A case of ANCA-associated vasculitis in a 16-year-old female following SARS-COV-2 infection and a systematic review of the literature.

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare form of vasculitis in children. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infection, seems to trigger autoimmunity and new-onset autoimmune disease in pediatric and adult patients. We present a case of new-onset AAV following COVID-19 infection in an adolescent patient, and we review the literature of AAV following COVID-19 infection.

Assessing the Impact of a Virtual Shelter Medicine Rotation on Veterinary Students' Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Regarding Access to Veterinary Care.

Strong bonds commonly form between companion animals and people of all socio-demographic backgrounds, yet many pet owners face numerous barriers to accessing veterinary care for their companion animals. For example, they may have difficulties paying for care; they may lack veterinary practices in their community; and they may experience language barriers that impede their ability to utilize veterinary services. Various strategies exist that can help veterinarians address the diverse needs of pet owners in their communities, but these techniques are not commonly covered in the veterinary school curriculum.

Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence.

Youth who engage in animal cruelty are known to be at increased risk of perpetrating violence on other people in their lives including peers, loved ones, and elder family members. These youths have often been exposed to family violence, including animal cruelty perpetrated on their beloved pets by violent adults. The current study utilizes a data set of 81,000 juvenile offenders whose adverse childhood experiences are known and includes 466 youth who self-report engaging in animal cruelty.

Childhood Vision Screening in Western South Dakota: Examining Barriers to Post-Vision Screening Follow-up Referral.

Background: Poor follow-up after post-screening referral is a challenge faced by vision screening organizations. This study examines barriers to follow-up eye care in children who were referred for a comprehensive eye exam following a vision screening event in western South Dakota.

Methods: Children referred for a comprehensive eye exam following a screening event by Northern Plains Eye Foundation Western South Dakota Lions Children's Vision Screening Initiative (CVSI) from September 2014 to February 2015 were identified for a telephone survey.

Factors that Influence Intake to One Municipal Animal Control Facility in Florida: A Qualitative Study.

This qualitative study identified a study area by visualizing one year of animal intake from a municipal animal shelter on geographic information systems (GIS) maps to select an area of high stray-dog intake to investigate. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with residents of the selected study area to elucidate why there were high numbers of stray dogs coming from this location. Using grounded theory, three themes emerged from the interviews: concerns, attitudes, and disparities.

A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Changing Student Confidence in an Online Shelter Medicine Course.

Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine offers comprehensive training in shelter medicine to veterinary students based on a set of core job skills identified by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. In 2012, this program began teaching online distance education courses to students and practicing veterinarians worldwide who sought additional training in this newly recognized specialty area. Distance learning is a novel educational strategy in veterinary medicine; most instruction at veterinary medical schools is classroom based.

Comparative efficacy and safety of 4 randomized regimens to treat early Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in children with cystic fibrosis.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of 4 antipseudomonal treatments in children with cystic fibrosis with recently acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Multicenter trial in the United States.

Cystic fibrosis newborn screening: using experience to optimize the screening algorithm.

Newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) offers the opportunity for early diagnosis and improved outcomes in patients with CF and has been universally available in the state of Massachusetts since 1999 using an immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT)-DNA algorithm. Ideally, CF NBS is incorporated as part of an integrated NBS system that allows for comprehensive and coordinated education, laboratory screening, clinical follow-up, and evaluation so that evidence-based data can be used to maximize quality improvements and optimize the screening algorithm. The New England Newborn Screening Program (NENSP) retrospectively analyzed Massachusetts's CF newborn screening data that yielded decisions to eliminate a screen-positive category, maintain the IRT cutoff value that prompts the second tier DNA testing, and communicate CF relative risk to primary care providers (PCPs) based on categorization of positive CF NBS results.

Sustained transgene expression despite T lymphocyte responses in a clinical trial of rAAV1-AAT gene therapy.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is well-suited as a target for human gene transfer. We performed a phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial of a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector expressing normal (M) AAT packaged into serotype 1 AAV capsids delivered by i.m.

Repeated aerosolized AAV-CFTR for treatment of cystic fibrosis: a randomized placebo-controlled phase 2B trial.

Previous studies have demonstrated that delivery of a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding the complete human cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) cDNA (tgAAVCF) to the nose, sinus, and lungs of subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF) was safe and well tolerated. In a small randomized, double-blind study of three doses of aerosolized tgAAVCF or placebo at 30-day intervals, encouraging but non-significant trends in pulmonary function and induced sputum interleukin 8 (IL-8) levels were seen at early time points. This larger study was conducted to verify these trends.

Alpha1-antitrypsin protects beta-cells from apoptosis.

Beta-cell apoptosis appears to represent a key event in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Previous studies have demonstrated that administration of the serine proteinase inhibitor alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) prevents type 1 diabetes development in NOD mice and prolongs islet allograft survival in rodents; yet the mechanisms underlying this therapeutic benefit remain largely unclear. Herein we describe novel findings indicating that AAT significantly reduces cytokine- and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced beta-cell apoptosis.

Lung bioavailability of hydrofluoroalkane fluticasone in young children when delivered by an antistatic chamber/mask.

Objective: To determine whether an antistatic valved holding chamber/mask improves lung bioavailability of hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) fluticasone in young children.

Study Design: Twelve patients, age 1 to 6 years, with well-controlled asthma were treated with an HFA fluticasone metered-dose inhaler (Flovent HFA) twice daily (440 microg/day). The drug was delivered by tidal breathing through conventional (AeroChamber Plus) and antistatic (AeroChamber MAX) valved holding chambers (VHCs) with masks in a randomized, crossover manner, each for 3 to 7 days.

Phase I trial of intramuscular injection of a recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 alphal-antitrypsin (AAT) vector in AAT-deficient adults.

A phase I trial of intramuscular injection of a recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (rAAV2) alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) vector was performed in 12 AAT-deficient adults, 10 of whom were male. All subjects were either homozygous for the most common AAT mutation (a missense mutation designated PI*Z) or compound heterozygous for PI*Z and another mutation known to cause disease. There were four dose cohorts, ranging from 2.

Errorless compliance training: building a cooperative relationship between parents with brain injury and their oppositional children.

Errorless compliance training, a noncoercive intervention for improving child compliance, was evaluated in a multiple baseline across-subjects design with 12 oppositional children (ages 2-7 years) and their brain-injured parents, who suffered from cognitive deficits, impulsivity, and/or emotional instability. Generalized and durable increases were observed in child compliance after treatment. Pre/post improvements were also noted on a measure of parent self-esteem.

Measuring visual opacity using digital imaging technology.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Reference Method 9 (Method 9) is the preferred enforcement approach for verifying facility compliance with federal visible opacity standards.

Phase I trial of intramuscular injection of a recombinant adeno-associated virus alpha 1-antitrypsin (rAAV2-CB-hAAT) gene vector to AAT-deficient adults.

A recombinant virus vector constructed from adeno-associated virus (AAV) that has been altered to carry the human alpha1-antitrypsin (hAAT) gene expressed from a hybrid chicken beta-actin promoter with a cytomegalovirus enhancer has been developed. The construct has been shown to initiate the production of hAAT in animal models closely matching the proposed human trial. The proposed clinical trial is an open-label, phase I study administering recombinant adeno-associated virus alpha1-antitrypsin (rAAV2-CB-hAAT) gene vector intramuscularly to AAT-deficient human subjects where gene expression can be measured directly in blood samples to assess safety.

Repeated adeno-associated virus serotype 2 aerosol-mediated cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene transfer to the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis: a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Study Objectives: The primary objective was to determine the safety and tolerability of repeated doses of aerosolized adeno-associated serotype 2 vector containing cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) complementary DNA (cDNA) [tgAAVCF], an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding the complete human CFTR cDNA. Secondary objectives included evaluation of pulmonary function assessed by spirometry, lung abnormalities by high-resolution CT (HRCT), airway cytokines, vector shedding, serum neutralizing antibody to AAV serotype 2 (AAV2), and gene transfer and expression in a subset of subjects undergoing bronchoscopy with bronchial brushings.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II trial.

Role of human neutrophil peptides in lung inflammation associated with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Individuals with alpha(1)-antitrypsin (alpha(1)-AT) deficiency are at risk for early-onset destructive lung disease as a result of insufficient lower respiratory tract alpha(1)-AT and an increased burden of neutrophil products such as elastase. Human neutrophil peptides (HNP), the most abundant protein component of neutrophil azurophilic granules, represent another potential inflammatory component in lung disease characterized by increased numbers of activated or deteriorating neutrophils. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of HNP in lower respiratory tract inflammation and destruction occuring in alpha(1)-AT deficiency.

Evaluation of the digital opacity compliance system in high mountain desert environments.

The digital opacity compliance system (DOCS) has been proposed as an alternative to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Reference Method 9 (Visual Determination of the Opacity of Emissions for Stationary Sources).