BACKGROUND AND AIMS This observational study investigated whether patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in Europe are achieving the standards set by prevention and rehabilitation guidelines. Variability was studied: (i) between countries; (ii) between geographical risk regions; and (iii) attendance at cardiac rehabilitation (CR) with outcomes. METHODS Observational study between September 2024- February 2026 in 160 hospitals across 27 countries. Geographical risk regions were defined as high, moderate or low based on WHO cardiovascular mortality data. RESULTS Among 8590 patients with CHD (23.7% female), 17.1% were current smokers, 32.0% were obese and 33.5% reported low physical activity. 59.8% were above blood pressure target (systolic ≥ 130 and/or diastolic ≥ 80 mmHg), 82.7% were above LDL-C target (≥ 1.4 mmol/l), 32.8% had known diabetes of whom 42.2% had HbA1c ≥ 7% and 30.6% had chronic kidney disease. Prevalences of these risk factors were all highest in countries from high risk regions. 29.1% of patients attended at least one CR session, with country variability ranging from 0% to 79%, and differing by risk region (55.9% low risk, 29.7% moderate risk and 10.2% high risk; p < 0.001). Attendance at CR programme was associated with significantly better lifestyles, risk factor control and use of cardioprotective drugs. CONCLUSIONS Most European patients are not achieving targets set by prevention guidelines. There is marked variability in CR attendance, evidence of inverse care with lowest attendance in highest risk regions, despite better outcomes for CR. These results inform the challenges for implementation of the first ESC guideline on CR.

A nonionic type V deep eutectic solvent (DES) combining hydrophobic (−)-menthol and hydrophilic resorcinol was prepared and investigated as a solvent for amphiphilic caffeine. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were first used to determine the eutectic composition and characterize its thermal behavior. The menthol-to-resorcinol molar ratio of 2:1 was subsequently selected for physicochemical investigation. Clear homogeneous solutions containing up to 0.701 mol·kg−1 caffeine were prepared, corresponding to 136 g of caffeine per kilogram of DES. Density, speed of sound, and viscosity were measured over the temperature range from 293.15 to 313.15 K. These data were used to evaluate the thermal expansion, volumetric and acoustic properties, intermolecular free length, and concentration and temperature dependences of viscous flow. The viscosity results were further analyzed using the Arrhenius, Jones–Dole, and Eyring–Feakins approaches and compared with the behavior of caffeine in water, ethylene glycol, and methyl salicylate. DFT calculations and molecular electrostatic potential surfaces were used to examine the local organization of the DES and the possible incorporation of caffeine through interactions with both its polar and less-polar regions. The combined experimental and computational approach provides a molecular and thermodynamic basis for evaluating this DES as a caffeine-solubilizing and delivery medium.

Chronological age dominates cardiovascular (CVD) risk prediction, but glycan-based measures may better reflect biological ageing. In this secondary analysis of a six-month randomized controlled trial in Slovenia, we examined whether IgG glycosylation–derived biological age (GlycanAge) tracked short-term changes in estimated CVD risk. Adults without diagnosed CVD but with at least one risk factor (119 enrolled; 101 completed the final assessment) received digital risk visualization, continuous glucose monitoring, their combination, or usual care. SCORE2 showed small numerical changes in some intervention groups, but GlycanAge remained largely stable, with only modest and inconsistent change across groups, and no association between change in SCORE2 and change in the GlycanAge–chronological age gap was detectable. Over this short timeframe, GlycanAge did not behave as a surrogate of conventional risk modification; whether it instead reflects slower immune-inflammatory ageing processes complementary to established CVD risk algorithms will require longer studies to establish.

Effectively managing the rising health risks of climate change requires consideration of plausible adaptation pathways under a range of scenarios of changes in greenhouse gas emissions and socioeconomic development to systematically explore the solution space for climate-resilient health systems. Incorporating adaptation pathways approaches into health planning can facilitate understanding of adaptation opportunities, barriers, and limits by different degrees of warming (based on Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) and levels of socioeconomic development (e.g., Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP)). This understanding supports prioritization of policies and measures to reduce current and near-term risks, leading to more robust and timely health decisions. We explore how health adaptation pathways can be operationalized under the SSP framework to inform health system planning by: (i) identifying limits to adaptation (e.g., tipping dynamics where strategies are no longer feasible); (ii) illustrating timing and implementation delays, showing how deployment of health interventions may vary across development pathways; and (iii) exploring how multiple climate-sensitive health-related risks may stress health system capacity. Health decision makers can use the adaptation pathways approach in key activities such as vulnerability and adaptation assessments, developing health adaptation plans, and communication with interest holders, thereby strengthening preparedness and resilience for climate change.

Background/Objectives: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a leading cause of pediatric kidney disease. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), governed by SNAI1 and TGF-β, and a vascular–mesenchymal program marked by PECAM1 and VIM are central to nephrogenesis, but whether these programs are transcriptionally activated in human CAKUT is unknown. We assessed their expression and spatial organization in human fetal kidneys. Methods: We reanalyzed public transcriptomic datasets for six transcripts (SNAI1, TGFB1–3, PECAM1, VIM) and performed quantitative double immunofluorescence for four gene products (SNAIL, TGF-β1, CD31, vimentin) on formalin-fixed human fetal kidneys (20 controls, 19 CAKUT), with colocalization quantified by Pearson’s coefficient. Results: No statistically significant difference in transcript or protein abundance was detected between control and CAKUT kidneys, in either the cortex or the medulla, and abundance did not change across developmental phases. In contrast, spatial colocalization of SNAIL–TGF-β and of CD31–vimentin was increased in CAKUT kidneys. Conclusions: These findings may suggest that, in human fetal CAKUT, EMT and vascular–mesenchymal programs are not quantitatively upregulated but instead show altered spatial organization of otherwise unchanged gene products. As colocalization reflects spatial proximity rather than molecular interaction, these observations are correlative and warrant functional validation.

This study investigated the influence of cultivar and rootstock on the fruit cracking index and harvest date of sweet cherry under the agro-ecological conditions of Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Four Italian sweet cherry cultivars (Marysa, Sweet Gabriel, Sweet Valina, and Sweet Stephany) grafted onto two vegetative rootstocks (Gisela 5 and Gisela 6) were evaluated during the 2025 growing season. The results showed statistically significant differences among combinations cultivar/rootstock in both harvest date and fruit cracking index. The lowest cracking index was recorded for Sweet Stephany grafted onto Gisela 6, while the highest susceptibilitywas observed for Marysa grafted onto the same rootstock. Overall, cultivars grafted onto Gisela 6 exhibited higher cracking susceptibility compared to those grafted onto Gisela 5. A strong and highly significant negative correlation (r = −0.91**) was established between harvest date and fruit cracking index, indicating that earlier-ripening cultivars were more prone to cracking. The findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate cultivars and rootstocks in reducing the risk of fruit cracking. However, in order to provide more valuable information for the introduction of new sweet cherry cultivars and the establishment of sustainable orchards under similar agroecological conditions, it is necessary to extend the study over two or even three years, as only in this way can reliable and relevant data be obtained.

Unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) is a rare congenital malformation with severe clinical consequences, and its genetic background remains poorly defined. We present an exploratory genomic resource for UAV, generated from whole-exome sequencing (WES) of nine families (including probands and 19 unaffected relatives) and integrated with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from human embryonic hearts. The scRNA-seq dataset enabled the identification of genes expressed in valve-forming cell populations during development, providing a biologically informed filter for candidate variant prioritisation. Further prioritisation identified 81 candidate variants across 68 genes with enrichment in extracellular matrix (ECM) organisation and developmental signalling pathways, particularly transforming growth factor-β-mediated signalling. Complementary exome-wide family segregation analysis further supported this pattern, again highlighting ECM organisation and developmental signalling as recurrently enriched biological themes. By establishing a preliminary genomic dataset, this study provides a resource for further validation, expansion to larger cohorts, and exploration of the molecular architecture underlying this rare disorder.

Ancestral environmental stress can influence descendant phenotypes, yet the physiological traits underlying such effects remain poorly understood, particularly in response to heterologous stress. We investigated whether chronic chromium (Cr) exposure in the parental generation is associated with persistent physiological differences in Arabidopsis thaliana F2 descendants. Wild-type plants were exposed to 2.5 μM hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] supplied as potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) from the seedling stage until seed set. The resulting F2 lineage derived from chromium-exposed ancestors (2.5F2) was subsequently grown under control conditions or challenged with salinity (25 mM NaCl) or cadmium stress (25 μM Cd). Growth traits, biomass allocation, antioxidant enzyme activities, total soluble proteins, and elemental composition were assessed at the flowering stage. Significant lineage × treatment interactions were observed for root growth, APX activity, and cadmium partitioning. Under cadmium stress, 2.5F2 plants maintained longer roots and higher shoot biomass than wild-type plants. The most pronounced lineage-specific difference was observed for ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity: whereas wild-type plants exhibited strong stress-induced APX activation, the 2.5F2 lineage maintained elevated APX activity across all treatments in both shoots and roots. Elemental analysis further revealed altered metal homeostasis, with 2.5F2 plants accumulating less cadmium in roots but more in shoots, resulting in a higher shoot-to-root cadmium ratio, while root iron concentrations remained consistently higher across treatments. These findings indicate that descendants of chromium-exposed ancestors exhibit persistent physiological differences characterized by elevated antioxidant activity, altered cadmium partitioning, and improved maintenance of root growth under cadmium stress.

This study presents an experimental investigation of a Savonius wind turbine conducted under controlled wind tunnel conditions. Turbine performance was evaluated at inlet airflow velocities of 5, 7, and 9 m/s. Airflow velocities were measured upstream and downstream of the turbine to determine the effective rotor velocity, while rotational speed measurements enabled calculation of the tip-speed ratio (TSR). The airflow velocity distribution along the turbine height and width was analysed to examine air–blade interactions and identify regions influencing turbine performance. The results demonstrate a strong dependence of rotor behaviour on inlet airflow conditions, with improved performance observed at higher velocities. Smoke-based flow visualisation provided qualitative insight into airflow patterns and vortex formation around the blades, confirming the influence of flow guidance on turbine operation. These findings contribute to a better understanding of Savonius wind turbine aerodynamics and support further optimisation of turbine design and flow control strategies.

BACKGROUND The inverse relationship between vitreous humour (VH) glucose and lactate, classically used in the Traub formula, is widely applied in post-mortem biochemistry. METHODS We analysed 127 VH samples from external examinations and forensic autopsies performed in a hospital forensic setting (PMI 4-187 h; 58 septic and 69 non-septic deaths). Glucose was available in 78 cases, lactic acid in all 127. Cases were stratified by PMI window, septic status and storage condition. Spearman correlations and non-parametric comparisons were applied. RESULTS Within the first 24 h post-mortem, glucose and lactic acid showed significant opposite correlations with PMI. Glucose reached a low-value floor of approximately 2 mg/dl by 25-48 h, after which no meaningful PMI-related decrease was observed. Lactic acid showed a different trajectory: septic and non-septic cases had similar baseline levels at ≤10 h, but diverged thereafter, with continued increase in septic cases through 25-48 h. This divergence emerged after glucose depletion, suggesting glucose-independent lactate accumulation. Glucose-lactate coupling was absent in septic cases and weak in non-septic cases. CONCLUSIONS VH glucose and lactic acid showed limited evidence of direct stoichiometric coupling in this hospital cohort. Glucose reflected PMI mainly within the first 24 h, whereas its interpretative value declined after reaching a post-mortem floor. Lactic acid showed a sepsis-associated post-mortem amplification not explained by glucose availability alone, possibly reflecting autolytic processes. These findings do not invalidate the Traub formula in its original diagnostic context, but caution against its uncritical application in heterogeneous forensic cohorts.

This paper analyzes the application of a vibro-impact element as a dynamic absorber for a Duffing oscillator. The Duffing oscillator is a nonlinear oscillator, modeled here as a single-degree-of-freedom system with a nonlinear spring. The complete system consists of a body performing translational oscillatory motion, a drive mechanism, a slider, a spring that connects the oscillator to the slider, and a vibro-impact element, in the form of the ball, that performs translational motion with impacts. For comparison, the response of the Duffing oscillator without the absorber is also analyzed. The differential equations of motion of both systems are derived using Lagrange’s equations of the second kind, and solved numerically. The results are presented in the form of amplitude–frequency diagrams and time–displacement diagrams. It is shown that the amplitude of the main body is reduced when it is coupled with an impact element. The way in which this is affected by the stiffness of the spring, that connects the ball and Duffing oscillator, is presented. For selected excitation frequencies the basins of attraction of the ball are obtained. In this way, the set of possible initial conditions for which the system behaves like vibro-impact or purely oscillatory one, is determined.

The Đerdap/Iron Gates section of the Danube River has undergone a profound hydromorphological transformation following the construction of the Iron Gates hydropower system, affecting flow conditions, habitat structure, connectivity, and fish assemblages. This study assessed long-term changes in native and non-native fish communities within the Đerdap Reservoir using monitoring data collected over 18 years. Fish were sampled at three sites (Dobra, Donji Milanovac, and Tekija) in 2005, 2010, 2017, 2019, and 2023 using electrofishing and gillnets. Temporal patterns were evaluated using complementary univariate and multivariate approaches to assess changes in community structure, diversity, disturbance status, and relationships with hydrological variability. The biomass contribution of non-native fish increased at all sites, with the most pronounced changes observed at Donji Milanovac and Dobra. These changes were accompanied by clear shifts in community composition, indicating progressive restructuring across the reservoir. Although diversity indices remained relatively stable, abundance–biomass comparison (ABC) analyses suggested moderate disturbance. Overall, long-term hydromorphological changes in the reservoir were associated with shifts in fish community structure and an increased contribution of non-native species, potentially influencing assemblage stability.

ABSTRACT Organic semiconductors, particularly conjugated polymers, are critical for advancing flexible electronics. Their electrical conductivity is enhanced by increasing carrier concentration through doping by blending small atoms or molecules, which can introduce Coulombic traps and disrupt packing. Here, we elucidate a molecular design principle that leverages dopant energy depth quantified by ΔE, which is the difference between appropriate frontier orbital energies of the doped polymer and its counterion, to mitigate disorder and simultaneously improve conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient. Using a modified Gaussian disorder model that incorporates carrier screening, we simulate the density of states and validate our findings experimentally with iodine‐ and Magic Blue‐doped poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT). Our results reveal that deeper dopant frontier energy levels significantly reduce energetic disorder and enhance transport properties when the carrier‐counterion separation is small. We identify a saddle‐point behavior in conductivity as a function of ΔE and show that ΔE can significantly boost conductivity when the dopant is located close to the backbone. This work introduces ΔE as a powerful molecular lever for designing high‐performance organic semiconductors, offering a new design rule to overcome the long‐standing trade‐off between conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, thereby increasing thermoelectric efficiency in doped conjugated polymers.

Methods: This retrospective–prospective study included 90 patients with BT. Based on the type of BT, the participants were divided into three groups of 30 patients each: patients with gliomas, with meningiomas and with brain metastasis. Demographic data such as age, sex, alcohol and cigarette consumption were collected. In all three study groups, the time of onset of the first ES, type, characteristics, and frequency were analyzed as well as abnormalities on electroencephalography (EEG). EEG was reviewed for any abnormal background or interictal epileptic discharges. Results: Brain tumor-related epilepsy (BTRE) was present in 46.7% of patients. The incidence of epilepsy secondary to brain tumors was 66.7% in patients with gliomas, 46.6% in those with meningiomas, and 26.7% in those with metastasis. The tumors associated with BTRE were most commonly located in the frontal (40%) and temporal (32.2%) lobes, followed by the parietal (25.6%) and occipital (2.2%) lobes. Focal to bilateral tonic–clonic ES represented the most common seizure type among the studied patients. Abnormalities on the initial EEG recordings were observed in 33 patients with BTRE. Focal EEG abnormalities were identified in 54.7% of patients, while diffuse changes were present in 23.8% of patients (p < 0.005). Conclusions: The highest incidence of BTRE was observed in patients with gliomas, followed by those with meningiomas, while the lowest incidence was recorded in the group with metastases. Smaller and slower growing tumors were associated with higher incidence of seizures than larger, more rapidly growing lesions. Focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures were the most common seizure type among patients with BTRE.