Muayed Khaleel Ibrahim¹, Shaymaa Hashim Aneed², Nidhal Saleh Mohammed², Kareem Ali Jasim², Mudatheer M. Al-Slivani^3,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.082607 - 07 August 2026

Abstract This study investigates the structural evolution and DC electrical properties of Pb_50−xGe_xTe₅₀ ternary chalcogenide alloys with varying germanium concentrations (x = 5, 10, 15, 20). Synthesized via the melt-quenching technique, the alloys were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and temperature-dependent electrical resistivity measurements within the range of 290–475 K. Microstructural analysis revealed that increasing Ge substitution significantly promotes matrix densification, reducing porosity and improving inter-granular connectivity. The DC conductivity exhibits a systematic increase with Ge content up to x = 15, attributed to the increased density of defect states. For instance, as Ge content increases… More >

Panpan Wang¹, Yanjing Liu¹, Haiyan Kong¹, Ye Li^2,*, Shuang Chen^3,*, Nong Zhou^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.084444 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Mulberry leaf is a widely used medicinal and edible homologous plant, and its quality is closely related to the contents of secondary metabolites. In this study, 17 batches of mulberry leaves from 3 cultivars and 7 geographical origins in Chongqing were used as materials. An HPLC method was established for the simultaneous determination of mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, rutin, isoquercitrin, and astragalin, and the effects of cultivar and origin on the accumulation of these components were systematically compared. The established method exhibited satisfactory linearity (R² ≥ 0.9998), together with good precision, stability, repeatability, and accuracy, which… More >

Alberto Sandoval-Rangel¹, Adalberto Benavides-Mendoza¹, Rebeca Betancourt-Galindo², Eneida Adilene Pérez-Velasco^2,*, Bertha Alicia Puente-Urbina²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083195 - 30 July 2026

Abstract In soils and substrates, the bioavailability of Zn²⁺ is generally low. The use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) has emerged as a promising strategy in agriculture to improve zinc availability and stimulate plant growth. Their physicochemical properties and biocompatibility promote greater micronutrient uptake and the regulation of physiological processes in plants. In this study, the effects of five concentrations of ZnO-NPs (0, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 mg L⁻¹) and two application methods (foliar or drench) on the growth, gas exchange, and flowering quality of marigold were evaluated. ZnO-NPs significantly influenced plant growth; plant height and… More >

Gian Marco Ludovici^1,2,*, Paola Amelia Tassi², Alba Iannotti^2,3, Colomba Russo^2,3, Francesco Gargallo di Castel Lentini⁴, Timothy Alexander Mousseau⁵, Andrea Malizia^1,2

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083056 - 30 July 2026

Abstract The detonation of nuclear weapons, beginning with the Trinity test in New Mexico and followed by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, created distinct environments of ionizing radiation exposure. While the ecological consequences of reactor accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima have been extensively investigated, the potential evolutionary implications of historical weapons testing for plant communities remain comparatively underexplored, particularly in arid ecosystems. This review synthesizes available, yet fragmented, evidence to examine the hypothesis that residual radionuclides in arid test-site environments may have acted as potential selective pressures influencing plant persistence and stress-associated traits in native… More >

Jurica Duvnjak¹, Daniel Kujundzic², Katarina Sunic Budimir¹, John C. D’Auria², Valentina Spanic^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082576 - 30 July 2026

Abstract In this study, metabolomic profiling using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed clear distinctions between Fusarium-infected and control wheat spikes, as shown by the separate clustering of infected samples. Out of 222 detected features, eight were found to be significantly altered in infected spikes compared to controls, highlighting specific metabolic changes associated with the plant’s response to Fusarium head blight (FHB) stress. In response to Fusarium infection, wheat exhibited significant metabolic reprogramming, with both reductions and accumulations of key metabolites. A decrease in 3-methoxytyramine (28.9–85.3%), octylamine, malic acid, and homonojirimycin suggests their early involvement in defence-related pathways… More >

Siliang Yang^1,2,*, Gan Jin³

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078761 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Background: Reducing mental illness stigma is critical for mental health literacy enhancement in China, where stigmatization remains pronounced among undergraduates. Imaginative empathy is a promising anti-stigma intervention, but its specific effects and the potential moderating role of gender remain under-explored. Methods: Three studies were conducted with 18–22-year-old Chinese undergraduates. Study 1 (n = 223, survey design) explored gender’s moderation on empathy-stigma links. Study 2 (n = 217, 2 × 2 × 3 mixed design) tested the intervention effect of self-perspective imaginative empathy. Study 3 (n = 71, 2 × 2 × 2 mixed design) verified gender… More >

Kazutaka Toda¹, Yuntao Wang^1,*, Hyungrok Jo², Yang Li¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.148, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2026.083407 - 27 July 2026

Abstract The rapid evolution of quantum computing poses a fundamental challenge to classical public-key cryptosystems, accelerating the adoption of lattice-based post-quantum cryptography in large-scale digital infrastructures, including Future Mobile Internet Technologies (FMIT) and their convergence applications (FMIT-CA). As lattice-based cryptography is expected to play an important role in such environments, accurate hardness estimation and parameter assessment of underlying lattice problems have become increasingly important. Since the security of these cryptographic schemes is closely related to the computational hardness of the Shortest Vector Problem (SVP), improving practical SVP-solving techniques contributes indirectly to the security evaluation of such… More >

Guglielmo D’Amico^1,*, Edoardo Lui², Filippo Petroni¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.148, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2026.082608 - 27 July 2026

Abstract This paper develops an operational framework for short-horizon risk management in multistate stochastic systems, with application to wind farm performance. We focus on instantaneous mobility-based indicators derived from finite-state continuous-time Markov chains, which capture the local propensity of a system to transition between states. Unlike classical reliability and availability measures, these indicators provide a dynamic description of system behavior. The indicators are interpreted as policy signals to support decision-making under budget constraints. We introduce a state-conditional expected short-horizon loss, representing non-production risk, and use it to evaluate ranking-based intervention strategies. The framework is applied to More >

Bin Lian^1,2,#, Na You^2,3,#, Jingyu Wang⁴, Cong Wang⁴, Yunjie Wen², Jiandong Wang^5,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.8, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.081166 - 27 July 2026

Abstract Background: Rho GTPase-activating protein 40 (ARHGAP40), downregulated in various tumors, including basal cell carcinoma, has an unclear role in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to elucidate the function and clinical significance of ARHGAP40 in CRC. Methods: ARHGAP40 expression in CRC tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and analyzed in relation to clinicopathological features and patient survival. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed in CRC cell lines to assess cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. RNA sequencing, co-immunoprecipitation, Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) activation assays, and rescue experiments were conducted to explore the underlying mechanism. Results:… More >

Dominick Shoha^#, David Lei^#, Tyler Truong, Sophia Strukel, Elliot Enshaie, Vikrant Rai^*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.8, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.078846 - 27 July 2026

Abstract Diabetes, inflammation, and neurodegeneration, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are deeply interconnected (brain diabetes). Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) acts as a significant risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) by inducing chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction. Hyperglycemia drives neuroinflammation and damages the blood-brain barrier (BBB), exacerbating cognitive decline and neuronal loss. Chronic inflammation acts as a central bridge, linking high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction in the brain to the buildup of amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and neuronal damage due to shared insulin signaling issues in the More >