In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Curcumin-Polymyxin B Combinations against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Associated with Traumatic Wound Infections

Bacterial infections resulting from nonsurgical traumatic wounds can be life threatening, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria with limited therapeutic options. The antimicrobial activity of polymyxin B (1) and curcumin (2) alone and in combination was determined versus MDR bacterial isolates associated with traumatic wound infections. Cytotoxicity assays for 1 and 2 were undertaken in keratinocyte cell lines. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of 1 were significantly reduced in the presence of 2 (3- to 10-fold reduction), with synergy observed. Time− kill assays showed the combinations produced bactericidal activity. Cytotoxicity assays indicate the toxicity of 2 was reduced in the presence of 1

Framework for the Synthesis of Non-Randomised Studies and Randomised Controlled Trials: A Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for Healthcare Decision Making

Introduction: High-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) provide the most reliable evidence on the comparative efficacy of new medicines. However, non-randomised studies (NRS) are increasingly recognised as a source of insights into the real-world performance of novel therapeutic products, particularly when traditional RCTs are impractical or lack generalisability. This means there is a growing need for synthesising evidence from RCTs and NRS in healthcare decision making, particularly given recent developments such as innovative study designs, digital technologies and linked databases across countries. Crucially, however, no formal framework exists to guide the integration of these data types. Objectives and Methods: To address this gap, we used a mixed methods approach (review of existing guidance, methodological papers, Delphi survey) to develop guidance for researchers and healthcare decision-makers on when and how to best combine evidence from NRS and RCTs to improve transparency and build confidence in the resulting summary effect estimates. Results: Our framework comprises seven steps on guiding the integration and interpretation of evidence from NRS and RCTs and we offer recommendations on the most appropriate statistical approaches based on three main analytical scenarios in healthcare decision making (specifically, ‘high-bar evidence’ when RCTs are the preferred source of evidence, ‘medium,’ and ‘low’ when NRS is the main source of inference). Conclusion: Our framework augments existing guidance on assessing the quality of NRS and their compatibility with RCTs for evidence synthesis, while also highlighting potential challenges in implementing it. This manuscript received endorsement from the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Despite current guidelines, intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery remains widespread. Drains were not associated with earlier detection of intraperitoneal collections, but were associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of surgical-site infections.Background Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice. Methods COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement. Results Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001). Conclusion Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk

Alpine marmot in GPNP: data for SNA of small social groups

Data for Panaccio et al., "Social Network Analysis of small social groups: methods and applications in alpine marmot " (working title). Analysis of alpine marmot behavior within Alpine Marmot Project in Gran Paradiso National Park Data include: - Complete dataset of agonistic behaviors observed in the study population ("Database interactions") - Database of individual and groups size characteristics included in the analysis and of social network measures calculated for each individual ("SN measures"

Alpine marmot in GPNP: data for SNA of small social groups

Data for Panaccio et al., "Social Network Analysis of small social groups: methods and applications in alpine marmot " (working title). Analysis of alpine marmot behavior within Alpine Marmot Project in Gran Paradiso National Park Data include: - Complete dataset of agonistic behaviors observed in the study population ("Database interactions") - Database of individual and groups size characteristics included in the analysis and of social network measures calculated for each individual ("SN measures"