Spontaneous mutations in the flhD operon generate motility heterogeneity in Escherichia coli biofilm

Sequence analysis and PCR primers. (DOCX 75 kb

Legal Outcomes of Litigation After Iatrogenic Genitourinary Trauma

Objective: To evaluate plaintiff and defendant characteristics associated with iatrogenic genitourinary (GU) trauma litigation and outcomes of closed claims. Methods: LexisNexis was queried in April 2023 using terms related to GU organs and injury, and manually reviewed for iatrogenic cases. Case details including defendant, organ involvement, and legal outcome were obtained. Multinomial regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with outcome. Results: Four hundred ten cases involving 611 defendants were identified, with the ureter the most commonly affected organ (202/410, 49.3%). Most cases involved adult plaintiffs (380, 92.7%) and resulted in favor of the defense (227, 55.4%). Injuries resulted most frequently from gynecologic surgeries (179, 43.7%). Defendants were most commonly obstetricians/gynecologists (243/611, 39.8%) and urologists (168, 27.5%). Penile (OR 6.3 [95% CI 2.5-16.1]) and urethral (OR 4.8 [2.0-11.7]) injuries were associated with greater odds of a plaintiff verdict relative to ureter injury. A plaintiff verdict was also more likely when defendants were academic hospitals compared to individual practitioners (OR 4.3 [1.9-9.9]). In cases ruling in favor of the plaintiff, indemnity payments were larger when the defendants were comprised of individual practitioners compared to a hospital or medical group (median $549,613 vs$250,000, P \u3c.001). Conclusion: Urologists may be involved in medical malpractice lawsuits for iatrogenic injury even when they are uninvolved in the index procedure. Most cases that reach litigation result in defense verdicts regardless of the GU organ injured. Defendant characteristics associated with plaintiff verdicts are more nuanced, and providers should be aware of potential downstream effects of litigation

Additional file 1: of Spontaneous mutations in the flhD operon generate motility heterogeneity in Escherichia coli biofilm

Complete data set for individual isolates. (XLS 41 kb

Mantle dynamics beneath the Pacific Northwest and the generation of voluminous back-arc volcanism

The Pacific Northwest (PNW) has a complex tectonic history and over the past ~17 Ma has played host to several major episodes of intraplate volcanism. These events include the Steens/Columbia River flood basalts (CRB) and the striking spatiotemporal trends of the Yellowstone/Snake River Plain (Y/SRP) and High Lava Plains (HLP) regions. Several different models have been proposed to explain these features, which variously invoke the putative Yellowstone plume, rollback and steepening of the Cascadia slab, extensional processes in the lithosphere, or a combination of these. Here we integrate seismologic, geodynamic, geochemical, and petrologic results from the multidisciplinary HLP project and associated analyses of EarthScope USArray seismic data to propose a conceptual model for post-20 Ma mantle dynamics beneath the PNW and the relationships between mantle flow and surface tectonomagmatic activity. This model invokes rollback subduction as the main driver for mantle flow beneath the PNW beginning at ~20 Ma. A major pulse of upwelling due to slab rollback and upper plate extension and consequent melting produced the Steens/CRB volcanism, and continuing trench migration enabled mantle upwelling and hot, shallow melting beneath the HLP. An additional buoyant mantle upwelling is required to explain the Y/SRP volcanism, but subduction-related processes may well have played a primary role in controlling its timing and location, and this upwelling likely continues today in some form. This conceptual model makes predictions that are broadly consistent with seismic observations, geodynamic modeling experiments, and petrologic and geochemical constraints.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Continental Dynamics Program Grant EAR-0507486

The incidence and significance of anti-natalizumab antibodies - Results from AFFIRM and SENTINEL

Objective: To determine the incidence and clinical effects of antibodies that develop during treatment with natalizumab

Health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis: Effects of natalizumab

Objective: To report the relationship between disease activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in relapsing multiple sclerosis, and the impact of natalizumab. Methods: HRQoL data were available from 2,113 multiple sclerosis patients in natalizumab clinical studies. In the Natalizumab Safety and Efficacy in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (AFFIRM) study, patients received natalizumab 300mg (n = 627) or placebo (n = 315); in the Safety and Efficacy of Natalizumab in Combination with Interferon Beta-1a in Patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (SENTINEL) study, patients received interferon beta-la (IFN-\u3b2-1a) plus natalizumab 300mg (n = 589), or IFN-\u3b2-1a plus placebo (n = 582). The Short Form-36 (SF-36) and a subject global assessment visual analog scale were administered at baseline and weeks 24, 52, and 104. Prespecified analyses included changes from baseline to week 104 in SF-36 and visual analog scale scores. Odds ratios for clinically meaningful improvement or worsening on the SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary were calculated. Results: Mean baseline SF-36 scores were significantly less than the general US population and correlated with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores, sustained disability progression, relapse number, and increased volume of brain magnetic resonance imaging lesions. Natalizumab significantly improved SF-36 PCS and Mental Component Summary scores at week 104 in AFFIRM. PCS changes were significantly improved by week 24 and at all subsequent time points. Natalizumab-treated patients in both studies were more likely to experience clinically important improvement and less likely to experience clinically important deterioration on the SF-36 PCS. The visual analog scale also showed significantly improved HRQoL with natalizumab. Interpretation: HRQoL was impaired in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients, correlated with severity of disease as measured by neurological ratings or magnetic resonance imaging, and improved significantly with natalizumab. \ua9 2007 American Neurological Association. Published by Wiley-Liss, Inc