The placement of safety stock to guarantee a service time has received considerable attention due to its impact on reducing inventory costs across multi-echelon supply chains. This work compiles and analyses the structure of 38 real-world supply chains reported in the literature by characterising their depth, degree, and stage types (distribution, manufacturing, part, retail, and transport). We provide the detailed solutions of the guaranteed-service-time inventory model under normally distributed demand, obtained using branch-and-cut algorithms implemented in commercial optimisers. The resulting dataset includes the optimal safety stock levels, the corresponding CPU time, and full variable values for every instance, with the largest model containing 4,050 variables and 18,890 constraints. All data are provided in CSV format to enable flexible reuse, and the source code for reproducing the plots is openly available. This dataset offers a rigorous benchmark for researchers developing new methods for solving the guaranteed-service-time inventory model, particularly for the four instances where a 25% optimality gap remains.
People with intellectual disabilities (referred to as learning disabilities in the United Kingdom) face considerable health inequalities. One attempt to address these in England has been through incentivising General Practices to complete annual health checks with people with a learning disability aged 14 or over. We aimed to examine recent trends in learning disability registers and the uptake of learning disability annual health checks in England. Secondary analysis of publicly available data. We compiled and analysed NHS England data on the learning disabilities annual health check scheme from January 2022 to November 2025. The number of 14-17year-olds and adults on learning disability registers increased during this period by 30.49% and 14.53%, respectively. The most recent estimates indicate that around 0.588% of patients are on learning disability registers and 0.526% are also aged ≥14-years-old and eligible for annual health checks. The uptake of annual health checks increased slightly from 68.08% to 71.58% among 14-17-year-olds, and from 79.07% to 80.71% among adults. Uptake is lowest in the South-West and East of England, and highest in London, but is similar across deciles of patient deprivation and practice size. Ascertainment of people with a learning disability by primary care services appears to be improving but remains between a third and a quarter of prevalence estimates. The uptake of annual health checks among 14-17-year-olds continues to lag behind that of adults.
The analysis of metabolic profiles using high resolution mass spectrometry (MS) data provides deep insights into biological processes. In metabolomics, MS analysis generates a large number of features that represent metabolites. However, identifying specific metabolites from these features can be challenging. One of the major bottlenecks in the metabolomics field is the identification of MS features, which is a prerequisite for any biochemical interpretation. By identifying similarities and differences within a metabolite family (mFam), evaluating MS features at the metabolite family level can help assigning functional roles to individual MS features. These data can help interpreting metabolic pathways and processes within a biological system. For the assignment of metabolite families to MS features, it is important to have good quality, reliable, and comprehensive spectral libraries. We initiated a global effort to collect high-resolution MS/MS spectra of metabolites from labs working in different fields, including metabolomics of animals, microorganisms, and plants. The mFam-MS/MS collection delivers valuable training data to assign machine-readable classified information on the unknown metabolites. The mFam collaboration used a standardized metadata template and has developed a globally curated MS/MS spectral library of 7,872 spectra with 2,126 unique metabolites. This library was compiled from 47 datasets contributed by 25 laboratories measured on 12 instrument types, including QTOF, Orbitrap, and Ion Mobility-QTOF systems. It comprises 4,646 spectra in positive mode and 3,226 in negative mode. This standardized resource significantly enhances metabolite identification capabilities, supports the development of machine learning-based annotation tools, and accelerates the discovery of novel metabolites. All spectra are available under the collective contributor label mFam in the MassBank system, including the web interface and the 2025.10 data release available at GitHub and Zenodo.
To identify whether there is a gender-based disparity in salary among sports medicine fellowship-trained academic orthopaedic surgeons. Deidentified faculty compensation data were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges, which are compiled after distributing surveys to 157 Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools through a deidentified internet-based survey application. Mean and median data for the 2023 calendar year was extracted from this dataset for male and female sports medicine fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons and stratified in a cross-sectional fashion by position, including assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. Independent sample t-tests and Cohen's d test were performed with Python and shown through a bar graph. A total of 312 orthopaedic surgeons were included in this analysis, with 268 (85.9%) male and 44 (14.1%) female surgeons. Sports medicine fellowship-trained female surgeons earn significantly lower salaries than their male counterparts at the positions of assistant professor ($504,994 vs $654,697; P < .001), associate professor ($617,612 vs 776,754; P < .001), and professor ($486,303 vs $820,406; P < .001). The effect size of the difference between male and female salaries is greatest at the position of professor (d = 7.5), although there is a large difference in means between male and female assistant professors (d = 4.2) and associate professors (d = 3.4). Female sports medicine fellowship-trained academic orthopaedic surgeons earn significantly lower salaries at the assistant professor, associate professor, and professor levels. However, data were not able to be stratified based on additional variables that may influence salary among orthopaedic surgeons such as age, years in practice, geographic location, practice focus, and surgical volume. This study shows that gender-based disparities exist in compensation among sports medicine fellowship-trained academic orthopaedic surgeons.
How gram-negative bacteria coordinate the synthesis of their multilayered envelopes is a long-standing fundamental question. We compile protein and metabolite measurements obtained from Escherichia coli to eliminate mechanisms that do not coordinate envelope synthesis during steady-state growth. These measurements reveal that envelope synthesis pathway expression and envelope precursor concentrations are both stable across growth rates, thus eliminating enzyme levels and metabolite levels as coordination mechanisms. We propose instead that envelope assembly pathways are coordinated by post-translational mechanisms that control a small number of enzymes and transport proteins, which in turn control upstream synthesis pathways via classic negative feedback. We further hypothesize that many signals that have been proposed to directly regulate envelope synthesis pathways act indirectly via known negative feedback loops.
Despite the recent surge in the use of telerehabilitation (TR) for neurological disorders, there is a lack of TR programs tailored to persons with Parkinson's disease (PwPD), particularly in low-resource settings. To address this gap, we aimed to develop a tele-assisted home exercise program for improving balance and functional mobility in PwPD (TELEPORT-PD). An e-Delphi process was conducted with an international, interprofessional team of experts involved in rehabilitation of PwPD. A comprehensive pool of exercises was compiled and evaluated across three rounds of e-Delphi process. Out of 473 exercises pooled from literature and experts, 99 exercises entered the e-Delphi process after deduplication and were categorized under six domains. After consensus, the final program included 42 exercises along with dosage, progression, and safety considerations. The TELEPORT-PD protocol developed through an international, e-Delphi consensus could be adapted for its use in low-resource settings worldwide.
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) affecting millions worldwide. Current treatments have limitations, highlighting the need for new strategies for leishmaniasis drug discovery. Herein, we utilized a benchmarking-informed structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) strategy against Leishmania major folate pathway, especially via targeting pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1). Firstly, representative bioactive molecules against Lm-PTR1 were compiled. Secondly, a challenging DEKOIS 2.0 benchmark set was generated to assess the screening performance of three docking tools, FRED, AutoDock Vina, and PLANTS. Interestingly, FRED showed the best screening performance, with pROC-AUC of 0.84 and EF 1% of 12.5. Consequently, as an example, an ensemble VS of NANPDB using FRED against PTR1 was conducted. The results nominated three candidates for further investigations, namely Anastatin A, valoneic acid dilactone, and 1,6-di-O-galloyl glucose. To assess the binding stability of the candidates, four MD simulations for 500 ns including folic acid - PTR1 complex system as a reference were conducted. Consequently, MM-GBSA calculations and MD profiles confirmed the stable binding of valoneic dilactone and 1,6-di-O-galloyl glucose and ranked them superior to the reference folic acid. These results suggest the ability of both candidates to hinder the access of folic acid to the cofactor NADPH and hence modulate the catalytic function of Lm-PTR1. The identified candidates are recommended for subsequent in vitro evaluations in future investigations. Overall, this benchmarking strategy against Lm-PTR1 can be broadly applied to any accessible compound database for SBVS campaigns. The benchmark dataset for Lm-PTR1 will be made publicly accessible on www.dekois.com.
Malaria remains a major global health burden, with rising resistance to artemisinin and most current therapies, alongside emerging parasite species and genetic mutations that undermine disease control efforts. Identifying drug candidates with favorable physicochemical profiles is crucial for improving success rates in antimalarial drug discovery. A comprehensive dataset comprising 52 approved and clinical-stage antimalarial drugs and 1,708 antimalarial research compounds was compiled. Their physicochemical properties were analyzed to characterize distribution patterns and identify parameters that distinguish successful drugs from research compounds. Four key parameters-molecular weight (MW), calculated partition coefficient (cLogP), topological polar surface area (TPSA), and fraction of sp3-hybridized carbons (Fsp3)-showed significant differences between drugs and research compounds. These parameters enabled the definition of an antimalarial-specific physicochemical space described by 248.71 ≤ MW ≤ 535.51, 1.86 ≤ cLogP ≤ 5.21, 28.16 ≤ TPSA ≤ 100.52, and 0.11 ≤ Fsp3 ≤ 1. Approximately 75% of approved or clinical antimalarial drugs fall within this space, compared with 49% of research compounds and 46% of high-potency candidates. These findings highlight a distinct and data-driven physicochemical profile associated with successful antimalarial agents, underscoring limitations of general drug-likeness rules such as Lipinski's Rule of Five (Ro5). The proposed space enhances compound prioritization by focusing on property ranges linked to clinical success. However, the analysis is constrained by available datasets and may not fully reflect emerging chemotypes or novel therapeutic modalities. This study defines an antimalarial-specific physicochemical space that can support compound prioritization and guide optimization efforts during antimalarial drug discovery.
Semen technologies (STs) have been increasingly used in birds as a tool to overcome difficulties commonly faced by conservation breeding programs. Yet their application faces challenges not only related to avian physiology but also in terms of efficiency and welfare of the animals being handled. Significant advances have been made in some taxonomic groups in recent decades. Nevertheless, these approaches are not as widely disseminated as they are in mammals. Here, we compiled data from 178 scientific articles on STs to better understand the distribution of research among taxonomic groups and reproductive areas, the reasons for this arrangement, and discuss the future priorities for making these tools more effective within global bird conservation. Most available information refers exclusively to semen collection (42%, i.e., methods, parameters, etc.), while a small fraction of the literature describes the use of the complete cycle of STs (16%). These figures highlight that, despite decades of research, refinement in avian STs remains unbalanced with more emphasis on acquiring basic knowledge about semen/sperm than on integrative application of biotechnologies. We observed that STs have been applied to less than 2% of bird species, mostly targeting non-threatened species often chosen for their charisma, monetary value, or ease of maintenance in captivity. This survey provides insights for researchers, breeders, zoos, organizations and funding agencies worldwide to reflect on future paths and guidelines for the development of reproductive technologies in birds making them more useful in preserving species truly in need. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10531-026-03397-7.
Nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM PD) has been increasing in the United States, and New York City is an important hotspot, with a high burden of disease. We assessed how neighborhood-level risk factors influenced NTM PD prevalence in New York City. We used outpatient claims data from hospitals participating in the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute network, compiled by the INSIGHT Clinical Research Network at Weill Cornell Medicine. NTM PD period prevalence (referred to here as 'prevalence') was estimated by New York City neighborhood for the study period 2012 through 2022. A case was defined as someone with at least one claim for NTM PD. De-identified NTM PD case data and demographic data were analyzed by neighborhood of residence at diagnosis. Using prevalence estimates, we detected high- and low-prevalence regions within New York City and associated these estimates with demographic, clinical, socioeconomic, and environmental neighborhood-level factors using Poisson regression and backward elimination of covariates. Overall, 6,169 NTM PD cases were identified among persons receiving care across 17 private New York City hospitals. The mean age was 67.5 years, 68.7% were female, and 57.3% were White. Over the study period, NTM PD prevalence increased throughout New York City, and median year built of housing units, median income, and median age of residents were significant neighborhood-level risk factors. The highest prevalence neighborhoods were in Manhattan, while the lowest prevalence neighborhoods were in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Our findings indicate that neighborhood-level access to care may explain the heterogeneity in NTM PD prevalence among New York City neighborhoods, as higher income, newer neighborhoods exhibited the highest NTM PD prevalences. Future studies should examine the extent of undetected NTM PD in New York City, particularly in low-income areas.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are pervasive environmental pollutants. Benzo[α]pyrene (B[α]P), a prototypical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, elicits increasing apprehension due to its endocrine-disrupting properties and reproductive toxicity in animals; however, the toxicological effects and underlying mechanisms have not been thoroughly compiled and elucidated. This research delineates B[α]P toxicity on the reproductive systems of multiple species, including mammals, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, alongside the relevant molecular and epigenetic evidence. In males, exposure to B[α]P causes testicular injury, promotes spermatogenic diseases, and diminishes sperm quality. The metabolism of B[α]P leads to oxidative damage and the creation of DNA adducts, compromising the blood-testis barrier, hindering testosterone synthesis, and inducing DNA damage and apoptosis. In females, B[α]P adversely affects ovarian structures and follicular maturation, compromises oocyte quality, and reduces embryo implantation rates, associated with several biological processes, including B[α]P metabolism, oxidative damage, epigenetic alterations, and endocrine disruptions. Moreover, the reproductive toxicity generated by B[α]P negatively impacts both the directly exposed individuals and their descendants through the inheritance of epigenetic modifications, hence jeopardizing reproductive health across multiple generations or possibly transgenerationally. While current investigations have revealed the reprotoxicity of B[α]P, additional research is necessary to unravel its transgenerational effects and the molecular mechanisms involved. This knowledge will facilitate accurate environmental risk assessment, the development of biomarkers for early diagnosis, and the identification of molecular targets for intervention and prevention.
Otolaryngologists have provided gender-affirming care to transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals for many years, but demand for these services has recently increased substantially as visibility of TGNC communities grows. Furthermore, attention to gender-affirming care in general has sharpened as TGNC individuals' access to healthcare has entered the political sphere. We sought to compile evidence regarding gender-affirming care within otolaryngology, and to review novel surgical and nonsurgical advancements for the treatment of TGNC patients. Data were sought from clinical peer-reviewed primary literature. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus. Clinical studies reporting outcomes of gender-affirming interventions, and studies investigating demand for and/or difficulty accessing gender-affirming otolaryngologic care were included. Eighty-three studies met inclusion criteria. TGNC individuals indicate strong desire for gender-affirming therapies for the face and voice, while access remains limited by cost, lack of insurance coverage, and few qualified providers. Surgical interventions for the face and voice have shown objective improvements (ie, vocal frequency and measurements of facial dimensions, respectively), and resulted in high patient-rated satisfaction as measured by validated patient-reported outcome measures and quality of life evaluations, especially for facial and vocal feminization. Non-surgical interventions for the voice have also demonstrated objective and subjective efficacy, alone or in combination with surgery. Gender-affirming care in otolaryngology can make demonstrable improvements in the quality of life and social function of TGNC individuals. Given this evidence, otolaryngologists can and should continue to advance gender-affirming head and neck care.
Immunosuppression of various origins is associated with an increased risk of infections and infection-triggered morbidity and mortality. Vaccination, therefore, plays a central role in the care of immunosuppressed individuals by protecting against vaccine-preventable diseases.Based on the available evidence as well as immunological and theoretical considerations, an expert statement on vaccination in immunocompromised individuals was first formulated in 2016. These recommendations have herewith been comprehensively updated and expanded. The aim is to provide a practice-oriented, indication- and therapy-specific guidance document for clinical care. A practical chart accompanying the present vaccination recommendation, which also functions as a decision tree for implementation, facilitates orientation within the document.The document includes an introductory section outlining fundamental aspects of immunosuppression and addressing immunological and organizational issues relevant to vaccination planning, application, and control of vaccination responsiveness. In addition, current developments regarding relevant vaccines are reviewed.Subsequently, a systematic overview of immunosuppressive agents commonly used across medical specialties is provided. These agents are categorized according to their degree of immunosuppression and the associated infection risks. Standardized vaccination schedules are provided and assigned to the respective drug classes to facilitate a structured approach in clinical practice. The decision on vaccination eligibility of these patients can only be made based on a comprehensive assessment of the underlying disease and the planned or ongoing immunosuppressive therapy.Special clinical situations-including circumstances in which vaccination cannot be performed, as well as travel-related vaccinations in the context of immunosuppression-are addressed in separate chapters. To ensure long-term relevance, the document refers to continuously updated external sources throughout, which are compiled at the end.This document acts as general recommendation without a claim of completeness. The specific procedure in clinical practice can be adapted to the clinical context, and the reader is referred to the respective professional societies. Eine Immunsuppression unterschiedlicher Genese geht mit einem erhöhten Risiko diverser Infektionen einher. Die Impfprävention besitzt daher bei immunsupprimierten Patientinnen und Patienten einen hohen Stellenwert.Auf Grundlage der verfügbaren Evidenz sowie immunologischer und theoretischer Überlegungen wurden 2016 erstmals Empfehlungen zur Impfversorgung immunsupprimierter Personen formuliert. Diese Empfehlungen wurden nun umfassend aktualisiert und erweitert. Ziel ist die Bereitstellung einer praxisorientierten, indikations- und therapiebezogenen Handlungsanleitung für die klinische Versorgung. Eine Anleitung für die vorliegenden Impfempfehlungen, die gleichzeitig als Entscheidungsbaum für das praktische Vorgehen dienen kann, erleichtert die Orientierung.Die vorliegenden Empfehlungen umfassen einen einführenden Abschnitt zu grundlegenden Aspekten der Immunsuppression sowie zu praxisrelevanten immunologischen und organisatorischen Fragestellungen im Zusammenhang mit Impfplanung, Ermittlung der Impffähigkeit und Überprüfung des Impferfolgs. Darüber hinaus werden aktuelle Entwicklungen zu relevanten Impfstoffen berücksichtigt.Im weiteren Verlauf erfolgt eine systematische Darstellung der in verschiedenen medizinischen Fachgebieten häufig eingesetzten immunsuppressiven Wirkstoffe. Diese werden hinsichtlich ihres Immunsuppressionsgrades und der damit verbundenen Infektionsrisiken eingeordnet. Ergänzend werden standardisierte Impfschemata bereitgestellt, die den jeweiligen Wirkstoffklassen zugeordnet sind und eine strukturierte Orientierung im klinischen Alltag ermöglichen. Die Evaluierung der Impffähigkeit kann immer nur im Zusammenspiel zwischen Grunderkrankung und geplanter oder bestehender Therapie getroffen werden.Besonderen klinischen Situationen – einschließlich jenen, in denen Impfungen nicht durchgeführt werden können sowie Reiseimpfungen im Kontext der Immunsuppression – sind eigene Kapitel gewidmet. Zur Sicherstellung der längerfristigen Aktualität wird an geeigneten Stellen auf aktualisierte externe Quellen verwiesen, die gesammelt am Ende des Dokuments aufgelistet sind.Dieses Dokument ist eine allgemeine Empfehlung, ohne Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit. Das spezifische Vorgehen in der klinischen Praxis kann an die Gegebenheiten in den einzelnen Fachgebieten angepasst werden und es wird auf die jeweiligen Fachgesellschaften verwiesen.
Accurate quantification of lutetium-177 (177Lu) activity in SPECT/CT imaging is essential for a further development of 177Lu-based peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in establishing absorbed dose-effect relationships. This review summarizes the reported accuracy of quantitative 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging and highlights key sources of variability, including partial-volume effect (PVE) in small volumes. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched with no language restrictions. Original studies explicitly reporting on the accuracy of 177Lu activity quantifications in physical SPECT/CT measurements were included. Reported percentage error/deviation and recovery coefficient (RC) were extracted and compiled, with studies grouped by object type (geometric phantoms, anthropomorphic phantoms, and patient data). The literature search identified 630 records, of which 46 studies were included for analysis. Percentage errors of quantifications were found to constitute a large range (-102% to 285%). The recovery of 177Lu activity from small volumes is inherently limited by PVE. The application of PVC has led to improvements in the accuracy and precision of quantifications on small volumes in phantom imaging. The accuracy of 177Lu activity quantifications in SPECT/CT imaging remains heterogenous across literature, is subject to large variability and will be degraded by PVE when imaging small volumes. The data suggests that the implementation of standardized procedures including standardization of calibration, reconstruction, segmentation, and PVC assumptions may lead to an improved accuracy and precision of quantitative 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging in clinical practice, thereby allowing the further development of 177Lu-based PRRT.
Machine perfusion has become a transformative approach in deceased donor organ transplantation, providing notable enhancements in graft survival, decreases in rates of delayed graft function, and increased use of marginal extended criteria kidneys. Here, we have presented recommendations compiled from findings in recent international and national research and presented a framework specific to India designed for both public and private sector transplant initiatives. We have delineated optimal practices for selecting patients, presented various perfusion techniques (hypothermic and normothermic), assessed viability, components of the perfusate, and delineated financial considerations and strategies for implementation.
Anthropogenic land conversion is putting increasing pressure on wildlife populations around the world. To mitigate impacts, it is necessary to develop a detailed mechanistic understanding of how animals are affected by different types of human activity. A key challenge is to disentangle the effects of static infrastructure, like roads or buildings, and the presence of humans in the landscape. To address this question, we examined if terrestrial mammals altered their movement behaviour around buildings in response to reduced human mobility during COVID-19 lockdowns. We compiled GPS tracking data from 35 study sites across five continents, for 10 carnivore species and 13 herbivore species, totalling >1 million location records from 586 individuals. For each study, we used integrated step selection analysis to test the extent to which animals changed their avoidance of buildings as lockdown took effect, leveraging the recently released Microsoft MLBuildings dataset of global building locations. Analysis of population-level effects revealed that, in areas with high Human Footprint Index (HFI), animals tended to show a significant reduction in their avoidance of buildings during lockdown, but not in low HFI areas. No such trend was detected during equivalent periods in years other than 2020, indicating that behavioural changes were a result of reduced human mobility during lockdowns. Overall, our findings suggest that animals living alongside humans exhibit greater plasticity when people change their behaviour, likely indicating the combined effects of environmental filtering and habituation. More generally, our study provides a critical first step towards developing evidence-based tools for forecasting how wildlife movement behaviour may change in response to different land-use strategies, human activities, conservation interventions or environmental perturbations.
Translational biomedical research is increasingly collaborative and multimodal, making secure, high-quality data capture, curation, and analytics a major challenge. This work aims to provide an overview of existing medical research data platforms to support informed platform selection for translational biomedical research. As part of an ongoing Fraunhofer Request for Proposal (RFP) process, we developed a requirements assessment tool for users across the Fraunhofer ecosystem. In parallel, we compiled a structured overview of medical research data platforms through an open collaboration between academic and industry experts, who supplemented our market screening by identifying additional relevant platforms. Using a standardized questionnaire on key aspects of distributed data collaboration, we collected harmonized platform descriptions and organized them into a side-by-side overview with an accompanying feature weighting matrix. The study yielded a structured, comparative characterization of medical research data platforms across five functional classes, highlighting common strengths in security, interoperability, data quality, and multimodal data support. We devised (developed) a platform feature-partner weight matrix that enables context-sensitive platform scoring without imposing a predefined global ranking. In this way, users can align platform scoring with their specific translational research requirements. This structured, overview is intended to accelerate decision-making in the medical research community when choosing data platforms. By supporting context-sensitive, feature-weighted selection rather than one-size-fits-all comparisons, it acknowledges diversified research needs and can be updated as technologies and practices evolve.
Neonicotinoids (NNIs) are the most widely used class of insecticides globally, characterized by high insecticidal activity and low acute toxicity to mammals. However, their extensive application has led to widespread contamination of freshwater and seawater ecosystems-via agricultural runoff, sewage discharge, and even indirect exposure through contaminated feed. Teleosts, as key aquatic organisms in both natural ecosystems and aquaculture systems, are inevitably exposed to environmental concentrations of NNIs. This review systematically synthesizes the toxic mechanisms, multilevel adverse effects, and potential detoxification strategies of NNIs targeting farmed teleosts. Key findings include species-specific toxicity profiles and multi-pathway detoxification strategies. It highlights specific toxicity data of representative NNIs, metabolite toxicity, temperature-dependent effects, and transgenerational risks, and reviews detoxification advances focusing on low-cost, aquaculture-compatible methods. Although direct evidence from farmed species under production conditions remains limited, this review synthesizes available toxicological data from laboratory studies (including model organisms and selected farmed teleosts) to provide a mechanistic basis for NNIs risk assessment and to identify priority research needs for aquaculture applications. Neonicotinoids are the world's most widely used insecticides. They wash into rivers, lakes, and oceans via farm runoff and sewage. Farmed fish are constantly exposed to these chemicals in waters near agricultural areas. This review compiled the latest scientific research on neonicotinoids and farmed fish, aiming to clarify their toxic mechanisms, multilevel harms to fish, and practical, low‐cost detoxification methods suitable for fish. Neonicotinoids and their breakdown products damage fish's nervous system, reproduction, growth, and immunity. Only a few probiotics show partial protective effects, while plant‐based detoxification solutions remain largely unstudied for fish. Neonicotinoid contamination threatens global aquaculture sustainability and food safety. Our findings provide actionable scientific guidance for farmers, researchers, and policymakers to manage pesticide risks and safeguard aquatic food supplies.
The Kβ/Kα intensity ratios are critical parameters that quantitatively characterize atomic shell transition dynamics and radiative branching probabilities. In this study, we systematically evaluated the capability of machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict these ratios, as well as their advantages over traditional theoretical models (such as Scofield and semi-empirical calculations). A large dataset comprising 2124 experimental measurements compiled from the literature, covering elements with atomic numbers (Z) from 11 to 96, was structured to include more than ten variables, such as atomic number, sample form, excitation source, detector type, and energy resolution. Missing observations were imputed using the multivariate imputation by chained equations (MICE) method in the R programming language. Categorical variables were one-hot encoded, and the data were split into an 80% training set and a 20% test set. Seven heterogeneous individual models (RF, XGBoost, Cubist, SVR, GPR, BRNN, and GLMNET) were constructed, along with seven different stacking combinations derived from them. Following 10×10-fold cross-validation, the highest accuracy was achieved by the stacked model using a BRNN meta-learner (RMSE = 0.009; R2 = 0.973). This model reduced the test error of the Scofield theory by nearly 48% and performed significantly better according to the Diebold-Mariano test (p < 0.001). SHAP analysis revealed that atomic number is the primary determinant, while sample purity and excitation source have secondary yet physically consistent effects. Furthermore, an online R/Shiny-based calculator enhances the practical applicability of the method by enabling users to input their experimental parameters and receive instantaneous Kβ/Kα predictions. These results demonstrate that at the current stage of theoretical and experimental development, data-driven approaches provide significant advantages in both accuracy and interpretability over classical theories for complex atomic parameters such as the Kβ/Κα intensity ratio. Overall, this work constitutes a significant step toward reducing deviations in high-Z elements, improving detector calibration, and establishing new atomic databases.
In Kenya, the growing e-commerce market presents new opportunities to expand access to self-care contraceptives. However, we know little about women's experiences and attitudes toward purchasing such products online. We used a two-phased approach to explore Kenyan women's perspectives on e-commerce and its potential as a platform for contraceptive access. In the formative phase, we conducted 61 in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of reproductive-aged women to assess general perceptions of e-commerce and attitudes toward using it for contraceptive purchases. We analyzed formative data through an iterative coding process followed by thematic analysis of relevant codes reports. In the second phase, using a human-centered design (HCD) approach, we observed a smaller group of Nairobi-based women of reproductive age (n = 8) as they navigated the website of a women's health-focused digital commerce platform to explore products, access information and make purchases. Post-website use interviews captured participants' reflections on the experience. Research assistants compiled detailed notes from observations and interviews that the analysis team used to identify themes and build out analysis insights. While some participants in the formative phase noted the convenience of online shopping, many were skeptical of e-commerce due to concerns about fraud or their own limited digital literacy and internet access. Similar issues with digital accessibility surfaced in the HCD phase; however, after a brief tutorial and direct experience using the website to browse and make purchases, HCD participants reported more positive perceptions of e-commerce. They emphasized the privacy, convenience, and autonomy that online purchasing offered, noting that these features were especially beneficial for accessing contraception. Findings from the HCD phase highlight the potential for e-commerce to lessen the burden of external pressure from providers or family members on contraceptive decision-making and to help circumvent stigma-related barriers, especially for younger women. While HCD participants' increased confidence in and comfort with e-commerce after exploring the digital commerce platform indicates promise for this self-care contraceptive access pathway, barriers to use identified by participants in both phases underscore the need for such digital interfaces to be implemented with in-person introductions that can build trust and offer technical guidance.