Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Natural Blind Spot Location On Perimetry., Mengyu Wang, Lucy Q. Shen, Michael V. Boland, Sarah R. Wellik, Carlos Gustavo De Moraes, Jonathan S. Myers, Peter J. Bex, Tobias Elze

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

We study the spatial distribution of natural blind spot location (NBSL) and its impact on perimetry. Pattern deviation (PD) values of 11,449 reliable visual fields (VFs) that are defined as clinically unaffected based on summary indices were extracted from 11,449 glaucoma patients. We modeled NBSL distribution using a two-dimensional non-linear regression approach and correlated NBSL with spherical equivalent (SE). Additionally, we compared PD values of groups with longer and shorter distances than median, and larger and smaller angles than median between NBSL and fixation. Mean and standard deviation of horizontal and vertical NBSL were 14.33° ± 1.37° and -2.06° ± …

Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection With Percutaneous Needling For Recalcitrant Lateral Epicondylitis: Comparison Of Tenotomy And Fenestration Techniques., Michael P. Gaspar, Michael A. Motto, Sarah Lewis, Sidney M. Jacoby, Randall W. Culp, A. Lee Osterman, Patrick M. Kane

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Background: Recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis (LE) is a common debilitating condition, with numerous treatment options of varying success. An injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been shown to improve LE, although it is unclear whether the method of needling used in conjunction with a PRP injection is of clinical importance.

Purpose: To determine whether percutaneous needle tenotomy is superior to percutaneous needle fenestration when each is combined with a PRP injection for the treatment of recalcitrant LE.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: A total of 93 patients with recalcitrant LE were treated with a PRP injection and …

Children’S Oxygen Administration Strategies Trial (Coast): A Randomised Controlled Trial Of High Flow Versus Oxygen Versus Control In African Children With Severe Pneumonia., Kathryn Maitland, Sarah Kiguli, Robert Opoka, Peter Olupot-Olupot, Charles Engoru, Patricia Njuguna, Victor Bandika, Ayub Mpoya, Andrew Bush, Thomas Williams

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: In Africa, the clinical syndrome of pneumonia remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children in the post-neonatal period. This represents a significant burden on in-patient services. The targeted use of oxygen and simple, non-invasive methods of respiratory support may be a highly cost-effective means of improving outcome, but the optimal oxygen saturation threshold that results in benefit and the best strategy for delivery are yet to be tested in adequately powered randomised controlled trials. There is, however, an accumulating literature about the harms of oxygen therapy across a range of acute and emergency situations that have …

Revisiting The Applicability Of Adult Early Post-Operative Nausea And Vomiting Risk Factors For The Paediatric Patient: A Prospective Study Using Cotinine Levels In Children Undergoing Adenotonsillectomies, Destiny F. Chau, Arundathi Reddy, Patrick Breheny, Anna Rebecca Young, Eric Ashford, Megan Song, Christina Zhang, Tammy Taylor, Abbas Younes, Turaj Vazifedan

Anesthesiology Faculty Publications

Background and Aims: Post-operative vomiting (POV) in children remains a significant clinical problem. This prospective study aims to investigate the applicability of well-established adult early post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) risk factors on paediatric POV after adenotonsillectomies under regulated anaesthetic conditions. Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, 213 children aged 3–10-year-old were enrolled. The participants had pre-operative questionnaires completed, followed protocolised anaesthetic plans and had saliva analysed for cotinine. The primary outcomes were POV as correlated with age, gender, family or personal history of PONV, motion sickness history, opioid use, surgical time, anaesthetic time and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, …

Anaesthetic Management Of Supratentorial Tumor Craniotomy Using Awake-Throughout Approach, Faraz Shafiq, Fahad Salim, Ather Enam, Jai Parkash, Mohammad Faheem

Department of Anaesthesia

The authors are reporting an anaesthetic management of patient presenting with left parietal lobe space occupying lesion and scheduled for Awake-craniotomy. Awake-throughout approach using scalp block was planned. Among techniques reported for keeping patient awake during the surgery, this one is really underutilized. The successful conduct requires thorough preoperative assessment and psychological preparation. We used powerpoint presentation as a preoperative teaching tool. The anatomical landmark technique was used to institute scalp block, where individual nerves were targeted bilaterally. Patient remained stable throughout and participated actively in intraoperative neurological monitoring. Postoperative period showed remarkable recovery, better pain control, and shorter length …

Anaesthetic Management Of Nesidioblastosis In Two Infants, Muhammad Saad Yousuf, Mohsin Nazir, Fauzia Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

Nesidioblastosis is the most common cause of non-transient, recurrent and persistent hypoglycaemia in neonates and infants. It is a disorder of diffuse proliferation of beta cells of the pancreas leading to hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycaemia. The main aim is to prevent the severe episodes of hypoglycaemia which can cause damage to the brain and/or mental retardation. In this case report we present two cases of nesidioblastosis and their perioperative anaesthetic course for near-total pancreatectomy. First case was a 7 months old female who had repeated episodes of convulsions since birth. Second case was a 4-month-old female child who again presented with …

The Age-Rage Axis In An Arab Population: The United Arab Emirates Healthy Futures (Uaehfs) Pilot Study, Claire K. Inman, Abdullah Aljunaibi, Hyunwook Koh, Abdishakur Abdulle, Raghib Ali, Abdullah Alnaeemi, Eiman Al Zaabi, Naima Oumeziane, Marina Al Bastaki, Mohammed Al-Houqani, Fatma Al-Maskari, Ayesha Al Dhaheri, Syed M. Shah, Laila Abdel Wareth, Wael Al Mahmeed, Habiba Alsafar, Fatme Al Anouti, Ayesha Al Hosani, Muna Haji, Divya Galani, Matthew J. O'Connor, Jiyoung Ahn, Tomas Kirchhoff, Scott Sherman, Richard B. Hayes, Huilin Li, Ravichandran Ramasamy, Ann Marie Schmidt

All Works

© 2017 The Authors Aims The transformation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from a semi-nomadic to a high income society has been accompanied by increasing rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. We examined if the AGE-RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation endproducts) axis is associated with obesity and diabetes mellitus in the pilot phase of the UAE Healthy Futures Study (UAEHFS). Methods 517 Emirati subjects were enrolled and plasma/serum levels of AGE, carboxy methyl lysine (CML)-AGE, soluble (s)RAGE and endogenous secretory (es)RAGE were measured along with weight, height, waist and hip circumference (WC/HC), blood pressure, HbA1c, Vitamin D …

Understanding Biological Mechanisms Underlying Adverse Birth Outcomes In Developing Countries: Protocol For A Prospective Cohort (Amanhi Bio-Banking) Study, Abdullah H. Baqui, Rasheda Khanam, Fyezah Jehan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Atiya Hussain, Muhammad Ilyas, Aneeta Hotwani, Muhammad Sajid, Shahida Qureshi, Anita K. M. Zaidi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objectives: The AMANHI study aims to seek for biomarkers as predictors of important pregnancy-related outcomes, and establish a biobank in developing countries for future research as new methods and technologies become available.
Methods: AMANHI is using harmonised protocols to enrol 3000 women in early pregnancies (8-19 weeks of gestation) for population-based follow-up in pregnancy up to 42 days postpartum in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tanzania, with collection taking place between August 2014 and June 2016. Urine pregnancy tests will be used to confirm reported or suspected pregnancies for screening ultrasound by trained sonographers to accurately date the pregnancy. Trained study field …

Societal Costs Of Micronutrient Deficiencies In 6- To 59-Month-Old Children In Pakistan, Simon Wieser, Beatrice Brunner, Christina Tzogiou, Rafael Plessow, Michael B. Zimmermann, Jessica Farebrother, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zaid Ahmad Bhatti, Imran Ahmed, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: In Pakistan, nearly half of children younger than 5 years are stunted, and 1 in 3 is underweight. Micronutrient deficiencies, a less visible form of undernutrition, are also endemic. They may lead to increased morbidity and mortality as well as to impaired cognitive and physical development.
Objective: To estimate the lifetime costs of micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistani children aged between 6 and 59 months.
Methods: We develop a health economic model of the lifetime health and cost consequences of iodine, iron, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies. We assess medical costs, production losses in terms of future incomes lost, and …

Three-Dimensional Context Rather Than Nls Amino Acid Sequence Determines Importin Α Subtype Specificity For Rcc1., Rajeshwer S. Sankhala, Ravi K. Lokareddy, Salma Begum, Ruth A. Pumroy, Richard E. Gillilan, Gino Cingolani

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Active nuclear import of Ran exchange factor RCC1 is mediated by importin α3. This pathway is essential to generate a gradient of RanGTP on chromatin that directs nucleocytoplasmic transport, mitotic spindle assembly and nuclear envelope formation. Here we identify the mechanisms of importin α3 selectivity for RCC1. We find this isoform binds RCC1 with one order of magnitude higher affinity than the generic importin α1, although the two isoforms share an identical NLS-binding groove. Importin α3 uses its greater conformational flexibility to wedge the RCC1 β-propeller flanking the NLS against its lateral surface, preventing steric clashes with its Armadillo-core. Removing …

High-Volume Forced Diuresis With Matched Hydration Using The Renalguard System To Prevent Contrast-Induced Nephropathy: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Trials, Rahman Shah, Sarah J. Wood, Sajjad A. Khan, Amina Chaudhry, M. Rehan Khan, Mohamed S. Morsy

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a well-recognized complication of coronary angiography that is associated with poor outcomes. Several small randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have recently shown that in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), furosemide-induced forced diuresis with matched hydration using the RenalGuard system can prevent its occurrence. However, individual studies have been underpowered and thus cannot show significant differences in major clinical endpoints.
Hypothesis: Forced diuresis with matched hydration using the RenalGuard system improves clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary angiography.
Methods: Scientific databases and websites were searched for relevant RCTs. The pooled risk ratios were calculated using random-effects …

Hypermucoviscous Klebsiella Syndrome It's In The Community!, Muneeba Ahsan Sayeed, Nida Latif, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Section of Internal Medicine

Hypermucoviscous Klebsiella syndrome is a unique syndrome caused by a new variant of Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), characterized by abscess formation at distant body sites. This emerging KP strain is different from the usual classic strains in having the rmp gene which increases capsule formation making this strain resistant to phagocytosis and helping in its dissemination to distant organs. A 50 years old diabetic man presented with facial swelling after dental procedure which progressively increased despite being on antibiotics. On examination he was febrile, had neck swelling with signs of inflammation and tender hepatomegaly. Ultrasonography showed submental and liver abscesses which …

Perceived Self-To-Other Similarity As A Mediator Of The Effects Of Gender And Racial Composition On Identification In Small Groups, Randi L. Garcia

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Two group studies tested the mediating role of perceived diversity in the link between actual demographic composition and an individual’s identification with a small group. In these studies, a new type of dyadic perceived diversity—self-to-other perceived similarity—is introduced and measured. Further, a group actor partner interdependence model (GAPIM) approach was used to test mediation of the link between actual demographic composition and identification by perceived self-to-other similarity. In Study 1, 4- and 5-person small groups varying in gender composition interacted face-to-face. Results showed mediation of the effect of similarity in gender on group identification by self-to-other similarity. In Study 2, …

Delaying The Start Of Iron Until 28 Days After Antimalarial Treatment Is Associated With Lower Incidence Of Subsequent Illness In Children With Malaria And Iron Deficiency., Ericka Jaramillo, Ezekiel Mupere, Robert Opoka, James Hodges, Troy Lund, Michael Georgieff, Chandy John, Sarah Cusick

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

We evaluated the incidence of all-cause and malaria-specific clinic visits during follow-up of a recent trial of iron therapy. In the main trial, Ugandan children 6–59 months with smearconfirmed malaria and iron deficiency [zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP > = 80 μmol/mol heme)] were treated for malaria and randomized to start a 27-day course of oral iron concurrently with (immediate group) or 28 days after (delayed group) antimalarial treatment. All children were followed for the same 56-day period starting at the time of antimalarial treatment (Day 0) and underwent passive and active surveillance for malaria and other morbidity for the entire follow-up period. …

Developmental Origins Of Health And Disease: Current Knowledge And Potential Mechanisms, Daniel J. Hoffman, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Daniel B. Hardy

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

Epidemiologic and clinical research has provided a large body of evidence supporting the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), but there has been a relative dearth of mechanistic studies in humans due to the complexity of working with large, longitudinal cohorts. Nonetheless, animal models of undernutrition have provided substantial evidence for the potential epigenetic, metabolic, and endocrine mechanisms behind DOHaD. Furthermore, recent research has explored the interaction between the environment and the gastrointestinal system by investigating how the gut microbial ecology may impact the capacity for nutrient processing and absorption in a manner that may limit growth. This review …

Successful Reversal Of Furosemide-Induced Secondary Hyperparathyroidism With Cinacalcet., Tarak Srivastava, Shahryar Jafri, William E. Truog, Judith Sebestyen Vansickle, Winston M. Manimtim, Uri S. Alon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a rare complication of furosemide therapy that can occur in patients treated with the loop diuretic for a long period of time. We report a 6-month-old 28-weeks premature infant treated chronically with furosemide for his bronchopulmonary dysplasia, who developed hypocalcemia and severe SHPT, adversely affecting his bones. Discontinuation of the loop diuretic and the addition of supplemental calcium and calcitriol only partially reversed the SHPT, bringing serum parathyroid hormone level down from 553 to 238 pg/mL. After introduction of the calcimimetic Cinacalcet, we observed a sustained normalization of parathyroid hormone concentration at 27 to 63 pg/mL …

A Suggested Plan For Specialist Doctor's Professional Growth And Development, Ahmed Nadeem Abbasi, Bilal Mazhar Qureshi

Department of Radiation Oncology

No abstract provided.

Visual Outcomes, Efficacy, And Surgical Complications Associated With Intracameral Phenylephrine 1.0%/Ketorolac 0.3% Administered During Cataract Surgery, Eric Rosenberg, Alanna S. Nattis, David Alevi, Rachel L. Chu, Joseph Bacotti, Ronald J. Lopinto, Gerald D'Aversa, Eric Donnenfeld

NYMC Residents/Fellows Publications

Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare visual outcomes, surgical time, and perioperative surgical complications after intracameral use of either phenylephrine/ketorolac (P/K) or epinephrine (Epi) during cataract surgery.
Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective case review of patients undergoing cataract surgery from August to November 2015. Of the 641 eyes of 389 patients who underwent cataract surgery, 260 eyes were administered phenylephrine 1.0%/ketorolac 0.3% and 381 eyes received Epi in the irrigation solution intraoperatively. All patients received a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug regimen (bromfenac 0.07%, nepafenac 0.3%, or ketorolac 0.5%) for 3 days before surgery and topical tropicamide …

Effect Of Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Remoteness And Indigenous Status On Hospital Usage For Western Australian Preterm Infants Under 12 Months Of Age: A Population-Based Data Linkage Study, Natalie A. Strobel, Sue Peter, Kimberley E. Mcauley, Daniel R. Mcaullay, Rhonda Marriott, Karen M. Edmond

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives:

Our primary objective was to determine the incidence of hospital admission and emergency department presentation in Indigenous and non-Indigenous preterm infants aged postdischarge from birth admission to 11 months in Western Australia. Secondary objectives were to assess incidence in the poorest infants from remote areas and to determine the primary causes of hospital usage in preterm infants.

Design:

Prospective population-based linked data set.

Setting and participants:

All preterm babies born in Western Australia during 2010 and 2011.

Main outcome measures:

All-cause hospitalisations and emergency department presentations.

Results:

There were 6.9% (4211/61 254) preterm infants, 13.1% (433/3311) Indigenous …

Determination Of Knee Cartilage Volume And Surface Area In Beagle Dogs: A Pilot Study, Aad Dhollander, Amanda Malone, James Price, Alan Getgood

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2017, The Author(s). Background: The objective of this study was to determine the cartilage volume and surface area of male and female Beagle dog knees using 3D (3 dimensional) reconstructed MRI images. Methods: Six Beagle Dogs (Canis familiaris) (3 males and 3 females) of 10-18 months old and weighing between 7.2 and 17.1 kg underwent a MRI evaluation of both knees. The data acquired allowed a 3D reconstruction of the knee and measurement of the cartilage volume and surface area. Results: Mean knee cartilage volume (averaged over the right and left knees) of animals between 7.2 and 17.1 kg …

Assessment Of Embedded Conjugated Polymer Sensor Arrays For Potential Load Transmission Measurement In Orthopaedic Implants, Carolina Micolini, Frederick Benjamin Holness, James A. Johnson, Aaron David Price

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Load transfer through orthopaedic joint implants is poorly understood. The longer-term outcomes of these implants are just starting to be studied, making it imperative to monitor contact loads across the entire joint implant interface to elucidate the force transmission and distribution mechanisms exhibited by these implants in service. This study proposes and demonstrates the design, implementation, and characterization of a 3D-printed smart polymer sensor array using conductive polyaniline (PANI) structures embedded within a polymeric parent phase. The piezoresistive characteristics of PANI were investigated to characterize the sensing behaviour inherent to these …

Nutritional Supplement Practices Of Professional Ugandan Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study, Haruna Muwonge, Haruna Muwonge, Robert Zavuga, Peninnah Kabenge, Timothy Makubuya

Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works

BackgroundThe use of nutritional supplements (NS) places athletes at great risk for inadvertent doping. Due to the paucity of data on supplement use, this study aimed to determine the proportion of Ugandan athletes using nutritional supplements and to investigate the athletes’ motivation to use these supplements.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in which an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 359 professional athletes participating in individual (boxing, cycling, athletics) and team (basketball, rugby, football, netball, and volleyball) sports. The data were categorized, and a Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.ResultsOf the 359 athletes, 48 (13.4%) used nutritional supplements. …

Cerebrospinal Fluid Kynurenine And Kynurenic Acid Concentrations Are Associated With Coma Duration And Long-Term Neurocognitive Impairment In Ugandan Children With Cerebral Malaria, Dag Holmberg, Elisabeth Franzén-Röhl, Richard Idro, Robert Opoka, Paul Bangirana, Carl Sellgren, Anna Färnert, Lilly Schwieler, Göran Engberg, Chandy John

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: One-fourth of children with cerebral malaria (CM) retain cognitive sequelae up to 2 years after acute disease. The kynurenine pathway of the brain, forming neuroactive metabolites, e.g. the NMDA-receptor antagonist kynurenic acid (KYNA), has been implicated in long-term cognitive dysfunction in other CNS infections. In the present study, the association between the kynurenine pathway and neurologic/cognitive complications in children with CM was investigated.

Methods: Cerebrospinal fuid (CSF) concentrations of KYNA and its precursor kynurenine in 69 Ugandan children admitted for CM to Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, between 2008 and 2013 were assessed. CSF kynurenine and KYNA were compared to …

A Multi-Country Assessment Of Factors Related To Smallholder Food Security In Varying Rainfall Conditions, Meredith T. Niles, Molly E. Brown

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Given that smallholder farmers are frequently food insecure and rely significantly on rain-fed agriculture, it is critical to examine climate variability and food insecurity. We utilize data from smallholder farmer surveys from 12 countries with 30 years of rainfall data to examine how rainfall variability and household resources are correlated with food security. We find that on average, households that experienced a drier than average year are 3.81 months food insecure, while households within a normal range of rainfall were 3.67 months food insecure, and wetter than average households were 2.86 months food insecure. Reduced odds of food insecurity is …

Genomic Signature Of Adaptive Divergence Despite Strong Nonadaptive Forces On Edaphic Islands: A Case Study Of Primulina Juliae, Jing Wang, Chao Feng, Tenglong Jiao, Eric Bishop Von Wettberg, Ming Kang

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Both genetic drift and divergent selection are expected to be strong evolutionary forces driving population differentiation on edaphic habitat islands. However, the relative contribution of genetic drift and divergent selection to population divergence has rarely been tested simultaneously. In this study, restriction-site associated DNA-based population genomic analyses were applied to assess the relative importance of drift and divergent selection on population divergence of Primulina juliae, an edaphic specialist fromsouthern China. All populations were found with low standing genetic variation, small effective population size (NE), and signatures of bottlenecks. Populations with the lowest genetic variation were most genetically differentiated from other …

Widespread Theta Synchrony And High-Frequency Desynchronization Underlies Enhanced Cognition., E. A. Solomon, J. E. Kragel, Michael R. Sperling, Ashwini Sharan, G. Worrell, M. Kucewicz, C. S. Inman, B. Lega, K. A. Davis, J. M. Stein, B. C. Jobst, K. A. Zaghloul, S. A. Sheth, D. S. Rizzuto, M. J. Kahana

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

The idea that synchronous neural activity underlies cognition has driven an extensive body of research in human and animal neuroscience. Yet, insufficient data on intracranial electrical connectivity has precluded a direct test of this hypothesis in a whole-brain setting. Through the lens of memory encoding and retrieval processes, we construct whole-brain connectivity maps of fast gamma (30-100 Hz) and slow theta (3-8 Hz) spectral neural activity, based on data from 294 neurosurgical patients fitted with indwelling electrodes. Here we report that gamma networks desynchronize and theta networks synchronize during encoding and retrieval. Furthermore, for nearly all brain regions we studied, …

Evaluation Of Perampanel As Monotherapy For Focal Seizures: Experience From Open-Label Extension Studies, Patrick Kwan, Scott Mintzer, Antonio Laurenza, Anna Patten, Karen Cartwright, Formerly: Eisai Ltd.

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Perampanel, a selective, non-competitive α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist, is approved for adjunctive treatment of focal seizures, with or without secondarily generalized seizures, and for primary generalized tonic–clonic seizures in patients with epilepsy aged ≥ 12 years. Perampanel was recently approved for monotherapy use for focal seizures in the U.S.A. Anti-seizure drug monotherapy may be preferable to polytherapy, which is generally associated with increased toxicity, non-compliance, and cost. Here, we report cases where patients had converted to perampanel monotherapy during open-label extension (OLEx) portions of 9 Phase II and III studies. Of 2245 patients who enrolled in the OLEx studies, …

Development Of The Personal Genomics Industry, Jorge L. Contreras, Vikrant Deshmukh

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Today, numerous commercial services offer genetic testing, genotyping and genome sequencing services both to medical providers and directly to the public. Twenty-five years ago, such offerings would have been unthinkable, both in terms of cost and medical practice. This chapter describes the development of the personal genomics industry and its evolving business models and goals.

High Burden Of Subclinical Lead Toxicity After Phase Out Of Lead From Petroleum In Pakistan, Hafsa Majid, Aysha Habib, Nadeem Ullah Khan, Imran Siddiqui, Farooq Ghani, Lena Jafri

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of subclinical lead toxicity.
Study design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and duration of study: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2011 to December 2014.
Methodology: Analysis of laboratory data for blood lead levels (BLL) was performed. Lead was tested by atomic absorption spectrometer. For all subjects, only initial test results were included while the results of repeated testing were excluded. Exemption was sought from institutional ethical review committee. BLL of 2-10 ug/dl and 10-70 ug/dl in children and adults, respectively were taken as subclinical lead toxicity.
Result: Amongst …

Cxc Chemokines Exhibit Bactericidal Activity Against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens, Erum Khan, Matthew A. Crawford, Debra J. Fisher, Lisa M. Leung, Sara Lomonaco, Christine Lascols, Antonio Cannatelli,, Gian Maria Rossolini, Yohei Doi, David R. Goodlett

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

The continued rise and spread of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens pose a serious challenge to global health. Countering antimicrobial-resistant pathogens requires a multifaceted effort that includes the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we establish the capacity of the human CXC chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 to kill multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and colistin-resistant members of the family Enterobacteriaceae that harbor the mobile colistin resistance protein MCR-1 and thus possess phosphoethanolamine-modified lipid A. Colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates affected by genetic mutation of the PmrA/PmrB two-component system, a chromosomally encoded regulator of lipopolysaccharide modification, and containing …