Biology and Life Sciences

Abstract: This article reviews the currently reported coupling properties of astrocytes in neural circuits, as well as the potentially promising functional structures and molecular mechanisms associated with astrocytic specialized domains and the spatiotemporal specificity of calcium levels. It proposes a model of astrocytes as a bridging mechanism—from microcircuit specialization to the functional connectivity of brain regions and nuclei—that addresses what signals are involved, how integration is achieved, and how these processes act on long-term memory and the “brain-body” characteristics of consciousness. The model posits that, in the formation of consciousness and cognition, astrocytes and their functional structures bridge the neuronal encoding of multimodal embodied perception, integrate and transmit it, and generate delayed, low-frequency calcium waves corresponding to the current state of consciousness or cognition. Through a relatively global signal, they direct the dynamics of the cortical connectome, thereby acting, at the level of brain dynamics, as a downstream bridging router for memory and shaping the inertial circuits of consciousness over long time domains. At the microenvironmental level, astrocytes and their subtypes in different regions shape neural circuits through metabolic coupling based on layer-specific spatial transcriptomes, reversibly shaping the cellular and synaptic basis of long-term memory. By virtue of their broad receptor repertoire expression, astrocytes serve as terminal receptors for perceptual information. At the circuit level, through syncytium-based global calcium waves, they form a global signal, thereby locally and specifically influencing and globally regulating cortical activity and coordinating the cortical connectivity and spatial transcription of consciousness. In terms of embodied consciousness, astrocytes bridge, through neurovascular coupling and global signals, the bidirectional communication between consciousness as “brain-body synchrony” and bodily rhythms such as blood flow and respiration.

Abstract: The scientific work of Professor William W. Muir addresses a fundamental problem in oxygen therapeutics: increasing oxygen transport capacity does not necessarily mean that oxygen reaches the tissues where it is needed. Over several decades, Muir investigated cardiovascular physiology, respiratory gas exchange, hemorrhagic shock, microvascular perfusion, hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs), and tissue oxygenation. His scientific involvement with Biopure, collaboration with Carl W. Rausch, and subsequent reported advisory activities in veterinary product development form an important part of this history. This article traces the development of these ideas and their experimental evaluation, leading to a proposed next step: Precision Oxygen Therapeutics based on Biological Hemoglobin Oxygen Carrier (BHOC), with oxygen delivery treated as a distinct therapeutic function rather than an attempt to replace blood.

Abstract: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a major economically important disease affecting the global swine industry. Its etiological agent, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), exhibits substantial genetic diversity driven by mutation, recombination, and selective pressures. Following taxonomic revisions by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, PRRSV isolates are classified into Betaarterivirus europensis and Betaarterivirus americense. In Peru, the molecular and epidemiological evolution of PRRSV in Lima’s swine farms remains insufficiently characterized. This review aimed to characterize the evolutionary dynamics of PRRSV variants circulating in Lima through 2026. A narrative review with a systematic search strategy was conducted following PRISMA 2020 principles. Searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, Redalyc, LILACS, and GenBank identified 200 records, of which 60 met the eligibility criteria. Studies addressed global taxonomy and molecular biology (50.0%), international evolutionary dynamics (25.0%), South American epidemiology (8.3%), and PRRSV evolution in Lima (16.7%). Evidence suggests three periods: European-genotype detection (1998-2012); increased epidemiological characterization and reports of genetically distinct or highly virulent lineages (2013-2022); and diversification of B. americense, including NADC34-like sublineages and field-strain recombination evidence (2022-2026). These findings support sustained genomic surveillance, whole-genome sequencing, and coordinated molecular monitoring across South America.

Abstract: Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus, bacterial symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes, offer diverse biological resources for crop protection. Their activities encompass insecticidal protein systems and specialized metabolites with potential against agricultural pests and plant pathogens. This review brings together evidence on nematode ecology, bacterial diversity, genome organization and protein structure to assess the crop-protection potential of these bacteria and their products. We distinguish efficacy delivered by the nematode-bacterium association from activity demonstrated for isolated proteins, metabolites or cell-free preparations, emphasizing the importance of exposure route and target specificity. We also consider how protein nomenclature and biosynthetic gene-cluster analysis can connect molecular discovery with functional evidence. The central challenge is to translate expanding genomic inventories into reproducible crop protection. Progress requires links between strain identity, molecular composition and biological activity, together with evidence of selectivity, formulation stability and performance under relevant agricultural conditions. An integrated approach can guide the prioritization of candidates for insect pest and plant disease management.

Abstract: Coptis teeta is the species central to our study. It is an endangered medicinal herb endemic to the Eastern Himalayas and a major source of berberine and coptisine. Previous transcriptomic study of this species under stress and normal condition was limited to differential gene expression analysis. Analysis on condition-specific regulatory relationships across stress and normal conditions was lacking. To address this gap, we reprocessed RNA-seq data from Nath et al. (2026) to construct separate drought and heat co-expression networks, and we tracked stress dependent changes in gene connectivity through an interpretable rewiring framework. We identified robust hub genes which were validated across multiple correlation thresholds.Then we ranked candidates using an integrated score factoring network centrality, expression magnitude and rewiring evidence. The robust hubs we identified were found significantly enriched among strongly rewired genes with p=0.038 and 81.5% the drought GO enrichment genes intersected with our prioritized set. This suggestsIni that stress adaptation actively reshapes primary regulatory centers. Independent cross validation against Nath et al. 2026 confirmed seven prioritized candidate genes. These consisted of tyrosine/DOPA decarboxylase (TYDC), which exhibited a ten-fold connectivity gain under drought, and a drought-responsive GATA transcription factor. Homology mapping using BLASTP resolved identities for 20 robust hubs out of 24. This topological approach offers a transparent framework to rank genes based on known, weighted factors in an endangered non-model plant with small sample sizes.

Abstract: Essential proteins are critical for cell survival and normal physiological activities, whose identification contributes to the exploration of cellular mechanisms and drug-target screening. Experimental biological approaches for detecting essential proteins are accurate but suffer from high cost, long experimental cycles and unavoidable noise. Therefore, computational prediction methods based on protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks have become an important complementary strategy. Nevertheless, most existing topology-based methods rely heavily on static PPI data, and fail to sufficiently combine evolutionary conservation and protein abundance information, limiting prediction performance. In this work, we propose AOEN, a novel computational method for essential protein identification. First, a weighted PPI network is constructed by fusing gene co-expression similarity, GO functional similarity and subcellular localization consistency. Next, individual biological attributes are quantified using protein abundance and orthologous conservation information. Network global and local topological features including eigenvector centrality are extracted from the weighted network. The final score is obtained by combining biological attributes with topological characteristics. We validate AOEN on two Saccharomyces cerevisiae PPI datasets (DIP and Krogan) and compare it with twelve competing approaches. The jackknife curve, precision-recall curve, ROC and multiple quantitative metrics demonstrate that AOEN achieves superior prediction accuracy and robustness. The proposed method provides an alternative tool for identifying essential proteins, and it can offer references for related biological research.

Abstract: Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague, is a highly virulent zoonotic pathogen maintained in complex ecological systems involving wild mammals and their ectoparasites, especially fleas. Plague has caused three recognised pandemics and profoundly influenced demography, commerce, warfare, and public health practice. It remains endemic in natural foci across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. From 2019 to 2026, most cases reported to the World Health Organization occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar. People are infected mainly through bites from infected fleas, direct contact with infected animals or tissues, or inhalation of infectious respiratory particles. The principal clinical forms are bubonic, septicaemic, and pneumonic plague. Cats are particularly susceptible and can transmit infection to owners and veterinary personnel, while dogs more often serve as sentinels, mildly affected hosts, or carriers of infected fleas. Rapid clinical progression, high mortality without treatment, the potential for respiratory transmission, and a history of deliberate misuse make Y. pestis a high-consequence biological agent. The organism itself is not prohibited: peaceful research, surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development remain legitimate. International law prohibits its development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, or use for hostile purposes. This review synthesises evidence on bacterial evolution and virulence, historical pandemics, pathogenesis, human and animal disease, zoonotic transmission, biosecurity, and integrated One Health preparedness. Emerging priorities include genomics-informed surveillance, field-deployable diagnostics, antimicrobial-resistance monitoring, ecological forecasting, improved vaccines, and stronger coordination across medical, veterinary, wildlife, environmental, and security sectors.

Abstract: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a widely used technique for assessing gene expression in both experimental and clinical specimens. One of its major applications is the investigation of gene expression profiles in cancer, where the expression levels of target genes are compared under specific biological conditions, such as between tumor and non-tumor tissues. To ensure accurate and reliable comparisons, reference genes, commonly referred to as housekeeping genes, are used to normalize variations. However, an important question remains: Is normalization using housekeeping genes alone sufficient to ensure the accuracy and reliability of gene expression analyses in cancer? Recently, methods like single cell RNA sequencing have shown that there is a heterogeneity of tumor and non-tumor cells in tumor samples. In fact, even in a single tumor specimen, there is a heterogenous of normal cells such as macrophages, lymphocytes, and neural cells, beside the heterogeneity of tumor cells. This intratumoral cellular complexity may influence the interpretation of gene expression data obtained using RT-qPCR. Accordingly, I propose a new normalization strategy called “cell-type normalization” according to the different types of cells in RT-qPCR besides cell number normalization. This approach could potentially be implemented using the cell-type specific markers. Testing this hypothesis requires identification of suitable genes in each sample type followed by systematic experimental assessment of the method's accuracy, reproducibility, and applicability.

Abstract: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a frequent complication during pregnancy, with its incidence having risen markedly over recent years. It is a major global public health issue linked to various complications, including a higher probability of Caesarean de-livery and the development of type 2 diabetes in mothers, as well as macrosomia or excessive fetal growth, a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease in the offspring's later stage of life. Recent advancements in epigenetics have shed light at the pathophysiology of GDM, offering new methods to identify women at high risk for developing GDM and experiencing postpartum complications. This review has explored the connection between epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs, and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), and GDM. Non-coding RNAs and sEVs are gaining attention as potential biomarkers for forecasting the onset of GDM and its lasting health effects on mothers and offspring. Additionally, they could become future therapeutic targets. The potential of epigenetic modifications as biomarkers is underscored by their dynamic and reversible characteristics, making them valuable for early diagnosis, disease mon-itoring, and predicting pregnancy outcomes. Future studies should focus on longitu-dinal, multi-omics, and functional approaches to translate epigenetic findings into pre-cision medicine strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of GDM.

Abstract: DNA methylation biomarker development spans data discovery, assay-specific processing, marker selection, model development, and independent validation. Agentic systems could help coordinate these stages, but current studies use the term agent for systems with markedly different levels of autonomy and domain-specific evidence. We conducted a structured evidence synthesis, screening 2,801 unique records and organizing relevant systems along three dimensions: workflow autonomy (M0–M4), direct methylation-task evidence, and evidence maturity (E0–E5).Current systems cover complementary parts of the workflow. MethylCurate supports public methylation-data curation; AutoBA and BioMaster execute methylation-analysis pipelines; CpG Atlas provides a self-correcting query interface; and EpiBench, BixBench, and BixBench3 provide direct benchmark evidence for bounded methylation tasks. Across these studies, evidence is strongest for data access, workflow execution, and task-level evaluation. Among systems with task-level evidence reviewed here, we did not identify one that spans dataset discovery, marker selection, classifier development, independent validation, and sample-level uncertainty reporting within a single validated workflow.We therefore propose a matched evaluation framework comparing fixed workflows, rule-based routers, and general or domain-specific agents under shared data, tools, compute, and retry budgets. The framework separates execution reliability, scientific validity, replication, uncertainty, and resource use. Current evidence supports agentic components for methylation analysis, while end-to-end autonomous biomarker discovery remains an open evaluation problem.

Abstract: Bryophytes are important components of Antarctic terrestrial vegetation and provide habitats for diverse bacterial taxa. These bacteria may contribute to nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur transformations, processes important for nutrient availability in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. However, information on the occurrence and taxonomic affiliation of genes involved in these transformations in bryophyte-associated bacteria remains limited. We analyzed bacterial taxonomic composition and selected nitrogen-, phosphorus-, and sulfur-related genes in metagenomes from nine bryophyte samples collected on Livingston Island, Antarctica. Bacterial taxonomic composition differed significantly among the nine bryophyte samples (R² = 0.770, p < 0.001), without significant differences in multivariate dispersion. Despite these differences, 1,309 of the 2,257 detected bacterial genera were shared by all nine samples. The occurrence of nitrogen-related genes differed among samples, while most targeted phosphorus-related genes and all targeted sulfur-related genes were detected across all nine metagenomes. Nutrient-related genes were associated with several bacterial phyla, including Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, and Cyanobacteriota. These results provide a baseline for further investigation of bacterial diversity and nutrient-related genetic potential in Antarctic bryophyte microbiomes.

Abstract: Vascular discoloration is used to assess Fusarium wilt symptoms in cotton, but manual image an-notation limits the scale of quantitative phenotyping. We developed an nnU-Net workflow to seg-ment stem cross-sections and estimate the percentage of included stem cross-sectional area showing visible vascular discoloration. The dataset comprised 274 images from an F8 Gossypium hirsutum population grown in a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 screening nursery in Clint, Texas. Manual annotations delineated stem tissue and discolored regions, and model development used five-fold cross-validation. Model-derived percentages had a mean absolute error of 1.65 percentage points and a median absolute error of 0.70 percentage points relative to the reference annotations; 255 of 274 estimates (93.1%) were within 5 percentage points. Preprocessing, inference, and post-processing required approximately 50 minutes for the complete dataset, excluding image acquisition and model training. Disagreements included faint and marginal discoloration and differences in annotation boundaries. The workflow supports automated quantification of stem discoloration in this dataset; independent validation is needed to establish performance across populations and imaging conditions.

Abstract: Trace metals underpin the chemistry of life, serving as indispensable catalytic and structural cofactors across all living organisms. Yet the same properties that make them essential also confer toxicity, requiring tight control over metals intracellular concentrations. Metal homeostasis therefore arises in response to this dual nature from the coordinated activity of transmembrane transporters, metallophores, metal-sensing regulators, and intracellular trafficking systems. Among these components, transmembrane transporters act as the primary gatekeepers that mediate metal flux at the interface between the geochemical environment and physiology. Life has evolved a diverse repertoire of metal transport systems, spanning numerous families and superfamilies that differ in membrane localization, substrate range, energetic mechanisms, and transport directionality. Although each metal is associated with a characteristic set of transporters, strict specificity is uncommon and many transporters display varying degrees of promiscuity. This is the result of shared chemical properties as well as the evolutionary pressures imposed by fluctuating metal availability, and provides insight into the coevolution of life and Earth and informs applications ranging from biogeochemical modeling to biotechnology, bioremediation, metal recovery, and antimicrobial strategies. Here we present a systematic analysis of our knowledge of biologically-relevant metal transport systems.

Abstract: Green compost is a promising peat substitute in container nursery production, but plant responses are often species-specific. This study evaluated three growing media containing 0, 36, and 72% (v/v) green compost, replacing none, half, or all of the peat fraction, combined with three fertilization protocols (unfertilized, organic, and organo-mineral), on growth, biomass, biomass allocation, and leaf macronutrients of Photinia × fraseri ‘Red Robin’ and Trachelospermum jasminoides. Fertilization was the main factor affecting growth in both species, with the organo-mineral protocol giving the highest values, whereas substrate composition did not affect aboveground growth. In Photinia, the highest compost proportion reduced root fresh weight and increased leaf K, Ca, and Mg concentrations, mainly under organic fertilization, without improving growth; unfertilized plants allocated more biomass to roots only in the peat-based substrate. In Star Jasmine, complete peat replacement did not reduce plant dry weight. However, root fresh weight decreased, and unfertilized plants in the peat-free substrate did not differ from fertilized ones. Green compost can therefore partly or fully replace peat for these species, provided that adequate fertilization is supplied. The compost pro-portion is adapted to the species.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Exercise can induce muscle damage, and human evidence on angiotensin-(1–7) supplementation for recovery remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of oral hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin-complexed angiotensin-(1–7) (HPβCD–Ang-(1–7)) on muscle damage and recovery in trained amateur cyclists. Methods: Twelve male cyclists completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with a 15-day washout. Participants received HPβCD–Ang-(1–7) (2 mg) or placebo immediately after 10 sets of 10 squats at 75% of one-repetition maximum and again 24 h later. Outcomes included creatine kinase (CK), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), cytokines, pressure pain threshold, and vastus lateralis thickness. Wingate performance and UBE2B and HSPA1A expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assessed at 48 h. Results: Compared with placebo, HPβCD–Ang-(1–7) supplementation resulted in lower CK (p = 0.039) and higher ORAC (p = 0.009) at 48 h. FRAP was higher overall, but between-condition differences at individual time points were not significant after adjustment. TNF was lower at 24 h and 48 h, while IL-8 was lower and IL-10 higher at 48 h. UBE2B expression was lower (fold change = 0.33; p = 0.034), whereas HSPA1A expression did not differ significantly. No significant differences between conditions were detected in Wingate performance, pressure pain threshold, or muscle thickness. Conclusions: HPβCD–Ang-(1–7) supplementation reduced circulating CK, modified antioxidant and inflammatory responses, and lowered UBE2B expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, without detectable differences in Wingate performance, pressure pain threshold, or muscle thickness. Trial registration: RBR-5ftj2fy.

Abstract: Background: Fruits and vegetables vary in flavor, texture and nutrient composition, but consumer impressions of historical deterioration are often conflated with nutritional inadequacy. Objective: To critically examine genetic, agronomic and postharvest determinants of produce quality and their implications for childhood dietary diversity. Methods: A narrative synthesis began with the preceding manuscript's bibliography and used targeted retrieval and bibliographic verification through 12 October 2026. Crop studies, sensory experiments, pediatric studies, evidence syntheses and World Health Organization guidance were interpreted according to design and population. No exhaustive screening or meta-analysis was conducted. Synthesis: Evidence across strawberries, melons, citrus, pome and stone fruits, tomatoes, carrots and brassicas supports crop-specific variability associated with genotype, production conditions, maturity, storage and preparation. Flavor differences do not establish a universal decline in nutrient content. Historical food-composition comparisons have substantial comparability limitations. Child studies support evaluating preparation and eating context, but adult preference and food-chemistry findings cannot directly establish sustained pediatric intake. Plate color is a useful educational cue to variety, not a validated measure of nutritional adequacy. The author's prior clinical work is integrated as a conceptual clinical perspective, with its preprint and conference-abstract status explicitly identified. Conclusions: Childhood nutrition assessment should connect food properties with actual intake, whole-diet adequacy, feeding skills and documented medical needs. Studies linking characterized produce to repeated child consumption are needed; the proposed clinical integration requires validation.

Abstract: Background: Dorsocervical fat pad, commonly referred to as neck hump, is a common soft-tissue lesion at the cervicothoracic junction. Its systemic pathophysiological significance has long been underestimated. Hypothesis: This article proposes the investing fascia–carotid sheath mechanical coupling hypothesis. The hypothesis posits that the deep indurated tissue of the dorsocervical fat pad is not merely fat but rather a fascial–ligamentous–adipose complex. This complex is centered on fibrotic thickening of the superficial layer of the deep cervical fascia (investing fascia) and includes the ligamentum nuchae, supraspinous ligament, trapezius aponeurosis, and surrounding fibrofatty tissue. Once the investing fascia loses its viscoelastic buffering capacity, abnormal shear forces generated by routine micromovements of the head and neck can be transmitted through the deep cervical fascial network to the carotid sheath. Evidence: The carotid sheath is an anatomic hub in which multiple structures coexist within a single sheath. The structures within and adjacent to the sheath can be categorized into six functional domains: arterial perfusion, venous return, lymphatic immune clearance, glymphatic cerebrospinal fluid–interstitial fluid clearance, sympathetic output, and the vagal anti-inflammatory pathway. These six functional domains are not mutually exclusive; rather, they are spatially shared, functionally coupled anatomic–physiologic units. Among these, the arterial baroreflex, sympathetic output, and the vagal anti-inflammatory pathway are neurally related pathways that participate in central integration via the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and related nuclei. Venous return, lymphatic immune clearance, and glymphatic cerebrospinal fluid–interstitial fluid clearance contribute more to amplification through pressure coupling, humoral immunity, and clearance functions. Humoral immunity and pressure-coupling pathways participate in amplifying the pathologic process through mechanisms such as Ang II/AT1R-YAP, GPR146-PIEZO1, and impaired lymphatic clearance. In this hypothesis, these steps constitute a hypothetical positive feedback loop: investing fascia fibrosis → carotid sheath compression → coordinated dysfunction of the six functional domains → elevated blood pressure → pathologic vascular remodeling → increased plaque instability. Elevated blood pressure may, in turn, aggravate investing fascia fibrosis. Increased neck circumference has been clearly associated epidemiologically with cardiovascular events and the progression of carotid atherosclerosis. The latter is one of the important upstream risk factors for cerebral infarction. However, direct population-based evidence linking the dorsocervical fat pad to increased neck circumference remains lacking. Most existing studies have used neck circumference or posterior cervical fat accumulation as surrogate markers; no population-based study has used the dorsocervical fat pad as an inclusion criterion. Implications: Within this framework, eliminating the dorsocervical fat pad—that is, relieving the sustained mechanical constraint of the investing fascia on the carotid sheath—has a pathophysiological rationale worthy of systematic investigation for the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, especially cerebral thrombosis. Nonetheless, this remains a hypothetical inference. Conclusion: This article systematically elaborates the anatomic basis, mechanical transmission mechanisms, pathophysiology of the six functional domains, derivation of the causal chain, relationship between promoting vascular patency and preventing thrombosis and dorsocervical fat pad, testable predictions, and interventional implications of this hypothesis. It also clarifies its evidentiary boundaries.

Abstract: One of the main causes of common ash decline is the impact of heavy metals and salts accumulated in the soil. Furthermore, harmful chemical compounds contribute to the development of abnormalities in the morphogenesis of plant cells. Studies in natural conditions (in vivo) were conducted to select common ash populations with the highest resistance to salts (NaCl) at varying concentrations and heavy metals such as zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr). The studies were conducted to facilitate the precise and rapid assessment of the harmful substances impact on the plants health from a given population. Saplings from three populations originating from different geographical and climatic regions in southern and southeastern Poland. To ensure the full multidimensionality of the studies, experiments were also conducted under controlled laboratory conditions (in vitro). The in vitro seedlings grown under sterile conditions, served as a reference pattern with the best physiological. The in vitro plants were used for comparison with saplings grown in vivo. To determine the effect of selected abiotic factors on the saplings, measurements were taken of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), the maximum efficiency of the water-splitting complex on the donor side of PSII (Fv/Fo), and the time to reach maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Tfm) for both in vivo and in vitro plants. The studies showed that the values of the parameters studied varied depending on the geographical origin of the studied populations. The analyses of the Fv/Fm and Fv/Fo parameters of individual ash populations showed that the in vivo saplings population from southeastern Poland had the lowest resistance to Zn and Cd. In turn, Zn was the compound that caused the greatest disruptions in Fv/Fm and Fv/Fo functioning in in vivo saplings across all the studied populations. The analysis of the Tfm parameter showed that all toxic substances significantly affected the development of disturbances in the photosynthetic system of all saplings populations examined. The obtained results will help foresters in breeding healthy and resistant saplings and increasing the species population using both in vivo and in vitro methods, taking into account the influence of climate on resistance and the development of adaptive capacity of common ash saplings to the effects of soil contamination.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Acute EEG responses to spinal cord stimulation (SCS) may reflect network responsiveness in disorders of consciousness (DoC). Their association with subsequent recovery remains uncertain. Methods: Thirty patients underwent EEG assessment before SCS (W1) and 30 min after stimulation cessation (W5). Relative connectivity changes across five frequency bands and 10 regional pairs were compared between 15 improved and 15 non-improved patients at 3 months. Analyses included false discovery rate (FDR) correction, bootstrap resampling, leave-one-patient-out stability assessment, duration-adjusted regression, and exploratory nested cross-validation of machine-learning models. Results: Theta central-occipital connectivity (T-CO) showed the strongest unadjusted difference (rank-biserial effect size −0.644; P = 0.0028; bootstrap 95% CI −0.920 to −0.298), with a consistent direction across all leave-one-patient-out analyses. No EEG feature survived FDR correction. Repeated nested 5-fold validation showed variable discrimination; the highest mean combined-model AUC was 0.618. Descriptive XGBoost SHAP analysis ranked T-CO and theta parietal-occipital connectivity highest. Conclusions: Acute connectivity responses contain candidate signals associated with subsequent clinical improvement. These exploratory findings support further investigation of theta posterior-network responses, but do not establish a reliable individual prognostic classifier.

Abstract: Nitrogen (N) links the soil–plant–animal–food–environment continuum to human nutrition through protein and to health through biomarkers, yet cross-continuum methods remain limited and fragmented. Using N as a model element, this review evaluated how nano-enabled measure-ments integrate with reference methods and models to connect N sources with biological transfer, nutrition, exposure, and health. A structured integrative evidence-mapping review synthesized 152 studies to develop the Nano–Nitrogen Nexus (N³), a source-to-endpoint framework. The Nitrogen Nutrition–Exposure Continuum (NNEC) tracked N from soil–root processes through plant uptake, animal forage selection, and ruminal metabolism. NNEC links a nutrition route, where milk and meat N indicate protein quality, with an exposure route in which animal-excreted N products, food-safety markers, microbial metabolites, and pathogen and disease biomarkers support human health-risk interpretation. When combined within N³, NanoSIMS-based N localization, nanosensor detection of N-related target analytes, source attribution, validation, cross-compartment synthesis, and modeling (e.g., hierarchical, machine-learning, and risk-assessment models) convert meas-urements into source-to-endpoint evidence, identifying where N originates, moves, is used, retained, lost, or expressed as nutritional value or exposure risk. Therefore, N³ provides a nano-enabled source-to-endpoint framework that can also be applied to other elements, bioactive compounds, chemicals, and disease-relevant exposures to develop continuum-specific intervention targets for food quality, environmental protection, human nutrition, and health.