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Background: Antenatal steroid (ANS) therapy is given to women at risk of preterm delivery to accelerate fetal lung maturation. However, the benefit of ANS therapy is variable and how maternal and fetal factors contribute to this observed variability is unknown. We aimed to test the degree of concordance in preterm lung function, and correlate this with genomic, transcriptomic, and pharmacokinetic variables in preterm dizygotic twin ovine fetuses. Methods: Thirty-one date-mated ewes carrying twin fetuses at 123 ± 1 days' gestation received maternal intramuscular injections of either (i) 1 × 0.25 mg/kg betamethasone phosphate and acetate (CS1, n = 11 twin pairs) or (ii) 2 × 0.25 mg/kg betamethasone phosphate and acetate, 24 h apart (CS2, n = 10 twin pairs) or (iii) 2 × saline, 24 h apart (negative control, n = 10 twin pairs). Fetuses were surgically delivered 24 h after their final treatment and ventilated for 30 min. Results: ANS-exposed female fetuses had lower arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) values than male fetuses (76.5 ± 38.0 vs. 97.2 ± 42.5 mmHg), although the observed difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.1). Only 52% of ANS-treated twins were concordant for lung maturation responses. There was no difference in fetal lung tissue or plasma steroid concentrations within or between twin pairs. Genomic analysis identified 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) statistically associated with ANS-responsiveness, including in the proto-oncogene MET and the transcription activator STAT1. Conclusions: Twin fetal responses and ANS tissue levels were comparable with those from singleton fetuses in earlier studies. Twin ovine fetuses thus benefit from ANS in a similar manner to singleton fetuses, and a larger dose of betamethasone is not required. Assuming no difference in input from the placental or maternal compartments, fetal lung responses to ANS therapy in dizygotic twin preterm lambs are dependent on the fetus itself. These data suggest a potential heritable role in determining ANS responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization-sensitive photodetectors can present polarization information as electrical signals. They offer increasingly extensive applications in remote sensing imaging, environmental monitoring and medical detection owing to their multi-dimensional detection of light-based information transfer. In order to cope with the complex detection environment and obtain excellent detection performance, polarization-sensitive photodetectors based on advanced semiconductor materials have received extensive attention. Perovskites are promising as novel candidates with excellent optoelectronic properties and variability, which make it possible to solve various problems of traditional polarization-sensitive photodetectors. In recent years, various perovskite polarization-sensitive photodetectors with high photocurrent, high sensitivity and fast response have been continuously reported. Herein, the research status in the field of perovskite polarization-sensitive photodetectors, including linearly and circularly polarized photodetectors, is comprehensively reviewed. From the perspective of the crystal structure, macroscopic morphology and physical effects of perovskites, we discuss the design principles and analyze the device performance in detail. Furthermore, we highlight the problems in the field and propose the prospects for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimally invasive endovascular stent electrodes are an emerging technology in neural engineering, designed to minimize the damage to neural tissue. However, conventional stent electrodes often rely on resistive welding and are relatively bulky, restricting their use primarily to large animals or thick blood vessels. In this study, the feasibility is explored of fabricating a laser welding stent electrode as small as 300 μm. A high-precision laser welding technique was developed to join micro-wire electrodes without compromising structural integrity or performance. To ensure consistent results, a novel micro-wire welding with platinum pad method was introduced during the welding process. The fabricated electrodes were integrated with stent structures and subjected to detailed electrochemical performance testing to evaluate their potential as neural interface components. The laser-welded endovascular stent electrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical properties, including low impedance and stable charge transfer capabilities. At the same time, in this study, a simulation is conducted of the electrode distribution and arrangement on the stent structure, optimizing the utilization of the available surface area for enhanced functionality. These results demonstrate the potential of the fabricated electrodes for high-performance neural interfacing in endovascular applications. The approach provided a promising solution for advancing endovascular neural engineering technologies, particularly in applications requiring compact electrode designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study innovatively develops a multi-objective Markal-Macro model, which simultaneously considers three objectives: minimizing carbon emissions from energy consumption, minimizing carbon emissions from production processes, and maximizing societal welfare. Based on the Cobb–Douglas production function, we construct a production function of carbon emission and use it as a coupling equation of the Markal-Macro model (Markal is the abbreviation of market allocation, and Macro is the abbreviation of macroeconomy). This enables the coupling of the endogenous variables of carbon emissions and those related to maximizing societal welfare. By collecting relevant data on energy consumption, production outputs, and key economic indicators, five different scenarios are established. To enhance the computational efficiency of the simulation, we introduce a Firefly Algorithm into the penalty function method. The objective of our simulation is to explore the optimal carbon peak pathway for China. The results indicate that under the baseline scenario, China can achieve its carbon peak by 2029, with the peak value reaching approximately 12.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Finally, based on the simulation results, this study provides specific policy recommendations for China's carbon peak pathway, addressing aspects such as industrial structure, energy consumption structure, the share of clean energy, economic growth targets, and the growth of emission reduction expenditures, while considering regional five-year plans and regional carbon peak strategies. From the aspect of the practical contributions, this article not only provides a set of methods for policymakers to make the Carbon Peak Implementation Plan but also offers an optimal path to improve the sustainable development for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal muscle (SKM) is the largest organ in mammalian body and it can repair damages by using the residential myogenic stem cells (MuSC), but this repairing capacity reduces with age and in some genetic muscular dystrophy. Under these circumstances, artificial amplification of autologous MuSC in vitro might be necessary to repair the damaged SKM. The amplification of MuSC is highly dependent on myogenic signals, such as sonic hedgehog (Shh), Wnt3a, and fibroblast growth factors, so formulating an optimum myogenic kit composed of specific myogenic signals might increase the proliferation and differentiation of MuSC efficiently. In this study, various myogenic signals have been tested on C2C12 myoblasts and primary MuSC, and a myogenic kit consists of insulin, lithium chloride, T3, and retinoic acid has been formulated, and we found it significantly increased the fusion index and MHC expression level of both C2C12 and MuSC myotubes. A novel bioreactor providing cyclic stretching (CS) and electrical stimulation (ES) has been fabricated to enhance the myogenic differentiation of both C2C12 and MuSC. We further found that coating the bioreactor substratum with collagen gave the best effect on proliferation and differentiation of MuSC. Furthermore, combining the collagen coating and physical stimuli (CS + ES) in the bioreactor can generate more proliferative primary MuSC cells. Our results have demonstrated that the combination of myogenic kit and bioreactor can provide environment for efficient MuSC proliferation and differentiation. These MuSC and mature myotubes amplified in the bioreactor might be useful for clinical grafting into damaged SKM in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotions play a significant role in shaping psychological activities, behaviour, and interpersonal communication. Reflecting this importance, automated emotion classification has become a vital research area in artificial intelligence. Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based emotion recognition is particularly promising due to its high temporal resolution and resistance to manipulation. This study introduces an advanced fuzzy inference algorithm for EEG data-driven emotion recognition, effectively addressing the ambiguity of emotional states. By combining adaptive fuzzy rule generation, feature evaluation, and weighted fuzzy rule interpolation, the proposed approach achieves accurate emotion classification while handling incomplete knowledge. Experimental results demonstrate that the integrated fuzzy system outperforms state-of-the-art techniques, offering improved recognition accuracy and robustness under uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endosperm epidermal cells (EECs) accumulate large quantities of nutrients; they also play key roles in facilitating solute transport. Comprehensive knowledge about the dynamic development of EECs is needed to understand the relationship between their dual functions. In this study, the developmental characteristics of EECs in wheat grains of two near-isogenic lines (Shimai19-P and Shimai19-N) and in the parent wheat cultivar Shimai19 were compared using light and scanning electron microscopy. The intermediate EECs located adjacent to the nucellar projection (NP) on the ventral surface of wheat grains rapidly differentiated. Eight days after pollination (8 DAP), these EECs were larger in Shimai19-N than in the other wheat cultivars; they had differentiated into endosperm transfer cells (ETCs). At 14 DAP, the number of ETCs reached a maximum and then gradually decreased in all three wheat varieties. The lateral ETCs and the ETCs on both sides of the crease were longer than ACs; they reached their maximum length at 16 DAP, becoming gradually shorter thereafter. The dorsal ACs became increasingly thicker during wheat grain development. Overall, these results suggested that EECs near the EC and crease are important for efficient nutrient transport, whereas EECs in other regions of wheat grains mainly play a role in nutrient storage., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

As a primary brain cancer, glioma presents significant challenges in treatment and prognosis. Identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This study focuses on the ABCC3 gene, exploring its function as a standalone predictive indictor and its correlation with immune infiltration and resistance to chemotherapy in glioma. A multi-faceted approach was adopted for this analysis. We scrutinized the RNA expression patterns of the ABCC3 gene across a spectrum of cancer types, with a concentrated focus on glioma. Our methodological arsenal included bioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemistry (ICH), western blot (WB), and cell counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assays. These techniques were instrumental in gauging the prognostic impact of ABCC3 and elucidating its associations with immune cell infiltration and chemotherapy resistance. The investigation revealed a significant elevated levels of ABCC3 in high grade glioma (HGG) tissues compared to lower grade glioma (LGG) tissues. Notably, upregulation of ABCC3 were associated with a shorter overall survival in patients with glioma. Furthermore, ABCC3 emerged as an independent factor in prognostication, with predictive capability for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates. As far as immune response is concerned, ABCC3's expression correlates positively with the expression of several immune cells and checkpoint genes. The study also uncovered the role of ABCC3 in drug resistance, particularly regarding temozolomide (TMZ), a primary therapeutic agent in glioma treatment. The study reveals ABCC3 as a significant biomarker in glioma, associated with lower survival, enhanced immune infiltration, and increased resistance to chemotherapy. These findings emphasize its promise as a novel target for glioma therapies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Human samples followed the guidelines of the Second Peoples’s Hospital of Changzhou, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and were also approved by the Ethics Committee. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, with parental or legal guardian consent for those under 18. Participants were informed of the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, benefits, and their right to withdraw at any time. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: Crucial for shaping current and future nursing practice, early exposure to research is vital for nurses. While nursing students generally value research, many struggle with its technical aspects and application, highlighting the need for research curriculum re-evaluation., Aim: This study aimed to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of a redesigned final-year research program in improving research skills and general self-efficacy and (2) explore nursing undergraduates' experiences regarding the redesigned program., Design: An embedded mixed-methods study design., Settings: A public tertiary university in Singapore., Participants: Using convenience sampling, all the final-year nursing undergraduates were invited to participate in the study. Ninety-five undergraduates were recruited for pretest and post-test quantitative surveys and 10 of them participated in qualitative interviews to further explain the strengths and areas for improvement for the redesigned research program., Methods: Data were collected from June 2023 to April 2024. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine differences between pre and post-test scores of general self-efficacy, research skills, and research confidence which were collected using validated questionnaires. Backward stepwise multiple linear regression was used to identify the variables that best predicted post-test research skill scores. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured one-on-one audio-recorded interviews and analysed using thematic analysis., Findings: Results revealed a significant increase in research skills and research confidence scores at the post-test. Higher pretest research skill scores, post-test confidence, and general self-efficacy scores predicted higher post-test research skill scores. Three overarching themes and eight subthemes related to the nursing students' experiences with the redesigned final-year research program were identified. The main themes were: 1) The Maiden Research Journey, 2) The Polar Opposites, and 3) Call for Change., Conclusions: This study shows that providing adequate resources to support undergraduate nursing research programs builds self-efficacy and confidence in conducting research. Students ultimately found learning important research and non-research skills worthwhile. The redesigned research program enabled students to learn, manage, and conduct primary or secondary research projects, as well as develop personal traits of patience and self-discipline. Additional support in terms of personalized teaching, improved advisor guidance, and academic writing support were recommended to improve future students' learning experiences during their research journey., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Aim: To investigate the incidence and the factors associated with paternal postpartum depression amongst new fathers in Singapore., Design: A prospective repeated measures study was conducted from September 2023 to March 2024., Methods: A total of 200 fathers aged 21 years and above who had a neonate born at full term and no serious health events for both mother and neonate were recruited from a local hospital via convenience sampling. Fathers completed questionnaires at the third trimester of pregnancy (baseline) and 1 month postpartum. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify significant factors associated with postpartum depression in fathers., Results: The incidence of paternal postpartum depression was 5.26% at 1 month post-childbirth, using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Using the Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS), 7% of the fathers were identified with high risk of depression and 14.3% of the fathers had moderate depressive symptoms. Paternal postpartum depression at 1 month post-childbirth could be predicted by paternal postpartum depression scores at baseline measured by EPDS and GMDS, as well as by baseline perceived social support and parental self-efficacy at 1 month post-childbirth., Conclusion: This study found that a considerable number of fathers in Singapore are at risk of postpartum depression. There is an urgent need for the development of more comprehensive tools to measure postpartum depression in fathers that are culturally adapted to the local context., Implications: Early screening during antenatal visits enables timely intervention and access to support, benefiting the entire family. Nurses could help fathers to be more involved by extending patient education and teaching infant care skills to both parents. When counselling patients, the involvement of extended family members and navigating new roles as caregivers of a new baby and breadwinners are important considerations for new parents., Impact: This study is the first of its kind to measure the incidence of postpartum depression amongst new fathers in an urban multicultural Asian setting, like Singapore. The study found that the incidence of postpartum depression in fathers were 5.26% when measured using EPDS and 14.3% when measured using GMDS at 1 month postpartum. These findings could inform future family-centred and father-specific interventions to improve the mental health outcomes of new parents., Reporting Method: This study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guideline., Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution., (© 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The Whole-cell biosensor (WCB) is a convenient and practical assay that can monitor bioavailable lead (Pb) contamination. However, existing Pb-responsive WCB struggle to meet practical detection needs due to the lack of sensitivity, specificity, and stability. In this study, we developed a Pb WCB using the Pb resistance transcriptional regulatory factor (PbrR) and green fluorescent protein (GFP), and improved its performance by directed evolution in conjunction with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). After 3 rounds of screening, we acquired a biosensor mutant (PbrR-E3). The evolved biosensor exhibited an approximately 11-fold increase in maximum fluorescence output signal compared to the non-evolved biosensor, resulting in an improvement of its sensitivity and specificity. This biosensor demonstrated a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.045 μg/L. Furthermore, the evolved biosensor showcased outstanding performance in the detection of Pb(II) in tea infusion and also demonstrated good stability in tests with spiked real water samples. These results highlight the potential of the evolved WCB as a viable approach for monitoring Pb., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) has emerged as a significant therapeutic approach for a variety of diseases, including cancer. Advances in TPD techniques, such as molecular glue (MG) and lysosome-dependent strategies, have shown substantial progress since the inception of the first PROTAC in 2001. The PROTAC methodology represents the forefront of TPD technology, with ongoing evaluation in more than 20 clinical trials for the treatment of diverse medical conditions. Two prominent PROTACs, ARV-471 and ARV-110, are currently undergoing phase III and II clinical trials, respectively. Traditional PROTACs are encountering obstacles such as limited binding affinity and a restricted range of E3 ligase ligands for facilitating the protein of interest (POI) degradation. Covalent medicines offer the potential to enhance PROTAC efficacy by enabling the targeting of previously considered "undruggable" shallow binding sites. Strategic alterations allow PROTAC to establish covalent connections with particular target proteins, including Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as well as E3 ligases such as DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 16 (DCAF16) and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). The concept of covalent degradation has also been utilized in various new forms of degraders, including covalent molecule glue (MG), in-cell click-formed proteolysis targeting chimera (CLIPTAC), HaloPROTAC, lysosome-targeting chimera (LYTAC) and GlueTAC. This review focuses on recent advancements in covalent degraders beyond covalent PROTACs and examines obstacles and future directions pertinent to this field., (© 2025 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Heart failure is extremely harmful to human health and social economics. The purpose of standardized heart failure management center (SHFMC) is to correct the non-standardization of heart failure treatment., Hypothesis: SHFMC has a positive impact on the management and prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF)., Methods: The SHFMC database of Jiaxing First Hospital was retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred sixty-three patients with CHF who were hospitalized in the cardiovascular medicine department of Jiaxing First Hospital in Zhejiang Province from January 2020 to December 2020 were identified as study subjects. The SHFMC opening day, July 1, 2020, was used as the dividing line around which the patients were divided into Group A (before the completion of SHFMC, n = 137) and Group B (after, n = 126). The baseline data, treatment standardization, long-term efficacy, 1-year all-cause mortality, and readmission rate of the two groups were compared., Results: The use of angiotensin receptor enkephalinase inhibitors (ARNIs), β-blockers (β-Bs), and sodium-glucose cotransport protein 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) increased significantly, and the long-term outcome, readmission rate, and 1-year all-cause mortality of patients improved in group B., Conclusions: The construction of SHFMC has been associated with consistent improvements in the standardization of CHF treatment, long-term patient outcomes, 1-year cumulative survival rates, and readmission rates., (© 2025 The Author(s). Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)