Abstract: Microtubules contain ordered aromatic amino-acid networks whose optical excitations have been proposed to support non-trivial energy-transfer dynamics. Here, we examined whether bound tryptamine ligands can perturb the excitonic structure of the tubulin tryptophan network. A virtual screen of 294 tryptamines was performed across seven known binding regions of the tubulin heterodimer using AutoDock Vina. From this screen, top-ranked tryptamine ligands were carried forward for excited-state analysis. Geometry optimization and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations were used to obtain vertical excitation energies and transition dipole moments for the ligand-bound states in the ultraviolet range. These ligand properties were then incorporated into a tight-binding Hamiltonian describing the tubulin tryptophan excitation network in order to evaluate changes in exciton energies and eigenvector delocalization. The calculations indicate that tryptamine binding can modify the excitonic landscape of tubulin in a ligand-dependent manner, with the magnitude of the perturbation governed by excitation wavelength, transition dipole strength, and spatial orientation relative to the intrinsic tryptophan network. These results support the possibility that aromatic ligands may provide a chemically tunable route to altering the optical response of tubulin and motivate future experimental tests of ligand-dependent modulation of microtubule photophysics.

Abstract: Mitochondria play essential roles in cellular metabolism and signaling, regulating biosynthetic pathways, calcium homeostasis, redox balance, and cell fate beyond ATP production. Their continual remodeling through fusion, fission, and mitophagy maintains mitochondrial quality control and adapts organelle function to cellular demands. Here, we review how mitochondrial dynamics, fusion, fission, and mitophagy modulate metabolic reprogramming and signaling to drive cancer progression and therapy resistance. Emerging evidence indicates that in cancer, mitochondrial fusion enhances respiratory efficiency and oxidative phosphorylation, whereas fission promotes glycolytic adaptation, rapid biomass accumulation, and stress tolerance. Mitophagy further refines metabolic fitness by eliminating damaged mitochondria and sustaining redox homeostasis. Together, these processes underscore that dysregulation of mitochondrial dynamics is a hallmark of cancer and a key driver of metabolic reprogramming and therapeutic resistance. In this review, we summarize how mitochondrial fusion, fission, and mitophagy govern metabolic circuitry in cancer development and therapy resistance. We highlight their functional impact on tumor progression and discuss emerging therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial dynamics and associated machinery. Understanding this dynamic metabolic crosstalk may reveal new vulnerabilities and guide the development of mitochondria-targeted cancer therapies.

Abstract: This paper presents a laboratory-validated integrated assessment framework combining Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) for the non-destructive evaluation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. A single RC beam specimen (3000 × 300 × 200 mm; C30/37, w/c = 0.50, CEM I 42.5N; 3 × T12 at 35 mm soffit cover) was subjected to four precisely controlled deterioration states: intact dry (Model A), water-filled crack (Model B), fully saturated (Model C), and chloride-induced active corrosion (Model D). Seven ERT datasets were acquired using a Wenner-Schlumberger array at electrode spacings of a = 7, 15, and 30 mm, and three 800 MHz GPR profiles were recorded for Models A, B, and C/D respectively. The ERT results demonstrate a systematic three-orders-of-magnitude decrease in median resistivity from the intact state (ρ₀ = 558 Ω·m) to the corroded condition (ρ = 10.6 Ω·m), with a depth-preferential low-resistivity distribution at rebar depth (z ≈ 24–48 mm; ρ < 10 Ω·m) providing partial discrimination between active corrosion and bulk moisture saturation. GPR analysis at 800 MHz confirms a reference wave velocity of v = 0.096 ± 0.008 m/ns by hyperbola fitting, localised 25–35% amplitude attenuation at the water-filled crack position, and pervasive 50–65% attenuation under saturated and corroded conditions. A four-stage integrated interpretation framework is validated against known ground-truth conditions: Stage 1 establishes local reference baselines (ρ₀, A₀); Stage 2 identifies anomalies against threshold criteria; Stage 3 cross-validates co-located GPR and ERT signatures; Stage 4 assigns risk categories 1–4. Explicit failure mode analysis identifies six conditions under which the framework is unreliable, most critically the moisture–corrosion ambiguity and the invisibility of dry cracks. The framework correctly classifies all four beam conditions and provides higher diagnostic confidence than either method applied independently.

Abstract: This study characterized the cultivable oral microbiota of domestic dogs and evaluated antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and resistance accumulation in a veterinary context. A cross-sectional analytical design was conducted including 100 domestic dogs attended in urban veterinary clinics in southern Ecuador, from which 139 bacterial isolates were obtained through oral swabbing and conventional microbiological identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Resistance accumulation was defined as the number of antimicrobial classes to which each isolate exhibited resistance, and multidrug resistance as resistance to three or more classes. A predominance of Gram-negative bacteria was observed (65.5%), with Pseudomonas (27.3%), Klebsiella (20.9%), and Enterobacter (7.9%) as the most frequent genera, while Staphylococcus aureus represented 34.5% of isolates. Resistance to at least one antimicrobial was detected in 71.2% of isolates, and multidrug resistance in 9.4% of the total dataset, exclusively among Gram-negative bacteria, corresponding to 14.3% within this group. Resistance to two or more antimicrobial classes was observed in 42.9% of Gram-negative isolates. Multivariable logistic regression showed that bacterial genus was the only factor significantly associated with resistance accumulation, with Enterobacter presenting a higher odds ratio compared to Pseudomonas (adjusted OR = 16.30; 95% CI: 1.69–157.14; p = 0.016), while host-related variables were not significant (p > 0.05). These results indicate that antimicrobial resistance in the canine oral microbiota is primarily structured by bacterial identity rather than host factors, highlighting the role of the oral cavity as a reservoir of resistant bacteria with implications for veterinary clinical practice and epidemiological surveillance.

Abstract: Background: Symbiotic fungi play essential roles throughout the entire cycle of orchid plants, including seed germination, seedling development, and maturation. Dendrobium officinale Kimura & Migo (Orchidaceae) (D. officinale) is a rare and highly valued traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Currently, artificial breeding using tissue culture technology is widely adopted and essential in the Dendrobium industry; however, this approach may impair or disrupt the plant’s ability to establish and maintain symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi; Methods: In this study, the fungal endophyte community (FEC) in the roots of D. officinale cultivated under four different modes was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. Correlation analyses were also carried out to examine the relationships between bioactive compounds and the FEC; Results: 1) the FEC in D. officinale roots was dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, with significant differences in abundance, diversity, and community structure among cultivation modes; 2) the FEC under greenhouse cultivation mode differed significantly from those under tree epiphytic cultivation in terms of fungal nutritional types and dominant taxa; 3) six major mycorrhizal fungal taxa were identified in Dendrobium roots, although non-mycorrhizal fungi accounted for approximately 97% of the community; and 4) the main bioactive compounds were positively correlated with variations in the FEC; Conclusions: this study provides a foundation for understating the growth of D. officinale under different cultivation modes and highlights the relationship between bioactive compound accumulation and mycorrhizal fungal communities.

Abstract: In this study, the traffic operational effects of a pacemaker system (PMS) on the traffic operation in the Geumnam Tunnel on the Seoul–Yangyang Expressway was evaluated herein using a before–after analysis based on long-term vehicle detection system (VDS) data. Changes in spatiotemporal traffic flow and traffic capacity, and speed improvement under different levels of service (LOS) were analyzed using data from five VDS detectors installed upstream and downstream of the tunnel. After PMS installation, (i) increased average and 25th-percentile speeds at most detector locations and decreased standard deviation of speed were observed both near the tunnel exit and the downstream sections, (ii) maximum traffic volume was increased from 1661 to 1765 veh/h/lane (~6.3% increase), (iii) LOS-based speed improvement analysis showed that mean speed and 25th-percentile speed increased by ~6.5%, indicating the alleviation of speed reduction among low-speed vehicles due to PMS. These results prove that PMS increases vehicle speed, reduces speed variability, and enhances traffic flow stability and processing capability. These findings provide empirical evidence supporting the operational effectiveness of a PMS as a practical tool for mitigating phantom congestion in highway tunnel sections and reducing the speed differences between vehicles and improve traffic stream stability.

Abstract: Climate change is a major hazard to the agricultural systems of the world as it is changing the temperature regimes, precipitation patterns, and soil dynamics, which are weakening crop production and the stability of the ecosystems. The proposed research is a hybrid modeling framework that combines Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) with a deep learning architecture (PatchTST) based on the Transformer to quantify and predict the effect of climate variability on the productivity of agriculture. Multi-source data such as global weather data, crop data, and ISRIC-WISE soil data were harmonized with stringent preprocessing that included imputation, normalization, and spatial-temporal alignment. The regression analysis reveals a statistically significant negative impact of temperature on crop yield, while precipitation and soil fertility exhibit positive contributions. To capture complex non-linear dependencies and long-term temporal patterns, the PatchTST model was trained using time-series inputs enriched with satellite-derived vegetation indices. The proposed model significantly outperforms conventional deep learning approaches, achieving an R2 of 0.98, RMSE of 0.0172, and MAE of 0.0134. Attention-based interpretability highlights soil moisture and NDVI as dominant predictors, reinforcing the model’s physical and agronomic relevance. The findings instruct that integrating interpretable statistical models with advanced deep learning enhances predictive accuracy while addressing the transparency limitations of black-box approaches. This framework provides a robust decision-support tool for empathetic climate variability impacts on agricultural productivity.

Abstract:

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain malignancy with limited treatment options and poor clinical outcomes. There is growing interest in using Zika virus as a treatment for GBM due to its selectivity in finding and killing rapidly proliferating neural cells. Several studies reproducibly show that Zika can effectively kill GBM cells. We sought to uncover the molecular mechanisms driving this cytotoxic effect by performing a meta-analysis of transcriptomic studies in which Zika virus was used to kill GBM cells. We integrated four datasets from studies on GBM and added neuroblastoma (NBM) studies as an outgroup comparator. Our analysis identified a shared molecular signature of the Zika-infected GBM cell. Interestingly, GBM cells killed by the Zika virus showed dysregulation of pathways commonly implicated in proliferation and metastasis, including TNF, NF-κB, and p53 signaling. Using a hypothesis-free design, we found several long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that were consistently dysregulated in Zika-infected GBMs, many of which have previously unrecognized roles in cancer cell death. Among this group, we validated four lncRNAs for a role in Zika-mediated oncolysis. Experimental testing of MELTF-AS1, TIPARP-AS1, NR2F1-AS1, and SLC9A3-AS1 in adult GBM cell lines confirmed pronounced differential gene expression. Silencing of MELTF-AS1 augmented Zika-induced cell death, while knockdown of TIPARP-AS1, NR2F1-AS1, and SLC9A3-AS1 attenuated oncolysis, identifying a novel class of pro-oncolytic lncRNAs that critically contribute to ZIKV-mediated cytotoxicity. These findings elucidate Zika’s oncolytic mechanisms, highlight novel lncRNA targets, and support further exploration of lncRNA modulation as a strategy to enhance oncolytic virotherapy for GBM and related malignancies.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Immunonutrition uses dietary bioactive compounds to support immune function while preserving systemic physiological balance. Donkey milk, bovine colostrum, and royal jelly contain complementary antimicrobial, immunoglobulin-rich, and immunoregulatory components, but their combined effects remain insufficiently characterized. Methods: A 6-week controlled study was conducted in female rabbits assigned to four groups (n = 15/group): vaccinated only (G1), immunonutraceutical only (G2), vaccination plus immunonutraceutical (G3), and pre-conditioned immunonutraceutical followed by vaccination and continued supplementation (G4). Serum total immunoglobulins and lysozyme were measured longitudinally. Biochemical indices were monitored throughout the study, and hematological parameters were evaluated at the final time point. Mixed-effects models, generalized estimating equations, principal component analysis, and correlation-based systems analyses were applied. Results: Supplementation significantly modulated both humoral and innate immune responses. The strongest terminal immunoglobulin response was observed in G4 (26.00 ± 5.80 mg/mL), whereas sustained lysozyme elevation was most pronounced in supplemented groups, particularly G3 (3.13 ± 0.44 ng/mL). Within-subject analysis demonstrated significant innate–adaptive immune coherence (p = 0.000006). Biochemical analyses showed coordinated metabolic adaptation without evidence of organ toxicity, and hematological findings indicated preserved inflammatory and hematopoietic stability. Conclusions: Multi-component immunonutraceutical supplementation enhanced humoral and innate immune dynamics in a timing-dependent manner while maintaining biochemical and hematological safety. These findings support the potential of combined donkey milk, bovine colostrum, and royal jelly as functional ingredients for coordinated immune support.

Abstract: LLM-based agents are increasingly deployed across web and GUI automation, embodied decision making, and scientific workflows, yet their progress is often constrained by limited data and interaction. High-quality supervision is costly, and real-environment interactions are expensive, risky, and quickly invalidated by environment drift. This survey studies how to obtain and improve LLM-based agents with fewer samples, fewer labels, and fewer/ cheaper interactions. We view agentic learning as a closed-loop decision process where experience arises from both external supervision and online interactions, and data efficiency requires maximizing information yield per unit cost. We then introduce a unified agentic learning framework and organize the literature along three complementary dimensions: experience augmentation, agent structural design, and learning paradigms. This perspective connects design choices to where learning signals come from, how they are utilized, and how adaptation is performed under bounded budgets. We summarize representative benchmarks and synthesize key open challenges, aiming to clarify the emerging landscape and support future progress in data-efficient agentic learning.

Abstract: Background and aim: The rs1544410 (BsmI) polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene has been implicated in metabolic regulation, although its role in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related phenotypes remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate associations between rs1544410, MetS status, and anthropometric and biochemical pa-rameters in institutionalized older adults. Methods: A total of 95 participants were included, of whom 40% met the criteria for MetS. Anthropometric and biochemical profiles were assessed, and rs1544410 genotyping was performed. Differences between MetS and non-MetS groups were analyzed, and two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate genotype, MetS status, and their interaction effects. Results: Participants with MetS showed an adverse cardiometabolic profile, characterized by higher triglycerides (TG), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), as well as lower HDL-C levels compared with non-MetS individuals. No differences were observed for total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, or non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) be-tween groups. Genotype distributions did not differ between MetS and non-MetS partici-pants. However, significant genotype × MetS interactions were observed for TG and NEFA, with a borderline interaction for WHR that was not confirmed in post hoc analyses. Carri-ers of the rs1544410 AA genotype within the MetS group exhibited higher TG and NEFA levels compared with other genotypes, whereas no genotype-dependent differences were observed in the non-MetS group. Importantly, AIP was higher in participants with MetS, with the highest values observed in AA genotype carriers. In conclusion, the rs1544410 polymorphism was not associated with MetS status but was linked to MetS-related differences in TG, NEFA, and AIP, suggesting selective effects on lipid metabolism.

Abstract: Coccidiosis is a major parasitic disease in poultry that negatively affects intestinal health, growth performance, and production efficiency, while reliance on anticoccidial drugs raises concerns regarding resistance and residues. This study aimed to evaluate the anticoccidial efficacy of phytogenic extracts from turmeric and long pepper formulated using a solid dispersion technique to enhance bioavailability. In vitro activity was assessed using scanning electron microscopy to observe ultrastructural changes in Eimeria oocysts, while in vivo efficacy was evaluated in broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella. Parameters including growth performance, cecal lesion scores, and oocyst shedding were determined. The results showed that treated groups exhibited significant structural damage to oocysts, reduced lesion severity, and decreased oocyst output compared to the infected control. The optimal growth performance was observed in the group receiving long pepper extract at 6 g/kg feed (T3), whereas the strongest anticoccidial effect was associated with the combined extract treatment (T1). These effects are likely mediated through improved solubility and intestinal availability of active compounds, leading to both direct antiparasitic activity and enhanced gut health. In conclusion, solid dispersion-based phytogenic formulations represent a promising alternative strategy for coccidiosis control and may reduce reliance on conventional anticoccidial drugs in poultry production.

Abstract:

The presence of atmospheric carbon dioxide and potential subsurface molecular hydrogen (H₂), in addition to potential subsurface liquid water sources, suggest that the martian subsurface may currently be habitable, particularly to autotrophic chemosynthetic microorganisms. In addition, the widespread nature of clays and other minerals on Mars could provide sufficient nutrients to support microbial life. Here we tested four methanogenic species (Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium formicicum, Methanothermobacter wolfeii, and Methanococcus maripaludis) in the presence of illite, nontronite, and one martian regolith simulant, Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS), in their optimal growth medium. We aimed to determine whether the presence of certain clay minerals and regolith simulants inhibited, promoted, or had no effect on methane (CH₄) production by these microorganisms. We also tested the same methanogens in the presence of montmorillonite, H₂, sodium sulfide (Na₂S), and bicarbonate buffer to determine if this clay could support growth (as measured by CH₄ production). Results indicated that three of the four methanogens tested, M. barkeri, M. formicicum, and M. wolfeii, were capable of growth in the presence of both clay minerals and MMS, although most cultures demonstrated lower CH₄ production compared to growth in optimal media without clay minerals. Additionally, all three methanogens were capable of CH₄ production in cultures containing only 10% (w/v) montmorillonite, H₂, Na₂S, and bicarbonate buffer. Conversely, M. maripaludis, a halophile, showed the greatest sensitivity of the four methanogens tested, being unable to produce any CH₄ in cultures containing standard methanogenic growth medium and 2% (w/v) illite or in bicarbonate buffer containing H₂, Na₂S, and 10% (w/v) montmorillonite. However, in one experiment assessing the minimum medium requirements for this organism, the presence of 5% (w/v) montmorillonite enabled greater CH₄ production compared to cultures containing the organism’s standard growth medium alone. Overall, these results suggest that the presence of clay minerals on Mars does not preclude the survivability and growth of methanogens in a potential subsurface habitat on the planet. In fact, these geological components may provide sufficient nutrients to support growth and survivability.

Abstract: Hope is presented as a key driver of psychiatric and psychotherapy outcomes, helping clients move beyond symptom relief toward meaning, resilience, and flourishing. The text integrates goal-based models with relational, narrative, and cultural dimensions. Drawing on the “standard account,” the author proposes hope as the interplay of wishing for a valued good, believing its attainment is possible (though difficult), and trusting in internal and external resources, including the therapeutic alliance. A vignette of Susanne, a young woman with partial dissociative identity disorder, illustrates how psychoeducation and small wins increase belief, while a consistent therapeutic alliance builds trust that extends to self-trust and internal as well as external cooperation. Clinicians play a central role as “hope carriers,” shaping realistic goals, reinforcing progress, and avoiding false hope.

Abstract: Intense rainfall, and the resulting increase in ground saturation can significantly modify the mechanical performance of rock masses in natural slopes. This is particularly important if material fractured is present. Extended infiltration accelerates material degradation, reduces shear strength along discontinuities, and increases pore-water pressures, reducing effective stresses, and in turn, raises the probability of large-scale landslides. Evaluating these processes requires a thorough understanding of the geotechnical and hydrogeological properties controlling slope response, as well as reliable stability assessments under varying saturation conditions, including factor of safety and deformation estimates. However, in engineering practice most of the time ground exploration is limited, and laboratory testing in rocks only provides an estimation of the rock performance expected in the slope within a reduced zone. This study examines a landslide triggered in a shale–limestone slope after heavy rainfall. A back-analysis was performed within a performance-based design (PBD) framework to reproduce the observed failure and, thus, characterize representative geomechanically parameters for design validation, using three-dimensional finite difference modeling. The performance under monotonic and seismic loading of a tunnel built adjacent to the slope was analyzed as a mitigation measure, thus establishing its technical soundness, from both state limit of failure and service, of the tunnel-slope system.

Abstract: This paper analyzes volatility forecasting in the Spanish electricity spot market over the period 2021–2025, characterized by uncertainty, frequent price jumps, and the increasing occurrence of zero and negative prices. To accommodate these features, electricity prices are shifted to ensure welldefined logreturns, and predictable intraday and seasonal patterns are removed using the Ullrich demeaning procedure. Daily realized volatility measures are constructed from highfrequency data, including jumprobust and noiserobust estimators such as Median Realized Volatility and Realized Kernel. A broad set of volatility models, comprising GARCHtype specifications and multiple extensions of the Heterogeneous Autoregressive (HAR) framework, is evaluated using a coherent outofsample forecasting procedure. Model comparison is conducted through the Model Confidence Set methodology based on the QLIKE loss function, which identifies a Superior Set of Models with equal predictive ability. Conditional diagnostics, including OutofSample ROOS2measures and Mincer–Zarnowitz regressions, are subsequently used to characterize forecast accuracy, unbiasedness, and efficiency. The empirical results show that all GARCH models are systematically excluded from the superior set, while HARtype specifications based on realized volatility dominate. Within this set, a HAR model incorporating Median Realized Volatility, jump components, and dayoftheweek effects delivers the strongest economic performance, achieving an OutofSample ROOS 2close to 0.5 with unbiased forecasts. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of longmemory dynamics, discontinuous price movements, and residual weekly seasonality for volatility forecasting in modern electricity markets.

Abstract: Arsenic represents a ubiquitous element in the environment, characterized by high mobility, complex chemical speciation and a strong sensitivity to redox conditions and biological activity. The present review provides an integrated synthesis of arsenic biogeochemical cycling across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, emphasizing the central role of chemical speciation in controlling the arsenic levels, mobility and bioavailability. Natural processes regulating arsenic distribution are examined from mineralogical sources and soil–water interactions to biologically mediated transformations in aquatic and marine biotic compartments, highlighting the contrast between inorganic arsenic dominance in abiotic reservoirs and the prevalence of organoarsenicals in tissues of living organisms. The review further explores arsenic behaviour under natural environmental alterations and in extreme or unconventional ecosystems, where redox constraints, sulphide chemistry or intense fluid–sediment exchanges lead to deviations from the baseline speciation patterns. Against this framework, anthropogenic perturbations are discussed through several documented case studies, illustrating how industrial releases, the long‑term effects of mining activities, agricultural practices and the use of synthetic arsenical compounds may change the arsenic pathways primarily by altering geochemical and biological controls rather than the generalized increase of the total arsenic content. Overall, the topics covered provide an integrated framework for interpreting arsenic dynamics across environmental systems, emphasizing the complex biogeochemical processes governing arsenic cycling.

Abstract: Milk was designed by evolution to provide superior nutrition for support of growth and development of mammalian young. When humans domesticated dairy cattle about 10,500 years ago, they also adopted milk for adult consumption and learned to separate and utilize its constituent parts, milk proteins whey and casein for muscle growth, milk fermentation to make kefir, yogurt, and cheese, and milkfat to make butter. Research on how consumption of these different milk products affects human health has generated much factual data and some uncertainties and controversies about the extent it can be used to improve adult human body and overall metabolic health. This is important in the context of global burden of high cardiovascular morbidity and concerns about any impact of milkfat consumption on cardiovascular (CVD) and coronary heart diseases (CHD). The first theme of this review examines the involvement of milk proteins whey and casein on skeletal muscle hypertrophy (MHT). The major contribution of resistance training (RET) to MHT is contrasted to the lesser, but still important, contribution of protein supplementation (PS) and uncertainties about the efficacy of the milk proteins relative to plant proteins, along with dose, training status, and timing of PS relative to RET in producing MHT. The exceptionally rich concentration of essential and branched-chain amino acids makes whey protein and casein highly effective but not essential for MHT which can also be achieved with higher quality plant PS and is not critically dependent on either the timing of PS, the training status, or the age of users. The second theme examines the nature and importance of milk fermentation in production of full-fat and low-fat yogurt, kefir, and cheese in terms of bacteria involved, their metabolism in the gut, their beneficial influence on the gut microbiome (GM) and on overall as well as cardiovascular health. Lastly, milkfat as influence on cardiovascular health is discussed both from the perspective of its effects on blood lipids and cardiovascular physiology, but also as a component of the complex dairy matrices. As part of a rich nutrient matrix, milk products provide benefits to cardiovascular health because of their biologically active proteins and fatty acids which exert anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antioxidative, and other beneficial actions, despite their high fat content and level of fat saturation. Fermentation usually lowers CVD and CHD risks of full-fat milk and its products, but health benefits often are greater when their fat content is reduced. Butter does not benefit from the biological activities of the milk proteins and is not fermented, so when consumed in large quantities, the balance of cardiovascular benefits shifts toward higher CVD and CHD risk. Three knowledge gaps need to be corrected for a better understanding of health benefits of consumption of milk products. Individual nutrient components in dairy food matrices need to be measured and recognized. Their identity needs to be linked to a better understanding of how they influence atherogenic lipoproteins and protein synthesis. And maximal consumption limits need to be defined for full-fat milk products to assure the benefits that their biologically active components offer, but also to reduce their detrimental effects on cardiovascular risk factors. Overall, as a food category, milk products justify acceptance as a healthy natural source of nutrition that was evolutionarily designed to support early growth and development of mammalian young but need to be prudently implemented for their lifelong consumption in adulthood.

Abstract: Severe asthma (SA) is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by clinical heterogeneity and poor therapeutic response. Variants in the IL4 gene, including rs2243250 and rs2243248, have been associated with asthma susceptibility and severity in different populations; however, their role in the Mexican population remains unclear. This study evaluated the association of IL4 promoter variants rs2243250 and rs2243248 with severe asthma and its clinical characteristics in a Mexican population using genetic and in silico approaches. A total of 106 patients with SA and 180 healthy individuals were included. Genotyping was performed using allelic discrimination assays with TaqMan® probes, and associations between genotypes and clinical variables were assessed. No significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies were observed between groups. However, the rs2243250 TT genotype was associated with nocturnal symptoms (OR = 3.03, 95% CI = 1.31–7.00, p = 0.009) and increased use of rescue medication (OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.41–7.07, p = 0.005). The rs2243248 TG/GG genotypes were associated with epithelial allergy (p < 0.05). In silico analysis suggested a regulatory role for both variants. These findings suggest that IL4 variants may not influence overall disease risk but could modulate clinical features of asthma severity.

Abstract: Healthcare professionals are characterized by high levels of stress and burnout, including those working in assisted reproduction, with embryologists showing the highest levels. The aim of this study is to identify both the stressors that contribute to burnout, and the potential prevention strategies. A qualitative study based on a semi-structured interview was conducted in a panel of 12 senior embryologists from eight countries in four continents. The interviews were recorded and analyzed using MAXQDA® software. Results identified three important areas (1) Stressors associated to burnout could be classified as those inherent to the embryologist profession, physical and organizational, and patient-related; (2) Preventive tools to prevent or mitigate burnout could be divided in physical, relational, organizational and psychological; finally, (3) Lack of professional recognition could be split in the following themes, general lack of recognition, lack of recognition as healthcare profession, disparity in recognition compared to clinicians and lack of social recognition. The identification of stressors, preventive strategies associated with burnout and the lack of recognition of the embryologist profession could be included in a worldwide survey to create a protocol to regulate the profession and provide tools to prevent burnout and control or lower the effect the stressors.