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Using station-pair to elucidate the cooling effect of vegetation in megacities

Multi-objective optimization of total solid waste filling ratio based on NSGA-III and entropy-weighted TOPSIS method

Abstract To alleviate the growing disposal pressure of coal-based solid wastes and high-salinity wastewater from coal-chemical industries, and to reduce the cost and carbon footprint related to conventional Portland-cement binders for backfilling, the study develops a cemented backfill material derived entirely from industrial by-products. Modified magnesium slag (MMS), coarse coal gasification slag (CGS), desulfurized gypsum (DG), and high-salinity wastewater (HSW) were combined to formulate the total solid waste–based cemented backfill (TSW-CPB) system, and a multi-objective mix-design strategy integrating response surface methodology (RSM)–NSGA-III–entropy-weighted TOPSIS was established. Using an RSM-based Box–Behnken design (BBD), mass concentration (72–80%), aggregate-to-cement ratio (1–2), and aggregate grading index (0.3–0.7) were selected as input factors, while the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) at the 3rd, 14th, and 28th day and the slump were used as responses. The developed regression models were highly significant, without lack-of-fit ( P  < 0.0001; P  > 0.05). Under workability constraints (slump of 15–20 cm for pumping and 23–27 cm for self-flowing) and with economic performance incorporated, a Pareto-optimum solution set was generated and further screened for each workability interval. For the optimal mix proportion under pumping condition, the mass concentration, aggregate-to-cement ratio, and grading index were separately 78.758%, 1.3911, and 0.30504, whereas for the self-flowing condition, they were 77.527%, 1.0003, and 0.5864, respectively. Hydration calorimetry and microstructural analyses indicate that CGS retards the reaction kinetics of the binary system, whereas DG and HSW markedly enhance heat evolution; additionally, HSW facilitates Friedel’s salt formation and pore filling, thereby improving matrix densification and strength development. Overall, this work provides a low-cost backfill solution and a transferable multi-objective optimization methodology for synergetic valorization of industrial solid wastes from multiple sources and HSW.

Joint association of frailty and social isolation with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Chinese adults: a nationwide cohort study

Evaluating physiological responses and forward head-neck posture in primary students in Thailand when carrying modified and traditional backpacks

Carrying backpacks daily imposes a physical burden on school-aged children, raising increasing public concern. This study compared the physiological responses and head–neck posture of primary school students when carrying traditional versus modified bags. Thirty-two public primary school students aged 7–12 years participated. Physiological measures included heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), blood pressure, and respiratory rate (RR). Head and neck tilt angles and forward head posture were assessed using photogrammetry and Kinovea software. Participants walked at a natural pace (1.1–1.3 m/s) along an 8-meter walkway for five minutes under five conditions: no bag, bilateral traditional bag, unilateral traditional bag, bilateral modified bag, and unilateral modified bag. Backpack design showed significant main effects on heart rate ( p  = 0.001, ηp² = 0.316), respiratory rate ( p  = 0.007, ηp² = 0.214), systolic blood pressure ( p  < 0.001, ηp² = 0.387), and diastolic blood pressure ( p  = 0.002, ηp² = 0.279), with higher values in the traditional condition (e.g., HR 95.94 ± 2.26 bpm; RR 31.59 ± 0.86 breaths/min; systolic 108.33 ± 1.30 mmHg; diastolic 78.05 ± 1.64 mmHg). Carrying method affected HR ( p  = 0.014, ηp² = 0.178), with higher values during unilateral use. No interaction effects were found for physiological variables ( p  > 0.05). SpO₂ remained stable (98.78–99.47%). For posture, significant effects of design were observed for neck tilt ( p  < 0.001, ηp² = 0.350), head tilt ( p  = 0.001, ηp² = 0.324), and forward head posture ( p  < 0.001, ηp² = 0.335). The traditional backpack produced smaller neck tilt (49.75° ± 1.05°) but greater head tilt (78.60° ± 1.56°) and forward head posture (8.68 ± 4.59 cm). Unilateral carrying increased head tilt (77.83° ± 1.56°, p  = 0.021). Interaction effects were found for neck and head tilt ( p  < 0.05). The modified backpack reduces physiological strain and improves postural alignment, particularly under unilateral carrying, while bilateral use minimizes asymmetrical loading.

Obinutuzumab or Tacrolimus in Primary Membranous Nephropathy

Biochemical and molecular insights into anthracnose resistance in chilli

Hot pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) is a globally important vegetable crop valued for its nutritional, economic, and culinary significance, yet its productivity is severely threatened by the fruit-rot/anthracnose disease complex caused by Colletotrichum spp. ( C. capsici, C. gloeosporioides, and C. acutatum ). This study investigated the biochemical and molecular defense responses of two resistant genotypes, CH-281 (EC777200), resistant to C. capsici , and CH-319 (IC119695), resistant to C. gloeosporioides , in comparison with Kashi Anmol, which is susceptible to both pathogens. Resistant genotypes showed smaller lesion diameters, higher activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPX, POX), and increased phenolic accumulation, indicating effective oxidative stress management and sustained defense. Gene expression analyses revealed early and strong induction of defense-related genes in resistant lines. CH-281 challenged with C. capsici exhibited rapid upregulation of PR1 (996-fold), WRKY33, WRKY40, CaMYB, ACS, AOS, and Defensin-like proteins, whereas Kashi Anmol displayed delayed and weaker responses with late surges in ACS and AOS. Similarly, against C. gloeosporioides , CH-319 showed early activation of PR1, WRKY33, CaMYB, and Defensin-like proteins, while the susceptible genotype again demonstrated delayed induction with stronger late peaks. Overall, resistant genotypes mounted timely and robust biochemical and transcriptional defenses, in contrast to the susceptible genotype’s delayed responses. These findings highlight the molecular basis of anthracnose resistance and identify key defense genes and pathways that can be harnessed for breeding durable resistance in chilli.

Edge-focused wire arc additive manufacturing: Method development with ANN-based stress–strain and mass-efficiency

This study evaluates Edge-Focused Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (EF-WAAM) for CT38 steel using an ER70S-6 filler. EF-WAAM employs an edge-guided toolpath with a prescribed travel angle to localize heat input per unit length, narrow the heat-affected zone, and mitigate residual stress relative to conventional WAAM. Under standardized 3-point bending with identical specimen geometry and span, the maximum flexural stress of EF-WAAM builds ranges from 2,414.21 to 3,338.11 MPa (n = 5 per condition). The best case improves 171% over the CT38 substrate (1,231.5 MPa) and exceeds typical values for conventional WAAM (< 2,000 MPa). Mass efficiency, reported as strength-to-density (σ/ρ), reaches 420.4 MPa·cm³·g ⁻ ¹, representing gains of 40.4% versus the substrate and 83.3% versus conventional WAAM. An artificial neural network (ANN) maps process variables—current, step-over distance, travel angle, travel speed, layer thickness, and strain—to stress and reconstructs full stress–strain curves with high agreement on training, validation, and held-out test sets. ANOVA/S-N and sensitivity analyses indicate layer thickness is the dominant factor within the explored window, with beneficial interactions from travel speed and current that moderate thermal gradients. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of internal features (e.g., 3D spiral channels) while maintaining controlled thermal fields. Overall, EF-WAAM delivers higher flexural strength and improved mass-specific performance within a standardized, reusable evaluation pipeline, offering a transferable workflow for other WAAM variants. Beyond a single case, we provide a reusable evaluation pipeline, actionable parameter windows, and cross-variant metrics (σ/ρ, AER) together with an ANN routine that reconstructs full stress–strain curves from process vectors. These assets enable practitioners to transfer the method to related WAAM variants without additional sensing or bespoke hardware.

Clinicopathological features and ethnic disparities of melanoma in the United Arab Emirates: 2017–2025

Background Cutaneous melanoma incidence is rising globally, yet clinicopathological data from the high ultraviolet (UV) environment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with its diverse expatriate population, remain scarce. This study aims to characterize the histopathological features of cutaneous melanoma in a large, multi-ethnic cohort in the UAE. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed histopathologically confirmed cases of cutaneous melanoma diagnosed at a specialized dermatopathology laboratory in the UAE from 01/01/2017–01/01/2025. Patient demographics, tumor location, histologic subtype, Clark level, Breslow thickness, mitosis, lymphovascular, and perineural invasion were extracted and analyzed. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and multivariable logistic regression were performed using IBM SPSS version 29.0 to identify predictors of thick melanoma (Breslow thickness >1.0 mm). Results A total of 597 patients met the inclusion criteria (50.8% male; mean age 47.4 ± 12.3 years). Individuals of European ancestry constituted 73.4% of cases. Superficial spreading melanoma was the predominant subtype (58.5%), and 46.9% of melanomas were thin (≤1.0 mm). Males presented with significantly thicker tumors than females (Breslow thickness of 0.72 ± 1.32 vs. 0.50 ± 0.58 mm; p <  0.01) and exhibited distinct anatomical distributions predominant to the trunk as compared to females with leg predominance. Multivariable analysis confirmed nodular melanoma (OR 18.40; 95% CI [7.08, 47.86]; p <  0.001) as the single strongest independent predictor of thick melanoma. Conclusion Melanoma in the UAE disproportionately affects fair-skinned expatriates and frequently presents with sex-specific clinical patterns. These findings highlight the need for targeted public awareness initiatives to reduce melanoma morbidity and mortality in the region.

Mental health and suicide literacy among school nurses in Japan: A cross-sectional study

Background School nurses (SN) are key providers of school health services and play a vital role in promoting adolescent mental health and preventing suicide. However, research into their mental health literacy (MHL) and suicide literacy remains limited. Methods A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted with 337 SN from Japanese middle and high schools. The survey assessed SNs’ MHL and suicide literacy, including knowledge, attitudes, intended approaches, and confidence in addressing student mental health and suicide risks. Results One-third of SN incorrectly believed that they could manage psychotic symptoms by careful listening alone. Many hesitated to ask students about suicide plans, even when risk was evident. Over half lacked confidence in providing mental health education. Conclusion SNs’ MHL and suicide literacy are currently insufficient in Japan. Developing evidence-based training to improve these competencies is essential to strengthen school health services and promote better adolescent mental health and lower suicide risk.

Navigating the digital era: The impact of digitalization and work-life harmony on well-being among solo self-employed individuals

In an era where technological advancements and work-life integration significantly shape the professional landscape, understanding their impact on individual job satisfaction and well-being is crucial, particularly for self-employed business owners. This study explores the effects of digitalization, autonomy, work-life balance, work engagement, and burnout on the job satisfaction and well-being of the self-employed. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 12,703 respondents from the Sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2020), this research offers comprehensive insights into the unique challenges faced by this demographic. The findings indicate that digitalization and automation significantly increase technology anxiety. In contrast, leadership autonomy and responsibility enhance job satisfaction but adversely impact well-being. Work-life interference negatively affects job satisfaction and well-being but positively correlates with burnout. Conversely, life-work interference positively influences job satisfaction but negatively impacts work engagement. Both work engagement and job satisfaction positively affect well-being, while burnout shows a negative relationship. Notably, work-life time balance positively influences job satisfaction and well-being, and overtime work has a surprisingly positive effect on these aspects. This research contributes to existing literature by underscoring the distinct experiences of the self-employed in the digital age, laying a groundwork for future research.

Reliability-based mix design for concrete compressive strength using a physics-prior residual-learning surrogate with calibrated uncertainty

An integrated framework is presented for concrete compressive strength prediction and reliability-based mix design under data-scarce conditions, in which a physics-prior residual surrogate and uncertainty decomposition are combined. A physics-consistent baseline is constructed from an effective water-to-binder ratio with age effects, time-dependent reactivity of supplementary cementitious materials and the influence of superplasticizer on effective water demand, and is globally calibrated on the training data. A small residual neural network is then superposed on this baseline with explicit regularization, so that remaining nonlinear interactions are learned while the physical scale and monotonicity are preserved. SHAP values and partial dependence curves are used to confirm the dominant positive roles of age and cementitious content, the negative effect of water, and physically plausible nonlinear effects of admixtures and aggregates. The framework is evaluated on a publicly available high-performance concrete strength dataset containing 1,030 mixtures and 8 input variables; the hybrid Physics+Data model attains R 2  = 0.9252 and RMSE = 4.39 MPa on an independent test set and maintains similar accuracy when only 40% of the training samples are used. Five-fold cross-validation confirms the stability of these results. Refined uncertainty quantification is carried out by combining mild Monte Carlo dropout, feature and physics-parameter perturbations and a single scaling factor for coverage calibration, yielding nominal 95% prediction intervals with about 95.1% empirical coverage and showing the physics sub-model as the dominant source of variance. On the calibrated surrogate, 28-day reliability-based design maps in the w / b – C plane for a 40 MPa strength target are produced, from which mix recommendations such as w / b ≈ 0.33 –0.36 and C ≈ 340 –360 kg/m 3 for P  ≥ 0.80 are derived.

Prevalence and determinants of metabolic syndrome among long-shift healthcare professionals in primary hospitals of Central Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of interrelated metabolic aberrations that significantly elevates the risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Healthcare professionals, particularly those working long shifts, may have elevated risk due to the demanding nature of their work, irregular lifestyles, and associated stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of MetS among healthcare professionals working long shifts in primary hospitals in the Central Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 271 healthcare professionals working in three primary hospitals (from September to December 2023). Study data were collected using structured questionairs, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical assessments. Five mililiters of fasting blood sample was collected from each participant; and serum lipid profile and glucose analyzed on Beckman Coulter DXC 700 AU chemistry analyzer. MetS was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria. Independent ttest and one-way ANOVA were used for intra and inter group comparison; and Logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with MetS, and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported to determine the strength of associations. Results The prevalence of MetS among healthcare professionals was 11.44% (95% CI 8.14–15.83). Dyslipidemias were observed to be the most common forms of metabolic derangement with 145 (53.51%) of study subjects having at least one lipid profile abnormality; whereas, hyperglycemias was the least common 27 (9.96%) form of metabolic abnormalities. Age ≥ 35 years (AOR = 6.75; 95% CI: 2.34–19.46), a family history of diabetes among first-degree relatives (AOR = 7.78; 95% CI: 2.57–23.53), and short sleep duration (<6 hours per day) (AOR = 7.78; 95% CI: 2.35–25.70) were significant factors associated with MetS (p < 0.05). Conclusion and recommondation Metabolic syndrome is prevalent among healthcare professionals particularily those working long shifts; with age, family history of diabetes, and insufficient sleep identified as key risk factors. Hospital administrators and occupational health units should implement routine metabolic screening, optimized shift scheduling, and sleep hygiene support programs specifically for healthcare professionals working prolonged shifts, with particular attention to high-risk staff groups. Further workplace-based research is also needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these targeted interventions.

High Optical Transparency in the Alicyclic Poly(Ether‐b‐amide) Copolymer Induced by Multiscale Structure via Weak Microphase Separation

ABSTRACT Developing transparent materials combining superior optical and mechanical properties with robust service stability remains a significant challenge. Herein, an amorphous alicyclic poly(ether‐b‐amide) (PEBA) copolymer is synthesized by incorporating bis(4‐aminocyclohexyl) methane (PACM) into the hard segment (HS) to suppress crystallization, combined with low‐molecular‐weight poly(tetramethylene ether glycol) (PTMEG) as the soft segment (SS) to enhance segmental compatibility. Such molecular design results in a weakly microphase‐separated structure with diffused boundaries between the nanometer microdomains. This “interface‐erasing” strategy yields a hot‐pressed film with a miscible‐dominated morphology with phase regions ranging from 50 to 100 nm, significantly smaller than visible‐light wavelengths. Finite element analysis (FEA) simulations further demonstrate that these small phase regions, together with the miscible phase acting as a refractive index (RI) buffer, collectively reduce off‐axis scattering, achieving excellent optical clarity (91.1% transmittance, 5.80% haze). The material also shows robust mechanical properties (>30 MPa, >1000% elongation), low‐temperature impact resistance, service reliability, solvent resistance, and damping performance. By integrating multiscale characterization and theoretical modeling, this work provides a simple yet effective molecular design strategy and a multiscale mechanistic insight for transparent high performance elastomers, promising for applications as transparent protective layers.

Clinical performance of the BioFire Blood Culture Identification 2 panel for microorganism species identification and resistance gene detection in blood culture-positive specimens

Introduction Bloodstream infections are life-threatening, and the rapid identification of pathogens and resistance genes is essential for the administration of appropriate antimicrobial agents. The BioFire Blood Culture Identification 2 (BCID2) panel on the FilmArray multi-parameter genetic analyzer is a fully automated PCR test that rapidly identifies species and resistance genes. Here, we compared the performance of the Filmarray BCID2 panel (BCID2 method) with the conventional method. Methods Among the blood culture-positive specimens submitted between January 2023 and November 2024, this study analyzed 201 specimens that contained the target microorganisms of the BCID2 panel. In our laboratory, after subculturing the culture medium obtained from a positive blood-culture bottle, we perform species identification using mass spectrometry and drug susceptibility testing (the conventional method). We compared the results of the BCID2 method with those of the conventional method. Results Concordance between the BCID2 and conventional methods was found in 152 of the 161 monomicrobial specimens (94.4%) and in 31 of the 40 polymicrobial specimens (77.5%). The 18 specimens that were discordant were mostly matched at the genus level, but the BCID2 method also detected other microorganisms that were not identified by the conventional method. Resistance genes were identified in 57 of the 61 matched specimens (93.4%). Conclusion The BCID2 method exhibits excellent identification results and resistance gene detection rates, suggesting that it is a reliable and rapid diagnostic test system for bloodstream infections.

Explainable IAOA-CNN-CBAM-SVR model for predicting air consumption of auxiliary nozzles with limited sample size

Air-jet looms are energy-intensive machines, with auxiliary nozzles accounting for nearly 80% of the total compressed air consumption. However, accurate prediction and visual analysis of nonlinear air consumption remain challenging due to limited training data and the poor interpretability of deep learning models. To address these issues, this study proposes a hybrid CNN-CBAM-SVR model optimized by an Improved Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (IAOA). Comparative experiments show that the IAOA-CNN-CBAM-SVR model achieves the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.6575, and the highest coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of 0.9941, outperforming SVR, CNN, and CNN-SVR models. Furthermore, the contributions of nozzle structural parameters to air consumption are visually illustrated using the Shapley Additive ExPlanations (SHAP) method. The findings provide a robust and interpretable model for optimizing auxiliary nozzles design and improving energy efficiency in air-jet looms.

Clinical characteristics and management strategies in adult foreign-body airway obstruction: A retrospective cohort study

Airway foreign-body aspiration in adults is uncommon but can be life-threatening.Flexible bronchoscopy is the standard first-line therapy,but critically ill patients may need extracorporeal life support.This study aims to characterize the diagnosis,management,and outcomes of adult airway foreign-body cases treated at a single center over nearly 12 years to inform a standardized clinical pathway.A single-center retrospective observational study of consecutive patients aged ≥14 years with confirmed airway foreign body who were treated at a tertiary hospital in China were conducted.Medical records of consecutive adolescent and adult patients diagnosed with airway foreign-body aspiration and admitted to the hospital from 01/01/ 2014–30/11/2025 were reviewed.Data included demographics,imaging,extraction method, respiratory support and so on.Descriptive statistics were reported as medians with interquartile ranges or counts and percentages.A total of 41 patients were included,with a median age of 59.5 years(interquartile ranges 51–72) and 65.85% male.Flexible bronchoscopy was attempted as the primary intervention in 38 patients(92.68%) and succeeded in 81.58%(31/38) to remove airway foreign body.Most patients(78.05%) required only nasal cannula oxygen,while nine patients(21.95%) needed advanced support including mechanical ventilation (14.63%),high-flow oxygen(4.88%),and extracorporeal life support (2.44%).At discharge,most survivors had a good neurological outcome,with 36 patients(87.80%) having a Cerebral Performance Categories score of 1.The 28-day survival rate was 92.68%.These findings show that flexible bronchoscopy is an effective first-line therapy,and rigid bronchoscopy or surgery is useful when flexible bronchoscopy fails.In unstable cases,timely extracorporeal life support can bridge to definitive removal.These results support a tiered,multidisciplinary approach incorporating early chest computed tomography,flexible bronchoscopy,and escalation to advanced airway or extracorporeal support.

Changes in tobacco sales before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: An interrupted time series analysis

Objectives This study aimed to longitudinally examine nationwide changes in smoking behavior among the Japanese population in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and setting A secondary analysis was conducted using cigarette sales data from the Tobacco Institute of Japan, monthly tobacco expenditures from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and smoking prevalences from the National Database of Open Data Japan. An interrupted time-series segmented regression model adjusted for seasonality and autocorrelation was used to examine changes in cigarette sales and monthly tobacco expenditures before and after the first declaration of a state of emergency. Participants Depending on the data source, data from 2014 to 2022, from 2015 to 2025, or from 2015 to February 2026 were used. Primary and secondary outcome measures Changes in level and slope were evaluated before and after the first state of emergency and after COVID-19 was downgraded to a common infectious disease. Results Cigarette sales declined at a significantly slower rate after the first state of emergency than before. Price-adjusted monthly tobacco expenditures increased significantly by 132 JPY compared with the previous month, although the expenditure findings were less robust in the quadratic sensitivity analysis. The smoking prevalence among men declined slightly each year, from 34.2% in 2014 to 31.9% in 2022. In contrast, the smoking prevalence among women remained relatively stable, ranging between 9.4% and 9.9%. Conclusions Although cigarette sales declined more slowly and household tobacco expenditures increased during the first state of emergency in Japan, smoking prevalences did not change substantially. These findings suggest changes in tobacco purchasing patterns, including stockpiling, and possible changes in smoking intensity among continuing smokers, rather than a meaningful population-level decline in smoking behavior. There was no robust evidence of a clear reversal after May 2023.

Youth’s mental health journeys through the COVID-19 pandemic using arts-based methods in virtual environments

Already facing a crisis, youth mental health and well-being has been dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing this decline in youth mental health is expected to last well into the future, there is an imperative to examine youth’s experiences with their mental health journeys throughout with COVID-19 pandemic, which will play a critical role in shaping their future mental health trajectories. Utilizing guidelines developed for using arts-based methods in virtual environments, this interpretive description study aimed to gain deeper insight into youth’s mental health journeys throughout the pandemic. Using open-ended interviews supplemented with youth-directed arts-based methods (ecomaps, journey maps, and creating an art piece of their choosing), thematic analysis was used to identify themes arising from the textual and graphical data. 19 youth (14–24 years) from across Canada shared their journeys with mental health and well-being throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on key time points, three themes were identified: 1) Entering COVID-19: Chaos, 2) During COVID-19: Introspection, and 3) After COVID-19: Personal Growth. Journeying through the COVID-19 pandemic, youth experienced changes in their mental health and well-being experiences. Recommendations provide points to consider in supporting youth mental health and the utilization of arts-based methods to support reflection and introspection.

Multistate animal-contact-related nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica outbreaks in the United States, 2009–2022: Network and machine learning analyses of exposure sources, settings, and serovars

Background Nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) is a major public‑health threat in the United States of America (U.S.). Evaluating associations between serovars, exposure sources, and settings in multistate outbreaks can reveal the drivers of NTS transmission and guide prioritization of targeted prevention and control strategies. Methods We analyzed multistate animal‑contact-related NTS outbreaks reported to the CDC National Outbreak Reporting System during 2009–2022. We calculated incidence rates (IR) per 10 million population-years (MPY) and assessed temporal trends in IRs using Joinpoint regression. We constructed interstate co-occurrence networks linking serovars, exposure sources, settings, and states, and applied a random forest classifier to identify variables most useful for distinguishing outbreak profiles. Results We identified 177 multistate outbreaks (0.06 per 10 MPY) involving 40 serovars. Incidence significantly declined from 2009 to 2013 and remained stable thereafter. Random forest rankings identified birds and reptiles as the most influential exposure sources and agricultural feed stores and residential homes as the most influential exposure settings in distinguishing outbreak profiles. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed two major communities. The first included outbreaks involving serovars Enteritidis and Infantis, bird exposure source, and agricultural feed stores or farms as exposure settings, with co-occurrence hubs across the Midwest, Northeast, and Southern regions. The second community involved outbreaks linked with reptiles and mammals as exposure sources, residential homes and farms as exposure settings, and serovars Hadar, Typhimurium, and Braenderup, which were co-occurring in the Western and Southern regions. Conclusions Multistate animal-contact NTS outbreaks clustered into distinct serovar-exposure, source, setting, and region patterns, suggesting different NTS outbreak transmission pathways. The persistence of NTS serovars across states, diverse animal-contact sources, and exposure settings underscores the ongoing zoonotic transmission risk at the human-animal and environmental interfaces. A region-specific One Health approach to prevent and control NTS outbreaks is suggested to reduce the health burden.

Large-scale statistical dissection of sequence-derived biochemical features distinguishing soluble and insoluble proteins

Protein solubility critically influences recombinant expression efficiency and downstream biotechnological applications. While deep learning models have improved predictive accuracy, the intrinsic magnitude, redundancy, and interpretability of classical sequence-derived determinants remain insufficiently characterized. We performed a large-scale univariate analysis on a curated dataset of 78,031 proteins (46,450 soluble; 31,581 insoluble). Thirty-six biochemical descriptors were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U tests with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction. Effect sizes were quantified using Cliff’s δ , and discriminative performance was assessed by ROC AUC. Although 34 features remained statistically significant after correction, most exhibited small effect sizes and substantial overlap between classes. The strongest effects were associated with size-related features (sequence length and molecular weight; δ ≈ − 0.21 ), whereas charge-related descriptors, particularly the proportion of negatively charged residues ( δ = 0.150 ; AUC = 0.575), showed consistent but modest shifts. Spearman correlation analysis revealed near-complete redundancy among major size-related variables ( ρ up to 0.998). Applying a redundancy threshold ( | ρ | ≥ 0.85 ), we derived a parsimonious composite integrating sequence length and negative charge proportion, achieving AUC = 0.624 (MCC = 0.1746). These findings suggest that sequence-level solubility information is consistent with a low-dimensional organization at the level of global sequence-derived descriptors and governed by coordinated weak effects, establishing a transparent statistical baseline for large-scale solubility characterization.