Search Results (507)

Background: Adopting novel feed ingredients and aligning feeding strategies with these formulations are key to improving aquaculture sustainability. This study assessed the combined effects of alternative protein and lipid sources and feeding regime on growth, nutrient utilization, and body composition of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles. Methods: Two isoenergetic and identical digestible protein diets (39%) were formulated: a control (conventional fishmeal/fish oil (FM/FO) and plant proteins, containing 20% FM and 6% FO) and an alternative diet replacing 50% of FM and 25% of vegetable proteins with a blend of poultry by-products, insect meal, and single-cell protein (Corynebacterium glutamicum) and totally replacing fish oil with alternative lipid sources (microalgae and by-product oils). Fish (28 g of initial body weight) were fed for 210 days either to apparent satiety (AS) or under moderate restriction (85% and 65% of AS). The number of fish used was 65 fish per 500 L tank (triplicate for each experimental group). Growth performance, feed conversion, nutrient efficiency ratios, protein retention, and proximate and fatty acid composition were measured. Results: The alternative diet significantly improved growth, feed and nutrient efficiency, and protein retention compared with the control. Whole-body fatty acid profiles of fish fed the alternative diet showed higher contents of nutritionally important fatty acids, including DHA. Restricted feeding at 65% of AS enhanced nutrient efficiency ratios and protein retention relative to 85% and AS, but reduced growth. Feeding to AS produced the highest feed intake and growth but poorer feed conversion and nutrient efficiency. No significant interaction between diet and feeding strategy was observed. Conclusions: Incorporating novel protein and lipid sources can improve sea bass performance and product nutritional value while supporting sustainability. Feeding at ~85% of AS may offer a practical compromise between growth and efficient nutrient utilization. Full article

Teacher education represents a global strategic priority for improving educational systems and fostering inclusive, high-quality processes. Recent studies highlight the need for systematic and replicable education models capable of addressing the challenges of contemporary complexity and bridging the gap between theory and practice. Teaching professionalism is increasingly recognized as a key driver of change, requiring a balance of pedagogical, relational, and technological competences, along with strong reflective capacity. Within this framework, practicum programs play a crucial role for the development of professional identity and authentic teaching skills. Methods: This contribution adopts a theoretical–argumentative approach grounded in a critical analysis of the international scientific literature on teacher education, with specific focus on the role of practicums. The aim is to present the model implemented by Pegaso University in the context of practicum activities within initial teacher education programs to outline an interpretative framework and provide pedagogical reflections in light of the results arising from critical reflection and systematic monitoring (not covered in this specific contribution) of the effectiveness of the model implemented in the first two training cycles (academic years 23–24 and 24–25), with the involvement of 5 regions and a total of 2834 teachers in the first cycle and 10 regions and a total of 5551 teachers in the second cycle. Convenience sampling based on a non-probabilistic method was adopted, using the entire sample of teachers admitted to the training program who met the requirements of Article 7 of the Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers (DPCM). Results: This paper outlines the theoretical and methodological trajectories of the model, offering interpretative frameworks and pedagogical reflections in light of the outcomes achieved during the initial implementation phase. Conclusions: In accordance with recent national and European regulatory frameworks, the Pegaso teaching model is presented as an example of good practice for initial teacher education. It aims to foster a reflective, situated, and responsible teaching professionalism, moving beyond traditional approaches toward a continuous and transformative learning process. Full article

‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ of the 16SrXII group is an emerging vector-borne pathogen in European crop production. The cixiid planthopper Hyalesthes obsoletus transmits 16SrXII-A stolbur phytoplasmas that are associated with diseases in grapevine, potato, and various weeds. While 16SrXII-P genomes transmitted by Pentastiridius leporinus are available, no genome of an H. obsoletus-transmissible 16SrXII-A phytoplasma has been reported from Germany. Here, we present insights into the phylogenetic position and pathogen–host interactions through the functional reconstruction of the complete 832,614 bp genome of the H. obsoletus transmissible ‘Ca. P. solani’ 16SrXII-A strain POT from a potato field. Phylogenetic analyses highlight the heterogeneity within the stolbur group using whole-genome alignment and a BUSCO-based core gene analysis approach. The POT chromosome shares highest average nucleotide identity with Italian bindweed-associated genomes and displays strong synteny with the c5 strain. Consistent with the typical phytoplasma architecture, the POT genome combines mobile-element-driven instability with a conserved core metabolism. Virulence factors include transposon-linked effectors but lack pathogenicity island organisation. POT further differs from other 16SrXII-group phytoplasmas through unique collagen-like proteins that could contribute to virulence. These findings provide a robust genomic framework that improves diagnostics, enables strain-level resolution and supports the assessment of breeding materials under stolbur phytoplasma pressure, thereby refining our understanding of stolbur phytoplasma diversity and highlighting the evolutionary divergence within the 16SrXII subgroup. Full article

Background and Objectives: The treatment of duodenal injuries remains one of the most challenging issues in clinical surgery due to their high morbidity and mortality rates. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the histopathology and other diagnostic outcomes of wound repair following surgical reconstruction of large experimental duodenal defects using synthetic (ePTFE, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) or organic (JSP, jejunal serosal patch) materials. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 European rabbits were randomly divided into two equal groups (n = 10 each). A grade III defect covering over 50% of the duodenum’s circumference was created in the second part of the duodenum of the rabbits. The anesthesia, duodenal injury, postoperative care, and animal sacrifice protocols were identical for all experimental rabbits. The effectiveness of JSP and ePTFE patch repair techniques was investigated based on clinical, macroscopic, and microscopic assessments at two and four weeks postoperatively. Results: Survival rates were comparable between groups (p > 0.05). Remarkable mucosal regeneration was evident in all experimental animals by two weeks, showing complete coverage of the jejunal serosal and ePTFE patches by re-epithelialized mucosa with functional villus formation. While partial development of the underlying muscular and serosal layers was observed in both groups at four weeks, the JSP group achieved a significantly higher median histological score (19 vs. 14; p = 0.003). Conversely, the ePTFE group exhibited a major safety concern: a highly significant increase (p ≤ 0.001) in Grade 4 dense, inseparable adhesions throughout the abdominal cavity, which were entirely absent in the JSP group. Conclusions: Both JSP and ePTFE are viable for duodenal reconstruction, but the autologous JSP is superior in tissue healing and safety. Severe adhesions associated with ePTFE constitute a significant clinical concern, limiting its use to a second-line alternative. Consequently, JSP is the preferred option, while ePTFE requires further long-term safety validation. Full article

Interventions on Heritage Buildings (HBs) involve significant challenges due to their tangible (embodied in the material, architectural, physical and technical integrity of the cultural asset), and intangible values (linked to socio-historical–cultural and collective identity, memory, customs and symbols meanings), which must be preserved while also adapting to current sustainability and circular economy goals. However, current conservation and management practices often lack systematic tools to trace, assess, and organise material and component information, hindering the implementation of circular strategies. In line with the European Union’s objectives for climate neutrality and resource efficiency and sufficiency, Material and Product Passports (MPPs) have emerged as digital tools that enhance data traceability, interoperability and transparency throughout a building’s lifecycle. This paper examines the potential of MPPs to support circular management of HBs by analysing the structure of MPPs and outlining the information flows generated by rehabilitation, maintenance and adaptive reuse strategies. A mixed methods approach, combining literature review and data structure analysis, is adopted to identify how the different categories of data produced during maintenance, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse processes can be integrated into MPP modules. The research highlights the conceptual opportunities of MPPs to document and interlink historical, cultural, and technical data, thereby improving decision-making and transparency across intervention stages. The analysis suggests that adapting MPPs to the specificities of historic contexts, such as authenticity preservation, reversibility, and contextual sensitivity, can foster innovative, sustainable, and circular practices in the conservation and management of HBs. Full article

Post-disaster reconstruction remains largely excluded from circular-economy approaches. This gap is particularly evident in earthquake-affected inner territories, where reconstruction is constrained by severe logistical challenges—especially in relation to rubble management—and where debris is often composed of materials closely tied to local building cultures and community identities. In these contexts, rebuilding still predominantly follows linear, emergency-driven models that treat rubble primarily as waste. This study introduces Rubble as a Material Bank (RMB), a digital–material framework that reconceptualises earthquake rubble as a traceable and programmable resource for circular reconstruction. RMB defines a rubble-to-component chain that integrates material characterisation, data-driven management, robotic fabrication, and reversible architectural design. Selected downstream segments of this chain are experimentally validated through the TRAP project, developed within the European TARGET-X programme. The experimentation focuses on extrusion-based fabrication of dry-assembled wall components using rubble-derived aggregates. The results indicate that digitally governed workflows can enable material reuse, while also revealing technical and regulatory constraints that currently limit large-scale implementation. Full article

This paper develops a new conceptual and operational understanding of cultural heritage transformation, interpreting it as a systemic and dynamic process rather than a static state. It explores the realities and opportunities for action when cultural heritage is understood and managed as a complex, adaptive system. The study builds on a critical review of contemporary literature to identify the multi-scalar challenges currently facing urban heritage systems, such as climate change, disaster risks, social fragmentation, and unsustainable urban development. To respond to these challenges, the paper introduces a metamodel for heritage-based urban transformation, designed to apply systems thinking to heritage management that was developed based on cases from the Western European context. This metamodel integrates key variables—actors, resources, tools, and processes—and is used to test the hypothesis that a systems-oriented approach to cultural heritage can enhance the capacity of stakeholders to connect, adapt, use, and safeguard heritage in the face of complex urban transitions. The hypothesis is operationalized through scenario-based applications in the fields of disaster risk management (DRM), circular economy, and broader sustainability transitions, demonstrating how the metamodel supports the design of cross-over resilience strategies. These strategies not only preserve heritage but activate it as a resource for innovation, cohesion, identity, and adaptive reuse. Thus, cultural heritage is reframed as a strategic investment—generating spillover benefits such as improved quality of life, economic opportunities, environmental mitigation, and enhanced social capital. In light of the transition toward a greener and more resilient society, this paper argues for embracing heritage as a driver of transformation—capable of engaging with well-being, behavior change, innovation, and education through cultural crossovers. Heritage is thus positioned not merely as something to be protected, but as a catalyst for systemic change and future-oriented urban regeneration. Full article

Circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) are important components of the HIV-1 pandemic. Previous studies have reported the propagation of diverse HIV-1 CRFs of South American origin in Europe. Here, through protease-reverse transcriptase (Pr-RT) and integrase sequence analyses, we identify a Spanish cluster (BC3) branching with a Brazilian virus (10BR_RJ009) previously classified as CRF146_BC. In Pr-RT, BC3 comprised 14 viruses and was nested within a larger cluster, comprising 22 Brazilian viruses and 1 Spanish virus branching outside of BC3. Near full-length genome analyses of five BC3 viruses revealed mosaic structures identical to 10BR_RJ009, with two breakpoints delimiting a ~0.3 kb subtype B fragment within an otherwise subtype C genome. Two other Brazilian viruses previously classified as CRF146_BC (10BR_RJ039 and 01_BR_RGS69) had one and two additional short subtype B fragments, respectively, and failed to group with the 10BR_RJ009/BC3 cluster in subtype C fragments. Based on these results, we contend that 10BR_RJ009 and BC3 viruses, but not 10BR_RJ039 and 01_BR_RGS69, should be classified as CRF146_BC. Bayesian analyses estimated the CRF146_BC emergence in Brazil to be around 1999 and its introduction in Europe around 2011. CRF146_BC is the 10th CRF of South American origin reported to circulate in Europe, reflecting the relationship between South American and European HIV-1 epidemics. Full article

The Belgian constitution establishes that communities shall dispense neutral teaching that also respects both religious convictions and non-denominational philosophical choices. The application of this article has led to several conflicts with the religiosity of parents and students, among which one stands out eminently: the prohibition of the Islamic headscarf in schools in Flanders and Wallonia. It is precisely in the first of these communities, Flanders, where the collisions between the principle of neutrality and the religious freedom of Muslim women who intend to continue wearing this religious symbol continue to be reproduced, not only for reasons of religiosity, but also of identity. Signally, one of the main problems lies in the difficulties in delimiting the extension of the concept of neutrality as a limit to religious freedom, a task in which there does not seem to be agreement, neither among the main agents of the education system nor even among the courts of justice of the community. The best proof of this are the last two developments in the matter, the European Court of Human Right judgment in the Mykias case and the unsuccessful attempt to ban the Islamic veil in the province of Flanders. Full article

Pascal’s Triangle, renowned for its geometric elegance and profound applications across combinatorics, algebra, and probability, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries. While its origins can be traced to Chinese, Persian, and European mathematical traditions, the study of its higher-dimensional analogues remains notably underexplored. This paper offers a systematic and self-contained study of Pascal Pyramids and Pascal Simplexes with their proofs. It encompasses both classical results (such as multinomial identities) and novel contributions (including boundary and scaling properties), as well as fresh perspectives (such as graph-theoretic interpretations) that are rarely documented in the existing literature. Full article

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC) producing OXA-48-like carbapenemase was first detected in Hungary in 2022. The aim of the present study was to characterize such strains isolated in 2022–2025 in Baranya County, Hungary. Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility and the whole-genome sequence (WGS) of E. coli isolates, identified as OXA-48-like carbapenemase producers using the CARBA-5 NG test, were established. The transferability of bla_OXA-48-like plasmids was tested by conjugation. Results: Of the 6722 non-repeat E. coli isolates, 6 produced an OXA-48-like carbapenemase. They exhibited variable resistance to ertapenem and were susceptible to imipenem and meropenem. WGS revealed that all OXA-48-like producer E. coli belonged to high-risk clones: two clonally related OXA-181-producer E. coli ST405 were isolated in Hospital A, three OXA-244-producing E. coli ST38 (two identical via cgMLST from Hospital B), and an OXA-48-producing E. coli ST69. The bla_OXA-48 and bla_OXA-244 genes were chromosomally located, while bla_OXA-181 was on a non-conjugative IncFIB-IncFIC plasmid. So far, the bla_OXA-181-bearing plasmid of this incompatibility type has only been described in Ghana, but all bla_OXA-48-like gene-carrying transposons in this study have already been identified in Europe and other continents. The E. coli ST38 isolates, showing close association based on core genome SNP distances to European and Qatari strains, belonged to Cluster A and harbored bla_CTX-M-27. All but the E. coli ST69 isolate had cephalosporinase gene(s). Conclusions: This study describes small-scale intra-hospital transfers of OXA-48-like carbapenemase-producer E. coli. Interestingly, E. coli ST405 of Hungary carried bla_OXA-181 on an IncFIB-IncFIC plasmid, which has only been reported from Africa so far. Full article

Bluetongue (BT) is an arthropod-borne viral disease primarily affecting domestic and wild ruminants. In recent years, several BTV serotypes and genotypes have been detected in Israel almost annually, raising questions about their origin and routes of introduction. Some BTV serotypes closely related to those first identified in Israel, including BTV-3, BTV-8, and BTV-12, were subsequently reported in Europe after a delay of several years. In this study, we sequenced the complete genomes of one representative strain of all newly identified Israeli BTV genotypes/serotypes—BTV-1, -4, -5, -8, and -11—first detected between 2021 and 2023. Additionally, complete sequences of enzootic Israeli BTV (2015) and eleven BTV-3 strains (2019–2023), with two representative strains for every year of isolation, except 2021 (three strains), were analyzed using phylogenetic, BLAST, and pairwise identity approaches. Genetic analyses revealed that recently identified Israeli and European BTV strains share common African ancestors, with some genomic “incursions” from Mayotte Island or the Arabian Peninsula. These incursions appeared more frequently in Israeli than in European strains. Nevertheless, nucleotide sequence differences of at least 2–3% across all genes indicate several years of independent evolution. The observed divergence suggests that no direct transmission of BTV occurred between Israel and Europe during the past decade. Full article

Background: Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) is associated with a wide spectrum of brain-related comorbidities. Methods: This retrospective study assesses the neuropsychiatric profile of DMD/BMD patients and the hypothesis of a functional-versus-structural approach of dystrophin gene variants/impaired isoforms in relation to brain comorbidities. Patients with documented mutation in the DMD gene and neuropsychiatric assessments were included. Seven comorbidities were analyzed based on variant location and dystrophin brain isoform disruption. The clustering of comorbidities and genotype–phenotype correlations were studied. Results: 264 DMD/BMD patients met inclusion criteria. 22 variants have never been described before. A high prevalence of neuropsychiatric comorbidities was identified in the cohort with higher values in patients with distal mutations. The number of comorbidities increased with the number of brain dystrophin isoforms predicted to be lost. Functional-versus-structural comparison revealed that Dp140 5′UTR variants might not affect protein expression. Epilepsy and intellectual disability (ID) showed significant association in this cohort. Neuropsychiatric phenotype varied greatly in patients with identical variants, even between siblings. Conclusions: This is one of the largest European cohorts for which all these comorbidities were studied in association with DMD gene mutation site and the first study of this kind performed on the Eastern European DMD/BMD population. Our group analyzed, for the first time, Dp140 5′UTR variants in relation to all neuropsychiatric phenotypes and showed that epilepsy and ID are strongly associated in DMD/DMB patients. Full article

This article explains why the European Union has not replicated Central and Eastern Europe’s (CEE) transformation in the Western Balkans (WB6). Drawing on the original External Incentives Model (EIM) conditions, the article argues that a different political climate in the WB6 requires attention to additional contextual conditions within the EIM framework to show how the weakened linkage between compliance and rewards emerges. Geopolitical enlargement and the presence of rival powers, a stability-over-democracy approach, bilateral vetoes, and the EU’s ongoing “permacrisis” negatively impact determinacy and EU credibility, while also increasing adoption costs. At the WB6 level, reforms become partial and reversible/at-risk, and even in cases of real progress (Montenegro and Albania), institutions remain fragile. The current arrangement serves both Brussels and local elites, providing short-term stability and keeping the WB6 on the EU path at the price of tolerating domestic capture and reforms without transformation. Yet, this arrangement carries a long-term risk of eroding the EU’s transformative power, as public dissatisfaction with local elites is not met with EU support, and rival powers exploit identity ties and elite channels. Full article

The energy efficiency of historic buildings is the focus of activities aimed at developing replicable methodologies for implementing innovative technological solutions. In line with this priority, the Sicilian Region has launched a project for the energy retrofitting of 91 heritage sites and buildings across the region. To support the decision-making process, this paper defines criteria and indicators for assessing the compatibility and effectiveness of energy efficiency upgrade solutions for buildings of cultural value. The goal of improving energy performance is framed within broader performance targets, including enhancing user experience, promoting cultural activities for users’ creative growth, and carrying out restoration works to strengthen the identity of the pre-existence. The criteria result from a thorough analysis of the current scientific debate on the energy efficiency of heritage buildings and have been validated through their application to the case study of Palazzo Belmonte-Riso, a listed building in the historical centre of Palermo (Italy). The suggested criteria provide guidance for evaluating implemented projects and developing new design solutions. The research proposes a holistic and multidisciplinary approach aligned with the New European Bauhaus, promoting creative and innovative solutions that embody sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusiveness in addressing key issues on the European Agenda. Full article