Perceived loss of social support after non-neurologic injury negatively impacts recovery

Background: Traumatic injury is not only physically devastating, but also psychologically isolating, potentially leading to poor quality of life, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Perceived social support (PSS) is associated with better outcomes in some populations. What is not known is if changes in PSS influence long-term outcomes following nonneurologic injury. We hypothesized that a single drop in PSS during recovery would be associated with worse quality of life. Methods: This is a post hoc analysis of a prospectively collected database that included patients 18 years or older admitted to a Level I trauma center with Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 10 or higher, and no traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. Demographic and injury data were collected at the initial hospital admission. Screening for depression, PTSD, and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Mental Composite Score (MCS) were obtained at the initial hospitalization, 1, 2, 4, and 12 months postinjury. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was obtained at similar time points. Patients with high MSPSS (>5) at baseline were included and grouped by those that ever reported a score ≤5 (DROP), and those that remained high (STABLE). Outcomes were determined at 4 and 12 months. Results: Four hundred eleven patients were included with 96 meeting DROP criteria at 4 months, and 97 at 1 years. There were no differences in sex, race, or injury mechanism. The DROP patients were more likely to be single (p = 0.012 at 4 months, p = 0.0006 at 1 year) and unemployed (p = 0.016 at 4 months, and p = 0.026 at 1 year) compared with STABLE patients. At 4 months and 1 year, DROP patients were more likely to have PTSD, depression, and a lower MCS (p = 0.0006, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Patients who have a drop in PSS during the first year of recovery have significantly higher odds of poor psychological outcomes. Identifying these socially frail patients provides an opportunity for intervention to positively influence an otherwise poor quality of life. Level of evidence: Therapeutic, Prognostic and Epidemiological, Level III

Feo - Transport of ferrous iron into bacteria

Bacteria commonly utilise a unique type of transporter, called Feo, to specifically acquire the ferrous (Fe2+) form of iron from their environment. Enterobacterial Feo systems are composed of three proteins: FeoA, a small, soluble SH3-domain protein probably located in the cytosol; FeoB, a large protein with a cytosolic N-terminal G-protein domain and a C-terminal integral inner-membrane domain containing two 'Gate' motifs which likely functions as the Fe2+ permease; and FeoC, a small protein apparently functioning as an [Fe-S]-dependent transcriptional repressor. We provide a review of the current literature combined with a bioinformatic assessment of bacterial Feo systems showing how they exhibit common features, as well as differences in organisation and composition which probably reflect variations in mechanisms employed and function