Mapping cumulative compound hydrometeorological and marine-induced risks on the NW Mediterranean coast.

Coastal risks in the Mediterranean are a result of the complex interplay between hydrometeorological and marine hazards. The region encompasses areas with varying degrees of vulnerability to these hazards, as well as spatial variations in exposure values, making it essential to adopt a comprehensive and nuanced approach to risk assessment and management. It is worth noting that hydrometeorological hazards, such as flash floods, can often have a greater impact than strictly coastal hazards, highlighting the need to consider the full range of potential risks.

Measuring Marine Biotoxins in a Hypersaline Coastal Lagoon.

Marine biotoxins have posed a persistent problem along various coasts for many years. Coastal lagoons are ecosystems prone to phytoplankton blooms when altered by eutrophication. The Mar Menor is the largest hypersaline coastal lagoon in Europe.

Oral transmission of Chagas disease from a One Health approach: A systematic review.

Objective: To analyse acute Chagas disease (CD) outbreaks through a qualitative systematic review and discuss the determinants for its prevention and control.

Methods: Review of studies in which clinical cases of oral transmission were confirmed by parasitological and/or serological tests that included an epidemiological investigation of sources of infection, vectors and reservoirs.

Results: Thirty-two outbreaks (1965-2022) were analysed.

Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Conjugated with Amikacin and Combined with Hyperthermia against Drug-Resistant and Biofilm-Producing Strains.

In view of the current increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), there is an urgent need to find new strategies to combat it. This study had two aims. First, we synthesized highly monodispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of approximately 17 nm, and we functionalized them with mercaptopoly(ethylene glycol) carboxylic acid (mPEG-COOH) and amikacin (AK).

Structural basis for substrate specificity of heteromeric transporters of neutral amino acids.

Despite having similar structures, each member of the heteromeric amino acid transporter (HAT) family shows exquisite preference for the exchange of certain amino acids. Substrate specificity determines the physiological function of each HAT and their role in human diseases. However, HAT transport preference for some amino acids over others is not yet fully understood.

M-TRAP: Safety and performance of metastatic tumor cell trap device in advanced ovarian cancer patients.

Objective: Despite radical surgery and chemotherapy, most patients with ovarian cancer die due to disease progression. M-Trap is an implantable medical device designed to capture peritoneal disseminated tumor cells with the aim to focalize the disease. This trial analyzed the safety and performance of the device.

Depth Profile of Nitrifying Archaeal and Bacterial Communities in the Remote Oligotrophic Waters of the North Pacific.

Nitrification is a vital ecosystem function in the open ocean that regenerates inorganic nitrogen and promotes primary production. Recent studies have shown that the ecology and physiology of nitrifying organisms is more complex than previously postulated. The distribution of these organisms in the remote oligotrophic ocean and their interactions with the physicochemical environment are relatively understudied.

Monitoring Lipophilic Toxins in Seawater Using Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction and Liquid Chromatography with Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

The use of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) is proposed for the preconcentration of thirteen lipophilic marine toxins in seawater samples. For this purpose, 0.5 mL of methanol and 440 µL of chloroform were injected into 12 mL of sample.

Combining Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Enhanced Binding Free Energy Estimation through Markov State Models.

We present a multistep protocol, combining Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations, for the estimation of absolute binding free energies, one of the most significant challenges in computer-aided drug design. The protocol is based on an initial short enhanced Monte Carlo simulation, followed by clustering of the ligand positions, which serve to identify the most relevant states of the unbinding process. From these states, extensive molecular dynamics simulations are run to estimate an equilibrium probability distribution obtained with Markov State Models, which is subsequently used to estimate the binding free energy.

Spatial Variability of Heat-Related Mortality in Barcelona from 1992-2015: A Case Crossover Study Design.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the relationship between summer temperatures and increased heat-related deaths. Epidemiological analyses of the health effects of climate exposures usually rely on observations from the nearest weather station to assess exposure-response associations for geographically diverse populations. Urban climate models provide high-resolution spatial data that may potentially improve exposure estimates, but to date, they have not been extensively applied in epidemiological research.

Cytoplasmic Calcium Buffering: An Integrative Crosstalk.

Calcium (Ca) buffering is part of an integrative crosstalk between different mechanisms and elements involved in the control of free Ca ions persistence in the cytoplasm and hence, in the Ca-dependence of many intracellular processes. Alterations of Ca homeostasis and signaling from systemic to subcellular levels also play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of many diseases.Compared with Ca sequestration towards intracellular Ca stores, Ca buffering is a rapid process occurring in a subsecond scale.

PELE-MSM: A Monte Carlo Based Protocol for the Estimation of Absolute Binding Free Energies.

In this study, we present a fully automatic platform based on our Monte Carlo algorithm, the Protein Energy Landscape Exploration method (PELE), for the estimation of absolute protein-ligand binding free energies, one of the most significant challenges in computer aided drug design. Based on a ligand pathway approach, an initial short enhanced sampling simulation is performed to identify reasonable starting positions for more extended sampling. This stepwise approach allows for a significant faster convergence of the free energy estimation using the Markov State Model (MSM) technique.

Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam during multiple oral or intramuscular dose administration to African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) during administration of multiple doses. ANIMALS 6 healthy African grey parrots. PROCEDURES Meloxicam was administered at each of 3 dosages (1 mg/kg, IM, q 24 h, for 7 days; 1 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, for 12 days; and 1.

Adaptive simulations, towards interactive protein-ligand modeling.

Modeling the dynamic nature of protein-ligand binding with atomistic simulations is one of the main challenges in computational biophysics, with important implications in the drug design process. Although in the past few years hardware and software advances have significantly revamped the use of molecular simulations, we still lack a fast and accurate ab initio description of the binding mechanism in complex systems, available only for up-to-date techniques and requiring several hours or days of heavy computation. Such delay is one of the main limiting factors for a larger penetration of protein dynamics modeling in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam after intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration of a single dose to African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in avian species. In this study, the pharmacokinetic parameters for meloxicam were determined following single intravenous (i.v.

Integrated Monitoring of Mola mola Behaviour in Space and Time.

Over the last decade, ocean sunfish movements have been monitored worldwide using various satellite tracking methods. This study reports the near-real time monitoring of fine-scale (< 10 m) behaviour of sunfish. The study was conducted in southern Portugal in May 2014 and involved satellite tags and underwater and surface robotic vehicles to measure both the movements and the contextual environment of the fish.

Long-lasting concentrations of cefovecin after subcutaneous and intramuscular administration to Patagonian sea lions (Otaria flavescens).

Cefovecin is a third-generation cephalosporin developed as an aqueous solution for use by the subcutaneous route in dogs and cats. This study evaluated the duration of cefovecin plasma concentrations after single intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SC) injection at different doses in 10 Patagonian sea lions (Otaria flavescens). Blood samples were collected serially from the day of the injection up to 60-90 days post-injection.

Electrophoretic deposition of ZnO/alginate and ZnO-bioactive glass/alginate composite coatings for antimicrobial applications.

Two organic/inorganic composite coatings based on alginate, as organic matrix, and zinc oxide nanoparticles (n-ZnO) with and without bioactive glass (BG), as inorganic components, intended for biomedical applications, were developed by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Different n-ZnO (1-10 g/L) and BG (1-1.5 g/L) contents were studied for a fixed alginate concentration (2 g/L).

MicroRNA expression profile in endometriosis: its relation to angiogenesis and fibrinolytic factors.

Study Question: Could an aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression profile be responsible for the changes in the angiogenic and fibrinolytic states observed in endometriotic lesions?

Summary Answer: This study revealed characteristic miRNA expression profiles associated with endometriosis in endometrial tissue and endometriotic lesions from the same patient and their correlation with the most important angiogenic and fibrinolytic factors. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN?: An important role for dysregulated miRNA expression in the pathogenesis of endometriosis is well documented. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of the relationship between angiogenic and fibrinolytic factors and miRNAs when endometrial tissue and different types of endometriotic lesions from the same patient are compared.

Peritoneal fluid reduces angiogenesis-related microRNA expression in cell cultures of endometrial and endometriotic tissues from women with endometriosis.

Unlabelled: Endometriosis, defined as the presence of endometrium outside the uterus, is one of the most frequent gynecological diseases. It has been suggested that modifications of both endometrial and peritoneal factors could be implicated in this disease. Endometriosis is a multifactorial disease in which angiogenesis and proteolysis are dysregulated.

microRNAs related to angiogenesis are dysregulated in endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Study Question: Which is the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) related to several angiogenesis regulators such as VEGF-A (Vascular endothelial growth factor-A) and TSP-1 (Thrombospondin-1) in endometrial cancer?

Summary Answer: A dysregulated expression of miRNAs related to angiogenesis and an increase in the VEGF-A levels were observed in endometrial cancer in comparison with control. The different expression of miRNAs could modulate the expression of angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer.

What Is Known Already: Dysregulated miRNA expression has been previously evaluated in endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Cytoplasmic calcium buffering.

Calcium buffering is one of the mechanisms to control calcium (Ca(2+)) persistence in the cytosol and hence, Ca(2+) dependence of many intracellular processes. Compared with Ca(2+) sequestration into intracellular Ca(2+) stores, Ca(2+) buffering is a rapid process occurring in sub-second scale.Ca(2+) buffers can be mobile or fixed depending of their molecular weight, but other parameters as their concentration, affinity for Ca(2+) or Ca(2+) binding and releasing kinetics are important to know their role in Ca(2+) signaling.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4 G/5 G polymorphism and endometrial cancer. Influence of PAI-1 polymorphism on tissue PAI-1 antigen and mRNA expression and tumor severity.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G polymorphism may have significance for PAI-1 expression. High levels of PAI-1 in endometrial cancer patients are associated with a poor prognosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism in women with and without endometrial cancer and to analyze the influence of this polymorphism on PAI-1 expression in endometrial tissue.

microRNAs expression in endometriosis and their relation to angiogenic factors.

Background: Endometriosis is a common, multifactorial disease in which angiogenesis may be involved in the growth of endometrium outside the uterus. microRNAs (miRNAs) are 21-22 nucleotide non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and play fundamental roles in biological processes. The objective of this study was to analyze several miRNAs related to angiogenesis and the angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), in endometriotic lesions (ovarian endometrioma, peritoneal lesion and rectovaginal nodule) and eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis.