Uncontrollable negative events often elicit higher acute anxiety and stress than negative situations within our control. Beyond these immediate effects, some studies showed that experiences of control over negative situations may promote future resilience against stress-related impairments. Conversely, it has been shown that loss of control over threat may be more detrimental than a consistent lack of control. Whether loss of control affects stress reactivity remains poorly understood. The current study investigated the impact of loss of control over a threat on stress reactivity in humans. Eighty participants were equally assigned to either a Continuous Control or a Loss of Control group to perform a threat (un)controllability task in which they either lost or maintained control over aversive electrical stimuli. Subsequently, participants were exposed to an acute stress induction procedure (Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test). The experiment included assessments of perceived stress and control, salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol, blood pressure, and electrodermal activity. Additionally, participants completed questionnaires about emotion regulation strategies, general sense of control, and distress tolerance. Our results did not support the prediction that experiencing loss of control over threat heightens biological and perceived stress markers acutely or that it enhances biological reactivity to a subsequent stressor. However, we found that loss of control increased perceived stress in the subsequent task, specifically among females, which may partly reflect sex-specific stimulus duration differences inherent to the used yoking procedure. Further research is necessary to corroborate our findings and to explore the observed sex-specific vulnerability to loss of control.
Insider threats remain among the most critical challenges in cybersecurity, as malicious or compromised employees can bypass traditional defences and cause disproportionate damage to organizations. Detecting such threats is difficult because anomalous behaviour is often subtle, context-dependent, and concealed within vast volumes of normal user activity. Conventional anomaly detection techniques suffer from high false positive rates and limited ability to capture both temporal and relational patterns of behavior, which constrains their operational utility in Security Operations Centers (SOCs). This study presents a hybrid User and Entity Behavior Analytics framework that integrates Transformer-based sequence modeling with graph neural networks (GNNs) to simultaneously capture temporal workflows and relational dependencies. Using the CERT Insider Threat Dataset, raw multi-source logs are sessionized and transformed into dense event representations combining categorical actions, resource identifiers, and normalized numerical attributes. A Transformer encoder models long-range event dependencies, while a GNN encodes user-resource interactions, their outputs are fused and evaluated via anomaly scoring, with explainability mechanisms providing interpretable SOC alerts. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the proposed model achieves 97.9% accuracy, 0.88 F1-score, and 0.99 AUC, reducing false positives to 11 per 1000 sessions and lowering detection latency to 1.9 h. These results establish that fusing sequential and relational perspectives yields a robust, accurate, and interpretable solution for insider threat detection in enterprise environments.
Twenty years ago, an influential neuroimaging study showed that the auditory cortex and amygdala are active during the presentation of non-attended angry voices. These results had a large scientific impact and inspired subsequent clinical work but have not been replicated by an independent laboratory. We conducted a high powered pre-registered close replication study (n= 37) of unattended vocal anger processing and extended the study by examining anger specificity of activations. Additionally, we performed an effect size meta-analysis of neural processing of angry voices (total n= 140). Neither the close replication nor the meta-analysis supported activation of the amygdala or auditory cortex during the presentation of non-attended angry voices, while the meta-analysis supported a role of the auditory cortex in attention-dependent processing of anger. Together, the results do not support the existence of circuitry that is automatically activated to detect vocal threat, in contrast to evolutionary inspired models of automatic threat perception.
Insects, as diverse and ecologically dominant organisms, rely exclusively on innate immunity to defend against a wide array of microbial threats. This paper presents an integrative review of insect immune mechanisms, highlighting the molecular, cellular, and systemic components that underpin host defense. The immune response is orchestrated through physical barriers, cellular processes and humoral factors. Evolutionarily conserved pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are essential to these processes. Emphasis is laid on pivotal functions of hemocytes, the significance of microbiome interactions in immune regulation, and the emerging influence of non-coding RNAs. Furthermore, the paper explores defensive symbiosis, environmental and evolutionary influences on immune dynamics, and applications in biotechnology and pest management. Model organisms, such as Drosophila melanogaster and Bombyx mori, serve as critical systems for unravelling innate immunity, with translational relevance to vertebrate immunology and vector control strategies. Understanding these mechanisms offers valuable insights into conserved immune pathways and holds promise for advancing strategies in human disease prevention, therapeutic innovation, and global health.
Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are emerging environmental contaminants, yet pharmaceuticals and medical procedures represent a distinct, direct exposure pathway that bypasses primary physiological barriers. This access, via intravenous administration, implants, or injections, is hypothesized to alter toxicokinetic profiles compared to environmental ingestion, representing a unique but unquantified risk. This review synthesizes current knowledge on MNPs introduced via pharmaceutical and clinical routes through a systematic analysis of 27 core studies identified from Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Our analysis reveals a bifurcated research landscape: one domain focuses on the intentional engineering of particles for drug delivery systems, while the other investigates unintentional contamination from clinical applications. A critical finding is the disconnection between exposure confirmation and hazard characterization. While studies confirm significant iatrogenic exposure, ranging from thousands of particles in intravenous fluids to millions released from degrading sutures, regulatory-relevant toxicological data linking these exposures to adverse human health outcomes are largely lacking. Furthermore, we identify a lack of standardization in analytical processes; methods vary between direct characterization of engineered particles and inconsistent isolation protocols for detecting contaminants in clinical matrices. Consequently, current evidence establishes the presence of iatrogenic MNPs but remains insufficient for robust risk assessment, underscoring the need for standardized analytical methods and foundational toxicological research to bridge the gap between exposure detection and safety management in healthcare.
The COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented strain on the healthcare system, including military hospitals. Military hospitals leveraged a rigorous response plan, creating additional demands on military healthcare staff. The purpose of this project was to determine the levels of burnout, job satisfaction, intent to leave, potentially preventable loss, and healthcare quality, and identify lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to support future organizational preparedness. A cross-sectional survey was administered from October 2021 to April 2022 (n = 1814) to military healthcare staff in various roles at four military hospitals. Analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and generalized linear mixed modeling. Burnout was moderate to high across all healthcare staff, with the highest score among nurse practitioners (39.5) and the lowest among case managers and care coordinators (21.8). Higher care quality was significantly associated with potentially preventable loss (p < .0001), lower burnout (p < .0001), higher job satisfaction (p < .0001), reduced intent to leave (p < .0001), and improved pandemic preparedness (p < .0001). Focus on traditional workforce improvement and leadership skills, as well as preparedness, is likely to strengthen the Military Health System's capacity to deliver high-quality care before, during, and after a global healthcare crisis.
Early life adversity (ELA) is associated with cardiometabolic risk over the lifespan. While cumulative risk models of ELA have provided insights into those most vulnerable, emerging evidence suggests that ELA dimensions of threat and deprivation have distinct consequences for neurodevelopment. However, these dimensions remain understudied in relation to cardiometabolic risk. We assessed associations between ELA-comparing cumulative risk and dimensional approaches-with a cardiometabolic risk composite in youth aged 9-19 (n=117). Using a multi-method approach, youth and caregivers reported on youths' ELA experiences at baseline and 2-year follow-up visits; reports were aggregated to reflect lifetime experiences of threat and deprivation at follow-up. In addition to threat and deprivation composites, a cumulative ELA composite was calculated by summing the number of threat- and deprivation-related experiences. At follow-up, youth provided measures of blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference; indicators were standardized and summed. Regression models revealed that the cumulative ELA composite was not significantly associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, threat-related ELA, but not deprivation-related ELA, was associated with greater cardiometabolic risk, adjusting for age and sex. Furthermore, age moderated the deprivation-cardiometabolic risk association, such that greater deprivation was linked to lower cardiometabolic risk in late childhood/early adolescence, but not in middle or late adolescence. Results indicate that dimensional models of ELA may offer more nuanced understanding of biological embedding of adversity and its relevance for cardiometabolic risk, with stronger risk associations observed for threat-related experiences in youth.
Marine sediment heavy metal contamination, once thought to be under control following decades of environmental regulations, is experiencing an alarming global resurgence. This study analyzed 3283 sediment samples from Hong Kong waters (1987-2024) to characterize four decades of heavy metal contamination dynamics. Three distinct contamination peaks were identified (1988-1991, 1998-2003, 2020-2023), with the most recent period showing astonishing increases: arsenic (+137%), nickel (+144%), lead (+76%), and zinc reaching unprecedented levels (628.0 mg/kg). Contamination hotspots concentrated in semi-enclosed waters (Deep Bay, Victoria Harbour, Junk Bay) where restricted circulation enhances accumulation. Strong Fe-As coupling (r = 0.504) indicates Fe (oxyhydr)oxides as the dominant arsenic carrier phase. Ecological risk assessment revealed that Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb exceeded PEL thresholds during 2020-2023, with mean ERM quotient (0.851) indicating moderate-to-high toxicity probability. Source apportionment identified antifouling paints as an emerging threat, with contributions increasing 96% following the 2008 tributyltin ban-an unintended consequence of regulatory substitution. These findings demonstrate that heavy metal resurgence represents an underappreciated environmental threat requiring renewed monitoring attention and international regulatory coordination in coastal megacities.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen, poses a growing threat in healthcare-associated infections. Its intrinsic resistance and acquisition of carbapenemases have driven widespread multidrug resistance and severely limited treatment options. P. aeruginosa causes life-threatening infections including ventilator-associated pneumonia, bloodstream infections, complicated urinary tract infections, and chronic lung disease in cystic fibrosis. We identified and validated thiL, encoding thiamine monophosphate kinase, as a critical metabolic vulnerability and promising antibacterial target. ThiL deletion abolished virulence in murine lung and wound models and rendered bacteria incapable of survival without a supra-physiological level of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP). A screen of 1,231 kinase inhibitors identified VP3.15 as the first specific ThiL inhibitor with antibacterial potency. Mechanistic studies showed VP3.15 destabilizes ThiL, promoting protein unfolding and functional loss. These results establish ThiL as a druggable target and highlight metabolic dependencies as a therapeutic opportunity against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa.
Evaluative physical education (PE) settings can elicit withdrawal, particularly among students high in social physique anxiety (SPA). Yet it remains unclear whether behavior can be changed when evaluative cues cannot be removed. In a randomized controlled trial embedded in naturalistic university PE classes, undergraduates (N = 256) were assigned to a brief combined mindset reframing intervention or an active control condition. The primary outcome was a real-time choice between two task-equivalent jump-rope test routes differing in evaluative exposure. Class fixed-effects logistic regression showed that the intervention increased the likelihood of choosing the higher-exposure evaluation route (OR = 1.74, 95% CI [1.07, 2.83], p = .024). The effect was stronger among students higher in SPA: predicted evaluation-route choice increased from 51% to 64% at mean SPA and from 48% to 69% at high SPA, but only from 55% to 60% at low SPA. Exploratory analyses were consistent with the challenge-threat framework: the intervention was associated with higher perceived resources and lower perceived demands, both linked to greater evaluation-route choice. These findings suggest that brief cognitive reframing can promote behavioral approach under unavoidable evaluation in PE, especially among students most vulnerable to evaluative threat.
Arsenic contamination poses a dual threat to global water safety and food chain integrity, with critical implications for public health and environmental security. Effective risk management from global to national scales is hindered by unresolved questions on the interconnected yet divergent spatial patterns of arsenic in groundwater and soil, and the compounded risks they pose to both staple rice security and human exposure. To address these challenges, we conducted a national-scale environmental health risk assessment in China, a critical rice-producing region, and developed an integrated framework that systematically links mechanistic driver identification with spatial risk prediction and management implications. We first constructed high-resolution predictive maps of arsenic enrichment in groundwater and soil across China, and then quantified and ranked the dominant drivers. These mechanistic-spatial maps were subsequently coupled with remote sensing-derived trends in rice cultivation expansion and analyzed via advanced spatial statistics. Our analysis revealed a fundamental decoupling between groundwater and soil arsenic, with the former governed by climate-topography and concentrated in the arid north and southwest, and the latter driven by mining and dominating in the south and northeast. Spatial correlation analysis indicated a moderate spatial correlation (Bivariate Moran's I = 0.274, p < 0.05), and identified critical interaction patterns, including synergistic ("high-high") and decoupled ("low-high") clusters. Crucially, the population exposed to soil arsenic was orders of magnitude larger than that from groundwater (with risk clusters reaching 100-1000 persons km⁻2 in major agricultural regions), and major rice-growing regions had expanded directly into these soil arsenic hotspots over the past two decades, creating an immediate food security threat. This work not only quantified the overlapping health and food security risks but also pioneered a spatially explicit method to pinpoint priority regions where rice expansion intersects severe contamination, offering critical insights for targeted environmental health management and regulatory policy.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are a major global health threat with limited treatment options. Aztreonam/avibactam is a promising therapy against metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing and other CRE, but emerging resistance threatens its effectiveness. Insertions in penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3), which are well described in Escherichia coli, are linked to reduced aztreonam/avibactam susceptibility but remain poorly characterized in Klebsiella pneumoniae. We report clinical K. pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae sequence type 11 isolates carrying a novel PBP3 YRIT insertion, conferring reduced susceptibility to aztreonam/avibactam and ceftazidime/avibactam. Functional and genetic studies suggest that the PBP3 insertion impairs β-lactam binding and, in combination with blaKPC-2 and other β-lactamases, contributes to reduced susceptibility. Those findings demonstrate the emergence of a PBP3 insertion in a high-risk K. pneumoniae clone, underscoring the expansion of this resistance mechanism and the critical need for genomic surveillance and novel therapeutics to identify and treat such infections.
Mulberry is an economically important sericulture crop; however, infection by root-knot nematodes (RKNs) poses a serious threat to its production. We observed a high density of RKNs parasitizing mulberry in Yunnan, China. To identify the pathogenic species, we characterized the nematode using morphometric analysis, rDNA/mtDNA-based phylogenetics, and SCAR-PCR. Subsequently, we artificially inoculated healthy mulberry seedlings with second-stage juveniles (J2s) to assess their pathogenicity. The perineal pattern of females is round to ovoid, featuring a moderately high dorsal arch and two large, prominent phasmids, similar to that of Meloidogyne vitis. The morphological and morphometric traits of females, J2s, and males were consistent with those of M. vitis. Genetic analyses further confirmed this, as the rDNA (ITS1-5.8 S-ITS2) and mtDNA (coxI and coxII) sequences showed > 99% similarity to M. vitis and clustered within the same clade with high support (99%-100%). Moreover, species identity was further confirmed using M. vitis-specific primers Mv-F/R, and a single specific fragment of 174 bp was obtained. Artificial inoculation demonstrated that the RKN isolated from mulberry could complete its life cycle in the roots of healthy seedlings of mulberry, producing typical root-knots and egg masses. The RKN parasitizing in mulberry was confirmed as M. vitis based on the morphological features and molecular results. This is the first report of M. vitis attacking mulberry. M. vitis is capable of infecting and damaging mulberry, posing a potential threat to mulberry production. The results of this study providing a theoretical basis for accurately identifying and implementing future effective and integrated nematodes management strategy to safeguard mulberry cultivation.
The escalation of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) illnesses is now a major global threat, with countries like Uganda having a prevalence of over 31 %. Herbal medicines (HM) are widely used to treat GIT illnesses in many low-resource settings including Sironko District in Eastern Uganda, but their safety remains a grave concern because they often contain bioactive phytochemicals that may cause harmful side effects. In Sironko, herbalists commonly rely on indigenous knowledge rather than formal pharmacological training when prescribing HM hence the potential for adverse reactions linked to toxic phytocompounds is substantial, warranting comprehensive scientific investigation. To explore plant species used to treat GIT illnesses and perceptions of their adverse effects in Sironko District, to inform safer herbal medicine use. A sample of 70 herbalists was subjected to an ethnobotanical survey using pre-validated semi-structured questionnaires to profile plant species primarily used against GIT illnesses plus awareness and perceptions about the associated side effects. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA version-15.0. Graphs were plotted with GraphPad Prism® version 9.0.0. A total of 80 plants species used against GIT infections were documented, mainly in families; Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae, indicated for treatment and prevention of 24 gastrointestinal illnesses, mostly diarrhea (18.94%), ulcers (11.81%), and stomachaches (8.52%), plus 39 ailments affecting other body systems. Informant consensus factors were high for all disease categories (≥ 0.630), showing homogeneity of ethnomedicinal knowledge. Chenopodium opulifolium, Tithonia diversifolia and Senna didymobotrya were reported to pose the greatest number of side effects, including headache and insomnia. The 70% of participants were unaware that HM can be toxic, 57% were certain that HM do not have side effects, yet those that opposed the need for urgent action against HM adversity were significantly more than participants who perceived it as vital (χ2, p < 0.0001). There is a high diversity of plant species used to treat primarily GIT illnesses in Sironko, but many potentially stimulate life-threatening adverse effects such as severe headache and vomiting. These results highlight a need for considerable investment in herbal medicine safety to leverage its optimal use in health promotion and economic development.
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a major global public health threat. The limited efficacy of the current Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against adult pulmonary TB highlights the urgent need for improved vaccine strategies. To address this, we engineered a recombinant BCG strain, designated rBCG::PUMA, which expresses the pro-apoptotic gene PUMA to enhance immunogenicity. In mouse models, rBCG::PUMA infection was associated with significantly increased macrophage apoptosis in vitro (p < 0.05). It also elicited a markedly enhanced Th1-biased immune response characterized by elevated levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, and IL-12p70 (p < 0.05), together with reduced secretion of IL-4 and IL-10 (p < 0.05). Immunization with rBCG::PUMA promoted a stronger cellular immune profile, including increased CD8+ central memory T cells (TCM) at week 8 post-immunization and elevated CD4+ effector memory T cells (TEM), and was associated with sustained upregulation of macrophage costimulatory molecules at week 12 (P < 0.05). Regarding humoral responses, rBCG::PUMA significantly increased titers of PPD-specific total IgG and IgG subclass antibodies (p < 0. 01), accompanied by a persistently Th1-skewed IgG2b/IgG1 ratio. The overall safety profile of rBCG::PUMA was comparable to that of the parental BCG strain. Enhancement of the apoptotic pathway via PUMA was associated with broader and enhanced immunogenicity of rBCG::PUMA in mice compared with conventional BCG. This included improved cellular immunity, enhanced generation of memory T cell subsets, enhanced macrophage costimulatory activity, and stronger humoral responses, while maintaining a favorable safety profile. However, this study did not include a Mycobacterium tuberculosis challenge model; therefore, protective efficacy remains to be determined. These findings provide a preliminary immunological basis for further evaluation of rBCG::PUMA as a promising immunogenic platform and support the concept of apoptosis-targeted vaccine design.
Climate change is increasingly disrupting freshwater ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa, posing severe threats to the reproductive success and population viability of key fish species. This study investigated the mechanistic effects of elevated temperature across a gradient and the combined impact of elevated temperature, acidification and hypoxia under a simulated future climate scenario (IPCC SSP5-8.5) on the reproductive physiology and early life stages of Clarias gariepinus in the Cross River Estuary. Single-stressor trials examined the effect of temperature (28-38°C) on oestrogen synthesis, cortisol levels and gonadosomatic index (GSI). A combined-stressor scenario (35°C, pH 6.2, dissolved oxygen 2 mg/L) was used to simulate predicted climate conditions. Each treatment was replicated across triplicate tanks, with 10 broodstock per tank, over an 8-week period. Environmental parameters were tightly controlled using aquarium heaters, aerators and pH regulators. Combined stressors markedly disrupted reproductive function. Oestrogen synthesis ceased at 34°C, coinciding with a sharp decline in GSI (r2 = 0.81, p < 0.001). Cortisol concentrations increased fourfold under concurrent heat and hypoxia. Cortisol concentrations increased fourfold under heat and hypoxia co-stress. Larval performance also declined sharply, with prey capture efficiency reduced by 33% at pH 6.0 and cumulative mortality reaching 82% by day 5 under combined-stressor conditions. Habitat suitability models projected a 71% reduction in spawning habitat availability in the estuary by 2070 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. Genetic screening revealed a significant correlation (r2 = 0.63, p = 0.004) between heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) allele frequency and larval survival, indicating potential for adaptive resilience. These findings suggest a compounded vulnerability of C. gariepinus to climate-related stressors and highlight the potential need for targeted conservation efforts. Recommended interventions include habitat restoration, enhancement of dissolved oxygen regimes and selective breeding programmes to support thermal and hypoxic tolerance in vulnerable populations.
In Mexico, tobacco use represents one of the leading threats to public health, being associated with thousands of preventable deaths and diseases. Social factors, such as peer pressure, play a significant role in the initiation of tobacco use among young people, who seek acceptance and identity. Although intervention studies exist, few address peer pressure comprehensively and from a theoretical framework. Therefore, a psychoeducational intervention is proposed for university students, with the aim of assessing its acceptability and feasibility, as well as exploring changes in self-esteem, emotional dependence, and social skills. Its contribution lies in providing preliminary evidence for future large-scale clinical trials. The study was designed as a prospective, single-arm pilot. Nursing students from a faculty in Veracruz will participate, with a recruitment target of 30 students aged 18 years or older. The group intervention consists of four 50-min sessions, in addition to pre- and post-test evaluations, addressing peer pressure, self-esteem, social skills, and emotional dependence. Tobacco use among young people is a multifactorial problem in which peer pressure constitutes a central factor. The proposed psychoeducational intervention seeks to strengthen resistance, promote self-esteem, enhance social skills, and address emotional dependence. Its implementation entails practical challenges, including student participation, retention, logistical organization, and resource availability. This study will allow for the evaluation of the intervention's acceptability and feasibility, generating preliminary evidence for future trials. The findings will contribute to the design of evidence-based preventive strategies relevant to the university setting and adolescent public health. UMIN000059102.
The escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has created an urgent need for new antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics due to their broad-spectrum activity and reduced risk of resistance development. While most AMP discovery efforts have focused on terrestrial microbes, extreme environments remain largely untapped. Deep-sea hydrothermal vent biofilms, such as those from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridges (AMOR), are unique ecosystems characterized by high pressure, temperature gradients, and chemical extremes. These conditions select for microorganisms with specialized adaptations, including the production of bioactive compounds that confer survival advantages. Such peptides may exhibit enhanced stability and novel mechanisms of action, making hydrothermal biofilms an exceptional resource for next-generation antimicrobials. Using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic datasets from nine recently published AMOR biofilms, we predicted 961 AMP sequences with Macrel, of which 873 were unique and showed no identity to entries in the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD). AMPs were distributed across 51 microbial phyla, including underrepresented archaeal groups such as Asgardarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, and Micrarchaeota. Transcriptomic profiling detected AMP expression in 25 phyla, including low-abundance candidate taxa, highlighting active AMP production. In silico minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) prediction using APEX 1.1 suggested that 16.7% of AMPs may inhibit at least one clinically relevant pathogen, with Acinetobacter baumannii emerging as the most susceptible. Four peptides were synthesized for experimental validation; AMP OLKFNNDA_52_10 exhibited moderate in vitro activity against Staphylococcus aureus and weak activity against Escherichia coli, while showing low cytotoxicity toward human HEK293 cells. Other tested peptides displayed weak or no activity, underscoring discrepancies between computational predictions and biological outcomes. Our study reveals extensive taxonomic and structural diversity of AMPs in Arctic hydrothermal vent biofilms and identifies novel candidates withbioactive potential. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating metagenomics, transcriptomics, machine learning, and experimental validation to uncover bioactive compounds from underexplored microbial ecosystems. Overall, AMOR biofilms represent a rich and untapped source of AMPs, offering new opportunities for antimicrobial drug discovery in the fight against AMR.
Ticks pose an increasing threat to public health due to their geographic expansion and the emergence of tick-borne pathogens. In Nicaragua, information on ticks that infest humans is limited. This study reports human tick bites recorded between March 2023 and September 2025 in rural and peri-urban areas of the departments of Chontales and Río San Juan. Twenty-five cases were analyzed, with 172 ticks collected (28 females, 6 males, 13 nymphs, and 125 larvae). Morphological identification revealed five species: Amblyomma mixtum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma cf. parvum, Rhipicephalus linnaei, and Rhipicephalus microplus. Amblyomma mixtum was the dominant species, present in 80% of cases, and all developmental stages were found attached to humans. Skin reactions ranged from pruritus and local erythema to intense inflammatory responses associated with massive larval infestations (up to 123 larvae in a single individual). One infested individual presented transient systemic symptoms (fatigue, generalized pruritus, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia) that resolved after tick removal. This is the first report of A. ovale, A. cf. parvum, R. linnaei, and R. microplus infesting humans in Nicaragua. These findings underscore the risk of tick-borne diseases in rural areas of Nicaragua and the need for active surveillance, accurate tick identification, and molecular studies to detect rickettsial agents and other potential pathogens. Information on preferred attachment sites (e.g., lower limbs) is clinically relevant and may help inform preventive measures.
Potential high-risk antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were considered as higher public health threats in wastewater treatment systems. While tertiary wastewater treatment processes (TWTPs) effectively remove conventional and emerging pollutants, their impact on ARGs with potential higher risk remains unclear. In this study, metagenomic assembly and binning were applied to profile potential-risk ARGs and identify key factors shaping their distribution during TWTPs. Results showed that potential-risk ARGs accounted for 34.32 ± 1.98% to 59.71 ± 1.55% of total ARGs, indicating their widespread persistence. Notably, DB significantly increased the relative abundance of potential-risk ARGs, particularly those conferring resistance to multidrug, bacitracin, and aminoglycoside. In parallel, DB treatment elevated the abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs), primarily transposase-related. DB treatment facilitated the co-occurrence of potential-risk ARGs and MGEs, especially multidrug and transposase/recombinase. Key bacterial hosts carrying potential-risk ARGs, such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, were highly enriched after DB treatment, contributing substantially to the proliferation of these ARGs. In contrast, UV disinfection and CW treatment continuously reduced the abundance and risk levels of potential-risk ARGs, highlighting their complementary roles in mitigating antibiotic resistance risks during TWTPs. Variation partitioning analysis showed that bacterial community composition explained 36.15% of the variation in potential-risk ARG profiles, underscoring its primary role in ARG dynamics. Overall, this study provides genome-resolved insights into the hidden risks of ARGs and key drivers during TWTPs, highlights the necessity of optimizing operational parameters to mitigate antibiotic resistance dissemination.