Development and Evaluation of Polymorphic Locus Sequence Typing for Epidemiological Tracking of .

is a common inhabitant of coastal estuaries, and can accumulate to high levels in the shellfish that populate those waters. Human gastrointestinal infection occasionally follows ingestion of raw oysters, and it can lead to extended closures of implicated oyster beds with serious economic consequences. To track down the source of human infection, and to monitor strain variation in the environment, a user-friendly and affordable typing method that provides sufficient resolution for epidemiological analysis is needed.

Silicosis and pulmonary tuberculosis in deceased female South African miners.

Background: Implementation of South Africa's 2002 Mining Charter increased women's participation in underground mining. However, occupational lung diseases (OLDs) in female gold miners have not been studied.

Aims: To compare autopsy-diagnosed pulmonary silicosis, lymph gland silicosis (a precursor of pulmonary silicosis) and active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in South African gold miners.

Continuity of care for patients with chronic conditions from rural or remote Australia: A systematic review.

Objective: To identify the barriers and facilitators of achieving continuity of care between health services for patients with chronic conditions living in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Design: A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed journal publications between January 1990 and April 2018.

Setting: Publications were sourced from medical and scientific databases, including: PubMed; Embase; OvidSP; ProQuest research library; and ScienceDirect.

Commentary - The Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program: Indigenous Climate Leaders' Championing Adaptation Effort.

The Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program (CCHAP) is a program within the First Nations Inuit Health Branch of Indigenous Services Canada (which was previously under the responsibility of Health Canada). The CCHAP supports Inuit and First Nation communities in mitigating and adapting to the health impacts of climate change. The impacts of climate change on Indigenous health can be observed in multiple areas including, but not limited to, food security, cultural medicines, mental health and landbased practices.

Analysis of RAMP3 gene polymorphism with body composition and bone density in young and elderly women.

Background And Aim: The Receptor Activity Modifying Proteins (RAMPs) are a group of accessory proteins, of which there are three in humans, that interact with a number of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) and play various roles in regulation of endocrine signaling. Studies in RAMP3 knockout (KO) mice reveal an age related phenotype with altered metabolic regulation and high bone mass. To translate these findings into a clinically relevant perspective, we investigated the association between gene variants, body composition and bone phenotypes in two population-based cohorts of Swedish women.

Bacteriophages Against Pathogenic Vibrios in Delaware Bay Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) During a Period of High Levels of Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from three locations along the Delaware Bay were surveyed monthly from May to October 2017 for levels of total Vibrio parahaemolyticus, pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, and for strain-specific bacteriophages against vibrios (vibriophages). The objectives were to determine (a) whether vibriophages against known strains or serotypes of clinical and environmental vibrios were detectable in oysters from the Delaware Bay and (b) whether vibriophage presence or absence corresponded with Vibrio abundances in oysters.

Osteogenic magnesium incorporated into PLGA/TCP porous scaffold by 3D printing for repairing challenging bone defect.

Bone defect repair is a challenging clinical problem in musculoskeletal system, especially in orthopaedic disorders such as steroid associated osteonecrosis (SAON). Magnesium (Mg) as a biodegradable metal with properly mechanical properties has been investigating for a long history. In this study, Mg powder, poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) were the elements to formulate a novel porous PLGA/TCP/Mg (PTM) scaffolds using low temperature rapid prototyping (LT-RP) technology.

Whole-Genome Sequences of Two Pseudoalteromonas piscicida Strains, DE1-A and DE2-A, with Strong Antibacterial Activity against Vibrio vulnificus.

Highly vesiculated Pseudoalteromonas piscicida strains DE1-A and DE2-A were isolated from seawater and show bactericidal properties toward Vibrio vulnificus and other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of these two P. piscicida strains and identify proteolytic enzymes potentially involved in their antibacterial properties.

Analysis of RAMP3 gene polymorphism with body composition and bone density in young and elderly women.

Background And Aim: The Receptor Activity Modifying Proteins (RAMPs) are a group of accessory proteins, of which there are three in humans, that interact with a number of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) and play various roles in regulation of endocrine signaling. Studies in RAMP3 knockout (KO) mice reveal an age related phenotype with altered metabolic regulation and high bone mass. To translate these findings into a clinically relevant perspective, we investigated the association between RAMP3 gene variants, body composition and bone phenotypes in two population-based cohorts of Swedish women.

Opioid prescribing trends and geographical variation in England, 1998-2018: a retrospective database study.

Background: There is a call for greater monitoring of opioid prescribing in the UK, particularly of strong opioids in chronic pain, for which there is little evidence of clinical benefit. We aimed to comprehensively assess trends and variation in opioid prescribing in primary care in England, from 1998 to 2018, and to assess factors associated with high-dose opioid prescribing behaviour in general practices.

Methods: We did a retrospective database study using open data sources on prescribing for all general practices in England.

Does Supplemental Intramedullary Grafting Increase Stability of Plated Proximal Humerus Fractures?

Objectives: To investigate the biomechanical competence of locked plating augmented with supplemental intramedullary graft in comparison to conventional locked plate fixation in proximal humerus fractures (PHF).

Methods: Complex four-part PHFs were set in 30 artificial humeri assigned to 3 study groups (n = 10 in each group). Group 1 was characterized by loss of medial support, group 2 by simulated severe cancellous bone damage due to osteoporosis, and group 3 by combination of the 2 features.

Complete Genome Sequence of Vibrio coralliilyticus RE22, a Marine Bacterium Pathogenic toward Larval Shellfish.

Vibrio coralliilyticus RE22 is an indigenous marine pathogen that infects larval bivalve shellfish. This strain is particularly problematic in oyster hatcheries, where it causes high larval mortality. It contains two circular chromosomes and one megaplasmid.

Cardiac arrest due to pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life threatening clinical condition that is fairly non-specific in presentation. Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) without cardiac arrest has been associated with a mortality rate of 30%. However, when cardiac arrest ensues, mortality may be as high as 95%.

Testosterone measured from amniotic fluid and maternal plasma shows no significant association with directional asymmetry in newborn digit ratio (2D:4D).

Foetal sex hormones can have powerful and far-reaching effects on later phenotype. However, obtaining accurate measurements is difficult for ethical reasons, and researchers often employ proxy variables to examine their effects. The relative length of the second and fourth fingers (digit ratio or 2D:4D) is frequently used for this purpose, as it is hypothesized to index variance in prenatal androgen and oestrogen exposure.

Interaction of gentamicin sulfate with alginate and consequences on the physico-chemical properties of alginate-containing biofilms.

Background: Alginate is one of the main extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilms of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients suffering from pulmonary infections. Gentamicin sulfate (GS) can strongly bind to alginate resulting in loss of pharmacological activity; however neither the mechanism nor its repercussion is fully understood. In this study, we investigated how GS modifies the alginate macromolecular network and its microenvironment.

2D:4D digit ratio and religiosity in university student and general population samples.

The ratio of index to ring finger length (2D:4D) is used as a proxy for prenatal sex hormone exposure. It has been hypothesised to correlate with religiosity, though no published research has explored this possibility. Here, we initially examined 2D:4D in relation to self-reported religious affiliation and questionnaire measures of general religiosity, spirituality, religious fundamentalism, and religious commitment in male ( = 106) and female ( = 105) university students (Study 1).

Erratum to South African guideline for the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2017.

Effects of long-term opioid analgesics on cognitive performance and plasma cytokine concentrations in patients with chronic low back pain: a cross-sectional pilot study.

Introduction: Cognitive performance and inflammation are altered in people with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Yet, the magnitude of these changes has been unclear because of the potential influence of opioid analgesics.

Objectives: This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to explore whether patients with CLBP receiving long-term opioid analgesics differed from patients not taking opioids on measures of cognitive performance and plasma cytokine concentrations.

Appropriate antibiotic management of bacterial lower respiratory tract infections.

Lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of infectious disease deaths worldwide and are the fifth leading cause of death overall. This is despite conditions such as pneumococcal infections and influenza being largely preventable with the use of appropriate vaccines. The mainstay of treatment for the most important bacterial lower respiratory tract infections, namely acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), is the use of antibiotics.

Modeling collisions in laying hens as a tool to identify causative factors for keel bone fractures and means to reduce their occurrence and severity.

Keel fractures represent a major productivity and welfare issue for the laying hen industry with greater than 50% of birds in recent surveys across various commercial operations and nations exhibiting some form of damage by end of lay. While the causes are likely multifactorial and influenced by age, diet, genetic line, and other factors, high energy collisions with house furnishings and conspecifics in the barn are believed to be a major contribution to the frequency and severity of factures. The current study applies a previously described ex vivo impact testing protocol to quantify susceptibility to keel bone damage across an extensive range of collision energies and ages.

Energy drinks, caffeine, junk food, breakfast, depression and academic attainment of secondary school students.

Background: Energy drinks are widely consumed, and concerns have been raised about possible negative outcomes.

Aims: The aim of the present research was to examine associations between consumption of energy drinks, caffeine and junk food, and academic attainment in a sample of UK secondary school students.

Methods: A total of 3071 students agreed to participate in the study; 2677 completed the survey on one occasion (52.

Four decades of pulmonary tuberculosis in deceased South African miners: trends and determinants.

Objective: We investigated trends and determinants of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in deceased South African miners.

Methods: Statutory autopsies are performed on miners for occupational lung disease compensation, irrespective of cause of death. Data were extracted from the PATHAUT (Pathology Automation System) autopsy database.