Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Structure based in silico screening of natural Vitamin D analogs for targeted and safer treatment of resistant multiple sclerosis
Soft actor-critic algorithm and improved GNN model in secure access control of disaggregated optical networks
Fine-scale spatial organisation of deep-sea sea pens in a NE atlantic submarine canyon conservation area
Abstract Sea pens are colonial octocorals inhabiting mostly muddy and sandy soft sediments, globally. Despite their cosmopolitan distribution, evidence of high functional value, and susceptibility to external stressors, sea pens remain poorly investigated relative to other coral species. Here, a quantitative analysis of the fine-scale spatial patterns of deep-sea sea pens (Octocorallia: Pennatuloidea) within a submarine canyon conservation area in English waters is conducted using Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) seabed images, three-dimensional photogrammetry models, and Spatial Point Pattern Analysis (SPPA). The density distribution of sea pens at the canyon flank scale (100s of metres) is also reported for context. At the canyon flank scale, sea pen density decreases with increasing depth, with colonies virtually absent from waters deeper than ca. 1100 m. At the fine scale, sea pens exhibit a tendency to cluster relative to sea pens and tube-dwelling anemones (Cerianthidae sp.), suggesting mutual habitat associations. Conversely, overdispersion best characterises the nature of sea pen distribution relative to stalked sponges (Hyalonema sp.), suggesting occurrence of competition or, possibly, allelopathy. This study demonstrates that high-resolution spatial analysis techniques can be employed to disentangle biotic interactions among a set of taxa, revealing key processes and structures underlying the ecology of benthic fauna.
Oral respiration modulates sensory and cognitive brain potentials differently than nasal respiration
Abstract Respiration influences brain activity and awareness through two mechanisms: direct rhythmic entrainment via olfactory bulb (OB) stimulation and indirect modulation through baroreceptor (BR) activity fluctuations that affect cortical excitability. During nasal breathing, both mechanisms are active and can influence sensory event-related potentials (ERPs). To isolate the contribution of BR activity, we tested the same paradigm during oral breathing, which eliminates OB stimulation. Results showed that sensory ERPs varied with the cardiac (with delayed timing) but not with the respiratory phase. The P3a component was modulated by awareness only when BR activity was low (during inhalation and diastole), while the visual awareness negativity (VAN) and P3b were modulated by awareness across all conditions. These findings indicate that BR fluctuations alone cannot fully account for the respiratory modulation of awareness-related ERPs, but they require entrainment of brain activity modulated by mechanical OB stimulation.
Experimental study on the influence of recycled aggregate substitution rate on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete under sulfate erosion conditions
0.01% atropine combined with carteolol hydrochloride can inhibit the scleral remodeling in guinea pigs with form-deprivation myopia
A forchheimer-based fluid-solid coupling model for nonlinear flow of power-law grouts in fractured rock grouting
Fast sparse representative tree splitting via local density for large-scale clustering
Abstract Large-scale clustering remains an active yet challenging task in data mining and machine learning, where existing algorithms often struggle to balance efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability. This paper proposes a novel large-scale clustering framework with three key innovations: (1) Parameter-free cluster discovery: unlike conventional methods requiring predefined cluster numbers, our algorithm autonomously identifies natural cluster structures through dynamic density-based splitting decisions. (2) Hybrid sampling-partitioning strategy: by integrating randomized sampling with K-means-based partitioning, we extract high-quality representative points that preserve data integrity with linear computational complexity. (3) Local density-driven MST segmentation: A minimum spanning tree (MST) constructed from representatives is adaptively partitioned using a local density criterion, which dynamically disconnects weakly associated edges by comparing density peaks between adjacent representative points. Extensive experiments on synthetic and real-world data sets (up to 20 million samples) demonstrate the algorithm’s superiority: it achieves higher clustering accuracy than state-of-the-art methods while reducing runtime. Notably, the framework exhibits remarkable robustness to sampling ratios and eliminates dependency on user-specified parameters, making it ideal for real-world applications with complex, arbitrary-shaped data distributions.
Strength and permeability performance of excavated waste mud stabilized with ternary industrial byproducts
Towards a quality control framework for cerebral cortical organoids
Abstract Cerebral organoids offer significant potential for neuroscience research as complex in vitro models that mimic human brain development. However, challenges related to their quality and reproducibility hinder their reliability. Discrepancies in morphology, size, cellular composition, and cytoarchitectural organization limit their applications, particularly in disease modeling, drug screening, and neurotoxicity testing. Critically, current methods for organoid characterization often lack standardization, restricting their broader applicability. To address the need for standardized quality assessment of cerebral organoids, we developed a Quality Control (QC) methodology for 60-day cortical organoids, evaluating five key criteria using a scoring system: morphology, size and growth profile, cellular composition, cytoarchitectural organization, and cytotoxicity. We implemented a hierarchical approach, beginning with non-invasive assessments to exclude low-quality organoids, while reserving in-depth analyses for those that passed the initial evaluation. To validate this framework, we exposed 60-day cortical organoids to graded doses of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), inducing a range of quality outcomes. The QC system demonstrated its robustness by accurately discriminating organoid qualities. Our proposed QC framework is designed to be user-friendly, flexible, and broadly applicable, making it suitable for routine assessment of cerebral organoid quality. Additionally, its scalability enables industrial applications, offering a valuable tool for advancing both fundamental and pre-clinical research.
Terahertz metasensor with pseudo parity time symmetry for oral cancer diagnostics
Effects of a single application of hydrolyzed fish collagen on dermal protein expression and tissue architecture in human skin models
Abstract The use of collagen as an active ingredient in cosmetic products is becoming increasingly common. Recently, scientific interest has been focused on fish collagen, which is similar to human collagen and can be extracted from fish by-products. This study evaluates the cosmetic potential of Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen (HFC), testing it both as an aqueous solution (S-HFC) and as a formulation in cosmetic products (F-HFC) containing the same amount of HFC. The effects of S-HFC and F-HFC were evaluated on 2D (endothelial and keratinocyte cells) and 3D (EpiDerm and EpiDerm-FT) skin models. The results demonstrated that HFC, as an active ingredient, shows promising effects on skin physiology, including increased cell viability, enhanced wound healing, and an anti-wrinkle effect.
Using bioavailability modeling to refine copper treatments for zebra mussel control and better understanding risks to non-target species
Guanine is an inhibitor of c-jun terminal kinases
Abstract The toxicity of purine bases adenine and guanine is mostly recognized when associated with inborn errors of purine metabolism such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, and metabolic diseases with a lifestyle component including gout. In these pathologies, the peripheral toxicity of purine bases is attributed to the accumulation of their catabolite uric acid in the kidneys, causing nephrolithiasis or crystalluria, and the joints, causing gout. However, inborn errors of purine metabolism also present neurological and neurobehavioral abnormalities including motor disabilities, seizures, hypotonia and dystonia, and self-injurious behaviour. The mechanisms underlying these pathologies is less well-understood but does not seem to be caused by uric acid. In a different context, adenine and guanine have been shown to be cytotoxic and antiproliferative, highlighting their potential use in cancer chemotherapies, but the underlying mechanisms have not been identified. In our previous investigations, we have shown that adenine, a molecule classified as acutely toxic, is an inhibitor of 1-carbon metabolism and biological methylations. Using the same experimental paradigm based on real-time luminometry with mouse embryonic fibroblasts to probe in real-time the potential biological activity of small molecules, complemented with metabolite quantifications, in silico docking predictions, kinase assays and phosphoproteomics, we now reveal that guanine and to a lesser extent adenine are direct inhibitors of c-Jun N-terminal kinases, which may contribute to their toxicity and to the symptoms of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.