Once-Versus Twice-daily Mesalazine to Induce Remission in Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis : A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Trials in adults suggested that, in ulcerative colitis [UC], once-daily [OD] dosing of 5-ASA [5-amino salicylic acid] may be as or more effective than twice-daily [BD] dosing. In this induction of remission, investigator-blinded, randomised controlled-trial, we aimed to compare effectiveness and safety of once-versus twice-daily mesalazine in paediatric UC. Methods: Children, aged 4-18 years with a PUCAI [Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index] of 10-55 points at inclusion, were randomised in blocks of six with blinded allocation to OD or BD mesalazine, using a weight-based dosing table. The primary outcome was mean PUCAI score at Week 6. Results: A total of 83/86 randomised children were eligible and analysed: 43 in the OD group and 40 in the BD group (mean age 14 +/- 2.7 years, 43 [52%] males, 51 [62%] extensive colitis). The groups did not differ with regard to disease activity or any other parameter at baseline. There was no difference in median PUCAI score between the OD group and BD group at Week 6: 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 5-40) versus 10 [0-40]; p = 0.48]. Response was seen in 25 [60%] OD versus 25 [63%] BD dosing [p = 0.78]. Proportion of children in remission [PUCAI 0.2]. Conclusions: In this first randomised controlled trial in children, no differences were found between OD and BD dosing for any clinical outcome. Remission was achieved in 35% of children treated with mesalazine for active UC.Peer reviewe

Alcoholism and Intimate Partner Violence: Effects on Children’s Psychosocial Adjustment

It is widely recognized that alcoholism and relationship violence often have serious consequences for adults; however, children living with alcoholic parents are susceptible to the deleterious familial environments these caregivers frequently create. Given the prevalence of IPV among patients entering substance abuse treatment, coupled with the negative familial consequences associated with these types of behavior, this review explores what have been, to this point, two divergent lines of research: (a) the effects of parental alcoholism on children, and (b) the effects of children’s exposure to intimate partner violence. In this article, the interrelationship between alcoholism and IPV is examined, with an emphasis on the developmental impact of these behaviors (individually and together) on children living in the home and offers recommendations for future research directions

Biology of moderately halophilic aerobic bacteria

The moderately halophilic heterotrophic aerobic bacteria form a diverse group of microorganisms. The property of halophilism is widespread within the bacterial domain. Bacterial halophiles are abundant in environments such as salt lakes, saline soils, and salted food products. Most species keep their intracellular ionic concentrations at low levels while synthesizing or accumulating organic solutes to provide osmotic equilibrium of the cytoplasm with the surrounding medium. Complex mechanisms of adjustment of the intracellular environments and the properties of the cytoplasmic membrane enable rapid adaptation to changes in the salt concentration of the environment. Approaches to the study of genetic processes have recently been developed for several moderate halophiles, opening the way toward an understanding of haloadaptation at the molecular level. The new information obtained is also expected to contribute to the development of novel biotechnological uses for these organisms

The Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides as Biocides

Antimicrobial peptides constitute a diverse class of naturally occurring antimicrobial molecules which have activity against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. Antimicrobial peptides are exciting leads in the development of novel biocidal agents at a time when classical antibiotics are under intense pressure from emerging resistance, and the global industry in antibiotic research and development stagnates. This review will examine the potential of antimicrobial peptides, both natural and synthetic, as novel biocidal agents in the battle against multi-drug resistant pathogen infections

Food, Nutrition and Agrobiodiversity Under Global Climate Change

Available evidence and predictions suggest overall negative effects on agricultural production as a result of climate change, especially when more food is required by a growing population. Information on the effects of global warming on pests and pathogens affecting agricultural crops is limited, though crop–pest models could offer means to predict changes in pest dynamics, and help design sound plant health management practices. Host-plant resistance should continue to receive high priority as global warming may favor emergence of new pest epidemics. There is increased risk, due to climate change, to food and feed contaminated by mycotoxin-producing fungi. Mycotoxin biosynthesis gene-specific microarray is being used to identify food-born fungi and associated mycotoxins, and investigate the influence of environmental parameters and their interactions for control of mycotoxin in food crops. Some crop wild relatives are threatened plant species and efforts should be made for their in situ conservation to ensure evolution of new variants, which may contribute to addressing new challenges to agricultural production. There should be more emphasis on germplasm enhancement to develop intermediate products with specific characteristics to support plant breeding. Abiotic stress response is routinely dissected to component physiological traits. Use of transgene(s) has led to the development of transgenic events, which could provide enhanced adaptation to abiotic stresses that are exacerbated by climate change. Global warming is also associated with declining nutritional quality of food crops. Micronutrient-dense cultivars have been released in selected areas of the developing world, while various nutritionally enhanced lines are in the release pipeline. The high-throughput phenomic platforms are allowing researchers to accurately measure plant growth and development, analyze nutritional traits, and assess response to stresses on large sets of individuals. Analogs for tomorrow’s agriculture offer a virtual natural laboratory to innovate and test technological options to develop climate resilience production systems. Increased use of agrobiodiversity is crucial to coping with adverse impacts of global warming on food and feed production and quality. No one solution will suffice to adapt to climate change and its variability. Suits of technological innovations, including climate-resilient crop cultivars, will be needed to feed 9 billion people who will be living in the Earth by the middle of the twenty-first century

Supplementary Educational Model (Sem) In Social Work Education For Health Care Settings

A supplementary educational model (SEM) was developed and evaluated in order to expand educational opportunities for social work students, to enable a professional interaction for field instructors and to connect the academia teachers to the field. The study highlights the importance of SEM to update the current academic curricula to meet the ongoing changes and challenges in health care settings. One hundred thirty-seven B.A. students and 58 field instructors employed in health care settings participated in the project. Results indicated that 90% of the participants rated the knowledge contributions of the study days and study day satisfaction positively. The results suggest that SEM has potential as a tool to complement traditional field instruction programs

Winds of Change in Antibiotic Therapy following Orthognathic Surgery

Background and objectives: This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare three postoperative antibiotic protocols of different durations on surgical-site-infection (SSI) rates following orthognathic surgery for the correction of jaw deformities. Materials and methods: An analysis on data collected from the medical files of 209 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery between 2010 and 2019 was conducted. The patients were divided into three groups according to the postoperative antibiotic protocol—Group 1 (24 h), Group 2 (2–3 days), and Group 3 (>3 days). Dependent and independent variables were collected, analyzed, and compared between the three groups. Results: Group 1 included 30 patients (14.3%), Group 2 included 123 patients (58.9%), and Group 3 included 56 patients (26.8%). The vast majority of the postoperative antibiotics were amoxicillinand clavulanic acid (87.1%). The duration of the surgery and the use of a feeding tube were significantly different between Groups 1 and 3 (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). There was no significant difference in SSI rates between the three groups (p = 0.642). The use of antibiotics beyond the immediate postoperative period provides no increased benefit regarding infection prevention. Conclusions: In young and healthy patients undergoing orthognathic surgery, a 24hregimen of postoperative antibiotics may be sufficient

Infrared nonlinear optical measurements of membrane potential in photoreceptor cells.

In the past it has not been possible to measure optically the membrane potential of cells and collections of cells that are either naturally photosensitive or that can be activated by photolyzable caged transmitter molecules. This paper reports on a unique application of nonlinear optics that can monitor the potential of cellular membranes with a near-infrared source. Among many other singular advantages, this nonlinear optical approach to measuring membrane potential does not activate light sensitive cells or cell suspensions and cellular networks surrounded with photolyzable molecules. To demonstrate this capability we show that the technique can be applied to living photoreceptor cells that are very sensitive to visible light. These cells are ideal for characterizing such a new technique, not only because of their unmatched sensitivity to light, but also because their electrical responses have been extensively characterized (Minks and Selinger, 1992)