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Photocatalytic Upcycling of Toxic Glyphosate Waste Into Compound Fertilizer for Corn Growth
ABSTRACT Glyphosate (GP), the most widely used herbicide worldwide, poses serious ecological and health risks due to its persistence and toxic degradation intermediates. Although semiconductor photocatalysis offers a promising remediation pathway, the interplay between degradation selectivity, the secondary utilization of products, and environmental sustainability remains poorly understood. Here, we present a facet‐dependent photocatalytic degradation of GP using bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) nanosheets with dominant (001), (010), and (102) facets. Spectroscopic and theoretical analyses reveal that BiOBr‐(010) and BiOBr‐(102) achieve faster GP degradation via enhanced charge separation and dual adsorption of carboxyl and phosphate groups. However, they predominantly yield and accumulate aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), a toxic and recalcitrant intermediate. In contrast, the (001) facet selectively cleaves the C─N bond in GP via stronger hole accumulation and higher AMPA affinity, producing NH 4 + , NO 3 − , PO 4 3− , and CH 3 COOH. Importantly, the final products act as a compound fertilizer that can directly promote corn growth. These findings highlight the need to consider more than just degradation efficiency when designing photocatalysts, establishing a structure–function framework that prioritizes kinetic performance and crop growth‐promoting potential.
Structural basis of PLPP3-mediated lipid phosphate dephosphorylation and its role in melanoma
Evaluation of rheumatic disease mobile applications using MARS
Abstract Introduction: Rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, significantly impact global health. Mobile health (mHealth) applications offer new opportunities for disease management, yet many lack scientific validation. The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) provides a standardized method for assessing app quality. This study evaluates rheumatology-related mobile apps in Iranian marketplaces using MARS to ensure informed app selection for patient care. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 to evaluate the quality of Persian-language mobile applications for rheumatic diseases using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). A systematic search of Google Play, Myket, and Bazaar identified eligible applications. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, six applications were included in the final evaluation. The apps were assessed by health informatics specialists, rheumatologists, and patients with rheumatic diseases using the MARS instrument. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The overall average score of the selected apps was 2.32, indicating a low to moderate quality. In the interaction dimension, the app Rheumatism and its treatment methods received a score of 1.96, which was the highest in this section. The performance of the best apps in this dimension showed an average of 3.53. In the aesthetics section, the app Rheumatism scored 2.6, showing better performance, but the average of this dimension (2.12) remained at a low level. In the information dimension, the app Rheumatism scored 2.2, earning the highest rank, but the overall average of this dimension (1.94) indicated the poor quality of the scientific content in the apps. Finally, the two apps Rheumatism and Rheumatism with scores of 2.43 and 2.53 respectively performed the best in the overall evaluation. The findings indicated that Persian-language apps related to rheumatism need improvement in terms of interaction, information, and aesthetics. Enhancing the quality of scientific content, increasing user engagement, and using more diverse formats for presenting information could help improve the effectiveness of these apps in managing and educating patients with rheumatism.
Indolicidin‐Decorated Photosensitizer for Enhanced Antibacterials and Accelerated Diabetic Wound Healing
ABSTRACT Diabetic wounds are difficult to heal due to infections caused by multidrug‐resistant bacteria. Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising alternatives, each faces inherent limitations: PDT‐generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) have an extremely short lifespan (10–320 ns) and limited diffusion (10–55 nm), while AMPs are structurally unstable, potentially cytotoxic at high doses, and even induce bacterial resistance. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed a synergistic nanoplatform by integrating the AMP Indolicidin with the photosensitizer PTBT, further encapsulated within a thermosensitive F127 hydrogel (PTBT/I@F127). The system formed uniform, highly photosensitive nanoparticles in which Indolicidin, located on the outer surface, first disrupted bacterial membranes, facilitating the contact of PTBT with bacteria. Subsequently, abundant ROS were generated for rapidly killing bacteria under an 808‐nm laser irradiation, which effectively compensated for the limited diffusion of ROS and reinforced the antibacterial effect of Indolicidin before its degradation. In vitro, PTBT/I@F127 effectively killed methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and E. coli with a remarkable synergy. In diabetic mice and pig models, wound healing rates reached 98% and 83%, respectively, with remarkable angiogenesis and collagen deposition, after receiving PTBT/I@F127. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathways were involved in promoting tissue regeneration, while inflammation‐associated signaling pathways, such as NF‐κB and IL‐17, were concurrently regulated, thereby alleviating inflammation and reshaping the immune microenvironment in infected wounds. Collectively, this PTBT/Indolicidin‐based thermosensitive hydrogel effectively eliminated resistant bacteria, mitigated inflammation, stimulated angiogenesis, and accelerated healing of infected diabetic wounds, offering a safe, controllable, and translationally promising therapeutic strategy.
Citywide metagenomics reveals microbial community and resistome dynamics in urban wastewater
From early trauma to self-harm: a parallel and serial mediation model of self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and depression in adolescents
Harnessing the Orbital Hall Effect for Energy‐Efficient Magnetization Switching in the Room‐Temperature van der Waals Ferromagnet Fe <sub>3</sub> GaTe <sub>2</sub>
ABSTRACT 2D van der Waals (vdW) magnets provide new opportunities for spin–orbit torque magnetoresistive random‐access memory (SOT‐MRAM) due to their unique properties. Electrically manipulating the magnetization of vdW magnets is key to realizing 2D SOT‐MRAM, whereas conventional spin Hall materials such as heavy metals and topological insulators suffer from limitations in torque efficiency and energy consumption. Although recent studies show that the orbital Hall conductivity in light metals greatly exceeds the spin Hall conductivity, direct experimental demonstrations that the orbital Hall effect (OHE) can induce more energy‐efficient SOT switching than the spin Hall effect in vdW magnets remain scarce. Here, we utilize Cr as the orbital current source to efficiently manipulate the magnetization of the vdW ferromagnet Fe 3 GaTe 2 at room temperature. In the Fe 3 GaTe 2 /Pt (1.5 nm)/Cr (4.5 nm) trilayer structure, the orbital current originating from Cr is converted into the spin current via Pt, which then exerts a torque on Fe 3 GaTe 2 . Compared with control samples using 6 nm Pt as the spin current source, the switching current density in OHE‐based devices is reduced by ∼3.9 times, resulting in a ∼52% reduction in power consumption. This work presents the promising potential of harnessing orbital currents to realize energy‐efficient 2D SOT‐MRAM.
Statin-induced lipid carrier stress reveals a conserved vulnerability in β-lactam-resistant Gram-positive bacteria
Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus resists β-lactam antibiotics through the allosteric transpeptidase penicillin-binding protein 2a, which operates within staphyloxanthin-rich membrane microdomains. Statins restore susceptibility by disrupting these microdomains and impairing penicillin-binding protein 2a oligomerization, but the mechanisms enabling resistance to this resensitization remain unclear. Here we show, using evolution experiments in strains lacking a functional staphyloxanthin pathway, that mutations in gdpP , a regulator of cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate signaling, are the predominant route for restoring oxacillin resistance during membrane microdomain disruption. This adaptation is blocked by simvastatin, revealing a synthetic lethal interaction. Mechanistically, simvastatin inhibits the mevalonate pathway, depleting the essential lipid carrier undecaprenyl phosphate and exacerbating peptidoglycan precursor imbalance, an effect phenocopied by lipid carrier–targeting antibiotics such as bacitracin. Although compensatory mutations can restore resistance, they impose a fitness cost in vivo. Importantly, this vulnerability extends to Streptococcus pneumoniae , revealing a conserved strategy to overcome β-lactam resistance in Gram-positive pathogens.
Risk assessment and climate adaptation research for agricultural cultivation and water resource systems within rural green production models
Dramatic Enhancement of Thermoelectric Performance in Two‐Dimensional Materials Enabled by Nanoscroll Architecture
ABSTRACT Enabling autonomous operation in next‐generation nanosystems demands efficient on‐chip energy harvesting free from external power. Nanoscale thermoelectric generators are ideal platforms for this goal due to their ambient energy harvesting and scalability. Nevertheless, the thermoelectric performance of the constituent low‐dimensional materials is fundamentally limited by the complex coupling of electrical and thermal transport. This work proposes a simple geometric topology strategy that utilizes capillary forces to transform monolayer WS 2 nanoribbons into nanoscrolls, resulting in significantly improved thermoelectric performance. This unique architecture, combining global curvature with local multi‐layering, simultaneously activates two synergistic physical mechanisms: (1) the formation of local multi‐layer homojunctions significantly narrows the bandgap and reduces thermal activation energy, thereby boosting electrical conductivity by 1–2 orders of magnitude, and (2) curvature‐induced inhomogeneous stress fields effectively enhance phonon scattering, leading to a nearly 50% reduction in lattice thermal conductivity. Consequently, such synergistic modulation elevates the figure of merit ( ZT ) at 273 K to 182 times that of pristine nanoribbons, successfully breaking traditional performance trade‐offs. This study validates geometric topology engineering as a generalizable design paradigm for unlocking the potential of two‐dimensional nanomaterials, paving the way for high‐performance, flexible micro/nano‐energy devices.
Amine-linked heteroporous covalent organic framework for synergistic anti-infective therapy of post-traumatic osteomyelitis
Unmasking of a valuable and sustainable waste of Rosa damascena petals distillation and antibacterial activity of its complex with β-cyclodextrin
PCET‐Inspired Nanoparticles Enable Paired Proton‐Electron Delivery to Restore Mitochondrial Electron Transport and Regenerate Bone During Aging
ABSTRACT Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) dysfunction drives the accumulation of damaged mitochondria and bioenergetic insufficiency, contributing to cellular senescence and impaired tissue repair in aging. However, reconstituting ETC‐associated mitochondrial bioenergetics in situ to overcome this energy restriction remains challenging. In this study, a mitochondrial hydrogen‐supply system (EMHS) is developed that attenuates senescence‐associated phenotypes in the aged bone regenerative niche and promotes skeletal healing in aging via proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET). It has been demonstrated that the active hydrogen generated by EMHS infiltrates mitochondria in senescent cells, enabling the paired delivery of proton–electron equivalents to restore ETC function. This mitochondrial functional recovery is accompanied by reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and improved oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity, which expands the functional mitochondrial pool. EMHS restores the osteogenic potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), enhances endothelial angiogenic capacity, and biases neutrophils toward a pro‐repair phenotype. Remarkably, following systemic administration, EMHS preferentially accumulates in bone and promotes bone‐vascular coupled regeneration in aged mice with bone defects. Overall, our findings introduce a small‐molecule drug‐free nanotherapeutic strategy that maintains a functional mitochondrial pool with potential to alleviate cellular aging and age‐related diseases.
Excess mortality attributable to the 2025 Iberian Peninsula blackout
Abstract On 28 April 2025, a widespread power outage affected mainland Portugal and Spain for around ten hours, causing major disruptions and eight reported deaths. Health impacts of blackouts range from direct effects, such as medical equipment failure, to indirect effects such as disrupted healthcare. Here we show that the 2025 Iberian blackout is associated with increased mortality in Spain, but not in Portugal. We find little evidence of excess mortality on the day of the event itself. In Spain, however, mortality rises over the next two days (+167 deaths; 95% credible interval: +28 to +300; +2.4% relative increase), particularly among women aged 85+. We also observe regional differences, but their drivers remain uncertain and may include variation in outage severity, underlying vulnerabilities, or local health-system and infrastructure conditions. These findings highlight the underestimated health burden of blackouts and the need for improved preparedness in a changing climate.
Smart hardware-integrated deep learning framework for real-time pothole detection in vehicles
Abstract Road infrastructure plays a crucial role in transportation, and Potholes pose a significant threat to vehicle safety and maintenance costs. Traditional Pothole detection methods rely on manual inspection or expensive sensor-based systems, making them inefficient and costly. To address these challenges, we propose an IoT-based Pothole detection system utilizing an ESP8266 microcontroller, ultrasonic sensors, and a camera module. The system collects real-time road surface data, which is processed by a deep learning model techniques to detect Potholes accurately. The ESP8266 facilitates wireless data transmission to a central server for further analysis and mapping. This approach provides a cost-effective, automated, and scalable solution for road monitoring. By integrating to IoT and deep learning our system enhances Pothole detection 95% accuracy, reduces manual labour, and enables proactive road maintenance.
Compliance for Resistance: The Intrinsic Extraordinary Isotropic Anti‐Fatigue Performance of Fish Bladder
ABSTRACT Fatigue failure remains a critical challenge for soft materials used in biomedical implants and soft robotics. Existing strategies, including stiff reinforcement and microstructural alignment, can suppress crack growth but often introduce anisotropy and poor resistance to multidirectional loading. In addition, a persistent orders‐of‐magnitude disparity remains between fracture toughness and fatigue threshold of synthetic soft materials. Here, the fish bladder of silver carp, characterized by a multilayered hierarchical fibrous architecture, is shown to exhibit extraordinary isotropic fatigue resistance (∼6000 J·m − 2 ) approaching its fracture toughness. This behavior originates from a “compliance for resistance” mechanism that couples dynamic fiber straightening and rotation, sacrificial bond breakage and reassociation, and layer‐specific fiber reorientation with the resulting interfacial sliding to dissipate energy under cyclic loading. Guided by these principles, a biohybrid hydrogel is designed to reproduce this multiscale anti‐fatigue mechanism, achieving a high fatigue threshold (>3000 J·m − 2 ) together with robust antifouling performance. These results uncover fundamental design principles of fatigue‐resistant biological soft tissues and provide a general strategy for engineering durable soft materials.
Totum-63, a plant-based polyphenol-rich extract, in prediabetes or early-stage type 2 diabetes: an international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial
Abstract This multicenter, parallel-arm, superiority, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluates the efficacy of Totum-63 (T63), a polyphenol-rich blend of plant extracts, in improving fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in individuals with prediabetes or early-stage type 2 diabetes (T2D). Individuals from seven European countries with FPG between 110-220 mg/dL were randomized to receive placebo (PBO, n = 210), T63 (5 g/d) distributed thrice daily (T63 TID, n = 212) or twice daily (T63 BID, open-label arm, n = 214) over six months. Individuals were randomly assigned using a dynamic randomization algorithm, stratified by their glycemic status at baseline (FPG < 126 mg/dL or FPG ≥ 126) and the investigational site country. The primary outcome was the FPG change in T63 TID compared to PBO in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary assessments included changes in diabetes biomarkers, lipid profile, anthropometric measurements and subpopulation analyses based on glycemic status. During the whole study, neither the investigators nor the subjects were aware of the product they tested, except in the open arm. After six months, FPG was significantly reduced in the T63 TID group (PBO-adjusted mixed model estimated difference, PBO-AD = −3.8 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−5.9; −1.7], p = 0.0149) and the T63 BID group (PBO-AD = −5.5 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−9.7; −1.3] p < 0.001). Hence, T63 may represent a non-pharmaceutical strategy for T2D prevention. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04423302. Funding: This trial was funded by Valbiotis®.
Effective removal of Indigo Carmine dye from aqueous solution onto Cellulose/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Attapulgite composite
Abstract The introduction of Indigo Carmine (IC) into aquatic environments poses considerable risks to both human health and marine ecosystems. This has sparked immediate concerns for creating efficient, affordable, and eco-friendly adsorbents designed to eliminate harmful dyes from textile wastewater. An innovative strategy for the elimination of IC dye was successfully executed in batch adsorption experiments utilizing a new composite of Cellulose/Polyvinyl alcohol/Attapulgite (CEL/PVA/ATP). Factorial design statistical approach was employed to evaluate the impacts of various experiment factors such as the initial concentration of IC dye solution, contact time, pH levels, and the adsorbent dosage. This methodology helped to develop a predictive mathematical model that establishes relationships among these factors. The ANOVA results highlighted the statistical significance of the developed response surface model with its individual terms in determining recovery efficiency. The process of adsorption was found to align well with the Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity of 143.9 mg g-1 makes the produced composite material a promising adsorbent for real-scale purification systems characterized by high adsorption efficiency. The kinetic data matched with the pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion modeling results. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG in the range of -16.7 and 18.0 kJ/mol), Δ H = -21.2 kJ/mol and Δ S = -11.8 J/mol.K) indicated the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adsorption process besides the decreased randomness at the interface solution-adsorbent. The spectral results and kinetic data suggested the adsorption process to occur mainly via hydrogen bonds, dipol-dipol and π − π interactions between the functional groups of the composite’s components and IC dye molecules. Repeated adsorption-desorption tests revealed that the composite mantained an adsorption efficiency of 65% even after five repeated cycles of use. Overall results suggest that the synthesized CEL/PVA/ATP composite presents a viable alternative for the treatment of textile industrial wastewater contaminated with dye pollutants.
A Self‐Oxygenating Wound‐Adaptive Stem Cell Encapsulation Platform for Chronic Wound Repair
ABSTRACT Stem cell‐based therapies hold substantial promise for the treatment of chronic wounds. However, limited clinical efficacy has frequently arisen not from inadequate cell potency, but from failure of current delivery paradigms to sustain cell survival and function within hostile host microenvironments. Here, we report a wound‐adaptive, self‐oxygenating stem cell encapsulation platform designed to overcome this delivery paradigm failure. The device embeds living stem cells within an immunoisolating hydrogel matrix conformally shaped to individual wound geometries and converts locally accumulated CO 2 into molecular O 2 , thereby providing an oxygen supply that preserves cellular metabolic activity in situ. Importantly, oxygenation in this system functions primarily to sustain cell viability rather than to directly oxygenate host tissue. Compared with conventional local or systemic delivery strategies, encapsulated cells exhibit markedly enhanced survival, persistence, and therapeutic function. Evaluation in diabetic rat and porcine wound models demonstrates accelerated resolution of inflammation, improved vascular maturation, and robust tissue regeneration. By reframing cell therapy as a problem of environment‐cell compatibility, this platform establishes a clinically translatable delivery paradigm for precision stem cell therapy in chronic wound repair.