Using routine data to examine factors associated with stillbirth in three tertiary maternity facilities in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Background: Over one-third of the global stillbirth burden occurs in countries affected by conflict or a humanitarian crisis, including Afghanistan. Stillbirth rates in Afghanistan remained high in 2021 at over 26 per 1000 births. Stillbirths have devastating physical, psycho-social and economic impacts on women, families and healthcare providers.

What makes an epidemic a disaster: the future of epidemics within the EM-DAT International Disaster Database.

Background: Reporting on and monitoring epidemics is a public health priority. Several initiatives and platforms provide epidemiological data, such as the EM-DAT International Disaster Database, which has 1525 epidemics and their impact reported since 1900, including 892 epidemics between 2000 and 2023. However, EM-DAT has inconsistent coverage and deficiencies regarding the systematic monitoring of epidemics data due to the lack of a standardized methodology to define what will be included under an epidemic disaster.

Proteomic changes upon treatment with semaglutide in individuals with obesity.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are prevalent chronic diseases effectively managed by semaglutide. Here we studied the effects of semaglutide on the circulating proteome using baseline and end-of-treatment serum samples from two phase 3 trials in participants with overweight or obesity, with or without diabetes: STEP 1 (n = 1,311) and STEP 2 (n = 645). We identified evidence supporting broad effects of semaglutide, implicating processes related to body weight regulation, glycemic control, lipid metabolism and inflammatory pathways.

Establishing bio-logging data collections as dynamic archives of animal life on Earth.

Rapid growth in bio-logging-the use of animal-borne electronic tags to document the movements, behaviour, physiology and environments of wildlife-offers opportunities to mitigate biodiversity threats and expand digital natural history archives. Here we present a vision to achieve such benefits by accounting for the heterogeneity inherent to bio-logging data and the concerns of those who collect and use them. First, we can enable data integration through standard vocabularies, transfer protocols and aggregation protocols, and drive their wide adoption.

LC-HRMS screening procedure for the detection of 11 different classes of prohibited substances in dried urine spots for doping control purposes.

Dried urine spots have recently been proposed as an alternative matrix in the anti-doping field. Drying urine may open the opportunity to limit microbial and thermal degradation of the prohibited substances during transportation to the anti-doping laboratories without the need for refrigeration or freezing. In this study, a multi-targeted initial testing procedure was developed for the determination of 237 prohibited drugs/metabolites from 11 different classes in dried urine spots.

Perennial disaster patterns in Central Europe since 2000 and implications for hospital preparedness planning - a cross-sectional analysis.

The goal of this analysis is to describe seasonal disaster patterns in Central Europe in order to raise awareness and improve hospital disaster planning and resilience, particularly during peak events. Hospitals are essential pillars of a country's critical infrastructure, vital for sustaining healthcare services and supporting public well-being-a key issue of national security. Disaster planning for hospitals is crucial to ensure their functionality under special circumstances.

Analysis and prediction of condylar resorption following orthognathic surgery.

Condylar resorption is a feared complication of orthognathic surgery. This study investigated condylar resorption in a cohort of 200 patients This allowed for a powerful update on incidence and risk factors. 9.

Light-curing of restorative composite through milled and 3D-printed full-contour zirconia for adhesive luting.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of different zirconia compositions and manufacturing processes on the light irradiance (LI), to measure the degree of conversion (DC) of solely light-curing restorative composite underneath these zirconia grades and to evaluate the respective zirconia microstructures.

Methods: Six dental zirconia grades (GC HT, GC UHT [GC]; Katana HT, Katana UTML [Kuraray Noritake]; Lava Esthetic, Lava Plus [3 M Oral Care]) were cut and sintered per manufacturer instructions. One 3D-printed zirconia grade (XJet [XJET]) was prepared according to previous research.

Synaptoneurolipidomics: lipidomics in the study of synaptic function.

The brain is an exceptionally lipid-rich organ with a very complex lipid composition. Lipids are central in several neuronal processes, including membrane formation and fusion, myelin packing, and lipid-mediated signal transmission. Lipid diversity is associated with the evolution of higher cognitive abilities in primates, is affected by neuronal activity, and is instrumental for synaptic plasticity, illustrating that lipids are not static components of synaptic membranes.

Synaptic Vesicle glycoprotein 2A knockout in parvalbumin and somatostatin interneurons drives seizures in the postnatal mouse brain.

Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) is a presynaptic protein targeted by the antiseizure drug levetiracetam. One or more of the three SV2 genes is expressed in all neurons and is essential to normal neurotransmission. Loss of SV2A results in a seizure phenotype in mice and mutations in humans are also linked to congential seizures.

EDENT1FI Master Protocol for screening of presymptomatic early-stage type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents.

Introduction: The identification of type 1 diabetes at an early presymptomatic stage has clinical benefits. These include a reduced risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the clinical manifestation of the disease and a significant reduction in clinical symptoms. The European action for the Diagnosis of Early Non-clinical Type 1 diabetes For disease Interception (EDENT1FI) represents a pioneering effort to advance early detection of type 1 diabetes through public health screening.

Readiness of adults with type 1 diabetes and diabetes caregivers for diabetes distress monitoring using a voice-based digital health solution: insights from the PsyVoice mixed methods study.

Objectives: Diabetes distress can negatively affect the well-being of individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Voice-based (VB) technology can be used to develop inexpensive and ecological tools for managing diabetes distress. This study explored the competencies to engage with digital health services, needs and preferences of individuals with T1D or caring for a child with this condition regarding VB technology to inform the tailoring of a co-designed tool for supporting diabetes distress management.

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

External quality assessment (EQA) cycles are the smallest complete units within EQA programs that laboratories can use to obtain external assessments of their performance. In each cycle, several samples are distributed to the laboratories registered for participation, and ideally, EQA programs not only cover the examination procedures but also the pre- and post-examination procedures. The properties and concentration range of measurands in individual samples are selected with regard to the intended challenge for the participants so that each sample fulfils its purpose.

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

External quality assessment (EQA) enhances patient safety through the evaluation of the quality of laboratory-based and point of care testing. Regulatory agencies and accreditation organizations utilize the results and the laboratory's response to them as part of assessing the laboratory's fitness to practice. In addition, where EQA samples are commutable and the assigned value has been determined using reference measurement procedures (RMPs), EQA data contributes to the verification of metrological traceability of assays as part of the post-market surveillance of diagnostic (IVD) medical devices (IVD-MDs).

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

Providers of external quality assessment (EQA) programs evaluate data or information obtained and reported by participant laboratories using their routine procedures to examine properties or measurands in samples provided for this purpose. EQA samples must offer participants an equal chance to obtain accurate results, while being designed to provide results in clinically relevant ranges. It is the responsibility of the EQA provider to meet the necessary requirements for homogeneity, stability and some other properties of the EQA items in order to offer participants a fair, reliable and technically interesting EQA experience.

Synthesis and characterization of dextran palmitate for extrusion 3D printing.

The fabrication of objects with complex shape and geometry has been greatly facilitated with the advancements in additive manufacturing. While synthetic polymers like ABS and PLA have found widespread use in extrusion 3D printing, other biobased thermoplastics that are both biodegradable and biocompatible could offer strategic advantages over traditional synthetic materials. In this work dextran of low (20 kDa) and medium (40 kDa) molecular weight (MW) was modified with palmitic acid to obtain meltable polymers for extrusion 3D printing/fused deposition modeling additive manufacturing.

Longitudinal single-cell RNA sequencing reveals a heterogeneous response of plasma cells to colonic inflammation.

A comprehensive understanding of the dynamic changes in plasma cells (PCs) during inflammation remains elusive. In this study, we analyzed the distinct responses of PCs across different phases of inflammation in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis model. Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were treated with 2.

Identifying subgroups of individuals based on their epistemic stance, attachment dimensions and childhood trauma: A latent profile analysis.

Background: The present study examines the interplay between epistemic stance, attachment dimensions, and childhood trauma in relation to specific demographic factors and mental health outcomes. This study aims to understand how these factors form distinct profiles among individuals, to identify those at risk of mental health concerns.

Method: Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed on a dataset from the general population (n = 500) to identify subgroups of individuals based on their epistemic stance (mistrust and credulity), attachment dimensions, and childhood trauma.

Fluorescent Nanobodies for enhanced guidance in digestive tumors and liver metastasis surgery.

Background: Fluorescence molecular imaging, a potent and non-invasive technique, has become indispensable in medicine for visualizing molecular processes. In surgical oncology, it aids treatment by allowing visualization of tumor cells during fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS). Targeting the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), overexpressed during tissue remodeling and inflammation, holds promise for advancing FGS by specifically highlighting tumors.

Comparative analysis of long versus short co-incubation of gametes on post-insemination outcomes and embryo morphokinetics.

Research Question: Does a short co-incubation of gametes in conventional IVF affect post-insemination outcomes and embryo morphokinetics?

Design: Sibling oocyte randomized pilot study conducted between December 2020 and March 2023. Eligible couples (n = 55) were women aged 18-43 years with BMI 35 km/m or lower and male normal semen parameters. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) (six to 12) were randomized in a 1:1:2 proportion in long (16-18 h) or short (2 h) co-incubation IVF exposure and ICSI, respectively.

The association between perceived student gratitude and teacher family role performance: A moderated mediation model.

Objective: In recent years, numerous studies have highlighted the positive impact of student gratitude on individual development. However, a significant gap remains in the literature concerning how student gratitude influences teachers' family behavioral performance in their daily lives. This paper introduces Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory to examine the mediating effect of work-family enrichment on the relationship between student gratitude and teachers' family role performance, while also investigating whether intrinsic motivation moderates this relationship.

EN ISO 15189 revision: EFLM Committee Accreditation and ISO/CEN standards (C: A/ISO) analysis and general remarks on the changes.

The EN ISO 15189:2022 standard, titled "Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence," is a significant update to the regulations for medical laboratories. The revised standard was published on December 6, 2022, replacing both EN ISO 15189:2012 and EN ISO 22870:2016. Key objectives of the revision include: 1.

Prediction of Retention Indices in LC-HRMS for Enhanced Structural Identification of Organic Micropollutants in Water: Selectivity-Based Filtration.

Addressing the global challenge of ensuring access to safe drinking water, especially in developing countries, demands cost-effective, eco-friendly, and readily available technologies. The persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential of organic pollutants arising from various human activities pose substantial hurdles. While high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) is a widely utilized technique for identifying pollutants in water, the multitude of structures for a single elemental composition complicates structural identification.