The global population stru cture of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and its application to an investigation of a rare case of infective endocarditis.

Background: Lacticaseibacillus (formerly Lactobacillus) rhamnosus is widely used in probiotics or food supplements to promote microbiome health and may also be part of the normal microbiota of the human gastrointestinal tract. However, it rarely also causes invasive or severe infections in patients. It has been postulated that these infections may originate from probiotics or from endogenous commensal reservoirs.

A rare anaerobic cause of vertebral osteomyelitis and psoas abscess: A case study.

is an obligate anaerobe that forms part of the normal gastrointestinal flora. The advent of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and 16s ribosomal RNA gene sequencing has led to increased detection of many rare anaerobic isolates, including Typical risk factors for bacteremia include dental procedures or spinal instrumentation. Here, we report a case of spondylodiscitis and psoas abscess in a patient with no obvious antecedent risk factors and explore the challenges in isolation of the organism from tissue samples.

Role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in the Treatment of Persistent Central Nervous System Infection: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

A patient presenting with recurrent ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection was found to have growing from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which remained persistently positive. Therapeutic monitoring of clarithromycin, imipenem, and linezolid in CSF and plasma revealed lower than expected concentrations, prompting alternative therapy and culture clearance on hospital day 42.

Changes in Ascitic Fluid Polymorphonuclear Cell Count After Antibiotics Are Associated With Mortality in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a feared complication of ascites that affects 10%-30% of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis with an associated mortality rate of approximately 20%. Although efforts have been undertaken to encourage prompt evaluation and treatment of SBP, outcomes have generally remained dismal. There is significant interest in identifying factors that can reliably predict mortality among individuals with SBP.

A retrospective analysis of cases of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in cirrhosis patients.

Background & Aims: Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) is an infection in patients with cirrhosis and carries significant mortality. The management of SBP is evolving with the rise of multidrug resistant organisms. Our aim was to perform a retrospective analysis to determine if identification of bacteria in culture could aid in prognosis and provide information regarding optimal treatment.

An unusual case of osteomyelitis.

is a gram-positive organism found in food products as well as naturally occurring in air and on surfaces. We present the first known case of osteomyelitis caused by machine injection injury. The patient was treated with emergent surgical debridement as well as doxycycline for a soft tissue infection.

A Case of Drug-Induced Liver Injury Secondary to Natalizumab.

A 33-year-old Caucasian female with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis presented with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and was found to have acute liver injury. After thorough investigation, she was diagnosed with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) thought secondary to redosing of Natalizumab therapy.

Newer approaches in diagnosis of diarrhea in immunocompromised patients.

Purpose Of Review: This review will focus on the epidemiology and cause of diarrheal illness in solid organ transplant and stem-cell transplant population recipients with a specific focus on the role of advanced multiplex technology in the diagnosis of diarrhea within this patient population.

Recent Findings: A wide range of infectious and noninfectious causes of diarrhea have been described in immunocompromised patients. The most common infections noted are Clostridioides difficile, norovirus, and cytomegalovirus, whereas immunosuppressive drugs and mucositis are the most common noninfectious causes of diarrhea.

The human GCOM1 complex gene interacts with the NMDA receptor and internexin-alpha.

The known functions of the human GCOM1 complex hub gene include transcription elongation and the intercalated disk of cardiac myocytes. However, in all likelihood, the gene's most interesting, and thus far least understood, roles will be found in the central nervous system. To investigate the functions of the GCOM1 gene in the CNS, we have cloned human and rat brain cDNAs encoding novel, 105 kDa GCOM1 combined (Gcom) proteins, designated Gcom15, and identified a new group of GCOM1 interacting genes, termed Gints, from yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screens.

Low yield for non-targeted biopsies of the stomach and esophagus during elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Background And Study Aims:  Biopsies of non-specific mucosal findings are often performed during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). We sought to determine the prevalence and clinical utility of non-targeted biopsies of the stomach and esophagus.

Patients And Methods:  We conducted a retrospective review of 949 outpatient EGDs performed at a US tertiary referral center.

Systematic evaluation of multiple immune markers reveals prognostic factors in ovarian cancer.

Objective: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Several factors prognostic for survival have been identified including the presence of certain lymphocyte markers. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), particularly cytotoxic CD8+ TILs, have been shown to be most favorable for prognosis in ovarian cancer, although other immune cells including CD3+ T-cells, CD4+ T-cells, and B-cells have also demonstrated survival benefits.

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in ovarian cancer.

The accumulation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in ovarian cancer is prognostic for increased survival while increases in immunosuppressive regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are associated with poor outcomes. Approaches that bolster tumor-reactive TILs may limit tumor progression. However, identifying tumor-reactive TILs in ovarian cancer has been challenging, though adoptive TIL therapy in patients has been encouraging.

Selective targeting of brain tumors with gold nanoparticle-induced radiosensitization.

Successful treatment of brain tumors such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is limited in large part by the cumulative dose of Radiation Therapy (RT) that can be safely given and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which limits the delivery of systemic anticancer agents into tumor tissue. Consequently, the overall prognosis remains grim. Herein, we report our pilot studies in cell culture experiments and in an animal model of GBM in which RT is complemented by PEGylated-gold nanoparticles (GNPs).

An integrated method for reproducible and accurate image-guided stereotactic cranial irradiation of brain tumors using the small animal radiation research platform.

Preclinical studies of cranial radiation therapy (RT) using animal brain tumor models have been hampered by technical limitations in the delivery of clinically relevant RT. We established a bioimageable mouse model of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and an image-guided radiation delivery system that facilitated precise tumor localization and treatment and which closely resembled clinical RT. Our novel radiation system makes use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bioluminescent imaging (BLI) to define tumor volumes, computed tomographic (CT) imaging for accurate treatment planning, a novel mouse immobilization system, and precise treatments delivered with the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform.