Predicting risk of maternal critical care admission in Scotland: Development of a risk prediction model.

Background: Identifying women at highest or lowest risk of perinatal intensive care unit (ICU) admission may enable clinicians to risk stratify women antenatally so that enhanced care or elective admission to ICU may be considered or excluded in birthing plans. We aimed to develop a statistical model to predict the risk of maternal ICU admission.

Methods: We studied 762,918 pregnancies between 2005 and 2018.

Flies as carriers of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria in Nigerian hospitals: A workflow for surveillance of AMR bacteria carried by arthropod pests in hospital settings.

The dissemination of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria by flies in hospitals is concerning as nosocomial AMR infections pose a significant threat to public health. This threat is compounded in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by several factors, including limited resources for sufficient infection prevention and control (IPC) practices and high numbers of flies in tropical climates. In this pilot study, 1,396 flies were collected between August and September 2022 from eight tertiary care hospitals in six cities (Abuja, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Sokoto) in Nigeria.

Cutting-edge tools for unveiling the dynamics of plasmid-host interactions.

The plasmid-mediated transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in complex microbiomes presents a significant global health challenge. This review examines recent technological advancements that have enabled us to move beyond the limitations of culture-dependent detection of conjugation and have enhanced our ability to track and understand the movement of ARGs in real-world scenarios. We critically assess the applications of single-cell sequencing, fluorescence-based techniques and advanced high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) approaches in elucidating plasmid-host interactions at unprecedented resolution.

A framework towards implementation of sequencing for antimicrobial-resistant and other health-care-associated pathogens.

Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a growing threat globally, specifically in health-care settings in which antimicrobial-resistant pathogens cause a substantial proportion of health-care-associated infections (HAIs). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the analysis of the data produced therein (ie, bioinformatics) represent an opportunity to enhance our capacity to address these threats. The 3rd Geneva Infection Prevention and Control Think Tank brought together experts to identify gaps, propose solutions, and set priorities for the use of NGS for HAIs and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.

Unveiling complexities: Examining the role of traumatic loss in shaping the interplay between black maternal mental health and maternal bonding.

Black women are more likely to experience traumatic birthing events, more likely to experience perinatal depression, and less likely to receive mental health treatment than women of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, and yet largely overlooked in perinatal mental health research. This pilot study seeks to understand how unacceptable racial disparities and adverse perinatal outcomes influence Black maternal depression and maternal bonding by exploring how prior traumatic loss moderates the relationship between depression and bonding during a subsequent pregnancy among a sample of Black mothers. We use survey data collected from 75 Black mothers as part of the Black Fathers, Equal Partners in Promoting Maternal and Infant Health study, a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin Madison and the African American Breastfeeding Network in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

Incidental findings from cone-beam computed tomography in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Purpose: The use of cone-beam computed tomographies (CBCT) in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry is constantly increasing. The aim of this systematic review was to critically appraise and summarize evidence from clinical studies on the prevalence of incidental findings from CBCTs of children and adolescents.

Methods: Systematic literature searches without restrictions were undertaken in eight databases from inception up to March 2024 for studies reporting on incidental findings from CBCT images of children and adolescents.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A New Driver and Hidden Threat for Prevalence in Hospital Wastewater and Human Feces.

The emergence of mobile colistin resistance gene has attracted global attention. The prevalence of -positive (MCRPEC) in humans largely decreased following the ban of colistin as an animal growth promoter in China. However, the prevalence of MCRPEC in the hospital environment and the relationship between disinfectants and remain unclear.

Testicular mapping-guided sperm retrieval upfront microTESE in non-obstructive azoospermia: a comparison of sperm retrieval, pregnancy and live-birth rates.

Background: Sperm extraction by Microscopic Testicular Sperm Extraction (microTESE) has become the standard of care for sperm retrieval (SR) in men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) but is costly and has a 40-50% chance of failure. Fine needle aspiration mapping (FNAM) can be performed prior to microTESE as a predictor of success to reduce the likelihood of failure to retrieve sperm but there is limited evidence that directly compares these methods. The objective of this study was to compare success rate of SR, pregnancy, and live birth rates in men who underwent upfront microTESE versus FNAM.

Microplastics mediates the spread of antimicrobial resistance plasmids via modulating conjugal gene expression.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and environmental degradation are existential global public health threats. Linking microplastics (MPs) and AMR is particularly concerning as MPs pollution would have significant ramifications on controlling of AMR; however, the effects of MPs on the spread and genetic mechanisms of AMR bacteria remain unclear. Herein, we performed Simonsen end-point conjugation to investigate the impact of four commonly used MPs on transfer of clinically relevant plasmids.

Metamorphic Proteins to Achieve Conformationally Selective Material Surface Binding.

The controlled binding of proteins on nanoparticle surfaces remains a grand challenge required for many applications ranging from biomedical to energy storage. The difficulty in achieving this ability arises from the different functional groups of the biomolecule that can adsorb on the nanoparticle surface. While most proteins can only adopt a single structure, metamorphic proteins can access at least two different conformations, which presents intriguing opportunities to exploit such structural variations for binding to nanoparticles.

Shared Local Oncology Care After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Although sharing care with local oncologists after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has been proposed for patients living far from HCT centers, it is not known whether a shared strategy is safe or improves patient quality of life (QOL).

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of sharing follow-up care after HCT between the HCT specialty center and local oncologists.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a multicenter collaborative randomized clinical trial of patients undergoing HCT at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI)-a high volume HCT center in Boston (Massachusetts)-and 8 local oncology practices.

Podiatric Clinical Triage in a Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Clinic: A Randomised Trial.

Rationale: Hospitals are increasingly utilising allied-health professionals to provide clinical triage to patients. While these positions are routinely implemented, and several observational studies have reported positive outcomes, the effectiveness of this intervention has been rarely tested in a clinical trial.

Aims And Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate a podiatry-led orthopaedic triage service using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and (ii) determine if it is cost-effective in terms of incremental cost/quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

Complete mitochondrial genomes of and biting midge vectors of Bluetongue Virus.

Biting midges ( spp.) are important vectors of several insect borne arboviruses but are underrepresented in terms of availability of high-resolution genomic resources. We assembled and annotated complete mitochondrial genomes for two species, namely and which are proven vectors for Bluetongue Virus (BTV).

Association between peri-operative red blood cell transfusion and cancer recurrence in patients undergoing major cancer surgery: an umbrella review.

Introduction: Peri-operative allogeneic red blood cell transfusion is hypothesised to increase the risk of cancer recurrence following cancer surgery. However, previous data supporting this association are limited by residual confounding. We conducted an umbrella review (i.

Advancing Patient Advocacy in Mycology: Cultivating Collaboration in Education, Research, and Policy.

In the healthcare landscape, diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS have benefited from the patient's perspective. For fungal diseases, the patient voice remains absent in critical areas such as policy formulation, funding decisions, and research priorities. Patients affected by fungal disease, along with their caregivers and advocacy groups, possess invaluable insights into the challenges and unmet needs they face.

Salvage surgery for oesophageal cancer: The need for more intensive surveillance.

Background: There is currently no consensus on the role, method or frequency of surveillance following curative treatment of oesophageal cancer; re-investigation largely relying on symptom triggers which may delay detection of recurrence and impact survival. We hypothesised that intensive surveillance with endoscopy and imaging was more likely to detect recurrent or new cancer at a curable stage and this study examined the outcomes of this surveillance policy.

Patients And Methods: A prospective database of curatively treated oesophageal carcinoma patients was interrogated for patients with new or recurrent disease detected on surveillance and amenable to salvage surgery.

Draft annotated genome of the entomopathogenic fungus isolated from species.

The entomopathogenic fungus infects diverse insect host species. We present an annotated draft genome of (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [CSIRO] strain M-1000) isolated from a species individual, thereby contributing to future research of as a potential biological control agent.

Impact of stormwater on biofilm density and microbial community composition in water distribution networks.

Harvesting of stormwater and injecting it into aquifers for storage and recovery during high water demand periods is a promising technology for augmenting conventional water reserves. However, little has been known on how stormwater impacts the biofouling of water distribution infrastructure. This study evaluated the effect on harvested and limestone aquifer treated stormwater on biofilm formation in a pilot distribution pipe network compared to an identical drinking water pipe rig.

Bacteriophage treatment is effective against carbapenem-resistant (KPC) in a neutropenic murine model of gastrointestinal translocation and renal infection.

Carbapenemase-producing (KPC) are globally emerging pathogens that cause life-threatening infections. Novel treatment alternatives are urgently needed. We therefore investigated the effectiveness of three novel bacteriophages (Spivey, Pharr, and Soft) in a neutropenic murine model of KPC gastrointestinal colonization, translocation, and disseminated infection.

HMGA2 Expression Predicts Subtype, Survival, and Treatment Outcome in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: To establish HMGA2 as a marker of basal-like disease in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and explore its use as a biomarker for prognosis and treatment resistance.

Experimental Design: We identified high expression of HMGA2 in basal PDAC cells in a scRNAseq Atlas of 172 patient samples. We then analyzed HMGA2 expression, along with expression of the classical marker GATA6, in a cohort of 580 PDAC samples with multiplex immunohistochemistry.

Ensembl 2025.

Ensembl (www.ensembl.org) is an open platform integrating publicly available genomics data across the tree of life with a focus on eukaryotic species related to human health, agriculture and biodiversity.

TP53 missense allele predisposing to high risk of breast cancer but not pediatric cancers.

Pathogenic TP53 germline variants cause young-onset breast cancer and other cancers of the Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) spectrum, but the clinical consequences of partial-loss-of function TP53 variants are incompletely understood. In the consecutive cohort of Palestinian breast cancer patients of the Middle East Breast Cancer Study (MEBCS), breast cancer risk among TP53 p. R181C heterozygotes was 50% by age 50 y and 81% by age 80 y.

New developments for the Quest for Orthologs benchmark service.

The Quest for Orthologs (QfO) orthology benchmark service (https://orthology.benchmarkservice.org) hosts a wide range of standardized benchmarks for orthology inference evaluation.

Resolving the chromatin impact of mosaic variants with targeted Fiber-seq.

Accurately quantifying the functional consequences of noncoding mosaic variants requires the pairing of DNA sequences with both accessible and closed chromatin architectures along individual DNA molecules-a pairing that cannot be achieved using traditional fragmentation-based chromatin assays. We demonstrate that targeted single-molecule chromatin fiber sequencing (Fiber-seq) achieves this, permitting single-molecule, long-read genomic, and epigenomic profiling across targeted >100 kb loci with ∼10-fold enrichment over untargeted sequencing. Targeted Fiber-seq reveals that pathogenic expansions of the CTG repeat that underlie Myotonic Dystrophy 1 are characterized by somatic instability and disruption of multiple nearby regulatory elements, both of which are repeat length-dependent.

Biomarker-Guided Antibiotic Duration for Hospitalized Patients With Suspected Sepsis: The ADAPT-Sepsis Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: For hospitalized critically ill adults with suspected sepsis, procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) monitoring protocols can guide the duration of antibiotic therapy, but the evidence of the effect and safety of these protocols remains uncertain.

Objective: To determine whether decisions based on assessment of CRP or PCT safely results in a reduction in the duration of antibiotic therapy.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A multicenter, intervention-concealed randomized clinical trial, involving 2760 adults (≥18 years), in 41 UK National Health Service (NHS) intensive care units, requiring critical care within 24 hours of initiating intravenous antibiotics for suspected sepsis and likely to continue antibiotics for at least 72 hours.