The genomic epidemiology of shigellosis in South Africa.

Shigellosis, a leading cause of diarrhoeal mortality and morbidity globally, predominantly affects children under five years of age living in low- and middle-income countries. While whole genome sequence analysis (WGSA) has been effectively used to further our understanding of shigellosis epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and transmission, it has been under-utilised in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we applied WGSA to large sub-sample of surveillance isolates from South Africa, collected from 2011 to 2015, focussing on Shigella flexneri 2a and Shigella sonnei.

Corridor-based approach with spatial cross-validation reveals scale-dependent effects of geographic distance, human footprint and canopy cover on grizzly bear genetic connectivity.

Understanding how human infrastructure and other landscape attributes affect genetic differentiation in animals is an important step for identifying and maintaining dispersal corridors for these species. We built upon recent advances in the field of landscape genetics by using an individual-based and multiscale approach to predict landscape-level genetic connectivity for grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) across ~100,000 km in Canada's southern Rocky Mountains. We used a genetic dataset with 1156 unique individuals genotyped at nine microsatellite loci to identify landscape characteristics that influence grizzly bear gene flow at multiple spatial scales and map predicted genetic connectivity through a matrix of rugged terrain, large protected areas, highways and a growing human footprint.

A tale of two plasmids: contributions of plasmid associated phenotypes to epidemiological success among .

Dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mediated through plasmids is a major global concern. Genomic epidemiology studies have shown varying success of different AMR plasmids during outbreaks, but the underlying reasons for these differences are unclear. Here, we investigated two plasmids (pKSR100 and pAPR100) that circulated in the same transmission network but had starkly contrasting epidemiological outcomes to identify plasmid features that may have contributed to the differences.

Synchronous Hürthle cell and medullary thyroid carcinomas.

Hürthle cell carcinoma (HCC) and medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) are uncommon histological subtypes of thyroid cancers, each accounting for around 3% of all thyroid cancers. A septuagenarian woman with a history of multiple primary cancer diagnoses presented with a growing left-sided neck lump. A diagnostic left thyroid lobectomy was performed, and pathological examination found two separate malignant foci: one HCC and an MTC.

Machine learning outperforms clinical experts in classification of hip fractures.

Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly, and incur high health and social care costs. Given projected population ageing, the number of incident hip fractures is predicted to increase globally. As fracture classification strongly determines the chosen surgical treatment, differences in fracture classification influence patient outcomes and treatment costs.