Chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) care in Nigeria remains largely financed out of pocket, exposing households to affordability barriers and harmful coping strategies. This study examined the prevalence and patterning of affordability barriers, financial coping strategies, and predictors of foregone care and distress financing among chronic NCD patients attending public health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. A facility-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 480 adults receiving outpatient care for chronic NCDs, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, and sickle cell disease across primary, secondary, and tertiary public facilities. Participants were recruited using a multistage sampling approach, with eligible patients selected systematically from clinic registers. Data were collected using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire capturing sociodemographic and household characteristics, employment status, chronic NCD diagnosis and treatment duration, out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure, affordability barriers, and financial coping strategies. Affordability outcomes included being offered unaffordable treatment, cost-driven treatment decisions, irregular clinic attendance, and inability to access care because of inability to pay. Financial coping strategies were grouped as self-directed financing, social-network support, and distress financing, defined as borrowing or the sale of assets. Prevalence estimates were reported with exact 95% CIs. Facility-tier differences and subgroup associations were assessed using chi-square, Fisher's exact, and ANOVA tests. Binary logistic regression models identified predictors of foregone care and distress financing, with average marginal effects and adjusted predicted probabilities estimated to aid interpretation. Statistical significance was set at a two-sided p<0.05. Affordability barriers were common: 42.9% of patients had been offered unaffordable treatment, 41.9% reported that cost shaped treatment decisions, and 45.0% had forgone care because they could not pay. Among affordability challenges, medication unaffordability was especially prominent and was comparable across facility tiers, suggesting system-wide pharmaceutical cost pressures rather than isolated access gaps. Coping followed a clear financial hierarchy: patients first relied on savings or household income (82.9%), many then mobilized social-network support (69.6%), and a substantial minority resorted to distress financing through borrowing or asset sale (28.5%). Financial-exposure intensity and treatment duration independently predicted distress financing; financial-exposure intensity also predicted foregone care. Pension income reduced the probability of distress financing by 15.2 pp, while insurance showed no detectable protection. Chronic NCD care in Lagos public facilities becomes a financial crisis through pervasive affordability barriers, prominent medication unaffordability, reliance on informal household coping, financial-exposure intensity, and treatment chronicity, which drive care rationing and distress financing. Nigeria's universal health coverage agenda should include scaling insurance enrolment for chronic NCD patients, benefit-package redesign, pharmaceutical-pricing reform, and income-protection mechanisms that absorb the recurrent costs of chronic illness care.
Tuberculosis is the most common cause of hospitalisation and death globally among people with HIV (PWH), even in the antiretroviral therapy era. Diagnosis of tuberculosis is challenging in PWH as bacillary load is lower in sputum and a high proportion have extrapulmonary or disseminated tuberculosis. The clinical features of tuberculosis in PWH are nonspecific and there is a wide differential diagnosis of other opportunistic infections. Tuberculosis progresses rapidly in people with advanced HIV disease, necessitating rapid diagnosis. In this narrative review, key changes are described in the diagnosis of HIV-associated tuberculosis in adults from 1990 until the present. Smear microscopy was the only rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis until 2011, but its sensitivity is lower in PWH. Algorithms for diagnosing smear-negative tuberculosis had poor diagnostic accuracy, resulting in both underdiagnosis, which increased tuberculosis deaths, and overdiagnosis, leading to missed or delayed diagnosis of the opportunistic infections causing the symptoms. The evidence base for screening for HIV-associated tuberculosis is strong among ambulatory PWH, but screening algorithms have lower sensitivity in people on antiretroviral therapy. The development of novel rapid diagnostic tests (nucleic acid amplification tests and urine lipoarabinomannan lateral flow assay) for tuberculosis and the advent of antiretroviral therapy have dramatically changed the landscape of diagnosing HIV- associated tuberculosis, resulting in reductions in both tuberculosis incidence and deaths. Diagnostic challenges persist as none of the currently available rapid diagnostic tests have sensitivities that are ideal, and only one test (urine lipoarabinomannan detection) is both affordable and simple to perform at the point of care. Therefore, there is still a need for the development of novel, accurate and affordable point-of-care tests to improve the rapid diagnosis of HIV-associated tuberculosis.
A set of rubber oxygenases was discovered through phylogenetic analysis and AI-based structural modeling of complexes of the putative enzymes with a substrate mimicking cis-1,4-polyisoprene. Sixteen candidate proteins were selected from thermophilic microorganisms, all sequence-related to the Latex clearing protein from Streptomyces sp. K30 (LcpK30). Sequence truncation and solubility tags were then evaluated to enhance protein expression, with the SUMO tag proving to be the most effective. Including LcpK30, nine heme-containing oxygenases were successfully expressed in E. coli NEB 10-beta cells, purified (35-157 mg L-1 yield) and characterized. Steady-state kinetics revealed significant rubber latex-degrading properties for six of them, with the truncated SUMO-fused LcpK30 (SUMO-LcpK30T) showing activity in agreement with literature. Notably, the catalytic efficiencies of all the expressed homologs lay within one order of magnitude and the oxygenase from Thermomonospora echinospora was found to be particularly promising in terms of activity, especially at high latex concentrations (more than 1% w/v). The analysis of reaction mixtures by both HPLC and HPLC-MS confirmed the oxidation of cis-1,4-polyisoprene to form the expected isoprenoid oligomers (n = 2-12), whose distribution was consistent with the usual endo-type cleavage pattern in all but one case. This bioprospecting effort afforded a platform of new rubber-degrading enzymes with diverse efficiencies and product profiles, capable of adapting to targeted applications.
Constructing crystalline chiral covalent organic frameworks (CCOFs) with programmable chiroptical properties from a single chiral source remains highly challenging. Herein, we report a dynamic covalent evolution strategy that transforms supramolecular-induced helical covalent organic polymers into mesoscopic helical CCOFs through thermodynamic self-crystallization as well as single-step and stepwise monomer exchange. Remarkably, two distinct chiroptical inversion modes are preserved during framework evolution: a conventional inversion accompanied by opposite helical sense and a second inversion displaying opposite chiroptical activity despite identical mesoscopic helicity, originating from different sub-nanometer chiral packing arrangements. Time-dependent experiments and theoretical calculations reveal persistent chirality- and packing-memory effects throughout dynamic reconstruction. Using a single chiral template system, this strategy affords 24 mesoscopic helical CCOFs with diverse linkage chemistries and programmable chiroptical responses. Furthermore, pore-confined incorporation of aggregation-induced emissive guests extends both inversion modes into flexible circularly polarized luminescence films.
A dynamic kinetic three-component Kabachnik-Fields reaction of the biaryl lactols, amines, and H-phosphine oxides is established by using anionic stereogenic-at-cobalt(III) complexes as catalysts, affording a variety of axially chiral α-aminophosphine oxides with good yields and stereoselectivities (26 examples, up to 88% yield, 96:4 e.r., and >20:1 d.r.).
This article is a structured narrative review that synthesizes empirical findings and expert consensus and provides policy guidance to outline implementation pathways for integrating Yoga into mainstream healthcare systems, with India as a case example. Yoga is an ancient health practice traditionally used as a holistic approach to health management and wellbeing. However, the acceptance of Yoga as an evidence-based practice in the modern healthcare delivery requires systematic reassessment for its implementation within the healthcare system to make healthcare more affordable, improve prevention, rehabilitation, and resilience thus reduce strain on medical resources. In this review, we have organized the literature review and practical insights around three core themes: stakeholder configurations and governance, economic and quality management, and implementation strategies and evaluation to develop an actionable framework for an optimal care system responsive to patients' needs and adaptable to different community settings. This article has incorporated peer-reviewed studies on the effectiveness of Yoga, its implementation in mainstream healthcare, along with relevant publicly available policy, accreditation, and practice standard sources, to emphasize constructs of implementation science and evidence-based practice. The review identifies a know-do gap between growing evidence for Yoga and its system-level adoption, proposing a staged framework that integrates stakeholder engagement, economic evaluation, quality management, and monitoring to support evidence-based implementation. We propose a comprehensive, context-sensitive model that combines traditional wisdom with contemporary behavioral, clinical, and systems-based approaches. By embedding Yoga within an implementation science framework, we advocate for its role as a mainstream, evidence-informed system. Adoption of Yoga as a therapeutic and preventive modality can be accelerated through standardized protocols, transparent evaluation and regulation, and tripartite governance among state actors, healthcare institutions, and Yoga professionals; however, the feasibility hinges on context-sensitive financial support, stakeholder management, and workforce development.
Guazuma ulmifolia is traditionally used for liver disorders, but its protective mechanisms against heavy metal toxicity are poorly defined. This study evaluated the phytochemical profile and hepatoprotective mechanisms of G. ulmifolia butanol extract (Gul-BuOH) against cadmium-induced liver injury. Gul-BuOH was chemically profiled by UPLC-PDA-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS. Cadmium hepatotoxicity was induced in rats, followed by Gul-BuOH treatment (100 and 200 mg/kg). Liver injury, oxidative stress, inflammation, gene expression (Let-7a, HOTAIR), histopathology, HO-1/Sirt-1 immunoreactivity, and serum metabolomic changes were assessed. Chemical profiling led to the annotation of 42 compounds, including mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids, highlighting the rich phytochemical composition of G. ulmifolia. CdCl2 exposure increased hepatic Cd accumulation and elevated ALT, AST, and ALP, reduced TAC, and increased NO and MDA. Gul-BuOH significantly reduced hepatic Cd levels by 2.6- and 3.2-fold, restored TAC by 38.3% and 83.2%, and decreased NO (56.3% and 63.4%) and MDA (45.4% and 54.6%) at 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Inflammatory markers NF-κB-p and TNF-α were markedly suppressed, while miRNA Let-7a was upregulated and lncRNA HOTAIR was downregulated. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed near-complete restoration of hepatic architecture and normalization of HO-1 and Sirt-1 expression at the high dose. Serum metabolomics' OPLS-DA model performance indicators demonstrated strong reliability, with an R2Y (explained variance) of 0.991 and a Q2 (predictive variance) of 0.988). The model identified 36 significantly altered metabolites that were largely normalized by Gul-BuOH, implicating linoleic acid metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and ascorbate-related pathways. Gul-BuOH affords dose-dependent protection against Cd-induced liver injury by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, metal detoxification, and metabolic pathways, supporting the traditional use of G. ulmifolia and its potential as a multi-target hepatoprotective agent.
Implementing dynamic smart windows is imperative toward the construction of net-zero buildings. However, the prevailing ion (de-)embedding-based electrochromic (EC) or thermosensitive hydrogel-based thermochromic (TC) windows fail to achieve large optical modulation across the solar spectrum owing to their optical absorption mechanisms. Herein, a dual-responsive electro-thermochromic smart window is designed and assembled by coupling an anodically coloring Prussian blue (PB) electrode with hydroxyl cellulose-based hydrogel electrolyte (HPC). Through judicious formulation, the HPC hydrogel electrolyte affords large TC transmittance modulation (∆T ∼ 83% @633 nm), mechanical stability (strain = 514%), and a high ionic conductivity (σ = 62.58 mS/cm), enabling the PB electrode with a high coloration efficiency (CE = 108.21 cm2 C-1) and fast switching kinetics (tb = 5 s, tc = 6.8 s). As a result, the as-assembled smart window features four distinct operating modes, exhibiting outstanding visible-light T% modulation (ΔTlum = 87.3%) and superior solar modulation capability (ΔTsol = 50.5%), enabling a 35%-55% reduction in annual energy consumption in representative regions, and achieving annual energy savings up to 129 MJ m-2. This dual-responsive smart window is an embodiment of coupled opto-thermal regulation strategies toward building energy modulation, inspiring future efforts in energy-efficient optoelectronics in the era of decarbonization.
Both gem-dichlorocyclobutenones and cyclopropanols are versatile building blocks in organic synthesis. Herein, we report a Cu/dppp-catalyzed SN2'-type allylic substitution of gem-dichlorocyclobutenones with cyclopropanols. The reaction proceeds smoothly via a copper homoenolate intermediate under mild conditions and exhibits a broad substrate scope, affording densely functionalized cyclobutenones with high efficiency. Moreover, a scale-up experiment and several product derivatizations were conducted to showcase the synthetic utility of this method.
To determine the impact of urinary diversion for severe pelvic radiation injury on bowel-related quality of life. This study was a prospective single-institution cohort survey study of patients undergoing urinary diversion for radiation injury from 2017-2024. Surveys were taken preoperatively and at least 6 months postoperatively and included validated bowel-related quality of life questionnaires (Fecal Incontinence QoL Instrument (FIQL) and Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI)). Paired survey responses were analyzed using mixed effect models. A total of 38 participants had paired bowel-related quality of life data with median follow up of 454 days (IQR 371-703). The majority (82%) had prostate cancer radiation. Most patients underwent creation of an ileal conduit (55%). Bowel-related quality of life decreased amongst the full cohort (β=-8.34 [95% Confidence Interval -16.43, -0.26] p=0.043) and with patients with any fecal diversion (-14.15 [-25.30, -3.01] p=0.013). Ileal conduits did not have worsened bowel-related quality of life or fecal incontinence with or without fecal diversion. Compared to ileal conduits, patients with colon conduits (-20.66 [-40.92, -0.40] p=0.046) and right colon pouches (-22.29 [-41.72, -2.85] p=0.026) had worse perioperative changes in bowel-related quality of life and higher rates of fecal incontinence episodes. Though many health domains demonstrate improvements following urinary diversion for radiation injury, bowel-related quality of life and fecal incontinence may worsen postoperatively especially with patients requiring the use of large bowel in their diversion. This finding is important for counseling patients and for selecting bowel segments in patients whose anatomy affords multiple reconstructive options.
The reaction of (4-bromo-benz-yl)tri-phenyl-phospho-nium bromide ([4BrBzTPP][Br]) with excess perchloric, tetra-fluoro-boric or hydro-iodic acid in methanol affords the corresponding anion-exchanged salts. X-ray quality crystals of (4-bromo-benz-yl)tri-phenyl-phospho-nium perchlorate, C25H21BrP+·ClO4 - or [4BrBzTPP][ClO4], (I), (4-bromo-benz-yl)tri-phenyl-phospho-nium tetra-fluoro-borate, C25H21BrP+·BF4 - or [4BrBzTPP][BF4], (II), and (4-bromo-benz-yl)tri-phenyl-phospho-nium triiodide, C25H21BrI3P+·I3 - or [4BrBzTPP][I3], (III), were isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds (I) and (II) are isostructural and crystallize in the ortho-rhom-bic space group Pbca, whereas compound (III) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n. In all three structures, the phospho-nium cation adopts a tetra-hedral geometry at phospho-rus, with C-P-C bond angles in the range 106.09 (11)-112.67 (11)°. Hirshfeld surface analyses show that H⋯H and H⋯C contacts dominate the environments of the (4-bromo-benz-yl)tri-phenyl-phospho-nium cations, whereas the perchlorate, tetra-fluoro-borate and triiodide anions are linked to the surrounding cations primarily through H⋯O, H⋯F and H⋯I contacts, respectively.
We establish a molecular design blueprint for highly emissive, metal-free organic NIR emitters by integrating an electron-rich S,N-heteroacene core into a C-shaped architecture, affording CT-F, and further extending this framework through selenium incorporation to generate the S,Se,N-heteroacene-based CT-Se and CT-2Se. This molecular architecture synergistically enhances intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) while suppressing internal reorganization energy through increased molecular rigidity. The optimized CT-F dye achieves a solid-state photoluminescence quantum yield of 14.3% at 970 nm. Incorporation of CT-Se into a hyperfluorescent OLED employing a transfer-printed sensitizer and balanced charge injection yields an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 3.07% at 1000 nm, whereas introducing an additional PM6 buffer layer enables relay-type interfacial energy transfer, elevating the EQE to 3.56% at 995 nm. Comprehensive mechanistic studies reveal that electron-rich core-driven ICT modulation, molecular rigidification with controlled stacking, asymmetric vibronic coupling regulation, and balanced intrinsic charge transport cooperatively establish an omnidirectional optimization strategy for achieving high-efficiency organic OLEDs peaking around 1000 nm and extending into the NIR-II region.
Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) injection has afforded heterogeneous outcomes in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Herein, a framework that dually correlates KOA patient responsiveness with baseline autologous bone marrow-derived MSC(M) donor batch attributes and baseline clinical and biomarker features is provided. Using clinical trial data (NCT02351011), we demonstrated that MSC(M) with increased immunomodulatory potency are more efficacious. Multivariable MSC(M) genes correlated strongly with responder status and 12- and 24-month improvements in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores. Responder MSC(M) donor batches had unique microRNA expression and ability to polarize CD14+ monocytes in vitro. KOA responders had lower baseline physical activity and trended toward more severe baseline KOA. Baseline local but not systemic biomarkers showed trending correlations with patient responsiveness. 42% of KOA patients were responders at 24 months, emphasizing durability of single MSC(M) injections. Together, our analytical methodology defines critical quality attributes of potent MSC(M) donor batches and identifies putative KOA patient theratypes to MSC treatments.
Virtual surgical planning (VSP) and clinical 3D printing (C3DP) enable patient-specific anatomic models and surgical guides to be developed and produced from medical imaging using additive manufacturing techniques in a health care facility. This affords a level of precision beyond that allowed with conventional techniques, shortens surgical times, decreases rates of surgical complications and blood loss, and improves patient outcomes. The authors outline the general principles of VSP-C3DP used by subject matter experts in the clinical, imaging, engineering, and manufacturing domains, including image acquisition (eg, thin-section imaging, dual-energy CT, pediatric imaging, MRI bone imaging, interpolation, multimodal imaging); image segmentation (eg, manual and automated); virtual modeling and surgical guide design (eg, segmentation to model conversion, design principles); printing, processing, and delivery of models (eg, material selection); quality assurance (eg, risk assessment and mitigation, validation, troubleshooting, and rescue strategies); and knowledge of the current regulatory and reimbursement landscape. The authors describe how VSP-C3DP is used through case samples in specific orthopedic, hand, and spine surgical procedures to simulate, rehearse, and execute the preoperative plan in the broad categories of arthroplasty (ie, shoulder arthroplasty), joint realignment (eg, periacetabular osteotomy and distal femoral and high tibial osteotomy), deformity correction (eg, high cervical fusion, correction of lumbar spondylolisthesis, distal radius deformities, distal ulna malunions, alunions, pediatric metatarsal deformities, pelvic fracture fixation, treatment of Blount disease), and tumor excision (eg, humerus osteochondroma, pelvic iliac wing osteosarcoma, and giant cell tumors of the distal femur). Current limitations and potential future directions of VSP-C3DP are discussed. ©RSNA, 2026 Supplemental material is available for this article.
Comparing prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a species that forms lasting pair bonds and exhibits biparental care, with meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), a non-monogamous species showing maternal care only, provides a framework to examine the genomic basis of behavioral divergence over short evolutionary time. Here, we develop a simplified assembly approach combining PacBio HiFi and CiFi sequencing in a single library and run, producing high-quality contiguous chromosome-scale diploid prairie and meadow vole genomes (2.3 Gbp). Comparative analysis reveals substantial differences, including near-complete Y chromosome divergence and a prairie-vole-specific duplication of Avpr1a, a vasopressin receptor gene implicated in social bonding and autism in humans. These extensive genomic changes suggest rapid chromosome evolution as a driver of the dramatic Microtus radiation, generating ∼60 vole species in >2 million years. This single-library approach facilitates a simplified and more affordable assembly workflow, producing near-complete genomes of diverse species using one sequencing platform.
Housing needs for older people wishing to age in place and university students are different, yet both groups face unmet needs. To support older adults to remain in their homes longer, many countries have policies for ageing in place with in-home support. Housing affordability, a growing issue globally, leaves older adults and students vulnerable to homelessness or precarious housing. This scoping review aimed to explore the concept of intergenerational homesharing, where older adults share their home with a student. Using the JBI scoping review methodology, we searched peer-reviewed and grey literature describing homesharing arrangements between people aged 50+ and university students. Searches across six databases identified 1092 publications between 1985 to 2024. Of these 63 sources were eligible for inclusion. A range of programs have been developed internationally. Older adult participants were more often female, experiencing social isolation, and were apprehensive about the matching process, student behaviour, and financial impacts of programs. Interested students, also more often female, held concerns about loss of independence and differences in expectations. Homeshare participants reported decreased loneliness and isolation, and having enjoyed the experience more than anticipated. Of the few negative outcomes reported, students found support obligations higher than expected. Homeshare programs are one solution to housing concerns for older adults and university students. Recommendations for homeshare organisations include careful consideration of the matching and relationship development phases, establishing clear written agreements of boundaries and expectations, supporting participants throughout their agreement, and agreement-ending processes.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) originating from bacteria and gut microbiota have recently been recognized as pivotal agents in the communication between host and microbes, exhibiting considerable promise as innovative biomarkers and therapeutic instruments in the realm of oncology. These nanoscale vesicles encapsulate a heterogeneous array of molecular constituents, including metabolites, proteins, nucleic acids, and toxins, which possess the capacity to influence tumor proliferation, apoptosis, immune responses, and metastasis. Recent investigations underscore their bifunctional nature: specific bacterial EVs can facilitate oncogenesis by altering signaling cascades such as BRCA1/EXO1/TP53BP1 or TGF-β1/Smad, while others may suppress tumor growth through the induction of oxidative stress, mitophagy, or the activation of antitumor immunity via STING or cGAS pathways. The metabolomic and molecular characterizations of bacterial and fecal EVs afford a distinctive, non-invasive perspective into tumor biology and the interactions between host and microbiome. Sophisticated diagnostic methodologies, encompassing targeted metabolomics, high-throughput sequencing, and flow cytometry-based characterization of EVs, have enabled the discovery of EV-derived cancer biomarkers with exceptional specificity and sensitivity. Moreover, engineered EVs that transport therapeutic agents, including prodrugs, microRNAs, or photosensitizers, exhibit significant anticancer efficacy in preclinical experimental models. This review consolidates contemporary understanding regarding the molecular mechanisms, diagnostic capabilities, and therapeutic implications of bacterial and gut microbiota-derived EVs in the context of cancer.
The one-pot conversion of biomass derivatives into bio-jet fuels through coupled aldol condensation and hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is an extremely challenging process. In this study, a series of metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived Ni2P-5@C-X bifunctional catalysts were prepared via the integration of phosphorization with three types of modified N-incorporation strategies, in-situ urea doping, 2-aminoterephthalic acid ligand incorporation, and ethylenediamine grafting. These catalysts were evaluated for the one-pot aldol condensation-HDO of furfural and acetone toward achieving efficient bio-jet fuel synthesis, with the ethylenediamine-grafted Ni2P-5@C-E catalyst exhibiting the best performance and affording a target alkanes yield as high as 86 %. Moreover, Ni2P-5@C-E maintained robust catalytic activity even after five reaction cycles, attributed to the effects of ethylenediamine grafting and Ni2P introduction. Specifically, ethylenediamine provides basic sites that promote aldol condensation, and the electron transfer from Ni to P and the P-OH groups in the Ni2P phase provide additional Lewis acid and Brønsted acid sites. Ultimately, the collective effect of these active sites promotes both carbon chain extension and deep HDO concurrently. Thus, this study presents a novel strategy for designing highly efficient MOF-derived bifunctional catalysts for the of bio-jet fuel synthesis.
We herein develop hypervalent iodine-mediated regioselective fluoroselenenylation of commercial haloalkynes or internal alkynes with diorganyl diselenides to afford α,β-unsaturated (E)-fluoroalkenyl selenides.