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Biostimulants mitigate drought-induced yield losses in tomato and modulate fruit quality traits
No full textIntroduction: Tomato is one of the most widely consumed vegetable crops
worldwide, and both high yield and quality are crucial for the economic success
of its production. Biostimulants are emerging as an innovative and sustainable
solution to enhance crop productivity and improve fruit quality.
Methods: A greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the yield performance
and fruit quality attributes of tomato in relation to biostimulant doses and
irrigation regimes. Three biostimulant treatments: untreated control, D1 (1.5 g L−1
and 3 g L−1 of Algaren Twin and Drin On) and D2 (2 g L−1 and 4 g L−1 of Algaren
Twin and Drin On) and two irrigation regimes (100% of crop water requirement
and water-stressed treatment at 50% of crop water requirement) were applied.
Results: Water stress significantly reduced plant growth, as evidenced by a
marked reduction in both total and aboveground dry biomass. Biostimulant
application improved plant growth, particularly under water stress conditions.
Irrigation regimes and biostimulant application significantly influenced tomato
fruit quality and physiological traits. Under optimal water conditions, biostimulant-
treated plants exhibited lower levels of total soluble solids, titratable acidity,
and total sugar content in their fruits. However, neither lycopene nor total
phenolic content was affected by the treatments. In contrast, under water stress
(50% of crop water requirement), the application of biostimulants significantly
increased lycopene content in the fruits of treated plants compared to the control
samples. Moreover, a dose-dependent effect was noted for total sugar, total
phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, with lower values observed at the
lower biostimulant dose.
Conclusion: These results suggest that biostimulants can be considered a useful
tool for improving fruit quality under optimal irrigation conditions and for alleviating
the adverse effects of water stress. Their effectiveness depends on dose,
application method, and environmental conditions
Anthropogenic particles and associated metals in Antarctic seabirds from Victoria Land (Antarctica)
No full textThis study investigates the presence, types, and chemical characteristics of anthropogenic particles (APs), including microplastics (MPs), found in the scats of three Antarctic seabird species, emperor penguin (Apteno-dytes forsteri), Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), and south polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki), collected from the coastal area of Victoria Land. A total of 52 scats were analysed. APs were detected in all three species, with the highest abundance in emperor penguins (1.14 items/scat) followed by skuas (0.75 items/scat) and Adelie penguins (0.60 items/scat). Raman spectroscopy identified synthetic polymers such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polyurethane, and copolymers, and man-made fibres including cotton and dyed cellulose. Notably, for the first time, this study investigates the presence of metals (e.g., Ti, Fe, Cu, and Cr) adsorbed onto the surface of MPs in Antarctic seabird scats using SEM-EDX spectroscopy, providing new insights into the potential risks associated with chemical pollutants in Antarctic ecosystems. These findings further underscore the importance of seabirds as bioindicators and the vulnerability of Antarctic ecosystems to persistent contaminants. The detection of chemically complex and contaminated MPs in bird scats points to the need for improved environmental monitoring and stricter waste management policies in polar regions. Non-invasive sampling of seabird scats offers a valuable tool for assessing pollutant dynamics in the Antarctic food web
The defensive complex of the Lecrín Valley: between intervisibility and typological definitions of Nasrid defensive elements
No full textAI capacity in the public sector: Pathways from the environmental context to an organizational impact
No full textOptimising Lipid-Lowering Therapy for Acute Coronary Syndrome using a Decision Support System: Insights from a Cluster Randomised Trial
No full textAims
Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) typically follows stepwise intensification, delaying use of combination therapies and LDL-C goal attainment. We assessed whether access to a Decision Support System (DSS) altered the intensity of LLT prescribing vs standard-of-care (SoC).
Methods
Pragmatic, multinational, parallel 1:1 cluster-randomised controlled trial of ACS patients comparing mandatory access to a DSS (providing estimates of cardiovascular events and benefits from different LLT scenarios) to SoC. The primary endpoint was the proportion receiving intensified monotherapy or initiated/escalated combination LLT by week 16 compared to pre-admission LLT; secondary endpoints included individual components of the primary endpoint, proportions at goal (LDL-C<1.4mmol/L), and timing of LLT escalations.
Results
42 sites from UK, Italy and Spain were randomised, enrolling 1139 participants, 79% male, median age 62 years (IQR: 55, 69), 84% without prior CVD, 69% LLT-naïve at admission, median admission LDL-C 3.0 mmol/L (IQR: 2.46, 3.75). The primary endpoint was met in 71.7% (DSS) vs 65.7% (SoC), risk ratio (RR) 1.11 (95%CI:0.92-1.33, p=0.29). Intensification of monotherapy occurred in 9.0% vs 13.1% (RR:0.68, 95%CI:0.46-1.00), combination LLT in 61.6% vs 50.6% (RR:1.35, 95%CI:0.93-1.98). LDL-C goal achievement was 54.8% vs 50.3% (RR 1.06, 95%CI: 0.88-1.28), with LLT escalation before discharge in 64.8% vs 60.7%.
Conclusions
Access to a DSS, in hospitals managing ACS, did not improve LLT intensification within 16 weeks or LDL-C goal attainment, but revealed a favourable trend towards earlier combination LLT use, which merits larger, longer studies in other settings
Exclusive photoproduction of excited ρ mesons decaying to four pions in ultraperipheral Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV
No full textThe intense photon fluxes from relativistic nuclei provide an opportunity to study photonuclear interactions in ultraperipheral collisions. In particular, it allows for the investigations of excited, light-flavour vector mesons. The measurement of coherently photoproduced π+π−π+π− final states in ultraperipheral Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV is presented for the first time. The cross section, d σ /d y , times the branching ratio (ρ→π+π+π−π−) is found to be 47.8 ± 2.3 (stat.) ± 7.7 (syst.) mb in the rapidity interval | y | < 0.5. The invariant mass distribution is not well described with a single Breit-Wigner resonance without an interference term. Including interference with a non-resonant contribution results in the mass and width values being too far from those reported in PDG, while the production of two interfering resonances, ρ (1450) and ρ (1700), also provides a good description of the data. The values of the masses ( m ) and widths (Γ) of the resonances extracted from the fit assuming two interfering resonances are m1=1385±14(stat.)±3(syst.) MeV/ c 2, Γ1=431±36(stat.)±82(syst.) MeV/ c 2, m2=1663±13(stat.)±22(syst.) MeV/ c 2 and Γ2=357±31(stat.)±49(syst.) MeV/ c 2, respectively. The measured cross sections times the branching ratios are compared to recent theoretical predictions
Applicability of the safe and sustainable by design framework to thermochemical energy storage materials in buildings: A readiness assessment
No full textThermochemical energy storage (TCES) can support decarbonising the building sector by offering high storage density and the potential for long-duration retention with low standing losses; it can be charged using low-grade solar or waste heat and discharged on demand for peak shaving and renewable integration, though realised benefits depend on material stability and system design. Because units are installed close to occupied buildings, occupant and worker safety is a primary criterion; material selection must therefore look beyond energy metrics to evaluate safety and sustainability. The Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework provides a structured lens for such assessment. This study evaluates the applicability of SSbD to reaction-based TCES materials for buildings. A review of reviews in Scopus identifies 11 reviews and compiles 50 materials. Safety and hazard data are gathered from regulatory sources (ECHA, PubChem) and supplier safety data sheets. Life cycle inventories are screened via the Global Life Cycle Assessment Data Access network and supplemented by literature-based datasets and transparently documented proxies. Cost data are derived from supplier catalogues, market quotations, and literature. Readiness for SSbD assessment spans: 8/50 very high (e.g., CaCl2⋅6H2O, MgSO4⋅7H2O), 5/ 50 high (e.g., LiCl⋅H2O, MgCl2⋅6H2O), 10/50 medium (e.g., Na2S⋅5H2O, SrBr2⋅6H2O), 3/50 low (MgSO4⋅6H2O, FeCl2⋅2H2O, CuCl2⋅H2O), and 24/50 not ready yet (mainly minor hydrates and all ammonia adducts). Cross- cutting gaps include PMT/vPvM indicators, selected chronic aquatic and endocrine endpoints, and basic occupational safety and health descriptors. The results provide an actionable evidence base for prioritising safer, sustainability-aligned TCES materials to support energy-efficient and climate-resilient buildings
In Reply to the Letter to the Editor Regarding “Contralateral Transfalcine Approach for Recurrent Glioblastoma: A Technical Note on Multimodal Planning, Fluorescence-Guided Resection, and Re-Irradiation Strategy”
No full textIn vitro effects of polystyrene microplastics exposure on adipose tissue dysfunction
No full textMicroplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous plastic particles with significant human health concerns due to their widespread distribution in the environment. The present study aims to evaluate the impact of exposure to polystyrene (PS) MPs (5 μm) on adipose tissue functionality using a well-established in vitro model of murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes, mimicking two distinct environmental exposure scenarios: fully differentiated mature adipocytes and preadipocytes undergoing the differentiation process. In fully differentiated adipocytes, PS MPs exposure did not produce significant alterations in key markers of adipogenesis (PPARγ and FASN), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (p-eIF2α and GRP78), or inflammation (IL-6 and MCP-1). Interestingly, PS MPs exposure during adipocyte differentiation process significantly promoted adipocyte hypertrophy, as evidenced by the upregulation of adipogenic markers. Additionally, MPs induced reactive oxygen species and main key markers of the ER stress response and apoptosis. Finally, our results demonstrated that PS MPs exposure triggered an inflammatory response. In conclusion these findings underscore the multifaceted impact of PS MPs on adipose tissue during differentiation, demonstrating their ability to perturb oxidative balance and ER homeostasis, and to induce inflammatory signaling. Finally, our results emphasize the importance of the stage-specific responses in assessing the impact of environmental contaminants on adipose tissue function
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD (FEM) PER LA VALUTAZIONE BIOMECCANICA IMPLANTARE: CONFRONTO TRA CORONE SINGOLE TRADIZIONALI E CON CANTILEVER
No full textIntroduzione: Le corone singole con estensione a cantilever possono compensare limiti anatomici o protesici, ma aumentano il braccio di leva e i momenti flettenti sul complesso impianto–abutment–vite. Scopo di questa tesi è confrontare, con Metodo degli Elementi Finiti (FEM), la risposta biomeccanica di una corona convenzionale rispetto a una corona singola con cantilever.
Metodi: È stato creato un modello 3D CAD di impianto, vite, abutment, corona in zirconia e segmento osseo. I materiali sono stati assunti elastici lineari. Corona–abutment e impianto–osso sono stati modellati bonded; abutment–vite e abutment–impianto frizionali (μ=0,30) con precarico della vite (bolt pretension; 25 N·cm). Il dominio osseo è stato vincolato con incastro alla base e roller sui lati (≥10 mm dal colletto). È stato applicato un carico occlusale verticale di 800 N come pressione uniforme. La mesh (~2,3×10^5 elementi) è stata verificata con h-refinement (Δ picchi <5%).
Risultati: La corona convenzionale ha mostrato trasferimento di carico più assiale, distribuzione tensiva più uniforme e picchi contenuti soprattutto in regione crestale, con spostamenti limitati. Il cantilever ha aumentato intensità ed estensione delle aree ad alto gradiente, con picchi al colletto implantare e sull’insieme abutment-vite, indicativi di maggiore momento flettente; non sono emerse condizioni di rottura statica. Inoltre, i picchi si attenuano ma si amplia la quota di stress intermedio.
Conclusioni: La configurazione senza cantilever risulta biomeccanicamente più favorevole. Quando inevitabile, il cantilever va ridotto e gestito con controllo occlusale, adeguata rigidezza del connettore e profili d’emergenza compatibili con l’igiene, integrando l’output numerico con selezione del caso e mantenimento