Search Results (8,539)

The Gulf of Taranto (Ionian Sea) is a key transitional sector between the Southern Apennines collisional belt and the Calabrian Arc system, where the expression of Pleistocene–Holocene deformation in the shallow stratigraphic record remains debated. This study focuses on the Taranto Canyon area, the main morphologic feature of the northeastern Gulf of Taranto slope. We integrate high-resolution multibeam bathymetry (10 m grid) with Sparker seismic profiles to (i) define the shallow seismo-stratigraphic framework and (ii) document spatial relationships between shallow discontinuities, morphostructural lineaments, and submarine channel network organization. A simplified tie to the Livia 001 well constrains the subdivision of the shallow succession into four seismic units: the late Pleistocene–Holocene unit (PtH), the Santerno Formation (SNT), the Calcarenite di Gravina (GRA), and the Cupello Limestones (CPL). The PtH interval shows the strongest lateral variability and includes widespread acoustically disturbed bodies and recurrent sub-vertical fluid escape acoustic anomalies. Steep discontinuities producing reflector terminations, minor vertical separation, and localized bending affect PtH and, locally, SNT, with normal fault geometries prevailing where resolvable. Bathymetric mapping reveals multiple lineament families and preferred channel orientations that persist across higher Strahler orders, supporting a structurally conditioned template that guides seafloor morphology, sediment routing, and canyon–slope evolution in the northeastern Gulf of Taranto. Full article

Streptococcus mutans is a primary contributor to dental caries due to its ability to form biofilms rich in extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). While erythritol has been recognized for its anti-cariogenic effects, the molecular pathways involved have remained unclear. In this study, we combined phenotypic and transcriptomic approaches to uncover the mechanism by which erythritol inhibits EPS synthesis. We found that erythritol treatment significantly reduces EPS production and biofilm density, and that these changes are accompanied by marked downregulation of the phosphotransferase system (PTS), particularly the celB gene. Functional validation through gene deletion demonstrated that loss of celB mimics the effects of erythritol, resulting in reduced bacterial growth, impaired biofilm formation and decreased EPS production. Our results establish celB as a key mediator of erythritol-induced biofilm inhibition and suggest that targeting carbohydrate transport systems could offer a novel approach to caries prevention. Full article

Urachal carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy for which standardized management remains limited, particularly in patients with locally advanced and node-positive disease. We report the case of a 34-year-old woman with urachal adenocarcinoma involving the bladder dome and radiographically suspicious pelvic lymph nodes who underwent robot-assisted partial cystectomy with urachal resection and extended bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. Because there was no clinical, radiologic, or intraoperative evidence of umbilical involvement, the umbilicus was preserved after preoperative counseling and intraoperative confirmation of a negative proximal margin. Final pathology demonstrated a 4.5 cm enteric-type urachal adenocarcinoma, pT3a pN2 (2/17), with lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and negative surgical margins. Immunohistochemistry and DNA- and RNA-based next-generation sequencing showed microsatellite stability, mismatch-repair proficiency, low tumor mutational burden, and no actionable genomic alteration. Given the absence of an established adjuvant standard, the multidisciplinary tumor board selected adjuvant FOLFOX as a non-standard postoperative strategy based on the overall clinicopathologic context. The patient remained continent, experienced no postoperative complications or treatment-limiting toxicity, and showed normalization of carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels. This case provides a carefully contextualized example of transparent surgical reasoning and restrained multidisciplinary management in a rare malignancy with limited prospective evidence. Full article

Electrochromic devices have emerged as promising candidates for non-emissive displays due to their particular photoelectric performance in complex lighting environments. They exhibit considerable potential in emerging fields such as Internet of Things terminals, flexible wearables and human–computer interaction interfaces. In this study, we developed a low-power electrochromic display based on a Pt/FTO (Fluorine doped tin oxide) electrocatalytic counter electrode and a Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) porous gel electrolyte. The Pt catalyst enhances Br⁻/Br³⁻ redox reactivity, which reduces the driving voltage from 2 V to 1 V, and accelerates the electrode reaction kinetics. It is systematically explained by the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and electrochemical characterization. Furthermore, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept multicolor display incorporating the electrocatalytic counter electrode with various viologen derivatives. This approach provides a significant advancement toward next-generation high-performance displays and is supportive of the development of energy-efficient optoelectronic devices. Full article

Developing sensitive and reversible CO sensors requires precise control of material–analyte interactions. Using DFT, we investigate CO sensing on bimetallic (Fe, Pt) anchored on N-doped graphene (TM₂–N₄–C), focusing on active-site density effects. Three densities are considered: low (12.7 Å), medium (8.5 Å), and high (4.2 Å). FePt–N₄–C band gaps exhibit non-monotonic tuning, approaching metallicity at high density. CO chemisorbs on Fe sites, but physisorbs on Pt sites. FePt exhibits stronger synergistic adsorption than homonuclear counterparts. While adsorption generally strengthens with density, spin-polarized calculations qualitatively reorder this trend via spin delocalization. High temperatures drastically improve recovery; low-density FePt–N₄–C reaches 65 s at 498 K. Three design principles emerge: low-density heteronuclear systems for reversible sensing, medium-density high-spin states for ultra-sensitive capture, and high-density configurations for work function sensors. This work establishes active site density as a key electronic and kinetic knob for graphene-based CO sensors. Full article

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous eukaryotic organelles that play critical roles in the infection processes of many plant pathogenic fungi. Peroxisome biogenesis depends on peroxins encoded by PEX genes. Pex8 is a fungus-specific peroxin present only in yeasts and filamentous fungi. In this study, we investigated the function of CoPEX8 in the cucumber anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare using targeted gene deletion. Fluorescence microscopy using red fluorescent protein fused to peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (PTS1) showed that matrix protein import was abolished in the ΔCopex8 mutant. Compared with the wild-type strain, the ΔCopex8 mutant lacked detectable peroxisomes and exhibited severe defects in melanin production, fatty acid utilization, cell wall integrity, osmotic stress tolerance, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. Deletion of CoPEX8 also reduced conidiation and impaired appressorium formation. Pathogenicity assays on cucumber leaves revealed that lesions produced by the ΔCopex8 mutant were significantly smaller than those caused by the wild-type strain. These results demonstrate that CoPEX8 is indispensable for peroxisome biogenesis and is essential for both development and virulence of C. orbiculare. Full article

Degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by environmentally friendly methods remains a challenging issue. Photothermal catalysis, as an emerging green catalytic technology, merges the benefits of both thermal catalysis and photocatalysis, presenting itself as a viable strategy for VOC degradation. However, achieving higher catalytic performance by reasonably designing the synthetic route of catalyst carriers remains difficult. In this study, crystalline carbon nitride material, poly(triazine imide) (PTI), was prepared using a unique molten salt synthesis method and employed as a support for Pt to construct an exceptional photothermal catalyst. In a continuous-flow system under Xe lamp irradiation with external temperature control, toluene was efficiently degraded at a high rate of nearly 100% under low Pt content (0.31 wt%) and a relatively low operational temperature condition (143 °C). As a carrier of noble metals, PTI material exhibited a larger specific surface area and fewer structural defects, resulting in more efficient toluene conversion and mineralization. The joint action of photocatalysis and thermocatalysis synergistically facilitated the efficient generation of active species and accelerated charge transfer, thereby significantly boosting toluene catalytic oxidation. These findings provide valuable guidance for designing and optimizing photothermal catalysts for the removal of VOCs. Full article

To overcome active site blockage and poor interfacial contact in traditional syntheses, PtNi bimetallic nanoparticles were grown in situ on a microporous carbon paper via pulse electrodeposition. Firstly, the impact of deposition potential was investigated. The results indicate that the deposition potential significantly modulates the surface Pt⁰/Pt²⁺ ratio; concurrently, a shift toward more negative potentials intensified nanoparticle agglomeration. The effects of the duty cycle were investigated at an optimal deposition potential of −0.95 to −0.4 V. A duty cycle of 30% yielded the optimal Pt⁰/Pt²⁺ ratio. Furthermore, TEM revealed a coexisting strain profile of bulk PtNi lattice contraction and localized expansion at peripheral Pt (111) facets. This synergistic tuning of surface valence and strain optimizes the thermodynamic balance between oxygen adsorption and intermediate desorption on Pt sites. In summary, the optimal catalyst, prepared at a deposition potential of −0.95 V and a duty cycle of 30%, showed the best reaction behavior in the oxygen reduction reaction with an initial onset potential of 0.92 V (vs. RHE). After 5000 cycles of testing, the catalyst showed a constant durability, with the onset potential degrading only marginally to 0.87 V. This work successfully demonstrates that the surface morphology and valence states of the catalyst can be effectively tailored by regulating the pulse voltage and duty cycle. Full article

Postoperative stroke is a serious and fatal condition that often affects elderly surgical patients. This rare but severe complication arises from complex interactions between comorbidities, physiologic instability and demographic disturbances that traditional risk tools often fail to capture.This study aims to develop and validate a machine learning model with an improved ability to predict the risk of postoperative stroke in elderly patients utilising the comprehensive clinical and demographic ICU data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. External validation was performed on MIMIC-III and the eICU Collaborative Research Database, with eICU being the primary validation set. We identified postoperative surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients aged 55 years or older from all databases. A strict temporal window of the first 24 h of ICU admission was applied across all three datasets while extracting features like laboratory measurements and vital sign summaries in order to ensure that all predictor values were derived from a fixed observation period at the beginning of ICU stay. After preprocessing, applying Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) imputation and initial screening of 88 candidate variables, 20 clinically meaningful predictors were selected through a multistage feature selection pipeline incorporating RFECV and permutation importance. SHAP analysis and LIME analysis were used for interpretability. We evaluated ten machine learning techniques, including Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNNs), Support Vector Machine (SVM–RBF Kernel), Gradient Boosting (GBDT), Neural Network, XGBoost, CatBoost, Naive Bayes. Among them, Random Forest demonstrated strong predictive performance by achieving an AUROC of 0.8072 (95% CI [0.7890, 0.8253]) on the internal validation set. The model also achieved AUROC of 0.7557 (95% CI [0.7267, 0.7794]) and 0.9144 (95% CI [0.8893, 0.9378]) on the external validation sets eICU and MIMIC-III, respectively. Mean systolic blood pressure, Elixhauser score, minimum calcium, and minimum INR (PT) were consistently identified as the most influential predictors through both SHAP analysis and LIME analysis, thus strengthening model interpretability. Our findings suggest that a Random Forest-based predictive model can provide an accurate and generalisable prediction of postoperative stroke in elderly ICU patients using routinely collected physiologic and laboratory data. This also supports early risk stratification and targeted postoperative monitoring. Full article

This study investigates the influence of Product Transparency (PT) and Pricing Strategy (PS) on customer behavior, specifically examining Market Competition (MC) as a moderating factor. Grounded in Signal Theory, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and Social Exchange Theory (SET), we propose a model where customer trust and perceived value mediate the impact of firm strategies on purchase decisions and customer retention. Using a two-wave time-lagged design with anonymous respondent matching, data were analyzed from e-commerce consumers in China and Pakistan using PLS-SEM multi-group analysis. The findings reveal that market competition undermines the positive relationships in the model, with a greater impact in China than in Pakistan. In general, the results suggest that market competition negatively influences the efficiency of product transparency and pricing strategies in shaping customer trust, perceived value, customer retention, and purchase decisions, which is why firms should be able to adjust these strategies to the levels of market competition and country context. This research provides critical theoretical insights into signal translation and offers practical guidance for international e-commerce managers to refine their customer relationship strategies in highly competitive digital environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Completion of perioperative systemic therapy is essential for improving survival in patients with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma; however, many patients do not receive planned adjuvant therapy because of surgical complications or inadequate recovery. Robotic gastrectomy may improve postoperative recovery and facilitate adjuvant therapy delivery, but contemporary national data remain limited. This study evaluated the association between surgical approach and adjuvant systemic therapy utilization. Methods: Adults with non-metastatic, locally advanced (>pT2N0 or received neoadjuvant chemotherapy) gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent gastrectomy from 2016 to 2021 were identified from the National Cancer Database. Patients who met the criteria for adjuvant systemic therapy were included. Propensity score matching was performed to compare robotic gastrectomy (RG) with laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) and open gastrectomy (OG). The primary outcome was receipt of adjuvant systemic therapy (ASTx). The secondary outcomes included days from surgery to ASTx initiation, perioperative outcomes, oncologic quality metrics, and overall survival. Results: Among 5853 eligible patients, 17.8% underwent RG. After propensity score matching, ASTx utilization was similar between RG and LG (43.6% vs. 43.9%, p = 0.946) and between RG and OG (44.5% vs. 48.0%, p = 0.144), with no differences in days from surgery to ASTx initiation. Compared with LG, RG was associated with higher R0 resection rates but higher unplanned 30-day readmission rates. Compared with OG, RG was associated with higher R0 resection rates, greater regional lymph node examination, shorter length of stay, and lower 90-day mortality rates. Overall survival rates did not significantly differ between approaches. Conclusions: In this contemporary national analysis, RG did not result in improved delivery or timing of adjuvant systemic therapy despite favorable perioperative outcomes. These findings suggest that considering surgical approach alone is insufficient to address barriers to completion of multimodality therapy in gastric cancer. Full article

The current study explored the martensite structures of Fe₃Pt alloys, specifically $Cmmm$-Fe₃Pt, $P{6}_3/mmc$-Fe₃Pt, $P4/mmm$-Fe₃Pt, and $R\overline{3}m$-Fe₃Pt, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that govern their physical and chemical properties. We have focused on their structural, thermodynamical, magnetic, electronic, mechanical, and dynamical characteristics, utilizing the density functional theory (DFT) technique. Our study revealed that in addition to the previously reported austenitic cubic $Pm\overline{3}m$-Fe₃Pt and martensite tetragonal $I4/mmm$-Fe₃Pt with L1₂ structure, there exist additional Fe₃Pt phases that exhibit excellent structural, thermodynamic, magnetic, and mechanical properties. The calculated enthalpies of formation were found to be negative and less than −0.39 eV in all the structures considered, indicating thermodynamic stability and formation under experimental synthetic conditions. Moreover, the computed magnetic moments are in the range 2.94 to 3.04 ${\mathsf{\mu }}_{\mathrm{B}}$, which is relatively comparable to 3.24 ${\mathsf{\mu }}_{\mathrm{B}}$ of the widely reported $Pm\overline{3}m$-Fe₃Pt alloy. The analysis of the electronic structure also revealed strong magnetism due to the presence of asymmetry in the spin-up and -down states of the density of states (DOS) plots. To determine the mechanical response of Fe₃Pt structures under loading conditions, we computed the independent elastic constants, macroscopic properties, and stress–strain relationship under hydrostatic stress. All four phases were studied, but the hypothetical $P{6}_3/mmc$-Fe₃Pt showed excellent mechanical stability at ambient conditions and exceptional hardness and resistance to compression in the elastic region 0% ≤ strain ≤ 10%. This evidence is provided by satisfying the Born necessary stability conditions, large bulk modulus, and a strong linear relationship fit ($R^2$) of greater than 0.94. Moreover, the phonon dispersion curves revealed dynamical stability for $Cmmm$-Fe₃Pt and $R\overline{3}m$-Fe₃Pt, and metastability for $P4/mmm$-Fe₃Pt, while the hypothetical $P{6}_3/mmc$-Fe₃Pt is unstable. Full article

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous organelles that play vital roles in various physiological and biochemical processes, including fatty acid β-oxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism. These organelles have been implicated in the pathogenicity of many plant fungal pathogens. In this study, CaPex8, a homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pex8, was identified and characterized in Colletotrichum aenigma. CaPEX8 was found to localize to peroxisomes, and its deletion impaired the mutant’s ability to utilize fatty acids as a carbon source. Using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the peroxisomal targeting signal PTS1, the import of peroxisomal matrix proteins was shown to be defective in ΔCapex8 mutants. Additionally, the mutants exhibited elevated conidiation, increased sensitivity to osmotic stress and oxidative stress, and impaired cell wall integrity. Peroxisome biogenesis was also disrupted in the absence of CaPEX8. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CaPex8 is essential for maintaining peroxisomal structure and function, and it significantly influences fungal growth, development, and pathogenicity in C. aenigma. Full article

Power-to-X technologies play a crucial role in accelerating the energy and material transition. A key opportunity lies in integrating these systems with existing bio-based infrastructures such as anaerobic digesters, providing a reliable source of biogenic carbon. Developing effective Power-to-Methanol (PtM) pathways requires a comprehensive understanding of process behavior through detailed simulation, including technical performance, economic feasibility, and environmental consequences. Despite growing interest, substantial variation remains in published levelized methanol costs, and many assessments insufficiently account for the full environmental footprint of production routes. This study evaluates the potential of PtM deployment in the Netherlands by comparing two pathways that utilize biogenic carbon sources: (i) hydrogenation of captured CO₂ using green hydrogen and (ii) dry methane reforming (DMR) of biogas, followed by catalytic syngas conversion to methanol. Results indicate that operational expenses—mainly driven by renewable electricity consumption—far outweigh capital investment. Both routes yield an LCoMeOH of approximately €2630 per tonne, about five times the cost of fossil-based methanol. Life cycle analysis shows that DMR performs more favorably overall, although elevated freshwater ecotoxicity and eutrophication result from digestate application as fertilizer. Continued improvements in renewable energy integration and nutrient recovery technologies are essential for enhancing future economic and environmental performance. Full article

Background: Tumour volume percentage (TVP) is considered an important pathological parameter, particularly in prostate cancer, representing the ratio of tumour volume to the total gland, and it can be used to measure the quantity of malignancy. Previous reports have already demonstrated that an elevated tumour volume percentage is associated with unfavourable factors, including extraprostatic extension, positive surgical margins, and lymph node metastasis. The independent value of TVP, especially in high-risk prostate cancer treated by radical prostatectomy, remains an area of active research, despite established prognostic factors such as PSA, ISUP grade, and TNM stage. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 159 high-risk prostate cancer patients who underwent open or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy between January 2016 and January 2025 at the Clinic of Urology of Targu Mures. High-risk patients were defined as those with ISUP grade 4–5 or PSA >20 ng/mL or clinical stage ≥T2c or stage cT3–4 and/or lymph node metastasis. Tumour volume percentage was calculated from the final pathology result and was determined as the proportion of prostate cancer volume relative to the total prostate volume. Clinical and pathological features, including PSA, ISUP grade, TNM stage, surgical margin, and lymph node involvement, were reported. To assess TVP as an indicator of tumour aggressiveness, univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 159 high-risk prostate cancer patients (100%), with a median age of 66 years, who underwent open or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy were included. The median tumour volume percentage was 7.6%, and the median prostate volume was 43.8 cc. On univariate analysis, patients with extraprostatic extension (p < 0.001), positive surgical margins (p = 0.005), a higher ISUP grade (p < 0.001), and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.006) exhibited higher TVP compared to their counterparts. A significant correlation was also observed between TVP and the number of positive biopsy cores (p < 0.001), a higher PSA value (p = 0.005), and a younger age (p = 0.041). Conversely, no correlation was identified between TVP and perioperative factors such as hospital stay, surgery duration, ICU days, type of approach, or positive urine culture. Two regression models on multivariate analyses were performed with TVP as the dependent variable. In the continuous variable model (Adjusted R² = 0.43, p < 0.001), independent predictors of higher TVP were the number of positive biopsy cores (B = 0.54, p < 0.001), the number of positive lymph nodes (B = 2.59, p < 0.001), and surgical margin dimension (B = 1.19, p < 0.001). Age, PSA, and perioperative variables showed no significant correlation with TVP on multivariate analysis. In the categorical regression model (Adjusted R² = 0.438), statistical significance was confirmed (F-test, p < 0.001). Independent predictors of increased tumour volume percentage included ISUP grade 5 in the effect-coded model (B = +6.60, 95% CI: 0.96–12.25, p = 0.022), and pathological TNM stage pT4 (B = +24.70, 95% CI: 17.69–31.70, p < 0.001). ROC analysis showed limited-to-moderate discrimination for positive surgical margins (AUC = 0.655; 95% CI 0.565–0.744; p = 0.001) and stronger discrimination for pN1 (AUC = 0.793; 95% CI 0.650–0.936; p = 0.002). The Youden-derived cut-offs were 4.90% for positive surgical margins and 5.77% for lymph-node metastasis. Conclusions: Tumour volume percentage is significantly associated with several adverse pathological features in high-risk prostate cancer. Rather than a standalone biomarker, its association with adverse pathological features underscores its potential role in risk stratification models, and the incorporation into pathology reports and prognostic nomograms may improve clinical decision-making. Full article