Quantifying Plasmodium vivax radical cure efficacy: a modelling study integrating clinical trial data and transmission dynamics.

Background: Plasmodium vivax forms dormant liver stages (hypnozoites) that can reactivate weeks to months after primary infection. Radical cure requires a combination of antimalarial drugs to kill both the blood-stage and liver-stage parasites. Hypnozoiticidal efficacy of the liver-stage drugs primaquine and tafenoquine cannot be estimated directly because hypnozoites are undetectable.

Cervicovaginal microbiome and natural history of Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescents and young women.

This study investigated the cervicovaginal microbiome's (CVM's) impact on Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection among Black and Hispanic adolescent and young adult women. A total of 187 women with incident CT were matched to 373 controls, and the CVM was characterized before, during, and after CT infection. The findings highlight that a specific subtype of bacterial vaginosis (BV), identified from 16S rRNA gene reads using the molBV algorithm and community state type (CST) clustering, is a significant risk factor for CT acquisition.

The risk of reactivity against healthy tissues: Novel CARs demand testing for overlooked binding properties.

A rapidly growing number of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is being translated into cell therapy for malignant and autoimmune diseases. While cancer cell-selective CAR targeting is undergoing continuous refinement, specific testing for overlooked recognition of healthy tissues is commonly not performed, which potentially results in underestimating of the risk of severe tissue damage upon CAR T cell application. Using the FcμR/IgM receptor/FAIM3/TOSO-specific CAR, designed to target chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells, we exemplarily outline a screen to uncover reactivities to healthy tissues and discuss the value of such pre-clinical testing to improve safety in CAR T cell application.

Sensitive and specific LAMP and multiplex qRT-PCR assays for detection of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) pose significant challenges to clinical anti-infective treatment and has emerged as a major threat to global public health. In this study, we employed the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays with OTG (orange to green) visual dye and multiplex quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay to rapidly detect hvKP. We determined the detection limits of the LAMP methods for K.

Low maternal iodine intake and subsequent risk of pharmacologically treated hypertension: A population-based prospective cohort study.

Background & Aims: Iodine deficiency is linked to multiple adverse health outcomes, but there is scarce knowledge regarding iodine intake and development of chronic hypertension. We aimed to investigate the prospective association between habitual dietary iodine intake and pharmacologically treated hypertension in mothers up to 10 years after delivery.

Methods: The present study is based on data from an ongoing pregnancy cohort and includes 58,629 women without thyroid dysfunction and hypertension at baseline.

Effect of overweight and obesity on live birth rate in single euploid frozen embryo transfers.

Research Question: Does endometrial preparation using a natural cycle lead to higher live birth rates (LBR) in single euploid frozen embryo transfers (FET) compared with programmed cycles, for women who are normal weight, overweight and obese.

Design: Retrospective study of 845 single euploid FETs from 688 couples. Patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI) into normal weight, overweight and obesity class I/II categories.

Construction of a stromal-related prognostic model in acute myeloid leukemia by comprehensive bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Stromal cells play a pivotal role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), significantly impacting the progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study sought to develop a stromal-related prognostic model for AML, aiming to uncover novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.

Methods: RNA expression data and clinical profiles of AML patients were retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Identifying potential prognosis markers in relapsed multiple myeloma via integrated bioinformatics analysis and biological experiments.

Background: Almost all multiple myeloma (MM) patients will eventually develop disease that has relapsed with or become refractory to current therapeutic regimes. However, the pervious clinical parameters have been proved inaccurate for defining MM relapse, and molecular targets have become the focuses of interests. Prognostic predictions based on molecular targets have been more effective to this day.

Circulating tumour DNA in predicting and monitoring survival of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing multimodal treatment: long-term results from a prospective multicenter study.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is the standard for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). However, distant metastasis remains the primary cause of treatment failure. Early identification of high-risk individuals for personalized treatment may offer a solution.

Imported seafood is a reservoir of Enterobacteriaceae carrying CTX-M-encoding genes of high clinical relevance.

We determined the frequency, genotypes, phenotypes, and mobility of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-encoding genes in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from retail seafood products. Overall, 288 samples of fresh shrimps, catfish and seabass imported from Asia were collected from three supermarket chains in the UK (96 each). After enrichment in MacConkey broth supplemented with cefotaxime, total DNA was screened for the presence of CTX-M, SHV and TEM by real-time PCR.

Quantification of heavy metal exposure in a British population cohort links total mercury levels in plasma with skin tissue-specific changes in mitochondrial-related gene expression.

Heavy metals in our direct environment have profound effects on human health and while some are essential for life, others can be toxic. In vivo studies often focus on clinical features caused by overexposure to, or by deprivation of a heavy metal. However, to understand the cellular impact of heavy metals on health, studies in healthy volunteers before symptom onset are needed.

Tire rubber-derived contaminants 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone reduce attachment and outgrowth of trophoblast spheroids onto endometrial epithelial cells.

N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD), a synthetic additive widely used in the rubber industry, and its oxidized product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ), have garnered widespread attention as an emerging hazardous chemicals owing to their potential detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystem and human health. The effects of 6PPD and 6PPDq on the female reproductive tract, especially embryo implantation, remain unknown and were investigated in this study. We used the spheroid attachment and outgrowth models of BeWo trophoblastic spheroids and Ishikawa cells as surrogates for the human blastocyst and endometrial epithelium, respectively.

Cardiotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and associated mechanism of myocardial cell injury in mice.

Aims: Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging organic pollutants generated by plastic degradation and are ubiquitous in the environment. They can be accumulated through the food webs and enter the human body through dietary intake, posing health risks. The main target organs of NP accumulation are the lungs, liver, heart, and kidneys.

Evaluation of a next generation sequencing assay for Hepatitis B antiviral drug resistance on the oxford nanopore system.

Background: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) antiviral resistance (AVR) testing is a highly sensitive diagnostic method, able to detect low-level mutant subpopulations. Our clinical virology laboratory previously transitioned from DNA hybridization (INNO-LiPA) to NGS, initially with the GS Junior System and subsequently the MiSeq. The Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) sequencing system was evaluated for HBV resistance testing, with regards to sequencing accuracy and turn-around time.

Impact of COVID-19 on testing, positive cases, patient characteristics, and hospital contacts for respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and pneumococcus in Danish children.

Background: Respiratory infections substantially impact pediatric health. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced widespread non-pharmaceutical interventions, which influenced the incidence of common respiratory infections. This comprehensive study investigates the impact of these interventions on the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and invasive pneumococcal disease in Danish children.

A predictive model of cognitive impairment risk in older adults with hypertension.

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in the world, impacting global life expectancy and associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a nomogram that accurately predicts the risk of cognitive impairment in hypertensive patients using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES).

Methods: A total of 1517 hypertensive patients from NHANES 2011-2014 were included in this study.

NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (rs10754558) gene polymorphism in chronic spontaneous urticaria: A pilot case-control study.

Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a persistent skin condition with no known cause or trigger. The unpredictability of CSU attacks lowers patients' quality of life. NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) gene dysregulation can result in numerous immunological and inflammatory diseases.

Efficacy and safety of olive leaf extract (Olea europaea L.) for glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (ESOLED): A pilot randomised controlled trial.

Background: Maintaining optimum glycaemic control is essential to reducing comorbidity and mortality in diabetes. However, research indicates that <50 % of patients achieve their target HbA1c ranges. Laboratory studies suggest that olive leaf extract (OLE) may improve glycaemic control, however clinical studies in persons with diabetes are lacking.

Inhibition of emotional faces in clinical and subclinical depression.

Impaired inhibition of emotional material is an important cognitive component of depression. The current aim was to determine if participants with major depression (MDD) and/or subclinical depression (dysphoria) exhibit impaired inhibition of sad faces on a face-word variant of the Stroop task. Study 1: patients with MDD (n = 28) and healthy controls (n = 32) were presented with positive and negative words superimposed across happy, sad, and neutral faces.

Long-term effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on social functioning and health care outcomes.

Introduction: Research on the long-term effects of treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on educational and social outcomes is limited. This study aims to evaluate long-term social functioning outcomes in patients with ADHD and the potential effects of pharmacological treatment for ADHD.

Methods: We used National Patient Registry data from 1995 to 2016 to identify patients diagnosed with ADHD and those collecting ADHD medication.

EEG microstate analysis and machine learning classification in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Background: Microstate characterization of electroencephalogram (EEG) is a data-driven approach to explore the functional changes and interrelationships of multiple brain networks on a millisecond scale. This study aimed to explore the pathological changes of whole-brain functional networks in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) through microstate analysis and further to explore its potential value as an auxiliary diagnostic index.

Methods: Forty-eight OCD patients (33 with more than moderate anxiety symptoms, 15 with mild anxiety symptoms) and 52 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited.

YAP promotes fibrosis by regulating macrophage to myofibroblast transdifferentiation and M2 polarization in chronic pancreatitis.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a clinical entity characterized by progressive inflammation and irreversible fibrosis of the pancreas, which ultimately leads to exocrine and/or endocrine insufficiency as well as an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Currently, there are no specific or effective approved therapies for CP. Herein, we show that macrophage to myofibroblast transdifferentiation (MMT) and M2 macrophage polarization are associated with both human CP and CP experimental mouse models.

Urological injuries complicating pregnancy-related hysterectomy: Analysis of risk factors and proposal to improve the quality of care.

Purpose: While strategies aimed at preventing urological injuries complicating hysterectomy for gynaecological indications and placenta accreta surgery have been proposed, a comprehensive model for pregnancy-related hysterectomy (PRH) is lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for urological complications of obstetric hysterectomy, and to propose strategies to improve the quality of care.

Methods: This retrospective study of patients undergoing PRH was conducted in an academic centre between 2009 and 2022.

Thymol inhibits ergosterol biosynthesis in Nakaseomyces glabratus, but differently from azole antifungals.

Introduction: Nakaseomyces glabratus is considered a high priority of attention according to WHO, and also is an important yeast species due to its high rate of intrinsic/acquired resistance against fluconazole. This study aimed at the possible mechanisms of action of thymol, as the promising new antifungal agent, in N. glabratus.

Gold nanoparticles "AuNPs" -mediated amelioration of experimentally toxic-induced cerebellar syndrome: Insights into cytomolecular and immuno-histochemical modifications, with a focus on CREB/ Tau modulation.

Toxic-induced cerebellar syndrome (TOICS) poses substantial neurological challenges, given its diverse causes and complex manifestations. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have gained significant attention owing to enhanced biocompatibility for therapeutic interventions. We aimed to investigate the impacts of AuNPs on cerebellar cytomolecular, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural alterations in the context of phenytoin-experimentally induced TOICS.