Browse Articles

A pilot effectiveness study of a just-in-time micro-randomized controlled trial on the physical activity and sedentary time of young children and their parents: The active family m-health intervention

Background Parents play a critical role in influencing their young children’s physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST). Despite this, many young children (aged 3-4y) and their parents are insufficiently active and engage in high amounts of ST. M-health interventions targeting PA and ST have seldom been tested in this population. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness and acceptability of the Active Family m-health intervention on the PA and ST of young children and their parents. Methods Twenty-five stay-at-home parent-child dyads from Canada took part in the 2-week just-in-time micro-randomized controlled trial. Parents received seven text message prompts per day, where they were randomized to receive either a micro-intervention (activity suggestion) or control (no suggestion). Parents and children wore ActiGraph accelerometers to measure ST, light [LPA], and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]. Parents also completed a short online acceptability survey. A centred and weighted least square regression was used to analyze the effect of activity suggestions on the 60-min ST, LPA, and MVPA of parents and children following suggestion randomization. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze acceptability survey responses. Results Micro-interventions were not effective at changing children’s or parent’s proximal ST (d = 0.01, p = .878; d = −0.09, p = .485, respectively), LPA (d = 0.03, p = .714; d = 0.03, p = .729, respectively), or MVPA (d = −0.05, p = .511; d = 0.10, p = .480, respectively). Interventions became more effective at increasing MVPA over time for parents (b = 0.47, 95%CI = 0.12, 0.83, p = .013). Among children, intervention effectiveness varied by contextual factors (e.g., weather). The intervention was largely acceptable, appropriate, and feasible for parents, though they did offer suggestions for improvement. Conclusions Overall, micro-interventions did not significantly change parents or young children’s proximal movement. Though, this approach showed promise for increasing parent’s MVPA over time and for supporting children’s activity under specific conditions.

Research on temperature field and frost damage prediction of highway tunnels in cold regions considering MCP method

Spatiotemporal simulation of land use and land cover changes in Türkiye through a CA–Markov framework

Building Ligand‐Responsive Artificial Signaling Pathways Through Programmable <i>Trans</i> ‐Acting RNA Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Abstract Synthetic RNA circuits provide powerful tools to reprogram genetic networks for customized cellular functions. However, the construction of ligand‐induced complex synthetic signaling pathways in mammalian cells remains challenging due to the lack of modular and scalable RNA‐based components. Here, we report a generalizable strategy to engineer ligand‐responsive artificial signaling pathways (ASPs) using programmable RNA circuits. By designing aptamer‐embedded circular RNAs as trans ‐acting triggers coupled with controllable CRISPR functions as outputs, we demonstrate that various small molecules and proteins can be sensed and transduced into manipulation of originally unrelated endogenous genes through amplifiable, logical and multiplexed RNA circuits. Integration of this RNA system into the cellular genetic network endows cells with state/type‐specific phenotype responses regulated by endogenous metabolites and proteins. This study establishes a universal RNA platform for engineering ASPs induced by ligands in mammalian cells, with broad potential of cellular signaling and response engineering for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Obstacle-avoidance trajectory planning method for excavators in confined spaces based on improved RRT* algorithm

Ferroptosis‐Impelled NIR Cyanine Dyes in Situ Generation Enabled Zero‐Background Fluorescence Imaging and Precise Surgical Tumor Excision

Abstract The diagnostic accuracy of fluorescence imaging enabled lesion site visualization and pathological biomarker quantification is often compromised by non‐specific probe activation and “high‐background” fluorescence interference, which contribute to false‐positive signals and reduced signal‐to‐noise ratio, ultimately limiting clinical reliability. Herein, we propose a “zero‐background” fluorescence imaging strategy for precise quantification and evaluation of hydroxyl radical (·OH) levels in sorafenib‐provoked ferroptotic tumor. This study utilizes endogenous ·OH generated during tumorous ferroptosis as biocatalyst, triggering the heterogenous dimerization of monomers for directly in‐situ formulating near‐infrared (NIR) emissive cyanine dyes. The octadecyl‐substituted monomer (Cy420) demonstrated morphological variations from orbicular to square nano‐assemblies modulated with serum albumin and realized the targeted and prolonged retention in tumors facilitated with the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Crucially, the in situ generated NIR dye (mCy849) forms a shielding effect via hydrophobic bis‐octadecyl chain‐driven self‐assembly, thus resisting molecular oxidation and ensuring quantification accuracy. In vivo experiments further demonstrated that Cy420 enables accurate zero‐background NIR imaging in sorafenib‐administrated xenograft hepatic tumor, with significantly enhanced tumor‐to‐background ratio (TBR 13.2 ± 0.74) at 72 h, competently empowered NIR fluorescence‐navigated precise tumor resection. Our strategy has provided a new paradigm for chemotherapy‐imaging synergistic regulation of tumors with authentic “zero‐background” fluorescence.

Quantifying riverbank and soil erosion risks in the upper Ghaghara river basin and their implications for flood management

Abstract Riverbank erosion, soil loss, and flooding are interrelated processes that critically influence river morphology, sediment dynamics, and floodplain stability. Understanding their spatial and temporal interactions is essential for effective watershed management. This study evaluates the spatio-temporal patterns of river bank change along the Upper Ghaghara River basin and investigates their relationship with regional soil erosion risk and flood susceptibility. River bank dynamics were quantified using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS v. 6.0) applied to multi-decadal satellite imagery from 1991 to 2024, calculating key metrics including End Point Rate (EPR), Net Shoreline Movement (NSM), and Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE). Soil erosion risk was modeled using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), incorporating rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope, vegetation cover, and conservation practices, while flood susceptibility was assessed by integrating multiple hydro-geomorphic factors using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Results indicate pronounced erosion along the right bank with an average EPR of − 20.76 m/yr and an average NSM retreat of − 687.4 m, compared to − 5.53 m/yr and − 176.7 m, respectively, on the left bank. Approximately 62.7% of right bank transects and 57.5% of left bank transects exhibit significant erosion. Soil erosion rates exceed 40 t/ha/yr in high-risk zones of the basin spatially coincident with active bank migration areas. Flood susceptibility mapping identifies 30% of the basin under high to very high flood risk, corroborated by 2022 pre- and post-flood inundation analyses showing extensive floodplain coverage. These findings highlight the synergistic impact of bank erosion, upland sediment supply, and flooding on river corridor dynamics. The integrated assessment underscores the necessity for multi-hazard management strategies to mitigate geomorphic hazards, sustain riverine ecosystems, and enhance socio-economic resilience in this vulnerable basin.

Autocatalytic Circular DNA Powered Plasmonic CRISPR/Cas12a Platform for Ultrasensitive Non‐Nucleic Acid Target Sensing

Abstract CRISPR/Cas12a‐based detection of non‐nucleic acid targets faces two major challenges: 1) limited sensitivity due to the inherent inability to pre‐amplify non‐nucleic acid targets, and 2) suboptimal performance of traditional reporters caused by photobleaching of fluorescent dyes, rapid degradation, and slow reaction kinetics resulting from random molecular collisions. To overcome these limitations, we developed an innovative plasmonic CRISPR/Cas12a platform featuring positive‐feedback autocatalytic circular DNA (cir‐DNA) amplification. This system synergistically combines spatial confinement effects with plasmon‐enhanced fluorescence (PEF) to achieve ultrasensitive detection of non‐nucleic acid targets. The engineered cir‐DNA enables continuous Cas12a regeneration for autocatalytic signal amplification, while the designed plasmonic spherical nucleic acids significantly accelerate reaction kinetics while enhancing fluorescence signals. This integrated approach reduced the required reaction time to 15 min while improving the detection limit by approximately 52‐fold compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, by leveraging a convolutional neural network (CNN) machine learning model, not only the assessment of the risk level of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) based on threshold‐positive and threshold‐negative serum concentrations but also highly accurate blind testing were both achieved, highlighting its potential for clinical applications such as pregnancy risk assessment.

Effect of telomere length and related gene polymorphism in signaling pathway on semen quality

Transforming Inorganic Nitrate to Organic Nitriles by the pH Swing Effect in a Pickering Emulsion Electrocatalytic System

Abstract Electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia is attracting increasing attention. However, the purification and storage of low‐concentration ammonia generated in electrolytes are economically inefficient. In this study, we present a novel electrochemical reduction coupling reaction that takes place within a Pickering emulsion electrocatalytic system, facilitating the transformation of NO 3 − and aldehydes into high‐value–added nitriles. The key to this conversion lies in the pH swing effect within the catalytic system, through which hydroxylamine and NO 2 − , the semi‐reduction products of NO 3 − , are generated at distinct pH levels. Hydroxylamine initially engages in a nucleophilic addition reaction with aldehydes to form aldoximes. The aldoximes were nitrated by NO 2 derived from NO 2 − and then spontaneously converted into nitrile oxides. The nitrile oxides ultimately undergo electrocatalytic hydrodeoxygenation to yield nitriles. Aliphatic, aromatic, and heteroaromatic aldehydes can be effectively transformed into corresponding nitriles. This research offers novel perspectives and valuable insights for the high‐value utilization of nitrate.

Correction: A hybrid approach for regionalization of precipitation based on maximal discrete wavelet transform and growing neural gas network clustering

A Chemically Engineered Macrocyclic Peptide Shuttle Overcomes Blood‐Brain Barrier in Aging Brain

Abstract The blood‐brain barrier (BBB) poses a major challenge for the delivery of therapeutics into the central nervous system. Receptor‐mediated transcytosis (RMT) is a highly efficient strategy for delivering therapeutics across the BBB. However, the age‐dependent downregulation of key endothelial receptors limits its efficacy in age‐related disorders. This underscores the urgent need to develop age‐adapted strategies to enhance BBB traversal. Here, we report the discovery of a neuron‐targeting macrocyclic peptide shuttle that actively triggers caveolae‐mediated transcytosis, a pathway potentiated in brain endothelial cells during aging, through chemically engineered cross‐linking architectures with tuned lipophilicity. In vivo evaluations in aged murine models revealed that the perfluoroalkane‐tethered macrocycle achieves superior BBB traversal efficiency over current state‐of‐the‐art receptor‐mediated BBB peptide shuttles, with high biosafety. Importantly, our findings establish that the perfluoroalkane‐containing architecture confers an optimal balance between BBB permeability and nonspecific cytotoxicity. This macrocycle shuttle platform provides a dual‐function delivery system for both efficient BBB traversal and neuron‐targeting in the aging brain, showing promise as a therapeutic delivery strategy for age‐related neurodegenerative diseases.

A multicenter evaluation of patients’ knowledge of adverse drug reactions

Ir/TiO ₂ Heterojunctions with in Situ Defects and Surface Plasmon Resonance: Chloride‐Resistant Catalyst for the Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution from Seawater

Abstract Photocatalytic seawater splitting for hydrogen production emerges as a promising sustainable approach to alleviate energy crises and global warming. However, its practical application is critically hindered by Cl – ‐induced catalyst corrosion and poor long‐term stability under harsh high‐salt conditions. Herein, we report a rationally designed photocatalyst comprising Ir nanoclusters uniformly dispersed on the (101) facets of a mesoporous TiO 2 matrix. This design in situ introduces Ti 3+ species and oxygen vacancies within the TiO 2 lattice to extend light absorption. The surface plasmon resonance effect of Ir nanoclusters promotes efficient charge separation at the Ir/TiO 2 heterojunction, suppressing carrier recombination and boosting the utilization efficiency of photocarriers. Moreover, the Ir active sites demonstrate preferential coordination with H + /OH – species through coordination competition, reducing the overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction, mitigating the competitive chloride oxidation reaction, and ensuring exceptional catalytic stability. Under full‐spectrum light illumination, the 1% Ir/TiO 2 catalyst achieves a hydrogen evolution rate of 0.46 mmol h −1 (46.00 mmol g cat −1 h −1 ) with a remarkable turnover frequency of 1163.38 h −1 . This work establishes an effective strategy for constructing TiO 2 ‐based photocatalysts featuring low noble metal loading, robust Cl – corrosion resistance, and outstanding photocatalytic activity under harsh high‐salt environments, offering a cost‐effective route toward direct solar‐driven hydrogen production from seawater.

Ocean renewable energy for equitable energy access in a Blue Economy

Enhanced‐Type Quantitative Luminescence Recognition for Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) by a Metal–Organic Framework Single Crystal

Abstract Rapid and quantitative detection of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remains a critical challenge in environmental monitoring due to their low light absorption capacities. Luminescent sensing based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) enables analyte‐specific optical responses through well‐defined host–guest interactions, though conventional MOF powders as sensing materials face limitations in practical deployment for their stabilities and recyclable capacities. Herein, we report a millimeter‐sized luminescent MOF single crystal that functions as a reusable sensor for PFAS, exhibiting an enhanced‐type luminescence response upon analyte binding. In contrast to MOF powders, which often suffer from suspension instability and material loss during recycling, the single‐crystal format offers robust structural integrity, direct handling, and facile recovery. The sensor exhibits exponential luminescence responses toward five commonly encountered PFAS and retains its sensing performance for 10 cycles. This work presents a durable and scalable luminescent platform for PFAS detection and underscores the role of dimensional control in advancing MOF‐based sensing technologies.

Land use and soil drainage interactions drive macroinvertebrates and diatoms composition but not their diversity

Chiral Bifacial Non‐Fullerene Acceptors with Chirality‐Induced Spin Selectivity: A Homochiral Strategy to Improve Organic Solar Cell Performance

Abstract Asymmetric design has emerged as an effective strategy to enhance the performance of non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) in organic solar cells (OSCs). Although most asymmetric NFAs focus on lateral (i.e., left–right) asymmetry, out‐of‐plane anisotropy has remained underexplored, despite its ability to induce both a vertical dipole moment and molecular chirality, thereby potentially enabling functionalities such as chirality‐induced spin selectivity (CISS). With this perspective, we develop chiral and bifacial NFAs, ( S , S )‐IE4F, and ( R , R )‐IE4F, featuring an indacenodithiophene (IDT) core bearing a hydrophilic oligo(ethylene glycol) group and a hydrophobic phenyl group on the bridging sp 3 ‐carbons. Their racemic counterpart ( rac ‐IE4F) and a non‐bifacial achiral isomer ( meso ‐IE4F) are also synthesized as the controls. Compared to meso ‐IE4F, the bifacial isomers exhibit higher solubility, more favorable molecular packing for carrier transport, and larger dipole moments. Notably, neat ( S , S )/( R , R )‐IE4Fs and their bulk heterojunctions with PBDB‐T exhibit pronounced CISS effect, with spin polarizations of ∼70% and ∼50%, respectively. Consequently, OSCs based on homochiral bifacial IE4Fs achieve a power conversion efficiency of 8.17%, three times higher than that of meso ‐IE4F. This study highlights the impact of isomerization in NFAs and provides a new molecular design strategy for homochiral asymmetric NFAs.

IoT-driven smart irrigation system to improve water use efficiency

Abstract The agriculture sector is the cornerstone of many global economic entities, plays a central role in highly contributing to ensure food security and the gross domestic product. Difficulties caused by traditional irrigation methods, population growth, and climate change are leading to the development of current irrigation systems. This study presented a smart irrigation system using novel techniques like, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, embedded system and sensors. The smart system integrates real-time monitoring and control during irrigation, fertilization, and biopesticides application. A mobile application is implemented to monitor and control the entire system. Results showed that using wood vinegar at low concentrations is an effective way to improve water use efficiency, increase lettuce yield, and optimize disease control compared to other concentrations. The impact of 400 concentration on the evaluation criteria was found to achieve the best values at 26% moisture content. The smart system reduces water consumption by 47% and achieving a 43% increase in yield as well the lowest level of disease severity index with a value of 7.78%. The system proposed features real-time monitoring and control, improving water use efficiency and supporting smart agriculture practices as well as contribute to food and water security.

The Redox Properties of Polyphenols and Their Role in ROS Generation for Biomedical Applications

Abstract Polyphenols, particularly catechols, represent a significant class of compounds characterized by their versatile physicochemical and biological properties, sourced from both natural origins and industrial by‐products. This review highlights their critical redox properties, which enable both antioxidant activity and controlled reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These dual capacities underpin their diverse biomedical applications, including the development of materials like nanoparticles, hydrogels, bioadhesives, coatings, and membranes. The review explores their utility in areas such as antimicrobial strategies, advanced cancer therapy, and tissue regeneration, demonstrating how their ROS modulation drives therapeutic effects. Despite promising preclinical studies, significant challenges persist in clinical translation, encompassing pharmacokinetics, biosafety, regulatory pathways, and manufacturing consistency. Future perspectives emphasize the crucial need for deeper understanding and precise control of ROS dynamics, advanced delivery systems, rational material design, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate research and clinical validation. This comprehensive review synthesizes the current state, challenges, and future directions for polyphenol‐based biomedical materials.