Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) Hollow Nanoparticles with Surface Sealability and On-Demand Pore Generability for Easy Loading and NIR Light-Triggered Release of Drug.

A new system for the easy loading and NIR light-triggered release of drugs is introduced. It consists of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) hollow nanoparticles with surface openings containing a biodegradable fatty acid with phase-change ability and a biocompatible photothermal agent. These openings, which can enhance the connectivity between the interior and the exterior, enable the easy loading of drug molecules into the interior voids, and their successive sealing ensures a stable encapsulation of the drug.

sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the Korean scallop, .

A novel Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, reddish-orange-coloured, gliding bacterial strain, designated L12M1, was isolated from the gut of the Korean scallop, . Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain L12M1 formed a monophyletic clade with the strains in the genus and showed highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to YS10 (98.66 %).

First-Line Antibiotic Selection in Outpatient Settings.

Using the 2014 IBM MarketScan commercial database, we compared antibiotic selection for pharyngitis, sinusitis, and acute otitis media in retail clinics, emergency departments, urgent care centers, and offices. Only 50% of visits for these conditions received recommended first-line antibiotics. Improving antibiotic selection for common outpatient conditions is an important stewardship target.

Transfer of a healthy microbiota reduces amyloid and tau pathology in an Alzheimer's disease animal model.

Objective: Cerebral amyloidosis and severe tauopathy in the brain are key pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite a strong influence of the intestinal microbiota on AD, the causal relationship between the gut microbiota and AD pathophysiology is still elusive.

Design: Using a recently developed AD-like pathology with amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles (ADLP) transgenic mouse model of AD, which shows amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and reactive gliosis in their brains along with memory deficits, we examined the impact of the gut microbiota on AD pathogenesis.

sp. nov., isolated from Korean shiner intestine.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, obligate aerobic, motile, rod-shaped, and flagellated bacterium, designated S11R28, was isolated from the intestinal tract of a Korean shiner, . Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain S11R28 was identified as member of the genus in class , and was closely related to DSM 23061 (98.49 %).

Clinical Phenotypes, Comorbidities, and Exacerbations according to Serum 25-OH Vitamin D and Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Although vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the influence of vitamin D deficiency on COPD has not been fully established. Moreover, the inflammation process is associated with vitamin D deficiency in the general population. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether clinical phenotypes, comorbidities, and exacerbation rates are affected by the level of plasma fibrinogen, well studied by an inflammatory marker in COPD patients, and 25-hydroxy (25-OH) vitamin D.

sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from feces of oriental stork, .

A novel Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, non-violet-pigmented, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain H11R3, was isolated from the feces of Oriental stork, , collected from Seoul Grand Park Zoo, Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that H11R3 formed a monophyletic clade with DSM 3764, DSM 100243, and DSM 103822, with sequence similarities of 98.8, 98.

Collaborative Solutions to Antibiotic Stewardship in Small Community and Critical Access Hospitals.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics affect patients in many ways, including by driving antibiotic resistance, a serious public health threat in the United States and around the world. To improve patient safety and address rising rates of resistance, an increasing number of health care facilities have created antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs). ASPs have been successful in slowing the emergence of resistance and improving patient outcomes.

sp. nov., isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a blood cockle ().

A novel bacterial isolate, designated as strain BM15, was isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a blood cockle, , which was collected from the foreshore of Beolgyo-eup, Republic of Korea. Strain BM15 was Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, strictly aerobic and short-rod-shaped. Optimum growth of the isolate occurred at 20 °C, in the presence of 4 % (w/v) NaCl and at pH 6.

Subclassification and Treatment Results of Ethanol Embolotherapy of Type II Arteriovenous Malformations of the Extremity and Body.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ethanol and coil embolization of type II arteriovenous malformation (AVM) according to a new subtype classification.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-four type II AVMs in the body or extremity of 79 patients who underwent AVM treatment from 1996 to 2017 were retrospectively subclassified according to the angiographic morphology of the draining vein as type IIa (arterioles shunt to focal segment of single draining vein), type IIb (arterioles shunt to venous sac with multiple draining veins), and type IIc (arterioles shunt along long segment of draining vein). Coil and ethanol embolization of the focal or long segment of the draining vein or the venous sac was performed with direct puncture or transvenous approach according to subtype.

A Prospective 12-Month Study of Prescriptions in Long-Term Care Nursing Facility Residents.

The most frequent use of medications in the geriatric population occurs in skilled nursing facilities. This quality assurance study prospectively examines the high number of prescriptions ordered for long-term nursing facility residents throughout their first year after admission. The investigators prospectively followed 101 consecutive long-term-stay older adult residents at the Joyce Eisenberg Keefer Medical Center, a nursing facility of Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging (LAJH) over a 12-month period.

Leading Practices in Antimicrobial Stewardship: Conference Summary.

Unlabelled: The Joint Commission's hospital antimicrobial stewardship (AS) standards became effective in January 2017. Surveyors' experience to date suggests that almost all hospitals have established AS leadership commitment and organized structures. Thus, The Joint Commission sought to examine advances in AS interventions and measures that hospitals could implement to strengthen their existing AS programs.

A Retrospective Study on Efficacy and Safety of Rivaroxaban and Dalteparin for Long-Term Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Background: Standard therapy for cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) is low-molecular-weight heparin. The use of direct oral anticoagulants for cancer-associated VTE has increased; however, their efficacy and safety in lung cancer patients remain unclear.

Objectives: We examined the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban compared with dalteparin for cancer-associated VTE in patients with primary lung cancer.

Plasma membrane redox enzymes: new therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.

Mitochondrial dysfunction caused by oxidative stress appears at early stages of aging and age-related diseases. Plasma membrane redox enzymes act in a compensatory manner to decrease oxidative stress and supply reductive capacity to ensure cell survival. Plasma membrane redox enzymes transfer electrons from NAD(P)H to oxidized ubiquinone and α-tocopherol, resulting in inhibition of further oxidative damage.

Short-lag Spatial Coherence Imaging in 1.5-D and 1.75-D Arrays: Elevation Performance and Array Design Considerations.

Short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) imaging has demonstrated improved performance over conventional B-Mode ultrasound imaging. Previous work has evaluated the performance of SLSC using 2-D matrix arrays in simulation and in vivo studies across various levels of subaperture beamforming, demonstrating improved contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and speckle signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over 1-D arrays. This work explores the application of SLSC imaging in 1.

Endovascular treatment results and risk factors for complications of body and extremity arteriovenous malformations.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the complication rate and treatment outcomes of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) during a 20-year period.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 306 patients (135 men, 171 women; mean age, 30.8 years) with body and extremity AVMs who were treated between 1996 and 2017.

Beamforming and Speckle Reduction Using Neural Networks.

With traditional beamforming methods, ultrasound B-mode images contain speckle noise caused by the random interference of subresolution scatterers. In this paper, we present a framework for using neural networks to beamform ultrasound channel signals into speckle-reduced B-mode images. We introduce log-domain normalization-independent loss functions that are appropriate for ultrasound imaging.

Combination therapy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for small hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison with TACE or RFA monotherapy.

Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with those of TACE or RFA monotherapy.

Methods: This study included 34 combined TACE and RFA (TACE-RFA), 87 TACE, and 136 ultrasound-guided RFA, which were performed to treat HCC (≤ 3 cm, 3 or fewer) between March and August 2009. The safety (Child-Pugh score indicating hepatic functional reserve, patient discomfort requiring medication, duration of hospitalization, and complications) and efficacy (1-month, 6-month, and 1-year tumor responses) profiles of each treatment were evaluated and compared.

Gold Nanocage-Incorporated Poly(ε-Caprolactone) (PCL) Fibers for Chemophotothermal Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

This paper introduces a new fibrous system for synergistic cancer therapy, which consists of gold nanocage (AuNC)-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers with encapsulation of a chemotherapeutic anticancer drug in their core and loading of a phase-changeable fatty acid in their sheath. Under on⁻off switching of near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, the excellent photothermal ability and photostability of AuNCs allows repeated, significant heating of the fibers to a temperature available to hyperthermia. Simultaneously, the NIR light-induced heat generation enables the melting out of the loaded fatty acid, leading to a rapid release of the drug molecules from the fibers.

Multidisciplinary approach is associated with improved survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Background: Given the complexity of managing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a multidisciplinary approach (MDT) is recommended to optimize management of HCC patients. However, evidence suggesting that MDT improves patient outcome is limited.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients newly-diagnosed with HCC between 2005 and 2013 (n = 6,619).

Improved Visualization in Difficult-to-Image Stress Echocardiography Patients Using Real-Time Harmonic Spatial Coherence Imaging.

Stress echocardiography is used to detect myocardial ischemia by evaluating cardiovascular function both at rest and at elevated heart rates. Stress echocardiography requires excellent visualization of the left ventricle (LV) throughout the cardiac cycle. However, LV endocardial border visualization is often negatively impacted by high levels of clutter associated with patient obesity, which has risen dramatically worldwide in recent decades.