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Occupational interventions and their effects on work-related and mental health outcomes: A scoping review protocol
Background The well-being of individuals within their workplace (i.e., workplace mental health) has important implications for their productivity and mental health. The extensive literature on the effectiveness of individual workplace interventions does not yet include a comprehensive synthesis of occupational interventions delivered in workplace settings. Objective The proposed scoping review is designed to identify and categorize occupational interventions studied in the literature; and 2) map reported effects on work-related outcomes and mental health outcomes. Methods The review will examine five online databases to identify relevant articles: Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria will encompass peer-reviewed English-language studies published from 2005 to 2025, focusing on the effects of occupational interventions designed to improve workplace mental health. The results will support work participation among working adults. Discussion The review will examine the effects of current occupational interventions on workers’ mental health and well-being, as well as on work-related outcomes (e.g., work participation, productivity). The review results can inform researchers designing future studies assessing the effectiveness of occupational interventions on mental health and guide the development of new interventions.
Immune response to supernatant of ferroptotic breast cancer cells: from inflammation to immunomodulation
Abstract Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, lipid peroxidation–driven form of regulated cell death with emerging relevance to tumor–immune interactions. This study examined whether soluble factors from ferroptotic breast cancer cells alter transcriptional responses in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Human Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells were treated with ferroptosis inducer 56 (FIN56), and loss of viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were monitored as indicators associated with ferroptotic cell death. Conditioned medium (CM, 50%) from treated or control cells was applied to PBMCs from healthy donors for 24–72 h, and interleukin 10 ( IL10 ), interferon gamma ( IFNG ), tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNFA ), transforming growth factor beta 1 ( TGFB1 ), and forkhead box P3 ( FOXP3 ) transcripts were quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The CM from FIN56-treated MCF-7 cells significantly increased IL10 at all time points, as well as a short-term increase in IFNG expression at 24 h. The FOXP3 gene exhibited a mild increase at early times but returned to baseline levels later. No significant differences were detected for TNFA and TGFB1 expression. Factors released from tumor cells undergoing ferroptosis-associated stress shifted PBMC gene expression toward a regulatory and anti-inflammatory pattern, characterized by strong IL10 induction and short IFNG activation.
Bactericidal and anti-inflammatory activity of defined hypochlorite solution
Background Hypochlorite is an antiseptic that has been used for over a century for industrial sterilisation and antisepsis. More recently, the topical application of hypochlorite to severe burn patients increased their rate of survival post infection with Gram-negative bacteria, of which antisepsis cannot be solely responsible. Methodology Broth microdilution experiments were performed to confirm anti-microbial activity. Cytokine exposure was performed by dialytic exposure of serum spiked with either interleukin-6 or interleukin-10, accounting for contextually appropriate organic load. Cytokine degradation was measured by immunoassay and by functional bioassay utilising HEK-Blue cells. Hypochlorite mediated cytotoxicity against dermal cells was assessed via direct exposure, followed by a 1-hour attenuation period. Resazurin was utilised to assay the impact of hypochlorite on cell viability. Results We have shown that this formulation of hypochlorite in isotonic saline has multiple mechanisms. The first is that 7 mmol/L hypochlorite is capable of eliminating both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and that the same concentration differentially degrades the function of IL-6 and IL-10. IL-6 was seen to be 3 times more susceptible to loss of function than IL-10 after only 5 minutes of exposure ( P < 0.005). The asymmetrical effect on these cytokines was observed between 7 and 1.75 mmol/L, and across the entire time scale examined. This hypochlorite formulation has the capability to sterilize a wound, and by altering the cytokine profile reduce inflammation and scarring, and improve wound healing. Conclusions These findings, taken with the burn survival study, suggest that the increased survival rate after application of hypochlorite could be due to the combined effect of elimination of infective pathogens, and the differential degradation of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 at the site of injury.
A 31 year analysis of long-term variability of atmospheric refractivity and gradients from tropics to poles
Global and local impacts of multi-dimensional urban form on PM2.5 concentrations: A case study of the downstream urban agglomeration in the Yangtze River Delta
The acceleration of urbanization and the expansion of population scale have led to increasingly prominent PM2.5 pollution. Taking the urban agglomeration in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River within the Yangtze River Delta as the study area, this research innovatively constructs a 1D-2D-3D multi-dimensional urban form indicator system. By integrating spatial autocorrelation analysis, hot spot analysis, the Optimal parameters-based geographical detector (OPGD) model, and the Geographically Weighted eXtreme gradient boosting (GW-XGBoost) model, this study systematically reveals the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of PM2.5 concentration from 2014 to 2022 and the global and local driving mechanisms of multi-dimensional urban form on PM2.5 concentration. This study aims to fill existing research gaps and provide scientific support for the precise prevention and control of PM2.5 pollution in urban agglomerations. The results indicate that: Multi-dimensional urban form exhibits significant spatial differentiation, with high values of 1D and 2D forms concentrated east of Nanjing, while high values of 3D forms are distributed west of Nanjing. The correlation coefficients of Building density (BD) with Mean building height (MBH) and Floor area ratio (FAR) reach 0.78 and 0.85, respectively, indicating a distinct characteristic of urban vertical expansion. The regional annual average PM2.5 concentration shows a continuous downward trend (decreasing from 60.77 μg/m 3 in 2014 to 29.52 μg/m 3 in 2022), with reductions ranging from 29.55% to 40.61% across individual cities. Spatially, a hot spot area at the 99% confidence level, centered around Nanjing and Ma’anshan, is formed, presenting a stable pattern of “high in the middle and low on both sides.” Regarding the global driving mechanisms, River density (RD), Digital elevation model (DEM), and Road network density (RND) are the core factors influencing PM2.5 concentration (with q -values of 0.3232, 0.2604, and 0.1852, respectively). Pollution risk is highest when DEM is in the 19–34 m elevation zone (concentration reaching 30.06 μg/m 3 ), and all factor interactions exhibit nonlinear enhancement effects. Significant spatial non-stationarity exists in the local driving mechanisms. The regulatory effects of urban form are stronger in core cities (Nanjing, Shanghai), with local R 2 values ranging from 0.30 to 0.35. Specifically, RD exhibits a significant positive driving effect in the central region of Nanjing–Ma’anshan–Wuhu (coefficient 0.80–1.00). In key transportation areas such as northern Shanghai, the coefficient of RND reaches 0.50–0.70. The positive effect of Proportion of transportation land (PTL) is prominent along expressways and around logistics hubs (coefficient 0.30–0.50). In contrast, in peripheral cities (Anqing, Chizhou), the local coefficients of determination (R 2 ) are only 0.16–0.20. The mitigating negative effect of the Proportion of water body (PWB) exhibits a “water-adjacent attenuation” characteristic. This study effectively compensates for the shortcomings of traditional research in the systematic integration and methodological applications of characterizing nonlinear relationships, accounting for spatial heterogeneity, and analyzing multi – dimensional urban form systems. It provides scientific support and specific pathway references for the precise prevention and control of PM2.5 pollution and urban form optimization at the urban agglomeration scale. The findings carry important practical value for air quality improvement and sustainable development in similar high – density urban agglomerations.
Seed cone variation and quality of ripening Juniperus seeds
Breast cancer clustering integrating complete gene expression profiles and genetic ancestry
Breast cancer (BC) remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women globally. Precise subtyping of BC is critical for optimizing treatment strategies. This study explored the capacity of bulk RNA-seq data to improve breast cancer characterization by analysis of complete expression profiles. We analyzed RNA-seq data for 274 tumor samples and six healthy tissue samples from diverse geographical origins. Using over 9,800 SNPs directly genotyped from RNA-seq data, we successfully predicted broad genetic ancestry, identifying European, African, Asian, South Asian, and Admixed American origins. Molecular subtyping through PAM50 showed some level of ambiguity, depending on the amount of samples provided as input. In silico drug sensitivity analysis identified potential therapeutic strategies, including Etoposide and Mistaurin, with cluster-specific efficacy. Our findings emphasize the integration of ancestry-informed data and complete transcriptomic profiles to redefine BC subtyping. These insights offer a foundation for more equitable, ancestry-informed therapeutic strategies and highlight the importance of diversity in cancer research.
A multi-method approach across ocean basins challenges fin whale classic migratory assumptions off South America
Quantitative assessment of synergistic effects in push-pull tactical ventilation during nonlinear space fires
Smoke generated in compartment fires rapidly degrades visibility and tenability, making mechanical tactical ventilation a critical measure for restoring operable conditions. This study provides a full-scale experimental assessment of the mechanical (fan-driven) component of tactical ventilation in a two-story, non-linear layout with stairwell connectivity. Following the cold-flow experimental methodology established in prior PPV studies, smoke was produced using commercially available simulated smoke cakes to generate cold, thereby isolating the aerodynamic ventilation performance from buoyancy-driven fire dynamics. The performance of positive pressure ventilation (PPV), negative pressure ventilation (NPV), and their coordinated push-pull operation was quantified using illuminance recovery, local airspeed measurements at openings, and clearance time to 90% illuminance recovery. Each condition was repeated three times. Results show that the push-pull mode achieved the shortest mean clearance time (101.4 ± 16.9 s, mean ± SD, n = 6), reducing clearance time by approximately 25.0% compared with PPV (135.1 ± 15.9 s) and 31.9% compared with NPV (149.0 ± 15.9 s). One-way ANOVA on the overall clearance time confirmed statistically significant differences among the three conditions (F(2,15) = 13.67, p < 0.001). However, the synergy gain factor (SGF = 0.666) indicates sub-linear gains relative to ideal linear superposition. Importantly, the findings are intended as a ventilation-driven baseline relevant to training scenarios and post-knockdown smoke management where thermal driving is reduced; extrapolation to fully developed fires requires coupled thermal-fluid validation.
Salivary growth differentiation factor-15 is elevated with reduced gingival crevicular fluid SMAD5 and SMAD6 levels in periodontitis: a cross-sectional study
Abstract This study evaluated Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), SMAD2, SMAD5, SMAD6 and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva in periodontitis and periodontal health, and assessed relationships with clinical periodontal parameters. Forty-four systemically healthy individuals were enrolled, including 22 patients with Stage III/Grade B periodontitis and 22 periodontally healthy controls. Plaque index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded. GDF-15, SMAD2, SMAD5, SMAD6 and IL-6 levels were measured using ELISA. GCF SMAD5 and SMAD6 were significantly lower in periodontitis (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0057, respectively), whereas salivary GDF-15 and both GCF and salivary IL-6 were higher than controls (p = 0.0177, p = 0.0008, and p = 0.0017, respectively). GCF GDF-15 did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.0814). GCF SMAD6 correlated negatively with GCF IL-6 (r = − 0.461, p = 0.0016) and PPD, PI, BOP, and CAL (r = − 0.448 to − 0.353, p < 0.05). GCF IL-6 correlated positively with PPD, PI, and CAL (r = 0.309–0.353, p < 0.05). ROC discriminatory performance was highest for GCF IL-6 (AUC = 0.786, p < 0.001) and GCF SMAD5 (AUC = 0.770, p < 0.001). Stage III/Grade B periodontitis was associated with increased salivary GDF-15, increased IL-6 levels in both GCF and saliva, and decreased GCF SMAD5 and SMAD6 levels, suggesting an altered inflammatory and SMAD-related oral-fluid biomarker profile. GCF IL-6 and GCF SMAD5 may represent candidate adjunctive biomarkers for further evaluation in larger independent cohorts alongside conventional clinical periodontal parameters. Clinical trial registration: NCT07201142.
The impact of Kamala Harris’s social identities during the 2024 presidential election
The social identities of Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris were noted frequently prior to the 2024 United States Election. We examined how making salient her marginalized racial and gender identities affected evaluations of her prior to the election. In Study 1, a stratified U.S. sample viewed a paragraph describing only Harris’s qualifications or her qualifications along with her gender, race, or both. Mentioning her race led to less favorable perceptions regardless of participants’ political orientation, suggesting subtle identity cues shape impressions. Political orientation did moderate responses when Harris was compared to an unnamed candidate, with more conservative participants rating Harris less favorably. Study 2 disaggregated Harris’s racial background showing that her Black identity, not her South Asian or combined racial identity, drove the negative evaluations across participant political orientation. As in Study 1, conservatives rated her more negatively than an unnamed candidate, but only when her Black identity was made salient. Together, these studies demonstrate that identity salience, particularly Black racial identity, can meaningfully influence candidate evaluations.
Association of body weight change with incident chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes without proteinuria: a nationwide cohort study
Abstract The association of body weight change with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is unclear. In this nationwide, Korean population-based cohort study, we investigated the association between body weight change and CKD in patients with T2DM using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). Between January 2009 and December 2012, we analyzed data from 981,953 patients with T2DM without proteinuria who underwent two consecutive general health checkups. The mean interval between the two examinations was 715 ± 115 days. Body weight change was categorized as severe (≤ − 10%) and moderate (− 10% to ≤ − 5%) weight loss, stable weight (− 5% to ≤ 5%), and moderate (5% to ≤ 10%) and severe (> 10%) weight gain; during follow-up, the percentage of participants who developed incident CKD in these groups was 8.78%, 7.58%, 7.18%, 8.17%, and 9.26%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis using the stable weight group as reference, odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for CKD were 1.020 (0.972–1.070), 0.971 (0.948–0.995), 1.209 (1.179–1.241), and 1.528 (1.459–1.601) in the severe weight loss, moderate weight loss, moderate weight gain, and severe weight gain groups. Thus, in this nationwide Korean cohort of adults with T2DM without proteinuria, weight gain > 5% was consistently associated with higher odds of incident CKD, whereas moderate weight loss was associated with slightly lower odds. Severe weight loss showed higher crude CKD incidence but no independent association after multivariable adjustment, suggesting that marked weight loss should be interpreted cautiously.
Association between high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and postoperative recovery from lumbar disc herniation
Objective The levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) correlate with lumbar spine degeneration, but their value for predicting the prognosis of the lumbar spine is unclear. This study was implemented to explore whether HDL-C levels were associated with postoperative recovery from lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods Patients with LDH who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) admitted between January 1 st , 2018, and December 31 st , 2022, were included in this study. The outcome was postoperative recovery as assessed by the economic-functional score. The primary exposure variable was the postoperative plasma HDL-C level. LASSO regression was used to screen for variables associated with outcome, and GAM modeling was used to determine cutoff values for HDL-C levels, with the adjusted model used to estimate the relative contribution of each variable. HDL-C levels were transformed into a dichotomous variable based on the cutoff values, and multifactorial logistic regression was used to assess OR. Results A total of 967 patients with LDH were included 529 males (54.7%), 438 females (45.3%), mean age 49.63 ± 12.51 years, mean HDL-C level 1.14 ± 0.25 mmol/L. LASSO regression showed that HDL-C was associated with outcome, there was a risk-protecting effect in the GAM with a cutoff value of 1.15 mmol/L. According to the commonly used clinical classification method, logistic regression showed that normal levels of HDL-C were protective compared with abnormal levels (OR=1.553, 95% CI,1.017–2.372, P = 0.042). HDL-C had a U-shaped effect in patients without cerebral disease, with a range of 1.1–1.8 mmol/L promoting recovery,and in the subgroup without cerebral disease, HDL-C level ranked 6 out of 20 variables, whereas in the overall cohort it ranked 14th and showed no significant effect. Logistic regression showed a protective effect of normal levels of HDL-C over abnormal levels (OR=1.900, 95% CI,1.206–2.992, P = 0.006). Conclusion Postoperative HDL-C levels were not significantly associated with 1-year postoperative functional recovery in the overall cohort of patients undergoing PLIF for LDH. In a pre-specified subgroup of patients without cerebral disease, postoperative HDL-C levels exhibited a significant U-shaped association with recovery (optimal range 1.1–1.8 mmol/L). These findings are hypothesis-generating and require validation in future studies.
Spain’s seafood futures to 2050 under climate change and contrasting transition scenarios
Effects of light qualities on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Sorbus tianschanica Rupr. seedlings
Light quality is an important environmental factor influencing plant growth and development, but its effects on functional traits and physiological processes in woody seedlings remain unclear. In this study, Sorbus tianschanica Rupr. seedlings were grown under four colored film treatments (red, blue, green, and white) to assess their effects on growth, leaf anatomy, chloroplast ultrastructure, photosynthetic performance, enzyme activities, and carbohydrate accumulation. Blue film significantly increased seedling height growth rate, whereas red film promoted ground diameter growth ( P < 0.05). Stomatal aperture, size, and density were highest under blue film. Leaves under blue and red films were thicker and more compact, while those under green film were thinner and less structured. Chloroplasts in the blue treatment showed well-organized grana and stroma lamellae, whereas those under green film were disorganized. Photosynthetic pigment contents were higher under red, blue, and green films than under white film ( P < 0.05). Net photosynthetic rate ( Pn ), stomatal conductance ( Gs ), and transpiration rate ( Tr ) were higher under blue and red films, and lowest under green film. Light response parameters, including maximum net photosynthetic rate ( Pn max ) and light saturation point ( LSP ), were also higher under blue and red treatments. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters ( ΦPSII and qP ) and photosynthetic enzyme activities were highest under blue film. Blue film also increased carbohydrate accumulation, particularly in leaves and roots. Multilevel fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (MFCE) indicated that blue film had the highest overall performance. These results suggest that light quality affects seedling growth through changes in leaf structure, chloroplast organization, photosynthetic capacity, and carbon assimilation, with blue light providing the most favorable conditions for Sorbus tianschanica Rupr. seedlings.
PHKA2-AS1 promotes leukemic proliferation and is associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia
Preoperative and perioperative factors that predict graft failure 1 year after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty
Purpose To identify pre/perioperative factors that predict graft failure after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). Methods This retrospective cohort study included consecutive eyes that underwent DMEK in 2015–2023 in a regional referral hospital and were followed for at least 12 months. DMEK-graft failure was defined as need for regrafting during follow-up. Univariable analysis of graft-failure associations with 20 covariates was performed. Hierarchical multivariable analysis was conducted for DMEK-graft failure with covariates whose univariable-analysis p-values were ≤0.15. Posthoc univariable analyses were performed to elucidate the mechanisms by which covariates promoted DMEK-graft failure. Results 171 eyes (129 patients) with mostly Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (94%) were included. Median (range) follow-up was 24 (12–29) months, during which 15 grafts (9%) failed. On univariable analyses, graft failure associated with eight variables, including long (≥25 mm) preoperative axial length (AXL): 40% of graft-failure eyes had AXL ≥ 25 mm vs. 13% for graft-success eyes (p = 0.01). On multivariable analysis, graft failure was predicted by AXL ≥ 25 mm (OR=5.70; 95%CI = 1.27–25.68; p = 0.02), younger graft-donor age (OR=0.93; 95%CI = 0.88–0.99; p = 0.02), graft-unscrolling/positioning difficulties (OR=6.93; 95%CI = 1.58–30.48; p = 0.01), and major graft detachment (OR=6.28; 95%CI = 1.36–28.96; p = 0.02). The model accounted for 14% of total graft-failure variance. Posthoc univariable analysis showed that eyes with AXL ≥ 25 experienced graft-unscrolling/positioning difficulties more often than shorter eyes (27% vs. 10%, p = 0.0497). Conclusions Eyes with long AXL (≥25 mm) may be more prone to DMEK-graft failure than shorter eyes. This may reflect the deep anterior chamber, which can complicate graft unscrolling and/or graft positioning. The additional graft handling may induce endothelial-cell loss and subsequent graft failure. Younger donor age weakly predicted DMEK-graft failure, possibly due to tighter scrolling of younger grafts. Major graft detachment strongly predicted DMEK-graft failure. This could reflect surgical and/or rebubbling-induced endothelial damage and/or pre-existing graft weakness.
Correction: Exploring central star variability of planetary nebulae using gaia photometry
Patterns of inpatient antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in the surgical wards of a Ugandan tertiary hospital: A mixed methods study
Background Inappropriate antibiotic use in surgical wards is a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially in low- and middle-income countries, where empirical prescribing is common. This study assessed inpatient antibiotic use and AMR patterns, integrating these findings with qualitative in-depth interviews (IDIs) which explored determinants of prescribing practices. Methods A convergent mixed methods study design was employed on the surgical wards of Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) in Uganda. Quantitative data was collected through Point Prevalence Surveys (PPS) of antibiotic use and retrospective analysis of routine laboratory AMR data. Qualitative data was obtained through IDIs with healthcare workers (HCWs). Quantitative data was analysed using R version 4.2.2 and STATA 19. In-depth interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, open coded and then analysed using NVivo 12. Results Of 303 total surgical inpatients, 193/303 (63.7%) (95% CI: 58.0–69.12) were receiving at least one of the 281 antibiotic prescriptions and were included in this study. Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) accounted for 256/281 (91.1%) of all antibiotic prescriptions, with 239/256 (93.4%) SAP extending beyond the first 24 hours. Ceftriaxone 89/281 (31.7%) (95% CI: 26.27–37.46), metronidazole 66/281 (23.5%) (95% CI: 18.66–28.89) and levofloxacin 24/281 (8.5%) (95% CI: 11.61–20.44) were most prescribed antibiotic agents. Watch category antibiotics were most used 152/281 (54.1%) (95%: 48.08–60.08), followed by Access category 129/281 (45.9%) (95% CI: 39.9–51.9). Although HCWs demonstrated awareness of AMS principles, formal stewardship systems were fragmented, and prescribing behaviour was strongly influenced by laboratory constraints, infection prevention and control (IPC) gaps and systemic challenges. Conclusion Prolonged SAP and Watch category predominant prescribing occur within a context of high AMR prevalence and constrained AMS infrastructure. Integrated AMS interventions combining institutional antibiograms and their reinforcement, audit and feedback mechanisms, establishment of clear AMS structures and laboratory capacity strengthening are urgently needed to mitigate AMR and optimize surgical antibiotic use.