Making waves: The NORMAN antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes database (NORMAN ARB&ARG)-An invitation for collaboration to tackle antibiotic resistance.

With the global concerns on antibiotic resistance (AR) as a public health issue, it is pivotal to have data exchange platforms for studies on antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. For this purpose, the NORMAN Association is hosting the NORMAN ARB&ARG database, which was developed within the European project ANSWER. The present article provides an overview on the database functionalities, the extraction and the contribution of data to the database. In this study, AR data from three studies from China and Nepal were extracted and imported into the NORMAN ARB&ARG in addition to the existing AR data from 11 studies (mainly European studies) on the database. This feasibility study demonstrates how the scientific community can share their data on AR to generate an international evidence base to inform AR mitigation strategies. The open and FAIR data are of high potential relevance for regulatory applications, including the development of emission limit values / environmental quality standards in relation to AR. The growth in sharing of data and analytical methods will foster collaboration on risk management of AR worldwide, and facilitate the harmonization in the effort for identification and surveillance of critical hotspots of AR. The NORMAN ARB&ARG database is publicly available at: https://www.norman-network.com/nds/bacteria/.

Comparison of two different treatments in depressed pregnant women: fetal growth characteristics and neonatal outcomes.

Background In this pilot study, the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and psychological intervention on fetal growth characteristics and neonatal outcomes were evaluated in two different groups of women affected by prenatal depression. Methods Forty-seven pregnant women diagnosed with major depression were divided into two different treatment groups according to the severity of their depression. The first group was treated with a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychological support. The second group (milder depression) was treated with psychological support only. The control group (CG) was made up of 26 healthy pregnant women. All of the patients and controls were assessed by means of a structured clinical interview and different self-reported questionnaires. Fetal ultrasonography assessments were performed in the second and third trimesters. Neonatal outcomes were evaluated at delivery. Results The infants of both treatment groups showed significant alterations in fetal biometry and a higher rate of low birth weight (LBW) with respect to controls. The infants of the patients treated with psychological support showed only a significantly higher rate of head circumference, <10th percentile with respect to controls. No significant difference was found between the two patient groups when fetal growth characteristics and neonatal outcomes were taken into account. Conclusion The data obtained from this study shed light on the effects of pharmacological and psychological treatment of prenatal depression on fetal growth.