Browse Articles

White-box soft computing models for predicting the strength of sustainable pozzolanic concretes

Ionic liquid as a structure-directing agent for Frank-Kasper phase formation in block copolymers

Strain-induced deterministic moiré superlattices in 2D materials

Moiré superlattices in two-dimensional (2D) materials have been realized through lattice mismatch or rotational misalignment between atomic layers. Here, we extend moiré formation to heterostrain in transition metal dichalcogenides using a scalable process that deterministically induces strain to 2D materials. By applying patterned thin-film stressors and probing the resulting atomic structure with scanning transmission electron microscopy, we directly resolve the induced heterostrain, lattice deformations, and stacking variations that produce the moiré superlattice. We find that uniaxial and biaxial heterostrain give rise to distinct moiré patterns, including stripes and distorted hexagonal geometries. Such reconstruction creates in-plane polar distortions at the domain boundaries of the moiré superlattice in MoS 2 , producing polarization textures different from those induced by twisting. The deterministic construction of moiré patterns using a well-established scalable process opens opportunities to design new moiré geometries in 2D materials.

Hydrocarbon generation kinetics and history of source rocks in different salinity environments, Dongpu Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China

The Dongpu Depression is a typical petroliferous depression characterized by remarkable variations in sedimentary salinity. To investigate hydrocarbon generation characteristics of source rocks in different salinity environments, 20 source rock samples were collected and analyzed for organic geochemical. Combining trace elements, Three representative samples were further selected for gold-tube pyrolysis experiments to obtain hydrocarbon generation kinetic parameters. Integrating constraints from kinetic parameters and thermal history, basin modeling was conducted to systematically compare the hydrocarbon generation characteristics of source rocks in different salinity environments. Results show that activation energy for gaseous hydrocarbon generation is widely distributed, while that for liquid hydrocarbon generation is relatively concentrated. Hydrocarbon yields follow the order: saline environment (SE)> brackish environment (BE)> freshwater environment (FE). High-quality source rock intervals with hydrocarbon generation intensity exceeding 2 × 10⁶ t/km² are recognized as key targets for subsequent oil and gas exploration in the region. This study provides valuable implications for hydrocarbon exploration and resource assessment in comparable saline lacustrine basins.

Prevalence and determinants of psychotropic drug self-medication among medical students at the university of Gondar, Ethiopia: the role of mental health stigma

Convergent mantle flow and plate kinematics contribute to South China Sea rifting

Phase-sensitive evidence for pair density waves in a kagome superconductor

Pair density wave (PDW) exhibits periodic amplitude and sign modulations of the superconducting order parameter. Such a pairing state has long been proposed to be highly sensitive to nonmagnetic scattering, but its experimental realization remains elusive. Here, we find a nonmagnetic PDW-breaking effect in a kagome superconductor, using designer atomic nonmagnetic impurities and high-precision scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at a base temperature of 30 mK. We detect 2 × 2 pair density modulations by Josephson STM with a superconducting tip and 2 × 2 pairing gap modulations by normal STM. We find that the pairing modulations in both cases are substantially suppressed upon doping the kagome lattice with dilute isovalent nonmagnetic impurities, whereas the charge order and uniform superconductivity remain robust. We further identify the correlation between atomic dopants and the local suppression of PDW. We attribute these findings to a nonmagnetic pair-breaking effect, arising from the phase modulation of PDW in the kagome d -orbital. Taken together with its signatures in other state-of-the-art spectroscopy and transport measurements linked by theory, our findings support the ground state of the kagome superconductor as a correlated topological phase with superconducting loop currents.

Is resilience linked to stress response among anesthesia professionals? A prospective simulation-based study

Objectives Anesthesiology is a stressful specialty characterized by high rates of burnout among its practitioners. Resilience, defined as a dynamic process of positive adaptation in the face of adversity, may serve as a protective factor. However, the relationship between resilience and the acute stress response remains poorly understood. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that higher resilience levels would be associated with attenuated physiological and psychological stress responses during a standardized anesthetic crisis simulation. Methods Participants included anesthesiologists, anesthesiology residents, nurse anesthetists, and nurse anesthetist students. Resilience was measured using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10, range 0–40). Participants underwent a high-fidelity pediatric laryngospasm simulation. Physiological (heart rate variability) and psychological (self-reported stress) responses to acute stress were analyzed. Results Thirty-four professionals were included. The median resilience score was 29 [27 –32], ranging from 18 to 34. No significant association was found between resilience and physiological (p = 0.085) or psychological (p = 0.621) responses to acute stress. Resilience was not related to age, years of experience, or professional role. Conclusions Resilience scores were comparable to those reported in other studies. No significant association was observed between resilience and the acute stress response. These findings are consistent with theoretical frameworks that conceptualize resilience as a long-term adaptation process rather than an immediate reaction to stress. Direct measurement of resilience may therefore be more appropriate than relying on observable stress responses to identify professionals at psychosocial risk. Future studies using longitudinal designs and larger samples are needed to clarify these relationships.

Predicting knowledge of cervical cancer screening among reproductive-age women in sub-saharan africa using machine learning algorithms

Machine learning-assisted self-powered ear tag for animal welfare

Ecology is not yet ready for AI—and why that matters

Tokophobia and associated factors in pregnancy: A community-based cross-sectional survey

Background Fear of childbirth (tokophobia) impacts maternal health, yet its prevalence and associated factors remain underexplored in Lagos. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of tokophobia and its associated risk and psychological factors. Methods This community-based cross-sectional survey, conducted in Lagos, over a 4-month period, involved 855 pregnant women attending antenatal care at Lagos’ 57 flagship primary health care centers (PHCs). Fifteen eligible pregnant women who were consecutively selected from each PHC’s antenatal clinic list, had in-depth interviews using a structured questionnaire consisting of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (W-DEQ A) for fear of childbirth, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. Data was analyzed with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics including trend-based tests for ordinal variables and multivariable logistic regression modeling ordinal predictors at <0.05 significance level. Results The women’s mean age was 28.37 years and majority were multigravida, in their third trimester with secondary level of education. Fear of childbirth levels revealed 7.7% with low fear, 38.9% with moderate fear, 48.4% with high fear, and 4.9% with severe fear of childbirth (tokophobia). Of those with tokophobia, 35.7% had primary tokophobia, and 64.3% had secondary tokophobia. Comparative analysis showed no significant differences in most demographic or obstetric characteristics between women with and without severe fear of child birth, although younger age was significantly associated with severe tokophobia . Women with severe tokophobia had significantly higher anxiety and stress levels on the DASS-21, while the GAD-7 was not significantly associated after accounting for ordinal trend. The distribution of fear-of-childbirth severity also differed significantly by gravidity, prior vaginal birth, and number of living children. In multivariable analysis, increasing anxiety severity on the DASS-21 remained independently associated with severe tokophobia, whereas stress and GAD-7 categories did not. Conclusion This study highlights the significant presence of tokophobia among pregnant women in Lagos, aligning with global evidence while emphasizing the need for culturally tailored research. Routine screening for tokophobia using standardized tools and assessment of anxiety symptoms during antenatal care should be considered for integration into antenatal care, along with targeted counseling and psychological support services following further research.

Mast cell specific Cyp11a1 deficiency promotes T cell mediated immunity and suppresses tumour metastasis in a mouse model of melanoma

Abstract Mast cells are emerging players in malignant conditions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly defined. Based on previous studies showing that steroids can impact on tumour progression in various settings, we here investigated whether mast cell-derived steroid synthesis can have an impact on tumour metastasis in a melanoma model. To this end, we used mice with mast cell-specific ablation of Cyp11a1, a key enzyme in steroid synthesis. We show that lung colonization of melanoma nodules was markedly diminished in mice with mast cell-specific ablation of Cyp11a1 , accompanied by reduced infiltration of mast cells into the lungs. Cyp11a1 gene expression was significantly decreased in lungs of mice with mast cell-specific ablation of Cyp11a1, indicating that mast cells account for a substantial fraction of the total Cyp11a1 expression. Our results also revealed that the mast cell-specific deletion of Cyp11a1 led to an overall increase in CD107a/LAMP1 staining intensity of the lung tissue, suggesting that mast cell-derived steroids can suppress immune cell activation and degranulation. A further dissection of this finding by flow cytometry analysis of individual immune cell populations revealed that CD8 + T cells, NK cells and basophils were activated to a higher extent in lungs from mice with mast cell-specific Cyp11a1 ablation. We also observe that both CD8 + and CD4 + T cells in lungs of mice with mast cell-specific deletion of Cyp11a1 expressed elevated levels of IFN-γ in comparison with controls. Altogether, these findings introduce a hitherto unrecognized role of a mast cell-derived steroid axis in regulating tumour metastasis.

Structural basis for uracil removal from DNA by human SMUG1

Abstract Human single-strand-selective monofunctional uracil DNA glycosylase 1 (hSMUG1) removes uracil, 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU) and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) from DNA, thereby initiating the base excision repair (BER) process. hSMUG1 is important for maintaining genomic integrity and plays a significant role in cancer biology. Here, we present the structures of hSMUG1, including complexes with products (uracil and 5FU) and an enzyme-product complex of hSMUG1 with double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Analysis of our hSMUG1-dsDNA complex reveals how uracil is flipped out of the dsDNA for excision and identifies key residues that we confirm to be critical for both DNA binding and enzymatic activity. Furthermore, our hSMUG1 substrate complexes, molecular dynamics simulations and neutron diffraction data suggest a mechanism by which the substrate uracil rotates following base excision. The structural and functional information presented here will be highly useful for the future development of inhibitors and/or activators targeting hSMUG1.

Plants tolerate substantial rates of plastid mistranslation via regulated proteostasis

In bacteria, protein mistranslation can improve stress tolerance. Mitochondria and plastids evolved from bacteria and use a prokaryotic-type expression machinery to synthesize proteins. Interestingly, fungi and animal mitochondria are highly sensitive to mistranslation, which for instance manifests in lethal mitochondrial cardiomyopathy disorder. The response in plant cells is unknown. Glutaminyl-transfer RNAs (Gln-tRNA Gln ) of bacteria and endosymbiotic organelles are synthesized indirectly. Initially, tRNA Gln is aminoacylated with glutamate. Subsequently, Gln is produced through trans-amidation by the aminoacyl-tRNA amido-transferase complex GatCAB. Consequentially, compromised GatCAB activity yields misloaded Glu-tRNA Gln . Arabidopsis mutants with decreased GatCAB levels provide global insights into organellar mistranslation in plants: Our proteomics analyses revealed mutant-specific high plastid and low mitochondrial Gln-to-Glu misincorporation rates in organellar-expressed protein complexes with only modest protein abundance changes in plastids and none in mitochondria. We identify efficient compensatory mechanisms that mitigate the physiological consequences of elevated mistranslation in mutants. Interestingly, wild-type plants under temperature stress also have altered Gln-to-Glu misincorporation while temperature acclimation differs in Gln-to-Glu hypermistranslating mutants. Our study indicates that the response toward organellar mistranslation varies among eukaryotes and enables future detailed investigation of mistranslation compensation mechanisms in plant cells.

Microbiological quality assessment of potential pathogenic bacteria and multidrug resistance patterns in commercial electrolyte drinks in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Local electrolyte drinks in Bangladesh are produced without approval from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). Hence, this study aimed to identify foodborne bacteria from electrolyte drinks and their antimicrobial resistance profiles to assess microbiological safety. A total of 40 electrolyte drink samples, representing 9 local brands in Dhaka, were evaluated for microbiological quality. Bacteria were present in all samples. Around 40% of the samples exceeded the aerobic plate count limit established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Additionally, 55% of the samples tested positive for fecal contamination, surpassing the accepted limit set by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Both Gram-negative ( Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Vibrio spp .) and Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis , and Listeria spp .) bacteria were identified. Each sample contained more than one bacterial species. A total of 110 isolates from each culture-positive sample were screened for antimicrobial susceptibility. Multidrug resistance varied among all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species. The highest level of resistance was seen in broad-spectrum antibiotics (amoxicillin, ampicillin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and cefepime). About 28% of Gram-positive and 19% of Gram-negative bacteria were hemolytic. Coagulase was found in 34% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Moreover, 26% of the Gram-positive and 30% of the Gram-negative isolates were found to be resistant to human serum treatment. Such resistant bacteria found in popular electrolyte drinks thus represent a major health risk.

Stable state of hepatocyte chromatin during hepatitis B virus infection

A tunable Cas12a platform for single-cell perturbation screening and CRISPRi

Dynamic compression of whole-brain neural trajectories during human motor learning

Motor learning involves the dynamic reconfiguration of brain activity across widely distributed networks. Yet, the moment-to-moment evolution of the whole-brain functional states underpinning this process remains unknown. Here, applying manifold-based trajectory analyses to human fMRI data, we uncover a fundamental signature of motor learning: Neural state transitions are sharply constrained during initial learning—manifesting as a sharp compression of trajectory geometry—and relax these constraints as performance stabilizes. This effect, which closely tracked behavioral error, was recapitulated during relearning a day later and was further validated in an independent motor learning dataset. Regional analyses indicated that these global changes were driven by a shift in the dominant source of regional activity modulation from sensorimotor to cognitive control networks. Together, our results suggest a fundamental principle of learning, where whole-brain functional dynamics are compressed in response to errors, providing a framework for understanding how large-scale neural activity guides behavioral adaptation.

The prognostic value of the early neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for 28-day mortality in sepsis patients: A machine learning-based investigation of the MIMIC database

Background The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has shown inconsistent prognostic value in individuals with sepsis. This study aimed to clarify its ability to predict 28-day mortality via a machine learning-based analysis of a large ICU database. Methods This retrospective analysis employed data from the MIMIC-IV database (v3.1). The Boruta algorithm combined with XGBoost was used for two-stage feature selection. Patients were stratified by NLR quartiles into three groups (low: <4.34, intermediate: 4.34–14.70, and high: >14.70). This study defined 28-day mortality as the primary outcome. Associations between the NLR and mortality were evaluated by using multivariable logistic regression (progressively adjusted for demographic, clinical, and machine learning-derived features), along with restricted cubic splines. Sensitivity analyses included quantifying NLR feature importance via machine learning and performing subgroup analyses across clinical strata. Results This cohort study included 4,376 patients with a 28-day mortality rate of 18.4%. Compared with the SOFA and SAPS II scores, the prediction performance of XGBoost was superior (ROC-AUC 0.875; 95% CI 0.854–0.896; PR-AUC 0.603). Although the NLR ranked 14th in SHAP-based feature importance, multivariable analysis confirmed its independent association with elevated mortality risk: 28-day (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.06–1.27; p < 0.001), in-hospital (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.03–1.24; p < 0.001), and ICU (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.03–1.25; p = 0.008). Stratified analyses indicated consistent mortality associations for the NLR, with enhanced predictive value being observed in patients aged >45 years and those with SOFA scores ≤4 or SAPS II scores >29. Specifically, patients ≥65 years of age demonstrated a 17% increase in 28-day mortality risk (p = 0.019), and patients with a SOFA score ≤4 exhibited a greater than 20% elevated risk across all of the endpoints (p < 0.001), whereas no significant association was observed in the SOFA ≥9 subgroup (p = 0.369). Conclusions The NLR effectively identifies inflammation-driven mortality risk for early sepsis patients but fails to predict outcomes for patients with terminal organ failure. This biphasic predictive pattern highlights the unique value of the NLR in moderate sepsis risk stratification but cautions against its use in cases of advanced disease. Its value lies in dynamic monitoring rather than static risk assessment.