Search Results (257)

Background: Missed nursing care (MNCs) is a global issue with the potential to threaten patient safety and is often associated with a stressful work environment. Although stress-related work among clinical nurses is associated with MNCs, the correlation remains limited. Objective: This systematic review aimed to assess and synthesize available scientific evidence regarding the correlation between stress-related work among clinical nurses and the incidence of MNCs in hospital settings. Methods: This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. The PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO databases were systematically searched for articles published between January 2014 and June 2025. Primary studies with quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods designs that examined the relationship between stress-related work and MNCs among hospital nurses were included. The data obtained were extracted and analyzed using thematic approaches. Results: A total of 244 articles were identified from the three databases. Seven studies, conducted in different countries met the inclusion criteria. All studies used cross-sectional designs. The results showed that most study reported stress-related work, emotional fatigue, and burnout were significantly positively related to the frequency of MNCs (p < 0.05). The most frequently missed types of nursing care include monitoring vital signs, skin/wound care, and oral care. Conclusions: The evidence suggests that stress-related work among nurses has significant potential to predict MNCs. Interventions that focus on mitigating work stress by improving the work environment and optimizing workload are crucial for improving quality of care and patient safety. Full article

Objective: To assess whether chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) severity is associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adult people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study of 44 adults with CF who underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) assessment, and sinus computed tomography (CT). CRS severity was quantified using the Lund–Mackay score (LMS) and the main nasal cavity score (MNCS). OSA was defined by Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI) thresholds per American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria. Results: Participants had a mean age of 31.1 ± 8.4 years and a mean percent predicted FEV1 of 51.8 ± 15.7. Sinus CT showed radiological evidence of CRS in all participants. Mean AHI was 5.3 ± 4.4/h; 48% had AHI ≥ 5/h. There were no significant differences between pwCF with and without OSA in age, sex, BMI, lung function, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, or ESS score (all p > 0.05). Mean LMS and MNCS did not differ between OSA and non-OSA groups (both p > 0.05), and neither score correlated with PSG parameters or ESS (all p > 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated low discriminative ability of LMS and MNCS for predicting OSA (AUCs < 0.70, p < 0.05). Conclusions: In this cohort of adults with CF, CT-based CRS severity was not associated with OSA. Given the substantial prevalence of OSA observed, PSG screening should be considered irrespective of CRS severity. Full article

The field of electrochemical devices, encompassing energy storage, fuel cells, electrolysis, and sensing, is fundamentally reliant on the electrode materials that govern their performance, efficiency, and sustainability. Traditional materials, while foundational, often face limitations such as restricted reaction kinetics, structural deterioration, and dependence on costly or scarce elements, driving the need for continuous innovation. Emerging electrode materials are designed to overcome these challenges by delivering enhanced reaction activity, superior mechanical robustness, accelerated ion diffusion kinetics, and improved economic feasibility. In energy storage, for example, the shift from conventional graphite in lithium-ion batteries has led to the exploration of silicon-based anodes, offering a theoretical capacity more than tenfold higher despite the challenge of massive volume expansion, which is being mitigated through nanostructuring and carbon composites. Simultaneously, the rise of sodium-ion batteries, appealing due to sodium’s abundance, necessitates materials like hard carbon for the anode, as sodium’s larger ionic radius prevents efficient intercalation into graphite. In electrocatalysis, the high cost of platinum in fuel cells is being addressed by developing Platinum-Group-Metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts like metal–nitrogen–carbon (M-N-C) materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Similarly, for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water electrolysis, cost-effective alternatives such as nickel–iron hydroxides are replacing iridium and ruthenium oxides in alkaline environments. Furthermore, advancements in materials architecture, such as MXenes—two-dimensional transition metal carbides with metallic conductivity and high volumetric capacitance—and Single-Atom Catalysts (SACs)—which maximize metal utilization—are paving the way for significantly improved supercapacitor and catalytic performance. While significant progress has been made, challenges related to fundamental understanding, long-term stability, and the scalability of lab-based synthesis methods remain paramount for widespread commercial deployment. The future trajectory involves rational design leveraging advanced characterization, computational modeling, and machine learning to achieve holistic, system-level optimization for sustainable, next-generation electrochemical devices. Full article

In this study, we report the development of a recombinant human G-CSF fused with apolipoprotein A-I. The chimeric protein was expressed in Pichia pastoris. Using human bone marrow cells, the fusion protein was shown to retain the granulocyte activity of authentic G-CSF, more effectively inducing the differentiation and maturation of segmented neutrophils and maintaining the viability of progenitor cells. Using human mononuclear cells and THP cells, the resulting protein demonstrated monocytic activity, manifested by an increase in both total and CD14+ cell counts. By maintaining cell viability, the chimeric protein reduced the number of cells expressing caspase 3/7. G-CSF-ApoAI demonstrated accelerated cytokine regulation, promoting a more rapid transition of inflammation phases, accompanied by increased phagocytosis of latex particles, compared with G-CSF, increasing phagocytosis by 1.4-fold in the LPS-induced inflammation model. This suggests that this new pleotropic factor may be useful for pathogen clearance in infected wounds. Full article

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an age-associated disease characterized by damage to the central retina and represents a leading cause of acquired blindness, with increasing prevalence in aging populations. However, effective therapeutic options remain limited. The accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells leads to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggering cellular senescence and cell death that contribute to the pathogenesis of AMD. Therefore, removal of accumulated dysfunctional mitochondria in senescent RPE cells is expected to treat AMD. Herein, we investigated transferrin (Trf)-modified mitophagy-inducing dual-drug nanocarriers (Trf-M-NCs) for the treatment of a senescent RPE cell. To evaluate efficacy, we used sodium iodate-treated ARPE-19 cells. The Trf-M-NCs exhibited significantly higher uptake by ARPE-19 cells than the unmodified M-NCs. Importantly, Trf-M-NC treatment alleviated cellular senescence by restoring the mitochondrial functions. Furthermore, Trf-M-NC treatment not only restored the production of α-ketoglutarate, an essential energy source for photoreceptor cells, but also reduced the secretion of IL-6, a key inflammatory cytokine. These findings suggest that improving mitochondrial quality in RPE cells is a novel and promising therapeutic approach for AMD. Full article

Background: This study examines how Green Knowledge Integration Capability (GKIC) influences supplier performance within sustainable supply chains by balancing exploration (acquiring new knowledge) and exploitation (refining existing knowledge) strategies. Methods: Based on Social Exchange Theory, Relationship Motivation Theory, and Absorptive Capacity Theory, a conceptual model was developed and tested using cross-sectional survey data collected from 398 managers representing 240 multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Pakistan. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to analyse the relationships among exploration and exploitation focus, Green Management Innovation (GMI), GKIC, Green Absorptive Capacity (GAC), and supplier performance. Results: The findings indicate that exploration and exploitation strategies significantly enhance supplier performance, with GKIC acting as a mediating mechanism linking strategic focus and innovation to performance outcomes. Moreover, GAC strengthens the impact of the exploration and exploitation focus on performance but exhibits limited moderating effects for GMI and GKIC pathways. Conclusions: The results highlight GKIC’s critical role in translating strategic and innovation initiatives into supplier performance gains. This study contributes to the sustainable supply chain literature and provides actionable insights for managers and policymakers to enhance sustainability outcomes through knowledge integration and absorptive capacity development. Full article

This study provides empirical evidence of tax-induced profit-shifting by multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Morocco, an underexplored developing country context characterized by notable tax arbitrage potential. Using a micro-level panel dataset of foreign-owned subsidiaries from 2014 to 2023, we employ a pseudo-ordinary least squares (POLS) framework to examine how corporate income tax (CIT) differentials affect subsidiaries’ earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). The results indicate that higher CIT differentials significantly reduce reported profits, supporting the indirect evidence on corporate profit-shifting behaviour. Our findings also document that the effect of the CIT differential on EBIT is moderated by firm capitalization. However, contrary to investment distortion theory, subsidiaries do not reduce investment in response to higher effective capital costs. This study also assesses the impact of Morocco’s implementation of BEPS, the COVID-19 shock, and institutional quality indicators on subsidiaries’ reported EBIT. The findings highlight the strategic role of capital structure and governance in shaping MNCs’ tax-motivated behaviour. This study contributes to the literature on international taxation and corporate finance and offers important policy implications for developing economies seeking to balance revenue integrity, investment incentives, and robust anti-avoidance enforcement. Full article

Metal-based electrical contact materials (ECMs) are essential in switching devices and rotating electrical machines, where sliding contacts enable reliable current transmission under motion. These materials must exhibit high conductivity, low friction, and wear resistance to meet industrial demands. However, their reliability is limited by wear, oxidation, arcing, and other failure mechanisms that increase contact resistance and degrade performance. To address these issues, researchers have developed self-lubricating metal matrix composites (MMCs), particularly copper (Cu) and silver (Ag)-based composites reinforced with solid lubricants such as molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, graphite, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and its derivatives. While Cu and Ag provide excellent conductivity, each has trade-offs in cost, oxidation resistance, and mechanical strength. Strategies for improving reliability involve material optimization, surface treatments, lubrication, contact design modifications, and advanced manufacturing. Although MMCs are widely reviewed, self-lubricating Ag matrix nanocomposites (AgMNCs) for sliding contacts are underexplored. This review highlights recent progress in AgMNCs produced by conventional or modern powder metallurgy techniques, focusing on the role of solid lubricants, testing conditions, and microstructure on tribological performance. Wear mechanisms, research gaps, and future directions are discussed, highlighting pathways toward the development of reliable sliding contacts. Full article

This paper aims to identify the trending topics of sustainability communication and to empirically verify them (in terms of the content and extent) in sustainability reports of multinational corporations (MNCs), utilizing the introduced analytical framework. A systematic literature review identified eleven key themes that currently shape the discourse on sustainability communication. An empirical study of 10 multinational companies across five industries was conducted using an analytical framework developed by the authors. This framework assessed the significance of identified themes (measured by exposure) and the comprehensiveness of approaches to each theme (goal–action–measure–progress, GAMP). The findings indicate that some aspects of sustainability communication are inconsistently addressed by these MNCs, and a few aspects are being reported comprehensively. The analysis revealed that climate-related themes and circular economy are communicated most comprehensively across all companies, while engagement with the SDGs, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and sustainable value creation shows the lowest levels of goal-setting, measurement, and time-based progress disclosure. Materiality assessments are the only theme reported consistently across all four GAMP components. When comparing reporting patterns with sustainability paradigms, no MNC demonstrates a holistic approach, and most show a clear inclination toward win–win or instrumental orientations. The study extends existing models of sustainability reporting by providing a replicable analytical framework bridging descriptive and evaluative approaches. Practical and policy implications are outlined for both corporations and regulators aiming to enhance reporting alignment with EU standards such as CSRD and ESRS. Full article

The widespread dissemination of misleading news presents serious challenges to public discourse, democratic institutions, and societal trust. Misleading-news classification (MNC) has been extensively studied through deep neural models that rely mainly on semantic understanding or large-scale pretrained language models. However, these methods often lack interpretability and are computationally expensive, limiting their practical use in real-time or resource-constrained environments. Existing approaches can be broadly categorized into transformer-based text encoders, hybrid CNN–LSTM frameworks, and fuzzy-logic fusion networks. To advance research on MNC, this study presents a lightweight multimodal framework that extends the Fuzzy Deep Hybrid Network (FDHN) paradigm by introducing a linguistic and behavioral biometric perspective to MNC. We reinterpret the FDHN architecture to incorporate linguistic cues such as lexical diversity, subjectivity, and contradiction scores as behavioral signatures of deception. These features are processed and fused with semantic embeddings, resulting in a model that captures both what is written and how it is written. The design of the proposed method ensures the trade-off between feature complexity and model generalizability. Experimental results demonstrate that the inclusion of lightweight linguistic and behavioral biometric features significantly enhance model performance, yielding a test accuracy of 71.91 ± 0.23% and a macro F1 score of 71.17 ± 0.26%, outperforming the state-of-the-art method. The findings of the study underscore the utility of stylistic and affective cues in MNC while highlighting the need for model simplicity to maintain robustness and adaptability. Full article

Background/Objective: This review explored the literature on Missed Nursing Care (MNC) in inpatient oncology settings to gain insights on how to enhance the quality of nursing care for hospitalized patients with cancer and survivors. The aim was to identify the common MNC and the factors associated with MNC in inpatient oncology units. Methods: A scoping review approach was used, in which a five-stage methodological framework informed the process. Five databases were searched for relevant studies (EMBASE, Medline, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) published from January 2013 to June 2025. Other search methods were conducted using Google Scholar, Trove, and ProQuest Dissertations for records focusing on the topic. The review included qualitative and quantitative articles. Thomas and Harden’s three-step method for thematic synthesis was followed to summarize data into themes. Results: Fifteen studies were selected and included in the scoping review. Three themes were generated: the commonly MNC; reasons for MNC; and factors associated with MNC. The common categories of MNC were related to basic patient care, documentation, and communication with patients or family members. The common factors associated with MNC were job satisfaction, patient load, and staffing adequacy. Conclusions: MNC is common in inpatient oncology settings and presents a key challenge to the safety of cancer patients and their health outcomes. Efforts to curtail MNC, such as integration of evidence-based policies, clinical guidelines, and standards in oncology nursing care, are needed. Interventional studies are needed to provide insight into effective remedies to the factors that fuel MNC, such as staffing, work overload, communication, work environment, and nurses’ skills. Studies from pediatric oncology settings, Africa, and other resource-limited settings where the future global burden of cancer will be highest are also needed. Full article

Understanding how organic amendments affect microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) and necromass C (MNC) is crucial for understanding soil organic C (SOC) formation and accrual in paddy fields, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, the microbial CUE, MNC, and microbial community composition, as well as SOC fractions and chemical composition, were measured under long-term organic amendments: rice straw (RS), green manure (GM), and pig manure (PM) in paddy soils. Four treatments were included: (1) chemical fertilizers (CF); (2) CF plus RS (CF + RS); (2) CF plus GM (CF + GM); and (4) CF plus PM (CF + PM). The CUE, MNC, and microbial community were determined by ¹⁸O-H₂O incubation, amino sugars levels, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) content, respectively. Results showed that SOC, particulate organic C (POC), and mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) concentrations were significantly increased by organic amendments compared with chemical fertilization alone. The O-alkyl C decreased, but aromatic C increased with long-term organic amendments, suggesting enhanced SOC hydrophobicity. GM and PM inputs significantly enhanced microbial CUE, but straw return did not affect microbial CUE compared to CF. Microbial growth and C uptake increased by 25.2–42.4% and 19.8–30.0% under organic amendments relative with CF. Microbial respiration was increased by RS and GM amendments. Turnover time was more rapid in CF + RS and CF + GM than in CF and CF + PM. Compared to CF, organic amendments increased the MNC concentration due to the increase in microbial biomass. In addition, CF + RS and CF + GM enhanced the MNC contribution to SOC, but PM had no effect, suggesting that PM contributed more organic C from non-microbial sources. The SOC, POC, and MAOC increased with microbial CUE and MNC, indicating that microbial traits play a crucial role in SOC accrual. Higher microbial CUE and biomass explained the increased MNC accumulation under organic amendments. Our study highlights the crucial role of microbe-mediated processes in SOC accrual under long-term organic amendments in paddy soils. Our findings show that organic amendments are an effective management practice for accumulating more SOC in paddy soils. Full article

This study focuses on exploring the nature of inter-organizational learning and the types of knowledge that are transferred/shared between foreign multinational companies (MNCs) and their local partner firms within international interfirm alliances in developing countries, particularly those operating in the Nigerian oil industry. The aim is to identify/examine the types/quality of knowledge transfer and the viability of interfirm knowledge transfer for boosting the knowledge base and innovation capacity of the alliance partner firms, particularly of the local partner firms, in such a distinctive type of international alliances. Using a qualitative case study research method, four cases of international interfirm collaborative arrangements between foreign and local companies in the Nigerian oil industry were studied. The findings of this study show that the local partner firms in the alliances were able to access and acquire mainly technological and international market knowledge through the collaborations, but not managerial knowledge. Contrary to the extant theory/literature, the foreign partner firms did not seek to acquire local market knowledge from the local firms but clearly demonstrated “knowledge transfer willingness” that facilitated the acquisition of knowledge by the local firms in the alliances. However, the technological and international market knowledge acquired by local firms were limited to mainly the explicit dimension of the knowledge. In effect, the local partners in this study mainly acquired explicit technological and international market knowledge with limited tacit knowledge. A key implication of this finding can be a reduced ability to develop innovation capacity through alliances. This paper, therefore, highlights the necessity for an increased focus on tacit knowledge acquisition by local partner firms and the importance of utilizing appropriate learning mechanisms to achieving tacit knowledge acquisition through the collaborations. Full article

Soil salinization threatens soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Although microbial necromass carbon (MNC) is crucial for SOC formation and stability, how biochar affects MNC in saline–alkaline soils remains unclear. This study assessed the impact of biochar amendment (0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha⁻¹) on SOC and MNC dynamics in saline–alkaline soils cultivated with Arundo donax cv. Lvzhou No. 1 across tillering, jointing, and maturity stages. Biochar amendment significantly enhanced SOC and the soil C/N ratio, with the highest dose (30 t ha⁻¹) raising SOC by 47.21% at jointing and 34.64% at maturity. Biochar significantly increased MNC at all growth stages, with increases ranging from 22.74% to 30.81%. From the jointing to the maturity stage, SOC exhibited a decline (20.03 to 27.77%), in contrast to the minimal change in MNC (–6.37% to 9.80%). This divergent trend consequently led to a peak in the MNC/SOC ratio at maturity. It directly demonstrates the relative stability of MNC and indicates its role as a persistent carbon reservoir within the topsoil. Biochar also elevated soil pH and nutrient availability, which reshaped microbial community structure and enhanced bacterial diversity. Partial least squares path modeling revealed that biochar facilitates MNC accumulation directly and indirectly by modifying soil chemical properties and thereby enhancing microbial diversity. These findings show that biochar enhances stable SOC storage in saline–alkaline soils primarily through the formation and stabilization of microbial necromass, thus revealing its potential for climate change mitigation. Full article

Changes in vegetation type shape the soil microenvironment, thereby regulating the changes in the organic carbon pool by influencing microbial communities and the accumulation of microbial necromass carbon (MNC). This study investigated microbial biomass—via phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) analysis—and MNC accumulation across three cold–temperate forest types: Larix gmelinii forest (L), Larix gmelinii–Betula platyphylla Sukaczev mixed forest (LB), and Betula platyphylla Sukaczev forest (B). The results showed that the L had the lowest contents of pH, water content (WC), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), and total phosphorus (TP), but the highest contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), available phosphorus (AP), and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) (p < 0.05). LB had the lowest PLFAs content and the highest ratio of Gram-positive bacteria/Gram-negative bacteria (G+/G−), and total fungi/total bacteriai (F/B) of L was the highest. B had the highest alpha diversity index, and significantly positively correlated with pH, SOC, TN, AN, and TP. TP and C/N were the primary elements for significant differences in microbial community structure. The order of MNC content and its contribution to SOC was B > LB > L. MNC was significantly negatively correlated with PLFAs, DOC, and AP, and significantly positively correlated with pH, SOC, TN, AN, TP, Shannon–Wiener and Pielou indices. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Betula platyphylla Sukaczev forest retains more carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, microbial alpha diversity, and acquires more MNC, which can provide a basis for subsequent forest management and carbon sequestration projects. Full article