Genomic evaluation of phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility patterns as a surrogate for MRSA relatedness and putative transmission during outbreak investigations.

Antibiograms have been used during outbreak investigations for decades as a surrogate for genetic relatedness of Methicillin-resistant (MRSA). In this study, we evaluate the accuracy of antibiograms in detecting transmission, using genomic epidemiology as the reference standard. We analysed epidemiological and genomic data from 1,465 patients and 1,465 MRSA isolates collected at a single clinical microbiology laboratory in the United Kingdom over a one-year period.

Estimated breeding values of dairy sires for cow colostrum and transfer of passive immunity traits.

The objective of this study was to derive the estimated breeding values (EBVs) of Holstein sires for colostrum and passive transfer of immunity traits to (1) estimate the genetic association between these new traits and established production, conformation, and function, and (2) explore whether sires can be classified in specific profiles regarding the new traits. For cow colostrum traits, the study included 699 daughters of 67 sires from 6 commercial dairy herds. The number of daughters per sire ranged from 5 to 49.

Putting one health to the test: Operational challenges and critical reflections from the global South.

One Health as a policy framework to tackle zoonoses has gained wide-ranging validation with multiple international organizations throwing their collective might behind it. Such endorsement has convinced several governments to adopt One Health as a national strategy to address zoonoses. Although some argue that One Health is so many things that there are in fact multiple 'One Healths', others find that most international policy documents that use the One Health framing contain certain key recommendations, with intersectoral coordination and disease surveillance prominent among them.

Experiences of south Asian key workers in COVID-19 lockdowns in the United Kingdom.

Background: This study aims to explore the experiences, challenges, and support given to South Asian Key Workers (food and necessary goods, Transport (delivery and taxi drivers,) working in the United Kingdom in times of the COVID-19 lockdowns between March 2020 to March 2021. The qualitative study aims to explore the experiences, challenges, and financial support given to South Asian Key Workers working in the United Kingdom in times of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Methods: A phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of key workers during the COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK.

Epidemiological, economic and humanistic burden of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Europe: A systematic literature review.

Introduction: High-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a premalignant lesion of the cervix caused by persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which can lead to cervical cancer. Despite ongoing primary prevention efforts, considerable burden of illness remains. This study assessed the epidemiological, economic, and humanistic burden associated with high-grade CIN among adult women in Europe.

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation for Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) has emerged as a novel noninvasive adjunct therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), yet no quantitative analysis had been conducted to assess its therapeutic effect.

Objectives: This review aimed to investigate the efficacy of tVNS on motor function, other potential clinical targets and its safety in various treatment conditions.

Methods: We searched six databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that involved treating PD patients with tVNS.

Goal attainment, medication adherence and guideline adherence in the treatment of hypertension and dyslipidemia in Irish populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The appropriate treatment high blood pressure (BP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.(LDL-C), according to clinical guidelines, reduces a patient's risk of a cardiovascular event.

Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the attainment of BP and LDL-C goals among the Irish population in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the level of adherence to prescribing guidelines by doctors and the level of medication adherence among patients.

The burden of group A (GAS) infections: The challenge continues in the twenty-first century.

is a Gram-positive bacterium, also known as Group A (GAS), that has become a significant threat to the healthcare system, infecting more than 18 million people and resulting in more than 500,000 deaths annually worldwide. GAS infection rates decreased gradually during the 20th century in Western countries, largely due to improved living conditions and access to antibiotics. However, post-COVID-19, the situation has led to a steep increase in GAS infection rates in Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, which triggers a global concern.

Assessing river discharge dynamics through relative surface water extent changes in river basins.

Surface water in rivers is vital for human society. However, our current understanding of the dynamics and drivers of river flows relies predominantly on stream gauging data, which are limited in spatial coverage and involve significant costs. Remote sensing techniques have emerged as complementary tools for monitoring river discharge, but these satellite-based methods often require complex data processing.

A faunal inventory of methane seeps on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica.

The methane seeps on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica support extensive animal diversity and offer insights into deep-sea biogeography. During five expeditions between 2009 and 2019, we conducted intensive faunal sampling via 63 submersible dives to 11 localities at depths of 300-3600 m. Based on these expeditions and published literature, we compiled voucher specimens, images, and 274 newly published DNA sequences to present a taxonomic inventory of macrofaunal and megafaunal diversity with a focus on invertebrates.

Estrogen-mediated modulation of sterile inflammatory markers and baroreflex sensitivity in ovariectomized female Wistar rats.

Objective: This study aims to explore the role of estrogen in providing cardioprotective benefits to premenopausal women, examining how hormonal differences between sexes influence the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in women.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen female Wistar rats were equally distributed into three treatment groups. Animals in Group I (sham-operated) and Group II (ovariectomized [OVX]) received oral saline solution at a dose of 2 mL/kg.

Vascularised Composite Allotransplantation - A guide to optimal dissemination of scientific outputs.

Purpose: The impact of academic research is not just important within the clinical domain but within society as a whole. Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) offers a means of assessing how scholarly outputs are interacted with online. Vascularised Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) is a modern but rapidly evolving topic which encompasses a broad range of complex and clinically significant surgical interventions.

Application value of different imaging methods in the early diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma: a network meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of ultrasound, multi-phase enhanced computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging of small hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: Experimental studies on diagnosing small hepatocellular carcinoma in four databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase, were comprehensively searched from October 2007 to October 2024. Relevant diagnostic accuracy data were extracted and a Bayesian model that combined direct and indirect evidence was used for analysis.

Assessing and Managing Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Fracture Risk in England: A Survey of Medical Professionals.

Purpose: To describe diagnostic approaches and management strategies for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and recent fracture in England.

Methods: We developed a survey based on a patient at high fracture risk and a new diagnosis of probable PHPT. The survey was circulated among 50 secondary care professionals identified by the Society for Endocrinology Calcium and Bone special interest group.

Allograft Use in Hand Surgery - 'Off the Shelf' Tendon Reconstruction: A Scoping Review.

Tendon grafting is standard for treating tendon defects. Allografts are popular in cruciate ligament reconstruction but not yet in upper limb tendon reconstruction. A scoping review was conducted to map the existing practice of allograft use in hand surgery for tendon reconstruction and identify gaps in knowledge for future research.

The experience of adults with cystic fibrosis using long-term domiciliary non-invasive ventilation.

The use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with advanced cystic fibrosis (CF) has increased in recent years. Research evidence supports its clinical benefits, but less is known about the patients' experience of its long-term use in a domiciliary setting. To investigate patients' lived experience of using long-term domiciliary NIV.

Mechanistic models of humoral kinetics following COVID-19 vaccination.

COVID-19 vaccine programmes must account for variable immune responses and waning protection. Existing descriptions of antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccination convey limited information about the mechanisms of antibody production and maintenance. We describe antibody dynamics after COVID-19 vaccination with two biologically motivated mathematical models.

Biomechanics of soft biological tissues and organs, mechanobiology, homeostasis and modelling.

The human body consists of many different soft biological tissues that exhibit diverse microstructures and functions and experience diverse loading conditions. Yet, under many conditions, the mechanical behaviour of these tissues can be described well with similar nonlinearly elastic or inelastic constitutive relations, both in health and some diseases. Such constitutive relations are essential for performing nonlinear stress analyses, which in turn are critical for understanding physiology, pathophysiology and even clinical interventions, including surgery.

Lingual Artery Identification for Ligation in Neck Dissection and Transoral Surgery for Oropharyngeal Tumors.

Objectives: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and transoral laser microsurgery (TOLM) plus neck dissection are viable alternatives to radiotherapy as a treatment modality in select cases of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Many centers advocate for elective ligation of the feeding arteries at index neck dissection prior to TORS/TOLM to mitigate the risk of catastrophic perioperative hemorrhage. Although there are multiple cadaveric studies in the literature to identify the lingual artery at multiple points throughout its course, there are no studies on the intraoperative identification of the lingual artery for elective ligation prior to TORS/TOLM.

Active control over exploration improves memory in toddlers.

Across two experiments, we implemented a novel gaze-contingent eye-tracking paradigm to investigate the early emergence of memory benefits from active control over exploration and to examine how exploratory behaviours affect memory formation in early development. Toddlers (experiment 1: = 36, 18-36 months; experiment 2: = 41, 23-36 months) were either allowed to actively control their exploration (active condition) or presented with the same information that they could only passively observe (passive condition in experiment 1; yoked condition in experiment 2). They were then tested in a preferential-looking paradigm in which familiar versus novel stimuli were presented in pairs.

The perceptual effects of signal components: black sword margins are crucial for signal size discrimination in green swordtails .

The signals that mediate mate choice can be complex, comprising multiple components, and understanding how complex signals evolve under sexual selection has been the focus of much study. However, open questions still remain about the role of the female's sensory and perceptual processes in shaping the evolution of complex signals. Male green swordtails have an elongated caudal fin that comprises colour, length and a black melanic margin; females prefer males with larger bodies, longer swords and complete black sword margins.