Preexposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in a Rural Southern Clinic.

Objectives: Little is known about implementing preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the rural US South, where most HIV infections occur. To investigate how to better reach the at-risk population in rural eastern North Carolina (ENC), the characteristics and clinical courses of those receiving PrEP from our clinic were reviewed and analyzed.

Methods: A retrospective study was used to describe the characteristics and outcomes of PrEP participants in rural ENC.

Observed electric charge of insect swarms and their contribution to atmospheric electricity.

The atmosphere hosts multiple sources of electric charge that influence critical processes such as the aggregation of droplets and the removal of dust and aerosols. This is evident in the variability of the atmospheric electric field. Whereas these electric fields are known to respond to physical and geological processes, the effect of biotic sources of charge has not hitherto been considered.

NO levels inside vehicle cabins with pollen and activated carbon filters: A real world targeted intervention to estimate NO exposure reduction potential.

Traffic related nitrogen dioxide (NO) poses a serious environmental and health risk factor in the urban environment. Drivers and vehicle occupants in general may have acute exposure to NO levels. In order to identify key controllable measures to reduce vehicle occupant's exposure, this study measures NO exposure inside ten different vehicles under real world driving conditions and applies a targeted intervention by replacing previously used filters with new standard pollen and new activated carbon cabin filters.

A qualitative investigation of perceptions towards antibiotics by members of the public after choosing to pledge as an Antibiotic Guardian.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest threats facing global humanity. In 2014, Public Health England (now the UK Health Security Agency) launched the Antibiotic Guardian (AG) campaign as a national health promotion initiative to increase public and health professionals' commitment to reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance (ABR). The aim of this research study was to gain a snapshot of public AG attitudes towards antibiotic use, the AG campaign and illness postpledge.

Outcomes of Biologic Use in Asian Compared with Non-Hispanic White Adult Psoriasis Patients from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry.

Introduction: Real-world data are limited comparing Asian and White patients with psoriasis using biologic therapy. This study compared the 6-month effectiveness of biologic therapy between Asian and White plaque patients with psoriasis in the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry.

Methods: Analyses included biologic initiations and 6-month follow-up visits from self-identified Asian (n = 293) and White (n = 2314) patients in the USA/Canada (4/2015-4/2020).

The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system.

Direct links between carbonaceous chondrites and their parent bodies in the solar system are rare. The Winchcombe meteorite is the most accurately recorded carbonaceous chondrite fall. Its pre-atmospheric orbit and cosmic-ray exposure age confirm that it arrived on Earth shortly after ejection from a primitive asteroid.

Alternative pathway activation in pregnancy, a measured amount "complements" a successful pregnancy, too much results in adverse events.

During pregnancy, the maternal host must adapt in order to enable growth of the fetus. These changes affect all organ systems and are designed both to protect the fetus and to minimize risk to the mother. One of the most prominent adaptations involves the immune system.

Investigating the relationship between pain indicators and observers' judgements of pain.

Background: Due to the inherent subjectivity of pain, it is difficult to make accurate judgements of pain in others. Research has found discrepancies between the ways in which perceived "objective" (e.g.

The susceptibility of the kidney to alternative pathway activation-A hypothesis.

The glomerulus is often the prime target of dysregulated alternative pathway (AP) activation. In particular, AP activation is the key driver of two severe kidney diseases: atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and C3 glomerulopathy. Both conditions are associated with a variety of predisposing molecular defects in AP regulation, such as genetic variants in complement regulators, autoantibodies targeting AP proteins, or autoantibodies that stabilize the AP convertases (C3- and C5-activating enzymes).

PREDICT-GTN 1: Can we improve the FIGO scoring system in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia?

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) patients are treated according to the eight-variable International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) scoring system, that aims to predict first-line single-agent chemotherapy resistance. FIGO is imperfect with one-third of low-risk patients developing disease resistance to first-line single-agent chemotherapy. We aimed to generate simplified models that improve upon FIGO.

Predicting overall survival in diffuse glioma from the presurgical connectome.

Diffuse gliomas are incurable brain tumors, yet there is significant heterogeneity in patient survival. Advanced computational techniques such as radiomics show potential for presurgical prediction of survival and other outcomes from neuroimaging. However, these techniques ignore non-lesioned brain features that could be essential for improving prediction accuracy.

Outcomes in Ixekizumab Patients Following Exposure to Secukinumab and Other Biologics in the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry.

Introduction: The aim of this work is to describe real-world biologic-experienced psoriasis patients initiating ixekizumab by prior biologic therapy status and compare the effectiveness of ixekizumab between patients who previously failed secukinumab and those who failed other biologics. We hypothesized that (1) clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes would improve following a switch to IXE, and (2) there would be no differences in responses between patients who previously failed secukinumab and those who failed other biologics.

Methods: Participants (n = 419) included adult psoriasis patients enrolled in the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry through 9/10/20 who switched to ixekizumab after discontinuing another biologic.

Trajectories of Palliative Care Needs in the ICU and Long-Term Psychological Distress Symptoms.

Objectives: While palliative care needs are assumed to improve during ICU care, few empiric data exist on need trajectories or their impact on long-term outcomes. We aimed to describe trajectories of palliative care needs during ICU care and to determine if changes in needs over 1 week was associated with similar changes in psychological distress symptoms at 3 months.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Summary of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Rapid Response: Updated interim guidance on Imvamune in the context of ongoing monkeypox outbreaks.

Background: During the period of monkeypox community transmission and restricted vaccine supply in the summer of 2022, Canadian provinces and territories and a number of vaccine stakeholders indicated the need for consistent national guidance on pre-exposure vaccination (including the identification of priority populations for pre-exposure vaccination programs) and guidance on the potential use of dose-sparing strategies.

Methods: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) High Consequence Infectious Disease Working Group reviewed data on the status of the monkeypox outbreak along with additional published and non-published evidence regarding the safety, immunogenicity and protection offered by Imvamune. NACI approved updated recommendations on September 16, 2022, and on September 23, 2022 it released updated interim guidance on the use of Imvamune in the context of the ongoing monkeypox outbreak.

Analyses of adult transcriptomes from four different populations of the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar L., from China and the USA.

The spongy moth Lymantria dispar, formerly known as the gypsy moth, is a forest pest that occurs as two different biotypes: the European spongy moth (ESM), Lymantria dispar dispar, which is distributed in Europe and North America; and the Asian spongy moth (ASM), which consists of subspecies Lymantria dispar asiatica and Lymantria dispar japonica and is distributed in China, Russia, Korea, and Japan. The Asian biotype is classified as a quarantine pest by the U.S.

Using consumer engagement strategies to improve healthcare safety for young people: An exploration of the relevance and suitability of current approaches.

Background: Consumer engagement in health care is recognized as a critical strategy to minimize healthcare-associated harms, however, little research has focussed on strategies to engage young people in healthcare safety. This study explores the suitability of commonly used engagement strategies, such as brochures, interactive bedside charts or apps, for young people (14-25 years) to improve their healthcare safety, with a focus on cancer care.

Methods: Four qualitative online workshops were conducted (N = 19).

Assessing the environment for engagement in health services: The Audit for Consumer Engagement (ACE) tool.

Introduction: Although it is widely accepted that the physical environment can impact health quality and care outcomes, its impact on consumer engagement with health services has not been examined. Currently, no tools exist that assess the opportunities for consumer engagement offered within the physical environment. We aimed to develop and validate an environmental audit tool to assist health services and researchers to assess the extent to which the physical environment in health services creates and supports opportunities for consumer engagement.

The Nucleopolyhedrovirus (PastNPV), a Divergent Member of the Group I Clade, Encodes a Homolog of Ran GTPase.

We report the analysis of the genome of a novel , nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate 473 (PastNPV-473), from cadavers of the rice case bearer, Zeller (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), collected in rice fields in Kerala, India. High-throughput sequencing of DNA from PastNPV occlusion bodies and assembly of the data yielded a circular genome-length contig of 114,833 bp with 126 annotated opening reading frames (ORFs) and six homologous regions (s). Phylogenetic inference based on baculovirus core gene amino acid sequence alignments indicated that PastNPV is a member of the group I clade of viruses in genus , but different phylogenetic methods yielded different results with respect to the placement of PastNPV and four similarly divergent alphabaculoviruses in the group I clade.

Genomic and functional analysis of phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer in Pseudomonas syringae on the plant surface.

Many strains of Pseudomonas colonise plant surfaces, including the cherry canker pathogens, Pseudomonas syringae pathovars syringae and morsprunorum. We have examined the genomic diversity of P. syringae in the cherry phyllosphere and focused on the role of prophages in transfer of genes encoding Type 3 secreted effector (T3SE) proteins contributing to the evolution of virulence.

Driving Efficiency Improvement (EI): Exploratory Analysis of a Centralised Model in New South Wales.

Introduction: Public healthcare systems face rising demand coupled with reducing funding growth rates, necessitating ongoing approaches to efficiency improvement (EI). Centrally coordinated EI approaches l may support EI leaders, yet few such approaches exist internationally. This study provides evidence to inform system-wide EI by harnessing understanding of the perceptions, role demands and support requirements of key EI stakeholders in the centralised EI model implemented in New South Wales.