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Pri micropeptide functions as a cell-intrinsic timer controlling the transient phase of cell fate induction

During development, cells sequentially acquire specific fates through temporally ordered regulatory systems. To ensure the harmonious progression, each system must be activated and subsequently inactivated at the appropriate time. In this study, we show that the duration of fate induction is controlled by the transient expression of polished rice ( pri ), a gene encoding micropeptides, during Drosophila tracheal development. pri is transiently expressed in prospective tracheal placodes and precedes the expression of trachealess ( trh ), a master transcription factor that initiates tracheal fate. pri induces the expression of trh through promoting the disappearance of the repressor form of the transcriptional factor Shavenbaby (Svb). Conversely, after placode invagination, artificially prolonging pri expression or constitutive loss of Svb leads to ectopic maintenance of trh expression in noninvaginated placode cells surrounding the properly invaginated domain. These results indicate that the rapid disappearance of pri properly terminates the initial fate induction system and suggest that this termination ensures a smooth transition to the subsequent fate-regulatory program—that is, the maintenance of tracheal cell fate specifically in the invaginated cells. Together, we propose that the transiency of pri serves as a cell-intrinsic molecular timer that controls the transient phase of cell fate induction and ensures the transition between sequential fate-regulatory systems, thereby enabling the precise coordination of cell identity with morphogenesis during organogenesis.

Accuracy and reproducibility of tumor size measurement using a deep-learning–based CDSS in resected lung cancer

Purpose MONCAD LCT is a commercially available deep-learning based clinical decision support system (CDSS) for lung screening CT. The aim of this multicenter retrospective study was to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of tumor size measurement using a commercially available deep-learning–based clinical decision support system (CDSS), compared with radiologist assessments and pathological reference in resected lung cancer cases. Methods and materials We retrospectively collected preoperative CT images and original radiology reports and the CDSS results for resected lung cancer from three institutions during 2022 (n = 176). MONCAD LCT evaluated the LungRADs category based on the density and size of the lung nodule. First of all, we compared the MONCAD LCT and original radiologic report using the pathologic tumor size as gold standard. Furthermore, the subsampling case (n = 33) randomly selected by institutions, density type (pure ground glass opacity, subsolid, and solid) and tumor size, two expert thoracic radiologists independently evaluated the tumor size for the resected lung cancer and the interobserver variability was evaluated. Results Among 176 tumors, 162 (92%) were detected on MONCAD LCT. Tumor size measurement by original radiology report and CDSS were found to have excellent reliability with pathologic tumor size (ICC = 0.869 for absolute agreement). On reader study, excellent interobserver agreement (ICC = 0.907) was observed between two expert radiologists, which was inferior to the completely consistent CDSS results (ICC = 1.000). Conclusions No significant differences were found in the measurement of tumor size between radiologists and the CDSS. CDSS might be helpful to minimize interobserver variability for tumor size measurement by supplying consistent and reliable results. *Clinical Relevance/Application This real-world multicenter study demonstrates that the CDSS provides consistent and objective tumor size measurements, supporting its potential utility in standardizing preoperative lung cancer assessment.

Regulation of the AKT/P53 signaling pathway by translated control tumor protein inhibits apoptosis and promotes hyperplasia of the mammary glands

Reply to Yang et al.: Synergies between photovoltaic development and innovative agricultural practices for combating desertification

Correction: Genetic analysis of drought and heat tolerance combined with Striga hermonthica resistance in tropical maize (Zea mays)

Prevalence and associated factors of anemia among women of childbearing age in the eastern region of Burkina Faso

Assessing the impact of World Trade Center (WTC) exposures on post-bronchodilator lung function: Insights from WTC survivor population

Objectives To assess the effects of World Trade Center (WTC) exposures, obesity, and smoking on post-bronchodilator (post-BD) lung function in WTC Survivors. Methods Data included 5,243 participants enrolled in WTC Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC) program between 2005 and 2022. WTC-related exposures included dust-cloud exposure and occupational/residential roles. Lung function included post-BD spirometry (FEV 1 , FVC) and impulse oscillometry (R 5 , R 20 , AX). Multivariable linear and quantile regressions assessed associations with WTC exposures, BMI, and smoking, adjusting for demographics. Results Dust-cloud exposure and Worker status were associated with elevated AX, R 5 , and R 20 , indicating small airway dysfunction. Spirometry showed minimal impact from dust exposure, though Workers had lower FEV₁ and FVC than Residents. Obesity and smoking were consistently linked to poorer lung function, with effect sizes surpassing WTC exposure. No significant interactions were found between BMI and WTC exposures. Conclusions WTC exposures are associated with small airway dysfunction, especially in Workers. Obesity and smoking independently worsen lung function, underscoring the importance of both environmental and physiological risk factors in disaster-exposed populations. Post-BD oscillometry adds critical sensitivity in detecting injury to small airways.

Art therapy-oriented space design for pediatric dental clinics: a Kano-AHP-FCE framework

Effect of social and digital media mental health messaging on mental health help-seeking behaviors in the sub-Saharan African population: A systematic review protocol

Mental health is a major public health concern, with disproportionate burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where access to care is limited and stigma remains high. Social and digital platforms, including social media, mobile health (mHealth) applications, and SMS-based messaging, provide opportunities for information sharing, peer engagement, and tailored interventions that may enhance literacy and normalize help-seeking. Yet, they pose risks, including misinformation, exposure to harmful content, and reinforcement of stigma in diverse contexts. Despite this potential, evidence from SSA on the effects of social and digital media messaging on mental health knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and help-seeking is scarce. This systematic review will assess the effect of social and digital media mental health messaging on help-seeking behaviors in SSA. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Psychological Information Database (PsycINFO), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Communication and Mass Media Complete, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, Educational Resource Information Centre (ERIC), ProQuest Sociology, Google Scholar and Embase will be systematically queried using predefined keywords without language restrictions to ensure comprehensive evidence capture. Eligible studies will include interventions delivering mental health messaging through social media, mHealth applications, SMS, web-based platforms, or hybrid approaches, analyzing behavioral and psychological outcomes, and any kind of intervention studies. Methodological quality and risk of bias will be assessed using validated tools appropriate to each study design, including the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool, Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I), and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist. Where appropriate, data will be synthesized with or without meta-analysis. This synthesis will clarify how social and digital media shape mental health outcomes, describe patterns across delivery channels, identify gaps, and inform culturally sensitive interventions to improve communication and promote mental health help-seeking in SSA.

Quality valuation and hydrogeochemical features of groundwater in university campus and its surroundings, south-west Nigeria

Comparison of glucose concentrations in simultaneously collected plasma and serum samples from outpatients in a routine laboratory setting

Objectives Although international and national German guidelines recommend measuring glucose in venous plasma, serum remains the most commonly used sample type for glucose measurement in routine outpatient settings in Germany. The aim of the study was to compare glucose concentrations in simultaneously collected serum and plasma samples from outpatients under routine conditions, and to assess whether any observed differences could lead to divergent diagnostic outcomes for diabetes mellitus. Methods Between 03/01/2022 and 20/12/2024, a total of 27,864 simultaneously collected sodium fluoride plasma (NaF plasma) and serum sample pairs were submitted by 200 different medical practices to MVZ Labor Ravensburg for glucose measurement. Serum samples, all containing separator gel, were centrifuged at the medical practice after complete coagulation. In contrast, NaF plasma samples were transported uncentrifuged. Upon arrival at the laboratory, all samples were centrifuged immediately and analyzed within two hours. The median of the differences between serum and plasma glucose was calculated for each quintile of the mean glucose concentration. A contingency table was used to analyze the classification outcomes based on plasma and serum glucose concentrations. Results In the concentration range above 100 mg/dL, the difference between serum and plasma glucose levels was minimal (4th quintile: 0.54 mg/dL; 5th quintile: 1.13 mg/dL). Below 100 mg/dL, the difference increased linearly with decreasing glucose concentration (3rd quintile: −1.69 mg/dL; 2nd quintile: −5.20 mg/dL; 1st quintile: −11.05 mg/dL). Using 126 mg/dL as the glucose cutoff, positive and negative diabetes classifications from NaF plasma and serum glucose agreed in 97.8% of cases. Overall, only 0.3% more cases of diabetes mellitus were classified based on NaF plasma glucose compared to serum glucose. Conclusions In real-world outpatient settings, glucose measurement in on-site centrifuged serum with separator gel does not appear to present a clinically relevant disadvantage for diabetes mellitus screening compared to on-site uncentrifuged NaF plasma. However, neither serum nor non-acidified NaF plasma ensures complete inhibition of in vitro glycolysis and must therefore be regarded as suboptimal for definitive diagnostic purposes.

Design optimization and performance evaluation of semi-prefabricated UHPC-RC metro station structures

Disgust in anorexia nervosa: Testing a theoretical model connecting negative body image to disgust propensity, disgust sensitivity, and self-disgust

Consistent with the view that disgust is involved in the persistence of eating disorder symptomatology, it has been found that disgust propensity is related to a negative body image. Importantly, earlier research in non-clinical samples provided preliminary evidence that this relationship could be statistically accounted for by self-disgust. The current study tested the robustness of this finding and examined if this pattern would also be evident when including individuals with and without clinically diagnosed anorexia nervosa (AN). In addition, we tested whether the relationship between self-disgust and negative body image would be especially pronounced in individuals with high disgust sensitivity. Finally, we explored whether body checking and body avoidance could statistically account for the relationship between self-disgust and negative body image. To test these hypotheses, female adolescents with ( n  = 64) and without ( n  = 62) AN diagnosis completed questionnaires administered online. Results showed that (1) the relationship between disgust propensity and negative body image could be statistically accounted for by self-disgust; (2) disgust sensitivity did not moderate the relationship between self-disgust and negative body image, and; (3) the relationship between self-disgust and negative body image could be statistically accounted for by body checking, but not by body avoidance. Together, these findings are consistent with the view that self-disgust may be an important factor in the persistence of a negative body image in anorexia nervosa.

Surface hardening of a mould steel by laser quenching

Abstract The objective of this work is to study the laser quenching process of AISI P20 + S mould steel, focusing on improving surface hardness and wear resistance. AISI P20 + S steel was laser-quenched using temperatures of 1000 °C and 1200 °C, and laser beam overlap rates of 10% and 25%. The as-received and laser quenched steel was characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. After laser quenching, nanoindentation and pin-on-disk tests were performed to determine hardness profiles and assess wear resistance, respectively. The hardness at the surface more than doubled compared to the hardness of the untreated steel, confirming the formation of martensite. The 1000 °C laser quenching resulted in a depth lower than 700 μm, with a surface hardness close to 8 GPa. At 1200 °C, the depth increased to nearly 1400 μm, and the hardness reached 8–9 GPa, although the thicker oxide layer formed during the laser treatment led to an increase in the wear coefficient and volume. Due to the detachment of oxide layers, the main wear mechanism observed was adhesive. The work carried out confirmed the potential of laser quenching in the surface hardening of mould steels.

Reply to Pernet et al.: Mesocosm experiment reveals the carbon removal mechanisms in oyster farming

Genomic and phylogenomic exploration of Vibrio cholerae strain SU129B isolated from Penaeus vannamei: Resistance, virulence, and evolutionary dynamics in bangladeshi aquaculture

Vibrio cholerae , a globally significant pathogen, causes both endemic and epidemic cholera and has also been associated with sporadic gastroenteritis and foodborne infections. Shrimp exports are a key source of revenue and employment in Bangladesh. However, Vibrio outbreaks pose serious public health and socio-economic risks through seafood consumption and the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes from aquaculture. The current study investigates the genomic and pathogenic features of the V. cholerae strain associated with seafood, with particular focus on the aquaculture environment of Bangladesh. Using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing technology, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on V. cholerae strain SU129B isolated from pacific white shrimp in Noakhali, Bangladesh, to explore its genetic diversity, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence determinants. The assembled genome exhibited high completeness (93.08%) and contiguity (N50 = 1), along with minimal contamination (1.33%). Average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis showed 98.13% similarity with the reference V. cholerae strain RFB16, confirming species-level identification. Functional and pathway analyses indicated that the strain possesses a complex network of genes and metabolic systems that contribute to its survival in diverse environments. Analysis of the genome also revealed several biosynthetic gene clusters associated with the production of secondary metabolites, which contribute to osmotic tolerance, and metal acquisition. The genome also harbored multiple antibiotic resistance genes, which confer resistance via efflux systems, target modification, and membrane adaptation mechanisms. Pangenome analysis revealed 8,964 genes, including 2,085 core genes, 429 soft-core genes, 1,431 shell genes, and 5,019 cloud genes, demonstrating considerable genetic diversity and adaptability. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close evolutionary relationship between the shrimp and clinical strains, suggesting possible genome conservation across environmental and clinical isolates. The findings demonstrate that V. cholerae strain SU129B can evolve in aquaculture environments and may serve as a reservoir for virulence and multidrug resistance.

Correction: Bevacizumab enhances overall survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients with high COX-2 expression

Conceptions of food healthiness among nutrition and food science undergraduates: A mixed-methods study in a Spanish university

Understanding how future nutrition and food professionals conceptualize healthy food and eating is key to aligning university training and professional practice with public health and sustainability goals. This mixed-methods study explored how undergraduate students of Human Nutrition and Dietetics and of Food Science and Technology at a Spanish university define what makes foods healthy, and how these views differ by degree, gender, and year of study. The qualitative phase was based on two focus groups (n = 13) while the quantitative phase used a structured online questionnaire distributed across all academic years (n = 300). Students described healthy eating through moderation, variety, and nutrient balance, consistently elevating fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and olive oil while positioning sugary drinks, sweets, and highly processed products as less healthy. Disciplinary contrasts emerged for animal-derived foods: Nutrition students judged red and processed meats more negatively than their peers in Food Science. With academic progression, perceptions tended to show a more favorable views of fish, olive oil, nuts, and fermented foods. A reduced reliance on claims such as “organic” or “GMO-free” was also observed. Women placed greater emphasis on plant-based choices, wholegrains, seasonality, proximity, and animal welfare, whereas men evaluated meats and alcoholic beverages more positively and expressed stronger trust in official quality seals. Agreement was highest with biomedical and holistic meanings of food, while endorsement of sociocultural definitions declined over the course of study. These findings provide insights into the evolving professional identities of future nutritionists and food technologists and support the importance to integrate more deeply sociocultural and sustainability perspectives into university curricula.

Torque regulation is affected by joint angle during isometric contraction in young male adults

Abstract Research demonstrates that the magnitude of torque variability is influenced by joint angle. However, complexity-based measures seem to provide distinct information than the traditional magnitude-based measures of variability, being more sensitive to detect subtle changes in physiological outputs’ dynamics. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of joint angle on torque complexity and intermuscular coordination. Twenty-five male adults performed a sustained isometric knee extensor task at 110% of their end-test torque for 30 s at five different joint angles. Torque complexity and variability were assessed using Sample Entropy (SampEn) and Coefficient of Variation (CV), respectively, while intermuscular coordination was evaluated through Co-Contraction Index (CCi). Results revealed that SampEn at OA−30º was significantly lower than at OA ( p  = 0.014) and OA + 15º ( p  = 0.022), indicating reduced torque complexity at shortened muscle lengths. CV and CCi exhibited similar behaviors by presenting a trend for a U-shape relationship with joint angle. Our findings suggest a decrease in the individuals’ capacity to regulate the torque production with the shortening of the knee extensors which can possibly be explained by the mechanical properties of the muscle and central and peripheral neuromuscular factors or, most importantly, by the complex interaction between all the mechanisms involved in torque regulation.

“Healing hands: Understanding physiotherapists’ knowledge, attitudes and barriers on pressure injury prevention in the medical wards in Jordan”

Aim to highlight the physiotherapist's knowledge and attitudes, as well as barriers and related factors affecting Pressure Injury prevention in the medical wards of Jordanian hospitals. Method Cross-sectional correlational study of all physiotherapists working in the three largest governmental hospitals in Jordan (north, capital, south), focusing on medical ward services. A validated instrument for measuring knowledge and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention, as well as selected barriers identified in the literature, was distributed for self-administration. Descriptive analysis, a t-test for two-item variables, and ANOVA (F-value) for variables containing more than two items. Multivariate regression analysis was employed to assess the relationship between the independent variables (demographic factors) and the outcome variables (knowledge, attitude, and perceived barriers). Differences were considered statistically significant at a level of P < 0.05. Results Overall, physiotherapists demonstrate a good understanding and positive attitudes towards the prevention of pressure injuries. However, barriers were marked in the study as the majority considered shortage of resources (94.4%), lack of multidisciplinary team among the health care team (88.9) and uncooperative patients (88.9%) followed by presence of other priorities at work pressure injury prevention (83.3%), and in adequate knowledge (80.6%). Monthly income, working experience, training, and using guidelines were statistically significant predictors of the knowledge score (p values: 0.01, 0.03, 0.02, 0.001, respectively). Age was statistically significant in relation to the attitude score (P < 0.001). None of the demographic characteristics were significantly related to the perceived barriers. Conclusion Physiotherapists can play a significant role in preventing pressure injuries when they possess improved knowledge, as evidenced by their positive attitudes towards preventing pressure injuries for patients in medical wards. However, more attention is recommended to allocate resources and staff, as well as implement policy changes, to enhance a multidisciplinary team approach in working with medical wards, addressing their special needs, overcrowding, and comorbidity among patients. Further research is recommended to assess the roles and barriers faced by physiotherapists in medical wards and other areas.