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7-day longitudinal proteomics of critically ill patients: a pilot study

Exploring hypoxia-related genes as prognostic indicators in lung adenocarcinoma

Background Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with hypoxia contributing to tumor progression and treatment resistance. Identifying hypoxia-related biomarkers could enhance prognosis and therapeutic strategies for LUAD. Methods This study aimed to identify hypoxia-related differentially expressed genes (HRDEGs) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) through differential expression analysis. Functional analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were performed to explore the biological roles and interactions of these genes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, univariate Cox regression, and Lasso regression were used to identify key genes associated with survival. Multivariate Cox regression was then conducted to assess independent prognostic factors. Results This analysis revealed 283 upregulated HRDEGs and 322 downregulated HRDEGs in LUAD. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the upregulated genes were primarily involved in cancer-related and cellular signaling pathways, while downregulated genes were associated with immunity-related pathways. We further identified 201 common upregulated hub genes (including MMP9, CDH1, HSP90AB1, SOX2, CDKN2A, SPP1, EZH2 ) and 224 common downregulated hub genes (such as IL6, TNF, IL1B, JUN, CCL2, TLR4, FOS, PTGS2 ). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, univariate Cox regression, and Lasso regression led to the identification of 17 key genes ( ADRB2, ALDH2, CAT, CCNE1, MAP3K8, DSG2, EIF6, ABCB1, PIK3R1, RAD51, SFTPD, SOD3, CLEC3B, ADAM12, EXO1, FBLN5, and IGF2BP3 ) associated with patient survival. Finally, multivariate Cox regression analysis identified DSG2, EIF6, and EXO1 as independent prognostic factors for LUAD, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for prognosis and therapeutic targets in lung cancer. Conclusion In conclusion, DSG2, EIF6, and EXO1 were identified as key hypoxia-related genes in lung adenocarcinoma. These genes were found to be independent prognostic factors, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for predicting patient survival and guiding future therapeutic approaches.

Decoding pedestrian severity at crosswalks using hybrid clustering and random parameter models

Menstrual hygiene management practices after the chhaugoth demolition campaign in Achham, Nepal

Background Menstruation, also called as Chhau (in Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces of Nepal); is inextricably connected to social taboos and stigma in Nepal. Women who menstruate known as “ Chhaupadi”, are traditionally bound to stay in secluded huts called Chhaugoth during their menstrual periods and after child birth. Such practices have adverse social, economic and health consequences. Although Chhaupadi is legally punishable in Nepal; this practice remains prevalent. In 2017, the Government of Nepal launched the Chhaugoth demolition campaign to eliminate this practices. In this context, this study aimed to identify the menstrual hygiene management practices after the Chhaugoth Demolition Campaign in Chaurpati Rural Municipality of Achham district, Nepal. Methods This was a cross-sectional quantitative study; conducted among 385 resident girls and women of the Chaurpati Rural Municipality, Achham who were in the menstrual life span (menarche to pre- menopause). A multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents from the six wards of Chaurpati Rural Municipality. Data were collected through individual interview using KOBO toolbox. Data were analyzed using IBM’s SPSS 21. Ethical approval was obtained from IRC of Pokhara University. Appropriate descriptive statistics such as mean/median and SD were applied. Results Most of the participants (93.5%) reported that existing Chhaugoths in their communities had been demolished. Consequently, 85.5% now reside in separate rooms at home during menstruation. However, 11% still use Chhaugoths, often covertly. Participants reported improved living arrangements (30.8%); yet menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices remained poor. While, 48.6% used sanitary pads, disposal practices remained suboptimal, with 29.1% burned pads and 15.1% dumped them directly in water sources posing environmental health risks. Conclusion This study demonstrates progress in shifting women from hazardous menstrual seclusion to safer, in-house accommodations following the Chhaugoth demolition campaign. However, critical gaps persist in menstrual waste disposal and supportive infrastructure. To achieve sustainable menstrual dignity and equity, interventions must combine targeted behavior change communication with early, pre-menarche education, to foster generational shifts in practices and norms. Further, studies explaining the factors associated with successful implementation of interventions and their effectiveness constitute the future scope of the study.

Impact of STEM Project-Based Learning on research autonomy and engineering thinking in solar energy education

Influencing factors and configuration pathways of fundraising effectiveness in charitable foundations: An FSQCA analysis of 54 cases in China

Charitable foundations play an important role in assisting vulnerable groups, narrowing the wealth gap, and addressing challenges such as urban-rural and regional development imbalances. Unlike other nonprofit organizations, fundraising effectiveness serves as a vital lifeline for the sustainable and stable development of charitable foundations. This study analyzed 54 Chinese charitable foundations and employed the fsQCA method to explore the factors influencing their fundraising effectiveness and their configuration effects. Research has found that: (1) digital transparency infrastructure and program activity intensity are key conditions for improving the fundraising effectiveness of charitable foundations; the level of professional management and political connections exert important impacts on enhancing the fundraising effectiveness of foundations, serving as important influencing conditions for the improvement of fundraising effectiveness. (2) There are two core paths for charitable foundations to achieve high fundraising benefits: one is a combination of strong program activity, robust digital transparency, and high political connections; the other is a combination of strong program activity, robust digital transparency, and high professional management. This study enriches and expands the theoretical connotation and research paradigm of charitable fundraising research and provides empirical evidence and policy guidance for promoting the sustainable and healthy development of charitable foundations.

Smart meter health state prediction based on residual-connected self-attention ConvLSTM network

Identification of potential key genes that respond to capsaicin treatment in ER-positive breast cancer: An integrated analysis

Capsaicin, a natural compound, has demonstrated antitumor efficacy in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ER-positive BC). However, its downstream molecular targets and mechanisms remain poorly understood, particularly those linked to metabolic reprogramming and immune modulation. This study aimed to identify capsaicin-responsive genes and explore their roles in ER-positive BC progression and tumor microenvironment remodeling. Bioinformatic analysis was performed on the GSE64155 dataset from GEO to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in capsaicin-treated ER-positive BC. Functional enrichment (GO/KEGG) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to prioritize key genes. Experimental validation included qPCR and Western blotting to assess gene and protein expression in capsaicin-treated cells. Clinical relevance was evaluated using TCGA expression data, survival analysis (overall survival [OS], relapse-free survival [RFS], and distant metastasis-free survival [DMFS]), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in BC tissues. Immune cell infiltration was analyzed via the CIBERSORT algorithm. SHMT2 and GARS were identified as the most significant capsaicin-responsive genes. Both genes were overexpressed in BC tissues and may be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with ER-positive BC. Capsaicin significantly reduced SHMT2 and GARS expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Immune infiltration analysis indicated that high SHMT2 and GARS expression may be associated with altered immune cell infiltration patterns. This study identifies SHMT2 and GARS as novel downstream targets of capsaicin in ER-positive BC and links their known oncogenic functions to a potential new mechanism underlying the antitumor effects of capsaicin.

Cattle-induced homogenization of microbial communities weakens the influence of geochemical gradients in small water bodies

The livestock drinking water system as an active reservoir for antimicrobial resistance: A systematic review and one health gap analysis

Livestock drinking water distribution systems represent a critical but understudied interface in the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance. While engineered for production, these systems frequently function as unintended bioreactors where biofilms protect pathogens and facilitate horizontal gene transfer. Following PRISMA and SWiM guidelines, we systematically searched four databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, AGRIS, PubAg) through November 2025 for primary research on antimicrobial resistance in livestock water biofilms. Eligible studies underwent risk-of-bias assessment using JBI tools. Due to substantial methodological heterogeneity in sampling and assays, data were synthesized narratively to characterize resistance prevalence and reservoir dynamics. The synthesis reveals that DWDS biofilms harbor distinct microbial communities compared to transient planktonic or fecal inputs. Critically, these matrices sustain critical priority traits, including multidrug efflux pumps ( adeF ) in swine systems, plasmid-mediated colistin ( mcr-1 to mcr-5 ) and carbapenemase ( blaNDM ) genes. Evidence indicates that standard disinfection protocols often fail to eliminate established biofilms, allowing rapid recolonization by resistant populations within days of treatment. These findings suggest that farm water infrastructure acts as a persistent reservoir for genetic resistance traits, capable of reseeding animal cohorts despite distinct production cycles. We identify a critical surveillance blind spot and conclude that current One Health surveillance strategies should expand beyond bulk water testing to include targeted biofilm sampling. Effective mitigation requires engineering solutions and enzymatic treatments specifically designed to disrupt the protective matrix, thereby closing a significant gap in on-farm biosecurity.

Six months predictors of DAPSA Remission With Guselkumab in Psoriatic Arthritis in a Multicenter Real-World Study

Integration of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing reveals programmed cell death-associated transcriptional programs in sepsis-induced acute lung injury

Background Sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is a frequent and life-threatening complication of sepsis, yet clinically actionable transcriptomic biomarkers remain limited. Regulated/programmed cell death (PCD) pathways shape inflammatory injury and barrier dysfunction, but their cell-type-specific transcriptional signatures in sepsis-induced ALI are incompletely defined. Methods Bulk transcriptomes from E-MTAB-5273 (training; sepsis-induced ALI vs sepsis) and E-MTAB-5274 (external validation) and scRNA-seq data from GSE207651 (CLP vs sham) were analyzed. Thirteen curated PCD gene sets were scored by ssGSEA, and differential PCD pathways were identified using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test with multiple-testing correction. WGCNA and differential expression analysis (limma) were integrated to obtain differentially expressed PCD-related genes (DE-PCDRGs). We benchmarked 113 machine-learning model combinations (12 algorithms) under cross-validation to select an optimal classifier, and interpreted predictions using SHAP and LIME. Associations between the PCD score and immune/metabolic signatures were assessed by ssGSEA. Cell types enriched for model-gene expression were localized in scRNA-seq, and key genes were validated in a CLP-induced ALI rat model using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Results Five PCD processes differed between sepsis-induced ALI and sepsis, including increased apoptosis and pyroptosis and decreased lysosome-dependent cell death, NETosis, and alkaliptosis. Twelve DE-PCDRGs were identified, and an 8-gene signature (PADI4, IFI6, POLB, IFI27, GZMB, CD3E, CRIP1, CASP5) yielded the best performance (glmBoost feature selection + random forest classifier; AUC 0.988 in training and 0.817 in validation). Enrichment analyses linked model genes to ribosome-related pathways, cell adhesion molecules, and the intestinal immune network for IgA production. High vs low PCD score groups differed in 11 immune-cell signatures and 23 metabolic pathways. Single-cell analyses highlighted endothelial cells as a major compartment expressing multiple model genes. In vivo experiments confirmed differential protein abundance of PADI4, POLB, and IFI27 in CLP-induced ALI lungs, supporting their potential as biomarkers. Conclusion Integrating bulk and single-cell transcriptomes delineated PCD-associated molecular features in sepsis-induced ALI and identified an externally validated 8-gene classifier signature. These results nominate endothelial-cell-linked PCD programs and the PADI4/POLB/IFI27 axis for further mechanistic studies and biomarker development.

Cannabis use increases surgical, medical, and psychosocial complications after lower extremity fracture fixation and shows compounded risk with concurrent nicotine use

Abstract Cannabis use is rapidly increasing in the United States, yet its perioperative implications remain poorly understood, particularly in trauma populations. Despite expanding legalization, the perioperative effects of cannabis on surgical outcomes remain uncertain. This retrospective cohort study used electronic health record data to evaluate the association between cannabis use, with and without concurrent nicotine exposure, and postoperative outcomes following orthopedic lower extremity trauma fixation. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Research Network, a global federated electronic health record platform that aggregates de-identified clinical data from more than 90 health systems. Adult patients who underwent surgical fixation of lower extremity fractures between 2015 and 2023 were stratified into four cohorts: cannabis only users (n = 2421), nicotine only users (n = 36,966), concurrent users (n = 2338), and non-users. Primary outcomes included surgical and medical postoperative complications; secondary outcomes included psychosocial outcomes and coagulation parameters (PT, aPTT). Binary outcomes were evaluated using absolute risk differences, risk ratios (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Continuous variables were compared using independent samples t-tests assuming unequal variances. Cannabis-only users demonstrated higher rates of deep implant infection, nonunion or malunion, reoperation, transfusion, readmission, anxiety, and depression compared with matched non-users. Nicotine-only users showed higher rates of wound complications, infection, nonunion or malunion, reoperation, transfusion, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, death, opioid use, chronic pain, readmission, anxiety, and depression compared with matched non-users. Concurrent cannabis-and-nicotine users had higher rates of superficial wound infection, deep implant infection, reoperation, amputation, transfusion, pneumonia, respiratory failure, opioid use, chronic pain, readmission, and anxiety compared with matched cannabis-only users. Coagulation measures were not consistently different across exposure groups. Cannabis use was associated with surgical and psychosocial complications in this large retrospective cohort. Nicotine use was associated with broader adverse effects, and concurrent cannabis-and-nicotine exposure was associated with compounded perioperative risk. These findings support further prospective evaluation of perioperative substance use screening and counseling strategies in surgical populations. Prospective studies quantifying cannabis exposure are needed to define dose–response effects and mechanisms.

Algorithmic bias in HR recruitment systems: A qualitative analysis of managerial risk and sociological implications

Algorithmic hiring systems have rapidly proliferated across industries, promising improved efficiency, objectivity, and scalability in recruitment processes. However, growing empirical evidence reveals a gap between these expected benefits and actual outcomes, as many systems inadvertently reproduce or amplify historical inequalities embedded in training data. The main aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a rigorous, multi-layered framework capable of identifying, interpreting, and mitigating bias throughout the full lifecycle of algorithmic hiring systems, ensuring both immediate decision fairness and long-term career equity. To achieve this aim, the Multi-Layer Bias Analysis and Mitigation System (ML-BAMS) is introduced as a comprehensive approach to detecting and mitigating bias in HR recruitment systems. The framework integrates modules for bias decomposition and data diagnostics, recruitment-aware fairness evaluation across multi-stage pipelines, interpretability of opaque models through influence mapping, fairness-preserving representation learning, and longitudinal simulation of career mobility outcomes. Using synthetic hiring datasets, the proposed framework demonstrates substantial reductions in demographic disparities across key fairness metrics, including improvements in demographic parity (32.4%), equal opportunity (28.7%), equalized odds (25.9%), and treatment equality (19.2%), while maintaining competitive predictive accuracy (ΔAccuracy: + 0.024). These findings highlight the importance of integrated sociotechnical approaches that address bias transmission, enhance transparency, and account for long-term impacts. The ML-BAMS framework provides a practical and modular toolset for implementing responsible AI in recruitment, balancing operational performance with ethical considerations of fairness and social equity.

Cross-modal latent alignment enables efficient compression of wearable sEMG and accelerometer signals

Abstract Efficient compression of multimodal biosignals is critical for bandwidth-constrained wearable devices. Existing methods compress surface electromyography (sEMG) and accelerometer signals independently, ignoring their inherent coupling where muscle activation drives limb kinematics. We propose a cross-modal alignment framework that explicitly aligns the latent representations of these modalities during training through frame-wise correspondence and temporal-dynamics consistency. Experiments on two Ninapro datasets demonstrate significant improvements over state-of-the-art methods across compression ratios from 20 to 90%, achieving up to 28% higher correlation coefficients compared to traditional methods and consistent 1–3 dB SNR gains over deep learning baselines. Downstream gesture classification experiments further confirm that our method preserves task-relevant features, maintaining over 80% accuracy at CR = 40% while baselines require CR $$\ge$$ 50% for comparable performance. Inference-time latent analysis reveals that alignment training reduces cross-modal drift by 59–64%, validating that the learned consistency persists after the alignment module is removed. Notably, our alignment module serves purely as a training-time regularizer and is completely removed during inference, ensuring that the deployed encoder-decoder system incurs zero additional computational overhead compared to standard single-modality autoencoders. Studies on five backbone architectures confirm that the proposed alignment framework is backbone-agnostic and broadly applicable. Constraint-aware projections onto representative embedded platforms confirm feasibility for real-time wearable deployment.

Are Japanese spousal terms as gender-biased as they seem? An examination using implicit association measures

This study investigated whether traditional Japanese spousal terms— shujin (“master”) and kanai (“inside-the-house”)—retain male-dominant associations at an implicit level. Using a paper-based Implicit Association Test (the FUMIE Test), we compared implicit attitudes toward traditional and neutral spousal terms among Japanese university students. The results showed no significant difference between the two term pairs, suggesting that shujin and kanai may have become conventionalized rather than continuing to evoke their hierarchical literal meanings. However, a significant gender difference emerged: male participants evaluated male-associated terms more positively, whereas female participants showed no such bias. These findings indicate that while traditional terms may no longer strongly activate hierarchical associations at an implicit level, latent gender asymmetries persist, particularly among men. The study highlights the importance of examining implicit dimensions of language use and provides a useful methodological tool for investigating gender bias in sociolinguistic research.

Centromeric footprints preserve telomere integrity in ALT cancers

Retraction Note: Analysis of the factors influencing moderate to poor performance status in patients with cancer after chemotherapy: a cross-sectional study comparing three models

Turbulence drives seabed modification by offshore windfarms

Abstract The drive to cut carbon emissions and harness renewable energy has spurred rapid industrialization of the seas. Current estimates of seabed modification due to offshore windfarms (ca. 1% of a windfarm’s area) do not account for enhanced seabed mobility due to monopile wakes. Here we demonstrate how turbulence emanating from windfarm infrastructure mobilizes seabed sediments. Whilst mean flow conditions in our laboratory experiment could mobilize fine sand, near-bed turbulence from monopile’s wake could mobilize sand 17 monopile diameters ( D ) downstream. Related bedform formation coincided spatially with downwelling of the monopile’s turbulent wake, indicating that the 3D wake flow structure both creates and defines enhanced sediment mobility. We introduce a method for predicting this region of enhanced transport capacity by combining bed shear stress from near-bed turbulence with that from mean flow; and our field evidence at an operational offshore windfarm validates this approach. Our results show bed stress amplification is expected cover 3-8% of a typical windfarm area. Enhanced seabed mobility can alter seabed habitats and should be factored into impact assessment and marine planning.

Research on pore characteristics and macroscopic performance quantitative prediction of desert sand recycled aggregate concrete based on NMR and grey theory

Excessive extraction of river sand and the accumulation of construction waste severely restrict the green development of civil engineering. The resource utilization of desert sand (DS) and recycled aggregates (RA) is of great significance for the sustainable construction in arid desert areas of Xinjiang. To reveal the mechanism of synergistic regulation of concrete properties by the combined control of calcined mica hydroxide (CLDHs), desert sand and recycled aggregates, and to establish a quantitative correlation between microstructure and macroscopic properties, this paper uses the CLDHs dosage, DS substitution rate, and RA substitution rate as test parameters to prepare desert sand recycled aggregate concrete (DSRAC). Through testing methods such as compressive strength, rapid chloride ion migration, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), the macroscopic properties and microstructural evolution laws of the materials are systematically analyzed, and a quantitative performance prediction system is constructed based on grey entropy correlation analysis and GM (1,4) model. The results show that CLDHs, DS, and RA achieve synergistic optimization of pore structure through physical filling, ionic curing, and secondary hydration; when the CLDHs dosage is 6%, the DS and RA substitution rates are both 30%, the comprehensive performance of the concrete is the best, and the 28 d compressive strength is basically the same as the control group, with a 33.09% reduction in chloride ion diffusion coefficient. The internal pores of DSRAC are mainly gel pores, and the total porosity and transitional pore ratio have a significant impact on the macroscopic properties, with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.8. The GM (1,4) prediction model established based on key pore structure parameters has a relative error of less than 8% and high accuracy. The research results can provide theoretical basis and technical support for the preparation, performance evaluation, and engineering application of green recycled concrete in arid saline areas.