Summary: Midbrain dopaminergic neurons (DANs) are subject to extensive metabotropic regulation, but the repertoire of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) present in these neurons has not been mapped. Here, we isolate DANs from Dat-eGFP mice to generate a GPCR atlas by unbiased qPCR array expression analysis of 377 GPCRs. Combined with data mining of scRNA-seq databases, we identify multiple receptors in DAN subpopulations with 38 of these receptors representing the majority of transcripts. We identify 41 receptors expressed in midbrain DANs but not in non-DAN midbrain cells, including the free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4). Functional expression of FFAR4 is validated by ex vivo Ca2+ imaging, and in vivo experiments support that FFAR4 negatively regulates food and water intake and bodyweight. In addition to providing a critical framework for understanding metabotropic DAN regulation, our data suggest fatty acid sensing by FFAR4 as a mechanism linking high-energy intake to the dopamine-reward pathway.

The report on building policy coherence in food, land, and water (FLW) systems is conducted under the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies. It provides a comparative policy coherence analysis across six flagship countries: Nigeria, Egypt, Colombia, India, Kenya, and Laos. This synthesis is founded on evaluating the alignment of national policies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [normative coherence], other national policies [horizontal coherence], and governance levels [vertical coherence]. The key findings of the reports are divided based on the type of coherence, country focus, and emerging trends and lessons learned.

Microplastics pervade the hydrosphere and inevitably come into contact with aquatic organisms. The study reports quantitative data on absorption and excretion of polystyrene microspheres 2 and 10 µm in diameter by zooplankton and fish larvae on the example of Artemia salina L. and Acipenser rithenus L. At the initial concentration of 500 µg/L, A. salina accumulated 2 and 10 µm particles in amounts up to 0.103 and 0.151 ng/individual, respectively, at a similar rate. The mass content of large-sized particles in A. salina was significantly higher (p < 0.01) compared to small-sized particles throughout the experiment. Artemia salina and A. rithenus larvae did not accumulate microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract over a period of 96 and 72 h, respectively. Consumption of microplastics by A. ruthenus larvae with A. salina through the food chain was slower and less pronounced in mass than their direct absorption from water. The rates of absorption of 2 and 10 μm particles by fish attained 0.9 and 8.22 ng/individual/h from water, and 0.06 and 0.23 ng/individual/h with food, respectively. In the models of water pollution and food chain transfer, A. ruthenus larvae consumed more 10 µm particles in mass compared to 2 µm particles (p < 0.05) and at a higher rate. For 2 µm particles, the excretion time for 50% of particles from the gastrointestinal tract of fish (T50) was 32–33 h, whereas for 10 µm particles, the excretion of particles consumed with food was slower (T50=45 h) compared to that of particles absorbed directly from water (T50=25 h). The data obtained can be used to simulate transport and circulation of microplastics of different sizes in the environment.

Relevance of the study: nutrition is the most important factor in maintaining health, normal growth and development of children and adolescents, preventing a number of diseases, maintaining high performance of the adult population, maintaining active longevity. Drinking water and food are necessary for the existence of humans and all life on Earth. Issues related to increasing responsibility for the effectiveness and objectivity of quality control of drinking water and food products are relevant in guaranteeing their safety for the health of consumers. Objectives of the study: to study the quality of drinking water and the efficiency of the water supply system in Osh in the period from 2020 to 2023; analysis of compliance of drinking water quality with sanitary and chemical standards; development of recommendations for improving the quality of water and the water supply system in Osh. Determination of toxic elements, pesticides and mycotoxins in food products, determination of physicochemical indicators and toxic elements in drinking water, pesticides and mycotoxins in food products was carried out in accordance with regulatory documents of GOST and the maximum permissible concentration. The test results showed the normal and permissible levels of pH, total iron, fluorides, hardness, dry residue, ammonia, nitrates, etc. in water, and the content of aflatoxin B1, the mass concentration of cadmium and lead, hexachlorane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane in food products. For a more in-depth analysis, it is recommended to use additional data on climatic conditions, geological features of the region, as well as the demographic situation in Osh.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) has proven to be an efficient and novel sanitizer in food and agriculture field. This study assessed the efficacy of SAEW (30 mg/L) at 40 ℃ on the inactivation of foodborne pathogens and detachment of multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism of MRSA biofilm under heated SAEW at 40 ℃ treatment on metabolic profiles was investigated. The results showed that the heated SAEW at 40 ℃ significantly effectively against foodborne pathogens of 1.96–7.56 (lg (CFU/g)) reduction in pork, chicken, spinach, and lettuce. The heated SAEW at 40 ℃ treatment significantly reduced MRSA biofilm cells by 2.41 (lg (CFU/cm2)). The synergistic effect of SAEW treatment showed intense anti-biofilm activity in decreasing cell density and impairing biofilm cell membranes. Global metabolic response of MRSA biofilms, treated by SAEW at 40 ℃, revealed the alterations of intracellular metabolites, including amino acids, organic acid, fatty acid, and lipid. Moreover, signaling pathways involved in amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, nucleotide synthesis, carbohydrate metabolites, and lipid biosynthesis were functionally disrupted by the SAEW at 40 ℃ treatment. As per our knowledge, this is the first research to uncover the potential mechanism of heated SAEW treatment against MRSA biofilm on food contact surface.

Forest ecosystem services are critical for maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being from different perspectives. However, rapid land use changes driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and industrial activities have significantly altered forest ecosystems, degrading the services they provide. We here conduct an ecosystem service assessment through biophysical and economic estimates for a multipurpose Andean water sub-basin in western Colombia. We compare a business as usual (BAU) with a forest nature-based solution (NbS) scenario focused on forest landscape restoration. The research employed participatory methods for the NbS selection and economic valuation techniques to evaluate water flow regulation, water provisioning, water purification, and food provisioning services. Results show that the NbS scenario yielded a net positive economic impact across most evaluated ecosystem services, with notable trade-offs. Specifically, the NbS scenario increased water retention by 2.9% compared to BAU. Water flow regulation demonstrated the most substantial economic benefit, increasing by EUR 11.39 million/year in the NbS scenario. On the other hand, the food provisioning service presented a reduction of EUR 3.2 million/year in the NbS scenario. These findings highlight the potential of forest-based NbS to address the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus challenges. The study’s outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, supporting the development of Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes and integrating ecosystem service valuation into land use planning and decision-making processes.

CONTEXT: In recent years, livestock farming has been in the spotlight. Meat production is blamed for the pollution of aquifers and rivers, as well as for the large amount of water required to feed livestock. This has highlighted the need to find alternative feeding systems for cattle breeding able to reduce food/feed competition. OBJECTIVE: In this context, the present study compares the water footprint (WF) of conventionally fed beef versus beef fed with vegetable by-products from the local agri-food industry. METHODS: Twenty-four entire male young bulls were reared under the Ternera de Navarra Protected Geographic Identification (PGI) in the town of Azoz, in Navarra, Spain. Twelve calves were fattened on a diet based on vegetable by-products and fodder and grain to complement the ration (VBP diet) and the remaining animals were fattened with a traditional diet based on concentrate and straw (conventional or control diet). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Once the fattening was finished and animals were slaughtered, the results showed a larger green, blue and grey WF in terms of m3 per beef cattle for conventionally fed animals compared to those fed with VBP. However, when looking at the efficiency, the results were mixed. Conventionally fed cattle exhibited lower green and grey WFs but a higher blue WF compared to VBP-fed cattle, with values of 9955 l/kg, 1577 l/kg and 1731 l/kg versus 10,147 l/kg, 1457 l/kg and 1831 l/kg of carcass beef, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE: This means that a by-product-based calf diet can reduce blue water use. However, further research is needed on the indirect water pollution associated with animal-fed crop production. | The project leading to these results was funded by the Government of Navarra and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the framework of the call for R & D BEEF + project “Carne saludable a través de la economía circular” (0011–1365–2020-000288), “la Caixa” and Caja Navarra Foundation, under agreement LCF/PR/PR13/51080004, and I.G. Industrial PhDs 2020 (0011–1408–2020-000009) and S.L.-E. Universidad Pública de Navarra post-graduate scholarships (UPNA-2022).

In order to realize the high quality and sustainable development of the Inner-Mongolia Reaches of Yellow River, this paper took Dalad Banner and its townships as research objects and constructed a water-energy-food-ecology (W-E-F-E) coupling coordination evaluation index system. The coupling coordination degree model was used to carry out system coordination research based on the W-E-F-E system coupling from the temporal and spatial perspectives, and the gray correlation model and the geographic detector were used to explore the driving mechanisms. The results show that: ① The comprehensive evaluation index of the W-E-F-E system in the Dalad Banner region generally shows a slow upward trend, from 0.356 in 2000 to 0.575 in 2022. ② The coupling degree of the W-E-F-E system in Dalad Banner and its townships is high, and it is in the stage of high-level coupling (The mean value is 0.967). However, the coupling coordination degree is low and maintains at the primary coordination stage (The mean value is 0.668). Unbalanced and uncoordinated spatial development exists in the Dalad Banner region, mainly in the eastern part of Dalad Banner, and areas with a higher coordination degree gradually change from the west to the center. ③ The coordination of the W-E-F-E system of Dalad Banner and its townships shows a good trend on the whole, and the whole region is gradually developing into a good coordination stage. The townships have basically entered the intermediate coordination stage. ④ In general, the influence degree of driving factors on the system coupling coordination degree is as follows: ecology > water > energy > food. In terms of spatial differences, energy has the greatest impact, while water has the least explanatory power. The interaction among water, food, and ecology yields the greatest explanatory power. The results can provide a basis for decision-making on the efficient utilization of resources and habitat protection in the Inner-Mongolia Reaches of Yellow River.

Driven by economic expansion, urbanization, and population growth, the world is witnessing an escalating demand for water, energy, land, and food, posing substantial threats to the sustainable development of societies and economies. Given the intricate interdependencies inherent within the water–energy–land–food (WELF) system, it is imperative to conduct comprehensive assessments of the coupling coordination and sustainable development of the WELF system over long time scales and diverse characteristic dimensions. This study selects Hebei province, China, as the research region, constructing a comprehensive indicator system spanning from 1980 to 2020 using three dimensions: reliability (Rel), robustness (Rob), and equilibrium (Equ). The degree of coupling coordination (DCC) and sustainable development index (SDI) were developed using the comprehensive evaluation index and coupling coordination degree model. Additionally, the obstacle degree model and gray relational degree model were employed to assess the indicators that hinder or promote the SDI. The results indicate that: (1) The DCC (range of 0–1, bigger the better) of the WELF system increased from 0.65 to 0.75 between 1980 and 1998, then fluctuated between 0.75 and 0.69, stabilizing at a moderate level of coordinated development after 2015. (2) For the WELF system in Hebei, as Rel increased, Rob decreased, and Equ increased; similarly, as Rob increased, Equ also increased. (3) The SDI (range of 0–1, bigger the better) rose from 0.45 in 1980, initially increased, then decreased, and eventually stabilized. After 2014, it experienced rapid growth, reaching 0.54 by 2020, indicating an improvement in sustainable development capability. (4) Indicators related to the Equ dimension and the land subsystem were more critical limiting factors for SDI development, while indicators related to the Rel dimension and the food subsystem were more significant contributors to SDI development. These findings offer a scientific foundation and practical insights for Hebei and comparable regions, aiding in the resolution of resource conflicts, optimization of resource allocation, and enhancement of regional sustainable development.

Water, energy, food, and ecology are essential for achieving sustainable development in a region, and in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, their security is also essential at a river basin scale. This study investigated the interrelationships among the water system, food system, energy system, and ecosystem in China’s Upper Han River, in alignment with Goals 2, 6, 7, and 15 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To evaluate the achievement of the SDGs in the Upper Han River, this water–energy–food–ecology system was evaluated by a thorough evaluation index system according to Goals 2, 6, 7, and 15, and the weights of the indices were given using a combination of the CRITIC weighting method and entropy approach. The level of coupling coordination of the system from 2000 to 2021 was quantitatively evaluated by using a coupling coordination degree model. The autoregressive integrated moving average model was built to forecast the process of the indices from 2022 to 2041, and the predicted processes of the system were evaluated by the coupling coordination degree model. The degree of coupling coordination improved from 0.396 to 0.845, and the comprehensive assessment development index increased by 113% from 2000 to 2021, demonstrating that it was a stable development period in general. The fragile support capacity of the water system for the energy system, food system, and ecosystem had a great impact on the overall comprehensive evaluation index. SDG2 (food system), SDG6 (water system), SDG7 (energy system), and SDG15 (ecosystem) all have higher levels of internal conflict. These bi-directional dynamics tended to converge in the sufficiency development mode in the future period as well as the historical period. The analysis of the relationship showed that there were inherent connections and interactions between the four goals, as presented by the high level of coupling that persisted between SDG2, SDG6, SDG7, and SDG15. In the process of promoting the achievement of these goals, the coupling degree also tends to be coordinated from 2022 to 2041. The results offer a view for the river basin’s sustainable development and management.