Assessment of nutrient storage and translocation in winter harvested Typha latifolia from free-water surface treatment wetland mitigating diffuse agricultural pollution.

Wetland macrophytes play a critical role in the performance of treatment wetlands (TWs), primarily through nutrient uptake. However, this retention is temporary, as nutrients are released back into the water upon the decomposition of plant litter. The removal of stored nutrients from TWs can be efficiently achieved by harvesting plants during the peak of the growing season, albeit with significant ecological disturbance.

Low impact of Zostera marina meadows on sediment and water microbiota under brackish conditions.

Background: Zostera marina is an important ecosystem engineer influencing shallow water environments and possibly shaping the microbiota in surrounding sediments and water. Z. marina is typically found in marine systems, but it can also proliferate under brackish conditions.

Metagenomic exploration and computational prediction of novel enzymes for polyethylene terephthalate degradation.

As a global environmental challenge, plastic pollution raises serious ecological and health concerns owing to the excessive accumulation of plastic waste, which disrupts ecosystems, harms wildlife, and threatens human health. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most commonly used plastics, has contributed significantly to this growing crisis. This study offers a solution for plastic pollution by identifying novel PET-degrading enzymes.

Revealing Stachybotrys-like fungal growth in buildings - Possible exposure highlighted through three case studies.

Genus Stachybotrys (Stachybotryaceae, Hypocreales) requires high humidity to grow and represents one of the most notorious fungi associated with suspected illness in moist buildings. If Stachybotrys conidia are found in settled indoor dusts, their presence may indicate water intrusion and mold infestation revealed after dismantling the building structures. This study describes detection of Stachybotrys growth hidden inside the structures of three buildings in Finland.

The reproductive tract microbiome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and across different menstrual cycle phases.

Study Question: Do polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menstrual cycle phases, and ovulatory status affect reproductive tract (RT) microbiome profiles?

Summary Answer: We identified microbial features associated with menstrual cycle phases in the upper and lower RT microbiome, but only two specific differences in the upper RT according to PCOS status.

What Is Known Already: The vaginal and uterine microbiome profiles vary throughout the menstrual cycle. Studies have reported alterations in the vaginal microbiome among women diagnosed with PCOS.

Multiomics dissection of human RAG deficiency reveals distinctive patterns of immune dysregulation but a common inflammatory signature.

Human recombination-activating gene (RAG) deficiency can manifest with distinct clinical and immunological phenotypes. By applying a multiomics approach to a large group of -mutated patients, we aimed at characterizing the immunopathology associated with each phenotype. Although defective T and B cell development is common to all phenotypes, patients with hypomorphic variants can generate T and B cells with signatures of immune dysregulation and produce autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens, including type I interferons.

Genome-wide association study of varenicline-aided smoking cessation.

Introduction: Varenicline is an α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist with the highest therapeutic efficacy of any pharmacological smoking cessation aid and a 12-month cessation rate of 26%. Genetic variation may be associated with varenicline response, but to date no genome-wide association studies of varenicline response have been published.

Methods: In this study, we investigated the genetic contribution to varenicline effectiveness using two electronic health record-derived phenotypes.

Interplay of Monosaccharide Configurations on the Deacetylation with Lipase-B.

Configurational differences in monosaccharides determine the products and selectivity of the transesterification reaction with lipase-B (CAL-B). The β-anomers of peresterified pyranose monosaccharides tend to yield anomeric deprotection products, while the α-anomers preferentially react at the sixth or fourth position. CAL-B differentiates between enantiomers, either reacting more rapidly with d-enantiomers of monosaccharides or having a different selectivity based on the enantiomer.

Quantitative fluorescent nanoparticle tracking analysis and nano-flow cytometry enable advanced characterization of single extracellular vesicles.

Current state-of-the-art tools for analysing extracellular vesicles (EVs) offer either highly sensitive but unidimensional bulk measurements of EV components, or high-resolution multiparametric single-particle analyses which lack standardization and appropriate reference materials. This limits the accuracy of the assessment of marker abundance and overall marker distribution amongst individual EVs, and finally, the understanding of true EV heterogeneity. In this study, we aimed to define the standardized operating procedures and reference material for fluorescent characterization of EVs with two commonly used EV analytical platforms-nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and nano-flow cytometry (nFCM).

Factors influencing endometrial receptivity in women with recurrent implantation failure.

Background: Embryo implantation involves two key elements: a good quality embryo and receptive endometrium. Endometrial receptivity abnormalities are known as one of the possible causes of recurrent implantation failure (RIF), especially when the embryo is euploid. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of age and other clinical factors on endometrial receptivity in women with RIF.

Towards all inorganic antimony sulphide semitransparent solar cells.

NiO, a wide band gap hole-transporting material (HTM), is gaining attention in photovoltaics due to its optical transparency, chemical stability, and favourable band alignment with absorber. This study uses NiO nanoparticle-based HTM in semi-transparent SbS solar cells via a simple chemical precipitation method. We optimised NiO layer by varying precursor solution concentration and studied its impact on optical and structural properties, composition of nanoparticles and subsequent effect on the performance of semi-transparent SbS solar cell.

Detection of Echinococcus spp. and other taeniid species in lettuces and berries: Two international multicenter studies from the MEmE project.

Cystic and alveolar echinococcosis are severe zoonotic diseases characterized by long asymptomatic periods lasting months or years. Viable Echinococcus spp. eggs released into the environment through the feces of canids can infect humans through accidental ingestion via hand-to-mouth contact or consumption of contaminated food or water.

Outcomes Following Close Collaboration With Parents Intervention in Neonatal Intensive Care Units: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Family-centered care (FCC) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is critical for parental involvement and infant well-being, yet few studies have evaluated the impact of FCC interventions on practice or examined how implementation fidelity may affect these outcomes.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between the Close Collaboration With Parents intervention and FCC practices and how implementation fidelity may modify these outcomes.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This nonrandomized clinical trial had a before-and-after design.

Introduction to androgenetics: terminology, approaches, and impactful studies across 60 years.

Across six decades, androgenetics has consistently concentrated on discovering genetic causes and enhancing the molecular diagnostics of male infertility, disorders of sex development, and their broader implications on health, such as cancer and other comorbidities. Despite vast clinical knowledge, the training of andrologists often lacks fundamental basics in medical genetics. This work, as part of the Special Issue of Andrology "Genetics in Andrology", provides the core terminology in medical genetics and technological advancements in genomics, required to understand the ever-progressing research in the field.

Exploring Natural Analgesics for Chronic Pain Management: Cannabinoids and Other Phytoconstituents.

Chronic pain lasting more than three months or persisting after normal healing is a significant global health issue. In a healthcare system, it is crucial to ensure proper chronic pain management. Traditional pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management techniques may not fully meet the requirements of physicians regarding effectiveness and safety.

Early life factors and later metabolic syndrome in European children and adolescents.

Background And Aims: Early life factors have been suggested to be associated with later cardiometabolic risk in children, adolescents and adults. Our study aimed to investigate the associations between early life factors and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents.

Methods And Results: Our analysis sample comprised of 8852 children aged 2-9 years at baseline that participated in up to three examination waves of the pan-European IDEFICS/I.

Prolactin levels increased by physical exercise correlate with platelet monoamine oxidase activity: Evidence linking platelet MAO with serotonin release capacity.

Objective: Lower platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has consistently been associated with excessive risk-taking and general psychiatric vulnerability. How this peripheral measure can represent presumably centrally regulated complex behaviours is not clear but platelet MAO activity has been suggested to reflect the capacity of serotonin release in the brain. Secretion of prolactin is in part under serotonergic control and indicates serotonin release capacity.

Guided wave tomography of pipe bends based on full waveform inversion.

Pipe bends are recognized as critical areas susceptible to wall thinning, a phenomenon instigated by abrupt changes in the fluid flow direction and velocity. Conventional monitoring techniques for bends typically depend on localized ultrasonic measurements of thickness. While these methods are effective, they can be time-consuming compared to the use of permanently installed transducers, a strategy employed in guided wave tomography (GWT).

Diminished DNA binding affinity of DMRT1 caused by heterozygous DM domain mutations is a cause of male infertility.

The most severe form of male infertility is idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), a complete sperm absence in the ejaculate. We performed exome sequencing in the Croatian infertile brothers with NOA and found a variant in DMRT1 (Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1) gene that was further assessed by the EMSA assay and molecular dynamic simulations. We additionally screened for DMRT1 mutations in 1940 infertile men diagnosed with spermatogenic failure, 644 normozoospermic controls, and 105 females with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) recruited to the GEnetics of Male INfertility Initiative (GEMINI) or Estonian Andrology (ESTAND) cohorts.

Interactions between leaf phenological type and functional traits drive variation in isoprene emissions in central Amazon forest trees.

The Amazon forest is the largest source of isoprene emissions, and the seasonal pattern of leaf-out phenology in this forest has been indicated as an important driver of seasonal variation in emissions. Still, it is unclear how emissions vary between different leaf phenological types in this forest. To evaluate the influence of leaf phenological type over isoprene emissions, we measured leaf-level isoprene emission capacity and leaf functional traits for 175 trees from 124 species of angiosperms distributed among brevideciduous and evergreen trees in a central Amazon forest.

Synthesizing and assessing influenza vaccine evidence: Strengths and limitations of the recent ECDC report on the effectiveness of new and enhanced influenza vaccines. Communication on: the "European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review update on the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of newer and enhanced seasonal influenza vaccines for the prevention of laboratory confirmed influenza in individuals aged 18 years and over. Stockholm: ECDC; 2024".

High quality research is critical for evidence-based decision making in public health and fundamental to maintain progress and trust in immunization programs in Europe. In 2024 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) conducted an update of the 2020 systematic review to capture more recent evidence on of the efficacy, effectiveness of influenza vaccines in individuals aged 18 years and older in the prevention of laboratory-confirmed influenza. While this report was highly anticipated due to the strength of the protocol and processes put in place, during our assessment, we expressed two chief concerns.

Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest.

Extensive grazing carried out freely by exotic goats represents an important source of anthropogenic degradation in seasonally dry tropical forests of Brazil. The presence of these herbivores may negatively impact the local fauna through the reduction of habitat complexity. In this study, we investigate the effect of goat farming in scorpion assemblage from Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forest.

Diverse phenotype of Ménière's disease associated with family history, thyroid disorder, migraine and associated disorders.

Objective: To better understand the clinical phenotype of Ménière's disease (MD), we examined family history, thyroid disorder, migraine, and associated disorders in complaints of people living with MD.

Method: We designed the study as a retrospective and examined data gathered from 912 participants with MD. Their data were originally collected by the Finnish Ménière Federation (FMF).

Impacts of climate-induced drought on lake and reservoir biodiversity and ecosystem services: A review.

Intensifying extreme droughts are altering lentic ecosystems and disrupting services provisioning. Unfortunately, drought research often lacks a holistic and intersectoral consideration of drought impacts, which can limit relevance of the insights for adaptive management. This literature review evaluated the current state of lake and reservoir extreme drought research in relation to biodiversity and three ecosystem services.