Platelet aggregation responses to Typhimurium are determined by host anti- antibody levels.

Invasive non-typhoidal infections are responsible for >75 000 deaths/year and >500 000 cases/year globally. Seventy-five percent of these cases occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, an increasing number of which are from multi-drug resistant strains. Interactions between bacteria and platelets can lead to thrombus formation, which can be beneficial for control of infection (immunothrombosis), or harmful through uncontrolled inflammation and organ damage (thromboinflammation).

Resting-State Functional Connectivity Predicts Cochlear-Implant Speech Outcomes.

Objectives: Cochlear implants (CIs) have revolutionized hearing restoration for individuals with severe or profound hearing loss. However, a substantial and unexplained variability persists in CI outcomes, even when considering subject-specific factors such as age and the duration of deafness. In a pioneering study, we use resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy to predict speech-understanding outcomes before and after CI implantation.

Cohort profile: Guangzhou breast cancer study (GBCS).

The Guangzhou Breast Cancer Study (GBCS) is a patient-based prospective cohort study designed to identify risk factors and underlying mechanisms for breast cancer (BC) incidence and prognosis, specifically addressing the need for individualized prevention in South China, where BC incidence is notably high. Based in Guangzhou, China, the GBCS began recruitment in 2008, comprises three complementary studies: the Guangzhou breast cancer cohort with 5471 breast cancer patients, a case-control study with 1551 cases and 1605 controls, and an immunohistochemistry (IHC) cohort with 1063 breast cancer patients. Participants are primarily aged 41-60 years.

Qualitative Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life Impacts Associated with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States and United Kingdom.

Introduction: Individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD) commonly report impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, impacts of SCD on HRQoL and the unmet needs of SCD treatment/management are under-researched. This study characterized the impact of SCD on HRQoL and identified the unmet needs of individuals with SCD.

The effect of sample site and collection procedure on identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Sample collection is a key driver of accuracy in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Viral load may vary at different anatomical sampling sites and accuracy may be compromised by difficulties obtaining specimens and the expertise of the person taking the sample. It is important to optimise sampling accuracy within cost, safety and accessibility constraints.

Foliar Water Uptake Supports Water Potential Recovery but Does Not Affect Xylem Sap Composition in Two Salt-Secreting Mangroves.

Mangroves are highly salt-tolerant species, which live in saline intertidal environments, but rely on alternative, less saline water to maintain hydraulic integrity and plant productivity. Foliar water uptake (FWU) is thought to assist in hydration of mangroves, particularly during periods of acute water deficit. We investigated the dynamics of FWU in Avicennia marina and Aegiceras corniculatum by submerging and spraying excised branches and measuring leaf water potential (Ψ) at different time intervals.

Gut microbiota genome features associated with brain injury in extremely premature infants.

Severe brain damage is common among premature infants, and the gut microbiota has been implicated in its pathology. Although the order of colonizing bacteria is well described, the mechanisms underlying aberrant assembly of the gut microbiota remain elusive. Here, we employed long-read nanopore sequencing to assess abundances of microbial species and their functional genomic potential in stool samples from a cohort of 30 extremely premature infants.

Near-infrared diffuse optical characterization of human thyroid using ultrasound-guided hybrid time-domain and diffuse correlation spectroscopies.

Thyroid vascularization and hemodynamics become altered in thyroid pathologies and could thus inform diagnostics, therapy planning, and follow-up. However, the current non-invasive monitoring methods available in clinics lack the necessary sensitivity and/or are impractical for large-scale deployment. As a step towards proposing a new modality, we applied the first platform, to our knowledge, designed to do simultaneous measurements of neck anatomy and thyroid microvascular hemodynamics and metabolism in a single probe placement, integrating state-of-the-art near-infrared spectroscopy techniques and clinical ultrasound.

Management of benign airway stenosis-predictors of tracheal resection.

Background: Benign airway stenoses are complex disorders that present with progressive dyspnoea, stridor, and significant respiratory distress. These conditions have a high recurrence rate and despite the plethora of endoscopic and open techniques available for treatment, the outcomes are variable. Our primary was to determine the pre-operative factors associated with an increased hazard of cricotracheal resection (CTR)/tracheal resection (TR) and reconstruction in cases of benign subglottic and tracheal strictures.

High-Density Surface Electromyography Feedback Enhances Fibularis Longus Recruitment in Chronic Ankle Instability.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) can activate the fibularis longus compartments with high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) biofeedback to the same extent as those without CAI, and to analyze the effect of ankle position on compartment activation in individuals with CAI using HD-sEMG feedback.

Methods: There were 16 volunteers per group (CAI and No-CAI). The sEMG amplitude at each compartment (anterior and posterior) and the barycenter of the spatial sEMG amplitude distribution of the fibularis longus were recorded during eversion in neutral and plantar flexion positions at 30% and 70% of maximum voluntary contraction force, both with and without visual feedback on the spatial sEMG amplitude distribution.

Daily rhythm in DNA methylation and the effect of total sleep deprivation.

Numerous hormones and genes exhibit diurnal 24-hr rhythms that can also be affected by sleep deprivation. Here we studied diurnal rhythms in DNA methylation under a 24-hr sleep/wake cycle and a subsequent 29 hr of continual wakefulness (1 night of sleep deprivation). Fifteen healthy men (19-35 years) spent 3 days/nights in a sleep laboratory: (1) adaptation; (2) baseline; (3) total sleep deprivation day/night.

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Modalities for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Long-standing Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases the risk of colonic neoplasia, necessitating effective screening strategies. This network meta-analysis (NMA) compared the efficacy and safety between different endoscopic modalities in the high-definition (HD) era.

Methods: We searched CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.

Spousal characteristics and unmet care needs: A longitudinal national study of adults aged 50 and over in England.

This paper investigates unmet needs among dyads of people aged 50 and over in England. Understanding the extent and patterns of unmet needs for long-term care across different social groups is critical for understanding care-related experiences and inequalities and planning the long-term care system. Although spouses are a main source of care support, little is known about how spouses' characteristics relate to one's experience of unmet care needs.

A European aerosol phenomenology - 9: Light absorption properties of carbonaceous aerosol particles across surface Europe.

Carbonaceous aerosols (CA), composed of black carbon (BC) and organic matter (OM), significantly impact the climate. Light absorption properties of CA, particularly of BC and brown carbon (BrC), are crucial due to their contribution to global and regional warming. We present the absorption properties of BC (b) and BrC (b) inferred using Aethalometer data from 44 European sites covering different environments (traffic (TR), urban (UB), suburban (SUB), regional background (RB) and mountain (M)).

Open label vancomycin in primary sclerosing cholangitis-inflammatory bowel disease: improved colonic disease activity and associations with changes in host-microbiome-metabolomic signatures.

Background: We conducted a single-arm interventional study, to explore mucosal changes associated with clinical remission under oral vancomycin (OV) treatment, in primary sclerosing cholangitis associated inflammatory bowel disease (PSC-IBD); NCT05376228.

Method: Fifteen patients with PSC and active colitis (median faecal calprotectin 459µg/g; median total Mayo score 5) were treated with OV (125mg QID) for 4 weeks and followed-up for a further 4 weeks of treatment withdrawal (8 weeks, end-of-study). Colonic biopsies were obtained at baseline and week 4.

Assessment of a Light-Curable Hydrogel to Be Used for Root Canal Obturation.

Root canal obturation involves filling of the chemomechanically prepared root canal space. Despite reduced microbial load, residual bacteria can still lead to reinfection and treatment failure. Currently, obturation techniques use a combination of gutta-percha and sealer, which requires the preparation of the root canal to specific sizes and tapers to enable the fitting of customized cones.

An international Delphi consensus on patient preparation for metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Global obesity rates have risen dramatically, now exceeding deaths from starvation. Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), initially for severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m), is performed globally over 500 000 times annually, offering significant metabolic benefits beyond weight loss. However, varying eligibility criteria globally impact patient care and healthcare resources.

Hybrid closed-loop systems for managing blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and economic modelling.

Background: Hybrid closed-loop systems are a new class of technology to manage type 1 diabetes mellitus. The system includes a combination of real-time continuous glucose monitoring from a continuous glucose monitoring device and a control algorithm to direct insulin delivery through an insulin pump. Evidence suggests that such technologies have the potential to improve the lives of people with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their families.

Evaluation of deprescribing services in frail patients: a systematic review.

Background: Deprescribing, a process of dose reduction or withdrawal of inappropriate medication that no longer has benefit, is a proposed intervention in the care of older adults living with frailty.

Objective/aim: To evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and clinical impact of deprescribing services in frail patients.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in November 2023 using Scopus, CINAHL PLUS (EBSCO), MEDLINE (OVID and EMBASE), and Cochrane Library.

Reporting of participant race and ethnicity from COVID-19 randomized controlled drug and biologicals trials: a scoping review.

Racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionally burdened by hospitalization and death due to COVID-19. Participation of individuals of diverse races and ethnicities in clinical trials, according to study-level characteristics of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that test effectiveness of COVID-19 drugs, could be insightful for future researchers. Our objective for this scoping review was to describe the frequency of race and ethnicity reported as demographic variables and specific reporting of race and ethnicity according to COVID-19 RCT characteristics.