Elderberry Juice Consumption Beneficial for Managing Obesity and Improving Gut Health
Researchers from the US conducted the first human trial of its kind to analyse the beneficial effects of daily consumption of elderberry juice. In the study published in the Open Access journal Nutrients MDPI
The researchers performed a short-term controlled feeding study in overweight but healthy adult volunteers. The trial was a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial that included two separate treatments. During the treatment week, the participants consumed 100% elderberry juice or a placebo beverage daily and followed 4 days of controlled diets. This was to compare measurements in faecal microbiota, meal tolerance testing and indirect calorimetry between test beverages.
The researchers confirmed the bioactivity of elderberry juice and found that it was beneficial for improving gut health and managing obesity.
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Elevated peroxidase activity of glutathione transferase via Tyr -> His mutation
All articles in Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921) Vol 13, Issue 11, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wQc1s
COVER STORY: Some glutathione transferases (GSTs) function as peroxidases with organic hydroperoxides, eg, cumene hydroperoxide (CuOOH), but human GST P1-1 has relatively low activity. A point mutation of Tyr109 into His in the active site cavity causes 10-fold elevated catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) with CuOOH mainly due to a 34-fold higher kcat. The specific activity is increased 16.7-fold.
Further examination, by the reasearchers from Stockholm University & Scripps Research, of added mutations in information-rich libraries identified mutants with approximately 2-fold higher activity than the Tyr109His mutant, caused by elevated kcat values. In all cases, His109 is pivotal for the increased peroxidase activity. In parallel, the substitution reaction with CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene) is 5-fold decreased, resulting in a 100-fold change in substrate selectivity.
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Probing Magnetic Fields in Young Supernova Remnants with IXPE
All articles in Galaxies (ISSN 2075-4434) Vol 12, Issue 5, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wQ2OZ
COVER STORY: In the Editor's choice paper "Probing Magnetic Fields in Young Supernova Remnants with IXPE", a group of international astrophysicists explore how X-ray polarimetry using the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) provides insights into magnetic field structures and particle acceleration mechanisms in young supernova remnants (SNRs).
The researchers discuss X-ray polarization observations from Cassiopeia A, Tycho, SN 1006 (Chandra and Spitzer image shown with overlay of IXPE image and magnetic field measurements), and RX J1713.7-3946 in order to examine the geometry and turbulence levels of magnetic fields near the SNR shocks.
The researchers identify significant variations in magnetic field configurations and turbulence levels that help to refine models of diffusive shock acceleration and magnetic field amplification in SNRs, enhancing their understanding of cosmic ray production and high-energy particle physics.
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Unveiling Performance and Decision-Making Insights in Emerging Technologies
All articles in Technologies (ISSN 2227-7080) Vol 12, Issue 11, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wPY14
COVER STORY:
The paper by researchers at the Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών University of Patras dives deep into evaluating two leading frameworks—Apache Spark GraphX and Apache Flink—providing critical insights into their performance, scalability, and applicability across diverse domains like IoT, AI, and blockchain.
Through rigorous benchmarking, this study uncovers the strengths of GraphX in batch processing tasks with in-memory optimization, making it ideal for machine learning and blockchain operations. Conversely, Flink excels in real-time stream processing, demonstrating its suitability for IoT applications that demand low-latency operations. This research not only evaluates computational efficiency but also explores the systems’ decision-making implications, highlighting their role in addressing the evolving needs of modern technology ecosystems.
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Meditation to Treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Researchers from the US conducted the largest review and meta-analysis to date on the use of meditation for the treatment of PTSD. In the study published by the Open Access journal Medicina, the researchers analysed 61 studies that used meditation to treat PTSD.
The studies included 3,400 participants diagnosed with PTSD and all types of trauma. The researchers compared the effectiveness of the meditation techniques by using meta-regression analysis. They identified that all meditation practices used for treating PTSD in all groups show benefits in mitigating the symptoms of PTSD. However, Transcendental Meditation (TM) showed a significantly larger effect than the other categories.
Read more here ⬇️: https://brnw.ch/21wPUCS
MDPI supports societies in their Open Access journey, Medicina is an example of a journal supported by the MDPI societies team.
WNT & TGF-Beta Alterations In Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer in Hispanics/Latinos
All articles in Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694) Vol 16, Issue 23, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wPORp
COVER STORY: Hispanic/Latino patients face disproportionately high rates of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients, yet the roles of WNT and TGF-Beta pathways in this population remain unclear. Using cBioPortal, researchers from within the US analyzed pathway alterations by age and ethnicity.
While differences between early- and late-onset CRC were minimal within Hispanic/Latino patients, significant variations emerged compared to NHWs, including frequent BMP7 alterations in patients that were Hispanic/Latino. Notably, early-onset Hispanic/Latino patients showed improved outcomes when TGF-Beta pathway alterations were absent. These findings highlight ethnic differences in CRC biology, potentially informing tailored therapies to address disparities.
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Researchers from the Brain Chemistry Lab show how peptide molecules called cyclotides from violet flowers, can increase the sensitivity of glioblastoma to chemotherapy.
The article, published in the Open Access journal Biomedicines shows how the cyclotides increased cancer cell toxicity when treated with the chemotherapy drug Temozolomide.
The researchers also tested a synthetic form of the peptide, called Kalata B1 and confirmed that it induced chemosensitivity in the cancer cells when treated with Temozolomide.
The research is the groundwork for future animal studies to test the potential effectiveness of cyclotides in treating glioblastoma.
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Medicalized Aesthetic Uses of Exosomes for Prejuvenation and Rejuvenation
All articles in Cosmetics (ISSN 2079-9284) Vol 11, Issue 5, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wPKE8
COVER STORY: Recent advancements in aesthetic medicine have introduced innovative solutions to enhance skin quality and appearance, addressing aging, pigmentation imbalance, loss of elasticity, hair loss, and scars.
Exosomes—nanoscale vesicles crucial for intercellular communication—have emerged as key players in tissue regeneration. Clinically proven to provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and rejuvenating effects, exosomes, stem cell secretomes, and cell culture-conditioned media are gaining traction in the cosmetic industry.
Human-, animal-, and plant-derived exosomes are seen as promising for skin prejuvenation, rejuvenation, scar management, and hair regrowth. This review from researchers in Switzerland highlights their mechanisms and explores their future applications in medical aesthetics.
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Silk Sericin: A Sustainable Protein Revolutionizing Science and Industry
All articles in the Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983) Vol 15, Issue 11, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wPHSw
COVER STORY: This paper by authors at Politecnico di Milano explores silk sericin, a once-overlooked protein from silkworms, is transforming industries due to its remarkable, innovative properties. Biocompatible, biodegradable, and multifunctional, sericin delivers antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and UV-protective benefits.
Sustainable and eco-friendly extraction techniques have unlocked its potential in biomedicine, enabling breakthroughs in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and serum-free cell culture media while revolutionizing cosmetics, food packaging, and textiles with eco-friendly advancements. Despite challenges related to sericin’s economic viability and weak mechanical properties, its versatility positions it as a transformative material for diverse applications, paving the way for a greener and more innovative future.
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Researchers from the University of Gothenburg recently published novel research that investigated the presence of pain receptors in shore crabs.
Medical research using animal models has saved millions of lives and continues to play a crucial role in developing treatments and vaccines as well as furthering the understanding of certain diseases. However, awareness of animal sentience and protecting animals during these experiments is extremely important. Moreover, the regulation of animal experiments is crucial for science; they can affect the quality and impact of the research.
Knowledge and legislation around animal welfare in research are constantly developing, but animal sentience in some animals is still misunderstood. Decapods are currently not recognised as animals capable of animal sentience in the EU. The study recently published in the Open Access journal @Biology_MDPI aimed to prove that decapods can feel pain.
Read more here⬇️: https://brnw.ch/21wPF3L
Turning Waste into Wealth: Efficient Gallium Recovery from Gasification Slag
All articles in Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049) Vol 29, Issue 22, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wPDRL
COVER STORY: This study by researchers in China showcases a sustainable approach to gallium recovery using silane-modified mesoporous silica derived from coal gasification slag. The material, with its high specific surface area and functionalized surface, achieves 99% gallium adsorption efficiency under optimal conditions.
The adsorption mechanism was investigated and revealed excellent selectivity and reusability, retaining over 85% performance after five cycles. This innovative approach highlights a green, cost-effective solution for addressing critical resource scarcity and industrial waste utilization challenges.
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All articles in Foods (ISSN 2304-8158) Vol 13, Issue 22, are now freely available to access, read and download: https://brnw.ch/21wPBsJ
COVER STORY: A risk assessment model was developed through an international collaboration of authors to evaluate the risk of listeriosis linked to the consumption of non-ready-to-eat frozen vegetables. In a reference scenario, the model estimated that 9.4% of 500 g packages of frozen vegetables would be contaminated at the end of processing, although at levels < 10 CFU/g.
Assuming that during handling at home 20% of 50 g portions of frozen vegetables would be left to thaw at room temperature for 2 hours, the lot-level mean risk of listeriosis in the susceptible population would be 2.765 × 10−17 (median 5.184 × 10−18) for cooked servings.
Multiple scenarios showed that not cooking the non-RTE product contributes to the risk to a greater extent than the level of contamination in the incoming raw vegetables, which in turn is more influential than the level of contamination in the processing environment.
Read more: https://brnw.ch/21wPBsJ
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