The Role of Health Disparities and Socioeconomic Status in Emergent Gastrointestinal Procedures.

There is limited data describing the role of health disparity factors and socioeconomic status (SES) on emergent versus nonemergent gastrointestinal (GI) procedures within pediatrics. We aimed to characterize risk factors and determine the role of SES on emergent versus nonemergent GI care. We hypothesized that patients with lower SES incur higher risk of having emergent procedures performed.

Age, Sex, Health Insurance, and Race Associated With Increased Rate of Emergent Pediatric Gastrointestinal Procedures.

Objectives: Few studies have examined the role health disparities play in pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) procedures. We hypothesized that health disparity factors affect whether patients undergo an emergent versus nonemergent GI procedure. The aims were to characterize the existing pediatric population undergoing GI procedures at our institution and assess specific risk factors associated with emergent versus nonemergent care.

Exploration of a potent PI3 kinase/mTOR inhibitor as a novel anti-fibrotic agent in IPF.

Rationale: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most rapidly progressive and fatal of all fibrotic conditions with no curative therapies. Common pathomechanisms between IPF and cancer are increasingly recognised, including dysfunctional pan-PI3 kinase (PI3K) signalling as a driver of aberrant proliferative responses. GSK2126458 is a novel, potent, PI3K/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor which has recently completed phase I trials in the oncology setting.

Results From a Patient Experience Study in Pediatric Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Objective: Gastrointestinal endoscopy in children has become a standard diagnostic and therapeutic modality. The aim of our study was to characterize the most memorable elements of the patient experience from the parent's and patient's perspective and determine ways to improve the overall quality of their experience.

Methods: Using a structured questionnaire, we conducted 47 phone interviews with families who had recently undergone gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures.

The anti-fibrotic effect of inhibition of TGFβ-ALK5 signalling in experimental pulmonary fibrosis in mice is attenuated in the presence of concurrent γ-herpesvirus infection.

TGFβ-ALK5 pro-fibrotic signalling and herpesvirus infections have been implicated in the pathogenesis and exacerbation of pulmonary fibrosis. In this study we addressed the role of TGFβ-ALK5 signalling during the progression of fibrosis in a two-hit mouse model of murine γ-herpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection on the background of pre-existing bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Assessment of total lung collagen levels in combination with ex vivo micro-computed tomography (µCT) analysis of whole lungs demonstrated that MHV-68 infection did not enhance lung collagen deposition in this two-hit model but led to a persistent and exacerbated inflammatory response.

Impact of Pre-Procedure Interventions on No-Show Rate in Pediatric Endoscopy.

Pediatric endoscopy has evolved into an indispensable tool in the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal diseases in children. However, there is limited literature focusing on quality improvement initiatives in pediatric endoscopy. The primary goal of this project was to reduce the no-show rate in the pediatric endoscopy unit.

Impact of Educational Cartoon on Pediatric Bowel Preparation Quality at Time of Colonoscopy.

Objective: To evaluate if addition of educational cartoon to pediatric bowel preparation instructions improves the quality of bowel preparation and patient experience.

Methods: Patients were randomized to control group receiving standard bowel preparation instructions or intervention group receiving additional educational cartoon. To objectively rate bowel preparation, a blinded endoscopist completed numeric Ottawa score (0-14, with 0 being best).

The AgI/II family adhesin AspA is required for respiratory infection by Streptococcus pyogenes.

Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) is a human pathogen that causes pharyngitis and invasive diseases such as toxic shock syndrome and sepsis. The upper respiratory tract is the primary reservoir from which GAS can infect new hosts and cause disease. The factors involved in colonisation are incompletely known however.

Streptococcus pyogenes antigen I/II-family polypeptide AspA shows differential ligand-binding properties and mediates biofilm formation.

The streptococcal antigen I/II (AgI/II)-family polypeptides are cell wall-anchored adhesins expressed by most indigenous oral streptococci. Proteins sharing 30-40% overall amino acid sequence similarities with AgI/II-family proteins are also expressed by Streptococcus pyogenes. The S.

The Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cia3 mutant lacking a thylakoid lumen-localized carbonic anhydrase is limited by CO2 supply to rubisco and not photosystem II function in vivo.

The Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cia3 mutant has a phenotype indicating that it requires high-CO(2) levels for effective photosynthesis and growth. It was initially proposed that this mutant was defective in a carbonic anhydrase (CA) that was a key component of the photosynthetic CO(2)-concentrating mechanism (CCM). However, more recent identification of the genetic lesion as a defect in a lumenal CA associated with photosystem II (PSII) has raised questions about the role of this CA in either the CCM or PSII function.