Polymer dynamics of Alp7A reveals how two critical concentrations govern assembly of dynamically unstable actin-like proteins.

Dynamically unstable polymers capture and move cellular cargos in bacteria and eukaryotes, but regulation of their assembly remains poorly understood. Here we describe polymerization of Alp7A, a bacterial actin-like protein (ALP) that distributes copies of plasmid pLS20 among daughter cells in . Purified ATP-Alp7A forms dynamically unstable polymers with a high critical concentration for net assembly (cc = 10.

Risk of unintended consequences from lower antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary care.

Objectives: About 60% of antibiotic prescribing in primary care is for respiratory tract infections (RTIs), some of which is likely unnecessary. There is limited evidence on the association between reduced antibiotic prescribing and adverse events. We aimed to identify associations between practice-level prescribing rates for RTIs in general practice, and patient-level adverse outcomes.

Primary and secondary care collaboration in clinical research.

More patients are seen in primary care than in any other part of the health system in the UK. Our NHS datasets are the envy of the world and provide us with huge opportunities to support our patients and populations. In this paper, we demonstrate the breadth of primary care research, recruitment and delivery options.

Optimizing mood prior to influenza vaccination in older adults: A three-arm randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This trial explored the psychological and immunological effects of two brief interventions, targeting improving positive mood, administered to older adults immediately prior to influenza vaccination. The primary aim was to examine whether the interventions resulted in greater positive mood compared to usual care, and if so, which was superior. Secondary outcomes included antibody responses to vaccination and feasibility of collecting clinical outcome data (e.

Dietary nitrate supplementation for preventing and reducing the severity of winter infections, including COVID-19, in care homes (BEET-Winter): a randomised placebo-controlled feasibility trial.

Purpose: Infections cause considerable care home morbidity and mortality. Nitric oxide (NO) has broad-spectrum anti-viral, bacterial and yeast activity in vitro. We assessed the feasibility of supplementing dietary nitrate (NO substrate) intake in care home residents.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Single Center Observation.

Objectives: This is a descriptive study to characterize rates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients during the early days of the pandemic. We hypothesized that asymptomatic infection may represent a large proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric SOT recipients.

Methods: We queried Organ Transplant Tracking Record (OTTR) for all pediatric SOT recipients followed at our center and reviewed medical records to identify patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 between March 15, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

Feasibility, acceptability and costs of nurse-led Alpha-Stim cranial electrostimulation to treat anxiety and depression in university students.

Background: Only a relatively low proportion of university students seek help for anxiety and depression disorders, partly because they dislike current drug and psychological treatment options and would prefer home-based care. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility, acceptability and cost utility of Alpha-Stim cranial electrostimulation (CES) delivered through a nurse led primary care clinic as a daily treatment for anxiety and depression symptoms by the student at home in contrast to usual primary care.

Method: Feasibility and acceptability of a nurse led clinic offering Alpha-Stim CES in terms of the take up and completion of the six-week course of Alpha-Stim CES.

The air-breathing Alaska blackfish () remodels ventricular Ca cycling with chronic hypoxic submergence to maintain ventricular contractility.

The Alaska blackfish () is a facultative air-breather endemic to northern latitudes where it remains active in winter under ice cover in cold hypoxic waters. To understand the changes in cellular Ca cycling that allow the heart to function in cold hypoxic water, we acclimated Alaska blackfish to cold (5 °C) normoxia or cold hypoxia (2.1-4.

Effects of non-pharmacological interventions as vaccine adjuvants in humans: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Introduction: Psychological and behavioural may enhance vaccine effectiveness. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to examine the effects of non-pharmacological adjuvants on vaccine effectiveness, as measured by antibody responses to vaccination.

Areas Covered: Electronic databases (EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO, CINAHL) were searched from inception to 6th February 2018.

Psychological interventions as vaccine adjuvants: A systematic review.

Objectives: The effectiveness of vaccines is known to be altered by a range of psychological factors. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effects of psychological interventions on the ability of vaccines to protect against disease, as measured by antibody responses.

Methods: Electronic databases (EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO, CINAHL) were searched from their inception to 6th February 2018.

Increased Healthcare-Associated Infections in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit Related to Boarding Non-Surgical Patients.

Hospital over-capacity often forces boarding patients outside of their designated intensive care unit (ICU). Anecdotal evidence suggested medical intensive care unit (MICU) patients boarding in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) were responsible for increases in healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates. We studied the effect of ICU boarding on rates of SICU HAIs.

Defining the normal appearance of the temporomandibular joints by magnetic resonance imaging with contrast: a comparative study of children with and without juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Background: Up to 80% of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) develop arthritis involving their temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Recent studies have questioned the sensitivity of an abnormal MRI in the diagnosis of active arthritis.

Methods: 122 children without arthritis undergoing contrast MRI of the head were prospectively consented to undergo a simultaneous contrast MRI of their TMJs.

Transplantation of a quaternary structure neutralizing antibody epitope from dengue virus serotype 3 into serotype 4.

Dengue vaccine trials have revealed deficits in our understanding of the mechanisms of protective immunity, demonstrating a need to measure epitope-specific antibody responses against each DENV serotype. HmAb 5J7 binds to a complex, 3-monomer spanning quaternary epitope in the DENV3 envelope (E) protein, but it is unclear whether all interactions are needed for neutralization. Structure guided design and reverse genetics were used to sequentially transplant larger portions of the DENV3-specific 5J7 mAb epitope into dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV4).

Use of Supplementary Patient Education Material Increases Treatment Adherence and Satisfaction Among Acne Patients Receiving Adapalene 0.1%/Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Gel in Primary Care Clinics: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study.

Introduction: Poor adherence to acne treatment may lead to unnecessary treatments, increased healthcare costs, and reduced quality of life (QoL). This multicenter study evaluated the effect of supplementary patient education material (SEM) (a short video, information card, and additional information available online) on treatment adherence and satisfaction among acne patients treated with the fixed-dose combination adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.

Positive mood on the day of influenza vaccination predicts vaccine effectiveness: A prospective observational cohort study.

Influenza vaccination is estimated to only be effective in 17-53% of older adults. Multiple patient behaviors and psychological factors have been shown to act as 'immune modulators' sufficient to influence vaccination outcomes. However, the relative importance of such factors is unknown as they have typically been examined in isolation.

Risk Behaviors and Testing History of African American MSM: Implications for Prevention.

Objectives: Knowledge of HIV status is an important step in prevention efforts especially for at risk populations like MSM. CDC recommends that MSM be tested at least annually. There is a limited information on the demographics and risk behaviors of MSM who never tested or test infrequently.

Nursing Morbidity and Mortality: The Clinical Nurse Specialist Role in Improving Patient Outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the development and implementation of a nursing morbidity and mortality (M&M) monthly conference at an academic medical center. Nursing M&M was developed as a peer review process in which cases where clinical errors or misjudgments that have occurred are reviewed in a nonpunitive setting. The cases are selected based on the National Database for Nursing Quality Indicators and the implications they have for the quality of nursing practice.

SARS-like WIV1-CoV poised for human emergence.

Outbreaks from zoonotic sources represent a threat to both human disease as well as the global economy. Despite a wealth of metagenomics studies, methods to leverage these datasets to identify future threats are underdeveloped. In this study, we describe an approach that combines existing metagenomics data with reverse genetics to engineer reagents to evaluate emergence and pathogenic potential of circulating zoonotic viruses.

Primary pancreatic neuroblastoma presenting with opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.

Although neuroblastoma is a common solid organ malignancy in children, primary pancreatic neuroblastoma is a rare entity in children, with very few cases reported in the literature. The case discusses the presentation of a 21-month-old female presenting to the neurology clinic with ataxia and erratic eye movements. Our case illustrates the computed tomography, ultrasound, and scintigraphic findings of primary pancreatic neuroblastoma presenting as opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.

Functional Transplant of a Dengue Virus Serotype 3 (DENV3)-Specific Human Monoclonal Antibody Epitope into DENV1.

Unlabelled: The four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes, DENV1 through 4, are endemic throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. While first infection confers long-term protective immunity against viruses of the infecting serotype, a second infection with virus of a different serotype carries a greater risk of severe dengue disease, including dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Recent studies demonstrate that humans exposed to DENV infections develop neutralizing antibodies that bind to quaternary epitopes formed by the viral envelope (E) protein dimers or higher-order assemblies required for the formation of the icosahedral viral envelope.