Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in humans is the most aggressive and deadly form of BC. Although TNBCs are about 15 percent of the total number of BC cases, they are associated with the highest mortalities. Current treatment options are limited, and most modalities are toxic and have not increased the 5-year survival rates of TNBC. Many oncolytic viruses are emerging as potential therapies for TNBC. In this study, two Tanapoxvirus (TPV) recombinants, one expressing FliC and the other expressing mouse interleukin-2 (mIL-2), were assessed for their efficacy in an immuno-competent xenograft mouse model. MDA-MB-231 tumors were planted in BALB/c nude mice, treated, made immuno-competent via adoptive transfer of splenocytes from healthy BALB/c donors, and then monitored for 40 days. TPV/Δ2L/66R/FliC and TPV/Δ66R/mIL-2 demonstrated significant tumor reduction (p = 0.01602 and p = 0.03890, respectively) compared to the reconstituted control (RC), whereas wtTPV did not. Pathological analyses of treated tumors revealed cells consistent with lymphocyte and plasma cell morphology in reconstituted mice treated with TPV recombinants. Anti-viral plaque reduction assays conducted using harvested serum from treated animals indicated the presence of anti-TPV antibodies in mice reconstituted and treated with TPV that were missing from immune-deficient nude mice, including those exposed to TPV and of statistically equivalent serum concentrations to normal BALB/c mice immunized against TPV. The results suggest immuno-deficient BALB/c nude mice can become immuno-competent via adoptive transfer of splenocytes from genetically identical donors and allow for testing of tumor xenografts in a competent model system. The TPV recombinants tested should be further studied for the potential treatment of human TNBC. Full article

The electricity market in Spain holds significant importance in the nation’s economy and sustainability efforts due to its diverse energy mix that encompasses renewables, fossil fuels, and nuclear power. Accurate energy price prediction is crucial in Spain, influencing the country’s ability to meet its climate goals and ensure energy security and affecting economic stakeholders. We have explored how leveraging advanced GPT tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to analyze energy news and expert reports can extract valuable insights and generate additional variables for electricity price trend prediction in the Spanish market. Our research proposes two different training and modelling approaches of generative pre-trained transformers (GPT) with specialized news feeds specific to the Spanish market: in-context example prompts and fine-tuned GPT models. We aim to shed light on the capabilities of GPT solutions and demonstrate how they can augment prediction models by introducing additional variables. Our findings suggest that insights derived from GPT analysis of electricity news and specialized reports align closely with price fluctuations post-publication, indicating their potential to improve predictions and offer deeper insights into market dynamics. This endeavor can support informed decision-making for stakeholders in the Spanish electricity market and companies reliant on electricity costs and price volatility for their margins. Full article

Purpose: Given the emergence of PSMA-targeted diagnostic agents and therapeutics, we sought to investigate patterns of FOLH1 expression in RCC and their impacts on RCC outcomes. Methods: We conducted a pooled multi-institutional analysis of patients with RCC having undergone DNA and RNA next-generation sequencing. FOLH1-high/low expression was defined as the ≥75th/<25th percentile of RNA transcripts per million (TPM). Angiogenic, T-effector, and myeloid expression signatures were calculated using previously defined gene sets. Kaplan–Meier estimates were calculated from the time of tissue collection or therapy start. Results: We included 1,724 patients in the analysis. FOLH1 expression was significantly higher in clear cell (71%) compared to non-clear cell RCC tumors (19.0 versus 3.3 TPM, p < 0.001) and varied by specimen site (45% primary kidney/55% metastasis, 13.6 versus 9.9 TPM, p < 0.001). FOLH1 expression was correlated with angiogenic gene expression (Spearman = 0.76, p < 0.001) and endothelial cell abundance (Spearman = 0.76, p < 0.001). While OS was similar in patients with FOLH1-high versus -low ccRCC, patients with FOLH1-high clear cell tumors experienced a longer time on cabozantinib treatment (9.7 versus 4.6 months, respectively, HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.35–0.93, p < 0.05). Conclusions: We observed differential patterns of FOLH1 expression based on histology and tumor site in RCC. FOLH1 was correlated with angiogenic gene expression, increased OS, and a longer duration of cabozantinib treatment. Full article

Sensory descriptive analysis of aged feng-flavored Baijiu liquor indicated notable differences in samples of different ages. The samples of freshly distilled Baijiu and those with shorter storage times exhibit bran and fresh green flavors, whereas, with increasing storage time, honey, sweet, and floral fragrances are gradually enhanced. Samples of feng-flavored Baijiu were prepared using headspace solid-phase microextraction, followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A total of 496 compounds were identified in all samples, mainly categorized as 14 groups of substances, including esters and aldehydes. Interestingly, 42 of these substances were found in Feng-flavored Baijiu for the first time. Chemometrics was used to analyze the key differential compounds. First, 143 differential compounds closely related to aging were preliminarily screened, and principal component analysis revealed that these compounds were separated by baijiu age. Then, 65 differential compounds were selected by partial least squares discriminant analysis. Furthermore, 43 key differential compounds were selected by combined analysis with variable importance in projection and Pearson correlation coefficients. Partial least squares regression was used to study the correlation between the sensory properties and key differential compounds, and the results indicated that most compounds were closely related to the aging period of the Baijiu. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis and reference for flavor research on feng-flavored Baijiu. Full article

This study proposes a topology structure for a flyback grid-connected inverter with a compensation capacitor. The addition of the compensation capacitor structure increases the harmonic oscillation period and reduces the switching frequency. Additionally, a control strategy for the microinverter is proposed. By using an accurate peak current reference curve, the system ensures precise turn-off signals, thus reducing the harmonic content of the grid-connected current. Simultaneously, the multi-valley turn-on strategy is employed to address the issue of high switching frequency, minimising the impact of energy. The proposed topology structure and control methods are modelled, simulated, and tested to validate the feasibility of the microinverter topology structure and the effectiveness of the control strategy, achieving a maximum efficiency of 95.2% and controlling the total harmonic distortion (THD) below 2.39%. Compared to other microinverter products, it is more efficient and stable. Full article

The modification of fire regimes and their impact on vegetation recovery, soil properties, and fuel structure are current key research areas that attempt to identify the thresholds of vegetation’s susceptibility to wildfires. This study aimed to evaluate the vulnerability of Mediterranean pine forests (Pinus halepensis Mill. and Pinus pinaster Aiton) to wildfires, analyzing two major forest fires that occurred in Yeste (Spain) in 1994 and 2017, affecting over 14,000 and 3200 hectares, respectively. Four recovery regions were identified based on fire severity—calculated using the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) index—and recurrence: areas with high severity in 2017 but not in 1994 (UB94-HS17), areas with high severity in 1994 but not in 2017 (HS94-UB17), areas with high severity in both fires (HS94-HS17), and areas unaffected by either fire (UB94-UB17). The analysis focused on examining the recovery patterns of three spectral indices—the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Moisture Index (NDMI), and Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR)—using the Google Earth Engine platform from 1990 to 2023. Additionally, the Relative Recovery Indicator (RRI), the Ratio of Eighty Percent (R80P), and the Year-on-Year average (YrYr) metrics were computed to assess the spectral recovery rates by region. These three spectral indices showed similar dynamic responses to fire. However, the Mann–Kendall and unit root statistical tests revealed that the NDVI and NDMI exhibited distinct trends, particularly in areas with recurrence (HS94-HS17). The NDVI outperformed the NBR and NDMI in distinguishing variations among regions. These results suggest accelerated vegetation spectral regrowth in the short term. The Vegetation Recovery Capacity After Fire (VRAF) index showed values from low to moderate, while the Vulnerability to Fire (V2FIRE) index exhibited values from medium to high across all recovery regions. These findings enhance our understanding of how vegetation recovers from fire and how vulnerable it is to fire. Full article

Illicium verum, commonly known as star anise, represents one of the notable botanical species and is recognized for its rich reservoir of diverse bioactive compounds. Beyond its culinary application as a spice, this plant has been extensively utilized in traditional medicine. Given the contemporary emphasis on incorporating natural resources into food production, particularly essential oils, to enhance sensory attributes and extend shelf life, our study seeks to elucidate the chemical composition and evaluate the antibacterial (in vitro, in situ) and insecticidal properties of Illicium verum essential oil (IVEO). Also, microbiological analyses of pumpkin sous vide treated with IVEO after inoculation of Salmonella enterica were evaluated after 1 and 7 days of study. GC/MS analysis revealed a significantly high amount of (E)-anethole (88.4%) in the investigated EO. The disc diffusion method shows that the antibacterial activity of the IVEO ranged from 5.33 (Streptococcus constellatus) to 10.33 mm (Citrobacter freundii). The lowest minimal inhibition concentration was found against E. coli and the minimum biofilm inhibition concertation was found against S. enterica. In the vapor phase, the best antimicrobial activity was found against E. coli in the pears model and against S. sonei in the beetroot model. The application of the sous vide method in combination with IVEO application decreased the number of microbial counts and eliminated the growth of S. enterica. The most isolated microbiota identified from the sous vide pumpkin were Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, B. cereus, B. licheniformis, and Ralstonia picketii. Modifications to the protein composition of biofilm-forming bacteria S. enterica were suggested by the MALDI TOF MS instigations. The IVEO showed insecticidal potential against Harmonia axyridis. Thanks to the properties of IVEO, our results suggest it can be used in the food industry as a natural supplement to extend the shelf life of foods and as a natural insecticide. Full article

Numerous human adenovirus (AdV) types are endowed with arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (RGD) sequences that enable them to recognize vitronectin-binding (αv) integrins. These RGD-binding cell receptors mediate AdV entry into host cells, a crucial early step in virus infection. Integrin interactions with adenoviruses not only initiate receptor-mediated endocytosis but also facilitate AdV capsid disassembly, a prerequisite for membrane penetration by AdV protein VI. This review discusses fundamental aspects of AdV–host interactions mediated by integrins. Recent efforts to re-engineer AdV vectors and non-viral nanoparticles to target αv integrins for bioimaging and the eradication of cancer cells will also be discussed. Full article

Niosomes are arousing significant interest thanks to their low cost, high biocompatibility, and negligible toxicity. In this work, a supercritical CO₂-assisted process was performed at 100 bar and 40 °C to produce niosomes at different Span 80/Tween 80 weight ratios. The formulation of cholesterol and 80:20 Span 80/Tween 80 was selected to encapsulate vancomycin, used as a model active compound, to perform a drug release rate comparison between PEGylated and non-PEGylated niosomes. In both cases, nanometric vesicles were obtained, i.e., 214 ± 59 nm and 254 ± 73 nm for non-PEGylated and PEGylated niosomes, respectively, that were characterized by a high drug encapsulation efficiency (95% for non-PEGylated and 98% for PEGylated niosomes). However, only PEGylated niosomes were able to prolong the vancomycin release time up to 20-fold with respect to untreated drug powder, resulting in a powerful strategy to control the drug release rate. Full article

The effects of combined short-term (3 days) exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins at both the EU recommended limit (T-2/HT-2 toxin: 0.25 mg/kg; DON/3-AcDON/15-AcDON: 5 mg/kg; FB₁: 20 mg/kg) and twice the dose (T-2/HT-2 toxin: 0.5 mg/kg, DON/3-AcDON/15-AcDON: 10 mg/kg, and FB₁: 40 mg/kg feed) on the kidneys of laying hens were examined. Our study aimed to investigate how these mycotoxins interacted with membrane lipid fatty acid (FA) composition and lipid peroxidation processes. It was observed that the levels of conjugated dienes and trienes were higher than the control in the low-mix group on day 3, and malondialdehyde concentration was higher on days 2 and 3. The proportion of phospholipid (PL) FAs showed that saturated and monounsaturated FAs increased. Still, both n3 and n6 polyunsaturated FAs decreased significantly on day 2 of exposure in the high-mix group. Among the n3 FAs, the level of docosahexaenoic (C22:6 n3) and among n6 FAs, arachidonic (C20:4 n6) acids decreased mainly on day 2 in the high-mix group. The results suggest that the combined exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins induced lipid peroxidation in the kidneys of laying hens, which resulted in marked changes in the PL FA profile. Histological examination revealed time- and dose-dependent increases as consequences of mycotoxin exposure. Full article

Chronic environmental exposure to toxic heavy metals, which often occurs as a mixture through occupational and industrial sources, has been implicated in various neurological disorders, including Parkinsonism. Vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) typically presents along with manganese (Mn), especially in welding rods and high-capacity batteries, including electric vehicle batteries; however, the neurotoxic effects of vanadium (V) and Mn co-exposure are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the neurotoxic impact of MnCl₂, V₂O_5, and MnCl₂-V₂O₅ co-exposure in an animal model. C57BL/6 mice were intranasally administered either de-ionized water (vehicle), MnCl₂ (252 µg) alone, V₂O₅ (182 µg) alone, or a mixture of MnCl₂ (252 µg) and V₂O₅ (182 µg) three times a week for up to one month. Following exposure, we performed behavioral, neurochemical, and histological studies. Our results revealed dramatic decreases in olfactory bulb (OB) weight and levels of tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the treatment groups compared to the control group, with the Mn/V co-treatment group producing the most significant changes. Interestingly, increased levels of α-synuclein expression were observed in the substantia nigra (SN) of treated animals. Additionally, treatment groups exhibited locomotor deficits and olfactory dysfunction, with the co-treatment group producing the most severe deficits. The treatment groups exhibited increased levels of the oxidative stress marker 4-hydroxynonenal in the striatum and SN, as well as the upregulation of the pro-apoptotic protein PKCδ and accumulation of glomerular astroglia in the OB. The co-exposure of animals to Mn/V resulted in higher levels of these metals compared to other treatment groups. Taken together, our results suggest that co-exposure to Mn/V can adversely affect the olfactory and nigral systems. These results highlight the possible role of environmental metal mixtures in the etiology of Parkinsonism. Full article

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) connects an isolated individual on the road to share information, which can improve traffic efficiency. However, the promotion of information sharing brings the critical security issues of identity authentication, followed by privacy protection issues in the authentication process in the IoV. In this study, we designed a blockchain-based conditional privacy-preserving authentication scheme for the IoV (BPA). Our scheme implements zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) to verify the identities of vehicles, which moves the authentication process down to the Roadside Units (RSUs) and achieves decentralized authentication at the edge nodes. Moreover, blockchain technology is utilized to synchronize a consistent ledger across all RSUs for recording and disseminating vehicle authentication states, which enhances the overall authentication process efficiency. We provide a theoretical analysis asserting that the BPA ensures enhanced security and effectively protects the privacy of all participating vehicles. Experimental evaluations confirm that our scheme outperforms existing solutions in terms of the computational and communication overhead. Full article

This study explores the role of church museums represented by the Tsinanfu Institute in the spread of Christianity in modern China. Established in 1887, Tsinanfu Institute, formerly Tsingchowfu Museum, stands as an early pioneer of church museums in China with the mission of spreading Christianity. It has taken exhibition and knowledge dissemination and social education as its core functions, indirect evangelization and expansion of religious influence as its fundamental purpose, and the Chinese way of localization and the promotion of harmonious relations with the community as its important working guidelines. It has established a new operational concept as a “public cultural museum”, realizing the transformation of the church museum from a missionary venue for the intellectuals to a new type of missionary venue for the general public. The development stages of the church museum operational concept represented by Tsinanfu Institute are mainly socialization, education, localization, and the popularization of higher education, which is a microcosm of the development trend of the Christian Endeavour Movement, Social Gospel, and vernacularization thought. Tsinanfu Institute shows significant research value in studying new missionary concepts and exploring the new way of missionary work in the church during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Full article

The aim of this study was to collect data and analyze mortality among patients hospitalized with community-acquired infections in the Faroe Islands. A prospective observational study was conducted in the Medical Department of the National Hospital of the Faroe Islands from October 2013 to April 2015. Cumulative all-cause, in-hospital, short-term, intermediate-term and long-term mortality rates were calculated. Kaplan–Meier survival curves comparing infection-free patients with infected patients of all severities and different age groups are presented. A log-rank test was used to compare groups. Mortality hazard ratios were calculated for subgroups using Cox regression multivariable models. There were 1309 patients without infection and 755 patients with infection. There were 51% female and 49% male patients. Mean age was 62.73 ± 19.71. Cumulative all-cause mortality and in-hospital mortality were highest in more severe forms of infection. This pattern remained the same for short-term mortality in the model adjusted for sex and age, while there were no significant differences among the various infection groups in regard to intermediate- or long-term survival after adjustment. Overall and short-term mortality rates were highest among those with severe manifestations of infection and those with infection compared to infection-free patients. Full article

The management of sarcomas in specialist centers delivers significant benefits. In much of the world, specialists are not available, and the development of expertise is identified as a major need. However, the terms ‘specialist’ or ‘expert’ center are rarely defined. Our objective is to offer a definition for patient advocates and a tool for healthcare providers to underpin improving the care of people with sarcoma. SPAGN developed a discussion paper for a workshop at the SPAGN 2023 Conference, attended by 75 delegates. A presentation to the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) and further discussion led to this paper. Core Principles were identified that underlie specialist sarcoma care. The primary Principle is the multi-disciplinary team discussing every patient, at first diagnosis and during treatment. Principles for optimal sarcoma management include accurate diagnosis followed by safe, high-quality treatment, with curative intent. These Principles are supplemented by Features describing areas of healthcare, professional involvement, and service provision and identifying further research and development needs. These allow for variations because of national or local policies and budgets. We propose the term ‘Sarcoma Intelligent Specialist Network’ to recognize expertise wherever it is found in the world. This provides a base for further discussion and local refinement. Full article

(1) Background: HBV-DNA is an essential clinical indicator of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis. Our study aimed to investigate the prognostic implication of a low load of HBV-DNA in HCC patients who underwent local treatment. Additionally, we developed and validated a nomogram to predict the recurrence of patients with low (20–100 IU/mL) viral loads (L-VL). (2) Methods: A total of 475 HBV-HCC patients were enrolled, including 403 L-VL patients and 72 patients with very low (<20 IU/mL) viral loads (VL-VL). L-VL HCC patients were randomly divided into a training set (N = 282) and a validation set (N = 121) at a ratio of 7:3. Utilizing the Lasso–Cox regression analysis, we identified independent risk factors for constructing a nomogram. (3) Results: L-VL patients had significantly shorter RFS than VL-VL patients (38.2 m vs. 23.4 m, p = 0.024). The content of the nomogram included gender, BCLC stage, Glob, and MLR. The C-index (0.682 vs. 0.609); 1-, 3-, and 5-year AUCs (0.729, 0.784, and 0.783, vs. 0.631, 0.634, the 0.665); calibration curves; and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves of the training and validation cohorts proved the excellent predictive performance of the nomogram. There was a statistically significant difference in RFS between the low-, immediate-, and high-risk groups both in the training and validation cohorts (p < 0.001); (4) Conclusions: Patients with L-VL had a worse prognosis. The nomogram developed and validated in this study has the advantage of predicting patients with L-VL. Full article

Methane emissions from flooded rice paddies are a major source of atmospheric methane and represent a significant greenhouse gas with high climate-forcing potential due to anthropogenic activities globally. For sustainable agriculture, it is necessary to find effective methods for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions without reducing crop productivity. We investigated mechanisms to reduce methane emissions during rice cultivation by applying rice straw, rice husk biochar, humic acid, and a humic acid–iron complex, assessing greenhouse gases and rice yield over a single season. The results demonstrated that the treatment plots with rice straw and the humic acid–iron complex significantly reduced methane emissions (563 ± 113.9 kg ha⁻¹) by 34.4% compared to plots treated with rice straw alone (859 ± 126.4 kg ha⁻¹). Rice yield was not compromised compared to the control group treated with only NPK fertilizer, and growth in terms of plant height and tiller number was enhanced in the plots treated with rice straw and the humic acid–iron complex. Conversely, the plots treated solely with rice husk biochar and humic acid did not show a methane reduction effect when compared to the NPK treatment. The humic acid–iron complex has demonstrated potential as a methane mitigation agent with practical applicability in the field, warranting further long-term studies to validate its effectiveness. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of anti-interleukin-1 therapeutics for treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Our research included interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitors, IL-1 antibodies and IL-1 receptor antagonists (IL-1 Ras). Methods: We systematically searched PubMed and Mendeley to find randomized control trials (RCTs) or clinical trials (CTs) of anti-interleukin-1 therapeutics in KOA from 2000 to 2023. The outcomes were changes in pain, function and stiffness scores. The research was conducted between November 2023 and January 2024. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias tool RoB 2. Results: Analysis of the nine included studies showed a statistically significant difference in terms of the pain relief group (SMD = −0.20, 95% CI: −0.39 to −0.01, p = 0.0348), physical function improvement (SMD = −0.20, 95% CI: −0.39 to 0.00, p = 0.0479) and stiffness reduction (SMD = −0.22, 95% CI: −0.43 to 0.00, p = 0.0475) between anti-IL-1 therapeutics and placebo or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, when we separately analysed placebo and NSAIDs subgroups, the statistical significance was observed only in the placebo group. Our article was limited by the quality of the included RCTs. Two of the included trials were of poor methodological quality, and five showed selective reporting. Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that anti-IL-1 therapeutics might have better efficacy in KOA treatment than placebo or NSAIDs; yet, taking into account the limited availability of studies and data concerning anti-IL-1 in osteoarthritis treatment, we think that more high-quality RCTs on this subject are needed. Full article

Perinatal exposure to valproic acid is commonly used for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) animal model development. The inhibition of histone deacetylases by VPA has been proposed to induce epigenetic changes during neurodevelopment, but the specific alterations in genetic expression underlying ASD-like behavioral changes remain unclear. We used qPCR-based gene expression and epigenetics tools and Western blotting in the hippocampi of neonatal valproic acid-exposed animals at 4 weeks of age and conducted the social interaction test to detect behavioral changes. Significant alterations in gene expression were observed in males, particularly concerning mRNA expression of Foxo3, which was significantly associated with behavioral changes. Moreover, notable differences were observed in H3K27ac chromatin immunoprecipitation, quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR), and methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme-based qPCR targeting the Foxo3 gene promoter region. These findings provide evidence that epigenetically regulated hippocampal Foxo3 expression may influence social interaction-related behavioral changes. Furthermore, identifying sex-specific gene expression and epigenetic changes in this model may elucidate the sex disparity observed in autism spectrum disorder prevalence. Full article

In this work, the dynamic marine atmospheric corrosion behavior of AZ91 Mg alloy sailing from Yellow Sea to Western Pacific Ocean was studied. The corrosion rates were measured using the weight loss method. The microstructure, phase, and chemical composition of corroded samples were investigated by SEM, EDS, XRD, and XPS. The results show that the evolution of corrosion rates of AZ91 Mg alloy was divided into three stages: rapidly increasing during the first 3 months, then remaining stable for the next three months, and finally decreasing after 6 months. The annual corrosion rate of Mg alloy reached 32.50 μm/y after exposure for 12 months in a dynamic marine atmospheric environment, which was several times higher than that of the static field exposure tests. AZ91 magnesium alloy was mainly subjected to localized corrosion with more destructiveness to Mg parts, which is mainly due to the synergistic effect of high relative humidity, the high deposition rate of chloride ion, sulfur dioxide acidic gas produced by fuel combustion, and rapid temperature changes caused by the alternating changes in longitude and latitude during navigation. As the exposure time increased, the corrosion pits gradually increased and deepened. The maximum depth of the corrosion pit was 197 μm after 12 months of exposure, which is almost 6 times the average corrosion depth. This study provides scientific data support for the application of magnesium alloys in shipborne aircraft and electronic equipment. The results could provide guidance for the design of new magnesium alloys and development of anti-corrosion technologies. Full article

The study of urban land use efficiency is of great significance for optimizing the spatial allocation of urban land, thereby promoting the intensive use of urban land and the transformation of economic development modes. Taking the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the study object, we chose the undesirable Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model to calculate the urban land use efficiency (ULUE). Then, we utilized the spatial correlation analysis and econometric methods to discuss its spatio-temporal features and influential factors. The results show the following: (1) The urban land use efficiency in the YREB steadily improved from 2010 to 2022, but the inter-regional efficiency gap evidently increased. (2) There is an efficiency value to be found in a multi-center network structure, and it forms a “core-periphery” distribution pattern. The high-efficiency areas in the downstream and upstream regions of the YREB are gradually increasing, while the efficiency value in the midstream area remains low. (3) The urban efficiency values have strong correlation, and they are mainly “High-High agglomeration” and “Low-Low agglomeration”, and they show significant regional characteristics. (4) The economic level, industrial structure, and urbanization have obvious motivating effects on ULUE, and the positive spatial spillover effect is clear. The foreign direct investment and land finance hinder the boost of efficiency, and the latter has a negative spatial spillover role on the ULUE in the downstream cities. Full article

Background and Objectives: Pregnancy introduces various interfering factors that, alongside individual variations, impact the assessment of thyroid function tests. This underscores the necessity of defining trimester-specific reference intervals for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Differences in population characteristics, including ethnicity, socio-economic factors, iodine prophylaxis, and obesity, emphasize the need to establish trimester-specific TSH ranges for women of reproductive age in the respective region or center. The aim of the present study was to establish first- and second-trimester-specific reference intervals for TSH and free thyroxine (FT4) in a relevant pregnant population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective monocenter analysis utilized the electronic database of Ob/Gyn Hospital “Dr. Shterev”, Sofia, Bulgaria. The analysis involved data from 497 pregnant and 250 non-pregnant women, all without evidence of thyroid dysfunction or a family history thereof, no indication of taking medication interfering with thyroid function, no evidence of levothyroxine treatment, and no history of sterility treatment. To establish the limits of the TSH reference range, the percentile method was applied using a bootstrapping procedure following the recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC). Results: Trimester-specific reference intervals for TSH and FT4 in our center were established as follows: first trimester—0.38–2.91 mU/L, FT4-12.18–19.48 pmol/L; second trimester—0.72–4.22 mIU/L and 9.64–17.39 pmol/L, respectively. We also established the normal reference range for the non-pregnant control group, which is similar to that applicable in our laboratory. Conclusions: Our results differ from the fixed limits recommended by the American Thyroid Association, European Thyroid Association, and Endocrine Society Guidelines. Following the relevant established intervals would significantly impact timely diagnosis and therapy requirements for a substantial proportion of pregnant women. Full article