Effects of temperature on emergence and seasonality of West Nile virus in California

Temperature has played a critical role in the spatiotemporal dynamics of West Nile virus transmission throughout California from its introduction in 2003 through establishment by 2009. We compared two novel mechanistic measures of transmission risk, the temperature-dependent ratio of virus extrinsic incubation period to the mosquito gonotrophic period (BT), and the fundamental reproductive ratio (R(0)) based on a mathematical model, to analyze spatiotemporal patterns of receptivity to viral amplification. Maps of BT and R(0) were created at 20-km scale and compared throughout California to seroconversions in sentinel chicken flocks at half-month intervals. Overall, estimates of BT and R(0) agreed with intensity of transmission measured by the frequency of sentinel chicken seroconversions. Mechanistic measures such as these are important for understanding how temperature affects the spatiotemporal dynamics of West Nile virus transmission and for delineating risk estimates useful to inform vector control agency intervention decisions and communicate outbreak potential.     

Brucellosis among Hospitalized Febrile Patients in Northern Tanzania

Acute and convalescent serum samples were collected from febrile inpatients identified at two hospitals in Moshi, Tanzania. Confirmed brucellosis was defined as a positive blood culture or a ≥ 4-fold increase in microagglutination test titer, and probable brucellosis was defined as a single reciprocal titer ≥ 160. Among 870 participants enrolled in the study, 455 (52.3%) had paired sera available. Of these, 16 (3.5%) met criteria for confirmed brucellosis. Of 830 participants with ≥ 1 serum sample, 4 (0.5%) met criteria for probable brucellosis. Brucellosis was associated with increased median age (P = 0.024), leukopenia (odds ratio [OR] 7.8, P = 0.005), thrombocytopenia (OR 3.9, P = 0.018), and evidence of other zoonoses (OR 3.2, P = 0.026). Brucellosis was never diagnosed clinically, and although all participants with brucellosis received antibacterials or antimalarials in the hospital, no participant received standard brucellosis treatment. Brucellosis is an underdiagnosed and untreated cause of febrile disease among hospitalized adult and pediatric patients in northern Tanzania.     

Role of the IGF axis in prostate cancer

The major issue currently being faced in the management of prostate cancer is the inability to distinguish between indolent prostate tumors that will not present clinically from more aggressive and metastatic prostate cancers that will impact on men's lives. Only a small proportion of prostate cancers can be accounted for by unmistakable hereditary cancer syndromes and the predominant contribution to the progression of most sporadic cancers is thought to be environmental, with nutrition having the greatest influence. Population studies have clearly implicated metabolic factors as contributors to disease progression and poor response to therapy. It is well established that the IGF system is key in regulating growth and metabolism and mediates the effects of nutrition on these processes. It consists of two ligands (IGF-I and IGF-II), two receptors [type 1 IGF-IR and IGF-II/mannose 6-phosphate receptor], and six high affinity IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP-1 to -6). This review provides evidence from in vitro, in vivo, clinical and epidemiology studies that indicates an important role for the IGF axis in the development of prostate cancer and the likely role that it plays in mediating the effects of nutrition on disease progression. We suggest that the IGF axis is central to understanding how lifestyle impacts on prostate cancer and we highlight this by describing numerous strategies being developed to target this axis.     

Variety of Self-Injury: Is the Number of Different Methods of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Related to Personality,Psychopathology, or Functions of Self-Injury?

This study explored the association between number of methods of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) and personality, psychopathology, and functions of NSSI. Two combined undergraduate samples reporting a history of NSSI (n = 149) completed measures of personality, psychopathology, and NSSI. A series of regression analyses indicated that Conscientiousness, Openness, and two functions of NSSI (i.e., Automatic Negative Reinforcement and Social Negative Reinforcement) shared significant relationships with the number of NSSI methods participants engaged in. These findings demonstrate that, after accounting for NSSI frequency, a relationship exists among specific personality factors, NSSI functions, and engagement in additional methods of NSSI.     

A unique presentation and rare pathological finding for urachal sinus

We report an otherwise well developing 2-year-old girl who presented with a urachal sinus with its opening located at the midline between umbilicus and the pubic symphysis. Diagnosis was made by ultrasound preoperatively, and confirmed during surgery. Additionally, columnar epithelium was found in the portion of sinus tract traversing the abdominal wall. Metaplasia of the sinus tract is worrisome, as urachal carcinomas have been traditionally characterized to result from this process.