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Engaging me softly: Comparing social drivers for continuative citizens’ participation in a long-term citizen science initiative on protected species monitoring

The engagement of volunteers in Citizen Science (CS) projects is a relevant issue that needs to be addressed to ensure long-term sustainability, scientific relevance, and public participation. Given this, the present paper analyses the social drivers of volunteers’ involvement in a long-term CS initiative to monitor protected species and habitats all over Italian national territory. This initiative was initially born as the LIFE11 NAT/IT/000252 MIPP (Monitoring of Insects with Public Participation), then changed name to “InNat” benefitting from Italian national fundings, and it finally ended in 2024. Overall, it counts more than 1600 participants to whom a dedicated survey was submitted in 2022 to compare and analyse different factors potentially driving participation (potential enablers) and fostering engagement within the project. Based on the survey results (22.3% response rate of 1632 invitations sent), different drivers for participation are modelled (socio-demographic features, interest in scientific topics, environmental attitudes) considering the following main factors: (i) the level of commitment to the initiative, (ii) the seniority of the citizen scientist involved, (iii) the attitudes towards nature conservation and species monitoring, (iv) the value assigned to CS activities. In this context, socio-demographic variables have been compared to attitudes and practices connected to open-air monitoring activities (e.g., recording protected species and habitats by taking pictures in nature). The proposed analyses tackle a variety of cultural and social components as well as their relationship, highlighting some of the features (e.g., active interest in CS activities reverberating in both commitments to engage other volunteers and active search for CS initiatives) that characterize constant participation. We classified volunteers into two categories (i.e., Consistent Volunteers and Non-Consistent Volunteers), comparing these two categories along potential enablers of engagement. Results show homogeneity among volunteers for several parameters (e.g., similar education level, age, occupational status) but also differences in personal motivation and active interest in citizen science initiatives.

Using the medication adherence reasons scale (MAR-scale) to identify the reasons for non-adherence in Chinese hypertensive patients

Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence of medication non-adherence and to explore the factors influencing it among Chinese hypertensive patients. Patients and methods A total of 571 hypertensive patients hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Xi’an, China were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. The Chinese Version of Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (ChMAR-Scale) was used to identify the most common reasons for non-adherence to hypertension medications.Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze independent risk factors for adherence in hypertensive patients.Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the adherence rates and trends in the reasons for non-adherence. Results Approximately 66.9% of the patients did not adhere to their medications.Age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.976, 95%CI:0.955–0.998, P = 0.032),education level(AOR = 0.566, 95% CI:0.419–0.765,P < 0.001) and blood pressure (BP) categories (AOR = 0.580, 95% CI: 0.439–0.767,P < 0.001) were independently associated with hypertensive medication adherence. Belief issues and self-perception issues were identified as the main reasons for medication non-adherence.These included self-adjustment of medications according to BP or physical condition, checking whether the medicine was still needed, concerns about long-term effects, and the belief that there was no longer a need to take the medicine. Conclusion Poor medication adherence is widespread among Chinese hypertension patients. More attention should be paid,and effective strategies should be developed to address the factors affecting treatment adherence.These factors include certain sociodemographic factors,such as age,education level and BP categories as well as belief issues and self-perception issues of hypertensive patients. The findings of this study can potentially assist healthcare providers in formulating targeted interventions to improve medication adherence.

Discovery and Biosynthesis of Celluxanthenes, Antibacterial Arylpolyene Alkaloids From Diverse Cellulose‐Degrading Anaerobic Bacteria

Abstract Cellulose degradation by anaerobic bacteria plays an eminent role in the global carbon cycle and is a critical step in biofuel production. The anaerobic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum (now: Acetivibrio thermocellus ) is particularly efficient at breaking down biomass and produces a “yellow affinity substance” (YAS), a pigment that has been implicated in signaling and conferring higher affinity of the cellulosome to YAS‐loaded cellulose. However, the nature and biosynthetic origin of YAS have remained elusive. Here, we show by isolation and structure elucidation that YAS is a complex of unusual arylpolyene alkaloids (celluxanthenes). Stable isotope labeling experiments reveal all biosynthetic building blocks for celluxanthene assembly. Through a targeted gene deletion, we identify the celluxanthene ( cex ) biosynthesis gene cluster and propose a biosynthetic model in which an arylpolyene generated by an iterative type I polyketide synthase (PKS) undergoes a head‐to‐head fusion with a tryptophan‐derived ketoacid to form a tetronate. Genome mining and metabolic profiling revealed that diverse cellulolytic anaerobes harbor cex gene loci and produce celluxanthene congeners. Celluxanthenes show antibiotic activity against Gram‐positive bacteria including clinically relevant strains. This study solves the long‐standing enigma surrounding the nature of YAS and lays the groundwork for elucidating the precise biological roles of these intricate pigments.

Self-care in haemodialysis treatment tasks in community and hospital-based units: A cross-sectional study

Background Patient self-care improves outcomes in chronic diseases, yet patients in haemodialysis units tend to be passive recipients of treatments. Purpose To explore patient self-care in haemodialysis tasks and identify factors influencing interest and participation. Methods Patient interest and participation were assessed using a Likert-type scale. Associations were tested with bi-variate analysis and logistic regression, accounting for hemodialysis unit type. Results Questionnaires from 339 patients in hospital and community-based units showed 89.1% expressed interest in care tasks. Lower education (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.15–0.9) and being single (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12–0.6) decreased interest. Participation in treatment tasks was observed in 40.1% of patients. Lesser odds of participation were seen amongst those of Jewish religion (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.02–0.54), and dialyzing in community units (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.76), whereas higher odds were seen in people reporting higher economic status (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.44–4.93), venous access via arteriovenous shunts (OR 3.31, 95% CI 1.98–5.54), more years on dialysis (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.06–3.24), and participants expressing interest in participation (OR 6.01, 95% CI 2.18–16.53). A larger proportion of patients who were not interested in participation were from community-based units (75.7%), compared to those who expressed at least some interest (61%). Conclusions While most patients expressed interest in participating, only a minority actually participated. There is need for greater engagement of interested patients. Organizational factors play an important role in determining actual participation, above and beyond personal patient factors. Patients should be presented with the opportunity to participate according to their interest and capabilities.

Bioinspired Cationic Antimicrobial Polymers

Abstract Antibiotics are an essential tool of modern medicine, which is critically endangered by the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Without effective antibiotics, a number of medical advancements from the last century are in jeopardy, threatening our global public health and leading to a high death toll. To counteract this development, new therapeutic strategies, that are insusceptible to resistance development have to be established. Among them, antimicrobial polymers (AP)s are a promising class of materials. Their mode‐of‐action is highly unspecific as they kill bacteria by membrane permeabilization or precipitation of intracellular components. As such, it is unlikely for APs to be affected by AMR. This review highlights recent advances in AP design and understanding of structure–property relationships of these cationic macromolecules. One spotlight is on the polymeric architecture and how it influences AP bioactivity. A second highlight is stimuli‐responsive APs and their potential to increase AP selectivity. Moreover, synergistic effects, e.g., between polymer and antibiotics are reviewed. The last focus is on in vivo applications of APs, which could pave a way toward clinical applications.

Direct Conversion of Aromatic Lactones into Bioisosteres by Carbonyl‐to‐Boranol Exchange

Abstract Bioisosteric replacement is an important strategy in drug discovery and is commonly practiced in medicinal chemistry; however, the incorporation of bioisosteres typically requires laborious multistep de novo synthesis. The direct conversion of a functional group into its corresponding bioisostere is of particular significance in evaluating structure‐property relationships. Herein, we report a functional‐group‐exchange strategy that enables the direct conversion of aromatic lactones, a prevalent motif in bioactive molecules, into their corresponding cyclic hemiboronic acid bioisosteres. Scope evaluation and product derivatization experiments demonstrate the synthetic value and broad functional‐group compatibility of this strategy, while the application of this methodology to the rapid remodeling of chromenone cores in bioactive molecules highlights its utility.

Expression of Concern: Observations of linear aggregation behavior in rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus)

Superfast Protein Desulfurization Triggered by Low‐Energy Visible Light

Abstract The combination of transthioesterification‐based ligation of thiol‐derived amino acids and the post‐ligation desulfurization has greatly expanded the scope of modern chemical protein synthesis. Here, we report a new strategy of low‐energy visible light‐induced desulfurization (LEnVLD) that enables superfast and clean protein desulfurization (half life = 1.7 s) with improved reaction selectivity compared to the previous methods. The LEnVLD method can be easily carried out under very mild conditions using only a catalytic amount of fluorescent dye and household flashlight (ca. 5 W) irradiation, eliminating the need for any pyrophoric reagent, thiol additives, or excessive radical initiators, and its practicality was demonstrated by the fast and high‐yielding desulfurization of more than 30 peptide and protein substrates bearing a variety of sensitive functional groups (e.g., Thz, N‐alkylated maleimide, and thioester). Moreover, the convenience and robustness of LEnVLD enable its extension to versatile reaction scenarios (e.g., solid‐supported desulfurization and flow chemistry‐based desulfurization) that would enhance the practical capability of chemical protein synthesis.

Characterizing nitrogen cycling microorganisms and genes in sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Microorganisms play a central role in driving the biogeochemical cycles in lakes (reservoirs). This study aims to refine the microbial-driven nitrogen cycle processes in the sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir and assess the overall state of nitrogen cycling within these sediments. The study focuses on the Three Gorges Reservoir as the research area, using metagenomic sequencing as a research method and measuring various environmental factors in the sediment of the region, systematically investigates the nitrogen cycle microorganisms and corresponding functional gene abundance characteristics attached to sediments from upstream, midstream, and downstream areas within the region, and explores key factors that may influence the composition of nitrogen cycle microbial communities. The outcomes of the present study manifest that within the sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir, seven principal nitrogen cycling pathways exist. These pathways are specifically nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, nitrogen transport, organic nitrogen metabolism, assimilatory nitrate reduction, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction. Furthermore, the results of this study also reveal that the anaerobic ammonium oxidation genes are barely present in the sediments of this region, which indicates that the probability of the occurrence of anaerobic ammonium oxidation reactions in this area is negligible. The abundance of nitrogen cycle related functional genes and the diversity, composition and community structure of nitrogen cycling microorganisms differ among the upstream, midstream, and downstream regions. This suggests that as sediment particle size decreases along the course from the upstream to the downstream, it may have an impact on the distribution and community structure of nitrogen cycling microorganisms.

Synthesis and Characterization of Circumtetracene: Unraveling Structure‐Property Relationships of Circumacenes

Abstract Circumacenes have garnered significant interest in both fundamental science and nanoelectronics due to their unique electronic structures. However, their synthesis and investigations into the structure–property relationships present considerable challenges. In this work, we report the successful synthesis and characterization of a stable circumtetracene derivative in crystalline form. For comparison, a new circumanthracene derivative was also prepared. The electronic properties of both compounds were systematically investigated using both various experimental techniques and theoretical calculations. It was found that circumtetracene exhibits a dominant local aromatic nature with small open‐shell diradical character, while circumanthracene displays a closed‐shell global aromatic character. Both compounds show amphoteric redox behavior with narrow energy gaps. The dication of circumtetracene and the dianions of circumtetracene and circumanthracene can be obtained experimentally through chemical oxidation and reduction, all displaying intense NIR absorptions. Furthermore, the electronic properties of these derivatives were compared with those of previously reported circumacene analogues, revealing a transition in electronic structure from closed‐shell global aromatic to singlet open‐shell local aromatic configurations upon π‐extension. This work provides a comprehensive exploration of the structure‐property relationships within the circumacene series, offering valuable insights for the design and synthesis of novel multizigzag‐edged nanographenes with tunable electronic properties.

Effect of Alternating Polarity in Electrochemical Olefin Hydrocarboxylation

Abstract The electrochemical generation of radical anions from feedstock olefins offers a selective and efficient route for synthesizing commodity chemicals and pharmaceutical precursors via hydrofunctionalization. Traditional methods for electrochemical olefin hydrofunctionalization, for example, hydrocarboxylation, rely on anion intermediates and follow an electrochemical–chemical–electrochemical–chemical (ECEC) mechanism involving olefin reduction, carboxylation, further reduction, and protonation. Enhancing terminal carboxylate selectivity often requires a proton source, reducing functional group tolerance and favoring proton reduction over olefin reduction. Alternating polarity, a nascent technique in organic electrochemistry, can improve product selectivity by influencing electron transfer rates and electrode surface species. Herein, we report the use of alternating polarity to selectively generate radical anions from styrene derivatives, using electrochemical hydrocarboxylation as a model. This approach shifts the mechanism to an electrochemical–chemical–chemical (ECC) pathway, where the final step involves hydrogen atom transfer. We showcase how alternating polarity modulates product selectivity, yield, and material decomposition, offering new insights into how alternating polarity can advance olefin functionalization by enabling more controlled and selective reaction pathways.

The development and evaluation of a concussion education workshop for Gaelic games

Concussions are frequent in Gaelic games and risky behaviours following a concussion are common. With the imminent integration of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Camogie Association, the development of a standardised concussion education initiative for all Gaelic games members is warranted. Thus, we aimed to develop a standardised concussion education workshop and evaluate if it improves concussion knowledge and attitudes in the Gaelic games community. A once-off concussion education workshop was developed in collaboration with the Gaelic games governing bodies and was delivered to 95 participants. Participants completed a survey (demographics, ROCKaS and the Perceptions of Concussion Inventory for Athletes [PCI-A]) pre-workshop and 1-month post-workshop (n = 55). Wilcoxon signed rank tests examined the differences pre- and 1-month post-workshop. One-month post-workshop, most participants strongly agreed/agreed that they can recognise concussion signs and symptoms (98.2%), know what to do in the event of a potential concussion (98.2%) and understand return to play guidelines (96.3%). Concussion knowledge (r = 0.34, p < 0.001), clarity (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and control (r = 0.25, p = 0.01) significantly improved following the workshop. While concussion attitudes improved, the difference was not significant. No significant differences in anxiety, effects, treatment and symptom variability were noted from the PCI-A. A once-off time-efficient standardised concussion education workshop can enhance participants’ concussion knowledge, clarity of concussion and beliefs of how much control they have over the outcomes of a concussion. A national rollout of the standardised concussion education workshop across the Gaelic games community, implemented as part of a wider concussion initiative, is recommended.

DNA‐Based Signal Circuit for Self‐Regulated Bidirectional Communication in Protocell‐Living Cell Communities

Abstract Developing synthetic biology tools to control cell‐to‐cell signaling can provide new capabilities to engineer cell‐cell communication and program desired cellular behaviors. As cell mimics, abiotic protocells provide an attractive opportunity to modulate the intercellular communication with design‐based regulatory features. Despite the chemical communication of protocells that interact with living cells have been demonstrated, the autonomous regulation of intercellular signal transmission in protocell/living cell community remains a critical challenge. Herein, we designed a DNA circuit consisting of a recognition module, activation module, and feedback module that enables protocells to self‐regulate the interaction with living cells by sensing and responding to the signal released from living cells. The feedback module with renewable capability is capable of processing the signal transduction on the membrane surface of protocells and controlling intercellular adhesion. Once dissociated from living cells, the disengaged protocells allow the following interaction with multiple target living cells in succession. Overall, this work provides an avenue to control and program dynamic signal propagation in protocell/living cell community. The designed communication with living cells would open new ways to tune cellular behavior and apply them to cell‐based therapeutics.

Forecasting of natural gas consumption in China’s logistics industry based on semi-hierarchical control

This paper proposes a research framework based on semi-hierarchical control, analyzes the mechanism of gas instead of oil in China’s logistics industry, and uses several forecasting methods to forecast. The research findings include that: (1) the driving mechanism of substitution of natural gas for gasoline and diesel indicates that natural gas is encouraged by China’s policies and the cost of use is lower, China’s logistics industry will reduce its dependence on gasoline and diesel. (2) By using grey forecasting method, regression trend method and Bass model to forecast natural gas consumption in logistics industry, they show that the forecasting results under different circumstances are helpful for China’s government departments to estimate the consumption trend of natural gas in logistics industry according to different market environments. (3) Based on the reverse feedback mechanism of semi -hierarchical control, combined forecasting methods are established, the hard problem that the combined forecasting coefficients are also solved. Combined forecasting methods are useful complements to meet the forecasting demands of logistics industry’s natural gas consumption, and further improve the forecasting accuracy. (4) According to mean relative error, the error percentages of grey forecasting, regression trend method and Bass model are respectively in 5.373%, 2.9%, and 5.94%, the error percentages of combined forecasting methods are within 2.9%−3.1%, the combined forecasting methods have better forecasting stability.

Prediction of electrical load demand using combined LHS with ANFIS

Enhancement prediction of load demand is crucial for effective energy management and resource allocation in modern power systems and especially in medical segment. Proposed method leverages strengths of ANFIS in learning complex nonlinear relationships inherent in load demand data. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, researchers conducted hybrid methodology combine LHS with ANFIS, using actual load demand readings. Comparative analysis investigates performing various machine learning models, including Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS) alone, and ANFIS combined with Latin Hypercube sampling (LHS), in predicting electrical load demand. The paper explores enhancing ANFIS through LHS compared with Monte Carlo (MC) method to improve predictive accuracy. It involves simulating energy demand patterns over 1000 iterations, using performance metrics through Mean Squared Error (MSE). The study shows superior predictive performance of ANFIS-LHS model, achieving higher accuracy and robustness in load demand prediction across different time horizons and scenarios. Thus, findings of this research contribute to advanced developments rather than previous research by introducing a combined predictive methodology that leverages LHS to ensure solving limitations of previous methods like structured, stratified sampling of input variables, reducing overfitting and enhancing adaptability to varying data sizes. Additionally, it incorporates sensitivity analysis and risk assessment, significantly improving predictive accuracy. Using Python and Simulink Matlab, Combined LHS with ANFIS showing accuracy of 96.42% improvement over the ANFIS model alone.

Correction for Arseni et al., TFIIH-dependent <i>MMP-1</i> overexpression in trichothiodystrophy leads to extracellular matrix alterations in patient skin

Margin weighted robust discriminant score for feature selection in imbalanced gene expression classification

High-dimensional gene expression data poses significant challenges for binary classification, particularly in the context of feature selection methods. Conventional methods, for example, Proportional Overlap Score, Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Test, Weighted Signal to Noise Ratio, ensemble Minimum Redundancy and Maximum Relevance, Fisher Score and Robust Weighted Score for unbalanced data are impacted by key challenges, such as, class imbalance and redundancy. To mitigate these issues, customized feature selection methods are required to tackle the class imbalance issue. This study proposes a more robust solution, Margin Weighted Robust Discriminant Score, for feature selection in the context of high dimensional imbalanced problems. MW-RDS integrates a minority amplification factor to ensure the impact of minority class observation during feature ranking process. The amplification factor along with class specific stability weights obtained from minority-focused robust discriminant score are used for achieving maximum differential capability of genes/features. The score is weighted by margin weights extracted from support vectors to enhance the discriminative power of genes/features thereby highlighting its potential for class separation. Finally, top-ranked genes/features are constrained using ℓ1-regularization to discard redundant genes while identifying the most significant ones. The performance of the proposed method is tested on 9 openly accessible gene expression datasets, using Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, and Weighted k Nearest Neighbors classifiers in term of performance metrics, i.e., accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, and precision. The results reveal that the proposed method outperforms the existing methods in most of the cases. Boxplots and stability-plots are also generated to gain a deeper understanding of the results. To futher assess the efficacy of the proposed method, the paper also gives a detailed simulation study.

Cobalt‐Metalated 1D Perylene Diimide Carbon‐Organic Framework for Enhanced Photocatalytic <i>α</i> ‐C(sp ³ )─H Activation and CO ₂ Reduction

Abstract The photocatalytic activation of inert C(sp 3 )─H bonds in saturated aza ‐heterocycles provides a direct and efficient route to high‐value α‐amino amides but remains challenging due to intrinsically high bond dissociation energies. Herein, we report a cobalt‐metalated, one‐dimensional ABC‐stacking covalent organic framework ( PP‐COF‐Co ), integrating perylene diimide (PDI) as a photosensitizer and 1,10‐phenanthroline as a metal coordination site. Cobalt metalation significantly enhances photocatalytic efficiency, enabling the α ‐C(sp 3 )─H carbamoylation of saturated aza ‐heterocycles with yields of up to 91%, far surpassing its non‐metalated counterpart (59%). This enhancement arises from the synergistic interplay between the PDI units and cobalt centers, which promote electron‐hole pair separation and enhance singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) generation. Moreover, PP‐COF‐Co exhibits a 57‐fold increase in photocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity compared to its pristine analogue. This work highlights the critical role of metalation in modulating charge dynamics within COF‐based photocatalysts and offers insights into the development of next‐generation materials for sustainable catalysis.

An overview of the treatment interventions and assessment of fear-avoidance for chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults: A scoping review protocol

Introduction The Fear-Avoidance (FA) model aims to explain how an acute pain experience can develop into a persistent state. The FA model considers five core components: kinesiophobia, pain-related fear, catastrophisation, victimisation, and interpersonal social environment. Amongst these, kinesiophobia, tends to dominate the literature on chronic musculoskeletal pain. As a result, current reviews have not considered the other core components of the FA model when exploring its interventions. Moreover, several synonyms of the term kinesiophobia is not reflected in their search strategies. Coupled with the preference of particular study designs and outcome measures, this scoping review aims to provide and characterise an overview of treatment interventions that consider all study designs, relevant outcome measures, FA components, and FA component synonyms. Methods and analysis Eligible studies will be in English or with an available English translation from 1970 onwards. Databases to be searched include Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, The Allied and Complementary Database (AMED), PEDro, Web of Science, and grey literature. We will include studies involving participants ≥18 years old with chronic musculoskeletal pain, and interventions targeting FA and/or its components. Three review authors will independently screen papers using preestablished eligibility criteria and conduct assessments of risk of bias, with a fourth independent researcher employed to resolve disagreements where found. Qualitative synthesis techniques will be used to characterise the interventions. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) has been utilised to develop this protocol and will be conducted following completion of the systematic review to discuss and reflect on the findings. Ethics and dissemination This systematic review does not require ethical approval as existing data will be used and the PPI to be conducted is an involvement activity rather than study data. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and via national and international conferences. Open Science Framework registration number This protocol is registered on Open Science Framework: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NR37A

Correction for Bizup et al., Cochlear zinc signaling dysregulation is associated with noise-induced hearing loss, and zinc chelation enhances cochlear recovery