Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Indicator condition-guided HIV testing in patients with mononucleosis-like illness and community-acquired pneumonia in an Emergency Department setting: A prospective study from Poland (2015–2018)
Background Despite advances in HIV care, late diagnosis remains a major public health challenge in Europe, with nearly half of HIV diagnoses in the EU/EEA occurring at a late stage. In Poland, a substantial proportion of people living with HIV remain undiagnosed. Indicator condition–guided testing has been proposed as an effective strategy to reduce missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted at the Emergency Department of the Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Warsaw, Poland, between May 2015 and March 2018, as part of the European OptTEST project. HIV DUO testing was offered to patients aged 18–65 years presenting with mononucleosis-like illness (MONO) or community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We evaluated the prevalence of HIV infection and assessed linkage to HIV care among those testing positive. Confirmatory testing, CD4 cell counts at diagnosis, and linkage-to-care outcomes were collected. Results Among 885 patients with indicator conditions (MONO: 794; CAP: 91), 636 (71.9%) accepted HIV testing. Twenty-two patients (3.5%) were confirmed HIV-positive. HIV prevalence was 2.6% among patients with MONO and 11.1% among those with CAP. Most HIV-positive patients were male (90.9%), with 59% identifying as men who have sex with men or bisexual. The median age was 32.5 years. The median CD4 cell count at diagnosis was 341 cells/µL overall and was lower in patients presenting with CAP than MONO (61 vs. 366.5 cells/µL). All patients diagnosed with HIV were linked to care, and 95.5% initiated antiretroviral therapy, with a median time to treatment of 8 days. Conclusions HIV seroprevalence among patients presenting with MONO or CAP was higher than the national average, particularly among those with CAP. These findings support routine indicator condition–guided HIV testing in Emergency Departments to improve early HIV diagnosis and timely linkage to care.
Incidence of mortality and its predictors among low birth weight neonates in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Low birth weight neonates are twentyfold at risk of death. Notably, it is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Despite the presence of several primary studies on this issue in Ethiopia, the study findings are inconsistent. Hence, this review aimed to assess the pooled incidence and proportion of mortality and predictors among low birth weight neonates. Method A search of articles from databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Global Index Medicus, and HINAR), and other sources (Google, Google Scholar) were done. All observational studies that assess mortality of low birth weight neonates were included. The Joana Brigs Quality appraisal checklist was used. The pooled incidence rate, proportion, and the effect size of predictors were estimated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 test. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis was conducted. Eggers test and funnel plot were used to assess publication bias. Trim and fill analysis was conducted. Result Fifteen studies with 7539 study participants were included. The pooled incidence rate of mortality was found to be 36.31 (95 CI: 26.37–46.25) per 1000 neonates’ day observation and the proportion of mortality was 26.67% (95% CI: 21.83–31.51). Preeclampsia (AHR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.09–1.75), respiratory distress syndrome (AHR: 1.67; 95% CI:1.25–2.23), perinatal asphyxia (AHR: 1.66; 95% CI: 95%:1.35–2.05), sepsis (AHR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.59–2.63), not breastfeeding (AHR:5.16; 95% CI: 2.61–9.96), not using KMC (AHR: 4.46, 95% CI: 2.19–9.10), extremely low birth weight (AHR: 3.67; 95% CI: 2.55–5.29), very low birth weight (AHR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.44–2.12), and prematurity (AHR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.07–2.24) were predictors. Conclusion Based on the pooled proportion of mortality, above one-fourth of low birth weight neonates died in Ethiopia, and the incidence rate of mortality was significantly high. Preeclampsia, respiratory distress syndrome, perinatal asphyxia, sepsis, not breastfeeding, not using kangaroo mother care, hypothermia, extremely low and very low birth weight, and prematurity were predictors of mortality. Hence, the concerned stakeholder should focus on LBW neonates presented with these predictors. Maternal and neonatal screening, kangaroo mother care, and breastfeeding need to be strictly practiced to reduce mortality. Furthermore, community-based essential newborn care needs to be strengthened. Registration CRD42024524189.
Texture-enhanced thermography for joint inflammation detection using consumer-grade thermal cameras
Background Early identification of active synovitis is essential for treat-to-target management in inflammatory arthritis. While MRI and ultrasound are highly sensitive, their clinical use is constrained by high costs, operator dependence, and lack of portability. Infrared thermography (IRT) is rapid and contactless, but conventional temperature-based approaches are sensitive to ambient conditions and inter-individual baseline variability, and contralateral comparison is unreliable in bilaterally involved disease. This study evaluates whether consumer-grade thermal cameras, augmented with texture-based features and complementary differencing strategies, can detect and differentiate joint inflammation. Methods Thermal images of knees, ankles, wrists, and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints were acquired from 239 participants (167 with inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), or fibromyalgia; 72 healthy controls). Beyond absolute temperature, higher-order texture features (e.g., entropy, skewness) were extracted to quantify spatial heterogeneity in heat distributions. To reduce environmental and inter-individual variability, two normalization strategies were applied: contralateral left–right (L-R) differencing for unilateral disease and a novel anterior–posterior (A-P) differencing for bilateral or subclinical presentations. Group comparisons used the Mann-Whitney U test ( p < 0.05), and effect sizes were summarized using Cohen’s d . Results Compared with non-differenced features, contralateral differencing markedly strengthened discrimination for unilateral inflammation, with very large effects at the knee ( d = 2.15) and ankle ( d = 1.83). Texture features, specifically entropy and skewness, outperformed absolute temperature in detecting latent (subclinical) wrist inflammation via A-P differencing ( d = − 1.11 ). Thermographic signatures also supported differential characterization, distinguishing inflammatory arthritis from OA ( d = − 1.49 ) and fibromyalgia ( d = − 1.17 ). Furthermore, A-P gradients showed anatomical specificity, with inflammation reducing gradients in wrists but increasing them in MCP joints ( d = 0.64). Conclusion Texture-enhanced thermography, combined with L-R and A-P differencing, shows promise as an accessible approach for identifying active and subclinical joint inflammation. This approach addresses the limitations of bilateral disease in traditional thermography and widens the clinical applicability of IRT screening.
Dynamic transmission and evolutionary analysis of the HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE pol region in Ningxia, China
The CRF01_AE recombinant is the dominant HIV strain in Ningxia, characterized by rapid disease progression and imposing a significant local burden. Current prevention strategies, often based on broad subtype classifications, are insufficient to address the distinct transmission dynamics of such specific recombinants. To delineate the spatiotemporal migration patterns and epidemic trends of CRF01_AE in Ningxia, this study conducted a systematic analysis of 206 local sequences. The results reveal extensive viral spread with clear geographic diffusion routes, particularly strong migration from Yinchuan to other major cities. Key demographic groups driving transmission are individuals aged 20–39, retired/unemployed persons, and those with junior high school education. Although the transmission intensity has fluctuated, the current effective reproductive number remains above 1, indicating ongoing epidemic expansion, while the viral evolutionary rate appears stable. The study demonstrates that the CRF01_AE epidemic in Ningxia is still expanding and evolving, and identifies core transmission hubs and population clusters. These findings not only align with some prior understanding but also uncover more complex transmission networks and demographic patterns, highlighting the necessity for implementing targeted interventions specific to this strain to effectively control its spread.
Predicting daily lactation costs of marine mammals for use in bioenergetic models
Empirical estimates of energetic processes are limited or absent for many marine mammal species, hindering the ability to quantify disturbance-related impacts on population dynamics using bioenergetic approaches. In this study, published estimates of mass-specific milk intake rates and milk energy density from marine mammals and taxonomically related terrestrial mammals were used to examine how these variables changed as a function of the percentage of time into the lactation interval. Predictions of milk energy intake derived from these relationships were compared with independent estimates from other approaches to inform their utility in estimating daily lactation costs of data-poor species. Daily mass-specific milk intake rates declined between the start and end of lactation for all taxonomic groups, but the rate of decline was much steeper for ursids, artiodactyls, and mustelids than it was for otariids or phocids. Similarly, most taxonomic groups exhibited some increases in milk energy density as lactation progressed, but the magnitude and timing varied among families. Comparisons with independent estimates revealed the likely utility for using the derived relationships in estimating daily lactation costs of data-poor phocids, otariids, and mustelids, with some caveats. There was a large mismatch in the temporal pattern between independent estimates for cetaceans and predictions derived from semi-aquatic and terrestrial species, indicating that cetaceans have higher mass-specific milk intake rates early in lactation compared to most other species that then rapidly decline during the first 10–25% of the lactation interval. Such differences may be an adaptation to a fully aquatic lifestyle and highlight the importance of other methods for estimating daily lactation costs of data-poor cetaceans in bioenergetic models.
Association between female reproductive factors and intraocular pressure according to glaucoma status: A cross-sectional study of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Background To investigate the association between endogenous estrogen exposure and intraocular pressure (IOP) in postmenopausal women stratified by glaucoma status. Methods This population-based, cross-sectional study analyzed 1,823 postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2011). Age at menarche, and menopause, reproductive span, and time since menopause were used as surrogate markers of lifetime estrogen exposure. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed for the non-glaucoma and glaucoma groups, adjusting for confounders. Results Among women without glaucoma, indicators of longer estrogen exposure were significantly associated with higher IOP. Menopause at the age of ≥49 years and reproductive span of ≥33 years were associated with IOP increases of 0.79 mmHg and 0.88 mmHg, respectively. Conversely, in women with glaucoma, longer estimated estrogen exposure was associated with lower IOP. Menopause at ≥48 years of age and reproductive span at ≥31 years were not associated with IOP reduction. These findings demonstrate distinct associations between endogenous estrogen exposure proxies and IOP in women with and without glaucoma. Conclusions Our results suggest a context-dependent role of estrogen in ocular physiology, with potential implications for glaucoma risk assessment and the development of preventive strategies in aging women.
Third-generation cephalosporin use is frequently non-guideline-concordant in severe community-acquired pneumonia: Findings from a French critical care cohort
Background and objectives Severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, requiring prompt empirical antibiotic therapy. The choice between amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC) and third-generation cephalosporin (3GC) as first-line beta-lactam therapy in the ICU is still debated. To assess AMC and 3GC susceptibility in severe CAP or community-acquired aspiration pneumonia (CAAP) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) , Haemophilus influenzae (HI) and/or Staphylococcus aureus (SA) , and to evaluate the appropriateness of empirical antibiotic therapy. Methodology We conducted a single-center retrospective study including patients admitted to the ICU between 01/01/2018 and 30/11/2022 for severe CAP/CAAP with microbiological documentation of at least one of the targeted pathogens. Clinical, microbiological, therapeutic, and outcome data were collected. The primary endpoint was AMC and 3GC susceptibility rates (expressed as percentage and [95% confidence intervals]). Principal findings Among 104 included patients (median age 64 [48–71] years; 67% male), 60 (57.7%) had CAAP. AMC susceptibility rates were 81.5% [61.9–93.7], 78.0% [62.4–89.4], and 100% [92.6–100.0], while 3GC susceptibility rates were 96.3% [81.0–99.9], 95.1% [83.5–99.4], and 100% [92.6–100.0], for SP , HI , and SA , respectively. AMC was the empirical treatment in 59% of cases, and this choice was microbiologically appropriate in 86.9% of these prescriptions. Conversely, 3GC were prescribed empirically in 20% of cases, but this broad-spectrum choice was unjustified in 80% of those situations. Antibiotic de-escalation was performed in 28% of cases. Conclusion In this single-center retrospective cohort, AMC appears to be a relevant empirical option for severe CAP/CAAP in the ICU, while 3GCs seem frequently overused. These findings required prospective multicenter validation before practice change can be recommended.
Event detection via graph convolutional networks for multi-source multimodal integration
In real-time event detection, social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Weibo provide valuable data, where users share updates, opinions, and multimedia content. However, existing event detection algorithms typically rely on a single data source or modality, limiting their ability to process the complex, multimodal nature of event information. To address this, we propose a novel framework that integrates multi-source, multimodal data to improve event detection robustness. Using graph convolutional networks, the framework captures both textual and visual information, incorporating syntactic and dependency details. It employs cross-modal attention to combine features from text and images, enhancing the system’s understanding of how these modalities complement each other. The model identifies event trigger words in the text and classifies events based on both textual and visual cues. Our approach improves event detection accuracy and reliability. Evaluation using news data from the same period as social media posts shows that combining text, images, and news data increases event detection and classification accuracy, offering a more dynamic and comprehensive solution.
Beliefs about animal emotions are associated with self-reported consumer behaviors related to animal use
Human-held beliefs about the emotional capacity and experience of non-human animals appear to be related to attitudes concerning animal use, but direct links between such beliefs and consumer behaviors that affect animals have not been investigated. Two survey-based studies were conducted to test whether scores on the Beliefs about Animal Emotions Scale (BAES) are associated with self-reported consumer behaviors. In Study 1, beliefs about animal emotions statistically predicted reported frequency of non-dietary animal use avoidances (e.g., avoiding animal-tested products, animal-based competitions), over and above age, gender, and educational attainment in a U.S.-based sample. Study 2, which involved targeted recruitment of self-identified vegetarians and vegans, largely replicated these findings, and further showed that BAES scores predicted the number of reported animal-product food avoidances. Having established a link between beliefs about animal emotions and animal-related behavioral choices, additional analyses were conducted to investigate potential factors that contribute to such beliefs. Educational attainment was a consistent negative predictor of BAES scores across both studies: more highly educated participants attributed less emotional capacity and experience to animals. Exploratory analyses indicated that, based on self-report, there are numerous sources of information that contribute to beliefs about animal emotions including, most notably, direct interaction with pets and personal belief systems (e.g., moral, spiritual). Together, these results indicate that individual differences in beliefs about animal emotions, in particular beliefs concerning emotional complexity and authenticity, as well as beliefs about the moral relevance of animal emotions, are importantly related to self-reported consumer behaviors that have implications for animals.
Numerical optimization of process parameters in HLLW spray calcination
To address the issues of incomplete reactions and potential solids accumulation in high‑level liquid waste (HLLW) spray calcination, this study developed a 3D computational domain utilizing a species transport model to simulate the combustion of a nitric acid, sucrose, and nitrate solution. The impacts of wall heating temperature (200–1200 °C), porous media porosity (0–1), inlet velocity (0.001–0.2 m/s), and reactant concentrations on the sodium oxide (Na 2 O) product mass fraction were systematically investigated. Simulation results demonstrate: (1) wall temperature positively correlates with Na 2 O formation, with the mass fraction rising from 0.089 to 0.360 as temperature increases from 200 °C to 1200 °C; (2) higher porosity facilitates product formation, though growth stagnates within the 0.2–0.8 range; (3) inlet velocity dictates reaction kinetics, peaking at an optimal 0.01 m/s (Na 2 O mass fraction 0.287), whereas velocities >0.05 m/s cause incomplete reactions; and (4) doubling sucrose concentration boosts Na 2 O yield by 115% and 180% more than equivalent increases in nitric acid and nitrates, respectively. Enhancing solid product recovery requires elevating wall temperature, regulating inlet velocity at approximately 0.01 m/s, and optimizing the sucrose reductant ratio.
Polar questions in Dutch Sign Language (NGT): A production experiment
Polar questions play a fundamental role in communication and have been investigated across a wide range of spoken languages, from which we know that polar question forms may vary considerably across varying contexts. Much less is known about polar question forms in different contexts in sign languages. This paper concentrates on one particular sign language, namely Dutch Sign Language (NGT). It investigates (i) which polar question forms exist in NGT, (ii) in which types of context these different forms are used, and (iii) what the semantic contribution is of specific elements that may occur in polar questions. We present a production experiment in which two contextual factors are manipulated through role play between the participant and two confederates: (i) the prior expectations of the person asking the question with respect to the truth of the proposition that the question is about, and (ii) the evidence available in the immediate context of utterance with respect to the truth of this proposition. We identify a broad range of polar question forms, differing in terms of polarity marking (positive, negative, null), the presence or absence of question tags , and use of non-manual markers . We observe that each question form has a distinct distribution across the different contexts of use under consideration. With regard to non-manuals, a notable finding is that, contrary to expectation given the previous literature on polar questions in sign languages, raised eyebrows are not consistently used in the polar questions in our dataset; in fact, brow lowering is also rather common. This leads us to suggest that a head or body forward position – not raised eyebrows – is the main polar question marker in NGT. We suggest that raised and lowered eyebrows mark a broad range of other functions that may be relevant in (non-canonical) polar questions.
Factors of pet ownership associated with human health: A representative cross-sectional survey of Switzerland
Background Studies have discussed the relation between pet ownership and several health outcomes, but the evidence remains inconclusive. It is suggested that factors related to the owner, the animal, and the human–animal relationship might explain general associations in findings. This study investigates differences in health, social support, life satisfaction, loneliness, and psychological well-being by pet ownership and regular animal contact status. It explores whether these outcomes are associated with attachment to the animal, perceived socio-emotional support from the animal, the animal species, and the amount of animal contact and how these variables relate to each other. Method We investigated data from a representative survey of 2,328 Swiss participants. We used health behaviour, health status, healthcare use, social support, life satisfaction, loneliness, and psychological well-being to conduct regression analyses, with pet ownership, human–animal contact, attachment to the animal, socio-emotional support from the animal, and the animal species as the predictors, while controlling for socio-demographic variables. Results Pet owners reported a slightly lower health status and a slightly higher frequency of unhealthy behaviour. We found no difference in healthcare use, loneliness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, or the amount of human social support between pet owners and non-pet owners. People with regular animal contact did not differ in health status, health behaviour, healthcare use, loneliness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, or human social support compared to people with no regular animal contact. Attachment to the animal and the animal species were not related to health, loneliness, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being, while socio-emotional support from the animal and the amount of animal contact were sometimes associated. Moreover, we found that attachment to and socio-emotional support from the animal were higher in females, in relation to dogs, and when people spent more time with the animal. Discussion We found little evidence for a general association between pet ownership or regular animal contact and human health and well-being. However, relationship-related factors, including socio-emotional support from the animal and the amount of contact with the animal, were sometimes associated with well-being. Moreover, the quality of the human–animal relationship depended on different factors, such as the amount of spent time with the animal or animal species. These findings suggest that associations between pet ownership and human health and well-being depend on characteristics of the owner, the animal and the human–animal relationship itself. Our study shows that pet ownership is a complex construct and should be conceptualised multidimensionally to understand its possible positive or negative associations with health outcomes.
Social determinants of health and postnatal wellbeing among women with type 2 diabetes in Thailand: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study protocol
Introduction Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects pregnancy and can lead to maternal complications. Women affected by diabetes during pregnancy have ongoing physical, psychological, and social needs until birth preparation and after childbirth. The Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) can have a greater impact on health outcomes than healthcare services or personal lifestyle choices alone. To date, no study has explored how women with type 2 diabetes experience life after childbirth. To help close this knowledge gap, the proposed study aims to: 1) Culturally adapt and translate the Postnatal Well-being in Transition scale into Thai. 2) Quantitatively describe the SDoH and postnatal well-being during the diabetes transition among Thai women with T2DM. 3) Explore Thai women’s experiences regarding their SDoH, based on the mean scores of their postnatal well-being during the diabetes transition. And 4) Explore and analyze the impact of postnatal care on women with T2DM using a mixed-methods approach. Methods This is an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study protocol with two distinct phases. The first phase involves the translation of the study instrument, while the second phase focuses on data collection for the mixed-methods study. Data will be collected from 50 postnatal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have delivered a baby within the past six weeks. Participants will provide data on demographics, social determinants of health, and their postnatal well-being in transition. From this group, 12 women will be selected to participate in semi-structured, one-on-one interviews to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences. The study will use triangulation to integrate and validate the findings from both the quantitative and qualitative data sources. Ethics and dissemination Human Research Ethics Committee approval has been received from the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. The study findings will be reported in international journals.
Selective Reduction of Carbon Dioxide in Water Using [M(bpy2+)(CO)3(I)]2+ (M = Mn, Re) Electrocatalysts with Pendent Cations
Abstract Manganese(I) carbonyl complexes are promising electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction, yet their application in homogeneous aqueous media remains limited by poor solubility and selectivity. Here, we report water-soluble Mn(I) and Re(I) complexes fac-[M(bpy2+)(CO)3X]2+ (X = I or Cl), featuring bipyridine ligands functionalized with −Ph−CH2–(NMe3)+ cationic ammonium groups that integrate water solubility with secondary-sphere stabilization. In a bicarbonate buffer at pH 6.8, the Mn catalyst is completely selective for CO production at a low overpotential (η = 0.3 V), operating by a protonation-first mechanism with observed rates of ∼10 s–1. Pulse radiolysis reveals that the one-electron-reduced Mn species undergoes dimerization in the absence of CO2 but reacts competitively with CO2 through an initial pre-equilibrium followed by fast formation of a dinuclear CO2-bridged species (ΔGo = −12.4 kcal mol–1). At a higher 0.6 V overpotential, a faster reduction-first pathway (∼100 s–1) is available upon reduction of the metallocarboxylic acid intermediate, Mn-CO2H2+; however, this regime is functionally limited by the formation of a resistive, noncatalytic film on the electrode surface. Comparison to the analogous water-soluble Re catalyst (kobs = 440 s–1, η = 0.6 V) highlights the distinct mechanistic advantages of earth-abundant Mn in low-potential catalysis. These results demonstrate how cationic second-sphere design enables selective, homogeneous CO2 reduction in water while revealing competing radical and electrode-mediated processes that govern catalytic performance.
Effect of microwave irradiation cycles on the pore structures and fractal dimension of coals with different ranks
A better understanding of the changes in the coal pore structure and the fractal dimension after microwave irradiation is beneficial for studying the reservoir stimulation and thus enhanced coal bed methane (ECBM) extraction. Place coal samples of three different ranks, namely subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite coal, under microwave irradiation (2.45 GHz) for 1, 3, 5, and 10 cycles, respectively. Low temperature nitrogen gas adsorption (LT-N 2 GA) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) were employed to characterize pore structure changes before and after irradiation cycles quantitatively, and fractal theory was applied to analyze the overall roughness and irregularity index of pores. The results show that the overall type of pores in three kinds of coal samples does not change after microwave irradiation cycles modification, but only changes the pore volume distribution of the coal samples. The total pore volume of coal samples was increased by microwave irradiation cycles; The pore volume and specific surface area of micropores (<10 nm) decreased; The increase of pore volume and specific surface area of small pores (10–50 nm); The surface irregularities and irregularities in pore size distribution of micropores and small pores are reduced, and this phenomenon further weakens with the increase in the number of cycles. With more cycles of microwave irradiation, the pore volume of macropores (>50 nm) in coal increases, while their specific surface area decreases. After irradiation, the size distribution irregularity of macropores (50 nm-20 μm) is reduced, whereas that of macropores (>20 μm) is increased. Microwave irradiation cycles promote the development, expansion, and connectivity of coal sample pores and fractures, and make some micropores expand into small pores, which increases and enhances the connectivity of macroporous fractures.
Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Salmonella enterica isolated from retail beef in Peshawar, Pakistan
Salmonella enterica is a major foodborne pathogen associated with beef contamination and increasing antimicrobial resistance, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and genetic diversity of S. enterica isolated from retail beef samples in Peshawar, Pakistan, using combined phenotypic and molecular approaches. A total of 250 beef samples were collected from urban, rural, and peri-urban retail markets. Salmonella enterica was isolated using standard culture and biochemical methods and confirmed by PCR targeting the invA gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method, and genetic diversity was assessed using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR (RAPD-PCR). Overall, S. enterica was detected in 150 samples (60.0%), with higher prevalence in rural markets (77.5%) compared with urban (52.5%) and peri-urban (50.0%) locations. A high percentage of isolates were resistant to azithromycin (94.0%), tetracycline (68.7%), and streptomycin (52.0%), indicating widespread multidrug resistance among isolates. Five isolates (3.3%) were identified as extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers and carried bla TEM-1, bla CTX-M-15, or bla SHV-12 genes. RAPD-PCR analysis revealed substantial genetic heterogeneity, with isolates distributed across multiple phylogenetic clusters, suggesting diverse contamination sources rather than clonal dissemination. These findings indicate that retail beef in Peshawar represents a significant reservoir of genetically diverse and antimicrobial-resistant S. enterica . The combined use of phenotypic methods with targeted molecular and low-cost genotyping approaches provides a practical framework for surveillance of foodborne Salmonella in resource-limited settings.
Infant Cortical Tracking of Speech Shows Emerging Spatial Release from Masking in the First Year of Life
Natural listening environments are filled with competing sounds. One mechanism that helps overcome this challenge is spatial release from masking (SRM), whereby spatial separation between a target signal and interfering sounds improves perception of the target. SRM has been observed in a wide range of species including songbirds, crocodilians, ferrets, and human adults, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved strategy for listening in noise. However, an important question remains: Is an infant's developing brain able to tap into the same mechanism to cope with the noisy world? To address this question, we recorded electroencephalography from 7- and 11-month-old infants ( N = 53; 25 females) and adults ( N = 20; 12 females) as they listened to natural speech in quiet, collocated noise, and spatially segregated noise. Our results revealed that both infants and adults showed robust cortical tracking of speech across quiet and noisy listening conditions. For adults, spatial separation between the target speaker and distracting talkers led to enhanced cortical tracking of the target speech, consistent with SRM. Infants also showed SRM, with stronger tracking in segregated than collocated noise, although the effect was confined to a frontocentral region rather than broadly distributed across the scalp as in adults. These findings provide the first neurophysiological evidence that, although immature, the developing brain can benefit from spatial cues in the first year of life. The results add new insight into how the infant brain solves a fundamental perceptual problem—identifying a relevant voice in noise—using an evolutionarily grounded mechanism.
Multimorbidity patterns and their associations with demographic characteristics, behavioral factors, and urban–rural residence: A latent class analysis in the Thai population
Multimorbidity, defined as the presence of two or more chronic conditions, is a growing public health concern. Understanding disease clustering and risk profiles is crucial for prevention and planning purposes. This study analyzed data from the National Health Survey in Thailand, which included 142,753 participants. Latent class analysis investigated nine non-communicable diseases, while multinomial logistic regression explored the characteristics associated with class membership. Four distinct classes were identified: low burden, hypertension–metabolic, predominant hypertension, and high multimorbidity. Advancing age revealed an increased probability of membership in all multimorbidity classes. Females exhibited a higher propensity to belong to the hypertension–metabolic and predominant hypertension classes. Urban residency was associated with an elevated probability of membership in the hypertension–metabolic and high-multimorbidity classes. The body mass index displayed significant variations across classes. Overweight and obesity were linked to the hypertension–metabolic and predominant hypertension classes, with obesity also associated with the high multimorbidity class. Underweight individuals demonstrated a reduced likelihood of membership in the hypertension–metabolic class but an increased likelihood of membership in the predominant hypertension class. Smoking was correlated with a higher probability of membership across classes, particularly among current smokers. Dietary behaviors were distinctly associated across classes. Frequent consumption of high-fat and instant foods was linked to the hypertension–metabolic class, whereas instant food consumption was also associated with the predominant hypertension class. Fruit consumption was correlated with a higher probability of membership in the hypertension–metabolic class, whereas vegetable consumption was associated with a reduced likelihood of membership in the predominant hypertension class. Moderate consumption of non-alcoholic sugary drinks was associated with a lower probability of hypertension–metabolic class membership. These findings underscore the heterogeneity of multimorbidity patterns in Thailand and delineate the demographic, behavioral, and residential profiles associated with non-communicable disease clustering.
Burden of heart failure in Asian Countries from 1990 to 2021: Update from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
Heart failure (HF) remains a major public health challenge in Asia, with rising prevalence and disability burden. This study analyzed data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study (GBD 2021) to assess HF trends across 48 Asian countries from 1990 to 2021. In 2021, there were 29.5 million HF cases in Asia, a 155% increase since 1990, with an age-standardized prevalence rate rising from 583.62 to 633.76 per 100,000. Years lived with disability (YLDs) also surged by 155%, reaching 2.86 million in 2021. China accounted for 44.34% of Asia’s HF cases, with the highest YLDs. Treated HF cases were most common, but severe HF contributed most to YLDs. The middle-high socio-demographic index (SDI) region had the highest age-standardized prevalence rate, while most SDI regions saw increasing trends, except Japan and Cyprus. The findings highlight the growing HF burden in Asia, urging targeted interventions to address this escalating health crisis.
Quantitative logics for directed evolution of an asexual population
Directed evolution of asexual populations is expected to offer a wide range of benefits to humanity. Achieving efficient directed evolution (DE) requires a quantitative formulation of experimental methodologies—or logics—that can address potential challenges throughout the evolutionary process. In this article, ten logics designed for resolving such difficulties when performing DE are introduced. To illustrate their application, a hypothetical scenario is considered in which an imaginary asexual population limb evolves into a wing, using a matrix-based discretization method to represent the trait of interest. Specifically, based on the operator model, fifty simulation iterations with logics applied and thirty iterations without logics were done. The results indicate that the introduced logics can accelerate the evolutionary process by roughly 2.6 times, while achieving an average accuracy for reaching the objective trait of approximately 82%. Based on these findings, key considerations for implementing quantitative logic-based DE are discussed, along with approaches for improving alignment between the final outcome and the target reference trait. Moreover, factors that could contribute to making the quantitative logic-based DE process more practical and rigorous are also examined.