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Optimized attention-based cascaded shuffle long-term dependent network based performance analysis of adaptive e-learning among IT professionals

Modified Müller’s muscle conjunctival resection combined with levator plication in moderate to severe congenital ptosis with poor levator function

Nasal epithelial zonation and turbinate morphology in infant common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Gene screening and immune phenotype shifts of osteoporosis

Growing dune encroachment threatens the habitability of the western Nile riverbank

Abstract Sand dune encroachment poses a significant environmental challenge for peri-urban and rural communities in the North African desert, which is home to more than one-third of the region’s population. The continuous movement of sand dunes disrupts residential development, infrastructure, and agricultural systems, threatening food and energy supplies in regions already sensitive to climate variability. The subsequent decline in habitability in such areas often leads to external migration, which triggers heightened socioeconomic and geopolitical instability. As part of the North African Sahara, the West El-Minya Governorate in Egypt is a crucial case study for Saharan areas where growing dune encroachment compromises extensive and critical agricultural developments. We investigate and quantify the primary drivers of sand movement, including wind speed and direction, surface elevation, slope, land use, vegetation cover, and soil cohesion, through the Sand Dune Encroachment Vulnerability Index. Our results reveal that agricultural soils with inadequate irrigation, particularly those adjacent to bare lands, are most susceptible to encroachment. Furthermore, 14% of the total cultivated area is affected by dune encroachment, resulting in estimated annual economic losses of $263 million. Moreover, ~42% of newly established agricultural lands are situated in zones of very high vulnerability, with anticipated productivity reductions of 25% and annual rehabilitation costs approximately $52 million. Transport infrastructures are also impacted, with key highways incurring $6.5 million annually in sand clearance due to recurring dune interference. The proximity of dune-encroached areas to irrigation canals escalates sedimentation rates, deteriorating water quality and incurring additional dredging expenses of $31.3 million per year, with adverse repercussions for agriculture and fisheries. Our study reveals growing dune encroachment, highlighting the urgent need for targeted, nature-based dune stabilization interventions, such as dune leveling and reclamation, in peri-urban Saharan regions. These measures are crucial for preventing further land degradation, reducing population displacement and regional conflict risks, and maintaining the habitability of arid areas.

Audio long read: ‘I rarely get outside’ — scientists ditch fieldwork in the age of AI

Why do women like me get diagnosed with ADHD late?

Daily briefing: Blister beetles hoodwink bees with floral smells

Granzyme B-mimetic nanozyme for nanovesicle targeted anticancer applications

Long-term agricultural diversification increases financial profitability, biodiversity, and ecosystem services: a second-order meta-analysis

PTRAMP, CSS and Ripr form a conserved complex required for merozoite invasion of Plasmodium species into erythrocytes

Abstract Invasion of erythrocytes by members of the Plasmodium genus is an essential step of the parasite lifecycle, orchestrated by numerous host-parasite interactions. In P. falciparum Rh5, with PfCyRPA, PfRipr, PfCSS, and PfPTRAMP, forms the essential PCRCR complex which binds basigin on the erythrocyte surface. Rh5 is restricted to P. falciparum and its close relatives; however, PTRAMP, CSS and Ripr orthologs are present across the Plasmodium genus. We investigated PTRAMP, CSS and Ripr orthologs from three species to elucidate common features of the complex. Like P. falciparum , PTRAMP and CSS form a disulfide-linked heterodimer in both P. vivax and P. knowlesi with all three species forming a complex with Ripr by binding its C-terminal region, termed the PTRAMP-CSS-Ripr (PCR) complex. Cross-reactive antibodies targeting the PCR complex differentially inhibit merozoite invasion. The crystal structure of a cross-reactive antibody reveals an inhibitory epitope on the C-terminal tail of PvRipr. Cryo-EM visualization of the P. knowlesi PCR complex confirms predicted models and demonstrates a core invasion scaffold in Plasmodium spp. with implications for vaccines targeting multiple species of malaria-causing parasites.

Soil carbon debt from land use change in Brazil

Abstract Carbon farming is a fundamental strategy for mitigating climate change. Brazil, with 276 million hectares of agricultural land, has strong potential to lead this agenda, but uncertainty about soil carbon (C) debt hinders understanding of its true mitigation capacity. Here, we estimate the soil carbon gap, the difference between soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks under native vegetation and agricultural land across Brazil’s six biomes, which represents the theoretical potential for soil recarbonization. A meta-analysis using a comprehensive national SOC database (4,290 records, 0–30 cm) is used to estimate an overall carbon debt of 1.40 ± 0.1 Pg C. The results show that sustainable practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, no-tillage, and integrated agricultural systems enhance SOC recovery. These findings highlight Brazil’s capacity to drive global emissions mitigation, guide low-carbon policies, and position the country as a key actor in the emerging global carbon market.

Structural basis for fork reversal and RAD51 regulation by the SCF ubiquitin ligase complex of F-box helicase 1

Stenotrophomonas promotes gastrointestinal tumor progression via STING degradation in tumour cells and mitigated immune response

Operando insights into stability of perovskite-based solar water splitting devices

A highly dynamic mononuclear non-heme iron enzyme for the two-step isonitrile biosynthesis

Abstract The recent discovery of the isonitrile biosynthetic enzyme ScoE expanded the catalytic repertoire of the Fe(II)/αKG-dependent dioxygenase enzyme family. ScoE synthesizes an isonitrile functional group from a glycyl-fatty acid adduct, with both the isonitrile nitrogen and carbon atoms coming from the glycyl moiety. This challenging chemistry cannot be performed in a single step. Instead, the mechanism appears to require two half reactions, each involving αKG cleavage to generate a highly reactive iron-oxygen species. Here, we report sixteen crystal structures that provide snapshots along the reaction trajectory of Rv0097, a ScoE homolog from Mycobacterium tuberculosis . These structures, which are both of wild-type and Rv0097 variants, include a substrate 3-((carboxymethyl)amino)decanoic acid (CADA)-bound structure, an αKG-bound structure, and a structure with both CADA and αKG bound. These structural data reveal how Rv0097 employs conformational rearrangements to protect the unstable CADA-reaction intermediate that is formed in the first half reaction while swapping out αKG cleavage products for a second molecule of αKG. Additionally, these structures, together with data from site-directed mutagenesis, provide insight into Rv0097’s preference for substrates with long alkyl chains, potentially facilitating efforts to re-engineer ScoE/Rv0097 to synthesize isonitrile functional groups on a wider range of small molecules.

Origin of small chromosome A08 and genome evolution of Arachis species

Suppressing electron-phonon coupling and energy loss in organic solar cells by modulating donor-acceptor penetrated-interface

Discovery of NIRF theranostic probes targeting amyloid-β and cholinesterases in Alzheimer’s disease models

Quality of life and multiple long-term conditions in Southeast Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract This review systematically synthesised the evidence on quality of life measures and outcomes for people living with multiple long-term conditions in the Southeast Asia region. Results were analysed using a combination of methods, meta-analysis for studies where the same quality of life score was reported across three or more cohorts, and descriptive narrative synthesis. In total, 34 studies comprising 11,876 participants were included in the narrative synthesis and 14 of these were included in meta-analysis. The most common quality of life tools used included WHOQOL-BREF ( n  = 8) and EQ-5D-5L ( n  = 3) with pooled mean values of 70.47 (95% CI: 62.71 to 78.24) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.67 to 0.84) respectively, indicating reduced but good quality of life. As healthcare systems adapt to the evolving challenges associated with multiple long-term conditions, understanding the tools and measures used to assess quality of life in different contexts becomes imperative to account for disease combinations and cultural nuances.