A quantitative NMR assay was utilized to identify methylglyoxal-scavenging natural products from Rhodophytes, Chondrus crispus and Gracilaria vermiculophylla. This revealed the activity of guanylurea-containing amino acid derivatives, gongrine and gigartinine. The molecules share structural features with the frontline blood glucose-lowering drug and plant natural product derivative, metformin, and scavenge methylglyoxal via the same mechanism, resulting in an imidazole-containing Advanced Glycation Endproduct or AGE. The protective effect of the molecules reported here was evaluated in a cell-based model for reactive aldehyde stress using methylglyoxal exposure to reduce cell viability. Gongrine, gigartinine, and metformin all preserve cell viability in HepG2 following methylglyoxal exposure. This is the first report of methylglyoxal scavenging and cell viability protection of these macroalgae-derived guanylurea-containing natural products, which can be found in high abundance in commonly consumed and industrially produced macroalgae species. The compounds presented here, along with their algal sources, offer a unique opportunity to produce guanylureas with therapeutic potential through sustainable production methods from easily cultivated algal sources.

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are photoprotective compounds primarily produced by marine organisms, especially red algae. Chemically, MAAs and their precursors are low-molecular-weight natural products that absorb ultraviolet radiation in the range of 270-360 nm without generating free radicals. Owing to these properties, MAAs have attracted considerable interest for potential pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications as natural sunscreen agents. In this study, the first hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-ultra-performance liquid chromatography (HILIC-UPLC) method, coupled with both diode array detector (DAD) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), was developed for the determination of 11 MAAs and 2 MAA precursors in various algal species. As column, a YMC-Triart Diol-HILIC (particle size: 1.9 µm) was used, and the separation of the MAAs realized in under 5 min. The validation of the method was carried out following International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines, demonstrating linearity, selectivity, precision, and accuracy. The analysis of extracts prepared from well-known species, such as Porphyra sp. and Chondrus crispus, confirmed practical applicability. Demonstrating feasibility of MS/MS-based quantification of co-eluting compounds, the method represents an appealing alternative that surpasses established procedures not only in terms of analysis time but also by providing a substantially increased informative value.

Sulfated polysaccharides, carrageenans (CRGs) derived from Chondrus armatus, were used as mucoadhesive matrices for incorporating the antiviral drug acyclovir (ACV). Through IR spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations, it was demonstrated that CRGs interact with ACV, forming complexes via intermolecular hydrogen bonding and coordination interactions, with an enthalpy of approximately 15-20 kcal/mol. The monomodal ζ-potential distribution observed in the CRG/ACV mixture confirmed the successful formation of this complex. The antiviral efficacy of the CRG/ACV complex was evaluated during the early stages of herpes simple virus (HSV-1) infection, focusing on its ability to inhibit the cytopathic effects of the virus on host cells. Notably, CRGs enhanced antiviral activity by allowing a reduction in the ACV dosage. Unlike ACV alone, the CRG complex exhibited a prophylactic effect, with therapeutic efficacy comparable to that of ACV. When incorporated into liposomes, the CRG/ACV complex displayed excellent mucoadhesive properties. This liposomal formulation demonstrated notable antiviral activity against infected cells with selective index (SI) 344 and a heightened prophylactic effect (SI 128) compared to the complex alone. Overall, these new antiviral compounds show promise in selectively inhibiting viral adsorption and replication processes without adversely affecting the host organism.

A novel cold-adapted κ-carrageenase (Car2891) was identified from the marine bacterium Cellulophaga sp. P-1 isolated from Chondrus. The enzyme was recombinantly expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) and biochemically characterized. Car2891 exhibited optimal activity at 30 °C and pH 8.0, maintaining high stability and catalytic performance from 0 °C to 30 °C under neutral-weakly alkaline conditions. Its activity was enhanced by Na[+], Mg[2+], and Mn[2+] but strongly inhibited by Hg[2+], Cu[2+], Ni[2+], and EDTA. Kinetic analysis revealed a Km value of 6.1 mg mL[-1] and a Vmax value of 31.65 mg mL[-1] min[-1] for κ-carrageenan. Hydrolysis pattern analysis revealed an endo-acting cleavage mechanism, initially yielding hexa- and tetrasaccharides, with disaccharides and tetrasaccharides as the final major products. These properties demonstrate Car2891's potential as an efficient and controllable biocatalyst for the environmentally friendly processing of κ-carrageenan and the scalable production of functional oligosaccharides.

Seaweed are primary producers and potential vectors of microplastics (MPs) contamination, yet robust extraction methods that digest complex algal matrices while preserving polymer integrity remain limited. A sequential enzymatic-oxidative digestion was optimized for three seaweeds (Fucus vesiculosus, Chondrus crispus and Ulva lactuca). The optimized process involved the initial addition of cellulase (1% w/v, 24 h, 50 °C) followed by H₂O₂ (30% v/v, 48-72 h, 65 °C). Across nine 0.5 g dry-weight sub-replicates (3 per seaweed), 30 MPs were found (6.7 MPs/g⁻¹). The integrity of polymers was assessed for 12 MPs polymers, with acceptable performance being defined as ≥ 90% recovery and spectroscopic (through FTIR analysis) identifiability. Eight polymers met this threshold (90-101%). Four polymers were adversely affected with the long 72 H₂O₂ incubation, namely: cellulose-acetate (53% recovery), polyamide (61%), acrylic (3%) and rayon (2%). Although polymers remained identifiable, sequential digestion produced mass loss and visible changes (e.g. polyamide opacity, cellulose-acetate brittleness), which may increase fragmentation and miss-identification. Therefore, the protocol is suitable for most common MPs, but not for rayon and acrylic, and should be applied cautiously where cellulose-acetate or polyamide are expected.

Gloiopeltis furcata is an annual red alga of Endocladiaceae, Florideophyceae, showing high economic and medical values. The chloroplast genome is instrumental for evolutionary studies, yet that of G. furcata remains unreported. Here, the chloroplast genome of G. furcata was assembled and analyzed. The genome size is 177,606 bp, which contains 184 genes (152 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNAs, and 3 rRNAs).  Four simple sequence repeat (SSR) types were detected. The AGA-encoded arginine had the highest relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) value, while CGG-encoded arginine had the lowest. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that G. furcata is a sister to Chondrus crispus.

Investigator-initiated studies that include information collected by patients are rising, but limited data is available on patient and investigator experience in this setting. The I-CARE cohort included patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) monthly collecting clinical information in 15 countries for up to 6 years. We describe patients and investigators' involvement in I-CARE and identify predictors of early withdrawal due to patient non-engagement. Patients' characteristics according to the number of electronic Patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) completed during follow-up were assessed. Predictors of early withdrawal due to patient non-engagement were identified using logistic regression. The coding of outcomes reported by patients and corrections by investigators on patients' ePROs were assessed. Among 12,846 patients included by 502 investigators, 79.3% and 77.3% filled more than one ePRO and at least one ePRO within 6 months before the study end date, respectively. All ePROs were completed in 72.8% and 56.4% of patients during year 1 and 3, respectively. Male gender, younger age (< 20), being unemployed or a student, and no previous history of abdominal surgery were associated with early withdrawal. Investigators corrected 52.5% of cancer or dysplasia reported by patients compared to 10% of serious infections. Investigators added or removed a treatment sequence in 19.6% of the 6708 patients treated with biologics. These results highlight the implication of patients in research and the importance of data validation by investigators alongside the challenge and potential of collecting medical data from patients. These findings can inform similar future initiatives in other diseases. (EudraCT, Number: 2014-004728-23; ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT02377258).

Sea moss or Irish moss (Chondrus crispus) is a type of red seaweed that is used as food and medicine, although no medicinal value has been proven. Sea moss contains carrageenan, which is used as food additive and other polysaccharides (carbohydrates). It also contains numerous minerals, including iodine and some toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury that come from the water where it was grown.[1] Maternal consumption of excess iodine from seaweed has caused thyroid suppression in breastfed infants.[2-4] Sea moss should be avoided during breastfeeding unless the levels of iodine and heavy metals have been shown to be low enough to be safe.

Europe's Beating Cancer Plan is a substantial European Union (EU) investment into cancer prevention and treatment. Integration of genetic services towards personalised cancer prevention and care is a flagship of this plan. Genetic counselling is critical to this integration, facilitating informed patient decision making and improved clinical management. However, growing demands for genetic testing and concurrently increasing workforce shortages necessitate new strategies to equitably ensure sustainable access to counselling across the EU. This project aimed to inform future European activities by identifying priority European strategies for addressing common European genetic literacy, workforce, and reimbursement barriers to genetic counselling in cancer noted in prior work. A Delphi survey was conducted, with genetics, oncology, and patient stakeholders invited from all EU Member States. The response rate was 62% (124 total invitations). Over three phases, 77 participants - 28 geneticists; 14 oncologists; 18 genetic counsellors; 16 patient representatives; 1 otherwise qualified expert - rated 19 strategies according to their Importance, Urgency, and Feasibility and selected their top three priority strategies. Five strategies met pre-defined consensus thresholds and received a clear plurality of priority ratings: (1) EU-wide genetic counsellor recognition; (2) Including genetics expertise in oncology guideline creation; (3) Shared EU genetic counsellor registration/education with legal weight; (4) Mandatory counselling reimbursement when clinical guidelines are met; (5) Mandatory inclusion of genetics in oncology fellowship/continuing education. Results provide a roadmap of European actions which promise to sustainably improve access to genetic counselling in cancer care. Upcoming and ongoing EU projects promise to advance their implementation.

Human behavior change is needed to stop the triple planetary crisis. Zoos reach millions of people every year and there is evidence available that people do change their behavior because of zoo led interventions. Designing interventions with behavior change frameworks in mind can increase the efficacy of interventions. The Behavior Change Wheel is a guide for describing, designing and evaluating behavior change strategies, rooted in the COM-B model. It can be used for retrospective assessment of existing interventions. Here we present a content analysis of websites of members of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). We classified behavior change projects in relation to categories on the Behavior Change Wheel including Intervention Function and Policy Category. A total of 754 behavior change projects were identified and analyzed, resulting in 1650 Intervention Function and 1154 Policy Category codes. Persuasion (n = 450) and Education (n = 289) were the most frequently identified Intervention Functions. Communication/marketing (n = 515, 68.30%), was the most frequently used Policy Category. Zoos themselves were most often the agents of behavior change and projects most frequently targeted the general public. Most projects used multiple intervention functions in conjunction with each other, with only 12.73% (n = 210) of Intervention Functions occurring on their own. Combining Intervention Functions has positive implications for intervention effectiveness, but barriers to effectiveness such as limited project targets were identified. Developing behavior change projects in zoos with behavior change frameworks in mind would likely further increase the effectiveness of these projects.

We collected samples in the August (summer) and October (autumn) of 2022, as well as in the February (winter) and May (spring) of 2023 in the raft-style mussel aquaculture area on Gouqi Island in the Zhoushan Archipelago, aiming to analyze the structure of the raft-style algal community on Gouqi Island and its impact on the epibenthic preference of algae-dwelling amphipods (Gammaridea and Caprellidae). The results showed that: 1) The number of algal species and biomass on the nearshore side of the aquaculture area were higher than those on the offshore side, with seasonal fluctuations. The number of algal species was highest in summer (19 species) and lowest in winter (15 species). The species richness index was higher in summer (2.65) and lower in winter (2.38). 2) There were significant differences in the epibenthic density of Gammaridea and Caprellidae across seasons, with higher densities in summer and lower densities in winter. Gammaridea was predominantly distributed on the nearshore side of the aquaculture area, while Caprellidae was more abundant on the offshore side. 3) Both Gammaridea and Caprellidae preferred branching and foliar algae, with the foliar algae Chondrus ocellatus exhibiting the highest epibenthic density. Among the branching algae, Gammaridea tended to attach to the structurally complex and color-similar Grateloupia okamura, while Caprellidae preferred to attach to the rough-surfaced, hard-textured, and structurally stable Corallina officinalis. In addition to season, morphological characteristics such as branching number, surface roughness, and structural complexity were also major factors affecting the epibenthic preference of Gammaridea and Caprellidae. The study could contribute to understanding the ecological adaptation strategies of amphipods and provide theoretical basis and data support for ecological management and algal diversity conservation in raft-style aquaculture areas.

This study examined the biochemical composition and bioactivity of three macroalgae (seaweed) species: Palmaria palmata, Ascophyllum nodosum, and Chondrus crispus. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy identified 18 metabolites, including amino and organic acids with significant interspecies variation. Inductively Coupled Plasma analysis showed high calcium (up to 49,340 mg/kg in C. crispus) and iron (728.9 mg/kg in C. crispus), with trace arsenic and lead present. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography detected carotenoids lutein (0.0105 mg/mL) and α-carotene (0.0010 mg/mL) in P. palmata. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry revealed A. nodosum rich in oleic acid (57.3 %), P. palmata in palmitic acid (82.8 %), and C. crispus in myristic acid (48.7 %). Antioxidant assays showed C. crispus (IC₅₀ 5.33 mg/mL, DPPH) and A. nodosum (IC₅₀ 0.25 mg/mL, ABTS) had highest activity. Significant antibacterial inhibition zones (up to 4.67 mm) and 66.6 % biofilm reduction by C. crispus were observed. These macroalgae represent promising natural bioactive sources for food and health.

Plant protein consumption has increased globally but concerns exist regarding their ability to provide sufficient amino acids to consumers. Extraction methods that can separate protein from anti-nutritional factors have potential to increase the nutritional value of this biomass. Few studies concerning analysis of the amino acid content of plant protein extracts exist. In this work, three different protein extraction methods were used to generate protein extracts from Buckwheat, Spelt and the red seaweed Chondrus crispus. Methods used include ultra-sonication in water combined with ammonium sulphate-induced protein precipitation; an enzymatic extraction method using the enzymes Alcalase and Viscozyme, and an iso-electric precipitation extraction method using alkaline protein solubilization followed by acidic protein precipitation. Proteins extracted using the enzymatic method contained the highest proportion of essential amino acids (EAA) in viable quantities, and the method holds promise for use in the generation of alternative marine and cereal protein extracts for human consumption.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a massive concern because it causes the loss of human life and an economic burden in many parts of the world. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be investigated as an alternative solution to combat AMR because their mechanism has the potential to reduce microbe resistance. In this study, the native P01 peptide from Chondrus crispus macroalgae was modified to P01.1, P01.2, and P01.3 peptides via residue mutations and capping of the N- and C-termini to systematically improve their a-helical content, bacterial membrane interaction, and antibacterial activity. C-terminus amidation and mutations to remove helix breaker residues in P01 to give P01.1 peptide enhanced its a-helical stability. Acetylation of the N-terminus P01.1 to give P01.2 peptide further enhanced the a-helical content of the peptide. Mutations of low-to-high helical former residues in P01.2 to give P01.3 peptide further improve its a-helical stability. The binding activity of peptides to a model of Gram-positive membrane is in the following order P01.3 > P01.2 > P01.1 > P01; this is correlated with their antibacterial activity against Gram-positive S. aureus with MICs in the following order P01.3 = 15.63 mg/mL > P01.2 = 125 mg/mL > P01.1 and P01 larger than 250 mg/mL. In a model of Gram-negative membrane, the peptide-membrane binding is in the following order P01.3 = P01.2 > P01.1 > P01; however, P01.3, P01.2, and P01.1 have the same antibacterial activity against Gram-negative E.coli (MIC = 3.91 mg/mL) while P01 has no activity. In conclusion, the a-helical stability and amphipathicity of the peptide have correlation with the membrane binding and antibacterial activity of the peptide.