Urban food environments in rapidly growing sub-Saharan African cities are shaped by informality, density, and income inequality, yet few studies integrate spatial analysis with participatory methods to explain how residents navigate these environments and how this relates to dietary diversity. We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive mixed-methods study (August 2023-January 2024) across three income-diverse Nairobi neighborhoods: Westlands (high-income), Kasarani (middle-income), and Viwandani (low-income). We mapped 3548 food vendors and conducted photo-elicited interviews with 22 participants. Vendor clustering was assessed using Ripley's K-function, and dietary diversity was measured using Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) from a 3-day photo-assisted recall. Informal vendors dominated across neighborhoods, with a higher share of formal outlets in Westlands. Vendors were significantly clustered in all three neighborhoods, with the strongest clustering observed in Kasarani and clustering occurring at fine spatial scales. Food sourcing differed by neighborhood: Westlands participants most often described supermarket use alongside informal vendors; Kasarani showed mixed sourcing across formal and informal outlets; and Viwandani relied predominantly on informal vendors, i.e., retail shops/kiosks and cooked-food street vendors. Dietary diversity was highest in Westlands (mean MDD-W = 5.19, SD = 1.03), moderate in Viwandani (4.61, SD = 0.39), and lowest in Kasarani (4.48, SD = 1.02). Narratives highlighted recurring determinants, e.g., nutrition/health, affordability, convenience/time, food safety, cultural background, and vendor relationships, showing that proximity and clustering alone did not ensure higher dietary diversity. Integrating spatial and narrative evidence suggests neighborhood food environments function as both geographic and social systems, where vendor distribution interacts with constraints and norms to shape diets across income contexts.

There is a growing interest in the design and construction of artificial oxygen evolution center (OEC) materials for solar energy utilization and conversion. Inspired by the natural structure of thylakoid photosystem II (PS II) membrane, we present herein a hybrid photocatalytic semiconductor substrate Mn3O4/TiO2 supported chlorophyll a-phospholipid bilayer (CPB) for light harvesting and oxygen releasing. Our design spreads a lipid bilayer containing light-harvesting pigments onto the surface of a semiconductor substrate via the emerging solvent-assisted lipid bilayer (SALB) method. The Clark oxygen electrode measured the photoelectron transfer efficiency of Mn3O4/TiO2@CPB. Its excellent light-harvesting and oxygen production performance was greatly accelerated because Mn3O4/TiO2 exported high-energy electrons in excited states and suppressed the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes of chlorophyll, accelerating the photoelectron transfer efficiency of chlorophyll in the phospholipid bilayer. Moreover, the effect of chlorophyll content, composite semiconductor matrix, and lateral liquidity of phospholipid bilayer on the photoelectron transfer performance was systematically studied. Several characterization methods were used in combination, including differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexanotriene (DPH) fluorescence anisotropy spectra, and fluorescence quenching technique. It was observed that the lateral liquidity of the phospholipid bilayer is distinctly affected by the amount of chlorophyll and temperature, and the membrane fluidity reaches its maximum when n Chla:n Lecithin is 1:20 at 30 °C, and low and high temperatures actually cause a decrease in the photoactivity of the material. The combination of Mn3O4/TiO2 and chlorophyll a-phospholipid bilayer (CPB) not only broadens the light absorption region and prolongs their lifetime but also effectively reduces the transmission barriers of photogenerated electrons by constructing a tight interface contact.

Wheat grains face widespread contamination by deoxynivalenol (DON), a major contaminating mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum. However, DON's role in mediating F. graminearum infection in Fusarium head blight (FHB) remains contentious, largely due to challenges in capturing its holistic spatial accumulation dynamics. Here, we established a systematic MALDI-TOF-MSI-based workflow enabling untargeted, tissue-scale in situ visualization of DON distribution in wheat. By identifying 1,6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) as the optimal matrix, we achieved accurate DON detection in negative ion mode. Consequently, we settled the controversy regarding DON as a virulence factor in coleoptiles and mapped its translocation patterns in rachises. Ultimately, visual observation identified the germ and inner crease as low accumulation zones for DON in wheat grains, with its full distribution pattern being further revealed by deep learning-assisted 3D imaging. Visualizing DON in situ and refining its functional roles offer more valuable strategies for wheat processing and breeding.

Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) are functional prebiotics that selectively promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the chicken intestinal tract. This study evaluated the effects of in ovo MOS injection on early growth, intestinal morphology, and cecal microbiota of broilers at 7, 14, and 21 days post-hatch (dph). In total, 700 Cobb 500 fertilized eggs received either no injection or 200 μL of PBS diluent, low (0.5 mg/egg), medium (5 mg/egg), or high (10 mg/egg) doses of MOS in the amnion. At hatch, approximately 280 male hatchlings from injection groups were distributed into 28 cages and raised until 21 dph. Our results indicated that MOS injection linearly increased feed intake and body weight during 0-7 dph and improved duodenal villus height and width, with no persistent improvements observed at older age. Moreover, microbiota shifts triggered by MOS were only observed at 7 dph. The MOS injection at 0.5 mg/egg reduced genus-level Sobs, and PCoA coupled with ADONIS analysis confirmed microbial separation across treatments (p = 0.017). MOS selectively enriched obligate anaerobic taxa, including Lachnospiraceae, Pseudoflavonifractor, and Collidextribactor (0.5 mg/egg), and Ruminococcus gauvreauii (5 mg/egg). Conversely, control-enriched genera (Enterococcus and Litchfieldia) were negatively correlated with body weight gain. In conclusion, in ovo administration of MOS at 0.5 mg/chick transiently improved the abundance of beneficial anaerobes, and injecting 10 mg MOS could improve villus morphology and growth performance in chicks in the first week, suggesting a potential role for MOS in shaping early microbial establishment in broilers.

Dopamine hydrochloride (DPH) is a key neurotransmitter, and its dysregulated concentration has been linked to various neurological disorders. Meanwhile, potassium permanganate (MnO4 [-]), a potent oxidant, poses significant environmental risks when discharged in excess. Therefore, sensitive detection of MnO4 [-] and DPH is essential. In this work, nitrogen, sulfur, and fluorine tridoped carbon dots (N,S,F-CDs) were prepared through a hydrothermal route using Aconitum pendulum Busch extract as a biomass-derived carbon source, with thiourea and sodium fluoride serving as heteroatom dopants. The obtained N,S,F-CDs exhibited bright blue emission, good aqueous dispersibility, and a fluorescence quantum yield of 43.16%, with strong emission at 408 nm under 345-nm excitation. Upon addition of MnO4 [-], the fluorescence was efficiently suppressed owing to the combined contribution of inner-filter effect and dynamic quenching. Subsequent introduction of DPH reduced MnO4 [-] and recovered the fluorescence signal, enabling the construction of an "ON-OFF-ON" sensing platform. Under optimized conditions, the sensor displayed linear responses of 5.03-275.23 μM for MnO4 [-] and 6.11-371.02 μM for DPH, with detection limits of 0.25 and 0.68 μM, respectively. The method was further applied to tap water, serum, and orange juice samples with satisfactory recoveries, indicating its potential for environmental and bioanalytical detection.

The early developmental stages of fish exhibit the highest mortality and greatest environmental sensitivity throughout their life cycle. This period encompasses a series of crucial biological events, including morphogenesis, organ differentiation, and nutritional mode transition from fertilized eggs to newly hatched larvae. Although largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans) is a commercially important fish species in China, the molecular regulatory mechanisms governing its endogenous nutritional stage remain largely unexplored. To elucidate the molecular basis of this critical period, we performed transcriptomic profiling across six consecutive developmental stages (Multicellular, Blastula, Gastrula, Neurula, Organogenesis, and 5 day post hatching larvae). Our results reveal stage-specific transcriptional programs: the multicellular-to-blastula transition is characterized by stage-specific enrichment of by cell cycle and DNA replication pathways, with MCM complex (mcm2-5) upregulation accelerating proliferation; the blastula-to-gastrula transition features activation of bmp4, fgfr2, and lft1 for germ layer induction; the neurula stage exhibits transcriptional bursts and enrichment of neural tube-related pathways; organogenesis involves simultaneous activation of focal adhesion (col1a1b, col4a5, tnc) and Wnt signaling (wnt1, wnt4, wnt3a) pathway; and 5 dph larvae show visual function maturation, with light transduction genes (gnat1, gnat2, gucy2f, pde6b) identified as hub genes. Mfuzz analysis further reveals sustained upregulation of Cluster 14 (igf2r、napin、vamp7、il1b、aco2) indicating functional maturation, while Cluster 29 (mcm10, espl1, cep152, cep44, cep295) confirms declining cell division activity. Collectively, this study provides a transcriptomic resource for understanding largemouth bass embryonic development and offers molecular insights for improving hatchery practices.

The growth and development of fish rely heavily on skeletal muscle. This study systematically characterized the morphological and developmental features of skeletal muscle in Megalobrama amblycephala during early development (0-90 days post-hatching, dph). It also determined the stage-specific contributions of hyperplasia and hypertrophy, and integrated transcriptomic and 16S rRNA sequencing analyses to preliminarily uncover the molecular regulatory network and gut microbiota adaptations associated with the rapid growth window from 15 to 20 dph. Morphological observations revealed that the length, diameter, number, and area of both red and white muscle fibers continuously increased with developmental age, and these changes were significantly synchronized with those in body length and weight. Myofiber hypertrophy predominated during juvenile growth, whereas mosaic hyperplasia was markedly enhanced at 15-20 dph, suggesting that this period represents a critical window for determining subsequent growth potential. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that upregulated KEGG pathways at 20 dph were significantly enriched in growth-related pathways, including FoxO, insulin, and AMPK signaling. Moreover, fast-twitch-specific genes (e.g., myl1, mylpfa, tnnc2.2, and tnni2a.2) and the myogenic regulatory factor myog were significantly upregulated, indicating active molecular programming toward a fast-twitch phenotype. Gut microbiota analysis showed a marked shift in microbial composition at 20 dph, with decreased Proteobacteria abundance and increased Actinobacteriota abundance. Spearman correlation analysis further revealed that 15 dph-dominant genera (such as Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas) were negatively correlated with fast-muscle genes, whereas 20 dph-enriched genera (such as Rubellimicrobium) showed positive correlations with myogenic marker genes. Functional prediction indicated enhanced metabolism of energy, amino acids, and carbohydrates at 20 dph, with reduced lipid metabolism, which closely mirrored transcriptomic trends. Collectively, the gut microbiota at 15-20 dph was highly synchronized with the activation of muscle developmental genes, constituting a key ecological factor supporting rapid growth. This study provides new insights into the multi-dimensional regulatory mechanisms of early muscle development in fish and offers a theoretical basis for strategies to enhance growth performance through microecological modulation in M. amblycephala aquaculture.

Singlet fission (SF) offers a pathway to surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit by converting one photoexcited singlet exciton into two triplet excitons. However, in molecular assemblies, this process commonly yields a strongly exchange-coupled correlated triplet pair, 1(TT), where intertriplet interactions facilitate geminate recombination and back-transfer to the singlet manifold. Here we implement an energy-gradient strategy in linear diphenylhexatriene (DPH) hetero-oligomers to guide postfission dynamics toward triplet-pair separation while minimizing thermodynamic loss. The hetero-oligomer series is constructed from two DPH-based building blocks with matched chromophore frameworks but offset triplet energies: a TIPS-substituted unit (T-DPH) and an alkyl-substituted unit (P-DPH). By positioning T-DPH units at the termini of the hetero-oligomers, we encode a modest downhill triplet-energy gradient (∼60 meV) that drives the migration of the triplet population away from the initially formed 1(TT) configuration toward the chain periphery. Using femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, we track the kinetic evolution from the singlet manifold through 1(TT) formation to a spatially separated, weakly exchange-coupled (T··T) state, and ultimately to free triplets. Magnetic-field-dependent transient absorption and photoluminescence measurements provide supporting evidence for population of a weak-exchange triplet-pair regime. Comparison with a homotrimer (PPP-DPH3) lacking energetic asymmetry directly isolates the role of this design lever, demonstrating that a ∼60 meV offset is sufficient to accelerate 1(TT) → (T··T) separation. Thus, this energy-gradient strategy enhances harvestable free-triplet yield while retaining the high triplet energy required for device-relevant SF optoelectronics and provides a simple and transferable design principle for SF materials that favor productive triplet-pair separation over geminate loss.

The development of antibacterial hydrogel with stretchable and self-healing properties is an urgent problem in the field of biomedical engineering. Herein, a series of hydrogels with antibacterial activity was successfully fabricated using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), borax, 4-formylphenyl-β-D-allopyranoside (HLC), 3,3'-dithiobis (propionohydrazide) (DPH) and ionic liquid, 1-aminopropyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (C3MimNBr). The hydrogels were formed via in situ crosslinking through multiple dynamic covalent bonds, primarily including borate ester bonds, imine bonds and acylhydrazone bonds. A Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) revealed that the formed hydrogels possessed a typical three-dimensional network structure. Notably, the interpenetrating network structure endowed the hydrogels with excellent stretchability and self-healing capability, as demonstrated by their ability to be molded into various shapes and stretched up to five times their original length. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the hydrogel were affected by the amount of the ionic liquid added. Antibacterial evaluation using the colony counting method showed that the hydrogels exhibited outstanding antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). In summary, the multifunctional hydrogels, with favorable stretchability and antibacterial activity, represent promising alternative materials for biomedical engineering applications.

Temperature strongly influences metabolic performance and survival during the early life stages of cephalopods, yet the thermal requirements of octopus paralarvae remain poorly defined. This study examined the effects of temperature on metabolic rates and aerobic scope of gloomy octopus (Octopus tetricus) paralarvae to identify an optimal rearing temperature during the first four days post-hatch. Oxygen consumption was quantified using closed-system respirometry at six temperatures (12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27 °C) in paralarvae aged 0, 2, and 4 days post-hatch. Standard (SMR), routine (RMR), and maximum metabolic rates (MMR) were measured, and used to calculate aerobic scope (AS). Metabolic rates varied significantly with temperature, with both low and high thermal extremes depressing performance. AS exhibited a clear temperature-dependent parabolic pattern, peaking at 3.34 mg O2 gDW[-1] h[-1]. Quadratic modelling identified an optimal temperature (Topt) of 18.98 °C. Behavioural observations aligned with physiological trends as paralarvae at cooler temperatures showed reduced activity and delayed exhaustion, whereas elevated temperatures increased metabolic demand and reduced aerobic capacity. Temperature-dependent Q10 analyses revealed exceptionally high thermal sensitivity immediately post-hatch, which moderated rapidly by 4 dph, indicating strong early developmental constraints and a narrowing of physiological vulnerability with age. These findings indicate that rearing O. tetricus paralarvae at ∼19 °C maximizes aerobic performance during a critical developmental window when individuals transition from yolk utilisation to active predation. This study provides the first empirically derived Topt for any octopus paralarva and establishes a physiological basis for refining aquaculture protocols while informing predictions of early-life sensitivity to ocean warming.

Sleep disruption is common in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Diphenhydramine (DPH), a first-generation antihistamine with anticholinergic properties, is widely used as an over-the-counter sleep aid. We tested whether chronic DPH treatment alters sleep architecture in 5XFAD and wild-type mice. Female 5XFAD (n=16) and wild-type (WT) littermates (n=14) were implanted with wireless telemetry recording devices to measure electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), temperature, and activity continuously. After a 24h baseline recording at 5 months of age, mice received oral DPH (10 mg/kg) or vehicle at ZT0 for one month. After this chronic treatment, sleep was recorded continuously for 48h during ongoing dosing. Sleep was scored as rapid eye movement (REM), non-rapid eye movement (NREM) 1, NREM2, or wake. A survival curve analysis was used to investigate the microarchitecture of sleep phases after chronic diphenhydramine treatment. At baseline, 5XFAD mice had more time in NREM1 than WT controls and had shorter REM and NREM2 bouts. Chronic DPH treatment fragmented NREM2 in both genotypes, reducing long NREM2 bouts. DPH increased total duration of NREM1 and REM during the active phase, which is analogous to daytime drowsiness in humans. DPH did not rescue 5XFAD sleep deficits; instead, DPH treatment exacerbated NREM2 fragmentation. Overall, chronic DPH use degrades sleep quality and increases fragmentation in both WT and AD-model mice, which questions the use of sedating anticholinergics as sleep aids, especially in AD.

This study evaluated the suitability of a new copepod, Apocyclops cmfri, as a live feed for larval rearing of Siganus vermiculatus. Total length (TL) and mouth opening (MO) of rabbitfish larvae increased exponentially with age (initial TL = 2.04 ± 0.096 mm; growth rate = 0.0657 day[-1] ± 0.00166; t-values for a and b = 21.13 and 39.69; p < 0.001). Segmented regression analysis of MO-TL relationship identified a significant breakpoint at TL ≈ 8.96 mm (95% confidence interval), indicating a threshold for ingestion of A. cmfri adults and the gut content analysis confirmed the same. Feeding experiments from 22 day post hatch (dph), with larvae fed either Artemia nauplii alone at 5 or 1 individuals mL[-1] or a combination of A. cmfri (4 individuals mL[-1]) and Artemia nauplii (1 individuals mL[-1]) revealed that at 50 dph, larvae fed Artemia nauplii alone at 5 individuals mL[-1] achieved a length gain of 232.24% (survival 43.33%; metamorphosis rate 46.67%), which was not significantly different (p > 0.05) from that fed the combination of A. cmfri adults and Artemia nauplii (222.37% length gain, 40.0% survival; 43.66% metamorphosis rate). Essential amino acids constituted 59.58% and 50.58% of the total amino acids in A. cmfri adults and unenriched Artemia nauplii respectively. In A. cmfri adults, EPA and DHA were 2.1 and 3.8% (in 1:1.81 ratio) whereas in unenriched Artemia nauplii, the content was minimal. These findings support the use of A. cmfri as a viable partial replacement to Artemia nauplii for sustainable marine hatchery practices.