Use of Artificial Intelligence With Deep Learning Approaches for the Follow-up of Infrarenal Endovascular Aortic Repair.

INTRODUCTION: Endoleaks represent one of the main complications after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and can lead to increased re-intervention rates and secondary rupture. Serial lifelong surveillance is required and traditionally involves cross-sectional imaging with manual axial measurements. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based imaging analysis has been developed and may provide a more precise and faster assessment. This study aims to evaluate the ability of an AI-based software to assess post-EVAR morphological changes over time, detect endoleaks, and associate them with EVAR-related adverse events. METHODS: Patients who underwent EVAR at a tertiary hospital from January 2017 to March 2020 with at least 2 follow-up computed tomography angiography (CTA) were analyzed using PRAEVAorta 2 (Nurea). The software was compared to the ground truth provided by human experts using Sensitivity (Se), Specificity (Sp), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), and Positive Predictive Value (PPV). Endovascular aortic repair-related adverse events were defined as aneurysm-related death, rupture, endoleak, limb occlusion, and EVAR-related re-interventions. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were included with a median imaging follow-up of 27 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 20-40). There were no significant differences overtime in the evolution of maximum aneurysm diameters (55.62 mm [IQR: 52.33-59.25] vs 54.34 mm [IQR: 46.13-59.47]; p=0.2162) or volumes (130.4 cm3 [IQR: 113.8-171.7] vs 125.4 cm3 [IQR: 96.3-169.1]; p=0.1131) despite a -13.47% decrease in the volume of thrombus (p=0.0216). PRAEVAorta achieved a Se of 89.47% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 80.58 to 94.57), a Sp of 91.25% (95% CI: 83.02 to 95.70), a PPV of 90.67% (95% CI: 81.97 to 95.41), and an NPV of 90.12% (95% CI: 81.70 to 94.91) in detecting endoleaks. Endovascular aortic repair-related adverse events were associated with global volume modifications with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.7806 vs 0.7277 for maximum diameter. The same trend was observed for endoleaks (AUC of 0.7086 vs 0.6711). CONCLUSIONS: The AI-based software PRAEVAorta enabled a detailed anatomic characterization of aortic remodeling post-EVAR and showed its potential interest for automatic detection of endoleaks during follow-up. The association of aortic aneurysmal volume with EVAR-related adverse events and endoleaks was more robust compared with maximum diameter. CLINICAL IMPACT: The integration of PRAEVAorta AI software into clinical practice promises a transformative shift in post-EVAR surveillance. By offering precise and rapid detection of endoleaks and comprehensive anatomic assessments, clinicians can expect enhanced diagnostic accuracy and streamlined patient management. This innovation reduces reliance on manual measurements, potentially reducing interpretation errors and shortening evaluation times. Ultimately, PRAEVAorta's capabilities hold the potential to optimize patient care, leading to more timely interventions and improved outcomes in endovascular aortic repair.

Multicenter Retrospective Study of Vascular Infections and Endocarditis Caused by Campylobacter spp., France.

The incidence of campylobacteriosis has substantially increased over the past decade, notably in France. Secondary localizations complicating invasive infections are poorly described. We aimed to describe vascular infection or endocarditis caused by Campylobacter spp. We included 57 patients from a nationwide 5-year retrospective study on Campylobacter spp. bacteremia conducted in France; 44 patients had vascular infections, 12 had endocarditis, and 1 had both conditions. Campylobacter fetus was the most frequently involved species (83%). Antibiotic treatment involved a ß-lactam monotherapy (54%) or was combined with a fluoroquinolone or an aminoglycoside (44%). The mortality rate was 25%. Relapse occurred in 8% of cases and was associated with delayed initiation of an efficient antimicrobial therapy after the first symptoms, diabetes, and coexistence of an osteoarticular location. Cardiovascular Campylobacter spp. infections are associated with a high mortality rate. Systematically searching for those localizations in cases of C. fetus bacteremia may be warranted.

Tricyclic octaurea "Temples" for the recognition of polar molecules in water.

Two water-soluble tricyclic "Temple" macrocycles featuring pyrene roof/floor units and bis-urea spacers have been synthesised and studied as receptors for aromatic compounds in aqueous media. The tricycles show good selectivity for methylated purine alkaloids such as caffeine versus unsubstituted heterocycles such as adenine and indole. Binding is signalled by major changes in fluorescence, apparently due to the break-up of intramolecular excimers. The formation of excimers implies cavity collapse in the absence of guests explaining why, unlike an earlier relative, these receptors do not bind carbohydrates. Naphthalenediimides (NDIs) have also been studied as geometrically complementary guests, and indeed bind especially strongly (Ka > 107 M-1); this powerful and selective association suggests potential applications in supramolecular self-assembly.

Environment at the time of injury determines injury patterns in pelvic blast.

The use of explosives by terrorists, or during armed conflict, remains a major global threat. Increasingly, these events occur in the civilian domain, and can potentially lead to injury and loss of life, on a very large scale. The environment at the time of detonation is known to result in different injury patterns in casualties exposed to blast, which is highly relevant to injury mitigation analyses. We describe differences in pelvic injury patterns in relation to different environments, from casualties that presented to the deployed UK military hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. A casualty on foot when injured typically sustains an unstable pelvic fracture pattern, which is commonly the cause of death. These casualties die from blood loss, meaning treatment in these should focus on early pelvic haemorrhage control. In contrast, casualties injured in vehicle present a different pattern, possibly caused by direct loading via the seat, which does not result in pelvic instability. Fatalities in this cohort are from injuries to other body regions, in particular the head and the torso and who may require urgent neurosurgery or thoracotomy as life-saving interventions. A different strategy is therefore required for mounted and dismounted casualties in order to increase survivors.

The Discovery, Distribution, and Evolution of Viruses Associated with Drosophila melanogaster.

Drosophila melanogaster is a valuable invertebrate model for viral infection and antiviral immunity, and is a focus for studies of insect-virus coevolution. Here we use a metagenomic approach to identify more than 20 previously undetected RNA viruses and a DNA virus associated with wild D. melanogaster. These viruses not only include distant relatives of known insect pathogens but also novel groups of insect-infecting viruses. By sequencing virus-derived small RNAs, we show that the viruses represent active infections of Drosophila. We find that the RNA viruses differ in the number and properties of their small RNAs, and we detect both siRNAs and a novel miRNA from the DNA virus. Analysis of small RNAs also allows us to identify putative viral sequences that lack detectable sequence similarity to known viruses. By surveying >2,000 individually collected wild adult Drosophila we show that more than 30% of D. melanogaster carry a detectable virus, and more than 6% carry multiple viruses. However, despite a high prevalence of the Wolbachia endosymbiont--which is known to be protective against virus infections in Drosophila--we were unable to detect any relationship between the presence of Wolbachia and the presence of any virus. Using publicly available RNA-seq datasets, we show that the community of viruses in Drosophila laboratories is very different from that seen in the wild, but that some of the newly discovered viruses are nevertheless widespread in laboratory lines and are ubiquitous in cell culture. By sequencing viruses from individual wild-collected flies we show that some viruses are shared between D. melanogaster and D. simulans. Our results provide an essential evolutionary and ecological context for host-virus interaction in Drosophila, and the newly reported viral sequences will help develop D. melanogaster further as a model for molecular and evolutionary virus research.

Novel Drosophila viruses encode host-specific suppressors of RNAi.

The ongoing conflict between viruses and their hosts can drive the co-evolution between host immune genes and viral suppressors of immunity. It has been suggested that an evolutionary 'arms race' may occur between rapidly evolving components of the antiviral RNAi pathway of Drosophila and viral genes that antagonize it. We have recently shown that viral protein 1 (VP1) of Drosophila melanogaster Nora virus (DmelNV) suppresses Argonaute-2 (AGO2)-mediated target RNA cleavage (slicer activity) to antagonize antiviral RNAi. Here we show that viral AGO2 antagonists of divergent Nora-like viruses can have host specific activities. We have identified novel Nora-like viruses in wild-caught populations of D. immigrans (DimmNV) and D. subobscura (DsubNV) that are 36% and 26% divergent from DmelNV at the amino acid level. We show that DimmNV and DsubNV VP1 are unable to suppress RNAi in D. melanogaster S2 cells, whereas DmelNV VP1 potently suppresses RNAi in this host species. Moreover, we show that the RNAi suppressor activity of DimmNV VP1 is restricted to its natural host species, D. immigrans. Specifically, we find that DimmNV VP1 interacts with D. immigrans AGO2, but not with D. melanogaster AGO2, and that it suppresses slicer activity in embryo lysates from D. immigrans, but not in lysates from D. melanogaster. This species-specific interaction is reflected in the ability of DimmNV VP1 to enhance RNA production by a recombinant Sindbis virus in a host-specific manner. Our results emphasize the importance of analyzing viral RNAi suppressor activity in the relevant host species. We suggest that rapid co-evolution between RNA viruses and their hosts may result in host species-specific activities of RNAi suppressor proteins, and therefore that viral RNAi suppressors could be host-specificity factors.

Successive increases in the resistance of Drosophila to viral infection through a transposon insertion followed by a Duplication.

To understand the molecular basis of how hosts evolve resistance to their parasites, we have investigated the genes that cause variation in the susceptibility of Drosophila melanogaster to viral infection. Using a host-specific pathogen of D. melanogaster called the sigma virus (Rhabdoviridae), we mapped a major-effect polymorphism to a region containing two paralogous genes called CHKov1 and CHKov2. In a panel of inbred fly lines, we found that a transposable element insertion in the protein coding sequence of CHKov1 is associated with increased resistance to infection. Previous research has shown that this insertion results in a truncated messenger RNA that encodes a far shorter protein than the susceptible allele. This resistant allele has rapidly increased in frequency under directional selection and is now the commonest form of the gene in natural populations. Using genetic mapping and site-specific recombination, we identified a third genotype with considerably greater resistance that is currently rare in the wild. In these flies there have been two duplications, resulting in three copies of both the truncated allele of CHKov1 and CHKov2 (one of which is also truncated). Remarkably, the truncated allele of CHKov1 has previously been found to confer resistance to organophosphate insecticides. As estimates of the age of this allele predate the use of insecticides, it is likely that this allele initially functioned as a defence against viruses and fortuitously "pre-adapted" flies to insecticides. These results demonstrate that strong selection by parasites for increased host resistance can result in major genetic changes and rapid shifts in allele frequencies; and, contrary to the prevailing view that resistance to pathogens can be a costly trait to evolve, the pleiotropic effects of these changes can have unexpected benefits.

Predictors of major adverse lower limb events in patients with tissue loss secondary to critical limb-threatening ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is the end-stage of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) posing a high risk for limb loss and mortality. This study aims to evaluate and list possible predictors of major adverse limb events (MALEs) in CLTI patients with tissue loss. METHODS: This retrospective study included all Rutherford-Becker stage 5 or 6 patients who required foot debridement and revascularization in our department from January 2016 to December 2018. The limbs were classified according to the TASC II, GLASS and WiFI grading systems. The primary composite outcome was MALEs at 2 years. The secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, primary patency, freedom from reintervention, and major amputation. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to determine the event rates, and Cox proportional hazards model with the index MALE as a time-dependent covariate was used to search for MALEs predictors. RESULTS: Of 241 included patients, 19 underwent open surgeries (7.9 %) 207 had endovascular interventions (85.9 %) and 15 required a hybrid approach (6.2 %). On univariate analysis, patients who experienced MALEs (n = 111) more often required hemodialysis (25 vs 15; p = .02), presented with more complex lesions (TASC D on femoropopliteal (p = .05) or below the knee (BTK) arteries (p = .006) with increasing infra-inguinal GLASS Stage (p < .0001)), a history of index limb open (p = .009) or endovascular (p = .049) revascularization, an occluded tibial artery (p = .002 for the posterior tibial and p = .052 for the anterior tibial), or a "desert foot" (p = .02). The CRP level was also higher at admission (p = .001). Technical success of BTK revascularization significantly reduced MALEs (p < .0001) along with the number of patent BTK vessels (p = .0007). Independent predictors of MALEs included hemodialysis (HR = 2.00; 95%CI: 1.14 to 3.39), pulsatile arterial pressure (HR = 1.01; 95%CI: 1.00 to 1.03) and the infra-inguinal GLASS Stage (HR = 2.50; 95%CI: 1.17 to 5.82). We could not correlate our results with the WiFI scores for amputation risk and revascularization benefit. CONCLUSION: For patients with CLTI at the stage of trophic disorders, with or without a history of index limb revascularization, the GLASS successfully predicted MALEs. Hemodialysis and high pulsatile arterial pressure increased the risk of MALEs. The WiFI score did not demonstrate its interest in this subgroup of patients.

Understanding stigma of dementia during COVID-19: a scoping review.

Introduction: Stigma of dementia is one of the greatest challenges for people living with dementia. However, there is little research on the different types of stigma of dementia in the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this scoping review is to synthesize the existing literature on dementia-related stigma (self, public, and structural stigma), during the pandemic. Methods: Guided by Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework and PRISMA guidelines, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for English language literature from January 2020 to June 2023. Inclusion criteria consisted of peer-reviewed, original research articles addressing stigma of dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and steps were taken to ensure rigor. Results: Fifteen articles met our inclusion criteria. Four primary themes were identified including: 1) COVID-19 stereotypes and assumptions of dementia; 2) human rights issues and deprived dignity; 3) disparate access to health services and supports; and 4) cultural inequities and distrust. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the stigmatization of people living with dementia. Further research is needed to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions targeted towards the different types of dementia-related stigma (including self, public, and structural stigma). Moreover, our findings highlight the need for more collaborative research that prioritizes the lived experience and input of diverse people living with dementia. Research partnerships with diverse people living with dementia are vital to improving future pandemic planning. Only through evidence-informed research and lived experience can we begin to fully address the different types of dementia-related stigma and enhance the quality of life of people living with dementia.

Host phylogeny determines viral persistence and replication in novel hosts.

Pathogens switching to new hosts can result in the emergence of new infectious diseases, and determining which species are likely to be sources of such host shifts is essential to understanding disease threats to both humans and wildlife. However, the factors that determine whether a pathogen can infect a novel host are poorly understood. We have examined the ability of three host-specific RNA-viruses (Drosophila sigma viruses from the family Rhabdoviridae) to persist and replicate in 51 different species of Drosophilidae. Using a novel analytical approach we found that the host phylogeny could explain most of the variation in viral replication and persistence between different host species. This effect is partly driven by viruses reaching a higher titre in those novel hosts most closely related to the original host. However, there is also a strong effect of host phylogeny that is independent of the distance from the original host, with viral titres being similar in groups of related hosts. Most of this effect could be explained by variation in general susceptibility to all three sigma viruses, as there is a strong phylogenetic correlation in the titres of the three viruses. These results suggest that the source of new emerging diseases may often be predictable from the host phylogeny, but that the effect may be more complex than simply causing most host shifts to occur between closely related hosts.

Stigma of dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Dementia-related stigma reduces the quality of life of people living with dementia and their care partners. However, there is a dearth of literature synthesising knowledge on stigma of dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review protocol outlines a methodology that will be used to understand the impact of stigma on people living with dementia during the pandemic. Addressing dementia-related stigma is critical to promoting timely dementia diagnoses and enhancing the quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. The review will focus on English-language, peer-reviewed literature published between 13 January 2020 and 30 June 2023. Stigma will be broadly defined according to pre-established components (stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination). We will search six databases including CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science. We will also hand-search the reference lists of relevant articles to identify additional manuscripts. Two reviewers will develop the data extraction table, as well as independently conduct the data screening. Any disagreements will be resolved through open discussion between the two researchers, and if necessary, by consulting the full team to achieve consensus. Data synthesis will be conducted using an inductive thematic analysis approach. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This review will be the first to explore the impact of dementia-related stigma during the COVID-19 pandemic. An advisory panel including a person living with dementia and a care partner will be consulted to inform our review's findings and support the data dissemination process. The results of this scoping review will be shared and disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal, presentations at academic conferences, a community workshop and webinars with various stakeholders.

Digital tools for delivery of dementia education for caregivers of persons with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of impact on caregiver distress and depressive symptoms.

Continuing education for dementia has been shown to be beneficial by improving informal caregiver knowledge, dementia care, management, and caregiver physical and mental health. Technology-based dementia education has been noted to have equivalent effects as in-person education, but with the added benefit of asynchronous and/or remote delivery, which increases accessibility. Using Cochrane review methodology, this study systematically reviewed the literature on technology-based dementia education and its impacts on caregivers. Technology-based delivery included dementia education delivered via the Internet, telephone, telehealth, videophone, computer, or digital video device (DVD). In the review, twenty-eight studies were identified with fourteen included in a meta-analysis, and these data revealed a significant small effect of technologically based dementia education on reducing caregiver depression, and a medium effect on reducing caregiver distress in response to caregivers' observations of behavioral problems displayed by persons with dementia. No evidence was found for a significant effect of the educational intervention on caregiver burden or self-efficacy, which are known to be gendered aspects of caregiving. None of the studies included in the meta-analysis reported separate outcomes for male and female care providers, which has implications for gendered caregiving norms and aspects of care. Registration number: PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018092599.

Indirect colonic injury after military wounding: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Colonic trauma in wartime most commonly results from direct injury along the path of a penetrating missile. Rarely, the colon may be injured by primary blast effect or by propagation of energy by the missile, remote from the track of the projectile. METHODS/RESULTS: This article describes the clinical presentation and operative findings in five patients who sustained high energy-transfer gunshot wounds (GSWs) or fragmentation injuries from blast who were found to have sustained colonic injuries anatomically remote from the missile track/s. CONCLUSIONS: Military surgeons should be aware of the phenomenon of indirect injury to the colon after high-energy transfer GSW and blast injury. A high index of suspicion should be maintained and cross-sectional imaging used where feasible. Primary colonic reconstruction was used safely in these patients with indirect colonic injuries.

A scoping review of COVID-19 experiences of people living with dementia.

OBJECTIVES: Compared with the general population, people living with dementia have been unequivocally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on the COVID-19 impact on people with dementia and their care partners. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize the existing literature on the COVID-19 experiences of people with dementia and their care partners. METHODS: Following Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, we searched five electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Web of Science) and an online search engine (Google Scholar). Inclusion criteria consisted of English-language articles focusing on the COVID-19 experiences of people with dementia and their care partners. SYNTHESIS: Twenty-one articles met our inclusion criteria: six letters to the editor, seven commentaries, and eight original research studies. In the literature, five main themes were identified: (i) care partner fatigue and burnout; (ii) lack of access to services and supports; (iii) worsening neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive function; (iv) coping with COVID-19; and (v) the need for more evidence-informed research. Factors such as living alone, having advanced dementia, and the length of confinement were found to exacerbate the impact of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Urgent action is needed to support people living with dementia and their care partners in the pandemic. With little access to supports and services, people with dementia and their care partners are currently at a point of crisis. Collaboration and more evidence-informed research are critical to reducing mortality and supporting people with dementia during the pandemic.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Comparativement à la population générale, les personnes vivant avec la démence ont incontestablement été touchées par la pandémie de COVID-19. On en sait toutefois peu sur l'effet de la COVID-19 sur les personnes atteintes de démence et leurs partenaires soignants. Notre étude de champ visait à résumer la littérature existante sur l'expérience de la COVID-19 chez les personnes atteintes de démence et leurs partenaires soignants. MéTHODE: En suivant le cadre méthodologique d'Arksey et O'Malley pour les études de champ, nous avons interrogé cinq bases de données électroniques (Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE et Web of Science) et un moteur de recherche en ligne (Google Scholar). Nous avons inclus tous les articles en anglais portant sur l'expérience de la COVID-19 chez les personnes atteintes de démence et leurs partenaires soignants. SYNTHèSE: Vingt et un articles ont correspondu à nos critères d'inclusion : six lettres publiées dans le courrier des lecteurs, sept commentaires et huit études de recherche originales. Cinq grands thèmes sont ressortis de ces articles : i) la fatigue et l'épuisement professionnel des partenaires soignants; ii) le manque d'accès aux services et aux mesures d'aide; iii) l'aggravation des symptômes neuropsychiatriques et des fonctions cognitives; iv) les façons de faire face à la COVID-19; et v) le besoin de plus de recherche fondée sur les preuves. Nous avons constaté que trois facteurs, soit le fait de vivre seul(e), la démence avancée et la durée du confinement, exacerbaient l'effet de la COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Une action urgente est nécessaire pour aider les personnes vivant avec la démence et leurs partenaires soignants durant la pandémie. N'ayant guère accès aux mesures d'aide et aux services, les personnes atteintes de démence et leurs partenaires soignants se trouvent actuellement dans une situation de crise. La collaboration et la recherche fondée sur les preuves sont essentielles pour réduire la mortalité et aider les personnes atteintes de démence durant la pandémie.

Pelvic injury patterns in blast: Morbidity and mortality.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic trauma has emerged as one of the most severe injuries to be sustained by the victim of a blast insult. The incidence and mortality due to blast-related pelvic trauma is not known, and no data exist to assess the relative risk of clinical or radiological indicators of mortality. METHODS: The UK Joint Theater Trauma Registry was interrogated to identify those sustaining blast-mediated pelvic fractures during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, from 2003 to 2014, with subsequent computed tomography image analysis. Casualties that sustained more severe injuries remote to the pelvis were excluded. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-nine casualties with a 36% overall mortality rate were identified. Pelvic vascular injury, unstable pelvic fracture patterns, traumatic amputation, and perineal injury were higher in the dismounted fatality group (p < 0.05). All fatalities sustained a pelvic vascular injury. Pelvic vascular injury had the highest relative risk of death for any individual injury and an associated mortality of 56%. Dismounted casualties that sustained unstable pelvic fracture patterns, traumatic amputation, and perineal injury were at three times greater risk (relative risk, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-7.09) to have sustained a pelvic vascular injury than those that did not sustain these associated injuries. Opening of the pubic symphysis and at least one sacroiliac joint was significantly associated with pelvic vascular injury (p < 0.001), and the lateral displacement of the sacroiliac joints was identified as a fair predictor of pelvic vascular injury (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.73). CONCLUSION: Dismounted blast casualties with pelvic fracture are at significant risk of a noncompressible pelvic vascular injury. Initial management of these patients should focus upon controlling noncompressible pelvic bleeding. Clinical and radiological predictors of vascular injury and mortality suggest that mitigation strategies aiming to attenuate lateral displacement of the pelvis following blast are likely to result in fewer fatalities and a reduced injury burden. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic, level III.

Introducing affinity and selectivity into galectin-targeting nanoparticles with fluorinated glycan ligands.

Galectins are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, galectins display broad affinity towards ß-galactosides meaning glycan-based (nano)biosensors lack the required selectivity and affinity. Using a polymer-stabilized nanoparticle biosensing platform, we herein demonstrate that the specificity of immobilised lacto-N-biose towards galectins can be 'turned on/off' by using site-specific glycan fluorination and in some cases reversal of specificity can be achieved. The panel of fluoro-glycans were obtained by a chemoenzymatic approach, exploiting BiGalK and BiGalHexNAcP enzymes from Bifidobacterium infantis which are shown to tolerate fluorinated glycans, introducing structural diversity which would be very laborious by chemical methods alone. These results demonstrate that integrating non-natural, fluorinated glycans into nanomaterials can encode unprecedented selectivity with potential applications in biosensing.

Genetic variation affecting host-parasite interactions: different genes affect different aspects of sigma virus replication and transmission in Drosophila melanogaster.

In natural populations, genetic variation affects resistance to disease. Knowing how much variation exists, and understanding the genetic architecture of this variation, is important for medicine, for agriculture, and for understanding evolutionary processes. To investigate the extent and nature of genetic variation affecting resistance to pathogens, we are studying a tractable model system: Drosophila melanogaster and its natural pathogen the vertically transmitted sigma virus. We show that considerable genetic variation affects transmission of the virus from parent to offspring. However, maternal and paternal transmission of the virus is affected by different genes. Maternal transmission is a simple Mendelian trait: most of the genetic variation is explained by a polymorphism in ref(2)P, a gene already well known to affect resistance to sigma. In contrast, there is considerable genetic variation in paternal transmission that cannot be explained by ref(2)P and is caused by other loci on chromosome 2. Furthermore, we found no genetic correlation between paternal transmission of the virus and resistance to infection by the sigma virus following injection. This suggests that different loci affect viral replication and paternal transmission.

Lower Limb Posture Affects the Mechanism of Injury in Under-Body Blast.

Over 80% of wounded Service Members sustain at least one extremity injury. The 'deck-slap' foot, a product of the vehicle's floor rising rapidly when attacked by a mine to injure the limb, has been a signature injury in recent conflicts. Given the frequency and severity of these combat-related extremity injuries, they require the greatest utilisation of resources for treatment, and have caused the greatest number of disabled soldiers during recent conflicts. Most research efforts focus on occupants seated with both tibia-to-femur and tibia-to-foot angles set at 90°; it is unknown whether results obtained from these tests are applicable when alternative seated postures are adopted. To investigate this, lower limbs from anthropometric testing devices (ATDs) and post mortem human subjects (PMHSs) were loaded in three different seated postures using an under-body blast injury simulator. Using metrics that are commonly used for assessing injury, such as the axial force and the revised tibia index, the lower limb of ATDs were found to be insensitive to posture variations while the injuries sustained by the PMHS lower limbs differed in type and severity between postures. This suggests that the mechanism of injury depends on the posture and that this cannot be captured by the current injury criteria. Therefore, great care should be taken when interpreting and extrapolating results, especially in vehicle qualification tests, when postures other than the 90°-90° are of interest.