Browse Articles

Profiling the gut resistome to unlock antimicrobial resistance biology and inform clinical risk

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global crisis, amplified by slow antibiotic development, inadequate surveillance, and limited understanding of resistance gene dissemination. Traditional detection methodologies fail to capture the complexity and interconnectivity of AMR, highlighting the need for novel approaches. Gut resistome profiling using next-generation sequencing enables untargeted detection of AMR genes within microbial communities, revealing their acquisition, transfer and persistence while providing early warning signals for emerging resistance. This review synthesises advances in resistome science, highlights translational opportunities for infection risk prediction and surveillance, and identifies future directions for integrating gut resistome profiling into precision public health and stewardship frameworks.

Electrosynthesis of C ₆ Chemicals by Propylene Oxidative Coupling on Au Surface

Design and analysis of a cantilever-based MEMS switch with dielectric thin film material coatings for enhanced electrostatic actuation

Abstract The selection of an appropriate dielectric material for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based radio-frequency cantilever switch is essential for achieving reliable operation, improved actuation performance, rapid response, and stable thermal behavior. In this work, a rectangular cantilever structure is designed at a micro scale. It optimized the influence of dielectric materials on response time, operating capacitance between the beam and electrodes, and thermal performance. During operation at elevated pull-in voltages, excess heat may be generated, leading to dielectric degradation and potential short-circuit failure. Therefore, understanding the thermal characteristics of the device is important for reliable performance. To mitigate dielectric breakdown, thermally stable and sensitive dielectric layers are employed to maintain effective operation under varying temperature conditions. COMSOL Multiphysics tool utilized for designed and analysis of Radio frequency MEMS switch properties. Different dielectric materials (Al 2 O 3 , La 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , SiO 2 , and HfO 2 ) are coated on the electrodes, forming a dielectric barrier that prevents short circuits when the device is in the ON state while ensuring stable actuation. The actuation behaviour is evaluated by applying voltages ranging from 1 V to 15.1 V, generating the electrostatic force required for beam deflection. The results indicate that optimal performance is achieved with a longer beam length, smaller width and thickness. Among the investigated materials, HfO 2 exhibits the best overall performance, achieving the fastest response within the temperature range of 10–40 °C, a capacitance of 0.122 pF, and a pull-in voltage of 9.1 V corresponding to the maximum displacement.

A unified catalytic mechanism in bifunctional DNA glycosylases with an evolutionarily conserved aspartate-lysine dyad

Ampere-Level Acetylene-to-Ethylene Electrosynthesis by a Spillover-Storage-Relaxation Hydrogenation Mechanism to Overcome the Activity-Selectivity Constraint

Mindfulness-based exposure and response prevention in individuals with comorbid obsessive-compulsive and major depressive disorders: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract This randomized controlled trial examined whether mindfulness-based exposure and response prevention (MB-EX/RP) improves outcomes for adults with comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and major depressive disorder (M, addressing cognitive rigidity and emotion dysregulation that can limit standard exposure and response prevention. Fifty-four participants were assigned to MB-EX/RP or standard exposure and response prevention; 40 completed treatment (20 per group) across 17 sessions. OCD symptom severity, as measured by the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), showed a significant Time × Group interaction, F (1, 38) = 3.37, p < .05, indicating greater reductions in MB-EX/RP relative to EX/RP, together with a between-group effect, F (1, 38) = 4.88, p < .05, and a large overall time effect ( η ² p = .83). MB-EX/RP was also associated with greater improvements in obsessive beliefs, F (1, 38) = 11.60, p < .001; dispositional mindfulness, F (1, 38) = 16.70, p < .001; and mental well-being, F (1, 38) = 5.38, p < .05. Depressive symptoms improved significantly in both groups, with a significant between-group difference favoring MB-EX/RP, F (1, 38) = 14.90, p < .001; however, the Time × Group interaction was not significant ( p = .19), indicating similar trajectories of change. Treatment gains were maintained descriptively at four-month follow-up, and concurrent antidepressant use did not influence outcomes. These findings suggest that integrating mindfulness into exposure-based treatment may enhance clinical outcomes in complex comorbid presentations. Trial registration: CTRI/2021/10/037545 (Registered on 25/10/2021). Details are available at http//ctri.nic.in.

Reconciling observed and modeled estimates of urban terpenoid emissions

Abstract Extensive observations highlight the significance of terpenoids in urban air quality. However, emission frameworks fail to capture their magnitude and spatial variability, limiting air quality management and atmospheric modeling. Here we reconcile observed and modeled urban terpenoid emissions and uncover intense, underrepresented anthropogenic sources in Greater Los Angeles by combining improved emission inventories, airborne flux measurements, and ground-based mobile measurements. We demonstrate that an enhanced biogenic inventory significantly reduces the discrepancy between modeled and observed isoprene fluxes, and the remaining gap in monoterpenoids is explained predominantly by anthropogenic sectors. We identify that these emissions originate from previously overlooked food industry and commercial businesses, which exhibit a biogenic-like temperature dependence. These anthropogenic sources account for 44% of the top 10% observed monoterpenoid flux hotspots and contribute 17% of the total flux. Given their ubiquity in urban and industrialized regions worldwide, these poorly characterized sources may influence air quality beyond Los Angeles.

Deciphering the Halide Chemistry of Cl ^– and Br ^– in Enhancing Kinetics of Mg Plating/Stripping

Bridging the translational gap in radiotherapy: a human three-dimensional cell culture for evaluating neutron biological effects

Integrated two-photon and photoacoustic microscopy for single-cell neurometabolic imaging

Abstract Understanding how neuronal activity couples with local energy metabolism is fundamental to brain function. Oxygen exchange between individual neurons and red blood cells (RBCs) is central to this process, yet no existing method can simultaneously capture their dynamics at single-cell resolution in vivo. Here, we introduce integrated two-photon and photoacoustic microscopy (TPM-PAM), which enables real-time imaging of single-neuron calcium activity alongside oxygen release from individual RBCs in awake mice. In TPM-PAM, a transparent micro-ring resonator-based ultrasound sensor breaks the long-standing tradeoff between optical access and acoustic sensitivity, while dual-wavelength kymography simultaneously quantifies single-RBC oxygenation and flow to derive the oxygen release rate. Incorporating nonlinear optical manipulation of the neurovascular unit with cellular precision, TPM-PAM reveals distinct neurometabolic responses to whisker stimulation, single-capillary occlusion, and single-neuron stimulation. This work establishes a powerful platform for dissecting neurometabolic coupling at the cellular scale and understanding oxygen-metabolic regulation in brain health and disease.

Atomic-Scale Insights into the FeO-Mediated Oxide Growth during Iron Oxidation

The impact of climate factors and surface water management on the Mesopotamian Marshes for the period 2000–2023

Abstract The Mesopotamian Marshes, a UNESCO World Heritage site in southern Iraq, have experienced severe degradation due to climate change, upstream dam construction, and water management policies. This study quantifies the drivers of vegetation and water dynamics from 2000 to 2023 — a period spanning post-2003 restoration, the full MODIS record, and recent droughts. We integrated MODIS, Sentinel-2, JRC Global Surface Water, CHIRPS precipitation, and streamflow data, applying spectral indices (NDVI, MNDWI), regression, cross-correlation, hysteresis, partial correlation, and Mann-Kendall tests with Sen’s slope. Vegetation area ranged from 550 to 2,600 km², and water area from 100 to 1,650 km². Mann-Kendall analysis revealed that water area increased significantly (τ = 0.41, p  < 0.01) with a Sen’s slope of 16.43 km² yr⁻¹, while vegetation showed a trend with a Sen’s slope of 36.60 km² yr⁻¹ (τ = 0.30, p  = 0.05). Land Surface Temperature (LST) showed the strongest negative correlation with vegetation ( R = − 0.87). Streamflow was the dominant predictor of vegetation area ( p  = 0.029, R  = 0.81), while local precipitation had no significant effect. Cross-correlation showed that vegetation decline precedes temperature increases ( R = − 0.74 at lag 1 year), confirming a positive feedback loop. Partial correlation confirmed vegetation’s independent cooling effect ( P = − 0.82) beyond open water. Major water and vegetation losses occurred in 2008–2009 and 2022–2023, linked to upstream drought, dam operations, and water policies. We conclude that transboundary water management, not local rainfall, governs marshland sustainability. These findings provide quantitative evidence for policymakers to prioritize river flow allocation over local precipitation in arid-region wetland conservation.

Investigating relationships between loneliness, social isolation and health

Abstract Loneliness and social isolation are important public health concerns due to their associations with a range of health outcomes. However, it is difficult to ascertain whether any effects are biased by confounding and reverse causation. We use a triangulation approach combining observational, sibling control, and Mendelian Randomisation analyses (a genetically informed analysis), to draw robust conclusions about these relationships. Using a combination of UK Biobank data (N = 8,004 to 414,432) and genome-wide association studies (N = 17,526 to 2,083,151), we examine relationships between loneliness and social isolation and outcomes related to physical health, mental health and wellbeing and general health (e.g., multimorbidity capturing both mental and physical health). We find evidence for effects of loneliness and social isolation on poorer mental health and wellbeing and of loneliness on poorer general health. We do not find evidence of effects on specific physical health outcomes; however, these effects cannot definitively be ruled out.

Controlled Axial Growth and Morphological Evolution of Three-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks Unveiled by Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction

Geoinformatics-driven mapping of heavy metal contamination and associated health risks

Direct Amidation of Alkynes with Nitroarenes via Heterogeneous Semiconductor TiO₂ Nanotubes

Late-Stage Carbonyl Removal via Sequential Double Carbon–Carbon Bond Cleavage

Seed engineering properties of common bean varieties for multi-crop planter design

Abstract Common bean, a key crop for over 100 million Africans, faces significant yield gaps due to planter inefficiencies and unquantified seed-property variability. This study quantifies engineering properties of five improved varieties (‘ SAB 632 ’, ‘ Awash Meten ’, ‘ DAB 96 ’, ‘ NAUS 17 ’, and ‘ DAB 372 ’) to derive quantitative design specifications for multi-crop planter components. Principal dimensions (length, width, thickness) of 100 seeds per variety were measured, and derived parameters, including elongation ratios, mean diameters, surface area, shape index, flakiness ratio, and sphericity, were calculated. True and bulk densities, thousand-seed mass, and angle of repose were measured in five replicates for each variety. All data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA ( p  < 0.05). Seed lengths mean spanned approximately 8.51–14.68 mm and geometric mean diameters 6.65–8.82 mm (sphericity 60.11–78.22%) across the varieties. These ranges indicate that metering-unit openings must accommodate seeds up to about 16.25 mm long by 5.28–6.57 mm mean thickness. Measured bulk densities (723–816 kg m −3 ) and repose angles (26.3–33.3°) indicate favorable flowability for gravity-based handling systems. The maximum repose (33.3°) suggests hopper walls should be inclined at ≥ 35° to ensure mass flow. The derived engineering specifications support the use of interchangeable metering plates, approximately 19 mm metering unit length, hopper wall inclinations of 35–40°, tapered seed tubes, and optional vibration-assisted hopper systems to improve seed singulation and flow consistency across common bean varieties.

Coral metabolome quality and contaminant loads track human land use

Abstract Anthropogenic activities pose a significant risk to vulnerable marine ecosystems like coral reefs, particularly those near human population centers. Despite coral reefs being one of the systems most at risk, the relationship between contaminant exposure and coral health across gradients of ecosystem disturbance remains poorly understood. Our metabolomic analysis of 380 corals from 16 sites spanning an anthropogenic impact gradient reveals that the coral metabolome is predictive of anthropogenic ecosystem disturbance. We found that human activities both within catchments and in the marine ecosystem altered the chemodiversity of coral metabolomes with a direct relationship to historic trends in coral cover: nitrogen reserves and metabolome energetic potential are reduced, while stress metabolites are enriched at more impacted sites. We further identify 25 anthropogenic contaminants from agricultural, cosmetological, industrial, and pharmaceutical sources accumulated in coral metabolomes. Our results suggest that the bioaccumulation of pollutants and compositional changes in the metabolome of corals imposed by anthropogenic activities is correlated with coral benthic cover. Together, our findings suggest a direct relationship between coral health, accumulation of dangerous contaminants within corals, and anthropogenic disturbance that is consistent across species.

Alternating-Polarity Electrolysis Enables Efficient Enantioselective Semipinacol Rearrangement Using Sodium Chloride