Halomonas titanicae sp. nov., a halophilic bacterium isolated from the RMS Titanic.

A Gram-negative, heterotrophic, aerobic, non-endospore-forming, peritrichously flagellated and motile bacterial strain, designated BH1(T), was isolated from samples of rusticles, which are formed in part by a consortium of micro-organisms, collected from the RMS Titanic wreck site. The strain grew optimally at 30-37°C, pH 7.0-7.

Increased serum concentration of immune cell derived microparticles in polymyositis/dermatomyositis.

Microparticles are recently recognized players of intercellular communication. They are involved in signal transduction, cell activation and apoptosis. Their importance is also suggested in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis.

Changes in vasopressin use and outcomes in surgical intensive care unit patients with septic shock.

Introduction: This study compares recent vasopressin use and outcomes to our early practice when vasopressin was introduced for septic shock.

Methods: Charts of Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) patients receiving vasopressin for septic shock in 2005-2006 (05-06 cohort,) were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, APACHE II, hemodynamic variables, and vasoactive drug data were compared to a similar 1999-2000 cohort (99-00 cohort).

Inadequate antibiotic therapy in solid organ transplant recipients is associated with a higher mortality rate.

Background: Inadequate antibiotic therapy and failure to administer antibiotics in a timely fashion have been associated with substantial mortality rates in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). We analyzed the infection pattern in solid organ transplant recipients as well as the impact of antibiotic resistance and inadequate antibiotic treatment on mortality rates and morbidity outcomes.

Methods: Charts of adult solid organ transplant recipients in 2006 from a single institution were reviewed.

[Daily protein intake 1,2--is that the panacea?].

Protein malnutrition is regarded as a risk factor of survival of hemodialysis patients. That's why good practice guidelines recommend a daily protein intake of 1.1 - 1.

Forging a critical alliance: Addressing the research needs of the United States critical illness and injury community.

Objective: Discuss the research needs of the critical illness and injury communities in the United States.

Data Sources: Workshop session held during the 5 National Institutes of Health Symposium on the Functional Genomics of Critical Illness and Injury (November 15, 2007).

Study Selection: The current clinical research infrastructure misses opportunities for synergy and does not address many important needs.

Time-space synaesthesia--a cognitive advantage?

Is synaesthesia cognitively useful? Individuals with time-space synaesthesia experience time units (such as months of the year) as idiosyncratic spatial forms, and report that these forms aid them in mentally organising their time. In the present study, we hypothesised that time-space synaesthesia would facilitate performance on a time-related cognitive task. Synaesthetes were not specifically recruited for participation; instead, likelihood of time-space synaesthesia was assessed on a continuous scale based on participants' responses during a semi-structured interview.

Protein C in critical illness.

Purpose: The role of protein C in critical illness is assessed.

Summary: Conversion of protein C to activated protein C (APC) requires thrombin and thrombomodulin. When thrombin is not bound to thrombomodulin, it can convert fibrinogen to fibrin, factor V to factor Va, and factor VIII to factor VIIIa but will not convert protein C to APC.

Baseline vascular endothelial growth factor concentration as a potential predictive marker of benefit from vandetanib in non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Vandetanib [vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor/epidermal growth factor receptor/RET inhibitor] has shown improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer in three randomized phase II studies: vandetanib versus gefitinib (study 3), docetaxel +/- vandetanib (study 6), and carboplatin-paclitaxel and/or vandetanib (study 7). In study 7, vandetanib monotherapy was inferior to carboplatin-paclitaxel. We performed an exploratory retrospective analysis of the relationship between baseline circulating VEGF concentrations and PFS.

Current approaches in haemophilic arthropathy of the hip.

The hip is considered to be one of the main load bearing joints of the body. In the haemophilic patient joint bleeds can be catastrophic, leading to long-term joint degeneration and accompanying arthritis. In this review we explore the mechanisms of joint destruction, with particular consideration of the anatomy of the hip and how it may influence disease progression.

Kt/V a measure for quality control of haemodialysis therapy: how valid is it?

Since the beginning of maintenance haemodialysis many attempts have been made to quantify this kind of renal replacement therapy. The most widely used methods are urea kinetic models and simple approximation formulae based on measured data of the individual patients. The most common term of dialysis dose is Kt/V.

Ankle arthropathy in the haemophilic patient: a description of a novel ankle arthrodesis technique.

The ankle joint is well known to show early involvement in severe haemophilia. We describe a novel operative technique developed by the senior author. This combines a medial approach to the ankle, medial malleolar osteotomy, bone graft and compression with staples.

Multicenter implementation of a consensus-developed, evidence-based, spontaneous breathing trial protocol.

Objective: Evidence-based practice recommendations abound, but implementation is often unstructured and poorly audited. We assessed the ability of a peer network to implement an evidence-based best practice protocol and to measure patient outcomes.

Design: Consensus definition of spontaneous breathing trial followed by implementation in eight academic medical centers.

Increased serum levels of B cell activating factor (BAFF) in subsets of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Objective: To investigate serum levels of B cell activating factor (BAFF) in patients with myositis and correlate these to autoantibody profile, clinical phenotype and treatment.

Methods: BAFF levels in sera from 49 patients with dermatomyositis, 44 with polymyositis, 6 with inclusion body myositis and 30 matched controls were measured by ELISA. Specific autoantibodies were detected by line blot and western blot assays.

The science of implementation: changing the practice of critical care.

Purpose Of Review: Few would disagree that evidence from clinical research should be brought to the bedside in an efficient and equitable manner. Unfortunately, this common agreement does not result in practice change at the bedside where delayed and variable implementation is common. Recognition of this gap has resulted in a new discipline called implementation science that seeks to understand the reasons for slow adoption of clinical therapeutics and to discover effective strategies that accelerate practice change.

Factors influencing health status and disability of patients with ankylosing spondylitis in the Czech Republic.

The aim of the study was to evaluate factors that influence health status and work disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the Czech Republic. Data were collected in a retrospective fashion directly from patients with AS using mailed questionnaires containing questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics of patients, the course of their disease, therapy, rehabilitation, quality of life, and ability to work. HAQ-DI (Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index) and BASDAI (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index) were also included in the questionnaires; 1,008 questionnaires were suitable for further statistical analysis.

Epidermal growth factor receptor immunohistochemistry: comparison of antibodies and cutoff points to predict benefit from gefitinib in a phase 3 placebo-controlled study in advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer.

Background: The ISEL (Iressa Survival Evaluation in Lung Cancer) clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of gefitinib versus placebo in pretreated nonsmall-cell lung cancer patients. Two different antibodies, scoring systems, and cutoff points of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression were compared to predict response and survival of enrolled patients.

Methods: EGFR expression was assessed in tumor samples by immunohistochemistry using the Dako EGFR pharmDx kit (scoring percent of tumor cells with positive staining) and Zymed monoclonal antibody clone 31G7 (scoring staining index derived from proportion of positive cells times staining intensity).

Early Detection of Tubulo-Interstitial Kidney Disease in Children Using Highly Discriminating SDS-Gel Electrophoresis.

Tubulo-interstitial kidney disease is characterized by moderate proteinuria < 1 g/day of low molecular weight proteins in range of MW 10.000-50.000.

On-line Urea Monitoring during Hemodialysis: A Review.

In recent years, methods of on-line urea concentration and on-line urea clearance monitoring have been proposed for control of dialysis dose (Kt/V) and protein catabolic rate (PCR) in patients on regular dialysis therapy; these offer an alternative to the established methods of urea kinetics based on pre- and post-dialysis measurements of urea concentration. In contrast to such conventional urea kinetics, the new methods deliver results in real time and treatment parameters can be changed instantly. Three on-line measurement methods are to be distinguished: monitoring of urea concentration in ultrafiltrate, monitoring of urea concentration in dialysate (both yield Kt/V and PCR), and monitoring of urea clearance based on conductivity measurements.

Urinary sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis with silver staining: a noninvasive diagnostic tool for obstructive uropathy in children.

Purpose: Obstructive uropathy such as ureteropelvic junction obstruction in the newborn is a major diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. We investigated whether urinary sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with silver staining could be used to discriminate between children requiring and those not requiring pyeloplasty.

Materials And Methods: In a pilot study we analyzed the urine of 18 children (mean age 2.

Diagnosis of haemophilic synovitis.

The pathophysiology of haemophilic synovitis is complex and not as well understood on a molecular level as we have thought. The repeated bleeding episodes and synovial hypertrophy occurring within the joint. Iron and other red-cell debris are phagocytized, and hydrolytic enzymes are produced leading to the destruction of articular cartilage is a simplistic model.

An outline of the current orthopaedic management of haemophilic disease of the upper limb.

There remains a relative paucity in the literature regarding upper limb manifestations of haemophilic arthropathy. Haemophilia has a wide range of clinical manifestations, often presenting with orthopaedic complications. These arise from multiple haemarthroses which exact a cumulative toll on the fabric of the joints.