Changing trends in mastitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>The global dairy industry, the predominant pathogens causing mastitis, our understanding of mastitis pathogens and the host response to intramammary infection are changing rapidly. This paper aims to discuss changes in each of these aspects. Globalisation, energy demands, human population growth and climate change all affect the dairy industry. In many western countries, control programs for contagious mastitis have been in place for decades, resulting in a decrease in occurrence of <it>Streptococcus agalactiae </it>and <it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>mastitis and an increase in the relative impact of <it>Streptococcus uberis </it>and <it>Escherichia coli </it>mastitis. In some countries, <it>Klebsiella </it>spp. or <it>Streptococcus dysgalactiae </it>are appearing as important causes of mastitis. Differences between countries in legislation, veterinary and laboratory services and farmers' management practices affect the distribution and impact of mastitis pathogens. For pathogens that have traditionally been categorised as contagious, strain adaptation to human and bovine hosts has been recognised. For pathogens that are often categorised as environmental, strains causing transient and chronic infections are distinguished. The genetic basis underlying host adaptation and mechanisms of infection is being unravelled. Genomic information on pathogens and their hosts and improved knowledge of the host's innate and acquired immune responses to intramammary infections provide opportunities to expand our understanding of bovine mastitis. These developments will undoubtedly contribute to novel approaches to mastitis diagnostics and control.</p

Asthma&ndash;COPD overlap syndrome in the US: a prospective population-based analysis of patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization

Carlos A Vaz Fragoso,1,2 Terrence E Murphy,1 George O Agogo,1 Heather G Allore,1,3 Gail J McAvay1 1Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, 2Veterans Affairs Clinical Epidemiology Research Center, West Haven, 3Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA Background: Prior work suggests that asthma&ndash;COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) has a greater health burden than asthma alone or COPD alone. In the current study, we have further evaluated the health burden of ACOS in a nationally representative sample of the US population, focusing on patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization and on comparisons with asthma alone and COPD alone. Patient-reported outcomes are especially meaningful, as these include functional activities that are highly valued by patients and are the basis for patient-centered care.Methods: Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), we evaluated patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization among participants who were aged 40&ndash;85 years and had self-reported, physician-diagnosed asthma or COPD. MEPS administered five rounds of interviews, at baseline and approximately every 6 months over 2.5 years. Patient-reported outcomes included activities of daily living (ADLs), mobility, social/recreational activities, disability days in bed, and health status (Short Form 12, Version 2). Health care utilization included outpatient and emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalization.Results: Of 3,486 participants with asthma or COPD, 1,585 (45.4%) had asthma alone, 1,294 (37.1%) had COPD alone, and 607 (17.4%) had ACOS. Relative to asthma alone, ACOS was significantly associated with higher odds of prevalent disability in ADLs and limitations in mobility and social/recreational activities (adjusted odds ratios [adjORs]: 1.91&ndash;3.98), as well as with higher odds of incident limitations in mobility and social/recreational activities, disability days in bed, and respiratory-based outpatient and ED visits, and hospitalization (adjORs: 1.86&ndash;2.35). In addition, ACOS had significantly worse physical and mental health scores than asthma alone (P-values &lt;0.0001). Relative to COPD alone, ACOS was significantly associated with higher odds of prevalent limitations in mobility and social/recreational activities (adjORs: 1.68&ndash;2.06), as well as with higher odds of incident disability days in bed and respiratory-based outpatient and ED visits (adjORs: 1.48&ndash;1.74). In addition, ACOS had a significantly worse physical health score, but similar mental health score, as compared with COPD alone (P-values 0.0025 and 0.1578, respectively).Conclusion: In the US, ACOS is associated with a greater health burden, including patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization, relative to asthma alone and COPD alone. Keywords: disability, mobility, activities of daily living, social, recreationa

Data Management for Applications of Patient Reported Outcomes.

ContextPatient reported outcomes (PROs) are one means of systematically gathering meaningful subjective information for patient care, population health, and patient centered outcomes research. However, optimal data management for effective PRO applications is unclear.Case descriptionDelivery systems associated with the Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN) have implemented PRO data collection as part of the Medicare annual Health Risk Assessment (HRA). A questionnaire assessed data content, collection, storage, and extractability in HCSRN delivery systems.FindingsResponses were received from 15 (83.3 percent) of 18 sites. The proportion of Medicare beneficiaries completing an HRA ranged from less than 10 to 42 percent. Most sites collected core HRA elements and 10 collected information on additional domains such as social support. Measures for core domains varied across sites. Data were collected at and prior to visits. Modes included paper, clinician entry, patient portals, and interactive voice response. Data were stored in the electronic health record (EHR) in scanned documents, free text, and discrete fields, and in summary databases.Major themesPRO implementation requires effectively collecting, storing, extracting, and applying patient-reported data. Standardizing PRO measures and storing data in extractable formats can facilitate multi-site uses for PRO data, while access to individual PROs in the EHR may be sufficient for use at the point of care.ConclusionCollecting comparable PRO data elements, storing data in extractable fields, and collecting data from a higher proportion of eligible respondents represents an optimal approach to support multi-site applications of PRO information

Corrigendum to: Report: NIA Workshop on Measures of Physiologic Resiliencies in Human Aging (Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx015)

In the article "Report: NIA Workshop on Measures of Physiologic Resiliencies in Human Aging, " the author list was not complete. This has now been corrected in the original article.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/193080/2/glx172.pdfPublished versio