Antimicrobial susceptibility of respiratory Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from pediatric respiratory tract infections

BACKGROUND: Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is the most frequent bacterial pathogen of respiratory tract infections in children. Detection of antimicrobial susceptibility of H. influenzae is necessary for institution of appropriate antibiotic treatments. METHODS: A total of 281 strains of H. influenzae isolated from sputum samples of 281 pediatric patients with respiratory tract infections were recruited for study. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by assessing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of antimicrobial agents. MIC were measured by utility of Agar dilution susceptibility test. RESULTS: Of the total, 38 (13.5%) strains produced beta-lactamase (BLP), 56 (19.9%) strains were beta-lactamase non-producing, ampicillin resistant (BLNAR). The overall resistant proportion to ampicillin was 33.4%. The data indicated that sulbactam/ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone and cefditoren are effective against BLP strains. In addition, a high prevalence of BLNAR H. influenzae strains was identified, with an overall isolation rate of 19.9%. Those strains mainly demonstrated intermediate level to ampicillin (ampicillin-MIC 相似文献   

Prevalence and intensity of Cephalobium microbivorum (Nematoda: Diplogasterida) infection in three species of Gryllus field crickets

Here we report on the results of a survey for nematode parasites in three species of field cricket, Gryllus integer, Gryllus lineaticeps, and an undescribed Gryllus species. The nematode, Cephalobium microbivorum, was recovered from the intestine of the crickets. To our knowledge, this paper is just one of two to report on the biology of C. microbivorum. This nematode was first described from the cricket, Gryllus assimilis. It has not been documented in any other Gryllus species to date. G. integer were collected from two locations: Aguila, Arizona and Davis, California. G. lineaticeps were collected from Davis, CA and an undescribed species of Gryllus cricket was collected from Aguila, AZ. Results of the survey revealed the presence of nematodes in all three species of Gryllus, at all collection sites. The intensity of infection ranged from 1 to 113 nematodes.     

The impact of a Housing First intervention and health-related risk factors on incarceration among people with experiences of homelessness and mental illness in Canada

ObjectiveTo examine the effect of a Housing First (HF) intervention and health-related risk factors on incarceration among adults with experiences of homelessness and mental illness.MethodsParticipants (N = 508) were recruited at the Toronto site of the At Home/Chez Soi study. The outcome was incarceration in Ontario from 2009 to 2014. Exposures were intervention group (HF vs. treatment as usual), Axis I mental health diagnoses, emergency department (ED) visit, and history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between exposures and incarceration.ResultsOf 508 participants, 220 (43.3%) were incarcerated at least once during the study period. Among those incarcerated, 81.9% were male, 52.7% had been diagnosed with alcohol dependence/abuse, 60.9% had been diagnosed with substance dependence/abuse, 65.1% reported having visited an ED within the last 6 months, and 66.4% had a history of TBI. After adjusting for demographic covariates, substance dependence/abuse (aOR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.40, 3.03), alcohol dependence/abuse (aOR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.22), ED visit (aOR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.32), and history of TBI (aOR: 2.60; 95% CI: 1.75, 3.85) were associated with incarceration. We found no significant effect of the HF intervention on incarceration outcome (aOR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.55).ConclusionsAmong adults with experiences of homelessness and severe mental illness, those with substance and alcohol dependence/abuse disorders, history of TBI, and recent ED visits were at increased odds of incarceration. Strategies are needed to prevent and reduce incarceration for this population, including treatment of mental illness in the community.Supplementary InformationThe online version of this article (10.17269/s41997-020-00433-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Analysis of the genes involved in the insulin transmembrane mitogenic signal in Chinese hamster ovary cells, CHO-K1, utilizing insulin-independent mutants.

CHO-K1 cells, wild type (WT), grow in a defined medium with insulin as the only essential hormone. When starved for insulin, these cells accumulate in G0/G1 stage. Insulin binding to its receptor stimulates DNA synthesis and cell division and induces an increase in abundance of mRNA for c-fos, c-jun, Krox-20, Krox-24 (zif/268), fra-1, jun-B, c-myc, and JE. The kinetics of induction of these genes are similar to that shown with serum induction of 3T3. These genes show maximum stimulation at insulin concentrations of 20, 160, or 320 ng/ml and their expression is inhibited at higher concentrations. The addition of cycloheximide results in superinduction. The WT and insulin-independent mutants show no detectable signal for KC, fos-b, or nur77 and no increase over the basal level of pI-15, probably eliminating these genes as participants in the insulin mitogenic signal. These mutants synthesize DNA in the absence of insulin at rates that vary from 4 to 12 times that of the quiescent (insulin unstimulated) WT and are further inducible by insulin. The mutants have "constitutive" levels of Krox-24 (zif/268), fra-1, jun-B, c-myc, and JE (INS-type 2 genes) mRNAs that vary from mutant to mutant, reaching a maximum of an 8-fold increase for fra-1 and JE over the quiescent WT levels. There were no detectable levels of mRNA for genes c-fos and Krox-20 and no increase in level of mRNA for c-jun (INS-type 1 genes) as compared to the quiescent WT. Thus, although these INS-type 1 and type 2 genes may be involved in the full insulin mitogenic signal, the constitutive up-regulation of only genes in INS-type 2 is sufficient for insulin-independent DNA synthesis and cell division. Analysis of hybrids constructed between WT and mutant 27 indicate that the mutant phenotype is recessive, pointing to the existence of a regulatory gene producing a negative regulator.     

Focused Cardiac Ultrasonography: Current Applications and Future Directions

Focused cardiac ultrasonography is performed by clinicians at the bedside and is used in time‐sensitive scenarios to evaluate a patient's cardiovascular status when comprehensive echocardiography is not immediately available. This simplified cardiac ultrasonography is often performed by noncardiologists using small, portable devices to augment the physical examination, triage patients, and direct management in both critical care and outpatient settings. However, as the use of focused cardiac ultrasonography continues to expand, careful consideration is required regarding training, scope of practice, impact on patient outcomes, and medicolegal implications. In this review, we examine some of the challenges with rapid uptake of this technique and explore the benefits and potential risk of focused cardiac ultrasonography. We propose possible mechanisms for cross‐specialty collaboration, quality improvement, and oversight.