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Driving behaviors at urban intersections are frequently associated with increased traffic emissions, noise, and ground vibrations due to stop-and-go dynamics and complex vehicular interactions. These factors pose risks to public health and nearby buildings under heavy traffic conditions. Therefore, active environmental monitoring and evaluation at intersections are essential for sustainable urban planning. To assess traffic-related environmental impacts at an area-wide scale, a multi-dimensional evaluation framework was proposed for intersection environmental health using a roadside light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. First, high-resolution vehicle trajectories were extracted to estimate traffic emissions, noise, and traffic-induced ground vibrations. Key indicators were derived from the pollutant evaluation results. Then, a combined weighting strategy was developed by integrating quadratic programming under ranking constraints for health-effect weight, variable-weight grey entropy under threshold constraints for data-driven weight, and game theory to balance the two perspectives. Finally, an improved fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) method was proposed by incorporating an improved Jenks Natural Breaks method and standard threshold values to construct a triangular membership function for environmental health classification. Results reveal significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity in traffic-induced environmental health at intersections. At the urban intersection, the comprehensive score decreased from 69.45 during daytime to 57.12 at night, representing an approximately 18% reduction. In contrast, conditions at the suburban intersection remained stable, with scores of 72.80 in daytime and 74.54 at night. Population-dimension scores were consistently lower than environmental-dimension scores, indicating higher human sensitivity to traffic-related pollution. The proposed framework effectively captures dynamic pollution characteristics and supports intersection-level environmental health assessment.
The 2025-2026 conference season in respiratory and allergy medicine has surfaced signals that the field is shifting faster than many clinical systems can absorb. The agendas converge on themes that were peripheral a decade ago: precision phenotyping, remission as a treatment target, the united airway as a clinical organizing principle, metabolic-inflammatory crossover, and the environmental forces reshaping disease burden in real time. This article traces those signals through emerging conference data, updated guidelines from GINA and ARIA-EAACI, and the growing evidence that climate-driven pollen shifts and access disparities are widening the gap between what the science now offers and what patients receive. It extends the analysis to environmental burden, emerging therapeutic signals, and translational challenges that define airway disease, with attention to the engineering infrastructure, including health digital twins and cross-specialty decision support, needed to close the gap between scientific capability and patient care.
Green synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) using plant-derived biomolecules has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical synthesis methods. This review critically evaluates recent advances in plant-mediated synthesis of CeO2 NPs with emphasis on synthesis mechanisms, physicochemical properties, reproducibility, and photocatalytic applications. Comparative analysis of published studies demonstrates that phytochemicals such as polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, and proteins significantly influence nanoparticle size, morphology, oxygen vacancy formation, and photocatalytic efficiency. Green-synthesized CeO2 NPs commonly exhibit enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity due to improved Ce3+/Ce4+ redox cycling and reduced electron-hole recombination. Several studies reported degradation efficiencies above 90% for dyes and pharmaceutical pollutants under UV or visible-light irradiation. Compared with chemically synthesized counterparts, green-fabricated CeO2 NPs offer lower toxicity, reduced energy consumption, and improved environmental compatibility. However, challenges related to reproducibility, variability of plant extracts, and lack of standardized synthesis protocols remain major limitations for large-scale applications. This review highlights recent strategies to improve synthesis control through phytochemical profiling, optimized extraction conditions, and controlled reaction parameters. Overall, plant-mediated CeO2 NPs demonstrate strong potential as sustainable photocatalysts for environmental remediation and future energy-related applications.
The increasing interest in biofuels has highlighted the potential of cyanobacteria due to their photoautotrophic mode of energy production, lower nutrient requirements for growth, and amenability to genetic modification using various genome engineering tools for the production of different types of biofuels. Terpene-based biofuels remain largely underexploited commercially and are currently limited to pilot-scale production. However, with extensive ongoing research, it may become possible to replace traditional fuels with terpenes as fuel additives for modern engines and aircraft. This review critically discusses various cyanobacterial species and strains used for the production of different terpenes, which are in high demand at present. Recent technologies, including high-density cultivation and multi-cultivator systems, significantly enhance terpene production in genetically engineered cyanobacteria, when applied to genetically improved strains. The commonly utilized cyanobacterial strains in recent studies include Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and PCC 7002, Synechocystis PCC 6803 as well as fast-growing strains such as Synechococcus UTEX 2973, all of which possess strong genetic backgrounds suitable for industrial applications. Moreover, this review emphasizes emerging opportunities such as the efficient conversion of CO₂ into terpenes through the overexpression of endogenous MEP pathway genes or the introduction of exogenous MVA pathway genes. It also highlights advancements in CRISPR technology, integrated with genome-scale metabolic modelling. Finally, it addresses key challenges that must be considered for sustainable terpene biosynthesis, including terpene synthase enzyme expression, rate-limiting steps in upstream and downstream pathways, competition with native metabolic pathways, and target product toxicity, all of which may impair cyanobacterial growth. To overcome these challenges, continued metabolic engineering strategies are essential for achieving sustainable terpene-based biofuel production and facilitating the transition toward a green bioeconomy.
Polymer membranes typically face various selectivity demands in practical separations. Tuning the selectivity largely relies on regulating the pore size and distribution in membranes without disrupting the integrity of the polymer network. While monomer design or additive incorporation shows advances in pore tuning, homogeneous sub-nanometer pore tuning in polymer matrix remains challenging as traditional solvents act solely as diffusive media, leading to uncontrolled polymerization. Here, we report an active solvent-mediated interfacial polymerization strategy that enables molecular-level pore engineering of membrane selective layer. By utilizing the microemulsion, a special solvent, we show that ∼1 nm microemulsions induces localized quasi-homogeneous polymerization, templating molecular-level pores within the polyamide network. The resulting membranes exhibit excellent water permeance of 58.7 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 with NaCl-Na2SO4 selectivity vs. water permeance surpasses the current upper bond. The strategy also works for hollow fiber membranes which show no performance decline even scaling up to 1-inch modules. Positron annihilation spectroscopy, small-angle x-ray scatterings, molecular dynamics, CFD and other experimental results reveal that patterned surface, enhanced free volume and narrower pore size contribute to the enhanced performance. This active solvent-mediated strategy provides a versatile and scalable method for enhancing membrane performance across water treatment and chemical separations.
High-performance gas sensors with extreme sensitivity and rapid response kinetics are fundamental to sub-ppm H2S detection, which is crucial for environmental monitoring and industrial safety. However, most conventional rare-earth ferrites have relatively sluggish responses at low concentrations because of thermodynamic and kinetic constraints and inherently high surface reaction barriers. Herein, a high-entropy perovskite oxide with the composition (Gd0.2Tb0.2Dy0.2Ho0.2Er0.2)FeO3 was designed and synthesized using a wet-chemical method. The incorporation of multiple principal elements induced strong local lattice distortion and generated abundant chemically heterogeneous active sites. Furthermore, the application of an external magnetic field significantly optimized electron transfer pathways and accelerated the surface redox reaction kinetics. Our results reveal that the synergistic coupling between high-entropy-induced structural distortion and weak magnetic field modulation breaks the traditional response-recovery trade-off, yielding a 6-fold sensitivity enhancement over conventional counterparts, an ultrafast 1.72 s recovery time, and an H2S detection limit of 0.5 ppm. This strategy, which integrates local coordination reconstruction with spin-state intervention, is expected to be widely applicable to the development of next-generation intelligent sensing systems.
The worsening global freshwater crisis positions seawater desalination as a critical solution. However, conventional desalination technologies remain constrained by a persistent sustainability trilemma involving high energy consumption, chemical reliance, and substantial carbon emissions. Here, we present an electrochemical strategy that overcomes these constraints by delivering high-performance desalination behaviors while generating substantial environmental and energy benefits. Our approach utilizes a molecularly nucleophilic-engineered dinitro-functionalized pyrenephenazine (PPZ-2NO2) organic electrode integrated in a capacitive deionization (CDI) cell, enabling real seawater desalination. The electron-withdrawing nitro groups precisely modulate the electronic structure and electrochemical activity of the PPZ-2NO2 electrode, unlocking the full utilization of redox-active sites. The resulting organic-based CDI configuration possesses high salt ion adsorption capacity and ultrafast rate under low-voltage operation without chemical additives. The validation at module scale demonstrates practical viability, producing industrial-grade freshwater at a 97.2% yield ratio in compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, while achieving an exceptional seawater desalination capacity of 349.91 mg g-1. Furthermore, the process operates with low energy consumption and a carbon footprint of only 0.147 t CO2 eq per ton of salt removed, which is ∼61.18% lower than state-of-the-art technologies. This work offers a molecular-level design for carbon-lean electrochemical desalination toward sustainable water-energy integration.
Universal decolonization and enhanced cleaning are strategies to prevent multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) transmission. Whether their associations with MDRO burden are overlapping, additive, or synergistic remains unknown. To evaluate independent and combined associations of decolonization and enhanced cleaning with MDRO carriage and environmental contamination. This quality improvement study was conducted in 2 Southern California nursing homes from March 2019 to April 2021. This 4-phase study implemented (1) universal decolonization only, (2) routine care (control), (3) enhanced cleaning only, and (4) universal decolonization plus enhanced cleaning sequentially and compared them to determine their associations with MDRO body-site carriage and environmental contamination. Analyses were performed from 2024 to 2025. Universal decolonization involved chlorhexidine bathing and nasal iodophor for all residents. Enhanced daily cleaning included staff education and ultraviolet-marker feedback. The main outcomes were serial point-prevalence assessments (n = 6 per phase) of MDRO carriage (nares, skin), as well as MDRO contamination of high-touch objects in bedrooms and common areas. Differences in the odds of any MDRO and MDRO-specific carriage and contamination during each intervention phase compared with the control were assessed using generalized linear mixed models. Point-prevalence sampling generated 5856 swabs to evaluate MDRO carriage (n = 3840 swabs) and environmental contamination (n = 2016 swabs). For MDRO carriage, prevalence during the control phase was 50.0% (n = 240 of 480 objects). Decolonization alone was associated with markedly lower carriage compared with either the control (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.41 [95% CI, 0.27-0.61]) or enhanced cleaning (AOR, 0.36 [95% CI, 0.24-0.55]). Enhanced cleaning alone did not reduce carriage (AOR, 1.14 [95% CI, 0.77-1.69]) and provided no additional benefit when combined with decolonization compared with decolonization alone (AOR, 1.37 [95% CI, 0.88-2.14]). For environmental contamination, 62.5% of bedroom objects (n = 225 of 360) and 72.9% of common area objects (n = 105 of 144) were contaminated during the control phase. In bedrooms, decolonization alone was associated with markedly lower contamination compared with either the control (AOR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.08-0.32]) or enhanced cleaning (AOR, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.12-0.54]). Enhanced cleaning alone did not reduce bedroom contamination (AOR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.32-1.24]) and provided no additional benefit when combined with decolonization compared with decolonization alone (AOR, 1.35 [95% CI, 0.66-2.75]). In contrast, MDRO contamination in common areas was significantly reduced by both decolonization (AOR, 0.19 [95% CI, 0.08-0.45]) and enhanced cleaning (AOR, 0.15 [95% CI, 0.07-0.35]) compared with the control. The combined intervention was associated with markedly lower common area contamination than either enhanced cleaning (AOR, 0.39 [95% CI, 0.16-0.91]) or decolonization alone (AOR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.11-0.82]). In this quality improvement study, only decolonization was associated with reduced MDRO carriage and bedroom contamination, and only common area contamination appeared to be further reduced by adding once-daily enhanced cleaning.
Recent crises involving zoonotic diseases (Ebola, COVID-19, and Mpox) have highlighted the limitations of fragmented public health systems for the prevention and response to health emergencies at the international and continental level, and particularly in Africa, more specifically in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In this context, the One Health (OH) approach and its extension, One Digital Health (ODH), articulated with the findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable (FAIR) principles, offer a framework for rethinking the digital transition in health in the DRC. This study analyzes the reality of this transition in Kinshasa, DRC, and questions the feasibility of ODH in this context. This study aimed to (1) explore how stakeholders across human, animal, and environmental health sectors perceive and experience digital tool integration and data interoperability in Kinshasa; (2) identify structural, institutional, and technical constraints affecting cross-sectoral data sharing; and (3) analyze the sociotechnical conditions required for the operationalization of ODH in a fragmented digital health (DH) context. A qualitative study was conducted in Kinshasa, DRC, between November 10, 2025, and November 25, 2025, combining semistructured interviews with key actors (health professionals, administrative officials, digital experts, and engaged citizens) and a document review of strategic and regulatory texts related to DH in the DRC. The data were analyzed using a thematic approach to identify the representations, uses, and constraints related to DH and the operationalization of ODH. Overall, 22 stakeholders participated (n=9, 40.9% human health; n=8, 36.4% animal health; n=4, 18.2% environmental health; n=1, 4.50% digital sector), predominantly male (n=15, 68.2%) and mainly in operational roles (n=12, 54.5%). Three interrelated topics emerged. First, a dual-track digital ecosystem characterized by the coexistence of formal platforms (eg, District Health Information Software 2 and electronic records) and informal tools (eg, WhatsApp [Meta]), with persistent paper-digital double-entry generating inefficiencies. Second, structural and governance bottlenecks, including electricity instability, limited connectivity, software incompatibility, external data-hosting concerns that affect sovereignty, and institutional silos that privilege human health over animal and environmental sectors. Third, prerequisites for operationalizing ODH emphasize foundational infrastructure (energy and internet), sustainable capacity building beyond one-off training, interoperable "bridges" between fragmented systems, and high-level political leadership. These elements were synthesized into an ODH-FAIR DRC conceptual model structured around three enabling pillars linking sectors for integrated zoonotic surveillance. Operationalizing ODH in DRC requires addressing foundational enablers beyond tools: synchronized energy-digital policies, decompartmentalized governance, and context-adapted capacity building. These insights inform low- and middle-income countries' DH strategies, urging donors and ministries to prioritize interoperability over isolated pilots to achieve sustainable zoonotic surveillance.
The morphological transition of fungi from vegetative hyphae to thick-walled chlamydospores enhances their longevity in harsh environmental conditions. Owing to this resilience, pathogenic fungi that form chlamydospores are particularly difficult to control. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of chlamydospore formation is critically important. Here, we show that the hyphae of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma guizhouense can differentiate into typical terminal and intercalary chlamydospores characterized by double-layered spherical or ellipsoidal cell walls with accumulated lipid bodies and nuclei. We found that during chlamydospore formation, ribosome biogenesis was gradually downregulated, indicating the entry of cells into dormancy. Comparative transcriptomic analyses across developmental stages and media identified the Gti1/Pac2 family protein CFG1 as an essential regulator, as the Δcfg1 strain failed to form chlamydospores under all inducing conditions. Lipidomic analysis showed its involvement in lipid metabolism, and mutants lacking lipid metabolism genes pdat or dgat produced fewer chlamydospores. Our work reveals the molecular mechanism of chlamydospore formation in T. guizhouense.IMPORTANCEIn fungal biology, the morphological transition from vegetative hyphae to thick-walled, lipid-rich chlamydospores represents a fundamental developmental switch into dormancy, crucial for survival under environmental stress. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms behind this process is essential for deciphering the basic principles of fungal cell differentiation and adaptation. This study employs multi-omics approaches to systematically characterize chlamydospore formation and identifies the Gti1/Pac2 family protein CFG1 as a master regulator. Functional analysis reveals that CFG1 governs this transition by directly influencing lipid metabolism-a key pathway for spore maturation and structural integrity. These findings uncover a previously unknown molecular switch in fungal development and provide new insights into how filamentous fungi coordinate metabolic reprogramming with cellular differentiation to ensure long-term survival.
The performance of photosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) is determined not only by their intrinsic molecular structures but also by their spatial organization and environmental interactions. Supramolecular assembly enables precise control over molecular packing, local microenvironments, and intermolecular electronic coupling without altering the chromophore scaffold, thereby offering a versatile approach to modulate the photophysical and photochemical behavior of PSs through noncovalent interactions. In this Minireview, we summarize recent advances in supramolecular strategies for modulating the excited-state properties of PSs in PDT. We focus on two central aspects: promoting intersystem crossing to enhance triplet-state formation, and modulating excited-state deactivation pathways to regulate ROS generation and bias Type-I or Type-II photodynamic processes. Representative examples are discussed to illustrate how supramolecular assembly can reduce singlet-triplet energy gaps, introduce charge-transfer (CT) mediators, suppress nonproductive decay, and facilitate electron or hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions. Finally, we highlight the remaining challenges in mechanistic understanding, structural stability, and translational implementation, and outline future opportunities in bioadaptive assembly, simplified system design, and mechanism-guided development of next-generation supramolecular PSs.
Plant sex reversal reflects developmental plasticity in floral sexual expression under genetic and environmental variation. Zanthoxylum bungeanum is a woody spice crop generally regarded as dioecious, but female-to-male floral transition has been increasingly observed in female trees across several major production regions in recent years, resulting in reduced fruit set and yield. Using developmental cytology, hormone profiling, transcriptomics, hormone treatments, and gene silencing assays, we found that ABA accumulation at the S2 stage was associated with female-to-male floral transition. Fluridone treatment before visible sex differentiation markedly reduced the proportion of male flowers, supporting a role for ABA biosynthesis during the early phase of floral sex specification. The floral homeotic gene ZbAGAMOUS (ZbAG) was identified as a candidate gene associated with reproductive organ identity and pistil retention during sex transition. Our data support a model in which elevated ABA is associated with increased ZbNAC83 expression and reduced ZbAG expression. ZbNAC83 binds an ABRE-containing fragment of the ZbAG promoter and represses reporter activity, consistent with a role in promoting male organ differentiation. These findings support a model in which an ABA-associated ZbNAC83-ZbAG module contributes to the loss of female floral identity during early floral sex transition in Z. bungeanum.
A dramatic increase in dengue infections has been observed in the recent years, raising concerns regarding the potential further spread of dengue. Shenzhen, a major international port city in China, is typically a non-endemic region; however, it faces persistent risks from imported cases. The resurgence of imported risk has made the identification of effective prevention and control strategies a pressing public health priority for the region. We integrated epidemic, environmental, and intervention data from Shenzhen covering the period from 2015 to 2023. A compartmental mathematical model was developed to characterize the transmission dynamics of dengue triggered by imported cases. We applied sensitivity analysis and developed a quantitative metric to evaluate the relative efficacy of various non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies in this specific urban context. Our sensitivity analysis identified vector control and the reduction of mosquito biting rates as the most critical factors influencing transmission dynamics. These analytical results were further validated through simulations based on a model fitted to historical data, which revealed that prioritizing these strategies significantly mitigated dengue transmission risks. Compared to alternative measures, these targeted interventions demonstrated a substantially higher impact on reducing the risk and scale of local outbreaks. This study provides a practical, evidence-based tool for health authorities to prioritize interventions in at-risk hub cities. Our findings underscore that for non-endemic port cities like Shenzhen, focusing on rigorous vector management and biting rate reduction is critical for mitigating the risk of dengue epidemics. These insights offer a strategic framework for guiding future epidemic control efforts against vector-borne diseases in non-endemic urban environments.
Electrochemistry has become a powerful and environmentally sustainable tool for driving redox transformations in modern chemical synthesis. However, achieving stereocontrol in electrocatalysis remains a persistent challenge. Introducing asymmetric organocatalysis into electrosynthesis offers an attractive strategy for controlling enantioselectivity, though successful systems to date are very limited. This limitation largely stems from several key factors, including the highly polar electrochemical environment, which can weaken noncovalent interactions, and the transient, highly reactive nature of radical intermediates, both of which complicate enantiocontrol. Employing chiral pyridoxal as a catalyst, we have successfully developed a novel asymmetric electrocatalytic system. This system facilitates an electricity-driven, asymmetric oxidative coupling of amino acid esters with silyl enol ethers through radical carbonyl catalysis. The method enables the efficient synthesis of biologically significant α-tertiary amino acid esters with good yields and excellent stereoselectivities. Beyond efficiently activating the amino acid esters, the chiral pyridoxal catalyst also delivers exceptional enantiocontrol even under highly polar reaction conditions, establishing an efficient organocatalytic platform for asymmetric electrosynthesis.
Here, we demonstrate that sub-stoichiometric amounts of alkali cations (Na+ and K+) critically govern defect formation during the synthesis of Silicalite-1 (MFI), enabling precise control over framework integrity and surface properties after calcination. Combining systematic synthesis studies with density functional theory (DFT) calculations and high-resolution microscopy, we reveal a defect-healing mechanism in which in situ generated NaOH or KOH species promote Si-O-Si bond rearrangement and enhance the mobility of Si(OH)4 units. This process facilitates the effective healing of T-site vacancies, yielding highly ordered, defect-free MFI frameworks. The resulting Silicalite-1 exhibits markedly enhanced hydrophobicity and superior selectivity in butanol/water separation, underscoring the decisive role of defect control in modulating adsorption and interfacial properties. Importantly, these insights are successfully extended to the synthesis of defect-free TS-1, affording highly hydrophobic Lewis acid catalysts with improved activity and selectivity in the epoxidation of 1-hexene. This environmentally friendly, straightforward, scalable approach offers a versatile pathway to produce defect-free zeolites with precisely tuned physicochemical properties, enabling the development of advanced catalytic and separation materials, especially for applications involving water or polar compounds.
Food-packaging materials protect food from spoilage by enhancing its shelf life, safety, and overall quality. Currently, a major portion of food-packaging materials are made from fossil-based synthetic polymers due to the cost and ease of processing; however, they have far-reaching consequences on the environment and human health. Their multifaceted impact on the environment is not only limited to carbon footprint throughout their life cycle but also worsened by microplastic release affecting the aquatic systems. The non-biodegradability of such petroleum-based polymers is exacerbating the waste generation upon disposal, negatively affecting soil fertility and raising massive landfill issues. The processing materials and functional additives that can migrate into food and pose toxicological risks also raise concerns. This state-of-the-art review briefly outlines the traditional production processes of available commercial food-packaging materials from different polymeric materials and additives prior to explaining their consequences and broader impacts on the environment and human health in detail. It further highlights promising alternatives, emphasizing biodegradable and renewable polymers paired with safer bio-based additives to maintain the functional performance. The paper concludes with a forward-looking perspective on advancing sustainable and environmentally responsible packaging solutions across industrial sectors.
Liposomes have long been established as versatile and biocompatible carriers for biologically active molecules. Advances in manufacturing technology have dramatically broadened their application landscape, positioning them today as effective platforms for the oral delivery of pharmacologically active compounds, nutrients, and dietary supplements. Developing effective oral liposomal formulations, however, demands more than empirical optimization. It requires a strategy that simultaneously accounts for the complex physiological environment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the physicochemical profile of the encapsulated payload, and the practical realities of scalable production. This work presents an integrative framework that unifies four critical decision-making axes: the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), Lipinski's Rule of Five, log P assessment and production process constraints. By mapping BCS categories onto specific GI absorption mechanisms, this framework enables the rational engineering of liposome architecture and properties to actively exploit physiological uptake routes. If the approach is effectively applied, liposomal carriers can achieve bioavailability enhancement that is to some degree independent of the payload's intrinsic membrane permeability and markedly less susceptible to food-effect interference compared to conventional oral formulations. Critically, aligning payload BCS class and log P with manufacturing feasibility supports the rational selection of production methods and excipient systems, striking a calibrated balance among encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics, physicochemical stability, and scale-up practicality. The power of this integrated approach is illustrated through two contrasting compounds, vitamin C (highly hydrophilic, BCS Class I) and vitamin D (highly hydrophobic, BCS Class IV), representing opposite ends of the physicochemical spectrum. These case studies demonstrate that tailoring liposome composition and processing conditions to the specific payload profile and GI physiological context can yield meaningful, nutritionally relevant gains in oral bioavailability for both hydrophilic and lipophilic molecules. This framework provides a scientifically rigorous and industrially actionable foundation for the rational development of next-generation oral liposomal formulations, systems that are not only mechanistically optimized but also commercially viable, ultimately contributing to improved therapeutic and nutritional health outcomes.
In zoos, intensive human contact and artificial feeding may create pathways for microplastic (MP) ingestion and gut colonization. We hypothesized that ingested MPs form intestinal plastispheres with elevated pathogenic potential and enhanced environmental persistence. To test this, we surveyed feces from 15 zoo-dwelling species and coupled particle characterization, feces-derived intestinal simulations, metagenomic sequencing, and a subsequent water-exposure experiment. Zoo feces contained more abundant MPs than reported for wild counterparts, with fragments predominating and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polystyrene (PS) dominating polymer profiles. MP burdens tracked human-animal interaction patterns, with human-fed species (e.g., Tiger, Elephant) carrying the highest loads (88-212 items/g). MPs supported dense biofilms whose composition diverged from bulk gut communities, exhibiting greater compositional variability and substrate-specific assembly. Metagenomic analyses revealed coordinated enrichment of potentially pathogenic taxa, virulence factor genes (VFGs), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with ARG profiles dominated by efflux- and inactivation-related mechanisms and tightly associated with mobile genetic elements. Elevated Type II/III/IV/VI secretion systems and effector delivery-related VFGs occurred within extracellular polymeric substance-rich biofilms, suggesting enhanced potential for ARG retention and horizontal gene transfer. During the 35-day aquatic exposure, MP-associated communities persisted longer than non-plastic particle-associated communities and free gut microbiota, suggesting that plastic-specific properties promote microbial persistence. PET/PS plastispheres showed the slowest declines in bacterial activity and favored the persistence of Enterococcus, Enterobacter, and Clostridium. Overall, intestinal MPs in zoo animals may select, enrich, and export high-risk microbiomes, highlighting the need for MP mitigation and evidence-based management of zoos and adjacent ecosystems.
A practical surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is reported constructed by depositing Ag nanoparticle dimers (Ag NDs) onto a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film with macroscopic cavity arrays (MCA). This design integrates the synergistic advantages of large-aperture and shallow-depth MCA, as well as Ag NDs with abundant nanogaps, achieving a well-balanced combination of sensitivity, uniformity, and operability for rapid testing. The open MCA structure, fabricated using commercial toothbrush bristles as a template, not only facilitates analyte enrichment through spatial confinement but also serves as a patterned scaffold for depositing densely plasmonic Ag dimer arrays, which generates high-density SERS hotspots. The optimized Ag NDs@MCA substrate exhibits desirable SERS performance, including good sensitivity, satisfactory uniformity, and reliable batch-to-batch reproducibility. Furthermore, the naked-eye-distinguishable cavities allow direct visual positioning of detection sites, significantly simplifying testing operation. Coupled with a portable Raman spectrometer, the as-prepared SERS substrate achieved fast trace determination of malachite green (10⁻6 M) in lake water and thiram (10⁻7 M) on apple surfaces. This low-cost, practical SERS substrate demonstrates great potential for on-site environmental monitoring and food safety screening.
Salmonella Pullorum (S. Pullorum) remains a persistent challenge in poultry production owing to its capacity to cause latent infections and spread through contaminated eggs and rearing facilities. Furthermore, biofilm formation and increased resistance to conventional control measures complicate its eradication. This study characterized a lytic bacteriophage (P53F) isolated from environmental wastewater and assessed its potential as a biological control agent. P53F exhibited strong lytic activity against multiple clinical isolates of S. Pullorum, with a latent period of 10 min and a burst size of 117 PFU/cell. Additionally, P53F maintained stability over a wide range of temperatures (4-60 °C) and pH levels (3.0-12.0) after a 1-h incubation. Morphological analysis revealed that P53F possesses an icosahedral head and a non-contractile tail, indicating a siphovirus morphotype. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses classified P53F within the genus Jerseyvirus (class Caudoviricetes). No virulence or antimicrobial resistance genes were detected. In vitro assays conducted at 25 and 37 °C demonstrated that P53F significantly inhibited S. Pullorum biofilm formation and disrupted mature biofilms. Moreover, when applied to contaminated eggshells and different material surfaces (stainless steel, glass, and polyethylene terephthalate), P53F at a multiplicity of infection of 1 significantly reduced S. Pullorum loads compared to the untreated control. These findings indicated that P53F is a promising biocontrol agent for controlling the spread of S. Pullorum in the poultry industry.