Effect of Reproductive Tract Microbiota on Vaginal Fibroblasts in Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

Importance: The effect of vaginal bacteria on wound healing is an evolving area of study. Bacterial vaginosis (BV), characterized by an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria, is linked to increased surgical site infections after pelvic surgery. While BV-associated microbes are known to impair epithelial repair, their effects on fibroblasts, which are crucial for wound healing and prolapse recurrence after pelvic organ prolapsesurgery, are unclear.

Exploiting O-GlcNAc dyshomeostasis to screen O-GlcNAc transferase intellectual disability variants.

O-GlcNAcylation is an essential protein modification catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). Missense variants in OGT are linked to a novel intellectual disability syndrome known as OGT congenital disorder of glycosylation (OGT-CDG). The mechanisms by which OGT missense variants lead to this heterogeneous syndrome are not understood, and no unified method exists for dissecting pathogenic from non-pathogenic variants.

Elucidation of cytotoxicity of α-Synuclein fibrils on immune cells.

Progressive aggregation of α-synuclein (α-Syn), a small cytosolic protein involved in cell vesicle trafficking, in the midbrain, hypothalamus, and thalamus is linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). Amyloid oligomers and fibrils formed as a result of such aggregation are highly toxic to neurons. However, it remains unclear whether amyloid-induced toxicity of neurons is the primary mechanism of the progressive neurodegeneration observed upon PD.

Understanding access to sexual and reproductive health in general practice using an adapted Candidacy Framework; a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis.

Background General practice has a key role in reducing inequity in access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Unplanned pregnancy, abortion and STIs are increasing and disproportionately affects deprived communities and ethnic minority groups. The candidacy framework offers a practical, theoretical framework for understanding the complex interactional processes of access to SRH in general practice.