Browse Articles

Prognostic significance of nutritional status for neurological and functional recovery after cervical spinal cord injury

Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in severe motor and sensory deficits, leading to substantial impairment in activities of daily living. Malnutrition is common after SCI and may adversely affect recovery; however, the association between early nutritional status and subsequent neurological and functional recovery remains unclear. This study examined the association between early nutritional status and neurological and functional recovery after acute traumatic cervical SCI. Ninety-one patients admitted within 72 hours of injury and followed for at least 6 months were retrospectively analyzed. Neurological function was assessed using the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) total motor score, and functional independence was evaluated using the Spinal Cord Independence Measure version Ⅲ (SCIM Ⅲ). Nutritional status after SCI was assessed using the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score. Recovery rates were calculated as the proportion of the maximum possible improvement achieved between 4 weeks and 6 months after SCI. Patients with higher PNI at 4 weeks after SCI showed greater neurological and functional recovery. Mean ISNCSCI total motor score recovery rates were 43.89%, 28.08%, and 18.7% in the good, normal, and poor PNI groups, respectively (p for trend = 0.0005), with corresponding SCIM III recovery rates of 40.65%, 26.1%, and 22.41% (p for trend = 0.0072). GNRI and CONUT scores were also associated with ISNCSCI total motor score recovery; however, PNI showed the strongest predictive performance (p = 0.0031). In multivariable linear regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, and baseline neurological and functional status, PNI remained independently associated with ISNCSCI total motor score recovery (β = 0.857 per 1-point increase, 95% CI 0.011–1.703, p = 0.0471). These findings indicate that early nutritional status, particularly as assessed by the PNI, is independently associated with neurological recovery after cervical SCI and may be useful for early prognostic assessment.

Clinical utility of comprehensive genomic profiling tests using MTB management system at a single center in Japan

Declines in organic matter persistence with increased soil carbon

Abstract The persistence of soil organic matter (SOM) is critical for predicting carbon-climate feedbacks, yet how increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) relates to long-term SOM persistence across environmental gradients remains unclear. Soil radiocarbon, SOM physicochemical composition, and microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) are analyzed along a precipitation-driven gradient integrated with global datasets. Here we show, as SOC content increases, its persistence as reflected by radiocarbon signatures declines at both the transect and global scales. This pattern indicates that higher SOC soils are increasingly dominated by younger, faster-cycling carbon rather than older, stabilized pools. Plant carbon inputs strongly predict SOM persistence and are associated with younger, less persistent SOC. While microbial CUE increases with SOC, higher CUE does not necessarily enhance long-term stabilization. Our findings suggest that SOC content alone provides limited insight into long-term soil carbon persistence and highlight the importance of explicitly representing plant carbon inputs and microbially mediated persistence in Earth system models.

Correction: Leaf beetle diversity on a Southeast Asian continental island: Taxonomy, DNA barcoding, and preliminary evolutionary insights from Cat Ba Island, Vietnam

Staphylococcal enterotoxin-specific IgE Identifies a type-2 inflammatory endotype in chronic spontaneous urticaria

Boundary-Bulk Interplay in Nonlinear Topological Transport

Insulation failure mapping on power transformer bushing using FRA and electrostatic simulation

The power transformer bushing is a critical insulation component and a frequent contributor to transformer failures. This paper presents combined electrical and Multiphysics approaches for mapping failure mechanisms in Resin-Impregnated Paper (RIP) transformer bushings using frequency response analysis (FRA) and electrostatic analysis. An 11 kV/0.433 kV, 500 kVA power transformer bushing is selected as a case study and modeled using a MATLAB-based equivalent circuit to simulate its FRA characteristics. Variations in bushing circuit capacitance are introduced to represent insulation degradation, surface pollution, and insulator damage, and the corresponding failure modes are mapped through their distinctive FRA signatures. To provide physical insight into these failure mechanisms, a detailed model is developed in COMSOL Multiphysics, where degradation, pollution, and destructive damage are analyzed using electric field and electric potential distributions. The results from the FRA simulation and electrical Multiphysics in this paper provide a framework for understanding the behavior of transformer bushing failures and enable early fault detection. This also improves the transformer bushing maintenance and condition monitoring.

Temporal precision and accuracy in schizophrenia: an exploratory study

Allelic variation of an LRR only protein confers dual pathogen resistance in Arabidopsis

Beyond numbers: The governance role of data assets in real earnings management

While data assets are increasingly recognized as strategic resources in the digital economy, their implications for financial reporting quality remain underexplored. Employing a textual analysis approach based on deep learning techniques to construct a measure of data assets, this study investigates their impact on real earnings management (REM) using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2010 to 2023. We document a negative association between data assets and REM. Our findings remain robust after addressing endogeneity concerns using instrumental variables based on regional digital infrastructure and propensity score matching. Mechanism analyses reveal that data assets mitigate REM through two distinct channels: curbing managerial short-termism and strengthening external monitoring via increased analyst coverage. Cross-sectional tests indicate that this governance effect is more pronounced among firms facing earnings pressure. Furthermore, data assets primarily constrain cost-side manipulation strategies, specifically abnormal production costs and discretionary expenditures. Finally, we show that the reduction in REM driven by data assets contributes to enhanced long-term firm value. Collectively, these findings uncover a novel governance effect of data assets, suggesting that digital infrastructure investments yield positive externalities for corporate financial behavior.

Impacts of waste dumping on canal water quality and community livelihoods in coastal Bangladesh

A triboelectric radical generation route to chlorine disinfectants from brine

Abstract Contact electrification (CE), one of the earliest documented physical phenomena, has traditionally been associated with triboelectric charging but rarely considered as a driver of chemical transformations. Here we show that CE generates radicals at solid-liquid interfaces, establishing contact-electro-chemistry (CE-Chemistry) as a metal-catalyst-free route that uses ambient mechanical energy. Ultrasonically driven contact-separation of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) particulates in brine generates hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and chlorine radicals (•Cl), forming active chlorine [hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ions (ClO − )], without detectable chlorine gas (Cl 2 ) production. Using natural seawater, this strategy achieves active chlorine production of 208.8 μmol g −1 h −1 and operates for over 700 h without detectable FEP dissolution or toxic intermediates. Cation hydration engineering modulates interfacial electrical double layers, strengthening triboelectric fields and tuning reaction kinetics. This work enables Cl 2 -free disinfectant production from brine without external bias or illumination, opening avenues for heterogeneous catalysis and CE-driven reaction design.

Acute effects of high load vs. low load combined with blood flow restriction on explosive performance and muscle-tendon unit mechanical properties

This study examined the acute effects of high-load resistance training and low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction on sprint ability, pennation angle and lower limb muscle stiffness. A randomized crossover trial was conducted in 17 collegiate male sprinters. Four intervention conditions were applied: high-load (90% 1RM hip thrust [HT] or half-squat [HS]) and low-load (30% 1RM HT or HS with blood flow restriction [BFR]) protocols. Muscle–tendon stiffness, pennation angle, and 20-m sprint performance were assessed at 5 minutes post-intervention. The results showed that statistically significant differences were observed among interventions (p < 0.05). Regarding sprint performance, the 30% HT + BFR significantly improved 0-20m sprint time, whereas the 30% HS + BFR significantly improved 10-20m sprint time compared to high-load conditions. In terms of muscle architecture, both 30% HS + BFR and 90% HS conditions elicited a significant decrease in the pennation angle of the rectus femoris. Moreover, muscle-tendon stiffness generally increased following conditioning activities; notably, the 30% HT + BFR condition increased rectus femoris stiffness, while the 30% HS + BFR condition significantly increased stiffness in the gastrocnemius and Achilles tendon compared to other interventions or baseline. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that low-load resistance exercise combined with blood flow restriction produces greater acute improvements in sprint performance in male sprinters than high-load training, accompanied by reductions in pennation angle and increases in muscle-tendon stiffness.

Qualifying and quantifying analysis of biodegradable biocomposite pots to unravel structural insights for sustainable agricultural applications

Abstract This study investigates the chemical composition, structural evolution, and agronomic performance of biodegradable cultivating pots fabricated from sugarcane bagasse reinforced with natural lignocellulosic fillers. Alkaline pretreatment using sodium hydroxide enhanced fiber–matrix interfacial bonding through lignin and hemicellulose reduction, as confirmed by FTIR and XRD analyses. SEM–EDX characterization revealed high carbon content (34.5–54.4%) and the presence of essential plant nutrients, indicating favorable structural biodegradability and nutrient-recycling potential. Greenhouse trials demonstrated a 13% increase in pepper yield for plants cultivated in treated biocomposite pots, thus proving their agronomic performance efficacy. In addition, quantitative image-based analysis of SEM micrographs using ImageJ and OriginPro enabled the assessment of microstructural homogeneity, grain intensity, surface porosity, and surface topography, including roughness and waviness, supported by 2-D fast Fourier transformation. This single-step analytical framework establishes a transferable pathway for evaluating alternative fillers and binders and enables the rational design of customized biodegradable cultivating pots tailored to specific plant requirements, thereby supporting circular economy strategies and future sustainable agricultural systems.

The OsMYB4 transcription factor enables coordinated improvement of grain yield and quality in rice

Does attending a structured undergraduate nursing research course affect nursing students’ attitudes toward nursing research? A quasi-experimental study

Aim This study investigated the impact of a structured undergraduate nursing research course on Saudi nursing students’ attitudes toward nursing research. Methodology A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to assess the influence of a 14-week nursing research course at a public Saudi university. Attitudes were measured with a validated questionnaire administered to 62 students before and after the course. A paired t-test was used to evaluate the difference in students’ attitudes toward nursing research. Results Students’ attitudes toward nursing research increased significantly after the course (M = 69.58, SD = 9.91) compared to pre-course levels (M = 66.28, SD = 8.43); t(55) = −2.49, p = 0.01). Notable gains occurred in attitudes toward research skills (p = 0.01) and the use of research in clinical practice (p = 0.007). However, there were no statistically significant differences in personal interest in research or in its perceived usefulness. Male students with lower GPAs demonstrated the largest positive attitude shifts. Conclusion The research course chiefly enhanced attitudes toward research skills and clinical application, without raising interest or perceived usefulness of nursing research among undergraduate nursing students. Educators should use diverse teaching methods to promote students’ interest in and appreciation of nursing research.

A comparative and interpretable machine learning framework for reliable diabetes risk prediction

Optimizing Traps and Dihedral Angles to Modulate Charge Transport Behavior for High-Temperature Dielectric Energy Storage

Pharmaceutical Innovation and Drug Policy: The Case of the 1984 Hatch-Waxman Act

This paper examines the effect of the 1984 Hatch-Waxman Act and its 2003 amendment – the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act – on the level of innovation in pharmaceutical firms. In part, the purpose of these policies was to balance the exclusivity rights of pioneer drug manufacturers with generic drug competition, which would allow for more consumer affordability. Using difference-in-difference regression analysis, we analyze how, relative to innovation in other industries, pharmaceutical innovation changes surrounding the implementation of the two laws. Results from several difference-in-difference tests show that, relative to non-pharmaceutical firms, research and development (R&D) in pharmaceutical firms markedly increased during the post-Hatch-Waxman period. We do not find, however, that the 2003 amendment directly influenced pharmaceutical innovation. If anything, the latter policy was associated with a reduction in innovation. These findings seem to suggest that the level of pharmaceutical innovation is highly sensitive to changes in policy that might change the incentives for firms to innovate.

The construction of cultural IP virtual characters and consumer identification based on generative adversarial networks