Search Results (3,163)

Bats are crucial reservoirs for coronaviruses, yet surveillance in the southeastern United States remains limited. Using carcasses submitted from public health surveillance for rabies, we screened 170 non-rabid bat carcasses from Alabama using a tiered real-time PCR framework targeting broad Alpha- and Betacoronavirus, alongside specific Sarbecovirus and Merbecovirus lineages. Overall, coronavirus prevalence was 3.5% (6/170), with all positives resolving as Alphacoronavirus. Detections spanned six counties and three bat taxa: Tadarida brasiliensis, Myotis spp., and Eptesicus fuscus, with the latter accounting for most cases (4/6; 66.7%). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed two distinct evolutionary lineages. One isolate, ID-51 (E. fuscus), exhibited relative conservation, sharing 95.3% nucleotide and 93.0% amino acid identity with known references, forming a distinct sibling branch. Conversely, a highly divergent cluster of five isolates (ID-06, -145, -147, -169, -175) displayed remarkably low nucleotide similarities (83.7%–84.3%) to GenBank references despite maintaining high amino acid conservation (98.3%–100%). Topological shifts between nucleotide and amino acid phylogenies demonstrated genetic variation within this novel cluster. These findings underscore a previously uncharacterized genetic diversity of coronaviruses in regional US wildlife, highlighting the necessity of expanded local genomic surveillance. Full article

Hin Dad hot spring is a prominent natural geothermal facility in Thailand, widely frequented by domestic and international tourists seeking hydrotherapy. According to UNSCEAR, radon (²²²Rn), thoron (²²⁰Rn), and their short-lived decay products represent the primary sources of natural ionizing radiation exposure to humans. Geothermal waters inherently carry elevated levels of these radionuclides, potentially exposing visitors and facility staff to radiological hazards. This study evaluated ²²²Rn concentrations in water samples alongside ambient air concentrations of ²²²Rn, ²²⁰Rn, and their respective progeny within the Hin Dad hot spring area. The average ²²²Rn levels in water across six sampling sites ranged from 3 ± 1 to 24 ± 1 Bq L⁻¹, remaining well below the World Health Organization (WHO) screening level for ²²²Rn in water (100 Bq L⁻¹). Ambient air monitoring was conducted using both active and passive techniques. Active measurements via an AlphaGuard detector at three designated points yielded average ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn concentrations ranging from 12 to 41 Bq m⁻³ and 23 to 38 Bq m⁻³, respectively. As expected from the partitioning behavior of radon between water and air, atmospheric concentrations were markedly lower than the corresponding aqueous ²²²Rn concentrations. Furthermore, long-term passive monitoring over 103 days using RADUET detectors revealed maximum time-integrated average concentrations of 66 ± 1 Bq m⁻³ for ²²²Rn and 47 ± 4 Bq m⁻³ for ²²⁰Rn. All atmospheric concentrations complied with the reference levels established by both the WHO and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) (100–300 Bq m⁻³); as this range is defined for indoor environments, it is applied here only as a conservative benchmark for the open and semi-outdoor monitoring stations. Regarding progeny exposure, the maximum Equilibrium Equivalent ²²²Rn Concentration (EERC) and Equilibrium Equivalent ²²⁰Rn Concentration (EETC) were determined to be 21.0 ± 2.5 Bq m⁻³ and 2.7 ± 0.3 Bq m⁻³, respectively. The measured concentrations and estimated doses indicate a low radiological concern under the conditions investigated, though the assessment is based on two seasonal sampling rounds and does not include personal dosimetry or wet-season monitoring. Full article

Salmonellosis is a significant zoonotic and foodborne disease caused by Salmonella. As a primary reservoir, poultry infections can result in decreased survival rates, diminished production performance and contamination of poultry products, thereby posing a serious threat to the sustainable development of poultry farming and human health. In this study, a total of 979 samples were collected from a laying hen production chain, and 84 Salmonella strains were isolated, with an isolation rate of 8.58% (84/979). Among these, 54 isolates (11.2%) were from commercial house samples, followed by nine isolates (10.8%) from market samples, 10 isolates (5.88%) from hatchery samples, and 11 isolates (4.55%) from breeder house samples. Six different serotypes were identified, with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) being the predominant serotype (41.7%), followed by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) (22.6%) and Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis (S. Infantis) (21.4%). The S. Enteritidis was distributed in various production stages in the laying hen production chain. Among the 16 antibiotics tested, 30 selected strains exhibited 100% resistance to nalidixic acid (NAL) and ciprofloxacin (CIP), attributed to mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of the gyrA gene. Following this, the resistance rates for ampicillin (AMP), amoxicillin–clavulanate (AMC), and streptomycin (STR) were 56.7%. Antimicrobial resistance genotypes were consistent with the drug resistance phenotype. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) phylogenetic analysis based on core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) revealed that Salmonella can spread across various stages of the laying hen production chain, posing a potential threat to human health. Furthermore, 165 virulence-associated genes were identified among the investigated isolates, indicating a highly conserved virulence repertoire. This study investigates the prevalence of Salmonella within a laying hen production chain, providing a scientific foundation for the effective prevention and control of Salmonella infection. Full article

The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIVs) poses significant threats to global public health and the poultry economy. Rapid detection methods targeting the hemagglutinin (HA) protein have become increasingly unreliable due to ongoing antigenic drift and genetic mutations. In this study, we screened two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the highly conserved neuraminidase (NA) protein, which were characterized by high affinity and specificity for the N9 subtype. Using the paired mAbs 12A2 and 12F12, an NA-targeting lateral flow immunoassay (NA-LFIA) was developed for the rapid detection of N9 subtype AIVs. The NA-LFIA demonstrated exceptional specificity, exhibiting no cross-reactivity with the N1, N2, or N6 subtypes. The limits of detection (LODs) were established at 10^3.3 TCID₅₀/0.1 mL for the virus and 98 ng/mL for the recombinant NA protein. The test strips exhibited excellent reproductivity for detecting the NA antigen, with intra-assay and inter-assay variations of 5.32% and 6.05%, respectively. Stability testing confirmed a six-month shelf life without any loss of sensitivity. These finds indicate that the NA-LFIA is a robust, rapid point-of-care testing (POCT) tool for the early detection of N9 subtype AIV infection. Full article

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is increasingly used to support the delivery of green building projects and optimize their sustainability performance. However, limited research has examined how individual BIM capabilities are associated with different dimensions of green building performance during the construction phase. This study investigates the relationships between BIM capability implementation and green building performance in China’s construction industry through a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 306 professionals with experience in BIM-enabled green building projects. The collected data were analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) and multiple linear regression analysis. The RII results indicate that all twelve identified BIM capabilities were generally perceived as important for improving the five dimensions of green building performance, namely, safety and durability, health and comfort, occupant convenience, resource conservation, and environmental livability. The regression analysis further suggests that different BIM capabilities are associated with different dimensions of green building performance. Visualization, environmental simulation, and safety management capabilities were more strongly associated with safety and comfort-related outcomes, while environmental assessment and impact simulation capabilities showed closer relationships with resource conservation. Data management and construction site layout planning were found to be particularly relevant to environmental livability. These findings indicate that BIM supports green building performance through multiple complementary capabilities rather than through a single function. Overall, the findings provide evidence of the relationships between BIM capability implementation and perceived green building performance during construction. This study provides practical guidance for prioritizing BIM capabilities based on different sustainable development goals and helps to foster a more detailed understanding of BIM-enabled green building construction in China. Full article

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are associated with musculoskeletal pain affecting the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a therapeutic modality with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and biostimulatory effects. Protocol and laser parameter settings for TMD management have not yet been established. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in reducing pain in TMD patients. Methods: Sixty-three participants treated at the Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, were sorted to the LLLT group and the control splint-medication group (SMG), which received occlusal splint therapy, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment (NSAID; Ibuprofen). Results: Both therapeutic approaches resulted in significant pain reduction and improvement in patients’ quality of life. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups, LLLT patients demonstrated a higher rate of successful treatment outcomes, reduction in pain intensity during the treatment. Conclusion: The applied LLLT was associated with significant reduction in pain intensity and improvement in oral health-related quality of life in patients with TMD. Although no statistically significant differences between the groups were demonstrated at the individual post-treatment assessment points, these findings support LLLT as a potentially useful non-invasive conservative treatment option. Full article

Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster), or fruit flies, are a commonly used model organism in the study of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Their short lifespan, low cost, genetic tractability, and conserved signaling and developmental pathways make them ideal for studying NDs and associated biochemical pathways. Further, flies offer the advantage of high-throughput exploratory drug and genetic screening without stringent ethical constraints. Therefore, D. melanogaster serves as an ideal organism for preliminary drug screening before transitioning to toxicity and efficacy studies in vertebrate models. Following the recent plan by the United States FDA (US FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to progressively phase out preclinical drug testing in vertebrate animals and introduce New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), D. melanogaster has the potential to become part of the conventional drug testing pipeline in the future. This literature review focuses on the use of D. melanogaster models as a powerful, low-cost model organism to study superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)- and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43)-linked Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), as well as previous efforts to screen drugs in SOD1- and TDP-43-expressing Drosophila models. Full article

Agricultural subsidy policies have increasingly shifted from production-oriented support toward incentives that reward environmental stewardship and the provision of ecosystem services. Despite their rapid expansion, evidence regarding the environmental effectiveness, economic efficiency, market implications, and food-security consequences of these eco-centric agricultural subsidies remains fragmented across policy frameworks and regions. This review synthesizes current evidence on eco-centric agricultural subsidies by comparatively evaluating their environmental, economic, and policy outcomes across developed and developing economies. The review was conducted using a structured literature search following PRISMA-informed review procedures, drawing upon peer-reviewed articles, systematic reviews, policy evaluations, and international institutional reports retrieved from major scientific databases and policy sources. The evidence indicates that eco-centric subsidies generally improve biodiversity conservation, soil health, carbon sequestration, water quality, and reductions in chemical inputs when payments are appropriately targeted and supported by effective monitoring and institutional capacity. Performance-based and results-oriented payment schemes frequently demonstrate greater environmental additionality and cost-effectiveness than conventional practice-based payments; however, their broader implementation remains constrained by monitoring costs, verification requirements, administrative complexity, and regional institutional capacity. Economic outcomes are more heterogeneous, with benefits depending on program design, agroecological conditions, market structures, and farm characteristics. While these subsidies can enhance environmental returns on public investment, challenges including land-value capitalization, unequal benefit distribution, transaction costs, market distortions, and potential short-term productivity trade-offs remain important policy concerns. Evidence regarding food-security impacts is similarly context-dependent and varies across production systems and geographical regions. Overall, the review demonstrates that no single subsidy instrument is universally effective. Instead, the greatest environmental and economic benefits are achieved through integrated policy portfolios combining targeted incentives, outcome-based payments, robust monitoring systems, digital technologies, carbon-market integration, and equitable program design. The review also identifies important evidence gaps concerning developing-country experiences, long-term cost-effectiveness, and standardized evaluation frameworks, providing priorities for future research and policy development. Full article

Introduction: The development of bivalent mucosal vaccines capable of providing protection against both influenza and SARS-CoV-2 is a major public health focus. While most COVID-19 vaccines target the spike (S) protein, the highly conserved nucleocapsid (N) protein represents a strategic target for cross-reactive, cell-mediated immunity. This study evaluates Corfluvec, an intranasal vaccine candidate based on an attenuated NS1-truncated influenza vector expressing a fragment of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein. Methods: Protective efficacy, including viral load and pathomorphological changes in the lungs and vessels, was evaluated in Syrian hamsters challenged with high and low doses of SARS-CoV-2 (lineage B.1.1). Cross-protective efficacy against homologous and heterologous influenza A strains (H1N1pdm09, H3N2, and A/PR/8/1934) was tested in a lethal murine model. Additionally, immunogenicity of Corfluvec applied via human-compatible delivery device was tested in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Results: In Syrian hamsters, vaccination significantly reduced viral loads in the lungs and nasal turbinates. Histopathological analysis revealed a preservation of lung vascular integrity: vaccinated animals showed stable CD31 expression and controlled Ki-67 proliferative activity, accompanied by a marked reduction in vasculitis and perivascular edema compared to placebo controls. In mice, the vaccine provided 100% protection against homologous and heterologous influenza virus challenges. In macaques, the two-dose intranasal immunization was well-tolerated and induced significant systemic IgG and mucosal sIgA responses, alongside robust N-specific IFNγ+ T-cell activation. Conclusions: Corfluvec is a promising bivalent vaccine candidate that provides dual protection against influenza and COVID-19. Its ability to limit viral shedding from the upper respiratory tract and to mitigate SARS-CoV-2-induced pulmonary pathology, contributing to the preservation of lung vascular integrity, underscores the utility of mucosal immunization with Corfluvec as a valuable intranasal complement to current systemic vaccination strategies. Full article

The Ponto-Danubian Basin Acipenseridae family includes species of fish with high economic value, as well as some of the most vulnerable taxonomic groups in terms of biodiversity conservation worldwide. Viral diseases have been documented considerably less frequently than bacterial and parasitic diseases. However, the European sturgeon iridovirus (AcIV-E) and herpes viruses have recently emerged as epizootic pathogens, raising concerns about their potential impact on sturgeon populations in the Black Sea basin. Bacterial pathogens were the main cause of the diseases reported in the reviewed literature. Many of these pathogens belonged to the Genera Aeromonas, Vibrio, Pseudomonas, and Citrobacter. These pathogens were particularly implicated in the etiology of septicemic and hemorrhagic symptoms, which significantly impacted the mortality of affected populations. Ecto- and endoparasitic infestations were primarily caused by protozoa, monogeneans, trematodes, and nematodes, resulting in tissue lesions of varying severity, depending on the parasite and the host’s immune status. Temporal analysis revealed a significant increase in reports of bacterial diseases after 2000, coinciding with the growth of sturgeon aquaculture in Turkey and Romania. Outbreaks of disease exhibited pronounced geographical clustering in the northwestern Black Sea Region and the Danube River. These areas are characterized by intensive aquaculture activity and ecological vulnerability. These findings highlight the importance of coordinated regional surveillance, wider adoption of molecular diagnostics, and incorporation of health management strategies into conservation planning for Acipenseridae populations in the Black Sea Region. Full article

Recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved into the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) through its combination with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and has become capable of providing intelligent services in all industrial sectors. Globally, energy consumption within buildings is continuously increasing alongside the advancement of IT and AI technologies. Since this increase is attributed to various causes—ranging from large-scale climate change to small-scale indoor environmental factors (air quality) and health factors—research aimed at reducing indoor energy consumption is actively underway. In particular, in the home environment where people spend a significant portion of their day, maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) is critical for health, and energy conservation in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is essential. In Korea, the number of single-person households is increasing and was expected to reach 36.1% of all households by 2024, leading people to live in increasingly smaller homes. This study aimed to verify residents using contactless facial recognition to prevent pandemics such as COVID-19 and to provide comfortable indoor air quality. Resident facial recognition was performed by identifying residents’ faces in images captured by the Pi camera using OpenCV’s Haar feature-based cascade classifier. Indoor air quality measurements were conducted in four indoor locations, measuring various environmental factors (PM_2.5, CO₂, etc.) based on environmental sensors and the IoT. Furthermore, to manage indoor air quality, AI was utilized based on the measurement data to classify the four spaces, with a success rate of 96%. Additionally, considering the indoor area of the experimental environment (97 m²), it was confirmed that operating a 70 W air purifier only when the resident is indoors can reduce power consumption by approximately 33–75% compared to running it 24 h a day. Full article

The accumulation of sediment in rivers and lakes can elevate riverbeds, leading to a reduction in river channel flood-carrying capacity, impairment of water conservancy project benefits, and destruction of aquatic ecosystems. Systematic dredging projects are required in the routine maintenance of river channels to ensure flood control safety and ecological health. This study utilized a successfully constructed efficient composite engineering bacterial strain system to conduct field pilot-scale validation in a closed river environment with a water volume of 10,000 cubic meters. Various indicators such as sediment thickness, organic matter, COD (chemical oxygen demand), total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were measured, along with metagenomic analysis, to explore the application effectiveness and feasibility of microbial composite strain technology in river sediment remediation. The results demonstrated that the composite strain technology effectively reduced the thickness and pollutant content of river sediment. The average sediment thickness significantly decreased from 32 cm to 22 cm, with a 10 cm thick mineralized layer forming within two weeks. The reductions in organic matter content, COD content, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus content reached 60.03%, 47.73%, 37.36%, and 29.16%, respectively. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the biodiversity of the treated river channel was higher than that of parallel and control channels at both the phylum and genus levels. The experimental results are useful for optimizing river sediment remediation. Full article

Orthopoxviruses are zoonotic DNA viruses of continuing public health importance, as highlighted by recent global mpox outbreaks. The high antigenic similarity among orthopoxviruses enables cross-reactive immune responses but complicates the development of serological diagnostic systems for serosurveillance, assessment of previous exposure, evaluation of vaccine-induced immunity, and species differentiation. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the structure, biological functions, and diagnostic and vaccine potential of major orthopoxvirus recombinant antigens. Particular attention is given to the genomic organization of Orthopoxvirus, differences between intracellular mature virion (IMV) and extracellular enveloped virion (EV) forms, and the characteristics of key antigens, including A29, M1, H3, A35, and B6. Comparative phylogenetic analyses demonstrated a high degree of conservation among structurally important orthopoxvirus proteins while also identifying variable regions potentially relevant for differential diagnostics. Available evidence indicates that IMV-associated proteins are primarily involved in virus neutralization, whereas EV-associated antigens contribute mainly to limiting viral dissemination. Consequently, multicomponent antigen strategies combining IMV- and EV-associated proteins appear to provide the greatest potential for the development of effective serological assays and next-generation subunit vaccines. Overall, rational antigen selection should be based on integrated evaluation of structural, functional, and immunological properties to optimize orthopoxvirus diagnostic and vaccine platforms. Full article

Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) growing in mountain forests is a sensitive indicator of environmental change, but its growth response may be strongly modified by local site conditions, which is important for sustainable forest management under climate change. This study examined two spruce populations in the upper montane zone of the Śnieżnik Massif, Eastern Sudetes, southwestern Poland: one growing on a raised bog (Sadzonki—TS) and the other on mineral soil (Owczarnia—OW). Tree-ring width (TRW) chronologies were developed from 59 sampled trees represented by increment cores and stem discs, covering 1781–2023 for TS and 1800–2023 for OW. Annual δ¹³C analysis was performed for a selected TS tree, and decadal wood geochemistry was analyzed for a selected disc. Spruces growing on the raised bog showed tree-ring widths that were less than half those of trees growing on mineral soil. TRW was mainly controlled by summer or spring–summer temperature, while precipitation had a stronger positive effect at the mineral-soil site. δ¹³C showed weak relationships with TRW but negative correlations with mean annual and summer temperature. Elevated concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb occurred mainly in 1941–1950 and 1971–1980, indicating the influence of historical air pollution. The contrasting growth trends and health status of the two populations demonstrate that local habitat conditions strongly shape spruce responses to environmental change and should be considered in sustainable mountain forest conservation and adaptation strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Breast cancer treatments, including adjuvant radiotherapy, significantly improve survival but are associated with cancer-related fatigue (CRF), a debilitating symptom that severely impacts quality of life. Previous studies often evaluate fatigue by combining radiotherapy with systemic therapies, confounding its independent association. This study aims to isolate the specific relation between exclusive radiotherapy and the longitudinal progression of fatigue in surgically treated breast cancer patients. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted in a cohort of 70 women with breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving surgery and subsequent adjuvant radiotherapy. Cancer-related fatigue levels were evaluated across behavioral, affective, sensory, and cognitive dimensions using the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised (PFS-R), while global health status and quality of life (QoL) were measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, both before and after radiotherapy. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects models. Results: Following radiotherapy, a marked and statistically significant increase was observed in total fatigue (1.61 ± 1.16 vs. 5.37 ± 2.76; p < 0.001) and across all specific domains (p < 0.001), accompanied by a decline in global health status (82.6 ± 20.2 to 60.1 ± 29.2). Assessment time (pre- vs. post-RT) was identified as the factor most strongly associated with an increase in fatigue. However, better baseline global health status significantly attenuated the increase in total, behavioral, affective, and sensory fatigue (time × QoL interaction, p < 0.001). Furthermore, higher physical activity levels were significantly associated with lower behavioral fatigue (p = 0.042) and showed a protective trend for sensory (p = 0.055) and total fatigue (p = 0.092). Conclusions: Radiotherapy is strongly associated with a significant increase in cancer-related fatigue scores across all dimensions. Better baseline quality of life acts as a protective factor that is associated with attenuated fatigue progression, while regular physical activity correlates with a mitigated impact, particularly within the behavioral domain, although it did not reach statistical significance across all fatigue dimensions. These findings highlight the critical need for routine clinical monitoring of fatigue and strongly support the implementation of structured, exercise-based interventions during adjuvant treatment. Full article