Accelerated Bacterial Identification with MALDI-TOF MS Leads to Fewer Diagnostic Tests and Cost Savings.

Introduction: Rapid microbiology reporting can enhance both clinical and economic outcomes.

Material And Methods: This three-year, quasi-experimental study, single-group pretest-posttest study, conducted at a university medical center, aimed to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of rapid microbiological identification reporting using MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 363 consecutive hospitalized patients with bacterial infections were evaluated, comparing a historical control group (CG, n = 183) with an intervention group (IG, = 180).

Characterization, prognostic factors, and clinical profile of ear infections by Turicella otitidis: Revealing the emerging rise of a controversial pathogen.

Introduction: Environmental changes and modifications in leisure habits have facilitated the emergence of new bacteria responsible for causing ear infections with different presentations. In this context, Turicella otitidis is a pathogen for which isolated cases of external and middle ear infections have been reported. However, our experience indicates a resurgence in its occurrence in recent years.

Miniaturized Shear Testing: In-Plane and Through-Thickness Characterization of Plywood.

This study addresses the challenges associated with conventional plywood shear testing by introducing a novel miniaturized shear test method. This approach utilizes a controlled router toolpath for precise sample fabrication, enabling efficient material use and data acquisition. Miniaturized samples, designed with double shear zones, were tested for τ, τ, and τ configurations using a universal testing machine.

Effectiveness of DASH Diet versus Other Diet Modalities in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Metabolic syndrome refers to the coexistence of several known cardiovascular risk factors, including insulin resistance, obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and hypertension. These conditions are interrelated and share underlying mediators, mechanisms, and pathways. Improvement in dietary habits has been shown to improve metabolic parameters in patients undergoing treatment with different diets.

Sorption and degradation processes of imidacloprid in Florida soils.

Imidacloprid (IDP) is an active ingredient of the Admire brand pesticide used to control the vector (Asian citrus psyllid) that transmits the causative organism Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) for citrus greening or huanglongbing disease. Imidacloprid products are applied via soil drench where citrus roots are mostly concentrated which is between 0 and 60 cm depth. These soil depths exhibit different characteristics that may affect IDP leaching beyond the rooting zone.

Soil Microbial Communities and Wine Terroir: Research Gaps and Data Needs.

Microbes found in soil can have a significant impact on the taste and quality of wine, also referred to as wine terroir. To date, wine terroir has been thought to be associated with the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. However, there is a fragmented understanding of the contribution of vineyard soil microbes to wine terroir.

Consensus document on palliative care in cardiorenal patients.

There is an unmet need to create consensus documents on the management of cardiorenal patients since, due to the aging of the population and the rise of both pathologies, these patients are becoming more prevalent in daily clinical practice. Chronic kidney disease coexists in up to 40%-50% of patients with chronic heart failure cases. There have yet to be consensus documents on how to approach palliative care in cardiorenal patients.

Effects on the accelerating electron bunches due to the presence of sulfur hexafluoride or air in the linac waveguide.

Sulfur hexafluoride gas (SF6) is used as a dielectric insulator in the acceleration process of certain medical linear accelerator waveguides. Nevertheless, some innovative development and investigation cases require intervention in the linear accelerator or, specifically, on the waveguide, which could affect the sealing of the device. In this regard, vacuum sealing systems can be compromised, affecting the properties of the radiation beams produced.

Clinical Impact of Rapid Bacterial Microbiological Identification with the MALDI-TOF MS.

Rapid microbiological reports to clinicians are related to improved clinical outcomes. We conducted a 3-year quasi-experimental design, specifically a pretest-posttest single group design in a university medical center, to evaluate the clinical impact of rapid microbiological identification information using MALDI-TOF MS on optimizing antibiotic prescription. A total of 363 consecutive hospitalized patients with bacterial infections were evaluated comparing a historical control group (CG) (n = 183), in which the microbiological information (bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility) was reported jointly to the clinician between 18:00 h and 22:00 h of the same day and a prospective intervention group (IG) (n = 180); the bacterial identification information was informed to the clinician as soon as it was available between 12:00 h and 14:00 h and the antibiotic susceptibility between 18:00 h and 22:00 h).

A global rise in alluvial mining increases sediment load in tropical rivers.

Increasing gold and mineral mining activity in rivers across the global tropics has degraded ecosystems and threatened human health. Such river mineral mining involves intensive excavation and sediment processing in river corridors, altering river form and releasing excess sediment downstream. Increased suspended sediment loads can reduce water clarity and cause siltation to levels that may result in disease and mortality in fish, poor water quality and damage to human infrastructure.

Testing the Impact of Protocolized Care of Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Without Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: The Imaging and Clinical Examination Protocol.

Background: Most patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) in low- or-middle-income countries and surprisingly many in high-income countries are managed without intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. The impact of the first published protocol (Imaging and Clinical Examination [ICE] protocol) is untested against nonprotocol management.

Objective: To determine whether patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs) using the ICE protocol have lower mortality and better neurobehavioral functioning than those treated in ICUs using no protocol.

Infection-specific PET imaging with F-fluorodeoxysorbitol and 2-[F]F-ρ-aminobenzoic acid: An extended diagnostic tool for bacterial and fungal diseases.

Introduction: Suspected infectious diseases located in difficult-to-access sites can be challenging due to the need for invasive procedures to isolate the etiological agent. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging technology that can help locate the infection site. The most widely used radiotracer for PET imaging (2-deoxy-2[F] fluoro-D-glucose: [F]FDG) shows uptake in both infected and sterile inflammation.

Effectiveness of Several Antimicrobial Locks To Eradicate Intravascular Catheter Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Biofilms.

Tunneled central venous catheter (TCVC) related infection remains a challenge in the care of hemodialysis patients. We aimed to determine the best antimicrobial lock therapy (ALT) to eradicate coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) biofilms. We studied the colonization status of the catheter every 30 days by quantitative blood cultures (QBC) drawn through all catheter lumens.

Pre-Emptive Antimicrobial Locks Decrease Long-Term Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections in Hemodialysis Patients.

This study aimed to prove that pre-emptive antimicrobial locks in patients at risk of bacteremia decrease infection. We performed a non-randomized prospective pilot study of hemodialysis patients with tunneled central venous catheters. We drew quantitative blood cultures monthly to detect colonization.

[Description of the operation of a home hospitalization unit in a public hospital at Santiago, Chile].

This article briefly discloses what home hospitalization consists of, its different models of care, and the benefits and difficulties associated with it. We also describe the operation of the home hospitalization unit of the Padre Hurtado Hospital in Santiago de Chile and the role it took in the context of the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic, specifically between March and August of the year 2020. We aim to share our experience with this emerging form of hospitalization that is already working in Chilean public hospitals.

The measurement of compassionate leadership: Adaptation and Spanish validation of the compassionate leadership self-reported scale.

Background: A culture of shared leadership is widespread among palliative care teams based on a commitment to valuing and including all people equally. As compassion is a core value for end-of-life care work, compassionate leadership may be the best way to lead in palliative care.

Aims: The aims of this study were twofold: (1) to adapt and validate the Compassionate Leadership Self-reported Scale in a sample of palliative care professionals; and (2) to study the relation between compassionate leadership and associated concepts of self-compassion, awareness and self-care.

Impact of the Acceptance of the Recommendations Made by a Meropenem Stewardship Program in a University Hospital: A Pilot Study.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) promote appropriate antimicrobial use. We present a 4-year retrospective study that evaluated the clinical impact of the acceptance of the recommendations made by a meropenem-focused ASP. A total of 318 meropenem audits were performed.

Antibacterial Activity of Kaolin-Silver Nanomaterials: Alternative Approach to the Use of Antibiotics in Animal Production.

According to the search for alternatives to replace antibiotics in animal production suggested in the antimicrobial resistance action plans around the world, the objective of this work was to evaluate the bactericidal effect of kaolin-silver nanomaterial for its possible inclusion as an additive in animal feed. The antibacterial activity of the C3 (kaolin-silver nanomaterial) product was tested against a wide spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (including multidrug resistant strains) by performing antibiograms, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC), as well as growth inhibition curves against seven strains causing infections in animals. The C3 product generated inhibition halos in all the tested strains, and a higher activity against Gram-negative bacteria was found, with MBC values ranged from 7.

Development and multimodal characterization of an elastase-induced emphysema mouse disease model for the COPD frequent bacterial exacerbator phenotype.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients undergo infectious exacerbations whose frequency identifies a clinically meaningful phenotype. Mouse models have been mostly used to separately study both COPD and the infectious processes, but a reliable model of the COPD frequent exacerbator phenotype is still lacking. Accordingly, we first established a model of single bacterial exacerbation by nontypeable (NTHi) infection on mice with emphysema-like lesions.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Chilean version of Evaluation of Ability to Sing Easily: EASE.

Purpose: To adapt the Australian singing voice protocol, Evaluation of Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) to Chilean Spanish.

Methods: A translation of the EASE to Chilean Spanish was performed and later back translated; these were reviewed by a committee made up of 4 Speech-Language pathologists who created the first version in Chilean Spanish (EASE-CL). The EASE-CL is made up of 22 items, the same as the original, which are answered according to a Likert frequency scale, to which, during its adaptation, the option 'not applicable' was added in order to identify the instructions that were not understood or inappropriate for the vocabulary of Chilean singers.

Dosimetry of tumor targeting imaging by convergent X-ray beam as compared with nuclear medicine.

During decades nuclear medicine procedures, based on radiolabeled agents, have proved to be efficient for diseases diagnosis and treatment. Radiation emerging from patient is detected aimed at localizing radiotracer distribution that is further correlated with biochemical/metabolic physiological processes. However, a significant drawback associated with current nuclear medicine procedures implementing radionuclide infusion regards to the inherent absorbed dose as well as radiopharmaceuticals' production, storage and elimination from patient body, thus representing a risk at patient and public health level.

Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Different Aquatic Environments in the North of Spain and South of France.

Due to the global progress of antimicrobial resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the list of the antibiotic-resistant "priority pathogens" in order to promote research and development of new antibiotics to the families of bacteria that cause severe and often deadly infections. In the framework of the One Health approach, the surveillance of these pathogens in different environments should be implemented in order to analyze their spread and the potential risk of transmission of antibiotic resistances by food and water. Therefore, the objective of this work was to determine the presence of high and critical priority pathogens included in the aforementioned list in different aquatic environments in the POCTEFA area (North Spain-South France).

First national survey of the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in Clinical Microbiology Laboratories in Spain.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to know, through a national survey, the methods and techniques used for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) in the different Clinical Microbiology Services/Laboratories in Spain, as well as antibiotic resistance data.

Methods: The survey requested information about the diagnostic methods performed for Hp detection in Clinical Microbiology laboratories, including serology, stool antigen, culture from gastric biopsies, and PCR. In addition, the performance of antibiotic susceptibility was collected.

Sulfate nutrition improves short-term Al-stress tolerance in roots of Lolium perenne L.

Trivalent aluminum ions (Al) in acidic soils are a major constraint for crop productivity inhibiting root elongation and promoting cell death. Al-toxicity has adverse biochemical and physiological effects on plant root growth. Sulfur is an essential macronutrient assimilated from the soil in the form of sulfate.