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Background: The incidence of Late-Onset Sepsis (LOS) increases as gestational age decreases in newborns. The clinical signs of neonatal sepsis are not specific for diagnosis in preterm infants. The gold standard for its diagnosis is the blood culture test, which requires more than 24 h to obtain results, with positive results obtained in 10-3 % of cases analysed. As the molecular markers on the lymphocyte surface CD64 and CD69 are involved in early innate immune activation, they may be helpful for faster diagnosis., Aim: Measure the expression of CD64 and CD69 on lymphocytes in clinical and confirmed sepsis patients and compared to that in infants without sepsis., Methodology: We used peripheral blood samples from three groups of preterm babies with suspected sepsis (n = 31), confirmed sepsis (n = 10) and without sepsis (n = 47). Using flow cytometry, we measure the expression of CD64 on neutrophils and CD69 on NK cells., Results: Expression of CD64 on neutrophils and CD69 on NK cells did not increase in the clinical or confirmed sepsis groups compared to the without sepsis group., Conclusions: Leukocytes from infants born prematurely may have tightly regulated mechanisms that control their activation phenotype, rendering them unsuitable for diagnosing sepsis., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Objective To evaluate the sterilization efficacy of hysteroscopy instruments using ultraviolet C (UV-C) light at a wavelength of 259 nm in the Endoscopic Diagnostic Center of the National Institute of Perinatology. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing office hysteroscopy via the Bettochi vaginoscopy technique were included, excluding those with conditions such as viable intrauterine pregnancy or acute pelvic infection. Samples were collected from six designated sites of the hysteroscope, including the inner sheath, internal holes of the inner sheath, lens, graspers, scissors, and outer sheath. Initially, samples were taken after the first sterilization using a LAOKEN LK/MJG-150 Plasma Sterilizer (Chengdu, China). Next, samples were collected after the routine use of the hysteroscope in the office setting to confirm contamination. Subsequently, a new set of samples were taken after a 20-minute UV-C sterilization cycle with the EsteriUV device. Results The initial sterilization achieved a 96.73% sterilization rate, with ten samples testing positive for  Staphylococcus   coagulase -negative. Post-hysteroscopy, contamination increased significantly. Afterward, UV-C sterilization achieved a 96.08% sterilization rate, with 11 samples positive for  Staphylococcus   coagulase -negative and one for  Streptococcus anginosus  (p=0.66). No clinical infections were reported in any patient within one-month post-procedure. Conclusion UV-C light is a viable alternative for hysteroscopy instrument sterilization, demonstrating comparable efficacy to conventional methods. Further studies are recommended to optimize UV-C parameters for enhanced sterilization efficiency., Competing Interests: Human subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve human participants or tissue. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Mora-Galván et al.)

Pregnancy in women living with human immunodeficiency virus (WLWH) represents an important challenge for maternal-fetal health. Besides, they can also present anxiety (Anx) and depression (Dep). Imbalances in serotonin (5-HT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and cortisol (CORT) levels can contribute to Anx and Dep manifestations. Currently, there is not enough data about the neuroendocrine and neurochemical changes in pregnant WLWH with affective disorders. This study aimed to characterize 5-HT, DHEA-S, and CORT plasma levels in Mexican pregnant WLWH presenting Anx/Dep. Forty-two adult pregnant women were recruited during the third trimester of gestation at the National Institute of Perinatology in Mexico during 2019-2022. These patients were divided into three groups: (1) pregnant WLWH with Anx/Dep (n = 16), (2) pregnant without HIV but with Anx/Dep (n = 12), and (3) healthy pregnant women without Anx/Dep (n = 14). WLWH presented a marked reduction in 5-HT (41.33 ± 39.37 ng/dL) compared to non-infected pregnant women with Anx/Dep (220.2 ± 151.8 ng/dL) and the healthy group (370.0 ± 145.3 ng/dL). Anx/Dep infected and uninfected pregnant women showed a significant reduction in DHEA-S levels (86.58 ± 30.59 and 76.9 ± 36.7 µg/dL, respectively) compared to healthy subjects (149.7 ± 44.6 µg/dL). Anx and Dep symptoms were inversely correlated with 5-HT and DHEA-S levels. No significant differences were observed in CORT levels among the three groups (p = 0.094). Our results suggest the presence of a disbalance in 5-HT and DHEA-S levels in pregnant WLWH with affective symptoms., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.