Search Results (2,197)

Fishes contribute to the biological carbon pump, yet their overall role remains poorly constrained due to the difficulty of obtaining direct metabolic measurements and, consequently, is poorly understood. Electron transport system (ETS) activity is commonly used as a proxy for potential respiration, but its application requires an appropriate relationship between respiration (R, measured as oxygen consumption MO₂) and ETS activity. Here, we examined the relationship between swimming activity, oxygen consumption, and ETS activity in juvenile Sparus aurata using swimming-tunnel respirometry. Oxygen consumption increased with swimming speed following a four-parameter sigmoidal model, whereas ETS activity remained independent of short-term changes in activity. Normalizing respiration by ETS produced R/ETS ratios ranging from 0.17 to 0.71, values consistent with those reported for zooplankton and micronekton. Lower ratios correspond to minimal aerobic demand and may represent quiescent behaviour, while higher ratios reflect elevated demands associated with active movement or feeding. These ratios are suggested for the assessment of respiration rates from ETS activity during diel vertical migration in the ocean to improve estimates of respiratory flux. However, methodological issues related to ETS activity in different body regions must be solved to enable reliable measurements. Full article

Weather radars enable the monitoring of airborne insects over spatial scales ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilometers. Quantitative information on migration intensity and spatial distribution can be obtained from weather radar observations. However, insect biological characteristics cannot be directly retrieved from weather radar, which limits species identification. Among the parameters associated with insect species, body length describes an important aspect of individual morphological characteristics. In this study, we propose a method for estimating the mean body length of airborne insect populations based on S-band polarimetric weather radar observations. A theoretical relationship is established between mean body length, insect number density, and the specific differential phase, which is defined as the range derivative of the phase difference between horizontally and vertically polarized radar signals. Electromagnetic simulations are conducted to analyze the relationship between specific differential phase and mean body length under known number density. Furthermore, the method is validated using joint observations from weather radar and entomological radar. The experimental results show that, for insects with body lengths ranging from 5 to 25 mm, the proposed method achieves a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 10.75% in body length estimation, demonstrating its capability to accurately estimate the mean body length of insect populations. This study provides data support for species identification in current weather-radar-based insect monitoring and shows promise for applications in large-scale pest early warning, species classification, and ecological dynamics research. Full article

Background: Dendroctonus armandi, an oligophagous beetle primarily infesting Pinus armandii, is geographically restricted and persistent in central China, causing significant ecological and economic losses. However, the intrinsic factors driving its continuous occurrence remain unclear. We examined the genetic variation patterns across the species’ range to explore its phylogeographic structure. Methods: We analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequence (mtDNA) data to assess population genetic structure and estimate the divergence times of distinct lineages. Results: Phylogenetic analysis identified four haplogroups corresponding to the Minshan (MSM), Qinling (QLM), Micang (MCM), and Ta-pa (TPM) Mountains. Demographic analyses revealed that QLM and TPM haplogroups have undergone population expansion events. Divergence time estimates indicated four lineages diverged during the Late Pleistocene. Notably, D. armandi may have followed two horizontal and one vertical independent colonization routes. The first route extended from MSM into QLM and then spread eastward along the QLM; the second route progressed from MSM into MCM and continued eastward into TPM; and the third route migrated southward from QLM into TPM. Conclusions: Climate oscillations, geographical isolation, and the patchy distribution of host trees collectively shaped the phylogeographic patterns of D. armandi. These findings elucidate the evolution and adaptability of D. armandi in mountainous environments. Full article

The eastern honeybee (Apis cerana) is a keystone pollinator for native ecosystems and agricultural crops in China. However, its distribution faces significant uncertainty due to accelerating climate change. To quantify these risks and inform management strategies, we employed an ensemble species distribution model (Biomod2) integrating ten algorithms to project the suitable habitat of the eastern honeybee under current and future (2060s and 2100s) climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585). The ensemble model achieved an excellent predictive performance (AUC > 0.9, TSS > 0.8). The current suitable habitat spans approximately 1.47 million km², primarily south of the Yangtze River. Biomod2 simulation indicates that the precipitation of the wettest month and mean diurnal temperature range are the dominant environmental stressors influencing the shift in the spatial distributions of the eastern honeybee. Comparisons between current and future climate scenarios reveal a distinct trend of spatial range contraction in southern China and a northwestward shift of the habitat centroid. The most severe impact is projected under the SSP585 scenario, with a potential net habitat loss of 42.25% by 2100. We propose a dynamic conservation strategy that prioritizes the protection of southern climate refugia while managing habitat connectivity to facilitate the species’ migration, thereby safeguarding agricultural resilience. Full article

Taxus, a relic plant genus from the Tertiary period, contains taxane compounds that are crucial in anti-cancer drug development and have significant medicinal and ecological value. Evaluation of the potential distribution range and shifts for this genus considering global climate change is vital for conserving wild resources, supporting artificial propagation, and ensuring sustainable development. We analyzed the potential geographic distribution patterns and key environmental factors affecting four Taxus species (Taxus cuspidata, Taxus wallichiana var. mairei, Taxus wallichiana, and Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis) under current climate conditions and four shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585) across three future periods (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s) using the regularization multiplier and feature combination parameters of the MaxEnt model. We also explored their responses to climate change over time. The area under the curve of models built using the ENMeval package exceeded 0.9, demonstrating high accuracy. Environmental analysis indicated that the coldest monthly minimum temperature was the main environmental factor influencing the species distribution, except in Taxus cuspidata, for which the human footprint was the primary factor. Currently, the habitats of the four Taxus species exhibit spatial variation, with Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis having the largest suitable area in China, covering approximately 200.89 × 10⁴ km², accounting for 21.17% of China’s land area. Habitat trends varied under future climate scenarios, with the suitable area expanding for Taxus wallichiana and Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis, and showing expansion and contraction for Taxus wallichiana var. mairei and Taxus cuspidata. The distribution centroids were predicted to shift to higher latitudes over time, with Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis showing particularly clear migration trends. These results offer a vital reference for developing conservation strategies and introduction and cultivation initiatives for these Taxus species. Full article

High-resolution satellite images are frequently used to measure horizontal displacements caused by earthquakes, providing valuable insights into rupture behaviors and mechanical properties of seismogenic faults. The displacement of interest, however, is often contaminated by correlated noises. Therefore, accurate separation of the displacement from noise is crucial to improve the quality of the deformation map. In this study, we used a deep-learning autoencoder to eliminate noise and reconstruct clean displacement in multiple-pairwise satellite image correlation (MPIC). To achieve the desired denoising performance, the autoencoder was initially trained and validated on the MPIC synthetic datasets with simulated noises and noises from Sentinel-2 images, respectively. The experimental results indicate that our autoencoder successfully recovered denoised displacement signals in the input MPICs under various noise conditions. Upon applying the autoencoder to the actual MPICs over the 2021 Maduo earthquake, the denoised displacements were successfully reconstructed, showcasing its capability to real MPIC data. A higher consistency between the autoencoder’s reconstruction and GPS- and InSAR-based displacements demonstrated that our encoder outperforms both traditional denoising methods and the autoencoder trained on synthetic data. Moreover, the autoencoder can also recover the clean surface signal associated with a dune migration near the Maduo rupture, revealing a previously unreported migrating feature. Overall, the autoencoder exhibits potential in reconstructing high-quality horizontal displacements related to a range of tectonic and geomorphological processes. Full article

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in a wide range of physiological processes, and their dysregulation is prevalent in human cancers, indicating critical roles in tumorigenesis. In intermediate- to high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains a major therapeutic challenge. Therefore, identifying lncRNAs as potential novel therapeutic targets is of considerable interest. Methods: Three paired samples of intermediate- to high-risk GIST tissues and adjacent normal tissues were subjected to transcriptome sequencing. High-content screening (HCS) was subsequently performed to identify candidate lncRNAs with significant effects on GIST cell proliferation. Loss-of-function experiments were conducted, and cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis were evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, Transwell migration assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. In addition, in situ hybridization (ISH) was performed on 507 primary GIST tissue specimens to examine the association between CTD-2245E15.3 expression and clinicopathological features, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Transcriptome sequencing revealed 2924 upregulated and 2629 downregulated lncRNAs in GIST tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Based on HCS results, CTD-2245E15.3 was selected for further functional analyses. CCK-8 assays demonstrated that knockdown of CTD-2245E15.3 significantly inhibited proliferation of GIST cells. Consistently, colony formation and migratory capacity were markedly reduced in the shCTD-2245E15.3 group compared with controls. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis showed a significant increase in apoptosis following CTD-2245E15.3 silencing. ISH analysis revealed that high CTD-2245E15.3 expression correlated with adverse clinicopathological features and poorer PFS and OS. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that CTD-2245E15.3 promotes proliferation and migration of GIST cells and is associated with poor prognosis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target and diagnostic biomarker. Full article

Parkia speciosa (P. speciosa), a plant utilized in traditional medicine, has shown promise in various therapeutic applications and contains multiple bioactive components (saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoids). These bioactive compounds have attracted increasing scientific interest due to their ability to modulate key cancer-associated pathways, including the inhibition of cell proliferation and migration and the suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation mechanisms. However, despite P. speciosa’s historically long and wide-ranging usage, a comprehensive investigation of these properties has not been conducted for its pod. This study investigated the effects of P. speciosa empty pod extract (PSET) on human colorectal cancer cells. The extract demonstrated significant dose-dependent inhibition of colorectal cell migration, invasion, and colony formation while exhibiting no cytotoxicity toward normal colon epithelial cells. Western blot analysis confirmed reduced expression of Matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2), Matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9), and N-cadherin, indicating suppression of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). These findings demonstrate that the PSET effectively inhibits metastasis in colorectal cancer cells through the EMT pathway, suggesting its potential as a dietary supplement or therapeutic agent for colorectal cancer treatment. Our research provides support for the development of natural, less toxic alternative cancer treatments. Therefore, PSET shows potential for development as a dietary supplement or therapeutic agent for the treatment of colon cancer. Full article

Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) functions in numerous biological processes, encompassing cell proliferation, growth, self-renewal, and differentiation. This study examined the modulatory function of the PTEN inhibitor in periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). PDLSCs were treated with VO-OHpic at a concentration range from 0.625 to 5 μM. MTT assay and Coomassie Blue staining were conducted to determine cell viability and colony-forming unit ability, respectively. The scratch assay was employed to examine cell migration. Mineral deposition and intracellular lipid accumulation were assessed. The qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate mRNA and protein expression, respectively. RNA sequencing was employed for transcriptomic analysis. VO-OHpic exposure showed no cytotoxic effects in PDLSCs; however, at 5 μM, it markedly decreased colony-forming efficiency and impaired cell migration. Under osteogenic induction conditions, 5 μM VO-OHpic markedly attenuated mineralisation and downregulated the osteogenic marker gene expression partly through ERK signalling. Indeed, VO-OHpic impaired intracellular lipid accumulation during adipogenic differentiation, as evidenced by reduced expression of adipogenic marker genes. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that VO-OHpic treatment upregulated genes in the TGF-β and calcium signalling pathways, suggesting a regulatory role in PDLSC differentiation. In conclusion, PTEN regulates PDLSC colony formation, migration, and differentiation, suggesting a pivotal role for PTEN in maintaining periodontal tissue homeostasis. Full article

The increasing severity of climate change poses profound challenges to global food security, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as migrants and refugees. This scoping review examines the nexus between climate change, food security, and migration, focusing on the impacts and responses within affected communities. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), this review synthesized literature across multiple databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, Public Health, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. The search yielded 908 records, with nine articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Across studies, climate-related stressors such as rainfall variability, flooding, and drought were consistently linked to livelihood disruption and food insecurity, often shaping migration and displacement decisions. However, food security outcomes were defined and measured inconsistently, ranging from crop yields and food availability to coping strategies and self-reported hunger, limiting comparability across studies. Evidence on food security initiatives was largely descriptive, with few studies assessing intervention effectiveness or post-displacement food security outcomes. Overall, the mapped literature emphasizes food insecurity as a key mediating pathway between climate change and mobility, but reveals important gaps related to standardized outcome measures, evaluation of food security initiatives, and the food security experiences of displaced populations at destination. Full article

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are increasingly incorporated into industrial and consumer products, raising concerns about potential carcinogenicity because their physicochemical properties vary widely among materials. Although Mitsui-7 has been classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC, Group 2B), the carcinogenic potential of domestically manufactured MWCNTs and the determinants underlying material-specific differences remain insufficiently characterized. Here, we applied an adverse outcome pathway (AOP)-oriented integrated testing strategy (ITS) to compare four domestically manufactured MWCNTs with Mitsui-7 using human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. Acute responses were assessed by measuring cytotoxicity and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Exposure concentrations for long-term studies were selected using range-finding assays, and cells were then exposed for four weeks at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Following chronic exposure, transformation-related phenotypes were evaluated using anchorage-independent growth, anchorage-dependent clonogenicity, wound healing migration, and Transwell–Matrigel invasion assays, and tumorigenic potential was examined in xenograft models using colony-derived cells. Highly aggregated MWCNTs elicited stronger oxidative stress and were associated with increased proliferation/clonal expansion, enhanced anchorage-independent colony formation, and increased tumor formation in vivo, whereas other materials showed more limited or endpoint-specific responses. Overall, the results indicate that MWCNT-associated carcinogenic potential is material-dependent rather than a uniform class effect and support the utility of an AOP-aligned ITS for nanosafety assessment and hazard differentiation of carbon-based nanomaterials. Full article

Background: Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are now common in land and water ecosystems. Their spread is an increasing issue from a One Health perspective. These particles end up in soils, water, air, and farm inputs. This poses direct risks to animal health and indirect risks to people who eat animal-derived food. There are also risks from plastic additives and pesticides migrating with these particles in animal-based food. Scope and Approach: This review summarizes how MPs and NPs move in agroecosystems and livestock production. It covers their main sources, such as agricultural plastics, sludge-amended soils, plastic-lined storage, and environmental fallout. It explains how farm animals are exposed, including through feed, water, soil contact, and inhalation. Evidence is condensed for occurrence in manure, tissues, and animal products. The review also highlights key analysis challenges, especially those limiting the assessment of nanoplastic exposure. Key Findings: Field surveys show very different contamination levels in the environment. Agricultural soils range from 0.36 to 42,960 particles/kg. Livestock indicators, like contaminated feed and manure, range from 10² to 10⁵ particles/kg. In free-roaming systems, chicken feces have very high loads, showing trophic transfer in land food chains. A pilot study found plastic particles in pig and cow blood, suggesting some particles cross the gut into the blood. Experimental models link MPs/NPs to oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic disturbance, and potential reproductive toxicity in livestock and poultry. Conclusions and outlook: Animal-based foods provide a major source of human exposure. MPs and NPs have been observed in milk and poultry products, such as packaged meat and eggs (mean 11.67 ± 3.98 particles/egg). There is still a research gap on raw milk taken directly from the teat and on raw eggs that have not been handled or packaged. This gap makes it hard to identify real contamination sources and control strategies. The review stresses the need for harmonized detection methods (especially for NPs), monitoring from farm to fork, and practical ways to reduce plastic use on farms and minimize contamination during processing, feed handling, and packaging. Full article

Cutaneous antigen-presenting cells (APCs), particularly dendritic cells (DCs) and Langerhans cells (LCs), are a diverse population of cells that play a vital role in immune surveillance by initiating and shaping skin immune responses. They link innate and adaptive immunity by presenting antigens, migrating, and activating T lymphocytes, thereby acting as orchestrators of tissue immunity. This review provides an updated overview of the morphofunctional diversity of cutaneous APCs, ranging from epidermal LCs and DCs, to dermal conventional DCs (DC1/DC2), plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), including newly defined subsets such as DC3, Axl⁺Siglec-6⁺ DCs (ASDCs) and LAMP3⁺ mature regulatory DCs (mRegDCs). Dynamic differences in APC composition and function between homeostatic and inflamed skin are discussed, with particular emphasis on inflammatory and autoimmune conditions such as psoriasis, lupus erythematosus and chronic atopic dermatitis, in which distinct DC subsets contribute to Th1 and Th17 immune circuits. This review is the first skin-related approach that extensively discusses the cutaneous role of APCs in the neuro-immune-cutaneous axis, as well as their interactions with the local microenvironment. Ongoing controversies regarding the classification and stability of certain DC populations are discussed. A better understanding of the diversity, migration mechanisms and microenvironmental interactions of cutaneous APCs could lead to the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for inflammatory, autoimmune, and oncological skin diseases. Full article

Spherical particles that are neutrally buoyant in a square-duct flow are known to undergo cross-sectional motion due to inertial lift forces while being transported downstream. Far downstream, this lateral migration converges, and particles focus near the midpoints of the duct walls, as demonstrated by experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical analyses. In contrast, numerical studies have predicted that relatively large particles at low Reynolds numbers can focus not near the wall midpoints but rather near the duct corners along the diagonals. In this study, we reproduce this diagonal focusing pattern numerically and confirm its occurrence experimentally. Numerical computations of the lift forces acting on a particle reveal the equilibrium points that appear within the cross-section and clarify their stability. Front-view observation experiments are conducted under corresponding parameter conditions, and the distributions of particle positions in the downstream cross-section are measured. Both numerical and experimental results confirm that particles indeed focus near the corners along the diagonals for specific parameter ranges. Furthermore, we show that this diagonal pattern transitions, with increasing Reynolds number, to a bistable focusing pattern in which focusing occurs on both the diagonals and the midlines, and finally to the standard midline-focused pattern. This sequence of transitions is explained by changes in the stability of the particle equilibrium points. Full article

Introduction: Recurrent inguinal hernia remains a clinically relevant outcome that is difficult to quantify in the absence of national prospective registries. In Romania, structural differences between public and private hospitals may further influence recurrence-related care, access to minimally invasive surgery, and resource utilization. This study aimed to assess recurrence patterns after inguinal hernia repair at a national level, with emphasis on reinterventions, patient-related risk factors, and health system disparities. Methods: A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using administrative DRG data from the Romanian National Health Insurance House. All adult patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair in 2019 were identified and followed for five years (2019–2023). Reintervention was used as a proxy for recurrence. Surgical approach, hospital sector, length of stay, reimbursement, patient migration, geographic distribution, and comorbidities were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to explore factors associated with laparoscopic approach and reintervention. Results: Among the 18,185 patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair in 2019, reintervention rates during follow-up ranged from 0.58% to 4.88%, a variability that reflects inherent limitations of administrative coding. Most reinterventions occurred in the year of the index surgery, suggesting early technical failure. Public hospitals managed the majority of cases and disproportionately absorbed recurrent and clinically complex patients. Access to laparoscopic repair was uneven and concentrated in large academic centers. Length of hospital stay declined gradually in public hospitals but remained consistently shorter in private institutions, reflecting differences in patient selection and care pathways. Reimbursement by The National Health Insurance House was similar for open and laparoscopic procedures. Conclusions: Recurrent inguinal hernia care in Romania is shaped by system-level disparities extending beyond surgical technique. Further progress requires reimbursement reform, establishment of a national hernia registry, and expansion of laparoscopic training to ensure equitable access to high-quality hernia care. Full article