Assessment of wood residue blends from the amazon region for decentralized energy recovery and decarbonization: Combustion kinetics, thermodynamics and potential emissions - Mayara Gabi Moreira; Pedro Paulo Oliveira Rodrigues; Lúcia Fernanda Alves Garcia; Giulia Cruz Lamas; José Luiz Franciso Alves; Jean Constantino Gomes da Silva; Tiago Jose Pires de Oliveira; Thiago de Paula Protásio; Edgar A. Silveira (Biomass and Bioenergy, 2025)

Iron-group single-atom catalysts for ammonia synthesis and decomposition - Filippo Bossola; Giulia Tuci; Nicola Sangiorgi; Alessandra Sanson; Vladimiro Dal Santo; Rinaldo Psaro; Giuliano Giambastiani (Rendiconti Lincei. Scienze Fisiche e Naturali, 2025)
Ammonia (NH 3 ) plays a pivotal role in the global economy other than being considered one of the most promising C-free liquid hydrogen carrier for addressing a sustainable energy transition. The current Haber–Bosch process for ammonia production accounts for ∼ 1.3% of global CO 2 emissions, hence making urgent the development of sustainable alternative synthetic pathways. Green NH 3 production from molecular N 2 , H 2 O and renewable energy represents a valuable choice. In this review, recent achievements in N 2 photo- and (photo)electrochemical reduction to NH 3 promoted by iron-group single-atom catalysts (SACs) are discussed. The influence of SACs on the optical, electrochemical and catalytic properties of the photoactive materials for the green ammonia production by photocatalytic and photo-electrocatalytic technologies is reported. As far as the electrochemical N 2 reduction is concerned, the structure–reactivity relationship and the influence of the metal coordination environment on materials ultimate activity will be discussed. Despite ammonia productivity values are still far from that necessary for industrial requirements, many seminal outcomes appeared in the literature clearly highlight the potentiality of Fe SACs to reach remarkable N 2 reduction efficiency and NH 3 selectivity. Compared to SACs for ammonia synthesis, those for the decomposition to produce hydrogen are much more limited both in number and active metals. Ru-SACs have mainly been developed and are featured with relevant activity around 400 °C, which is a major achievement considering the poor activity of traditional Ru catalysts at low temperatures. Only very recently, Co and Ni SACs have been reported showing promising performances, even comparable to some noble metal catalysts, also in photo-driven applications. Graphic abstract

Antagonistic interactions among Antarctic bacteria: phylogenetic and niche-based insights into bacterial communities dynamics - Giulia Semenzato; Fabiola Berti; Josselyn Stefania Cusme Valle; Elena Perrin; Angela Bechini; Carmela Calonico; Valentina Catania; Antonio Palumbo Piccionello; Anna Maria Puglia; Renato Fani (Polar Biology, 2025)

Ketamine-Ethanol Combination Decreases Reduced Glutathione Levels and Activates both Intrinsic and Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathways Prior to Neuronal Death in SH-SY5Y Cells - Felype Valentim Duarte Castelhano; Carolina Aparecida de Faria Almeida; Giulia de Assis Braz; Gabriela Otofuji Pereira; Rafaela Yolanda Silvino de Almeida; Matheus Lujan Pereira; Juliana Ligia Freires Ribeiro; Karin Argenti Simon; Rodrigo Portes Ureshino; Tania Marcourakis; Larissa Helena Torres; Raphael Caio Tamborelli Garcia (Neurotoxicity Research, 2025)

A non-invasive genetics insight into population structure and recolonization dynamics of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) at the boundary of its Italian core range - Greta Agostini; Anna Loy; Giulia Gentile; Simone Giovacchini; Cecilia De Sanctis; Enrico Mirone; Lorenzo Papaleo; Antonio Petrella; Nicola D’Alessio; Paolo Colangelo (Mammalian Biology, 2025)
During the past century the Eurasian otter ( Lutra lutra ) suffered a drastic decline throughout the rivers of the Italian peninsula, surviving only in Southern Italy. Recent surveys have revealed irrefutable signs (i.e. faeces’ presence) of otter expansion in Central Italy and, specifically in the last 15 years, along rivers of Abruzzo region. Gradually expanding along the Sangro river, otters have also recolonized the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (PNALM). To explore both the dispersal dynamics from Southern Italy to Abruzzo and the potential factors that may limit gene flow with PNALM population, we collected faeces (spraints) and anal jelly samples from rivers in Abruzzo and Molise, as well as tissue samples from Southern Italy. We identified 52 specimens using 11 microsatellite loci. Results revealed a significant genetic differentiation between Southern and Central Italy, suggesting a stepping-stone recolonization process. Genetic structure analysis and gene flow estimation indicated that otters followed different recolonization routes, dispersing across the hinterland and along coastal areas. Population structure in Abruzzo is weak and genetic diversity low, consistent with a recent colonization and a founder effect. The N e estimated could indicate the presence of few breeding adults in the PNALM population, but N c estimated and the 18 unique genotypes in the protected area, suggested the hosting of a higher number of individuals than initially assumed. Although otter group in PNALM is showing a favourable conservation status, its genetic diversity is low, making it vulnerable to demographic and environmental stochastic factors. Accordingly, interventions are recommended to favour movements of otters and increase the likelihood of stabilization and expansion of Central Italy’s population.

Green pest control strategies: essential oil-based nano-emulsions for Delottococcus aberiae management - Antonino Modafferi; Alberto Urbaneja; Cristina M. Aure; Francesca Laudani; Vincenzo Palmeri; Giulia Giunti; Orlando Campolo; Meritxell Pérez-Hedo (Journal of Pest Science, 2025)
Increasing restrictions on synthetic pesticides due to environmental and health concerns have driven the search for alternative environmentally friendly pest management strategies. Essential oils (EOs) from plants like garlic ( Allium sativum ), clove ( Syzygium aromaticum ), and eucalyptus ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) have shown promise as bioinsecticides. However, their volatility, low water solubility, and short persistence limit their practical application in Integrated Pest Management programs. To address these challenges, we developed nano-emulsions of these EOs using a high-pressure microfluidization technique, achieving stable formulations with nano-sized droplets (< 200 nm) and optimal polydispersity index and zeta potential values. The insecticidal efficacy of these EO-based nano-emulsions was tested against the invasive citrus pest Delottococcus aberiae , with garlic nano-emulsion (GNE) exhibiting the highest mortality (100% within 24 h), significantly outperforming clove and eucalyptus formulations. GNE exhibited a dose–response mortality against D. aberiae while demonstrating no toxicity (100% of survival) toward Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and no phytotoxicity on citrus plants. Moreover, gene expression analysis revealed that GNE application triggered the overexpression of key genes involved in plant defense pathways, including ICS2 , NPR1 , PAL , and MYC2 , suggesting the activation of both salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling pathways. This dual action—direct pest control and enhancement of plant defenses—positions GNE as a powerful tool in sustainable citrus pest management, with potential applications in real-world pest control. The study underscores the potential of EO-based nano-emulsions as a safe, effective, and environmentally sound alternative to chemical insecticides.

Exotic tree plantations drive reduction in morphological variation of damselfly species in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest - Mateus Marques Pires; Giulia Wommer; Cléber Sganzerla; Göran Sahlén; Eduardo Périco (Journal of Insect Conservation, 2025)

Effect of graded inclusion of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, Linnaeus, 1758) pre-pupae meal in diets for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, Linnaeus, 1758) on gut microbiome and liver morphology - Marco Basili; Basilio Randazzo; Letteria Caccamo; Stefano Guicciardi o Guizzardi; Martina Meola; Anna Perdichizzi; Grazia Marina Quero; Giulia Maricchiolo (Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 2025)
Over the last decades, an insect meal has received great attention for finfish diets, due to its nutritional composition and low ecological footprint. In the present study, we assessed the response of gut microbiota composition and liver histology of gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata ) fed four experimental diets including the black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens ) meal (HI) used to replace 0 (HI0), 25 (HI25), 35 (HI35) and 50 (HI50) percent of fish meal in a 131-day feeding trial. At the end of the experiment, a remarkable change in gut microbiota composition related to HI inclusion was observed, with a preponderance of Cyanobacteriain the control and low HI groups (HI0, HI25) while Chloroflexi became prevalent in the higher HI inclusion groups (HI35, HI50). Predictive analysis on bacterial metabolic pathways showed a clear separation between HI0–HI25 and HI35–HI50 groups. The microbiota shifts observed suggest a pivotal role of HI in inducing a bacterial-mediated physiological response in this fish species, probably due to chitin content and the fatty acid profile of this ingredient. Liver histology showed a higher hepatocyte size in fish from the HI50 group, suggesting lipid dysmetabolism due to the HI meal fatty acid profile, while a marginal adaptive response was observed in the HI25 group. In conclusion, while up to 25% inclusion of black soldier fly meal showed limited adverse effects, 50% HI dietary inclusion is not recommended in gilthead seabream diet, since possible alteration in lipid deposition, particularly at hepatic level, were highlighted in this fish species.

Impact of food system interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake among urban adults in Nigeria and Vietnam - Giulia Pastori; Elise F. Talsma; Edith J. M. Feskens; Le Thi Huong; Folake O. Samuel; Oluyemisi F. Shittu; Toluwalope E. Eyinla; Alan de Brauw; Kate Ambler; Sigrid Wertheim-Heck; Ricardo Hernandez; Brice Even; et al. (Food Security, 2025)
Fruit and vegetable consumption is below the WHO recommendations, globally, in Southeast Asia, and in West Africa. Affordability, accessibility, and acceptability are the main drivers of consumption. Nutrition-sensitive food system interventions that address these drivers may be effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. This study evaluates the effect of an integrated nutrition-sensitive program that aimed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in low-income urban adults in Hanoi, Vietnam ( n = 582), and Ibadan, Nigeria ( n = 626), through the simultaneous implementation of three interventions at the market and consumer levels. Fruit and vegetable intake data were collected after eight months of exposure to the program with repeated quantitative 24-hour recalls and exposure effect was estimated with inverse probability weighting with regression adjustment, adjusting for potential confounders. The impact size on total fruits and vegetables (144 g/d, 95%CI 93, 196), fruits (137 g/d, 95%CI 93, 183) and vegetables (6 g/d, 95%CI -12, 24) showed that intake was higher in the exposed Nigerian population than the control group. In Vietnam, intakes of fruits and vegetables in the exposed group did not statistically differ from the control group when controlling for differences between groups with propensity scores. Participants exposed to all three interventions reported slightly higher intakes compared to those who were exposed to fewer interventions, but these differences were not statistically significant. Integrated approaches of nutrition-sensitive food system interventions need to be implemented to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Co-creation of interventions provides the possibility to address the different drivers and barriers of healthy diets specific of the context.

Agroforestry for the city: farmscaping the urban fringe through transformative and participatory action research in Milan - Alice Giulia Dal Borgo; Stefano Bocchi; Valentina Capocefalo; Pietro De Marinis; Fiorenza Gulino; Enrico Sartori; Andrea Schievano; Ilda Vagge; Luisa Zaniboni; Gemma Chiaffarelli (Agroforestry Systems, 2025)
Agroforestry practices can play a key role in ecological transition and socio-territorial regeneration in peri-urban areas, particularly when designed and implemented according to agroecological principles and supported by robust public engagement. In this short communication, we illustrate how community-based agroforestry approaches—encompassing public plantings, self-building workshops, collaborative agroforestry management, training, and cultural events—are transforming an area located at the southeastern fringe of Milan. Drawing on a transdisciplinary methodology, we investigate how agroforestry increases ecological complexity, fosters participatory decision-making, and provides diverse cultural ecosystem services for local communities. Our results indicate that the establishment of multi-strata agroforestry systems, combined with initiatives such as ‘Adopt a Hen!’ and hands-on agroecological workshops, not only enhances biodiversity and soil health but also strengthens social cohesion and citizen engagement. Overall, this study highlights the potential of ‘farmscaping’— a concept borrowed from entomology and here adapted to the meaning of creating vibrant peri-urban landscapes that support both environmental resilience and communal well-being.

Colonizers on the road: European bee‐eaters shift nest‐site selection to roadside habitats - Jacinto Román; Julio Blas; Giulia Bastianelli; Miguel A. Suárez‐Couselo; Eloy Revilla; Marcello D'Amico (Ecology, 2025)

Olfactory dysfunction increases progression to dementia in cognitively impaired older adults: a 12-year population-based study - Javier Oltra; Ingrid Ekström; Maria Larsson; Jane Yan; Giulia Grande; Erika J. Laukka (GeroScience, 2025)
Olfactory deficits are hypothesized to precede cognitive decline and be independently associated with future dementia. Conversely, the concurrency of cognitive and olfactory impairments is expected to represent an advanced stage, associated with shorter time to diagnosis. Limited research has examined the association of isolated and concurrent cognitive and olfactory impairments with incident dementia. We aimed to estimate the 12-year dementia hazard for cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND), olfactory dysfunction (OD), and their combination in a population-based cohort of older adults. We classified 2406 participants from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) based on baseline CIND and OD. Dementia hazard was estimated with Cox regressions for the whole period and two timeframes (baseline to 6-year follow-up and 6- to 12-year follow-up), and time until receiving a diagnosis via Laplace regressions. CIND+OD was associated with increased hazard ratio (HR) of dementia over 6 years (HR 11.38; 95% CI 6.70, 19.32; p < 0.001), higher for amnestic CIND+OD (HR 22.23; 95% CI 11.79, 41.90; p < 0.001). Isolated CIND was associated with dementia closest to baseline (HR 3.38; 95% CI 1.75, 6.49; p < 0.001), while isolated OD was associated with dementia closest (HR 2.56; 95% CI 1.48, 4.43; p < 0.001) and furthest (HR 2.12; 95% CI 1.41, 3.19; p < 0.001) to baseline. CIND+OD received their dementia diagnosis 3 years earlier. This study demonstrated that individuals with both cognitive and olfactory impairments have a higher short-term risk of progression to dementia and that OD may be a valuable early marker of dementia on its own.

Geroprotective applications of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol through the hallmarks of ageing - Anna Calabrò; Anna Aiello; Paula Silva; Calogero Caruso; Giuseppina Candore; Giulia Accardi (GeroScience, 2025)
Geroprotectors are compounds that target the underlying mechanisms of ageing to delay the onset of age-related diseases and extend both lifespan and health span. As ageing is driven by the accumulation of cellular damage, DNA instability, epigenetic changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation, the concept of geroprotection focuses on compounds that can mitigate these processes. Oleuropein (OLE) and its derivative hydroxytyrosol (HT), both phenolic molecules derived from Olea europaea (olive tree), have gained significant attention as potential geroprotectors due to their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These phytochemicals, central to the Mediterranean diet, activate key molecular pathways such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, reducing oxidative stress and modulating inflammatory responses. Through these mechanisms, OLE and HT help counteract inflammageing, a critical factor in age-related dysfunction. This review highlights the role of OLE and HT as geroprotective agents, emphasising their ability to target the hallmarks of ageing and their potential to improve health span by slowing the progression of age-related conditions. With proven efficacy in various biological models, these compounds represent promising tools in the ongoing search for strategies to enhance the quality of life in ageing populations.

Enabling nature-based solutions for climate adaptation in cities of the Global South: planning dimensions and cross-cutting pathways for implementation - Masoumeh Mirsafa; Anna Giulia Castaldo; Fabiano Lemes de Oliveira (Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2025)
Despite the increasing recognition of the critical role that nature-based solutions (NBS) play in urban resilience, decision-makers in many cities across the Global South continue to prioritize grey infrastructure and engineered solutions. This prevailing approach may offer short-term economic advantages but ultimately falls short in ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of communities facing the challenges of a changing climate. This article aims to identify the main enabling factors that foster the application and implementation of NBS in cities, through a detailed analysis of urban NBS case studies. For this reason, the research focused on grey literature, providing insights into real-world implementation and identified 52 case studies through a thorough review of web databases and relevant publications on NBS case studies, supplemented by a web-based questionnaire distributed to identify additional cases. A qualitative methodology was employed to analyse the data collected for each case, covering various phases of each project, including planning, delivery, and stewardship. The findings indicate that enabling the implementation of urban NBS in the Global South requires attention to four key dimensions: good governance, financial feasibility and economic sustainability, social acceptance, and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the results highlight the importance of cross-cutting pathways emerging from these dimensions, such as adopting an integrated, context-specific, and data-driven approach in planning and implementation, enabling mechanisms for participatory approaches and multi-stakeholder engagement, planning for the delivery of multiple benefits by NBS, and prioritizing NBS in urban land acquisition and management policies.

Personality composition affects group cohesion of homing pigeons in response to novelty and predation threat - Giulia Cerritelli; Dimitri Giunchi; Robert Musters; Irene Vertua; Lorenzo Vanni; Diego Rubolini; Anna Gagliardo; Claudio Carere (Animal Behaviour, 2025)

Promoting native biodiversity: An evaluation of multifactorial and bioclimatic selection criteria for street trees in Italian cities - Luca D'Amato; Flavia Bartoli; Valentina Savo; Giulia Caneva (Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2025)

Meta-analysis reveals the effectiveness and best practices for the iconic Mediterranean seagrass restoration - Arianna Pansini; Manuel Berlino; Maria Cristina Mangano; Gianluca Sarà; Giulia Ceccherelli (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Evaluating additive release from conventional and biodegradable mulch films - Costanza Scopetani; Agnese Bellabarba; Giulia Selvolini; Tania Martellini; Carlo Viti; Alessandra Cincinelli (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Contrasting response in test size and abundance of planktic foraminifera Morozovella and Acarinina to the EECO in the subtropical Pacific Ocean - Giulia Filippi; Daniela N. Schmidt; Silvia Sigismondi; Valeria Luciani (Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2025)

THC, CBD and minor cannabinoid CBDV differently modulate hippocampal neurons firing - Giulia Tomagra; Nikita Gandlevskiy; Elena Rosso; Monica Bonardi; Arianna Binello; Valentina Carabelli; Alessandro Barge (NeuroToxicology, 2025)

Ionome profiling discriminate genotype-dependent responses to drought in durum wheat - Giulia Quagliata; Andrea Ferrucci; Miriam Marín-Sanz; Francisco Barro; Gianpiero Vigani; Stefania Astolfi (Journal of Plant Physiology, 2025)

Evaluation of potential bioaccumulation of Bisphenol A in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis - Giulia Paolella; Ludovico Pontoni; Annamaria Locascio; Maria Sirakov; Marcello Scivicco; Massimiliano Fabbricino (Journal of Environmental Management, 2025)

Usutu virus-disease susceptibility in threatened red-breasted geese (Branta ruficollis) in Italy and the Netherlands - Giuseppe Giglia; Emmanuelle Münger; Giulia Mencattelli; Gianfilippo Agliani; Alinda J. Berends; Fabrizia Valleriani; Giorgio Filipponi; Stefano Gavaudan; Annapia Di Gennaro; Christine Fast; Reina S. Sikkema; Marja Kik; et al. (Journal of Comparative Pathology, 2025)

Evaluating methods to estimate the water equivalent of new snow from daily snow depth recordings - Jan Magnusson; Bertrand Cluzet; Louis Quéno; Rebecca Mott; Moritz Oberrauch; Giulia Mazzotti; Christoph Marty; Tobias Jonas (Cold Regions Science and Technology, 2025)

Unveiling cardiovascular and respiratory toxicities with monoclonal antibodies in multiple myeloma: disproportionality analysis from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System - Maria Antonietta Barbieri; Giulia Russo; Giuseppe Cicala; Giuseppe Andò; Tindara Franchina; Nicola Silvestris; Mariacarmela Santarpia; Edoardo Spina (European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2025)

In vitro approaches to investigate the effect of chemicals on antibody production: the case study of PFASs - Martina Iulini; Valeria Bettinsoli; Ambra Maddalon; Valentina Galbiati; Aafke W. F. Janssen; Karsten Beekmann; Giulia Russo; Francesco Pappalardo; Styliani Fragki; Alicia Paini; Emanuela Corsini (Archives of Toxicology, 2025)
The increasing variety and quantity of new chemical substances have raised concerns about their potential immunotoxic effects, making it essential to assess their impact on human health. One key concern is the reduction of antibody production, as seen with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” Both in vivo and epidemiological data show that PFASs have immunosuppressive effects, leading to reduced antibody responses, particularly following vaccination. In animal studies, the T cell-dependent (TD) antibody response is the gold standard for assessing chemical effects on immune function. This study utilized two in vitro approaches to investigate the effects of chemicals on antibody production using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Initial tests used unstimulated, negative (vehicle), and positive (rapamycin) controls to confirm the robustness of the models. Subsequently, four long-chain PFASs (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS) were tested. Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) was used to mimic the TD response, while a TLR9 agonist and IL-2 activated B cells for T cell-independent (TI) immunoglobulin production. The results demonstrated the ability to reproduce TD and TI responses in vitro with robust, reproducible outcomes across a cohort of 20 human donors. The data, consistent with existing literature, showed a significant reduction in anti-KLH IgM production, especially for PFOA in male donors. Similar trends were observed for all PFASs in suppressing total TI IgG and IgM production. These methods closely replicated in vivo conditions, offering a potential alternative to animal models in immunotoxicity assessments.

Stewardship underpins sustainable foraging - Irene Teixidor-Toneu; Giulia Mattalia; Sophie Caillon; Abdullah Abdullah; Živa Fiser; Pål Karlsen; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Anneleen Kool; Gabriela Loayza; Anna Porcuna-Ferrer; Ismael Vaccaro; Christoph Schunko (Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2025)

Resilience in adversity: Exploring adaptive changes in cancer cells under stress - Taissa dos Santos Uchiya; Helena Napoli da Cunha; Matheus Correia Casotti; Giulia de Souza Cupertino de Castro; Gabrielle Feu Pereira; João Augusto Diniz Moura; André Manhães Machado; Fabio Victor Vieira Rocha; Lorena Souza Rittberg Mauricio; Victor Alves Lopes; Fellipe Pesente; Giulia Maria Giacinti; et al. (Tissue and Cell, 2025)

Investigation of the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) by two remote sensing-based approaches in Italian regional capitals - Gennaro Albini; Giulia Guerri; Michele Munafò; Marco Morabito (Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 2025)

Melatonin improves the postharvest life of cut ruscus foliage after a long storage condition - Alice Trivellini; Giulia Franzoni; Antonio Ferrante; Anna Mensuali (Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2025)

Non-destructive optical characterization of fruit and vegetables by non-contact time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy - Pietro Levoni; Fabio Negretti; Giulia Maffeis; Maristella Vanoli; Giovanna Cortellino; Fabio Lovati; Davide Contini; Alessandro Torricelli; Lorenzo Spinelli (Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2025)

Navigating sustainability challenges in design: Bridging theory and practice with tactical sustainability cards - Giulia Calabretta; Ömer Döver; Shahrokh Nikou (Journal of Cleaner Production, 2025)

Consumer perception of and involvement in healthy and sustainable eating: A cross-sectional study with American consumers - Giovanni Sogari; Tommaso Pucci; Giulia Andreani; Niccolò Fiorini (Journal of Cleaner Production, 2025)

Enhanced removal of organics and ammonia from municipal wastewater using an activated carbon/zeolite coupled atmospheric plasma system - Mubbshir Saleem; Giulia Tomei; Kubra Ulucan-Altuntas; Valentina Grossule; Maria Cristina Lavagnolo; Atif Mustafa; Ester Marotta (Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 2025)

Compressed liquid density and speed of sound measurements and correlation of the binary mixture {carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) + 1,1-difluoroethene (R1132a)} at temperatures from 220 K to 350 K - Davide Menegazzo; Aaron J. Rowane; Giulia Lombardo; Sergio Bobbo; Laura Fedele; Mark O. McLinden (International Journal of Refrigeration, 2025)

Experimental compressed liquid density measurements and correlation of the binary mixture {3,3,3-trifuoropropene (R1243zf) + isobutane (R600a)} - Davide Menegazzo; Giulia Lombardo; Laura Vallese; Mauro Scattolini; Sergio Bobbo; Laura Fedele (International Journal of Refrigeration, 2025)

Presence and characterization of the human pathogenic Vibrio species in the microbiota of Manila clams using cultural and molecular methods - Angela Zampieri; Lisa Carraro; Hooriyeh Mohammadpour; Giulia Dalla Rovere; Massimo Milan; Luca Fasolato; Barbara Cardazzo (International Journal of Food Microbiology, 2025)

Changing the understanding of crop production: Integrating ecosystem services into the production function - Anne Sophie Dietrich; Valeria Carini; Giulia Vico; Riccardo Bommarco; Helena Hansson (Ecological Economics, 2025)

Passive microwave-based diagnostics of medicanes over the period 2000–2021 - Valentina Di Francesca; Leo Pio D'Adderio; Paolo Sanò; Jean-François Rysman; Daniele Casella; Giulia Panegrossi (Atmospheric Research, 2025)

Bronchial foreign body caused by a grasshopper in a dog - Giulia Maggi; Elena Rosi; Simone Cupido; Salvatore Palma; Maria Chiara Marchesi (Veterinary Research Communications, 2025)
An 11-year-old dog living in a rural area of Italy was evaluated for a persistent cough. Diagnostic imaging findings, combined with the clinical history and physical examination, revealed focal pneumonia, raising suspicion of a vegetal foreign body. Bronchoscopy identified a foreign body (a grasshopper) partially obstructing the left caudal bronchus, and its removal was successfully performed. Insects should be considered potential bronchial foreign bodies in the differential diagnosis.

An interpretable and transferable model for shallow landslides detachment combining spatial Poisson point processes and generalized additive models - Giulia Patanè; Teresa Bortolotti; Vasil Yordanov; Ludovico Giorgio Aldo Biagi; Maria Antonia Brovelli; Xuan Quang Truong; Simone Vantini (Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 2025)
Shallow landslides are rapidly moving and strongly dangerous slides. In the present work, the probabilistic distribution of the landslide detachment points within a valley is modelled as a spatial Poisson point process, whose intensity depends on geophysical covariates according to a generalized additive model. This jointly allows to obtain good predictive performance and to preserve the interpretability of the effects of the geophysical predictors on the intensity of the process. We propose a novel workflow, based on Random Forests, to select the geophysical predictors entering the model for the intensity. The statistically significant effects are interpreted as activating or stabilizing factors for landslide detachment. The transferability of the resulting model is guaranteed by training, validating and testing the algorithms on mutually disjoint valleys in the Alps of Lombardy (Italy). Finally, the uncertainty around the estimated intensity of the process is quantified via semiparametric bootstrap.

Optimization of Transcription Factor-Driven Neuronal Differentiation from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modelling and Drug Screening - Martina Servetti; Martino Caramia; Giulia Parodi; Fabrizio Loiacono; Ennio Nano; Giorgia Biddau; Lorenzo Ferrando; Lisastella Morinelli; Pierluigi Valente; Sergio Martinoia; Andrea Escelsior; Gianluca Serafini; et al. (Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, 2025)
Progress of human brain in vitro models stands as a keystone in neurological and psychiatric research, addressing the limitations posed by species-specific differences in animal models. The generation of human neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using transcription factor reprogramming protocols has been shown to reduce heterogeneity and improve consistency across different stem cell lines. Despite notable advancements, the current protocols still exhibit several shortcomings. This study focuses on standardizing and optimizing the procedure for iPSC-derived glutamatergic neurons generation through the inducible overexpression of Neurogenin-2. Noteworthy refinements include stringent scrutiny of genomic rearrangements post-fibroblast reprogramming, selection of a homogeneously integrated NGN2-cassettes population, and the incorporation of an intermediate step during neuronal differentiation to store neuronal progenitors. The neural culture showed a high degree of neuronal maturation and consistency, as shown by single-cell and network electrophysiological recordings. These advancements aim to provide more reliable tools for disease modelling and drug screening in neurological disorders. Graphical Abstract

Integrated analyses of the plant and soil microbiome identify Phytopythium vexans as agent of the Kiwifruit Vine Decline Syndrome - Saveria Mosca; Meriem Miyassa Aci; Giuseppina Procopio; Vittoria Vadalà; Giuseppina Vizzari; Edda Francomano; Nesma Zakaria Mohamed; Maria Giulia Li Destri Nicosia; Giovanni Enrico Agosteo; Davide Spadaro; Leonardo Schena; Antonino Malacrinò (Plant and Soil, 2025)
Background and aims The Kiwifruit Vine Decline Syndrome (KVDS) is a disease that is currently a challenge for kiwifruit production in Italy, and it is spreading in new production areas. However, the causal agent of this syndrome has not been clearly identified, and we still know little about the overall effects of KVDS on the interactions between the host plant and its microbiome. Methods In this study, we combined metabarcoding and targeted isolation (leaf baiting) to characterize the changes in the rhizosphere and root microbiomes associated with symptoms of KVDS. Results Our results suggest that KVDS has little impact on the bacterial, fungal, and oomycete communities associated with soil and roots, and we detected weak signatures of potential dysbiosis. On the other hand, we found a consistent association of the oomycete Phytopythium vexans with samples from plants symptomatic to KVDS, which matches the nucleotide sequences of the isolates obtained through baiting and, partially, the isolates from previous studies. Conclusion While our results support the idea that P. vexans might be the major candidate agent of KVDS, there are still several unanswered questions that need to be addressed before being able to provide effective solutions to this emerging challenge in kiwifruit production.

Unlocking the Potential of Marine Sidestreams in the Blue Economy: Lessons Learned from the EcoeFISHent Project on Fish Collagen - Lorenzo Dondero; Giulia De Negri Atanasio; Francesca Tardanico; Erica Lertora; Raffaella Boggia; Vittorio Capra; Agnese Cometto; Mattia Costamagna; Fi.L.S.E; Mirvana Feletti; Fulvio Garibaldi; Federica Grasso; et al. (Marine Biotechnology, 2025)
This review provides a general overview of collagen structure, biosynthesis, and biological properties, with a particular focus on marine collagen sources, especially fisheries discards and by-catches. Additionally, well-documented applications of collagen are presented, with special emphasis not only on its final use but also on the processes enabling sustainable and safe recovery from materials that would otherwise go to waste. Particular attention is given to the extraction process, highlighting key aspects essential for the industrialization of fish sidestreams, such as hygiene standards, adherence to good manufacturing practices, and ensuring minimal environmental impact. In this context, the EcoeFISHent projects have provided valuable insights, aiming to create replicable, systemic, and sustainable territorial clusters based on a multi-circular economy and industrial symbiosis. The main goal of this project is to increase the monetary income of certain categories, such as fishery and aquaculture activities, through the valorization of underutilized biomass.

Allelopathic activity of coriander (coriandrum sativum L.) - Euro Pannacci; Vittorio Monni; Giulia Contini; Elisabetta Bravi; Francesco Tei (Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, 2025)
In recent years there has been increased interest about the allelopathic effects of plant extracts used as bioherbicides, in order to manage weeds with a decreasing use of herbicides. An interesting crop, from an allelopathic point of view, is coriander ( Coriandrum sativum L.), a medicinal plant member of Apiaceae family. The aim of this study was to evaluate the allelopathic activity of coriander against a possible succeeding crop, like wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), and against some weeds, like Lolium multiflorum Lam., Sinapis alba L. and Amaranthus retroflexus L., ubiquitous in the Mediterranean agroecosystems. In Petri dish bioassays, seeds of above-mentioned species were treated with 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 17.5, 25% w/v concentrations of aqueous extracts from leaves, stems and roots of coriander at flowering and maturity growth stage. The ranking among different extracts based on their allelopathic effects was: leaves extract > stems extract > roots extract. The allelopathic activity of coriander at maturity stage decreased with respect to that at flowering stage. Total polyphenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids were involved in the allelopathic activity of coriander. The aqueous extracts from aerial biomass of coriander inhibited the seed germination of weeds, but not that of T. aestivum . This research has provided interesting scientific insights into the allelopathic activity of coriander in weed management, however, other aspects need to be further investigated.

Diatom dynamics during the last six centuries in Lake Odensjön: a new varved sediment record from southern Sweden - Ethan L. Silvester; Karl Ljung; Richard Bindler; Hanna Hertzman; Giulia Lodi; Dan Hammarlund (Journal of Paleolimnology, 2025)
Varved lake sediments offer valuable insight into past environmental conditions with high temporal resolution and precise chronological control. A combination of diatom and geochemical analyses of the recently deposited sediments of Odensjön, a small dimictic lake in southern Sweden, shows alternating light and dark laminae composed of greater amounts of biogenic silica and organic matter, respectively. As confirmed by independent radiometric dating and Pb pollution data, and supported by scanning electron microscopy of individual laminae, these features represent ongoing deposition of biogenic varves. Corresponding diatom and geochemical data obtained from a 92-cm long freeze core provide evidence of substantial lake-ecosystem dynamics during the last six centuries, related mainly to variations in light penetration and wind shear driven by human-induced changes in catchment vegetation. The diatom assemblage of Odensjön’s varved sediments is dominated by planktonic species, primarily Asterionella formosa, Fragilaria saxoplanktonica and Discostella lacuskarluki during periods of forest cover, while increased catchment openness from the mid-1500s to the late 1800s led to increased abundance of Lindavia comensis . Long-term variations in climate and land use, mediated through changing length of the ice-cover season and nutrient input, respectively, probably contributed to the observed trends, as well as to variations in the appearance and visibility of the varve record across the sampled sediment sequence. Odensjön represents the southernmost varved sediment record in Fennoscandia documented to date, offering potential to study the effects of various types of external forcing on its sensitive lacustrine ecosystem since the Late Weichselian deglaciation. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of assessing the local impacts of two major, historically documented volcanic events, Laki 1783–84 and Tambora 1815, which are known to have affected European societies. Although the mildly alkaline waters of the lake are well buffered and hence relatively resilient to volcanic acid deposition, a minor response to the Laki eruption may be recorded in the diatom stratigraphy.

Ambiguity in Plant Cognition - Giulia Leonetti (Biosemiotics, 2025)

Prolonged survival in HIV-associated Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy treated with Pembrolizumab: a case series on treatment and long-term follow-up - Marta Chiuchiarelli; Giulia Micheli; Francesco Vladimiro Segala; Gabriele Giuliano; Paola Del Giacomo; Alex Dusina; Elena Matteini; Federico Frondizi; Simona Gaudino; Francesca Lisi; Eleonora Cimini; Rosaria Santangelo; et al. (Journal of NeuroVirology, 2025)
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare opportunistic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by human polyomavirus JC virus, with high mortality rate in people living with HIV (PLWH), without an effective specific treatment beside combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). The use of Pembrolizumab, an inhibitor of the Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor on T cells, has been associated with decreased viral clearance. Aim of this study is to evaluate clinical course of PLWH affected by PML treated with pembrolizumab. We report four consecutive PLWH with clinical and radiological evidence of PML and JCV-DNA detection in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Pembrolizumab was administered to all four PLWH alongside cART. Radiological and laboratory follow-up were performed at the end of the medical protocol. Clinically, 3 out of 4 PLWH showed an improvement in neurological deficits, partially reacquiring the lost functions, and they are alive at 3.5 years, 14 months, and 9 months, respectively; the fourth patient died shortly after treatment due to worsening respiratory conditions. In all the PLWH completing treatment, a decrease of about 80–90% of the specific PD-1 activity was observed. Prolonged survival and stabilization of radiological findings have been observed, along with clinical improvement and partial recovery of acquired deficits in 3 out of 4 PLWH. In addition, a decrease in anti-PD-1 expression has also been observed, suggesting a link between the therapy and the success achieved. Given the small sample and conflicting evidence in the existing literature, further investigation is needed to assess its effectiveness.

Ecosystem services offered by fishes in shallow and mesophotic reefs of the southern Gulf of California - Héctor Reyes-Bonilla; Giulia Morello; Luis E. Calderon-Aguilera; Manuel Velasco-Lozano; Georgina Ramírez-Ortiz; Erick Morales-MontesDeOca (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2025)

The Spiky Side of Urban Wildlife, First Detection of a Zoonotic Assemblage of Giardia duodenalis in European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) from Italy - Leonardo Brustenga; Giulia Rigamonti; Iolanda Moretta; Giulia Morganti; Valentina Calgaro; Giuseppe Giglia; Manuela Diaferia; Elvio Lepri; Livia Lucentini; Marco Lalle; Fabrizia Veronesi (Acta Parasitologica, 2025)
Purpose of Review Giardia duodenalis is a flagellate protozoan parasite of several mammals, that is transmitted via the fecal-oral route and causes gastrointestinal diarrheal illness. Molecular analyses of several genetic markers have classified G. duodenalis into eight assemblages (A to H) exhibiting different host specificities. Assemblages A and B have zoonotic potential and infect a broad range of hosts. The European hedgehog ( Erinaceus europaeus ) is one of the wild species well-adapted to live in close proximity to humans. Therefore, surveying potential zoonotic parasites harbored by hedgehogs can also be of public health concern, particularly in urban settings with high animal densities. Recent findings Coproparasitological examinations are routinely conducted on hedgehogs admitted to WildUmbria Wildlife Rescue Center. Giardia duodenalis cysts were found in the fecal flotation of a hedgehog and were further tested using a direct immunofluorescent assay and PCR-RFLP molecular analysis of the β -giardin gene for assemblage and sub-assemblage characterization. The RFLP protocol attributed the samples to the AI-like zoonotic assemblage. Additionally, trophozoites attached to the intestinal mucosa of the small intestine were detected via histological techniques. Summary Although G. duodenalis has been detected in hedgehogs from several countries, it was never before reported in Italian hedgehogs. The identification of a zoonotic assemblage in hedgehogs suggests the potential for the parasite to be shared between wild and domestic environments, with pets possibly serving as bringing hosts.

Killer whale ( Orcinus orca ) occurrence in Icelandic waters revealed by passive acoustic monitoring - Giulia Bellon; Anna Selbmann; Paul Wensveen; Marianne Rasmussen; Amelie Laute; Xavier Mouy; Filipa I. P. Samarra (Marine Mammal Science, 2025)
The distribution and occurrence of killer whales around Iceland are primarily studied in coastal herring grounds, with limited knowledge beyond these areas. This study employed opportunistic passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) data from four regions across Icelandic inshore and offshore waters to investigate killer whale distribution between 2018 and 2023. An automatic detector‐and‐classifier algorithm identified killer whale burst‐pulsed calls, manually confirmed by human observers. Killer whale calls were detected on a total of 59 of 3075 recording days over a broader geographic area than previously documented. Detections were spread throughout the years, and in some cases, potential feeding behavior could be inferred. In the south of Iceland, killer whales were detected throughout the winter period; their presence outside of the summer months was previously undocumented. In the west, daily occurrences differed between two locations, which may be linked to the distribution of herring. In the east and northeast, killer whales were detected in the summer months, aligning with the abundance of herring in these regions. This study highlights the importance of PAM for year‐round monitoring of killer whale occurrence in the North Atlantic and contributes to our understanding of how they may respond to potential changes in prey dynamics.

The Thermal Stress History of South Atlantic Reefs Reveals Increasing Intensity, Duration, Frequency, and Likely Undocumented Bleaching Episodes - Giovanna Destri; Arthur Z. Güth; André L. Luza; Julia Y. Ibanhez; Marcelo Dottori; Ilson C. A. Silveira; Giulia B. Braz; Jacqueline L. De La Cour; Derek P. Manzello; William J. Skirving; Miguel Mies (Global Change Biology, 2025)
The primary consequence of global warming for reefs is coral bleaching, often leading to extensive coral mortality. Although bleaching is well‐documented globally, the thermal stress and bleaching experienced by the unique South Atlantic reefs remain largely unknown due to insufficient monitoring on both spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, this work aimed to reconstruct past thermal stress episodes across South Atlantic reefs, and assessed whether episodes are becoming more intense, longer‐lasting, and more frequent. We retrieved daily 5 km‐resolution Degree Heating Week (DHW) data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coral Reef Watch server for 33 reef sites spanning the last 40 years. For each thermal stress episode, we assessed the intensity (maximum DHW value), duration (number of continuous days under stress), and frequency (number of days between episodes). Generalized linear models were fitted to intensity, duration, and frequency data to evaluate the influence of latitude and the time x region interaction as predictors. We recorded multiple thermal stress episodes, increasing from 2010 onwards, ranging from 10 episodes between 1985–89 and 75 between 2020–24. Intensity and duration increased over time across the entire South Atlantic. Frequency also increased across the Southwestern Atlantic coast and oceanic islands, but not for Africa. Episodes at higher latitudes were more intense, prolonged, and frequent. The validity of the thermal stress history reconstruction was groundtruthed using information from the Abrolhos Bank, the only consistently monitored reef site in the South Atlantic—DHW data accurately matched the observed bleaching episodes at this site. With this, our dataset shows that multiple bleaching episodes likely occurred in the South Atlantic, but went undocumented in the field. Therefore, the information currently available for the South Atlantic likely underestimates the extent of bleaching occurring in the area, which is experiencing increases in intensity, duration, and frequency of thermal stress.

Fisheries Co‐Management Strengthen the Effectiveness of Protected Areas in Amazonian Floodplain Lakes - Giulia Cristina Lopes Carvalho; Jansen Zuanon; Bruno Ferezim Morales; Gabriel Gazzana Barros; Gabriel Costa Borba; Sidineia Aparecida Amadio; Cristhiana Paula Röpke; Akemi Shibuya; Thatyla Luana Beck Farago; Carlos Edwar de Carvalho Freitas; Claudia Pereira de Deus; Flávia Kelly Siqueira‐Souza (Fisheries Management and Ecology, 2025)
Aquatic protected areas and co‐management have been proposed as strategies for conserving fisheries resources in several world regions. We analyzed the effects of different levels of governance on yield of experimental fisheries in Amazonian floodplain lakes. Sampling between 2018 and 2022 used gill nets deployed for 24 h during flooding and receding water phases. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were fitted to catch per unit effort (CPUE) and covariates, river level, time, sampling sites, level of management of the collection sites, and lake fishery management type. CPUE was significantly related to governance, management type, sampling site, and water level. Our results indicated that areas of sustainable use where community‐based co‐management was implemented were more effective for promoting high fishery yield.

Qualitative vs. quantitative morphology of seeds of an Italian critically endangered Hawkweed as predictor of germination capacity - Giulia Albani Rocchetti; Laura Gargiulo; Antonio Gaetano Napolitano; Simone Orsenigo; Giacomo Mele; Thomas Abeli (Plant Biosystems, 2025)

Cellular and biochemical alterations induced by diesel oil in the brown alga Sargassum cymosum var. stenophyllum cultured in vitro - Eva Regina Oliveira; Fernanda Ramlov; Éder Carlos Schmidt; Débora Tomazi; Claudia Marlene Bauer; Fernanda K. Pilatti; Rodolfo Moresco; Giulia Burle Costa; Sara Cardoso; Zenilda Laurita Bouzon; Paulo Antunes Horta; Miguel Rocha; et al. (Chemosphere, 2025)

The role of perceived parental overprotection in women's restrained eating behavior: A moderated mediation model of alexithymia, perfectionism, and asceticism - Silvia Casale; Simon Ghinassi; Giulia Rezzano; Massimiliano Padovani; Giovanni Castellini; Giulia Fioravanti (Appetite, 2025)

The physiological mechanisms underlying consumer preferences towards organic food - Giulia D'Adamo; Giulia Andreani; Martina Ardizzi; Francesca Ferroni; Doriana De Marco; Daniele Asioli; Giovanni Sogari; Maria Alessandra Umiltà (Appetite, 2025)

Marine protected areas governance, social norms, and social networks - Maria B. Battaglia; Jeremy Pittman; Graham B. Epstein; Giulia Bernardi; Derek Armitage (Marine Policy, 2025)

Cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of railway prestressed concrete sleepers: A state-of-the-art review and strategies for reducing environmental impacts - Giulia Del Serrone; Gennaro Riccio; Laura Moretti (Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2025)

Validation of two multiplex lateral flow devices for the rapid detection and typing of foot-and-mouth disease viruses - Efrem Alessandro Foglia; Valerie Mioulet; Simone Cavalera; Jozhel Baguisi; Sena İnel Turgut; Abraham Sangula; Salman Khan; Syed Muhammad Jamal; Harry Bull; Sergio Rosati; Chiara Nogarol; Giulia Pezzoni; et al. (Research in Veterinary Science, 2025)

Cartilage defect identification on computed tomography arthrography in equine fetlock: Ex-vivo study - Irene Nocera; Chiara Di Franco; Elisa Marcucci; Caterina Puccinelli; Giulia Sala; Micaela Sgorbini; Simonetta Citi (Research in Veterinary Science, 2025)

A validated DEM modelling framework on plate and pile penetrations in a double-layer scour protection system - Hao Shi; Cihan Cengiz; Giulia Macaro; Mario Martinelli; Jovana Jovanova; Dingena Schott (Ocean Engineering, 2025)

Nature-based solutions and urban planning in the Global South: Challenge orientations, typologies, and viability for cities - Anna Giulia Castaldo; Margherita Gori Nocentini; Fabiano Lemes de Oliveira; Israa H. Mahmoud (Land Use Policy, 2025)

Spatial allocation of nature-based solutions in the form of public green infrastructure in relation to the socio-economic district profile–a GIS-based comparative study of Gdańsk and Rome - Anahita Azadgar; Giulia Luciani; Lucyna Nyka (Land Use Policy, 2025)

Fault-induced karst features: Insights from the Poço Verde Fault tip in the Northwestern portion of Potiguar Basin, Brazil - Tarsila B. Dantas; Giulia Striglio; Vincenzo La Bruna; Francisco H.R. Bezerra; Fabrizio Balsamo; Renata E.B. Araujo; Carla P.Q. Furtado; Juliana G. Rabelo; Rebeca S. Lima; David L. Vasconcelos; Delano M. Ibanez; Francisco P. Lima-Filho (Journal of Structural Geology, 2025)

Human exposure to polychlorinated alkanes (C8–36) in soil and dust from Nigerian e-waste sites: Occurrence, homologue pattern and health risk assessment - Shanshan Yin; Bilikis T. Folarin; Stijn Bosschaerts; Temilola Oluseyi; Giulia Poma; Xuanchen Liu; Adrian Covaci (Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2025)

An integrated approach based on UHPLC-HRMS, 1H-NMR and sensory analysis reveals the exclusive lipid fingerprint of long-ripened protected designation of origin Coppa Piacentina - Gabriele Rocchetti; Giulia Leni; Michela Errico; Samantha Sigolo; Veronica Lolli; Alessandra Scansani; Federico Froldi; Annalisa Rebecchi; Augusta Caligiani; Terenzio Bertuzzi; Luigi Lucini; Aldo Prandini (Food Chemistry, 2025)

Effects of methylglyoxal on intestine and microbiome composition in aged mice - Emanuela Tirelli; Mariachiara Pucci; Margherita Squillario; Gloria Bignotti; Serena Messali; Stefania Zini; Mattia Bugatti; Moris Cadei; Maurizio Memo; Arnaldo Caruso; Simona Fiorentini; Vincenzo Villanacci; et al. (Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2025)

The function of love: A signaling-to-alternatives account of the commitment device hypothesis - Benjamin Gelbart; Kathryn V. Walter; Daniel Conroy-Beam; Casey Estorque; David M. Buss; Kelly Asao; Agnieszka Sorokowska; Piotr Sorokowski; Toivo Aavik; Grace Akello; Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba; Charlotte Alm; et al. (Evolution and Human Behavior, 2025)

Climate change and occupational health and safety. Risk of injuries, productivity loss and the co-benefits perspective - A. Marinaccio; C. Gariazzo; L. Taiano; M. Bonafede; D. Martini; S. D'Amario; F. de’Donato; M. Morabito; Filippo Ariani; Alessandra Binazzi; Andrea Bogi; Michela Bonafede; et al. (Environmental Research, 2025)

Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer mortality and air pollution exposure in Tuscany, Italy: Bayesian Health Impact Assessment and Global Sensitivity Analysis on a sub-regional scale - Michela Baccini; Federico Pirona; Laura Grisotto; Giulia Cereda; Alessio Lachi; Miriam Levi; Giulia Carreras (Environmental Pollution, 2025)

A simple method for the enhancement of river bathymetry in LiDAR DEM - Gabriele Farina; Marco Pilotti; Luca Milanesi; Giulia Valerio (Environmental Modelling & Software, 2025)

Thermal comfort and perceived air quality (PAQ) using automatic ceiling fans in residential buildings - Akshit Gupta; Giulia Torriani; Simone Torresin; Lorenza Pistore; Matteo Pellegatti; Lucia Piazza; Fabrizio Miorin; Wilmer Pasut; Annamaria Belleri; Roberto Lollini; Francesco Babich (Energy and Buildings, 2025)

Bacterial community dynamics in a biofilm-based process after electro-assisted Fenton pre-treatment of real olive mill wastewater - Marco De Carluccio; Raffaella Sabatino; Giulia Borgomaneiro; Andrea Di Cesare; Luigi Rizzo (Bioresource Technology, 2025)

First Assessment of Freshwater Monitoring Under the Eu National Emission Ceilings Directive: Emerging Issues and Way Forward - Giulia Cesarini; Riccardo Fornaroli; Angela Boggero; Simona Musazzi; Silvia Zaupa; Elzbieta Dumnicka; Aldo Marchetto; Michela Rogora (Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 2025)
Air pollution has significantly increased during the Anthropocene, adversely affecting ecosystems and human health. The National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD, 2016/2284/EU) set targets for reducing emissions and required Member States to establish a national monitoring network to assess ecosystem changes due to air pollution. For freshwaters, the NECD monitoring focused on assessing effects of sulphur and nitrogen deposition and acidification status using chemical parameters and sensitive biological indicators. This paper evaluates the present NECD monitoring scheme and its applicability in Italy, from site selection to initial data collection. High mountain lakes were selected as study sites, because they are free from direct human impacts and sensitive to air pollutant deposition. A two-year survey of chemical and biological components (diatoms and macroinvertebrates) was conducted in eight lakes with the aim to (1) assess the suitability of chemical parameters and biological indices for evaluating air pollutant impacts on sensitive water bodies in Italy, focusing on acidification and nitrogen enrichment, and (2) discuss the current approach's achievements and limitations. Results highlighted the need to develop specific indices for detecting atmospheric pollution impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Beside acidification, other drivers, including nutrients, proved to be important in shaping mountain lakes biological assemblages and affecting their response to pollutant deposition. Our study contributed to a critical assessment of the present freshwater monitoring under the NECD from the Italian perspective, providing indications on future improvement and development of the monitoring scheme itself.

Pimpinella anisum essential oil and trans-anethole activity against key insect pests and non-target ants - Valeria Zeni; Renato Ricciardi; Alberto Masoni; Giacomo Santini; Filippo Di Giovanni; Christian Frasconi; Andrea Lucchi; Angelo Canale; Eleonora Spinozzi; Filippo Maggi; Nicolas Desneux; Giovanni Benelli; et al. (Journal of Pest Science, 2025)

Critical assessment of missense variant effect predictors on disease-relevant variant data - Ruchir Rastogi; Ryan Chung; Sindy Li; Chang Li; Kyoungyeul Lee; Junwoo Woo; Dong-Wook Kim; Changwon Keum; Giulia Babbi; Pier Luigi Martelli; Castrense Savojardo; Rita Casadio; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)
Regular, systematic, and independent assessments of computational tools that are used to predict the pathogenicity of missense variants are necessary to evaluate their clinical and research utility and guide future improvements. The Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) conducts the ongoing Annotate-All-Missense (Missense Marathon) challenge, in which missense variant effect predictors (also called variant impact predictors) are evaluated on missense variants added to disease-relevant databases following the prediction submission deadline. Here we assess predictors submitted to the CAGI 6 Annotate-All-Missense challenge, predictors commonly used in clinical genetics, and recently developed deep learning methods. We examine performance across a range of settings relevant for clinical and research applications, focusing on different subsets of the evaluation data as well as high-specificity and high-sensitivity regimes. Our evaluations reveal notable advances in current methods relative to older, well-cited tools in the field. While meta-predictors tend to outperform their constituent individual predictors, several newer individual predictors perform comparably to commonly used meta-predictors. Predictor performance varies between high-specificity and high-sensitivity regimes, highlighting that different methods may be optimal for different use cases. We also characterize two potential sources of bias. Predictors that incorporate allele frequency as a predictive feature tend to have reduced performance when distinguishing pathogenic variants from very rare benign variants, and predictors trained on pathogenicity labels from curated variant databases often inherit gene-level label imbalances. Our findings help illuminate the clinical and research utility of modern missense variant effect predictors and identify potential areas for future development.

Evaluation of enzyme activity predictions for variants of unknown significance in Arylsulfatase A - Shantanu Jain; Marena Trinidad; Thanh Binh Nguyen; Kaiya Jones; Santiago Diaz Neto; Fang Ge; Ailin Glagovsky; Cameron Jones; Giankaleb Moran; Boqi Wang; Kobra Rahimi; Sümeyra Zeynep Çalıcı; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)

Assessing the predicted impact of single amino acid substitutions in MAPK proteins for CAGI6 challenges - Paola Turina; Maria Petrosino; Carlos A. Enriquez Sandoval; Leonore Novak; Alessandra Pasquo; Emil Alexov; Muttaqi Ahmad Alladin; David B. Ascher; Giulia Babbi; Constantina Bakolitsa; Rita Casadio; Jianlin Cheng; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)

Evaluating predictors of kinase activity of STK11 variants identified in primary human non-small cell lung cancers - Yile Chen; Kyoungyeul Lee; Junwoo Woo; Dong-wook Kim; Changwon Keum; Giulia Babbi; Rita Casadio; Pier Luigi Martelli; Castrense Savojardo; Matteo Manfredi; Yang Shen; Yuanfei Sun; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)
Critical evaluation of computational tools for predicting variant effects is important considering their increased use in disease diagnosis and driving molecular discoveries. In the sixth edition of the Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) challenge, a dataset of 28 STK11 rare variants (27 missense, 1 single amino acid deletion), identified in primary non-small cell lung cancer biopsies, was experimentally assayed to characterize computational methods from four participating teams and five publicly available tools. Predictors demonstrated a high level of performance on key evaluation metrics, measuring correlation with the assay outputs and separating loss-of-function (LoF) variants from wildtype-like (WT-like) variants. The best participant model, 3Cnet, performed competitively with well-known tools. Unique to this challenge was that the functional data was generated with both biological and technical replicates, thus allowing the assessors to realistically establish maximum predictive performance based on experimental variability. Three out of the five publicly available tools and 3Cnet approached the performance of the assay replicates in separating LoF variants from WT-like variants. Surprisingly, REVEL, an often-used model, achieved a comparable correlation with the real-valued assay output as that seen for the experimental replicates. Performing variant interpretation by combining the new functional evidence with computational and population data evidence led to 16 new variants receiving a clinically actionable classification of likely pathogenic (LP) or likely benign (LB). Overall, the STK11 challenge highlights the utility of variant effect predictors in biomedical sciences and provides encouraging results for driving research in the field of computational genome interpretation.

CAGI6 ID panel challenge: assessment of phenotype and variant predictions in 415 children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) - Maria Cristina Aspromonte; Alessio Del Conte; Shaowen Zhu; Wuwei Tan; Yang Shen; Yexian Zhang; Qi Li; Maggie Haitian Wang; Giulia Babbi; Samuele Bovo; Pier Luigi Martelli; Rita Casadio; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)
The Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Lab in Padua provided a new intellectual disability (ID) Panel challenge for computational methods to predict patient phenotypes and their causal variants in the context of the Critical Assessment of the Genome Interpretation, 6th edition (CAGI6). Eight research teams submitted a total of 30 models to predict phenotypes based on the sequences of 74 genes (VCF format) in 415 pediatric patients affected by Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). NDDs are clinically and genetically heterogeneous conditions, with onset in infant age. Here, we assess the ability and accuracy of computational methods to predict comorbid phenotypes based on clinical features described in each patient and their causal variants. We also evaluated predictions for possible genetic causes in patients without a clear genetic diagnosis. Like the previous ID Panel challenge in CAGI5, seven clinical features (ID, ASD, ataxia, epilepsy, microcephaly, macrocephaly, hypotonia), and variants (Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic, Variants of Uncertain Significance and Risk Factors) were provided. The phenotypic traits and variant data of 150 patients from the CAGI5 ID Panel Challenge were provided as training set for predictors. The CAGI6 challenge confirms CAGI5 results that predicting phenotypes from gene panel data is highly challenging, with AUC values close to random, and no method able to predict relevant variants with both high accuracy and precision. However, a significant improvement is noted for the best method, with recall increasing from 66% to 82%. Several groups also successfully predicted difficult-to-detect variants, emphasizing the importance of variants initially excluded by the Padua NDD Lab.

Assessing the predicted impact of single amino acid substitutions in calmodulin for CAGI6 challenges - Paola Turina; Giuditta Dal Cortivo; Carlos A. Enriquez Sandoval; Emil Alexov; David B. Ascher; Giulia Babbi; Constantina Bakolitsa; Rita Casadio; Piero Fariselli; Lukas Folkman; Akash Kamandula; Panagiotis Katsonis; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)

Assessing predictions on fitness effects of missense variants in HMBS in CAGI6 - Jing Zhang; Lisa Kinch; Panagiotis Katsonis; Olivier Lichtarge; Milind Jagota; Yun S. Song; Yuanfei Sun; Yang Shen; Nurdan Kuru; Onur Dereli; Ogun Adebali; Muttaqi Ahmad Alladin; et al. (Human Genetics, 2025)

New experimental constraints on seismic velocities and densities across the $$α $$–$$β $$ quartz transition at deep crustal conditions - Giulia Mingardi; Julien Gasc; Matteo Ardit; Ross J. Angel; Wilson A. Crichton; Dmitrii Druzhbin; Jerome Aubry; Alexandre Schubnel; Matteo Alvaro (Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 2025)
At the pressure and temperature conditions of the lower crust, quartz undergoes a displacive phase transition from a trigonal ( $$α $$ ) to a hexagonal phase ( $$β $$ ). At room pressure, the $$α $$ – $$β $$ quartz transition occurs at 574.1 °C and it is associated with large changes in the thermodynamic and elastic properties. For that reason, it is interpreted as the cause of significant seismic velocity contrasts in the crust seen by seismic tomography. Existing thermodynamic models and Equations of State (EoS) of quartz are mostly constrained by data collected at room pressure (or at high pressure and room temperature). In this work we characterized the $$α $$ – $$β $$ quartz transition experimentally at simultaneous HP – HT conditions using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and acoustic measurements, and derived values of $$V_p$$ , $$V_s$$ , the adiabatic bulk modulus ( $$K_s$$ ) and the shear modulus ( G ). The data collected in the $$α $$ field agree with the models from the literature, so entrapment pressures of $$α $$ -quartz inclusions calculated via elastic barometry with these EoS should be reliable. However, our measured $$V_p$$ , $$V_s$$ , and $$K_s$$ are significantly lower than those predicted for $$β $$ -quartz. Whatever the cause of this discrepancy, interpretations of seismic data in terms of the properties of $$β $$ -quartz in the lower crust and calculations of entrapment conditions of quartz inclusions in the stability field of $$β $$ -quartz should be treated with caution.

Cascade genetic testing in hereditary cancer: exploring the boundaries of the Italian legal framework - Liliana Varesco; Francesco Di Tano; Juri Monducci; Stefania Sciallero; Daniela Turchetti; Claudia Bighin; Giulia Buzzatti; Irene Giannubilo; Lucia Trevisan; Linda Battistuzzi (Familial Cancer, 2025)

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genetic testing in unselected patients: example of private supplementation of public healthcare service - Francesca Fiorentino; Giovanni Innella; Federica Balducci; Laura Marullo; Giulia Lanzoni; Sara Miccoli; Laura Cardarelli; Daniela Turchetti; Sergio Tempesta (Familial Cancer, 2025)

Macroplastic colonization by macroinvertebrates in a Mediterranean wetland: A biodiversity enrichment opportunity - Davide Taurozzi; Giulia Cesarini; Massimiliano Scalici (Anthropocene, 2025)

Climate Change Effects on the Only Western Palearctic Plethodontids: Range Changes and Possible Depletion of Intraspecific Genetic Diversity - Mattia Iannella; Francesco Cerasoli; Enrico Lunghi; Giulia Console; Maurizio Biondi; Neftalí Sillero (Journal of Biogeography, 2025)
Aim Amphibians are particularly sensitive to rapid climatic shifts, due to their eco‐physiology, life history traits and high frequency of narrowly distributed species. The genus Speleomantes encompasses the only extant Western Palearctic plethodontids, with three species occurring in peninsular Italy and the remaining five endemic to Sardinia Island. Given the restricted ranges of Speleomantes species and their vulnerability to environmental change, we implemented Ecological Niche Models (ENMs) to estimate the likely impacts of various global warming scenarios on the extent and geographical location of climatically suitable areas. Time Period Current, with ENMs projected to 2030, 2050 and 2070 under alternative Shared Socioeconomic Pathways. Location Italian Peninsula and Sardinia Island. Major Taxa Studied Speleomantes Dubois 1984 (Caudata: Plethodontidae). Methods Ensembles of ENMs were fitted for each Speleomantes species, using the ‘biomod2’ modelling platform in R environment. Then, post‐modelling analyses were applied in GIS environment to highlight: (i) the primary geographic direction of predicted suitability shifts for each species and (ii) the proportion of stable, gained and lost suitable areas for each genetic lineage of the single species. Results We found a noticeable shrinking of suitable areas for all Speleomantes species, being particularly extensive under ‘business‐as‐usual’ scenarios for the Sardinian ones. Moreover, core suitable areas were predicted to shift for most species and suitability losses emerged to differently affect distinct genetic lineages, posing additional challenges for designing effective conservation measures. Main Conclusions The predicted shrinkage and shifting of climatically suitable areas for most Speleomantes species point to the urgency of evaluating in due time alternative conservation strategies for these endemic urodeles, to prevent losses of taxonomic and genetic diversity. Our modelling framework may be applied to other species with similar traits (e.g., low dispersal ability and narrow environmental niche breadth) to predict climate‐induced range contractions or shifts, using the gained information to optimise conservation outcomes.

Vascular Plant Extinction in Macaronesia: Biogeographical and Biological Drivers of Loss - Giulia Albani Rocchetti (Global Change Biology, 2025)

The Response of Carbon Uptake to Soil Moisture Stress: Adaptation to Climatic Aridity - Giulia Mengoli; Sandy P. Harrison; I. Colin Prentice (Global Change Biology, 2025)
The coupling between carbon uptake and water loss through stomata implies that gross primary production (GPP) can be limited by soil water availability through reduced leaf area and/or stomatal conductance. Ecosystem and land‐surface models commonly assume that GPP is highest under well‐watered conditions and apply a stress function to reduce GPP as soil moisture declines. Optimality considerations, however, suggest that the stress function should depend on climatic aridity: ecosystems adapted to more arid climates should use water more conservatively when soil moisture is high, but maintain unchanged GPP down to a lower critical soil‐moisture threshold. We use eddy‐covariance flux data to test this hypothesis. We investigate how the light‐use efficiency (LUE) of GPP depends on soil moisture across ecosystems representing a wide range of climatic aridity. ‘Well‐watered’ GPP is estimated using the sub‐daily P model, a first‐principles LUE model driven by atmospheric data and remotely sensed vegetation cover. Breakpoint regression is used to relate daily β(θ) (the ratio of flux data–derived GPP to modelled well‐watered GPP) to soil moisture estimated via a generic water balance model. The resulting piecewise function describing β(θ) varies with aridity, as hypothesised. Unstressed LUE, even when soil moisture is high, declines with increasing aridity index (AI). So does the critical soil‐moisture threshold. Moreover, for any AI value, there exists a soil moisture level at which β(θ) is maximised. This level declines as AI increases. This behaviour is captured by universal non‐linear functions relating both unstressed LUE and the critical soil‐moisture threshold to AI. Applying these aridity‐based functions to predict the site‐level response of LUE to soil moisture substantially improves GPP simulation under both water‐stressed and unstressed conditions, suggesting a route towards a robust, universal model representation of the effects of low soil moisture on leaf‐level photosynthesis.

Resolving Symbiodiniaceae Diversity Across Coral Microhabitats and Reef Niches - Wyatt C. Million; Christian R. Voolstra; Gabriela Perna; Giulia Puntin; Katherine Rowe; Maren Ziegler (Environmental Microbiology, 2025)
Dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae are important symbionts of diverse marine animals and they also occupy different environmental niches on coral reefs. The link between diversity at ecosystem‐scale to microhabitats of Symbiodiniaceae within the coral holobiont is largely unknown. Using ITS2‐amplicon sequencing, we compared Symbiodiniaceae communities across four environments (seawater, near‐reef vs. distant sediments and turf algae) and two coral microhabitats (tissue, mucus) on a coral reef in the Red Sea. We found that coral and environmental habitats were both dominated by the genera Symbiodinium , Cladocopium and Durusdinium , but environmental habitats additionally harboured Fugacium , Gerakladium and Halluxium . Each environmental habitat harboured a distinct Symbiodiniaceae community. Nonetheless, 17 ITS2 sequences were shared among coral and environmental habitats and were also part of nearly half of the ITS2 type profiles in coral‐based communities. Tissues and mucus of 49 coral colonies from 17 genera had largely identical Symbiodiniaceae communities. Together with the large difference between environmental Symbiodiniaceae communities and those in the coral tissue and mucus, our results indicate a clear barrier between host‐associated and environmental Symbiodiniaceae communities marked by only few shared complete type profiles. Monitoring coral colonies after mucus sampling confirmed its suitability for long‐term monitoring of coral‐associated Symbiodiniaceae communities.

Testis metal toxicity remediation by agro-food waste: evidence of a protective effect of melon seed husk extract Cucumeropsis mannii silica nanoparticles on gonadotropin and sex steroid hormones - Chidinma P. Anyachor; Orish Ebere Orisakwe; Chinna N. Orish; Costantino Parisi; Rubina Vangone; Valeria Guerretti; Loredana Assisi; Doris N. Ajibo; Baridoo Donatus Dooka; Kenneth M. Ezealisiji; Emidio M. Sivieri; Giulia Guerriero (Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2025)

Rebalancing Immune Interactions within the Brain-Spleen Axis Mitigates Neuroinflammation in an Aging Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease - Anna Flavia Cantone; Chiara Burgaletto; Giulia Di Benedetto; Gabriella Gaudio; Cesarina Giallongo; Rosario Caltabiano; Giuseppe Broggi; Carlo Maria Bellanca; Giuseppina Cantarella; Renato Bernardini (Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, 2025)
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide, characterized by accumulation of amyloid-β protein and hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the brain. Neuroinflammation, resulting from chronic activation of brain-resident innate immune cells as well as enhanced peripheral leukocyte access across the blood–brain barrier, crucially affects AD progression. In this context, TNFSF10, a cytokine substantially expressed in the AD brain, has been shown to modulate both the innate and the adaptive branches of the immune response in AD-related neuroinflammation. In this study, we explored whether a TNFSF10-neutralizing treatment could represent a tool to re-balance the overall overshooting inflammatory response in a mouse model of AD. Specifically, 3xTg-AD mice were treated sub-chronically with an anti-TNFSF10 monoclonal antibody for three months, and were then sacrificed at 15 months. TNFSF10 neutralization reduced the expression of the inflammatory marker CD86, inversely related to levels of the anti-inflammatory marker CD206 in the brain of 3xTg-AD mice, suggesting a switch of microglia towards a neuroprotective phenotype. Similar results were observed in the splenic macrophage population. Moreover, flow cytometry revealed a significant decrease of CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + T regulatory cells as well as reduced number of CD11b + LY6C high proinflammatory monocytes in both the brain and the spleen of 3xTg-AD mice treated with anti-TNFSF10 monoclonal antibody. Finally, the treatment resulted in lower count of splenic CD4 + and CD8 + T cells expressing PD1. The data suggest that TNFSF10 system-targeted treatment effectively restrain overshooting central and peripheral inflammation by rebalancing the overall immune response, mitigating the progression of AD pathology. Graphical Abstract

An IoT-based data analysis system: A case study on tomato cultivation under different irrigation regimes - Martina Galaverni; Giulia Oddi; Luca Preite; Laura Belli; Luca Davoli; Ilaria Marchioni; Margherita Rodolfi; Federico Solari; Deborah Beghè; Tommaso Ganino; Giuseppe Vignali; Gianluigi Ferrari (Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2025)

Common dolphin's shipping noise risk assessment on the Portuguese coast - Giulia Spadoni; Ricardo Duarte; Cristiano Soares; Marc Fernandez; Sérgio M. Jesus (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2025)

Evidence on local climate policies achieving emission reduction targets by 2030 - Camilo Franco; Giulia Melica; Valentina Palermo; Paolo Bertoldi (Urban Climate, 2025)

Assessing and mapping changes in soil ecosystem services and soil threats in agroecosystems through scenario-based approaches – A systematic review - Ottone Scammacca; David Montagne; Sabina Asins-Velis; Giulia Bondi; Luboš Borůvka; Gabriele Buttafuoco; Alice Cadero; Costanza Calzolari; Isabelle Cousin; Martina Czuba; Cecilie Foldal; Armin Malli; et al. (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Computing riverine inputs of macrolitter into the Central Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea) from the Tiber River during the 1st post-pandemic year - Giulia Cesarini; Antonella Arcangeli; Massimiliano Scalici; Roberto Crosti (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Bovine besnoitiosis: Assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of three different tests using a Bayesian latent class model approach and clinical characterization of the disease - Joana Jacinto; Giulia Graziosi; Roberta Galuppi; Anastasia Poluzzi; Tolulope Ogundipe; Gianfranco Militerno; Andrea Beltrame; Arcangelo Gentile; Filippo Maria Dini (Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2025)

Planktic foraminiferal response to the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) from southern mid-to-high latitudes - Giulia Filippi; Valeria Luciani (Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2025)

Different thermal regimes and susceptibility to herbivory do not constrain seagrass seedling restoration - Arianna Pansini; Patrizia Stipcich; Sara Frasca; Luciana Migliore; Giulia Ceccherelli (Marine Environmental Research, 2025)

How tourists change farms: The impact of agritourism on organic farming adoption and local community interaction in the Tyrol-Trentino mountain region - Giulia Grillini; Thomas Streifeneder; Rike Stotten; Markus Schermer; Christian Fischer (Journal of Rural Studies, 2025)

Chemical and microbiological assessment of early wine fermentation phase can predict yeast cell viability during post-fermentation process - Jacopo Sica; Giulia Crosato; Zeno Molinelli; Chiara Nadai; Alessio Giacomini; Viviana Corich (International Journal of Food Microbiology, 2025)

Cold liquid stabulation: Impact on the phenolic, antioxidant, and aroma characteristics of wines from aroma-neutral white grape varieties - Camilla De Paolis; Andrea Zava; Maria Alessandra Paissoni; Susana Río Segade; Giulia Motta; Domen Škrab; Sofia Beria D'Argentina; Lorenzo Ferrero; Simone Giacosa; Vincenzo Gerbi; Luca Rolle (Food Chemistry, 2025)

Hydrolysis of plasma-polymerized poly(ethylene glycol)/ZnO nanocomposites in food simulants: Identification of components and potential toxicity - Maryam Zabihzadeh Khajavi; Anton Nikiforov; Giulia Tomei; Rino Morent; Frank Devlieghere; Peter Ragaert; Ester Marotta; Nathalie De Geyter (Food Chemistry, 2025)

Improvement of the safety of artisanal Spanish fermented sausages: Spotlight on the role of bacteriocinogenic Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum against a Companilactobacillus alimentarius histaminogenic strain - Federica Barbieri; Giulia Tabanelli; Oriol Comas-Basté; Mariluz Latorre-Moratalla; Chiara Angelucci; Fausto Gardini; Chiara Montanari; J. David García-López; Alberto Baños (Food Control, 2025)

The environmental neuroactive chemicals list of prioritized substances for human biomonitoring and neurotoxicity testing: A database and high-throughput toxicokinetics approach - Julia E. Rager; Lauren E. Koval; Elise Hickman; Caroline Ring; Taylor Teitelbaum; Todd Cohen; Giulia Fragola; Mark J. Zylka; Lawrence S. Engel; Kun Lu; Stephanie M. Engel (Environmental Research, 2025)

Population size, income and poor sanitation interact to explain widespread streamwater contamination by antidepressants in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo - Luis Schiesari; Ricardo Taniwaki; Rodolfo Mei Pelinson; Hagop Armenio Barsoumian; Giulia Baldaconi Bispo; Gabriel Lourenço Brejão; Mayumi Cursino de Moura Hirye; Aline Franco Martins; José Luiz Costa (Environmental Pollution, 2025)

New energy-based methodology to characterize nonlinear seismic response - Giulio Augusto Tropea; Giulia Angelucci; Davide Bernardini; Giuseppe Quaranta; Fabrizio Mollaioli (Engineering Structures, 2025)

Social capital and vaccination compliance: Evidence from Italy - Giulia Montresor; Lucia Schiavon (Economics & Human Biology, 2025)

Evaluation of main regulating, provisioning, and supporting ecosystem services of urban street trees: A literature review - Valentina Savo; Luca D’Amato; Flavia Bartoli; Ilaria Zappitelli; Giulia Caneva (Ecosystem Services, 2025)

Effect of torrefaction severity on the energy recovery from amazonian wood residues for decentralized energy conversion systems - Edgar A. Silveira; Giulia Cruz Lamas; Pedro Paulo de O. Rodrigues; Normando P.B. Souto; Bruno Sant’Anna Chaves; Luiz Gustavo Oliveira Galvão; Lucélia A. Macedo; Juliana Sabino Rodrigues; Sandra M. Luz; Patrick Rousset; Thiago de Paula Protásio (Biomass and Bioenergy, 2025)

Transcriptional modulation in Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis following exposure to four pharmaceuticals widely distributed in coastal areas - Ilaria Bernardini; Marica Mezzelani; Michela Panni; Giulia Dalla Rovere; Alessandro Nardi; Ouafa El Idrissi; Luca Peruzza; Stefania Gorbi; Serena Ferraresso; Luca Bargelloni; Tomaso Patarnello; Francesco Regoli; et al. (Aquatic Toxicology, 2025)

Detection of glyphosate, glufosinate, and their metabolites in multi-floral honey for food safety - Giulia Rampazzo; Maria Nobile; Stefania Carpino; Luca Chiesa; Sergio Ghidini; Teresa Gazzotti; Sara Panseri (Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 2025)

One Health tropical wetlands: a transdisciplinary framework for assessing the risks of emerging zoonotic diseases in the Brazilian Pantanal - Fabio de Oliveira Roque; Heitor Miraglia Herrera; Gisele Braziliano de Andrade; Matthew Johnson; André Valle Nunes; Alessandra Gutierrez de Oliveira; Eduardo de Castro Ferreira; Geraldo Wilson Fernandes; Giulia Armani Araujo; Luiz Gustavo R. O. Santos; Rafael Morais Chiaravalloti; Reinaldo Farias Paiva de Lucena; et al. (Wetlands Ecology and Management, 2025)

A new smartphone-based digital stethoscope featuring phonocardiography and electrocardiography in adult horses - Francesca Bindi; Chiara Bozzola; Tommaso Vezzosi; Enrica Zucca; Domenico Caivano; Francesca Freccero; Giulia Sala; Micaela Sgorbini (Veterinary Research Communications, 2025)

The evolutionary history of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) revealed by chloroplast and nuclear genomes analysis - Giulia Frascarelli; Teresa R. Galise; Nunzio D’Agostino; Donata Cafasso; Salvatore Cozzolino; Gaia Cortinovis; Francesca Sparvoli; Elisa Bellucci; Valerio Di Vittori; Laura Nanni; Alice Pieri; Marzia Rossato; et al. (Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 2025)
Key message The origin of common bean was investigated throughout chloroplast and nuclear WGS data considering recombination events. Our results support the Mesoamerican origin of common bean. Abstract The remarkable evolutionary history of the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L. ) has led to the emergence of three wild main gene pools corresponding to three different eco-geographical areas: Mesoamerica, the Andes and northern Peru/Ecuador. Recent works proposed novel scenarios, and the northern Peru/Ecuador population has been described as a new species called P. debouckii, rekindling the debate about the origin of P. vulgaris . Here we shed light on the origin of P. vulgaris by analyzing the chloroplast and nuclear genomes of a large varietal collection representing the entire geographical distribution of wild forms including a large collection of Mesoamerican and Andean individuals. We assembled 37 chloroplast genomes de novo and used them to construct a time frame for the divergence of the genotypes under investigation, revealing that the separation of the Mesoamerican and northern Peru/Ecuador gene pools occurred ~ 0.15 Mya. Our results clearly support a Mesoamerican origin of the common bean and reject the recent P. deboukii hypothesis. These results also imply two independent migratory events from Mesoamerica to the North and South Andes, probably facilitated by birds. Our work represents a paradigmatic example of the importance of taking into account the genetic rearrangements produced by recombination when investigating phylogeny and of the analysis of wild forms when studying the evolutionary history of a crop species.

Unleashing the Power of Induced Pluripotent stem Cells in in vitro Modelling of Lesch-Nyhan Disease - Sundas Javed; Marco Fersini; Giulia Bernardini (Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, 2025)

OsMAINTENANCE OF MERISTEM LIKE 1 controls style number at high temperatures in rice - Lorenzo Mineri; Giulia Ave Bono; Elisabetta Sergi; Pierangela E. Colleoni; Piero Morandini; Giulio Vicentini; Fabio Fornara; Vittoria Brambilla (Plant Molecular Biology, 2025)

Direct detection of phycocyanin in sediments by hyperspectral imaging - Giulia Wienhues; Petra Zahajská; Daniela Fischer; Tobias Schneider; Martin Grosjean (Journal of Paleolimnology, 2025)
Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous aquatic organisms with a remarkable evolutionary history reaching as far as 1.9 Ga. They play a vital role in ecosystems yet also raise concerns due to their association with harmful algal blooms. Understanding the historical patterns and drivers behind these blooms is crucial for effective ecosystem management. Lake-sediment cores are valuable natural environmental archives, recording the histories of such blooms. Among others, phycocyanin, a pigment specific to cyanobacteria, emerges as a promising biomarker for reconstructing past cyanobacterial bloom events. However, due to the physicochemical properties of phycocyanin, there is no validated method available to extract and measure this pigment from complex sediment matrix. This study explores the applicability of hyperspectral imaging (HSI), a non-destructive technique, as a novel approach for high resolution in-situ detection and quantification of phycocyanin in lake sediments. Our experiments show that phycocyanin can be detected by HSI with an absorption trough at 620 nm (relative absorption band depth, RABD 620 ). We established a semi-quantitative calibration of the spectral index RABD 620 by conducting spiking experiments with phycocyanin standard (known phycocyanin mass) on organic-rich and mineral-rich sediments of varying water contents. We also assessed potential interference from chlorophyll a , another photosynthetic pigment, ensuring the reliability of hyperspectral phycocyanin measurements. Our findings demonstrate a significant correlation (R 2 ranging from 0.37 to 0.997) between the RABD 620 index and associated phycocyanin amounts in organic-rich and minerogenic sediments. This indicates the potential of the spectral index to directly measure in-situ biomarker concentrations on split sediment cores. Although confounding factors such as water and chlorophyll a content can influence the spectral signal, this method offers a rapid and non-destructive approach for studying historical cyanobacterial blooms in sedimentary records. This opens promising grounds for various applications, including ecosystem-health assessment and environmental change monitoring.

Effect of CFTR modulators Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor on lipid metabolism in human bronchial epithelial cells - Dorina Dobi; Nicoletta Loberto; Laura Mauri; Rosaria Bassi; Elena Chiricozzi; Giulia Lunghi; Massimo Aureli (Glycoconjugate Journal, 2025)

Quantitative soil indicators for identifying primary stressors in fruit tree decline: a case study on kiwifruit vine decline syndrome - Luisa M. Manici; Giulia Maisto; Cristina Abbate; Francesco Caputo; Valeria Memoli; Lucia Santorufo; Bruno Morello; Monica Zizolfi; Giorgia Santini; Salvatore Vitale; Alessandro Infantino (Applied Soil Ecology, 2025)

Earthworms multi-biomarker approach for ecotoxicological assessment of soils irrigated with reused treated wastewater - Antonio Calisi; Teodoro Semeraro; Maria Elena Giordano; Francesco Dondero; Maria Giulia Lionetto (Applied Soil Ecology, 2025)

Vineyard footprint on pollinators is mediated by flower vegetation, organic farming, seasonal and weather factors, a case study from North Italy - Paolo Biella; Fausto Ramazzotti; Giulia Parolo; Andrea Galimberti; Massimo Labra; Mattia Brambilla (Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2025)

Investigating the quality of European silver eels by quantifying contaminants and parasite infestation in a French Mediterranean lagoon complex - Amélie Hoste; Raphaël Lagarde; Elsa Amilhat; Colin Bouchard; Paco Bustamante; Adrian Covaci; Elisabeth Faliex; Emmanuelle Migne; Giulia Poma; Claire Tetrel; Klervi Verbrugghe; Hugo Vey Payre; et al. (Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2025)

Whole Blood DNA Methylation Analysis Reveals Epigenetic Changes Associated with ARSACS - Giulia De Riso; Valentina Naef; Devid Damiani; Stefano Doccini; Filippo M. Santorelli; Daniele Galatolo (The Cerebellum, 2025)

Painful diabetic neuropathy is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging - Katarzyna Malgorzata Kwiatkowska; Paolo Garagnani; Massimiliano Bonafé; Maria Giulia Bacalini; Luciano Calzari; Davide Gentilini; Dan Ziegler; Monique M. Gerrits; Catharina G. Faber; Rayaz A. Malik; Margherita Marchi; Erika Salvi; et al. (GeroScience, 2025)
About one out of two diabetic patients develop diabetic neuropathy (DN), of these 20% experience neuropathic pain (NP) leading to individual, social, and health-economic burden. Risk factors for NP are largely unknown; however, premature aging was recently associated with several chronic pain disorders. DNA methylation-based biological age (DNAm) is associated with disease risk, morbidity, and mortality in different clinical settings. The purpose of this work was to study, for the first time, whether biological age is involved in pain development in a huge cohort of DN patients with neuropathy assessed by anatomopathological assay (99 painful (PDN), 132 painless (PLDN) patients, 84 controls (CTRL)). Six subsets of DNAm biomarkers were calculated to evaluate NP-associated changes in epigenetic aging, telomere shortening, blood cell count estimates, and plasma protein surrogates. We observed pain-related acceleration of epigenetic age (DNAmAgeHannum, DNAmGrimAgeBasedOnPredictedAge, DNAmAgeSkinBloodClock), pace of aging (DunedinPoAm), and shortening of telomeres between PDN and PLDN patients. PDN showed decreased predicted counts of B lymphocytes, naive and absolute CD8 T cells, and increased granulocyte counts. Several surrogates of plasma proteins were significantly different (GHR, MMP1, THBS2, PAPPA, TGF-α, GDF8, EDA, MPL, CCL21) in PDNs compared to PLDNs. These results provide the first evidence of an acceleration of biological aging in patients with painful compared to painless DN. This achievement has been possible thanks to the state of the art clinical phenotyping of the enrolled patients. Our findings indicate that the aging process may be directly involved in the PDN progression and in general health degeneration in the T2DM patients. Therefore, it is possible to hypothesize that the administration of effective antiaging drugs could slow down or even block the disease advancement.

Study of Non-Linearities in Humpback Whale Song Units - Yann Doh; Dorian Cazau; Giulia Lamaj; Eduardo Mercado; Joy S. Reidenberg; Jeff K. Jacobsen; Christina E. Perazio; Beverley Ecalle; Olivier Adam (Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 2025)
Unique in mammals, the vocal generator of mysticete species comprises membranes covering the two arytenoid cartilages that vibrate as the airflow passes through the trachea from the lungs to the laryngeal sac. By adjusting the airflow as well as the spacing and orientation of the two cartilages, mysticetes control the vibrations and vary acoustic qualities of the produced sounds, including the duration, amplitude, and frequency modulation of vocalizations. Humpback whales control sound production in this way to construct a complex vocal repertoire, including vocalizations with or without harmonics as well as pulsed sounds. Some vocalizations within humpback whale songs, called units, exhibit non-linearities such as frequency jumps and chaos. Here, we further describe non-linear features of units, including two additional non-linearities: subharmonics and biphonation. Subharmonics within units are probably due to higher air flow rates and to the acoustic modes of internal resonators. Biphonic vocalizations are likely generated either by an asymmetric opening of the arytenoid cartilages or by the passage of the air flow at two separate positions along the membranes. Our analyses revealed acoustic non-linearities in vocalizations emitted by six different singers during multiple breeding seasons and from populations in different oceans, suggesting that singing humpback whales often produce units with non-linear features.

Modeling the spatial distribution and abundance of deep‐water red shrimps in the Mediterranean Sea: a machine learning approach - Elena Catucci; Diego Panzeri; Simone Libralato; Gianpiero Cossarini; Germana Garofalo; Irida Maina; Stefanos Kavadas; Federico Quattrocchi; Giulia Cipriano; Roberto Carlucci; Sergio Vitale; Chryssi Mytilineou; et al. (Fisheries Research, 2025)

The curious case of rhesus macaques: despotism does not prevent third-party postconflict affiliation - Simone Aere; Luca Pedruzzi; Giulia Facondini; Martin Böye; Elisabetta Palagi; Alban Lemasson (Animal Behaviour, 2025)

Valorization of organic waste through black soldier fly: On the way of a real circular bioeconomy process - Daniele Bruno; Marco Orlando; Edoardo Testa; Marco Carnevale Miino; Giulia Pesaro; Matteo Miceli; Loredano Pollegioni; Vincenzina Barbera; Elisa Fasoli; Lorenza Draghi; Alberto Pietro Damiano Baltrocchi; Navarro Ferronato; et al. (Waste Management, 2025)

User characteristics and preferences for micromobility use in first- and last-mile journeys in Dublin, Ireland - Giulia Oeschger; Brian Caulfield; Páraic Carroll (Travel Behaviour and Society, 2025)

Metagenome-resolved functional traits of Rubrobacter species implicated in rosy discoloration of ancient frescoes in two Georgian Cathedrals - Arianna Basile; Filippo Pasquale Riggio; Marco Tescari; Alif Chebbi; Armida Sodo; Flavia Bartoli; Francesco Imperi; Giulia Caneva; Paolo Visca (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Upscaling drought resilience by coupling soil data and UAV-multispectral imageries - Giulia Sofia; Martina Sinatra; Paolo Tarolli; Claudio Zaccone (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Insights into the effects of phenolic compounds on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris: The case of olive mill wastewater - Martina Lenzuni; Giulia D'Agostino; Patrizia Perego; Attilio Converti; Alessandro Alberto Casazza (Science of The Total Environment, 2025)

Microplastics in commercial bivalves and their association with farm structures: A case study in a relevant aquaculture area of Brazil - Giulia S. Brocardo; Miguel Saldaña-Serrano; Crislaine Bertoldi; Carlos Henrique Araujo de Miranda Gomes; Diego José Nogueira; Juliana Leonel; Andreia Neves Fernandes; Afonso Celso Dias Bainy (Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2025)

What time is the tide? The importance of tides for ocean colour applications to estuaries - Giulia Sent; Carlos Antunes; Evangelos Spyrakos; Thomas Jackson; Elizabeth C. Atwood; Ana C. Brito (Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 2025)

Paleoceanographic changes across OAE 2 inferred from resilient foraminifera and XRF data at southern high latitudes (IODP Sites U1513 and U1516, Mentelle Basin, SW Australia) - Giulia Amaglio; Maria Rose Petrizzo; Erik Wolfgring; Ann Holbourn; Wolfgang Kuhnt (Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2025)

Evaluation of the antineoplastic properties of the photosensitizer biscyanine in 2D and 3D tumor cell models and artificial skin models - Pedro Victor Silva Resende; Izabela Natália Faria Gomes; Maria Clara Peixoto; Giulia Rodrigues Stringhetta; Lidia Maria Rebolho Batista Arantes; Vladimir Alexandrovich Kuzmin; Iouri Borissevitch; Rui Manuel Reis; Vinícius de Lima Vazquez; Lucimara Perpetua Ferreira; Renato José Silva Oliveira (Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 2025)

Innovation ecosystems and Corporate Social Responsibility: Which dynamic capabilities are needed? - Giulia Piantoni; Marika Arena; Giovanni Azzone (Journal of Cleaner Production, 2025)

Environmental, climatic, socio-economic factors and non-pharmacological interventions: A comprehensive four-domain risk assessment of COVID-19 hospitalization and death in Northern Italy - Lucia Palandri; Cristiana Rizzi; Vittoria Vandelli; Tommaso Filippini; Alessandro Ghinoi; Giuliano Carrozzi; Gianfranco De Girolamo; Isabella Morlini; Paola Coratza; Enrico Giovannetti; Margherita Russo; Mauro Soldati; et al. (International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2025)

Valorization of grape pomace extracts against cranberry, elderberry, rose hip berry, goji berry and raisin extracts: Phytochemical profile and in vitro biological activity - Lorenza Marinaccio; Giulia Gentile; Eulogio J. Llorent-Martínez; Gokhan Zengin; Domiziana Masci; Federica Flamminii; Azzurra Stefanucci; Adriano Mollica (Food Chemistry, 2025)

Application of near-infrared spectroscopy as at line method for the evaluation of histamine in tuna fish (Thunnus albacares) - Sarah Currò; Federica Savini; Luca Fasolato; Valentina Indio; Federico Tomasello; Giulia Rampazzo; Elisa Zironi; Giampiero Pagliuca; Teresa Gazzotti; Laura Prandini; Damiano Accurso; Andrea Serraino; et al. (Food Control, 2025)

Toxicological effects and potential reproductive risk of microplastic-induced molecular changes in protamine-like proteins and their DNA binding - Carmela Marinaro; Giulia Scarciello; Anna Rita Bianchi; Bruno Berman; Teresa Chianese; Rosaria Scudiero; Luigi Rosati; Anna De Maio; Gennaro Lettieri; Marina Piscopo (Chemico-Biological Interactions, 2025)

A Multispecies Reactive Transport Model of Sequential Bioremediation and Pump-and-treat in a Chloroethenes-polluted Aquifer - Giulia Casiraghi; Daniele Pedretti; Giovanni P. Beretta; Lucia Cavalca; Simone Varisco; Marco Masetti (Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 2025)

CDK5 Deficiency Does not Impair Neuronal Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells but Affects Neurite Outgrowth - Sofía Mucci; Giulia Solange Clas; Camila Paola Allio; María Soledad Rodríguez-Varela; Luciana Isaja; Mariela Marazita; Gustavo Emilio Sevlever; María Elida Scassa; Leonardo Romorini (Molecular Neurobiology, 2025)

Deep learning approaches for the detection of scar presence from cine cardiac magnetic resonance adding derived parametric images - Francesca Righetti; Giulia Rubiu; Marco Penso; Sara Moccia; Maria L. Carerj; Mauro Pepi; Gianluca Pontone; Enrico G. Caiani (Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, 2025)
This work proposes a convolutional neural network (CNN) that utilizes different combinations of parametric images computed from cine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images, to classify each slice for possible myocardial scar tissue presence. The CNN performance comparison in respect to expert interpretation of CMR with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images, used as ground truth (GT), was conducted on 206 patients (158 scar, 48 control) from Centro Cardiologico Monzino (Milan, Italy) at both slice- and patient-levels. Left ventricle dynamic features were extracted in non-enhanced cine images using parametric images based on both Fourier and monogenic signal analyses. The CNN, fed with cine images and Fourier-based parametric images, achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.86 (accuracy 0.79, F1 0.81, sensitivity 0.9, specificity 0.65, and negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values 0.83 and 0.77, respectively), for individual slice classification. Remarkably, it exhibited 1.0 prediction accuracy (F1 0.98, sensitivity 1.0, specificity 0.9, NPV 1.0, and PPV 0.97) in patient classification as a control or pathologic. The proposed approach represents a first step towards scar detection in contrast-free CMR images. Patient-level results suggest its preliminary potential as a screening tool to guide decisions regarding LGE-CMR prescription, particularly in cases where indication is uncertain. Graphical abstract

High-energy emulsification of Allium sativum essential oil boosts insecticidal activity against Planococcus citri with no risk to honeybees - Antonino Modafferi; Giulia Giunti; Alberto Urbaneja; Francesca Laudani; Ilaria Latella; Meritxell Pérez-Hedo; Michele Ricupero; Vincenzo Palmeri; Orlando Campolo (Journal of Pest Science, 2025)
The ecotoxicological consequences of synthetic pesticides have encouraged stakeholders to search for eco-friendly pest control tools, like essential oils (EOs). Nano-delivery systems (nanoparticles and nano-emulsions) seem ideal for developing EO-based biopesticides, although production processes should be standardized and implemented. In this study, nano-emulsions loaded with a high amount of Allium sativum L. EO (15%) were developed using different mixed bottom-up/top-down processes. Garlic EO was chemically analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and formulations were physically characterized using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) apparatus. The insecticidal activity against Planococcus citri Risso (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and selectivity toward Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) worker bees was evaluated. Garlic EO was mainly composed of sulphur components (96.3%), with diallyl disulphide and diallyl trisulphide as the most abundant compounds (37.26% and 28.15%, respectively). Top-down processes could produce stable nano-emulsions with droplet size in the nanometric range (< 200nm) and good polydispersity index (PDI < 0.2). In contrast, the bottom-up emulsion was unstable, and its droplet size was around 500nm after 24 hours. High-energy emulsification processes significantly increased the residual toxicity of garlic EO against 3rd instar P. citri nymphs, whereas the developed formulations were harmless to A. mellifera workers in topical application. This study confirmed that the production process significantly affected the physical properties and efficacy against target pests. The lack of adverse impact on honeybees denotated the potential of these formulations as bioinsecticides in organic and/or IPM programs, although further extended ecotoxicological studies are necessary.

Back from the underworld: the exploitation of spring habitats by stygobiont species - Raoul Manenti; Veronica Zampieri; Giulia Pacinotti; Filippomaria Cassarino; Matteo Galbiati; Stefano Lapadula; Magdalena Gajdošová; Valeria Messina; Valentina Balestra; Mattia Falaschi; Gentile Francesco Ficetola; Benedetta Barzaghi (Hydrobiologia, 2025)
Stygobionts, namely animals with strong adaptations to subterranean environments that are unable to complete their life cycles outside groundwater, can be observed in spring ecotones, but their occurrence is generally considered accidental. The aim of this paper is to assess if stygobiont occurrence in springs is linked to specific environmental conditions or if it is random, irrespective of their features. For three years, we surveyed 59 spring sites recording the occurrence of vertebrate and invertebrate stygobiont species and assessing if spring features were related to their distribution. Moreover, we recorded the escape reactions of two easily identifiable stygobiont species. We detected six taxa usually considered as strictly stygobiont based on their troglomorphic features. Two of them were quite widespread: the salamander Proteus anguinus and the shrimp Troglocaris planinensis. Environmental characteristics were significantly related to the distribution of stygobionts. Hydroperiod and occurrence of flooding were the factors that played the strongest role in affecting occurrence. Our study suggests that the occurrence of stygobionts in springs is linked to specific habitat features rather than being a random mechanism and that the exploitation of ecotones can be important for the lifecycle of some species usually assumed to be strictly associated to caves.

Insights into the influence of intercropping and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on two modern durum wheat cultivars and their associated microbiota - Elisa Zampieri; Fabiano Sillo; Giulio Metelli; Maria Alexandra Cucu; Vincenzo Montesano; Giulia Quagliata; Lena Philipp; Francesca Brescia; Adriano Conte; Luca Giovannini; Carmelo Mennone; Angelo Fiore; et al. (Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2025)

Long-term monitoring of active large-scale landslides for non-structural risk mitigation - integrated sensors and web-based platform - Filippo Tommaso Catelan; Giulia Bossi; Luca Schenato; Melissa Tondo; Vincenzo Critelli; Marco Mulas; Giuseppe Ciccarese; Alessandro Corsini; David Tonidandel; Volkmar Mair; Gianluca Marcato (Journal of Mountain Science, 2025)

Rethinking Crop Rotational Benefits Under Climate Change: Beyond the Growing Season - Monique E. Smith; Riccardo Bommarco; Giulia Vico (Global Change Biology, 2025)
Here, we provide a commentary on “Changes in the yield effect of the preceding crop in the US Corn Belt under a warming climate” recently published in Global Change Biology. Crop rotational diversity has recently been gaining interest for its role in climate change adaptation; however, the focus has been on climatic conditions in the growing season . This study uses data from over a wide area and an important cropping system to demonstrate that the benefits of a different preceding crop for both corn and soybean depended on both growing season and non‐growing conditions.

Beyond the Win–Win Discourse: Designing Seaweed Farming for Long‐Term Success - Tomas Chaigneau; Giulia Nicolini; Katharine Orchel; Carly Daniels; Ian Ashton (Reviews in Aquaculture, 2025)
Communication about seaweed aquaculture has so far been dominated by its many socio‐economic and ecological advantages. A key risk of this ‘hype’ is the potential loss of support from communities affected by seaweed cultivation if reality fails to live up to expectations. This could have justice and equity implications for impacted communities, and undermine potential benefits for those communities, as well as affecting the long‐term success of emerging industries. This paper highlights experiences from other marine sectors in which a similar emphasis on benefits has drowned out discussion of potential costs, often leading to initial success but long‐term failure. We highlight the importance of clearly communicating possible negative impacts, and meaningfully engaging stakeholders to shape marine interventions. Finally, we recommend further research into the social dimensions of seaweed farming in geographies where this practice is nascent, and increased attention to the potential trade‐offs of scaling up seaweed cultivation.

Effect of Cu- and Fe- Isolated from Environmental Particulate Matter on Mitochondrial Dynamics in Human Colon CaCo-2 Cells - Franco Cervellati; Mascia Benedusi; Alice Casoni; Giulia Trinchera; Andrea Vallese; Francesca Ferrara; Maria Chiara Pietrogrande; Giuseppe Valacchi (Biological Trace Element Research, 2024)

Crustose coralline algae exhibit complex responses to breakage under current and future climate scenarios - Federico Pinna; Federica Ragazzola; Luigi Piazzi; David Evans; Jacek Raddatz; Giulia Ceccherelli (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2024)

Phthalate ester and cholesterol profiles of blubber samples of the free-ranging Amazon River dolphin (Cetacea: Iniidae: Inia geoffrensis) in the Brazilian Amazon - Lucas Fazardo de Lima; Isadora Nicole Lara Piccinin; Giulia Galani Martha; Susane Lopes; Thaís Carneiro Santos Rodrigues; Miriam Marmontel; Cristiane Kiyomi Miyaji Kolesnikovas; Marcelo Maraschin (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2024)

Brominated flame retardants in Caretta caretta sea turtles from the Adriatic Sea - Manuela Leva; Ludovica Di Renzo; Roberta Ceci; Silvia D'Antonio; Giuseppe Di Bernardo; Gabriella Di Francesco; Federica Di Giacinto; Dario D'Onofrio; Carla Giansante; Giulia Mariani; Giulio Tammaro; Susanna Tora; et al. (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2024)

Differential impact of artificial light at night on cognitive flexibility in visual and spatial reversal learning tasks - Gaia De Russi; Giulia Montalbano; Elia Gatto; Elena Maggi; Stefano Cannicci; Cristiano Bertolucci; Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato (Animal Behaviour, 2024)

Expression of key immune genes in polarized porcine monocyte-derived macrophage subsets - Giulia Franzoni; Floriana Fruscione; Filippo Dell’Anno; Lorena Mura; Chiara G. De Ciucis; Susanna Zinellu; Nicolò Columbano; Simon P. Graham; Silvia Dei Giudici; Elisabetta Razzuoli (Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 2024)

The sociality of sleep in animal groups - Pritish Chakravarty; Alison M. Ashbury; Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin; Josefine Iffelsberger; Aya Goldshtein; Caroline Schuppli; Katherine R.S. Snell; Marie J.E. Charpentier; Chase L. Núñez; Giulia Gaggioni; Nadja Geiger; Daniela C. Rößler; et al. (Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2024)

Re-evaluating beauty: Attitudes and perceptions of eco-friendly packaging in beauty care products - A systematic review - Alexia Del Greco; Marco Bani; Giulia Rampoldi; Stefano Ardenghi; Paolo Galli; Maria Grazia Strepparava; Selena Russo (Sustainable Production and Consumption, 2024)

Traffic induced compaction and physical quality of grassland soil under different soil moisture deficits - Emanuela Lepore; Olaf Schmidt; Owen Fenton; Saoirse Tracy; Giulia Bondi; David P. Wall (Soil and Tillage Research, 2024)

Comprehensive characterization of European house dust contaminants: Concentrations and profiles, geographical variability, and implications for chemical regulation and health risk - Peter Haglund; Nikiforos A. Alygizakis; Adrian Covaci; Lisa Melymuk; Pernilla Bohlin Nizzetto; Pawel Rostkowski; Alexandre Albinet; Sylvana Alirai; Dagny Aurich; Stefan Bieber; Ana Ballesteros-Gómez; Amanda A. Brennan; et al. (Science of The Total Environment, 2024)

Wastewater-based surveillance of respiratory viruses in Northern Tuscany (Italy): Challenges and added value for public health purposes - Annalaura Carducci; Ileana Federigi; Alessandra Pagani; Nebiyu Tariku Atomsa; Beatrice Conte; Alessandra Angori; Giulia Lauretani; Francesco Profili; Luca Viviani; Anna Odone; Marco Verani (Science of The Total Environment, 2024)

Monitoring functional traits of complex temperate forests using Sentinel-2 data during a severe drought period - Beatrice Savinelli; Cinzia Panigada; Giulia Tagliabue; Luigi Vignali; Rodolfo Gentili; Fabian Ewald Fassnacht; Emilio Padoa-Schioppa; Micol Rossini (Science of The Total Environment, 2024)

Quantifying the impact of an abrupt reduction in mineral nitrogen fertilization on crop yield in the European Union - Federica Pacifico; Giulia Ronchetti; Frank Dentener; Marijn van der Velde; Maurits van den Berg; Emanuele Lugato (Science of The Total Environment, 2024)

Assessing environmental sustainability of substitute feeding formulas for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) using Life Cycle Assessment - Maria Vittoria Tignani; Enrica Santolini; Giulia Secci; Marco Bovo; Giuliana Parisi; Alberto Barbaresi (Science of The Total Environment, 2024)

Preliminary study on the role of human defensins, interleukins and PCSK9 in early and late preeclampsia - Cristina Mennitti; Laura Sarno; Mariella Calvanese; Alessandro Gentile; Giuseppina Esposito; Caterina Fulgione; Giuliana Orlandi; Antonio Angelino; Giulia Scamardella; Ferdinando Barretta; Fabio Fimiani; Arturo Cesaro; et al. (Reproductive Biology, 2024)

Luminescence dating of rock surfaces in challenging environments: The case of MIS5e gravelly transgressive lag deposit (Southern Sardinia, West Mediterranean Sea) - Giulia Cossu; Daniele Sechi; Reza Sohbati; Andrew Murray; Vincenzo Pascucci; Stefano Andreucci (Quaternary Geochronology, 2024)

Effects of tire particles and associated-chemicals on the Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) physiology, reproduction and next-generation - Ilaria Bernardini; Kevin Tallec; Ika Paul-Pont; Luca Peruzza; Giulia Dalla Rovere; Matthias Huber; Carole Di Poi; Hugo Koechlin; Claudie Quéré; Virgile Quillien; Jacqueline Le Grand; Nelly Le Goïc; et al. (Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2024)

Interconnected impacts of water resource management and climate change on microplastic pollution and riverine biocoenosis: A review by freshwater ecologists - Silvia Quadroni; Giulia Cesarini; Vanessa De Santis; Silvia Galafassi (Journal of Environmental Management, 2024)

Investigation of Maillard reaction products in plant-based milk alternatives - Mariachiara Pucci; Halise Gül Akıllıoğlu; Marta Bevilacqua; Giulia Abate; Marianne Nissen Lund (Food Research International, 2024)

Lipidomics of sheep and goat Milk-based infant formulae during in vitro dynamic digestion - Mattia Casula; Cristina Manis; Olivia Menard; Giulia Tolle; Marie-Francoise Cochet; Didier Dupont; Paola Scano; Viviana Garau; Pierluigi Caboni (Food Chemistry, 2024)

Unrevealing the potentialities in food formulations of a low-branched dextran from Leuconostoc mesenteroides - Giulia Bisson; Sofia Melchior; Clara Comuzzi; Francesco Andreatta; Alfredo Rondinella; Matteo Zanocco; Sonia Calligaris; Marilena Marino (Food Chemistry, 2024)

Changes in the microbiota and colour of pork meat batter during refrigerated storage in relation to the application of High Hydrostatic Pressure - Chiara Angelucci; Federica Barbieri; Francesca Soglia; Massimiliano Petracci; Chiara Montanari; Gabriele Gardini; Fausto Gardini; Giulia Tabanelli (Food Bioscience, 2024)

Apple vescicles: Revolutionary gut microbiota treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Letizia Ferroni; Andrea Rubini; Paolo Bargellini; Elena Tremoli; Ilenia Pia Cappucci; Ugo D'Amora; Alfredo Ronca; Giulia Calogero; Paolo Cortellini Panini; Gisella Bettini; Cristiana Piccoli; Giuseppe Rubini; et al. (Food Bioscience, 2024)

Neural networks in evaluating the post-harvest quality of strawberries fertilized with calcium and/or leaf silicon - Giulia Nayara Duarte; Hanna Elisia Araújo de Barros; Caio Vinicius Lima Natarelli; Jandeilson Pereira dos Santos; Lissa Izabel Ferreira de Andrade; Marcelo Henrique Avelar Mendes; Natalie Galhardo Ribeiro; Ana Beatriz Silva Araújo; Paulo César Ossani; Elisângela Elena Nunes Carvalho; Luciane Vilela Resende (Food and Humanity, 2024)

Snacking insects? A global market investigation - Giulia Andreani; Giovanni Sogari; Marija Banović (Food and Humanity, 2024)

Moisture uptake during storage of coffee packed into compostable capsules decreases the quality of coffee brew - Marco Lopriore; Marilisa Alongi; Sonia Calligaris; Lara Manzocco; Giulia Ravaioli; Ada Nucci; Maria Cristina Nicoli (Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 2024)

Physiological plasticity and life history traits affect Chamelea gallina acclimatory responses during a marine heatwave - Letizia Iuffrida; Rachele Spezzano; Giulia Trapella; Nicolo Cinti; Luca Parma; Antonina De Marco; Giorgia Palladino; Alessio Bonaldo; Marco Candela; Silvia Franzellitti (Environmental Research, 2024)

Riparian vegetation entraps macroplastics along the entire river course: Implications for eco-safety activities and mitigation strategies - Luca Gallitelli; Maurizio Cutini; Giulia Cesarini; Massimiliano Scalici (Environmental Research, 2024)

Source identification and human exposure assessment of organophosphate flame retardants and plasticisers in soil and outdoor dust from Nigerian e-waste dismantling and dumpsites - Bilikis T. Folarin; Giulia Poma; Shanshan Yin; Jorgelina C. Altamirano; Paulien Cleys; Temilola Oluseyi; Adrian Covaci (Environmental Pollution, 2024)

Interplay of UV-filter pollution and temperature rise scenarios on Mytilus galloprovincialis health: Unveiling sperm quality and adult physiology, biochemistry, and histology insights - Alessia Cuccaro; Lucia De Marchi; Andrea Pirone; Gianfranca Monni; Valentina Meucci; Giulia Lazzarini; Giorgia Fumagalli; Matteo Oliva; Vincenzo Miragliotta; Rosa Freitas; Carlo Pretti (Environmental Pollution, 2024)

Impact of different regulatory approaches in renewable energy communities: A quantitative comparison of european implementations - Giulia Taromboli; Tiago Soares; José Villar; Matteo Zatti; Filippo Bovera (Energy Policy, 2024)

Evaluation of Mediterranean perennials for extensive green roofs in water-limited regions: A two-year experiment - Amii Bellini; Flavia Bartoli; Alma Kumbaric; Roberto Casalini; Giulia Caneva (Ecological Engineering, 2024)

Ecological costs of botanical nano-insecticides - Antonino Modafferi; Giulia Giunti; Giovanni Benelli; Orlando Campolo (Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 2024)

Assessment of long-lived Carbon permanence in agricultural soil: Unearthing 15 years-old biochar from long-term field experiment in vineyard - David Chiaramonti; Giulia Lotti; Francesco Primo Vaccari; Hamed Sanei (Biomass and Bioenergy, 2024)

Association between long-term exposure to air pollution and cause-specific mortality within five Italian longitudinal metropolitan studies - Federica Nobile; Nicola Caranci; Elena Strippoli; Valentina Adorno; Alessandra Allotta; Lucia Bisceglia; Ida Galise; Claudio Gariazzo; Sara Maio; Paola Michelozzi; Walter Pollina Addario; Andrea Ranzi; et al. (Atmospheric Environment, 2024)

Exploring similarities and differences between Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in dogs - Giulia Morganti; Giulia Rigamonti; Leonardo Brustenga; Valentina Calgaro; Giovanni Angeli; Iolanda Moretta; Manuela Diaferia; Fabrizia Veronesi (Veterinary Research Communications, 2024)
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in dogs are predominantly manifest asymptomatic. However, these infections can also present highly varied and potentially severe clinical signs. This is due to the parasites’ ability to replicate in a number of cell types within the host organism, with N. caninum exhibiting a particular tropism for the central and peripheral nervous systems, and T. gondii targeting the central nervous system and musculature. In clinical practice, toxoplasmosis and neosporosis are often considered to be closely related diseases, despite their distinct epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic characteristics. The present review analyses the similarities and differences between these two protozoan infections, since an accurate and timely aetiological diagnosis is essential for establishing effective therapeutic protocols and control strategies.

High prevalence and genetic heterogeneity of adenoviruses at a psittacine breeding facility - Gabriele Lizzi; Simone Fasana; Guido Grilli; Giulia Quaglia; Sara Pedrazzoli; Giulia Graziosi; Elena Catelli; Laura Musa; Maria Cristina Rapi; Caterina Lupini (Veterinary Research Communications, 2024)
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) survey was performed at an amateur parrot breeding facility in Italy to investigate the presence and molecular characteristics of adenoviruses. Eighty psittacine birds, belonging to seven parrot species, were sampled by cloacal swabs; in addition, 15 livers were collected from specimens that were found dead. Seventy-two out of 95 samples collected were positive for adenoviruses, with a prevalence rate of 75.8%. All seven psittacine species tested positive for at least one genus of the family Adenoviridae ; notably, adenoviral infection was found for the first time in the hooded parrot ( Psephotellus dissimilis ). Based on the sequences and phylogenetic analysis, 57 sequences were psittacine adenovirus 2, seven sequences were duck adenovirus 1 and two sequences were identified as psittacine adenovirus 5. The six remaining sequences showed low nucleotide and amino acid identity with the reference strains of accepted species or types, revealing the presence of novel adenoviruses belonging to the genera Aviadenovirus , Barthadenovirus and Siadenovirus . There were identical adenovirus sequences in both apparently healthy and dead birds suggesting that further investigation into the role and impact of these viruses on the health of psittacine birds is warranted.

Plant biodiversity and its meaning at the origin of the peopled scrolls friezes: data from the Castrum Minervae sanctuary (Castro- Lecce, Italy) - Giulia Caneva; Alessandro Lazzara; Giulia Albani Rocchetti; Francesco D’Andria (Rendiconti Lincei. Scienze Fisiche e Naturali, 2024)

Correction: Blue shark vertical movement patterns in the Central Mediterranean: bycatch mitigation windows revealed from pop-up satellite archival tag data - Pierluigi Carbonara; Giulia Prato; Sébastien Alfonso; Massimiliano Bottaro; Theda Hinrichs; Uwe Krumme; Cosmidano Neglia; Simone Niedermüller; Lola Toomey; Walter Zupa (Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2024)

Blue shark vertical movement patterns in the Central Mediterranean: bycatch mitigation windows revealed from pop-up satellite archival tag data - Pierluigi Carbonara; Giulia Prato; Sébastien Alfonso; Massimiliano Bottaro; Theda Hinrichs; Uwe Krumme; Cosmidano Neglia; Simone Niedermüller; Lola Toomey; Walter Zupa (Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2024)

Fishing in the gene-pool: implementing trawl-associated eDNA metaprobe for large scale monitoring of fish assemblages - Giulia Maiello; Andrea Bellodi; Alessia Cariani; Paolo Carpentieri; Laura Carugati; Davide Cicala; Alice Ferrari; Cristina Follesa; Alessandro Ligas; Paolo Sartor; Alice Sbrana; Peter Shum; et al. (Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2024)
Marine biodiversity monitoring in the Mediterranean’s increasingly threatened ecosystems is crucial for effective ecosystem conservation and management. Here, we leveraged the Mediterranean International Trawl Survey program (MEDITS) to implement eDNA sampling through the recently tested ‘metaprobe’ procedure and characterize fish assemblages in three separate areas off the Italian coasts: Northern Adriatic Sea (NoAS), Ligurian and Northern Tyrrhenian Sea (LNTS), and Sardinian Sea (SaS). By combining the information from two homologous mitochondrial 12S metabarcodes––i.e., Elas02 and Tele02 targeting elasmobranchs and teleosts, respectively––we identified 108 species, over 60% of which overlapped with those caught by the trawl net. We produced an accurate reconstruction of fish community composition of the examined sites, reflecting differences in species assemblages linked with both geographic area and depth range. Metaprobe eDNA data consistently returned a biodiversity ‘bonus’ mostly consisting of pelagic taxa not captured through bottom trawl surveys, including rare and endangered taxa (e.g., elasmobranchs). Overall, the spatial characterisation of the assemblages across the surveyed areas was better delineated and more robust using eDNA metabarcoding than trawl data. Our results support the operationalisation of the metaprobe as a simple, inexpensive, versatile sampling tool, in association with pre-existing ship surveys, to overcome many of the limitations of marine data collection and strengthen marine management.

The Overexpression of Solanum nigrum Osmotin (SnOLP) Boosts Drought Response Pathways in Soybean - Luisa Abruzzi de Oliveira Busatto; Lariane Frâncio; Fernanda Lazzarotto; Giulia Ramos Faillace; Frank Guzman; Débora Favero; Ricardo Luís Mayer Weber; Christian Bredemeier; Maria Helena Bodanese Zanettini (Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 2024)

Examining litter and soil characteristics impact on decomposer communities, detritivores and carbon accumulation in the Mediterranean area - Lucia Santorufo; Speranza C. Panico; Armando Zarrelli; Anna De Marco; Giorgia Santini; Valeria Memoli; Giulia Maisto (Plant and Soil, 2024)

The challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR): current status and future prospects - Francesco Ferrara; Tommaso Castagna; Beatrice Pantolini; Maria Chiara Campanardi; Martina Roperti; Alessandra Grotto; Martina Fattori; Lucia Dal Maso; Federica Carrara; Giulia Zambarbieri; Andrea Zovi; Maurizio Capuozzo; et al. (Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 2024)

The novel CFTR haplotype E583G/F508del in CFTR-related disorder - Elisa De Paolis; Bruno Tilocca; Riccardo Inchingolo; Carla Lombardi; Alessia Perrucci; Giulia Maneri; Paola Roncada; Francesco Varone; Richeldi Luca; Andrea Urbani; Angelo Minucci; Concetta Santonocito (Molecular Biology Reports, 2024)
Background CFTR-related disorder (CFTR-RD) is a clinical entity associated to complex diagnostic paths and newly upgraded standard of care. In CFTR-RD, CFTR genotyping represents a diagnostic surrogate marker. In case of novel haplotype, the diagnosis could represents an area of concern. We described the molecular evaluation of the rare CFTR variant E583G identified in trans with the F508del in a novel haplotype. Methods and results An adult woman was referred to our pulmonary unit for persistent respiratory symptoms. CFTR Next Generation Sequencing was performed to evaluate full-gene mutational status. The variant identified was evaluated for its pathogenicity integrating clinical evidences with dedicated bioinformatics analyses. Clinical evaluation of patient matched with a mono-organ CFTR-RD diagnosis. Genotyping revealed the novel CFTR haplotype F508del/E583G. Multiple evidences of a deleterious effect of the CFTR E583G rare variant emerged from the bioinformatics analyses performed. Conclusions Guidelines for CFTR-RD are available with the purpose of harmonizing clinical and molecular investigations. In such context, the identification of novel CFTR haplotype need to a deeper evaluation with a combination of skills. The novel E583G variant could be considered of clinical interest and overall a CFTR-RD Variants of Varying Clinical Consequences.

Benthic Processes are an Important Indicator of Eutrophication in Intermittently Open and Closed Lakes and Lagoons - Angus Ferguson; Giulia Filippini; Jaimie Potts; Ana B. Bugnot; Emma L. Johnston; Shivanesh Rao; Jason Ruszczyk; Katherine A. Dafforn (Estuaries and Coasts, 2024)
Intermittently open and closed lakes and lagoons (ICOLLs) are globally important estuarine systems that are separated from the ocean by a sand beach barrier or berm. The barrier may open or close naturally because of sand and sediment movement or be manually opened by estuarine managers in times of flooding. As intermittently closed systems, it is important to understand the potential for eutrophication and what are the best indicators. This study investigated water quality, sediment quality and benthic processes in four shallow ICOLLs in Sydney, Australia, that experience a range of nutrient loadings. Manly and Curl Curl Lagoons experience higher turbidity and concentrations of pelagic Chl- a compared to Dee Why and Narrabeen Lagoons. They also differ with respect to general morphology with Manly and Narrabeen deeper and more linear while Curl Curl and Dee Why are shallower and more circular. Relationships between nutrient loading and traditional water quality indicators of eutrophication such as chlorophyll- a , turbidity and dissolved oxygen appeared to be moderated by lagoon morphology and hydrology, which control the ratio of pelagic to benthic production and net accumulation of sediment organic matter. We found that all the lagoons investigated were net heterotrophic, with Narrabeen and Manly the least and the most heterotrophic respectively. Ratios of total organic carbon (TOC):benthic community respiration (CR) varied among lagoons and were likely related to the dominance of refractory organic matter in Narrabeen (~ 99%), and more labile organic matter in Manly and Curl Curl Lagoons (~ 90%). Benthic community respiration increased with nutrient loading rates across the lagoons, suggesting that benthic processes are a critical indicator of eutrophication in these shallow systems. In contrast to the generalised conceptual model of eutrophication in coastal systems whereby nutrient pollution causes a reduction in benthic primary productivity at the expense of increased pelagic primary productivity, our results suggest that benthic microalgal productivity in shallow ICOLLs plays an important role in buffering against eutrophication of the water column but may also contribute to organic enrichment of sediments.

Evaluation of the effects of the Zika Virus-Immunoglobulin G+ complex on murine microglial cells - Laura da Silva Siqueira; Felipe Valle Fortes Rodrigues; Ângela Zanatta; João Ismael Budelon Gonçalves; Isadora Machado Ghilardi; Allan Marinho Alcará; Nicole Bernd Becker; Giulia Pinzetta; Gabriele Zanirati; Bruno Maestri Abrianos Becker; Helena Scartassini Erwig; Jaderson Costa da Costa; et al. (Journal of NeuroVirology, 2024)