The evolution of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis in Uganda from 2010 to 2022.

Given extensive improvements in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) over the past 12 years, the HIV and cryptococcal meningitis landscapes have dramatically changed since 2010. We sought to evaluate changes in clinical presentation and clinical outcomes of people presenting with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis between 2010 and 2022 in Uganda. We analyzed three prospective cohorts of HIV-infected Ugandans with cryptococcal meningitis during 2010-2012, 2013-2017, and 2018-2022.

"Control of industrially relevant microbial isolates by antimicrobial agents: implications for sugar factories.".

Microbial isolates from sugar crop processing facilities were tested for sensitivity to several industrial antimicrobial agents to determine optimal dosing. Hydritreat 2216 showed broad spectrum activity against all bacterial isolates as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sodium hypochlorite showed broad spectrum activity against all isolates, but at much higher effective concentrations.

Prevalence and risk factors of myopic macular degeneration: the Aier-SERI high myopia adult cohort.

Purpose: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of myopic macular degeneration (MMD) in young and middle-aged individuals with high myopia in Changsha, central China.

Methods: A total of 445 adults with high myopia (worse than or equal to -5.0 D) were examined between 2021 and 2023.

Treatment of e-cigarette use among hospitalised adolescents and young adults: a protocol for intervention development and evaluation of preliminary efficacy and implementation outcomes in a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Hospitalisation represents an opportunity to identify and treat e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). Knowledge on how to provide this care is lacking. We aim to fill this gap by developing an e-cigarette use intervention and evaluating preliminary efficacy and implementation outcomes among hospitalised AYAs.

Does semaglutide reduce alcohol intake in Danish patients with alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity? Trial protocol of a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial (the SEMALCO trial).

Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a massive burden for the individual, relatives and society. Despite this, the treatment gap is wide compared with other mental health disorders. Treatment options are sparse, with only three Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmacotherapies.

Study protocol for an international registry observational study evaluating clinical outcomes of transcatheter versus standard surgical mitral valve operation for secondary mitral regurgitation: the TEERMISO study.

Background: Secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) is a condition affecting the left ventricle (LV) rather than the mitral valve (MV). If the MV remains structurally unchanged, enlargement of the LV or impairment of the papillary muscles can occur. Several mechanical interventions are available to dictate the resolution of MR.

Harmonization of alcohol use data and mortality across a multi-national HIV cohort collaboration.

Background: Alcohol use is measured in diverse ways across settings. Harmonization of measures is necessary to assess effects of alcohol use in multi-cohort collaborations, such as studies of people with HIV (PWH).

Methods: Data were combined from 14 HIV cohort studies (nine European, five North American) participating in the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration.

Pregnenolone effects on parasympathetic response to stress and alcohol cue provocation in treatment-seeking individuals with alcohol use disorder.

Background: Chronic alcohol consumption in alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with autonomic nervous system dysregulation, increasing cardiovascular risk, and high alcohol cravings. Heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic nervous system responsiveness to stressors, may mediate alcohol's impact on the cardiovascular system. While pregnenolone (PREG) has been shown to normalize heart rate and blood pressure in individuals with AUD, its effects on sympathetic and parasympathetic components of HRV and related alcohol craving are not known.

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer: updates and best practices for multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) image analysis and data sharing.

Objectives: Multiplex immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence (mIHC/IF) are emerging technologies that can be used to help define complex immunophenotypes in tissue, quantify immune cell subsets, and assess the spatial arrangement of marker expression. mIHC/IF assays require concerted efforts to optimize and validate the multiplex staining protocols prior to their application on slides. The best practice guidelines for staining and validation of mIHC/IF assays across platforms were previously published by this task force.

Delayed Gastric Emptying Correlates With Decreased Post-prandial Motility in Children: A Single-center Retrospective Review.

Background/aims: Pediatric patients with suspected gastroparesis often undergo antroduodenal manometry (ADM) and gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) for diagnostic purposes. However, it is unknown if delayed gastric emptying (DGE) correlates with manometric findings. This study evaluates whether ADM parameters differ between normal and abnormal GES in pediatric patients.

The Esophageal Response to Distension on Functional Lumen Imaging Probe Panometry Is Minimally Changed by Conscious Sedation in Healthy Asymptomatic Subjects.

Background/aims: Functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) Panometry has demonstrated utility in the assessment of esophageal motility as a complement to existing methodologies like high-resolution manometry. However, as FLIP is typically performed with sedation during routine endoscopy, there is potential for impact of sedation agents on esophageal motility. We aim to examine the effects of conscious sedation with midazolam and fentanyl on FLIP Panometry metrics and classification.

Optimizing Assessment of Contraction Reserve in Ineffective Esophageal Motility: A Study of Upright Multiple Rapid Swallows.

Background/aims: Multiple rapid swallows (MRS) is a provocative test during high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) to evaluate contraction reserve (CR). This study aims to determine the prevalence of CR in patients with ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) and MRS performed in the upright position, and to assess the ideal number of MRS sequences.

Methods: We enrolled adult patients diagnosed with IEM according to the Chicago classification version 4.

Efficacy of Amitriptyline in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background/aims: Amitriptyline is prescribed off-label for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We conducted a meta-analysis to assess its efficacy.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted until November 10, 2023, using MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to study the efficacy of amitriptyline in patients with IBS.

Surgical and Therapeutic Interventions for Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction: A Scoping Review.

Background/aims: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a rare cause of intestinal dysmotility. First-line treatment in adult patients is medical and nutritional therapy. For patients who fail these treatment options, surgical interventions may be an option.

Primer on Health Equity Research in Health Economics and Outcomes Research: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report.

Objectives: Disparities in health and healthcare between more and less socially advantaged groups are pervasive, multidimensional, and far-reaching. The material and social conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age are systematically associated with their health and with the volume, quality, and outcomes of care received by the vast majority of the general population, as well as by specific marginalized populations. The field of health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) has an important role in supporting health equity goals.

Association of Systemic Thromboxane Generation With Risk of Developing Heart Failure.

Background: Systemic thromboxane A generation, which is readily assessed by quantifying thromboxane B metabolites (TXB-M) in the urine, is associated with impaired cardiac performance and mortality in aspirin (ASA) users with heart failure (HF).

Objectives: This study sought to determine the association of urinary TXB-M with the risk of developing HF in individuals without prior history of HF and with normal left ventricular function irrespective of ASA use.

Methods: Urine TXB-M were measured by immunoassay and adjusted to urine concentration and renal function (TXB-M) in 2,611 Framingham Heart Study participants (54.

Optimal Strategy for Complete Revascularization in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Multivessel Disease: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel coronary artery disease, most but not all randomized trials have reported that complete revascularization (CR) offers advantages over culprit vessel-only revascularization. In addition, the optimal timing and assessment methods for CR remain undetermined.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal revascularization strategy in patients with STEMI and multivessel disease, using a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Quantitative Assessment of Deep Gray Matter Susceptibility and Correlation With Cognition in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

Background And Objectives: Accumulation of metals quantified by quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) in deep gray matter (DGM) and their impact on cognition have not been studied in patients with liver cirrhosis. This study aims to use QSM to investigate the association between DGM susceptibility and cognition in cirrhotic patients.

Methods: Thirty cirrhotic patients and 30 age-, gender-, and education-matched controls were imaged using a multiecho gradient-echo sequence for QSM analysis in a 3T scanner.

Inequalities in colorectal cancer diagnosis by ethnic group: a population-level study in the English National Health Service.

Objective: Studies in the USA examining the relationship between ethnicity and colorectal cancer (CRC) identified significant variation. This study sought to examine the relationship between ethnic group, route to diagnosis, early-onset CRC and stage at diagnosis in the English National Health Service.

Methods: Data from COloRECTal cancer data Repository for all individuals diagnosed with CRC (International Classification of Diseases version 10, C18-C20) between 2012 and 2017.

Cardiovascular events observed among patients in the etrasimod clinical programme: an integrated safety analysis of patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.

Objective: Etrasimod is an oral, once-daily, selective sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC). S1P receptor expression on cardiac cells is involved in cardiac conduction. We report cardiovascular treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) associated with S1P receptor modulators and other cardiovascular events in the etrasimod UC clinical programme.

Management of alcohol withdrawal syndromes in general hospital settings.

The covid-19 pandemic was associated with an unprecedented increase in alcohol consumption and associated morbidity, including hospitalizations for alcohol withdrawal. Clinicians based in hospitals must be ready to identify, assess, risk-stratify, and treat alcohol withdrawal with evidence based interventions. In this clinically focused review, we outline the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, screening, assessment, and treatment of alcohol withdrawal in the general hospital population.