Jefferson Alumni Bulletin – Volume XXI, Number 2 Winter 1972

Jefferson Alumni Bulletin – Volume XXI, Number 2 Winter 1972 Every family should know one, page 2 Crisis in primary care, page 12 Family practice: a student view, page 15 The new president, page 19 Baum at Barton, page 20 Where have all the teachers gone?, page 22 Profile, page 26 Jefferson scene, page 28 Faculty notes, page 31 Class notes, page 3

Molecular Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus and Newer Treatment Strategies

Staphylococcus aureus stands out as the most prevalent bacteria causing bloodstream infection (BSI). This formidable pathogen demonstrates its severity by claiming the lives of over one in four individuals within three months of a BSI. S. aureus includes penicillin-susceptible S. aureus (PSSA), methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). These strains exhibit differences in geographic distribution, molecular epidemiology, and antibiotic susceptibility. Despite these distinctions, all three variants induce a comparable spectrum of illness and share a similar fatality rate in cases of BSI. Bacterial typing of both MSSA and MRSA has revealed the presence of numerous sub-clones. Notably, MSSA exhibits a more diverse clonal population compared to MRSA. The predominant clones may vary from country to country, but successful clones have demonstrated the capacity to spread internationally. Over the past 10-15 years, the epidemiology of S. aureus has undergone significant changes. MRSA rates have declined, while the proportion of S. aureus isolated from blood cultures identified as PSSA has increased. Despite these changes, the case fatality rates in S. aureus BSI have not altered. The disease continues to pose a significant threat and remains deadly. We hypothesised that monitoring S. aureus in both sterile and non-sterile sites could offer insights into their population dynamics. Our aim was to identify potential hospital-acquired (HA) MSSA clones in the same way that there are particular clones of MRSA that are associated with hospital acquisition (HA-MRSA). By gaining a more comprehensive understanding of S. aureus epidemiology, carriage patterns, and pathogenesis, our goal was to identify potential therapeutic gaps. These findings could then be explored further to improve treatment outcomes. This thesis is presented as a combination of published papers (Chapters 4, 5, 9, and 10) and unpublished work (Chapters 1-3, and 6-8)

Lateralization of the visual word form area in patients with alexia after stroke

Background Knowledge of the process by which visual information is integrated into the brain reading system promotes a better understanding of writing and reading models. Objective This study aimed to use functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to explore whether the Blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) contrast imaging patterns, of putative cortical region of the Visual Word Form Area (VWFA), are distinct in aphasia patients with moder- ate and severe alexia. Methods Twelve chronic stroke patients (5 patients with severe alexia and 7 pa- tients with moderate alexia) were included. A word categorization task was used to examine responses in the VWFA and its right homolog re- gion. Patients performed a semantic decision task in which words were contrasted with non-verbal fonts to assess the lateralization of reading ability in the ventral occipitotemporal region. Results A fixed effects (FFX) general linear model (GLM) multi-study from the contrast of patients with moderate alexia and those with severe alexia (FDR, p = 0.05, corrected for multiples comparisons using a Threshold Estimator plugin (1000 Monte Carlo simulations), was per- formed. Activation of the left VWFA was robust in patients with mod- erate alexia. Aphasia patients with severe reading deficits also activated the right homolog VWFA. Conclusions This bilateral activation pattern only in patients with severe alexia could be interpreted as a result of reduced recruitment of the left VWFA for reading tasks due to the severe reading deficit. This study provides some new insights about reading pathways and possible neuroplasti- city mechanisms in aphasia patients with alexia. Additional reports could explore the predictive value of right VWFA activation for reading recovery and aid language therapy in patients with aphasia.N/