Recruitment strategies and interventions to increase participation in lung cancer screening programmes: A systematic review protocol

IntroductionDespite strong evidence for the efficacy of low-radiation dose CT (LDCT) in reducing lung cancer (LC) mortality, implementing LC screening (LCS) programmes remains a challenge. We aim to systematically review the evidence on the strategies used to recruit the adult population at risk of LC to LDCT within LCS programmes and to estimate the effectiveness of interventions identified, used to reach the potentially eligible population, increase participation and informed choice, and ensure equitable access.Methods and analysisThis sequential systematic literature review will consist of three steps: (1) a scoping review of existing strategies and organisational models for LCS; (2) selecting papers reporting relevant outcomes (test coverage, screening participation and informed choice) and comparing results among different models; (3) a systematic review of interventions implemented to increase participation in LCS programmes. Each step will follow the methodological guidelines provided by the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Data sources include electronic databases such as Medline (PubMed version), Embase, CINAHL (Ebsco version), Scopus and Cochrane CENTRAL. The search will be limited to studies published from January 2000 to March 2023 in English, Italian, French, Spanish, Serbian and Croatian language. Findings will be synthesised quantitatively and qualitatively as appropriate. Risk of bias assessment will be only applied to studies selected in the second and third steps. The quality of evidence will be summarised for each outcome using the Grading Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology.Ethics and disseminationGiven that this is a review of existing literature, ethics approval is not required. The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at relevant conferences. The findings of this review will help guide health authorities in organising LCS programmes and developing recommendations, policies, and actions at national and regional levels.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42023408357

Effect of antibiotics on mechanical properties of Bordetella pertussis examined by atomic force microscopy.

In recent years, the coevolution of microorganisms with current antibiotics has increased the mechanisms of bacterial resistance, generating a major health problem worldwide. Bordetella pertussis is a bacterium that causes whooping cough and is capable of adopting different states of virulence, i.e. virulent or avirulent states. In this study, we explored the nanomechanical properties of both virulent and avirulent B. pertussis as exposed to various antibiotics. The nanomechanical studies highlighted that only virulent B. pertussis cells undergo a decrease in their cell elastic modulus and height upon antimicrobial exposure, whereas their avirulent counterparts remain unaffected. This study also permitted to highlight different mechanical properties of individual cells as compared to those growing in close contact with other individuals. In addition, we analyzed the presence on the bacterial cell wall of Filamentous hemagglutinin adhesin (FHA), the major attachment factor produced by virulent Bordetella spp., under different virulence conditions by Force Spectroscopy

A hydrogen beam to characterize the ASACUSA antihydrogen hyperfine spectrometer

The antihydrogen programme of the ASACUSA collaboration at the antiproton decelerator of CERN focuses on Rabi-type measurements of the ground-state hyperfine splitting of antihydrogen for a test of the combined Charge-Parity-Time symmetry. The spectroscopy apparatus consists of a microwave cavity to drive hyperfine transitions and a superconducting sextupole magnet for quantum state analysis via Stern-Gerlach separation. However, the small production rates of antihydrogen forestall comprehensive performance studies on the spectroscopy apparatus. For this purpose a hydrogen source and detector have been developed which in conjunction with ASACUSA's hyperfine spectroscopy equipment form a complete Rabi experiment. We report on the formation of a cooled, polarized, and time modulated beam of atomic hydrogen and its detection using a quadrupole mass spectrometer and a lock-in amplification scheme. In addition key features of ASACUSA's hyperfine spectroscopy apparatus are discussed.

New plasmid calibrators for geminivirus-resistant (EMB-PV051-1 event) common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) quantitation using simplex and duplex qPCR.

The geminivirus-resistant common bean, Embrapa 5.1, was the first commercial genetically modified (GM) event developed in Latin America by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corp.. Therein novel standard reference plasmids were constructed for species-specific (pLEC) and event-specific (pFGM) qualitative and quantitative detection of Embrapa 5.1 GM common bean. To establish these plasmids as certified reference materials (CRM) for Embrapa 5.1 GM common bean, two DNA extraction protocols, simplex and duplex qPCR using two different operators (experimenters) were tested. The efficiency values ranged from 92% to 110% for the simplex and duplex reactions considering both operators. The limit of detection was enough to detect at least 0.1% GM content. These plasmids are suitable to be used as CRM for Embrapa 5.1 GM common bean. They will be useful for survey of food labels for compliance with legislation about GMO content in Brazil and in other countries where GM common bean is not yet approved for commercialization

Under-Oil Autonomously Regulated Oxygen Microenvironments: A Goldilocks Principle-Based Approach for Microscale Cell Culture

Oxygen levels in vivo are autonomously regulated by a supply–demand balance, which can be altered in disease states. However, the oxygen levels of in vitro cell culture systems, particularly microscale cell culture, are typically dominated by either supply or demand. Further, the oxygen microenvironment in these systems is rarely monitored or reported. Here, a method to establish and dynamically monitor autonomously regulated oxygen microenvironments (AROM) using an oil overlay in an open microscale cell culture system is presented. Using this method, the oxygen microenvironment is dynamically regulated via the supply–demand balance of the system. Numerical simulation and experimental validation of oxygen transport within multi-liquid-phase, microscale culture systems involving a variety of cell types, including mammalian, fungal, and bacterial cells are presented. Finally, AROM is applied to establish a coculture between cells with disparate oxygen demands—primary intestinal epithelial cells (oxygen consuming) and Bacteroides uniformis (an anaerobic species prevalent in the human gut)

SARS-CoV-2 transmission patterns in educational settings during the Alpha wave in Reggio-Emilia, Italy

: Different monitoring and control policies have been implemented in schools to minimize the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Transmission in schools has been hard to quantify due to the large proportion of asymptomatic carriers in young individuals. We applied a Bayesian approach to reconstruct the transmission chains between 284 SARS-CoV-2 infections ascertained during 87 school outbreak investigations conducted between March and April 2021 in Italy. Under the policy of reactive quarantines, we found that 42.5% (95%CrI: 29.5-54.3%) of infections among school attendees were caused by school contacts. The mean number of secondary cases infected at school by a positive individual during in-person education was estimated to be 0.33 (95%CrI: 0.23-0.43), with marked heterogeneity across individuals. Specifically, we estimated that only 26.0% (95%CrI: 17.6-34.1%) of students and school personnel who tested positive during in-person education caused at least one secondary infection at school. Positive individuals who attended school for at least 6 days before being isolated or quarantined infected on average 0.49 (95%CrI: 0.14-0.83) secondary cases. Our findings provide quantitative insights on the contribution of school transmission to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in young individuals. Identifying positive cases within 5 days after exposure to their infector could reduce onward transmission at school by at least 30%

Measurements of the reaction pˉp→ϕη\bar{p}p \to \phi \eta of antiproton annihilation at rest at three hydrogen target densities

The proton-antiproton annihilation at rest into the $\phi\eta$ final state was measured for three different target densities: liquid hydrogen, gaseous hydrogen at NTP and at a low pressure of 5 mbar. The yield of this reaction in the liquid hydrogen target is smaller than in the low-pressure gas target. The branching ratios of the $\phi\eta$ channel were calculated on the basis of simultaneous analysis of the three data samples. The branching ratio for annihilation into $\phi\eta$ from the $^3S_1$ protonium state turns out to be about ten times smaller as compared to the one from the $^1P_1$ state.Comment: 10 pages, 3 Postscript figures. Accepted by Physics Letters

Spin physics with antiprotons

New possibilities arising from the availability at GSI of antiproton beams, possibly polarised, are discussed. The investigation of the nucleon structure can be boosted by accessing in Drell-Yan processes experimental asymmetries related to cross-sections in which the parton distribution functions (PDF) only appear, without any contribution from fragmentation functions; such processes are not affected by the chiral suppression of the transversity function $h_1(x)$. Spin asymmetries in hyperon production and Single Spin Asymmetries are discussed as well, together with further items like electric and magnetic nucleonic form factors and open charm production. Counting rates estimations are provided for each physical case. The sketch of a possible experimental apparatus is proposed.Comment: Presented for the proceedings of ASI "Spin and Symmetry", Prague, July 5-10, 2004, to be published in Czech. J. Phys. 55 (2005

Cluster-Randomized, Crossover Trial of Head Positioning in Acute Stroke

BACKGROUND The role of supine positioning after acute stroke in improving cerebral blood flow and the countervailing risk of aspiration pneumonia have led to variation in head positioning in clinical practice. We wanted to determine whether outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke could be improved by positioning the patient to be lying flat (i.e., fully supine with the back horizontal and the face upwards) during treatment to increase cerebral perfusion. METHODS In a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, crossover trial conducted in nine countries, we assigned 11,093 patients with acute stroke (85% of the strokes were ischemic) to receive care in either a lying-flat position or a sitting-up position with the head elevated to at least 30 degrees, according to the randomization assignment of the hospital to which they were admitted; the designated position was initiated soon after hospital admission and was maintained for 24 hours. The primary outcome was degree of disability at 90 days, as assessed with the use of the modified Rankin scale (scores range from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater disability and a score of 6 indicating death). RESULTS The median interval between the onset of stroke symptoms and the initiation of the assigned position was 14 hours (interquartile range, 5 to 35). Patients in the lying-flat group were less likely than patients in the sitting-up group to maintain the position for 24 hours (87% vs. 95%, P<0.001). In a proportional-odds model, there was no significant shift in the distribution of 90-day disability outcomes on the global modified Rankin scale between patients in the lying-flat group and patients in the sitting-up group (unadjusted odds ratio for a difference in the distribution of scores on the modified Rankin scale in the lying-flat group, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.10; P=0.84). Mortality within 90 days was 7.3% among the patients in the lying-flat group and 7.4% among the patients in the sitting-up group (P=0.83). There were no significant between-group differences in the rates of serious adverse events, including pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS Disability outcomes after acute stroke did not differ significantly between patients assigned to a lying-flat position for 24 hours and patients assigned to a sitting-up position with the head elevated to at least 30 degrees for 24 hours. (Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia; HeadPoST ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02162017.