Search Results (3,645)

Microplastics (MPs) are considered to be dominant agents responsible for serious contamination in environmental and biological systems. Despite a huge increase in research on these contaminants, there are still considerable uncertainties and progress to be made on the exposure pathways of biological systems, modes of detection, and toxicity assessments. Therefore, developing a critical review of MPs is crucial due to growing evidence of their harmful effects on human health. In the current review, we aim to emphasize the potential toxic effects of MPs on different biological systems in humans, the mechanisms of their toxic effects, and gaps in our knowledge on risk assessment. Importantly, we focus on the risks posed by MPs for fetuses and child health. To ensure methodological rigor, the current review follows the PRISMA guidelines, explicitly detailing the literature search strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria. The present review summarizes potential sources of MP generation, exposure pathways, quantitative analyses of dietary exposure, estimated daily intake, particle/leachate toxicity evidence, detection in different human organs, and potential toxic effects. MPs cause toxicity in several biological systems in humans, such as the gastrointestinal, nervous, hepatic, endocrine, respiratory, and reproductive systems. In addition, these particles are known to cause oxidative stress, alter metabolism, and affect gut microflora and gastrointestinal functions. Importantly, the current review also discusses the challenges encountered in conducting risk assessments for MPs and the approaches for counteracting these challenges. Finally, the review concludes by recommending future research directions in terms of counteracting the toxic effects of MPs on human health. Full article

Anthropogenic climate change represents a critical and complex threat to the health and resilience of aquatic ecosystems. This review aims to critically synthesise and evaluate the synergetic and antagonistic mechanisms through which rising water temperature, the most prominent climatic factor, modulates the host–parasite relationship. The systematic literature review was conducted across a high-impact database (Web of Science), focusing on the extraction and qualitative analysis of data concerning infection dynamics and both host and parasite interactions. The findings demonstrate that thermal stress imposes a dual penalty on host–parasite systems: (1) it confers a critical thermal advantage to direct-life cycle parasites, significantly accelerating their virulence, reproduction, and infective capacity; (2) simultaneously, it severely compromises the immunocompetence and physiological resilience of piscine hosts, often through immunometabolic trade-offs and inflammatory dysfunction. This toxic synergy is the root cause of the exponential disease prevalence/intensity of parasites and fish mass mortality events, directly impacting biodiversity and global aquaculture sustainability. In contrast, it may also cause the disruption of the transmission chains to threaten complex life cycle parasites with localised extinction. We conclude that climate mitigation must be urgently recognised and implemented as a primary strategy for biological risk management to secure aquatic health and global food safety. Full article

The Campos Rupestres, ancient and nutrient-poor mountaintop ecosystems in Brazil, harbor exceptional biodiversity and endemism but face severe threats from mining and urban expansion. Native grasses (Poaceae), represented by nearly 300 documented species—many of them poorly studied—are fundamental elements of these ecosystems. They provide critical ecological services, including soil stabilization, enhancing carbon storage and nutrient cycling, regulating water availability, and resilience to disturbances. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the diversity, functions, and propagation of Campos Rupestres grasses, with emphasis on their potential in ecological restoration. Despite their ecological importance, large-scale use of native grasses remains incipient, constrained by limited knowledge of reproductive biology, low seed viability, and scarce commercial seed availability. Advances in propagation include seedling and plug production, vegetative propagation, and rescue/reintroduction strategies, which have shown promising results in post-mining restoration. However, reliance on seed collection from natural populations risks depleting already limited genetic resources, highlighting the need for ex situ production systems. Expanding research on taxonomy, ecology, and cost-effective propagation methods, alongside supportive policy and market development, is crucial for integrating native grasses as cornerstone species in restoration programs. Bridging these gaps will enhance biodiversity conservation and restoration in one of the world’s most threatened megadiverse systems. Full article

Women of reproductive age, especially those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), often use glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) to improve their metabolic functions. A growing body of evidence suggests that GLP-1R signaling may directly affect ovarian physiology, influencing granulosa cell proliferation, survival pathways, and steroidogenic production, in addition to its systemic metabolic effects. Nonetheless, there is a limited comprehension of the molecular mechanisms that regulate these activities and their correlation with menstrual function, reproductive potential, and assisted reproduction. This comprehensive review focuses on ovarian biology, granulosa cell signaling networks, steroidogenesis, and translational fertility outcomes, integrating clinical, in vivo, and in vitro information to elucidate the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on reproductive health. We conducted a thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for randomized trials, prospective studies, animal models, and cellular experiments evaluating the effects of GLP-1RA on reproductive or ovarian outcomes, in accordance with PRISMA criteria. The retrieved data included metabolic changes, androgen levels, monthly regularity, ovarian structure, granulosa cell growth and death, FOXO1 signaling, FSH-cAMP-BMP pathway activity, and fertility or IVF results. Clinical trials shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists improve menstrual regularity, decrease body weight and central adiposity, increase sex hormone-binding globulin levels, and lower free testosterone in overweight and obese women with PCOS. Liraglutide, when combined with metformin, significantly improved IVF pregnancy rates, whereas exenatide increased natural conception rates. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that GLP-1R activation affects FOXO1 phosphorylation, hence promoting granulosa cell proliferation and anti-apoptotic processes. Incretin signaling altered steroidogenesis by reducing the levels of StAR, P450scc, and 3β-HSD, so inhibiting FSH-induced progesterone synthesis, while simultaneously enhancing BMP-Smad signaling. Animal studies demonstrated both beneficial (enhanced follicular growth, anti-apoptotic effects) and detrimental results (oxidative stress, granulosa cell death, uterine inflammation), indicating a context- and dose-dependent response. GLP-1 receptor agonists influence female reproductive biology by altering overall physiological processes and specifically impacting the ovaries via FOXO1 regulation, steroidogenic enzyme expression, and BMP-mediated FSH signaling. Preliminary clinical data indicate improved reproductive function in PCOS, as seen by increased pregnancy rates in both natural and IVF cycles; nevertheless, animal studies reveal a potential risk of ovarian and endometrial damage. These results highlight the need for controlled human research to clarify reproductive safety, molecular pathways, and optimum therapy timing, particularly in non-PCOS patients and IVF settings. Full article

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disorder with far-reaching systemic consequences. While its cardiometabolic and neurocognitive impacts are well established, growing evidence highlights OSA as a contributor to infertility in both men and women. The pathophysiological mechanisms include intermittent hypoxia, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and endocrine disruption, all of which can impair spermatogenesis, reduce semen quality, alter gonadal hormone secretion, and compromise ovarian function. Clinical studies consistently demonstrate associations between OSA and impaired semen parameters, reduced testosterone, and erectile dysfunction in men. In women, OSA is frequently observed in those with polycystic ovary syndrome, is associated with ovulatory dysfunction, and negatively affects in vitro fertilization outcomes, pregnancy rates, and miscarriage risk. Despite these findings, infertility is not systematically included in global burden estimates of OSA, leading to the underestimation of its true health and socioeconomic impact. Therapeutic strategies such as weight loss, continuous positive airway pressure, and integrative approaches show promise, though robust evidence from randomized trials is still lacking. Integrating sleep health into reproductive medicine may provide a cost-effective and equitable pathway to improve fertility outcomes worldwide. Full article

Living systems can be understood as organized entities that capture, transform, and reproduce information. Classical gene-centered models explain adaptation through frequency changes driven by differential fitness, yet they often overlook the higher-order organization and causal closure that characterize living systems. Here we revisit several evolutionary frameworks, from the replicator equation to group selection and holobiont dynamics, and show that evolutionary change in population frequencies can be expressed as a Jeffreys divergence. Building on this foundation, we introduce a categorical model of Information Handlers (IHs), entities capable of self-maintenance, mutation, and combination. This abstract architecture illustrates the usefulness of category theory for framing evolutionary processes that range from very simple to highly complex. The same categorical scheme can represent basic allele-frequency change as well as more elaborate scenarios involving reproductive interactions, symbiosis, and other organizational layers. A key feature of the framework is that different levels of evolutionary change can be summarized through a measure that quantifies the information generated, thereby distinguishing diverse types of evolutionary transformation, such as individual and sexual selection, mate choice, or even holobiont selection. Finally, we show that the informational partition associated with host–microbiome pairings in holobionts generalizes the information-theoretic structure previously developed for non-random mating, revealing a common underlying architecture across biological scales. Full article

The reproductive behavior and nest-building activity of the sand-dwelling goby Hazeus ammophilus were investigated to examine its nesting characteristics and to determine how and why this species builds radial structures around its nests. Field observations revealed that males spawned with multiple females in open muddy-sand bottoms, using bivalve shells or fallen leaves as spawning substrates. Males cared for eggs after spawning and repeatedly mated with multiple females, suggesting a male-territory-visiting polygamous mating system. A distinctive feature of this species was the presence of radial ditches extending from the nest. These ditches developed through repeated male behaviors of digging from the nest toward the surrounding area and sweeping accumulated sand out of the nest, resulting in a crater-like structure around the nest. These behaviors may contribute to cleaning and stabilizing the spawning substrate, and the resulting structures themselves may also be involved in female mate choice. Taken together, these findings indicate that H. ammophilus has evolved a flexible reproductive strategy, and nest-building behavior possibly adapted to unstable open sandy environments, highlighting the behavioral diversity and ecological plasticity within gobiid fishes. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of curcumin (Cur) on reproductive toxicity induced by fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) in laying ducks during the peak egg-laying period. A total of seventy-two 50-week-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly assigned to four groups: control, FB₁ (30 mg/kg), Cur (200 mg/kg), and Cur + FB₁ (200 mg/kg + 30 mg/kg). The experiment lasted for 35 days. Our results showed that cur supplementation effectively restored the reductions in final body weight (p = 0.005) and oviduct length (p = 0.020) induced by FB₁ exposure. Residual FB₁ concentrations in serum, liver, and ovaries were markedly increased in the FB₁-treated group, while Cur significantly decreased the FB₁ residual in duck liver (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, Cur supplementation markedly counteracted the FB₁-induced reductions in serum total protein, albumin, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein induced by FB₁ exposure. Cur supplementation effectively regulated FB₁-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption. Specifically, Cur lowered FB₁-induced malondialdehyde levels (p < 0.010), attenuated interleukin-1β increase (p = 0.083), and reversed the reduction in immunoglobulin G levels. FB increased the levels of hormones associated with duck reproduction, including estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone; in contrast, curcumin supplementation decreased the levels of these hormones (p < 0.010). Histopathological analysis revealed that Cur significantly alleviated the inflammation and necrosis in the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and oviducts induced by FB₁. In conclusion, dietary Cur supplementation effectively alleviated FB₁-induced reproductive toxicity in laying ducks by enhancing antioxidant capacity, improving lipid metabolism, and restoring hormonal homeostasis. Full article

Assisted Reproductive Technology Units (ARTUs) constitute a rapidly growing sector in healthcare, where service quality and patient safety are closely intertwined with ethical principles, technological precision, and managerial efficiency. This study aims to explore quality management practices and certification standards—such as ISO 9001, ISO 15189, and ISO 13485—within ARTUs, with the goal of developing a model that enhances patient-centered outcomes. The analysis focuses on the roles of leadership, staff training, and internal auditing mechanisms as key factors for the successful implementation of quality management systems (QMSs). Through a structured literature review and thematic synthesis, this study identifies challenges that ARTUs face in aligning with international standards and highlights strategies that strengthen patient trust, transparency, and continuous improvement. The proposed model connects measurable quality indicators with patient perceptions and experiences, providing a comprehensive framework for sustainable quality development. This article contributes to the academic discourse on healthcare quality governance and offers practical insights for policymakers and administrators seeking to improve patient experience and organizational resilience in reproductive medicine. Full article

Testosterone is a key regulator of male and female physiology, influencing reproductive function, muscle and bone anabolism, metabolic homeostasis, and psychological well-being. Growing evidence indicates a secular, age-independent decline in testosterone levels across populations, a trend associated with reduced fertility, metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunction, mood disturbances, and impaired quality of life. While aging and genetic factors play a role, a wide range of modifiable influences—including obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary patterns, chronic stress, poor sleep, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals or other environmental stressors—appear to contribute substantially to this phenomenon. This narrative review synthesizes the evidence on testosterone’s physiological significance, the causes and consequences of its secular decline, and evaluates potential interventions, emphasizing lifestyle and environmental strategies (physical activity, nutrition, weight management, sleep, stress reduction, sunlight exposure) as well as pharmacological and nutraceutical options. Overall, the contemporary testosterone decline represents a complex, multifactorial public health issue requiring integrated approaches to preserve hormonal and systemic health. Full article

Background and Objectives: The fact that men are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to women, regardless of concomitant risk factors, draws attention to the potential role of sex hormones in cardiovascular health. Hormonal therapies undoubtedly play a crucial role in reproductive and endocrine health; however, their cardiovascular implications remain complex and incompletely understood. This review aims at providing an updated overview of recent studies on this topic, highlighting the practical clinical aspects and knowledge gaps. Materials and Methods: This review synthesizes recent clinical studies regarding the cardiovascular impact of female hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Results: It seems that both hormonal deficiency and excess can exert detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system. While HRT and TRT offer benefits to specific patient populations, their broad biological actions can lead to adverse effects. This creates a sophisticated and delicate relationship between hormonal balance and heart health, complicating the determination of universal safety profiles and use indications. Conclusions: The risk–benefit ratio of hormonal therapies remains a critical concern in clinical practice. Because cardiovascular effects vary significantly based on individual patient profiles, a nuanced approach to prescribing is necessary. Further research is required to bridge knowledge gaps and refine safety guidelines for the use of sex hormones in cardiovascular prevention and treatment. Full article

Small pelagic fish, including sardines, are essential to global fisheries and aquaculture feed production. However, these species are increasingly exposed to intense exploitation. In Chile, the common sardine (Strangomera bentincki), endemic to the Humboldt Current System, supports major industrial and artisanal fisheries. Landings are expected to reach 300,000 tons by 2025, mostly for fishmeal production. As a keystone species, S. bentincki is highly sensitive to environmental variability during early development, which can reduce recruitment and threaten long-term population sustainability. This interdisciplinary approach integrates ecological and biotechnological perspectives to assess the feasibility of controlled juvenile sardine production in land-based Ecological Aquaculture (EA) systems, including Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), which are designed to reduce environmental impacts. These systems enable precise control of temperature, feeding regimes, and water quality, facilitating investigations into larval and juvenile survival, growth performance, and physiological responses under variable thermal and nutritional conditions. Emphasis is placed on fatty acid metabolism during ontogeny, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are essential for somatic growth, reproductive development, and thermal tolerance. Developing standardized protocols for juvenile S. bentincki culture addresses key gaps in husbandry and physiology (temperature threshold, nutrient density, larval growth rate, etc.) while introducing a novel ecological–aquaculture integration framework. This approach links early-life ecology with applied rearing techniques to support stock enhancement, strengthen artisanal fisheries, and promote sustainable aquaculture diversification under increasing environmental variability. Full article

Pervasive microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) frequently co-occur across aquatic and terrestrial environments due to shared sources, transport pathways, and persistence, yet their interaction-driven effects on environmental fate, bioavailability, and toxicity remain incompletely resolved. This review critically synthesizes current knowledge on the environmental co-occurrence of MPs and PFAS, the physicochemical mechanisms governing their interactions, and the resulting ecological and toxicological consequences across aquatic, terrestrial, and biological systems. Emphasis is placed on sorption and desorption processes; environmental modifiers such as pH, salinity, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and aging; and biological responses under combined exposure scenarios. Across laboratory and field studies, MPs–PFAS co-exposure is frequently associated with altered PFAS partitioning and enhanced organismal uptake, with reported bioaccumulation increases of up to ~2.5-fold relative to PFAS-only exposures. These changes are often accompanied by amplified oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, metabolic disturbance, and reproductive impairment, particularly in aquatic invertebrates and early life stages of fish. Evidence further indicates that the magnitude and direction of combined effects depend on polymer type, particle size, surface aging, and biological context, underscoring the highly system-specific nature of MPs–PFAS interactions. By integrating findings from environmental monitoring, laboratory toxicology, and mechanistic and modeling studies, this review identifies key knowledge gaps related to nanoplastics detection, environmentally realistic exposure conditions, sorption reversibility, and mixture toxicity assessment. Collectively, these insights highlight limitations in current single-contaminant risk frameworks and underscore the importance of incorporating MPs-mediated PFAS transport and bioavailability into exposure assessment and regulatory evaluation. Full article

The article presents a comprehensive determination and analysis of the dynamic accuracy of the AC traction network–pantograph interface using an equivalent lumped-parameter RLC model derived from a distributed-parameter representation of the traction line. The study investigates the system’s response to representative excitation signals: step, sinusoidal, and multi-harmonic, where the root mean square value of the voltage error at the network–pantograph interface is adopted as the main performance indicator. A novel contribution of this work lies in determining the upper bound on the dynamic error (UBDE) for input signals constrained by realistic physical limitations: initially by magnitude and duration, and subsequently extended with an additional rate of change constraint. In the first case, an iterative optimization procedure is applied to determine the constrained excitation and its corresponding error, while in the extended case, the problem of maximizing the dynamic error energy is solved numerically using a genetic algorithm. In both formulations, the objective is to identify extreme, physically admissible excitation waveforms that represent the most unfavorable dynamic scenarios for voltage reproduction within the traction network–pantograph RLC interface. The results obtained in this study are of both theoretical and practical significance. They allow the identification of frequency ranges and resonance conditions that intensify dynamic errors, support the design of compensation and filtering strategies, and enable the assessment of the system robustness to fast disturbances and supply voltage distortions. From a theoretical point of view, the article introduces a unified methodology for the determination and evaluation of dynamic errors and their worst-case upper estimates under realistic signal constraints, providing a foundation for future research on control design, optimization, and voltage quality requirements in AC traction power systems. Full article

Peters-Plus syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the B3GLCT gene and characterized by multisystem involvement. Fewer than 100 cases have been reported to date, and only a limited number have been diagnosed prenatally. Prenatal identification is challenging due to the variable and non-specific nature of fetal findings and the frequent absence of detectable ocular anomalies during routine ultrasound. We report a prenatal diagnosis of Peters-Plus syndrome in a monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy, based on the progressive identification of early-onset intrauterine growth restriction, rhizomelic limb shortening, craniofacial dysmorphism, and mild central nervous system abnormalities. Standard cytogenetic and chromosomal microarray analyses were normal, prompting extended genetic testing. Prenatal exome sequencing identified a homozygous pathogenic splice-site variant (c.660+1G>A) in B3GLCT in both fetuses, confirming the diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of recognizing suggestive multisystem prenatal findings and the crucial role of advanced genetic testing in achieving an accurate prenatal diagnosis. Early molecular confirmation enables appropriate parental counseling regarding prognosis, recurrence risk, and future reproductive options. Full article