Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] exhibits a seasonal pattern in temperate populations, typically peaking in late summer and declining in winter. It is still not clear whether this pattern also exists in tropical monsoon climates. To characterize the annual pattern of 25(OH)D in a tropical megacity and identify environmental synchronizers of its seasonal variation, a laboratory-based retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 1,202 adult outpatients from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Serum 25(OH)D was measured with chemiluminescence immunoassay method. Thirty‑day moving averages of weather variables UV Index, temperature, relative humidity, cloud cover, and AQI were linked to each specimen date. Multivariable linear and logistic regression was performed. A phase shifted seasonal l rhythm was observed: 25(OH)D peaked in December (22.96 ng/mL) and declined in July (12.94 ng/mL). Deficiency prevalence doubled during monsoon months (May-August, OR 2.03-2.27 vs. January). Humidity was negatively associated with 25(OH)D (β = -0.764, p = 0.005), while cloud cover showed a positive association (β = 0.267, p = 0.015). UV index did not independently predict 25(OH)D after adjustment for calendar month. Age was protective against deficiency (OR = 0.975 per year, p < 0.001). In tropical monsoon Dhaka, the seasonal rhythm of 25(OH)D is phase-shifted relative to temperate populations, with summer nadir and winter peak. This pattern may be better explained by behavioral responses to heat and humidity than by UV availability alone. Chronobiological models of seasonal Vitamin D rhythms require climate-specific parameters.

Background: Bisphenol F (BPF), a widely used bisphenol A substitute and emerging endocrine disruptor, has been implicated in bone loss; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Curcumin (CUR) has shown beneficial effects on bone metabolism, but its protective role against BPF-induced osteogenic impairment requires further validation. This study investigated the involvement of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in BPF-induced osteoporosis and osteogenic dysfunction, and whether CUR could alleviate these effects through modulation of this pathway. Methods: Network toxicology, network pharmacology, and molecular docking were first used to predict potential targets and signaling pathways. A rat model of BPF-induced osteoporosis and a BPF-treated MC3T3-E1 osteogenic impairment model were then established to evaluate the effects of CUR. Bone mineral density, trabecular microarchitecture, serum bone metabolism markers, and osteogenic protein expression were assessed in vivo. In vitro, alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization, and key signaling proteins were measured. The PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 was used to verify pathway involvement. Results: Computational analyses suggested that BPF and CUR were closely associated with the PI3K/AKT pathway. Experimentally, BPF reduced bone mass, disrupted trabecular structure, and suppressed osteogenic differentiation, accompanied by downregulation of osteogenic markers and PI3K/AKT signaling. Notably, BPF reduced femoral BMD by 10.8%, whereas CUR restored approximately 43.5% of the BPF-induced loss. CUR significantly reversed these effects, whereas LY294002 abolished the protective actions of CUR. Conclusions: BPF may impair bone formation and promote osteoporosis by suppressing PI3K/AKT signaling, while CUR alleviates these effects through pathway activation. These findings provide mechanistic evidence supporting CUR as a potential intervention against BPF-related bone toxicity.

Fluctuations in ovarian hormones across the menstrual cycle (MC) have been suggested to influence neuromuscular performance in female athletes. However, phase-specific variations in lower-limb muscle strength remain underexplored, particularly within the soccer population. This study investigated phase-related differences in lower-limb muscle strength across MC phases in female soccer players. A repeated-measures design was employed involving 50 competitive female soccer players. Bilateral lower-limb muscle strength was assessed using a handheld dynamometer (VALD DynaMo Plus) during the three MC phases: menstruation, late follicular, and luteal phase. Estimated menstrual cycle phases were identified using calendar-estimated tracking or an MC monitoring application (FitrWoman). Phase-related differences were analysed using repeated-measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc comparisons, and effect sizes were reported as partial eta squared (ηp[2]). Significant differences in lower-limb muscle strength were observed across estimated MC phases (p < 0.05, ηp[2] = 0.12-0.31). Both the non-dominant and dominant limbs demonstrated higher strength values during the late follicular phase, with hip abductors emerging as the strongest muscle group bilaterally (≈149 ± 37 kg). Most muscle groups exhibited lower strength values during the menstruation phase. Lower-limb muscle strength appears to vary across calendar-estimated MC phases in female soccer players, with higher strength values observed during the late follicular phase and lower values during menstruation. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to the method of phase identification but may have implications for the scheduling of strength assessments and training load management in female athletes.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) germline mutation carriers with ovarian cancer, collect family history information, screen for potential BRCA mutation carriers among family members, and provide preventive guidance for high-risk populations of ovarian cancer. Methods: A total of 77 patients with ovarian cancer (including fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal cancer, hereinafter collectively referred to as ovarian cancer) who were treated at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2015 and 2024 and confirmed to carry germline mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes through genetic testing were selected. According to the test results, they were divided into the BRCA1 mutation group (48 cases) and the BRCA2 mutation group (29 cases). The clinical baseline data, pathological characteristics, treatment efficacy, and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. Family history information was collected, and BRCA genetic testing was performed on 81 relatives from 37 families. Family characteristics were analyzed in combination with family history and genetic testing results, and preventive guidance was provided to high-risk populations. Results: The age at onset of the 77 patients ranged from 19 to 78 years, with a median age of 55 years. The age at onset in the BRCA1 mutation group ranged from 19 to 74 years, with a median age of 52 years, which was earlier than the median age of 56 years in the BRCA2 mutation group. 43.8% (21/48) of BRCA1 carriers had a family history of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC), which was 1.5 times higher than that in the BRCA2 group (17.2%, 5/29, P＜0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in fertility status, body mass index (BMI), personal history of breast cancer, and pre-treatment carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) levels between the two groups (P＞0.05). The median progression-free survival (PFS) for initial treatment was 21.8 months in BRCA1 mutation patients and 20.7 months in BRCA2 mutation patients. Among the 81 relatives, 47 BRCA gene mutation carriers were detected, of whom 63.8% (30/47) were from families without a family history of HBOC. Among 31 female mutation carriers, only 2 underwent risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO). A survey of the general population showed that 78.5% of non-carrier women would accept prophylactic surgery, while the average surgical intention score among carriers was only 2.6 (on a 5-point scale), with 75.0% preferring to delay RRSO until after natural menopause. Conclusions: Chinese BRCA1/2 mutation carriers have significant concerns regarding iatrogenic menopause caused by RRSO, creating a decision-making dilemma for surgical prevention of ovarian cancer in high-risk populations. The age at onset of ovarian cancer in Chinese BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is relatively late compared with international data, and the optimal timing of surgery for Chinese women still requires further investigation. Developing a localized surgical timing prediction model may help advance ovarian cancer prevention and treatment efforts.

Geroscience clinical trials need biomarker surrogate endpoints for healthspan. Leading candidates are omics-based composites developed from machine learning analysis of aging phenotypes including calendar age, survival, functional capacity, and Pace of Aging. Existing Pace of Aging biomarkers were developed in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, limiting inference about the strengths and weaknesses of the method as distinct from the Study, a unique single-year birth cohort followed through midlife with near-perfect retention and uniform measurement of multi-organ-system function across two decades of follow-up. We adapted our Pace of Aging method for mixed-age cohorts with variable follow-up of organ-function measures and applied it to develop a novel DNA methylation biomarker of Pace of Aging in data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, FraminghamPACE. Validation analyses across four independent cohorts and one clinical trial establish advantages for the Pace of Aging method in developing biomarkers that are both predictive of healthspan and responsive to geroprotective intervention.

Unintended pregnancy is an unplanned or unwanted at conception. It carries significant social, emotional, and health consequences for women, families and communities. In Ethiopia, approximately one-third of married women report that their pregnancies are an unintended. Despite this burden, evidence on contributing factors remains limited, particularly in Lemi Kura sub city. This study, aimed to identify determinants of an unintended pregnancy among women attending antenatal care services in health facilities in Lemi Kura, Addis Ababa. We conducted a facility-based case-control study in Lemi Kura sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from January 3 to February 18, 2022. Using cluster random sampling, 103 cases (women with an unintended pregnancies) and 197 controls (women with planned pregnancies) attending antenatal care units were selected. Data were collected through interviewer-administered, pretested questionnaires. The sample size was calculated using Epi-Info version 7. Analysis was performed in SPSS version 20, applying multivariable logistic regression. Results were reported as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. The Muslim women (AOR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.21-9.15); Protestant women (AOR: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.07-8.75); reduced women's autonomy (AOR: 16.58, 95% CI: 2.40-114.15); residing 4 km or more from the antenatal care facility (AOR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.07-8.75); having two or more living children(parity) (AOR: 5.37, 95% CI: 1.60-18.15); desiring two or fewer children(Ideal) (AOR: 3.63, 95% CI: 1.50-9.01); and having multiple sexual partners (AOR: 4.25, 95% CI: 1.38-30.38) were significant predictors of unintended pregnancy. Low knowledge of family planning methods, unmarried, religion, low autonomy, multiparous, natural method use, health service inaccessibility and having multiple sexual partners predicted unintended pregnancy. For intervention, engaging religious leaders and focusing on multiparous with empowering women is essential.