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Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss (ARHL), is a multifactorial disorder characterized by a gradual, bilateral sensorineural decline in hearing sensitivity, predominantly affecting high-frequency sounds. It is one of the most common chronic conditions in the aging population and represents a major public health concern due to its high prevalence and progressive nature. Presbycusis significantly impairs speech perception, especially in noisy environments, leading to communication difficulties, reduced social participation, increased risk of social isolation, and a decline in quality of life. Moreover, growing evidence highlights a strong association between ARHL and cognitive impairment, dementia, depression, and increased frailty in older adults. The etiology of presbycusis is complex and involves the interplay between genetic predisposition and cumulative environmental and lifestyle-related factors. Genetic susceptibility influences cochlear aging, neural degeneration, and vulnerability to external insults. Non-genetic contributors include chronic noise exposure, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and dyslipidemia, ototoxic medications, smoking, and other lifestyle factors that may accelerate cochlear damage through oxidative stress and microvascular dysfunction. This narrative review aims to provide an updated overview of the genetic and environmental determinants involved in the development and progression of presbycusis. Furthermore, it discusses the clinical implications of these factors for early identification, audiological evaluation, prevention strategies, and personalized management approaches. A better understanding of the multifactorial nature of presbycusis may support the development of targeted interventions to preserve hearing function and improve overall health outcomes in the aging population. Full article

Effective and sustainable control strategies for pine wilt disease, caused by the pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), are urgently needed, as reliance on conventional chemical nematicides faces increasing limitations. In this study, a new kind of integrated approach is proposed. It pairs microbial fermentation filtrates with the green chemicals arecoline and sodium silicate. The filtrates were obtained from bacterial and fungal strains that were had isolated from Pinus massoniana rhizosphere soil. The nematicidal efficacy of individual and combined treatments was evaluated in vitro, while their ability to induce systemic resistance in P. massoniana seedlings was assessed through defense enzyme assays, malondialdehyde (MDA) content measurement, and defense-related gene expression analysis. Results identified several highly effective combinations, particularly arecoline plus CSZ33 and sodium silicate plus CSUFT-F23, which achieved over 72% control efficacy. These formulations not only showed direct toxicity but also significantly enhanced the plant’s antioxidant capacity and upregulated key defense genes. Furthermore, untargeted metabolomics linked these effects to specific bioactive metabolites in the fermentation filtrates, such as D-glutamic acid. This work demonstrates that hybrid bio-chemical formulations can successfully merge immediate pathogen suppression with long-term host resistance priming, offering a promising, sustainable strategy for the integrated management of pine wilt disease. Full article

In this paper, recent advances (2016–2026) in bacterial separation and enrichment from blood for diagnosis of bloodstream infection (BSIs) through pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are reviewed. The review centers on sample processing as an indispensable front-end of biosensor and lab-on-chip platforms, since most sensors cannot operate directly in whole blood. Efficient separation and enrichment concentrate extremely low bacterial burdens, remove blood components that interfere with detection, and deliver bacteria in a sensor-compatible format; consequently, diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, turnaround time, and robustness are strongly determined by this step. We first summarize the clinical impact of BSIs and the value of rapid AST for guiding timely, targeted therapy, emphasizing that efficient bacterial isolation from blood is a prerequisite for accurate testing. We then discuss key challenges and recent progress in bacterial separation and enrichment from blood with major approaches, including filtration, centrifugation, functionalized magnetic beads, and microfluidic technologies. These strategies serve as core building blocks that interface with downstream identification and AST methods, supporting integrated biosensors and point-of-care devices. Finally, we outline future directions of bacterial separation and enrichment approaches to improve recovery, purity, integration, standardization, and overall diagnostic performance for BSI workflows. Full article

An outbreak investigation of camelpox in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) was conducted from October 2024 to May 2025 in Borena Zone, Ethiopia, with the aims of isolating, confirming the etiology and molecular characterization of camelpox virus from outbreak cases. The study integrated clinical assessment, virus isolation using Vero cell lines, and molecular characterization using conventional PCR, real-time PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Clinically affected camels manifested typical pox-like lesions, fever and swollen lymph nodes, with a morbidity rate of 33.8% (24/71) and a case fatality rate of 4.2% (1/24). The virus was successfully isolated showing typical cytopathic effects of rounding of cells, syncytia, giant cell formation, aggregation and detachment. Conventional PCR targeting A-type inclusion protein (ATIP) gene amplified the expected 881 bp fragment with 26.3% positivity in both skin scab and nasal swab samples. Real-time PCR employing high-resolution melting curve analysis detected the viral DNA in 52.6% of samples with a melting temperature of 73.00 ± 0.20 °C for CMPV. Sequencing of the ATIP gene showed 100% nucleotide similarity with reference CMPV strains of CMPV M-96, CMPV CMS, strain 0408151v and CMPV genome (NC_003391), although a single nucleotide variation was noted when compared to the previously reported Ethiopian isolates (KU705085-KU705110) and Israeli isolates (MK910851 and MZ300856), and two nucleotide mismatches were observed with Sudanese isolates (KT931624 and KT931625). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the current isolates clustered with CMPV strains of CMPV M-96, CMPV CMS, strain 0408151v and others but were distinct from previously reported Ethiopian isolates. This study provides significant insights on early diagnosis and control strategies. Full article

Background: Chronic pain affects approximately 30% of older adults and is strongly associated with social isolation and loneliness, which impact an estimated 25% of the global older adult population. A substantial proportion of chronic pain in this population is classified as primary chronic pain (non-specific), characterized by persistent pain with no underlying disease or structural damage. Pharmacotherapy has limited efficacy in treating primary chronic pain and presents significant polypharmacy risks, highlighting a critical need for sustainable, non-pharmacologic interventions. Among these, Tai Chi has emerged as a promising multimodal therapy, it is a mind–body exercise that integrates gentle movement and focused breathing with social engagement, offering participants both physical relief and opportunities for meaningful human connection. Gentle movement for flexibility, balance, and strength, combined with deep breathing may also improve self-reported symptoms of chronic pain, in addition to inflammatory biomarkers such as CRP, IL-6 and TNFα. The purpose of this narrative review is to investigate the literature on Tai Chi as a method for promoting socialization and reducing self-rated chronic pain among community-dwelling, socially isolated older adults. Methods: Following librarian-assisted concept map development, we searched six electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, ProQuest, and PsycINFO) for studies published between January 2016 and February 2026. Search strings included terms for “older adults,” “chronic pain,” “social isolation/loneliness,” and “Tai Chi.” Two reviewers independently screened results and extracted data for relevance. Results: Of the 1098 records identified, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. Eleven studies evaluated Tai Chi or related mind–body interventions. Among these, approximately six studies reported improvements in pain-related outcomes, while five studies reported improvements in loneliness or social isolation. However, only two to three studies simultaneously evaluated both chronic pain and social isolation/loneliness outcomes within Tai Chi interventions. Overall, most studies supported Tai Chi as a safe and potentially effective intervention for older adults, with evidence suggesting benefits for both pain and social well-being. However, the limited number of studies examining combined outcomes restricts conclusions regarding the integrated effects of Tai Chi on chronic pain and social isolation. Discussion: Tai Chi is a safe, inexpensive behavioral strategy for improving social connectedness and reducing self-rated chronic pain among older adults. However, the evidence base remains fragmented, as pain and social isolation are rarely assessed together within the same trial. Future research should address this gap by considering both social isolation and chronic pain in the same study, with more standardized Tai Chi forms as the single independent variable. Full article

Urban drought pressure is increasing the operational risk and cost of maintaining municipal green infrastructure. Irrigation is still widely managed through fixed routines and fragmented information. To address this challenge, the study develops an integrated operational analysis by combining water consumption records, maintenance data and a GIS inventory for twenty municipal green spaces. System characterisation and performance screening were carried out using hourly meter readings to distinguish typical scheduled irrigation peaks from non-standard consumption patterns. To move from monitoring to control, irrigation needs were estimated using evapotranspiration (ET₀) and a garden-coefficient logic adapted to urban planting conditions and compared with measured consumption. The comparison indicates a potential reduction of 29–61% through improved scheduling and system adjustment. Based on the diagnosis, technical intervention scenarios were defined and assessed using techno-economic metrics, including ground-cover redesign and Mediterranean-adapted planting strategies. To support implementation, options were organised into intervention priorities using a multicriteria tool that balances water savings, costs and feasibility under municipal operations. Coimbra, Portugal is used as a case study, and a pilot application in a city garden, supported by 797 user surveys, clarifies practical constraints for scaling beyond isolated pilots. Turf-free scenarios indicate a 53.4% reduction in water use and a 60.5% reduction in operational costs, with a payback period below three years. The results highlight the potential of data-driven irrigation management to support more resilient, cost-effective and water-efficient municipal green infrastructure across diverse urban contexts. Full article

Assessing genetic structure is important for conserving endangered freshwater fishes inhabiting fragmented river systems. Pseudopungtungia nigra, a Korean endemic species, occurs in several isolated drainages, but its mitochondrial population structure has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we analyzed mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) sequences from 80 individuals across eight populations to examine genetic diversity, haplotype composition, and population differentiation. A total of 25 haplotypes were detected, indicating relatively high diversity at the species level. However, diversity was uneven among populations: the Mangyeonggang (MG) population contained only two haplotypes, both of which were not found in the other populations, and showed the lowest haplotype and nucleotide diversity among the sampled populations. Multiple analyses, including pairwise differentiation, haplotype network reconstruction, principal coordinates analysis, and AMOVA, consistently identified MG as the most divergent population. The mitochondrial pattern was also concordant with previously reported microsatellite-based structure, supporting a major division between MG and the remaining populations. These findings indicate that P. nigra preserves substantial diversity overall, whereas the MG population showed a restricted and population-specific cytb haplotype composition. This study provides a genetic basis for defining conservation units and for guiding restoration and management strategies in this endangered species. Full article

The microbial community plays a crucial role in plant health and sustainable agricultural development by influencing plant physiology and development. This study aimed to explore the biocontrol potential of Bacillus subtilis A9, an endophytic bacterium isolated from Morchella esculenta, against rot disease caused by Lecanicillium aphanocladii. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted on M. esculenta samples sprayed with B. subtilis A9 and a control group sprayed with LB medium. Metagenomic sequencing revealed that B. subtilis A9 significantly altered the microbial community structure and functional composition of M. esculenta, enriching genes related to biofilm formation, arginine and proline metabolism, and sulfur metabolism. Metabolomic analysis indicated significant upregulation of stress-resistant metabolites such as L-proline, ketoleucine, and pelargonic acid. Integrated multi-omics analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between the microbial community structure and the metabolomic profile, suggesting that B. subtilis A9 may be related to the disease-resistance response in the M. esculenta microecosystem. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the biological control of M. esculenta rot disease and support the development of green biocontrol strategies. Full article

Cervical dystonia (CD) is increasingly recognized as a disorder with a dynamic clinical course rather than a fixed phenomenological profile. This report describes the long-term observation of a man with isolated CD followed for nearly 12 years from symptom onset. The course was characterized by multiple pattern changes, including a clear shift from left- to right-sided torticollis in 2019, followed by alternating and mixed dystonic patterns. Three remission phases were documented during follow-up: two prolonged periods in 2017–2018 and 2020–2021, and a further phase from March to November 2022. Over time, treatment requirements decreased from higher initial doses (500–700 U abobotulinumtoxinA and up to 130 U onabotulinumtoxinA) to lower maintenance doses of 30–50 U incobotulinumtoxinA/onabotulinumtoxinA, with longer injection intervals and no obvious documented need for dose adjustment to maintain clinical responsiveness. This case highlights the coexistence of pattern changes and recurrent remissions within a single continuously followed patient over an unusually long period. Although a treatment-related mechanism remains speculative and alternative explanations cannot be excluded, the observation underscores the value of prolonged follow-up and individualized treatment strategies in CD. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the current epidemiology and genetic evolution of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) on cattle farms in Gansu Province, China, between 2021 and 2025. A total of 749 samples from 62 farms across 14 cities and prefectures in Gansu were tested. The overall BVDV positivity rate was 19.89%, determined by amplification of the 5′-UTR and N^pro regions. Seven subtypes were identified: BVDV-1a, -1b, -1d, -1m, -1v, -1u, and -2a. BVDV-1u was the predominant subtype (59.06%), followed by BVDV-1v (13.42%). The greatest subtype diversity was observed in Jinchang City and Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. A non-cytopathic BVDV-1v strain, designated YC-2025-Gansu2 (GenBank accession no. PV945812.1), was isolated. This study expands the BVDV subtype database for Gansu and supports the development of subtype-specific prevention strategies in the region. Full article

Integrating complementary attention mechanisms into standard Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) is a promising strategy for improving feature discrimination without substantial computational overhead. This paper presents a controlled empirical study of a hybrid attention module that combines Squeeze-and-Excitation Networks (SENet) and the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) through an adaptive element-wise summation with a learnable weighting parameter $\alpha$ and a residual connection. This work contributes a systematic and statistically rigorous evaluation of attention fusion across four CNN backbones (ResNet18, VGG16, AlexNet, and SqueezeNet) on the CIFAR-10 benchmark at $32\times 32$ resolution. All models were trained from scratch under a deliberately conservative protocol (50 epochs, no pretrained weights, standard augmentation) to isolate the incremental effect of attention mechanisms under controlled conditions. Under this protocol, the hybrid SENet+CBAM configuration achieves statistically significant accuracy improvements over the corresponding baselines ($p<0.001$, 5-fold cross-validation): ResNet18 improves from 77.93% to 90.71% (+12.78%), VGG16 from 55.78% to 70.17% (+14.39%), AlexNet from 62.67% to 71.82% (+9.15%), and SqueezeNet from 71.91% to 78.29% (+6.38%). These gains must be interpreted within the scope of this controlled setting. Absolute accuracy values are below fully optimized literature benchmarks. For VGG16 in particular, part of the improvement likely reflects correction of underfitting under the conservative protocol, not the full potential of the hybrid mechanism. Parameter overhead remains modest at 1.5–5.8%, and training convergence improves by 16.5% on average. The hybrid approach outperforms the best previously reported SENet+CBAM result for each architecture by an average of 2.32%. Grad-CAM visualizations and attention entropy analysis provide qualitative evidence of more concentrated spatial attention patterns under the hybrid configuration. These should be understood as proxy indicators rather than rigorous interpretability measures. Validation on higher-resolution benchmarks such as CIFAR-100, STL-10, and ImageNet subsets is a necessary next step before broader applicability can be claimed. Full article

Brachial plexus injuries are challenging conditions. Over the past decades, nerve transfer surgery has progressively evolved from proximal nerve reconstruction toward selective distal neurotization strategies, considerably expanding the possibilities for functional restoration. As the number of described donor–recipient combinations has increased, the literature has become increasingly fragmented, often focusing on isolated techniques or specific functional targets. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art overview of currently available motor nerve transfer strategies for upper-limb reinnervation in BPI. A literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines using PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Studies concerning motor nerve transfers for upper-limb reconstruction were systematically reviewed and categorized according to recipient nerve and functional target, including shoulder function, scapular stabilization, elbow flexion and extension, wrist and finger extension, wrist and finger flexion, intrinsic hand function, and extraplexal donor nerve reconstruction. A total of 250 studies met the inclusion criteria. Both intraplexal and extraplexal donor strategies were identified for most reconstructive targets. Intraplexal distal nerve transfers currently represent the preferred approach whenever feasible because of shorter reinnervation distances and more predictable outcomes. Extraplexal donors, including the spinal accessory, intercostal, contralateral C7, and phrenic nerves, remain essential in complete BPIs and root avulsion injuries. Despite substantial advances, restoration of intrinsic hand function and reliable distal reinnervation remain major reconstructive challenges. Motor nerve transfers represent an increasingly versatile and function-oriented reconstructive strategy that should be tailored to the individual injury pattern, available donor nerves, and functional priorities. Full article

Environmental biofilms are persistent structural components of livestock production systems and represent under-recognized drivers of pathogen persistence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This review examines the engineering, ecological, and operational factors that promote biofilm formation in dairy, poultry, and swine environments, with emphasis on drinking water distribution systems, feeding infrastructure, housing surfaces, and waste channels. Biofilms develop preferentially in low-shear zones, dead ends, and aging materials, where they enhance microbial tolerance to sanitation and facilitate horizontal gene transfer. Conventional monitoring approaches, largely based on planktonic sampling and single-time-point testing, underestimate attached biomass and fail to capture spatial heterogeneity. Although molecular and sensor-based technologies provide improved resolution, their farm-level implementation remains limited by cost, standardization challenges, and the absence of validated operational thresholds. Current EU surveillance frameworks focus primarily on antimicrobial use and resistance prevalence in animal isolates, while environmental compartments are rarely incorporated as monitored system elements. This review proposes a proportionate, risk-based approach that integrates existing farm data streams such as antimicrobial use metrics and biosecurity scoring systems with targeted environmental assessment of high-risk infrastructure. Mitigation strategies emphasize mechanical disruption, combined chemical sanitation, hydraulic optimization, material selection, and infrastructure lifecycle management. Embedding environmental biofilm control within existing engineering and stewardship frameworks supports more resilient, systems-based management of infectious and AMR risks in livestock production. Full article

Background/Objectives: In Italy, the ongoing reform of primary healthcare (Ministerial Decree 77/2022) requires Health Districts to shift towards proactive, need-based resource allocation. Despite evidence of their role in shaping citizens’ health, socioeconomic deprivation indices remain rarely integrated into territorial planning frameworks. This study develops and validates a population-weighted analytical model linking area-level socioeconomic deprivation, territorial accessibility, and all-cause mortality across the entire Italian territory, with the aim of supporting evidence-based planning. Methods: All 7899 Italian municipalities were aggregated into 1175 territorial units defined by Health District boundaries and SNAI (National Strategy for Inner Areas) classification. A population-weighted multivariable OLS regression model was used to examine the association between socioeconomic indicators (educational deprivation, employment, household isolation) and the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) for 2023–2024. Results: The model explained 72.5% of the variance in SMR across territorial units (adjusted R² = 0.719; F = 116.5; p < 0.0001). Region of residence emerged as the dominant predictor. Educational deprivation showed the strongest positive association with mortality. While employment-related deprivation was inversely associated with SMR, household isolation showed a positive independent association with mortality. Residual mapping identified spatial clusters of excess mortality unexplained by socioeconomic factors, pointing to unmeasured determinants including environmental exposures and healthcare quality differentials Conclusions: Our model provides a replicable, evidence-based framework for identifying territorial vulnerability and prioritising healthcare resources at the Health District level. By benchmarking observed mortality against socioeconomic predictions, it enables planners to distinguish structurally driven excess mortality from potentially amenable mortality, supporting proactive, equity-oriented planning consistent with the objectives of Ministerial Decree 77/2022. Full article

Accurate characterization of coherent vortex structures in high-speed turbulent boundary layers presents a persistent challenge due to the flow’s high dimensionality and nonlinear dynamics. This study investigates an optimized decomposition framework that integrates modal decomposition techniques with a novel vortex identification strategy to extract dynamically significant features. The numerical solution from a previously conducted high-fidelity simulation of MVG-controlled supersonic flow serves as the testbed. Principal Component Decomposition and Non-negative Matrix Factorization are applied across multiple flow variables to evaluate their effectiveness in isolating coherent structures. The results show that, across the velocity-based cases, 3–4 modes capture 70% of the TKE with MSE about 0.1, while the Liutex case requires 14 modes but achieves a lower MSE of about 0.04. Overall, using the same number of modes yields similar reconstruction performance across all cases. The influence of various normalization and rescaling methods on decomposition performance is also examined. Optimization is guided by two primary criteria: the interpretability of spatial modes and MSE in reconstructing vortex structures. By employing low-rank matrix representations, this optimization study aims to enhance interpretability and reduce computational costs. This approach establishes a mathematically rigorous and efficient platform for analyzing vortex dynamics, achieving significant dimensionality reduction while preserving key features of turbulent transport. Full article