Cytomegalovirus infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract following liver transplantation—incidence, location, and severity in cyclosporine- and FK506-treated patients

One hundred and forty randomly selected liver transplant recipients were studied before and after primary orthotopic liver transplantation for the presence or absence of CMV enteritis. Following OLTx, 65 patients were treated with cyclosporine A and 75 were treated with FK506. The two groups were similar with regard to the incidence, location, and outcome of their upper gastrointestinal CMV infection. Prior to OLTx, only one patient had evidence of enteric CMV infection. The incidence of CMV enteritis post-OLTx was 27.7% in the CsA-treated group and 20% in the FK-treated group. During the first posttransplant month, no patient in the FK-treated group developed CMV enteritis, compared with 11.5% of the patients who were treated with CsA (P<0.05). Gastric CMV was found in over 80% of those positive for any organ in either group. In addition to CMV infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract, clinically evident CMV disease involved more nonenteric organs in the CsA-treated group than in the FK-treated group. In the CsA-treated group, CMV-negative patients had a statistically higher 1-year survival rate (100%) than CMV-positive patients (77.8%) (P<0.05). In the FK-treated group, no difference in survival was observed between CMV-positive or CMV-negative cases at 1 year. Of the patients on CsA, 20% received OKT3 for persistent rejection, as compared with 13% in the FK-treated group. The patients receiving both CsA and OKT3 had a higher rate of upper gastrointestinal CMV infection than did FK-treated patients who also received OKT3 therapy (38.5% versus 20%, respectively). Based upon these data, it can be concluded that (1) patients receiving FK have a lower incidence of enteric CMV infection; (2) following OLTx, upper gastrointestinal CMV infection presents later in FK-treated patients; (3) the stomach is the most frequently involved organ in the UGIT; (4) FK-treated liver recipients have less severe enteric CMV infection than do CsA-treated patients; (5) enteric CMV is not a major cause of mortality in liver trans lant recipients; and (6) in patients receiving FK, those who require OKT3 therapy do not appear to be at a greater risk for the development of CMV enteritis than those who do not. © 1992 by Williams & Wilkins

A retrospective study of antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial pathogens isolated from patients in two Lebanese hospitals for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019)

Background: Misuse of antibiotics is the leading factor promoting emergence of bacterial resistance, a situation that has become a serious public health challenge. Among the leading bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics are Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which have caused infections in patients, resulting in considerable mortality. The objective of this retrospective study was to assess antibiotic resistance rates of bacterial pathogens isolated from clinical specimens in two Lebanese hospitals between the years 2018 and 2019. Methodology: Bacteria isolated from routine clinical specimens collected from hospitalized patients in two hospitals, Haroun and Bekaa, in Lebanon for 2018 and 2019, were analyzed. Bacteria isolation and identification were carried out at the laboratory of each hospital using conventional microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testings (AST) of each bacterial isolate to antibiotics were performed by the disc diffusion test and interpreted using EUCAST, CLSI or WHO/AST guidelines. Comparisons of the mean resistance rates of each isolate to individual antibiotics by year of isolation were done using the Z-test and p&lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were a total of 1698 bacteria isolates recovered from hospitalized patients in the two hospitals for 2018 and 2019, of which 87.5% were Gram-negative and 12.5% were Gram-positive bacteria. The most frequent among the Gram-negative isolates was E. coli (66.1%) followed by P. aeruginosa (13.3%), K. pneumoniae (7.7%), Proteus mirabilis (6.7%) and Enterobacter spp (6.3%), while coagulase positive staphylococci CoPS (68.4%) and E. faecalis (31.6%) were the two Gram positive isolates. Of the Gram-negative isolates over the two-year period, 72.2% of E. coli and 76.3% of K. pneumoniae were resistant to ceftazidime, 93% of P. mirabilis to colistin, and 98% of Enterobacter to cefoxitin, but low resistance rates were demonstrated by E. coli to imipenem (1%), K. pneumoniae to tigecycline and amikacin (0.9%), P. mirabilis to imipinem (2%), and Enterobacter to amikacin, ertapenem and tigecycline (3%). Resistance of P. aeruginosa varied between 2% to colistin and 24% to levofloxacin. For the Gram-positive bacteria, 79.1% of E. faecalis were resistant to erythromycin while 70% of CoPS were resistant to cefoxitin, but no isolate was resistant (0%) to linezolid, and only 1% to teicoplanin. Except for Enterobacter spp that showed significant increase in resistance rates (by 250%) to piperacillin/tazobactam in 2019 over 2018, resistance rates of other Gram-negative isolates significantly decreased in 2019 compared to 2018 (p&lt;0.05). For the Gram-positive isolates, resistance rates to many antibiotics tested significantly increased (by a factor of 36.5 - 2569%) in 2019 compared to 2018 among E. faecalis isolates in contrast to the rates for CoPS which significantly decreased by 16.7 - 65.7%, except for penicillin G which increased by a factor of 123%. Conclusion: Overuse and misuse of antibiotics, which is possible because of the easy access of the populace to these drugs, is a leading factor contributing to the high antibiotic resistance rates in this study. There is need to promote awareness of antimicrobial resistance in Lebanon among students especially in non-health related majors and enactment of govermental policy that will limit access to antibiotics. Keywords: antibiotic resistance; changing pattern; hospitalized patients; retrospective &nbsp; French title: Une étude rétrospective des profils de résistance aux antibiotiques de pathogènes bactériens isolés de patients dans deux hôpitaux libanais pendant deux années consécutives (2018 et 2019) Contexte: La mauvaise utilisation des antibiotiques est le principal facteur favorisant l'émergence de la résistance bactérienne, une situation qui est devenue un sérieux défi de santé publique. Parmi les principales bactéries qui ont développé une résistance aux antibiotiques figurent Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae et Pseudomonas aeruginosa, qui ont provoqué des infections chez les patients, entraînant une mortalité considérable. L'objectif de cette étude rétrospective est d'évaluer les taux de résistance aux antibiotiques des pathogènes bactériens isolés à partir d'échantillons cliniques dans deux hôpitaux Libanais entre les années 2018 et 2019. Méthodologie: Les isolats bactériens prélevés sur des patients hospitalisés dans deux hôpitaux, Haroun et Bekaa, au Liban pour 2018 et 2019, ont été analysés. L'isolement et l'identification des bactéries ont été réalisés au laboratoire de chaque hôpital en utilisant des méthodes microbiologiques conventionnelles. Les tests de sensibilité aux antimicrobiens (AST) de chaque isolat bactérien aux antibiotiques ont été réalisés par le test de diffusion sur disque et interprétés selon les directives EUCAST, CLSI ou WHO/AST. Des comparaisons des taux moyens de résistance de chaque isolat à des antibiotiques individuels par année d'isolement ont été effectuées à l'aide du test Z et p&lt;0,05 a été considéré comme statistiquement significatif. Résultats: Il y a eu un total de 1698 isolats de bactéries récupérés de patients hospitalisés dans les deux hôpitaux durant 2018 et 2019, dont 87,5% étaient à Gram négatif et 12,5% étaient des bactéries à Gram positif. Les isolats à Gram négatif les plus fréquents étaient E. coli (66,1%), suivis de P. aeruginosa (13,3%), K. pneumoniae (7,7%), Proteus mirabilis (6,7%) et Enterobacter spp (6,3%), tandis que les staphylocoques à coagulase positive CoPS (68,4%) et E. faecalis (31,6%) étaient les deux isolats Gram positifs. Parmi les isolats à Gram négatif sur la période de deux ans, 72,2% d'E. coli et 76,3% de K. pneumoniae étaient résistants à la ceftazidime, 93% de P. mirabilis à la colistine et 98% d'Enterobacter à la céfoxitine, mais faible les taux de résistance ont été démontrés par E. coli à l'imipénem (1%), K. pneumoniae à la tigécycline et à l'amikacine (0,9%), P. mirabilis à l'imipinem (2%) et Enterobacter à l'amikacine, à l'ertapénem et à la tigécycline (3%). La résistance de P. aeruginosa variait entre 2% à la colistine et 24% à la lévofloxacine. Pour les bactéries Gram positif, 79,1% des E. faecalis étaient résistantes à l'érythromycine tandis que 70% des CoPS étaient résistantes au céfoxitin, mais aucun isolat n'était résistant (0%) au linézolide et seulement 1% à la teicoplanine. À l'exception d'Enterobacter spp qui ont montré une augmentation significative des taux de résistance (de 250%) à la&nbsp; pipéracilline/tazobactam en 2019 par rapport à 2018, les taux de résistance des autres isolats à Gram négatif ont considérablement&nbsp; diminué en 2019 par rapport à 2018 (p&lt;0,05). Pour les isolats Gram-positifs, les taux de résistance à de nombreux antibiotiques testés ont augmenté de manière significative (d'un facteur de 36,5 à 2569%) en 2019 par rapport à 2018 parmi les isolats d'E. faecalis contrairement aux taux de CoPS qui ont significativement diminué de 16,7 à 65,7%, à l'exception de la pénicilline G qui a augmenté d'un facteur de 123%. Conclusion: la surutilisation et la mauvaise utilisation des antibiotiques, ce qui est possible en raison de l'accès facile de la population à ces médicaments, est l'un des principaux facteurs contribuant aux taux élevés de résistance aux antibiotiques dans cette étude. Il est nécessaire de promouvoir la sensibilisation à la résistance aux antimicrobiens au Liban parmi les étudiants, en particulier dans les spécialisations non liées à la santé, et la promulgation d'une politique gouvernementale qui limitera l'accès non contrôlé aux antibiotiques. Mots clés: résistance aux antibiotiques; changement de modèle; patients hospitalisés; rétrospectiv

Effect of Different Factors on the Service Life of Concrete Structures in Chloride Environments: A Parametric Study – Part One

This paper presents a comprehensive parametric study to determine the effect of different factors on the service life of reinforced concrete structures in chloride-laden environment. A model for corrosion initiation is selected and solved numerically by Finite Element Method for one-dimensional diffusion problem. It has been found that increase in water to cement ratio by 12.5%-50% in range of 0.20-0.40reduces the service life by 8%-35%, and by 7.35%-30.5% for the range 0.40-0.60. Also, the increase in concrete cover in the range of 20-35 mm by 14%-42%increases the service life by 8.1%-25.8%, and in the range of 35-60 mm by 7.7%-21.8%.Regarding mineral admixtures, the addition of fly ash and blast-furnace slag resulted in enhances the service life by 8%-70.7% due to increase of age factor by 25%-200%. Moreover,the addition of silica fume by 5%-15% increases the service life by 25.5%-80.6%.Finally, the rise of temperature by 25%-75% reduces the service life by 6.45%-18.7%, and the reduction of relative humidity by 25%-50% increases the life by 21.2%-89%. These values are based on a conservative approach and tend to guide the practice engineer on how these parameters affect service life of concrete structures

Effect of Different Factors on the Service Life of Concrete Structures in Chloride Environment: A Parametric Study - Part Two

In this paper, the effect of different factors on the service life of reinforced concrete structures in marine environments is investigated through a parametric study. The considered case for the study was the two- dimensional diffusion problem. By solving the selected model for corrosion initiation by Finite Element Method, it has been concluded that, corrosion initiates at corner bars before side bars. Also, concrete elements subjected to two-dimensional diffusion are more susceptible to corrosion initiation than elements subjected to one-dimensional diffusion. Moreover, increase in water to cement ratio by 12.5%-50% in range 0.20-0.40 reduces the service life by 6.2%-31%, and by 5.3%-16.9% for the range 0.40-0.60. And, the increase in concrete cover in the range of 20-40 mm by 12.5% - 50% increases the service life by 5.1%-18.8%, and in the range of 35-60 mm by 2.9%-10.3%. The addition of fly ash and blast-furnace slag increased the service life by 6.35%-69.7% due to increase of age factor by 25%-200%. Furthermore, the addition of silica fume by 5%-15% increases the service life by 21.7%-81.2%. Regarding the environmental factors, increasing of temperature by 25%-75% reduces service life by 4.7%-12.75%, and reducing of relative humidity by 25%-50% increases the life by 17.5%-90.4%.are also given

Cancer Among Arab Americans in the Metropolitan Detroit Area

Detroit is home to one of the largest populations of Arab Americans outside of the Middle East, yet little is known about the cancer distribution in this ethnic group. The authors of this study created an Arab/Chaldean surname list and matched it with the Detroit SEER Registry to identify cancer cases of probable Arabic descent. We then determined proportional incidence ratios (PIR) for specific cancer sites among metropolitan Detroit Arab Americans as compared to non-Arab Whites, and contrasted the results with Middle Eastern data. Arab/Chaldean men had greater proportions of leukemia (29%), multiple myeloma (46%), liver (64%), kidney (33%), and urinary bladder (26%) cancers. Arab/Chaldean women had greater proportions of leukemia (23%), thyroid (57%), and brain (35%) cancers as compared with non-Arab White men and women. The cancers with significantly increased PIRs in the Detroit Arab/Chaldean population also are frequently diagnosed in Middle Eastern countries

Scientometric analysis of the world-wide research efforts concerning Leishmaniasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Leishmaniasis is a chronic disease that is found in various countries of the world. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of leishmaniasis on the world's research output. The present study assessed benchmarking of research output for the period between 1957 and 2006. Using large database analyses, research in the field of leishmaniasis was evaluated. Furthermore, cooperation between different countries was identified.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The number of publications increased with time. Most publications came from Western countries such as the US, UK or Germany. Interestingly, countries like Brazil and India had a high research output. We found a substantial amount of cooperation between countries.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although leishmaniasis is of limited geographic distribution it attracts a wide research interest. The central hub of research cooperation is the USA.</p

Predicting diabetes mellitus using SMOTE and ensemble machine learning approach: The Henry Ford ExercIse Testing (FIT) project

Machine learning is becoming a popular and important approach in the field of medical research. In this study, we investigate the relative performance of various machine learning methods such as Decision Tree, Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, Logistic Model Tree and Random Forests for predicting incident diabetes using medical records of cardiorespiratory fitness. In addition, we apply different techniques to uncover potential predictors of diabetes. This FIT project study used data of 32,555 patients who are free of any known coronary artery disease or heart failure who underwent clinician-referred exercise treadmill stress testing at Henry Ford Health Systems between 1991 and 2009 and had a complete 5-year follow-up. At the completion of the fifth year, 5,099 of those patients have developed diabetes. The dataset contained 62 attributes classified into four categories: demographic characteristics, disease history, medication use history, and stress test vital signs. We developed an Ensembling-based predictive model using 13 attributes that were selected based on their clinical importance, Multiple Linear Regression, and Information Gain Ranking methods. The negative effect of the imbalance class of the constructed model was handled by Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE). The overall performance of the predictive model classifier was improved by the Ensemble machine learning approach using the Vote method with three Decision Trees (Naïve Bayes Tree, Random Forest, and Logistic Model Tree) and achieved high accuracy of prediction (AUC = 0.92). The study shows the potential of ensembling and SMOTE approaches for predicting incident diabetes using cardiorespiratory fitness data

Contribution of coagulation factor VII R353Q polymorphism to the risk of thrombotic disorders development (venous and arterial): A case-control study

Background: Elevated factor VII (FVII) level is a risk factor for thromboembolic disorders. It was reported that the FVII R353Q polymorphism is associated with variation in plasma FVII levels, where Q allele carriers were more associated with lower levels of FVII than R allele carriers. However, the association between coagulation FVII R353 Q polymorphisms and the risk of thrombosis is uncertain.Aim of the study: Is to investigate the contribution of factor VII R353Q gene polymorphism to the risk of thrombotic disorders development (venous and arterial) in a group of Egyptian patients.Subjects and methods: This study was conducted on 310 subjects: 110 acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, 108 deep venous thrombosis (DVT) patients and 92 healthy controls. FVII R353Q genotypes were assessed using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of FVII R353Q polymorphism between each of the AMI and DVT patients and the control group (P = 0.9, 0.1). However the Q allele showed a significantly higher frequency in the AMI group (15.4%) vs. controls (8.7%) (OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 0.98–3.7). Bivariate analysis demonstrated no significant association between FVII R353Q genotypes and different studied risk factors, neither in arterial nor venous thrombosis.Conclusion: FVII R353Q polymorphism did not contribute to an increased risk of thrombosis (arterial and venous); also carrying the Q allele (of R353Q) did not confer protection against acute thrombotic events