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Sequence comparison of 16S rRNA PCR amplicons is an established approach to taxonomically identify bacterial isolates and profile complex microbial communities. One potential application of recent advances in long-read sequencing technologies is to sequence entire rRNA operons and capture significantly more phylogenetic information compared to sequencing of the 16S rRNA (or regions thereof) alone, with the potential to increase the proportion of amplicons that can be reliably classified to lower taxonomic ranks...

We present a complete, chromosome scale reference genome for the long-distance migratory bat Pipistrellus nathusii. The genome encompasses both haplotypic sets of autosomes and separation of both sex chromosomes by utilising highly-accurate long-reads and preserving long-range phasing information through the use of 3-dimensional chromatin conformation capture sequencing (Hi-C). This genome, accompanied by a comprehensive protein-coding sequence annotation, provides a valuable genomic resource for future investigations into the genomic bases of long-distance migratory flight in bats as well as uncovering the genetic architecture, population structure and evolutionary history of Pipistrellus nathusii...

PURPOSE: Patients with cleft lip/palate need an interdisciplinary approach. Delays in the care of these patients and difficulties in accessing health services have been reported in different low-, middle-, and high-income countries. This study aimed to characterize worldwide publications on access to cleft lip and palate health treatment. METHODS: Databases were selected systematically and searched until July 2021. The review process followed standard methods for systematic reviews...

We present the complete genome sequences of 118 taxonomically diverse eukaryotes from the Salish Sea. Illumina sequencing was performed on genetic material from wild-collected individuals. The reads were assembled using a de novo method followed by a finishing step. The raw and assembled data are publicly available via Genbank.

BACKGROUND: Root canal treatment (RCT) is a vital dental procedure aimed at preserving tooth function and minimizing infection. Access to accurate and comprehensive information about RCT is crucial for informed decision-making. With the increasing reliance on the Internet for health-related information, it is essential to evaluate the quality and readability of web-based RCT content, particularly in Arabic-speaking regions. METHODS: This study conducted an extensive web search using three major search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) to identify Arabic-language websites providing information on RCT...

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is a global health and economic burden with major problems that have an impact on physical, psychological, and social activities. Quality of life (QoL) is often disturbed and can be influenced by many factors, like anti-seizure medication side effects, the sociocultural environment, and various disease-related factors. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide an overview of the most recent information available regarding the pooled prevalence of poor quality of life and associated factors among adult people with epilepsy in Ethiopia...

The naïve human antibody repertoire has theoretical access to an estimated > 1015 antibodies. Identifying subsets of this prohibitively large space where therapeutically relevant antibodies may be found is useful for development of these agents. It was previously demonstrated that, despite the immense sequence space, different individuals can produce the same antibodies. It was also shown that therapeutic antibodies, which typically follow seemingly unnatural development processes, can arise independently naturally...

Cognitive biases are systematic thought processes involving the use of a filter of personal experiences and preferences arising from the tendency of the human brain to simplify information processing, especially when taking in vast amounts of data such as from imaging studies. These biases encompass a wide spectrum of thought processes and frequently overlap in their concepts, with multiple biases usually in operation when interpretive and perceptual errors occur in radiology. The authors review the gamut of cognitive biases that occur in radiology...

BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy is a popular psychological concept that refers to an individual's perception or belief in his ability to perform specific actions. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of self-efficacy, measured using the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SEM6S) questionnaire, for diabetes management and overall well-being in patients with diabetes. SUBJECT AND METHODS: An anonymous online cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the self-efficacy of diabetic patients in the Asser region of Saudi Arabia...

MOTIVATION: Identifying cis -regulatory elements (CREs) is crucial for analyzing gene regulatory networks. Next generation sequencing methods were developed to identify CREs but represent a considerable expenditure for targeted analysis of few genomic loci. Thus, predicting the outputs of these methods would significantly cut costs and time investment. RESULTS: We present Predmoter, a deep neural network that predicts base-wise Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) and histone Chromatin immunoprecipitation DNA-sequencing (ChIP-seq) read coverage for plant genomes...

Prolonged exposure to indoor air pollutants at high concentrations can have adverse health effects on the respiratory system of individuals who spend most of their time indoors. Formaldehyde (FA) is a common indoor air pollutant because of its extensive use in household products such as cleaners, floorings, and furnishings. As a chemical, FA is highly water soluble and reactive. When its airborne form is inhaled, it is mainly absorbed in the upper airways. FA has been extensively studied for its carcinogenic effects, but it can also cause inflammation in the upper airways...

Over 30,000 field experiments with The Washington Post and Upworthy showed that readers prefer simpler headlines (e.g., more common words and more readable writing) over more complex ones. A follow-up mechanism experiment showed that readers from the general public paid more attention to, and processed more deeply, the simpler headlines compared to the complex headlines. That is, a signal detection study suggested readers were guided by a simpler-writing heuristic, such that they skipped over relatively complex headlines to focus their attention on the simpler headlines...

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the major public health threats worldwide, emphasizing the necessity of preventing the development and transmission of drug resistant microorganisms. This is particularly important for people with vulnerable health conditions, such as people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and long-term care residents. This study aimed to assess the current status of AMR, antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and infection prevention and control (IPC) in Dutch long-term care facilities for people with intellectual disabilities (ID-LTCFs)...

We investigated the effects of cause of death (COVID-19 with an underlying medical condition vs. without) and prolonged grief disorder status (PGD present or absent) on participants' reported public stigma towards the bereaved. Participants ( N = 304, 66% women; M age = 39.39 years) were randomly assigned to read one of four vignettes describing a bereaved man. Participants completed stigma measures assessing negative attributions, desired social distance, and emotional reactions. Participants reported significantly stronger stigmatizing responses towards an individual with PGD (vs...

BACKGROUND: Enterococcus avium (E. avium) is a Gram-positive nosocomial pathogen that is commonly isolated from the alimentary tract. The objective of this functional genomics study was to identify the resistant genes by analyzing the genome of E. avium IRMC1622a, a type of bacteria found in feces collected from a patient at a Saudi Arabian tertiary hospital. METHODS: The bacterial strain IRMC1622a was identified by 16 S rRNA sequencing as Enterococcus sp. The resistance phenomics were performed using VITEK® 2, and morphological analysis was achieved using a scanning electron microscope (SEM)...

UNLABELLED: The rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to global health, and the nature of co-occurring antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) may cause collateral AMR effects once antimicrobial agents are used. Therefore, it is essential to identify which pairs of ARGs co-occur. Given the wealth of next-generation sequencing data available in public repositories, we have investigated the correlation between ARG abundances in a collection of 214,095 metagenomic data sets...

The innate complexity of medical topics often makes it challenging to produce educational content for the public. Although there are resources available to help authors appraise the complexity of their content, there are woefully few resources available to help authors reduce that complexity after it occurs. In this case study, we evaluate using ChatGPT to reduce the complex language used in health-related educational materials. ChatGPT adapted content from the SmartSHOTS mobile application, which is geared toward caregivers of children aged 0 to 24 months...

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic uncertainty is common, but its communication to patients is under-explored. This study aimed to (1) characterise variation in doctors' communication of diagnostic uncertainty and (2) explore why variation occurred. METHODS: Four written vignettes of clinical scenarios involving diagnostic uncertainty were developed. Doctors were recruited from five hospitals until theoretical saturation was reached (n = 36). Participants read vignettes in a randomised order, and were asked to discuss the diagnosis/plan with an online interviewer, as they would with a 'typical patient'...

This article describes the process engaged by 17 expert scholars in the development of a set of six consensus recommendations about the normative foundations of pediatric decision-making. The process began with a robust pre-reading assignment, followed by three days of in-person symposium discussions that resulted in a publication in Pediatrics entitled "Pediatric Decision-Making: Consensus Recommendations" (Salter et al. 2023). This article next compares the six recommendations to existing statements about pediatric decision-making (specifically those developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics), highlighting similarities and differences...

AIM: Diabetes and hypertension are major risk factors of cardiovascular disease, which is known to be the leading cause of global mortality in the world today. Studies have shown that the prevalence of these risk factors is on the rise, with the burden of diabetes alone increasing by 80% in the last two decades. Complications of diabetes and hypertension result in huge public health challenges for the country and catastrophic medical expenditures for families among the urban poor. Our study aims to estimate the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular risk factors among adults in an urban underprivileged community of Bengaluru city...