Scientifica最新文献

{"title":"Strongyloidiasis as a Focal Household Cluster of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis in Rural Tropical Rainforest Southern Thailand: An Observational Study.","authors":"Attarat Pattanawongsa, Prasit Na-Ek, Patthanasak Khammaneechan, Blego Sedionoto, Witthaya Anamnart","doi":"10.1155/sci5/6861451","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/6861451","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In southern Thailand, characterized by high rainfall for 9 months each year (2340 mm annually), hookworm prevalence is consistently higher than that of <i>Strongyloides stercoralis</i>. Such wet climatic conditions may favor hookworm transmission while limiting <i>S. stercoralis</i>. Conversely, living in crowded, cluster settlements may enhance the transmission of <i>S. stercoralis</i>. We aimed to determine whether <i>S. stercoralis</i> exhibits a focal distribution pattern-often related to close contact within households or small communities-and whether this pattern distinctively differs from that of hookworm infection.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a comparative observational study involving 346 of 418 village residents across eight designated subareas. Subareas 2, 4, 6, and 7 featured cluster settlements; Subareas 3 and 5 were diffuse low-income settings; and Subareas 1 and 8 represented mixed-density low-income areas. Each subarea contained at least one household lacking latrines. Stool samples were collected and analyzed using agar plate culture and the modified formalin-ether concentration technique to detect helminths. The spatial distributions of both infections were subsequently mapped and analyzed using spatial dispersion indices.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the eight subareas, six demonstrated a higher hookworm-to-<i>S. stercoralis</i> prevalence ratio, ranging from 1.59:1 to 10:1. Conversely, Subareas 2 and 8 exhibited near-equivalent ratios, ranging from 1.38:1 to 1.75:1 (exact binomial <i>p</i> = 0.453, OR = 2.50 [discordant pairs = 7] and exact binomial <i>p</i> = 0.109, OR = 4.00 [discordant pairs = 10], respectively). Subareas 3 and 5 showed the strongest dominance of hookworm over <i>S. stercoralis</i>, at 10:1 and 7.7:1, respectively. Geographical and inequality indices revealed that <i>S. stercoralis</i> clustered focally across all subareas except 3 and 5, whereas hookworm infections were more broadly and uniformly distributed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In southern Thailand, strongyloidiasis appears to cluster within households, supporting the hypothesis of close-contact transmission, whereas hookworm infection is more widely distributed. These spatial differences suggest distinct, tailored targeting strategies are necessary for hookworm control and <i>S. stercoralis</i> interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"6861451"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678285/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison Between Oculoplastic Surgeons and Two Large Language Models in the Nonsurgical Management of Thyroid Eye Disease: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Shiqi Hui, Lihua Luo, Zhijia Hou, Dongmei Li","doi":"10.1155/sci5/2900790","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/2900790","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Thyroid eye disease (TED) presents heterogeneous clinical manifestations requiring nuanced, individualized management. Large language models (LLMs) have shown potential in clinical reasoning, but their consistency with physician decision-making in nonsurgical TED management remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A structured 19-item questionnaire covering medical, injection-based, and radiotherapeutic treatments for TED was distributed to 17 oculoplastic surgeons across the Asia-Pacific region. Responses were binarized (1 = selected, 0 = not selected) and compared with standardized outputs from GPT and Gemini. Jaccard and cosine similarity indices were calculated to quantify the alignment between physicians and LLMs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, GPT and Gemini demonstrated comparable alignment with clinicians' treatment preferences. Both models closely matched physician consensus regarding glucocorticoid use and radiotherapy indications but diverged in immunosuppressant selection and injection-based strategies. Similarity was generally consistent across physician experience and patient-volume subgroups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>GPT and Gemini demonstrated moderate agreement with participating oculoplastic surgeons in structured nonsurgical TED management scenarios. These findings support further evaluation of LLM-assisted applications within controlled clinical validation frameworks, and additional validation using guideline-based benchmarks and real-world clinical scenarios is required.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2900790"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13669656/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149216811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Species Identification of Sea Turtles in Thailand Using DNA Barcoding Coupled With High-Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM) Analysis.","authors":"Anocha Poommouang, Kittisak Santisuk, Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, Patcharaporn Kaewmong, Chaleamchat Somgird, Korakot Nganvongpanit, Kittisak Buddhachat","doi":"10.1155/sci5/6737420","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/6737420","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The identification of sea turtle species relies on morphological characteristics, presenting challenges in incomplete or degraded specimens, with DNA barcoding now increasingly recognized for its potential in expediting species identification across various organisms. This study proposed a combination of DNA barcoding with high-resolution melting (Bar-HRM) analysis for accurate identification of sea turtles at the species level. Mitochondrial DNA (D-loop, <i>cytb</i>, and <i>cox1</i>) and nuclear DNA (<i>Ahr</i>, <i>Bdnf</i>, <i>Bmp2</i>, <i>C-mos</i>, <i>Hmgb2</i>, <i>Ngf</i>, and <i>Pax1p1</i>) were employed for Bar-HRM to differentiate the five sea turtle species (green turtle, <i>Chelonia mydas</i>; hawksbill, <i>Eretmochelys imbricata</i>; leatherback, <i>Dermochelys coriacea</i>; loggerhead, <i>Caretta caretta</i>; and olive ridley, <i>Lepidochelys olivacea</i>) commonly found in Thai waters and some tortoise species used as outgroup. Results demonstrated that Bar-HRM using TurtleDloop2 and TurtleCytb2(R1) primers produced distinct normalized melting curves for all five species (100%) that their Tm value ranged 77°C-81°C and 81°C-83°C, respectively. The performance of the established approach was evaluated by a blind test of 30 samples, randomly selected for species identification by Bar-HRM using both primers, with accuracy rates of 100%. The minimum DNA concentrations required to discriminate sea turtle and tortoise species using this method were 0.001 and 0.01 ng per reaction for TurtleDloop2 and TurtleCytb2(R1), respectively. Our findings suggested that Bar-HRM using TurtleDloop2 and TurtleCytb2(R1) was a promising tool for the identification of sea turtle species, contributing to effective conservation endeavors and precise evaluations of their endangered status, thereby enhancing the efficiency of conservation planning initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"6737420"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13655504/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149166404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrogeomorphological Assessment and Prioritized Modelling of Groundwater Scarcity in the Kangsabati River Basin Using Multiattribute Decision-Making (MADM) Approaches.","authors":"Sanjay Saha, Menuka Gautam, Jayanta Das","doi":"10.1155/sci5/9965060","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/9965060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Groundwater resource depletion constitutes a major global environmental challenge, requiring robust quantitative frameworks to optimize localized water sustainability initiatives. This study examines the hydrogeomorphological characteristics of the Kangsabati River Basin to assess groundwater scarcity and identify priority areas for management. Total 47 morphometric indicators were analysed to understand their influence on groundwater conditions. The basin shows a well-developed but uneven drainage network, reflecting marked differences in infiltration potential and groundwater availability across subwatersheds. To rank the subwatersheds based on the severity of groundwater scarcity, six multiattribute decision-making (MADM) methods were applied. The analysis incorporated widely used techniques, including the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Vlsekriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR), simple additive weighting (SAW), composite compromise solution (CoCoSo), multiobjective optimization by ratio analysis (MOORA) and evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS). The combined assessment highlights the complexity of comparing groundwater stress across a geomorphologically diverse basin while also demonstrating the value of MADM approaches for producing consistent and transparent prioritisation. The findings reveal significant spatial variability in groundwater conditions, with several subwatersheds such as 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15 and 18 showing clear signs of scarcity. These results highlight the need for targeted recharge measures, improved water conservation strategies and more effective watershed-level planning. This study provides a structured framework for assessing groundwater scarcity and supports informed decision-making for sustainable water resource management in the Kangsabati River Basin.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9965060"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13646891/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149138321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological and Biochemical Screening of Chilli (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) Genotypes to Short-Term Waterlogging Stress at the Seedling Stage.","authors":"Md Sabibul Haque, Zarin Shaima, Md Fazle Rabbi, Hafsa Tasnim, Atia Iffat, Susmita Biswas, Md Nesar Uddin, Md Alamgir Hossain","doi":"10.1155/sci5/4290084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci5/4290084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Waterlogging (WL) has emerged as a serious threat for chilli (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) growth and productivity. A practical approach to overcome this challenge is to explore chilli germplasms with enhanced tolerance to WL stress. This study investigated the responses of 12 diverse chilli genotypes to short-term WL stress and subsequent recovery at the seedling stage. The 35-d-old chilli seedlings were exposed to three growth conditions in pots: (i) control (no stress), (ii) WL (3-d), and (iii) recovery (6-d after WL), following a completely randomized design with three replications. WL stress significantly declined root-shoot biomass, pigment contents, stomatal conductance (<i>g</i> _<i>s</i> ), transpiration rate (<i>E</i>), quantum yield of PSII (<i>Φ</i> _{<i>P</i> <i>S</i> <i>I</i> <i>I</i>} ), and electron transport rate (ETR) while markedly increased malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), proline contents, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in all tested genotypes. The genotypes varied significantly in response to the studied traits demonstrating tolerance and susceptibility. Depending on genotypes, total dry weight was reduced by 16%-36% under WL compared to control while only 8%-16% of the lost dry weight was recovered after a six-day recovery. WL triggered severe impact on <i>g</i> _<i>s</i> , reducing by 75%-95% across the genotypes compared to control. WL boosted leaf MDA by 30% in Sariakandi-1 to 60% in BARI Morich-3 compared to control, while after recovery, MDA levels decreased by 9%, 12%, and 15% in Premium, Current, and Sariakandi-1, respectively. Under WL, the leaf proline and TAC in Current, Premium, and SK-1 boosted by 72%, 80% and 82% and by 78%, 82%, and 83%, respectively, compared to control. Based on stress tolerance index (STI) of all measured traits, hierarchical clustering ranked Sariakandi-1, Premium, BARI Morich-5, and Current as relatively more tolerant to WL with comparatively better but partial recovery through the restoration of morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes. Principal component analysis identified key traits as potential selection criteria for breeding WL-tolerant chilli cultivars.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4290084"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13627861/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant, Cytotoxicity, and Anthelmintic Activity of the Bark Extracts of <i>Terminalia superba</i> Against the Murine Intestinal Nematode <i>Heligmosomoides polygyrus</i>: An Integrated In Vitro and In Silico Approach.","authors":"Bismarck Nganji Nsa, Yan Wu, Joan Echi Ebanga Eyong, Cédric Yamssi, Nadia A C Noumedem, Tientcheu N J Sandra, Gamago N Guy-Armand, Mounvera A Azizi, Ngouyamsa N A Sidiki, Haibo Hu, Vincent Khan Payne, Helen Kuokuo Kimbi","doi":"10.1155/sci5/4297066","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/4297066","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Intestinal helminthiases are major global health concerns affecting over a billion people, causing significant morbidity, mortality, and economic losses in both humans and livestock. The growing emergence of drug-resistant parasites has intensified the search for new, safe anthelmintic alternatives. This study evaluated the anthelmintic potential of bark extracts of &lt;i&gt;Terminalia superba&lt;/i&gt; against intestinal nematode infections.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Aqueous and ethanolic extracts were tested in vitro for ovicidal and larvicidal effects against &lt;i&gt;Heligmosomoides polygyrus&lt;/i&gt; eggs and larval stages at concentrations ranging from 0.3125 to 5 mg/mL, in triplicate, using a high-throughput worm microtracker. Albendazole served as positive control, and distilled water served as negative control. IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt; values were derived from concentration-response curves via nonlinear regression in GraphPad Prism. Antioxidant activity was assessed through DPPH, reducing power, nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays, while cytotoxicity was evaluated by hemolysis assay on human red blood cells with 1.0% Tween 20 as positive control. Phytochemical screening and UHPLC-MS/MS fingerprinting were performed to characterize bioactive compounds. Molecular docking against succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and &lt;i&gt;β&lt;/i&gt;-tubulin, alongside ADME predictions, were conducted using Schrödinger Maestro, with toxicity assessed via ProTox-III.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Both extracts exhibited concentration-dependent ovicidal and larvicidal activity. The aqueous extract was more effective against eggs and L1 larvae (IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;: 1.2 and 0.3 mg/mL), while the ethanolic extract outperformed the aqueous extract against L2 and L3 larvae (IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;: 0.09 and 0.8 mg/mL). The ethanolic extract demonstrated superior DPPH radical scavenging activity IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;: 0.75 μg/mL (95% CI: 0.14-1.62), compared to the aqueous extract, 6.26 μg/mL (4.07-9.50), and vitamin C, 1.91 μg/mL (1.38-2.55). Both extracts showed minimal cytotoxicity, with hemolysis of 7.6% and 2% at 1000 μg/mL, respectively. Phytochemical analysis revealed a rich profile of tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, with UHPLC-MS/MS confidently identifying 82 of over 300 detected features. Top docking candidates against &lt;i&gt;β&lt;/i&gt;-tubulin included kaempferol (-8.033), brevifolin-carboxylic acid (-7.985), luteolin (-7.954), scutellarein (-7.373), and (-)-epicatechin (-6.980), all surpassing albendazole (-3.728). Against SDH, leading compounds were termilignan (-6.767), cyanidin (-6.659), hesperetin (-6.314), combretastatin A-1 (-6.274), and luteolin (-6.166), outperforming albendazole (-5.541). ADME profiling of these leading compounds indicated favorable oral absorption and bioavailability. ProTox-III classified all top compounds at low toxicity levels (class ≥ 4).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;This study offers preliminary scientific support fo","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4297066"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying Waterlogging Tolerance and Recovery Capacity of Jute Genotypes During Early Growth Stage Through Agronomic Trait-Based Comprehensive Evaluation Value.","authors":"Rezowana Nizam, Md Hasanuzzaman, A M M Shamsuzzaman, Mofasser Rahman, Jubayer Al Mahmud, Suraya Parvin, Mohammad Mahbub Islam","doi":"10.1155/sci5/8323167","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/8323167","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effective screening of genotypes for waterlogging tolerance and recovery capability is critical to mitigate waterlogging stress and support targeted breeding programs. This study was conducted to evaluate 70 tossa jute (<i>Corchorus olitorius</i>) genotypes at the seedling stage under 10, 12, and 14 days of waterlogging stress to identify variation in tolerance on the basis of seedling mortality. Fifteen genotypes with contrasting responses were subsequently subjected to detailed agronomic trait analysis under 14 days of continuous waterlogging stress, followed by 14 days of recovery after drainage. Significant genotypic variation was observed in seedling mortality, which increased with increasing stress duration, ranging from 0% to 20% in highly tolerant genotypes to 81%-100% in highly susceptible ones. Waterlogging stress and recovery conditions negatively affected shoot and root length, total length, the root-to-shoot ratio, and shoot and root fresh and dry weights. Comprehensive evaluation of waterlogging tolerance (CEVWT) and comprehensive evaluation of recovery tolerance (CEVRT) ranged from 0 to 1.0, reflecting a substantial variation among the genotypes. The waterlogging tolerance coefficient (WTC), CEVWT, waterlogging tolerance score (WTS), recovery tolerance coefficient (RTC), CEVRT, and recovery tolerance score (RTS) suggested that the CVL-1 and A-3539 genotypes were identified as highly waterlogging-tolerant with recovery capability, whereas A-2521 and O-9897 were highly sensitive with poor recovery potential. The significant positive correlations of WTS and RTS with different agronomic traits indicated that longer roots and shoots and higher seedling biomass are key contributing traits for waterlogging tolerance and recovery capacity. A significant positive correlation between WTS and RTS demonstrated that genotypes with higher tolerance during waterlogging stress also showed superior recovery potential. Therefore, the findings highlighted that selecting jute genotypes with longer roots and shoots, greater seedling biomass retention under waterlogging stress, and higher recovery after drainage are recommended to develop resilient jute varieties suitable for flood-prone environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8323167"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13551592/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148913329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larvicidal and Repellent Effects Against Vector Mosquitoes <i>Anopheles stephensi</i> and <i>Aedes aegypti</i> (Diptera: Culicidae) for <i>Alstonia scholaris</i> Linn R Br Flower and Prospective Characterisation of Bioactive Extract.","authors":"Kaneez Fatima, Shaukat Khalid, Kiran Qadeer, Huma Shareef, Hina Yasin, Hina Abrar, Saima Zahid","doi":"10.1155/sci5/9114956","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/9114956","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Malaria and dengue are among the most widespread vector-borne diseases globally. This study evaluated the larvicidal and repellent characteristics of <i>Alstonia scholaris</i> (Apocynaceae) flower extracts against the <i>Anopheles stephensi</i> and <i>Aedes aegypti</i> vectors. The crude methanolic extract was sequentially fractionated into ethyl acetate, <i>n</i>-butanol and aqueous fractions. Four different fractions were tested against <i>Anopheles stephensi</i> and <i>Aedes aegypti</i> at concentrations ranging from 78 to 1092 ppm and 625-6250 ppm, respectively. Larval mortality was observed after 24 h and analysed using probit analysis to estimate lethal concentrations (LC₅₀). Repellency duration was assessed for adult <i>Aedes aegypti</i> using the various solvent extracts. The methanolic extract exhibited high efficacy against both <i>Anopheles stephensi</i> and <i>Aedes aegypti</i> larvae, with LC₅₀ of 312 and 960 ppm, respectively. The ethyl acetate extract showed strong repellent activity, which is persistent up to 9 h (posttreatment) against adult <i>Aedes aegypti</i>. FTIR analysis of the methanolic extract identified functional groups such as aldehyde, amide, alkyl and carbonyl. GC-MS analysis revealed five major components: ursolic acid methyl ester (12.42%), lupeol (53.86%), lupeol acetate (10.95%), cycloeucalenol (2.62%) and hentriacontane (2.64%). These findings indicate that <i>A. scholaris</i> flower extracts in different solvents show potential larvicidal and mosquito repellent activity for the control of malaria and dengue.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9114956"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13539211/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148888658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiological Insights Into Relocation in Older Age From the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA II): A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Maximilian Andreas Storz, Alvaro Luis Ronco","doi":"10.1155/sci5/5513056","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/5513056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As the global population ages as a whole, interest in the \"place\" dimension of aging is growing. Previous studies on relocation in older age were often qualitative in nature and based on small samples. Large-scale epidemiological studies that specifically account for nonmovers are scarce but may contribute to a better understanding of older people's reasoning about relocation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging-Wave II, a U.S. population-based survey from 1997 to 1998, was analyzed to explore the most common reasons for moving in adults aged ≥ 70 years. The data were analyzed with a cross-sectional analytical approach. The predicted probability of moving depending on age and sociodemographic factors was estimated based on survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression. Moving/relocation was self-reported and covered a preceding 2-year period; reasons for moving implied a permanent relocation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The weighted percentage of participants reporting relocation within the last 2 years was 10.83% (9.81-11.95). The predicted probability of moving increased with higher age and doubled from 10% to 20% when comparing those aged 70 years and 90 years. Participants reporting fair/poor overall health were significantly more likely to have moved than those participants with excellent health (contrast: +7% (95% CI: 4.1%-9%), <i>p</i> < 0.001). A similar contrast was found when comparing married participants with widowed/divorced participants (+6.8% (95% CI: 3%-10%), <i>p</i> = 0.001). Deteriorating health and the desire to go to a smaller place were the most frequently reported reasons for moving with 35.67% (31.98-39.53) and 18.71% (15.29-22.70), respectively. More than 10% of participants who relocated indicated a desire to live closer to their child/children.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Results from this epidemiological analysis corroborate motivations for relocation identified in previous interview-based qualitative studies. The estimated marginal predicted probabilities provide new insights into the complex dynamics of relocation in older age.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5513056"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13535850/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148881538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> Activities of Silica Nanoformulated Quercetin Compound Derived From <i>Annona muricata</i> L. Leaves.","authors":"Hazel Anne Tabo, Siriphorn Chimplee, Diana Mendonça, Ryan V Labana, Tajudeen O Jimoh, Tooba Mahboob, Norbel Tabo, Arizaldo Castro, Darylle Cesar G Hilapo, Feibing Huang, Qiongdan Zhang, Ling Liang, Rachasak Boonhok, Bin Li, Wei Wang, Maria de Lourdes Pereira, Cristina Salibay, Shanmuga Sundar Saravanabhavan, Muhammad Nawaz, Veeranoot Nissapatorn","doi":"10.1155/sci5/5902580","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/5902580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Acanthamoeba</i> spp., free-living amoebae (FLA), are the causative agents of <i>Acanthamoeba</i> keratitis (AK) and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). These diseases have limited treatment options; therefore, drug discovery remains a critical priority. This study evaluated the leaf extract of <i>Annona muricata</i> L., which contains quercetin, formulated in silica nanoparticles against <i>Acanthamoeba</i> species. The anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> effect of the nanoformulation was determined by its MIC and percentage viability. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the nanocompound-directed effect on trophozoites and cysts. The nanoquercetin exhibited anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> activity, showing greater effectiveness against the trophozoites of <i>Acanthamoeba polyphaga</i> ATCC 30461 (AP) (MIC > 2 mg/mL) compared to cysts (MIC > 8 mg/mL) and against <i>A. triangularis</i> WU19001 (AT) trophozoites (MIC > 4 mg/mL) compared to cysts (MIC > 8 mg/mL). It also showed reduced activity against <i>Acanthamoeba castellanii</i> ATCC 30010 (AC3) trophozoites (MIC > 4 mg/mL) compared to cysts (MIC > 8 mg/mL) and <i>A. castellanii</i> ATCC50739 (AC5) trophozoites (MIC > 4 mg/mL) compared to cysts (MIC > 8 mg/mL). The anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> activity of <i>A. muricata</i> on all four species was compared to chlorhexidine, which had MIC values of 0.008 mg/mL for AC3 and AT trophozoites and 0.016 mg/mL for AC5 and AP trophozoites. For cysts, chlorhexidine exhibited MIC values of > 0.0128 mg/mL for AC3 and AP, 0.032 mg/mL for AC5, and 0.064 mg/mL for AT. All MIC values demonstrated inhibition of <i>Acanthamoeba</i> species with reduced viability exceeding 90%. SEM findings revealed morphological changes in <i>Acanthamoeba</i>, indicating parasitic inhibition. Quercetin-loaded silica nanoparticles demonstrated anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> activity with low cytotoxicity. This indicates the potential of quercetin as a nano-enhanced natural therapeutic or contact lens-care agent. This study is limited by its in vitro design, small parasite strain panel, and potential nanoparticle variability. This highlights the need for in vivo validation, ocular/contact lens model testing, and formulation optimization for improved cysticidal efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5902580"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13532571/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148874901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}