Search Results (2,522)

In this work, the coordination compound sulfate of aqua{tris(2-pyridylmethyl) amine}zinc(II) ([Zn(TPA)(H₂O)]SO₄) is investigated as a catalyst for the molecular reduction of CO₂. The complex was synthesized and characterized by FT–IR, UV–Vis, TGA, and NMR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry reveals irreversible electrochemical behavior, with two cathodic peaks at E_pc = −1.72 V and E_pc = −1.99 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺, respectively. Under a CO₂ atmosphere, a catalytic wave appears at E_pc = −1.87 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺, indicating catalytic activity toward CO₂ reduction. This behavior was further confirmed by Foot-of-the-Wave Analysis (FOWA), which yielded a catalytic rate constant of (k = 1.352 × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). Bulk electrolysis experiments combined with FT–IR analysis suggest that format is the main product of the CO₂ reduction catalyzed by [Zn(TPA)(H₂O)]SO₄. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to examine the catalytic process at the electrode–electrolyte interface. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to analyze the interaction between the [Zn(TPA)(H₂O)]SO₄ complex and CO₂. Full article

With the rapid expansion of the global textile sector and increasing awareness of the environmental pollution caused by textile waste, enhancing the recycling of textile waste has become essential to reduce the volume of materials sent to landfill or incineration. As recycling technologies advance, automated sorting systems that are capable of handling large waste streams and accurately identifying materials for appropriate recycling pathways are increasingly recognised as being critical for efficient textile-waste management. Since 2015, over 20 studies have specifically explored technologies and strategies for automating textile sorting of textile wastes. This mini review introduces various textile fibre identification technologies, including traditional visual and tactile examination; label checking and modern identification technology; and NIR, FT-IR, RFID tags. It summarises the current state of sorting processes, with particular emphasis on the development of AI-assisted, fibre-type-based sorting technologies. Commercial scale automated sorting is not established yet for textile waste recycling, due to the complexity of materials used in textiles, the equipment identification limits and high cost of processing, while machine learning and artificial neural networks provide opportunities for future research advancement and commercialisation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Drug development and delivery remain critical areas of research for addressing modern bioanalytical challenges. Understanding drug biodistribution, stability, and metabolism within biological systems is essential for optimising therapeutic efficacy. This study focuses on synthesising and characterising a novel fluorescent conjugate derived from commercially available rapid-acting insulin glulisine (Apidra^®) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). The objective was to produce a mono-labelled FITC-insulin glulisine conjugate without employing complex protective group strategies or multi-step processes. Methods: The conjugation was optimised by varying molar ratios (1:1 to 3:1) and reaction times (18–24 h) at pH 7. Results: The desired B1 mono-labelled conjugate was successfully achieved at a 2:1 molar ratio, pH 7, and 18 h reaction time. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry confirmed the molecular weight and conjugation site, with fragmentation analysis identifying FITC attachment at phenylalanine (B1) on the β-chain (m/z = 537.11). Western blots performed on C2C12 skeletal cell lysates stimulated with the FITC–insulin glulisine conjugate showed Akt and IRS-1 activity similar to that of cells treated with native commercial insulin glulisine. Confocal imaging also demonstrated translocation of GLUT4 in FITC–insulin glulisine conjugate-treated C2C12 cells similar to that of commercial native insulin glulisine. Octanol-water partitioning studies assessed the physicochemical properties of the conjugate. Conclusions: This approach demonstrates an efficient method for fluorescent labelling of insulin analogues, enabling future applications in imaging, biodistribution studies, and pharmacokinetic profiling. Full article

Background: Recent findings underscore the importance of ribosome biogenesis, a complex molecular machinery, in cancer biology, highlighting opportunities for targeted treatment strategies. Here, we revealed that dysregulation of ribosome biogenesis is a distinctive feature of non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). However, further investigation is required to pinpoint which specific processes within this complex pathway are aberrant in this malignancy. Methods: The expression levels and clinical significance of NOP56 in NSCLC were investigated by microarray analysis, qPCR, TCGA and GEO datasets. Function assays were conducted to explore the biological role of NOP56 in NSCLC cells. The mechanisms that mediate the upregulation of NOP56 were investigated by bisulfite DNA sequencing, luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation and TCGA datasets. The downstream pathway of NOP56 was explored by RNA sequencing, qPCR, Western blot and luciferase reporter assay. Results: High expression of NOP56 was detected in NSCLC tissues and was associated with poor prognosis. Functional assays revealed that overexpression of NOP56 promoted NSCLC cellular proliferation, metastasis and ribosome biogenesis in vitro, and further accelerated tumorigenesis in vivo. Mechanistically, NOP56 activates MYC signaling by regulating IRES-dependent translation, which in turn transcriptionally upregulated NOP56 expression, creating a positive feedback loop. Additionally, hypomethylation also contributed to the upregulation of NOP56 in NSCLC. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that NOP56/MYC forms a positive feedback loop that enhances ribosome biogenesis and drives the progression of NSLSC, positioning NOP56 a promising therapeutic target for this malignancy. Full article

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) has emerged as a key player in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study aims to systematically compare glucolipotoxicity-based (TyG, AIP) versus adiposity-driven (TyG-BMI, METS-IR) IR indices for their associations with PD dementia and to develop a clinically applicable nomogram using an interpretable machine learning framework. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 251 PD patients: 42 with normal cognition, 160 with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and 49 with dementia (PDD). Logistic and linear regression examined associations between IR indices and cognitive impairment across different domains. Six machine learning models were compared for dementia classification, with the optimal model interpreted using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to construct a nomogram. Results: Each standard deviation increase in TyG and AIP was linked to 79% (OR 1.79, 95%CI 1.04–3.07) and 75% (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.05–2.91) higher risk of PDD, respectively, but not PD-MCI. In contrast, TyG-BMI and METS-IR showed no significant associations with either condition. TyG showed linear negative correlations with memory and orientation, and inverted U-shaped associations with visuospatial function and attention. AIP exhibited linear negative correlation with memory. The logistic regression model achieved the highest performance (AUC of 0.759) among six machine learning models. Crucially, SHAP analysis visually quantified TyG as a top modifiable predictor, facilitating the construction of an interpretable clinical nomogram. Conclusions: Glucolipotoxicity-based indices (TyG, AIP), unlike BMI-dependent markers (TyG-BMI, METS-IR), are robustly linked to PD dementia through domain-specific linear or nonlinear patterns. This suggests metabolic dysregulation predicts risk independent of weight loss. Furthermore, integrating SHAP-based interpretability transforms complex algorithms into a transparent, actionable tool for early risk stratification. Full article

To address the challenge of purifying bioactive polyphenols from the complex matrix of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa pulp, this study established an integrated purification protocol combining Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) extraction with macroporous adsorption resin (MAR) enrichment. Among five screened resins, AB-8 exhibited superior selectivity, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 62.48 mg polyphenols/g dry resin and a desorption ratio of 83.40%. Kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption process strictly followed a pseudo-second-order model (R² = 0.999), indicating a mechanism dominated by chemisorption. Through dynamic optimization, optimal column parameters were determined as a loading concentration of 2.4 mg/mL, a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and elution with 70% (v/v) ethanol. Structural characterization via UV-Vis and FT-IR confirmed the effective removal of polysaccharide and protein impurities, while High-Performance Gel Permeation Chromatography (HPGPC) indicated a low-molecular-weight distribution (M_w approx. 1073 Da). Furthermore, HPLC-MS profiling definitively identified eight key constituents, including chlorogenic acid, catechin, rutin, and quercetin. Collectively, this work elucidates the adsorption mechanism and provides a scalable, efficient technical foundation for the high-purity preparation of jujube polyphenols. Full article

Background: Upadacitinib (UPA), a selective Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor, is an established therapeutic option for spondyloarthritis (SpA). Although its clinical efficacy has been demonstrated in randomized trials, real-world evidence regarding its early metabolic effects—particularly in the context of the inflammatory “lipid paradox”—remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term impact of UPA on inflammatory, hematologic, and metabolic parameters in a biologic-refractory SpA cohort. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 61 patients (51 with ankylosing spondylitis and 10 with psoriatic arthritis) who had an inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR). The study evaluated the short-term effects of UPA treatment on disease activity, inflammatory markers, and lipid-related atherogenic risk, as assessed using the LDL/HDL ratio, over a three-month period. Demographic characteristics, disease activity (BASDAI), inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR), safety parameters (creatine kinase [CK], ALT, AST), and lipid profiles were assessed at baseline, Month 1, and Month 3. Results: The mean age was 42.6 ± 10.8 years. By Month 3, UPA treatment resulted in significant reductions in BASDAI (5.8 ± 1.4 to 3.6 ± 1.2, p < 0.001), CRP (11.4 ± 10.2 to 6.9 ± 5.8 mg/L), and ESR (p < 0.01). Hemoglobin and albumin levels increased significantly (p < 0.05), while liver enzymes remained stable. CK levels demonstrated a modest but statistically significant increase without exceeding three times the upper limit of normal and without clinical evidence of myopathy. Total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C increased significantly (p ≤ 0.003); however, triglycerides and the LDL/HDL ratio remained unchanged (p > 0.05). No significant differences in inflammatory or metabolic responses were observed between ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis subgroups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: In biologic-refractory SpA patients, upadacitinib provides rapid anti-inflammatory and clinical benefits. Although quantitative increases in lipid subfractions were observed, the stability of the LDL/HDL ratio suggests a balanced metabolic recalibration consistent with inflammation control rather than an immediate pro-atherogenic shift. These findings highlight the importance of early lipid monitoring and individualized cardiovascular risk assessment while maintaining the therapeutic advantages of JAK1 inhibition in complex SpA populations. Full article

Colistin sulfate (COL), a critical last-line antibiotic, poses a severe environmental threat due to its persistence and role in spreading mobile resistance genes. This study introduces a novel quaternary Ni-Co-Zn-Al layered double-hydroxide/activated carbon composite (Q-LDH/AC) for highly efficient COL remediation. The composite’s unique architecture, revealed through comprehensive characterization, enables an exceptional adsorption capacity of 952.52 mg·g⁻¹ under optimal conditions (pH 7, 55 °C), a value that significantly surpasses those reported for most previous adsorbents. The process was spontaneous and endothermic, with kinetics and isotherms best described by the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir–Freundlich models, respectively, indicating a complex mechanism dominated by chemisorption on both homogeneous and heterogeneous sites. A key innovative feature is the successful regeneration and reusability of the composite, which retained over 70% efficiency after five cycles, enhancing its potential for practical, cost-effective water treatment applications. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG° = −8140.68 kJ/mol, ΔH° = +61.22 kJ/mol) indicate that the reaction is spontaneous and endothermic. The interaction mechanism of COL on Q-LDH/AC can be deduced by FT-IR including hydrogen bonding, π-π bonding, electrostatic interactions, and surface complexation. Beyond mere regeneration, this work demonstrates a pioneering circular economy strategy by repurposing the spent COL-laden adsorbent not as waste, but as a high-performance electrocatalyst. In direct urea fuel cell tests, this electrode achieved a superior and stable current density of 45.63 mA/cm² for Q-LDL/AC, substantially outperforming the pristine Q-LDH/AC/COL (206.63 mA/cm²) and highlighting how the captured pollutant enhances functionality. This dual-purpose approach successfully closes the loop, transforming the environmental liability of antibiotic-laden waste into a valuable resource for energy applications. With a production cost of 2.755 USD/g, this work presents not only a highly effective adsorbent but also a transformative, circular strategy that simultaneously addresses water pollution and energy recovery. These findings offer a promising dual-purpose solution for mitigating the environmental spread of antibiotic resistance through a sustainable cycle that enables efficient antibiotic removal from wastewater while simultaneously converting the captured pollutant into a useful energy resource. Full article

Legionella species are ubiquitous bacteria found worldwide in water, moist environments, soils, and compost. Infection occurs through the inhalation of aerosols, leading to either Pontiac fever or Legionnaires’ disease (LD). Current routine diagnostics typically combine culture-based isolation with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for species identification and the Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) for serotyping. However, this workflow is fragmented: MALDI-TOF MS lacks serogroup-specific resolution, while LAT relies on subjective visual interpretation. Therefore, this study evaluated Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) as a rapid, high-resolution typing method for Legionella isolates to assess its potential as a single-step diagnostic tool. A total of 200 clinical and environmental Legionella isolates were analyzed using FT-IR, including L. pneumophila serogroups (SG) 1–15 and various non-pneumophila species. Spectral data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). While MALDI-TOF MS provided accurate species identification, FT-IR spectroscopy demonstrated superior typing capabilities by successfully distinguishing L. pneumophila SG 1 distinct from the SG 2–15 complex and allowing for clear discrimination of most non-pneumophila species. Additionally, FT-IR resolved isolates that showed ambiguous or non-reactive results in LAT. These findings demonstrate that FT-IR overcomes the serotyping limitations of MALDI-TOF MS and offers a more objective, cost-efficient extension to the current multi-step routine, potentially closing the diagnostic gap between simple species identification and deep strain characterization. Full article

The relative position of the oxime group within pharmaceutically relevant pyridinium oximes is a pivotal factor that governs their intrinsic physicochemical properties and their biological reactivity. However, studies providing in-depth, molecular-level insight into these structure–reactivity relationships are still limited. In this work, we present an integrated experimental and computational study of N-methylpyridinium-2-aldoxime chloride (PAM2-Cl), N-methylpyridinium-3-aldoxime iodide (PAM3-I), and N-methylpyridinium-4-aldoxime iodide (PAM4-I), aimed at elucidating discrete differences in their ionization behavior, electronic structure, σ-donor properties, and nucleophilicity. The crystal structure of PAM3-I was determined by X-ray diffraction. Comparative structural and spectroscopic (UV–Vis, NMR, IR) analyses elucidated the structural and electronic effects arising from the position of the oxime group. Kinetic studies of substitution reactions with aquapentacyanoferrate(II) in aqueous solution enabled the determination of pentacyano(PAM)ferrate(II) formation and dissociation rate constants, coordination modes, pK_a values of the coordinated ligands, complex stability constants, and σ-donating capabilities. The DFT-based analysis of atomic charge distribution transcended experimental limitations, offering a new perspective on electronic structure-related properties. This study presents the first side-by-side, internally consistent structure–reactivity map across PAM2, PAM3, and PAM4 isomers that triangulates crystallography, UV–Vis-derived pK_a values, substitution kinetics, and DFT descriptors in a single framework. Full article

Background: Altered glycosphingolipidome in cancerous tissues and cells reflects the circulatory glycosphingolipid (GSL) profiles, which is advantageous for establishing cancer biomarkers and/or unravelling GSL-associated mechanisms of immunity in cancer. Methods: Here, we combined a microscale extraction of GSLs with multiple overlay TLC assays and IR-MALDI-o-TOF MS and implemented it for the first time in serum analysis of CD75s-, CD15s-, and iso-CD75s-containing sialylated GSLs of ganglio- and neolacto-series. Results: This sensitive antigen-specific targeted GSL workflow enabled the identification of 80 sialylated GSLs containing the specific antigens in human sera and was applied for the investigation of clinical serum samples from gastric/stomach cancer patients (n = 40), pancreatic cancer patients (n = 40), and a cancer-free control group (n = 20). The CD75s-, CD15s-, and iso-CD75s-containing GSL series encompassing complex monosialylated and fucosylated GSLs of neolacto-series, with up to pentadecasaccharide chains, were detected in both cancer types, while differential semi-quantitative analysis indicates a tumor type-specific associated GSL profile. Both cancer types share a drop in the complex fucosylated neolacto-gangliosides during tumor progression, implying a decreased synthesis of long-chain neolacto-series. Conclusions: This drop suggesting a role of these highly polar complex ganglioside species in evading humoral tumor immune response in the early tumor stages. Full article

Isoflavones are plant-derived polyphenols with broad biological activity; however, their application in topical formulations is limited by poor aqueous solubility. The aim of this study was to enhance the aqueous solubility of formononetin using a solvent-free hot-melt extrusion (HME) approach and to enable its incorporation into a hydrogel formulation suitable for skin delivery. Amorphous formononetin-based systems were prepared by HME using polymeric carriers and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, with and without prior inclusion complex formation. The resulting formulations were characterized using XRPD, DSC, and FT-IR/ATR to assess amorphization and intermolecular interactions. Aqueous solubility and skin permeability were evaluated using solubility testing, PAMPA, and Franz diffusion cells. The optimized amorphous system exhibited a substantial increase in apparent aqueous solubility compared to crystalline formononetin while maintaining comparable permeability. Cyclodextrin–formononetin interactions were effectively generated during the extrusion process, rendering pre-inclusion unnecessary. The selected system was successfully incorporated into a hydrogel matrix. This study demonstrates that solvent-free HME combined with cyclodextrins is an effective strategy for improving formononetin solubility and enabling its application in hydrogel-based topical delivery systems. Full article

Mid-IR flat/integrated optics require low-loss, programmable phase control. We investigate femtosecond laser direct writing (FLDW) in aluminogermanate glass (Corning 9754), first mapping the processing landscape to delineate no modification, Type I index increase, and spatial broadening regimes. We then operate in a non-accumulating regime that provides a broad, stable writing window. Quantitative-phase microscopy yields Δφ and a monotonic Δn with optically limited cross-sections compatible with low loss. Transmission spectroscopy shows high values (about 90% up to 4 µm) and no additional absorptions across the near-IR and mid-IR range. FTIR reveals a redshift of the Ge–O–(Ge/Al) stretching envelope from ≈1 µJ, correlating with the high Δn onset. s-SNOM at 925 cm⁻¹ resolves the written line as reduced near-field amplitude and decreased phase, confirming a local complex permittivity change consistent with densification-driven Type I tracks. Together, these results define practical conditions for on-demand mid-IR flat/GRIN/Fresnel optics by FLDW in this commercial mid-IR transparent glass. Full article

In order to solve the problems of insufficient medical image feature extraction, high classification accuracy, and computational complexity in automatic diagnosis of skin lesions in the edge computing environment, this paper proposes a real-time pseudo-multimodal low-delay diagnosis framework, SCGViT, based on a vision transformer. The framework is constructed around three functional objectives: mitigating data imbalance through generative modeling, capturing diverse representations via multi-dimensional perception, and optimizing feature fusion through adaptive refinement. Firstly, using Class-Conditioned Generative Adversarial Networks (CGANs) simulates manifolds of minority class samples in latent space, achieving preliminary balance of data distribution. Secondly, a branch feature-extraction path is constructed to simulate inversion (INV) and infrared (IR) modes in the original visual primary color mode (RGB), in order to achieve multi-dimensional perception. Finally, a cross-attention mechanism is combined for cross-branch feature aggregation, and a channel-attention mechanism (squeeze and excitation) is embedded for secondary refinement of the mixed global local features to enhance the representation ability of key pathological regions by integrating complementary structural and contrast information. The experimental results on the HAM10000 dataset showed that the F1 score reached 0.973, the inference speed reached 304.439 FPS, the parameter count was only 0.524 M, and the computational complexity was only 0.866 G FLOPs, achieving a balance between high accuracy and light weight. Full article

The maintenance of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca²⁺ homeostasis is intrinsically linked to the fidelity of protein folding, forming a functional tether that, when disrupted, triggers the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). This bidirectional axis serves as a critical rheostat for cellular viability, yet its chronic dysregulation underpins the molecular etiology of numerous pathologies, including neurodegeneration, heart failure, and malignant transformation. This review provides a comprehensive interrogation of the Ca²⁺-ER Stress–UPR network, delineating how primary stress sensors—PERK, IRE1alpha, and ATF6—engage in complex feedback loops that either reinstate equilibrium or commit the cell to apoptosis. We specifically examine the PERK-CHOP-SERCA2b inhibitory circuit as a central driver of persistent Ca²⁺ depletion and discuss the role of Mitochondria-Associated Membranes (MAMs) in governing lethal Ca²⁺ transfer. Notably, we move beyond the classical paradigm of CHOP as a terminal apoptotic executioner, incorporating emerging evidence of its context-dependent adaptive functions. By synthesizing mechanistic insights across diverse disease models, this work highlights the transition from adaptive to maladaptive UPR as a universal pathological checkpoint. Ultimately, we evaluate the therapeutic potential of ‘axis-targeted’ interventions, such as SERCA activators and selective UPR modulators, aimed at resolving the underlying Ca²⁺ signaling defects in ER stress-related disorders. Full article