Baobab Index

Immunoglobulin E-mediated allergy is the most important hypersensitivity disease affecting more than 30% of the population worldwide. The analysis of molecular IgE sensitization profiles in defined populations and age groups is important for the development of allergen-specific preventive and therapeutic interventions. The present study was performed to examine if there are differences regarding molecular IgE reactivity profiles in children and adults from two regions with similar climate and exposome. This two-step cross-sectional study assessed molecular IgE reactivity profiles using an experimental allergen microarray comprising 105 allergen molecules. In the first step, an exploratory cross-sectional study, serum samples from 539 allergic patients (259 children, 280 adults) who were born and grew up in the Algiers region were analyzed. The second step was a prospective cross-sectional study performed in 272 Turkish allergic patients (133 children, 139 adults) from Istanbul and Samsun regions with a climate and allergen exposome similar to Algiers, with the goal of investigating the reproducibility of possible differences in molecular IgE sensitization profiles between children and adults. In both the exploratory Algiers study and the prospective Turkish study, significantly more children than adults with respiratory allergy were sensitized to major respiratory house dust mite allergens (Algiers: Der p 1, Der p 2: p < 0.001 and Der p 23: p = 0.001; Türkiye: Der p 1: p = 0.018 and Der p 2: p = 0.019) whereas significantly more adults than children were sensitized to regionally common respiratory outdoor allergens (Algiers: Ole e 1: p = 0.037; Phl p 1: p = 0.046; Türkiye: Ole e 1: p = 0.016; Amb a 1: p = 0.002; Amb a 8: p < 0.001). Asthma was significantly more common in children than in adult patients with respiratory allergy (Algiers: p < 0.001; Türkiye: p = 0.034). Our study demonstrates different molecular IgE sensitization profiles in two age groups (children and adults) on two different continents with a similar climate and allergen exposome which may be due to exogenous factors such as climate change, different lifestyles, pollution and changes in vegetation. Both major house dust mite sensitization and asthma were more common in children, suggesting sensitization profile may contribute to asthma risk. Danube Allergy Research Cluster, Country of Lower Austria, Medical University of Vienna and Russian Science Foundation.

The use of algae-based bioenergy platforms in establishing circular bioeconomy systems is due to their capacity to generate biomass of renewable origin, using solar energy and carbon dioxide (CO

Mycotoxins are widespread environmental contaminants whose global prevalence and ecological impacts are intensifying due to climate change. However, their sublethal effects on wildlife populations and ecosystem stability remain significantly underexplored. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that mycotoxins induce epigenetic toxicity, but the implications of these molecular findings for populations and ecosystems are not yet fully understood. This review synthesizes current knowledge regarding mycotoxin-induced epigenetic modifications and evaluates their effects across multiple levels of biological organization. Mycotoxins can induce intergenerational effects in model organisms, but true transgenerational inheritance remains less established in mammals. These heritable epigenetic modifications could propagate from individuals to populations, potentially affecting food webs, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, although these outcomes remain largely hypothetical. To address these knowledge gaps, we propose an epigenetics-informed risk assessment framework that incorporates early-warning epigenetic biomarkers, accounts for both intergenerational and transgenerational effects, integrates multi-stressor interactions, and evaluates ecosystem-level responses under climate change scenarios. Implementing this framework will depend on field-deployable detection methods, enzyme-based bioremediation strategies, and climate-adaptive management under a One Health approach. This review highlights the urgent need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address mycotoxin-induced epigenetic damage, which poses a potential threat to ecosystem integrity. However, the ecological consequences of these effects remain hypothetical and require further investigation.

Bats are extraordinary among mammals, having uniquely evolved powered flight and laryngeal echolocation, along with disease resistance, extended healthspans and the ability to hibernate

Amid a global biodiversity crisis hastened by climate change, it is urgent that species' declines are halted. To design the most effective conservation strategies to address these declines, the nature and timing of the most probable genetic or nongenetic factors behind population collapses need to be identified. We used high-density RADseq genetic markers to determine the demographic history and track population-level exposure of the Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis), the first syngnathid listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to historical and current threats. Our results revealed an initial link between sea-level fluctuations and settlement for this estuarine endemic species that occurred on a coastline without obvious alternative habitats that were followed by divergence and progressive isolation of the extant populations. Two of the three extant Knysna seahorse populations, those inhabiting estuaries most affected by floods and natural or human-mediated breaching of the estuary mouths, showed severe and continued contractions in effective population size. We illustrated the potential of genomics for the conservation of the most vulnerable species and their fragile ecosystems and highlighted the urgency and type of measures required to maintain species' persistence and resilience. Our results provide practical insights to help protect this endangered seahorse, namely, the need for proactive management, which is essential for preventing the expected losses of genetic diversity that follow shrinking effective population sizes. Additionally, we showed that hydrological stability and increased substratum availability can foster recoveries without the need for potentially riskier alternatives such as the recently proposed seahorse translocations. Recuento de la información genómica del caballito de mar, un pasado de asilamiento aplicado y una guía para futuros esfuerzos de conservación Resumen En medio de una crisis mundial de biodiversidad agravada por el cambio climático, es urgente frenar el declive de las especies. Para diseñar las estrategias de conservación más eficaces que aborden este declive, es necesario identificar la naturaleza y el momento en que se producen los factores genéticos o no genéticos más probables que están detrás del colapso de las poblaciones. Utilizamos marcadores genéticos RADseq de alta densidad para determinar la historia demográfica y rastrear la exposición a nivel de población del caballito de mar de Knysna (Hippocampus capensis) —la primera especie de singnátido incluida en la lista de especies en peligro de extinción por la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN)— a las amenazas históricas y actuales. Nuestros resultados revelaron una relación inicial entre las fluctuaciones del nivel del mar y el asentamiento de esta especie endémica de los estuarios, que tuvo lugar en un litoral sin hábitats alternativos evidentes, a lo que siguió la divergencia y el aislamiento progresivo de las poblaciones actuales. Dos de las tres poblaciones actuales de caballito de mar de Knysna, las que habitan en los estuarios más afectados por las inundaciones y por la ruptura natural o provocada por el ser humano de las desembocaduras de los estuarios, mostraron reducciones graves y continuas en el tamaño efectivo de la población. Con esto demostramos el potencial de la genómica para la conservación de las especies más vulnerables y sus frágiles ecosistemas y destacamos la urgencia y el tipo de medidas necesarias para mantener la persistencia y la resiliencia de las especies. Nuestros resultados aportan conocimientos prácticos que ayudan a proteger a este caballito de mar en peligro de extinción, sobre todo, la necesidad de una gestión proactiva que resulta esencial para prevenir las pérdidas previstas de diversidad genética derivadas de la reducción del tamaño efectivo de las poblaciones. Además, demostramos que la estabilidad hidrológica y una mayor disponibilidad de sustrato pueden favorecer la recuperación sin necesidad de recurrir a alternativas potencialmente más arriesgadas, como la reciente propuesta de reubicar a los caballitos de mar.

Self-stigma is a barrier to treatment-seeking among survivors of childhood maltreatment. Although brief online interventions have effectively reduced stigma toward mental disorders, few have targeted self-stigma among childhood maltreatment survivors, with none being tested across multiple countries. Here we examined whether a brief, social contact-based video could reduce self-stigma and increase help-seeking intentions across six countries. In this completed, international, multicentre, single-blind, randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06159075) with 1:1 allocation and concealed assignment, young adults with a history of childhood maltreatment from the USA, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, South Africa, and Türkiye were randomly assigned to either a social-contact video intervention (featuring a survivor's personal story acknowledging shame and modelling recovery) or a length-matched psychoeducation control. Participant blinding was not feasible; participants were unaware of the alternative condition, and investigators and analysts were blinded throughout. Prespecified primary outcomes were self-stigma (comprising of Alienation, Stereotype Endorsement, Secrecy, Perceived Recovery) and help-seeking intentions, assessed before and after intervention and at 30-day follow-up; following peer review, Perceived Recovery was designated the focal outcome for hypothesis testing, with the remaining domains analysed as secondary outcomes. Between-group differences at each timepoint were estimated using linear mixed-effects models adjusting for baseline scores. Adverse events were not assessed; no harms were reported. Enrolment began on April 1st, 2024, and was completed on August 29, 2025. The intention-to-treat analysis included 2499 participants (mean age 27.1 years, A single social contact-based video did not reduce most self-stigma domains or improve help-seeking relative to a psychoeducational control. More intensive or targeted approaches are needed to meaningfully address self-stigma among childhood maltreatment survivors. SHN received support from the Azrieli Foundation Early Career Faculty Fellowship. Data collection in the USA was funded from discretionary research funds at NYSPI. Regarding data collection in Japan, this work was supported by JSPS, KAKENHI Grant Number JP 23K02998. In South Africa, the study was supported by the South African Medical Research Council Unit on the Genomics of Brain Disorders. Data collection costs in other countries were covered by the participating institutions/researchers.

The classification of mixed odontogenic tumors remains one of the most debated topics in oral and maxillofacial pathology. Although ameloblastic fibrodentinoma (AFD), ameloblastic fibro-odontoma (AFO), and odontoameloblastoma were historically recognized as distinct entities, their biological nature and taxonomic status have been repeatedly questioned in successive editions of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Head and Neck Tumours. To critically evaluate the current evidence regarding the classification, pathogenesis, and biological behavior of AFD, AFO, and odontoameloblastoma, and to discuss whether these lesions represent independent entities or components of a broader morphological and biological spectrum. A narrative critical review was conducted by members of the International Consortium on Odontogenic Tumours, integrating historical, clinicopathological, radiographic, and molecular evidence, with particular emphasis on recent genomic studies and WHO classification updates. Emerging molecular data demonstrate recurrent alterations, particularly BRAF p.V600E mutations, in a substantial subset of AFD and AFO, supporting a neoplastic nature in at least some cases. The existence of malignant counterparts, including ameloblastic fibrodentinosarcoma and ameloblastic fibro-odontosarcoma, further challenges the concept that these lesions are purely developmental or hamartomatous. In contrast, odontoameloblastoma lacks a distinctive molecular profile and exhibits significant overlap with other odontogenic tumors, raising doubts regarding its status as a separate nosological entity. Current evidence suggests considerable biological heterogeneity among these lesions. AFD, AFO, and related lesions are best interpreted within a biological spectrum of mixed odontogenic tumors rather than as rigidly defined entities. Future integrated clinicopathological and molecular investigations are required to refine their classification and improve diagnostic reproducibility.

Tuberculosis, a significant public health concern in Central African Republic lacks whole-genome-based identification and typing of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains circulating in populations in that country. Here, we investigated 68 rifampin-resistant clinical isolates collected in 2024 from eight districts in Bangui and surrounding regions. The analysis revealed that all isolates were M. tuberculosis stricto sensu, distributed across nine lineages: L4.1.2.1 Haarlem (n = 20), L4.6 Euro-American (n = 17), L4.6.1.2 Uganda (n = 13), L4.6.2.2 Cameroon (n = 12), and L4.1.1.1 X-Type (n = 2), and single isolates in L4.1 (Euro-American), L4.6.1 (Uganda), L4.3.1 (LAM), and L3 (Delhi-CAS). The antibiotic resistance profile showed that 9/68 (13.2 %) of the M. tuberculosis isolates were susceptible, while 59/68 (86.7 %) exhibited at least one predicted antibiotic resistance. These data provide new insights into tuberculosis transmission in Central African Republic in contrast to reports from neighboring countries, including the absence of Mycobacterium bovis, hence zoonotic tuberculosis and other factors. This preliminary study limited to rifampin-resistant isolates, nevertheless paves the way for a genome-based survey of tuberculosis in Central African Republic which is essential for enhancing the management and control of the deadly tuberculosis that is a public health concern in the country.

Metabolic disorders are multifactorial diseases and major global health concerns, with many individuals worldwide responding inadequately to treatments. The gut bacteriome regulates metabolism and offers therapeutic potential; however, research from North Africa remains scarce despite the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the region. This study examines gut bacterial profiles of Tunisian type 2 diabetic (T2D), obese (OB), and non-diabetic (ND) individuals within the framework of personalized medicine. Ninety-five participants were enrolled (33 ND, 26 T2D, 26 T2D with obesity and cardiovascular complications (T2D_OBCV), and 10 OB). Bacterial 16S rDNA V3-V4 regions were sequenced on Illumina MiSeq and analyzed using the QIIME 2 pipeline. Obese subjects exhibited gut dysbiosis with lower Akkermansia (p = 0.02) and Ligilactobacillus (p = 0.04) levels, an enrichment of Bifidobacterium (p = 0.004), as well as Sutterella (p = 0.03) and Erysipelatoclostridium (p = 0.02). However, the gut bacteriome landscape of T2D patients reveals differences in the distribution of Shigella (p = 0.01) highly abundant in the intestine, and a depletion of Clostridia vadin BB 60 group (p = 0.02) and Oscillospiraceae UCG 005 (p = 0.01). Noting that the gut bacteriome of T2D_OBCV patients is characterized by a depletion of Asteroleplasma (p = 0.01), Oscillospiraceae UCG 005 ( p = 0.02), Eubacterium ruminantium group (p= 0,0007), and Romboutsia (p = 0.002) beside an enrichment of Fusicatenibacter (p = 0.02). Gut bacteriome alterations in Tunisian T2D and obese subjects may serve as metabolic biomarkers.

Voltage-gated (Kv) potassium channels are critical for neuronal physiology, and their dysfunction can lead to serious consequences. For example, mutations in the silent modulatory Kv8.2 subunit are known to cause irreversible inherited blindness (KCNV2 retinopathy). This is a currently incurable condition that causes lifelong visual loss, reduced visual acuity, photoaversion, night blindness and abnormal colour vision, alongside a distinctive supernormal electrophysiological (ERG) retinal response to light. In this study, we demonstrate that AAV-mediated gene replacement therapy delivering a codon-optimised human KCNV2 gene subretinally into Kv8.2 knock-out mice significantly restores retinal function. Treated mice exhibited improved ERG responses and correct expression of KCNV2 and its encoded Kv8.2 protein in photoreceptors. Recovery of visually guided scotopic and photopic optomotor responses to wildtype levels was achieved at lower vector doses, highlighting dose-dependent efficacy. Furthermore, treatment of human retinal organoids derived from a KCNV2 patient iPSC line resulted in substantial Kv8.2 protein rescue. This work provides the preclinical proof-of-concept for the safety and therapeutic potential of gene therapy for KCNV2 retinopathy, laying a strong foundation for future clinical trials.