Mg vacancy and impurity-limited MgO single crystal thermal conductivity

Data will be made available on request.Magnesium oxide (MgO) exhibits one of the highest thermal conductivities among oxides and is widely used as a dielectric material and substrate in semiconductor devices, in refractory applications, and as a promising filler in thermal interface materials for electronics. Its high thermal conductivity may be sensitive to impurity and defects, yet this influence is still uncertain. Here, the impact of the common impurities, i.e., Al, Ca, Ti, V, Fe, Si, B, Nb, Zr, Na, and K, as well as Mg and O vacancies on phonon scattering and thermal conductivity of MgO is studied using a fully first-principles T-matrix framework. It is found that B, Nb, and Zr impurities, along with Mg vacancies, lead to exceptionally strong reductions in thermal conductivity. By contrast, O vacancies and other impurities have modest to minimal impacts. Leveraging the T-matrix results, we reassess the perturbative, mass-only formalism whose use is pervasive in the literature and show that neglecting bond disorder does not necessarily lead to underestimation: for all transition-metal impurities studied, bond perturbations partially cancel mass disorder, causing the traditional perturbative model to overestimate scattering. We propose a simple modified perturbative expression that incorporates both mass and bond disorder and closely reproduces the T-matrix trends. Our predicted low-temperature trends by including phonon-impurity and phonon-boundary scattering match reasonably well with experiments. This work provides an in-depth study of impurity- and vacancy-limited thermal conductivity of MgO and suggests that reported “high-purity” MgO values have likely not yet reached the intrinsic upper limit, which may be substantially higher.This research was supported in part by the Nano & Material Technology Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by Ministry of Science and ICT (RS-2024-00444574) and in part by National Science Foundation (NSF) (award number: CBET 2337749). Z.H. acknowledges support from the Center for Thermal Energy Transport under Irradiation (TETI), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. J.C. acknowledges grant CEX2023-001286-S funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and grant PID2023-148359NB-C21 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union FEDER. Computation used resources from Bridges-2 at Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center through allocation MCH240097 from the Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support (ACCESS) program and the Center for High Performance Computing at the University of Utah.CEX2023-001286-SPeer reviewe

Compartment-specific immune response in Mytilus galloprovincialis to Vibrio splendidus revealed by haemolymph proteomics

14 pages, 6 figuresThe Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis relies on its innate immune system to defend against pathogens, with haemocytes serving as the primary immune cells in its haemolymph. However, the role of haemolymph serum in immune defence has been underexplored. To address this gap, the present study investigated the immune response in both haemocyte and serum compartments of the haemolymph following Vibrio splendidus infection using high-throughput quantitative proteomic analysis. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with isobaric tandem mass tags (TMT) enabled the identification and quantification of 2310 proteins in haemocytes and 629 in serum, making this the most comprehensive proteomic analysis of M. galloprovincialis haemolymph to date. Our results support the hypothesis that serum contains a higher proportion of immune-related proteins, highlighting its specialised role in host defence. The distinct protein profiles observed between haemocytes and serum provide additional evidence of a functional compartmentalisation of the immune response. Only a few immune proteins were shared between both compartments, helping to distinguish those that act within haemocytes from those released into the serum to play a key role in systemic defence. This study reveals that V. splendidus infection triggers a coordinated, yet compartmentalised, immune response across haemolymph components. These findings provide new insights into the complexity of the mussel immune system and underscore the importance of analysing both haemocytes and serum to better understand immune defence mechanisms, not only in M. galloprovincialis but also in other bivalve speciesThis work was supported by grant PID2019-107611RB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, FEDER (ERDF, European Union), and Xunta de Galicia (GRC- ED431C 2024/22), Centro singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2024–2027 (ED431G 2023/07) and ERDF “A way of making Europe”. This research is also funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PID2021-124955OB-I00) and by Xunta de Galicia (IN607B 2022/13). Antonella Panebianco is funded by a predoctoral fellowship from Xunta de Galicia (ED481A-2020/277). Funding for open access charge: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGPeer reviewe

Personal Data Flows and Privacy Policy Traceability in Third-party LLM Apps in the GPT Ecosystem

The rapid growth of platforms for customizing Large Language Models (LLMs), such as OpenAI’s GPTs, has raised new privacy and security concerns, particularly related to the exposure of user data via third-party API integrations in LLM apps.To assess privacy risks and data practices, we conducted a large-scale analysis of OpenAI’s GPTs ecosystem. Through the analysis of 5,286 GPTs and the 44,102 parameters they use through API calls to exter nal services, we systematically investigated the types of user data collected, as well as the completeness and discrepancies between actual data flows and GPTs stated privacy policies. Our results high light that approximately 35% of API parameters enable the sharing of sensitive or personally identifiable information, yet only 15% of corresponding privacy policies provide complete disclosure. By quantifying these discrepancies, our study exposes critical privacy risks and underscores the need for stronger oversight and support tools in LLM-based application development. Furthermore, we un cover widespread problematic practices among GPT creators, such as missing or inaccurate privacy policies and a misunderstanding of their privacy responsibilities. Building on these insights, we propose design recommendations that include actionable measure ments to improve transparency and informed consent, enhance creator responsibility, and strengthen regulation.This research was partially funded by the INCIBE’s strategic SPRINT (Seguridad y Privacidad en Sistemas con Inteligencia Artificial) C063/23 project with funds from the EU-NextGenerationEU through the Spanish government’s Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia; by the Spanish Government via project PID2023- 151536OB-I0; and by the Generalitat Valenciana via project PROMETEO CIPROM/2023/23.Peer reviewe

In the search for caligidosis treatments: Antiparasitic peptides targeting Caligus rogercresseyi acetylcholinesterase

One of the major health challenges in Chile's salmon industry is infestation by the ectoparasite Caligus rogercresseyi. Current treatments, primarily organophosphate compounds targeting acetylcholinesterase (AChE), are increasingly limited by resistance. This study investigates antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) skin mucus as a potential alternative with lower risk of resistance and reduced environmental impact. Using a combination of in silico and in vitro approaches, a QSAR model screened 959 peptides, predicting 21 candidates with AChE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ < 100 μM). These peptides were chemically synthesized and evaluated for antiparasitic activity against C. rogercresseyi nauplius, along with hemolytic and cytotoxic effects on salmon cells. Four peptides inhibited the nauplius stage with EC₅₀ values ranging from 3 to 31 μM at 48 and 72 h post-exposure. Among them, AS4532, AS4531, and AS4528 were confirmed as competitive AChE inhibitors, with Ki values of 64.8, 72.7, and 98.6 μM, respectively. Notably, none of the peptides induced hemolysis or cytotoxicity. These findings provide the first evidence that fish mucus peptides can act as effective antiparasitic agents targeting AChE in C. rogercresseyi, offering a promising alternative to conventional chemical treatments.This work received financial support from ANID Fondecyt 1210056. CC received funding support form ANID Fondecyt 1240448 and TR was supported by Beca Doctorado ANID #21191601.Peer reviewe

Beyond growth: Reshaping fisheries for a wellbeing economy

14 pages, 1 figureContemporary fisheries have been shaped by a paradigm of perpetual growth, characterized by increasing global production and consumption. While this growth has driven economic benefits and technological progress, it has jeopardized the sustainability of marine ecosystems, with implications for the long-term livelihoods and wellbeing of fishers, consumers and resource dependent coastal populations worldwide. This paper advocates for a shift beyond growth towards a wellbeing economy. It considers how five fundamental principles intrinsic to a wellbeing economy - purpose, nature, fairness, participation and dignity - can help reorient the fisheries sector. The paper then provides ten actionable recommendations for reshaping the composition and structure of economic activity in fisheries to enhance societal wellbeing and equity within ecological boundaries. In a world grappling with the consequences of unchecked economic growth, this paper offers insights into fostering a regenerative fisheries system that safeguards human prosperity and environmental integrityPeer reviewe

Kirchner’s Kāma-sūtra: Indian Erotica and Orientalist Fantasies in Imperial Germany

Peer reviewe

Integrating conservation priorities into spatial planning for renewable energy development: The case of the Spanish imperial eagle

The data that has been used is confidential.The rapid expansion of renewable energy infrastructure across the Iberian Peninsula presents new challenges for the conservation of endangered species, such as the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti). We assessed the spatial overlap between operational wind and photovoltaic energy facilities and the key ecological areas used by juvenile Spanish imperial eagles and areas occupied by resident breeding adults. We analysed GPS-tracking data from 61 juveniles monitored between 2017 and 2023, together with breeding data from official records, to estimate dispersal and breeding ranges. We found that 40 % of the juvenile dispersal area suffers moderate to high-risk from energy installations, and that these areas host over 46 % of all wind turbines and 67 % of the photovoltaic energy surface in the study area. Of the eagles monitored, 36 % died during the study period, with 59 % of the human-activity related deaths linked to energy infrastructure, primarily due to electrocution. We also evaluated the current and zones excluded from the designation of go-to areas for renewable energy implementation under Directive (EU) 2023/2413 and found that only 21.3 % of the juvenile dispersal area and 38 % of the breeding range are currently protected. Proposed extensions to exclusion zones would significantly increase the protected area (18–26 %) but still leave ecologically sensitive areas at risk. These results underscore the urgent need to integrate fine-scale ecological data into renewable energy planning to reduce conflicts with endangered species conservation.This work was carried out by Fundación CBD-Habitat and funded by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO). The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of MITECO. Jorge Tobajas was supported by a postdoctoral contract (Junior +) from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) partially funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+), and a postdoctoral contract funded by the University of Cordoba through the “Plan Propio de Investigación Enrique Aguilar Benítez de Lugo 2024”. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to J. Caldera, J. Lara Ismael Pérez and David Mingot from the Autonomous Community of Madrid, D. Cubero, V. Salvador, E. Madejón, N. Zabala, Elena Hernández and C. Pérez from the Junta de Castilla y León. We are also grateful to F. J. Sánchez Mateos, F. Guil, J. García, L.M. González, C. Carrapato, N. El Kadir, E. Sotolargo, D. García, L. Benavente, M. Reina, T. Pereyra, L. Bolonio, C. Palacín and L. Sebastián. V. García and A. Díaz from the MITECO for their invaluable support and assistance throughout this project. M. Dagys for his invaluable assistance and willingness to help us with GPS devices. We thank to Phil Whitfield and an anonymous reviewer for their useful suggestions, which helped us to improve our manuscript.Open Access funding provided by Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha.Peer reviewe

Corrigendum to "Biochar enhanced floating root mats to reduce recalcitrant contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater effluents" [Bioresour. Technol. 436 (2025) 132960]

The authors regret that the following affiliation was missing for the first author of the paper: "Department of Chemistry, University of Girona (UdG), 17003 Girona, Spain". The addition of this second affiliation has been requested in order to comply with the recent agreement between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Girona (UdG) regarding doctoral theses and universities, in accordance with the regulations of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.Peer reviewe

Influence of external carbon sources on the morpho-structural and mechanical properties of 3D-structured carbon monoliths

High purity carbon structured devices have been prepared by resorcinol-formaldehyde polycondensation in aqueous medium and alkaline conditions with starch as a binder and various external carbon sources. Polylactic acid (PLA) templates have been used to perform the structures which, after controlled and fixed pyrolysis conditions, generate 3D carbon devices with tuneable geometry and properties, as well as mechanical integrity. This study investigates the influence of the nature of the added carbon (activated charcoal, powdered graphite, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, cellulose-derived biocarbon, and synthetic carbon xerogel) on the morpho-structural and mechanical properties of the resulting monoliths. The nature and proportion of the added carbon significantly affect crystallinity, porosity, surface area, and compressive strength. The addition of either carbon xerogel or carbon obtained by pyrolysis of cellulose allows obtaining structures with channels with suitable mechanical properties with no volume reduction or structural collapse. The best mechanical properties are obtained using carbon xerogel as additive, as it allows using a higher C/OS weight ratio (1.61), giving an apparent density of 0.79 g/cm3 and compressive strength (σ) of 5.4 MPa. The use of sustainable cellulose-derived carbon as additive results in a monolith with lower mechanical properties (apparent density = 0.46 g/cm3, σ = 1.4 MPa), probably due to the lower C/OS ratio (0.42) but higher mesoporosity (42 vs. 17 %), emerging as the most promising candidate for structured catalytic support applications. The methodology enables the fabrication of high-purity carbon structures with customizable properties suitable for advanced catalytic processes.Financial support was obtained from Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033/) and for FEDER Funds (Una manera de hacer Europa), Project PID2020-113809RB-C32.Peer reviewe

Monitoring acrylamide in potato crisps in Spain using selected datasets from 2004 to 2025: Twenty years of trends, current status, and compliance with European regulation

Data will be made available on request.Acrylamide, a heat-induced process contaminant, has been a public health concern in potato crisps for over two decades. This study evaluated acrylamide concentrations in commercial potato crisps (n = 80) marketed in Spain in 2025 and compared them with historical datasets (2004–2019) to assess compliance with EU benchmark levels and explore the effectiveness of mitigation strategies through contextual interpretation. Acrylamide ranged from 160 to 2871 μg/kg (mean: 890 μg/kg; median: 785 μg/kg). Notably, 51 % of samples exceeded the benchmark level of 750 μg/kg established under Regulation (EU) 2017/2158. The wide variability observed highlights the uneven adoption of mitigation practices. Temporal analysis revealed that, despite a 55 % reduction in acrylamide concentrations between 2004 and 2019, the 2025 survey showed unexpectedly higher levels than in 2019 (median: 569 μg/kg), reversing the downward trend. Factors such as seasonal variation in potato tubers, insufficient adjustment of processing conditions, and the withdrawal of chlorpropham as a sprout suppressant may have contributed to this increase. Dietary exposure assessment estimated a mean intake of ∼2.0 μg/day from crisps, equivalent to 0.024–0.033 μg/kg body weight/day in adults. Margin of exposure (MOE) values for neurotoxicity were above the safety concern threshold, but those for carcinogenicity (5099–6968) remained below the reference of 10,000, indicating potential long-term risks. These findings underscore that although mitigation strategies have been partially implemented, their inconsistent application continues to result in elevated acrylamide levels in a considerable proportion of potato crisps on Spanish market, highlighting the need to renew monitoring efforts and harmonize mitigation strategies.Peer reviewe