09/03/2024


Cytoplasmic lipid droplets are highly dynamic storage organelles that are critical for cellular lipid homeostasis. While the molecular details of lipid droplet dynamics are a very active area of investigation, this work has been primarily performed in cultured cells. Taking advantage of the powerful transgenic and in vivo imaging opportunities available in zebrafish, we built a suite of tools to study lipid droplets in real time from the subcellular to the whole organism level. Fluorescently tagging the lipid droplet-associated proteins, perilipin 2 and perilipin 3, in the endogenous loci permits visualization of lipid droplets in the intestine, liver, and adipose tissue. Using these tools, we found that perilipin 3 is rapidly loaded on intestinal lipid droplets following a high-fat meal and later replaced by perilipin 2. These powerful new tools will facilitate studies on the role of lipid droplets in different tissues, under different genetic and physiological manipulations, and in a variety of human disease models.Climate change is dramatically changing ecosystem composition and productivity, leading scientists to consider the best approaches to map natural resistance and foster ecosystem resilience in the face of these changes. Here we present results from a large-scale experimental assessment of coral bleaching resistance, a critical trait for coral population persistence as oceans warm, in 221 colonies of the coral Acropora hyacinthus across 37 reefs in Palau. We find that bleaching resistant individuals inhabit most reefs but are found more often in warmer microhabitats. Our survey also found wide variation in symbiont concentration among colonies, and that colonies with lower symbiont load tended to be more bleaching resistant. By contrast, our data show that low symbiont load comes at the cost of lower growth rate, a tradeoff that may operate widely among corals across environments. Corals with high bleaching resistance have been suggested as a source for habitat restoration or selective breeding in order to increase coral reef resilience to climate change. Our maps show where these resilience corals can be found, but the existence of tradeoffs with heat resistance may suggest caution in unilateral use of this one trait in restoration.
Unmet health-related social needs contribute to high patient morbidity and poor population health. A potential solution to improve population health includes the adoption of care delivery models that alleviate unmet needs through screening, referral, and tracking of patients in health care settings, yet the overall impact of such models has remained unexplored. This review addresses an existing gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of these models and assesses their overall impact on outcomes related to experience of care, population health, and costs.

In March 2020, we searched for peer-reviewed articles published in PubMed over the past 10 years. Studies were included if they 1) used a screening tool for identifying unmet health-related social needs in a health care setting, 2) referred patients with positive screens to appropriate resources for addressing identified unmet health-related social needs, and 3) reported any outcomes related to patient experience of care, population health, or c high risk of bias in the included studies.
Effective collaborations between health care organizations and community-based organizations are essential to facilitate necessary patient connection to resources for addressing their unmet needs. Although evidence indicated a positive influence of screening and referral programs on outcomes related to experience of care and population health, no definitive conclusions can be made on overall impact because of the potentially high risk of bias in the included studies.BackgroundMost reports of influenza vaccine effectiveness consider current-season vaccination only.AimWe evaluated a method to estimate the effect of influenza vaccinations (EIV) considering vaccination history.MethodsWe used a test-negative design with well-documented vaccination history to evaluate the average EIV over eight influenza seasons (2011/12-2018/19; n = 10,356). Modifying effect was considered as difference in effects of vaccination in current and previous seasons and current-season vaccination only. We also explored differences between current-season estimates excluding from the reference category people vaccinated in any of the five previous seasons and estimates without this exclusion or only for one or three previous seasons.ResultsThe EIV was 50%, 45% and 38% in people vaccinated in the current season who had previously received none, one to two and three to five doses, respectively, and it was 30% and 43% for one to two and three to five prior doses only. Vaccination in at least three previous seasons reduced the effect of current-season vaccination by 12 percentage points overall, 31 among outpatients, 22 in 9-65 year-olds, and 23 against influenza B. Including people vaccinated in previous seasons only in the unvaccinated category underestimated EIV by 9 percentage points on average (31% vs 40%). Estimates considering vaccination of three or five previous seasons were similar.ConclusionsVaccine effectiveness studies should consider influenza vaccination in previous seasons, as it can retain effect and is often an effect modifier. Vaccination status in three categories (current season, previous seasons only, unvaccinated) reflects the whole EIV.Most reported cases of human monkeypox occur in Central and West Africa, where the causing virus is endemic. We describe the identification and public health response to an imported case of West African monkeypox from Nigeria to the United Kingdom (UK) in May 2021. Secondary transmission from the index case occurred within the family to another adult and a toddler. Concurrent COVID-19-related control measures upon arrival and at the hospital, facilitated detection and limited the number of potential contacts.
To describe the epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannnii (AB) pneumonia at our center, including the antibiotic exposure patterns of individual AB pneumonia cases and to investigate whether hospital-wide antibiotic consumption trends were associated with trends in AB pneumonia incidence.

Single-center retrospective study with case-control and ecological components.

US private tertiary-care hospital.

All hospitalized patients with AB infection from 2008 to 2019 were identified through laboratory records; for those with AB pneumonia, medical records were queried for detailed characteristics and antibiotic exposures in the 30 days preceding pneumonia diagnosis. Hospital-wide antibiotic consumption data from 2015 through 2019 were obtained through pharmacy records.

Incidence of both pneumonia and nonrespiratory AB infections decreased from 2008 to 2019. Among the 175 patients with AB pneumonia, the most frequent antibiotic exposure was vancomycin (101 patients). During the 2015-2019 period when hospital-wide antibiotic consumption data were available, carbapenem consumption increased, and trends negatively correlated with those of AB pneumonia (r = -0.48; P = .031) and AB infection at any site (r = -0.63; P = .003). Conversely, the decline in AB infection at any site correlated positively with concurrent declines in vancomycin (r = 0.55; P = .012) and quinolone consumption (r = 0.51; P = .022).

We observed decreasing incidence of AB infection despite concurrently increasing carbapenem consumption, possibly associated with declining vancomycin and quinolone consumption. Future research should evaluate a potential role for glycopeptide and quinolone exposure in the pathogenesis of AB infection.
We observed decreasing incidence of AB infection despite concurrently increasing carbapenem consumption, possibly associated with declining vancomycin and quinolone consumption. Future research should evaluate a potential role for glycopeptide and quinolone exposure in the pathogenesis of AB infection.
There are significant drug-drug interactions between human immunodeficiency virus antiretroviral therapy and intranasal steroids, leading to high serum concentrations of iatrogenic steroids and subsequently Cushing's syndrome.

All articles in the literature on cases of intranasal steroid and antiretroviral therapy interactions were reviewed. Full-length manuscripts were analysed and the relevant data were extracted.

A literature search and further cross-referencing yielded a total of seven reports on drug-drug interactions of intranasal corticosteroids and human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitors, published between 1999 and 2019.

The use of potent steroids metabolised via CYP3A4, such as fluticasone and budesonide, are not recommended for patients taking ritonavir or cobicistat. Mometasone should be used cautiously with ritonavir because of pharmacokinetic similarities to fluticasone. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/nms-873.html There was a delayed onset of symptoms in many cases, most likely due to the relatively lower systemic bioavailability of intranasal fluticasone.
The use of potent steroids metabolised via CYP3A4, such as fluticasone and budesonide, are not recommended for patients taking ritonavir or cobicistat. Mometasone should be used cautiously with ritonavir because of pharmacokinetic similarities to fluticasone. There was a delayed onset of symptoms in many cases, most likely due to the relatively lower systemic bioavailability of intranasal fluticasone.Micronutrient malnutrition, the deficiency of vitamins or minerals, impacts on physical and mental health, in clinical and general populations, across the life course. In older western populations the high prevalence and impact of micronutrient malnutrition is less well recognised. Low- and middle-income countries are experiencing the 'double burden of disease' where malnutrition coexists alongside the non-communicable diseases of aging, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Held in December 2020, the Winter Conference of the Nutrition Society was designed to cover new areas of research and concern in micronutrient malnutrition across the life course. Common themes arising from the conference were 1) The continuing high prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition across the life-course, in diverse populations, in high, middle and low-income countries. 2) That multiple deficiencies of micronutrients frequently exist. 3) The primary cause of deficiency is poor quality diets, of low diversity, low in micronutrient dense foods. 4) Clinical conditions, medications for common non-communicable diseases, and environmental conditions, interact with and exacerbate the effects of poor diet quality. 5) Understanding of the mechanistic effects of micronutrients is still emerging. 6) Micronutrients are necessary for maintaining immune function, which has importance for the COVID-19 epidemic. 7) Better biomarkers are needed detect and understand the effects of deficiency. 7) Dietary recommendations need to be updated regularly. Further research is needed in all these areas. Comprehensive public health and government approaches to ensure access and affordability of good quality foods to populations of all ages, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, are crucial.