Search Results (233)

The presence of cognitive lapses in the post-COVID-19 period, particularly among younger individuals, suggests a potential genetic predisposition. This case–control study aimed to assess the association between neurodegeneration-associated genes and cognitive declines in the post-COVID-19 Armenian population under the age of 65. In addition, we examined other contributing factors, including depressive symptoms, hypovitaminosis D, vitamin B12 and B9 deficiencies, and some viral infections, as potential confounders or effect modifiers. A total of 162 participants (ages 19–65, Med = 43), who were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in Armenia between 2020 and 2022, participated in this study. Standardized assessments, including the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), were used to evaluate cognitive functions and mental status, while the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was utilized to assess depressive symptoms. Clinical interview data, comprising yes/no self-reports regarding the presence of cognitive problems and depressive symptoms, were also included. Genetic analysis identified copy number variations (CNVs) in the APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, MAPT, and GRN genes, while viral infections (HSV-1, HSV-2, CMV, EBV, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Hepatitis A, B, and C) and vitamin D, B12, and B9 deficiencies were measured. Lower cognitive performance was associated with CNVs in PSEN1 (exons 1, 9, 12), GRN (exons 1, 6, 12), and MAPT (exons 2, 8), along with viral infections (HSV-1, HSV-2, HAV-2). The findings indicate that post-COVID-19 cognitive problems are multifactorial and are linked to genetic mutations, viral infections, age, gender, and folic acid deficiency. Full article

Background: Hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a well-recognized occupational condition resulting from prolonged exposure to hand-transmitted vibration (HTV), characterized by vascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal impairments. While vibration exposure is a known risk factor for HAVS, less is understood about the role of personal risk factors and, particularly regarding neurosensory dysfunction. This study aimed to examine the association between vibrotactile (VPT) and thermotactile perception thresholds (TPT) and individual risk factors and comorbidities in HTV-exposed workers. Methods: A total of 235 male HTV workers were evaluated between 1995 and 2005 at the University of Trieste’s Occupational Medicine Unit. Personal, occupational, and health-related data were collected, and sensory function was assessed in both hands. VPTs at 31.5 and 125 Hz and TPTs (for warm and cold) were measured on fingers innervated by the median and ulnar nerves. Results: Multivariable regression analysis revealed that impaired VPTs were significantly associated with age, higher daily vibration exposure (expressed as 8 h energy-equivalent A(8) values), BMI ≥ 25, smoking, vascular/metabolic disorders, and neurosensory symptoms. In contrast, TPTs showed weaker and less consistent associations, with some links to smoking and alcohol use. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, in addition to vibration exposure, individual factors such as aging, overweight, smoking, and underlying health conditions significantly contribute to neurosensory impairment and may exacerbate neurosensory dysfunction in a context of HAVS. The results underscore the importance of including personal health risk factors in both clinical assessment and preventive strategies for HAVS and may inform future research on its pathogenesis. Full article

The production of hydroponic fresh produce presents unique food safety and intervention challenges. A systematic approach was used to map and characterize the evidence on hydroponic food safety. Quantitative data describing the effectiveness of intervention studies were extracted, synthesized, and assessed for quality. A search of electronic databases yielded 131 relevant papers related to hydroponic food safety. Thirty-two studies focusing on food safety interventions reported 53 different interventions using chemical (n = 39), physical (n = 10), multiple-hurdle (n = 2), and biological (n = 2) approaches. Human pathogen indicators and surrogates were most often studied (n = 19), while pathogenic strains like Salmonella spp. (n = 9), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (n = 5), Listeria monocytogenes (n = 2), and viruses (Hepatitis A virus (HAV), n = 1; norovirus (NoV), n = 1) were studied less frequently. Of fourteen articles (43.8%) investigating pre-harvest interventions, most (42.9%) did not specify the hydroponic system type. Gaps remain in the available evidence regarding the efficacy of interventions for controlling human pathogens in near-commercial hydroponic systems. The quality assessment revealed a significant lack of detailed reporting on methods and outcomes, making it difficult to translate the findings into practical recommendations for the industry; therefore, this review provides recommendations for the scientific community to improve future research design and reporting in this field. Full article

Background: Chemotherapy, a cornerstone treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), can compromise immune function, leading to impaired immune memory function and diminished responses to revaccination. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to evaluate the impact of chemotherapy on the immunogenicity of prior vaccinations and subsequent revaccination responses in children with ALL. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline. Search time was 9 January 2025. R 4.4.2 was employed for data analysis. Results: A total of 29 relevant studies were identified, with 8 undergoing meta-analysis. The pooled antibody seropositive rates (SPR) for vaccines against Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis A Virus (HAV), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) demonstrated a statistically significant decline after chemotherapy in ALL patients (p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis further revealed marked and heterogeneous declines in SPR after chemotherapy, with the magnitude of reduction varying significantly across vaccines—tetanus, HBV, HAV, measles, mumps, and rubella (Subgroup differences, p = 0.0037). Conclusions: This review provides an updated assessment of this critical topic, representing the first meta-analysis specifically focused on the effects of chemotherapy on different vaccines’ immunogenicity in children with ALL. Full article

Hepatitis A viral outbreaks continue to occur. It can be transmitted through aerosolized droplets and thus can contaminate surfaces and the environment. Ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV-C LED) systems are used for inactivation of microbes, though research is needed to determine optimal doses for aerosolized HAV inactivation. This study evaluates the UV-C LED doses for the inactivation of aerosolized hepatitis A virus (HAV) deposited on stainless-steel and glass discs. HAV was aseptically deposited onto stainless-steel or glass discs (1.27 cm diameter) using a nebulizer within a chamber followed by treatments for up to 1.5 min with 255 nm (surface dose = 0–76.5 mJ/cm²) or 279 nm (surface dose = 0–8.1 mJ/cm²) UV-C LED. Plaque assays were used to enumerate infectious titers of recovered viruses and data from three replicates were statistically analyzed. The calculated linear D₁₀-value (UV-C dose for a 1-log reduction in aerosolized deposits) for HAV by 255 nm UV-C LED was 47.39 ± 7.40 and 40.0 ± 2.94 mJ/cm² (R² = 0.94 and 0.91) and using 279 nm UV-C LED were 6.60 ± 0.27 and 5.57 ± 0.74 mJ/cm² (R² = 0.98 and 0.94) on stainless-steel and glass discs, respectively. The non-linear Weibull model showed δ (dose needed for a 1-log reduction in aerosolized HAV deposits) values for HAV of 29.69 ± 5.49 and 35.25 ± 15.01 mJ/cm² by 255 nm UV-C LED (R² = 0.99 and 0.92) and 6.67 ± 0.63 and 5.21 ± 1.25 mJ/cm² by 279 nm UV-C LED (R² = 0.98 and 0.95) on stainless-steel and glass discs, respectively. These data indicate that 279 nm UV-C LED showed higher efficiency for HAV inactivation than 255 nm UV-C LED, and that Weibull models were a better fit when tailing was observed. This study provides the inactivation data needed to aid in designing UV-C LED systems for delivering doses required to inactivate bio-aerosolized HAV deposits on stainless-steel and glass. Full article

HIV-1 infection in microglia induces HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Recent evidence suggests that microglia can be infected with HIV-1 in the active, persistent, or latent replication stages. The molecular mechanisms governing these stages of infection are still the subject of continuous study. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between HIV-1 infection and two lncRNAs, NEAT1 and ZBTB11-AS1, on different days post-infection. We found that on days 1 and 4 post-infection, HIV-1 was actively replicating; meanwhile, by day 21, HIV-1 had entered a persistent stage. We also noted that the expression levels of NEAT1 and ZBTB11-AS1 varied during these different stages of HIV-1 infection in microglia, as did their subcellular localization. We performed an interaction network analysis and identified DDX3X and ZC3HAV1 as hypothetically related to NEAT1 and ZBTB11-AS1 in the C20 human microglial cell line. Additionally, we determined that IL-6, a cytokine regulated by DDX3X and ZC3HAV1, exhibits changes in protein expression levels during both active and persistent HIV-1 infection. Full article

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and acute liver failure (ALF) are severe hepatitis that occur in patients with and without chronic liver diseases and/or cirrhosis, respectively, and both often result in death. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can cause these severe conditions. We reviewed the role of HAV and HEV, which infect humans through the fecal–oral route, in ALF and ACLF in Asian countries. This narrative review was the derived from a traditional non-systematic review. Hepatitis A should be recognized as one of the sexually transmitted infections, especially among men who have sex with men. HAV genotype IIIA infection seems to present a more severe clinical manifestation. Acute HEV-1 infection is associated with ALF in pregnant women in India. HEV-4, rather than HEV-3, was found in severe hepatitis in Japan. HEV also plays a role as a cause of acute insult and/or chronic liver disease in immunocompromised patients with ACLF. Further studies are needed for the development of vaccines and antivirals against HAV and HEV infections. Despite the limitations of the recording of cases and the extent of specific vaccinations, multidisciplinary cooperation, involving hepatologists, virologists, experts in public health, etc., may improve the treatment of HAV and HEV infection. Full article

Both hepatitis B virus (HBV), an hepadnavirus with a DNA genome, and hepatitis A virus (HAV), a picornavirus, require the TRAMP-like host ZCCHC14-TENT4 complex for efficient replication. However, whereas HBV requires the nucleotidyltransferase activity of TENT4 to extend and stabilize the 3′ poly(A) tails of mRNA transcribed from its genome, the role played by TENT4 in HAV replication is uncertain. HAV proteins are synthesized directly from its genomic RNA, which possesses a 3′ poly(A) tail, with its length and composition presumably maintained by 3D^pol-catalyzed RNA transcription during its replicative cycle. Using nanopore long-read sequencing of RNA from infected cells, we confirm here that the length of the HAV 3′ poly(A) tail is not altered by treating infected cells with RG7834, a small molecule TENT4 inhibitor with potent anti-HAV activity. Despite this, TENT4 catalytic activity is essential for HAV replication. Surprisingly, nanopore sequencing revealed a low abundance of HAV subgenomic RNAs (hsRNAs) that extend from the 5′ end of the genome to a site within the 5′ untranslated RNA (5′UTR) immediately downstream of a stem-loop to which the ZCCHC14-TENT4 complex is recruited. These hsRNAs are polyadenylated, and their abundance is sharply reduced by RG7834 treatment, implying they are likely products of TENT4. Similar subgenomic RNAs were not identified in poliovirus-infected cells. hsRNAs are present not only in HAV-infected cell culture but also in the liver of HAV-infected mice, where they represent 1–3% of all HAV transcripts, suggesting their physiological relevance. However, transfecting exogenous hsRNA into TENT4-depleted cells failed to rescue HAV replication, leaving the functional role of hsRNA unresolved. These findings reveal a novel picornaviral subgenomic RNA species while highlighting mechanistic differences in the manner in which HAV and HBV exploit the host ZCCHC4-TENT4 complex for their replication. Full article

Background and Objectives: Hepatitis A is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is transmitted via the fecal–oral route, either through the consumption of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infected individual. The incidence of HAV is closely associated with socioeconomic factors, access to clean drinking water, sanitation safety, and hygiene. This study aimed to determine HAV seroprevalence and shifting endemicities of hepatitis A virus infection. The seroprevalence and endemicity status were assessed based on the age at the midpoint of population immunity (AMPI). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional seroprevalence study was conducted in two contrasting areas (urban vs. rural) in Bandung, Indonesia. All participants underwent serological testing for anti-HAV IgG using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) and participated in questionnaire interviews. Socioeconomic status was assessed using the Water/sanitation, Assets, Maternal education, and Income (WAMI) index. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 18, with a p-value of <0.05 considered significant. Results: A total of 1280 participants were tested (640 living in urban areas; 640 living in rural areas). The total prevalence of HAV seropositivity was 50.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 47.7–53.3%), with prevalences of 46.1% (95% CI: 42.5–54.4%) across urban sites and 54.7% (95% CI: 50.7–58.6%) across rural sites. The AMPI was within the 20–24-year age group, with an age point of 22 years, classified as an intermediate HAV endemicity status. Conclusions: the study found a shift in HAV endemicity status from low to intermediate, supporting the need for large-scale national hepatitis A vaccination in Indonesia. Full article

Winch-assisted harvesting has expanded considerably in recent years as it enables ground-based machines to work safely on steep slopes. To analyze operator exposure to whole-body and hand–arm vibration (WBV, HAV) and noise exposure (LA_eq, LC_peak) during winch-assisted harvesting (TW) and harvesting without winch assistance (NTW), a field study using a Ponsse Scorpion King harvester and an Ecoforst T-winch traction winch was conducted. Vibrations were measured at three locations inside the cabin (seat, seat base/floor, control lever), while noise exposure was recorded both inside and outside the cabin. WBV exposure during work time operations was highest in the Y-direction, both on the seat (0.49–0.87 m/s²) and on the floor (0.41–0.84 m/s²). The WBV and HAV exposure levels were highest while driving on the forest and skid road. Exposure during the main productive time was significantly influenced by the harvesting system, diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree species. Noise exposure was higher, while WBV and HAV exposures on the seat, floor and control lever were lower during non-work time than during work time. The daily vibration exposure on the seat exceeded the EU action value, while LC_peak noise exposure surpassed the limit value of 140 dB(C) on all measured days. Noise and vibration exposure were constantly higher during TW than NTW harvesting but differences were small. Compared to other studies, the results show that harvesting on steep terrain increases noise and vibration exposure, while non-work time has the opposite effect on vibration and noise exposure. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) yearly causes over 150 million new infections and around 40,000 deaths. Current vaccines are based on strains that grow poorly in cell culture, leading to high production costs and limited availability. This study aimed to compare the immunogenic properties of a novel HAV vaccine candidate based on the fast-growing HM175-HP strain with those of the parental slow-growing HM175-L0 strain, which derives from the cytopathic HM175 strain, like the prototype strain used in certain existing vaccines. Methods: The humoral and cellular immune response elicited by either HM175-HP or HM175-L0 vaccines was assessed in female BALB/c mice. Results: Both HM175-HP and HM175-L0 vaccines induced comparable levels of anti-HAV IgG, as well as similar numbers of antibody-secreting cells and cellular proliferation rates in immunized mice. Importantly, anti-HAV antibodies developed by HM175-HP-immunized mice were able to neutralize the HM175-L0 strain. In addition, both vaccines induced anti-HAV IgG1 antibodies, which are associated with Th2 immune response, but the HM175-HP vaccine showed a tendency to produce a greater IgG2a response, suggesting that it might elicit a higher Th1 response, which is of utmost importance for host defense against viruses. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the fast-growing HM175-HP strain has similar immunogenic properties to the vaccine prototype-like HM175-L0, making it a promising candidate to reduce the elevated costs and time-consuming procedures of producing the current HAV vaccines. The novel HM175-HP-based vaccine would therefore facilitate mass vaccination programs and prevent vaccine shortages. Full article

In Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) target detection tasks, issues such as missing and erroneous detections frequently occur owing to the small size of the targets and the complexity of the image background. To improve these issues, an improved target detection algorithm named RLRD-YOLO, based on You Only Look Once version 8 (YOLOv8), is proposed. First, the backbone network initially integrates the Receptive Field Attention Convolution (RFCBAMConv) Module, which combines the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) and Receptive Field Attention Convolution (RFAConv). This integration improves the issue of shared attention weights in receptive field features. It also combines attention mechanisms across both channel and spatial dimensions, enhancing the capability of feature extraction. Subsequently, Large-Scale Kernel Attention (LSKA) is integrated to further optimize the Spatial Pyramid Pooling Fast (SPPF) layer. This enhancement employs a large-scale convolutional kernel to improve the capture of intricate small target features and minimize background interference. To enhance feature fusion and effectively integrate low-level details with high-level semantic information, the Reparameterized Generalized Feature Pyramid Network (RepGFPN) replaces the original architecture in the neck network. Additionally, a small-target detection layer is added to enhance the model’s ability to perceive small targets. Finally, the detecting head is replaced with the Dynamic Head, designed to improve the localization accuracy of small targets in complex scenarios by optimizing for Scale Awareness, Spatial Awareness, and Task Awareness. The experimental results showed that RLRD-YOLO outperformed YOLOv8 on the VisDrone2019 dataset, achieving improvements of 12.2% in mAP@0.5 and 8.4% in mAP@0.5:0.95. It also surpassed other widely used object detection methods. Furthermore, experimental results on the HIT-HAV dataset demonstrate that RLRD-YOLO sustains excellent precision in infrared UAV imagery, validating its generalizability across diverse scenarios. Finally, RLRD-YOLO was deployed and validated on the typical airborne platform, Jetson Nano, providing reliable technical support for the improvement of detection algorithms in aerial scenarios and their practical applications. Full article

The gallid alphaherpesvirus 3 (GaAHV3) SB-1, a Mardivirus used as a vaccine against Marek’s disease, has been proposed as an interesting viral vector for poultry vaccination. However, SB-1 is highly transmissible between chickens, a feature that may be a limitation for the use of live recombinant vaccines. We have previously shown that UL47 is essential for horizontal transmission of the pathogenic Marek’s disease virus between chickens, but it is completely dispensable for replication and pathogenesis. In contrast, the role of UL47 in the biology of SB-1 remains unknown. To study that, we generated an SB-1 mutant lacking UL47 (∆47) from a commercial SB-1 isolate. This mutant replicated and spread like the WT in primary fibroblasts, indicating no growth defects in cell culture. In vivo, chickens inoculated with ∆47 had significantly reduced viral loads in the blood and the spleen, and transport to the skin was delayed compared to WT inoculated chickens. Strikingly, the ∆47 mutant was present in 66% of contact birds. As expected, 100% of contact birds were positive for the WT. In conclusion, our findings reveal that UL47 facilitates GaAHV3 SB-1 replication in vivo, which is important for latency establishment but is not essential for horizontal transmission, unlike for MDV. Full article

(1) Background: There are many cases of human disease caused by the hepatitis A virus contamination of aquatic products, so the development of the rapid detection of hepatitis A virus in aquatic products is crucial. (2) Methods: In this study, we developed three visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification methods for the rapid and intuitive detection of hepatitis A virus in aquatic products. New specific LAMP primers were designed for the HAV-specific VP1 protein shell. (1) HNB dye was added to the LAMP reaction system. After the reaction, the color of the reaction mixture changed from violet to sky blue, showing a positive result. (2) Cresol red dye was added to the LAMP reaction system, and a positive result was indicated by orange, while a negative result was indicated by purple. (3) By labeling FIP with biotin and LF with 6-FAM, the amplified product simultaneously contained biotin and 6-FAM, which bound to the anti-biotin antibody on the gold nanoparticles on the lateral flow dipstick (LFD). Subsequently, biotin was further combined with the anti-fam antibody on the T-line of the test strip to form a positive test result. (3) Results: The three visual LAMP methods were highly specific for HAV. The sensitivity of the visual assay was 2.59 × 10⁰ copies/μL. The positive detection ratio for 155 bivalve shellfish samples was 8.39%, which was the same as that for RT-qPCR. The three visual LAMP methods established in our work have better sensitivity than the international gold standard, and their operation is simple and requires less time. (4) Conclusions: The results can be obtained by eye color comparison and lateral flow dipsticks. Without the use of large-scale instrumentation, the sensitivity is the same as that of RT-qPCR. The test strips are lightweight, small in size, and easy to carry; they are suitable for emergency detection, on-site monitoring, field sampling, or remote farms and other non-laboratory environments for rapid identification. Full article

To quantify the effect of frequency-range-specific hand–arm vibration (FRS-HAV) exposure on the risk of musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb (UMSDs), we performed an analysis among the study sample of the German Hand–Arm Vibration Study. In total, 206 cases and 609 controls were included in this analysis. Cases were new patients with UMSDs. Controls were a random sample of people with compensable occupational injuries. Standardized personal interviews were performed among cases and controls. In addition to leisure activities and comorbidities, detailed work histories were obtained from all participants. To quantify FRS-HAV exposures, a database of vibration measurements of over 700 power tools was used. This database allows detailed quantification of vibration exposure over long periods of time. A dose–response relationship between FRS-HAV exposure and UMSDs was quantified using conditional logistic regression analyses. After adjustment for relevant confounders, consistent and statistically significant exposure–response relationships were observed between cumulative vibration exposure and UMSDs. The effect of vibration exposure on the risk of UMSDs is mainly concentrated in the frequency range ≤ 50 Hz. This suggests that the current ISO frequency-weighting curve for quantifying hand–arm vibration exposure is reasonable and can be used for vibration-related risk assessment, especially for musculoskeletal disorders. Full article