Evaluation of the Roche cobas MTB and MTB-RIF/INH for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin: A prospective, multicenter diagnostic accuracy study.

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of Roche cobas MTB and MTB-RIF/INH assays for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and resistance to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF).

Methods: This multicenter study was conducted in Taiwan between September 2023 and June 2024. Clinical specimens were collected from adult patients with presumptive tuberculosis (TB).

Deciphering the impact of contaminating microbiota in DNA extraction reagents on metagenomic next-generation sequencing workflows.

Unlabelled: The widespread adoption of metagenomic next-generation sequencing has revolutionized microbial detection, yet contaminating DNA in laboratory reagents poses significant challenges for result interpretation. This study investigated microbial contamination profiles across four commercial DNA extraction reagent brands (M, Q, R, and Z) and assessed batch-to-batch variability. Extraction blanks were generated using molecular-grade water or ZymoBIOMICS Spike-in Control I as input materials.

High prevalence but low clinical impact of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 infections in patients with hematologic disorders.

Background/purpose: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is highly prevalent in immunocompromised patients. Due to the recurrent nature of HSV-1 infection, frequent exposure to antiviral agents raises concerns about drug resistance. This study aimed to investigate antiviral-resistant profiles of HSV-1 and discuss the clinical impact of acyclovir-resistant (ACV-R) compared to acyclovir-susceptible (ACV-S) HSV-1 infected patients.

Prediction of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from Raman spectra by Artificial Intelligent Raman Detection and Identification System (AIRDIS) with machine learning.

Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) are two of the most important antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Early use of the correct treatment strategy can not only reduce patient mortality but also prevent the development of resistance. Although some rapid but costly techniques are available, routine workflows in clinical microbiology laboratories can sometimes take several days to deliver bacterial identification and resistance profiles.

Machine Learning for Detecting Iron Deficiency through Comprehensive Blood Analysis.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is a prevalent global health issue with a major impact on well-being. Early detection of ID is crucial but challenging due to its nonspecific symptoms and the limitations of traditional diagnostic tests, which are impractical for large-scale screening. This study proposes a machine learning (ML) approach using complete blood count (CBC) data and cell population data (CPD) for detecting ID in the general population.

Utilizing the concept of textbook outcome for evaluating quality control in the transition from open hepatectomy to laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The learning curve has traditionally been used to evaluate the development of surgical techniques. However, no studies have yet explored the use of the "textbook outcome (TO)," a composite metric originally designed for assessing surgical and postoperative care quality, in monitoring the evolution of surgical techniques. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the quality control during the transition from open hepatectomy (OH) to laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using TO as a standardized metric.

High sensitivity and enhanced antibiotic stewardship of the BioFire Joint Infection Panel in acute, but not chronic, prosthetic joint infection of the knee.

The BioFire Joint Infection (JI) Panel is a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay developed for rapid pathogen detection in synovial fluid, particularly for suspected prosthetic joint infections (PJI). However, its diagnostic sensitivity varies by clinical context and pathogen, and the impact of prior antibiotic exposure on sample quality and PJI stewardship remains unclear. This prospective study evaluated the diagnostic performance of the Investigational Use Only JI Panel versus conventional synovial fluid culture, using Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria and symptom onset within 3 weeks to define acute PJI.

Identification of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii from Raman spectra by Artificial Intelligent Raman Detection and Identification System (AIRDIS) with machine learning.

Background: Rapid and accurate identification of bacteria is required in order to develop effective treatment strategies. Traditional culture-based methods are time-consuming, while MALDI-TOF MS is expensive. The Raman spectroscopy, due to its relatively cost-effectiveness, offers a promising alternative for bacterial identification.

Comparison of ERIC carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae test, BD Phoenix CPO detect panel, and NG-test CARBA 5 for the detection of main carbapenemase types of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.

Background: This study aimed to assess the performance of three commercial panels, the ERIC Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Test (ERIC CRE test), the NG-Test CARBA 5 (NG CARBA 5), and the BD Phoenix CPO Detect Panel (CPO panel), for the detection of main types of carbapenemases among carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE).

Methods: We collected 502 isolates of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) demonstrating intermediate or resistant profiles to at least one carbapenem antibiotic (ertapenem, imipenem, meropenem, or doripenem). Carbapenemase genes and their specific types were identified through multiplex PCR and sequencing methods.

Rapid detection of gastrointestinal pathogens using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction gastrointestinal panel and its role in antimicrobial stewardship.

Objectives: The FilmArray gastrointestinal panel (FAGIP) is widely used to detect infectious diarrhoea due to its outstanding sensitivity compared to conventional methods, but there is geographic variation, such as in the distribution of pathogens, among populations.

Methods: This was a retrospective study that analysed patients with acute diarrhoea who underwent FAGIP tests from all age groups during 2022. We compared positive rates of FAGIP between paediatric (n = 245) and adult patients (n = 242) of different origins.

Prediction of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from flagged blood cultures by combining rapid Sepsityper MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry with machine learning.

This study investigated combination of the Rapid Sepsityper Kit and a machine learning (ML)-based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) approach for rapid prediction of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) from positive blood culture bottles. The study involved 461 patients with monomicrobial bloodstream infections. Species identification was performed using the conventional MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper system and the Rapid Sepsityper protocol.

Previous nonhepatectomy abdominal surgery did not increase the difficulty in laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A case-control study in 100 consecutive patients.

Objectives: Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is still technically challenging for patients with previous nonhepatectomy abdominal surgery (AS). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the difficulty of performing LH for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and a history of nonhepatectomy AS during the initial developing period of LH.

Materials And Methods: The retrospective study enrolled patients who were newly diagnosed with HCC receiving LH from January 2013 to June 2021.

Machine learning of cell population data, complete blood count, and differential count parameters for early prediction of bacteremia among adult patients with suspected bacterial infections and blood culture sampling in emergency departments.

Background: Bacteremia is a life-threatening complication of infectious diseases. Bacteremia can be predicted using machine learning (ML) models, but these models have not utilized cell population data (CPD).

Methods: The derivation cohort from emergency department (ED) of China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) was used to develop the model and was prospectively validated in the same hospital.

Geographic patterns of antimicrobial susceptibilities for Bacteroides spp. worldwide: Results from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) programme, 2007-2020.

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of 4973 Bacteroides spp. isolates recovered from various sources of patients from 12 countries (99.6% from European countries) in the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) programme, 2007-2020, were investigated.

Direct prediction of carbapenem-resistant, carbapenemase-producing, and colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from routine MALDI-TOF mass spectra using machine learning and outcome evaluation.

The objective of this study was to develop a rapid prediction method for carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae (ColRKP) based on routine MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) results in order to formulate a suitable and rapid treatment strategy. A total of 830 CRKP and 1462 carbapenem-susceptible K.

Evaluation of the Rapid Sepsityper protocol and specific MBT-Sepsityper module for the identification of bacteremia and fungemia using Bruker Biotyper MALDI-TOF MS.

The rapid identification method, the Rapid Sepsityper protocol with a specific MBT-Sepsityper module (Bruker Daltonics), based on the MALDI Biotyper platform, accurately identified 93.5% (116/124) of microorganisms at the species level in the 124 flagged blood culture samples from patients with monomicrobial bloodstream infections. Gram-negative bacilli (95.

Serum myostatin level is a positive predictor of endothelial function measured by digital thermal monitoring of vascular reactivity in kidney transplantation patients.

Objectives: Myostatin is a myokine predominantly expressed and secreted in skeletal muscle in response to stimulations, including oxidative stress or inflammation. We investigated a potential association between myostatin levels and endothelial function among kidney transplantation (KT) patients.

Materials And Methods: Fasting blood samples were collected from 64 KT patients.

Dense magnetized plasma associated with a fast radio burst.

Fast radio bursts are bright, unresolved, non-repeating, broadband, millisecond flashes, found primarily at high Galactic latitudes, with dispersion measures much larger than expected for a Galactic source. The inferred all-sky burst rate is comparable to the core-collapse supernova rate out to redshift 0.5.

Repeated colonization by multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex and changes in antimicrobial susceptibilities in surgical intensive care units.

Background: A nosocomial outbreak of multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii (MDR-ACB) complex infection occurred in a newly constructed building at a 2,500-bed tertiary medical center in Taiwan.

Methods: An investigation was carried out by molecular approaches to trace the bacteria.