A good screening test: benefits and limitations Maya, I.; Salzer Sheelo, L.; Basel‐Salmon, L. ...
Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology,
June 2023, 2023-06-00, 20230601, Volume:
61, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Linked article: This is a response to the comment by Lei et al. Click here to view the Correspondence.
Global climate change is expected to affect the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme water-related weather events such as excessive precipitation, floods, and drought. We conducted a ...systematic review to examine waterborne outbreaks following such events and explored their distribution between the different types of extreme water-related weather events. Four medical and meteorological databases (Medline, Embase, GeoRef, PubMed) and a global electronic reporting system (ProMED) were searched, from 1910 to 2010. Eighty-seven waterborne outbreaks involving extreme water-related weather events were identified and included, alongside 235 ProMED reports. Heavy rainfall and flooding were the most common events preceding outbreaks associated with extreme weather and were reported in 55·2% and 52·9% of accounts, respectively. The most common pathogens reported in these outbreaks were Vibrio spp. (21·6%) and Leptospira spp. (12·7%). Outbreaks following extreme water-related weather events were often the result of contamination of the drinking-water supply (53·7%). Differences in reporting of outbreaks were seen between the scientific literature and ProMED. Extreme water-related weather events represent a risk to public health in both developed and developing countries, but impact will be disproportionate and likely to compound existing health disparities.
Separation of nucleic acids has long served as a central goal of analytical research. Innovations in this field may soon enable the development of rapid, on-site sequencing devices that significantly ...improve both the availability and accuracy of detailed bioinformatics. However, achieving efficient continuous-flow operation and size-based fractionation of DNA still presents considerable challenges. Current methods have not yet satisfied the need for rapid fractionation of size-heterogeneous nucleic acid samples into specific and narrow size distributions. Dielectrophoretic (DEP) mechanisms integrated in microfluidic devices offer unique advantages for such applications, including short processing times, microscale reaction volumes, and the potential for low cost and portability. To facilitate such developments, we have adapted a microfluidic constriction sorter device to separate a wide range of nucleic acid analytes into distinct microchannel outlets. This work demonstrates selective and tunable deflection of DNA using alternating current (AC) insulator-based dielectrophoresis. We report conditions for size-based DEP sorting of 1.0, 10.2, 19.5, and 48.5 kbp dsDNA analytes, including both plasmid and genomic DNA. Applied potentials range from 200 to 2400 Vpp with frequencies ranging from 50 Hz to 20 kHz. These conditions result in sorting efficiencies up to 92% with a strong dependence on applied potentials and frequencies. In low-frequency AC fields, long DNA molecules form macro-ion clusters. This behavior is associated with an apparent shift from positive to negative DEP sorting behavior. Using a finite element model, we characterize the dynamics of sorting in the microdevice and link differential sorting to differences in dielectrophoretic mobility. We propose the use of a continuous-flow sorting strategy to facilitate future coupling to next generation sequencing approaches.
The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term clinical and radiological outcome of patients who suffer recurrent injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after reconstruction and ...require revision surgery.
From a consecutive series of 200 patients who underwent primary reconstruction following rupture of the ACL, we identified 36 who sustained a further rupture, 29 of whom underwent revision surgery. Patients were reviewed prospectively at one, two, seven, 15 and about 20 years after their original surgery. Primary outcome measures were the number of further ruptures, the posterior tibial slope (PTS), and functional and radiological outcomes. These were compared with a gender and age matched cohort of patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction only.
At a mean follow-up of 18.3 years (14.3 to 20.2), 29 patients had undergone revision surgery and within this revision group 11 had sustained more than three ruptures of the ACL (3 to 6). The mean age at the time of revision reconstruction was 26.4 years (14 to 54). The mean PTS was significantly higher in those patients who suffered a further injury to the ACL (11°) compared with the control group (9°) (p < 0.001). The mean PTS in those patients who sustained more than three ruptures was 12°.
Patients who suffer recurrent injuries to the ACL after reconstruction have poorer functional and radiological outcomes than those who suffer a single injury. The causes of further injury are likely to be multifactorial but an increased PTS appears to have a significant association with recurrent ACL injuries. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:337-43.
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo Collaboration’s Observing Run 3 has demanded the development of widely-applicable tools for gravitational wave follow-up. ...These tools must address the main challenges of the multi-messenger era, namely covering large localisation regions and quickly identifying decaying transients. To address these challenges, we present a public web interface to assist astronomers in conducting galaxy-targeted follow-up of gravitational wave events by offering a fast and public list of targets post-gravitational wave trigger. After a gravitational wave trigger, the back-end galaxy retrieval algorithm identifies and scores galaxies based on the LIGO and Virgo computed probabilities and properties of the galaxies taken from the Galaxy List for the Advanced Detector Era V2 galaxy catalogue. Within minutes, the user can retrieve, download, and limit ranked galaxy lists from the web application. The algorithm and website have been tested on past gravitational wave events, and execution times have been analysed. The algorithm is being triggered automatically during Observing Run 3 and its features will be extended if needed. The web application was developed using the Python based
Flask
web framework.
Bacterial co-infections represent a major clinical complication of influenza. Host-derived interferon (IFN) increases susceptibility to bacterial infections following influenza, but the relative ...roles of type-I versus type-II IFN remain poorly understood. We have used novel mouse models of co-infection in which colonizing pneumococci were inoculated into the upper respiratory tract; subsequent sublethal influenza virus infection caused the bacteria to enter the lungs and mediate lethal disease. Compared to wild-type mice or mice deficient in only one pathway, mice lacking both IFN pathways demonstrated the least amount of lung tissue damage and mortality following pneumococcal-influenza virus superinfection. Therapeutic neutralization of both type-I and type-II IFN pathways similarly provided optimal protection to co-infected wild-type mice. The most effective treatment regimen was staggered neutralization of the type-I IFN pathway early during co-infection combined with later neutralization of type-II IFN, which was consistent with the expression and reported activities of these IFNs during superinfection. These results are the first to directly compare the activities of type-I and type-II IFN during superinfection and provide new insights into potential host-directed targets for treatment of secondary bacterial infections during influenza.
Sepsis is a complex immune disorder that is characterized by systemic hyperinflammation. Alarmins, which are multifunctional endogenous factors, have been implicated in exacerbation of inflammation ...in many immune disorders including sepsis. Here we show that Galectin-9, a host endogenous β-galactoside binding lectin, functions as an alarmin capable of mediating inflammatory response during sepsis resulting from pulmonary infection with Francisella novicida, a Gram negative bacterial pathogen. Our results show that this galectin is upregulated and is likely released during tissue damage in the lungs of F. novicida infected septic mice. In vitro, purified recombinant galectin-9 exacerbated F. novicida-induced production of the inflammatory mediators by macrophages and neutrophils. Concomitantly, Galectin-9 deficient (Gal-9-/-) mice exhibited improved lung pathology, reduced cell death and reduced leukocyte infiltration, particularly neutrophils, in their lungs. This positively correlated with overall improved survival of F. novicida infected Gal-9-/- mice as compared to their wild-type counterparts. Collectively, these findings suggest that galectin-9 functions as a novel alarmin by augmenting the inflammatory response in sepsis development during pulmonary F. novicida infection.
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