Browse Articles

Trends in the incidence of asthma, atopic dermatitis, and multiple sclerosis before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in a US claims database

There is limited evidence on how reduced healthcare resource utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the detection of inflammatory and immunologic diseases. We aimed to describe the observed incidence rates (IRs) of asthma, atopic dermatitis (AD), and multiple sclerosis (MS) before, during, and after the pandemic. Individuals aged ≥6 years were identified in Optum’s de-identified Clinformatics ® Data Mart Database from 2018 to 2022 to make 20 season-based cohorts. Age- and sex-standardized IRs of asthma, AD, and MS were estimated. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated comparing IRs in seasonal cohorts in 2019–2022 to the corresponding timeframe in 2018. Compared to spring 2018, IRs of asthma, AD, and MS in spring 2020 decreased by 14% (IRR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.84–0.87), 28% (IRR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.69–0.75), and 23% (IRR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.68–0.87), respectively. The observed incidence reduction was most profound in children (6–11 years) and adolescents (12–17 years), followed by senior adults (≥65 years). There was no sex difference. IRs returned to or exceeded pre-pandemic levels for AD and MS in summer 2020 and for asthma in spring 2021. COVID-19 led to an apparent decline in incidence for selected inflammatory and immunologic diseases, which was more pronounced for pediatric and senior populations. The observed decrease in incidence likely reflects delayed access to healthcare, resulting in unrecorded (but still occurring) diagnoses for those time periods. Future studies using data that encompass the pandemic period should exercise caution in the design of study and interpretation of incidence or prevalence data.

Selective CO ₂ ‐to‐CH ₄ Photocatalytic Reduction via Spin‐Modulation in a Metal─Carbon‐Bonded MOF

ABSTRACT The spin modulation of the electronic structure of photocatalysts offers a promising strategy to address selectivity challenges in photocatalysis. Herein, we present a novel ruthenium–carbon‐bonded MOF (RuCMOF) and construct a heterojunction with Cu 2 O nanoparticles for photocatalytic CO 2 reduction using water vapor. The optimized RuC‐MOF/10%Cu 2 O heterojunction achieves a remarkable CH 4 production rate of 663.6 µmol g −1 h −1 with 96.7% selectivity under visible light irradiation. The apparent quantum yield reaches 4.6% at 400 nm. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the atomically dispersed ruthenium–alkynyl units of RuC‐MOF and the heterostructure enable efficient photo‐excited carrier separation/transfer. Moreover, the Cu 2 O incorporation triggers a low‐spin to high‐spin transition in the Ru active centers of RuC‐MOF, suppressing charge recombination through spin‐selective electron transfer. Furthermore, the spin‐state modulation also weakens *CO adsorption, lowers the energy barrier for *CHO formation and accelerates the rate‐determining step. This work provides a new way for designing high‐performance metal─carbon‐bonded MOF photocatalysts through spin polarization engineering.

Pretreatment prognostic nutritional index is associated with survival outcomes in locally advanced NSCLC treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy

TIG welding defect detection using ResNet and Random Forest

Orbital TIG welding is critical in precision manufacturing, where weld defects can affect structural reliability. Manual inspection, analysis, and evaluation of welding defect images are complex because defect characteristics vary in shape, position, and size, making the process time-consuming. This study proposes a method that combines ResNet50 feature extraction with Random Forest classification to improve classification accuracy. A total of 3,219 weld image samples collected from controlled orbital TIG experiments were used for model training and evaluation and divided into four classes: normal weld, lack of fusion, overheating, and uneven weld. Using five-fold cross-validation, the method achieved an overall accuracy of 98% and demonstrated improved performance compared with CNN architectures (VGG16, VGG19, ResNet18, ResNet50) and traditional machine learning approaches such as SVM and Random Forest. ResNet50 extracts hierarchical visual representations through deep residual connections, enabling automatic feature learning, while Random Forest performs the final classification with robustness against overfitting on high-dimensional features.

A Dual‐Color Two‐Photon‐Active Cavitand for Guest‐Responsive Sensing of Benzene and Pyridine Vapors

ABSTRACT Integrating precise molecular recognition with nonlinear optical functionality represents an attractive yet rarely realized strategy for supramolecular sensing with the optical readout. In this work, a two‐photon‐active luminescent cavitand, tris(quinoxaline)‐functionalized acridine cavitand ( TQAC ), for the guest‐responsive aromatic vapor detection was reported. TQAC was constructed through a macrocycle‐to‐cavitand conversion by incorporating electron‐deficient quinoxaline panels into an electron‐rich acridine‐based macrocyclic scaffold, giving rise to an intramolecular donor–σ–acceptor framework and pronounced charge‐transfer luminescence. Depending on the crystallization conditions, TQAC forms two solid‐state polymorphs with distinct conformations and packing modes, affording porous TQAC α and interlocked TQAC β, which emit yellowish‐green and orange fluorescence, respectively. Notably, both polymorphs exhibit two‐photon‐excited emissions, making TQAC the first solid‐state cavitand system showing dual‐color two‐photon‐absorption property. Moreover, the guest‐accessible TQAC α phase displays rapid and visually distinguishable fluorescence responses toward benzene and pyridine vapors, with detection limits of 7.5 and 3.3 mg L −1 , respectively. This work establishes two‐photon‐active cavitands as a promising platform for supramolecular vapor sensing.

Comparative metabolomics of serum and serum extracellular vesicles of melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer utilizing biobank samples

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs), abundant in circulation and obtainable through liquid biopsy, carry metabolites that reflect both the activity of EVs and state of the cells of origin. Thereby, metabolomics offers a sensitive means to detect dynamic changes associated with cancer. We compared serum and matched serum-derived EV metabolite profiles from patients with melanoma or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and age- and sex-matched cancer-free controls to evaluate the suitability of biobank serum samples and the corresponding EVs to identify cancer-type -associated metabolic alterations. For untargeted metabolomics and metabolite/pathway identification, EVs were isolated from biobank-derived serum samples by size-exclusion chromatography and ultrafiltration, and preanalytical variables of samples were monitored according to Minimal Information for Blood EV research guidelines. More metabolite differences were found between patients and controls in melanoma than in TNBC. Melanoma serum contained reduced levels of several metabolite groups (amino acids, lipids, and organic acids), whereas melanoma EVs were enriched in polyunsaturated phospholipids. In TNBC, serum contained increased levels of long-chain fatty acid amides, while EVs showed no significant metabolite alterations. These results demonstrate that serum and EVs offer complementary metabolite information, and biobank samples are suitable for EV metabolomics. Monitoring and recording preanalytical factors will enable improved cross-study comparability and biomarker validation.

The role of neutrophil PD-L1 expression in acute exacerbation of COPD

Background and objective The elevation of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been shown to be critically involved in unfavorable outcomes among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The mechanism underlying NLR changes during COPD progression remains unclear. This study evaluates the association between neutrophil PD-L1 expression and acute exacerbation of AECOPD and examines its correlation with the NLR. Methods In this prospective observational study from June 1 to December 30 2024, we enrolled 14 patients with acute exacerbation, 27 with stable conditions, and 9 healthy control subjects. Blood samples were collected for neutrophil isolation, and the CD15 + CD274 + neutrophil percentage was measured using flow cytometry. We also recorded and analyzed smoking history, pulmonary function test results, and blood routine test data. Results The percentage of CD15 + CD274 + neutrophils was notably higher in patients with COPD compared to healthy controls and was even more elevated in those experiencing acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) than in patients with stable COPD. This increased percentage was positively correlated with NLR but negatively correlated with FEV 1 % (FEV 1 percentage of the predicted value). The AUC of CD15 + CD274 + neutrophil percentage for predicting AECOPD was 0.894 with 95% CI 0.8–0.989 and a ratio above 3.273 (odds ratio 1.386; 95% CI 1.016–1.891; P = 0.039) independently associated with AECOPD. Conclusion Peripheral blood neutrophil PD-L1 expression was elevated in AECOPD and independently associated with exacerbation status in this pilot cohort. Larger, multi-center studies with mechanistic validation are required to determine its clinical utility.

Flexible Amorphous Metal–Organic Framework Membranes With Local Order for Gas Separations

ABSTRACT Metal–organic framework (MOF) membranes show immense promise for energy‐efficient gas separations, yet their intrinsic brittleness has precluded their processing into practical membrane modules. Here, we report a symmetry‐mismatch strategy that transforms brittle crystalline MOFs into amorphous membranes possessing an extraordinary combination of polymer‐like flexibility and crystal‐like ultra‐microporosity. This is enabled by electrified co‐assembly of two structurally related MOFs with identical metal nodes and connectivity yet distinct linkers and space groups. We demonstrate the incompatible crystal symmetries disrupt long‐range periodicity while using preformed subunits for the assembly could preserve local structural order. The resulting membranes demonstrate remarkable mechanical properties, with a flexural modulus of 234 MPa and a curvature of 1000 m −1 , alongside impressive gas separation performance. This work establishes a design principle for engineering mechanically resilient, high‐performance amorphous materials, overcoming a critical barrier to the real‐world application of advanced MOF membrane.

A frequency-saliency guided multi-scale feature fusion network for robust UAV object detection

Contrastive learning with mutual information enhancement and negative sample augmentation combined with KAN for text clustering

This paper proposes a text clustering model based on mutual information-enhanced contrastive learning combined with Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KAN) to address challenges in text clustering, including insufficient robustness of text representations, feature redundancy, and the curse of dimensionality. Text clustering is essential for organizing unstructured textual data, yet existing methods often suffer from weak feature representations and limited scalability in high-dimensional spaces. The proposed model jointly addresses these three core issues by maximizing mutual information to capture nonlinear relationships among positive samples, expanding negative samples to enhance discriminability, and employing the KAN architecture to adapt to the complex structures of high-dimensional data. Experimental results on eight benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed model achieves state-of-the-art accuracy on seven out of eight datasets and leads normalized mutual information on six datasets, outperforming existing text clustering baselines. To validate its practical utility, the model was applied to cluster Weibo posts collected via web crawlers using “technology” as the keyword during January and February 2025. The case study results reveal that the model effectively identifies meaningful thematic clusters—such as AI applications, technology industry trends, and consumer electronics discussions—confirming its applicability to real-world social media data.

Highly Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Tetrahydrofuran Frameworks via Chiral Lewis Acid‐Catalyzed Formal [3+2] Cycloaddition of Allylsilanes

ABSTRACT A formal [3+2] cycloaddition via cyclization/1,2‐hydride shift initiated by nucleophilic attack of allylsilanes has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of cis ‐2,5‐disubstituted tetrahydrofuran‐3‐ones. In the presence of chiral oxazaborolidinium ion (COBI) catalyst, the reaction proceeded in high yields (up to 88%) with excellent stereoselectivity (up to 99% ee, > 20:1 dr). Key advantages of this approach are its unprecedented ability to forge THF scaffolds asymmetrically without inherent chirality, its high stereoselectivity including cis ‐selectivity, and its capability to control four stereocenters in a single transformation.

Interactive effects of ETc-based drip irrigation scheduling and phytohormones on root architecture, physiological traits and yield of wheat

Exploring perceptions, readiness, barriers, and facilitators related to the potential implementation of postpartum depression screening: A mixed-methods study in a Lebanese maternity setting

Background Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common mental health condition affecting mothers, infants, and families, with higher prevalence in middle-income countries. Despite its burden, PPD remains under-screened in Lebanese public hospitals, particularly in disadvantaged areas like Tripoli. Objectives To assess nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding PPD and explore facilitators, and barriers influencing the potential implementation of systematic PPD screening. Methods A mixed-methods study was conducted in a Lebanese public university hospital, combining a quantitative survey with qualitative focus group discussions involving nurses and managers. Descriptive analyses were applied to survey data, and thematic analysis was used for qualitative findings. Results Most nurses were aware of PPD (92.9%) and “baby blues” (92.9%), but only 21.4% were aware of standardized screening tools. Correct identification of key symptoms was reported by 71.4%, while only 35.7% correctly identified all risk factors and 28.6% recognized appropriate combined management (psychotherapy and antidepressants). Regarding attitudes, all participants (100%) agreed that PPD screening should be part of routine postnatal care, and 92.9% recognized its seriousness and the role of nurses in early detection. However, only 78.6% felt confident identifying PPD signs. In terms of practice, only 28.6% consistently assessed mothers’ emotional well-being before discharge. Qualitative findings suggested a generally positive attitude toward the potential implementation of screening, while also highlighting perceived barriers, including insufficient training, unclear role delineation, inadequate referral pathways, time constraints, and weak internal communication regarding mental health services. Conclusion The findings suggest that challenges to the potential implementation of PPD screening may be related to capacity and organizational support than to resistance among participants. Strengthening training, integrating standardized screening into routine postnatal care, clarifying roles and referral pathways may facilitate the implementation of PPD screening. Given the exploratory nature of this single-center study, further research is needed to assess the transferability of these findings to other maternity care settings in Lebanon.

Stabilizing Indeno[1,2‐ <i>a</i> ]Fluorene: The Only Ferromagnetic Diradical of Indenofluorene Isomers

ABSTRACT Among five indenofluorene regioisomers, only indeno[1,2‐ a ]fluorene is predicted to be a triplet diradical but has eluded unambiguous structural identification due to inherent instability. Here, we report the solution synthesis of a stabilized indeno[1,2‐ a ]fluorene derivative showing long persistence in ambient air (half‐life of ca. 29 h in solution and around 30 days in the solid state), achieved by simultaneously introducing more steric‐hindering groups and strongly electron‐withdrawing substituents. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction confirms its planar polycyclic framework, with a substantial contribution from the benzenoid diradical resonance. Magnetic characterizations by continuous‐wave/pulsed EPR spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry experimentally prove a triplet ground state with strong ferromagnetic coupling (Δ E S‐T ≥ 2.2 kcal/mol; J / k B ≥ 550 K). Meanwhile, the compactly distributed spin population endows the diradical with an unusually large and significantly rhombic zero‐field splitting ( D = –757 MHz, E = 102 MHz). Together with long spin relaxation times ( T 1 = 19.3 ms and T m = 3.09 µs at 10 K), such properties provide a promising basis for future low‐field clock‐transition and coherent spin‐manipulation studies. As importantly, IF‐NO 2 demonstrates how molecular design can effectively tune the persistence and magnetic properties of high‐spin organic radicals, offering a platform for further exploration in the molecular quantum and spintronic fields.

Patterns and trends of mortality in patients with arrhythmia and cerebrovascular disease in the United States: a nationwide analysis of older adults

Abstract Arrhythmias and cerebrovascular disease commonly coexist in older adults and are associated with increased mortality risk. However, population-level trends and demographic disparities in related deaths remain insufficiently characterized, necessitating large-scale analyses to better inform prevention, risk stratification, and healthcare planning. Data from CDC WONDER (1999–2023) identified U.S. mortality rates in adults aged (≥ 65 years) with arrhythmia (ICD-10: I47-I49) and cerebrovascular disease (ICD-10: I60-I69) among U.S. adults aged 65 and older. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 were stratified by sex, race, urbanization and regions. Trends were analyzed using Joinpoint regression to estimate annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC). Between 1999 and 2023, a total of 733,476 deaths among older adults (≥ 65 years) were attributed to arrhythmias and cerebrovascular disease. The AAMRs exhibited an upward trend from 72.14 in 1999 to 74.62 in 2023 (AAPC: 0.055, 95% CI − 0.62 to 0.74; p 0.87) with a significant rise in AAMR from 65.51 in 2018 to 80.44 in 2021 (APC: 6.65; p 0.01). Men had higher AAMR than women during 1999–2023 with (73.97 to 81.27 vs. 70.22 to 69.2). NH White individuals had the highest AAMR in 2021 (87.43) with a total (631,483 deaths). The South recorded the most deaths (251,478) with a significant decline in AAMR from (70.36) in 2002 to (58.54) in 2008 (APC: − 2.89, 95% CI − 3.85 to − 1.92; p 0.004). Non-metropolitan areas had higher AAMR compared to metropolitan areas (73.62 vs. 64.71). For the place of death, the majority occurred in inpatient medical facilities (38.73%, 284,079 deaths). Mortality related to arrhythmias and cerebrovascular disease has increased in recent years among older adults. While women accounted for more deaths, men consistently had higher AAMRs. Higher mortality burden was also observed among NH White individuals, residents of the South, and urban populations, with most deaths occurring in inpatient medical facilities, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Earth pressure analysis of inclined support structures adjacent to existing structures

This study investigates the earth pressure acting on inclined support structures adjacent to existing structures by combining laboratory physical model tests with theoretical derivation. Five groups of model tests were conducted at a constant width-to-height ratio of 0.95, with support inclination angles of 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, and 20°. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and multi-point earth pressure monitoring were employed to reveal the failure surface development in the finite soil mass and the distribution characteristics of earth pressure behind the wall. Based on the assumptions of straight failure surfaces and circular-arc major principal stress trajectories, the finite soil mass was divided into several zones. Force equilibrium equations were established for horizontal differential elements in each zone, and theoretical models for earth pressure intensity, resultant force, and the point of application of the resultant force were derived. The theoretical results were generally in good agreement with the experimental results and reasonably reflected the distribution characteristics of passive earth pressure in the finite soil mass under inclined support conditions. In particular, the theoretical predictions were in good agreement with the measured values in the principal compression zone in the middle and lower portions of the soil mass. The measured earth pressures at the upper monitoring points were markedly lower because of local wall-soil separation, the inability of cohesionless sand to transmit tensile stress, and wall-soil contact relaxation. Within the experimental validation range, the resultant earth pressure decreased and its point of application generally shifted upward as the support inclination angle increased. In contrast, an increase in the soil friction angle caused the point of application to shift downward. The findings of this study can provide a theoretical reference for the design of inclined support structures in projects adjacent to existing structures.

An Axial Chlorine Spin‐Collar on Atomic Mn Centers for Oxygen Reduction

ABSTRACT Targeted spin‐state programming remains a key yet challenging route to boost transition‐metal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysis. Here, we report an axial chlorine (Cl) spin‐collar on Mn single‐atom sites (MnNC‐Cl), which tunes Mn II from medium spin (MS, S  = 3/2, d yz 2 , d xy 1 , d xz 1 , d z2 1 , d x2−y2 0 ) to low spin (LS, S  = 1/2, d yz 2 , d xy 2 , d xz 1 , d z2 0 , d x2−y2 0 ). This spin transition lowers the Mn─*OH bond order from 1.5 to 1, weakening *OH over‐adsorption and steering the reaction toward an efficient four‐electron (4e − ) pathway. The MnNC‐Cl catalyst delivers a high half‐wave potential (E 1/2 ) of 0.829 V in acid, with a 2.7× higher turnover frequency (TOF@0.85 V) and 1.2 × greater peak power density in H 2 ‐air fuel cells than the pristine counterpart. Through theoretical and experimental investigations, the mechanism of the axial Cl spin‐collar is elucidated: symmetry‐breaking crystal field distortion induced by axial Cl triggers electron transfer from the spin‐up d z2 to the spin‐down d xy orbital, locking Mn into a low‐spin state and enhancing catalytic activity. This study establishes a spin‐collar strategy for precise regulation of the spin state in Mn centers.

Experimental enhancement the evaporator performance using pulsated refrigerant flow

Abstract This study investigates the experimental application of pulsating flow to significantly improve heat transfer rates within an air conditioning system’s evaporator. The core aim is to boost the evaporator’s performance and, consequently, the overall coefficient of performance (COP) of the air conditioning unit. Refrigerant pulsations are generated within the evaporator coil using an electrical pulse control circuit, with tested frequencies of 6, 9, and 12 Hz under variable ambient temperatures of 24 °C, 26 °C, and 28 °C. Experiments conducted on a split air conditioner revealed only a negligible increase in compressor power consumption. Notably, the pulsating technique dramatically reduced the operating time needed to reach a desired temperature, with the most significant impact observed at a frequency of 9 Hz. This modification is characterized by its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, making it easily adaptable to various cooling and air conditioning systems. The results demonstrate a 13.33% increase in the evaporator’s heat transfer rate, a 13.63% improvement in the system’s COP, a 23.3% reduction in operating time, and consistent power consumption. These findings collectively highlight the effectiveness and practicality of integrating pulsating flow for enhancing the evaporator performance of an air conditioning system.

Parental perspectives of prenatal counseling and decision making for termination or hospice birth due to fetal congenital heart defects

Objective To evaluate perspectives of counseling and decision making among birthing parents who chose termination or hospice birth due to a fetal congenital heart defect (CHD). Methods Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with birthing parents who chose either termination or hospice birth due to severe fetal CHD. Participants were recruited from a purposive sample of those who received multidisciplinary counseling at a tertiary congenital heart surgical center between 2019–2023. Thematic analysis was conducted in five stages, using an integrated deductive-inductive approach. Results In total, 20 individuals were eligible; 10 completed interviews. Identified themes were categorized in two domains: Experiences During Counseling and Individual Factors Affecting Decision Making. Themes in the first domain included: areas for improvement during counseling, perceived strengths of counseling, patient attributes affecting counseling, and views on provider recommendations. Themes in the second domain included: emotions affecting decision making, value for reproductive autonomy, family factors, internal factors, outside input, and desire for resources. Conclusions In this study, birthing parents who chose termination or hospice for fetal CHD appreciated information extending beyond clinical outcomes to include family and financial impacts. Their value for reproductive autonomy reflects the need for clinicians to gain skills in empathetic and neutral counseling of all management options.

Reshaping Chiral Self‐Assemblies Through Alkyne‐Involved Click Chemistry

ABSTRACT Highly efficient click reactions in the solid state or space‐confined condition potentially induce in situ compositional and structural evolution, offering opportunities for smart materials and nanofabrication technologies. Herein, we report a strategy for reshaping self‐assembled chiral nanomaterials mediated by a [2+2] cycloaddition reaction. Amino acids grafted with large π‐conjugated systems are employed as the primary building blocks, into which the electron‐deficient tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and ethynylaniline (EDA) are orthogonally introduced. These components form ternary co‐assemblies through charge‐transfer interactions and hydrogen bonding, respectively. In the aggregated phase, TCNQ and EDA undergo an efficient, spontaneous [2+2] cycloaddition reaction to afford a nonplanar adduct. This reaction is accompanied by the formation of macroscopic helices with high phase purity. Owing to the high efficiency of this reaction, such chiral architectures can be generated in situ by post‐addition of the third component into preassembled binary systems. This topochemical synthetic strategy compensates for the narcissistic assembly by directly using the as‐synthesized adduct, and remarkably enhances chiral induction as well as near‐infrared chiroptical properties. In contrast to widely reported template effects, this system exhibits a distinctive cooperative behavior, wherein the insoluble reaction products undergo preferential and directional organization within the aggregates rather than remaining at original formation sites.