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Expression of Concern: Evaluation of CA125 in relation to pain symptoms among adolescents and young adult women with and without surgically-confirmed endometriosis
Quality-by-design based RP-HPLC analytical method for the estimation of quercetin in silver-metal organic frameworks (AgMOF): a Box-Behnken optimization approach
Abstract An efficient, accurate, sustainable, and reproducible chromatographic method for Quercetin estimation was developed, optimized, and further validated using a Design of Experiments approach in compliance with ICH guidelines. The Box-Behnken Quality-by-Design optimized critical parameters, yielding robust performance, excellent linearity (R 2 = 0.9996, 0.05–50 μg/mL), and high sensitivity (LOD: 40.27 ng/mL, LOQ: 122.03 ng/mL). Deliberate modifications evaluated by analysis of variance verified the method’s significance (P < 0.0001). The method utilises a Phenomenex HyperClone C18 LC Column (250 × 4.6 mm; 5 μm, 130 Å) with an isocratic mobile phase consisting of acidified water (0.1% v/v Triethylamine, pH 3.0 ± 0.05) and Acetonitrile (55:45% v/v). Forced degradation studies revealed that quercetin was stable under mild acidic, photolytic, and oxidative conditions at room temperature but suffered significant degradation under basic, strong acidic, and overall accelerated conditions (60 °C for 6 h), indicating sensitivity to harsh environments. Greenness evaluation results show an AGREE score of 0.6 and a favorable ComplexGAPI profile, highlighting minimal energy consumption during the 12-min run and moderate solvent/reagent use. The method’s efficiency and repeatability promote robust quercetin quantification, with wide applications in various pharmaceuticals and nanomaterials, as demonstrated by its effective use in silver-based Metal–Organic Frameworks in this study.
Retraction: Investigating the relationship between insulin use and all-cause mortality, breast cancer mortality, and recurrence risk in diabetic patients with breast cancer: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis
Experiments reveal extreme water generation during planet formation
Antimicrobial resistance and virulence gene profiles of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from subclinical bovine mastitis milk and cow dung
Abstract Subclinical mastitis poses a hidden threat to dairy productivity and animal health, often harbouring antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. It is becoming increasingly recognized that Enterococcus species cause mastitis in dairy cows. Accurately characterizing the regional epidemiology of enterococcal mastitis, determining its correlations with management variables, and comprehending its effects on udder health all depend on accurate species information. This study investigated the occurrence, antibiotic resistance and virulence factors of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in cow dung and milk samples from cows with subclinical mastitis. Subclinical mastitis was identified in 39.0% (68/174) of cows and 27.8% (194/696) of quarters, based on results from the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and somatic cell counts (SCC), respectively. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the ddl gene confirmed the predominance of E. faecalis (93%) and E. faecium (6.4%) in milk samples, while cow dung samples yielded only E. faecalis (100%). Notably, among the E. faecalis isolates from milk samples, 17.2% exhibited vancomycin resistance, whereas streptomycin resistance was found in a smaller proportion of isolates (6.8%). All (100%) E. faecium isolates from the same milk samples showed resistance to vancomycin. The findings also revealed that 11 (32.3%) of E. faecium isolates from cow dung were resistant to vancomycin. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was observed in 20.6% of milk and 6.8% of cow dung isolates. The vanA gene was the most prevalent antibiotic resistance gene (ARG), detected in 96% of E. faecalis isolates. Virulence profiling of Enterococcus spp. isolates showed varying gene prevalence in milk ( asa1 : 33.3%, ace : 12.7%, esp : 10%) and cow dung samples ( gelE : 53.2%, hyl : 38.2%). This study has indicated a significant occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant E. faecalis and E. faecium strains obtained from subclinical cattle mastitis. These findings emphasize the role of Enterococcus spp., especially vancomycin-resistant strains, as emerging threats in bovine subclinical mastitis, with possible implications for zoonotic transmission and antimicrobial stewardship in dairy systems.
High pressures depress the onset of intracellular vitrification
The low temperature limit for life remains elusive and poorly understood. This ignorance is further compounded when applied to life in multi-extreme environments where low temperatures combine with factors such as high salt concentrations, or high environmental pressures. It has been proposed that the onset of intracellular vitrification enforces a biophysical low temperature limit for unicellular life at ~ −23 °C. However, it has not been demonstrated how high-pressures affect intracellular vitrification, which is vital for understanding the habitability of low temperature, subsurface environments, both on Earth and on other planetary bodies. Here, we used high-pressure differential scanning calorimetry to measure the intracellular vitrification of Bacillus subtilis across pressures ranging from 1 to 1000 bar. We find that high pressures depress the onset of intracellular vitrification in a pressure dependent manner, which is tightly correlated with the ability of pressure to depress the freezing point of water. Additionally, we show that sub-molar concentrations of NaCl can act in combination with high pressures to further depress intracellular vitrification, highlighting the interplay between temperature, pressure, and ions in influencing the physical state of cells in natural environments. These results show that cells in subzero high-pressure environments can remain liquidous, and potentially metabolically active, and not merely vitrified and preserved. Additionally, our results provide considerations in the preparation of biological samples through high-pressure freezing for electron microscopy, particularly those associated with high concentrations of cryoprotectants.
Chromatin and transcriptional dynamics underlying the immune-modulatory effects of vitamin D3 in vivo
Abstract Vitamin D 3 is an essential micronutrient that supports innate immunity and modulates adaptive responses, with in vitro studies implicating epigenetic mechanisms. Yet, in vivo evidence for such regulation remains scarce. Here, we assessed genome-wide epigenomic and transcriptomic responses to vitamin D 3 in a high responder from the VitDHiD repeated-measures, non-randomized interventional N-of-1 study, in which the participant received monthly oral boluses of 80,000 IU vitamin D 3 over three months. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected at baseline (day 0) and at 24 and 48 h post-supplementation (days 1 and 2) for ATAC-seq and RNA-seq profiling. ATAC-seq identified > 3,500 regions with increased chromatin accessibility, predominantly at promoters, indicating a strong epigenomic activation. Motif enrichment revealed immune-regulatory transcription factors, but not vitamin D receptor (VDR) motifs, suggesting indirect or cooperative modes of regulation. RNA-seq detected 380 vitamin D–responsive genes with time-dependent expression changes, including DUSP6 and FOS , enriched in pathways related to innate immunity and interferon signaling. Integrative analysis linked 306 differentially expressed genes to vitamin D–sensitive chromatin regions. Many of these overlap with VDR binding sites or promoters of neighboring non-target genes, suggesting potential long-range regulation. Shared enhancers and promoters among neighboring genes indicated redundancy in regulatory architecture. Analysis of PBMCs from 13 participants in the VitDPAS non-randomized interventional cohort study, each receiving a single vitamin D 3 bolus, confirmed the main findings from the N-of-1 study but also revealed pronounced inter-individual variability in epigenomic and transcriptomic responses. Together, these results provide in vivo evidence that vitamin D signaling directly and indirectly modulates chromatin accessibility and gene expression, emphasizing its role as an epigenetic regulator of immune function and supporting its potential in personalized nutrition and immune health strategies.
Lost in translation: Decoding the errors in consecutive interpreting by Chinese EFL learners
Errors, as linguistic manifestations of cognitive challenges in interpreting, have attracted considerable attention in the fields of teaching, practice, and assessment. This paper examines the nature of interpreting errors among Chinese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners and explores their relationship with gender differences and interpreting performance, using the parallel corpus of Chinese EFL Learners-Spoken (PACCEL-S). The findings indicate the following: (1) improper speech flow was the most frequent and dense type of error, followed by grammatical errors and semantic deviations, while information default occurred least frequently. These patterns can be attributed to deficiencies in learners’ language proficiency, interpreting skills, and emotional regulation; (2) only grammatical errors showed a statistically significant correlation with gender, suggesting that gender-related differences in communication psychology may influence interpreting performance; (3) semantic deviation, information default, and improper speech flow were all significantly and negatively correlated with interpretation scores, whereas grammatical errors showed no significant correlation with these scores. These results suggest that English proficiency assessments may tolerate a certain degree of grammatical errors in interpreting tasks. Situated within the context of interpreting education, this study extends research on interpreting errors, enriches interpreting pedagogy and assessment, and deepens our understanding of the challenges faced by Chinese EFL learners.
Using Strain-Hardening Cement-based Composites (SHCC) reinforced with steel meshes for strengthening concrete bearing strength
Early skeletal muscle loss and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients in the medical intensive care unit: A retrospective cohort study
Background Acute skeletal muscle wasting is a common complication among critically ill patients and contributes to prolonged stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) and poor outcomes. Although bedside ultrasound of the rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RFcsa) is useful for assessing muscle loss, data on its incidence and predictors in medical ICU populations are limited. Our study aimed to determine the incidence of significant muscle wasting (≥10% reduction in RFcsa) and to identify modifiable predictors, particularly early rehabilitation. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary academic hospital in South Korea. Seventy-six adult ICU patients who underwent serial ultrasound assessments of RFcsa within 48 h of admission and again on day 7 were included. Patients were categorized based on whether they experienced a ≥ 10% reduction in RFcsa. Clinical characteristics, interventions, and outcomes were compared between groups. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of significant muscle loss, ICU mortality, and in-hospital mortality. Results A significant reduction in RFcsa (≥10%) was observed in 53.9% of patients (n = 41/76). These patients had longer ICU stays (median 15.0 vs. 10.0 d, p = 0.001) and were less likely to receive Level 3 or higher ICU-level rehabilitation (4.9% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.042). Multivariate analysis revealed that Level 3 or higher rehabilitation was independently associated with reduced muscle wasting (OR: 0.183; 95% CI: 0.035–0.970; p = 0.046). Multivariable analyses revealed that increased total bilirubin and decreased albumin levels were associated with ICU mortality. In-hospital mortality, however, was independently associated with a higher Charlson comorbidity index, elevated bilirubin and C-reactive protein levels, and low albumin. A decrease in RFcsa of at least 10% was not significantly associated with either outcome. Conclusions More than half of the patients in the ICU experienced significant muscle loss within the first week of being admitted. Receiving structured rehabilitation at Level 3 or higher was independently associated with reduced muscle wasting. This suggests that early mobilization strategies may help preserve muscle mass in critically ill patients.
Epidemiology and treatment of malignant ovarian germ cell and sex cord stromal tumors in germany: a population-based cancer registry study from 2016 – 2021
Abstract Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCT) and ovarian sex cord stromal tumors (SCST) are rare ovarian tumors. Since 2013, all German federal states are obliged to record data on diagnosis, pathology, therapy, and clinical course of tumor diseases. We gathered data on MOGCT and SCST from thirteen federal cancer registries and the German Childhood Cancer Registry. Each of the participating registries provided aggregated data on MOGCT and SCST with date of diagnosis between 01.01.2016 and 31.12.2021. 629 MOGCT and 872 SCST were included, age peaks at diagnosis for MOGCT and SCST were between 20 and 24 years and between 55 and 59 years, respectively. Of all MOGCT, 23%, 22%, 13% and 12% were malignant teratoma, dysgerminoma, neuroendocrine tumors and yolk sac tumors, respectively. The large majority (94%) of SCST represented malignant granulosa cell tumors. Most tumors were diagnosed in FIGO stage I (66% of MOGCT and 85% of SCST). Surgery was reported in 58% of patients with MOGCT and in 73% of patients with SCST. Chemotherapy was administered to 26% of MOGCT patients and 8% of SCST patients. This study highlights the great potential of cancer registries as high numbers of patients are recorded, however, data are highly dependent on the reporting institutions.
Constraints, mechanisms, and strategies for industry-education integration in vocational education: An empirical study
Identifying the constraints hindering industry-education integration (IEI) in vocational education is a critical prerequisite for promoting its high-quality development. However, existing research has yet to establish a systematic solution to this core issue. Therefore, this study takes Shenzhen, China, as a case study and adopts an empirical research approach to construct an analytical framework of “factor identification-mechanism analysis-strategy formulation,” aiming to thoroughly investigate the key constraints on IEI development in vocational education. First, based on a literature review and questionnaire survey, the study identifies 12 critical constraining factors of IEI. Subsequently, through expert interviews and Interpretative Structural Modelling (ISM), it reveals the underlying mechanisms of these constraints, classifying the 12 factors into five hierarchical levels. These factors form 16 constraint pathways, with inadequate policies, weak foundations for school-enterprise collaboration, insufficient institutional commitment, and ineffective communication mechanisms identified as critical bottom-level factors. These indirectly influence intermediate factors such as hardware/software conditions, alignment of talent cultivation philosophies, education-market demand matching, collaboration channel efficiency, and stakeholder interest fulfillment. Consequently, they diminish corporate engagement enthusiasm, blur responsibility-rights boundaries between stakeholders, and dampen faculty participation motivation, ultimately impeding IEI progress. Finally, the study proposes targeted countermeasures, emphasizing tripartite collaboration among the government, vocational institutions, and enterprises. Key strategies include strengthening legal safeguards, consolidating industry-education collaboration foundations, and proactively fulfilling educational responsibilities. The findings resolve the dilemmas constraining IEI development, providing policymakers with evidence-based references and offering practical guidance for deeper collaboration between vocational institutions and enterprises. This study holds significant theoretical and practical value for advancing high-quality vocational education.
Siamese-based metric joint learning for intent detection and slot filling using triplet loss optimization
Caregivers’ perspectives on factors influencing adolescent girls’ engagement in sexual risk-taking in Uganda: A qualitative study
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to two-thirds of people living with HIV globally, and women and girls (all ages) account for 62% of all new HIV infections in the region. Sexual risk-taking puts adolescent girls at risk for adverse health outcomes, including HIV/AIDS. Caregivers’ beliefs about adolescent sexual risk-taking have implications for how and when they would discuss this topic with their children. In this study, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 58 caregivers of adolescent girls to explore their perspectives on factors that influence adolescent girls’ decisions to engage in sexual risk-taking in Uganda. We employed a thematic analysis approach, combining both inductive and deductive methods to analyze the data. A range of protective and risk factors was identified across personal, proximal, and distal contexts. At the personal level, future goals, concerns about negative health consequences, religiosity, temperament, and puberty were identified as contributing factors. At the proximal level, family and peer-related factors were mentioned. At the distal level, poverty and program counseling were discussed. Study results point to the need for combination interventions that include both caregivers and their daughters to reduce sexual risk-taking among adolescent girls in Uganda.
Helicase-mediated mechanism of SSU processome maturation and disassembly
Correction: I speak Tele outlines the design of a digitized dysarthria assessment
An IoT-based real-time smart metering deployment for grid optimization: A case study of GEPCO, Pakistan
The increasing demand for energy and the growing environmental issues in Pakistan, require a movement to a more environmentally friendly and smarter energy infrastructure. This work provides the practical application of research which represents the deploying of a smart metering network in real time (RT) in Pakistan’s transition to more environmentally friendly and smarter energy systems. The work presents the design, implementation and the results of the operation of the smart metering deployment implemented by Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO). The presented system developed on a four-layer Internet of Things (IoT)-based architecture comprising of Energy Monitoring, Communication, Cloud Analytics, and Application layers. The smart meters (SMs) on the three classes of industrial loads (< 50 kW, 50–500 kW, > 500 kW) transmit RT data of the electrical parameters, including voltage, current, power factor, frequency, and consumption, to a centralized meter data management system (MDMS). This data enables the MDMS to support various functions such as automated billing, load profiling, fault detection, and power quality (PQ) analysis. Results of the case studies demonstrate that RT monitoring can assist in attaining a higher degree of grid visibility and operational responsiveness. One such case was the identification of the low power factor (PF) situations (below 0.7) which enabled the deployment of capacitors banks, resulting in measurable energy saving and cost saving in accordance with the mitigated exposure to PF penalties. For instant, in a one large-industrial scenario, PF improved from 67.5% ± 11.2 to 93.6% ± 2.4, corresponding to a significant Welch’s t large effect size, and with reduced day-to-day variability. Moreover, early detection of voltage imbalance, variance of frequencies, and daily peak load patterns were detected using the system. Using a conservative normalize-then-scale approach, a potential average PF uplift of approximately 1.4 percentage points across the industrial segment is projected under stated coverage and adoption assumptions. The results confirm that IoT-enabled smart metering can serve as a practical tool for demand side management (DSM), loss reduction and grid optimization. Finally, the study outlines key technical enablers, policy considerations, and institutional requirements for large-scale smart grid (SG) implementation and offers a replicable framework for developing economies pursuing energy system modernization.