Characteristics and management of eosinophilic esophagitis in Australasian children: a decade of experience.

Background: The frequency of EoE has been increasing in Northern Hemisphere cohorts, yet there is a scarcity of data in our region. Regional climatic factors, and lifestyle habits may influence the presentation of EoE, and appropriate management is crucial to prevent complications. WIth this is mind we undertook the first comprehensive multisite study of EoE in Australasian children.

Physician perspectives of Helicobacter pylori diagnostic and treatment practices in Canada: results of a Canadian survey.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is prevalent worldwide and can lead to peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastric cancer. Effective diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection by gastroenterologists and family physicians is crucial.

Predictors of Recurrence and Progression in Poorly Differentiated Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas: Insights from a Real-Life Experience.

Introduction: Surgery represents the primary treatment option for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) aiming for complete tumor resection (R0). Recurrence and metastasis significantly affect survival and outcomes, and poorly differentiated (G3) cSCC is associated with a higher risk of recurrence. However, the specific clinical and histopathological features that predict recurrence and progression in G3-cSCC remain unclear.

The association between playing professional American football and longevity.

Recent research concludes that professional American football players (hereafter, "football players") live longer than American men in general, despite experiencing higher rates of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This suggests that the longevity-enhancing benefits of playing football (e.g.

Identification by Exome Sequencing of Predisposing Variants in Familial Cases of Autoinflammatory Recurrent Fevers.

Periodic fever syndromes include autoinflammatory disorders (AID) that involve innate immunity. These disorders are characterized by recurrent fevers and aberrant multi-organ inflammation, without any involvement of T or B cells or the presence of autoantibodies. A complex genetic architecture has been recognized for many AID.

Use of a taxon-specific reference database for accurate metagenomics-based pathogen detection of Listeria monocytogenes in turkey deli meat and spinach.

Background: The reliability of culture-independent pathogen detection in foods using metagenomics is contingent on the quality and composition of the reference database. The inclusion of microbial sequences from a diverse representation of taxonomies in universal reference databases is recommended to maximize classification precision for pathogen detection. However, these sizable databases have high memory requirements that may be out of reach for some users.

Gene Variant May Predispose to Familial Asperger Syndrome.

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by general impairment in socialization, stereotypical behavior, defective adaptation to the social context usually without intellectual disability, and some high functioning areas related to memory and mathematics. Clinical criteria are not well defined and the etiology is heterogeneous and mostly unknown. Like in typical autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the genetic background plays a crucial role in AS, and often an almost mendelian segregation can be observed in some families.

Clinical-Genetic Features Influencing Disability in Spastic Paraplegia Type 4: A Cross-sectional Study by the Italian DAISY Network.

Background And Objectives: Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a group of inherited rare neurologic disorders characterized by length-dependent degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and dorsal columns, whose prominent clinical feature is represented by spastic gait. Spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4, SPAST-HSP) is the most common form. We present both clinical and molecular findings of a large cohort of patients, with the aim of (1) defining the clinical spectrum of SPAST-HSP in Italy; (2) describing their molecular features; and (3) assessing genotype-phenotype correlations to identify features associated with worse disability.

Fat soluble vitamin status in children on home parenteral nutrition in a tertiary paediatric intestinal rehabilitation unit.

Backgrounds & Aims: Children with intestinal failure on home parenteral nutrition are at risk of fat malabsorption and fat soluble vitamin deficiency. Fish oil containing mixed lipid emulsions (SMOFlipid®) with higher vitamin E content, have a theoretical risk of exceeding current recommendations for vitamin E dosing and, may influence other fat soluble vitamin status in these children. The aim of this study was to assess for fat soluble vitamin status in children on long-term home parental nutrition receiving a mixed lipid emulsion (SMOFlipid®) compared with those receiving traditional soy or soy/olive oil based (non- SMOFlipid®) lipid emulsions and whether this is influenced by the underlying cause of intestinal failure.

Identification of new candidate genes for spina bifida through exome sequencing.

Purpose: Neural tube defects are a group of birth defects caused by failure of neural tube closure during development. The etiology of NTD, requiring a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors, is not well understood.

Methods: We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in six trios, with a single affected proband with spina bifida, to identify rare/novel variants as potential causes of the NTD.

Endocrine Tumor Board: Ten Years' Experience of a Multidisciplinary Clinical Working Conference.

Introduction: Advances in specialized medical areas and updated clinical guidelines show a need for a focused approach for patients with specific disorders.

Objective: To describe a multidisciplinary tumor board for patients with endocrine tumors.

Methods: We established an endocrine tumor board at a large health maintenance organization and studied cases presented between September 2007 and August 2017.

Efficacy of Tea Tree Oil in the Treatment of Equine Streptothricosis.

Streptothricosis is a dermatitis characterized by matted tufts of hair and coalescing, pustular crusts that affects many livestock species, including horses. It results from cutaneous infection by the actinobacterium Dermatophilus congolensis. For economic reasons, the ailment is often treated with commercially available over-the-counter (OTC) products or home remedies rather than prescribed medications.

Evaluation of whole-genome sequencing for outbreak detection of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 from the Canadian perspective.

Background: Rapid and accurate identification of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157:H7 is dependent on well-established, standardized and highly discriminatory typing methods. Currently, conventional subtyping tests for foodborne bacterial pathogen surveillance are rapidly being replaced with whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in public health laboratories. The capacity of WGS to revolutionize global foodborne disease surveillance has positioned this tool to become the new gold standard; however, to ensure evidence standards for public health decision making can still be achieved, the performance of WGS must be thoroughly validated against current gold standard methods prior to implementation.

Innate Immunity Induced by the Major Allergen Alt a 1 From the Fungus Is Dependent Upon Toll-Like Receptors 2/4 in Human Lung Epithelial Cells.

Allergens are molecules that elicit a hypersensitive inflammatory response in sensitized individuals and are derived from a variety of sources. Alt a 1 is the most clinically important secreted allergen of the ubiquitous fungus, . It has been shown to be a major allergen causing IgE-mediated allergic response in the vast majority of -sensitized individuals.

Lipolysis in Brown Adipocytes Is Not Essential for Cold-Induced Thermogenesis in Mice.

Lipid droplet (LD) lipolysis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) is generally considered to be required for cold-induced nonshivering thermogenesis. Here, we show that mice lacking BAT Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58), a lipolytic activator essential for the stimulated LD lipolysis, have normal thermogenic capacity and are not cold sensitive. Relative to littermate controls, these animals had higher body temperatures when they were provided food during cold exposure.

Diagnosis and predictors of sessile serrated adenoma after educational training in a large, community-based, integrated healthcare setting.

Background And Aims: Sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs) are precursors of 15% to 30% of colorectal cancers but are frequently underdiagnosed. We sought to measure the SSA detection rate (SDR) and predictors of SSA detection after educational training for community gastroenterologists and pathologists.

Methods: Colonoscopy and pathology data (2010-2014) from 3 medical centers at Kaiser Permanente Northern California were accessed electronically.

PBM P&T Practices: The HEAT Initiative Is Gaining Momentum.

The pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry has recently fallen into the crosshairs of government investigations about the high cost of pharmaceuticals. The authors focus on the PBM-based P&T and formulary practices under scrutiny.

Biosimilars in the United States: Emerging Issues in Litigation.

Many first-generation biologics will lose their patent protection by 2020. The biosimilars market is not only attractive but also competitive and tough. The United States (US) is the world's largest pharmaceutical market and is critical to the success of most drugs.

Multi-laboratory validation study of multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, 2015.

Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) is a rapid and reproducible typing method that is an important tool for investigation, as well as detection, of national and multinational outbreaks of a range of food-borne pathogens. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is the most common Salmonella serovar associated with human salmonellosis in the European Union/European Economic Area and North America. Fourteen laboratories from 13 countries in Europe and North America participated in a validation study for MLVA of S.

The Course Syllabus: Legal Contract or Operator's Manual?

A course syllabus provides a roadmap for pharmacy students to achieve course learning objectives and develop lifelong learning skills. For several decades the literature has referred to syllabi as legal documents and/or contracts between students and professors. A review of the legal precedents reveals that syllabi are not considered contracts because the courts refuse thus far to recognize educational malpractice or breach of contract as a cause of action.

Systemic Market and Organizational Changes: Impact on P&T Committees.

The authors consider market stakeholder consolidation, market-driven efficiency demands, consumerism, and legal enforcement of patient rights related to access to appropriate drugs and posit how future P&T committees may approach these issues.