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Toward Hydrogen Isotope Separations through Strong Hydrogen Adsorption at Open Copper(I) Sites in an Ultramicroporous Metal–Organic Framework

Characterization of green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Falconeria insignis Royle and its antimicrobial activity

Falconeria insignis Royle leaf extract was utilized for the first time as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent in a green precipitation method to synthesize silver nanoparticles devoid of hazardous chemicals. A change in hue from light yellow to pale brown showed that AgNPs were formed. This was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, which showed a unique surface plasmon resonance peak at 300–350 nm. The FTIR investigation found hydroxyl, carbonyl, amide, C–N, and C–O functional groups. This showed that proteins, phenolics, and flavonoids can bio-reduce and cap. XRD confirmed that the silver was nanocrystalline and had a mean crystallite size of 19 nm. The SEM showed predominantly non-spherical and heterogeneous in overall shape. Biogenic AgNPs are different from crude extract and silver nitrate, had much higher antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus . ANOVA verified statistically significant differences between treatments. According to these findings, F. insignis Royle is a viable, sustainable bioresource for the manufacture of green AgNP with possible biomedical antibacterial uses.

SLC45A4 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts is associated with epithelial ovarian cancer progression and HIF-1α-glycolysis signaling activation

Self-Assembled Monolayers at Photovoltaic Interfaces: Unveiling Structure–Property Relationships to Applications in Perovskite and Organic Solar Cells

Genetic histories of individuals from multi-faith medieval Sicily

Medieval Sicily, located at the intersection of Europe, North Africa and the Near East, experienced successive political and religious transitions under Byzantine, Aghlabid, Fatimid, Norman, and Swabian rule. While it is well established that these events led to multi-faith societies, the long-term genetic impact of regime change is unclear. To evaluate this potential impact, we applied ancient genomic analysis to 111 archaeological Sicilian individuals, leading to successful mitochondrial haplotype inferences for 67 individuals and genome-wide analyses for 32 individuals dated between the 5th and 15th centuries CE. In contrast to simple narratives of population replacement, the data indicate nuanced and unappreciated demographic shifts. Several individuals dating before the Islamic conquest of Sicily exhibit substantial North African ancestry, evidencing movement across the Mediterranean Sea before this conquest. Individuals buried in Islamic cemeteries during the 9th to 11th century were found to have diverse ancestries deriving from populations around the Mediterranean Basin, however, the same ancestry components are also found in earlier periods, limiting what can be inferred about intra-Mediterranean migrations in this dataset. Nonetheless, the Islamic period marks the appearance of individuals with distant ancestral origins, West Africa and Northern Europe. During the Norman period, Christian and Islamic burials show the same genetic diversity maintained for hundreds of years, however, by the late medieval period, the ancestry components shifted toward modern European populations. Altogether, the study demonstrates the value of examining recent periods with ancient DNA methodologies to better understand how culture, identity and mobility impacted demography in the past.

Role of sewage sludge fly ash in controlling microstructure, mechanical performance and environmental safety of fired clay ceramics

An improved Scale-Invariant Feature Transform-based method for detecting tumor tissue motion induced by respiration

Background Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) features are widely used in target recognition and tracking. This study aimed to exploit the robust performance of the SIFT algorithm to accurately calculate tumor tissue displacement during respiratory motion. Materials and methods A thoracic phantom was employed in this study. Eight synthetic nodules with different shapes and gray values were inserted into the phantom. First, the nodules were displaced upward, downward, leftward, and rightward by 10 pixels to simulate motion in different directions during respiration. The nodules were then rotated clockwise and counterclockwise by 5°, 10°, 30°, and 45°. Subsequently, the SIFT and cross-correlation algorithms were applied to analyze the phantoms. Finally, a t-test was used to assess differences among motion directions. Results The t-test result indicated no significant difference in the detection of moving phantom across all motion directions (p > 0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between SIFT and cross-correlation in detecting translational motion. In contrast, the results obtained from rotating phantoms demonstrated that SIFT could effectively detect rotational distortion. Conclusion The SIFT algorithm can be used to calculate tissue distortion caused by thoracic motion during respiration.

Optimization of multifunctional mechanical, thermo-mechanical, dielectric, and moisture resistance properties of Margosa gum reinforced epoxy composites for sustainable engineering applications

Refined Shockley–Queisser Framework–Guided Acceptor Design Enables Loss-Aware Bandgap Targeting in Organic Solar Cells

Identification of key predictors of postmenopausal osteoporosis from routine clinical indicators using explainable machine learning

Background Machine learning (ML) shows promise in using clinical data to predict chronic diseases. However, its application in PMOP risk assessment using readily available clinical and biochemical parameters is underexplored. Objective This study aimed to develop and validate an interpretable ML-based model for assessing PMOP using clinical features and laboratory biomarkers, and to identify factors associated with PMOP using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study included 1,717 postmenopausal women from two hospitals in Northwest China. PMOP was diagnosed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA T-score ≤−2.5). Data collected included demographics, clinical details, and various laboratory parameters, such as bone metabolism markers, 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D], electrolytes, and routine blood counts. Ten ML algorithms were employed for feature selection and model construction on a dataset split into training (n = 1201) and testing (n = 516) sets. Performance was evaluated using the Area Under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and calibration. Results The Extra Trees (ET) model achieved the best test-set performance, with an AUC of 0.717 (95% CI: 0.682–0.752). SHAP analysis revealed that age was the most significant associated factor (SHAP value: 0.0648), followed by body mass index (BMI) (0.0243) and chloride ion levels (0.0209). Other top predictors included the use of antihypertensive drugs and years since menopause. Conclusion The ET ML algorithm showed the best performance in assessing PMOP, with age, BMI, and circulating chloride levels as significant associated factors.

Efficient 2D shear-wave velocity subsurface profiling via passive multi-component seismic data

Increasing presence of Bigg’s killer whales and changing seasonality of Southern Resident killer whales in Washington waters

Two ecotypes of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) occur in the Washington waters of the Salish Sea: endangered, fish-eating Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), made up of three family groups J-, K-, and L-pods, and marine-mammal-eating Bigg’s killer whales. Although these ecotypes overlap in space, they respond to different ecological processes, face different threats, and have different management priorities. Understanding how their habitat use has changed over time can give us insight into changes in the ecosystem that may be affecting these populations and enable spatially explicit management strategies. Using killer whale detections in Washington waters from 1978–2022, we fit species distribution models to SRKW and Bigg’s killer whales, to understand spatiotemporal trends in killer whale presence. We found that SRKW presence was quite variable, but they were most likely to be present in 2001 (70% average probability of presence) and least likely to be present in 2019 (23% average probability of presence). Bigg’s presence increased over time, from 4% average probability of presence in 1978 to 66% probability of presence in 2022. The decrease in SRKW probability of presence in recent years was most likely driven by K- and L-pods which showed a decline in average annual probability of presence since 2017, while the average annual probability of presence remained high for J-pod. On a seasonal level, SRKW presence has decreased in summer months (June-August) since 2016, while Bigg’s presence has continued to increase in all months. As Bigg’s presence has increased in Washington waters, SRKW and Bigg’s habitat use has increasingly overlapped, especially in the Puget Sound. Since 2011, the probability of Bigg’s presence has increased in the Whidbey Basin while SRKW presence has decreased. Additionally, in October – January, SRKW and Bigg’s have an equal probability of being present throughout the Central Basin. These models can be used to determine optimal times and areas for management actions to limit exposure of anthropogenic disturbances to SRKW and Bigg’s killer whales.

Analysis of the $$U(5)\leftrightarrow SU(3)$$ transitional region from an entanglement-based perspective

A Cyclometalated Gold(III) Complex Targets Mitochondrial VDAC1 to Drive Immunometabolic Reprogramming in Cancer

Are societies becoming more self-centric? Evidence from five decades of popular music spanning three continents

A commonly expressed claim is that societal self-centrism has increased over recent decades. To examine this assertion, we analyzed an influential cultural product — popular music — to track changes in self-focus across five decades and three continents. Using an established linguistic analysis technique, personal pronoun usage (i.e., a marker of self-focus) was quantified in the ten most popular songs each year from 1970 to 2019 in the United States, Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong. Results indicated a significant increase in self-focused language over time in individualistic societies (i.e., United States & Germany), whereas no comparable trend was observed in more collectivistic contexts (i.e., Japan & Hong Kong). These findings demonstrate how public artifacts can be leveraged to investigate cultural variation in the expression of self-centrism.

A zebrafish stable model of Galectin-3 to elucidate its role in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy

Predictors of tuberculosis mortality among patients on treatment: A retrospective cohort study at a rural general hospital in Zambia

Background Despite decades of global efforts and the availability of curative and preventive measures, tuberculosis (TB) continues to be the world’s leading infectious disease cause of mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. However, in developing countries, there is limited evidence on determinants of mortality during TB treatment, making it difficult to design targeted interventions. This study aimed to determine the incidence and factors associated with mortality among people diagnosed with TB at a rural health facility in Zambia. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study among 316 individuals who started TB treatment between May 2019 and March 2024. Participants were followed from treatment initiation until a treatment outcome was recorded, with a maximum follow-up time of 12 months. Demographic and clinical information were collected from medical records using a data collection tool via KoboTool software. The primary outcome was mortality. We used a multivariable Cox regression model to identify factors associated with TB mortality using Stata version 15. Results The participants had a median age of 41 years (IQR: 32–54) and a median follow-up of 174 days (IQR: 155–191). Overall, 19.0% (n = 60; 95% CI: 14.8–23.8) of participants died, corresponding to an incidence rate of 42.1 per 100 person-years based on 51,968 person-days of follow-up (95% CI: 31.6–54.0). Age (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.017, 95% CI: 1.000–1.033, P = 0.042), clinically diagnosed TB had a significantly higher risk of mortality compared to those with bacteriologically confirmed TB (aHR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.14–3.41, p = 0.015), and People living with HIV (aHR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.03–3.29, P = 0.039) were significantly associated with increased mortality. While being on family-based directly observed therapy (DOT) (aHR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.24–0.74, P = 0.003) and every unit increase in baseline weight (aHR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92–0.99, p = 0.004) was associated with a reduced risk of mortality. Conclusion This study reveals a high incidence of TB-related mortality in a rural setting, which is significantly influenced by demographic and clinical determinants. The findings highlight the need for closer evaluation of patients with clinically diagnosed TB and strengthening family-based DOT as strategies to reduce mortality.

Analysis of color patterns during the growth period of pleurotus citrinopileatus and optimization method for deep learning dataset

Structure-Controlled Molecular Recognition and Charge Transport in Metallized DNA Nanosheets

Self-reported sexually transmitted infections and related symptoms among women in Ghana

Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a major public health issue worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Among women, STIs are associated with an elevated risk of HIV infection, infertility, and pelvic inflammatory diseases. This study examined the prevalence of self-reported STIs and related symptoms and their associated factors among women in Ghana. Methods Data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey was used for the study. A weighted sample of 12,997 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) was included in the analysis. Four outcome variables were analysed: (1) any STIs, (2) genital discharge, (3) genital sores or ulcers, and (4) a composite measure of any STIs or genital discharge or genital sores/ulcers (STIs and related symptoms). Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with self-reported STIs and related symptoms, with results presented as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The analysis accounted for sampling weights, clustering, and stratification. All analyses were performed in Stata version 17.0. Results The prevalence of self-reported any STIs, genital sores or ulcers, and genital discharge among women in Ghana was 6.4% (95% CI: 5.8–7.1), 9.1% (95% CI: 8.3–10.0), and 21.9% (95% CI: 20.6–23.4), respectively. An estimated 26.7% (95% CI: 25.2–28.2) of women reported STIs and related symptoms. Women aged 40–44 (aOR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.52–0.93) and 45–49 (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40–0.76) had lower odds of self-reporting STIs and related symptoms than those aged 15–19. Women who first had sex at age 17 or older (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.72–0.91) also had lower odds of self-reporting STIs and related symptoms than those who first had sex at age 16 or younger. Additionally, women with one (aOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.61–0.87), two (aOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.55–0.85), three (aOR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.56–0.90), and four or more children (aOR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.48–0.77) had lower odds of self-reporting STIs and related symptoms compared with those without children. Women who were cohabiting (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67–0.98) and those previously married (aOR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62–0.98) had lower odds of self-reporting STIs and related symptoms than those who had never been in a union. Conversely, women who engaged in multiple sexual partnerships (aOR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.48–2.58) and those who visited the health facility in the past 12 months (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.08–1.35) had higher odds of self-reporting STIs and related symptoms compared with those without multiple sexual partnerships and those who did not visit the health facility in the past year, respectively. Compared with women from the Western region, those from Ahafo (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.28–2.05) and Northern (aOR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.45–2.28) regions had higher odds of self-reporting STIs and related symptoms. Conclusion Self-reported STIs and related symptoms are prevalent among women of reproductive age in Ghana, with variations across the regions. Factors associated with self-reported STIs and related symptoms were women’s age, parity, age at first sex, marital status, number of sexual partners, and health facility visits. Targeted sexual health education focusing on high-risk sexual behaviours, as well as region-specific interventions, are needed to help prevent the incidence of STIs and related symptoms.