Feruloylated arabinoxylan (F-AX), a hemicellulosic polysaccharide abundant in cereal brans, is gaining attention for its antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties. Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and diet-derived bioactives offer promising complementary strategies for its prevention and management. In this study, F-AX was extracted from maize bran using a green chemistry approach and characterized as a highly branched arabinoxylan (AX) with a β-(1→4)-linked xylose backbone substituted with feruloylated arabinose residues. F-AX demonstrated significant antiproliferative activity against HCT 116 colon cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with the highest inhibition of 84.68 ± 3.6% (p < 0.0001) observed at 3 mg/mL after 48 h treatment. Mechanistic investigations revealed induction of apoptosis, evidenced by increased caspase-3/7 activity, elevated cleaved PARP and cytochrome c levels, reduced procaspase-3, -8, and - 9 expression, decreased Bid and Bcl-xL levels, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Autophagy induction was confirmed by increased LC3B-II/I ratio, increased expression of Beclin-1 and LAMP-1, and reduced p53 levels. F-AX activated the antioxidant pathway, reduced the ROS levels, decreased the p-Akt/Akt ratio and NF-κB levels while increasing PTEN expression, suggesting suppression of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. These findings highlight cross-talk among apoptosis, autophagy, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in F-AX-induced cell death. In addition, F-AX exhibited resistance to simulated gastrointestinal digestion, suggesting its potential to reach the colon intact and exert localized colonic effects. Overall, this study highlights the potential of maize bran-derived F-AX as a nutraceutical candidate for CRC management and provides a foundation for further in vivo investigations.

Biodiversity in Southeast Asia is currently facing a significant decline, with primate species particularly impacted due to deforestation, poaching, global warming, and various other challenges. All 20 recognized gibbon species are considered at risk of extinction due to rapidly decreasing population sizes. The northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is among six gibbon species belonging to the genus Nomascus documented in Vietnam. This gibbon has been recorded in several protected areas, but significant populations persist only in a few locations, potentially including Vu Quang National Park (52.733 km[2]). In our study, we utilized the auditory point count method to collect data in the field and applied a distance sampling method to estimate the abundance of northern white-cheeked gibbons in Vu Quang National Park. A total of 27 gibbon groups were documented during our field survey. The estimated gibbon group density was approximately 0.48 groups/km[2], leading us to estimate the gibbon population size in Vu Quang National Park at about 155 groups. Vu Quang National Park therefore has the largest documented population of northern white-cheeked gibbons in Vietnam, highlighting the urgent need for prioritizing the conservation of this species.

Research focused on studying Hippo signaling up- and downregulation in a model of mouse lung cell regeneration. The cell-specific role of the activation and inhibition of Hippo signaling is demonstrated at the cellular level within the context of a unified bronchoalveolar lung organoid model. We used pharmacological modulators of Hippo pathway components-TRULI and verteporfin. The findings revealed that inhibition of Lats1/2 kinases via TRULI leads to different levels of Hippo gene expression for different lung cell types. The inhibition of Lats1/2 kinases enhances cell proliferation in the bronchiolar epithelium, while verteporfin suppresses it. However, no changes in the cellular composition of the bronchiolar epithelium (except ciliated cells) were observed with either TRULI or verteporfin. Inhibition of Lats1/2 kinases in the alveolar epithelium leads to a decrease in type 2 alveolocytes and alters their differentiation trajectories. The results demonstrate a cell-specific influence of Hippo modulation on the lung cells and may prove useful for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of respiratory pathologies.

To characterize the relationship between the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and dynamic viscosity in aqueous glycerin phantoms across different concentrations and temperatures, and to establish a controlled calibration framework for diffusion MRI measurements. Eight glycerin-water solutions (10-60 wt%) were prepared, and viscosities were measured with capillary viscometers at 24, 37, and 40 °C. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed on a 3.0-T scanner using 15 b-values (0-1500 s/mm[2]). Voxel-wise ADC maps were calculated by mono-exponential fitting, and ADC-viscosity relationships were modeled using linear and inverse fitting approaches. Viscosity increased with concentration and decreased with temperature, consistent with the known physical behavior of glycerin-water mixtures. ADC values were inversely related to viscosity and showed strong relationships at all temperatures (R[2] > 0.98). High-concentration samples exhibited reduced signal-to-noise ratio and greater fitting instability, limiting reliable analysis in the highest-viscosity range. Aqueous glycerin solutions provide practical phantom materials for evaluating ADC-viscosity relationships under controlled conditions. By anchoring MRI-derived ADC measurements to standard viscometer data, this study established a reproducible calibration framework for diffusion MRI system evaluation across a defined viscosity range.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) significantly impacts patients' quality of life following a stroke. Its effects on white matter functional networks remain unclear. This study used resting-state functional MRI to examine alterations in white matter functional connectivity and spontaneous activity in this condition. Resting-state functional MRI data were acquired from PSCI (n = 21), non-PSCI (PSNCI, n = 16), and healthy subjects (HSs, n = 29). A clustering analysis was employed to identify white matter functional networks. Functional connectivity and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation within these networks were compared across groups. Correlation analyses assessed their relationships with neuropsychological scores. Sixteen stable white matter networks were identified. Both patient groups showed reduced functional connectivity between the inferior longitudinal fasciculus and anterior cingulum compared to HSs. PSCI patients also exhibited decreased functional connectivity between the anterior and posterior cingulum compared to HSs. Furthermore, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation in the posterior cingulum was lower in PSCI group than in PSNCI group. These altered metrics showed correlations with neuropsychological performance across multiple cognitive domains. This study identified alterations in functional connectivity and spontaneous activity within specific WM networks in PSCI, which were associated with cognitive performance. These findings suggest that white matter functional abnormalities may be involved in the neural mechanisms underlying PSCI and could inform future research on early identification.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly virulent bacterium that causes morbidity and mortality in fish farming practices. Therefore, the current work is accounted as a pioneer trial to assess Aloe vera or Barbados aloe gel (BAG, 8 mg/L) as an antimicrobial agent against P. aeruginosa infection in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). In addition, hematological, biochemical, blood electrolytes, and histopathological investigations were applied, alongside tissue antioxidant response. For this, fish (n = 160) were arranged into four sets (control, BAG, P. aeruginosa, and P. aeruginosa-BAG), with four replicates (40 fish/set) for 15 days. The outcomes exhibited hematological-biochemical disruptions with high mortality (42.50%) resulting from P. aeruginosa challenge. This is evidenced by lowering hematological parameters (red and white blood cell count, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, and neutrophils, lymphocytes) and elevation of hepatic enzymes (aspartate and alanine aminotransferases). In addition, stimulation of stress response (high cortisol and glucose), hyperkalemia, and lipid peroxidation (increased malondialdehyde level) were obvious in the P. aeruginosa group. This was besides hyponatremia and inactivation of antioxidants (catalase and superoxide dismutase) of the skin, gills, and liver. These tissues also exhibited histopathological abnormalities, including epithelial desquamation, tissue hyperplasia, necrosis, leukocytic infiltration, vascular congestion, and cellular degeneration following P. aeruginosa infection. Conversely, watery exposure to BAG palliated these changes induced by P. aeruginosa. It improved blood profiles, electrolytes, and hepatic enzymes while boosting tissue antioxidant activity and regenerating the histopathological structure of skin, gills, and liver. This alleviation led to decreased mortality (12.50%). Taken together, the current report confirmed P. aeruginosa 's pathogenicity. It highlighted the promoting activity of aqueous addition of BAG (8 mg/L) as an antibacterial agent, besides its privileges for enhancing fish health for sustaining aquaculture.Clinical trial number: not applicable.