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Effect of Celery Seed (Apium graveolens L.) Administration on the Components of Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Sensitivity, and Insulin Secretion: A Clinical Trial
No full textBackground/Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of cardiometabolic risk factors whose current management relies on lifestyle changes and pharmacological interventions, frequently involving multiple medications. Therefore, the demand for therapies capable of delivering comprehensive management of MetS is increasing. In this context, nutraceuticals such as celery seed have attracted increasing scientific interest. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of celery seed (Apium graveolens L.) administration on the components of MetS, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in 28 patients with MetS. Fourteen patients randomly received celery seed (150 mg/day) for 12 weeks, and 14 subjects received a placebo. Clinical and laboratory determinations were evaluated at baseline and the end of the study. Results: After celery seed administration, patients showed a significant decrease in their systolic blood pressure (SBP) (121.0 ± 9.7 mmHg vs. 115.7 ± 12.8 mmHg, p = 0.005), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (82.2 ± 5.9 mmHg vs. 78.5 ± 8.6 mmHg, p = 0.013), triglycerides (TG) (2.3 ± 0.9 mmol/L vs. 1.8 ± 0.6 mmol/L, p = 0.016), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) (0.4 ± 0.1 mmol/L vs. 0.3 ± 0.1 mmol/L, p = 0.016) and uric acid (297.4 ± 53.5 µmol/L vs. 261.7 ± 53.5 µmol/L, p = 0.009). Insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion showed no statistically significant differences in the celery seed group. Conclusions: Celery seed administration significantly reduced SBP, DBP, TG, VLDL, and uric acid. The protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT06061926
A Study on the Response of Precipitation to Climatic and Ecological Factors in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River Based on Wavelet Analysis
No full textRegional precipitation patterns are influenced by a combination of global climatic drivers and local environmental conditions. This study takes Henan Province, located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, as a case study. Using wavelet analysis, cross-wavelet transform (XWT), and wavelet coherence (WTC), we investigated the periodic relationships between summer (July) precipitation in Henan Province during 1983–2022 and four key factors: El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM), Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The results indicate that (1) Precipitation shares a common periodic signal at approximately 3–6 years with all influencing factors, and additionally exhibits low-frequency co-variability at the 18–20-year timescale with ENSO, EASM, and WPSH; (2) ENSO, EASM, and WPSH are identified as the primary drivers of precipitation variability in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River; (3) In recent years, anomalous summer precipitation in this region has been closely linked to the periodic activities of ENSO, EASM, and WPSH
Effectiveness, Feasibility and Seasonality of Subsewershed Disease Surveillance in Socially and Economically Diverse Areas of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2023 and 2024; Insights from Laboratory and Rapid Testing Analysis
No full textWastewater surveillance gained popularity as a tool supporting public health decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we monitored four distinct socially vulnerable communities in Cincinnati, Ohio, by monitoring four subsewersheds using 15 upstream locations over two time periods: spring/summer (2023) and fall/winter (2023–2024). The goal of our study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of monitoring wastewater in socially and economically diverse subsewersheds. A number of 24 h composite samples were collected twice a week and analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in the four subsewersheds and two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Wastewater quality parameters (electric conductivity, pH, temperature, ORP) were also measured continuously. During the fall/winter period, increased clinical cases were correlated with high SARS-CoV-2 viral concentrations indicated by both subsewershed and WWTP monitoring. In our study, subsewershed monitoring did not provide early warning of SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater and cases compared to WWTP wastewater monitoring during the fall/winter period when outbreaks with higher pathogen levels often occur. This was possibly due to the proximity of the selected subsewersheds to the WWTPs. Although two socially vulnerable subsewersheds had higher SARS-CoV-2 viral concentrations in wastewater, the most vulnerable subsewershed had the lowest wastewater concentrations and the lowest number of reported cases during our study. Therefore, social vulnerability is not always the best predictor of the community COVID-19 burden since other factors may play a role in community infection, including transiency and population age distribution. This study presents some challenges and important findings from subsewershed SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring during two seasons in Ohio
A Comparative Assessment of XFEM and FEM for Stress Concentration at Circular Holes near Bi-Material Interfaces
No full textAccurately predicting stress concentration factors (SCFs) is essential for assessing the structural integrity of components containing holes or discontinuities, especially in multi-material systems. Traditional Finite Element Method (FEM) models often require substantial mesh refinement near geometric discontinuities, whereas the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) allows discontinuities to be represented independently of the mesh through enrichment functions. This study provides a comparative assessment of FEM and XFEM for evaluating SCFs around a circular hole located near a bi-material interface. Both methods are implemented in MATLAB R2019a using the level-set approach to describe the hole. The displacement and stress fields obtained from FEM and XFEM are compared, followed by an evaluation against an established analytical reference solution. The findings show that while both methods reproduce global fields with good agreement, differences arise in the accuracy of SCF prediction. These results highlight the conditions under which XFEM may offer advantages over conventional FEM when modeling discontinuities in heterogeneous materials
Thymol Derivatives as Antimalarial Agents: Synthesis, Activity Against Plasmodium falciparum, ADMET Profiling, and Molecular Docking Insights
No full textBackground: Thymol, a natural phenol with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, and its derivatives offer promising scaffolds for antimalarial drug development, potentially helping overcome resistance. Materials and Methods: In this study, thymol derivatives were synthesized and assessed as antiplasmodial agents against both resistant and sensitive strains of P. falciparum, as well as Plasmodium knowlesi. The ligand molecules were assessed with Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT)’s potential using in silico molecular docking and ADMET analysis. The parent compound, thymol, was chemically modified through esterification and conjugation with hydroxybenzoic acid and cinnamic acid derivatives to generate analogs with varied substitution patterns. Results: The findings showed that among seven successfully synthesized thymol derivatives, compounds 4 and 6 exhibited notable potency against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 (EC50 = 6.01 ± 1.7 µM and 6.8 ± 1.1 µM, respectively) with high SI values (16.5 and 14.6, respectively), indicating improved selectivity relative to thymol. The cytotoxicity evaluation against HCF mammalian cells revealed that most thymol derivatives were non-toxic, with CC50 values greater than 99 µM, except for compound 3 (CC50 = 71.4 ± 4.5 µM) and compound 1 (CC50 = 58.4 ± 2.3 µM), which exhibited moderate cytotoxic effects. The molecular docking results showed that compounds 3 (−8.4 kcal/mol), 4 (−8.3 kcal/mol), and 6 (−8.3 kcal/mol) exhibited strong binding affinities toward the PfCRT protein. Conclusions: Therefore, thymol derivative compounds 4 and 6 exhibited stronger antiplasmodial activity in vitro against P. falciparum and P. knowlesi with safety profiles against mammalian cells, targeting PfCRT, highlighting their potential as lead antimalarial candidates
AFR-CR: An Adaptive Frequency Domain Feature Reconstruction-Based Method for Cloud Removal via SAR-Assisted Remote Sensing Image Fusion
No full textOptical imagery is often contaminated by clouds to varying degrees, which greatly affects the interpretation and analysis of images. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) possesses the characteristic of penetrating clouds and mist, and a common strategy in SAR-assisted cloud removal involves fusing SAR and optical data and leveraging deep learning networks to reconstruct cloud-free optical imagery. However, these methods do not fully consider the characteristics of the frequency domain when processing feature integration, resulting in blurred edges of the generated cloudless optical images. Therefore, an adaptive frequency domain feature reconstruction-based cloud removal method is proposed to solve the problem. The proposed method comprises four key sequential stages. First, shallow features are extracted by fusing optical and SAR images. Second, a Transformer-based encoder captures multi-scale semantic features. Subsequently, the Frequency Domain Decoupling Module (FDDM) is employed. Utilizing a Dynamic Mask Generation mechanism, it explicitly decomposes features into low-frequency structures and high-frequency details, effectively suppressing cloud interference while preserving surface textures. Finally, robust information interaction is facilitated by the Cross-Frequency Reconstruction Module (CFRM) via transposed cross-attention, ensuring precise fusion and reconstruction. Experimental evaluation on the M3R-CR dataset confirms that the proposed approach achieves the best results on all four evaluated metrics, surpassing the performance of the eight other State-of-the-Art methods. It has demonstrated its effectiveness and advanced capabilities in the task of SAR-optical fusion for cloud removal
Spatial Ecology of Livestock Protection Dogs, Sheep, and Pampas Foxes in Agroecosystem of Central Argentina
No full textLivestock protection dogs (LPDs) are specifically bred to protect livestock, such as sheep, from predators. These dogs’ primary defense mechanisms include directional actions that deter predators but no attack. Little information is available on the influence of LPDs on the spatial ecology of predators. We analyzed interactions between an LPD, sheep, and Pampas foxes (Lycalopex gymnocercus, a main predator of lambs) in a ranch located in central Argentina. Between 2018 and 2021, we deployed GPS collars on an LPD and 2 ewes from a flock of 300 sheep and VHF collars on 12 live-trapped Pampas foxes. The home ranges (HRs) of the LPD and the ewes overlapped largely, especially during the lambing period, with the LPD performing minimal excursions outside the area used by the sheep flock. The LPD appeared to effectively reduce predation on lambs. Foxes exhibited a large HR (average 6.42 km2), with considerable intraspecific overlap. The overlaps between the HRs of the foxes and the LPD were variable (range = 0–98%), but their respective core areas never overlapped, and the minimum distance between the core area centers was 950 m. This study highlights the effectiveness of LPDs at reducing predation while enabling the permanence of carnivorous predators in the ecosystem
Simulation of the Turning Assistant in Road Traffic Accident Reconstruction
No full textThe accurate simulative reconstruction of blind spot accidents requires innovative simulation methods. The objective of this paper is to analyze the avoidability of a specific blind spot accident and assess the impact of various parameters as if an active turning assistant had been installed in the truck. Additionally, it proposes a novel adaptation of the turning assistant system, along with an adapted simulation model tailored for drawbar trailers. The analyses presented in this paper were performed using PC-Crash accident simulation software, applying the “Active Safety” module. After performing a simulation of an accident involving a right-turning truck with a center axle trailer and a pedestrian, the avoidability of the accident was examined by simulating the scenario as if the truck involved in the accident had been equipped with an active turning assistant system. Subsequently, a parameter analysis was conducted to analyze the effect of changes in the active turning assistant’s parameters and changes in the pedestrian’s direction of entry on the avoidability of the accident. In doing so, we determined the parameters for the worst-case (collision) and the best-case (no collision) scenarios. Finally, an adaptation and further development of the active turning assistant, along with a corresponding simulation method for drawbar trailers, are proposed
Analysis of the Long-Term Trend of Eutrophication Development in Dal Lake, India
No full textThe Dal Lake ecosystem is a vital freshwater body situated in the heart of Srinagar, Kashmir, India. It is not only a natural asset but also a cornerstone of environmental health, economic vitality, cultural heritage, and urban sustainability. In the last few decades, the condition of the lake ecosystem and water quality has deteriorated significantly owing to the intensification of the eutrophication process. Effective integrated management of the lake is crucial for the long-term sustainable development of the region and the communities that rely on it for their livelihoods. The main reasons for eutrophication are the substantial quantity of anthropogenic pollution, especially nutrients, discharged from the catchment area of the lake and the overexploitation of the lake space and its biological resources. The research presented in this paper aimed to diagnose the state of the lake by analysing trends in eutrophication development and its long-term changes related to the catchment area and lake ecosystem relationships. The research period was 25 years, from 1997 to 2023. Land use and land cover data and water quality monitoring data, which are the basis for trophic state assessment, allowed us to analyze the long-term dynamics of eutrophication in the reservoir. For these purposes, GIS-generated thematic maps were created by using QGIS software version 3.44.1, and an appropriate methodology for quantifying eutrophication was chosen and adapted to the specifics of Dal Lake. The obtained results provide a foundation for a eutrophication management strategy that considers the specificity of the Dal Lake ecosystem and the impact of the catchment area. The outcomes highlighted the varied trophic conditions in different lake basins and the dominance of eutrophic conditions during the study period. The research highlights the complexity of the problem and underscores the need for a comprehensive lake management system
Guided Wave-Based Damage Detection Using Integrated PZT Sensors in Composite Plates
No full textThe ultrasonic guided wave method is successfully used for structural health monitoring (SHM) of aircraft structures utilizing PZT (Pb-Zr-Ti based piezoceramic material) sensors for guided wave generation and detection. To increase the mechanical durability of the sensors in operational conditions, this paper demonstrates the feasibility of the integration of PZTs into the Glass fiber/Polymethyl methacrylate (G/PMMA) composite plate and evaluates the possibility of impact damage detection using generated guided waves. Two types of PZT sensors were embedded into different layers during the manufacturing process. Generally, radial mode disc sensors are used for Lamb wave generation, and thickness-shear square-shaped sensors are used for both Lamb and shear wave generation. First, the wave propagation was analyzed considering the sensor type and sensor placement within the layup. The main objective was to propose the optimal sensor network with embedded sensors for successful impact damage detection. Lamb wave frequency tuning of disk sensors and unique vibrational characteristics of integrated shear sensors were exploited to selectively actuate only one guided wave mode. Finally, the Reconstruction Algorithm for the Probabilistic Inspection of Damage (RAPID) was utilized for damage localization and visualization