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Abstract Understanding how ecological assemblages vary in space and time is essential for advancing our knowledge of biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) is an efficient method for documenting biodiversity changes in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. However, current methods fail to detect and display the biodiversity structure within and between eDNA samples limiting ecological and biogeographical interpretations. We present a spatial matrix factorization method that identifies optimal eDNA sample assemblages—called pools—assuming that taxonomic unit composition is based on a fixed number of unknown sources. These sources, in turn, represent taxonomic units sharing similar habitat properties or characteristics. The method aims to reduce the multi‐taxa composition structure into a low number of dimensions defined by these sources. This method is inspired by admixture analysis in population genetics. Using a marine fish eDNA survey on 263 sampling stations detecting 2888 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs), we apply this method to analyse the biogeography and mixing patterns of fish assemblages at regional and large scales. At large scale, our analysis reveals six primary pools of fish samples characterized by distinct biogeographic patterns, with some mixtures between these pools. We identify pools composed of unique sources, corresponding to distinct and more isolated regions such as the Mediterranean and Scotia Seas. We also identify pools composed of a greater mix of sources, corresponding to geographically connected areas, such as tropical regions. Additionally, we identify the taxa underpinning the formation of each pool. In the regional analysis of Mediterranean eDNA samples, our method successfully identifies different pools, allowing the detection of not only geographic gradients but also human‐induced gradients corresponding to protection levels. Spatial matrix factorization adds a new method in community ecology, where each sample is considered as a mixture of K unobserved sources, to assess the dissimilarity of ecological assemblages revealing environmental and human‐induced gradients. Beyond the study of fish eDNA samples, this method has the potential to shed new light on any biodiversity survey and provide new bioindicators of global change.

Objective We aimed to investigate the remission rate and disease duration in idiopathic or post–cardiac injury pericarditis and risk factors for disease duration and anti–interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) agent discontinuation. Methods This was a multicenter, longitudinal, observational study including 370 patients (51.4% female). The remission rate was the proportion of patients who stopped all pericarditis‐related therapies for at least 6 months without recurrences. Results The median follow‐up was 4.9 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.8–8.4) years, and the median age at the end of follow‐up was 49 (IQR 37–60) years. A median of 1.1 (IQR 0.6–1.9) recurrences/year and 0.4 (IQR 0.1–0.9) hospitalizations/year were recorded. The remission rate at follow‐up was 34.0%, 7% per year. Disease duration was shorter for patients in remission (3.1 years, IQR 1.6–6.2 years) than for those still receiving treatment (4 years, IQR 2.2–7.8; P = 0.02). Use of “guidelines‐based therapy” (hazard ratio [HR] 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25–2.73; P = 0.02) and colchicine use at first attack (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.02–2.23; P = 0.038) were protective factors, whereas steroid use was associated with longer disease duration (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35–0.81; P = 0.003). Corticosteroids were used in 77.3% of patients, with a median duration of therapy of 1.1 (IQR 0.4–2.6) years. Anakinra was used in 25.9% with a median duration of therapy of 2.4 (IQR 0.9–5.0) years; only 19.8% were able to stop anakinra at the end of observation period. Conclusion This study reports the largest and longest follow‐up in patients with recurrent pericarditis. Guideline adherence from the first attack is associated with a shorter course. The disease was long and impacting in terms of recurrences and hospitalizations, often requiring a long‐term treatment, in particular with anti–IL‐1 agents.

ABSTRACT This paper presents preliminary ecological data on the Cocco's lanternfish Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco, 1838) (Osteichthyes: Myctophidae) in the Central Mediterranean and its first records from the northern Ionian Sea. A total of 28 specimens of lantern fish were collected using an experimental trawl net between August and September 2023 in a depth range of 500–701 m in the northern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean), as part of the MEDITS project. Their morphological traits, the presence and arrangement of photophores together with the otolith characteristics allowed the identification of these specimens as L. gemellarii. In the study area, the standard length of individuals was up to a maximum of 109 mm, which is the largest size ever found for the species. A length‐age key was estimated through otoliths reading. The stomach content analysis for all individuals is also reported. Plastic fibers were found in the gut contents of two individuals. This study not only represents the first record of the species in the northern Ionian Sea but also provides information and a new contribution to the knowledge on the role of the species in the Mediterranean marine food web.

Abstract Background Systemic inflammation has been proposed as a relevant mechanism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Still, comprehensive data on ALS patients' innate and adaptive immune responses and their effect on the clinical phenotype are lacking. Here, we investigate systemic immunity in a population‐based ALS cohort using readily available hematological indexes. Methods We collected clinical data and the complete blood count (CBC) at diagnosis in ALS patients from the Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Register for ALS (PARALS) from 2007 to 2019. Leukocytes populations, neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic‐immune‐inflammation index (SII), and lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio (LMR) were derived from CBC. All variables were analyzed for association with clinical features in the entire cohort and then in sex‐ and age‐based subgroups. Results Neutrophils (P = 0.001) and markers of increased innate immunity (NLR, P = 0.008 and SII, P = 0.006) were associated with a faster disease progression. Similarly, elevated innate immunity correlated with worse pulmonary function and shorter survival. The prognosis in women also correlated with low lymphocytes (P = 0.045) and a decreased LMR (P = 0.013). ALS patients with cognitive impairment exhibited lower monocytes (P = 0.0415). Conclusions and Relevance The dysregulation of the systemic immune system plays a multifaceted role in ALS. More specifically, an elevated innate immune response is associated with faster progression and reduced survival. Conversely, ALS patients with cognitive impairment showed a reduction in monocyte count. Additionally, immune response varied according to sex and age, thus suggesting that involved immune pathways are patient specific. Further studies will help translate those findings into clinical practice or targeted treatments.

Abstract Background The NAPOLI‐I trial showed better outcome of nanoliposomal irinotecan (nal‐IRI) plus 5‐fluorouracil/leucovorin (5‐FU/LV) compared to 5‐FU/LV in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer (advPDAC) progressed to gemcitabine‐based therapy. This study aims to explore the real‐world efficacy and safety of 5‐FU/LV‐nal‐IRI. Methods This is a retrospective multicenter analysis including advPDAC patients receiving 5‐FU/LV‐nal‐IRI after failure of gemcitabine‐based therapy. Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan–Meier method, univariate and multivariate analyses by Cox regression. Results A total of 296 patients (median age 64.4 years, ECOG PS ≥1 in 56% of cases) were treated at 11 Italian institutions between 2016 and 2018. 34% of them underwent primary tumor resection, and 79% received gemcitabine‐nabpaclitaxel as first line. 5‐FU/LV‐nal‐IRI was administered as second‐line in 73% of cases. Objective response and disease control rate were 12% and 41%, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated with dose reductions in 50% of patients but no one permanent discontinuation; the commonest grade ≥3 toxicities were neutropenia (14%) and diarrhea (12%). Median PFS and OS from 5‐FU/LV‐nal‐IRI initiation was 3.2 and 7.1 months, respectively. Conclusions These real‐world data confirm the 5‐FU/LV‐nal‐IRI efficacy and safety in advPDAC patients progressed to gemcitabine‐based therapy, with outcomes comparable to NAPOLI‐1, even in a less‐selected population and with more modern therapeutic algorithm.

In this paper, a mathematical model is formulated, suitable to explain the evolution of income distribution over a population in the presence of production. The model is conceived from the perspective of complexity. Indeed, the income distribution emerges as the result of a myriad of economic exchanges taking place between individuals. In fact, the aim of the paper is to provide a framework and mathematical tools for the construction and the investigation of models having an exploratory character. The framework is expressed in the form of a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, as many as the income classes are, involving transition probabilities. Numerical solutions of these systems are constructed under different assumptions on the law of production and in the presence of different fiscal systems, which provides an example of the versatility of the method.

Abstract Background In older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the definition of fitness, prognosis, and risk of death represents an open question. Methods In the present study, we tested the impact on survival of disease‐ and patient‐related parameters in a large cohort of elderly AML patients homogeneously assigned to treatment with hypomethylating agents (HMAs). Results In 131 patients with a median age of 76 years, we confirmed that early response (

Abstract Introduction Considering the reported efficacy of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against the Spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in reducing disease severity, the aim of this study was to investigate the innate immune response before and after mAbs treatment in 72 vaccinated and 31 unvaccinated SARS‐CoV‐2 patients. Methods The mRNA levels of IFN‐I, IFN‐related genes and cytokines were evaluated using RT/real‐time quantitative PCR. Results Vaccinated patients showed increased rate of negative SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR tests on nasopharyngeal swab compared with unvaccinated ones after mAbs treatment (p = .002). Unvaccinated patients had lower IFN‐α/ω and higher IFN‐related genes (IFNAR1, IFNAR2, IRF9, ISG15, ISG56 and IFI27) and cytokines (IL‐6, IL‐10 and TGF‐β) mRNA levels compared to vaccinated individuals before mAbs (p

Abstract Conservation guidance—an authoritative source of information and recommendations explicitly supporting decision‐making and action regarding nature conservation—represents an important tool to communicate evidence‐based advice to conservation actors. Given the rapidly increasing pressure that climate change poses to biodiversity, producing accessible, well‐informed guidance on how to best manage the impacts and risks of changing climatic conditions is particularly urgent. Guidance documents should ideally be produced with multistage input from stakeholders who are likely to use and implement such advice; however, this step can be complicated and costly, and remains largely unformalized. Moreover, there is currently little direct evidence synthesized for actions that specifically target climate change and guidance remains largely absent. Here, we introduce a process for co‐developing guidance for species conservation in the face of climate change, using seabirds in the North‐East Atlantic as a case study. Specifically, we collated evidence on climate change vulnerability and possible conservation actions using literature synthesis, stakeholder surveys, and ecological modeling. This evidence base was then discussed, refined, and expanded using structured stakeholder workshops. We summarize the knowledge gained through stakeholder engagement and provide recommendations for future international efforts to co‐produce conservation guidance for managing wildlife, in the context of a rapidly changing climate.

Key Clinical Message Soporous state in acute renal failure represent an atypical presentation of parathyroid cancer. Complete prompt investigations and diagnosis have a fundamental role in the management of this disease Abstract This report describes a case of parathyroid carcinoma (PC) with an uncommon first clinical presentation: soporous state, depression, and severe cognitive decline in association with acute renal failure. After discovering extremely high serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) was made and a surgical en bloc resection was performed. After the surgical intervention, the histological examination revealed the presence of a malignant parathyroid disease, thus confirming our first preoperative suspicion.

Abstract Introduction Avian influenza viruses (AIV) cause significant economic losses to poultry farmers worldwide. These viruses have the ability to spread rapidly, infect entire poultry flocks, and can pose a threat to human health. The National Influenza Centre (NIC) at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in collaboration with the Ghana Armed forces (GAF) and the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Ghana Detachment (NAMRU‐3) performs biannual surveillance for influenza viruses among poultry at military barracks throughout Ghana. This study presents poultry surveillance data from the years 2017 to 2019. Methodology Tracheal and cloacal swabs from sick and healthy poultry were collected from the backyards of GAF personnel living quarters and transported at 4°C to the NIC. Viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) was isolated and analyzed for the presence of influenza viruses using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Viral nucleic acids extracted from influenza A‐positive specimens were sequenced using universal influenza A‐specific primers. Results Influenza A H9N2 virus was detected in 11 avian species out of 2000 samples tested. Phylogenetic analysis of viral haemagglutinin (HA) protein confirms the possibility of importation of viruses from North Africa and Burkina Faso. Although the detected viruses possess molecular markers of virulence and mammalian host adaptation, the HA cleavage site anlaysis confirmed low pathogenicity of the viruses. Conclusions These findings confirm the ongoing spread of H9 viruses among poultry in Ghana. Poultry farmers need to be vigilant for sick birds and take the appropriate public health steps to limit the spread to other animals and spillover to humans.

Abstract About 15 Tg of plastic are estimated to enter the ocean yearly, with this figure growing exponentially every year. Assessments of floating marine plastic amount to 0.2% of the expected plastic stock, implying that 99.8% is stored in a sink yet to be identified. Marine sediments are believed to be the ultimate sink for oceanic plastic, however, there is currently no global estimate of the plastic load stored there. Here, we synthesize available estimates of micro‐ and mesoplastic stocks in marine sediments and, by integrating stocks across different habitats, we conservatively estimate a load of 170 Tg (25–900 Tg) of nonfibrous plastic globally accumulated in marine sediments from 1950 to 2010, most of which at intermediate depths (200–2000 m). This estimate, despite the uncertainty, is two to three orders of magnitude higher than the floating plastic stock and confirms marine sediments as a major plastic sink.

Vitamin D is used to reduce cancer risk and improve the outcome of cancer patients, but the vitamin D receptor (VDR; also known as the calcitriol receptor) pathway needs to be functionally intact to ensure the biological effects of circulating calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D. Besides estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), estrogen‐related receptor alpha (ERRα) has also been shown to interfere with the VDR pathway, but its role in the antitumor and transactivation activity of calcitriol is completely unknown in breast cancer (BC). We observed that ERRα functionally supported the proliferation of BC cell lines and acted as a calcitriol‐induced regulator of VDR. As such, ERRα deregulated the calcitriol–VDR transcription by enhancing the expression of CYP24A1 as well as of both ERα and aromatase (CYP19A1) in calcitriol‐treated cells. ERRα knockdown limited the effect of calcitriol by reducing calcitriol‐induced G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and by affecting the expression of cyclin D1 and p21/Waf. The interactome analysis suggested that Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1‐α (PGC‐1α) and Proline‐, glutamic acid‐, and leucine‐rich protein 1 (PELP1) are key players in the genomic actions of the calcitriol–VDR–ERRα axis. Evaluation of patient outcomes in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset showed the translational significance of the biological effects of the VDR–ERRα axis, highlighting that VDR, CYP24A1, and ERRα overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in basal‐like BC.

Abstract The field of Human‐Robot Interaction (HRI) represents one of the fast‐growing focus areas of Digital Twins (DTs). However, the role of DTs applications in human‐robot collaborative systems is still uncertain. This review article provides a comprehensive perspective of DTs' critical design aspects (i.e. Objectives, associate technologies, and application scenarios) in the broad application areas of human‐robot systems. This article uses a multi‐faceted approach to comprehend 43 DTs' state‐of‐the‐art applications in HRI. The study investigates the literature body across two dimensions (i.e. DT roles and HRI application characteristics). The conclusion of this work draws the attention of the relevant scientific community towards potential DTs' application scenarios and provides insights into DT's future research directions.

Abstract We present a case of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and rapidly progressive facial palsy in a female patient in her 40s with no, apparently, notable past medical or surgical history. Investigations revealed a positive serology for B. burgdoferi and the MRI allowed us to identify suggestive signs of Lyme meningitis with multiple cranial nerve involvement. After diagnosis, the patient was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone with a full recovery of sensorineural deafness and facial palsy. This case report highlights the importance of collecting a complete medical history in all cases of facial palsy and sudden hearing loss while presenting an infrequent clinical presentation of early disseminated Lyme disease with neuroborreliosis.

Abstract eNOS‐deficient mice were previously shown to develop hypertension and metabolic alterations associated with insulin resistance either in standard dietary conditions (eNOS−/− homozygotes) or upon high‐fat diet (HFD) (eNOS+/− heterozygotes). In the latter heterozygote model, the present study investigated the pancreatic morphological changes underlying the abnormal glycometabolic phenotype. C57BL6 wild type (WT) and eNOS+/− mice were fed with either chow or HFD for 16 weeks. After being longitudinally monitored for their metabolic state after 8 and 16 weeks of diet, mice were euthanized and fragments of pancreas were processed for histological, immuno‐histochemical and ultrastructural analyses. HFD‐fed WT and eNOS+/− mice developed progressive glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Differently from WT animals, eNOS+/− mice showed a blunted insulin response to a glucose load, regardless of the diet regimen. Such dysregulation of insulin secretion was associated with pancreatic β‐cell hyperplasia, as shown by larger islet fractional area and β‐cell mass, and higher number of extra‐islet β‐cell clusters than in chow‐fed WT animals. In addition, only in the pancreas of HFD‐fed eNOS+/− mice, there was ultrastructural evidence of a number of hybrid acinar‐β‐cells, simultaneously containing zymogen and insulin granules, suggesting the occurrence of a direct exocrine‐endocrine transdifferentiation process, plausibly triggered by metabolic stress associated to deficient endothelial NO production. As suggested by confocal immunofluorescence analysis of pancreatic histological sections, inhibition of Notch‐1 signaling, likely due to a reduced NO availability, is proposed as a novel mechanism that could favor both β‐cell hyperplasia and acinar‐β‐cell transdifferentiation in eNOS‐deficient mice with impaired insulin response to a glucose load.

Abstract Background and Aim The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance by direct‐acting antiviral agents (DAAs) on HCV‐related extrahepatic manifestations is not well known. We evaluated the effect of viral clearance on metabolic and renal parameters. Methods In this prospective study, HCV patients who achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR) by DAAs were evaluated before, at the end, and 24 weeks after treatment for glycemic (serum glucose and insulin, HOMA‐IR, HOMA‐β, and HOMA‐S) and lipid (serum cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density lipoprotein [LDL], high‐density lipoprotein) metabolism and renal function (serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]). Results A total of 343 consecutive HCV patients were evaluated. At 24 weeks of post‐follow‐up, an increase in body mass index (BMI) was observed (P

Abstract To investigate the structural changes of a food‐web architecture, we considered real data coming from a soil food web in one abandoned pasture with former low‐pressure agriculture management and we reproduced the corresponding ecological network within a multi‐agent fully programmable modeling environment in order to simulate dynamically the cascading effects due to the removal of entire functional guilds. We performed several simulations differing from each other for the functional implications. At the first trophic level, we simulated a removal of the prey, that is, herbivores and microbivores, while at the second trophic level, we simulated a removal of the predators, that is, omnivores and carnivores. The five main guilds were removed either separately or in combination. The alteration in the food‐web architecture induced by the removal of entire functional guilds was the highest when the entire second trophic level was removed, while the removal of all microbivores caused an alteration in the food‐web structure of less than 5% of the total changes due to the removal of opportunistic and predatory species. Omnivores alone account for the highest shifts in time of the numerical abundances of the remaining species, providing computational evidence of the importance of the degree of omnivory in the stabilization of soil biota.

Abstract The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids was requested by the European Commission to re‐evaluate the risks to public health related to the presence of plasticisers such as phthalates, structurally similar substances and replacement substances, as a consequence of migration from food contact materials (FCMs). As the first part of the two‐part mandate, EFSA was tasked with identifying and prioritising those plasticisers used in FCMs that may warrant further data collection and eventual risk assessment. Close collaboration with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) was requested in the mandate. Substances potentially used as plasticisers were identified using Annex II of the mandate, ECHA’s PLASI inventory, the Plastics Regulation and the Regenerated Cellulose Film Directive, the ECHA database, the ECHA grouping approach, and consultation with the Member States. Only substances authorised for FCMs at EU or at national level were prioritised. Five substances classified either as carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction Cat. 1 (under CLP) or as endocrine disruptors, persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, very persistent/very bioaccumulative (under REACH) were placed into an ‘exclusion group’. Prioritisation was based on the date of the most recent risk assessment in the context of FCM, with substances assessed before 2001 being placed in the high‐priority group, substances assessed between 2001 and 2011 in the medium‐priority group and substances assessed after 2011 in the low‐priority group. For the EU stream, the 76 substances were split into 59 high‐, 14 medium‐ and 3 low‐priority substances. For the nationally authorised stream, the split of the 72 substances is 66, 3 and 3, respectively. The outcome of follow‐up calls for data in support of the exposure assessment will be used for a final ranking.

Virtual reality (VR) is used in the rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in several studies. In VR trials, the motor, physical characteristics, and the degree of the disease are often well defined, while PD cognitive reserve is not. This systematic review was performed to define a cognitive profile for patients with PD who could best benefit from using VR to enhance functional motor aspects during rehabilitation. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Sciences databases were analysed to identify randomized clinical trials (RCT) and randomized pilot trials that addressed the rehabilitation of motor symptoms in subjects with PD using VR. The included studies used Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to evaluate the cognitive aspect. Only articles written in English and with full texts were considered. The risk of bias from all included studies was assessed based on the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the PRISMA guideline was considered. Eighteen articles were eligible for review, including three randomized pilot trials. All studies aimed to evaluate the effect of VR on the motor aspects typically affected by PD (balance, postural control, risk of falls, walking, and reaching). The most widely adopted approach has been nonimmersive VR, except for one study that used immersive VR. Both the benefits of physical activity on the motor symptoms of patients with PD and the impact of cognitive reserve during the rehabilitation of these patients were highlighted. The analysis of the results allowed us to outline the ideal cognitive profile of patients with PD who can benefit from the effects of rehabilitation using VR.