Hawaii Pacific University

Background Bladder cancer is the 9th most diagnosed cancer worldwide with high incidences reported in Europe and the United States. Here, we evaluated the real-world performance of a commercially available multiplex immunoassay (Oncuria-Detect, Nonagen Bioscience Corp, Los Angeles, CA, USA) that detects bladder cancer by simultaneously measuring a panel of 10 protein biomarkers in naturally voided urine samples. Methods We tested prospectively collected urine samples from a real-world cohort of 931 patients presenting to five US centres, one European centre and one Japanese centre with haematuria, in addition to 69 patients with either kidney or prostate cancer (disease controls). The algorithm training/refinement set comprised 617 subjects and the test set included 383 subjects. Assay results were collated with patient clinical data and a cancer diagnosis was defined by biopsy and pathology. The prevalence of bladder cancer in the study was 20%. Results In the training set, the Oncuria-Detect assay correctly identified bladder cancer in 105 of 121 cases. In the test set, the Oncuria-Detect assay correctly identified bladder cancer in 62 of 73 cases resulting in a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 72%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 95%. The performance of Oncuria was similar for both low-grade/low-stage and high-grade/high-stage. Conclusions The multiplex Oncuria assay identified bladder cancer with high sensitivity and NPV. Oncuria’s high NPV could effectively rule out 66% of patients from requiring subsequent cystoscopy.

The fungus Malassezia is the most prevalent member of the human skin mycobiota, known for its lipid dependence and inability to synthesize long-chain fatty acids. Malassezia exhibits remarkable niche breadth, inhabiting soils, dust, as well as various marine environments from polar regions to deep-sea vents. The consistent presence of Malassezia in marine habitats, including those associated with marine animals, suggests that the fungus is able to grow and play a fundamental role in marine ecosystems. In this study, we explored metagenomic sequences from the Sequence Read Archive database to investigate the presence, distribution, and origins of Malassezia species within marine ecosystems, with the goal of assembling Malassezia genomes. Using various search methods, we found that up to 10% of the shotgun and amplicon data sets analyzed contained Malassezia sequences. However, the relative abundance of Malassezia in each data set was low, and there was a strong correlation between human and Malassezia sequences in marine environments, consistent with contamination. From the most Malassezia-rich data sets, we attempted to generate metagenome-assembled genomes. However, Malassezia contigs together showed low genome completeness levels, with a maximum of 2.2% in a sample. Phylogenetic analysis identified the contigs as closely related to human-associated Malassezia globosa and Malassezia restricta, along with Malassezia sympodialis and Malassezia pachydermatis, which were the most prevalent species across all studied environments. Our data suggest that many observations of Malassezia in the environment are derived from human sources and that widespread contamination confounds the exploration of Malassezia diversity and ecological role in the marine environment. IMPORTANCE Malassezia is the singular fungus most associated with humans. It colonizes mammalian skin and requires host-derived fatty acids to grow. Widespread sequencing of environmental DNA surprisingly showed that Malassezia is also ubiquitous outside of mammalian hosts. Malassezia is frequently found in marine habitats where it is associated with corals, deep sea vents, diatoms, and more. Given its widespread presence, we reasoned that public metagenomic data could be used to assemble a genome sequence of an uncultured marine Malassezia. However, we found that Malassezia was ubiquitous but never abundant in marine samples and that the few metagenomes we could assemble were consistent with recent human introduction. We also found that the presence of human DNA in sequencing data sets is strongly correlated with the presence of Malassezia DNA, and while not ruling out the growth and survival of Malassezia in marine habitats, they suggest widespread contamination of public data with Malassezia.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic nematode with a complex life cycle involving rats as definitive hosts and gastropods as intermediate hosts. The parasite can infect other organisms, including humans, in which it causes neuroangiostrongyliasis, a globally emerging but neglected disease. This primer reviews the biology of A. cantonensis including its life cycle and development in its natural, accidental, and paratenic hosts, as well as its expanding geographic distribution. It then considers recent advances in A. cantonensis research followed by exploring areas that are ripe for further investigation into this fascinating parasite. Graphical Abstract

Introduction Epidemiological research has shown those with bipolar disorders (BD) are more likely to work in creative professions. The current work is the first to examine ambition, exploration versus exploitation ratio, and insensitivity to effort/rewards among individuals with and without BD in an Asian cultural context. Methods Writers and visual artists from Hong Kong who were diagnosed with BD completed a questionnaire to assess lifetime creative accomplishments, a self-rated measure of ambition, and two laboratory-based tasks: the observe-or-bet task to detect exploration versus exploitation tendencies, and an effort discounting task to measure sensitivity to effort required and reward level. Results The sample included 44 participants diagnosed with BD and 69 control participants, with 87 (77%) being female and an average age of 35.1 years (range: 18 to 65). Bayesian analyses found no group differences in creativity or related mechanisms between BD and control participants. However, decision tree algorithms revealed multivariate contributors to creative accomplishments. Replicating prior work, high ambition was key, with the most productive also willing to persevere despite high effort. Among lower-ambition individuals, control participants who engaged in balancing exploration versus exploitation had greater accomplishments. Importantly, there was no evidence that the effects of ambition or effort-based decision-making on creativity differed based on BD diagnosis. Bipolar group had lower socioeconomic status potentially impacting their self-rated creativity scores and creative potential. However, these findings remain tentative and await further investigation due to limited sample size. Discussion The findings suggest the mechanisms underlying creativity may not inherently differ for those with BD compared to controls. Ambition, especially when combined with effort and willingness, drives creative accomplishments. Strategic use of exploration versus exploitation was associated with greater creativity among less ambitious individuals without BD. A nuanced, multivariate approach is needed to understand the bipolar-creativity relationship across cultures. Study limitations included small sample size and over-representation of female participants.

Background Hispanics have been historically underrepresented in epidemiologic cancer research. Existing cohort studies focused on recruiting Hispanic participants have been relatively small, making studying cancer outcomes challenging. Therefore, we aimed to compare the distribution of cancer risk factors among Hispanic women of Mexican heritage (HWMH) participating in existing cohorts to explore the possibility of future data pooling efforts. Methods We used baseline data of HWMH from three US-based studies, the Mexican American Cohort (MAC; n = 19,797; 2001–2017), the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC; n = 18,007; 1993–1996), and the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL; n = 4,022; 2008–2011), and one study from Mexico, the Mexican Teachers’ Cohort (MTC; n = 115,275; 2006–2008). Results Participants in MEC (59.5y) were older on average than MAC (40.9y), HCHS/SOL (45.5y), and MTC (42.6y) at enrollment. Most MAC (77.6%) and HCHS/SOL (85.4%) participants spoke Spanish as their primary language. Age at menarche (12.5–13.1y), age at menopause (45.8–47.9y), and smoking prevalence (~ 10%) was similar across studies. Parity was higher in MAC (3.8) and MEC (4.1) compared to HCHS/SOL (3.2) and MTC (2.5). Ever use of oral contraceptives was more frequent in HCHS/SOL (63.5%) compared to MTC (45.6%), MAC (37.9%), and MEC (35.2%). Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension were more common in the US cohorts. Conclusion This comparative study demonstrates the ability to harmonize data and provide information for future pooling projects across cohorts to evaluate cancer outcomes. Similarities and differences in characteristics across cohorts can be leveraged to better understand health disparities in HWMH.

In this paper, we replicate and expand Littrell et al.’s (in Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 19(3), 315–335 2012) study examining variations in employee preferences for explicit managerial leader behaviors in mainland China. Drawing on Hofstede´s model of culture, culturally contingent leadership theory and theory of cultural dynamism, and using a wider array of data including that on societal cultural values, we found that, unlike the original study, these values and preferences have homogenized across the country. They have reverted towards traditional Chinese societal-cultural values and distanced from the “Western influx” occurring from the 1970-ies. We argue that recent environmental shock, the Covid-19 pandemic, may have induced the phenomenon of relapse towards traditional societal cultural values and, thus, preferences for leader behaviors. On these bases, we elaborate on our contributions, identify practical implications, and suggest future research directions to examine the global scale and magnitude of the phenomenon.

Circulating lipid concentrations are clinically associated with cardiometabolic diseases. The phenotypic variance explained by identified genetic variants remains limited, highlighting the importance of searching for additional factors beyond genetic sequence variants. DNA methylation has been linked to lipid concentrations in previous studies, although most of the studies harbored moderate sample sizes and exhibited underrepresentation of non-European ancestry populations. In addition, knowledge of nongenetic factors on lipid profiles is extremely limited. In the Population Architecture Using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Study, we performed methylome-wide association analysis on 9,561 participants from diverse race and ethnicity backgrounds for HDL-c, LDL-c, TC, and TG levels, and also tested interactions between smoking or alcohol intake and methylation in their association with lipid levels. We identified novel CpG sites at 16 loci (P < 1.18E-7) with successful replication on 3,215 participants. One additional novel locus was identified in the self-reported White participants (P = 4.66E-8). Although no additional CpG sites were identified in the genome-wide interaction analysis, 13 reported CpG sites showed significant heterogeneous association across smoking or alcohol intake strata. By mapping novel and reported CpG sites to genes, we identified enriched pathways directly linked to lipid metabolism as well as ones spanning various biological functions. These findings provide new insights into the regulation of lipid concentrations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-025-01859-3.

Polyesters comprise the greatest proportion of textile fibers and are found in various everyday goods; hence, polyester fibers are a significant source of microplastic pollution and textile waste. The specific chemical composition of commercial polyester fibers is often proprietary and mostly assumed to be poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Polyester is a class of polymers that include poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT), and poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN), as well as biodegradable polymers. Our study aims to clarify whether household polyester products are primarily PET, are labeled accurately, or contain phthalate additives by applying double-shot pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (Py-GC/MS). We analyzed four scientific-grade polyester reference standards, 52 manufacturer-grade polyester fibers or pellets, and 229 samples from 193 consumer polyester products. From the pyrograms, samples were predominantly identified as PET (87.4%, 95% CI [93.5–81.3%]), but five samples were identified as a different polyester, nine as non-polyester polymers, and 23 as a blend of PET with another polymer. From the thermal desorption chromatograms, diethyl phthalate was the most frequently detected phthalate, found in 23.3% (95% CI [17.3–29.3%]) of the consumer products, including children’s toys. Double-shot py-GC/MS advantageously results in these empirical data that (1) counter the assumption that products labeled polyester are always PET, (2) emphasize the importance of creating spectral libraries with well-characterized materials for accurate polymer identification of unknown plastic particles, and (3) demonstrate that phthalates are common additives in household products. Graphical Abstract Pyrolysis-GC/MS clarifies commercial polyester compositions and phthalate content, informing microplastic pollution monitoring and product labeling policies for improved environmental health.

Background: Transverse myelitis (TM) is a rare inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord resulting in neurological impairments that impact motor function and mobility. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training has emerged as a feasible intervention in neurologic populations to improve strength and functional performance. Recent studies suggest that combining BFR with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may further enhance outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the effects of an 8-week, low-intensity lower-extremity resistance training program incorporating BFR (2×/week for 4 weeks) followed by combined BFR+NMES (2×/week for 4 weeks) on functional performance in a patient with chronic TM. The patient was seen for a total of 17 visits. Case description: A 31-year-old male with a 17-year history of TM presented with significant left lower extremity weakness, functional mobility limitations, and challenges navigating stairs and walking long distances. His primary goal was to improve his functional mobility. Outcomes: Post-intervention assessments demonstrated improvement across multiple functional performance measures. The patient's gait speed with the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT) increased from 1.17 to 1.43 m/s (MDC 0.13 m/s), Timed Up and Go (TUG) time improved by 17.5% (MCID 10-15%), and his 30-Second Sit-to-Stand (30STS) performance increased by two repetitions (MDC 1.13). Improvements were also seen in the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) and the SF-36. Discussion: The findings suggest that BFR, alone or in combination with NMES, may improve function in chronic TM patients with lower extremity weakness. BFR appears to offer a promising approach for individuals with neurological conditions where traditional high-intensity resistance training is limited.

Monsoon onset marks an abrupt seasonal transition from a dry to a moist atmosphere, but physical processes associated with the monsoon onset over India and the Arabian Sea (AS) are not fully understood. In this study, a northward propagating convective phase of intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs), associated with low-level cyclonic circulation, is identified as a crucial factor in initiating the monsoon onset. The northward propagation is sustained by a positive moist static energy (MSE) tendency to the north and a simultaneous negative tendency to the south of the convective center. Results from the MSE budget diagnosis indicate that the MSE tendency dipole is attributed to horizontal moisture advection. Under a wetter (dryer) background environment over southeastern (northwestern) AS, the intraseasonal cyclonic circulation enhances (reduces) the MSE to its north (south). In addition, the northward propagation is controlled by a meridional asymmetry of background convective instability (BCI). During the pre-onset stage, the accumulation of background low-level moisture over the northern AS due to meridional moisture transport by cross-equatorial flow enhances local BCI. A more unstable background environment over the AS, compared to the equatorial western Indian Ocean (EWIO), facilitates the northward propagation of ISOs. ENSO exerts a marked impact on the monsoon onset through the modulation of the meridional asymmetry of BCI. During post-La Nina Springs, both the enhanced meridional SST gradient over EWIO and the stronger cross-equatorial low-level flow over the AS help trigger the northward-propagating ISOs and thus lead to an earlier monsoon onset.

Importance Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a leading cause of cancer-related death among men in the US. Objective To evaluate the association of healthy lifestyle and dietary behaviors with survival after a nonmetastatic PCa diagnosis in a multiethnic population. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cohort study was conducted among men aged 45 to 75 years enrolled between 1993 and 1996 in the Multiethnic Cohort study. Participants with nonmetastatic PCa completed a questionnaire after diagnosis (2003-2008) and were followed up until death or loss to follow-up. Data were analyzed from January 10, 2023, to May 20, 2024. Exposures Lifestyle and dietary patterns were assessed after diagnosis using 3 PCa behavior scores and 13 dietary indices (4 prioritized scores: the Healthy Eating Index–2015, Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index, Dietary Inflammatory Index, and Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia). Main Outcomes and Measures Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate multivariable-adjusted associations of each PCa behavior score with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and PCa-specific mortality. Results A total of 2603 men with nonmetastatic PCa (mean [SD] age, 69.6 [7.1] years) were followed up, and 1346 deaths were documented, including 356 (24.6%) from CVD and 197 (14.6%) from PCa. The median (IQR) follow-up was 10.9 (IQR, 6.8-12.7) years from questionnaire return and 14.5 (IQR, 11.8-18.0) years from diagnosis. The 2021 PCa Behavior Score was associated with reduced risks of all-cause (hazard ratio [HR] per point, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.63-0.77) and CVD-related (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.79) mortality. This score was also associated with a lower risk of PCa-specific mortality among African American men (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24-0.88) but not in the other racial and ethnic groups. Comparing quintile 5 (highest score) with 1 (lowest score), the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia was positively associated with all-cause (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.02-1.84) and CVD-related (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.15-3.33) mortality, whereas the Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58-0.97); findings for CVD-related mortality were not statistically significant (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.44-1.03). No associations were found between lifestyle or dietary patterns and PCa mortality. Conclusions and Relevance In this multiethnic cohort of patients with nonmetastatic PCa, healthier lifestyles were associated with improved overall survival but not with PCa-specific survival. Given the predominance of non–PCa-specific deaths, these findings support the need for health behavior counseling to treat comorbidities in men with PCa.

Background: This scoping review investigates the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in alleviating sleep disturbances among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). With the rising prevalence of dementia and its profound impact on cognitive function and quality of life, this review aims to synthesize existing research and identify gaps in the literature. Methods: We systematically searched six electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus) from 2004 to 2024, yielding 462 potentially relevant articles. Screening was conducted using ASReview, an AI ranking tool, which facilitated the selection of studies. Ultimately, seven studies that met our stringent eligibility criteria were included in the review. We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines for reporting. Results: Our findings indicate that mindfulness meditation significantly improves sleep quality, reduces insomnia severity, and enhances overall well-being in this at-risk population. Notably, interventions that combine structured, face-to-face sessions with at-home practice emerged as the most effective. Conclusions: Despite these positive outcomes, methodological limitations, including small sample sizes and reliance on self-reported measures, underscore the need for more rigorous long-term studies. This review highlights the potential of mindfulness meditation as a low-cost, scalable intervention to improve sleep and cognitive health in older adults, paving the way for future research and clinical applications.