Cys44 of SARS-CoV-2 3CL affects its catalytic activity.

SARS-CoV-2 encodes a 3C-like protease (3CL) that is essential for viral replication. This cysteine protease cleaves viral polyproteins to release functional nonstructural proteins, making it a prime target for antiviral drug development. We investigated the inhibitory effects of halicin, a known c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor, on 3CL.

Nutritional Value of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Oil in Calf Milk Replacers.

Sustainable alternatives to high environmental input feed ingredients are important to reducing the environmental impact of animal agriculture. Protein and oil extracted from cultivation of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) on waste feedstocks such as manure, food waste and plant residues could be a suitable source of nutrients. The oil from BFSL contains large amounts of saturated fatty acids, particularly lauric acid, and may be a more sustainable alternative to palm and coconut oils that are currently used in calf milk replacers in many parts of the world.

Measuring water pollution effects on antimicrobial resistance through explainable artificial intelligence.

Antimicrobial resistance refers to the ability of pathogens to develop resistance to drugs designed to eliminate them, making the infections they cause more difficult to treat and increasing the likelihood of disease diffusion and mortality. As such, antimicrobial resistance is considered as one of the most significant and universal challenges to both health and society, as well as the environment. In our research, we employ the explainable artificial intelligence paradigm to identify the factors that most affect the onset of antimicrobial resistance in diversified territorial contexts, which can vary widely from each other in terms of climatic, economic and social conditions.

Supplying LSD1 with FAD in pancreatic cancer: a matter of protein-protein interaction?

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a key regulator in cancer epigenetic, and its activity is reliant on flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as a cofactor. In this study, we investigated the correlation between LSD1 and FAD synthase isoform 2 (FADS2) protein levels in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines. We first assessed LSD1 protein and mRNA levels in mutant p53-expressing PANC-1 and MiaPaCa2 cells and p53-null AsPc-1 cells, compared to human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) controls.

Learning to fear novel stimuli by observing others in the social affordance framework.

Fear responses to novel stimuli can be learned directly, through personal experiences (Fear Conditioning, FC), or indirectly, by observing conspecific reactions to a stimulus (Social Fear Learning, SFL). Although substantial knowledge exists about FC and SFL in humans and other species, they are typically conceived as mechanisms that engage separate neural networks and operate at different levels of complexity. Here, we propose a broader framework that links these two fear learning modes by supporting the view that social signals may act as unconditioned stimuli during SFL.

Evaluating ADHD medication trial representativeness: a Swedish population-based study comparing hypothetically trial-eligible and trial-ineligible individuals.

Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating ADHD medications often use strict eligibility criteria, potentially limiting generalisability to patients in real-world clinical settings. We aimed to identify the proportion of individuals with ADHD who would be ineligible for medication RCTs and evaluate differences in treatment patterns and clinical and functional outcomes between RCT-eligible and RCT-ineligible individuals.

Methods: We used multiple Swedish national registries to identify individuals with ADHD, aged at least 4 years at the age of diagnosis, initiating pharmacological treatment between Jan 1, 2007, and Dec 31, 2019, with follow-up up to Dec 31, 2020.

Maintenance treatment with vedolizumab in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (VEDOKIDS): 54-week outcomes of a multicentre, prospective, cohort study.

Background: Infliximab and adalimumab are the only biologics thus far approved for paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), so other biologics, such as vedolizumab, are prescribed off-label. Despite its frequent use, prospective data for vedolizumab treatment in children are available only for short-term induction outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of maintenance therapy with vedolizumab in paediatric patients with IBD.

Formation of I+III supercomplex rescues respiratory chain defects.

Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes partition between free complexes and quaternary assemblies known as supercomplexes (SCs). However, the physiological requirement for SCs and the mechanisms regulating their formation remain controversial. Here, we show that genetic perturbations in mammalian ETC complex III (CIII) biogenesis stimulate the formation of a specialized extra-large SC (SC-XL) with a structure of I+III, resolved at 3.

Lactate Threshold and Swimming Performance in World-Class Open-Water Swimmers.

Purpose: The assessment of lactate threshold (LT) and its relationship to open-water (OW) performance is crucial. This study aimed (1) to analyze LT in world-class OW swimmers, (2) to compare swimming speed at LT (SSLT) and 4 mmol·L-1 of blood lactate concentration ([La-]; SS4), and (3) to examine the relationships between SSLT and swimming performance.

Methods: Twenty world-class and elite (11 male, 26.

Manganese recovery from electric arc furnace dust bioleachate: Evaluation of different precipitation agents.

This study optimized a one-step precipitation process for manganese recovery from a complex medium-bioleachate obtained from electric arc furnace dust (EAFD). The effects of pH variations and different precipitation agents, including acetone, ethanol, oxalic acid, and ammonium hydroxide, were investigated for manganese recovery. While acetone and ethanol facilitated precipitation, they did not lead to the formation of a specific manganese precipitate.

Fatal Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in a vaccinated adult with traumatic splenectomy: A case report.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome (WFS) is a rare but life-threatening condition characterized by massive adrenal hemorrhage. WFS represents one of the features of the Overwhelming Post-Splenectomy Infection, which occurs any time after spleen removal and is recognized as the most serious complication in asplenic patients. We report a fatal case of WFS resulting from Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in a vaccinated and splenectomized patient.

Prolonged incubation with Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol but not with cannabidiol induces synaptic alterations and mitochondrial impairment in immature and mature rat organotypic hippocampal slices.

Cannabis derivatives are among the most widely used psychoactive substances in the world, which leads to growing medical concerns regarding its chronic use and abuse especially among adolescents. Exposure to THC during formative years produces long-term behavioral alterations that share similarities with symptoms of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, we have analyzed the functional and molecular mechanisms that might underlie these alterations.

Machine learning-based forecast of Helmet-CPAP therapy failure in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome patients.

Background And Objective: Helmet-Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (H-CPAP) is a non-invasive respiratory support that is used for the treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a severe medical condition diagnosed when symptoms like profound hypoxemia, pulmonary opacities on radiography, or unexplained respiratory failure are present. It can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. H-CPAP therapy is recommended as the initial treatment approach for mild ARDS.

A systematic monitoring approach to assess floating marine macro litter in Italian waters: Baseline, thresholds, good environmental status, and mitigation priorities under the EU MSFD.

The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC) requires Member States to establish monitoring programs for Descriptor 10-Marine Litter, to track progress towards achieving a marine Good Environmental Status (GES). Italy conducted systematic monitoring of Floating Marine Macro Litter (FMML) in three Marine Reporting Units: Western, Central Mediterranean, and Adriatic (2018-2022, 534 surveys, 2719 km across all seasons). This study assessed baseline values for FMML amount and composition, giving indication for tracking GES progress.

Exquisite sensitivity of Polycystin-1 to HO concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Aquaporin11 (AQP11) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident peroxiporin. It allows HO transport from the lumen to the cytosol, guaranteeing redox homeostasis and signaling in and between the two organelles. Interestingly, Aqp11 mice develop a fatal, early onset polycystic kidney disease (PKD) similar to Autosomal Dominant PKD, a condition frequently associated with mutations of polycystin-1 (PC-1) in human patients.

PFAS contamination in tap water: Target and suspect screening of zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic species across Canada and beyond.

This study investigated the occurrence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic compounds, in drinking water. Between 2021-2023, an expanded list of 76 target PFAS was screened in tap water samples mainly from Canada, but also including tap water samples from the Eastern United States, Mexico, South America (Argentina), the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Cuba), Africa (Algeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Morocco, Rwanda, Tunisia), Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and Asia (Japan, Vietnam, Iran, and Türkiye). An additional ∼ 200 suspect-target PFAS were screened using high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Genetic identification of zoonotic parasite Anisakis pegreffii (Nematoda: Anisakidae) parasitizing the shortfin squid Illex argentinus under commercial exploitation in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

Despite the shortfin squid, Illex argentinus, is one of the most important commercial species for the Argentine fisheries, being the third frozen product exported to Europe, the occurrence and distribution of zoonotic anisakid nematodes is scarcely reported. A total of 712 I. argentinus distributed in 17 samples, corresponding to its three main commercial stocks, caught along its distribution range in Argentine waters were examined for anisakid parasites.

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.

Temperature has an enhanced role in sediment NO and N fluxes in wider rivers.

Riverine NO and N fluxes, key components of the global nitrogen budget, are known to be influenced by river size (often represented by average river width), yet the specific mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear. This study examined how environmental and microbial factors influenced sediment NO and N fluxes across rivers with varying widths (2.8 to 2,000 m) in China.

The role of interoceptive sensibility on central sensitization to pain in vulvodynia.

Background: Interoception may be linked to central sensitization in chronic pain.

Aim: We aimed to provide evidence about the role of interoceptive sensibility on central sensitization in vulvodynia.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a sample of females who received a diagnosis of vulvodynia filled out validated questionnaires relative to the individual level of interoceptive sensibility and the symptoms of central sensitization.

Preliminaries to artificial consciousness: A multidimensional heuristic approach.

The pursuit of artificial consciousness requires conceptual clarity to navigate its theoretical and empirical challenges. This paper introduces a composite, multilevel, and multidimensional model of consciousness as a heuristic framework to guide research in this field. Consciousness is treated as a complex phenomenon, with distinct constituents and dimensions that can be operationalized for study and for evaluating their replication.

The application of radiomics in cancer imaging with a focus on lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, gastrointestinal cancer, and head and neck cancer: A systematic review.

Purpose: To study the application of radiomics in cancer imaging with a focus on lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, gastrointestinal cancer, and head and neck cancer.

Methods: Different electronic databases were considered. Articles published in the last five years were analyzed (January 2019 and December 2023).

Insights on the social and economic factors of the circular economy: A study of the Italian industrial and urban waste recycling sector.

In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Union (EU) Green Deal, Member States must implement an efficient and modern recycling industry that can combine high environmental standards with high economic performance. According to Eurostat, the amount of waste recovered, both industrial and urban, increased by 33.9% from 2004 to 2020, and the share of recovery in total waste treatment rose, respectively, from 45.