Search Results (5,865)

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease strongly influenced by genetic factors. Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a key mediator of type 2 immune responses, has been implicated in airway inflammation and remodeling. However, the effects of IL-33 polymorphisms on asthma susceptibility and severity remain unclear, particularly in East Asian populations. This study investigated five IL-33 polymorphisms (rs1891385, rs16924159, rs12551256, rs1929992, and rs7044343) in relation to asthma risk and severity in Taiwanese individuals. A total of 198 asthmatic patients and 453 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess associations with asthma susceptibility and severity. Among the five polymorphisms, only rs1929992 was significantly associated with asthma. Compared with the TT genotype, CT and CC carriers had reduced asthma risk (OR = 0.61 and 0.51, respectively). The dominant model (CT+CC) also showed a protective effect (OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.40–0.82, p = 0.0032), which was supported by allelic analysis (OR = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.55–0.89, p = 0.0044). Among the five polymorphisms, rs1929992 was associated with asthma susceptibility. Under the dominant model, CT + CC carriers showed lower odds of asthma than TT carriers (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.40–0.82, p = 0.0032), and the association remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Exploratory stratified analyses identified associations in the younger and male subgroups, while exploratory severity analysis suggested lower odds of more severe asthma among variant genotype carriers. These secondary findings should be considered hypothesis-generating because of the reduced subgroup sample sizes. Overall, rs1929992 was associated with asthma susceptibility in this Taiwanese population; however, independent replication and functional studies are required before its biological or clinical relevance can be established. Full article

Healthcare workers (HCWs) and medical providers are regularly exposed to a wide range of infectious diseases in the course of their duties. This occupational risk is significant in the context of highly contagious infections such as measles, which can spread rapidly in healthcare institutions. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of protective anti-measles and anti-rubella IgG antibodies and factors influencing immunity among HCWs across all 28 districts in Bulgaria. Methods: A total of 1854 individuals, including 540 (29%) doctors and 1314 (71%) medical specialists from all 28 districts in Bulgaria, were screened for protective immunity against measles and rubella. Serum samples were analyzed for the presence of protective IgG antibodies by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) using commercial EUROIMMUN Anti-Measles/Anti-Rubella Virus IgG ELISA kits. According to the manufacturer’s instructions, the results were interpreted semi-quantitatively as positive, negative, and equivocal. Results: Anti-measles protective IgG antibodies were detected in 86.1% of participants for measles and in 95.2% for rubella. Our study found a statistically significant difference when analyzing demographic factors (age) for measles: the samples from older participants (over 50-year-old persons) were characterized by higher immunity levels; staff working in non-infectious-disease wards (n+ = 95.7%) were more frequently positive for rubella IgG antibodies compared to staff employed in infectious wards; and region locations varied for both groups. Gender and professional roles were not significant predictors. Conclusions: HCWs are at a greater risk of contracting infections than the general public because they have contact with sick patients or infectious material. Their vaccination or IgG immunity status must be strictly monitored, especially to limit the spread of nosocomial infections in hospital settings. Full article

(1) Background: Drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) is increasingly used for unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), yet individualized prognostic tools are lacking. We developed and internally validated nomograms predicting overall survival (OS) and hepatic progression-free survival (hPFS). (2) Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort, reported per the TRIPOD guideline, OS and hPFS were estimated by Kaplan–Meier methods, and independent predictors from multivariable Cox regression were assembled into nomograms. Internal validation combined 1000-sample bootstrap optimism-corrected concordance indices (C-index), a uniform shrinkage factor, a bootstrap calibration slope, and a LASSO–Cox sensitivity analysis. (3) Results: Among 63 patients (44 deaths; 42 intrahepatic-progression events), median OS was 10.9 months and median hPFS was 5.8 months. Independent OS predictors were baseline CEA, high liver tumor burden (≥10 lesions), CEA decline (protective), and second-line-or-beyond interventional therapy (corrected C-index: 0.796). Independent hPFS predictors were high liver tumor burden, CEA decline, and age (corrected C-index: 0.718). Nomogram-defined high-risk groups had markedly shorter OS (5.3 vs. 22.8 months) and hPFS (3.3 vs. 8.6 months; both p < 0.001). Grade ≥3 toxicity occurred in 6%. (4) Conclusions: In real-world DEB-TACE-treated CRLM, liver tumor burden and CEA dynamics dominated prognosis; the internally validated nomograms provide individualized estimates and risk stratification, pending external validation. Full article

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, considered a prohormone, that plays a fundamental role in calcium absorption and reabsorption, as well as the modulation of inflammatory response in infectious conditions such as COVID-19. A literature search was conducted in scientific databases and official sources, selecting studies published in the last 10 years in Spanish and English related to vitamin D and COVID-19; studies unrelated to the nutritional approach were excluded to reduce bias and ensure a rigorous and reproducible analysis. It was observed that the probability of contracting COVID-19 increases as the D3 hypovitaminosis prevalence increases. In Mexico, the relevance of vitamin D deficiency or supplementation in this disease has been controversial. Some studies claim that vitamin D supplementation could be a protective factor. According to the National Health Survey in Mexico (Ensanut), the Mexican population has significant deficiencies in this vitamin, contributing to an unfavorable diagnosis, particularly for children and pregnant women, as it is considered a deficiency in the blood when it is below 30 ng/mL and insufficiency when below 20 ng/mL, making these deficiencies important risk factors in the development of COVID-19 severe cases. Nevertheless, the use of vitamin D as an adjuvant agent in the treatment of COVID-19 can represent one of the main options for public health, providing therapeutic properties and health benefits. Full article

Catheter ablation is the cornerstone of rhythm control in atrial fibrillation (AF), yet recurrence remains common, and obesity is among the most consistently implicated modifiable risk factors. Weight reduction and metabolic pharmacotherapy are increasingly used in the periprocedural period, but whether they act through a shared pathway has not been systematically examined. This narrative review compares the two approaches and asks whether metabolic agents confer protection beyond weight loss itself. Three observations argue that they do not act identically. First, the benefit of weight reduction is dose-dependent yet contingent on delivery: a structured, physician-led risk-factor program reduced 12-month arrhythmia recurrence (risk ratio 0.53), whereas nurse-led care that improved guideline adherence without structured delivery did not alter the primary endpoint. Second, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have been associated with reduced recurrence across BMI strata despite producing only modest weight loss; notably, a randomized trial in patients without cardiovascular or metabolic comorbidity showed no additional benefit, whereas benefit was observed in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart failure. Third, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) achieve greater weight loss but yield inconsistent recurrence data, and Mendelian randomization suggests their cardiometabolic benefit is largely BMI-mediated, whereas that of SGLT2i is weight-independent. Together, these observations are consistent with a working hypothesis of two partly distinct atrial substrates—an obesity-related substrate responsive to weight reduction, and a metabolic-inflammatory substrate that may respond to SGLT2i predominantly when metabolic comorbidity is present. This framework is hypothesis-generating: it rests on indirect, cross-study comparisons and has not been tested by formal mediation analysis. If confirmed, it would imply that the two interventions are complementary rather than interchangeable. Full article

The corrosion behavior of N80 steel in a simulated coalbed–methane environment was investigated in a high-temperature, high-pressure autoclave. Uniform corrosion and maximum pit depth were quantified by weight-loss measurements and ultra-depth-of-field three-dimensional microscopy, respectively, while SEM, EDS, and XRD were used to characterize the morphology, elemental composition, and crystalline phases of the surface corrosion products. A one-factor-at-a-time design was applied at a constant total pressure of 10 MPa to evaluate the effects of nominal CO₂ partial pressure (0.10–1.00 MPa), nominal O₂ partial pressure (0–0.40 MPa), Cl⁻ concentration (3–187 g/L), and temperature (40–75 °C). Increasing the nominal CO₂ partial pressure raised the uniform corrosion rate from 0.712 to 0.930 mm/a but reduced the maximum pitting corrosion rate from 1.691 to 0.280 mm/a, while FeCO₃-containing surface coverage increased. Increasing the nominal O₂ partial pressure intensified both corrosion modes; at 0.40 MPa, the uniform and maximum pitting corrosion rates reached 1.446 and 2.202 mm/a, respectively, and the corrosion-product layer exhibited extensive cracking and spallation. Increasing the Cl⁻ concentration reduced the uniform corrosion rate from 1.078 to 0.839 mm/a but increased the maximum pitting corrosion rate from 0.474 to 1.807 mm/a, indicating a shift in the principal damage risk from average metal loss to localized penetration. The uniform corrosion rate reached a maximum of 1.516 mm/a at 60 °C, whereas the maximum pitting corrosion rate increased continuously to 2.202 mm/a at 75 °C. XRD identified Fe, FeCO₃, Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, and FeOOH. The persistent Fe substrate reflections, interpreted together with the SEM observations, revealed spatially heterogeneous corrosion-product coverage. These results show that the protective contribution of FeCO₃-containing products depends on their surface coverage and visible integrity rather than on phase presence alone. The findings support stringent oxygen-ingress control, targeted pitting protection in high-salinity environments, and enhanced corrosion surveillance of intermediate- and high-temperature well sections. Full article

Background: Transitional age youth aged 18–25 years are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, displaying significantly higher alcohol and illicit drug use levels than adolescents and older adults. College students are particularly vulnerable at this critical life juncture as transitioning to adulthood may impact emotional health and well-being, contributing to anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness, all of which are linked to increased risk of substance use and disorders. Objective: This study characterizes the design and status of the MAPme Project, a prospective project centered on substance use and emotional wellness during and beyond college. Herein, we describe the 2018–2024 pilot cohort that was followed during the first two years of college, remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and upon the return to campus. We also describe our latest 2025+ cohort with ongoing data collection. Participants: The 2018–2024 cohort comprised 301 college freshmen who completed online assessments at baseline (Wave 1). The 2025+ cohort has currently enrolled 618 students and counting. Methods: We provide descriptive information on both cohorts, along with preliminary associations of pre- and early collegiate substance use outcomes, psychopathology, sleep patterns, and personality traits. Results: Approximately 64% of first-year students reported use of a substance in the 90 days leading up to college in 2018. Alcohol and cannabis were the most prevalent substances used in both cohorts with males consuming more alcohol than females. Females reported greater levels of daily stressors and mood symptoms. Other health and personality characteristics and observed associations between psychosocial risk and protective factors are described. Prior studies demonstrate the ability to test research hypotheses in the social, health, and clinical areas of psychology with robust statistical power. Conclusions: Substance use and emotional well-being vary considerably upon entry into college/university and at any particular moment in time. The MAPme Project encourages the engagement of students to address challenges associated with lack of awareness, inclusivity, and acceptance of scientific research. Overcoming barriers of inclusivity and empowering the community is key to the successful adoption and implementation of campus health and community-oriented research programs and systematically enhancing research training. Full article

Obesity-related complications have long been significant risk factors threatening human health. Sanhua tea is an instant tea composed of Rosa rugosa Thunb., Jasminum sambac (L.) Ait., Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl., Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., and Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of Sanhua tea in obese mice. An obesity model was established by feeding C57BL/6J mice a high-fat diet. Mice received intragastric Sanhua tea at doses (500, 1500, and 2500 mg/kg/day) for three weeks. Biochemical analyses indicated that Sanhua tea significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in serum. Sanhua tea also alleviated liver oxidative stress by reducing malondialdehyde levels and regulating the activities of related enzymes. Additionally, Sanhua tea maintained gut microbiota diversity and reshaped microbial composition, reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio, increasing beneficial bacterial communities, and significantly decreasing harmful bacterial communities. Metabolomics analysis revealed that Sanhua tea altered liver metabolites, which were significantly associated with specific gut microbes. These metabolites influenced pathways such as ABC transporters, general metabolic pathways, and central carbon metabolism in cancer, contributing to obesity alleviation. In conclusion, Sanhua tea alleviated obesity symptoms in mice by modulating blood lipid levels, liver metabolism, and gut microbiota. Full article

Airborne bacterial diseases driven by pathogen aerosols in enclosed greenhouses spread rapidly, challenging traditional early-warning methods. This study developed a two-step monitoring system for cucumber angular leaf spot using low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors, qPCR, and machine learning. Evaluated across spatially independent greenhouse trials using 732 plot-days of data, PM sensors were utilized as dynamic physical proxies alongside microclimate data. These proxies continuously estimated the fluctuations of pathogen aerosols suspended in the greenhouse air. When estimated aerosol risks exceeded a pathogenic threshold, targeted air sampling and qPCR quantification were triggered. For pathogen monitoring, the Extra Trees (ET) surveillance model accurately predicted the accumulation of airborne pathogen aerosols (R² = 0.884). For disease forecasting, by integrating the quantified aerosol loads with environmental factors, the XGBoost prediction model forecasted the daily disease index change rate with high precision (R² = 0.874). SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis confirmed that the concentration of airborne pathogen aerosols and vapor pressure deficit were primary drivers of disease expansion. By combining continuous physical sensing of greenhouse air with risk-triggered biological quantification, this framework provides a feasible strategy to partly compensate for the lack of biological specificity of PM sensors and supports early-warning management of airborne bacterial diseases in protected agriculture. Full article

Electrochemical corrosion is one of the main causes of degradation of substation grounding devices and directly impacts the operational reliability of electric power facilities. Despite numerous studies on individual corrosion factors, comprehensive models considering the combined effects of soil physical and chemical properties and electrical operating conditions remain limited. This study analyzes emergency situations associated with grounding system failures and examines the effect of the main factors of electrochemical corrosion, including chloride ion concentration, soil moisture, environmental acidity, seasonal temperature changes, and leakage currents. Based on Faraday’s law, a mathematical model of electrochemical corrosion rate is proposed that combines the influence of the factors considered through correction factors. For practical implementation, an algorithm for the dynamic assessment of degradation of grounding system elements has been developed. The proposed model predicts changes in the cross-sectional area of grounding device elements, changes in grounding resistance, and the occurrence of potentially hazardous operating conditions. The developed algorithm assesses the risk of exceeding the permissible grounding potential, violating thermal withstand, the occurrence of hazardous step voltages, insulating breakdown, and disrupting the selectivity of relay protection devices. Full article

Background: This presentation is based on a paper that was published last year in the peer-reviewed journal Recht & Psychiatrie [¹]. The study investigates consumption patterns in patients who have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and are being treated in a forensic psychiatric hospital under section 64 of the German penal code. High cost of treatment and a higher risk of reoffending when terminated prematurely underlines the importance of determining who has a high chance of completing treatment and why. It is important to note, that the investigation of dynamic predictors of recidivism in patients who undergo mandatory forensic addiction treatment has been insufficiently examined. One dynamic factor could be the consumption pattern during treatment. Relapses during addiction treatment is not uncommon and relapse rates range from 16.7 to 81.6%. However, evidence shows that moderate consumption does not necessarily have a negative effect on legal prognosis. So far, there are no clear findings as to how substance use during therapy affects recidivism or early treatment termination. Furthermore, consumption patterns have not yet been conclusively conceptualized. Studies don’t go beyond quantifying relapses and only investigate factors that promote or protect patients from relapsing. So far, there has been no investigation of actual consumption patterns during forensic mandatory treatment. Therefore, the goal of this study was to provide a description and classification of consumption patterns, identify factors that promote substance use or encourage abstinence and describe the relationship between consumption patterns and treatment termination. Methods: This qualitative study examined the components of consumption patterns via 17 interviews with patients, who underwent mandatory treatment in a forensic psychiatric hospital in Germany and two focus groups with employees of the same hospital. Results: Findings show different patterns: temporal, observed and internal. A temporal pattern can be divided into five overarching types (progressive, regressive, constant, intermittent, chaotic). Internal patterns of factors within and outside the patient constitute the observed consumption patterns. Conclusions: The reflection of the observed behavior allows therapeutic intervention points. Future studies should validate the components and further investigate the relationship between certain patterns of consumption behavior and recidivism. Full article

High-risk industries (HRI) face persistent safety challenges due to complex environments and multi-factor risks. Traditional manual monitoring is inefficient and reactive. While computer vision (CV) and deep learning (DL) have enabled automated risk perception, existing research lacks systematic review of the transition toward risk cognition. This systematic review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searched Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore for studies published from January 2021 to December 2025. After two-stage screening, 108 eligible studies were included. These studies span construction, mining, oil and gas, petrochemical, rail, energy, and maritime industries, with perception-layer applications predominating while cognition and early warning layer studies remain limited. We propose a “perception–cognition–early warning” framework to map the evolution from data to information, knowledge, and actionable decisions. Our findings reveal that visual perception technologies (e.g., Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) detection, object tracking) have matured, but significant bottlenecks persist in multimodal information fusion, knowledge reasoning, and decision-making. Achieving a true cognitive leap requires multimodal semantic alignment, scene graph construction, and causal inference. The proposed framework enables practitioners to design cognitive safety vision systems with scene understanding and interpretable decision-making capabilities. Key implementation strategies include addressing challenges in few-shot learning, cross-domain generalization, and human–machine collaboration. By integrating AI-driven perception, cognitive reasoning, and proactive intervention, this review supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Relevant goals include Goal 3 (health and well-being), Goal 8 (decent work), and Goal 9 (industry and innovation). Full article

Introduction: Intensive care units are characterized by a high level of clinical and psychosocial demands. Previous research indicates that the work environment plays a significant role in shaping nurses’ occupational well-being; however, analyses that simultaneously consider organizational factors, perceived occupational exposure, and job satisfaction are still limited, particularly in the context of Central and Eastern European countries. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between psychosocial and organizational factors in the work environment and the level of perceived occupational exposure as well as job satisfaction among nursing staff working in intensive care units. Methods: The study was cross-sectional in design and was conducted in Poland among 226 nurses employed in intensive care units. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey that included an author-designed questionnaire and the standardized “Working Conditions” instrument developed by the Central Institute for Labor Protection—National Research Institute. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, chi-square (χ²) tests, and binary logistic regression. The study was conducted and reported in accordance with the STROBE guidelines (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology). Results: A high psychosocial burden was observed in 49.6% of the participants, while a high organizational risk was found in 69.9%. Higher organizational risk was associated with a more than threefold increase in the odds of high perceived occupational exposure (OR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.54–7.81). Conclusions: Psychosocial and organizational factors in the work environment play an important role in shaping perceived occupational exposure and job satisfaction among intensive care nursing staff. The results highlight the importance of organizational interventions, such as ensuring adequate nurse staffing, strengthening supportive leadership, and developing psychosocial support programs for staff. Full article

Purpose: Despite the increasing use of digital platforms during health emergencies, little is known about the cognitive and structural mechanisms through which social media quality information influences preventive healthcare behaviour, particularly in low-resource settings. Drawing on the integration of the Protection Motivation Theory and Andersen’s Behavioural Model, this study examines how social media quality information shapes preventive healthcare behaviour in Sierra Leone by investigating the mediating role of risk perception and the moderating role of psychological resilience. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey approach was adopted, and data were collected from social media users in Sierra Leone, Africa, and analysed using IBM SPSS 25 and SmartPLS 4.1 to evaluate the measurement and structural models. Results: The findings disclose that SMQI significantly influences preventive behaviour both directly and indirectly via RP. Furthermore, RES positively and significantly moderates the relationship between risk perception and preventive healthcare behaviour, acting as a catalyst for action, while access to preventive resources (AcPR) serves as a critical enabling factor. Implications: This study advances health behaviour theory by integrating cognitive, psychological, and structural determinants into a cohesive model and establishes resilience as a vital boundary condition for effective crisis response. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and health communicators to design high-quality social media interventions that not only inform citizens but also foster the psychological resilience necessary for sustained health compliance. Full article

Sustainable finance increasingly treats green assets as instruments for climate-risk hedging; however, it remains unclear whether they protect investors during energy-market shocks and financial-market stress or merely transmit different transition, equity-market, and growth risks. This study asks whether green assets hedge better than brown assets, or whether the two asset classes hedge different risks across market states. Using daily data from 2010 to 2025 on exchange-traded clean-energy, fossil-fuel, green-bond, ESG, and market-risk instruments, we construct green and brown portfolios and analyze the green–brown return spread across normal conditions, high-volatility regimes, market-stress days, positive and negative oil-price shocks, the COVID-19 crisis, and the recent energy-crisis period. The empirical design combines performance and downside-risk metrics, rolling correlations and betas, Newey–West regressions, stress-state comparisons, quantile regressions, portfolio allocation tests, and supplementary machine-learning classification. The results reveal strong oil-shock asymmetry: brown assets outperform during positive oil-price shocks, while green assets perform relatively better when oil prices fall sharply. However, green assets do not function as broad safe havens during financial-market stress, reflecting persistent equity-market downside exposure and growth-factor repricing. Quantile regressions confirm nonlinear and state-dependent risk transmission, while portfolio tests show weak full-sample return-risk performance for clean-energy equity exposure alone. Shorter-sample suggests that green bonds and ESG assets display more defensive characteristics, whereas machine-learning models show limited short-horizon predictive power. Green assets are therefore not universal hedges but conditional transition-risk assets whose value depends on the shock source, market regime, and sustainable instrument. Full article