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OBJECTIVE: The study aims to assess the seroprevalence of Toxocariasis and its associated risk factors among individuals attending the outpatient department at Tra Vinh University Hospital, Vietnam, in 2022. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among outpatients of Tra Vinh University Hospital. Toxocariasis diagnosis was based on the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) performed at the hospital's laboratory department. We assessed the seroprevalence of Toxocariasis and evaluated associated risk factors, including demographics and certain behaviors. RESULTS: Of the 249 participants surveyed, 165 tested positive for Toxocariasis, yielding a seroprevalence of 66.3% (95% CI: 60.4-72.1). Multivariate analysis revealed that age groups up to 30 and 30-60 years had higher odds of Toxocariasis infection, with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 2.52 (95% CI: 1.04-6.11) and 3.21 (95% CI: 1.44-7.15) respectively. Additionally, individuals residing in rural areas and those in contact with dogs or cats had increased risks, with aORs of 2.21 (95% CI: 1.21-4.01) and 2.04 (95% CI: 1.10-3.79), respectively. Notably, hand washing before eating emerged as a protective factor against Toxocariasis, presenting an aOR of 0.38 (95% CI: 0.19-0.76). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore a significant seroprevalence (66.3%) of Toxocara spp. among outpatients at Tra Vinh University Hospital. Proactive measures, including hand hygiene before meals and after pet interactions, are advocated. There is a pronounced need for community-level epidemiological surveillance for human Toxocariasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key requirements for good thermoelectric materials is a low lattice thermal conductivity. Here we present a combined neutron scattering and theoretical investigation of the lattice dynamics in the type I clathrate system Ba-Ge-Ni, which fulfills this requirement. We observe a strong hybridization between phonons of the Ba guest atoms and acoustic phonons of the Ge-Ni host structure over a wide region of the Brillouin zone, which is in contrast with the frequently adopted picture of isolated Ba atoms in Ge-Ni host cages. It occurs without a strong decrease of the acoustic phonon lifetime, which contradicts the usual assumption of strong anharmonic phonon-phonon scattering processes. Within the framework of ab initio density-functional theory calculations we interpret these hybridizations as a series of anticrossings which act as a low-pass filter, preventing the propagation of acoustic phonons. To highlight the effect of such a phononic low-pass filter on the thermal transport, we compute the contribution of acoustic phonons to the thermal conductivity of Ba8Ge40Ni6 and compare it to those of pure Ge and a Ge46 empty-cage model system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]