Validation of a lipopeptide approach to a safe-and-sustainable-by-design strategy on TiO nanoparticles UV filters.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) are well suited for cosmetics and polymer films because they efficiently absorb UV light while remaining transparent to visible light. Their widespread use requires strategies for managing potential human and environmental risks. Implementing the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) methodology to advanced chemicals and materials is a major global challenge and a concept that is included in several EU research projects.

The Effects of PLGA Nanoparticles Containing Different Growth Factors on Neural Stem Cell Differentiation and Their Transition Efficiency After Targeting With TRF.

Aims: Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery systems are being investigated for the controlled release of drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases (ND). We aimed to investigate the effects of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA-NPs) containing different growth factors (GFs) on rat brain-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) in vitro differentiation, providing insights that may contribute to future approaches for treating Parkinson's disease.

Methods: Three different PLGA-NPs loaded with Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Glial-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), and Transforming Growth Factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) were developed and characterized in terms of size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and release profile.

Cas9 beyond CRISPR - SUMOylation, effector-like potential and pathogenic adaptation.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has revolutionized molecular biology and gene editing, yet key aspects of its regulation, especially within eukaryotic environments, remain enigmatic. In this Viewpoint article, I will speculate on and explore the provocative hypothesis that Cas9 may possess previously unrecognized effector-like functions when expressed in host cells, potentially shaped by host-mediated post-translational modifications (PTMs). Of particular interest is SUMOylation at lysine 848, a key residue for DNA binding within the catalytic site, raising the possibility that this modification is not incidental, but functionally significant and precisely regulated.

Absorption Loss Modeling Tools for Terahertz Band Drone Communications.

This paper compares the following four Terahertz (THz) band molecular absorption loss modeling tools: International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-R P.676 model, Line-by-Line Radiative Transfer Model (LBLRTM), Atmospheric Model (), and HITRAN on the Web (HotW). We evaluate the THz band drone communication tools under horizontal and vertical communication scenarios.

Boosting supercapacitor performance via flower-like Cu₂XSnS₄ (X = Mn, Co, Ni, Ba, Zn) chalcogenides: Solvothermal synthesis and charge storage behavior.

In the present work, a series of Cu₂XSnS₄ (X = Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Ba) quaternary chalcogenide phases were synthesized by a simple solvothermal method and evaluated as electrode materials in symmetric two-electrode supercapacitor cells. Structural and morphological analyses demonstrated the formation of flower-like crystalline structures, with significant variations in texture and surface area depending on the substituted metal. Among the synthesized samples, the Mn-substituted CMnTS electrode exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 386.

Geometry-induced asymmetric level coupling.

Tailoring energy levels in quantum systems via Hamiltonian control parameters is essential for designing quantum thermodynamic devices and materials. However, conventional approaches to manipulating finite-size quantum systems, such as tuning external fields or system size, typically lead to uniform shifts across the spectrum, limiting the scope of spectral engineering. A recently introduced technique, known as the size-invariant shape transformation, overcomes this limitation by introducing a new control parameter that deforms the potential landscape without altering the system's size parameters, thereby enabling nonuniform scaling of energy levels.

Exploring the Association Between Urinary Incontinence and Depression Based on a Series of Large-Scale National Health Studies in Türkiye.

: Urinary incontinence (UI) and depression are prevalent conditions affecting millions globally and are significantly associated with various demographic, health, and socio-economic factors. This study examines the associations between UI and depression over a 14-year period using nationwide data. : We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Turkish Health Studies Surveys conducted in seven different years between 2008 and 2022, including 125,276 participants aged 15 and older and excluding those with incomplete key health data.

A Genome-Wide Analysis of Structure and Evolution in Irish and British Populations of (L. 1758): Implications for Genetic Resource Conservation.

Insect pollinators play vital regulatory roles within ecosystems and provide humanity with essential services that support our health, wellbeing, and economies. Despite their importance, reported declines at regional and national levels have raised concerns over the continuation of such benefits. Island pollinator populations are of particular conservation interest as they may harbor lower genetic diversity due to restricted gene flow caused by geographical barriers, which may in turn influence local selective processes.

3D melt electrowritten MXene-reinforced scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

2D TiCT(MXene) is attracting significant attention in tissue engineering. The incorporation of these promising materials into conventional scaffolds remains challenging, particularly with physicochemical properties compatible with biological systems. Melt electrowriting (MEW) has emerged as a powerful additive manufacturing technique for biofabrication of customized three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds composed of bioactive materials.

Developing Immunoniosomes (INs): Antibody and Fab conjugations of niosomal nanoparticles via UV-NBS and EDC/NHS chemistry for treating glioblastoma cells.

Antibody-conjugated nanoparticles (ACNPs), particularly immunoliposomes (ILs), have gained significant attention in cancer treatment due to their enhanced efficacy and superior tissue penetration. However, their high production costs and technical challenges underscore the need for more cost-effective alternatives. Niosomes, with their lower production costs, improved stability, and biocompatibility, have emerged as promising alternatives to liposomes in drug delivery.

Efficient detergent removal using a polydivinylbenzene adsorbent in membrane protein solubilization.

Membrane proteins (MPs) are essential for various cellular functions and therefore critical targets for the drug industry. However structural and functional studies of MPs are challenging due to the difficulty and cost of solubilization and purification. Effective solubilization typically requires the incorporation of MPs into detergent micelles.

Distinct rules for perceptual grouping in position-based and velocity-based motion systems.

Motion perception relies on at least two distinct systems: a velocity-based motion system driven by early direction-selective cells and a position-based motion system that tracks objects over space and time. However, how these systems interact when operating in parallel remains unclear. We explored their respective contributions to the perceptual organization of motion using a bistable stimulus of eight moving dots, perceived either as rotating in local pairs (local motion percept) or as forming two illusory squares translating around fixation (global motion percept).

Role of parenting on self-regulation from a cross-cultural perspective: Major empirical findings from the first quarter of the 21st century.

This paper focuses on the extant evidence about the ways children around the globe master self-regulation (SR). Our goal was to summarize emerging evidence on cross-cultural comparison of SR in young children, and evaluate culturally common as well as distinct caregiver-child interaction patterns in relation to SR. Studies retrieved from major databases spanning from 2000 to 2025 were selected if they entailed samples of caregiver-infant/toddler dyads and compared at least two cultural groups.

Role of shock waves in materials processing: Fundamentals and Applications.

In recent years, ultrasonic processing (USP) technology has led to some of the most promising scientific breakthroughs in the field of pharmaceutical, food, environmental and material sciences leading to advancements in manufacturing, process efficiency, and material performance. However, the industrial scalability of USP still remains a key challenge, largely due to the lack of awareness, standardization and predictive multiphysics models. Optimizing this technology necessitates a bottom-up approach, emphasizing fundamental understanding of the physical phenomena at play prior to scaling-up.

How people estimate the prevalence of aphantasia and hyperphantasia in the population.

This study examined how people estimate the prevalence of aphantasia (extreme lack of visual imagery) and hyperphantasia (extreme abundance of visual imagery) in the population and how their own imagery and verbal skills' evaluations predict these estimations. Participants read the descriptions of extreme imagery and evaluated the percentage of individuals within a population to whom they apply. They also completed questionnaires assessing their cognitive skills and experiences related to imagery.

Integrative genomic reconstruction reveals heterogeneity in carbohydrate utilization across human gut bifidobacteria.

Bifidobacteria are beneficial saccharolytic microbes that are widely used as probiotics or in synbiotic formulations, yet individual responses to supplementation can vary with strain type, microbiota composition, diet and lifestyle, underscoring the need for strain-level insights into glycan metabolism. Here we reconstructed 68 pathways for the utilization of mono-, di-, oligo- and polysaccharides by analysing the distribution of 589 curated metabolic gene functions (catabolic enzymes, transporters and transcriptional regulators) across 3,083 non-redundant Bifidobacterium genomes of human origin. Thirty-eight predicted phenotypes were validated in vitro for 30 geographically diverse strains, supporting genomics-based predictions.

Piezoelectricity of hexagonal boron nitrides improves bone tissue generation as tested on osteoblasts.

Bone tissue, also known as bone, is a hard and specialized connective tissue consisting of various bone cells. Internally, it has a honeycomb-like matrix providing rigidity to the bone and a piezoelectric feature contributing to bone remodeling. Bone remodeling is a crucial process involving osteoblastic replacement and resorption by osteoclastic cells to maintain structural integrity and mechanical properties of the bone tissue as it grows.

PHACE: Phylogeny-Aware Detection of Molecular Coevolution.

The coevolution trends of amino acids within or between genes offer key insights into protein structure and function. Existing tools for uncovering coevolutionary signals primarily rely on multiple sequence alignments, often overlooking phylogenetic relatedness and shared evolutionary history. Here, we introduce PHACE, a phylogeny-aware coevolution algorithm that maps amino acid substitutions onto a phylogenetic tree to detect molecular coevolution.

Phytoestrogen Signal Pathways and Estrogen Signaling in Ovarian Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecological cancer and the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies. Ovarian cancer mortality rate ranks fifth among cancer-related deaths in Western societies. Hence, novel preventive and therapeutic ways are still in great demand to reduce the incidence and mortality rate of ovarian cancer.

Folic acid-conjugated magnetic carbon nanotube nanocarriers for targeted delivery of mitoxantrone.

Dual or multi-targeted delivery systems are a crucial aspect of optimal cancer treatment. These systems minimize side effects while maximizing therapeutic efficiency. With this motivation, in this study, we developed a dual-targeted nanocarrier system by modifying bovine serum albumin-coated magnetic carbon nanotubes (mCNT-BSA) with folic acid (FA) to enhance both magnetic and receptor-mediated targeting.

Harnessing Machine Learning to Revolutionize Electrochemical Detection of Vitamin E Acetate in E‑Liquids.

This study presents the development of a novel molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of vitamin E acetate (VEA) in e-cigarette liquids, a critical step in addressing the rising public health concern of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury. VEA-imprinted polymeric nanoparticles, intended to serve as the recognition element on the sensor surface, were synthesized using surfactant-free emulsion polymerization. The synthesized polymer was characterized using Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and zeta potential analyses.

Supramolecular nanosponges featuring hydrazone bonds: A smart solution for pH-triggered drug delivery.

Cyclodextrin nanosponges (CD NSs) are smart materials, serving as drug delivery vehicles, increasing the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs while reducing their side effects as they respond to the external forces. Here, a novel class of pH-responsive CD NSs was developed by oxidation of CD, followed by the crosslinking with adipic acid dihydrazide, forming pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds inside the NS then loaded with Doxorubicin (Dox) as a model drug. Characterizations indicated that CD NSs were successfully synthesized, having a spherical shape, thermally stable, amorphous structure, acceptable size distribution, and almost neutral surface charge.

Human-robot collaboration in surgery at the nexus of knowledge, agency, and ownership.

Human-robot collaboration is transforming healthcare, particularly in surgical environments. Robotic surgery systems, embodied by advanced AI, are pivotal in augmenting human expertise across specialties such as gynecology and laparoscopic surgery. However, critical gaps remain in understanding how knowledge, agency, and ownership shape these collaborations.

Genome-wide analysis of miRNAs and their target genes in wheat cultivars with different ploidy levels under drought stress.

This study provides novel insight into the role of miRNAs in the drought resistance of different wheat cultivars, revealing a correlation between ploidy level and drought tolerance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, mostly conserved, non-coding regulatory RNAs with 20-24 nt in length. Although many studies have been conducted on miRNAs that play a role in wheat drought stress response, there are no comparative studies in wheat cultivars with different ploidy levels.

Focused ion beam-induced platinum deposition with a low-temperature cesium ion source.

In addition to precise milling, the deposition of material at a specific location on a sample surface is a frequently used process of focused ion beam (FIB) systems. Here, we report on the deposition of platinum (Pt) with a new kind of cesium (Cs) FIB, in which the cesium ions are produced by a low-temperature ion source. Platinum was deposited at different acceleration voltages and ion beam currents.