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Vegetation, salinity, and tides drive nitrogen cycling in Mangrove plastispheres

In-depth summary of adverse events associated with Flurbiprofen: A real-world pharmacovigilance study from 2004 to 2024 using the FAERS database

Background Flurbiprofen, as a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is commonly employed to relieve mild to moderate pain and inflammation. Understanding its adverse reactions in real-world usage is of significant importance. Methods Reports of all adverse drug events (ADEs) related to flurbiprofen were extracted from the FAERS database, covering the period from Q1 2004 to Q3 2024. These reports were standardized and analyzed using various signal quantification techniques, including Reporting Odds Ratios (ROR), Proportional Reporting Ratios (PRR), Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN), and Multi-item Gamma Poisson Shrinkage (MGPS). Finally, the association between flurbiprofen and ADEs as well as clinical medical events was assessed. Results A total of 275 cases from the target population were identified in the FAERS database, with 788 instances of adverse events (AEs) occurring across 46 organ systems. We identified not only some common adverse reactions listed in the drug’s package insert, such as acute kidney injury, nausea and vomiting, and facial edema, but also significant signals that were not mentioned in the package insert, including Dysphonia, Drug abuse, and Pancreatitis acute. The median time to onset of flurbiprofen-related AEs was 1 day (interquartile range [IQR] 0–5 days), with most AEs occurring within the first month of flurbiprofen use. Conclusion This study confirmed some common adverse reactions listed in the flurbiprofen drug package insert and identified significant unexpected adverse reactions. These findings can assist clinicians in conducting more comprehensive clinical monitoring when using the drug, thereby ensuring patient safety during treatment.

Evaluation of different sedation scales in the ICU management of COVID-19 patients

Parental beliefs and the influence of formal and informal literacy environments on preschoolers’ attitudes toward English learning

English learning among Chinese preschoolers has increased in recent years. Despite policies that strongly oppose external English instruction for this age group, many parents are unrelenting and persist in providing English learning opportunities for their children. This study seeks to address how formal and informal literacy activities within the Home Literacy Environment (HLE) mediate the relationship between parental beliefs and Chinese children’s attitudes towards learning English in a foreign language context. Specifically, it explores: (1) how formal literacy activities within the HLE mediate this relationship, (2) how informal literacy activities within the HLE mediate this relationship. The study involved 405 participants who completed a questionnaire on family demographics, beliefs about the importance of early English education, the HLE, and children’s attitudes towards English learning. Quantitative data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with a Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach. Parental beliefs positively influence children’s attitudes towards English through formal and informal learning. These results highlight the importance of fostering a supportive and engaging HLE to enhance children’s positive attitudes towards learning English. The implications suggest that policy and practice should recognize the value of various literacy activities in early childhood education, particularly in the context of a foreign language and academically focused Asian society.

Evaluation of posterior segment changes in pediatric asthma patients with and without inhaled corticosteroid therapy

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate and compare changes in the posterior segment of pediatric asthma patients, potentially associated with asthma or inhaled corticosteroids. A retrospective analysis was conducted on children aged 7–17 diagnosed with atopic asthma. The participants were categorized into groups: Group 1 (no inhaled corticosteroids) and Group 2 (inhaled corticosteroid treatment). A control group of healthy children was also included. Demographic data, clinical findings, and laboratory results (e.g., eosinophil count, IgE, CRP levels) were collected. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) were used to measure posterior segment parameters. Asthma patients demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in subfoveal choroidal thickness, the superficial capillary plexus in the superior and nasal quadrants, the choriocapillaris in the foveal quadrant, and the peripapillary vascular density in the inferior and superior quadrants compared to controls. Inflammation markers such as eosinophil count and CRP showed significant correlations with changes in vascular density. Asthma, as a chronic inflammatory and hypoxic condition, can significantly affect posterior segment parameters, leading to potential visual function impairments in children. Regular monitoring with OCT and OCTA can help detect early microvascular changes, allowing for timely interventions to preserve visual health.

Research on the resilience of renewable energy in rural areas—Based on the data from Shandong Province

China’s rural energy system faces three challenges: high structural carbonization, low energy utilization efficiency and insufficient supply stability. These systemic contradictions seriously hinder the coordinated promotion of the “dual carbon” strategy and the rural revitalization process. This study takes 16 cities and cities in Shandong Province as the object and combines GIS technology to construct a biomass and solar energy resource evaluation model. The amount of agricultural biomass resources is calculated through the grass valley ratio method. Its resource potential and convertible power generation are quantified, and the “Four Quadrant Model for Renewable Energy Abundance” is introduced to divide regional types. Use spatial analysis to reveal the geographical heterogeneity of resource distribution and explore differentiated low-carbon transformation paths to enhance energy resilience. The study found that the rural renewable energy endowment in Shandong Province showed significant regional differences and proposed four types of development paths: The dual-resource areas jointly develop agricultural and light complementarity and straw power generation, the photovoltaic advantage zone explores energy storage and hydrogen production, the biomass-led areas strengthen cogeneration, and the resource-scarce areas implement green electricity allocation and energy efficiency upgrades. The conclusion shows that multi-energy coordination can improve energy supply stability through space-time complementarity and risk dilution, enhance energy supply resilience, and provide a scientific paradigm for the low-carbon transformation of high-carbon provinces.

SWAT-based soil erosion and sediment yield modeling in the upper Gilgel Abay catchment, Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract Soil erosion is a critical global issue, threatening the sustainability of natural resources and agricultural productivity. Accurate information on sediment yield and soil erosion risk within watersheds is essential for developing effective management strategies. This study aimed to estimate soil loss in the Upper Gilgel Abay catchment using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The observed daily sediment data were utilized for the calibration and validation of the model outputs. Calibration and validation were performed for the periods 2002–2015 and 2016–2021, respectively. Sensitivity analysis identified the most influential parameters affecting soil loss estimates. The model performance was quite satisfactory. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.69 for the calibration and 0.67 for the validation of sediment yield. Over the past 18 years, the Gilgel Abay catchment experienced approximately 1.5 billion tons of soil loss, with spatial analysis revealing soil loss rates of up to 53.88 t/ha/year, particularly in the upper catchment. The maximum and minimum annual sediment yields at the outlet of the catchment were 318, 233 tons, and 61,575 tons per year, respectively. On average 184,695 tons of soil leave the catchment annually. While the model provided an acceptable level of the average basin-wide soil loss, certain areas exhibited severe erosion. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted soil conservation practices, such as terracing, reforestation, and sustainable land management, to mitigate soil degradation and enhance catchment sustainability.

Comparative genome analysis of Pasteurella multocida from Australian domestic animals suggests broad patterns of transmissions across multiple hosts and origins

The zoonotic bacterium Pasteurella multocida infects a wide range of animals worldwide. While the genetic diversity of this pathogen is well described in production animals, it remains underexplored in companion animals. In Australia, most P. multocida genomes come from commercial poultry. Here, 59 P. multocida clinical isolates obtained from Australian pets, (cats, dogs, rabbits), farm animals (birds, ruminants, porcine) and captive wildlife (Quolls, Serval) between 2006 and 2023 were sequenced and compared to 523 representative RefSeq genomes. Clustering and phylogenomic analyses placed 24/25 Australian pet isolates in a long-branched clade containing several MLST profiles (ST36, ST37, ST171, ST359, ST451 and ST527) also found in human isolates. Genotypes associated with Australian production animals (e.g., ST8, ST9 and ST20 from poultry, ST79 and ST394 from cattle) fell in the main branch of the tree. Minimum spanning tree and SNP analyses suggested several occurrences of cross-species transmission. Mobile genetic elements were found across the P. multocida population, without clustering into any specific phylogenetic, host, or geographic group. However, a 1.8 kb cryptic plasmid (Acc. U51470), previously described in Pasteurella canis strains from South Korea, was detected in 99/289 (34.3%) Australian P. multocida isolates from various hosts, while being largely absent from the rest of the world. Antimicrobial resistance was not detected in the isolates from Australian companion animals and captive wildlife. However, resistances to tetracyclines in bovine isolates (2/10) and ampicillin in avian (1/17) isolates were identified. This study greatly expands our insights on the diversity of P. multocida genomes from Australian companion animals and provides the basis for wider investigations on the molecular epidemiology and diversity of this pathogen, with potential applications to better understand the zoonotic risks associated with this pathogen.

Enantioconvergent Hydrobenzylation of Racemic Allylic Alcohols with Aryl Hydrazones via Bifunctional Ruthenium Catalysis

Computer aided greenness by design approach for resolving and quantifying Triamterene and Hydrochlorothiazide in pharmaceutical mixtures employing multiscale dynamics simulations

Abstract In this study, we present an established approach for the UV spectroscopic determination of Hydrochlorothiazide and Triamterene in pharmaceutical mixtures, leveraging the principles of Greenness-by-Design (GbD). By integrating molecular and electronic dynamics simulations, we have developed a greener analytical methodology that significantly reduces time and solvent waste. Our approach focuses on selecting a compromise solvent to minimize peak broadening, thereby enhancing spectral resolution and simplifying the analytical process. This work extends our ongoing efforts to establish the GbD concept in analytical chemistry, building on our previous research to promote sustainable and efficient analytical practices. The developed methods are based on simple mathematical manipulations, including Fourier self-deconvolution, absorption correction, and isoabsorptive point methods, along with ratio spectra approaches such as ratio difference and ratio derivative spectrophotometric methods. The Hydrochlorothiazide and Triamterene were determined with linear ranges of (1–18) µg/mL and (1–14) µg/mL, respectively. The detection and quantitation limits were in the range of (0.255–0.640) µg/mL, and (0.516–1.359) µg/mL, which reflects the method’s sensitivity. Moreover, a greenness assessment was performed to evaluate the sustainability of the proposed methods, indicating greener outcomes with a considerable reduction of the ecological footprint. This comprehensive approach underscores the potential of GbD in developing efficient, greener analytical methodologies for pharmaceutical analysis.

Correction: The expression of the surfactant proteins SP-A and SP-B during postnatal alveolarization of the rat lung

Utilizing an explanatory case method approach to explore alternative recruitment strategies for a longitudinal randomized clinical trial of insomnia treatment in cancer survivors amid COVID-19

COVID-19 was a barrier to meeting recruitment goals in clinical trials particularly for behavioral interventions requiring innovative and evolving strategies. This paper explores recruitment approaches prior to, during, and after the in-person recruitment pause in a longitudinal randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which cancer survivors received one of two interventions to self-manage insomnia. An explanatory case study method was used to investigate pre, during, and post COVID-19 recruitment during a longitudinal RCT. Data analysis included descriptive frequencies of enrollment approaches and outcomes obtained from the research team’s weekly documented recruitment activities, and qualitative analysis of post-recruitment focus group of clinical partner experiences within the environmental context of the clinic settings. Team analysis included data triangulation between research team’s recruitment data and clinical staff experiences, and times series analysis with explanation building with team consensus on the final product. A total of 136 heterogenous cancer survivor participants were recruited utilizing both in-person and virtual strategies with an 87.5% retention rate. Variability in success of recruitment approaches over time was demonstrated within the environmental contexts. Overall, in-person recruitment was the most effective strategy (55.1%) followed by passive strategies of print outreach and social media (36.8%). A creative and persistent research team was needed to achieve the recruitment target with a high retention rate. Recruiting in-person post COVID-19 was challenging due to clinical staff barriers. The explanatory case study method offers insight into the complex recruitment process and potential approaches that could be implemented for future public health insomnia treatment studies.

Public-private partnerships for seed industry development in developing countries: Lessons from MasAgro maize in Mexico

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are globally recognized for their potential to accelerate genetic improvement and delivery of new high-yielding seed varieties in developing countries. However, despite the strong advocacy for PPPs in crop improvement, there is little empirical evidence about their performance, capacities, and contribution to the development of seed industries and the promotion of competitive seed markets. This paper uses the experience of the MasAgro maize consortium, a PPP in Mexico, to examine crop variety innovation and delivery through PPPs, assess PPPs’ capacities to commercialize public germplasm-based varieties, and derive lessons for the design and implementation of future PPPs. Drawing on a combination of multiple data sources, we examined the PPP’s performance in the generation, dissemination, and commercialization of new maize hybrids. Our examination over the period 2011–2019 shows that the consortium was successful in maintaining a substantial flow of agronomically competitive maize hybrids, which compared favourably with the number of new varieties generated by national and international seed companies and the public sector. The partnership also contributed to refreshing and rejuvenating the variety portfolios of the consortium companies, which appear to have succeeded in bringing MasAgro varieties quickly into the market. However, seed sales achieved by MasAgro hybrids over this period remained small and multinational companies consistently maintained their leadership in the maize seed market. Our analysis shows that PPPs have strong capacities for the development of competitive seed varieties, but they face significant challenges in scaling up the uptake and adoption of these innovations in highly concentrated markets. To succeed in their objective of delivering affordable, high-quality seed on a large scale to smallholder farmers in developing countries, PPPs need to urgently incorporate a commercial and market-oriented perspective along all steps of the plant breeding and dissemination process.

Evaluation of therapeutic agent selection based on comprehensive genomic profiling in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Introduction Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) is increasingly being integrated into standard clinical practice as a strategy to guide subsequent treatment decisions by identifying novel therapeutic options based on tumor-specific mutations. However, its clinical utility in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) remains to be determined. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of genomic alterations, including tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI), in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs), comparing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). Results CGP was performed on 50 patients with advanced GEP-NENs between August 2017 and October 2023. Of these, 38 were diagnosed with NETs and 12 with NECs. Primary tumor sites included the pancreas (n = 24), gastrointestinal tract (n = 25), and one case of unknown origin. In our study, CGP analysis comparing NETs and NECs documented different genetic profiles. In addition, median TMB was significantly higher in NECs (5.0 vs. 1.9 mutations/megabase; p = 0.0101). High TMB was identified in 4 of 12 NECs (33.3%) and in only 1 of 38 NETs (2.6%) (p = 0.0093). NECs also harbored a significantly greater number of mutations per case than NETs (5.5 vs. 2.0; p = 0.0014). Actionable mutations were identified in 18 of 50 patients, and 7 patients received mutation-guided therapy: 2 with NETs and 5 with NECs. The frequency of treatment initiation based on CGP findings was significantly higher in patients with NECs (p = 0.0059). Conclusions NECs are genetically distinct from NETs, with a higher prevalence of actionable mutations and greater therapeutic relevance of CGP findings. These results suggest that CGP may be particularly valuable in NECs, where therapeutic options are limited, supporting its proactive implementation in this subgroup.

Automatic detection of foreign object intrusion along railway tracks based on MACENet

Ensuring high accuracy and efficiency in foreign object intrusion detection along railway lines is critical for guaranteeing railway operational safety under limited resource conditions. However, current visual detection methods generally exhibit limitations in effectively handling diverse object shapes, scales, and varying environmental conditions, while typically incurring substantial computational overhead. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes a multi-level feature aggregation and context enhancement network (MACE-Net). The network architecture integrates the GOLD-YOLO module, an advanced object detection approach, alongside the updated deformable convolutional networks (DCNv3). The incorporation of DCNv3 allows the model to dynamically adapt its sampling positions according to actual object shapes, significantly enhancing feature extraction accuracy, especially for irregularly shaped intrusions. Additionally, the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) is employed to refine spatial and channel-wise feature representation, enabling the model to emphasize crucial object characteristics without substantially increasing computational complexity. Meanwhile, to improve localization robustness, the generalized intersection over union (GIoU) loss function is implemented, offering more reliable detection across various object sizes and shapes. Furthermore, to address the shortage of domain-specific datasets, we created a railway intrusion dataset comprising 7,200 images. Experimental results demonstrate that MACE-Net achieves superior detection performance, improving mAP@0.5 from 78.9% (baseline YOLOv8) to 83.8%—a notable increase of 4.9%. Meanwhile, the F1-score also rises by 5.2%. Importantly, despite significant accuracy gains, MACE-Net maintains computational efficiency similar to that of the baseline, affirming its suitability for real-time railway foreign object detection tasks under constrained energy and computational environments.

Expression of Concern: Priorities for intervention of childhood stunting in northeastern Ethiopia: A matched case-control study

Assessment of liquefaction resistance of soil with fines using cyclic hollow cylinder testing

Soil liquefaction is a devastating effect of earthquakes. It occurs when saturated granular soils lose their shear strength because of a sudden increase in pore water pressure under dynamic loads. Over the last six decades, considerable focus has been placed on understanding the mechanisms and phenomena associated with liquefaction, making it a critical area of research. Evaluating soil liquefaction accurately is crucial for maintaining the seismic safety of construction. To investigate how fines content affects soil liquefaction resistance under cyclic simple shear loads and gradual principal stress rotation, a series of cyclic hollow cylinder tests (CHCT) were carried out under isotropic consolidation and undrained conditions. The experiments were conducted using medium Monterey No. 0/30 Sand (MS), where five varying percentages of fine content were analyzed under two confining pressures (σ3’ = 103 kPa and 206 kPa) and at two relative densities (Dr = 30%, 45% and 60%). The results of CHCT tests contributed to the development of liquefaction-potential evaluation curves. The findings demonstrated that increasing the acceptable fines content up to 15% reduces liquefaction resistance. However, when fines content exceeds 15%, further increases lead to enhanced liquefaction resistance. Based on all laboratory test results, back propagation neural network (BPNN) was applied to predict cyclic stress ratios leading to initial liquefaction after cyclic loading cycles. The BPNN model can give superior precision with mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values of 1.05%, and also can help engineering better understand liquefaction potential of soil samples with different fines content.

Prognostic factors associated with recurrence in patients undergoing surgery for hepatic cystic echinococcosis: A systematic review protocol

Background Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus, with hepatic localization being the most frequent presentation in humans (70–80%). Surgical intervention remains the most common therapeutic option, despite an associated recurrence rate of 8% (95% CI: 6%–10%). CE recurrence increases postoperative morbidity, hospital stay, and healthcare costs. Several prognostic factors (PFs), such as cyst size, presence of multiple cysts, and personal or family history of CE, have been linked to recurrence. However, associations with cyst location, type, and biliary complications remain uncertain due to conflicting evidence. This systematic review (SR) aims to identify PFs associated with recurrence in patients undergoing surgery for hepatic CE. Methods We will conduct a systematic review of primary longitudinal observational, and experimental studies evaluating the association between clinical, parasitic, and surgical PFs and CE recurrence. We will search Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, BIREME-BVS, and SciELO using a sensitive search strategy. Two reviewers will independently screen studies, extract data, and assess risk of bias using the QUIPS tool. Methodological quality will be assessed using MInCir-Pr2, and data extraction will follow the CHARMS-PF checklist. A qualitative synthesis will be performed, and where appropriate, random-effects meta-analyses will be conducted using the inverse-variance and restricted maximum likelihood methods. Heterogeneity will be assessed using Chi², Tau², I², and 95% prediction intervals. Publication bias will be explored via funnel plots and statistical tests (Egger’s). Certainty of evidence will be assessed using GRADE. Discussion The results of this SR will support early risk stratification and inform clinical decision-making in the management of hepatic CE, a neglected tropical disease. Registration PROSPERO, CRD42024538005.

Dynamic principal modeling of cemented phosphogypsum stabilized soil under dry and wet cycles

Aiming at the influence of dynamic loading and wet/dry cycles during the operation of roadbed and in response to the proposal of Guizhou Provincial Government to promote the efficient utilization of phosphogypsum to solve the current situation of oversupply of phosphogypsum, the dynamic triaxial experiment was carried out to explore the dynamic constitutive model of phosphogypsum-stabilized soil with different numbers of wet/dry cycles, different peripheral pressures, and different consolidation ratios. The test results show that: (1) the effect of wet and dry cycles has a greater impact on the dynamic constitutive model of the mix, Monismith exponential model is suitable for the dynamic stress-strain curves in the case of wet and dry cycling; (2) The dynamic shear modulus-dynamic shear strain constitutive model of phosphogypsum stabilized soil was established based on dynamic soil mechanics, and the fitted correlation coefficients were all higher than 0.85, and the maximum values of MAE and RMSE were 4.827 and 5.990, respectively; (3) The prediction of the dynamic resilience modulus of phosphogypsum stabilized soil can be fitted by Ni model and power exponential model; (4) By comparing the dynamic and static modulus of rebound, it is concluded that the value of dynamic modulus of rebound for phosphogypsum-stabilized soil under dry and wet cycles is 1.1–1.5 times of the static modulus of rebound, and the recommended value of dynamic modulus of rebound is 90–100 MPa.

Adaptation of retired older adult return migrants in their place of origin in the Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia

Migrants must adapt to the social life of their destination, including those who return to their place of origin. One such destination for older adult return migrants in Indonesia is the Yogyakarta Special Region (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta DIY), located in the centre of Java island. The majority of residents in this province, which is under the jurisdiction of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta, are of Javanese ethnicity and continue to uphold traditional Javanese cultural values in their daily social interactions. This study examines the adaptation strategies employed by retired older adults who return to their place of origin, defined as either their place of birth or previous residence, as their primary DIY location. Using a qualitative method, data were collected through open-ended interviews with 27 retired older adult return migrants, selected through snowball sampling. The findings indicate that these return migrants primarily rely on Javanese cultural values to navigate social reintegration, regardless of the length of time they lived outside the DIY region. Embracing these values facilitates smoother adaptation to the local social environment, where such traditions remain strong. This strategy could apply to migrants of other ethnicities who internalize their cultural values, some of which may share similarities with Javanese values, when migrating to a new destination or returning to their place of origin.