Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Children along the US‒Mexico Border, 2017-2023.

Rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF) causes significant illness and death in children. Although historically rare in California, USA, RMSF is endemic in areas of northern Mexico that border California. We describe 7 children with RMSF who were hospitalized at a tertiary pediatric referral center in California during 2017-2023.

Shigellosis outbreak among persons experiencing homelessness-San Diego County, California, October-December 2021.

During October 2021, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency identified five cases of shigellosis among persons experiencing homelessness (PEH). We conducted an outbreak investigation and developed interventions to respond to shigellosis outbreaks among PEH. Confirmed cases occurred among PEH with stool-cultured ; probable cases were among PEH with -positive culture-independent diagnostic testing.

Viscoelastic Properties of Human Facial Skin and Comparisons with Facial Prosthetic Elastomers.

Prosthesis discomfort and a lack of skin-like quality is a source of patient dissatisfaction with facial prostheses. To engineer skin-like replacements, knowledge of the differences between facial skin properties and those for prosthetic materials is essential. This project measured six viscoelastic properties (percent laxity, stiffness, elastic deformation, creep, absorbed energy, and percent elasticity) at six facial locations with a suction device in a human adult population equally stratified for age, sex, and race.

Evidence for SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron co-infections and recombination.

Background: Between November 2021 and February 2022, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta and Omicron variants co-circulated in the United States, allowing for co-infections and possible recombination events.

Methods: We sequenced 29,719 positive samples during this period and analyzed the presence and fraction of reads supporting mutations specific to either the Delta or Omicron variant.

Findings: We identified 18 co-infections, one of which displayed evidence of a low Delta-Omicron recombinant viral population.

Effect of Superhydrophobic Coating and Nanofiller Loading on Facial Elastomer Physical Properties.

Facial prosthetics are currently constructed of materials that are far from optimal; superior materials with a “skin-like” feel are required. In this study, the property changes brought about by the consecutive additions of hydrophobic- and uncoated nano-SiO2 to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are assessed, and the alterations are compared with those observed for conventional submicron SiO2-filled materials. In sequence, 0%, 0.

Household Transmission and Symptomology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Alpha Variant among Children-California and Colorado, 2021.

Objective: To assess the household secondary infection risk (SIR) of B.1.1.

Household Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Alpha Variant-United States, 2021.

Background: In Spring 2021, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.1.

Non-Respiratory Droplet Transmission of COVID-19 in the Isolation Ward of a Secondary Hospital in Oman: A Return to Isolation Basics.

Unlabelled: Front-line health care workers are among the most vulnerable groups at risk for acquiring COVID-19, yet the exact mechanisms of how infections occur in health care settings are yet to be identified.

Objectives: To review the epidemiologic and environmental factors surrounding a cluster of nosocomially acquired COVID-19 cases with possible non respiratory droplet transmission indicating the importance of strict adherence with isolation procedures for patients and staff.

Methods: Contact and environmental investigations were completed to determine the source and possible routes of hospital transmission of COVID-19.

Outbreak of colistin-resistant organisms at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2016.

Introduction: Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) have been a major concern in King Saud Medical City (KSMC) recently. The number of cases with colistin resistance was growing rapidly in the first half of 2016, challenging the infection control practices and mandating a thorough outbreak investigation. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of the outbreak, identify potential risk factors and prevent further increase in the rates of MDROs.

The accuracy of clinician evaluation of interproximal contacts using different methods.

Statement Of Problem: Complete seating of a single crown may not be possible if the interproximal contacts are excessively tight. Incomplete seating can lead to open margins, inflammation of the gingival tissue, and recurrent dental caries.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the accuracy of 3 different methods of evaluating interproximal contacts when seating a single crown.

A Comparison of Efficiency and Material Wear of Diamond-Plated versus Ceramic Sharpening Stones.

The purpose of this study was to compare sharpening efficiency and metal (carbon steel) removal from scalers using two types of synthetic sharpening stones: ceramic and diamond-plated. Previous research used scanning electron microscopy alone to measure instrument sharpness. Additionally, no research has been reported on the use of diamond-plated sharpening stones.

Cast erosion from the cleaning of debris after the use of a cast trimmer.

Statement Of Problem: Whether using tap water to rinse off debris will make a clinical difference to the surface detail of a gypsum cast is unknown. In addition, how best to remove debris from the cast is unknown.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the efficiency of different methods of cleaning a gypsum cast after trimming and the effect of short-term exposure to tap water on the surface quality of the cast.

Wax Lining in an Impression Tray and Accuracy in Gypsum Cast Fabrication.

Purpose: Controversy exists as to whether lining a metal-perforated impression tray with wax will yield a distorted irreversible hydrocolloid impression. Two current textbooks have completely different recommendations, but there is no evidence to support either theory. This project evaluates distortion in gypsum casts that have been prepared from wax-lined and unlined metal impression trays.

Cross-sectional community-based study of the socio-demographic factors associated with the prevalence of dengue in the eastern part of Sudan in 2011.

Background: Dengue is caused by an arthropod-borne flavivirus. Infection can be either primary or secondary based on serology, with each stage of the disease characterized by specific serological conversion and antibody formation. Further study is needed to fully identify the factors associated with and predisposing to dengue infection.

Sero-prevalence of dengue infections in the Kassala state in the eastern part of the Sudan in 2011.

Dengue fever is a vector-borne disease that is transmitted to humans by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The eastern part of the Sudan is one of the regions that is affected by dengue virus circulation. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of dengue infections in the Kassala state in the eastern part of the Sudan.

Outdoor weathering of facial prosthetic elastomers differing in Durometer hardness.

Statement Of Problem: Facial prosthetic elastomers with wide ranges in hardness are available, yet material weatherability is unknown.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess color, Durometer hardness, and tensile property changes after 3000 hours of outdoor weathering.

Material And Methods: Unpigmented elastomers with Durometer hardness 5, 30, 50, 70, and A-2186 were polymerized into dumbbells (ASTM D412) and disks, 34 mm in diameter by 6 mm thick.

Performance of self-reported measures for periodontitis in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Background: This study evaluates the performance of self-report against the reference standard of clinically defined periodontitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) after accounting for factors associated with periodontitis.

Methods: Six self-report periodontitis questions were evaluated in patients with RA and OA. Questions were validated against a reference standard of severe and moderate-to-severe periodontitis based on full-mouth examination.

Safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine (DENVax) in flavivirus-naive healthy adults in Colombia: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 1 study.

Background: Dengue virus is the most serious mosquito-borne viral threat to public health and no vaccines or antiviral therapies are approved for dengue fever. The tetravalent DENVax vaccine contains a molecularly characterised live attenuated dengue serotype-2 virus (DENVax-2) and three recombinant vaccine viruses expressing the prM and E structural genes for serotypes 1, 3, and 4 in the DENVax-2 genetic backbone. We aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of tetravalent DENVax formulations.

Dissecting the immune response to MF59-adjuvanted and nonadjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccines in children less than three years of age.

Introduction: Annual seasonal influenza epidemics are particularly dangerous for the very young, the elderly and chronically ill individuals, in whom infection can cause severe morbidity, hospitalization and death. Existing, nonadjuvanted influenza vaccines exhibit a suboptimal immunogenicity and efficacy in immunologically naive subjects such as young children.

Methods: This phase II, randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the antibody and cell-mediated responses to a trivalent influenza vaccine administered without adjuvant (TIV) or adjuvanted with MF59 (ATIV) in previously nonvaccinated children less than 3 years of age.