Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and risk factors associated with non-typhoidal Salmonella on Ugandan layer hen farms

Abstract Background Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) are among the leading global foodborne pathogens and a significant public health threat. Their occurrence in animal reservoirs and their susceptibilities to commonly used antimicrobials are poorly understood in developing countries. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence, determine antimicrobial susceptibility and identify risk factors associated with NTS presence in laying hen farms in Uganda through a cross-sectional study. Results Pooled faecal samples were collected from 237 laying hen farms and these were analysed for NTS following standard laboratory procedures. In total, 49 farms (20.7%; 95% Confidence interval (CI): 15.6–25.6%) were positive for NTS presence. Altogether, ten Salmonella serotypes were identified among the confirmed 78 isolates, and the predominant serotypes were Salmonella Newport (30.8%), S. Hadar (14.1%), S. Aberdeen (12.8%), S. Heidelberg (12.8%), and S. Bolton (12.8%). Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance was detected in 45(57.7%) of the isolates and the highest resistance was against ciprofloxacin (50.0%) followed by sulphonamides (26.9%) and sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (7.7%). Resistance was significantly associated with sampled districts (p = 0.034). Resistance to three or more drugs, multi-drug resistance (MDR) was detected in 12 (15.4%) of the isolates, 9 (75%) of these were from Wakiso district. A multivariable logistic model identified large farm size (OR = 7.0; 95% CI: 2.5–19.8) and the presence of other animal species on the farm (OR = 5.9; 95% CI: 2.1–16.1) as risk factors for NTS prevalence on farms. Having a separate house for birds newly brought to the farms was found to be protective (OR = 0,4; 95% CI: 0.2–0.8). Conclusion This study has highlighted a high prevalence and diversity of NTS species in laying hen farms in Uganda and identified associated risk factors. In addition, it has demonstrated high levels of antimicrobial resistance in isolates of NTS. This could be because of overuse or misuse of antimicrobials in poultry production. Also importantly, the insights provided in this study justifies a strong case for strengthening One Health practices and this will contribute to the development of NTS control strategies at local, national and international levels

Chromosomal contacts connect loci associated with autism, BMI and head circumference phenotypes

Copy number variants (CNVs) are major contributors to genomic imbalance disorders. Phenotyping of 137 unrelated deletion and reciprocal duplication carriers of the distal 16p11.2 220 kb BP2-BP3 interval showed that these rearrangements are associated with autism spectrum disorders and mirror phenotypes of obesity/underweight and macrocephaly/microcephaly. Such phenotypes were previously associated with rearrangements of the non-overlapping proximal 16p11.2 600 kb BP4-BP5 interval. These two CNV-prone regions at 16p11.2 are reciprocally engaged in complex chromatin looping, as successfully confirmed by 4C-seq, fluorescence in situ hybridization and Hi-C, as well as coordinated expression and regulation of encompassed genes. We observed that genes differentially expressed in 16p11.2 BP4-BP5 CNV carriers are concomitantly modified in their chromatin interactions, suggesting that disruption of chromatin interplays could participate in the observed phenotypes. We also identified cis- and trans-acting chromatin contacts to other genomic regions previously associated with analogous phenotypes. For example, we uncovered that individuals with reciprocal rearrangements of the trans-contacted 2p15 locus similarly display mirror phenotypes on head circumference and weight. Our results indicate that chromosomal contacts’ maps could uncover functionally and clinically related genes.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 31 May 2016; doi:10.1038/mp.2016.84

Total average diastolic longitudinal displacement by colour tissue doppler imaging as an assessment of diastolic function

BACKGROUND: The current method for a non-invasive assessment of diastolic dysfunction is complex with the use of algorithms of many different echocardiographic parameters. Total average diastolic longitudinal displacement (LD), determined by colour tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) via the measurement of LD during early diastole and atrial contraction, can potentially be used as a simple and reliable alternative. METHODS: In 206 patients, using GE Healthcare Vivid E7 and 9 and Echopac BT11 software, we determined both diastolic LD, measured in the septal and lateral walls in the apical 4-chamber view by TDI, and the degree of diastolic dysfunction, based on current guidelines. Of these 206 patients, 157 had cardiac anomalies that could potentially affect diastolic LD such as severe systolic heart failure (n = 45), LV hypertrophy (n = 49), left ventricular (LV) dilation (n = 30), and mitral regurgitation (n = 33). Intra and interobserver variability of diastolic LD measures was tested in 125 patients. RESULTS: A linear relationship between total average diastolic LD and the degree of diastolic dysfunction was found. A total average diastolic LD of 10 mm was found to be a consistent threshold for the general discrimination of patients with or without diastolic dysfunction. Using linear regression, total average diastolic LD was estimated to fall by 2.4 mm for every increase in graded severity of diastolic dysfunction (β = −0.61, p-value <0.001). Patients with LV hypertrophy had preserved total average diastolic LD despite being classified as having diastolic dysfunction. Reproducibility of LD measures was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: There is strong evidence suggesting that patients with a total average diastolic LD under 10 mm have diastolic dysfunction. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12947-016-0083-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Stress myocardial perfusion with qualitative magnetic resonance and quantitative dynamic computed tomography: comparison of diagnostic performance and incremental value over coronary computed tomography angiography.

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging, following peer review. The version of record: Martina C de Knegt, Alexia Rossi, Steffen E Petersen, Andrew Wragg, Ruhaid Khurram, Mark Westwood, Bunny Saberwal, Anthony Mathur, Koen Nieman, Fabian Bamberg, Magnus T Jensen, Francesca Pugliese, Stress myocardial perfusion with qualitative magnetic resonance and quantitative dynamic computed tomography: comparison of diagnostic performance and incremental value over coronary computed tomography angiography, European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging, , jeaa270, https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeaa270 is available online at:  https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeaa270AIMS: Assessment of haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD) using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging perfusion or dynamic stress myocardial perfusion imaging by computed tomography (CT perfusion) may aid patient selection for invasive coronary angiography (ICA). We evaluated the diagnostic performance and incremental value of qualitative CMR perfusion and quantitative CT perfusion complementary to cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for the diagnosis of haemodynamically significant CAD using fractional flow reserve (FFR) and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) as reference standard. METHODS AND RESULTS: CCTA, qualitative visual CMR perfusion, visual CT perfusion, and quantitative relative myocardial blood flow (CT-MBF) were performed in patients with stable angina pectoris. FFR was measured in coronary vessels with stenosis visually estimated between 30% and 90% diameter reduction on ICA. Haemodynamically significant CAD was defined as FFR <0.80, or QCA ≥80% in those cases where FFR could not be performed. A total of 218 vessels from 93 patients were assessed. An optimal cut-off of 0.72 for relative CT-MBF was determined. The diagnostic performances (area under the receiver-operating characteristics curves, 95% CI) of visual CMR perfusion (0.84, 0.77-0.90) and relative CT-MBF (0.86, 0.81-0.92) were comparable and outperformed visual CT perfusion (0.64, 0.57-0.71). In combination with CCTA ≥50%, CCTA + visual CMR perfusion (0.91, 0.86-0.96), CCTA + relative CT-MBF (0.92, 0.88-0.96), and CCTA + visual CT perfusion (0.82, 0.75-0.90) improved discrimination compared with CCTA alone (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Visual CMR perfusion and relative CT-MBF outperformed visual CT perfusion and provided incremental discrimination compared with CCTA alone for the diagnosis of haemodynamically significant CAD

Changes in Cardiac Morphology and Function in Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus The UK Biobank Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Substudy

Danish Heart Foundation (#:16-R107-A6791),British Heart Foundatio

Changes in cardiac morphology and function in individuals with diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND:Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Detection of early cardiac changes before manifest disease develops is important. We investigated early alterations in cardiac structure and function associated with DM using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS:Participants from the UK Biobank Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Substudy, a community cohort study, without known cardiovascular disease and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% were included. Multivariable linear regression models were performed. The investigators were blinded to DM status. RESULTS:A total of 3984 individuals, 45% men, (mean [SD]) age 61.3 (7.5) years, hereof 143 individuals (3.6%) with DM. There was no difference in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (DM versus no DM; coefficient [95% CI]: -0.86% [-1.8 to 0.5]; P=0.065), LV mass (-0.13 g/m2 [-1.6 to 1.3], P=0.86), or right ventricular ejection fraction (-0.23% [-1.2 to 0.8], P=0.65). However, both LV and right ventricular volumes were significantly smaller in DM, (LV end-diastolic volume/m2: -3.46 mL/m2 [-5.8 to -1.2], P=0.003, right ventricular end-diastolic volume/m2: -4.2 mL/m2 [-6.8 to -1.7], P=0.001, LV stroke volume/m2: -3.0 mL/m2 [-4.5 to -1.5], P&lt;0.001; right ventricular stroke volume/m2: -3.8 mL/m2 [-6.5 to -1.1], P=0.005), LV mass/volume: 0.026 (0.01 to 0.04) g/mL, P=0.006. Both left atrial and right atrial emptying fraction were lower in DM (right atrial emptying fraction: -6.2% [-10.2 to -2.1], P=0.003; left atrial emptying fraction:-3.5% [-6.9 to -0.1], P=0.043). LV global circumferential strain was impaired in DM (coefficient [95% CI]: 0.38% [0.01 to 0.7], P=0.045). CONCLUSIONS:In a low-risk general population without known cardiovascular disease and with preserved LV ejection fraction, DM is associated with early changes in all 4 cardiac chambers. These findings suggest that diabetic cardiomyopathy is not a regional condition of the LV but affects the heart globally