Isolation of Bacteriophages for Clinically Relevant Bacteria.

The isolation of bacteriophages targeting most clinically relevant bacteria is reasonably straightforward as long as its targeted host does not have complex chemical, physical, and environmental requirements. Often, sewage, soil, feces, and different body fluids are used for bacteriophage isolation procedures, and following enrichment, it is common to obtain more than a single phage in a sample. This chapter describes a simple method for the enrichment and isolation of bacteriophages from liquid and solid samples that can be adapted for different clinically important aerobic bacteria.

More's the Same-Multiple Hosts Do Not Select for Broader Host Range Phages.

Bacteriophage host range is a result of the interactions between phages and their hosts. For phage therapy, phages with a broader host range are desired so that a phage can infect and kill the broadest range of pathogen strains or related species possible. A common, but not well-tested, belief is that using multiple hosts during the phage isolation will make the isolation of broader host range phage more likely.

Effect of Mirtazapine on Nausea in Children with Functional Nausea and Functional Dyspepsia Postprandial Distress Syndrome.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the clinical response and safety of mirtazapine in the pediatric population with a diagnosis of functional nausea and nausea associated with functional dyspepsia postprandial distress syndrome.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review to evaluate the safety and efficacy of mirtazapine for pediatric nausea and nausea associated with functional dyspepsia postprandial distress syndrome. Clinical response was classified as complete response, partial response, and no response.

The Many Applications of Engineered Bacteriophages-An Overview.

Since their independent discovery by Frederick Twort in 1915 and Felix d'Herelle in 1917, bacteriophages have captured the attention of scientists for more than a century. They are the most abundant organisms on the planet, often outnumbering their bacterial hosts by tenfold in a given environment, and they constitute a vast reservoir of unexplored genetic information. The increased prevalence of antibiotic resistant pathogens has renewed interest in the use of naturally obtained phages to combat bacterial infections, aka phage therapy.

Lubiprostone for Pediatric Functional Constipation: Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Study With Long-term Extension.

Background & Aims: Pediatric functional constipation (PFC) is a common problem in children that causes distress and presents treatment challenges to health care professionals. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (study 1) in patients with PFC (6-17 years of age) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lubiprostone, followed by an open-label extension for those who completed the placebo-controlled phase (study 2).

Methods: Study 1 (NCT02042183) was a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week study evaluating the efficacy and safety of lubiprostone 12 μg twice daily (BID) and 24 μg BID.

Virus-Like Particle: Evolving Meanings in Different Disciplines.

Virus-like particle (VLP) is a term that has been in use for about 80 years. Usually, VLP has meant a particle that is like a virus, generally by appearance, but without either proven or actual virus functionality. Initially VLP referred to particles seen in electron microscope images of tissues.

iKanEat: protocol for a randomized controlled trial of megestrol as a component of a pediatric tube weaning protocol.

Background: Although tube feeding routinely saves the lives of children who do not eat by mouth, chronic tube feeding can be a burden to patients, caregivers, and families. Very few randomized trials exist regarding the best methods for weaning children from their feeding tubes.

Methods: The current paper describes a randomized controlled trial of an empirically supported outpatient treatment protocol for moving children from tube to oral eating called iKanEat.

Self-Efficacy in Children with Functional Constipation Is Associated with Treatment Success.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between self-efficacy, the belief that an individual can succeed at a goal, and short-term treatment outcome in children with functional constipation.

Study Design: Patients with functional constipation age 8-16 years completed the Self-Efficacy for Functional Constipation Questionnaire (SEFCQ), consisting of 14 statements about performing tasks needed for defecation. Patients completed SEFCQ before, immediately after, and 3 weeks after their clinic visit.

Phages for Phage Therapy: Isolation, Characterization, and Host Range Breadth.

For a bacteriophage to be useful for phage therapy it must be both isolated from the environment and shown to have certain characteristics beyond just killing strains of the target bacterial pathogen. These include desirable characteristics such as a relatively broad host range and a lack of other characteristics such as carrying toxin genes and the ability to form a lysogen. While phages are commonly isolated first and subsequently characterized, it is possible to alter isolation procedures to bias the isolation toward phages with desirable characteristics.

Serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin for children with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Oral serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin (SBI)/protein isolate is a medical food intended to manage chronic diarrhea. It has been shown to improve pain and diarrhea in adults with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (d-IBS).

Aim: To determine if SBI can improve symptoms in children with d-IBS.

Prevalence of Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Utilizing the Rome IV Criteria.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in children 0-18 years old according to the newly established Rome IV diagnostic criteria as reported by parents in a representative community sample.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study in which mothers (n = 1255) of children aged 0-18 years old in the US were recruited to complete an online survey about their child's GI symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and other health conditions.

Results: Based on the Rome IV criteria, 24.

Bacteriophage T4 long tail fiber domains.

Bacteriophage T4 initially recognizes its host cells using its long tail fibers. Long tail fibers consist of a phage-proximal and a phage-distal rod, each around 80 nm long and attached to each other at a slight angle. The phage-proximal rod is formed by a homo-trimer of gene product 34 (gp34) and is attached to the phage-distal rod by a monomer of gp35.

Water Load Test in Children with Chronic Abdominal Pain or Obesity Compared with Nonobese Controls.

Objective: Satiety is the perception of satisfied fullness and represents a summation of neural and hormonal influences. Satiety can be assessed by drink tests, including water load. The objective of our study was to confirm the difference in water load volume between nonobese control children and children with functional dyspepsia (FD), children with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and obese children.

More Is Better: Selecting for Broad Host Range Bacteriophages.

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. In this perspective, we discuss several aspects of a characteristic feature of bacteriophages, their host range. Each phage has its own particular host range, the range of bacteria that it can infect.

The endolysin from the Enterococcus faecalis bacteriophage VD13 and conditions stimulating its lytic activity.

Bacteriophages produce endolysins (peptidoglycan hydrolases) to lyse the host cell from within and release nascent bacteriophage particles. Recombinant endolysins can lyse Gram-positive bacteria when added exogenously. As a potential alternative antimicrobial, we cloned and expressed the enterococcal VD13 bacteriophage endolysin.

Rumination Syndrome and Dental Erosions in Children.

Rumination syndrome is the effortless regurgitation of recently ingested food with subsequent reswallowing or spitting out. Dental erosion (DE) affects 2% to 5% of the population. DE is defined as loss of tooth structure by a chemical process that does not involve bacteria.

Biliary Dyskinesia in Children: A Systematic Review.

Cholecystectomy rates for biliary dyskinesia in children are rising in the United States, but not in other countries. Biliary dyskinesia is a validated functional gallbladder disorder in adults, requiring biliary colic in the diagnosis. In contrast, most studies in children require upper abdominal pain, absent gallstones on ultrasound, and an abnormal gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) on cholecystokinin-stimulated cholescintigraphy for diagnosis.

Childhood Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Neonate/Toddler.

In 2006, a consensus concerning functional gastrointestinal intestinal disorders (FGIDs) in infants and toddlers was described. At that time little evidence regarding epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic work-up, treatment strategies and follow-up was available. Consequently the criteria for the clinical entities were more experience than evidence based.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Outpatient Protocol for Transitioning Children from Tube to Oral Feeding: No Need for Amitriptyline.

Objective: To assess the role of amitriptyline in the effectiveness of an outpatient protocol for weaning medically complicated children from tube to oral feeding.

Study Design: Twenty-one children seen in multidisciplinary outpatient feeding teams across 4 sites were recruited to a randomized placebo-controlled trial of a 6-month outpatient treatment protocol with behavioral, oral-motor, nutrition, and medication components.

Results: All of the children who completed the 6-month program (73%) were weaned to receive only oral feeding, regardless of group assignment.

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Dominate Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Practice.

Objectives: Symptom-based diagnostic criteria have improved recognition and standardization of pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). We used Rome 3 diagnostic criteria to determine the prevalence of FGIDs in pediatric gastroenterology clinic. In the process, we developed a diagnostic questionnaire for infants and toddlers.