ObjectiveTo develop and validate machine learning models for early prediction of sepsis-induced coagulation dysfunction (SIC) risk at intensive care unit (ICU) admission, before diagnostic criteria are fully met.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study enrolled 197 septic ICU patients. The cohort was randomly split into training (n=159, 80.7%) and internal validation sets (n=38, 19.3%). An independent external cohort of 91patients served for validation. Feature screening used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) followed by multivariate logistic regression (P<0.05). Four models were built and optimized via 10-fold cross validation. Models were evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA); The optimal model was interpreted by shapley additive explanations (SHAP).Results57.9% of patients developed SIC. Prothrombin time (PT), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), D-dimer (DD), white blood cell count (WBC), renal insufficiency (RI), and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) were identified as influencing factors for SIC. Prolonged PT and APTT, elevated DD, RI, and higher pCO2 increased SIC risk, while higher DBP and WBC were protective. The random forest (RF) model achieved the best predictive efficiency, with internal and external validation AUCs of 0.76 and 0.79.ConclusionThe RF model presents moderate predictive performance for SIC risk, suggesting its potential utility for early identification of high-risk patients upon ICU admission. Further prospective validation is needed before clinical implementation.

While the rich diversity of surface sites on high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is essential for tuning electrocatalytic activity, the coverage-dependent lateral interactions that shape reactive interfaces are often neglected in theoretical studies. Here, we develop a machine learning interatomic potential (MLIP)-enabled framework to model the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) within an Ag-Ir-Ru-Pd-Pt-Cu-Rh-Re alloy composition space. By tracking the binding strengths of O* and OH* intermediates during competitive coadsorption on crowded surfaces, this framework highlights the key role of lateral interactions, including attractive hydrogen-bond networks and electrostatic repulsion, in evaluating electrocatalytic activity. Incorporating these coverage-induced effects improves agreement with reported PtIr and AgPd composition-activity trends relative to an isolated-site baseline. We further show that increasing compositional complexity within the studied alloy space can amplify lateral repulsion under finite-coverage conditions, broadening binding strength distributions and reducing the population of optimal active sites. The competition between local electronic optimization and coverage-dependent lateral interactions gives rise to a volcano-shaped activity-entropy relationship, offering guidance for the rational design of HEA-based ORR electrocatalysts.

COVID-19 crisis highlighted the importance of safe and efficient drug delivery approaches that enhances targeted therapy while minimising side effects. In the present study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles were prepared using desolvation method and explored as carriers for antiviral drugs like remdesivir, molnupiravir, hydroxychloroquine, and daclatasvir. Particle size measurements and electron microscopy confirmed formation of uniformly dispersed spherical nanoparticles, diameters ranging between 39 and 100 nm. Drug incorporation into BSA nanoparticles induced changes in the polydispersity index, indicating drug-specific differences in particle distribution and system uniformity. Both blank and drug-loaded formulations exhibited negative zeta potentials with irregular shifts as protein concentration increased. Encapsulation efficiency remained nearly constant across formulations F-1 to F-4, suggesting early saturation of drug-protein interaction sites and efficient loading at lower BSA levels. Results from formulation F-2 indicated that drug release patterns were influenced more by the intrinsic physicochemical characteristics of the drug than by nanoparticle characteristics.

The development of local circular feed systems has increased interest in protein hydrolysates (PHs) derived from processed animal proteins (PAPs), which can upcycle protein-rich streams into functional aquafeed ingredients. This study evaluated novel PHs sourced from insect meal (Hermetia illucens), fish by-products and swine by-products as replacements for a high-quality fish PH (CPSP90) in diets for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). A control diet, containing 20% fish meal, 22% plant proteins, 23% PAPs and 3% CPSP90, was compared with three experimental diets in which CPSP90 was replaced by 3% of each alternative PH, resulting in the INSECT, FISH and SWINE diets. Seabream juveniles (11 g) were reared in triplicate tanks and fed the experimental diets three times per day over 88 days. A parallel digestibility trial was also conducted. All diets were well accepted across treatments (voluntary feed intake [VFI] = 1.7-1.8 g 100 g[-1] average body weight day[-1]). Nutrient digestibility, fish final body weight (FBW; 60-65 g), feed conversion ratio (FCR; 1.1-1.2) and anterior intestine histomorphology remained similar across treatments. Fish fed the SWINE diet showed upregulation of mrf4, mlc2a and mlc2b, suggesting modulation of myogenic differentiation and muscle structural pathways, although this was not reflected in improved growth. Fish fed the INSECT diet showed reduced faecal lipid losses, together with downregulation of capn3, which may reflect metabolic adjustments related to lipid utilisation. Fish fed the FISH diet exhibited muscle gene expression patterns and growth performance similar to those of the control group. Alternative PHs showed potential to replace CPSP90 in gilthead seabream diets, supporting circular aquafeed formulations while sustaining feed efficiency and fish growth.

Eating disorders are prevalent among young women and entail negative personal and societal consequences. Investing in prevention programs could make a meaningful difference. The Body Project is a dissonance-based prevention program with extensive empirical support for improving eating disorders' symptomatology, risk factors, and protective factors. This study is the first to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of the Body Project in Portugal. It is also the first to explore long-term modality differences in efficacy and whether matching participants to their preferred modality moderates intervention outcomes. A total of 147 female university students with body concerns, aged 18 to 30 years, were randomly assigned to one of the peer-led Body Project interventions -in-person or virtual - or to a waitlist control. Participants in the in-person and virtual Body Project reported high satisfaction with the intervention and showed significant improvements from pre- to posttest across outcomes compared to the waitlist, except for self-esteem in the virtual group. Improvements remained significant at 6- and 12-month follow-ups, except for negative affect and dieting behaviors at 12-month follow-up in the in-person group. While both interventions produced comparable outcomes, the in-person group showed larger immediate reductions in eating disorder symptomatology, whereas the virtual group showed delayed reductions. Matching participants to their preferred modality significantly moderated the effect of delivery modality on changes from pre- to posttest in thin-ideal internalization, dieting behaviors, eating disorder symptomatology, and body appreciation. Exploratory analyses suggested that matched participants tended to show larger gains in the in-person intervention, whereas unmatched participants tended to show larger gains in the virtual intervention. Implications, limitations, and recommendations are discussed.

The advancement of sustainable sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) necessitates cathode materials that exhibit exceptional electrochemical performance and environmentally benign end-of-life degradability. However, achieving this balance remains challenging in degradable material systems due to the intrinsic trade-off between electronic delocalization, ion transport, and structural stability. Here we report a redox-active polypeptide platform featuring a poly(l-lysine) (PLL) scaffold cross-linked with aromatic dianhydrides of varying core sizes. By enabling a "core-size modulation" strategy, this design simultaneously tunes π-conjugation and porosity, thereby coupling electronic delocalization with Na-ion transport and preserving degradability. Consequently, a poly(l-lysine)-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PLL-PTCDA or P-PT) cathode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 136.8 mAh g[-1] at 50 mA g[-1] and stable cycling over 15,000 cycles at 1 A g[-1]. Mechanistic analyses indicate that an increase in the aromatic core size promotes electronic delocalization, while enhanced porosity facilitates Na-ion transport. This combination enables reversible multielectron storage with suppressed dissolution and robust structural integrity. More importantly, the polypeptide scaffold retains intrinsic degradability, enabling chemical or enzymatic degradation once the cathode reaches its end of life. This work establishes a modular molecular-design principle that integrates electrochemical durability with programmed degradability, providing a circular pathway toward lifecycle-aware organic cathodes in next-generation sustainable SIBs.

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems constitute important carbon reservoirs, yet their contribution to climate regulation remains insufficiently documented, particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In this context, invasive or introduced woody species may contribute substantially to biomass accumulation in degraded drylands, although quantitative evidence for Neltuma juliflora remains limited. This study provides the first block-scale assessment of carbon stocks in N. juliflora stands on Santiago Island, Cabo Verde, using validated allometric equations and topsoil analyses across 11 sampling blocks. A total of 463 individuals were measured. Aboveground carbon stocks varied markedly among blocks, ranging from 27.4 to 85.3 Mg C ha[-][1], and were strongly associated with variation in stand structure, particularly equivalent diameter, tree height and stand density. In contrast, soil organic carbon in the 0-20 cm layer remained comparatively low, averaging 7.1 Mg C ha[-][1], and showed no significant radial trend with increasing distance from the tree. Instead, variation in soil carbon was more closely associated with block-level edaphic heterogeneity than with local canopy effects. Belowground carbon, estimated using a fixed root-to-shoot ratio, followed the same spatial pattern as aboveground biomass and should therefore be interpreted as a derived rather than independently measured pool. Overall, the results demonstrate that N. juliflora can support substantial woody carbon storage under semi-arid insular conditions, whereas shallow soil carbon remains limited. These findings provide an important baseline for dryland carbon assessment in Cabo Verde and support a cautious, site-specific evaluation of the species in restoration and climate-mitigation strategies given its recognised invasive potential.

Fucoidan, a marine polysaccharide, has demonstrated potential in treating cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD treatment includes lowering blood coagulation, blood fat levels, and having heart-protective activity. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of fucoidan compounds isolated from brown algae (Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh) on anticoagulant effects through measurements of PT, APTT, and TT, as well as lipid profile, body weight, heart and aortic mass index, LDH, and CK-MB, as well as in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). A total of 36 animals were divided into six groups. Group I received a standard diet without treatment; Group II received 0.5% CMC; Group III was treated with simvastatin at 20mg/kg BW; and Groups IV, V, and VI received fucoidan at doses of 30mg/200g BW, 40mg/200g BW, and 50mg/200g BW, respectively. Statistical analysis of the lipid profile showed that all fucoidan doses significantly reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, although HDL levels were not increased. Organ weight analysis revealed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in aortic weight in all treated groups, while no significant changes were observed in body or heart weight. Seven days of fucoidan administration also significantly reduced CK-MB and LDH serum levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, fucoidan compounds Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh at all tested doses show potential in the treatment of CAD by lowering total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reducing aortic weight, prolonging coagulation times (PT, APTT, and TT), and decreasing CK-MB and LDH levels.

Long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent, bioaccumulative pollutants posing risks to marine life. This study quantified biochemical, physiological, and histopathological effects of four long-chain PFAS (PFUnDA, PFDoA, PFTriDA, PFTeDA) on the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. The Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) index was used to assess the overall organismal stress. Longer-chain PFAS (PFTriDA, PFTeDA) triggered metabolic activation, increasing respiration and electron transport system activity, with protein and lipid accumulation and carbohydrate depletion. Antioxidant defenses were modulated in a compound-specific manner, and increased lipid peroxidation in several treatments indicated that these responses were not always sufficient to prevent oxidative damage. Biotransformation-related enzyme responses were also compound-specific, suggesting differential activation of detoxification pathways among PFAS treatments. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition suggested potential functional neurotoxicity. Histopathological index, especially in gills and digestive gland, showed higher values under PFTriDA and PFTeDA exposures, corroborated biochemical findings, mainly characterized by digestive tubule atrophy, brown cell aggregates in primary tubule epithelia, fibrous tissue formation in connective areas, and enlarged central vessels in gills. Overall, PFAS toxicity was chain length-dependent, with PFTriDA and PFTeDA eliciting the strongest oxidative, metabolic, and neurotoxic effects. These findings provide an integrated description of sublethal biological responses to selected long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids in bivalves and support further investigation of chain-length-related effects using molecular and pathway-specific approaches.

We report a sensitive new approach for tracking surface hydrogen coverage using the novel high-repetition rate implementation of velocity-resolved kinetics in an investigation of methanol-d4 dehydrogenation on Pt(111) to CO and D2. The reactant beam of methanol-d4 had an incidence kinetic energy of 0.46 eV, and the reaction was studied over a surface temperature range of 700-950 K. The reaction probability of methanol dehydrogenation was determined by probing the second-order reaction kinetics of D2 and HD formation, which is directly correlated to the surface hydrogen coverage. Under the conditions of our study, the methanol dehydrogenation probability was found to be low (∼10-3), and the lack of strong temperature dependence is consistent with dehydrogenation via a direct mechanism. Under conditions that favored methanol clustering in the incident methanol beam, the dehydrogenation probability increases significantly at low surface temperatures, which suggests a precursor-mediated mechanism. The possible role of cluster formation in enhancing the trapping probability of methanol is discussed.