Remoscope: a label-free imaging cytometer for malaria diagnostics.

Malaria diagnostic testing in high transmission settings remains a burden on healthcare systems. Here we present Remoscope, a portable automated imaging cytometer that scans fresh, unstained whole blood using a custom neural network on low-cost hardware. By screening up to two million red blood cells, Remoscope performs label-free quantitative stage-specific detection of () in 1-12 minutes without sample fixation, staining, or slide scanning.

A multimodal zebrafish developmental atlas reveals the state-transition dynamics of late-vertebrate pluripotent axial progenitors.

Elucidating organismal developmental processes requires a comprehensive understanding of cellular lineages in the spatial, temporal, and molecular domains. In this study, we introduce Zebrahub, a dynamic atlas of zebrafish embryonic development that integrates single-cell sequencing time course data with lineage reconstructions facilitated by light-sheet microscopy. This atlas offers high-resolution and in-depth molecular insights into zebrafish development, achieved through the sequencing of individual embryos across ten developmental stages, complemented by reconstructions of cellular trajectories.

Predicting treatment response to ketamine in treatment-resistant depression using auditory mismatch negativity: Study protocol.

Background: Ketamine has recently attracted considerable attention for its rapid effects on patients with major depressive disorder, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Despite ketamine's promising results in treating depression, a significant number of patients do not respond to the treatment, and predicting who will benefit remains a challenge. Although its antidepressant effects are known to be linked to its action as an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, the precise mechanisms that determine why some patients respond and others do not are still unclear.

Higher rates of laboratory-confirmed cases of syphilis in Western Canadian blood donors compared with Eastern Canadian blood donors following a period of societal re-opening.

Background And Objectives: There is a growing infectious syphilis outbreak in Western Canada. Although blood donors are screened for syphilis risks, some blood donors will still be confirmed test-positive for syphilis. This study compares the characteristics of confirmed test-positive syphilis donations in both Western Canada and Eastern Canada, November 2022-August 2023.

Pediatric antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 after infection and vaccination in Calgary, Canada.

Background: There are few reports of longitudinal serologic responses in children following Sars-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. This study describes longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses following infection, vaccination, or both (hybrid immunity) in a cohort of Canadian children. The objectives of our study were to compare antibody levels following SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination, and hybrid immunity and to examine antibody decline after final antigen exposure.

How do young women approaching screening age interpret the NHS cervical screening leaflet? A mixed methods study of identifying interpretation difficulties, barriers, facilitators, and leaflet interpretation, engagement and future screening behaviour.

Background: Cervical cancer is a common cancer among young women aged 25-29 in England, and the NHS cervical screening leaflet is the first point of contact for those being invited for their first screening. This study aimed to explore how young women (18-24) understand and engage with the leaflet, as well as the barriers and facilitators associated with its interpretation, engagement, and screening intentions.

Methods: The study used a mixed-methods approach, including a survey ( = 120) to identify interpretation difficulties and how they were affected by different characteristics, and a follow-up interview ( = 10) to assess the utility of the leaflet, identify issues with its practicality, and determine the factors that influence screening intentions.

The effect of first-wave COVID-19 restrictions on HCV testing in Alberta, Canada: A trend analysis from 2019 to 2022.

Background: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta was on track to meet national HCV elimination targets by 2030. However, it is unclear how the pandemic has affected progress. Here, we aim to assess the impact of first-wave COVID-19 restrictions on Alberta HCV testing trends.

Decreasing parvovirus B19 and hepatitis A nucleic acid test positivity rates in Canadian plasma donors following the initiation of COVID-19 restriction in March 2020.

Background And Objectives: In Canada, plasma sent for fractionation is tested for both parvovirus B19 (B19V) and hepatitis A virus (HAV). This study compared positivity rates of B19 and HAV nucleic acid tests (NATs) in Canadian plasma samples for the pre-COVID-19 restriction era (2015 to end of February 2020 [Q1] 2020) and the post-COVID-19 restriction era.

Materials And Methods: Pooled EDTA plasma specimens were tested within 24 months of blood draw using the Procleix Panther System (Grifols Diagnostic Solutions Inc, San Diego, CA, USA) for B19V and HAV detection.

A handheld luminometer with sub-attomole limit of detection for distributed applications in global health.

Luminescence is ubiquitous in biology research and medicine. Conceptually simple, the detection of luminescence nonetheless faces technical challenges because relevant signals can exhibit exceptionally low radiant power densities. Although low light detection is well-established in centralized laboratory settings, the cost, size, and environmental requirements of high-performance benchtop luminometers are not compatible with geographically-distributed global health studies or resource-constrained settings.

Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 IgG response and decay in Canadian healthcare workers: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) from an interprovincial Canadian cohort gave serial blood samples to identify factors associated with anti-receptor binding domain (anti-RBD) IgG response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Methods: Members of the HCW cohort donated blood samples four months after their first SARS-CoV-2 immunization and again at 7, 10 and 13 months. Date and type of immunizations and dates of SARS-CoV-2 infection were collected at each of four contacts, together with information on immunologically-compromising conditions and current therapies.

Faradaic Impedimetric Immunosensor for Label-Free Point-of-Care Detection of COVID-19 Antibodies Using Gold-Interdigitated Electrode Array.

Label-free electrochemical biosensors have many desirable characteristics in terms of miniaturization, scalability, digitization, and other attributes associated with point-of-care (POC) applications. In the era of COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness, further development of such biosensors will be immensely beneficial for rapid testing and disease management. Label-free electrochemical biosensors often employ [Fe(CN)] redox probes to detect low-concentration target analytes as they dramatically enhance sensitivity.

Retrospective Review of Prenatal Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Screening in Alberta: 2018-2022.

A retrospective 5-year province-wide evaluation of prenatal Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) screening in Alberta, Canada, was carried out to assess compliance with the provincial recommendations for universal prenatal screening as a prevention for neonatal ophthalmia. Screening generally improved across the province each year, 82.1% in 2018 and reaching 87.

Evaluating short- to medium-term effects of implantable satellite tags on southern right whales Eubalaena australis.

Improving our understanding of the effects of satellite tags on large whales is a critical step in ongoing tag development to minimise potential health effects whilst addressing important research questions that enhance conservation management policy. In 2014, satellite tags were deployed on 9 female southern right whales Eubalaena australis accompanied by a calf off Australia. Photo-identification resights (n = 48) of 4 photo-identified individuals were recorded 1 to 2894 d (1-8 yr) post-tagging.

Evolving etiologies, comorbidities, survival, and costs of care in adult encephalitis.

Encephalitis is a central nervous system disorder, often caused by infectious agents or aberrant immune responses. We investigated causes, comorbidities, costs, and outcomes of encephalitis in a population-based cohort. ICD-10 codes corresponding to encephalitis were used to identify health services records for all adults from 2004 to 2019.

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Canada: a time-series study, 2020-2023.

Background: During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of reported cases of COVID-19 among Canadians was under 6%. Although high vaccine coverage was achieved in Canada by fall 2021, the Omicron variant caused unprecedented numbers of infections, overwhelming testing capacity and making it difficult to quantify the trajectory of population immunity.

Methods: Using a time-series approach and data from more than 900 000 samples collected by 7 research studies collaborating with the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF), we estimated trends in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence owing to infection and vaccination for the Canadian population over 3 intervals: prevaccination (March to November 2020), vaccine roll-out (December 2020 to November 2021), and the arrival of the Omicron variant (December 2021 to March 2023).

Molecular epidemiology of rotavirus among children in Western Canada: Dynamic changes in genotype prevalence in four consecutive seasons.

Rotavirus molecular surveillance remains important in the postvaccine era to monitor the changes in transmission patterns, identify vaccine-induced antigenic changes and discover potentially pathogenic vaccine-related strains. The Canadian province of Alberta introduced rotavirus vaccination into its provincial vaccination schedule in June 2015. To evaluate the impact of this program on stool rotavirus positivity rate, strain diversity, and seasonal trends, we analyzed a prospective cohort of children with acute gastroenteritis recruited between December 2014 and August 2018.

Aberrant Hierarchical Prediction Errors Are Associated With Transition to Psychosis: A Computational Single-Trial Analysis of the Mismatch Negativity.

Background: Mismatch negativity reductions are among the most reliable biomarkers for schizophrenia and have been associated with increased risk for conversion to psychosis in individuals who are at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P). Here, we adopted a computational approach to develop a mechanistic model of mismatch negativity reductions in CHR-P individuals and patients early in the course of schizophrenia.

Methods: Electroencephalography was recorded in 38 CHR-P individuals (15 converters), 19 patients early in the course of schizophrenia (≤5 years), and 44 healthy control participants during three different auditory oddball mismatch negativity paradigms including 10% duration, frequency, or double deviants, respectively.

Evaluation and comparison of risk-based and universal prenatal HCV screening programs in Alberta, Canada.

Background & Aims: Canadian clinical practice guidelines currently recommend risk-based screening for HCV in pregnant individuals. However, no provinces or territories have ever compared the effectiveness of risk-based vs. universal screening for the prenatal diagnosis of HCV.

Association of COVID-19 Government-Instituted Mask Mandates With Incidence of Mask Use Among Children in Alberta, Canada.

Importance: To help prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, government-instituted nonpharmaceutical interventions (eg, social distancing, mask use, isolating), a provincewide government-instituted mask mandate occurred on December 8, 2020, in Alberta, Canada, although some local jurisdictions implemented an earlier mask mandate. There remains a limited understanding of the association between government-implemented public health measures and individual health behaviors of children.

Objective: To examine the association between government mask mandates and mask use among children in Alberta, Canada.

Modeling the Effects of IL-1β-mediated Inflammation During Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Using a Split Human Donor Model.

Background: The association between interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentrations during ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) with donor organ quality and post-lung transplant outcome has been demonstrated in several studies. The mechanism underlying IL-1β-mediated donor lung injury was investigated using a paired single-lung EVLP model.

Methods: Human lung pairs were dissected into individual lungs and perfused on identical separate EVLP circuits, with one lung from each pair receiving a bolus of IL-1β.