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Phytochemical characterization and pharmacological evaluation of aerial and root parts of Dalea pazensis Rusby [Fabaceae]
No full textBackground The Dalea genus [Fabaceae] is rich in bioactive flavonoids and contains underexplored species, such as Dalea pazensis Rusby, with potential for antifungal and dermatological applications. Purpose Considering the limited knowledge available on D. pazensis, this study aims to expand the current understanding of its chemical and biological potential. Material and Methods Sequential extraction of D. pazensis roots was performed using solvents of increasing polarity. Additionally, essential oil (EO) was obtained from the aerial parts. Extracts and EO were chemically characterized by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. Antifungal activity was evaluated against azole-sensitive and azole-resistant Candida albicans strains, while tyrosinase inhibition was assessed in the different extracts using an in vitro enzymatic assay. Results and discussion The chloroform extract (CDp) exhibited the most potent antifungal activity (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC = 125 μg/mL), a relevant value considering that the reference drug fluconazole shows an MIC of 32 μg/mL in this resistant strain, underscoring the extract’s significant activity despite azole resistance. CDp showed significant tyrosinase inhibition (half-maximal inhibitory concentration, IC 50 = 1.27 μg/mL). UPLC-MS/MS analysis identified (2 S )-5,7,2′,4′-tetrahydroxy-5′-(1‴,1‴-dimethylallyl)-8-prenylflavanone (compound 1) as the major constituent, previously linked to antifungal activity and efflux pump inhibition. EO analysis revealed β-caryophyllene (41.1%) as the main component, suggesting a distinct chemotype within the species. Conclusion This is the first chemical report of the EO and the deepening of prenylflavonoid content in different extracts of D. pazensis , highlighting the pharmacological relevance of its dual antifungal and antityrosinase profile, a combination of interest for dermatological formulations targeting fungal infections, hyperpigmentation, or post-infectious dyschromias. The findings underscore this species as a promising source of prenylated flavanones with dual antifungal and anti-tyrosinase activity, as well as bioactive volatiles with antifungal activity. The results support its use in developing natural antifungal therapies, particularly against MDR pathogens
Psychotropic Medicinal Plant Use in Oncology: A Dual-Cohort Analysis and Its Implications for Anesthesia and Perioperative Care
No full textPsychotropic medicinal plants are commonly used among oncology patients, yet their relevance in the perioperative setting remains insufficiently characterized. We conducted a literature-based identification of 18 neuroactive plants and surveyed 123 cancer patients and 109 healthcare professionals at a tertiary hospital in Northern Thuringia, Germany. Seventy-five percent of patients reported using at least one psychotropic plant. Knowledge levels were high and similar across groups (median 11 plants), while professionals reported a broader usage spectrum (p = 0.042). Frequently known and applied species included Valeriana officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Hypericum perforatum, and Urtica. Women used more plants than men (p = 0.024), and higher usage rates were observed in breast cancer and head and neck cancer patients. Heat-map analyses showed substantial overlap in knowledge but differences for species such as Atropa, Cannabis, and Papaver somniferum. Given the potential interactions with anesthetic and analgesic medications, structured preoperative assessment of herbal use is warranted to enhance perioperative safety
Neuroimaging and Pathology Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism
No full textThe “Neuroimaging and Pathology Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease” course held on 12–13 September 2025 in Milan, Italy, convened an international faculty to review state-of-the-art biomarkers spanning neurotransmitter dysfunction, protein pathology and clinical translation. Here, we synthesize the four themed sessions and highlights convergent messages for diagnosis, stratification and trial design. The first session focused on neuroimaging markers of neurotransmitter dysfunction, highlighting how positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provided complementary insights into dopaminergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic and serotonergic dysfunction. The second session addressed in vivo imaging of protein pathology, presenting recent advances in PET ligands targeting α-synuclein, progress in four-repeat tau imaging for progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndromes, and the prognostic relevance of amyloid imaging in the context of mixed pathologies. Imaging of neuroinflammation captures inflammatory processes in vivo and helps study pathophysiological effects. The third session bridged pathology and disease mechanisms, covering the biology of α-synuclein and emerging therapeutic strategies, the clinical potential of seed amplification assays and skin biopsy, the impact of co-pathologies on disease expression, and the “brain-first” versus “body-first” model of pathological spread. Finally, the fourth session addressed disease progression and clinical translation, focusing on imaging predictors of phenoconversion from prodromal to clinically overt stages of synucleinopathies, concepts of neural reserve and compensation, imaging correlates of cognitive impairment, and MRI approaches for atypical parkinsonism. Biomarker-informed pharmacological, infusion-based, and surgical strategies, including network-guided and adaptive deep brain stimulation, were discussed as examples of how multimodal biomarkers may inform personalized management. Across all sessions, the need for harmonization, longitudinal validation, and pathology-confirmed outcome measures was consistently emphasized as essential for advancing biomarker qualification in multicentre research and clinical practice
Blancan climate and feeding strategies of proboscideans and equids revealed by a multi-proxy geochemical analysis from a new locality in north-western Mexico
No full textWe present a multi-proxy geochemical analysis of proboscidean and equid teeth from a newly-documented Blancan (Pliocene–Pleistocene) locality in north-western Mexico. Eleven dental elements (six from equids and five from gomphotheres) were analysed by electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to assess preservation and reconstruct palaeoecological and palaeoclimatic patterns. All specimens show excellent microstructural integrity, with stable Ca/P and F/P ratios indicating near-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite and excellent preservation. Trace-element concentrations (Sr, Ba) and flat, PAAS-normalised REE+Y profiles indicate minimal diagenetic overprint, permitting the retention of biogenic signals. Stable carbon isotope values (δ 13 C diet,meq ) reveal predominantly mixed C 3 –C 4 feeding strategies, with proboscideans consuming proportionally more C 4 vegetation than equids. The latter exhibit higher Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios despite lower δ 13 C diet,meq enrichment, suggesting selective feeding or height-related browsing. Mean annual precipitation (MAP ≈ 125 mm/year), derived from δ 13 C diet,meq values, indicates arid conditions within the envelope expected for semi-arid to arid ecosystems documented for the late Neogene–early Quaternary across North America and other regions worldwide. Oxygen isotope compositions (δ 18 O) imply similar climatic settings amongst taxa, with interindividual variability linked to physiology, mobility or access to distinct water sources. Mean annual temperature (MAT ≈ 15 °C) agrees with independent proxies and is consistent with late Pliocene conditions warmer than present. These results provide the first quantitative reconstruction of Blancan terrestrial climate in north-western Mexico, offering new insights into mammalian ecological adaptations and environmental dynamics during the Pliocene–Pleistocene transition
Comprehensive Observations of Magnetospheric Particle Acceleration, Sources, and Sinks (COMPASS): A Mission Concept to Explore the Extremes of Jupiter’s Magnetosphere
No full textAbstract Since the dawn of the space age in 1957, humanity has achieved the remarkable feat of exploring all the planets in our Solar System with robotic spacecraft. This glimpse into the diversity of space environments that make up our Solar System has revealed that no two planetary systems are identical; however, each planet harbors key clues in working toward a more unified and predictive understanding of the basic structure and dynamics of all planetary, and even exosolar, magnetospheres. A common feature found in all strongly magnetized planets are regions of trapped, high-energy charged particles called radiation belts. Dedicated missions studying the radiation belts encompassing Earth have led to major space physics discoveries over the past several decades, but Earth’s magnetosphere exists in a relatively small swath of the parameter space found in our Solar System. To expand that parameter space, we present a mission concept that was reported in the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Decadal Survey to expand the frontiers of Heliophysics in the 2024-2033 decade. The mission concept is called COMPASS, short for Comprehensive Observations of Magnetospheric Particle Acceleration, Sources, and Sinks. COMPASS is a mission dedicated to the exploration of Jupiter’s radiation belts, with an unprecedented suite of instruments covering i) particle species from thermal plasma to 10 tens of MeV electrons and relativistic protons and heavy ions; ii) comprehensive magnetic and electric fields and waves; and iii) dedicated X-ray imaging. COMPASS will enable the scientific community to test existing hypotheses and make new discoveries of how Jupiter’s radiation belts are sourced, accelerated, and lost within such a complex system
A Question of Origins: Non-neuronal Sources of Amyloid-β
No full textAbstract Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While the intracellular localization of tau tangles within neurons nominates them as the primary producers of tau, the cellular origin of Aβ is less clear as plaques accumulate extracellularly. Neurons have been considered the sole source of Aβ, leading to the generation of many AD animal models expressing familial AD protein variants specifically in neurons. However, emerging evidence showed that non-neuronal cells abundantly express amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its processing machinery. Among these, oligodendrocytes (OLs) exhibit the highest expression of amyloidogenic components, produce Aβ, and contribute to plaque burden in vivo . Here, we highlight reports on non-neuronal Aβ production in the context of AD and the function of APP processing in these cells. Understanding Aβ processing in non-neuronal cells might enable the identification of novel therapeutic targets, especially in humans whose brain structures differ greatly from animal models
Metabolically regulated proteasome supramolecular organization in situ
No full text501100004189 Max Planck Society501100001711 Swiss National Science Foundation501100000781 European Research Council501100000024 Canadian Institutes of Health Research501100004038 Jung Foundation for Science and Research100007631 Canadian Institute for Advanced Research501100001659 German Research Foundatio
Ecological farm typology and comparison in China: An unsupervised machine learning approach
No full texthttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100009950 Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciencehttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002367 Chinese Academy of Scienceshttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001809 National Natural Science Foundation of Chin
