179566 research outputs found
Sort by
Commercial Determinants of Health: an agenda for global health geography
No full textThe global rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) presents an international public health policy challenge. Critical agents in this global trend are the activities and growth strategies of large transnational companies (TNCs) producing, selling and marketing unhealthy commodities including tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food. However, little geographical scholarship has considered the corporate activities of TNCs and the implications for global health. We utilise the ‘Commercial Determinants of Health’ framework to develop a cross-disciplinary agenda for geographical scholarship to deepen our understanding of how TNCs are drivers of global health geographies and implicated in the rise of NCDs and health inequalities
Neuroanatomical dimensions in major depression linked to cognition, adverse life events, self-harm, metabolomics and genetics
No full textFinishing a complete giraffe genome from telomere to telomere with Verkko-Fillet
No full textHigh-quality genome assemblies are essential for understanding speciation, evolution, and for building reference genomes and pan-genomes. Despite major advances in long-read sequencing technologies and graph-based assembly algorithms, current assemblies often remain incomplete and require refinement, including correction of haplotype switching and resolution of gaps, particularly within repetitive regions such as ribosomal DNA clusters and recent segmental duplications. These limitations largely stem from challenges in graph curation and are not adequately addressed by conventional polishing methods, which focus primarily on nucleotide-level corrections. To overcome these issues, we developed Verkko-Fillet, a Python-based interactive framework for genome graph inspection, editing, and curation that also provides step-by-step guidelines for downstream polishing. Verkko-Fillet takes as input Verkko output files, including the assembly graph, haplotype paths, Hi-C contacts, and additional ONT reads or alternative assemblies aligned to the graph, and offers tools for visualizing, modifying, and exporting curated assembly graphs. It enables users to track changes, resolve complex structural features, fill gaps, and enhance assembly quality beyond conventional polishing. As a case study, we applied Verkko-Fillet to the giraffe genome (Giraffa tippelskirchi), refining a draft assembly (QV 61.5) to a telomere-to-telomere (T2T) reference genome (QV 73.6) by improving both contiguity and completeness. Along with the T2T diploid giraffe genome, we provide gene annotations on this assembly as a valuable resource. Our results highlight the critical role of graph-based curation in producing high-quality, gapless, T2T assemblies that are ready for downstream biological analyses.</p
"If al-Gazālī is a Prophet, the Waǧīz is His Miracle":Abū Hāmid al-Gazālī's codification of Šāfi'ī law
No full textThe contributions of Abu Hāmid al-Gazālī (d. 505/1111) to philosophy, theology, logic, metaphysics, and Sufism have been widely analysed. However, few scholars have studied his role as a jurist, even though he authored ten works on Šāfi'ī law, works that were celebrated in contemporary and later scholarly circles, and earned him the title "the second al-Šāfi'ī."In this article, I examine his two texts in Islamic law, the Waǧīz and Hulāsa, in an effort to shed light on the history of codification in the Šāfi'ī school. I argue that al-Gazālī wrote these texts following upon his two earlier lengthy commentaries in which he canonised school doctrine. In the Waǧīz and Hulāsa, he tried to standardise school doctrine by presenting concise, structured and authoritative views, and offering straightforward rulings with little discussion of internal disagreement. Al-Gazālī's contributions to substantive law challenge the prevailing wisdom on the early history of legal codification. In fact, al-Gazālī sought to codify Šāfi'ī law, and his efforts had a significant influence on the later trajectories of Islamic law, providing a blueprint for many subsequent codifications.</p
Unraveling humidity's dual effects on trace methane photocatalytic ozonation:Enhanced radical generation versus active site blockade
No full textThe humidity present in the environment exerts a significant influence on the catalytic process. When employing photocatalytic ozonation (PCO) technology to remove trace amounts of methane (CH4), it is crucial to investigate the impact of humidity on this process. Here, we investigated the influence of humidity on the PCO of trace CH4 using metal-decorated ZnO (Au, Pt, Pd) and elucidated the reaction mechanism. The results demonstrated a consistent decline in the CH4 removal rate across all catalysts upon the introduction of water vapor. Characterization results indicated that the catalyst's structure and surface chemical properties underwent no significant changes during the reaction. Comparative experiments on sub-processes revealed that the introduction of water molecules alters the CH4 oxidation pathway, extending the reaction from the catalyst surface to both the surface and the gas phase above it. This suggested that water molecules can generate hydroxyl radicals in the gas phase, thereby enhancing the overall oxidative capacity through gas-phase reactions. Simultaneously, they accumulated on the catalyst surface in the form of liquid water, forming a "water film" that inhibited CH4 adsorption kinetics. Based on these contrasting effects, this study proposed a plausible reaction mechanism for the PCO of CH4 under humid conditions. These findings provided a fundamental mechanistic understanding crucial for optimizing humidity conditions to balance radical generation and active site accessibility, enabling efficient PCO of trace CH4.</p
Reproducible identification of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia clinical subphenotypes
No full textBackgroundClinical heterogeneity in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) complicates clinical management and research. We have previously identified five clinically distinct subphenotypes of SAB associated with differences in outcomes and response to adjunctive rifampicin. Here, we aimed to identify these subphenotypes in geographically diverse observational cohorts, including a higher prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteremia and the USA300 clone.MethodsWe studied three cohorts of adults with SAB from observational studies: a UK retrospective study (Edinburgh cohort 2, n=463); a Dutch prospective study (IDISA, n=490); and a USA prospective study (SABG-PCS, n=755). Subphenotypes were identified from routinely available clinical data using latent class analysis.ResultsPatients from the SABG-PCS cohort had greater multimorbidity and more MRSA bacteremia (40.2%, 303/755), including infection with the USA300 clone (14.7%, 111/755). Five distinct subphenotypes were identified in each cohort: (A) older age and cardio-metabolic multimorbidity; (B) nosocomial acquisition and intravenous catheter portal of entry; (C) community acquisition and metastatic infection; (D) chronic kidney disease; and (E) younger age, injection drug use, and metastatic infection. Bacterial genotypes varied substantially between the Edinburgh 2 and SABG-PCS cohorts but did not differ between subphenotypes within each cohort. 90-day mortality was highest in subphenotype A, and persistent bacteremia in subphenotypes C and E.ConclusionsWe have reproducibly identified five clinical subphenotypes of SAB in observational cohorts including diverse bacterial genetic lineages and a cohort with a high prevalence of MRSA and USA300 bacteremia. These robustly reproducible clinical subphenotypes provide a framework to rationalize the heterogeneity intrinsic to SAB. <br/
The female reproductive tract-gut axis in gastrointestinal parasitic infection
Get PDFMucosal barrier sites are specialised interfaces that constantly defend against challenges, from tissue damage to infections. When considering these sites, we typically think of the lungs, gut, mouth or skin. However, a site often overlooked is the female reproductive tract (FRT), an equally dynamic mucosal site uniquely tasked with both immune defence and sustaining new life. The FRT undergoes dramatic tissue remodelling and can return to a homeostatic state without scarring - an ability shared only with the oral mucosa and foetal skin. Given the interconnected nature of mucosal systems, disruption of intestinal homeostasis by enteric or systemic infection has broad impacts on systemic immunity, prompting us to consider how such disturbances could impact the FRT.</p
SynaptopathyDB integrates synaptic proteomes, genetic and phenotypic data to advance research on nervous system disorders
Get PDFDelayed Disease Onset Report in UK Biobank: Implications for Prodromal Studies in Parkinson's Disease
Get PDFAdverse drug reactions, particularly liver disorders, drive interruptions in anti‐tuberculosis treatment: A retrospective cohort study
Get PDFAIMS: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a key driver of missed doses of anti-tuberculosis (TB) therapy. We aimed to determine the relative burden of ADR-driven missed doses, the missed dose patterns associated with ADRs, and the association between specific ADRs and missed doses.METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, adults (≥18 years) who began the standard 6-month drug-sensitive anti-TB regimen in an outpatient facility in Riga, Latvia (May 2015-September 2022) and missed at least one dose of treatment were included. Data were collected from medical records and observed therapy records. Missed doses were subdivided into early discontinuation or sporadically missed. Descriptive analyses and lasagne plots were used.RESULTS: Across 174 patients, 54 (31.0%, CI: 24.2-37.9%) missed doses due to ADRs. Of 31 320 doses, 4217 (13.5%, CI: 13.1-13.9%) were missed, 20.9% (880/4217, CI: 19.6-22.1%) were due to ADRs. Eighteen (10.3%) of the 174 patients discontinued treatment early, two of which (11.1%) were due to ADRs. Doses missed due to ADRs caused longer yet less frequent periods of sporadic missed doses: 56.4% (479/849) of sporadic missed doses were 1 day in length vs. only 9.1% (7/77) for ADR-related ones. Hepatobiliary disorders were the leading ADR group causing missed doses. Hepatobiliary ADRs caused long median durations of missed doses (median 15.0, CI: 13.0-22.0).CONCLUSION: Our study underscores the importance of ADRs as a cause of missed doses of treatment, particularly hepatobiliary disorders. Regimens that are less prone to ADRs and strong healthcare system support structures for patients with ADRs are required to minimize missed doses, reducing unfavourable outcomes.</p
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Edinburgh Research Explorer? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!