Publications by authors named "Robert Weir"

Transferable linezolid resistance due to , , and -like genes is increasingly detected in enterococci associated with animals and humans globally. We aimed to characterize the genetic environment of in linezolid-resistant isolates from Scotland. Six linezolid-resistant isolated from urogenital samples were confirmed to carry the gene by PCR.

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Modulation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) trafficking pathway heralds a new therapeutic frontier for Alzheimer's disease (AD). As CD74 binds to the amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) and can suppresses Aβ processing, we investigated whether recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery of CD74 could reduce Aβ production and affect disease outcomes. This idea was tested in a mouse AD model.

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Aberrations in hippocampal neurogenesis are associated with learning and memory, synaptic plasticity and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the linkage between them, β-amyloidosis and neuroinflammation is not well understood. To this end, we generated a mouse overexpressing familial AD (FAD) mutant human presenilin-1 (PS1) crossed with a knockout (KO) of the CC-chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) gene.

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Total mesorectal excision (TME) is the current optimal surgical treatment for patients with rectal carcinoma. A complete TME is related to lower local recurrence rates and increased patient survival. Many confounding factors in the patient's anatomy and prior therapy can make it difficult to obtain a perfect plane, and thus a complete TME.

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Neuroinflammation affects the pathobiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Notably, β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition induces microglial activation and the subsequent production of proinflammatory neurotoxic factors. In maintaining brain homeostasis, microglial plasticity also enables phenotypic transition between toxic and trophic activation states.

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Background: Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid are potentially useful to treat ankle osteoarthritis, yet their effectiveness has not been proven. Both single and multiple-dose treatments for ankle arthritis with use of various hyaluronic acid products have been recommended, but few high-quality studies have been published. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a single intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid with a single intra-articular injection of normal saline solution (placebo) for osteoarthritis of the ankle.

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Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has become the standard of care for breast carcinoma management, as it precludes the negative morbid effects-including decreased shoulder range of motion, lymphedema, and paresthesias-of unnecessary axillary lymph node dissection. However, the method of pathologic evaluation of the lymph node has been scrutinized to obtain the greatest sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value, ultimately for the benefit of the patient. This retrospective study analyzed 488 biopsies completed by two surgeons and read by multiple pathologists affiliated with Pathologists Biomedical Laboratories.

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The authors report a case of reversible tadpole pupil, which occurred during a routine primary uncomplicated bimedial recession in a 2½-year-old child. This case highlights a phenomenon underreported by the ophthalmic community significant in the assessment of depth of anesthesia.

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A 36-year-old female referred with improving unaided vision in her left myopic eye was found to have a left 4.5 diopter hypermetropic shift. Examination revealed a left 2 mm proptosis but was otherwise normal with no choroidal folds on fundoscopy and bilateral 6/5 corrected vision.

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Purpose: The surgical management of necrotizing fasciitis usually involves early radical/wide and aggressive debridement of involved areas. We describe 5 cases of periorbital necrotizing fasciitis (NF), managed using a computed tomographic (CT)-guided approach to surgical debridement.

Methods: Retrospective case series review.

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Aim: To estimate the effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening with faecal occult blood testing (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS), and combinations of FOBT and FS in preventing colorectal cancer (CRC) deaths.

Method: A systematic review was conducted examining randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1997 and 2004 inclusive. A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Current Contents, and the Cochrane Library was undertaken.

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We offer a systematic strategy that situates clinical ethical reasoning within the paradigm of clinical reasoning. The trajectory of this strategy parallels clinical reasoning: a plain statement of the initial problem, careful gathering of data, a differential diagnostic assessment, and articulation and confirmation of a justified plan. This approach pays special attention to the goals of medical care, because so much depends on whether or not physician and patient share the same goals.

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Background: This research aimed to estimate the prevalence and population attributable risk percent (PAR%) of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infection among chronic liver disease (CLD) deaths in New Zealand. The PAR% is the percentage of CLD cases attributable to either HBV or HCV. Within New Zealand, there are large differences in HBV prevalence by ethnic group, so prevalence and PAR% estimates were made separately for the three major ethnic groups.

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