In-line multi-wavelength non-destructive pharma quality monitoring with ultrabroadband carbon nanotubes photo-thermoelectric imaging scanners.

While non-destructive in-line monitoring at manufacturing sites is essential for safe distribution cycles of pharmaceuticals, efforts are still insufficient to develop analytical systems for detailed dynamic visualisation of foreign substances and material composition in target pills. Although spectroscopies, expected towards pharma testing, have faced technical challenges in in-line setups for bulky equipment housing, this work demonstrates compact dynamic photo-monitoring systems by selectively extracting informative irradiation-wavelengths from comprehensive optical references of target pills. This work develops a non-destructive in-line dynamic inspection system for pharma agent pills with carbon nanotube (CNT) photo-thermoelectric imagers and the associated ultrabroadband sub-terahertz (THz)-infrared (IR) multi-wavelength monitoring.

Genotype-phenotype correlations of COL2A1 and COL11A1 patients.

Purpose: To describe and compare the ophthalmological and extra-ophthalmological features of patients with Stickler syndrome due to pathogenic variants in COL2A1 and COL11A1.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study nested in a multicentric cohort study.

Methods: Records of patients with a confirmed molecular diagnosis of Stickler syndrome followed-up in the ophthalmology department at Necker-Enfants Malades and Cochin University hospitals (Paris) between 2016 and 2024 were retrospectively reviewed.

Flood pulses reshape phytoplankton richness through aggregation, density, and species abundance distribution across floodplains.

The flood pulse is a key driver of species distribution and richness in floodplains, yet the underlying components of its effect on species richness remain incompletely understood. We examined how three key components, namely species spatial aggregation, density, and species abundance distribution (SAD), explain seasonal variation in phytoplankton richness across multiple spatial scales. Our study encompassed 66 lakes from four Brazilian floodplains spanning approximately 2300 km across a subcontinental scale, comparing high- and low-water seasons in 2011-2012, including one dammed floodplain.

Developing Type II F508del-CFTR correctors with a protective effect against respiratory viruses.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multifaceted disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The resulting thick mucus accumulation increases the risk of microbial infections, leading to chronic lung inflammation, progressive tissue damage, and pulmonary exacerbations (PEs). Respiratory viruses may facilitate bacterial colonization, significantly contributing to PEs.

Rapid Parameter Estimation for Pulsar-Timing-Array Datasets with Variational Inference and Normalizing Flows.

In the gravitational-wave analysis of pulsar-timing-array datasets, parameter estimation is usually performed using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to explore posterior probability densities. We introduce an alternative procedure that instead relies on stochastic gradient-descent Bayesian variational inference, whereby we obtain the weights of a neural-network-based approximation of the posterior by minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence of the approximation from the exact posterior. This technique is distinct from simulation-based inference with normalizing flows since we train the network for a single dataset, rather than the population of all possible datasets, and we require the computation of the data likelihood and its gradient.

Progestogens and androgens influence root morphology of angiosperms in a brassinosteroid-independent manner.

Progestogens and androgens are steroids found in a wide range of plants, but little is known about their physiological functions. In this study, we sowed seeds of angiosperms on progestogen- and androgen-containing medium and analysed their morphological effects. We further investigated the effects of progesterone and testosterone on brassinosteroid profiles and gene expression in A.

Structure of Organoboron Dyes and Multiphoton Absorption: Insights from Theory.

Computer simulations play an essential role in the interpretation of experimental multiphoton absorption spectra. In addition, models derived from theory allow for the establishment of "structure-property" relationships. This work contributes to these efforts and presents the results of an analysis of two- and three-photon absorptions for a set comprising 450 conjugated molecules performed at the CAM-B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level.

Blood proteomic signatures associated with disease activity in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Background And Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), remain heterogeneous disorders with variable response to biologics. Post-operative recurrence in CD is common despite surgery and prophylactic biotherapies. Understanding the inflammatory mediators associated with recurrence and treatment response could pave the way for personalized strategies.

Crystal Facet-Engineered Anion Regulation Enables Fast-Charging Stability in Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) offer exceptional energy density and output voltage. However, their practical application remains hindered by sluggish ion transport and uncontrolled lithium dendrite formation, particularly under fast-charging conditions. Here, we report a facet-engineered anion-regulating separator based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) with preferentially crystal-exposed (110) facets.

Flying seed-inspired sensors for remote environmental monitoring on Earth and beyond.

Exploring mobility beyond traditional robotic systems such as walking, swimming, and jumping, flight through dispersal, gliding, or hovering remains an untapped frontier for advanced stimulus-responsive and -sensing materials. Nature-inspired engineering has been a foundational aspect of robotic innovations, and biohybrid and biomimetic flying seeds are now becoming a significant example of this concept. By mimicking the aerodynamic properties and dispersal mechanisms of natural seeds, semi- and fully artificial systems are being designed for environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, and disease management applications that require wide-area coverage.

[The WorldSkills Competition: an opportunity to promote the trade].

Skills competitions enable nurses to promote their profession and showcase the excellence of their skills and know-how. After rigorous training with WorldSkills experts, they go on to excel in national and then international competitions, advancing the cause of nursing.

Temperature-Tunable Heliconical and Ferroelectric Nematics for White Lasing.

Nematic Liquid Crystals (LCs), noted for their simple molecular alignment and broad use in optoelectronics, remain unmodified for over a century. However, in 2017, a unique polar phase, the ferroelectric nematic (N), is confirmed. Subsequently, in 2024, the revolutionary spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking of ferroelectric twist-bend nematic chiral structures (N phase) is demonstrated.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism.

Shifting away from the traditional perspective on parkisonism, which focused only on the motor state of the patients, recent research proves the importance of early recognition and treatment of non-motor symptoms. Patients with parkinsonism, who suffer from various sleep disturbances, such as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), experience lower quality of life, a negative impact on activities of daily living, and possible exposure to life-threatening situations. Implementing the routine use of subjective and objective means of diagnosing EDS, into clinical practice, allows for a personalised management plan, in scope of efficiently decreasing disease burden for both the patient and the caregiver.

Cholinergic Dysfunction in Occupational Manganese Exposure.

Background And Objective: Excessive exposure to manganese (Mn) produces a clinical syndrome of parkinsonism and cognitive impairment. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of Mn neurotoxicity remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between Mn exposure, cholinergic function, and cognitive impairment in exposed workers.

Association between serum vitamin D metabolite levels and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study.

Background & Aims: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, findings remain inconsistent. Assessing vitamin D status based solely on total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] may be insufficient, and other metabolites, such as 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)D] and 3-epimer-25-hydroxyvitamin D [3-epi-25(OH)D], may provide additional insights. This study aimed to examine the association between serum vitamin D metabolite concentrations and cognitive function in older adults.

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo regulates the proliferation and migration of colon adenocarcinoma via LGALS4.

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (DO) has demonstrated potential anti-colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) effects; however, its underlying mechanisms of action require further elucidation. In this study, DO (work concentrations of 0, 0.1, and 0.

Functional characterization of a plastidial cytochrome b5-fused Δ4-desaturase from Ostreococcus tauri in higher plants.

Marine microalgae are the primary producers of important lipids in oceanic ecosystems. In particular, they sustain the food web with omega-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), which play a protective role against various human metabolic disorders and are thus considered highly beneficial to health. Ostreococcus tauri is a marine pico-eukaryote that contains high levels of several n-3 PUFAs, including docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3; DHA), octadecapentaenoic acid (18:5n3, OPA), and hexadecatetraenoic acid (16:4n3), each with a distinct distribution.

Skin-Targeted AhR Activation by Microbial and Synthetic Indoles: Insights from the AhaRaCaT Reporter Cell Line.

Disruption of the epidermal barrier contributes to skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, plays a key role in skin homeostasis and immune regulation. While traditionally associated with toxicity, AhR has emerged as a promising therapeutic target, particularly via tryptophan-derived indoles.

Identification of pyrazolo-piperidinone derivatives targeting YAP-TEAD interface 3 as anticancer agents through integrated virtual screening and mass spectrometry proteomics.

The transcriptional activity of TEAD4 (transcriptional enhancer associated domain proteins), one of the final effectors of the Hippo pathway, can be dysregulated or mutated in cancer. Consequently, targeting the interaction between TEAD and its co-activator YAP (Yes Associated Protein) to disrupt the YAP:TEAD (Y:T) heterodimer has emerged as a promising anti-cancer strategy. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify novel scaffolds targeting the TEAD Interface 3 surface as effective anticancer agents against colorectal and ovarian cancer.

Reduced storage direct tensor ring decomposition for convolutional neural networks compression.

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are among the most widely used machine learning models for computer vision tasks, such as image classification. To improve the efficiency of CNNs, many compression approaches have been developed. Low-rank methods approximate the original convolutional kernel with a sequence of smaller convolutional kernels, leading to reduced storage and time complexities.

Small dams for climate Adaptation: Evidence from Ghana's one-village-one-dam program for water security and agro-pastoral resilience in semi-arid Africa.

Water scarcity is intensifying under climate change, threatening food security, rural livelihoods, and social stability in semi-arid regions worldwide. Small-scale water storage infrastructure, such as community dams, is increasingly promoted as a climate adaptation measure, yet rigorous evidence on their multidimensional impacts remains limited. This study evaluates Ghana's state-led One-Village-One-Dam (1V1D) program using Welfare Economics and Technology Substitution theories and a Multivariate Probit Model applied to data from 219 agro-pastoralist households in Northern Ghana.

Predicting non-covalent interactions between antioxidants in biological membranes through molecular dynamics.

The synergistic association of different polyphenols has gained much interest in the food industry to develop efficient antioxidant cocktails, reducing the concentration of active agents and subsequently potential toxicity. The theoretical description and prediction of such processes are of central interest in this development. This study aims at benchmarking the performance of molecular dynamics (MD) to predict the formation of non-covalent complexes between π-conjugated antioxidants, including two prototypes (quercetin and vitamin E), in a pure 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) lipid bilayer.

Sex-differential responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors across the disease continuum unified by tumor mutational burden.

While the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is well-established, sex-based differences in treatment responses remain insufficiently explored. This study examines how sex disparities impact ICI treatment outcomes in advanced-stage NSCLC, focusing on the role of tumor mutational burden (TMB) in these differences. This study analyzed data from 174 advanced-stage, chemotherapy-naïve, NSCLC patients treated with ICIs, including PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors, to assess sex differences in treatment response and survival outcomes.