Evidence of clonal budding in a radial cluster of Paraconularia crustula (White) (Pennsylvanian: ?Cnidaria)

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73153/1/j.1502-3931.1992.tb01645.x.pd

Effect on gastric function and symptoms of drinking wine, black tea, or schnapps with a Swiss cheese fondue: randomised controlled crossover trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of drinking white wine or black tea with Swiss cheese fondue followed by a shot of cherry schnapps on gastric emptying, appetite, and abdominal symptoms. DESIGN: Randomised controlled crossover study. PARTICIPANTS: 20 healthy adults (14 men) aged 23-58. INTERVENTIONS: Cheese fondue (3260 kJ, 32% fat) labelled with 150 mg sodium (13)Carbon-octanoate was consumed with 300 ml of white wine (13%, 40 g alcohol) or black tea in randomised order, followed by 20 ml schnapps (40%, 8 g alcohol) or water in randomised order. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cumulative percentage dose of (13)C substrate recovered over four hours (higher values indicate faster gastric emptying) and appetite and dyspeptic symptoms (visual analogue scales). RESULTS: Gastric emptying was significantly faster when fondue was consumed with tea or water than with wine or schnapps (cumulative percentage dose of (13)C recovered 18.1%, 95% confidence interval 15.2% to 20.9% v 7.4%, 4.6% to 10.3%; P<0.001). An inverse dose-response relation between alcohol intake and gastric emptying was evident. Appetite was similar with consumption of wine or tea (difference 0.11, -0.12 to 0.34; P=0.35), but reduced if both wine and schnapps were consumed (difference -0.40, -0.01 to -0.79; P<0.046). No difference in dyspeptic symptoms was present. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric emptying after a Swiss cheese fondue is noticeably slower and appetite suppressed if consumed with higher doses of alcohol. This effect was not associated with dyspeptic symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00943696

New data on the morphology of Sphenothallus Hall: implications for its affinities

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73676/1/j.1502-3931.1992.tb01378.x.pd

Hospital Outcomes of Community-Acquired SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection Compared With Influenza Infection in Switzerland

IMPORTANCE: With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to assess the current burden of disease of community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in hospitalized patients to tailor appropriate public health policies. Comparisons with better-known seasonal influenza infections may facilitate such decisions. OBJECTIVE: To compare the in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant with patients with influenza. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was based on a national COVID-19 and influenza registry. Hospitalized patients aged 18 years and older with community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection who were admitted between January 15 and March 15, 2022 (when B.1.1.529 Omicron predominance was >95%), and hospitalized patients with influenza A or B infection from January 1, 2018, to March 15, 2022, where included. Patients without a study outcome by August 30, 2022, were censored. The study was conducted at 15 hospitals in Switzerland. EXPOSURES: Community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant vs community-acquired seasonal influenza A or B. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary and secondary outcomes were defined as in-hospital mortality and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant or influenza. Cox regression (cause-specific and Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models) was used to account for time-dependency and competing events, with inverse probability weighting to adjust for confounders with right-censoring at day 30. RESULTS: Of 5212 patients included from 15 hospitals, 3066 (58.8%) had SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in 14 centers and 2146 patients (41.2%) had influenza A or B in 14 centers. Of patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, 1485 (48.4%) were female, while 1113 patients with influenza (51.9%) were female (P = .02). Patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were younger (median [IQR] age, 71 [53-82] years) than those with influenza (median [IQR] age, 74 [59-83] years; P < .001). Overall, 214 patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (7.0%) died during hospitalization vs 95 patients with influenza (4.4%; P < .001). The final adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (sdHR) for in-hospital death for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant vs influenza was 1.54 (95% CI, 1.18-2.01; P = .002). Overall, 250 patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (8.6%) vs 169 patients with influenza (8.3%) were admitted to the ICU (P = .79). After adjustment, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was not significantly associated with increased ICU admission vs influenza (sdHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.88-1.32; P = .50). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The data from this prospective, multicenter cohort study suggest a significantly increased risk of in-hospital mortality for patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant vs those with influenza, while ICU admission rates were similar

Traditional milk transformation schemes in Côte d'Ivoire and their impact on the prevalence of Streptococcus bovis complex bacteria in dairy products

The Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC) and possibly Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius (Sii) are associated with human and animal diseases. Sii predominate in spontaneously fermented milk products with unknown public health effects. Sii/SBSEC prevalence data from West Africa in correlation with milk transformation practices are limited. Northern Côte d'Ivoire served as study area due to its importance in milk production and consumption and to link a wider Sudano-Sahelian pastoral zone of cross-border trade. We aimed to describe the cow milk value chain and determine Sii/SBSEC prevalence with a cross-sectional study. Dairy production practices were described as non-compliant with basic hygiene standards. The system is influenced by secular sociocultural practices and environmental conditions affecting product properties. Phenotypic and molecular analyses identified SBSEC in 27/43 (62.8%) fermented and 26/67 (38.8%) unfermented milk samples. Stratified by collection stage, fermented milk at producer and vendor levels featured highest SBSEC prevalence of 71.4% and 63.6%, respectively. Sii with 62.8% and 38.8% as well as Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus with 7.0% and 7.5% were the predominant SBSEC species identified among fermented and unfermented milk samples, respectively. The population structure of Sii/SBSEC isolates seems to reflect evolving novel dairy-adapted, non-adapted and potentially pathogenic lineages. Northern Côte d'Ivoire was confirmed as area with high Sii presence in dairy products. The observed production practices and the high diversity of Sii/SBSEC supports in-depth investigations on Sii ecology niche, product safety and related technology in the dairy value chain potentially affecting large population groups across sub-Saharan Africa

HIV-1-infected patients with focal neurologic signs: diagnostic role of PCR for Toxoplasma gondii, Epstein-Barr virus, and JC virus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate nested PCR for Toxoplasma gondii (TOX), JC virus (JCV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) for diagnosis of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE), progressive multifocal leukencephalopathy (PML) and primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCL). METHODS: A prospective study encompassed 26 HIV-1-infected individuals presenting with focal neurologic signs and symptoms. Nested PCR was performed on both supernatants and pellets of centrifuged cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), on plasma and on white blood cells (WBCs). For a retrospective study, stored CSF supernatants were available from an additional 27 HIV-1-infected patients with TE, PML, and PCL. RESULTS: TE, PML or PCL was diagnosed in 13 of 26 patients in the prospective group. Plasma and WBC analysis by PCR was not informative except in one case of TE. TOX and JCV were detected by PCR in the CSF pellets of four of five patients with TE, and of four of five patients with PML, respectively, but in no other cases. EBV was detected not only in three of three cases of PCL, but also in six patients suffering from other conditions. PCR on the CSF supernatants was less sensitive for all three etiologies. These results correlated with those of the retrospective PCR analysis, for which only stored CSF supernatants were available, revealing sensitivities of 33%, 50% and 66% for TE, PML and PCL, respectively, but specificities of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: In the clinical routine, TOX and JCV PCR on centrifuged CSF pellets can be recommended to obtain an early diagnosis of TE and PML. Under these conditions, EBV PCR helps to exclude PCL as a cause of FBLs, as it is highly sensitive, but not specific, for PCL in HIV-1-infected individuals