Browse Articles

Impact of climate change on the habitat range of monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Abstract Danaus plexippus L. (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is well-known and captivating migratory insect that cannot overwinter in temperate climates. Although common throughout North America, monarch butterfly populations appear to be declining widely in their geographically distinct areas. Rapid climatic change is posing a serious threat to monarch butterfly populations, especially the migratory groups in the east. This study assesses how several climate change scenarios will affect the global distribution of monarch butterflies. Using climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 model, we conducted projections for the near future (2021–2040) and far future (2041–2060, 2081–2100) under high (SSP5_8.5) and low (SSP1_2.6) emission scenarios. We estimated habitat gain, loss, and stability for D. plexippus. True Skill Statistic (TSS) and the Area Under the Curve (AUC) were used to assess the model’s performance. The results indicated that annual precipitation, land cover, and altitude (Alt) were the most influential factors affecting D. plexippus distribution. Potential habitat shifts were observed in Central Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America, with both gains and losses. These findings highlight the interconnected relationship between the climatic factors and distribution of migratory insects, emphasizing the need for targeted conservation efforts to mitigate climate change impacts on D. plexippus populations. Management strategies should prioritize habitat restoration, focus on overwintering site preservation, and implement adaptive management approaches. This research provides an evidence base for adaptive management to minimize climate change impacts on migratory insect populations.

Size-dependent heavy metal and parasite bioaccumulation in Mugil cephalus from lake manzala: human health risks and fish histopathological lesions

Abstract Pollutants, such as heavy metals (HM) and parasites, pose significant threats to aquatic environments. These contaminants can gather in fish, adversely affecting their health and potentially posing health risks to human consumers. Understanding the dynamics of these pollutants and their accumulative impact on fish of different sizes and the associated human health is crucial for the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems and food security. This study investigated the bioaccumulation of HM in the muscles of three different sizes of Mugil M. cephalus from the northeastern part of Lake Manzala, revealing significant size-related variations. Small-sized fish showed the highest levels of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), followed by medium-sized fish, while large-sized fish exhibited the lowest Fe and Zn concentrations. Conversely, larger fish accumulated higher levels of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) compared to medium- and small-sized fish. Across all size groups of M. cephalus, the levels of both Fe and Cu exceeded the guidelines established by the Egyptian Organization for Standardization (EOS, 2005). The Metal Pollution Index (MPI) indicated that small-sized fish accumulate more HM, with medium- and large-sized fish showing lower MPI values compared to small-sized fish. In small- and medium-sized fish, Fe recorded the highest EDI values, followed by Zn > Cu > Pb > and Cd. In contrast, large-sized fish exhibited an EDI pattern of Fe > Cu > Zn > Pb > Cd for both normal and habitual consumers. Pearson correlation coefficients indicated strong negative correlations for Fe and Zn with fish size and strong positive correlations for Cd and Cu, while Pb showed a weak positive correlation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified Cd, Cu, and Zn as primary contributors, with Fe and Zn showing negative loadings associated with smaller fish, and Pb had a significant positive loading in larger fish. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Hazard Index (HI) values revealed a size-related variation in health risks. Small-sized fish posed the highest non-carcinogenic risk for normal consumers; habitual consumers revealed significant health hazards (HI > 1) across all fish sizes, but it is particularly pronounced in consumers of small-sized fish. Although normal consumers recorded negligible carcinogenic risk, habitual consumers recorded low risk. The histological investigation showed significant alterations in the gills, liver, and kidneys of M. Cephalus is related to Myxobolus infection and HM accumulation, particularly Cd and Cu. Medium- and large-sized fish displayed more severe tissue alterations associated with higher HM load and increased prevalence of Myxobolus parasites. The findings emphasize that fish size is a critical factor affecting the synergistic interactions among heavy metal load and associated human health risks, parasitic infection, and histopathological lesions in fish. Underscoring the importance of continuous monitoring and risk assessment of HM and parasitic infections in aquatic ecosystems.

A THz graphene-on-hBN stack patch antenna for future 6G communications

Abstract Wireless communications have progressively tapped into higher frequency bands seeking higher bandwidth and integration, opening the door to short-range applications such as data kiosks, wireless chip interconnects, or intra-body networks. Graphene antennas working at terahertz (THz) frequencies are theoretically smaller in size compared to metallic antennas working at the same frequency, pushing the boundaries of integration further. However, such miniaturization ability has not yet been experimentally validated. This study presents the first working THz antenna based on chemical vapor deposited (CVD) monolayer graphene. The antenna, placed on the hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) buffer layer, comprises a multi-layer stack of two graphene patches separated by a thin dielectric, resulting in a significantly more efficient antenna than a standard one-layer graphene antenna. The proposed antenna shows a resonance frequency of 250.7 GHz and a gain of -9.5 dB. The miniaturization and frequency tuning capabilities of graphene antennas make the proposed graphene stack patch antenna a valuable asset for 6G short-range communications. Additionally, the proposed graphene stack antenna can be integrated in the back-end-of-line with CMOS manufacturing techniques and applied to future THz communication systems.

Exploring the dynamic relationship between antimicrobial resistance, virulence fitness, and host responses in Listeria monocytogenes infections

Mycotic aneurysms as a rare cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage

Abstract Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) caused by mycotic intracranial aneurysms (MIAs) is a rare cerebrovascular condition resulting from bacterial infiltration and arterial wall damage due to systemic or local infections. Due to limited data - often restricted to case reports or small series - no standardized diagnostic or therapeutic strategies exist. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize clinical, radiological, microbiological, and histopathological features of aSAH due to MIAs and to analyze treatment approaches in a larger cohort. We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with aSAH from MIAs treated at two neurovascular centers between 2007 and 2024. Inclusion required both suggestive aneurysm morphology (e.g., distal, dysplastic) and evidence of systemic or local infection. Twenty-five patients (64% male, median age 44.7 years) were included. Mean Glasgow Coma Scale on admission was 8 ± 5, with most patients presenting with Hunt and Hess (HH) grades 5 (40%) or 4 (28%). MIAs were most often located at the middle cerebral artery (44%), with a median aneurysm size of 5.9 mm. More than one-third of patients had multiple aneurysms, and 16% developed new MIAs during hospitalization. Infections were associated with prior intracranial surgery (16%) or secondary foci, particularly infective endocarditis (44%). Hospital mortality was 36%, and the mean GOS at discharge was 2, highlighting the severity of the condition.

Associations between air pollution and relative leukocyte telomere length among northern Swedish adults based on findings from the Betula study

Abstract Air pollution is increasingly discussed as a risk factor for dementia, but the biological mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Biological markers like telomere length are relevant to study with air pollution, as they are associated with aging and dementia. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between source-specific air pollution exposure and telomere length in a low-level air pollution area, and whether this potential relationship depended on future dementia status. The data originated from the Betula study in Northern Sweden, where 509 participants recruited between 1988 and 1995 were included to investigate the association between annual mean air pollution concentrations at the participants’ residences and relative leukocyte telomere length using a linear regression model. No association was observed between air pollution and telomere length, with regression slope estimates close to zero and p-values > 0.10 (e.g. PM2.5_total: β = 0.01 (-0.011, 0.025) and BC_total: β = 0.03 (95% CI: -0.046, 0.114). There were indications of a positive association between longer telomere length and higher exposure to air pollution among individuals later diagnosed with dementia (N = 74), but these findings were not conclusive (p-values > 0.10) (PM2.5_total: β = 0.03, p-value = 0.12; BC_total: β = 0.11, p-value = 0.17). Although not statistically significant, our findings contribute to the evidence from low-exposure settings, and it is important to report these types of findings for a balanced understanding of potential health effects.

Molecular determinants of cesium- and glycine-dependent glycine receptor activation

Abstract The neurotransmitter receptor for glycine (GlyR) is a ligand-gated chloride-permeable ion channel in the central nervous system, and dysregulation of this channel is associated with diverse neurological disorders. Cesium (Cs+) is an agonist of GlyRs, and recent atomistic molecular dynamic simulations suggested amino acids D141, E192, and D194 with negatively charged side chains as possible binding sites for Cs+. To test this hypothesis, we mutated these positions to code for alanine with a neutral hydrophobic side chain or lysine with a positively charged side chain. The correspondingly mutated GlyR channels were expressed in HEK293T cells and analyzed using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology. The results show that D141 mutations had no considerable effect on GlyR currents, E192K prolonged desensitization and D194 turned out to be critical for general (glycine- and Cs+-dependent) GlyR activation, which was not due to differentially reduced cell surface expression of all the investigated GlyR mutants. Thus, E192 and D194 are critically involved in cell surface GlyR activation by Cs+ and glycine.

A novel kangaroo escape optimizer for parameter estimation of solar photovoltaic cells/modules via one, two and three-diode equivalent circuit modeling

The key role of cognitive fusion linking mindfulness and personality: a cross-sectional study

Abstract The present article explores the relationship between mindfulness meditation and personality. Based on a substantial body of research, mindfulness has been shown to have significant associations with personality. Recent research suggests that mindfulness meditation may influence personality traits in accordance with the Five Factor Personality Model. To examine this, we investigated whether mindfulness mediates the relationship between meditation experience and personality in an international, cross-sectional sample of N = 779 meditators (mean meditation experience = 6.4 years, 69.8% female). Additionally, the mechanism of how mindfulness and personality are associated remains largely unclear. We therefore assessed whether cognitive fusion, a measure of psychological flexibility, functions as a mediator between both constructs. Our analyses indicate that mindfulness serves as a significant mediator for all five personality traits, supporting the hypothesis that mindfulness meditation may contribute to changes in personality traits, particularly by reducing neuroticism. As the mediated effect was strongest for neuroticism, this underscores the potential of mindfulness meditation to possibly have an influence on mental wellbeing. Cognitive fusion significantly mediated the effect of mindfulness on neuroticism (β = − 0.40, 95% CI [–.45, –.34]) and agreeableness (β = 0.17, 95% CI [0.10, 0.24]), while fully mediating the association with conscientiousness (β = 0.17, 95% CI [0.10, 0.25]). These results suggest that enhanced cognitive flexibility accounts for a significant proportion of mindfulness’s impact on personality. Our results further revealed a previously unidentified pathway wherein cognitive fusion fully mediated the relationship between mindfulness and extraversion (β = 0.19, 95% CI [0.11, 0.27]), a trait typically displaying a weak association with mindfulness. These findings suggest cognitive fusion’s central role in linking mindfulness and personality and offer a promising foundation for future explorations in this field.

First complete plastomes of the emblematic Andean tree genus Polylepis Ruiz & Pav. (Rosaceae)

Abstract Plastome genomics and phylogenomics are essential tools for understanding plant diversity and evolution. Here we report the complete plastomes of Polylepis australis and P. microphylla, two species of the Andean tree genus Polylepis which forms the world’s highest treelines, using a whole-genome sequencing approach. The assembled plastomes (ca. 155 kb) exhibit the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperms with highly conserved gene content and organization. A total of 117 unique genes (81 protein-coding, 32 tRNA, and 4 rRNA) were annotated in the assembled plastomes. Comparative analysis revealed significant differences from previously reported partial plastomes of Polylepis, which lacked one copy of the inverted repeat (IR) region due to the limitations of long-range PCR methods. Phylogenetic analysis of whole-plastome data of Rosaceae species across subfamilies using Maximum Likelihood (ML) confirmed the monophyly of Polylepis and its placement within the tribe Agrimonieae. Our results highlight the reliability of whole-genome sequencing for generating complete, high-quality plastome sequence information. This provides a foundation for broader phylogenomic studies across the genus to test species boundaries, evaluate hybridization events and evolutionary trajectories, and develop conservation and restoration strategies.

Mechanistic insights into methylene blue biodegradation by Tetradesmus obliquus: a multimodal approach using absorption, fluorescence, and square wave voltammetry

Abstract Industrial dye wastewater production has surged alongside rapid industrial growth. This study evaluates the biodegradation of methylene blue (MB) by Tetradesmus obliquus, utilizing spectroscopical and electrochemical techniques to monitor effectiveness. Biodegradation model reveals conditions and pathways involved. Tetradesmus obliquus exhibits robust dye degradation, reducing absorbance at 664 nm significantly within days. MB concentrations of 2–4 mg/L were nearly completely degraded by day 6 and fully by day 9, with higher concentrations gradually reduced over 14 days. Square wave voltammetry showed full degradation of 0.2 mg/L MB by day 9. Fluorescence spectral analysis highlighted red-shifted emissions and decreased intensity due to MB presence. Growth patterns indicate Tetradesmus obliquus thrives post-MB adsorption, producing extracellular superoxide and hydrogen peroxide that convert MB to CO2, NO2, and H2O. Spectroscopic and electrochemical data confirm MB breakdown while boosting algal growth. This study demonstrates Tetradesmus obliquus’s efficacy in biodegrading MB from industrial textile wastewater, removing residual dye-bath additives and promoting environmental sustainability.

Antibacterial efficacy of iron oxide and silver nanoparticles against bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum

Abstract The security of vegetable plants worldwide is threatened by bacterial wilts, one of the most infectious soil-borne bacterial plant diseases. This is caused by R. Solanacearum. Overuse of bactericides and antibiotics to combat bacterial wilt results in pesticide resistance and toxicity to beneficial living organisms. Consequently, nanoparticles are more beneficial, safe for the environment, and have strong antibacterial properties than conventional pesticides. In the present work, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by simple chemical, eco-friendly procedures, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), size distribution, zeta potential, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra, and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). In vitro and in vivo tests were also used to assess the nanoparticles’ antibacterial effectiveness against the phytopathogen R. solanacearum. The findings showed that NPs (nanoparticles) had strong antibacterial properties that changed according to concentration. The greenhouse toxicity study indicated that the NPs significantly impacted tomato bacterial wilt. The disease severity was successfully decreased by 27 and 67%, respectively, when IONPs and AgNPs were contrasted with the untreated infected plants that entirely wilted and died (100% disease severity). Therefore, as compared to infected plants, IONPs and AgNPs enhanced shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight, and chlorophyll content of tomato plants by two to five times. The findings show that the bacterial cell membranes were physically harmed by the direct attachment of NPs to their surfaces, as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In conclusion, this study provides evidence and strategies for preventing and controlling soil-borne bacterial wilt disease with an efficient and environmentally friendly metal oxide NPs. Furthermore, vegetable plant’s nutritional value is enhanced by iron, which is essential for all living things.

Self-supported Ag(0) nanocatalyst derived from Ag(I)-based coordination polymer

Abstract A self-supported microsphere heterogeneous catalyst has been developed from a synthesized Ag(I)-imidazole coordination polymer (compound 1), which was subsequently transformed into an Ag(0)-laden coordination polymer (compound 2) through mild reduction with ascorbic acid. It is proposed that during the reduction process, a measurable fraction of silver ions (Ag(I)) undergo in-situ conversion into silver atoms (Ag(0)), forming uniformly distributed Ag(0) nano-clusters within the structural motif of 2. Additionally, some Ag(0) atoms are suggested to retain the coordination environment of their precursor Ag(I) ions within the framework of 2. The Ag(0)-laden microspheres in catalyst 2 exhibited exceptional zero-energy auto-catalytic decomposition of H2O2 at room temperature under the working conditions. This approach offers a straightforward synthesis route for a self-supported Ag catalyst with significantly enhanced atomic efficiency, catalyst accessibility, and durability, eliminating the need for conventional supports such as silica or alumina.

Comparative study on the protective effect of dexrazoxane and blueberry extract against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Abstract The therapeutic efficacy of anthracycline antibiotic, doxorubicin (DOX), is hampered due to cardiotoxicity. The objective of the study was to explore the counteraction of blueberry (BB) extract and Dexrazoxane (DEX) in Dox-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats. Screening of BB extract as well as DEX for protection the myocardium from Dox-induced oxidative stress was performed on seven groups (8 rats each): Control (normal diet for 14 days and IP injection of normal saline (10 ml/kg) on the 11th day), DOX control (normal diet for 14 days with a single DOX injection of 18 mg/kg on the 11th day), BB extract control (80 mg/kg), DEX (180 mg/kg on the 11th day), BB + DOX (80 mg/kg BB extract for 14 days with DOX on the 11th day, 18 mg/kg), DEX + DOX (180 mg/kg DEX 30 min before 18 mg/kg DOX on the 11th day), and a combined group BB + DOX + DEX. A significant increase in serum biomarkers cTnT, NT-proBNP, MPO and cardiac MDA, TOP II, and a significant decrease in GSH and SOD contents were observed in the cardiotoxic (DOX control) group. All these parameters were reversed significantly in all treated groups in comparison to cardiotoxic groups. The cardiotoxic group showed significant upregulation of miR-140-5p expression and significant downregulation of Sirt2 and Nrf2 expression reversed in all treated groups except miR-140-5p which showed unsignificant difference. The best ameliorative effect was observed in the combined group. The histopathological assessment of myocardial damage provided supportive evidence for the biochemical results obtained. In conclusion, the BB extract (80.0 mg/kg) can attenuate the DOX-induced oxidative stress, and it has the potential to be developed as an adjunct against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in cancer patients who undergo anthracycline chemotherapy.

Using eye movements, electrodermal activities, and heart rates to predict different types of cognitive load during reading with background music

Correction: An improved EAE-DETR model for defect detection of server motherboard

Detection of minimal residual disease in circulating cell-free DNA in acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract Minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is defined as persistent leukemic cells below cytomorphological detection threshold. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to profile cancer-associated mutations has been shown to allow for quantification of disease burden in solid tumors and has also been suggested to enable minimally invasive follow-up of AML patients. In this pilot study we investigated the technical sensitivity and potential prognostic implications of cfDNA-based MRD monitoring in AML after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in comparison to donor chimerism analysis or, respectively, after consolidation chemotherapy. 75 cfDNA samples from 29 patients were analyzed by targeted NGS using a commercially available 10- or 37-gene hotspot panel (VariantPlex Core AML or Core Myeloid panel, ArcherDx). Patients’ leukemias exhibited 1–7 mutations as determined by routine diagnostics. Only previously identified mutations were considered for MRD evaluation. cfDNA was isolated in sufficient amounts for NGS from all samples (total yield 24 ng–5.2 µg). The sensitivity of variant detection increased with higher overall read count and higher mutation-specific coverage (variant allele frequency [VAF] range 0.08–100%). At least one previously known mutation was identified in 32/55 samples (58%, VAF 0.08–78.04%) which were taken during hematological complete remission (CR) in both patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) and patients after consolidation chemotherapy. In patients after aHSCT (n = 25), at least one previously known mutation was detected in 16/29 cfDNA samples (55.1%, VAF 0.08–6.7%) obtained when donor chimerism was ≥ 90% and in 6/6 samples (100%, VAF: 0.88–63.77%) with reduced donor chimerism. Probability of progression-free survival 17 months after aHSCT in patients with donor chimerism ≥ 90% but mutation-positive cfDNA was 64% compared to 100% in patients with undetectable MRD. In patients after consolidation chemotherapy, cfDNA was positive in all samples taken during CR (n = 4; VAF 0.26–29.84%) and non-CR (n = 4; VAF 8.46–100%). Our results indicate that NGS of cfDNA is suitable for MRD monitoring in AML and offers higher sensitivity for detecting residual leukemic cells than chimerism analysis in patients after aHSCT. Further studies are needed to evaluate clinical relevance of MRD status as determined in cfDNA.

A modified vision transformer framework for image-based land cover segmentation in rural architectural design and planning

Abstract Sustainable development, cultural preservation, and rural quality of life depend on rural architectural design and planning. It balances modern infrastructure needs with rural ecological and social characteristics to ensure sustainable growth. This research presents a deep learning framework based on a modified and robust vision transformer optimized with a modified firefly algorithm to perform image-based land cover segmentation in rural architectural design and planning. The proposed model formulates a high-dimensional feature space from fixed-size patches, then performs positional encodings and transformer encoder layers to maintain spatial information within these patches. Then, it embeds the self-attention mechanism of these layers to capture the interdependence of global spatial regions, which is crucial for bifurcating the region of interest. The optimization of the features and selection of hyper-parameters are performed with a modified firefly algorithm. The framework is validated using the EuroSAT benchmark dataset, derived from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, consisting of 27,000 geo-referenced samples across 10 balanced land cover classes such as annual crop, forest, herbaceous vegetation, highway, and residential areas. Each image has a spatial resolution of 64 × 64 pixels in RGB format, ensuring consistent representation of rural and urban features. The quality of the segmented regions achieved an overall accuracy of 99.5% with a kappa coefficient of 0.81, while the mean fitness value was 4.9930 × 10–8 on the publicly available rural dataset. The results are compared with state-of-the-art, pre-trained existing models like VGG-19, ResNet-50, DarkNet-19, Inception-V3, and other reported techniques like Gaussian Naïve Bayes, geosystem approach, deep CNN and fuzzy DL hybrid with chaotic PSO that have the classification accuracy of 89.96%, 91.52%, 86% and 93.3%, respectively. The stability of the proposed model is investigated through Monte Carlo simulation based on 200 independent runs and their statistical investigations. The proposed predicted system is quite helpful for rural areas’ transformation into urbanization by mitigating climate change, natural resources and geographical characteristics.

Efficacy of adding manual therapy to hip and knee exercises in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

Abstract Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most common knee problem that affects the knee in adulthood. It is more common in females twice than in males. It has a multifactorial etiology. The effect of the combination of manual therapy and hip and knee exercises is unconfirmed till now. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of adding manual therapy to knee and hip exercises on pain intensity, self-reported and objective knee function, hip abductors, hip external rotators, and knee extensor strength in addition to calf, and hamstring flexibility in patients with PFPS. This was a double-blind study. Fifty-nine adult patients with PFPS matched with eligibility criteria were sequentially recruited from an outpatient clinic, and faculty students were enrolled in this study and randomized by a generated Excel sheet into two groups either control (30 patients) or manual therapy (29 patients) group. The control group received stretch and open and closed kinetic chain strength exercises, while the manual therapy group received the same exercises as the control plus patellar mobilization, iliotibial band release, and deep friction massage of lateral retinacula. This treatment was performed in the outpatient clinic for 12 sessions in 4 weeks. Fifty-three patients had only been analyzed at the end of treatment. The primary outcomes were knee pain intensity and self-reported knee function. The secondary outcomes were hip and knee muscle strength, calf and hamstring flexibility, and a step-down test. All outcomes were measured before and after 4 weeks of treatment immediately by a blind assessor. Comparing between and within groups were performed using the Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test. The mean age was 22.64 ± 3.71 years for control group, 21.92 ± 2.39 years for manual therapy group. Both treatment protocols showed significant reduction of pain (ascending (p < 0.001; CI: (14.85–39.44)), descending (p < 0.001; CI: (15.95–30.62)), squatting (p < 0.001; CI: (15.00-38.07)) and sitting (p < 0.001; CI: (13.49–37.87))) for control group, while (ascending (p < 0.001; CI: (20.37–39.07)), descending (p < 0.001; CI: (12.72–32.80)), squatting (p < 0.001; CI: (28.98–51.66)) and sitting (p < 0.001; CI: (16.72–42.24))) for manual therapy group, improvement in knee function (Kujala: (p < 0.001; CI: (-17.02—8.76))) for control group while (Kujala: (p < 0.001; CI: (-21.32—12.19))) for manual therapy group, hip and knee muscle strength and flexibility (p < 0.05). However, there were non-significant differences between groups in all dependent variables (p > 0.05). Manual therapy added to hip and knee exercises may have the same effect as hip and knee exercises without superiority to one of them. Manual therapy improved patients’ clinical outcomes, including pain and function disability, with a higher percentage of change than exercises only. Clinical trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05665452). Date: 27/12/2022.

Psychosocial burden, vaccination status and preventive information options for seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract The vaccination rate of seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic was initially low. Along with the well-known crew change crises, it likely placed a high psychosocial burden on shipping crews. The aim of this work is to assess the vaccination rate, determine triggers for psychosocial symptoms and emphasize preventive-psychological information channels and media for seafarers. In March 2022, 583 seafarers and 24 office workers from the same shipping company were surveyed by using a questionnaire. It included the standardized Fear of Coronavirus Questionnaire and further questions on COVID-19. A total of 479 (81.3%) participants had been vaccinated. However, office workers were 31 times more likely to have received a basic immunization with one booster vaccination than seafarers (CI 12.0-81.9). Seafarers had significantly more often fear of Corona-related health consequences than office workers (73.9% vs. 41.7%, OR 4.0, CI 1.7–9.1) – also, ratings 2.5 times more than officers (81.2% vs. 63.3%; p < 0.001). In addition, seafarers – and among them the ratings in particular – rated the pandemic burden regarding social and financial impacts significantly higher. Although 75% of seafarers felt (very) well informed about COVID-19 issues and vaccination, they were 20.9 times more interested in further information than office workers (CI 2.8-155.5). For all seafarers, the shipping company, ship personnel and international organizations were the most regularly used sources of information. This study indicates that the COVID-19 vaccination rate was lower among seafarers than the shore-based population. This can lead to increased pandemic-related psychosocial stress. Improving the dissemination of information could contribute to better coping strategies in seafaring. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of supporting seafarers in future crises and the need to improve international strategies for the treatment of seafarers as key workers.