Browse Articles

Progress in the molecular phylogeny of Cotesia acuminata and C. melitaearum cryptic species complexes

Cryptic species present major challenges for biodiversity and evolutionary research due to the morphological similarity and frequent lack of available genetic and ecological data. In parasitoid wasps, this is especially true for lineages with limited taxonomic and genetic sampling and unclear geographic ranges. Here we reconstruct the phylogeny of Cotesia wasps parasitizing Melitaeini butterflies, including two cryptic species complexes ( Cotesia acuminata agg . and C. melitaearum agg . ). Using a ten-gene dataset from samples collected in Europe, Asia, and North America, we inferred relationships among 22 Cotesia species using maximum likelihood. We also included non-Melitaeini associated Cotesia to assess whether the parasitoids of Melitaeini form a monophyletic group. Our analyses yielded a highly supported phylogeny, revealing four major clades, three of which included the Melitaeini associated species. This confirms that the Cotesia parasitizing Melitaeini butterflies are polyphyletic, likely resulting from independent host shifts across the genus. Each clade is further subdivided into subclades corresponding to the different cryptic species complexes, clarifying previously unresolved relationships. These results provide a robust framework for future studies on the evolution, ecology, and host use dynamics of Cotesia wasps and highlight the utility of multi-locus data for resolving phylogenies in morphologically cryptic taxa.

Early treatment interruption and nutritional status as predictors of mortality in Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease

Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) requires prolonged multidrug therapy. However, treatment outcomes remain suboptimal due to limited antibiotic efficacy, disease chronicity, and frequent early treatment interruption (ETI). Despite its clinical significance, data on the prevalence, risk factors, and long-term outcomes of ETI remain limited. Therefore, this study aims to identify factors associated with ETI and its impact on mortality. A retrospective cohort study of 420 patients treated with MAC-PD was conducted between 2010 and 2023. Patients were categorized into ETI (treatment duration < 12 months) and standard groups (treatment duration ≥ 12 months). Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for ETI, whereas multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was employed to evaluate factors associated with mortality. ETI occurred in 30% of patients. Low prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.92; 95% confidence Interval [CI]: 0.87–0.99) and grade 2 or higher adverse drug reactions (ADRs) (aOR: 5.65; 95% CI: 2.45–15.00) increased the risk of ETI. ETI was associated with higher mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.51–5.40). Additionally, low PNI scores indicated increased mortality risk. ETI is prevalent in MAC-PD and is strongly associated with ADRs and poor nutrition, both of which also predict higher long-term mortality. Early ADR monitoring and nutritional support are essential for improving treatment adherence and patient outcomes.

Vocational rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis: A systematic scoping review of international evidence

Introduction People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) may encounter challenges in their professional lives, due to a combination of environmental and individual factors. According to Escorpizo et al., 2011 framework, Vocational rehabilitation (VR) aims to optimise job participation, providing support in the job access, retention and in the return to work for people with disability. However, the corpus of research on VR for pwMS is poor. This scoping review aims to map the available literature on VR interventions for pwMS, summarising their characteristics, study designs, implementation features, feasibility, and stakeholders’ perspectives. Methods Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, seven databases were searched up to October 2025: PubMed, SCOPUS, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Google Scholar, OT Seeker (University of Queensland), and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). Studies were eligible if they were related to VR interventions for pwMS, focused on job access, return, or retention and if they were primary articles. Data were extracted and synthesised following the Population–Concept–Context (PCC) framework. Results Out of 2,360 records, 28 articles describing 28 distinct VR interventions were included. Studies were published between 1996 and 2025, mostly from Western countries. Designs ranged from descriptive to randomized trials, with an increasing number of interventional and feasibility studies in recent years. The 61% of the interventions were multi-dimensional delivering a combination of rehabilitation, educational, and reasonable accommodation services. PwMS highlighted the importance of empathetic and individualized approaches, symptom management, and legal counselling as key elements in VR interventions, while logistical, personal and health issues were barriers to participation. Overall, interventions were considered feasible and acceptable. Conclusions This is the first comprehensive overview of VR interventions for pwMS, outlining a progressive shift toward multidisciplinary and goal-oriented approaches over time. Despite promising feasibility and stakeholder satisfaction, further rigorous trials are needed to evaluate effectiveness and inform evidence-based implementation of VR programmes in diverse contexts.

Archaeomagnetic evidence indicates post-Inka reheating of metallurgical kilns at Quillay (NW Argentina)

This study presents an archaeomagnetic analysis of five metallurgical kilns from the settlement of Quillay (Catamarca, NW Argentina), attributed to the Inka period on the basis of radiocarbon dates and archaeological evidence. All five structures yielded consistent paleofield values, and directional and intensity determinations are statistically indistinguishable which suggests that the sampled parts of the kilns were reheated within a relatively short interval. Comparison with geomagnetic field models, particularly BIGMUDI4k.1, indicates that this last heating event occurred between the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, rather than during the Inka occupation. The discrepancy between the archaeomagnetic and radiocarbon evidence is therefore consistent with a later remagnetization event affecting the structures. Possible explanations include a local wildfire or the deliberate re-use of the upper chambers to recover copper from slag. The results refine our knowledge about the occupational history of Quillay, and support the interpretation of a later thermal event affecting structures originally used in Inka times.

Retraction: NFIC suppressed the development of Glioma via modulating the balance of SHP2/PI3K and NF-κB/PTEN Signaling

Examining individual, health service, and experience of care determinants of patients’ satisfaction - A cross-sectional facility-based study in KP, Pakistan

Health systems aim to meet populations’ needs and to spur their satisfaction, requiring to first understand what drives this satisfaction, and whether these drivers come from the health system or not. In this empirical study, we use survey data from 666 patients exiting outpatient services of 60 public and 62 private health facilities in four districts of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The survey tool assessed patients’ socio-economic status, satisfaction with health service provision, and experiences of care (respect of privacy, out-of-pocket expenditures, availability of drugs). First, we synthesized the 16 items relating to satisfaction into a 12-item scale Patient Satisfaction score, relying on a Principal Component Analysis. Second, we used this score as the outcome in a linear model to identify its determinants. We found a generally high level of satisfaction regarding outpatient services within the sample, with an average satisfaction score of 76.37 out of 100. We did not find any association between satisfaction characteristics of the environment (type of facility, district). Women displayed significantly lower (−16%) and insured patients significantly higher (+6%) satisfaction scores. Indicators of healthcare experiences were found to be the strongest determinants of satisfaction, namely: satisfaction scores were 12% higher when privacy was respected, 5% higher when prescribed drugs were available and they also varied with the amount of healthcare expenses (positively and then negatively). Our results highlight the importance of designing policies that address the needs of specific population sub-groups and of ensuring access to core aspects of healthcare delivery, as reflected in patients’ experiences, across all facility types.

KOH activation of carbon electrodes for enhanced capacitive dechlorination: Performance and mechanisms

Coal transportation terminals produce wastewater containing high concentrations of chloride, which can cause corrosion of equipment and be hazardous to the environment. Capacitive deionisation (CDI) has been discussed as an alternative to conventional dechlorination methods, given that it consumes low energy and avoids secondary pollution. This paper involved the development of a KOH-modified activated carbon (KOH-AC) electrode, which must be used to improve the chloride removal performance of CDI. The obtained characterization results showed that, under the activation of KOH, the specific surface area of activated carbon (104.48 m 2 /g to 1390.88 m 2 /g) was greatly intensified, the pore structure became more uniform, and plentiful oxygen-containing functional groups were formed, improving electrochemical activity and ion adsorption capacity. In optimal operating conditions (1.2 V, 20 mL/min), the KOH-AC electrode obtained a chloride ion removal efficiency of more than 80% and was extremely stable even after numerous adsorption-desorption cycles. Moreover, the CatBoost exhibited high accuracy in predicting chloride removal efficiency (R 2  = 0.9114). The shap analysis revealed that the flow rate and influent NaCl concentration were the most significant factors for dechlorination. This study provides insights for the efficient removal of chlorinated wastewater in coal transportation terminals, while the constructed model offers a reference for precise treatment.

Effects of taurine supplementation on metabolic health and biological aging in healthcare workers: A protocol for a triple-blinded, Bayesian-optimized phase II randomized controlled trial

Background Metabolic-related diseases become increasingly prevalent with age. Recent experimental evidence suggests that taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) deficiency contributes to these conditions, despite taurine being classified as a conditionally essential amino acid. Purpose This study aims to assess whether a 6-month oral taurine supplementation program improves blood glucose control and other health parameters among healthcare workers. Methods This study is a Bayesian-optimized phase II 1:1 randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive oral taurine (3 g/day) or an indistinguishable placebo for 6 months, stratified by (a) diabetes mellitus status and (b) age > 45 years. Assuming non-informative priors , posterior probabilities of effectiveness in reducing glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) will be evaluated after enrollment of 20, 40, and 60 participants, if outcome data are available at those timepoints, to determine whether the trial should be stopped early for futility or superiority, prior to the planned total enrollment of 80 participants (protocol 1.4 on 19 th September 2025). Outcomes The primary outcome is the proportion of participants achieving any reduction in HbA1c at 6 months compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes include changes in plasma lipid levels, blood pressure, PhenoAge, body weight, and skin autofluorescence index. Discussion This phase II trial applies a Bayesian-optimized design to evaluate the potential health benefits of oral taurine supplementation. The findings will inform whether a sufficiently powered phase III randomized controlled trial is warranted to define the role of taurine in promoting metabolic health. Trial registration This trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial registry ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/hvshowprojectEN.html?id=277124&v=1.02025-05-21 ; Identifier: ChiCTR2500102879).

Ribosome Heterogeneity Revealed by Complex-Up Native Mass Spectrometry and Top-Down Proteomics

Atomic-Scale Imaging of Li ⁺ Trapping at Defects in Degraded LiCoO ₂

Oxygen-Bridged Copper Dual-Metal Sites Dispersed on Carbon Nitride for Highly Efficient and Selective Photoreduction of CO ₂ to Acetic Acid in Pure Water

Native Architecture of Wheat Straw Cell Walls: A Unified Model from X-ray Scattering and Solid-State NMR

Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy enables determination of the extent of precancer in cervical conization biopsy

Monte carlo study of detection limit for gold nanoparticles within small animal sized object during benchtop X-ray fluorescence computed tomography

Abstract This Monte Carlo (MC) study investigated theoretically achievable detection limits of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) present within a small-animal-sized phantom during benchtop x-ray fluorescence (XRF) computed tomography (XFCT) imaging based on the detection of gold K-shell XRF photons emitted from GNPs. The MC model was based on our experimental benchtop cone-beam XFCT system, reflecting an anticipated upgrade adopting a larger field-of-view pixelated cadmium-telluride detector that fully covers a 3 cm-diameter PMMA phantom including three 6 mm-diameter cylindrical holes filled with various concentrations of GNPs. It was validated by comparing the MC results with experimental data acquired under identical conditions using a 1.8 mm-Sn-filtered 125 kVp beam. The MC simulations were then extended to investigate GNP detection limits across a range of x-ray doses, GNP concentrations, and incident x-ray beam spectra. Assuming an ideal detector, the GNP detection limits of 104–140 ppm at 1.775 cGy and 69–88 ppm at 3.55 cGy were achievable with the 1.8 mm Sn-filtered 125 kVp beam. When hypothetical monochromatic beams with their energy above the gold K-edge were employed, the GNP detection limits were improved by up to three-folds at a given dose (e.g., 34–70 ppm at 1.775 cGy with the 85 keV beam).

Dual-Modulating Third-Order Nonlinear Optics of Metal–Organic Clusters via Lanthanide Contraction and Photoaddition

Maximum power point tracking implementation and solar tracker energization challenges in off-grid battery-less PVRO desalination plant

Identifying key diaphragm ultrasound predictors for early screening of respiratory sarcopenia

The correlations of insomnia symptoms with psychopathology and hematological parameters as well as gender differences in patients with schizophrenia

Effect of post-weld friction stir processing on low-heat-input cold metal transfer (CMT) weld mechanical, microstructural and corrosion behaviors

Local expansion mechanisms for quantum-scale wormholes

Abstract Quantum models of spacetime have been conjectured to hypothetically allow for the formation of Planck scale wormholes. Building on the proposal of Morris, Thorne, and Yurtsever that such microscopic spacetime structures might be enlarged to macroscopic size, we revisit Roman’s analysis of a wormhole in an inflationary de Sitter background. In this context, we introduce a refined quasi-local toy mechanism, which we call the local inflation bubble . This construction inflates a compact region of spacetime and thereby magnifies the underlying microstructure. Using the Einstein equations we determine the required stress-energy to sustain the bubble and obtain intrinsic lower bounds for the corresponding energy density, while acknowledging the continued reliance on exotic matter.