Natural-Based Nanocomposite Ink Engineering for Seamless Multi-Material Integration in Extrusion-Based 3D Printing.

Multi-tissue regeneration remains a critical clinical challenge due to the lack of solutions that can replicate the hierarchical heterogeneity of such complex interfaces. While biofabrication approaches, such as extrusion-based, allow replicating robust, biomimetic, and layered designs, constructs are usually hindered by inadequate phase/layer integration, poor filler dispersion, and mismatched rheological and mechanical performances. This study introduces an ink engineering strategy as a solution for integrating natural-based nanocomposites in multi-tissue regenerative approaches.

A Metal-Organic Polyhedron-to-Coordination Polymer Transition Revealed by 3D Electron Diffraction.

Porous metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs) have strong covalent and coordinate bonds that define the intrinsic pore of the cage. The intermolecular interactions between cages tend to be weaker, such that they rearrange during the solvent exchange process preceding gas sorption measurements. The reduction in crystal size that this often causes limits the availability of structural data that could enable understanding of observed gas uptake.

Impact of In vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Chemical Composition and Prebiotic Potential of Coffee Silverskin.

The growing interest in prebiotic ingredients has led to the valorization of agri-food by-products, such as coffee silverskin, known for its richness in dietary fiber and health-promoting compounds. This study evaluated the impact of in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal digestion on the chemical composition (carbohydrates, caffeine, and chlorogenic acids) and prebiotic potential (probiotic growth, organic acid production, pH, and antioxidant activity) of milled coffee silverskin. The results show stability of polysaccharides during digestion, while caffeine and 5-caffeoylquinic acid were partially released into the bioaccessible fraction.

The Earth Hologenome Initiative: Data Release 1.

Background: The Earth Hologenome Initiative (EHI) is a global endeavor dedicated to revisit fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions from the systemic host-microbiota perspective, through the standardized generation and analysis of joint animal genomic and associated microbial metagenomic data.

Results: The first data release of the EHI contains 968 shotgun DNA sequencing read files containing 5.2 TB of raw genomic and metagenomic data derived from 21 vertebrate species sampled across 12 countries, as well as 17,666 metagenome-assembled genomes reconstructed from these data.

Lipidomic Signature of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Peripheral Artery Disease.

Vascular diseases are powerful predictors of cardiovascular mortality, but they are typically under-recognized and undertreated. There is no effective treatment for either abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or peripheral artery disease (PAD). Lipids are key molecules in cardiovascular diseases and good candidates for diagnosis, monitoring, and risk prediction; nonetheless, there is very limited information on the lipidomic profile of patients with AAA and PAD.

Point-of-care ultrasound can make the difference in patients with heart failure at primary care.

Background: Primary healthcare centers (PHC) play a pivotal role in the first-line management of patients with diabetes and hypertension, major risk factors for heart failure (HF) development. Point-of-care cardiac ultrasound (POCUS), integrated as an extension of the physical examination, holds significant potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and clinical management in this setting.

Objectives: Evaluate the impact of POCUS on clinical decision-making in patients with HF and at risk of developing HF in PHC and compare POCUS findings with clinical assessment alone, conventional echocardiography, and electrocardiogram results.

Airborne microplastics and plastic additives in a school environment: identification, quantification, and associated inhalation risks.

Indoor and outdoor air pollution is related to adverse human health effects, especially in children due to their ongoing physical development. This study assesses airborne microplastics (MP) concentrations and associated inhalation risks in a school in Estarreja, Portugal, near a large industrial complex producing polyvinylchloride (PVC). PM samples were collected over two campaigns (winter and spring) in four classrooms (ages 3-11 years) and adjacent outdoor areas.

Accurate Analysis of the Pitch Pulse-Based Magnitude/Phase Structure of Natural Vowels and Assessment of Three Lightweight Time/Frequency Voicing Restoration Methods.

This paper addresses two challenges that are intertwined and are key in informing signal processing methods restoring natural (voiced) speech from whispered speech. The first challenge involves characterizing and modeling the evolution of the harmonic phase/magnitude structure of a sequence of individual pitch periods in a voiced region of natural speech comprising sustained or co-articulated vowels. A novel algorithm segmenting individual pitch pulses is proposed, which is then used to obtain illustrative results highlighting important differences between sustained and co-articulated vowels, and suggesting practical synthetic voicing approaches.

Xanthan Gum-Iron System: Natural, Mechanically Tunable, Bioactive, and Magnetic-Responsive Hydrogels for Biomedical Engineering Applications.

Xanthan gum (XG) has performed far better than other polysaccharides for industrial purposes, e.g., food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications, due to its outstanding thickening effect, pseudoplastic rheological properties, and non-toxicity.

Enabling 3D electrical stimulation of adipose-derived decellularized extracellular matrix and reduced graphene oxide scaffolds using graphene electrodes.

Notwithstanding the demonstrated benefits of electrical stimulation in enhancing tissue functionality, existing state-of-the-art electrostimulation systems often depend on invasive electrodes or planar designs. This work exploits the versatility of graphene to fabricate biocompatible electrodes for the three-dimensional electrical stimulation of neural stem cells. A conductive green graphene-based ink was formulated and screen-printed as the bottom and top electrodes in a bottom-less standard culture well plate.

Influence of Sex and Diagnosis on Clinical Variables and Neurocognitive Performance in Severe Mental Illness. Results From the PsyCourse Study.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are serious mental illnesses (SMI) with overlapping symptoms but distinct differences in onset and course. Sex differences are an area of growing interest in SMI. This study aims to examine potential interactions between sex and diagnosis across a broad range of variables, to compare males and females within SZ and BD, and to investigate sex-specific group differences.

Enhancing Wildlife Trade Monitoring in the European Union-No Need to Reinvent the Wheel.

Biodiversity loss is mainly driven by changes in land use and overexploitation, with the commercial trade of wildlife being a smaller but still important contributor to resource depletion and species decline. The trade-including live animals, plants, fungi, and derived products-is a major economic sector valued at US$145-220 billion annually. The European Union (EU) is a key market, importing wildlife products worth approximately €100 billion.

Sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit kinematics in older adults with and without functional disability: A principal component analysis.

Objective: Sit-to-Stand (Sit-TS) and Stand-to-Sit (Stand-TS) transitions are essential daily movements affected by ageing and disability. This study aimed to explore related kinematic domains in older adults with and without disability.

Methods: A cross-sectional study including adults aged 60 years or older, with (n = 25) and without disability (n = 35).

Unravelling the Link Between Body Mass Index and Cognitive Performance in Individuals With Bipolar Disorder and Exploration of PRS Moderation Effect: Findings From the PsyCourse Study.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental disorder characterized by extreme mood swings, often accompanied by metabolic comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, which increase mortality and reduce quality of life. Both metabolic dysfunctions and BD are associated with cognitive dysfunction. Body mass index (BMI) is closely linked to metabolic health and cognitive performance.

Maize Crops Under Rising Temperatures: Bacterial Influence on Biochemical and Lipidomic Changes Induced by Heat.

Rising global temperatures are increasingly affecting plant performance, leading to reduced growth, altered metabolism, and compromised membrane integrity. Although plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) show promise in enhancing thermotolerance, the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of PGPB inoculation on under control (26 °C) and heat stress (36 °C) conditions.

Biodegradable Antioxidant Composites with Almond Skin Powder.

Almond skin (AS) from industrial almond peeling is considered an agri-food waste with adequate composition to obtain composite films for food packaging due to its richness in polysaccharides, proteins, and phenolic compounds. Composite films based on amorphous polylactic acid (PLA) or partially acetylated polyvinilalcohol (PVA) were obtained by melt blending and compression moulding, incorporating different ratios of defatted AS powder (0, 5, 10, and 15 wt.%).

Bioactive Chalcone-Loaded Mesoporous Silica KIT-6 Nanocarrier: A Promising Strategy for Inflammation and Pain Management in Zebrafish.

: The incorporation of bioactive molecules into mesoporous carriers is a promising strategy to improve stability, solubility, and therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we report for the first time the encapsulation of the synthetic chalcone 4-Cl into KIT-6 mesoporous silica and evaluate its cytotoxicity, toxicological profile, and pharmacological activities (antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic) using an in vivo zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. : Zebrafish were orally dosed with 4-Cl, 4-Cl/KIT-6, or KIT-6 (4, 20, 40 mg/kg) and mortality was recorded for 96 h.

Effect of Anodic Aluminium Oxide Structure on the Electroless Ni-P Distribution into Nanopores.

The anodization of aluminium/aluminium alloys is widely used to produce anodic nanoporous networks for metal layered structures, with applications in energy harvesting technologies and sensor systems. Anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) with thickness of ~10 μm and average pore diameter of 13, 33, and 95 nm is prepared by tuning acids and voltages, being further used for electroless nickel deposition, performed for 10 min using conventional electrolyte with sodium hypophosphite reductor and pH 4.5.

Nursing Interventions to Reduce Health Risks from Climate Change Impact in Urban Areas: A Scoping Review.

In recent studies, public health has been considered a key stakeholder in climate mitigation and adaptation in cities since they are more exposed to the impact of climate change. Nurses represent a vast majority of public health professionals, playing a key role in health promotion that allows them to influence individuals, families, and communities in adopting healthier behaviours and decarbonized lifestyles. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to map the existing evidence on nursing interventions, which are being led or implemented to reduce the health risks related to climate change in urban areas.

Spectroscopic Profile of Metabolome Dynamics During Rat Cortical Neuronal Differentiation.

Neuronal differentiation is a highly dynamic process marked by coordinated biochemical, structural, and metabolic changes. Rat primary cortical neurons are the preferred cell model to study this process as they can maintain their functional attributes, including functional synapses, and simulate the behavior of neuronal cells in vivo. In this study, we employed Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to monitor the molecular transformations that occur during the differentiation of rat cortical neurons.

Sol-Gel-Synthesized Metal Oxide Nanostructures: Advancements and Prospects for Spintronic Applications-A Comprehensive Review.

Spintronics, an interdisciplinary field merging magnetism and electronics, has attracted considerable interest due to its potential to transform data storage, logic devices, and emerging quantum technologies. Among the materials explored for spintronic applications, metal oxide nanostructures synthesized via sol-gel methods offer a unique combination of low-cost processing, structural tunability, and defect-mediated magnetic control. This comprehensive review presents a critical overview of recent advances in sol-gel-derived magnetic oxides, such as Co-doped ZnO, LaSrMnO, FeO, NiFeO, and transition-metal-doped TiO, with emphasis on synthesis strategies, the dopant distribution, and room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior.

Bacteriophage PCSE1 as a Potential Strategy Against Enteritidis in Liquid Egg Products.

Background/objectives: The consumption of liquid egg products is rising. While thermal pasteurization improves safety and shelf life, it can affect product quality. Furthermore, egg products continue to cause many foodborne illnesses, especially those caused by subspecies serovar Enteritidis ( Enteritidis).

Marine Antimicrobial Peptides: Emerging Strategies Against Multidrug-Resistant and Biofilm-Forming Bacteria.

The global rise in antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to public health, with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections expected to surpass cancer in mortality by 2050. As traditional antibiotic pipelines stagnate, novel therapeutic alternatives are critically needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), particularly those derived from marine organisms, have emerged as promising antimicrobial candidates due to their broad-spectrum activity, structural diversity, and distinctive mechanisms of action.

Principal Component Analysis of Stair Negotiation and Floor Transition Kinematics in Older Adults With and Without Functional Disability: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Stair negotiation (ascending and descending) and transitions to level walking are complex motor tasks influenced by aging; yet the impact of functional disability on these changes remains underexplored.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the lower limb joint positions, velocities, and the center of mass (CoM) displacement and velocity during stair negotiation and transitions in older adults with and without functional disability.

Methods: Sixty community-dwelling adults, aged 60 years and older, were assessed for lower limb tridimensional joint positions and velocities during the instances of foot contact or leaving the step and foot contact or leaving the floor; the joint range of motion, angular velocity range, and the CoM displacement and angular velocity range were assessed during stair ascend and descend and transitions floor-to-stair and stair-to-floor through an optoelectronic system.