SARS-CoV-2 variant survey: Comparison of RT-PCR screening with TGS and variant distribution across two divisions of Bangladesh.

Background: The widespread increase in multiple variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) since 2020 is causing significant health concerns worldwide. While whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has played a leading role in surveillance programs, many local laboratories lack the expertise and resources. Thus, we aimed to investigate the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and evaluate the performance of multiplexed real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for screening and monitoring the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in Bangladesh.

Targeted next-generation sequencing of from patient samples: lessons learned from high drug-resistant burden clinical settings in Bangladesh.

Lack of appropriate early diagnostic tools for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and their incomplete drug susceptibility testing (DST) profiling is concerning for TB disease control. Existing methods, such as phenotypic DST (pDST), are time-consuming, while Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) and line probe assay (LPA) are limited to detecting resistance to few drugs. Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) has been recently approved by WHO as an alternative approach for rapid and comprehensive DST.

Clinical outcomes with thin versus thick strut polymer-free biolimus-coated stents at 3 years.

Background: For high bleeding-risk patients (HBR) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the LEADERS FREE (LF) and LEADERS FREE II (LF II) trials established the safety and efficacy of a stainless steel polymer-free biolimus-coated stent (SS-BCS) with 30 days of dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT). The LEADERS FREE III (LF III) trial investigated clinical outcomes after PCI with the next-generation cobalt-chromium thin-strut polymer-free biolimus-coated stent (CoCr-BCS) in HBR patients.

Aims: To report the final 3-year results of the LF III trial and compare them to LF II.

Impact of the 2022 African Cup of Nations mass-gathering event on the COVID-19 epidemic in Garoua, Cameroon.

Background: The 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) took place in Cameroon from January 9th to February 5th, 2022, including Garoua in the north. We aimed to measure the impact of this event on the local COVID-19 epidemic given the implementation of a preventive strategy based on a health pass.

Methods: All players, staff and fans involved in the AFCON event were screened with PCR tests.

Assessment of the MANTA closure device in real-life transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A single-centre observational study.

Background: Vascular complications increase morbidity and mortality in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Data involving suture-based percutaneous vascular closure devices (VCDs) have been extensive. Although promising, data regarding the efficacy and safety of the MANTA VCD (Teleflex) are scarce.

Triaging HPV-Positive Cervical Samples with p16 and Ki-67 Dual Stained Cytology within an Organized Screening Program-A Prospective Observational Study from Western Norway.

The implementation of high-risk human papillomavirus testing (hrHPV testing) as a screening method in substitute for cytology has evoked the need for more sensitive and less objective tests for the triage of HPV-positive women. In a cohort of 1763 HPV-positive women, the potential of immunocytochemical p16 and Ki-67 dual staining as compared to cytology, alone or in combination with HPV partial genotyping, was tested for triage of women attending a cervical cancer screening program. Performance was measured using sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values.

Sodium Chloride Physiological Saline Solution Versus Water Preparations Injectable in the Use of Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) coronary system is a very useful new technology for severely calcified coronary artery plaques before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The device uses a semi-compliant low-pressure balloon, integrated into a sterile catheter, to deliver by vaporizing fluid an expanding bubble that generates high-pressure ultrasonic energy by waves that create multiplane longitudinal micro-macro fractures in calcified plaques, which facilitate optimal stent placement and expansion, and luminal gain.

Methods: The use of Shockwave IVL coronary system in our cardiac catheterization laboratory (Cath lab) at the "Clinique Saint-Hilaire" in Rouen, France, started in March 2019, with 42 procedures performed since this date: two patients in 2019, two patients in 2020, seven patients in 2021, 23 patients in 2022, and eight patients since the beginning of 2023.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis genetic features associated with pulmonary tuberculosis severity.

Objectives: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections result in a wide spectrum of clinical presentations but without proven Mtb genetic determinants. Herein, we hypothesized that the genetic features of Mtb clinical isolates, such as specific polymorphisms or microdiversity, may be linked to tuberculosis (TB) severity.

Methods: A total of 234 patients with pulmonary TB (including 193 drug-susceptible and 14 monoresistant cases diagnosed between 2017 and 2020 and 27 multidrug-resistant cases diagnosed between 2010 and 2020) were stratified according to TB disease severity, and Mtb genetic features were explored using whole genome sequencing, including heterologous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), calling to explore microdiversity.

Randomized Implementation of a Primary Human Papillomavirus Testing-based Cervical Cancer Screening Protocol for Women 34 to 69 Years in Norway.

Background: Cervical cancer screening programs are facing a programmatic shift where screening protocol based on human papillomavirus testing (HPV-Screening protocol) is replacing the liquid-based cytology (LBC-Screening protocol). For safe technology transfer within the nationwide screening programme in Norway, HPV-Screening protocol was implemented randomized to compare the real-world effectiveness of HPV-Screening protocol and LBC-Screening protocol at the first screening round.

Methods: Among 302,295 women ages 34 to 69 years scheduled to attend screening from February 2015 to June 2017, 157,447 attended.

Polymer-free Biolimus-A9 coated thin strut stents for patients at high bleeding risk 1-year results from the LEADERS FREE III study.

Background: In patients at high bleeding risk (HBR), the LEADERS FREE (LF) trial established the safety and efficacy of a polymer-free drug coated (Biolimus-A9) stainless steel stent (SS-DCS) with 30 days of dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT). In LEADERS FREE III, we studied a new cobalt-chromium thin-strut stent (CoCr-DCS) in HBR patients.

Methods: The CoCr-DCS shares all of the design features of the SS-DCS but has a CoCr stent platform with strut thickness of 84-88 μm.

Rifampicin exposure reveals within-host Mycobacterium tuberculosis diversity in patients with delayed culture conversion.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genetic micro-diversity in clinical isolates may underline mycobacterial adaptation to tuberculosis (TB) infection and provide insights to anti-TB treatment response and emergence of resistance. Herein we followed within-host evolution of Mtb clinical isolates in two cohorts of TB patients, either with delayed Mtb culture conversion (> 2 months), or with fast culture conversion (< 2 months). We captured the genetic diversity of Mtb isolates obtained in each patient, by focusing on minor variants detected as unfixed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Novel Supreme Drug-Eluting Stents With Early Synchronized Antiproliferative Drug Delivery to Inhibit Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation After Drug-Eluting Stents Implantation in Coronary Artery Disease: Results of the PIONEER III Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Accelerated endothelial healing after targeted antiproliferative drug delivery may limit the long-term inflammatory response of drug-eluting stents (DESs). The novel Supreme DES is designed to synchronize early drug delivery within 4 to 6 weeks of implantation, leaving behind a prohealing permanent base layer. Whether the Supreme DES is safe and effective in the short term and can improve long-term clinical outcomes is not known.

Relevance of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and Heparin-Binding Hemagglutinin Interferon-γ Release Assays for Monitoring of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Clearance: A Multicentered Study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of death. To improve treatment efficacy, quicker monitoring methods are needed. The objective of this study was to monitor the response to a heparin-binding hemagglutinin (HBHA) interferon- (IFN-) release assay (IGRA) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-P) and to analyze plasma IFN- levels according to sputum culture conversion and immune cell counts during treatment.

Association of baseline white blood cell counts with tuberculosis treatment outcome: a prospective multicentered cohort study.

Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of death in the world. Cheaper and more accessible TB treatment monitoring methods are needed. Here, we evaluated white blood cell (WBC) absolute counts, lymphocyte, and monocyte proportions during TB treatment, and characterized their association with treatment failure.

Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the Cobra PzF NanoCoated coronary stent in routine, consecutive, prospective, and high-risk patients: The e-Cobra study.

Background: The Cobra PzF coronary stent is cobalt chromium with flat thin struts, nano-coated with Polyzene-F that enhance rapid reendothelialization and reduce the risk of stent thrombosis and restenosis. It is designed to overcome shortfalls of BMS and DES in patients requiring short DAPT duration.

Aims: To report procedural and 1-year clinical outcomes following Cobra PzF stent implantation in routine practice PCI.

Five-year clinical outcome of multicenter randomized trial comparing amphilimus - with paclitaxel-eluting stents in de novo native coronary artery lesions.

Objectives: Long-term data from randomized studies on polymer-free stents are scarce. Long-term data of Cre8 amphilimus eluting stent are still not available. We sought to investigate contribution of a polymer-free design versus a permanent-polymer one on the long-term.

A multicentre, randomised controlled clinical study of drug-coated balloons for the treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis.

Aims: Treatment of in-stent restenosis of coronary stents is challenging. The use of drug-coated balloons (DCB) is a promising technique to treat in-stent restenosis without adding another metal layer. The aim of the AGENT ISR randomised trial is to evaluate angiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with ISR of a previously treated lesion who were treated with either a DCB with a new coating formulation (Agent) or a standard DCB (SeQuent Please).

Subcultured Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates on different growth media are fully representative of bacteria within clinical samples.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) whole genome sequencing (WGS) plays an increasingly important role in tuberculosis diagnosis and research. WGS is typically performed on biobanked isolates obtained by subculture during diagnosis. Genetic variation upon culturing is known to occur in other bacterial species.