Browse Articles

Evaluation of the effect of olive extracts on blood pressure and cardiovascular health markers in adults: Findings from a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial

Despite advances in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, CVD mortality has increased, emphasising the need for new preventive strategies. Polyphenol-rich olive extracts have been proposed to lower blood pressure by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing nitric oxide production. This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study aims to examine whether a standardised olive extract can lead to a reduction in blood pressure, lipid levels, and biological markers of oxidative stress after supplementation in the context of primary CVD prevention. In this trial, 56 participants with a systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg received capsules containing 440 mg olive dry extract (123.5 ± 9.4 mg oleuropein, 25.0 ± 3.8 mg hydroxytyrosol) or placebo on a daily basis over eight weeks. Both groups showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure with a larger decrease in the intervention group as compared to the control group (intervention: −8.3 ± 2.2 mmHg, control: −7.3 ± 2.2 mmHg). However, this decrease was not found significantly different between the two groups. Moreover, total cholesterol, LDL, and apo B levels decreased in both groups, but with no significant difference between them. These results indicate that the olive extract was well-tolerated, although no significant hypotensive benefit was observed, with effects paralleling typical placebo responses in hypertension trials. Literature reports conflicting results on the hypotensive effect of olive polyphenols, indicating the need for further research with well-designed clinical trials. This trial was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov in April 2021, ID NCT04874961.

Integrated framework utilizing scene text detection and recognition techniques for enhancing point of interest extraction from name boards in all Indic languages

Abstract This paper focused on enhancing text recognition, script identification, language classification, and point of interest (POI) extraction from images captured by Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS). The initiative was undertaken to improve the existing Computer vision-based artificial intelligence modules. The advancements made is to be contributed to the system’s implementation, bringing improved functionality and accuracy to the system. The current system, called Text Detection and Recognition (TDR), consists of several neural modules operating in sequential stages. The first module identifies areas of interest within the MMS images, focusing on shop signboards, traffic signs, and directional boards. The second stage involves detecting text words within these areas and cropping the relevant pixels from the image. These cropped images are then processed in the third stage, where the language script is detected, identifying one of ten Indian scripts. In the fourth stage, specific character recognizers corresponding to the identified script are used to recognize the text. The outputs from these stages are aggregated into a correlated JSON output. Additionally, a parallel fifth stage detects various fields within the MMS images, such as name, address, pin, icon, phone and GSTIN number, ultimately extracting a comprehensive human-readable address for any POI from the MMS image. The primary focus includes investigating novel text recognition algorithms to improve accuracy and efficiency, exploring various script identification algorithms to enhance language classification capabilities, implementing a dictionary-based approach for more accurate word detection, and developing methods for correcting the words that the CRNN model predicts to reduce errors. This work is novel because it combines word correction, OCR, detection, classification, and POI field extraction into a single pipeline designed specifically for Indic scripts. By obtaining 96.17% script recognition accuracy, 92.5% word accuracy, and 33% average precision in POI detection, the suggested framework outperforms previous benchmarks like IndicText (93.6%) and transformer-based OCR (88.5%).

Unified protein–small molecule graph neural networks for binding site prediction

Predicting small molecule binding sites on proteins remains a key challenge in structure-based drug discovery. While AlphaFold3 has transformed protein structure prediction, accurate identification of functional sites such as ligand binding pockets remains a distinct and unresolved problem. Graph neural networks have emerged as promising tools for this task, but most current approaches focus on local structural features and are trained on relatively small datasets, limiting their ability to model long-range protein–ligand interactions. Here, we develop YuelPocket, a graph neural network that addresses these limitations. YuelPocket operates in two complementary modes: residue-level prediction for identifying contact residues and coordinate-level prediction for pinpointing pocket centers. Trained on the large-scale PLINDER dataset, YuelPocket achieves higher success rates in both Distance to Closest Atom and Center-to-Center metrics compared to the state-of-the-art methods. Crucially, YuelPocket demonstrates high robustness on AlphaFold-predicted structures, maintaining high accuracy for targets with deviations from experimental structures. We hope that YuelPocket will serve as a robust framework for accurate binding site identification, enabling reliable functional annotation and structure-guided drug discovery.

Physical function, daily activities, and spinal pain in the elderly: A cross-sectional study

Population aging is associated with progressive functional decline and a rising prevalence of chronic spinal pain, representing a major challenge for public health and geriatric care. Objective To evaluate the relationships between spinal pain, functional mobility, balance, and physical activity level in older adults. Methods A total of 28 community-dwelling seniors (25 women, 3 men; mean age 70.8 ± 5.1 years) participated in the study. Functional mobility was assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and reaction time. Postural balance was measured using a force platform. Disability was evaluated with NDI and ODI, and physical activity with IPAQ. Results Significant correlations were found between age and TUG (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), and between Neck Disability Index (NDI) and postural sway area (r = 0.45, p = 0.016). No significant relationship was observed between pain and physical activity levels. Conclusion Spinal pain and age are significantly associated with functional decline and impaired balance in older adults. These findings suggest that assessing cervical disability and postural stability should be integral to the geriatric evaluation, as they may identify individuals at higher risk of mobility limitations.

Transcranial cisternal port enables repetitive intrathecal delivery in mice

ATP synthase activity boosts membrane proton acceptance and lateral diffusion

In most organisms, ATP synthesis is powered by the proton motive force (pmf) and catalyzed by ATP synthase. While the chemiosmotic theory originally proposed a “delocalized coupling” between proton pumps and consumers, growing evidence implicates the membrane in mediating localized proton transfer (PT). To directly track ultrafast PT at the membrane surface as a function of ATP synthase activity, we developed an in vitro system. We tethered a light-activated excited-state photoacid to the bilayer of unilamellar vesicles to confine PT to the membrane interface and co-reconstituted a thermophilic Bacillus TF O F 1 ATP synthase. Using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, we quantified PT and lateral proton diffusion from the anchored photoacid under conditions with non-ATP- and ATP-producing enzymes. Our results show that the membrane accepts protons at its interface and that PT is enhanced only when ATP synthase is active. A comparison with soluble photoacid positioned near the membrane shows that protons consumed by ATP synthase do not equilibrate with the bulk aqueous phase. Instead, they are transferred directly along the two-dimensional membrane interface to the enzyme. This localized coupling can explain how ATP synthesis can proceed even when the apparent bulk pmf seems insufficient. Our results refine the proton translocation during ATP synthesis by revealing that the membrane itself is an active participant in PT, thereby strengthening the case for localized proton coupling in bioenergetics.

A scoping review of “Tang ping” (Lying flat) and mental health status among Chinese youth

"Tang ping" has become a common phenomenon among Chinese youth. The mental health status caused by "Tang ping" has been discussed in many articles, but there has been no scoping review of the research field on "Tang ping" and its mental health status through a complete systematic review procedure. Therefore, this study aims to combine the Preferred Reporting ltems for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidance framework and the Population, Interest, and Context (PlCo) framework to conduct a scoping review on "Tang ping" and its mental health status, to help scholars better conduct follow-up research in this field. The review process included following the review protocol, formulating research questions, and a systematic search strategy based on identification, screening, and eligibility. The main databases covered were China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKl), Google Scholar, and Scopus. Of 973 articles, 27 articles were selected. The research results indicated that "Tang Ping" is not a single behavioral pattern, but rather a continuum of coping mechanisms for social stress. Mental health outcomes associated with "Tang Ping" include both negative and positive dimensions, with anxiety, depression, and emotional problems being the most common, accompanied by stress relief and emotional regulation. Differences between students and youth workers highlighted the influence of social context. In conclusion, this scoping review demonstrated that "Tang Ping" is closely associated with mental health through accumulated stress, perceived loss of control, and effort-reward imbalance, and lays a structured foundation for future research in this emerging field.

A fire image transmission method via automatic fire alarm system data bus for remote fire verification in unattended locations: design and experiment

Functional significance of morphological variation in the mechanosensory lateral line system of fishes and its biomimetic potential

The mechanosensory lateral line system, found in all fishes, detects water movement and pressure fields and mediates crucial behaviors in aquatic environments. Neuromast sensory organs, the functional units of the system, exhibit diversity in shape and size among species, but structure–function relationships that could explain this impressive diversity have not been explored. Here, we employ a fluid–structure interaction–based computational model that uses the shape and size of the base of the cupula (the gelatinous cap covering the neuromast) as a proxy for neuromast shape and size. Simulations showed that sensitivity of the cupula (bending response to defined water flows) varies with its shape and size, direction of water flow relative to the major axis of the cupula, as well as with cupula height and material properties (elastic modulus). Sensitivity varied among cupulae with shapes known among superficial neuromasts and canal neuromasts within narrow and widened canals. In addition, predictions made by the model for the sorts of changes in neuromast morphology known to occur during ontogeny predict complex changes in neuromast sensitivity through developmental time. In using variation in cupula responses to flow as a proxy for neuromast responses, this work has revealed an unexplored aspect of adaptive functional evolution in the lateral line system with the potential to inspire the development of biomimetic sensors and robots with applications in industry, medicine, and environmental monitoring and exploration.

Anisotropic fracture mechanics of pre-cracked T4,4,4-Graphyne Nanosheets: Effects of crack geometry and temperature

An atomistic study is conducted to elucidate the fracture behavior of pristine and centrally pre-cracked T 4,4,4 -graphyne nanosheets (150 Å × 150 Å) under uniaxial tension in both X- and Y-directions. Stress–strain responses are analyzed as functions of crack length (30–60 Å), orientation (0°–90°), and temperature (200–1000 K). Elastic modulus degradation is captured by power-law and trigonometric models, yielding high correlation coefficients. Ultimate tensile strength and fracture strain are shown to decline with increasing crack length and temperature, while toughness and mode I fracture toughness illustrate anisotropic energy absorption and crack-tip shielding effects, particularly under X-loading where ligament bridging and bond rotation mechanisms are activated. Thermal softening is modeled via the Wachtman equation, revealing near-linear modulus reduction and an inversion of directional stiffness at elevated temperatures. The results demonstrate that crack-length thresholds (~30% of sheet width) and mixed-mode loading conditions critically govern the transition from ductile-like to brittle fracture regimes in anisotropic 2D graphyne nanosheets.

Drug disposition study on a levofloxacin dry powder formulation using the isolated perfused lung in rats

Collectin-11 regulates osteoclastogenesis and bone maintenance via a complement-dependent mechanism

The human developmental disorder 3MC syndrome (Malpuech, Michels, Mingarelli, and Carnevale) features skeletal deformities associated with a deficiency of the pattern recognition molecule collectin-11 (CL-11), yet the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that CL-11 deletion alone does not produce skeletal abnormalities in mice; however, combined deficiencies of CL-11 with complement components MASP-2 (lectin pathway), complement factors B, or C3 (alternative pathway amplification) result in marked vertebral bone loss and spinal curvature by 12 wk of age. Ex vivo osteoclast (OCL) differentiation from bone marrow–derived cells of these double-knockout mice was profoundly impaired but was substantially restored by CL-11 supplementation. This dependence on CL-11 and complement was recapitulated in human OCLs derived from induced pluripotent stem cell lines. CL-11 and the membrane attack complex (C5b-9) colocalized to OCLs and their precursors in normal bone from embryonic development through to adulthood. Together, these findings identify CL-11 as a key regulator of osteoclastogenesis and bone homeostasis acting in concert with complement-mediated signaling, and they nominate CL-11 as a potential therapeutic target in conditions involving dysregulated osteoclast function and bone remodeling.

Proteomics-based biomarkers of plasma exosomes from patients with acute myocardial infarction

Purpose This study aimed to identify plasma exosomal protein biomarkers for early recognition of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using label-free quantitative proteomics. Methods Patients presenting to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University with chest discomfort between February 2022 and December 2022 were enrolled. Plasma exosomes from a discovery cohort (six AMI patients and six non-AMI controls) were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Candidate proteins were further validated by western blot (WB) in an independent validation cohort (20 AMI patients and 20 non-AMI controls). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of the DEPs for AMI. Results A total of 24 DEPs were identified, of which 11 were upregulated and 13 were downregulated in AMI patients. WB analysis confirmed the significantly elevated expression of Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4 (ITIH4) in AMI-derived exosomes. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for ITIH4 was 0.8825, indicating high diagnostic accuracy. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between plasma exosomal ITIH4 levels and the level of cTnI expression (R = 0.702, P  < 0.001), indicates that exosomal ITIH4 may serve as a novel acute-phase reactant during myocardial injury. Conclusion Plasma exosomal ITIH4 is closely associated with AMI and may serve as a promising early diagnostic biomarker. Trial registration Registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=149623 ) with No. ChiCTR2200056343 on February 4, 2022. Principal investigator: Jiang Zhu.

Intelligent resource management in UAV-enabled networks using cell-free communications and intelligent reflective surfaces

Abstract The swift proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) applications necessitates wireless infrastructures that are scalable, energy-efficient, and able to satisfy rigorous quality-of-service (QoS) criteria. Traditional cellular networks frequently have difficulties in overcoming these obstacles due to restricted spectrum reuse, variable coverage, and elevated energy usage. Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) have surfaced as potent alternatives for improving coverage and spectrum efficiency. This study presents a reinforcement learning (RL) optimization methodology for a cell-free UAV–IRS-supported IoT network. The suggested architecture enhances throughput, broadens coverage, and diminishes energy consumption through the optimization of UAV positioning, IRS phase modifications, and resource allocation. The efficacy of the proposed strategy is proved through a comparative analysis of its performance against multiple baseline methodologies. Comprehensive simulation findings indicate the superiority of the RL-based methodology, yielding a total throughput enhancement of 15.38% compared to the most effective baseline, augmenting coverage by 5.56%, and decreasing energy usage by 4.55%. The collaboration between UAVs and IRSs is emphasized, with UAVs offering flexible relaying and IRSs improving signal quality in resource-constrained settings. These findings confirm that reinforcement learning is an effective approach for managing next-generation UAV–IRS–cell-free IoT systems, providing substantial performance enhancements while maintaining sustainability and energy efficiency.

FUT1- and GAL3ST2-mediated cellular glycan remodeling broadly restricts sialic acid–dependent viral infections

Sialic acid is an abundant terminal glycan found on the surface of almost all mammalian cells and is utilized by many viruses as an attachment factor and/or bona fide receptor. Altering canonical cellular glycosylation can affect the ability of viruses to initiate infections; however, no systematic analysis of the effects of altering expression of glycan “capping” enzymes on viral infection rates has been previously performed. We therefore designed an arrayed CRISPR activation screen that targeted 54 glycosyltransferases known to perform terminal glycan modifications and then examined the susceptibility of 12 different viruses that rely on sialic acid receptors on the resultant cell lines. We identified two glycosyltransferases, fucosyltransferase 1 (FUT1) and galactose-3-O-sulfotransferase 2 (GAL3ST2), as capable of inhibiting a broad range of viruses when upregulated, including influenza viruses, respiroviruses, paramyxoviruses, enteroviruses, and coronaviruses. Lectin and viral particle binding assays revealed that the fucosylation and sulfation mediated by FUT1 and GAL3ST2 reduced availability of cell surface expressed α2-3 and α2-6 sialylation and impaired viral attachment during the initial entry process. Furthermore, through adeno-associated virus delivery, we confirmed the inhibitory effects of FUT1 and GAL3ST2 on influenza viruses in various cell models, including primary differentiated human airway cells. Together, our findings identify FUT1 and GAL3ST2 as host restriction factors and suggest that their therapeutic dysregulation may represent a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy.

Analyzing the comparative effectiveness of educational methods to foster children’s dengue knowledge

Education about dengue disease is fundamental for its prevention. However, the most effective methods for delivering this knowledge in schools remain unclear. In this study, we compared two widely used educational interventions on their effectiveness in increasing dengue knowledge. A cluster-randomized controlled trial, with pre- and post-evaluations was applied. Three hundred ninety 10-year-old children from primary schools in a low-socioeconomic status area of Argentina that is endemic for dengue, were assigned to one of three groups: workshop, an abbreviated workshop, or direct instruction. Dengue knowledge was assessed with a questionnaire before, immediately after the intervention, and one month later. Teacher effect, concepts taught, duration of intervention, and baseline knowledge were controlled for. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model indicated that the three interventions were equally effective in improving dengue knowledge, both immediately after the intervention (children learned 3 dengue concepts) and one month later (children retained 2 dengue concepts). However, each intervention is more effective in teaching some concepts in particular. Our results, among the very few comparing educational interventions in dengue knowledge, suggest that the optimal approach depends more on contextual factors (e.g., specific concepts taught) than on the inherent superiority of either method.

Integrated experimental, machine learning, and life-cycle assessment of fly ash–silica fume based self-compacting geopolymer concrete

Spike destabilization attenuates Mink Cluster 5 SARS-CoV-2

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shown the capacity to infect a wide range of nonhuman hosts, including farmed mink. In early 2020, a mink-associated variant, termed mink cluster 5 (MC5V), emerged in Denmark and spread to mink farmers and their household contacts but failed to cause a sustained outbreak and eventually disappeared. Here, we demonstrate that the spike protein (S) of MC5V is intrinsically unstable and impaired in processing, leading to markedly attenuated infectivity and fusogenicity. Remarkably, these defects are primarily driven by a single mutation, I692V, located in the S2 subunit of S, with additional contribution from the Y453F substitution in the receptor-binding domain. Structural analyses indicate that I692V induces conformational instability in S, promoting spontaneous S1 shedding and impairing spike incorporation into virions. These findings reveal that spike instability constrains viral fitness and emphasize the importance of monitoring zoonotic SARS-CoV-2 variants and other emerging viral pathogens.

“A very first clue on the subject”: A focus group study on users’ perspectives on German plain language summaries of psychological meta-analyses

Background Plain Language Summaries (PLSs) are textual summaries of scientific studies that are targeted at lay audiences. PLSs of psychological meta-analyses may benefit laypeople interested in psychological research, psychological practitioners and science communicators. This study explored the perspective of these three user groups on German PLSs of psychological meta-analyses. We wanted to understand the aims and benefits of reading psychological PLSs form their perspective, and how these PLSs should be designed to be useful to them. Methods We conducted four focus group interviews in total. Two focus groups comprised 15 laypeople in sum, one focus group interview comprised six practitioners, and one focus group comprised five science communicators. Interview transcripts were analyzed using content analysis according to Kuckartz and Rädiker. We used main categories for PLS aims and characteristics from a previously developed framework model to classify the content. Results All user groups appreciated the PLSs as a first insight into a broader subject. Additionally, laypeople primarily intended to use the PLSs to gain knowledge, comprehend psychological research and make informed decisions. Science communicators considered the PLSs mainly as a starting point for in-depth investigation of certain topics, while psychological practitioners regarded them rather as good educational material for clients or patients. Participants across all groups valued plain language, clear structure and short length of PLSs as well as reporting of conflicts of interest related to the presented research. Suggestions for improving the design included a general explanation of technical terms in the form of a glossary, as well as presenting the key message at the beginning. Conclusions The PLSs of psychological meta-analyses investigated in this study have the potential to improve the accessibility of psychological scientific knowledge and provide an attractive first insight into a more extensive subject. The user groups’ thoughts and ideas for improvement were implemented in the further development of the PLSs that are published by the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID).

Imagery and breathing exercises improve swimming performance, mental toughness, and coherence