Rapid industrialization and coastal development have driven the widespread accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in marine environments, particularly in sediments and surrounding waters. Heavy metal contamination poses a significant threat to benthic ecosystems and coastal environmental health, highlighting the need for a better understanding of their toxic effects on marine organisms. Perinereis linea is a sediment-dwelling marine polychaete recognized as a sensitive bioindicator of coastal environmental conditions. Through its burrowing activity, P. linea contributes to sediment bioturbation, promoting the mineralization and decomposition of organic matter and supporting the health and stability of benthic ecosystems. Despite its ecological importance, few studies have investigated P. linea as a potential model organism for toxicity assessment, particularly in terms of behavioral responses. In this study, we evaluated the potential of P. linea as a marine model for assessing the behavioral toxicity of HMs using the customized behavioral analysis platform. Behavioral screening of 23 HMs revealed significant locomotor impairments induced by most of the tested metals, characterized by reduced average speed and rapid movement time ratio, increased freezing behavior, and altered movement complexity. PCA and heatmap further identified distinct behavioral fingerprints among the tested metals, with copper exhibiting the strongest behavioral toxicity. Subsequent dose–response experiments demonstrated that copper exposure (1–1000 ppb) significantly reduced locomotor activity and fractal dimension, indicating impaired movement complexity. Co-exposure with chelating agents, including citric acid, chitosan, tannic acid, and sodium alginate, partially restored normal behavioral patterns. Furthermore, transcriptomic findings provided preliminary insights into the potential molecular mechanism underlying HM-induced effects in P. linea. However, given the limited biological replication, the transcriptomic findings should be considered exploratory and interpreted with caution. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential of P. linea as a promising marine model organism for behavioral toxicity assessment and environmental monitoring of metal contamination in marine ecosystems.
Global university rankings increasingly position the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as indicators of institutional responsibility, yet their methodologies often privilege selective reporting, superficial compliance and audit-driven performance. This article offers a conceptual alternative by developing an institutional ideal-type framework: a nine-stage Maturity Model for Authentic SDG Engagement in Higher Education. Extending and reinterpreting Crowther's CSR maturity framework, the model introduces a non-linear spectrum from -1 Regressive Compliance to 7 Stewardship, capturing both organizational progression and the possibility of regression. Each stage is articulated through five analytical dimensions-intentionality; structures and processes; behavioural and cultural dynamics; risks and limitations; and implications for SDG integrity-drawing on institutional theory and Weberian ideal-type construction. This design enables a systematic mapping of how universities embed, distort or symbolically enact the SDGs under varying governance contexts and ranking pressures. While grounded in concerns raised in the literature and in an empirical critique of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, the model does not aim to replace ranking systems. Instead, it offers a field-informed diagnostic and developmental tool that clarifies the organizational conditions enabling meaningful SDG engagement. The article thus contributes to theory by advancing a new ideal-type model of SDG maturity and to practice by supporting higher education institutions in strengthening the integrity, coherence and long-term credibility of their sustainability commitments.
Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare neoplasm with morphologic and phenotypic features resembling those of normal follicular dendritic cells (FDCs). FDCS has been classified into two distinct entities based on their association with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV): classic FDCS (cFDCS) and EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS (EBV + IFDCS). Diagnosis relies on characteristic histopathology and immunohistochemistry using FDC markers and EBV in situ hybridization (EBER). This study aimed to compare the clinical presentations, histologic features, and immunoprofiles between these two entities in a Taiwanese cohort. We retrospectively reviewed histological features of in-house and consultation cases of FDCS. Immunohistochemistry with novel markers including serglycin (SRGN), FDC-secreted protein (FDCSP) was applied, together with conventional FDC markers (CD21, CD23, CD35) and EBER. Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), a potential therapeutic marker, was additionally evaluated and scored. Clinical and histological parameters, inflammatory cell infiltration, mitotic rate, and PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) were compared statistically. We identified 30 patients including 16 cFDCS and 14 EBV + IFDCS. The median age was 56 years old (range, 22–80), with a female preponderance in EBV + IFDCS. EBV + IFDCS occurred exclusively in extra-nodal sites, while cFDCS more commonly involved lymph nodes. EBV + IFDCS showed significantly higher PD-L1 TPS (p = 0.012), more prominent inflammatory cell infiltration (90.0
Patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) may present with different cystoscopic bladder conditions. The current study investigated the treatment outcomes of repeated intravesical platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for various bladder conditions. This study included 66 patients with IC/BPS, including five with Hunner’s IC and 61 with non-Hunner’s IC, who were not successfully managed with conventional treatments. The eligible patients underwent videourodynamic studies, completed voiding diaries, and received intravesical PRP injections once a month for a total of four treatments. Cystoscopic hydrodistention was performed, and the maximal bladder capacity and glomerulation grade were recorded. Treatment outcomes were examined using the global response assessment (GRA), and patients with a GRA score of 2 or 3 were considered to have achieved treatment success. In total, 33 (50
Background: Opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for clavicle fracture pain management carry significant adverse effect and allergic reaction risks. This study assessed ultrasound-guided nerve block (USNB) efficacy for acute clavicle fracture pain in emergency department (ED) patients, providing an alternative to NSAIDs and opioids with fewer adverse effects. Methods: This retrospective, single-center observational study was conducted in accordance with Methods of Medical Record Review Studies in Emergency Medicine Research guidelines. Adult patients (≥20 years) who presented to the ED with traumatic clavicle fractures between 1 January 2015 and 30 November 2023 were included. Of the 343 eligible patients, 12 received ultrasound-guided nerve blocks (USNB) and 331 received standard care. To improve exchangeability, 1:10 matching with replacement was performed according to patients' characteristics, such as age, sex, initial pain score, and comorbidities. The primary outcome was pain relief, assessed via the pain intensity difference (PID) on the Numerical Rating Scale within 360 min post-intervention. Meaningful pain relief was defined as a PID ≥ 4. Secondary outcomes included rescue opioid use, ED length of stay, hospital length of stay, and USNB-associated complications, such as vascular puncture, nerve injury, or local anesthetic systemic toxicity. Data were analyzed using time-course, time-to-event (time to meaningful pain relief), and linear regression analyses. Results: A total of 12 patients in the USNB group and 85 matched patients in the standard care group were analyzed after baseline characteristics matching with replacement. Compared to standard care, USNB was associated with significantly greater pain relief (p < 0.001). In the time-to-event analysis, USNB led to a 3.41-fold faster achievement of meaningful pain relief compared with that achieved with standard care (HR = 3.41; 95% CI, 1.47-7.90; p = 0.004). No significant differences were observed between groups in rescue opioid use, ED length of stay, or hospital length of stay. No USNB-associated complication developed in the USNB group. Conclusions: In patients with traumatic clavicle fractures, USNB provides more rapid and sustained pain relief than standard analgesic care in the ED, without increasing the ED length of stay. Large prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
