Abstract: Objective: Patient safety culture (PSC) is a critical determinant of healthcare quality. This study aimed to assess the current status of PSC among healthcare workers at Kien An Hospital, Hai Phong, Vietnam, and identify associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the 12dimension hospital survey on patient safety culture (HSOPSC). A total of 324 healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare staff) participated. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. Results: The overall positive response rate across the 12 HSOPSC dimensions was 81.5%. The highest positive response rate was observed in the “Teamwork within units” dimension (98.5%), whereas the lowest was in “Non-punitive response to error” dimension (55.6%). Statistical analysis of PSC revealed significant differences between physicians and nurses in two dimensions: “Feedback and communication about error” with OR = 1.92 (95% CI: 1.66–2.52; p < 0.05) and “Overall perceptions of patient safety.” With OR = 0.12 (95% CI: 0.16–0.89; p < 0.01). Conclusion: Healthcare workers at Kien An Hospital report a relatively high level of positive PSC per-ception. Interventions should prioritize improving the non-punitive response to error system to foster a culture of reporting and learning.

Abstract: Background: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is increasingly recognized as an independent and genetically determined cardiovascular risk factor. However, its clinical role in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD), particularly in relation to premature disease onset, remains incompletely defined. This study aimed to evaluate the associa-tion between Lp(a) levels and early-onset CAD, as well as the relative contribution of Lp(a) compared with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study including 225 patients with established CAD admitted to a tertiary care center in 2023. Lp(a) levels were measured at admission. Patients were stratified according to revascularization strate-gy and age at first cardiovascular event (< 50 vs. ≥50 years). Logistic regression and re-ceiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess associ-ations and determine predictive performance. Results: Thirty-eight patients (17%) experienced early-onset CAD. Patients with early events showed significantly higher Lp(a) levels compared with those with later events (median 42 [19–75] vs. 21 [10–66] mg/dL; p = 0.020), despite lower LDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels. In multivariate analysis, both Lp(a) (OR 2.835, 95% CI 1.226–6.556, p = 0.015) and smoking (OR 2.516, 95% CI 1.116–5.673, p = 0.026) were independently associated with early-onset CAD. Lp(a) showed modest discriminative ability (AUC 0.619), with a cut-off value of 23 mg/dL providing 74% sensitivity and 52% specificity, and a high negative predictive value (91%). Lp(a) levels did not differ across revascu-larization subgroups. Conclusions: Elevated Lp(a) levels are independently associated with premature CAD, even in patients with lower traditional lipid risk factors and intensive lipid-lowering therapy. Routine Lp(a) assessment may improve cardiovascular risk stratification, particularly in younger patients.

Abstract: In Brazil, one litre of tap water costs €0.00063. In Japan, €0.00186. In India (Mumbai), €0.000065. In Denmark, €0.00920. Across nineteen countries on five continents, the market price of potable water per litre is between approximately 444,000 and 38,500,000 times lower than the market price of residential space per square metre. Expressed as a percentage premium of space over water: between roughly 44 billion percent and 3.8 trillion percent, depending on the country and its water governance model. The first question of this paper is: are there other goods pairs like this anywhere — in economics, in biology, or in history? We searched systematically and could not find one that simultaneously satisfies four conditions: both goods are survival-relevant; both carry full market prices; the ratio exceeds 44 billion percent; and the more biologically vital good is the cheaper one. We propose this may be unique. Three structural paradoxes compound the strangeness. First, potable freshwater is physically scarcer than habitable land — only 0.007% of Earth's water is accessible freshwater (USGS; Shiklomanov 1993) while approximately 104 million km² of land is habitable — yet water is cheaper. Standard marginal utility theory, which predicts price rises with scarcity, makes the wrong prediction for both goods simultaneously. Second, humans require more water by volume every day (52–152 litres for basic needs; WHO 2017) than the volume of space they strictly need for survival (approximately 4–8 m² floor area), yet water is cheaper. The consumption ordering is also inverted. Third, and most deeply: in the approximately 2,000 years since the Roman Empire built concrete walls, walls have changed almost nothing in their intelligence. A Roman concrete wall and a Tokyo concrete wall in 2026 have identical awareness of their occupants: zero. The wall does not know you are there. It never has. Meanwhile, water delivery infrastructure — which incorporated continuous intelligence across four centuries (sensing, treatment, routing, optimisation, prediction) — became approximately 1,000 times cheaper in real terms. The good that learned to think got cheaper. The good that refused to think got more expensive. We propose that the ratio is large not primarily because of governance failures — though these amplify it — but because of a structural asymmetry in what these two goods are: water is a flow system, space is a frozen pattern. The Architecture of Freedom Intelligence (AFI) framework formalises this through five theses concerning path availability as the irreducible first condition of all value. We introduce the distinction between flow recognition (continuous navigation of available paths in real time) and pattern recognition (identification of static configurations from memory), and propose that intelligence is fundamentally a flow recognition capacity — which is why it is built from water. We connect this to the FREE (Freedom-Regulated Emergent Exploration) swarm intelligence algorithm, which makes buildings navigate as water navigates for the first time in human history. We explore how buildings might be designed — using agentic AI, Physical AI, swarm construction, and water-inspired materials — to embody the structural properties of the human body, which is perhaps the most sophisticated water-based optimisation system on Earth. We offer seven falsifiable predictions. All AFI quantitative results are labelled SIMULATED. All price data is sourced from primary references with public access points.

Abstract: Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) exhibit a marked female predominance, suggesting a potential role for estrogen in their pathophysiology. However, the evidence linking estrogen status to TMD risk and symptom severity remains inconsistent across studies. Objective: To systematically review and synthesize the available evidence on the association between estrogen status—including hormonal contraceptive use, menopausal status, menstrual cycle variation, pregnancy, and estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms—and the prevalence and clinical features of TMD in women. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted through September 2025. Observational studies involving women diagnosed with TMD using validated diagnostic criteria (RDC/TMD, DC/TMD, or equivalent) and reporting estrogen-related exposures were included. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Due to heterogeneity in exposure definitions and outcome measures, a narrative synthesis was performed. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to insufficient homogeneity across studies. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising six clinical studies involving 2,735 participants and one mechanistic supportive study involving 18 participants. Two high-quality clinical studies—a prospective cohort and a cross-sectional study—reported quantitative effect estimates: hormonal contraceptive use was associated with an increased risk of first-onset TMD (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.13–1.66) and concurrent TMD symptoms (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.06–1.35), while climacteric status was associated with increased odds of TMJ palpation pain (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.12–6.21), crepitus (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.13–7.56), and degenerative joint disease (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.05–4.91). Additional moderate-quality studies provided qualitative evidence supporting associations between menopausal status and TMD prevalence, menstrual cycle–related symptom variation, pregnancy-related symptom modulation, and estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms with TMD susceptibility. According to GRADE criteria, the certainty of evidence was rated as moderate for hormonal contraceptive use and menopausal/climacteric status, and low to very low for the remaining exposure categories due to inconsistency, indirectness, and imprecision. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that hormonal factors, particularly hormonal contraceptive use and menopausal status, are associated with TMD risk and symptom presentation. However, the limited number of high-quality studies, heterogeneity in exposure definitions, and variability in diagnostic criteria constrain definitive conclusions. Further well-designed prospective cohort studies with standardized diagnostic protocols and biochemically validated hormonal assessments are needed to clarify causal relationships and inform clinical decision-making.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (HD) com-monly exhibit malnutrition, chronic low-grade inflammation, and metabolic disturb-ances. Gut dysbiosis may contribute to these abnormalities through the gut-kidney axis. This study aimed to characterize gut microbiota composition in HD patients and examine its associations with demographic, clinical, and body composition parameters. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 96 patients with end-stage kidney dis-ease on maintenance HD. Clinical, laboratory, inflammatory, nutritional, and bioim-pedance-derived body composition data were collected, including Malnutri-tion-Inflammation Score (MIS). Stool samples were analyzed for gut microbiota com-position. Associations with host-related variables were assessed using alpha- and be-ta-diversity analyses, subgroup comparisons, and Mantel testing. Results: Gut micro-biota showed marked inter-individual heterogeneity at the genus level, with dominant taxa including Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Streptococcus, Gemmiger, Ruminococcus, Escherichia-Shigella, and Enterococcus. Chao1 richness was higher in men than in women. Shannon entropy and Chao1 richness were positively associated with age and visceral adipose tissue (VAT), while Faith’s phylogenetic diversity increased with age. In contrast, the Gini index was negatively associated with age and VAT, indicating a more even microbial structure in older individuals and those with higher visceral ad-iposity. Beta-diversity differed between men and women and across categories within the female subgroup. Mantel testing showed a modest but significant correlation be-tween microbiota and metadata distances. Conclusions: Gut microbiota in mainte-nance HD patients is highly heterogeneous and associated mainly with sex, age, vis-ceral adiposity, and overall host phenotype. These findings suggest that microbiota variation in HD reflects multidimensional host-related factors rather than a single clinical feature.

Abstract: This article identifies, using a zero-shot method (Gen6d), the 3D-bounding box of a target far-distanced from a UAV. Furthermore, it infers the attached camera’s pose to the drone, based on the underlying training on the visual data. These visual data are used in a YOLO-framework to identify targets belonging to a class. The vertices of the orthogonal 3D-box are used in a visual-servoing scheme on the attached gimbal on UAV. The camera has a varying focal length (zoom) and the indirect objective is to move the UAV close to the target while reducing the zoom factor. Initially, the UAV starts with a large zoom-factor (36×) at a far distance (100m) from the target. The UAV approaches the target using the visual servoing scheme, while reducing its zoom at discrete steps and maintaining its focus. Experimental results indicate the efficiency of the proposed method.

Abstract: Traditional social navigation systems often treat perception and motion as decoupled tasks, leading to reactive behaviors and perceptual surprise due to limited field of view. While active vision—the ability to choose where to look—offers a solution, most existing frameworks decouple sensing from execution to simplify the learning process. This article introduces a novel joint reinforcement learning (RL) framework (Active Vision for Social Navigation) that unifies locomotion and discrete gaze control within a single, end-to-end policy. Unlike existing factored approaches, our method leverages a model-based RL architecture with a latent world model to explicitly address the credit assignment problem inherent in active sensing. Experimental results in cluttered, dynamic environments demonstrate that our joint policy outperforms factored sensing-action approaches by prioritizing viewpoints specifically relevant to social safety, such as checking blind spots and tracking human trajectories. Our findings suggest that tight sensorimotor coupling is essential for reducing perceptual surprise and ensuring safe, socially aware navigation in unstructured spaces.

Abstract: Environmental governance in the Global South increasingly unfolds within complex socio-technical systems characterized by fragmented institutional capacities, distributed sensing infrastructures, and high socio-ecological uncertainty. In this context, Digital Twins have emerged as a promising paradigm for integrating cyber-physical systems with decision intelligence, yet most implementations remain limited to industrial optimization or urban infrastructure management. This article proposes an architectural framework for Digital Twins oriented toward environmental governance by integrating Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) monitoring networks with complex systems modeling and cybernetic governance principles. Methodologically, the study combines conceptual development grounded in systems science and the Viable System Model (VSM) with an illustrative empirical case study from the Caribbean Mining Corridor in Colombia, where a distributed AIoT environmental monitoring network operates within the Hub Ambiental del Caribe initiative. The proposed architecture links real-time environmental sensing, predictive analytics, and recursive governance structures to enable anticipatory environmental decision-making. The results demonstrate how Digital Twin infrastructures can function as cybernetic platforms that transform fragmented environmental data into actionable decision intelligence across institutional levels. By embedding feedback mechanisms, open environmental data governance, and participatory monitoring capacities, the framework supports adaptive management in highly dynamic socio-ecological contexts. The study concludes that Digital Twins designed as governance infrastructures—rather than purely technical replicas—can significantly enhance environmental decision support systems and foster climate justice-oriented transitions in vulnerable territories of the Global South.

Abstract:

Background/Objective: The introduction of Ketoconazole (KZ, Nizoral^®) in 1977 by Janssen Pharmaceutica marked a significant milestone in medical mycology as the first broad-spectrum oral antifungal agent. However, KZ is a highly lipophilic compound, presenting significant challenges in the development of efficient topical formulations. Moreover, oral KZ has undergone labeling revisions and market withdrawal due to serious hepatic side effects. This study aimed to design, optimize, and evaluate KZ-loaded nanoemulsions (NEs; KZ-NEs) as a delivery platform that could improve skin bioavailability and antifungal activity. Methods: Optimized KZ-NEs were converted to a mucoadhesive formulation (KZ-NEC) by the addition of Carbopol^® 940 NF to enhance the adherence of the formulations to the skin surface. NEs were evaluated concerning physical appearance, globule size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, viscosity, and drug content. Optimized KZ-NE and lead KZ-NEC formulations were further evaluated for in vitro release, ex vivo skin permeation and deposition, skin irritation, and in vivo studies. Results: In vitro release studies revealed that nanocarrier systems provided a sustained release of KZ over 24 hours. The ex vivo permeability coefficients of KZ from the optimized KZ-NE and lead KZ-NEC formulations were approximately 4 and 3-fold greater than that achieved with the marketed cream formulation, respectively. In addition, the C_max of the lead KZ-NEC formulation (14.4±1.1 μg/mL) was significantly higher (p<0.05) compared with the marketed cream formulation (10.5±0.5 μg/mL). Moreover, in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing showed that KZ demonstrated improved antifungal efficacy when incorporated into the NE and NEC formulations. Neither of the NE-based formulations caused any alterations in skin color or morphology during the 24-hour visual observation period. Both NE-based formulations were stable for 90 days (the last time-point tested) at three different storage conditions. Conclusions: NE-based formulation could serve as an effective topical delivery platform for KZ and could improve therapeutic outcomes for patients with topical fungal infections.

Abstract: The production of biosolids in Brazil has increased due to the expansion of Sewage Treatment Plants, making these materials a sustainable alternative for agricultural use. Composed of high organic matter and nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium, biosolids have the potential to improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of tropical soils, contributing to greater fertility, water retention, and microbial activity. National literature demonstrates that these materials can par-tially replace mineral fertilizers and assist in the recovery of degraded areas. On the other hand, the presence of contaminants still represents a challenge. Heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Ni, and Hg generally appear in low concentrations, while Cu and Zn tend to approach the maximum limits established by CONAMA Resolution No. 498/2020. Regarding pathogens, the efficiency of sanitization depends on the treatment method employed. Emerging organic pollutants, including pharmaceuticals and hor-mones, have been detected, but still lack specific regulations in Brazil. Thus, although biosolids present high agronomic potential, their safe use requires adequate monitor-ing, improvement in controlling the origin of sewage, and advances in legislation, es-pecially regarding emerging organic pollutants.

Abstract:

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) flour is a promising raw material for the development of biodegradable packaging due to its protein and polyphenol content. In this study, thermocompressed chickpea flour sheets were reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) to improve their barrier, mechanical, thermal, and structural properties. Preliminary trials identified 22% moisture as the most suitable condition for consistent sheet formation. CNC was incorporated at 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% (w/w), and the resulting sheets were evaluated for phenolic content, antioxidant activity, water vapor permeability (WVP), optical properties, thermal behavior, morphology, and structural characteristics. Thermocompression reduced the measurable phenolic fractions, although antioxidant activity was not significantly affected. CNC markedly reduced WVP, from 5.16x10^-10 (control) to 5.93x10^-12 g∙m^-1∙s^-1∙Pa^-1 at 7.5% CNC. Tensile strength and Young's modulus increased with CNC loading, while elongation at break was highest at intermediate concentrations. SEM, DSC, XRD, and FTIR analyses indicated matrix reorganization and modified thermo-structural behavior. Overall, CNC improved the barrier and mechanical performance of thermocompressed chickpea flour sheets, supporting their potential for biodegradable packaging applications.

Abstract: The ability to precisely edit genetic characteristics with a CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) immunity complex is a revolutionary advance in science. Originally discovered in bacteria as part of a natural defense mechanism against viruses, CRISPR/Cas provides a precise, efficient, and relatively simple method for editing genes in microbes, plants, animals, and humans. The process relies on the Cas protein, an enzyme that cleaves and unwinds DNA at targeted locations. This process is guided by RNA sequences complementary to the DNA or RNA sequence of interest, allowing for changes to the genome through innate non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homology-directed repair (HDR). The potential applications of CRISPR/Cas are immense and in agriculture, is facilitating crop development with resistance to abiotic, biotic, and agronomic characteristics that improve yield, quality, and food security. Gene editing also facilitates the relatively rapid modification of regulatory and complex pathways that enable studies to advance our understanding of gene function. This review provides an update of the fast-evolving CRISPR/Cas modification of important crops to address emerging global population, environmental and climate challenges.

Abstract: The fabrication of complex architectures remains a central challenge in 3D bioprinting, where low mechanical properties of hydrogels restrict the range of feasible geometries. Four-dimensional (4D) bioprinting can mitigate these limitations by introducing programmed structure shape-morphing in response to external stimuli. However, in most existing approaches, shape-morphing behavior is introduced after hydrogel formation, limiting the complexity of the resulting deformation. Here, a proof-of-concept strategy is presented, in which shape-morphing is directly encoded during fabrication. By modulating light exposure time layer-by-layer in vat photopolymerization, spatial variations in crosslinking density are introduced in situ within GelMA hydrogel constructs. Upon immersion in aqueous media, these variations generate differential swelling, leading to controlled bending of the printed structures. This approach enables the programming of deformation pathways at the printing stage, without requiring additional materials or post-processing steps. The morphing behavior was further supported by finite element simulations, which reproduced the experimentally observed deformation and enabled prediction of the shape change. Overall, this study demonstrates that swelling-driven actuation can be encoded during fabrication. Although demonstrated on simplified geometries, this approach provides a versatile framework for process-driven shape morphing programming and represents a step toward more spatially resolved and potentially volumetric 4D bioprinting strategies.

Abstract: Nanoplastics are produced abiotically and biotically from larger pieces of plastic. Although nanoplastic toxicity has received more attention recently, its biological effects have not been adequately investigated. In this study, the toxicity of nanoplastics (NPs) with an average size of <80 nm was carried out in the larvae of Artemia nauplii, an indicator organism of the aquatic environment, according to the OECD guideline 202 protocol. As a result, depending on exposure durations (24-96 h) and concentrations (50-300 μg/mL), the survival rate of nano-HDPE treated larvae was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The larvae took up and internalized nano-HDPE at a concentration of 99.74 µg/mL, which is the calculated LC50 value. There was also a significant increase in biochemical markers in larvae at LC50 (p < 0.05). However, it was observed that this caused oxidative stress, cell membrane damage, limb loss and malformation in larvae treated with nano-HDPE.

Abstract:

Background: Pulse measurement and heart rate are one of the most basic medical skills and yet, is the most important skill that has be learned by all medical professionals. The duration of how long that should be measured is variable depending on the learning of individual medical student. Aim: To assess accuracy of pulse calculation done manually to decide the cutoff on how long pulse should be measured. Methodology: An observational study was conducted after due IRB permission where included patients’ pulse was calculated for different time intervals and extrapolated to calculate the beats per minute. At the same time, patient’s pulse was taken by a calibrated pulse oximeter 6 times during that 1 minute. Average of the Oximeter data was compared against the extrapolated data was compared for their averages and standard deviation across all time fields using T-test and statistical significant difference was found. Result: Presence of statistical difference between the extrapolated data and oximeter data represents that calculating pulse for that long actually yields statistically significant deviation. Calculating pulse for 12 seconds and extrapolating it yields p-value of 0.0002 representing a significant difference but calculating higher than 12, i.e., for 15 seconds and then extrapolating yields p-value of 0.0612 which represents a nonsignificant difference compared to average oximeter pulse reading. Conclusion: This research paper although simple has been a way to answer the age old question on how long pulse should be measured. This concludes that any measurements higher than 15 seconds does yield a nonsignificant difference. Hence, the pulse should at least be measured for 15 seconds or higher.

Abstract: The development of supersonic aircraft presents significant challenges in ensuring safety during early design stages, particularly for fuel tank systems exposed to extreme thermal and structural loads. Conventional document-based zonal safety analysis methods are limited in their capacity to identify hazards at the conceptual design phase. This study proposes an integrated framework combining computer-aided design (CAD) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE) to support early-stage zonal hazard analysis. The framework links spatial subsystem modelling with functional system architecture to enable iterative hazard identification and mitigation. Applied to the SA-24 Phoenix conceptual supersonic aircraft, the approach identifies critical risks, including fuel vaporization, over-pressurization, and structural fatigue, and evaluates mitigation strategies such as thermal insulation and redundant venting. Functional hazard analysis and fault tree analysis are used to assess failure scenarios and ensure compliance with EASA CS-25 requirements. Results indicate an estimated 40% reduction in risk priority number values for key thermal hazard pathways and a 25% reduction in conceptual design iteration time compared with conventional approaches. The findings demonstrate that CAD–MBSE integration offers a scalable and efficient methodology for early hazard identification, contributing to safer and more reliable supersonic aircraft design.

Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are among the most significant respiratory diseases, and their significant syndemic interaction in epidemiology during the pandemic period has raised severe global healthcare concerns. Disruption of TB control programs, potential co-infection and common risk factors underscore the need for a systematic assessment of the connection between these diseases. We summarize the current information regarding the relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 during and following the pandemic, including epidemiology; potential pathophysiological connections between SARS-CoV-2 infection and TB; clinical outcomes; and the implications for management. Global estimates of the burden of both diseases are reviewed, along with reported rates of TB–COVID-19 co-infection and associated mortality. The authors discuss mechanistic aspects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2 immune responses, including how these infections could modulate host immunity, thus impacting susceptibility and outcomes of disease upon co-infection. This review additionally discusses mutually shared risk factors and the broader implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB diagnosis, treatment sustainability and public health initiatives. The review also includes current therapeutic approaches and preventive strategies such as vaccination and integrated disease management. Overall, the evidence indicates that the overlap of TB and COVID-19 presents significant diagnostic, clinical and broader public health challenges, especially in settings of high burden. To reduce the combined burden of these infections and restore momentum towards global TB control targets, strengthening surveillance and respiratory disease management, as well as research on immune interactions and long-term outcomes will be the key.

Abstract: This paper draws on survey data from 585 family farms in Jiangsu Province, China, in 2023. It endeavors to examine how farmers' utilization of information and communication technologies (ICT) in agricultural production and management affects their access to agricultural production credit. The results demonstrate that farmers who apply ICT more comprehensively in agricultural production and management are more inclined to obtain agricultural production credit. Intriguingly, these outcomes persist resilient even when taking into account selection bias and endogeneity issues.In terms of transmission mechanisms, agricultural digital transformation can facilitate farmers' access to agricultural production credit. Specifically, it does so by reducing the credit transaction costs related to bank loans and enhancing the efficiency of agricultural resource allocation. Furthermore, the heterogeneity analysis reveals that agricultural digital transformation is more conducive for smallholder farmers to acquire agricultural production credit from large banks. Finally, it is evident that the application of ICT in areas such as agricultural product sales and the management of agricultural digital equipment is more beneficial for farmers in attaining agricultural production credit.

Abstract: The use of microbial inoculants is a promising and sustainable alternative to agrochemicals. However, their field efficacy is inconsistent. This review critically evaluates the scientific basis for using microbial inoculants in modern agriculture, analyzing their complex interactions within agroecosystems. We demonstrate that the effectiveness of inoculants is governed by predictable ecological principles, rather than random processes. The formation of plant microbiomes follows distinct, deterministic patterns, with specific colonization patterns for each compartment and a strong influence from soil type and climate. Furthermore, this review demonstrates that, for plant-beneficial microorganisms used as bioinoculants, their antimicrobial metabolites function not merely as weapons, but as sophisticated ecosystem engineers that selectively reshape microbial communities. Compounds of plant growth-promoting microorganisms like cyclic lipopeptides, macrolactins, 2,4-DAPG, and gliotoxin demonstrate dose-dependent regulatory effects, enhancing specific soil functions while maintaining community stability. The transition from microbial monocultures to synergistic consortia proves essential, though success depends on matching inoculant composition to plant chemical signaling profiles. Practical recommendations include prioritizing native stress-tolerant strains, implementing soil-specific formulations, and developing metabolite-based preparations that function as ecological modulators rather than broad-spectrum suppressants. This ecological framework provides the scientific foundation for the next generation of predictable and effective microbial inoculants.

Abstract: The current use of artificial light during natural dark phase had been acquired contaminant dimensions, which is named “light pollution”. It is well known that the exposure to dim light at night (dLAN) during the postnatal period severely impair the immune system and related organs, but few reports have demonstrated the effect of dim light when exposed during foetal periods. That is why this report ask does dim light at night in two different stages of development (i.e., prenatal vs. postnatal exposure) generate a long-lasting dysregulation of circadian rhythms that modifies the circadian immune organization and responses of the spleen in the early adulthood? To answer this question, we exposed two groups of C57BL/6J male mice to dim night light at gestational and postnatal period and compared to control groups where the mice were exposured to light-dark conditions (12 h each, LD). Parametric and non-parametric activity/rest values were analyzed with circular statistics. Compared to their controls, we found differences in alpha, onset, offset, M10 and L5 startime in dLAN groups. We also assessed the transcript levels of clock genes and genes that mediate inflammation in spleen tissue and found a dampening daily variation in mRNA expression in both experimental groups. Finally, we use an ovalbumin (OVA) allergy challenge to test the B-cell response in the spleen and found a significant higher cell recruitment to the spleen and more anti-OVA IgE. Together, these results clearly show that dLAN, affects the peripheral molecular clocks and responses from the spleen and these effects are independent of period of life exposure of dim light at night.