Search Results (40)

Early childhood education increasingly explores embodied learning, yet deploying markerless motion-controlled tools in real classrooms presents unverified operational and technical challenges regarding system stability and user interaction. This study evaluates the technical feasibility, system usability, and operational viability of a markerless, Kinect-based educational game designed to support embodied interaction baseline frameworks for preschool-aged children. The platform captures full-body movement in real time across four progressively challenging spatial tasks. As an exploratory pilot study, the system was deployed in a preschool setting with nine children aged 5–6 ($n=9$). Technical performance metrics, kinematic trajectory execution data, and qualitative feedback from evaluating educators ($n=3$) were collected to establish operational baselines. Quantitative metrics demonstrated high technical accuracy and system stability across all stages: 93.1% in spatial navigation, 81.5% in postural coordination, 92.6% in obstacle avoidance, and 96.3% in guided movements, alongside low system-calculated error rates (6.87% to 3.70%). Evaluating teachers confirmed strong student engagement, low operational overhead, and high institutional acceptance for daily classroom routines. Due to the pilot nature and small sample size, direct impacts on psychomotor or computational thinking development cannot be empirically claimed. However, these findings successfully demonstrate the technical reliability and operational feasibility of deploying markerless gesture-based interfaces within authentic early education environments, establishing a validated framework for future large-scale longitudinal learning assessments. Full article

This study aimed to analyze the observed variations in the research competencies of first-year nursing students following the implementation of a pedagogical problem-solving strategy based on Polya’s method and integrated with STEM technological resources. The study was conducted within the context of higher education, where strengthening research skills in the early stages of academic training continues to represent a formative challenge. A pre-experimental pretest–posttest design with a single group was employed, involving 69 students enrolled in an introductory research course. The intervention was implemented over 16 weeks and structured according to the four phases of Polya’s method—understanding the problem, planning, execution, and review—while also integrating the use of a STEM educational kit and visual programming tools. The results showed descriptive increases across all evaluated dimensions. The overall mean score increased between the pretest and posttest, revealing statistically significant differences in research competencies (p < 0.001) and a large effect size (r = 0.896). Likewise, significant differences were identified in the dimensions related to research background and objectives, development of research activities, and evaluation of results. In contrast, the dimension concerning problem identification and formulation did not show statistically significant differences, suggesting that this competency may require longer formative processes and greater academic support. Although the results suggest favorable associations between the implemented strategy and the observed variations in research competencies, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limitations inherent to the pre-experimental design employed. In this sense, the study provides preliminary evidence regarding the pedagogical potential of integrating problem-solving and STEM technological resources to promote the early development of research competencies in university students in the health sciences. Full article

Proteus mirabilis is a frequent cause of complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), in which biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance contribute to persistence and therapeutic failure. This study investigated the biofilm-forming capacity, antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence-associated genes, and genetic diversity of P. mirabilis isolates recovered from UTI patients in Isfahan, Iran. A total of 104 non-duplicate clinical isolates were analyzed. Biofilm formation was quantified using a microtiter plate crystal violet assay, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to CLSI guidelines. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production and extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance (ESCR) were assessed phenotypically and by PCR. Selected virulence- and biofilm-associated genes were detected by PCR, and clonal relatedness was evaluated using ERIC-PCR. Most isolates were capable of biofilm formation, with 51% classified as strong and 45.2% as moderate producers. High carriage rates of virulence- and biofilm-associated genes, including zapA, zapD, ureC, ureR, luxS, rsbA, and acrA, were observed. ESBL production and ESCR phenotypes were detected in 6.7% and 12.5% of isolates, respectively, while multidrug resistance was observed in 30.4% of isolates. ERIC-PCR analysis identified predominant clonal clusters among isolates exhibiting strong biofilm production. These findings highlight the coexistence of biofilm formation, virulence determinants, antimicrobial resistance, and clonal diversity in uropathogenic P. mirabilis in this region. Full article

Conventional extraction of indigo, a vital natural dye, provides low yields and has a negative environmental impact. However, microbial synthesis has emerged as a sustainable alternative. In this study, we describe the optimization of indigo biosynthesis in an engineered Escherichia coli strain called E216. This strain carries, on a replicative plasmid, the styAB genes originating from Pseudomonas putida that constitute the monooxygenase biosynthetic pathway of indigo, as well as mdh, encoding malate dehydrogenase, which plays a role in reducing power generation. In this strain, the overexpression of mtr (a gene encoding a transporter of tryptophan (Trp), the precursor of indigo biosynthesis) and acrA (a gene encoding a protein involved in indigo efflux) was found to substantially enhance indigo yields. Consistently, knocking out these two genes using CRISPR-Cas9 significantly reduced indigo production, whereas it was restored through the complementation of these mutants. This study thus revealed that stimulating tryptophan uptake and indigo efflux, the latter of which limits indigo’s toxic intracellular accumulation, has a positive impact on indigo yields. Furthermore, a comparative mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of E216 grown in fermentation medium with or without tryptophan supplementation, integrated with data-independent acquisition (DIA), revealed the global impact of tryptophan supplementation on cellular metabolism. This analysis identified upregulation of key proteins and enriched metabolic pathways under conditions of tryptophan supplementation. Integrating the results of the genetic engineering and proteomic analysis establishes a strong scientific and practical basis for developing a highly efficient method for the green industrial production of indigo using engineered E. coli strains. Full article

There is a growing need to understand ciprofloxacin (CIP) resistance in less prevalent Salmonella serovars like Salmonella Dublin, which causes life-threatening conditions in both humans and animals. This study investigated potential factors contributing to CIP-resistance in a Salmonella Dublin isolate. The isolate was detected from an initial screening of 17 biobanked Salmonella isolates using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion (KBDF) method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the identified CIP-resistant Salmonella Dublin isolate and a CIP-susceptible isolate of the same serovar were also obtained using the broth-dilution (BD) method. The two candidates were then challenged in 1/4 of their respective BD MICs for gene expression analysis, focusing on the acrAB efflux genes and the regulator genes marA, ramA, and soxS. Genomes of the isolates were also sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore sequencing platform, and then analyzed for mutations, antimicrobial resistance genes, and plasmids using ABRicate. The SWISS-MODEL server was used for protein modeling and comparison. For our results, the MIC values (KBDF; BD) for the CIP-resistant and CIP-susceptible Salmonella Dublin isolates were (1.5 μg/mL; 1.95 μg/mL) and (<0.125 μg/mL; 0.03 μg/mL), respectively. Both isolates had genes (mdtK, emrR, emrA, and emrB) notable for fluoroquinolone resistance, with the CIP-susceptible isolate also carrying the IncFII(S) plasmid. Expression of the acrA, acrB, ramA, and soxS genes was markedly higher in the CIP-resistant isolate, which also harbored an Asparagine (N) to Serine (S) mutation at position 868 in the GyrA protein. This mutation, however, caused no significant structural change. Despite reporting on a single CIP-resistant Salmonella Dublin isolate, our result highlights the potentially significant role of an efficient efflux system in contributing to CIP resistance in this isolate, even when no impactful mutations were identified. Full article

Objective: Existing studies on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and colorectal cancer (CRC) yield contradictory conclusions and are limited to single ethnic groups or sample types. This study aimed to (1) quantify associations between total SCFAs/subtypes (acetate, propionate, butyrate) and CRC/advanced colorectal adenoma (A-CRA) risks; (2) identify modifiers (ethnicity, sample type, intervention); and (3) clarify SCFA–gut microbiota interaction mechanisms via integrative Bayesian meta-analysis and multi-ancestry data integration. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science (inception to September 2025) using keywords: “Short-chain fatty acids”, “SCFAs”, “Colorectal cancer”, “CRC”, “Gut microbiota”, “Dietary fiber”, and “High-amylose maize starch butyrate”. Eligible studies included 14 peer-reviewed original studies (7 observational, cohort/case–control/cross-sectional; 7 RCTs) covering Europeans, Asians, and African Americans. Inclusion criteria: Quantitative SCFA data (total/≥3 subtypes), clear ethnic grouping, reported CRC/A-CRA risks or intervention outcomes. Exclusion criteria: Reviews, animal/in vitro studies, incomplete data, low-quality studies (Newcastle–Ottawa Scale [NOS] <6 for observational; high Cochrane risk for RCTs), or limited populations (single gender/rare genetics). A Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model quantified effect sizes (Odds Ratio [OR]/Mean Difference [MD], 95% credible intervals [CrI]), with heterogeneity analyzed via multi-ancestry stratification, intervention efficacy, and microbiota interaction analyses (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA] 2020; International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [PROSPERO]: CRD420251157250). Results: Total SCFAs were negatively associated with CRC (OR = 0.78, 95% CrI: 0.65–0.92) and A-CRA (OR = 0.72, 95% CrI: 0.59–0.87), with butyrate showing the strongest protective effect (CRC: OR = 0.63, 95% CrI: 0.51–0.77). Ethnic heterogeneity was significant: Europeans had the strongest protection (OR = 0.71), Asians had weaker protection (OR = 0.86), and African Americans had the lowest fecal SCFA levels and the highest CRC risk. Fecal SCFAs showed a stronger CRC association than serum/plasma SCFAs (OR = 0.73 vs. 0.85). High-Amylose Maize Starch Butyrate (HAMSB) outperformed traditional fiber in increasing fecal butyrate (MD = 4.2 mmol/L vs. 2.8 mmol/L), and high butyrate-producing bacteria (Clostridium, Roseburia) enhanced SCFA protection (OR = 0.52 in high-abundance groups). Conclusions: SCFAs (especially butyrate) protect against CRC and precancerous lesions, with effects modulated by ethnicity, sample type, and gut microbiota. High-Amylose Maize Starch Butyrate is a priority intervention for high-risk populations (e.g., familial adenomatous polyposis, FAP), and differentiated strategies are needed: 25–30 g/d dietary fiber for Europeans, 20–25 g/d for Asians, and probiotics (Clostridium) for African Americans. Future Perspectives: Expand data on underrepresented groups (African Americans, Latinos), unify SCFA detection methods, and conduct long-term RCTs to validate intervention efficacy and “genetics-microbiota-metabolism” crosstalk—critical for CRC precision prevention. Full article

The Problem- and Technology-Based Research (IBPT) approach constitutes an innovative pedagogical model designed for first-year university students, with the objective of strengthening research and technological competencies through the integration of technological resources, problem-solving, and formative research. The aim of this research was to introduce and validate IBPT as a viable option for higher education by evaluating its effects on the gradual enhancement of research skills among 73 first-year engineering and nursing students at a public university in Peru. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest methodology was utilized, incorporating a questionnaire designed according to the four phases of IBPT: understanding the problem, planning activities, executing tasks, and reviewing solutions. The findings revealed significant improvements in research competencies, particularly in activity execution and solution review, while more moderate progress was observed in problem comprehension and activity planning. In conclusion, IBPT emerges as an effective alternative for integrating problem-solving and technological resources in higher education, fostering the acquisition of research competencies and laying the groundwork for the consolidation of advanced research skills, essential for academic knowledge production and professional development in later stages. Full article

This study analyzed the implementation of a problem-solving method based on Pólya’s proposal, complemented by accessible technological resources such as the Arduino board, sensors, and STEM educational cards, in engineering and nursing students from public universities in Peru. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test was used, employing a quantitative approach and intentional non-probabilistic sampling. The participants were 98 first-year students who developed formative research projects contextualized to their local reality, using the visual programming environment mBlock. The results show significant development of research competencies in both majors, especially in the solution review phase, evidencing critical thinking and reflective evaluation. No significant differences were found between the majors regarding the use of educational technology, reinforcing its cross-disciplinary applicability. It is concluded that the combination of Pólya’s method and the use of accessible technologies strengthens active, reflective, and contextualized learning in higher education. Full article

The impact of varying antibiotic residue levels on antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) removal during composting is still unclear. This study investigated the impact of different residue levels of tilmicosin (TIM), a common veterinary macrolide antibiotic, on ARG removal during pig manure composting. Three groups were used: the CK group (no TIM), the L group (246.49 ± 22.83 mg/kg TIM), and the H group (529.99 ± 16.15 mg/kg TIM). Composting removed most targeted macrolide resistance genes (MRGs) like ereA, ermC, and ermF (>90% removal), and reduced ermB, ermX, ermQ, acrA, acrB, and mefA (30–70% removal). However, ermA increased in abundance. TIM altered compost community structure, driving succession through a deterministic process. At low doses, TIM reduced MRG–bacteria co-occurrence, with horizontal gene transfer via intI1 being the main cause of ermA rebound. In conclusion, composting reduces many MRG levels in pig manure, but the persistence and rebound of genes like ermA reveal the complex interactions between composting conditions and microbial gene transfer. Full article

With the improved reasoning capabilities of large language models (LLMs), their applications have rapidly expanded across a wide range of tasks. In recent question answering tasks, performance gains have been achieved through Self-Consistency, where LLMs generate multiple reasoning paths and determine the final answer via majority voting. However, this approach can fail when the correct answer is generated but does not appear frequently enough to be selected, highlighting its vulnerability to inconsistent generations. To address this, we propose Adaptive Confidence Re-scoring (ACR)—a method that adaptively evaluates and re-scores candidate answers to select the most trustworthy one when LLMs fail to generate consistent reasoning. Experiments on arithmetic and logical reasoning benchmarks show that ACR maintains or improves answer accuracy while significantly reducing inference cost. Compared to existing verification methods such as FOBAR, ACR reduces the number of inference calls by up to 95%, while improving inference efficiency—measured as accuracy gain per inference call—by a factor of 2× to 17×, depending on the dataset and model. Full article

Nowadays, members of the genus Enterobacter have been documented as human and aquaculture pathogens. To date, no reports have described Enterobacter bugandensis infecting Hippocampus abdominalis. In the present study, an isolate of E. bugandensis, designated H4, was identified as a causative pathogen in cultured H. abdominalis following Koch’s postulate, and its virulence properties were further described. The isolate’s genome consisted of a single circular chromosome and harbored several virulence and resistance genes, including, but not limited to, csgG, acrB, hcp, gndA, galF, rpoS, fur, rcsB, and phoP involved in adherence, antimicrobial activity, effector delivery systems, immune modulation, and regulation, as well as baeR, blaACT-49, ramA, hns, ftsI, acrA, gyrA, fabI, crp, oqxB, parE, gyrB, phoP, rpoB, tuf, ptsI, and fosA2 functioning against aminoglycoside, cephamycin, disinfecting agent and antiseptic, fluoroquinolone, macrolide, peptide, and other antimicrobials. Additionally, the isolate exhibited multiple resistance to cephalosporins, penicillins, and tetracyclines and demonstrated a median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 4.47 × 10⁵ CFU/mL in H. abdominalis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe E. bugandensis infecting H. abdominalis. These findings highlight the zoonotic potential of E. bugandensis and underscore the need for targeted health management in seahorse farming. Full article

Consumption of contaminated drinking water is known to cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis. This study applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to detect, identify, compare, and profile diarrhoeagenic pathogens (Vibrio cholerae, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, and Escherichia coli O157:H7) from 3168 water samples and 135 faecal samples (human and animal). Culture-based methods, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and PCR were employed prior to WGS for identification of pathogens. Culture-based results revealed high presumptive prevalence of STEC (40.2%), V. cholerae (37.1%), and E. coli O157:H7 (22.7%). The MALDI-TOF confirmed 555 isolates with V. cholerae identified as Vibrio albensis. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) was more prevalent in wastewater (60%), treated water (54.1%), and groundwater (36.8%). PCR detected 46.4% of virulence genes from the water isolates and 66% of virulence genes from the STEC stool isolates. WGS also revealed STEC (92.9%) as the most prevalent species and found common virulence (e.g., hcp1/tssD1 and hlyE) and resistance (e.g., acrA and baeR) genes in all three types of samples. Five resistance and thirteen virulence genes overlapped among treated water and stool isolates. These findings highlight the diarrhoeagenic pathogens’ public health risk in water sources and underscore the need for better water quality monitoring and treatment standards. Full article

Phytobacter palmae WL65, isolated from the rice rhizosphere, was confirmed as P. palmae through whole-genome analysis. WL65 exhibited key plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics, including nitrogen fixation (nifA, nifB, nifD, nifE, nifF, nifH, nifJ, nifK, nifL, nifS, nifU, nifW, and nifX), phosphate solubilization (pstA, pstB, pstC, pstS, phnC, phnD, phnE, and phnV), siderophore production (fhuA, fhuB, fhuC, fhuD, fhuF, feoA, feoB, feoC, acrA, acrB, acrE, acrR, and acrZ), and phytohormone biosynthesis (trpA, trpB, trpC, trpE, trpGD, trpR, and trpS). WL65 also contains an enterobactin biosynthetic gene cluster, essential for iron acquisition and enhancing both bacterial survival and plant growth. This study provides the first genomic insights into the PGP characteristics of P. palmae. The application of WL65 in rice cultivation as a biostimulant resulted in effective root colonization, supported by biofilm formation genes (pgaA, pgaB, pgaC), which enhance bacterial adhesion. The treatment significantly improved rice growth, increasing plant height (5.8%), panicle length (10.2%), and seed yield (34.5%). Soil analysis revealed improved nutrient availability, including increased organic matter (21%), phosphorus (38.4%), potassium (29.8%), and calcium (27%) levels. These findings suggest that WL65 is a promising biofertilizer candidate for improving soil fertility and nutrient uptake in sustainable agriculture. Full article

Introduction: Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) are resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs), carbapenems, colistin, and tigecycline, making them a major public health priority, mainly within the developing world. However, their genomic epidemiology and possible determinants of resistance remain to be elucidated. Thus, this study aimed to perform a genomic characterization of E. coli and K. pneumoniae, both of which are resistant to last-line antibiotics, isolated from humans, poultry, and a dairy farm environment within Ecuador. Methods: This study analyzed nine 3GC-resistant E. coli isolates harboring the mcr-1 gene (six from poultry farms, two from human infections, and one from dairy farm compost), together with ten isolated colistin- and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae clinical samples. Results: The E. coli isolates of human origin belonged to ST609 and phylogroup A, while the poultry and compost isolates belonged to phylogroups A, B1, E, and F. Diverse STs of the K. pneumoniae isolates included ST13 (five isolates), ST258 (four isolates), and ST86 (one isolate). Within the E. coli isolates, bla_CTX-M-55, bla_CTX-M-65, bla_CTX-M-15, and bla_CTX-M-2 genes were identified. This study also identified bla_CMY-2 and bla_KPC-3 (the latter in a carbapenem-susceptible isolate). In E. coli, the plasmid-borne mcr-1.1 gene was identified across all E. coli isolates within an IncI2 plasmid. Tigecycline-reduced susceptibility or resistance was related to missense amino acid substitutions coded in the marA and acrA genes. Within K. pneumoiae, bla_CTX-M-15 and bla_CTX-M-65, on the one hand, and bla_KPC-2 and bla_KPC-3, on the other, were associated with 3GC and carbapenem resistance, respectively. The bla_KPC-2 allele was identified in a ~10 kb Tn4401 transposon (tnpR–tnpA–istA–istB–bla_KPC-2–tnpA). In K pneumoniae, sequence data and phenotypic analysis linked a nonsense amino acid substitution coded in the mgrB (K3*) gene and missense amino acid substitutions coded in the marA, acrA, arnB, eptA, pmrB, pmrJ, and phoQ genes to colistin resistance. Meanwhile, tigecycline resistance was linked to nonsense and missense amino acid substitutions coded within the ramR sequence. Additionally, this study identified several integron structures, including Int191 (5′CS-dfrA14-3′CS), which was the most prevalent integron (Int) among E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates in this study, followed by Int0 (5′CS-3′CS) and Int18 (5′CS-dfrA1-3′CS). Conclusions: These results contribute to the genomic epidemiology of MDR E. coli and K. pneumoniae in our setting and to the worldwide epidemiology in the One Health approach. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study presents a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach for detecting depression and schizophrenia using motor activity patterns represented as images. Participants’ motor activity data were captured and transformed into visual representations, enabling advanced computer vision techniques for the classification of these mental disorders. The model’s performance was evaluated using a three-fold cross-validation, achieving an average accuracy of 95%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed approach in accurately identifying mental health conditions. The objective of the study is to develop a model capable of identifying different mental disorders by processing motor data using CNN in order to provide a support tool to areas specialized in the diagnosis and efficient treatment of these psychological conditions. Methods: The methodology involved segmenting and transforming motor activity data into images, followed by a CNN training and testing phase on these visual representations. This innovative approach enables the identification of subtle motor behavior patterns, potentially indicative of specific mental states, without invasive interventions or self-reporting. Results: The results suggest that CNNs can capture discriminative features in motor activity to differentiate between individuals with depression, schizophrenia, and those without mental health diagnoses. Conclusions: These findings underscore the potential of computer vision and deep neural network techniques to contribute to early, non-invasive mental health disorder diagnosis, with significant implications for developing mental health support tools. Full article