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Machine-learning prediction and risk stratification of 12-month cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease using routine clinical and MRI data
Parental attitudes to randomised controlled trials in primary dental care: A qualitative study
Background A clinical paedodontic randomised controlled trial (FiCTION) provided the opportunity to explore recruitment and retention challenges in The National Health Service (NHS) primary dental care settings. Purpose To investigate parental attitudes towards their child’s participation in a dental randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods Parents whose child(ren) (aged 3–7 years) were participants in a dental RCT or who had been screened for the trial but did not participate were asked to consent to be contacted regarding completing a questionnaire and a semi-structured face-to-face qualitative interview. Using a purposive, maximum variation sampling strategy a subsample of parents who had completed the questionnaire study completed an interview. Data were coded using NVivo and the Framework Method of thematic analysis applied. Results The 18 parents consenting to an interview indicated positive attitudes towards research in primary dental care. There were no noticeable contrasting views of good dental health, or perceptions of facilitators and barriers thereof, between parents whose child(ren) were FiCTION participants and those whose child(ren) were not. Research involvement did not appear to be a major incentive to attend a particular practice, and while parents viewed research-active dental practices favourably, they did not always understand why their practice was research-active (especially for those not participating in FiCTION). Most FiCTION parents felt comfortable with the concept of trial withdrawal or requesting a change in treatment arm. However, parents did not always have complete knowledge or understanding of the research study in which they had been invited to participate. While FiCTION parents had overall greater understanding of research, concepts such as randomisation were hard for most parents to grasp. Conclusions Parents valued dental research in primary care but perceived it as complex and challenging. Further research should explore the best methods to achieve engagement with patients in primary dental care research.
High-frequency turbidity by sensors as a proxy for total phosphorus: implications of sampling strategies on the water framework directive classification
Abstract Mean concentrations of pollutants and nutrients are frequently used in the classification of water bodies under the European Commission Water Framework Directive. Turbidity can be used as a proxy for several particle-associated substances. We used three years of sensor turbidity data in each of 10 Nordic streams to assess the uncertainty in the annual arithmetic mean concentration of turbidity when sampling weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. On average, weekly sampling produced an uncertainty of 17±9% for all streams, whereas monthly sampling increased this to 40±19%. We then developed a multiple linear model that shows how the uncertainty in annual mean turbidity increases with decreasing sampling frequency, decreasing catchment size, and increasing proportion of agricultural land in the catchment. As an example, a river of 800 km 2 catchment area and 20% agricultural land will need 29 samples a year to give a mean annual turbidity within 10% uncertainty, but a stream of 10 km 2 catchment area and 80% agricultural land will need 95 samples to achieve the same uncertainty. Turbidity was a suitable proxy for total phosphorus in seven of the 10 streams. The range of the annual mean total phosphorus concentration was compared with the environmental objective (good water quality) in each river. The results highlight that when the estimated mean total phosphorus concentration is close to the concentration of the environmental objective, an infrequent sampling strategy can lead to false water quality classification. .
Sales characteristics of Pokémon trading cards: A prospective one-year field study
Since its inception in North America in 1999, the Pokémon trading card game has become a global phenomenon, combining strategic gameplay with collectible culture. The economic value of Pokémon trading cards, particularly as collector’s items, underscores their significance beyond mere playthings, making them a subject of both academic and commercial interest. In the present study, a convenience sample of 300 Pokémon trading cards were offered on the e-commerce platform eBay between 28 May 2024 and 27 May 2025, with a minimum follow-up period of 3 months per card. All cards were sold nationally in Germany to avoid high shipping costs for international transactions. The aim of the study was to comprehensively analyze sales characteristics of Pokémon trading cards, using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques including “survival” analyses and Cox regression models. 73.3% (220/300) of the trading cards were sold during the study period, generating a total revenue of 923.60 €. Sales prices showed a markedly skewed distribution, with a median of 1.95 € per trading card. Rare and holofoil cards contributed overproportionately to the total revenue. Uncommon cards exhibited an interesting economic potential due to rapid sales kinetics. Cards from the expansions Team Rocket and Gym Challenge were considerably more popular than Base Set 2 cards, as reflected by shorter “survival” times. The vast majority of buyers were male, but female buyers spent more money per trading card on average. The German federal states Thuringia and Hamburg emerged as Pokémon trading card hubs, with numbers of cards sold and cumulated revenues exceeding expectations based on population sizes.
The influence of algal biostimulator and nitrogen source on the phytochemical composition and biological properties of Corchorus olitorius leaves and stems
Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of different nitrogen sources combined with an algal biostimulant on the biochemical composition and biological activities of Corchorus olitorius (Mulukhiyah) grown under saline irrigation. A pot experiment was conducted during the summer season of 2023 at the Algal Biotechnology Unit, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt. Seeds were soaked in algal slurry and cultivated in sandy soil, irrigated with Pandorina sp. slurry (3846.4 ppm on average), and supplemented with an in situ algal biostimulator applied as a foliar spray (1.0 mL L −1 ) in combination with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilization. Phytochemical analyses revealed that leaves consistently accumulated higher levels of sterols, terpenes, fatty acids, pigments, polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids compared with stems. Among the three fertilization regimes, ammonium nitrate, in combination with the biostimulant, produced the highest concentrations of sterols (1.03% in leaves), terpenes (0.93%), fatty acids (3.05%), chlorophylls (4.16 mg/g), carotenoids (3.79 mg/g), polyphenols (252.76 mg/100 g), condensed tannins (101.10 μg/mL), and flavonoids (6.19 mg/g). HPLC profiling confirmed the presence of diverse phenolic and flavonoid compounds, including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol, with leaves exhibiting a broader and higher profile than stems. In vitro biological assays demonstrated that ammonium nitrate–treated extracts exhibited superior antioxidant activity (total antioxidant capacity: 129.6 ± 2.3 mg GAE/g; DPPH scavenging IC₅₀: 41.8 ± 1.2 µg/mL), anti-Alzheimer activity (AChE inhibition: 67.4% at 200 µg/mL), anti-diabetic activity (α-amylase IC₅₀: 72.3 ± 1.5 µg/mL), and cytotoxic effects, particularly against Caco-2 cells (IC₅₀: 50.65 ± 2.84 µg/mL). Conversely, no significant enhancement was observed in anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties, where all extracts showed comparable inhibition (~ 48–52%) relative to the standard drug diclofenac. Overall, the findings indicate that the combined application of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and algal biostimulant enhances the accumulation of bioactive phytochemicals in C. olitorius , which translates into improved pharmacological potential, particularly antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. These results support the use of optimized fertilization strategies for improving the nutraceutical and medicinal value of C. olitorius under saline conditions.
An Fc-silent OspA monoclonal antibody passively protects mice from tick and intradermal Borrelia burgdorferi challenge
The monoclonal antibody, LA-2, has played a pivotal role in the development of Outer surface protein A (OspA)-based vaccines for Lyme disease, a multisystem illness caused by the tick-borne spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Of particular significance was the demonstration more than three decades ago that LA-2 equivalent antibody titers, defined by a competitive-inhibition ELISA, serve as a reliable correlate of vaccine-induced protection across different species, including humans. In vitro characterization of LA-2 has identified both complement-dependent and -independent activities, although which of these attributes contribute to protection against B. burgdorferi remains unresolved. To address this issue, we generated and characterized an “Fc-silent” version of LA-2 IgG1 carrying so-called LALAPG substitutions (L234A, L235A, P329G). We demonstrate that LA-2 LALAPG retained OspA binding activity but was severely attenuated in in vitro complement deposition and complement-dependent borreliacidal assays. Nonetheless, LA-2 LALAPG was as effective as LA-2 at passively protecting C3H mice against nymphal tick-mediated B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) B31 challenge. LA-2 LALAPG was also equivalent to LA-2 in passively protecting BALB/c mice against intradermal B. burgdorferi s.s. B31 challenge. In the intradermal challenge model, viable spirochetes were not recoverable 24 h after injection from skin biopsies of mice treated with LA-2 or LA-2 LALAPG, and an influx of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines to the injection site was abrogated. Collectively, these results suggest that LA-2’s primary mode of action involves direct physical interactions with the spirochete rather than complement-dependent killing. Elucidating these mechanisms may have implications for understanding the mechanistic correlates of OspA-based vaccine-induced immunity in humans.
Aging analysis of latent fingerprint residues by tracking carotenoid and lipid degradation by Raman spectroscopy
Study on the influencing factors of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss in mining workers: The relationship between different occupational environmental pollutants and bilateral high-frequency hearing loss
Not all task-unrelated thoughts (TUT) are created equal - TUT characteristics as predictors of affective states and heart-rate variability
Molecular and immunological heterogeneity of eosinophilic esophagitis: Insights and subtyping
Background Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and its related subtypes—such as EoE-like esophagitis, lymphocytic esophagitis, and nonspecific esophagitis—pose significant diagnostic challenges due to overlapping clinical, histological, and endoscopic features. Although conventional EoE is well-characterized as a Th2-mediated disorder, the molecular and immunological drivers for its subtypes are poorly understood. We aimed to elucidate the unique molecular signatures underlying these esophageal inflammatory conditions, with the goal of refining disease classification and paving way to targeted therapeutic approaches. Methods We performed an integrative multi-omics analysis incorporating differential gene expression profiling, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), functional enrichment studies, and machine-learning algorithms to identify molecular hallmarks that differentiate EoE from its subtypes. After examining subtype specific alteration in immune and metabolic pathways, novel biomarkers and regulatory mechanisms were uncovered. Results Conventional EoE exhibited a distinct upregulation of periostin ( POSTN ), reinforcing extracellular matrix remodeling as its primary pathogenic mechanism. We identified DNAH11 as a key player in epithelial turnover and esophageal dysmotility, revealing its previously unrecognized role in EoE pathogenesis. Suppressed zinc-related pathways ( MT1X, MT1F, MT2A ) suggest epithelial barrier dysfunction, with differential zinc transporter expression ( SLC39A1, SLC39A2 ) indicating disruptions in zinc homeostasis, which may have therapeutic implications. Additionally, aberrant CDX2 expression linked to methyl-CpG binding proteins suggests an epigenetic contribution to esophageal epithelial remodeling, hinting at metaplasia-like processes in chronic EoE. In contrast, EoE-like esophagitis was primarily immune-driven, marked by CXCR3 ligand activation ( CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 ) and immunoglobulin complex enrichment, indicating systemic immune dysregulation and a potential precursor state to conventional EoE. Lymphocytic esophagitis demonstrated unique signature of metabolic dysfunction, with downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation genes ( NDUFB2, ATP5F1B ) and enrichment of neuro-immune signaling pathways, pointing at interplay between mitochondrial impairment and esophageal sensory dysfunction. A robust interferon-mediated immune response ( STAT1, IRF1 and CXCL10 ) further differentiated the latter subtype from Th2-driven conventional EoE. Nonspecific esophagitis exhibited a dominant humoral immune response, enriched for immunoglobulin-related pathways, suggestive of a B-cell-driven inflammatory mechanism distinct from the T-cell-dominated responses of other EoE subtypes. Conclusions This study unveils novel molecular and immunological distinctions between conventional EoE and its subtypes. We propose that EoE-like esophagitis represents an early immune-activated phase, while lymphocytic and nonspecific esophagitis exhibit distinct metabolic and humoral immune dysregulations, respectively. Key biomarkers, POSTN, DNAH11, CDX2 , and zinc transporters, offer critical insights for improving diagnostic criteria and guiding therapeutic approaches. These findings highlight the importance of subtype-specific therapeutic interventions and warrant longitudinal studies to map disease trajectories and therapeutic responses across EoE and its variants.
Geomorphological changes of natural and engineered vegetated foredunes since completion of Kustwerk Katwijk
Development and validation of a synthetic peptide-based field deployable latex slide agglutination test for detection of Tilapia tilapinevirus
Tilapia significantly contributes to global food security and is an affordable protein source for most developing nations. Tilapia tilapinevirus (TiLV) poses a significant economic threat to the global tilapia industry. This study aimed to develop a rapid and accurate detection method for TiLV by synthesizing a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against it. A novel peptide, KLH-CQ, derived from the TiLV sequence, was designed considering physicochemical properties like net cationic charge, amphipathicity, helicity, and hydrophobicity. The KLH-CQ (50 µg) was used to immunize Balb/c mice with Freund's complete adjuvant. The presence of specific antibodies in the mice serum was confirmed by ELISA, which showed a high antibody titre of 2.67:0.12 (mean OD of treated Vs control sera). The mouse with the strongest immune response was used for spleen donor in hybridoma production. Epitope mapping via ELISA screening identified five positive clones (TiLV-MAb 1–5), with the most reactive clone selected for further analysis. Using Classen's method, a cutoff OD value of 1.24 ± 0.45 was determined for virus detection. The selected TiLV-MAb was then used as a probing antibody to develop a latex slide agglutination assay (TiLV-LAT) using passive adsorption method. Validation of the assay with tissue and mucus samples revealed a specificity of 88.37% and a sensitivity of 82.37% for TiLV detection. The overall accuracy of the assay was 83.51%, with positive and negative likelihood ratios of 7.06 and 0.2, respectively. The TiLV-LAT successfully detected TiLV in various tissues, showing variable sensitivity: liver (77.35%), mucus (73.53%), brain (67.92%), and kidney (62.26%). TiLV-LAT developed here has minimized the tedious steps involved in nucleic acid-based detection assays, with the recorded sensitivity and specificity; it can be used as a presumptive diagnosis for testing and point of care/farm site. Moreover, non-lethal sampling and virus testing in mucus samples would be useful for fish health monitoring.
Association between mental health and social pressure among undergraduate students in Karachi, Pakistan: an analytical cross-sectional study
Balancing benefits and challenges: Tourism’s associations with residents’ quality of life, solidarity, and support across development stages
As host–tourist tensions increase in popular destinations, it is essential to understand how tourism relates to residents’ quality of life, attitudes, and supportive behaviors. This study explores these impacts in Qingdao, a city with mature tourism development, and Zhoushan, a city undergoing rapid tourism growth. Survey data were collected from 508 residents in Qingdao and 362 in Zhoushan through an online questionnaire using stratified random sampling to ensure representativeness. After data cleaning and validation, structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Additional analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, confirmatory factor analysis, and multi-group analysis to examine moderating effects. The results indicate that tourism is associated with residents’ quality of life and emotional solidarity, which are in turn linked to their attitudes and supportive behaviors. Emotional closeness and empathy show strong links with support, while not all quality-of-life aspects correspond to similar emotional responses. In Qingdao, tourism employment negatively moderates the attitude–support link, whereas no significant effect is found in Zhoushan. These findings refine Social Exchange Theory by highlighting emotional and contextual conditions under which resident support varies. Practically, the study outlines stage-specific implications for balancing tourism growth with resident well-being through targeted emotional engagement and employment quality improvement.
Efficiency and economic performance of honey producers in southwest Nigeria: a comprehensive empirical analysis
MTMF-Grid: A multi-task multi-modal fusion model for operational forecasting and decision support in power grids
Power grid strategic emerging business investment features multi-objective coupling and multi-source heterogeneous data. It requires simultaneous completion of regression and classification tasks, making traditional single-task or single-modal assessment methods inadequate for precise decision-making. This study proposes a multi-task multi-modal fusion model (MTMF-Grid) for operational forecasting and decision support in strategic emerging power grid investments. MTMF-Grid leverages operational data proxies to support investment decision-making, rather than directly predicting financial returns. MTMF-Grid adopts a modular architecture with three core mechanisms: a task-adaptive Transformer to balance general and task-specific feature expression, a Cross-Fusion Gating Mechanism (CFGM) for dynamic multi-modal fusion and robustness to modal missing scenarios, and a loss variance-based mechanism to dynamically adjust task weights and alleviate gradient conflicts. Experiments on SEWA (Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority dataset) and OPSD (Open Power System Data) datasets show MTMF-Grid outperforms mainstream baseline models. It achieves 3.06% MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error) for hourly electricity price prediction, 0.915 accuracy for load fluctuation risk classification. This study presents a comprehensive framework for supporting strategic decision-making in power grid investment through operational forecasting and multi-modal data integration.
Knowledge, attitude, and practices of nurses toward the assessment and management of perioperative hidden blood loss among orthopedic patients: A cross-sectional multicenter study
The effects of perceived social support and psychological capital on attitudes towards professional psychological help-seeking among Chinese college students: The mediating role of psychological help-seeking stigma
Objective This study grounded in resource conservation theory, examines the association between perceived social support and psychological capital on college students’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of stigma for seeking professional psychological help. The aim is to provide a reference framework for promoting mental health among college students. Method We employed a cross-sectional design, investigated perceived social support, psychological capital, stigma for seeking professional psychological help, and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among 3,012 Chinese college students. Result The results indicated that perceived social support, psychological capital, and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help were negatively associated with the stigma for seeking professional psychological help. Perceived social support and psychological capital were directly and positively associated with attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. Furthermore, the stigma for seeking professional psychological help was found to mediate the association between perceived social support and psychological capital on attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help ( β = 0.1 [0.059, 0.138], β = 0.248 [0.21, 0.29]). This mediation explained 16% and 39% of the total association. Conclusion This study highlights the association between perceived social support and psychological capital and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among college students, while also identifying mediating role of stigma for seeking professional psychological help. These findings provide empirical support for designing effective interventions to improve college students’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help.