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Prospective observational study of oxidative stress in the pathology of benign prostatic hyperplasia with bladder diverticulum

Background Oxidative stress contributes to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) pathogenesis, but its role in BPH with bladder diverticulum is unclear. Methods This prospective cohort study compared 126 BPH patients at the Second Hospital of Harbin Medical University. The study involved two groups (n = 63 for each group): group A, comprising patients with BPH, and group B, consisting of BPH patients with bladder diverticulum. Ultrasound imaging and CT scans were employed to assess the features of BPH and bladder diverticulum, respectively. Various clinical parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers were compared between the groups. Results Group B exhibited significantly higher creatinine (101.8 ± 27.6 µmol/L vs. 56.1 ± 23.6 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), WBC counts (7.0 ± 1.9 vs. 4.2 ± 1.3 × 10⁹/L, p < 0.0001), residual urine volume (400.1 ± 252.0 mL vs. 150.7 ± 93.9 mL, p < 0.0001), and oxidative stress markers, including 8-OHdG (1.93 ± 0.58 vs. 1.70 ± 0.73 ng/mg creatinine, p = 0.014) and MDA (2.46 ± 0.57 vs. 2.03 ± 0.57 μmol/L, p < 0.0001). In group A, 8-OHdG positively correlated with residual urine volume (rho = 0.68) and nitric oxide with bladder wall thickness (rho = 0.70), while quality of life (QoL) negatively correlated with nitric oxide (rho = -0.76). In group B, oxidative stress markers correlated positively with BMI (e.g., homocysteine, rho = 0.69) and bladder wall thickness (e.g., nitric oxide, rho = 0.69), with QoL negatively correlated with uric acid (rho = -0.78). Conclusions Bladder diverticulum in BPH patients is associated with elevated oxidative stress, increased inflammation, and impaired bladder function.

Engaging boys as “Structured Allies” to prevent gender-based violence against girls: Results from the CARE Tipping Point Initiative in Nepal

Global efforts to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) include engaging men and boys. The CARE Tipping Point Initiative in Nepal engaged men and boys as structured allies in girl-centered movement building to prevent VAWG, including sexual bullying and gender harassment (SBGH). We assessed whether this initiative in Kapilvastu and Rupandehi districts in Western Nepal affected adolescent boys’ reports of ever witnessing SBGH of a girl by another boy. Eligible boys were unmarried, 12–16 years, and not intending to migrate over the next 24 months. 1,154 (93% of) eligible, consenting boys across 54 randomly selected clusters participated at baseline, and 1,143 (99.0% of) baseline participants were followed. Outcomes were ever witnessed acts of non-contact (0–7; 0/1) and contact (0–7; 0/1) SBGH of a girl by another boy or male peer. Difference-in-difference (DID) regressions were estimated to assess the unadjusted and adjusted average treatment effects on these outcomes for participants assigned to the Tipping Point Program (TPP), Tipping Point Plus Program (TPP+), or control. Reports of ever witnessing acts of non-contact SBGH increased from 64% at baseline to 77% at follow-up due to increased reporting of ever witnessing “writing sexual messages…about a girl.” In adjusted models, boys in the TPP+ group ever witnessed 0.42 fewer acts of non-contact SBGH than did boys in the control group. Reports of ever witnessing acts of contact SBGH implausibly declined from 42% at baseline to 38% at follow-up, and this trend did not differ across study arm in adjusted models. Thus, compared to the control group, the TPP+ group may have reported smaller increases in ever witnessing acts of non-contact SBGH and more often concealed previously reported acts of non-contact SBGH ever witnessed. Future intervention studies should assess bystander motivation, self-efficacy, and behavior as direct measures of boys’ allyship to prevent SBGH and VAWG.

Polymorphisms in rs2069845 are associated with IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor levels during total joint replacement

As the number of patients undergoing total joint replacement (TJR) surgery increases, so does the number of revision surgeries. One driver of implant failure and subsequent revision surgery is peri-implant osteolysis, which is driven by inflammation-mediated bone loss. IL-6 is an inflammatory cytokine that is elevated during the peri-operative period. Early elevations in IL-6 levels have been linked to osteolysis development. The current study asked whether there is genetic contribution to the IL-6-related peri-operative inflammatory reaction to TJR surgery. Patients undergoing primary TJR (total hip or total knee) provided pre-operative and post-operative blood samples for measurement of the circulating levels of IL-6 and the soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6r), as well as evaluation of allele status of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to IL-6 or sIL-6r levels - rs2069845, rs2228145, and rs4537545. Circulating sIL-6r levels were associated with allele status in the rs2228145 SNP. More interestingly, allele status in the rs2069845 SNP was associated with the change in circulating IL-6 levels following TJR surgery. Specifically, patients with the A,A allele had increasing levels of IL-6, while those harboring the G,A allele had decreasing levels of IL-6. While implant survival was not assessed, the critical role of IL-6 in peri-implant osteolysis suggests that the rs2069845 allele may influence orthopedic implant success. rs2069845 polymorphisms may be a useful patient-specific marker of inflammatory response to TJR surgery.

SOX7: Autism associated gene identified by analysis of multi-Omics data

Genome-wide association studies and next generation sequencing data analyses based on DNA information have identified thousands of mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, more than 99% of identified mutations are non-coding. Thus, it is unclear which of these mutations might be functional and thus potentially causal variants. Transcriptomic profiling using total RNA-sequencing has been one of the most utilized approaches to link protein levels to genetic information at the molecular level. The transcriptome captures molecular genomic complexity that the DNA sequence solely does not. Some mutations alter a gene’s DNA sequence but do not necessarily change expression and/or protein function. To date, few common variants reliably associated with the diagnosis status of ASD despite consistently high estimates of heritability. In addition, reliable biomarkers used to diagnose ASD or molecular mechanisms to define the severity of ASD do not exist. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate DNA and RNA testing together to identify true causal genes and propose useful biomarkers for ASD. We performed gene-based association studies with adaptive test using genome-wide association studies’ (GWAS) summary statistics with two large GWAS datasets (ASD 2019 data: 18,382 ASD cases and 27,969 controls [discovery data]; ASD 2017 data: 6,197 ASD cases and 7,377 controls [replication data]) which were obtained from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC). In addition, we investigated differential expression between ASD cases and controls for genes identified in gene-based GWAS with two RNA-seq datasets (GSE211154: 20 cases and 19 controls; GSE30573: 3 cases and 3 controls). We identified 5 genes significantly associated with ASD in ASD 2019 data ( KIZ-AS1 , p  = 8.67 × 10 -10 ; KIZ , p  = 1.16 × 10 -9 ; XRN2 , p  = 7.73 × 10 -9 ; SOX7 , p  = 2.22 × 10 -7 ; LOC101929229 also known as PINX1-DT , p  = 2.14 × 10 -6 ). Among these 5 genes, gene SOX7 ( p  = 0.00087) and LOC101929229 ( p  = 0.009) were replicated in ASD 2017 data. KIZ-AS1 ( p  = 0.059) and KIZ ( p  = 0.06) were close to the boundary of replication in ASD 2017 data. Genes SOX7 ( p  = 0.036 in all samples; p  = 0.044 in white samples) indicated significant expression differences between cases and controls in the GSE211154 RNA-seq data. Furthermore, gene SOX7 was upregulated in cases than in controls in the GSE30573 RNA-seq data ( p  = 0.0017; Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p  = 0.0085). SOX7 encodes a member of the SOX (SRY-related HMG-box) family of transcription factors pivotally contributing to determining of the cell fate and identity in many lineages. The encoded protein may act as a transcriptional regulator after forming a protein complex with other proteins leading to autism. Gene SOX7 in the transcription factor family could be associated with ASD. This finding may provide new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for ASD.

A Jurassic acanthocephalan illuminates the origin of thorny-headed worms

Careful design of Large Language Model pipelines enables expert-level retrieval of evidence-based information from syntheses and databases

Wise use of evidence to support efficient conservation action is key to tackling biodiversity loss with limited time and resources. Evidence syntheses provide key recommendations for conservation decision-makers by assessing and summarising evidence, but are not always easy to access, digest, and use. Recent advances in Large Language Models (LLMs) present both opportunities and risks in enabling faster and more intuitive systems to access evidence syntheses and databases. Such systems for natural language search and open-ended evidence-based responses are pipelines comprising many components. Most critical of these components are the LLM used and how evidence is retrieved from the database. We evaluate the performance of ten LLMs across six different database retrieval strategies against human experts in answering synthetic multiple-choice question exams on the effects of conservation interventions using the Conservation Evidence database. We found that LLM performance was comparable with human experts over 45 filtered questions, both in correctly answering them and retrieving the document used to generate them. Across 1867 unfiltered questions, LLM performance demonstrated a level of conservation-specific knowledge, but this varied across topic areas. A hybrid retrieval strategy that combines keywords and vector embeddings performed best by a substantial margin. We also tested against a state-of-the-art previous generation LLM which was outperformed by all ten current models – including smaller, cheaper models. Our findings suggest that, with careful domain-specific design, LLMs could potentially be powerful tools for enabling expert-level use of evidence syntheses and databases in different disciplines. However, general LLMs used ‘out-of-the-box’ are likely to perform poorly and misinform decision-makers. By establishing that LLMs exhibit comparable performance with human synthesis experts on providing restricted responses to queries of evidence syntheses and databases, future work can build on our approach to quantify LLM performance in providing open-ended responses.

Analysis of safety risks in mixed driving of manual and automatic vehicles: multiple perspectives

To improve traffic safety in mixed traffic involving human-driven and autonomous vehicles, this study explored safety risk factors from multiple perspectives. Based on crash reports involving autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the California, United States, the XGBoost algorithm and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) analysis were used to investigate the factors affecting accident severity. Association rule mining was employed to analyze the factors contributing to emergency braking events, based on field data from driverless taxi operations in China. Additionally, using data collected from questionnaires, the risk perception factors of different traffic participants were examined using the average degree of aggressiveness method. The results of three aspects analysis revealed that risk factors associated with mixed traffic were concentrated in areas such as weekdays, road sections, multiple lanes, roads with central medians, lack of control, and adverse environments. Finally, some safety improvement suggestions are recommended.

Valorization of broccoli by-products: seasonal variations in bioactive compounds and their biostimulant effects on pak choi germination

The use of plant-based biostimulants is a sustainable strategy to enhance crop growth while mitigating the environmental impact of synthetic agrochemicals. Broccoli by-products, rich in bioactive compounds, have emerged as a promising resource, though their composition is influenced by plant growing conditions. This study investigates the biostimulant potential of broccoli-derived extracts obtained from leaves, stems, and petioles of plants cultivated in three different seasons (autumn, winter, and spring) and their effect on the germination and early growth of pak choi (Brassica rapa subs. chinensis L.) seeds. A comprehensive biochemical characterization, including mineral content, glucosinolates, and phenolic compounds, was conducted to explore how seasonal and tissue-specific variations impact their composition and biostimulant efficacy. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed distinct metabolic profiles across seasons and plant tissues, with leaf-derived extracts showing higher correlations with phenolic acids and trace minerals, whereas petiole and stem extracts were associated with macronutrients. Germination assays demonstrated that extracts from autumn and winter exhibited the highest biostimulant activity, likely due to their enriched secondary metabolite profiles and well-balanced mineral composition. In contrast, spring extracts, despite their higher macronutrient content, showed limited biostimulant effects, possibly due to physiological constraints in broccoli plants during spring, when they experience reduced bioactive potential. PCA and correlation analysis identified metabolites, particularly sinapic acid and glucobrassicin, as key contributors to enhanced seedling development. Furthermore, a positive relationship between sulfur content and glucosinolate levels suggests that sulfur concentration could serve as a useful quality marker for assessing the bioactivity of broccoli-based biostimulants. This study underscores the potential of broccoli-derived extracts as sustainable biostimulants for improving germination and seedling development in pak choi. The findings highlight the influence of seasons on the bioactive composition of extracts, with low temperatures and high relative humidity favoring the accumulation of secondary metabolites and an optimal nutrient balance in plants.

Clinicohematological and molecular analysis of hemoglobin D syndrome and unknown variants in the hemoglobinopathy spectrum of Sindh, Pakistan

Objectives Hemoglobinopathies are prevalent monogenic disorders resulting from genetic abnormalities in globin genes, significantly impacting health. β-thalassemia is particularly common in Pakistan, but data on other hemoglobin variants remain limited. This study aimed to investigate HbD syndrome, identify unknown variants, and examine the clinicohematological and molecular profiles of hemoglobinopathies in Sindh, Pakistan. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to January 2023 at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan. Blood samples were collected from across Sindh, Pakistan and analyzed for hemoglobinopathies using hematological tests (CBC, peripheral blood smear), cation exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (CE-HPLC) and molecular analysis to confirm HbD and identify rare variants. Data were analyzed using SPSS v. 27. Results Out of 4783 chromatograms analyzed, 1563 (32.7%) were diagnosed with hemoglobinopathies. The most common conditions included β-thalassemia (81.4%), hemoglobin (Hb) variants (11.2%), and hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (7.4%). HbD was found in 2.1% of cases, with HbD syndromes being the most prevalent among Hb variants (56.6%). Sickle cell disorders followed with a frequency of 32%, and HbQ, HbE, and HbC were less common. Molecular analysis confirmed the HbD Punjab variant and identified an additional four mutations, i.e., one rare β-thalassemia mutation and three Hb variants including Hb Hinsdale, Hb Renert and Hb Takasago. Conclusion Hb D Punjab is the most prevalent hemoglobin variant in Sindh, Pakistan, followed by HbS and HbQ. Molecular analysis is essential for accurate diagnosis and identifying rare variants. Integrating HbD detection into screening programmes and genetic counselling can help prevent hemoglobinopathies. (S1 Abstract Graphic).

Application of allogeneic adult mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of venous ulcers: A phase I/II randomized controlled trial protocol

Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the cutaneous application of Bioengineered Artificial Mesenchymal Sheet (BAMS) in venous leg ulcers (VLUs) versus conventional treatment. Methods This protocol is based on the design of a Phase I/II, multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label clinical trial investigating the application of a biological dressing supplemented with mesenchymal stem cells (NCT05962931). The clinical trial is being conducted in 2 primary care units within the Granada Metropolitan Health District. A total of 20 patients with VLUs are being randomized (1:1) into 2 intervention arms: a control group and a treatment group. The intervention in the treatment group consists of the local application of 4 doses of BAMS, administered once per week, while the control group receives conventional therapy. Feasibility will be assessed based on the ability to complete the administration of 4 doses in at least 80% of the patients in the treatment group. Safety will be evaluated by analyzing the incidence of adverse effects and serious adverse effects. Efficacy will be assessed in terms of the percentage of wound closure (measured by wound area reduction), macroscopic assessment of the lesion (visual macroscopic analysis and RESVECH 2.0 scale), analysis of growth factors and inflammatory cytokines (ELISA test), pain levels (VAS scale) and quality of life (CIVIQ 20). Results If confirmed, BAMS-based therapy may provide an effective treatment for VLUs, potentially reducing wound closure time and associated complications. This therapy could significantly enhance patients’ quality of life due to the regenerative and analgesic properties of the biological dressing. Discussion Given the biological activity of mesenchymal stem cells, an accelerated healing effect is expected in the treatment group. This could lead to shorter healing times for chronic wounds, resulting in significant benefits for patients, healthcare professionals, and overall healthcare costs. Trial registration NCT05962931.

An updated comparison of standard and novel FEV1 indices’ association with all-cause mortality

Rationale Current recommendations for defining FEV1 abnormalities are based on Z-score cutoffs. Alternative approaches may better correlate with patient-related outcomes, including mortality. Objective This study evaluates the association between FEV1 value and mortality in six FEV1 indices in a large, U.S based cohort. Methods This is a cohort of 2007–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) participants with spirometry and linked mortality data through 2019. We transformed FEV1 values to the following indices: raw FEV1, FEV1-Z scores (FEV1-Z), FEV1-Percent Predicted (FEV1-PP), FEV1/Height2 (FEV1/Ht2), FEV1/Height3 (FEV1/Ht3), and FEV1-Q. We compared association with all-cause mortality between lowest and highest FEV1 deciles of each index using Cox Proportional Hazards models. Two sensitivity analyses were performed, one after applying NHANES sample weighting and one including lower quality spirometry. A subgroup analysis of participants with airflow obstruction, defined as FEV1/FVC ≤ LLN, was performed. Results Of the 12,994 included participants, 971 (7.5%) had died. The majority (56.2%) were nonsmokers and 13.2% had an FEV1/FVC < LLN. When comparing the most to least severe deciles of FEV1, the indices with the largest magnitude unadjusted hazard ratios were FEV1/ht3 (HR 26.4, 95%CI 16.0–43.6), FEV1/ht2 (HR 21.8, 95%CI 13.8–34.7), FEV1-Q (HR 17.5, 95%CI 11.6–26.5), and FEV1 (HR 14.4, 95%CI 9.7–21.5). After adjusting for age, gender, and tobacco pack-years, FEV1/Ht3 (HR 4.9, 95%CI 2.6–9.3) and FEV1/Ht2 (HR 4.8, 95%CI 2.7–8.7) had the highest hazard ratios, however the confidence intervals had significant overlap with other indices. In adjusted analyses, the C-statistic (0.81) was the same across indices. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses yielded a similar pattern. Conclusions Reference-range-independent indices based on absolute FEV1 (raw FEV1, FEV1-Q, FEV1/Ht2, FEV1/Ht3) are equally or more strongly associated with mortality than reference-range- dependent FEV1 indices (FEV1-Z scores, FEV1-Percent Predicted) in a large U.S. cohort.

Research protocol of a multifaceted, comparative mixed-method study: Young people transitioning from out-of-home care in Norway and Australia - Interrelationships between policies, pathways, and outcomes

Introduction Young people who have been in the care of child welfare systems face myriad challenges as they transition into adulthood, resulting in poor long-term outcomes. The overwhelming international trend shows that compared with their peers who have not been in care, care leavers are more likely to experience unstable living conditions, low engagement in employment, financial instability, low levels of educational attainment, poor physical and mental health, and involvement in criminal justice systems. Child welfare policies to support young people as they transition to independence are implemented differently in different countries, leading to different outcomes. Methods and analysis We will compare administrative data from Norway and Australia to objectively quantify and compare, at a population level, associations between service use pathways and young people’s outcomes as they transition from out-of-home care within different policy contexts. In addition, the study includes in-depth interviews with young care-experienced people, their carers, and service providers. The mixed-methods study will make cross-country comparisons of the lived experiences of young people, their carers, and service provision practices that act as barriers and facilitators to positive long-term outcomes within Norway and Australia. The combined findings from the population-level data and an in-depth understanding of their lived experiences will identify a best practice model to facilitate better outcomes. A critical policy analysis and synthesis will be conducted alongside these studies to highlight the influence of policy on service provision practices, young people’s pathways, and outcomes. Discussion To date, there have been no international comparisons at a population level to determine how various policy contexts influence outcomes for care leavers, thus not allowing a granular explanation for why young people continue to experience poor outcomes. This project will develop a nuanced and dynamic understanding of how different policies and practices produce pathways that either promote or constrain positive outcomes in adulthood. The comparisons across Norway and Australia will generate unique knowledge by enhancing our understanding of internal and external child welfare services, country-specific, and individual characteristics in policies and practices enhancing outcomes for young people transitioning from out-of-home care.

Association of the cardiometabolic index with sarcopenia among U.S. adults: NHANES 2011–2018 findings

Background The cardiometabolic index (CMI), initially devised as a diagnostic tool for diabetes mellitus, has evolved into a composite biomarker for evaluating metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease risk. In order to shed light on any possible interactions between sarcopenia and CMI, this study will look at the relationship between the two. Methods and results Data from the 2011–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed to investigate the possible link between sarcopenia and CMI. Among 3,185 eligible participants, the weighted prevalence of sarcopenia was 7.84%. A significant positive association emerged between CMI and sarcopenia risk, with each unit increase in CMI was linked with a 12% greater risk of sarcopenia in the fully adjusted model (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01–1.26). Moreover, dose-response relationships were evident across CMI tertiles (P for trend < 0.05). Subgroup analyses and interaction tests indicated that the positive correlation between CMI and the risk of sarcopenia differs significantly across subgroups defined by education level, sedentary time and CVD status (all P for interaction < 0.05). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a robust association between elevated CMI levels and increased sarcopenia risk, suggesting CMI’s potential utility as a clinical biomarker for sarcopenia risk surveillance. To confirm these results and demonstrate causality, more research is required.

Maternal and infant health during the COVID-19 pandemic – A Pennsylvania Study Protocol

Background Pregnant people are vulnerable to more severe outcomes of COVID-19 compared with their non-pregnant counterparts. Research is needed to systematically test the degree to which COVID-19 during pregnancy increases the risk for adverse maternal, perinatal, and infant health and development outcomes and whether social determinants of health or psychological/psychosocial health outcomes confound or intensify the risk. This protocol paper describes a prospective cohort study using electronic health record (EHR) and patient-reported data from four large health systems in Pennsylvania to examine neighborhood, social, and health factors predicting COVID-19 and its severity, birth weight, gestational age, and vaccination among pregnant people to 12 months postpartum. Methods Our study will be conducted with two aims. Aim 1 will combine maternal and infant clinical data and neighborhood data from four health systems in Pennsylvania participating in a PCORI-supported clinical research network. The cohort will include all people who were pregnant between June 2019 and May 2025, along with linkage to their newborn delivery records. In Aim 2, a subset of pregnant people from the Aim 1 cohort will be recruited to participate in a series of surveys from pregnancy to one year postpartum. Survey instruments will be developed to collect patient-reported health and social information as well as patient-centered outcomes depicting whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting pregnant people and their newborns. Survey data will be collected during pregnancy and at one, six, and 12 months postpartum. Survey data will be linked with data from Aim 1 for analysis. Results Ethical approval has been obtained at all sites. Subcontracts and data use agreements have been established. EHR data across health systems are being collected and curated. Surveys have been developed and recruitment and retention procedures implemented. Recruitment for the survey aim of the study began in July 2023 and is ongoing. Discussion This study will advance multi-site research involving pregnant people across diverse communities in a time of public health crisis. Data from this study will provide additional evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant people and their infants. Findings will help guide future clinical and public health practices in pandemics for pregnant people.

Genome-based reclassification of the family Stappiaceae and assessment of environmental forcing with the report of two novel taxa, Flexibacterium corallicola gen. nov., sp. nov., and Nesiotobacter zosterae sp. nov., isolated from coral and seagrass

Two novel strains, MaLMAid0302T and SPO723T, isolated from coral and eelgrass, respectively, were distinguished from other Stappiaceae species based on phenotypic, biochemical, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic traits. Taxonomic challenges within the family Stappiaceae were addressed using a taxogenomic approach with iterative clustering, establishing an optimal average amino acid identity (AAI) threshold (71.92–72.88%) for genus delineation. This analysis led to major taxonomic revisions, including the establishment of new genera—Parapolycladidibacter, Astericibacter, Flexibacterium, Aliiroseibium, Laciiroseibium, Soliroseibium, Novilabrenzia, Litoriroseibium, and Algilabrenzia—as well as the reassignment of several species: Hongsoonwoonella albiluteola comb. nov., Parapolycladidibacter stylochi gen. nov., comb. nov., Astericibacter flavus gen. nov., comb. nov., Nesiotobacter exalbescens comb. nov., Aliiroseibium hamelinense gen. nov., comb. nov., Laciiroseibium aquae gen. nov., comb. nov., Soliroseibium sediminis gen. nov., comb. nov., Novilabrenzia suaedae gen. nov., comb. nov., Novilabrenzia litorale gen. nov., comb. nov., Litoriroseibium aestuarii gen. nov., comb. nov., Litoriroseibium limicola gen. nov., comb. nov., and Algilabrenzia polysiphoniae gen. nov., comb. nov. Given this extensive taxonomic reclassification of the family Stappiaceae, strain SPO723T (=KCCM 42324T = JCM 14066T) was classified as Nesiotobacter zosterae sp. nov., and Flexibacterium corallicola MaLMAid0302T (=KCTC 92348T = JCM 35474T) was designated as the type species of the newly established genus Flexibacterium. Close phylogenetic ties to Pseudovibrio, known for symbiosis, prompted analysis of niche-specific genetic compositions. Canonical Correspondence Analysis attributed 64% of genomic variation to phylogenetic forcing and 36% to environmental forcing. Functional adaptations included pectin and aromatic compound degradation in sediment strains, nitrogen reduction in flatworm strains, and sulfur metabolism in coral strains. The eelgrass strain exhibited dTDP-L-rhamnose synthesis, potentially aiding biofilm formation for adhesion in dynamic environments. These findings emphasize the roles of both environmental and phylogenetic forcing in shaping genomic diversity and highlight the ecological importance of the family Stappiaceae in marine habitat-associated niches.

Prevalence and determinants of Soil-Transmitted Helminths among urban vegetable farmers in Ghana

Introduction Urban vegetable farmers in Ghana face multiple health risks, including soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), which may contribute to morbidities that threaten urban food security. Additionally, infected farmers may act as persistent sources of disease transmission within urban populations. There is the need to assess the burden of STH among these farmers using more sensitive molecular assays. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 168 urban farmers from Accra and Tamale in Ghana’s Greater Accra and Northern regions, respectively. Participants completed semi-structured questionnaires, and stool samples were collected for analysis. A qualitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (QPCR) assay was employed to detect STH prevalence, targeting the ITS1, ITS2, and 18S genes of Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale and Strongyloides stercoralis, respectively. Results While no positives were found in Tamale, 5.1%, 2.5%, and 0.8% of participants in Accra tested positive for A. lumbricoides, A. duodenale and S. stercoralis, respectively. Inadequate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and STH infection status were strongly correlated among risk factors (Odds ratio; 4.3, 95% Cl: 1.03–18.00, p–value = 0.04). Overall, 72% of participants in Tamale wore PPEs, compared to 43% in Accra. Conclusions Even though STH was not common, inadequate PPE use was a major factor in STH transmission in urban vegetable farms. Therefore, the key to drastically lowering the STH burden in urban farms is education and behaviour changes. Using more sensitive molecular diagnostic assays is crucial in low prevalence environments.

Effects of an interprofessional care concept in nursing homes evaluated in the SaarPHIR project: A cluster-randomized controlled trial

Introduction Deficits in interprofessional collaboration can lead to insufficient medical care for nursing home residents, particularly inappropriate hospitalizations. Transfers are stressful for residents, and hospital stays can lead to infections and functional decline. Increasing the role of general practitioners and improving collaboration between professionals may reduce hospitalizations. In an effort to reduce hospitalizations and improve quality of care for nursing home residents, the SaarPHIR project implemented and evaluated a complex intervention which aimed at improving cooperation between general practitioners and nurses. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of an interprofessional care concept in nursing homes. Methods A prospective, cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Saarland, Germany, from May 2019 until July 2020 with a 15-months of follow-up, with two parallel groups and a 1:1 randomization at district level to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The six administrative districts of the German federal state of Saarland were selected as randomization clusters to avoid spillover effects. The primary outcome, hospitalization, was assessed using claims data from six health insurers. Analyses were performed using generalized linear mixed models assuming both a Poisson and, for sensitivity analyses, a negative binomial distribution allowing for clustering at the nursing home level. Considering the randomized cluster level in the primary analysis would be the proper approach. However, after careful consideration, an unconventional approach was adopted to ensure the evaluation of the intervention within the complex healthcare system with a pragmatic design. The randomized cluster level was considered in sensitivity analyses. Secondary outcomes included ambulatory care-sensitive and nursing home care-sensitive admissions, mortality and hospital days. Furthermore, health economic aspects were explored by comparing costs between groups descriptively and exploratively using a generalized linear mixed model with a log-link and a gamma distribution. Results Twenty-eight nursing homes received the intervention (1,053 residents), and 16 nursing homes (680 residents) were assigned to usual care. Hospitalization rates did not differ significantly between groups (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.78–1.14). Nursing home care-sensitive admissions could be reduced in residents treated with the interprofessional care concept (IRR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59–0.96). No differences in mortality, number of days spent in hospital and healthcare costs were found between groups. Mean drug costs (€82.53; 95% CI: 11.79–165.06) were higher and costs for ambulatory hospital stays lower (−€40.80; 95% CI: −76.50–0.00) in the intervention group. Conclusion All-cause hospitalization was not significantly affected in the relatively short duration of the intervention. Nevertheless, secondary outcomes suggest some positive effects for the intervention group. However, participation in the intervention group was lower than expected at both the nursing home and resident levels, limiting the validity of the results.

Greenfield investments projects in manufacturing and electricity: A network analysis.

Aim of the paper Greenfield is, by definition, foreign direct investment that creates new production facilities in the host countries, which imply an addition of fresh foreign capital. This paper brings empirical evidence about Greenfield global investment projects using network analysis in two key sectors: manufacturing and electricity. Our main research question is: What is the Greenfield Global Web of Investment Projects? And related to this main question: What is the center-periphery positions? How did the 2008 crisis affect it? Our secondary questions are: What are the web network properties? What does it tell us about the spread of investment intentions?. Theoretical background Network theory tell us, on one hand, that human decisions are made in the context of, and shaped by, web of interactions, and on the other, how dense network is, whether some groups are segregated and who sits in central positions, affects how information spreads and how people behave, and how linked agents interact with other linked agents, the outcomes ultimately depend on the entire network structure. This paper presents an original approach, combining different clustering methods in one figure. One is the Louvain without weights (once everything is measured in terms of indegree) using the concept of modularity. The other is positional analysis by blockmodeling. Data and results Our data source is Financial Times (FT) Greenfield investments data base (2003–2016). FT is the most authoritative source of intelligence on real investment in the global economy, and the only source of Greenfield investment data that covers all countries and industries worldwide. The World Bank, Unctad, the Economist Intelligence Unit and more than 100 governments around the world as well as major corporations use the data as the primary source of intelligence on Greenfield investment trends. Our variables are investment projects intentions value and country origin by year. Our analytical technics are network indicators at exploratory level and blockmodel. We clear answer our research questions in the Analysis of the features of the Networks sections. We also highlight that i) the 2008 crisis had a deep impact on the networks equilibrium, ii) it was substantially deeper in electricity than in manufacturing, which suggests that manufacturing web of investment projects was more resilient to exogenous shock, iii) global intentions of investment cohesion and core-periphery relations increased after crises in both sectors. There are also some secondary, but important results: from the network indicators, there was more ties after crises, the network were smaller, the information reached easily, central countries importance in the expectation formation increased substantially in manufacturing but unchanged in electricity, the information to the central countries became shorter after crises, and the flow of expectation sent between dissimilar increases after crises.

Influence of foam content on mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of ceramsite foam concrete

Analysis of web tracking and geolocation of German-language health websites

Nowadays, websites with health-related content are an essential source of information for consumers to find out about their diagnoses, therapies, but also about prevention aspects. The data protection of website visitors is of particular interest here, as the search for health information may allow conclusions to be drawn about their own illnesses or those of their relatives. With a main focus on privacy-relevant aspects, this study examines more than 231,000 German-language health websites from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Of all successfully visited websites 56.04% stored at least one cookie. Up to 18.93% of the websites contained cookies that were not technically necessary and were set without explicit consent. The geolocation analysis revealed that among 16.30% of resolved hostnames, at least one IP address was detected that was not from the country suggested by the top-level domain.