Explore the vast range of titles available.

Future brain-machine interfaces, prosthetics, and intelligent soft robotics will require integrating artificial neuromorphic devices with biological systems. Due to their poor biocompatibility, circuit complexity, low energy efficiency, and operating principles fundamentally different from the ion signal modulation of biology, traditional Silicon-based neuromorphic implementations have limited bio-integration potential. Here, we report the first organic electrochemical neurons (OECNs) with ion-modulated spiking, based on all-printed complementary organic electrochemical transistors. We demonstrate facile bio-integration of OECNs with Venus Flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula ) to induce lobe closure upon input stimuli. The OECNs can also be integrated with all-printed organic electrochemical synapses (OECSs), exhibiting short-term plasticity with paired-pulse facilitation and long-term plasticity with retention >1000 s, facilitating Hebbian learning. These soft and flexible OECNs operate below 0.6 V and respond to multiple stimuli, defining a new vista for localized artificial neuronal systems possible to integrate with bio-signaling systems of plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. The integration of artificial neuromorphic devices with biological systems plays a fundamental role for future brain-machine interfaces, prosthetics, and intelligent soft robotics. Harikesh et al. demonstrate all-printed organic electrochemical neurons on Venus flytrap that is controlled to open and close.

Battery-electric vehicles (BEV) have emerged as a favoured technology solution to mitigate transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in many non-Annex 1 countries, including India. GHG mitigation potentials of electric 4-wheelers in India depend critically on when and where they are charged: 40% reduction in the north-eastern states and more than 15% increase in the eastern/western regions today, with higher overall GHGs emitted when charged overnight and in the summer. Self-charging gasoline-electric hybrids can lead to 33% GHG reductions, though they haven’t been fully considered a mitigation option in India. Electric 2-wheelers can already enable a 20% reduction in GHG emissions given their small battery size and superior efficiency. India’s electrification plan demands up to 125GWh of annual battery capacities by 2030, nearly 10% of projected worldwide productions. India requires a phased electrification with a near-term focus on 2-wheelers and a clear trajectory to phase-out coal-power for an organised mobility transition. India’s plans to electrify transport is complicated by its reliance on coal-power. Here the authors call for diverse policy and technology solutions, including a focus on cleaner grids, electric 2-wheelers, and hybrid 4-wheelers in the near-term.

Proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines play a crucial role in regulating the inflammatory response, which is essential for the proper functioning of our immune system. When infections or threats to the body’s defense mechanisms are detected, the innate immune system takes the lead. However, an excessive inflammatory response can lead to the production of high concentrations of cytotoxic molecules, resulting in tissue damage. Inflammasomes are significant contributors to innate immunity, and one of the most extensively studied inflammasome complexes is NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3). NLRP3 has a wide range of recognition mechanisms that streamline immune activation and eliminate pathogens. These cytosolic multiprotein complexes are composed of effector, adaptor, and sensor proteins, which are crucial for identifying intracellular bacterial breakdown products and initiating an innate immune cascade. To understand the diverse behavior of NLRP3 activation and its significance in the development of lifestyle-related diseases, one must delve into the study of the immune response and apoptosis mediated by the release of proinflammatory cytokines. In this review, we briefly explore the immune response in the context of lifestyle associated disorders such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, oral disease, and cardiovascular disease. Study Reveals NLRP3 Inflammasome’s Impact on Lifestyle Diseases NOD-like receptors (NLRs - proteins that help our immune system fight off harmful invaders) are vital for our health. Their function in T and B cells (types of white blood cells) is less clear. Scientists have found 22 kinds of NLRs in humans, which start different immune and inflammation responses. This study is a detailed review of NLRs, examining their structure, how they are activated, and their role in diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart problems. It emphasizes that NLRs, particularly the NLRP3 inflammasome (a protein complex involved in inflammation), are key in lifestyle diseases by causing inflammation. The review proposes that focusing on NLRP3 could lead to new treatments for these diseases. This research is a big step in understanding how our natural immune system contributes to chronic diseases and offers potential for new treatments. Future research could further explore the complexities of NLRs and their potential as treatment targets. This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author.

Pain has been considered as a concept of sensation that we feel as a reaction to the stimulus of our surrounding, putting us in harm’s way and acting as a form of defense mechanism that our body has permanently installed into its system. However, pain leads to a huge chunk of finances within the healthcare system with continuous rehabilitation of patients with adverse pain sensations, which might reduce not only their quality of life but also their productivity at work setting back the pace of our economy. It may not look like a huge deal but factor in pain as an issue for majority of us, it becomes an economical burden. Although pain has been researched into and understood by numerous researches, from its definition, mechanism of action to its inhibition in hopes of finding an absolute solution for victims of pain, the pathways of pain sensation, neurotransmitters involved in producing such a sensation are not comprehensively reviewed. Therefore, this review article aims to put in place a thorough understanding of major pain conditions that we experience—nociceptive, inflammatory and physiologically dysfunction, such as neuropathic pain and its modulation and feedback systems. Moreover, the complete mechanism of conduction is compiled within this article, elucidating understandings from various researches and breakthroughs.

This comprehensive review explores the evolving role of probiotic‐based foods and beverages, highlighting their potential as functional and “ future foods ” that could significantly enhance nutrition, health, and overall well‐being. These products are gaining prominence for their benefits in gut health, immune support, and holistic wellness. However, their future success depends on addressing critical safety concerns and navigating administrative complexities. Ensuring that these products “ do more good than harm ” involves rigorous evaluations of probiotic strains, particularly those sourced from the human gastrointestinal tract. Lactic acid bacteria (LABs) serve as versatile and effective functional starter cultures for the development of probiotic foods and beverages. The review emphasizes the role of LABs as functional starter cultures and the development of precision probiotics in advancing these products. Establishing standardized guidelines and transparent practices is essential, requiring collaboration among regulatory bodies, industry stakeholders, and the scientific community. The review underscores the importance of innovation in developing “ friendly bacteria ,” “ super probiotics ,” precision fermentation, and effective safety assessments. The prospects of functional probiotic‐based foods and beverages rely on refining these elements and adapting to emerging scientific advancements. Ultimately, empowering consumers with accurate information, fostering innovation, and maintaining stringent safety standards will shape the future of these products as trusted and beneficial components of a health‐conscious society. Probiotic‐based foods and beverages, often infused with LABs, a “ friendly bacteria ,” are emerging as “ super probiotics ” and “ future foods ” designed to “ do more good than harm ” for overall health.

The diffusion tensor imaging technique has been recognized as a neuroimaging tool for in vivo visualization of white matter tracts. However, DTI is not a routine procedure for preoperative planning for brain tumor resection. Our study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of DTI and the outcomes of surgery. The electronic databases, PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus, were searched for relevant studies. Studies were systematically reviewed based on the application of DTI in pre-surgical planning, modification of operative planning, re-evaluation of preoperative DTI data intraoperatively, and the outcome of surgery decisions. Seventeen studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most studies agreed that preoperative planning using DTI improves postoperative neuro-deficits, giving a greater resection yield and shortening the surgery time. The results also indicate that the re-evaluation of preoperative DTI intraoperatively assists in a better visualization of white matter tract shifts. Seven studies also suggested that DTI modified the surgical decision of the initial surgical approach and the rate of the GTR in tumor resection surgery. The utilization of DTI may give essential information on white matter tract pathways, for a better surgical approach, and eventually reduce the risk of neurologic deficits after surgery.

Relationships between biodiversity and multiple ecosystem functions (that is, ecosystem multifunctionality) are context-dependent. Both plant and soil microbial diversity have been reported to regulate ecosystem multifunctionality, but how their relative importance varies along environmental gradients remains poorly understood. Here, we relate plant and microbial diversity to soil multifunctionality across 130 dryland sites along a 4,000 km aridity gradient in northern China. Our results show a strong positive association between plant species richness and soil multifunctionality in less arid regions, whereas microbial diversity, in particular of fungi, is positively associated with multifunctionality in more arid regions. This shift in the relationships between plant or microbial diversity and soil multifunctionality occur at an aridity level of ∼0.8, the boundary between semiarid and arid climates, which is predicted to advance geographically ∼28% by the end of the current century. Our study highlights that biodiversity loss of plants and soil microorganisms may have especially strong consequences under low and high aridity conditions, respectively, which calls for climate-specific biodiversity conservation strategies to mitigate the effects of aridification. Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships may vary with climate. Here, the authors study relationships of plant and soil microbial diversity with soil nutrient multifunctionality in 130 dryland sites in China, finding a shift towards greater importance of soil microbial diversity in arid conditions.

PurposeThe construction industry is the major sector in China but it has been exposed to a series of problems including low productivity and workforce shortage. However, construction robots as an effective and sustainable approach to overcome the difficulties in construction industry have not been widely adopted. Few studies attempted to investigate on the adoption of construction robots in China. In order to fill this gap, this study aim to address the barriers to the adoption of construction robots in China.Design/methodology/approachThrough literature review, semi-structured interview 24 factors hindering the adoption of construction robots are summarized. Next, a total of valid 150 questionnaires delivered to the 7 stakeholders were collected. Ranking analysis was used to identify 21 critical factors was determined by the mean score analysis and factor analysis extracted 21 critical factors into 5 clusters.FindingsResults indicate that the “technological performance and management” cluster is the most dominant of the 5 clusters. The most important barrier is “Limited research and design input”, followed by “High purchase cost” and “Unstructured construction environment”. Construction robots are still under R&D have had limited field applications in the production and construction process.Originality/valueThe research findings provide a useful reference for different stakeholders to identify the critical factors appropriate strategies to promote the adoption of construction robots. Furthermore, this study provides recommendations to promote adoption of construction robots.

Food insecurity impacts 2.3 billion individuals worldwide, with the Asia–Pacific region representing more than 50% of the global undernourished population. In Pakistan, approximately 37% of the population experiences food insecurity, with rural Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) exhibiting concerning rates of stunting, wasting, and overweight individuals. This research examines the correlation between food insecurity, household factors, agricultural practices, and climate change in rural AJK. Data were collected from 470 respondents via a self-administered questionnaire utilizing convenience sampling, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied for analysis. Household size, gender, income, education, and climate change influence food insecurity significantly. An increase of one person in household size is associated with a 0.499-unit rise in food insecurity, whereas a one-unit increase in income results in a 0.582-unit reduction. Females exhibit greater levels of food insecurity compared to males, while educational attainment is associated with a reduction in food insecurity. Furthermore, the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices mitigates food insecurity, whereas climate change intensifies it. The findings highlight the necessity for targeted interventions that address the specific challenges faced by rural AJK, particularly about climate-resilient agricultural practices and sustainable livelihoods.

PurposeDecarbonizing the heavy-duty truck (HDT) sector is a climate imperative but also a challenging element to meet China’s carbon reduction commitment. Various technological and non-technological measures are emerging. However, a comprehensive understanding is still lacking regarding the extent to which these measures can decarbonize the HDT fleet. This study aims to provide a systematic assessment of near and long-term strategies toward decarbonizing the road freight sector in China from a well-to-wheels (WTW) life cycle perspective.MethodsA fleet-based dynamic model is developed to estimate the prospective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of China’s HDT sector from 2020 to 2050. The case study considers the overall WTW life cycle GHG emissions including the fuel and energy production, distribution, and the use for vehicle operation. Relative to a base case scenario, four mitigation options are investigated: improvements in freight logistics, internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) efficiency improvements, adoption of advanced hybrid technology, and the use of alternative fuel types. The study quantifies the potential emission reduction and energy demand by deploying these measures synergistically through 2050. The implications of upstream fuel production pathways to the fleet GHG emissions are examined.Results and discussionThe annual GHG emissions of China’s HDT fleet are projected to nearly double from 2020 to 2050 if no abatement technologies are implemented. Cumulative deployments of considered measures will enable the net GHG emissions to peak in 2029 and result in more than 60% emission reduction in 2050. Improving conventional vehicles through ICEV efficiency improvement and hybridization, complemented by improved logistics operations, presents important near-term opportunities to moderate the rise in GHG emissions. Meanwhile, the growing penetrations of battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks, coupled with sufficient access to lower-carbon sources, could facilitate deeper reductions in emissions in the longer term. Furthermore, low carbon synthetic fuel offers an opportunity to accelerate the decarbonization of older trucks still existing within the fleet.ConclusionsThere is no silver bullet to decarbonize the HDTs, whereby, on its own, each measure is inadequate to fully mitigate emissions from China’s growing freight sector. A broad mix of energy, powertrain technologies, and logistical solutions is needed to support an orderly low carbon transition for China’s HDT sector. This will require a more holistic regulatory framework, such as life cycle assessment approaches, to encourage innovations of all technologies for a sustainable freight transport future.