Background:? Legionella poses a significant threat to immunocompromised oncology patients. To mitigate nosocomial legionellosis, healthcare systems often implement environmental surveillance. At MD Anderson Cancer Center, we combined a shared analytics platform with long-read whole genome sequencing (WGS) to enable detection of genetically related isolates from facility ice machines.? Methods:? A centralized dashboard (Power BI, Microsoft) was developed to monitor environmental Legionella surveillance across the institution and highlight areas with elevated positivity rates. Targeted environmental sampling was conducted to identify potential reservoirs. Given repeated isolation of L. anisa strains, a subset of isolates underwent WGS using the MinION platform (Oxford Nanopore Technologies). Genetic relatedness was assessed using MINTyper for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) calling and Prokka with Roary for pan-genome analysis.? Results:? Environmental sampling of facility water sources revealed five positive Legionella samples from five separate ice machines, three of which grew L. anisa. No shared feeder lines or water sources tested positive. WGS performed by an infection control practitioner and revealed that two L. anisa isolates shared 99.9% genome similarity, differing by fewer than five SNPs, suggesting a common origin or transmission route (Figure 1). No clinical cases were associated with these findings during the investigation.? Conclusion:? A WGS based investigation powered by infection control practitioners without the use of a core genome sequencing facility uncovered potential transmission between geographically separated reservoirs that would have gone unrecognized through conventional methods. WGS also helped exclude a third ice machine from the suspected cluster. These findings led to the development of an updated institutional standard operating procedure (SOP), integrating data visualization and genomic analysis to enable earlier identification of related environmental sources and guide proactive interventions before clinical cases occur. This provides a framework for real-time implementation of WGS for Infection Control that can be deployed with minimal investment in nearly any clinical setting.

Dust storms are pervasive across much of the inland and arid regions of California. These extreme meteorological and air pollution events affect the state’s environment and economy, as well as the health of the nearly 5 million people living in dust-prone areas. Developing effective strategies to address the deleterious impacts of dust storms requires a clear understanding of their causes, spatial and temporal variability, and the efficacy of mitigation techniques. This review synthesizes the current state of knowledge on dust storms in California, including where they occur, the landscape and climatic factors governing their geographic distribution, drivers of historical and projected future changes, and their impacts on human health, the economy and natural systems. This work assesses existing approaches for mitigating and adapting to dust storms and identifies critical gaps in understanding that currently limit effective responses within the state. This review is intended as a resource for researchers, community-based organizations, state agencies and policymakers engaged in addressing dust impacts in California. While the focus is regional, the environmental processes, societal impacts and management challenges discussed here are broadly applicable to drylands, making this work relevant beyond California.

The role of n-6 PUFA, especially linoleic acid (LA), in adiposity remains contested. While clinical interventions suggest improved body composition with higher LA intake, observational evidence using dietary data is inconsistent, and few studies consider circulating fatty acids or longitudinal changes in adiposity. Using multivariable linear models, we evaluated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between n-6 PUFA and waist circumference (WC), weight and whole-body fat mass (FM) in the UK Biobank Cohort. Cross-sectionally (n 272 587, 54 % female, mean age 57 years), higher circulating LA was inversely associated with WC, weight and FM. Participants in the highest v. lowest quintile of LA had significantly smaller WC (–11·04 (–11·17, –10·91) cm), lower weight (–11·77 (–11·92, –11·62) kg) and lower FM (–7·87 (–7·97, –7·77) kg). Associations for total n-6 were generally consistent with those for LA. Conversely, non-LA n-6 was positively associated with WC (1·46 (1·32, 1·61) cm), weight (2·41 (2·25, 2·58) kg) and FM (1·81 (1·69, 1·92) kg). Longitudinal analyses (n 58 335, 51 % female, mean age 55 years) largely corroborate these patterns, with annual changes in WC, weight and FM inversely associated with LA and positively associated with non-LA n-6. Higher circulating LA, but not non-LA n-6, was associated with lower WC, weight and FM both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Our findings potentially support dietary recommendations to promote LA-rich oils. Divergent associations between LA and non-LA n-6 caution against treating n-6 PUFA as a homogeneous group. Examining the distinct health effects of individual non-LA n-6 is warranted.

We present the characterisation, including a photometric redshift (photo-z) analysis, of the optical counterparts (CTPs) to over 45 000 bright ($S_{856\,\mathrm{MHz}} \geq$ 30 mJy) compact radio sources, identified across all ASKAP First Large Absorption Survey in H I (FLASH) fields observed up to April 2025. These sources constitute a large, homogeneous population of background continuum sightlines specifically selected to enable statistical studies of cold gas at intermediate redshifts of $0.42 \leq z \leq 1$. As spectroscopic redshift measurements are not available for the majority of these candidate absorbers, we estimate photo-zs for the CTPs of all FLASH continuum sources cross-matched to the tenth data release of the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys (LS10). Using these estimates, we establish the redshift distribution and find that approximately 13% of continuum sources lie at $z\lt0.42$ (foreground), 35% within the detectability range of FLASH (‘in-band’), and 52% at $z\gt1$ (background). We examine the subset of FLASH continuum sources with CTPs in the eROSITA X-ray survey, providing additional insight into their AGN content, multiwavelength properties, and environments. Finally, we discuss how this information can be used as a statistical prior to aid in distinguishing between associated and intervening H I absorption systems and estimating the total comoving absorption path length of the survey, establishing a framework for incorporating redshift-based priors in future large radio absorption surveys. We release a catalogue of LS10 counterparts to FLASH continuum sources, providing photo-z estimates, associated uncertainties, and measures of redshift degeneracies.

In 250 men (21·4 (sd 2·9) years; BMI 24·2 (sd 3·0) kg·m–2) commencing arduous military training during winter, we investigated the effect of 12 weeks of vitamin D supplementation on lower body (pelvic girdle, sacrum, coccyx and lower limb) overuse musculoskeletal injury risk in a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Participants received either simulated sunlight (1·3 × standard erythemal dose in T-shirt and shorts, three times per week for 4 weeks and then once per week for 8 weeks), oral vitamin D3 (1000 IU · d–1 for 4 weeks and then 400 IU · d–1 for 8 weeks) or placebo for each intervention. Serum vitamin D metabolites and bone metabolism biomarkers were measured at baseline, week 5 and week 12. At baseline, 29 % of participants were vitamin D sufficient (25-hydroxyvitamin D ≥ 50 nmol·L–1). Vitamin D supplementation achieved vitamin D sufficiency in 95 % of participants after 4 weeks. During 6 months of training and subsequent 3 years of military service, 100 lower body overuse musculoskeletal injuries were diagnosed by clinicians. Frailty models indicated no difference in injury risk between vitamin D and placebo during military training (HRplacebo:vitamin D = 1·23 (95 % CI 0·57, 2·66), P = 0·597) or military service (HRplacebo:vitamin D = 0·94 (95 % CI 0·60, 1·46), P = 0·782). Both safe simulated sunlight and oral vitamin D3 were effective in achieving and maintaining vitamin D sufficiency in almost all. There was no clear evidence that vitamin D affects the risk of lower body overuse musculoskeletal injury during 6 months of military training or subsequent 3 years of military service.

Free community pet clinics (FCPCs) are instrumental in providing healthcare services for pets in resource-constrained communities. These programmes are typically single-day and coupled with limited opportunity for post-operative follow-up, the likelihood of compromise on the welfare of the sterilised pets becomes apparent. The objective of this study was to identify welfare and ethical challenges associated with dog sterilisation clinics conducted in Kampala Metropolitan Area, Uganda, from May to October 2023. We evaluated the welfare of 46 dogs sterilised at the FCPCs. We collected data using a questionnaire combined with observations and checklists at all stages, including arrival, pre-surgical evaluation, post-surgical recovery, and follow-ups at 7 and 30 days post-surgery. Dogs transported to the clinics by motorcycle moved the longest distance (9.5 km; range: 7.2–11 km), followed by those brought by car (3.8 km; range 3.8–4 km) and lastly by walking (2.0 km; 1–3 km). During the pre-surgical waiting period and post-surgical recovery, 91.3 and 63.0% of dogs, respectively, did not receive any provisions. The Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) tool evaluated the impact of physical, psychological, and procedural factors on dog welfare and revealed that procedural events had the most negative impact. In the follow-up, one week post-surgery, a significant percentage of dogs were healing normally (73.7%) while infection at the surgical site was reported in 15.4%. Assessing the behavioural change of dogs by 30 days post-operatively, 46.4% reportedly had increased aggression levels. These findings highlight crucial welfare and stress control points for dogs sterilised at free community clinics, which may influence the outcome of the surgery and later interactions with healthcare professionals.

This study investigated changes in serum folate and B12, and associations with endurance performance and bone outcomes, in women during military training. Women (n 137) had serum folate and B12, haematological markers and endurance performance (2·4 km run) measured at the start (week 1) and end (week 13) of British Army basic training. Whole-body areal bone mineral density and markers of bone metabolism were measured at week 1. Training decreased serum folate (mean change (95 % CI), −2·3 (−3·0, −1·6) nmol ∙ l−1, P < 0·001), B12 (−16 (−32, 0) pmol ∙ l−1, P = 0·042), Hb (−0·7 (−0·9, −0·5) g ∙ dl−1, P < 0·001) and erythrocyte count (−0·2 (−0·3, −0·2) × 10^9 ∙ l−1, P < 0·001), but had no effect on mean corpuscular volume (P = 0·438) or erythrocyte distribution width (P = 0·088). There was no association between serum folate, serum B12, Hb or erythrocyte count with run time (P ≥ 0·518). Serum B12 was not associated with areal bone mineral density or bone metabolism at week 1 (P ≥ 0·152). Higher serum folate was associated with lower plasma c-telopeptide cross-links of type I collagen (standardised β (95 % CI) = −0·31 (−0·48, −0·15), P < 0·001), but not whole-body bone mineral density or plasma procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (P ≥ 0·152). Serum folate and B12 decreased after military training in women, resulting in a high prevalence of folate deficiencies at the end of training. Low serum folate may contribute to increased bone resorption, the implications of which are unclear.

Translating scientific discoveries in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TE/RM) into clinically adopted therapies is hindered by fragmented development pipelines, regulatory and manufacturing challenges, and limited funding. Despite substantial investment by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), few NIH-funded TE/RM projects achieve commercialization or regulatory approval by the US Food and Drug Administration. The gap between academic innovation and clinical implementation is particularly evident in the dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) domain, where market and reimbursement constraints further restrict translation. To address these barriers, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research established the Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration Consortium (DOCTRC), comprising two nationwide Resource Centers tasked with guiding promising technologies from universities and small businesses through preclinical validation toward clinical adoption. This translational science case study outlines DOCTRC’s translational model, highlighting lessons learned from five cohorts of interdisciplinary translational project teams, strategies for navigating manufacturing and regulatory pathways, and approaches for aligning academic innovation with clinical and market needs. The unique impact of the DOCTRC framework demonstrates how disciplined product development activities, non-dilutive funding mechanisms, and a comprehensive support ecosystem can accelerate technology translation, offering a scalable model for other biomedical fields.

Powassan virus (POWV), a tick-borne flavivirus, is an emerging public health threat in the United States. In New York State (NYS), incidence of human POWV infection has increased in recent years. We describe the epidemiology of confirmed and probable POWV infection cases reported in NYS from 2013 to 2023. A total of 44 human cases were reported over the study period, with the highest incidence rates in Columbia and Putnam counties. Most cases occurred in White, non-Hispanic males over age 50. Hospitalization was reported in 91% of cases, and 11% were fatal. Human case data and tick surveillance results were analysed to assess spatiotemporal patterns of disease emergence. Spatial analysis revealed clustering of human cases in the Capital and Metropolitan regions of NYS. The prevalence of POWV in adult tick populations increased significantly statewide, and entomological risk was positively but modestly correlated to disease incidence at the ZIP code level. These findings suggest that POWV infection is emerging in geographically concentrated areas of NYS, highlighting the need for enhanced surveillance and targeted prevention efforts in high-risk regions.

Three models of leadership in voluntary associations have been proposed in the literature: democratic leadership, oligarchy, and leadership by default. Through an intensive case study of leadership structure, differences in the attitudes of members and leaders at three hierarchical levels, and differences between the attitudes and behaviors of aspirants and nonaspirants to leadership in a women’s service association, this article examines the degree of fit between these models and a specific organization. Data is drawn from questionnaires, annual reports, and interviews. The results fail to conform to any of the existing models, suggesting instead a fourth model, leadership for self-development—in which leaders are motivated primarily by a desire to develop administrative and interpersonal skills.

Dry permafrost underlain by ice-cemented permafrost has been reported in several locations in Antarctica. Initially thought to be relic ice, it is now understood that this subsurface ice is in equilibrium with the surface conditions, although it is not in equilibrium with the atmosphere. We use year-round data from University Valley in the Dry Valleys and Elephant Head in the Ellsworth Mountains to investigate the seasonal variations in water vapour flux that control the depth to the ice table under dry permafrost. Our analysis shows that the mean annual water vapour density of the soil surface exceeds the atmospheric value by a factor of up to ~2 due to summer snow. The attenuation and phase shift of the annual temperature cycle with depth result in colder temperatures at the ice table than at the surface of the soil in summer. We conclude that this temperature gradient, combined with the summer snow, provides the flux of water to the ice table necessary to maintain the ice. In University Valley, reducing the snow days by 40% moves the stability depth of the ice table from 42 to 66 cm. Increasing the snow days by 60% shifts the ice table to 17 cm. These variations can explain the observed gradient in the depth to the ice table in University Valley.

An outbreak of emm92/ST82 Streptococcus pyogenes was detected through prospective genomic surveillance at a military treatment facility. Twenty-one of twenty-six patients had confirmed epidemiological links to grappling sports. One case resulted from household transmission. The benefits of routine surveillance extend beyond the hospital environment enabling the detection of community-driven transmission.

Collaboration across the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium is essential for advancing translational science, yet institutional silos often hinder data-sharing and benchmarking efforts. This study examines the viability of a voluntary, multi-hub analysis of the CTSA education common metric on trainee and scholar engagement across five New York City-based sites or “hubs.” Using a structured framework for collaboration and field-tested operational guidelines, a team of evaluators dubbed “The Gotham Group” pooled de-identified common education data to assess post-training research engagement and demographic representation. Their primary objective was to establish a sustainable model for independent data-sharing without national mandates or technical support. A secondary goal was to reassess the metric’s usefulness as an impact benchmark. Results showed that NYC education engagement percentages remained stable despite institutional differences, suggesting the metric’s viability for regional comparison. More importantly, the collaboration itself proved as valuable as its outcomes, fostering professional relationships, facilitating knowledge exchange, and strengthening evaluation capacity within and across the hubs. This study highlights the potential of voluntary data-sharing partnerships to overcome data silos and to create valuable networks driving continuous improvement in translational science.