Unlabelled: Biofilm formation is a common adaptation enabling bacteria to thrive in various environments and withstand external pressures. In the context of host-microbe interactions, biofilms play vital roles in establishing microbiomes associated with animals and plants and are used by opportunistic microbes to facilitate survival within hosts. Investigating biofilm dynamics, composition, and responses to environmental stressors is crucial for understanding microbial community assembly and biofilm regulation in health and disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) affect 2-10% of adult women and are associated with a significant effect on quality of life, daily activities, and mental health.
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify clinical characteristics associated with rUTIs among women seeking care for pelvic floor disorders at an academic tertiary urogynecology clinic.
Study Design: A retrospective case-control study of women presenting to an academic tertiary urogynecology clinic was conducted.
Ectomycorrhizal (EM) associations can promote the dominance of tree species in otherwise diverse tropical forests. These EM associations between trees and their fungal mutualists have important consequences for soil organic matter cycling, yet the influence of these EM-associated effects on surrounding microbial communities is not well known, particularly in neotropical forests. We examined fungal and prokaryotic community composition in surface soil samples from mixed arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EM) stands as well as stands dominated by EM-associated Oreomunnea mexicana (Juglandaceae) in four watersheds differing in soil fertility in the Fortuna Forest Reserve, Panama.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Acute proximal superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion is highly lethal, and adjuncts are needed to mitigate ischemic injury until definitive therapy. We hypothesized that raising mean arterial pressure (MAP) >90 mmHg with norepinephrine may delay irreversible bowel ischemia by increasing gastroduodenal artery (GDA) flow despite possible pressor-induced vasospasm.
Methods: 12 anesthetized swine underwent laparotomy, GDA flow probe placement, and proximal SMA exposure and clamping.
Background: Thoracic aortic stent grafts are thought to decrease aortic compliance and may contribute to hypertension and heart failure after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Left ventricular (LV) biomechanics immediately after TEVAR, however, have not been quantified. Pressure-volume (PV) loop analysis provides gold-standard LV functional information.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) is well established in humans. Despite widespread use, additional research questions related to thoracic aortic stenting and endovascular innovation require large animal models. Translating human TEVAR devices and techniques into animal models, however, is a challenge even for experienced endovascular surgeons looking to develop a large animal TEVAR model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
February 2023
Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in an increased demand for telemedicine worldwide. Telemedicine is a technology-based virtual platform that allows the exchange of clinical data and images over remote distances. This study aims to examine the impact of the perceived risk of COVID-19 on telemedicine use in Bangladesh.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntraoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging with endovascular delivery of intra-arterial (IA) contrast could potentially provide higher attenuation with lower contrast volumes than intravenous (IV) administration. We aimed to compare IA and IV contrast use for organ-specific CT abdominal imaging. Five anesthetized swine had external jugular and brachial artery access with ascending aortic pigtail placement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlants interact with diverse microbiomes that can impact plant growth and performance. Recent studies highlight the potential beneficial aspects of plant microbiomes, including the possibility that microbes facilitate the process of local adaptation in their host plants. Microbially mediated local adaptation in plants occurs when local host genotypes have higher fitness than foreign genotypes because of their affiliation with locally beneficial microbes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Data is lacking as to the clinical presentation of erosive esophagitis (EE) in neurologically impaired children compared to non-neurologically impaired children (non-NIC). To determinate the clinical presentation, associations, management, and outcomes of EE in neurologically impaired children compared to children without neurologic impairment.
Methods: Retrospective chart review of all esophagogastroduodenoscopies performed in pediatric patients at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from 1998 to 2020 with the diagnosis of EE.
Popliteal artery injury following knee dislocation is associated with significant morbidity and high amputation rates. The complex and multi-disciplinary input required to manage this injury effectively can take time to arrange, prolonging the time to revascularization. Furthermore, open surgical bypass or interposition graft can be technically challenging in the acute setting, further prolonging ischemic time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Partial resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (pREBOA) is a potential method to mitigate the ischemia observed in full REBOA (fREBOA). However, the effect of pREBOA on cerebral perfusion in the setting of raised intracranial pressure (rICP) is unknown. The aim was to evaluate the effects of no REBOA (nREBOA) vs pREBOA vs fREBOA on cerebral perfusion in a swine model of rICP and hemorrhagic shock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acute arterial occlusion of the lower extremity is a time-dependent emergency that requires prompt revascularization. Lower extremity extracorporeal distal revascularization (LEEDR) is a technique that can be initiated bedside when definitive therapy is delayed. The aim of this study is to evaluate this technique in a swine model of prolonged extremity ischemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Trauma patients have diverse resource needs due to variable mechanisms and injury patterns. The aim of this study was to build a tool that uses only data available at time of admission to predict prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS).
Methods: Data was collected from the trauma registry at an urban level one adult trauma center and included patients from 1/1/2014 to 3/31/2019.
Background: Maternal anemia has been associated with poor obstetrical outcomes; however, the optimal hemoglobin level for reducing blood transfusion at delivery has not been well-defined.
Objective: This study aimed to measure the association of maternal anemia immediately before delivery with peripartum transfusion and other adverse perinatal outcomes. We also sought to identify the optimal hemoglobin level for predicting transfusion.
Patients in cardiac arrest treated with resuscitative thoracotomy and open cardiac massage (OCM) have high rates of mortality with poor neurological outcomes. The aim of this study is to quantitate cerebral perfusion during OCM using computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging in a swine model of normo- and hypovolemia. Anesthetized swine underwent instrumentation with right atrial and aortic pressure catheters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTemporary intravascular shunts are used to maintain perfusion in injured vessels, although failure can be unpredictable and lead to significant morbidity. The aim of the present study was to develop a dose- and timing-controlled swine model of intrinsic shunt failure to facilitate the development of a warning system for impending failure. Ten Yorkshire swine (weight, 56.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHemorrhage control has been identified as a priority focus area both for civilian and military populations in the United States because exsanguination is the most common cause of preventable death in hemorrhagic injury. Non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) has high mortality rate and there are currently no broadly available therapies for NCTH outside of a surgical room environment. Novel therapies, which include High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) have emerged as promising methods for hemorrhage control as they can non-invasively cauterize bleeding tissue deep within the body without injuring uninvolved regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Fast-track and enhanced recovery after cardiac surgical procedures have shown reductions in intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital lengths of stay, with unchanged outcomes. However, cost reduction by an ultra-fast-track protocol after minimally invasive cardiac operations, without compromising clinical benefits, has yet to be demonstrated.
Methods: A total of 215 consecutive patients underwent robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting, with 156 preoperatively stratified into conventional ICU recovery vs 59 candidates for a defined ICU-bypass protocol involving recovery room and floor care.
Background: The role of endovascular surgery in the treatment of popliteal arterial injuries is not well established. As with other popliteal pathology, open repair has traditionally been considered the gold standard. As data has accumulated and technology advanced, however, a reassessment of the role of endovascular surgery is warranted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Selective aortic arch perfusion (SAAP) is an endovascular technique that consists of aortic occlusion with perfusion of the coronary and cerebral circulation. It been shown to facilitate return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after exanguination cardiac arrest (ECA), but it is not known how long arrest may last before the myocardium can no longer be durably recovered. The aim of this study is to assess the myocardial tolerance to exsanguination cardiac arrest before successful ROSC with SAAP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiac and hepatic functionality are intertwined in a multifaceted relationship. Pathologic processes involving one may affect the other through a variety of mechanisms, including hemodynamic and membrane transport effects.
Aim: To better understand the effect of extrahepatic cholestasis on regulations of membrane transporters involving digoxin and its implication for digoxin clearance.
Issue Addressed: Critical thinking is essential to health promotion to overcome increasingly complex health issues. International students from Middle East and Asia are however disadvantaged when required to demonstrate critical thinking mainly because of their previous training in memorisation. This study addresses this need by evaluating the effect of case scenario-based teaching on transition from memorisation to critical thinking among international students in an Australia university.
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