Gastric, Duodenal, and Small Bowel Emergencies.

Gastric and small bowel emergencies are often seen in the emergency department and require rapid assessment and intervention as patients can deteriorate quickly. Some of the more frequently seen gastric emergencies include gastric volvulus and peptic ulcer disease, which can present with ischemia, strangulation, perforation, or severe bleeding. Swift diagnosis is crucial to ensuring the proper management whether that is endoscopic or with surgical exploration.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater: Comparison of underserved private-well and public-supply exposures and associated health implications.

Drinking-water quality is a rising concern in the United States (US), emphasizing the need to broadly assess exposures and potential health effects at the point-of-use. Drinking-water exposures to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a national concern, however, there is limited information on PFAS in residential tapwater at the point-of-use, especially from private-wells. We conducted a national reconnaissance to compare human PFAS exposures in unregulated private-well and regulated public-supply tapwater.

Altered Response Pattern following AZD5582 Treatment of SIV-Infected, ART-Suppressed Rhesus Macaque Infants.

The "shock and kill" strategy for HIV-1 cure incorporates latency-reversing agents (LRA) in combination with interventions that aid the host immune system in clearing virally reactivated cells. LRAs have not yet been investigated in pediatric clinical or preclinical studies. Here, we evaluated an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) inhibitor (IAPi), AZD5582, that activates the noncanonical NF-κB (ncNF-κB) signaling pathway to reverse latency.

Modeling estrogenic activity in streams throughout the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay watersheds.

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), specifically estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds, vary in concentration and composition in surface waters under the influence of different landscape sources and landcover gradients. Estrogenic activity in surface waters may lead to adverse effects in aquatic species at both individual and population levels, often observed through the presence of intersex and vitellogenin induction in male fish. In the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, located on the mid-Atlantic coast of the USA, intersex has been observed in several sub-watersheds where previous studies have identified specific landscape sources of EDCs in tandem with observed fish health effects.

Bacterially Derived Tryptamine Increases Mucus Release by Activating a Host Receptor in a Mouse Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Recent studies emphasize the role of microbial metabolites in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) physiology through activation of host receptors, highlighting the potential for inter-kingdom signaling in treating GI disorders. In this study, we show that tryptamine, a tryptophan-derived bacterial metabolite, stimulates mucus release from goblet cells via activation of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) 5-HT4R. Germ-free mice colonized with engineered optimized to produce tryptamine (Trp D+) exhibit decreased weight loss and increased mucus release following dextran sodium sulfate treatment when compared with mice colonized with control (Trp D-).

Therapeutic vaccination of SIV-infected, ART-treated infant rhesus macaques using Ad48/MVA in combination with TLR-7 stimulation.

Globally, 1.8 million children are living with HIV-1. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved disease outcomes, it does not eliminate the latent HIV-1 reservoir.

Association Between Accreditation Engagement and Using The Community Guide for Preventive Services by Local Health Departments.

Background: Accreditation is one of the macro trends shaping the future of public health practice, and The Community Guide to Preventive Services is a decision-making tool used to select evidence-based interventions. Although local health departments (LHDs) seeking accreditation use The Community Guide, the relationship between the two remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether accreditation engagement is associated with the extent to which LHDs use The Community Guide.

Urban Stormwater: An Overlooked Pathway of Extensive Mixed Contaminants to Surface and Groundwaters in the United States.

Increasing global reliance on stormwater control measures to reduce discharge to surface water, increase groundwater recharge, and minimize contaminant delivery to receiving waterbodies necessitates improved understanding of stormwater-contaminant profiles. A multiagency study of organic and inorganic chemicals in urban stormwater from 50 runoff events at 21 sites across the United States demonstrated that stormwater transports substantial mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, bioactive contaminants (pesticides and pharmaceuticals), and other organic chemicals known or suspected to pose environmental health concern. Numerous organic-chemical detections per site (median number of chemicals detected = 73), individual concentrations exceeding 10 000 ng/L, and cumulative concentrations up to 263 000 ng/L suggested concern for potential environmental effects during runoff events.

Dracunculus infections in domestic dogs and cats in North America; an under-recognized parasite?

We reviewed 62 new cases and 18 published reports of Dracunculus infections in domestic dogs and cats to describe the epidemiology of this parasite in dogs and cats in North America. We collected host and parasite data when available, including age, sex, and breed of dog, nematode location in the host, and any clinical signs at presentation and/or description of the apparent lesion. For dogs, infections were noted in six of the AKC breed groups, but none was reported from the toy group or the miscellaneous breed class.

The wild world of Guinea Worms: A review of the genus in wildlife.

Nematodes are an extremely diverse and speciose group of parasites. Adult dracunculoid nematodes (Superfamily Dracunculoidea) occur in the tissues and serous cavities of mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds. Of the dracunculid group, perhaps best known is , the human Guinea Worm.

Gut Microbiota-Produced Tryptamine Activates an Epithelial G-Protein-Coupled Receptor to Increase Colonic Secretion.

Tryptamine, a tryptophan-derived monoamine similar to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is produced by gut bacteria and is abundant in human and rodent feces. However, the physiologic effect of tryptamine in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract remains unknown. Here, we show that the biological effects of tryptamine are mediated through the 5-HT receptor (5-HTR), a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) uniquely expressed in the colonic epithelium.

Primary Pediatric Breast Lesions: Comparing the Prevalence of Malignancies in the Middle East with North America; Review of 1031 Cases.

Benign breast masses are uncommon but are becoming more recognized among the pediatric population. Malignant breast lesions are very rare. The aim of our study was to review and compare the demographics, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of breast lesions, including primary malignancies, and to discuss theories that may explain why there is an increased rate of breast cancers diagnosed at a younger age in the Egyptian population.

A carbon balance model for the great dismal swamp ecosystem.

Background: Carbon storage potential has become an important consideration for land management and planning in the United States. The ability to assess ecosystem carbon balance can help land managers understand the benefits and tradeoffs between different management strategies. This paper demonstrates an application of the Land Use and Carbon Scenario Simulator (LUCAS) model developed for local-scale land management at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Discovery and characterization of gut microbiota decarboxylases that can produce the neurotransmitter tryptamine.

Several recent studies describe the influence of the gut microbiota on host brain and behavior. However, the mechanisms responsible for microbiota-nervous system interactions are largely unknown. Using a combination of genetics, biochemistry, and crystallography, we identify and characterize two phylogenetically distinct enzymes found in the human microbiome that decarboxylate tryptophan to form the β-arylamine neurotransmitter tryptamine.

Prevalence and diversity of Babesia, Hepatozoon, Ehrlichia, and Bartonella in wild and domestic carnivores from Zambia, Africa.

A molecular survey was conducted for several hemoparasites of domestic dogs and three species of wild carnivores from two sites in Zambia. Three Babesia spp. were detected including Babesia felis and Babesia leo in lions (Panthera leo) and a Babesia sp.

Production of α-galactosylceramide by a prominent member of the human gut microbiota.

While the human gut microbiota are suspected to produce diffusible small molecules that modulate host signaling pathways, few of these molecules have been identified. Species of Bacteroides and their relatives, which often comprise >50% of the gut community, are unusual among bacteria in that their membrane is rich in sphingolipids, a class of signaling molecules that play a key role in inducing apoptosis and modulating the host immune response. Although known for more than three decades, the full repertoire of Bacteroides sphingolipids has not been defined.