EXPOSURE TO THE POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL MIXTURE AROCLOR 1254 ELICITS NEUROLOGICAL AND CARDIAC DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS IN EARLY LIFE STAGE ZEBRAFISH (Danio rerio).

The goal of this study was to compare the bioaccumulation of the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254 in zebrafish to cardiac and neurologic outcomes. The establishment of effect concentrations (ECs) for cardiac and neurotoxic effects of PCBs in early life stage fish is challenging due to a lack of measured PCB concentrations in test media (e.g.

The influence of microbiota on the efficacy and toxicity of immunotherapy in cancer treatment.

Immunotherapy, which uses the body's immune system to fight cancer cells, has gained attention recently as a breakthrough in cancer treatment. Although significant progress has been made, obstacles still exist since cancers are skilled at avoiding immune monitoring. The gut microbiota is being looked at more and more in modern research as a critical component in improving the results of immunotherapy.

Local inventories for effective management of alien species: insights from the alien flora of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, India.

The broad-scale inventories of alien species reveal macroecological patterns, but these often fall short in guiding local-level management strategies. Local authorities, tasked with on-the-ground management, require precise knowledge of the occurrence of invasive species tailored to their jurisdictional boundaries. What proves critical at the local scale may not hold the same significance at national or regional levels.

First evidence of predation on the native endangered Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) and Iberian water shrews (Neomys anomalus) by the invasive species American mink using eDNA tools in Extremadura (Spain).

Background: Wildlife conservation and management aims to restore population declines, it is the vulnerable or endangered populations who require the greatest conservation efforts. In this context, non-invasive sampling has been evaluated as an option for reporting prey/predator impact. Galemys pyrenaicus is currently threatened throughout its range, and cohabits with Nemys anomalus, in Extremadura (Spain).

Employing habitat suitability modeling to assess the distribution and envenomation potential of scorpion species in Iran.

Iran is a biodiversity hotspot of scorpions with 80 recorded species. Thus, scorpion envenomation is a serious public health problem in the country. Here, we used habitat suitability modeling to assess the spatial distribution of scorpions in Iran.

Cave Pools in Carlsbad Caverns National Park Contain Diverse Bacteriophage Communities and Novel Viral Sequences.

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, and they play a critical role in the environment and biosphere where they regulate microbial populations and contribute to nutrient cycling. Environmental viruses have been the most studied in the ocean, but viral investigations have now spread to other environments. Here, viral communities were characterized in four cave pools in Carlsbad Caverns National Park to test the hypotheses that (i) viral abundance is ten-fold higher than prokaryotic cell abundance in cavern pools, (ii) cavern pools contain novel viral sequences, and (iii) viral communities in pools from developed portions of the cave are distinct from those of pools in undeveloped parts of the same cave.

Geographic risk assessment of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans invasion in Costa Rica as a means of informing emergence management and mitigation.

Remotely-sensed risk assessments of emerging, invasive pathogens are key to targeted surveillance and outbreak responses. The recent emergence and spread of the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), in Europe has negatively impacted multiple salamander species. Scholars and practitioners are increasingly concerned about the potential consequences of this lethal pathogen in the Americas, where salamander biodiversity is higher than anywhere else in the world.

Comparison of qPCR protocols for quantification of "Candidatus Saccharibacteria", belonging to the Candidate Phyla Radiation, suggests that 23S rRNA is a better target than 16S rRNA.

Background: Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) is a large monophyletic group encompassing about 25% of bacterial diversity. Among CPR, "Candidatus Saccharibacteria" is one of the most clinically relevant phyla. Indeed, it is enriched in the oral microbiota of subjects suffering from immune-mediated disorders and it has been found to have immunomodulatory activities.

Phytochemical analysis of bioactive compounds in (Cooke & Massee) Priest mushrooms: potential applications in medicine and biotechnology.

Mushrooms have proven to be a valuable source of diverse bioactive compounds that can hold substantial potential for preventing and managing various diseases. This research focused on examining the numerous bioactive compounds found in () (Cooke & Massee) Priest mushrooms, particularly those obtained from ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts. Polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids were also evaluated by chemical analysis.

Distinct Gut Microbiota Profiles in Normal Weight Obesity and Their Association With Cardiometabolic Diseases: Results From Two Independent Cohort Studies.

Background: Normal weight obesity (NWO) is characterized by excess body fat in individuals with normal body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to investigate gut microbiota alterations in NWO and their potential associations with cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) risk in two independent cohorts.

Methods: Our NWO-CMD mortality analysis included 168 099 adults with normal BMI from two large open-access databases, while our NWO-gut microbiota study involved 5467 adults with normal BMI from two independent cohorts: the WELL-China cohort and the Lanxi cohort.

The Relationship Between Dietary Patterns and the Epidemiology of Food Allergy.

Food allergies are increasing globally, particularly in Asia; however, the etiologies of allergic diseases remain poorly understood despite comprehensive studies conducted across a variety of populations. Epidemiological research demonstrates that food allergy is more prevalent in Westernized or urbanized societies than in rural or developing ones. As such, comparing the distribution and patterns of food allergies as well as the environmental exposures between regions may provide insight into potential causal and protective factors of food allergy.

Gender Differences in Dendritic Damage, Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis, and Cognitive Impairment During Aging Processes.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a common and feared characteristic of aging processes, and one key mechanism of cognition is hippocampal synaptic structure. Previous studies have reported that gut microbiota dysbiosis occurred in neurodegenerative diseases and other brain disorders with cognitive impairment. However, it is not clear how gender differences affect cognitive impairment in aging processes and whether they affect synaptic structure and gut microbiota.

Complex and Dynamic Gene-by-Age and Gene-by-Environment Interactions Underlie Functional Morphological Variation in Adaptive Divergence in Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus).

The evolution of adaptive phenotypic divergence requires heritable genetic variation. However, it is underappreciated that trait heritability is molded by developmental processes interacting with the environment. We hypothesized that the genetic architecture of divergent functional traits was dependent on age and foraging environment.

Examining global biodiversity accounts: Implications of aggregating characterization factors from elementary flows in multi-regional input-output analysis.

Extending multi-regional input-output (MRIO) models with spatially explicit life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) models allows practitioners to quantify biodiversity impacts at every step of global supply chains. Inconsistencies may be introduced, however, when high-resolution characterization factors (CFs) are aggregated so as to match the low spatial granularity of MRIO models. These aggregation errors are greater when CFs are aggregated via proxies, such as ecoregion land shares, instead of based on spatially explicit elementary stressor flows.

Prospective life cycle assessment of climate and biodiversity impacts of meat-based and plant-forward meals: A case study of Indonesian and German meal options.

The emerging field of prospective life cycle assessment (pLCA) offers opportunities for evaluating the environmental impacts of possible future consumption shifts. One such shift involves a transition from meat-based to plant-forward diets, acknowledged to mitigate environmental impacts of the food system under present day conditions. Current diets are often meat intensive ("meat-based"), whilst "plant-forward" diets include mainly plant-based foods, encompassing flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan diets.

Gut microbes with the genes determine TMAO production from L-carnitine intake and serve as a biomarker for precision nutrition.

Gut microbial metabolism of L-carnitine, which leads to the production of detrimental trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), offers a plausible link between red meat consumption and cardiovascular risks. Several microbial genes, including , the operon, and the recently identified gene cluster, have been implicated in the conversion of dietary L-carnitine into TMA(O). However, the key microbial genes and associated gut microbes involved in this pathway have not been fully explored.

sp. nov., isolated from a human colon tumor adheres to colonic epithelial cells and induces IL-8 secretion.

Cancerous tissue is a largely unexplored microbial niche that provides a unique environment for the colonization and growth of specific bacterial communities, and with it, the opportunity to identify novel bacterial species. Here, we report distinct features of a novel species, sp. nov.

Synergistic and Additive Inhibition of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A9 by Endogenous and Foodborne Inhibitors.

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are responsible for inactivation of a variety of drugs, endogenous hormones and environmental toxicants. Chemical inhibitors are a common factor decreasing UGT activities and furtherly inducing health problems. Although simultaneously encountering different inhibitors is readily to occur, no information is available for combined inhibition of UGT.

Non-canonical signaling initiated by hormone-responsive G protein-coupled receptors from subcellular compartments.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of membrane receptors in the mammalian genomes, regulate almost all known physiological processes by transducing numerous extracellular stimuli including almost two-thirds of endogenous hormones and neurotransmitters. The traditional view held that GPCR signaling occurs exclusively at the cell surface, where the receptors bind with the ligands and undergo conformational changes to recruit and activate heterotrimeric G proteins. However, with the application of advanced biochemical and biophysical techniques, this conventional model is challenged by the elucidation of spatiotemporal GPCR activation with the evidence that receptors can signal from subcellular compartments to exhibit various molecular and cellular responses with physiological and pathophysiological relevance.

Europe-wide distribution and bat-host specific lineages in the malarial parasite Polychromophilus murinus revealed through genetic screening of bat flies.

Malaria parasites of the genus Polychromophilus commonly infect vespertilionid and miniopterid bats, and are transmitted by bat flies (Nycteribiidae). While Polychromophilus murinus has been recorded sporadically in Europe, its host range, distribution and phylogeographic structure have not been explored. Here we investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of P.

Mechanistic insights into plant community responses to environmental variables: genome size, cellular nutrient investments, and metabolic tradeoffs.

Affecting biodiversity, plants with larger genome sizes (GS) may be restricted in nutrient-poor conditions. This pattern has been attributed to their greater cellular nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) investments and hypothesized nutrient-investment tradeoffs between cell synthesis and physiological attributes associated with growth. However, the influence of GS on cell size and functioning may also contribute to GS-dependent growth responses to nutrients.

The GrassSyn dataset: Soil organic carbon stocks in Brazilian grassy ecosystems.

Although ecosystem management and restoration are known to enhance carbon storage, limited knowledge of ecosystem-specific soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and processes hinders the development of climate-ready, biodiversity-focused policies. Baseline SOC stocks data for specific ecosystems is essential. This paper aims to: (i) examine SOC stock variability across major grassy ecosystems in Brazil and (ii) discuss data limitations and applications.

The causal relationship between gut microbiota and preterm birth: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Preterm birth, a significant global health concern, has been associated with alterations in the gut microbiota. However, the causal nature of this relationship remains uncertain due to the limitations inherent in observational studies.

Purpose: To investigate the potential causal relationship between gut microbiota imbalances and preterm birth.

Crude Oil-Induced Reproductive Disorders in Male Goldfish: Testicular Histopathology, Sex Steroid Hormones, and Sperm Swimming Kinematics.

Crude oil contamination has been shown to impair reproduction in aquatic animals through carcinogenic and genotoxic properties. Here, we assessed the endocrine-disrupting function of crude oil on male reproductive system based on testicular histology, sex steroid hormones, and fertility endpoints in adult male goldfish (Carassius auratus), which were exposed to 0.02- to 2-mg/L crude oil for 21 days (Experiment #1) or to 5- to 250-mg/L crude oil for 9 days (Experiment #2).