Browse Articles

Reduced levels of mitochondrial ribosomal protein MRPL54 does not alter Apc related adenoma formation

Reprogramming of energy metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells and mutations that modify wild type intestinal cells to colon carcinomas increases cellular energy expenditure. Mitochondria are the main site for ATP production in (cancer) cells and disrupting their function results in impaired tumor forming efficacy. The mitochondrial ribosomal proteins (MRPs) constitute the ribosome specifically in mitochondria, and as such are crucial for the translation process of the electron transport chain complex subunits. We hence aimed to explore the consequence of reduced MRP expression on adenomagensis and investigate this in a genetic mouse model with bodywide heterozygosity for Mrpl54 . We show that Mrpl54 heterozygosity does not alter adenoma formation, intestinal proliferation or apoptosis in a heterozygous Apc model. Furthermore, diminished Mrpl54 expression did not decrease stemness or global parameters of metabolism in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Research on key technologies for privacy-preserving, regulatorily compliant, and cross-chain interoperability in heterogeneous blockchain systems

Highways Construction in Amorphous Carbon Anode Enables 10C Fast‐Charging Sodium‐Ion Batteries

ABSTRACT Conventional hard carbons offering high sodium‐ion (Na + ) storage capacity through closed pores formed by disordered short carbon sheets stacking, but suffer from tortuous diffusion paths that hinder rate capability in sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, an amorphous carbon (AC) anode capable of 10C fast‐charging was successfully developed via constructing Na + highways through embedding interconnected carbon sheets with large interlayer spacing into a disordered carbon matrix by a molecular cross‐linking strategy. Na + Highways provide direct routes that bypass the inherent tortuosity, mitigate diffusion resistance, and facilitate rapid Na + access to closed pores that serve as efficient reservoirs, thereby fully unlocking the Na + storage potential of AC. As evaluated in practical 1000 mAh pouch full cells, the optimized AC anode delivers a high specific capacity of 298 mAh g − 1 at a 10C rate, which directly enables the pouch cells to achieve a 92% state of charge within 6 min. Furthermore, the full cells exhibit excellent cycling stability, retaining 94% of their initial capacity over 1000 cycles due to the structural robustness of the AC anode. This work provides a practical design strategy for high‐performance AC anodes, paving the way for the use of ultra‐fast‐charging SIBs in frequency control within new type power systems.

Context-dependent dysregulation of store-operated calcium channels in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), mediated by ORAI1–3 calcium channels and stromal interaction molecules STIM1 and STIM2, is increasingly recognized as a regulator of cancer progression. However, its role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and its relationship with major oncogenic pathways remain poorly defined. Transcriptomic and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed to profile isoform-specific ORAI1–3 and STIM1–2 expression across HNSCC subtypes and oncogenic contexts. In parallel, the effects of pharmacologic SOCE inhibition with 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) were evaluated in FaDu (epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR]-high, PIK3CA–wild-type) and Detroit-562 (metastatic, PIK3CA–mutant) cells by assessing viability, migration, and clonogenic survival. TCGA analysis revealed a context-dependent SOCE expression profile. ORAI1–3 and STIM2 were broadly upregulated in tumors, while STIM1 was significantly downregulated, particularly in advanced and basaloid subtypes. PIK3CA mutations, especially the H1047R hotspot, were associated with higher STIM1 expression, whereas EGFR expression correlated positively with STIM1/2 but negatively with ORAI1/3. In vitro, Detroit-562 cells expressed higher levels of SOCE components and showed greater sensitivity to SOCE inhibition, with marked reductions in viability, migration, and clonogenic capacity. FaDu cells, despite higher EGFR expression, exhibited lower SOCE gene expression and relative resistance to 2-APB, which suggests reduced dependence on SOCE-mediated signaling. These findings suggest that SOCE components are transcriptionally dysregulated in HNSCC and may represent a context-dependent therapeutic vulnerability, particularly in PIK3CA-mutant tumors. Validation in additional preclinical models, patient-derived xenografts, and clinical specimens is required to establish SOCE as a biomarker and therapeutic target in HNSCC.

Scenario-based prediction and optimization of greenspace ecological network under land-use dynamics: a case study of Nanjing metropolitan area, China

Electron Delocalization in Ni–Co Active Pairs for Efficient and Robust Urea Electrooxidation

ABSTRACT Ni(OH) 2 is a promising urea oxidation reaction (UOR) catalyst, yet its performance is fundamentally limited by electron localization in Ni II that hinders the formation of active Ni III species. Herein, we overcome this limitation by constructing electron‐delocalized Ni–Co active pairs (Ni II+δ ‐O‐Co II+δ ) through Co doping of Ni(OH) 2 and integration with a CoNi alloy. This architecture exploits work‐function‐difference‐driven charge transfer to delocalize Ni II 3d electrons, thus accelerating the Ni II /Ni III transformation and achieving an ultralow UOR potential of 1.288 V RHE at 10 mA cm −2 , outperforming Ni II+δ ‐O‐Ni II+δ (1.333 V RHE ), Ni II ‐O‐Co II (1.349 V RHE ), and Ni II ‐O‐Ni II (1.365 V RHE ). Concurrently, the electron‐delocalized Ni–Co pairs with upshifted d‐band centers enhance N‐terminal urea adsorption and Ni/Co‐N charge transfer, which weakens N─H bonds and reduces the energy barrier of the rate‐determining step (CONH 2 NH 2 * → CONH 2 NH * ). The strengthened metal‐O bonding suppresses dissolution, achieving record stability for 2100 h across 10–500 mA cm −2 . Applied in a urea/urine electrolyzer, this catalyst enables energy‐saving hydrogen production (3.68/3.74 kW h m −3 at 100 mA cm −2 ), providing a dual‐purpose solution for sustainable energy and environmental remediation.

Patient and injection partner perspectives on barriers and facilitators to home-based administration of long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy

Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LAI-ART) offers an alternative to daily oral treatment but is typically administered in clinics, which can create barriers for some people with HIV (PWH). Home-based administration by trained treatment buddies (TBYs)—trusted partners, friends, or family members—has not been systematically studied. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 participants (16 PWH and 15 TBYs) across 4 HIV clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area between June 2024 and April 2025. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), interviews explored anticipated facilitators, barriers, and training needs for home-based LAI-ART. Participants identified several anticipated benefits of home-based LAI-ART, including increased convenience, reduced transportation burdens, enhanced privacy, comforting and emotionally supportive care, and opportunities to foster empowerment and shared responsibility between PWH and TBYs. Key barriers included concerns about medication storage and delivery logistics, maintaining reliable injection schedules, needlestick safety, and the readiness and confidence of TBYs. Participants emphasized the need for hands-on training, ongoing support, and clear protocols to ensure safe, acceptable, and effective home-based administration. These findings underscore the importance of proactive planning and tailored support in addressing both the technical and emotional dimensions of home-based LAI-ART. Anticipating these needs can facilitate the successful implementation and expand access to person-centered HIV care.

Correction: Graphene aerogels as efficient adsorbers of water pollutants and their effect of drying methods

Sharpened Dirac Cone and Elevated Carrier Mobility in Bi ₄ Te ₃ Engineered by a High [Bi ₂ ] Bilayer Content for Thermoelectrics

ABSTRACT The [Bi 2 ] m [Bi 2 Te 3 ] n family features a natural heterostructure of metallic [Bi 2 ] bilayers (BL) and topological insulator [Bi 2 Te 3 ] quintuple layers (QL). We demonstrate that increasing the BL ratio (( m /( m + n ))) enhances key thermoelectric properties. Bi 4 Te 3 ( m = 3; n = 3) exhibits a sharpened Dirac cone and a high carrier mobility (117 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ) twice that of Bi 1 Te 1 ( m = 1; n = 2). This stems from strengthened σ ‐bonding interlayer coupling, which reduces the carrier effective mass. Concurrently, the abundant [Bi 2 ]‐BL lower Te vacancy formation energy, suppressing electron carrier concentration and synergistically boosting the Seebeck coefficient. This work provides the first direct experimental and theoretical evidence for the sharpening of the Dirac cone via a metallic [Bi 2 ] bilayer engineering strategy. It addresses the key limitations of Bi 1 Te 1 , and the established structure‐property relationship, together with the metallic [Bi 2 ]‐BL engineering strategy for sharpening the Dirac cone, further offers valuable insights for the rational design of thermoelectric materials and performance optimization across the entire Bi/Te material family.

Analyzing and modeling public interest in fishery resources: Proposing flagship species for promoting sustainable fisheries in Japan

Effective management of natural resources fundamentally relies on public support, making an understanding of the dynamics of public interest crucial for successful conservation policy. Globally, fisheries face sustainability challenges, yet public engagement often remains a key barrier to effective policy implementation. While public interest has traditionally been assessed through surveys, which are often costly and lack real-time granularity, digital trace data such as search engine queries offer a high-frequency alternative to monitor public attention. However, the primary drivers shaping public interest in specific fishery resources, and how these insights can be leveraged to select effective conservation symbols, remain poorly understood. Here we show, using Google Trends data for key Japanese fishery resources, that public interest is driven by two distinct archetypes—predictable seasonality and regional supply—and identify Pacific saury ( Cololabis saira ) as a unique species whose public profile is increasingly linked to its declining stock status. While previous assumptions might link consumer interest primarily to price and seasonal availability, our analysis reveals that for most species, market prices are a stronger driver than catch volumes. Crucially, Pacific saury diverges from this pattern; its public salience is uniquely influenced by both catch volume and a growing awareness of its resource depletion, making its profile more complex than that of a simple commodity. These findings demonstrate that the flagship species concept, traditionally applied to terrestrial megafauna, can be empirically adapted to exploited marine resources, providing a data-driven framework for selecting species that act as effective anchors for conservation messaging. Our methodology offers a low-cost, transferable workflow for integrating social data into resource management, a critical step for bridging the science-policy-society gap. By transforming passive digital footprints into actionable insights, this approach empowers conservation efforts to become more dynamic and responsive to public sentiment, ultimately fostering greater societal engagement in sustainability.

Nationwide assessment of labor induction at full-term for low-risk pregnancy in the United States from 2018 to 2022

Anion Pillars Enable High Energy Density Sodium Dual‐Ion Battery With Ultra‐Long Cycle Life

ABSTRACT Sodium dual‐ion batteries (SDIBs) are emerging as promising energy storage systems due to their low cost, environmental friendliness, and high operating voltage. However, the structural instability of the commonly used graphite cathode limits its long‐term performance, posing a significant obstacle to large‐scale applications. Here, for the first time, we report the use of the anion pillar strategy in the interlayer of the graphite cathode to expand and maintain permanently the layer spacing, preventing structural collapse and facilitating (de)intercalation, leading to an exceptional electrochemical performance of SDIBs. A high specific capacity of 162 mAh g −1 at a current density of 200 mA g −1 , corresponding to a high energy density of 560 Wh kg −1 is achieved. More impressively, the specific capacity can be maintained at 101 mAh g −1 at a high current density of 2000 mA g −1 , with a high capacity retention of 74.0% after 15 500 cycles is obtained, corresponding to a capacity decay rate as low as 0.0017% per cycle and anion pillars remain stable in the interlayer of graphite. This study presents a novel and effective strategy for improving the performance and stability of graphite cathodes in SDIBs, offering valuable insights for the development of next‐generation energy storage systems.

Evaluation of risk promoting effects for age-related macular degeneration by estradiol

Early menopause increases the risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of vision loss in industrialized countries. The supplementation with estradiol reduces the risk in these cases and suggesting that estradiol deficiency is a mediator of the risk association. We investigated rat models of estradiol deficiency mimicking either biological ageing (22 months of age) or early menopause by ovariectomy and age of 22 months. Serum analysis of gonadal hormones in both models showed the expected reduction in estradiol levels compared to 6 months old controls but also increases in progesterone, corticosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). Comparing the two estradiol deficiency models, we found no differences except for DHEA-S that were reduced in ovariectomized rats. The hormone status was associated with degenerative changes in the retina with higher activity of mononuclear phagocytes and p16/p21-dependent senescence. Mainly the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) expressing cells were affected by estradiol deficiency: ganglion cells, cells of the inner nuclear layer (INL) and retinal pigment epithelial cells. An exception are photoreceptors that were ERβ negative, showed stronger degeneration in ovariectomized rats compared to sham treated animals. We conclude that either biological or ovariectomy induced estradiol deficiency might not cause but rather promote mechanisms that lead to AMD. The phenotype depends on a broader spectrum of altered hormones than on estradiol alone. Photoreceptor degeneration and cellular senescence that were ERβ independent in ovariectomized rats suggest non-estradiol effects to increase AMD risk by early menopause.

Sequential biosorptive-degradative remediation of methylene blue from polluted soil and wastewater by a newly isolated Bacillus safensis SMAH biomass: optimization, kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics assessments

Abstract The rising necessity for available environmentally sustainable and low-cost effective soil remediation technology has driven our efforts to conduct this research investigation. A laboratory-based experimental approach has been designed and applied to assess the effective action of a new bacterial biomass for the biosorption-biodegradation of methylene blue dye (Mbd) from contaminated soil and wastewater. A dried biosorbent of Bacillus safensis strain SMAH biomass (BS-SMAH-B), was isolated from tannery wastewater, and identified by 16 S rRNA sequencing. The BS-SMAH-B performance was initially screened using synthetic Mbd solutions under controlled laboratory condition and successively followed by validation in real contaminated soil matrices. The screening experiments showed a high removal efficiency of 97%. However, when applied to real soil samples, the efficiency decreased to 82.05%, reflecting the complexity of the soil matrix. The BS-SMAH-B morphology and composition revealed uniform particles with average pore diameter (12.1 nm). The FT-IR spectral analysis of BS-SMAH-B confirmed numerous active functional groups including –COOH, –OH and –NH 2 . The elemental composition of C (51.72%), O (27.10%), N (14.97%), was investigated and assessed by the EDX analysis. The zeta potential (–25 mV) of BS-SMAH-B was identified to verify the surface negative sites which are therefore, capable of enhancing the biosorption process of cationic dyes as Mbd. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses of Mbd biosorption from soil using the BS-SMAH-B revealed that the process is endothermic and taken place spontaneously. The biosorption behavior conformed to the pseudo-second-order, outlining chemisorption as the rate-limiting step. Furthermore, the equilibrium values were well correlated to Langmuir and Freundlich models, with a q max 10.81 mg/g. To further elucidate the adsorption mechanism and removal efficiency, kinetics models including Elovich, Avrami, Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R), and Temkin were also applied, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the biosorption characteristics of Mbd. BS-SMAH-B exhibited high performance toward Mbd removal from real Mbd-polluted soil samples via two-step mechanism, involving the initial Mbd biosorption from soil surface by BS-SMAH-B, followed by the biodegradation step in which Mbd molecules were broken down into smaller and harmless products.

Manipulating the Dispersed Domain of Pinning Dopants in Layered Oxide Cathodes for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

ABSTRACT Layered oxide cathodes are primary candidates for high‐performance sodium‐ion batteries, which often suffer from structural degradation during deep Na + (de)intercalation processes. Incorporating electrochemically inactive cations into the transition metal (TM) layers has emerged as a mainstream strategy to enhance structural stability through the so‐called pinning effect. However, the microstructural heterogeneity of inactive cations within the TM layers and the spatial extent of their influence remain poorly understood. In this work, we regulate the pinning domain by modulating configurational entropy of inactive ions (S config ‐I), thereby promoting their dispersion and maximizing the spatial extent of the pinning effect. Additionally, we establish a correlation between S config ‐I and local structural fluctuations using quantitative experimental analyses. Compared with samples lacking sufficient pinning domains, the sample with 21% S config ‐I (denoted as S‐I‐21%) exhibits markedly improved structural homogeneity and optimally dispersed pinning dopants. Accordingly, S‐I‐21% delivers a high reversible capacity of 145 mAh g −1 and maintains ∼80% capacity retention after 500 cycles within a wide voltage window (2.0−4.3 V). These findings highlight the effect domain of dopants and their role in regulating structural chemistry, providing design principles for robust layered cathodes.

Global, regional, and national burden of soft tissue and other extraosseous sarcomas, 1990–2021: A Systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021

Background Soft tissue and other extraosseous sarcomas (STOES) are rare malignancies originating from mesenchymal tissues, posing a substantial health burden due to their aggressiveness and complex treatment. Understanding the global, regional, and national burden of STOES is crucial for effective prevention, screening, treatment, and resource allocation. Methods Using the standardized Global Burden of Disease (GBD) methodology, we calculated STOES incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to derive the burden of disease caused by STOES. Results were presented in numerical counts and age-standardized rates per 100,000 population, with an uncertainty interval (UI) to highlight potential statistical variability. The Joinpoint regression analysis was used to analyze the time trend from 1990 to 2021. The method facilitates the calculation of annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results In 2021, the global burden of STOES remained substantial with 96,201 incident cases (ASIR: 1.16 per 100,000), 480,473 prevalent cases, 50,203 deaths (ASMR: 0.6 per 100,000), and 1,677,891 DALYs. Males had higher incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALY rates than females. Regional disparities were evident, with high-income regions exhibiting higher incidence and prevalence but lower mortality rates compared to low-income regions. Notably, East Asia and Oceania had the lowest incidence rates, while Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest mortality and DALY rates. A mild downward trend was observed in incidence and prevalence, with more pronounced declines in mortality and DALY rates. Conclusion Despite declining trends, the global burden of STOES remains significant, with notable regional differences. Tailored prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies, along with targeted resource allocation, are crucial. Further research is needed to understand the underlying factors driving these trends and develop effective interventions.

Identifying key gait features in stroke patients using wearable inertial sensors and supervised and unsupervised machine learning

Retraction: Application of in-silico drug discovery techniques to discover a novel hit for target-specific inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro’s revealed allosteric binding with MAO-B receptor: A theoretical study to find a cure for post-covid neurological disorder

Anomaly-based intrusion detection on benchmark datasets for network security: a comprehensive evaluation

Abstract This study discusses two widely-recognized deep learning approaches for network intrusion detection: a Deep Neural Network (DNN) and a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Both models are trained and evaluated on three widely used benchmark datasets: KDDCup99, NSL-KDD (each with five classes), and UNSW-NB15 (ten classes). Multiple optimizers, including Adam, SGD, Adamax, AdamW, and Adadelta, are then explored, with Adam consistently providing the best performance. CrossEntropyLoss is found to be the most effective loss function for these multi-class classification tasks. Designed to automatically learn and extract relevant features from raw data, the models reduce reliance on manual feature engineering. Performance is assessed using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and false positive rate. Experimental results show that both models achieve over 99% accuracy on KDDCup99, with improved detection rates and false positive rates below 1% for KDDCup99 and NSL-KDD. On the more complex UNSW-NB15 dataset, false positive rates also remain under 8%, demonstrating the models’ robustness and generalizability across diverse intrusion scenarios.

Ultralow‐Potential Photoelectrochemical Synthesis of Hydroxylamine and Oximes

Abstract The efficient and environmentally friendly synthesis of hydroxylamine (NH 2 OH) remains a challenge in sustainable chemical production. Electrochemical nitrate reduction to NH 2 OH suffers from dependence on external hydrogen sources, which often lead to the nitrite accumulation or over‐reduction of NH 2 OH to ammonia due to unbalanced hydrogenation intensity. Herein, we report the photoelectrochemical nitrate reduction to NH 2 OH (PENRH) using a bimetallic Bi‐ and Cu‐modified TiO 2 /CdS/Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 semiconductor. Under AM 1.5 G illumination, the resulting photocathode achieves a Faradaic efficiency of 91.9% and a selectivity of 92.7% at 0.3 V RHE for NH 2 OH, while effectively suppressing side reactions. In situ characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that the synergy between Bi and Cu sites optimizes the adsorption of intermediates, promotes NO 3 − protonation, and facilitates the rapid desorption of NH 2 OH, thereby preventing its over‐reduction. This system is successfully extended to the oxime synthesis by coupling in situ generated NH 2 OH with aldehydes or ketones, enabling efficient preparation of various oximes and demonstrating the broad applicability of PENRH. This work not only introduces a green photoelectrochemical approach for NH 2 OH synthesis, but also offers a new paradigm for the resource utilization of nitrate.