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Plant-based modified cellulose obtained from Populus nigra as a potential adsorbent for pesticides removal from aqueous media

Developing a quality and safety surveillance system: A protocol for a realist review and synthesis of the literature

Background Patient harm as a result of unsafe care remains a growing global health concern, and traditional efforts prioritising tracking errors and voluntary reporting to detect adverse events result in very low error detection rates. In attempting to address this, some countries have developed patient safety surveillance systems where several data sources are combined and interrogated to detect errors and deterioration as well as to highlight good practices. The development of such systems requires overcoming various technological, executive, financial, political, and behavioral challenges. The process of developing quality and safety surveillance systems is an important one that is worthy of research that enables the sharing of learning with countries embarking on the development of such a system. Aim This is the protocol of the realist review that aims to develop a programme theory that explores the underlying mechanisms and processes for developing a quality and safety surveillance system in healthcare settings. Design This paper presents the research protocol for the quality and safety surveillance system development. The realist synthesis method will be used to synthesize the evidence in the literature. Methods Initial programme theory will be developed based on a literature review, stakeholder consultations with the programme designers and developers, project meetings, the theory of change model that underpins the programme, and an understanding of systems theory to identify the context and mechanisms that cause quality and safety surveillance systems to succeed or fail in general healthcare settings. Three-phase iterative searches of PubMed, PsycInfo, Central, CINAHL, and Grey literature will be conducted. The studies in any setting and for any patient group will be included. The snowball technique will also be used to search the reference list of the related studies. The search period ranges from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2023. Results will be reported following RAMESES and PRISMA‐ScR guidelines.

Enhancing environmental sustainability and operational efficiency in a case study of limestone quarry in an arid climate

World first: ultra-powerful CRISPR treatment trialled in a person

Alpha thalassemia/mental retardation X-linked (ATRX) protein expression in human pituitary neuroendocrine tumours and its reported correlation to prognosis and clinical outcomes: A systematic review

Mutations in Alpha thalassemia/mental retardation X-linked (ATRX) have been implicated in several cancers, including gliomas, sarcomas, neuroendocrine tumors, and other mesenchymal malignancies. ATRX loss contributes to oncogenesis, accelerates tumor growth, and reduces survival by disrupting epigenetic and telomere mechanisms. Additionally, ATRX loss can increase tumor sensitivity to treatment therapies. While research has explored ATRX expression in many cancers, data on its relationship to prognosis in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) remain inconsistent. This systematic review aims to summarize all available studies on ATRX mutations and expression in PitNETs. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE databases was conducted to identify publications between 2014 and 2025 that investigated ATRX mutations or expression in PitNETs, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Of 32 identified studies, ten met the inclusion criteria, covering a total of 513 PitNETs. Only 20 tumors (3.9%) showed a loss of ATRX expression. Among these, 60% exhibited corticotrophic pathology, while 20% displayed lactotrophic pathology. A small subset of tumors (30%) was classified as pituitary carcinomas with aggressive and proliferative characteristics. Additionally, 10% demonstrated the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) phenotype, 50% had concurrent TP53 mutations, and 25% had elevated Ki-67 indices, indicating a higher proliferative index. Although ATRX mutations are rare in PitNETs, tumors with ATRX loss tend to be more aggressive and exhibit proliferative and transformative properties. Due to the limited number of cases, further studies with larger, prospective cohorts are needed to better understand the role of ATRX loss in PitNET progression and aggressiveness.

Research on early warning model of coal spontaneous combustion based on interpretability

US brain drain: Nature’s guide to the initiatives drawing scientists abroad

Associations between breastfeeding duration and weight status transitions in early childhood

Empirical evidence with respect to the protective effect of breastfeeding on childhood obesity remains inconclusive, and studies on sex-specific associations are sparse. We investigated whether (H1) longer breastfeeding duration reduces the risk of entry into elevated body mass (EBM); and (H2) longer breastfeeding duration increases the likelihood of exit from EBM. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), our sample comprised 10,550 mother-child pairs after excluding 100 non-biological pairs. The ECLS-B assessed children from 9 months of age through kindergarten, spanning infancy through 7 years of age. We used two transitions in weight status (i.e., entry to EBM and exit from EBM) as outcome variables. The main predictor was breastfeeding duration (i.e., never breastfed, up to 2 months, 3 to 7 months, and 8 months or longer). Multilevel discrete-time models for recurrent transitions were employed to examine bidirectional changes in weight status. Among girls, breastfeeding for 8 months or longer reduced the risk of transitioning into overweight (adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR): 0.76, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.89) or obesity (AHR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.82). Breastfeeding duration increased the likelihood of exiting EBM in a dose-response fashion among girls. Among boys, breastfeeding for 3 to 7 months was associated with preventing overweight (AHR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.92) or obesity (AHR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.98), but it did not help overcome EBM, regardless of breastfeeding duration. Breastfeeding duration helped to prevent EBM or overcome it, but these effects varied by the child’s sex. Further research should elucidate how the benefits of breastfeeding may differ for boys and girls, and explore the potential need for sex-specific public health policies.

Advanced multi-objective trajectory planning for robotic arms using a multi-strategy enhanced NSGA-II algorithm

Facing the problems of large-scale rapid and disorderly loading, the robotic arm has the problems of large start-stop impact, easy to shake, and reduced production efficiency and service life, this paper proposes a robotic arm motion planning method based on the improved multi-objective algorithm called LNSGA-II. Firstly, the artificial potential field method is used to plan the shortest path without collision, extract the key motion sequences, and establish the multi-objective function to improve the operating efficiency of the robotic arm, the smoothness of the motion trajectory, and the reduction of energy consumption. Then to solve the nonlinear constraints in the multi-objective trajectory planning, the infeasibility degree is designed, and the NSGA-II is improved by using the mutation chaos strategy and the dynamic goal-oriented development strategy. Numerical and trajectory planning experiments are conducted successively with the remaining five well-known multi-objective algorithms, and the experimental results demonstrate the superiority of LNSGA-II. Finally, the digital twin platform of MATLAB-CoppeliaSim-UR16e verifies the effectiveness of the method in real grasping tasks.

A study on the turnover intention of teachers in Chinese regional universities: A predictive power analysis based on five management dimensions of high-performance human resource practices

In this study, the direct influences of five management dimensions of high-performance human resource practices (HPHRP), i.e., talent selection and cultivation (TSC), career and job security (CJS), performance appraisal and compensation incentives (PACI), participative management (PM), and affective incentives (AI), on Chinese local university teachers’ turnover intentions (TI) were investigated. Additionally, the mediating role of organizational commitment (OC) in these relationships was examined. According to the results of a questionnaire survey among 740 teachers from five regional colleges and universities in China, the five management dimensions of HPHRP significantly and negatively impact college teachers’ TI, with TSC being the most influential predictor (B = -0.359, t = -10.597***, R² = 0.132), followed by AI ( = -0.277, t = -7.829***, R² = 0.077), PACI ( = -0.262, t = -7.390***, R² = 0.069), CJS ( = -0.262, t = -7.390***, R² = 0.069), and PM ( = -0.231, t = -6.456***, R² = 0.053). Furthermore, OC was found to partially mediate the relationship between TSC (B = -0.243, t = -5.987***, R² = 0.164), CJS (B = -0.105, t = -2.621**, R² = 0.131), PACI (B = -0.127, t = -3.290**, R² = 0.136), and AI (B = -0.126, t = -3.125**, R² = 0.135) on college teachers’ TI and completely mediated the influence of PM (B = -0.053, t = -1.288, R² = 0.125) on college teachers’ TI. The findings suggest that TSC, OC, and PM play more significant roles in affecting Chinese regional university teachers’ TI. In order to reduce teachers’ TI, local university administrators should focus on talent, encourage teachers to take part in school management, and strengthen their commitment to the university.

Understanding public trust in information about interim nuclear waste storage: The roles of acceptance, gender, and proximity

Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011, the Japanese government implemented extensive decontamination and waste management measures, including the establishment of an interim storage facility in Okuma and Futaba. This study aims to analyze residents’ trust in the information provided by the public authorities regarding this facility and to identify factors influencing that trust. A survey was conducted among 1,558 former residents of Tomioka, Okuma, and Futaba who were 18 years or older and held resident cards for one of these towns in both March 2011 and 2024. The questionnaire collected data on demographic variables; intention to return; thoughts on the storage facility; trust in public information; concerns about radiation-related genetic risks and negative perceptions due to the nuclear accident; and mental health status, assessed using the mental component of the SF-8 health survey. The results showed that 57.7% of respondents trusted the information provided by the public authorities regarding the storage facility. Factors significantly associated with trust included their acceptance of the facility, lack of concerns about radiation-related genetic risks, lack of concerns about negative images resulting from the nuclear accident, and good mental health status. A logistic regression analysis indicated that acceptance of the facility and good mental health significantly increased the likelihood of trusting information provided by the public authorities, while concerns about genetic risks and negative images significantly decreased it. These findings underscore the vital importance of recognizing and addressing residents’ concerns about health risks and negative perceptions related to nuclear waste management. By supporting the mental well-being of the community and fostering transparent communication, authorities can build trust and improve the acceptance of waste management facilities. Actively engaging with residents and responding to their worries facilitates the identification of adequate and acceptable recovery efforts after a nuclear accident.

Single particle acts as a quantum computer to simulate molecules

Correction: Assessing the impact of digital transformation on capital market information efficiency under environmental uncertainty: Evidence from China

Renal cancer cells acquire immune surface protein through trogocytosis and horizontal gene transfer

Trogocytosis is an underappreciated phenomenon that shapes the immune microenvironment surrounding many types of solid tumors. The consequences of membrane-bound proteins being deposited from a donor immune cell to a recipient cancer cell via trogocytosis are still unclear. Here, we report that human clear cell renal carcinoma tumors stably express the lymphoid markers CD45, CD56, CD14, and CD16. Flow cytometry performed on fresh kidney tumors revealed consistent CD45 expression on tumor cells, as well as varying levels of the other markers mentioned previously. These results were consistent with our immunofluorescent analysis, which also revealed colocalization of lymphoid markers with carbonic anhydrase 9, a standard kidney tumor marker. RNA analysis showed a significant upregulation of genes typically associated with immune cells by tumor cells. Finally, we show evidence of chromosomal DNA being transferred from immune cells to tumor cells through physical contact. This horizontal gene transfer has transcriptional consequences in the recipient tumor cell, resulting in a fusion phenotype that expresses both immune and cancer specific proteins. This work demonstrates a novel mechanism by which tumor cell protein expression is altered through the acquisition of surface membrane fragments and genomic DNA from infiltrating lymphocytes. These results alter the way in which we understand tumor-immune cell interactions and may reveal new insights into the mechanisms by which tumors develop. Additionally, further studies into trogocytosis and other mechanisms of contact-mediated cellular transfer will help push the field towards the next generation of immunotherapies and biomarkers for treating renal cell carcinoma and other cancers.

Genome-wide identification of the bZIP transcription factor family and expression analysis under abiotic stress in Zanthoxylum bungeanum

Zanthoxylum bungeanum (Zb) is an economically and medicinally significant crop that faces numerous environmental stresses due to its broad distribution. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors are extensively involved in plant responses to abiotic stresses and play essential roles in these processes. However, the understanding of bZIP transcription factors in Zb remains limited. In this study, 275 ZbbZIPs, which are unevenly distributed across 50 chromosomes and are classified into 13 subfamilies. Each subfamily presents conserved gene structures and motifs. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and segmental replication events have driven the expansion of ZbbZIPs. The ZbbZIP family contains a significant number of elements associated with stress and abscisic acid (ABA) responses, particularly in subfamily A. The codon usage pattern reveals a strong preference for T terminal codons in the ZbbZIP family. Compared with their expression levels under salt stress, the expression levels of the ZbbZIP family were greater under drought and cold stress. Homology annotation and expression profile analyses indicated that EVM0033673.1 (H, HYH), EVM0081289.1 (A, DPBF), EVM0001090.1 (A, DPBF), and EVM0023876.1 (A, ABF) may significantly contribute to Zb’s response to abiotic stresses. These results increase the understanding of the bZIP family and establish a basis for further investigations into the mechanisms by which Zb responds to abiotic stress.

Explosive volcanoes can bury carbon —a climate boon

Modeling and managing household travels taking into considering of school bus

This paper examines the household commuting problem in a bi-modal transportation that includes both autos and school buses. Traditional studies of household commuting have assumed that adults first drop off their children at school before driving to work. However, with the increasing use of school buses in metropolitan areas, household commuting patterns have changed. This paper investigates the impact of school buses on household travel behavior during morning peak hours. Simultaneously, this paper also takes into account the positive utilities of household commuters’ activities at home, school and workplace, as well as the negative utilities of travel time and schedule delay. In this paper, based on activity approach, first, a net utility function is developed using these factors. Then, based on the net utility function, the occurrence conditions of all the possible equilibrium travel patterns are analytically solved and the properties of the user equilibrium are researched. Specifically, this paper examines how equilibrium travel patterns are affected by school bus fares and school-work start time difference, and at equilibrium travel patterns, the net utilities of household commuters are also analyzed. Finally, a first-best time-varying toll model is suggested to alleviate traffic congestion caused by household commuting.

Does feeling collective responsibility for intergroup harm lead to infrahumanization?

Previous research has suggested that subtle dehumanization can occur as a consequence of harming others. According to this research, participants who feel a sense of collective responsibility for their ingroup contributing to the harm experienced by an outgroup may perceive members of that group as experiencing uniquely human emotions to a lesser extent, compared to when they do not feel responsible. We sought to understand whether these results replicate in two novel intergroup contexts: understanding UK residents’ perceptions of those who disproportionately experience the harmful effects of climate change in Nigeria, and employees working in exploitative conditions in fast fashion supply chains. Across three well-powered and pre-registered studies, we successfully manipulated perceived harm against the target groups and perceived ingroup responsibility for that harm. However, we found no evidence for the previously reported relationship between one’s sense of collective responsibility for harm and the perceived extent that target outgroup members experience uniquely human emotions. Instead, a more straightforward pattern was found in all three studies, whereby participants perceived outgroup members to experience negative emotions to a greater extent when harm towards them has been made salient. This trend was irrespective of whether the emotions were uniquely human (e.g., admiration, shame) or shared with other animals (e.g., joy, sadness). The often evoked relationship between the need to justify harm and the tendency to subtly dehumanize harmed outgroup members may be less common than is often assumed.

What are we learning with Yoga? Mapping the scientific literature on Yoga using a vector-text-mining approach

The techniques used in yoga have roots in traditions that precede modern science. Research shows that yoga enhances quality of life and well-being, positively impacting physical and mental health. As yoga gains acceptance in Western countries, scientific studies on the subject increase exponentially. However, many of these studies are considered inconsistent due to the diverse methodologies and focuses in the field, which creates challenges for researchers and hampers progress. This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for existing literature on yoga, facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration and bringing new light to relevant aspects. Given the complexity of the subject, advanced modeling techniques are necessary. Contemporary artificial intelligence methods have advanced Bioinformatics, including text mining (TM), allowing us to employ vector representations of texts to derive semantic insights and organize literature effectively. Based on TM resources, we provided a better general understanding of yoga and highlighted the relationships between yoga practice and various domains, including biochemical parameters and neuroscience. It also reveals that practitioners can learn to engage with their bodies and environments actively, enhancing their quality of life. However, there is a lack of research exploring the mechanisms behind this learning and its potential for further enhancement. Vector TM has made it possible to bolster and improve human analysis. The set of resources developed allowed us to determine the mapping of the literature, the analysis of which revealed 4 dimensions (exercise, physiology, theory and therapeutic) divided into 9 cohesive groups, representing the trends in the literature. The resulting platforms are available to Yoga researchers to evaluate our findings and make their forays into the existing literature.

Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of gamithromycin for treating Pasteurella multocida infection in cattle using a tissue cage model

In this study, gamithromycin, a long-acting azalide antibiotic recently introduced for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) treatment, was evaluated for its effectiveness against Pasteurella multocida using a cattle tissue cage model. Gamithromycin (6 mg/kg) was administered via both intravenous and subcutaneous routes and the gamithromycin contents in sera, transudates, and exudates were measured using HPLC/MS-MS. Non-compartmental methods were utilized for assessing pharmacokinetic parameters and an inhibitory sigmoid Emax model determined associations between the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) indices and antibacterial activity. The area under the 24-h concentration-time curve/minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC0-24h/MIC) was found to be an optimal measure of antibacterial activity. The AUC0-24h/MIC values over 24 h in sera, transudates, and exudates were 0.27, 0.17, and 0.14, respectively, for bacteriostatic effects, while for bactericidal activity, the AUC0-24h/MIC values over 24 h in sera and exudates 3.76 and 5.31, respectively, and for bacterial eradication, the serum value was 18.46. These findings contribute valuable insights into the optimization of gamithromycin dosing regimens for treating respiratory conditions caused by Pasteurella multocida in cattle.