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Integrating psychosocial health into disaster risk management: Insights from COVID-19 in Durán, Ecuador

The COVID-19 pandemic and intensifying climate-related disasters have highlighted the necessity of integrating psychosocial health and disaster risk management strategies. In the post-pandemic context, it is important to understand the psychosocial vulnerability factors that exacerbate stress and depression in order to inform interventions that enhance resilience during disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. Self-reported stress and depression were evaluated to assess risk and protective factors using questionnaires that were completed by 340 out of 446 participants in Durán, Ecuador in 2021. Considering social vulnerability factors of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity at individual and urban levels, this study applied Kendall’s tau and odds ratio analyses to explore associations between stress and depression, identifying risks and protective factors within the sample population. Women (68.5%) self-reported to be vulnerable to moderate stress (67.8%) and mild depression (29.6%). There was a positive association between stress and depression levels (0.42, p: < 0.02 ). Odds ratio indicated adults experienced moderately severe stress, while those who were in domestic partnership had a 20% reduced risk of stress. Participants living in collective housing and rooms in tenement housing and apartments were more likely to experience higher levels of stress. Depression levels are associated with chronic illnesses (p < 0.02), residing in areas lacking paved roads (p < 0.005 ), without access to water (p < 0.036 ), and without COVID-19 vaccination ( p < 0.043 ). The Duran study revealed the complex nature of psychosocial health, shaped by individual vulnerabilities, deficient urban infrastructure, and limited capacities of city systems. In the long-term recovery process, the integration of mental health and disaster risk management (DRM) would focus on community-engagement for preparedness, equitable access to health/mental services, inclusive urban planning, and partnerships intervention to enhance community adaptive capacity to improve resilience and promote sustainable recovery. In line with the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction (DRR), humanitarian emergencies, climate and health crises, and compound risks offer critical opportunities to advance resilience in urban and health systems by addressing structural vulnerabilities, enhancing interinstitutional coordination, and integrating mental and psychosocial health into disaster risk reduction and management strategies.

Emission-reduction cooperation among technologically complementary manufacturers under a carbon cap-and-trade mechanism with price competition

In recent years, driven by emission reduction targets, an increasing number of manufacturers producing similar products have been compelled to seek emission reduction cooperation even while competing in the market, a phenomenon that has attracted growing attention in recent studies. Based on the carbon cap-and-trade mechanism, this study develops a noncooperative–cooperative biform game model to examine the optimal decisions of technologically complementary manufacturers engaging in emission reduction cooperation under price competition. The model describes alliance profits using a characteristic function and applies the Shapley value for profit allocation, while equilibrium outcomes are derived through noncooperative game analysis. The research results show that the high carbon emission reduction investment coefficient will inhibit the carbon abatement development level of manufacturers and reduce their profits. Without a carbon cap-and-trade mechanism, competitive manufacturers lack incentives for technological collaboration. An increase in carbon trading prices significantly promotes emission reductions and profit growth, whereas the effect of government-allocated initial carbon allowances remains limited. Moreover, the improvement of manufacturers’ technological conversion capability can improve the level of carbon abatement development and enhance their profitability under price competition. In general, this study provides theoretical and practical guidance for the cooperative emission reduction of competitive enterprises under the carbon emission rights trading mechanism.

STING pathway contributes to Steroid-Hyporesponsive Lung Inflammation in DSS-induced colitis mice model

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, is well recognized for triggering extraintestinal manifestations, including pulmonary complications. Emerging evidence highlights the gut lung axis (GLA) as a critical link in respiratory health, where gut dysbiosis and bacterial translocation play a role in systemic and pulmonary inflammation. Despite its clinical relevance, the mechanisms underlying these pulmonary manifestations remain poorly understood. The Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) pathway plays a critical role in regulating pulmonary inflammation. However, its precise role in colitis-associated lung inflammation remains unclear and could provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of this condition. Methods This study evaluates the involvement of STING pathway in colitis induced lung tissue inflammation using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) murine model of colitis. The effect of STING inhibitor on regulating steroid hypo-responsiveness, particularly the glucocorticoid receptor GR-α/GR-β ratio, is also examined. Results The DSS model induces lung inflammation, characterized by enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells into lung tissues, increased levels of IL-17, IFN-γ, bacterial DNA, while enhancing steroid hypo-responsiveness. The inhibition of STING controls lung inflammation and restores steroid sensitivity to a much higher extent compared to dexamethasone treatment. Conclusion The significant activation of the STING pathway and dysregulation of steroid signature markers in the lungs of DSS-induced colitis mice suggest a novel mechanism by which gut inflammation may propagate to the lungs.

Mapping digital popularity: Analyzing the network attention patterns of national forest parks based on Douyin (Tiktok) data

The study measures the Network Attention of national forest parks based on user data from the Douyin platform, utilizing the rank-size rule and Jenks natural breaks method to analyze their spatial distribution characteristics, and employing a geographic detector to explore influencing factors. The results indicate a significant imbalance in the Network Attention distribution of national forest parks, characterized by a steep downward trend. The top parks have high attention but are few in number, while the bottom parks are numerous but receive less attention. Further investigation reveals that the spatial differentiation of Network Attention results from the synergistic drive of multiple factors. Regional economic development and the level of internet penetration emerge as critical single drivers, while factor interactions universally exhibit enhancement effects. This study provides empirical support for formulating differentiated digital dissemination strategies for national forest parks, enhancing social influence, and fostering public participation, holding significant implications for promoting ecological protection and the sustainable development of eco-tourism.

Beyond Blueprints: Exploring the influence of social science factors on engineers’ flood infrastructure design decisions

Communities rely on infrastructure for daily activities, and when assets are damaged during a disaster, they face significant costs, both in physical damages as well as quality of life disruptions. Most engineering research focuses on material properties and modeling to understand the outcomes of nature-infrastructure interactions; however, little research explores the human factors driving engineers’ design decisions. The objective of this exploratory qualitative work is to examine the role of human decision-making among engineers to better understand influential factors for flood infrastructure design. Open-ended interviews were conducted in 2022 with flood infrastructure engineers in the US who work on levees, dams, and breakwaters to better understand design parameter interactions with personal attitudes about risk and climate. Findings indicate four crucial areas that influence the design process: 1) Stakeholder involvement and influence; 2) Risk perception and tolerance of the engineer (and, specifically, tensions with the norms for risk in the home organization and the profession at large); 3) Personal characteristics of the engineer (such as their attitudes toward disasters based on personal experience), and 4) Key areas of weakness within the profession as a whole. This work provides a foundation to advance initial qualitative findings, and takeaways from this research can forge stronger interdisciplinary collaborations, while the regional focus on the U.S. may necessitate caution in global generalization.

Food safety in urban informal market food environment: A social practice perspective on coping strategies of vendors in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Informal food vendors in the Global South face challenges in managing food safety, necessitating strategies that address consumer concerns and market sustainability. This paper examines how informal vendors in Dhaka, Bangladesh, cope with these challenges. Framing food vending as a social practice, the study emphasises that food safety is a shared responsibility. Based on research involving 26 vendors, we explore their coping strategies for sourcing, processing, storage, and selling food. Through qualitative analysis, we identify three distinct vendor types—cooked food, wet market, and dry market vendors—each of them employing specific approaches to food safety management. This classification enables a closer exploration of diverse food safety management strategies. Our findings highlight how vendors’ material resources, skills, and daily social interactions with consumers shape their strategies, including information sharing, resource management, trust-building, and innovation. Given the disparities in resource access and skills, we advocate for a multi-faceted approach to food safety that aligns with vendors’ local practices.

On the self-management ability of peritoneal dialysis patients: a cross-sectional study with a mixed approach

Objective To understand the current status and influencing factors of self-management ability in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods This study employed an interpretive sequential mixed-methods approach and followed the STROBE and CONDITION guidelines. From June 2024 to February 2025, convenience sampling was used to survey 507 PD patients from three tertiary hospitals. Quantitative data were collected using five scales. Concurrently, purpose sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 13 patients until data saturation was reached. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically using Nvivo15. The results were integrated to provide a comprehensive understanding. Results The quantitative results showed that PD patients had a self-management ability score of [55.00 (45.00, 60.00)] out of a possible 96, indicating a moderately low level. Multiple linear regression identified age, educational attainment, monthly household income, dialysis age, understanding of the disease, mastery of health education content, frequency of follow-up, and self-efficacy as significant influencing factors. The qualitative interviews identified two themes (obstructive and promoting factors) and nine sub-themes. The integration of results showed that qualitative findings confirmed and complemented the quantitative associations. Conclusion The self-management ability of PD patients is moderately low. Medical staff should enhance the self-efficacy and social support of PD patients based on the influencing factors of their self-management ability, increase the frequency of follow-up, pay attention to PD patients with low education, advanced age and other types, strengthen training and monitoring for complications, and carry out targeted intervention to improve the self-management ability of PD patients.

Facet‐Selective Nucleation Control for Constructing Multi‐Dimensional MOFs Heterostructures

Abstract Metal–organic framework (MOF) heterostructures featuring tunable morphologies and compositions have shown great promise for applications in high‐throughput sensing, anti‐counterfeiting, and information encryption. Nevertheless, the precise engineering of heterogeneous architectures with multi‐dimensional building units remains challenging, primarily hindered by an insufficient understanding of the growth dynamics between modules of different dimensionality. Here, we demonstrate a facet‐selective epitaxial growth approach for architecting spatially defined dimensional heterostructures via crystalline plane‐selective reactivity control. The intrinsically higher surface energy at the tips of 1D microrods facilitates the nucleation of 2D modules on the terminal facets, thereby yielding dumbbell‐like heterostructures. Conversely, by selectively enhancing the reaction activity on the body regions of the 1D templates, preferential nucleation and growth at the central areas over the tips were effectively achieved, which enables the controlled formation of periodic modular architectures through systematic regulation of surface energies. The facet‐selective epitaxial growth paradigm establishes a pathway for synthesizing hierarchical dimensional heterostructures with tailored architectures, which show great promise for applications in advanced optoelectronics, anti‐counterfeiting systems, and information encryption technologies.

Attitudes and participation in fall risk management: A tripartite, multicenter cross-sectional study of physicians, nurses, and patients

Objective This study aims to explore the attitudes and involvement of physicians, nurses and patients in fall risk management, focusing on the factors influencing physicians’ participation. Methods This study utilized a convenience sampling, 4,272 participants (580 physicians, 2,775 nurses, 917 patients) from 19 Chinese provinces were enrolled via Questionnaire Star from 11 April to 31 May, 2024. The survey included general information, tripartite fall management perspectives, and 27-item medical staff/patient questionnaires. Medical staff evaluated fall risk through assessment, prevention, and management; patients reported adherence and staff participation. Results Physicians and nurses showed comparable attitude scores (55.02 ± 8.124 vs 54.58 ± 9.096, P  = 0.227), but physicians had higher participation (51.47 ± 9.703 vs 42.77 ± 12.052, P  < 0.001). Key factors influencing physicians’ engagement included education level, gender, and nurses’ invitation frequency/awareness of fall management importance. Staff identified patient noncompliance, disease complexity, and low risk awareness as challenges; patients cited disease severity, environmental hazards, and insufficient education. Conclusion Effective fall prevention requires multidisciplinary collaboration. Nurses predominantly lead fall management, while physicians demonstrate limited involvement, closely tied to nurses’ proactive engagement invitations. Cultivating a culture where nurses actively invite physician collaboration is critical to enhancing safety strategies.

Predictability beyond accuracy: A correlation-based evaluation of survey forecasts of the Chilean exchange rate

Floating exchange rates are widely considered difficult—if not impossible—to predict. While traditional evaluations focus on out-of-sample accuracy measures such as Mean Squared Prediction Error (MSPE), recent literature argues that predictability is better understood as a form of dependence. Following this view, we assess the ability of Chile’s Survey of Professional Forecasters (SPF) to predict the Chilean peso (CLP) across multiple horizons. We find that SPF forecasts maintain stable and statistically significant predictive correlations with CLP returns, indicating meaningful predictability. However, forecast accuracy varies over time, mainly due to a persistent positive bias in the survey. We propose an adjustment aimed at removing this and other inefficiencies, which greatly improves accuracy, particularly at medium and long horizons. Finally, and contrary to common wisdom, we find that the most difficult benchmark to beat in the Chilean case is the random walk with drift—not the driftless random walk.

Correction to “Magnetic and Peroxidase‐Specific Single‐Atom Nanozyme Through Cu‐Doping Engineering for Ultrasensitive and Visual Tumor Diagnosis”

Pharmaceutical marketing and patient trust: How do doctor-targeted campaigns affect patients?

Background In the context of pervasive pharmaceutical marketing directed at doctors, it is crucial to understand whether patients notice these activities and, if so, what impact this may have on trust in doctor-patient relationships. Methods The study was conducted through an online survey with 1,057 Polish participants. A quota sample, reflecting the Polish population in terms of specific socio-demographic characteristics, was chosen from an internet panel. Results The average trust in physicians among Poles, on a 10-point scale, was 6.3 (SD = 2.1), while the average trust in pharmaceutical companies was lower, at 5.0 (SD = 2.3). The results indicate that 83.4% of respondents noticed signs of pharmaceutical marketing directed at doctors, with 5.5% experiencing all six types of marketing practices addressed in the study. Seeing a company logo in the doctor’s office, encountering a pharmaceutical sales representative (PSR), and experiencing PSR-related longer waits were each associated with lower trust in physicians (t = −2.2, −2.3, −2.9; p = .028,.019,.004; d = −.136, − .148, − .188, respectively) and in pharmaceutical companies (t = −2.7, −3.1, −2.3; p = .008,.002,.021; d = −.166, − .202, − .151, respectively). Receiving a free drug sample was linked to slightly higher trust in physicians (t = 2.2, p = .028, d = .16) and showed no effect on trust in companies (p = .558). Most pairwise correlations among patient-encounter pharmaceutical marketing situations were weak, even when they reached statistical significance; the only strong association was between encountering a PSR in a medical facility and reporting PSR-related longer wait times (r = .69, p < .001). Conclusion Physicians and pharmaceutical companies must acknowledge that their marketing relationships can influence patient trust and should carefully assess the consequences of their collaboration on the public’s perception of medicine and public health.

Factors associated with wheezing in Indigenous children and adolescents: A systematic review of the global literature

Background Wheezing episodes are common in childhood and can occur due to different health conditions. Globally, Indigenous children are particularly affected, with a high burden of respiratory diseases related to socioeconomic inequalities, demographic characteristics, and exposure to environmental risks. Objective We summarize the knowledge available in the global literature on the determinants of wheezing in Indigenous children and adolescents and develop a theoretical model for analyzing them in Indigenous Brazilian children. Methods Systematic review conducted under the PRISMA 2020 criteria for studies, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023395661). The Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS databases were searched until September 2024. The inclusion criterion was analytical observational studies that showed risk factors for wheezing in children and adolescents (0–19 years). Studies that did not show specific results in the age group of interest, even if they included children and adolescents in their samples, book chapters, conference annals, or outcomes associated with chronic lung disease complications were excluded. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results Seventeen of the 263 analyzed studies were included in this systematic review, with a total of 139,783 participants. The most common design was cross-sectional (76.5%); most studies were conducted in North America (76.5%). Asthma was the most common type of wheezing episodes (88.2%). Male patients showed a more significant association with wheezing outcomes. Wheezing, when combined with asthma, was directly associated with age and inversely associated with age when accompanied by cold. Conclusion We identified three main factors for wheezing in Indigenous children and adolescents: Environmental (tobacco smoke, indoor pollution, and housing), socioeconomic (income, healthcare, and residence), and biological/clinical (sex, birth weight, infections, and allergies). We propose a model to analyze these factors in Indigenous Brazilian children. Differences in definitions, reliance on numerous cross-sectional studies, and focus on North America limit the generalizability of the results. Standardized methods and studies in new regions, particularly Brazil, are necessary for testing and refine this model.

Evaluating markerless biomechanical analysis in a real-world pole vault competition setting

This study evaluated a purpose-trained markerless motion capture system for biomechanical analysis in elite pole vault competition. The aim was to determine whether a markerless approach could produce results comparable to manual digitising—the current standard in live competition settings—when operating under the practical constraint of a fixed four-camera setup. Data were collected from eight world-class pole vaulters during the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. The final steps of the run-up through take-off were recorded at 100 Hz and analysed using both manual digitisation and the SIMI Nemo Markerless system to extract key biomechanical variables. Results showed strong overall agreement between methods for most spatial and centre of mass (CM) variables, with mean relative bias and random error of 0.3% and 3.8%, respectively. Step length differed by approximately 1 cm, and running step velocities showed root mean square error (RMSE) values between 0.02 and 0.05 m/s. CM height and horizontal velocity at pole plant showed RMSEs below 0.02 m and 0.1 m/s, respectively. At take-off, horizontal, vertical and absolute CM velocities all showed RMSE values of approximately 0.1 m/s. For these variables, intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.898–1.000. Continuous waveform agreement was also strong, with Coefficient of Multiple Determination values exceeding 0.98 for vertical CM displacement, and above 0.90 for both CM velocity and most joint angle trajectories. In contrast, joint angles at take-off showed less agreement (RMSE 5°–10°), reflecting challenges in joint landmark identification in field conditions, and indicating that further refinement may be needed for complex movements. These findings suggest that, when supported by anatomically-informed pose estimation algorithms, a four-camera markerless setup is capable of capturing essential performance indicators in elite pole vault. The approach shows strong potential for scientific and applied use in real-world sport environments.

Valorization of waste pharmaceutical residues via pyrolysis: Simultaneous production of biochar for Cd2+ removal and high-quality bio-oil/syngas

For the efficient utilization of pharmaceutical waste resources, tuber biochar (TB) and herbal biochar (HB) were prepared via oxygen-limited slow pyrolysis at 500 °C for 3 h, using residues from tuber-type Xinsuning capsule and herbal-type Changyanning pill as the raw materials, respectively. The biochars were characterized by FESEM, BET, XRD and FTIR, and the feedstock physico-chemical properties were measured by common agricultural chemical analysis methods. The results revealed that both biochars possessed a high percentage of elemental O, a honeycomb-like porous structure, and surfaces enriched with functional groups such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl. HB exhibited a larger specific surface area and pore volume than TB, making it a more recommended carbon material. The chemical compositions of the pyrolysis by-products were systematically analyzed. The bio-oils were rich in ketones, alkanes, alcohols, olefins, fatty acids, phenols, and heterocyclic compounds, identifying them as potential sources of liquid fuels and chemical feedstocks. The most abundant components in bio-oils from tuber and herbal biomass were “Ethanol, 2,2-diethoxy-” (7.25%) and “Phosphonic acid, (p-hydroxyphenyl)-” (10.52%), respectively. The syngas has a low hydrogen content, is mainly pyrolysis off-gas and therefore has a limited application potential. Furthermore, the environmental application for Cd²⁺ removal was critically evaluated. Adsorption isotherms demonstrated high adsorption capacities, well-described by the Freundlich model ( R ² ≥ 0.99), indicating multilayer adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities for TB and HB were 188.89 and 186.67 mg·g⁻¹, respectively. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption process followed the Elovich model ( R ² ≥ 0.98), suggesting heterogeneous diffusion, with HB achieving a higher equilibrium capacity (85.67 mg·g⁻¹) than TB (73.70 mg·g⁻¹). In conclusion, pyrolysis, particularly using herbal biomass, presents a promising strategy for the comprehensive and high-value utilization of waste pharmaceutical residues, simultaneously producing effective adsorbents for heavy metal remediation and valuable bio-energy products.

Unpacking lithic assemblage variability in the Early Upper Palaeolithic: A multivariate approach to the structure of the Iberian Aurignacian

The Aurignacian technocomplex of the Early Upper Palaeolithic remains a long-standing focal point for understanding the expansion of modern humans across Europe. Diagnostic assemblages occur across vast swathes of the continent, suggesting the existence of broadly connected groups and traditions around 43–32 ka cal BP. However, while its extensive distribution is often regarded as proxy evidence for the spread of modern human groups, artefact assemblages are known to be synchronically and diachronically variable in ways that reveal an inconsistent representation of diagnostic traits. In the Iberian Peninsula, this variability is exemplified by an idiosyncratic material record in which diverse Aurignacian assemblages occur alongside undiagnostic or ‘culturally indeterminate’ ones, leading many Aurignacian occupations to be disputed. In this paper, we assimilate this regional record through quantitative analyses of techno-typological attributes from all sufficiently published and chronologically relevant assemblages of the Early Upper Palaeolithic. Using two multivariate techniques, we first explore associations between assemblages and thereafter test whether inter-assemblage variability is related to spatial and temporal distances. Our results cast light on the spatial structure of variability by revealing that inter-assemblage differences increase with spatial distance but show no linear relationship to temporal distance. This spatial finding challenges the cross-regional applicability of the Aquitaine model of techno-typological change, whilst the absence of temporally structured variability suggests a heterogeneous representation of diagnostic traits across and within temporal classes of assemblages.

Incidence of pelvic fractures after definitive radiotherapy for cervical cancer: A retrospective multicenter cohort study (The IPFAR study)

Objective This multicenter study aimed to identify the risk factors for pelvic insufficiency fractures (PIFs) in women who received definitive radiotherapy (RT) as the initial treatment for cervical cancer and to examine the differences in the incidence of PIFs across institutions. Patients and Methods The medical records of 208 women were reviewed. These women received definitive RT as an initial treatment for cervical cancer at four institutions between January 2016 and December 2018. Results The median age was 61.5 years (range: 29–93 years). Overall, 59 patients (28.4%) developed PIF, with 48 (81.4%) of them developing it within two years after completion of RT. Multivariate analysis identified postmenopausal status and treating institution as independent risk factors. The incidence of PIF varied significantly among institutions, ranging from 18.9% to 50.0%, despite no significant differences in patient demographics or RT protocols. Conclusion Substantial inter-institutional variation in PIF incidence was observed, even under standardized treatment conditions. These findings underscore the need for individualized risk assessment and institutional quality control in the long-term management of cervical cancer survivors.

Establishment of an in vitro hairless guinea pig dermal model

Hairless guinea pigs (HGP) make a desirable model for percutaneous exposure because they do not need to be clipped and are lower in cost and less sentient than swine. Current data leaves gaps in data translation and scaling from animal to human and from cells to whole organisms. The establishment and tracking of in vitro cell cultures from animals from an in-house colony allows for highly controllable and reportable data for data translation. We report the isolation, culture, methods optimization, characterization, and toxicant exposure of HGP dermal fibroblasts (HGP-DF) from the in-house HGP breeding colony at U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC). We successfully isolated HGP-DF from the forelimb and hindlimb skin of several HGP. Fibroblasts exited tissue within 14 days. All trypsin and media types tested for cell maintenance yielded cells with greater than 95% viability during passaging. Cells were stored under cryopreservation and exhibited acceptable viability for several passages after thawing. Fluorescently stained HGP-DF exhibited similar morphology as vendor certified human dermal fibroblasts. HGP-DF were more sensitive than human dermal fibroblasts to a toxic exposure, with median lethal concentrations of 1 mM and 0.3 mM for human cells and hairless guinea pig cells, respectively. This follows a similar trend as observed in whole organism data from the same toxicant. This work marks the first documented protocol on isolation, culture, characterization, and exposure of HGP cells. HGP-DF enable an intermediate model between human cells and in vivo models that may enable validation of in vitro models against animal models. Future work should address limitations of the present study, including evaluating phenotypic changes of cells following cryopreservation and immunohistochemistry compared to vendor certified controls to confirm dermal fibroblast phenotype.

Identification of autophagy-related key biomarkers in caerulein induced acute pancreatitis: In silico and in vivo study

Background Dysregulated autophagy is known to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Acute pancreatitis (AP). However, its specific mechanisms remain unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) by bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation in AP. Methods GSE109227, GSE65146, and GSE3644 were obtained from GEO database and underwent standardization and principal component analysis. ARGs were sourced from the Human Autophagy Database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were intersected with ARGs to identify differentially expressed autophagy-related genes (DEARGs) associated with AP. Subsequently, functional enrichment analysis, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, and Gene-gene interaction networks were performed. The expression of DEARGs at the mRNA level was verified using the GSE121038 dataset, and protein expression levels were examined in animal model by western blot. Potential regulatory chemicals or compounds affecting the expression of DEARGs were predicted using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). Results We screened seven key biomarkers (Sesn2, Kras, Hmox1, Cast, Nfe2l2, Npc1, and Cdkn1a) from the GSE109227, GSE65146, and GSE3644 datasets. These biomarkers showed higher levels of mRNA expression compared to the control group. Additional testing using the GSE121038 dataset showed that only Npc1 mRNA level was not significantly different (P > 0.05). The protein expression levels of Sesn2, Hmox1, and Kras aligned with mRNA expression, while Nfe2l2, Cast, and Npc1 showed opposing patterns. No differences were detected in Cdkn1a. GSEA revealed significant enrichment of the ARG set in AP samples across the three GEO datasets. Functional enrichment analysis indicated the DEARGs primarily participate in the regulation of autophagy and macroautophagy. Several chemicals or compounds were projected to modulate DEARGs expression, notably acetaminophen. Conclusion Our research further highlights the significant interaction between autophagy and AP. Notably, Sesn2, Kras, Hmox1, and Nfe2l2 exhibited significant expression differences during acute pancreatitis, suggesting they may serve as potential biomarkers for the condition.

A natural probioenzyme strategy as an effective alternative to antibiotics against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in broilers: Benefits for growth, immunity, and organ health

The rise of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a serious threat to poultry health and food safety, necessitating sustainable alternatives to antibiotics. Our investigation began with an epidemiological survey of broiler samples, which detected K. pneumoniae in 8.88% (8/90) of cases. Among these isolates, over 60% were multidrug-resistant. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed bacterial resistance to penicillin G (100%) but complete sensitivity to colistin sulphate (100%). Molecular analysis further revealed a high prevalence of key resistance genes ( tet A [87.5%] and bla TEM [100%]) and virulence factors ( fim H [100%] and tra T [62.5%]), while all isolates were confirmed by amplification of the conserved 16S-23S ITS region. We then evaluated a novel probioenzyme formulation as a dietary intervention in a 35-day broiler trial. Birds challenged with K. pneumoniae were supplemented with either probioenzyme (1 g/kg feed) or treated with colistin sulfate (antibiotic control). Probioenzyme supplementation resulted in growth performance enhancement (final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate) comparable or superior to, the antibiotic-treated group ( P < 0.05 ). The probioenzyme in KPT restored FCR to levels matching the unchallenged (CT) and antibiotic-treated groups (KAT). Histopathological analysis showed complete restoration of intestinal villus architecture, pulmonary integrity, and hepatic cytoprotection in the probioenzyme group, matching antibiotic efficacy. Furthermore, probioenzyme enhanced systemic antioxidant capacity (catalase, superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity) and innate immune response (lysozyme activity) by day 35 ( P < 0.05 ). These findings demonstrate that dietary probioenzyme is a viable alternative to antibiotics, effectively mitigating K. pneumoniae infection while improving growth, organ health, and immune competence without contributing to antimicrobial resistance. This strategy supports sustainable poultry production and aligns with global efforts to reduce antibiotic reliance.