sp. nov., isolated from a patient with ruptured appendicitis.

A clinical isolate, R131, was isolated from the peritoneal swab of a patient who suffered from ruptured appendicitis with abscess and gangrene in Hong Kong in 2018. Cells are facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, Gram-positive coccobacilli. Colonies were small, grey, semi-translucent, low convex and alpha-haemolytic.

Cryoneurolysis for management of post-mastectomy pain: a systematic review.

Aims: Post-mastectomy pain syndrome is a common postoperative complication that can impact patient quality of life and function. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of cryoneurolysis as an intervention for the management of post-mastectomy pain.

Methods: A prospero-registered systematic review was performed following PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

Cryoneurolysis for phantom limb pain: a systematic review.

Aims: Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a painful sensation occurring in patients around the site of an amputation. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy of cryoneurolysis in the management of phantom limb pain.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

Validity and reliability of a proposed anterior implant esthetic index (AIEI).

Statement Of Problem: Patient satisfaction and esthetic acceptance are important factors in predicting the success of implant therapy in the anterior maxilla. A standardized esthetic index to evaluate implant esthetic outcomes is still lacking.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to describe the newly developed images that correlate to the pink esthetic score and white esthetic score (PES/WES) for improved standardized documentation and to evaluate the validity and reliability of the proposed anterior implant esthetic index (AIEI) with patient satisfaction scores.

Use of the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model in Piloting Vaccine Promotion and Infection Self-Protection: Intervention Development and Effectiveness Examination.

Objectives: This study aimed to tailor and pilot a health education program using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model to promote vaccination and enhance self-protective behaviors against COVID-19 in Hong Kong populations.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Methods: Phases 1-4 of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model were used to identify the needs for COVID-19 prevention.

Characteristics and pathogenicity of SWS causing high mortality in mud crab () aquaculture in Hong Kong.

Introduction: is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the family of , a common pathogen in aquaculture animals, However, studies on its impact on (mud crabs) are limited. In this study, we isolated SWS from dead mud crab during a disease outbreak in a Hong Kong aquaculture farm, which caused up to 70% mortality during summer.

Methods: Experimental infection and histopathology were used to investigate the pathogenicity of SWS in and validate Koch's postulates.

Transmission Patterns of Co-Circulation of Omicron Sub-Lineages in Hong Kong SAR, China, a City with Rigorous Social Distancing Measures, in 2022.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the changing landscape of circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the local community of Hong Kong throughout 2022. We examined how adjustments to quarantine arrangements influenced the transmission pattern of Omicron variants in a city with relatively rigorous social distancing measures at that time.

Methods: In 2022, a total of 4684 local SARS-CoV-2 genomes were sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore GridION sequencer.

The Ability of Physical Performance Measures to Identify Fall Risk in Older Adults Living With Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: To determine whether physical performance measures commonly used in clinical settings can discriminate fallers from nonfallers and predict falls in older adults with dementia.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting And Participants: Older adults with dementia residing in the community, hospitals, and residential care facilities.

The impact of the parenting for respectability programme on violent parenting and intimate partner relationships in Uganda: A pre-post study.

Background: There is a growing need for interventions that reduce both violence against children and intimate partner violence in low- and middle-income countries. However, few parenting interventions deliberately address this link. We tested the feasibility of a 16-session group-based parenting programme, Parenting for Respectability, in semi-rural Ugandan communities.

Comprehensive identification of pathogenic microbes and antimicrobial resistance genes in food products using nanopore sequencing-based metagenomics.

Foodborne pathogens, particularly antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria, remain a significant threat to global health. Given the limitations of conventional culture-based approaches, which are limited in scope and time-consuming, metagenomic sequencing of food products emerges as a promising solution. This method provides a fast and comprehensive way to detect the presence of pathogenic microbes and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs).

Genetic mechanisms of co-emergence of INH-resistant strains during the standard course of antituberculosis therapy.

The incidence of isoniazid (INH) resistant is increasing globally. This study aimed to identify the molecular mechanisms behind the development of INH resistance in strains collected from the same patients during the standard course of treatment. Three strains were collected from a patient before and during antituberculosis (anti-TB) therapy.

An AI-empowered indoor digital contact tracing system for COVID-19 outbreaks in residential care homes.

An AI-empowered indoor digital contact-tracing system was developed using a centralized architecture and advanced low-energy Bluetooth technologies for indoor positioning, with careful preservation of privacy and data security. We analyzed the contact pattern data from two RCHs and investigated a COVID-19 outbreak in one study site. To evaluate the effectiveness of the system in containing outbreaks with minimal contacts under quarantine, a simulation study was conducted to compare the impact of different quarantine strategies on outbreak containment within RCHs.

The Case for Assessing and Reporting on Facilitator Fidelity: Introducing the Fidelity of Implementation in Parenting Programs Guideline.

Unlabelled: The sizeable body of evidence indicating that parenting programs have a positive impact on children and families highlights the potential public health benefits of their implementation on a large scale. Despite evidence and global attention, beyond the highly controlled delivery of parenting programs via randomized trials, little is known about program effectiveness or how to explain the poorer results commonly observed when implemented in community settings. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers must work together to identify what is needed to spur adoption and sustainment of evidence-based parenting programs in real-world service systems and how to enhance program effectiveness when delivered via these systems.

Non-canonical C-terminal variant of MeCP2 R344W exhibits enhanced degradation rate.

Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the gene. While the majority of RTT-causing variants are clustered in the methyl-CpG binding domain and NCoR/SMRT interaction domain, we report a female patient with a functionally uncharacterized variant in the C-terminal domain, c.1030C>T (R344W).

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Tuberculosis in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia: A Hotspot Analysis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern in low- and middle-income countries including Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the spatiotemporal distribution of TB and identify TB risk factors in Ethiopia's Oromia region. Descriptive and spatiotemporal analyses were conducted.

Exploring user and stakeholder perspectives from South Africa and Uganda to refine microarray patch development for HIV PrEP delivery and as a multipurpose prevention technology.

Background: Oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective, but alternative delivery options are needed to reach more users. Microarray patches (MAPs), a novel drug-delivery system containing micron-scale projections or "microneedles" that deliver drugs via skin, are being developed to deliver long-acting HIV PrEP and as a multipurpose prevention technology to protect from HIV and unintended pregnancy. We explored whether MAP technology could meet user and health system needs in two African countries.

Children's lived experience and perceptions of community members' influence on their schooling: a study in Uganda.

Introduction: Global and national initiatives have successfully increased access to public education in low- and middle-income countries. However, many students in rural regions in these countries have high rates of absenteeism and drop-out, and low levels of academic engagement. Together, these significantly limit children's academic performance and achievement.

Long-Read Sequencing with Hierarchical Clustering for Antiretroviral Resistance Profiling of Mixed Human Immunodeficiency Virus Quasispecies.

Background: HIV infections often develop drug resistance mutations (DRMs), which can increase the risk of virological failure. However, it has been difficult to determine if minor mutations occur in the same genome or in different virions using Sanger sequencing and short-read sequencing methods. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing may improve antiretroviral resistance profiling by allowing for long-read clustering.

sp. nov. (Perciformes: Labridae), a New Species of Striped Hogfish from Tahiti, with Range Extensions for Two Congeners.

A new labrid fish, sp. nov., the fifth species within the genus, is herein described from two specimens collected at a depth of 140 m from a mesophotic coral ecosystem in Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Hopes, joys and fears: Meaning and perceptions of viral load testing and low-level viraemia among people on antiretroviral therapy in Uganda: A qualitative study.

Uganda applies the World Health Organization threshold of 1,000 copies/ml to determine HIV viral non-suppression. While there is an emerging concern of low-level viraemia (≥50 to <1,000 copies/ml), there is limited understanding of how people on antiretroviral therapy perceive viral load testing and low-level viremia in resource-limited settings. This qualitative study used the health belief model to explore the meaning that people living with HIV attach to viral load testing and low-level viraemia in Uganda.

Identification of microbial community in the urban environment: The concordance between conventional culture and nanopore 16S rRNA sequencing.

Introduction: Microbes in the built environment have been implicated as a source of infectious diseases. Bacterial culture is the standard method for assessing the risk of exposure to pathogens in urban environments, but this method only accounts for <1% of the diversity of bacteria. Recently, full-length 16S rRNA gene analysis using nanopore sequencing has been applied for microbial evaluations, resulting in a rise in the development of long-read taxonomic tools for species-level classification.