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Environmental factors of food insecurity in adolescents: a global scoping review
No full textAdolescent food insecurity (FI) is a growing global issue with significant health and developmental consequences. Although research has mainly focused on behavioral and interpersonal factors, broader environmental influences—such as organizational, community, societal, and planetary factors—are underexplored. This scoping review aims to map and examine multi-level environmental factors of adolescent FI (ages 10–19).
Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we screened 5149 records and included 40 studies, mostly from high-income countries. This scoping review identifies key factors such as interpersonal (household socioeconomic status, family structure), community (social capital, food environment), and societal factors (food assistance programs, economic disparities, and discrimination). However, planetary-level factors were rarely studied.
Findings suggest that adolescent FI is shaped by interwoven environmental factors across multiple levels, and policies must address systemic drivers such as social inequities and climate change. Future research should prioritize adolescent-centered studies, and expand investigations in underrepresented regions, particularly in the Global South
Integrating circular economy principles and life cycle assessment into cement manufacturing: a systematic review
No full textThe cement industry contributes significantly to global construction and economic development but presents significant environmental challenges. When one ton of cement is produced, approximately the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere, from the quarry to packaging for sale or from cradle-to-gate. This exacerbates environmental concerns on ecosystems and human health. Given the increasing demand for cement and increasing environmental awareness, the construction industry is looking for resource-efficient solutions. Tackling these challenges necessitates a transition to sustainable practices through the integration of circular economy (CE) principles and life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies. LCA offers a comprehensive framework for evaluating and quantifying the environmental impacts of cement production from a cradle-to-grave perspective, while CE complements this approach by embedding sustainability into the process through innovative resource utilization. This review emphasizes significant advancements in reducing clinker consumption in concrete by incorporating supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag and other agricultural waste. Additionally, it explores the potential of biomass and biomass residues as alternative fuels for kilns, fostering greater sustainability in cement manufacturing. These eco-friendly strategies not only improve material performance but also reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. By systematically analyzing the existing literature, this paper identifies critical gaps in LCA standardization, the application of CE in cement production, and the introduction of alternative materials. It provides actionable recommendations for future research and practical industry implementation, contributing to the global transition to sustainable construction
Author Correction: Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
No full textCorrection to: Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49110-6, published online 04 June 202
Summary of taxonomy changes ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) from the Fungal and Protist Viruses Subcommittee, 2025
No full textThe Fungal and Protist Viruses Subcommittee (SC) of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) has received a total of eight taxonomic proposals for the 2024 annual cycle. The extent of proposed changes varied, including nomenclatural updates, creation of new taxa and reorganization of established taxa. Following the ICTV procedures, all proposals were reviewed and voted upon by the members of the Executive Committee with ratification in March 2025. As a result, a total of 52 species in the families Botourmiaviridae and Marnaviridae were renamed to comply with the mandated binomial format. A new genus has been added to the dsRNA virus family Amalgaviridae, while two new families, Splipalmiviridae (Wolframvirales) and Mycoalphaviridae (Hepelivirales), were created to classify new groups of positive-sense (+) RNA mycoviruses. The class Arfiviricetes (Cressdnaviricota) was expanded by a new order Lineavirales and a new family Oomyviridae of ssDNA viruses. Additionally, a new class Orpoviricetes was created in the kingdom Orthornavirae to classify a group of bisegmented (+)RNA viruses reported from fungi and oomycetes. Finally, the order Pimascovirales was reorganized to better depict evolutionary relationships of pithoviruses and related viruses with large dsDNA genomes. The summary of updates in the taxonomy of fungal and protist viruses presented here is limited to taxa within the remit of this Subcommittee. For information on taxonomy changes on other fungal viruses closely related to animal and/or plant viruses, please see reports from sister ICTV Subcommittees (i.e. Plant Virus SC and Animal dsRNA and ssRNA(−) Viruses SC)
Post-Hospitalisation COVID-19 Rehabilitation (PHOSP-R): a randomised controlled trial of exercise-based rehabilitation
No full textObjective
Post-COVID syndrome involves prolonged symptoms with multisystem and functional impairment lasting ≥12 weeks after acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to determine the efficacy of exercise-based rehabilitation interventions, either face-to-face or remote, compared to usual care in individuals experiencing post-COVID syndrome following a hospitalisation with acute COVID-19.
Design
This single-blind randomised controlled trial compared two exercise-based rehabilitation interventions (face-to-face or remote) to usual care in participants with post-COVID syndrome following a hospitalisation. The interventions were either a face-to-face or remote 8-week programme of individually prescribed exercise and education. The primary outcome was the change in Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT) following 8 weeks of intervention (either face-to-face or remote) compared to usual care. Other secondary outcomes were measured including health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and exploratory outcomes included lymphocyte immunotyping.
Results
181 participants (55% male, mean±sd age 59±12 years, length of hospital stay 12±19 days) were randomised. There was an improvement in the ISWT distance following face-to-face rehabilitation (mean 52 m, 95% CI 19–85 m; p=0.002) and remote rehabilitation (mean 34 m, 95% CI 1–66 m; p=0.047) compared to usual care alone. There were no differences between groups for HRQoL self-reported symptoms. Analysis of immune markers revealed significant increases in naïve and memory CD8+ T-cells following face-to-face rehabilitation versus usual care alone (p<0.001, n=31).
Conclusion
Exercise-based rehabilitation improved short-term exercise capacity in post-COVID syndrome following an acute hospitalisation and showed potential for beneficial immunomodulatory effects
Estimating excess bound water content due to serpentinisation in mature slow-spreading oceanic crust using Vp/Vs
No full textMature oceanic crust carries chemically bound water which may be released in subduction zones or delivered to the deep mantle. Estimating water content in slow-spreading crust is challenging due to its complex lithology, requiring both P- and S-wave seismic velocity (Vp and Vs), the latter of which has been limited. Here we show 2D high-resolution Vp, Vs and excess bound water models due to serpentinisation of mature Atlantic crust near the Lesser Antilles. The ridge-parallel line crosses eight seafloor-spreading segments with equal numbers of magma-robust and magma-poor. Hydration is highly variable and mainly accommodated in strongly serpentinised peridotites, dominantly in magma-poor segments, which are not preferentially located near fracture zones. Serpentinised peridotites (17% of the crust) host four times more water than normal magmatic crust, increasing Atlantic subduction bound water budget by ~ 50%. This has implications back in geological time such as during supercontinent breakups when slow-spreading crust subduction was more common
From spent zinc-carbon batteries to lithium-ion batteries: An eco-friendly method to recycle graphite
No full textThe eco-friendly recycling of graphite from used zinc‑carbon (Znsingle bondC) batteries presents a viable and economical approach for the advancement of lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes. This investigation involved the recovery of graphite through ball milling techniques, followed by a detailed structural characterization. XRD analysis showed that the ball milled graphite had a partially ordered structure with lattice parameters a = 2.4704 Å and c = 6.7516 Å, which is comparable to that of commercial graphite (a = 2.4725 Å and c = 6.7526 Å) and higher defect density (ID/IG = 1.069) as revealed by Raman spectroscopy as compared to commercial graphite (ID/IG = 0.22). TEM images showed increased structural disorder with broken layers and the XPS results further confirms the presence of predominant sp2-hybridized carbon with C–C/C=C peak at 284.70 eV. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of surface functional groups, such as Csingle bondH bonds, indicating possible surface alterations in the recycling process. These structural characteristics, in particular higher defects, and disorder, promote Li-ion diffusion and surface reactivity. Ball milled graphite showed a specific capacity of 367.52 mAh/g at 1C, maintained over 200 cycles at a Coulombic efficiency of 99.05 %. This value is similar to that for commercial graphite with a capacity of 371.39 mAh/g and a Coulombic efficiency of ca. 100 %. Although the recycled graphite demonstrates a slightly reduced initial efficiency, it provides effective long-term stability, economic advantages, and positive environmental impacts. This work demonstrates that a safe and scalable approach to defect-engineered graphite with impressive electrochemical performance and provides promise of environmentally friendly anode for Li-ion battery applications
Off-the-shelf dual CAR-iNKT cell immunotherapy eradicates medullary and leptomeningeal high-risk KMT2A-rearranged leukemia
No full textCurrent therapies, including autologous CAR-T immunotherapy, fail to cure half of infants with KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (KMT2Ar-ALL), a disease characterized by frequent central nervous system involvement, poor treatment response, early relapse and lineage switching. More effective treatment strategies, including the availability of 'off-the-shelf' immunotherapies is particularly relevant in infants. PROM1/CD133 is a direct target of KMT2A-fusion oncoproteins and is expressed on leukemic cells. Allogeneic iNKT cells, 'innately' more powerful effectors than T cells can be deployed 'off-the-shelf' without risk of acute graft-versus-host disease. Here, we equip iNKT with CD19- and/or CD133-targeting CARs and investigate their anti-leukaemia activity against KMT2Ar-ALL in relevant in vitro and in vivo models. Compared to mono-specific counterparts and dual, bi-specific CAR-T, bi-specific CD19-CD133 CAR-iNKT have a more potent anti-leukemia activity, effectively targeting both CAR antigen-high and -low leukemia. Bi-specific CAR-iNKT eradicate medullary and, notably, leptomeningeal leukemia and induce sustained remissions without discernible hematologic toxicity. Mechanistically, the more potent anti-leukemia effect of CAR-iNKT over CAR-T cells is mediated by a pronounced CAR- and CAR antigen-dependent upregulation of the innate activating receptor NKG2D on CAR-iNKT and its engagement by its corresponding ligands on KMT2Ar-ALL cells. This ensures effective leukemia targeting even with downregulation of CD133 or CD19. Thus, by engaging with two different types of leukemia-associated antigens i.e., CAR antigens and NKG2D ligands, CAR-iNKT provide a powerful platform for the treatment of KMT2Ar-ALL. This approach can be readily adapted for other high-risk malignancies, including those with otherwise difficult to target leptomeningeal involvement
Global wood harvest is sufficient for climate-friendly transitions to timber cities
No full textDecarbonizing the economy requires a large-scale transition from fossil carbon-containing feedstocks to minerals and biomass, notably wood in buildings. Increasing harvesting is under discussion to meet the supply of wood for ‘timber cities’, with potentially negative impacts on forests and biodiversity. Here we investigate pathways to timber cities, including their impacts on land use, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by quantifying global and regional wood cycles using Bayesian material flow analysis. We show that shifting wood fuel to industrial use and maximizing circular use of wood can make timber cities possible with the current harvest volume. Our results reveal that these pathways have better environmental performance than increased harvesting, reducing total CO2 equivalent emissions by 2100 by 40.8 Gt compared to business as usual. To achieve the wood transition, regional and cross-sectoral governance and planning are needed, addressing national-level pathways and inter-regional wood transport. The most critical actions are reducing the use of virgin wood as fuel by promoting cleaner alternatives, and using wood waste more effectively globally, rather than expanding plantation forests
Comparison of dual therapies for hypertension treatment in India: a randomized clinical trial
No full textEvidence is lacking for guiding optimal combination hypertension therapy in South Asian patients. Here we investigated the blood pressure (BP)-lowering efficacy and safety of three commonly recommended antihypertensive dual combinations in a multicenter, single-blinded trial conducted in India. We randomized Indians aged 30–79 years (mean age, 52 years) with mean sitting systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 150–179 mmHg on no treatment or an SBP of 140–159 mmHg on monotherapy 1:1:1 to a single-pill combination of amlodipine–perindopril, perindopril–indapamide or amlodipine–indapamide. The primary outcome was the mean change in 24-hour ambulatory SBP at 6 months. Of the 1,981 participants (42% females) enrolled in the trial, 1,637 completed a 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement. All three drug combinations produced similar large reductions in the primary outcome, namely ambulatory (~14/8 mmHg) and office (~30/14 mmHg) BPs after 6 months, such that hypertension control rates (sitting BP < 140/90 mmHg) were achieved in approximately 70% of participants in all three groups. Furthermore, no significant differences in secondary outcomes, such as mean day and night ambulatory and office BPs and hypertension control rates, were observed among the study groups. Thus, in Indian patients, amlodipine–perindopril, perindopril–indapamide and amlodipine–indapamide were all equally well tolerated and equally highly effective in reducing 24-hour ambulatory and office BPs (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT05683301)