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Expression of Concern: Comprehensive framework for thyroid disorder diagnosis: Integrating advanced feature selection, genetic algorithms, and machine learning for enhanced accuracy and other performance matrices
Retraction: Synergistic development of intangible cultural heritage and tourism industry: Empirical experiences from Jilin, China
A dynamic model of COVID-19 infection quantifies the impact of preventive interventions on the infection of severely immunocompromised subjects in the United Kingdom
The disproportional risk of microbial infections affecting immunocompromised individuals underlines the critical need to develop effective infection preventive strategies. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, we developed a mathematical model to evaluate interventions to protect severely immunocompromised (SIC) subjects against COVID-19. Predictions were well-aligned with UK available data for 2021 and 2022, and the model was used to retrospectively quantify the impact of preventive interventions in alternative scenarios during that period. Model simulations indicated that while the UK vaccination program reduced hospitalizations and deaths in the general population, SIC subjects remained at high risk of severe COVID-19. Simulated protective strategies, such as passive immunization, during seasonal SARS-CoV-2 peaks, showed potential to significantly reduce infection rates in this vulnerable group. We demonstrated the application of mathematical models to describe complex interactions among multiple dynamic processes and assess interventions to prevent disease transmission in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed individuals.
The influence of social support, physical activity, general psychological distress, and demographic characteristics on self-reported health status among women in Iran
Background Considering the impact of social support on women’s mental health and the importance of their mental health in improving the health of the society, this study aimed to investigate the influence of social support, physical activity, general psychological distress, and demographic characteristics on self-reported health status among women. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 women aged 18–75 in 2024 in Iran. The Vaux social support, international physical activities, Depression- Anxiety- Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaires were administered. The Cluster random sampling method was used. The data were analyzed using STATA version 18. The significance level for examining the hypotheses was p ≥ 0.05. Results According to the results, there was a significant positive relationship between age, place of residence, history of chronic disease, evaluation of financial status and self-rated health in both crude and adjusted models. In addition, the positive significant relationship was observed between general psychological distress, and poor self- rated health in adjusted model. So that, the odds of poor self- rated health in women who achieved higher depression, anxiety, stress scale score was 1.04 times higher than others. Conclusion Considering the rising rates of psychological problems, particularly in recent years among women, as well as the influence of women’s health on societal well-being, it is imperative for policymakers in women’s health to pinpoint the underlying causes of mental disorders in women. They should take proactive measures to mitigate these causes, thereby decreasing the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress disorders through the implementation of effective interventions.
Retraction: Advancing enterprise risk management with deep learning: A predictive approach using the XGBoost-CNN-BiLSTM model
Comparison of consumer-grade wearable devices with a research-grade instrument for measuring physical activity in a free-living setting
Introduction Wearable accelerometer devices are now widely used in both research and daily life settings. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of three commercially available consumer-grade activity monitors with the medical-grade ActiGraph device in a free-living setting in Japan. Methods Thirty-six office workers were enrolled and provided with an ActiGraph. Data were analyzed from participants who also wore Apple Watch ( n = 21), Fitbit ( n = 22), and Oura Ring ( n = 5) over a 3-week period. Step count, physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) data were collected from all devices. Data were analyzed using correlation coefficients, mean differences, and Bland–Altman plots. Results ActiGraph data confirmed comparable physical activity levels across the participant subgroups, ensuring a valid basis for the subsequent inter-device comparisons. Step counts were largely consistent across devices, with Apple Watch and Oura Ring measurements within 10% of ActiGraph measurements (mean percentage differences 2.12% and −6.24%, respectively), while the Fitbit overestimated step count by 18.00%. MVPA showed greater variability, with Apple Watch and Oura Ring underestimating by 46.22% and 11.64% respectively, whereas the Fitbit showed minimal mean difference (0.62%). PAEE showed the largest discrepancies, with Apple Watch and Fitbit overestimating by 25.91% and 139.19% respectively, and Oura Ring underestimating by 16.87%. Correlation coefficients were strong for step counts ( r = 0.84–0.92) but lower for MVPA and PAEE across all devices. Bland–Altman analysis revealed proportional bias in the Fitbit’s PAEE and the Apple Watch’s MVPA, with errors increasing at higher activity levels. Conclusion Step counts were largely consistent with the ActiGraph for most devices; however, the Fitbit showed a notable overestimation. However, the ability of those devices to accurately measure MVPA and PAEE appeared to be more limited, particularly at higher activity levels. These findings underscore that the selection of a consumer-grade wearable for research or clinical use must be carefully guided by the specific metric of interest. However, the findings for the Oura Ring should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size.
Updated data on the epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Lebanon
Objective The objective of the study was to review available data on IBD in Lebanon based on histopathological reports and endoscopic data to identify the number of newly diagnosed cases per year, age, gender, and disease phenotype, and subsequently update the incidence and prevalence of the disease. Methods A review of all histopathological reports of newly diagnosed IBD patients over a 20-year period was conducted, along with a review of available clinical and endoscopic information at the National Institute of Pathology. The clinical data analysed included the type of IBD, age, gender, number of cases diagnosed per year, location of each IBD type and disease progression over time. The Montreal classification for age and phenotype was applied to both diseases. Results Over a 20-year period (from January 2000 to December 2020), 2,869 IBD patients (1,365 with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 1,504 with ulcerative colitis (UC) were included. Our sample represents 20% of the Lebanese population with IBD. No cases of unclassified IBD were identified since all patients were followed up throughout the years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.15 for UC patients and 1.3 for CD patients. The average age was 41 years for UC and 36.4 years for CD. Ileal involvement and left-sided colonic involvement were the most frequently noted in CD and UC, respectively. A progressive increase in diagnosed cases of CD and UC was observed over this 20-year period. The annual incidence rose from 4.9 to 11 per 100,000, with a cumulative incidence of 6.53 per 100,000 and a prevalence of 130.56 per 100,000. The highest incidence occurred between ages 21–30. Incidence trends were independently predicted by age group and calendar period, with markedly higher rates among individuals aged 20–39 and 40–59 years with a significant increase in the 2015–2020 period, whereas sex and disease type showed no significant associations. Conclusion Epidemiological data demonstrated a progressive increase in the incidence of IBD over this 20-year period, with a slight male predominance. Ileal involvement is predominant in CD, whereas involvement extending beyond the splenic flexure is present in more than half of UC cases.
Sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with viral load non-suppression and body mass index in adults with depression symptoms receiving antiretroviral therapy in South Africa
Introduction While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved HIV outcomes, viral load remains unsuppressed for 6% of the people on ART globally in 2024. In South Africa, 5.7 million people are on ART, and viral load non-suppression was reported in 8% of them in 2022. Viral load non-suppression during ART is associated with health decline and HIV transmission. Weight is also a vital component for the management of HIV. High body mass index (BMI) increases the risk of non-communicable diseases, increasing the risk of multimorbidity in people living with HIV. Both ART effectiveness and obesity have been shown to be affected by socioeconomic, psychological and health related factors, but their interrelationships in South Africans living with HIV are not well known. This study aims to investigate the effects of socioeconomic and health related factors at enrolment, and their changes over time in viral load non-suppression and BMI among people receiving ART who have depression symptoms. Methods This was a secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial of depression management in 2002 adults receiving ART. We investigated the effects of sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)), functional disability (WHODAS-2.0), AIDS-related stigma and ART adherence – all measured at baseline – on viral load non-suppression (viral load ≥1000 copies/ml) and on body mass index (BMI), at baseline and on changes 12 months later, using longitudinal mixed effect logistic and linear regression models. A P-value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant. Potentially confounding covariates were selected and adjusted for using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) inference as a sensitivity analysis. Results People with viral load non-suppression at baseline were more likely to be male, younger and to earn lower income. Health characteristics associated with viral load non-suppression at baseline were previous tuberculosis, having been on ART for less than 6 months or more than 10 years, and self-reported non-adherence to ART. Higher disability score and ART duration <6 months or >10 years at baseline were associated with an increasing likelihood of viral load non-suppression 12 months later. Higher BMI at baseline was associated with being female, being married, earning higher income and hypertension, no history of tuberculosis and not having viral load non-suppression. BMI increased from baseline to follow-up, and women and younger people had greater increases in BMI 12 months later. Depression symptom scores and stigma scores were not associated with viral load non-suppression or BMI. Conclusions This study identified sociodemographic risk factors associated with viral non-suppression in PLWH, but most of them were not associated with further changes over time. Functional disability, however, was a risk factor with long-term implications. Younger people and women were at greater risk of BMI increasing over time. This suggests a need for ART programs to integrate long-term support services like frequent adherence assessment, mental health, rehabilitation and weight management strategies tailored to high-risk groups. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02407691), Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (201504001078347), South African National Clinical Trials Register (SANCTR) (DOH-27-0515-5048, NHREC 4048).
Exploring undergraduate medical students’ perception of an integrated longitudinal research curriculum within a competency-based framework
Background Embedding research training in undergraduate medical education strengthens analytical skills, scientific reasoning, and evidence-based practice, yet such training is often short-term or elective, with limited evidence from the Middle East. At our medical university, a mandatory longitudinal research curriculum was implemented with progressive skill development. Building on our previous work on the sequential integration of research methods, this study evaluates students’ perceptions of the program. Aim To investigate the perceived value, impact, and barriers of a longitudinal research curriculum among undergraduate medical students. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students who completed five compulsory research courses. The curriculum provided structured competencies through integrated content, protected time, and formal supervision. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire comprising demographics and 31 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale, assessing research perceptions and scholarly activities. Exploratory factor analysis identified five domains. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and sampling adequacy (KMO test) were confirmed, with factor loadings ≥0.50 considered acceptable (p < 0.05). Results A total of 106 students completed the survey (67.9% female, 32.1% male; mean age 23 years (SD = 1.8)). Overall perceptions toward research were positive, total mean score of 162.17 (SD = 17.12), corresponding to 74.5% agreement. The highest-rated domains were positive attitude toward research (mean = 37.62, 89.6%), perceived relevance (mean = 40.30, 85.7%), and perceived necessity (mean = 37.14, 75.8%), indicating strong endorsement of research for clinical training and career development. Challenge-related domains showed moderate agreement (61.2%), reflecting research barriers and dissemination challenges. Conclusion Students strongly endorsed structured research training for professional competency development, and despite reported challenges, demonstrated a positive research orientation suggestive of sustained engagement. This study provides a novel evaluation of a mandatory longitudinal research curriculum in the Middle East. It addresses a critical regional gap and offers a model for integrating research training into undergraduate medical programs that support the development of clinician–scientists.
Perspectives and preferences of domestic violence survivors regarding digital platform and AI chatbot for help-seeking: A qualitative study
Background Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive public health issue with profound physical, psychological, and social consequences. Help-seeking, particularly access to advocacy interventions, plays a pivotal role in promoting resilience and mental health well-being among DV survivors. Digital platforms and AI chatbots are emerging as promising tools for information and support. However, limited research has explored the views and needs of DV survivors regarding these technologies, impeding the development of culturally sensitive interventions for help-seeking. Objective This study aimed to investigate the perspectives and preferences of digital platform and AI chatbot among people with DV experience in Hong Kong, which could offer valuable insights to inform the design of tailored technological solutions for help-seeking. Methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 36 individuals who had DV experience over the past decade. Interviewees were recruited from DV-specific non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the community using convenience and snowball sampling. Interviews took place either in-person or via videoconference between April 2023 and August 2024. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, combining deductive and inductive approaches. Three trained coders identified themes and sub-themes through an iterative and collaborative process. Results We identified three key themes regarding the recommended features of digital platforms: functions, content, and format. Regarding content, participants valued evidence-based information, step-by-step guidance, and survivor narratives. For format, participants valued procedural visualization, engaging multimedia, calming visual design, and clear text layout. Participants emphasized the potential of AI chatbots, highlighting benefits such as enhanced accessibility, efficient information filtering, and providing nonjudgmental feedback. However, concerns were raised about chatbots’ limitations, particularly in empathy, personalization, and information accuracy. Conclusions DV survivors preferred digital platforms that prioritize safety, accessibility, and emotional support. Our study highlights the role of AI as a complementary tool to human support and calls for participatory approaches to facilitate designing effective interventions to reach their full potential.
MAGNET: Counterfactual samples synthesizing for mitigating hallucination in large language models
Hallucinations are widely recognized as a significant drawback of large language models. Several attempts have been made to reduce the intensity of hallucinations. Among the various attempts, our research has been directed towards mitigating hallucinations caused by the co-occurrence statistics of pre-training corpora. We introduce Model-AGNostic countErfacTual synthesis and adaptive fine-tuning framework (MAGNET), a fine-tuning method that can mitigate the bias of co-occurrence statistics on large language models pre-training data when generating sentences. Our pipeline generates the counterfactual sample sentences and subject and object information for the counterfactual sample from the language model, and filters them to make sure they contain these three pieces of information before using them as fine-tuning data. Next, it utilizes both the generated counterfactual sample and the original sentence used to generate it as a training dataset. When our method is applied to GPT-Neo 2.7B model, it shows a 12% improvement in the Factual Knowledge Probing experiment, and there is a correlation analysis that can mitigate the bias on the pre-training data. In the TruthfulQA experiment, when fine-tuning the GPT-Neo 125M model on the LAMA-TREx dataset, applying our method showed 2.27% better performance than not applying it.
Occupational and environmental radiation exposures from small-scale tin ore processing: A case study from Bangka Island
This study assessed the radiation exposure risks from Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) generated during small-scale tin ore processing on Bangka Island, Indonesia. Twenty individuals, including workers and nearby residents, were evaluated. Workers experienced significant occupational exposure, with mean annual doses of 6.87 mGy/y and some exceeding 26.49 mGy/y. Notably, 71% of residents exceeded the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) public dose limit of 1 mSv/y at their desk locations, indicating elevated environmental contamination risks. For comparison with the mSv-based dose limits, effective dose was approximated from the measured air kerma using ICRP 116 conversion coefficients (1 mGy ≈ 1 mSv for the relevant gamma energies). A significant correlation (R² = 0.6612) was observed between the distance from the workshops and resident exposure, indicating elevated external doses for workers and nearby residents around small-scale tin workshops. Significant differences in exposure were observed between ore workers and non-ore workers, highlighting both direct occupational exposure and indirect residential exposure (body: p = 0.021, r = 0.52; desk: p = 0.010, r = 0.57). Urinary uranium in the ore worker was 14.3 ng/L, while the two controls showed 7.5–8.8 ng/L. These values are reported descriptively because the sample size was too small for statistical comparison. This study demonstrates significant occupational and environmental radiation exposure risks associated with small-scale tin ore processing. These findings point to the need for strengthened radiation protection measures and improved contamination control around small-scale tin workshops.
Retraction: The green response of financial inclusion, infrastructure development and renewable energy to the environmental sustainability: A newly evidence from OECD economies
The impact of the three-level digital divide on the mental health of rural residents: A study from China
This study adopts the theoretical framework of “digital access divide—digital use divide—digital utility divide” to systematically investigate the differential impacts of different levels of the digital divide on the mental health of rural residents in China and its influencing mechanisms. Based on panel data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) during 2020–2022, the study analyzes the internet access, usage, and perceived importance of rural residents in China, i.e., the situations of digital access divide, digital use divide, and digital utility divide they encounter, to examine the effects of these three levels of the digital divide on the mental health of rural residents.The findings are as follows: First, the digital access divide directly leads to a decline in mental health levels, and the digital use divide and digital utility divide, characterized by insufficient usage capabilities and improper usage behaviors, further exacerbate psychological damage. Second, different social groups exhibit heterogeneous results under the influence of the digital divide, with factors such as educational level and regional differences moderating the intensity of the digital divide’s impact. Third, there are hierarchical differences in the mechanisms of influence: The digital access divide reduces the mental health level of farmers by lowering their self-assessed sense of fairness. The digital use divide reduces the mental health level of farmers by lowering their self-assessed social class. The impact of the digital utility divide on the mental health of rural residents is achieved by reducing both self-assessed social class and self-assessed economic status. This study provides a new analytical perspective for understanding the mental health issues of rural residents in the context of digital technology popularization and has reference value for formulating precise digital inclusion policies.
Molecular Cages as Probes in Indicator Displacement Assays: The Case of Scopolamine Detection
Abstract A study of the Pd‐based molecular cage C1 host–guest properties against fluorescein and the drug scopolamine is reported. C1 forms an interpenetrated structure C1 2 in the presence of ≥40% water in H 2 O/DMSO solvent mixtures. The presence of fluorescein (FL) induces the disassembly of the C1 2 structure to form the [FL 2 ⊂C1] complex. Moreover, the addition of scopolamine (SCOP, a drug typically involved in drug‐facilitated sexual assaults) to [FL 2 ⊂C1] results in fluorescein release and the formation of [ SCOP⊂C1 2 ], obtaining a fluorescence signal proportional to the concentration of scopolamine with a limit of detection as low as 59.4 µg mL −1 . A good selectivity for scopolamine against other drugs such as MDMA, cocaine, GBL, and ketamine is observed. This is the first scopolamine detection method described to date using a molecular cage and one of the very few examples of the use of cages in indicator displacement assays. Similar concepts could be applied to the design of other molecular cage‐based sensors for the detection of target analytes.
Membrane‐Penetrating Molecular Device Based on a Triplex Containing Acyclic L‐Threoninol Nucleic Acid Functionalized with Cholesterol
Abstract Membrane‐penetrating molecular devices are valuable biological tools. Herein, we describe membrane‐targeting molecular devices based on the triplexes of poly T acyclic L‐threoninol nucleic acid (L‐ a TNA) tethered site‐specifically to cholesterol and poly A DNA. The L‐ a TNA was linked to cholesterol in two different orientations. The membrane‐binding properties differed depending on the orientation at the cholesterol linkage. One triplex adhered to giant unilamellar vesicles and the other penetrated these vesicles. When the membrane‐penetrating triplex was formed with a photoresponsive DNA, photoresponsive signal transduction into giant unilamellar vesicles was enabled. These membrane‐targeting molecular devices have potential as biosensors, artificial organs, and molecular robots and in chemical artificial intelligence. Moreover, this strategy for post‐modification of the propargyl‐L‐ a TNA unit will enable further functionalization of L‐ a TNA and other acyclic XNAs.
Telomeric repeat-containing RNA G-quadruplexes trigger ZBP1-mediated cell death
Space ionizing radiation triggers the formation of peptides and organophosphates on olivine surfaces
Abstract Bioorganic molecules, such as amino acids, nucleobases, and sugars, are widely distributed in space. Here, we utilized the Chinese Space Station to carry out an investigation on the solid-state condensation reactions of these “prebiotic organic molecules” under the combined effects of ionizing radiation and forsterite. Cumulative low-dose ionizing radiation can trigger dipeptide formations and phosphorylation of riboses. Dipeptide yields increased 41-fold due to the synergistic effect of forsterite plus sodium trimetaphosphate (P 3 m). P 3 m is activated upon irradiation to phosphorylate nucleosides into nucleotides. Under ionizing radiation, forsterite can promote hydroxyapatite to serve as an accessible phosphorus source for activating amino acids to form peptides. These findings indicate that complex biomolecules can be formed abiotically in space through ionizing radiation activation with the assistance of forsterite in certain radiation - resistant environments distant from planetary surfaces. It implies that apart from transporting prebiotic organic molecules to Earth, space can also provide opportunities for the in-situ assembly of ordered biomolecules from these disordered materials.