Diversity of aquatic parasites in pristine spring waters in Tehsil Babuzai, Swat, Pakistan.

Global access to clean and safe drinking water remains a formidable challenge, contributing to a myriad of health issues. This research exposes the existence of waterborne parasites in seemingly pristine spring waters, indicating potential contamination. Daily extensive sampling of Seventeen water sources was conducted in the untarnished freshwater streams of Tehsil Babuzai, District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, from February to September 2021. Employing a stringent filtration process, the collected samples were effectively concentrated to detect any waterborne parasites. Subsequent application of the wet mount technique, combined with the capabilities of a compound microscope, revealed a disconcerting reality: all examined samples tested positive for various parasites. Identified parasites included Schistosoma species, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichiuria trichiuria, Taenia saginata, Entamoeba histolytica, Amoeba, Lacrymana olor, Tintinnids, Paramecium, Dileptus, Euglena, Loxodes striatus, Acanthocyclops lynceus, Spondylosium, Oscillatoria, Cyanobacteria, Cilindros, Cilindros cerro, Commensal amoeba mature cysts,, Filliform larva of Strongyloides, Cercaria larva, Larva of Taenia solium, Egg of Enterobius vermiculais, Egg of Isospora belli, Egg of Tapeworm, Egg of Schistosoma species, Egg of Toxocara, and Egg of Diphyllobothrium latum. These findings clearly demonstrate the presence of a diverse array of parasites in the freshwater springs of Tehsil Babuzai, Swat, Pakistan. Implementing robust water treatment protocols, conducting regular monitoring and testing, and raising awareness about the risks of waterborne parasites are crucial steps to safeguard public health in the region.

Modeling transmission mechanism to infer treatment efficacy of different drugs and combination therapy against Trichuris trichiura.

Trichuris trichiura is one of four soil-transmitted helminth species that, collectively, are responsible for a considerable public health burden. The World Health Organization recommends preventive chemotherapy as the main intervention to eliminate soil-transmitted helminthiasis as a public health problem. Clinical trials estimated the efficacy of different drugs and treatment regimen against T. trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminth species, whilst meta-analyses and modeling efforts were conducted to determine the most efficacious drugs and drug combinations. Of note, the diagnostic error was often neglected, and hence, cure rates (CRs) might be overestimated. We developed a Bayesian model, which estimates drug efficacy against T. trichiura, taking into account the transmission mechanism and the diagnostic error. The model was fitted to individual-level egg count data from an ensemble of seven trials with 29 treatments. We estimated the 'true' CRs, which were consistently lower than those reported in the literature. In our analysis, the treatment with the highest CR was combination therapy of albendazole plus pyrantel pamoate plus oxantel pamoate with a CR of 79% and an egg reduction rate (ERR) of 91%. Albendazole plus oxantel pamoate showed the highest ERR of 97% and a CR of 69%. Additionally, we estimated the intensity-dependent sensitivity of the Kato-Katz technique. For 24 eggs per gram of stool, the sensitivity was around 50% for a single Kato-Katz thick smear and increased to almost 70% for duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears. Combination therapies against soil-transmitted helminthiasis should be considered and the evaluation of infection intensity in low transmission settings via multiple Kato-Katz thick smears is recommended.

Effect of expressway exit deceleration markings on distracted drivers in China.

Expressway exit areas experience traffic diversion and complex road conditions, making them accident-prone areas. In this study, transverse and fishbone visual illusion deceleration markings were selected to optimize the induction facilities at expressway exits. The research aims to investigate the impact of these markings on the driving behavior, cognitive load, and physiological characteristics of drivers in various distracted scenarios at expressway exit areas. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation of each experimental scheme is conducted using the Matter-Element Extension Model. The study found that the implementation of deceleration markings can effectively enhance driver alertness and lane change awareness, enabling drivers to reduce their speed to near the speed limit in exit areas without compromising driving comfort. Compared to the situation without markings, drivers begin to decelerate approximately 600 m earlier and exit the ramp when markings are present. Fishbone deceleration markings, in contrast to transverse markings, result in lower vehicle speeds, smoother deceleration, and more effectively stimulate drivers' intention to change lanes, guiding them to make the final lane change earlier. Based on the comprehensive evaluation results, it is recommended that transverse or fishbone deceleration markings be considered in engineering practice. These markings have not produced significant effects on driver visual fatigue and driving load, with fishbone markings demonstrating superior comprehensive evaluation outcomes. These research findings can provide valuable insights for future expressway exit area marking design schemes, further enhancing driver safety.

Associations of very low Lipoprotein(a) levels with risks of new-onset diabetes and non-alcoholic liver disease.

Background and aims: We aimed to study the association of very low serum Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] concentrations with new-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) in the context of statin usage in the UK Biobank, a large prospective population cohort. Methods: Using an extended biomarker dataset, we identified 47,362 participants with very low Lp(a) concentrations (<3.8 nmol/L) from a total of 451,479 participants. With a median follow-up of 12.3 years, we assessed the risk of new-onset cardiometabolic diseases in participants stratified by statin usage with Cox proportional hazards models. We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization MR analyses to test causal relationship between genetically predicted Lp(a) and T2D and NAFLD. Results: Taking the participants with Lp(a) within reportable range as the reference group, the hazard ratios (HR) for T2D were 1.07 (95 % confidence interval, CI 1.01-1.13) and for NAFLD 1.30 (95 % CI 1.20-1.41) respectively for participants with very low Lp(a) (<3.8 nmol/L). The risk for new-onset T2D was higher in participants using statins (adjusted HR 1.15; 95 % CI 1.05-1.27). The risk estimates for new-onset NAFLD were comparable in the analysis stratified by statin use. There was no evidence for causal links between genetically predicted Lp(a) and T2D nor NAFLD in two-sample MR analyses. Conclusions: Very low Lp(a) was associated with higher risks of T2D and NAFLD in a prospective analysis of the UK Biobank. The association with T2D was influenced by lipid lowering medication usage. MR analyses did not support causality for these inverse associations.

Improved performance of linear induction motors based on optimal duty cycle finite-set model predictive thrust control.

Linear induction machines (LIMs) find widespread adoption in various applications, owing to their inherent advantages such as low noise, compact turning radius, and excellent climbing capability. LIMs are extensively utilized in linear metro applications. However, in practical operations, the output thrust shrinks with the increase in speed, which is attributed to end effects. This phenomenon leads to a reduction in efficiency. In addition, fluctuations in the normal force impact system stability, posing disturbances to the suspension system. To address these challenges, this paper suggests a finite-set model predictive thrust control (FS-MPTC) for a drive system employing a linear induction motor (LIM). The FS-MPTC optimizes the duty cycle for the active voltage vector and allocates the remaining period to one of the zero voltage vectors. The selected zero voltage vector reduces the switching transition between it and the active voltage vectors. The duty cycle is calculated for the six voltage vectors by incorporating the deadbeat concept and the derivative value for the electromagnetic thrust. In the prediction stage of the FS-MPTC, the computed duty cycle and the corresponding voltage vector are used simultaneously and repeated for the six voltage vectors. The cost function comprises two terms: the error between the reference thrust and predicted thrust value as the first term and the error between the rated primary flux linkage and its predicted value as the second term. The reference thrust is generated from the outer speed control loop. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed control approach, Japanese 12000 linear induction machine parameters are employed for verification. Comparative analysis of the performance between the suggested control method with the optimal duty cycle and the same process with a fixed duty cycle demonstrates superior performance when utilizing the optimal duty cycle. Finally, the proposed FS-MPTC with the optimal duty cycle offers a promising solution to enhance the operational efficiency of the LIM-based drive systems.

Refining the Schistosoma haematobium recombinase polymerase amplification (Sh-RPA) assay: moving towards point-of-care use in endemic settings.

BACKGROUND: Urogenital schistosomiasis is caused by the parasitic trematode Schistosoma haematobium. Sensitive and specific point-of-care diagnostics are needed for elimination of this disease. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays meet these criteria, and an assay to diagnose S. haematobium has been developed (Sh-RPA). However, false-positive results can occur, and optimisation of reaction conditions to mitigate these is needed. Ease of use and compatibility of DNA extraction methods must also be considered. METHODS: Using synthetic DNA, S. haematobium genomic DNA (gDNA), and urine samples from clinical cases, Sh-RPA reactions incorporating different betaine concentrations (0 M, 1 M, 2.5 M, 12.5 M) and the sample-to-water ratios were tested to determine effects on assay specificity and sensitivity. In addition, five commercial DNA extraction kits suitable for use in resource-limited settings were used to obtain gDNA from single S. haematobium eggs and evaluated in terms of DNA quality, quantity, and compatibility with the Sh-RPA assay. All samples were also evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to confirm DNA acquisition. RESULTS: The analytical sensitivity of the Sh-RPA with all betaine concentrations was ≥ 10 copies of the synthetic Dra1 standard and 0.1 pg of S. haematobium gDNA. The addition of betaine improved Sh-RPA assay specificity in all reaction conditions, and the addition of 2.5 M of betaine together with the maximal possible sample volume of 12.7 µl proved to be the optimum reaction conditions. DNA was successfully isolated from a single S. haematobium egg using all five commercial DNA extraction kits, but the Sh-RPA performance of these kits varied, with one proving to be incompatible with RPA reactions. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of 2.5 M of betaine to Sh-RPA reactions improved reaction specificity whilst having no detrimental effect on sensitivity. This increases the robustness of the assay, advancing the feasibility of using the Sh-RPA assay in resource-limited settings. The testing of commercial extraction kits proved that crude, rapid, and simple methods are sufficient for obtaining DNA from single S. haematobium eggs, and that these extracts can be used with Sh-RPA in most cases. However, the observed incompatibility of specific kits with Sh-RPA highlights the need for each stage of a molecular diagnostic platform to be robustly tested prior to implementation.

Analyzing speed-difference impact on freeway joint injury severities of Leading-Following vehicles using statistical and data-driven models.

Rear-end (RE) crashes are notably prevalent and pose a substantial risk on freeways. This paper explores the correlation between speed difference among the following and leading vehicles (Δν) and RE crash risk. Three joint models, comprising both uncorrelated and correlated joint random-parameters bivariate probit (RPBP) approaches (statistical methods) and a cross-stitch multilayer perceptron (CS-MLP) network (a data-driven method), were estimated and compared against three separate models: Support Vector Machines (SVM), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and MLP networks (all data-driven methods). Data on 15,980 two-vehicle RE crashes were collected over a two-year period, from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, considering two possible levels of injury severity: no injury and injury/fatality for both drivers of following and leading vehicles. The comparative performance analysis demonstrates the superior predictive capability of the CS-MLP network over the uncorrelated/correlated joint RPBP model, SVM, XGBoost, and MLP networks in terms of recall, F-1 Score, and AUC. Significantly, numerous shared variables influence the injury severity outcomes for the following and leading vehicles across both statistical and data-driven approaches. Among these factors, the following vehicle (a truck) and the leading vehicle (a passenger car) demonstrate contrasting effects on the injury severity outcomes for both vehicles. Furthermore, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values from the CS-MLP network visually show the relationship between Δν and injury severity, revealing non-linear trends unlike the average effects shown by statistical methods. They indicate that the least injury outcomes for both following and leading vehicles occurs at a Δν of 0 to 10 mph, matching observed patterns in RE crash data. Additionally, a marked variation in the trend of SHAP values for the two vehicles is noted as the speed difference increases. Therefore, the findings affirm the superior performance of joint model development and substantiate the non-linear impacts of speed difference on injury outcomes. The adoption of dynamic speed control measures is recommended to mitigate the injury outcomes involved in two-vehicle RE crashes.

Capacities and needs of health care facilities for schistosomiasis diagnosis and management in elimination settings.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis is a debilitating neglected tropical disease endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The role of health facilities in the prevention, diagnosis, control, and elimination of schistosomiasis is poorly documented. In a setting targeted for schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar, we assessed the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium among patients seeking care in a health facility and investigated schistosomiasis-related knowledge of staff, and health facilities' capacities and needs for schistosomiasis diagnosis and management. METHODS: We conducted a health facility-based mixed-method study on Pemba Island from June to August 2023. Patients aged ≥ 4 years seeking care in four health facilities were screened for S. haematobium infection using urine filtration and reagent strips. Those patients aged ≥ 10 years were additionally interviewed about signs and symptoms. Staff from 23 health facilities responded to a questionnaire assessing knowledge and practices. Ten staff participated in a focus group discussion (FGD) about capacities and needs for schistosomiasis diagnosis and management. RESULTS: The prevalence of S. haematobium infection in patients attending the health facilities, as determined by the presence of eggs in urine, was 1.1% (8/712). Microhaematuria was detected in 13.3% (95/712) of the patients using reagent strips. Among patients responding to the questionnaire, pelvic pain, pain during sex, and painful urination were reported by 38.0% (237/623), 6.3% (39/623), and 3.2% (20/623), respectively. Among the health facility staff, 90.0% (44/49) and 87.8% (43/49) identified blood in urine and pelvic pain, respectively, as symptoms of urogenital schistosomiasis, 81.6% (40/49) and 93.9% (46/49) reported collecting a urine sample and pursuing a reagent strip test, respectively, for diagnosis, and 87.8% (43/49) administered praziquantel for treatment. The most reoccurring themes in the FGD were the need for more staff training about schistosomiasis, requests for diagnostic equipment, and the need to improve community response to schistosomiasis services in health facilities. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of S. haematobium infection in patients seeking care in health facilities in Pemba is very low and similar to what has been reported from recent community-based cross-sectional surveys. The health facility staff had good schistosomiasis-related knowledge and practices. However, to integrate schistosomiasis patient management more durably into routine health facility activities, scalable screening pathways need to be identified and capacities need to be improved by regular staff training, and an unbroken supply of accurate point-of-care diagnostics and praziquantel for the treatment of cases.

Synergistic effect of green synthesis magnesium oxide nanoparticles and seaweed extract on improving water quality, health benefits, and disease resistance in Nile tilapia.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding liquid extract of algae (Hypnea musciformis, Grateloupia acuminata, and Sargassum muticum) (HGS) and Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) using this extract to rear water of Oreochromis niloticus, on improving culture water indices, growth performance, digestive enzyme, hemato-biochemical characters, immune, antioxidative responses, and resistance after challenged by Aeromonas hydrophila with specific refer to the potential role of the mixture in vitro as resistance against three strains bacteria (Aeromonas sobria, Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa) and one parasite (Cichlidogyrus tilapia). The first group represented control, HGS0, whereas the other group, HGS5, HGS10, and HGS15 mL-1 of liquid extract, as well as all groups with 7.5 µg mL-1 MgO-NPs added to culture water of O. niloticus, for 60 days. Data showed that increasing levels at HGS 10 and HGS15 mL-1 in to-culture water significantly enhanced growth-stimulating digestive enzyme activity and a significantly improved survival rate of O. niloticus after being challenged with A. hydrophila than in the control group. The total viability, coliform, fecal coliform count, and heavy metal in muscle partially decreased at HGS 10 and HGS15 mL-1 than in the control group. Correspondingly, the highest positive effect on hemato-biochemical indices was noticed at levels HGS 10 and HGS15 mL-1. Fish noticed an improvement in immune and antioxidant indices compared to control groups partially at HGS 10 and HGS15 mL-1. Interestingly, fish cultured in rearing water with the mixture provided downregulated the related inflammatory genes (HSP70, TNF, IL-1ß, and IL-8) partially at HGS15 mL-1. In vitro, the mixture showed positive efficiency as an antibacterial and partially antiparasitic at HGS 10 and HGS15 mL-1. This study proposes utilizing a mixture of (HGS) and (MgO-NPs) with optimum levels of 10-15 mL-1 in cultured water to improve water indices, growth, health status, and increased resistance of O. niloticus against bacterial and parasitic infection.

Multi-stage framework for optimal incorporating of inverter based distributed generator into distribution networks.

Recently, hydrogen-based distributed generators (DG) have gained significant attention for modern energy generation systems. These modem DGs are typically outfitted with power electronics converters, resulting in harmonic pollution. Furthermore, increasing the growth of modern nonlinear loads may result in exceeding the harmonic beyond the permitted level. This research proposes a framework for optimal incorporation of inverter-based distributed generation (a fuel cell connected to an AC distribution system) for minimizing power losses, enhancing the voltage profile, and limiting both total and individual harmonic distortion according to the IEEE-519 standard. In addition, for accounting system sustainability, the proposed framework considers load variation and the expected rise in demand. Therefore, the suggested framework comprises three stages, which include fundamental and harmonic power flow analysis. The first stage identifies the optimal size and location of the DG in relation to the base load operating condition. While, with the optimal DG of the first stage, the amount of harmonic pollution may violate the limits during a high level of nonlinear load penetration, as a result, the second stage resizes the DG, considering the connection bus of the first stage, to mitigate the harmonics and optimize the system at a higher level of nonlinear load penetration. Both the first and second stages are performed off-line, while the third stage optimizes the system operation during run time according to loading conditions, harmonic pollution, and the available DG capacity of the previous stages. DG's harmonic spectrum is represented according to recently issued IEEE 1547-2018 for permissible DG's current distortion limits. The suggested approach is applied and evaluated using an IEEE 33-bus distribution system for various combinations of linear and nonlinear loads. For run-time operation throughout the day, the presented framework reduces the energy losses from 5.281 to 2.452 MWh/day (about 53.57% energy savings). This saving is associated with voltage profile enhancement without violating the permissible standard levels of harmonics and other system constraints.

Clinical characteristics of women with HIV in the RESPOND cohort: A descriptive analysis and comparison to men.

BACKGROUND: Women with HIV are globally underrepresented in clinical research. Existing studies often focus on reproductive outcomes, seldom focus on older women, and are often underpowered to assess sex/gender differences. We describe CD4, HIV viral load (VL), clinical characteristics, comorbidity burden, and use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among women with HIV in the RESPOND study and compare them with those of the men in RESPOND. METHODS: RESPOND is a prospective, multi-cohort collaboration including over 34 000 people with HIV from across Europe and Australia. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including CD4/VL, comorbidity burden, and ART are presented at baseline, defined as the latter of 1 January 2012 or enrolment into the local cohort, stratified by age and sex/gender. We further stratify men by reported mode of HIV acquisition, men who have sex with men (MSM) and non-MSM. RESULTS: Women account for 26.0% (n = 9019) of the cohort, with a median age of 42.2 years (interquartile range [IQR] 34.7-49.1). The majority (59.3%) of women were white, followed by 30.3% Black. Most women (75.8%) had acquired HIV heterosexually and 15.9% via injecting drug use. Nearly half (44.8%) were receiving a boosted protease inhibitor, 31.4% a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and 7.8% an integrase strand transfer inhibitor. The baseline year was 2012 for 73.2% of women and >2019 for 4.2%. Median CD4 was 523 (IQR 350-722) cells/µl, and 73.6% of women had a VL <200 copies/mL. Among the ART-naïve population, women were more likely than MSM but less likely than non-MSM (p < 0.001) to have CD4 <200 cells/µL and less likely than both MSM and non-MSM (p < 0.001) to have VL ≥100 000 copies/mL. Women were also more likely to be free of comorbidity than were both MSM and non-MSM (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: RESPOND women are diverse in age, ethnicity/race, CD4/VL, and comorbidity burden, with important differences relative to men. This work highlights the importance of stratification by sex/gender for future research that may help improve screening and management guidelines specifically for women with HIV.

Etoposide Model-Induced Changes in Antioxidant Studies Histological and Ultrastructural Evaluations of Hepatic, Renal, and Cardiac Tissues of Male Rats / Cambios Inducidos por el Modelo de Etopósido en Estudios de Antioxidantes, Evaluaciones Histológicas y Ultraestructurales de Tejidos Hepáticos, Renales y Cardíacos de Ratas Macho

SUMMARY: Etoposide is an effective antimitotic and antineoplastic agent used to treat various human malignancies. In the present study, Etoposide was injected intraperitoneally into the rats at 1 mg/kg/day for 52 days (52 doses). The control animals received physiological saline (0.5 ml) intraperitoneally daily for 52 doses. The body weight of etoposide-treated rats was significantly reduced compared to control rats. Lipid peroxidation demonstrated an insignificant rise in hepatic tissue, a non-significant decline in renal tissue, and a significant reduction in cardiac tissue. The levels of GSH in hepatic and renal tissue were found to be non-significantly increased but significantly increased in cardiac tissue compared to controls. GR activity was found to be considerably decreased in the treated group. G-S-T levels increased significantly in all treated group. Etoposide injections caused a non-significant change in the GPX level of hepatic tissue, whereas renal and cardiac tissues showed a significant increase. The activity of CAT in hepatic tissue was significantly increased, while CAT activity in renal tissue showed a non-significant decrease, whereas in cardiac tissue, significantly lower levels were observed than in control group. The level of CYTp450 in hepatic and cardiac tissues showed a significant increase; however, renal tissue showed non-significant depletion, whereas CYTb5 in hepatic, renal, and cardiac tissues was significantly lower than controls. The protein content in the hepatic tissue was not significantly increased, whereas the total protein in the renal and cardiac tissues was increased significantly. The research finding is indicative of detoxification activity in the etoposide model.

El etopósido es un agente antimitótico y antineoplásico eficaz que se utiliza para tratar diversas neoplasias malignas humanas. En el presente estudio, se inyectó etopósido por vía intraperitoneal a las ratas a razón de 1 mg/kg/día durante 52 días (52 dosis). Los animales control recibieron solución salina fisiológica (0,5 ml) por vía intraperitoneal diariamente por 52 dosis. El peso corporal de las ratas tratadas con etopósido se redujo significativamente en comparación con las ratas del grupo control. La peroxidación lipídica demostró un aumento insignificante del tejido hepático, una disminución no significativa del tejido renal y una reducción significativa del tejido cardíaco. Se encontró que los niveles de GSH en el tejido hepático y renal no aumentaron significativamente, pero sí aumentaron significativamente en el tejido cardíaco en comparación con los controles. Se encontró que la actividad de GR disminuyó considerablemente en el grupo tratado. Los niveles de G-S-T aumentaron significativamente en todos los grupos tratados. Las inyecciones de etopósido provocaron un cambio no significativo en el nivel de GPX del tejido hepático, mientras que los tejidos renal y cardíaco mostraron un aumento significativo. La actividad de CAT en el tejido hepático aumentó significativamente, mientras que la actividad de CAT en el tejido renal mostró una disminución no significativa, mientras que en el tejido cardíaco se observaron niveles significativamente más bajos que en el grupo de control. El nivel de CYTp450 en los tejidos hepático y cardíaco mostró un aumento significativo; sin embargo, el tejido renal mostró un agotamiento no significativo, mientras que CYTb5 en los tejidos hepático, renal y cardíaco fue significativamente menor que los controles. El contenido de proteínas en el tejido hepático no aumentó significativamente, mientras que la proteína total en los tejidos renal y cardíaco aumentó significativamente. El hallazgo de la investigación es indicativo de la actividad de desintoxicación en el modelo de etopósido.

Association between Food or Nutrients and Gut Microbiota in Healthy and Helminth-Infected Women of Reproductive Age from Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Modulating the gut microbiota is recognised as one strategy for preventing and fighting diseases. While the significant impact of diet on the gut microbiota's composition and function has been extensively researched, there is a notable lack of studies on the interactions between diet, microbiota, and helminth infections. Here, we used a combination of self-reported food intake and a 16S rDNA sequencing approach to analyse the composition of the gut microbiota in women of reproductive age from the two main islands of the Zanzibar archipelago, where helminth infections are endemic. We also applied a Spearman correlation analysis to food/nutrients and gut microbiota. Our results reveal that, despite close ethnic and cultural ties, the participants' gut microbiota differs depending on their location. A nutrient intake analysis revealed deficiencies in minerals and vitamins, indicating an imbalanced diet. A correlation analysis identified bacterial taxa consistently correlated with specific food or nutrients in healthy women from both locations, and in two types of helminth infections. Escherichia/Shigella abundances, usually associated with Trichuris trichiura infection, consistently correlated with insufficient levels of vitamins B2 and B12. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the increased consumption of specific food like cassava and fish, as well as essential nutrients such as calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin A, may modulate the gut microbiota of populations residing in regions where helminth infections are endemic.

Temporal and spatial patterns of Trichuris trichiura eggs: a potential threat to human health in Pakistan.

This study investigates the presence of Trichuris trichiura eggs in soil samples collected from urban areas in Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 3600 soil samples were collected over two years from Lahore's urban regions. The detection of helminth eggs in these samples was performed using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as a diagnostic technique. The study reveals an overall prevalence rate of T. trichiura at 0.97 % (35 out of 3600) in the contaminated soil samples from Lahore's slum areas. When analyzing the data by geographical areas, the study found the highest prevalence of T. trichiura in Allama Iqbal Town (1.83 %, 11 out of 600), followed by Samanabad (1.16 %, 7 out of 600), Wapda Town (1.00 %, 6 out of 600), Gulberg (1.00 %, 6 out of 600), and Cantt (0.50 %, 3 out of 600). Conversely, Valencia Town had the lowest prevalence rate at 0.33 % (2 out of 600). However, these variations in prevalence rates were not statistically significant (p = 0.117). Prevalence rates of T. trichiura's eggs varied significantly across different sampling seasons (p>0.001). In autumn, a total of 900 soil samples were collected, with 19 samples (2.11 %) testing positive for T. trichiura. This rate was notably higher compared to the prevalence rates observed in winter, spring, and summer, which were 0.66 %, 0.22 %, and 0.88 %, respectively. Regarding the sampling months, the study observed a significantly higher prevalence during September (3.33 %, 10 out of 300), followed by October (2.33 %, 7 out of 300), and August (1.33 %, 4 out of 300). Prevalence rates gradually decreased in other months, ranging from 1 % to 0.33 % (3 to 1 out of 300), with no parasite detection in March (0 %, 0 out of 300) (p < 0.001). This research underscores soil contamination due to fecal waste and highlights public unawareness of parasite biology, driven by open defecation practices.

Porphyrin overdrive rewires cancer cell metabolism.

All cancer cells reprogram metabolism to support aberrant growth. Here, we report that cancer cells employ and depend on imbalanced and dynamic heme metabolic pathways, to accumulate heme intermediates, that is, porphyrins. We coined this essential metabolic rewiring "porphyrin overdrive" and determined that it is cancer-essential and cancer-specific. Among the major drivers are genes encoding mid-step enzymes governing the production of heme intermediates. CRISPR/Cas9 editing to engineer leukemia cell lines with impaired heme biosynthetic steps confirmed our whole-genome data analyses that porphyrin overdrive is linked to oncogenic states and cellular differentiation. Although porphyrin overdrive is absent in differentiated cells or somatic stem cells, it is present in patient-derived tumor progenitor cells, demonstrated by single-cell RNAseq, and in early embryogenesis. In conclusion, we identified a dependence of cancer cells on non-homeostatic heme metabolism, and we targeted this cancer metabolic vulnerability with a novel "bait-and-kill" strategy to eradicate malignant cells.

[Silencing GmATG5 genes accelerated senescence and enhanced disease resistance in soybean].

Autophagy plays an essential role in recycling/re-utilizing nutrients and in adaptions to numerous stresses. However, the roles of autophagy in soybean have not been investigated extensively. In this study, a virus-induced gene silencing approach mediated by bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) was used to silence autophagy-related gene 5 (ATG5) genes in soybean (referred to as GmATG5). Our results showed that ATG8 proteins were massively accumulated in the dark-treated leaves of the GmATG5-silenced plants relative to the vector control plants (BPMV-0), indicating that autophagy pathway is impaired in the GmATG5-silenced plants. Consistent with the impaired autophagy, an accelerated senescence phenotype was observed on the leaves of the dark-treated GmATG5-silenced plants, which was not shown on the leaves of the dark-treated BPMV-0 plants. In addition, the accumulation levels of both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and salicylic acid (SA) were significantly induced in the GmATG5-silenced plants compared with that of the vector control plants (BPMV-0), indicating an activated immunity. Accordingly, the GmATG5-silenced plants exhibited significantly enhanced resistance against Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea (Psg) in comparison with the BPMV-0 plants. Nevertheless, the activated immunity observed in the GmATG5-silenced plant was independent of the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK).

Menstrual health and hygiene knowledge among post menarche adolescent school girls in urban and rural Tanzania.

Adolescent girls' capacity to lead healthy lives and perform well in school has been hampered by their lack of awareness about menstruation and the requirements for its hygienic management. Lack of enabling infrastructure, improper menstrual supplies, and limited socioeconomic support for good menstrual health and cleanliness are characteristics of schools in Africa South of the Sahara. We evaluated school-age girls' knowledge of menstrual hygiene and identified bottlenecks that could affect policy and programming for menstrual health and hygiene. A school-based cross-sectional study involved 8,012 adolescent school girls in the age group of 11-18 years (mean age = 14.9 years). The study evaluated students' knowledge of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) from the viewpoints of schools and communities using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected using self-administered surveys, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and site observations. Girls' older age (AOR = 1.62, P 0.001), having a female guardian (AOR = 1.39: P = 001), and having a parent in a formal job (AOR = 1.03: P 0.023) were positively associated with Menstrual health and Hygiene Knowledge. MHH knowledge levels varied significantly between girls attending government (53.3) and non-government schools (50.5%, P = 0.0001), although they were comparable for girls attending rural and urban schools. Only 21% of the study's schools had at least one instructor who had received training in MHH instruction for students. We have established that the majority of adolescent girls in schools have inadequate knowledge on menstrual health and hygiene, and that school teachers lack the skills to prepare and support young adolescents as they transition into puberty. Concerted actions aimed at building supportive policy are paramount, for school-aged teenagers to learn about and reap the long-term advantages of good menstrual health practices.

Geographically weighted machine learning for modeling spatial heterogeneity in traffic crash frequency and determinants in US.

Spatial analyses of traffic crashes have drawn much interest due to the nature of the spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity in the crash data. This study makes the best of Geographically Weighted Random Forest (GW-RF) model to explore the local associations between crash frequency and various influencing factors in the US, including road network attributes, socio-economic characteristics, and land use factors collected from multiple data sources. Special emphasis is put on modeling the spatial heterogeneity in the effects of a factor on crash frequency in different geographical areas in a data-driven way. The GW-RF model outperforms global models (e.g. Random Forest) and conventional geographically weighted regression, demonstrating superior predictive accuracy and elucidating spatial variations. The GW-RF model reveals spatial distinctions in the effects of certain factors on crash frequency. For example, the importance of intersection density varies significantly across regions, with high significance in the southern and northeastern areas. Low-grade road density emerges as influential in specific cities. The findings highlight the significance of different factors in influencing crash frequency across zones. Road network factors, particularly intersection density, exhibit high importance universally, while socioeconomic variables demonstrate moderate effects. Interestingly, land use variables show relatively lower importance. The outcomes could help to allocate resources and implement tailored interventions to reduce the likelihood of crashes.

Ab Initio Investigation of the Structural, Elastic, Dynamic, Electronic, and Magnetic Properties of Cubic Perovskite CeCrO3.

We presented the results of various aspects related to structural, elastic, electronic, dynamic, and magnetic parameters of cubic perovskite CeCrO3 by means of the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) approach. The calculation of the unit cell volume against the total energy curve confirms that CeCrO3 exhibits higher energetic stability in the ferromagnetic (FM) order. Calculated structural aspects at equilibrium demonstrate excellent similarity to present information, lending credibility to our results. Moreover, monocrystalline elastic constants have been analyzed numerically. These constants provide insights into several related properties, including elastic anisotropy, mechanical stability, and several polycrystalline elastic aspects. Furthermore, the phonon dispersion curves obtained from our calculations reveal the existence of soft modes, which suggests the potential metastability of CeCrO3. Through an analysis of the energy band dispersions, the half-metallic nature of this material is confirmed, such as Eg = 3.00 and 3.13 eV for the HM state within generalized gradient approximations Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (GGA-PBE) and Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBJ) calculations, respectively, as well as the FM total magnetic moment of 4.000 µB. Partial density of states (PDOS) aided in identifying the electronic states that contribute to the energy bands. Finally, the computed total magnetic moment aligns fit the theoretical findings available in the literature.