Complete annotated genome sequence of phage Evcara, a cluster GI podovirus isolated from compost.

Bacteriophage Evcara is a podovirus isolated on NRRL B-24275. Its genome is 16,285 bp in length and contains 22 predicted protein-coding genes. Evcara, has been assigned to cluster GI with phages PineapplePizza and Curie that share 10 homologues with the well-characterized phage phi29.

Key factors related to happiness and anxiety in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: Mental wellbeing has been one of the most prominent health concerns in Aotearoa New Zealand and has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we explored factors associated with anxiety and happiness in a mid-pandemic climate in Aotearoa.

Methods: Analyses were performed on the anxiety and happiness scores from the wellbeing survey in December 2020 (Statistics NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa; 30,000 responders contacted for the Household Labour Force Survey).

Polyurethane infused with heparin capped silver nanoparticles dressing for wound healing application: Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial studies.

Burn and diabetic wounds present significant challenges due to their complex nature, delayed healing, pain, and high susceptibility to bacterial infections. In this study, we developed and evaluated polyurethane (PU) nanofibers embedded with heparin-functionalized silver nanoparticles (hep-AgNPs) using an electrospinning technique. The choice to functionalize silver nanoparticles with heparin was based on heparin's established role in modulating inflammation and promoting angiogenesis.

The matter of grief, loss and bereavement in families of those living and dying in residential aged care setting: A systematic review.

The grief, loss and bereavement needs of the families of those living and dying in residential aged care setting is not very well understood. This systematic review examines grief, loss, and bereavement experience of, and interventions relating to, family caregivers of those entering, living and dying in residential aged care. Out of 2023 papers that were identified, 35 met the inclusion criteria which included (n=28) qualitative and (n=7) quantitative intervention studies.

Advance care planning for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on home non-invasive ventilation: A qualitative study exploring barriers, facilitators and patients' and healthcare professionals' recommendations.

Background: Although home non-invasive ventilation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and persisting hypercapnia prolongs time to hospital readmission and prognosis, they retain a poor long-term prognosis. Requiring non-invasive ventilation in this population should trigger advance care planning, yet only 50% of patients are engaged in such discussions.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to advance care planning for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on home non-invasive ventilation and generate recommendations for improving practice.

Impact of change in traffic flow on vehicle non-exhaust PM and PM emissions: A case study of the M25 motorway, UK.

This study quantifies the change in traffic flow on the M25 motorway in the UK due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, the impact of the change in traffic flow on non-exhaust PM and PM emissions for different categories of vehicle was explored. During the year of the COVID-19 outbreak (March 2020 to February 2021), the total traffic flows of passenger cars (PCs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and long HGVs on the M25 motorway decreased by 38.

Steps towards equitable care: creating web pages to highlight diversity for Australia’s aged care and end of life care workforce.

Background: The impact of Australia's diverse population on the aged care sector has been acknowledged, with the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safetyfindings providing evidence of the importance of population diversity for consumer-directed and person-centred care. Similarly, the Aged Care Quality Standards and Aged Care Diversity Framework acknowledge the diversity of Australia's ageing population and potential implications for equitable access to care and the ensuing importance of culturally appropriate and culturally safe care. This paper reports on the development of informational web pages and utilisation findings for use by the aged care workforce supporting diverse populations.

Emollient satisfaction questionnaire: validation study in children with eczema.

Background: Emollients are used as maintenance therapy for all severities of eczema but there is a lack of head-to-head comparisons of effectiveness and acceptability.

Aim: To determine the validity of a self-report questionnaire designed to assess user satisfaction with a given emollient and to report the findings.

Methods: Data were analysed from the Choice of Moisturiser for Eczema Treatment trial, which compared four emollient types (Aveeno lotion, Diprobase cream, Doublebase gel and Hydromol ointment) in children aged < 5 years with clinically diagnosed eczema.

A compact and simple method of achieving differential transgene expression by exploiting translational readthrough.

The development of multicistronic vectors enabling differential transgene expression is a goal of gene therapy and poses a significant engineering challenge. Current approaches rely on the insertion of long regulatory sequences that occupy valuable space in vectors, which have a finite and limited packaging capacity. Here we describe a simple method of achieving differential transgene expression by inserting stop codons and translational readthrough motifs (TRMs) to suppress stop codon termination.

Accurate white blood cell differential by Alinity hq: A comparison with flow cytometry and manual differential.

Introduction: White blood cell (WBC) differential by flow cytometry can report a six-part WBC differential and enumerate blasts. Some modern hematology analyzers are also able to provide a six-part WBC differential (including immature granulocytes). Our goal was to compare the WBC differential obtained by the Abbott Alinity hq hematology analyzer to an 8-color single-tube flow cytometry method and to manual WBC differential.

Palliative care simulation for internal medicine trainees: development and pilot study.

Objectives: Shape of training has recognised that 'Managing End-of-Life and Applying Palliative Care Skills' is a key competency for internal medicine trainees. It provides the opportunity and challenge to improve palliative care training for generalist physicians. Simulation has been recognised internationally as a holistic teaching and assessment method.

DiTing: A Pipeline to Infer and Compare Biogeochemical Pathways From Metagenomic and Metatranscriptomic Data.

Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics are powerful methods to uncover key micro-organisms and processes driving biogeochemical cycling in natural ecosystems. Databases dedicated to depicting biogeochemical pathways (for example, metabolism of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), which is an abundant organosulfur compound) from metagenomic/metatranscriptomic data are rarely seen. Additionally, a recognized normalization model to estimate the relative abundance and environmental importance of pathways from metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data has not been organized to date.

"It is not an acceptable disease": A qualitative study of HIV-related stigma and discrimination and impacts on health and wellbeing for people from ethnically diverse backgrounds in Australia.

Background: People from ethnically diverse backgrounds living with HIV are susceptible to adverse health and wellbeing outcomes, particularly as a consequence of HIV-related stigma and discrimination (HSD), though relatively little is known about experiences in Australia.

Methods: This paper reports on HSD in ethnically diverse communities in South Australia and impacts on health and wellbeing. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 10 individuals living with HIV from ethnically diverse backgrounds, 14 ethnically diverse community leaders, and 50 service providers.

Inequalities in awareness and availability of bereavement services in North-East England.

Objectives: National guidance recommends equality in access to bereavement services; despite this, awareness and availability appears inconsistent. The aim of this study was to explore availability and accessibility of bereavement services across the North-East of England and to highlight issues potentially applicable across the UK, at a time of unprecedented need due to the impact of COVID-19.

Methods: Phase 1: an eight item, web-based survey was produced.

Insights into the Vertical Stratification of Microbial Ecological Roles across the Deepest Seawater Column on Earth.

The Earth's oceans are a huge body of water with physicochemical properties and microbial community profiles that change with depth, which in turn influences their biogeochemical cycling potential. The differences between microbial communities and their functional potential in surface to hadopelagic water samples are only beginning to be explored. Here, we used metagenomics to investigate the microbial communities and their potential to drive biogeochemical cycling in seven different water layers down the vertical profile of the Challenger Deep (0-10,500 m) in the Mariana Trench, the deepest natural point in the Earth's oceans.

Maintaining Integrity Under Stress: Envelope Stress Response Regulation of Pathogenesis in Gram-Negative Bacteria.

The Gram-negative bacterial envelope is an essential interface between the intracellular and harsh extracellular environment. Envelope stress responses (ESRs) are crucial to the maintenance of this barrier and function to detect and respond to perturbations in the envelope, caused by environmental stresses. Pathogenic bacteria are exposed to an array of challenging and stressful conditions during their lifecycle and, in particular, during infection of a host.

The Specific, σ-Regulated, STM1250 and AgsA, Function With the sHsps IbpA and IbpB, to Counter Oxidative Stress and Survive Macrophage Killing.

The host presents an array of environments which induce bacterial stress including changes in pH, antimicrobial compounds and reactive oxygen species. The bacterial envelope sits at the interface between the intracellular and extracellular environment and its maintenance is essential for cell viability under a range of conditions, including during infection. In this study, we aimed to understand the contribution of the σ- and σ-regulated small heat shock proteins IbpA, IbpB, and AgsA and the putative σ-regulated stress response protein STM1250 to the envelope stress response.

A Central Small RNA Regulatory Circuit Controlling Bacterial Denitrification and NO Emissions.

Global atmospheric loading of the climate-active gas nitrous oxide (NO) continues to increase. A significant proportion of anthropogenic NO emissions arises from microbial transformation of nitrogen-based fertilizers during denitrification, making microbial NO emissions a key target for greenhouse gas reduction strategies. The genetic, physiological, and environmental regulation of microbially mediated NO flux is poorly understood and therefore represents a critical knowledge gap in the development of successful mitigation approaches.

A dual functional redox enzyme maturation protein for respiratory and assimilatory nitrate reductases in bacteria.

Nitrate is available to microbes in many environments due to sustained use of inorganic fertilizers on agricultural soils and many bacterial and archaeal lineages have the capacity to express respiratory (Nar) and assimilatory (Nas) nitrate reductases to utilize this abundant respiratory substrate and nutrient for growth. Here, we show that in the denitrifying bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans, NarJ serves as a chaperone for both the anaerobic respiratory nitrate reductase (NarG) and the assimilatory nitrate reductase (NasC), the latter of which is active during both aerobic and anaerobic nitrate assimilation. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that the potential for this previously unrecognized role for NarJ in functional maturation of other cytoplasmic molybdenum-dependent nitrate reductases may be phylogenetically widespread as many bacteria contain both Nar and Nas systems.

A qualitative study of nursing staff experiences of delirium in the hospice setting.

Background:: Delirium is a common condition occurring in 13-42% of people admitted to palliative care units and up to 88% of these patients are at the end of their lives. It is frequently unrecognised and distressing to all those affected-patients, families and health professionals. In addition, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding its trajectory and optimal management, both of which can be inconsistent.

Challenges in end-of-life dementia care.

Dementia is a chronic, progressive disease that is now much more widely recognised and treated. Patients with dementia may require palliative care when they reach the end stage of their illness, or they may have mild-moderate cognitive symptoms comorbid with a life-limiting illness. The variety of presentations necessitates a highly individual approach to care planning, and patients should be encouraged to set their own goals and contribute to advanced care planning where possible.

Transcriptional and environmental control of bacterial denitrification and N2O emissions.

In oxygen-limited environments, denitrifying bacteria can switch from oxygen-dependent respiration to nitrate (NO3-) respiration in which the NO3- is sequentially reduced via nitrite (NO2-), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) to dinitrogen (N2). However, atmospheric N2O continues to rise, a significant proportion of which is microbial in origin. This implies that the enzyme responsible for N2O reduction, nitrous oxide reductase (NosZ), does not always carry out the final step of denitrification either efficiently or in synchrony with the rest of the pathway.