Search Results (3,015)

English-teaching agents use external knowledge retrieval to update instructional content, broaden domain coverage, and personalize support beyond standalone large language models (LLMs). However, open sources may introduce harmful, biased, or misleading content into retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, affecting learners’ judgment, cultural understanding, and value formation. To address this problem, this study proposes a multi-stage secure knowledge retrieval method for English-teaching agents. The method coordinates safeguards across knowledge-source access, retrieval execution, and model output. At the access stage, custom rules and Semgrep-based static scanning perform preliminary risk screening. At the retrieval stage, LLM-based dynamic evaluation identifies tool-description contamination and cross-file data-flow risks. At the output stage, semantic-embedding pre-screening, LLM review, and bounded knowledge purification detect and rewrite risky responses. Our experiments use public safety benchmarks, a mixed corpus of benign and poisoned passages, synthetic purification cases, and controlled end-to-end teaching scenarios. Compared with vanilla RAG, the framework reduces Poison Exposure@5 from 92.0% to 3.0% and retrieval attack success from 86.0% to 2.0% while preserving retrieval coverage. These results provide preliminary evidence that the framework can empower English teaching by enabling agents to deliver safer materials and trustworthy support for classroom questioning, academic writing, and intercultural learning. Full article

Dentin derived from extracted human teeth has emerged as a promising autogenous biomaterial for bone regeneration owing to its structural and biological similarity to bone tissue. Growing clinical interest in dentin-derived graft materials has also stimulated the development of tooth-banking concepts, in which extracted teeth are preserved for future regenerative applications. However, microbiological contamination remains one of the principal concerns associated with long-term storage before clinical use. This in vitro study evaluated the microbiological status of dentin biomaterials prepared from human teeth stored under long-term refrigerated conditions (approximately 4 °C) and subsequently processed using three commercially available dentin-processing systems: BonMaker (BM), Tooth Transformer (TT), and Smart Dentin Grinder (SDG). A total of 72 extracted teeth collected between 2018 and 2025 were allocated to experimental groups and processed into 24 pooled dentin samples. Five freshly extracted teeth served as controls. Culture-based microbiological assessment was performed before and after dentin processing using Schaedler Broth K3 culture media under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Microorganisms isolated from positive cultures were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Baseline microbiological assessment detected bacterial contamination in 2 of 24 pooled dentin samples (8.3%) and in 4 of 5 control teeth (80.0%). The identified microorganisms included Staphylococcus epidermidis, Actinomyces viscosus, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus mutans, and Staphylococcus hominis. No microbiologically detectable bacterial growth by culture-based methods was observed following processing with BM, TT, or SDG, irrespective of storage duration, including teeth preserved under refrigerated conditions for up to seven years. Within the limitations of this culture-based investigation, the evaluated dentin-processing protocols effectively eliminated microbiologically detectable cultivable bacterial contamination from long-term refrigerated dentin samples. These findings provide preliminary culture-based microbiological evidence supporting the feasibility of long-term refrigerated tooth preservation under the investigated storage conditions as one component of future tooth-banking research. Since culture-based microbiological methods do not detect viable but non-culturable microorganisms or other non-cultivable pathogens, the present findings should not be interpreted as evidence of complete sterility, overall biological safety, or the superiority of refrigerated storage over alternative preservation methods. Further studies employing molecular microbiological techniques together with biological and physicochemical analyses are required to comprehensively validate long-term tooth-banking protocols. Full article

Comprehensive orientation is essential for ensuring client and patient safety, strengthening safety culture, and supporting workforce competence in social and health care. Although orientation is recognized as an important patient safety intervention, little is known about how comprehensively client and patient safety topics are incorporated into orientation programs. This study evaluated the extent to which client and patient safety topics were incorporated into orientation programs across Finnish wellbeing services counties. Data: A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted in 2024. The questionnaire was based on the Finnish national client and patient safety orientation framework and included thirty-nine orientation topics covering safety management, occupational safety, safety culture, risk management, medication safety, infection prevention, information security, and emergency preparedness. Responses were requested from ten predefined social and health care service areas in each of Finland’s 23 wellbeing services counties. Fourteen counties participated, yielding 107 responses. Results: Traditional client and patient safety topics were widely incorporated into orientation programs. The highest affirmative responses concerned individual job responsibilities, confidentiality, processing of client and patient information, occupational safety, medication competence, and incident reporting (all 96–99%). In contrast, psychological safety (58%), second victim practices (14%), self-monitoring programs and plans (42% and 54%), safety culture assessment (41%), and client and patient safety in digital and remote services (62%) were incorporated less frequently. Conclusions: This study provides a national overview of client and patient safety orientation practices based on responses from participating Finnish wellbeing services counties. Traditional client and patient safety topics were widely incorporated into orientation programs, whereas psychological safety, second victim support, self-monitoring, and digital safety were less consistently represented. The findings suggest that implementation of patient safety priorities is uneven across safety domains, with newer organizational and systems-oriented topics appearing less embedded in orientation than traditional clinical safety topics. Orientation may therefore be viewed not merely as an onboarding activity but also as a strategic mechanism for implementing patient safety priorities within healthcare organizations. Full article

Background: The fall armyworm, S. frugiperda, is a globally threatening insect pest of agricultural crops, including in Thailand. Symbiotic bacteria in the genera Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, which are derived from entomopathogenic nematodes, can produce diverse bioactive compounds with insecticidal activities. However, no study on Thai isolates of these symbiotic bacteria against S. frugiperda has been reported, leading to a significant gap in local biopesticide development. Methods: Two symbiotic bacterial isolates, X. miraniensis (bMH16.1_TH) and P. akhurstii (bSBR11.1_TH), were isolated from Thai entomopathogenic nematodes and cultured in LB broth at 10⁸ CFU/mL. Three bacterial fractions, i.e., whole-cell suspension, cell supernatant, and cell pellet, were prepared from each isolate. Insecticidal bioassays were conducted by topical application on second- and fifth-instar larvae of S. frugiperda (10 larvae × 5 replicates per treatment, CRD). Larval mortality was recorded daily for seven days, and median lethal time (LT₅₀) was calculated. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (p < 0.05). Results: The results indicated that both bacterial isolates caused significantly higher larval mortality than controls across all treatments (p < 0.05). X. miraniensis (bMH16.1_TH) showed higher virulence, achieving ~80% mortality of second-instar larvae within 24 h and 100% by day three. Whole-cell suspensions consistently produced the fastest and highest mortality with the lowest LT₅₀ values in both larval stages. Second-instar larvae were significantly more susceptible than fifth-instar larvae. The shortest LT₅₀ was recorded in second-instar larvae treated with X. miraniensis supernatant at 0.616 days, while fifth-instar larvae generally showed higher LT₅₀ values across all treatments. Conclusions: Our comparative study demonstrated that the insecticidal efficacy varied between the two symbiotic bacterial isolates and among their fractions. Whole-cell suspensions of X. miraniensis (bMH16.1_TH) produced the highest larval mortality and the smallest LT₅₀ values, particularly against early-instar larvae. These findings demonstrated that local symbiotic bacteria are promising candidates to be developed as sources of biopesticides against this insect pest. In addition, characterizing active insecticidal compounds, evaluating field efficacy, and assessing safety to non-target organisms need to be further studied to support integration of these biopesticides in sustainable pest management programs. Full article

(1) Background: Ambulatory services are the main interface between populations and health systems, yet their benefits are unevenly distributed due to structural inequalities—systemic differences rooted in the social, economic, and political organisation of society. Inequities in access and quality are well documented, but patient safety remains the least examined. (2) Methods: Following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus were searched for studies published from 2010 to 2026. In total, 44 studies were included, predominantly from the USA (n = 31), and synthesised narratively. (3) Results: Inequalities operated through geographic maldistribution, financial barriers, exclusionary institutional cultures, and market-driven practices. Access and quality were each addressed by 17 studies, whereas only four examined patient safety directly; the limited safety evidence indicated disproportionate diagnostic errors, medication-safety failures, and care-coordination breakdowns among vulnerable groups. Evidence was concentrated in the USA. (4) Conclusions: Structural inequalities are well documented for access and quality but are markedly under-studied for patient safety—the principal evidence gap identified. Patient safety warrants treatment as an equity outcome, measured with stratification by structural disadvantage and addressed through system-level interventions. Full article

Flood events have increased significantly in recent decades as a result of climate change, causing severe damage to cultural heritage and, in particular, to archival and library collections. Paper-based materials contaminated by floodwaters and alluvial mud are subject not only to physical and biological deterioration but also to potential hygienic and sanitary hazards associated with the persistence of human pathogens. Current emergency recovery strategies mainly focus on stabilizing materials through freezing, freeze-drying and mechanical cleaning, while health risk assessment is rarely addressed systematically. This pilot study proposes an innovative operational protocol that integrates microbiological indicators of hygienic relevance into the conservation workflow for assessing health risks during the remediation of flood-damaged archival and library materials. Its innovative character lies in shifting post-flood recovery from a predominantly material-stabilization approach toward a combined conservation and occupational-health framework, in which faecal contamination indicators, total microbial loads and selected viral targets are monitored before and after key remediation steps. The protocol was applied to collections from the Aurelio Saffi Municipal Library of Forlì (Italy), severely affected by the Emilia-Romagna floods of May 2023. The results indicate a substantial reduction in faecal contamination following freeze-drying, alongside the persistence of environmentally resistant microbial taxa. However, these findings should be regarded as preliminary and case-specific, and the proposed protocol will require validation through additional case studies, larger sample sets and controlled experimental trials before it can be considered broadly applicable. These findings highlight the need to integrate health risk considerations into conservation recovery workflows to support the safety of conservation professionals and users of recovered heritage materials. Full article

The increasing demand for alternative protein sources has stimulated interest in fungal biomass as a food ingredient. Although industrial strains of Fusarium venenatum have been extensively investigated, strain-specific information on conidial production, biomass accumulation, and crude protein content remains limited for strains maintained in microbial culture collections. This study evaluated the growth and sporulation of F. venenatum CML3311 in different solid media and investigated biomass and crude protein production under submerged fermentation conditions. Growth and sporulation were assessed on Yeast Malt Agar (YMA), Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar (DRBC), Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Submerged fermentations were conducted using a 3² factorial design evaluating temperature (26–30 °C) and agitation (160–200 rpm) over 72 h. Biomass production was determined gravimetrically, and crude protein content was quantified by the Kjeldahl method. DRBC promoted the highest sporulation, reaching 4.63 × 10⁶ conidia/mL after 28 days. Biomass production increased during the first 48 h of cultivation, with the highest yields observed at 28–30 °C (6.4–6.5 g/L). Crude protein content ranged from 25.45% to 56.12% (dry basis), with the highest value obtained after 24 h at 28 °C and 200 rpm. These findings provide a strain-specific basis for inoculum preparation and submerged cultivation of F. venenatum CML3311 and identify conditions to be further investigated in process-optimization and safety-assessment studies. Full article

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) contamination and proliferation in aquaculture and aquatic systems is worrisome for global food safety, as well as veterinary and public health. Traditionally linked with terrestrial ruminant reservoirs, aquaculture matrices, including farmed finfish, shellfish, culture water, and benthic organisms, are increasingly acknowledged as potential conduits for the dissemination of STEC. Herein, the review documented data concerning the prevalence, genomic composition, and ecological dynamics of STEC across various aquaculture environments across different regions of the globe. As a result, the persistence of virulence-associated genes (VAGs) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in STEC within the aquaculture supply chain presents a considerable risk to global food security and public health, highlighting the urgent necessity for comprehensive “One Health” surveillance frameworks aimed at alleviating aquatic biosecurity challenges. Full article

Against the rapid expansion of the digital economy in Southeast Asia, improving firms’ digital capability has become increasingly important for sustaining employee innovation in the IT services sector. However, existing research has mainly emphasized organizational or performance outcomes and has paid less attention to the internal mechanisms through which corporate digital capability shapes employees’ sustainable innovation behavior, especially in the heterogeneous institutional and cultural context of ASEAN. Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory and Social Information Processing Theory, this study examines the relationship between corporate digital capability and sustainable employee innovation behavior, with innovation atmosphere and knowledge sharing as mediating mechanisms. Using cross-sectional survey data collected from 257 employees in IT services firms across five ASEAN countries, and employing hierarchical regression analysis with bootstrap mediation testing, this study finds that corporate digital capability positively promotes sustainable employee innovation behavior (β = 0.38, p < 0.01). The results further show that innovation atmosphere and knowledge sharing serve as important mediating pathways through which digital capability is translated into employee-level innovation outcomes (indirect effects: 0.20, 95% CI [0.10, 0.31] for IA; 0.19, 95% CI [0.11, 0.28] for KS). In addition, innovation atmosphere strengthens knowledge sharing, forming a sequential mechanism (indirect effect = 0.26, 95% CI [0.15, 0.37]) that further supports sustainable innovation behavior. This study contributes to the literature by clarifying how digital capability affects sustainable employee innovation at the micro level, by distinguishing the organizational climate and knowledge exchange mechanisms involved in this process, and by providing context-sensitive evidence from ASEAN’s diverse digital transformation environment. The findings also provide practical insights for firms and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainable innovation capacity through digital capability building, supportive organizational climates, and stronger knowledge-sharing practices. Specifically, policymakers should align DEFA-funded digital skill programs with organizational climate interventions that foster psychological safety and cross-border collaboration, while managers in resource-constrained SMEs can leverage low-cost measures such as monthly idea recognition schemes, public endorsement of reasonable failure, and designated cross-border knowledge brokers to amplify the innovation returns of digital investments. Full article

Durum wheat is highly susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB), a severe fungal disease caused primarily by Fusarium graminearum. FHB affects durum wheat production by causing significant yield losses and grain contamination with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA). Given the limitations of chemical fungicides, finding sustainable biological control agents is essential. This study evaluated the antagonistic and biocontrol capabilities of Trichoderma harzianum ITEM 3636 against F. graminearum through in vitro and greenhouse experiments. In vitro dual and sandwich culture assays demonstrated that T. harzianum significantly inhibits pathogen mycelial growth through direct interaction and the emission of volatile compounds. In a competition test on rice kernels, co-inoculation with ITEM 3636 significantly reduced pathogen biomass, leading to maximum reductions of 96.5% for DON and 98% for ZEA. Furthermore, greenhouse trials on a commercial durum wheat cultivar revealed that T. harzianum ITEM 3636 significantly decreased FHB severity by 40% and reduced DON contamination by up to 32% only when a combined seed-coating and spike-spraying application was performed. Additionally, ITEM 3636 exhibited biostimulant-like effects on yield parameters, causing an increase in kernel weight of 33% in the greenhouse assay. These findings highlight T. harzianum ITEM 3636 as a promising and ecological alternative to synthetic fungicides for managing FHB, safeguarding crop production, and ensuring food safety. Full article

Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) is a medicinal mushroom native to Taiwan. This study evaluated the genotoxicity and toxicity of red quinoa and barley-based solid-state fermented AC mycelium (RQBACM). The safety of RQBACM was evaluated via a 90-day repeated-dose oral toxicity study in rats and a battery of genotoxicity assays, including the Ames, CHO-K1 chromosomal aberration, and in vivo micronucleus tests. RQBACM exhibited no mutagenicity in the Ames test, regardless of S9 metabolic activation, nor did it induce chromosomal aberrations in CHO-K1 cells. In mice, no significant changes in reticulocyte or micronucleus frequency were observed at doses up to 5000 mg/kg. In the 90-day study, Sprague–Dawley rats receiving up to 3000 mg/kg/day showed no treatment-related adverse effects, except for a slight reduction in body weight in high-dose males. No significant changes were found in hematology, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, organ weights, or histopathology. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined to be 3000 mg/kg/day, supporting the safety of RQBACM for potential human consumption. Full article

Healthcare systems face increasing pressure from demographic, technological, and organizational changes that intensify psychosocial risks and threaten both healthcare workers’ well-being and patient safety. This study investigates whether burnout mediates the relationship between psychosocial risk factors and patient safety culture in healthcare settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 220 Portuguese healthcare workers using three validated instruments: the Psychosocial Risks Scale (INSAT_ERPS), the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-23), and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and mediation analyses were performed using SPSS (version 31.0) and the PROCESS (version 5) macro. Results showed a moderately strong positive association between psychosocial risks and burnout, and a significant negative association between burnout and patient safety culture. Psychosocial risks were not directly associated with patient safety culture. However, burnout indirectly mediated this relationship, indicating that adverse working conditions impair safety perceptions through their impact on psychological strain. These findings highlight burnout as a significant key mediator linking unsustainable working conditions to unsafe care, showing the relevance of the psychosocial environment. Targeted interventions to reduce psychosocial risks are thus fundamental to improving patient safety culture and promoting the sustainable functioning of healthcare systems. Full article

Disclosing a schizophrenia diagnosis presents significant ethical dilemmas due to stigma, caregiving burdens, and cultural norms. This study explored psychiatrists’ ethical considerations when disclosing this diagnosis to family members in Indonesia. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with eight psychiatrists at a single-site private psychiatric hospital in Jakarta. Data underwent inductive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (1) preparing for truth-telling by assessing family readiness, roles, and cultural beliefs; (2) negotiating clinical uncertainty and emotional pacing through staged disclosure; (3) balancing ethical duties of honesty and patient confidentiality against safety risks and severe stigma; and (4) extending disclosure into continuous care via psychoeducation and crisis support. Overall, psychiatrists approach diagnostic disclosure not as a single declarative act, but as an ethically negotiated, relational, and continuous process. While practices like staged disclosure preserve therapeutic alliances, they require critical reflection to avoid paternalism. Adopting culturally responsive, family-inclusive approaches is essential to strengthen the ethical delivery of psychiatric diagnoses and ensure continuing care. Full article

Background: Gender equity is an increasingly relevant dimension in psychosocial risk assessment within organisational settings. This pilot study examines the integration of a Perceived Gender Disparity subscale into the Organisational and Psychosocial Risk Assessment (OPRA) inventory in an Italian manufacturing sample (N = 65). Methods: The five-item subscale, grounded in the literature on workplace gender discrimination and harassment, underwent reliability analysis (Cronbach’s α = 0.706), bivariate correlations (Pearson’s r), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), non-parametric sensitivity analysis (Spearman’s ρ), and exploratory gender comparisons (exact Mann–Whitney U tests). Results: Results indicate statistically significant associations with seven of nine OPRA subscales: a large correlation with Role (r = 0.508, p < 0.001), medium-sized associations with Organisational Culture, Workload, Quality of Relationships, and Career Development (|r| = 0.331–0.427, p ≤ 0.007), and small-to-medium associations with Environment and Safety and Autonomy (|r| = 0.268–0.275, p < 0.05). No significant associations emerged for Working Hours or Work–Life Balance. Spearman’s correlations confirmed and strengthened all significant associations. Exploratory gender comparisons revealed medium-sized effects in the expected direction on the items assessing gender-specific disadvantage. EFA revealed a unidimensional structure with adequate loadings (λ = 0.475–0.785), accounting for 41.90% of the total variance. Conclusions: This study constitutes an initial psychometric evaluation rather than a definitive validation. Despite the limitations of a single-site, male-dominated sample, the findings provide preliminary support for including perceived gender disparity as a source of organisational risk within the OPRA framework. Larger and more diverse samples are required to confirm the factor structure and to establish the generalizability of the findings. Full article

The construction industry is a critical pillar of Hong Kong’s economic development and urban growth, yet it continues to face significant safety challenges amid increasing construction activity and workforce demands. While efforts to accelerate housing development and infrastructure projects are essential for addressing societal needs, they must be balanced with effective measures to prevent accidents and manage workplace hazards. This paper reviews the common causes, patterns, and emerging trends of construction-related accidents in Hong Kong and examines the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire as a representative case study of systemic safety failure. Using documentary evidence on a fire that caused 168 deaths, 79 injuries, and spread across seven of eight towers, the study identifies five aligned failure layers. Drawing upon archival records, official reports, legislative documents, and public accounts, the study applies James Reason’s Swiss Cheese Model to demonstrate how deficiencies in material selection, worker behaviour, fire protection systems, contractor management, and regulatory oversight aligned to enable the incident. Building on these findings, the paper proposes a 5E framework—Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Engagement, and Evaluation—to provide a structured approach for strengthening construction safety management and fire risk governance. The framework offers practical guidance for policymakers, regulators, contractors, property managers, and other stakeholders seeking to enhance safety culture, improve regulatory compliance, and promote resilience in the construction sector. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on construction safety by demonstrating how systemic failures can be translated into targeted interventions for preventing similar incidents in the future. Full article