Deciphering uptake mechanisms of potentially toxic elements in seaweeds using high resolution imaging analysis.

Pollution by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as Pb and Zn threatens seaweed populations, which sustain marine coastal ecosystems. Understanding how seaweeds uptake and release these pollutants is crucial to assessing their impact. To address this, we analyzed the subcellular location of PTEs in transplanted thalli of the brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS).

Salsolinol-Containing Exerts Antiviral Activity Against Hepatitis B Virus.

Several natural products have been shown to display antiviral activity against the hepatitis B virus (HBV), among a number of other viruses. In a previous study, the hydro-alcoholic extracts (n = 66) of 31 species from the Venezuelan Amazonian rain forest were tested on the hepatoma cell line HepG2.2.

Cardiac and pericardial inflammatory changes and post-cardiac surgery atrial fibrillation.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is one of the most common complications after cardiac surgery with an estimated incidence of up to 20-55 % of patients. POAF is associated with higher morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. The underlying mechanism of POAF is multifactorial, with evolving evidence supporting the central role of atrial muscle fibrosis and localized intrapericardial inflammation in the pathogenesis of this condition.

The return of natural lead to the Northeast Atlantic Ocean captured by brown algae.

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic pollutant with serious ecological implications. This study investigates 30-year trends (1990-2021) in Pb concentrations and isotopic signatures (Pb/Pb and Pb/Pb) in the brown algae Fucus spp. from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean (n = 446).

Semaglutide Modulates Proinflammatory Epicardial Adipogenesis With Paracrine Effects on hiPSC-Atrial Cardiomyocytes.

Inflamed epicardial fat (EAT) accumulation around the myocardium and coronaries is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Glucagon-like peptide receptor-agonists 1 improves the insulin response and reduces EAT thickness. We aimed to demonstrate the effect of semaglutide on proinflammatory epicardial adipogenesis with paracrine effects on cardiomyocytes.

Three Decades of Change in Potentially Toxic Elements in Brown Algae in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean.

Marine pollution from potentially toxic elements (PTEs) threatens coastal ecosystems, making long-term assessments essential. This study analyzes trends in Al, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Hg using 446 samples of , , and collected between 1990 and 2021 at 173 coastal sites in NW Spain. A consistent resampling approach revealed significant declines in most anthropogenic PTEs, including Cu (-84.

Assessing the effectiveness of seaweed transplants in reflecting seawater pollution levels.

Seaweed transplants have been widely used to monitor coastal marine pollution, yet their effectiveness in reflecting seawater elemental concentrations remains uncertain. This study investigated the relationship between elemental concentrations in Fucus vesiculosus transplants (both fresh and dried) and seawater samples representative of the transplants' exposure period collected using autosamplers. The transplants were deployed across 22 coastal sites in northwest Spain over 14 days.

Redesign of a Flange Wheel Used in an Airplane for Composite Manufacturing Made with a Mold with Removable Inserts Manufactured by Means of 3D Printing: A Comparison with the Current Conventional Alternative, a Turbine Wheel Machined out of Aluminum.

This work presents the redesign of an aircraft aluminum turbine wheel into a thermoplastic composite flange wheel with the support of 3D printing technology, which increases the turbine efficiency thanks to the introduction of the flange geometry, not possible with the current machined aluminum part. This work seeks the reduction of the aircraft's structural weight by replacing metallic components with thermoplastic alternatives and proves the feasibility of producing a complex geometry product through injection molding, paving the way for manufacturing intricate designs using removable inserts created via 3D printing. This work has been developed within the INN-PAEK project of the H2020-CLEAN SKY 2 program.

Inflammatory Mediators in Pericardial Fluid in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

The pericardial space provides a homeostatic environment that facilitates optimal cardiac function. The pericardial space contains pericardial fluid (PCF) and other tissue sources, including pericardial adipose tissue and the great vessels. Given its proximity to the heart, PCF has emerged as a potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic vehicle.

Compartmentalization of the Inflammatory Response in the Pericardial Cavity in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

The systemic inflammatory response after cardiopulmonary bypass has been widely studied. However, there is a paucity of studies that focus on the local inflammatory changes that occur in the pericardial cavity. The purpose of this study is to assess the inflammatory mediators in the pericardial fluid of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

The Role of Natriuretic Peptides in Pericardial Fluid in Predicting Cardiovascular Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Atrial and ventricular natriuretic peptides play an important role in the neurohormonal regulation of cardiac function. Plasma levels of these peptides may aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of different cardiac disorders, such as congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and atrial fibrillation. However, the association between elevated pericardial fluid levels of natriuretic peptides and these clinical conditions has not been proven.

Leaf ecological traits (morphology and gas exchange) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in shrubs and trees: A meta-analysis approach.

The leaves of trees and shrubs can capture atmospheric pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the capacity of uptake depends on the leaf traits. Although numerous studies have measured PAH concentrations in leaves of woody plants and the variability in leaf traits, few have investigated the relationship between these factors. We conducted a literature review to summarize the available information on this topic and found that five types of leaf traits have been studied, with those associated with leaf morphology and gas exchange being the most common.

Nanoscale distribution of potentially toxic elements in seaweeds revealed by synchrotron X-ray fluorescence.

Assessing the impact of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) on coastal waters requires understanding their interaction with seaweeds, as they are foundational organisms in nearshore ecosystems. While seaweeds are known to accumulate PTEs, information on the mechanisms and locations of this accumulation is very limited. We employed synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (S-XRF) to map the distribution of various chemical elements at nanometric resolution in Fucus vesiculosus, a brown alga dominant in intertidal zones.

Transparency and translucency indices for 1,525 pictograms from the Aragonese Portal of Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

This study investigated the transparency and translucency of 1,525 pictograms from the Aragonese Portal of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ARASAAC). A total of 521 participants took part in tasks that involved providing the word that best described the meaning of a pictogram or rating the relationship between a pictogram and a verbal label. This process allowed us to obtain indices of transparency (the quality of pictograms that makes their meaning easily "guessable" in the absence of their referent) and translucency (the degree of perceived relationship between the pictogram and its referent when the latter is present) which were further analyzed to assess their reliability and comparability with similar studies.

A field study of the molecular response of brown macroalgae to heavy metal exposure: An (epi)genetic approach.

Our understanding of the relative contribution of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms to organismal response to stress is largely biased towards specific taxonomic groups (e.g. seed plants) and environmental stresses (e.

Seasonality analysis on cryopreserved doses from the autochthonous cattle breeds Asturiana de la Montaña and Asturiana de los Valles.

Germplasm banking is a fundamental tool for the preservation of autochthonous breeds. Semen cryopreservation is effective for this task, but protocols are adapted to commercial species, and post-thawing sperm quality could be sensitive to environmental cues. We compared the post-thawing sperm quality in doses from the CBA-SERIDA bank in northern Spain for the Asturiana de la Montaña (AM) and Asturiana de los Valles (AV) autochthonous cattle breeds.

Implications of noncoding regulatory functions in the development of insulinomas.

Insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors arising from pancreatic β cells, characterized by aberrant proliferation and altered insulin secretion, leading to glucose homeostasis failure. With the aim of uncovering the role of noncoding regulatory regions and their aberrations in the development of these tumors, we coupled epigenetic and transcriptome profiling with whole-genome sequencing. As a result, we unraveled somatic mutations associated with changes in regulatory functions.

A Single-Cell Atlas of the Murine Pancreatic Ductal Tree Identifies Novel Cell Populations With Potential Implications in Pancreas Regeneration and Exocrine Pathogenesis.

Background & Aims: Pancreatic ducts form an intricate network of tubules that secrete bicarbonate and drive acinar secretions into the duodenum. This network is formed by centroacinar cells, terminal, intercalated, intracalated ducts, and the main pancreatic duct. Ductal heterogeneity at the single-cell level has been poorly characterized; therefore, our understanding of the role of ductal cells in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis has been hampered by the limited knowledge and unexplained diversity within the ductal network.

Relationship between foliar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations and plant traits: Intracanopy variability for a broadleaf species in an urban environment.

The emission of potentially harmful compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the resulting air pollution is a serious problem in modern cities. It is therefore important to develop mitigation strategies, such as "smart" planting of trees that act as sinks for PAHs. However, the intra-individual (within-tree) variability in leaf PAH concentrations remains unknown.

Purulent Pericarditis as the First Manifestation of Esophageal Carcinoma.

Purulent pericarditis secondary to esophago-pericardial fistula is a serious complication that has been previously reported in patients with esophageal cancer treated with radio/chemotherapy and esophageal stenting. However, the presence of esophago-pericardial fistula as the first manifestation of advanced carcinoma of the esophagus is exceedingly infrequent. We report the case of a 61-year-old male who presented with sepsis, cardiac tamponade and septic shock who was found to have an esophago-pericardial fistula secondary to squamous carcinoma of the esophagus.

A single-cell atlas of the murine pancreatic ductal tree identifies novel cell populations with potential implications in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis.

Background And Aims: Pancreatic ducts form an intricate network of tubules that secrete bicarbonate and drive acinar secretions into the duodenum. This network is formed by centroacinar cells, terminal, intercalated, intracalated ducts, and the main pancreatic duct. Ductal heterogeneity at the single-cell level has been poorly characterized; therefore, our understanding of the role of ductal cells in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis has been hampered by the limited knowledge and unexplained diversity within the ductal network.

Videolaryngoscope versus conventional technique for insertion of a transesophageal echocardiography probe in intubated ICU patients (VIDLARECO trial): A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Transesophageal echocardiogram probe insertion in intubated critically ill patients can be difficult, leading to complications, such as gastric bleeding or lesions in the oropharyngeal mucosa. We hypothesised that the use of a videolaryngoscope would facilitate the first attempt at insertion of the transesophageal echocardiogram probe and would decrease the incidence of complications compared to the conventional insertion technique.

Methods: In this clinical trial, patients were randomly assigned the insertion of a transesophageal echocardiogram probe using a videolaryngoscope or conventional technique.

Transcranial direct current stimulation over the left posterior temporal lobe modulates semantic control: Evidence from episodic memory distortions.

Evidence accumulates to show that semantic cognition requires, in addition to semantic representations, control processes that regulate the accessibility and use of semantic knowledge in a task- and time-appropriate fashion. Semantic control has been recently proposed to rely on a distributed network that includes the posterior temporal cortex. Along these lines, recent meta-analyses of neuroimaging data and studies with patients suffering from semantic aphasia have suggested that the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) is critically involved whenever situational context must constrain semantic retrieval.