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Preparation of ZnO/PVA flexible piezoelectric films for sensing dynamic-static superimposed loads under varying temperatures
Development of a zinc-enriched yeast strain for nutritional applications using low-cost ingredients
A comparison of conventional methods and mosquito blood meal analysis to assess vertebrate diversity
Synergistic inhibition of CHK1 and MUS81 to combat replication stress resistance in high-risk neuroblastoma
The effect of foam concrete grouting on urban structure vibrations in Tabriz metro lines 1 and 2
Dual chromatographic analysis of pesticide residues in eggplants: a green approach to food safety monitoring
Abstract The determination of pesticide residues is crucial for safeguarding human health, ensuring food safety, and contributing to environmental sustainability. Chlorfenapyr (CLF), abamectin (ABM), and fenpyroximate (FNP) are widely employed in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivation for pest control. This study presents the first reported simultaneous analysis of these pesticides using two validated chromatographic methods: high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HP-TLC, Method A) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC, Method B). Method A employed a mobile phase of methanol/chloroform/glacial acetic acid/triethylamine (7.00:2.50:0.50:0.10, v/v) with densitometric UV detection at 225 nm. The retention factors (Rf) for CLF, ABM, and FNP were 0.13, 0.34, and 0.85, respectively. Method B utilized a mobile phase of acetonitrile/5 mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.0) (70:30, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.20 mL/min, with UV detection at 255 nm. The retention times for CLF, ABM, and FNP were 3.4, 6.1, and 8.4 min, respectively. Both methods were validated according to the key principles of ICH guideline Q2(R2) for the validation of analytical procedures, demonstrating robustness for assaying the ternary pesticide mixture in pure forms, commercial formulations (with excipients), and spiked eggplant samples. Both developed methods exhibited excellent detection and quantification capabilities. Method A demonstrated LODs ranging from 0.0006 to 0.0027 µg/band and LOQs from 0.0019 to 0.009 µg/band. Method B achieved even lower detection limits, with LODs from 0.0029 to 0.0296 µg/mL and corresponding LOQs from 0.0089 to 0.089 µg/mL for the target pesticides.
First known fossil hand of the hominin Paranthropus boisei
Wearable inertial device for monitoring Parkinson’s disease symptoms: a pilot study in a controlled environment
Hybrid model for classifying Indo Aryan and Tamil texts from historic manuscripts
How to stop the revolving door of German academia
Plasma-derived exosomal tRF-3004a as a diagnostic biomarker for colorectal cancer
Nuclear quantum dynamics of boric acid as probed by a thermal-to-epithermal neutron station
Abstract Boric acid ( $$\hbox {H}_3$$ $$\hbox {BO}_3$$ , BA), due to its neutron absorption and scattering properties, is used in nuclear medicine and nuclear engineering either as an absorber of thermal neutrons or a moderator of epithermal ones. BA was one of the earliest boron carriers historically evaluated for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Recent advances in neutron spectroscopy and imaging, isotope labelling, and ab initio simulation have renewed interest in BA as a model system for pilot studies. Also in terms of BNCT treatment, BA emerges again as an efficient boron compound in the case of selected tumour types. Nuclear quantum dynamics and nuclear quantum effects, such as zero-point energy (ZPE), significantly influence the structure and vibrational properties of BA, and consequently, via Doppler-broadening, alter the way it scatters and absorbs neutrons. In this work, we systematically characterise the nuclear dynamics of boric acid in an isotope-resolved manner across a broad energy range using VESUVIO, a thermal-to-epithermal neutron station at the ISIS facility. We validate a series of thermodynamic and neutron observables against comprehensive ab initio calculations, providing direct insight into isotope-dependent neutron scattering and absorption in BA. Moreover, we establish limits of detection and quantification of boron and boric acid by concurrently employing neutron Compton scattering, the incident neutron energy-dependent transmission and prompt-gamma activation analysis.
Deaminative cross-coupling of amines by boryl radical β-scission
Abstract Amines are among the most common functional groups in biologically active molecules and pharmaceuticals 1–3 , yet they are almost universally treated as synthetic end points 4 . Here we report a strategy that repositions native primary, secondary and tertiary amines as handles for cross-coupling. The platform relies on in situ activation through borane coordination and exploits a copper catalytic redox system that generates amine-ligated boryl radicals, which undergo β-scission across the C( sp 3 )–N bond to release alkyl radicals. These intermediates engage in copper-catalysed cross-couplings with a broad range of C-based, N-based, O-based and S-based nucleophiles. The method tolerates diverse amine classes, enables modular functionalization and supports late-stage diversification of complex drug scaffolds. Also, amides can be incorporated into the manifold through reductive funnelling. This work establishes a general approach to deaminative C–N bond functionalization and introduces a distinct approach for making and modifying drug-like molecules.
Feeding the mind: preliminary insights into the effects of Anthocyanin-Rich Extract from black carrots on brain activity and gut microbiota in patients with cognitive impairments
Abstract Anthocyanins, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, have been associated with cognitive benefits, potentially mediated by gut-brain axis interactions. This study investigates the effects of a 12-week Anthocyanin-Rich Extract (ARE) intervention on brain activity and gut microbiota composition in older adults with neurocognitive impairments. In this study, 50 participants underwent electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and gut microbiota analyses before and after the intervention. EEG data were analyzed using connectivity and entropy metrics across multiple frequency bands. Gut microbiota composition was assessed via 16S rRNA sequencing to evaluate taxonomic shifts. Results revealed increased EEG connectivity, particularly in alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands, suggesting improved neural communication and complexity following ARE consumption. Significant changes in nonlinear EEG metrics were observed, consistent with previous findings in the literature. Microbiota analysis indicated non-significant alterations in overall diversity but revealed increases in Alistipes, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Flavonifractor, alongside a decrease in Hungatella, potentially implicating SCFA metabolism and inflammatory regulation. These findings suggest ARE may enhance cognitive health by modulating neural activity and gut microbiota composition. While these results provide preliminary evidence of neuroprotective effects, further research with larger, disorder-specific cohorts and placebo-controlled designs is necessary to validate outcomes and explore gut-brain axis mechanisms in cognitive decline.
ADHD diagnoses are growing. What’s going on?
Correction: Synthesis and characterization of bio-based eco-friendly biofilm composites reinforced with waste eggshell powder
New intelligent music therapy method for applications of enhancing social skills of autism children based on TL-GCN and deep learning
Validation and comparative study of the Motus system for accurately identifying movement behaviours using different sampling frequencies
Abstract Accurate data on movement behaviours is essential for public health policy and interventions. Accelerometer-based tools like ActiPASS, paired with AxivityX3 accelerometers, are widely used but face challenges like slow data processing and administrative burden. To address these issues, we developed Motus (alias SurPASS), a scalable accelerometer-based system with wireless SENSmotionPlus accelerometers and cloud storage. While Motus shows promising feasibility, validating its performance at different sampling frequencies can further improve battery life, data transfer, and storage. This study aimed to validate Motus in identifying movement behaviours at different sampling frequencies and to compare it with ActiPASS. Data collection included laboratory and free-living sessions, during which participants wore three thigh-mounted accelerometers: SENSmotionPlus (25 Hz and 12.5 Hz) and AxivityX3 (25 Hz). The laboratory session was video recorded and comprised structured and semi-structured movement behaviours, including sedentary, standing, walking, stair climbing, running, and cycling. In the free-living session, participants wore accelerometers for 48 h and carried out usual activities. Data were processed using Motus, with free-living sessions additionally analysed with ActiPASS. The F1-score and balanced accuracy were used to assess Motus performance against video annotations, while Bland-Altman plots evaluated agreement between F1-scores (25 Hz vs. 12.5 Hz) and between Motus (25 Hz and 12.5 Hz) and ActiPASS, with ActiPASS as the reference method. Eighteen participants (61% female, age 34.1 ± 8.3 years) completed the data collection. A total of 395.7 min from the laboratory (mean: 22.0 ± 2.7 min) and 501,122 min from the free-living session (mean: 2638 ± 499.7 min) were analysed. In the laboratory, overall F1-score and balanced accuracy were 0.94 for both frequencies, compared with video observations. Additionally, mean bias F1-scores were ± 0.01 for all behaviours when comparing the performance of Motus 12.5 Hz vs. 25 Hz against videos. In free-living, Motus 25 Hz vs. ActiPASS showed a mean difference of ± 1 min for all behaviours. For Motus 12.5 Hz vs. ActiPASS, the mean difference were ± 1 min for sedentary, stair climbing and cycling, while a mean difference of + 5.1, -2.9 and − 2.2 min were observed for standing, walking and running, respectively. In conclusion, our study provides significant insights into the performance of Motus, highlighting the possibility of reducing the sampling frequency from 25 to 12.5 Hz and still obtaining high performance in classifying different movement behaviours.