Lactophorin, also known as glycosylation-dependent cell adhesion molecule 1, is a phosphorylated glycoprotein found in bovine and caprine milks. This protein is located on the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), with only a weak association to it. Bovine lactophorin exhibits anti-rotavirus and antibacterial activities and provides stable emulsifying properties during milk processing. In this study, a semi-quantitative method for comparing lactophorin levels in bovine and caprine dairy products was developed using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis of LPLSILK, a shared common proteotypic peptide between the two species. A single prominent LPLSILK peak was clearly detected on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) chromatograms of tryptic digests from bovine and caprine milk protein extracts, enabling straightforward cross-species comparison based on normalized peak areas. Lactophorin levels were evaluated as normalized LPLSILK peak areas per unit volume (milk) or per unit weight (milk powder), without the use of a stable isotope-labeled internal standard or an external calibration curve. Using this semi-quantitative framework, no statistically significant difference was observed between bovine and caprine milks (P = 0.39). The method was also applicable to milk powders. Future in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to further examine the biological activities of caprine lactophorin, particularly its potential antimicrobial and antiviral properties.

Soil management and herbicide selection are vital to wheat production in semi-arid agroecosystems; however, their relative contributions to crop physiology and yield formation remain poorly quantified under field conditions, particularly in semi-arid environments. This study, conducted during the 2025–2026 growing season, evaluated three sulfonylurea-based treatments: Metsulfuron methyl, tribenuron methyl + metsulfuron methyl (mixture), and thifensulfuron methyl in spring wheat under two management systems, conventional tillage (CT) and stubble retention (SR), across two sites in Northern Kazakhstan. Results indicated that canopy development, physiological performance, and grain yield were significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) under CT compared with stubble retention, with yield increases ranging from 14% to 65% depending on site and treatment. Herbicide-treated plots recorded a significant 24%–30% higher grain yield than the untreated control, although differences among active ingredients were generally modest. Physiological indices indicated no evidence of herbicide-induced stress at recommended rates, as chlorophyll content (SPAD) and the effective quantum yield of photosystem II remained stable at heading. Strong and moderate positive correlations were observed between grain yield and tillering coefficient and grains per spike (r = 0.86*** and r = 0.47**, respectively). Yield path analysis further revealed site-specific mechanisms, with tillering coefficient exerting the strongest direct effect on yield at Site A (β = 0.60), and grains per spike dominating at Site B (β = 0.55). Hierarchical clustering further revealed that soil management defined overall trait structure, whereas herbicide-related differences were secondary and expressed primarily under favorable conditions. The research findings highlight the predominant role of soil management in regulating wheat productivity and physiological performance. This further emphasizes the importance of integrating effective weed control with adaptive soil management strategies to improve yield stability in semi-arid agroecosystems.

This study evaluated the effects of including date palm leaves (DPL) in the diets of lactating Farafra ewes on milk yield, fatty acid composition, and the quality of white soft cheese produced from their milk. The leaves were ensiled either untreated, with fibrolytic enzymes (ENZ), or with multi-species probiotics (MSP). Diets included DPL at 50% or 100% of the forage portion. Ensiling DPL with ENZ or MSP significantly increased milk yield (linear effect, p < 0.01) and enhanced milk components, including total solids, fat, lactose, and energy content (p < 0.001), with MSP diets producing higher solids-not-fat and lactose (p < 0.001) than ENZ. Both treatments improved milk fatty acid profiles by increasing polyunsaturated and conjugated linoleic acids and elevating the unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio, while reducing the atherogenicity index (p < 0.001). Cheese produced from milk of ewes fed treated DPL exhibited signs of accelerated ripening during 28 days of storage, as evidenced by increased titratable acidity, soluble nitrogen, and total volatile fatty acids, along with decreased pH. Moisture decreased significantly (p < 0.001), whereas acidity increased markedly (p < 0.001) during storage across all treatments, and total volatile fatty acids also increased (p < 0.001), reaching the highest values in MSP100 cheeses at the end of storage. Total and soluble nitrogen contents also increased over storage (p < 0.001), indicating enhanced proteolysis. Sensory scores for flavor, texture, and appearance improved significantly in ENZ and MSP groups (p ≤ 0.011), with higher overall acceptability observed in ENZ50 cheese, followed by MSP50 (p < 0.001). Textural analysis showed marked increases in hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness during storage (p < 0.001). Cheeses from the MSP50 group exhibited superior texture attributes, including hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness values compared to other treatments (p < 0.01). The interaction between treatment and storage time was significant for most parameters (p < 0.01), confirming the dynamic influence of diet and ripening duration. In conclusion, feeding lactating ewes with DPL ensiled with fibrolytic enzymes or MSP improved milk yield, fatty acid composition, and the sensory and textural qualities of white soft cheese. The results highlight treated DPL as a promising feed option for sustainable dairy production.

Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché) is a fruit rich in bioactive compounds; however, in its immature state, it is highly perishable. This limited shelf life requires the application of postharvest technologies, such as refrigeration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in antioxidant content and enzymatic activity in immature C. ficifolia fruit during storage. Immature fruits were stored for 15 days at 5 and 10 ℃ [95% relative humidity (RH)] and room temperature (22 ℃, 83% RH). Weight loss, total polyphenols and flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity were assessed every five days; phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC, and enzymatic activity was also monitored. The results indicate that the greatest weight loss occurred at 22 ℃ (9.2%). Concentration of total polyphenols and flavonoids was higher at 10 and 22 ℃ (0.24–0.27 mg EAG g⁻¹ FW and 0.061–0.076 mg ECAT g⁻¹FW, respectively). A decrease in ascorbic acid content was observed across all temperatures (averaging 17.1 mg EAA 100 g⁻¹FW). Higher antioxidant activity was recorded at 5 and 10 ℃ for FRAP (1.03 and 0.93 µmol Etrolox g⁻¹ FW, respectively) and at 10 and 22 ℃ for DPPH (1.5 and 1.3 µmol ET g⁻¹ FW, respectively). Four phenolic compounds were identified: p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid. p-Hydroxybenzoic acid (noted anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial properties) was the most abundant at 10 and 22 ℃. Furthermore, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) enzymatic activities were lower at 10 and 22 ℃ (0.047–0.060 U min⁻¹ g⁻¹ FW and 1.01–0.89 U min⁻¹ g⁻¹ FW, respectively). Consequently, a storage temperature of 10 ℃ is proposed to preserve the bioactive compounds of immature chilacayote for up to 15 days.

Anthraquinone compounds (AQCs) are functional constituents of various medicinal and edible plants belonging to families such as Fabaceae, Polygonaceae, and Liliaceae. They include sennosides, emodin, rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion, which show physiological activities, such as bowel movement promotion, hepatoprotection, anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidation, as well as antimicrobial properties. The seeds of Cassia occidentalis L. (Fabaceae), an annual herb widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, are abundant in anthraquinone compounds, of which sennosides account for approximately 80% of the total anthrone-related constituents, and have traditionally been used as stimulant laxatives. However, sennosides are inactive forms and do not exert physiological effects until they reach the colon, where they are biotransformed by intestinal microbiota into downstream metabolites with biological activity. The major bioactive sennoside metabolites are rhein anthrone and rhein, which can be detected in the mouse colon within 2–3 h after oral administration of sennosides, confirming the crucial role of gut microbiota, particularly the intestinal probiotics Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, in sennoside conversion. This study aimed to investigate whether commercially available common gut probiotics possess the ability to hydrolyze sennosides in C. occidentalis extracts, to determine the suitable conditions for such hydrolysis, and to further evaluate the efficiency of sennoside conversion into physcion and rhein. Of the 20 commonly used intestinal probiotic strains tested in this study, Lactobacillus delbrueckiisubsp. lactis (BCRC 14069) and Lactobacillus helveticus (BCRC 14092) were the most efficient at sennoside hydrolysis. Under suitable conversion conditions, the hydrolysis rate reached over 95%, reducing the residual sennoside content to 6–7 mg/g while significantly enhancing the production efficiency of the downstream metabolites, physcion and rhein. Furthermore, even when administered at relatively high doses according to different application needs, the hydrolyzed products remained compliant with both Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) (12 mg/day) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (10 mg/day) regulatory limits. These findings provide scientific support for microbial biotransformation and the potential use of anthraquinone compounds, and a way to mitigate the adverse effects (such as intestinal dependence and electrolyte imbalance) of traditional sennoside-based products. This work facilitated the development of C. occidentalis or sennoside-based products for use in functional foods and nutraceuticals and promotes their modernization in herbal applications.

Although buffalo meat is an important component of livestock-based diets in tropical smallholder systems, there has been limited empirical research on consumer food safety-related behaviors associated with its consumption. Thus, we examined the behavioral determinants of buffalo meat consumer safety based on the Knowledge–Attitudes–Practices (KAP) framework. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to survey data from 250 buffalo meat consumers in Northern Thailand to assess the direct, indirect, and predictive relationships among the KAP constructs. There were significant correlations across all constructs, the strongest of which was between attitudes and practices (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). Knowledge had a positive effect on attitudes (β = 0.471, p < 0.001) and influenced practices directly (β = 0.312, p < 0.001) and indirectly through attitudes (β = 0.235, p < 0.001). Attitudes had the strongest direct effect on practices (β = 0.499, p < 0.001). The model demonstrated moderate explanatory power and high predictive relevance, and all Q² values were greater than zero. These findings indicate that the mechanisms underlying perception and attitude are the key predictors of safe buffalo meat consumption. On the other hand, demographic factors account for only a small portion of behavioral variance. This study is novel because it represents the first empirical investigation of buffalo meat consumption behavior in a tropical livestock context. The results can be used to design consumer-focused communication, education, and market interventions to improve food safety outcomes within buffalo meat supply chains.

Integrating plant density management with chitosan and amino acid-based biostimulant represents a promising strategy to enhance crop performance under water-limited conditions. In this study, we evaluated the combined effects of plant density, foliar chitosan, and amino acid-based biostimulant on sunflower growth, morphophysiological traits, and yield under water deficit conditions. A field experiment was conducted using a split-split-plot design with four replicates, where plant density (25,000 and 50,000 plants ha⁻¹) was assigned to the main plots, chitosan application (0 and 200 mg L⁻¹) to the subplots, and amino acid-based biostimulant (0 and 1.2 mL L⁻¹ as VIUSID^® Agro) to the sub-subplots. Our results indicated that increasing plant density from 25,000 to 50,000 plants ha⁻¹ significantly enhanced crop performance under water-deficit conditions, improving growth indices and seed yield. The combined treatment D_50,000Q₂₀₀A_1.2 (50,000 plants ha⁻¹ + 200 mg L⁻¹ chitosan + 1.2 mL L⁻¹ amino acids) produced the strongest responses and the highest seed yield when compared with D_25,000Q₀A₀ (25,000 plants ha⁻¹ without chitosan or amino acid application). Specifically, D_50,000Q₂₀₀A_1.2 increased plant height by 66%–70%, leaf area by 56%–71%, leaf area index by 111%–127%, dry biomass by 92%–169%, and relative chlorophyll content by 39%–47%, indicating enhanced photosynthetic capacity under water-deficit conditions. These improvements translated into substantial yield gains, with seed yield increasing by up to 3.1-fold relative to the D_25,000Q₀A₀ treatment. Overall, these findings demonstrated that the synergistic integration of optimized plant density with foliar chitosan and amino acid biostimulants enhances sunflower growth, physiological performance, and productivity under water-deficit conditions, providing a robust and sustainable strategy for improving crop resilience and yield stability.