Exploring the toxicology, socio-ecological impacts and biodegradation of microplastics in Africa: Potentials for resource conservation.

Achieving upcycling and circularity in the microplastic economy predominantly depends on collecting and sorting plastic waste from the source to the end-user for resource conservation. Microplastics, whether from packaging or non-packaging materials, pose a significant environmental challenge as they are often not prioritized for collection or recycling initiatives. The presence of additives impedes the quality of plastic recyclates and the persistence of microplastics as shredded resultants remain a threat to the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem and its biodiversity.

Lifetime stressors relate to invisible symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Aim: Childhood stressors can increase adult stress perception and may accumulate over the lifespan to impact symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Growing evidence links childhood stressors (e.g.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Purchasing Frozen, Fresh, Canned, and Dried Produce in a Nationally Representative Sample of United States Households.

Background: Frozen fruits and vegetables (FV) are convenient, cost-effective, reduce food waste, and can be just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. Despite these numerous advantages, it is unclear which consumer segments are more likely to purchase frozen FV, especially compared with fresh, canned, or dried FV, which could help inform targeted nutrition education interventions.

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore sociodemographic factors associated with increased or decreased odds of purchasing frozen, fresh, canned, and dried FV in a nationally representative sample.

Forecasting the development of antimicrobial resistance of .

Unlabelled: Today, about 15.0% of odontogenic pathology is caused by (). The aim of the study was to predict the development of antimicrobial resistance of based on retrospective data.

Periodontal pathogens and obesity in the context of cardiovascular risks across age groups.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among noncommunicable diseases. Over the past decade, there has been a notable increase in the prevalence of CVDs among young individuals. Obesity, a well-known risk factor for CVDs, is also associated with various comorbidities that may contribute to cardiovascular risk.

Spatiotemporal regulation of alginate sub-structures at multiple scales revealed by monoclonal antibodies.

Alginates are abundant linear polysaccharides produced by brown algae and some bacteria. They have multiple biological roles and important medical and commercial uses. Alginates are comprised of D-mannuronic acid (M) and L-guluronic acid (G) and the ratios and distribution patterns of M and G profoundly impact their physiological and rheological properties.

Evaluation of exo-long noncoding RNA MALAT1 in OSCC in comparison to dysplastic and normal: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study explores the role of MALAT1 as a valuable target for creating minimally-invasive diagnostic methods and personalized treatments in the management of OSCC. It focuses on evaluating the role of exosomal MALAT1 in the progression of dysplasia to OSCC by influencing the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Method: This cross-sectional study evaluated MALAT1 expression and PI3K/AKT pathway components in exosomes derived from plasma samples of patients with various stages of oral dysplasia, OSCC and compared with normal.

Assessment of biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance patterns, and the prevalence of adhesion-related genes in clinical isolates.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the biofilm formation abilities of clinical strains, assess their antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and identify the prevalence of adhesion-associated genes.

Methodology: In this study, a total of 60  strains were collected from urine, pus, wounds, blood, body fluid, and sputum in health centers affiliated with Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Strains were identified via microbiological methods and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to target the gene.

for targeting MRSA virulence: and studies.

The present study reports the characterization of the phytochemical content and the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts from the leaves (LE) and stems (SE) of against Methicillin resistant (MRSA. Important functional groups were determined by analyzing the FTIR spectra of LE and SE. The phytochemical profiles were analyzed by GC-MS, and these characterized the chemicals according to retention periods and peak regions.

An exploration of the natural and acquired immunological mechanisms to high-risk human papillomavirus infection and unmasking immune escape in cervical cancer: A concise synopsis.

The most common STD that triggers cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus. More than 20 types of human papillomavirus (HPV) can induce uterine cervical cancer. Almost all women acquire genital HPV infection soon after their first intercourse, with most of them clearing the virus within 3 years.

Alternative splicing of EZH2 regulated by SNRPB mediates hepatocellular carcinoma progression via BMP2 signaling pathway.

Increasing evidence suggests that aberrant alternative splicing plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis. However, the function of EZH2 splice variants as well as the mechanism by which EZH2 alternative splicing occurs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. Here, we analyzed both our own and published transcriptomic data, obtaining 19 splice variants of EZH2 in addition to canonical full-length EZH2-A in HCC.

Environmental tipping points for global soil nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.

Nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (NFMs) are important components of soil N sinks and are influenced by multiple environmental factors. We established a random forest model optimized by the distributed delayed particle swarm optimization (RODDPSO) algorithm to analyze the global NFM data. Soil pH, organic carbon (OC), mean annual precipitation (MAP), altitude, and total phosphorus (TP) are factors with contributions greater than 10% to NFMs.

The Fem cell-surface signaling system is regulated by ExsA in and affects pathogenicity.

Bacterial interspecies interactions shape microbial communities and influence the progression of polymicrobial infections. FemI-FemR-FemA, a cell-surface signaling system, in , is involved in the uptake of iron-chelating mycobactin produced by spp. In this report, we present the data that indicates the -PA1909 operon is positively regulated by ExsA, a master regulator for the type three secretion system (T3SS), connecting the Fem system with T3SS.

Phenotypic and genetic extended spectrum beta lactamase profiles of bacterial isolates from ICU in tertiary level hospital in Kenya.

Background: Bacterial infections in the Intensive Care Units are a threat to the lives of critically ill patients. Their vulnerable immunity predisposes them to developing bacteria-associated sepsis, deteriorating their already fragile health. In the face of increasing antibiotics resistance, the problem of bacterial infection in ICU is worsening.

Raman signatures of type A and B influenza viruses: molecular origin of the "" inactivation mechanism mediated by micrometric silicon nitride powder.

A multiomic study of the structural characteristics of type A and B influenza viruses by means of highly spectrally resolved Raman spectroscopy is presented. Three virus strains, A H1N1, A H3N2, and B98, were selected because of their known structural variety and because they have co-circulated with variable relative prevalence within the human population since the re-emergence of the H1N1 subtype in 1977. Raman signatures of protein side chains tyrosine, tryptophan, and histidine revealed unequivocal and consistent differences for pH characteristics at the virion surface, while different conformations of two C-S bond configurations in and methionine rotamers provided distinct low-wavenumber fingerprints for different virus lineages/subtypes.

Explaining the classroom behavior process of medical sciences students: A grounded theory.

Background: Classroom behavior is one of the important variables for the curriculum in the learning path of learners. The aim of this study was to explain the classroom behavior process of medical sciences students.

Materials And Methods: In a qualitative study using the grounded theory approach, the classroom behavior of 21 students from different medical fields was assessed.

Molecular Detection of in Ticks Isolated from Domestic Animals in Slaughterhouses and Farms, Shahr-E-Rey, Tehran, Iran.

Background: causes Q fever, a zoonotic and vector-borne disease. Ticks serve as vectors for this bacterium. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of infection in ticks in Shahr-e-Rey County, Tehran Province.

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Contribute to the Disease Severity of Dengue Virus Infection.

Background: The spectrum of dengue infection ranges from asymptomatic or mild to severe disease. The pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood. A viral infection can induce the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and the excessive NETs lead to increased vascular permeability, coagulopathy, and platelet dysfunction, a hallmark of severe dengue.

Dynamic association of antimicrobial resistance in urinary isolates of and between primary care and hospital settings in the Netherlands (2008-2020): a population-based study.

Background: It is unclear whether changes in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in primary care influence AMR in hospital settings. Therefore, we investigated the dynamic association of AMR between primary care and hospitals.

Methods: We studied resistance percentages of and isolates to co-amoxiclav, ciprofloxacin, fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim submitted by primary care, hospital outpatient and hospital inpatient settings to the Dutch National AMR surveillance network (ISIS-AR) from 2008 to 2020.

Risk Factors for Post Laryngectomy Pharyngocutaneous Fistula and Impact of Pharyngeal Suture Type on Fistula Characteristics.

Introduction: Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) is the most common complication following total laryngectomy (TL). The factors contributing to its occurrence are still a matter of debate. The impact of suture type has been relatively underexplored.

A Silent Threat Unveiled: Mycobacterium gordonae Catheter-Related Peritonitis in a Patient on Peritoneal Dialysis.

Infectious complications in peritoneal dialysis (PD) remain a constant challenge, with atypical pathogens posing significant risks. This case from Thailand highlights the rare occurrence of , an often-overlooked non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM), as the causative agent in a catheter-related exit-site infection that progressed to peritonitis. Initially misattributed to  from preceding exit-site infections, was ultimately identified as the primary pathogen through multiple effluent cultures and advance polymerase chain reaction sequencing.

Iron Deficiency and Renal Phosphate Handling: The Role of Maximal Tubular Reabsorption of Phosphate Normalized to Glomerular Filtration Rate (TmP/GFR) in Proximal Tubular Dysfunction.

Background And Aim: Phosphate dysregulation is often associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and recent studies suggest that it may also be present in non-CKD patients with systemic conditions including iron deficiency anemia. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between iron deficiency parameters (total iron-binding capacity {TIBC}, hemoglobin, and serum ferritin) and markers of proximal tubular dysfunction (the maximal tubular reabsorption of phosphate normalized to glomerular filtration rate {TmP/GFR} and tubular reabsorption of phosphate {TRP}) in non-CKD patients with iron deficiency anemia.

Methods: This was a hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study conducted in the outpatient department and/or inpatient wards of the Department of Internal Medicine, Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital associated with Moti Lal Nehru (MLN) Medical College, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, between July 2023 and August 2024.

Multidrug efflux pumps of show selectivity for their natural substrates.

Antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are an increasing threat to human health. Strategies to restore antibiotic efficacy include targeting multidrug efflux pumps by competitive efflux pump inhibitors. These could be derived from natural substrates of these efflux systems.

Novel silver nanoparticle-based biomaterials for combating biofilms.

Background: is a significant nosocomial pathogen that has developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, often forming biofilms that enhance its virulence. This study investigated the efficacy of a novel nanoformulation, AgNPs@chitosan-NaF, in combating biofilms.

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed to assess the antibiotic resistance profile of isolates.