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Population growth in coastal tourist areas is leading to enhanced waste production, raising concerns about potential nutrient release increases and the resulting impact on marine ecosystems through eutrophication. Knowledge of the specific impacts of eutrophication on plankton communities in many of these regions is limited, highlighting the need for further research and appropriate environmental management strategies. To help address these gaps, we conducted a 30-day mesocosm study in the coastal waters of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, a major European tourist destination, and the third most densely populated autonomous community in Spain. With the aim of assessing the effects of nutrient input on biomass, primary production (PP) and recycling processes by phytoplankton, zooplankton, and bacterioplankton, we simulated three nutrient discharge intensities (Low, Medium, and High), with daily additions of 0.1, 1, and 10 μmol L -1 of nitrate, respectively, along with phosphate and silicate. We observed that PP, chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and biomass increased linearly with nutrient input, except in the High treatment, where CO 2 depletion (<1.0 μmol L -1 ) and an alkalinity increase (>2500 μmol L -1 ) resulted in reduced PP. Despite limitations in nitrogen (Control, Low, and Medium) or carbon (High) availability across treatments, which led to stabilized or decreased PP rates and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, bacterial degradation remained active in all treatments. This microbial activity resulted in an accumulation of recalcitrant chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), indicating the resilience of carbon recycling processes under varying nutrient conditions. Furthermore, a clear succession was evident in all enriched treatments, transitioning from an oligotrophic condition dominated by pico- and nanophytoplankton to a eutrophic state primarily composed of diatoms. However, under CO 2 depletion, diatoms experienced a decline in the High treatment, leading to the proliferation of potentially mixotrophic dinoflagellates. Microzooplankton was less sensitive than mesozooplankton to the decrease in prey availability and high pH caused by CO 2 depletion. Interestingly, the Medium treatment showed high efficiency in terms of PP, despite reaching CO 2 levels near of 1.0 μmol L -1 by the end of the experiment. PP rates increased from 10 to 100 μg C·L -1 ·d -1 during the first week and remained stable as diatoms predominated throughout the study period. These findings provide valuable insights into the responses of plankton communities to varying nutrient inputs and emphasize the importance of considering the effects of DIC depletion, along with changes in total alkalinity, in eutrophication scenarios as well as in ocean alkalinity enhancement experiments aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Javier Aristegui reports article publishing charges and equipment, drugs, or supplies were provided by University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Javier Aristegui reports a relationship with University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria that includes: employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Mosquitoes from the Culex pipiens complex are found worldwide and have been the focus of numerous studies due to their role as vectors of human pathogens. We investigated the population genetic structure of Cx. pipiens s.l. by analyzing SNPs and the COI gene, focusing on the genetic grouping signals of the ecotypes pipiens and molestus. Our analysis revealed no genetic association between the ecotypes and the SNPs, suggesting that the classification is based on ecological traits rather than genetic factors. Using data from 2,641 SNPs and 164 genotypes, our Bayesian clustering analysis categorized the populations into six distinct genetic groups, distinguishing the Rapa Nui island population from those on the American mainland. The estimated effective migration rates (EEMR) showed low levels of migration between island and continental populations, with significant migration occurring only among populations between 29° S and 33° S. Genetic differentiation between Rapa Nui island and the American continent was observed. In contrast, no significant differentiation was noted in other regions. The haplotype network suggests a possible migration pathway from that area of the South Pacific. Additionally, demographic history analysis indicates a relatively recent founder effect of Cx. pipiens s.l. on the island. Geographic isolation and variations in genetic makeup can limit the spread of pathogens regionally and globally. However, these same factors can also promote specialization and enhance adaptation to new ecological niches, thereby improving the ability of pathogens to function as effective vectors in isolated environments., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The American Genetic Association. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Human astroviruses (HAstVs) are a leading cause of viral childhood diarrhea that infects nearly every individual during their lifetime. Although human astroviruses are highly prevalent, no approved vaccine currently exists. Antibody responses appear to play an important role in protection from HAstV infection; however, knowledge about the neutralizing epitope landscape is lacking, as only three neutralizing antibody epitopes have previously been determined. Here, we structurally define the epitopes of three uncharacterized HAstV-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies: antibody 4B6 with X-ray crystallography to 2.67 Å, and antibodies 3H4 and 3B4 simultaneously with single-particle cryogenic-electron microscopy to 3.33 Å. We assess the epitope locations relative to conserved regions on the capsid spike and find that while antibodies 4B6 and 3B4 target the upper variable loop regions of the HAstV spike protein, antibody 3H4 targets a novel region near the base of the spike that is more conserved. Additionally, we found that all three antibodies bind with high affinity, and they compete with receptor FcRn binding to the capsid spike. These studies inform which regions of the HAstV capsid can be targeted by monoclonal antibody therapies and could aid in rational vaccine design.IMPORTANCEHuman astroviruses (HAstVs) infect nearly every child in the world, causing diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Despite the prevalence of human astroviruses, little is known about how antibodies block virus infection. Here, we determined high-resolution structures of the astrovirus capsid protein in a complex with three virus-neutralizing antibodies. The antibodies bind distinct sites on the capsid spike domain. The antibodies block virus attachment to human cells and prevent capsid spike interaction with the human neonatal Fc receptor. These findings support the use of the human astrovirus capsid spike as an antigen in a vaccine to prevent astrovirus disease.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune-mediated disease characterised by elevated transaminases, immunoglobulin G and autoantibody positivity. Treatment is based on corticosteroids and azathioprine. Up to 15% of patients will require a second line of treatment, with remission rates after this second line of about 60-75%. There is controversy about what the next step of treatment should be. We present the case of a woman diagnosed with IAH who failed several lines of treatment and had to start treatment with infliximab despite an off-label indication, but with a favorable clinical response.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma is rare, it can appear alone or associated with multiple myeloma, representing an extramedullary progression of the disease. We present the case of a 62-year-old woman diagnosed with multiple myeloma who, being in complete remission began to experience abdominal pain and nausea. A rare cause of intestinal subocclusion and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Muscle mass has been traditionally assessed by measuring paraspinal muscle areas at the level of the third lumbar vertebra on computed tomography (CT). Neurological or neurosurgical patients seldom undergo CT scans of the lumbar region. Instead, temporal muscle thickness (TMT), cross-sectional area (TMA) and radiodensity measured from head CT scans are readily available measures of muscle mass and quality in these patient cohorts. The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish CT-based reference values for TMT, TMA and radiodensity for each decade of age from 0 to 100 years normalized by age and sex, and to define cut-off values for subjects at risk for sarcopenia as defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP). Subjects diagnosed with a concussion at the Oulu University Hospital between January 2014 and December 2022 (n = 9254) were identified to obtain a reference population. Subjects with significant pre-existing co-morbidities were excluded. TMT, TMA and radiodensity were measured, measurement reliability was quantified, and sex-adjusted reference values were calculated for each age decade. Quantile regression was used to model age-related changes in muscle morphomics. A total of 500 subjects [250 (50.0%) males] with a mean age of 49.2 ± 27.9 years were evaluated. Inter- and intra-observer reliability was almost perfect for TMT and TMA, and substantial-to-almost perfect for radiodensity. The mean TMT, TMA and radiodensity were 5.2 ± 1.9 mm, 284 ± 159 mm 2 and 44.6 ± 17.7HU, respectively. The cut-off values for reduced TMT, TMA and radiodensity for males/females using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People compliant criteria were ≤ 4.09 mm/≤3.44 mm, ≤ 166 mm 2 /≤156 mm 2 , and ≤ 35.5HU/≤35.2HU, respectively. We described a standardized CT-based TMT and TMA measurement protocol practical for clinical use with almost perfect reliability. Using the protocol, we produced quantile regression models for the detection of reduced TMT, TMA and radiodensity at the lowest 5th, 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th and 50th percentiles as well as the EWGSOP compliant criteria cut-off values for reduced muscle mass to facilitate generalizable radiological sarcopenia research., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: The study was conducted in compliance with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments, and the study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Oulu University Hospital., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This study evaluated the use of a protein-polysaccharide gel (PGEL) as a muffin ingredient, and its effect on the nutritional, textural, and gut microbiome profiles. PGEL was generated by complex coacervation with Pea protein and Gum Arabic. A mixture design was performed with different flour, lipids, and PGEL proportions, where Tx9 (26 % PGEL) showed improved physicochemical characteristics. Optimization was performed using 3 variables, hardness, protein content, and in vitro protein digestibility, to generate an optimal muffin with PGEL (PGEL-Muffin). PGEL-Muffin had a positive effect in its nutritional content and texture (protein: 12.03 %, fiber: 7.90 %, lipids: 9.23 %, and hardness: 4.41 N) compared to a muffin without protein addition (Control) and a muffin with added pea protein powder (Powder-Muffin). PGEL-Muffin did not modify gut microbiome using an ex-vivo system after 4-days of administration. PGEL ingredient could be an opportunity to develop nutritionally improved products without a negative impact on textural properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sarcoptic mange has been described in domestic South American camelids (SACs), exported to non-Andean countries, and in wild SAC in their natural habitat. Reports on the incidence of this infestation in llamas or alpacas raised in their original location, on the other hand, are missing. The present study aimed to detect and characterize cases of sarcoptic mange in herds of llamas (Lama glama) raised in the high plateau region (Puna) of the province of Jujuy, Argentina. Mange-compatible lesions were found in 2 out of 45 examined llama herds, in which 7 and one affected animals were detected. Six llamas had an alopecic presentation, represented by hairless foci, accompanied by small dry crusts and a slightly greyish tone in the skin, while the other 2 showed a parakeratotic presentation, characterized by large crusts with serosanguineous drainage, in different parts of the body. Histopathology of skin biopsies revealed scarce mixed inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis and few acari in the epidermis, or abundant infiltrate and numerous acari, accompanying these two presentations, respectively. Microscopic examination of skin scrapings, as well as sequencing of a cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene fragment confirmed in all cases that the etiological agent was Sarcoptes scabiei. Interviews with the producers allowed the conclusion that the alopecic presentation corresponded to animals that had received some type of informal acaricide treatment. The parakeratotic form, on the other hand, corresponded to untreated animals, strongly suggesting that this is the typical manifestation of sarcoptic mange in llamas. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first clinical, histopathological, parasitological, and molecular description of sarcoptic mange in llamas raised in the Andean region. This study also highlights the need for a complete anamnesis to reach an accurate diagnosis, and for validated protocols for the treatment of this disease in SACs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)