For the past 70 years, the dopamine hypothesis has been the key working model in schizophrenia. This has contributed to the development of numerous inhibitors of dopaminergic signaling and antipsychotic drugs, which led to rapid symptom resolution but only marginal outcome improvement. Over the past decades, there has been limited research on the quantifiable pathological changes in schizophrenia, including premature cellular/neuronal senescence, brain volume loss, the attenuation of gamma oscillations in electroencephalograms, and the oxidation of lipids in the plasma and mitochondrial membranes. We surmise that the aberrant activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor by toxins derived from gut microbes or the environment drives premature cellular and neuronal senescence, a hallmark of schizophrenia. Early brain aging promotes secondary changes, including the impairment and loss of mitochondria, gray matter depletion, decreased gamma oscillations, and a compensatory metabolic shift to lactate and lactylation. The aim of this narrative review is twofold: (1) to summarize what is known about premature cellular/neuronal senescence in schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like disorders, and (2) to discuss novel strategies for improving long-term outcomes in severe mental illness with natural senotherapeutics, membrane lipid replacement, mitochondrial transplantation, microbial phenazines, novel antioxidant phenothiazines, inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonists. Full article

Substance P (SP) plays a crucial role in pain modulation, with significant implications for major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Elevated SP levels are linked to heightened pain sensitivity and various psychiatric conditions, spurring interest in potential therapeutic interventions. In chronic pain, commonly associated with MDD and anxiety disorders, SP emerges as a key mediator in pain and emotional regulation. This review examines SP’s impact on pain perception and its contributions to MDD, anxiety disorders, and PTSD. The association of SP with increased pain sensitivity and chronic pain conditions underscores its importance in pain modulation. Additionally, SP influences the pathophysiology of MDD, anxiety disorders, and PTSD, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target. Understanding SP’s diverse effects provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying these psychiatric disorders and their treatment. Further research is essential to explore SP modulation in psychiatric disorders and develop more effective treatment strategies. Full article

In the present study, microstructure and cyclic tensile tests were used to measure the superelastic responses of Fe_40.95Ni₂₈Co₁₇Al_11.5Ta_2.5B_0.05 (at.%) shape memory alloys after 97% cold rolling. Cold-rolled samples underwent annealing heat treatment (1250 °C/1 h) followed by quenching in water or aging heat treatment (700 °C/6 h and 700 °C/12 h) followed by quenching in water. The microstructure results showed that the average grain size increased from 210 μm to 1570 μm as annealing times increased from 0.5 h to 1 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra for FeNiCoAlTaB (NCATB) showed that in cold-rolled alloys after solution, the strong peak was in the face-centered cubic (γ, FCC) <111> structure. In aged samples, a new peak (γ’, FCC) emerged, the intensity of which increased as aging times rose from 6 to 12 h. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed that the average precipitate size was around 10 nm in 700 °C/6 h specimens and 18 nm in 700 °C/12 h specimens. The precipitate was enriched in Ni, Al, and Ta elements and exhibited an L1₂ crystal structure. Tensile samples aged at 700 °C for 6 and 12 h exhibited recoverable strains of 1% and 2.6%, respectively, at room temperature. Digital image correlation (DIC) results for the sample aged at 700 °C for 12 h showed that two martensite variants were activated during the superelastic test. Such variants can form corresponding variant pairs (CVPs), which promote tensile deformation. The tensile sample exhibited a gradual cyclic degradation, and a large irrecoverable strain was observed after the test. This irrecoverable strain was the result of residual martensite, which was pinned by dislocations. Full article

Current assessments for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are often subjective and do not rely on a standardized measure to evaluate the GAD across its severity levels. The lack of objective and multi-level quantitative diagnostic criteria poses as a significant challenge for individualized treatment strategies. To address this need, this study aims to establish a GAD grading and quantification diagnostic model by integrating an electroencephalogram (EEG) and ensemble learning. In this context, a total of 39 normal subjects and 80 GAD patients were recruited and divided into four groups: normal control, mild GAD, moderate GAD, and severe GAD. Ten minutes resting state EEG data were collected for every subject. Functional connectivity features were extracted from each EEG segment with different time windows. Then, ensemble learning was employed for GAD classification studies and brain mechanism analysis. Hence, the results showed that the Catboost model with a 10 s time window achieved an impressive 98.1% accuracy for four-level classification. Particularly, it was found that those functional connections situated between the frontal and temporal lobes were significantly more abundant than in other regions, with the beta rhythm being the most prominent. The analysis framework and findings of this study provide substantial evidence for the applications of artificial intelligence in the clinical diagnosis of GAD. Full article

Male infertility is a global health issue, with 40–50% attributed to sperm abnormalities. The subjectivity and irreproducibility of existing detection methods pose challenges to sperm assessment, making the design of automated semen analysis algorithms crucial for enhancing the reliability of sperm evaluations. This paper proposes a comprehensive sperm tracking algorithm (Sperm YOLOv8E-TrackEVD) that combines an enhanced YOLOv8 small object detection algorithm (SpermYOLOv8-E) with an improved DeepOCSORT tracking algorithm (SpermTrack-EVD) to detect human sperm in a microscopic field of view and track healthy sperm in a sample in a short period effectively. Firstly, we trained the improved YOLOv8 model on the VISEM-Tracking dataset for accurate sperm detection. To enhance the detection of small sperm objects, we introduced an attention mechanism, added a small object detection layer, and integrated the SPDConv and Detect_DyHead modules. Furthermore, we used a new distance metric method and chose IoU loss calculation. Ultimately, we achieved a 1.3% increase in precision, a 1.4% increase in recall rate, and a 2.0% improvement in [email protected]:0.95. We applied SpermYOLOv8-E combined with SpermTrack-EVD for sperm tracking. On the VISEM-Tracking dataset, we achieved 74.303% HOTA and 71.167% MOTA. These results show the effectiveness of the designed Sperm YOLOv8E-TrackEVD approach in sperm tracking scenarios. Full article

The study aims to explore saline drainage modeling in coastal saline soils, particularly focusing on subsurface pipe drainage in the Shanghai coastal area. Utilizing Hydrus-2D/3D-2.05 software, dynamic changes in soil–water–salt under various subsurface pipe laying conditions in forested areas were simulated to identify optimal schemes. Indoor and outdoor experiments demonstrated the Hydrus model’s ability to effectively simulate soil–water–salt transport processes under complex conditions. Subsequent simulations under different parameters of underground pipe laying, including burial depths (D = 0.5/0.7/0.9/1.1/1.3/1.5 m) and pipe diameters (Ø = 8/10/12 cm), further corroborated model validation. Among the analyzed schemes, those with burial depths around 0.7 m and pipe diameters under 12 cm exhibited the most substantial salinity improvement. Regression analysis highlighted a significant impact of burial depth D on cumulative salt discharge, with a coefficient of 12.812, outweighing that of pipe diameter Ø. Furthermore, subsurface pipe laying schemes demonstrated long-term benefits and cost advantages, obviating the need for additional irrigation infrastructure. These findings underscore the significance of subsurface pipe drainage in enhancing soil quality, reducing construction expenses, and optimizing land utilization, providing a valuable foundation for the Shanghai Green Corridor development and related initiatives. Full article

In this work, flexible Cu_2−xS films on nylon membranes are prepared by combining a simple hydrothermal synthesis and vacuum filtration followed by hot pressing. The films consist of Cu₂S and Cu_1.96S two phases with grain sizes from nano to submicron. Doping Se on the S site not only increases the Cu_1.96S content in the Cu_2−xS to increase carrier concentration but also modifies electronic structure, thereby greatly improves the electrical properties of the Cu_2−xS. Specifically, an optimal composite film with a nominal composition of Cu_2−xS_0.98Se_0.02 exhibits a high power factor of ~150.1 μW m⁻¹ K⁻² at 300 K, which increases by ~138% compared to that of the pristine Cu_2-xS film. Meanwhile, the composite film shows outstanding flexibility (~97.2% of the original electrical conductivity is maintained after 1500 bending cycles with a bending radius of 4 mm). A four-leg flexible thermoelectric (TE) generator assembled with the optimal film generates a maximum power of 329.6 nW (corresponding power density of 1.70 W m⁻²) at a temperature difference of 31.1 K. This work provides a simple route to the preparation of high TE performance Cu_2-xS-based films. Full article

Photomorphogenic development in seedlings may be diagnostic of future plant performance. In this report, we characterize the Thai Oakleaf lettuce genotype, as it exhibited abnormalities in photomorphogenic development that were the most conspicuous under red light, including defects in hypocotyl growth inhibition, decreased cotyledon expansion, and constitutive shade avoidance tendencies. These observations are consistent with defects in red light sensing through the phytochrome B (phyB) photoreceptor system. This genotype is sold commercially as a heat-tolerant variety, which aligns with the evidence that phyB acts as a thermosensor. Full article

The plastic deformation behavior and mechanisms of Co-Cr-Ni-Mo alloy were investigated. The wires were subjected to different reductions using a multi-pass drawing approach and the resulting microstructures were characterized by EBSD and TEM. It was found that the alloy cold-drawn from surface to center exhibited non-uniform radial strain, with decreasing strain from surface to center. As the strain increased, the transverse texture of the alloy evolved from the initial bimodal texture consisting of strong {100}<110> and weak {110}<001> components to bimodal texture with {110}<233> and {112}<111> components, with significant twinning and mirror orientation between twin and matrix. The longitudinal texture evolution of the alloy mainly occurred on the α-fiber line, and ultimately did not form a significant texture due to grain elongation and crystal rotation. The plastic deformation mechanism of the Co-Cr-Ni-Mo alloy was dominated by dislocation slip at lower strain levels, which gradually transitioned to a combination of dislocation slip and twinning at higher strain levels. The deformation twins were typically distributed in high-density dislocation regions, and the twin boundaries transformed into high-angle sub-grain boundaries, hindering the extension of dislocation slip and deformation twin. With the increase in strain, work hardening results in a significant increase in strength and microhardness. Full article

Nowadays, transportation fuels such as diesel or gasoline are standardly produced from crude oil refining. These petroleum-based products are gradually replaced by more environmentally friendly sources, such as Fischer–Tropsch diesel fractions and other biofuels. The present work reports the distillation of Fischer–Tropsch (FTS) waxes and its use for fuel production by (i) blending the FTS wax diesel fraction with fossil diesel (7:93; 15:85; 30:70; and 50:50 wt.%) and (ii) blending the FTS wax heavy fraction (360–700 °C) with vacuum gas oil (10–50 wt.%) followed by hydrocracking at industrial operating conditions (T = 420 °C, WHSV = 0.5–1.0 h⁻¹, P = 10.0 MPa). The obtained products in both cases were analysed and compared with standard EN590 for petroleum-diesel fuels. Overall, our results point to the suitability of the distillation of FTS waxes for renewable fuel production, either by straight blending of the diesel petroleum-based products or co-hydrocracking of the heavy fraction with vacuum gas oil. Full article

This paper presents the results of a study on the relevance of seismic isolation systems for protecting architectural monuments from seismic and vibration impacts. This work aims to develop a method for protecting architectural monuments from seismic and vibration effects by installing geotechnical seismic isolation systems made of various geomaterials, such as a silicate soil mixture (SSM), a cement–soil mixture (CSM), a bitumen–soil mixture (BSM), and a rubber–soil mixture (RSM). The novelty of the work lies in the results of studying the wave processes in different models of geomaterials to assess their effectiveness in a seismic isolation system in the form of damping barrier screens to ensure the seismic resistance of architectural monuments. By comparing the amplitude–frequency characteristics of various geomaterials, it was found that the rubber–soil mixture (RSM), the cement–soil mixture (CSM), and the bitumen–soil mixture (BSM) have the most effective damping properties. A proposed method for protecting architectural monuments with geotechnical seismic isolation in the form of vertical screen barriers and technology for their installation ensures the integrity and safety of architectural monuments at all stages of construction and operation. Full article

Fermented prebiotic and probiotic products with kefir are very important to slow down and prevent the growth of tumors and to treat cancer by stimulating the immune response against tumor cells. Cyclophosphamide (CPx) is widely preferred in cancer treatment but its effectiveness in high doses is restricted because of its side effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of kefir against CPx-induced heart and liver toxicity. In an experiment, 42 Wistar albino rats were divided into six treatment groups: the control (Group 1), the group receiving 150 mg/kg CPx (Group 2), the groups receiving 5 and 10 mg/kg kefir (Groups 3 and 4) and the groups receiving 5 and 10 mg/kg kefir + CPx (Group 5 and 6). Fermented kefirs obtained on different days by traditional methods were mixed and given by gavage for 12 days, while a single dose of CPx was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) on the 12th day of the experiment. It was observed that alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB), ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and Troponin I values, which indicate oxidative stress, increased in the CPx-administered group, and this level approached that of the control in the CPx + kefir groups. Likewise, as a result of the kefir, the rats’ CPx-induced histopathological symptoms were reduced, and their heart and liver tissue were significantly improved. In conclusion, it was observed that kefir had a cytoprotective effect against CPx-induced oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, bringing their biochemical parameters closer to those of the control by suppressing oxidative stress and reducing tissue damage. Full article

Background: Standardized health-data collection enables effective disaster responses and patient care. Emergency medical teams use the Japan Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters (J-SPEED) reporting template to collect patient data. EMTs submit data on treated patients to an EMT coordination cell. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) EMT minimum dataset (MDS) offers an international standard for disaster data collection. Goal: The goal of this study was to analyze age and gender distribution of medical consultations in EMT during disasters. Methods: Data collected from 2016 to 2020 using the J-SPEED/MDS tools during six disasters in Japan and Mozambique were analyzed. Linear regression with data smoothing via the moving average method was employed to identify trends in medical consultations based on age and gender. Results: 31,056 consultations were recorded: 13,958 in Japan and 17,098 in Mozambique. Women accounted for 56.3% and 55.7% of examinees in Japan and Mozambique, respectively. Children accounted for 6.8% of consultations in Japan and 28.1% in Mozambique. Elders accounted for 1.32 and 1.52 times more consultations than adults in Japan and Mozambique, respectively. Conclusions: Study findings highlight the importance of considering age-specific healthcare requirements in disaster planning. Real-time data collection tools such as J-SPEED and MDS, which generate both daily reports and raw data for in-depth analysis, facilitate the validation of equitable access to healthcare services, emphasize the specific needs of vulnerable groups, and enable the consideration of cultural preferences to improve healthcare provision by EMTs. Full article

In the field of knee imaging, the incorporation of MR-based pseudo-CT synthesis holds the potential to mitigate the need for separate CT scans, simplifying workflows, enhancing patient comfort, and reducing radiation exposure. In this work, we present a novel DL framework, grounded in the development of the Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Network (CycleGAN) method, tailored specifically for the synthesis of pseudo-CT images in knee imaging to surmount the limitations of current methods. Upon visually examining the outcomes, it is evident that the synthesized pseudo-CTs show an excellent quality and high robustness. Despite the limited dataset employed, the method is able to capture the particularities of the bone contours in the resulting image. The experimental Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM), Zero-Normalized Cross Correlation (ZNCC), Mutual Information (MI), Relative Change (RC), and absolute Relative Change (|RC|) report values of 30.4638 ± 7.4770, 28.1168 ± 1.5245, 0.9230 ± 0.0217, 0.9807 ± 0.0071, 0.8548 ± 0.1019, 0.0055 ± 0.0265, and 0.0302 ± 0.0218 (median ± median absolute deviation), respectively. The voxel-by-voxel correlation plot shows an excellent correlation between pseudo-CT and ground-truth CT Hounsfield units (m = 0.9785; adjusted $R^2$ = 0.9988; $\rho$ = 0.9849; p < 0.001). The Bland–Altman plot shows that the average of the differences is low (($H{U}_{CT}-H{U}_{pseudo-CT}$ = 0.7199 ± 35.2490; 95% confidence interval [−68.3681, 69.8079]). This study represents the first reported effort in the field of MR-based knee pseudo-CT synthesis, shedding light to significantly advance the field of knee imaging. Full article

Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and others) and cancer, seemingly disparate in their etiology and manifestation, exhibit intriguing associations in certain cellular and molecular processes. Both cancer and neurodegenerative diseases involve the deregulation of cellular processes such as apoptosis, proliferation, and DNA repair and pose a significant global health challenge. Afzelin (kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside) is a flavonoid compound abundant in various plant sources. Afzelin exhibits a diverse range of biological activities, offering promising prospects for the treatment of diseases hallmarked by oxidative stress and deregulation of cell death pathways. Its protective potential against oxidative stress is also promising for alleviating the side effects of chemotherapy. This review explores the potential therapeutic implications of afzelin, including its capacity to mitigate oxidative stress, modulate inflammation, and promote cellular regeneration in neurodegenerative and cancer diseases. Full article

(1) The Russian invasion of Ukraine forced many people to leave their country and seek asylum in various European countries, with serious consequences from a health perspective. In this context, we describe the health measures undertaken by AcToVax4NAM Consortium Countries (Cyprus–Germany–Greece–Italy–Malta–Poland–Romania–Spain) to prevent Vaccine-Preventable Disease (VPD) outbreaks in the context of mass movements of populations that resulted from the crisis in Ukraine. (2) We collected information on the vaccinations offered to Ukrainians in the Consortium Countries. (3) All these countries have provided Temporary Protection (TP) status to refugees from Ukraine and have followed the recommendations of European and International Agencies to offer them vaccinations according to the National Immunisation Programmes. The COVID-19 vaccination is offered in all countries with regard to the general population. Most countries provide information on TP and access to health/vaccination services in the Ukrainian language. (4) The information collected shows a common effort to ensure the adequate planning of health and vaccination services for refugees from Ukraine and, very often, to include them in the national vaccination offer. It is important that this initial response towards people who have fled Ukraine will be continued following the emergency but, more importantly, that it serves as a best practice towards all migrants and refugees entering the EU. Full article

Environmental classifications are of paramount importance for assessing the impacts of land-use changes, for prioritizing conservation efforts, and for developing effective management strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of human activities. The aim of our research was to provide as complete an analysis as possible of the studies that have been carried out using the Braun-Blanquet approach. The global review of studies based on the Braun-Blanquet approach includes 1168 papers and was conducted using the PRISMA 2009 methodological recommendations, strict criteria for the selection/quality of papers, and modern methods of data analysis and visualization using VOSviewer software developed by Nees Jan van Eck and Ludo Waltman (Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) of Leiden University in the Netherlands) (version 1.6.18), which ensures a representative sample, minimization of subjective judgements, and reliability of conclusions. It was noted that the number of publications on Braun-Blanquet is growing exponentially. This is an indication of the scientific interest in this methodology and its continuous further development. Based on a detailed analysis of the keywords, the main research directions and challenges are identified. These include improving the conceptual and methodological foundations of the Braun-Blanquet approach; improvement in regional vegetation classifications, synthesizing them and producing a comprehensive classification for large areas as a basis for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use; expansion of the geography; compilation and updating of databases of phytosociological data; management of dynamics and vegetation; discussion of the important problem of continuity and discreteness of vegetation in the context of ecological classifications; and vegetation mapping. The top 20 journals publishing the most cited articles were identified, as well as the top 20 most cited journals whose high citation rate is due to the large number of high-quality articles. The analysis of the bibliographic network of papers in dynamics has shown that the structure of relationships is not constant and has changed significantly. The analysis of the authors’ publication activity showed that the vast majority of researchers have a low publication activity and have published only one to three papers. A peculiarity also emerges: if all the most cited authors are concentrated in Eurasia, then most of the most actively published authors are outside Eurasia. The importance of the Braun-Blanquet approach for the study and classification of forest vegetation should be emphasized. In this case, the Braun-Blanquet approach is integrated into forest typologies, increasing their ecological validity and environmental relevance. Full article

Deep learning offers significant advancements in the accuracy of prostate identification and classification, underscoring its potential for clinical integration. However, the opacity of deep learning models presents interpretability challenges, critical for their acceptance and utility in medical diagnosis and detection. While explanation methods have been proposed to demystify these models, enhancing their clinical viability, the efficacy and acceptance of these methods in medical tasks are not well documented. This pilot study investigates the effectiveness of deep learning explanation methods in clinical settings and identifies the attributes that radiologists consider crucial for explainability, aiming to direct future enhancements. This study reveals that while explanation methods can improve clinical task performance by up to 20%, their perceived usefulness varies, with some methods being rated poorly. Radiologists prefer explanation methods that are robust against noise, precise, and consistent. These preferences underscore the need for refining explanation methods to align with clinical expectations, emphasizing clarity, accuracy, and reliability. The findings highlight the importance of developing explanation methods that not only improve performance but also are tailored to meet the stringent requirements of clinical practice, thereby facilitating deeper trust and a broader acceptance of deep learning in medical diagnostics. Full article

The Mediterranean region is facing several environmental changes and pollution issues. Teleosts are particularly sensitive to these challenges due to their intricate reproductive biology and reliance on specific environmental cues for successful reproduction. Wild populations struggle with the triad of climate change, environmental contamination, and overfishing, which can deeply affect reproductive success and population dynamics. In farmed species, abiotic factors affecting reproduction are easier to control, whereas finding alternatives to conventional diets for farmed teleosts is crucial for enhancing broodstock health, reproductive success, and the sustainability of the aquaculture sector. Addressing these challenges involves ongoing research into formulating specialized diets, optimizing feeding strategies, and developing alternative and sustainable feed ingredients. To achieve a deeper comprehension of these challenges, studies employing model species have emerged as pivotal tools. These models offer advantages in understanding reproductive mechanisms due to their well-defined physiology, genetic tractability, and ease of manipulation. Yet, while providing invaluable insights, their applicability to diverse species remains constrained by inherent variations across taxa and oversimplification of complex environmental interactions, thus limiting the extrapolation of the scientific findings. Bridging these gaps necessitates multidisciplinary approaches, emphasizing conservation efforts for wild species and tailored nutritional strategies for aquaculture, thereby fostering sustainable teleost reproduction in the Mediterranean. Full article

The establishment of government investment funds serves as a crucial measure for governments at all levels to leverage their certification role and financial resources in attracting social capital to support enterprise development. This paper empirically examines the guiding certification effect and governance supervision effect of government investment funds on enterprise value enhancement, utilising panel data from listed companies and government investment fund investment event data spanning the period from 2011 to 2021. The research findings reveal that government investment funds significantly enhance the value of recipient enterprises. By leveraging their guidance and certification effects and governance supervision effects, these funds alleviate financing constraints, actively participate in corporate governance, and ultimately enhance corporate value. The impact of government investment funds is negatively moderated by the age and size of the enterprise, indicating that the “invest in early-stage and small businesses” investment strategy yields better results in promoting value enhancement. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that government investment funds have a more pronounced impact on the value of non-heavily polluting industries, enterprises located in the eastern and southern regions of China, and non-state-owned enterprises. This article expands the research scope of government investment funds at the micro level, providing empirical evidence and theoretical support for optimising government investment funding policies and fostering the development of a modern capital market with distinctive Chinese characteristics. Full article

Reducing the carbon footprint of energy production is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today. Lignocellulosic biomass residues from fruit production industries show promise as a viable energy source. This paper presents a study of the Italian context concerning the utilization of orchard lignocellulosic residues for energy production as electricity or bioethanol. The potential of various orchard residues was assessed through chemical and physical analyses, and an equivalent electrical energy of about 6441.62 GWh or an amount of 0.48 Mt/y of bioethanol was obtained based on the average annual dry residue mass availability of about 3.04 Mt/y. These data represent 9.30% of the national electrical energy production from renewable sources, as well as 6.21% of the Italian demand for gasoline in 2022. Electricity generation from these residues has shown its potential as a reliable and sustainable baseload power source, as well as a source of renewable transportation fuel. The studied process could be a valuable reference to expand these concepts on a global scale to achieve a greener and more sustainable energy future. Full article

The realization of the role of the microbiome of the female reproductive tract in health and disease has opened numerous possibilities for the scientific examination of the intertwining role between the human host and its microbiota. The imbalance in the composition of the microbial communities of the vagina and uterus is now recognized as a risk factor for many complications in pregnancy and according to the data from numerous studies, it is possible for this imbalance to play a crucial role in creating a hostile endometrial environment, and therefore, contributing to the etiology of recurrent implantation failure. Nevertheless, our current understanding of these complicated biological phenomena is far from complete, and in the future, there needs to be a systematic and thorough investigation of the diagnosis and therapy of this condition. This will enable scientists who engage in the field of assisted reproduction technologies to accurately identify and cure women in whom dysbiosis hinders the achievement of a healthy pregnancy. Full article