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Vaccine sceptic RFK Jr is now a powerful force in US science: what will he do?
Depression’s double-edged impact on body mass index. A hidden catalyst for non-communicable diseases in South Africa’s aging population in long-term care facilities
Introduction The global population of older people, who have a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, is on an upward trajectory, notably in South Africa. The expansion of this demographic will further strain an already overwhelmed healthcare system, primarily taxed by infectious diseases in younger populations. Physical activity has been shown to effectively reduce risk factors for non-communicable diseases in older people. Objective To investigate the associations between depression, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity and its complex interplay on non-communicable diseases in older people residing in South African long-term care facilities. Method We conducted a cross-sectional study on 396 participants residing in South African rural and urban long-term care facilities to analyse BMI, waist-hip ratio, physical activity and depression levels. The Geriatric Depression Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to evaluate depression and physical activity respectively. Results The sample had a mean BMI of 27.53 kg/m2 (95% CI [26.99, 28.07], SD = 5.49), with an obesity prevalence of 31.82%. Additionally, 35.10% of participants exhibited some degree of depressive symptoms. In an ordinal regression model BMI was a significant predictor (B = .10, p = .007) for increases in depression. Conversely in a linear regression model, depression (B = -2.01, p = .004) and physical activity (B = -.001, p = .008) were predictors for decreases in BMI. Conclusion The relationship between depression and BMI in older people is complex, with depression often leading to both weight loss and, conversely, increased BMI contributing to a higher risk of depression. Physical activity serves as a critical intervention, helping to reduce both BMI and depressive symptoms among older people residing in long-term care facilities. This underscores the importance of integrating PA programs into care strategies to improve overall health and well-being in this population.
Quantum-computing technology that makes qubits from atoms wins mega investment
Correction: Predicting sport fish mercury contamination in heavily managed reservoirs: Implications for human and ecological health
Daily briefing: A simple blood test could diagnose pancreatic cancer early
Breaking up clusters of circulating tumour cells to halt cancer spread
Meta-analysis reveals global variations in plant diversity effects on productivity
Hydrochemical evolution and formation mechanism of groundwater affected by human activities in Zhangxuan basin, northwest of Yanshan mountains, China
The Zhangxuan Basin serves as an ecological barrier and water conservation area for Beijing, the capital of China. Clarifying the hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in this region is essential for the effective management of groundwater resources and the protection of ecological security. In this study, based on data regarding chemistry and level of shallow groundwater from 2016 to 2022, hydrogeochemical analysis methods and geostatistical techniques were applied to investigate the hydrochemical evolution and genesis mechanisms of groundwater under the influence of human activities. The results showed that: (1) From 2016 to 2022, the groundwater remained predominantly characterized by Ca2+ and HCO3-, with the primary hydrochemical type unchanged as HCO3-Ca·Mg. (2) From 2016 to 2022, an overall decreasing trend in hydrochemical components was observed, alongside an increase in HCO3-Na type groundwater. Spatially, along the direction of groundwater flow, a general trend of increasing hydrochemical components was noted, with a significant rise in HCO3-Na type groundwater. (3) The spatiotemporal distribution and evolution of hydrochemistry were influenced by water-rock interactions, lithological characteristics, groundwater flow patterns, and human activities. Along the groundwater flow direction, lithological particles became finer, enhancing forward cation exchange and leaching, with the dissolution of silicate and carbonate minerals intensifying. In localized areas, the hydrochemical components were influenced by the extraction of groundwater source areas and the discharge of industrial waste.
Biomarkers to predict or measure steroid resistance in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: A systematic review
In this systematic review we have sought to summarise the current knowledge concerning biomarkers that can distinguish between steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome and steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome. Additionally, we aim to select biomarkers that have the best evidence-base and should be prioritised for further research. Pub med and web of science databases were searched using “steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome AND biomarker”. Papers published between 01/01/2012 and 10/05/2022 were included. Papers that did not compare steroid resistant and steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome, did not report sensitivity/specificity or area under curve and reviews/letters were excluded. The selected papers were then assessed for bias using the QUADAS-2 tool. The source of the biomarker, cut off, sensitivity/specificity, area under curve and sample size were all extracted. Quality assessment was performed using the BIOCROSS tool. 17 studies were included, comprising 15 case-control studies and 2 cross-sectional studies. Given the rarity of nephrotic syndrome and difficulty in recruiting large cohorts, case-control studies were accepted despite their limitations. We present a range of candidate biomarkers along with scores relating to the quality of the original publications and the risk of bias to inform future investigations. None of the selected papers stated whether the authors were blinded to the patient’s disease when assessing the index test in the cohort. Highlighting a key problem in the field that needs to be addressed. These candidate biomarkers must now be tested with much larger sample sizes. Using new biobanks such as the one built by the NURTuRE-INS team will be very helpful in this regard.
Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature
Author Correction: Continental influx and pervasive matrilocality in Iron Age Britain
Assessment of heavy metal pollution in sediments from the urban section of Yihe River, Linyi City, China
The Yihe River is the largest mountain torrent river in Shandong Province, which plays an important role in flood control, irrigation and climate regulation. Due to the impacts of the upstream and urban domestic sewage, as well as industrial and agricultural wastewater, the Linyi City section of the Yihe River is expected to have a high risk of metal pollution. Sediments are the main reservoir and potential release source of metals (metalloid) in river systems. Assessment of metals in sediments can identify anthropogenic pollution. In this study, 25 sediment samples were collected from the Linyi City section of the Yihe River and its tributaries, and the concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the concentration of Hg was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). The pollution levels were evaluated by determining the contamination factor, pollution load index, geoaccumulation index, potential ecological risk assessment and toxicity risk index. Correlation analysis and absolute principal component-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) were used to conduct source apportionment. Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd, As, and Hg were detected in all sediment samples. Overall, the concentration of metals (metalloid) in the sediments of the main stream of the Yihe River is mostly within the environmental background value, and the overall state is from no pollution to slightly polluted, while the tributaries of the Yihe River are in a slightly polluted state. Hg and Cd are the two main metal pollutants in the surface sediments of the study area, with the average content of 1.65 and 1.11 times the background value, respectively. Most areas of the main stream of the Yihe River are free of metal pollution, with low ecological risk and no toxicity risk. The ecological risks in the tributaries (Suhe River, Benghe River, Liuqinghe River) and the river center island (Yihe River North Island) are high and assessed as presenting low toxicity. Source analysis showed that Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and As mainly come from natural sources and agricultural activities, while Cd, Pb, and Hg are mainly the result of transportation and industry. The results help us understand the distribution and pollution of metals (metalloid) in the river sediments, and also provide management support to local environmental management departments and relevant national departments.
Complex rearrangements fuel ER+ and HER2+ breast tumours
Prevalence and causes of blindness and vision impairment among people 50 years and older in Nepal: A national Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness survey
Purpose To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and vision impairment among people 50 years and older in Nepal. Methods We conducted seven provincial-level Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) cross-sectional, population-based surveys between 2018–2021. Provincial prevalence estimates were weighted to give nationally representative estimates. Sampling, enumeration, and examination of the population 50 years and older were done at the province level following standard RAAB protocol. Results Across seven surveys, we enrolled 33,228 individuals, of whom 32,565 were examined (response rate 98%). Females (n = 17,935) made up 55% of the sample. The age-sex-province weighted national prevalence of blindness (better eye presenting visual acuity <3/60) was 1.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–1.2%), and any vision impairment <6/12 was 20.7% (95% CI 19.9–21.5%). The prevalence of blindness was higher in women than men (1.3% [95% CI 1.1–1.5%] vs 0.9% [95% CI 0.7–1.0%]). Age-sex weighted blindness prevalence was highest in Lumbini Province (1.8% [95% CI 1.3–2.2%]) and lowest in Bagmati Province (0.7% [95% CI 0.4–0.9%]) and Sudurpaschim Province (0.7% [95% CI 0.4–0.9%]). Cataract (65.2%) was the leading cause of blindness in our sample, followed by corneal opacity (6.4%), glaucoma (5.8%) and age-related macular degeneration (5.3%). Other posterior segment diseases accounted for 8.4% of cases. Cataract was also the leading cause of severe vision impairment (83.9%) and moderate vision impairment (66.8%), while refractive error was the leading cause of mild vision impairment (66.5%). Conclusion The prevalence of blindness was higher among women than men and varied by province. The Lumbini and Madesh Provinces in the Terai (plains) region had higher prevalence of blindness than elsewhere. Cataract was the leading cause of blindness, severe vision impairment and moderate vision impairment while refractive error was the leading cause of mild vision impairment.
Royal Society will meet amid campaign to revoke Elon Musk’s fellowship
Does psychological support, training and guidance for probation practitioners lead to improved outcomes for service users and staff? A systematic review of Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway community delivery
This review examines the evidence on outcomes for probation staff and the individuals under their supervision resulting from psychological training and support provided to staff. To be included, papers were required to evaluate impact on the outcomes of workforce development, wellbeing, risk and reconviction, or relationships. This review focussed on the frontline community delivery of a psychologically-informed programme designed for high risk of harm individuals presenting with complex needs; the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. Papers addressing impact of OPD interventions beyond core community delivery, or which addressed unrelated outcomes, were excluded from the review. The databases Scopus and EBSCO were searched on 19th October 2022 and titles were screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Quality of evidence was assessed by the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Due to the heterogenous nature of studies included, only narrative knowledge synthesis was possible and this was organised according to area of outcome explored and participant group. Twenty papers were included, comprising ten quantitative, two mixed, and eight qualitative methodologies (including three case studies). Workforce outcomes were the most frequently explored, with impacts noted in relation to self-reported confidence and competence. Impacts regarding risk and reconviction were limited both in relation to the number of studies addressing these outcomes and to the implications that could be drawn from these. Positive relational outcomes were reported as a result of OPD delivery, with consultation and formulation processes leading to better staff-offender relationships. The overall quality of evidence produced in the included studies was of a low to medium standard. Small sample sizes, high attrition rates, bespoke measures, and occasionally questionable analyses were some of the limitations noted. However, taking quality into account, findings were generally indicative of positive impacts of OPD community delivery, although regional differences in delivery model made generalisability of individual findings difficult.
Structure and diversity of intestinal methanogens in black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and water samples
The present research investigation aims to examine the community features of methanogens in the intestinal tract of black and grass carp, as well as their association with methanogens in water samples. Samples of black carp, grass carp and water in a pond were gathered in Spring 2021. Using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 high-throughput sequencing platform, the metagenomic mcrA gene sequences of black carp, grass carp and cultured water specimens were determined and analyzed. The outcomes indicate that the richness and diversity of methanogens in the intestinal tract of black and carp grass carp were highly correlated with the cultured water. Five bacterial genera were found in the three sets of samples, Methanosarcina, Methanocorpusculum, Methanospirillum, Methanobacterium and Methanofollis, in which Methanosarcina and Methanocorpusculum were the dominant genera. In addition, Methanosarcina had the greatest amount in grass carp and Methanocorpusculum had the greatest quantity in black carp. In conclusion, Methanosarcina and Methanocorpusculum were the main methanogens in the digestive tract of black and grass carp and culture water, and hydrolytic fermentative bacteria were its main metabolic substrate, hydrotrophic was its main metabolic pathway. The results will provide a reference for the relationship between intestinal methanogens and aquaculture and the greenhouse effect.
Meriones unguiculatus serves as a spontaneous primary aldosteronism rodent model
Background Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common form of endocrine hypertension. The available animal models of PA rely on gene manipulation, thus fail to duplicate the general pathological process of PA in humans. Meriones unguiculatus (MU) has been reported to possess a large size of adrenal gland and an elevated ability to save water. In this study, we aimed to confirm whether MU can serve as an ideal animal model of PA. Methods Sprague Dawley rats of the same body weight (SD1) or age (SD2) as MU were used as control groups. Blood pressure and serum aldosterone, renin and electrolyte levels were measured, and the oral salt loading test was used as confirmatory test to compare the inhibition level of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) among the three groups. The expression and distribution of CYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase) were evaluated in the adrenal gland of each group. Results MU exhibited typical clinical manifestations of PA, including hypertension, hyperaldosteronism, low renin levels and strong sodium retention and potassium excretion abilities. Compared with control groups, the inhibitory effect of a high-sodium diet on the RAAS was milder in MU, accompanied by significant cardiac dysfunction. The protein expression level and distribution area of CYP11B2 were significantly increased in the adrenal gland of MU. Conclusion The current study reveals that MU could serve as an ideal spontaneous PA model. The increased expression and distribution of CYP11B2 stimulate the excessive aldosterone production in a renin-independent manner, leading to a significant increase in blood pressure in MU.
Optimising test intervals for individuals with type 2 diabetes: A machine learning approach
Background Chronic disease monitoring programs often adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that does not consider variation in need, potentially leading to excessive or insufficient support for patients at different risk levels. Machine learning (ML) developments offer new opportunities for personalised medicine in clinical practice. Objective To demonstrate the potential of ML to guide resource allocation and tailored disease management, this study aims to predict the optimal testing interval for monitoring blood glucose (HbA1c) for patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). We examine fairness across income and education levels and evaluate the risk of false-positives and false-negatives. Data Danish administrative registers are linked with national clinical databases. Our population consists of all T2D patients from 2015-2018, a sample of more than 57,000. Data contains patient-level clinical measures, healthcare utilisation, medicine, and socio-demographics. Methods We classify HbA1c test intervals into four categories (3, 6, 9, and 12 months) using three classification algorithms: logistic regression, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Feature importance is assessed with SHAP model explanations on the best-performing model, which was XGBoost. A training set comprising 80% of the data is used to predict optimal test intervals, with 20% reserved for testing. Cross-validation is employed to enhance the model’s reliability and reduce overfitting. Model performance is evaluated using ROC-AUC, and optimal intervals are determined based on a “time-to-next-positive-test” concept, with different durations associated with specific intervals. Results The model exhibits varying predictive accuracy, with AUC scores ranging from 0.53 to 0.89 across different test intervals. We find significant potential to free resources by prolonging the test interval for well-controlled patients. The fairness metric suggests models perform well in terms of equality. There is a sizeable risk of false negatives (predicting longer intervals than optimal), which requires attention. Conclusions We demonstrate the potential to use ML in personalised diabetes management by assisting physicians in categorising patients by testing frequencies. Clinical validation on diverse patient populations is needed to assess the model’s performance in real-world settings.