Setting Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global public health challenge, particularly in low-income countries, where delayed diagnosis undermines control efforts. Public engagement and community interventions are crucial to the End-TB Strategy; however, outreach experience documentation remains limited. Objective This study describes five years (2021–2025) of World TB Day outreach activities in Ghana. Design Activities included community education, stakeholder engagement, survivor advocacy, and health screening in schools, healthcare facilities and communities. Educational strategies were culturally tailored using interactive sessions, testimonials, and media. Integrated screening combined TB testing with HIV, malaria, diabetes, and hypertension. Results Over 5,000 individuals received education, with over 2,000 materials distributed yearly. Educational campaigns improved community knowledge of TB symptoms, transmission, prevention, and treatment, increasing voluntary screening. Screening enabled the early detection of TB and co-morbid conditions, reduced barriers, and strengthened referrals. The number of TB cases from outreach areas at a major tertiary hospital increased from 21/404(5%) in 2021 to 50/48(10%) in 2024. Community-centered TB education with integrated screening can improve awareness, reduce stigma, and enhance early case detection. Conclusion World TB Day provides advocacy, but its impact requires continuous engagement in community health programs. These findings offer lessons for strengthening TB awareness in high-burden countries.
We present a genome assembly of Frangula alnus (alder buckthorn; Streptophyta; Magnoliopsida; Rosales; Rhamnaceae). The assembly consists of two haplotypes with total lengths of 279.06 megabases and 281.25 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.91%) is scaffolded into 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Most of haplotype 2 (99.91%) is scaffolded into 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial sequence has a length of 492.03 kilobases and the plastid genome assembly has a length of 161.23 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Ophion crassicornis (ichneumonid wasp; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 726.34 megabases. Most of the assembly (98.51%) is scaffolded into 13 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 38.03 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Hydrotaea militaris (Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Muscidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 1 703.03 megabases and 1 760.39 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (96.2%) is scaffolded into 6 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 18.83 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
Abstract We present a genome assembly from an individual female Tranosemella praerogator (Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 196.25 megabases. Most of the assembly (99.97%) is scaffolded into 12 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 34.05 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
We present a genome assembly of Jacobaea vulgaris (Common Ragwort; Streptophyta; Magnoliopsida; Asterales; Asteraceae). The assembly consists of two haplotypes with total lengths of 2,027.85 megabases and 2,005.08 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (95.75%) is scaffolded into 20 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial sequences have lengths of 214.29 and 64.31 kilobases and the plastid genome assembly has a length of 150.84 kilobases. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 36,155 protein-coding genes. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune neurodegenerative disorder characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and axonal damage. Current disease-modifying therapies demonstrate limited efficacy with substantial adverse effects. Ayurveda and yoga have demonstrated disease-modifying potential through anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective mechanisms. Objective This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a three-month Integrated Yoga and Ayurveda Management (IYAM) program as an adjunct to standard care in MS patients. Primary outcomes include clinical disability (EDSS), functional capacity (MSFC), quality of life (MSQOL-54), cognition (AVLT), and psychological parameters (HARS/HDRS). Secondary outcomes encompass neuroimaging (brain volume, connectivity), immune biomarkers (Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cells, cytokines, telomere length), autonomic function (HRV), and gut microbiome composition. Methods In this assessor-blind randomized controlled superiority trial, 60 MS patients (McDonald criteria 2017, disease duration <2 years) will be recruited from tertiary care settings after informed consent. Participants will be randomly allocated (1:1) to IYAM (Ayurvedic Rasayanas: Lashuna 16 days, Bala 36 days, Shatavari 36 days and 2 days alotted for sadhyovirechana, plus yoga therapy) or standard care. A computer-generated randomization sequence was created using the REDCap randomization module. Group assignments were concealed until participant enrollment, ensuring allocation concealment, with blinded assessors. Assessments at baseline, 45 days and three months include clinical scales, neuropsychological testing, 3 T MRI, immunophenotyping, and microbiome analysis. Intent-to-treat analysis with mixed repeated measures ANOVA. Expected Outcomes Significant improvements in disability, cognition, and quality of life are anticipated in IYAM group, mediated through neuroinflammatory modulation, enhanced neuroprotection, and favorable gut microbiome alterations. Trial Registration Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI/2024/12/078605); date of registration: 26 December 2024; dates of clinical trial: January 2025 to December 2027. Protocol Version Version 1.0, October 2025.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Hydrotaea militaris (Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Muscidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 1 703.03 megabases and 1 760.39 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (96.2%) is scaffolded into 6 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 18.83 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
Tuberculosis remains a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality. While the World Health Organization has established target product profiles to guide diagnostic development, descriptions of potential use cases for biomarkers and tests remain scattered across diverse guidelines and literature. There is currently no clear synthesis or prioritization of these use cases to guide research and investment. This protocol describes a study aiming to identify, map, and prioritize tuberculosis biomarker use cases to focus development efforts where they can maximize clinical and public health impact. Methods The study will employ a multi-step, iterative process combining a scoping review with a consensus-building exercise. First, a scoping review following the Arksey and O’Malley framework will be conducted across academic databases and global health repositories to identify existing use cases. Identified use cases will be mapped to a framework of tuberculosis stages, including infection, disease, treatment, and post-tuberculosis care. Subsequently, a hybrid RAND/UCLA appropriateness method and modified Delphi process will be used to establish consensus among a diverse group of stakeholders, including researchers, clinicians, industry representatives, and people with lived experience of tuberculosis. Stakeholders will participate in anonymous online surveys to rate the validity and importance of each use case, followed by hybrid in-person and virtual meetings to resolve areas of disagreement. Results The primary outputs will be a consolidated, prioritized list of tuberculosis biomarker use cases. These will be disseminated through a public report, peer-reviewed scientific articles, and conference presentations to inform the global research community and funders. Conclusions By integrating evidence synthesis with structured stakeholder consensus, this project seeks to align biomarker discovery and diagnostic development with the most critical clinical and public health needs, ultimately reducing research waste and supporting the global target of ending the tuberculosis epidemic.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Macrocera phalerata (fungus gnat; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Keroplatidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 572.81 megabases. Most of the assembly (97.46%) is scaffolded into 5 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 20.98 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
Background Synthesising quantitative evidence in systematic reviews and meta-analyses often requires converting a range of reported effect measures into a common metric. This can be particularly challenging when reviews include non-randomised studies, where exposures and outcomes may be binary or continuous and reported in inconsistent ways. Existing resources such as the Cochrane Handbook and the Campbell Collaboration effect size calculator provide useful guidance, but do not cover all conversions reviewers encounter in practice. Methods We compiled and organised practical formulae for converting between commonly used effect measures, and for deriving standard errors from reported statistics. Methods are grouped by exposure–outcome combinations (binary–binary, binary–continuous, continuous–binary, and continuous–continuous). For each conversion we specify the required inputs, the relevant formula, and the underlying statistical assumptions, supplemented by worked examples and a signposting flow chart ( Figure 1). Results The resource summarises procedures for standardising effect sizes – including odds ratios, risk ratios, hazard ratios, standardised mean differences, and correlation-based estimates – and for calculating or back-calculating standard errors from confidence intervals, p-values, t-statistics, and sample sizes. Worked examples illustrate each conversion in context, and accompanying summaries make the underlying assumptions explicit so reviewers can judge when each conversion is appropriate. Conclusions This guide consolidates scattered methodological information into a single, accessible reference to support systematic reviewers – particularly those working with non-randomised studies – in synthesising data accurately and transparently. By clarifying common conversions and their assumptions, the resource aims to improve the quality, comparability, and reliability of meta-analytic evidence.
We present a genome assembly from a specimen of Nausithoe racemosa (coronate scyphozoan jellyfish; Cnidaria; Scyphozoa; Coronatae; Nausithoidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 4 784.66 megabases and 4 868.20 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (97.34%) is scaffolded into 20 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 13.97 kilobases. From the metagenome data, we recovered one high-quality metagenome-assembled genome.
We present a genome assembly from an individual male Dermanura phaeotis (Chordata; Mammalia; Chiroptera; Phyllostomidae). The genome sequence is 2.2 Gb in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X and Y sex chromosomes assembled.
We present a genome assembly from an individual male Trichopteryx carpinata (Early Tooth-striped; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Geometridae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 477.01 megabases and 476.92 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (98.05%) is scaffolded into 39 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 16.18 kilobases. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 12 506 protein-coding genes. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
Background Multimorbidity – the co-existence of two or more long-term conditions in an individual – is a growing problem in Malawi, as the population transitions from predominantly young and rural to older and more urban. People living with multimorbidity experience lower quality of life and shorter life expectancies. Managing multiple long-term conditions also poses a significant challenge for Malawi’s health system. Both physical activity (PA) and sleep have been shown, in other settings, to influence the development of multimorbidity, and health of people living with multimorbidity, but no large-scale objective measurement of these behaviours has yet been carried out in Malawi. Objectives To describe 24-hour free-living movement behaviour, comprising PA, inactivity, and sleep in an urban and a rural population in Malawi, and quantify associations of these behaviours with multimorbidity prevalence. Methods This will be a cross-sectional study, nested within a larger study of long-term conditions in an urban and a rural Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Malawi. A random sample of 4,000 pre-selected participants will be invited to wear an Axivity AX3 accelerometer on their dominant wrist for one week. Raw accelerometery data will be processed to produce 24-hour movement behaviour metrics of PA and sleep. Inverse probability weighting will be applied to account for selection procedures. Multimorbidity will be assessed through a combination of self-reported physical and mental long-term conditions and objective measurements, including blood pressure and fasting blood glucose. In addition, this study will add hand-held spirometry to assess for obstructive airways disease. Patterns and associations of accelerometer-derived metrics among people living with multimorbidity will be established through multivariable regression and compositional data analysis. Discussion This study will provide the largest description of device-measured 24-hour movement behaviours in Malawi to date, and the first description of the associations of these behaviours with multimorbidity in this population.
We present a genome assembly of Tanacetum vulgare (tansy; Streptophyta; Magnoliopsida; Asterales; Asteraceae). The assembly consists of two haplotypes with total lengths of 4 610.35 megabases and 4 806.39 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (97.11%) is scaffolded into 9 chromosomal pseudomolecules. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial sequence has a length of 226.97 kilobases and the plastid genome assembly has a length of 150.22 kilobases. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 4 225 protein-coding genes. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
Background Adolescence is characterised by changes in brain development, sleep and circadian biology. Sleep and circadian processes are important modulators of depression and anxiety, which can increase mental health difficulties, and often progress to chronic disorders in adulthood. This study aims to identify sleep and circadian-related mechanisms through which adolescents may either develop or demonstrate resilience to depression and anxiety. Methods SleepCHAMPzzz (Sleep and Circadian Health in Adolescents - a Mental-health Participation Study) is a longitudinal, multi-site study using complementary techniques to examine the pathway from sleep- and circadian-related changes to depression and anxiety during adolescence. To ensure the research findings are applicable across geographical, societal and cultural contexts, we will compare adolescent sleep and mental health trajectories in those living in lower, medium and higher income communities in the Global North (United Kingdom) and Global South (South Africa). We will work with lived-experience experts in the design, implementation, and dissemination phases to ensure relevant and context-sensitive research. Expected outcomes We hypothesise that circadian misalignment will drive poor sleep and night-time hyperarousal, which in turn will contribute to emotional dysregulation (characterised by over-active limbic circuits and under-active frontal circuits), a primary mechanism leading to depression and anxiety. Adolescents who experience less circadian misalignment and better sleep health will experience fewer symptoms or show recovery from symptoms of depression and anxiety. The strength and timing of specific biopsychosocial factors may moderate sleep/circadian and mental health associations. Conclusions By identifying how (mechanisms) and when (timing) sleep and mental health difficulties emerge, and what context-relevant factors influence the associations, data from this study may identify specific patterns of vulnerability. Such nuanced information can guide future interventions that both prevent and provide for early treatment of adolescent depression and anxiety, to reduce the future burden of care associated with chronic adult depression and anxiety.
Background Multimorbidity – the co-existence of two or more long-term conditions in an individual – is a growing problem in Malawi, as the population transitions from predominantly young and rural to older and more urban. People living with multimorbidity experience lower quality of life and shorter life expectancies. Managing multiple long-term conditions also poses a significant challenge for Malawi’s health system. Both physical activity and sleep have been shown, in other settings, to influence the development of multimorbidity, but no large-scale objective measurement of these behavioural determinants has yet been carried out in Malawi. Objectives To describe 24-hour free-living movement behaviour, comprising physical activity, inactivity, and sleep in an urban and a rural population in Malawi, and quantify the associations of these behaviours with multimorbidity prevalence. Methods This will be a cross-sectional study, nested within a larger cross-sectional study of long-term conditions in an urban and a rural Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Malawi. A random sample of 4,000 pre-selected participants will be invited to wear an Axivity AX3 accelerometer on their dominant wrist for one week. Raw accelerometery data will be processed to produce 24-hour movement behaviour metrics of physical activity, inactivity, and sleep. Inverse probability weighting will be applied to account for selection procedures. Multimorbidity will be assessed through a combination of self-reported physical and mental long-term conditions and objective measurements, including blood pressure and fasting blood glucose. In addition, this study will add hand-held spirometry to assess for obstructive airways disease. Associations between accelerometer-derived metrics and multimorbidity will be established through multivariable regression, compositional data analysis, and latent class analysis. Discussion This study will provide the largest description of device-measured 24-hour movement behaviours in Malawi to date, and the first description of the associations of these behaviours with multimorbidity in this population.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Acleris cristana (the Tufted Button; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tortricidae). The genome sequence is 562.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.1 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 12,598 protein coding genes.
We present a genome assembly from an individual male Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata (16-spot Ladybird; Arthropoda; Insecta; Coleoptera; Coccinellidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 355.68 megabases. Most of the assembly (88.7%) is scaffolded into 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 18.38 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.
