Search Results (9,421)

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus pose significant public health challenges, particularly due to antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA. In this context, Streptomyces, a genus known for producing natural antibiotics, emerges as a promising source for novel therapeutic agents. In this study, a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature (2015–2024) on Streptomyces as antibiotic biofactories against S. aureus was performed, aiming to identify publication trends, collaborative networks, and emerging research areas. Using the Web of Science database, searches were performed with descriptors (“Streptomyces” AND “Staphylococcus aureus”), including original articles and reviews in English. Data were analyzed with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to visualize collaborative networks, keyword co-occurrences, and trends. A total of 755 articles from 3705 authors were analyzed, highlighting significant collaboration (98.7%). Publications showed marked growth, particularly in Microbiology (21.7%), Pharmacology and Pharmacy (16.8%), and Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology (16.1%). China and India led in publication volume, whereas the United States exhibited the highest citation impact. Key emerging research topics include biosynthesis and metabolic optimization, antimicrobial activity and bioprospecting, mechanisms of antibiotic action and bacterial resistance, and genomic analyses. Research on Streptomyces for antibiotic production against S. aureus demonstrates continuous expansion and global interest, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches. Future studies should intensify exploration of biodiverse environments, genetic engineering applications, and combinatorial strategies to effectively address antimicrobial resistance. Full article

Global food systems face growing pressure from population expansion and climate change, making the identification of resilient crops a priority. The nopal cactus (Opuntia spp.) stands out for its capacity to thrive in arid environments and for its cultural and economic importance in Mexico. This study analyzes worldwide research trends and evaluates evidence from Mexico to identify opportunities and strategies for closing production cycles through residue valorization. Scientific output over the past decade shows steady growth and a thematic transition from basic agronomic and compositional studies toward sustainability, bioactive compounds, and circular economy approaches. In the Mexican context, applied studies demonstrate that Opuntia spp. cladodes residues can be transformed into composts with C/N ratios between 12 and 26, improving soil organic matter and nutrient availability. Biofertilizers produced through anaerobic fermentation enhanced phosphorus solubility in alkaline soils, while direct residue incorporation increased carrot and tomato yields up to threefold. Farmers recognize these practices as low-cost and compatible with local systems. Nevertheless, the lack of standardized protocols and scalable models limits widespread adoption. Strengthening research collaboration, policy incentives, and technology transfer could position Mexico as a leader in sustainable Opuntia value chains and advance circular economy practices in smallholder farming systems. Full article

Background: Breast reconstruction following mastectomy has become an essential procedure in breast cancer treatment due to its positive impact on patients’ quality of life. Among the various reconstruction techniques, the use of expanders followed by implants has gained popularity. In this context, acellular dermal matrices (ADM) have been introduced as an adjunct to improve implant coverage, lower pole support, and aesthetic outcomes. However, their use has also been associated with higher costs and a potential increase in postoperative complications, which remains a matter of debate. We aimed to determine the relationship between acellular dermal matrix and postoperative outcomes and complications. Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted with patients who underwent immediately breast mastectomy followed by tissue expander reconstruction from January 2022 to June 2024. Patients were divided into two groups depending on reconstructive plane. Results: The final cohort contained 87 patients. Smoking, radiotherapy and dermal matrix were associated with a higher complication rates. After risk-adjustment, dermal matrix use led to a higher rates of surgical site infection (OR 7.62, p = 0.029) in the prepectoral plane, and higher rates of overall complications (OR 3.34, p = 0.05) and surgical wound dehiscence (OR 6.04, p = 0.048) in the retropectoral plane. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of individualized surgical planning, particularly concerning the use of acellular dermal matrix, which were associated with increased risks of surgical site infection, dehiscence, and global complications. Further research is required to establish standardized guidelines for the optimal selection surgical technique. Full article

A May 2025 symposium convened leading virology experts across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to advance regional research and collaborative efforts. Sessions explored cutting-edge developments in arbovirology, pressing challenges in viral surveillance, and the complexities of vector biology. Integrated networking opportunities and hands-on workshops offered mentorship and training, focused on the next generation of virologists, and strengthened scientific communication within the region. The morning session included reports from the LAC Global Virus Network (GVN) Centers of Excellence. A roundtable dialogue tackled the present challenges faced in arbovirus research. The Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition reported on its collaborative progress. Trainees from the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, and the University of the West Indies Global Infectious Diseases Research Training program showcased their current research projects. A session concentrated on health landscapes and the capacity for viral vaccinations within the region. A mentoring workshop focused on immune evasion methodologies and obstacles associated with arboviruses. One Health perspectives on viral zoonotic diseases addressed developments in the surveillance of vector-borne viruses in the Caribbean. Studies of mosquitoes and ticks as vectors of viruses included discussion on the neurovirulence of arboviruses and symptoms occurring after viral infections. Pediatric infectious diseases were highlighted in their environmental health context. An additional mentoring workshop centered on viruses and the microbiome. The relationship between viruses and cancer was discussed in the South American context and included recent advancements in the field of vaccinology. The Jamaica Regional GVN meeting promoted collaboration, facilitated the exchange of knowledge, and advanced research efforts throughout the region. Full article

Background: Disease-related malnutrition (DRM) remains an underdiagnosed condition in Latin American hospitals, with substantial clinical and economic consequences. The global nutritionDay initiative, promoted by ESPEN, provides a standardized audit to evaluate and improve hospital nutritional care. This study aimed to develop expert consensus recommendations to optimize the nutritional care process in Guatemalan hospitals, based on the findings from nutritionDay 2022. Methods: A modified Delphi study was conducted, including three meetings held before and after each round to discuss the results. Sixteen clinical nutrition professionals from eleven hospitals participated. A total of 89 items were assessed, with a predefined consensus threshold of 70%. Data were analyzed using R software (version 4.5.0) and Kendall’s W coefficient was applied to evaluate inter-round agreement. Results: Consensus was achieved for 51 key recommendations covering nutritional screening, clinical assessment, anthropometry, body composition, functional assessment, biochemical monitoring, dietary intervention, and post-discharge follow-up. The proposed actions are aligned with international guidelines (ESPEN, ASPEN, GLIM) and adapted to the Guatemalan healthcare context. Conclusions: This consensus provides a comprehensive and context-specific framework for standardizing and improving hospital nutritional care in Guatemala and similar settings. Its implementation could help reduce DRM prevalence and foster the development of quality indicators and digital tools for clinical nutrition management. Full article

In recent years, the convenience and potential for information extraction offered by Remote Sensing Image–Text Retrieval (RSITR) have made it a significant focus of research in remote sensing (RS) knowledge services. Current mainstream methods for RSITR generally align fused image features at multiple scales with textual features, primarily focusing on the local information of RS images while neglecting potential semantic information. This results in insufficient alignment in the cross-modal semantic space. To overcome this limitation, we propose a Multi-Scale Semantic-Aware Remote Sensing Image–Text Retrieval method (MSSA). This method introduces Progressive Spatial Channel Joint Attention (PSCJA), which enhances the expressive capability of multi-scale image features through Window-Region-Global Progressive Attention (WRGPA) and Segmented Channel Attention (SCA). Additionally, the Image-Guided Text Attention (IGTA) mechanism dynamically adjust textual attention weights based on visual context. Furthermore, the Cross-Modal Semantic Extraction Module (CMSE) incorporated learnable semantic tokens at each scale, enabling attention interaction between multi-scale features of different modalities and the capturing of hierarchical semantic associations. This multi-scale semantic-guided retrieval method ensures cross-modal semantic consistency, significantly improving the accuracy of cross-modal retrieval in RS. MSSA demonstrates superior retrieval accuracy in experiments across three baseline datasets, achieving a new state-of-the-art performance. Full article

With the rapid urban aging trend in China, evaluating the age-friendliness of street environments is critical for inclusive urban planning. This study proposes the Age-Friendly Environment Assessment Tool (AFEAT) to assess street-level age-friendliness in high-density urban contexts, grounded in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Age-Friendly Cities: A Guide and adapted to the spatial characteristics of Nanjing’s Qinhuai District. By integrating multi-source data such as street-view image segmentation, Point of Interest (POI)-based network accessibility, kernel density estimation, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-derived indicator weights, and Random Forest regression, the study develops a comprehensive and spatialized evaluation framework. The results reveal significant spatial disparities in age-friendliness across street segments, with Safe Mobility, Healthcare Services, and Walkable Environment identified as the most influential factors for older adults. High-performing areas are concentrated in the central urban core, while peripheral zones face challenges such as poor walkability, insufficient lighting, and a lack of facilities. The study recommends strengthening a walkability-based age-friendly safety and healthcare support system and optimizing the spatial distribution of recreational and medical facilities to address mismatches between supply and demand. These findings provide practical guidance for targeted, evidence-based interventions aimed at fostering equitable and resilient urban environments for aging populations. Full article

As global climate change intensifies the frequency of extreme weather events, urban flood control and disaster reduction efforts face unprecedented challenges. With the limitations of traditional, top-down emergency management becoming increasingly apparent, many countries are actively incorporating community-based participation into flood risk governance. While research in this area is expanding, the specific impact of urban flood inundation severity on residents’ participation in relief efforts remains significantly underexplored. To address this research gap, this study employs the Community Capitals Framework (CCF) and a Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) model to empirically analyze 1322 survey responses from Zhengzhou, China, exploring the non-linear relationship between flood severity and public participation. Our findings are threefold: (1) As the most direct source of residents’ risk perception, flood inundation severity has a significant association with their participation level. (2) This relationship is distinctly non-linear. For instance, inundation severity within a 200 m radius of a resident’s home shows a predominantly negative relation with participation level, with the negative effect lessening at extreme levels of inundation. The distance from inundated areas, conversely, exhibits an “S-shaped” curve. (3) Flood severity exhibits a significant reinforcement interaction with both communication technology levels and government organizational mobilization. This indicates that, during public crises like flash floods, robust information channels and effective organizational support are positively related to residents’ transition from passive to active participation. This study reveals the complex, non-linear associations between flood severity and civic engagement, providing theoretical support and practical insights for optimizing disaster policies and enhancing community resilience within the broader context of urban land management and sustainable development. Full article

In the context of global sustainable development, the construction of green mining facilities has emerged as a pivotal strategy for advancing sustainable mining practices. As a substantial mineral resource base in China, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (QXP) is of significant concern due to its importance for mineral exploitation. However, the natural conditions of the region, such as freezing temperatures, low oxygen levels, frequent freeze–thaw cycles, and fragile ecology, pose substantial challenges to mining activities, making green mine construction an inevitable choice for mining development on the QXP. This study uses SWOT analysis to macroscopically evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of green mine construction on the QXP. This study adopts SWOT analysis to sort out, from a macro and systematic perspective, the internal resource endowments, technical reserves, external policy and market opportunities, as well as multiple challenges such as ecological vulnerability, harsh climate, regulation, and public opinion in the construction of green mining on the QXP. Furthermore, four typical cases, namely the Julong Copper Mine, Zhaxikang Lead–Zinc Mine, Zaozigou Gold Mine, and Duolong Copper Mine, are selected for analysis, and their differentiated paths in ecological restoration, digital mines, tailings disposal, and community-benefit sharing are summarized. International comparisons reveal the similarities and differences in policies, technologies, and other aspects between the QXP and other high-altitude regions. The study holds that it is necessary to promote the coordinated development of resource exploitation and ecological protection in green mining on the QXP through technological innovation, policy optimization, community collaboration, and the construction of a full-life-cycle environmental-monitoring system. At the same time, it points out the limitations of the current research in quantitative analysis and future research directions. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat to public health. The growing resistance of bacteria to commonly used antibiotics necessitates the search for and development of alternative treatments. Bacteriophage (or phage) therapy fits this trend perfectly. Phages that selectively infect and kill bacteria might represent, in some cases, the last therapeutic option. This overview provides case examples and discusses the potential development of phage therapy, examining its ethical and legal considerations in the context of current clinical practices. Additionally, it explores the advantages of utilizing phage products in patients for whom existing therapeutic options are limited or unavailable. Further clinical studies are necessary to broaden the understanding of phages, their dosage, and a standardised delivery system. These efforts are essential to ensure that phage-based therapy is not viewed as experimentation but as a routine medical treatment. Bacterial viruses are unlikely to become a miracle cure or a panacea for infections, but they may find an important role in medicine. Full legalisation of this treatment could help solve the problem of multidrug-resistant infectious diseases on a global scale. Full article

This study examines the evolution and current challenges of Catholic Higher Education (CHE) in South Korea within the context of globalization and neoliberal educational reform. It explores how Korean Catholic universities balance their distinctive mission with intensifying pressures for competitiveness, external validation, and adaptation to secular academic norms. Drawing on P. Boudieu’s field theory and H. Richard Niebuhr’s typology of Christian responses to culture, the analysis frames the ways institutions of Korean CHE navigate the sometimes contrary currents of their institutional aims—simultaneously striving for academic excellence and maintaining Catholic identity. Case studies of three major Korean Catholic universities illustrate how leadership and curricular programs reflect the ongoing negotiation between mission-driven imperatives and market demands. The paper contends that living within this tension is not a sign of deficiency. It can actually be a source of resilience and innovation. The Korean experience of CHE offers insights for Catholic universities facing similar dilemmas globally, suggesting that engaging proactively with the seemingly contrary paradoxical demands can sustain the integrity of mission while fostering adaptive capacity amid the rapidly changing landscape of higher education. Full article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major contributor to global cancer-related mortality, with rising incidence observed in several regions, including Saudi Arabia. This review compiles and critically analyzes recent preclinical research from Saudi-based institutions that investigates the anti-CRC potential of natural and synthetic compounds. Numerous natural products such as Nigella sativa, Moringa oleifera, Curcuma longa, and marine-derived metabolites have demonstrated cytotoxic effects through pathways involving apoptosis induction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and inhibition of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In parallel, synthetic and semi-synthetic agents, including C4–G4 (semi-synthetic hybrids designed from flavonoids and benzoxazole scaffolds that act as dual epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/COX-2 inhibitors)), oxazole derivatives, and camptothecin-based nanocarriers, exhibit promising anti-tumor activity via molecular targeting of cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), and β-catenin pathways. Selected in vivo studies primarily utilizing xenograft and chemically induced rodent models have shown reductions in tumor volume and modulation of apoptotic and inflammatory biomarkers. Additionally, green-synthesized metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified carriers have been investigated to improve bioavailability and tumor targeting of lead compounds. While these findings are encouraging, the majority remain in preclinical phases. Limitations such as poor solubility, lack of pharmacokinetic data, and absence of clinical trials impede translational progress. This review highlights the need for standardized evaluation protocols, mechanistic validation, and region-specific clinical studies to assess efficacy and safety. Given Saudi Arabia’s rich biodiversity and growing research capacity under national strategies like Vision 2030, the country is well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to CRC drug discovery. By integrating bioactive natural products, rationally designed synthetics, and advanced delivery platforms, a pipeline of innovative CRC therapeutics tailored to local and global contexts may be realized. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) enhances anesthesiology by introducing adaptive systems that improve clinical precision, safety, and responsiveness. This review examines the integration of AI in anesthetic practice, with a focus on closed-loop systems that exemplify autonomous control. These platforms integrate continuous physiologic inputs, such as BIS, EEG, heart rate, and blood pressure, to titrate anesthetic agents in real time, providing more consistent and responsive management than manual methods. Predictive algorithms reduce intraoperative hypotension by up to 40%, and systems such as McSleepy demonstrate greater accuracy in maintaining anesthetic depth and shortening recovery times. In critical care, AI supports sedation management, reduces clinician cognitive load, and standardizes care delivery during high-acuity procedures. The review also addresses the ethical, legal, and logistical challenges to widespread adoption of AI. Key concerns include algorithmic bias, explainability, and accountability for machine-generated decisions and disparities in access due to infrastructure demands. Regulatory frameworks, such as HIPAA and GDPR, are discussed in the context of securing patient data and ensuring its ethical deployment. Additionally, AI may play a transformative role in global health through remote anesthesia delivery and telemonitoring, helping address anesthesiologist shortages in resource-limited settings. Ultimately, AI-guided closed-loop systems do not replace clinicians; instead, they extend their capacity to deliver safe, responsive, and personalized anesthesia. These technologies signal a shift toward robotic anesthesia, where machine autonomy complements human oversight. Continued interdisciplinary development and rigorous clinical validation will determine how AI integrates into both operating rooms and intensive care units. Full article

China and Italy, both ancient civilizations, have numerous traditional villages that bear witness to history and support the transmission of cultural heritage. However, these villages face challenges such as homogenized development, population outflow, and disruptions in cultural continuity. While both Chinese and Italian traditional villages have received considerable scholarly attention, their comparative study remains relatively limited, leaving the transferability of respective solutions across different legal, heritage and planning contexts to be fully explored. This study aims to adapt and transfer Italy’s contiguous protection, integrated operation, national park designation, and community partnership policies to China in order to establish a comprehensive mechanism for preservation and revitalization of traditional villages. A cross-case study of Cinque Terre (Italy) and Jiande (China), incorporating on-site mapping, governance analysis, and interviews, reveals that Italy’s integrated community-based approach markedly outperforms China’s fragmented state-led model in sustaining population, culture and tourism quality. These findings provide a globally replicable paradigm for traditional village preservation. Full article

Automatic detection of clue cells is crucial for rapid diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV), but existing algorithms suffer from low sensitivity. This is because clue cells are highly similar to normal epithelial cells in terms of macroscopic size and shape. The key difference between clue cells and normal epithelial cells lies in the surface texture and edge morphology. To address this specific problem, we propose an clue cell detection algorithm named CA-YOLO. The contributions of our approach lie in two synergistic and custom-designed feature extraction modules: the context-aware module (CAM) extracts and captures bacterial distribution patterns on the surface of clue cells; and the shuffle global attention mechanism (SGAM) enhances cell edge features and suppresses irrelevant information. In addition, we integrate focal loss into the classification loss to alleviate the severe class imbalance problem inherent in clinical samples. Experimental results show that the proposed CA-YOLO achieves a sensitivity of 0.778, which is 9.2% higher than the baseline model, making the automated BV detection more reliable and feasible. Full article