Course and Outcome of Bacteremia Due to Staphylococcus aureus: Evaluation of Different Clinical Case Definitions

In a retrospective survey of patients hospitalized in the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland, the course and outcome of 281 cases of true bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus over a 7-year period were analyzed. The main purpose was to evaluate different case definitions. In 78% of cases the source of bacteremia was obvious; vascular access sites (27%) and wounds (10%) were the most common sources. Metastasizing foci were more common in cases of primary vs. secondary bacteremia (P < .001). The incidence of endocarditis was higher in cases in which no portal of entry was defined (P < .03). The overall mortality rate was high at 34% partly because of inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy. With the introduction of an infectious disease service at the hospital, the fraction of misjudged results of blood culture diminished 2.5-fold. Among the differently defined cases, the mortality rate was significantly higher for cases of complicated vs. uncomplicated bacteremia (P < .01), for cases of primary vs. secondary bacteremia (P = .05), and for patients with endocarditis or other secondary foci (P < .001). Since only one methicillin-resistant strain was isolated, multiresistant staphylococci were not a problem in the hospital. Different case definitions allowed the detection of patients at increased risk for complications and death. In the treatment of sepsis with no evident focus, initial antimicrobial therapy should include the use of agents with antistaphylococcal activit

Course and Outcome of Bacteremia Due to Staphylococcus Aureus: Evaluation of Different Clinical Case Definitions

In a retrospective survey of patients hospitalized in the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland, the course and outcome of 281 cases of true bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus over a 7-year period were analyzed. The main purpose was to evaluate different case definitions. In 78% of cases the source of bacteremia was obvious; vascular access sites (27%) and wounds (10%) were the most common sources. Metastasizing foci were more common in cases of primary vs. secondary bacteremia (P <.001). The incidence of endocarditis was higher in cases in which no portal of entry was defined (P <.03). The overall mortality rate was high at 34% partly because of inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy. With the introduction of an infectious disease service at the hospital, the fraction of misjudged results of blood culture diminished 2.5-fold. Among the differently defined cases, the mortality rate was significantly higher for cases of complicated vs. uncomplicated bacteremia (P <.01), for cases of primary vs. secondary bacteremia (P = .05), and for patients with endocarditis or other secondary foci (P <.001). Since only one methicillin-resistant strain was isolated, multiresistant staphylococci were not a problem in the hospital. Different case definitions allowed the detection of patients at increased risk for complications and death. In the treatment of sepsis with no evident focus, initial antimicrobial therapy should include the use of agents with antistaphylococcal activity

Ultrafast Electronic Band Gap Control in an Excitonic Insulator

We report on the nonequilibrium dynamics of the electronic structure of the layered semiconductor Ta$_2$NiSe$_5$ investigated by time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. We show that below the critical excitation density of $F_{C} = 0.2$ mJ cm$^{-2}$, the band gap $narrows$ transiently, while it is $enhanced$ above $F_{C}$. Hartree-Fock calculations reveal that this effect can be explained by the presence of the low-temperature excitonic insulator phase of Ta$_2$NiSe$_5$, whose order parameter is connected to the gap size. This work demonstrates the ability to manipulate the band gap of Ta$_2$NiSe$_5$ with light on the femtosecond time scale

Abductor muscle strength deficit in patients after total hip arthroplasty for hip osteoarthritis: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Conservation of abductor muscle strength is directly associated with physical function after total hip replacement (THA). Although many studies have tried to explore and quantify a potential abductor muscle strength deficit after THA as well as identify possible causes and treatment options, this topic has not been addressed systematically.; Human-based studies reporting measurements of hip abductor strength will be included in this review. Studies reporting on hip abductor strength measured manually or isometric measurements at an abduction angle other than 0° will not be considered. No restriction will be placed on study design, publication date operative approach, prosthesis design, age and sex of the patients or severity of OA. Data sources will be Embase via embase.com, Medline ALL via Ovid and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The preliminary search was conducted on 5 May 2019. Data regarding absolute values or torque ratio of hip abductor torque between sides as well as patient demographic data, surgical approaches and rehabilitation protocols will be extracted. The assessment of quality and risk of bias will be performed with the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The screening, data extraction and quality assessment will be performed by two reviewers independently. Where necessary, a third review author will make a final judgement. Narrative synthesis as well as tabular presentation of the extracted data will be included. Whenever possible, metaregression and subgroup specific meta-analyses will be used to investigate the influence of time since THA and type of measurement (isokinetic or isometric) on the different outcomes. In case of sufficient information, these analyses will be extended to include characteristics such as age, sex, surgical approach or rehabilitation programme.; No ethics approval is required. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.; CRD42020153185

Expression and Potential Function of ␤-Amyloid Precursor Proteins during Cutaneous Wound Repair

sAPP, the secretory domain of the ␤-amyloid precursor protein (APP), exerts a growth promoting and motogenic activity on keratinocytes. Here we report on the expression of APP and its homologue, the amyloid precursor like protein 2 (APLP2), during cutaneous wound repair using a full-thickness excisional wound healing model in mice. In unwounded skin APP was predominantly expressed in the basal cell layer. During wound healing increased suprabasal expression of APP was observed in all cell layers of the hyperproliferative epithelium at the wound margin. APP mRNA was increased up to 2.3-fold, whereas the APLP2 mRNA was decreased. Immunocytochemically, all proliferation competent keratinocytes of the normal as well as the wound site epidermis showed increased expression of APP but not of APLP2. Using culture models of keratinocyte differentiation the release of sAPP was found to be significantly higher in proliferating cells, i.e., when cultured at subconfluency or at low [Ca 2؉ ], than in quiescent, partially differentiated keratinocytes cultured at confluency or at high [Ca 2؉ ]. Our results suggest that sAPP secretion is presumably also increased in proliferation competent keratinocytes of the wound margin and that sAPP due to its growth promoting and motogenic function might participate in the control of epidermal wound repair. © 2002 Elsevier Science (USA

State tomography for two qubits using reduced densities

The optimal state determination (or tomography) is studied for a composite system of two qubits when measurements can be performed on one of the qubits and interactions of the two qubits can be implemented. The goal is to minimize the number of interactions to be used. The algebraic method applied in the paper leads to an extension of the concept of mutually unbiased measurements.Comment: 8 pages LATE

Ultrafast Electronic Band Gap Control in an Excitonic Insulator

We report on the nonequilibrium dynamics of the electronic structure of the layered semiconductor Ta2NiSe5 investigated by time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. We show that below the critical excitation density of FC=0.2 mJ cm-2, the band gap narrows transiently, while it is enhanced above FC. Hartree-Fock calculations reveal that this effect can be explained by the presence of the low-temperature excitonic insulator phase of Ta2NiSe5, whose order parameter is connected to the gap size. This work demonstrates the ability to manipulate the band gap of Ta2NiSe5 with light on the femtosecond time scale