Comparative assessment of microplastic ingestion among deep sea decapods: distribution analysis in Sardinian and Catalan waters.

Microplastic (MP) pollution is a widespread and concerning environmental issue. The benthic layer is known as one of the major accumulation sinks, yet knowledge gaps still remain in describing the interactions of its biota with MPs. This work represents a comprehensive comparative analysis of MP ingestion in the four deep-sea crustacean decapods Aristeus antennatus (Risso, 1816), Aristaeomorpha foliacea (Risso, 1827), Nephrops norvegicus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Parapenaeus longirostris (Lucas, 1846) sampled from two distinct regions of the Mediterranean Sea in order to underscore the species-specific characteristics driving their MP ingestion variations.

Baicalein antagonises Rhopilema esculentum toxin-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by modulating ROS-MAPK-NF-κB and inhibiting PLA activity.

The toxicity of jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum (R. esculentum), an edible jellyfish that releases venom, has been controversial. The aim of this comprehensive study was to investigate the toxic effects of jellyfish tentacle extract (TE), which was evaluated in vivo and in vitro using ICR mice and RAW264.

Quantum computing for swarm robotics: a local-to-global approach.

Quantum computing is a branch of computer science derived from the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics, such as state superposition, multi-value logic and destructive measure. An open challenge in itself is to re-think in quantum terms classic problems and solving techniques. Another nature-inspired field is the development of swarm-based robotic applications, where the challenge is catching the fundamental laws governing swarm dynamics, such as pattern formation and target reaching.

The role of carbon and nitrogen ratio on sewage sludge microbiota for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates.

The products of an advanced sewage sludge fermentation process can be used to generate polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), precursors of bioplastics considered excellent candidates for replacing petroleum-derived plastics. The aerobic feast-anoxic famine cycling strategy has proven to be an efficient method for enriching sewage sludge microbiota with PHA-producing microorganisms. This work evaluated the effect of different carbon to nitrogen ratios (C/N) of 3.

Number is more than meets the eye: Unveiling segmentation mechanisms in numerosity perception with visual illusions.

Animals and humans possess an adaptive ability to rapidly estimate approximate numerosity, yet the visual mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly understood. Evidence suggests that approximate numerosity relies on segmented perceptual units modulated by grouping cues, with perceived numerosity decreasing when objects are connected by irrelevant lines, independent of low-level features. However, most studies have focused on physical objects.

The impact of a marine heatwave on the productivity and carbon budget of a NW Mediterranean seaweed forest.

Marine forests support coastal biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Nonetheless, how their productivity and carbon uptake might be affected by extreme events, such as marine heatwaves (MHWs), is yet to be explored. We experimentally evaluated the changes in oxygen and carbon budgets of the benthic community formed by the fucoid Ericaria brachycarpa induced by the exposure to a MHW.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new dual APN/NEP inhibitors as potent analgesics.

An alternative approach for the management of acute and chronic pains involves prolonging the half-life of endogenous opiates, such as enkephalins that are released in response to nociceptive stimuli. This can be achieved through the inhibition of enzymatic pathways responsible for the hydrolysis of these peptides, particularly targeting Aminopeptidase N (APN) and Neutral Endopeptidase (NEP). In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of dual enkephalinase inhibitors (DENKIs) targeting both APN and NEP as novel analgesic treatments.

Long-term response mechanism of bacterial communities to chemical oxidation remediation in petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater.

The limited understanding of microbial response mechanism remains as a bottleneck to evaluate the long-term remediation effectiveness of in situ chemical oxidation in contaminated groundwater. In this study, we investigated long-term response of bacterial communities throughout five remediation stages of pre-oxidation, early-oxidation, late-oxidation, early-recovery and late-recovery. By analyzing bacterial biomass, taxa, diversity and metabolic functions, this work identified the consistently suppressed glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase pathway and the enrichment of naphthalene degradation pathways for secondary products, suggesting persistent oxidation stress and enhanced microbial utilization of lower-molecular weight carbon sources at the oxidation and early-recovery stages.

Steam washing for MSWI-FA treatment.

This study investigates steam washing (SW) as an innovative pretreatment for municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI-FA) dechlorination, useful for a more effective stabilization in cementitious matrix. By using a detailed analytical approach (XRPD, XRF, ICP-MS, IRMS, SEM) and geochemical modeling, great focus is dedicated on pollutant leaching reduction and changes in ash physicochemical characteristics as a function of exposure time. The research demonstrates that SW removes up to 70 % cadmium, 17 % zinc, and 10 % lead, primarily by dissolving the soluble and carbonate/hydroxide fractions and promoting the reprecipitation and adsorption of heavy metals into more stable compounds.

Redox regulation of focal adhesions.

Focal adhesions (FAs), multi-protein complexes that link the extracellular matrix to the intracellular cytoskeleton, are key mediators of cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation. These dynamic structures act as mechanical sensors, transmitting stimuli from the extracellular to intracellular environment activating in this way signaling pathways and enabling cells to adapt to environmental changes. As such, FAs are critical for tissue organization and serve as hubs governing cell spatial arrangement within the organism.

The natural history of cytologically low-risk indeterminate thyroid nodules.

Background: Thyroid nodules classified cytologically as low-risk indeterminate lesions (TIR3A) on fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) present a clinical challenge due to their uncertain malignancy risk. This single-center study aimed to evaluate the natural history of TIR3A nodules.

Materials And Methods: FNABs performed between July 2017 and December 2019 were retrospectively retrieved and patients with TIR3A nodules were evaluated at baseline and throughout a follow-up based on ultrasound (US) parameters and clinical data.

Fatuamide A, a Hybrid PKS/NRPS Metallophore from a sp. Marine Cyanobacterium Collected in American Samoa.

A structurally novel metabolite, fatuamide A (), was discovered from a laboratory cultured strain of the marine cyanobacterium sp., collected from Faga'itua Bay, American Samoa. A bioassay-guided approach using NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells directed the isolation of fatuamide A, which was obtained from the most cytotoxic fraction.

SAMURAI: shallow analysis of copy number alterations using a reproducible and integrated bioinformatics pipeline.

Shallow whole-genome sequencing (sWGS) offers a cost-effective approach to detect copy number alterations (CNAs). However, there remains a gap for a standardized workflow specifically designed for sWGS analysis. To address this need, in this work we present SAMURAI, a bioinformatics pipeline specifically designed for analyzing CNAs from sWGS data in a standardized and reproducible manner.

Recalibrating Protection Factors Using Millisecond Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry.

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is a powerful technique to interrogate protein structure and dynamics. With the ability to study almost any protein without a size limit, including intrinsically disordered ones, HDX-MS has shown fast growing importance as a complement to structural elucidation techniques. Current experiments compare two or more related conditions (sequences, interaction partners, excipients, conformational states, etc.

European ILD registry algorithm for self-assessment in interstitial lung diseases (eurILDreg ASA-ILD).

Background And Aims: Predicting progression and prognosis in Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD), especially Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis (PPF), remains a challenge. Integrating patient-centered measurements is essential for earlier and safer detection of disease progression. Home monitoring through e-health technologies, such as spirometry and oximetry connected to smartphone applications, holds promise for early detection of ILD progression or acute exacerbations, enabling timely therapeutic interventions.

Health risk assessment and Sobol' sensitivity analysis of power plant air pollution (SO2 and NOX): the effect of power plant fuel change.

This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) around the Qom (a province in Iran) combined cycle power plant in relation to seasonal variations and fuel type from December 2014 to May 2015. Passive sampling was used in three monitoring sites around the power plant to assess noncarcinogenic health risks associated with exposure to SO2 and NOX. Results showed the higher concentrations of NOX and SO2 in winter than in spring.

Replication-Poison Treatment in BRCA1-Deficient Breast Cancer Causes MRE11 Over-Resection that Induces Single-Stranded DNA Accumulation and Mitotic Catastrophe.

BRCA1 deficiency is observed in approximately 25% of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). BRCA1, a key player of homologous recombination (HR) repair, is also involved in stalled DNA replication fork protection and repair. Here, we investigated the sensitivity of BRCA1-deficient TNBC models to the frequently used replication chain terminator gemcitabine, which does not directly induce DNA breaks.

Evaporating Primordial Black Holes, the String Axiverse, and Hot Dark Radiation.

The search for primordial black holes (PBHs) with masses M≪M_{⊙} is motivated by natural early-Universe production mechanisms and that PBHs can be dark matter. For M≲10^{14}  kg, the PBH density is constrained by null searches for their expected Hawking emission (HE), the characteristics of which are, however, sensitive to new states beyond the standard model. If there exists a large number of spin-0 particles in nature, PBHs can, through HE, develop and maintain non-negligible spins, modifying the visible HE.

Accurate Standard Siren Cosmology with Joint Gravitational-Wave and γ-Ray Burst Observations.

Joint gravitational-wave and γ-ray burst (GRB) observations are among the best prospects for standard siren cosmology. However, the strong selection effect for the coincident GRB detection, which is possible only for sources with small inclination angles, induces a systematic uncertainty that is currently not accounted for. We show that this severe source of bias can be removed by inferring the a priori unknown electromagnetic detection probability directly from multimessenger data.

Precise Measurement of the e^{+}e^{-}→D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-} Cross Section at Center-of-Mass Energies from Threshold to 4.95 GeV.

Using the e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider, at center-of-mass energies from the threshold to 4.95 GeV, we present precise measurements of the cross section for the process e^{+}e^{-}→D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-} using a single-tag method. The resulting cross section line shape exhibits several new structures, thereby offering an input for a future coupled-channel analysis and model tests, which are critical to understand vector charmonium-like states with masses between 4 and 5 GeV.

Simultaneous Unbinned Differential Cross-Section Measurement of Twenty-Four Z+jets Kinematic Observables with the ATLAS Detector.

Z boson events at the Large Hadron Collider can be selected with high purity and are sensitive to a diverse range of QCD phenomena. As a result, these events are often used to probe the nature of the strong force, improve Monte Carlo event generators, and search for deviations from standard model predictions. All previous measurements of Z boson production characterize the event properties using a small number of observables and present the results as differential cross sections in predetermined bins.

Measurement of Λ_{b}^{0}, Λ_{c}^{+}, and Λ Decay Parameters Using Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ_{c}^{+}h^{-} Decays.

A comprehensive study of the angular distributions in the bottom-baryon decays Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ_{c}^{+}h^{-}(h=π,K), followed by Λ_{c}^{+}→Λh^{+} with Λ→pπ^{-} or Λ_{c}^{+}→pK_{S}^{0} decays, is performed using a data sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1} collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV. The decay parameters and the associated charge-parity (CP) asymmetries are measured, with no significant CP violation observed. For the first time, the Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ_{c}^{+}h^{-} decay parameters are measured.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pediatric Counseling on Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Weight: A Secondary Analysis of the BP-CATCH Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Pediatric obesity and hypertension are highly correlated. To mitigate both conditions, provision of counseling on nutrition, lifestyle, and weight to children with high blood pressure (BP) measurements is recommended.

Objective: To examine racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of nutrition, lifestyle, and weight counseling among patients with high BP at pediatric primary care visits stratified by patients' weight status.

A comparative analysis of risk stratification tools in systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: a EUSTAR analysis.

Objectives: The 2022 European Society of Cardiology and European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) Guidelines for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) recommend risk stratification to optimize management. However, the performance of generic PAH risk stratification tools in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated PAH remains unclear. Our objective was to identify the most accurate approach for risk stratification at SSc-PAH diagnosis.