Construction and function of [FeFe]-hydrogenase H-cluster mimics mediated by aromatic thioketone model complexes

In this study, two diiron ortho-metalated complexes derived from the reaction of phenyl(4-(phenylcarbonothioyl)phenyl)methanone ( 1 ) with Fe 3 (CO) 12 have been prepared as the active site mimics of [FeFe]-hydrogenases. The resulting complexes were structurally characterized using a variety of analytical techniques (NMR, MS, IR), elemental analysis, as well as by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Moreover, the electrochemical and electrocatalytic features of these functional mimics were examined by cyclic voltammetry, revealing their potential to catalyze the reduction of protons to generate hydrogen in the presence of acetic acid (AcOH) as a proton source via EECC and ECEC mechanisms (E = electron transfer, C = chemical process).

Balancing gains and pains: infections in the bispecific era

Survival disparities in Philadelphia chromosome-positive vs. Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the era of modern therapeutic approaches: a decade-long surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) data based investigation (2010–2021)

Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) status is a critical prognostic marker in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). This study evaluates the impact of Ph-positive (Ph+) and Ph-negative (Ph−) status on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) while analyzing the role of demographic and treatment variables. A retrospective cohort study involving 14,175 patients diagnosed with B-ALL from 2010 to 2021 was analyzed in this investigation. Primary outcomes were OS and CSS, analyzed using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and associated p-values. Subgroup analysis by year assessed temporal trends in survival outcomes. Statistical analysis and survival rate (OS and CSS) estimations were performed using SEER*Stat software. The cohort’s mean age was 29.6 years (SD = 26.1), with 54.7% male and 43.6% Caucasian. Ph + patients comprised 7.3% of the cohort. Treatments included chemotherapy (90.9%) and radiation therapy (9.3%). The mean OS for Ph + patients was 49.75 months (95% CI: 47.098–52.402), whereas Ph- patients had a significantly longer OS of 66.541 months (95% CI: 65.715–67.366) ( p  < .001). Similarly, the mean CSS was 88.2 months (95% CI: 83.3–93) for Ph + patients and 103.2 months (95% CI: 102.1–104.3) for Ph- patients ( p  < .001). Temporal analysis of the last three years revealed no significant differences in OS (Ph+: 27.7 months vs. Ph−: 26.6 months, p  = .145) or CSS (Ph+: 28.1 months vs. Ph−: 29 months, p  = .183). Significant predictors of reduced OS and CSS included male sex (OS HR: 1.073, p  = .019; CSS HR: 1.070, p  = .041), older age (OS HR: 1.039, p  < .001; CSS HR: 1.038, p  < .001), and lack of chemotherapy (OS HR: 0.617, p  < .001; CSS HR: 0.625, p  < .001). Race was not a significant predictor of survival outcomes. This study highlights the comparable survival rates in Ph + and Ph- ALL patients in recent years. Demographic factors and treatment modalities, particularly chemotherapy, play significant roles in modulating survival outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of individualized treatment strategies based on Ph status and other prognostic indicators in B-ALL management.

Antiapoptotic effects of anthocyanin on testicular damage induced by varicocele in male rats

Varicocele is one of the most important disorders causing infertility in men, and oxidative stress is one of the most important factors affecting testicular parenchyma damage caused by varicocele. This study explored the effect of anthocyanins on varicocele-induced testis injury in adult Wistar rats by focusing on regulating oxidative stress, Bax and Bcl-2 genes, and protein related to cell death. Rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups: Control (Sham), varicocele, varicocele + anthocyanin, and anthocyanin alone. At the end of the study (week 8), the animals were sacrificed, and H&E staining was used for testicular histopathology. The IHC method was used for the detection of Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression, and TUNEL assays were used to analyze testicular Apoptosis. Additionally, serum levels of oxidative stress markers – MDA, SOD, and GPx – were assessed by ELISA, and RT-qPCR analyzed the mRNA expression of Bax and Bcl-2. Histological analysis revealed notable improvements in Johnsen’s score, epithelial thickness, and seminiferous tubule diameter in the varicocele + anthocyanin group relative to the varicocele-only group ( p  < 0.005). Protein and mRNA expression of Bax significantly increased in the varicocele group ( p  < 0.005), while treatment with anthocyanin enhanced Bcl-2 expression ( p  < 0.005). Furthermore, the rate of apoptotic positive germ cells decreased when the rats received anthocyanin. Moreover, anthocyanin increased serum levels of GPx and SOD while decreasing MDA levels in the treatment group compared to rats with varicocele ( p  < 0.005). These outcomes suggest that anthocyanin may moderate testicular injury from varicocele, primarily through its antioxidative properties.

Improving power in adaptive expansion of biomarker populations in phase 3 clinical trials

With the availability of unprecedented human genomic biomarker data, incorporating such biomarker data has received a lot of attention in phase 3 clinical trials. One particular enrichment design proposed recently in the literature is to recruit more biomarker positive patients in an all-comer study if the treatment effect in the biomarker negative group is less promising than expected. The intuition is to improve the chance of success of the trial since the success rate in the all-comer population may be low. We propose an enrichment design that unifies the existing biomarker adaptive designs for phase 3 clinical trials. In addition, we propose a new test accounting for the correlations among the test statistics based on different groups of patients, including all-comers, biomarker positive patients only, and biomarker negative patients only. We investigate the theoretical properties of the design and demonstrate the new test accurately controls the type I error rate and gains power over existing methods through extensive simulations. A computer program is developed for power calculations given a set of design parameters, including the proportion of biomarker positive patients, the distribution of the failure time in each treatment and biomarker group, and the number of patients in the first stage and the second stage (i.e. the enrichment stage), among others.

Application of infrared thermography in concrete bridge deck inspection: current practices, challenges and future needs

Concrete bridges are vital infrastructures and maintaining their functionality is of utmost importance. Infrared thermography (IRT) has emerged as a promising nondestructive evaluation for examining concrete bridges. However, a comprehensive review of its application in concrete bridge inspections is lacking. This study addresses this gap by employing a mixed methodology approach, integrating scientometric and systematic analyses. The analysis encompassed 110 documents from Scopus and Web of Science databases, revealing a notable increase in publications since 2017, with 66.36% of the total publications produced after this year. The USA played a leading role in this research area, contributing 49 studies. The findings demonstrated the effectiveness of using IRT in detecting shallow defects, particularly delamination (56.92% of studies). However, it faced challenges in identifying deeper defects and accurately estimating their depth. Various IRT data analysis approaches, including statistical analysis, image processing, deep and machine learning and numerical analysis, were examined under two main scopes: defect detection and detectability conditions. Among these methods, image processing emerged as the most widely used technique, accounting for 51% of applications. Factors influencing IRT performance were categorised into environmental, physical and technical groups. Notably, factors such as depth-to-size ratios and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature and solar radiation) were found to highly reduce the accuracy of defect detection. Overall, the findings he need to address limitations in defect depth detection, develop standardised analysis protocols and explore automated techniques for processing large areas of images. Furthermore, investigating the interplay of environmental factors and the effect of overnight cooling could further refine IRT’s application, enhancing its reliability for practical bridge inspection.

Splitting frequency behavior of wireless power transfer for eddy current testing applications

This paper presents a novel approach for Non-destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E) of cracks in metallic structures using Eddy Current Testing (ECT) integrated with the resonance Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) concept. The proposed method enhances ECT for efficient power transfer between transmitter-receiver (Tx-Rx) coils and employs Gaussian Random Projection (GRP) for feature reduction, enabling real-time data processing. Experimental results on two aluminium material samples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in localising and characterising slots, with an R 2 -value/RMSE of 99.86%/0.06 mm for width and 99.38%/0.25 mm for depth slot parameters. The findings highlight the potential of this method for improving NDT&E of metallic structures.

Dynamic analysis of bidirectional oscillations on seabed morphology and pipeline stability under predominant figure-eight trajectories

Improving the accuracy of scour depth estimations beneath pipelines is crucial for mitigating fatigue-induced structural degradation. This study presents the first investigation into the complex interactions between multi-directional vibrations and their effects on seabed morphology and pipeline stability. A novel 2D vibration-trajectories-description (VTD) method was developed to vividly represent pipeline dynamic behavior and integrate them into a numerical framework. Using this semi-numerical oscillation method, ten distinct figure-eight vibration patterns were analyzed under consistent conditions. Results indicate that seabed morphology is significantly influenced by the pipeline’s movement direction in the lower lobe, with counterclockwise vibrations reducing scour depth by 16%. In contrast, symmetrical figure-eight patterns with zero phase angle induced the maximum scour depth, 142% greater than a fixed pipeline and 44% higher than vertical vibrations alone. The lateral vibrations also broaden the scour width up to 41%, potentially increasing the scour depth beneath nearby pipelines and threatening its safety. The vertical amplitude dominated seabed morphology when lateral amplitudes were small; however, as lateral displacement increased, vibration frequency became the primary factor. Empirical formulas, representing the first analytical expressions for bidirectional vibrations, were derived to predict equilibrium scour dimensions, offering new tools for improving pipeline design and stability.

Neuroimaging characteristics and clinical outcomes of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in preeclamptic and eclamptic patients

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurological complication linked to preeclampsia and eclampsia. This study compared the clinical and radiological features of PRES in patients with these conditions. This retrospective single-center cohort study from 2010 to 2024 included patients diagnosed with preeclampsia and eclampsia who underwent MRI due to neurological symptoms. Two radiologists, blinded to the clinical data, re-evaluated the MRIs twice. PRES cases were assessed based on the sites and patterns of involvement. Maternal and perinatal outcomes, along with laboratory characteristics, were reviewed through medical records. The study included 157 patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia who underwent MRI for neurological symptoms. PRES was diagnosed in 55 patients (35.0%), with a higher incidence of eclampsia (64.71%) compared to preeclampsia (20.75%). Patients with PRES were younger, had lower gravidity and parity, and were at an earlier gestational age than those with normal MRI findings. The parietal and occipital regions were the most affected in both preeclampsia and eclampsia patients with PRES. Parietal lobe and bilateral involvement were more common in the eclampsia group. Atypical involvement, including brainstem and cerebellar lesions, was observed in both groups. These findings suggest that eclampsia may represent a neurological manifestation of PRES.

Toward sustainable healthcare: Circular economy models in hospital operations and waste management

The integration of circular economy (CE) principles into hospital operations, focusing on environmental, economic, and operational outcomes, represents a pressing challenge within the current healthcare system. This study systematically reviewed 11 peer-reviewed studies selected from 5976 articles published between 2014 and 2025 following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, including life cycle assessment (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA) investigations. Evidence consistently indicates that reusable and repairable medical devices significantly outperform single-use alternatives, achieving up to a 76% reduction in carbon emissions and 50% cost savings. MFA studies revealed that single-use plastics, particularly gloves, gowns, and packaging, constitute more than 70% of hospital waste, highlighting critical targets for CE intervention. Furthermore, integrated waste management systems that combine segregation and recycling demonstrate superior environmental performance compared to incineration-dominated approaches. Despite these clear benefits, barriers such as regulatory inertia, limited sterilization infrastructure, and procurement models favoring disposables impede the adoption of CEs. Conversely, enabling factors include green procurement policies, digital tracking tools, and leadership-driven sustainability programs. Major research gaps remain regarding CE implementation in low- and middle-income countries, standardized LCA methodologies, and behavioral factors that influence adoption. The findings underscore the transformative potential of CE strategies such as reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and resource recovery in decarbonizing healthcare while maintaining safety and efficiency. This analysis evaluates Scope 1 (direct), 2 (indirect), and 3 (supply-chain) emissions reduction strategies. Integrating CE metrics into procurement and policy frameworks could make healthcare a sustainability leader.