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The biological pump supplies carbon to the oceans’ interior, driving long-term carbon sequestration and providing energy for deep-sea ecosystems 1 , 2 . Its efficiency is set by transformations of newly formed particles in the euphotic zone, followed by vertical flux attenuation via mesopelagic processes 3 . Depth attenuation of the particulate organic carbon (POC) flux is modulated by multiple processes involving zooplankton and/or microbes 4 , 5 . Nevertheless, it continues to be mainly parameterized using an empirically derived relationship, the ‘Martin curve’ 6 . The derived power-law exponent is the standard metric used to compare flux attenuation patterns across oceanic provinces 7 , 8 . Here we present in situ experimental findings from C-RESPIRE 9 , a dual particle interceptor and incubator deployed at multiple mesopelagic depths, measuring microbially mediated POC flux attenuation. We find that across six contrasting oceanic regimes, representing a 30-fold range in POC flux, degradation by particle-attached microbes comprised 7–29 per cent of flux attenuation, implying a more influential role for zooplankton in flux attenuation. Microbial remineralization, normalized to POC flux, ranged by 20-fold across sites and depths, with the lowest rates at high POC fluxes. Vertical trends, of up to threefold changes, were linked to strong temperature gradients at low-latitude sites. In contrast, temperature played a lesser role at mid- and high-latitude sites, where vertical trends may be set jointly by particle biochemistry, fragmentation and microbial ecophysiology. This deconstruction of the Martin curve reveals the underpinning mechanisms that drive microbially mediated POC flux attenuation across oceanic provinces. In situ experimental findings from six contrasting oceanic regimes, at multiple mesopelagic depths, are used to determine the mechanisms that drive microbially mediated carbon flux attenuation in the oceanic biological pump.

Complexity measures are essential to understand complex systems and there are numerous definitions to analyze one-dimensional data. However, extensions of these approaches to two or higher-dimensional data, such as images, are much less common. Here, we reduce this gap by applying the ideas of the permutation entropy combined with a relative entropic index. We build up a numerical procedure that can be easily implemented to evaluate the complexity of two or higher-dimensional patterns. We work out this method in different scenarios where numerical experiments and empirical data were taken into account. Specifically, we have applied the method to [Formula: see text] fractal landscapes generated numerically where we compare our measures with the Hurst exponent; [Formula: see text] liquid crystal textures where nematic-isotropic-nematic phase transitions were properly identified; [Formula: see text] 12 characteristic textures of liquid crystals where the different values show that the method can distinguish different phases; [Formula: see text] and Ising surfaces where our method identified the critical temperature and also proved to be stable.

Using a multilevel comparative framework, we propose that politically receptive city contexts facilitate the viability of marginalized neighborhoods. To illustrate this proposition, we examine the relationship between immigrant concentration and neighborhood violence. Drawing on political process and minority incorporation theories, we argue that favorable immigrant political opportunities will strengthen the often-found inverse relationship between immigration and crime at the neighborhood level. Unique data from the National Neighborhood Crime Study (Peterson and Krivo 2010a) provide demographic and violence information for Census tracts in a representative sample of 87 large cities. We append this dataset with city-level measures of immigrant political opportunities, such as the extent of minority political incorporation into elected offices and pro-immigrant legislation. Multilevel instrumental variable analyses reveal that the inverse relationship between immigrant concentration and neighborhood violent crime is generally enhanced in cities with favorable immigrant political opportunities. We speculate that this occurs because favorable political contexts bolster social organization by enhancing trust and public social control within immigrant neighborhoods. Our findings demonstrate that the fate of neighborhoods marginalized across ethnicity and nativity are shaped by the responsiveness of political actors and structures to their concerns.

Background This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sclerotherapy methods for hemorrhoidal disease (HD) over the past 40 years. Methods The review followed the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, including studies reporting the use of sclerotherapy in patients with HD. Study eligibility criteria were defined, and data were extracted independently by the authors. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to assess outcomes of interest. Results Out of 1965 records identified, 44 studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 9729 patients. The majority of studies were conducted in Japan, followed by the UK, Italy, and Portugal. The median age of participants was 52 years, and the majority were male. The Goligher grade distribution indicated varying degrees of HD severity. Sclerotherapy was predominantly administered through anoscopy, with polidocanol being the most commonly used agent. The procedure was generally performed without pre-injection analgesia. The meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) revealed that sclerotherapy was not inferior to control interventions in terms of success rate (risk ratio [RR] 1.00, 95% CI 0.71–1.41) and recurrence rate (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.69–1.77), while resulting in fewer complications (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23–0.92). Conclusions This systematic review highlights the safety and efficacy of sclerotherapy for HD, which yields similar success rates and fewer complications compared to other conservative or surgical approaches. Further research is warranted to optimize sclerotherapy techniques and evaluate long-term outcomes. Registration PROSPERO 2023 CRD42023396910.

Single-cell genomics has transformed many fields of biology, marine microbiology included. Here, we consider the impact of single-cell genomics on a specific group of marine microbes—the planktonic marine archaea. Despite single-cell enabled discoveries of novel metabolic function in the marine thaumarchaea, population-level investigations are hindered by an overall lower than expected recovery of thaumarchaea in single-cell studies. Metagenome-assembled genomes have so far been a more useful method for accessing genome-resolved insights into the Marine Group II euryarchaea. Future progress in the application of single-cell genomics to archaeal biology in the ocean would benefit from more targeted sorting approaches, and a more systematic investigation of potential biases against archaea in single-cell workflows including cell lysis, genome amplification and genome screening. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Single cell ecology’.

IntroductionResearch has demonstrated that greater cognitive flexibility and perspective taking skills are associated with positive outcomes throughout the lifespan. Cognitive flexibility is a core component of executive function allowing us to control goal-directed behaviour and to face new and unexpected conditions in the environment. Perspective-taking or Theory of Mind (ToM) refers to the capacity to make inferences about and represent others’ point of view, mental states and intentions.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess age-related effects on executive functions and the role of cognitive flexibility in perspective-taking skills.MethodsTwo age groups (34-44 years and 45-55 years) were compared on a task-switching paradigm the MATeM neuropsychological software (Maria Grazia Inzaghi, 2019) and all participants completed the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (Oldfield, 1971), the IRI Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1980), the RMET Reading the Mind in the Eyes (Baron-Cohen, 2001) and the BIDR-6 Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (Paulhus, 1991).Resultssuggested that increased age was associated with decreased set-shifting, perspective-taking, mindreading abilities and increased tendency to give overly positive answers (socially desirable responding). Furthermore, participants with reduced cognitive flexibility (higher switch cost) were less able to attribute mental states to others and to appreciate another person’s point of view.ConclusionsIt can be argued that readiness to appropriately adjust one’s behaviour according to a changing environment is related to flexibly shift between conflicting psychological perspectives. Future research include training studies which would further our understanding of these relationships and allow more effective cognitive and social interventions.

Nitrite (NO2−) is a substrate for both oxidative and reductive microbial metabolism. NO2− accumulates at the base of the euphotic zone in oxygenated, stratified open-ocean water columns, forming a feature known as the primary nitrite maximum (PNM). Potential pathways of NO2− production include the oxidation of ammonia (NH3) by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea as well as assimilatory nitrate (NO3−) reduction by phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria. Measurements of NH3 oxidation and NO3− reduction to NO2− were conducted at two stations in the central California Current in the eastern North Pacific to determine the relative contributions of these processes to NO2− production in the PNM. Sensitive (< 10 nmol L−1), precise measurements of [NH4+] and [NO2−] indicated a persistent NH4+ maximum overlying the PNM at every station, with concentrations as high as 1.5 μmol L−1. Within and just below the PNM, NH3 oxidation was the dominant NO2− producing process, with rates of NH3 oxidation to NO2− of up to 31 nmol L−1 d−1, coinciding with high abundances of ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Though little NO2− production from NO3− was detected, potentially nitrate-reducing phytoplankton (photosynthetic picoeukaryotes, Synechococcus, and Prochlorococcus) were present at the depth of the PNM. Rates of NO2− production from NO3− were highest within the upper mixed layer (4.6 nmol L−1 d−1) but were either below detection limits or 10 times lower than NH3 oxidation rates around the PNM. One-dimensional modeling of water column NO2− production agreed with production determined from 15N bottle incubations within the PNM, but a modeled net biological sink for NO2− just below the PNM was not captured in the incubations. Residence time estimates of NO2− within the PNM ranged from 18 to 470 days at the mesotrophic station and was 40 days at the oligotrophic station. Our results suggest the PNM is a dynamic, rather than relict, feature with a source term dominated by ammonia oxidation.

Introduction Recently major efforts have been made to define the oligometastatic setting, but for head and neck cancer (HNC) limited data are available. We aimed to evaluate outcome of oligometastatic HNC treated with Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as metastasis-directed therapy. Materials and methods We analyzed patients treated with SBRT on a maximum of five oligometastases from HNC, in up to two organs. Concomitant treatment was allowed. End points were toxicity, local control of treated metastases (LC), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results 48 consecutive patients and 71 lesions were treated. With a follow-up of 20.2 months, most common primary tumors were larynx (29.2%) and salivary glands (29.2%), while common site of metastases was lung (59.1%). Median dose was 48 Gy (21–75) in 3–8 fractions. Treatment was well tolerated, with two patients reporting mild pain and nausea. LC rates at 1 and 2 years were 83.1% and 70.2%. Previous local therapy (HR 4.97; p  = 0.002), oligoprogression (HR 4.07; p  = 0.031) and untreated metastases (HR 4.19; p  = 0.027) were associated with worse LC. PFS at 1 and 2 years were 42.2% and 20.0%. Increasing age (HR 1.03; p  = 0.010), non-adenoid cystic carcinoma (HR 2.57; p  = 0.034) and non-lung metastases (HR 2.20; p  = 0.025) were associated with worse PFS. One- and 2-years OS were 81.0% and 67.1%. Worse performance status (HR 2.91; p  = 0.049), non-salivary primary (HR 19.9; p  = 0.005), non-lung metastases (HR 2.96; p  = 0.040) were correlated with inferior OS. Conclusions SBRT can be considered a safe metastasis-directed therapy in oligometastatic HNC. Efficacy of the treatment seems to be higher when administered upfront in the management of metastatic disease; however, selection of patients need to be improved due to the relevant risk of appearance of new metastatic site after SBRT.

Twenty-six patients with advanced Hodgkin’s disease received a related HLA haploidentical unmanipulated BMT, following a non-myeloablative conditioning with low-dose TBI, proposed by the Baltimore group; GvHD prophylaxis consisted of high-dose post-transplantation CY (PT-CY), mycophenolate and a calcineurin inhibitor. All patients had received a previous autograft, and 65% had active disease at the time of BMT. Sustained engraftment of donor cells occurred in 25 patients (96%), with a median time to neutrophil recovery (>0.5 × 10 9 /L) and platelet recovery (>20 × 10 9 /L) of +18 and +23 days from BMT. The incidence of grade II–IV acute GVHD and of chronic GVHD was 24% and 8%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 24 months (range 18–44) 21 patients are alive, 20 disease free. The cumulative incidence of TRM and relapse was 4% and 31%, respectively. The actuarial 3-year survival is 77%, the actuarial 3-year PFS is 63%. In conclusion, we confirm that high-dose PT-CY is effective as prophylaxis of GVHD after HLA haploidentical BMT, can prevent rejection and does not appear to eliminate the allogeneic graft versus lymphoma effect.

Plastic contamination represents a significant threat to the environment with potential health risks for all species. Recently, bio-based plastics have been introduced as a green alternative to fossil-based ones. However, bioplastic degradation products present potentially harmful effects comparable to the fossil-based ones. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most widely used bioplastics in the world and it requires high temperatures found in industrial composting, to degrade fully. These conditions are not typical of natural environments, where PLA degradation leads to the accumulation of micro- and nanoplastics. According to this finding, the aim of the present study was to assess PLA nanoplastics (PLA-NPs) potential harmful biological effects. PLA-NPs exposure effects have been assessed through the in vivo study on early-stage zebrafish bioaccumulation, cellular stress induction, and morpho-physiology, and through the in vitro study on HDF, used to mimic one of the modes of contamination route in humans, to evaluate their cellular uptake potential. For this purpose, zebrafish embryos were exposed to fluorescent PLA-NPs at the concentrations of 0.1 and 1 mg/L, up to 5 days. In the study, the parallel experiments were conducted by exposing zebrafish embryos to polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs), used as a well-established harmful positive control. No alterations in the Zebrafish Embryo Acute Toxicity Test parameters were found; however, heartbeat rate alteration in the PLA-NPs-treated zebrafish at 96 and 120 hpf have been observed. No remarkable morphological alterations of brain and liver tissue have been detected. The bioaccumulation of PLA-NPs was detectable at 72 and 96 hpf, presumably in the gastrointestinal tract. The gene expression analysis of cellular stress markers ( hmox1 , nos2 , sod1 , sod2 , il1β , tnfα , il4 , il13 , infγ , tbx21) showed inflammation and oxidative stress induction in zebrafish at 72 and 120 hpf. Finally, HDF demonstrated uptake potential, suggesting their ability to bypass the dermal human barrier. The obtained results, accompanied by those on the exposure of developing zebrafish, and HDF cells, to the same concentrations of PS-MPs, raise concerns about the biological impact of PLA-based bioplastics and their use as a safe alternative to petroleum-based plastics.