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Decreased N-acetylaspartate plus N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate levels in the caudate of schizophrenia patients with tardive dyskinesia

Trace metal pollution and ecological effects on five crops around a typical manganese mining area in Chongqing, China

Abstract Manganese mining and smelting release trace metals into surrounding agricultural systems, posing potential ecological and human health risks through crop contamination. We assessed the accumulation, tissue distribution, and risks of nine trace metals (Mn, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, As, Cr, and Sb) in five staple crops (rice, maize, peanut, soybean, and sweet potato) from a manganese mining area in Chongqing, China, using bioconcentration factors, pollution indices, and USEPA-based health risk models. Mn was the most abundant metal in all crops, with rice showing higher accumulation than other species (2.27–3.37-fold, p  < 0.05). Rice also exhibited the highest Cr and As concentrations, while Cd and Zn were preferentially enriched in peanuts and soybeans (BCF > 1). Most metals were retained in roots and leaves, with limited accumulation in edible parts (BCF: 0.01–0.05). Pollution assessment identified rice as the most contaminated crop, with Cr and As in rice exceeding food safety thresholds (P N > 25). Health risk assessments indicated that rice consumption poses a potential risk of chronic arsenic exposure in adults and exhibits chronic toxic effects in children, whereas all other crops remained below the risk level (T HQ < 1) for both adults and children. Rice is the dominant exposure pathway for trace metal health risks in mining-affected regions, whereas sweet potato, peanut, soybean, and maize are comparatively safer. These findings support crop substitution strategies and targeted soil remediation to enhance food safety in mining-impacted agricultural systems.

Correction: Multi-GeV electron beam generation via two-stage laser wakefield acceleration

Development of Dirofilaria immitis adult worms in NSG mice, detection of parasite-derived microRNA and comparative analysis of laboratory isolates

Seismic reflection characteristics and genesis of goafs and underlying coal seams

Abstract Coal is an important energy and industrial resource. Coal mining-resulted goafs and subsequently developed caving zones exhibit strong heterogeneity and instability, which can severely restricts the exploration and development of deep coal seams. Focusing on a coal mine in eastern China, this study relied on 2D migrated seismic profiles, and seismic simulating and imaging on a model to systematically investigate the seismic reflection characteristics and its genesis of goafs, caving zones, and their underlying strata. The results indicate that the bottom of goafs presents strong seismic reflections, caving zones generate intense seismic scattering, and reflections from the underlying coal seams exhibit three diagnostic features: namely energy attenuation, phase anomalies, and reduced continuity. Energy attenuation stems from the superimposed effects of strong reflection at the goaf bottom and intense scattering in caving zones. Phase anomalies are dominated by the low-velocity property of goafs and caving zones. Poor continuity is mainly controlled by the scattering in caving zones. The proposed correlation between the attributes of goaf-caving zones and the reflection responses of underlying strata can be used to evaluate the occurrence state of goafs and provide support for the exploration and development of deep coal resources.

Effect of solid-state polymerization on fiber structure development in melt spinning of mechanical recycled PET

Engineering novel ceramic metal borates containing carbon for efficient sequestration of Toluidine Blue O from wastewater

Enhancing cucumber production through compost and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in an unheated soil based greenhouse

Abstract The transition toward more sustainable horticultural practices requires approaches that maintain productivity while reducing environmental impact. The use of organic amendments such as compost and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offers environmentally friendly strategies to enhance soil health, nutrient availability, and plant resilience. Here, we investigated the effects of different compost doses and PGPR inoculation on plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of greenhouse-grown cucumber, cv. ‘Oscar’. Compost was applied to the upper 10 cm depth of soil at four rates (0 g m −2 , 100 g m −2 , 200 g m −2 , 300 g m −2 ) and two PGPR strains, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens , were applied twice to the root zone. Correlation analysis and Principal Component Analysis were used to evaluate associations between growth parameters, yield, and leaf nutrient status. The interaction between compost and PGPR significantly increased root fresh and dry weight. The most effective treatment—200 g m −2 compost combined with Pseudomonas fluorescens —enhanced marketable yield by 9.3% relative to the untreated control. Yield improvements were closely linked to increased nutrient uptake, particularly magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P), as confirmed by PCA. The highest nutrient enrichment was observed with the 300 g m −2 compost + Pseudomonas fluorescens treatment, where Mg and P increased by 13.5% and 27%, respectively, compared to the control. Overall, the combination of compost at 200 g m −2 with Pseudomonas fluorescens represents a practical and sustainable strategy to improve cucumber performance under greenhouse conditions. Future research should assess its effectiveness across diverse soil types, stress conditions, and production systems to optimize long-term implementation.

Prediction of liquid accumulation in a shale gas pipeline

Development of a shop floor scheduling and allocation framework for operations management excellence using cutting-edge technologies

Neurotransmitter alterations in seasonal affective disorder

Abstract Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of unipolar depression characterized by depressive symptoms mainly during the cold season, which were often linked to alterations in the serotonergic system. It is assumed that other neurotransmitter systems, such as glutamate and GABA, are similarly affected. Hence, we investigated differences in glutamate and GABA between SAD patients and healthy control subjects using magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (MRSI). Fourteen SAD patients (11 female, 36 ± 11 years) and 14 sex- and age-matched healthy controls, were scanned once between October and February using multi-voxel 3D-GABA-edited MEGA-LASER MRSI at 3 T. Mean GABA+ and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) to total creatine (tCr) ratios were calculated in five brain regions. Mann–Whitney-U-Tests were performed for each region and neurotransmitter ratio independently as well as correlation analyses between neurotransmitter ratios and clinical scores, respectively. A significant reduction in GABA+/tCr ratios in the hippocampus ( p corr  = 0.049) between SAD patients and healthy individuals was revealed. No significant changes in other brain regions or correlations with the investigated clinical scores were shown. Our findings of altered GABA concentrations in the hippocampus are in line with neurotransmitter alterations across other subtypes of depression, hinting towards common neurobiological mechanisms and highlights the interplay between environmental factors and neurotransmitter systems.

Assessing willingness to pay for HLA-B*58:01 genetic testing before allopurinol initiation and its potential impact on future health policy, Thailand

Predicting compressive strength of mortars containing recycled CRT glass using GMDH and GEP methods

Impact of air pollution on mental health in bangladesh: a comparison between Dhaka and Rajshahi

Electrocoagulation-treated poultry wastewater sludge as a sustainable feed resource for black soldier fly larvae

Identification of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in lung adenocarcinoma through integrated bioinformatics analysis and real time PCR validation

Influence of calcination temperature on the properties and photocatalytic efficiencies of BiFe0.9Cu0.1O3 nanoparticles

Abstract BiFe₀.₉Cu₀.₁O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solution combustion method, and the effect of calcination temperature (500–800 °C) on their properties and photocatalytic performance was systematically investigated. The nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, BET surface area analysis, XPS, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence, and VSM. XRD analysis confirmed a primary rhombohedral BiFeO₃ phase alongside a secondary orthorhombic Bi₂Fe₄O₉ phase. The results revealed a complex interplay between calcination temperature and material properties: the crystallite size increased with temperature up to 700 °C, then decreased slightly. At the same time, the specific surface area was maximized at 500 °C. The optical band gap reached a minimum of 3.30 eV at 500 °C, then widened at higher temperatures. VSM measurements revealed ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature, with the saturation magnetization peaking at 600 °C due to the suppression of the spin spiral structure and the presence of oxygen vacancies. The photocatalytic activity for methylene blue (MB) degradation under visible light was maximized at 500 °C, achieving 72.75% degradation efficiency after 160 min. This optimal performance is attributed to the synergistic combination of the highest specific surface area, a favorable band gap, and a high concentration of defect sites that suppress charge carrier recombination. The optimal sample demonstrated good stability and reusability over five cycles. Scavenger tests indicated that the hydroxyl radicals (HO • ) were the primary reactive species. The results confirm that solution combustion is an effective route for producing Cu-doped BFO nanoparticles, with the calcination temperature being a critical parameter for optimizing their photocatalytic performance.

Risk sensitive twin distributional critics with a lambda lower confidence bound for continuous control reinforcement learning

Evaluating a ballistocardiography derived respiratory rate algorithm through comprehensive clinical validation across multiple settings

Exploring the factors associated with health literacy among adolescents in Hong Kong

Abstract Health literacy is crucial for promoting healthy behaviors and is linked to improved health outcomes among adolescents, yet global levels remain suboptimal. In Hong Kong, where rising rates of obesity and related health issues among adolescents are of increasing concern, understanding health literacy in this population is essential. However, current interventions of health literacy face challenges in effectively addressing the differences between the target groups. Therefore, this study aims to investigate factors associated with health literacy among adolescents in Hong Kong, to provide evidence for identifying groups for intervention implementation. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Hong Kong. Secondary school students from grades 1 to 4 in Hong Kong were recruited to complete a 98-item survey measuring socio-demographic information, socioeconomic status (SES), health behaviors, mental toughness, and health literacy. Group differences were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA. Univariable and multivariable linear regression models examined factors associated with adolescent health literacy. A total of 1423 adolescents were included in this study. The mean health literacy score was 57.24 (SD = 17.04) in the adolescents. Multivariable regression showed that aged over 14 years (β = 3.79), medium SES (β = 2.91), high SES (β = 4.80), adequate vegetable intake (β = 0.041), adequate fruit intake (β = 3.13), and mental toughness (β = 10.69) were positively related to overall health literacy. Smoking (β = − 7.38), alcohol drinking (β = − 4.03), excessive electronic game screen time (β = − 2.06), and male gender (β = − 3.86) were negatively associated with overall health literacy. Mental toughness (β = 4.27–12.43) showed a strong positive association across all health literacy sub-domains. This study identified high-risk groups with regard to health literacy among adolescents, including younger individuals, males, those with lower socioeconomic status, poor dietary habits, lower levels of mental toughness, and those engaging in risky behaviors. Future policies and interventions should specifically target these groups to optimize the effectiveness of subsequent initiatives.