The use of MS for the investigation of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease

Currently, the diagnosis of bowel diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) relies on invasive and expensive procedures. Identification of biomarker-based tests to aid diagnosis is an important area of research. Here we review the use of mass spectrometry in this search and discuss recent findings

The Grizzly, October 22, 2015

New President on the Brock: Brock Blomberg Takes the Helm at Ursinus • Blomberg Installed as 17th President • Blomberg Begins New Era with Intellectual Discussions • Homecoming Court Crowned • 5 Questions with Brock • A Historic Moment Celebrated in a Historic Place • A Taste of the Workplace • Dr. Hess has Good Chemistry with Freshmen Students • Opinions: Should UC Ban Cigarettes?; New Film Green Inferno Rates 3 / 10 • Distance Doesn\u27t Matter: Two Women\u27s Soccer Players Come From Very Far Apart • Men\u27s and Women\u27s Soccer Look to End Seasons on a High Notehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1674/thumbnail.jp

Mortality and its risk factors in Malawian children admitted to hospital with clinical pneumonia, 2001–12: a retrospective observational study

Background Few studies have reported long-term data on mortality rates for children admitted to hospital with pneumonia in Africa. We examined trends in case fatality rates for all-cause clinical pneumonia and its risk factors in Malawian children between 2001 and 2012. Methods Individual patient data for children (<5 years) with clinical pneumonia who were admitted to hospitals participating in Malawi’s Child Lung Health Programme between 2001 and 2012 were recorded prospectively on a standardised medical form. We analysed trends in pneumonia mortality and children’s clinical characteristics, and we estimated the association of risk factors with case fatality for children younger than 2 months, 2–11 months of age, and 12–59 months of age using separate multivariable mixed eff ects logistic regression models. Findings Between November, 2012, and May, 2013, we retrospectively collected all available hard copies of yellow forms from 40 of 41 participating hospitals. We examined 113 154 pneumonia cases, 104 932 (92∧7%) of whom had mortality data and 6903 of whom died, and calculated an overall case fatality rate of 6·6% (95% CI 6·4–6·7). The case fatality rate signifi cantly decreased between 2001 (15·2% [13·4–17·1]) and 2012 (4·5% [4·1–4·9]; ptrend<0·0001). Univariable analyses indicated that the decrease in case fatality rate was consistent across most subgroups. In multivariable analyses, the risk factors signifi cantly associated with increased odds of mortality were female sex, young age, very severe pneumonia, clinically suspected Pneumocystis jirovecii infection, moderate or severe underweight, severe acute malnutrition, disease duration of more than 21 days, and referral from a health centre. Increasing year between 2001 and 2012 and increasing age (in months) were associated with reduced odds of mortality. Fast breathing was associated with reduced odds of mortality in children 2–11 months of age. However, case fatality rate in 2012 remained high for children with very severe pneumonia (11·8%), severe undernutrition (15·4%), severe acute malnutrition (34·8%), and symptom duration of more than 21 days (9·0%). Interpretation Pneumonia mortality and its risk factors have steadily improved in the past decade in Malawi; however, mortality remains high in specifi c subgroups. Improvements in hospital care may have reduced case fatality rates though a lack of suffi cient data on quality of care indicators and the potential of socioeconomic and other improvements outside the hospital precludes adequate assessment of why case-fatality rates fell. Results from this study emphasise the importance of eff ective national systems for data collection. Further work combining this with data on trends in the incidence of pneumonia in the community are needed to estimate trends in the overall risk of mortality from pneumonia in children in Malawi

The Grizzly, September 4, 2014

Zipcar Comes to Ursinus • Freshmen Placed in Main Street Houses • New Janitorial Staff at Ursinus • International Students on the Rise • Thousands Flock to Phoenixville • Discomfort of Coming Home • Access Urban Areas for Under $20 • Opinion: Ice Bucket Challenge Raises Millions, Most People Take the Easy Way Out; Lost Da Vinci Fresco • Field Hockey Looking to Repeat • Hitting the Ground Runninghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1907/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 5, 2015

Fundraiser Aims to Raise $100 Million • A Trend in Tuition Costs Explains Rise This Year • Wismer on Wheels Benefits Charities and Volunteers • Gaoko Exam Makes Chinese Students Come to America • Art Class Works With Animal Foundation to Create Art • Writing Center Help Expands • Diversity Monologues Event is Helping Bring UC Students Together • Opinion: Tuition is a Headache for International Students; A Vegan\u27s Defense of Hunting • All Around Good Season for Ruoss • Basketball Teams Working Without Seniorshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1922/thumbnail.jp

Mortality and its risk factors in Malawian children admitted to hospital with clinical pneumonia, 2001-12: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have reported long-term data on mortality rates for children admitted to hospital with pneumonia in Africa. We examined trends in case fatality rates for all-cause clinical pneumonia and its risk factors in Malawian children between 2001 and 2012. METHODS: Individual patient data for children (<5 years) with clinical pneumonia who were admitted to hospitals participating in Malawi's Child Lung Health Programme between 2001 and 2012 were recorded prospectively on a standardised medical form. We analysed trends in pneumonia mortality and children's clinical characteristics, and we estimated the association of risk factors with case fatality for children younger than 2 months, 2-11 months of age, and 12-59 months of age using separate multivariable mixed effects logistic regression models. FINDINGS: Between November, 2012, and May, 2013, we retrospectively collected all available hard copies of yellow forms from 40 of 41 participating hospitals. We examined 113 154 pneumonia cases, 104 932 (92·7%) of whom had mortality data and 6903 of whom died, and calculated an overall case fatality rate of 6·6% (95% CI 6·4-6·7). The case fatality rate significantly decreased between 2001 (15·2% [13·4-17·1]) and 2012 (4·5% [4·1-4·9]; ptrend<0·0001). Univariable analyses indicated that the decrease in case fatality rate was consistent across most subgroups. In multivariable analyses, the risk factors significantly associated with increased odds of mortality were female sex, young age, very severe pneumonia, clinically suspected Pneumocystis jirovecii infection, moderate or severe underweight, severe acute malnutrition, disease duration of more than 21 days, and referral from a health centre. Increasing year between 2001 and 2012 and increasing age (in months) were associated with reduced odds of mortality. Fast breathing was associated with reduced odds of mortality in children 2-11 months of age. However, case fatality rate in 2012 remained high for children with very severe pneumonia (11·8%), severe undernutrition (15·4%), severe acute malnutrition (34·8%), and symptom duration of more than 21 days (9·0%). INTERPRETATION: Pneumonia mortality and its risk factors have steadily improved in the past decade in Malawi; however, mortality remains high in specific subgroups. Improvements in hospital care may have reduced case fatality rates though a lack of sufficient data on quality of care indicators and the potential of socioeconomic and other improvements outside the hospital precludes adequate assessment of why case-fatality rates fell. Results from this study emphasise the importance of effective national systems for data collection. Further work combining this with data on trends in the incidence of pneumonia in the community are needed to estimate trends in the overall risk of mortality from pneumonia in children in Malawi. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Grizzly, September 24, 2015

CIE Professors Lend a Hand at Columbia U. • As Rush Week Ends, Greek Numbers Defy Expectations • Getting Back on Track • Healthy Addition: HEP Welcomes Rugby Coach to Faculty Lineup • Improving the Higher Education Experience • UC Student Trains Service Dog on Campus • Students Work with College Communications Office • Main Street Life: Upperclassmen Debate Housing\u27s Pros and Cons • Opinions: The Visit Rates 5 / 10; Extra-curricular Options for Students • Going Pro : Symposium on Sports Business and the Entrepreneurial Mindset Comes to Ursinus • Looking to Three-peathttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1671/thumbnail.jp

Exercise attenuates cardiotoxicity of anthracycline chemotherapy measured by global longitudinal strain [Letter]

[Extract] Anthracycline-based chemotherapy (AC) is a common treatment for patients with breast cancer and has been associated with a dramatic improvement in breast cancer survivorship. Among patients with early-stage breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases represent the most common cause of mortality, and there is a growing emphasis on strategies for minimizing the toxic effects of breast cancer treatments on the cardiovascular system (1)

Exercise attenuates cardiotoxicity of anthracycline chemotherapy measured by global longitudinal strain [Letter]

[Extract] Anthracycline-based chemotherapy (AC) is a common treatment for patients with breast cancer and has been associated with a dramatic improvement in breast cancer survivorship. Among patients with early-stage breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases represent the most common cause of mortality, and there is a growing emphasis on strategies for minimizing the toxic effects of breast cancer treatments on the cardiovascular system (1)