An interprofessional approach to reducing hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infections

BackgroundClostridioides difficile is the most prevalent hospital-onset (HO) infection. There are significant financial and safety impacts associated with HO-C. difficile infections (HO-CDIs) for both patients and health care organizations. The incidence of HO-CDIs at our community hospital within an academic acute health care system was continuously above the national benchmark.MethodsIn response to the high HO-CDI rates at our facility, an interprofessional team selected evidence-based interventions with the goal of reducing HO-CDI incidence rates. Interventions included: diagnostic stewardship, enhanced environmental cleaning, antimicrobial stewardship and education and accountability.ResultsAfter one year, we achieved a 63% reduction in HO-CDI and have sustained a 77% reduction. The infection rate remained below national benchmark for HO-CDI for over 4 years at a rate of 2.80 per 10,000 patient days and a SIR of 0.43 in 2020.DiscussionMultiple evidence-based interventions were successfully implemented over several service lines over a 4-year period through the collaboration of an interprofessional team. The addition of an accountability processes further improved compliance with standards of practice.ConclusionsCollaboration of an interprofessional team led to substantial and sustained reductions in HO-CDI.     

Implantable vaccine development using in vitro antigen-pulsed macrophages absorbed on laser micro-structured Si scaffolds

To overcome the limiting antigenic repertoire of protein sub-units and the side effects of adjuvants applied in second generation vaccines, the present work combined in vitro and in vivo manipulations to develop biomaterials allowing natural antigen-loading and presentation in vitro and further activation of the immune response in vivo. 3-dimensional laser micro-textured implantable Si-scaffolds supported mouse macrophage adherence, allowed natural seeding with human serum albumin (antigen) and specific antibody and inflammatory cytokine production in vitro. Implantation of Si-scaffolds loaded with antigen-activated macrophages induced an inflammatory reaction along with antigen-specific antibody production in vivo, which could be detected even 30 days post implantation. Analysis of implant histology using scanning electron microscopy showed that Si-scaffolds could be stable for a 6-month period. Such technology leads to personalized implantable vaccines, opening novel areas of research and treatment.     

基于微信公众号的医疗信息服务系统研究

本文主要介绍了基于微信公众平台开发医疗信息服务系统的意义和实现过程。该系统包括微官网和微医网,为患者提供丰富的医院静态信息、动态信息查询服务;提供预约挂号及查询服务。该系统的使用,简化了就医流程,使患者在手机上操作就可以感受到实时的医疗服务,提高了患者的就医满意度。     

儿童饮食行为干预工具在上海市浦东新区1～4岁饮食行为问题儿童中的应用

目的评估儿童饮食行为干预工具对儿童饮食行为问题的干预效果。方法收集1~4岁不良饮食行为儿童205名,随机分为干预组和对照组,分别使用儿童饮食行为干预工具和临床常规处理方法干预12个月。干预过程中共进行6次随访,每次均记录饮食行为评分,进行前后比较和组间比较。结果干预后两组儿童饮食行为评分均显著下降,干预组下降更明显。1岁~组和2岁~组干预效果优于3岁~组和4岁~组。干预组"对某种食物特别偏好"、"不良进食习惯"和"害怕进食"症状改善更明显,"精力充沛胃口差"、"对某种食物特别偏好"和"不良进食习惯"症状改善最快。结论与目前常规处理方法相比,儿童饮食行为干预工具能更有效改善儿童不良饮食行为,具有推广价值。     

Hyaluronan heterogeneity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Primary tumors compared to sites of metastasis

BackgroundPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive cancers with poor survival. The dense desmoplastic stroma in PDAC contributes to treatment resistance. Among the components comprising the tumor stroma, hyaluronan (HA) has been demonstrated to play a critical role in tumor progression and survival. Previous preliminary studies have suggested differences in HA expression in primary and metastatic foci of PDAC. However, the effects of treatment and location of HA expression as a biomarker signature remain unknown; this study sought to compare HA expression in primary and metastatic sites of PDAC.MethodsTissue from primary and metastatic PDACs were obtained from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center along with associated clinical data. Tissue slides were stained for H&E, HA, and CD44. Associations between HA levels and the evaluated variables were examined including progression free survival and overall survival.ResultsHA score was significantly higher in primary PDACs compared to sites of metastases (p = 0.0148). Within the metastases, HA score was significantly higher in liver metastases compared to metastases at other sites (p = 0.0478). In the treatment-naive liver metastasis cohort, patients with HA high status had decreased progression free survival and overall survival compared to patients with HA low status (p = 0.0032 and p = 0.0478, respectively).ConclusionsHA score is variable between primary PDAC, PDAC metastatic to the liver, and PDAC metastatic to other sites. Within liver metastases, patients with HA high status had decreased progression free survival and overall survival compared to patients with HA low status. HA levels can serve as a potential biomarker to guide pancreatic cancer treatments and trial design for agents targeting the stroma.     

Sudden and unexpected deaths due to non-traumatic abdominal disorders: A forensic perspective

Sudden and unexpected deaths due to non-traumatic abdominal disorders are a disregarded topic in the forensic field. These conditions are very heterogenous, accounting for 1–5% of sudden deaths. Specifically, acute gastrointestinal hemorrhages, bowel obstructions, liver cirrhosis, and necrotizing pancreatitis are frequently reported, whereas there are also unusual conditions which deserve careful analysis. Furthermore, the postmortem examinations of such disorders are not straightforward in the forensic setting since advanced putrefaction of the body, alleged medical malpractice, or the absence of any medical records could complicate autopsy procedures. Thus, the use of forensic histopathology, toxicology, microbiology, and postmortem radiology may help the pathologists to identify the abdominal cause of death. In this paper, the authors aim to discuss most of congenital and acquired abdominal conditions that have resulted in sudden and unexpected deaths. Hence, the discussion of the pathological features of each abdominal organ or system is prefaced with practical examples from caseworks of the Milan Institute of Legal Medicine. However, this paper also shows an extensive literature review with selected medicolegal articles to detailly describe the lethal mechanisms related to each condition, along with any associated risk factors or other diseases. Finally, each section shows a focus on either novel forensic approach (when available) or medicolegal implications, such as the use of postmortem radiology, peculiar histopathologic findings, or allegations in medical malpractices.     

Patho-mechanical comparative morpho-characterization of contre-coup injuries of liver by cadaveric experimental simulation for medico-legal and forensic implications

BackgroundLiver is the most common organ to get injured in cases of blunt force trauma to the abdomen (BFTA). It is the 2nd commonest organ after brain to sustain injuries out of all the trauma related fatalities. However, the literature about contre-coup injuries to the liver due to BFTA is scarce in-spite of the high mortality rates seen out of injury to this particular organ.PurposeThe authors intended to systematize the characteristic morphogenesis of the contre-coup injuries of the liver on the basis of the patho-mechanics involved in various types of BFTA.MethodologyOne hundred and sixty three cases of BFTA were identified, and interpretation was attempted for the contre-coup rupture of the liver seen in twenty out of all the trauma related fatalities that presented for post-mortem examination during the study period. However, the mechanics of the pattern of the rupture injuries to the liver were indiscernible. This motivated the authors to conduct the comparative characterization of injuries to the liver by experimental simulation of BFTA after necessary permission via inflicting pre-calculated forces on unclaimed cadavers.ResultsThe patterns of contre-coup rupture/s of liver were established in all the twenty out of one sixty-three cases of BFTA. The rupture depicted patterns of injury in the situations of - 1) strong hits with a limited surface trauma, 2) very strong hits with a generalized surface trauma, 3) and collision with a solid surface resulting due to fall onto the side of the abdomen. The causative mechanism discerned was deformation of the liver, followed by its parenchymal rupture due to the shear and strain types of force/s consequent upon tissue compression. The minimum force and energy of impact required for the liver to rupture was estimated to be 2000 N and 141.5 J.ConclusionThis series of the simulation experiments revealed two variants of liver rupture in the contre-coup impact zone. The pattern of injury was maintained in cases, those studied at post-mortem examinations, but the relief ruptures were found to vary depending upon the overall mechanics of the traumatic forces involved in the simulation experiments performed on the cadavers. The anti-shock ruptures were formed during shock trauma, and shockproof ruptures were not seen in cases of underlying compressive forces. The morphogenetic characterization of the relief rupture surface of the liver was also delineated in relation to its surface orientation to the spine on the basis of the terms “large” and “very large” depicting the quantum of force/s delivered out of an impact or blow.