Browse Articles

Super Mamba feature enhancement framework for small object detection

Efficient two-step chemoenzymatic conjugation of antibody fragments with reporter compounds by a specific thiol-PEG-amine Linker, HS-PEG-NH2

Chemoenzymatic conjugation of antibodies with reporter compounds offers broad applicability for detecting target antigens in the context of in vitro research and diagnostics. For conjugation, a bifunctional linker with a protected thiol and an amino group, serving as a transglutaminase substrate, is often employed. However, protective groups require an additional deprotection step during synthesis. To overcome this limitation, we selected a long-chain thiol-PEG-amine (HS-PEG) linker as the substrate. The HS-PEG linker exhibited minimal S–S bond dimerization in solution and was efficiently conjugated to Fab containing the transglutaminase-specific sequence tag (Q-tag), retaining the free state of the SH group. Using this SH group, a reporter compound containing two types of activated maleimides, Alexa488 or the red algae-derived fluorescent dye phycoerythrin, was conjugated to Fab. Both conjugates formed uniform structures in just two synthetic steps without compromising antigen-binding activity. Among the conjugates, phycoerythrin conjugated with multiple Fab molecules showed higher activity than that conjugated with fewer molecules in fluorescence enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and flow cytometry. These results indicate that the chemoenzymatic approach using the HS-PEG linker and transglutaminase facilitates uniform Fab conjugation with reporter molecules for in vitro research and diagnostic applications. This method can expand the application of chemoenzymatic modification of antibody fragments by simplifying the conjugation process and reducing the formation of by-products.

Protective effect of astaxanthin on myocardial injury induced by autologous liver transplantation in rats in conjunction with the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

Neural subgraph counting on stream graphs via localized updates and monotonic learning

Graphs are a representative type of fundamental data structures. They are capable of representing complex association relationships in diverse domains. For large-scale graph processing, the stream graphs have become efficient tools to process dynamically evolving graph data. When processing stream graphs, the subgraph counting problem is a key technique, which faces significant computational challenges due to its #P-complete nature. This work introduces StreamSC, a novel framework that efficiently estimate subgraph counting results on stream graphs through two key innovations: (i) It’s the first learning-based framework to address the subgraph counting problem focused on stream graphs; and (ii) this framework addresses the challenges from dynamic changes of the data graph caused by the insertion or deletion of edges. Experiments on 5 real-word graphs show the priority of StreamSC on accuracy and efficiency.

Integrated geochemical and geophysical assessment for monitoring soil stabilization with waste oyster shells

Do women’s autonomy lessen the brunt of unequal household responsibilities in the patriarchal context of semi-arid Northern Ghana?

Background Gendered roles and household responsibilities characterize the social fabric of many patriarchal societies where traditional norms often dictate a clear division of labor between men and women. These deeply entrenched gendered expectations, for several decades, continue to shape the daily lives, opportunities, the physical and psychological wellbeing of women. In the semi-arid regions of Ghana, patriarchy and traditional gender norms are particularly pronounced. Methods and materials Utilizing data from a cross-sectional survey (N = 1100 smallholder farmers), this study examined the role of women’s autonomy on shared-household responsibilities (SHRs). The composite measure of women’s autonomy was statistically robust (α = 0.823). Results Women’s autonomy was associated with increased odds of shared responsibility for childcare (OR=1.872; P < 0.001) but less so with laundry (OR=0.635; P < 0.001) and food preparation (OR=0.764; P < 0.05). However, female-headed households were more associated with shared responsibility for laundry (OR=5.617; P < 0.001) and food preparation (OR=2.546; P < 0.05) with no significant observation for childcare. Regarding marital structure, polygamous households were less associated with shared responsibility for laundry (OR=0.233; P < 0.01) and food preparation (OR=0.361; P < 0.01) with no significant observation for childcare. Moreover, religion, age, and household wealth significantly predicted shared household responsibilities in the study context. Conclusions Women’s autonomy is strongly associated with shared responsibility for childcare, but less associated with laundry and food preparation in Semi-Arid Northern Ghana, with notable differences based on household headship, marital structure, religion, age, and wealth. Findings underscore the need for more policies and programs that seeks to empower women at the household levels in rural agrarian settings.

Unveiling the anti-inflammatory wound healing potential of Ocimum canum extract and its phytochemicals via bioassay-guided isolation, fractionation, and computational studies

Safety assessment of Edaravone: A real-world adverse event analysis based on the FAERS Database

Objective Edaravone is a neuroprotective agent, but the characteristics of its adverse events (AEs) remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to examine AEs associated with edaravone use by analyzing real-world data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Methods This retrospective study extracted adverse event reports related to edaravone from the FAERS database, spanning from the second quarter of 2017 to the second quarter of 2024. Disproportionality analysis methods, including the Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR), Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR), and Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN), were employed to detect AE signals associated with edaravone use. Results Among 2,931 adverse event reports (AERs) in which edaravone was identified as the primary suspected drug, 86 preferred terms (PTs) and 20 system organ classes (SOCs) were included. At the PTs level, the significant drug-related adverse events were death (n = 589, ROR = 8.64), disease progression (n = 266, ROR = 28.26) and drug ineffectiveness (n = 252, ROR = 2.16). Additionally, rare but notably strong adverse event signals were observed, including thrombosis at the catheter site thrombosi, gastric fistula, and vein collapse. Conclusion Our research found that edaravone has some overlooked adverse reactions. Further epidemiological studies are needed to more comprehensively explore and assess the risk-benefit profile of edaravone.

An enculturation-induced joy bias for emotion recognition in full-body-movement

Abstract While emotional expression via the body is universal across cultures, labelling emotions into ‘emotion-word’ categories is not universal, but learned—especially in the West. Based on previous work using Western expressive gestures, we designed a video-stimuli library with emotionally expressive gestures from a non-WEIRD cultural tradition, which our participants had different levels of enculturation with. Stimuli consisted of 6-s-long sequences of Iranian social dance gestures, danced five-times each with different emotional expressivities, so that the same movement trajectories were used to express five ‘basic’ emotions (anger, fear, joy, sadness, neutrality). Across two experiments with 200 Iranian, English, and Southeast Asian participants (one pre-registered), we tested how enculturation modulated emotion perception from full-body movement. Using continuous measures of enculturation with Iranian and English culture, we found that categorical emotion labelling was modulated by English enculturation, while enculturation with Iranian culture produced a ‘joy bias’; a tendency to attribute joyful expressivity to the movements, in accordance with the joyful festive context in which these social dance gestures usually occur. These results evidence an effect of enculturation on emotion perception, in line with the theory of constructed emotion.

Green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles using Echinops spinosus extract: A promising anticancer agent for hepatocellular carcinoma

The environmentally sustainable synthesis of nanoparticles has arisen as a viable alternative to traditional methods, tackling ecological and economic issues. This research investigates the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles utilizing an aqueous extract of Echinops Spinosus L. roots (ESRE), abundant in bioactive chemicals, as a natural reducing agent. The impacts of different quantities of precursors and reducing agents were methodically examined. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by zeta potential measurements (−15.2 mV), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicated spherical and hexagonal morphologies with an average size of 20.47–48.22 nm, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), confirming zinc and oxygen as the principal elements. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) underscored plant-derived compounds’ contribution to nanoparticle stabilization. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay on two cancer cell lines, HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) and MCF-7 (breast cancer). The green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles had substantial anticancer efficacy, with the ZnO nanoparticles exhibiting the most pronounced anti-proliferative effect on HepG2 cells (10.4 folds) and 5.4 folds more effective in MCF-7 cells compared to ESRE, with HepG2 cells IC50 value of 19.94 ± 0.11 µg/mL while the IC50 for MCF-7 cells was 75.65 ± 0.16 µg/mL. The results indicate that ZnO-NPs produced by green technologies exhibit significant potential as anticancer agents, especially for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

LRP8 is a receptor for tick-borne encephalitis virus

Development of hybrid fiber-reinforced vinyl ester composites for civil and automotive applications

Retraction: Navigating the path to environmental sustainability: Insights from CIVETS on the intersection of ICT diffusion, natural resources, and green technological innovation

Removal of arsenic from landfill leachate using green coconut fiber

Measuring the continuation of antidepressant exposure prior to, during, and after pregnancy: A scoping review protocol

Objective The goal of this scoping review is to summarize how prior studies have measured antidepressant continuation/discontinuation prior to, during, and after pregnancy. Introduction Pregnant individuals and healthcare providers are faced with difficult decisions about whether to continue antidepressants in pregnancy due to the historical exclusion of pregnant women from clinical trials and the lack of rigorous evidence to support these decisions. Prior studies examining the effects of pre- and perinatal antidepressant use on perinatal outcomes using observational data have been inconsistent, primarily due to the binary (ever/never) categorization of exposure, which may not accurately reflect real-world use. Inclusion criteria The population for this review consists of pregnant individuals. The concept is the measurement of continued preconception, prenatal, and postpartum antidepressant use. We will include human studies (no restrictions on language or geographic location) with the following study designs: cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, and descriptive analyses or spontaneous reports that reference antidepressant use over time. Methods We will conduct a scoping review using the JBI (formerly Joanna Briggs Institute) manual for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews Checklist (PRISMA-ScR). The search strategy will be performed using database-specific nomenclature in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Canada’s Drug Agency Grey Matters Guide for grey literature, limiting the final search to publications since 2022 to include contemporary data. Two independent reviewers will 1) screen titles/abstracts/full-texts and 2) extract data. Findings will summarize measurements of antidepressant continuation during the perinatal period, categorizing studies based on the descriptions of timing, duration, adherence, and exposure ascertainment. Conclusion This scoping review will establish the extent to which prior studies have been able to measure continued use to inform a clear definition of continued antidepressant exposure to be used in future studies. Review registration: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/2ewpq

Endogenous pathway dysregulation in Kluyveromyces marxianus under nitrogen limitation drives 2-phenylethyl acetate and 2-phenylethanol overproduction

The apple detection method based on multimodal features

Accurate detection of apples and other fruits in complex environments remains a formidable challenge due to the intricate interplay of varying lighting conditions, occlusions, and background clutter. Traditional detection methods, which primarily rely on RGB images or incremental improvement of deep learning models, often fail to achieve satisfactory detection accuracy. To address this, an innovative method of apple detection is proposed to improve the detection performance through multimodal feature fusion rather than radical architectural modifications. The proposed method integrates four complementary modalities: RGB image, color and edge feature maps, depth feature map, and point clouds. Chromatic properties of fruits and geometric boundaries of fruit-tree structures are captured by color and edge feature maps extracted from RGB inputs, which are weighted and fused into a composite feature channel. The depth map and point clouds acquired via binocular active infrared stereo cameras provide additional spatial information. The depth feature image is used as a standalone feature channel. Given the significant modal discrepancies between point clouds and RGB data, a preprocessing pipeline is implemented: voxel sampling and local anomaly detection are first applied to denoise and fill holes in point clouds, followed by recalibrated mapping to ensure spatial alignment with RGB image. The XYZ coordinates of processed point clouds are then used as three distinct feature channels. Finally, the YOLOv5 input layer is redesigned to accept multi-channel feature inputs.Multimodal fusion enriches the feature representation accessible to YOLOv5, enhancing model robustness against lighting variations and background noise. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves 95.8% precision (P), 96.0% recall (R), and 95.9% F1-score in complex scenarios. Compared to baseline methods using RGB-only and RGB+depth inputs, precision improvements of 7.4% and 6.3% are observed respectively.

Impact of climate change driven freshening, warming, and ocean acidification on the cellular metabolism of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)

Abstract Climate change is causing increasing sea surface temperature, ocean acidification and, in near shore waters, freshening. We investigated the metabolic effects of all three and their combination in Atlantic cod from the Skagerrak (eastern North Sea) by measuring concentration changes of a wide range of metabolites involved in energy production in the liver and muscles. Liver metabolism was more strongly affected than muscle, reflecting its central regulatory role. Most amino acid concentrations declined in both tissues across all treatments, and metabolomic pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in ten metabolic pathways. This suggests enhanced amino acid metabolism in a climate change future. Warming and ocean acidification induced increased liver concentrations of lactate, glucose and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate indicating that gluconeogenesis will increase to meet increased production of enzymes to counter future stress. The molar contribution of glutamine to the total change in liver amino acids constituted 49%, 16% and 29% under warming, ocean acidification and their combination accentuating its importance in energy production also under future climate change. We observed contrasting responses in AMP, ADP, and NAD + concentrations between warming and acidification suggesting possible antagonistic effects. Our findings demonstrate significant and complex metabolic responses to future climate stress in Atlantic cod in northern European waters.

Retraction: Intelligence level evaluation and influencing factors analysis of equipment manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River Delta

Systematic discovery of CRISPR-boosted CAR T cell immunotherapies

Abstract Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has shown remarkable success in treating blood cancers, but CAR T cell dysfunction remains a common cause of treatment failure 1 . Here we present CELLFIE, a CRISPR screening platform for enhancing CAR T cells across multiple clinical objectives. We performed genome-wide screens in human primary CAR T cells, with readouts capturing key aspects of T cell biology, including proliferation, target cell recognition, activation, apoptosis and fratricide, and exhaustion. Screening hits were prioritized using a new in vivo CROP-seq 2 method in a xenograft model of human leukaemia, establishing several gene knockouts that boost CAR T cell efficacy. Most notably, we discovered that RHOG knockout is a potent and unexpected CAR T cell enhancer, both individually and together with FAS knockout, which was validated across multiple in vivo models, CAR designs and sample donors, and in patient-derived cells. Demonstrating the versatility of the CELLFIE platform, we also conducted combinatorial CRISPR screens to identify synergistic gene pairs and saturation base-editing screens to characterize RHOG variants. In summary, we discovered, validated and biologically characterized CRISPR-boosted CAR T cells that outperform standard CAR T cells in widely used benchmarks, establishing a foundational resource for optimizing cell-based immunotherapies.