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Short-term effects of sweetened acidic beverages consumption on human saliva: Colloidal properties and protein composition

This study investigates the impact of a sweetened acidic beverage, an apple juice (J) consumption on the tribological properties, viscoelasticity, and protein concentration/ composition of human saliva. Using a combination of tribological measurements, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), and protein analysis, we assessed how J may affect saliva’s lubricating behaviour and adsorbed salivary film characteristics compared to water (control). Tribological results revealed that saliva (collected from 32 healthy adults) exposed to water or J exhibited increased friction when compared to unstimulated whole mouth saliva (uWMS), particularly within the boundary lubrication regime. A one-min rinse with water or J caused salivary delubrication, with water having a greater delubricating effect (p < 0.05) than that of J. Strikingly, the friction coefficients reverted to those for uWMS after 10 min (p > 0.05) highlighting the transient nature of delubrication caused by J consumption. This transient phenomenon was also evident in QCM-D measurements, where J transformed the ex vivo salivary film into a rigid layer, which reverted upon buffer application on model hydrophilic surfaces. Analysis of total protein concentration (TPC) showed that water significantly reduced TPC after one min, while J required 10 min to achieve similar TPC reduction. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed that salivary cystatins and carbonic anhydrase significantly changed after J intervention, unlike water. This study highlights limited effects of J on salivary delubrication and adsorption. Building upon our findings, future research should investigate how repeated exposure to sweetened acidic beverages influences in vivo salivary pellicle dynamics and impacts to oral health.

Molecular Design of Self-Doping Cathode Interlayer for Efficient and Humidity-Resistant Organic Photovoltaic Cells

Whether and how tourism industry upgrading promotes employee social upgrading? Insights from China

In response to the decent work agenda in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2030, an increasing body of studies has focused on social upgrading in developing countries. Numerous studies have explored whether and how economic upgrading promotes social upgrading in various industries and regions. However, few studies have examined the employee social upgrading resulting from the upgrading in the tourism industry. Moreover, most existing studies have adopted a qualitative approach, with limited quantitative research exploring the economic-social upgrading relationships. Using data from a survey conducted in China in 2024, this study examines whether and how tourism industry upgrading promotes social upgrading among related employees, as well as the role of governance environment in this relationship, employing a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The modeling results highlight the significance of tourism industry upgrading in promoting social upgrading of tourism industry employees. Additionally, the local governance environment is found to significantly moderate the relationship between tourism industry upgrading and employee social upgrading. This study contributes to the literature on economic and social upgrading by providing empirical evidence from the tourism sector and emphasizing the importance of governance in facilitating social improvements.

Radiation-Powered Catalytic Alchemy: 3e^– Reduction of Perrhenate via Confined Active Sites in Covalent Organic Framework Nanoreactors

Explainable mortality prediction models incorporating social health determinants and physical frailty for heart failure patients

There is limited evidence on how social determinants of health (SDOH) and physical frailty (PF) influence mortality prediction in heart failure (HF), particularly for in-hospital, 90-day, and 1-year outcomes. This study aims to develop explainable machine learning (ML) models to assess the prognostic value of SDOH and PF at multiple time points. We analyzed data from adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for the first time with a diagnosis of HF. Key variables extracted from electronic health records included SDOH (e.g., primary language, insurance type), PF indicators (Braden mobility, nutrition, activity, and fall risk scores), vital signs, laboratory tests, and lung sounds (LS) from both ICU admission and discharge. We employed the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm to build models for short- and long-term mortality prediction, and used SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to interpret model outputs and quantify the importance of each feature. The observed mortality rates were 14.8% in-hospital (n = 12,856), 7.0% at 90 days (n = 10,990), and 13.5% at 1 year (n = 10,221). The prediction models achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) scores of 0.836 (95% CI: 0.831–0.844) for in-hospital, 0.790 (95% CI: 0.780–0.800) for 90-day, and 0.789 (95% CI: 0.780–0.799) for 1-year mortality. These models outperformed baseline ML algorithms and conventional clinical risk scores. Key predictors of HF outcomes included age, fall risk, primary language, blood urea nitrogen, comorbidities, urine output, insurance type, and LS findings. Incorporating PF at ICU admission and discharge, along with SDOH such as language proficiency and insurance status, could enhance the identification of high-risk HF patients and may inform targeted interventions.

A way to determine how partial charges of atoms in a molecule are distributed

Food environment components influencing consumption trends of neglected and underutilized species in northern Benin

Malnutrition is a global problem driven by food systems that impact climate and biodiversity. Neglected and underutilized species (NUS) could improve diets, but what drives their choices and consumption, particularly in low and middle-income countries, is poorly documented. This study investigated the influences of the personal food environment on the consumption of NUS in three communities in the department of Atacora in northern Benin. Following a purposive sampling strategy, 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted with locals and 18 with professional experts. 12 group discussions with villagers from six villages in the three communes complemented and deepened the information gathered, focusing on both barriers and factors for enhancing consumption. The data collected was translated and transcribed into French and analyzed using qualitative content analysis with Atlas.ti software. Among the investigated plant parts, an upward trend was found for Moringa oleifera leaves and Vigna radiata seeds, a downward trend for Adansonia digitata pulps, and a varied trend for Ocimum gratissimum leaves and Adansonia digitata kernels and leaves. Drivers for changes in consumption were found in all four dimensions of the food environment. Among the plant parts with the main increasing trend in consumption, various aspects of desirability, above all increased food and nutrition knowledge and skills, led to a positive consumption trend. The downward trend has most often been attributed to declining accessibility, but several aspects have also made these plant parts less affordable and less desirable (taboos for example). The strong variation in dimensions’ influence on plant parts with variable trends reflects their non-unanimous changes. Research and policies should address the factors influencing the consumption of these foods. Making neglected species more accessible, affordable, and desirable can enhance food security and environmental sustainability.

Engineering Motile Coacervate Droplets via Nanomotor Stabilization

Nutritional analysis of commercially available, complete plant- and meat-based dry dog foods in the UK

Background Adoption of a plant-based diet is a popular lifestyle choice for many owners of canine companion animals. Increasingly, owners would like to feed their canine companions a similar diet. A plant-based dietary pattern has been reported to be associated with some micronutrient deficiencies. Complete dog foods are, by definition, supposed to be nutritionally replete in all macro- and micronutrients. Few studies have reported a full nutritional analysis of complete, dry plant- versus meat-based dog foods. Method 31 dry commercially available dog foods (n = 19 meat-based, n = 6 veterinary and n = 6 plant-based) were analysed for total protein content and individual amino acids, fatty acids, major and trace elements, vitamin D and all B-vitamins. Results Nutritional composition of meat and plant-based foods were nutritionally similar, except for iodine and B-vitamins, which were lower in plant-based foods. The majority (66%) of veterinary diets with lower total protein by design, were also deficient in one or more essential amino acids. Isolated instances of non-compliance to nutritional guidelines were observed across all food-groups. Of the tested nutrients 55%, 16%, 24% and 100% of foods met all amino acid, mineral, B-vitamin, and vitamin D guidelines, respectively. Conclusions Adopting a plant-based dietary pattern for your companion canine can provide nutritional adequacy with respect to the majority of macro- and micronutrients, with the exception of iodine and B-vitamins, which could easily be supplemented. Veterinary-renal diets, purposely low in crude protein, often have less than optimal essential amino acid composition. These data provide important new information for owners of companion canines being fed plant-based or veterinary diets.

Jahn–Teller Distortion in the Amino-Functionalized Metal–organic Framework Promotes CH₄ Partial Oxidation with Enhanced in situ H₂O₂ Utilization Efficiency

Suicide assessment and feasible evidence-based treatments for adolescents living with HIV in Malawi: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background This pilot trial will investigate the feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, and preliminary efficacy of a combined youth-friendly suicide prevention and problem-solving intervention in reducing suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) in Malawi. Methods ALWH (N = 60) aged 13–19 who reported suicidal ideation and behaviors will be recruited from 5 health clinics. Participants will be randomized 1:1 either to the Safety Planning and Friendship Bench (SP + FB) (n = 30) or to augmented usual care (n = 30) and followed for 6 months. SP + FB includes 6 individual counseling sessions and 6 bi-monthly peer support group sessions delivered by psychological counselors. Feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, and preliminary efficacy will be assessed at 6-weeks and 3- and 6-month study visits and compared across the 2 study arms. Discussion The results of this study will provide insights into the feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, and preliminary efficacy of the combined SP + FB for reducing chronic and acute suicidality in ALWH compared to standard of care. This pilot study will lay the groundwork to test the SP + FB in a large-scale cluster randomized controlled trial to improve suicide prevention resources and interventions for ALWH in Malawi. The findings of the study will add to a critical body of research aiming to implement feasible, acceptable, and effective suicide prevention interventions as part of adolescent HIV care in low-resource settings. Trial registeration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06770101

Electron Transfer Theory Elucidates the Hidden Role Played by Triethylamine and Triethanolamine during Photocatalysis

Severe postpartum haemorrhage at a large referral hospital in Uganda: A prospective observational pilot study

Background Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality, near-misses and morbidity in Uganda and globally. Kawempe National Referral Hospital (KNRH), Uganda’s largest obstetric referral hospital, receives many obstetric emergencies, including PPH, from lower-level health facilities. Little is known about the outcomes and management of severe PPH at KNRH. This study aimed to map the occurrence, profile and management challenges of severe PPH at KNRH. Methods A prospective hospital-based observational pilot study was conducted between 5th April and 30th May 2023 at KNRH. Sixty women with severe PPH, both in-house and referrals, were enrolled. Data collection was done by research assistants on day 0–3 and 42 of inclusion, capturing characteristics, management and outcomes of the participants. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results Of the 60 participants, 47 were referrals. There were 3 maternal deaths, 56 maternal near-misses (hysterectomy, cardiovascular dysfunction, uterine rupture or massive blood loss, and 46 underwent critical interventions (intensive care, laparotomy or blood transfusions). All the participants with uterine ruptures and 12 out of the 13 participants with stillbirths and hysterectomies, respectively, were among referrals. Only referrals had an initial systolic blood pressure ≤ 60 mm Hg and received ≥ 5 units of blood. In both groups approximately two thirds received tranexamic acid and oxytocin/misoprostol while few of the participants (23.3%) received uterine massage. Nine women had surgical site infections (8 were referrals), and 15 had suboptimal (fair/poor) wellbeing at 6 weeks postpartum (13 were referrals). None of the comparisons were statistically significant due to too few observations. Conclusions Referrals were more critically ill and disproportionally affected by adverse outcomes and substandard care. While drugs and fluids were often timely administered according to national guidelines and did not differ greatly between the groups, gaps remained particularly non-pharmaceutical interventions. Bettered implementation of evidence-based PPH management and strengthening of the referral system could improve quality of care and maternal outcomes.

Unveiling the Switchable Chemoselectivity Mechanism in Electrochemical Nickel-Catalyzed C(sp²)–O Coupling of Phenols and Aliphatic Alcohols

Hybrid feature-based machine vision method for objective evaluation of textile pilling and fuzzing

The degree of pilling and fuzzing in textile fabrics is a crucial indicator of textile product quality. Current evaluation methods predominantly rely on subjective judgments, leading to issues such as rating errors and inefficiency. To achieve objective assessment of pilling and fuzzing grades, this study proposes a Hybrid Feature-Based Machine Vision Method for Objective Evaluation of Textile Pilling and Fuzzing. The method incorporates a Hybrid Feature-based Depthwise Separable Attention Network for Objective Evaluation of Textile Pilling and Fuzzing (HDAN-PF), which effectively extracts and fuses frequency and Space domain features. A Channel Attention mechanism enhances the model’s ability to capture subtle features, while Depthwise Separable Convolutions reduce computational complexity, improving evaluation speed while maintaining high accuracy.The model size is approximately 327.37 MB with a total parameter count of 135,115,512. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a classification accuracy of 96.26% on diverse fabric images, showcasing robust generalization and practical utility.By leveraging this machine vision approach, the proposed method offers a transformative solution for achieving objective, consistent, and efficient assessments of pilling and fuzzing grades, advancing textile quality evaluation practices.

Radical Propagation via σ-Cleavage Mediates Radical SAM Catalyzed Sulfur-for-Oxygen Swapping Reaction during the Biosynthesis of Albomycin δ₂

Arsenic bioaccumulation in fish of the lower meghna river: Seasonal dynamics, species sensitivity, and public health implications

The Lower Meghna River (LMR), located in one of Bangladesh’s most arsenic-contaminated regions, is essential for local fisheries and provides water for drinking, irrigation, and daily use. Consequently, this study investigates arsenic accumulation in ten edible, small indigenous species (SIS) of fish, considering their morphology, habitats, diets, and water and sediment conditions. Samples were analysed across three distinct river segments during three seasons. The arsenic levels in water and sediment fell within non-polluting limits; however, certain fish species, including Mystus vittatus, Glossogobius giuris, Lepidocephalichthys guntea, Neotropius atherinoides, and Apocryptes bato, surpassed the WHO’s safe consumption threshold (1 mg/kg). Arsenic levels in water, sediment, and fish show significant seasonal variations (p < 0.05) but no notable spatial differences (p > 0.05). Strong correlations exist between arsenic in fish and both water and sediment (R2 > 0.5). Fish body shape and the presence of scales notably influence arsenic accumulation. Benthic carnivores accumulate more arsenic than pelagic and benthic-pelagic omnivores. Children are especially vulnerable to health risks. While Hazard Indices (HI) and Hazard Quotients (HQ) for water and sediment remain within safe limits, fish consumption presents a risk. Furthermore, the cancer risk associated with fish consumption is higher than that from water and sediment pathways. These results highlight a significant food safety concern and emphasize the need for integrated arsenic risk management strategies in the Lower Meghna River region.

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (−)-Novofumigatonin

Constraints to sustainable energy technology implementation: Insights from an emerging economy using ISM-MICMAC analysis

The growing environmental, economic, and social challenges have compelled governments and policymakers to incorporate sustainable energy technologies. However, the development of sustainable energy technologies is hindered by various barriers in emerging economies like China. Although, previous studies attempted to investigate these barriers but there is dearth of studies determining the hierarchy ranking of the barriers. ISM based approach has been developed to fill this research gap by presenting the barriers on the basis of importance level. Through literature survey, fourteen barriers have been identified which were confirmed from expert’s panel. These fourteen barriers are displayed in six layers of ISM hierarchy form from bottom to top which exhibits their ranking on priority base. Findings revealed that high initial cost, longer payback period, and lack of proper financing facilities are major barriers in adopting sustainable energy technologies. However, lack of social acceptance is the least important barrier in sustainable energy technologies. This work will assist companies to better understand the relationships between the barriers which is useful to reduce the barriers strength by implementing effective strategies.

Catalytic Asymmetric Ionic Hydrogenation of α-Alkyl Styrenes