Effects of the discontinuation of antihypertensive treatment on neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in nursing home residents with dementia (DANTON): a multicentre, open-label, blinded-outcome, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Based on observational studies and randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the benefit-harm balance of antihypertensive treatment in older adults with dementia is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether discontinuing antihypertensive treatment reduces neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) and maintains quality of life (QoL) in nursing home residents with dementia. DESIGN: Open-label, blinded-outcome RCT. Randomisation 1:1, stratified by nursing home organisation and baseline NPS. Trial registration: NL7365. SUBJECTS: Dutch long-term care residents with moderate-to-severe dementia and systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≤160 mmHg during antihypertensive treatment. Exclusion criteria included heart failure NYHA-class-III/IV, recent cardiovascular events/procedures or life expectancy <4 months (planned sample size n = 492). MEASUREMENTS: Co-primary outcomes NPS (Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home [NPI-NH]) and QoL (Qualidem) at 16 weeks. RESULTS: From 9 November 2018 to 4 May 2021, 205 participants (median age 85.8 [IQR 79.6-89.5] years; 79.5% female; median SBP 134 [IQR 123-146] mmHg) were randomised to either antihypertensive treatment discontinuation (n = 101) or usual care (n = 104). Safety concerns, combined with lacking benefits, prompted the data safety and monitoring board to advice a premature cessation of randomisation. At 16-week follow-up, no significant differences were found between groups for NPI-NH (adjusted mean difference 1.6 [95% CI -2.3 to 5.6]; P = 0.42) or Qualidem (adjusted mean difference - 2.5 [95% CI -6.0 to 1.0]; P = 0.15). Serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in 36% (discontinuation) and 24% (usual care) of the participants (adjusted hazard ratio 1.65 [95% CI 0.98-2.79]). All 32-week outcomes favoured usual care. CONCLUSION: Halfway through this study, a non-significant increased SAE risk associated with discontinuing antihypertensive treatment was observed, and an associated interim analysis showed that significant worthwhile health gain for discontinuation of antihypertensive treatment was unlikely. This unbeneficial benefit-harm balance shows that discontinuation of antihypertensive treatment in this context does not appear to be either safe or beneficial enough to be recommended in older adults with dementia.

Temporal dynamics of depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in the oldest old: dynamic time warp analysis of the Leiden 85-plus study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of depressive symptoms and cognitive decline increases with age. We investigated their temporal dynamics in individuals aged 85 and older across a 5-year follow-up period. METHODS: Participants were selected from the Leiden 85-plus study and were eligible if at least three follow-up measurements were available (325 of 599 participants). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and at yearly assessments during a follow-up period of up to 5 years, using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Cognitive decline was measured through various tests, including the Mini Mental State Exam, Stroop test, Letter Digit Coding test and immediate and delayed recall. A novel method, dynamic time warping analysis, was employed to model their temporal dynamics within individuals, in undirected and directed time-lag analyses, to ascertain whether depressive symptoms precede cognitive decline in group-level aggregated results or vice versa. RESULTS: The 325 participants were all 85 years of age at baseline; 68% were female, and 45% received intermediate to higher education. Depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning significantly covaried in time, and directed analyses showed that depressive symptoms preceded most of the constituents of cognitive impairment in the oldest old. Of the GDS-15 symptoms, those with the strongest outstrength, indicating changes in these symptoms preceded subsequent changes in other symptoms, were worthlessness, hopelessness, low happiness, dropping activities/interests, and low satisfaction with life (all P's < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms preceded cognitive impairment in a population based sample of the oldest old.

Superior functional outcome following reverse shoulder arthroplasty compared to hemiarthroplasty for displaced three and four-part fractures in patients 65 and older: Results from a prospective multicentre randomised controlled trial - The Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty or Reverse Polarity Arthoplasty (SHeRPA) trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute unreconstructible 3- or 4-part proximal humerus fractures can be treated with hemiarthroplasty or reverse polarity shoulder arthroplasty. Randomized trials using implants from multiple different companies or uncemented implants have found superior results with reverse polarity arthroplasty. AIMS: This study aims to determine whether cemented reverse polarity arthroplasty produces a superior outcome compared to cemented hemiarthroplasty using one implant system in patients aged 65 years and over at 12 months follow-up as measured with the Constant score. METHODS: A prospective patient and assessor blinded multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted of shoulder hemiarthroplasty or reverse polarity arthroplasty in patients aged 65 years and older with acute 3- and 4-part proximal humerus fracture not amenable to osteosynthesis. The primary outcome was the Constant score at 12 months with total follow-up to 24 months. Block randomization by site was undertaken using random number generation and sealed envelopes. Power analysis indicated that 17 patients were required in each arm to achieve 80% power with an alpha-value of 5%. Secondary outcome measures were the difference in the mean Constant Score, Quick Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (QuickDASH), Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Score and EQ5D-5L up to two years; differences in complication rate at one and two years; differences in revision and implant failure at one and two years. RESULTS: 18 patients were randomized to hemiarthroplasty and 18 to reverse polarity arthroplasty across 4 sites. The primary outcome as measured by the Constant score at 12 months was better in the reverse polarity shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) group (Mean 51.1, s.d. 14.9) compared to the hemiarthroplasty (HA) group (mean 35.0, s.d. 13.5) (p=0.004). No significant difference was reported at 24 months but this may be due to high rates of attrition (22%). The mean EQ-5D-5L patient rated health status score was significantly higher in the RSA group compared to the HA group at 12 months. One hemiarthroplasty was revised due to implant uncoupling and one reverse polarity shoulder replacement was revised due to instability. No other complications were recorded. DISCUSSION: Treatment of unreconstructible 3- or 4-part proximal humerus fractures with reverse polarity shoulder arthroplasty results in a superior outcome compared to shoulder hemiarthroplasty at 12 months measured with the Constant score with no increased risk of failure up to 24 months in patients age 65 years and over. High attrition rates are observed in this older population due to cognitive decline and death from other causes.

The performance of metabolomics-based prediction scores for mortality in older patients with solid tumors.

Prognostic information is needed to balance benefits and risks of cancer treatment in older patients. Metabolomics-based scores were previously developed to predict 5- and 10-year mortality (MetaboHealth) and biological age (MetaboAge). This study aims to investigate the association of MetaboHealth and MetaboAge with 1-year mortality in older patients with solid tumors, and to study their predictive value for mortality in addition to established clinical predictors. This prospective cohort study included patients aged ≥ 70 years with a solid malignant tumor, who underwent blood sampling and a geriatric assessment before treatment initiation. The outcome was all-cause 1-year mortality. Of the 192 patients, the median age was 77 years. With each SD increase of MetaboHealth, patients had a 2.32 times increased risk of mortality (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.59-3.39). With each year increase in MetaboAge, there was a 4% increased risk of mortality (HR 1.04, 1.01-1.07). MetaboHealth and MetaboAge showed an AUC of 0.66 (0.56-0.75) and 0.60 (0.51-0.68) for mortality prediction accuracy, respectively. The AUC of a predictive model containing age, primary tumor site, distant metastasis, comorbidity, and malnutrition was 0.76 (0.68-0.83). Addition of MetaboHealth increased AUC to 0.80 (0.74-0.87) (p = 0.09) and AUC did not change with MetaboAge (0.76 (0.69-0.83) (p = 0.89)). Higher MetaboHealth and MetaboAge scores were associated with 1-year mortality. The addition of MetaboHealth to established clinical predictors only marginally improved mortality prediction in this cohort with various types of tumors. MetaboHealth may potentially improve identification of older patients vulnerable for adverse events, but numbers were too small for definitive conclusions. The TENT study is retrospectively registered at the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR), trial number NL8107. Date of registration: 22-10-2019.

Using clotted, pelleted blood samples for direct molecular detection of Bartonella spp. in small mammal wildlife surveillance studies.

OBJECTIVE: Bartonella are emerging bacterial zoonotic pathogens. Utilization of clotted blood samples for surveillance of these bacteria in wildlife has begun to supersede the use of tissues; however, the efficacy of these samples has not been fully investigated. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of spleen and blood samples for DNA extraction and direct detection of Bartonella spp. via qPCR. In addition, we present a protocol for improved DNA extraction from clotted, pelleted (i.e., centrifuged) blood samples obtained from wild small mammals. RESULTS: DNA concentrations from kit-extracted blood clot samples were low and A260/A280 absorbance ratios indicated high impurity. Kit-based DNA extraction of spleen samples was efficient and produced ample DNA concentrations of good quality. We developed an in-house extraction method for the blood clots which resulted in apposite DNA quality when compared to spleen samples extracted via MagMAX DNA Ultra 2.0 kit. We detected Bartonella in 9/30 (30.0%) kit-extracted spleen DNA samples and 11/30 (36.7%) in-house-extracted blood clot samples using PCR. Our results suggest that kit-based methods may be less suitable for DNA extraction from blood clots, and that blood clot samples may be superior to tissues for Bartonella detection.

The Integrative Life history of Maternal Effects.

Context-dependent allocation of resources drives trade-offs among fitness-related traits and other phenotypes to which those traits are linked. In addition, the amount and type of acquired resources can also affect the phenotypes of other organisms through indirect genetic effects, as exemplified by the maternal provisioning of offspring. Despite a large literature on maternal effects, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which mothers might affect the phenotypes of their offspring, as well as the various mechanisms by which they do so, particularly with regard to many functional traits that are key determinants of survival and reproduction. Our goals in this paper are to review the various approaches to measuring and understanding maternal effects, and to highlight some promising avenues for integration of maternal effects with some other key areas of evolutionary ecology. We focus especially on nutritional geometry; maternal age; and traits proximate to fitness such as whole-organism performance. Finally, we discuss the logistic and practical limits of quantifying these effects in many animal systems, and emphasize the value of integrative approaches in understanding the mechanisms underlying maternal influence on offspring phenotypes.

Inflammation of the nasal mucosa is associated with susceptibility to experimental pneumococcal challenge in older adults.

Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization in the upper respiratory tract is linked to pneumococcal disease development, predominantly affecting young children and older adults. As the global population ages and comorbidities increase, there is a heightened concern about this infection. We investigated the immunological responses of older adults to pneumococcal-controlled human infection by analyzing the cellular composition and gene expression in the nasal mucosa. Our comparative analysis with data from a concurrent study in younger adults revealed distinct gene expression patterns in older individuals susceptible to colonization, highlighted by neutrophil activation and elevated levels of CXCL9 and CXCL10. Unlike younger adults challenged with pneumococcus, older adults did not show recruitment of monocytes into the nasal mucosa following nasal colonization. However, older adults who were protected from colonization showed increased degranulation of cluster of differentiation 8+ T cells, both before and after pneumococcal challenge. These findings suggest age-associated cellular changes, in particular enhanced mucosal inflammation, that may predispose older adults to pneumococcal colonization.

A low molecular weight dextran sulphate, ILB®, for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): An open-label, single-arm, single-centre, phase II trial.

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig´s disease, is a rare neurological condition and is the most common motor neurone disease. It is a fatal disease with specific loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem, and motor cortex leading to progressive paralysis and usually death within five years of diagnosis. There remains no cure for ALS, and management is focused on a combination of neuroprotective medication, respiratory support, and management by multidisciplinary clinics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, single-arm, open-label phase II clinical trial of sustained weekly administration of 2 mg/kg ILB® (a low-molecular weight dextran sulphate) was conducted in a single UK hospital. Eligible patients were at least 18 years and had a definite diagnosis of ALS according to El Escorial Criteria. The co-primary outcomes were safety, tolerability, and quantity of ILB® administered. EudraCT number. 2018-000668-28. FINDINGS: Between 18-Apr-2019 and 27-Mar-2020, 11 patients were recruited and treated for up to 38 weeks. There were no treatment terminations or withdrawals. One serious adverse event was reported, which was not related to ILB® and resolved without sequalae. 270 mild/moderate adverse events were reported with no intolerable events occurring during the trial. The total number of ILB® treatments administered per patient ranged from 4 to 38, with a cumulative dose ranging from 745 to 6668 mg. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the high-risk status of study participants, recruitment and treatment was suspended early in Mar-2020. At the long-term follow-up, three patients had died after the trial was halted, between 53 and 62 weeks after their final ILB® injection. INTERPRETATION: Long-term weekly ILB® injections of 2 mg/kg was well tolerated and had an acceptable safety profile in patients with ALS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT: 2018-000668-28. clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03705390. This trial adheres to the principles of GCP in the design, conduct, recording and reporting of clinical trials as listed in part 2, "Conditions and Principles which apply to all Clinical Trials" under the header "Principles based on Articles 2 to 5 of the EU GCP Directive" in the Medicines for Human Use Clinical Trials Regulations (as amended in SI 2006/1928). For clarity, the study did not conform to all aspects of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) E6 R2 Guidelines for GCP (also known as 'ICH GCP'). Of note, we did not use an external database, perform 100% source data verification, and only primary outcome data were analysed in parallel by a second, independent statistician.

Quantifying short-range order using atom probe tomography.

Medium- and high-entropy alloys are an emerging class of materials that can exhibit outstanding combinations of strength and ductility for engineering applications. Computational simulations have suggested the presence of short-range order (SRO) in these alloys, and recent experimental evidence is also beginning to emerge. Unfortunately, the difficulty in quantifying the SRO under different heat treatment conditions has generated much debate on the atomic preferencing and implications of SRO on mechanical properties. Here we develop an approach to measure SRO using atom probe tomography. This method balances the limitations of atom probe tomography with the threshold values of SRO to map the regimes where the required atomistic neighbourhood information is preserved and where it is not. We demonstrate the method with a case study of the CoCrNi alloy and use this to monitor SRO changes induced by heat treatments. These species-specific SRO measurements enable the generation of computational simulations of atomic neighbourhood models that are equivalent to the experiment and can contribute to the further understanding and design of medium- and high-entropy alloys and other materials systems where SRO may occur.

FANCD2 expression affects platinum response and further characteristics of high grade serous ovarian cancer in cells with different genetic backgrounds.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most prevalent subtype of ovarian cancer and demonstrates 5-year survival of just 40%. One of the major causes of mortality is the development of tumour resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, which can be modulated by dysregulation of DNA damage repair pathways. We therefore investigated the contribution of the DNA interstrand crosslink repair protein FANCD2 to chemosensitivity in HGSOC. Increased FANCD2 protein expression was observed in some cell line models of platinum resistant HGSOC compared with paired platinum sensitive models. Knockdown of FANCD2 in some cell lines, including the platinum resistant PEO4, led to increased carboplatin sensitivity. Investigation into mechanisms of FANCD2 regulation showed that increased FANCD2 expression in platinum resistant cells coincides with increased expression of mTOR. Treatment with mTOR inhibitors resulted in FANCD2 depletion, suggesting that mTOR can mediate platinum sensitivity via regulation of FANCD2. Tumours from a cohort of HGSOC patients showed varied nuclear and cytoplasmic FANCD2 expression, however this was not significantly associated with clinical characteristics. Knockout of FANCD2 was associated with increased cell migration, which may represent a non-canonical function of cytoplasmic FANCD2. We conclude that upregulation of FANCD2, possibly mediated by mTOR, is a potential mechanism of chemoresistance in HGSOC and modulation of FANCD2 expression can influence platinum sensitivity and other tumour cell characteristics.

Inducible pluripotent stem cells to study human mast cell trajectories.

Mast cells (MCs) are derived from CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors, consist of different subtypes and are involved in several inflammatory conditions. However, our understanding of human MC developmental trajectories and subtypes have been limited by a scarcity of suitable cellular model systems. Herein, we developed an in vitro model of human MC differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to study human MC differentiation trajectories. Flow cytometry characterization of hemopoietic cells derived from the myeloid cells-forming complex (MCFC) revealed an initial increase in Lin- CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors within Weeks 1-3, followed by an increase in CD34- CD45RA- SSCLow and SSChigh hematopoietic cells. The Lin- CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors consisted of SSClow CD45RA- CD123± c-Kit+ FcERI+ population that was ß7-integrinhigh CD203c+ and ß7-integrinhigh CD203c- cells consistent with CMPFceRI+ cells. Flow cytometry and cytologic analyses of the CD34- Lin- (SSClow) population revealed hypogranular cell populations, predominantly characterized by CD45RA- CD123± c-Kit+ FcERI- ß7-integrinlow and CD45RA- CD123± c-Kit- FcERI+ ß7-integrinMid cells. Analyses of hypergranular SSChigh cells identified Lin- CD34- CD45RA- c-Kit+ FceRI- and Lin- CD34- CD45RA- c-Kit+ FceRI+ cells. scRNA seq analysis of the cells harvested at week 4 of the MCFC culture revealed the presence of monocyte and granulocyte progenitors (n = 547 cells, 26.7 %), Erythrocyte / unknown (n = 85, 4.1 %), neutrophils / myelocytes (n = 211 cells, 10.2 %), Mast cell progenitor 1 (n = 599, 29.1 %), Mast cell progenitor 2 (n = 152, 7.4 %), Committed Mast cell precursor (n = 113, 5.5 %), and mast cells (n = 353, 17.1 %). In silico analyses of the MC precursor and mature MC populations revealed transcriptionally distinct MC precursor subtype and mature MC states (CMA1+ and CMA1- subtypes). Culturing MC precursor populations in MC maturation media (mast cell media II) led to homogenous mature MC populations as evidenced by high expression of high affinity IgE receptor, metachromatic granules, presence of MC granule proteins (Tryptase and Chymase) and activation following substance P stimulation and FceRI crosslinking. This human iPSC-based approach generates MC precursors and phenotypically mature and functional MC populations. This system will be a useful model to generate human MC populations and broaden our understanding of MC biology and transcriptional regulation of MC differentiation trajectories.

Development of a new social prescribing intervention for families of children with cerebral palsy.

AIM: To co-design a social prescribing intervention (the EPIC-CP programme: Equitable Pathways and Integrated Care in Cerebral Palsy) with children with cerebral palsy (CP), their families, and clinicians to address unmet social needs. METHOD: The study was conducted (August 2021 to March 2023) at the paediatric rehabilitation departments of the three tertiary paediatric hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. Eligible participants attended or worked at one of the departments, including children with CP, parents/caregivers, and clinicians. Mixed-methods co-design was used in intervention co-production and prototyping. The project was overseen by research advisors with lived experience of CP. RESULTS: More than 200 participants contributed to the co-design research. Families experienced a substantial burden of unmet social needs. Co-designed interventions involved systematic identification of unmet social needs with (1) targeted community resources and (2) engagement with a 'community linker' who supported children/young people and their families to access health, education, and social services that matched their identified needs and preferences. Research participants co-developed the programme logic model and prototype. This was piloted in research action cycles and iteratively refined until consensus was achieved. INTERPRETATION: We co-designed a social prescribing programme responsive to the needs of its end-users and purposefully developed to be embedded in the Australian health setting. A pilot randomized controlled trial will further evaluate this intervention.

Inhibiting the NADase CD38 improves cytomegalovirus-specific CD8+ T cell functionality and metabolism.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common and relevant opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised individuals such as kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). The exact mechanisms underlying the disability of cytotoxic T cells to provide sufficient protection against CMV in immunosuppressed individuals have not been identified yet. Here, we performed in-depth metabolic profiling of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells in immunocompromised patients and show the development of metabolic dysregulation at the transcriptional, protein, and functional level of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells in KTRs with non-controlled CMV infection. These dysregulations comprise impaired glycolysis and increased mitochondrial stress, which is associated with an intensified expression of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nucleotidase (NADase) CD38. Inhibiting NADase activity of CD38 reinvigorated the metabolism and improved cytokine production of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells. These findings were corroborated in a mouse model of CMV infection under conditions of immunosuppression. Thus, dysregulated metabolic states of CD8+ T cells could be targeted by inhibiting CD38 to reverse hypo-responsiveness in individuals who fail to control chronic viral infection.

Informing knowledge translation for selective dorsal rhizotomy: A survey of Australian clinicians and people with lived experience of cerebral palsy.

AIM: Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a neurosurgical intervention used to reduce spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP). There is minimal relevant, evidence-based information available for Australian families and clinicians. This study aims to investigate the knowledge of people with lived experience and clinicians regarding SDR, including how they currently access information and what information they seek. METHODS: Adults with CP, carers of children with CP and clinicians treating children with CP were invited to complete an online survey. Data regarding participant demographics, current knowledge and confidence in knowledge about CP and SDR, information source/s used and participants level of trust in these sources are presented as counts and percentages. Comparisons in knowledge between groups were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 114 surveys were completed: 63 clinicians, 48 carers, and 3 adults with CP. Eighty percent of clinicians were allied health professionals. People with lived experience were less confident in their knowledge about SDR compared to knowledge of CP (P < 0.001). Clinicians rated scientific research literature and the hospital team as the most useful and trustworthy information source. People with lived experience used a wider range of information sources including the internet, rating their community therapy team and other people with lived experience as the most useful. CONCLUSION: This study identified a lack of confidence in knowledge of SDR for people with lived experience, likely due to a gap in accessible and readable evidence-based information. While both groups differed in how they access information, there was agreement that greater information about SDR is needed.

The Effect of Long-Term Azithromycin on Objective and Subjective Cough in Chronic Respiratory Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials and Noncomparative Studies.

INTRODUCTION: Azithromycin is an effective treatment for various respiratory conditions but its effect on cough is poorly understood. We synthesised data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and noncomparative studies (NCT) examining its effect on objective and subjective cough. METHODS: After prospective registration on PROSPERO, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL for both RCTs and NCT trials examining the effect azithromycin on cough in respiratory disease. RESULTS: We identified 1240 studies of which 6 (4 RCTs and 2 NCT studies) were included in the meta-analysis, with a total of 275 patients. Azithromycin was associated with significant improvement in Leicester Cough Questionnaire scores at follow-up when compared to baseline scores (SMD = 0.62 [95% CI 0.12 to 1.12], p = 0.01). However, when only RCTs were synthesised, no significant effect was observed (SMD = 0.12 [95% CI - 0.36 to 0.60], p = 0.62). There was no significant reduction in cough severity VAS score (SMD = - 0.39 [95% CI - 0.92 to 0.14], p = 0.15). There was no significant reduction in objective cough count (SMD = - 0.41 [95% CI - 1.04 to 0.32], p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: Azithromycin therapy improves cough-related quality of life in various chronic respiratory diseases; however, there was no significant effect on cough outcomes when only data from RCTs were synthesised. We believe that to accurately identify which patients whose cough would benefit from azithromycin a large-scale clinical trial of patients with a broad spectrum of respiratory diseases, with sufficiently severe cough, should be undertaken with subgroup analysis of individual disease areas.

Care-seeking for difficulties conceiving in sub-Saharan Africa: findings from population-based surveys in eight geographies.

STUDY QUESTION: What is the nature of women's care-seeking for difficulties conceiving in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including the correlates of seeking biomedical infertility care at a health facility? SUMMARY ANSWER: Care-seeking for difficulties getting pregnant was low, much of which involved traditional or religious sources of care, with evidence of sociodemographic disparities in receipt of biomedical care. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Nearly all research on infertility care-seeking patterns in SSA is limited to clinic-based studies among the minority of people in these settings who obtain facility-based services. In the absence of population-based data on infertility care-seeking, we are unable to determine the demand for services and disparities in the use of more effective biomedical sources of care. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We used cross-sectional, population-based data from the Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) female survey in eight geographies in SSA, including nationally representative data from Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda and regionally representative data from two provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (Kinshasa and Kongo Central) and two states in Nigeria (Kano and Lagos). We employed a multi-stage cluster random sampling design with probability proportional to size selection of clusters within each geography to produce representative samples of women aged 15-49. Samples ranged from 1144 in Kano, Nigeria, to 9489 in Kenya. PMA collected these data between November 2021 and December 2022. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: We restricted the sample to women who had ever had sex, with analytic samples ranging from 854 in Kano to 8,059 in Kenya, then conducted descriptive and bivariable analyses to examine characteristics of those who sought care for difficulties getting pregnant. Among those who reported seeking care, we conducted bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to determine factors associated with receipt of biomedical services from a health facility. All analyses were conducted separately by geography. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Our study found low levels of care-seeking for difficulties getting pregnant among sexually active women in eight geographies in SSA, ranging from 3.7% (Kenya) to 15.3% (Côte d'Ivoire). Of this, 51.8% (Burkina Faso) to 86.7% (Kinshasa) involved receipt of biomedical services in health facilities. While many factors were consistently associated with infertility care-seeking from any source across geographies, factors associated with receipt of biomedical care specifically were less pronounced. This may be a result of the highly limited sources of infertility services in SSA; thus, even privileged groups may struggle to obtain effective treatment for difficulties getting pregnant. However, we did observe disparities in biomedical care-seeking in our bivariable results in several geographies, with the wealthiest women, those with more education, and those residing in urban areas generally more likely to have sought biomedical care for difficulties getting pregnant. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Our data lacked details on the nature of the services received and outcomes, and we do not have information on reasons why women chose the sources they did. Small samples of women who sought care limited our power to detect significant differences in care-seeking by women's characteristics in several geographies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Infertility and access to appropriate treatment are issues of reproductive health and human rights. While our results do not indicate to what extent use of non-biomedical sources of care is driven by preferences, cost, or lack of accessible services, it is clear from our results and existing literature that more needs to be done to ensure access to affordable, quality, cost-effective infertility services in SSA. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was supported by grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (INV009639) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (K01HD107172). The funders were not involved in the study design, analyses, manuscript writing, or the decision to publish. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Controlled human hookworm infection remodels plasmacytoid dendritic cells and regulatory T cells towards profiles seen in natural infections in endemic areas.

Hookworm infection remains a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where mass drug administration has not stopped reinfection. Developing a vaccine is crucial to complement current control measures, which necessitates a thorough understanding of host immune responses. By leveraging controlled human infection models and high-dimensional immunophenotyping, here we investigated the immune remodeling following infection with 50 Necator americanus L3 hookworm larvae in four naïve volunteers over two years of follow-up and compared the profiles with naturally infected populations in endemic areas. Increased plasmacytoid dendritic cell frequency and diminished responsiveness to Toll-like receptor 7/8 ligand were observed in both controlled and natural infection settings. Despite the increased CD45RA+ regulatory T cell (Tregs) frequencies in both settings, markers of Tregs function, including inducible T-cell costimulatory (ICOS), tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2), and latency-associated peptide (LAP), as well as in vitro Tregs suppressive capacity were higher in natural infections. Taken together, this study provides unique insights into the immunological trajectories following a first-in-life hookworm infection compared to natural infections.

Single-frame transmission and phase imaging using off-axis holography with undetected photons.

Imaging with undetected photons relies upon nonlinear interferometry to extract the spatial image from an infrared probe beam and reveal it in the interference pattern of an easier-to-detect visible beam. Typically, the transmission and phase images are extracted using phase-shifting techniques and combining interferograms from multiple frames. Here we show that off-axis digital holography enables reconstruction of both transmission and phase images at the infrared wavelength from a single interferogram, and hence a single frame, recorded in the visible. This eliminates the need for phase stepping and multiple acquisitions, thereby greatly reducing total measurement time for imaging with long acquisition times at low flux or enabling video-rate imaging at higher flux. With this single-frame acquisition technique, we are able to reconstruct transmission images of an object in the infrared beam with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.680 ± 0.004 at 10 frames per second, and record a dynamic scene in the infrared beam at 33 frames per second.

Stratification to Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy in Rectal Cancer by Regimen and Transcriptional Signatures.

Response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in rectal cancer has been associated with immune and stromal features that are captured by transcriptional signatures. However, how such associations perform across different chemoradiotherapy regimens and within individual consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) and how they affect survival remain unclear. In this study, gene expression and clinical data of pretreatment biopsies from nine cohorts of primary rectal tumors were combined (N = 826). Exploratory analyses were done with transcriptomic signatures for the endpoint of pathologic complete response (pCR), considering treatment regimen or CMS subtype. Relevant findings were tested for overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Immune and stromal signatures were strongly associated with pCR and lack of pCR, respectively, in RT and capecitabine (Cap)/5-fluorouracil (5FU)-treated patients (N = 387), in which the radiosensitivity signature (RSS) showed the strongest association. Upon addition of oxaliplatin (Ox; N = 123), stromal signatures switched direction and showed higher chances to achieve pCR than without Ox (p for interaction 0.02). Among Cap/5FU patients, most signatures performed similarly across CMS subtypes, except cytotoxic lymphocytes that were associated with pCR in CMS1 and CMS4 cases compared with other CMS subtypes (p for interaction 0.04). The only variables associated with survival were pCR and RSS. Although the frequency of pCR across different chemoradiation regimens is relatively similar, our data suggest that response rates may differ depending on the biological landscape of rectal cancer. Response to neoadjuvant RT in stroma-rich tumors may potentially be improved by the addition of Ox. RSS in preoperative biopsies provides predictive information for response specifically to neoadjuvant RT with 5FU. SIGNIFICANCE: Rectal cancers with stromal features may respond better to RT and 5FU/Cap with the addition of Ox. Within patients not treated with Ox, high levels of cytotoxic lymphocytes associate with response only in immune and stromal tumors. Our analyses provide biological insights about the outcome by different radiotherapy regimens in rectal cancer.

Rapid, Accurate, Ranking of Protein-Ligand Binding Affinities with VM2, the Second-Generation Mining Minima Method.

The structure-based technologies most widely used to rank the affinities of candidate small molecule drugs for proteins range from faster but less reliable docking methods to slower but more accurate explicit solvent free energy methods. In recent years, we have advanced another technology, which is called mining minima because it "mines" out the main contributions to the chemical potentials of the free and bound molecular species by identifying and characterizing their main local energy minima. The present study provides systematic benchmarks of the accuracy and computational speed of mining minima, as implemented in the VeraChem Mining Minima Generation 2 (VM2) code, across two well-regarded protein-ligand benchmark data sets, for which there are already benchmark data for docking, free energy, and other computational methods. A core result is that VM2's accuracy approaches that of explicit solvent free energy methods at a far lower computational cost. In finer-grained analyses, we also examine the influence of various run settings, such as the treatment of crystallographic water molecules, on the accuracy, and define the costs in time and dollars of representative runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) compute instances with various CPU and GPU combinations. We also use the benchmark data to determine the importance of VM2's correction from generalized Born to finite-difference Poisson-Boltzmann results for each energy well and find that this correction affords a remarkably consistent improvement in accuracy at a modest computational cost. The present results establish VM2 as a distinctive technology for early-stage drug discovery, which provides a strong combination of efficiency and predictivity.