Predictors of Aspiration and Silent Aspiration in Patients With New Tracheostomy.

Purpose Hospitalized, medically complex patients with new tracheostomy are at risk for aspiration. This study reports incidence of aspiration in these patients with new tracheostomy and investigates possible risk factors for aspiration and silent aspiration in this patient population. Method Retrospective review of instrumental swallowing evaluations from hospitalized inpatients with new tracheostomy tubes to determine frequency of aspiration and silent aspiration and patient factors associated with aspiration.

Bringing human-animal interaction to sport: Potential impacts on athletic performance.

To gain an edge in performance, athletes, coaches, trainers, and sport psychologists worldwide leverage findings from psychological research to develop training and performance strategies. The field of sport psychology draws upon research on stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and team building to develop these strategies. Here, we introduce human-animal interaction as a potential area of research that may apply to athletic performance.

Social impairment in relation to clinical symptoms in youth at high risk for bipolar disorder.

Aim: Social impairment is common in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), although its role in youths at high-risk for BD (i.e., mood symptoms in the context of a family history of BD) is not well understood.

Pharyngeal Versus Esophageal Stasis: Accuracy of Symptom Localization.

Purpose The purpose of this article was to determine whether patients who complain of bolus stasis are accurate at localizing bolus stasis as measured by a videofluoroscopic swallowing study with an esophagram. Method This study used a prospective analysis of outcomes data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Voice and Swallow Outcomes database in patients with complaints of bolus stasis who completed the combined videofluoroscopic swallowing study and esophagram to determine the accuracy of bolus stasis localization. Results Dysphagia evaluation was completed in 301 patients with complaints of bolus stasis.

Association Between Postextubation Dysphagia and Long-Term Mortality Among Critically Ill Older Adults.

Background: Dysphagia following extubation is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Diagnosing postextubation dysphagia allows identification of patients who are at highest risk for aspiration and its associated adverse outcomes. Older adults are at an increased risk of postextubation dysphagia and its complications due to multiple comorbidities, a higher baseline risk of dysphagia, and increased risk of pneumonia.

Safety and Tolerability of Pharyngeal High-Resolution Manometry.

Purpose Pharyngeal high-resolution manometry is an emerging practice for diagnosis of swallowing disorders in the upper aerodigestive tract. Advancement of a catheter through the upper esophageal sphincter may introduce safety considerations. There are no published studies of catheter placement complications, side effects, or tolerability.

Post-extubation Dysphagia: Does Timing of Evaluation Matter?

Swallowing evaluations are often delayed at least 24 h following extubation with the assumption that swallow function improves over time. The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine if dysphagia, as measured by aspiration and need for diet modification, declines over the first 24-h post-extubation, whereby providing evidence-based evaluation guidelines for this population. Forty-nine patients completed FEES at 2-4 h post-extubation and 24-26 h post-extubation.

Sleep EEG spectral power is correlated with subjective-objective discrepancy of sleep onset latency in major depressive disorder.

We aimed to identify the sleep electroencephalography (EEG) spectral power correlates of the subjective-objective discrepancy (SOD) of sleep onset latency (SOL) in major depressive disorder (MDD), primary insomnia (PI), and normal sleeping control (NSC) groups. We examined relative power values in standard frequency bands of the EEG spectra during the first Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep period as correlates of SOD of SOL between sleep diary and polysomnography in MDD (n = 36), PI (n = 19), and NSC (n = 23) groups. We also compared the relative spectral power of sleep EEG among MDD (n = 40), PI (n = 19), and NSC (n = 23) groups.

Swine Influenza Virus (H1N2) Characterization and Transmission in Ferrets, Chile.

Phylogenetic analysis of the influenza hemagglutinin gene (HA) has suggested that commercial pigs in Chile harbor unique human seasonal H1-like influenza viruses, but further information, including characterization of these viruses, was unavailable. We isolated influenza virus (H1N2) from a swine in a backyard production farm in Central Chile and demonstrated that the HA gene was identical to that in a previous report. Its HA and neuraminidase genes were most similar to human H1 and N2 viruses from the early 1990s and internal segments were similar to influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus.

The Immune Response to Astrovirus Infection.

Astroviruses are one of the leading causes of pediatric gastroenteritis worldwide and are clinically importantly pathogens in the elderly and immunocompromised populations. Although the use of cell culture systems and small animal models have enhanced our understanding of astrovirus infection and pathogenesis, little is known about the immune response to astrovirus infection. Studies from humans and animals suggest that adaptive immunity is important in restricting classic and novel astrovirus infections, while studies from animal models and cell culture systems suggest that an innate immune system plays a role in limiting astrovirus replication.

Avian H11 influenza virus isolated from domestic poultry in a Colombian live animal market.

Live animal markets (LAMs) are an essential source of food and trade in Latin American countries; however, they can also serve as 'hotbeds' for the emergence and potential spillover of avian influenza viruses (AIV). Despite extensive knowledge of AIV in Asian LAMs, little is known about the prevalence South American LAMs. To fill this gap in knowledge, active surveillance was carried out at the major LAM in Medellin, Colombia between February and September 2015.

Influenza Virus Overcomes Cellular Blocks To Productively Replicate, Impacting Macrophage Function.

Whether influenza virus replication in macrophages is productive or abortive has been a topic of debate. Utilizing a panel of 28 distinct human, avian, and swine influenza viruses, we found that only a small subset can overcome cellular blocks to productively replicate in murine and primary human macrophages. Murine macrophages have two cellular blocks.

Oral Administration of Astrovirus Capsid Protein Is Sufficient To Induce Acute Diarrhea In Vivo.

Unlabelled: The disease mechanisms associated with the onset of astrovirus diarrhea are unknown. Unlike other enteric virus infections, astrovirus infection is not associated with an inflammatory response or cellular damage. In vitro studies in differentiated Caco-2 cells demonstrated that human astrovirus serotype 1 (HAstV-1) capsid protein alone disrupts the actin cytoskeleton and tight junction complex, leading to increased epithelial barrier permeability.

Pharmacist Screening for Risk of Osteoporosis in Elderly Veterans.

Objective: To assess the effect of pharmacist screening for osteoporosis risk with increased bone mineral density (BMD) testing.

Design: Prospective, quasi-experiment.

Setting: Veterans Affairs medical center Community Living Centers (CLC), home-based primary care, and outpatient geriatric clinic.

Dancer perceptions of the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits of modern styles of partnered dancing.

Objective: To study dancers' perceptions of the physical, cognitive, affective, and social benefits of partnered dancing.

Method: 225 dancers (71% female) were recruited through a community ballroom dance center and completed an online survey designed to measure their perceptions of the physical, cognitive, affective, and social benefits of modern, partnered dance styles (swing, Lindy Hop, and ballroom dancing). Subgroups were formed for analyses.

Detecting Aspiration and Penetration Using FEES With and Without Food Dye.

The objective of this investigation was to determine if there were differences in identifying airway invasion (penetration or aspiration) during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluations of swallowing (FEES) for green-dyed versus non-dyed liquids. Forty adult inpatients in an acute care hospital underwent FEES, with both green-dyed liquids and naturally white liquids. Three speech-language pathologists rated aspiration and penetration for trials of nectar-thick milk and thin milk, both with and without green food dye.

Type I Interferon Response Limits Astrovirus Replication and Protects against Increased Barrier Permeability In Vitro and In Vivo.

Unlabelled: Little is known about intrinsic epithelial cell responses against astrovirus infection. Here we show that human astrovirus type 1 (HAstV-1) infection induces type I interferon (beta interferon [IFN-β]) production in differentiated Caco2 cells, which not only inhibits viral replication by blocking positive-strand viral RNA and capsid protein synthesis but also protects against HAstV-1-increased barrier permeability. Excitingly, we found similar results in vivo using a murine astrovirus (MuAstV) model, providing new evidence that virus-induced type I IFNs may protect against astrovirus replication and pathogenesis in vivo.

Calcium and Phosphorus Detection Using Benchtop Versus Handheld X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometers.

Elemental analysis of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) has been shown to be useful in differentiating skeletal and nonskeletal material. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) is an attractive, nondestructive technique for forensic anthropologists, and the development of portable XRF instrumentation is promising for field applications. This study examines the performance of handheld XRF instrumentation operated in air compared to a traditional benchtop XRF device that has the ability to control the analysis atmosphere.

Family-focused therapy for individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: treatment fidelity within a multisite randomized trial.

Aim: Family psychoeducation is an effective adjunct to pharmacotherapy in delaying relapse among patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This study tested the treatment adherence and competence of newly trained clinicians to an adaptation of family-focused therapy for individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (FFT-CHR).

Methods: The sample included 103 youth or young adults (ages 12-30 years) who had attenuated positive symptoms of psychosis.

Diagnostic profiles and clinical characteristics of youth referred to a pediatric mood disorders clinic.

Objectives: This study examined the diagnostic profiles and clinical characteristics of youth (ages 6-18 years) referred for diagnostic evaluation to a pediatric mood disorders clinic that specializes in early-onset bipolar disorder.

Method: A total of 250 youth were prescreened in an initial telephone intake, and 73 participated in a full diagnostic evaluation. Trained psychologists administered the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADSPL) to the child and to at least one parent, and a child psychiatrist conducted a separate pharmacological evaluation.

Perceptions of family criticism and warmth and their link to symptom expression in racially/ethnically diverse adolescents and young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Aim: Little is known about the role of expressed emotion (EE) in early symptom expression in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. In patients with established schizophrenia, the effects of EE on clinical outcomes have purportedly varied across racial/ethnic groups, but this has not yet been investigated among CHR patients. Furthermore, studies have traditionally focused upon caregiver levels of EE via interview-based ratings, whereas the literature on patient perceptions of caregiver EE on psychosis symptoms is relatively limited.

Reciprocal social behavior in youths with psychotic illness and those at clinical high risk.

Youths at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis typically exhibit significant social dysfunction. However, the specific social behaviors associated with psychosis risk have not been well characterized. We administer the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), a measure of autistic traits that examines reciprocal social behavior, to the parents of 117 adolescents (61 CHR individuals, 20 age-matched adolescents with a psychotic disorder [AOP], and 36 healthy controls) participating in a longitudinal study of psychosis risk.

Crystal structure of the avian astrovirus capsid spike.

Astroviruses are small, nonenveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause diarrhea in a wide variety of mammals and birds. On the surface of the viral capsid are globular spikes that are thought to be involved in attachment to host cells. To understand the basis of species specificity, we investigated the structure of an avian astrovirus capsid spike and compared it to a previously reported human astrovirus capsid spike structure.