Publications by authors named "K Fritts"
Mouse models have been essential to generate supporting data for the research of infectious diseases. Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiological agent of melioidosis, has been studied using mouse models to investigate pathogenesis and efficacy of novel medical countermeasures to include both vaccines and therapeutics. Previous characterization of mouse models of melioidosis have demonstrated that BALB/c mice present with an acute infection, whereas C57BL/6 mice have shown a tendency to be more resistant to infection and may model chronic disease.
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- - Burkholderia pseudomallei is a dangerous bacteria that causes melioidosis and is prevalent in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, posing a significant health risk and biodefense concern due to its ability to infect humans and animals through various routes, especially during monsoon rains.
- - There are currently no effective vaccines available for this bacterium, and treatment with antibiotics can be complicated by unclear symptoms and antibiotic-resistant strains, highlighting the need for better medical countermeasures.
- - The study involved testing two mouse strains (BALB/c and C57BL/6) to understand their immune responses after being infected with B. pseudomallei, using various methods to monitor their health and analyze tissue samples, revealing key differences and
Aims: In an attempt to devise decontamination methods that are both effective and minimally detrimental to the environment, we evaluated germination induction as an enhancement to strategies for Bacillus anthracis spore decontamination. To determine an optimal method for the recovery of germinating spores from different matrices, it was critical to ensure that the sampling procedures did not negatively impact the viability of the germinating spores possibly confounding the results and downstream analyses of field trial data.
Methods And Results: Therefore, the two main objectives of this study were the following: (i) development of an effective processing protocol capable of recovering the maximum number of viable germinating or germinated spores from different surface materials; and (ii) using a model system of spore contamination, employ this protocol to evaluate the potential applicability of germination induction to wide-area decontamination of B.
Background Context: Autogenous posterolateral fusion with and without instrumentation has been reported with good results. However, difficult-to-fuse patients, such as smokers, elderly patients with poor bone quality and/or quantity, or patients with prior posterior surgeries, may have somewhat lower fusion rates.
Purpose: To determine the efficacy of coralline hydroxyapatite with or without demineralized bone matrix as a bone graft extender in a human clinical model with long-term follow-up.
Background: Several authors have reported success using a gas-mediated transperitoneal approach for lumbar interbody fusion. However, this approach has not been shown to reliably and predictably address segments above L4-5.
Methods: The B.