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Second- and third-generation biorefineries enable the sustainable management of biomasses within the framework of circular economy principles. This approach aims to minimize waste biomass while generating high-value molecules and bio-energy, such as biogas. Biogas production is achieved via anaerobic digestion, a process where microorganisms metabolize organic compounds in the absence of oxygen to primarily produce CO2 and CH4. The efficiency of this process is closely linked to the composition of the biomass and, sometimes, characteristics of the initial matrix can impede the process. To address these challenges, various pretreatments are employed to enhance digestion efficiency and mitigate issues associated with biomass complexity. However, the implementation of pretreatments can be energy-intensive and costly. The extraction of valuable molecules from biomass for various applications can represent a form of pretreatment. This extraction process selectively removes recalcitrant molecules such as lignin and cellulose, which can hinder biodegradation, thereby adding new value to the biomass. These extracted molecules not only contribute to improved anaerobic digestion efficiency but also offer potential economic benefits by serving as valuable inputs across diverse industrial sectors. This article presents a detailed state of the art of the most widespread biomass pretreatments and specifies when biomass is pretreated to improve the biogas yield and, in contrast, when it is treated to extract high-added-value products. Finally, in order to define if the same treatment can be simultaneously applied for both goals, an experimental section was dedicated to the production of biogas from untreated olive mill wastewater and the same biomass after being freeze-dried and after the extraction of polyphenols and flavonoids. The use of pretreated biomass effectively improved the biogas production yield: the untreated olive mill wastewater led to the production of 147 mL of biogas, while after freeze-drying and after polyphenols/flavonoids extraction, the production was, respectively, equal to 169 mL and 268 mL of biogas.

Suction-cup-attached biologging tags have led to major advances in our understanding of large whale behaviour. Getting close enough to a whale at sea to safely attach a tag is a major limiting factor when deploying these systems. Here we present an uncrewed aerial system (UAS)-based tagging technique for free-swimming large whales and provide data on efficacy from field testing on blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and fin (B. physalus) whales. Rapid transit speed and the birds-eye view of the animal during UAS tagging contributed to the techniques success. During 8 days of field testing, we had 29 occasions when a focal animal was identified for attempted tagging and tags were successfully attached 21 times. The technique was efficient, with mean flight time of 2 min 45 s from launch to deployment and a mean distance of 490 m from the launch vessel to tagged animal, reducing potential adverse effects resulting from close approaches for tagging. These data indicate that UAS are capable of attaching biologging tags to free-swimming large whales quickly and from large distances, potentially increasing success rates, decreasing attempt times, and reducing animal disruption during tagging.

Abstract Background TP53, the most frequently mutated gene in human cancers, orchestrates a complex transcriptional program crucial for cancer prevention. While certain TP53-dependent genes have been extensively studied, others, like the recently identified RNF144B, remained poorly understood. This E3 ubiquitin ligase has shown potent tumor suppressor activity in murine Eμ Myc-driven lymphoma, emphasizing its significance in the TP53 network. However, little is known about its targets and its role in cancer development, requiring further exploration. In this work, we investigate RNF144B's impact on tumor suppression beyond the hematopoietic compartment in human cancers. Methods Employing TP53 wild-type cells, we generated models lacking RNF144B in both non-transformed and cancerous cells of human and mouse origin. By using proteomics, transcriptomics, and functional analysis, we assessed RNF144B's impact in cellular proliferation and transformation. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we explored proliferation, DNA repair, cell cycle control, mitotic progression, and treatment resistance. Findings were contrasted with clinical datasets and bioinformatics analysis. Results Our research underscores RNF144B's pivotal role as a tumor suppressor, particularly in lung adenocarcinoma. In both human and mouse oncogene-expressing cells, RNF144B deficiency heightened cellular proliferation and transformation. Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed RNF144B's novel function in mediating protein degradation associated with cell cycle progression, DNA damage response and genomic stability. RNF144B deficiency induced chromosomal instability, mitotic defects, and correlated with elevated aneuploidy and worse prognosis in human tumors. Furthermore, RNF144B-deficient lung adenocarcinoma cells exhibited resistance to cell cycle inhibitors that induce chromosomal instability. Conclusions Supported by clinical data, our study suggests that RNF144B plays a pivotal role in maintaining genomic stability during tumor suppression. Graphical Abstract

Vignette research is a phenomenological approach that attempts to access the experiential basis of knowledge by examining lifeworlds in educational or social contexts, going ‘to the things themselves’ (Husserl). The vignette methodology enables researchers to capture their own experiences with the experiences of others as they occur in the field by adopting a stance of ‘co-experiential experience’. The vignette aims to provide a depiction of pedagogical events as close as possible to lived experience. The focus is on experiential circumstances that affect researchers in the field. A vignette, as a linguistically condensed text, presents a short, concise narrative in which something surprising, special, or peculiar emerges. The final vignette is subjected to phenomenological analysis, a process known as ‘vignette reading’, wherein processes of categorisation or operationalisation are set aside, and the vignette is approached by the reader without drawing conclusions from the experience.

Abstract The leafhopper genus Arboridia includes several species that feed on Vitis vinifera and cause leaf chlorosis. We report the first alien Arboridia infestation in Italy in 2021 in an Apulian vineyard. To confirm the taxonomic status of the species responsible for crop damage, and reconstruct its demographic history, we barcoded individuals from Apulia together with Arboridia spp. from Crete (Greece), A. adanae from Central Turkey and other specimens of the presumed sister species, A. dalmatina from Dalmatia (Croatia). Molecular phylogenies and barcoding gap analysis identified clades not associated with sampling locations. This result is incongruent with classical specimen assignment and is further supported by morphological analyses, which did not reveal significant differences among the populations. Therefore, we propose A. dalmatina as a junior synonym of A. adanae, which would become the only grapevine-related Arboridia species in the eastern Mediterranean. To further characterise A. adanae evolution, we performed a molecular clock analysis that suggested a radiation during the Pleistocene glaciations. Finally, to assess whether the Apulian individuals carried microorganisms of agricultural relevance, we sequenced their bacterial microbiota using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing identifying three phytopathogens not generally associated with Arboridia activities as well as Wolbachia in one Apulian haplogroup. We discuss the agricultural implications of this infestation.

Optimizing planting density is crucial for balancing resource competition, light penetration, and tree productivity in orchard systems. This study investigateed the impact of planting density on the yield and fruit quality of the hazelnut cultivar ‘Tonda Francescana®’ grafted onto Corylus colurna L. rootstocks. The research aimed to assess how different planting densities influenced light penetration, canopy volume, yield, and the nutritional profile of hazelnuts during their sixth growing season. Three planting densities were tested: 625, 1250, and 2500 trees per hectare (low, medium, and high density, respectively). The results show that medium-density planting provided the best balance between light availability, canopy development, and yield efficiency. The synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) was more prominent in the medium-density system (80.2% and 10.3%, respectively), suggesting a favorable metabolic response to moderate competition for resources. In contrast, high-density planting yielded the most per hectare (2898 kg/ha) but exhibited lower individual tree productivity (1.16 kg). Low-density planting had the highest light penetration (53%) but lower overall yield (822 kg/ha) and quality, with greater starch accumulation in the fruit. In general, medium-density planting optimized both yield and kernel quality, with potential implications for orchard management and breeding strategies to enhance hazelnut production and nutritional value.

A body of experimental research has aimed to investigate processes underlying dream formation by examining the effects of a range of pre-sleep stimuli and events on subsequent dream content. Given its ever-growing presence and salience in people’s everyday lives, pre-sleep media consumption stands out as a key variable that could influence people’s dreams. We conducted a scoping review to evaluate the experimental evidence of the effects of pre-sleep exposure to visual media on dream content. A systematic search on PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science using terms related to moving visual media and dreams yielded 29 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Overall, we found modest yet varied effects of pre-sleep exposure to visual media on dream content, with rates of stimulus-related incorporation ranging from 3% to 43% for REM dream reports, 4% to 30% for NREM sleep mentation reports, and between 11% and 35% for home dream reports. Our review highlights the large methodological heterogeneity and gaps across studies, the general difficulty in influencing dream content using pre-sleep exposure to visual media, and suggests promising venues for future research to advance our understanding of how and why digital media may impact people’s dreams.

BackgroundThe relative cardiovascular safety of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists compared with GnRH agonists in men with prostate cancer and known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains controversial.MethodsIn this international, multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label trial, men with prostate cancer and concomitant atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive the GnRH antagonist degarelix or the GnRH agonist leuprolide for 12 months. The primary outcome was the time to first adjudicated major adverse cardiovascular event (composite of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) through 12 months.ResultsBecause of slower-than-projected enrollment and fewer-than-projected primary outcome events, enrollment was stopped before the 900 planned participants were accrued. From May 3, 2016, to April 16, 2020, a total of 545 patients from 113 sites across 12 countries were randomly selected. Baseline characteristics were balanced between study groups. The median age was 73 years, 49.8% had localized prostate cancer; 26.3% had locally advanced disease, and 20.4% had metastatic disease. A major adverse cardiovascular event occurred in 15 (5.5%) patients assigned to degarelix and 11 (4.1%) patients assigned to leuprolide (hazard ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 0.59-2.79]; P=0.53).ConclusionsPRONOUNCE (A Trial Comparing Cardiovascular Safety of Degarelix Versus Leuprolide in Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease) is the first, international, randomized clinical trial to prospectively compare the cardiovascular safety of a GnRH antagonist and a GnRH agonist in patients with prostate cancer. The study was terminated prematurely because of the smaller than planned number of participants and events, and no difference in major adverse cardiovascular events at 1 year between patients assigned to degarelix or leuprolide was observed. The relative cardiovascular safety of GnRH antagonists and agonists remains unresolved. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02663908.

Children with Down Syndrome (DS) frequently undergo health challenges, including a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity. We aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary and physical advice provided by a specialized pediatrician over two years. In this prospective study, 44 children with DS, aged 2 to 17, underwent outpatient follow-up visits every six months between December 2020 and May 2023. Dietary habits, physical activities, anthropometric data, and laboratory results were recorded at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and physical activity were investigated using the ‘KIDMED’ and ‘Godin–Shepard Leisure-Time’ questionnaires, respectively, completed by the parents of the children. Venous blood samples were taken to determine the lipid profile. A significant reduction in BMI z-scores (p = 0.006) and an improvement in Godin–Shepard questionnaire scores (p = 0.0004) were observed. On the other hand, the lipid profile worsened, with an increase in LDL-c (p = 0.04) and a decrease in HDL-c (p = 0.03). Children with DS may benefit from an educational program on nutrition and physical activity to optimize weight control. Different interventions should target the lipid profile. Preventive intervention and follow-up by the pediatrician are essential for DS, which should continue into adulthood.

At present, taking into account the sustainability of the starting matrices, the biogas production industry is continuously growing, especially in consideration of ecological transition and circularity. The present study deals with the development of anaerobic bioreactors aimed at valorizing two specific wastes of the olive oil supply chain, i.e., the residual of protein hydrolysis process of three-phases olive pomace (OP-PH) and that recovered after the extraction of bioactive molecules from olive mill wastewater (OMWW waste). The energy consumed for biogas production varied from 0.52 kJ (OP and OMWW waste) to 0.97 kJ (OP-PH), while the energy produced for OP, OP-PH and OMMW waste was equal to 1.73, 2.94 and 1.60 kJ, respectively. The optimal production period was defined by considering only the range showing energy production higher than its consumption. According to this, OMWW showed the best performances, since it required 9 days (instead of 12 of untreated and treated OP) to reach the completion. The biogas production efficiency of the three-phase OP-PH waste calculated in the optimal production period, i.e., 12 days, was higher than the other samples, with a yield of 76.7% and a quantity of energy potentially producible corresponding to 1727.8 kJ/kg of volatile solids. These results pave the way for possible applications of this procedure for the planning of a multi-purpose biorefinery fed with by-products from the olive supply chain waste, thus promoting the use of sustainable waste materials from a circular economy perspective.

RESUMO Objetivo Identificar os fatores relacionados ao aleitamento materno exclusivo até o sexto mês de vida dos bebês em serviços de Atenção Primária à Saúde. Método Estudo quantitativo, transversal, realizado com 261 mães com bebês de 12 meses, procedentes de unidades de saúde de Porto Alegre. Dados relativos ao aleitamento materno exclusivo, características sociodemográficas, saúde mental materna, relações familiares e acompanhamento de puericultura foram analisados através de testes t, qui-quadrado e modelo regressão de Poisson. Resultados A taxa de aleitamento materno exclusivo até o sexto mês de vida foi de 41%. A mãe ter companheiro aumentou em 46% os índices de aleitamento exclusivo, enquanto retornar ao trabalho antes dos seis meses reduziu em 31% as chances de amamentação exclusiva. Não foi identificada associação significativa entre aleitamento materno exclusivo e variáveis sociodemográficas, saúde mental materna, relações familiares, e acompanhamento de saúde da criança. Conclusão A presença de companheiro e o retorno da mulher ao trabalho após os seis meses de vida do bebê foram identificados como protetores ao aleitamento materno exclusivo. Intervenções em saúde que fomentem a rede de apoio, políticas de incentivo à prática e transmissão de conhecimentos sobre amamentação são importantes para melhores índices de aleitamento materno exclusivo.

Objectives To adapt the content and functionalities of Brain Health PRO, a web-based multidomain program designed to increase dementia literacy, to the context and needs of users, providers and community organisations across Québec, Canada.Design Five consecutive qualitative co-creation focus group sessions 30–90 min in duration each, exploring potential barriers and facilitators to usability, accessibility, comprehensibility, participant recruitment and retention.Setting Virtual meetings.Participants A 15-member team based in Québec and Ontario, Canada, consisting of 9 researchers (including a graduate student and the project coordinator), representing occupational therapy, sensory rehabilitation, neuropsychology, psychology, health science and research methods, 3 informal caregivers of older adults living with cognitive decline and 3 members of the Federation of Quebec Alzheimer Societies.Data analysis Session recordings were summarised through both qualitative description and thematic analysis.Results The synthesised recommendations included adjustments around diversity, the complexity and presentation styles of the materials, suggestions on refining the web interface and the measurement approaches; it influenced aspects of participant recruitment, retention efforts and engagement with the content of Brain Health PRO.Conclusions Co-creation in dementia prevention research is important because it involves collaboration between researchers, community support and service providers, and persons with lived experience as care providers, in the design and implementation of clinical studies. This approach helps to ensure that the content and presentation of educational material is relevant and meaningful to the target population and those involved in its delivery, and it leads to a greater understanding of their needs and perspectives.

The authors show that polyglutamylation of spindle microtubules is essential for error-free chromosome segregation and is mediated through Tubulin Tyrosine Ligase Like 11 (TTLL11), which is found to be frequently downregulated in cancer.

Objective The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for 305-day cumulative milk yield and components, growth, and reproductive traits in Guzerá cattle. Methods The evaluated traits were 305-day first-lactation cumulative yields (kg) of milk (MY305), fat (FY305), protein (PY305), lactose (LY305), and total solids (SY305); age at first calving (AFC) in days; adjusted scrotal perimeter (cm) at the ages of 365 (SP365) and 450 (SP450) days; and adjusted body weight (kg) at the ages of 210 (W210), 365 (W365), and 450 (W450) days. The (co)variance components were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method for single-trait, bi-trait and tri-trait analyses. Contemporary groups and additive genetic effects were included in the general mixed model. Maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects were also included for W210. Results The direct heritability estimates ranged from 0.16 (W210) to 0.32 (MY305). The maternal heritability estimate for W210 was 0.03. Genetic correlation estimates among milk production traits and growth traits ranged from 0.92 to 0.99 and from 0.92 to 0.99, respectively. For milk production and growth traits, the genetic correlations ranged from 0.33 to 0.56. The genetic correlations among AFC and all other traits were negative (−0.43 to −0.27). Scrotal perimeter traits and body weights showed genetic correlations ranging from 0.41 to 0.46, and scrotal perimeter and milk production traits showed genetic correlations ranging from 0.11 to 0.30. The phenotypic correlations were similar in direction (same sign) and lower than the corresponding genetic correlations. Conclusion These results suggest the viability and potential of joint selection for dairy and beef traits in Guzerá cattle, taking into account reproductive traits.

The Antarctic plateau, characterized by cold and dry weather conditions with very little precipitation, is mostly covered by snow at the surface. This paper describes an intercomparison of snow models, of varying complexity, used for numerical weather prediction or academic research. The results of offline numerical simulations, carried out during 15 d in 2009, on a single site on the Antarctic plateau, show that the simplest models are able to reproduce the surface temperature as well as the most complex models provided that their surface parameters are well chosen. Furthermore, it is shown that the diversity of the surface parameters of the models strongly impacts the numerical simulations, in particular the temporal variability of the surface temperature and the components of the surface energy balance. The models tend to overestimate the surface temperature by 2–5 K at night and underestimate it by 2 K during the day. The observed and simulated turbulent latent heat fluxes are small, of the order of a few W m−2, with a tendency to underestimate, while the sensible heat fluxes are in general too intense at night as well as during the day. The surface temperature errors are consistent with too large a magnitude of sensible heat fluxes during the day and night. Finally, it is shown that the most complex multilayer models are able to reproduce well the propagation of the daily diurnal wave, and that the snow temperature profiles in the snowpack are very close to the measurements carried out on site.