Effects of Supplementation with Omega-3 and Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Antioxidant Vitamins, Combined with High-Intensity Functional Training, on Exercise Performance and Body Composition: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a supplement rich in ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and antioxidant vitamins on physical performance and body composition following a period of high-intensity functional training (HIFT). Nineteen healthy young adults (nine males, ten females) underwent an 8-week HIFT program (3 days·week) where they were randomized 1:1 into either the supplement group (SG)- = 10, receiving a 20 mL daily dose of a dietary cocktail formula (Neuroaspis™ PLP10) containing a mixture of ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs (12,150 mg), vitamin A (0.6 mg), vitamin E (22 mg), and γ-tocopherol (760 mg)-or the placebo group (PG)- = 9, receiving a 20 mL daily dose of virgin olive oil.

Unraveling the Effect of Strain Rate and Temperature on the Heterogeneous Mechanical Behavior of Polymer Nanocomposites via Atomistic Simulations and Continuum Models.

Polymer nanocomposites are characterized by heterogeneous mechanical behavior and performance, which is mainly controlled by the interaction between the nanofiller and the polymer matrix. Optimizing their material performance in engineering applications requires understanding how both the temperature and strain rate of the applied deformation affect mechanical properties. This work investigates the effect of strain rate and temperature on the mechanical properties of poly(ethylene oxide)/silica (PEO/SiO) nanocomposites, revealing their behavior in both the melt and glassy states, via atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and continuum models.

Glial Cells as Key Regulators in Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms Associated with Multiple Sclerosis.

Even though several highly effective treatments have been developed for multiple sclerosis (MS), the underlying pathological mechanisms and drivers of the disease have not been fully elucidated. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in studying neuroinflammation in the context of glial cell involvement as there is increasing evidence of their central role in disease progression. Although glial cell communication and proper function underlies brain homeostasis and maintenance, their multiple effects in an MS brain remain complex and controversial.

Investigating TNNC1 gene inheritance and clinical outcomes through a comprehensive familial study.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) have significant phenotypic overlap and a similar genetic background, both caused mainly by variants in sarcomeric genes. HCM is the most common cardiomyopathy, while RCM is a rare and often underdiagnosed heart condition, with a poor prognosis. This study focuses on a large family with four infants diagnosed with fatal RCM associated with biventricular hypertrophy.

scRNA-Explorer: An End-user Online Tool for Single Cell RNA-seq Data Analysis Featuring Gene Correlation and Data Filtering.

In the majority of downstream analysis pipelines for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), techniques like dimensionality reduction and feature selection are employed to address the problem of high-dimensional nature of the data. These approaches involve mapping the data onto a lower-dimensional space, eliminating less informative genes, and pinpointing the most pertinent features. This process ultimately leads to a reduction in the number of dimensions used for downstream analysis, which in turn speeds up the computation of large-scale scRNA-seq data.

Global Globin Network and adopting genomic variant database requirements for thalassemia.

Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent monogenic disorders in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There are an estimated 270 million carriers of hemoglobinopathies (abnormal hemoglobins and/or thalassemia) worldwide, necessitating global methods and solutions for effective and optimal therapy. LMICs are disproportionately impacted by thalassemia, and due to disparities in genomics awareness and diagnostic resources, certain LMICs lag behind high-income countries (HICs).

Mass and Mobility of Ions Produced by Radioactive Sources and Corona Discharges.

Positive and negative ions produced by radioactive sources and corona discharges in gases find a number of applications, including charging aerosol particles prior to their measurement by electrical and/or electrical mobility techniques. The degree to which these ions can charge aerosol particles depends on their mobility and mass; properties that are strongly affected by the composition of the carrier gas and the impurities that it contains. We show that when the purity of the carrier gas is increased, the mobility of both positive and negative ions increases by more than 50%, whereas the respective masses reduce by more than 50%.

Characterization of PM emissions from on-road vehicles in the tunnel of a major Middle Eastern city.

Traffic emissions are an important source of air pollution worldwide, but in the Middle East, this problem is exacerbated by weak or no enforcement of emission regulations. Comprehensive measurements of fine PM emission factors (EFs) from road transport in the region have not yet been conducted, but such data are necessary for quantitative assessments of the health impact of transport emissions in the region. To address this need, PM samples collected inside the Salim Slam tunnel in Beirut, Lebanon were analyzed for carbonaceous matter (organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC)), water-soluble ions, elements, and selected organic compounds.

Bubble ascent and rupture in mud volcanoes.

Large gas bubbles can reach the surface of pools of mud and lava where they burst, often through the formation and expansion of circular holes. Bursting bubbles release volatiles and generate spatter, and hence play a key role in volcanic degassing and volcanic edifice construction. Here, we study the ascent and rupture of bubbles using a combination of field observations at Pâclele Mici (Romania), laboratory experiments with mud from the Imperial Valley (California, USA), numerical simulations and theoretical models.

Sources of PM ionic species in the South-West Mediterranean (Algeria).

The contents of water-soluble major's ions (MSA, Cl, NO, SO, Na, NH, K, Mg, and Ca) in the PM particle fraction were investigated thanks to detailed measurements of the main chemical constituents of PM in remote coastal areas in Bou-Ismail; in the South-West of the Mediterranean Sea (Algeria), during a 2-year period; from July 2011 to August 2013, under the framework of the ChArMEx project (Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.

Impact of COVID-19 on Drug Positivity Rates in the Emergency Departments in Boston and Surrounding Areas.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic reportedly had a significant impact on drug and alcohol use. In this article, we determine positivity rates for urine drugs of abuse and blood alcohol in 5 emergency departments (ED) in the greater Boston metropolitan area over a 4-year period (pre-, during, and post-COVID-19 pandemic).

Methods: Positivity rates for the urine drug screening (UDS) panel and blood alcohol concentration (>80 mg/dL; over the legal limit in MA) were calculated in patients presenting to one of the 5 ED (2 academic hospitals in Boston, MA and 3 community hospitals outside Boston, MA) during each of the 4 different time periods: pre-COVID (January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019), stay-at-home (March 24, 2020 to May 18, 2020), during COVID (May 19, 2020 to March 28, 2021), and post-COVID (May 12, 2023 to August 31, 2023).

Saponin and Phenolic Composition and Assessment of Biological Activities of L. Root Extracts.

The purpose of this study was to identify the saponin and phenolic components in root extracts of , a widespread species, found in Cyprus. A total of six major saponins, including gypsogenin and gypsogenic acid derivatives, as well as saponariosides C, D, and E, were identified using UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS analysis, with gypsogenin derivatives being the most common saponins detected through quantitative analysis. A total of six phenolic compounds were also identified, including rutin, quercetin galactoside, syringic acid, apigenin, protocatechuic, and vanillic acid.

BEATS: BEAmline for synchrotron X-ray microTomography at SESAME.

The ID10 beamline of the SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) synchrotron light source in Jordan was inaugurated in June 2023 and is now open to scientific users. The beamline, which was designed and installed within the European Horizon 2020 project BEAmline for Tomography at SESAME (BEATS), provides full-field X-ray radiography and microtomography imaging with monochromatic or polychromatic X-rays up to photon energies of 100 keV. The photon source generated by a 2.

Inclusive Hadronic Decay Rate of the τ Lepton from Lattice QCD: The u[over ¯]s Flavor Channel and the Cabibbo Angle.

We present a lattice determination of the inclusive decay rate of the process τ↦X_{us}ν_{τ} in which the τ lepton decays into a generic hadronic state X_{us} with u[over ¯]s flavor quantum numbers. Our results have been obtained in n_{f}=2+1+1 isosymmetric QCD with full nonperturbative accuracy, without any operator product expansion approximation and, except for the presently missing long-distance isospin-breaking corrections, include a solid estimate of all sources of theoretical uncertainties. This has been possible by using the Hansen-Lupo-Tantalo method [M.

Fracture of Epoxy Networks Using Atomistic Simulations.

Predicting fracture properties through all-atomistic simulations poses challenges due to classical force field limitations in breaking covalent bonds and the computational demands of reactive force fields like ReaxFF. In addressing this, we propose a scale-bridging method for forecasting the fracture behavior of highly cross-linked epoxy combining classical force fields, the LAMMPS package REACTER, and for bond breaking a parameter based on experimental distance criterion. In our analysis, we anticipate the macroscopic fracture energy of the epoxy network through the application of a continuum fracture mechanics model developed for fibrils.

SIGNIFICANCE deep learning based platform to fight illicit trafficking of Cultural Heritage goods.

The illicit traffic of cultural goods remains a persistent global challenge, despite the proliferation of comprehensive legislative frameworks developed to address and prevent cultural property crimes. Online platforms, especially social media and e-commerce, have facilitated illegal trade and pose significant challenges for law enforcement agencies. To address this issue, the European project SIGNIFICANCE was born, with the aim of combating illicit traffic of Cultural Heritage (CH) goods.

Bioinspired nanostructured hydroxyapatite-polyelectrolyte multilayers for stone conservation.

Stone-built cultural heritage faces threats from natural forces and anthropogenic pollutants, including local climate, acid rain, and outdoor conditions like temperature fluctuations and wind exposure, all of which impact their structural integrity and lead to their degradation. The development of a water-based, environmentally-friendly protective coatings that meet a combination of requirements posed by the diversity of the substrates, different environmental conditions, and structures with complex geometries remains a formidable challenge, given the numerous obstacles faced by current conservation strategies. Here we report the structural, electrical, and mechanical characterization, along with performance testing, of a nanostructured hydrophilic and self-healing hybrid coating based on hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystals and polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM), formed in-situ on Greek marble through a simple spray layer-by-layer surface functionalization technique.