Increased incidence of blood culture contaminations during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: Blood culture contamination (BCC) is mainly caused by commensal bacteria, during sample collection. It results in unnecessary antibiotic exposure, prolonged hospitalisation, additional microbiology workup and significant adverse health-economic burden. We aimed to investigate the short- and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of BCC.

Understanding the Impact of Evaluation Metrics in Kinetic Models for Consensus-Based Segmentation.

In this article, we extend a recently introduced kinetic model for consensus-based segmentation of images. In particular, we will interpret the set of pixels of a 2D image as an interacting particle system that evolves in time in view of a consensus-type process obtained by interactions between pixels and external noise. Thanks to a kinetic formulation of the introduced model, we derive the large time solution of the model.

Typical Clinical Presentation of an Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Patient with an Atypical Genetic Pattern.

: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is mainly characterized by renal involvement with progressive bilateral development of renal cysts and volumetric increase in the kidneys, causing a loss of renal function, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and kidney failure. The occurrence of mosaicism may modulate the clinical course of the disease. Mosaicism is characterized by a few cell populations with different genomes.

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA): A Targeted Antioxidant Strategy to Counter Oxidative Stress in Retinopathy.

Omega-3 fatty acids are critical components of cell membranes, including those in the retina. Specifically, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the primary omega-3 fatty acids that have been studied for their potential benefits in retinal health, preventing the progression of retinopathy. Several studies have shown that a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with a lower risk of developing diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In-hospital outcomes of healthcare-associated COVID-19 (Omicron) versus healthcare-associated influenza: a retrospective, nationwide cohort study in Switzerland.

Background: As COVID-19 is integrated into existing infectious disease control programs, it is important to understand the comparative clinical impact of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with symptomatic healthcare-associated COVID-19 or influenza reported to the nationwide, hospital-based surveillance system in Switzerland. Included patients were adults (≥18 years) hospitalized for ≥3 days in tertiary care and large regional hospitals.