Severe perioperative anaphylaxis: Incidence in a tertiary hospital in Spain over a 20-year period. A historical cohort study.

Objective: To assess the incidence of severe perioperative anaphylaxis, the mechanisms involved, the value of laboratory/skin tests, and the most effective treatments.

Methods: A historical cohort study conducted in a tertiary public hospital in Spain. Patients that had undergone anaesthesia during the 20-year period were included.

Systematic Comparison of Beetle Luciferase-Luciferin Pairs as Sources of Near-Infrared Light for In Vitro and In Vivo Applications.

Luciferases catalyze light-emitting reactions that produce a rainbow of colors from their substrates (luciferins), molecular oxygen, and often additional cofactors. These bioluminescence (BL) systems have afforded an incredible variety of basic research and medical applications. Driven by the importance of BL-based non-invasive animal imaging (BLI) applications, especially in support of cancer research, new BL systems have been developed by engineering beetle luciferase (Luc) variants and synthetic substrate combinations to produce red to near-infrared (nIR) light to improve imaging sensitivity and resolution.

Evaluating Metabolic Pathways and Biofilm Formation in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has recently arisen as a prominent nosocomial pathogen because of its high antimicrobial resistance and ability to cause chronic respiratory infections. Often the infections are worsened by biofilm formation which enhances antibiotic tolerance. We have previously found that mutation of the gene, encoding the glycolytic enzyme phosphoglycerate mutase, impacts the formation of this biofilm on biotic and abiotic surfaces at early time points.

Lysosomal disruption by orthopedic wear particles induces activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and macrophage cell death by distinct mechanisms.

Wear particles from orthopedic implants cause aseptic loosening, the leading cause of implant revisions. The particles are phagocytosed by macrophages leading to activation of the nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) which then contributes to osteoclast differentiation and implant loosening. The mechanism of inflammasome activation by orthopedic particles is undetermined but other particles cause the cytosolic accumulation of the lysosomal cathepsin-family proteases which can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome.