Browse Our Biology and Life Sciences Journals
Biology is a study of living objects and their life processes. It examines all aspects of living organisms such as their occurrence, classification, internal and external structure, nutrition, reproduction, inheritance, etc. The term “biology” is commonly replaced by the terms “life sciences” and “biological sciences.” There are dozens of branches of biology. Some of the major ones include:
Biology and Life Sciences
Abstract
Gluten-free bread (GFB) consisting of amaranth flour, tigernut (chufa tuber) flour, apple powder, carrot powder, and soy protein isolate can have osteoprotective effects. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) was chosen as a model of experimental osteoporosis. Experimental studies were carried out on white male Wistar rats (n = 150): Group 1 – healthy animals receiving standard diet (StD); Group 2 – GIO rats receiving StD; Group 3 – GIO animals receiving zoledronic acid (ZA) and StD; Group 4 – GIO rats receiving ZA and GFB; Group 5 – GIO animals receiving GFB. We evaluated the general condition of animals and carried out morphological and biochemical studies. Destructive changes in the spatial structure of the bone tissue in GIO, observed in Group 2, led to the inability of the bone to withstand the functional load. At the same time, isolated treatment with ZA had virtually no effect on the final morphological picture. Including GFB in the diet of experimental animals both alone and with ZA had a noticeable protective effect on conditions triggering GIO.
Abstract
Similar to other regions, in East Central Europe, agriculture is the most vulnerable sector regarding the consequences of climate change through increasing variability in weather conditions, even on the short-term and local scales. Agricultural engineers make decisions; higher education has a crucial role in taking proper actions. Our survey aimed to get up-to-date information on the knowledge and attitude of graduating students completing agriculture-related studies at 6 universities located in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, with particular attention to weather projections, crop production, and soil protection issues. Analyses revealed adequate lexical knowledge of young engineers in each country. They are familiar with the agro-environmental actualities and future trends, issues to address at the right time, and the repertoire of tools and practices for taking efficient measures. A positive attitude toward proactive actions was proved. We report proof of a high level of preparedness resulting from the proper efficacy of agricultural higher education. The content of the curricula and the teaching methodologies meet well the receptiveness to learning in the V4 countries. Our findings confirm that frequent updating of the content of subjects as well as incorporating practical applications that promote active learning and engagement, are more critical today than ever, and it is possible to achieve a high level of preparedness for the challenges in the agricultural sector.
Abstract
This study analyzed the impact of storing Golden Delicious apples at 3 °C with a relative humidity of 85 ± 5% in two environments, namely a darkroom (D03) and a lightroom (L03), on the fruit quality. The research evaluated weight loss (Δm) and color metrics (a*, b*, L*, ΔE, C*, hue angle). The number of apples used for each storage was 12. Weight loss was calculated by measuring the changes in mass during storage. Color differences (ΔE), chroma (C*), and hue angle were determined based on the L*a*b* scale values. Apples stored at 3 °C in D03 experienced a minimal percentage of weight loss of 7.02%. The results indicated that compared to the D03 storage, the L03 storage had a more significant increase in Δm and color variation. The non-destructive method of measuring color characteristics facilitates the assessment of the storage conditions for Golden Delicious apples.
Abstract
Nutritional information on packaging is becoming increasingly important in the food industry. Currently, labels are seen not only on the back of the packaging but also on the front. As there are many versions of front-of-pack labels (FoPLs), the research aims to determine which helps consumers the most in making decisions about which food to include in a healthier lifestyle. Nutri-Score, Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) and Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL) FoPLs on cereals were compared using eye-tracking (ET) and choice-based conjoint analysis (CBCA). CBCA was used to assess consumer preferences and the labels and products were also ranked. Based on the results, GDA type FoPL proved to be the most useful based on conjoint analysis, ranking and the analysis of ET parameters. This label helped participants the most in choosing the product that best fits into a healthier lifestyle. The Nutri-Score label, which offers little information on a product's nutritional content, was not favourably received by the Hungarian sample, who preferred more detailed FoP labels.
Abstract
This study aimed to survey the current distribution of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) seropositivity within the cat population in Budapest area. Therefore, blood samples of 123 cats aged 0.5–18 years were collected. The measurements were performed by the commercial ID Screen® Toxoplasmosis Indirect Multi-species ELISA kit. The results indicate an overall 31.7% of seropositivity, which was significantly increasing with age. A correlation was also detected between the outdoor lifestyle and T. gondii infection. A significantly higher proportion of cats living outdoors were seropositive (38.8%) compared to those living indoor (18.6%) (P = 0.022). Finally, our study indicates a lower T. gondii seropositivity rate in cats compared to previous studies from Hungary, as well as from other European regions.
A vízpótlás talajvízszintre gyakorolt hatásának értékelése egy délnyugat-magyarországi példán keresztül
Evaluation of the water supply’s impact on groundwater levels, with an example from South-West Hungary
Az Európát is érintő jelenlegi, napjainkban zajló éghajlatváltozás statisztikailag szignifikáns felmelegedési tendenciával jellemezhető. Az éghajlatváltozás hatása a csapadékviszonyok és az evapotranszspirációs folyamatok megváltoztatásán keresztül érinti a vízkörforgalmat, így a csapadék eloszlásának és mennyiségének várható változásai a folyamatosan emelkedő hőmérséklettel együtt a növények nagyobb vízfelhasználását eredményezhetik, ami változásokat indukálhat a talajnedvességben, a talajvízben és ennek következtében a vízmérlegben. Az emelkedő hőmérséklet hatására a jövőben a növekvő transzspirációs igény valószínűleg a növényi közösségek fokozott talajvízfelvételét eredményezi, ami a talajvízszint további csökkenését is magával vonhatja. Ha ez bekövetkezik, a talajvízfüggő erdei közösségek regenerálódása ezeken a területeken kérdésessé válik, mivel a fiatal fák gyökérzete nem fogja tudni elérni a vízforrást. Következésképpen a Kárpát-medence sík vidékein és vizes élőhelyein a nagy vízigényű erdők fennmaradása kérdésessé válhat. A fás vegetáció számára kiemelten fontos a talajvíz szerepe a vegetációs időszakban, éppen ezért a talajvízszint változását régóta, rendszeresen monitorozzák.
Konkrét megoldás lehet az árhullámok visszaduzzasztásából származó vízpótlás. A pozitív vízpótlási beavatkozásokra példa a Kaszó LIFE projekt. A projekt célja a leromlott élőhelyek rehabilitációja volt, ami a kedvező ökológiai állapot stabilizálásával teszi lehetővé a hosszú távú megőrzést. A megvalósítás eszközeként tórehabilitációt és folyó-mederbordákat alkalmaztak, biztosítva a Szentai-erdő (Nyugat-belső-somogyi kistérség) erdeinek, kis lápjainak és gyepterületeinek vízellátás javítását.
Jelen kutatás célja pedig a Kaszó LIFE projekt vízpótlási beavatkozásai után, azok felszín alatti vízszintre gyakorolt hidrológiai hatásainak elemzése volt. A meteorológiai adatok és a monitoring adatok alapján elmondható, hogy a Szentai-erdőben 30 éves szárazodási tendencia volt tapasztalható, amelynek elsődleges mutatója a talajvízszint csökkenése. Kiemelendőek a 2016–2017-es vizsgálati időszak évei, amikor az alapvetően lefolyástalan vizsgálati területen nem volt elegendő csapadék a talajvíz szintjének fenntartásához. Kutatási eredményeink azonban azt mutatták, hogy a vízpótlást célzó beavatkozások (mederbordák és tározótavak) összességében a talajvízszint emelkedését biztosítják.
A két beavatkozási típus talajvízszint emelkedésére gyakorolt hatását vizsgálva arra a következtetésre jutottunk, hogy míg a tavak építése jelentősen befolyásolja a környező kutak vízszintjét, addig a mederbordák esetében kisebb mértékű a hatás.
This study explored the effects of salicylic acid on the growth and biochemical responses of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) under different soil salinity levels, a major challenge in agricultural productivity. The experiment was conducted using a factorial design with salicylic acid applied at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 50 ppm, combined with sodium chloride-induced salinity at 0, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 mg kg–1 soil. Results demonstrated that increasing soil salinity negatively impacted plant growth, reducing plant height, leaf number, and the dry weight of aerial parts. Salinity stress also led to reduced nutrient uptake, particularly for essential elements like calcium and potassium, while increasing sodium levels in plant tissues. However, the foliar application of salicylic acid, especially at 50 ppm, significantly improved growth parameters and mitigated the detrimental effects of salinity. Notably, at the highest salinity level (3,000 mg kg–1), salicylic acid enhanced plant height by 11.1% and leaf number by 30.9% compared to untreated plants. Salicylic acid also boosted biochemical responses, such as increasing total phenolic and flavonoid content, which are critical for stress tolerance. This study underscores the potential of salicylic acid as a stress mitigator, promoting better growth and physiological resilience in peppermint under saline conditions, offering valuable insights for improving crop performance in salinity-affected regions.
Abstract
Background
The study assessed replicative human immunodeficiency virus-(HIV-) infection and replicative co-infections as well as molecular determinants of reduced susceptibility towards anti-retroviral therapy in a Ghanaian population of known HIV patients and a control group.
Methods
Real-time PCRs for HIV-1, HIV-2, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were run with serum samples from known Ghanaian HIV-patients (n = 975) and control individuals (n = 105). For 108 individuals, HIV-sequence analysis was performed.
Results
Prevalence of replicative HIV-1 infection was 59.8% (583/975) in the known HIV-positive population and 2.9% (3/105) in the controls. Prevalences of replicative HBV-infection were comparable with 3.4% (33/975) in the HIV-positive individuals and 3.8% (4/105) in the controls. HIV-2 and HCV sequences were not recorded. Almost perfect concordance between two compared HIV-1-PCR assays was indicated by Fleiss' Kappa >0.8. Sanger sequencing indicated CRF_02AG, G and A3 as the quantitatively dominating HIV-1 subtypes, a minority of 3.4% CXCR4 tropism and high detection rates of mutations mediating reduced susceptibility towards nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (71.9%, 64/89), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (95.5%, 85/89), protease inhibitors (95.9%, 93/97) and integrase inhibitors (22.4%, 22/98).
Conclusions
The assessment did not suggest HIV-triggered increased replication of HBV and HCV in the investigated Ghanaian population.
Abstract
The number of human infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is increasing worldwide and constitutes a serious threat to human health. Given the lack of novel antibiotic compounds worsening this dilemma, alternative antibiotic-independent treatment and prevention strategies of infectious diseases applying natural compounds appear highly appreciable. Given the long-known health-beneficial and disease-alleviating properties of Cannabis, we performed a literature search summarizing current knowledge regarding the antibacterial effects of extracts from different parts of the Cannabis sativa plant and of defined Cannabis-derived molecules and their potential mode of action. The included studies revealed that various extracts and essential oils of C. sativa as well as major cannabinoids exerted potent activities against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria and against some Gram-negative bacterial species including MDR strains. Particularly the disruption of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane by some cannabinoids resulted in potent antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, defined cannabinoids inhibited the formation of and eradicated existing bacterial biofilms. In conclusion, given their antibacterial properties distinct Cannabis-derived molecules expand the repertoire of antibiotics-independent treatment options in the combat of bacterial infectious diseases which should be further addressed in future studies including clinical trials.
Abstract
Background
The exploratory study assessed trends in the abundance of CTX-M-type extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and vancomycin-resistance genes vanA and vanB in the stool samples of German soldiers and police officers returning from predominantly tropical deployments next to the common diarrheagenic Escherichia (E.) coli pathovars enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC)) as well as rarely imported Vibrio spp. between 2006 and 2024.
Methods
Surveillance was performed applying real-time polymerase chain reaction and results were stratified by World Health Organization region of deployment as well as by deployment period. For the latter, the study interval was divided into three pre-COVID-19-pandemic periods, the COVID-19-pandemic period and the post-COVID-19-pandemic period. Averaged prevalences were used as references.
Results
In stool samples of 1817 deployed German soldiers and 117 police officers, averaged prevalences were 47.9% and 24.8% for the ESBL-type beta-lactamase bla CTX-M, 30.2% and 14.5% for vanB, 9.0% and 17.9% for EPEC, 3.4% and 12.8% for ETEC, 4.0% and 3.4% for EAEC as well as 2.0% and 3.4% for Vibrio spp., respectively. While resistance genes peaked during early deployments, maximum prevalences for enteropathogens were seen later.
Conclusions
The assessment suggested time- and region-dependence of the assessed parameters.
