Search Results (288,606)

Urban viaduct corridors represent persistent hotspots of traffic-derived particulate matter (PM), yet the performance of modular living wall systems (MLWS) in such environments remains poorly understood. This study investigated species-dependent deposition of fine-sized (≤2.5 µm) and coarse-sized (>2.5–10 µm) particles on an MLWS installed on viaduct piers in Wuhan, China. Four plant species were evaluated at three installation heights (0 m, 1 m, and 2 m) using 36 leaf samples analysed via environmental scanning electron microscopy and ImageJ-based quantification. Hosta plantaginea and Chlorophytum comosum exhibited substantially higher image-derived particle deposition than Bowles mint and Begonia ‘Escargot’. The observed species-level pattern was consistent with qualitative differences in leaf-surface micromorphology, although the contribution of individual traits could not be determined because these traits were not quantitatively measured. Installation height showed a descriptive but non-significant trend in PM deposition (H = 1.545, p = 0.462), with the highest median value observed at 2 m. Adaxial surfaces showed approximately 2.1 times higher deposited particle counts than abaxial surfaces, based on paired Wilcoxon signed-rank testing (Z = 4.399, p < 0.001). Fine-sized particles accounted for over 80% of total deposited particles across all conditions. These findings offer preliminary indications for species selection in MLWS on transport infrastructure, pending multi-seasonal and multi-site validation. Full article

This study combined lipidomic profiling and computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) to evaluate whether a TRIS–egg yolk extender preserves canine spermatozoa at both molecular and functional levels during 72 h of refrigerated storage. HILIC–ESI–HRMS was first used to distinguish sperm-derived lipids from extender-associated species. Lipid-focused feature filtering and multivariate analysis highlighted the seminolipid or sulfogalactosylglycerolipid SGG 32:0 as a major contributor to storage-related lipidomic variation. Together with three long-chain sphingomyelins, SM 46:5;O2, SM 48:5;O2, and SM 50:6;O2, SGG 32:0 was selected as a sperm-specific membrane marker. Targeted C30 reversed-phase LC–ESI–HRMS showed that these lipids progressively decreased during chilled storage, whereas their decline was significantly attenuated in extender-treated samples, with significant treatment × time interactions for all monitored species (p < 0.05). CASA confirmed the functional relevance of these molecular changes: in extender-treated semen, total motility was preserved during the first 24 h, whereas more evident impairment occurred at 48–72 h. Overall, these findings indicate that TRIS–egg yolk extender helps preserve canine semen by slowing the loss of sperm-specific membrane lipids and maintaining motility during chilled storage. SGG 32:0 may represent a candidate lipid marker for monitoring sperm membrane preservation. Full article

Background: Sun exposure guidance advises minimisation to reduce skin cancer risk, but advice is geared for white-skinned people. Melanin reduces skin synthesis of vitamin D from solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and adolescence is a key life-stage for bone mass acquisition. Methods: This prospective cohort study investigated year-round vitamin D status and its determinants in 143 South Asian adolescents (12–15 y; brown skin) living in Greater Manchester, UK. Serum 25OHD, personal UVR doses, time outdoors, and photoprotective measures were assessed across four seasons, and the findings were compared with those of 131 white Caucasian adolescents studied using identical protocols. Results: Severe vitamin D deficiency (25OHD < 25 nmol/L) was prevalent in South Asians, affecting 79% of girls and 69% of boys in winter, persisting year-round in 59% of girls and 23% of boys, and accompanied by winter PTH levels > the upper reference range in 59% of boys and 45% of girls. Personal UVR doses and time outdoors were lower on summer weekend days (boys 53 min, girls 60 min) vs. schooldays (boys 105 min, girls 108 min) in South Asians (p < 0.01). The findings contrasted with those in white Caucasians, where time outdoors was similar on summer weekend days and schooldays (weekend days: boys 131 min, girls 101 min, p < 0.01 vs. South Asians). Only 26% of South Asians vs. 86% of white Caucasians took a holiday abroad during the year, and days abroad significantly contributed to vitamin D status. Both groups had low oral vitamin D intake. Conclusions: Raising vitamin D status is crucial to prevent secondary hyperparathyroidism in South Asian adolescents and skin type-related sun exposure guidance is required. Full article

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising intervention for severe treatment-resistant OCD (TR-OCD), yet evidence of clinical efficacy remains inconsistent across heterogeneous study designs and anatomical target selection lacks standardization. Whether target choice influences clinical outcomes has not been systematically established, and prior meta-analyses have not characterized target-specific effects or predictors of response. Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of DBS versus sham stimulation in RCTs and its effectiveness in non-randomized studies, with OCD symptom severity, comorbid anxiety and depression, and global functioning as outcomes. Secondary objectives were to examine whether anatomical stimulation site influences therapeutic outcomes using systematic recategorization of reported targets, and to characterize the temporal dynamics of treatment response. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL) were searched through July 2025 following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. RCTs (active vs. sham DBS) and non-randomized studies reporting pre/post-DBS Y-BOCS scores were analyzed separately at three time points (≤12 months, >12 months, last follow-up). Stimulation targets were recategorized using active contact location and stereotactic coordinates. Random-effects models, meta-regression, RoB 2, ROBINS-I, and GRADE were applied. Results: Eight RCTs (n = 83) and 32 non-randomized studies (n = 321) were included. In RCTs, active DBS reduced Y-BOCS scores by 6.92 points (95% CI: 4.46–9.38; 18.3%; p < 0.001; I² = 62.93%) versus sham. Non-randomized studies demonstrated reductions of 13.83 points (95% CI: 11.01–16.52), 17.34 points (95% CI: 14.70–20.04), and 14.51 points (95% CI: 12.78–16.26; 43.5%; p < 0.001) at ≤12 months, >12 months, and last follow-up, respectively, with substantial heterogeneity (I² ≥ 89.79%). Responder and remission rates were 60.2% (95% CI: 52.8–67.2%; I² = 20.7%) and 36.4% (95% CI: 29.8–43.5%; I² = 12.1%), respectively. Anxiety (k = 7; d = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.72–1.56), depression (k = 24; d = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.80–1.26), and global functioning (k = 14; baseline GAF = 34.5; MD = 25.62; 95% CI: 22.18–29.03) improved significantly (all p < 0.001). In meta-regression, longer follow-up duration was the only significant predictor of Y-BOCS improvement (p = 0.042). Therapeutic effects varied substantially across anatomical stimulation sites. The anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) and its ventral subdivision (vALIC) were most frequently stimulated. The inferior thalamic peduncle was associated with the largest mean Y-BOCS improvement (19.70 points; based on two trial arms only), nucleus accumbens stimulation did not reach the clinical response threshold (≥35% Y-BOCS reduction), and mediodorsal/ventral anterior thalamic stimulation showed no statistically significant benefit. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of primary estimates. Evidence quality was moderate (RCTs) and low (non-randomized studies). Conclusions: DBS significantly reduces OCD symptom severity in TR-OCD despite substantial heterogeneity, with greater improvements associated with longer follow-up duration and effects maintained for at least 30 months, alongside improvements in comorbid anxiety, depression, and global functioning. Not all anatomical stimulation sites are therapeutically equivalent, underscoring the importance of target selection. High-quality RCTs with standardized anatomical reporting are needed to consolidate the evidence base. Full article

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical priority pathogen of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii Complex (Acb Complex) characterized by extensive multidrug resistance, leading to increased reliance on last-line polymyxins and widespread use of cationic disinfectants in healthcare settings. However, shared membrane-targeting mechanisms raise concerns regarding potential cross-resistance between disinfectants, polymyxins, and cationic antimicrobial peptides. Methods: A diverse panel of clinical A. baumannii isolates from Australia (n = 9), Pakistan (n = 15), and Switzerland (n = 3), and standard strains (n = 3), including polymyxin-resistant laboratory and clinical mutant strains (n = 4), was used. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of polymyxin B, colistin, three cationic disinfectants (polyquaternium-1; PQ-1), polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), and chlorhexidine (CHX), and four Antimicrobial peptides (AMPS: LL-37, melimine, Mel4, and lactoferricin) were determined using broth microdilution. Correlations between MICs were assessed using Spearman analysis, and differences between polymyxin-resistant and -susceptible isolates were analyzed statistically. Results: Most isolates were susceptible to polymyxins. The MIC data confirmed that one mutant strain, A. baumannii 19606 (R), and three clinical isolates displayed high-level polymyxin B and colistin resistance. PQ-1 exhibited the greatest antibacterial activity among disinfectants, while LL-37 showed the lowest and most consistent MICs among AMPs; lactoferricin was largely inactive. Within this exploratory strain collection, polymyxin-resistant isolates exhibited lower MICs to PQ-1 and PHMB, indicating collateral susceptibility. Correlation analysis revealed significant negative correlations between polymyxin susceptibility and disinfectant MICs (colistin–PQ-1 (r = −0.67 and p = 0.0001), colistin–PHMB (r = −0.44 and p = 0.05), and polymyxin B–PHMB (r = −0.48 and p = 0.005), whereas no consistent correlation was observed between polymyxins and AMPs, including LL-37. A moderate positive correlation was identified between colistin and Mel4 activity (r = 0.45 and p = 0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicate diverse susceptibility patterns of A. baumannii to cationic antimicrobials. Within this exploratory strain collection, polymyxin resistance was not associated with reduced susceptibility to disinfectants or most antimicrobial peptides and was instead associated with lower MICs to certain disinfectants. No evidence of cross-resistance between polymyxins and LL-37 was observed under the conditions tested, suggesting that polymyxin resistance does not necessarily confer reduced in vitro susceptibility to this host defense peptide. Given the small number of polymyxin-resistant isolates, these findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in larger collections of genetically characterized strains. Further mechanistic studies are needed to determine the biological basis and generalizability of these observed susceptibility patterns. Full article

This in vitro study evaluated the effect of incorporating a desensitizing layer between the tooth surface and bleaching gel on tooth color change and treatment time during in-office bleaching procedures. The novelty of this study lies in assessing whether a double-layer technique, previously proposed to modify the diffusion behavior of potassium nitrate and hydrogen peroxide, can maintain whitening efficacy while reducing overall application time. Sixty caries-free third molars were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 20). The CTRL group received 25% hydrogen peroxide (HP) for 30 and 45 min; the DL group received a double-layer application consisting of 5% potassium nitrate followed by 25% HP for the same time intervals; and the MIXED group received 3% potassium nitrate incorporated into 40% HP. Tooth color was measured with a digital spectrophotometer at the baseline and after each treatment interval. Repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise t-tests were used to evaluate differences among groups and treatment times. No significant differences in color change were found among the groups at either evaluation time. The ΔE values obtained with the double-layer technique at 30 min were not significantly different from those observed in the CTRL and MIXED groups at 45 min (p = 0.75 and p = 0.33, respectively). Within the limitations of this in vitro study, no significant differences in tooth color were detected between the double-layer technique and conventional bleaching approaches, though sufficient whitening outcomes were achieved in a shorter treatment time. These findings suggest that this technique may represent a clinically relevant strategy to improve the efficiency of in-office bleaching protocols without compromising whitening efficacy. Full article

Background/Objectives: Falls-prevention advice in primary care does not always lead to a practical next step. We evaluated a brief, non-clinical Falls Conversation package at one urban NHS general practice. Methods: During a 12-week quality improvement/service evaluation, patients aged 65 years or older were offered a baseline reflection survey, written information, a home-safety checklist and, in later Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, a one-action prompt. The package did not include clinical assessment, treatment, referral or medication review. Matched pre-post outcomes were analysed, with actions and balancing outcomes recorded at four to six weeks. Results: Of 510 eligible patients, 442 were approached, 334 engaged, 295 provided matched pre-post data and 256 completed follow-up. The mean project-specific knowledge score was 1.83 (SD 1.02) before and 2.60 (SD 0.95) immediately after the package, a paired difference of 0.77 out of 4 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.88; Cohen’s d_z = 0.79; p < 0.001). Worry changed by −0.07 out of 5 (95% CI −0.13 to −0.01; d_z = −0.13), and activity avoidance by −3.4 percentage points (95% CI −7.5 to 0.7; p = 0.144). At follow-up, 157/256 participants reported at least one action (61.3%, 95% CI 55.2% to 67.1%); actions were heterogeneous and unverified. Action selection and completion rose descriptively across non-randomised PDSA cohorts. Conclusions: The package appeared feasible to embed in one practice and was associated with higher immediate knowledge scores and patient-reported action. It did not demonstrate reduced falls or clinically meaningful change in fear-related outcomes. Controlled studies using validated measures, objective outcomes and longer follow-up are required. Full article

Declining fertility and the shift away from three-generation co-residence have weakened traditional family-based child-rearing support in Japan, drawing attention to the role of networks in local communities. Using data from a citizens’ attitude survey in a regional Japanese city (Ube City; n = 1293), this study examines how residents’ perceptions of community networks—specifically mutual support and community vitality—are associated with satisfaction with the local child-rearing environment. Conventional mean-based approaches risk overlooking qualitative heterogeneity in such evaluations. Using cross-sectional secondary data, we combined multiple regression with latent class analysis (LCA) to explore this heterogeneity. Findings show that perceptions of community networks were positively associated with satisfaction across all models (composite index b = 0.412, p < 0.001). The strongest associations were with “learning opportunities” and “community-wide education” (b = 0.477–0.478). Three-generation households did not uniformly report higher satisfaction compared with nuclear-family households. The exploratory LCA identified three qualitatively distinct patterns, with an “evaluation-pending” group (intermediate scores, frequent “don’t know” responses) comprising over 40% of respondents. This heterogeneity suggests that average scores may obscure the experiences of those directly engaged in child-rearing and that municipal surveys could include items identifying respondents’ basis for evaluation. Full article

The selective flotation separation of chalcopyrite from pyrite under low-alkalinity conditions remains a challenge due to their similar surface properties. In this study, a sulfonated dextrin (SD) was synthesized via chemical modification and evaluated as a selective depressant for pyrite in the chalcopyrite–pyrite flotation system. Micro-flotation experiments demonstrated that SD exhibited significantly superior selective depression for pyrite compared to unmodified dextrin. At pH 8.0, SD achieved over 95% depression of pyrite with negligible impact on chalcopyrite flotation. In mixed-mineral flotation, SD reduced pyrite recovery from 75.01% to 27.08% at a dosage of 100 mg/L, while chalcopyrite recovery increased from 80.56% to 87.65%. Contact angle measurements revealed that SD markedly enhanced the hydrophilicity of pyrite surfaces, whereas chalcopyrite surfaces retained strong hydrophobicity in the presence of SBX. Zeta potential and FTIR analyses indicated that SD strongly adsorbed onto pyrite surfaces through the introduced sulfonic groups (−SO₃⁻), effectively hindering subsequent SBX adsorption. XPS analysis further suggested chemical interactions between SD and oxidized iron species on pyrite surfaces, forming a stable organic–inorganic composite adsorption layer. These findings demonstrate SD to be a promising environmentally friendly depressant for selective copper–sulfur separation under low-alkalinity conditions, offering a viable alternative to conventional lime-based processes. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) versus corticosteroid injection administered after ultrasound-guided needling without lavage on pain, shoulder function, and radiographic resorption in rotator cuff calcific tendinitis. Methods: This retrospective single-centre cohort included 93 patients. All underwent ultrasound-guided needling of the calcific deposit without lavage. Treatment allocation reflected routine clinical practice and was non-randomised. Patients with Gartner type 1–2 calcifications received either PRP or corticosteroid injections, whereas type 3 patients were treated with needling + PRP or conservative management. Outcomes were VAS pain, Constant–Murley Score (CMS), QuickDASH, and radiographic resorption, assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. Results: In Gartner type 1–2 disease, needling followed by PRP resulted in greater 12-month pain reduction than needling followed by corticosteroid (both p < 0.05), while improvements in CMS, QuickDASH, and 1-year complete resorption rates were similar between groups. Gartner type 3 calcifications showed substantial clinical improvement irrespective of treatment modality, but the combined needling + PRP intervention was associated with a higher rate of complete radiographic resorption at 2 weeks than conservative care (72.2% vs. 13.3%; p = 0.001). Four patients (4/93, 4.3%) required arthroscopic surgery (three corticosteroid, one PRP). Conclusions: In Gartner type 1–2 calcific tendinitis, ultrasound-guided needling followed by PRP was associated with greater 12-month pain reduction than needling followed by corticosteroid, whereas functional and 1-year radiographic outcomes were comparable. In symptomatic Gartner type 3 disease, the combined needling + PRP intervention was associated with faster early radiographic resorption but did not demonstrate superior long-term clinical outcomes; conservative treatment remains appropriate for patients with tolerable symptoms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) share several clinical manifestations, which may complicate differential diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether automated volumetric measurements of the pallidum and ventral diencephalon can differentiate PSP from PD. Methods: Thirty-two patients were included, comprising 20 patients with PD and 12 patients with PSP. All participants underwent 3-T brain magnetic resonance imaging. Automated segmentation and volumetric analysis were performed using the vol2Brain pipeline. Absolute and normalized volumes of the pallidum and ventral diencephalon were compared between groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess diagnostic performance. Results: Patients with PSP demonstrated lower pallidal and ventral diencephalic volumes than patients with PD. Differences were observed for both absolute and normalized volumetric measurements (all p ≤ 0.002). Total pallidal volume showed the highest diagnostic performance, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.958, sensitivity of 85%, and specificity of 100%. Total ventral diencephalon volume also differentiated PSP from PD, yielding an AUC of 0.829, seNsitivity of 70%, and specificity of 92%. Conclusions: Pallidal and ventral diencephalic volumes differed between patients with PSP and PD. Automated measurements of pallidal and ventral diencephalic volumes may complement conventional MRI findings in patients with parkinsonian syndromes. Further studies are needed to validate these findings in larger cohorts. Full article

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are widely used in biomedical research due to their genetic similarity to humans and rapid development. Efficient management of large embryo populations is essential for experimental reproducibility and high-throughput screening, yet manual counting and sorting methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and pose ergonomic risks including musculoskeletal disorders. We evaluated a commercially available AI-powered automated embryo sorting system against manual methods across 117,956 embryos to assess efficiency, accuracy, and reliability in operational facility conditions. The automated system performed simultaneous counting and quality classification at 17.3 embryos/min, while manual counting alone achieved 24.5–25.9 embryos/min (p < 0.001). The automated system provided one-pass processing convenience, though at lower instantaneous throughput than manual counting. With significant ergonomic benefits. However, performance analysis revealed 13.41% systematic undercounting (p = 0.004), limited correlation between automated classifications and developmental outcomes (survival, hatching, deformity rates p > 0.05), and 50.8% false negative rate for GFP fluorescence detection in transgenic embryos. These limitations reflect the current state of machine learning algorithm training rather than fundamental technological constraints. The system’s AI architecture enables continuous improvement as algorithms encounter diverse embryo populations and incorporate user feedback through customizable training platforms. Our large-scale operational evaluation provides quantitative performance benchmarks for facilities considering automation adoption and contributes valuable real-world training data for algorithm refinement. We recommend context-dependent implementation: automated processing for high-volume routine workflows where speed and ergonomic benefits are prioritized, combined with manual validation for transgenic line maintenance and accuracy-critical applications. As an early-generation commercial platform with machine learning at its core, the system demonstrates clear improvement pathways through expanded training datasets and user-contributed algorithm optimization. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular comorbidities are frequent in patients with solid malignancies, but their distribution across tumor types and their association with recorded all-cause mortality remain insufficiently defined. This study assessed clinically defined cardiovascular phenotypes across major cancer groups and examined their association with recorded all-cause mortality. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 2020 consecutive adult patients hospitalized with malignancies at University Hospital “Tsaritsa Yoanna—ISUL” between September 2023 and December 2025. Patients were classified as having respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, breast, or other solid malignancies. Four non-mutually exclusive cardiovascular phenotypes were predefined: atherosclerotic, cardiometabolic, structural heart disease, and thromboembolic. Mortality status was ascertained through the National Health Insurance Fund database and hospital electronic records. As complete time-to-event data were unavailable, mortality was analyzed as a binary outcome using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Recorded all-cause mortality occurred in 471 patients (23.3%) and differed significantly across solid tumor types (p < 0.001). Mortality was highest in respiratory cancers (42.3%), followed by gastrointestinal cancers (30.2%), other malignancies (23.5%), genitourinary cancers (14.9%), and breast cancer (9.1%). Cardiovascular phenotypes also differed across tumor groups. In the fully adjusted model, structural heart disease was associated with recorded all-cause mortality status after multivariable adjustment (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.16–2.23, p = 0.004). The atherosclerotic phenotype showed a borderline association (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.00–2.02, p = 0.051), whereas cardiometabolic and thromboembolic phenotypes were not associated with recorded mortality after multivariable adjustment. Model AUC was 0.771. When cardiovascular burden was modeled continuously, each additional cardiovascular factor was associated with higher odds of recorded all-cause mortality status (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03–1.21, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Cardiovascular profiles differed across cancer types. Structural heart disease was the most consistent cardiovascular phenotype associated with recorded all-cause mortality, while overall cardiovascular burden provided additional but modest mortality-related information. In our cohort, routinely recorded cardiovascular diagnoses helped characterize mortality-related clinical profiles. However, these findings should be viewed as observational and hypothesis-generating, and further longitudinal studies are needed before any clinical use can be recommended. Full article

In this study, we introduce a rational, surfactant-free synthetic strategy for the scalable preparation of relatively uniform spherical mesoporous silica with moderate-to-high surface area particles (MSPs), engineered specifically as advanced heterogeneous catalytic supports. Leveraging Ostwald ripening as the core morphogenetic driver—rather than conventional organic structure-directing agents—our approach improves process simplicity and reduces reliance on organic templates. Precise pH modulation to 8.0 using biocompatible organic acids enables controlled silica dissolution–reprecipitation kinetics, yielding MSPs with good spherical morphology, a relatively narrow particle-size distribution, a specific surface area of up to 484 m²/g, and uniform mesopores centered at approximately 3.02 nm. A systematic pH-screening study reveals a distinct structural transition: at pH < 7.5, incomplete condensation and suppressed ripening yield polydisperse aggregates with disordered worm-like porosity; at pH > 8.5, accelerated silicate dissolution induces particle coalescence and partial mesostructural degradation. Critically, pore ordering, channel dimensionality, surface area, and particle morphology are all systematically influenced by pH, establishing it as a key synthetic parameter for hierarchical textural programming. This study compares the methoxychlor (MXC) removal efficiency of polyhedral Bi₂WO₆ and Bi₂WO₆/MSP under identical irradiation conditions to assess MSPs’ catalytic impact. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is mainly associated with the improved dispersion of Bi₂WO₆ and enhanced interfacial contact between Bi₂WO₆ and the silica support. Considering the substantial decrease in surface area and pore volume after Bi₂WO₆ loading, the role of MSP is discussed primarily as an interfacial support rather than as a fully open mesoporous transport network in the final composite. Full article