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Postprandial 2-h glucose tolerance is associated with diabetes diagnosis, diabetes mortality, and cardiovascular mortality

Abstract Postprandial plasma glucose between 4 and 7.9 h is associated with the diagnosis of diabetes, diabetes mortality, and cardiovascular mortality. However, it is unknown whether 2-hour plasma glucose during the oral glucose tolerance test conducted in this postprandial period (4–7.9 h), termed as 2-h PG OGTT@4–7.9 h , can accurately classify diabetes diagnosis and predict mortality risks. This study aimed to address these questions using 2,347 adult participants. Diabetes was defined as HbA 1c  ≥ 6.5%, and the ability of 2-h PG OGTT@4–7.9 h to classify diabetes was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to estimate mortality hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results showed that 2-h PG OGTT@4–7.9 h could classify diabetes with 92% accuracy. Participants were followed up for a mean of 21.4 years. A 1-square-root higher 2-h PG OGTT@4–7.9 h was associated with an increased risk of mortality from all causes (adjusted HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04–1.08), diabetes (adjusted HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.33–1.61), and cardiovascular disease (adjusted HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03–1.11). In conclusion, 2-h PG OGTT@4–7.9 h , a non-fasting test, may be useful for diabetes classification and prediction of mortality risk from diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) modeling for adsorption of organic compounds by activated carbon based on Freundlich adsorption isotherm

The Freundlich isotherm parameters K and 1/n are typically regarded as empirical constants. However, the underlying theoretical basis for the widespread applicability of the Freundlich isotherm in describing adsorption processes for diverse organic compounds remains unclear. In this study, we successfully elucidated the reason by developing two optimal quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models: one correlating K with quantum chemical parameters and another linking 1/n to these parameters. The modeling results demonstrated that both K and 1/n exhibit strong correlations with specific quantum chemical descriptors, indicating that the empirical Freundlich isotherm’s applicability is fundamentally linked to the molecular structural characteristics of organic compounds. Key quantum parameters influencing K were identified as ∑q(O + N), q(CH+) max , ELUMO, Fukui(-) max , and Wiberg(C-C) min , suggesting that charge distribution, carbon bond energy, and active site energy are the primary factors governing adsorption efficiency on activated carbon. The QSAR model for 1/n yielded similarly novel and consistent insights, showing that the value of 1/n also correlated with molecular structural characteristics. Both models were rigorously validated and confirmed to be stable, robust, and accurate through standard statistical evaluations. These QSAR models can now be employed to identify whether an organic compound would conform to the Freundlich Isotherm and predict the adsorption efficiency of this compound by activated carbon based on their quantum chemical parameters. As to the practical implications, this study provides a convenient reference method for assessing the applicability of activated carbon adsorption in treating emerging organic pollutants in drinking water plants and a theoretical foundation for developing intelligent management systems in water treatment facilities.

Photogrammetry-based smartphone applications for spinal posture assessment: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Biopsychosocial factors associated with symptom severity in the overlap of non-erosive reflux disease and epigastric pain syndrome: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Background The overlap between non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS, a subtype of functional dyspepsia) is common, yet its associated factors remain poorly defined. We aimed to identify factors associated with symptom severity in NERD-EPS overlap, focusing on psychosocial and somatic factors. Methods In this multicenter cross-sectional study, 800 patients meeting Rome IV criteria for NERD-EPS overlap were enrolled. Standardized questionnaires assessed gastrointestinal symptoms (GSRS), somatic symptoms (PHQ-15), anxiety/depression (PHQ-4), and sleep quality (SRSS). Multivariable regression models identified factors independently associated with GSRS scores, adjusted for demographics and clinical covariates. Interaction terms were tested to assess whether the association between one factor and GSRS scores varied across different levels of another factor. Results Of the 800 patients, 67% were female, and the mean age was (44.50 ± 14.43) years. 67% had mild or more sleep problems, and 47% had anxiety or depression. Somatic symptoms (PHQ-15) showed the strongest association with GSRS scores (β = 0.617, P  < 0.001), followed by poor sleep quality (SRSS; β = 0.115, P  < 0.001) and anxiety/depression (PHQ-4; β = 0.069, P  = 0.026). Urban residence (β = 0.071) and mixed labor type (β = −0.066) were also independently associated with symptom burden. Conclusion Somatic symptoms, psychological distress, and sleep disturbances were the factors most strongly associated with symptom severity in NERD-EPS overlap, with additional contributions from younger age, male sex, and urban residence. Our findings advocate for integrated biopsychosocial interventions to alleviate symptom burden in this population.

Clinical and neuroimaging correlates of disease related gait patterns in patients with multiple system atrophy cerebellar type

Estrogen profiling in blood and brain: Effects of season and an aggressive interaction in a songbird

Neuroestrogens are synthesized in the brain and regulate social behavior and cognition. In the song sparrow ( Melospiza melodia ), 17β-estradiol (17β-E 2 ) promotes aggression, even during the non-breeding season, when circulating 17β-E 2 levels are non-detectable. Measuring estrogens is challenging due to their low concentrations and the limited sensitivity of many existing assays. Moreover, estrogens other than 17β-E 2 are often overlooked. Here, we developed a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for the simultaneous measurement of eleven estrogens using derivatization with 1,2-dimethylimidazole-5-sulfonyl-chloride (DMIS) to enhance sensitivity. We included four 13 C-labeled internal standards, which corrected for matrix effects when measuring catecholestrogens and methoxyestrogens. This method is highly specific, sensitive, accurate, and precise, and improves upon our prior protocol, which could measure four estrogens with a single deuterated internal standard. Then, we applied the new method to samples from free-living adult male song sparrows to assess the effects of season and an aggressive encounter on blood and brain estrogens. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a 10-min simulated territorial intrusion (STI; song playback and live decoy) or a control condition (silent speaker and empty cage) during the breeding or non-breeding season, followed by rapid capture and immediate collection of blood and brain tissue. Only estrone and 17β-E 2 were present in blood and brain, while the other nine estrogens in the panel were below detection limits. As expected, there was large regional variation in neuroestrogen levels and very low estrogen levels in blood. There was also large seasonal variation, and estrogen levels were lower in the non-breeding season. Despite robust aggression to the STI, estrogen levels did not differ between STI and control subjects in either season. In sum, our novel method enables ultrasensitive measurement of eleven estrogens and will be useful for studies of songbirds and other animals.

Antifibrotic therapy in familial idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a comparative cohort study

Prevention of Infections in Cardiac Surgery (PICS)-Prevena Study – A pilot/vanguard factorial cluster cross-over RCT

Sternal surgical site infections after cardiac surgery can lead to significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. The effects of negative pressure wound management and adding vancomycin as perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis are unknown. The PICS-PREVENA pilot/vanguard trial, a 2x2 factorial, open label, cluster-randomized crossover trial with 4 periods, was conducted at two major cardiac surgery hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Sites were randomized to one of eight sequences of the four study arms (Cefazolin or Cefazolin + Vancomycin (not analyzed) and standard wound dressing or a negative pressure 3M Prevena incision management system (Prevena). Only diabetic or obese patients were eligible for the latter comparison. This trial investigated feasability including adherence to protocol of each intervention (goal: > 90% each) and loss to follow-up (goal: < 10%). Among the 4107 included patients, 2230 were obese/diabetic (1208 standard wound dressing period, 1022 during Prevena period). Compliance to wound management and antimicrobial prophylaxis was 68.1% and 98.7%, respectively. Loss to follow-up was 3.6%. Deep/organ-space sternal surgical site infections occurred in 16 (1.6%) patients in the Prevena allocated periods and in 17 (1.4%) patients in the standard wound dressing allocated periods (OR= 1.11, 95% CI: 0.56–2.20). Other clinical outcomes did not suggest a difference and a post-hoc as-treated analysis showed similar results. This study showed challenges with introducing a novel technology as standard of care, with non-compliance mostly driven by one of the sites. No firm conclusions should be drawn regarding the effectiveness of Prevena, as this vanguard trial was not powered for clinical outcomes.

New insights into the mechanism of microvascular rarefaction via endothelial-mesenchymal transition in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head

Study on the release pattern of Zn in soil of ionic rare earth mining areas under different leaching conditions

The acidic leachate injected during the mining process of ion-type rare earth ores can damage the environmental characteristics of the soil, thereby triggering the activation and release of associated heavy metals. Severe Zn contamination has been found in the environment of ion-type rare earth mining areas, but the activation and release of Zn in the soil during the leaching process have not been fully understood. This study investigated the activation and release patterns and mechanisms of Zn in soil under different leaching agents ((NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , MgSO 4 , Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 ) and varying concentrations of Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 (1%, 3%, 5%, 7%) using a simulated leaching experimental system. The results show that the activation and release patterns of Zn in the soil vary significantly under the influence of the three leaching agents. During the entire leaching cycle, the peak Zn concentration in the leachate was highest under MgSO 4 leaching, while the residual Zn content in the soil under Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 leaching approached the high-risk environmental threshold. The high-concentration systems (5%, 7%) of Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 significantly enhanced the activation and release efficiency of Zn in the soil compared to the low-concentration systems (1%, 3%) of Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 . (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 mainly promotes the activation and release of Zn through ion exchange between NH 4 + and Zn 2+ and the acidification effect; Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , on the other hand, dominates the activation and release of Zn by providing a strongly acidic environment and dissolving and damaging the mineral lattice; while MgSO 4 not only exchanges ions between Mg 2+ and Zn 2+ , but also alters the soil colloidal structure, facilitating Zn activation and release. The promoting effects of the three leaching agents on the transformation of Zn in soil follow the order of Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 > (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4  > MgSO 4 , with the environmental risk assessment index (RAC) being highest after Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 leaching, indicating the greatest potential environmental risk. Compared to the other three concentrations (1%, 5%, 7%) of Al₂(SO 4 ) 3 , the 3% concentration of Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 had the most significant promoting effect on the transformation of Zn in soil. This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing the green mining process of ion-type rare earth ores and preventing heavy metal pollution, and offers scientific support for revealing pollution mechanisms and formulating remediation and risk assessment strategies.

Tailoring and boosting the charge storage capacity of Li-ion batteries using EuxCu1-xFe2O4 as an electrode material

Optimizing vitamin A supplementation: A comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of routine distribution strategies in northern Côte d’Ivoire

Background While recent data on vitamin A deficiency (VAD) prevalence is lacking, the 2004 Côte d’Ivoire Nutrition and Mortality Survey reported that 26.7% of children aged 6–59 months were affected by VAD, and approximately 60% were at risk. Since 2016, the government has transitioned from mass campaigns to routine vitamin A supplementation (VAS) delivery integrated into health services. However, evidence on the cost-effectiveness of the routine distribution approaches is limited. This study evaluated the cost, coverage, and cost-effectiveness of three routine VAS delivery strategies across two health districts in northern Côte d’Ivoire. Methods A mixed-methods study evaluated three routine VAS delivery strategies – routine-fixed, advanced community-based, and catch-up – across two health districts, Ferkessédougou and Niakaramadougou, in northern Côte d’Ivoire. The quantitative cost data were collected via a structured tool covering six cost categories: planning, procurement, training, social mobilization, distribution, and supervision. VAS coverage was assessed through a post-event coverage survey (PECS) via a two-stage cluster sampling methodology. A cost-effectiveness analysis determined the cost per child supplemented, the cost per DALY averted, and a sensitivity analysis tested the robustness of the findings under different cost scenarios. Results The total program cost for July-December 2023 was 25.5 million FCFA, with personnel costs comprising over 70% of expenditures. In Ferkessédougou, the routine advanced community-based strategy was the most cost-effective, at 458 FCFA per child in rural areas (versus 596 FCFA for the routine-fixed facility-based approach in the same area). In Niakaramadougou, the December catch-up was more cost-effective in rural areas (606 FCFA per child) than the routine-fixed approach (714 FCFA). Across both districts combined, the routine-fixed strategy averaged roughly 651 FCFA per child supplemented, and the cost per DALY averted ranged from 30,093 FCFA (advanced strategy in Ferkessédougou) to 89,550 FCFA (catch-up Jul 2023 in Niakaramadougou) – all below Côte d’Ivoire’s cost-effectiveness threshold (0.5 x GDP per capita; approximately USD 1,265). Conclusion All three strategies were cost-effective, though the advanced community-based strategy achieved the best balance of reach and efficiency. Scaling advanced strategies within health system constraints may enhance sustainability and coverage in low-resource settings.

Deep learning-based detection of power transmission lines using YOLOv4 and YOLOv8

Relationships between professional mission, work engagement, spiritual climate, and job performance among Chinese clinical nurses: A moderated mediation model

Background With the global socio-economic development, health concerns are increasing, prompting healthcare professionals to provide higher quality healthcare services. Job performance is a behavior related to performance and competence and reflects nurses’ efficiency, quality, creativity, and goal accomplishment at work. A high level of job performance is essential for nurses, patients, and organizations. However, the overall level of nurses’ job performance is low due to several factors. This study aimed to investigate the role of clinical nurses’ sense of professional mission as a direct influence on job performance, as well as the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of spiritual climate. Methods From February 2024 to March 2024, 15 tertiary hospitals and ten secondary hospitals in Sichuan Province were selected as survey respondents for clinical nurses using convenience sampling. The Professional Mission Scale, Work Engagement Scale, Spiritual Climate Scale, and Job Performance Scale were used for data collection. Model 4 and Model 7 in the SPSS 26.0 macro program were used for mediation and mediation effect analysis with moderation. Results The results showed that sense of professional mission, work engagement, and spiritual climate were significantly and positively correlated with job performance ( P  < 0.01). Work engagement partially mediates the relationship between professional mission and work performance. Specifically, professional mission can directly influence work performance or indirectly affect it through the mediating role of work engagement. The mediating effect accounts for 29.6% of the total effect. Meanwhile, spiritual climate buffered the positive impact of a sense of professional mission on work engagement and played a moderating role in the first half path of the mediation effect model of a sense of professional mission affecting work performance through work engagement. Conclusion This study further understood the current status of clinical nurses’ job performance in China and confirmed that a sense of professional mission positively predicted job performance. Work engagement and spiritual climate further explained the relationship between a sense of professional mission and job performance through mediating and moderating effects. Nursing managers can improve the impact of a sense of professional mission on job performance by increasing spiritual climate and clinical nurses’ work engagement.

Social environment affects vocal individuality in a non-learning species

Abstract Individual recognition is fundamental to the social behaviour of many animals. In the context of territorial behaviour, animals in high-density populations encounter conspecific rivals and potential mates more frequently, which should enhance the individuality of territorial signals to facilitate recognition among conspecifics. We investigated vocal individuality in male territorial calls of two populations of little owls ( Athene noctua ) with different densities. Further, to explore the potential influence of local population distribution on individuality, we also examined isolated males without neighbours and clumped males with neighbours. Our findings indicate higher individuality at higher densities across both scenarios, measured using two individuality metrics: Beecher’s information statistic and Discrimination score. Clumped males exhibited significantly lower acoustic niche overlaps (i.e. higher vocal individuality) compared to isolated males. However, only a non-significant trend for lower acoustic niche overlaps (i.e. higher vocal individuality) was found for males from high density compared to low density populations. This suggests that the immediate social environment might be more influential than larger-scale population density patterns. This study suggests that vocal individuality in a territorial species is influenced by conspecific density, similar to findings in group-living and colonial species.

A psycho-ecological signal recognition framework for user behavior prediction on digital media platforms

Background Digital media usage has become an integral part of daily life, but prolonged or emotionally driven engagement—especially during late-night hours—may lead to concerns about behavioral and mental health. Existing predictive systems fail to account for the nuanced interplay between users’ internal psychological states and their surrounding ecological contexts. Objective This study aims to develop a psychologically and ecologically informed behavior prediction model to identify high-risk patterns of digital media usage and support early-stage intervention strategies. Methods We propose a Dual-Channel Cross-Attention Network (DCCAN) architecture composed of three layers: signal identification (for psychological and ecological encoding), interaction modeling (via cross-modal attention), and behavior prediction. The model was trained and tested on a dataset of 9,782 users and 51,264 behavior sequences, annotated with labels for immersive usage, late-night activity, and susceptibility to health misinformation. Results The DCCAN model achieved superior performance across all three tasks, especially in immersive usage prediction (F1-score: 0.891, AUC: 0.913), outperforming LSTM, GRU, and XGBoost baselines. Ablation studies confirmed the critical role of both psychological and ecological signals, as well as the effectiveness of the cross-attention mechanism. Conclusions Incorporating psychological and ecological modalities through attention-based fusion yields interpretable and accurate predictions for digital risk behaviors. This framework shows promise for scalable, real-time behavioral health monitoring and adaptive content moderation on media platforms.

Hygiene status and carcass contamination with Escherichia coli 0157H7 at meat handling sites in Eastern Uganda

The effect of life stress on the public participation of rural youth in China

Youth are pivotal participants in public engagement. They use public participation to promote societal change and improve living conditions, thereby coping with life stress. Against the backdrop of rural-urban disparities in geography and socio-economic development, rural youth face limited access to information and narrower channels for public participation. Moreover, scholarly exploration of life stress among rural youth remains scant. To investigate how life stress among rural youth influences their public participation behavior, this study used data from the “Chinese Social Survey” for empirical analysis, with a total sample size of 1624 individuals and an average age of 27 years. The findings indicated that lower family stress encourages rural youth to engage in mutual cooperation and collective rights protection, while higher social stress promotes the more active expression of attitudes and participation in decision-making. To enhance the public participation of rural youth, and elevate their engagement levels, recommendations include focusing on managing life stress and promoting psychological well-being, strengthening social support networks for rural youth, initiating family education programs, devising differentiated economic support policies, and intensifying advocacy for rural youth rights and public affairs.

Characteristics of gut microbiota and metabolites in rats with ketamine-induced cystitis

Integrating human–AI collaboration into translation education: A comprehensive protocol for assessment, diagnosis, and strategy development

In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), translation education faces pressing challenges to integrate human–machine collaboration into talent cultivation. This study protocol outlines a two-year mixed-methods project that focuses on developing, validating, and applying systematic tools for assessing human–machine collaborative competence among translation students and teaching competence among translation instructors. In the first stage, measurement instruments will be constructed and validated through thematic analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, based on interviews, pilot testing, and large-scale surveys. The second stage will employ grounded theory, structural equation modeling, and regression analysis to identify the factors influencing students’ and teachers’ competence development. The third stage will investigate industry needs through semi-structured interviews with translation service professionals and descriptive statistical analysis across multiple domains. The fourth stage will assess classroom effectiveness via multimodal analysis of teaching and learning processes across five types of universities. Finally, a comprehensive training strategy will be designed, refined through action research pilot implementations, and validated by Delphi consultation with translation educators, industry specialists, and policymakers. By integrating empirical rigor with iterative validation, this study advances theoretical modeling of human–AI collaboration, establishes robust assessment tools for students and teachers, and delivers actionable training strategies that align translation education with evolving professional and industry needs.