Mixed Bacterial Growth in Prenatal Urine Cultures; An Investigation into Prevalence, Contributory Factors and the Impact of education-based Interventions.

Purpose: Undiagnosed urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnancy are associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Urine microbiology cultures reported as 'mixed bacterial growth' (MBG) frequently present a diagnostic dilemma for healthcare providers. We investigated external factors contributing to elevated rates of (MBG) within a large tertiary maternity centre in London, UK, and assessed the efficacy of health service interventions to mitigate these.

A Thermal Skin Model for Comparing Contact Skin Temperature Sensors and Assessing Measurement Errors.

To improve the measurement and subsequent use of human skin temperature () data, there is a need for practical methods to compare sensors and to quantify and better understand measurement error. We sought to develop, evaluate, and utilize a skin model with skin-like thermal properties as a tool for benchtop sensor comparisons and assessments of local temperature disturbance and sensor bias over a range of surface temperatures. Inter-sensor comparisons performed on the model were compared to measurements performed in vivo, where 14 adult males completed an experimental session involving rest and cycling exercise.

Urogenital tuberculosis - epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical features.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause of death from infectious disease worldwide. A substantial proportion of patients presenting with extrapulmonary TB have urogenital TB (UG-TB), which can easily be overlooked owing to non-specific symptoms, chronic and cryptic protean clinical manifestations, and lack of clinician awareness of the possibility of TB. Delay in diagnosis results in disease progression, irreversible tissue and organ damage and chronic renal failure.

Prediction of Core Body Temperature Based on Skin Temperature, Heat Flux, and Heart Rate Under Different Exercise and Clothing Conditions in the Heat in Young Adult Males.

Non-invasive, multi-parameter methods to estimate core body temperature offer several advantages for monitoring thermal strain, although further work is required to identify the most relevant predictor measures. This study aimed to compare the validity of an existing and two novel multi-parameter rectal temperature prediction models. Thirteen healthy male participants (age 30.

Validity of contact skin temperature sensors under different environmental conditions with and without fabric coverage: characterisation and correction.

Contact skin temperature (T) sensors are calibrated under uniform thermal conditions but used in the presence of a skin-to-environment temperature gradient. We aimed to characterise the validity of contact T sensors when measuring surface temperature under a range of environmental and fabric coverage conditions, to estimate practical temperature limits for a given measurement bias and to explore correcting for bias. Using two types of contact T sensors (thermistors, n = 5; iButtons, n = 5), we performed experiments in three phases: (1) conventional calibration (uniform thermal environment) over 15-40 °C in 5 °C steps (at t = 0, and 24 h, 12 weeks later), (2) surface temperature measurements of a purpose-made aluminium plate (also 15-40 °C) at different environmental temperatures (15, 25, 35 °C) with different sensor attachments and fabric coverings to assess measurement bias and calculate correction factors that account for the next-to-surface microclimate temperature and (3) surface measurements (33.

Contact skin temperature measurements and associated effects of obstructing local sweat evaporation during mild exercise-induced heat stress.

Objective: Locally increasing evaporative resistance is one mechanism by which contact skin temperature (T ) sensors and their attachments may disturb the temperature of the skin site being measured. We aimed to determine the extent to which an obstruction of evaporation affects local T during exercise-induced sweating and how this compares to the T measured using a conventional contact T sensor.

Approach: Twelve adult males each completed one experimental session (~24 °C, ~46% relative humidity) involving seated rest and exercise (cycle ergometer).

The critically ill patient with tuberculosis in intensive care: Clinical presentations, management and infection control.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide. In 2016, there were 490,000 cases of multi-drug resistant TB globally. Over 2 billion people have asymptomatic latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Skin Temperature Measurement Using Contact Thermometry: A Systematic Review of Setup Variables and Their Effects on Measured Values.

Skin temperature () is commonly measured using sensors affixed directly to the skin surface, although the influence of setup variables on the measured outcome requires clarification. The two distinct objectives of this systematic review were (1) to examine measurements from contact sensors considering equilibrium temperature and temperature disturbance, sensor attachments, pressure, environmental temperature, and sensor type, and (2) to characterise the contact sensors used, conditions of use, and subsequent reporting in studies investigating sports, exercise, and other physical activity. For the measurement comparison objective, Ovid Medline and Scopus were used (1960 to July 2016) and studies comparing contact sensor measurements or using appropriate physical models were included.

Attitudes and Behaviours to Antimicrobial Prescribing following Introduction of a Smartphone App.

Objectives: Our hospital replaced the format for delivering portable antimicrobial prescribing guidance from a paper-based pocket guide to a smartphone application (app). We used this opportunity to assess the relationship between its use and the attitudes and behaviours of antimicrobial prescribers.

Methods: We used 2 structured cross-sectional questionnaires issued just prior to and 3 months following the launch of the smartphone app.

Herbal and nutritional supplement use among college students in Qatar.

There is increasing demand for herbal and nutritional supplements in the Middle East. This study aimed to examine the use of supplements by college students in Qatar and to elucidate users' views about them. A total of 419 college students completed a self-administered questionnaire.

Fundamental relationships between blood pressure and cerebral blood flow in humans.

Cerebral blood flow responses to transient blood pressure challenges are frequently attributed to cerebral autoregulation (CA), yet accumulating evidence indicates vascular properties like compliance are also influential. We hypothesized that middle cerebral blood velocity (MCAv) dynamics during or following a transient blood pressure perturbation can be accurately explained by the windkessel mechanism. Eighteen volunteers underwent blood pressure manipulations, including bilateral thigh-cuff deflation and sit-to-stand maneuvers under normocapnic and hypercapnic (5% CO2) conditions.

Layering garments during rest and exercise in the cold (8°C): wearer responses and comparability with selected fabric properties.

Unlabelled: How garments contribute to performance of the clothing system during wear is of interest, as is understanding the value of using fabric properties to inform end-use characteristics. To investigate the influences of layering upper-body garments, four fabrics were used to construct two first-layer garments (wool and polyester) and two outer-layer garments (wool and membrane laminate). Over six sessions, 10 moderately trained males wore each first-layer garment as a single layer and in combination with each outer-layer garment while resting, running and walking in cold environmental conditions (8 ± 1°C, 81 ± 4% RH).

Interindividual relationships between blood pressure and cerebral blood flow variability with intact and blunted cerebrovascular control.

The relationships between blood pressure variability (BPV) and cerebral blood flow variability (CFV) across individuals in the presence of intact and blunted cerebrovascular control are poorly understood. This study sought to characterize the interindividual associations between spontaneous BPV and CFV under conditions of normal and blunted [calcium channel blockade (CCB)] cerebrovascular control in healthy humans. We analyzed blood pressure and flow velocity data from 12 subjects treated with CCB (60 mg oral nimodipine) and 11 subjects treated with a placebo pill.

Assessment of cerebral autoregulation: the quandary of quantification.

We assessed the convergent validity of commonly applied metrics of cerebral autoregulation (CA) to determine the extent to which the metrics can be used interchangeably. To examine between-subject relationships among low-frequency (LF; 0.07-0.

Sympathetic regulation of the human cerebrovascular response to carbon dioxide.

Although the cerebrovasculature is known to be exquisitely sensitive to CO(2), there is no consensus on whether the sympathetic nervous system plays a role in regulating cerebrovascular responses to changes in arterial CO(2). To address this question, we investigated human cerebrovascular CO(2) reactivity in healthy participants randomly assigned to the α(1)-adrenoreceptor blockade group (9 participants; oral prazosin, 0.05 mg/kg) or the placebo control (9 participants) group.

Compression garments and exercise: garment considerations, physiology and performance.

Compression garments (CGs) provide a means of applying mechanical pressure at the body surface, thereby compressing and perhaps stabilizing/supporting underlying tissue. The body segments compressed and applied pressures ostensibly reflect the purpose of the garment, which is to mitigate exercise-induced discomfort or aid aspects of current or subsequent exercise performance. Potential benefits may be mediated via physical, physiological or psychological effects, although underlying mechanisms are typically not well elucidated.

Pressure and coverage effects of sporting compression garments on cardiovascular function, thermoregulatory function, and exercise performance.

Sporting compression garments (CG) are used widely during exercise despite little evidence of benefits. The purpose of this study was to investigate coverage and pressure effects of full-body CG on cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function at rest and during prolonged exercise, and on exercise performance. Twelve recreationally trained male cyclists [mean (SD) age, 26 (7) years; VO(2 max), 53 (8) mL kg(-1) min(-1)] completed three sessions (counterbalanced order), wearing either correctly-sized CG (CSG; 11-15 mmHg), over-sized CG (OSG; 8-13 mmHg), or gym shorts (CONT).

Thoracic empyema: current opinions in medical and surgical management.

Purpose Of Review: Empyema is defined as pus in the thoracic cavity due to pleural space infection and has a multifactorial underlying cause, although a majority of them are post-bacterial pneumonia caused by tuberculosis or by infection following penetrating chest injuries or surgical procedures. It is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality in adults and children despite optimal management according to current guidelines. Historically, empyema management has been empirical, but more recent data are leading to more focused management guidelines.

Impact of rapid molecular screening for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in surgical wards.

Background: This study aimed to establish the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of rapid molecular screening for hospital-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in surgical patients within a teaching hospital.

Methods: In 2006, nasal swabs were obtained before surgery from all patients undergoing elective and emergency procedures, and screened for MRSA using a rapid molecular technique. MRSA-positive patients were started on suppression therapy of mupirocin nasal ointment (2 per cent) and undiluted chlorhexidine gluconate bodywash.

Mycobacterium xenopi osteomyelitis in a patient on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Skeletal infections with atypical mycobacteria are a manifestation of advanced HIV disease, most patients having CD4 counts of less than 100 cells/mm(3). We report a case of Mycobacterium xenopi vertebral osteomyelitis in a patient on HAART with a CD4 count of 490 cells/mm(3) and viral load below the level of detection at the time of diagnosis.