Specialized Listeria monocytogenes produce tailocins to provide a population-level competitive growth advantage.

Tailocins are phage tail-like bacteriocins produced by various bacterial species to kill kin competitors. Given that tailocin release is dependent upon cell lysis, regulation of tailocin production at the single-cell and population level remains unclear. Here we used flow cytometry, competition assays and structural characterization of tailocin production in a human bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes.

A semiautomated microfluidic ELISA for the detection of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis biomarkers.

Objectives: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening condition characterized by a massive overactivation of the immune system. Because the clinical findings are nonspecific, the development of assays to facilitate rapid diagnosis is critical for patient care. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of a microfluidic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HLH biomarkers and investigate the impact of insourcing this testing on workflow, cost, and turnaround time in a tertiary-care cancer hospital.

Comparing Clinician Estimates versus a Statistical Tool for Predicting Risk of Death within 45 Days of Admission for Cancer Patients.

Objectives:  While clinical practice guidelines recommend that oncologists discuss goals of care with patients who have advanced cancer, it is estimated that less than 20% of individuals admitted to the hospital with high-risk cancers have end-of-life discussions with their providers. While there has been interest in developing models for mortality prediction to trigger such discussions, few studies have compared how such models compare with clinical judgment to determine a patient's mortality risk.

Methods:  This study is a prospective analysis of 1,069 solid tumor medical oncology hospital admissions ( = 911 unique patients) from February 7 to June 7, 2022, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophage (BMDM ) Infection by Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacterium adapted to life as both an environmental saprophyte and a pathogenic parasite of mammalian hosts, with a transcriptomic program tailored for each niche. Study of the L. monocytogenes pathogenic lifestyle requires conditions that mimic the mammalian niche.