Biology-Basel最新文献

{"title":"Bacterial Diversity at Himalayan Pink Salt Extraction Site.","authors":"Yasmeen Malik, Imran Ali, Ashif Sajjad, Luhuai Jing, Irfana Iqbal, Atiq Ur Rehman, Toquier Azam, Xiaoming Chen","doi":"10.3390/biology14030316","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030316","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Table salt, or sodium chloride, is extensively utilized in the culinary business as a flavoring agent, texture garnishing [...].</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11939872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Generation of Current Good Manufacturing Practices-Grade Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Using Automated Bioreactors.","authors":"Elani F Wiest, Abba C Zubair","doi":"10.3390/biology14030313","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Interest in Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP)-grade extracellular vesicles (EVs) is expanding. Some obstacles in this new but rapidly growing field include a lack of standardization and scalability. This review focuses on automated biomanufacturing of EVs in conditioned media collected from cultured mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Different automated cell culture systems are discussed, including factors affecting EV quantity and quality, isolating EVs manufactured in an automated system, and validations needed. The ultimate goal when manufacturing cGMP-grade EVs is to identify a specific application and characterize the EV population in detail. This is achieved by validating every step of the process, choosing appropriate release criteria, and assuring batch-to-batch consistency. Due to the lack of standards in the field, it is critical to ensure that the cGMP-grade EVs meet FDA standards pertaining to identity, reproducibility, sterility, safety, purity, and potency. A closed-system automated bioreactor can be a valuable tool to generate cGMP-EVs in a scalable, economical, and reproducible manner.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11940689/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stem Cell-Based Approaches for Spinal Cord Injury: The Promise of iPSCs.","authors":"Chih-Wei Zeng","doi":"10.3390/biology14030314","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030314","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-altering condition that leads to severe neurological deficits and significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Despite advancements in medical care, current treatment options remain largely palliative, with limited ability to promote meaningful functional recovery. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have emerged as a promising avenue for regenerative medicine, offering patient-specific, cell-based therapeutic potential for SCI repair. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in iPSC-based approaches for SCI, detailing the strategies used to generate neural cell types, including neural progenitor cells, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia, and their roles in promoting neuroprotection and regeneration. Additionally, we examine key preclinical and clinical studies, highlighting functional recovery assessments and discussing both standardized and debated evaluation metrics. Furthermore, we address critical challenges related to safety, tumorigenicity, immune response, survival, integration, and overcoming the inhibitory microenvironment of the injured spinal cord. We also explore emerging approaches in biomaterial scaffolds, gene editing, and rehabilitation strategies that may enhance the clinical applicability of iPSC-based therapies. By addressing these challenges and refining translational strategies, iPSC-based interventions hold significant potential to revolutionize SCI treatment and improve outcomes for affected individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11940451/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Landmark-Based Wing Morphometrics for Three <i>Holotrichia</i> Beetle Species (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea).","authors":"Pengliang Pan, Shibao Guo, Fangmei Zhang, Zhou Zhou","doi":"10.3390/biology14030317","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030317","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The scarab beetle is an herbivorous pest that causes considerable damage to various agricultural crops. The characteristics of the hind wings have rarely been utilized as indicators for species identification, particularly within the genus <i>Holotrichia</i>. To evaluate the potential of hind wing traits in species identification and gender differentiation, we extracted 25 landmarks from 125 samples of three beetle species (<i>Holotrichia diomphalia</i>, <i>H. titanis</i>, and <i>H. oblita</i>) using TPSDig2 v2.31, with each hind wing image analyzed three times. These landmarks were employed to analyze variations in wing size and shape among species and sexes, and a cross-validation test was conducted in MorphoJ v1.06 to assess classification accuracy. The results demonstrate that both female and male samples exhibit significant differences in wing size and shape variations across species, but not between sexes. Allometry accounts for 16.92% and 25.35% of total shape variation in females and males, separately. After correcting for allometric effects, classification accuracy improves for these beetles. From further analysis, it can be observed that female wings exhibit a wider and shorter morphology in comparison to the more slender and elongated wings of males. In terms of interspecific differences, <i>H. oblita</i> females displayed narrow and elongated wings, whereas <i>H. diomphalia</i> females had a more rectangular wing shape. Among males, the degree of wing narrowness decreased in the order of <i>H. oblita</i>, <i>H. titanis</i>, and <i>H. diomphalia</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11939931/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the Prognostic Significance of BRCA1-Associated Protein 1 (BAP1) Expression in Advanced and Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer.","authors":"Norel Salut, Yaser Gamallat, Sima Seyedi, Joema Felipe Lima, Sunita Ghosh, Tarek A Bismar","doi":"10.3390/biology14030315","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030315","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Prostate cancer (PCa) is ranked as one of the top cancers affecting men in Western societies. BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) expression significance has been observed in various cancers, including prostate cancer. The search for prognostic models allowing better risk stratification and prediction of disease progression in prostate cancer patients is still of major clinical need. Our data showed that nuclear BAP1 expression is the most associated with cancer clinical outcomes and other biomarkers. The data confirmed that decreased BAP1 nuclear expression is linked to aggressive tumors and poorer prognosis. We assessed BAP1 expression in 202 cases, including advanced and castrate-resistant PCa (CRPCa). Our data indicated low BAP1 nuclear expression in advanced and castrate-resistant disease (CRPCa). Furthermore, there was a significant difference between high and low BAP1 nuclear expression relative to the patient's clinical outcome. In the present cohort, decreased BAP1 intensity exhibited a significant association with unfavorable overall survival (OS) (HR 2.31, CI: 1.38-3.86, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and cause-specific survival (CSS) (HR 2.44, CI: 1.24-4.78, <i>p</i> = 0.01). Additionally, this association was more pronounced when low BAP1 expression (high risk) was combined with other common PCa genomic alterations such as phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss or ETS-related gene (ERG)-positive cases, resulting in higher unfavorable OS and CSS. Conversely, high BAP1 nuclear expression (moderate and high intensity) combined with no ERG expression or PTEN (moderate or high expression), p53 (wild type), and androgen receptor (AR) (low/moderate intensity) showed better association with higher survival rates. All these data support the notion that BAP1 functions as a tumor suppressor. Integrating BAP1 status with other genomic alterations offers a more comprehensive understanding of disease aggressiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11940205/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Liposomal Vitamin C, Coenzyme Q10, and Bee Venom Supplementation on Bacterial Communities and Performance in Nile Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>).","authors":"Islam I Teiba, Yasser S A Mazrou, Abeer H Makhlouf, Nabil I Elsheery, Sahar Hussein Abdalla Hekal, Nermeen M Abu-Elala, Mahmoud Kamel Bakry, Emad H El-Bilawy, Akram Ismael Shehata","doi":"10.3390/biology14030309","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030309","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This experimental study evaluated the impacts of three nutraceuticals [liposomal vitamin C, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and bee venom (BV)] on the physiological parameters of Nile tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>). A total of 360 fish (initial weight: 35.17 ± 0.22 g) were randomly allocated to four isonitrogenous and isolipidic dietary treatments: a control group and three supplementation groups (liposomal vitamin C at 200 mg/kg, CoQ10 at 60 mg/kg, and BV at 4 mg/kg), with three replicates per treatment, and fish were fed to apparent satiation. After a 60-day feeding trial, comprehensive analyses revealed significant improvements in growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, immune responses, and antioxidant status across supplemented groups, with bee venom exhibiting the most pronounced effects. Nutraceutical supplementation enhanced gastrointestinal enzyme activities, modulated gut microbiota composition, and improved liver and intestinal histological characteristics. Immunological assessments demonstrated elevated lysozyme levels, bactericidal activity, and respiratory burst activity, while antioxidant markers showed increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, accompanied by reduced malondialdehyde levels. These findings suggest that strategic nutraceutical supplementation can substantially optimize physiological functions and health parameters in Nile tilapia aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11940567/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of Naturally Occurring Bacteria on Embryonic and Larval Development of Common Toad Tadpoles.","authors":"Olga Jovanović Glavaš, Ines Sviličić Petrić, Goran Palijan","doi":"10.3390/biology14030308","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030308","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amphibians, as the most threatened group of vertebrates, are the focus of investigation of various agents that could affect their fitness and survival. In this context, we examined the effects of naturally occurring bacteria and their combinations on the embryonic and larval development of common toad tadpoles (<i>Bufo bufo</i>). One egg string that was collected from the wild was disinfected in the lab and divided into short strings, each containing 20 eggs. These strings were exposed to three different control treatments, i.e., a sterile FETAX solution, water collected from the tadpoles' native habitat, and sterilized habitat water, as well as to three different bacterial cultures isolated from habitat water (<i>Bacillus</i> sp., <i>Mesobacillus</i> sp.). We analyzed several morphometric variables (snout-vent length, total length, and weight), the energy budget by measuring body composition (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids), and biomarker activity (acetylcholinesterase and lactate dehydrogenase). Our results indicate that the native microbial community had a negative effect on egg and tadpole development, as sterilized habitat water supported their highest development. Additionally, when grown in FETAX, pure bacterial cultures and their combinations decreased acetylcholinesterase activity but positively affected both tadpole size and energy budget. These findings suggest that bacteria can influence the larval development of common toads by modifying physiological traits. Future research should identify which microbes have beneficial or detrimental effects on amphibian development.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11939905/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermal Tolerance of <i>Crassostrea</i> (<i>Magallana</i>) <i>ariakensis</i> to Nuclear Plant Warm Water Discharges.","authors":"Lei Li, Longyu Liu, Cong Yan, Liang Wang, Yuanlv Ye, Lu Chen, Xiong Zou, Haijing Zhang, Mengni Zeng, Mei Jiang","doi":"10.3390/biology14030311","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030311","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nuclear power plants utilize great quantities of seawater to cool down, resulting in substantial warm water discharges that may affect nearby fisheries and marine ecosystems. This study focused on <i>Crassostrea</i> (<i>Magallana</i>) <i>ariakensis</i>, a commercially farmed oyster species along the southern coast of China. To evaluate the thermal impacts of warm water discharges from nuclear power plants, indoor simulations replicated seasonal water temperature conditions near coastal facilities (26 °C in spring and autumn, 16 °C in winter, and 30 °C in summer). We conducted thermal tolerance static and dynamic experiments, along with a 51-day long-term experiment on suitable growth under different acclimation temperatures. The thermal effects of warm water discharges on <i>C. ariakensis</i> were systematically assessed through survival, growth, digestibility, and nutritional quality. The results showed that the discomfort temperature range of <i>C. ariakensis</i> was (48.6 ± 1.2)~(58.9 ± 3.0) °C, the critical thermal maxima (CTM) value range of <i>C. ariakensis</i> was (51.6 ± 1.4)~(61.2 ± 2.2) °C, and the incipient lethal temperature (ILT₅₀) of <i>C. ariakensis</i> was 45.61 °C, 53.71 °C, and 55.90 °C, respectively; all these values increased gradually with the rise of acclimation temperature. After the 51-day long-term experiment on suitable growth, the temperature increase of 1 °C, 2 °C and 4 °C did not affect the soft tissue wet weight, condition index, moisture content, and fat content of <i>C. ariakensis</i>, but the amylase activity in digestive gland tissue decreased in different temperature experimental groups. The experimental results show that the influence of temperature rise on the growth and physiological metabolism of <i>C. ariakensis</i> is limited. However, based on the normal habitat temperature in summer, the long-term effects of temperature rise caused by warm water discharges need to be paid attention to.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11940494/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Probiotic Fermentation of <i>Astragalus membranaceus</i> and Raphani Semen Ameliorates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression Through Intestinal Short-Chain Fatty Acid-Dependent or -Independent Regulation of B Cell Function.","authors":"Yang Chen, Xiaoqing Wei, Binqi Rui, Yutong Du, Zengjie Lei, Xiujie Guo, Chaoran Wang, Donglin Yuan, Xiuli Wang, Ming Li, Binbin Hou, Yinhui Liu","doi":"10.3390/biology14030312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14030312","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Probiotic fermentation can promote the release of more effective components from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). <i>Astragalus membranaceus</i> (Fisch.) Bunge (<i>A. membranaceus</i>) and Raphani Semen are TCMs that have gained attention for their immunoenhancing activities. This study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of probiotic-fermented <i>A. membranaceus</i> and Raphani Semen (PROAS) in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunocompromised mice. Changes in the composition of <i>A. membranaceus</i> and Raphani Semen after fermentation by probiotic strains, including <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> SD5219, <i>Lactobacillus fermentum</i> NCIMB5221, and <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> SD5219, were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography. The immunostimulatory effects and mechanisms of PROAS were evaluated in immunosuppressed mice 3 and 7 days after CTX treatment. Probiotic fermentation of TCMs resulted in changes in major bioactive components. PROAS supplementation effectively restored intestinal integrity in CTX-treated mice by upregulating the mRNA expression of the tight junction proteins. PROAS significantly ameliorated the reduction in the spleen index and number of B lymphocytes caused by CTX treatment and regulated the secretion of cytokines in serum and colon tissues. PROAS administration modulated gut microbial dysbiosis and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in CTX-treated mice. These results suggest that PROAS enhances B lymphocyte function by increasing the regulation of intestinal microbiota to produce high levels of SCFA, repairs the intestinal barrier damage induced by CTX, and promotes intestinal mucosal immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Abundance of Harmful Rare Homozygous Variants in Children of Consanguineous Parents.","authors":"Sankar Subramanian","doi":"10.3390/biology14030310","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14030310","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The children born of consanguineous union were found to have a higher incidence of recessive genetic diseases than the offspring of unrelated parents. The reason for this was predicted to be the presence of more deleterious rare homozygous genetic variants in the former compared to the latter. However, the magnitude of this difference is unknown. Using more than 2500 whole genomes, we show here that the individuals born of the union between double (paternal <i>and</i> maternal) first cousins had 20 times more deleterious rare homozygous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) than those who had unrelated parents. Furthermore, the children of first cousins had 10 times, and the children of second cousins had two times more of these SNVs compared to those present in the offspring of unrelated parents. Similar magnitudes of differences were found for the nonsynonymous deleterious rare homozygous SNVs (19, 10, and 2 times, respectively). In contrast, the differences in the number of deleterious low-frequency and common homozygous variants between the children of cousins and those of unrelated parents were 1-3 times and 1-7%, respectively. These results suggest that the offspring of consanguineous union could have a 20 times higher risk of recessive autosomal diseases caused by rare variants. Conversely, consanguinity appears to have little effect on the risk of common diseases. These findings have implications for future clinical research in identifying genetic variants associated with inherited diseases. Furthermore, the magnitude of the elevated risk revealed in this study could be useful in genetic counseling and for public health in creating awareness.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11940780/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}