Pathogenic Potential to Humans of Bovine Escherichia coli O26, Scotland

Escherichia coli O26 and O157 have similar overall prevalences in cattle in Scotland, but in humans, Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O26 infections are fewer and clinically less severe than E. coli O157 infections. To investigate this discrepancy, we genotyped E. coli O26 isolates from cattle and humans in Scotland and continental Europe. The genetic background of some strains from Scotland was closely related to that of strains causing severe infections in Europe. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling found an association between hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and multilocus sequence type 21 strains and confirmed the role of stx<sub>2</sub> in severe human disease. Although the prevalences of E. coli O26 and O157 on cattle farms in Scotland are equivalent, prevalence of more virulent strains is low, reducing human infection risk. However, new data on E. coli O26–associated HUS in humans highlight the need for surveillance of non-O157 enterohemorrhagic E. coli and for understanding stx<sub>2</sub> phage acquisition

The IDENTIFY study: the investigation and detection of urological neoplasia in patients referred with suspected urinary tract cancer - a multicentre observational study

Objective To evaluate the contemporary prevalence of urinary tract cancer (bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial cancer [UTUC] and renal cancer) in patients referred to secondary care with haematuria, adjusted for established patient risk markers and geographical variation. Patients and Methods This was an international multicentre prospective observational study. We included patients aged ≥16 years, referred to secondary care with suspected urinary tract cancer. Patients with a known or previous urological malignancy were excluded. We estimated the prevalence of bladder cancer, UTUC, renal cancer and prostate cancer; stratified by age, type of haematuria, sex, and smoking. We used a multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to adjust cancer prevalence for age, type of haematuria, sex, smoking, hospitals, and countries. Results Of the 11 059 patients assessed for eligibility, 10 896 were included from 110 hospitals across 26 countries. The overall adjusted cancer prevalence (n = 2257) was 28.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.3–34.1), bladder cancer (n = 1951) 24.7% (95% CI 19.1–30.2), UTUC (n = 128) 1.14% (95% CI 0.77–1.52), renal cancer (n = 107) 1.05% (95% CI 0.80–1.29), and prostate cancer (n = 124) 1.75% (95% CI 1.32–2.18). The odds ratios for patient risk markers in the model for all cancers were: age 1.04 (95% CI 1.03–1.05; P < 0.001), visible haematuria 3.47 (95% CI 2.90–4.15; P < 0.001), male sex 1.30 (95% CI 1.14–1.50; P < 0.001), and smoking 2.70 (95% CI 2.30–3.18; P < 0.001). Conclusions A better understanding of cancer prevalence across an international population is required to inform clinical guidelines. We are the first to report urinary tract cancer prevalence across an international population in patients referred to secondary care, adjusted for patient risk markers and geographical variation. Bladder cancer was the most prevalent disease. Visible haematuria was the strongest predictor for urinary tract cancer

Radiographic diameter of the colon in normal and constipated cats and in cats with megacolon

Radiographs of 50 cats with no history of gastrointestinal disease were evaluated to establish a normal reference range for radiographic diameter of the feline colon. Thirteen cats with constipation and 26 with megacolon were also evaluated and compared with the normal cats to characterize the accuracy of the reference range and to identify a cutoff to distinguish constipation from megacolon. A ratio of maximal diameter of the colon to L5 length was the most repeatable and accurate measurement. A ratio &#60;1.28 is a strong indicator of a normal colon (sensitivity 96%, specificity 87%). A value &#62;1.48 is a good indicator of megacolon (sensitivity 77%, specificity 85%

Tumbling motion yielding fast displacements of synthetic antiferromagnetic nanoparticles for biological applications

International audienceSynthetic antiferromagnetic micro/nanoparticles usable for biological applications were recently developed using a top-down approach, made of alternating NiFe layers and non magnetic Ru spacers. We describe here different types of motions of magnetic particles chains, controlled either by field gradients or alternating magnetic fields and combination of both. Of particular interest is a displacement named “tumbling motion” consisting in a combination of rotation and translation, with friction on the bottom surface of the container, as a bicycle wheel on a horizontal surface. This motion yields a translation speed 10–30 times faster than by using conventional gradient of magnetic fiel

Self-polarization phenomenon and control of dispersion of synthetic antiferromagnetic nanoparticles for biological applications

International audienceUsing a top-down approach, synthetic antiferromagnetic micro/nanoparticles usable for biological applications were prepared. These particles exhibit “superparamagneticlike” properties. Their magnetic susceptibility can be accurately controlled by the thickness of the constituting layers. When dispersed in solution, striking differences in their interactions are observed depending on their susceptibility. Above a susceptibility threshold, a phenomenon of self-polarization is observed in zero applied field, resulting in a gradual agglomeration of the particles. In contrast, below the susceptibility threshold, the particles get redispersed in zero field. This is interpreted by a self-consistent model taking into account dipolar interactions between particles and their magnetic susceptibility.

Pathogenic potential to humans of Bovine Escherichia coli O26, Scotland

BACKGROUND: Psychostimulants and atomoxetine have been shown to increase blood pressure, heart rate, and QT interval in children and adolescents; however, based on current literature, it is unclear if these "attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications" are also associated with serious cardiovascular (SCV) events. We addressed this question in commonly exposed groups of children and adolescents with either ADHD or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: Using commercial (years 2000-2016) and Medicaid (years 2012-2016) administrative claims data from the United States (US), we conducted two case-control studies, nested within respective cohorts of ADHD and ASD children aged 3-18 years. We defined cases by a composite outcome of stroke, myocardial infarction, or serious cardiac arrhythmia. For each case, we matched ten controls on age, sex, and insurance type. We conducted conditional logistic regression models to test associations between SCV outcomes and a primary exposure definition of current ADHD medication use. Additionally, we controlled for resource use, cardiovascular and psychiatric comorbidities, and use of medications in a variety of sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: We identified 2,240,774 children for the ADHD cohort and 326,221 children for the ASD cohort. For ADHD, 33.9% of cases (63 of 186) versus 32.2% of controls (598 of 1860) were exposed, which yielded an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.08 (0.78-1.49). For ASD, 12.5% of cases (6 of 48) versus 22.1% of controls (106 of 480) were exposed [OR 0.49 (0.20-1.20)]. Covariate-adjusted results and results for individual outcomes and other exposure definitions were consistent with no increased risk of SCV events. CONCLUSION: Using large US claims data, we found no evidence of increased SCV risk in children and adolescents with ADHD or ASD exposed to ADHD medications