We assessed the determinants of mortality in infective endocarditis (IE), using the national hospital discharge databases (HDD) in 2011.
IE stays were extracted from the national HDD, with a ...definition based on IE-related diagnosis codes. This definition has been assessed according to Duke criteria by checking a sample of medical charts of IE giving a predictive positive value of 86.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 82.7% - 89.5%). The impact of heart valve surgery on survival has been studied if performed during the initial stay, and over the year of follow-up. Risk factors of in-hospital mortality were identified using logistic regression model for the initial stay and Cox Time-dependent model for the 1-year mortality.
The analysis included 6,235 patients. The annual incidence of definite IEs was 63 cases/million residents. Staphylococci and Streptococci were the most common bacteria (44% and 45%, respectively). A valvular surgery was performed in 20% of cases, but substantial variations existed between hospitals. The in-hospital mortality was 21% (ranging 12% to 27% according to the region of patients), associated with age>70, chronic liver disease, renal failure, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa or candida infection and strokes whereas valvular surgery, a native valve IE or intraveinous drug use (right heart IE) were significantly protective for an initial death. The same factors were associated with the one-year mortality, except for valvular surgery which was associated with a 1.4-fold higher risk of death during the year post IE.
We reported a high IE incidence rate. Valvular surgery was considerably less frequent in this study than in the previous published data (near 50%) whereas mortality was similar. Surgery was associated with higher survival if undergone within the initial stay. There were significant regional differences in frequency of surgery but it did not impact mortality.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a neuroinvasive human pathogen that has the ability to infect and replicate within epithelial cells and neurons and establish a life-long latent infection in ...sensory neurons. HSV-1 depends on the host cellular cytoskeleton for entry, replication, and exit. Therefore, HSV-1 has adapted mechanisms to promote its survival by exploiting the microtubule and actin cytoskeletons to direct its active transport, infection, and spread between neurons and epithelial cells during primary and recurrent infections. This review will focus on the currently known mechanisms utilized by HSV-1 to harness the neuronal cytoskeleton, molecular motors, and the secretory and exocytic pathways for efficient virus entry, axonal transport, replication, assembly, and exit from the distinct functional compartments (cell body and axon) of the highly polarized sensory neurons.
The ALICE data acquisition system Carena, F.; Carena, W.; Chapeland, S. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
03/2014, Letnik:
741
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In this paper we describe the design, the construction, the commissioning and the operation of the Data Acquisition (DAQ) and Experiment Control Systems (ECS) of the ALICE experiment at the CERN ...Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The DAQ and the ECS are the systems used respectively for the acquisition of all physics data and for the overall control of the experiment. They are two computing systems made of hundreds of PCs and data storage units interconnected via two networks. The collection of experimental data from the detectors is performed by several hundreds of high-speed optical links.
We describe in detail the design considerations for these systems handling the extreme data throughput resulting from central lead ions collisions at LHC energy. The implementation of the resulting requirements into hardware (custom optical links and commercial computing equipment), infrastructure (racks, cooling, power distribution, control room), and software led to many innovative solutions which are described together with a presentation of all the major components of the systems, as currently realized. We also report on the performance achieved during the first period of data taking (from 2009 to 2013) often exceeding those specified in the DAQ Technical Design Report.
A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) is the heavy-ion detector designed to study the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The ...online Data Quality Monitoring (DQM) plays an essential role in the experiment operation by providing shifters with immediate feedback on the data being recorded in order to quickly identify and overcome problems. An immediate access to the DQM results is needed not only by shifters in the control room but also by detector experts worldwide. As a consequence, a new web application has been developed to dynamically display and manipulate the ROOT-based objects produced by the DQM system in a flexible and user friendly interface. The architecture and design of the tool, its main features and the technologies that were used, both on the server and the client side, are described. In particular, we detail how we took advantage of the most recent ROOT JavaScript I O and web server library to give interactive access to ROOT objects stored in a database. We describe as well the use of modern web techniques and packages such as AJAX, DHTMLX and jQuery, which has been instrumental in the successful implementation of a reactive and efficient application. We finally present the resulting application and how code quality was ensured. We conclude with a roadmap for future technical and functional developments.
Purpose
Few series describe the clinical spectrum of
Fusobacterium
spp. infections. Among them, fewer discuss
F. nucleatum
, even though there are many clinical cases.
Methods
We performed a ...retrospective study over 8 years (from 2007 to 2014) in Limoges University Hospital, France, to assess clinical and bacteriological aspects of infections due to
F. nucleatum
.
Results
Eighty-one patients with
F. nucleatum
positive cultures were included in this study, irrespective of sample origin. Abscesses (
n
= 43), bacteraemia (
n
= 18) and bone infections (
n
= 8) were the most common types of infections, Abscesses were found in various organs (mostly skin, brain, pleura, liver). Co-morbidities were found in 38 patients (47 %) with neoplasia, diabetes, and alcoholism and history of smoking. There were more neoplasms in patients with bacteraemia than in patients with abscesses (
p
= 0.007). In 51 cases (65.4 %), infection was polymicrobial, either during bacteraemia or abscesses. Main associations were with
Streptococcus
spp.,
Peptostreptococcus
spp. and/or
Prevotella
spp. The sources of infection, when found, were either dental or gastrointestinal. All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, clindamycin and metronidazole.
Conclusions
Infections involving
F. nucleatum
are uncommon and potentially severe, with many abscesses requiring surgery. Bacteraemia was mainly associated with co-morbidities such as cancer. Polymicrobial infections were very common and there is probably interaction and/or synergy between
F. nucleatum
and some other commensal bacteria to cause infections and abscesses.
Purpose We report the preliminary results of endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children using polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer. Material and Methods We performed a prospective ...multicenter review of pediatric patients treated with subureteral injection of a new nonabsorbable substance. Only patients with 1 year of followup were included. Results A total of 83 patients underwent injection of polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer at our institutions between 2005 and 2006. Among this group 18 males and 43 females with a median age of 58 months (range 9 months to 18 years) completed 1 year of followup. Reflux was bilateral in 27 patients (44.3%) and unilateral in 34 (55.7%). Number of injected ureters was 88. Reflux grade was V in 3 ureters (3.4%), IV in 12 (13.6%), III in 41 (46.6%) and II in 32 (36.4%). Mean ± SD injected volume per unit was 0.76 ± 0.43 ml. Median followup was 20 months (range 16 to 24). Complications after injection included dysuria in 6 patients (9.8%), fever in 3 (4.9%) and lumbar pain in 4 (6.6%). Reflux was eliminated in 78 renal units (88.6%), decreased to grade I in 6 (6.8%) and persisted in 4 (4.5%). Ureteral obstruction developed in 1 patient and was treated operatively. Overall success rate was 83.6%. Conclusions Polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer can be used to treat vesicoureteral reflux with comparable efficacy to other substances currently used, with a low rate of complications.
Modification of the human genome has immense potential for preventing or treating disease. Modern genome editing techniques based on CRISPR/Cas9 show great promise for altering disease-relevant ...genes. The efficacy of precision editing at CRISPR/Cas9-induced double-strand breaks is dependent on the relative activities of nuclear DNA repair pathways, including the homology-directed repair and error-prone non-homologous end-joining pathways. The competition between multiple DNA repair pathways generates mosaic and/or therapeutically undesirable editing outcomes. Importantly, genetic models have validated key DNA repair pathways as druggable targets for increasing editing efficacy. In this review, we highlight approaches that can be used to achieve the desired genome modification, including the latest progress using small molecule modulators and engineered CRISPR/Cas proteins to enhance precision editing.
Although ACE2 is the primary receptor for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, a systematic assessment of host factors that regulate binding to SARS-CoV-2 spike ...protein has not been described. Here, we use whole-genome CRISPR activation to identify host factors controlling cellular interactions with SARS-CoV-2. Our top hit was a TLR-related cell surface receptor called leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 15 (LRRC15). LRRC15 expression was sufficient to promote SARS-CoV-2 spike binding where they form a cell surface complex. LRRC15 mRNA is expressed in human collagen-producing lung myofibroblasts and LRRC15 protein is induced in severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection where it can be found lining the airways. Mechanistically, LRRC15 does not itself support SARS-CoV-2 infection, but fibroblasts expressing LRRC15 can suppress both pseudotyped and authentic SARS-CoV-2 infection in trans. Moreover, LRRC15 expression in fibroblasts suppresses collagen production and promotes expression of IFIT, OAS, and MX-family antiviral factors. Overall, LRRC15 is a novel SARS-CoV-2 spike-binding receptor that can help control viral load and regulate antiviral and antifibrotic transcriptional programs in the context of COVID-19 infection.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK