Digital Commons Network^™

Healthy You, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Healthy You

No abstract provided.

Empiric Guideline-Recommended Weight-Based Vancomycin Dosing And Nephrotoxicity Rates In Patients With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Ronald G. Hall Ii, Kathleen A. Hazlewood, Sara D. Brouse, Christopher A. Giuliano, Krystal K. Haase, Chistopher R. Frei, Nicolas A. Forcade, Todd Bell, Roger J. Bedimo, Carlos A. Alvarez

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Previous studies have established a correlation between vancomycin troughs and nephrotoxicity. However, data are currently lacking regarding the effect of guideline-recommended weight-based dosing on nephrotoxicity in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (MRSAB).

Methods

Adults who were at least 18 years of age with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and received of empiric vancomycin therapy for at least 48 hours (01/07/2002 and 30/06/2008) were included in this multicenter, retrospective cohort study. The association between guideline-recommended, weight-based vancomycin dosing (at least 15 mg/kg/dose) and nephrotoxicity (increase in serum creatinine (SCr) by more than 0.5 mg/dl or at least a 50% increase from …

Progress Notes, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Progress Notes

No abstract provided.

Magnet Attractions, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Magnet Attractions

No abstract provided.

Annual Report (2013): The Future Begins With You, Lehigh Valley Health Network

LVHN Annual & Statistical Reports

No abstract provided.

Division Of Research And Economic Development Annual Report For Fy2013, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

Annual report for the Division of Research and Economic Development of the University of Rhode Island for the year 2012-2013.

Includes statistics of project proposals, expenditures, URI Foundation Awards, previous annual report summaries and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments.

The Two-Faced T Cell Epitope: Examining The Host-Microbe Interface With Janusmatrix, Leonard Moise, Andres H. Gutierrez, Chris Bailey-Kellogg, Frances Terry, Qibin Leng, Karim M. Abdel Hady, Nathan C. Verberkmoes, Marcelo B. Sztein, Phyllis T. Losikoff, William D. Martin, Alan L. Rotham, Anne S. De Groot

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Advances in the field of T cell immunology have contributed to the understanding that cross-reactivity is an intrinsic characteristic of the T cell receptor (TCR), and that each TCR can potentially interact with many different T cell epitopes. To better define the potential for TCR cross-reactivity between epitopes derived from the human genome, the human microbiome, and human pathogens, we developed a new immunoinformatics tool, JanusMatrix, that represents an extension of the validated T cell epitope mapping tool, EpiMatrix. Initial explorations, summarized in this synopsis, have uncovered what appear to be important differences in the TCR cross-reactivity of selected regulatory …

Identification Of Borrelia Burgdorferi Ospc Genotypes In Canine Tissue Following Tick Infestation: Implications For Lyme Disease Vaccine And Diagnostic Assay Design, D. V.L. Rhodes, C. G. Earnhart, Thomas N. Mather, P. F.M. Meeus, R. T. Marconi

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

In endemic regions, Lyme disease is a potential health threat to dogs. Canine Lyme disease manifests with arthritis-induced lameness, anorexia, fever, lethargy, lymphadenopathy and, in some cases, fatal glomerulonephritis. A recent study revealed that the regional mean for the percentage of seropositive dogs in the north-east of the USA is 11.6%. The outer surface protein C (OspC) of Lyme disease spirochetes is an important virulence factor required for the establishment of infection in mammals. It is a leading candidate in human and canine Lyme disease vaccine development efforts. Over 30 distinct ospC phyletic types have been defined. It has been …

Research & Innovation For 2012-2013, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The 2012-2013 issue of Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

Time To Blood Culture Positivity As A Predictor Of Clinical Outcome In Patients With Candida Albicans Bloodstream Infection, Cintia Zoya Nunes, Alexandre R. Marra, Michael B. Edmond, Elivane Da Silva Victor, Carlos Alberto Pires Pereira

Internal Medicine Publications

Background Few studies have assessed the time to blood culture positivity as a predictor of clinical outcome in fungal bloodstream infections (BSIs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the time to positivity (TTP) of blood cultures in patients with Candida albicans BSIs and to assess its impact on clinical outcome.

Methods A historical cohort study with 89 adults patients with C. albicans BSIs. TTP was defined as the time between the start of incubation and the time that the automated alert signal indicating growth in the culture bottle sounded.

Results Patients with BSIs and TTPs of culture of …

Improving The Diagnosis Of Meningitis Due To Enterovirus And Herpes Simplex Virus I And Ii In A Tertiary Care Hospital, Eduardo Casaroto, Alexandre R. Marra, Fernando Morgadinho S. Coelho, Joao Renato Rebello Pinho, Roberta Sitnik, Fernando Colombari, Elivane Silva Victor, Nair Hideko Muto, Carlos Senne, Oscar Fernando Pavão Dos Santos, Michael B. Edmond

Internal Medicine Publications

Background Enterovirus and herpes simplex viruses are common causes of lymphocytic meningitis. The purpose of this study was to analyse the impact of the use molecular testing for Enteroviruses and Herpes simplex viruses I and II in all suspected cases of viral meningitis.

Methods From November 18, 2008 to November 17, 2009 (phase II, intervention), all patients admitted with suspected viral meningitis (with pleocytosis) had a CSF sample tested using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Data collected during this period were compared to those from the previous one-year period, i.e. November 18, 2007 to November 17, 2008 (phase I, …

Nosocomial Bloodstream Infections In Brazilian Pediatric Patients: Microbiology, Epidemiology, And Clinical Features, Carlos Albert Pires Pereira, Alexandre R. Marra, Luis Fernando A. Camargo, Antonio Carlos Campos Pignatari, Teresa Sukiennik, Paulo Renato Petersen Behar, Eduardo Alexandrino Servolo Medieros, Julival Ribeiro, Evelyne Girao, Luci Correa, Carla Guerra, Ima Cameiro, Carlos Brites, Marise Reis, Marta Antunes De Souza, Regina Tranchesi, Cristina U. Barata, Michael B. Edmond

Internal Medicine Publications

Background

Nosocomial bloodstream infections (nBSIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and are the most frequent type of nosocomial infection in pediatric patients.

Methods

We identified the predominant pathogens and antimicrobial susceptibilities of nosocomial bloodstream isolates in pediatric patients (≤16 years of age) in the Brazilian Prospective Surveillance for nBSIs at 16 hospitals from 12 June 2007 to 31 March 2010 (Br SCOPE project).

Results

In our study a total of 2,563 cases of nBSI were reported by hospitals participating in the Br SCOPE project. Among these, 342 clinically significant episodes of BSI were identified in pediatric patients …

Natural Plasmodium Infection In Monkeys In The State Of Rondônia (Brazilian Western Amazon), Maisa S. Araújo, Mariluce R. Messias, Marivaldo R . Figueiró, Luiz Herman S. Gil, Christian M. Probst, Newton M. Vidal, Tony H. Katsuragawa, Luiz H. Pereira Da Silva, Luiz S. Ozaki

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Background

Simian malaria is still an open question concerning the species of Plasmodium parasites and species of New World monkeys susceptible to the parasites. In addition, the lingering question as to whether these animals are reservoirs for human malaria might become important especially in a scenario of eradication of the disease. To aid in the answers to these questions, monkeys were surveyed for malaria parasite natural infection in the Amazonian state of Rondônia, Brazil, a state with intense environmental alterations due to human activities, which facilitated sampling of the animals.

Methods

Parasites were detected and identified in DNA from blood …

Effect Of Daily Chlorhexidine Bathing On Hospital-Acquired Infection, Michael W. Climo, Edward S. Wong, Kakotan Sanogo, Deborah S. Yokoe, David K. Warren, Trish M. Perl, Maureen Bolon, Robert A. Weinstein, Loreen A. Herwaldt, Kent A. Sepkowitz, John A. Jernigan

VCU Health Publications

BACKGROUND

Results of previous single-center, observational studies suggest that daily bathing of patients with chlorhexidine may prevent hospital-acquired bloodstream infections and the acquisition of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, cluster-randomized, nonblinded crossover trial to evaluate the effect of daily bathing with chlorhexidine-impregnated washcloths on the acquisition of MDROs and the incidence of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections. Nine intensive care and bone marrow transplantation units in six hospitals were randomly assigned to bathe patients either with no-rinse 2% chlorhexidine– impregnated washcloths or with nonantimicrobial washcloths for a 6-month period, exchanged for the alternate product during the subsequent 6 months. …

Fyn Kinase Is Required For Optimal Humoral Responses, Natalia S. Chaimowitz, Yves T. Falanga, John J. Ryan, Daniel H. Conrad

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Abstract

The generation of antigen-specific antibodies and the development of immunological memory require collaboration between B and T cells. T cell-secreted IL-4 is important for B cell survival, isotype switch to IgG1 and IgE, affinity maturation, and the development of germinal centers (GC). Fyn, a member of the Src family tyrosine kinase, is widely expressed in many cell types, including lymphocytes. This kinase is known to interact with both the B cell and T cell receptor (BCR and TCR, respectively). While Fyn deletion does not impair the development of immature T cells and B cells, TCR signaling is altered in …

Cpg And Interleukin-15 Synergize To Enhance Ifn-Γ Production By Activated Cd8+ T Cells, Dustin Cobb, Siqi Guo, Ronald B. Smeltz

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) regulates the development and maintenance of memory CD8⁺ T cells. Paradoxically, we previously reported that IL-15 could enhance CD8⁺ T-cell responses to IL-12, a proinflammatory cytokine required for optimal priming of effector CD8⁺ T cells. To expand the physiological relevance of these findings, we tested IL-15 for its ability to enhance T-cell responses to bacterial CpG. Expectedly, CpG enhanced the production of IFN-γ by CD8⁺ T cells polyclonally activated with anti-CD3. However, addition of IL-15 to CpG-stimulated cultures led to a striking increase in IFN-γ production. The effect of CpG and IL-15 was also …

The Evolution Of Media Development: The Media Development Model In A Changing World, Daire Higgins

Articles

The origins of Media Development can be found in Post WW2 Europe and the industry grew as a more significant aspect of international aid work in the 1980s and the 1990s, following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the former Soviet Union. It was hoped that exporting the concept of a free and independent press would foster democracy in post-communist and transitional countries. While it is debated on how successful these projects were, questions are now being asked about the relevance of media development model itself, the liberal press ideology behind the training projects and what …

15th Annual Student Academic Conference, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Student Academic Conference Abstract Books

Minnesota State University Moorhead Student Academic Conference abstract book.

Genetic Regulation Of Mucoidy In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, T. Ryan Withers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that results from mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator gene. These mutations cause a disruption in the chloride transport in mucosal tissues causing the accumulation of dehydrated mucus, and a decrease in the mucocilliary removal of environmental pathogens within the lungs. Additionally, the accumulation of dehydrated mucus within the lungs provides a hospitable environment for various bacteria, including the Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa uses the overproduction of a surface polysaccharide called alginate to form a biofilm to evade the host’s immunological defenses. The overproduction of alginate, often referred to as …

Whole-Body Vibration Improves Functional Mobility, Flexibility, And Relative Risk For Falling In The Assisted Living Elderly: A Case Series, Christina Garrity, Harold L. Merriman, C. Jayne Brahler

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Study design: A randomized double blind repeated measures, case series study of whole body vibration (WBV) in the assisted living elderly.

Background: A single exposure to WBV has been shown to have benefit with respect to muscle activity, strength, balance, and power in some studies while other studies have found no benefit. Its overall effectiveness is unknown due to the conflicting findings reported in the literature.

Case description: Six subjects (5 female, 1 male; mean age = 85.4) in an assisted living community volunteered to participate. Subjects were exposed to a single bout of WBV at 0, 2, 20, and …

Effects Of Treatment On Ige Responses Against Parasite Allergen-Like Proteins And Immunit To Reinfection In Childhood Schistosome And Hookworm Coinfections, Angela Pinot De Moira, Frances M. Jones, Shona Wilson, Edridah Tukahebwa, Colin M. Fitzsimmons, Joseph K. Mwatha, Jeffrey M. Bethony, Narcis B. Kabatereine, David W. Dunne

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Naturally occurring human immunity to both schistosomiasis and hookworm infection has been associated with IgE responses against parasite allergen-like proteins. Since the two helminths frequently coinfect the same individuals, there is growing advocacy for their concurrent treatment. However, both helminths are known to exert strong immunomodulatory effects; therefore, coinfected individuals could have immune responses different from those characteristically seen in monoinfected individuals. In this study, we measured changes in IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 responses to schistosome and hookworm antigens, including the allergen-like proteins Schistosoma mansoni tegumental-allergen-like 1 protein (SmTAL1), SmTAL2, and Necator americanus Ancylostoma-secreted protein-2 (Na-ASP-2), following concurrent …

Htlv Tax: A Fascinating Multifunctional Co-Regulator Of Viral And Cellular Pathways, Robert Currer, Rachel Van Duyne, Elizabeth Jaworski, Irene Guendel, Gavin Sampey, Ravi Das, Aarthi Narayanan, Fatah Kashanchi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has been identified as the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The virus infects between 15 and 20 million people worldwide of which approximately 2–5% develop ATL. The past 35 years of research have yielded significant insight into the pathogenesis of HTLV-1, including the molecular characterization of Tax, the viral transactivator, and oncoprotein. In spite of these efforts, the mechanisms of oncogenesis of this pleiotropic protein remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, we illustrate the multiple oncogenic roles of Tax by summarizing a recent …

Transcriptional Responses Of In Vivo Praziquantel Exposure In Schistosomes Identifies A Functional Role For Calcium Signalling Pathway Member Camkii, Hong You, Donald P. Mcmanus, Wei Hu, Michael J. Smout, Paul J. Brindley, Geoffrey N. Gobert

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Treatment for clinical schistosomiasis has relied centrally on the broad spectrum anthelmintic praziquantel; however, there is limited information on its mode of action or the molecular response of the parasite. This paper presents a transcriptional and functional approach to defining the molecular responses of schistosomes to praziquantel. Differential gene expression in Schistosoma japonicum was investigated by transcriptome-wide microarray analysis of adult worms perfused from infected mice after 0.5 to 24 hours after oral administration of sub-lethal doses of praziquantel. Genes up-regulated initially in male parasites were associated with “Tegument/Muscle Repair” and “Lipid/Ion Regulation” functions and were followed by “Drug Resistance” …

Thrombospondin-1 Signaling Through Cd47 Inhibits Self-Renewal By Regulating C-Myc And Other Stem Cell Transcription Factors, Sukhbir Kaur, David R. Soto-Pantoja, Erica V. Stein, Chengyu Liu, Abdel G. Elkahloun, Michael L. Pendrak, Alina Nicolae, Satya P. Singh, Zuqin Nie, David Levens, Jeffrey S. Isenberg, David D. Roberts

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Signaling through the thrombospondin-1 receptor CD47 broadly limits cell and tissue survival of stress, but the molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. We now show that loss of CD47 permits sustained proliferation of primary murine endothelial cells, increases asymmetric division, and enables these cells to spontaneously reprogram to form multipotent embryoid body-like clusters. c-Myc, Klf4, Oct4, and Sox2 expression is elevated in CD47-null endothelial cells, in several tissues of CD47- and thrombospondin-1-null mice, and in a human T cell line lacking CD47. CD47 knockdown acutely increases mRNA levels of c-Myc and other stem cell transcription factors in cells and in vivo, …

Cd56negcd16+ Nk Cells Are Activated Mature Nk Cells With Impaired Effector Function During Hiv-1 Infection, Jeffrey M. Milush, Sandra López-Vergès, Vanessa A. York, Steven G. Deeks, Jeffrey N. Martin, Frederick M. Hecht, Lewis L. Lanier, Douglas F. Nixon

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: A subset of CD3(neg)CD56(neg)CD16⁺ Natural Killer (NK) cells is highly expanded during chronic HIV-1 infection. The role of this subset in HIV-1 pathogenesis remains unclear. The lack of NK cell lineage-specific markers has complicated the study of minor NK cell subpopulations.

RESULTS: Using CD7 as an additional NK cell marker, we found that CD3(neg)CD56(neg)CD16⁺ cells are a heterogeneous population comprised of CD7⁺ NK cells and CD7(neg) non-classical myeloid cells. CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells are significantly expanded in HIV-1 infection. CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells are mature and express KIRs, the C-type lectin-like receptors NKG2A and NKG2C, and natural cytotoxicity receptors similar to …

A Syndromic Approach To Emergency Department Surveillance For Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Larissa S. May, Marcus Rennick, Leah Gustafson, Julia Gunn

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Objective

We sought to describe the epidemiology of emergency department (ED) visits for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) in an urban area with diverse neighborhood populations using syndromic surveillance system data for the time period from 2007–2011. Our aims were threefold: to demonstrate a proof of concept using syndromic surveillance for SSTI surveillance in the absence of laboratory data, to estimate the burden of ED visits associated with SSTI, and to determine potential geographic “hotspots” for these infections.

Introduction

The incidence of and hospitalizations for SSTI have steadily increased over the last decade in the United States, primarily due …

Health And Equity In New Hampshire: 2013 Report Card, New Hampshire Center For Public Policy Studies, Steve Norton, Executive Director, Dennis Delay, Economist

Manchester Research Group

Analysis of key health disparities among New Hampshire's minority populations.

Backward Bifurcation And Optimal Control Of A Vector Borne Disease, Abid Ali Lashari, Khalid Hattaf, Gul Zaman, Xue-Zhi Li

Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences

This paper deals with a simple mathematical model for the transmission dynamics of a vector-borne disease that incorporates both direct and indirect transmission. The model is analyzed using dynamical systems techniques and it reveals the backward bifurcation to occur for some range of parameters. In such cases, the reproduction number does not describe the necessary elimination effort of disease rather the effort is described by the value of the critical parameter at the turning point. The model is extended to assess the impact of some control measures, by re-formulating the model as an optimal control problem with density-dependent demographic parameters. …

Age Matters:  Young T Lymphocytes Offer Better Protection From Myeloma Proliferation, Alexander F. Glick, Yan S. Song, Brian Hwang, John Lillvis, Pat Zanzonico, Camil Fuchs, Roger N Pearse, Paul Szabo, Marc E. Weksler

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

The incidence and growth of cancer has been reported to increase with age and/or impaired T lymphocyte function.

Results

Consistent with these observations, we found that a monoclonal serum immunoglobulin (mIgG2b), rarely detectable after the injection of 5T33 murine multiple myeloma (MMM) cells into 3–4 month old wild-type C57BL/6 mice was seen more frequently in 18–20 month old wild-type C57BL/6 mice and in 3–4 month old Rag1-deficient C57BL/6 mice. These observations were confirmed and extended using more sensitive assays such as quantitation of splenic mRNA specific for the canonical 5T33 monoclonal IgG2b produced by 5T33 myeloma cells and …

Enhancing Communication Between Scientists, Government Officials, And The Lay Public: Advancing Science And Protecting The Public's Welfare Through Better Multi-Stakeholder Interfacing, Clark J. Lee, Patrick P. Rose, Earl Stoddard Iii

Homeland Security Publications

No abstract provided.