Polydopamine-Mediated Antimicrobial Lipopeptide Surface Coating for Medical Devices.

Biofilm formation on medical implants such as catheters is a major issue which needs to be addressed as it leads to severe health care associated infections. This study explored the design and synthesis of a polydopamine-lipopeptide based antimicrobial coating. The coating was used to modify the surface of Ultrathane Catheters.

Robotic and Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Pheochromocytoma: An International Multicenter Study.

Background And Objective: Robotic adrenalectomy (RA) has attracted interest as an alternative to laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) for patients with pheochromocytoma, although its beneficial effects are uncertain. Our aim was to compare RA and LA outcomes for these patients.

Methods: Data for patients who underwent RA or LA for pheochromocytoma in 46 international centers between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed.

Rational design of self-assembling ultrashort peptides for the shape- and size-tunable synthesis of metal nanostructures.

Peptides have attracted great interest as platforms for the design of nanocomposite hydrogels due to their distinct bioactivity, biofunctionality and biocompatibility. Previously, we have reported on a family of peptides that self-assembled to form stabilised three-dimensional hydrogel networks, displaying potent antimicrobial activity. In this paper, we report on the use of these hydrogelator sequences and their analogues as stabilisers and growth controllers to synthesise anisotropic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of different sizes and shapes.

Renal hyperparathyroidism- a risk factor in the development of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis.

Background: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare complication of prolonged peritoneal dialysis (PD) exposure, characterised by peritoneal thickening, calcification, and fibrosis ultimately presenting with life-threatening bowel obstruction. The presence or role of peritoneal calcification in the pathogenesis of EPS is poorly characterised. We hypothesise that significantly aberrant bone mineral metabolism in patients on PD can cause peritoneal calcification which may trigger the development of EPS.

Size-Controlled Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Tethering Antimicrobial Peptides with Potent Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities.

New antimicrobials are urgently needed to combat the rising global health concern of antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are one of the leading candidates as new antimicrobials since they target bacterial membranes and are therefore less prone to bacterial resistance. However, poor enzymatic stability, high production costs, and toxicity are drawbacks that limit their clinical use.

Text messaging interventions for breastfeeding outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Given the health benefits of breastfeeding for infants and mothers, breastfeeding has become a significant public health issue. The global growth of mobile phone usage has created new options for breastfeeding promotion, including text messaging.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of text messaging interventions on breastfeeding outcomes and to identify the efficacy moderators of such interventions.

Effectiveness and experiences of integrating Mindfulness into Peer-assisted Learning (PAL) in clinical education for nursing students: A mixed method study.

Introduction: Nursing students can find clinical learning to be challenging, unpredictable and stressful. To address this problem, this study integrated Mindfulness into Peer-assisted Learning (PAL) for nursing clinical education and investigated the feasibility and effectiveness on improving student participants' emotional reactions, and explored the perception and experience towards the programme.

Method: This quasi-experimental, repeated-measure, mixed methods study was conducted in a convenience sample of 126 Year 2 and Year 3 university nursing students.

Risk factors for postoperative complications after adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma: multicentre cohort study.

Background: To determine the incidence and risk factors for postoperative complications and prolonged hospital stay after adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma.

Methods: Demographics, perioperative outcomes and complications were evaluated for consecutive patients who underwent adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma from 2012 to 2020 in nine high-volume UK centres. Odds ratios were calculated using multivariable models.

Metabolite profiling identifies chemical markers associated with the cytotoxic properties of roasted fermented avocado seeds.

Studies have demonstrated avocado seeds are a good source of bioactive compounds. This study investigated the effects of roasting on the metabolites and anticancer activities of fermented avocado seeds. All three anti-cancer activities of fermented avocado seeds were higher at lower roasting temperature and time.

Gemcitabine‑fucoxanthin combination in human pancreatic cancer cells.

Gemcitabine is a chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer treatment. It has also been demonstrated to inhibit human pancreatic cancer cell lines, MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the suppressive effect of fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid, in combination with gemcitabine on pancreatic cancer cells.

Risk factors for postoperative hypotension after adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma: derivation of the PACS risk score.

Background: Due to the risk of postoperative hypotension (PH), invasive monitoring is recommended for patients who undergo adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma. Due to high costs and limited availability of intensive care, our aim was to identify patients at low risk of PH who may not require invasive monitoring.

Methods: Data for patients who underwent adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively collected by nine UK centres, including patient demographics, intraoperative and postoperative haemodynamic parameters.

A Novel 0.1 mm 3D Laser Imaging Technology for Pavement Safety Measurement.

Traditionally, pavement safety performance in terms of texture, friction, and hydroplaning speed are measured separately via different devices with various limitations. This study explores the feasibility of using a novel 0.1 mm 3D Safety Sensor for pavement safety evaluation in a non-contact and continuous manner with a single hardware sensor.

Transition-Metal-Doped SiP Monolayer for Effective CO Capture: A Density Functional Theory Study.

Two-dimensional materials have exhibited great potential in mitigating climate change through sensing and capturing carbon dioxide. The interaction of CO on orthorhombic silicon diphosphide remains unexplored in spite of its interesting properties such as high carrier mobility, piezoelectricity, and mechanical stability. Here, using density functional theory, the adsorption of CO on pristine and Ti-, V-, and Cr-doped monolayer SiP is investigated.

Bioactive Components and Anticancer Activities of Spray-Dried New Zealand Tamarillo Powder.

Tamarillo fruit contains many phytochemicals that have beneficial therapeutic and nutritional properties. Spray-drying is widely used to preserve fruit puree in powder form. However, to obtain high-quality fruit powder, the optimisation of spray-drying conditions is necessary, as a high drying temperature can damage sensitive bioactive compounds.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in acute pancreatitis increases disease severity and 30-day mortality: COVID PAN collaborative study.

Objective: There is emerging evidence that the pancreas may be a target organ of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) and coexistent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Design: A prospective international multicentre cohort study including consecutive patients admitted with AP during the current pandemic was undertaken.

Covalently Immobilized Battacin Lipopeptide Gels with Activity against Bacterial Biofilms.

Novel antibiotic treatments are in increasing demand to tackle life-threatening infections from bacterial pathogens. In this study, we report the use of a potent battacin lipopeptide as an antimicrobial gel to inhibit planktonic and mature biofilms of and . The antimicrobial gels were made by covalently linking the -terminal cysteine containing lipopeptide (GZ3.

Effects of preparation method on the biochemical characterization and cytotoxic activity of New Zealand surf clam extracts.

Molluscan extracts confer a wide range of health promoting properties, one of them is cytotoxicity. Extraction and processing can affect the efficacy and properties of bioactive molecules. New Zealand (NZ) surf clams have never been thoroughly studied for bioactives until recently.

Phase II Trial of Ipilimumab with Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Metastatic Disease: Outcomes, Toxicities, and Low-Dose Radiation-Related Abscopal Responses.

Ipilimumab is effective for patients with melanoma, but not for those with less immunogenic tumors. We report a phase II trial of ipilimumab with concurrent or sequential stereotactic ablative radiotherapy to metastatic lesions in the liver or lung (NCT02239900). Ipilimumab (every 3 weeks for 4 doses) was given with radiotherapy begun during the first dose (concurrent) or 1 week after the second dose (sequential) and delivered as 50 Gy in 4 fractions or 60 Gy in 10 fractions to metastatic liver or lung lesions.