Avian influenza virus circulation and immunity in a wild urban duck population prior to and during a highly pathogenic H5N1 outbreak.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.

Re-evaluation of saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts (E 954) as food additives.

This opinion deals with the re-evaluation of saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts (E 954) as food additives. Saccharin is the chemically manufactured compound 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one-1,1-dioxide. Along with its sodium (Na), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) salts, they are authorised as sweeteners (E 954).

'Listen with an open-heart always' - A qualitative study exploring transformational learning opportunities for Australian midwifery students participating in a virtual international study experience.

Aim: To explore whether virtual short term international study experiences (VSTISE) facilitate transformational learning.

Background: Transformational learning is recognised as beneficial and desirable for health students to experience. Such learning may contribute to students developing deeper understanding of themselves and of those to whom they provide care.

Using Behavior Integration to Identify Barriers and Motivators for COVID-19 Vaccination and Build a Vaccine Demand and Confidence Strategy in Southeastern Europe.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, with Eastern Europe experiencing notable excess morbidity and mortality and vaccine hesitancy. This study utilized the Behavior Integration (BI) framework to identify barriers and motivators for COVID-19 vaccination and develop strategies to increase vaccine demand and confidence in Moldova, North Macedonia, and Serbia. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys.

Longitudinal screening of retail milk from Canadian provinces reveals no detections of influenza A virus RNA (April-July 2024): leveraging a newly established pan-Canadian network for responding to emerging viruses.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has caused the deaths of more than 100 million birds since 2021, and human cases since 1997 have been associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Given recent detections of HPAI H5N1 in dairy cattle and H5N1 RNA detections in pasteurized retail milk in the United States, we established the pan-Canadian Milk Network in April 2024. Through our network of collaborators from across Canada, retail milk was procured longitudinally, approximately every 2 weeks, and sent to a central laboratory to test for the presence of influenza A virus RNA.

A Pregnancy and Postnatal RCT Among Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Overweight/Obesity: The PAIGE2 Study.

Objective: This study examined the influence of a pregnancy and postnatal multicomponent lifestyle intervention for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and overweight/obesity from 6 weeks to 12 months postnatal. The primary outcome was weight at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included change in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG).

Measuring successful conversations in couples with and without aphasia: A scoping review.

Background: Aphasia impacts communication and relationships. While counselling is increasingly recognised as a component of the speech-language therapy role, the success of conversation partner training is typically measured in terms of communication alone. This scoping review aimed to describe how successful conversation is currently measured with couples-with and without aphasia, to inform the development of an ecologically valid measure for couples with aphasia.

Care You Can Trust: How the Black Men's Health Clinic Leverages Community Partnerships Charting a Course Where Health Care Struggles to Reach.

Black men in the United States have a lower life expectancy than Hispanic and White populations due to elevated morbidity and mortality from various health conditions. This is partially attributable to the experience of systemic racism and earned mistrust toward health professionals, the majority of whom are not Black. Despite recognition of this issue, limited progress has been made to improve Black men's health trajectories.

Update of the scientific opinion on tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and its derivatives in food.

The European Commission asked EFSA to update its 2011 risk assessment on tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and five derivatives in food. Neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity were considered as the critical effects of TBBPA in rodent studies. The available evidence indicates that the carcinogenicity of TBBPA occurs via non-genotoxic mechanisms.

Harnessing high-throughput OMICS in emerging zoonotic virus preparedness and response activities.

Emerging and re-emerging viruses pose unpredictable and significant challenges to global health. Emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, which are transmitted between humans and non-human animals, have been estimated to be responsible for nearly two-thirds of emerging infectious disease events and emergence events attributed to these pathogens have been increasing in frequency with the potential for high global health and economic burdens. In this review we will focus on the application of highthroughput OMICS approaches to emerging zoonotic virus investigtations.

Risk assessment of small organoarsenic species in food.

The European Commission asked EFSA for a risk assessment on small organoarsenic species in food. For monomethylarsonic acid MMA(V), decreased body weight resulting from diarrhoea in rats was identified as the critical endpoint and a BMDL of 18.2 mg MMA(V)/kg body weight (bw) per day (equivalent to 9.

MassARRAY and SABER Analyses of SNPs in Embryo DNA Reveal the Abscission of Self-Fertilised Progeny during Fruit Development of Macadamia ( Maiden & Betche).

Yield in many crops is affected by abscission during the early stages of fruitlet development. The reasons for fruitlet abscission are often unclear but they may include genetic factors because, in some crops, self-pollinated fruitlets are more likely to abscise than cross-pollinated fruitlets. Pollen parentage can also affect final fruit size and fruit quality.

A MicroRNA Approach to Evaluating Elevated Prostate Cancer Risk in Cancer-Free Men.

Objective criteria are required for prostate cancer (PCa) risk assessment, treatment decisions, evaluation of therapy, and initial indications of recurrence. Circulating microRNAs were utilized as biomarkers to distinguish PCa patients from cancer-free subjects or those encountering benign prostate hyperplasia. A panel of 60 microRNAs was developed with established roles in PCa initiation, progression, metastasis, and recurrence.

Genetic influence on scar vascularity after burn injury in individuals of European ancestry: A prospective cohort study.

After burn injury there is considerable variation in scar outcome, partially due to genetic factors. Scar vascularity is one characteristic that varies between individuals, and this study aimed to identify genetic variants contributing to different scar vascularity outcomes. An exome-wide array association study and gene pathway analysis was performed on a prospective cohort of 665 patients of European ancestry treated for burn injury, using their scar vascularity (SV) sub-score, part of the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS), as an outcome measure.

a photovoice study exploring what culturally safe pregnancy care is to Karen women of refugee background in Victoria, Australia.

Objectives: Inequitable pregnancy care experiences and outcomes disproportionately affect refugee background women in Australia. Culturally safe care is essential for achieving health equity, however, cultural safety can only be determined by the person receiving care. To our knowledge, women of refugee background in Australia are yet to be asked what culturally safe pregnancy care is to them.

design of peptides that bind specific conformers of α-synuclein.

Insoluble amyloids rich in cross-β fibrils are observed in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Depending on the clinicopathology, the amyloids can adopt distinct supramolecular assemblies, termed conformational strains. However, rapid methods to study amyloids in a conformationally specific manner are lacking.

A UK framework for the assessment and integration of different scientific evidence streams in chemical risk assessment.

Background: Few methods are available for transparently combining different evidence streams for chemical risk assessment to reach an integrated conclusion on the probability of causation. Hence, the UK Committees on Toxicity (COT) and on Carcinogenicity (COC) have reviewed current practice and developed guidance on how to achieve this in a transparent manner, using graphical visualisation.

Methods/approach: All lines of evidence, including toxicological, epidemiological, new approach methodologies, and mode of action should be considered, taking account of their strengths/weaknesses in their relative weighting towards a conclusion on the probability of causation.

Inflammatory Consequences: Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV), despite the availability of effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that clear the virus from >95% of individuals treated, continues to cause significant health care burden due to disease progression that can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. The fact that some people who are treated with DAAs still go on to develop worsening liver disease warrants further study into the immunopathogenesis of HCV. Many viral infections, including HCV, have been associated with activation of the inflammasome/pyroptosis pathway.

Investigating the role of CFTR in human and mouse myometrium.

Background: Abnormal cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function in cystic fibrosis (CF) has been linked to airway smooth muscle abnormalities including bronchial hyperresponsiveness. However, a role for CFTR in other types of smooth muscle, including myometrium, remains largely unexplored. As CF life expectancy and the number of pregnancies increases, there is a need for an understanding of the potential role of CFTR in myometrial function.

Risks for animal and human health related to the presence of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in feed and food.

EFSA was asked for a scientific opinion on the risks for animal and human health related to the presence of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in feed and food. The assessment focused on hexaCNs due to very limited data on other PCN congeners. For hexaCNs in feed, 217 analytical results were used to estimate dietary exposures for food-producing and non-food-producing animals; however, a risk characterisation could not be performed because none of the toxicological studies allowed identification of reference points.

Development of an infection prevention and control pathway to facilitate high-throughput cataract surgery in Scotland.

Introduction: Cataract surgery offers significant improvement to quality of life for patients with cataracts. However, there are growing waiting lists and challenges in providing this type of surgery in a timely manner. Feedback from stakeholders had previously indicated infection prevention and control (IPC) as a potential barrier to high-throughput surgery.

Does aphasia impact on return to driving after stroke? A scoping review.

Purpose: Stroke can affect driving, an important activity of daily living. Little is known about whether aphasia (language impairment) impacts driving post-stroke. This scoping review explores impacts and perceived impacts of aphasia on driving performance, and the process of returning to driving post-stroke.

Optimising diagnosis and management of kidney disease: an implementation trial of a clinical decision support system future health today.

Background: Chronic kidney disease affects more than 10% of the world's population and is a non-communicable disease of global concern and priority. There is a significant implementation gap between best practice guideline recommendations and current kidney disease management. Previous research has shown the need to partner with primary care to improve education, collaboration, and kidney disease awareness.