Perception of Sour Taste in Subjects with Olfactory Deficits: Role of Myrtle Aromatization.

Background: Sour taste is associated with acid-base homeostasis, which is critical to cell metabolism and health conditions. Vinegar, which contains acetic acid as the main component, is a sour food considered the second most common condiment in Italy.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess differences in sourness perception in subjects with olfactory deficits compared to controls and evaluate myrtle aromatization's potential effect in modulating sourness perception in subjects with hyposmia.

In-Depth LC-ESI/HRMS-Guided Phytochemical Analysis and Antioxidant Activity Analysis of Eco-Sustainable Extracts of (Carciofo di Paestum PGI) Leaves.

The Italian Carciofo di Paestum () PGI, an artichoke variety from the Campania region, was investigated for its potential to reuse by-products for food supplements. EtOH:HO 50:50 and 75:25 extracts of its leaves were analyzed for phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity (TEAC: 1.90 and 1.

Cytotoxic Effects of ZnO and Ag Nanoparticles Synthesized in Microalgae Extracts on PC12 Cells.

The green synthesis of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs), as well as Ag/AgO/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs), using polar and apolar extracts of , offers a sustainable method for producing nanomaterials with tunable properties. The impact of the synthesis environment and the nanomaterials' characteristics on cytotoxicity was evaluated by examining reactive species production and their effects on mitochondrial bioenergetic functions. Cytotoxicity assays on PC12 cells, a cell line originated from a rat pheochromocytoma, an adrenal medulla tumor, demonstrated that Ag/AgO NPs synthesized with apolar (Ag/AgO NPs A) and polar (Ag/AgO NPs P) extracts exhibited significant cytotoxic effects, primarily driven by Ag ion release and the disruption of mitochondrial function.

A small molecule enhances arrestin-3 binding to the β-adrenergic receptor.

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling is terminated by arrestin binding to a phosphorylated receptor. Binding propensity has been shown to be modulated by stabilizing the pre-activated state of arrestin through point mutations or C-tail truncation. Here, we hypothesize that pre-activated rotated states can be stabilized by small molecules, and this can promote binding to phosphorylation-deficient receptors, which underly a variety of human disorders.

Rheological and Mechanical Properties and Spinning Behavior of a Starch-Based Biodegradable Polymer.

Over the last few years, the interest in biodegradable polymers has been increasing for several reasons, mainly because of the concerns about environmental protection and the reduction of emissions, especially those related to non-renewable fossil-based resources. Therefore, special attention has increased for the development of environment-friendly polymers such as biodegradable/compostable polymers, especially when they come from renewable resources, since this would help in further reducing energy consumption during their life cycle, as well as the overall environmental impact. Thus, every biopolymer should be accurately investigated in terms of its processability and main technological properties in order to find the most suitable applications.

Remediation of a diesel contaminated soil by means of anionic and non-ionic surfactants: Effect on soil phosphorus availability and Vicia Faba L. growth.

In the present study, the effectiveness of two surfactants (Polysorbate 80 - Tween 80 and Sodium Dodecyl Benzensulphonate - SDBS) was investigated for the remediation of a hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Moreover, it was elucidated the impact of surfactants on soil phosphorus (P) availability and phytotoxic effect on the growth of Vicia Faba L. An experimental laboratory-scale apparatus (bench and pilot scale) was set up for the simulation of a soil flushing intervention.

Mechanism of Hot-Carrier Photoluminescence in Sn-Based Perovskites.

Metal halide perovskites have shown exceptionally slow hot-carrier cooling, which has been attributed to various physical mechanisms without reaching a consensus. Here, experiment and theory are combined to unveil the carrier cooling process in formamidinium (FA) and caesium (Cs) tin triiodide thin films. Through impulsive vibrational spectroscopy and molecular dynamics, much shorter phonon dephasing times of the hybrid perovskite, which accounts for the larger blueshift in the photoluminescence seen at high excitation density for FASnI compared to CsSnI is reported.

CFD study on the effect of the baffles geometry in sedimentation efficiency in wastewater treatments through Large Eddy Simulations.

Sedimentation tanks represent one of the most important components of any water and wastewater treatment plants. The lack of knowledge of hydraulics in sedimentation tank leads to unnecessary capital and operating costs as well as water pollution in the form of excessive sludge. Improper and inadequate design cause overloading of filters, and lead to frequent backwashing, which in turn waste a significant percentage of treated water.

Kurdish ethnomedicine in the context of historic migration.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Community displacement and cultural integration influence the use of plants for medicine. This study enhances our understanding of how communities adapt their medical practices in response to environmental changes.

Aim Of The Study: We investigate how Kurds in SE Iran (Balochi Kurds), displaced between the 16th and 18th centuries from their homeland in NW Iran, retained and adapted their medicinal knowledge.

User-avatar bond as diagnostic indicator for gaming disorder: A word on the side of caution.

In their study, Stavropoulos et al. (2023) capitalized on supervised machine learning and a longitudinal design and reported that the User-Avatar Bond could be accurately employed to detect Gaming Disorder (GD) risk in a community sample of gamers. The authors suggested that the User-Avatar Bond is a "digital phenotype" that could be used as a diagnostic indicator for GD risk.

Fear appeals, individuals' cognitive-behavioral responses, and willingness to pay for safe water in fluoride-contaminated regions.

In rural areas with high fluoride concentrations in groundwater, affordable and effective de-fluoridation technologies can significantly reduce the likelihood of being affected by fluorosis-related illnesses, such as skeletal fluorosis. This is particularly significant in areas where groundwater is the primary or sole drinking water source, such as the Rift Valley of Tanzania. Despite the availability of technologies, people's use of de-fluoridation devices still needs to be improved.

New Structural Features of Isatin Dihydrothiazole Hybrids for Selective Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors.

Chemotherapeutic agents have remained the first-line treatment option for advanced-stage cancers when surgery or radiation therapy is not viable. Human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) isoforms IX and XII have been validated as anticancer targets. In particular, hCA IX is overexpressed in several solid tumor cells.

Ion Mobility QTOF-MS Untargeted Lipidomics of Human Serum Reveals a Metabolic Fingerprint for GNE Myopathy.

GNE myopathy, also known as hereditary inclusion body myopathy (HIBM), is a rare genetic muscle disorder marked by a gradual onset of muscle weakness in young adults. GNE myopathy (GNEM) is caused by bi-allelic variants in the UDP--acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase (UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase)/-acetylmannosamine kinase (ManNAc kinase) gene (), clinically resulting in the loss of ambulation within 10-20 years from the onset of the initial symptoms. The disease's mechanism is poorly understood and non-invasive biomarkers are lacking, hindering effective therapy development.

Biological Potential of Extracts: α-Glucosidase and Antibiofilm Activities In Vitro.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D), characterized by insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction, requires continuous advancements in management strategies, particularly in controlling postprandial hyperglycemia to prevent complications. Current antidiabetics, which have α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, have side effects, prompting the search for better alternatives. In addition, diabetes patients are particularly vulnerable to yeast infections because an unusual sugar concentration promotes the growth of spp.

Dynamic overrepresentation of accumbal cues in food- and opioid-seeking rats after prenatal THC exposure.

The increasing prevalence of cannabis use during pregnancy has raised medical concerns, primarily related to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which readily crosses the placenta and affects fetal brain development. Previous research has identified dopaminergic alterations related to maternal THC consumption. However, the consequences that prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) has on striatum-based processing during reward pursuit have not been determined.

Functional Adaptation in the Brain Habenulo-Mesencephalic Pathway During Cannabinoid Withdrawal.

The mesolimbic reward system originating from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain shows a profound reduction in function during cannabinoid withdrawal. This condition may underlie aversive states that lead to compulsive drug seeking and relapse. The lateral habenula (LHb) exerts negative control over the VTA via the GABA rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg), representing a potential convergence point for drug-induced opponent processes.

Acute stress induces different changes on the expression of CB1 receptors in the hippocampus of two lines of male rats differing in their response to stressors.

The stress-induced alterations in cognitive processes and psychiatric disorders can be accelerated when acute stressors challenge the hippocampal functions. To address this issue, we used Western Blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry assays to investigate the impact of acute forced swimming (FS) on the expression of the CB1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) in the hippocampus (HC) of the male outbred Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rat lines, one of the most validated genetic models for the study of behavior related to fear/anxiety and stress-induced depression. The distinct responses to FS confirmed the different behavioral strategies displayed by the two phenotypes when exposed to stressors, with RLA and RHA rats displaying reactive vs.

Chemical Profiling and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Artichoke ( var. ) Leaf By-Products' Extracts Obtained with Green Extraction Techniques.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of different green extraction techniques (GETs) on targeted bioactive compounds from artichoke leaf by-products using deep eutectic solvent extraction (DESE), supercritical CO extraction (SCOE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Moreover, (HR) LC-ESI-QTOF MS/MS and HPLC-PDA analyses were used to perform qualitative-quantitative analysis on the extracts, enabling the detection of several bioactive compounds, including luteolin, luteolin 7--glucoside, luteolin 7--rutinoside, apigenin rutinoside, chlorogenic acid, and cynaropicrin as the most representative ones. SWE showed better results than the other GETs (TPC: 23.

Effect of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors in animal models of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor symptoms due to loss of brain dopamine and non-motor symptoms, including gastrointestinal disorders. Although there is no cure for PD, symptomatic treatments are available. L-Dopa is the gold standard PD therapy, but most patients develop dyskinesias (LID), which are challenging to manage.

Receptor and metabolic insights on the ability of caffeine to prevent alcohol-induced stimulation of mesolimbic dopamine transmission.

The consumption of alcohol and caffeine affects the lives of billions of individuals worldwide. Although recent evidence indicates that caffeine impairs the reinforcing properties of alcohol, a characterization of its effects on alcohol-stimulated mesolimbic dopamine (DA) function was lacking. Acting as the pro-drug of salsolinol, alcohol excites DA neurons in the posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA) and increases DA release in the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh).