The impact of vaccination on the length of stay of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Brazil.

Background: The length of hospital stays for severe COVID-19 cases significantly impacts the overall burden on the health system. Current COVID-19 vaccines have proven effective at reducing severe cases. However, the influence of vaccination status on the progression of COVID-19 after hospitalization is not well understood.

Molecular basis of conjugation-mediated DNA transfer by gram-negative bacteria.

Bacterial conjugation is the unidirectional transfer of DNA (often plasmids, but also other mobile genetic elements, or even entire genomes), from a donor cell to a recipient cell. In Gram-negative bacteria, it requires the formation of three complexes in the donor cell: i-a large, double-membrane-embedded transport machinery called the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS), ii-a long extracellular tube, the conjugative pilus, and iii-a DNA-processing machinery termed the relaxosome. While knowledge has expanded regarding molecular events in the donor cell, very little is known about the machinery involved in DNA transfer into the recipient cell.

A robust auto-contouring and data augmentation pipeline for adaptive MRI-guided radiotherapy of pancreatic cancer with a limited dataset.

This study aims to develop and evaluate a fast and robust deep learningbased auto-segmentation approach for organs at risk in MRI-guided radiotherapy of pancreatic cancer to overcome the problems of time-intensive manual contouring in online adaptive workflows. The research focuses on implementing novel data augmentation techniques to address the challenges posed by limited datasets. Approach: This study was conducted in two phases.

Factors Influencing Success in Endoscopic Treatment of Grade 4-5 Primary Vesicoureteric Reflux (VUR) in Infancy and Childhood.

Introduction: There is equipoise among pediatric urologists regarding endoscopic versus surgical intervention for symptomatic Grade 4-5 Vesicoureteric Reflux (VUR), particularly in infancy. Our aim was to assess outcomes of first-line endoscopic treatment in all cases of symptomatic Grade 4-5 VUR and we hypothesised that using endoscopic Dx/HA as first line management for primary VUR would obviate the need for ureteric reimplantation in the majority of cases.

Methods: Retrospective single-surgeon analysis of consecutive patients with primary Grade 4-5 VUR over 15 years.

Comparing approaches for predicting behavioural speech-in-noise performance using cortical responses to unattended stimuli.

The cortical tracking of the acoustic envelope is a phenomenon where the brain's electrical activity, as recorded by electroencephalography (EEG) signals, fluctuates in accordance with changes in stimulus intensity (the acoustic envelope of the stimulus). Understanding speech in a noisy background is a key challenge for people with hearing impairments. Speech stimuli are therefore more ecologically valid than clicks, tone pips, or speech tokens (e.

Prognostic value of manual versus automatic methods for assessing extents of resection and residual tumor volume in glioblastoma.

Objective: The extent of resection (EOR) and postoperative residual tumor (RT) volume are prognostic factors in glioblastoma. Calculations of EOR and RT rely on accurate tumor segmentations. Raidionics is an open-access software that enables automatic segmentation of preoperative and early postoperative glioblastoma using pretrained deep learning models.

Intersection between individual, household, environmental and system level factors in defining risk and resilience for children in Kenya's ASAL: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Children growing up in arid and semi-arid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face heightened risks, often resulting in poor developmental outcomes. In Kenya, the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) exhibit the lowest health and developmental indicators among children. Despite these risks, some children grow up successfully and overcome the challenges.

Synthesis and Reactivity of Six-Membered Cyclic Diaryl λ3-Bromanes and λ3-Chloranes.

Despite the remarkable advancements in hypervalent iodine chemistry, exploration of bromine and chlorine analogues remains in its infancy due to their difficult synthesis. Herein, we introduce six-membered cyclic λ3-bromanes and λ3-chloranes. Through single-crystal X-ray structural analyses and conformational studies, we delineate the crucial bonding patterns pivotal for the thermodynamic stability of these compounds.

Effect of Lemborexant on Daytime Functioning in Adults With Insomnia: Patient-Reported Outcomes From a Phase 3 Clinical Trial.

Insomnia and some insomnia treatments can impact an individual's daytime functioning. Here, we performed post hoc analyses of patient-reported outcomes from a phase 3 clinical trial to assess the impact of lemborexant (LEM), a dual orexin receptor antagonist, on daytime functioning. Adults with insomnia were randomized 1:1:1 to receive placebo, LEM 5 mg (LEM5) or LEM 10 mg (LEM10) for 6 months.

Food groups, macronutrient intake and objective measures of total carotenoids and fatty acids in 16-to-24-year-olds following different plant-based diets compared to an omnivorous diet.

Background: Knowledge about the diet quality among youth who follow different types of plant-based diets is essential to understand whether support is required to ensure a well-planned diet that meets their nutritional needs. This study aimed to investigate how food groups, macronutrient intake, and objective blood measures varied between Norwegian youth following different plant-based diets compared to omnivorous diet.

Methods: Cross-sectional design, with healthy 16-to-24-year-olds (n = 165) recruited from the Agder area in Norway, following a vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian or omnivore diet.

What are the challenges that social prescribers face when supporting people within dementia and how can these be addressed? A qualitative study.

Introduction: Evidence suggests that social prescribing might have a positive impact on identity, control, creativity and quality of life in people with dementia. While evidence on the benefits of social prescribing is accumulating, there is a sparsity of research on the experiences of social prescribers. This study aims to identify the challenges that social prescribers face when supporting people with dementia and their families and strategies to address these.

Woody species diversity, structure and community distribution along environmental gradients of Seqela Dry Afromontane forest in Northwestern Ethiopia.

Dry evergreen Afromontane forests are severely threatened due to the expansion of agriculture and overgrazing by livestock. The objective of this study was to investigate the composition of woody species, structure, regeneration status and plant communities in Seqela forest, as well as the relationship between plant community types and environmental variables. Systematic sampling was used to collect vegetation and environmental data from 52 (20 m x 20 m) (400 m2) plots.

Comparison of mortality in people with type 2 diabetes between different ethnic groups: Systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

Aims: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is more common in certain ethnic groups. This systematic review compares mortality risk between people with T2D from different ethnic groups and includes recent larger studies.

Methods: We searched nine databases using PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42022372542).

Translation, adaptation and validation of an epilepsy screening instrument in two Ghanaian languages.

Introduction: The prevalence of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa varies considerably, and the exact estimate for Ghana remains unclear, particularly in peri-urban areas where data are scarce. More community-based studies are required to understand better the actual burden of epilepsy in these areas and the difficulties in accessing healthcare.

Objective: To adapt and validate a household survey epilepsy-screening instrument in Shai-Osudoku and Ningo-Prampram District of Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

Private, non-profit, and plantation: Oil palm smallholders in management-assistance programs vary in socio-demographics, attitudes, and management practices.

Smallholder farmers produce over 40% of global palm oil, the world's most traded and controversial vegetable oil. Awareness of the effects of palm oil production on ecosystems and human communities has increased drastically in recent years, with ever louder calls for the private and public sector to develop programs to support sustainable cultivation by smallholder farmers. To effectively influence smallholder practices and ensure positive social outcomes, such schemes must consider the variety in perspectives of farmers and align with their priorities.

Central venous pressure as a method of optimising atrio-ventricular delay after cardiac surgery.

Introduction: Haemodynamic atrioventricular delay (AVD) optimisation has primarily focussed on signals that are not easy to acquire from a pacing system itself, such as invasive left ventricular catheterisation or arterial blood pressure (ABP). In this study, standard clinical central venous pressure (CVP) signals are tested as a potential alternative.

Methods: Sixteen patients with a temporary pacemaker after cardiac surgery were studied.

Explainable human-centered traits from head motion and facial expression dynamics.

We explore the efficacy of multimodal behavioral cues for explainable prediction of personality and interview-specific traits. We utilize elementary head-motion units named kinemes, atomic facial movements termed action units and speech features to estimate these human-centered traits. Empirical results confirm that kinemes and action units enable discovery of multiple trait-specific behaviors while also enabling explainability in support of the predictions.

Roll out and prospects of the malaria vaccine R21/Matrix-M.

In this Perspective article, Lorenz von Seidlein outlines the promise of two malaria vaccines, and discusses some of the considerations for their roll out.

Metabolically Stable Adenylation Inhibitors of Biotin Protein Ligase as Antibacterial Agents.

The antibacterial agent Bio-AMS is metabolized in vivo through hydrolysis of the central acyl-sulfamide linker leading to high clearance and release of a moderately cytotoxic metabolite . Herein, we disclose analogues designed to prevent the metabolism of the central acyl-sulfamide moiety through steric hindrance or attenuation of the acyl-sulfamide electrophilicity. was identified as a metabolically stable analogue with a single-digit nanomolar dissociation constant for biotin protein ligase (BPL) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against and ranging from 0.

Reservoir-Type Subcutaneous Implantable Devices Containing Porous Rate Controlling Membranes for Sustained Delivery of Risperidone.

Implantable drug delivery systems are crucial for achieving sustained delivery of active compounds to specific sites or systemic circulation. In this study, a novel reservoir-type implant combining a biodegradable rate-controlling membrane with a drug-containing core prepared using direct compression techniques is developed. The membrane is composed of poly(caprolactone) (PCL), and risperidone (RIS) served as the model drug.

"Nip and Tuck": Training the Next Generation of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

The demand for aesthetic surgery continues to increase, and it is therefore essential to ensure that the next generation of plastic surgeons are adequately trained. We propose a safe method in aesthetic training in abdominoplasty and facelift, utilizing free deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap and parotidectomy for training aesthetic procedures. The trainees' focus differed between the 2 procedures.

"Three Sides to Every Story": Living the Patient, Carer and Staff Experience of COVID.

In 2020, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) braced itself for the challenge of the COVID pandemic. Older, frail adults were among those at highest risk for morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to capture the lived experiences of patients, families/carers and staff on a COVID ward.

Long Time Scale Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Magnesium Hydride Dehydrogenation Enabled by Machine Learning Interatomic Potentials.

Magnesium hydride (MgH) is a promising material for solid-state hydrogen storage due to its high gravimetric hydrogen capacity as well as the abundance and low cost of magnesium. The material's limiting factor is the high dehydrogenation temperature (over 300 °C) and sluggish (de)hydrogenation kinetics when no catalyst is present, making it impractical for onboard applications. Catalysts and physical restructuring (e.

Has COVID-19 affected the publication productivity of neurosurgeons in UK and Republic of Ireland? A bibliometric analysis.

Background: Our aim was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the publication productivity of neurosurgeons in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Methods: Using bibliometric data we quantified and analysed the academic output of neurosurgeons in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, between two time periods i.e.