Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) is one of four ebolaviruses known to cause disease in humans. Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreaks occurred in 2007–2008 in Bundibugyo District, Uganda, and in 2012 in ...Isiro, Province Orientale, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 2012 BVD outbreak resulted in 38 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection, 13 of whom died. However, only 4 BDBV specimens from the 2012 outbreak have been sequenced. Here, we provide BDBV sequences from seven additional patients. Analysis of the molecular epidemiology and evolutionary dynamics of the 2012 outbreak with these additional isolates challenges the current hypothesis that the outbreak was the result of a single spillover event. In addition, one patient record indicates that BDBV’s initial emergence in Isiro occurred 50 days earlier than previously accepted. Collectively, this work demonstrates how retrospective sequencing can be used to elucidate outbreak origins and provide epidemiological contexts to a medically relevant pathogen.
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In 2012, BDBV was circulating earlier than previously appreciatedBDBV genomes from seven additional patients are sequencedMolecular analyses indicate that multiple spillover events fueled the BVD outbreak
Elucidation of the epidemiology underlying the 2012 Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been challenging. Hulseberg et al. acquire additional genomic and phylodynamic data indicating that multiple Bundibugyo virus spillover events, some of which occurred much earlier than previously known, contributed to the outbreak.
We previously reported that pegylated interferon-α−2a (Peg-IFN-α2a) added to antiretroviral therapy (ART)-suppressed HIV-infected subjects resulted in plasma HIV control and integrated HIV DNA ...decrease. We now evaluated whether innate NK cell activity or PBMC transcriptional profiles were associated with decreases in HIV measures. Human peripheral blood was analyzed prior to Peg-IFN-α2a administration (ART, baseline), after 5 weeks of ART+Peg-IFN-α2a, and after 12 weeks of Peg-IFN-α2a monotherapy (primary endpoint). After 5 weeks of ART+Peg-IFN-α2a, immune subsets frequency was preserved, and induction of IFN-stimulated gene (ISGs) was noted in all subjects except for a subset where the lack of ISGs induction was associated with increased expression of miRNAs. Viral control during Peg-IFN-α2a monotherapy was associated with a) higher levels of NK cell activity and IFN-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10) on ART (pre-immunotherapy), and b) downmodulation of NK cell KIR2DL1 and KIR2DL2/DL3 expression, transcriptional enrichment of expression of genes associated with NK cells in HIV controller subjects, and higher
ex vivo
IFN-α-induced NK cytotoxicity after 5 weeks of ART+Peg-IFN-α2a. Integrated HIV DNA decline after immunotherapy was also associated with gene expression patterns indicative of cell-mediated activation and NK cytotoxicity. Overall, an increase in innate activity and NK cell cytotoxicity were identified as correlates of Peg-IFN-α2a-mediated HIV control.
Background Altered coagulation function after trauma can contribute to development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Severe trauma impairs coagulation function, but the trajectory for recovery is not ...known. We hypothesized that enhanced, early recovery of coagulation function increases VTE risk in severely injured trauma patients. Study Design Secondary analysis was performed on data from the Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratio (PROPPR) trial, excluding patients who died within 24 hours or were on pre-injury anticoagulants. Patient characteristics, adverse outcomes, and parameters of platelet function and coagulation (thromboelastography) were compared from admission to 72 hours between VTE (n = 83) and non-VTE (n = 475) patients. A p value < 0.05 indicates significance. Results Despite similar patient demographics, VTE patients exhibited hypercoagulable thromboelastography parameters and enhanced platelet function at admission (p < 0.05). Both groups exhibited hypocoagulable thromboelastography parameters, platelet dysfunction, and suppressed clot lysis (low clot lysis at 30 minutes) 2 hours after admission (p < 0.05). The VTE patients exhibited delayed coagulation recovery (a significant change compared with 2 hours) of K-value (48 vs 24 hours), α-angle (no recovery), maximum amplitude (24 vs 12 hours), and clot lysis at 30 minutes (48 vs 12 hours). Platelet function recovery mediated by arachidonic acid (72 vs 4 hours), ADP (72 vs 12 hours), and collagen (48 vs 12 hours) was delayed in VTE patients. The VTE patients had lower mortality (4% vs 13%; p < 0.05), but fewer hospital-free days (0 days interquartile range 0 to 8 days vs 10 days interquartile range 0 to 20 days; p < 0.05) and higher complication rates (p < 0.05). Conclusions Recovery from platelet dysfunction and coagulopathy after severe trauma were delayed in VTE patients. Suppressed clot lysis and compensatory mechanisms associated with altered coagulation that can potentiate VTE formation require additional investigation.
The HepatAssist liver support system is an extracorporeal porcine hepatocyte-based bioartificial liver (BAL). The safety and efficacy of the BAL were evaluated in a prospective, randomized, ...controlled, multicenter trial in patients with severe acute liver failure.
In experimental animals with acute liver failure, we demonstrated beneficial effects of the BAL. Similarly, Phase I trials of the BAL in acute liver failure patients yielded promising results.
A total of 171 patients (86 control and 85 BAL) were enrolled. Patients with fulminant/subfulminant hepatic failure and primary nonfunction following liver transplantation were included. Data were analyzed with and without accounting for the following confounding factors: liver transplantation, time to transplant, disease etiology, disease severity, and treatment site.
For the entire patient population, survival at 30 days was 71% for BAL versus 62% for control (P = 0.26). After exclusion of primary nonfunction patients, survival was 73% for BAL versus 59% for control (n = 147; P = 0.12). When survival was analyzed accounting for confounding factors, in the entire patient population, there was no difference between the 2 groups (risk ratio = 0.67; P = 0.13). However, survival in fulminant/subfulminant hepatic failure patients was significantly higher in the BAL compared with the control group (risk ratio = 0.56; P = 0.048).
This is the first prospective, randomized, controlled trial of an extracorporeal liver support system, demonstrating safety and improved survival in patients with fulminant/subfulminant hepatic failure.
Green turtle nesting has been recorded in North Carolina, since 1980, but how these nesting females fit into the broader regional context genetically has not been determined. Genetic tagging through ...microsatellite genotyping of clutches laid in northern South Carolina, North Carolina, and Delaware from 2010 through 2014 identified at least 52 individual nesting females. The mitochondrial control region haplotype frequencies of these individuals were significantly different from all northern Greater Caribbean subpopulations, including those in Florida, suggesting that these northern US females represent an incipient subpopulation that warrants distinct management unit status.
We report on the fabrication and characterization of high-speed, single photon detectors using superconducting NbN nanowires at a wavelength of 1064 nm. A 15 by 15 microns detector with a detector ...efficiency of 40% has been measured. Due to kinetic inductance, the recovery time of such large area detectors is longer than that of smaller or single wire detectors. The recovery time of our detectors (50 ns) has been characterized by measuring the inter-arrival time statistics of our detector.
BACKGROUND An outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections in Connecticut and Illinois during May 28 to June 27, 1996, was investigated to determine the source of infections. METHODS Independent ...case-control studies were performed in both states. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed on E coli O157:H7 isolates. A case-patient was defined as a Connecticut or northern Illinois resident with diarrhea whose stool culture yielded E coli O157:H7 of the outbreak-associated PFGE subtype. Controls were town-, age-, and sex-matched to case-patients. We traced implicated lettuce to the farm level and performed environmental investigations to identify unsafe lettuce production practices. RESULTS In Connecticut and Illinois, infection was associated with consumption of mesclun lettuce (Connecticut matched odds ratio MOR, undefined; 95% confidence interval CI, 3.4 to ∞; and Illinois MOR, undefined; 95% CI, 1.4 to ∞). We traced implicated lettuce to a single grower–processor. Cattle, a known E coli O157:H7 reservoir, were found near the lettuce fields. Escherichia coli (an indicator of fecal contamination) was cultured from wash water and finished lettuce. A trace-forward investigation identified 3 additional states that received implicated lettuce; E coli O157:H7 isolates from patients in 1 of these states matched the outbreak-associated PFGE subtype. CONCLUSIONS This multistate outbreak of E coli O157:H7 infections was associated with consumption of mesclun lettuce from a single producer. Molecular subtyping facilitated the epidemiological investigation. This investigation increased the knowledge about current production practices that may contribute to the contamination of lettuce by microbial pathogens. Lettuce production practices should be monitored for microbiological safety.Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:1758-1764-->
Stability of Arithmetic Disability Subtypes Silver, Cheryl H.; Deborah-Lynne Pennett, H.; Black, Jeffrey L. ...
Journal of learning disabilities,
03/1999, Letnik:
32, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Cross-sectional research has identified subtypes of children with learning disabilities who may have distinctive cognitive ability patterns. This study examined the stability over 19 months of ...academic subtyping classifications for 80 children ages 9 to 13 representing four subtypes of arithmetic disabilities (AD), using three criteria for learning disability identification. Approximately half of the sample retained AD regardless of identification method. Children with pervasive deficits in arithmetic, reading, and spelling displayed the greatest subtype stability. Only one third of the children with the other subtypes, including those with isolated arithmetic deficits, retained their original subtypes. Thus, drawing conclusions and making recommendations based on academic subtyping at a single point in time may be unwise.
Non-burning thermonuclear fuel implosion experiments have been fielded on the National Ignition Facility to assess progress toward ignition by indirect drive inertial confinement fusion. These ...experiments use cryogenic fuel ice layers, consisting of mixtures of tritium and deuterium with large amounts of hydrogen to control the neutron yield and to allow fielding of an extensive suite of optical, x-ray and nuclear diagnostics. The thermonuclear fuel layer is contained in a spherical plastic capsule that is fielded in the center of a cylindrical gold hohlraum. Heating the hohlraum with 1.3 MJ of energy delivered by 192 laser beams produces a soft x-ray drive spectrum with a radiation temperature of 300 eV. The radiation field produces an ablation pressure of 100 Mbar which compresses the capsule to a spherical dense fuel shell that contains a hot plasma core 80 µm in diameter. The implosion core is observed with x-ray imaging diagnostics that provide size, shape, the absolute x-ray emission along with bangtime and hot plasma lifetime. Nuclear measurements provide the 14.1 MeV neutron yield from fusion of deuterium and tritium nuclei along with down-scattered neutrons at energies of 10-12 MeV due to energy loss by scattering in the dense fuel that surrounds the central hot-spot plasma. Neutron time-of-flight spectra allow the inference of the ion temperature while gamma-ray measurements provide the duration of nuclear activity. The fusion yield from deuterium-tritium reactions scales with ion temperature, which is in agreement with modeling over more than one order of magnitude to a neutron yield in excess of 1014 neutrons, indicating large confinement parameters on these first experiments.
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