High Migration Rates Research Articles

Morphological changes of river Bank Erosion and channel shifting assessment on Arial Khan River of Bangladesh using Landsat satellite time series images

The continuous processes of erosion and deposition in rivers are intricately linked to changes in land use and land cover (LULC), reflecting dynamic landscape transformations. This study investigates the rate of riverbank erosion, channel shifting, and the impact of erosion on LULC dynamics along the Arial Khan River. Utilizing GIS and remote sensing techniques, we analyzed time-series satellite images from 1993 to 2024 within a 2 km buffer zone of the floodplain. Supervised classification methods were applied for LULC analysis, with results validated using confusion matrices to assess classification accuracy. ArcGIS 10.8 was employed to analyze channel centerline migration, while NDVI analysis assessed vegetation health. The study reveals that between 1993 and 2024, 5142.60 ha were lost to erosion, while deposition affected 4756.52 ha, with erosion surpassing deposition overall. The river shifted an average of 0.66 km during this period, with higher migration rates in Muladi Upazila compared to Babuganj Upazila. Settlement areas expanded significantly from 137.82 ha in 1993 to 2768.68 ha in 2024, while agricultural land declined substantially. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to address erosion severity in confluence zones and lay the groundwork for sustainable land management practices.

A source and a destination country for migrant healthcare workers: the case of Ireland

Abstract Background Ireland has a long tradition of emigration, particularly to countries such as the United Kingdom and the USA. Since 2000, Ireland has become increasingly reliant upon migrant healthcare workers. At present, 43% of nurses and 45% of physicians registered in Ireland, trained internationally. Methods This study draws on literature and available data (migration and registration data) to illustrate recent patterns of healthcare worker migration into and out of Ireland. Results The data show that Ireland depends heavily on migrant healthcare workers to staff its health system. In 2021-22, internationally trained healthcare workers comprised 71% of new entrants to the medical register and 69% of new entrants to the nursing register. In terms of outward migration, the data also indicate a consistent pattern of outward migration of physicians to countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand. Conclusions A heavy (and growing) reliance on migrant healthcare workers to staff the Irish health system implies a failure to train or retain sufficient healthcare workers locally and indicates weak healthcare workforce planning capacity. It also highlights a disconnect between Irish healthcare workforce planning and the WHO global code on the international recruitment of health personnel. This study will consider some of the risks associated with high rates of inward and outward healthcare worker migration in the Irish context.

Optimizing O3-type cathode materials with modified collector for sodium-ion batteries: Insights of interfacial reaction between collector and electrolyte

In order to obtain a sodium-ion battery with high energy density and good kinetic properties, high specific capacity of O3-type NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 (NFM111) cathode material and high ion migration rate of NaClO4 electrolyte are selected. The cycling performance of NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 is tested at 0.5 C after pre-activation at 0.1 C. During the electrochemical testing, a kind of side reaction products are found on the surface of the electrode piece. Through Scanning emission microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis (XPS) and Raman tests, side reaction products are found on the current collector with NaClO4 and Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). The protective layers are constructed on the surface of Al foil to effectively avoid the occurrence of side reactions. The prepared half cells have excellent stability and rate performance by the modified current collector. After 100 cycles at 0.5 C, the specific discharge capacity is 106 mA h g−1. The specific discharge capacity at 5 C is 107.2 mA h g−1. This measure provides a new idea to the NFM111 cathode materials electrochemical test and offers research basis for the design of sodium ion battery with excellent dynamic performance. Meanwhile, it also eliminates industry doubts about the performance of sodium-ion batteries.

Variation in spatial population structure in the Anopheles gambiae species complex.

Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles coluzzii, and Anopheles arabiensis are three of the most widespread vectors of malaria parasites, with geographical ranges stretching across wide swaths of Africa. Understanding the population structure of these closely related species, including the extent to which populations are connected by gene flow, is essential for understanding how vector control implemented in one location might indirectly affect vector populations in other locations. Here, we assessed the population structure of each species based on a combined data set of publicly available and newly processed whole-genome sequences. The data set included single nucleotide polymorphisms from whole genomes of 2,410 individual mosquitoes sampled from 128 locations across 19 African countries. We found that A. gambiae sampled from several countries in West and Central Africa showed low genetic differentiation from each other according to principal components analysis (PCA) and ADMIXTURE modeling. Using Estimated Effective Migration Surfaces (EEMS), we showed that this low genetic differentiation indicates high effective migration rates for A. gambiae across this region. Outside of this region, we found eight groups of sampling locations from Central, East, and Southern Africa for which A. gambiae showed higher genetic differentiation, and lower effective migration rates, between each other and the West/Central Africa group. These results indicate that the barriers to and corridors for migration between populations of A. gambiae differ across the geographical range of this malaria vector species. Using the same methods, we found higher genetic differentiation and lower migration rates between populations of A. coluzzii in West and Central Africa than for A. gambiae in the same region. In contrast, we found lower genetic differentiation and higher migration rates between populations of A. arabiensis in Tanzania, compared to A. gambiae in the same region. These differences between A. gambiae, A. coluzzii, and A. arabiensis indicate that migration barriers and corridors may vary, even between very closely related species. Overall, our results demonstrate that migration rates vary both within and between species of Anopheles mosquitoes, presumably based on species-specific responses to the ecological or environmental conditions that may impede or facilitate migration, and the geographical patterns of these conditions across the landscape. Together with previous findings, this study provides robust evidence that migration rates between populations of malaria vectors depend on the ecological context, which should be considered when planning surveillance of vector populations, monitoring for insecticide resistance, and evaluating interventions.

Response of bacterial and fungal communities in natural biofilms to bioavailable heavy metals in a mining-affected river

Biofilms, known as “microbial skin” in rivers, respond to rapid and sensitive environmental changes. However, the ecological response mechanisms of bacterial and fungal communities in river biofilms toward heavy metal pollution (HMP) remains poorly understood. This study focused on the key driving factors of bacterial and fungal community diversity and composition and their ecological response mechanisms within periphytic biofilms of Asia's largest Pb–Zn mining area. The diversity, dominant bacterial taxa, and bacteria structure in biofilms were influenced by biologically available heavy metal (HM) fractions, with Ni-F3 (17.96 %) and Pb-F4 (16.27 %) as the main factors affecting the bacterial community structure. Fungal community structure and α-diversity were more susceptible to physicochemical parameters (pH and nutrient elements). Partial least squares path modeling revealed that environmental factors influencing bacterial and fungal communities in biofilms were ranked as water quality > metal fractions > total metals. Dispersal limitation was the most critical ecological process in bacterial (56.9 %) and fungal (73.4 %) assembly. The proportion of heterogeneous selection by bacteria (39.5 %) was higher than that of fungus (26.2 %), which increased with increasing HMP. Bacterial communities had a higher migration rate (0.48) and ecological drift proportion (3.6 %), making them more prone to escape environmental stress. Fungal communities exhibited more keystone species, larger niche width (23.24 ± 13.04 vs. 9.72 ± 5.48), higher organization level, and a more stable co-occurrence network than bacterial communities, which enabled them to better adapt to high environmental pollution levels. These findings expanded the understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial communities within biofilms in HM-polluted watersheds and provided new insights into the ecological responses of microbial communities to HMP.

Abstract A059: Understanding the events that promote pancreatic cancer metastasis

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy due to overwhelming metastatic burden. PDAC cells migrate and invade by two distinct epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition phenotypes: collective (partial-EMT) or single-cell (complete-EMT). The mechanism(s) by which these invasive phenotypes intravasate is unknown. The Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis (TMEM) doorway, which is formed by a tumor cell, macrophage and an endothelial cell in direct contact, causes opening of the vasculature in which tumor cells intravasate. Intravasation via TMEM doorway is inhibited by Tie2 blockade. Whether this occurs in PDAC and whether the EMT phenotype affects intravasation is unknown. We hypothesize that PDAC cells intravasate through TMEM-dependent mechanisms regardless of EMT phenotype. Tumor samples from murine models were stained for TMEM doorways using a triple immunohistochemistry (IHC) stain (tumor cells expressing the actin regulatory protein Mena, macrophages expressing CD68, and endothelial cells expressing CD31). TMEM doorway opening was assessed in murine models of PDAC treated with or without Tie-2 inhibitor by analyzing TMEM-mediated extravasation of high-molecular weight dextran (155kD-TMR dextran) by Intravital Imaging, IHC and immunofluorescence (IF) of serial slides and circulating tumor cells. An intravasation trans-endothelial migration assay was also performed to assess the intravasation event by TMEM doorway in vitro. A student t-test was used for the analyses. TMEM doorways were observed in all PDAC murine models. For the first time in PDAC, focal extravasation of dextran events followed by a tumor cell intravasation was visualized by intravital imaging. PDAC tumor bearing mice treated with Tie2 inhibitor had a 2-fold decrease in the number of circulating tumor cells compared to control (958 ± 499.8 vs 534 ± 479.9 cells/mL blood, p=0.0257). The intravasation trans-endothelial migration assay showed that C-EMT cells have a higher migration rate than P-EMT cells (17.8 ± 5.53 vs 10.94 ± 3.84 migrating cells p=0.01), and this ratio increases with the presence of macrophages (23.75 ± 5 vs 15.54 ± 3.09 migrating cells p=0.005). The Tie-2 inhibition decreases the number of C-EMT and P-EMT migrating cells (7.69 ± 1.3 vs 3.67 ± 1.2 migrating cells p=0.01). Orthotopic tumors from C-EMT phenotype grow at a faster rate than the P-EMT (0.49mg ± 0.09 vs 0.12mg ± 0.05 p<0.05). Tumors from C-EMT and P-EMT cells will be analyzed for TMEM doorway score, TMEM activity and stemness signatures around TMEM doorway to determine if TMEM doorway is a niche for stemness in PDAC. TMEM doorways are present in PDAC mouse model. Inhibition of Tie2 leads to decreased TMEM doorway function and circulating tumor cells in PDAC. In addition, regarding the EMT phenotype, TMEM doorways are functional mechanisms of intravasation in vitro. This is a novel mechanism in PDAC and suggests a promising therapeutic target for decreasing intravasation and potential metastasis in PDAC. Citation Format: Erika Pereira Zambalde, Lina Ariyan, Francisco Puerta-Martinez, Yuqin Zhu, John Condeelis, Ben Stanger, John McAuliffe. Understanding the events that promote pancreatic cancer metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A059.

A Study of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Khunti District of Jharkhand through the Mukhyya Mantri Anusuchit Jan Jati Gram Vikas Yojna

The Khunti District primarily comprises rural areas with high migration rates due to rural unemployment. In addition, the lack of alternative livelihood options outside of agriculture has contributed to this trend. To address this issue, the government of Jharkhand launched the MMAJJGVY program in 2015, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurship and providing employment opportunities for educated youth and local women. However, traditional small-scale businesses in rural areas need help adapting to an increasingly globalized environment, hindering their growth and development. Obstacles in rural entrepreneurship also drive the unbalanced development of the region. This study examines the nature of entrepreneurship practices and their challenges, offering recommendations for overcoming these obstacles. The future development of the Khunti area is sustainable entrepreneurial opportunities, with rural tourism being identified as a sustainable means of livelihood for the rural population.

Assessment of heavy metal diffusion rates from river Yamuna and its effect on the surrounding geology: An experimental and theoretical study

The present study for the first time quantitatively investigates the acute pollution of the Yamuna River, focusing on the diffusion of heavy metals from industrial effluents into groundwater, surrounding soils, and crops, and its subsequent impact on human health. Owing to the unplanned discharge of the untreated effluents, the river exhibits heavy metal concentrations exceeding Indian standards. Utilizing 1-D diffusion transport models, Heavy metal pollution indices (HPI), and transfer factor (TF) for two different locations, it was understood that diffusion is a dominant mechanism that allows the heavy metals from the river to pollute the surrounding geology. The HPI in the groundwater was more than 200 at the studied locations indicating severe contamination of the groundwater, moreover, the TF of the crops through the soil was more than unity for various heavy metals present, viz., Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg. The estimated apparent diffusion coefficient (Da) was also found to be very high for these metals that lay in the range of 4.8 × 10−10 – 9.9 × 10−10 m2/s. The time necessary to migrate from the river to the crops was the least for Hg. The suitability of the crops for ingestion post-diffusion was further assessed by estimating the Daily Intake of Metals (DIM). The DIM reveals that the crops are highly unsuitable for children and adults as the values exceed the standard limits. Such a high migration rate of heavy metals from the river to the surrounding geology needs attenuation at the source to restrict migration. The evaluated apparent Da and migration times of heavy metals would provide critical insights for designing effective barrier systems to mitigate contamination.

Mechanical force regulates the paracrine functions of ADSCs to assist skin expansion in rats

BackgroundIn the repair of massive tissue defects using expanded large skin flaps, the incidence of complications increases with the size of the expanded area. Currently, stem cell therapy has limitations to solve this problem. We hypothesized that conditioned medium of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC-CM) collected following mechanical pretreatment can assist skin expansion.MethodsRat aortic endothelial cells and fibroblasts were cultured with ADSC-CM collected under 0%, 10%, 12%, and 15% stretching force. Ten-milliliter cylindrical soft tissue expanders were subcutaneously implanted into the backs of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats. The 0% and 10% stretch groups were injected with ADSC-CM collected under 0% and 10% stretching force, respectively, while the control group was not injected. After 3, 7, 14, and 30 days of expansion, expanded skin tissue was harvested for staining and qPCR analyses.ResultsEndothelial cells had the best lumen formation and highest migration rate, and fibroblasts secreted the most collagen upon culture with ADSC-CM collected under 10% stretching force. The skin expansion rate was significantly increased in the 10% stretch group. After 7 days of expansion, the number of blood vessels in the expanded area, expression of the angiogenesis-associated proteins vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor, and collagen deposition were significantly increased in the 10% stretch group.ConclusionsThe optimal mechanical force upregulates specific paracrine proteins in ADSCs to increase angiogenesis and collagen secretion, and thereby promote skin regeneration and expansion. This study provides a new auxiliary method to expand large skin flaps.

Factors influencing instructional practices of grade-12 mathematics teachers in Tigray: Lessons from content analysis and socio-economic perspectives of teachers

Content analysis is a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within, for example, textbooks. Mathematics textbooks have significant impact on students’ learning due to their role during the instructional processes. Both quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources were employed using content analysis of grade-12 Mathematics textbook and responses 23 teachers from schools of three randomly selected zones out of seven. The objective is to identify strengths and/or weaknesses of the textbook and challenges affecting teachers’ instructional practices thereby recommending corrective measures to be taken by stakeholders and policy makers. The nine units/sub-topics of the textbook have been analyzed in terms of coverage, vertical-horizontal relationships, integration, continuity, sequence and the application of higher-level cognitive objectives. Results from responses to closed-and open-ended questions revealed that major problems to the instructional practices include low interest of students (Mean = 4.22, SD = 1.06) resulting in high rate of migration, bulky content (Mean = 4.0, SD = 1.14), lack of support from parents (Mean = 3.78, SD = 0.98), Shortage of time/period allotment (Mean = 3.65, SD = 1.05), and insufficient training (Mean = 3.35, SD = 1.05). The identified themes/patterns are narrated, sequenced and interpreted using different perspectives. Findings indicated that there are no conceptual problems throughout, but there are weaknesses on the textbook such as problem of horizontal articulation with other subjects like Physics. There is a need of addressing the imbalance on the cognitive objectives and teachers focus on lecturing to cover the voluminous content. This requires due attention through the participatory approach model (PAM), including awareness creation to reduce migration and providing continuous short-term trainings for teachers as per set national and/or international standard at all levels to improve the quality of education.

Molecular detection of sub-microscopic infections and Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein-2 and 3 gene deletions in pre-elimination settings of South Africa

South Africa’s efforts toward eliminating malaria have positioned the country in the pre-elimination stage. Imported and sub-microscopic cases still contribute to the persistence of malaria in regions of low transmission as identified in this study where diagnostics is built largely on the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). However, the presence of Pfhrp2/3 gene deletion is known to interfere with the accuracy of diagnosis with the use of RDT. Malaria elimination and detection of Pfhrp2/3 gene deletion in the pre-elimination setting requires accurate molecular surveillance. With the core objective of this study being the determination of the presence sub-microscopic malaria cases and deleted Pfhrp2/3 gene markers, a total of 354 samples were collected from five districts of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. These samples were prepared for molecular analysis using primers and PCR conditions specific for amplification of 18S rRNA and msp-1gene. Positive amplicons were analysed for the presence of Pfhrp2/3 and flanking genes, along with Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic studies. Out of 354 samples collected 339 were tested negative with PfHRP2 based RDTs. Of these Pfhrp2 and Pfhrp3 gene deletions were confirmed in 94.7% (18/19) and 100% (19/19) respectively. High migration rate (75%) among the study participants was noted and phylogenetic analysis of sequenced isolates showed close evolutionary relatedness with India, United Kingdom, Iran, and Myanmar and China isolates. Molecular-based test is recommended as an essential surveillance tool for malaria management programs as the target focuses on elimination.

Integrative analysis of exvivo studies and microarray reveals the novel inhibitor effects of trehalose on the pathogenesis of pterygium.

Pterygium is a frequent eye surface condition that is characterized by a high rate of proliferation, fibrovascular development, cellular migration, corneal infiltration, and angiogenesis. We investigated that exvivo primary pterygium and conjunctival cell cultures were generated to analyze the effect of trehalose on cellular proliferation. After trehalose treatment, we performed microarray analysis to evaluate changes in the mRNA profile. We analyzed gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways to identify hub genes that changed expression levels after treatment and were associated with pterygium development. We selected three genes to verify their expression levels using qRT-PCR. The study also evaluated the impact of trehalose treatment on cell migration through a wound-healing assay. Our results suggested that pterygium cell proliferation was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by trehalose. 2354 DEG were identified in pterygium and conjunctiva cells treated with trehalose compared to untreated groups. Functional enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed mRNAs are involved in proliferation, vasculature development, and cell migration. We identified ten hub genes including upregulated (RANBP3L, SLC5A3, RERG, ANKRD1, DHCR7, RAB27B, GPRC5B, MSMO1, ASPN, DRAM1) and downregulated (TNC, PTGS2, GREM2, NPTX1, NR4A1, HMOX1, CXCL12, IL6, MYH2, TXNIP). Microarray analysis and functional investigations suggest that trehalose affects the pathogenesis of pterygium by modifying the expression of genes involved in crucial pathways related to cell function.

Donkey Gelatin and Keratin Nanofibers Loaded with Antioxidant Agents for Wound Healing Dressings.

Acute and chronic wounds present a significant healthcare challenge, requiring innovative solutions for effective treatment. The exploitation of natural by-products with advanced cell regeneration potential and plant-based materials, which possess bioactive properties, is an innovative topic in wound management. This study investigates the potential of donkey gelatin and keratin for blending with natural bioactive extracts such as sumac, curcumin, and oak acorn to fabricate antioxidant and antimicrobial nanofibers with accelerated wound healing processes. The fabricated nanofibers possess good in vitro biocompatibility, except for the sumac-based donkey nanofibers, where cell viability significantly dropped to 56.25% (p < 0.05 compared to non-treated cells). The nanofiber dimensions showed structural similarities to human extracellular matrix components, providing an ideal microenvironment for tissue regeneration. The donkey nanofiber-based sumac and curcumin extracts presented a higher dissolution in the first 10 min (74% and 72%). Curcumin extract showed similar antimicrobial and antifungal performances to rivanol, while acorn and sumac extracts demonstrated similar values to each other. In vitro tests performed on murine fibroblast cells demonstrated high migration rates of 89% and 85% after 24 h in the case of acorn and curcumin nanofibers, respectively, underscoring the potential of these nanofibers as versatile platforms for advanced wound care applications.

Clinical and radiological outcome following arthroscopic Latarjet with cerclage FiberTape fixation with a minimum 1-year follow-up

The rates of implant-related complications are significant following the Latarjet procedure using metal screws in patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation and bone loss. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the short-term outcome following the arthroscopic Latarjet procedure using cerclage FiberTape (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA) combined with remplissage and capsulolabral repair. It was hypothesized that performing the procedure with cerclage FiberTape would provide sturdy fixation, comparable to the conventional method of using metal screws, while averting hardware-related complications attributed to the latter in published literature. A prospective study was performed in a single institution between 2020 and 2022, with all surgeries performed by a single fellowship-trained shoulder surgeon who has ample experience in performing arthroscopic screw Latarjet procedures. Patient demographics, number of dislocations before surgery, arm dominance, ligamentous laxity, type of sporting activity, Instability Severity Index Score, and percentage of bone loss on the glenoid and humeral sides were recorded. The patients were followed up with visual analog scale, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Rowe score, and Walch-Duplay score preoperatively and postoperatively. The coracoid graft position, healing, and remodeling were assessed with computed tomography scans at 3 months postoperatively. Minimum clinical follow-up was for a period of one year. Overall, 10 patients (all males, average age 28±8.8 years) were operated on with an arthroscopic Latarjet procedure using cerclage FiberTape. The minimum follow-up period was 12 months, and the mean follow-up was 13.2 months. The median and individual visual analog scores during arm motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, Rowe scores, and Walch-Duplay scores improved in the follow-up period. Computed tomography scans at 3 months showed flushed graft position in 5 patients, medial graft position in two patients, and three patients showed graft nonunion with migration. Out of 10 patients, seven had good graft union in follow-up scans. None of the patients required revision surgery. All three patients with graft nonunion were kept under follow-up beyond the study period for recurrence of instability. Our study demonstrated that arthroscopic Latarjet using cerclage FiberTape fixation combined with remplissage and capsulolabral repair resulted in high rate of graft loosening and migration (30%). Nonetheless, patients in whom the coracoid graft had united, as well as those in whom it had not, all had good to excellent functional and clinical outcomes, no complications, and did not require any revision surgery.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Adverse Events and Device Failures Associated with Esophageal Self-Expandable Metal Stents: An FDA MAUDE Database Study.

Esophageal Stents are used to maintain esophageal lumen patency in esophageal strictures caused by intrinsic and/or extrinsic malignancies and the occlusion of concomitant esophageal fistulas. While data on the efficacy and safety of esophageal stents exist, comprehensive evaluation of adverse events is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the reported adverse events and device failures associated with esophageal self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) using the FDA's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database. Post-marketing surveillance data for the esophageal SEMSs were analyzed using the FDA's MAUDE database from January 2014 to December 10, 2023. The outcomes of interest were patient-related adverse events and device failures. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and SPSS. Pooled numbers and percentages were calculated for each adverse event. Continuous variables underwent analysis using a two-tailed student t test, and significance was set to p ≤ 0.05. During the study period, 548 MAUDE reports revealed 873 device failures and 186 patient-related adverse events. The most common device issues were stent activation, positioning, or separation problems (4 n = 403; 46.2%), followed by device detachment or migration (n = 109, 12.5%), and material problems (n = 93, 10.7%). Patient complications included dysphagia/odynophagia (10%), perforation, pain, and bleeding (each 7.6%). The most common device failures in over-the-wire (OTW) stents and through-the-scope (TTS) stents were activation, positioning, or separation problems (TTS: n = 183, 52.6% vs OTW: n = 220, 41.9%). Compared to OTW stents, TTS stents had higher migration and breakage (13.5% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.24), and (9.2% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.08) respectively, while OTW stents had more challenges with stent advancement or removal (5.1% vs. 0.3%, p < 0.001 and 4.6% vs 3.4%, p = 0.19, respectively) and material problems (14.7% vs. 4.6%, p < 0.001). Activation, positioning, and separation problems were the most frequent device failures in fully covered (FC) and partially covered (PC) stents (FC: n = 62, 32.8%, PC: n = 168, 43.5%). FC stents had higher migration rates (20.6% vs 9.8%, p < 0.001), while PC stents exhibited more material problems (17.4% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.001) and difficulties with advancing the stents (6.7% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). Our examination showed a prevalence of reported device complications associated with stent activation, positioning, and separation problems. Dysphagia or odynophagia emerged as the most frequently reported patient complication. Furthermore, our analysis, provides insights into TTS vs. OTW and FC vs. PC esophageal SEMSs, enabling endoscopists and manufacturers to better understand adverse events and potentially optimize device design for future iterations.

Childhood internal migration in Europe: Developments across cohorts and countries

AbstractInternal migration is the driving force behind population re‐distribution within countries. Although internal migration has been extensively studied among adults, little is known about patterns in childhood migration, and even less so in a comparative manner. This study, therefore, adopts a child‐centred approach and contributes to the literature by exploring cross‐national changes in childhood migration across birth cohorts. Moreover, it examines how patterns of childhood migration relate to the postponement of childbearing. Drawing on retrospective residential histories from the SHARE survey, we analyzed childhood migration trajectories of 178,476 individuals born between 1935 and 1994 in 28 European countries. Cohort analyses confirm a country gradient in childhood migration, with the highest migration rates in Northern Europe and the lowest in Southeastern Europe. Nonetheless, across nearly all countries, childhood migration has consistently declined since the 1970s. Furthermore, when children relocate, it happens at increasingly younger ages. Finally, we find that these patterns are related to the increasing childbearing age across Europe. Our results thereby highlight the interplay between childhood migration and adult family life's changing dynamics, offering a novel perspective on the link between these two demographic components.

Global transboundary transmission path and risk of Mpox revealed with Least Cost Path model

ObjectivesThe recent surge of Mpox outbreaks in multiple countries has garnered global attention. As of July 12, 2023, there have been 88,288 reported cases of Mpox worldwide. Although genetic variation was not found to be the cause of the epidemic outbreak, the reasons for its rapid spread remain unclear. MethodsUsing the niche method, this study identified high-risk regions for Mpox and determined that human factors are the primary contributors to global risks. To further investigate, a travel network resistance surface was created based on various modes of transportation and was combined with sea, airline, highway, and railway routes to construct the least cost path for human travel networks in different risk areas. ResultsThe results indicated that high-risk regions for Mpox are mainly concentrated in Europe and the United States, with large risk ranges and high-risk values. The least cost path revealed three primary transmission paths rely on developed transportation networks, including internal transmission in North America, Europe-Africa, and Europe-Asia-Africa. These findings suggest that human activities, facilitated by developed travel networks, remain the main contributing factor to the spread. ConclusionsIn summary, based on the Mpox epidemic report, this study conducted risk prediction and driving factor analysis on Mpox. The research results indicate that human use of transportation for long-distance activities is a key factor leading to the rapid spread of the virus. Subsequently, we focused on studying the global transmission pathways of Mpox and revealed several transmission pathways with high global population migration rates by constructing the LCPs between different high-risk areas. This study also emphasizes the importance of applying early monitoring data of Mpox to model risk prediction in controlling emerging infectious diseases, providing a new perspective for controlling Mpox and similar diseases.

Antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial, wound healing potentials and LC-MS/MS analysis of water extract of Rhus coriaria L. (sumak) leaves

The object of this study was to investigate antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial and wound healing activities of aqueous extract of R. coriaria L. (sumak) leaves. Antioxidant activity was carried out using 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis(3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) assays and the extract showed 97.0 ± 0.74% and 95.7 ± 1.40% radical scavenging activities, respectively. For anticancer activity, cytotoxicity was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against MCF7 breast cancer and L929 mouse fibroblast cells, and the extract was able to inhibit proliferation of MCF7 breast cancer cells with IC50 of 129.1 ± 9.27 μg/mL. Wound closure assay revealed that aqueous extract at 1 μg/mL was able to close 79% of wound gap after 24 h with high migration rate. Antimicrobial activity depicted high inhibitory effects against C. albicans (17 mm), E. coli (16 mm), P. aeruginosa (21 mm), S. aureus (17 mm), K. pneumoniae (15 mm). Furthermore, LC-MS/MS results revealed that the leaves contain phenolic compounds and mainly rich in gallic acid (2.82 mg/kg) caffeic acid (6.84 mg/kg) and ascorbic acid (45.84 mg/kg) which may be strongly associated with the remarkable biological activities the extract.

Neutrophils Disrupt B-1a Cell Homeostasis by Targeting Siglec-G to Exacerbate Sepsis

Abstract In sepsis, B-1a cells diminish in the peritoneal cavity (PerC) as they relocate to the spleen via CXCL12/CXCR4. In the spleen, these cells differentiate into plasma cells, skewing from innate to adaptive phenotype. The mechanism governing the PerC B-1a cell relocation in sepsis remains elusive. Sialic-acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec)-G is a B-1a cell-specific receptor. We found that Siglec-G-/- PerC B-1a cells had a higher migration rate than WT B-1a cells. Siglec-G negatively regulated B-1a cell migration by interacting with CXCR4, as Siglec-G-/- B-1a cells showed increased activation of the CXCR4’s downstream pathway. LPS-activated neutrophils decreased Siglec-G expression on B-1a cells and promoted B-1a cell migration, while NE inhibitor reversed these. Recombinant NE treatment decreased Siglec-G expression by cleavage on B-1a cells. A small Siglec-G-derived decoy peptide (SDP) was developed to prevent Siglec-G cleavage based on the interaction site of NE at the Siglec-G protein in silico. Treatment of SDP significantly reduced the decrease in PerC B-1a cell numbers and Siglec-G expression on B-1a cells in septic mice. SDP treatment significantly reduced serum IL-6 and TNFα levels and improved survival rates in septic mice. In conclusion, we discover Siglec-G to be a new regulator of B-1a cell migration. Preventing NE-mediated Siglec-G cleavage upholds a promising strategy for maintaining peritoneal B-1a cell homeostasis to mitigate sepsis.

Much ado about nothing? Giorgia Meloni’s government and immigration

ABSTRACT Italy as an immigration country has been characterized by high rates of irregular migration due to the weak legal admission channels available and the combination of apowerful internal demand of foreign workers and intense external pressure on itsborders. Despite the growing salience of migration issues in the political arena, the country has shown a marked inertia in addressing the structural causes of the phenomenon. The gap between political grandstanding and effective governance hasbeen highlighted by numerous studies. This article analyses the first year of Giorgia Meloni’s government by assessing the coherence between the highly restrictive electoral promises and the implemented policies, and by weighing the degree of novelty of its approach in relation to migration management over the last twenty years. Results show that, beyond the multiplication of proclamations and emergency interventions with respect to recurring border crises, there has been an overall pragmatic and rather open attitude, far from the radical stances of the opposition years. In addition, the full confirmation of that model of ‘reluctant openness’ that has characterized the Italian approach to immigration, combining irregularity as the main route of access with an almost complete overlook of other important dimensions like migrants’ integration.