A study of alpha-synuclein and poly(-isopropylacrylamide) complex formation through detailed atomistic simulations.

This work presents an investigation of the influence of poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) polymer on the structural dynamics of intrinsically disordered alpha-synuclein (α-syn) protein, exploring the formation and intricate features of the resulting α-syn/PNIPAM complexes. Using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, our study analyzes the impact of initial configuration, polymer molecular weight, and protein mutations on the α-syn and the α-syn/PNIPAM complex. Atomistic simulations, of a few μs, of the protein/polymer complex reveal crucial insights into molecular interactions within the complex, emphasizing a delicate balance of forces governing its stability and structural evolution.

Dietary Intake, Mediterranean and Nordic Diet Adherence in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: Dementia is not a single disease but an umbrella term that encompasses a range of symptoms, such as memory loss and cognitive impairments, which are severe enough to disrupt daily life. One of the most common forms of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a complex neurodegenerative condition influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Recent research has highlighted diet as a potential modifiable risk factor for AD.

Non-Invasive Determination of the Paternal Inheritance in Pregnancies at Risk for β-Thalassaemia by Analyzing Cell-Free Fetal DNA Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has been widely adopted for the screening of chromosomal abnormalities; however, its adoption for monogenic disorders, such as β-thalassaemia, has proven challenging. Haemoglobinopathies are the most common monogenic disorders globally, with β-thalassaemia being particularly prevalent in Cyprus. This study introduces a non-invasive prenatal haplotyping (NIPH) assay for β-thalassaemia, utilizing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from maternal plasma.

Predicting the Progression from Asymptomatic to Symptomatic Multiple Myeloma and Stage Classification Using Gene Expression Data.

Background: The accurate staging of multiple myeloma (MM) is essential for optimizing treatment strategies, while predicting the progression of asymptomatic patients, also referred to as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), to symptomatic MM remains a significant challenge due to limited data. This study aimed to develop machine learning models to enhance MM staging accuracy and stratify asymptomatic patients by their risk of progression.

Methods: We utilized gene expression microarray datasets to develop machine learning models, combined with various data transformations.

Role of Heterogeneous Reactions in the Atmospheric Oxidizing Capacity in Island Environments.

The source of nitrous acid (HONO) and its importance in island or marine environments are poorly understood. Herein, based on comprehensive field measurements at a hilltop on Corsica Island, we find an inverse diel variation of HONO with higher concentrations during daytime. Night-time HONO budget analysis indicates significant HONO formation during air mass transport along the hillside.

The ReAct project: Analysis of data from 23 different laboratories to characterise DNA recovery given two sets of activity level propositions.

The ReAct (Recovery, Activity) project is an ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) supported initiative comprising a large consortium of laboratories. Here, the results from more than 23 laboratories are presented. The primary purpose was to design experiments simulating typical casework circumstances; collect data and to implement Bayesian networks to assess the value (i.

Identification of puberty related miRNAs in the hypothalamus of female mice.

Background And Aims: Puberty is a crucial developmental stage marked by the transition from childhood to adulthood, organized by complex hormonal signaling within the neuroendocrine system. The hypothalamus, a central region in this system, regulates pubertal functions through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, essential in puberty control, release GnRH in a pulsatile manner, initiating the production of sex hormones.

Data-driven discovery of associations between prescribed drugs and dementia risk: A systematic review.

Abstract: Recent clinical trials on slowing dementia progression have led to renewed focus on finding safer, more effective treatments. One approach to identify plausible candidates is to assess whether existing medications for other conditions may affect dementia risk. We conducted a systematic review to identify studies adopting a data-driven approach to investigate the association between a wide range of prescribed medications and dementia risk.

The GAA repeat expansion is a major cause of ataxia in the Cypriot population.

Dominantly inherited intronic GAA repeat expansions in the fibroblast growth factor 14 gene have recently been shown to cause spinocerebellar ataxia 27B. Currently, the pathogenic threshold of (GAA) repeat units is considered highly penetrant, while (GAA) is likely pathogenic with reduced penetrance. This study investigated the frequency of the GAA repeat expansion and the phenotypic profile in a Cypriot cohort with unresolved late-onset cerebellar ataxia.

Saturation genome editing-based clinical classification of BRCA2 variants.

Sequencing-based genetic tests have uncovered a vast array of BRCA2 sequence variants. Owing to limited clinical, familial and epidemiological data, thousands of variants are considered to be variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Here we have utilized CRISPR-Cas9-based saturation genome editing in a humanized mouse embryonic stem cell line to determine the functional effect of VUS.

The Posterior Dominant Rhythm Remains Within Normal Limits in the Microgravity Environment.

Background: Electroencephalogram (EEG) biomarkers with adequate sensitivity and specificity to reflect the brain's health status can become indispensable for health monitoring during prolonged missions in space. The objective of our study was to assess whether the basic features of the posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) change under microgravity conditions compared to earth-based scalp EEG recordings.

Methods: Three crew members during the 16-day AXIOM-1 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), underwent scalp EEG recordings before, during, and after the mission by means of a dry-electrode self-donning headgear designed to support long-term EEG recordings in space.

Mapping emissions in Cyprus using TROPOMI observations: evaluation of the flux-divergence scheme using multiple parameter sets.

The production of nitrogen oxides (NO = NO + NO ) is substantial in urban areas and from fossil fuel-fired power plants, causing both local and regional pollution, with severe consequences for human health. To estimate their emissions and implement air quality policies, authorities often rely on reported emission inventories. The island of Cyprus is de facto divided into two different political entities, and as a result, such emissions inventories are not systematically available for the whole island.

Recent methane surges reveal heightened emissions from tropical inundated areas.

Record breaking atmospheric methane growth rates were observed in 2020 and 2021 (15.2±0.5 and 17.

Polygenic score distribution differences across European ancestry populations: implications for breast cancer risk prediction.

Background: The 313-variant polygenic risk score (PRS) provides a promising tool for clinical breast cancer risk prediction. However, evaluation of the PRS across different European populations which could influence risk estimation has not been performed.

Methods: We explored the distribution of PRS across European populations using genotype data from 94,072 females without breast cancer diagnosis, of European-ancestry from 21 countries participating in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and 223,316 females without breast cancer diagnosis from the UK Biobank.

Genetic epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Cyprus: a population-based study.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating, uniformly lethal degenerative disease of motor neurons, presenting with relentlessly progressive muscle atrophy and weakness. More than fifty genes carrying causative or disease-modifying variants have been identified since the 1990s, when the first ALS-associated variant in the gene SOD1 was discovered. The most commonly mutated ALS genes in the European populations include the C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP and FUS.

Three-Dimensional Thermal Tomography with Physics-Informed Neural Networks.

: Accurate reconstruction of internal temperature fields from surface temperature data is critical for applications such as non-invasive thermal imaging, particularly in scenarios involving small temperature gradients, like those in the human body. : In this study, we employed 3D convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to predict internal temperature fields. The network's performance was evaluated under both ideal and non-ideal conditions, incorporating noise and background temperature variations.

Vulcanization Accelerators and Silica Coupling Agents in Polyisoprene Melts.

The achievement of sufficient dispersion of vulcanization accelerators is critical to tailoring superior cross-linked elastomers. Modern recipes rely on multicomponent formulations with silica particles covered by coupling agents. We study the molecular properties of select accelerators in polyisoprene melts and their affinity for functionalized surfaces via extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.

The cow GUTBIOME CY study: investigating the composition of the cattle gut microbiome in health and infectious disease transmission in cyprus.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that the lower gut microbiome of ruminants presents roles in their health and environment, including the development of the mucosal immune system, milk production efficiency and quality and subsequent methane emissions. However, there are proportionately fewer studies on this complex microbial community in cattle and region-focus studies are non- existent.

Methods: Herein, we present the research protocol of the GUTBIOME CY project pertaining to determine the composition of the lower gut microbiome in dairy cows situated in 37 farms across five districts of the island of Cyprus.

Chemical Characterization and Assessment of the Neuroprotective Potential of .

L., commonly known as eyebright, is a medicinal plant used in folk medicine for eye disorders and memory loss. Due to its abundance of compounds with proven neuroprotective properties, there has been growing interest in exploring eyebright's potential health benefits, particularly for preventing or treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease.

Ambient air pollution undermines chemosensory sensitivity - a global perspective.

This study offers insights into the complex relationship between chemical species constituting air pollution and chemosensory function. We examined the relationship between chemical species known to contribute to air pollution and assault human health and chemosensory sensitivity. Chemosensory sensitivity data was retrieved from a large-scale study involving 711 urban-dwelling participants inhabiting 10 different regions of the globe.

Interaction of CO, CO, CSO, HO, NO, NO, NO, O, ONH, and SO gases onto BNNT(m,n)_x, (m = 3, 5, 7; n = 0, 3, 5, 7; x = 3-9).

Context: This research investigates two critical areas, providing valuable insights into the properties and interactions of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). Initially, a variety of BNNT structures (BNNT(m,n)_x, where m = 3, 5, 7; n = 0, 3, 5, 7; x = 3-9) with different lengths and diameters are explored to understand their electronic properties. The study then examines the interactions between these nanotubes and several gases (CO, CO, CSO, HO, NO, NO, NO, O, ONH, and SO) to identify the most stable molecular configurations using the bee colony algorithm for global optimization.

New particle formation from isoprene under upper-tropospheric conditions.

Aircraft observations have revealed ubiquitous new particle formation in the tropical upper troposphere over the Amazon and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Although the vapours involved remain unknown, recent satellite observations have revealed surprisingly high night-time isoprene mixing ratios of up to 1 part per billion by volume (ppbv) in the tropical upper troposphere. Here, in experiments performed with the CERN CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber, we report new particle formation initiated by the reaction of hydroxyl radicals with isoprene at upper-tropospheric temperatures of -30 °C and -50 °C.

Isoprene nitrates drive new particle formation in Amazon's upper troposphere.

New particle formation (NPF) in the tropical upper troposphere is a globally important source of atmospheric aerosols. It is known to occur over the Amazon basin, but the nucleation mechanism and chemical precursors have yet to be identified. Here we present comprehensive in situ aircraft measurements showing that extremely low-volatile oxidation products of isoprene, particularly certain organonitrates, drive NPF in the Amazonian upper troposphere.