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A network analysis of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae among healthcare facilities

Correction: Predicting wildlife corridors for multiple species in an East African ungulate community

Complement activation by the artificial surface of cardiopulmonary bypass is a persistent clinical problem

Protopanaxadiol stimulates glucose consumption by modulating the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway in myotubes, hepatoma cells, and adipocytes

Ginsenosides, the main active constituents of Panax ginseng, possess potent anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties. In this study, we investigated the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of protopanaxadiol (PPD), Rg3, Rb2, Re, Rc, Rh2, Rb1, Rg1, and compound K on palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 hepatoma cells and glucose consumption (GC) in C2C12 myotubes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. PA-induced lipid accumulation was determined using lipid (Oil Red O) staining. GC was performed using a 2-deoxy glucose based colorimetric GC kit. Protein expression was examined by western blot analysis. PPD, Rg1, Rb2, and Rg3 inhibited lipid accumulation in PA-treated HepG2 cells. PA significantly decreased lipid levels in HepG2 cells, which was prevented by PPD, Rg1, Rb2, and Rg3. PPD, Re, Rb1, and compound K enhanced PA-induced GC inhibition in 3T3-L1 cells, while PPD, Rg3, Rc, and Rh2 enhanced PA-induced GC inhibition in C2C12 cells. PA also significantly decreased the phospho-phosphoinositide 3-kinase, phospho-Akt, phospho- AMP-activated protein kinase α, and phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β levels as well as increased glycogen synthase, glucose-6-phosphatase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase phosphorylation in all three cell lines, which were prevented by PPD. PPD may be a potential drug candidate that can stimulate GC in key insulin-sensitive tissues, such as the skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue.

Sustainable RCCI engine operation with an ANN based novel tri-fuel approach

Abstract This research delves into a novel tri-fuel RCCI engine strategy that uses diesel as the base fuel, biodiesel from Andropogon narudus, and hydrogen as a reactivity promoter to enhance combustion efficiency and enhance environmental sustainability. The tested blends, BD80H20 and BD70H30, showed a 3–5% improvement in Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) compared to conventional diesel at full load operation. Hydrogen-rich blends recorded a 5–8% brake-specific fuel economy improvement over diesel and B20 at both 75% and 100% engine loads. The biodiesel has made a substantial reduction in hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. Specifically, B20 recorded a 15% decrease in HC and 12% decrease in CO emission compared to straight diesel, while hydrogen blends register another decrease of 20–25% in CO emissions. The addition of hydrogen resulted in a rough estimate of 10–15% increase in the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), reflecting an emission trade-off. The smoke opacity decrease varied between 18 and 25% for hydrogen–biodiesel blends, reflecting an increased combustion efficiency level. The increase in in-cylinder peak pressure by 5–10% with hydrogen reflects an accelerated and efficient combustion process. A sustainability analysis by means of a Pugh matrix and Kiviat plot showed that BD80H20 was the most sustainable mixture. The ANN validation proved to be of excellent prediction quality, with RMSE values ranging from 0.9965 to 0.9996, and MPAE less than 4%.

Evaluation of the gastrotolerability of ketoprofen, lysine, and gabapentin co-crystal administration in an in vitro model of gastric epithelium: a proteomic update

Chronic pain is a distressful condition that impacts strongly on people’s health, and, to date, no cure has been found. However, several strategies against pain have been proposed. Promising data regarding the usage of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in combination with gabapentin in pain management laid the foundations for more complex approaches. A recently published study proposed a multimodal approach based on ketoprofen lysine salt (KLS) combined with gabapentin (GABA) in the context of chronic pain. Experiments on in vitro models showed supra-additive effects in modulating key pathways involved in neuropathic pain and gastric mucosal damage. Thus, the co-crystallization of ketoprofen, lysine, and gabapentin led to a new ternary drug-drug co-crystal (KLS-GABA co-crystal) to better take advantage of such effects. The new compound showed positive features in in vitro and in vivo pain models, particularly at the gastrointestinal level. To better understand the gastric impact of the co-crystal we chose to analyze proteomic fluctuations that occur in an in vitro model of gastric epithelium upon ethanol injury, aiming to observe the gastric effects of KLS-GABA co-crystal’s administration in comparison with KLS or GABA alone or co-administered as in the multimodal approach. Thus, we performed a 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) to compare proteomes from lysates of NCI-N87 cells, chosen as model of gastric epithelium. Among all the localized spots (n = 117), the differentially abundant ones have been filtered and excised (n = 24) to perform mass spectrometry. A total of 414 non-redundant proteins have been found in the excised spots analyzed. A Gene Ontology-based enrichment analysis identified the proteins involved in biological processes, cellular components, and pathways. We then compared the 2DE findings with the western blot analysis confirming the differential proteomic fluctuations in the model. The methodology described here provides a broader picture of the effects of KLS, GABA, and KLS-GABA co-crystal administration in the ethanol-gastric injury model, identifying processes not revealed by other studies by showing proteomic changes and related mechanisms in detail, particularly via modulation of the oxidative stress-related GSTP1 which suggests the higher gastric tolerability of KLS-GABA co-crystal in the analyzed model highlighting its clinical reliability.

Equivalent method for calculating internal blast loads in cylindrical lattice shell structure

Abstract It is crucial to improve the calculation efficiency of internal blast loads of a long-span spatial steel structure. This study develops an equivalent model for such loads using a one-way inclined single-layer cylindrical lattice shell structure as a case study. First, ANSYS/LS-DYNA was used to simulate free-air blasts and benchmark against experimental data, with peak overpressure errors below 8%, confirming the modeling approach and material parameters. Next, a numerical model of the cylindrical lattice shell structure under internal explosion was generated via the same modelling method and material parameters. The simulation results indicated that the internal explosion overpressure differed from that of free-air blasts, exhibited pronounced reflection and convergence effects, and was no longer related to the scaled distance. On this basis, an equivalent model combining a standard overpressure distribution with correction factors for reflection and convergence was formulated. Validation against two additional case studies demonstrated that the model provides conservative predictions, with average errors of 9.38% and 7.47% relative to detailed simulations. The proposed equivalent model therefore offers a rapid, reliable tool for the preliminary assessment of internal blast loads in similar spatial structures.

Expression of Concern: COVID-19 infection prevention practices among a sample of food handlers of food and drink establishments in Ethiopia

Enhancing theory of mind in autism through humanoid robot interaction in a randomized controlled trial

Correction: Interpretable multimodal classification for age-related macular degeneration diagnosis

A two-stage multi-scale attention-based network for weakly supervised cataract fundus image enhancement

Myoconjunctival Enucleation Study (MES): Outcome of Myoconjunctival Enucleation Technique with Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) implant and Custom-made prosthesis (CMP) in a tertiary eye care center in Nepal

Purpose To evaluate the average motility of the implant and custom-made prosthesis (CMP) in various gazes following Myoconjunctival enucleation, the surgical duration, and the complications encountered at a tertiary eye hospital. Methods This was a prospective, non-randomized interventional study. Recti muscles were sutured to the fornices before enucleation of the eyeball to minimize surgical time and the need for additional sutures. Thirty-five consecutive patients meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Data on surgery time, complications, and implant/prosthesis motility were recorded and analyzed. Results The mean surgical duration was 39.43 ± 4.97 minutes. Mean PMMA implant movement was 2.34 mm in elevation, 2.26 mm in depression, 2.74 mm in abduction, and 2.71 mm in adduction. Custom-made prosthesis (CMP) movement was 2.40 mm in elevation, 2.51 mm in depression, 2.74 mm in abduction, and 2.66 mm in adduction. Complications were minimal: one intraoperative superior rectus slippage, a few cases with early postoperative nausea, vomiting, and headache, all resolved within a week. At six weeks, one suture granuloma and one shallow inferior fornix were noted and managed. Patient satisfaction was high (88.57%), with a mean Likert score of 4.25 ± 0.65 (1 = Very unsatisfied to 5 = Very satisfied). No patient reported dissatisfaction. Conclusion Myoconjunctival enucleation offers favorable implant and prosthesis motility, a relatively short surgical duration, and minimal complications. High patient satisfaction supports the myoconjunctival enucleation technique as a reliable and well-tolerated surgical option.

MRI based paraspinal muscle mass predicts early cage subsidence after posterior lumbar interbody fusion

Examining motivational profiles in the dark personality tetrad using an approach-avoidance conflict task

The present studies evaluated motives associated with the Dark Tetrad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism) using a computerized approach-avoidance conflict task (AACT). Study 1 used an Emoticon AACT with a forced choice between smiley and frowny face icons. In Phase 1, participants (n = 197) were shown a positive image if they chose to move a stick-figure manikin toward the smiley icon, and were shown a negative image if they chose the frowny icon. In Phase 2, they were offered a varying number of points (0, 1, 5, 25, or 50) for choosing the frowny icon. We found that sadism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy were associated with accepting fewer points to approach the frowny icon that cued a negative image. This same pattern manifested for participants with low empathy levels, particularly when affective resonance was low and affective dissonance was high. Study 2 (n = 191) used an Image AACT where the choice alternatives were positive and negative images, which produced smiley or frowny icons, respectively. Sadism and dissonant emotional tendencies predicted choices directed toward negative images in Phase 2. In Studies 3 (n = 288) and 4 (n = 276), we confirmed our Emoticon AACT findings using gender-balanced samples. Studies 3 and 4 also introduced a viewing-time task (VTT). Sadism and dissonant emotional tendencies predicted decreased viewing times for positive images, but did not predict increased viewing times for negative images, suggesting that negative emotional reactions produced by the positive images were the primary motivating factor in the present AACT. Overall, our findings serve as further evidence of the different motives underlying socially aversive tendencies.

Functional neuroplasticity in chronic post-stroke aphasia following a singing intervention in a cross-over randomised trial

Neighborhood environment and incident diabetes, a neighborhood environment-wide association study (‘NE-WAS’): Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing among the Hispanic/Latino population. Type 2 diabetes incidence rates vary between neighborhoods, but no single aspect of the neighborhood environment is known to cause type 2 diabetes. Using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos cohort of 16,415 Hispanic/Latino adults in four major US cities, we conducted a neighborhood environment-wide association study to identify neighborhood measures or clusters of measures associated with diabetes incidence. Two-hundred and four neighborhood measures were calculated at the census tract level or within a 1-km buffer of participants’ residential addresses. Independent covariate-adjusted and survey-weighted Poisson regressions were run for each neighborhood measure and incident diabetes. Principal component analysis of neighborhood measures was conducted to reduce dimensionality. No coherent pattern of neighborhood measures or principal component scores were associated with diabetes incidence within the cohort, though established individual-level risk factors such as age and family history were strongly associated with diabetes incidence. Results from our analysis did not indicate specific neighborhood measures, clusters, or patterns. Individual, rather than neighborhood, factors distinguish incident diabetes cases from non-cases.

Comparative analysis of 3D-culture techniques for multicellular colorectal tumour spheroids and development of a novel SW48 3D-model

Effect of a communication robot in the prevention of postoperative delirium in older persons: A randomized controlled trial

As studies have reported reduced delirium in hospitalized older individuals with dementia who interacted with the seal-shaped robot “PARO,” the role of communication robots in preventing delirium was investigated. This study included patients aged ≥70 years who were hospitalized for surgery requiring general anesthesia. The patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (patients received regular delirium countermeasures using a team approach; n = 76) or the intervention group (patients received regular delirium countermeasures plus an intervention with the “BOCCO emo LTE” communication robot; n = 74). Delirium was diagnosed using the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist. From admission until discharge, nurses recorded the presence or absence of delirium each day. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were conducted to examine intergroup differences in delirium incidence between the groups. Of the 150 patients who provided consent for participation, 18 developed delirium. Significantly fewer patients in the intervention group (4 patients) developed delirium compared to those in the control group (14 patients) (p = 0.014). Patients with delirium were more likely to be older (p = 0.036) and have dementia (p < 0.001), a history of delirium (p = 0.004), and a history of benzodiazepine use (p = 0.028) compared to those who did not have postoperative delirium. The results suggest that communication robots can effectively reduce delirium incidence. Additional studies with larger cohorts are needed to mitigate the influence of varying risk factor frequencies between groups, improve the assessment of delirium, and validate the current study’s findings. Trial registration Japan Clinical Trials Registry (jRCT) (URL: https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp; No. jRCT1030250018; date: April 1, 2025; retrospectively registered)

Critical role of carbon nanofibers in boosting C-S-H density and fracture toughness in fine recycled aggregate concrete

In vitro organ culture protocol for intact urogenital systems supporting gonadal differentiation

Developing in vitro protocols for non-model species poses challenges, and yet are essential for advancing molecular biology studies. This is particularly true for sex determination research that relies on being able to functionally demonstrate the role of genes in determining sex and guiding the process of sex differentiation. Reptile species are attractive models for sex determination research as many species display thermolabile sex systems, allowing for exploration of gene-environment interactions. The first in vitro gonad culture technique for a turtle was published almost 35 years ago in 1990, but these techniques have seen limited use. This is likely because of challenges inherent to the system, where cultures need to be maintained for prolonged periods for gonadal differentiation to occur. All published techniques for long-term cultures involve removing the gonad from the surrounding mesonephros, which causes issues for proper testes development. Here we present the first protocol developed in the reptile model, Pogona vitticeps, that allows the long-term culture of the whole urogenital system supporting differentiation from biopotential gonads to ovaries or testes. Gross morphology is well maintained, and the gonad can be dissected from the mesonephros even after a culture period of up to 19 days. The cultured gonads display sex specific gene expression and morphology. This protocol will facilitate research in sex determination by providing an effective and low-cost alternative to existing protocols and expand capacity for functional manipulation studies in non-model species.