Transient microbiota exposures activate dormant Escherichia coli infection in the bladder and drive severe outcomes of recurrent disease

Pathogens often inhabit the body asymptomatically, emerging to cause disease in response to unknown triggers. In the bladder, latent intracellular Escherichia coli reservoirs are regarded as likely origins of recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI), a problem affecting millions of women worldwide. However, clinically plausible triggers that activate these reservoirs are unknown. Clinical studies suggest that the composition of a woman's vaginal microbiota influences her susceptibility to rUTI, but the mechanisms behind these associations are unclear. Several lines of evidence suggest that the urinary tract is routinely exposed to vaginal bacteria, including Gardnerella vaginalis, a dominant member of the vaginal microbiota in some women. Using a mouse model, we show that bladder exposure to G. vaginalis triggers E. coli egress from latent bladder reservoirs and enhances the potential for life-threatening outcomes of the resulting E. coli rUTI. Transient G. vaginalis exposures were sufficient to cause bladder epithelial apoptosis and exfoliation and interleukin-1-receptor-mediated kidney injury, which persisted after G. vaginalis clearance from the urinary tract. These results support a broader view of UTI pathogenesis in which disease can be driven by short-lived but powerful urinary tract exposures to vaginal bacteria that are themselves not "uropathogenic" in the classic sense. This "covert pathogenesis" paradigm may apply to other latent infections, (e.g., tuberculosis), or for diseases currently defined as noninfectious because routine culture fails to detect microbes of recognized significance

A comparison of the social and academic impact of high school students participating in desegregation programs to their peers

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the social and academic impact data of African American students enrolled in the St. Louis city desegregation program, the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC), to their peers attending neighborhood district schools. The research specifically analyzed student data for grades 9-12 from two area school districts, one St. Louis city district and one county district. Attendance rates, drop-out rates, graduation rates, ACT scores, and EOC scores were examined to determine if enrollment in the desegregation program had a positive or negative impact. Study results found a statistically significant positive relationship between students enrolled in the VICC desegregation program and the social areas of attendance rates, drop-out rates, and graduation rates. A statistically significant positive relationship was also found between students enrolled in the desegregation program and the academic areas of ACT and EOC scores. Academic area data was closer in comparison than social data. However, the relationship continued to show a positive statistical significance among VICC students.Includes bibliographical reference

Genome sequences of 12 bacterial isolates obtained from the urine of pregnant women

The presence of bacteria in urine can pose significant risks during pregnancy. However, there are few reference genome strains for many common urinary bacteria. We isolated 12 urinary strains of Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Citrobacter, Gardnerella, and Lactobacillus. These strains and their genomes are now available to the research community

How do USU Students Use University Support Services?

The central mission of USU is to be one of the nation’s premier student-centered universities. This is accomplished by fostering academics and offering opportunities to expand students’ vision of the world around them through co- and extra-curricular activities. These auxiliary activities are designed to support academic achievement and to engage students in meaningful opportunities to practice and enhance their personal and professional well-being. This analysis describes how students are using co- and extra-curricular services. It investigates the most salient student-facing programming in supporting student retention

Implications for Occupational Therapy Student Stress, Well-Being, and Coping: A Scoping Review

Scholarly literature and non-scholarly news sources have highlighted stressors in higher education. The rigor of occupational therapy education can compound student stress. Although the profession recognizes these stressors, insufficient literature exists regarding strategies to cope with and manage these sources of stress. This scoping review explored the literature examining stress and the implications for occupational therapy student well-being and coping, and also identified strategies for faculty to support student well-being. Using PRISMA Scoping Review guidelines, a systematic, multi-phase process was used to identify relevant literature. Databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, MEDLINE Complete, Web of Science, ERIC, and Education Database. Key search terms included components of well-being and coping. We discuss our scoping review approach to the literature search, data extraction, charting, and analysis. A sample of 15 articles met the inclusion criteria, with 1 article retracted during the analysis phase. The final sample of articles provided information about various components of stress, well-being, and coping. Analysis of these articles revealed the following themes: (1) well-being, (2) personal traits and skills, (3) stress, and (4) supportive pedagogy. Occupational therapy education is rigorous and demanding to ensure students are prepared to provide evidence-based care to their future clients. Although this demanding education may add to student stress, the profession must maintain high standards for patient safety. Results suggest there is an opportunity to support student wellness and learning within content delivery methods. By adjusting pedagogical approaches, instructors can support student wellness and impact learning

Bladder exposure to Gardnerella activates host pathways necessary for Escherichia coli recurrent UTI

Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) are a costly clinical problem affecting millions of women worldwide each year. The majority of rUTI cases are caused by uropathogeni

Growth of Epitaxial ZnSn_xGe_(1−x)N_2 Alloys by MBE

ZnSn_xGe_(1−x)N_2 alloys are chemically miscible semiconductor compounds with potential application as earth-abundant alternatives to In_xGa_(1−x)N. Preparation of ZnSn_xGe_(1−x)N_2 thin-films by reactive RF sputter deposition yield low-mobility, nanocrystalline films. In contrast, the growth of ZnSn_xGe_(1−x)N_2 films by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on c-plane sapphire and GaN templates is described herein. Epitaxial films exhibited 3D growth on sapphire and 2D single-crystal quality on GaN, exhibiting substantial improvements in epitaxy and crystallinity relative to nanocrystalline sputtered films. Films on sapphire were n-type with electronic mobilities as high as 18 cm^2 V^(−1) s^(−1), an order of magnitude greater than the 2 cm^2 V^(−1) s^(−1) average mobility observed in this work for sputtered films. Mobility differences potentially arise from strain or surface effects originating from growth techniques, or from differences in film thicknesses. In general, MBE growth has provided desired improvements in electronic mobility, epitaxy, and crystal quality that provide encouragement for the continued study of ZnSn_xGe_(1−x)N_2 alloys