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Spatiotemporal evolution regional differences and decoupling effects of greenhouse gas emissions from animal husbandry in Henan Province

Abstract As global warming intensifies, the livestock industry has become one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with its environmental impact increasingly drawing attention. Henan Province is a major contributor to these emissions, prompting this study to systematically investigate GHG emissions from the livestock industry in Henan Province. This study utilises panel data from 2001 to 2021 and employs the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method to estimate GHG emissions from the livestock industry, revealing their spatiotemporal changes and regional characteristics. Spatial analysis of GHG emissions from the livestock industry is conducted using the Theil index, the Tapio decoupling model, and Markov chains. The findings are as follows: (1) The total GHG emissions from the livestock industry exhibit a fluctuating downward trend, gradually forming a main GHG emission belt extending from the northwest to the southeast. (2) The Theil index shows an overall ‘declining trend,’ with inter-regional differences being the primary source of overall variation. (3) The overall decoupling state is primarily characterised by weak and strong decoupling, indicating that environmental protection and economic development in Henan Province are gradually moving toward coordination. (4) Regional GHG emission changes are constrained by their original emission types and reserves, exhibiting growth inertia and path dependence, with neighbouring types significantly influencing the transition of regional GHG emission types. Henan Province should formulate differentiated emission reduction policies and optimise the spatial layout of the livestock industry, which holds certain implications for other regions in achieving GHG emission reductions and livestock industry development.

Publication outcomes and research trends in bachelor’s and master’s theses in health sciences in Croatia: retrospective cohort study and survey of mentors

Objectives Conducting original research within bachelor’s and master’s theses (dissertations) and publishing thesis results in scientific journals has multiple advantages. This study aimed to analyze types and publication outcomes of bachelor’s and master’s theses defended by students of health sciences studies in Croatia. Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of bachelor’s and master’s theses of students of health studies in Croatia, defended by May 14, 2022, and a cross-sectional study of mentors who were surveyed for publication output. Setting We analyzed theses from repositories. Thesis mentors were surveyed via e-mail about the publication of the thesis content in scholarly journals. Additionally, three online sources (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google) were used to find theses-based publications. Participants We surveyed mentors of bachelor’s and master’s theses of health sciences students in Croatia. Results We analyzed 9861 theses, 7979 (81%) bachelor’s and 1882 (19%) master’s theses. Most (66%) of master’s theses were based on original research, compared to 21% of bachelor’s theses. Mentors of 3910 (40%) theses responded to the survey, indicating that 176/3910 (4.5%) of theses results were published in scientific journals. Through additional search of online sources, we found that from all analyzed theses, 276 (2.8%) articles were published in a scholarly journal. Among published articles, 229 (83%) were published in Croatian journals. Conclusions Most analyzed theses were not based on original research. Results of a few theses were published in a scientific journal. Institutions should encourage mentors and students to conduct original research within theses and to publish thesis results in a journal, to further develop health sciences.

Salivary glucose, salivary interleukin-18, glycemic control, and periodontal status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

DNA/RNA hybrid profiling in autistic patients: A focus on mRNA and non-coding RNA variations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of genetically heterogenous neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by core symptoms including impaired social interaction, communication deficits, and restricted or stereotyped behaviors. While a significant number of cases are not explained by Mendelian inheritance, there is growing evidence for implication of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the development and inheritance of ASD. Transcriptional studies often face challenges due to patient-specific variations in gene expression and technical differences in preserving RNA integrity. We propose that isolating RNA from DNA/RNA hybrids provides a robust method to reliably capture transcriptional information. We performed a whole transcriptome analysis on blood samples from ASD patients and healthy controls to investigate transcripts associated with DNA/RNA hybrids. We identified 278,300 novel transcripts across 68,487 DNA/RNA hybrid loci, with significant enrichment in exonic and intronic regions. The novel long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) we found showed higher expression levels compared to known transcripts. Differential expression analysis revealed 301 significantly upregulated and 401 downregulated known transcripts in ASD samples compared to controls (|log 2 -fold change| > 1 and adjusted p-value  < 0.05). Through qRT-PCR validation, we confirmed the significant upregulation of RN7SK and SMARCC2 associated with DNA/RNA hybrids in ASD patients. Pathway and enrichment analyses highlighted mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism. Our results suggest that ncRNAs can form DNA/RNA hybrids that influence gene expression, providing preliminary insights into the mechanisms of transcriptional dysregulation in ASD.

Crew resource management and threat and error management improve team communication in endoscopy: a prospective study

Abstract In gastrointestinal endoscopy, the ability to perform increasingly complex procedures has significantly heightened the demand for effective team cooperation. Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Threat and Error Management (TEM), proven strategies from civil aviation, have the potential to enhance team communication, workflow and patient outcomes in complex medical settings such as interventional endoscopy and therefore were implemented into endoscopy unit in this study. Together with qualified CRM trainers, individually tailored CRM and TEM elements such as communication guidelines, checklists and TEM-based dialogic team-time-outs were developed with the employees and integrated into endoscopic workflow at a high-volume interventional endoscopy center. Employee surveys on the effects were performed before and after the implementation. Implementation of CRM and TEM elements into endoscopy with civil aviation experts improved team communication, workflow and teamwork in endoscopy. Our study found a significantly reduced rate of misunderstandings caused by ambiguous communication during endoscopic interventions ( p  = 0.034), a significantly clearer defined distribution of tasks during the procedure ( p  = 0.020) and a significantly improved physicians’ information transfer to the nursing assistants before the procedure ( p  = 0.047). More than 80% of all employees perceived that patient safety had improved after the intervention.

The relationships between symptom severity post COVID-19, stress, social support and adaptation in patients with COVID-19 after discharge from the hospital

Objective This descriptive research aims to investigate the relationship between symptom severity of COVID-19, stress, social support, and adaptation in patients with COVID-19 after discharge from the hospital. Background COVID-19 is a respiratory infection with varying symptoms and severity, requiring tailored treatment based on individual needs. The virus spreads via respiratory secretions within 1–2 meters, requiring isolation to prevent transmission. Social distancing, work disruptions, and school closures cause psychological stress, disrupt routines, alter roles, and increase dependence on others. Roy’s adaptation theory was employed as the conceptual framework to determine the relationship between perceived symptoms severity post-COVID-19, stress, social support, and the adaptation of COVID-19 patients after being discharged from the hospital. Methods The sample involved 150 patients with COVID-19 after discharged from the university hospital. Five instruments were employed to collect data, including 1) Personal and health information questionnaire, 2) Symptoms and perceived symptoms severity post COVID-19 assessment form, 3) Stress assessment form, 4) Social support assessment form, and 5) Four aspects of adaptation assessment form for COVID-19 patients The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman Rank Correlation coefficient. Results The results showed that 81.30% of the sample reported post-COVID symptoms. The symptoms severity was perceived at a low level. The most frequently reported symptoms were coughing (72.00%), phlegm (69.30%), and fatigue (60.70%). The study revealed stress at an adaptive level and attained social support at a moderate level. The perception of symptom severity and stress had a statistically significant negative relation with to post-COVID adaptation (r = −.355, p < 0.01; r = −.413, p < 0.01, respectively, while social support had a statistically significant positive relation with post-COVID adaptation (r = .518, p < 0.01). Conclusion The results demonstrated a significant relationship between selected factors and patient adaptation. These findings can inform strategies to manage symptoms and stress, while strengthening social support within discharge planning for patients recovering from COVID-19, thereby facilitating their post-discharge adaptation.

The association between serum uric acid and homocysteine is mediated by metabolic risk factors

Hygiene practices in slaughterhouses and public health risk: A scoping review

Introduction Slaughterhouses are facilities where animals are slaughtered for meat production. Poor hygiene practices in these facilities, especially in developing countries, pose significant public health risks. The lack of regulation and substandard conditions can lead to the transmission of diseases from animals to humans, particularly affecting slaughterhouse workers who are in close contact with animals and animal products. A scoping review was conducted to map and summarize existing evidence on hygiene practices in slaughterhouses and evaluate their effectiveness in mitigating public health risks. Methodology This review used the Joanna Briggs Institute Collaboration (JBI) scoping review inclusion framework Population Concept and Context (PCC) and PRISMA for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Databases searched included; EBSCO Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE, and grey literature from BASE and Google Scholar. The studies were screened for eligibility and data extracted from included studies using the JBI data extraction chart. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias using cross-sectional and prevalence studies quality assessment tools. Results Fourteen studies were included published between January 2002 and May 2023. These studies were conducted in 10 countries, with one-third (n = 5) originating from Nigeria. Twelve studies used cross-sectional surveys, while one employed a prevalence survey. This review identified common hygiene practices relating to personal hygiene [handwashing with soap and water] and environmental hygiene (cleaning tools and surfaces). Overall, workers’ reported that they had good knowledge of hygiene practices; handwashing (95.7%), using protective apparatus (89.7%), and cleaning equipment (89.3%). Studies reported that over half of slaughterhouse workers wore protective clothing. However, much less (12%) reported that they cleaned their knives before and after use, and it was reported that some slaughterhouses disposed of refuse improperly (bush], raising important public health concerns. Only three studies clearly linked slaughterhouse hygiene practices with public health risks. Conclusion Improving hygiene practices in slaughterhouses is crucial for reducing public health risks. Gaps in knowledge, inadequate training, insufficient inspections and poor infrastructure were identified as key areas for improved guidelines and policy intervention.

AI-powered knowledge organization: a next-generation approach to library classification using DeepSeek-R1

Social experience and social cohabitation with mating promote spinogenesis in the nucleus accumbens of adult female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster) are monogamous rodents that establish life-long pair-bonds and display characteristic social and biparental care behaviors. Since social and sexual experiences modulate brain plasticity, the present study aimed to elucidate in female voles if social exposure to a male or social cohabitation with mating, which leads to pair-bonding, modulates spinogenesis processes in the medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Females were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: 1) control (C), voles that cohabited with a familiar female in a clean cage; 2) social exposure (SE), voles housed in a cage divided into two equal compartments by an acrylic screen with small holes. The experimental female was placed in one of the compartments, and a male in the opposite one. Therefore, females were exposed to sensory cues from an adult male. Still, physical contact and copulation were not allowed, and 3) social cohabitation with mating (SCM) females were allowed to mate to induce pair-bonds. The NAc core and shell were processed for Golgi-Cox staining. Our results showed that MSN from SE and SCM groups had higher spine density than C females and a differential density of spine subtypes in the core and shell. Furthermore, only the SE condition induced an increment in MSN dendritic length and arborization in the core and shell regions. These findings demonstrate that males’ sexual cues and mating that promote pair-bonding modulate spinogenesis in the NAc and contribute to understanding the neuronal plasticity mechanism involved in pair-bonding in prairie voles.

Evaluation of salivary and serum Exosomal mRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Multiview state-of-health estimation for lithium-ion batteries using time–frequency image fusion and attention-based deep learning

Lithium-ion batteries are high-performance energy storage devices that have been widely used in a variety of applications. Accurate early-stage prediction of their remaining useful life is essential for preventing failures and mitigating safety risks. This study proposes a novel multiview approach for estimating the State-of-Health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries by integrating time-domain and time–frequency features. Firstly, time-domain signals are transformed into time–frequency images using a wavelet transform. Three representative features are then selected and converted into grayscale images, which are combined into three-channel color images as inputs for a convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract spatial features. These features are subsequently passed into a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to capture spatial dependencies. In parallel, raw temporal features are processed through a two-stage attention mechanism to explore both temporal and spatial correlations, followed by another LSTM to model temporal dependencies. The outputs from the two branches are fused using weighted integration and passed through a fully connected layer to generate the final SOH estimate. Comparative experiments with four baseline models demonstrate that the proposed time–frequency fusion architecture significantly enhances prediction accuracy, and that each component makes a meaningful contribution to the overall performance.

Cognitive rehabilitation in anxiety disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

LSR overexpression induces chemoresistance in triple negative breast cancer cells through MDR1 upregulation and apoptosis attenuation

Chemoresistance in breast cancer therapy, especially for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a significant challenge. Recent studies showed that overexpression of lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR), known as a tricellular tight-junction protein, was detected in TNBC and MDR1 was among LSR upregulated genes in a screening assay but its functional impact has not been studied. This study aimed to characterize LSR overexpression-induced regulation of MDR1 in TNBC cells focusing on chemoresistance. LSR was overexpressed in MDA-MB-231 cells and knocked-out via CRISPR/Cas9 in MDA-MB-468 cells for functional studies. Chemoresistance of individual cell lines was evaluated with doxorubicin treatment, followed by cell proliferation, invasion, colony formation and apoptosis assays. Modulated protein and mRNA levels of specific genes were assessed with Western blotting and RT-qPCR. MDR1 inhibitor verapamil and MDR1-targeted siRNA were used to evaluate the functional impact of LSR-induced MDR1. Overexpression of LSR not only promotes cell proliferation and invasion in MDA-MB-231 cells, but also renders the cells resistant to doxorubicin. LSR induces MDR1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, inhibition of MDR1 with specific inhibitor verapamil or MDR1 knockdown reversed cellular resistance to doxorubicin in LSR-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells. In contrast, knockout of LSR expression in MDA-MB-468 cells, which express higher levels of LSR, significantly sensitized the cells to doxorubicin-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis. Our data demonstrated that LSR overexpression promotes TNBC cell proliferation and invasion, and upregulation of MDR1 in these cells renders them resistant to doxorubicin, suggesting that targeting LSR could be a useful strategy to overcome chemoresistance in TNBC.

High-performance hydrogen gas sensor based on Ag-incorporated ZnO nanoparticles

Abstract ZnO-based sensors often suffer from low response rates and long response and recovery times. To address this issue, Ag-incorporated ZnO-based gas sensors with Ag contents of 2, 4, 6, and 8% were synthesized using a simple, fast, and cost-effective method, making them promising candidates for future industrial applications. Structural analysis confirmed the presence of Zn–O bonding and the incorporation of silver as a secondary metallic phase, well integrated with the ZnO nanoparticles. Gas sensing tests were performed under different conditions, and the sample with 2% Ag content exhibited an extraordinary response of 4357%, approximately 29 times higher than that of pure ZnO nanoparticles. The sample with 8% Ag content showed the lowest response and recovery times. Additionally, the response rates of the samples were positively correlated with both concentration and temperature. The increase in response rate was attributed to the spill-over effect in the samples, which enhanced hydrogen mobility. The results demonstrated that Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibited higher porosity compared to the pure ZnO sample. This suggests that tuning the porosity or structure can further enhance the performance of ZnO-based sensors. Moreover, the fabricated sensor showed high sensitivity and an exceptionally low detection limit, indicating strong potential for the continued development of ZnO nanostructure-based gas sensors.

Who presents the greatest challenge in intellectual disability research- participants or health and research professionals?

Background The challenges of recruitment to randomised controlled trials have been well documented. The additional challenges of recruiting people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and significant health co-morbidities have been the focus of less attention. The aim of this work was to explore issues around the screening and recruitment of adults with ID and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) into the internal pilot of the ‘My Diabetes and Me’ Randomised Controlled Trial. The findings were used to develop recommendations and implement interventions to address challenges for recruitment to the main study. Methods A multiple methods approach using the QuinteT Recruitment Intervention was employed across three National Health Service sites in the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with staff, and adults with ID/T2D recruited to the study; analysis of recruitment discussion recordings, and a review of documentation pertaining to screening logs and research meetings was also performed. Thematic analysis identified the complexity of challenges and potential enablers to recruitment in this population. Results Recruitment challenges began much earlier than anticipated with significant organisational process challenges to be overcome. The discomfort felt by some staff in putting potential participants forward was evident as they don’t feel the study is appropriate for this population, or they feel out of their depth. Engagement and ‘buy-in’ from people with ID/ T2D were much more positive. The emotional labour involved in ensuring the internal pilot progressed to the main study was noteworthy. Conclusion The use of QRI methodology within an ID RCT is a novel approach, unearthing emotional challenges and significant systemic organisational process challenges. The findings of this study clearly illustrate the informed implementation strategies that are needed to improve recruitment processes, minimise the emotional labour relating to NHS organisational ‘buy-in’ and address the preparation and readiness of NHS health and social care staff for research in under-represented populations.

Negative-sense RNA virus nucleocapsid as a versatile platform for gene delivery, vaccine development, and antiviral screening

Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy protocol of an intervention for caregivers of hospice patients living with dementia: A pilot randomized control trial

Introduction Caring for dying persons living with dementia (PLwD) poses substantial challenges for family care partners (FCPs), who often experience significant emotional and physical strain. Home hospice provides support to enable home death, including support for FCPs. We are pilot testing a home hospice intervention (Enhancing Dementia Instruction and Tool in Home Hospice Care (EDITH-HC)) to reduce FCP burden and improve care for PLwD. This pilot test assesses feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy using a non-blinded randomized clinical trial (RCT). Methods We aim to match 24 hospice nurses and social workers (“clinicians”) with 96 FCPs of home hospice PLwD. Clinician teams are randomized to the intervention or control condition using an adaptive randomized strategy to maintain balance between Black and White FCPs in each study arm. The intervention consists of educational videos to enhance clinicians’ knowledge about and confidence in providing dementia-specific end-of-life care and a tool for clinicians to use with FCPs to identify and address FCPs’ dementia-related stressors. Participants answer online or telephone surveys at baseline, following each of four routine home visits, and post-intervention. We will compile descriptive statistics to report on feasibility and acceptability measures. We will conduct t-tests of differences and linear regression analyses to examine differences in FCP burden (primary outcome) between baseline and first subsequent clinician visit (primary time point). Additional exploratory analyses are explained. Results We have enrolled 29 clinicians and 53 FCPs and aim to have 24 clinicians matched with 96 FCPs (N = 120) to complete the intervention. Discussion If the pilot shows positive results for the intervention, we plan to test it in a multi-site, fully-powered RCT. Enhancing support for clinicians and FCP of PLwD could optimize FCP and hospice patient outcomes.

Experimental study of nose-tip bluntness effects on hypersonic boundary-layer transition in a shock tunnel

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward Mpox among laboratory professionals in Zambia: A cross-sectional study

Introduction Monkeypox (Mpox), caused by the Mpox virus, is an emerging zoonotic disease of global public health significance. In Zambia, limited data exist on laboratory professionals’ (LPs) preparedness to manage and prevent Mpox outbreaks. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding Mpox among LPs in Zambia. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 293 LPs across Zambia from April to August 2025. A structured, validated questionnaire assessed socio-demographic data and KAP toward Mpox. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata version 15. Results Of the 293 respondents, 52.2% demonstrated good knowledge, 47.4% had a positive attitude, and 7.5% exhibited good Mpox-related practices. Significant knowledge gaps were observed, including limited awareness of Mpox transmission (62.5%), complications (76.1%). Additionally, 72% of LPs expressed willingness or support for mandatory Mpox vaccination. LPs working in health centres/clinics (AOR = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.009–0.54; p = 0.11), private hospitals (AOR = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.003–0.74; p = 0.030), public hospitals (AOR = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.011–0.39; p = 0.003), and research or academic institutions (AOR = 0.10; 95% CI: 0.01–0.77; p = 0.027) were significantly less likely to report good Mpox-related practices compared to those working in district or provincial health offices. Conclusion The study highlights a low knowledge, a relatively low positive attitude, and poor practices toward Mpox among Zambian LPs. Identified gaps underscore the important need for targeted education and capacity-building initiatives to enhance Mpox preparedness and response.