Workplace aggression against healthcare workers in a Spanish healthcare institution between 2019 and 2021: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: Describe the incidence of first aggressions among healthcare workers (HCWs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Spanish healthcare institution, according to workers' socio-occupational characteristics and analyze the impact of the pandemic on it. Methods: A cohort involving HCWs who worked in the institution for at least 1 week each year from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. Adjusted relative risks (aRR) were estimated using generalized estimating equations and negative binomial models to calculate the differences in WPA between the different time periods. All analyses were stratified by gender. Results: Among women, the incidence was 6.8% (6.0; 7.8) during the pre-COVID-19 period, 6.0% (5.2; 7.0) during the COVID-19 baseline and 5.1% (4.3; 5.9) during the COVID-19 endline; and 4.6% (3.4; 6.1), 5.3% (4.1; 6.8) and 4.4% (3.5; 5.8), respectively, among men. Among men, the incidence of WPA was 4.6 (3.4; 6.1), 5.3 (4.1; 6.8), and 4.4% (3.5; 5.8), respectively. These incidences were significantly higher among male nurses and aides [11.1 (8.0; 15.4), 12.3 (8.9; 16.6), and 9.3% (6.5; 13.3) during each period] and psychiatric center workers [women: 14.7 (11.2; 19.0), 15.4 (11.8; 19.8), and 12.4% (9.2; 16.6); men: 12.3 (7.2; 20.0), 17.8 (11.6; 26.2), and 14.3% (8.8; 22.4)]. Among women, the risk of WPA was 23% lower in the post-COVID-19 period compared to before the pandemic [aRR = 0.77 (0.64; 0.93)], while the risk during the COVID-19 baseline was not significantly different [aRR = 0.89 (0.74; 1.06)]. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unexpected decrease in first-time WPA against HCWs. However, ~5% of HCWs experienced at least one incidence of aggression in the last follow-up year. Healthcare managers should continue to increase the prevention of aggression against HCWs, especially among vulnerable groups with a higher level of incidence.

3D Printable Dynamic Hydrogel: As Simple as it Gets!

3D printing technology offers a vast range of applications for tissue engineering applications. Over the past decade a vast range of new equipment has been developed; while, 3D printable biomaterials, especially hydrogels, are investigated to fit the printability requirements. The current candidates for bioprinting often require post-printing cross-linking to maintain their shape. On the other hand, dynamic hydrogels are considered as the most promising candidate for this application with their extrudability and self-healing properties. However, it proves to be very difficult to match the required rheological in a simple material. Here, this study presents for the first time the simplest formulation of a dynamic hydrogel based on thiol-functionalized hyaluronic acid formulated with gold ions that fulfill all the requirements to be printed without the use of external stimuli, as judged by the rheological studies. The printability is also demonstrated with a 3D printer allowing for the printing of the dynamic hydrogel as it is, achieving 3D construct with a relatively good precision and up to 24 layers, corresponding to 10 mm high. This material is the simplest 3D printable hydrogel and its mixture with cells and biological compounds is expected to open a new era in 3D bioprinting.

Programmable Cell-Free Transcriptional Switches for Antibody Detection.

We report here the development of a cell-free in vitro transcription system for the detection of specific target antibodies. The approach is based on the use of programmable antigen-conjugated DNA-based conformational switches that, upon binding to a target antibody, can trigger the cell-free transcription of a light-up fluorescence-activating RNA aptamer. The system couples the unique programmability and responsiveness of DNA-based systems with the specificity and sensitivity offered by in vitro genetic circuitries and commercially available transcription kits. We demonstrate that cell-free transcriptional switches can efficiently measure antibody levels directly in blood serum. Thanks to the programmable nature of the sensing platform, the method can be adapted to different antibodies: we demonstrate here the sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective detection of three different antibodies and the possible use of this approach for the simultaneous detection of two antibodies in the same solution.

Disconnecting bones within the jaw-otic network modules underlies mammalian middle ear evolution.

The origin of the mammalian middle ear ossicles from the craniomandibular articulation of their synapsid ancestors is a key event in the evolution of vertebrates. The richness of the fossil record and the multitude of developmental studies have provided a stepwise reconstruction of this evolutionary innovation, highlighting the homology between the quadrate, articular, pre-articular and angular bones of early synapsids with the incus, malleus, gonial and ectotympanic bones of derived mammals, respectively. There are several aspects involved in this functional exaptation: (i) an increase of the masticatory musculature; (ii) the separation of the quadrate bone from the cranium; and (iii) the disconnection of the post-dentary bones from the dentary. Here, we compared the jaw-otic complex for 43 synapsid taxa using anatomical network analysis, showing that the disconnection of mandibular bones was a key step in the mammalian middle ear evolution, changing the skull anatomical modularity concomitant to the acquisition of new functions. Furthermore, our analysis allows the identification of three types of anatomical modules evolving through five evolutionary stages during the anatomical transformation of the jawbones into middle ear bones, with the ossification and degradation of Meckel's cartilage in mammals as the key ontogenetic event leading the change of anatomical modularity.