To Start a Hospitality Student Investment Club at Schenectady County Community College

Statement of objective The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the needs for investment knowledge at an early age, understand the power of financial independence for a successful future, explore the employment opportunities associated with participation in a campus investment club, and implement an investment club on a college campus targeted to hospitality industry students

Dietary Protein Deficiency and Mycobacterium Bovis BCG Affect Interleukin-2 Activity in Experimental Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Inbred strain 2 guinea pigs were vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG or were left unvaccinated. They were maintained for 6 weeks on defined, isocaloric diets containing either 30% (control animals) or 10% (animals receiving low protein) ovalbumin as the sole protein source. Animals were challenged by the respiratory route with a low dose of virulent M. tuberculosis H37Rv and killed 4 weeks later. Protein-malnourished animals were not protected by previous vaccination with BCG. Lymphocytes isolated from various tissues were tested in vitro for proliferative responses to mitogen (concanavalin A) and antigen (purified protein derivative [PPD]), production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), and response to exogenous recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2). Protein-malnourished guinea pigs responded only weakly to PPD skin tests, and their blood and lymph node lymphocytes exhibited impaired proliferation when cultured with PPD in vitro. IL-2 levels were consistently low in cultures of stimulated blood and spleen lymphocytes from protein-deprived animals. BCG vaccination of nutritionally normal guinea pigs, on the other hand, induced significantly more IL-2 production by PPD- and concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocytes. The addition of exogenous mouse rIL-2 (40 and 80 U/ml) in vitro to PPD-stimulated blood and lymph node cells from nonvaccinated, protein-deprived guinea pigs resulted in no improvement of the proliferative response. Previous vaccination of malnourished guinea pigs did not consistently enhance the response of PPD-stimulated lymphocytes to added rIL-2. Dietary protein deficiency and BCG vaccination appear to modulate antigen-driven cellular immunity in animals with tuberculosis by altering the production of, and the response to, IL-2 by PPD-stimulated lymphocytes

Ruptured heterotopic pregnancy presenting as hemorrhagic shock

Background: Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare event consisting of simultaneous intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancies. If undiagnosed, it is probable the patient will present to an Emergency Department and require emergent care. Case Report: A 25 year-old woman arrived at the Emergency Department at 14 weeks gestation reporting sharp abdominal cramping and pelvic pain with a history of current tobacco use. Trans-abdominal ultrasound revealed a viable intrauterine pregnancy consistent with 14 weeks, closed cervix with free fluid noted in pelvis, and no evidence of ovarian torsion. Over the next three hours, the patient’s condition deteriorated and hemoglobin levels dropped. The surgeon on call was consulted and suspected ruptured hepatic adenoma versus hepatic hemangioma versus visceral aneurysm. A laparotomy was emergently performed with supraceliac control of aorta to permit resuscitation, and the right and left upper quadrants of the abdominal cavity were investigated without discovery of bleeding source. Further investigation revealed ruptured left tubal ectopic pregnancy and a partial salpingectomy was performed. Conclusions: This case serves as a clinical reminder that while heterotopic pregnancy is thought to be rare, when a patient presents with known intrauterine pregnancy and abdominal pain, heterotopic pregnancy should be included in the differential diagnosis. More common use of assisted reproductive technology may increase the incidence of heterotopic pregnancies, making familiarity with the signs, symptoms, and risk factors for this condition important

Tc-99m pyrophosphate imaging of poloxamer-treated electroporated skeletal muscle in an in vivo rat model

Objective: This study investigates whether 99mTc pyrophosphate (PYP) imaging provides a quantitative non-invasive assessment of the extent of electroporation injury, and of the effect of poloxamer in vivo on electroporated skeletal muscle. Methods: High-voltage electrical shock was used to produce electroporation injury in an anesthetized rat\u27s hind limb. In each experiment, the injured limb was treated intravenously by either poloxamer-188, dextran, or saline, and subsequently imaged with 99mTc PYP. The radiotracer\u27s temporal behavior among the experimental groups was compared using curve fitting of time-activity curves from the dynamic image data. Results: The washout kinetics of 99mTc PYP changed in proportion to the electric current magnitude that produced electroporation. Also, 99mTc PYP washout from electroporated muscle differed between poloxamer-188 treatment and saline treatment. Finally, 10-kDa dextran treatment of electroporated muscle altered 99mTc PYP washout less than poloxamer-188 treatment. Conclusions: Behavior of 99mTc PYP in electroporated muscle appears to be an indicator of the amount of electroporation injury. Compared to saline, intravenous polaxamer-188 treatment reduced the amount of 99mTc PYP uptake. Coupled to results showing poloxamer-188 seals ruptured cellular membranes, lessens the extent of electroporation injury and improves cell viability, 99mTc PYP imaging appears to be a useful in vivo monitoring tool for the extent of electroporation injury. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI

Anemia and Red Blood Cell Transfusions, Cerebral Oxygenation, Brain Injury and Development, and Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Preterm Infants:A Systematic Review

Background: Anemia remains a common comorbidity of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Left untreated, severe anemia may adversely affect organ function due to inadequate oxygen supply to meet oxygen requirements, resulting in hypoxic tissue injury, including cerebral tissue. To prevent hypoxic tissue injury, anemia is generally treated with packed red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Previously published data raise concerns about the impact of anemia on cerebral oxygen delivery and, therefore, on neurodevelopmental outcome (NDO). Objective: To provide a systematic overview of the impact of anemia and RBC transfusions during NICU admission on cerebral oxygenation, measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), brain injury and development, and NDO in preterm infants. Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, reference lists. Study Selection: We conducted 3 different searches for English literature between 2000 and 2020; 1 for anemia, RBC transfusions, and cerebral oxygenation, 1 for anemia, RBC transfusions, and brain injury and development, and 1 for anemia, RBC transfusions, and NDO. Data Extraction: Two authors independently screened sources and extracted data. Quality of case-control studies or cohort studies, and RCTs was assessed using either the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale or the Van Tulder Scale, respectively. Results: Anemia results in decreased oxygen-carrying capacity, worsening the burden of cerebral hypoxia in preterm infants. RBC transfusions increase cerebral oxygenation. Improved brain development may be supported by avoidance of cerebral hypoxia, although restrictive RBC transfusion strategies were associated with better long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Conclusions: This review demonstrated that anemia and RBC transfusions were associated with cerebral oxygenation, brain injury and development and NDO in preterm infants. Individualized care regarding RBC transfusions during NICU admission, with attention to cerebral tissue oxygen saturation, seems reasonable and needs further investigation to improve both short-term effects and long-term neurodevelopment of preterm infants

Clinical pharmacogenetics implementation consortium guidelines for CYP2C9 and HLA-B genotypes and phenytoin dosing.

Phenytoin is a widely used antiepileptic drug with a narrow therapeutic index and large interpatient variability, partly due to genetic variations in the gene encoding cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C9 (CYP2C9). Furthermore, the variant allele HLA-B*15:02, encoding human leukocyte antigen, is associated with an increased risk of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in response to phenytoin treatment. We summarize evidence from the published literature supporting these associations and provide recommendations for the use of phenytoin based on CYP2C9 and/or HLA-B genotype (also available on PharmGKB: http://www.pharmgkb.org). The purpose of this guideline is to provide information for the interpretation of HLA-B and/or CYP2C9 genotype tests so that the results can guide dosing and/or use of phenytoin. Detailed guidelines for the use of phenytoin as well as analyses of cost-effectiveness are out of scope. Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines are periodically updated at http://www.pharmgkb.org