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Forty years after Chornobyl, more nuclear disasters are inevitable — plan for them

Pause characteristics of sentence production in Parkinson’s disease: Insights from sentence complexity and length

Purpose Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects forward flow of speech including fluency disruptions in 90% of individuals. One of the main parameters affecting flow and fluency of speech is pause behaviour. However, the precise language characteristics of pauses, including sentence complexity and length, and how they contribute to the fluency disruptions of PD are not fully understood. This study examined how sentence complexity and length affect pause behaviour in PD. Method Seventy-one participants, comprising individuals with PD (n = 32) and neurotypical controls (n = 39), read a speech passage aloud. The number and duration of pauses, categorised by location (between, within sentences), sentence complexity (simple, complex), and sentence length (short, long) were analysed. Cognitive ability, assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and motor speech deficits (i.e., dysarthria) severity, assessed using a speech perceptual ranking, were evaluated and correlated with pause characteristics. Results Individuals with PD produced significantly more pauses across all categories compared to controls. However, only between-sentence and long-sentence pauses were significantly longer in duration. Pause frequency and duration in both groups were higher in more complex and longer sentences. Significant negative correlations were found between MoCA scores and number of pauses. Significant positive correlations were observed between dysarthria severity and duration of pauses. Conclusion These findings suggest that increased cognitive-linguistic demands—indexed by sentence complexity and length—may underlie pausing behaviour and contribute to fluency disruptions in individuals with PD. The results extend previous research by highlighting the potential cognitive-linguistic basis of motor speech dysfunction in PD.

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Risk prediction of combined fibrinogen degradation products, thrombomodulin, and maximum amplitude for assessing association with venous thromboembolism in patients with post-traumatic fractures

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a globally prevalent severe disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. Currently, thrombomodulin (TM), fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), thromboelastography have been the subject of several research pertaining to VTE; However, the combined diagnostic efficacy of these tests for VTE remains unclear. Therefore, we proposed to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of TM, FDP, thrombelastography in predicting VTE. Methods The patients with traumatic fracture included in the study were divided into a VTE group (n = 44) and a control group (n = 56) based on imaging diagnosis. Spearman correlation was employed to analyze the relationship between coagulation-related markers and thromboelastography indices. Variables were analyzed using multifactorial logistic stepwise regression. Statistically significant indicators were included in the receiver operating characteristic curve to evaluate their diagnostic efficacy for VTE. Results The VTE group showed significantly higher levels of multiple coagulation-related parameters and thromboelastography indices compared to the control group. Specifically, D-dimer levels were 8.87 (4.77, 15.07) mg/L in the VTE group versus 2.36 (1.07, 5.73) mg/L in the control group ( P  < 0.001), and FDP levels were 36.45 (11.34, 73.75) μg/mL versus 7.96 (4.57, 12.73) μg/mL ( P  < 0.001). TM levels were also elevated in the VTE group at 11.74 (9.26, 13.27) TU/mL compared to 8.60 (7.20, 11.60) TU/mL in controls ( P  = 0.001). Among thromboelastography parameters, maximum amplitude (MA) was 72.06 ± 7.61 mm in the VTE group versus 67.03 ± 7.21 mm in controls ( P  = 0.001), and clot intensity (G) was 13,259.75 (9,346.48, 18,545.83) d/sc versus 9,659.70 (8,009.33, 13,480.40) d/sc ( P  = 0.004). Conversely, the blood clot formation rate was lower in the VTE group (1.25 [0.83, 1.40] vs. 1.30 [1.10, 1.58], P  = 0.037). Linear correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between platelet counts and both MA (r = 0.612, P  < 0.001) and G (r = 0.588, P  < 0.001). Multivariate logistic stepwise regression identified FDP (OR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.025–1.070, P  < 0.001), TM (OR = 1.215, 95% CI: 1.033–1.429, P  = 0.019), and MA (OR = 1.104, 95% CI: 1.026–1.188, P  = 0.008) as independent risk factors for VTE. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the combined model of these three markers achieved the highest diagnostic efficacy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.860 (95% CI: 0.789–0.931), sensitivity of 70.5%, and specificity of 85.7%. Conclusion Combined testing of FDP, TM, and MA holds clinical significance for clinicians to early predict the risk of VTE in post-traumatic fracture patients and implement preventive measures.

Biomarkers of mitochondrial dynamics in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Identification and validation through transcriptomic and single-cell analyses

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that has increasingly been associated with dysregulated mitochondrial quality control and dynamics. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these alterations remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to systematically identify and validate candidate biomarkers related to mitochondrial dynamics in IPF and to characterize their cell-type specificity and putative regulatory relationships. Methods We integrated bulk transcriptomic datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, and literature-derived mitochondrial dynamics gene sets. Candidate genes were identified through differential expression analysis and consensus clustering, followed by functional enrichment and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analyses. A total of 101 machine-learning model combinations—including random forest, LASSO, and support vector machine—were constructed to select optimal feature genes. Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and further evaluated with artificial neural network (ANN) modeling. Additional analyses included chromosomal localization, immune infiltration profiling, multilayer regulatory network construction (transcription factors, lncRNAs, circRNAs), molecular docking prediction, and single-cell expression and pseudotime trajectory analysis. Key biomarkers were further evaluated by RT-qPCR in an independent clinical cohort. Results Integrated multi-omics and machine-learning analyses identified CD247 , IL7R , and RETN as candidate biomarkers related to mitochondrial dynamics-associated pathways in IPF. Across independent transcriptomic datasets, RETN was upregulated, whereas CD247 and IL7R were downregulated, and each showed diagnostic value (single-gene AUC > 0.7). The ANN model based on these genes achieved encouraging discriminative performance (training AUC = 0.91; validation AUC = 0.82), and expression differences were confirmed by RT-qPCR in a modest independent cohort. Enrichment analyses indicated convergence on spliceosome-related pathways, and regulatory-network analysis highlighted interactions involving transcription factors and non-coding RNAs, including circRNA CDR1as . Molecular docking suggested putative interactions with selected compounds. Single-cell analyses suggested that dysregulation was most evident in monocyte-associated compartments in one publicly available scRNA-seq dataset, and pseudotime analysis indicated dynamic expression patterns, with early transient increases in CD247 and IL7R and progressive elevation of RETN . Conclusion Through multi-omics integration and machine-learning approaches, we identified and preliminarily validated CD247 , IL7R , and RETN as candidate biomarkers related to mitochondrial dynamics–associated pathways in IPF. These findings provide transcriptomic and cell-type–specific evidence suggesting potential immune–mitochondrial associations in IPF and may inform future biomarker validation and mechanistic hypothesis generation.

Use of health communication materials by health-care providers for health education in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review

Background Health communication materials (HCMs) are widely used to support health education and promotion activities in clinical and community settings. However, evidence regarding their use by healthcare providers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains inconsistent. This scoping review aims to systematically map and describe the existing literature on the utilization of health communication materials by healthcare providers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR reporting guideline and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework for scoping reviews. The studies were searched from database inception to September 2025 using electronic databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and Hinari) were searched, and studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria aligned with the Population–Concept–Context framework. Data extraction was performed using a standardized form, and findings were narratively synthesized spreadsheet by two independent reviewers. Findings were synthesized using descriptive numerical analysis and thematic analysis. Result A total of 728 records were identified. 715 were screened after removing duplicates. Following title/abstract and full-text review, 18 studies were included. HCMs, including printed, audiovisual, and electronic tools, were covered in these studies. NGO support, perceived utility, and material accessibility were facilitators, while organizational limitations, patient disengagement, limited availability, and inadequate training were major obstacles. Conclusion The use of health communication materials by healthcare providers in LMICs is influenced by contextual, institutional, and individual factors. While HCMs are widely available in many settings, their use remains inconsistent and is influenced by systemic challenges. Strengthening accessibility, provider training, culturally appropriate content, and integration into routine care may support improved implementation.

Integrase anchors viral RNA to the HIV-1 capsid interior

Abstract HIV-1 integrase (IN) promotes encapsulation of viral genomic RNA into mature viral cores, and this function is a target for ongoing antiretroviral drug development efforts 1–3 . Here we determined the cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of a primate lentiviral IN in a complex with RNA, revealing a linear filament made of IN octamer repeat units, each comprising a pair of asymmetric homotetramers. The assembly is stabilized through IN–RNA interactions involving mainly the IN C-terminal domains and RNA backbone. The spacing and orientation of the IN filament repeat units closely matched those of consecutive capsid (CA) hexamers within the mature CA lattice. Using cryo-EM images of native purified HIV-1 cores, we refined the structure of the IN filament as it propagates along the luminal side of the CA lattice. Each IN tetramer within the filament nestled in a CA hexamer, engaging closely with the major homology regions. Substitutions of residues involved in IN–CA contacts yielded eccentric virions with RNA nucleoids located outside of the cores. Collectively, our results establish the structural basis for the HIV-1 IN–RNA interaction and reveal that IN forms an RNA-binding module on the luminal side of the mature CA lattice.

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Single-cell and isoform-specific translational profiling of the mouse brain

Abstract The brain displays the richest repertoire of post-transcriptional mechanisms regulating mRNA translation 1–11 . Among these, alternative splicing has been shown to drive cell-type specificity and, when disrupted, is strongly linked to neurological disorders 12–17 . However, genome-wide measurements of mRNA translation with isoform sensitivity at single-cell resolution have not been achieved. To address this, we deployed Surveying Ribosomal Targets by APOBEC-Mediated Profiling (Ribo-STAMP) coupled with short-read and long-read single-cell RNA sequencing in the brain 18 . We generated the first isoform-sensitive single-cell translatomes of the mouse hippocampus at postnatal day 25, discovering cell-type-specific translation of 3,857 alternative transcripts across 1,641 genes and identifying isoforms of the same genes undergoing differential translation within and across 8 different cell types. We defined high and low translational states in CA1 and CA3 neurons, with synaptic and metabolic genes enriched in high states. We found that CA3 exhibited higher basal translation compared with CA1, as confirmed by metabolic labelling of newly synthesized proteins and immunohistochemistry of translational machinery components. This accessible platform will expand our understanding of how cell-type-specific and isoform-specific translation drives brain physiology and disease.

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Functional hierarchy of the human neocortex across the lifespan

Abstract Large-scale gradients of functional connectivity between brain areas organize the human neocortex, linking brain topography to the texture of cognition 1,2 . In adults, three dominant axes—sensory–association, visual–somatosensory and modulation–representation—run, respectively, from primary sensory to transmodal association areas, from visual to body-centred systems and from control and attention networks to default mode and sensory areas 1–4 . These gradients provide a compact description of large-scale cortical hierarchies that underlie distinct modes of information processing. However, how these gradients and their multiscale biological and cognitive correlates evolve across the lifespan is unknown. Here we establish a continuous normative reference of functional organization from birth to 100 years of age, revealing complex, nonlinear developmental trajectories. Gradient architecture is anchored by primary sensory systems in infancy, differentiates along association and control axes during childhood and adolescence and gradually dedifferentiates during ageing. The importance of this functional architecture is corroborated by biology and behaviour: gradient metrics predict cognitive performance across development; structure–function coupling varies by axis and age; and distinct transcriptomic signatures are strongest early in life and weaken with age, consistent with a transient genetic scaffold for gradient architecture. Our lifespan gradients unify diverse research into developmental brain connectivity and provide a shared multimodal reference for future studies.

Continuously tunable coherent pulse generation in a semiconductor laser

Identifying the topographic signature of early Martian oceans

Abstract Planet-wide interpretations of shorelines suggest that Mars once hosted an early ocean covering one-third of its surface 1–9 . However, the elevations of these shorelines deviate from an equipotential surface by several kilometres, challenging that interpretation 3,7,10–12 . Here we investigate whether a planet that once hosted an ocean should be expected to leave discernible shorelines. We show that on Earth, the most prominent topographic signature of a global ocean is not a shoreline. Rather, it is a band of low slope and curvature values that comprises coastal plains and the continental shelf, with an elevation range of −410 m to −15 m. When applying a similar analysis to the Martian surface, we observe a comparably flat zone between approximately –1,800 m and –3,800 m elevation, potentially marking a partially preserved Martian coastal shelf. Although other processes, such as lava flows 13 , might explain flat regions locally, a coastal shelf best explains the circumglobal band of flat topography, in addition to river delta deposits 4,14–17 , coastal deposits 18 , thick sequences of layered rock 19,20 and aqueously altered minerals 20,21 , all observed within the putative coastal shelf zone. Our results support the presence of an ancient ocean on Mars and indicate that topographic shelves rather than shorelines may be better indicators of long-lived oceans.