Surpassing protein specificity in biomimetics of bacterial amyloids.

In nature, nontoxic protein amyloids serve as dynamic, protein-specific depots, exemplified by both bacterial inclusion bodies and secretory granules from the endocrine system. Inspired by these systems, chemically defined and regulatory-compliant artificial protein microgranules have been developed for clinical applications as endocrine-like protein repositories. This has been achieved by exploiting the reversible coordination between histidine residues and divalent cations such as Zn, that promotes protein-protein interactions.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Drainage of Intra-Abdominal Abscess Using 15-mm vs. 10-mm Lumen-Apposing Metal Stents: An International Case-Matched Study.

Background And Aims: Efficacy and safety of EUS-guided placement of lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) has been reported yet advantage of using 15-mm LAMS over 10-mm LAMS yet to be explored.

Methods: International, retrospective, case-matched study of patients with intra-abdominal abscess who underwent EUS-guided drainage with 15-mm (case) and 10-mm (control) LAMS between 03/2019 and 09/2022.

Results: 51 patients underwent EUS-guided drainage using LAMS [15-mm 29 (57%), 10-mm 22 (43%)].

Epidemiological and genetic factors affecting severe epizootic hemorrhagic disease in Spanish Holstein cattle during the Southern Europe outbreak of 2023.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a non-contagious viral infection that can cause important economic losses in dairy farms. This study aimed to identify epidemiological and genetic factors influencing the susceptibility and severity of EHD in Holstein dairy cattle during the 2023 outbreak in Spain. Data from 2852 animals in 7 affected farms from 5 Spanish provinces were used.

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.

The multiple facets of Rab proteins modulating the cellular distribution of cholesterol from the late endosomal compartment.

Cholesterol is an essential lipid that ensures the functional integrity of mammalian cells. Most cells acquire cholesterol via endocytosis of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Upon reaching late endosomes/lysosomes (LE/Lys), incoming ligands, including LDL-derived cholesterol, are distributed to other organelles.

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.

Ectopic expression of DNMT3L in human trophoblast stem cells restores features of the placental methylome.

The placental DNA methylation landscape is unique, with widespread partially methylated domains (PMDs). The placental "methylome" is conserved across mammals, a shared feature of many cancers, and extensively studied for links with pregnancy complications. Human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) offer exciting potential for functional studies to better understand this epigenetic feature; however, whether the hTSC epigenome recapitulates primary trophoblast remains unclear.

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.

Global Epidemiology of Alcohol-Related Liver Disease, Liver Cancer, and Alcohol Use Disorder, 2000-2021.

Background/aims: Alcohol represents a leading burden of disease worldwide, including alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). We aim to assess the global burden of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer between 2000-2021.

Methods: We registered the global and regional trends of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-related liver cancer using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study, the largest and most up-to-date global epidemiology database.

Multicationic ruthenium phthalocyanines as photosensitizers for photodynamic inactivation of multiresistant microbes.

Four photosensitizers PS1a-PS4a consisting in multicationic ruthenium(II) phthalocyanines (RuPcs) have been evaluated in photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of multiresistant microorganisms. The RuPcs, bearing from 4 to 12 terminal ammonium salts, have been designed to target the microorganisms cytoplasmic cell membrane and display high singlet oxygen quantum yields. In addition, PS3a and PS4a were conceived to exhibit multi-target localization by endowing them with amphiphilic character, using two different structural approaches.

Sulfadiazine removal with low-cost structured nano and micro-composite hydrogel beads on moroccan clays with alginate-CMC-biochar.

The primary goal of the current work was to construct pH-sensitive nano and microcomposite hydrogel beads based on alginate (AL), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), biochar (BC), and two Moroccan clays: Ghassoul (swelling SW) and red (not swelling NSW) nano and microhybrid. The adsorbents, SW + AL, SW + AL + BC, SW + AL + CMC, NSW + AL, NSW + AL + BC, NSW + AL + CMC, AL, and AL + CMC were prepared for the adsorption of the antibiotic sulfadiazine (SDZ). The test samples were characterized using a variety of techniques, including X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), with the molecular structures of the studied additives geometrically optimized using the DFT/B3LYP method and the function 6-311G(d).

Association of body composition with neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive function; a population-based study of 70-year-olds.

Background: A better understanding of body-brain links may provide insights on targets for preventing cognitive decline. The aim was to explore associations of body composition with neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive function among dementia-free 70-year-olds.

Methods: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition measures in relation to neuroimaging measures of cortical thickness, hippocampal volume, small vessel disease, predicted brain age, and cognitive performance were explored in a cross-sectional study of 674 dementia-free 70-year-olds from the Swedish Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort study.

Dietary vitamin D intake and changes in body composition over three years in older adults with metabolic syndrome.

Background: Adequate intake of vitamin D through diet may offer benefits in terms of body composition.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the longitudinal relationship between dietary vitamin D intake and changes in body composition in older adults over one and three years under the context of a weight loss and lifestyle behavioral intervention.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Attracting nursing talent to the intensive care unit: A qualitative study on how to create an appealing work environment.

Introduction And Objective: The global shortage of nurses who want to work in the intensive care unit (ICU) is alarming, putting at risk quality of care and patient safety. With efforts put into engagement strategies, optimized recruitment programmes are scarce, specifically in the ICU setting. The aim of this study is to describe and explore ICU nurses' opinions on their work motivational factors that influenced the decision to work in the ICU setting.

Leveraging Transformers-based models and linked data for deep phenotyping in radiology.

Background And Objective: Despite significant investments in the normalization and the standardization of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), free text is still the rule rather than the exception in clinical notes. The use of free text has implications in data reuse methods used for supporting clinical research since the query mechanisms used in cohort definition and patient matching are mainly based on structured data and clinical terminologies. This study aims to develop a method for the secondary use of clinical text by: (a) using Natural Language Processing (NLP) for tagging clinical notes with biomedical terminology; and (b) designing an ontology that maps and classifies all the identified tags to various terminologies and allows for running phenotyping queries.

De novo lipogenesis protects dormant breast cancer cells from ferroptosis and promotes metastasis.

Dormant disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) remain viable for years to decades before establishing a clinically overt metastatic lesion. DTCs are known to be highly resilient and able to overcome the multiple biological hurdles imposed along the metastatic cascade. However, the specific metabolic adaptations of dormant DTCs remain to be elucidated.

Voice self-perception and acoustic parameters in transgirls adolescent related to pubertal stage blockage.

Background: Trans girls may initiate early puberty blockers once puberty has started in order to prevent the development of masculine secondary sexual characteristics. Depending on how early the puberty blockers are administered, voice may have reached a certain degree of development and have acquired typically male acoustic and phonetic parameters, which can cause discomfort and affect the adolescent's quality of life.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to (1) determine if there are differences in discomfort with the self-perceiver voice according to the moment of puberty block (PB), and (2) find a relation between vocal discomfort and variables such a voice phonetic/acoustic characteristics and self-perception of voice.

Use of magnetite nanoparticles and magnetic separation for the removal of metal(loid)s from contaminated mine soils.

Magnetite nanoparticles have been successfully used for removal and immobilization of contaminants in water, yet their application in soils combined with in situ magnetic separation remains unexplored. We evaluated the effectiveness and optimal conditions for using magnetite nanoparticles combined with magnetic separation to remove metal(loid)s from contaminated mine soils. Soil samples were incubated (15, 45 days) with varying doses of magnetite (0, 25, 50 g kg⁻¹) and moisture (dry, field capacity) and separated using electromagnet or permanent magnet.

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.

Development of a framework to structure decision-making in environmental and occupational health: A systematic review and Delphi study.

Background: Environmental and occupational health (EOH) assessments increasingly utilize systematic review methods and structured frameworks for evaluating evidence about the human health effects of exposures. However, there is no prevailing approach for how to integrate this evidence into decisions or recommendations. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence-to-decision (EtD) frameworks provide a structure to support standardized and transparent consideration of relevant criteria to inform health decisions.

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.

Plastics reset in an adult Procellariform seabird species during the breeding season.

Plastic ingestion has been extensively studied in seabirds. However, knowledge gaps remain in understanding how plastic loads behave over time and their residence inside Procellariforms. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of ingested plastics by adult Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) during the breeding season to shed light on plastic retention times.

Genes of filter-feeding species as a potential toolkit for monitoring microplastic impacts.

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in the marine environment and impact organisms at multiple levels. Understanding their actual effects on wild populations is urgently needed. This study develops a toolkit to monitor changes in gene expression induced by MPs in natural environments, focusing on filter-feeding and bioindicator species from diverse ecological and taxonomic groups.

Effects of fire recurrence and severity on Mediterranean vegetation dynamics: Implications for structure and composition in southern Spain.

Most Mediterranean ecosystems have been profoundly shaped by wildfires, driving the evolution of plant species. Through photo interpretation and field inventories, this research assessed vegetation dynamics from 1984 to 2021, examining how fire severity and recurrence, key fire regime variables, influenced changes in structure and woody species diversity. Using two burn scars (1988 and 2006), we identified four scenarios dominated by Pinus pinea tree species: control (unburned), areas burned once (either in 1988 or 2006), and twice (in both 1988 and 2006).

Coupling tree-ring and geomorphic analyses to reconstruct the 1950s massive Glacier Lake Outburst Flood at Grosse Glacier, Chilean Patagonia.

Over recent decades, global warming has led to sustained glacier mass reduction and the formation of glacier lakes dammed by potentially unstable moraines. When such dams break, devastating Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) can occur in high mountain environments with catastrophic effects on populations and infrastructure. To understand the occurrence of GLOFs in space and time, build frequency-magnitude relationships for disaster risk reduction or identify regional links between GLOF frequency and climate warming, comprehensive databases are critically needed.