Toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae Infections in Low-Risk Patients, Switzerland, 2023.

We report a cluster of infections with genetically related toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae linked to an outbreak among asylum seekers in Switzerland that subsequently affected patients without known exposure. This discovery highlights the importance of rapid, interdisciplinary outbreak investigations and regular vaccination status assessment, especially in elderly populations with waning immunity.

Plasma miRNAs Correlate with Structural Brain and Cardiac Damage in Friedreich's Ataxia.

Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) is the most common autosomal recessive ataxia worldwide and is caused by biallelic unstable intronic GAA expansions at FXN. With its limited therapy and the recent approval of the first disease-modifying agent for FRDA, the search for biological markers is urgently needed to assist and ease the development of therapies. MiRNAs have emerged as promising biomarkers in various medical fields such as oncology, cardiology, epilepsy and neurology as well.

A novel bioactive and functional exopolysaccharide from the cyanobacterial strain Arthrospira maxima cultivated under salinity stress.

Cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) remain released by cyanobacteria in the surrounding environment with the main purpose of protection against harmful environmental conditions. Recently, they have received significant attention due to their unique structural characteristics, functional properties, and potential applications across various fields. The current study describes the evaluation of EPS production under salinity stress from Arthrospira maxima.

Longitudinal chiral forces in photonic integrated waveguides to separate particles with realistically small chirality.

Chiral optical forces exhibit opposite signs for the two enantiomeric versions of a chiral molecule or particle. If large enough, these forces might be able to separate enantiomers all optically, which would find numerous applications in different fields, from pharmacology to chemistry. Longitudinal chiral forces are especially promising for tackling the challenging scenario of separating particles of realistically small chiralities.

Simulation-Based Trauma-Informed Care Education Instills Empathy and Improves Clinician Practices Towards Refugee and Migrant Populations.

Introduction: Refugee and migrant communities carry histories wrought with trauma. These traumas and trauma-related responses often contribute to feelings of mistrust towards Western health care systems and can additionally foster negative clinician biases (conscious or unconscious) and attitudes towards these communities. Consequently, clinicians often fail to uncover underlying causes of poor health and distress for their refugee and migrant patients.