Search Results (185,981)

Young people increasingly express high levels of concern about the climate crisis. Their climate-related emotions and thoughts are often linked to a perceived lack of government action. This study employs a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to explore the perceptions and emotions of college students (N = 16) related to climate change and government climate action. Participants completed semi-structured interviews assessing their thoughts and emotions about climate change as well as a measure of impairment related to climate change anxiety. Through reflexive thematic analysis of interview responses, researchers generated the following themes to describe participants’ responses: negative emotions and dire predictions, influence of participants’ background on perceptions and engagement, coping with climate-related concern, perceptions of government and political influence, and barriers to the U.S. addressing climate change. While results of bivariate correlation analysis indicated low levels of impairment related to climate change anxiety, the strong emotional responses expressed in interviews highlight the need for university mental health interventions, comprehensive climate change education, and inclusion of youth voices in policymaking. Understanding college students’ climate-related emotions and thoughts can inform strategies to support their well-being and engagement in the face of this crisis. Full article

With the increasing demand for building structures with diversified functions driven by social development, the necessity to cope with more extreme and complex service environments (involving earthquakes, marine corrosion, high temperatures, and droughts) is imposing higher strength and toughness requirements on building structures [...] Full article

Background: Community-onset fungemia is a clinically significant syndrome frequently linked to recent healthcare exposure and significant morbidity and mortality. Methods: We performed a 21-year, single-centre retrospective cohort of consecutive yeast bloodstream infections diagnosed at the Emergency Department (2004–2024). Clinical/epidemiological data, species identification (MALDI-TOF MS), antifungal susceptibility (CLSI M27; Sensititre YO10), and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) were analyzed. Results: Forty-eight episodes (51 isolates) were included; 56.3% were male, median age 74 years (IQR 63–82). Acquisition was healthcare-associated in 38/48 (79.2%). Sources were unknown (36.7%), abdominal (22.4%), urological (22.4%), catheter-related (14.3%), and 2.1% was attributed to a cardiovascular and a joint focus; 18.8% were polymicrobial. Crude mortality was 20.8% at 7 days (10/48) and 29.2% at 30 days (14/48). Species distribution: Candida albicans 41.2%, Nakaseomyces glabratus 27.5%, Candida parapsilosis 11.8%, Candida tropicalis 11.8%, Pichia kudriavzevii 3.9%, Clavispora lusitaniae 1.9%, and Candida orthopsilosis 1.9%. No isolate was resistant to anidulafungin, micafungin, or amphotericin B; one N. glabratus showed reduced susceptibility to caspofungin. Azole resistance was observed in one C. albicans and one N. glabratus isolate. WGS (44 isolates) confirmed MALDI-TOF identifications and characterized resistance markers. All 12 sequenced N. glabratus carried ERG2 I207V, PDR15/PDH1 E839D, and PDR1 V91I/L98S. Notable cases included one N. glabratus caspofungin-intermediate with FKS2 F659C, N. glabratus fluconazole-resistant with multiple PDR1 substitutions including a unique novel G857V, and C. albicans fluconazole-resistant harbouring alterations in MRR1/MRR2, CDR1, and ERG11. Conclusions: In this 21-year cohort, community-onset fungemia was predominantly healthcare-associated, with C. albicans as the predominant species, followed by N. glabratus. Crude mortality reached 29.2% at 30 days. Echinocandin resistance was not observed; azole resistance was uncommon. WGS provided precise speciation and actionable insight into resistance mechanisms, including a putatively novel PDR1 G857V in N. glabratus. Full article

We determined the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total carbon (TC), and organic matter concentrations in sediments from surface water, waterways, ditches, swamps, and ponds of Baiyangdian Lake (BYDL), and investigated the spatial distribution, properties, and sources of the sediments. The TN, TP, TC, and OM concentrations in the sediments averaged 3677.21 ± 3686.15 mg/kg, 2038.25 ± 1190.87 mg/kg, 45,742.76 ± 29,535.23 mg/kg, and 12.05% ± 6.80%, respectively, and the concentrations were higher in the surface sediment (0–10 cm) than in the deeper sediment. We found that the TN and TP single evaluation indices at 0–10 cm averaged 5.61 and 2.18, respectively, indicating severe TN and TP pollution. The comprehensive pollution index averaged 4.80, and more than 87% of the sampling points were severely polluted. The organic and organic nitrogen (N) indices showed that 92.82% and 93.65% of the sites were polluted with organic matter and organic N, respectively. According to the C/N and C/P ratios, the organic matter and in the surface sediments was mainly from cellulose plant debris and phytoplankton. Of the correlations between the sediment properties, OM and TN were most strongly correlated, which indicates that the OM mineralization was closely related to the N source and migration. The findings of this study serve as crucial baseline data for the governance of BYDL, providing a vital data foundation for the systematic management of its water eco-environment. Full article

As a cost-effective and environmentally benign photocatalyst, hydrothermal carbonation carbon (HTCC) has been extensively studied in the fields of resource utilization and environmental remediation. In this study, HTCC photocatalysts with efficient photocatalytic performances were prepared from straw using acid modification under hydrothermal conditions. The as-prepared HTCC photocatalysts were applied to the degradation of microcystin-LR and the reduction of aqueous Cr(VI). The critical role of acid modification in the photocatalytic performances of the HTCC photocatalysts was systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that acid-modified photocatalysts exhibited a significantly enhanced removal efficiency for Cr(VI) and microcystin-LR under visible light irradiation. A series of characterization techniques, including Raman spectroscopy and N₂ adsorption–desorption analysis, revealed that the superior photocatalytic activities of acid-modified HTCC could be attributed to its higher aromatization level, enhanced light-harvesting ability, and increased concentration of active sites compared with pristine HTCC. Furthermore, electron spin resonance (ESR) and trapping experiments indicated that hydrogen radicals (·H) served as the primary active species in the photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction of straw-based HTCC. This work provides both practical and theoretical insights into the resource utilization of agricultural waste and the remediation of environmental pollution. Full article

(1) Background: Self-regulation of attention, emotions, and behavior constitutes a core set of skills essential for positive mental health in adolescence and adulthood. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown positive effects on these skills in early developmental stages. Yet it remains unclear whether dispositional mindfulness mediates these effects. This study examined whether dispositional mindfulness mediates the effects of attention and emotion-focused MBIs on attentional, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation. (2) Method: An experimental study was conducted with three conditions: (a) MBI focused on emotion regulation, (b) MBI focused on attentional regulation, and (c) control group. The sample consisted of boys and girls aged 8 to 12 years (n = 70, Mage = 9.60, SD = 1.01), randomly assigned to the three experimental conditions. Group differences in emotional, behavioral, and attentional regulation were analyzed, with mindfulness as a mediating variable. The mediation analysis was conducted using linear regressions and a nonparametric bootstrap technique with 5000 samples. Age and gender were included as control variables in all models. (3) Results: Both programs produced significant improvements in all three dimensions of self-regulation. However, mindfulness showed a mediating effect only on emotional self-regulation, not on attention and was inconclusive on behavioral self-regulation. (4) Conclusions: Mindfulness mediates emotional but not attentional self-regulation. The evidence for the mediating role of mindfulness in behavioral regulation was inconclusive. Incorporating mindfulness in educational settings could strengthen emotional self-regulation skills, thereby promoting mental health; however, further studies are needed. Full article

To address spoilage and quality deterioration, this study evaluated the synergistic effects of the electrostatic field (EF) combined with packaging (polyethylene, PP; vacuum, VP; modified atmosphere, MAP) on the preservation of Yorkshire pork (hind leg) during controlled freezing-point storage (−2.0 ± 0.5 °C) for 32 days. The results showed that EF treatment significantly enhanced the water-holding capacity of PP-packaged pork, reducing storage loss by approximately 37.89% by day 32 (p < 0.05), and inhibited microbial growth, maintaining total viable counts below 6.00 log₁₀ (CFU/g) (p < 0.05). EF also reduced the relative abundance of spoilage organisms such as Pseudomonas. A synergistic effect between EF and VP/MAP was observed in the optimization of the microbial community structure. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Pseudomonas abundance was positively correlated with TVB-N and storage loss, linking it mechanistically to quality deterioration. Furthermore, VP and MAP alone were superior in delaying lipid oxidation (TBARS < 0.5 mg MDA/kg) and maintaining color stability. This study provides key process parameters and a theoretical basis for applying EF-coupled packaging in the industrial cold chain. Full article

This paper deals with the stability and decomposition of a recently predicted noble-gas compound, HXeNH₂. Despite natural progress and interest in noble-gas hydrides, little is known of their decomposition reaction. In this study, the dissociation reaction is explored by ab initio calculations and by Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics (AIMD) simulations. The results could be important for the future experimental search of the compound. It is found that the main decomposition channel is HXeNH₂ → H+Xe+NH₂. A key step in the reaction is found to be a rearrangement of the partial charges of the atoms involved. The results could be of significance also for reactions of other compounds with Xe-N chemical bond and other noble-gas hydrides. Full article

Background: Obesity is a highly prevalent chronic disease characterized by excessive weight gain and fat accumulation. There is growing evidence that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains with bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity are effective in preventing and alleviating obesity. Methods: Initially, we screened bacterial strains with high hydrolytic activity against glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GDCA), and constructed an isogenic bsh1 knockout mutant. Subsequently, male C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were randomly assigned to receive daily gavage of either the wild-type Lp20 (Lp20-WT) or the bsh1-deficient mutant (Lp20-Δbsh1) for 8 weeks. Serum cholesterol levels and histopathological changes in liver sections were monitored. Hepatic gene expression was quantified by RT-qPCR, and fecal bacterial communities were analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These comprehensive assessments aimed to evaluate metabolic improvements and uncover the potential mechanisms behind the observed effects. Results:L. plantarum Lp20 hydrolyzed 91.62% of GDCA, exhibiting the highest bile-salt hydrolase (BSH) activity among tested isolates. Whole-genome sequencing and in-silico analyses mapped this activity to bsh1; gene deletion of bsh1 confirmed the role of bsh1 in GDCA hydrolysis. Daily gavage of the wild-type strain (Lp20-WT) to diet-induced obese mice markedly attenuated weight gain, reduced inguinal white adipose tissue and mesenteric fat mass, and lowered serum TC and LDL-C by 20.8% and 33.3%, respectively, while decreasing ALT and AST levels and reversing hepatic steatosis. In contrast, the bsh1-null mutant (Lp20-Δbsh1) failed to elicit any measurable metabolic benefit. Mechanistically, Lp20-WT upregulated rate-limiting bile-acid synthetic enzymes CYP7A1 and CYP27A1, thereby accelerating the catabolism of cholesterol into bile acids. Concurrently, it activated hepatic TGR5 and FXR signaling axes to modulate hepatic metabolism. Moreover, Lp20-WT restructured the gut microbiota by notably enhancing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as norank_f__Muribaculaceae, Akkermansia, and Alistipes, while reducing the abundance of potentially harmful taxa, including norank_f__Desulfovibrionaceae, Dubosiella, and Mucispirillum. Conclusions: This study provides direct evidence of BSH’s anti-obesity effects through gene deletion. Specifically, BSH lowers cholesterol by modulating hepatic bile-acid metabolism-related gene expression and altering the gut microbiota composition. However, the study is limited by a small sample size (n = 6), the use of male mice only, and its preclinical stage, indicating a need for further validation across diverse strains and human populations. Full article

Background: Few trials have evaluated liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS)–standardized ready-to-drink formulations, and short-term responses of composite lipid–glucose indices under controlled intake remain unquantified. This study assessed 8-week changes in Atherogenic and triglyceride–glucose indices (AIP and TyG) after the consumption of a Hibiscus–inulin (HIB–INU) beverage and tested whether baseline risk modified these effects. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in adults aged 18–50 years with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² (n = 100: 50 per group) who consumed a daily 60 mL Hibiscus–inulin shot or sensory-matched placebo for 8 weeks. The Hibiscus–inulin shot was LC–MS–standardized to ensure reproducible exposure; co-primary outcomes were AIP and TyG (pre-specified as exploratory), and secondary outcomes were mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP). ANCOVA adjusted for baseline, age, and sex was used to estimate between-group differences and to test for interactions by baseline risk. Results: Adjusted 8-week differences versus placebo were −0.09 for AIP (95% CI −0.15 to −0.03; p = 0.004) and −0.14 for TyG (−0.26 to −0.03; p = 0.020). MAP and PP showed no significant differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Effects were larger in high-risk baseline strata. Conclusions: A standardized hibiscus–inulin shot produced short-term improvements in composite lipid–glucose indices without hemodynamic change. Because minimal clinically important differences for AIP/TyG have not been established for short durations, these findings reflect analytical responsiveness rather than clinical benefits, supporting their exploratory use in short-term nutrition trials and cardiometabolic monitoring. Full article