Habitat loss and discontinuity as drivers of habitat fragmentation: The role of contamination and connectivity of habitats.

Habitat discontinuity of aquatic environments is a serious problem that might hamper the different activities performed by organisms. When combined with contamination, the consequences for the population's dynamics might be exacerbated, particularly regarding foraging activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of habitat discontinuity and contamination on the foraging behavior by zebrafish (Danio rerio) and on their ability to explore heterogeneous landscapes.

Chemical-defensome and whole-transcriptome expression of the silverside fish Basilichthys microlepidotus in response to chronic pollution in the Maipo River basin, Central Chile.

Pollution is a major global concern affecting biodiversity, particularly of freshwater species. Populations have developed mechanisms to deal with pollution, such as the chemical defensome, which is a set of genes involved in maintaining internal stability. Pollution significantly affects the Maipo River basin in Chile.

Structural and functional alterations under stress conditions by contamination: A multi-species study in a non-forced multi-compartmented mesocosm.

Despite the existing connectivity and heterogeneity of aquatic habitats, the concept of interconnected landscapes has been frequently overlooked in ecotoxicological risk assessment studies. In this study, a novel mesocosm system, the HeMHAS (Heterogeneous Multi-Habitat Assay System), was constructed with the potential to assess structural and functional changes in a community resulting from exposure to contaminants, while also considering the complex ecological scenarios. Fish (Sparus aurata), shrimp (Palaemon varians) and three species of marine microalgae (Isochrysis galbana, Nannochloropsis gaditana and Tetraselmis chuii) were used as test organisms.

The NLRP3 inhibitor Dapansutrile improves the therapeutic action of lonafarnib on progeroid mice.

The role of the inflammasomes in aging and progeroid syndromes remain understudied. Recently, MCC950, a NLRP3 inhibitor, was used in Zmpste24 mice to ameliorate the phenotypes. However, the safety of MCC950 was questioned due to liver toxicity observed in humans.

Kinetic and equilibrium analysis of penguin guano trace elements release to Antarctic seawater and snow meltwater.

The present work extends the scope of prior studies through analysis, modelling and simulation of the As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn release from Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) penguin guano to the Southern Ocean seawater and to Antarctic snow meltwater. Laboratory experimental results have been modelled considering kinetic processes between water and guano using two element pools in the guano compartment; its application allows us to interpret behaviours and predict release concentrations of dissolved trace elements from guano which are potentially useful for incorporation as elements source into biogeochemical models applied in the Southern Ocean. Variations in quantities and release patterns depending on the type of guano and aqueous medium in contact have been identified.

Genome scans reveal signals of selection associated with pollution in fish populations of Basilichthys microlepidotus, an endemic species of Chile.

The Maipo River catchment is one of Chile's most polluted basins. In recent decades, discharges of untreated sewage and organic matter have caused eutrophication and water quality degradation. We employed the indigenous silverfish species Basilichthys microlepidotus as a model organism to investigate the process of adaptation and selection on genes influenced by pollution.

Revealing Hidden Genes in : New Insights into Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Secondary Metabolites.

Utilizing bioinformatics tools, this study expands our understanding of secondary metabolism in , identifying novel genes within polyketide synthase (PKS), non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), sesquiterpene cyclase (STC), diterpene cyclase (DTC), and dimethylallyltryptophan synthase (DMATS) families. These findings enrich the genetic framework associated with 's pathogenicity and ecological adaptation, offering insights into uncharted metabolic pathways. Significantly, the discovery of previously unannotated genes provides new molecular targets for developing targeted antifungal strategies, promising to enhance crop protection and advance our understanding of fungal biochemistry.

Physics-Informed Deep Learning Approach for Reintroducing Atomic Detail in Coarse-Grained Configurations of Multiple Poly(lactic acid) Stereoisomers.

Multiscale modeling of complex molecular systems, such as macromolecules, encompasses methods that combine information from fine and coarse representations of molecules to capture material properties over a wide range of spatiotemporal scales. Being able to exchange information between different levels of resolution is essential for the effective transfer of this information. The inverse problem of reintroducing atomistic degrees of freedom in coarse-grained (CG) molecular configurations is particularly challenging as, from a mathematical point of view, it is an ill-posed problem; the forward mapping from the atomistic to the CG description is typically defined via a deterministic operator ("one-to-one" problem), whereas the reversed mapping from the CG to the atomistic model refers to creating one representative configuration out of many possible ones ("one-to-many" problem).

Magnetic coagulometry: towards a new nanotechnological tool for monitoring coagulation in human whole blood.

Blood clotting disorders consisting of unwanted blood clot formation or excessive bleeding are some of the main causes of death worldwide. However, there are significant limitations in the current methods used to clinically monitor the dynamics of clot formation in human whole blood . Here a new magnetic coagulometry platform for testing coagulation is described.

A first estimation of the role of penguin guano on copper cycling and organic speciation in Antarctic coastal waters.

Cu is a vital micronutrient, but free Cu ions (Cu) in seawater, even at subnanomolar concentrations, can impede phytoplankton growth. Natural Cu complexation with organic ligands regulates Cu acquisition and, in most instances, reduces Cu concentrations below toxic thresholds. Along the Antarctic coast, the sources and sinks of Cu and its associated ligands remain poorly defined.

Distribution, reactivity and vertical fluxes of methane in the Guadalquivir Estuary (SW Spain).

The influence of temperature, salinity, sediment-water-atmosphere exchanges and oxidation rate on the variability of methane (CH) in the Guadalquivir Estuary has been studied. The database corresponds to 3 intensive samplings carried out in summer (2021 and 2022) and winter (2022). An increase in CH concentration towards the interior of the estuary has been observed, more intense during summer (19-371 nmol L).

Behavioural, developmental and biochemical effects in zebrafish caused by ibuprofen, irgarol and terbuthylazine.

The increasing use of chemicals and their release into aquatic ecosystems are harming aquatic biota. Despite extensive ecotoxicological research, many environmental pollutants' ecological effects are still unknown. This study examined the spatial avoidance, behavioural and biochemical impacts of ibuprofen, irgarol, and terbuthylazine on the early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio) under a range of ecologically relevant concentrations (0-500 μg/L).

Dynamics of CO, CH, and NO in Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (southwestern Iberia) and export to the Gulf of Cadiz.

A first characterization of greenhouse gases had been carried out to study their role and impact in a productive transitional coastal system of the southern Portugal - Ria Formosa lagoon. To this purpose, the partial pressure of CO (pCO) and the concentration of dissolved CH and NO have been measured. Two surveys were carried out during 2020, at low tide under typical conditions of Spring (March) and end of Summer (October).

Penguin guano trace metals release to Antarctic waters: A kinetic modelling.

Penguin guano has been considered as a suitable bioindicator of the exposure to environmental contaminants in Antarctic environment. Although trace metal content values in penguin guano have been widely reported, the kinetics of their mobility in seawater have not been determined. In the present study, we have estimated the release rate of dissolved Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn from Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) penguins guano to Antarctic seawater by 120 h laboratory and at external natural conditions of temperature and light experiments.

Specific Blood Plasma Circulating miRs Are Associated with the Physiological Impact of Total Fish Meal Replacement with Soybean Meal in Diets for Rainbow Trout ().

High dietary SBM content is known to induce important physiological alterations, hampering its use as a major FM alternative. Rainbow trout () juveniles were fed two experimental diets during 9 weeks: (i) a FM diet containing 12% FM; and (ii) a vegetable meal (VM) diet totally devoid of FM and based on SBM (26%). Fish fed the VM diet did not show reduced growth performance when compared with fish fed the FM diet.

Greenhouse gas assemblages (CO, CH and NO) in the continental shelf of the Gulf of Cadiz (SW Iberian Peninsula).

This study examines the simultaneous water-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH) and nitrous oxide (NO) on the continental shelf of the Gulf of Cadiz, as well as the effect it has in terms of the radiative balance in the atmosphere, between 2014 and 2016. The experimental database consists of new measurements of the spatial and seasonal distribution of CO partial pressure (pCO) and NO concentration in 2016. pCO shows a wide range of variation influenced mainly by seasonal thermal variations (8.

Debaryomyces hansenii supplementation in low fish meal diets promotes growth, modulates microbiota and enhances intestinal condition in juvenile marine fish.

Background: The development of a sustainable business model with social acceptance, makes necessary to develop new strategies to guarantee the growth, health, and well-being of farmed animals. Debaryomyces hansenii is a yeast species that can be used as a probiotic in aquaculture due to its capacity to i) promote cell proliferation and differentiation, ii) have immunostimulatory effects, iii) modulate gut microbiota, and/or iv) enhance the digestive function. To provide inside into the effects of D.

Estimating the heating of complex nanoparticle aggregates for magnetic hyperthermia.

Understanding and predicting the heat released by magnetic nanoparticles is central to magnetic hyperthermia treatment planning. In most cases, nanoparticles form aggregates when injected in living tissues, thereby altering their response to the applied alternating magnetic field and preventing the accurate prediction of the released heat. We performed a computational analysis to investigate the heat released by nanoparticle aggregates featuring different sizes and fractal geometry factors.

Generation of Highly Antioxidant Submicron Particles from Leaf Extract by Supercritical Antisolvent Extraction Process.

Submicron particles have been produced from an ethanolic extract of leaves using supercritical carbon dioxide technology, hereinafter referred to as Supercritical Antisolvent Extraction (SAE). The influence of pressure (9-20 MPa), temperature (308 and 328 K) and injection rate (3 and 8 mL/min) on the particles' precipitation has been investigated, and it has been confirmed that increases in pressure and temperature led to smaller particle sizes. The obtained particles had a quasi-spherical shape with sizes ranging from 0.

From Nanothermometry to Bioimaging: Lanthanide-Activated KYF Nanostructures as Biocompatible Multifunctional Tools for Nanomedicine.

Lanthanide-activated fluoride-based nanostructures are extremely interesting multifunctional tools for many modern applications in nanomedicine, e.g., bioimaging, sensing, drug delivery, and photodynamic therapy.

Soft Character of Star-Like Polymer Melts: From Linear-Like Chains to Impenetrable Nanoparticles.

The importance of microscopic details in the description of the behavior of polymeric nanostructured systems, such as hairy nanoparticles, has been lately discussed via experimental and theoretical approaches. Here we focus on star polymers, which represent well-defined soft nano-objects. By means of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we provide a quantitative study about the effect of chemistry on the penetrability of star polymers in a melt, which cannot be considered by generic coarse-grained models.

Short and long-term exposure to the pesticides fipronil and 2,4-D: Effects on behavior and life history of Daphnia magna.

The high levels of contamination in aquatic ecosystems caused by pesticides and the organisms' consequent continuous exposure to it has made them vulnerable to damage. However, mobile organisms can avoid this continued exposure to contaminants by moving to less disturbed habitats. Therefore, through the use of the Heterogenous Multi-Habitat Assay System (HeMHAS), our objective was to evaluate the ability of Daphnia magna to detect and avoid habitats contaminated by fipronil and 2,4-D, in a spatially connected landscape.