Ruptured thoracoabdominal aneurysm in a 27-year-old with hyper IgE syndrome.

Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency disorder defined by high serum immunoglobulin E titers and associated with characteristic infectious, dermatologic, skeletal, and dental abnormalities. We present the case of a 27-year-old man presenting acutely with a ruptured type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. He was successfully treated by open operative repair and discharged with long-term prophylactic antibiotics.

Identification and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in children and cattle populations from the province of Álava, North of Spain.

The prevalence of and factors associated with the protozoan enteropathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia have been investigated in selected children and cattle populations from the province of Álava (Northern Spain). The presence of these organisms was detected in fecal samples using commercially available coproantigen-ELISA (CpAg-ELISA) and immunochromatographic (ICT) assays. A total of 327 caregivers of children participants were asked to answer questions on risk factors potentially associated to the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia, including water-use practices, water sports and contact with domestic or pet animals.

In search of oral psoriasis.

Even though psoriasis is a common skin disorder, reports of it involving the oral cavity are exceedingly rare, with less than 100 publications in the literature. Biopsy-proven oral psoriasis has been reported in the oral medical literature, but the commonest oral mucosal findings in most studies are associated non-specific features including fissured and geographic tongue. Case series on this entity have not provided any definitive data to support its existence.

Use of the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm in optimal coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy.

We are utilizing recent advances in ultrafast laser technology and recent discoveries in optimal shaping of laser pulses to significantly enhance the stand-off detection of explosives via control of molecular processes at the quantum level. Optimal dynamic detection of explosives is a method whereby the selectivity and sensitivity of any of a number of nonlinear spectroscopic methods are enhanced using optimal shaping of ultrafast laser pulses. We have recently investigated the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm as a method to very quickly estimate the optimal spectral phase for a given analyte from its spontaneous Raman spectrum and the ultrafast laser pulse spectrum.

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Escherichia coli O157 in a farming population.

Evidence suggests that frequent and direct exposure to domestic animals has made farmers less susceptible to symptomatic Escherichia coli O157 infection than other members of the community. We have quantified the seroprevalence of antibodies to E. coli O157 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from a representative cohort of farm workers in three geographically distinct regions of the United Kingdom during two sampling rounds over a 2-year period.

Comparison of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of seven Cryptosporidium assays used in the UK.

To compare the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of seven Cryptosporidium diagnostic assays used in the UK, results from 259 stool samples from patients with acute gastrointestinal symptoms were compared against a nominated gold standard (real-time PCR and oocyst detection). Of the 152 'true positives', 80 were Cryptosporidium hominis, 68 Cryptosporidium parvum, two Cryptosporidium felis, one Cryptosporidium ubiquitum and one Cryptosporidium meleagridis. The Cryptosporidium spp.

The epidemiology of sporadic human infections with unusual cryptosporidia detected during routine typing in England and Wales, 2000-2008.

Routine typing of 14 469 isolates from human cryptosporidiosis cases between 2000 and 2008 revealed that 7439 (51·4%) were Cryptosporidium (C.) hominis, 6372 (44·0%) C. parvum, 51 (0·4%) both C.

A whole water catchment approach to investigating the origin and distribution of Cryptosporidium species.

Aims: Investigating the distribution and origin of Cryptosporidium species in a water catchment affected by destocking and restocking of livestock as a result of a foot and mouth disease epidemic.

Methods And Results: Surface water, livestock and wildlife samples were screened for Cryptosporidium and oocysts characterised by sequencing SSU rRNA and COWP loci, and fragment analysis of ML1, ML2 and GP60 microsatellite loci. Oocyst concentrations in water samples (0-20.

Risk factors for interruption to soft contact lens wear in children and young adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe age and other risk factors for ocular events that interrupt soft contact lens (SCL) wear in youth.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of SCL wearers aged 8 to 33 years at the first observed visit was conducted at six academic eye care centers in North America. Data were extracted from all visits during the observation period (>3 years).

Management of cutaneous metastases using electrochemotherapy.

Background: Cutaneous metastases may cause considerable discomfort as a consequence of ulceration, oozing, bleeding and pain. Electrochemotherapy has proven to be highly effective in the treatment of cutaneous metastases. Electrochemotherapy utilises pulses of electricity to increase the permeability of the cell membrane and thereby augment the effect of chemotherapy.

H-NS mediates the dissociation of a refractory protein-DNA complex during Tn10/IS10 transposition.

Tn10/IS10 transposition takes place in the context of a protein-DNA complex called a transpososome. During the reaction, the transpososome undergoes several conformational changes. The host proteins IHF and H-NS, which also are global regulators of gene expression, play important roles in directing these architectural changes.

Age and other risk factors for corneal infiltrative and inflammatory events in young soft contact lens wearers from the Contact Lens Assessment in Youth (CLAY) study.

Purpose: To describe age and other risk factors for corneal infiltrative and inflammatory events (CIEs) in young, soft contact lens (SCL) wearers and to model the age-related risk.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective chart review of 3549 SCL wearers (8-33 years at first observed visit, +8.00 to -12.

Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis treated effectively with topical imiquimod 5% cream.

A 68-year-old man presented with a 3-year history of asymptomatic red marks on his limbs. On physical examination, he was found to have numerous circular, erythematous macules with a fine peripheral rim of scale on his upper arms and legs. A clinical diagnosis of disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) was made.

Detection and resolution of Cryptosporidium species and species mixtures by genus-specific nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, direct sequencing, and cloning.

Molecular methods incorporating nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium species were validated to assess performance based on limit of detection (LoD) and for detecting and resolving mixtures of species and genotypes within a single sample. The 95% LoD was determined for seven species (Cryptosporidium hominis, C. parvum, C.

The evidence for the role of transforming growth factor-beta in the formation of abnormal scarring.

The complex biological and physiological mechanisms that result in poor quality scarring are still not fully understood. This review looks at current evidence of the role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) in this pathological process.

Contact lens assessment in youth: methods and baseline findings.

Purpose: To describe the Contact Lens Assessment in Youth (CLAY) Study design and report baseline data for a multicenter, retrospective, observational chart review of children, teenagers, and young adult soft contact lens (SCL) wearers.

Methods: Clinical charts of SCL wearers aged 8 to 33 years were reviewed at six colleges of optometry. Data were captured retrospectively for eye care visits from January 2006 through September 2009.

Sporadic human cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium cuniculus, United Kingdom, 2007-2008.

To investigate sporadic human cryptosporidiosis trends in the United Kingdom, we tested 3,030 Cryptosporidium spp.-positive fecal samples, submitted for routine typing in 2007-2008, for C. cuniculus.

Characterization of patients who report compliant and non-compliant overnight wear of soft contact lenses.

Purpose: To describe compliant and non-compliant overnight wear (EW) of soft contact lenses from a large observational study.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 3211 SCL patients with known EW status (aged 8-33yrs, SCL power +8.00 to -12.

Etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review and economic evaluation.

Background: Etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab are licensed in the UK for the treatment of active and progressive psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adults who have an inadequate response to standard treatment.

Objective: To determine the clinical effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of these biologic agents in the treatment of active and progressive PsA.

Data Sources: Systematic reviews were performed, with data sought from 10 electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Science Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science, ClinicalTrials.

Nonhealing vegetating plaque on the finger: tuberculosis verrucosa cutis.

Tuberculosis verrucosa cutis is an uncommon form of tuberculosis that typically presents as a chronic warty plaque. It develops in individuals with moderate to high immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis due to inoculation of an open wound. We present the case of a Somali man born in the United Kingdom who presented with a nonhealing ulcer on the right hand of 10 years' duration.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm growth predicted by uptake of ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide: a pilot study.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a major cause of death. Prediction of aneurysm expansion and rupture is challenging and currently relies on the simple measure of aneurysm diameter. Using MRI, we aimed to assess whether areas of cellular inflammation correlated with the rate of abdominal aortic aneurysm expansion.

The transposon-like Correia elements encode numerous strong promoters and provide a potential new mechanism for phase variation in the meningococcus.

Neisseria meningitidis is the primary causative agent of bacterial meningitis. The genome is rich in repetitive DNA and almost 2% is occupied by a diminutive transposon called the Correia element. Here we report a bioinformatic analysis defining eight subtypes of the element with four distinct types of ends.

Longitudinal and spatial distribution of GP60 subtypes in human cryptosporidiosis cases in Ireland.

Within Europe, Ireland has one of the highest reported infection rates with the diarrhoeal protozoan pathogen Cryptosporidium. In this study 249 Cryptosporidium parvum isolates collected from Irish patients between 2000 and 2009 were subtyped by sequence analysis of the GP60 locus. A subsample of 127 isolates was also typed at the MS1 and ML1 loci.

Patient attitudes and behavior regarding hygiene and replacement of soft contact lenses and storage cases.

Purpose: To review important aspects of contact lens compliance and to survey contact lens replacement frequency, steps in lens care and hygiene and replacement of the lens storage case via online surveys.

Methods: Random US samples (n=645 and 787) of frequent replacement contact lens wearers answered questions on contact lens wear in online, sponsor-masked surveys.

Results: Wearers of lenses prescribed by their practitioner for 2 weekly replacement reported that they replaced lenses as follows: within 2 weeks 45%, within 3 weeks (minor stretching) 68%, within 4 weeks 89%, ≥8 weeks (extreme stretching) 4%, compared to Monthly wearers who reported: within 4 weeks 37%, within 5 weeks (minor stretching) 57%, ≥8 weeks 23% (≥8 weeks extreme stretching, Chi-square p=0.