Emergence of black spot syndrome in Caribbean reefs: a century of fish collections reveal long-term increases in infection.

Despite evidence that certain diseases of marine wildlife are increasing, long-term infection data are often lacking. Archived samples of hosts from natural history collections offer a powerful tool for evaluating temporal changes in parasitism. Using vouchered fish collections from the Southern Caribbean, we investigated long-term (1905-2022) shifts in infections by the trematode spp.

Integrin αVß6 - autoantigen and driver of epithelial remodeling in colon and bile ducts in primary sclerosing cholangitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Recently, autoantibodies directed against the epithelial adhesion protein integrin αVβ6 have been identified which strongly associate with ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to elucidate whether anti-integrin αVβ6 (anti- αVβ6) is present in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), its associated inflammatory bowel disease or other cholestatic liver diseases and their persistence after proctocolectomy.

Design: We detected anti- αVβ6 by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in sera collected at two German tertiary centers, including healthy controls (N=62), UC (N=36), Crohn's disease (CD, N=65), PSC-IBD (78 samples from N=41 patients), PSC without IBD (PSC, 41 samples from N=18 patients), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, N=24), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH, N=32), secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC, N=12) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, N=24).

Granulocytes in cerebrospinal fluid of adults suspected of a central nervous system infection: a prospective study of diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) granulocytes are associated with bacterial meningitis, but information on its diagnostic value is limited and primarily based on retrospective studies. Therefore, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of CSF granulocytes.

Methods: We analyzed CSF granulocytes (index test) from all consecutive patients in two prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands.

Diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory markers in adults with suspected central nervous system infections.

Objectives: We aimed to determine diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory markers in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections and specifically bacterial meningitis.

Methods: We analyzed 12 cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase reactants in CSF and plasma of 738 patients with suspected neurological infection included in a multicenter prospective cohort. We determined diagnostic accuracy for predicting any CNS infection and bacterial meningitis.

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical and laboratory characteristics in suspected non-surgical nosocomial central nervous system infections.

Background: The diagnosis of meningitis in non-surgical hospitalized patients is often difficult and diagnostic accuracy of clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics is unknown.

Aim: To assess diagnostic accuracy for individual clinical characteristics of patients suspected of non-surgical nosocomial central nervous system (CNS) infections.

Methods: In a prospective multi-centre cohort study in the Netherlands with adults suspected of CNS infections, consecutive patients who underwent a lumbar puncture for the suspicion of a non-surgical nosocomial CNS infection were included.

Predictors of unfavourable outcome in adults with suspected central nervous system infections: a prospective cohort study.

Suspected central nervous system (CNS) infections may pose a diagnostic challenge, and often concern severely ill patients. We aim to identify predictors of unfavourable outcome to prioritize diagnostics and treatment improvements. Unfavourable outcome was assessed on the Glasgow Outcome Scale at hospital discharge, defined by a score of 1 to 4.

Biplanar conventional two-dimensional ultrasound guidance for radial artery catheterisation.

Background: Ultrasound guidance increases first-pass success rates and decreases the number of cannulation attempts and complications during radial artery catheterisation but it is debatable whether short-, long-, or oblique-axis imaging is superior for obtaining access. Three-dimensional (3D) biplanar ultrasound combines both short- and long-axis views with their respective benefits. This study aimed to determine whether biplanar imaging would improve the accuracy of radial artery catheterisation compared with conventional 2D imaging.

Seizures in adults with suspected central nervous system infection.

Background: Seizures can be part of the clinical presentation of central nervous system (CNS) infections. We describe patients suspected of a neurological infection who present with a seizure and study diagnostic accuracy of clinical and laboratory features predictive of CNS infection in this population.

Methods: We analyzed all consecutive patients presenting with a seizure from two prospective Dutch cohort studies, in which patients were included who underwent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination because of the suspicion of a CNS infection.

Distribution of fitness effects of cross-species transformation reveals potential for fast adaptive evolution.

Bacterial transformation, a common mechanism of horizontal gene transfer, can speed up adaptive evolution. How its costs and benefits depend on the growth environment is poorly understood. Here, we characterize the distributions of fitness effects (DFE) of transformation in different conditions and test whether they predict in which condition transformation is beneficial.

A risk score for identifying patients at a low risk of bacterial meningitis amongst adults with cerebrospinal fluid leucocytosis and a negative gram stain result: a derivation and validation study.

Objectives: We aimed to derive and validate a risk score to differentiate patients with bacterial meningitis from those with viral meningitis or encephalitis amongst patients presenting with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leucocytosis and a negative Gram staining result.

Methods: We included adults with bacterial and viral meningitis or encephalitis presenting with CSF leukocyte counts of >10 per mm and a negative Gram staining result from cohorts in Houston, Texas (2004-2019), and the Netherlands (2012-2021). Derivation and the first validation were performed in the American patients and further validation in the Dutch patients.

Neurofilament light chain in central nervous system infections: a prospective study of diagnostic accuracy.

Diagnosing central nervous system (CNS) infections quickly is often difficult. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a component of the axonal cytoskeleton and identified as marker of neuronal damage in several CNS diseases. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of NfL for diagnosing CNS infections.

[Sarcoidosis as prime example of a granulomatous disease].

Sarcoidosis is the most frequent immunologically related granulomatous disease and can serve as a model for understanding diseases within this category. The evidence on the diagnostics and treatment is so far limited. It is therefore all the more important that two new and significant guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of sarcoidosis were published during the last 2 years.

[Hepatic granuloma-A diagnostic challenge].

Hepatic granulomas can have various causes and their detection requires a systematic diagnostic evaluation. First, identification of risk factors for granulomatous diseases and the exclusion of extrahepatic organ manifestation are necessary. Laboratory investigations and serological screening for the most common underlying diseases of liver granulomas in Germany, such as primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), sarcoidosis and infectious causes (primarily tuberculosis and hepatitis C infections), are recommended.

Pneumococcal Meningitis in Adults: A Prospective Nationwide Cohort Study Over a 20-year Period.

Background: The epidemiology and treatment of pneumococcal meningitis has changed with the implementation of conjugate vaccines and the introduction of adjunctive dexamethasone therapy.

Methods: We analyzed episodes of community-acquired pneumococcal meningitis in adults (≥16 years) in the Netherlands, identified by the National Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis or treating physician between October 1, 1998, and April 1, 2002, and between January 1, 2006, and July 1, 2018. We studied incidence, pneumococcal serotypes, and clinical features.

Recurrent Community-Acquired Bacterial Meningitis in Adults.

Background: Recurrent bacterial meningitis has been found to occur in about 5% of meningitis cases.

Methods: We analyzed adults with recurrent episodes in a prospective nationwide cohort study of community-acquired bacterial meningitis.

Results: Of 2264 episodes of community-acquired bacterial meningitis between 2006 and 2018, 143 (6%) were identified as recurrent episodes in 123 patients.

Gynecologists' perspectives on two types of uterus-preserving surgical repair of uterine descent; sacrospinous hysteropexy versus modified Manchester.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The modified Manchester (MM) and sacrospinous hysteropexy (SSH) are the most common uterus-preserving surgical procedures for uterine descent. Little is known about gynecologists' preferences regarding the two interventions. The study's aim was to identify which factors influence Dutch (uro)gynecologists when choosing one of these techniques.

Anti-C5a antibody IFX-1 (vilobelimab) treatment versus best supportive care for patients with severe COVID-19 (PANAMO): an exploratory, open-label, phase 2 randomised controlled trial.

Background: Severe COVID-19 is characterised by inflammation and coagulation in the presence of complement system activation. We aimed to explore the potential benefit and safety of selectively blocking the anaphylatoxin and complement protein C5a with the monoclonal antibody IFX-1 (vilobelimab), in patients with severe COVID-19.

Methods: We did an exploratory, open-label, randomised phase 2 trial (part of the adaptive phase 2/3 PANAMO trial) of intravenous IFX-1 in adults with severe COVID-19 at three academic hospitals in the Netherlands.

Evaluation of Microfluidic Ceiling Designs for the Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells on a Microarray Platform.

The capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is still a challenging application for microfluidic chips, as these cells are rare and hidden in a huge background of blood cells. Here, different microfluidic ceiling designs in regard to their capture efficiency for CTCs in model experiments and more realistic conditions of blood samples spiked with a clinically relevant amount of tumor cells are evaluated. An optimized design for the capture platform that allows highly efficient recovery of CTCs from size-based pre-enriched samples under realistic conditions is obtained.

Pre-Analytical and Analytical Variables of Label-Independent Enrichment and Automated Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Cancer Patients.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are promising tools for risk prediction and the monitoring of response to therapy in cancer patients. Within the EU/IMI CANCER-ID consortium, we validated CTC enrichment systems for future inclusion into clinical trials. Due to the known heterogeneity of markers expressed on CTCs, we tested the Parsortix system (ANGLE plc) which enables label-independent CTC enrichment from whole blood based on increased size and deformability of these tumor cells compared to leukocytes.

Physical Exercise Training Improves Quality of Life in Healthy Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis.

The current meta-analysis first aimed to quantify the overall effect of physical exercise training on the quality of life (QoL) in healthy older adults. Second, the effects on the social, physical, and psychological QoL were assessed. In total, 16 randomized controlled trials were included.

Tumor-Associated Release of Prostatic Cells into the Blood after Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy in Patients with Histologically Confirmed Prostate Cancer.

Background: Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS) is a standard procedure for prostate cancer diagnosis. Because prostate cancer is a multifocal disease in many patients, multiple sampling (n ≥ 10) is required, which may bear the risk of systemic spread of cancer cells.

Design: Using the standardized CellSearch® system that allows for the detection of single epithelial cell adhesion molecule-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood, we investigated whether prostate biopsy is associated with release of prostatic tumor cells into the circulation.

Community-acquired Bacterial Meningitis in Adults With Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a risk factor for developing bacterial meningitis.

Methods: We analyzed episodes of community-acquired bacterial meningitis associated with CSF leakage from a prospective nationwide cohort study.

Results: CSF leakage was identified in 65 episodes of 2022 episodes (3%) in 53 patients.