Current Science

Utilization of Silkworm Pupae-Derived Biochar for Cr(VI) Removal

2026-07-23T10:57:10+00:00

Silkworm pupae, a prevalent agricultural residue in China, are rich in proteins and polysaccharides, offering significant potential for resourceful utilization. This study investigates the application of silkworm pupa-derived biochar for the removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from water. Biochar was produced through pyrolysis at 300 °C, 400 °C, and 500 °C at varying retention times. The silkworm pupa biochar produced at 300 °C exhibited effective Cr(VI) removal under acidic conditions (pH < 3), at a relatively low temperature of 15 °C, and with an adsorbent dosage below 5 g/L, reaching a maximum adsorption capacity of 1.476 mg/g. The adsorption process was consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and the Freundlich isotherm adsorption model, which indicate that the adsorption of Cr(VI) by the biochar proceeded simultaneously with membrane diffusion and intraparticle diffusion. Some oxygen-containing functional groups and C=C groups were involved in the adsorption process. The study highlights the feasibility of using silkworm pupa biochar as a sustainable and economically viable adsorbent for wastewater remediation. These findings provide a potential approach for utilizing agricultural waste in environmental management, contributing to both waste treatment and pollution control.

An Integrated Drone-Borne Magnetics and Multi-Scale Satellite Remote Sensing to Delineate Structural Controls on Groundwater Accumulation in Hard-Rock Aquifers of Ghumnur Khurd surroundings, Komaram Bheem Asifabad Dist., Telangana, India

2026-07-28T06:04:40+00:00

A high-resolution drone-borne magnetic survey was integrated with multi-scale satellite remote sensing over approximately 10 Km² of tribal agricultural land in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, northern Telangana, India, to identify subsurface dolerite dykes and assess their potential as natural barriers for passive groundwater storage. A total of 23,432 magnetic readings were acquired at 10Hz using a UAV- mounted proton precession magnetometer at a mean altitude of 581m amsl. Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) data were processed to generate residual anomaly, Reduction to Pole (RTP), and Analytic Signal maps. Three distinct dolerite dykes were delineated: two NW–SE trending bodies (Dyke A: +949nT; Dyke 2: +160nT) and one NE–SW cross-cutting lateral barrier (Dyke 3: +198nT). Dip directions and geometries were determined using the North–South magnetic gradient asymmetry method and independently validated by satellite terrain slope, geomorphology, and lineament density maps. Both NW–SE dykes dip northward at 65⁰–80°, directly opposing the regional NNE → SSW groundwater flow, creating highly effective natural subsurface dams. Peters’ half-width depth estimates place the top of the dyke intrusions at 30–55m, with basement depths varying between 75m and 134m along three modelled depth profiles. Total passive groundwater storage potential is estimated at 8.3 million litres, which scales to 11.1 million litres with targeted surface check dam integration. Eight priority borewell locations and five surface check dam sites are proposed to enhance community water security. Published regional data indicate acceptable water quality for drinking and irrigation; however, mandatory fluoride testing is required at each borehole prior to commissioning due to localized geogenic risks. This study demonstrates that integrated drone magnetic workflows, cross-validated by multi-band satellite imagery and digital terrain layers; provide a rapid, non-invasive, and cost-effective paradigm for groundwater resource exploration in complex hard-rock aquifers.

Evaluation for antidiabetic activities of flavonoids

2026-07-28T15:49:30+00:00

This study aims to evaluate the effects on antidiabetic activities of petroleum

ether extract (SMPE), ethyl acetate extract (SMAE), and flavonoids isolated from

Syzygium malaccense. The results discovered compounds 2, 5, 7, and 9 exhibited

weak inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with percent inhibition rate of

2.74±0.26 ~ 10.20±0.33 at 1.00×10 -6 mol/L and 9 showed weak promotion on glucose

consumption in HepG2 cells with consumption rate of 4.03±2.70 % at 1.00×10 -6

mol/L. All compounds were firstly tested their HepG2 cells glucose consumption

activities, and 6 and 8 ~ 10 were the first report on their α-glucosidase inhibitory

effect. This research provided new evidences for antihyperglycemic activity of S.

malaccense.

Chemical Constituents and Α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Syzygium Yunnanense

2026-07-31T14:48:16+00:00

Type 2 diabetes represents a pervasive global public health challenge, necessitating the discovery of novel, safe, and efficacious antidiabetic agents. This study presents the first phytochemical investigation of Syzygium yunnanense, isolating 23 secondary metabolites. Compounds 2, 6, and 8, whose α-glucosidase inhibitory activity is reported for the first time in this work, exhibited stronger in vitro inhibition than the positive control quercetin, with stable target binding validated via molecular docking. These results establish a scientific foundation for S. yunnanense as a promising antidiabetic medicinal resource. The antibacterial activity was also tested.

Factors Associated with Conversion to General Anesthesia among Parturients Undergoing Cesarean Section with Neuraxial Anestheisa: A Case-Control Study

2026-08-08T15:32:06+00:00

Objective

Pain during cesarean under neuraxial anesthesia is a concern for parturients. Some must convert to general anesthesia due to intense pain, increasing risks for the mother and neonate. The risk factors for this conversion are not well understood. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to identify potential independent factors.

Methods

We reviewed medical records to identify parturients who switched to general anesthesia during cesarean sections under initial neuraxial anesthesia and matched them 1:2 to the neuraxial anesthesia group. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were used to analyze risk factors for conversion.

Result

Between 2016 and 2025, 30,692 parturients at our hospital had cesarean sections with initial neuraxial anesthesia. Of these, 3102 experienced intraoperative pain, and 56 (1.8%) required conversion to general anesthesia due to severe discomfort. Univariate binary logistic regression identified risk factors including advanced age, BMI < 30, primigravidity, epidural anesthesia, repeat puncture, emergency surgery, and fatal weight. Multivariate regression showed advanced age, epidural anesthesia, repeat puncture, and emergency surgery as independent factors; fatal weight was marginally significant.

Conclusion

In conclusion, intraoperative pain is a common issue. The incidence of parturients converting from neuraxial to general anesthesia during cesarean delivery is low. Advanced age, multiple puncture attempts, initial epidural anesthesia, and emergency surgery are independent predictors of conversion to general anesthesia.

Keywords: Neuraxial anesthesia, General anesthesia, Cesarean section, Conversion

A New Method Based on Feature Alignment for Multi-Center Machine Learning Survival Prediction in Nasopharyngeal Cancer Patients

2026-08-08T00:56:54+00:00

Purpose In the survival prediction of multi-center nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, the inconsistency of data characteristics across different centers significantly affects the predictive performance of data-driven machine learning methods. This study explores how to improve the effectiveness and consistency of multi-center data through feature alignment and fusion techniques, thereby optimizing the performance of survival prediction models.

Methods We collected two sets of nasopharyngeal cancer data sets.After feature alignment, LASSO regression was used to screen the features in the aligned latent space to select the most discriminative features. Subsequently, we introduced 15 mainstream machine learning algorithms for survival prediction model training, selecting multidimensional metrics such as AUC, F1-score, Accuracy, and Recall for evaluation.Additionally, to validate the superiority of the method, we applied Pearson correlation and the Boruta algorithm to train the aforementioned 15 machine learning models separately on both datasets and compared the performance results. Combining the encoder weights of an Autoencoder, the SHAP importance is back-projected from the latent space to the original feature variables to analyze the factors influencing the survival of NPC patients.

Results All evaluation metrics (AUC, F1 score, precision) exceeding 0.97.This approach successfully mitigated multi-centre data heterogeneity while validating the robust generalisation capability and stability of these models within multi-centre data environments.SHAP interpretability analysis revealed that the feature combinations of gender + time, age + time, and primary site + age exhibited the broadest SHAP value distributions, representing the most influential feature combinations affecting survival risk prediction.

Conclusion The data heterogeneity issue associated with multi-center NPC survival prediction was effectively resolved by combining autoencoder-based feature alignment with adversarial training.

Circular RNA circASAP1 facilitates gastric cancer progression by sponging miR-874-3p and upregulating CPEB4

2026-08-09T08:44:20+00:00

Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth most prevalent malignancy globally and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Although age-standardized incidence rates have declined gradually over recent decades, the absolute case burden continues to rise, driven largely by population aging and demographic growth. The clinical outlook for advanced GC remains poor, creating an urgent need to dissect the underlying molecular mechanisms. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are established post-transcriptional regulators across multiple cancer types; however, the functional roles of most circRNAs in GC pathogenesis remain poorly characterized. In this study, we identified a significantly upregulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0008934 (designated circASAP1), in GC tissues and cell lines through microarray profiling and qRT-PCR validation. Functional assays demonstrated that circASAP1 knockdown markedly suppressed, while its overexpression promoted, GC cell proliferation, colony formation, DNA synthesis, migration, and invasion in vitro. Mechanistically, circASAP1 acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by directly sponging miR-874-3p, thereby derepressing the oncogenic target CPEB4. Luciferase reporter and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays confirmed the direct interactions among circASAP1, miR-874-3p, and the CPEB4 3′ untranslated region. Rescue experiments validated that the pro-tumorigenic effects of circASAP1 are mediated, at least in part, through the miR-874-3p/CPEB4 axis. These findings establish the circASAP1/miR-874-3p/CPEB4 regulatory cascade as a driver of GC progression and identify circASAP1 as a candidate prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

One New Phloroglucinol Derivative with Α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity from Syzygium Austroyunnanense

2026-08-24T13:27:46+00:00

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a substantial global publichealth burden, highlighting an urgent demand to discover new, safe and effective antidiabetic therapeutic agents. This study reports the isolation of one new phloroglucinol derivative (1) isolated from Syzygium austroyunnanense and its α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with quercetin as the positive control. It showed moderate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with inhibition rate of 51.46±0.49 % at 50 μM.

Associations between Atrial Fibrillation and Bone Mineral Density at Different Sites: A Mendelian Randomization Study

2026-09-02T06:44:24+00:00

Background: Observational studies have suggested that anti-osteoporosis therapies may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF); however, whether bone mineral density (BMD) itself exerts a causal effect on AF remains unclear. This study systematically investigated the univariable causal relationship between AF and BMD at different skeletal sites, including the femoral neck, lumbar spine, forearm, and total body, to clarify the relationship between bone status and AF risk.

Methods: We conducted a two-sample univariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate the causal associations between AF and BMD measured at the femoral neck (FN-BMD), lumbar spine (LS-BMD), forearm (FA-BMD), and total body (TB-BMD). Summary statistics were obtained from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs). The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary method, with sensitivity analyses including Cochran’s Q test, the MR-Egger intercept test, and leave-one-out analyses.

Results: The IVW analysis indicated positive associations of FN-BMD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.29, P = 0.003) and FA-BMD (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.03–1.29, P = 0.01) with an increased AF risk. In contrast, lumbar spine bone mineral density (LS‑BMD) had a suggestive causal association with AF(OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02‑1.23, P = 0.014).In contrast, no significant associations were detected for TB-BMD (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.95–1.09, P = 0.64). Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these findings.

Conclusion: This MR study provides genetic evidence that increased FN-BMD and FA-BMD is causally associated with an increased risk of AF, whereas lumbar spine bone mineral density (LS‑BMD) exerted a suggestive causal effect, whereas total‑body bone mineral density (TB‑BMD) showed no significant causal effect.. These results highlight novel links between skeletal health and cardiovascular disease.

Evaluation of Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Methanolic Extract Loaded Niosomal Gel for Anti- Inflammatory and Anti- Rheumatic Activity

2026-09-14T15:54:14+00:00

Neolamarckia cadamba is a medicinal plant known for its anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic activities of Neolamarckia cadamba leaf extract and its niosomal formulation. The leaf extract was prepared by Soxhlet extraction and formulated into niosomes to enhance its therapeutic efficacy. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using protein denaturation inhibition and HRBC membrane stabilization assays, while anti-rheumatic activity was evaluated by protein denaturation and anti-collagenase inhibition methods. The results demonstrated concentration-dependent activity for both the extract and niosomal formulation. However, the niosomal formulation exhibited significantly higher inhibition and membrane stabilization compared to the crude extract in all assays. The enhanced activity may be attributed to improved stability, bioavailability, and sustained release of phytoconstituents. The findings support the traditional use of Neolamarckia cadamba and suggest that niosomal drug delivery systems can be a promising approach for the treatment of inflammatory and rheumatic disorders.

Research Progress on Chinese Herbal Medicines for Gastrointestinal Diseases: A Review

2026-08-16T16:24:19+00:00

Gastrointestinal diseases are prevalent clinical conditions that significantly impair patients’ quality of life, manifesting symptoms such as epigastric and abdominal distension and pain, food retention, and loss of appetite. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines have a long history and demonstrated efficacy in treating these disorders, characterized by their multi-target and multi-pathway therapeutic actions, which have garnered increasing attention from researchers worldwide. This review systematically summarizes the pharmacodynamic material basis, pharmacological mechanisms, and clinical research progress of several common Chinese herbs, including Yunmuxiang (Aucklandia lappa), Chenpi (Citrus reticulata peel), Shan Zha (Crataegus pinnatifida), Baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala), and Houpu (Magnolia officinalis), in managing epigastric and abdominal distension and pain, food retention, and loss of appetite. Special emphasis is placed on the gastrointestinal motility regulation and anti-inflammatory activities of costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone, the main active sesquiterpene lactones in Yunmuxiang. Additionally, the review integrates the compatibility principles of related compound formulations with modern pharmacological evidence to provide a comprehensive understanding. The aim is to offer theoretical support and clinical references for the application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.