Artiles
Open Access
Review
18 May 2026Emerging Technologies Empowering the Biosynthesis of Paclitaxel
Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a clinically important diterpenoid anticancer drug whose industrial production remains constrained by limited Taxus resources and semi-synthetic routes. Driven by the rapid advancement of genome mining and synthetic biology technologies, the past two years have witnessed substantial breakthroughs in elucidating the biosynthetic pathway of paclitaxel. The pathway constitutes an exceptionally complex biosynthetic network comprising approximately 20 enzymatic steps, predominantly catalyzed by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases (ODDs), and acyltransferases. Nevertheless, microbial production of paclitaxel remains highly obstructed, largely due to inefficient catalytic abilities, enzyme promiscuities, and complex metabolic fluxes. This review summarizes recent progress in elucidating the evolutionary origins and catalytic mechanistic basis of the paclitaxel biosynthetic pathway, with particular emphasis on the emerging technologies and catalytic mechanism studies. Furthermore, current challenges and perspectives for constructing efficient artificial biosynthetic pathways are discussed, providing insights into the future biotechnological production of paclitaxel.
Open Access
Article
18 May 2026Transition from Dispersed RTP to Aggregated TADF in Single-Chromophore Polymers
Room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) and organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials have merited enormous application prospects in organic optoelectronics. In spite of this, TADF and RTP dual emissions based on single-chromophore polymers still face a great challenge. In this work, we develop a monomer (CzBT) with twisted electron donating carbazole and electron withdrawing benzothiadiazole (D-A) structure and then copolymerize it with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) in different ratios to adjust TADF and RTP emission. The polymers exhibit TADF emission from aggregated chromophores, RTP emission with a lifetime of 240 ms from dispersed chromophores, and a high absolute photoluminescence quantum efficiency (20%). Theoretical calculations confirm that the introduction of twisted D-A structure and heteroatoms can not only promote spin orbital coupling to facilitate the accumulation of triplet excitons for RTP emission, but also help RISC to emit TADF in the aggregated state. When applied to solution-processable organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) devices, excellent current efficiency of 62.7 cd/A and maximum external quantum efficiency of 19.9% were achieved attributing to the dominant TADF emission. This class of polymers paves the way for high-efficiency optoelectronic devices.
Open Access
Article
18 May 2026Solar−Driven Antibiotic Ciprofloxacin Elimination by Bi4Ti3O12 and Biotoxicity Evaluation of Degradation Process on Aquatic Organisms and Bean Seedling
Photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic molecules has great significance in environmental pollution control. Bi4Ti3O12 with a layered structure is one of the emerging visible−light−responsive photocatalysts. However, the environmental effects of antibiotic degradation have not received sufficient attention. This study employed plate−like Bi4Ti3O12 derived from Na2Ti3O7 nanowires for ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation, and investigated the biotoxicity of degradation products on aquatic organisms and plant seedlings. It was found that an appropriate hydrothermal treatment time with ethylene glycol could slightly enhance the photocatalytic performance of Bi4Ti3O12, and this might be attributed to the increased density of active sites resulting from the regulation of microstructure. Concurrently, the degradation products of CIP were detected and predicted for biotoxicity; the effects of the CIP degradation residual solution on the growth of peas, wheat, and zebrafish larvae were also investigated. Under the present experimental conditions, the Bi4Ti3O12−24h photocatalyst−involved CIP degradation process could reduce the biotoxicity of the CIP solution (40 mg/L) and exhibit low toxicity to several individual organisms, including some actual plants and animals.
Open Access
Perspective
15 May 2026From Skills to Wellbeing: How Culinary Nutrition Education Supports Mental Health Across the Lifespan
Culinary nutrition education (CNE) involves structured, experiential learning that combines cooking skills with nutrition knowledge. While traditionally evaluated for physical health and dietary outcomes, emerging evidence suggests that CNE may also confer psychosocial benefits, such as improvements in self-efficacy, social connectedness, mood, and quality of life. This perspective (1) discusses the latest evidence for the psychosocial impact of CNE across developmental stages, (2) articulates plausible psychosocial mechanisms, (3) highlights limitations in current research, and (4) proposes directions for future research, intervention design, and implementation. Overall, evidence points to potential psychosocial benefits across the lifespan, although current research quality is variable. This perspective suggests that CNE, as an experiential learning approach, may support mental health by fostering self-efficacy building, promoting autonomous decision-making, enhancing social connection, and contributing to social identity formation across the lifespan. Integrating CNE into schools, communities, and other settings has the potential to deliver scalable, equitable psychosocial benefits. Future research should further examine effects over time, dose-response relationships, and the underlying psychosocial mechanisms. CNE interventions should be evidence-based, systematically co-designed with consumers, and tailored to participants’ developmental stage and needs to maximise their psychosocial benefits.
Open Access
Article
15 May 2026Reframing ʿUrf and Istiṣlāḥ in Biocultural Governance: Indonesian Halal-Health Movements
This study examines how classical Islamic legal concepts are rearticulated within contemporary Indonesian halal-health governance. Focusing on the concepts of ʿurf (custom) and istiṣlāḥ (public interest), the research investigates how normative traditions are integrated into biomedical regulation and institutional decision-making. Using qualitative textual and discursive analysis, the study analyzes fatwa documents, regulatory guidelines, policy statements, and scholarly writings related to halal pharmaceuticals, vaccination, and health certification. The findings indicate that ʿurf is increasingly mediated through administrative and certification frameworks, while istiṣlāḥ is progressively proceduralized through technical evaluation and performance indicators. Religious authority is reconfigured through interdisciplinary expert networks that combine juristic reasoning with scientific and bureaucratic validation. At the discursive level, Islamic ethical vocabulary is systematically integrated with public health rationality, producing hybrid forms of moral-technical legitimacy. These transformations suggest that halal-health governance operates through negotiated continuity rather than epistemic rupture. Classical legal concepts are neither abandoned nor preserved unchanged; rather, they function as discursive interfaces between tradition and institutional governance. By highlighting the infrastructural conditions of ethical adaptation, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Islamic normativity under contemporary biocultural and regulatory regimes.
Open Access
Article
15 May 2026A Reproducible R–Fortran Toolkit for Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport Modeling in Watershed Applications
Uncertainty and calibration are major challenges in hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, especially in watershed applications involving groundwater flow and contaminant transport. This study presents an integrated modeling framework for comprehensive simulation of groundwater flow and contaminant transport, with automated calibration and sensitivity analysis capabilities. The framework extends traditional Fortran-based modeling by incorporating the statistical, numerical, and visualization strengths of the R environment. In the proposed approach, the Fortran code is executed within R, while the Fortran program employs a finite-volume time-splitting method to discretize the governing equations of groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Integration with R statistical packages improves model calibration, sensitivity evaluation, and visualization of groundwater contamination results. To illustrate the applicability of the framework, two test cases of groundwater flow and contaminant transport through porous media were conducted. Results demonstrate the accuracy, efficiency, and enhanced visualization capabilities of the integrated system. Ultimately, the framework is intended to support three-dimensional analysis of pollution plume evolution in heterogeneous media and to investigate interactions among multiple contaminant sources in watershed systems.
Open Access
Article
15 May 2026Comparison of the Transcriptomic Signatures of Skin and Lung Fibroblasts from Patients with Systemic Sclerosis
Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis in connective tissues. Fibroblasts are the effector cells of fibrosis since they contribute to the production of collagen and other extracellular matrix components. The goal of this study is to compare the transcriptomic profiles of primary human SSc skin and SSc lung fibroblasts. First, we conducted a meta-analysis of differentially expressed (DE) genes from two previously published differential analyses (SSc vs. normal) using skin and lung fibroblasts, observing 8.7% overlap in DE genes and 30% overlap in impacted pathways. Next, we characterized the signature of several genes of interest from the pro- and anti-fibrotic programs within the unique and overlap groups and explored overlapping drugs that are predicted to revert DE genes to “normal expression”. Finally, we identified 3760 DE genes between SSc lung and SSc skin fibroblasts, highlighting that fibroblasts in the disease state carry a tissue-specific signature that should be taken into consideration for therapeutic development. We also identified core genes that can serve as common targets for both skin and lung in SSc. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe overlapping genes and pathways in primary human skin and lung fibroblasts from SSc patients.
Open Access
Review
14 May 2026A Review on the Role of Fuzzy Logic in Simulation, Planning and Control of Drones
In this paper, we offer an overview of the published works dealing with fuzzy logic applied in drones, considering both theoretical works and applications in diverse areas, such as simulation, planning, and control of drones. The analysis was done considering all types of available publications, such as journal papers, chapters, and conference papers. The data were obtained by searching the Scopus database from Elsevier, which contains most of the world’s indexed publications across all areas of knowledge. Based on the obtained data, some conclusions were elaborated about the advances of fuzzy logic and its applications in drones, as well as interesting future trends for this area were delineated. In particular, as fuzzy logic has been evolving from type-1 to type-2 and more recently to type-3, the role of fuzzy systems in the area of drones is following the same evolution. We have to say this evolution has already happened in the area of controlling autonomous mobile robots, and we expect that this will also happen in the area of drones, as the navigation problem is similar to some extent. A limitation of the study is that we are only considering the evolution of fuzzy logic types, rather than other alternatives, such as intuitionistic or hesitant fuzzy theories, which could become more useful in the near future. Also, we are not studying hybrid approaches with fuzzy, like neuro-fuzzy or evolving fuzzy systems, which can be an interesting subject from the point of view of making a fuzzy system to become dynamic or adaptive.
Open Access
Article
14 May 2026Investigation into the Role of Recycled Coarse Aggregate Quality in the Behavior of Geopolymer Recycled Pervious Concrete
Geopolymer recycled pervious concrete (GRPC) provides a promising solution for low-carbon construction through the utilization of industrial by-products and recycled coarse aggregates (RCA). However, the influence of RCA quality on the durability performance of GRPC remains insufficiently understood. In this study, GRPC was prepared using RCA of high, medium, and low quality, denoted as H-GRPC, M-GRPC, and L-GRPC, respectively. The mechanical properties, permeability, fatigue resistance, freeze-thaw resistance, and microstructural characteristics were systematically investigated. The results showed that RCA quality had a limited effect on permeability, whereas the mechanical performance and durability of GRPC were strongly dependent on RCA quality. The initial compressive strengths of H-GRPC, M-GRPC, and L-GRPC were 79.2, 75.3, and 60.0 MPa, respectively, with corresponding flexural strengths of 7.3, 6.7, and 6.2 MPa. After 100,000 fatigue cycles, compressive strength increased by 3.7%, 4.4%, and 3.0%, respectively. After 200 freeze-thaw cycles, the overall freeze-thaw durability followed the order H-GRPC > M-GRPC > L-GRPC. Microstructural analysis revealed that higher RCA quality promoted a denser matrix, a more intact interfacial transition zone, and a higher degree of geopolymerization. These findings provide guidance on selecting appropriate RCA quality for durable GRPC design.
Open Access
Review
14 May 2026The Diverse Landscape of Cancer Genomics in Africa
Africa harbors unparalleled genetic and cultural diversity. Yet, despite cancer being a major global non-communicable disease, African populations, particularly Indigenous groups, remain remarkably underrepresented in cancer genomics research. This review examines the current landscape of cancer genomics studies across Africa, with emphasis on population diversity and the extent to which Indigenous populations have been included. The genetic heterogeneity across African populations is discussed, and how it can influence cancer susceptibility, tumor biology, and therapeutic response, underscoring the fact that findings from non-African cohorts may not have the same significance in African cohorts. A substantial knowledge gap persists, and expanding studies in Africa could significantly provide valuable insights for global cancer biology. These factors emphasize the urgency of an African-based and African-owned biobanking infrastructure to support equitable research, strengthen local capacity and ethical stewardship of genomic resources towards the promotion of precision oncology and health equity on the continent.
Health equity
