Search Results (3,986)

The concentrations of 18 metal(loid)s were measured in five marine invertebrate species (Oxystele tigrine and sinensis, Marthasterias glacialis, Cymbula oculus and granatina, Parechinus angulosus, and Mytilus galloprovincialis) and five macroalgae/seaweed species (Aeodes orbitosa, Gelidium pristoides, Caulerpa filiformis, Ulva sp., and Bifurcaria brassicac formis) collected from eight sites within the marine environment of False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. To assess the potential human health hazards associated with consumption, samples were acid digestion and analysed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The analysed elements included trace metals (Fe, Mn, Zn) toxic metals (Pb, Cd, As), transition metals (Ta, Ti), alkali metals (Li), and metalloid (Se, As). Metal concentration varied widely among species and locations, with values ranging from Zn: not detected (nd)—3836.04 mg/kg dry weight (dw); As: nd—77.98 mg/kg dw; Pb: nd—301.15 mg/kg dw; Li: nd—97.28 mg/kg dw, indicating diverse metal accumulation patterns. Human health risk was evaluated using the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI). Arsenic consistently exceeded the THQ threshold of one across all sites, and all the HI values were greater than one for all edible species, suggesting potential non-carcinogenic health risks associated with the consumption, except for M. glacialis, which is not commonly consumed. The HI metrics demonstrate the adverse impacts of metal concentration in marine biota. The observed spatial and biological variability in metal accumulation highlights the limitations of relying solely on metal concentrations for assessing health risks, food safety or anthropogenic contamination, and therefore more frequent and comprehensive monitoring is recommended. Full article

Background: Nursing education has evolved in response to changing social, cultural, political, and healthcare contexts. Although Cultural–Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) has increasingly been applied in medical education research, its application to the historical development of nursing education remains limited. This study examined the historical evolution of Mongolian nursing education through the lens of CHAT to identify patterns of activity system transformation and their implications for contemporary nursing education. Methods: A historical documentary review was conducted using CHAT as the primary analytical framework. Historical evidence was interpreted through Engeström’s activity system model, and transformations across successive historical periods were analyzed by examining changes in the object, mediating tools, institutional rules, community, division of labour, and outcomes of nursing education. Results: The findings demonstrate that the development of Mongolian nursing education was shaped by four complementary analytical dimensions: the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), political ideology, and paradigm shifts. These factors collectively influenced the transformation of nursing education activity systems from traditional caregiving practices to a modern, research-oriented, and internationally connected educational system. The analysis further revealed how social reforms, ideological transitions, and educational restructuring generated successive transformations in the organization, objectives, and professional identity of nursing education. Conclusions: This study provides a theoretically grounded historical interpretation of Mongolian nursing education through the lens of CHAT. The findings demonstrate that nursing education evolves through dynamic interactions among social, political, cultural, and educational factors, offering valuable insights for curriculum development, educational reform, and the advancement of nursing education in rapidly changing societies. Full article

Background: Invasive and mucosal infections caused by Candida species continue to pose a significant global health burden, particularly due to the species’ increasing resistance to conventional antifungal agents. This systematic review evaluates the antifungal potential of pyrrolidine-based derivatives, focusing on structure–activity relationships, mechanisms of action, and activity against Candida species. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between January 2015 and January 2026, following PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261279035). Studies reporting in vitro, in vivo, or in silico evaluation of pyrrolidine derivatives against Candida species were included. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment were performed using predefined criteria. Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, describing diverse pyrrolidine-based scaffolds, including spirooxindole, dispiro, triazole-linked, tetrazole, and quinoline-fused derivatives. The compounds demonstrated antifungal activity against multiple Candida species, including resistant isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from approximately 0.5 to 16 µg/mL. Several derivatives showed comparable activity to standard antifungal agents under the reported experimental conditions. Mechanistic investigations indicated inhibition of biofilm formation, disruption of fungal cell wall and membrane integrity, suppression of hyphal transition, and modulation of virulence-associated pathways. Multi-mechanism antifungal effects were reported across different structural classes. Conclusions: Pyrrolidine-based derivatives represent promising antifungal scaffolds with potent activity against Candida species and associated virulence factors. However, limited in vivo validation and insufficient pharmacokinetic and toxicity data remain major barriers to clinical translation. Further optimization of structure–activity relationships and comprehensive preclinical evaluation are required to advance these scaffolds toward therapeutic development. Full article

The global poultry industry faces a major transition driven by bans on antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and rising antimicrobial resistance threats. This has intensified the search for effective, sustainable alternatives to maintain productivity, animal health, and food safety. This review provides a comprehensive overview of next-generation probiotics (NGPs) and their evolving role in poultry production, highlighting their mechanisms of action, technological advancements, and applications for improving performance and health. Recent studies were systematically reviewed, covering conventional and NGPs, multi-omics-driven strain identification strategies, engineered microbial systems, and advanced delivery technologies. Key functional aspects, including gut microbiota modulation, immune responses, pathogen control, and productivity metrics were thoroughly assessed. NGPs exhibit enhanced capabilities over traditional probiotics, including improved gut colonization, targeted antimicrobial activity, and precise host immune modulation. Advances in synthetic biology, microencapsulation, and synbiotic formulations enhance their efficacy and stability. Additionally, NGPs also demonstrate significant potential in improving growth performance, feed conversion ratios, intestinal integrity, and enteric pathogen resistance. However, challenges such as strain-specific variability, regulatory constraints, and limited field-level validation persist. NGPs offer a promising and sustainable strategy for modern poultry production. Future integration with precision microbiome engineering, artificial intelligence, and sustainable farming will be essential to realize their full potential and ensure widespread adoption. Full article

Oral delivery of bioactive compounds in veterinary medicine offers important opportunities to improve animal health, productivity, and welfare, but its effectiveness is often limited by species-specific gastrointestinal physiology. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of microencapsulation strategies for oral veterinary delivery, focusing on species-specific gastrointestinal barriers and the formulation approaches developed to overcome them. Monogastric and ruminant animals present distinct gastrointestinal environments that compromise the stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic performance of orally administered compounds. In monogastrics, gastric acidity, digestive enzymes, gastrointestinal transit, and microbiota-mediated interactions represent major barriers, whereas in ruminants, ruminal fermentation, prolonged retention, and physicochemical conditions may cause premature degradation of bioactive compounds. These barriers significantly hinder the successful use of probiotics, enzymes, essential oils, nutrients, vaccines, and veterinary drugs. However, microencapsulation has emerged as a promising solution, providing a protective barrier that improves compound stability, enhances gastrointestinal survival, and enables controlled or site-specific release. By preserving bioactivity and modulating release kinetics, microencapsulation contributes to improved delivery efficiency and functional performance. A distinctive feature of this review is the integration of species-specific gastrointestinal physiology with microencapsulation technologies to provide a rational framework for designing oral delivery systems in veterinary medicine, rather than focusing solely on individual encapsulation technologies. Current challenges related to material selection, formulation optimisation, and industrial scalability are discussed. Overall, this review highlights that integrating gastrointestinal physiology with advanced microencapsulation technologies is essential for developing effective, targeted, and sustainable oral delivery systems, ultimately supporting improved animal health, productivity, and welfare. Full article

Accurate and moderate rice processing is a key strategy for ensuring national food security and improving population nutritional status. This article synthesizes the technical scope and development trajectory of moderate processing, examines the evolution from multistage light grinding to AI-driven targeted grinding, and analyzes the balance between processing accuracy and eating quality, nutritional retention, storage stability, and safety risks. Evidence suggests that the core of moderate processing lies in the dynamic alignment of rice variety with processing targets, supported by intelligent online detection technologies that enable precise control. China’s rice processing industry is currently transitioning from experience-driven to data-driven operations; however, it continues to face challenges, including underdeveloped evaluation standards, high technology adoption costs, and limited consumer awareness. Future efforts should prioritize loss reduction, nutritional preservation, and intelligent processing to support coordinated advancement across the precision and moderate rice processing value chain. Moderate processing of rice preserves more native nutrients and plays an important role in improving residents’ dietary structure and safeguarding public health, achieving the best balance between saving food, preserving nutrients, and improving efficiency. Full article

Scientific interest in probiotics continues to grow as accumulating evidence links microbiome modulation to improvements in host health. Probiotics are usually described as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit to the host. However, products are exposed to multiple stresses during manufacturing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit. Among these, drying, often employed to stabilize powders and extend shelf life, can impose high viability loss. This review synthesizes recent advances in drying process engineering, formulation design, and viability assessment aimed at improving survival during drying. Freeze drying remains the most widely used technology, while alternative approaches, including conventional spray drying, vacuum drying, spray freeze drying, and electrostatic spray drying, are increasingly evaluated. Protective strategies are discussed, encompassing sublethal conditioning (stress adaptation), optimization of operating parameters, incorporation of excipients, and encapsulation. Lastly, methods for viability assessment are also compared, contrasting culture-dependent assays (e.g., plate enumeration) with culture-independent techniques such as flow cytometry and PCR-based approaches. However, across studies, performance is highly strain-specific, and optimization often entails trade-offs among immediate survival, cycle time, powder stability, and downstream functionality. Full article

Rapid urban growth and industrial activity have significantly increased air pollution in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Among various pollutants, particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) has emerged as a major concern due to its severe effects on public health and the environment. This study investigates seasonal and temporal variations in air quality and identifies periods of high risk. Data were collected from the Department of Environment, including PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ measurements from 2013 to April 2025 and AQI data from 2022 to April 2025. The analysis focuses on seasonal trends, monthly fluctuations, extreme pollution events, and correlations among pollutants. The study examines which seasons are most polluted and how PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and AQI change over the year. Results indicate that winter experiences the highest pollution levels, while monsoon shows the lowest. Pre-monsoon and post-monsoon show moderate pollution, representing transitional periods with variable air quality. Monthly trends reveal that pollution peaks in January and reaches its lowest point in July, demonstrating clear temporal patterns. Extreme pollution events are most frequent in winter and the pre-monsoon period, emphasizing periods of highest health risk. Correlation analysis shows strong positive associations between PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and AQI (r > 0.80). Machine-learning models demonstrated moderate predictive skill for PM₁₀ forecasting (R² up to 0.65), while PM_2.5 models at Agrabad produced negative R² values, indicating performance worse than a mean-value benchmark; accordingly, long-term PM_2.5 projections at Agrabad are not reported. Exploratory PM₁₀ projections suggest that concentrations may remain above WHO guideline levels through 2030, although these projections should be interpreted cautiously because meteorological drivers were not included in the modelling framework. The findings highlight the need for seasonal interventions to control particulate matter, particularly in winter and pre-monsoon. Measures such as stricter emission regulations, industrial controls, and public awareness campaigns are essential for mitigating health risks. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of air-quality dynamics in Chattogram and offers a framework for targeted pollution-control strategies. Implementing these strategies can improve air quality, protect public health, and support sustainable urban development. Full article

Care transition comprises integrated actions that ensure individualized, multidimensional care and became especially relevant after COVID-19 due to complications, readmissions, and fragmented healthcare delivery. The aim this study was to assess care transition care quality for post-COVID-19 patients using the Care Transition Measure (CTM-15) and its association with sociodemographic and clinical variables. This cross-sectional quantitative study included 176 post-COVID-19 patients or caregivers from a Brazilian public hospital (2020–2021). Data were collected by telephone within 30 days after discharge using a sociodemographic/clinical questionnaire and the CTM-15. The results demonstrated that care transition quality was rated as satisfactory. The highest scores were observed in health management preparation and the lowest in understanding medications. Better evaluations were associated with younger age, higher income, influenza diagnosis, and non-smoking status, whereas diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease negatively influenced care plan scores. In conclusion, care transition quality was satisfactory and influenced by sociodemographic and clinical factors, highlighting the importance of individualized discharge planning. Full article

Retirement is a major later-life transition, yet existing reviews have often examined selected dimensions of well-being rather than integrating evidence across physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual or meaning-related domains. This umbrella review synthesised systematic review evidence on factors and interventions influencing well-being among retired older adults. Following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews guidance, five databases were searched for systematic reviews published from 2015 onward. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251158970). Screening, quality appraisal and data extraction were completed independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Eleven systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed that retirement well-being is multidimensional and context-dependent, shaped by social participation, physical health, psychological resources, retirement preparation, voluntary retirement, financial security and meaningful engagement. Social participation and social integration were among the most consistent determinants, while financial and spiritual or meaning-related well-being were less frequently examined. Intervention evidence was limited and focused mainly on physical activity, health behaviours and volunteerism. Retirement well-being is influenced by interacting personal, social and structural factors, highlighting the need for multidimensional interventions and more consistent measurement across well-being domains. Full article

The peripartum period in prolific ewes is associated with increased metabolic demands, and dietary lipid supplementation may increase the energy density of the prepartum diet. This study evaluated the effects of prepartum supplementation with alternative lipid matrices on the physicochemical characteristics and comprehensive fatty acid (FA) profiles of mature and transitional sheep milk. Thirty-two pregnant Olkuska ewes were randomly assigned to four cohorts (n = 8/group): Control (basal diet), flaxseed oil (low n-3/high n-6 variety; FO), black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFL oil), and Mix oil (2:1 ratio of FO to BSFL oil). Dietary treatments exerted no significant effects (p > 0.05) on transitional milk composition or lipid quality indices. In contrast, in mature milk, BSFL oil supplementation significantly increased milk fat content (6.09%) compared to the Control group (4.70%; p < 0.01). Furthermore, all oil treatments significantly reduced total saturated FAs (p < 0.01), while the BSFL oil and Mix oil supplementation significantly increased the monounsaturated FA fraction (p < 0.01). The differences, particularly the increase in cis-9, trans-11 CLA concentration and the significant reduction in both the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices (p < 0.01), were observed exclusively in mature milk. These findings suggest that the combination of sustainable insect lipids with high-linoleic plant oils may represent a viable strategy to transform sheep milk into a functional food with potential cardiovascular health benefits for consumers. These findings additionally indicate that prepartum lipid supplementation may exert a persistent carry-over effect into early lactation, influencing the fatty acid composition of mature sheep milk. Full article

Cervical cancer remains a major global health challenge and a leading cause of gynecological cancer-related mortality, particularly in developing countries. Although persistent human papillomavirus infection is the primary driver of cervical carcinogenesis, host factors such as immune dysregulation and microbiome dysbiosis may contribute to disease progression. Corisin is a microbiota-derived peptide implicated in epithelial injury and fibrosis, but its role in cervical neoplasia is unknown. To investigate its potential involvement, circulating corisin levels were measured in 27 women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or cervical cancer and compared with those in 15 healthy women. Corisin localization in cervical carcinoma tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry, and its biological effects were evaluated in HeLa cells. Circulating corisin levels were significantly elevated in patients with CIN and cervical cancer, with the highest levels observed in CIN3 and cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Corisin was detected within cervical carcinoma tissues in intracellular and extracellular compartments adjacent to tumor cells. In HeLa cells, corisin accumulated in mitochondria, impaired cell-cycle progression, induced apoptosis, increased p21 expression, and promoted epithelial–mesenchymal transition-like morphological changes. These findings suggest that corisin is elevated from the early stages of cervical neoplasia, is present within the cervical tumor microenvironment, and may contribute to pathogenic cellular processes associated with cervical cancer progression. Full article

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to improve industrial quality control, but its practical value depends on whether models remain accurate under different operating conditions and fault classes. This study evaluates an artificial-intelligence-based workflow for gear quality control using vibration signals measured on a real two-stage reduction gearbox. Two orthogonal vibration channels were analyzed for six health states, three shaft speeds, and two load levels. Because the time-series data were only partly stationary, the dataset was divided chronologically into training and test segments. A 54-feature representation was built from rolling-window statistics and operating variables, and six classifiers were compared: Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBM), random forest, decision tree, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and logistic regression. LGBM achieved the best overall accuracy (0.9728) while maintaining substantially lower training time than several competing nonlinear models. Class-wise precision, recall, and F1-score ranged from 0.95 to 1.00, and the nominal response time for most operating-condition transitions was approximately 0.0998 s. The results show that vibration-based machine learning can support robust, near-real-time fault identification in mechanical manufacturing environments. The study also highlights the importance of chronological validation, feature engineering over multiple time windows, and the trade-off between predictive performance and deployment efficiency. Because the validation dataset originates from one gearbox platform, the results should be interpreted as promising internal evidence rather than as proof of universal industrial robustness. Full article

Adolescent suicide remains a critical public health concern, with rates continuing to rise globally. This study examined the role of strength development in mitigating suicide risk among youth receiving behavioral health services. Utilizing administrative data from a Midwestern state’s behavioral health authority, the study analyzed 391 adolescents aged 13–19 years (M = 16.34, SD = 1.51), including 244 girls (62.4%) and 147 boys (37.6%), who presented with recent suicidal ideation or behavior. Strength indicators included family strengths, interpersonal skills, optimism, educational support, vocational skills, talents and interests, spiritual or religious strengths, community involvement, relationship permanence, youth involvement in care, and natural supports. Latent Profile Transition Analyses identified two distinct strength groups: “usable strengths,” representing readily accessible protective factors, and “buildable strengths,” representing strengths requiring further development. Findings indicated that adolescents who transitioned from buildable to usable strengths experienced significantly lower suicide risk. Youth who maintained usable strengths across treatment also demonstrated substantially lower odds of suicide risk. Longer treatment duration was associated with lower suicide risk, whereas shorter treatment stays corresponded with elevated risk. Logistic regression analyses confirmed that maintaining or developing strengths related to social relationships, community connections, and supportive environments served as significant protective factors. These findings underscore the importance of integrating strength-based, relationship-centered, and community-informed approaches into behavioral health services to support resilience and reduce suicide risk among adolescents. Full article

Traditional crack monitoring methods, relying on discrete point sensors, cannot capture the full spatiotemporal evolution of cracks. To address this limitation, this paper presents a distributed online monitoring approach using ultra-weak Fiber Bragg Grating (UWFBG) array sensing technology. A 16 m full-scale π-beam was instrumented with a grating array strain sensing system and tested under progressive mid-span loading until failure. The array successfully detected crack initiation at 848.7 kN (0.9P1) and tracked the transformation from L-shaped to U-shaped cracks, yielding a final crack count of 90 with a maximum width of 1.21 mm and length of 246.5 cm at 1791.7 kN. The strain–load curves exhibited a clear linear-to-nonlinear transition and continuous slope increase, closely matching manual observations. Quantitative correlation analysis further established a strong linear relationship between UWFBG peak strains and manually measured crack widths, with the fitting equation $\mathsf{\epsilon }=7918·\mathrm{w}-110$ and a coefficient of determination R² = 0.971, providing a specimen-specific basis for strain-based crack severity estimation that requires in-situ calibration before field application. The UWFBG array maintained stable signal acquisition throughout the entire loading process, offering superior data continuity and measurement range compared to resistive strain gauges, which suffered progressive data loss after cracking. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can provide real-time, full-field strain mapping and quantitative crack evolution monitoring, offering a powerful tool for bridge health assessment. Full article