Browse Articles

SteuerLLM: local specialized large language model for German tax law analysis

Abstract Large language models (LLMs) demonstrate strong general reasoning and language understanding, yet their performance degrades in domains governed by strict formal rules, precise terminology, and legally binding structure. Tax law exemplifies these challenges, as correct answers require exact statutory citation, structured legal argumentation, and numerical accuracy under rigid grading schemes. We curate SteuerEx, the first open benchmark derived from authentic German university tax-law examinations, processed through a structured statement-level decomposition pipeline. SteuerEx comprises 115 expert-validated examination questions spanning six core tax law domains and multiple academic levels, and employs a statement-level, partial-credit evaluation framework that closely mirrors real examination practice. We further present SteuerLLM, a domain-adapted LLM for German tax law trained on a large-scale synthetic dataset generated from authentic examination material using a controlled retrieval-augmented pipeline. SteuerLLM (28B parameters) consistently outperforms general-purpose instruction-tuned models of comparable size and, in several cases, substantially larger systems, demonstrating that domain-specific data and architectural adaptation are more decisive than parameter count for performance on realistic legal reasoning tasks. All benchmark data, training datasets, model weights, and evaluation code are released openly to support reproducible research in domain-specific legal artificial intelligence. A web-based demo of SteuerLLM is available at https://steuerllm.i5.ai.fau.de .

Implementing evidence-based practices for urinary leakage prevention in ICU patients with indwelling catheters: A JBI-guided baseline review

Objective To develop evidence-based audit indicators for urinary leakage prevention and management in ICU patients with indwelling catheters, to evaluate current clinical compliance with these indicators, and to analyze barriers and facilitators for evidence implementation using the JBI Clinical Evidence Application Model as a theoretical framework. Methods Using the Clinical Evidence Application Model from the Joanna Briggs Institute(JBI)Centre for Evidence in Healthcare in Australia as the theoretical framework,clinical nursing issues were identified.Literature searches were conducted,evidence was evaluated and synthesised,and review criteria and methods were established.Using convenience sampling,39 nurses and 75 indwelling catheterised patients in the General ICU(North Campus) of Wuxi Second People's Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China were selected for baseline review between April and May 2025.Barriers were analysed and change strategies developed based on baseline findings. Results A total of 22 pieces of evidence on urinary leakage prevention and management for ICU patients with indwelling urinary catheters were introduced,leading to the formulation of 21 review indicators. And among those,16 showed that compliance rate was less than 60%. There were 27 barriers and 17 facilitators found by analysis. 25 change strategies were made according to this. Conclusion There are big differences between what we know from research about how to stop or deal with urine leaking in intensive care patients who have a tube in their bladder and what doctors and nurses do in hospitals right now. We need special sets of rules called “evidence-based practice protocols” that use tricks from studies to help doctors and nurses give better care to sick people in the hospital.

Predictive fault management in smart sensor networks using a dynamic quantum-AI architecture (DynaQuAI)

Daily variability in mood and subjective cognitive function: An experience sampling study in young adults

In older adults, greater day-to-day fluctuations in cognitive function appear to be associated with higher rates of cognitive decline, relative to those showing less daily cognitive variability. Such findings suggest that within-person daily deviations from an individual’s typical functioning do not simply represent measurement noise, but rather, vitally inform on cognitive status in older adults. But what about these dynamics in younger adults? Does daily variability in cognition potentially inform on cognitive wellness for those in their neurocognitive prime? Here we addressed this question using an experience sampling method to assess participants’ subjective sense of their cognition and mood three times a day over 14 days in a sample of 215 young, healthy adults. After controlling for four baseline measures of subjective cognition (metacognitive awareness, executive function, propensity for cognitive failures, and memory failures) and four baseline measures of mood (depression, state and trait anxiety, and loneliness), we found that not only did subjectively-assessed cognitive function show significant within-person day-to-day variability across the sample population, but greater person-level cognitive variability across the two-week period predicted lower mean perceived function across the two weeks. While daily cognitive variability also showed a significant correlation with daily measures of both negative and positive mood, notably, some individuals were more resilient to these daily mood impacts on subjective cognition than others. Taken together, our findings suggest that daily variability in subjective cognition and mood may be important predictors for understanding cognitive wellness in younger adult populations.

Efficient bicycle-sharing rebalancing via demand distribution-based integer programming model and neural lagrangian acceleration

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of Hodgkin Lymphoma: A single institution retrospective cohort study

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a highly curable B-cell lymphoma, but a group of patients may experience resistance to initial treatment or progress to refractory disease. Moreover, they may experience relapses or long-term complications such as infertility and secondary neoplasms. In this retrospective cohort study, 257 patients diagnosed with HL between 2002 and 2022 were included to identify clinical and laboratory predictors of survival that may contribute to managing patient treatment and follow-up strategies. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and laboratory data at diagnosis were collected from patients’ e-records. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank tests. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify independent predictors of death. The median age at diagnosis was 29 years, with 54.9% males. Nodular sclerosis was the most common subtype (34.6%). Univariable Cox regression analysis showed that high creatinine levels (HR 7.55, 95% CI 2.62–21.81, p < .001), low platelet count (HR 4.87, 95% CI 1.58–14.94, p = .006), and high total bilirubin (HR 3.76, 95% CI 1.34–10.55, p = .012) are factors associated with poor survival. In the exploratory multivariable Cox regression analysis, poor response to treatment was strongly associated with poor survival (HR 7.89, 95% CI 2.39–26.06, p=<.001), followed by low platelet count (HR 4.72, 95% CI 1.28–17.46, p = 0.020). This may suggest that poor treatment response and low platelet count are independent predictors of poor survival in HL patients but require confirmation in a larger cohort. Early detection of high-risk patients based on these clinical and laboratory results may improve patient treatment and follow-up strategies.

The carbon reduction effect of China’s national AI innovation pilot zone policy

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) holds substantial potential for systemic optimization and carbon emission reduction, yet concerns remain over the carbon footprint stemming from its massive energy consumption. Can AI policies deliver net carbon benefits? Using China’s staggered establishment of National AI Innovation Pilot Zones (AIPZ) as a quasi-experiment, this study finds the policy reduces urban CO2 emissions by 6.0% on average, via AI-empowered industrial upgrading and green technology innovation. Moreover, there exists significant heterogeneity: emissions have decreased in the Pearl River Delta and increased in the Chengdu-Chongqing region and resource-based cities, though these findings are statistically marginal. Spatial analysis yields a total abatement effect of 15.6% when accounting for spatial interdependence. These findings suggest that AI policies’ carbon outcomes depend on regional economic structures, highlighting the need for spatially differentiated governance.

Strategic appeals and audience alignment in government short videos: A corpus-based analysis

This study examines how government short videos construct persuasive discourse through rhetorical strategies, using the Douyin account Meili Zhejiang as a case study. Drawing on audience-identification theory and Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos), it develops a text-centered rhetorical-computational framework that combines corpus-based methods and rhetorical analysis. The dataset covers 360 top-liked videos posted over one year and all publicly visible comments, with exact-text duplicates removed. Python-based lexical and sentiment analyses, together with concordance inspection in AntConc, are used to trace how persuasive appeals are realized in the textual dimension of the videos and how they align with audience orientations. Results show that pathos predominates (44.77%), expressed through affect-rich language of familial warmth, collective pride, encouragement, and urgency. Ethos (28.33%) is built through institutional roles and localized references, often strengthened by citizen voices, while logos (26.89%) appears in factual and quantifiable expressions that ground emotional and ethical claims. Sentiment in the associated comment corpus shows a generally positive tendency (56.7%), consistent with the audience profile and the rhetorical configuration identified in the corpus. The study offers a corpus-assisted rhetorical approach to analyzing persuasion in platform-mediated governance and highlights how communicative effectiveness is shaped by a calibrated construction of appeals aligned with audience dispositions in short-video communication.

Gentiopicroside attenuates pharyngeal inflammation in rats by inhibiting MUC5AC production associated with the COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway

The association between interhospital transfer and sepsis guideline adherence among rural emergency department patients

Introduction The objective of this study was to assess whether interhospital transfer delays completion of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) 3-hour bundle among rural sepsis patients. Methods We conducted a multicenter (n = 23) cohort study among adult rural sepsis patients in an ED-based telemedicine network between August 2016 and June 2019. The primary exposure was interhospital transfer and the primary outcome was completion of the SSC 3-hour bundle. Secondary outcomes included SSC component adherence, ED length-of-stay, and in-hospital mortality. We used a Cox proportional hazards model to evaluate time to bundle completion by transfer status, generalized linear models for dichotomous outcomes, and linear and quantile regression for ED length-of-stay. Results A total of 1,191 patients were treated in participating hospitals, with 359 (30%) undergoing interhospital transfer. SSC bundle adherence was similar in both groups (difference 2.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: – 2.2, 6.5%). Among eligible patients, transfer was associated with a longer ED length-of-stay (3.1 hours vs 2.6 hours; difference 0.6 hours; 95%CI: 0.4, 0.7).

Genomic insights from the Malaysian Pangasiid, Pangasius nasutus, reveal evolutionary divergence and functional adaptations in Pangasiid catfishes

Abstract Pangasius nasutus (Bleeker, 1863), locally known as ‘Patin buah’, is a commercially valuable freshwater catfish native to Peninsular Malaysia. Unlike the commonly farmed pangasiids Pangasianodon hypophtalmus , Pangasius djambal and P. sanitwongsei , P. nasutus is prized for its firmer texture, lower fat content, and distinctive flavour, making it a premium aquaculture species. Despite its ecological and economic importance, wild populations have declined significantly owing to overfishing and habitat modification, with limited genomic information available to date. Here, we present the first genome of P. nasutus generated using a hybrid Illumina-PacBio sequencing approach. The assembled genome spans 822.3 Mb with a scaffold N50 of 12.9 Mb and 98.6% BUSCO completeness, representing one of the most complete assemblies within the Pangasiidae. Gene annotation predicted 25,987 gene models, of which 89.1% were classified as complete based on BUSCO assessment. Comparative genomic analysis with P. djambal , P. gigas , and P. hypophtalmus revealed a large conserved orthogroup core alongside 198 unique orthogroups specific to P. nasutus . Functional enrichment of these species-specific genes indicated significant overrepresentation of chemosensory perception, G-protein-coupled receptor signalling, immune system processes, and reproductive and developmental pathways, suggesting genomic innovations linked to feeding ecology, environmental adaptation, and reproductive synchronisation in variable riverine habitats. Phylogenomic reconstruction based on single-copy orthologs confirmed the deep divergence between Pangasianodon and Pangasius , with P. nasutus forming a robust sister clade to P. conchophilus . This topology is congruent with previous mitogenomic studies of pangasiids, reinforcing the evolutionary coherence and taxonomic validity of the genus Pangasius . Overall, the genome of P. nasutus provides a foundational resource for functional, comparative, and conservation genomics of Malaysian pangasiids. It offers critical insights into the evolutionary history and adaptive diversification of the family Pangasiidae and lays the groundwork for future breeding, management, and genomic monitoring initiatives for native freshwater fishes.

Identifying the educational needs of nurses caring for adults with congenital heart disease: A scoping review protocol

Objective The objective of this scoping review is to answer the question, “What is the existing evidence on nurses’ educational needs in caring for adults with congenital heart disease?” by identifying and summarizing research and grey literature on the educational needs of nurses who care for this population. Methods The scoping review will use the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) for reporting. Five databases will be searched: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC, and Scopus. Grey Matters, Google, and thesis and dissertation databases will be used to identify relevant grey literature. All types of published articles and non-empirical research will be included with no temporal, geographical, or language restrictions. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, engage in full-text screening, and perform data extraction in Covidence. Any disagreements will be resolved through a third reviewer. Results The results of the scoping review will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and narrative analysis. The results will be reported using tables and figures. Findings will be disseminated through a manuscript and at conferences. Conclusion The findings of this scoping review aim to inform future research and interventions on the nursing care of adults with congenital heart disease. Registration The scoping review was registered on Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/4t5hr ) on December 5, 2025.

Toxicity of diet-incorporated silica nanoparticles on the invasive fall armyworm, spodoptera frugiperda (lepidoptera: noctuidae): life table and population projection analysis

Leadership, teamwork and work outcomes in healthcare: A test of a model

Effective teamwork in healthcare improves patient outcomes, staff well-being, and service delivery. To enhance these benefits, NHS teams should implement targeted leadership training, routinely assess and clarify roles to reduce ambiguity, and encourage staff participation in decision-making to boost autonomy. Researchers analysed 2022 and 2023 NHS Staff Survey data using Structural Equation Modelling. Main findings: (1) Effective leadership boosts teamwork and, in turn, engagement and well-being; (2) Teamwork can raise role ambiguity and lessen autonomy, leading to stress; (3) Leadership is key to managing these issues. Thus, boosting autonomy and reducing ambiguity support better team performance and staff well-being. The study highlights the need for leadership programmes to strengthen team dynamics and reduce uncertainty.

Design, synthesis, biological assessment, and integrated computational analysis of new pyrazole-based antimicrobial candidates

Abstract The emergence of antimicrobial resistance needs the development of new chemotherapeutic scaffolds. Pyrazole derivatives are recognized for their broad biological activity; however, further structural innovation is required to enhance antimicrobial efficacy and safety. Thus, new pyrazole-based candidates were designed and synthesized using 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-phenylpyrazol-4-yl-2-cyanoacryloyl chloride as a versatile precursor. A series of mono- and bidentate nucleophile-derived compounds was prepared and evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans . Several derivatives exhibited potent antibacterial and antifungal activity, particularly against Gram-positive strains, with minimum inhibitory concentrations comparable to standard drugs. Most compounds showed low cytotoxicity toward HepG2 cells, which was further reduced upon antioxidant co-treatment. Notably, vitamin C and N -acetylcysteine showed synergistic enhancement of antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects. Molecular docking studies against dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS, PDB: 5U0V) revealed favorable binding interactions, with the thiophene-based derivative 10 displaying ligand efficiency comparable to the co-crystallized ligand 7VJ. Overall, these findings highlight pyrazole-based scaffolds as promising antimicrobial candidates with favorable biological profiles, providing a strong basis for further structural optimization.

Understanding barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer prevention among young Korean Women: A focus group interview study

Cervical cancer is a largely preventable and controllable disease. Social perceptions regarding sexual experiences and gynecological visits contribute to stigma, which serves as a major barrier to screening and human papillomavirus vaccination. This study explored how stigma is formed and reinforced within sociocultural norms and personal psychological barriers. Focus group interviews were conducted with 14 Korean women aged 20–29 years, divided into screeners and non-screener groups, on November 23, 2024. Based on the transcriptions, Thematic analysis was performed on the transcripts to organize codes into core themes,(in compliance with qualitative research reporting standards). A total of 28 codes were grouped into 10 sub-themes and classified by group. Among them, three sub-themes were common to both screeners and non-screeners, including negative perceptions of gynecological visits, stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases, and barriers due to a lack of information. Among screeners, four sub-themes were identified: a desire for alternative notification methods for screening, psychological barriers to screening, a sense of burden from additional tests during visits, and reluctance to share screening experiences due to perceived prejudice from others. Among non-screeners, three sub-themes were identified: stigma toward patients with cervical cancer and lack of awareness of the sensitivity of cervical cancer. To promote cervical cancer preventive behaviors, stigma must be addressed as a social process rather than solely an individual issue. Practical solutions include creating a predictable screening environment (e.g., prior notification of procedures and additional tests with consent), improving patient-centered care, and enhancing notification methods. This study provides a foundation for developing stigma-related indicators and designing follow-up studies. (e.g., individual interviews/large-scale surveys).

Multi-target regulation mechanisms of systemic lupus erythematosus, a network pharmacology and molecular docking study on active compounds from Artemisia argyi

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a highly heterogeneous autoimmune disease characterized by persistent immune activation and multi-organ damage. In this study, we integrated network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro validation to identify and prioritize the active compounds, targets, and regulatory pathways of Artemisia argyi (AA). We identified nine candidate active compounds of AA and 380 predicted protein targets. Intersecting these with 218 SLE-associated genes yielded 19 overlapping targets, among which IL2, CASP3, ACE, PPARG, HSP90AA1, and ANXA5 exhibited the highest network connectivity. Functional enrichment analyses highlighted key pathways, including leukocyte activation, IL-17 signaling, and Th17 cell differentiation. Molecular docking revealed favorable binding affinities of quercetin and naringenin with several core targets. Among these, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) was selected for exploratory validation based on its high network centrality, favorable docking profile, characterized by strong binging affinities (<-5.5 kcal/mol) for both quercetin and naringenin. Subsequent bioinformatic screening identified LTF, CD72, IL13, CHI3L1, and TLR9 as putative SLE-associated genes regulated by PPARG. Experimentally, AA water extract (AAW) upregulated the expression of PPARG and these downstream genes in THP-1-derived macrophages, whereas pharmacological inhibition of PPARG significantly attenuated these effects. These findings suggest that AA modulate PPARG-dependent transcriptional signaling in immune cells, presenting a candidate mechanism that warrants further validation in disease-relevant models.

Correction: Assessing body position through experimental cremation: A pilot study using colorimetry and FTIR-ATR analyses

Transdiagnostic behavioral and sociodemographic influences on the cognitive-adaptive functioning gap in neurodivergent children

Distinct roles of neuronal phenotypes during neurofeedback adaptation

Learning adaptation allows the brain to refine motor patterns in response to changing environments rapidly. While population-level neural dynamics and single-neuron activity in motor learning have been widely studied, the contributions of individual neuron types remain poorly understood. Here, we employed a brain-machine interface (BMI) task with perturbations of varying difficulty to investigate single-neuron dynamics underlying neurofeedback adaptation in two rhesus macaques. Cortical neurons were classified based on waveform shape into narrow waveform (NW) and broad waveform (BW) categories, representing putative inhibitory interneurons and excitatory pyramidal neurons, respectively. Compared to BW neurons, NW neurons were more active and more strongly involved in the learning process. Moreover, task difficulty modulated neural responsiveness and coordination within both neuron groups, highlighting differential neuron engagement during neurofeedback adaptation. Our findings provide novel insights into single-neuron mechanisms underlying neurofeedback adaptation and emphasize the distinct functional roles of neuronal phenotypes in rapid learning processes.