Temporal trends in biosecurity in Irish pig herds using a standardized scoring system.

Background: Biosecurity measures are crucial to the introduction and spread of pathogens both within and between farms. External biosecurity focuses on preventing pathogens from entering or leaving the farm, while internal biosecurity aims to limit or stop the spread of pathogens within the farm. Implementing biosecurity measures not only protects animals from disease but also has positive effects on productivity, welfare and farm profitability.

Physician wellbeing in a national rehabilitation hospital, a qualitative study utilizing Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a framework for analysis.

Background: Globally, healthcare systems are experiencing a workforce crisis which has been exacerbated by the COVID19 pandemic. Numerous reports have documented the deterioration of healthcare professional wellbeing with burnout being called the new pandemic. Rehabilitation Medicine Physicians are among the most likely specialties to experience burnout.

Emergence and polyclonal dissemination of NDM-5/OXA-181 carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli in the French Indian Ocean territories.

Aim: Located in the Southwest Indian Ocean area (SIOA), the two French overseas territories (FOTs) of Reunion and Mayotte islands are heavily impacted by antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate all cases of NDM-5 and OXA-181 carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli (CPEc) in these two FOTs between 2015 and 2020, to better understand the regional spread of these last-line treatment resistant bacteria.

Methods: All E.

Phenotypic outcomes of PKD1 compared with non-PKD1 genetically confirmed autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) represents the most common monogenic cause of kidney failure. While identifying genetic variants predicts disease progression, characterization of recently described ADPKD-like variants is limited. We explored disease progression and genetic spectrum of genetically-confirmed ADPKD families with PKD1 and non-PKD1 variants.

Hallmark discoveries in the biology of non-Wilms tumour childhood kidney cancers.

Approximately 20% of paediatric and adolescent/young adult patients with renal tumours are diagnosed with non-Wilms tumour, a broad heterogeneous group of tumours that includes clear-cell sarcoma of the kidney, congenital mesoblastic nephroma, malignant rhabdoid tumour of the kidney, renal-cell carcinoma, renal medullary carcinoma and other rare histologies. The differential diagnosis of these tumours dates back many decades, when these pathologies were identified initially through clinicopathological observation of entities with outcomes that diverged from Wilms tumour, corroborated with immunohistochemistry and molecular cytogenetics and, subsequently, through next-generation sequencing. These advances enabled near-definitive recognition of different tumours and risk stratification of patients.

An evaporite sequence from ancient brine recorded in Bennu samples.

Evaporation or freezing of water-rich fluids with dilute concentrations of dissolved salts can produce brines, as observed in closed basins on Earth and detected by remote sensing on icy bodies in the outer Solar System. The mineralogical evolution of these brines is well understood in regard to terrestrial environments, but poorly constrained for extraterrestrial systems owing to a lack of direct sampling. Here we report the occurrence of salt minerals in samples of the asteroid (101955) Bennu returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission.

Chemical- and photo-activation of protein-protein thiol-ene coupling for protein profiling.

The thiol-ene reaction between an alkene and a thiol can be exploited for selective labelling of cysteine residues in protein profiling applications. Here, we explore thiol-ene activation in systems from chemical models to complex cellular milieus, using UV, visible wavelength and redox initiators. Initial studies in chemical models required an oxygen-free environment for efficient coupling and showed very poor activation when using a redox initiator.

Structure and mechanism of vitamin-K-dependent γ-glutamyl carboxylase.

γ-Glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) is the sole identified enzyme that uses vitamin K (VK) as a cofactor in humans. This protein catalyses the oxidation of VK hydroquinone to convert specific glutamate residues to γ-carboxyglutamate residues in VK-dependent proteins (VDPs), which are involved in various essential biological processes and diseases. However, the working mechanism of GGCX remains unclear.

Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance.

Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Bats have been suggested to harbour more zoonotic viruses than any other mammalian order. Infections in bats are largely asymptomatic, indicating limited tissue-damaging inflammation and immunopathology.

Advances in systematic conservation planning to meet global biodiversity goals.

Systematic conservation planning (SCP) involves the cost-effective placement and application of management actions to achieve biodiversity conservation objectives. Given the political momentum for greater global nature protection, restoration, and improved management of natural resources articulated in the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, assessing the state-of-the-art of SCP is timely. Recent advances in SCP include faster and more exact algorithms and software, inclusion of ecosystem services and multiple facets of biodiversity (e.

Change in subjective well-being and the associated costs of a woman-targeted presbyopia correction programme among older craftswomen in Zanzibar: a cost-outcome and scenario analysis.

Background: A pilot eyecare programme aimed to address the urgent eye health needs of older Zanzibari craftswomen. We investigated the impact of correcting presbyopia on their subjective well-being (SWB) 6 months post-correction and assessed the cost-effectiveness of a women-targeted presbyopia correction programme.

Methods: This study involved Zanzibari craftswomen aged 40 and older with presenting and corrected distance visual acuity better than 6/12 in both eyes and were presbyopic.

Cardioembolic stroke caused by atrial myxoma.

A woman in her early 60s presented with multiple transient neurological symptoms over the course of 20 months, including transient loss of power to her right lower limb. Initial workup with CT brain scan, carotid dopplers and ECG revealed no abnormality; however, MRI of the brain suggested recent ischaemic events in separate cortical territories. Subsequent transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed a large mobile mass histologically confirmed to be an atrial myxoma.

Rehabilitation using virtual gaming for Hospital and hOMe-Based training for the Upper limb in acute and subacute Stroke (RHOMBUS II): results of a feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the safety, feasibility and acceptability of the Neurofenix platform for upper-limb rehabilitation in acute and subacute stroke.

Design: A feasibility randomised controlled trial with a parallel process evaluation.

Setting: Acute Stroke Unit and participants' homes (London, UK).

Widening access to isotretinoin in primary care: an evaluation of New Zealand national dispensing data for isotretinoin for acne, 2008-2023.

Objectives: To identify what changes in the prescribing of isotretinoin have occurred since funded prescriber access was widened in 2009 from 'dermatologist only' prescribing to include 'general practitioners (GPs) and nurse practitioners working within their scope of practice'.

Design: Evaluation of isotretinoin dispensing data from 2008 to 2023 using the national annual prescribing data obtained from the New Zealand Pharmaceutical National Collection database.

Setting: All New Zealand citizens prescribed and dispensed funded isotretinoin for acne from 2008 to 2023 were included.

A Comparison of International Modelling Methods to Evaluate Health Economics of Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is an accepted approach to evaluate cancer screening programmes. CEA estimates partially depend on modelling methods and assumptions used. Understanding common practice when modelling cancer relies on complete, accessible descriptions of prior work.

Agreement between Color, Fluorescein Angiography, and SD-OCT in the Detection of Macular Fibrosis in Neovascular AMD.

Purpose: Color imaging is the accepted reference standard for detection of macular fibrosis in neovascular age-macular degeneration. Other imaging modalities of fluorescein angiography (FA) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) are also used but no formal agreement studies exist. We evaluated the agreement between fibrosis on colour, FA and SD-OCT-detected hyperreflective material (HRM) and their clinical relevance.

Clinician-reported Gloucester Comfort Scale scores underestimate patient discomfort and pain during colonoscopy: insights from comparison with a patient-reported experience measure.

Background: Patient experience is a fundamental element of colonoscopy. The Gloucester Comfort Scale (GCS) is used by clinicians to report patient comfort. However, insights regarding the extent to which clinician-reported GCS scores represent the patient's experience are lacking.

Writing for publication: The basics.

Problem: Writing for publication can be a challenging experience. Whilst midwives develop writing skills through their university education, writing a journal article can be quite different.

Purpose: To explain some basic skills of scientific writing when preparing a paper for publication to support midwives in engaging in scientific writing.

Maternity care pathway and involvement in decision making: A mixed-methods study of women's experiences in Ireland.

Background: In Ireland, maternity care is provided through a mixture of public and private services, with type of maternity care offered varying according to availability, clinical need and geographic location.

Aim: To explore women's perceived involvement in decisions about care depending on the maternity care pathway received.

Methods: Mixed-methods secondary analysis of data from the Irish National Maternity Experience Survey 2020.

LEANBH study: Device satisfaction study for the use of a novel connected home blood pressure system in pregnancy; a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate patients' perspectives on using the LEANBH app (home Blood Pressure BP monitoring system) and the Microlife Watch BP home monitor in a tertiary maternity hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study Design: 134 Participants were asked to complete an anonymous usability questionnaire on their experience of LEANBH and the Microlife Watch. The questionnaire consisted of 5 background demographics, 9 items from the system usability scale (SUS), 14 items on the usability of the LEANBH app, and 6 on the acceptability of Microlife.

Biomechanical Principles of Spinal Deformity Correction in the Thoracolumbar Spine.

Thoracolumbar spinal deformities are a pervasive condition affecting the adolescent and adult patient population. These deformities represent three-dimensional alterations in the coronal, sagittal, and transverse planes with implication on the local, regional, and global alignment. With continued studies, the importance of the overall correction on long-term outcomes has been established.