Publications by authors named "Shields R"

Lifetime exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) among Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) cadets starting the Cadet Training Program (CTP) appear lower than exposures reported by serving RCMP, but the prevalence of PPTE exposures during the CTP remains unknown. The current study assessed PPTE exposures during the CTP and examined associations with mental disorders among RCMP cadets. Participants were cadets (n = 449, 24.

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Background: Ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam are preferred treatment options for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections; however, real-world comparative effectiveness studies are scarce. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences between the agents might affect clinical response rates. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam for treatment of invasive multidrug-resistant P aeruginosa infections.

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Objective: The optimal metronidazole dose for the treatment of Bacteroides spp. has not been well-defined.

Methods: This study was a multicenter, retrospective chart review of adult patients with bacteremia secondary to Bacteroides spp.

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Persons with CF (pwCF) present altered pharmacokinetics (PK) and are often infected with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Herein, we describe the PK of cefiderocol, a siderophore cephalosporin with potent activity against MDR Gram-negative rods, in hospitalized adult pwCF with acute pulmonary exacerbation (APE). PwCF received ≥3 doses of 2 g cefiderocol (3 h infusion) with frequency determined according to their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

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  • The text discusses the challenges in treating below-the-knee (BTK) lesions, particularly due to their complexity and calcification, with existing studies showing varied outcomes and often excluding severely calcified cases.
  • The Disrupt BTK II study aimed to assess the efficacy of intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) on patients with moderate to severe calcification in BTK lesions, enrolling 250 subjects across various sites in the U.S. and Europe, focusing on safety and procedural success.
  • The results showed a high procedural success rate of 97.9%, with significant reductions in stenosis after treatment, and no major adverse limb events reported at the 30-day mark, indicating IVL may be an effective option
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Unlabelled: Our recent studies have shown that deficiency of MecA in significantly affects cell division, growth, and biofilm formation. In this study, an mixed-species model, proteomics, and affinity pull-down assays were used to further characterize the MecA-mediated regulation in . The results showed that compared with the wild type, UA159, the mutant significantly reduced its production of glucans and weakened its ability to facilitate mixed-species biofilm formation.

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We investigated the impact of rapid diagnostic testing with real-time stewardship intervention on patients with bacteremia. Compared to pre-intervention, patients in the post-intervention group received more rapid antibiotic de-escalation (42 vs 88 h), and were more commonly de-escalated to narrow-spectrum (86% vs 52%) and oral antibiotics (30% vs 14%).

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People with a spinal cord injury are at an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction due to skeletal muscle atrophy and the transition of paralyzed muscle to a glycolytic, insulin-resistant phenotype. Providing doses of exercise through electrical muscle stimulation may provide a therapeutic intervention to help restore metabolic function for people with a spinal cord injury, but high-frequency and high-force electrically induced muscle contractions increase fracture risk for the underlying osteoporotic skeletal system. Therefore, we investigated the acute molecular responses after a session of either a 3 Hz or 1 Hz electrically induced exercise program.

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Introduction: We sought to implement a multipronged behavioral intervention to reduce and tailor antibiotic use for 2 common urologic outpatient procedures.

Methods: This study was a nonblinded intervention study that consisted of a preintervention phase (November 2018-January 2019), an intervention phase (January 2020-December 2020) in which a multipronged behavioral intervention was implemented, and a postintervention phase (January 2021-March 2021). We examined antibiotic use for cystoscopy and transrectal prostate biopsy at 3 separate urologic outpatient clinics.

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This study aimed to investigate the diversity of conjugative and chromosomally integrated mobile genetic elements (cciMGEs) within six oral streptococci species. cciMGEs, including integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) and integrative and mobilizable elements (IMEs), are stably maintained on the host cell chromosome; however, under certain conditions, they are able to excise, form extrachromosomal circles, and transfer via a conjugation apparatus. Many cciMGEs encode "cargo" functions that aid survival in new niches and evolve new antimicrobial resistance or virulence properties, whereas others have been shown to influence host bacterial physiology.

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Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) and ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T) are important agents for treating multidrug-resistant infections. In this study, we evaluated the molecular characteristics of 300 globally collected clinical isolates non-susceptible (NS) to CZA, C/T, or both agents. Isolates were CZA-NS and C/T-NS ( = 57), CZA-susceptible (S) and C/T-NS ( = 145), or CZA-NS and C/T-S ( = 98) selected from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) surveillance program from 2020 to 2021.

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  • - The study investigates the role of heteroresistance in cefiderocol treatment failure among patients with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) infections, finding a significant portion (59%) of the isolates had heteroresistance, particularly higher in Italy compared to the USA.
  • - Patients with cefiderocol-heteroresistant strains had worse clinical outcomes, with 81% experiencing treatment failure, compared to 55% for those with susceptible strains, and higher minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were linked to increased failure rates.
  • - Whole-genome sequencing revealed a genetic mutation in some heteroresistant isolates, supporting the idea that both higher MICs and the presence of resistant subpopulations contribute to
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Background: Cefiderocol (FDC) or ceftazidime-avibactam with aztreonam (CZA-ATM) are frontline agents for New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing Enterobacterales; however, clinical data are scarce, and mechanisms of treatment-emergent resistance are ill-defined. Our objectives were to characterize serial isolates and stool microbiota from a liver transplant recipient with NDM-producing bacteraemia.

Methods: Isolates collected pre- and post-CZA-ATM treatment underwent broth microdilution susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequencing.

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Several barriers exist in Alberta, Canada to providing accurate and accessible diagnoses for patients presenting with acute knee injuries and chronic knee problems. In efforts to improve quality of care for these patients, an evidence-informed clinical decision-making tool was developed. Forty-five expert panelists were purposively chosen to represent stakeholder groups, various expertise, and each of Alberta Health Services' 5 geographical health regions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) experience high levels of exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs), contributing to a rise in mental health disorders among their members.
  • Recent findings indicate that the RCMP participants reported an average of approximately 13 types of PPTEs, significantly higher than previous data from RCMP and other public safety personnel.
  • The study reveals a strong correlation between PPTE exposure and several mental health disorders, emphasizing the critical need for increased resources and support for RCMP members.
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Objectives: To investigate clinical outcomes of patients with Pseudomonas endocarditis and identify factors associated with treatment failure.

Methods: Adult patients meeting definitive Duke's criteria for Pseudomonas endocarditis at 11 hospitals were identified between May 2000 and February 2024. Failure was defined as death or microbiological failure by day 42.

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Background: Successful use of carbapenems in combination with cefazolin or oxacillin for treatment of MSSA bacteraemia has been described; however, comparative data to standard treatment approaches are lacking.

Methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective study of adult patients with MSSA bacteraemia for >48 h. Standard treatment was considered monotherapy with cefazolin, oxacillin or nafcillin.

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Background: Nearly half of active duty Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers report experiencing current chronic pain (43%; i.e. pain lasting longer than 3 months).

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  • Patients with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa who were treated with ceftazidime-avibactam showed a higher rate of developing resistance compared to those treated with ceftolozane-tazobactam (40% vs. 10%).
  • Resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam correlated with the emergence of new mutations in the ampC gene and efflux regulatory pathways.
  • The study highlights significant differences in resistance development between the two treatments, with ceftazidime-avibactam posing a greater risk.
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  • The RCMP Study examines the participation of cadets in digital health data collection from pre-training through five years after deployment, utilizing the 90-9-1 rule to categorize cadets into Lurkers, Contributors, and Superusers.
  • Data collection involved a Full Assessment prior to training and daily surveys during the Cadet Training Program (CTP), with mental health screenings for various disorders conducted to analyze links between mental health and survey engagement.
  • Results showed a significant amount of survey data (18,557 records from 772 participants) was collected, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of participation patterns and mental health symptom associations.
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