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Fibrosis is a deleterious invasion of tissues associated with many pathological conditions, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) for which no cure is at present available for its prevention or its treatment. Fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are resident cells in the human skeletal muscle and can differentiate into myofibroblasts, which represent the key cell population responsible for fibrosis. In this study, we delineated the pool of microRNAs (miRNAs) that are specifically modulated by TGFβ1 in FAPs versus myogenic progenitors (MPs) by a global miRNome analysis. A subset of candidates, including several “FibromiRs”, was found differentially expressed between FAPs and MPs and was also deregulated in DMD versus healthy biopsies. Among them, the expression of the TGFβ1-induced miR-199a~214 cluster was strongly correlated with the fibrotic score in DMD biopsies. Loss-of-function experiments in FAPs indicated that a miR-214-3p inhibitor efficiently blocked expression of fibrogenic markers in both basal conditions and following TGFβ1 stimulation. We found that FGFR1 is a functional target of miR-214-3p, preventing the signaling of the anti-fibrotic FGF2 pathway during FAP fibrogenesis. Overall, our work demonstrates that the « FibromiR » miR-214-3p is a key activator of FAP fibrogenesis by modulating the FGF2/FGFR1/TGFβ axis, opening new avenues for the treatment of DMD.

All over the world, many ports have implemented surveillance camera systems to monitor the vessels and activities around them. These types of systems are not very effective in accurately detecting activities around the port due to background noise and congestion interference at the sea surface. This is why it is difficult to accurately detect vessels, especially smaller vessels, when it turns dark. It is known that some vessels do not comply with maritime rules, particularly in port and safety zones; these must be detected to avoid incidents. For these reasons, in this study, we propose and develop an improved multi-structural morphology (IMSM) approach to eliminate all of this noise and interference so that vessels can be accurately detected in real time. With this new approach, the target vessel is separated from the sea surface background through the weighted morphological filtering of several datasets of structural components. Then, neighborhood-based adaptive fast median filtering is used to filter out impulse noise. Finally, a characteristic morphological model of the target vessel is established using the connected domain; this allows the sea surface congestion to be eliminated and the movement of vessels to be detected in real time. Multiple tests are carried out on a small and discrete area of moving vessels. The results from several collected datasets show that the proposed approach can effectively eliminate background noise and congestion interference in video monitoring. The detection accuracy rate and the processing time are improved by approximately 3.91% and 1.14 s, respectively.

This article explores the advancements in biodegradable food packaging materials derived from wheat. Wheat, a predominant global cereal crop, offers a sustainable alternative to conventional single-use plastics through its starch, gluten, and fiber components. This study highlights the fabrication processes of wheat-based materials, including solvent casting and extrusion, and their applications in enhancing the shelf life and quality of packaged foods. Recent innovations demonstrate effectiveness in maintaining food quality, controlling moisture content, and providing microbiological protection. Despite the promising potential, challenges such as moisture content and interfacial adhesion in composites remain. This review concludes with an emphasis on the environmental benefits and future trends in wheat-based packaging materials.

The use of natural reducing and capping agents has gained importance as a way to synthesize nanoparticles (NPs) in an environmentally sustainable manner. Increasing numbers of studies have been published on the green synthesis of NPs using natural sources such as bacteria, fungi, and plants. In recent years, the use of honey in the synthesis of metal and metal oxide NPs has become a new and promising area of research. Honey acts as both a stabilizing and reducing agent in the NP synthesis process and serves as a precursor. This review focuses on the use of honey in the synthesis of silver NPs (Ag-NPs) and zinc oxide NPs (ZnO-NPs), emphasizing its role as a reducing and capping agent. Additionally, a comprehensive examination of the bio-based reducing and capping/stabilizing agents used in the honey-mediated biosynthesis mechanism is provided. Finally, the review looks forward to environmentally friendly methods for NP synthesis.

Dabai (Canarium odontophyllum) is a fruit-bearing plant native to Borneo. Its fruit is an indigenous seasonal fruit that is considered to be underutilized due to its short shelf life. However, new products have been developed to ensure a continuous supply of dabai fruit throughout the year. Hence, the exploration of dabai fruits in characterizations and utilization for food products and essential oil has expanded exponentially. This review addresses the nutritional values, health benefits, potential food products, and essential oil processing of dabai fruit. All parts of dabai fruit, such as the pulp, skin, and kernel, contain a considerable amount of bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, and nutrients. Moreover, dabai fruit has also been proven to have health benefits such as an antioxidant capacity, cholesterol reduction, diabetes type 2 prevention, and reduction in the risk of heart disease. Some potential dabai-based food products and oil processing of dabai are also highlighted. The future perspectives and challenges concerning the potential uses of dabai are critically addressed at the end of this review. Based on this review, it is proven that dabai has various health benefits and represents a potential breakthrough in the agricultural and food industries.

Wounds with impaired healing, including delayed acute injuries and chronic injuries, generally fail to progress through normal healing stages. A deeper understanding of the biochemical processes involved in chronic wound cures is necessary to correct the microenvironmental imbalances in the wound treatment designs of products. The therapeutic benefits of honey, particularly its antimicrobial activity, make it a viable option for wound treatment in a variety of situations. Integration with nanotechnology has opened up new possibilities not only for wound healing but also for other medicinal applications. In this review, recent advances in honey-based nanoparticles for wound healing are discussed. This also covers the mechanism of the action of nanoparticles in the wound healing process and perspectives on the challenges and future trends of using honey-based nanoparticles. The underlying mechanisms of wound healing using honey are believed to be attributed to hydrogen peroxide, high osmolality, acidity, non-peroxide components, and phenols. Therefore, incorporating honey into various wound dressings has become a major trend due to the increasing demand for combination dressings in the global wound dressing market because these dressings contain two or more types of chemical and physical properties to ensure optimal functionality. At the same time, their multiple features (low cost, biocompatibility, and swelling index) and diverse fabrication methods (electrospun fibres, hydrogels, etc.) make them a popular choice among researchers.

The stingless bee has been gaining more attention in recent years due to the uniqueness and benefits of its products. Similar to the common honeybee, stingless bees also produce honey, propolis, and pollen, which offer superior benefits for direct or indirect consumption. However, reports on the benefits of stingless bee products are scarce. This article summarises recent reports on stingless bee products. The function and application of the properties of the products such as phenolic compounds, antioxidant properties, and chemical content are elucidated. The antimicrobial properties and anticancer potential of the products are also highlighted. Future trends, potential, and uniqueness of stingless bee products are discussed. Stingless bee honey is highlighted as a superfood that exceptionally has the potential to be an active ingredient in treating cancer. Stingless bee propolis has been extensively studied for its rich beneficial chemical compounds that contribute to its antioxidant properties. Though studies on stingless bee pollen are scarce, it has been reported that it also has the potential of being a functional food.

Nanoemulsions (NEs) have been used in a wide range of products, such as those produced by the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries, due to their stability and long shelf life. In the present study, stingless bee honey (SBH) NEs were formulated using SBH, oleic acid, tween 80, glycerol, and double-distilled water. SBH NEs were prepared using a high-pressure homogeniser and were characterised by observing their stability and droplet size. Fourier Transform-Infrared (FTIR) analysis was used to observe the functional groups of the SBH NEs after being subjected to high-pressure homogenisation. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images were then used to confirm the particle size of the SBH NEs and to investigate their morphology. The effects of the independent variables (percentage of oleic acid, storage time, and storage temperature) on the response variables (particle size and polydispersity index) were investigated using the response surface methodology, along with a three-level factorial design. The results showed that the models developed via the response surface methodology were reliable, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of more than 0.90. The experimental validation indicated an error of less than 10% in the actual results compared to the predicted results. The FTIR analysis showed that SBH NEs have the same functional group as SBH. Observation through TEM indicated that the SBH NEs had a similar particle size, which was between 10 and 100 nm. Thus, this study shows that SBH NEs can be developed using a high-pressure homogeniser, which indicates a new direction for SBH by-products.

This study evaluated the respiration rate of coated and uncoated (control) papayas (Carica papaya L.) with 15% of Kelulut honey (KH) nanoparticles (Nps) coating solution during cold storage at 12 ± 1 °C for 21 days. The respiration rate of the papayas significantly changed during storage, with an increase in CO2 and a decrease in O2 and C2H4, while the ascorbic acid and total phenolic content was maintained. The changes in respiration rate were rather slower for coated papayas when compared to control ones. A kinetic model was established from the experimental data to describe the changes of O2, CO2, and C2H4 production in papayas throughout the storage period. All O2, CO2, and C2H4 were experimentally retrieved from a closed system method and then represented by the Peleg model. The outcomes indicated the Peleg constant K1 and K2, which were gained from linear regression analysis and coefficients of determination (R2), seemed to fit well with the experimental data, whereby the R2 values exceeded 0.85 for both coated and control papayas. The model confirmed both the capability and predictability aspects of the respiration rate displayed by papayas coated with KH Nps throughout the cold storage period. This is supported by the differences in the stomatal aperture of coated and control papaya shown by microstructural images.