On Spatially Distributed Hydrological Ecosystem Services: Bridging the Quantitative Information Gap using Remote Sensing and Hydrological Models

One of the ways in which the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) addresses the challenge of achieving sustainable growth is by improving our understanding of tradeoffs and synergies related to water, food, environment and energy. Essential to the success of these efforts is the availability of quantitative data on these tradeoffs and synergies, and how they vary across space and time. Specifically for the countries sharing the Mekong River, WLE Greater Mekong seeks to drive and inform research and dialogue around the rivers of the region. Hydrological EcoSystem Services (HESS) are heavily affected by intensive development across the region, such as the construction of hydropower dams and land use changes - in particular deforestation, urbanization and agricultural intensification. The full extent of such changes in the agro-ecological system is often unknown, and it is a challenge to account for tradeoffs in HESS in policy processes. As in many other areas of the world, improving governance and management of water resources and associated land and ecosystems in the Greater Mekong region is not only a matter of generating more data. Sharing of knowledge and practices is a key focus of WLE Greater Mekong, which we strive to promote by enhancing the accessibility of valuable information to a wide diversity of regional stakeholders, and promoting dialogue by facilitating the creation of communities of practice. This white paper demonstrates state-of-the-art methods for assessing different HESS and their tradeoffs under different development scenarios. It explores opportunities for spatial monitoring of HESS and predicting changes under different future scenarios, information that is essential for achieving a balanced and healthy agro-ecological system. By relying on tools in the public domain and leveraging the resulting HESS data through online information platforms, this white paper is an excellent example of current efforts supported by WLE Greater Mekong to stimulate uptake of ecosystem services assessments in decision-making processes

Minimal reporting guideline for research involving eye tracking (2023 edition)

A guideline is proposed that comprises the minimum items to be reported in research studies involving an eye tracker and human or non-human primate participant(s). This guideline was developed over a 3-year period using a consensus-based process via an open invitation to the international eye tracking community. This guideline will be reviewed at maximum intervals of 4 years

SHEA/IDSA/APIC practice recommendation: Strategies to prevent methicillin-resistant transmission and infection in acute-care hospitals: 2022 Update

Previously published guidelines have provided comprehensive recommendations for detecting and preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The intent of this document is to highlight practical recommendations in a concise format designed to assist acute-care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing efforts to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission and infection. This document updates the Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission and Infection in Acute Care Hospitals published in 2014.1 This expert guidance document is sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). It is the product of a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), the American Hospital Association (AHA), and The Joint Commission, with major contributions from representatives of a number of organizations and societies with content expertise

Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Prescription in Patients With COVID-19:A Multicenter Observational Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Despite the low rate of bacterial coinfection, antibiotics are very commonly prescribed in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does the use of a procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic protocol safely reduce the use of antibiotics in patients with a COVID-19 infection? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this multicenter cohort, three groups of patients with COVID-19 were compared in terms of antibiotic consumption, namely one group treated based on a PCT-algorithm in one hospital (n = 216) and two control groups, consisting of patients from the same hospital (n = 57) and of patients from three similar hospitals (n = 486) without PCT measurements during the same period. The primary end point was antibiotic prescription in the first week of admission. RESULTS: Antibiotic prescription during the first 7 days was 26.8% in the PCT group, 43.9% in the non-PCT group in the same hospital, and 44.7% in the non-PCT group in other hospitals. Patients in the PCT group had lower odds of receiving antibiotics in the first 7 days of admission (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.16-0.66 compared with the same hospital; OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.28-0.62 compared with the other hospitals). The proportion of patients receiving antibiotic prescription during the total admission was 35.2%, 43.9%, and 54.5%, respectively. The PCT group had lower odds of receiving antibiotics during the total admission only when compared with the other hospitals (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.08-0.63). There were no significant differences in other secondary end points, except for readmission in the PCT group vs the other hospitals group. INTERPRETATION: PCT-guided antibiotic prescription reduces antibiotic prescription rates in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, without major safety concerns

Minimal reporting guideline for research involving eye tracking (2023 edition)

A guideline is proposed that comprises the minimum items to be reported in research studies involving an eye tracker and human or non-human primate participant(s). This guideline was developed over a three-year period using a consensus-based process via an open invitation to the international eye tracking community. This guideline will be reviewed at maximum intervals of four years