Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
From early trauma to self-harm: a parallel and serial mediation model of self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and depression in adolescents
Statin-induced lipid carrier stress reveals a conserved vulnerability in β-lactam-resistant Gram-positive bacteria
Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus resists β-lactam antibiotics through the allosteric transpeptidase penicillin-binding protein 2a, which operates within staphyloxanthin-rich membrane microdomains. Statins restore susceptibility by disrupting these microdomains and impairing penicillin-binding protein 2a oligomerization, but the mechanisms enabling resistance to this resensitization remain unclear. Here we show, using evolution experiments in strains lacking a functional staphyloxanthin pathway, that mutations in gdpP , a regulator of cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate signaling, are the predominant route for restoring oxacillin resistance during membrane microdomain disruption. This adaptation is blocked by simvastatin, revealing a synthetic lethal interaction. Mechanistically, simvastatin inhibits the mevalonate pathway, depleting the essential lipid carrier undecaprenyl phosphate and exacerbating peptidoglycan precursor imbalance, an effect phenocopied by lipid carrier–targeting antibiotics such as bacitracin. Although compensatory mutations can restore resistance, they impose a fitness cost in vivo. Importantly, this vulnerability extends to Streptococcus pneumoniae , revealing a conserved strategy to overcome β-lactam resistance in Gram-positive pathogens.
Risk assessment and climate adaptation research for agricultural cultivation and water resource systems within rural green production models
Amine-linked heteroporous covalent organic framework for synergistic anti-infective therapy of post-traumatic osteomyelitis
Unmasking of a valuable and sustainable waste of Rosa damascena petals distillation and antibacterial activity of its complex with β-cyclodextrin
Excess mortality attributable to the 2025 Iberian Peninsula blackout
Abstract On 28 April 2025, a widespread power outage affected mainland Portugal and Spain for around ten hours, causing major disruptions and eight reported deaths. Health impacts of blackouts range from direct effects, such as medical equipment failure, to indirect effects such as disrupted healthcare. Here we show that the 2025 Iberian blackout is associated with increased mortality in Spain, but not in Portugal. We find little evidence of excess mortality on the day of the event itself. In Spain, however, mortality rises over the next two days (+167 deaths; 95% credible interval: +28 to +300; +2.4% relative increase), particularly among women aged 85+. We also observe regional differences, but their drivers remain uncertain and may include variation in outage severity, underlying vulnerabilities, or local health-system and infrastructure conditions. These findings highlight the underestimated health burden of blackouts and the need for improved preparedness in a changing climate.
Smart hardware-integrated deep learning framework for real-time pothole detection in vehicles
Abstract Road infrastructure plays a crucial role in transportation, and Potholes pose a significant threat to vehicle safety and maintenance costs. Traditional Pothole detection methods rely on manual inspection or expensive sensor-based systems, making them inefficient and costly. To address these challenges, we propose an IoT-based Pothole detection system utilizing an ESP8266 microcontroller, ultrasonic sensors, and a camera module. The system collects real-time road surface data, which is processed by a deep learning model techniques to detect Potholes accurately. The ESP8266 facilitates wireless data transmission to a central server for further analysis and mapping. This approach provides a cost-effective, automated, and scalable solution for road monitoring. By integrating to IoT and deep learning our system enhances Pothole detection 95% accuracy, reduces manual labour, and enables proactive road maintenance.
Totum-63, a plant-based polyphenol-rich extract, in prediabetes or early-stage type 2 diabetes: an international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial
Abstract This multicenter, parallel-arm, superiority, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluates the efficacy of Totum-63 (T63), a polyphenol-rich blend of plant extracts, in improving fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in individuals with prediabetes or early-stage type 2 diabetes (T2D). Individuals from seven European countries with FPG between 110-220 mg/dL were randomized to receive placebo (PBO, n = 210), T63 (5 g/d) distributed thrice daily (T63 TID, n = 212) or twice daily (T63 BID, open-label arm, n = 214) over six months. Individuals were randomly assigned using a dynamic randomization algorithm, stratified by their glycemic status at baseline (FPG < 126 mg/dL or FPG ≥ 126) and the investigational site country. The primary outcome was the FPG change in T63 TID compared to PBO in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary assessments included changes in diabetes biomarkers, lipid profile, anthropometric measurements and subpopulation analyses based on glycemic status. During the whole study, neither the investigators nor the subjects were aware of the product they tested, except in the open arm. After six months, FPG was significantly reduced in the T63 TID group (PBO-adjusted mixed model estimated difference, PBO-AD = −3.8 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−5.9; −1.7], p = 0.0149) and the T63 BID group (PBO-AD = −5.5 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−9.7; −1.3] p < 0.001). Hence, T63 may represent a non-pharmaceutical strategy for T2D prevention. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04423302. Funding: This trial was funded by Valbiotis®.
Effective removal of Indigo Carmine dye from aqueous solution onto Cellulose/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Attapulgite composite
Abstract The introduction of Indigo Carmine (IC) into aquatic environments poses considerable risks to both human health and marine ecosystems. This has sparked immediate concerns for creating efficient, affordable, and eco-friendly adsorbents designed to eliminate harmful dyes from textile wastewater. An innovative strategy for the elimination of IC dye was successfully executed in batch adsorption experiments utilizing a new composite of Cellulose/Polyvinyl alcohol/Attapulgite (CEL/PVA/ATP). Factorial design statistical approach was employed to evaluate the impacts of various experiment factors such as the initial concentration of IC dye solution, contact time, pH levels, and the adsorbent dosage. This methodology helped to develop a predictive mathematical model that establishes relationships among these factors. The ANOVA results highlighted the statistical significance of the developed response surface model with its individual terms in determining recovery efficiency. The process of adsorption was found to align well with the Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity of 143.9 mg g-1 makes the produced composite material a promising adsorbent for real-scale purification systems characterized by high adsorption efficiency. The kinetic data matched with the pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion modeling results. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG in the range of -16.7 and 18.0 kJ/mol), Δ H = -21.2 kJ/mol and Δ S = -11.8 J/mol.K) indicated the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adsorption process besides the decreased randomness at the interface solution-adsorbent. The spectral results and kinetic data suggested the adsorption process to occur mainly via hydrogen bonds, dipol-dipol and π − π interactions between the functional groups of the composite’s components and IC dye molecules. Repeated adsorption-desorption tests revealed that the composite mantained an adsorption efficiency of 65% even after five repeated cycles of use. Overall results suggest that the synthesized CEL/PVA/ATP composite presents a viable alternative for the treatment of textile industrial wastewater contaminated with dye pollutants.
Covalency stabilizes high energy vanadium oxide positive electrode for sustainable aqueous zinc-ion batteries
Measuring Knowledge, Attitude, and Response (A-KAR) regarding chemotherapy among cancer patients: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Chemotherapeutic agents serve as a fundamental treatment approach for numerous cancer types. Providing patients with comprehensive information about chemotherapy’s purposes, advantages, disadvantages, and management strategies is crucial for decreasing anxiety, boosting treatment compliance, and improving general well-being. This study aims to measure the knowledge, attitude, and response ( KAR) scores among cancer patients, in addition to identifying the potential associated factors for high scores. This observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the Oncology Center, Mansoura University, a tertiary care center, between September 2025 and October 2025. The study enrolled 669 cancer patients aged 18 years and above. Data were collected via a structured, Arabic-translated questionnaire developed from previous literature to assess KAR toward chemotherapy. Content validity was confirmed by three oncologists. Reliability and construct validity were evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis. Associated factors of total A-KAR scores were identified using univariate and multiple linear regression. A total of 669 patients participated with a mean age of 51.5 ± 13.2 years, predominantly female (68.2%). The mean knowledge score was 5.4 ± 2.3 out of 10, the mean attitude score was 10.8 ± 2.1 out of 15, and the mean response score was 2.7 ± 0.6 out of 3, with an overall total A-KAR score of 18.9 ± 3.9 (range: 5–28). Females exhibited significantly higher knowledge, attitude, and total A-KAR scores than males ( p < 0.001). In the multiple regression model, higher A-KAR scores were independently predicted by female gender (β = − 0.329, p < 0.001), urban residency (β = 0.175, p = 0.037), absence of a family history of malignancy (β = − 0.164, p = 0.027), and receiving chemotherapy (β = − 0.478, p = 0.012). Duration since chemotherapy initiation was a strong independent associated factor, with significantly lower scores among those treated for less than one year compared with those treated for one to three years (all p < 0.001). Cancer patients demonstrated moderate overall knowledge and attitudes toward chemotherapy, with generally positive response behaviors. Several sociodemographic and clinical factors were significant independent associated factors of A-KAR scores. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions that address knowledge gaps and support patients throughout their treatment journey.
A precision-constrained framework for evaluating noninvasive biomarkers in MASLD and beyond
Comparative analysis of cefoperazone-sulbactam and piperacillin-tazobactam in empirical treatment of acute biliary tract infections: a multicenter, retrospective, real-world study
Enhanced energy storage in tungsten bronze-based ferroelectrics and MLCCs via a multi-coating engineering
Spatial information reconstruction framework for power grid datasets without geographic coordinates
Evolutionary trajectory of microbial sulfur oxidation pathways recapitulates Earth’s oxygenation history
Integrated DC resistivity and seismic refraction imaging for bedrock discontinuity mapping in New Minia city, Egypt
Abstract This study addresses geotechnical challenges in fractured limestone environments by integrating electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), seismic refraction, and direct current (DC) resistivity soundings with borehole data in New Minia city, Upper Egypt. The objective was to delineate shallow subsurface heterogeneity and structural discontinuities and to establish correlations between geophysical and geotechnical parameters. A genetic algorithm (GA) optimization was applied to DC resistivity inversion, reducing non-uniqueness and improving model convergence. Seventeen boreholes (10 m depth) provided constraints for calibration and validation. Results reveal three principal subsurface sequences: (1) sandy–silty soil with clay intercalations, (2) heterogeneous intermediate deposits, and (3) fractured limestone bedrock. Major structural features, including north–south trending faults, were clearly identified. The integrated approach enhances subsurface characterization, reduces interpretational uncertainty, and provides a robust framework for hazard assessment and urban planning in complex carbonate terrains.