An overview of COVID-19 global epidemiology and discussion of potential drivers of variable global pandemic impacts.

With a WHO-estimated excess mortality burden of 14.9 million over the course of 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major human impact so far. It has also affected a range of disciplines, systems and practices from mathematical modelling to behavioural sciences, pharmaceutical development to health system management.

Invasive group A streptococcal disease in pregnant women and young children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The incidence of invasive disease caused by group A streptococcus (GAS) has increased in multiple countries in the past 15 years. However, despite these reports, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic reviews and combined estimates of the incidence of invasive GAS have been done in key high-risk groups. To address this, we estimated the incidence of invasive GAS disease, including death and disability outcomes, among two high-risk groups-namely, pregnant women and children younger than 5 years.

Continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis: a longitudinal study of intentions and attempts to quit.

Purpose: Continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis is associated with poor treatment outcomes and reduced life expectancy. We aimed to identify the stability of smoking status after diagnosis including quit attempts and quit intentions.

Methods: Participants with a first primary cancer diagnosis were recruited via two state-based registries in Australia.

Oncologist provision of smoking cessation support: A national survey of Australian medical and radiation oncologists.

Aim: Continued smoking in patients diagnosed with cancer affects treatment outcomes and overall survival. With national surveys of Australian medical oncologists (MO) and radiation oncologists (RO) we sought to determine current clinical practices, preferences and barriers in providing patient smoking cessation support.

Methods: Oncologist members of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia (n = 452) and Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (n = 230) were invited to participate in a multiple choice survey exploring smoking cessation practices and beliefs.

Nicotine replacement therapy as a smoking cessation aid among disadvantaged smokers: What answers do we need?

In Australia and New Zealand, population groups who experience social disadvantage smoke at much higher rates than the general population. As there are limited data specific to these groups regarding the success of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation, this commentary will provide an overview of the relevant international literature supplemented with observational data relevant to the policy contexts in Australia and New Zealand. [Paul C, Wolfenden L, Tzelepis F, Yoong S, Bowman J, Wye P, Sherwood E, Rose S, Wiggers J.

Nucleotide second messenger-mediated regulation of a muralytic enzyme in Streptomyces.

Peptidoglycan degradative enzymes have important roles at many stages during the bacterial life cycle, and it is critical that these enzymes be stringently regulated to avoid compromising the integrity of the cell wall. How this regulation is exerted is of considerable interest: promoter-based control and protein-protein interactions are known to be employed; however, other regulatory mechanisms are almost certainly involved. In the actinobacteria, a class of muralytic enzymes - the 'resuscitation-promoting factors' (Rpfs) - orchestrates the resuscitation of dormant cells.

The antibiotic planosporicin coordinates its own production in the actinomycete Planomonospora alba.

Planosporicin is a ribosomally synthesized, posttranslationally modified peptide lantibiotic produced by the actinomycete Planomonospora alba. It contains one methyl-lanthionine and four lanthionine bridges and inhibits cell wall biosynthesis in other Gram-positive bacteria probably by binding to lipid II, the immediate precursor for cell wall biosynthesis. Planosporicin production, which is encoded by a cluster of 15 genes, is confined to stationary phase in liquid culture and to the onset of morphological differentiation when P.

Cloning and analysis of the planosporicin lantibiotic biosynthetic gene cluster of Planomonospora alba.

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens has renewed focus on natural products with antimicrobial properties. Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized peptide antibiotics that are posttranslationally modified to introduce (methyl)lanthionine bridges. Actinomycetes are renowned for their ability to produce a large variety of antibiotics, many with clinical applications, but are known to make only a few lantibiotics.

Mutualistic interactions between vitamin B12 -dependent algae and heterotrophic bacteria exhibit regulation.

Many algae are auxotrophs for vitamin B(12) (cobalamin), which they need as a cofactor for B(12) -dependent methionine synthase (METH). Because only prokaryotes can synthesize the cobalamin, they must be the ultimate source of the vitamin. In the laboratory, a direct interaction between algae and heterotrophic bacteria has been shown, with bacteria supplying cobalamin in exchange for fixed carbon.

Interfamily transfer of a plant pattern-recognition receptor confers broad-spectrum bacterial resistance.

Plant diseases cause massive losses in agriculture. Increasing the natural defenses of plants may reduce the impact of phytopathogens on agricultural productivity. Pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) detect microbes by recognizing conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs).