Neurological level at birth predicts survival to the mid-40s and urological deaths in open spina bifida: a complete prospective cohort study.

Aim: To conduct a 50-year complete, community-based, prospective cohort study to investigate long-term survival, causes of death, and influence of level of the lesion in treated open spina bifida.

Method: The cohort comprised 117 consecutive cases whose backs were closed non-selectively at birth between 1963 and 1971 in Cambridge, UK. In 2013 we surveyed the survivors (n=39, 18 males, 21 females; mean age 46y, range 43-49y) by postal questionnaire and telephone interview.

Persistence of pharmaceuticals in effluent-dominated surface waters.

Pharmaceutical fate in surface water depends on a combination of physical and chemical processes, but currently, little information is available on cumulative dissipation rates in effluent-dominated receiving waters. In this study, dissipation rates were calculated for pharmaceutical compounds in two streams receiving municipal wastewater effluents using results from passive samplers. Seventeen pharmaceuticals were detected at the two sampling locations, and first-order dissipation rates were found to range between 0.

Scintigraphic tracking of mesenchymal stem cells after portal, systemic intravenous and splenic administration in healthy beagle dogs.

Mesenchymal stem cells have been proposed to treat liver disease in the dog. The objective of this study was to compare portal, systemic intravenous and splenic injections for administration of mesenchymal stem cells to target the liver in healthy beagle dogs. Four healthy beagle dogs were included in the study.

Patient and clinician views on comparative effectiveness research and engagement in research.

Aims: Describe and compare patient and primary care clinician attitudes about comparative effectiveness research (CER) and inclusion of patients and clinicians as partners in clinical research.

Materials & Methods: Online survey of patients (n = 900) and primary care clinicians (n = 750) from opt-in survey panels.

Results: Nearly half (45%) of clinicians were not familiar with CER, but after reviewing a definition of CER, most (76%) agreed that it can improve patient care.

Population-based surveillance of HIV drug resistance emerging on treatment and associated factors at sentinel antiretroviral therapy sites in Namibia.

Objective: The World Health Organization (WHO) prospective surveys of acquired HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) evaluate HIVDR emerging after the first year of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and associated factors.

Methods: Consecutive ART starters in 2009 were enrolled at 3 sentinel sites in Namibia. Genotyping was performed at start and after 12 months in patients with HIV viral load (VL) >1000 copies per mL.

Short-Term Outcome of Multiple Port Laparoscopic Splenectomy in 10 Dogs.

Objective: To describe surgical techniques for multiple port laparoscopic splenectomy (MLS) in dogs and report short-term outcome.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: Dogs (n = 10) with naturally occurring splenic disease.

The NHLBI-sponsored Consortium for preclinicAl assESsment of cARdioprotective therapies (CAESAR): a new paradigm for rigorous, accurate, and reproducible evaluation of putative infarct-sparing interventions in mice, rabbits, and pigs.

Rationale: Despite 4 decades of intense effort and substantial financial investment, the cardioprotection field has failed to deliver a single drug that effectively reduces myocardial infarct size in patients. A major reason is insufficient rigor and reproducibility in preclinical studies.

Objective: To develop a multicenter, randomized, controlled, clinical trial-like infrastructure to conduct rigorous and reproducible preclinical evaluation of cardioprotective therapies.

Staff's views on managing symptoms of dementia in nursing home residents.

Aim To identify the most common and distressing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in nursing homes and to identify staff preferences regarding its behavioural management. Method A descriptive cross-sectional survey was completed by a self-selected sample of 247 staff working in 21 nursing homes in a defined catchment area. The survey contained items relating to experience in aged care work, attitudes towards BPSD, ratings of the importance of certain behavioural strategies for managing BPSD, and the Challenging Behaviour Scale.

Comparison of perioperative morbidity and mortality rates in dogs with noninvasive adrenocortical masses undergoing laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy.

Objective: To describe the clinicopathologic features of a cohort of dogs with adrenocortical masses that underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy and to compare perioperative morbidity and mortality rates in these dogs with rates for dogs that underwent open adrenalectomy for resection of similarly sized (maximal diameter, ≤ 5 cm) adrenocortical masses.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 48 client-owned dogs that underwent laparoscopic (n = 23) or open (25) adrenalectomy for noninvasive tumors (ie, tumors that did not invade the vena cava or other surrounding organs).

Modeling dynamics of culex pipiens complex populations and assessing abatement strategies for West Nile Virus.

The primary mosquito species associated with underground stormwater systems in the United States are the Culex pipiens complex species. This group represents important vectors of West Nile virus (WNV) throughout regions of the continental U.S.

Regional Fos-expression induced by γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB): comparison with γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and effects of co-administration of the GABAB antagonist SCH 50911 and putative GHB antagonist NCS-382.

γ-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has a complex array of neural actions that include effects on its own high-affinity GHB receptor, the release of neuroactive steroids, and agonist actions at GABAA and GABAB receptors. We previously reported partial overlap in the c-Fos expression patterns produced by GHB and the GABAB agonist, baclofen in rats. The present study extends these earlier findings by examining the extent to which GHB Fos expression and behavioral sedation are prevented by (2S)-(+)-5,5-dimethyl-2-morpholineacetic acid (SCH 50911), a GABAB antagonist, and NCS-382, a putative antagonist at the high-affinity GHB receptor.

Concordance between allele-specific PCR and ultra-deep pyrosequencing for the detection of HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance mutations.

Recent advances in genotyping technologies have allowed for detection of HIV-1 drug resistance mutations present at low levels. The presence and percentage of Y181C and K103N drug-resistant variants in the blood of 105 subtype C HIV-infected infants who failed single-dose nevirapine prophylaxis for HIV transmission were compared using two highly sensitive genotyping methods, allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and ultra-deep pyrosequencing. Significant correlations in detection between both methods were found for both Y181C (correlation coefficients of 0.

Evaluation of fluid production and seroma formation after placement of closed suction drains in clean subcutaneous surgical wounds of dogs: 77 cases (2005-2012).

Objective: To evaluate fluid production and factors associated with seroma formation after placement of closed suction drains in clean surgical wounds in dogs.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 77 client-owned dogs with a subcutaneous closed suction drain placed following a clean surgical procedure.

The lived experience of involuntary community treatment: a qualitative study of mental health consumers and carers.

Objective: To describe the lived experiences of people subject to community treatment orders (CTOs) and their carers.

Method: We recruited 11 participants (five mental health consumers and six carers) through consumer and carer networks in NSW, Australia, to take part in interviews about their experiences. We analysed the interview data set using established qualitative methodologies.

Does hepatic steatosis have an impact on the short term hepatic response after complete attenuation of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts? A prospective study of 20 dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between hepatic steatosis and increase in liver size and resolution of shunting after surgical attenuation of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts in dogs.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Animals: Dogs (n = 20) with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

Drug resistance among newly diagnosed HIV-infected children in the era of more efficacious antiretroviral prophylaxis.

Background: In the era of more efficacious prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) regimens, documenting the profile of drug resistance in HIV-infected infants and young children is critical to our efforts to improve care and treatment for children.

Methods: HIV drug resistance mutations in plasma virus were ascertained using population sequencing among 230 newly diagnosed HIV-infected children under 2 years of age recruited in Johannesburg, South Africa, during 2011. By this time, more effective PMTCT regimens, including combination antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women, were being implemented.

"A cool little buzz": alcohol intoxication in the dance club scene.

In recent years, there has been increasing concern about youthful "binge" drinking and intoxication. Yet the meaning of intoxication remains under-theorized. This paper examines intoxication in a young adult nightlife scene, using data from a 2005-2008 National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded project on Asian American youth and nightlife.

Evaluation of in vivo behavior of ameroid ring constrictors in dogs with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts using computed tomography.

Objective: To evaluate the in vivo pattern of ameroid constrictor closure of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts in dogs.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Animals: Dogs (n = 22) with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

Correlation between liver volume, portal vascular anatomy, and hepatic perfusion in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt before and after placement of ameroid constrictors.

Objective: To correlate changes in hepatic volume, hepatic perfusion, and vascular anatomy of dogs with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts, before and after attenuation with an ameroid constrictor.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Animals: Dogs (n = 22) with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the invasive Africanized Honey Bee, Apis mellifera scutellata (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae).

The complete mitochondrial genome from an Africanized honey bee population (AHB, derived from Apis mellifera scutellata) was assembled and analyzed. The mitogenome is 16,411 bp long and contains the same gene repertoire and gene order as the European honey bee (13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA genes). ND4 appears to use an alternate start codon and the long rRNA gene is 48 bp shorter in AHB due to a deletion in a terminal AT dinucleotide repeat.

Finding the missing honey bee genes: lessons learned from a genome upgrade.

Background: The first generation of genome sequence assemblies and annotations have had a significant impact upon our understanding of the biology of the sequenced species, the phylogenetic relationships among species, the study of populations within and across species, and have informed the biology of humans. As only a few Metazoan genomes are approaching finished quality (human, mouse, fly and worm), there is room for improvement of most genome assemblies. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) genome, published in 2006, was noted for its bimodal GC content distribution that affected the quality of the assembly in some regions and for fewer genes in the initial gene set (OGSv1.

The Sydney Mental Health Client Mortality Audit: what does it tell us and what are we to do?

Objectives: To examine the characteristics of those mental health clients of an Australian metropolitan health service who died during a 6 year period, 2005 - 2010.

Methods: The medical records, and where available, coronial post-mortem examinations were audited for 109 people with schizophrenia who died while they were clients of the mental health service.

Results: The mean age of death for men was 45 years and for women, 47 years, compared to the general population's male and female life expectancy of 79 and 84 years, respectively.