Demographic-based disparities in outcomes for adults with central line-associated bloodstream infections in the United States: a National Inpatient Sample database study (2016-2020).

Introduction: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are prevalent and preventable hospital-acquired infections associated with high morbidity and costs. Disparities based on race, ethnicity, and hospital factors remain underexplored. This study compares cost, length of stay, and mortality for adults with CLABSI by race-ethnicity, hospital location-teaching status, and geographic region in the United States using data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2016 to 2020.

Disparities in Mitral Valve Disease Associated with Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) affects millions of people around the world and is a prevalent health issue in the United States. In many cases, HF has an intricate connection with mitral valvular disease (MVD), which can alter a patient's disease course. Factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, and social determinants of health impact the prevalence, etiology, and treatment of MVD associated with HF.

Low-dose methotrexate toxicity leading to pancytopenia: leucovorin as a rescue treatment.

Low-dose methotrexate has several known side effects associated with mild toxicity including nausea, oral ulcers, and anemia. However, it is rare for patients taking low-dose methotrexate to present with symptoms of severe toxicity including pancytopenia, macular punctate rash, and severe stomatitis. Here we present an 83-year-old patient with a history of rheumatoid arthritis on low-dose methotrexate for 1 year presenting with 5 days of worsening facial swelling, oral lesions, and a macular rash to the extremities.

Bevacizumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy in primary or relapsed ovarian cancer patients: Meta-analysis and literature to review.

Introduction: Earlier, patients with advanced ovarian cancer were treated with a combination of cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, which had significant outcomes in the past until an increase in relapse and resistance to treatment, which led to the use or development of bevacizumab (a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor) in the treatment of primary or relapsed ovarian cancer.

Method And Methodology: This study includes five-phase three randomized controlled clinical trials designed to study the impact of bevacizumab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy compared with platinum-based chemotherapy alone.

Results: This study demonstrated significant improvement in the progression-free span but no improvement in overall survival in the treatment group when compared with the control group.

Cultivating Food Safety Together: Insights About the Future of Produce Safety in the U.S. Controlled Environment Agriculture Sector.

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is a rapidly growing sector that presents unique challenges and opportunities in ensuring food safety. This manuscript highlights critical gaps and needs to promote food safety in CEA systems as identified by stakeholders (n=47) at the Strategizing to Advance Future Extension andResearch (S.A.

Diagnosis and Outcomes of Fungal Co-Infections in COVID-19 Infections: A Retrospective Study.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in a public health emergency with unique complications such as the development of fungal co-infections. The diagnosis of fungal infections can be challenging due to confounding imaging studies and difficulty obtaining histopathology. In this retrospective study, 173 patients with COVID-19 receiving antifungal therapy due to concern for fungal co-infection were evaluated.

Growth and inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in sterile extracts of fruits and vegetables: Impact of the intrinsic factors pH, sugar and organic acid content.

Intrinsic characteristics of fresh produce, such as pH, water activity, acid content and nutrient availability are critical factors in determining the survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). In this study, sterile fresh produce juice was used to analyze Lm growth potential among 14 different commodities and to identify physicochemical characteristics in those juices that affect Lm growth. Significant growth of Lm was observed in juices with pH ≥5.

Bilateral Endogenous Bacterial Endophthalmitis Secondary to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremia.

Endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis (EBE) is a rare but vision-threatening complication of bacteria spreading contiguously through the blood-ocular border. The condition is frequently associated with a poor visual prognosis and has even resulted in death. We present a case of a 48-year-old female with bilateral endogenous methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)endophthalmitis further complicated by septic emboli, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and septic polyarthralgia.

Misconceiving patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) as primarily a reporting requirement rather than a quality improvement tool: perceptions of independent healthcare sector stakeholders in the UK.

Background: The independent healthcare sector in the UK collects PROMs for several surgical procedures, but implementation has been challenging. We aimed to understand the enablers and barriers to PROMs implementation in the independent healthcare sector in the UK.

Method: Between January and May 2021, we remotely conducted semi-structured interviews with hospital consultants, hospital managers and other clinical staff using a topic guide developed from an implementation science framework called the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).

Hyaluronic-Acid-Tagged Cubosomes Deliver Cytotoxics Specifically to CD44-Positive Cancer Cells.

Delivery of chemotherapy drugs specifically to cancer cells raises local drug doses in tumors and therefore kills more cancer cells while reducing side effects in other tissues, thereby improving oncological and quality of life outcomes. Cubosomes, liquid crystalline lipid nanoparticles, are potential vehicles for delivery of chemotherapy drugs, presenting the advantages of biocompatibility, stable encapsulation, and high drug loading of hydrophobic or hydrophilic drugs. However, active targeting of drug-loaded cubosomes to cancer cells, as opposed to passive accumulation, remains relatively underexplored.

Surface modified hexagonal upconversion nanoparticles for the development of competitive assay for biodetection.

Up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) of sodium yttrium fluoride with ytterbium and erbium ions as sensitizer and activator (β-NaYF/Yb/Er) have been synthesised by a solvothermal method. The synthesised particles were found to be highly uniform in size (~50 nm) and of hexagonal crystal phase producing strong up-conversion luminescence dominated in the green wavelength region. During the synthesis, photoluminescence properties of the reaction mixture were monitored at regular intervals to ensure the required particle size distribution and luminescence efficiency.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis : a review of aetiological theories of a multifactorial disease.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), defined by an age at presentation of 11 to 18 years, has a prevalence of 0.47% and accounts for approximately 90% of all cases of idiopathic scoliosis. Despite decades of research, the exact aetiology of AIS remains unknown.

Use of a silver-based sanitizer to accelerate Escherichia coli die-off on fresh-cut lettuce and maintain produce quality during cold storage: Laboratory and pilot-plant scale tests.

Outbreaks and product recalls involving romaine and iceberg lettuce are frequently reported in the United States. Novel technologies are needed to inactivate pathogens without compromising product quality and shelf life. In this study, the effects of a process aid composed of silver dihydrogen citrate, glycerin, and lactic acid (SGL) on Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes concentrations on lettuce immediately after washing and during cold storage were evaluated.

Affimer Tagged Cubosomes: Targeting of Carcinoembryonic Antigen Expressing Colorectal Cancer Cells Using and Models.

Nanomedicines, while having been approved for cancer therapy, present many challenges such as low stability, rapid clearance, and nonspecificity leading to off-target toxicity. Cubosomes are porous lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles that have shown great premise as drug delivery vehicles; however, their behavior is largely underexplored, hindering clinical translation. Here, we have engineered cubosomes based on the space group 3 that are loaded with copper acetylacetonate as a model drug, and their surfaces are functionalized for the first time with Affimer proteins via copper-free click chemistry to actively target overexpressed carcinoembryonic antigens on LS174T colorectal cancer cells.

The Trimeric Autotransporter Adhesin YadA of Serotype O:9 Binds Glycan Moieties.

adhesin A (YadA) is a key virulence factor of and . YadA is a trimeric autotransporter adhesin, a class of adhesins that have been shown to enable many Gram-negative pathogens to adhere to/interact with the host extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen, vitronectin, and fibronectin. Here, we show for the first time that YadA of serotype O:9 not only interacts with proteinaceous surface molecules but can also attach directly to glycan moieties.

Dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes and the microbiome on fresh-cut cantaloupe and romaine lettuce during storage at refrigerated and abusive temperatures.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) outbreaks and recalls associated with fresh produce in recent years have heightened concerns and demands from industry and consumers to more effectively mitigate the contamination risk of this foodborne pathogen on fresh produce. In this study, the growth of Lm and indigenous bacteria on fresh-cut cantaloupe and romaine lettuce held at refrigerated (4 °C) and abusive (10-24 °C) temperatures was determined by both culture dependent and independent methods. Composition and dynamics of bacterial communities on Lm inoculated and non-inoculated samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.

Influence of Manure Application on the Soil Bacterial Microbiome in Integrated Crop-Livestock Farms in Maryland.

As a traditional agricultural system, integrated crop-livestock farms (ICLFs) involve the production of animals and crops in a shared environment. The ICLFs in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States practice sustainable manure aging or composting processes to provide an on-farm source of soil amendment for use as natural fertilizer and soil conditioner for crop production. However, crop fertilization by soil incorporation of aged manure or compost may introduce different microbes and alter the soil microbial community.

Differential Survival of Escherichia coli and Listeria spp. in Northeastern U.S. Soils Amended with Dairy Manure Compost, Poultry Litter Compost, and Heat-Treated Poultry Pellets and Fate in Raw Edible Radish Crops.

Abstract: Composted or heat-treated biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs) can be added to soils to provide nutrients for fresh produce. These products lower the risk of pathogen contamination of fresh produce compared with the use of untreated BSAAOs; however, meteorological conditions, geographic location, and soil properties can influence the presence of pathogenic bacteria or their indicators (e.g.

Increased prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis in patients treated for childhood haematopoietic malignancy.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an increased prevalence of scoliosis in patients who have suffered from a haematopoietic malignancy in childhood.

Methods: Patients with a history of lymphoma or leukaemia with a current age between 12 and 25 years were identified from the regional paediatric oncology database. The medical records and radiological findings were reviewed, and any spinal deformity identified.

Rasburicase-Induced Methemoglobinemia.

Methemoglobinemia occurs as iron in heme is oxidized to its ferric state, resulting in a decreased ability of hemoglobin to bind and release oxygen. Rasburicase is a recombinant urate-oxidase enzyme used in the prevention of tumor lysis syndrome. Methemoglobinemia can occur as a rare complication of treatment with rasburicase, primarily in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Barium yttrium fluoride based upconversion nanoparticles as dual mode image contrast agents.

Dual labeled contrast agents could provide better complementary information for bioimaging than available solely from a single modality. In this paper we investigate the suitability of Yb and Er-doped BaYF upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as both optical and X-ray micro computed tomography (μCT) contrast agents. Stable, aqueous UCNP dispersions were synthesised using a hydrothermal method with the addition of polyethyleneimine (PEI).

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Induces Psoriatic Arthritis Flares and Enthesis Resident Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Type-1 Interferon Inhibition by JAK Antagonism Offer Novel Spondyloarthritis Pathogenesis Insights.

Objective: Bacterial and viral infectious triggers are linked to spondyloarthritis (SpA) including psoriatic arthritis (PsA) development, likely dendritic cell activation. We investigated spinal entheseal plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) toll-like receptor (TLR)-7 and 9 activation and therapeutic modulation, including JAK inhibition. We also investigated if COVID-19 infection, a potent TLR-7 stimulator triggered PsA flares.

Integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education Into the Internal Medicine Core Clerkship Experience.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is becoming an essential skill for internists. To date, there are no professional guidelines for how POCUS skills should be taught to medical students. A panel of POCUS experts from seven academic medical centers in the United States was convened to describe the components of independently developed IM clerkship POCUS training programs, identify areas of similarity and difference, and propose recommendations for alignment.

Estimated cumulative X-ray exposure and additional cancer risk during the evaluation and treatment of scoliosis in children and young people requiring surgery.

Introduction: Clinicians and patients must weigh the benefits of radiological imaging against the risks of radiation exposure in the diagnosis and treatment of scoliosis. This report aims to estimate the cumulative absorbed and equivalent dose of radiation in patients undergoing surgical treatment for scoliosis, and to present this as an estimated risk of cancer compared to background radiation levels.

Methods: Retrospective review of estimated absorbed dose on the Computerised Radiology Information System (CRIS).