Browse Articles

Radioactivity distribution and concomitant hazards evaluation of industrial zones soils from Chattogram, Bangladesh: A multivariate statistical analysis

Soil can pose significant radiation hazard in areas with elevated radioactivity levels from geological or anthropogenic sources, potentially contributing to human exposure through the food chain and atmosphere. However, industrial activities can alter radionuclides distribution by releasing residues or effluents, leading to their accumulation in the environment. In general, soil provides clear insights into geological characteristics and heavy metal exploration, in addition to assessing the risks of radiation exposure. This study investigates the distribution of NORMs and assesses radiological hazards in twenty soil samples collected from two major industrial zones in the Chattogram City of Bangladesh: the Bayazid Industrial Area and the Kalurghat Heavy Industry Area. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the analyzed soil samples range from 8 ± 1–18 ± 1, 15 ± 1–35 ± 3, and 192 ± 17–420 ± 35 Bq/kg, respectively, remaining below the global average for soil. The radiological hazard indices indicate negligible health risks to the public or environment, suggesting that the industrial activities are not releasing any radiotoxic elements in the surrounding environment. Statistical analysis identified 40K and 232Th as the primary contributors to radiological hazards, supported by strong correlations and significant principal component loadings. Additionally, this study provides baseline data for monitoring environmental radioactivity levels, particularly in light of the upcoming commissioning of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in 2025.

Simulation and analysis of evapotranspiration from desert grasslands based on a random forest regression model

Asymmetric C–C Coupling to Drive CO Conversion to Acetate

Rationale and design of randomized non-inferiority clinical trial to compare the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor monotherapy with dual antiplatelet therapy in chronic coronary syndrome patients post percutaneous coronary intervention (TICALONE-TAHA10 Protocol)

Background Despite the wide variety of antiplatelet regimens and durations, the optimal treatment approach for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients remains a subject of ongoing debate. While current guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and clopidogrel, the development of drug-eluting stents (DES) and more potent agents has sparked interest in shorter DAPT regimens, followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy, as a potential alternative. Recent trials and meta-analyses have shown that this approach may provide similar protection against thrombotic events with reduced bleeding risk. Despite promising data, the safety and efficacy of Ticagrelor monotherapy specifically in CCS patients have not been rigorously tested in randomized trials. Methods TICALONE is a non-inferiority, two-arm, double-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor monotherapy compared to DAPT in CCS patients following PCI. Eligible patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents will be randomly assigned to receive either conventional DAPT (aspirin and clopidogrel) or ticagrelor monotherapy for six months. Follow-up visits will be conducted at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-PCI to assess efficacy and safety endpoints. The primary efficacy endpoint is a composite endpoint of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis, and the need for revascularization. The primary safety endpoint is the occurrence of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 3 or 5 bleeding events. The secondary endpoints include components of the primary efficacy endpoint, any bleeding event (BARC type 1–5), and all-cause mortality. Ancillary endpoints are other adverse events including dyspnea, drug adherence, and reaction. All endpoints will be monitored by a Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) and Trial Management Committee (TMC). Statistical analysis and reporting of trial results will follow the estimand framework. Kaplan-Meier estimates will be used to assess event rates, while the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis will be employed to compare safety and efficacy outcomes between the groups. Discussion This trial may serve as a crucial step toward eliminating aspirin from post-PCI regimens, specifically in CCS patients. By comparing the safety and efficacy of Ticagrelor monotherapy with the conventional DAPT regimen and addressing potential risks of aspirin-free therapy and adverse events like dyspnea, this study could offer valuable insights into the possibility of P2Y12 monotherapy’s safe adoption in this population. Trial registration TICALONE is registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ with the identifier NCT06509893.

Lactic acid inhibits melanin synthesis by regulating histone H3 lactylation and suppressing tyrp1 transcription in B16 melanoma cells

Abstract Lactic acid, a widely distributed metabolic intermediate, exhibits superior permeability and mild acidity, making it a common reagent in skincare products. Lactic acid could significantly reduce melanin synthesis both in vitro and in vivo. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain less clear. To reveal the molecular mechanism by which lactic acid inhibits melanin synthesis through epigenetic pathways, proteins with significantly increased levels of lactylation modifications after lactic acid addition were identified through HPLC-MS/MS. Key genes affected by lactic acid addition were identified using ChIP-seq, and validated through qPCR and Western blot analyses. We reveal that lactic acid could promote protein lactylation in a dose-dependent manner in B16 cells. HPLC-MS analysis revealed that histone H3 showed the most significant increase in lactylation following lactic acid treatment. Through ChIP-seq analysis, we observed that lactylated histone H3 binding at the promoter region of the key melanogenesis gene, Tyrp1, significantly decreased after lactic acid treatment. This was accompanied by a notable reduction in Tyrp1 protein level. Our findings suggest that protein lactylation play a crucial role in lactic acid induced melanin synthesis inhibition.

Binding-Enhanced Organic Semiconductor-Bacteria Hybrids for Efficient Visible Light-Driven CO₂ Conversion to Bioplastics

Analysis on factors controlling organic matter enrichment in marine-terrestrial transitional shale of Member 1, Upper Carboniferous Keluke Formation, Huaitoutala area, east of northern margin of Qaidam Basin, China

The organic-rich shale of the Member 1 of the Keluke Formation (in this paper referred to as Member 1) has been newly discovered as a good source rock reservoir in the western Delingha Depression, Huaitoutala area in the east part of the northern margin of Qaidam Basin, but the factors that control the enrichment of the organic matter in the shale are still unclear. In this paper, the paleo-climate, redox condition, paleo-salinity, hydrothermal activity and primary productivity of the dark shale in Member 1 are studied based on the analysis results of the total organic carbon (TOC), the element geochemistry and the whole rock mineral testing, and the enrichment mechanism of organic matter is discussed. Based on the vertical variation of the TOC contents, the Member 1 shale section is divided into two sub-sections (Sub-section I and Sub-section II), with the TOC content of Sub-section II (avg. 2.79%) being higher than the TOC content of Subsection I (avg. 0.92%). Similarly, the chemical index of alteration (CIA) values of Subsection II are also higher, indicating a hot, warm and humid paleoclimate, whereas the CIA values of Subsection I are low, indicating a rapidly cooling paleoclimate. The ratios of Sr/Ba and Rb/K2O are relatively high, indicating that the paleo-water body of Member 1 was mainly dominated by medium-high salinity water. The fluctuating EFU and EFMo values and the low-moderate ratios of Th/U, V/Cr and Corg/P indicate that the shale was formed in an oxic – dysoxic environment. The slightly higher ratios of Al/(Al + Fe + Mn), the slightly negative Eu anomaly, and the (Cu + Co + Ni)×10-Fe-Mn and Zn-Ni-Co ternary diagrams show that the shale was affected by atypical (weak) hydrothermal activity with relatively high terrigenous clastic input. The P/Al, Cu/Al and Zn/Al ratios show that the primary productivity of the surface water was relatively high with an upward gradually increasing trend. The TOC is significantly correlated with the indicators of palaeo-climate, palaeo-salinity, terrigenous clastic input and primary productivity, indicating that the enrichment of organic matter in the shale of Member 1 is mainly controlled by the high primary productivity, the brackish – salt water environment and the dysoxic preservation condition in a warm and humid climate. In addition, the terrigenous clastic input (adsorption of clay minerals) also plays important roles. Based on these results, a two-section organic matter enrichment model of this Member is established.

The effects of spatial relations and motion information in social scene perception

Abstract A body of research shows that the human visual system hosts a network specialized in processing social interactions—i.e., physical/communicative exchanges between people. This network largely overlaps with regions involved in motion perception. Current views propose that, since motion is an intrinsic component of social interaction, it is necessary to trigger social-interaction selectivity. However, the relationship between social-interaction perception and motion perception remains unclear. We took advantage of two existing functional MRI datasets collected in the same participants, to identify the social-interaction network, and study how it responds to static versus dynamic visual social scenes. Results showed that scenes showing interacting face-to-face (vs. back-to-back) people elicited greater activity in the extrastriate body area (EBA) and posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS). This facingness effect was observed for both static and dynamic stimuli, indicating that motion is not required to trigger social-interaction selectivity. However, neural activity was stronger for dynamic (vs. static) stimuli, implying that motion enhances the network’s responsiveness. Moreover, the facingness effect was stronger in left hemisphere areas. Thus, while social perception has traditionally been associated with the right hemisphere, the present findings highlight a critical role for left visual areas, raising new questions about their function in social perception.

Water-in-Salt Solution for Direct Regeneration of Degraded Lithium Iron Phosphate

An agent-based model for household COVID-19 transmission in Gauteng, South Africa

Since the discovery of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China in 2019, close to seven million people have died from the infection. At the onset of the pandemic, many countries enacted stringent measures such as school and event closings in a bid to control and curtail the spread of the virus, leading to many within-household infections as people spent more time at home. This study develops an agent-based model (ABM) to gain insight into the impact of government COVID-19 mitigation guidelines and policy options on within-household and community COVID-19 infections in Gauteng, South Africa. Gauteng is the province in South Africa having the smallest land area, but it accounts for 25.8% of the country’s population. Agents are randomly assigned to cells on a 1000×1000 square grid varying according to Gauteng’s population density and household size distribution. We found that the percentage of within-household infections is higher in communities with smaller population densities, with the reverse being true for communities with larger population densities. Furthermore, as the agents’ movement activation rate increases, community-related infections increase, especially in communities with small population densities. Our study found an interesting phenomenon, observed for the first time: the existence of a movement activation threshold where the percentage and number of outside household infections overtake the percentage and number of within household infections when the activation rate increases. Lastly, our simulation results captured the two epidemic peaks experienced in Gauteng from March 30, 2020 to June 22, 2021 while varying quarantine violation and movement activation rates. Thus, the developed ABM can be used to exploit the implications of COVID-19 mitigation guidelines and policy options on household transmission to provide interesting insights.

Neuron-to-glia signaling drives critical period experience-dependent synapse pruning

Abstract Critical periods enable early-life synaptic connectivity optimization whereby initial sensory experience remodels circuits to a variable environment. In the Drosophila juvenile brain, synapse remodeling occurs within the precisely-mapped olfactory circuit, which has an extensively characterized, manageably short (< 1 week) critical period. In this brain circuit, single receptor olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) classes synapse onto single projection neurons extending to the central mushroom body learning/memory center. Critical period odorant experience drives OSN synapse remodeling, which can only be reversed during this brief interval. Our objective is to dissect intercellular signaling pathways from neurons to glial phagocytes sculpting synapse elimination in response to critical period experience. We find critical period experience causes externalized phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure in activated OSN synaptic glomeruli in an experiential dose-dependent mechanism. We discover that genetic knockdown of phosphatidylserine synthase inhibits critical period experience-dependent pruning of these synaptic glomeruli. We show a genetic interaction in trans-heterozygous mutants of phosphatidylserine synthase and Draper (mammalian MEGF10), the well-conserved glial engulfment receptor that binds phosphatidylserine, with double trans-heterozygotes blocking critical period experience-dependent pruning. This interaction mechanistically links phosphatidylserine signaling to glial phagocytosis synapse elimination. We identify the OSN scramblase that transports phosphatidylserine from the synaptic membrane inner to outer leaflet, and demonstrate phosphatidylserine externalization is rate-limiting for experience-dependent synaptic glomeruli pruning. We discover glial insulin receptors direct experience-dependent glial infiltration phagocytosis. We find activated glial insulin receptor signaling elevates critical period synapse pruning. Together this work identifies coupled intercellular signaling pathways from target neurons to glial phagocytes orchestrating experience-dependent synapse elimination.

Spike Signals and MD Simulations Reveal the Significance of Peptide Stretching in Nanopore Protein Sequencing

Can the establishment of free trade zones promote the internationalization of enterprises? – Evidence from micro-enterprise level

Based on microdata of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2009 to 2022 as research samples, this paper takes the implementation of Free Trade Zones policy as the starting point and using the difference in differences method to analyze the impact of the establishment of Free Trade Zones on the internationalization level of enterprises. The empirical results indicate that (1) Free Trade Zones policysignificantly improved enterprises’ internationalization level, and the conclusion still holds after a series of endogeneity and robustness tests. (2) Mechanism analysis showedthat digital transformation, resource allocation efficiency, and green innovation are intermediary variables affecting enterprises’ internationalization levels in Free Trade Zones. The establishment of Free Trade Zones can promote digital transformation, resource allocation efficiency, and green innovation of enterprises, thereby enhancing their internationalization level. (3) Heterogeneity analysis found that establishing free trade experiments has a more significant effect on improving the internationalization level of enterprises in low city levels, large-sized companies, capital-intensive and technology-intensive companies, businesses with executives who have overseas experience, and high-tech companies (4) Further research has found that the establishment of Free Trade Zones also has a positive spatial spillover effect on enterprises in surrounding cities. The above conclusion enriched and expanded the research on the impact of the establishment of Free Trade Zones on the internationalization level of enterprises and has important practical significance for enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises.

Modeling impacts of climate-induced yield variability and adaptations on wheat and maize in a sub-tropical monsoon climate - using fuzzy logic

Abstract Climate change is causing more frequent and extraordinary extreme weather events that are already negatively affecting crop production. There is a need for improved climate risk assessment by developing smart adaptation strategies for sustainable future crop production. This study aims to assess yield impacts of extreme temperatures and rainfall variability on wheat, and winter and summer season-planted maize in northwestern Bangladesh. Utilizing a machine learning approach, future yield patterns were predicted for these crops under various climate change scenarios. Additionally, the study developed adaptation strategies focusing on prediction of optimum sowing windows for wheat and maize to minimize climate risk-related yield losses jeopardizing food security. A fuzzy logical model was applied, incorporating a set of fuzzy rules to estimate the probable yields of wheat and maize (winter and summer growing seasons). Key climatic variables (temperature and rainfall) were added as model inputs, enabling the model to handle uncertainty and nonlinear interactions in the climate–yield relationship. Findings demonstrated that climate change has significant negative impacts at the different phenological stages of both wheat and maize (winter and summer seasons), with yield levels generally showing notable declines. Only small variations in optimal temperature and rainfall patterns affected crop yields significantly. Moreover, maize summer yield was consistently lower than maize winter as the temperature prevails high during the maize summer season (April to July). The study found that the wheat crop, maize winter, and maize summer have as optimal planting windows November 1–7, November 1–10, and February 20 - March 7, respectively. Such adaptation would ensure maximum yield and effective reduction of climate change risks. Outcomes of this study contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially three; zero hunger (SDG2), climate action (SDG13), and life on land (SDG14). These adaptations identified in this study can support policymakers and stakeholders to combat the impact of extreme climate – and achieving optimal yield. The approach is also applicable to other regions of the country and similar monsoon climates.

Optimizing the Ru Catalyst–Support Interaction via Tunnel Size of MnO₂ Support for Enhanced Acidic Water Oxidation

Signatures of tumor microenvironment-related genes and long noncoding RNAs predict poor prognosis in osteosarcoma

Introduction Osteosarcoma is an aggressive bone cancer with poor outcomes, especially in young individuals. This study sought to identify tumor microenvironment-related genes (TMIEGs) and associated long noncoding RNAs (TMIELs) that influence patient prognosis. Materials and methods Data from the TARGET osteosarcoma and GTEx muscle datasets were analysed to calculate stromal and immune scores, dividing patients into high- and low-score groups. Differential gene expression was assessed, and prognostic TMIELs and TMIEGs were identified through regression analyses. Prognostic signatures were evaluated via Kaplan‒Meier curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and Cox regression, while immune cell composition was analysed via CIBERSORT. Results Three prognostic TMIELs (AC090559.1, LINC01549, SENCR) and three TMIEGs (DOK2, RHBDL2, NPW) were identified. High-risk patients have poorer survival outcomes, with immune processes possibly reducing the risk of osteosarcoma. Prognostic signatures effectively predict overall survival. Conclusion TMIEGs and TMIELs can reliably predict survival in patients with osteosarcoma, suggesting their potential as therapeutic biomarkers and the need for further research.

Size reduction of selenium nanoparticles synthesized from yeast beta glucan using cold atmospheric plasma

Sulfur[<i>n</i>]arenes: Synthesis and Solid-State Supramolecular Dimerization via Multiple Sulfur···Sulfur Interactions

Secrecy strategies: Global patterns in elites’ quest for confidentiality in offshore finance

Scholars and policy-makers know a lot about the ways offshore financial centers compete with one another to offer secrecy to elites, but still know too little about how and why elites take up these offerings to conceal their assets and identities offshore. This paper fills the gap in knowledge by examining the distinct patterns for achieving offshore secrecy among elites in 65 countries. We take a cross-national comparative perspective, showing that the patterns are contingent in part on political conditions in the elites’ home countries. Using data from two publicly available sources— the Offshore Leaks Database and the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index—we advance knowledge for scholars and policy-makers with three main results. First, we find that elites from corrupt countries are more likely to spread their assets across multiple offshore financial centers: they diversify across the system, instead of putting all their eggs in one basket. Second, countries where the risk of government confiscation of private assets is high—either due to lack of civil rights or very effective law enforcement—elites make heavy use of identity-concealing offshore strategies such as bearer instruments and nominees to shield their names from discovery in public records. Third, elites from countries where both corruption and confiscation pose significant risks make extensive use of blacklisted offshore financial centers, despite the reputational and practical risks that entails for them. All three patterns achieve secrecy, but through different means; our findings have implications for public policy, as well as for models of inequality, elites, and financial crime.

Microwave assisted solvothermal green synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles using sea buckthorn for multiple myeloma and monocytic leukemia treatment