Search Results (7,138)

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) represents a major public health threat, particularly in the prisons of Latin America and the Caribbean, where rates are up to 40 times higher than those observed in the general population. These facilities act as community amplifiers due to overcrowding, poor ventilation, diagnostic delays, and treatment discontinuity. This study offers a critical reflection on the magnitude, determinants, and implications of DR-TB in regional penitentiary contexts. A reflective analytical review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and LILACS, complemented by WHO and PAHO reports, prioritising studies from 2019 to 2024. The findings reveal MDR-TB and pre-extensively drug-resistant (pre-XDR) outbreaks in Peru, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic, as well as community transmission linked to prisons in Brazil and Colombia. Persistent gaps remain in systematic screening, drug susceptibility testing coverage, and post-release follow-up. Scientific production continues to be uneven and predominantly biomedical, with limited consideration of social and human rights determinants. DR-TB in prisons reflects the structural deficiencies of health and justice systems; its control requires intersectoral policies, genomic surveillance, and strategies that ensure early diagnosis, treatment continuity, and dignified detention conditions. Full article

Objectives: Peduncle length (PL) is a critical agronomic trait in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], influencing mechanical harvesting efficiency. Exploration of the PL genetic mechanism and the PL major genes of sorghum can provide a reference for breeding of sorghum suitable for mechanization and PL genetic research of other graminaceous crops. Methods: Here, we conducted genetic analysis, transcriptome analysis, and candidate major gene screening of PL using long-peduncle (KY133B) and short-peduncle (KY123B) parents, as well as their constructed F2 segregated populations. Results: Genetic analysis revealed that PL trait may be controlled by two major genes with additive-dominant effects, showing a heritability of 69.638%. At the early stage of sorghum peduncle elongation, the young panicle of the parents was sampled and performed transcriptome analysis. DEGs 3603 genes were obtained. With the short peduncle parent (F) as the control, 2204 upregulated genes and 1399 downregulated genes were expressed in the long peduncle parent (M). We compared the 1161 genes obtained by BSA-seq from the laboratory in the early stage with the DEGs obtained by RNA-seq, and obtained 148 co-localized genes. Through the high DEGs screening criteria (|Log₂FC(M/F)| ≥ 5, p < 0.0001), we further identified 36 genes with highly significant expression differences between parents. Functional annotation identified four candidate major genes strongly associated with PL: LOC8056900 (MIZU-KUSSEI 1), LOC8065075 (ethylene-responsive transcription factor WIN1), LOC8083493 (GDSL esterase/lipase), and LOC8085367 (auxin-responsive protein IAA21). qPCR validated their expression trends, corroborating RNA-seq results. Conclusions: The comprehensive information presented here provides a reference for understanding the PL mechanism of sorghum and provides some important candidate major genes related to PL. This study laid the foundation for subsequent gene functional verification and mechanism analysis of sorghum peduncle length major genes. Full article

Infertility is a prevalent clinical issue which disrupts normal human life and exerts an impact on fertility rates within the population. The increase in environmental pollutants, including acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), has given rise to concerns regarding their potential toxicity in infertility-related disorders. Icariin exhibits therapeutic effects on infertility, yet its mechanism of action against plasticiser-induced reproductive disorders remains unclear. This study aims to elucidate the potential toxicological targets and molecular mechanisms of ATBC-induced infertility, as well as the therapeutic targets and mechanisms of icariin in treating ATBC-induced reproductive disorders, through network toxicology, molecular-docking techniques and molecular dynamics simulation. Utilising the component-target database SwissTargetPrediction, the Similarity Ensemble Approach, PharmMapper, the ChEMBL database, and disease databases including the Therapeutic Target Database, OMIM, GeneCards, and DrugBank, 63 targets for ATBC-induced infertility and 33 targets for icariin treatment were identified. Screening via the STRING platform and Cytoscape 3.10.1 software yielded four core targets for ATBC-induced infertility—HSP90AA1, PIK3CA, CASP3, HRAS—and four core targets for icariin treatment—IL6, TNF, STAT3, and INS. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that ATBC-induced infertility correlates with pathways including pathways in cancer, prostate cancer, and PI3K-Akt signalling pathways. Conversely, the core targets of icariin therapy for related reproductive disorders are closely associated with tumour-associated signalling pathways and the AGE-RAGE signalling pathway. Molecular-docking and molecular dynamics simulation further confirmed the strong binding interactions between ATBC and infertility-related targets, as well as between icariin and core targets for treating reproductive disorders. This provides a theoretical foundation for understanding ATBC’s toxicological targets and the complex molecular mechanisms underpinning icariin’s treatment of infertility. It informs the development of strategies for icariin to prevent and treat infertility caused by exposure to ATBC-containing plastics or excessive ATBC contact. Full article

To comprehend the current state and future of newborn screening (NBS), it is essential to understand its history. Over the past six decades, this well-established and exemplary population-based screening program has been guided by screening principles dating back more than half a century. Advances in laboratory and point-of-care testing, diagnostic methods, and a surge of available treatments and even cures have made it challenging to balance screening criteria that have not kept pace with the current landscape. The availability to screen as well as the demand from parents and stakeholders to screen for more and increasingly complex conditions while limiting the retention of NBS specimens and genetic material has been both exciting and challenging. This paper shares the history of NBS in the United States, followed by the development and integration of genomic sequencing as a complement to current practice. It explores evidence supporting the concomitant use of biomarker- and DNA-sequencing-based approaches for NBS, how disorders are selected for inclusion, and available treatments, and offers recommendations regarding what to consider and how to proceed in this ever-changing NBS landscape. Full article

Background: Hepatitis B and C remain a major public health challenge in Greece, particularly amid demographic shifts, migration, and evolving socioeconomic conditions. Updated epidemiological data are essential to guide public health planning and prevention strategies. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted among adults (n = 36,085) attending the General Hospital of Nikaia “Agios Panteleimon”, Piraeus, Greece, from 2018 to 2024. Participants consisted of inpatients and outpatients, including recognized high-risk groups. Serological markers assessed current hepatitis B infection (HBsAg) and past or recent hepatitis C exposure (anti-HCV). Associations were examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, reporting adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Overall prevalence was 4.65% for HBsAg (n = 1677) and 6.6% for anti-HCV (n = 2378). Females had significantly lower odds compared to males for both markers (HBsAg aOR = 0.24, anti-HCV aOR = 0.77, both p < 0.001). Anti-HCV prevalence declined with age, with the ≥70 group showing the lowest odds (aOR = 0.24, p < 0.001). For HBsAg, older age groups also showed reduced odds, particularly ages 60–69 (aOR = 0.49, p < 0.001) and ≥70 (aOR = 0.75, p = 0.005). Compared to Attica region, most regions had significantly lower odds of both infections, including Thrace (HBsAg aOR = 0.08; anti-HCV aOR = 0.32, both p < 0.001), Crete (HBsAg aOR = 0.13; anti-HCV aOR = 0.35, both p < 0.001), and Macedonia (HBsAg aOR = 0.37; anti-HCV aOR = 0.64, both p < 0.001). Compared to 2018, the odds were markedly higher in 2023 and peaked in 2024 for both infections (anti-HCV aOR = 1.78; HBsAg aOR = 3.10, both p < 0.001 for 2024). High-risk social groups demonstrated substantially elevated odds of anti-HCV (aORs 3.9–5.51, all p < 0.001), but had lower odds of HBsAg (aORs 0.32–0.60, all p ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: Increasing prevalence trends, regional disparities, and pronounced differences among vulnerable groups highlight the urgent need for strengthened screening, vaccination, and targeted hepatitis B and C prevention strategies, particularly among healthcare-attending and high-risk populations in Greece. Full article

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is recognized as one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis (AVH) in developing countries, where it is primarily transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food and water. Although often self-limiting, HEV infection poses a significant public health concern, particularly among pregnant women, due to its potential complications. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HEV infection in asymptomatic antenatal women attending a tertiary care center in South Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 100 asymptomatic pregnant women were screened for anti-HEV antibodies (IgM and IgG) using an ELISA kit (DIA PRO, Italy). The overall seropositivity rate was found to be 12%, indicating prior exposure to HEV infection in this cohort. Specifically, IgG antibodies were detected in 6% of women and IgM antibodies in 5%, while two women showed evidence of both IgG and IgM positivity, suggestive of recent or ongoing infection. Notably, the majority of participants reported reliance on untreated water sources irrespective of educational background, highlighting environmental risk factors. Although HEV is generally self-limiting, these findings underscore the importance of routine serological screening in antenatal populations to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes. In addition, increased community awareness regarding transmission routes and preventive measures is essential. Given the scarcity of regional data, this study emphasizes the need for larger-scale epidemiological investigations to better understand the burden of HEV in South Punjab, Pakistan. Full article

Fusarium ear rot (FER), caused by Fusarium verticillioides, is a devastating disease that substantially reduces maize yield and compromises kernel quality. To investigate the genetic and molecular basis of resistance, an F₂ population derived from a cross between the resistant inbred line 3IBZ2 and the susceptible inbred line KW5G321 was analysed. By integrating bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-Seq) with RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), designated qFER4, was identified on chromosome 4. Genetic analysis further demonstrated that qFER4 confers resistance through partial dominance. Transcriptome profiling of the resistant line revealed 7684 and 7906 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 36 and 72 h post inoculation (hpi), respectively. These DEGs were significantly enriched in defence-related biological processes and pathways, including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, jasmonic acid signalling, MAPK cascades, and plant-pathogen interactions. By combining QTL mapping with transcriptome analyses, four candidate genes within the qFER4 interval were screened. Sequence analysis identified extensive structural variations in the promoter and coding regions of Zm00001d053393, including a premature stop codon predicted to lead to a gain-of-function mutation. In contrast, the other three genes exhibited only minor promoter polymorphisms with identical coding sequences between the parental lines. Overall, this study identifies a novel major-effect QTL and candidate gene associated with FER resistance, providing a foundation for gene function and a valuable genetic resource for breeding FER-resistant maize varieties. Full article

Background: Malnutrition and its risk are prevalent in older adults and contribute to frailty, morbidity, and mortality. Poor oral health—particularly tooth loss and inadequate prosthetic rehabilitation—may impair chewing, limit dietary variety, and accelerate nutritional decline. We investigated associations between dentition status, denture use, and nutritional status in a nationally representative sample of Polish older adults. Methods: We analyzed data from 5214 participants aged ≥60 years from the nationwide cross-sectional PolSenior2 study. Dentition status was classified as functional dentition (≥20 teeth), partial dentition (1–19 teeth), or edentulism (0 teeth). Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment—Short Form (MNA-SF); impaired nutritional status was defined as MNA-SF <12 (malnourished or at risk). Additional indicators included hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L) and small calf circumference (<31 cm). Associations were tested using chi-square and multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, education, and place of residence. Results: Functional dentition was present in 15.5%, partial dentition in 48.1%, and edentulism in 36.4% of participants. The proportion of edentulous individuals increased across worsening MNA-SF categories (26.2% in well-nourished, 41.8% in at risk, 46.9% in malnourished). In adjusted models, edentulism was associated with higher odds of impaired nutritional status compared with functional dentition (OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.32–2.10; p < 0.001), while partial dentition showed a non-significant trend (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 0.98–1.52; p = 0.077). Among edentulous participants, denture use was more common in well-nourished individuals than in those with impaired nutritional status (93.0% vs. 77.2%), suggesting a possible association between active prosthetic rehabilitation and better nutritional status. Conclusions: In Polish older adults, tooth loss—particularly edentulism—is associated with poorer nutritional status. Screening for malnutrition risk may benefit from incorporating basic oral health and denture-use assessment while improved access to prosthetic rehabilitation may support nutritional resilience in ageing populations. Full article

This study presents a GIS-driven multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework for regional suitability screening of data center (DC) development in the United Kingdom. The methodology integrates spatial exclusion of constrained zones, raster standardization of climate and infrastructure indicators, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) weighting, and Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) to generate a national suitability surface at 1 km resolution. Climate indicators (temperature, air frost days, humidity, and solar radiation) and infrastructure and environmental constraint indicators (grid access, transport proximity, environmental protections, and population distribution) were standardized and combined within a GIS-based decision framework. Hard constraints such as protected areas and flood zones were applied through binary exclusion, while climatic and infrastructure factors were evaluated using weighted suitability scoring. Five candidate regions were identified from the suitability analysis: the Scottish Highlands, Northeast England, Southwest England (Cornwall), Northwest England, and Eastern England. These regions were further evaluated against key requirements including power infrastructure accessibility, workforce and connectivity availability, and exposure to environmental and hydro-climate constraints. The final comparison identified Lincolnshire as the most suitable region due to strong grid accessibility, favorable composite climate suitability, adequate population proximity, and limited overlap with protected areas. The proposed framework demonstrates how climate-driven cooling suitability can be integrated with infrastructure accessibility and environmental constraints within a unified spatial decision model for national-scale digital infrastructure planning. Full article

The raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), an economically important crop, is affected by the crumbly fruit disorder, a malformation that leads to fruit disintegration at harvest due to poor drupelet cohesion. Despite previous efforts to identify genetic determinants of this phenotype, its complex inheritance and strong environmental component have limited the development of robust predictive markers. This study assessed the behavior and transferability of previously reported SSR and SNP markers associated with crumbly fruit across plants from a diverse panel of 34 R. idaeus cultivars, including in adjacent genomic regions not screened previously. Phenotyping was based on multi-season fruit performance and drupelet cohesion, and genetic variation was analysed using PCR-based genotyping within a multilocus approach. Consistent clustering patterns were observed across multiple SSR and SNP loci, suggesting a reproducible association between these genomic regions and the crumbly phenotype. Overall, the results support a multilocus genetic architecture underlying crumbly fruit, but also demonstrate that previously reported markers are not universally transferable across genetic backgrounds. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, population-aware marker validation to enable more reliable implementation of marker-assisted strategies in raspberry breeding programs. Full article

Disease resistance breeding is an important direction for the genetic improvement of Chinese cabbage. The traditional elite variety ‘Yutian Baojian’ Chinese cabbage is highly regarded for its tall cylindrical head with a pointed tip, tightly twisted wrapper leaves, and sweet taste. However, long-term cultivation has led to a significant decline in its resistance to clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae. To restore clubroot resistance while maintaining its desirable horticultural traits, this study used the clubroot-susceptible ‘Yutian Baojian’ as the recurrent parent and the resistant donor ‘Shaocai’, which carries the CRd resistance gene, to develop backcross populations. Using marker-assisted selection (MAS), plants were comprehensively screened based on foreground selection with markers tightly linked to the CRd gene, background selection with 73 genome-wide polymorphic markers, and phenotypic evaluation of horticultural traits, including plant height, plant spread, head shape, and soluble solids content. In the BC₁ population, three individuals showing high genetic similarity were selected. From the BC₂ population, four elite individuals were obtained, exhibiting 99.32% genetic similarity, stable clubroot resistance, and typical horticultural characteristics. Furthermore, three homozygous resistant inbred lines (BC₂S₂) with the ‘Yutian Baojian’ phenotype were developed. These results enrich the clubroot-resistant germplasm resources of Chinese cabbage and provide an effective MAS-based strategy for the precise improvement and germplasm innovation of local cultivars. Full article

In home-based elderly care, nursing beds play a crucial role in the daily lives of older adults. However, most existing nursing beds are designed for general patients, neglecting the specific needs of people with disabilities and their caregivers. To enhance user satisfaction with nursing beds, this study proposes a conceptual design approach based on a KANO-AHP integrated model based on behavioral design. First, the needs of caregivers and people with disabilities are identified through behavioral observations and in-depth interviews. The Fogg Behavior Model is then applied to translate these behavioral insights into extractable design elements, which are subsequently classified and prioritized systematically using the Kano model. Subsequently, the Analytic Hierarchy Process is employed to screen the most critical needs from the extracted ones and transform them into key design elements, thereby defining the structural components of the product. This integrated approach enables an accurate mapping from user requirements to design elements, thereby facilitating the development of nursing beds for people with disabilities. This study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the KANO-AHP model in design research for the aging population, offering valuable guidance and an innovative perspective for nursing bed design. Full article

Background: Hypertension is an important target for primordial prevention of complex, noncommunicable diseases, and its prevalence remains high across populations. The urban population in India is at a high risk of hypertension, but the genetic basis of hypertension in this population remains poorly understood. Methods: We conducted a pooled whole-blood genome-wide association study of 28 pools representing 1402 participants of the Diabetes In Sindhi Families In Nagpur (DISFIN) study, which enrolled families of probands with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Genotyping was done using Illumina’s Global Screening Array. Results: From a total of 608,550 single-nucleotide variants, 191 were found to be significantly associated with hypertension even after adjusting for metabolic comorbidities, batch effects, pooling error, kinship status, and pooling variation. These variants mapped to 180 well-characterized genes comprising 55 (31%) genes, and encode long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Many of the genes significantly associated with hypertension (including 35% of the lncRNAs) have also been reported by other studies. However, we identified novel genes (SBF2, ARHGAP12, EPAS1, CLEC16A, and LRPPRC) to be associated with hypertension. The most significantly associated lncRNA gene was FLYWCH-AS1. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that these novel genes are likely to have functional importance in hypertension. Conclusions: Our study thus points to the potential candidate genes associated with hypertension in endogamous Sindhi families with T2D patients. The replicable and functional role of these candidate genes should be investigated in future studies. Full article

Long-wavelength flank waviness plays a critical role in the excitation behavior of geared transmissions. While coordinate measuring machine (CMM) exports provide detailed geometric information, conventional evaluations typically focus on individual tooth curves and do not quantify circumferential inhomogeneity across teeth. This study introduces a tooth-to-tooth long-wavelength waviness inhomogeneity indicator (ΔW1) derived directly from Klingelnberg-style MKA plot files and demonstrates its behavior on a large industrial dataset comprising 3375 measured gear parts. Each flank curve was detrended using a second-order polynomial fit, and lobe-based waviness amplitudes (W1–W3) were extracted via sine–cosine projection. The proposed ΔW1 metric was defined as the difference between the maximum and minimum W1 values across measured teeth within the same part. To eliminate measurement edge effects, a mid-section evaluation (10–90% of the face width) was additionally performed. Population-level analysis revealed consistent separation between geometrically homogeneous and inhomogeneous parts, with ΔW1 values in the most critical components exceeding 7–9 µm after mid-section filtering. Unsupervised clustering based on ΔW1 and maximum W1 further distinguished a high-variability subset of parts exhibiting systematic long-wavelength modulation patterns. The results demonstrate that circumferential waviness variability can be quantified using standard CMM outputs without additional hardware or specialized measurement procedures. The proposed indicator provides a practical geometric screening tool for large production batches and establishes a reproducible framework for linking detailed flank geometry to manufacturing consistency assessment. Although acoustic validation is outside the scope of the present work, the metric is intended as an NVH-relevant geometric risk indicator for future vibroacoustic correlation studies. Full article

The growing emphasis on sustainability, regional distinctiveness, and spontaneous fermentation in winemaking necessitates a more comprehensive understanding of local yeast populations and their functional mechanisms. In total, 115 indigenous yeast strains were examined for their enzymatic activities of potential vitivinicultural significance. The yeasts were screened for chitinase activity (biocontrol potential), glycosidase activity (terpene release), β-lyases (thiol release), and sulfite reductases (off-flavor formation), followed by quantitative analysis of the selected subsets. Yeasts were further evaluated for inhibition of fungal mycelial growth, VOC-mediated inhibition, and tolerance to commonly applied fungicides. Pre-field selection was refined using the niche overlap index and grapevine leaf disc assay. The results confirmed chitinolytic activity in four species; all strains exhibited hydrolase activities, with H. uvarum 116 displaying the highest cell-associated activity (6.32 U/g), while T. delbrueckii Sut94 showed the highest extracellular activity (1.36 U/g). β-glucosidase and β-lyase activities were widespread, whereas hydrogen sulfide production was infrequent. P. guilliermondii ZIM 624 showed the most comprehensive overall enzymatic profile, together with strong inhibition patterns. A field trial on Pinot cultivars (V. vinifera L.) further evaluated P. guilliermondii ZIM 624 within an integrated disease management approach, with responses being more pronounced in ‘Pinot noir’ than in ‘Pinot gris’. Full article