves. Evaluate correlations among Ai, AC, ASC, and lung function parameters. Results Endobronchial optical coherence elastography (EB-OCE) was constructed by ASC, which could detect AC and ASC among 3 rd to 7 th generations of bronchi. Pulmonary fibrosis tended to exhibit lower ASC in 5 th to 7 th generations of bronchi compared to controls. The ASC-7 appeared to be positively correlated with FEV₁, FVC, TLC, VC, and DLCO. Conclusions EB-OCE provides a novel approach to measure AC and extends the analysis to small airway. Pulmonary fibrosis appeared to show a heterogeneous reduction in AC across different bronchial generations compared to controls. A decline in ASC-7 was possibly associated with reduced lung function.
CFD analysis of thermal plume behavior under diagonal heat source orientation
In the belly of the beast: How dietary changes and preexisting invasive prey may have promoted the success of a novel invasive amphibian
Biological invasions provide unique opportunities to examine how populations cope with rapid ecological change, as well as the influence of human activity on our natural world. The island of Newfoundland, Canada, has no native amphibians; however, five species have established non-native populations, including one caudatan, the Eastern Red-backed Salamander ( Plethodon cinereus ). We posit that this salamander’s successful colonisation may have been mediated by dietary shifts that allowed them to capitalize on a greater variety of prey, as well as by exploiting pre-existing invasive prey communities – both these mechanisms could limit the likelihood of competitive exclusion and promote establishment in a novel environment. To examine this, we identified stomach contents of Newfoundland Eastern Red-backed salamanders, characterised the prey as native or invasive, and compared the dietary composition of the invasive population to that of conspecifics in the native range through a systematic literature review. As predicted, the invasive salamander population’s diet is more generalised (i.e., a broader dietary niche) than the native salamanders, and invasive invertebrates comprised two thirds of the volume of prey eaten by invasive salamanders. Our research provides insight into the Niche Breadth Invasion Hypothesis as well as the Invasional Meltdown Hypothesis, which are mechanisms that may have allowed this species to establish a population in an island ecosystem. Furthermore, our research suggests that prior invasions of a diverse invertebrate community to Newfoundland may have bolstered the invasive potential of this novel, non-native salamander.
Suppression of pre-monsoon tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean
Briefing Chat: The 30 year-legacy of a science icon — Dolly the sheep
Phytochemical and biological evaluation of methanolic extracts as a preventive measure for antioxidant and Anticoccidial Eimeria columbae Oocysts
Background Herbal products are rich in the source of bioactive ingredients, including phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and essential oil components such as cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and 1,8-cineole, and have significant potential for therapeutic applications that are associated with antioxidant and anticoccidial activities. Aims This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical quantification and antioxidant anticoccidial assay in methanolic extracts of Cinnamomum verum and Laurus nobilis . Methods Total phenol, flavonoid, and tannin content was measured using standard spectrophotometric methods. Phytochemical properties were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (ABTS) free radical scavenging assays. In vitro anticoccidial activity was assessed using seven concentrations : 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/mL of C. verum and L. nobilis , in addition to K₂Cr₂O₇ as the control at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. Results FTIR analysis revealed characteristic absorption bands in the C. verum and L. nobilis extracts, indicating the presence of diverse functional groups associated with phenolic and related phytochemical constituents, as evidenced by their characteristic absorption bands across the 400–4000 cm ⁻ ¹ range. All extracts contained measurable levels of phenols, flavonoids, and tannins. The highest total phenolic content was recorded in C. verum (63.56 ± 0.552 mg/g dry weight) and L. nobilis (57.40 ± 6.05 mg/g dry weight). All extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values for DPPH (12.59 ± 0.51 and 30.32 ± 3.22 μg/mL) and ABTS (13.95 ± 0.35, 19.56 ± 4.89 μg/mL) assays to C. verum and L. nobilis . The extracts exhibited dose- and time-dependent inhibition of E. columbae sporulated oocysts, at 200 mg/ml, 75.67% at C. verum and 72.57% at L. nobilis (p < 0.05) at higher concentrations at 96 h, alongside increased oocyst destruction of ~12%. Conclusion The findings demonstrated that the extracts of C. verum and L. nobilis leaves contain bioactive phytochemicals that inhibit coccidia oocysts in vitro, suggesting a potentially effective and safe natural option for managing coccidiosis in Domestic Pigeons.
Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of rough and smooth Mycobacterium marinum focusing on ESX-1, ESX-6 and LOS genes
Abstract Mycobacteria form rough and smooth colonies. The Mycobacterium marinum strain 1218S is a smooth colony forming variant isolated from the 1218R strain, which forms rough colonies and is more virulent than 1218S in infecting fish. Genes for the type VII secretion ESX-1 system, which includes mycobacterial virulence genes, have been partially duplicated in M. marinum and is refered to as ESX-6. We recently reported that several ESX-1 genes are missing in the 1218S strain. On the basis of the complete genomes of these two and three other M. marinum strains we provide insight into strain differences and similarities focusing on 1218R and 1218S, and ESX genes, selected virulence genes, and LOS genes, which are involved in l ipo o ligo s accharide synthesis and smooth colony formation. We provide RNA-Seq data for 1218R and 1218S and two other well-characterized M. marinum strains showing that the transcription levels of ESX-6 genes increase both in exponential and stationary cells in 1218S, which lacks several ESX-1 genes. Furthermore, while there is no difference in gene synteny and sequence of LOS genes comparing 1218R and 1218S, with the exception of duplication of lsr2 , a regulator of LOS genes, in 1218S. Our RNA-Seq data show increased transcript levels of LOS genes in stationary 1218S cells relative to 1218R indicating that transcription and/or RNA degradation of LOS genes influence smooth and rough colony formation. We finally provide data suggesting that Ms1 RNA affect the transcription of LOS genes (and ESX-1 genes), and that loss of ESX-1 genes influence biofilm formation.
Think preprints are unreliable? Analysis of 70,000 studies might change your mind
Editorial Note: Response of vegetation to submergence along Jingjiang Reach of the Yangtze River
Communication-aware predictive lane-change coordination for mixed autonomous traffic using SafeLane-VANET
Can dietary supplementation with highly purified fucoidan alter growth, digestive enzyme activity, serum biochemicals, immune-antioxidant responses, and related gene expressions in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)?
The present study investigates the impact of dietary fucoidan supplementation on growth performance, intestinal tract morphology, endogenous digestive enzymes, hematological parameters, serum biochemical indices of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ), oxidative biomarkers, and related gene expressions. Fish weighing 2.54 ± 0.12 g had randomly assigned them into five groups of equal size (20 fish each aquarium), with three replicates per group. The fish were fed for 70 days with five experimental diets formulated: T1: Control (fucoidan 0 mg kg -1 ); T2: 0.5 mg kg -1 fucoidan; T3: fucoidan 1.0 mg kg -1 , T4: fucoidan 1.5 mg kg -1 and T5; fucoidan 2.0 mg kg -1 . At the end of the experiment, growth indices, feed utilization, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal histomorphometric, hematological indices, serum biochemical indices, and antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the groups fed diets supplemented by fucoidan, with the superiority of fish fed 2 mg kg -1 compared to the basal diet. Additionally, a control diet has the highest ALT and AST compared to other diets supplemented with different fucoidan levels. Fish fed either 1.5 mg kg -1 or 2.0 mg kg -1 fucoidan recorded the higher (P < 0.05) hematological parameters as WBCs, RBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils. A diet supplemented with 2 mg kg -1 diet fucoidan displayed the highest gene expression of the inf-γ and il-1β , while the heat shock protein 70 ( hsp70 ) gene was down-regulated. Overall, our results highlight the efficacy of fucoidan in increasing growth performance, feed utilization, antioxidant enzyme activity, and gene expression. Therefore, it can be considered a promising feed additive for tilapia farming.