Urbanization reduces diversity, simplifies community and filter bird species based on their functional traits in a tropical city.

Understanding how organisms are coping with major changes imposed by urban intensification is a complex task. In fact, our understanding of the impacts of urbanization on biodiversity is scarce in the global south compared to the north. In this study, we evaluated how bird communities are affected by impact of urban intensification in a tropical city. Thus, we assessed whether increased urban intensification 1) jeopardizes bird diversity (taking into account taxonomic-TD, phylogenetic-PD, and functional-FD dimensions), 2) drives changes in bird community composition and enables the detection of indicator species of such impact, and 3) leads to changes in bird functional traits linked to reproduction, resource acquisition, and survival. We found that urban intensification has a direct impact on the bird community, reducing all three types of diversity. Communities in areas of greater urban intensity are represented by fewer species, and these species are PD and FD less distinct. In addition, we detected at least ten species of areas of lower urban intensity that proved to be more sensitive to urban intensification. With regard to bird traits, we found no significant responses from reproductive, habitat use and feeding variables. Body weight and tail length were the only variables with significant results, with higher urbanization intensity areas selecting for species with lower weights and longer tails. Given the global biodiversity loss we are observing, this information can guide urban managers and planners in designing urban landscapes to maintain biodiversity in cities.

Effects of gallic acid and physical training on liver damage, force, and anxiety in obese mice: Hepatic modulation of Sestrin 2 (SESN2) and PGC-α expression.

Obesity and overweight are multifactorial diseases affecting more than one-third of the world's population. Physical inactivity contributes to a positive energy balance and the onset of obesity. Exercise combined with a balanced diet is an effective non-pharmacological strategy to improve obesity-related disorders. Gallic acid (GA), is a natural endogenous polyphenol found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and wines, and has beneficial effects on energetic homeostasis. The present study aims to investigate the effects of exercise training on obese mice supplemented with GA. Animal experimentation was performed with male Swiss mice divided into five groups: ST (standard control), HFD (obese control), HFD + GA (GA supplement), HFD + Trained (training), and HFD + GA + Trained (GA and training). The groups are treated for eight weeks with 200 mg/kg/body weight of the feed compound and, if applicable, physical training. The main findings of the present study show that GA supplementation improves liver fat, body weight, adiposity, and plasma insulin levels. In addition, animals treated with the GA and a physical training program demonstrate reduced levels of anxiety. Gene expression analyses show that Sesn2 is activated via PGC-1α independent of the GATOR2 protein, which is activated by GA in the context of physical activity. These data are corroborated by molecular docking analysis, demonstrating the interaction of GA with GATOR2. The present study contributes to understanding the metabolic effects of GA and physical training and demonstrates a new hepatic mechanism of action via Sestrin 2 and PGC-1α.

People's experiences of their involvement in nursing care: a systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: People's involvement and participation are the essential basis of nursing care. This phenomenon can be characterised as an approach based on the integration of the person's values, beliefs, and preferences during nursing care. This process contributes to improve the quality of care, satisfaction levels, and a better experience for people. To promote the person's participation in nursing care, it is necessary to better understand their experiences about this topic. AIM: To synthesise the available evidence on people's experiences of their involvement and participation in nursing care in a hospital setting. DESIGN & SETTING: A systematic review that will be conducted according to the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. METHOD: The study selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction will be conducted by two independent reviewers. This review will consider studies with a qualitative approach, published and unpublished, in Portuguese, English and Spanish with no temporal limit, that include adults, aged 18 years or older, who have experienced an admission in a hospital; that explore people's experiences of their involvement and participation in nursing care in hospital wards settings. Findings will be presented using meta-aggregation approach and narrative format, and the final synthesised findings will be graded according to the ConQual approach. CONCLUSION: It is expected that this qualitative synthesis will inform people, health professionals and policymakers, allowing them to develop recommendations to promote the person's participation in nursing care.

Effect of environmental variables on the abundance of Amblyomma ticks, potential vectors of Rickettsia parkeri in central Brazil.

Amblyomma ticks are vectors of both Rickettsia rickettsii and R. parkeri in the Americas, where capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the main hosts in urban areas, thus contributing to the transmission of spotted fever. Herein, we studied: (i) the seasonal dynamics and abundance of ticks in areas where capybaras live, (ii) the effect of environmental variables on tick abundance, and (iii) the presence of Rickettsia-infected ticks. Between September 2021 and September 2022, we sampled ticks using cloth-dragging at 194 sites on the shore of Lake Paranoá in Brasília, Brazil. We measured environmental data (season, vegetation type, canopy density, temperature, humidity, and presence or vestige of capybara) at each site. Nymphs and adults were morphologically identified to the species level, and a selected tick sample including larvae was subjected to genotypic identification. We investigated Rickettsia-infected ticks by PCR (gltA, htrA, ompB, and ompA genes) and associations between tick abundance and environmental variables using Generalized Linear Models. A total of 30,334 ticks (96% larvae) were captured. Ticks were identified as Amblyomma, with A. sculptum comprising 97% of the adult/nymphs. Genotype identification of a larval sample confirmed that 95% belonged to A. dubitatum. Seasonal variables showed significant effects on tick abundance. Most larvae and nymphs were captured during the early dry season, while the adults were more abundant during the wet season. Vegetation variables and the presence of capybaras showed no association with tick abundance. Rickettsia parkeri group and R. bellii were identified in A. dubitatum, while A. sculptum presented R. bellii. We conclude that: (i) Amblyomma ticks are widely distributed in Lake Paranoá throughout the year, especially larvae at the dry season, (ii) the abundance of Amblyomma ticks is explained more by climatic factors than by vegetation or presence of capybaras, and (iii) A. dubitatum ticks are potential vectors of R. parkeri in Brasília.

Factors influencing the outcomes of non-pharmacological interventions for managing fatigue across the lifespan of people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Fatigue is an important and distressing symptom for many people living with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Many non-pharmacological interventions have been investigated in recent years and some have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing fatigue and fatigue impact, however, there is limited guidance for clinicians to follow regarding the most appropriate management options. The objective of this scoping review is to understand and map the extent of evidence in relation to the factors that relate to the outcome of non-pharmacological interventions on MSK condition-related fatigue across the lifespan. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review will include evidence relating to people of all ages living with chronic MSK conditions who have been offered a non-pharmacological intervention with either the intention or effect of reducing fatigue and its impact. Databases including AMED, PsycINFO, CINAHLPlus, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus will be searched for peer-reviewed primary research studies published after 1 January 2007 in English language. These findings will be used to identify factors associated with successful interventions and to map gaps in knowledge. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was not required for this review. Findings will be disseminated by journal publications, conference presentations and by communicating with relevant healthcare and charity organisations.

OpenWMB: An open-source and automated working memory task battery for OpenSesame.

Working memory capacity (WMC) has been measured with a plethora of cognitive tasks. Several preeminent automated batteries of working memory (WM) tasks have been developed recently. However, despite all their advantages, most batteries were programmed in paid platforms and/or only included a single WM paradigm. To address these issues, we developed the OpenWMB, an automated battery comprising seven tasks from three distinct paradigms (complex spans, updating tasks, and binding tasks) that tap into several functional aspects of WM (simultaneous storage and processing, updating, and binding). The battery runs on open-source software (OpenSesame) and is freely available online in a ready-to-download format. The OpenWMB possesses flexible features and includes a data processing script (that converts data into a format ready for statistical analysis). The instrument is available in Portuguese and English. However, we only assessed the psychometric properties of the former version. The Portuguese version presented good internal consistency and considerable internal and predictive validity: all tasks loaded into a single factor. Additionally, the WMC estimate was strongly correlated with a fluid intelligence factor. This study also tried to contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the best method to assess WMC. We computed a permutation analysis to compare the amount of variance shared between a fluid intelligence factor and (1) each WM task, (2) homogenous WMC factors (based on multiple tasks from the same paradigm), and (3) heterogeneous WMC factors (derived from triplets of tasks from different paradigms). Our results suggested that heterogeneous factors provided the best estimates of WMC.

Epidemiological profile of luxations injuries with or without dental fractures in permanent teeth: A 10-years retrospective study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study assessed the epidemiology of luxation injuries with or without dental fractures in patients attending the outpatient clinic of a Brazilian dental school over the past decade. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed clinical records from a specialized center for dental trauma care in Brazil, focusing on patients who experienced at least one traumatic dental injury (TDI) in a permanent tooth between 2012 and 2022. The extracted data included sex, age, etiology, time between trauma occurrence and the search for initial care, TDI classification, and the need for endodontic treatment. The statistical analysis involved Pearson's chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests at a 5% significance level. RESULTS: The 366 analyzed clinical records included 166 patients (350 teeth) with luxation injuries. Men (n = 102) showed a higher prevalence of luxation injuries than women (n = 64). Extrusive luxation prevailed (n = 99 patients and 208 teeth). Patients with luxation injuries sought care promptly after dental trauma incidents (p = .02) and demonstrated a higher incidence of endodontic treatment (p < .0001) than those without luxation injuries. Lateral luxation was notably associated with traffic accidents (p < .0001). The combination of luxation injuries and tooth fractures did not correlate with a higher need for endodontic treatment (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Age and trauma etiology seemed to have influenced the epidemiological profile of luxation injuries. Additionally, these injuries affected the time to seek initial care and the need for endodontic treatment.

Pharmacogenetic variability of tuberculosis biomarkers in native and mestizo Peruvian populations.

In Peru, 29 292 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2022. Although tuberculosis treatments are effective, 3.4%-13% are associated with significant adverse drug reactions, with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) considered the most predominant. Among the first-line antituberculosis drugs, isoniazid is the main drug responsible for the appearance of DILI. In liver, isoniazid (INH) is metabolized by N-acetyltransferase-2 (NAT2) and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). Limited information exists on genetic risk factors associated with the presence of DILI to antituberculosis drugs in Latin America, and even less is known about these factors in the native and mestizo Peruvian population. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of NAT2 and CYP2E1 genotypes in native and mestizo population. An analytical cross-sectional analysis was performed using genetic data from mestizo population in Lima and native participants from south of Peru. NAT2 metabolizer was determined as fast, intermediate and slow, and CYP2E1 genotypes were classified as c1/c1, c1/c2 and c2/c2, from molecular tests and bioinformatic analyses. Of the 472 participants, 36 and 6 NAT2 haplotypes were identified in the mestizo and native population, respectively. In mestizo population, the most frequent NAT2*5B and NAT2*7B haplotypes were associated with DILI risk; while in natives, NAT2*5G and NAT2*13A haplotypes were associated with decreased risk of DILI. For CYP2E1, c1/c1 and c1/c2 genotypes are the most frequent in natives and mestizos, respectively. The linkage disequilibrium of NAT2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was estimated, detecting a block between all SNPs natives. In addition, a block between rs1801280 and rs1799929 for NAT2 was detected in mestizos. Despite the limitations of a secondary study, it was possible to report associations between NAT2 and CYP2E alleles with Peruvian native and mestizo by prevalence ratios. The results of this study will help the development of new therapeutic strategies for a Tuberculosis efficient control between populations.

Bacillus velezensis iturins inhibit the hemolytic activity of Staphylococcus aureus.

Bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus has a major economic impact on the dairy sector. With the crucial need for new therapies, anti-virulence strategies have gained attention as alternatives to antibiotics. Here we aimed to identify novel compounds that inhibit the production/activity of hemolysins, a virulence factor of S. aureus associated with mastitis severity. We screened Bacillus strains obtained from diverse sources for compounds showing anti-hemolytic activity. Our results demonstrate that lipopeptides produced by Bacillus spp. completely prevented the hemolytic activity of S. aureus at certain concentrations. Following purification, both iturins, fengycins, and surfactins were able to reduce hemolysis caused by S. aureus, with iturins showing the highest anti-hemolytic activity (up to 76% reduction). The lipopeptides showed an effect at the post-translational level. Molecular docking simulations demonstrated that these compounds can bind to hemolysin, possibly interfering with enzyme action. Lastly, molecular dynamics analysis indicated general stability of important residues for hemolysin activity as well as the presence of hydrogen bonds between iturins and these residues, with longevous interactions. Our data reveals, for the first time, an anti-hemolytic activity of lipopeptides and highlights the potential application of iturins as an anti-virulence therapy to control bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus.

Association of the IFNG +874T/A Polymorphism with Symptomatic COVID-19 Susceptibility.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon-gamma (IFNγ) are important inflammatory mediators in the development of cytokine storm syndrome (CSS). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) regulate the expression of these cytokines, making host genetics a key factor in the prognosis of COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the associations of the TNF -308G/A and IFNG +874T/A polymorphisms with COVID-19. We analyzed the frequencies of the two polymorphisms in the control groups (CG: TNF -308G/A, n = 497; IFNG +874T/A, n = 397), a group of patients with COVID-19 (CoV, n = 222) and among the subgroups of patients with nonsevere (n = 150) and severe (n = 72) COVID-19. We found no significant difference between the genotypic and allelic frequencies of TNF -308G/A in the groups analyzed; however, both the frequencies of the high expression genotype (TT) (CoV: 13.51% vs. CG: 6.30%; p = 0.003) and the *T allele (CoV: 33.56% vs. CG: 24. 81%; p = 0.001) of the IFNG +874T/A polymorphism were higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group, with no differences between the subgroups of patients with nonsevere and severe COVID-19. The *T allele of IFNG +874T/A (rs2430561) is associated with susceptibility to symptomatic COVID-19. These SNPs provided valuables clues about the potential mechanism involved in the susceptibility to developing symptomatic COVID-19.

Small-bodied males invest in larger testes when highly ornamented.

Sperm competition and male mating rate are two non-mutually exclusive key evolutionary pressures selecting for larger testes within and across animal taxa. A few studies have tried to test the role of mating rate in the absence of sperm competition. Under the mating rate hypothesis, particular phenotypes of a given population that are expected to gain more mates (e.g., more ornamented males) are expected to make higher investments in testes size (a proxy for sperm production). We test this prediction in Polistes simillimus, a neotropical paper wasp in which females are single mated (no sperm competition) and males can mate with multiple partners. Testes size was predicted by body size (positive association), sexual ornamentation (negative association), and their interaction (among small males, testes size was positively related to ornamentation, but the opposite pattern was observed among large males). We propose that small-bodied well-ornamented males may face the highest risk of sperm depletion. Small-bodied males make relatively higher investment in testes size when highly ornamented. This strategy might be less profitable to large males, as they have overall larger testes. Our results provide strong evidence for the mating rate hypothesis.

Does the potential strength of sexual selection differ between mating systems with and without defensive behaviours? A meta-analysis.

The Darwin-Bateman paradigm predicts that females enhance their fitness by being choosy and mating with high-quality males, while males should compete to mate with as many females as possible. In many species, males enhance their fitness by defending females and/or resources used by females. That is, males directly defend access to mating opportunities. However, paternity analyses have repeatedly shown that females in most species mate polyandrously, which contradicts traditional expectations that male defensive behaviours lead to monandry. Here, in an extensive meta-analysis, encompassing 109 species and 1026 effect sizes from across the animal kingdom, we tested if the occurrence of defensive behaviours modulates sexual selection on females and males. If so, we can illuminate the extent to which males really succeed in defending access to mating and fertilisation opportunities. We used four different indices of the opportunity for sexual selection that comprise pre-mating and/or post-mating episodes of selection. We found, for both sexes, that the occurrence of defensive behaviours does not modulate the potential strength of sexual selection. This implies that male defensive behaviours do not predict the true intensity of sexual selection. While the most extreme levels of sexual selection on males are in species with male defensive behaviours, which indicates that males do sometimes succeed in restricting females' re-mating ability (e.g. elephant seals, Mirounga leonina), estimates of the opportunity for sexual selection vary greatly across species, regardless of whether or not defensive behaviours occur. Indeed, widespread polyandry shows that females are usually not restricted by male defensive behaviours. In addition, our results indicate that post-mating episodes of selection, such as cryptic female choice and sperm competition, might be important factors modulating the opportunity for sexual selection. We discuss: (i) why male defensive behaviours fail to lower the opportunity for sexual selection among females or fail to elevate it for males; (ii) how post-mating events might influence sexual selection; and (iii) the role of females as active participants in sexual selection. We also highlight that inadequate data reporting in the literature prevented us from extracting effect sizes from many studies that had presumably collected the relevant data.

Comparing the effect of imputation reference panel composition in four distinct Latin American cohorts.

Genome-wide association studies have been useful in identifying genetic risk factors for various phenotypes. These studies rely on imputation and many existing panels are largely composed of individuals of European ancestry, resulting in lower levels of imputation quality in underrepresented populations. We aim to analyze how the composition of imputation reference panels affects imputation quality in four target Latin American cohorts. We compared imputation quality for chromosomes 7 and X when altering the imputation reference panel by: 1) increasing the number of Latin American individuals; 2) excluding either Latin American, African, or European individuals, or 3) increasing the Indigenous American (IA) admixture proportions of included Latin Americans. We found that increasing the number of Latin Americans in the reference panel improved imputation quality in the four populations; however, there were differences between chromosomes 7 and X in some cohorts. Excluding Latin Americans from analysis resulted in worse imputation quality in every cohort, while differential effects were seen when excluding Europeans and Africans between and within cohorts and between chromosomes 7 and X. Finally, increasing IA-like admixture proportions in the reference panel increased imputation quality at different levels in different populations. The difference in results between populations and chromosomes suggests that existing and future reference panels containing Latin American individuals are likely to perform differently in different Latin American populations.

Reconstruction of large scalp defect in a brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba clamitans): A case report.

This case report describes different repair techniques used to reconstruct a large scalp defect in a brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba clamitans) hit by a vehicle. Three reconstructive procedures were performed in two surgical stages. The repair techniques had successful outcomes on the patient's rehabilitation.

Immune response in paper wasp workers: Task matters more than age.

Workers of social hymenopterans (ants, bees and wasps) display specific tasks depending on whether they are younger or older. The relative importance of behavior and age in modulating immune function has seldom been addressed. We compared the strength of encapsulation-melanization immune response (hereafter melanotic encapsulation) in paper wasps displaying age polyethism or experimentally prevented from behavioral specialization. Foragers of Polybia paulista had higher melanotic encapsulation than guards, regardless of their age. Nevertheless, melanotic encapsulation decreased with age when wasps were prevented from behavioral specialization. Thus, in this species, worker melanotic encapsulation seems more sensitive to task than age. Foraging is considered one of the riskier behaviors in terms of pathogen exposure, so upregulating melanotic encapsulation in foragers can possibly improve both individual and colony-level resistance against infections.

Three-dimensional simulation for interventional cardiology procedures: Face and content validity.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Three-dimensional (3D) model simulation provides the opportunity to manipulate real devices and learn intervention skills in a realistic, controlled, and safe environment. To ensure that simulators provide a realistic surrogate to real procedures they must undergo scientific validation. We aimed to evaluate the 3D-printed simulator SimulHeart® for face and content validity to demonstrate its value as a training tool in interventional cardiology (IC). METHODS: Health professionals were recruited from sixteen Portuguese IC units. All participants received a 30-minute theoretical introduction, 10-minute demonstration of each task and then performed the intervention on a 3D-printed simulator (SimulHeart®). Finally, a post-training questionnaire focusing on the appearance of the simulation, simulation content, and satisfaction/self-efficacy was administered. RESULTS: We included 56 participants: 16 "experts" (general and interventional cardiologists), 26 "novices" (cardiology residents), and 14 nurses and allied professionals. On a five-point Likert scale, the overall mean score of face validity was 4.38±0.35 and the overall mean score of content validity was 4.69±0.32. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores provided by "experts" and "novices". Participants reported a high level of satisfaction/self-efficacy with 60.7% considering it strongly improved their skills. The majority (82.1%) "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that after the simulation they felt confident to perform the procedure on a patient. CONCLUSION: The 3D-printed simulator (SimulHeart®) showed excellent face and content validity. 3D simulation may play an important role in future IC training programs. Further research is required to correlate simulator performance with clinical performance in real patients.

Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (SDBS) present in detergents: action on the gills, skin, and blood of D. rerio fish.

1. Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (SDBS) is one of the surfactants used worldwide in detergents which, due to high residual discharges, has great potential to cause ecotoxicological impacts. Therefore, the sublethal effects of SDBS on the gills and skin of male Danio rerio fish were investigated.2. The fish were distributed into three groups: GC (control), GT1 (0.25 mg/L of SDBS), and GT2 (0.5 mg/L of SDBS) and exposed for 21 days. After the experiment, histopathological analyses of the gills, histochemical analyses (counting of mucous cells), and biochemical analyses (antioxidant defense enzyme analysis, SOD, and CAT) were conducted.3. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in the incidence of circulatory disorders, progressive, and regressive alterations occurred in the GT1 and GT2 groups. Due to these changes, the total histopathological index of the gills was higher in these groups. Mucous cells in the gills and skin increased. There was an increase in SOD activity and a reduction in CAT activity in these groups. Haematology revealed neutrophilia and lymphocytosis in the blood of GT1 and GT2.4. The results clearly demonstrate that a 21-day exposure to SDBS causes severe morphophysiological damage to the gills, skin, and blood of D. rerio fish.

Severe COVID-19 and long COVID are associated with high expression of STING, cGAS and IFN-α.

The cGAS-STING pathway appears to contribute to dysregulated inflammation during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, inflammatory factors related to long COVID are still being investigated. In the present study, we evaluated the association of cGAS and STING gene expression levels and plasma IFN-α, TNF-α and IL-6 levels with COVID-19 severity in acute infection and long COVID, based on analysis of blood samples from 148 individuals, 87 with acute COVID-19 and 61 in the post-COVID-19 period. Quantification of gene expression was performed by real-time PCR, and cytokine levels were quantified by ELISA and flow cytometry. In acute COVID-19, cGAS, STING, IFN-α, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were higher in patients with severe disease than in those with nonsevere manifestations (p < 0.05). Long COVID was associated with elevated cGAS, STING and IFN-α levels (p < 0.05). Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway may contribute to an intense systemic inflammatory state in severe COVID-19 and, after infection resolution, induce an autoinflammatory disease in some tissues, resulting in long COVID.

Effects of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) gills and blood.

Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) is an important surfactant used as a cleaning agent and industrial additive to remove unwanted chemicals which have been detected in the aquatic environment. The aim of this study was to examine the toxicological potential of SDBS on the gills of adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to this chemical. For the 96 hr acute exposure, fish were divided into three groups: control, 0.25 mg/L, and 0.5 mg/L of SDBS. After the experiment, morphophysiological analyses (gill histopathology and histochemistry), oxidative stress (determination of gill activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)), and hematological analyses (leukocyte differentiation) were conducted. Data demonstrated that SDBS at both tested concentrations altered the histopathological index and initiated circulatory disturbances, as well as adverse, progressive, and immunological changes in the gills. In the 0.5 mg/L group, SOD activity decreased significantly, but CAT activity was not altered. Prominent blood changes observed in this group were neutrophilia and lymphocytosis. The number of mucous and chloride cells increased significantly in both groups. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that exposure of D. rerio to SDBS, even for 96 hr, produced adverse morphological and hematological effects associated with a reduction in SOD activity. Our findings indicate that exposure of aquatic species to the anionic surfactant SDBS may lead to adverse consequences associated with oxidative stress. Therefore, this study highlights the risks that this substance may pose to aquatic ecosystems and emphasizes the need for further investigations and strict regulations on its disposal.

Genome-wide study investigating effector genes and polygenic prediction for kidney function in persons with ancestry from Africa and the Americas.

Chronic kidney disease is a leading cause of death and disability globally and impacts individuals of African ancestry (AFR) or with ancestry in the Americas (AMS) who are under-represented in genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of kidney function. To address this bias, we conducted a large meta-analysis of GWASs of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in 145,732 AFR and AMS individuals. We identified 41 loci at genome-wide significance (p < 5 × 10-8), of which two have not been previously reported in any ancestry group. We integrated fine-mapped loci with epigenomic and transcriptomic resources to highlight potential effector genes relevant to kidney physiology and disease, and reveal key regulatory elements and pathways involved in renal function and development. We demonstrate the varying but increased predictive power offered by a multi-ancestry polygenic score for eGFR and highlight the importance of population diversity in GWASs and multi-omics resources to enhance opportunities for clinical translation for all.