The interleukin 8 gene single-nucleotide polymorphism rs4073/-251T >A predisposes to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), but this association has not been independently validated. In this study, ...we were unable to replicate this association in either a white cohort or by meta-analysis, suggesting that rs4073/-251T >A is unlikely to constitute a major risk factor for CDI.
iThis book explains how the U.S. federal system manages environmental health issues, with a unique focus on risk management and human health outcomes.
Building on a generic approach for understanding ...human health risk, this book shows how federalism has evolved in response to environmental health problems, political and ideological variations in Washington D.C., as well as in-state and local governments. It examines laws, rules, and regulations, showing how they stretch or fail to adapt to environmental health challenges. Emphasis is placed on human health and safety risk and how decisions have been influenced by environmental health information. The authors review different forms of federalism, and analyze how it has had to adapt to ever evolving environmental health hazards, such as global climate change, nanomaterials, nuclear waste, fresh air and water, as well as examining the impact of robotics and artificial intelligence on worker environmental health. They demonstrate the process for assessing hazard information and the process for federalism risk management, subsequently arguing that human health and safety should receive greater attention.
This book will be essential reading for students and scholars working on environmental health and environmental policy, particularly from a public health and risk management viewpoint, in addition to practitioners and policymakers involved in environmental management and public policy.
Abstract Background Roundworm has a worldwide incidence of 25% of the population and biliary ascariasis accounts for 10–17% of all cases of roundworm infestation, predominantly in developing ...countries in tropical and subtropical climates. In the bile duct, it causes pyogenic cholangitis (stenosis and pigmented stones), cholecystitis, pancreatitis and liver abscesses. Clinical cases We present the cases of three patients who showed symptoms of biliary disease. Only one of the three cases had imaging data (ultrasound) compatible with biliary ascariasis. However the other two cases had biliary disease mimicking cholecystitis and cholangitis and diagnosis was confirmed at the time of surgical exploration. Conclusions The management of biliary ascariasis rests on three main pillars according to severity. It starts with medical management, followed by endoscopic if the conservative option fails, and finally surgical management in selected cases, with a favourable prognosis in the majority of patients.
Abstract Introduction Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common surgeries performed worldwide by general surgeons. More than 750,000 inguinal hernia repairs are performed each year in the ...United States. Complications of inguinal or femoral hernia are relatively rare, depending on the clinical circumstances in which the patient is admitted to the operating room and the type of hernia. The complications are classified as: intraoperative, short term and long term. Arterial lesions are the rarest but most dangerous. Objective To describe surgical techniques used to repair injuries to the external iliac artery during an inguinal hernia repair that is reproducible by general surgeons. Materials and methods A case report of an intraoperative external iliac artery injury is presented in which is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft was used over the length of the lesion. Different techniques may be used for revascularisation: autogenous vein graft, synthetic grafts, revascularisation with ipsilateral or contralateral internal iliac artery and femoro-femoral crossover graft. Conclusion The surgical technique using PTFE grafts is effective for repairing arterial injuries and it results in timely revascularisation that promotes satisfactory progress.
Platelets are the chief effector cells in hemostasis. However, recent evidence suggests that platelets have multiple roles in host defense against infection. Reports by us and others showed that ...platelets functionally contribute to protection against
Staphylococcus aureus
(
S. aureus
) infection. In the current study, the capacity of mouse platelets to participate in host defense against
S. aureus
infection was determined by assessing two possibilities. First, we determined the ability of platelets to kill
S. aureus
directly; and second, we tested the possibility that platelets enhance macrophage phagocytosis and intracellular killing of
S. aureus
. We report here evidence in support of both mechanisms. Platelets effectively killed two different strains of
S. aureus.
A clinical isolate of methicillin resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) was killed by platelets (>40% killing in 2 h) in a thrombin-dependent manner while a methicillin sensitive strain (MSSA) was killed to equal extent but did not require thrombin. Interestingly, thrombin-stimulated platelets also significantly enhanced peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis of both MRSA and MSSA by >70%, and restricted intracellular growth by >40%. Enhancement of macrophage anti-
S. aureus
activities is independent of contact with platelets but is mediated through releasable products, namely IL-1β. These data confirm our hypothesis that platelets participate in host defense against
S. aureus
both through direct killing of
S. aureus
and enhancing the antimicrobial function of macrophages in protection against
S. aureus
infection.
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