Improvements in optical generation of high-frequency ultrasound.

The thermoelastic effect in a black polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film is used to produce high-frequency, high-intensity ultrasound for applications in water and soft tissue. We show that the optoacoustic transduction efficiency is improved by about 10 dB by decreasing the thickness of the black PDMS film from 25 microm to 11 microm. The center frequency of the generated ultrasound is 60 MHz, with a -6 dB bandwidth of 80%.

O-specific [corrected] polysaccharide conjugate vaccine-induced [corrected] antibodies prevent invasion of Shigella into Caco-2 cells and may be curative.

The O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) domain of Shigella LPS is both an essential virulence factor and a protective antigen for this genus. A critical level of serum IgG anti-O-SP was shown to confer immunity to shigellosis, likely by complement-mediated bacteriolysis of the inoculum. Conjugate Shigella O-SP vaccines were shown to be safe and immunogenic in children, and, in a preliminary study, Shigella sonnei vaccine was protective in young adults.

Safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of cold-adapted influenza vaccine-trivalent against community-acquired, culture-confirmed influenza in young children attending day care.

Objective: The goal was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of an investigational, refrigerator-stable formulation of live attenuated influenza vaccine (cold-adapted influenza vaccine-trivalent) against culture-confirmed influenza, acute otitis media, and effectiveness outcomes in young children in day care over 2 consecutive influenza seasons.

Methods: Children 6 to <36 months of age who were attending day care were assigned randomly in year 1 to receive 2 doses of vaccine or placebo intranasally, 35 +/- 7 days apart. In year 2, subjects received 1 dose of the same treatment as in year 1.

Superior relative efficacy of live attenuated influenza vaccine compared with inactivated influenza vaccine in young children with recurrent respiratory tract infections.

Background: Young children have a high incidence of influenza and influenza-related complications. This study compared the efficacy and safety of cold-adapted influenza vaccine, trivalent (CAIV-T) with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in young children with a history of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RTIs).

Methods: Children 6 to 71 months of age were randomized to receive 2 doses of CAIV-T (n = 1101) or TIV (n = 1086), 35 +/- 7 days apart before the start of the 2002-2003 influenza season and were followed up for culture-confirmed influenza, effectiveness outcomes, reactogenicity, and adverse events.

Microbial colonization of nebulizers used by asthmatic children.

Background: The aim of the present study was to determine the microbial colonization of nebulizers used at home by asthmatic children, and to investigate their parents' cleaning and maintenance routines.

Methods: The nebulizer equipment used at home by 39 asthmatic children was examined. Swabs taken from the inner surface of the reservoir cups, face masks and filters were cultured.

Increased susceptibility to varicella-zoster virus among Israeli physicians and nurses born in the Middle-East region.

Nosocomial transmission of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is recognized as a significant cause of morbidity in health care workers as well as in high-risk patients. The current study aimed to investigate the presence of VZV antibodies among physicians and nurses, to assess the variables affecting it, and to compare it with previous international studies. Data were obtained by a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic and occupational characteristics and by determination of serum antibodies to varicella-zoster.

The risk of hepatitis A infection among healthcare workers: a review of reported outbreaks and sero-epidemiologic studies.

All reports of hepatitis A (HA) outbreaks in healthcare settings published between 1975 and 2003 were studied to determine the background immunity or susceptibility of healthcare workers (HCWs) to HA. Twenty-six reports were found. The number of infected personnel ranged from one to 66 and, in most outbreaks, nurses accounted for the majority of personnel infected, reflecting high attack rates reaching 15-41%.

Oral amphotericin B for the prevention of Candida bloodstream infection in critically ill children.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of oral amphotericin B for the prevention of Candida bloodstream infection in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Design: Retrospective, nonrandomized, historic-control study.

Setting: Multidisciplinary pediatric intensive care unit at a university-affiliated children's medical center.

Secondary bacteremia after rotavirus gastroenteritis in infancy.

We describe 1 neonate and 3 infants with bacteremia secondary to rotavirus gastroenteritis. All had a typical course of an increase in temperature several days after admission. The causative organisms were Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae, both normal commensals of the small intestine.

Rifampin augments cytokine-induced nitric oxide production in human alveolar epithelial cells.

Rifampin increased nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in alveolar cells stimulated with cytokines. Nitric oxide concentrations after induction with cytokines, cytokines with 10 microg/ml rifampin, and cytokines with 50 microg/ml rifampin were 3.2, 4.

Candida endocarditis in neonates: report of five cases and review of the literature.

Candidal endocarditis is an uncommon and serious complication of invasive Candida infection in neonates. The aim of this study was to further characterise candidal endocarditis in neonates. Between 1995 and 2000, 56 patients were diagnosed with Candida bloodstream infections (CBSI) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel.

Effect of educational intervention on antibiotic prescription practices for upper respiratory infections in children: a multicentre study.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on judicious antibiotic prescription for upper respiratory diseases in children.

Methods: A multicentre before-and-after study was conducted in five major community child healthcentres in Israel. Antibiotic prescription data were collected for all visits of patients aged 3 months to 18 years with a diagnosis of acute otitis media, tonsillopharyngitis, sinusitis or upper respiratory tract infection from November 1999 through February 2000 (pre-intervention period) and from November 2000 through February 2001 (post-intervention period).

Involvement of prostaglandins in an animal model of Shigella-related seizures.

We investigated whether prostaglandins (PGs), proinflammatory mediators implicated in excitatory activity, are involved in Shigella-related seizures. Pretreatment with S. dysenteriae sonicate (2LD(50)) enhanced mice response to pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures, without increase of brain concentrations of PGE(2), PGD(2) or PGF(2alpha).

Chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing for prevention of colonization of central venous catheters in infants and children: a randomized controlled study.

Background: Infections of short term, nontunneled, intravascular catheters are often caused by migration of organisms from the insertion site. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated dressing for the reduction of central venous catheter (CVC) colonization and CVC-associated bloodstream infections in infants and children after cardiac surgery.

Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit of a tertiary care pediatric medical center.

Cost-effectiveness of varicella vaccination of healthcare workers.

Objective: Although transmission of VZV is recognized as an important cause for morbidity in health care workers (HCWs), there is no general agreement on the recommended immunization policy. This study aimed to evaluate several of such prevention policies in economic terms.

Settings: Analysis of the cost per avoided future varicella cases among HCWs in Israel.

Non-Escherichia coli versus Escherichia coli community-acquired urinary tract infections in children hospitalized in a tertiary center: relative frequency, risk factors, antimicrobial resistance and outcome.

Background: Currently hospitalization for children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) is reserved for severe or complicated cases. Changes may have taken place in the characteristics and causative uropathogens of hospital-treated community-acquired UTI.

Objectives: To study children hospitalized in a tertiary center with community-acquired UTI, compare Escherichia coli and non-E.

Antibacterial susceptibility of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli.

Background: The prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing organisms and their antimicrobial resistance patterns may vary between geographic areas.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and susceptibility of ESBL-producing organisms among Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolated from adult and pediatric patients in two Israeli hospitals.

Methods: ESBL production was tested according to recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, using ceftazidime (30 microg) and a combination of ceftazidime/clavulanate (30/ 10 microg) disks with a > or =5 mm difference indicating positivity.

[Judicious use of antibiotics in dental practice].

With the discovery of penicillin and entrance into the antibiotic era, the capability of dentists to treat dental infections have changed dramatically. Many antibacterial agents have developed since, but bacterial resistance using diverse mechanisms, have increased concomitantly. Since antimicrobial agents are frequently needed in dentistry, their judicious use is of prime importance.

Seroepidemiology of varicella-zoster virus antibodies among health-care workers and day-care-centre workers.

Inclusion of live varicella vaccine in the routine occupational health vaccination schedule requires knowledge of the natural immunity to varicella zoster virus (VZV) among high-risk occupations. This study aims were to evaluate VZV antibody positivity among health-care workers (HCWs) and day-care-centre workers (DCWs) and to assess its association with potential risk factors. Three groups of workers were tested for VZV antibody positivity: hospitals and community clinic HCWs (n = 335), DCWs (n = 117) and blue-collar workers as controls (n = 121).

Difficulties in making the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease in early infancy.

This study highlights the less common presentations of Hirschsprung disease (HD) and HD-associated enterocolitis (HAE) in neonates and infants. We present three infants whose diagnosis was delayed because of atypical presenting features, especially with failure to gain weight, decreased appetite, episodes of diarrhoea and vomiting and hypoalbuminaemia. The reported incidence of HAE ranges from 0 to 16.

Shigella infections in children: new insights.

Shigellosis , the acute enteric infection caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella , has a worldwide distribution with an estimated annual incidence of 164.7 million cases, of which 163.2 million occur in developing countries, and 1.

Excited-state proton transfer reactions of 10-hydroxycamptothecin.

Time-resolved and steady-state emission characterization of 10-hydroxycamptothecin reveals a rich but less complex proton-transfer behavior than its parent hydroxyquinoline. The electronic effect of the additional electron-withdrawing ring makes the excited-state both less basic and more acidic than the parent and adds to the class of high-acidity excited-state proton donors in photochemistry and photobiology.

Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with Shigella gastroenteritis in young children.

Objective: Helicobacter pylori infection is acquired mainly in early childhood. Much is unknown about the mode of transmission. The organism can be cultivated from cathartic stools and vomitus and is potentially transmissible during episodes of gastrointestinal tract illness.