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High Q-factor multiband terahertz metasurface biosensor for biomedical refractive index sensing: a numerical study
Aptian archaeoniscid isopod from the Araripe Basin supports Tethyan-linked dispersal into Gondwanan lacustrine systems
Abstract A new genus and species of fossil isopod, Cicero spectabilis n. gen. n. sp. is described from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation, Araripe Sedimentary Basin, Ceará, northeastern Brazil. The holotype, preserved in laminated limestones, represents the first confirmed record of the family Archaeoniscidae within this stratigraphic unit and extends the previously known paleogeographic distribution of archaeoniscid-like isopods into Gondwana lacustrine settings. The new genus is distinguished from other taxa currently referred to Archaeoniscidae— Archaeoniscus , Ferreniscus and Codoisopus , by its broad, ovate body, distinctive antennular subdivision, and a fan-like caudal structure formed by birramous uropods with well-differentiated exopod and endopod, combined with a rounded subrectangular pleotelson bearing a row of posterior setae. The exceptional preservation of C. spectabilis n. gen. n. sp. enables a detailed assessment of functionally relevant characters and supports interpretation of a benthic lifestyle on soft, low-energy substrates. A conservative concept of the family and a combination of body, pleon-pleotelson and antennular features justifies the placement of Cicero n. gen. within this extinct sphaeromatidean lineage. Within this framework, the occurrence C. spectabilis n. gen. n. sp. in a stratified lacustrine system of the Araripe Basin, together with other Mesozoic archaeoniscid-like records, suggest that some lineages currently assigned to Archaeoniscidae were able to colonize a range of non-marine environments during the Early Cretaceous, while also underscoring the need for a comprehensive phylogenetic reassessment of the group.
Comparative study on the pulmonary toxicity induced by some marketed pesticides after repeated oral administration in rats
Abstract Mancozeb (MC), carbendazim (CBZ), and hymexazol (HML) are widely used fungicides in agricultural and veterinary fields worldwide. Our goal is to compare the pulmonary toxicity induced by oral gavage of these pesticides in rats. Thirty-five rats were used and divided into 7 groups as follows: (1) control negative, (2, 3) 125 and 250 mg/kg. bwt MC, respectively, (4, 5) 125, 250 mg/kg. bwt CBZ, respectively, (6, 7) 75, 150 mg/kg. bwt HML, respectively. All treatments were given to rats daily via oral routes for 14 days. All of these fungicides dose-dependently increased MDA levels and decreased GSH content in lung tissue homogenates. The oral intake of these fungicides could upregulate the mRNA levels of IL1β, TNFα, and NF-κB genes and exhibit strong iNOS and Cox-2 protein expressions along with severe histopathological alterations within the pulmonary tissues. The highest pulmonary toxicity was recorded in the HML groups, followed by the MC and CBZ groups. The oral intake of these fungicides dose-dependently induced pulmonary toxicity via oxidative stress, which is associated with triggering the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Performance and energy consumption balanced optimization of ternary optical computers based on partially synchronous vacation queuing
Abstract This paper addresses the core challenge of balancing high real-time performance and low energy consumption in practical ternary optical computer (TOC) systems with hardware-induced state-switching overhead including switching delay and switching energy consumption. By introducing the partially synchronous vacation mechanism, we establish a novel TOC task scheduling strategy and corresponding three-stage queuing model. We thoroughly analyze the influences of key system parameters on queueing performance, total energy consumption, and social utility under Poisson traffic, with the no-vacation scheme as benchmark. Numerical results reveal that the proposed model can achieve optimal system social utility under various task arrival rates by tuning the number of vacation-enabled processors and vacation-related parameters. Supplementary bursty traffic experiments further verify its robustness under fluctuating real-world workloads. This work provides a new theoretical basis and practical scheduling guidance for performance-energy bi-objective optimization of TOC systems.
Oxygen-Driven [2 + 2] Photocycloaddition for <i>In Vivo</i> Chemiluminescence
Crystallographic Visualization of the Missing Structural Evolution of Copper Nanoclusters
Preharvest temperature treatments influence physiological traits, secondary metabolites, and volatile compounds in holy basil under controlled environment conditions
Molecular typing of PVL-positive Staphylococcus aureus isolates from Lithuania and genome sequencing of a local outbreak strain
Abstract Staphylococcus aureus is a major human commensal and pathogen, with the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes being associated with increased virulence. Rapid detection and molecular typing of such isolates are essential for effective epidemiological surveillance and infection control. Studies from Lithuania indicate that PVL is relatively common among S. aureus isolates, but detailed molecular typing data are still lacking. Clinical S. aureus isolates were collected from two hospitals in Vilnius in 2018–2019 and 2024, and from healthy volunteers between 2012 and 2020. Isolates were screened for PVL genes using real-time PCR. In addition, positive isolates harvested directly from the agar plate were tested for PVL production using an experimental lateral flow assay (LFA). Positive isolates were characterised using DNA-microarrays that facilitated the detection of resistance markers and virulence genes including PVL as well as an assignment to clonal complexes, strains and SCC mec types. Epidemiologically relevant isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing using Oxford nanopore technology. Out of 1296 S. aureus isolates, 124 yielded PVL-positive PCR results. 100 isolates were available for genotyping. Two PCR-positive isolates were negative by array and LFA, but PVL detection by DNA-microarray and lateral flow test (LF) showed complete concordance. Among PVL-positive isolates, 61.2% were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The most common PVL-MRSA strain ( n = 43) was a Clonal Complex (CC) 8 MRSA that resembled the North American “USA300” strain but that lacked the arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME). This suggested an outbreak in one of the participating hospitals. Other common strains were PVL-positive CC30-MSSA, CC121-MSSA and CC8-MRSA-[IV+ACME] “USA300”, while other lineages were represented by single isolates only. Whole-genome sequencing of two ACME-negative CC8-MRSA-IV isolates and of one local “USA300” isolate, as well as a comparison to international reference sequences, showed a very high degree of similarity in core genome and prophage content. The dominant PVL-MRSA strains were “USA300”, indicating a possible importation from North America, and a locally emerged variant of “USA300” that lost the ACME-associated genes of its SCC mec element. These findings suggest that real-time PVL detection is essential for outbreak prevention. Given its clinical relevance, routine PVL screening —via PCR or lateral flow assays—in routine diagnostics should be seriously considered and surveillance of PVL-MRSA is urgently recommended.
Semaglutide promotes angiogenesis and blood–brain barrier repair after traumatic brain injury via PDGF-BB/PDGFRβ/Ang1/Tie2/VEGF signaling pathway
The role of reduced sense of isolation in group-format PTSD treatment
SNP analysis of sweet pumpkin to corroborate carotenoid accumulation using different inbred lines
Ten-year epidemiological and clinical insights of pediatric influenza A and B hospitalizations: an observational study
Incorporating vertical transmission into mechanistic modeling of West Nile virus for optimized control in Germany
Abstract West Nile virus is an arbovirus transmitted by infected Culex mosquitoes to birds, horses, and humans. Since its first recorded case in Germany in 2018, WNV has been endemic in several parts of Germany. Globalization, ecosystem modification and climate change have been identified as significant drivers of the arbovirus spread. However, vertical transmission of pathogens from adult female to their progeny might alter the transmission dynamics. In this study, we designed a process-based epidemic model incorporating climatic variables and epidemiological parameters that replicated mosquito populations and pathogen transmission between mosquito vectors and hosts, explicitly accounting for the role of vertical transmission. In addition, we evaluated the efficiency of biological, chemical, and mechanical strategies for mosquito population control. Our findings revealed that while vertical transmission marginally influenced West Nile virus transmission, the impact was more pronounced in endemic regions, signaling a relationship between vertical transmission and West Nile virus persistence. Among control methods implemented, the biological control method performed optimally and emerged as the preferred method over mechanical and chemical methods, respectively. This model provides an understanding on the impact of vertical transmission in mosquito-borne disease epidemiology and provides insights into the efficiency of mosquito control strategies which would support optimized implementation of mosquito management programs.
Single cell and bulk transcriptomics reveal metabolic reprogramming biomarker signatures during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiogenic shock
Assessment of cold atmospheric pressure plasma therapy initiated at peak severity in a mouse model of radiation dermatitis
Abstract Radiation dermatitis (RD) is a common side effect of radiation therapy, potentially leading to treatment interruptions. This study evaluated the efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in a mouse model of RD, specifically focusing on treatment initiation at the peak of disease severity. As secondary objective, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), were evaluated as objective measures to monitor disease severity. RD was induced via gamma irradiation, with daily CAP treatment initiated at the peak severity. RD severity was monitored using macroscopic scoring and imaging. We found that CAP treatment initiated at the peak of disease did not result in a measurable improved healing under the tested conditions. HSI showed significant differences ( p ≤ 0.05) between healthy and RD skin even beyond macroscopic scoring. OCT differentiated between healthy and diseased skin, however, no significant difference was observed after macroscopic healing. Our findings suggest that CAP therapy initiated at peak RD does not accelerate recovery. However, this result does not preclude potential efficacy of CAP when administered prophylactically or at the early onset of skin injury. The study underscores the critical importance of treatment timing and highlights HSI and OCT as potentially valuable non-invasive tools for objective RD assessment.
A dynamic pharmacometric framework defining the relationship between ivermectin exposure and mosquito lethality
Abstract Ivermectin is used in the treatment of several neglected tropical diseases. Studies have shown that it effectively kills anopheline mosquitoes. However, the relationship between the pharmacokinetic properties and mosquito-lethal effects have not been described quantitatively. Pharmacokinetic properties and mosquito-lethal effects associated with a single oral administration of ivermectin were evaluated in two healthy volunteer trials in Thailand. All data were pooled and analysed using nonlinear mixed-effect modelling. Ivermectin and metabolites were described by a parent-metabolite model. When co-administered with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, a reduced elimination clearance (41%) and a slower absorption (32%) of ivermectin was identified, resulting in higher exposures. Different peripheral volume of distributions of ivermectin in men and women were also observed (75% higher in females). Individual pharmacokinetic profiles were incorporated in a sigmoidal E max model, which were used to quantify the relationship between ivermectin exposure and mosquito-lethal effects. The integrated models described successfully the observed mortality of both Anopheles dirus and An. minimus . The final models were used to illustrate the potential impact on vector-control associated with ivermectin administration. In conclusion, ivermectin and its metabolites showed effective mosquito-lethal effects. The developed pharmacometric framework could be a useful tool in the evaluation of ivermectin as a potential vector-control agent in malaria elimination campaigns.
IoT-based smart water billing system for accurate consumption monitoring and fair distribution
Abstract Accurate water consumption measurement and equitable billing are vital for sustainable water resource management, especially in regions facing scarcity and uneven distribution. Conventional systems, which often rely on shared mechanical meters, fail to provide individual usage data, leading to disputes, waste, and inefficiencies. This paper presents the design and experimental validation of a low-cost, IoT-enabled Smart Water Billing System (SWBS) that delivers real-time consumption monitoring, adaptive calibration, and automated proportional billing. The proposed system integrates an ESP8266 NodeMCU, YF-B1 Hall-effect flow sensors, and anomaly detection algorithms to ensure precise measurement and early leak detection, where the IoT functionality of the prototype is realized through the Wi-Fi-enabled NodeMCU, which transmits processed consumption and status data to a remote backend using HTTP-based communication for cloud-connected logging and monitoring. A multi-stage calibration method was developed to maintain accuracy across diverse flow rates, reducing measurement error to below 3%. Experimental results confirm that the system reliably tracks individual unit consumption, supports scalable deployment in multi-unit buildings, and provides transparent billing through wireless data transmission. By combining affordability, accuracy, and real-time analytics, the SWBS offers a sustainable solution for modern urban water management, promoting conservation and fair resource distribution.
Exploring team situation awareness among operating room staff
YOLO4SWD: an improved YOLOv11-based method for waste detection and classification
Abstract To make sorting more efficient, promote the recycling of resources, and lower the costs of environmental management, it is important to be able to accurately identify waste categories. However, current waste detection methods encounter substantial obstacles, such as inadequate feature extraction for diminutive waste objects, disproportionate contextual information application in intricate backgrounds, and a notable decline in classification accuracy in occlusion situations. To address these limitations, this study introduces an enhanced waste detection model derived from YOLOv11n, termed YOLO4SWD (YOLO for Smart Waste Detection), which integrates three principal innovations. (1)The CoordA module is embedded into the backbone to accurately capture fine local features of tiny waste and boost feature discrimination between waste and low-contrast backgrounds. (2) A lightweight BasicRFB block is integrated into the neck layer to enlarge the model’s effective receptive field.(3) The FSEAM module is adopted in the detection head to preserve the effective features of unoccluded regions and block interference from occluded regions, thereby improving the accuracy of waste detection in scenarios where occlusions are common. The experimental results show that the proposed YOLO4SWD model is much better than the baseline YOLOv11n. The proposed model exhibits robust detection performance, achieving 81.6%, 69.9%, and 62.5% in mAP@0.5, mAP@0.75, and mAP@0.5:0.95, respectively. This indicates that it performs better in detecting trash in complex environments.